Naruto Fan Fiction / Naruto Shippuden Fan Fiction ❯ Every Light on this Path is For You ❯ The Easy Way Out ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer: The characters, items, places etc of Naruto are property of Masashi Kishimoto. These objects are used without permission for entertainment only, not for making money. No infringement is intended.

Chapter 6: The Easy Way Out

The group of five students and one teacher filed into a nearly empty classroom together, the teacher scanning over the people in front of him with a weary sigh.

Three new students he didn't know and two elder ones that he did- his eyes landed on Itachi once more, seemingly unable to believe he was about to scold what the teachers liked to think of as the college prodigy.

"Who was involved?" He finally asked. "Honest answers, boys."

"Not him," Itachi replied immediately, indicating Deidara. "He was restraining, that's all."

"Is that right?"

He got four nods and one glare from the brunette boy in response. The teacher took that as a positive and shooed Deidara to the door, who gratefully slipped outside to the hallway.

"Anyone else?"

"Technically Naruto wasn't," Sasuke spoke up, indicating Naruto.

"Technically? He either was or he wasn't."

"He only hit him once- which is quite restrained if you ask me," Sasuke muttered.

The teacher emitted another long, weary sigh. "Your name, please?"

"Uchiha Sasuke."

"Right. Sasuke, you understand even a single punch is definitely being involved, don't you? There's no technicality to consider."

"I don't want him getting in trouble!"

"I was right then," the brunette smirked. "Such a homo."

Sasuke's temper flared immediately, but he restrained himself in the presence of the teacher. Itachi's hand flew immediately to his arm regardless, just in case he hadn't.

"Stop provoking him! Who's going to give me the story of what happened, then?"

His eyes landed on Itachi, who gave him a slightly guilty shrug. He was starting to feel as though he hadn't taken the best course of action, especially at his age.

"I came in to find them fighting," he spoke when he realised he was being waited on expectantly for his story. "He was provoked with the insult you just heard, apparently. I attempted to break things up verbally but there was resistance, so I took to physical restraints."

"Stay here," the teacher ordered after a moment, beckoning to the boy in question. He and Sasuke were still staring daggers at one another, staying that way until the other was led from the room.

"Why the hell did you get involved?!" Sasuke demanded the moment the door closed, rounding on Itachi. "You do realise you're going to get in trouble now? You have a flawless record!"

Itachi simply stared at him, trying not to let the crushing feeling that came with that knowledge upset him. "I'm not going to let some kid talk to you like that," he declared firmly. He had one hand on the back of his neck, a rising headache forming thanks to the torture his hair had been put under. Sasuke noticed, his eyes narrowing in concern.

"Are you alright?"

"I'll live," Itachi shrugged, letting his hand drop away. "How about you? You have a cut on your cheek and from the look of it, you're going to have a nasty black eye."

Sasuke put a surprised hand to his cheek, wiping at the dried blood before tsking angrily. "Prick. I'm going to get him back for this."

"No, you'll leave it like a sensible and mature adult," Itachi scolded.

"Like you? You can't give me that lecture right now- you may not have hit the guy but you did everything else."

"Don't fight guys," Naruto asked with a sigh. He was sitting at one of the empty desks, one hand cradled in the other- both Uchihas seemed to have forgotten his presence, glancing at him with his words.

"How's your hand?" Sasuke asked, a hint of worry in his eyes.

"Could be better," Naruto shrugged, seemingly not too worried. "I think that guy should be more worried about his face."

"What actually happened?" Itachi asked, looking between them with a hint of confusion. He was interested to know why Naruto had backed down but Sasuke hadn't, for a start.

"We were just walking through the hall when that kid shouted at us," Sasuke explained simply. "He's in one of our classes I think. Anyway, he shouted his charming little insult and I went for the guy. He hit me, Naruto hit him in response and then I took over again. Then you walked in."

"So Naruto sensibly backed down after one punch, yet you continued past the original taunt?"

"He hurt you!"

Itachi raised an eyebrow at him. "I'm old enough to take care of myself, Sasuke," he replied flatly.

"And I can take care of myself as well! If he'd said it to you, would you have walked away?"

"I would."

"I can't believe you of all people would let that kind of remark go," Sasuke remarked sceptically.

"Sasuke, do you remember my friend Kisame?" Itachi said after a moment, looking slightly nostalgic as he recalled the man in question. "He was a mature student- older than me, tanned skin, very tall?"

"The guy that went to go live on a submarine or something a couple of years ago?"

"He was a marine biologist. But yes, he sadly became difficult to contact thanks to his job after he left college. You remember him?"

