Purple Cocaine Prison

Disclaimer: I don’t own anything…cept the fic.
Warning(s): See Previous chapter(s)
Pairing(s): Various

~!@!~

‘Purple Cocaine Prison’
‘Reality 101’

~!@!~

{Naruto/Saturday Morning and Dead to the world}

“He’s probably still asleep, the baka”

“Where?”

“Down the hall…there”

“Ah, shall we go wake him up, then?”

“I don’t know. You’re the one who dragged me here”

“Is that so? Who called me and asked if were still going out?”

“Yes, well, that was a mistake. Besides, we still ended up here because of you, therefore, you’ll go and I’ll follow”

“Roger!”

Two figures creep down the hall into Naruto’s room.

“Hn…now we have to wake him up”

“Ea~sy!”

“You wish”

The two figures come closer to the bed and peer at the sleeping face and mussed hair visible above the sheets. One of the two figures begins to prod at Naruto.

“Oi, Gaki!”

No response.

“OI, YARO!”

Naruto rolls over.

The taller of the two sighs, “This isn’t going to work, is it?”

The other grins somewhat evilly, “Hold on…”

~!@!~

“Asshole, you didn’t have to dump water on me…and you got my bed wet!”

Shikamaru just shrugs, “What was I supposed to do? Wait for you to wake up?”

I scowl at him, thinking that strangling him would be fun right about now. He doesn’t even have the decency to look sorry.

“You…”

Again, Shika just shrugs.

Eventually I relax and notice that Haku has already puttering out to the kitchen.

Looking Shika over, I realize that we must be going out today.

His hair is up, as usual and he’s wearing one of his favorite shirts. It’s a black long sleeve that says in bold white print: “Didn’t See, Don’t Ask, Won’t tell”. His pants are green cargos and he’s wearing his sneakers inside my place, the idiot.

Haku pops his head in to see if I’ve gotten out of bed yet and is dressed in a light green button-down, faded jeans and beach sandals. He also went and painted his nails and toenails dark green.

Distractedly, I climb out of bed and have my own shower and leave those two to their own devices. Freshly showered, I grab my faded blue jeans and my oversized black hoodie with the spiral across the front.

Haku busied himself in the kitchen making me breakfast and Shika is scrutinizing my art.

I plop down at the table and dig in when Haku sets a plate of toast down in front of me.

“So”, Haku says conversationally as he sits casually across from me.

“So?” I answer, my mouth half full

Haku smiles, “Where were you yesterday? We were supposed to go to the clinic and you didn’t show”

Uh Oh…trust me to forget!
“I was…huh, out”

“Hn…mind telling me where you really went?”

I finish the last piece of toast and avoid having to answer Haku for another minute when I take a massive sip of my orange juice, “I didn’t go anywhere…”

Shika wanders in and plops down next to me, “You’re the crappiest liar I’ve ever met”

“Why you!”

Haku laughs, “Tsunade-Sama let us know that you had a visitor… and apparently he didn’t leave till well after nine-ish…”

I scowl. Tsunade-Hag could always be counted on to make things worse, “Yeah, so?”

Shika and Haku exchange a ‘look’ before turning back to me.

Haku shrugs, “Well, we were just wondering how it went…considering you were with Neji…”

I scratch the back of my head, “It was okay…we just talked”

Shika shifts in his chair, “And painted…”

Haku pales, which shows how surprised he is.

Shika shoves his hands in his pockets, “You never paint with other people…especially not right off the bat like that. Remember when we met? Took you forever to trust me anywhere near your paints and I now more about paint than you do”

I glance at Shika guiltily but all I can see on his face is curiosity.

Haku still looks scandalized.

I grin, trying to ease the tension, “Look, it just occurred to me all of a sudden…besides, I wanted him to loosen up”

Haku finally speaks, “Shika…you realize what’s happening, don’t you?”

Shika shrugs.

A smile spreads over Haku’s face, “Our baby boy is growing up”

I growl and toss a nearby book at him

~!@!~

When we finally leave my place, I’m thoroughly annoyed. Haku’s been asking me questions non-stop since the ‘Kitchen Incident’. Shika, thankfully, just kind of told me to be careful in his own offhanded way and left it at that.

We pile into Haku’s green Volkswagen beetle and I realize that I haven’t got a clue where were going, “Ne, where are we going anyway?”

