I stared up at the large, pristine, elegant house in front of, my supposed new home. Straight out of a 'Good Homes' magazine. What a fucking nightmare. The double-fronted building was painted white along with most of the other houses on the street, as if labelling the occupants as boring and disturbingly identical. A white picket fence surrounded the spacious front lawn, and a cobblestone path lead from the sky-blue door to the gate, currently being opened by my sorry excuse for an adoptive father, Kakashi.
Always one to multi-task, he was balancing about five large boxes in his arms, while simultaneously instructing the delivery men where to move things, and opening the gate with a nudge of his hip. I almost wished he'd trip and drop everything as he made his way over the cobblestones, but his ridiculous coordination I knew would deny me the satisfaction of seeing him fall.
As Kakashi climbed the steps swiftly and made his way through the open door, my glare turned instead back to the monstrosity of the house. If only my so-called 'Death glare' worked on buildings, perhaps I could incinerate it on the spot. I guess it was better put to use on people anyway, it's not like the thing would feel any pain. Deciding it was about time I reminded Kakashi of my protests, I called to him inside the house.
"I hope you still remember that I am not living here!"
I received a chuckle from one of the delivery men at my statement, but a swift glare from my furious eyes silenced him easily, his attempt at masking his fear giving me some comic relief at least. No reply, however, was heard from Kakashi. Fuck him, I knew he could hear me, he just knew I hated being ignored when I spoke. I was usually a silent person, who preferred to communicate with minimal noise, so when I spoke I expected full attention. Shoving my hands into my pockets, I called again.
"Hey, are you listening? I am NOT living here."
This time, a silver-grey head emerged from the doorway, a smile discernable from underneath the dark mask he always wore.
"Now now Sasuke, why don't you stop being so childish and help these gentlemen with some of the furniture. The sooner we get things inside the house, the sooner we can start unpacking."
My fists clenched as I continued to glare at his stupid smile. How many times had I told him I would not move away from the city? Yet he still dragged me out here to this pathetic little town, with its perfect houses and annoying and nosy residents, who had seem to find no problem with peering out of their windows in order to get a peek at the newcomers, not two minutes into our arrival. I already missed our penthouse apartment, with the huge windows and the skylights, looking right over the city centre. Nobody to stare at you but the birds. I was perfectly content living in the busy, fast-paced place, and could not comprehend why the hell Kakashi had decided we had to leave.
Alright, so maybe I was spending more time outside than was advisable... and I guess the people I spent time with weren't the most desirable companions... but if he was so desperate for a solution it should NOT have been plucking me from where I was content and dropping me into the town from hell. I mean, aren't all horror movies set in a seemingly charming neighbourhood? And it's not like my grades suffered, I was always top of my class, any time at home was usually spent studying.
Seeing that I was not about to move, Kakashi's smile quickly disappeared, and he raised an eyebrow threateningly.
"Sasuke, I won't ask you again. Either grab some boxes, or get in here and start sorting."
With that he disappeared back inside.
Hn. Looking inside didn't mean I had to live there I guess. And I really didn't feel like arguing when I was so tired from the journey. With him being stressed and cranky, I'd probably only end up with a lecture and a smack. I turned around to find a box to carry, and found the removal guy I had glared at was 'helpfully' holding a large package out to me, a sneer plastered on his face. With a scowl, I swiped it from his arms, and tried not to show my shock at its weight. That bastard probably handed me the heaviest one on purpose. Turning on my heel, I slouched up the path and through the door, stopping in the hallway to observe my surroundings.
The roomy entrance was painted white like the outside of the house, with a high ceiling and delicate silver chandelier hanging from the centre. Through the double doors I could see a wide, carpeted staircase leading to the first floor, a gallery on either side. It appeared there were a large number of rooms upstairs, judging by the number of doors I could see surrounding the top of the stairs. Excellent, more places to hide from Kakashi when he's breathing down my neck.
Continuing my tour forwards, I made my way into the hall, footsteps echoing off the polished floorboards, the shouts and instructions of half a dozen removal guys making me scowl in annoyance again. Even though I would never consider this place my home, I hated having all these idiots intruding with their irritating noise. This moving had better be done with quickly. But then, I guess I'd be 'living' here more quickly... It was a crappy situation for me either way, as usual.
"Ah, so I see you've decided to be a good boy and help out. Could you drop that box in the kitchen for me, Sasuke?"
