Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Voices ❯ Do You Know Anyone? ( Chapter 5 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

May 15th 2004.

Sasuke ran a comb through his hair one last time before leaving the hall mirror to grab his backpack from the living room couch and heading out to the car. Walking around to the passangers side, he peeks into the window spotting his brothers accordian briefcase and school papers on the seat. Frowning a bit, he opens the back door slipping into the seat. Pulling the seatbelt over he stares at the door waiting for his older brother to finish up inside and take him to school. After three minutes he sighs in frustration slumping down in the seat a little. He loves riding to school with his brother, he does but sometimes he wonders why the older boy bothers. At first he thought he was messing with him, offering a ride to him- who was Itachi kidding. He spared him no expense picking on him when his friends came over, and to Sasuke if he couldn't keep up the good brother act around his friends why bother at all. But his brother was sincere in his asking at which point Sasuke chalked it up to the college being just down the street past his school anyway so why not.

Oh sure, he should have more faith in his brother but if Itachi really meant to have this brotherly bond why does he always put his books in the front seat making him sit in the back? Its been going on like this since the male became an instructor for psychology. But Sasuke can't be completely mad when they have really nice talks during the fifteen minute drive to school each morning. The closing car door caught the 14 year olds attention and he looked to the front seat that his brother had slid into a moment ago.

Looking over the books in the passengers seat, then back at his brother Itachi says while starting the car. "You could have moved them to the back seat."

"Its fine." Replies Sasuke. Sasuke noticed his brothers lips tighten for a second; did he want a 'thank you' or something. He would have moved the books if he didn't think that the older boy would give him a look of disapproval for doing something without asking. He's been sitting in the back since starting this year he didn't see why it would matter all of a sudden whether he wanted to or not. He's not being rude about the offer its just that Sasuke prefers to be compatably comfortable with everything he does. If he's in back then he's comfortable and so is his brother since he wouldn't mind it if he sat in the front. Since they both know this, why make things suddenly uncomfortable by switching the routine. It sounds weird but if you think about it everyone does it at some point in time or another. Like with conversations, you wouldn't bring someone new into your circle of friends and just assume they know what you're talking about, you find a common meeting until you're all on the same page.

Narrowing his dark eyes the older male grabs his things putting them in the back seat unceramoniously then looking at his little brother he says. "Sit in the front seat."

Sasuke started to say 'Make me' but he chose instead to just listen and moved to the front seat, but made sure to close the back door rather forcefully. Which didn't bother Itachi in the least.

The car moves down the drive way of the Uchiha home slowly before going down the street at a well enough pace.

The next day.

Hyuuga Neji is not one for being late to anything. Its just not in him. But for some reason he can never seem to be on time to get a ride to school with Sasuke. It could be because since he lives farther from the school and the bus stop is a lot closer than walking to a friends house just to ride the rest of the way is a waste of time, or it could be for the fact that Neji can't trust his self in the backseat of the car since he has a crush on the driver. To be behind Itachi getting a view of his captivating eyes in the rearview mirror while the male is wearing his reading glasses would be too much. Itachi wears them during classes and to drive but never casually and Neji was sure that the older Uchiha was trying to kill him with the way he looked in them. The thin gold frame highlighting the dark color of his eyes making them look as if they're glowing with fire behind the gaze. Its really indescribable. And so a glimpse from a well enough distance is about all he could stand of that. He just thanked the Heavens that he never was called to the front for anything.

Uchiha Itachi went from a high school student who should have been in middle school to a young Junior into college classes who only attended for a year before he wound up teaching in psychology. At the highschool Neji is doing pretty damned good in that class, so much so that his sensei, Yuuhi Kurenai, adviced he try out for a college class since there was nothing more she could teach him and he accepted not knowing what he was getting into. Now everyday at 11:03 to 11:33 was his personal torture as he listened to everyone word the grade skipping genius said. Neji's grades are nothing short of remarkable as well, being a prodigy as well when it came to school work and such but he'd rather take normal classes like the other students for now and excel when the time comes. Plus Sasuke goes to the same school and you've gotta stick with your friends.

Mind clear now, he wonders briefly how Lee is doing. The boy called last night saying he'd be missing school and asked Neji if he could pick up any work he might miss. He agreed to. It was weird having peace and quiet for this long. By now the rowdy boy would have caught up to him and talked his ear off. It must suck to be so energetic and have a condition that demands you relax for hours on end. Even with his defribrulater he seems to have to control how much he pushes himself and Lee is stubborn, he thinks he's undercover healthy and his body just needs a wake up call to the fact that he's fine. Poor boy someone needs to clue him in to the fact that just because you think it doesn't make it true.

Neji waves his hand when he gets up to a second year student. "Don't worry, I got it for you." He says to the confused male.

"Hm?" Asks Shino.

