(a/n: Morning all, TerasBad here with another chapter for K.A.C.I. I hope you enjoy it. This chapter is unfortunately unbeta'd so forgive any grammar or spelling mistakes. I did my best T_T. Oodles of Love for those who reviewed. It spurred me into punching out the next chapter. Behold my baby! Chapter 2: Of Bitches and Bastards. Love you all! :/)
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Warning: Contains Yaoi in later chapters and character death. Mwah!
Summary: Naruto Uzumaki is sent to K.A.C.I; Konoha Asylum for the Criminally Insane and that is where his life is plunged into a sick world of corrupt perverts in places of power, psycho killers, and the threat of never seeing the outside world again. Will there be a beam of light in this hellhole? Can love save our blonde knucklehead or will more blood be shed? NaruSasu, NaruKiba, NaruShika, Naru?
Chapter 2: Of Bitches and Bastards
Naruto panted as he ran. He didn't know where it was he was running to; he just knew he shouldn't look back. The blurs of leaves and branches attacked his vision as he seldom took the time to admire the scenery. He tripped on a root and tumbled to avoid the beam of light that threatened to expose him in the dense foliage of the forest he was currently running in. He could hear voices that were hushed but still managed to echo in the night. He kept hearing the same name.
Konohamaru
He glanced down at his hands, barely visible in the darkness, but the light from the moon eliminated the thick red liquid that was smeared all over them and the blade he held. "Shit," he heard himself curse as he tried to wipe it on his pants. He didn't know what good that would do. He was already caught.
He took a few breaths and started to dig, placing the blood-smeared knife into the shallow whole he'd created and looked around again at the area. Two more beams of light were coming from his right hand side. He would have to run to the river, clean himself up as much as he could. Hopefully when he got to the neighborhood he could blend in with the crowds busying themselves in the market.
With this plan in mind he rose into a crouch, his eyes in the direction of his escape and nowhere else. He took another breath, and ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He could hear dogs and cussed under his breath again. He would need to be faster than them if he wanted to get out of there.
His lungs were burning with the need for air but he couldn't stop to take a breather. He could hear them and they were very close. He heard the snaps of twigs and the shouts of his name being called in the night. The land dipped down into a trench and his speed propelled him forward so that he tumbled painfully down the hill, and felt his skin tear open on the rocks. He grunted as he raised himself, his hands slipping as the rocks were wet and that's when he realized…
Water.
He had made it to the river.
It was no time to celebrate. He got up and sloshed through the shallow rapids. He was drawing in deeper to the middle to cross to the other side, turning and splashing up water in the process to wash himself. His foot slipped on a rock and he didn't have time to breathe as he fell into the water. The rapids were carrying him downstream; relentlessly they crashed against his body and pulled him under.
He thrashed but his muscles were growing more sluggish as he fought futilely with the oncoming pressure of the rapids.
He thought that before you died, you were supposed to see a light. But on that night, as he was looking in the general direction of the sky beneath the ripples in the water, all he saw was darkness. He couldn't even see the moon.
He couldn't remember the moment he switched back as a hard pressure on his forearm wrenched him from underneath and oh so painful was the rush of air to his neglected lungs.
Naruto awoke startled and he was soaked with so much sweat he could feel the cool moisture on his pillow. He panted as he sat up and clutched his racing heart. He rubbed at his chest as if soothing his heart from the scare. He caught his breath and raised his knees up. Heaving a sigh, he held his head in his hands. It had been a while since he'd had such a dream. He didn't need the shrill bell, which startled him into nearly jumping off the bed, to know that it was time to take his medication.
He was starting to really hate that alarm and this was only the second day he'd been at Konha's Hidden Leaf Asylum. With a groan he got up and was thankful that morning medications were slipped through a slot in the door rather than having them stand outside. He didn't feel like facing Kabuto so early in the morning.
