The Restricted Section

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do not own the basis for the story idea “The Restricted Section”.


The Restricted Section
By 11


Chapter 14

“That’s just sad.”

“I know.”

“I mean, that’s really sad.” Shino insisted. “Really ‘sad’.”

“Thank you Legolas, the previous scene established that.”

“What?”

Temari rolled her eyes, “There’s a whole forum on how all he does in the movie is state the obvious? Would have preferred I say ‘Thank you, Captain Obvious’, ‘Thank you ever so much, Mr. States-the-obvious’ or ‘I’m going to strangle you soon, you’ve already said that more than twenty times as was necessary’. ”

“‘Captain Obvious’ is sadly overused.” Hinata sighed, “I used to really like that phrase too.” She stirred her straw in her malt.

Strangely today she wasn’t even sipping at it. She still couldn’t put her finger on what had made Naruto’s behavior around Sakura so… odd.

“‘Mr. States-the-obvious’ has been used too I think.” Shikamaru added.

“The last one is too long-winded I’d get myself tongue-tied if I tried to say it so much.” Temari snapped.

“It doesn’t help that it includes gratuitous violence,” Shino mused, “Someone might think you’re serious and call the cops.”

“I was serious.” Temari glared.

Shino frowned. “Should I call the cops?”

“Of course not!” Hinata laughed smiling, resting her head on the blond girl’s shoulder, “Temari’s just being extra bitchy today! Don’t pay any attention to her.”

“Isn’t she always bitchy?” Shikamaru wondered.

“I can hear you bum.”

Shino shook his head and sighed. “But it’s still… just ‘sad’. Poor Sasuke.”

“We’re back on this again?!” Temari groaned, throwing her head back and managing to miss the wall, much to the chagrin of the new ache in her neck.

“Well he was still after Naruto right, although they were only at the ‘friends’ stage or something?” Shino wondered.

“That’s right.” Hinata nodded. “Didn’t know he knew Sakura though… I wonder how they hadn’t met before now if she’d been in town for half a year for independent study.”

“That’s pretty nasty for Sasuke, Naruto’s ignoring him now?” Shino cringed, “That’s just… sad. Is it on purpose?”

“I’ve seen it. It’s more like he doesn’t want to acknowledge him because then he might have to acknowledge that Sasuke hurt Sakura – someone he cares about.”

“I still can’t figure it out though; there was something just so strange about his behavior around her.” Hinata fumed setting aside her straw, leaning back folding her arms. “Shikamaru, maybe you could figure it out.”

“I’m not stalking them to try and figure out their patterns of behavior to satisfy your curiosity born from nowhere.” Shikamaru told her as plainly as he could.

“I could videotape it for you?”

“I’d never watch the tape. Leave me alone.” The brunette turned away from the paler girl.

“I’d say it’s divine retribution, except that already happened; and it wasn’t exactly divine…” Temari muttered.

“Ah that’s it,” Hinata mused sarcastically, “This is how it would have played out if we hadn’t interfered! Sasuke would have pursued Naruto, fallen in love with him, Naruto and Sakura would be reunited, and Sasuke would have to change to win him back.”

“That is the lamest dirty-novel plot-summary I have ever heard.” Shino frowned. “Besides, Sasuke’s already ‘changed’ or at least he’s changing. There’s no way he deserves it.”

“This much? I mean seriously: could things have worked out any worse over less than 6 months time?”

“Oh probably.” Temari answered truthfully. “Sasuke meets Naruto and pursues him. Sasuke gets hit by a bus, and miraculously survives. Naruto feels guilty and visits him all the time, Sasuke falls in love with him.”

The trio listened to the blond, wondering where she was going with this.

“Just as Sasuke’s recovering Sakura comes in and she and Naruto get together and are actually in love-love and groping and humping like crazy.”

“You mean they’re not?” Shino wondered.

“Nope.” Hinata confirmed. “Don’t even hold hands, he usually stays at least five feet away from her at almost all times really…”

“That’s just strange.”

“Hello!” Temari growled, “In the middle of a story here!”