"Yes- what does he have to do with anything?"

"Just an anecdote, Sasuke. One day when we were walking through the hall just like you were, somebody decided to make a rather disparaging comment to his face about the tone of his skin-"

"Wait, I get this," Sasuke sighed. "This is where you tell me about how Kisame was a bigger man and he walked away from the insult, right?"

"No," Itachi replied, raising an eyebrow with a whisper of a smile on his lips. "He beat the guy so badly he put him in hospital."

Sasuke blinked a few times in confusion. "What kind of anecdote it that supposed to be?!"

"My point is that you reacted badly to an insult that had nothing to do with you," Itachi noted. "I might have understood your reaction, like I did Kisame's, had there been truth behind it because that would be a personal insult. Unless there's something you aren't telling me-"

"I was angry on your behalf!" Sasuke argued, but any further complaint was halted when the teacher re-entered the room. They all lapsed into silence immediately, realising he was alone now.

"I've just spoken to the college head," he told the three of them. "Itachi, he's especially disappointed in you."

Of course he was. Itachi kept his outer facade neutral, but he was already growing sick of everyone telling him how dissatisfied they were with him- it reminded him why attempting to be anything be perfect was such a heartache.

"The other boy had been sent home on a week's suspension," he continued. "Which is where you're headed now, Sasuke."

"What?! He provoked me!"

"Yes, and you should have ignored him. Your parents will be informed."

Itachi and Sasuke exchanged a look that said the same thing, and it wasn't pleasant.

"Naruto- a three day suspension for you, based on your smaller contribution."

Naruto nodded, averting his guilty eyes to the floor.

"Finally, Itachi. I want a private word with you. Make your way home, boys."

"I'll give you both a lift," Itachi murmured quietly to Sasuke, knowing he too was likely to be heading down the suspension route. Sasuke nodded, swiftly exiting the room along with his blond companion.

"Itachi," the teacher sighed after a moment, looking troubled. "I'm so disapo-"

"With all due respect," Itachi interrupted, his voice a little sharper than he wanted. "But could you please stop telling me how upset you are with me for my conduct? I'm completely aware it was uncalled for behaviour, but I couldn't let someone walk all over my sibling and do nothing."

The teacher looked taken aback for a moment before honouring the request. "Alright. I do understand why you stepped in, Itachi, but that doesn't make it right. Did you actually hit him?"

"No. I knocked him down to restrain him, but I didn't throw any punches."

The teacher studied him for a moment and Itachi met his eye, gaze firm.

"I believe you," he finally spoke. "But you're still going to be taking a three day reflection period. Sorry."

Itachi raised an eyebrow at the way it had been phrased. "So I'm suspended?"

"I was trying to be nice about it but, yes- you are."

Itachi nodded his acceptance, feeling rather like a small, scolded child- he wasn't used to being in positions like the current one so he didn't know what else to do.

"Because you're over eighteen you parents won't be called, though. Go home, Itachi."

Itachi followed him from the room, turning to face his three waiting companions. The teacher shooed them, turning his attention to Deidara.

"Get to class," he ordered. "The rest of you, go home."

He turned and headed down the corridor without another word. They all watched him until he reached the end of it and turned the corner- Deidara was first to come to life, launching himself at Itachi and embracing him tightly. Itachi let himself be hugged, feeling a little numb.

"The guy was a jerk, yeah. He deserved it," Deidara reassured him.

Itachi pushed his boyfriend off, carefully not meeting his eye. "You're late for class," he told him instead. "I'll come back and pick you up later."

"I'll make my own way!" Deidara protested. "It's fine, yeah. I need to stop by town and get some art supplies anyway."

He seemed very sure of himself, causing Itachi to falter instead of pushing the issue. "You're sure?"

"Positive."

"Then go to class."

Itachi roughly shoved him down the hall, turning his attention to Sasuke and Naruto instead. He refused to look in Deidara's direction, thankful that the footsteps he could hear on the tiled floor were getting fainter as his partner walked away. He didn't want to deal with Deidara right then- the reminder of why he was trying to be imperfect.

Had he been his old, perfect self he wouldn't have laid a single finger on the guy. He'd have dragged Sasuke off and restrained him like the usually mature adult that he claimed to be, but with Deidara's influence in his mind he had allowed his self-control to come free.

Doing so had landed him here- on orders to leave the college on his first ever suspension from any educational system. The rational part of his mind knew only he himself was to blame for his actions, but he did see the sudden the appeal of scapegoats.