He took his pills, downing them with a plastic cup of water and slid his tray back out the slot to be collected. He sighed and stood up to stretch but it wasn't long before he was startled by another shrill alarm and the speakers piped into every room announced it was time for a shower. He gathered his towel and undergarments and stood in front of his door. He yawned hugely as a large click of the deadbolt sounded and he was let out. He joined the rest that stood with perfect postures just outside their cell doors. They all looked awake and ready while he felt like he could fall asleep where he stood.
Another silent cue must've been given because next minute the patient next to him was nudging him to start walking and he looked to see a large gap had formed. He yawned again and followed suit. One day he'd get the hang of this thing.
They marched in single file to the showers where he was told that once again they only had a short amount of time to wash up and he did so lazily. The water wasn't doing a good job of waking him up. As the memories of that dream came back to him, he could only long for a peaceful sleep, instead of one that afforded him little comfort or rest.
All too soon the water was shut off and he started to dry himself off and change. He joined the rest of the sheep being herded and followed the crowd without asking or even wondering where it was they were headed. He was still trying to wake up.
There was a tap on his shoulder and he turned to see the one named Shino walking alongside him along with the rest of the patients in green and grey. That piqued his curiosity at last. He looked for Shikamaru but didn't see him anywhere.
Shino waved and Naruto remembered that he didn't speak. He waved back. "Hi," he said quietly, not knowing if it was okay to talk or not. Shino nodded his way and pointed up in front of them. Naruto followed his finger and saw a sign that said 'Session' and looked to Shino confused. "What's going on?" he asked the other.
Shino pushed up his glasses and held his finger to his lips and then to his ear. He could figure out the gesture. 'Be quiet and listen'. He looked up front where an attendant was calling their attention.
"Everyone raise your hand when your name is called. Those of you who are new here, when we call out your name you will follow us to mandatory group therapy session while the rest may go down to the Mess Hall," he said to them.
Naruto wanted to groan. 'Group Therapy,' he mentally complained. He guessed it made sense for an Asylum to hold sessions like that but he doubted any amount of therapy was going to help his own little problem. Sai with his dick drawing problems could probably use the help but honestly. He'd killed people, and talking it out wasn't going to bring them back.
"Shino Aburame!" the attendant called and Shino instead of answering, raised his hand and the attendant counted him, apparently use to his lack of speech.
"Naruto Uzumaki!" he called.
Naruto groaned loudly and people started to snicker at his obvious distaste. "I'm here," he said, his annoyance clear in his voice. He continued to grumble angrily to himself as more people were called.
"Sasuke Uchiha!" the attendant called and at this Naruto shut up and his head snapped up and searched for the raven haired.
"Here," that voice practically purred. He keyed to the sound and found the same raven that had spoken to him yesterday standing in a swarm of blue and glaring at nothing in particular.
Naruto bit his lip. He still felt bad about yesterday, about spouting on about Hidden Leaf when Sasuke had so much to deal with. As weird as it sounded, although he had been the one who'd been assaulted, he felt the need to apologize to Sasuke.
He continued to stare at him from across the onslaught of people when he was poked again by Shino and saw they were starting to move. He took a breath and followed the silent man into the room marked, 'Session' and tried not to look around for Sasuke.
The room was full of tables and he sat down in the last seat at the second table on the right hand side, and Shino took the one next to his. He was about to put his head down and rest when he felt a prickle at the base of his neck and turned to see Sasuke sitting right behind him and he was staring. Naruto wanted to blush but fought the urge. Frankly he didn't know which was better, blushing like a school girl or gaping like an idiot. Right now he guessed he was an idiot.
"Naruto!" his name caught him by surprise and he turned back to the front of the room where the attendant and now everybody in the room was looking at him expectantly. "Why don't you tell us a little bit about why we are here," he said.
Naruto shifted uncomfortably and looked down. "I don't want to talk about it," he said.
The attendant whose name he saw at the front of the desk, Ebisu. "You don't want to talk about what brought you here? You realize that if you find out what brought you here, you could figure out how to get out," he pointed out to him. "You sure you don't want to say anything?" he asked again.
