DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto or Dracula
NOTES: Written for Rel after she dreamt about Vampire!Shino. Originally meant to be a oneshot for Metamorphoze, but it got kind of epic and...spawned two more chapters as well. It's cracky AU, with ShinoTen, GaaSaku, HidaTema, ShikaIno, KibaHina, Irunko. Some lines have been directly quoted from the Dracula movie while others have been altered, where either Anko or the individual character has improvised. There's some Neji-bashing, as usual - I can't help it! I think it's my natural instinct to take care of Shino.
Please review!
"There it is," Tenten murmured, staring at the sheet of paper tacked to the cafeteria corkboard. "That's it – right there."
"Could you just look at it already?" Ino hissed, folding her arms. Tenten had been standing there for several minutes, staring dumbly at the sheet of paper without moving.
"I'm too nervous," Tenten groaned.
"Are you that excited about the play?" Sakura asked, inching towards the corkboard.
"Come on," Tenten rolled her eyes. "Dracula. DRACULA. Who wouldn't want to be in a play of that?"
"Sure, like you care that it's Dracula," Temari snickered. "You just want confirmation that the apple of your eye gets to suck your blood."
"Among other things," Ino nodded. Hinata flushed.
"Yeah, yeah," Tenten muttered. "So what if I want Neji to get up close and personal with my jugular? Don't tell me the rest of you wouldn't leap at the chance."
"I wouldn't," Temari replied simply. The other three nodded in agreement, looking queasy. "The defeatist emo type doesn't do it for me. Sorry."
Tenten shook her head. It would probably be best to ignore them – they couldn't possibly understand how awesome this was. Not only would the play rock, but...if Neji got Dracula and she got Mina, maybe it was just the boost she needed to get the Hyuuga to notice her.
She could imagine it now – Neji in a dark cape, turning towards her...
"You're a dummy, Tenten," Ino sighed. "He's not even that nice to you. In fact – sometimes, he's an outright jerk. If I were you I'd set my sights elsewhere."
"Everywhere, you mean."
"You little – "
"Le-let's just check the casting list!" Hinata stuttered. She looked more than a little flustered from the whole argument and drooling over her cousin thing – it happened often enough, but it never seemed to get old or less disturbing for her. Trying to avoid a hubbub, she stepped forwards to scan the list, the others following suit.
"KYAAA! Tenten made Mina!" Sakura cheered.
"I'm Lucy!" Ino gushed, putting her hands to her chest as though this was a total surprise. "I think we're following the movie version of Dracula – and luckily, I'm pretty sure they've taken out the whole werewolf rape scene. I really wouldn't wanna act that out on stage in front of my dad, you know?"
"I'm sure it'd have been the highlight of his life," Temari muttered.
"Shut your face."
"We're the three brides?" Temari frowned, looking at Sakura and Hinata. "Does that mean we have to wear skimpy bits of cloth?"
"You better hope not," Sakura muttered, pointing at the list. "Your favourite IT tech stalker has been cast as Van Helsing."
"EH?!" Temari leant in and gaped at the name 'Hidan' on the dotted line, flourished with a heart above the 'i'. "It's a student play! Who the hell was casting this?!"
"Anko and Iruka," Ino supplied.
"That dirty whore," Temari seethed.
"W-we don't really have to wear skimpy clothes, right?" Hinata mumbled, wringing her hands.
"Hey, it's a good thing!" Ino flung her arm around Hinata's shoulders. "Maybe they'll catch the attention of a certain dog boy – "
"I-Ino!" Hinata looked down, her cheeks burning.
"KYAAAAA!" Tenten bounced on the spot, like she had been for the past few minutes. She'd made Mina! MINA! She had an unfair advantage, she supposed, in that she actually wanted to pursue drama as a career. The others only did theatre for extra credit. They were a mixed lot really – Ino wanted to do beauty therapy, Sakura wanted to be a medic, Hinata was interested in apothecary and Temari was interested in co-owning a dojo with her brothers. "Tell me Neji's Dracula! TELL ME GODAMMIT!"
Sakura looked at the list. Her finger hovered over a name on the list and Temari raised an eyebrow, before Sakura moved on up to the name at the top. "Oh."
"What? What's oh?" Tenten was baffled. Even though she was eager to know for sure, there was no way it couldn't be Neji. He was perfect in so many ways.
Temari, Ino and Hinata crowed around Sakura and peered at the list, all gasping and blocking Tenten with their bodies from looking at the list herself. Their ooooohs and aaaahhs and confused looks were driving her mad – she was actually beginning to feel a little worried.