My silver-haired guardian came out of a door to my right, giving me instructions without even turning towards me, hurrying across the length of the room instead, through another door.
Bastard wouldn't even look at me. I started forwards, then realised I had no idea where to find the kitchen.
"Where the hell is it?"
I muttered under my breath, deciding I did not want to talk to Kakashi, and would instead navigate my own way around. However, realising his mistake just after me, he called backwards
"Second door on the left!"
Damn his telepathy.
Sighing, I followed his direction and came into a large kitchen diner, fitted with white cupboards and appliances, a bare oak table and chairs situated in front of French doors that opened onto a patio area. Was nothing at all interesting or out-of-the-ordinary in this damned house? Did it all have to be so white and pristine and perfect?
I set the box down on the island in the centre, realising it must contain china or cutlery or something. Carrying a box, that should be classified as enough helping... I was done being compliant now.
I made my way back into the hall, almost getting crushed by some careless idiots attempting to manoeuvre a leather sofa through a doorway. Dodging that potential catastrophe, I climbed the centre staircase, making sure to scuff my black Dr Martens into the pale carpet. Hn, now how fucking pristine is this perfect damn house?
Reaching the top of the stairs, I looked to my right and noticed a number of my boxes labelled 'Sasuke Uchiha's stuff' had been piled in an open door halfway down the gallery. Irritated by the apparent allocation of my room already without any of my consent, I stormed over to the room and stepped over the boxes.
I was forced to resist the urge to drop my jaw at what I saw. Instead of another boring and perfect square bedroom inside, I found a narrow wooden staircase, leading up into what must be an attic of some sort. This was my room? What the hell?
Climbing cautiously up the steps, my head came up into an airy, open space. I continued up until I was standing at the top of the staircase, and as much as I hated the house, even I could not fail to be impressed. My new 'room' covered half of the roof; with sloped ceilings on either side, and several pale wooden beams spanned the length of the space. A number of skylights allowed the morning sun to stream though, but I noticed many alcoves and corners remained in shadow, suggesting that the room was even bigger than it appeared.
However, what really impressed me was what lined the two triangular, vertical walls at the front and back. Floor to ceiling shelves of varying heights leapt across the space, their inviting nudity just begging me to give them my extensive collection of CDs to embrace. The other side I could already picture holding my enormous (For a teenager at least) library, the shelves spaced perfectly apart in order to hold anything from a short, thick paperback to a towering, leather bound classic. This whole room, it was...
"So you found it easily then? I thought you'd be impressed."
I was shocked out of my daydream by Kakashi approaching from behind on the stairs. I was in such a state of wonder I did not even hear the door opening. He placed a large hand on my shoulder, and sighed heavily. I glanced at it briefly before l looked up at his face in confusion.
"Sasuke, I know you didn't want to leave the city, but it really is for the best, and I just know you'll be happy here, in our new home. Look, you've already found the perfect bedroom; it'll hold all your collections!"
He squeezed my shoulder gently as he spoke, the ultimate gesture of affection between us. I was not the touchy-feely type for sure, and neither was he. Well, unless it was a certain type of touching with a certain male victim who he was trying to fuck. Anyway, I was surprised by the apparent emotion in his voice, and even more shocked at the trace in mine.
I dropped my head down as I replied, struggling to keep my voice steady, succeeding of course, being an Uchiha, the master of self-control.
"You don't understand. I don't want to live here. I can't, it's suffocating with all this... perfection. Just because you've found an 'ideal' place to live, with an 'ideal' bedroom, it doesn't make you or I perfect, it won't fix things magically. I'm not going to play pretend games with you."
I growled out the last sentence, shoving his hand angrily from my shoulder, and shoved past him down the stairs, ignoring him calling my name. I shouldn't have got distracted in that stupid damn attic, and I'd forgotten so quickly of my determination to move back to the city. Kakashi was deluded if he thought I was ever going to call this place home.
Storming down the second staircase, I near-sprinted to the front-door, avoiding boxes and bubble-wrapped furniture as I swung it open. As soon as the bright sunlight hit my eyes I growled under my breath, and hissed in anger when I realised that the removal men had gone, their van being my planned escape vehicle.
