Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ From Here to Eternity ❯ Making a Stand ( Chapter 31 )

AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! OMGGGGGG! TAKERU YOSHIZUKI DID ART FOR THIS FIC! OMG I :HEART: YOU, FOOL!

 

http://www.deviantart.com/view/21837741/

 

Go there. Now. NOW, DAMMIT.

 

Kat: -smile- Love love love! Love makes the world go `round! I wrote that on a chalkboard up at Band Camp… XD

 

Soriko: -coughNERDcough-

 

Kat: -quirks brow-

 

Soriko: … Right. I'll shut up now.

 

…Ah, crap. Sorry, guys, but if you want this chapter now you'll have to live without reviewer responses. Wait, no. That isn't true.

 

EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED: Thank you all for you insight, opinions, and encouragement! I hope you like this chapter, and I'll remember to respond next time. XD

 

88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 888888888888888888888

 

 

It was on a whim that Sasori decided to venture out into the hallway of the apartment building. But his uncle influenced part of his whimsy. Yashamaru had gotten back from his job and collapsed face down, practically unconscious, on the couch.

 

“What's wrong?” Sasori had asked, deftly poking him in the back.

 

“Five… houses… twelve… hours…” Yashamaru moaned, stretching his arms out to the sides, then letting them drop. Sasori had raised an eyebrow, having no clue what that meant, and decided that it would be take-out for dinner that night. He turned on the TV so that Yashamaru would have something to watch while he was unable to move his arms or legs, and picked up the cordless phone.

 

“What's the number for the Chinese place?” he asked, thumbing for the phone book. Yashamaru made an incoherent sound. “Riiiight. Oh, here it is.” He punched in the number, and waited.

 

Sasori had spent his day like so: Lazing around the apartment, watching TV, digging through the cupboards, having a cigarette, digging around the cupboards again, watching more TV, arranging the mostly empty boxes in a pyramid, `testing' the Jacuzzi, messing around with his puppets, and the having another cigarette. Oh yes… What an eventful day it had been. Jerry Springer and Camels, ho!

 

“What do you want to eat, Yashamaru?” Sasori said, pressing a hand to the mouthpiece, and craning his neck so that he could see over the back of the couch.

 

More incoherent sounds.

 

“Make that TWO number sevens,” Sasori said acidly, rolling his eyes, and listening to the Asian-twanged voice on the other end of the line.

 

It was after the phone call that he had decided to go out. He really wasn't sure why… instinct, maybe? Who knew?

 

There had been no reason for him to go out into the hall. But he had anyway. And as he walked out into the empty corridor, he noticed someone sitting next to the door across the hall.

 

“Are you okay?” he asked dutifully, blinking slowly. The figure looked up quickly. Sasori recognized him as the boy who he'd almost run into the night before. “Oh, hey… you're that guy.”

 

“…Deidara, yeah,” the boy said with a shrug. “I live here.” He jabbed his thumb up at the door. “Accidentally got locked out, yeah.”

 

“Oh. That was smooth,” Sasori said, sitting down next to his own door, and crossing his legs so that they blocked the hall.

 

“Thanks,” Deidara said, rolling his visible eye. “Why are you out here?”

 

“I felt like it.” Sasori shrugged, and crossed his arms. “At least I didn't lock myself out.”

 

Deidara blushed bright crimson, his face screwing up in a scowl. He glared stonily at the other teen.

 

“I didn't lock myself out! My mom locked me out! Took to many sleeping pills, yeah. Forgot to unlock the door for me, yeah.” He tugged at his ponytail, and stared at the knobby, maroon carpet.

 

“What an ugly rug,” Sasori noted, changing the subject, and also looking down at the carpet. Deidara nodded.

 

“Was just gonna say that, yeah.”

 

“So…” Sasori put his arms behind his head. “You, uh, need a place to stay until your mom comes to?”

 

Deidara blinked. “I guess so, yeah.”

 

“Well, come on in, then. I just ordered out… my uncle's also in the twilight zone,” he said with a smirk. Deidara grinned widely.

“Thanks!” He said, getting to his feet, and picking up a dark blue backpack that Sasori hadn't noticed before.

 

“Have you been out here since school got out?” he asked, his eyes widening slightly.

 

Deidara nodded several times.

 

“Yeah!”

 

“…Wow.”

 

“What?”

 

“Well… it's been almost three hours.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“…Okay! Well,” Sasori said, feeling that this Deidara character was a little out of it, mentally speaking. “Come on in… just don't be too loud, my uncle's… sleeping… maybe. I've yet to see Yashamaru angry, but considering how happy he is regularly, I imagine it's pretty bad.”