Naruto shook his head.
Ebisu sighed. "Alright Shino, how about you?" he asked in a tone that suggested he knew he wasn't going to get an answer.
Shino didn't disappoint, he was silent; so silent that Naruto started to hear crickets. Ebisu sighed again. "Alright then, Sasuke," he called on and Naruto tensed. He could still feel the prickle on the back of his neck. "Last session you talked about there being only one purpose. Do you feel like elaborating on that yet?" he asked him.
Naruto didn't look although Shino turned around to look at Sasuke curiously. Or he guessed he was curious he couldn't really tell with the glasses and expressionless face. Naruto was growing dizzy with the long string of silence that followed and he realized it was because he wasn't breathing. He'd forgotten how. He took in a large gulp of air at the knowledge and his senses cleared up.
As soon as he started breathing again, Sasuke started speaking. "Just what it means," the raven said in that signature purr. Naruto swore he could make The Gettysburg Address sound sexy with that voice. "I have only one purpose in this life and that is to get even with the man who killed my entire family," he said.
Naruto gasped quietly when he heard this. It made him feel somehow worse. You'd like one person would go through all that and it would be enough, but no, Sasuke got put in here where he's some perverts play thing and where a staff things of him no less than a dog. Suddenly Naruto was feeling very spoiled, like he'd taken granted of everything he had in his life while ignorant of troubles elsewhere.
"You want to get even?" Ebisu repeated. "Sasuke you realize to get even would be to kill his entire family don't you?" he said.
"Yes," Sasuke said. "And they are all dead now," he said and it was his tone of voice that Naruto did not understand. It was wistful, almost a forlorn sigh. "Well," he said and Naruto noticed the change in his voice. It was smug and mocking. "Almost all of them," he said.
Naruto looked back at last, and was disturbed by the look on Sasuke's face. He seemed so proud and yet he could also see pain and sadness in his eyes. He wondered what that was all about. He mentally shuddered as he recalled his words. Did that mean he killed that person's family? And if he did was he proud of it? Naruto didn't understand. He supposed the raven did have a strong physique, especially for someone his age so he could've carried out something like that. When he caught himself checking the other out he turned back in his seat facing forward.
"Uh huh," Ebisu said slowly. "Suigetsu," he called on a white haired boy sitting next to Sasuke, also in blue. "What is your take on getting even?" he asked him.
Suigetsu grinned and Naruto was freaked by his sharp teeth. 'Grandma what big teeth you have,' were his thoughts. He caught Sasuke's eye and quickly looked away.
"I think we need to stop raging wars against our fellow man and start spreading the love," Suigetsu said in a mellowed out voice, rolling his tongue along the word 'love'. Not a minute later were he and the rest of the blue suits laughing at the lunacy of the statement. Even Sasuke was smirking and issuing a dignified snort of agreement. Naruto got mad at this. They'd taken human lives. You'd think they'd be somewhat remorseful. Suigetsu caught his breath and leaned so far back in his seat he was in danger of falling over. He put his shoes up on the desk and crossed them at the ankles. "Look here Ebisu. When people get you, don't you have the urge to serve them up a frozen dish of revenge? You may not act on it but that's just because you're a pussy. The point is you feel it. It's human nature to want to hurt others when they've harmed you. I say listen to your instincts," he said fist bumping a tall man with orange spiked up hair.
Naruto scrunched up his nose in disgust at them.
Ebisu crossed his arms. "Aren't you in here because of that philosophy?" he asked him. "Don't you think that might indicate that your way of thinking is flawed?" he asked them.
"Don't pretend to know what it is we're thinking based on our beliefs in one aspect," Sasuke's voice said. "And the only thing our wanting to even the score and being placed in here indicates is your own hypocritical opinion," he said.
Ebisu pushed up his glasses and hummed. "And why do you say I'm a hypocrite?" he asked.
