Taiikusai

To those of you that gave me your feedback- thanks! Every opinion counts, I say. :) I will what I can to appease the masses, but I think I know where I'm going with the story now ^^

Here is the next chapter- a long one, and what will be the last for some time. I'll be on vacation for some weeks so I'll see you all again sometime in August! Take care!


Sakura was ready to punch something. Naruto had practically been her shadow since elementary school and now that she actually needed him, there was no sign of him. She had checked the cafeteria, the art room, even Tsunade’s desk and interviewed everyone from the school cook to the disciplinarian. Hell, she even woke up Shikamaru from his nap. No one had seen hide or hair of the usually unshakeable presence.

Where had he vanished to?

She stood just outside the student council room and crossed her fingers. Sliding the door open, there stood Hyuuga Neji leaning forward intently, a flirtatious smile on his lips. Sakura had to do a double take just to make sure she was seeing straight.

Neji quickly righted himself, posture so straight you could press a ruler against him and a blonde head quickly spun to watch her.

Not the right blond. “Haruno-san.”

“Oh, I’m very sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt, but… I was looking for Naruto…”

Neji’s expression softened; the firm yet gentle expression that reminded her of the cashiers at McDonald’s. "Just doing my job."

“I’m sorry, but I haven’t seen him all day. If he stops by I’ll inform him of your visit.”

“Thanks.”

The blonde remained quiet and watched her carefully.

“Well then, I’ll just be going…”

She slid the door closed carefully and slowly walked away. Somehow, she felt like she had just walked in on something remarkably intimate for just a school lunch…

“Hyuuga and Temari… Never would have pegged that one.”

She turned the corner and ran head on into another student. She stepped back just a little only to be faced with “Ai.” The red tattoo stood out sharply against the student president’s pale skin. She gasped a little, and her eyes wandered over his disheveled appearance. Tie loosened, top two buttons undone and his hair looked like he’d try to style it with his fingers.

It looked good…

“Pardon me, Gaara-sempai.”

“Ah, no problem.” He stepped aside and let her pass.

Something niggled at her as soon as he was out of sight-- some detail that was off. “What’s wrong with this picture?”

Another male student walked by. His crisp, well pressed uniform was buttoned to the top, tie picture perfect.

“That’s it!”

Gaara was always careful about his looks. And while it *did* appear that he’d been caught in the down pour, no amount of rain could undo your tie or buttons.

“Hyuuga shows an interest in women and Gaara-sempai is starting to get sloppy… Get more sleep Haruno or next you’ll be seeing white rabbits.”


***

She returned to her classroom still a bit dazed. Naruto disappears, Hyuuga letting down his guard and Gaara coming undone… I think I need to put my head down.

“Damn Uzumaki! Whadja do? Jump in the pool with your clothes on?” Kiba yelled from the back of the room.

Sakura’s head spun towards the door only to nearly die of shock. Naruto stood in the doorway, hair dripping, shirt glued to his skin and a wet tie wrapped up in his hand. You’d expect most people to look like a drowned rat after getting caught up in the rain, but Naruto…

Flushed cheeks, strands of blond hair, heavy with water, fell around his tan face, and his shirt… revealed just how much baby fat had settled into lean muscle. He may as well have stamped “ravish me” on his forehead.

Sakura quickly looked around the classroom. Apparently everyone else had noticed too. As if they couldn’t. If Sakura hadn’t known him so well, she would have reconsidered his position on her “friends” ladder.

“Na…Naruto! What happened to you?”

“I forgot my umbrella? Hehe.” He turned that fox grin on her and she nearly blushed.

“Here.” She offered her handkerchief. “Wipe yourself off.”

“Thanks Sakura-chan!” He quickly wiped his face, the back of his neck and made a dab at his hair before the fabric was thoroughly soaked. He held it back out to her and smiled sheepishly. “Guess I soaked up more than I thought. But it’s okay! I have a towel in my bag!”

Sakura kicked him. “Then say so from the beginning!”

“Itte! But I wanted to use Sakura-chan’s handkerchief!”

Sakura sighed. “Go dry yourself off. Kakashi-sensei will probably make you change into your PE clothes.”

