This was just something that wouldn't leave me alone, so I thought I'd start it and see what reactions people have. This is a fic based on Romeo and Juliet, using characters from Naruto. Lots of angst and some character deaths. Please read and review, and tell me if I should continue.
Disclaimer : I don't own Naruto or its characters, I don't own Romeo and Juliet or its plotline.
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"Look, old man, you borrowed twenty grand from us. We gave you three months to pay us back. Now, write the damn check, or I'll havta burn the shop you borrowed the money to keep open in the first place." Shikamaru glared at the middle-aged man cowering on the ground in fear in front of him. He had borrowed twenty thousand from their organization three months ago, and today was the return deadline. The man didn't have the money, Shikamaru knew, but it was orders from the boss. What else could he do?
"Please, sir, I don't have it," the man sobbed. "Give me three more weeks, please!" He crawled over to Shikamaru, tugging pitifully on his black jeans. "I promise, three weeks, please!"
Shikamaru sighed. "So damn troublesome," he muttered. "Gaara." He nodded to the redhead standing behind him. Gaara walked out from the alley, turned to wards the man's shop. A couple minutes later, cries of "Fire! Fire!" could be heard.
"Now, that's your shop. Gone. And you'd damn well better have the twenty grand three weeks from now, or it'll be your house in ashes. Got it?" Shikamaru leaned down, detached himself from the man's hold, and walked away. Seconds, later, Gaara fell in step beside him.
"Man, I really hate the intimidation assignments. Gets on my nerves. Those old men begging and slobbering all over you, gives me a headache," Shikamaru complained. "I just washed these jeans, too." Decked in baggy black jeans, skintight mesh shirt, and black leather jacket, Shikamaru looked every inch of the bad-boy debt collector. The hoops in his ear and the ponytail served only to enhance the image.
Beside him, Gaara hummed in agreement. He was wearing dark grey jeans with silver threaded through them, black shirt, red scarf, and a large, flowing overcoat, also in red and black. As usual, his green eyes were outlined in heavy mascara and eyeliner.
"Stop." The voice made Shikamaru halt and swear loudly. He turned around, glaring at the speaker.
"If it isn't the Hyuuga boys," Shikamaru sneered. "What do you guys want?"
Neji Hyuuga ground his teeth. In truth, he was the only "Hyuuga boy" around. His companions were Kiba Inuzuka, and Kiba's dog, Akamaru.
"The shop you just burned down. It belongs to Shino's uncle. So you've got some shit to explain before we can let you go," Neji said coolly.
"Bullshit. We don't gotta explain nothing to you. He borrowed twenty grand, couldn't pay it back." Shikamaru knew he just contradicted his own statement, but what the hell.
Akamaru growled. Kiba stepped up, flanking Neji. To his left, Shikamaru could feel Gaara tensing up.
"Kiba." The word made the brown haired boy back down, though still baring his sharpened canines at Gaara.
"Why would Shino's uncle borrow money from you if our organization has money itself?" Neji's voice held an obvious challenge.
"Fuck if I know. Probably didn't want dog boy slobbering all over the money, making it dirtier than it needed to be," Shikamaru glanced at Kiba, voice filled with contempt. The comment, however, was the last straw for Kiba.
With a lunge, Kiba aimed his fist at Shikamaru's sneering face. A split second before it could make contact however; Gaara grabbed his hand and pushed it away from Shikamaru's face. The push sending both of them toppling over to the ground, fighting furiously.
Akamaru growled at Gaara on the floor with Kiba while Shikamaru and Neji looked on with disinterest. That is, until Akamaru ran up and sank his fangs into Shikamaru's jeans. "You son of a bitch!" With a curse, Shikamaru kicked the dog away. Scowling, Shikamaru bent to check his pants. He wasn't at all pleased to see two holes and a lot of slobber on the cuff of his jeans. When he straightened, he blinked to find Neji in his face.
"Don't ever do that again." Neji's voice held deadly calm, the calm before a storm. Shikamaru stepped closer, until their noses were almost touching. In a blur of motion, Neji's fist came up to hit Shikamaru's cheekbone, only to caught a moment before it connected.
"Neji. What are you doing." A man in a shockingly white jacket and dark sunglasses, even though it was at night, stood there, calmly holding Neji's wrist.
"Shino." With a scowl, he shook his hand free. "Nothing."
Shino raised an eyebrow to the pair still rolling on the ground. "What about them?"
"Nothing." Neji hissed, walking over to kick Kiba. "Get up. We're going."
Kiba didn't seem to hear him.
"Gaara." A soft voice seemed to still the movements of the redhead. The speaker was a black-haired boy, wearing a dark blue shirt and beige cargo pants. His eyes were red, whether it was surgically altered or natural, and brow faintly marred by a frown.
Gaara threw a final punch, and rolled to his feet, Kiba doing the same. They stood there, glaring at each other, until Shino spoke.
"Sasuke."