Shika shrugs.

Haku straightens his rearview mirror and starts the car, “The clinic”

I groan, “Why?”

“Because, I said so”, Haku answers childishly.

Shika signs, “He’s going because you ditched him and now we both have to go with him…this is, naturally, all your fault”

I stew silently in the backseat for a bit before realizing that I still don’t know why we’re going to the clinic, “Oi, what for?”

Shika waves a hand vaguely in the air; “He’s donating blood or something equally strange”

“Really?”

Haku looks both ways before moving out into the street, “Because it’s a nice thing to do”

Shika shrugs, “Or strange…have you ever considered the fact that even if you give blood, they’re still going to need more?”

Haku smiles, “Yeah, but I have O positive type blood, so my blood can be used for anyone”

I wonder about that for a minute, “That is a nice thing to do”

Haku smiles at me in the rearview mirror, “I’m glad you agree”

~!@!~
Now that we’re here, I regret encouraging Haku. These waiting rooms are the worse. There’s fuck all to do!

I look around absently, trying to find something interesting to look at when a vaguely familiar head of deep red hair catches my eye. It’s very hard to miss since no one else in the room has hair anywhere near that dark. Sitting up, I glance at Shika, see that he’s distracted, and decide he won’t miss me if I were to run off.

Gaara is standing just outside the nurse’s office, leaning casually on the edge of the long desk while the woman sitting behind him types quickly on a computer. He’s decked out in a red shirt the same color as his hair. I like the shirt because it suits him. The arms are made of mesh-like material and it even has a little hood. The logo on the shirt is hidden beneath the black, baggy overalls he’s wearing. The pant legs bunch around his feet and I can hardly see the black shoes he’s wearing. A thick, leather studded belt completes his look.

Curious, I wander over casually and tug on his hood lightly.

Gaara turns around slowly and up close I get a look at some of the palest green eyes I’ve ever seen. The tattoo over his left eye is also a lot more intricate up close then from farther away. His eyes narrow for a moment and I can see that he’s either not happy to see me or might not even remember who I am.

“Uh, hey, I’m Naruto” I say tentatively as he looks me up and down.

He turns to face me fully, face relaxing into a blank poker-faced look that is not unlike Neji’s, “Uzumaki”

I rub the back of my neck, sort of uncomfortable with the way he’s scrutinizing me, “Yeah, we’re in the same gym and physics class, remember?”

Gaara nods and pulls an earphone out his ear. I didn’t notice he was listening to music, “Hai”

I smile slightly, “Why are you here anyway?”

Gaara makes a mildly irritated face and shows me the bracelet on his right wrist. It’s one of those allergy bracelets that let you know that the person it’s on has massive allergies to certain things.

“Ah…”

Gaara puts the bracelet hand in his pocket and shrugs, “Just a check up”

I muse over this, “Are you, like, fatally allergic to anything?”

Gaara smirks very slightly but doesn’t answer.

I laugh, “Stupid question, sorry. So, uh, what were you listening to?”

Gaara runs hand slowly through his hair and tilts his head pensively in my direction, “Anything”

I blink, “Anything? As in you’re not sure…or?”

He shrugs and pulls an mp3 player out his pocket. He hands it over to me and I check out what song he was listening to.

Walkie talkie Man by Steriogram

I grin, “That’s a really catchy song”
Gaara nods and glances past me, over my shoulder.
I glance back and see Shikamaru talking to Haku and they are both glancing in my direction. I guess Haku’s done.

I look at Gaara, “Those are my buddies. The pretty one with the hair is Haku and the bored looking one is Shikamaru…”

Gaara nods once.

I pause, “So…I’ll see you later?”

Gaara blinks slowly and looks me in the eyes before nodding decisively.

I turn to walk away but hesitate. I turn back to him again, “You wanna come with? I mean, we’re going to see a movie…and have lunch…”

Gaara smirks, “I’ll pass, see you later…Uzumaki”

I grin at the strangely comfortable way he says my name, “Yeah, see ya”

Back in Haku’s car, Haku decides that questioning me about Gaara like it was the Spanish Inquisition would be a great way to pass the time. Both Shika and I ignore him and watch the passing scenery.

