Stung, therefore, he redoubled his efforts, striving to bring back information that was not just flawless, but perfect.

It took him two years after that to finally realize what some people had known all along: that Shikamaru wasted nothing on people who did not need it, and therefore did not praise or thank Neji because Neji made the impossible commonplace, day in and day out. When you are already perfect, Shikamaru expects you to be perfect, and only when you are striving does Shikamaru say what he must to help you improve; the fact that he did not praise Neji was, in fact, a mark of respect.

Do I satisfy you? he asked once, perched on a tree branch beside the crouching Shikamaru and letting his irritation take his tongue after the delivery of another perfect report.
And Shikamaru groaned and said you're here, aren't you? and looked away and said What a hassle.
Still no thanks, and Neji honed his efforts, until he worked miracles day in and day out for his team leader, and still Shikamaru only nodded when he brought back his news.

It took Neji another two years of working miracles for Shikamaru to realize that, perhaps, those miracles had been Shikamaru's goal all along.