"Let's go," he sighed, beckoning with one hand. The headache wasn't getting any better and now all he wanted to do was take a warm, comforting shower and collapse back into bed with pain relief.

"How long did you get?" Sasuke asked quietly once they were out of the building and in sight of the car.

"Three days."

"And I got a week? How is that fair?"

"You did a lot more than I did, Sasuke. Swearing at him in the teacher's presence probably didn't help."

Sasuke pursued his lips, getting into the car and staying silent for the whole journey. Itachi let the radio do the talking for them, detouring to drop Naruto home before heading for Sasuke's place.

"Thanks," Sasuke told him dismally once they were outside of it, getting out of the car. "I'll let you know how much of a fit Mum and Dad throw later."

Itachi nodded, pulling away as soon as he could and setting himself on the path home. He tried to keep his mind free of all thoughts until he was safely behind his front door, getting only as far as parking outside before he finally sighed and leant over his steering wheel, laying his arms across it and burying his head in them.

Deidara had suggested he ditch the complex. Deidara hadn't suggested that he do a complete reversal of personality. He exhaled and pulled himself up, getting out and heading for the house instead. How was someone supposed to spend a suspension, anyway? Surely sitting around doing nothing of worth wasn't much of a punishment?

Who was he kidding? To him the very idea of causing enough trouble to be sent home was shameful, and punishment enough. He slammed the front door as he entered, closing his eyes in anger with himself.

He resisted the very un-Itachi-like desire to punch the wall, telling himself if he could restrain himself from punching someone who deserved it, he could give his poor wall a reprieve.

Twenty minutes later he was curled up on the bed in a towelling gown, the painkillers he'd sourced moments after walking in slowly beginning to work. Spending the day in bed when he was supposed to be thinking about his terrible behaviour surely wouldn't be right, tempting as it was.

He did it anyway- no-one else would know and he was past caring if they did by that point. The day had started so well in the bed, so perhaps it might end well if that's where he spent the rest of it?

Deidara wasn't having the best of days, either. He couldn't get his mind off of what had transpired that morning- the whole college was rife with Itachi's suspension, because apparently the students had nothing more important to gossip about. It riled Deidara- why couldn't any of them see Itachi was just as human as they were?

For the first time he was seeing a tiny glimpse of the pedestal his boyfriend was on, and why it was so important to him to remain on it. He knew what had happened could become a positive thing, however- anything that helped break the need to be perfect was welcomed and could be construed as useful, as harsh as that sounded.

He narrowly avoided bumping into a teacher as he turned the corner, deep in thought. "Sorry," he apologised automatically, sidestepping to be on his way again.

"Deidara, isn't it?"

Deidara narrowed his eyes in surprise, studying the man in front of him. He was tall and bordering elderly- Deidara recognised him, but he couldn't quite place where from. It wasn't a teacher he'd ever had, but one he had seen, somewhere...

"That's right," he finally replied, unsure where the man was headed with the conversation.

"You're the one who hangs around with Uchiha Itachi a lot, aren't you?"

"Yes," Deidara replied curtly, ready to jump to his partner's defence if the fight was mentioned. "Why?"

"I'm his law teacher. Could I have a word?"

Deidara let himself be led off to a nearby empty classroom, concerned immediately. The teacher didn't take long to get to his point, closing the door behind them and turning to Deidara right after.

"I know this might be a personal question, but is Itachi under any stress right now?"

"Are you talking about this morning?"

"Partly," the man replied. Deidara was unsurprised that he knew- the teachers were probably gossiping about it as much as the students. "There's something else more pressing on my mind, though. I'm not asking you to break any confidences, but a yes or no would be appreciated."

"Then yes, I suppose he is."

"That's all I needed to know," the man replied grimly, and saying no more on the matter. He made to leave the room but Deidara called out to him to stop him.

"Can I ask why?"

Hesitantly reaching into the briefcase he was carrying, the teacher pulled out a paper and handed it to Deidara. He instantly recognised Itachi's neat handwriting gracing the page, his eyes being drawn to a red circle in the top right corner indicating the mark received on what he could see was an exam. The exam, Deidara guessed, that Itachi had been attempting to study for.

"Sixty-four percent?" he read out loud, eyes wide in surprise. Itachi had never scored anything less than a perfect 100% to Deidara's knowledge. "What was the percentage needed to pass?"

"Seventy-five percent."

Deidara's eyes widened even more. He knew instantly why Itachi had vanished the day he had taken the exam now- he knew he had failed. He must have done, because it was the only thing that made sense.

The teacher's soft voice broke him out of his thoughts. "I wouldn't be worried if he'd had scored anything above 90%, since everyone has their off days- even Itachi."

