Don't own anything, except for the silly plot. Thanks to MikoGoddess for betaing.

'Itachi, you stupid fuck!' Sasuke thought to himself as he was tossing and turning on his bed. He was unable to fall asleep, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop that scene that was constantly replaying in his head, either.

Even though it's been two days. It was two days ago that he witnessed his brother being handcuffed and pushed into the rear of a police car, and then the same thing repeated twice more: Orochimaru and Kankurou met the same fate. But this wasn't the worst of all. Not even that social worker lady who told him what luck it was that the school year's about to start, and how lucky he was because it could be organized that he went to the only boarding school in the town, instead of into any guardianship.

Oh, no.

The worst of it all was his conscience. Because Sasuke has known it all too well: the shady paths his brother was walking – and just what for exactly? They've had enough money to buy half of the city and then some, for as long as he could remember, without going bankrupt. Illegal gambling has become a sort of common, everyday fun for Itachi; and he also suspected that one way or another, his brother was also linked to a few prostitutes. But he never thought of drugs. Or, more likely, it did cross his mind on some rare occasion, but he always shrugged it off, thinking that though Itachi wasn't a saint, he wasn't a fool either.

'Drugs, for fuck's sake!'

Of course, Orochimaru showing up was like a signal fire in the night. When Sasuke saw him last time, he was on the late-night news, wanted by the police as the main suspect of arson committed at a local club. Trouble on feet, no doubt, and yet he didn't say a word. It was true that he and Itachi haven't exactly gotten along all that well, but still, he was family. Sasuke's only family.

He sighed and turned on his side, rummaging on the little end table next to his bed. According to his phone, it was half past three in the morning. "Great," he mumbled, letting his head fall back to the pillow, "another year tomorrow…" Sighing again, he came to the conclusion that with his current state of insomnia, he can't be having a nightmare, so all this must be real. This thought however seemed to irk him to no end, so he decided to torture himself with a bit of running. Not like he was much of a bodybuilder, but he was definitely vain enough to keep himself in good shape. And, he couldn't really think of anything better to do anyway.

Despite the fresh air and the music pounding in his ears though, for which he was very grateful, he couldn't get rid of his thoughts: as if a whole army had been climbing up the walls of the fortress that was his mind. 'The only boarding school in town,' he pondered, contrary to all his will, 'is the only boys-only school in town… and I bet everything I have that I'll end up being the roommate of the school's biggest idiot.'

Frowning, he increased his pace: if only he could push himself just a little bit too much, the pain might be able to distract him. At least for a short while.

'Itachi, you stupid fuck!'

xXx

Naruto couldn't help giggling as they were rolling on the ground. Partly because his friend's behavior was greatly amusing him, and partly because Kiba's fingers were simply tickling him. Not as if it had been the boy's intention, it just happened so.

"Kibaaa … enuff!" he managed to blurt out finally.

"Eh? I'm all too clumsy, ne?" the other asked back after he got off Naruto and sat on his heels. "How could I ever think…"

"Relax, you know well enough I'm ticklish," the blonde tried, propping himself up on his elbow. 'And it's true too!' he added silently. "Besides… Just slow down a bit, mkay?"

"I should have asked you earlier!" Kiba almost yelled suddenly, flailing his arms in frustration. "Boy, I sooo knew, I just… argh!"

He got up and stepped to the window, touching his forehead to the cool glass, staring out. From Naruto's room, all that was visible was the school's quite huge foreyard, so he could see the students still arriving from all directions. It was late afternoon, the last day of the summer vacation. Most people procrastinated getting back here for as long as they could – Kiba was sure that some would just barely make it for the very first class tomorrow morning –, his train however brought him back quite early in the morning.

Naruto watched his always-so-cheerful friend with a puzzled look on his face. He should have been helping him, but now he couldn't seem to boost his confidence: the mood swings scared him, and he had no idea how to cheer Kiba up. 'I wouldn't've thought it was this serious… But… He did come for help, didn't he?' he figured, so he stood up too and sneaked his way behind the other boy, who hissed loudly when two arms folded around his waist, and teeth started to nibble on his right ear.

"Na…ru…to… What are you… doing?"

"Uhm… teaching you...?" came the reply in a low, seductive voice, while a body was pressed to his, even more. "Ain't that what you came for?"

"But…nggh! Naruto! A…ny…one can just…s-s-see us from…outside!"

Naruto's hands were dangerously close to Kiba's crotch, and it was evident to him that the boy behind him was definitely enjoying the situation. Before the blonde could have answered though, the door opened and they heard a very familiar voice. A very familiar, very cold voice.

"Oh… that explains everything then. Well, not fully, but…"

They both froze before, following the few blank seconds of a short-circuited mind, Naruto turned around to look at his visitor. Whose identity, sadly, he guessed correctly. The boy with the blood red hair was watching the pair with firm indifference. In his similarly red leather pants and tee, he looked like a flame-pillar.

"Gaara… It's not… You've got it all wrong!" Naruto mumbled, scratching his head.

"Please. There's really nothing to get wrong. Besides, it's not my business anymore, anyway. Got back not long ago and thought I'd bring your books back," the redhead went on with slow monotony, then walked to the bed and dropped the pack from his hands. "There's one thing I'd like to know though: what does he know that I don't?"

He was talking in a low voice, almost whispering, yet the whole scene was much more threatening than yelling and commanding would have been. And he didn't even want to sound threatening at all, it was just the way he's always been: his nature, his personality. He was miffed at the thought of having been replaced with this particular moron, however.

"Gaara, this has nothing to do with us, trust me!"

"If you say so, Naruto… Well, I'm going now" he stated flatly and dry, and by the time the other two regained their senses, he was nowhere to be seen.

"I…I think I better l-leave too, Naruto… Th-thanks for everything and… We'll talk…later…"

Kiba left in a hurry, leaving behind a Naruto in extreme distress, who really found it odd that having met his ex had such an effect on him. After all, it couldn't be avoided, and he did expect it too: obviously, neither of them would have quit the school just because of a relationship that had gone awry. Still, the whole thing just wasn't right. These events shouldn't have happened like they did, and what's more: Kiba really didn't have anything to do with their break-up. The poor guy just asked for some advice about the what's and how's, in case he could get together with his secret crush. He had no experience whatsoever in this, and was totally crestfallen.

"Bah, and the year hasn't even started yet," Naruto said to the empty room.

Slowly, some noises from outside found their way to his ears, and when his mind registered it, he turned back to his window, only to notice a group of excited (and loud) girls standing beside a black limousine. What exactly the subject of the excitement was, he couldn't see, but was taken aback by the scene.

"Lucky they can only come as far as the entrance… But who the hell could be in that car...?