"I'm not saying you in particular, I'm saying the system itself is flawed, that human nature is flawed," Sasuke said, his voice taking on a passionate and determined undertone. "Why are we here? Because the system wants justice for those we've harmed and by extension killed. Why did we do the things we did?" he asked him. "Justice," he answered himself. "We wanted justice. We believed in vengeance, in getting even. How is that different from what they want for us?" he asked.
"How could you be proud of that?" Naruto finally asked turning to face him. He just couldn't listen to this anymore. "An eye for an eye leaves everyone blind," he told him. "Clearly the practice of forgiveness was lost on you," he said.
Sasuke glared at him as did the rest of those in Blue. "You don't know what's been done to me," he sneered and Naruto fought not to tremble, determined to stand his ground. "I've bared witness and been the victim of more atrocities than you can ever imagine," he said and only his voice echoed in the silent room.
"And that's horrible," Naruto said. "But sulking about it isn't going to change the fact that it happened. Those people that you hurt, did the one who did all those horrible things to you do that?" he asked him. "No, that was you're doing. It was your choice to hurt them. Don't put that on someone else's conscience and play it off like your own slate is clean," he said and the whole room was quiet. Once he realized he was no longer sitting but standing and that he'd taken a few steps to put him on the other side of Sasuke's table, leaning toward him, he quickly stepped back. He glanced around nervously and took his seat, the legs scraping the linoleum loud in the awkwardly silent room. Even Shino was staring at him with an inquisitive tilt of his head and again he could hear crickets.
Thankfully Ebisu broke the silence. "Well, that's all we have time for today. This session's dismissed," he said.
The blues were the first ones out the door but not before sending murderous glares his way. Two grey haired twins, who were also in blue, smiled eerily his way before trailing after Suigetsu and Sasuke. Naruto breathed and stood with Shino. "Do you think I went too far?" he whispered to him as they headed towards the Mess Hall and not a minute sooner, Naruto's stomach was about to eat itself he was so hungry.
Shino shook his head.
Naruto sighed. "Do you think I'll catch hell for this?" he asked him next.
Shino started to shake his head, but paused, and then nodded.
Naruto groaned. "Well at least you're honest," he muttered. He sighed. "Great, just what I needed. Now I pissed off the entire blue ward," he said.
Sasuke didn't go down to Breakfast. Instead he went to his room. He sat with his arm thrown over the top of one knee and looked out his window to the outside. He looked at the morning blue sky and remembered the blue eyes of the blonde that seemed to hold more depth than even the sky.
Don't misunderstand. He was pissed at the blonde's words.
What did he know? How could he possibly understand all that he'd been through? He preached like he did, but judging on how he viewed Hidden Leaf like a school, the kid was just a stereotypical dumb blonde bimbo.
"Oh Sa~suke!" a simpering voice sang.
'Speaking of dumb blonde bimbos,' Sasuke thought and his reflection's eyes narrowed. He didn't bother looking. He didn't have to to know that it was Ino and Sakura. The two were hyenas in his opinion with their stupid giggles and high pitched squeals.
"Sasuke," Sakura sang next as she slowly unbuttoned the buttons on her inappropriately short nurse dress. "We scheduled you for a sponge bath," she giggled.
Sasuke threw up in his mouth a little. "I just took a shower," he said dully.
"That's okay. They don't even give you a lot of time to wash yourself," Ino interjected, twirling her finger in her blonde hair. "Sponge baths take longer though," she said in a would-be-sultry tone if she wasn't so repulsive. "We'll give you more time. We'll wash you all day if you want," she said.
"I don't need or want one," Sasuke said.
Sakura pouted. "But Sasuke," she said moving up to him, sliding the arms of her dress off her shoulders so that the garment fell to the floor and she stood in her nakedness with only thigh high stockings and her red heels on. She pressed up against Sasuke's shoulder and rubbed her breasts against him. "Wouldn't you rather be in a tiny little tub with me than showering with all those dirty little psychos?" she said in a voice that was sickly sweet.