 

 

77777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777 77777777777777

 

 

“My BOOOOOOOOONNIE LIES OVER THE OCEAN! My BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNIE LIES OVER THE SEA! My BOOOOOOOOOOONNIE LIES OVER THE OCEAN! PLEASE BRING BACK MY BONNIE TO… MEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!”

 

“KANKURO! SHUT! THE! FUCK! UP!” Gaara barked, his hands over his ears. Naruto writhed in the back seat.

 

“Oh my God, Kankuro, that was awful… that was like… like…” Naruto struggled for an analogy for the God-awful sound that his best friend's brother had just made.

 

“Cats in a blender!” Gaara shouted. “SING AGAIN, I DARE YOU!”

 

Kankuro laughed merrily as they pulled up to the school. “You two have no shred of romantic spirit!”

 

“Bite. My. Ass.”

 

“Oh, Gaara, so bitter!” Kankuro pulled the keys from the ignition. “Can't you at least be excited for FRIDAY?”

 

Gaara glared at him, his eyes lined unusually thickly. Kankuro frowned.

 

“Hey… is something… did something happen…?”

 

“Helloooo?” Naruto snapped. “Child locks, remember?” He pulled at the door handle. It remained shut fast. “Can't get out, here?” He sank back in his seat, and pouted, desperate for someone to pay attention to HIS pain.

 

Kankuro looked back at the blonde boy. He sighed, and looked back at Gaara, who was staring at the dashboard. Then the redhead opened the door, and stepped out, without another word. He slammed the door shut, and walked off into the school.

 

“Jesus Christ, what's his problem?” Naruto grumbled, rolling his eyes. Kankuro shook his head.

 

“I don't know,” he said sadly. Then he also left the car, pocketing the keys.

 

“Hey, hey! Kankuro! I'm stuck in here! Hello? SOMEBODY?” Naruto called, banging on the window. But Kankuro, who was off in his own little world, didn't notice him. Or chose to ignore him. Either one would make sense. Naruto hissed through his teeth, then clamored up into the passenger seat. He pushed open the door, and stepped out into the crisp October air.

 

It was Friday, as Kankuro had mentioned. That meant the next day would be Saturday. Or… Movie Day! Naruto was excited. He loved group get-togethers, almost as much as he loved Ramen! Well… maybe not that much… but still!

 

He jammed his hands into his pockets, and began to whistle as he sauntered into the school. “Today is going to be a good day,” he decided, pausing at his locker for his math book. Then he went off to Jiraiya's classroom, feeling as though nothing would puncture his balloon of good feelings!

 

He frowned. Okay, maybe SOMETHING would puncture it.

 

Gaara was like a needle to his balloon. Or a fork. Yeah, probably a fork.

 

What was his problem, anyway? He'd seemed so happy over the last few days. Well… Happy by `Gaara Standards', anyway. Naruto rubbed his chin in deep thought.

 

`Maybe something happened,' he thought, tipping back in his chair. `I hope it wasn't with his dad-`

 

“AGH!” At that moment, the chair slid out from under him, and fell back onto the floor. “DAMN!” His head had slammed quite painfully onto the hard, gray carpet. He winced, and rolled off of the chair. “Piece of crap,” he grumbled, fingering the lump forming on the back of his skull. He shoved his chair back up into the correct position, and sat down again.

 

“Now… where was I?” he mumbled to himself. He groaned, realizing he didn't even remember.

 

777777777777777777777777777777777777

 

Itachi warily opened his locker that morning, checking for notes or anything else. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw nothing but his own books.

 

“Thank God,” he whispered, pulling out his calculus book.

 

“You can call me Kankuro,” said a new voice. Itachi glanced over his shoulder, and smiled.

 

“Hey,” he said. Kankuro nodded, adjusting his hat.

 

“What's up?”

 

“Not much.”

 

They stood in an awkward silence for a minute, before Kankuro finally said,

 

“Well… What do you think?”

 

“About what?” Itachi asked, closing his locker, and leaning against it. He clutched the book close to his chest, trying to use it to shield his anxiety.

 

“About… you know… us,” Kankuro said, also leaning against the lockers. Itachi frowned.

 

“I guess… Jeez, I don't even know.” He laughed then, understanding finally the situation. “What are we going to do?”

 

“Well… I guess we could… you know… not do anything too serious?” Kankuro shrugged. “We probably shouldn't tell your parents… or my dad,” he said sourly, making a face. “Yashamaru won't care… In fact, he'll probably be ECSTATIC that I'm finally dating someone… Are we dating?” he asked, looking over at Itachi.

 

“I… guess…” Itachi shrugged. “Forgive me… I'm kind of new to the `Dating World'.”