“Right. Sorry.”

“Sasuke gets out the hospital, changes, tries to win Naruto back, but can’t. Then Sakura gets hit by a bus and Naruto is always with her. Sakura dies, and Sasuke spends years in torment trying to be nice to Naruto as a friend, with no physical contact and he’s super horny.”

“Isn’t he horny now though?” Shino didn’t voice his comment.

“Then Naruto’s brother wakes up, Sasuke dates him for a while caring for Naruto. Then his brother gets hit by a bus and dies, and Sasuke goes back to Naruto who is now emotionally frigid. So Sasuke nearly commits suicide in his sorrow by getting hit by a bus. Then Naruto realizes he loves Sasuke too and they start dating.”

“That sounds like a happy ending… but you’re right it is a worse scenario.” Shino told her.

“I’m not done!” Temari scowled. “After they get together they have a grand total of three happy days together.”

“Why three?”

“Shush!! Then after those three days, Naruto gets hit by a bus and dies. Sasuke drinks cyanide and joins him.”

“Are you done now?”

“Yes. Yes I am.” Temari finally breathed.

“Okay.” Shino breathed. “That is… a very worse situation…”

Hinata looked seriously mortified. “That’s just horrible! Everyone died!”

“Why did everyone die by getting hit by a bus?” Shikamaru demanded.

“Not everyone died by getting hit by a bus.” Temari scowled.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. “Yes, Sasuke was the only one that died by drinking cyanide, but still that’s-!”

“When did I die by drinking cyanide?”

“Sasuke!!”

Dark eyes glanced between his so-called friends. “Remind me not to drink anything you guys get me.”

“We’re not going to kill you! It was your suicide attempt after Naruto died by getting hit by a bus!” Shino protested.

“What now?” He wondered. “Naruto’s not dead. He didn’t get hit by a bus.” Sasuke frowned, “and I wouldn’t drink cyanide to kill myself. No flair.”

“Then how would you kill yourself?” Shino wondered then.

Sasuke gave him an odd look then shrugged, “Jump in front of a bus?” Temari snorted. “Or drown myself in my own bathtub?” He continued giving the blond girl an odd look.

“No, no, that happened! The first way you got hurt was you got hit by a bus!” Shino exclaimed.

Ed peeked out from a shade of Sasuke’s to observe the sadly insane humans around him – if anyone had ever bothered to ask him, and they never did, Ed would never do something so silly as commit suicide!

That was a silly human thing! One he would never understand, as Ed was of a higher minded and superior species!

“It didn’t happen, and no one is committing suicide or dying.” Shikamaru sighed, “Get over yourselves and your mindless obsessions.”

“Not an obsession,” Hinata stated, “merely a topic of curiosity.”

“Weren’t you meeting Gaara today?” Temari wondered.

Sasuke shrugged, “Already saw him. Fed Ed and left.”

“Aw, I’d have liked to meet him.” Hinata sighed, “We didn’t get the chance to talk to him at all last time when he was in with Naruto.”

“That is impossible!” Shino laughed, “The guy does NOT talk!”

“Thought you were meeting someone today Hinata?” Shikamaru mentioned, remembering something Hinata asked to be reminded about when she first got there and then forgot.

Hinata stared at him blankly before she recalled what she forgot as well. “Oh! Neji! I was supposed to meet him for Trig. but-! ” she turned to her girlfriend and gave a very very sad look, before turning back to the others, “But Temari and I were going to the movies! I still have to go cancel with him!”

No one volunteered for this moving sob-story.

“Sasuke, would you do it for me?” she asked him, as he was the only one not preemptively avoiding eye contact, “We were supposed to meet at that coffee place, please?”

Sasuke sank back into his seat and gave her the surliest look he could, “I have emotional issues right now! Me and Neji don’t work well in proximity. You should go!”

“Will you go with me?” she asked her girlfriend.

“I could… but then we wouldn’t even be able to get tickets for the movie.” Temari frowned, “But then we could always go bowling or-?”

“Sasuke will you go with me?”

“What?”