Sasuke looked at her and grimaced at her state, pushing her away harshly. "I said I don't want one," he repeated and looked away from them.
"Sasuke don't be so shy," Ino's sick voice reached him next. "You just have to do us a favor and we'll be oh so good to you in return," she said pressing her palms to his back and massaging him. He pushed her away as well and her tone dropped its sweetness. "If you aren't so good to us, we'll have to tell Orochimaru you've been such a bad boy and he'll come here himself," she threatened.
"You can be alone with Orochimaru or with us Sasuke. That's the way this works," Sakura said.
Sasuke turned to look at them then. "You both are the same level of disgusting as Orochimaru. I lose either way so what's the point?"
Sakura pouted. "We just want one kiss," she said holding out her hands as if reaching for him. "Just one," she said.
Sasuke looked out the window and saw the blue sky and bright sun and his thoughts wandered back to the blonde. He stood up then. "Who's going to wash me?" he asked them.
The elation on Ino and Sakura's faces disgusted him. "I will!" they volunteered in unison and then glared at each other. "I said that I will Billboard Brow!" Ino shouted, pushing her.
"He doesn't want you Ino Pig!" Sakura yelled back and soon the two were wrestling on the floor. That may have been a hot image for anyone else but Sasuke upturned his nose at them with a disgusted grimace and side stepped them. It always ended this way. The two were easy enough to manipulate.
Sasuke walked easily out of the room and closed the door so that it locked them in and the loud click of the deadbolt finally jostled the two out of their hair pulling enough to realize they were stuck. They both ran to the small window on the door, begging for him to let them out. Sasuke only stared at them calmly, turned his head a little, and cupped his hand over his ear to signify he couldn't hear them.
"We said 'open the door' Sasuke!" they shouted even louder now as they banged on it.
Sasuke turned back to face them. "Sorry, I don't have the key," he mouthed to them. The doors could only be opened from the outside and only staff had keys which meant the key to open the door was currently inside the room they were locked in.
"Sasuke! Let us out!" Ino yelled.
"Sasuke, please!" Sakura yelled with her.
Sasuke sighed. "Alright, you two stay right here-," he mouthed slowly and clearly, both of them shutting up in order to understand what he was saying, "-while I go and get help," he finished saying and turned and left them there. He had no intention of going to find anyone of course. Instead he made his way to B Block and soon he was surrounded by orange newbies who were looking around lost. He rolled his eyes.
He hated newbies.
He grabbed one walking by its collar and brought him up close to his face. "Dumbass with blonde hair, seen him?" he asked. The orange suit coward and shook as he tentatively shook his head 'no'. Sasuke sighed exasperated and literally tossed him aside. "Useless," he muttered.
He didn't know why he was searching for the orange headache but he was feeling in a foul mood and usually terrorizing newbies made him feel somewhat better. As much of a nuisance as the blonde was and as much as the other didn't seem to fear him, the more he wanted to break him. He wanted to see him quiver. He liked when the newbies trembled but the urge to see the blonde do the same was nagging his mind to where he was currently pursuing said blonde. He shoved another orange suit and he too didn't know about the blonde. He was getting frustrated. It wasn't until seven orange suits later that he finally got a room number. He remembered in roll call they had called the blonde Naruto Uzumaki. He found his room number and smirked as he stepped inside but his smirk was soon gone.
He wasn't there.
He growled. Where in the hell was he?
Naruto peeked in and saw Shikamaru buttoning up his green jumper. "Hey," he said going in and leaned against the doorframe. "Where have you been? I didn't see you at line up this morning," he said, standing on his tip toes to seem taller. He had always been a little short for his age. He'd been born premature. It was a nuisance sometimes, when people mistook him for someone still in high school other than someone who, if he'd had the money, should be in college.
Shikamaru looked up at him and his expression was unreadable. "You were looking for me?"
