This way to the stars

AN:
Thank you wonderful darlings for reviewing!! I'm glad most of you appreciated the angst... oh dear, what's going to happen to Naruto?? ^_^
I will repeat, I beg all of you to be patient with me... I've got a plot brewing, and I'm doing my best to sort it all out! ^^ With that said, enjoy the next chapter! And review! Reviews mean the world to all authors- believe me! ^^


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~Lost
"He died with God's name on his lips,
and a bullet through his heart."
-Villain

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"Oi, Naruto." Kiba blinked curiously at the blonde. "What happened to your face??"

Naruto winced, his hand slipping on his books. The very same books he had been reading when the Haruno senior paid him a visit just the other day.

He had hoped no one would ask too many questions. The gauze he stuck on his cheek was the most inconspicuous concealer he could manage.

"I fell." The blonde put on a large, sheepish, grin, scratching his head.

Kiba didn't believe him.

"It looks more like a punch to me." Kiba leaned closer, smirking. "Did you get into a fight yesterday? Why didn't you tell me?!"

Naruto laughed loudly, but didn't say anything more.

"So tell me." Kiba hooked one arm over his chair and looked expectantly at the blonde.

"Tell you what?"

The boy rolled his eyes. "Who was it? Was it some senior? A teacher? A runt? What?"

Naruto cursed him. His voice was too damn loud! Almost more than one curious look was thrown his way, and a few people were drawing closer.

"Did you get into a fight, Uzumaki-kun?" a girl (wassername?) curiously asked.

"That's a right nasty bruise by the looks of it." A boy who looked like the type of a bossy know it all, clucked his tongue disapprovingly. "Barely a month, and getting into scuffles, Uzumaki-san?

Naruto growled.

"Hey, bug off. I'm trying to interpolate here." Kiba snapped waspishly at the interested group. "So, who was it?? Come on, tell me!"

Naruto felt trapped. He didn't know what to do. Telling Kiba where he had REALLY gotten his bruise was a definite no-no...

"Leave him alone."

Gaara parted the group of on-lookers like Moses to a sea. His usual stern face looked more scary than usual. No one wanted to be at its receiving end.

"Gaara..." Naruto nearly sighed in relief. Here was a distraction at last!

The redhead glared at his fellow classmates, as if challenging them to come any closer. No one dared rise up. With a squeak, backs hurriedly turned and scurried away, afraid at what Gaara could be capable of doing to them. Kiba was too busy gaping at him to run.

"I told you to wear eyeliners." The redhead said, slightly accusing.

Naruto threw him a dirty look. "Well, I didn't want to. And besides," the blonde pointed at his gauzed cheek. "A lot of help it would do."

Gaara snorted, taking his seat by the window. "Stubborn."

"Learned from the master." Naruto smoothly replied.

Kiba wisely stayed silent, as he watched the two interact. So, sue him, he really didn't get it. Last time he checked, Gaara and Naruto were just about ready to kill each other. Birds of a feather.

Gaara raised a hand and thoughtlessly poked the blonde's cheek. Naruto yelped.

"HEY! That hurt, asshole!"

Kiba frowned. That's more like it.

"Just checking." The red head shrugged.

"You could have just asked." Naruto hissed.

"..."

"Oi, Kiba." Naruto glanced at the still silent boy. "What's wrong with you?"

Kiba scowled at him. That would be the pot calling the kettle black- or rather, asking the kettle black. Whatever!

"I still want to know where you got that bruise, Uzumaki."

Naruto grinned at him. "Let's just say I won a glorious battle of which details you shouldn't really know about."

"Goddamn you, blondie." Kiba swore.

Naruto winked.

Kiba was about to retort the foulest insult he could think of, when he caught the dark warning glare Gaara sent him. The boy felt his hair rise as those green eyes promised a very gory consequence if he did not shut up. Kiba liked living and breathing, thank you very much.

"Nothing to say?" Naruto teased, oblivious to what had transpired. "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"

Kiba bristled. But Gaara's glare remained implanted in his mind. His mouth stayed shut. Naruto blinked in confusion. Kiba usually reacted (too) violently to his teasing... was the boy sick?

"Naruto."

"What?" Naruto glanced back at the redhead.

Gaara fixed his green gaze at him.

"Shut up."

The blonde looked deeply offended. "What?! Now see here, you deranged raccoon-"

"Don't call me that."

Kiba decidedly stood up and inched away from the gradually escalating bicker and wisely moved up to a surprisingly awake Shikamaru.

"So... what d'you make of this?" Kiba muttered, plopping beside the pony tailed boy, who was leaning on his elbows.

Shikamaru shrugged.

"Tell me, Shika, Did I miss anything?" Kiba furrowed his brow in honest confusion. "I mean, I'm pretty sure just yesterday, Uzumaki was saying something 'bout how much of an asshole Gaara was and shit..."

"Some things are better left unknown." Shikamaru philosophically muttered.

Kiba frowned at him. "Were you reading Shakespeare?" he asked suspiciously.

"No."

"Where do you come up with your shit?" Kiba shook his head.

Shikamaru shrugged. "I'd like to ask you the same thing."