"Well..." Sakura said. "...he definitely plays your husband." She beamed, a little too broadly. "Isn't that great! Your husband!"
Tenten stared. "My what?" Mina never married Dracula. But she did marry...
"Uh-oh," Temari sighed, rubbing her forehead. Her eyes kept straying back to the name on the dotted line next to 'Van Helsing'.
"Wait a second – Neji made Harker? HARKER?" Now that was something she couldn't...well, okay, she could picture it. It was kind of fitting in many ways, especially the movie version of Harker. She didn't want to think about how easily she could imagine Neji doing Keanu Reeves' questionable acting, so she leapt straight onto her next question. "Who the hell made Dracula?"
Hinata coughed. "A-Aburame Shino..."
Tenten stared. She looked at the casting list, then looked over her shoulder. At a table in the corner of the cafeteria, a guy in cargo trousers, a baggy Iron Maiden t-shirt and dark wraparound sunglasses sat and pointedly ignored his loudmouthed friend, Kiba. A skull and crossbones print bandanna held his spiky hair away from his face, showing slim dark brows that were drawn down in a permanent scowl. In his lap was an acoustic guitar with stickers for Guns N' Roses and and Tenacious D stuck to its light coloured body. He strummed on it gently with his back turned to other boy at the table.
Tenten looked back at the casting list, then at him again.
"That Shino?"
"You know any other Shinos?" Ino sneered, rolling her eyes.
"H-How did this happen?" Tenten gaped.
"Anko," Temari snarled, cracking her knuckles. Tenten contented herself with the idea that Temari was sympathising with her, even though deep down inside, she knew Temari was imagining a bloody KO versus both Anko and Hidan.
"But...Dracula is supposed to be charming and dark and brooding and passionate, with a twist of darkness and..."
"Sounds about right to me," Sakura said, raising a pink brow. "Have you even spoken to Shino? That guy's like a vampire who got thrown up on by 80s rock bands. Cut him some slack."
"N-Neji-kun is still playing your husband," Hinata stammered, steepling her index fingers together. "A-and Sakura-san is right – Shino-kun is v-very nice and charming."
"Shino-kun?" Ino demanded.
"Lay off," Temari snorted. "He's Kiba's friend – of course Hinata will know him."
Tenten's mind swirled with horror. This could be a catastrophe. Who cared if Neji was playing her husband? There was no real spark between Harker and Mina, not like there was between Mina and Dracula. "Who is this Shino guy anyway? I've never seen him in theatre class."
"He's there," Sakura shrugged. "He's just kinda...quiet and nondescript."
"Boring," Ino said.
"Nondescript," Sakura glared.
"Why would a guy like that take theatre?" Temari wondered aloud.
"Extra credit," Hinata sighed. "When they c-cancelled those extra language classes, Sh-Shino-kun was one of the students who had to be moved."
"So he's not even serious about it?" Tenten asked, conveniently forgetting that Neji's unnatural devotion to the class was a source of mockery and therefore Shino would be a bit of a relief. "How the hell did he make Dracula?!"
"Anko," all four girls said.
"She gets whims," Ino snickered. "She sees a guy she likes and casts him in whatever play she's directing at the time – you can always tell who's her flavour of the week by checking out the lead guy."
Tenten stared at Shino. It was hard to believe that such a quiet, strange person could be the flavour of the week for such an insane woman.
"Hey, at least you don't have to have Shikamaru as your husband," Ino snorted, rolling her eyes. Everyone looked at her. She was fooling no one.
"Let's congratulate him," Tenten said suddenly. "Let's go congratulate Shino on his completely dark horse victory."
The other girls eyed her warily as she marched over to Shino and Kiba's table.
"Aburame-san," Tenten said. His strumming hand stilled above the strings and his head raised a fraction. Even though she couldn't be sure that he was looking at her, she had the feeling that he was. "Congratulations."
He stared at her. Kiba looked between them both, bemused, before catching sight of Hinata and waving amiably.
Tenten's eyebrow twitched. Was this weirdo ever gonna say anything?
"For what?" He said eventually, his voice deep and smooth. Tenten had to admit – not consciously, of course – that his voice was more than adept for Dracula.
Immediately after she thought this, the part of her brain that comprised the Neji Fan Club rebelled. This guy was never seen without his sunglasses – you couldn't have Dracula wearing shades with his impressive cloak, that would just be ridiculous!