“Yeah yeah.” His collar shifted and Sakura thought she glimpsed a purple bruise at his collar bone.

Was he fighting?

“Naruto.”

“NAni?”

“Where were you?”

“Outside!”

“No shit Sherlock. I can see the water damage. But I mean where.”

“It’s a secret!”

Sakura gave him a hard expectant glare.

“The school cook says she hasn’t seen you for a week. She was actually worried.”


***

Sasuke’s head jerked up so fast a sharp pain lanced through his neck. Had he been right? Had Neji been making his move all along? Sasuke watched Naruto’s expressions carefully. A slight guilt, a hint of embarrassment, and yet a sort of glee warred across his face all at once. He really was an open book…

“I’ll tell you later, okay?”

Sakura seemed satisfied with this. Sasuke was not.

“I expect you to be in the art room by 4. AND I want all the details.”

Naruto smiled nervously.

“Hai hai.”

*****

Sakura was walking on egg shells. The weirdness of the day put aside, she had entered the art room to find a very pissed off Sasuke. His jaw tensed, his fingers clenched and unclenched spasmodically and her well meaning “hello” was met with a stare so icy it brought back memories.

Sakura sighed and pulled out her sketchbook. All conversation was limited to her requests for Sasuke to pass the eraser.

“Sorry to keep you waiting!” Naruto bounced into the art room still damp in some places, but dressed in his PE clothes. “Had to drop by the student council room.” He grinned. He seemed happier… by Naruto standards. Sakura would have smiled if she hadn’t detected a cold front blowing in from Sasuke’s chair. His displeasure seemed to double.

“It’s okay. We haven’t started yet.” She pulled out the chair next to her. “Have a seat.”

“So I had this awesome idea for the signboard!”

“What were you doing at the student council office?”

Both of them stopped in their tracks and stared at Sasuke. Neither of them had failed to detect the venom in his voice.

“Nothing big. Just an errand. But as I was saying, I was thinking...”

“*I’m* the class representative. Should you require any assistance, kindly direct your requests through ME.”

“That *takes* too long!” He turned back to Sakura. “So I’m thinking we can make another pun on leaf and.”

“What could be so urgent that it couldn’t wait?”

“Dude, let it go. It was nothing worth troubling you over. Now can I finish?”

“But it was worth trouble your *sempai* over?”

Naruto’s gaze turned angry.

“Unlike SOME prickly bastards, Neji-sempai doesn’t consider HELPING me as troublesome.”

“Oh, what a good sempai he is, taking such good care of his underlings.”

Naruto pushed his chair back and stood up. Sakura grew uneasy at Naruto’s dark expression. She placed her hand gently over his arm. “Sasuke-kun is in a bad mood. Let’s just ignore it for now.” She shot Sasuke a warning.

Naruto nodded and seemed to relax a bit.

“Cute. Now you have the girls taking care of you too.”

Naruto’s fist pounded against the table. “What the hell got stuck up YOUR ass?! I suggest you find something new cuz whatever it is *can’t* be working.”

“Maybe I should ask Hyuuga for some recommendations. Or do you think he learned everything from Gaara?”

WHAM!

Sasuke nearly fell out of the chair, but grabbed the edge of the table just in time. His cheek was rapidly blooming into a purplish red. Before he could retaliate, Naruto had him fisted by his shirt and tie and was yanking his onto his feet.

“You take that back,” he growled.

It was a tone that would make any Uchiha proud, which made it even stranger coming from Naruto.

Sasuke chuckled. “Can’t stomach the idea of your beloved sempai trimming the roses?”

“You’re one sick fuck,” he nearly spit out. “You know that!?” Naruto shoved him away. “Get out of here. Before you completely swallow your own foot. Or I shove it down there for you.”

Sasuke was about to retort when Sakura’s angry face got in his way. “I don’t know what your problem is today, but I suggest you take Naruto’s advice. I don’t know what you have against Neji-kun, but he didn’t deserve that.”

Sasuke’s gaze darted between both angry faces, somewhat less confidently. “You’re kidding me right? Hyuuga’s as gay as a ballerina.”