“I don’t want to go alone! Please?!” Hinata begged pitifully, beautifully, batting dark thick lashes at her sulky friend.

“Neji won’t like it.”

“Please?!”

Sasuke huffed, “Fine, I’ll walk with you, that’s it.”

“Thank you!” the girl could have hugged him, but refrained. “I know you and Neji still aren’t on great terms,” Hinata started to assure him as they slid from their seats heading for the diner door. “But he doesn’t spasm or glare in my general direction when I mention your name anymore!”

Sasuke nodded. “Wow, that’s encouraging.”

“You are doing okay right?” Hinata asked as the door swung shut behind them and the two started down the block. “I mean, even with, you know.”

Sasuke’s jaw stiffened, “I’m fine.” He told her, “What movie are you and Temari seeing?”

“They won’t be together for long you know. There’s no passion in either of them for it.” Hinata assured him.

“No passion? He’s falling over himself for her – the kind of reverence he has for her it’s-!” Sasuke cut himself off, “It’s not exactly indicative of a short-lived relationship. One-night-stands are short-lived relationships.”

“But this is something else! I know it!” Hinata tried again. “It’s not like a real relationship, a real couple. You saw! It’s like Naruto became so unsure all the sudden around her.”

“Yeah, puppy love; and it’s the kind that doesn’t die easy, even if she dumped him right now.” Sasuke shook his head, half in anger, half in helpless agony.

“Obviously he loves her,” Hinata mitigated, earning a discouraged groan from her companion. “But I have to disagree with you! He doesn’t treat her like a lover!”

“He follows her everywhere, adores her, gets her anything she wants even if she doesn’t ask.” Sasuke refuted.

Hinata turned back to the sidewalk, and sighed chewing her lip. This had been troubling her for a while now. She still couldn’t figure it out, discussing it with Sasuke.

“I can’t tell what it is, but something is definitely off about it.”

`

“So where is everyone?”

“Everyone?” Neji wondered idly at the blond as the youth trotted over to their quiet table. “Its just going to be four people you know, Kiba and my cousin are the only ones not here yet.”

“Kiba? I thought he said he had his little sister’s birthday party today.” Naruto muttered in some confusion. “You don’t suppose he forgot about Trig.?”

Neji sighed, wondering if the ‘birthday party’ was real. Kiba had often made up imaginary prior appointments as reason to procrastinate. “How irresponsible.”

“I’m sure it just slipped his head!” Naruto figured, “You should have seen the rush he was in to get to the store, to buy her something before going.”

“Yes, of course he was.” Neji shook his head. Turning to glance down the street to see what he could see. “Ah, I see her.”

Naruto followed his eyes.

“-it’s not like most guys with his hands all over her.”

“It’s adoration.”

A soft voice he recognized so clearly as if the sound were carved into his ears. Permanently imbedded in him somewhere.

“A kind of adoration maybe, but it’s not exactly,” Hinata shook her head, “You’ve seen them interact. Doesn’t something seem off about it?”

“You agree? So he’s basically in perfect-love with her.” Sasuke whined, against all Hinata’s efforts she was sadly smashing what little ego the boy had left. Ed was of course perfectly contemptuous of such human affairs.

“Ah, Naruto!” Hinata greeted as they neared their destination, glad to turn her attention from her non-listening friend who only heard the worst.

Sasuke froze beside her at the name, dark eyes snapping up from the sidewalk to the girl, “Naruto wasn’t supposed to be here?!”

“Hey Hinata.” Naruto greeted as the two neared, and Sasuke moved to Hinata’s other side.

His eyes could not completely avoid the other, but he had to keep himself from running in the opposite direction. If he did the blond would not follow, the sun was always ignorant of his existence in one sense or another.

Neji’s eye twitched suddenly, “You two KNOW each other…?”

Hinata and Naruto stared at each other in horror and turned to face a strangely calm Neji. A single vein beating beneath his forehead in perfect view. Oh what a terrible mistake!

“So you’ve already met my cousin.” He turned his attention to Naruto in all his cold/calm fury. “You had better not have said anything crude to her. Did you?”