And didn't this guy have a thing for bugs? Surely he'd be better suited for Renfield than Dracula.
"On being the lead in the Dracula play," Tenten replied. Surely he knew already?
More silence.
Kiba started to laugh.
"You jest of course," Shino said, sounding as though it wouldn't be a very funny joke.
"Uh, no...it's right there at the top of the casting list. You're Dracula." Tenten stared at him. "You didn't know?"
Shino's lips pursed. He put his guitar down in the hardcase at his feet and went over to look at the casting list.
"Oh my god," Tenten groaned. "What the hell is going to happen to this play?"
"It'll be one helluva thing to see," Kiba replied, still laughing. "Did I get in?"
"You're Quincy," Ino nodded, and none-too-subtly nudged Hinata with her elbow. "Little Miss here is one of the three brides."
"Whoa," Kiba said. "Sounds chilly."
Hinata turned red.
"I already know who's Harker," Kiba smirked, winking at Tenten. "Who's Van Helsing?"
"Hidan," Sakura snickered.
Kiba bellowed with laughter, and shut up instantly at the look on Temari's face. "Please don't hit me."
Temari cracked her knuckles. "If it isn't bad enough that he haunts my every moment, at every computer terminal...now he has to prance around on stage in front of me too!"
"Well, if he's prancing, it probably means you're safe..." Kiba shrugged.
"I'm never safe. He has to die."
Shino appeared back at the table, his pale skin even paler and his frown lines deeper than before. He looked at Tenten. "I specifically requested that I not be put in this play. Why? Because I could not act to save my life."
Tenten stared at him in horror. "You...?"
"However," Shino said, "Since I appear to have been chosen even above...Hyuuga...I shall have to do my best."
Tenten's shoulders slumped. She'd been so looking forward to this, too.
Damn everything.
"Okay dudes, line up where I can see you! NOW!" Anko toted her megaphone around even though she was inches away from the stage, lounging in the front tier of the auditorium. She snapped her fingers to hurry everyone into line.
Iruka flushed and shook his head. He disagreed with some of the casting here, but had long since given up trying to reason with this madwoman.
Tenten stood next to Shino and sighed. Even though he looked expressionless she could feel his bad mood radiating off of him in waves. Probably due to the fact that Anko had threatened his grade if he refused to be her 'ickle wickle Dwakula' (at which point she'd smacked her lips at him and caused him to make the fastest exit Tenten had ever seen).
She looked down the line of the cast. Neji looked a little bewildered himself at not being Dracula, and shot covert glances at the Aburame from under lowered brows. For his part, Shino completely ignored the hostility aimed in his direction and sent some of his own towards their director. If looks could kill, she imagined that Anko...would still be alive, but only after having been tortured for several weeks.
Tenten had tried to stand with Neji, her 'husband', but Shino had appeared out of nowhere and...well, it was almost as though the look he'd given her through his shades was challenging her to get antsy and change the formation. And Tenten hated to give in to that.
Ino was getting in some 'practice' as 'Lucy', and was hanging all over Shikamaru like a skinny fur stole. Shikamaru, as Lord Arthur Holmwood, was no doubt going to be glad to drive the stake through Ino's heart.
Temari was determinedly huddled with Sakura and Hinata, trying to both ignore the lecherous grin of their Van Helsing, Hidan, and the strange looks her baby brother was giving Sakura. While Tenten still believed that Shino was much more of a Renfield than a Dracula, she was deeply amused to see the psychotic Gaara playing the psychotic henchman, with Naruto as his long suffering doctor Jack Seward.
Kiba was acting very un-Quincy-like, hovering around Hinata and doing bunny ears behind her head. Tenten would love to see that in dress rehearsal – it would be a picture for the yearbook for sure.
She sighed again.
"As you should all know by now, we're following the movie," Anko called through the MP. "But because I fell asleep halfway through the movie, some of this shit is made up. Improv! That's good, you know? So! Some things are gonna be different. Don't be getting cocky if you stayed awake through the whole thing, because this entirely new stuff."
"Does Van Helsing get to fuck one of the saucy brides?" Hidan smirked, glancing over his broad shoulder to where Temari stood glowering at him. "I got no stage-fright, seriously."
"Van Helsing doesn't get to do that, but I can tell you who he can fuck," Anko leered.
Hidan shuddered. "No thanks. You're scarier than Noob over there."
"Listen up, bastard – " Temari snarled.
