Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ From Here to Eternity ❯ Movin' Out! ( Chapter 28 )

Kat: Whee! I've still got some Writers' Block, but it's all good! Hope everyone likes this chapter… I… uh… worked… on it.

 

Naruto: What she means is she stared at the computer for an hour, typing one letter at a time, before she actually got an idea.

 

Soriko: And during that time she wasn't really thinking about THIS story at all, but a SasuNaru thing she started.

 

Kat: Shu'up, bitches!

 

Naruto and Soriko: -snicker-

 

Kat: - - Ahem. Yeah… I started a SasuNaru seven-part story that I know spork ai would rip my jaw off for posting… but… I dunno… I think I'll finish it before I think about it anymore.

 

 

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Kankuro had just barely made it inside the apartment before someone grabbed him from behind, placing their hands over his eyes.

 

A familiar drawl spoke from the darkness. “Guess who…”

 

It took Kankuro about three seconds before he recognized the voice.

 

“Sasori Kaze! You monkey, paws off!” he cried, pushing the long, thin fingers off of his lids, and opening his eyes. Sasori laughed airily, his pale face slightly flushed.

 

“How did you know it was me?” he asked sarcastically, crossing his arms, and grinning.

 

“Oh, I WONDER,” Kankuro said, rolling his eyes.

 

“Ooh, so feisty today, cousin. Something ails you?” Sasori asked, brushing a silvery lock of blonde hair out of his pale eyes.

 

“No. Nothing,” he said quickly, causing Sasori to arch an eyebrow. Kankuro quickly changed the subject. “What are you doing here?”

 

“Why, helping my family by marriage move,” Sasori said, matter-of-factly. “What are YOU doing here?”

 

“Helping my family by BLOOD move.”

 

“Sasori, could you come and help me move the… Oh! Kankuro! You're here, good,” Yashamaru said, coming out of the bedroom. There was dust streaked across his sweatshirt and jeans, and a dark bandana holding his hair back. He looked quite frazzled.

 

“Hey, Uncle. Why's it so cold in here?” Kankuro asked, shivering.

 

“We've had the windows open all day,” Sasori said slowly, picking up one of the many boxes scattering the ground. “Trying to air it out… it smells like Yashamaru's scented candles.”

 

“Hey, I LIKE that smell!” Yashamaru stated, trying not to laugh.

 

“Help me, Kankuro,” Sasori said, nodding at the last boxes. Kankuro heaved one with the word `FRAGILE' written across it into his arms, and followed Sasori out of the apartment.

 

Yashamaru's apartment, which was at one time crammed with pictures, books, and nice, comfortable chairs, was now bare. It was also on the ground floor, which made everything so much easier for Kankuro, who did not like physical labor. Especially lifting. Ugh.

 

Sasori stepped out of the building, and walked over to the moving van. He set down the box with care, and shoved it back. It slid down close to where the other boxes were lined up.

 

“Oh! Kankuro!” Yashamaru called from over at the door. “Please be careful with that box! It's my-“

 

Kankuro's grip on the box faltered, and it crashed to the ground. There were sounds of dishes dashing together, some breaking, and Sasori winced.

 

`That sounded expensive…' Kankuro thought mirthlessly. He looked over at Yashamaru, who looked half-dead.

 

“…Fine… China…” Yashamaru finished, holding a hand to his head. Kankuro bit his lip.

 

“… Uh… sorry…” he said awkwardly, tipping the box back up, and pulling open the flaps. The dishes were set in foam padding to keep from breaking (thank GOD), but that didn't stop the top two plates from splitting down the centers. “Aw shit,” he breathed, pulling them out. “I… can… get these fixed…” he said slowly.

 

Yashamaru walked over, and gently took the dishes from Kankuro's hands, gingerly examining them. He eyed Kankuro skeptically, and said, “YOU can fix these?”

 

“No, no… I mean… I know someone who'll fix them,” Kankuro said more firmly, rubbing his forehead.

 

“Oh, Kankuro, it's okay… they're just plates… my beautiful… four hundred dollar plates…” Yashamaru said, wavering a little, like he might faint.

 

“Really! I'll get them fixed,” Kankuro said, taking the plates back from his uncle, who seemed unwilling to allow his precious plates to be put into such clumsy hands. “… I'll use as much care with them… as I would my puppets,” Kankuro said solidly, knowing that that would do the trick. Sasori pressed a hand to his mouth and gasped in feigned shock, his eyes going exaggeratedly wide.

 

“That's SERIOUS,” he said, rolling his eyes, and crossing his arms. “I think he means it, Yasha. A puppet masters' honor depends on it!” He threw his arms into the air, then let them drop. His voice never changed tone.

