-look, I'm really sorry I haven't been updating The Chronicles of Irony, it's just I don't know how to write it anymore. I mean I have the plot, but it just doesn't flooow. And, a new idea just popped into mind and well. This is a very unhealthy way of writing. xD Nothing ever gets done. BUT, I promise, pinky-swear, that I will update The Chronicles of Irony. I just want to start writing on a story that II feel like writing on the last few days of vacation. I'll only be wasting my time on a story I can't concentrate on. Heh. Enjoy!-

Chapter 1, Your New Roommate

The breeze entered through the small opening of the window to Shizune's right. Finishing college wasn't as exciting as it seemed. There was medical school, all the exams, endless studying. But then again, who said it was easy? No one. Not even Tsunade, the retired rich nurse.

"Sorry you can't live alone," Tsunade said as she eyed Shizune through the corner of her eye. "Orochimaru also has a nephew that's been recently kicked out of the house."

"What?" Shizune complained weakly as she leaned on the door.

Tsunade smirked. "I know you don't like new people, but Orochimaru is a good friend to both me and Jiraiya, surely Kabuto would be a good friend to you."

"I would appreciate it more if you stopped talking to me as if I was ten," Shizune murmured. The reason was unknown even to her, but she did have problem with meeting new people. She didn't try to get close to them unless she knew they were safe, which was a really rare thing. There was even a time where Shizune could not entirely trust Tsunade with her food and then insisted that she made her own dinner for the night. Then again, Tsunade was a horrible cook, so Shizune at least had a reason behind that. Also, out of the many times Tsunade set her up with 'perfect' men, none of them made it after Shizune basically interrogated them. "Relationships are merely a distraction during this point in my life," she reasoned. She was studying to become her childhood dream and she wasn't going to let it go down because she was tricked into a romance. However, she was incredibly shy.

The tires drove over the gravel and iron making a soothing noise that filled in the silence as Tsunade parked the car on the sidewalk. The both stepped out to the beige buildings with a fair amount of stairs. Shizune nodded as she and Tsunade climbed up the stairs and jabbed in the key to the main gate. It took about three whole minutes until Shizune swiped away the key and turned it herself. Tsunade was apparently turning it the wrong way. Shizune set her mouth to the side as Tsunade gave a weak smile and shrug.

Apartment number 36, fresh and new, all the basic furniture moved in, thanks to Tsunade and a few hours from Jiraiya and perhaps Orochimaru. His nephew was moving in, after all, might as well carry some weight.

Shizune smiled as she smelled the new apartment smell. "You didn't have to move everything in for me," she said, laying her luggage on the fresh leather couch.

"Yeah I did," Tsunade replied with a blunt tone. "You were too busy at your little graduate party the night we moved in."

"Aww," Shizune sarcastically said, but with a smile. Smiles are important. There was even a small desktop and high speed internet installed in Shizune's bedroom--or in this case, their bedroom. That was the only disappointment that came to Shizune.

"Well, I got to go, I have bills to pay," Tsunade said, walking towards the door but at the last minute, "which will be easy." Shizune laughed at how her head bobbed.

Tsunade left, and Shizune was assured that she was when she heard her car speed away down the street. The sudden silence made Shizune uneasy. She looked around the livingroom. It was small, easy for two people. The kitchen was clean. Even though there was no TV, who needs TV? There's the internet. She walked into the hallway and found the bathroom, and god was it shiny. The bedroom was acceptable. Two beds on each side. Shizune smiled on how thoughtful Tsunade was to have set the farthest distance between them. The computer desk was in the middle, as if it were to be shared. Shizune scoffed.

She suddenly heard someone step up towards the door and she paced through the halls and back into the living room. The person was apparently using a key. It must be him. She unlocked and opened the door before he made it in himself.

Shizune nearly blushed when she saw him--he was... shorter, than expected. His face was tensed for about a second, then he let himself think for about half a second and spoke.

"You must be Shizune?" He asked in a tone that showed he assumed so, but softened just in case he was wrong. Shizune murmured a light "yeah" and opened the door to allow him into their new home. He closed the door behind him and set down his bags next to Shizune's (but on the floor) and immediately started to introduce himself.