 

“Yeah, no kidding…” Kankuro laughed. “So, what do we do?”

 

“I really don't know.”

 

“So… we're okay, then?” the puppet master asked, looking over at Itachi, who blinked.

 

“Why wouldn't we be?” he asked.

 

Kankuro shook his head.

“Don't know. Just curious.”

 

Without warning, the bell rang, causing both of them to jump.

 

“Agh… Guess we'd better… you know…”

 

“Go to class?”

 

“Right,” Kankuro said with a grin. “I knew that. Later,” he said. Then, quickly, so no one would see, he leaned over, and pressed his lips to Itachi cheek. Then he scampered off, leaving Itachi with a blush, a silly grin, and a hand to his face.

 

Then his smile fell.

 

`Kankuro…' he thought sadly, looking down at the floor. `You wouldn't want me if you knew.'

 

“Hello, Cousin,” murmured the one known only as Shisui Uchiha, coming up from behind the junior. Itachi glanced back at him, his mouth twisting into a bitter frown.

 

“What do you want?” he grumbled, as he began to walk toward his classroom. Shisui, unfortunately, followed him. Itachi had grown to like his cousin less and less as the days wore on. He also hoped desperately that the fellow Uchiha hadn't seen Kankuro.

 

“Oh… not much… just wanted to talk to you. You've been so distant lately. I feel like I don't even know you anymore,” Shisui said, smirking. Itachi realized then just how much Shisui resembled Sasuke. They had the same black hair, though Shisui had no bangs, and his was slicked back. They also had the same omniscient smirk. It irked Itachi to no end.

 

“Listen, Shisui. I'm busy. Go bother someone else,” Itachi said, brushing past Shisui to turn down the hall.

 

“Hang on, Itachi. I've heard an odd rumor about you,” Shisui said coldly, his arms crossed. Itachi froze, his eyes wide.

 

“Wh… What rumor?” he asked, his insides turning to ice.

 

“Oh, just a rumor…” Shisui came up to Itachi side, his eyes gleaming viciously. “Itachi, dear cousin… You aren't a fag, are you?”

 

Itachi's grip on his book tightened considerably, and his throat constricted.

 

“What do you think?” he said with a shaky laugh. “Who the hell told you that?”

 

“I don't reveal my sources, sorry,” Shisui said, pressing one long finger to his lips. “But… You have been hanging around that fairy Haku a lot lately… he'd better not be rubbing off on you.”

 

Itachi twisted around, and faced his cousin with hard eyes.

 

“Don't drag Haku into this, Shisui. Just because he happens to be gay does not make him any less of a person than you or me,” he said firmly. Shisui was not used to dealing with people who stood their ground, so he was taken a bit by surprise at Itachi's reaction.

 

“What the fuck? You're not telling me you actually LIKE that little faggot, Itachi?” he said, his eyes widening, and the corners of his mouth turning down.

 

“I said, don't drag Haku into this,” Itachi snapped. “Gay or not, he's my friend. You got that, Shisui? My FRIEND. And you insult my friends, you insult ME. Do you REALLY want to insult me?” His free hand clenched into a rather menacing fist. Shisui glanced down at it, then looked Itachi in the eye.

 

“You know, I'd be careful if I were you, Itachi,” he said sourly, taking a step down the hallway. “People are starting to talk. And not about your basketball record, either.” Then he strutted away, his hands in his pockets. Itachi finally relaxed, and released the breath he hadn't noticed he'd been holding.

 

“Christ,” he mumbled, turning down another empty hall, taking the long way to his classroom. He imagined he was looking rather flushed at the moment, and that would do his personal image no good. But as he rounded to corner, he noticed someone sitting against the wall. The long dark hair and the flip-flops revealed immediately who it was. Haku. His knees were drawn up to his chest, and his face was pressed into them, hiding it from sight. Itachi stopped.

 

“Haku, are you okay?” he asked, dropping down to his knees.

 

“It-tachi… Y-You re-really thuh-think that ab-bout me?” he hiccuped, still not showing his face. Itachi blushed, realizing that Haku had heard every single word of his exchange with Shisui. Then he smiled.

 

“Of course, Haku. You're my friend, right?” he asked, gently setting a hand on the younger boy's shoulder. Haku looked up then, his face bright red, and tears leaking from his eyes.

 

“Y-Yes! Of c-course,” he stammered, rubbing his eyes. He sniffed. “K-Kankuro tuh-told me he talked to you about the… you know.” He sniffed again, and looked down. Itachi's smile didn't fade.

 

“Yeah…” he said. Then he wrapped his arms around Haku's shuddering frame, in a rather twisted version of an embrace. “Sorry I gave you guys such a scare,” he whispered into Haku's hair. “I'll never do it again, I promise.”

