Gashi.
Disclaimer: Nah. I don't own Naruto and its related, legal whateva!
-insert embarrased cough here-
Sakura hadn't counted on this. She knew Kiba had gotten a part-time job helping his dad out at the southern dump site but she hadn't known it was this very one; there were so many garbage sites in Konoha! She rattled the cup of tea Kiba had given her and looked at him carefully, a familiar inquisitive glint in her narrowed eyes.
He looked tired yet excited. Weary but animated. Drained but dynamic. It was a weird combination but Kiba could pull it off. His russet hair was messy, as it always was, and bits of biscuit crumbs lined his mouth, as most edible solids did, but, other than that, he looked like the same seventeen-year old she had known all her life. Almost as long as she had known Naruto. No! Don't think about him! Focus on Kiba! Focus, Haruno!
Kiba broke the silence and prodded her shoulder, "Sakura? Hey, um…why are you here, really?"
Sakura broke out of her reverie and pretended to look confident. "I…uhh…have a project due on land waste and my teacher sent me here. I – I…I needed to get here before sunrise but…uh…" Sakura wasn't a good liar; never had been. Her eyes darted around and her face turned pink, matching her hair. It proved how much of a novice she was at this to Kiba.
Kiba sighed and put down his biscuit on the slightly chipped china plate nearby. "'Kura, not true. You don't have a project due. You dropped out remember…? You couldn't have had an assignment." Kiba spoke gently, afraid of any sudden movements; Sakura's dropping out, or 'quitting Hell', had always been a delicate area. Especially with Sakura. She didn't like anyone talking about it, nor did she advertise it. It was a gray area, forbidden. Kiba was skating on thin ice just by asking this question.
Sakura nodded curtly, all pinkness fading away and a steely look in her eyes. "Ah. You remember. How nice of you. Yes, I don't go to school anymore." Her mouth formed a straight line and she tensed up, as a cat would when expecting a predator.
Kiba leaned forward, put his muscular arms on his thighs and nodded, looking straight in her eyes, "I know."
Sighing resignedly, Sakura relaxed her rigid position and asked, "How much do you know?" She leaned back, her head melting on the couch's headrest.
Kiba smiled sadly and told her how everyone in Konoha was looking for her. This morning the information somehow had leaked while two 'special' detectives were looking for her and now everyone wanted her, hoping they'd get a reward for it.
On another note, Naruto had gone great lengths to look for her while taking care of Jiraiya. He was exhausted everyday but never gave up. It made everyone pity the Uzumaki heir and double their efforts in looking for Sakura.
Sakura cried a bit at that point. Naruto was in so much pain, because of her! It was her fault! She caused his trouble! She wasn't worth it. She was never worth it. She caused her mother pain, her best friend pain, heck, she caused an old man pain! She was such a loser-of-a-daughter, no good, usel-
Kiba somehow read her thoughts, smiled sadly again and spoke in a soft voice, "'Kura, you are worth it. Naruto values you so much more than you think he does. Give him some credit, eh?" He shoved her shoulder playfully.
Sakura shook her head frantically, the voice had returned, making her feel useless, "No, Kiba, stop. I don't want to talk about it. Just…just tell me more about Konoha…I haven't seen a newspaper in days…" she went on talking but Kiba barely listened. He wasn't normally a patient person. He was quick-tempered, passionate and swift. If it wasn't done in the least amount of time, it was useless. But. But because this was Sakura Haruno, he made an exception. Sakura was the closest thing he had to a sister. He had to help her, no matter what.
Sakura was still talking quickly, "…so I thought to come here, just in an off chance to avoid him…and…y'know…"
Kiba pulled her in for a hug then and Sakura first went rigid and then relaxed into his shoulders. She needed some friendly contact right now.
She pulled away, smiling sadly, mirroring Kiba's expression. "Keebs, I need to go. Now. I have to fi – to, I mean…I have to do something important."
Kiba stood up with a grim expression and went to his doorway. "No."
Sakura tried to be forceful, followed him to the doorway and poked him, hard, in the stomach, "Kiba, move. I have to leave! It's important!"
Kiba shook his head and crossed his arms, "Why?"
"Huh?" Disbelief coloured Sakura's current expression, her hands had unconsciously balled into fists.
"Why do you have to leave? Why do you have to leave us? Why do you have to run away from Naruto?" he asked in a controlled voice, his arms uncrossing.
Each sentence slapped Sakura in the face, leaving a humiliating mark of shame, deep in her heart. She felt her willpower crumbling but she had to stay strong, stay vigilant, stay independent. "I can't tell you that, Kiba. I just have to…take care of a few things."
Kiba looked as though something was eating him inside and then he burst out, "Sakura, is this 'bout your Mom?"
This one punched Sakura in the stomach; she felt winded. No one asked about her mother, not outright. In fact, the only person she spoke to about her was Naruto and Jiraiya, sometimes. It was another gray area. She gripped her waist with both hands, feeling suddenly empty, and stared blankly at above Kiba's head. "Yes, Kiba. It is. Can I go now?"
He hesitated but ploughed on, "Look, I…I want to help. With anything. Anything at all. Money, transport, anything."
Sakura, too, hesitated. "I… - " She needed help but she was too proud to ask for it. Not in the arrogant way but in the dignified way. But she desperately needed transport, food and, sadly, money. "Kiba, I'm sorry, but I…I need a few things."
Kiba smiled and vowed, "Anything, 'Kura."
"…money, but not a lot though! Some bread and…a ride to the airport."
Kiba had nodded gravely at the first two objects but 'airport' had put a confused expression appeared on his tanned face. "Airport?"
"I'm – don't laugh – trying to hitch a ride on the next plane to Switzerland…"
"On an airplane?!" He sounded as though he was going to burst out laughing.
"Don't laugh!" She almost shouted. "Do you think I have a choice?! I have no other way to get there! No money, no cash, no gre-"
"Haruno, I have a plane you can use." Kiba interrupted her, a small smirk on his face.
Sakura stopped glaring and did a double-take, "What?"
"My dad was back from his third annual honeymoon last week, so he gave me his keys to the jet when he was stone-drunk. Since Shino had a license, I lent it to him. Wanna use that?" Kiba raised his eyebrows.
Sakura wanted to kiss him. So she did. On the cheek. "Thank you!" she said breathlessly.
Kiba rubbed his cheek ruefully, "Yeah, yeah," he paused thoughtfully and then asked, "And 'bout the money and stuff, that's more easier. Mom made a fortune on her recyclable appliances, so I can just borrow that to ya and about the food…hell, that's the easiest! Just go to some store with the greens."
Sakura beamed up at him, letting the bad grammar pass. "What could I do without you?!"
"Die, prob'ly." Kiba said nonchalantly, shrugging. He laughed when Sakura punched his arm.
"Thanks, buddy."
"Welcome, pal."
Naruto left Jiraiya's room with a heavy heart. The doctor had come today and it wasn't good news. Jiraiya's heart was getting weaker, getting harder to pump blood. He had to get a donation. Soon. Very soon.
Naruto ran his hand over his face and abruptly punched the wall next to him. He swore in every language he knew and then some, an angry stream of incomprehensible lexis. It was impossible to understand, to decipher, to identify, and the nearby staff just watched concernedly, condescendingly, callously.
Wowzers. I think I actually like this chapter.
Huh.
Updates will remain slow as I have Finals in two months and then Summer Holiday. I think.
Ikani.
x