"There was a bee by your shoulder." Explains Neji.

With a hidden smile, the Aburame boy says. "What makes you think I was bothered by it?"

Now Neji was confused. "You think your clothes would protect you from a sting?"

"No. I'm just certain I would not have been stung," Pointedly he says. "its only when it feels threatened that a bee will move in for a sting." Snatching out a hand behind Neji; the Hyuuga turned quickly around with a gasp.

Seeing that Shino has the bug by its wings, he sighs in relief. "Thank you...?"

"Aburame Shino." He adjusts his sunglasses.

"Shino." With a curt bow he introduces himself. "Hyuuga Neji."

"Nice to meet you."

"Like wise."

The two climb on the bus, Shino lets the bee free out the window when taking a seat. The bee couldn't keep up if it wanted to as the bus sped off down the street.

................

A basketball dribbles down the court of the gym room before a set of hands clasps onto it bringing it into the air with himself. Slamming the ball into the hoop, Kiba hangs onto the red metal ring doing pull ups with one hand and pumping his fist into the air with the other.

"Whooo! Fuck yeah! Love me!" The boy then let out a howl.

Shaking his head with disapproval Sasuke mumbles. "Why does Kiba always go overboard?" He turns his head when the low sound of crunching fills his ears.

Beside him Chouji is sneaking potato chips from a sandwich bag in his pocket. "Can you blame him when his biggest competition is out today." He says referring to the absent Lee. He's only just been hanging out with this little rat pack recently since he can't hang out with Shikamaru or Naruto since Lord Gaara doesn't like him. But its not so bad plus none of them but Kiba make fun of his weight and if they do, unlike Kiba and Naruto, its never to his face. So he gets along just fine with the group.

Coach Baki watched the Inuzuka boy with a roll in his gaze. "Alright Kiba, rope it in. Sasuke!" He called out.

Sasuke barely had time to react when the ball came flying at him from Kiba's purposefully hurtled toss. Glaring at the male who only plopped down beside him on the bench, Sasuke stands giving the ball a couple dribbles from where he's standing as he mentally measures the distance from the bench to the hoop. Grabbing the ball into his hands he then tosses it with ease.

All heads following the orange orbs destination toward the hoop. It looked as though it were going to fall short of its goal but with a few bounces on the rim the ball rolled around for show before slipping past the hoop and through the net.

Seeing the slacked jaw on the dog faced brunet Sasuke took a seat on the bench smug grin on his face. He didn't hang out at the Maitou's place for nothing. Gai even joined he and Lee for basket ball games no matter that their were no teams, three guys trying to reach ten in the flashiest ways they can think of can really put skill under your belt. And shut up one over confident Kiba. But honestly, Sasuke hates sports he just finds them to be a waste of time- though he would never miss one of Naruto's track meets. He sometimes wondered if the boy only joined because his father is the track coach and maybe Minato forced his son into it. But Naruto seems to love running, not to mention all the practice he has from pissing people off and having to flee the scene when they give chase.

Baki retrieved the ball holding it under his arm. "Good job Sasuke, Chouji, you're up!" He tosses the ball to the chubby boy who just turned his head to hide his cheek as he finished off a finger full of well-sized crumbs.

"Right coach." He says around the mouthful. Smiling innocently when coach Baki glared at him for eating in his class- yet again. The flying ball hit Chouji's palms but the boy forget to keep a hold of it and the ball rolled along the floor while Chouji paced after it.

Kiba didn't hide his laughter as the boy gave them a red full moon of his gym pants.

"Shut the hell up Kiba!" Says Chouji, straightening up once he has a hold of the ball. He hates gym class and why do they have to be mixed with the guys a year over them anyway. He wouldn't have to see the stupid boys face if it were just his year taking gym, but with as big as the school is they have to combine two classes its the same with lunch which is why Lee and Kiba and sometimes Neji sit with Sasuke and himself.

Blowing his whistle to get the boys attention, Baki snarls. "We're not on your time Akimichi, toss the ball."

"I'll toss it out that window," mutters the boy before taking aim for the hoop. "Just make it." He coaches the ball. Tossing it, eyes closed he opens them when he hears it make contact with the hoop only to see the medium orb come flying his way with only seconds to move the boy didn't make it and was popped in the ear by the ball. He grunted before placing his hand up to his pained ear.

Laughing, Kiba asks sincerely. "You alright, Chouji?"

"I'm fine." Replies the boy, going for the ball.

Baki shoves it into his chubby arms. "Watch what you're doing next time. If you'd stop closing your eyes you wouldn't keep having this problem."

"Right coach." Chouji clutches the ball then turns towards the hoop.

"Dunk it Chouj!" Calls Kiba. "You don't have to throw it."