"It concerns me as well," Deidara remarked, still staring at the exam in his hands in disbelief.

"Can you help him?"

"I might be able to, yeah. I'll try."

"Thank you," the teacher replied, giving him another smile before stepping through the door. As an afterthought he stopped and glanced over his shoulder, looking a little troubled. "Can you give that to him? I'm aware of his suspension so I can't give it to him myself."

Deidara gave the man a beaming smile, putting the paper into his bag. "Just give me a week or so," he promised. "And you'll have your Itachi back."

He had no idea how he was going to manage it however, but he was going to achieve it- no matter how many hoops he had to jump through or strings he had to pull.

Deidara let himself into his shared home, armed with Itachi's paper, the art supplies he had purchased and some words of solace. He did a quick check of the living room and found it empty- and devoid of the Christmas decorations he had put up, he noted sadly to himself. Itachi must have finally snapped and decided to remove them in his absence.

He headed straight for the bedroom instead, pushing the door open to stop dead at the sight of Itachi packing a suitcase. A very familiar looking tan suitcase, in fact...

"My suitcase?" He asked, his eyes narrowed in confusion.

"What have you got there?" Itachi asked airily instead, avoiding the question and indicating the paper. Deidara faltered but held it out with a heavy sigh, looking to the floor so he didn't have to see the look in Itachi's eye when he saw his paper.

"Your exam, yeah."

"Oh."

Oh? Deidara glanced up again, seeing that Itachi was definitely looking at the paper and therefore the grade- all he could say was 'oh?'

"I figured," Itachi finally shrugged, before tearing the paper into sheds and continuing his packing. Deidara watched the scraps of paper flutter to the floor, resisting the urge to simply leave the room and re-enter, hoping normality would return if he did so.

"What are you packing?" He asked instead, hoping to get a reply this time.

"Your stuff."

Deidara blinked, unsure of what to say. He hadn't been expecting that.

"Why?" He asked dumbly when no other eloquent words came to mind.

"I can not do this!" Itachi finally shouted, spinning around and sending a sharp glare in Deidara's direction. "I can't have you and the complex, right? It won't work? I changed my mind- it's too hard, Deidara, so I have to give one up. I can't give up the complex because it seems to be rather attached to me."

"I'm rather attached to you, yeah! You realise you're at home on a suspension for fighting? That's pretty not-perfect right there."

"I'm aware," Itachi replied with another of those complacent shrugs that Deidara already hated. "I need to reverse it. I need to go back to being perfect again because that's who I am- it's all I can be, and it can't be done with you."

"You're breaking up with me?"

Itachi turned back to the suitcase, leaving the silence in the air to answer the question instead.

"Itachi!" Deidara prompted sharply. "Is that what you really want?"

"Of course it isn't," Itachi hissed, not turning to face Deidara. "But you almost walked away once because of this, because you aren't stupid and you know it won't work if I'm hung up on the need to be perfect. This time you need to actually go."

"It might work," Deidara attempted to reason desperately, but they both knew he was lying. Itachi chuckled to himself, shaking his head and glancing over his shoulder. His eyes were glossy and so pained that Deidara felt his breath catch in his throat- he'd seen Itachi cry, he'd seen him look sad but he'd never seen him look so fragile before. A perfect china doll, inches away from smashing to the floor.

It was his things Itachi was packing. He shook his head slowly, unable to comprehend what was happening. "Where am I supposed to go?" He asked, his voice almost a whisper. "I gave my place up to move in with you, yeah."

Itachi faltered in his packing- apparently, he hadn't thought of that.

"This is ridiculous," Deidara continued, seeing an opening to seize. "I don't care if you're perfect, imperfect, whatever-"

"You do. You wouldn't tell me how you felt because I had to be the one to say it. I had to choose between you and being perfect, so I just did."

"Neither of us want this, yeah. This isn't the answer!"

"It's an answer," Itachi replied, his tone no more than trembling whispers. "Now please, stop making this harder than it needs to be."

"I'm going to go," Deidara agreed. "But I'll be back in one hour, yeah. Think about what you're doing, Itachi- please, think. I've given you my opinion but I'll be back home in one hour, and we'll talk then."

He backtracked through the bedroom door, hurriedly heading for the front door until he was running at it, almost falling through it and closing it gently behind him- an anticlimactic end to such a scene. Taking a moment to collect himself on the doorstep, he finally set off down the garden path.

One hour. He had one hour to make Itachi see sense, and he had a very good idea what he was going to do to try.

Chapter End