 

Haku only sobbed once, a loud, short, strangled sob. Then he got to his knees, and hugged Itachi back. Itachi pulled away after a moment of squeezing, and helped Haku to his feet.

 

“Damn, now we're both late,” Itachi said, as the tardy bell rang clearly throughout the school.

 

“Y-Yeah,” Haku said with a small laugh, rubbing his eyes on the arm of his dark blue sweater. “Oh well, right?”

 

“Right.” Itachi looked Haku's blotchy face up and down. “You may want to stop at the bathroom and clean yourself up… You really are a terrible crier,” he said with a chuckle, as Haku's face split into a grin.

 

“Yes, I'm fully aware of how red I g-get,” Haku said. “Okay… I'll see you later, Itachi?” he said. “You're coming to the movie with us tomorrow, right?”

 

“Movie…?”

 

“Kankuro didn't tell you yet?” Haku's jaw dropped. “Well… we're meeting at the cinemas tomorrow at nine, if you still want to come,” he said, smiling. “Kankuro… he really likes you, you know? And not just as a friend either.” Then, with a wink and an all-knowing grin, he turned, and walked off around the corner, leaving Itachi to stew in his own surprise and confusion.

 

“Yeah… I think I know,” he said to himself, with a small laugh.

 

777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777

 

“Oh my God, I think I'm dying,” Ten-Ten choked derisively, her hands on her knees. “I am so out of SHAPE!”

 

It was the end of third period P.E. The girls' locker room was full of complaints, groans, and exhausted girls. The mile run certainly wasn't getting any easier. Temari was laying on one of the benches, her arms over her eyes.

 

“Oooohhhh…” she moaned. “Amen, Sister.”

 

Over in the unused showers, where the group of `preps' that Temari normally hung out with got dressed, there was much chatter.

 

“I can't believe she's even SPEAKING to her.”

 

“I know! What the hell's she THINKING?”

 

“God only knows.”

 

“My God… Hey, did you see that new kid?”

 

“You mean Sasori Kaze? Yeah, he's hot.”

 

“I KNOW!”

 

“He's, like, a total opposite of that ogre, Kankuro.”

 

“Hey!” Temari snapped, sitting up. The entire locker room was dead silent. “Don't talk about my brother that way,” she said, feeling a bit of confidence drain out of her.

 

Sakura Haruno raised an eyebrow.

 

“Anyway…” she said to Ino. “What the hell is up with his, like, make-up? It's so… transsexual.”

“I know!”

 

“HEY! BITCHES!”

 

Temari turned her head. Tayuyu Go, a redhead with a foul mouth, one of Ten-Ten's closest friends, had spoken. Her hands were on her hips, and she had a nasty look in her eyes. “I believe Temari asked you nicely to stop fucking talking about her brother that way, you nasty bitch,” she snapped, her eyes narrowing.

 

Sakura blushed bright crimson.

 

“Who do you think you're talking to, you slut?” she hissed, drawing herself up to full height. “I'm Sakura Haruno! I can sure you just for looking at me the wrong way!”

 

“I'd like to see you try!” Tayuyu snarled. They stared each other in the eye for a full minute, before Sakura finally shrugged.

 

“You're not even worth my time,” she said, waving a hand through the air, before turning, and flouncing over to Ino. “My God, what a whore,” she whispered.

 

“I know,” Ino said, shaking her head, and glancing over at Tayuyu, who flushed pink. “What a total skank.”

 

Tayuyu rolled her eyes, and pulled on her hat. The normal babble had reigned back into the locker room.

 

“Thanks,” Temari said, standing up. “You didn't have to do that, you know.”

 

“Yeah, yeah,” Tayuyu said with a shrug. “It was my pleasure. I love dragging those bitches down a peg, anyway.”

 

Temari grinned. Ten-Ten punched Tayuyu in the shoulder, and laughed.

 

“Sweet!” she said. “I loved that little performance. You should join drama, Tay.”

 

“You think so?”

 

“Yes! What are you in, now?”

 

“Well… Home Ec. I hate it, though.”

 

“Who doesn't?” Ten-Ten laughed. “Right, Tem?”

 

“Right.”

 

Temari looked over at Sakura and Ino, who were glaring acrimoniously in her direction. It was then that Temari knew that her career as a prep was over.

 

And, really, she didn't mind at all.

 

66666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666 66

 

Kat: Ah, fudge. Yeah, that was really short, I know. But, remember, people, I'm trying to get over my Writers' Block, here. It's tough to even come out with crap like THIS. -makes a face- Oh well. Review anyway, would you? Please? I LOVE YOU! -hugs-