"Good to see we're all getting along!" Anko cheered. "Now, we're gonna have our first rehearsals today. The play was meant to be at the end of the semester, but that wanker Gai stole that spot for his martial arts display. So we've got TWO WEEKS!"
"What?!" Everyone looked at each other. How the hell were they meant to remember their lines and practice enough in that amount of time.
"No worries!" Iruka cut in, sounding harrassed. "We...kind of anticipated who we'd have in our cast for a little while and took the liberty of having some costumes ready made."
"Especially yours, sugar," Anko winked at Shino.
Tenten could have been mistaken, but she thought she heard him whimper.
"OKAY, FIRST UP!" Anko snapped her fingers, and Tenten wished she could break them. "You guys should have all read the highlighted bits of the script by now. So first of all – Renfield and Dr Seward in the sanitarium. MOVE IT!"
Gaara, sleeves tied together by Naruto for the straitjacket effect, plopped down in the middle of the stage and stared balefully up at Naruto as the blonde played a strangely cheerful Dr Seward. When Sakura hissed at him from the other side of the stage, Naruto quickly forced his face into an expression that resembled a constipated cow.
Gaara snickered. "Would you care for a hors d'oeuvre, Dr Seward - or a canape?" His voice dripped with mockery, and Tenten had to admit – Gaara had the mad-eyed look down pat. She nodded her approval – maybe he was gonna be pretty good as Renfield after all.
Naruto's lips twitched convulsively, and he fought against the grin with everything he had. "No, thank you, Gaa - Mr Renfield. How are you feeling tonight?"
Gaara. "Far better than you, my lovesick doctor. Oh, who writes this shit?" The last part was completely ignored by everyone. Anko had already written into the script that Renfield had Tourettes on top of all of his other numerous mental illnesses.
"Is my personal life of interest to you?"
"Of course it is. All life interests me – fucking hell," Gaara groaned, his head rolling back.
Naruto tried to disguise his snort as a cough into his fist. "Um - your diet! Your diet, Mr Renfield, is gross. Disgusting. I meant disgusting." He shot an apologetic look over his shoulder to the directors, flushing.
Gaara mimed playing with insects on his fingers, apparently enjoying the ick factor. Tenten shot a look at Shino to see if he was reacting at all to the idea of his little friends being eaten, but the Aburame was motionless and silent. "Actually, they're real nutritious. You see, each life that I ingest gives back life to me."
"The fly gives you life?"
"Yep. But you might as well ask a man to eat molecules with a pair of chopsticks than to interest me in lesser carnivore blah blah." Gaara glared at Anko, as though she'd written the script rather than stolen it directly from IMDB.
"I'll have to invent a new classification of a lunatic for you," Naruto said, widening his eyes. "What about spiders? Spiders eat the flies!"
"Yes, spiders eat them." Gaara had noticed Sakura watching him, and his voice had taken on a deep, speculative tone.
"What about sparrows?"
"Hmmm?"
"Gaara," Naruto hissed. "Sparrows!"
The redhead blinked, but never looked away from Sakura, who was turning a red to rival Hinata's. "Oh, yes. Did you say sparrows?"
"Something larger maybe?" Naruto said, exasperated.
Gaara's grin was slow, evil. "Oh, yes. A kitten. I beg you! A little, sleek, pink - a playful kitten."
"That definitely wasn't in the script," Tenten frowned. Shino nodded.
He looked at Tenten. "It is important to you? That this be accurate?"
Tenten hesitated. Then the words spilled out of her mouth in a rush of frustration. "I used to watch this movie with my dad – it was a traditional thing. We knew every line and loved acting out the parts. And after watching it we'd settle down and he'd play me Eric Clapton's 'Wonderful Tonight'."
"Your father...is alive?"
"No," she sighed. "He died a few years back. Freak accident involving a table."
Shino stared, then seemed to think it wise not to question her further. He turned his attention back to the scene.
"Something I can teach. Something I can feed. No one would refuse me a kitten," Gaara continued devilishly.
Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, aware that something was going on but not sure what. "Wouldn't you prefer a cat?"
"Oh yeah," Gaara smirked. "I like pussy."
Tenten dropped her script. From behind the backstage curtain, Temari's dismayed cry echoed out into the theatre, followed by Hidan's guffaws.
"I'm leaving that in," Anko grinned, applauding.
"Oh dear god, everything is wrong," Tenten groaned, burying her face in her hands.
"You're not serious?" Iruka asked Anko, his eyes wide.
"Why the hell not? It's inventive – that kid has creativity. SOMEONE GET HIM A GOLD STAR!"