Snickering the boy says. "Oh right, I forgot about that." Bouncing the ball up and down towards the hoops, like a granny Chouji hurtles the ball when he's close enough to the hoop right into the air. But like before the ball only bounced from a part of the hoop smacking the boy right in the head again this time on his mouth. Head tilted back, though, he didn't fall Chouji looks around for the ball. "One more time coach."

"No, just sit down! Your chances are over." He picks up the ball. "Try to form a basket ball team and this is what they give you." He poised his back hand to slap the chubby boy across the face when he stalked past muttering something about joining the girls gym. Blowing his whistle, he walks over to a wrack of balls pulling it with him to a place by the hoop. "Come on, let's practice our free throws. Sasuke you're up."

"Hey Uchiha," Says Kiba as they line up in front of the hoop. "you know what happened to Lee?"

"Check up, Neji called me."

"So he's not hurt?"

Sasuke grabs a ball while shaking his head. Tossing it at the hoop it goes in easily. He does about four before the ball misses but only because it rolled to the left rather than the right and he switched places with Kiba moving to the back of the line. Chouji watched desperately as the girls did step excersizes like they were watching a fitness video or something. Tough work, but at least its not sports. He smiles seeing a blonde ponytail swinging back and forth on a girl in the third row of excersize steppers. Sasuke followed the brunet's gaze then cocked his head. Chouji was dreaming if he thought he could get a date with anyone in Sasuke's opinion.

"Ino," Says Chouji pointing. "We've been seeing each other off and on."

That shocked Sasuke. This girl must have a so-so personality then, it wasn't so much that Sasuke didn't think Chouji couldn't have a girlfriend but society. Its practically a rule that unattractive people saw no one but unattractive people. He's not saying that this Ino is pretty- far from it, he's just saying that fat is under ugly so Chouji's chances of having anyone until he's out of school are very slim.

"Don't look so surprised." Says the Akimichi child with a rather smug look about him. "I am somewhat of a good conversator and women love funny. So no matter what the rules say a chubby can have a girl."

Sasuke only blinked at that. He didn't care anymore. The line moved up when after 16 baskets Kiba travelled down the line to the back.

"16, come on Sasuke give me some competition, you're not even trying."

"I just don't feel like participating much today."

"You're no fun."

"I'm plenty of fun.." Argues Sasuke being cut off by a distinct crunching sound.

Both boys look disgustedly at the boy who only shrugged while whiping crumbs onto his gym pants.

After school. Naruto and Shikamaru stop by a shop for a snack, well, Naruto was going to eat Shikamaru planned on getting a fruit juice and nothing more. The bell over the door rang announcing the entrance of a customer. The elderly woman behind the counter smiled at the two boys, walking to the end of the counter where they've taken a seat.

"What can I get you?" She asks in a voice thicker than the two would have pinned on her.

Wide grin Naruto slams some cash on the counter top. "Grandma, give me two burgers with everything and two milkshakes. One chocolate and one vanilla."

"I'll have a fruit juice, I don't care what flavor."

The woman gave the brunet a lingered look of curiosity. She's never seen someone unenthusiastic about picking a flavored drink. Most people that come in here either order more than one drink or take a while choosing what they'd like but this weird kid doesn't give a care. How strange.

While the old woman filled their orders, Naruto pulled out his math homework. "Hey, what's number tens answer?" A pen poised to fill in the blank, he awaits the answer his friend had.

Blinking, Shikamaru looks over the paper. Naruto answered all the questions correctly and pinching a corner of the stapled papers he sees that the back and second sheet are filled out as well. Letting the paper fall back together he asks in a bland voice. "Did Gaara give you the answers."

"No. I did them by myself." Brags the blond. "Not bad for a guy like me, huh? I even liked some of the questions."

Snickering, Shikamaru corrects. "In math they're problems, Naruto."

Naruto shrugged. "I don't care. Hey! Where is Gaara any way?" He asks as if he just noticed the male wasn't with them.

"With that Lee guy." He nods a thank you to the old woman.

"Thank you." Naruto says in english. He loved flashing around the bits of the language that he knows. It could come in handy some day. A guy like him was made to travel and verbally he should be global with knowledge. "Again!" He says to Shikamaru after shoving the burger in his mouth. Around the mouthful he continues speaking. "What is fuzzy brows his new best friend? Is he in love with the guy?"

"I don't know."

Taking a long drink to free his mouth from any left over food, he says. "Why don't you ask him?"

"Naruto-..."

Waving a hand to silence the male he says. "Right, right 'too troublesome', but damn it'd be nice to see our friend again! After that coma he's been acting weird."

"I know."

"Asking about... ghost" The word whispered from his mouth like a spook would hear him and show itself right then. "and hanging with new crowds- what are we nato?"

