Hello everyone! :D
This is a little something I came up after a friend over at LJ wrote a little drabble on a prompt I gave... so this should be an unofficial sequel to that, but can be read alone as a random short one-shot. ^^
Disclamer: I don't own Naruto, Kishimoto-ossan does.
Notes: Implied NarutoGaara and SasukeSai (you don't see it in here, but know there IS; absolutely NOT SasukeGaara!); possible OOC seeing as I don't really like Sasuke in the first place ^^;
Enjoy!
Ja ne,
Temari 88
Embarrassing Addiction
by Temari 88
Sasuke has been waiting for this day for months.
He had to undergo the degrading, humiliating and embarrassing process of wandering through all the bookstores he came across - both in Konoha and in all the various villages and cities he stumbled over when on missions - just to try and find what he was looking for. And of course, he couldn't let anyone discover the meaning of his errands at random times during the week, otherwise everything would be lost forever.—Yeah, he is a drama queen: he is Uchiha Sasuke after all.
The raven-haired teenager scans the area carefully, his eyes ready to pick up any unwanted presence, especially that of people he knew. Although it is unlikely for any of them to pass by the onsen district where the Marukawa bookstore is situated... everyone is busy doing something else - just as he himself should be doing, if he hadn't sneaked away without his team mates noticing - but you could never be sure, right? Plus, the store was pretty popular in Konoha (and even outside: people came from the neighboring, smaller villages) for its extensive collection of novels, manuals and other reading material, so coming across fellow shinobi was a possibility. Not one he wants to risk, though. It is moments like this, that he would love to have Naruto within arm's reach—to strangle him slowly and painfully.
With one last sweep of the surroundings, because he's also paranoid when his reputation is on the line, Sasuke makes his way inside the bookstore with three long, quick steps and once 'safe', he breaths out in relief. A second of pause then he seems to suddenly notice the amounts of volumes piled up on the various shelves and a shudder of repulsion shakes his frame, his eyes narrow on instantaneous hatred, that is until he casually catches sight of a certain book and his glare softens briefly - and completely without his permission, he wants to stress out - as he stays there for a minute of mute contemplation. He soon shakes himself out of his stupor, only to notice the woman standing behind the cash counter... who has been staring at Sasuke with amusement clear on her features since he'd come rushing in, looking as if he had a mob of hysteric women hot on his tail.
Sasuke doesn't like to be made fun of by anyone and doesn't like to give away his 'secrets' so he is oh-so-tempted to spat out a very ungraceful curse word at the woman, but he's the customer here and, Uchiha or not, a pissed bookstore worker might just pretend there weren't reservations made for you... and God knows Sasuke doesn't want to have to come here again - not for a loooong time.
So he swallows all the remarks he longs so bad to let out and stalks up to the counter, not opening his mouth once and only slams his hand down on the wooden surface (to her credit, the woman doesn't even flinch at the harsh move and merely picks up the folded piece of paper that has been slammed on the counter together with the hand) and watches as the woman calmly walks off and disappears into what he assumes is the storage room. In the meantime, he hears the sound of steps entering the bookstore, but he does not turn - he tells himself he's not interested in seeing who's come in, but in reality he doesn't want to see if he's busted... not that he admits it to himself, of course - he only hears someone talking to the woman and he hears her answer, before her steps go back the the storage room.
The bookstore worker finally comes back behind the casher, takes her time in crossing out his and someone else's orders from a pile of others (Sasuke does wonder briefly who's the other person, seeing as they both bought the same volume, but he soon sweeps the thought away: not like it's someone he knows anyway) making the raven-haired start to tap his foot in impatience: can she hurry the fuck up? He's got to go back to his own work!
When the woman looks up at him, or rather, behind him, Sasuke understands she had been waiting for the other buyer to come up to the casher. Sasuke turns around and promptly freezes on the spot.
No.
No!
Why, of all places, he's got to find him here!
Why, of all people, him?
Why while he's here to buy that?
And he can't free himself from the frozen state he's in. He doesn't blink, doesn't respond in any way; not even when a deep voice rings out, "Good morning, Sasuke-san." and nods his head politely, proceeding soon afterwards to step up beside him and reach out to take his purchase and pay for it, heading for the exit with one last nod and a red plastic bag in hand.
He still can't react in any way, not as the woman behind the counter waves stupidly at the man that's just walked out the store, shouting, "Come back again, Kazekage-sama! Enjoy your reading!" or when said woman turns to him saying, "Here you are, sir, 'Icha Icha Paradise: Make Out Tactics, part 2'; that'd be fifteen Ryo, thanks!" nor when she asks, "Would you like us to reserve a copy of the next volume for you, sir?".
Sasuke remains stock still, right on the spot, for a long time... not even realizing that the bookstore woman is taking photos of him in that state.
One thing only runs through his mind: Gaara saw him buying 'Icha Icha Paradise'! Meaning word will most likely reach Naruto and Sai...
OH. MY. GOD.
I'LL NEVER LIVE IT DOWN!