Taiikusai

Thanks again to everyone who reviewed. To address a few people (Yeah, I'm lousy at answering my reviewers..sorry)
- No, they weren't heard in the art room (miraculously)
- There will be NO rape in my fic. I abhor rape fantasy.
- I haven't decided on the exam results exactly... but I have an idea (still working through the writer's block).

and just to warn you, updates will be a little slow because life is a little busy


*take a deep breath* Okay! On with the story~

Hell Week Day 2:

Naruto couldn’t help but feel guilty. He knew he shouldn’t; but the empty seat behind him felt too much like an empty void, sucking out any potential optimism in the already very sober, subdued room.

He completed another translation before pausing again. Should he have tried to talk to him? Maybe explain a little? But then he thought of the many times that prickly bastard had run away without ever attempting to explain his own motives. The way he was running away now.

“Ten minutes left.”

Naruto focused again on the paper in front of him and started scribbling away.


“Are you sure you want to do this?” Naruto looked up at the tall building before him. It had changed very little over the years. A few different flowers, some new names listed by the door, but the building still loomed tall and dark against the Tokyo summer sky.

“Yeah.” He gave Sakura’s shoulder a little squeeze.

“I’ll be waiting for you down here.” He could see the anxiety she was trying to mask. “Ring my cell if you need me to come up.”

“Thanks.”

Naruto checked the names on the mailbox just in case.

Uchiha. 303.

Yep, still the same place.

Naruto climbed up the stairs to the third floor and searched out the right door.
Taking a deep breath, he rapped on the door three times.

Nothing happened.

He knocked a little harder. Still no answer.

Naruto growled. Sasuke had to be at home.

BANG BANG BANG! “Come on Uchiha! Open the door!” Bang bang bang!

Click.

“May I help you?”

Naruto gulped. “I’m sorry to bother you sir, but is Uchiha-kun home?”

The older Uchiha slash former convict smirked. Naruto grew a little more nervous at that expression. He heard keys jangle and the older male stepped out. “I’ll be out. Think you can tell my useless brother that? He should be in his room.”

Naruto nodded.

“First door on the right. Lock the door behind you.”

Itachi strode away, leaving the door wide open. Naruto peered inside, uncertain.

“That guy is seriously whack.”

He stepped inside and closed the door behind him.

“Ojama shimaaaasu.” Everything was as he remembered it. He left his shoes in the walkway and knocked on Sasuke’s door. When there was still no answer, he slid the door open and stepped inside.

Sasuke sat as his desk, books opened, headphones on and the music blaring loud enough to hear it from 5 feet away.

Naruto strode across the room and tore off the headphones.

“What the…!” Sasuke turned around and his angry expression immediately turned stony. “How did you get in?”

“Your psycho brother said he’ll be out.”

“Heh. Figures. Now get out.” He turned in his chair, reaching for his headphones, but Naruto pulled them away.

“Where were you today?”

“None of your business.”

“Did you forget we had TWO English exams? How could you just skip out on them like that?”

“Didn’t feel well. I’ll take the makeups. Now if you please.”

“Bullshit! Neither of us laid a hand on you yesterday and you certainly don’t sound sick right now. So why don’t you be honest for once and tell me what the real problem is.”

Something flashed in Sasuke’s eyes, but it was gone just as quickly as it appeared.

He turned back to his book. “I’m busy. Or did you forget the exams we have tomorrow?”

“Oh, so you’re miraculously all better now? What was it? Didn’t know illnesses came in 8 hour increments. Or did something get stuck up your ass again?”

“I imagine you know more about that last one than I do.” A page slipped between his fingers.

“Yeah? Well eat your heart out!” Sasuke whirled on him so quickly the page ripped in his hands. “So what exactly is it that made you attack Gaara yesterday? The fact that he can be honest about himself or simply that he gets some?”

Sasuke leaped out of his chair and shoved Naruto against his wall.

“What would you know?”

“Nothing.” Naruto’s expression calmed. He tried to reign in his temper before he really stuck his foot in his mouth. “Because that’s all you’ll tell me.”

He watched the muscles in Sasuke’s jaw twitch. “You wouldn’t understand.”

His grip loosened and he turned back to his desk.

Naruto whacked him upside the back of his head. “Teme! Are you even listening to yourself!? You cry about no one understanding when you don’t even give us a chance! I’m not learning how to mind read anytime soon so you’re either gonna have to try communicating or stop blaming me for not speaking emo!”

Sasuke spun on him, fisting his shirt tightly. “Try that again and I’ll make sure actions speak louder than any words.”

“Great. At least maybe then I’d get SOME type of clue out of you.”

Sasuke glared and let him go. Turning to his desk he stalked over and sat back down.

“Talk to me! You used to like talking to me, remember?” Naruto scratched his cheek. “Or rather, you used to just sorta grunt while I talked your ear off…” He grew quiet for a minute. “Okay, so scratch that example.” He crossed his arms over his chest and assumed a firm stance. “The POINT is, we used to be friends. BEST friends, if I remember correctly until the whole Gaara fiasco and your great escape to that elitist crap school on the other side of town.”

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. “Are you gonna start rambling? Because I prefer to study.”

“I’ll leave as soon as you tell me what’s got your panties in a twist. Or should I ask who?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You know it’s funny. Yesterday you leaped at Gaara like he’d just insulted your mom and yet today I’m the one you’re trying to give the cold shoulder. I was at fault just as much as he was. So how come you didn’t try to kick my ass too?”

“Too much work. You never know when to quit.”

“From my experience, neither does Gaara.”

“What’s your point?”

“That you’re sure going easy on me, considering. You don’t seem to consider us friends anymore. So why the favoritism?”