"Anko," Iruka winced. "Parents will be bringing their kids to this show."
"And?" Anko cocked a brow.
"Don't you think it's a little...explicit for them?"
"He's only talking about a little pussy cat," Anko said, wide-eyed. Her hand dropped into Iruka's lap and squeezed. The man made a noise so high-pitched that he sounded like a whistling kettle. "I say it stays! NEXT – Van Helsing, Mina and the three brides. Get your asses into gear!"
Tenten stepped out onto the stage, a little wary at being near Temari's stalker. The guy had apparently harassed Temari constantly from day one, and while he was good-looking enough, he had the same 'plenty of lights on upstairs but they're strobes and discotheque' glint in his eyes that Gaara tended to get.
Temari was uncharacteristically cowed, and stayed behind Hinata and Sakura.
With a sigh, Tenten stood in close to Hidan – close enough to appreciate the amazing way he smelled - and imagined it was Neji.
"ACTION!" Anko yelled, and winked at Iruka. "Later for you, doll."
"Here," Hidan said. "You gotta eat." He grinned suddenly, though Tenten had no idea what was funny.
"I am not hungry," she said, pouring every bit of her acting conviction into the words. This was one of her favourite scenes – the start of Mina's descent into vampirism. She wanted to make it good.
"Mina!"
Tenten began to twist and scream. Taking their cue, Sakura, Hinata and Temari moved to Tenten's right and began to beckon and call to 'Mina', cooing seductively. Temari looked a little distracted and the glare on her face wasn't very seductive at all. Hinata was so red that she didn't look tempting so much as virginal. Tenten prayed that makeup would help this out when the play was done for real.
Coming out of her trance, Tenten looked at 'Van Helsing' hungrily, edging closer to him until her palms were pressed against his chest (nice!). "You've been so good to me, professor. I know that Lucy had secret desires for you...she told me. I too know what men desire..."
A little mortified, Tenten leant up to kiss Hidan – irritation slashing into her when he was more than happy to kiss back. Tenten heard a growl somewhere to her right. A whooshing sound came from the left and Hidan's head jerked. He stepped backward, eyes wide. "WHAT THE FUCK?"
He touched the back of his head and whipped around, looking for culprits. He bent down and picked a brown cylinder up from the floor.
"Who the fuck threw this shit at my fucking head? I'll wipe you out, seriously!"
"GET IT BACK TOGETHER, VAN HELSING!" Anko yelled, and snapped her fingers.
"Yeah, get back to it, Van Helsing," Temari sneered.
Hidan glared at her. "Get off my fucking back, vampire hussy."
"HEY – "
"Let's just get on with it," Iruka pleaded, close to nervous breakdown.
Tenten cleared her throat. Hidan was still muttering about the deadly item he held in his hand, so she took it from him and tucked it into her jeans pocket. "Would you cut off my head and drive a stake through my heart like you did poor Lucy, you murdering bastard?"
She tried to bite Hidan – who looked for a moment like he might let her and enjoy it too. But then he remembered who he was meant to be. "No! Not while I'm alive! I've sworn to protect you – come back to the light!" He pressed an imaginary cross to her forehead and Tenten screamed.
Temari, Hinata and Sakura moved closer, calling and beckoning. Temari was glowering at Hidan viciously.
Hidan smirked, grabbing Tenten close to his side. For a horrifying moment, she was sure she felt his hand touch her boob. "No! We're safe within the circle. I lost that whore Lucy, I won't lose you to him too!"
Tenten groaned at the bastardising of the classic movie happening right here, under her nose.
"Whores of Satan – especially you in the middle – this is holy ground, seriously! Fuck off and fast! I command you! I command you in the name of Jashin!"
"Christ," Tenten hissed.
"I don't believe in that pagan bullshit, woman," Hidan muttered.
The three brides mimed attacking horses.
"HEY! STOP IT!" Hidan yelled. "Stop it, before I penetrate you with my ten foot stake!" He snickered. "More like ten inch."
Temari stopped her acting and turned to glare at him. "For fuck's sake – what the hell is your problem?"
"Right here on the stage, vampire whore – right here."
"This is getting good," Anko said, leaning forward in her seat. "SOMEONE GET A SPOTLIGHT ON THEM!"
"Okay, that is it. You're dying, and you're dying now," Temari snarled, darting forwards.