Sakura chortled. “Whatever you’re smoking, I suggest you quit. I just ran into Neji-kun flirting with Temari-san earlier today. He definitely has the grace and poise of a ballerina, but he’s very clear about which side he’s batting for.” She took Sasuke-kun by the wrist and started pulling him towards the door. “Now I insist. Come back when you’re not hell bent on starting crap.”

Sasuke sent both of them scathing looks. Neither of them flinched. With a gruff “Hnn,” he roughly slid the door open and shoved it closed.

“And GOOD RIDDance!” Naruto shouted.


Naruto flashed a look of triumph that quickly faltered as soon as Sakura wheeled on him.

“YOU. SIT. NOW.”

Naruto gulped and did as the woman demanded. He knew better than to cross Sakura when she was like this.

“What the HELL is going on around here?”

“You know Sasuke… He’s probably…”

“*Don’t* pull that crap on me. I know both of you far too well. Now are you gonna spill or do I need to send you home too?”

Naruto hesitated. He sighed and turned his eyes to the table. “I’m not completely sure myself. What do you want to know first?”

Sakura seemed to calm down at that. She walked to the table and quietly took a seat. Placing a palm over Naruto’s knee she tilted her head to try to get his attention.

“How about you start with you and Sasuke?”

He nodded. “Well, you see… that’s the part I’m not sure about. Well, I suppose I sorta do, but not completely.” He scrunched up his face and scratched his cheek. “Sasuke bastard and I just sorta tolerated each other until now. But lately…”

He seemed to be thinking and Sakura didn’t want to interrupt him. “Lately?”

“Lately he’s been acting funny… I mentioned it to Neji-sempai and even he seemed concerned about it. And then Gaara mentioned that I should be careful and I got really confused…”

Sakura couldn’t follow. Neji-sempai? Gaara-sempai? Why were they involved? What was going?

“Naruto, you’re not making sense. What are they concerned about? Why do they think you should be careful? I know you can hold your own in a fight, so what else is there…” Sakura paused at the regretful expression on Naruto’s face. “Does this have to do with what happened in middle school?”

Naruto stared at the floor.

“Naruto?” No response. “But that’s all over with…and you two are…”

“I … didn’t tell you the whole story.”

Sakura seemed to deflate. “What do you mean? What else is there to tell?”

This time Naruto moved his hand over hers. “Get comfortable. It’s a long story.”

A feeling of dread settled over her.


“Where do I begin?” Naruto ran a hand through his tousled hair. “It’s not going to be easy.”

“I’m your friend Naruto. You know you can trust me.”

Naruto flashed a half hearted smile.

“Just promise not to beat me to a pulp when I’m finished.”

Sakura chuckled.

“Ano sa…” he pondered, “Do you remember when Gaara first got to our school?”

“Of course. The whole school was abuzz with such a late transfer.”

“And the rumors?”

“Rumors? About how violent he could be? I wouldn’t exactly call them rumors if they were true…”

Now it was Naruto’s turn to chuckle.

“He did get pretty bad back then.”

“You call breaking the disciplinarian’s arm *pretty* bad?” Sakura snorted.

“There were worse rumors than that one. And the disciplinarian tripped over
himself down the stairs. Gaara was totally unrelated.”

“Oh…”

“But I mean the OTHER rumors. The ones that were circulating even BEFORE he got to our school.”

“You mean about his uncle being a cross-dresser and Gaara-kun being gay? I thought those were playground taunts to fight back at the big bad bully. Though I suppose the gay part was accurate…”

Naruto frowned. “Actually, the BOTH were… Gaara’s mother died after childbirth. His father couldn’t stand to look at him after that so he was raised by his only other relative. An uncle…that preferred to be an aunt.”

Sakura just barely stopped herself from another “ohhhh.” She leaned back in her seat instead.

“He was teased about it ever since he was little. Kids would make fun of him and call him fag, queer, etcetera.”

A horror dawned over her. “And when he found out he really was…”

Naruto nodded gravely. “In middle school, he started to figure out that he really was gay and went off the deep end. He got defensive and violent against anyone and anything. By that time, he considered EVERYthing a threat.”