I think back to my brief conversation with Gaara and decide that what I really like about him is that quiet air of self-assurance and solidarity. The funny thing is that suddenly, I was seeing a lot of people in different lights and it’s turning out to be a good thing.

~!@!~

{Neji/Thinking}

There’s a mild chill in the air but he hardly feel it as he go through his routine stretches in practiced motions. The way his body moves already knowing what to do allows his thoughts to wander without requiring too much effort on his part. His unbound hair is a slight hindrance but putting it up giveshime headaches sometimes, so leaving it down is best.

He pausse, his right leg left suspended in mid air as he listens for a moment before resuming his stretch. A moment later his cousin, Hinata-Sama wanders hesitantly out into the yard. She pauses at the railing on the lower balcony but makes no move to approach or speak.

Out of courtesy, he stop completely and bows slightly to her, “What is it??”

She wrings her hands nervously, “A-ano…breakfast is r-ready so…”

He nod, “I see”

She waits for him at the railing and watches him not knowing that he knows she’s starring.

Hinata and he have had an unusual relationship since they were young. She is a Head family member and he, a Branch. The differences between them are both few and many. His strengths are not hers and her emotions are better controlled then his own…although, he was only inclined to think so when he's calm. He don’t like weakness and is dismayed by her lack of physical strength and apparent frailty.

The reason being mostly that although he am not open with his worries for her, he realizes that she has weaknesses that are worse then his own, such as her lack of self-confidence. The irony comes from the fact that the family’s most cherished successor was in actuality in no position to undertake the responsibility…well, not as she was now, anyway.

They make direct eye contact as soon as he steps up onto the balcony next to her, his bare feet chilled by the dew on the floorboards.

She looks away, caught, “S-sumimasen”

He shrugs, walking past her casually, “Don’t apologize, you did nothing wrong…Hinata-Sama”

He does not receive an answer but she hesitantly follows him back into the main building. They go their separate ways as he returns to his room to have a brief shower and change.

By the time he arrives, most of the family is already seated. Although he am only a Branch family member, he am to sit at the main table with the Head family as he is to become Hinata-Sama’s bodyguard of sorts when they are older. Interaction with the Head family is required, thus his special seating arrangement.

He politely excuses himself for being late and seats himself on Hinata’s right.

Her father, his uncle, glances up from his conversation at the head of the table, “Neji, you were out yesterday? Hinata was looking for you”

Silence washes over the table.

He pauses and turn to his Uncle, “My apologies, I was busy”

His uncle nods and the entire table resumes their conversations.
He breaths an irritated sigh of relief. His family is his family, but that does not mean that they don’t drive him crazy…”

Another cousin his mine, Hiroto, asks about his hair.

As they are sitting on the teen-end of the table, the adults are not inclined to listen to their conversations. However, amongst themselves, curiosity as to others goings on is common.

He doesn’t glance up but answers politely anyway, “I dyed it”

Again, for the second time this morning, he am subjected to inquiring silence.

He elaborates, “A friend dyed it”

He hazards an upward glance; Hiroto and his brother are exchanging curious looks.

He shrugs; his business is his business. Anyway, he doubts anyone here would approve of Naruto. They’d say he’s loud…and irritating…and lacks discipline…Ironically, he seems free-spirited and open minded to Neji while being everything that any single person in this family is not. That alone made him special.

~!@!~

{Gaara/Bored out of his skull/Thinking}

Gaara toys absently with the bracelet and waits for Temari and Kankuro to finish their discussion. Whatever it is, it probably wouldn’t interest him anyway. Glancing out the window, he watchs the passing cars distractedly.

Since moving, he have found himself both daydreaming more and paying even less attention to the adults. Everyone has always told him what to do. Being a child prodigy didn’t exactly allow him the freedom it did some. In his family, it was imperative that he always do a better job than anyone else. After all, he was Gaara, son of one of the most intelligent men in the world and owner of a profitable worldwide company.

His mother had died a long time before and he had never known the details of her death. Everyone kept secrets from him, as though it would be best for him not to know.

Sighing, he continues to toy with the bracelet around my wrist and absently wonders why he had to have a check up so soon when he’d had one before they left Japan. It’s irritating to be repeating useless things…

Temari turns back to look at him from the front seat, “Did it go well, Gaara?”