 

“Well… Oh, fine. What harm could it do?” Yashamaru said resplendently, smiling, and shrugging. “Just… be careful…”

 

“Oh, he will,” Kankuro said, picking up the other shattered plate, and nodding. “I'm gonna go put these in the car.”

 

“O… kay…” Yashamaru said, his hands shaking. Sasori sighed, and got down on his haunches to close the box. Then he carefully set it on the moving van.

 

“Okay, Lady,” said a new voice. A man wearing dark blue coveralls and a backward baseball cap walked over to Yashamaru, who flinched noticeably at the nickname. The man, who's nametag read `Steve', checked off a few more things on his clipboard, and looked over at Yashamaru. “How many more boxes you got in there?”

 

“Several,” Yashamaru said irately, clearly not happy with the man's rudeness. “Plus the bookshelf, and my bed. Sasori, can you go find Gaara? I think he went into the building, but I haven't seen him since.”

 

“Yep,” Sasori said, disappearing into the building.

 

“All right, Lady, listen, I've got plans tonight, and I can't be here all day-“

 

“Well isn't that just too bad?” Yashamaru said petulantly, crossing his arms, and tapping his foot. “Because, guess what? I'm PAYING you! Oh, and one more thing… For the THIRD time, I am NOT A WOMAN!”

 

“…Right,” Steve said, looking back down at his clipboard. Yashamaru rolled his eyes, and threw his hands in the air.

 

“What's the use,” he mumbled, before turning to go back in the building.

 

A moment later, Temari emerged from the car, her hands on her hips. Her mouth was pressed together in two pale lines, and her eyes were cloudy. Kankuro followed her, his arms behind his head.

 

“What's your problem?” he asked, glancing over at her. She stared at him for a moment, then shook her head, and walked into the building. Steve's eyes followed her, as he lowered his clipboard.

 

“Hey, hey, hey! Keep your eyes on your papers and off my sister, Moving Man,” Kankuro said defensively, jabbing him in the chest with his finger. Steve glared at him, then looked back down at his clipboard.

 

Sasori came out of the building again, his arms full with another box.

 

“Hey! Come on, Kankuro, let's go!” he said darkly, his eyes narrowed. “I'm doing all the work, here!”

 

“Yeah, yeah, coming,” Kankuro said, sending another cold glare to Steve.

 

Sasori raised an eyebrow as Kankuro brushed past him. Then he looked over at Steve, who was grinding his pen into the paper with gusto. Sasori suspired, and pushed the box into the back of the van.

 

Half an hour later…

 

“Okay… easy… easy… NO NO NO!”

 

“AAAUGH!!”

 

“Kankuro! You okay?”

 

“Holy crap…”

 

“Yeah, I'm fine, I just almost got EATEN BY A BOX SPRING MATTRESS!”

 

Yashamaru rubbed his eyes, as Sasori, Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari attempted to slide the entire bed out the door of the bedroom at once. Steve the moving man was outside, pretending to be securing the refrigerator in the moving van.

 

“Okay… guys, I know you want to help, but you're going to kill my bed… Let's take the mattress off of the bed FIRST, THEN turn the bed on its side to get it out!” he offered, his hands shaking.

 

“NO! WE CAN DO THIS!” Kankuro snarled. Temari finally gave up, and stepped away from the bed.

 

“Male testosterone…” she muttered, massaging her temples. “Too much… male testosterone…”

 

Sasori also abandoned the task, rubbing his aching hands, and sighing.

 

“I like the idea of taking the bed apart first,” he said plainly, his eyes squinted. He blew his matted, strawberry-blond hair out of his eyes. Gaara shook his head, standing back against the wall.

 

“Fine! Be that way!” Kankuro said, putting his hands up in a form of mock-surrender. “We'll do it YOUR way, seeing as you know SO MUCH about moving BEDS!”

 

“Actually I do,” Sasori said sourly. “I worked for a moving company last summer.”

 

Gaara glanced at his watch.

 

“…What time were Naruto and Iruka going to get here?” he asked.

 

“… Four thirty…” Kankuro said, wiping the sweat from his eyes as he remembered. “Why?”

 

“Oh… just curious.”

 

 

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“Okay… tell me ONE MORE TIME what the address on your hand says,” Iruka said dropping his head against the steering wheel. They were parked at an all-night diner on the other side of town where the group was attempting to move Yashamaru's bed.

 

“728 Quad Street, What Said Aparumentals,” Naruto recited, attempting to read the scrawled letters across his palm, which were blurred with sweat. “…I think.”

 

“Let me see that,” Iruka said, grabbing Naruto's arm, and dragging it over to his side of the car. “…Naruto…”

 

“Yes?”

 

“… Do you even KNOW how to READ?”

 

“Of course, MR. UMINO. You taught me, `member?” Naruto said sarcastically.