"Uh – CUT!" Iruka leapt up, waving his hands around. Taking pity, Kiba and Neji burst in to break up the fight. Shino calmly plucked Tenten out of Hidan's arms and walked away again. "Oh dear god. Um...last one for today – let's have the movie theatre scene between Dracula and Mina."
Tenten cleared her throat and looked up at Shino , who seemed to slump in resignation. He strode out onto the stage.
"Remove the glasses, Casanova," Anko grinned.
"...I shall remove them for the final show, if I must," Shino said. "But not until then."
"Oooh, a mystery. I like mysteries," Anko winked. "Do I get a private showing?"
"ANYWAY," Tenten said.
"Right, right. Oh, and guys! I added in something extra here. For dramatic effect and good old eroticism, Dracula actually does bite Mina a teensy weensy bit in this scene," Anko said. "So make it believable or I'll murder you in your sleep, mmmkay?"
Shino paled, and Tenten wasn't sure if it was because of Anko or because of the change in scene.
He took a deep breath and turned towards Tenten. "Astounding. There are no limits to science."
Said with the emotional depth of a frozen fish.
Tenten looked at him, trying to imagine him as Dracula. She couldn't - not with that dispassion and those shades. Not when he didn't look like Neji. " How can you call this science? Do you think Madame Currie would invite such comparisons? Really! I shouldn't have come here. I must go." Tenten whirled on stage as though to leave.
When Shino reached out and grabbed her arm, it startled her – whether the play demanded it or not, it seemed like such an incredible thing for him to do that she could only gape at him and wonder at the electricity that seemed to flow through her body at the touch.
"Do not fear me," he said, and his voice was deeper. His acting was still terrible, his face expressionless, but Tenten could hear a velvety note in his tone that made her shudder.
Suddenly, he flushed. He leaned over her, and her eyes flew wide – before she realised that this was part of the scene. Commanding her heart to calm itself, Tenten forced herself back into the moment. "Uh – s-top this! Stop this!"
Shino said something and – to his immense credit, it sounded like he said it in the original Romanian.
"God, who are you? I know you!" Tenten gasped.
"I have crossed oceans of time to find you," Shino said.
He jerked forwards – paused. Jerked forwards again. He awkwardly parted his lips and leant in.
Tenten's heart picked up again. Oh god – this was the bit where...the bit that...
He was closer – closer. He smelled like pine needles and something strangely chemical...something elusive. Kind of like Dr Pepper and yet not. His lips hovered just above her neck –
He stumbled backwards. Tenten could see a raging blush on Shino's cheeks and he shook his head. "Excuse me, Tenten-san."
"Well," Anko drawled. "You're gonna have to work on that. I'm completely dry – no excitement at all. If I don't see at least a little sucking next time, someone's gonna die."
Hidan snickered.
"Anytime, sweetie," Anko grinned, making the man's grin disappear. "Okay, that's a wrap for today. Get your asses back here in two days and be prepared. MOVE OUT!"
Even as everyone else moved off, Tenten remained frozen. She stared at Shino's retreating form and wondered what the hell had just happened.
Tenten figured she was the last person in the auditorium, and was surprised when she stepped out from the backstage curtain and saw Shino sitting on the edge of the stage, his guitar balanced on his thighs. At first, she heard the soft and clear strumming but didn't register it.
Then she recognised the opening bars, and her heart slammed.
"It's late in the evening...she's wondering what clothes to wear..."
Shino's deep voice, while emotionless on stage, was rich and lulling as he sang. It's calmness suited the song – made it sound somehow better than the original. His guitar playing was flawless, and Tenten watched him with her heart beating loudly in her ears.
"She puts on her makeup...and brushes her long brown hair..."
Wait. Tenten blinked. That wasn't right, was it? It was 'blonde' in the original - she was sure of it. Warmth flooded her.
She listened.
The song was over before she knew it. She could only stare in dumbstruck silence as he rose and left the stage with his guitar without a word. Had he known she was there? Had he sung that because of her?
Tenten felt dizzy with confusion. Disliking Shino just because wasn't very easy now.
She felt something in her pocket and pulled it out. It was the small brown cylinder that had whacked Hidan on the head. She shook it. It appeared to be hollow inside and had something heavy in it rattling around.
She stared at the plastic casing. Fast Fret. Cleans strings. Allows you to play faster. Brightens the sound. Long lasting. Won't soil or stain!
She gaped. No way. Popping off the cap, she sniffed the wooden-handled brush inside.
Chemical. Kind of like Dr Pepper and yet...not.
She stared at the stage.
Wow.