He scowls and gives a small, slightly sarcastic smile, “Any more impromptu tests I should know about or are we finally going home?”

Temari smiles back a bit. She’s very used to his sarcasm.

Kankuro is driving and since they don’t get along anyway, it’s perfectly fine with Gaara if he doesn’t say anything.

Temari turns back to sit properly, “That should be it…but father would like if you went to see him”

His scowl deepens and he sighs deeply. When his father says he’d like for Gaara to go see him, it means he expects Gaara to report him. Temari has a way of saying these things that irritates him a little less but duty to obey his father was to go unquestioned.

He nods absently. To his father he is Gaara, child-toy and puppet. He tells Gaara what to do and generally, he does it.

He muses over this as he continues to watch the cars.

Gaara: plaything

Gaara: child-genius

Gaara: slave to caprice

Gaara, he thinks, has no freedom.

~!@!~

{Shika/Slowly going mad}

How the hell did he get himself into these situations? Why did he have to listen to this crap singing? Do they realize what a racket their making? People in other cars are starring for Christ’s sake.

“Would you two put a damn lid on it?”

Haku and Naruto keep belting out: “This is the song that never ends…” like he'd never objected at all.

He sighs deeply and sink further into the passenger seat as he realizes that they enjoy tapping on his nerves and therefore, have no intention of ever shutting up. He lowers his window and leans on the side. Conversationally, he muses out loud, “Haku, I wish you weren’t such a cautious driver…then we could crash and die and that’d be the end of my misery”

That seems to get an interesting reaction seeing as how they both stop long enough to laugh.

Haku pushes his orange shades higher up into his hair and glances over, smiling, “Is that a compliment to my driving?”

Shikamaru grits his teeth and smiles, mock-sweet, “I really, really resent your driving prowess at the moment…I really wish we would crash…so, no, it’s not a compliment”

Naruto laughs from the backseat, “If you hated it so much, why didn’t you say so?”

He flips him the finger while calmly pretending he didn’t hear him to begin with.

Naru laughs some more and declares that if Shikamaru hated their singing so much then they should turn on the radio instead. Briefly, he wonders if it’s possible to die quickly and painlessly by jumping out of a moving vehicle and immediately getting run over by a carrier truck currently behind said vehicle.

Logically, the answer is a resounding no, but the idea is pleasant. He would do anything to escape. He groans to himself; he should’ve known better then to go out with these two on a Saturday when he could’ve just as easily stayed home with Choji and watched cartoons or clouds.

Absently, another interesting thought occurs to him which he decides to voice: “Do you realize that hanging out with you two has the same effect as taking a double shot of tequila and going bungee jumping directly afterwards?”

Haku laughs, “We’re that much fun?”

He grins slightly, “No, you’re just about as dangerous”

Naruto laughs his ass of in the back and he promises himselfself that next time he will stay firmly planted indoors, preferably with Choji, and chilling instead of going shit disturbing around downtown Boston with one or both of these rwo ever again.

~!@!~

{Sasuke}

The alarm next to his bed indicates that’s already about two in the afternoon. He sits up and brush strands of black hair out of his eyes. Glancing at himself in the mirror on the wall across from my bed, he muses that the dark blue highlights that he went for yesterday are a lot nicer then he thought they’d be. he suppress' yawn and crawls out of bed.

The dark blue, velveteen curtains are blocking all the sunlight, so he opens the first three and leave the other two. He heads into the adjoined bathroom and have a quick shower before rummaging around in his walk-in closet for something comfortable and, surprisingly, not black. He woke up today with an urge to wear some red, his second favorite color. Go figure.

A pair of white sweats and a red tee later, he is ready to leave the sanctity of his room and venture off into the rest of the apartment. Hn, apartment in name but not in size. He'd never been a fan of penthouse suits on the fiftieth floor but Itachi was, so he didn’t have much say in the matter from the beginning anyway.

He wanders into the kitchen and pause to look at his brother, who just happens to be draped all over the counter top and doing a crossword. He looks kind of like a panther. Sleek, pretty even, but not to be touched. He suddenly looks up and their eyes lock. Sasuke can’t help but scowl at him and he just stares coolly back.

He glances back down at the crossword and tucks a strand of his own black hair behind his ear, “That scowl gets worse every time I see it. Keep it up, maybe you might make me spontaneously combust someday”

‘I wish’ Outwardly, He justs shrug and move to the fridge.

