Snap, Snap. Tap.
For NoNoWriter. One Kyuubi/Itachi for you!
Sorry, I couldn't think of anything good enough for you.
I still hope you like it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Snap, snap.
Tap.
Everyday, in front of the gates of his brother's middle school, he stood.
Tall, muscular, long red hair in an impeccably messy braid, three dark jagged tattoos on each cheek, that was him.
Snap, snap.
Tap.
Always nodding his head to some quiet beat from the small red earphones in his ears, snapping his fingers twice, and once tapping his feet.
An odd one, he was.
What made Itachi so interested, then?
-------
"There's this loser at school," Sasuke begins, buckling his seatbelt as he speaks. "Does nothing but smile and talk. He's really loud. His brother is weird too."
Itachi hums. "Interesting."
His brother continues in his soft voice. "No he isn't. He's a loser."
"Why?" Itachi asks, not taking his eyes off the road.
"Because Neji said so," his little brother explained.
Itachi smiled. "Why do you listen to Neji? That was a mean thing to call someone."
Sasuke frowns. "Neji is older than me. You said that I should listen to those older than me."
"But not when they are purposely mean to another, okay?" Itachi replies.
Sasuke huffs and Itachi smiles.
-------
Snap, snap.
Tap.
He is still there.
Itachi can't help but look at him as he waits for Sasuke to be let out of school. He's dressed eccentrically today. Red fitted jeans and a black muscle shirt with an orange spiral on the stomach.
It looks fun.
Snap, snap.
Tap.
Itachi looks at his dull black and red suit and wonders if he could dress fun too, but immediately dismisses the thought. He wasn't a fun person by nature.
Snap, snap.
Tap.
He was still standing there, still snapping his fingers twice, and tapping his foot once.
But what was the beat?
Itachi can't say he likes the feeling of curiosity that well.
Snap, snap.
Tap.
Itachi's walking towards him, but he doesn't know why. He must be a human magnet, because Itachi just can't stop.
Snap, snap.
Tap.
Itachi's standing in front of him now, and he hasn't opened his eyes yet.
He reaches with long fingers, and plucks the earphone of the right ear out, bringing it to his own ear.
He snaps open his eyes, which were a deep golden color, and looks surprised at the stranger who just walked up to him and took out his earphone. Itachi can't exactly blame him either.
Snap, snap.
Tap.
He is still snapping and tapping.
But the beat is nothing special.
Itachi still holds it to his ear as he listens to the resounding snaps and taps.
Snap, snap.
Tap.
Itachi hands back the earphone.
He smiles mischievously in response. He reaches into his pants pocket and clicks off the device.
"Can I help you?" he asks; his voice deep and gravelly.
Itachi smirks. "No thank you. I was just curious towards the music to listen to."
He scratches the top of his head idly. "And what was stopping you from just asking?"
"Nothing," Itachi replies. "I just wanted to experience it for myself."
He grins, showing off a pair of sharp canines. "Name's Kyuubi Uzumaki. I would feel better if we were introduced before becoming so intimate."
Itachi smirks back. "Itachi Uchiha. My apologies, I'll remember to do that in the future."
Kyuubi checks his watch. "They need to let these kids out earlier," he moans.
"Are you here to pick someone up?"
"Yeah, my little brother,"
"How ironic, so am I,"
"Weird,"
They fall into silence.
Kyuubi turns his music back on, and Itachi takes the earphone out his ear once again.
"Again with the thievery of my earphone?" Kyuubi asks amused.
"You weren't complaining before."
Snap, snap.
Tap.
Itachi doesn't join in on the snapping or tapping.
He instead listens to the simple beat, not really moving at all.
Snap, snap.
Tap.
The bell rings, and students run out the school towards their buses and rides. Itachi immediately recognizes Sasuke through the throng, but not the blond boy he pulls along with him.
Snap, snap.
Tap.
"Brother!"
Itachi smiles, returning Kyuubi's earphone as he walks to meet Sasuke. He notices Kyuubi shrugging off the wall and walking in the same direction as him, but does not comment.
"How was your day, little brother?" Itachi asks, leaning down on one knee and running his fingers through Sasuke's black hair.
"I decided that Neji was wrong for calling Naruto a loser, and told him so!" Sasuke said proudly. Itachi hummed as he rose up.
"Really? And who's Naruto?" he asked. Sasuke pointed at the blond boy being picked up by Kyuubi. Itachi smiles serenely.
"That's wonderful, Sasuke," he says, and gently holds Sasuke's hand as they leave.
Itachi dares to spare a glance at Kyuubi. The redhead man grins back at him and winks as he carries his brother on his shoulders.
'Snap, snap, tap,' he mouths with a wide smile as they walk away from each other.
And Itachi knew that he wasn't going to forget that beat anytime soon.
END
(BANGS HEAD ON HARD SURFACE REPEATEDLY)
I suck so hard.
NoNoWriter, I hope you liked it.