“What about his aunt?”

“Abandoned him as soon as the trouble started.”

Sakura stared at her knees. “I never knew…”

“Most people didn’t. They heard the rumors and kept their distance. Not like Gaara made it easy to get to know him.”

“So then why…did he hate Sasuke-kun so much?”

Naruto looked sheepish. “That’s kinda the part I left out…”

Sakura grew confused. “What? Don’t tell me Sasuke-kun’s a close homophobe.”

“You COULD say he’s in the closet…”

“Hahahaha! What? Is he a secret perv? I totally would never have guessed that one.”

Naruto fixed her with a serious look. “He’s gay.”

The laughter died in her throat.

“But…” They had been close. She knew Sasuke…he couldn’t possibly… “Oh my god. He *is*.” Her eyes grew wide with sudden realization. “You! You two were getting close, but I never…”

“DON’T jump to conclusions! We were never together. Like THAT anyways.”

“Oh… but then why?”

“Hold on, I’m getting there.”

Sakura calmed down. “So back to Gaara.” He paused. “Gaara is figuring out that he likes boys. Get to our middle school and immediately spots Sasuke-bastard as batting for the same team. Only, the ice bastard is in the closet, has the female population at his feet and the respect and admiration of the whole town. If that wasn’t enough to piss off Gaara, then his lack of gratitude and prickly ‘holier than thou’ attitude did. Gaara dealt with rejection his whole life while the bastard we being praised for every little thing he did.”

Sakura frowned. “I’d be ticked off too. But what about you two?...” She gulped.

“I was totally head over heels for you.” He grinned. “The smartest AND prettiest girl at school? How could I NOT be? Of course… you never gave me a chance back then.” He stuck out his tongue. “I already told you I’m bi, but I didn’t have any overwhelming feelings of lust for Sasuke-bastard’s scrawny ass. I suppose part of our rivalry slash friendship DID come from some mutual attraction, but I was a late bloomer and didn’t catch on right away.” He blushed. “It wasn’t until I became friend’s with Gaara that I… sorta… figured it out.”

And suddenly it all seemed clear. The two outcast befriends the new outcast. Feelings grow stronger…

“So you never had romantic feelings for Sasuke-kun?” Her heart sped up a bit, slightly afraid of the answer.

“Whatever feelings I had never had a chance to grow. He never told me how he felt. Just fought with Gaara without giving us a clue why. Gaara would tell me it was because he was jealous, but I always thought it was Sasuke trying to prove he was the best around. It’s unfortunate that I was so clueless…”

“So then you and Gaara?”

“Just friends. Perhaps if there had been time… But before I knew it, the fights started, Gaara was transferred again and Sasuke-coward took the transfer exam to that other school… I never saw either of them again. Until I got here.”

“Talk about one big happy reunion.”

“You’re telling me. It was a HUGE shock when I ended up in the same class as the two of you again. Even more when I found out Gaara was here too.”

“I admit. I was worried too. Though for different reasons.”

Naruto held Sakura’s hand. “You’re not mad at me, are you? I would have told you sooner, but I didn’t know what was up either.”

Sakura shook her head. “It really isn’t any of my business. Especially where sexuality is concerned. I admit, I’m disappointed, but I gave up my school girl crush long ago.” An evil smirk crossed her lips. “It also puts me one up over Ino.”

“Hey! No shouting things all over school! That’s MY role!” That foxy grin was back.

“Uh huh. You still haven’t explained why Sasuke-kun is acting so strange. Now that I have the back story, spill.”

Naruto pouted. “I’m not really sure.” She glared. “HONEST! We’ve been mostly tolerating each other all year and then he suddenly volunteers to be my TUTOR and started making weird innuendo-ey type things and seems to hate Neji-sempai especially, though for the life of me I can’t figure out WHY since he never did anything…”

“Naruto. Rambling.”

“Ehehe. Sorry. But maybe he thinks Neji-sempai is my boyfriend or something.” He scratched his cheek in contemplation.

“So you think…”

“Gaara told me that Sasuke-kun wasn’t over me.”