While he digs around to find the eggs and vegetables, he muses over Itachi’s appearance this morning.

Their hair is the same jet black, longer and often worn up in a ponytail, like this morning. Their general resemblance ended there though. Whereas Sasuke had dark eyes, Itachi's are a shocking bloody red. Their skin is roughly the same, both being pale and a bit luminescent, but he brings attention to himself far more then Sasuke does, in his opinion. He paints his nails a dark mauve, wears several rings and even has his tongue pierced. He’s shirtless and wearing black silk pants and a matching robe and he still hasn’t gotten the hell off the counter!

“Itachi…” There is a hint of a warning in Sasuke's voice.

He blinks slowly at me before rolling gracefully off the counter and landing noiselessly on his feet, “Happy now?”

He puts down a plate and don’t wait to see if Itachi's going to eat it.

People have a tendency to really fawn over him though. He’s smart and everything, but ever since the car accident a couple of years ago, he and Sasuke haven’t been the same. They live together like acquaintances instead of brothers. He never asks him where he's going or when he’ll be home and he never ask him if he should pick up anything at the store for him or tell him when anything important is scheduled. They're completely independent from each other in a sense that is both physical and mental.

It happens, sometimes, when people will ask about Itachi and he’ll have no idea what to say. In the sense that they rarely bother to know what the other is up to; you could ask him where Itachi is and he couldn't ever tell you, even if Itachi was at home taking a nap.

It was a fairly bad situation in Sasuke's POV.

When he turns back to the counter, Itachi is seated and eating, albeit distractedly. The crossword is finished and discarded and his mind is outside, with the world, instead of in here with Sasuke. He doesn’t comment and decides that quietly having breakfast together might not be such a bad idea. Seems almost normal.

Presently, Itachi turns back to him, “Some girl called this morning”
He doesn’t have to ask to know that it was Sakura.

Itachi’s focus seems to turn inwards and they both continue eating absently.

Somehow, he ends op thinking of Naruto. He’s loud and kind of obnoxious but Sasuke can’t shake the feeling that if he’d been him, he wouldn’t have let the situation with Itachi get so bad. Itachi wanted to get away from Sasuke after the accident and he'd let it happen, not understanding that it was the worst thing that he could’ve done. The void between tem is clear and unmistakable and although they do an excellent job of faking a close relationship when required in public, they’re hopeless with each other at home.

Sasuke sighs, “Aniki…”

Itachi looks up suddenly, surprised and alert, probably because it’s been forever since Sasuke called him that; “Nani?”

He searchs for the words to say but the phone rings and jumbles his thoughts. Itachi makes no move to get the phone, patiently waiting for him to say something but he shakes his head and motions for Itachi to go. Itachi hesitates but when the phone rings again, insistently, he strides out of the kitchen and Sasuke hears him pick up the cordless out in the hallway.

So much for spontaneity…

Which brings him to think: How does Naruto do it?

~!@!~

{Naruto/Part Time Job}

Remember how I said that I have a tendency of seeing both Sasuke and Neji outside of school? Well, my part time job is why. I work at an art store that doubles as an art gallery. The reason I see Sasuke is because he’s always dropping by to pick up art supplies and drop off new paintings. At first, I thought that was pretty curious. I mean, Sasuke doesn’t draw, does he?

I ended up finding out that Sasuke’s older brother is Uchiha Itachi who happens to be a prominent rising artist. He’s known all over the net and some of his art is displayed in some very important art shows. People think that given another year or so, he’ll be as well known as some of the pros.

In any case, we don’t talk much. I’ve only met him while working a handful of times. Usually, he doesn’t really say anything nasty to me, which I’m thankful for because my boss, Anko, would have a field day with it if she ever caught me being picked on.

After the movie, we had a quick lunch and Haku dropped Shika and me off at our part-time jobs. Shika works just up the street at this funky caf. He’s a waiter, which I found hard to believe, but apparently he’s really popular. People get a kick out of his attitude and opinions.

I also meet Neji here sometimes because he’s often buying art. Well, not actually buying. There are usually orders made by his family and he’ll drop by and pick them up. We also talk rarely because there is never anything to say.