“Oh no, no!” Hinata chirped for the boy-under-scrutiny. “It’s fine really! We just met in passing, honestly! I just happened to be there when Shikamaru and Temari met with Naruto during the- that is ‘previously’.”

“You flirted with her.” Neji steamed, it was a statement, not a question. Naruto gave a small half-grin in hopes of mitigating the temper slightly dampened by his cousin’s interceding.

“It’s not like it went anywhere of course.” Hinata added.

“I can’t believe you,” Neji scowled, “that you would not tell me such a thing.”

“For the record, I didn’t know you guys were cousins until… well now actually.” Naruto lied easily, knowing that at that Neji might actually drop the horrible and awkward conversation.

The brunette glared a moment longer before sighing and sitting back in his seat, conversation ended.

“So,” Naruto started again looking toward Hinata and noticing Sasuke hovering a short ways behind her. In a moment he stopped, and considered speaking, but decided against it almost as quickly.

What would he have to say to him? Sasuke held himself still, arms crossed, either to protect himself or because he was really bored with being here. If he felt awkward or lost to words himself his posture did not suggest it.

Lithe form contained entirely in himself, a separate entity unreachable. Dark cloth sheathed pale skin, bared at a slender but tensed neck. His jaw set immovable with eyes staring to the side, unmistakable bitterness tainted dark depths.

A deep pain he wished he could erase. He wanted to erase everything, so that the paler youth would never have hurt her. Then he wouldn’t have this force preventing him from yielding to his own desire.

Neji noted the other’s presence and turned his attention aside, Sasuke was used to Neji ignoring him. It was better than engaging in verbal warfare or otherwise.

But it was not Neji’s neglect that caused him to turn his attention from the group and stand to the side as if uninvolved.

Neji he could handle, Neji’s cold eyes did not cause the emptiness inside of him to grow. No only Naruto could do that, with that blank stare as if he wanted to speak but wouldn’t. And Sasuke didn’t know if he wanted him to or not.

If that blankness was to hide compassion or pity he wasn’t sure he wanted it. If it was to mask any anger or bitterness he was glad he didn’t say a word.

But if for some strange reason it was because of apology and possibly, even just a bit of longing and missing then he wished he would say it.

However Sasuke knew it would not be that, and so he resigned himself that he should be glad that Naruto did not speak. Though he could not stop himself from wishing those blank sightless eyes on anyone else but him.

If only he would look on her like that, and look to him as he now looked on her. But how these empty eyes made him cringe. He never wanted Naruto to have any reason to look on him like that again.

“It seems Kiba had a prior engagement and couldn’t make it today,” Neji said picking up his bag and turning to his cousin, “So it will probably be us three I suspect, or is ‘he’ here for Trig. as well?”

“No, actually I can’t make it either! Temari’s getting tickets now actually,” Hinata said apologetically, “I’m really sorry but could we reschedule the study-day?”

Neji took a deep breath and rubbed his forehead in some irritation. “Fine, you know, I don’t care anymore. Finals are coming up and I could care less if you all fail for lack of interest. I will not.”

“I’ll go now.” Sasuke sighed in seeming boredom, as he turned to go.

“No, wait I’ll be right behind you!” Hinata told him, then turning to Neji “I’m really sorry! I just came to say I can’t and apologize. So I’ll see you alter or something. Okay?”

“It’s fine.” Neji shook his head in some irritation and some dismay as he headed for the library.

“I’ll just take off too?” Naruto wondered. Neji didn’t reply, so he took that for a yes. Then to Hinata, “Well good to see you.”

“You too,” she nodded before the turned to head after Sasuke, “See you.”

Naruto nodded looking after the girl and, more specifically, Sasuke. He still felt as if he should have said something. Even Sakura had told him that he should still speak to the other.

Something pulled and clenched on his insides as they walked away, still he kept his mouth firmly shut.

Sasuke wouldn’t meet his eyes, and his silence bothered him somehow. He knew he should have said something to him. But he didn’t really trust himself to do so.