"So, I'm Kabuto Yakushi. I'm going to have to share this place with you, since Uncle's place is getting too small for the both of us." His smile was kind, his eyes glimmering behind his glasses. He wasn't old, but had gray hair, neatly tucked into a ponytail. It didn't matter though, his hair didn't make him look old at all.

"Alright," Shizune said, crossing her arms and drifting to a reasonable distance from him. She looked like she was ready to negotiate, rather than look sassy. "Since we are going to share this roof, might as well try not to get on each other's nerves," she bluntly started. "Any rules you would like to set?" She asked, walking around, her side facing him if not her back.

Kabuto's stance stiffened for a moment. "Uh," he shrugged innocently. "Be nice?" Kabuto pathetically joked as he sighed a laugh.

"That all?"

"I guess," another innocent shrug.

"Alright," She faced him. "Then you will hear my set of rules."

Kabuto plopped on the couch in fright of being there to stand with nothing to say.

"Number one, we cook our own meals. That means you don't cook for me, I don't cook for you. Number two, no disturbing me when I am studying. I would dislike failing an exam due to the nuisance of a roommate."

Kabuto blinked as she went on.

"Number three, the most important, make a move, give me a reason to think you're not safe, do both, I will be displeased and unpleasant. I am not very 'nice' when I am displeased and unpleasant." Shizune stopped walking around from side to side and clasped her hands together. "Understood?"

Kabuto nodded ferociously.

"Good," Shizune smiled as if she had done something sweet and charitable

"But, uh, seems pretty harsh. I mean, uh," Kabuto stuttered as Shizune's stare pierced him. He paused for a moment, not sure of what to say. Shizune cut him off.

"My apologies, it's just I don't really like new people," Shizune said in the same tone, rather than really sounding apologetic. Kabuto blinked and the leaned in with his hands folded. He smirked, "Do you not trust me, Ms. Shizune?"

She stiffened. What, she wasn't going to say straight out 'Yeah I don't trust you at all cause I have problems.'

Kabuto stood up and grabbed his bags, ready to officially move in. "Then I'll do my best to earn you trust." He added a wink and walked away into the bedroom. Shizune made a face. Charming wasn't exactly a good trait in a person to Shizune. She eyed her bags and decided that she should get officially moved in. There was a closet in the bedroom, big enough for two. Curse the number two. She walked into the bedroom to find Kabuto kneeling and neatly tucking in his clothes on the bottom shelves in his side of the closet. She didn't bother to look at him; he might try on his newfound charm. She attempted the unzip her bag but struggled and found herself failing. She glared at it and cursed to herself. Before she had thought of just ignoring that part and move on the other bags, Kabuto offered hand.

"Here, I'll do it." He smiled softly and crawled over. He tugged at the zipper, and when he failed in doing so as well, he tugged it in a slight different direction and the zipper ran free. "Cloth was stuck," Kabuto informed as he handed it back to her and she blushed.

"I-I knew that."

Kabuto sighed a smile and went back to packing his own clothes. Shizune blushed and wore a sour face.

After placing all their belongings in the correct place, Shizune decided to shower. She hoped that Kabuto wouldn't try to invade her privacy nor tamper with her belongings while she was away to the wetlands. As she shed down her clothes and stepped in, she noticed that Kabuto had shampoo. For women. No wonder.

Refreshed and satisfied, she stepped out and dried herself then put on her robe. Her hair was soaking wet and dripping, so she wrapped it, though it was rather difficult since her hair was so short. She opened the door to the bedroom to find no one there and quickly changed and brushed her hair.

Nothing was better than feeling clean on a dreadful day.

Sh sat down on her bed, signatured with her favorite dark blue blanket. It was rather funny how Kabuto's bed looked like. The sheets were lavender. It was 5 o'clock, nothing to do, Shizune decided she'd test out that new computer. And from the moment she turned it on she decided it was her god from now on.

After she swam in the internet for about a good hour, she smelled the aroma of soup outside in the kitchen. The smell was delicious, and she was tempted to go chase it. Her hopes, dreams, and fantasies were crushed by the sight of Kabuto in front of the stove, whistling as he stirred it.