In any case, I’m hoping that today will be quiet, especially considering that it’s already pretty late in the afternoon.
So there I am, restocking paints because it needs to be done, when the bell over the door sounds. I get that little sixth-sense chill up my spine that I know spells doom but I had such a tranquil morning that I ignore it in favor of staying cool.

I round the corner of the paints isle and freeze when I see Sasuke standing just inside the door and absently walking towards the counter, cell phone in hand, package in the other and frowning.

He’s wearing white sweats and a red shirt. His black hair has deep, midnight blue streaks that he must have recently gotten and is tied back with a white bandana. He looks more casual then I’ve ever see him. Sasuke isn’t exactly a show off but the guy never goes out in public if he doesn’t look more then good.

I can remember a time we went on a class field trip to the local pool and Sasuke had been all decked out in coral blue stuff and had gotten deep purple highlights. He had the whole Lifeguard-that-would-never-actually-dive-into-the-water-to-save-you-cause-he’d-rather-stay-dry-look down pat. Plus, he’d looked gorgeous…in a completely see-can’t-touch way.

I hesitate but decide that I’m being stupid. I work here and Sasuke comes in regularly enough. Why am I nervous?

I slip behind the counter as he approaches, “Hey, how may I help you?”

He looks up, pensive; “I wanted to drop this of for the exhibition taking place Monday…”

I nod and break eye contact with him in order to label the package. It feels like three or four paintings stacked neatly inside brown wrapping paper; I leave a post-it note for Anko-San so that she knows whom it’s from.

Sasuke fishes around his pocket in search of something and emerges with a list. He hands it over a bit distractedly and only glances over at me when I reach out to take the paper and our hands touch. As if the shock of looking each other in the face was really so great, we both freeze up.

Sasuke shakes himself out of it before I do and to my relief, doesn’t tease or make a big deal about me spacing out. He just gives me this curious look and presses the paper firmly into my hand.

Dazedly, I move out of behind the counter and leave him standing there as I wander off to collect whatever the list says.

Now’s a good time to ask: What the *hell* is wrong with me?
I quickly find what I need and head back to the cash to ring up Sasuke’s stuff. Just when I’m handing over the bag and the receipt, Sasuke reaches out to catch my wrist. I flinch suddenly but he’s too busy starring at my wrist so he doesn’t notice.

Sasuke is one of the main reasons I can’t cope with people touching me. When we were kids, Sasuke used to beat the living daylights out of me. As we grew up, so did he. He stopped physically screwing me up and opted for verbal abuse instead.

Mild panic starts to creep slowly up my spine when I realize that he still hasn’t let go yet. Those memories are still too fresh and in a sudden moment of slight hysteria, I yank my wrist away.

Sasuke looks at me calmly even though I can tell that my sudden recoiling movement has puzzled him.
I try to breath steadily and stay cool. I lay may hand flat against my chest and will my heart rate to slow down before it becomes painful.

“Was it me?”

I look up at Sasuke. He looks a little distressed.

I suck it up and laugh, “No, sorry. You just kinda-sorta scared the crap out of me when you grabbed me like that...”

He frowns doubtfully and shrugs, “Sorry, I saw a number on your arm and thought it was someone I knew...”

I sigh in relief and glance down at my wrist. Neji’s number stares back at me in bold, black permanent marker. I smile slightly.

“A friend?” Sasuke inquires casually

“A good one”, I say, tracing the numbers with a finger

Sasuke falls silent and the tension between us crackles up again.

I think of a way to save the situation, “See you Monday...”

I leave the words hanging. Sasuke can either shoot them down with sarcasm or accept them for what they are: a simple way out of an uncomfortable conversation.

Thankfully, he chooses the latter, “Yeah...see ya”

We stare at each other a moment longer before he turns away and I look down at my hands folded in my lap. I listen as he makes his way out the front door, the only sound indicating his exit being the sound of the chime and the shutting door.

My body instantly relaxes but I have to rub my stomach for a bit; it kinda hurts all of a sudden. I glance around the store, note that it’s empty and decide to make a quick phone call.

I reach over and pluck the cordless out of its place on the wall mount and dial the number practically tattooed into my wrist. When it rings almost four times, I start to loose my nerve and almost hang up when someone answers:

‘It’s about time you called’

I laugh.

Things can get weird but Neji is the same as always...

~!@!~

TBC...