Naruto blushed a little. He bet he sounded weird. This was only his second day and already he proclaimed Shikamaru his friend and practically stalked him. "Not like that," he muttered. He hoped the other didn't think him some kind of psycho...oh wait. "I was just...well yeah," he finally admitted it.
To his surprise Shikamaru didn't leap back holding up crossed fingers screaming 'Get back!' Instead Shikamaru was smiling. It was a small lazy smile before he sat on his bed. "I had morning Maintenance. I just got in," he told him.
"Oh," Naruto said, for some reason surprised at the simple answer. Why hadn't he thought of that?
"Just in time too," Shikamaru said scooting back on the bed so that his back was against the wall and he rested his arms on his spread bent knees. "Dora's almost on," he said grabbing something from the small counter beside him. It was a remote.
Naruto opened his mouth to ask when he heard a noise. He turned on the spot and tucked into a corner was a television. Instantly, his question was gone from his mind. "You have a TV?" he asked in awe as he sat on the bed with him.
Shikamaru smirked and nodded. "Yeah Trustees get stuff like this, y'know for good behavior," he said shrugging as he flipped through the channels and landed on Dora the Explorer.
At this, Naruto had to laugh. "Are you seriously watching Dora the Explorer?" he asked him and questioned his sanity...oh wait.
Shikamaru chuckled. "I know, I know," he said. "But one day someone down in the lower wards flipped out and got free of his cell so we had a lock down for about 14 hours while they cleaned up the mess," he explained. "I got so bored I started flipping through the channels and Dora was on. Keep in mind I had been in this small confined space for about 11 hours before. So I up and said fuck it and started singing along with Dora and it was surprisingly fun," he said shrugging.
Naruto laughed. "Just sing along like a kid?" he asked. Shikamaru didn't seem the type.
Shikamaru smirked and nodded over to the television. "Go ahead, give it a try," he said.
Naruto chuckled and shook his head. "Nope, no way," he said, not realizing he'd gotten a lot closer to Shikamaru as he'd been talking.
"Go ahead," Shika urged again.
Naruto sighed in defeat and Shikamaru turned up the volume. Pretty soon, Naruto and Shikamaru were both singing along with The Map and yelling 'Swiper No Swiping!' and as much as Naruto hated to admit it. It was a lot of fun. It made him feel like a kid again, and the reality of them being in a place like Hidden Leaf was just a forgotten nightmare.
"SWIPER, NO SWIPING! SWIPER, NO SWIPING! SWIPER, NO SWIPING!" Naruto and Shikamaru shouted in unison as the fox appeared on the screen trying to steal a star pocket from Dora and Boots. By then Naruto was lying in between Shikamaru's legs, his back to him and his head on the other's stomach. Shikamaru lazily played with Naruto's blonde hair as they laughed and played along with the television show.
"Y'know I usually love foxes but Swiper is such a pussy. You just have to tell him 'no' and he goes away. He's such a horrible thief," Naruto said shaking his head disappointingly.
"Which may not necessarily be a bad thing," Shikamaru pointed out with a chuckle. "I'd like to see someone say 'no' to an actual thief and see what happens," he said. "And I don't think you'd get it back from them either."
Naruto chuckled. "That poor kid," he said pityingly.
"It's behind you!" they shouted at the TV now. "Behind you!" they repeated when Dora suggested they say it again and louder.
"How can she not see that?" Shikamaru asked now. "There's a talking star above her head I think I'd notice."
"Must be the smog and polluted air," Naruto concluded nodding.
"Yeah, it must be."
"Y'know what I always wondered? Boots is a monkey, a blue monkey at that and they call him 'Boots' just because he wears Boots. I mean don't you think a name for a regular blue monkey would be easy enough to come up with. No reason to throw some boots on the thing."
"Yeah, it's like when people dress their dogs."
"I hate it when they do that!"
"I know right. That ought to count for animal cruelty or something."