Shikamaru wondered why he would use that disguting bean but thinking about it it made sense. Who'd want something like that around? "You know how Gaara is, when something interest him he wants to know why to the very last drop of life in it, or ink on it, or whatever. If we give him time he'll come back."

"He'd better," Pounding his fist into his palm he squeezes it tightly saying. "because if not forcing him back is gonna be a bitch. I play rough."

"I know." Taking a sip of his drink, he looks out the large windows at the passing people. "I'll stop by his house tonight and ask."

"Atta boy!" He pats the Nara child on the back. "You get our friend back."

"Aha.... yeah." He scratches his cheek lightly with his index. "I kinda was going over there anyway to ask Temari out."

Sighing, Naruto says with dryness. "And you wonder why he thinks we don't like him. Because of reasons like that."

Picking the spit food from his lap, Shikamaru finishes his drink then heads for the exit. "I'll call you when I hear from him."

Naruto waves a hand after the boy. "Yo granny! How's about some fried rice balls?"

Shikamaru smiled to himself knowing the boy wouldn't get home until dinner probably, at which point he'll eat more. Where does he store it all? Stuffing his hands into his pockets, Shikamaru tilts his head back looking up at the sky; a nice cloudy May looks down on him. Dropping his head back down as he gets to a cross in the street he waits with the other walkers to cross.

Spotting the brunet through the crowd a blond girl sneaks up behind him poking him in the sides when she's right up to his back. "Shikamaruuuuu!" She greets him.

"Hey Ino."

"Have you seen the new car my Dad got? Its brand new to the lot, blue, and very pricey."

Shikamaru shrugged. "Can he even afford it?"

Shoulders drooped, she sighs. "No longer than a year or so, but man its gonna be sweet riding around in that!" Her spirits raise again. Shifting her eyes in the boys direction, she crosses her arms then says. "Wanna go to the movies, my Dad'll drive us?"

"No, but I'll meet you there, maybe, I'm going with someone else."

"That girl from that freaky undertaker family?"

"That's the one." He says. Crossing the street with the crowd he can still feel Ino's presence behind him.

"With the freakier brother that looks like a raccoon now?"

"Sure is." He wondered when she would stop. Will Kankurou be insulted next or did she even know about him?

"How is the old crank anyway? Chouji told me about what happened, even for him that's kind of sad." She seemed sincere about that regardless how rude it had come off sounding.

"And I'm sure he'd appreciate the sentiment, I have to go. Say hi to Chouji for me if I don't make it."

"Alright." Ino stops following him, but cups a hand beside her mouth and shouts after him. "You can take a ride with us some other time, right? Bye Shikamaru!"

Sighing the Nara boy returns his gaze to the sky. Peace and quiet. A block more of walking and he's at the door of the Tsuna family. He can smell something cooking and wondered for a moment if it were skin being cleaned he smelled that once before and it made him sick thinking about it. But this smelled more like a roast than cleaning solution. Knocking on the door of the disfunctional family, he waited for someone to answer, gaze wandering all over the place.

The door opened 30 seconds later revealing Gaara's uncle Yashamaru. He looked confused for a moment, then smiled seeing the Nara boy. "Hello Shikamaru, Gaara's upstairs doing his homework."

"Thanks, but I came for Temari, is she home?"

Jutting a thumb over his shoulder, he replies. "Fixing dinner, but I can finish up. I'll tell her you're here. Come in."

"Thanks." Walking inside he takes a seat on the arm chair beside Gaara's zombie of a mother. Her clothes have been changed from Spring to Summer, the powder yellow dress really highlighted her hair. But he didn't pay her anymore mind than that. She freaked him out most of all, even though he's known Gaara for a long time he's still not quite used to his out of commision mother just sitting there like she does.

"Who wants me?"

He smiles at the hard toned girls usual low voiced bitter brashness. Standing when she comes from the kitchen, apron on, he says. "Hey Temari, wanna see a movie?" He just came out with it.

Stalling her answer, she perches crossed legs on the arm of the chair next to her mother to say. "Well if it isn't my favorite walking stick come to pay me a visit- and take me to a movie! I'm flattered, but I can't go." Her attention wanders into her mothers short blonde hair, fingers putting a hunk behind her ear.

"Why not?"

"I don't feel like it." She said very flat out. "But if you still want my company you're welcomed to stay for dinner."

"Okay."

"Good. It'll be done at four." Getting up she says something to her mother that Shikamaru can't hear before walking back into the kitchen.

Shikamaru followed her with his eyes a moment.

"I thought I heard you." Says Gaara causing the Nara boy to jump from start.

Letting out a sigh to calm himself, he says. "Gaara, don't sneak around like that."

"Its my house and I wasn't sneaking." He followed the boys gaze from before spotting his sister wander past the kitchen entrance. "Do you wanna come upstairs."

"You make it sound so inviting." He follows the red head.