Keeping my eyes to the ground, I strode angrily down the path and through the gate, shutting it so hard behind me I was sure it must have come off its hinges, but I didn't dare look back. I powered forwards, not caring where I was going, where I was headed, just wanting to get away. As I walked, I noticed dark spots begin to appear on the pavement, and felt a cool drop land on the back of my neck. Great, fucking rain, could this day be worse? At least it proved that everything on this street wasn't totally controlled, it couldn't make nature perfect.
The sparse droplets slowly developed into a persistent battering of rain, and I had still not stopped walking, despite the fact I couldn't see three feet in front of me. Shaking my sodden dark hair from my face, I noticed a dark sheltered avenue to my right, and jogged towards it. Once under the corrugated tin roof, I realised how cold I was, wearing only a black tank top and black skinny jeans. Rubbing my hands over my cold, pale arms, to warm them up, I leant back against a dry brick wall, and slid down it until I was sitting with my knees drawn up to my chest. I knew I looked like a tramp but I didn't care.
Reaching into my back pocket, I drew out a crumpled packet of cigarettes and a lighter, that had thankfully remained mostly dry. With slightly trembling hands, I lit a cigarette and putting it to my lips, closed my eyes and let my head drop back against the wall, ignoring the sharp pain and inhaling the heavenly fumes. With each drag I felt the tension leave my body, and felt warmed up from the core.
Kakashi might have thought he'd found all of my cigarettes when he cleared out my old room, but I was one step ahead, already having a decent stock hidden where he would never think to look. He could lecture me about lung cancer and cut up as many packets as he liked, but if I was going to be living in a place like this, there was no way I was going without fags.
Damn it, there went again! Acting like I was going to stay here. Fuck, I'd even called it my 'old' room, when I had absolutely no intention of giving it up for this place. I slammed my clenched fist against the concrete ground in frustration, giving a rare display of emotion as I let a groan rip free of my throat.
Watching a few thin trickles of blood make their way between my knuckles, I took another deep breath from my cigarette. Even if I was going to consider staying here, what the hell kind of life would I lead? Starting at yet another new school, but this time with no Gaara and Neji to meet me afterwards. No busy streets pulsing with light and sound to lose yourself in. No skate parks and concrete palaces to hang out. Nowhere to escape to.
I'd been to six different schools since I had moved in with Kakashi when I was eight. Despite being fawned over by teachers and students alike, my despondence and disobedience at each one had resulted in Kakashi taking me out and throwing me into a new one. I worked hard despite my antisocial behaviour, and my grades always remained perfect, something that had been drilled into me practically from birth, but I obtained naturally, being an Uchiha of course.
But Kakashi was never content with just good grades. I seemed to me that he though a new school and a new change would somehow result in a miraculous change of attitude, and I would transform from a moody and scowling child into a bouncing smiling angel. It was not until I was fourteen, nearly two years ago, and moved to my last school that I finally changed, although I doubt Kakashi considered it for the better. I made my first friends, people I was willing to trust and was eager to see.
At first he was ecstatic, as he gradually saw me come out of the depths I had retreated into, and a confidence and excitement I had never before experienced filled me. I spent hours everyday with Gaara and Neji, doing anything from studying together, to skating, to traipsing round the city aimlessly until we grew hungry enough to buy food.
But over the past year, we were all dragged into an unfamiliar world. Old enough to be invited underground, I found myself returning from school on a Friday and squeezing my studying into two hours, before racing to the basements and skate-parks that had become the meeting places of our young adult society. I was not until the early hours of the morning on a Sunday that I would return home each night, reeking of cigarettes with heavy metal pounding through my skull. I would grab a few hours sleep, having been an insomniac from an early age, and the whole thing would start again the next weekend, and occasionally on weeknights.
Kakashi must have seen me slipping away from myself and him with this new change, because he took every opportunity to ground me or punish me for the little things, anything to keep me at home long enough to talk to him. He might be a strict bastard at times, but I appreciated him taking me in, so I too made attempts to maintain what had been a careful but strong relationship, by trying to please him by staying in some nights. However the Underground was too enticing and easy for me to lose myself in, and I always ended up there again.
Apparently Kakashi thought it had gone on too long, because he plucked me out of my familiar surroundings and only friends, and dropped me in a world I dreaded. If he thought I was finally going to turn into the perfect little robot everybody wanted me to be now that I was here, he was sorely mistaken. I'll be exactly who I want to be, and he can force me to partake in whatever he wants, but I will never change for the sake of it.