"You two are certainly getting cozy," said a voice. Naruto looked up to see Sasuke leaning against the doorframe with a satisfied smirk on his face, and nearly choked on his spit. He stared at him for a while as if trying to figure out if he were really there. It was then that it dawned on him the position he and Shikamaru were in, and he leaped off the bed and in a standing position like he'd been burned. He didn't know why he hadn't realized before. He'd just gotten so comfortable when it was just him and Shikamaru. But with Sasuke in the room, he just got a weird feeling. He was blushing to his shoulders. Sasuke was staring right at him.
Shikamaru got up slowly and calmly. "Uchiha," he acknowledged. "A little lost aren't we?" he asked lazily.
Sasuke looked to him. "No I'm pretty much right where I intended to be," he said and turned his attention back to Naruto. "I was looking for this one," he said and walked up to the blonde and snorted when he was standing in front of him. "Didn't realize you were such a short guy," he said. "You were walking mighty tall earlier this morning," he said.
Naruto looked away from him, not saying anything when the other hovered a hand over them both to illustrate the difference in their heights.
Sasuke narrowed his eyebrows. "Not talking huh? Well don't be getting shy on me now. After all you're just overflowing with opinions isn't that right?" he asked him. The blonde was still looking away from him, but he wasn't trembling, or quivering, and that's what he wanted. But no, Naruto was flat out ignoring him, and he couldn't have that. "You had something to say didn't you?" he demanded grabbing his collar. "Well I'm here now so why don't you just come out and say it!" he demanded.
Naruto snapped out of it and glared. He shoved him away and took a step towards Shika.
Shikamaru was quick to stand in front of him, facing Sasuke. "Listen Uchiha, I know your missing your daily ego boost, but don't make your inferiority complex our problem," he said calmly and took Naruto's hand. "Naruto, I think I'll go outside to get away from this hot air, want to come with me?" he asked him but was looking at Sasuke as he said so.
Naruto blushed and nodded mutely, following as Shikamaru towed him from the room and away from Sasuke. "Thank you," he muttered to him as they left down the hallway and headed down the stairs to the activities room. It was leisure time so they were free to do as they pleased as long as they stayed on grounds and didn't cause fights. He watched Shikamaru's shoulders shrug as if to say it was nothing, when it wasn't. "We didn't get to see whether or not Dora got to their destination," he said now.
Shikamaru chuckled. "Don't they always?" he pointed out.
Naruto smiled. "Yeah, you're right," he said. He looked down at their hands. "Uh Shika," he said.
Shikamaru turned to look at him and followed his eyes to their conjoined hands. "Oh sorry," he said letting him go. There was an awkward silence then. "So what was that all about?"
Naruto sighed. "In group therapy today I may have said some stuff and I guess he took it bad," he muttered with another blush. He clutched his collar where Sasuke's hand had previously been. "I didn't even think I said anything bad. All I said that he shouldn't hold in all that anger and blame it on the other person for his own mistakes," he confided.
Shikamaru shrugged. "Uchiha's always been strange. Ever since he got here, he's never really said anything about what he did exactly. But hey if it landed him here," he pointed out.
Naruto nodded. "Yeah…I guess so," he mumbled. "I feel like I should apologize though," he admitted. "Is that strange?"
"Yes."
"Shika!" Naruto scolded and laughed.
Shikamaru smiled. "I'm just saying. You placed all that blame on yourself. You're doing opposite what the Uchiha is, but in an unhealthy way. It wasn't your fault he took that to heart," he said.
"But are you sure I shouldn't clarify things? I mean I don't want him to…well think that I was forcing my own beliefs on him. It wasn't like that at all. I was just…voicing my opinion."
"Which you are in your right to do," Shikamaru soothed. "Don't worry about it Naruto. Uchiha's problems are his own. Let him deal with them," he said.
Naruto nodded. "Yeah, you're right," he said.