`

At the end of her daily volunteer work at the local hospital Sakura Haruno found herself wandering among the afternoon throng downtown. There was noise all around but it helped her to think.

Busy streets, and stores along the walk, all restaurants, or movie theaters. There was a bookstore down by third street.

Town hall, the fountain out front, where there were always so many pigeons flapping around, silver coins and copper pennies glinting from beneath the fountain water.

This was also the spot she’d first met Sasuke. It was a different Sasuke then, the same one she’d met again on the city bus, the same one who she fell in love with, who had used her and left her as nothing.

Now he wouldn’t even speak to her, he had avoided any kind of contact ever since she found him by chance on the bus. At that time she had thought she could finally forget.

Because she’d seen how he really felt, and she recognized her own miniscule footnote to his consciousness. And as deeply as that knowledge hurt, she had thought she could accept that and move on.

Yet he still bore heavily on her mind, and the more she tried to forget the more she remembered every minute, every lie, and the hurt came anew. ‘Just once more’, she told herself again. ‘Just once more and I can forget.’

All she needed was to talk to him one more time, and she could erase it, she could accept it. Then she could finally move on.

As if lead chains bound her still in a past that was false but could not be cast off. It was like standing still when she knew she should be running forward, instead slowly her feet were betraying her edging backwards.

“Sakura!”

The voice of the boy, for he was still only a boy, struck her like a heavy slap to the face. Though his voice was cheery and turning to him his face wore a broad, if shy, smile.

He rushed towards her, stopping a few feet from her, as if waiting for permission for her company. She smiled back as best she could but it felt strained. “Have you talked to Sasuke lately?” she wondered.

“I saw him earlier,” the blond shrugged, “You want to go get some early dinner? I know a great Italian place. Or how about a movie?”

“Did you talk to him though?” she prompted.

Naruto frowned, perhaps unhappy all she was asking about was Sasuke, a topic he seemed more than anything to want to avoid. “Not really, it was a short meeting since no one went with Neji to the library.”

Sakura nodded, “I see.” And she turned away again. It wouldn’t do her any good if she couldn’t talk to him. Like this she was only hurting herself, and unavoidably she would hurt Naruto again to cut him off, as she hurt him by accepting his offer.

What had she been thinking then? Vengeance? No… she had no desire to hurt him, not this Sasuke. This Sasuke she thought would speak with her, but he refused like before. She had to speak to him.

“How was your day?” Naruto asked after a moment, fidgeting slightly, shifting feet as he regarded her curiously, almost wary, hoping. Hoping for something.

“Fine.” Sakura responded turning back to him, “He’s your friend isn’t he? Sasuke, I mean?”

Naruto frowned uncertainly. He wanted to look away but bound by emerald eyes he couldn’t, nor could he lie. “Sort of, I guess. Not really,” he muttered the last part, not really telling a complete falsehood.

“I’m sad that you’re ignoring your friend.” She frowned at him, and Naruto seemed to shrink in her reproving gaze. “It’s my fault, isn’t it?”

Yes.

“Of course not!” Naruto assured her immediately. Sakura frowned turning away, her body felt heavy again, heavier still.

What could she do to cast off these chains? One way or another she would hurt, but surely one path would lead to her eventual freedom?

“We just hadn’t spoken in a while.” Naruto seemed to laugh lightheartedly, regarding her perturbed expression with some disquiet. “It’s not right that you still love him.”

She already knew that, but it was apart of these chains and she couldn’t cast them off. She had to speak to Sasuke, just once more and she could leave him behind forever and never look back. She was sure of it.

However if Naruto wouldn’t talk to him, how would she ever? When Sasuke refused on every account, “He won’t talk to me. Please talk to him Naruto.”

Naruto scowled, “He shouldn’t be ignoring you.” He accused, sullen that she had chided him for ignoring the one who neglected to acknowledge her.

Sakura smiled at his tone, something of that impetuous pouting anger like the blond youth she used to know long ago.

“You may still love him, but he doesn’t appreciate that love at all, even now.” Is what he wanted to tell her, but somehow the words wouldn’t come past his throat.