Sakura grew quiet. “The unrequited crush.” She sighed. “I never pegged Sasuke-kun as the jealous type. Heh. Guess I’m getting surprises on all sides. And Gaara-sempai… getting all sloppy…” She paused as her mind latched onto a very noticeable detail. “You two were both caught in the rain. Together.” Her eyes narrowed. “Where were you this afternoon?”

Naruto blushed. “Well… for the past week, I’ve been eating lunch on the roof… with Neji-sempai! And Gaara too.” He mumbled the last bit so that she just heard him.

“But Neji-sempai wasn’t ON the roof today. I saw him.” Her mind latched onto another very obvious detail. “So you two were on the roof. Alone~,” she leered. “Do I sense a bit of gossip?”

Naruto turned ever redder.

“Ano sa ano sa… you promise not to tell anyone?”

She leaned forward and nodded. He leaned forward, face dead serious.

“Gaara confessed to me a week ago.”

Sakura burst out laughing. “That’s a good one.”

His expression never faltered. “Oh…Sorry. But really. After seeing him in middle school, thinking of him confessing is a bit…”

“I know what you mean.”

“So? Do you like him back? You said you both were friends before.”

Naruto’s smile reached his eyes. “I told him he could be my girlfriend.” He averted his eyes. “And then he punched me.”

Sakura rolled her eyes.

“But you two are together? Like, actually dating and stuff?”

“No dating until after finals. But yeah!” He smiled. “We’re together now!” Sakura had never seen such a gentle expression on his face before. It made her feel warm inside, knowing how happy he was.

“So you punched Sasuke-kun’s lights out to defend your girlfriend’s honor. Sweet. Didn’t know you were such a romantic.”

Naruto’s fading blush returned ten-fold. “Just don’t spread that stuff around.”

Sakura laughed. “I promise. Well… mostly. But it still leaves us with one problem. What do we do about Sasuke-kun?”

Naruto sat back. “All we can do is ignore it. I can’t accuse him of liking me when he hasn’t said anything. And if he does, all I can do is listen and turn him down gently. And kick his ass when he tries to go angsty emo and run away.” He grinned.

Sakura wasn’t so convinced, but she smiled to humor him anyways. Summer vacation was near. Perhaps the time off from each other could help. Or, at least keep damage to a minimum.

Speaking of damage…

“Naruto, can I see your collar bone?”

“Hrm? Why? What’s wrong?” He tugged down his shirt to reveal a line of purple teeth shaped bruises.

“Gyaaaah!! I TOLD him not to bite me so hard!”

Sakura warred between blushing and laughing til she cried. Oh well. If Gaara was gonna be violent…

*****


Sasuke burst into the student council room. Hyuuga sat scribbling notes while Gaara dictated something he imagined was of little consequence.

“Hyuuga.” He spat out. “A word.”

Both boys paused. Neither of them seemed phased by the Uchiha’s rude behavior.

“You can present your idea at the next meeting. I’ve already added it to the agenda.”

Sasuke grew even more irritated. “A private word.” He glared at Gaara. The red head coolly met his gaze.

Neji calmly put down his pencil and stood up. “Excuse me for a moment.”

Gaara nodded.

Sasuke led the way out and wheeled on him as soon as they were out the door.

“Do you or do you *not* have feelings for Uzumaki Naruto?”

“My my, aren’t we blunt today.”

“Answer the question.”

“Of course I care about him. And I won’t deny an interest in his well being.”

Sasuke’s jaw muscles clenched. “Are you or are you not in a relationship?”

“Define relationship.” Neji smirked.

“You know what I mean.”

“Perhaps you should clarify. Better to spell things out than leave room for confusion.” He was enjoying this.

Sasuke fisted Neji’s shirt and slammed him against the wall. Neji didn’t flinch.

“I’m warning you. Keep your hands off. He’s *mine*.”

“Does Uzumaki know that? Or did you forget to tell him. Again.”

Sasuke dropped his hold and stalked away.


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Hope you enjoyed! If you still want to vote on the results of the final exams, by all means do so! Take care everyone. Enjoy your summer vacation =D