 

“Then why do you think this says `728 Quad Street, What Said Aparumentals?'”

 

“Because that's what it says! Right?”

 

“…” Iruka shook his head. “No. No it doesn't.”

 

“Then what does it say, Mr. Smarty-Pants?”

 

“It says 156 Red Street, White Sands Apartments!” Iruka snapped, shoving Naruto's arm away, and restarting the car. “Good God, Naruto!”

 

“… That's an `R'?”

 

“YES. Not a `Q'… an `R'.”

 

“… Oh.”

 

Sighing, Iruka pulled out onto the street, and sped off in what he hoped was the right direction.

 

Meanwhile…

 

Deidara held the magnifying glass up to his one good eye, and studied the pill with utmost care.

 

“Very odd, yeah…” he mumbled, frowning, and setting down the magnifying glass. “Very, very odd.” He stood up from his desk, and walked out of the room, across the hall, into the bathroom. He was at his apartment, or, rather, his mother's apartment. His father's house was back in Iwaville, along with his trophy wife of a stepmother, and his father's three sports cars. The junior sighed, and pulled open the mirrored medicine cabinet. He dug around inside of it until he found what he was looking for; his mother's sleeping pills.

 

“I wonder…” he murmured, pulling off the cap, and dumping three pills into his hand. He recapped the container, and replaced it in the cabinet in the exact place he had gotten them, so that just in case, or, rather, so WHEN his mother returned from work she wouldn't think that he had hidden them again. He walked back into his own room, and set the pill down on the desk. They definitely looked alike… but were they the same?

 

He wouldn't be sure until he ran a test or two… But until then, he would present his findings to Kankuro.

 

He couldn't help but wonder who had taken the pills. He was sure that someone had… otherwise, why would Kankuro stress such secrecy upon the task?

 

He ran a list through his head, but he couldn't think of anyone who would WANT to take them… Then again, he didn't exactly `hang out' with a lot of people, so what would he know?

 

Oh well. He would speak to Kankuro in the morning.

 

 

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“Okay… easy… careful… gently… NO! KANKURO! LET IT GO!”

 

“YEE-OUCH!”

 

“Oh, that is IT!” Temari snapped, dropping her edge of the mattress with a huff. It landed on Gaara's foot. He drew it back, and pressed himself against the wall to avoid his sister's wrath. She left the apartment, sliding around the mattress with ease.

 

“This isn't working,” Sasori said boredly, his eyes glazed.

 

“Oh? What was your first clue?”

 

“Close your mouth, Kankuro, you're drawing flies.”

 

“…What?”

 

“GENTLEMEN! PLEASE!” Yashamaru said, putting his hands in the air. “I think I can get the mattress out of the apartment on my own… you got the box spring out just fine. Why don't you go help Temari… or Steve… or who ever is working out there?” he pleaded, pressing his hands together like he was praying. Sasori shrugged.

 

“Sure,” he said, pushing past the mattress, and out of the apartment. Kankuro and Gaara followed him. Yashamaru sighed, and came out of the hall, walking around the mattress.

 

“Okay, mattress,” he said, rubbing his palms together, and putting them on the edge of the mattress. “If you do this right, then I promise I WON'T jump on you tonight!”

 

It seemed to work, because Yashamaru easily shoved it out of the room on its side, and out into the hall. He straightened it out so that it was leaning against the opposite wall.

 

“Good mattress,” he said, rubbing his eyes. “Gooood mattress.”

 

“Oh, Yashamaru, still struggling, eh?” came a weary voice from behind him. He turned, to see Chiyo Kaze leaning on her cane as she stumped down the hall, her squinted eyes curved upwards with her smile.

 

“Oh! Yeah,” Yashamaru said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Kids these days, you know? They can't do anything right!” He laughed awkwardly, leaning against the mattress.

 

“So, has my grandson asked you yet?” Chiyo asked, focusing her gaze on his face.

 

“Hm? Asked me what?” Yashamaru asked, lowering his hand and frowning.

 

“NOTHING! NOTHING! I have asked you nothing, and I never will, riiiight Grandma?” Sasori said, running around Yashamaru, and over to Chiyo. He glared at her placidly, and she grinned smugly.

 

“Ask me what, Sasori?” Yashamaru asked curiously, his hands behind his back.

 

“Go on, Sasori, ask him already!” Chiyo said, motioning with her hand, and lightly poking Sasori with her cane.

 

“Oh…” Sasori grimaced, then resigned. “F… fine… uh…” He cleared his throat. “I was… wondering…” He turned to Yashamaru, his gaze on the floor. “Could I… uh…”

 

“GRANDMA! OH MY GOSH!” Temari cried, sprinting around Yashamaru, and catching Chiyo in a bone-crushing hug. “It's so good to see you!”