“He might have just been very busy lately,” Naruto suggested instead, tossing off his earlier comment. “Or maybe his phone’s just been off.”

Sakura turned to him, smiling again, “You do care about your friend. So talk to him.”

“Not like I care about you.” He insisted.

“No,” she agreed, “Not like me.”

After all that fiery feeling for the other seemed to be shared by them, in Sasuke’s eyes there had been something so foreign to her it had taken her a while to recognize it for what it was.

Naruto she realized did not yet realize it, but he held the other in the same respect. It was a mutual affection, completely unlike the reverence in which Naruto held her.

The love he had for her was entirely different from the connection developed between those two. Sasuke though, surely was aware, so this would be hurting him too.

No matter what she did from this point someone would hurt. Only one way would leave her free. This wasn’t permanent either, just until she could see him, until she could speak to him.

Then perhaps she could be free, and she could recover, move on and leave it all behind her. She had to end it, this internal eating away ever since he left. She couldn’t leave herself as things were.

She had to end it, and she needed Sasuke to do it.

He smiled at her and she smiled back, “Sorry, it’s getting late today. I have work tomorrow morning.” She told him.

He nodded and rocked on his feet a moment, eyes on the sidewalk and he formed a request in his head. “I’ll see you tomorrow probably.” She told him as she turned to go.

“Sakura, wait,” Naruto called after her, not meeting her eyes as he voiced his query. “Can I kiss you?”

Sakura started a moment, she hadn’t expected such a thing.

“Well we are dating right? It’s a normal thing to start with?” he scratched the side of his head in some trepidation, his feet shifting again.

“Alright.” She agreed after a moment. Naruto never really wanted contact from her, in this short time he never even insisted on holding hand like he used to way back when.

Naruto grinned at her, and she stepped back to him, he met her half way. And there they stood watching each other, a couple of feet still away from each other. Tentatively Naruto stepped closer, “Close your eyes?”

She did. But she already knew it.

Naruto leaned forward, her skin was ivory, but not nearly as close to the milky color of- someone else. Her lips were pinker, more pert and he imagined they might be soft, but he couldn’t bridge the distance still between them.

Doing so, somehow he felt would be wrong. She had allowed him, she had agreed, but he couldn’t do it. As if there was something sacrilegious about attempting to take her mouth for his.

He remembered mouths, he’d kissed before, plenty of girls! And one guy; just one.

In an instant he saw dark eyes, thick lashes, milky skin, and featherlike raven tresses. He felt the other’s heated flesh beneath his hands, the taste of winter on his tongue.

He opened his eyes again, she was still so patient with him. He hovered oddly a moment, but still he couldn’t bridge the final distance.

His face flooded with heat, it felt dirty to be thinking about that guy right in front of his angel. Slowly emerald eyes opened and he couldn’t mask his uncertainty, and the truth of his mind from her.

“Are you okay?” she asked and smiled, and he knew that she must have seen into his head and she knew.

Sakura straightened; she had expected this. It was the same as when they were younger, this was not what he wanted from her, even if it’s what he thought he did.

Naruto flushed horribly and to save face he leaned in, and just barely bridged the distance, his lips touching tentatively to her skin. And Sakura startled as he brushed her cheek.

The chastest of kisses in a most familiar place, and she smiled as he turned and rushed away down the mostly vacated street.

“I’ll see you tomorrow!” he called back, pausing to look back when he figured he was a safe distance so she couldn’t see him blushing, though the heat was already starting to fade.

“I’m going to visit Kyuubi tomorrow, do you want to come with me then?”

“I told you have work tomorrow. Sorry.” She called back, “Tell him ‘hi’ for me.” He nodded to her and then continued down the street with a wave, and she turned to depart as well.

Little did either know that a pale-eyed dark-haired girl had witnessed the whole scene unfold.

Hinata felt the gears and slides click into place in her head, and in a moment she knew exactly what it was.

Suddenly she gasped with the realization. She knew exactly what it was about Sakura and Naruto’s relationship that had been so puzzling!!

“I have to tell Temari!!”

---

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