"Uh oh..." Kiba muttered under his breath.

The lazy boy took note of the genuine apprehension in Kiba's voice to actually look up from his position.

"The Uchiha just arrived."

Shikamaru watched silently as said Uchiha sauntered into the room, pausing by the doorframe as he was blocked by his endless array of fan girls.

"This cant be good." Kiba continued, frowning. "Maybe I should warn Naruto?"

"Of what?" Shikamaru snorted.

"I dunno. Of impending death?"

"What's the Uchiha have to do with the blonde?" Shikamaru propped his head on one hand.

"Nothing." Kiba promptly replied. "But if I know one thing, Uchiha and Gaara shouldn't be put in the same sentence together. Ever."

"Point."

"So I'll warn him..."

Kiba paused, as if waiting for something. Shikamaru raised an eyebrow when the boy turned to stare at him.

"I'm not stopping you." Shikamaru said.

"You were supposed to." Kiba pointed out.

***

"Uzumaki."

Naruto paused from ranting off Gaara's ear to look up to whoever had called him. His face darkened as he caught the familiar black pools.

"Uchiha- what do you want?"

Sasuke narrowed eyes flicked briefly over to Gaara for a second, before turning glaring eyes on the blonde.

"Why are you in my seat?"

Naruto looked incredulous. "Geez, I was just sitting man! Sorry to have intruded into your property!"

Gaara snorted.

Sasuke ignored him. "I was just asking. No need to get defensive."

"Well, smart ass, since your so great- why don't you make like a tree and leave now?" Naruto suggested.

Sasuke was about to reply, when he caught eye of the blonde's bruised and gauzed cheek. Immediately, his hand went up to cup said cheek.

"Who did this?" Sasuke demanded, tracing a finger over the rough gauze.

Naruto started. "Huh?"

"Who hit you?" Sasuke repeated, his tone never wavering. His suspicious eyes flicked once again to the redhead.

"None of your business, asshole." Naruto snapped. But before he could bat the hand on his cheek away, another pale hand joined the party and gripped the Uchiha's wrist in a painful lock. Naruto looked up, surprised.

"Gaara?"

The redhead was glowering at Sasuke, never taking his eyes of the black haired Uchiha.

"Don't. Touch. Him." Gaara hissed, his eyes narrowing into dangerous slits.

Sasuke looked annoyed. "Let go of me, Sabaku."

"You wont come near him." Gaara ignored him, fixing steel green eyes on the boy.

"Let go of me." Sasuke repeated in a dangerously soft voice. "Or I swear, I will break your hand."

"You can try."

Naruto looked alarmed at the sudden display of violence. He tugged on Gaara's sleeve.

"Gaara, you sod! Let go of Sasuke- geez!"

Gaara never took his eyes off his captain. "Not until he promises not to come near you." He firmly said.

Naruto rolled his eyes.

"What are you, my mother? Let the bastard go, Gaara-"

"Why?"

"What do you mean why?" Naruto yelled, frustrated. He ran an agitated hand through his blonde locks and turned to the equally glowering Sasuke.

"Oi, teme." Said Naruto. "Why don't you just give what Racoon-guy here wants so we can all go home and be happy??"

Sasuke gazed at him stonily. "That's one promise I cannot keep."

"What- you can't stay away from me?" Naruto joked, attempting to lift the dark mood.

Sasuke did not reply, and Naruto was a bit unnerved by his lack of response.

A few more seconds passed and no one really moved much.

"Oh for pete's sake- you can't just go on glaring at each other like that!" Naruto burst out.

"If I must." Gaara growled.

Sasuke nodded in agreement.

"Why are you doing this in the first place?!" the blonde yelled.

"I want him to stop bothering you." Gaara immediately replied.

Sasuke was pissed. "What are you, Sabaku? Are you his keeper now?"

"No!" Naruto cried.

"Yes." Gaara muttered at the same time.

The blonde threw him a dirty glare.

Suddenly, footsteps were heard echoing down the hall and the door slid open to reveal a panting girl- with a certain SC president on tow.

"What seems to be the problem?"

Naruto glare instantly disappeared. "NEJI!!"

The class burst into flurried whispers as some girls fainted on the spot. The SC president- the Hyuuga himself- was in their classroom!!!

"Hello, Naruto." Neji greeted, his face relaxing just a tiny bit to regard the blonde. His eyes immediately wrinkled in concern as he spied the apparent bruises on his cheek. "Are you alright?"

"No." Naruto pouted, completely missing the question as he pointed to the two still grips-locked-in-place boys. "They're being asshole's and fighting over really stupid stuff!"

Neji turned a calculating eye on the two formidable looking boys, deciding in an instant that this was a matter of pride. He sighed. It was never easy to deal with one's dignity.

"What stupid stuff?" Neji pressed, stepping closer to the blonde.

Gaara's eyes narrowed at him and Sasuke immediately scowled. Neji did not miss their reactions. Suspicious, he decided to test his theory.

"Tell me exactly what happened, Naruto." Neji casually slipped an arm around the boy's shoulder.