It was about 7 PM, and Shizune decided she'd better make her dinner as well. She walked over to the fridge to only be disappointed with a carton of eggs and ham. Please don't be green. The rice-cooker was also being used at the moment, so no rice and eggs for her. She pretended to look not as disappointed and looked at Kabuto as he brought his pot over to the table behind her.

"Pretty big for just a one-person meal," Shizune mumbled the remark. Kabuto smirked as she looked away.

"Oh, it's not for just one."

Shizune looked behind her as Kabuto he set down a second plate, filled with soaked rice and beef. Shizune stiffened. Soup and rice was her weakness. "You're in violation of rule number one," Shizune said solemnly. Kabuto merely laughed lightly.

"Well you are in violation of my only rule, because it's only polite to eat what a person has made for you because it was made for you and if you decline it it's time wasted which is therefore not nice."

Shizune rolled her eyes and sat down cause he'd made a good point. Kabuto sat in front of her with his own plate. He smiled sweetly and Shizune asked herself if there was ever a time when he didn't smile at her so much. She picked up the metal spoon and fork and slowly started to scoop up rice along with pieces of beef. It was soft and tender, and because it was swimming in soup for the past two hours, it wasn't dry. Shizune looked hesitant all the way and Kabuto watched her beneath his gray bangs. But once she put it in her mouth it was like she was hit by an angel. Kabuto smirked and ate up his food. She didn't want to look too eager and embarrass herself, so she held the urge to gobble it all up and ate slowly and neatly. When the both of them were down to their last few spoonfuls of food, Kabuto looked up to face her.

"Like the food?" He added with a smile that was much more charming than the last few ones. He took the last bite out of his food and set the utensils flat on the plate.

Shizune blushed. "Well, um," She hesitated. "I-It's quite acceptable." She his her face and stuffed the last few scoops of rice into her mouth--but neatly.

Kabuto laughed as he reached for Shizune's empty plate. She put her hands in front of his. "I'll do it," She offered. Kabuto nodded and passed her his plate as she went over to the sink to wash them. Yeah, her thoughts on him were beginning to soften, but she still didn't quite trust him yet. It takes more than just a good meal.

"So I'm hoping you could just set aside rule number one after this evening," Kabuto joked. Shizune gave a small "hmph" and stacked the dishes on top of the other unused ones. As he turned away to go inside the room, she smirked. What an interesting roommate she had.

She pulled out her favorite set of pajamas from the closet and went to the bathroom to dress up as Kabuto took the room. She didn't know what was with her and really really dark blue, but she liked it.

She brushed her teeth, and washed her face to get ready to sleep. Although it was only 8:30, she was exhausted. And apparently the sky was, too. It was really dark out. She opened the door and stepped out but clumsily and unfortunately, Kabuto was right there and she had tripped on him.

His strong arms caught her so that awkward position on the floor wouldn't come and antagonize Shizune and his bones.

Shizune looked up, and was thankful that it was so dark in the halls so he wouldn't be able to see her cheeks flush in a bright pink. What made her un-relieved again was that she was close enough to his face for him to feel her building warmth. His glasses were off, and what surprised her was that his eyes glimmered even more without it.

"I-I'm sorry," Shizune stuttered as she broke free from him and brushed off herself, though there wasn't exactly anything to brush off. Kabuto smiled and laughed lightly.

"No, I'm sorry, I should be more careful," Kabuto said, shoving the blame on him. Shizune simply nodded and ran off to the bedroom. Worst 30 seconds of the day.

She crawled into bed and waited for Kabuto to get back so that she wouldn't get as paranoid as to think there's something he's doing that's illegal or something as she slept. She heard the bathroom door opened and shut as it footsteps came echoing closer until it was clear and Kabuto went to his bed as well.

"Goodnight," Shizune murmured.

"Night, sweety," Kabuto joked. He rested his head on the pillow and smiled hit eyes shut and then felt something soft thrown at him. Shizune had thrown a pillow. As he turned to her she faced the wall away from him. "Number three."

Kabuto sighed a smile and faced the wall as well.

"Jeez," he murmured. "You know you're not getting that back."


-Heh, hoped you liked it.