With a nod, Sasuke acknowledged the other man. He walked over to where Shikamaru was standing, three of them forming a wall. They stood, facing each other, no one speaking until Sasuke broke the silence. "The next time we're doing business, Shino, I would expect your boys not to interfere."
Shino inclined his head slightly. "My apologies. The man, however, is my uncle, so Kiba was a little…rash." Kiba snarled.
Sasuke stared for a long moment, before turning away. "We're leaving." Shikamaru and Gaara followed.
"Shino, that was your uncle! How can you just-" Kiba was cut off by Shino.
"He did indeed borrow twenty thousand from them, and failed to pay them back. They did the exact same thing we would do, we were in their place." With that, Shino turned and walked away. Kiba stared after his best friend, stunned.
"Hey, Sasuke! Heard there was some shit going on downtown, what happened?" Naruto was surfing the net when Sasuke stepped inside, followed closely by Gaara.
"Naruto, you're our so-called leader. How come every time some shit happens, you're never there?" Sasuke wearily stripped off his shirt, tossed it in the hamper and stepped into the shower.
Naruto grinned at Gaara sitting on the couch across him. "Cuz if you guys get caught, I can bail you out. And cuz I don't trust you guys to do the same."
"Yeah, some gang, eh? We have a leader who can't trust his own comrades, a genius who wouldn't get off his ass to save his mom, a silent freak with homicide written all over him, and a bubblegum-haired wrestler," Sasuke shouted over the pounding of the shower.
Naruto laughed at that. True, Sakura was strong, but nowhere near as scary as Ino when she got mad. It was a wonder how Shikamaru ever ended up with her, lazy as he was. "So, didja get the twenty grand?"
"No." Shikamaru stepped through the door, scowl on his face. The thunderclouds circling his head threatened to kill anyone who got in his way.
"That's a scary look, Shika. I'm guessing it didn't come from the pleasure of burning the old geezer's shop down?"
""I didn't burn it. He did," Shikamaru pointed at Gaara. "I got dog slober all over my jeans. Ino bitched me out." He flopped on the couch next to Gaara.
Naruto snickered, but knew better than to tease him. He decided to change the subject. "So, hey, I heard there's this gig going down a couple nights from now. Hyuuga house, huge ass party, some sort of wedding announcement. Everyone in Konoha's invited, us included," Naruto let an evil smirk cross his features. "Of course, we might not be welcome, but they can't kick us out. Heard Tenten is going, too," he added, looking at Shikamaru slyly. "Might want a change of scenery, up to you."
Shikamaru scowled. "If you want to go, just say so. Tenten's with Lee, everybody with half a brain knows that. A for me, I'm not going. Too much trouble."
Naruto reached over and punched him on the arm. Just then, Sasuke stepped out of the shower. "Hey! Sasuke! Party! Let's go!" Sasuke quirked his brow, amused at his friend's enthusiasm.
"Why….are you so eager to go to a party held by the richest member of our rival gang?"
"Rich being the keyword, of course." Naruto turned to Gaara. "Hey, Gaara how about it? You going?"
Gaara shrugged.
"Alright, so that's…me, Sasuke, and Gaara." Naruto's face fell. "Come on, that's it? A bit on the lonely side, don'tcha think?"
Shikamaru looked at Naruto beneath half-closed lids. "You're the one who wanted to go. Be glad someone is going with you."
"Fine," Naruto sighed and stood. Rolling his shoulders, he walked to the bedroom. "Night, guys."
Sasuke stared after him. "You'd think he was the one who did all the work instead of sitting around and sleeping."
"Hinata-sama, it is time you got married." Neji paced the room, his frustration clearly showing.
"It's not the i-idea of get-getting married, Neji, it's to whom. I don't want t-to marry Chouji," Hinata Hyuuga sat on the bed, nervously chewing a nail.
"Hinata-sama, please reconsider. His proposition is not one to be discarded lightly. He can be the future for you, and his wealth means he is not after you for money. He is a caring man, and will take care of you. Once you are married, and the Byakugan blood limit is ensured to be carried through the main Hyuuga house, then my duty is done."
"B-but what about Neji? If I were t-to marry, what about your own de-descendants?" Hinata tried valiantly to think of some way to stall the marriage.
"I will find myself a suitable wife after you are looked after, and hopefully continue the bloodline as well." Neji answered curtly. "The Akimichi clan will be expecting our agreement by Friday." He left the room and slammed the door behind him. On Friday, a party would be held to honour the engagement of Chouji and Hinata. He wuld have to get her to agree with the wedding in the precious days he had before the deadline.
Inside the room, Hinata stared at the closed door, tears blurring her vision. Neji's last words echoed through her head. "The Akimichi clan will be expecting our agreement by Friday." 'Our agreement' was the term he'd used. Not 'decision,' or 'reply', but 'agrement'. Which meant Hinata would be engaged to Chouji by Friday, whether she wanted to be or not.
So…so…so…what'd you think? Pleeease leave a comment, it'd be nice to know what people think…nudge
Thankx
darkAngel