Immediately, Sasuke tensed. Gaara meanwhile growled menacingly and let go of the Uchiha in favor of dragging the Hyuuga away from Naruto.

"Don't touch him." Gaara protectively wrenched Naruto away.

Neji's keen eyes noted the way the red head was careful not to rough handle the blonde- being especially cautious on the arms. The wheels in his head worked out a few puzzles, however the result was not yet evident.

"Like hell you would." Sasuke growled back, already attempting to reach the blonde. Naruto yelled something about not being a yoyo.

Neji decided on a more tactical plan. "I don't plan to hurt him, Gaara-san. I just want to know what happened."

Gaara frowned t him. "Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Bullshit." Sasuke snapped, whatever patience he had left, evaporating. "The dobe isn't some thing you can just call your own, Sabaku. You have no right in telling me what to do."

Neji somewhat agreed with the Uchiha, but wisely remained silent.

"I have now."

The Hyuuga took one look at the murderous eyes of the Uchiha and decided it was time for him to step in. He raised a halting hand on both parties, trying to look calmer than he felt. Truth be told, he was a bit angry at the two- how dare they speak of Naruto like they owned him?

"Fighting is a violation to the school rules." Neji sternly said, appealing to their reasoning. "If you kill yourselves here- the school wont be responsible of your bodies."

Sasuke- the more reasonable of the two, somewhat calmed down. Gaara, however, remained fiercely protective of the blonde. Neji kept in a sigh. It would have to do.

"I can see we would solve nothing here like this. Why don't we ask Naruto about what he thinks about this all?" Neji turned questioning eyes to the silent boy.

Naruto, who had fallen silent- blinked confusedly up at the Hyuuga.

"I think you are all stark raving mad." He finally said.

"Speak for yourself, dobe." Sasuke muttered.

"So, what do you propose we do?" Neji continued, ignoring the Uchiha.

"We mind our own business, and leave Naruto alone." Naruto quipped, crossing his arms. "And that includes you." Naruto glared at Gaara, who promptly ignored him.

Neji was perceptive enough to realize that Naruto obviously didn't want his cheek to be mentioned, and wisely forced his longing to question the blonde. He'd ask him later, Neji thought. He crossed his arms and regarded the three boys.

"You heard Naruto. He wants to be left alone."

Not that he'd adhere or something... Apparently, the two others shared the same thoughts.

"I want to know who hurt him." Sasuke firmly said.

So do I. Neji thought.

"It's none of your business." said Gaara.

Sasuke threw him an ugly glare. "You stay away from this-"

Naruto raised a hand and stepped towards the Uchiha. "Stop! Don't you start!!"

Sasuke frowned at him. Naruto leveled his stare.

"Gaara's right, it's really none of your business. But if you must know, I ran, hit myself on the wall, smack- right there, crashed to the ground and bruised all over."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. As if he'd believe that.

"Really, that's all." Naruto softly said. His eyes begged the Uchiha not to say anything more.

This was more effective than anything the Hyuuga or Gaara could ever achieve.

"Next time, watch where you're going, dobe." Sasuke finally said, his dark eyes never leaving the blonde's. He looked into the oh-so-blues... as if looking for answers in a seascape of still canvas.

Neji felt his eye twitch.

It was Gaara's turn to roll his eyes, but remained silent.

"All right then." Neji shrugged, trying to keep his eyes level. "I must attend to my own classes now. Naruto, will you be alright?"

Naruto snorted, giving him an incredulous look. "Of course! Who do you think your talking to?"

Neji's lips curved into a small smile (more girls fainted) and nodded. "Then its time I go. You two," he regarded the now silent Gaara and Sasuke. "Hands off."

Sasuke and Gaara both dryly wondered what exactly the Hyuuga was referring to hands off. Naruto walked Neji to the door, waving at him enthusiastically.

"Bye Neji!" Naruto yelled. "You still owe me for not telling me you're the freaking SC president!!!"

Neji popped his head from around the hall. He looked amused. "Of course, Naruto."

Naruto laughed, shooing him away. When Neji disappeared, the blonde gave a silent prayer and marched back into the room. Thankfully, Sasuke and Gaara weren't tearing at each other- at least, not yet. They were both silent, watching him as a hawk would watch a hunter. Naruto kept from rolling his eyes.

"Honestly, I don't know what's with the both of you," Naruto began. "But I don't want any part of it, you got me?"

Gaara refused to open his mouth.

"Sasuke?" the blonde addressed him.

The Uchiha ignored him.

Naruto ran a frustrated hand through his blonde locks. "Gah! I give up! You two are hopeless! Bastards! Assholes! The lot of you!"

Giving one last disgusted glare at the two, Naruto stomped towards Kiba and Shikamaru. Well, at least- a semblance of them. It seemed Kiba had a cardiac arrest somewhere along the line. Shikamaru was trying to revive him.

Sasuke dropped gracefully into his seat, refusing to acknowledge the redhead. Gaara returned the favor by turning his head towards the window and staring out to the field. Still, it was pretty difficult to tell with the two. Stoic expressions could only tell so much.

One never knows what the other was thinking.

Not really.

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