Chapter 2: The Fun Begins
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or the characters.
I'm glad everyone liked the last chapter! I've had quite a few compliments. I hope you enjoy chapter 2!
Mikoto sipped her tea as her high school friend Kushina sat across from her. Her husband was sitting in the living room reading the paper and talking to Kushina's husband Minato.
"So Sasuke makes it all the way home by himself?" the read headed woman asked. Mikoto nodded as she set her cup down.
"Yes, it makes me worried, but he manages it every Saturday," the dark-haired woman said.
"But how does he get around if he doesn't use a Seeing-Eye dog?" she asked again. Mikoto thought that over.
"Sasuke told me that he used a system of numbers in his head sometimes. Like . . . He counts the steps when he walks or turns. He tried to explain it to me, but he always loses me halfway through," she smiled. Kushina tilted her head.
"That's amazing! When did he figure this out?"
"He has been using it a little after he learned to walk; his father helped come up with it. I know Fugaku wants Sasuke to become independent, but it's hard when some people are so drawn to the boy. Between you and me, Fugaku is just extremely overprotective, but he is a bit in the closet about it," she giggled. They heard the front door open and close as a voice drifted through the hallway.
"I'm home!" Sasuke said, removing his shoes. Sasuke felt along the wall as his socked feet lead him to the dining room.
"In here sweetie!" his mother's voice called. Sasuke went through the entry way and walked up behind his mother's chair. He reached out and carefully felt the end of her hair as it cascaded across the back of the chair.
"Hey mom, I see you're using that new conditioner I suggested," he smiled, rubbing a strand of hair between his fingers. Mikoto smiled and turned around, kissing her son on the cheek. Sasuke heard someone else's breathing in the room.
"Hello, Mrs. Uzumaki," he called out. Kushina was always surprised when Sasuke managed to identify her.
"Hello Sasuke how was practice?" she asked. Sasuke tapped the table and grasped the chair next to his mother who was planted against the edge. He sat down and fingered a sugar cube on the plate across from him.
"It was good; the teacher asks why I even bother coming in. There isn't any more he could teach me," he replied, popping the sugar cube into his mouth. Fugaku and Minato stepped into the room then. Sasuke kept his eyes closed because he knew how the dullness tended to freak Minato out a bit.
"Hello, father, Mr. Uzumaki," he said. Sasuke felt his father's strong hand pat his head as he passed.
"Evening Sasuke, lessons went well I presume?" Minato asked, sitting down next to his wife. Sasuke nodded as he felt his mother push a tea cup into his hand. He smiled and found the handle before carefully bringing it up and blowing on the surface.
"Sasuke's competition is next month! I bet he'll bring home the trophy like he did two months ago in New York!" his mother practically gushed. Sasuke coughed and blushed as he set down his tea.
"M-mom, there are going to be many good players. At least, we don't have to travel for this one, it being held right here in San Francisco," he mentioned.
The Uzumaki stuck around for a while longer and asked questions about the competition. It was around dinner time when they left and promised to be there to support him. Sasuke's family was between upper class and middle class. His father was an accountant, and his mother owned a flower boutique a few blocks away. They lived in a nice spacious two story English home complete with a veranda that overlooked part of the city, not that Sasuke knew what the sight looked like.
The phone suddenly rang and his mother stood to answer it.
"Hello?" she asked. Sasuke fiddled with his now empty tea cup as his mother listened on the phone. He heard the rustle of a newspaper, and his ears perked. He imagined his father must have picked it up and was flipping to a section to read. His mother called his name.
"Sasuke, Kisame wants to know if you feel like working tomorrow!" she called. Sasuke smiled and turned his head toward her.
"Of course I want to!" he smiled.
As much as Sasuke wanted to, his mother didn't allow him to travel across large distances by himself. The route to and from the theater was easy, everything was on one side of the street and no major roads to cross. Sasuke was going with his mother today to her flower shop to pick out orders for an upcoming wedding.