 

“Oh, you too, Child! I've missed you!” Chiyo said, patting Temari's shoulder as she released her.

 

“Hey, what's… Grandma! No way!” Kankuro said, also coming around Yashamaru to embrace his relative.

 

“Hi, Grandma,” Gaara said, leaning against the wall next to Yashamaru.

 

“Aw! My grandsons have become such fine young men!” Chiyo said, pressing her hands together. “Oh, I've become so old while my grandchildren are so young.”

 

Kankuro grinned, and pretended to flex his non-existent muscles. Amidst the chaos, Sasori had disappeared. Yashamaru frowned, and left the building in search of the boy. He found him on the other side of the moving van, facing the street, and red in the face.

 

“You wanted to ask me something?” Yashamaru said quietly. Sasori jumped, and looked over at Yashamaru, his eyes wide.

 

“O-Oh… yeah… uh…” He coughed. “I was wondering… if I could m-“

 

“Hey! Lady! What time you plan on getting' the hell outta here?” Steve snapped from around the moving van. “Like I said, I've got plans tonight!”

 

“What could you POSSIBLY have planned tonight?” Yashamaru growled, his eyes flashing, very irritated indeed at having his nephew-by-marriage interrupted.

 

“A court appeal!” Steve said, spreading his arms. “I got a warrant out already!”

 

Yashamaru sighed angrily, and turned back to Sasori. “Now… what were you saying?”

 

Sasori shook his head.

 

“No… never mind… it's stupid…”

 

“Oh, there are no stupid questions!” Yashamaru argued, leaning against the moving van. “Come on… what is it?”

 

Sasori's blush deepened.

 

“Well… I was wondering if I could move in with you,” he said quickly, not lifting his gaze. “I mean, just until I get my own place! I'm going to start at Konohaton University, so I figured I may as well move up there for a while, and, you know, finish the school year. Grandma says it's okay… In fact, I think she's eager to get rid of me… I mean, not that I'm a bad roommate… I'll get you some of the rent, I guess. I mean, I can work-“

 

“Sasori.”

 

“Yes?” he said, looking up slowly, to see Yashamaru's brilliant smile.

 

“It's fine! I don't mind!” he said, spreading his hands, palm out. “In fact, why don't you just stay for the rest of the school year? That way you can save your money,” Yashamaru said, nodding. Sasori's face lit up.

 

“Really? You mean it?”

 

“But of course!” Yashamaru said, waving a hand through the air. “Now… you'd better go and pack your stuff. We can put it on the moving van!”

 

“You mean NOW?”

 

“No, next year. Of course now!” Yashamaru laughed, seeing the look of shock that passed across the teen's face. “Why not? No better time than the present, I always say!”

 

“R-Right… sure,” Sasori said, running a hand through his hair. “Great! Thanks so much, Yasha!” he said with a small laugh, before darting off into the building, to he and Chiyo's apartment on the second floor.

 

“What did he say, what did he say?” Chiyo asked as he ran past.

 

“He said `Yes'!” Sasori said with a laugh, before pushing his way onto the stairs. Chiyo sighed with relief.

 

“Thank GOD,” she mumbled.

 

“What? What? Said yes to what?” Kankuro inquired.

 

“Looks like Sasori's moving in with Yashamaru,” Chiyo said triumphantly. “And that means he won't be living with ME ANYMORE!” She could help but grin at the prospect of this.

 

“Oh, he's can't possibly be THAT bad of a roommate… right?” Yashamaru asked, coming in from outside. His face was now showing signs of anxiety.

 

“Oh, of course not, Dearie,” Chiyo said, quite unconvincingly. Yashamaru frowned.

 

“That's giving me loads of confidence,” he said with a small laugh. “Kankuro… why don't you go help him pack, hm? We're almost done down here… just the bookshelf, and two more boxes.”

 

“Uh, yeah! Sure!” Kankuro said with a nod, before turning, and trailing after Sasori.

 

“We're 2B, Dear!” Chiyo called after him. “Hmmm. Kids,” she said, stretching her back. “Oooh, my joints…”

 

“Are you okay? Do you need to sit down, Grandma?” Temari asked nervously.

 

“Oh, no, no, just a bit of rheumatism setting in,” Chiyo said, shaking her head.

 

“HEY, HEY! GAARA!” someone squeaked from the threshold. Everyone turned.

 

“Naruto! Jesus, you're late!” Gaara said, his face contorting. Naruto laughed, and put a hand behind his head.

 

“Yeah, I know, Kankuro's a sloppy writer,” he said, grinning widely.

 

“Hi, all,” Iruka said, coming in behind Naruto. “How late are we?”

 

“Just in time,” Yashamaru said with a smile. “We're moving the bookshelf now!”

 

“Oh… goody.”

 

 

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