“Judging by the direction of your questions, I’d say you’ve already concluded that one for yourself. So why don’t you save yourself some trouble and be content with whatever explanations you’ve already devised.”

“Call me a sadist, but it’s much more fun yanking it out of you.”

“Get the fuck out.”

“You said that already.” He stuck out his tongue. Before he could utter another insult, Naruto wandered over to his book shelf and started browsing through his manga. “Oh awesome! I don’t have this volume yet!”

He pulled the book out and plunked down on the floor. Quickly skimming over the pages, he chuckled at the story unfolding.


“WHAT the hell are you doing? I said get out.”

“I’m biding my time. Wearing you down til you crack and spill everything. Oh, I just got to a good part!”

Sasuke stalked over and ripped the volume out of his hands. “Get out.”

Naruto reached for another book on the shelf, but Sasuke slapped his hand away.

“Does this mean you’re ready to confess?” He grinned that obnoxious grin of his; the one that used to make his stony heart remember that it was still human- the one that he still had to fight.

“It means I’m this close to introducing your face to my balcony floor.”

“That sounds a little painful. Oh look! You still have this one!” Naruto reached for another book on the shelf and Sasuke realized, in horror which one it was. In his delayed reaction, he failed to knock Naruto’s hand away in time, knocking the book away instead. A single photo slid out from behind the cover and fluttered to the floor.

Naruto’s twelve year old grin stared up at him, his two fingers making bunny ears behind Sasuke’s jet black hair.

Naruto’s grin melted. He seemed to take a deep breath before picking it up hesitantly. “Well that’s a surprise.” His finger stroked the image. “Didn’t expect to see this thing ever again.” He held onto the only existing photo of the two of them. “I thought you said you burned it.”

Sasuke’s mouth felt dry. He averted his gaze, unable to face that questioning look. “I meant to.”

“I hate it when I forget to do something important!” Sasuke nearly winced at the sarcasm. “Speaking of which, were you ever planning to tell me you were gay?”

Sasuke sneered. “Does it matter? You seem to have had no trouble figuring that one out on your own”

“Asshole, we were BEST friends!! Didn’t that mean ANYthing to you?? Did I count for so little?”

That one stung.

“And what was I supposed to say? Slip in an invitation to the movies amongst your praises of Sakura’s rack?”

“So I had a crush on her! You think I was gonna freak out that my best friend didn’t share my tastes in the romance department?”

“And if you knew that the one I wanted was you?”

Sasuke saw the pity in those eyes and hated it.

“We’ll never know now, will we?”

“Fuck you, Uzumaki. Fuck you.”

“Dammit teme! Why can’t we still be friends?”

“Why?” Anger simmered just below the surface. “Do you really have to ask why?” Sasuke yanked Naruto up by the collar. “Answer me this.”

He shoved his mouth against the other boy’s, kissing him in all his frustration. His fist tightened in the other boys shirt, angry at Naruto for being so insensitive- angry at himself acting so despereate. He hoped for a sign, any indication of emotion from the other end, but Naruto’s response was heart shatteringly absent.

Sasuke tore himself away. He refused to look at Naruto, afraid of the emotion he’d see in those expressive eyes. He couldn’t stand pity right now. Not when he’d just put his dignity on the line. “Now will you go?”


Naruto left silently.


Sakura couldn’t seem to sit still. If it wasn’t her heels tapping against the pavement it was her fingers drumming along the gate. She kept checking the screen of her cell phone every minute or so hoping she could justify running up there or that Naruto would call her. She was pondering what excuse she could possibly use when she caught a glimpse of pale locks bounding down the stairs.

Naruto didn’t look so hot.

The knot in her stomach seemed to double.

“So?” She tried to keep the anxiety out of her voice. “How did it go?”

“He seems to be okay now. He implied that he’d be at school tomorrow.”

“Did he… say what was wrong?”

Her heart sped up a little at the conflicting emotions she recognized in his expression. He seemed to consider his answer carefully.

“No. Not really.”

“Well, then what did happen?”

“He… still doesn’t want to talk to me.” Sakura let out a sigh of frustration. She knew that tone. It was the one Naruto used every time he was too caught up elsewhere to focus on anything she had to say.

She placed a hand on his arm.

“At least you gave it a try. Come on, I’ll treat you to some ramen.”

Naruto gave a half-hearted smile.

“Thanks. But I think I don’t want to cut into your study time anymore than I already have. Thanks a bunch for coming with me! But we should both get back to studying. Still have that bio exam to conquer tomorrow!” His face scrunched up into a smile. She knew he was forcing it, but she didn’t have the heart to press him further. It had to be something incredibly upsetting to make him turn down ramen.

“There’s a Lawson’s right on the corner. I’ll buy you a cup of instant. It should take all of 5 minutes.” She tugged on his arm. “Come on. You can thank me later.”

Naruto actually smiled.


Gaara chewed on his pen. He was about to ponder the next physics problem when he heard his ring tone signal a new email. Flipping open his cell phone he smiled at the name in his inbox.

Inbox- 1. Uzumaki.

Meet me at T----- Station. I’ll be waiting for you.

Gaara frowned. That wasn’t like Uzumaki. They had never hung out off school grounds. It had been part of the agreement. Had something happened?

Gaara looked at the time. 16:39. Still early. He could easily meet up with Uzumaki and be back in time for dinner. The station was only a few stops away. Grabbing his wallet and his phone, he left his books behind. He knew there was no point in taking them. He doubted it was studying that Uzumaki had in mind…


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A/N: Thanks for reading. If it's not too much trouble, please review. Your comments are greatly appreciated. Good points, bad points, of if you think I'm being too mean to Sasuke.. any feedback is helpful =D