She hummed as he walked beside her and held onto her elbow. They normally drove but it was so nice out, they decided to walk. Sasuke felt the sun's heat, his skin and the wind against his face. The sounds of people and cars were loud around him, and something smelt fantastic.
The trolley clanged, and he heard the squealing of stopping tracks. His mother stepped up, and he followed as they sat down on the wooden bench.
"Oh Sasuke I can't decide. Roses are nice, but they are used so much. What do you think?" she asked her thirteen-year-old. Sasuke hummed and closed his eyes.
"I would have to say orchids and purple roses," he suggested. He had felt the pedals once, and they were very soft and strangely shaped.
"Oh, that sounds wonderful, should they go with a classic bouquet or the waterfall bouquet?" she asked.
"The waterfall might damage the stems, but I think it would be nice. You can make orchids the center piece and use greenery and roses for the cascading part." Mikoto smiled and ran her fingers through his hair.
"Are you sure you've never seen a flower before?" she asked. Sasuke smiled and laughed.
"I dream about them sometimes, but mostly from the descriptions I hear."
They arrived at the shop, and he could already hear shouting. Sasuke stood by the door while Mikoto went to sooth what looked like an agitated customer. Sasuke listened about how the woman behind the counter messed up her corsage for the third time.
"I told you. I wanted blue! BLUE! Not orange, not pink, but blue! Are you color blind?" the woman screamed. Sasuke snickered as he bit his lip and looked away.
"I-I'm sorry. I could have sworn you said orange over the phone!" the girl tried to defend.
"BLUE!" she shouted.
"Yes, yes I have your order in my office. Come back tomorrow and I guarantee it will be blue. I'll even lower the price, I'm sorry for the mess," Mikoto tried to sooth. The woman huffed before she stormed out of the door. Sasuke heard her heavy footsteps and wondered how big a girl she was; she sounded massive.
"Hinata, how could you mistake the color?" Mikoto asked her employee. The girl looked at the ground.
"I swear, she said pink the first time, then orange, and when she looked at it, she screamed for it to be blue!" the girl said. Mikoto shook her head.
"You're mixing her up with Matilda, you know, that blind old bat up the street?" she said. Sasuke laughed and covered his mouth.
"O-oh yeah," the girl said.
When the matter was straightened, Mikoto ushered her son over. They spent most of the day picking out flowers and sending orders. It was getting late and Sasuke was anxious to get to his other job. His mother and he traveled to another section of the city. Sasuke smiled when all he could smell was food and the sound of music.
"All right Sasuke, Kisame will look after you until nine then your father will pick you up," his mother said. Sasuke nodded and waved good-bye to her as he stepped through the café door.
"I know mom, see you then."
Kisame owned a huge jazz café in the middle of the city. Sasuke was told that it consisted of a sizeable dance floor, a stage and a bar/coffee lounge on the other side with chairs. Sasuke with his gift at the piano was an amazing jazz player. He walked in carefully, finding a little difficult with all the people.
"Sasuke, there you are," a voice said. Kisame walked over and carefully grabbed the boy to walk toward the stage. "You get here all right?" he asked. Sasuke nodded.
"Yup, are we ready to start?" he asked eagerly. He didn't see it but Kisame was smiling and so was the other band members. Sasuke blushed when Kisame lifted him up and put him on the stage, he normally took the stairs. He heard some people laugh behind him until Sasori's familiar chuckle reached his ears. The red head played saxophone while his boy friend Deidara played drums. Jugo played the guitar, and Sasuke played the small piano they had. It wasn't much, but it was an awesome group. Sasuke was greeted by the blond and set on his piano chair.
"I was wondering when you were coming back, un. It's been so boring without you!" he said, sitting down next to him.
"Yeah, we should be getting a good crowd tonight since you'll be playing!" Jugo said, tuning his guitar. Sasori came over and squatted to be eye level with the boy.
"Ya ready shrimp?" he smiled. Sasuke smirked and reached up, tapping Sasori on his cheek.
"I'm always ready fireball."
TBC
R&R!