A crash got their attention and they both ran toward the sound. There was a crowd gathered around the library and Naruto and Shikamaru pushed their way through. Naruto gasped as he saw Shino down on the ground, trying to get up but one of the blue suit twins from session had their foot on his back. "Those are the twins from before," he whispered to Shikamaru.
Shikamaru nodded. "Ukon and Sakon," he told them.
"Look at that, Sakon," Ukon cooed as he looked down at Shino. "Looks like I have an insect at the bottom of my shoe," he said.
Sakon cackled and looked down at Shino. "You're right brother. That's disgusting. We should scrape that shit off," he said.
Ukon nodded. "When you're right, you're right," he said and with his leg kicked Shino up and then shoved him hard against the wall and held his foot there. "It didn't work, the little bugger is still there," he laughed.
Naruto narrowed his eyes. What in the hell was their problem?
Sakon stood in front of Shino and was holding something. "Look at what that freak was carrying around," he said and held up a small cricket. He laughed as he dropped it on the ground and then stepped on it, a sickening squelch sounding from the bottom of his shoe. With a smile he ground down, making sure to splatter it. He skidded his shoe across the linoleum then with a chuckle.
"Aww, are you gonna cry you loser?" Ukon cooed to Shino. "You're such a pathetic waste. You and your damn bugs infesting this place so that every time you bring them in, we have to fumigate the damn wards. You trying to kill us all you sonavabitch?" he demanded, shoving Shino further into the wall. "I for one think it would do the world a favor if we just killed the king bug," he said poking Shino on the nose.
"I don't think he likes that brother," Sakon jeered.
Shino's expression was stoic, but Naruto knew he had to be upset. He stepped forward then. "Hey, why don't you leave him the fuck alone and pick on someone your own size!" he said, drawing their attention.
Sakon walked up to him and Naruto didn't flinch as the grey haired man stopped to look him up and down and snorted. "Looks like that can't be you huh Shortie?" he said and laughed. "It's adorable really, this attempt," he said slapping Naruto's cheek lightly and ruffling his hair. "It's like a little kitten trying to roar," he said causing the other blue suits to laugh and Naruto knocked his hand away.
Ukon didn't let go of Shino as he appraised Naruto. "Ah, it's the new kid. I remember you," he sang as if they were old friends. "Remember Sakon. He was the one getting all high and mighty in group session today."
"Oh yeah," Sakon sang. "Well aren't you just the busy bee. Gonna save he rain forest next blondie?" he asked and shoved him.
Naruto nearly fell over but felt Shikamaru catch him under the arms.
"AARGH! SAKON!" Ukon suddenly screamed and everyone looked over to see a horde of bugs crawling from under Shino's jumper and onto the other grey haired twin. "WHAT IS THIS? GET THEM OFF OF ME!" he screamed as he fell to the floor and rolled around, trying to get them off.
"Ukon!" Sakon called, diving to help his brother but got tangled up in the attack. Soon both twins were thrashing.
"No, Shino!" Shizune's voice suddenly cut through as she parted the crowd. "How many times have I told you not to bring any more insects into the building," she said miserably as she looked at the mess. "Alright everyone either upstairs or outside while we clean up the mess!" she called.
Naruto was still gaping at Shino who he saw now knelt on the floor. He wondered if he was hurt. He went up to him. "Hey Shino, here, let's go outside okay," he said.
Shino looked up to him and nodded, following him and Shikamaru outside, along with a few other people.
The outside was a nice place. Weights, a net for tennis or volleyball, and some other equipment was set up but mostly people just milled around or played basketball. Naruto took a moment to breathe in the fresh cool air of the morning before turning to Shino. "You okay? Did you get hurt?" he asked him.
"I could take a look if you want," Shikamaru offered.
Shino shook his head to both of them and looked at Naruto and pointed to him. Naruto tilted his head. "Me? Oh I'm fine Shino. Don't worry about it," he said smiling. It was nice that Shino was worried about him.
"Hey!" a boisterous voice called to them and Naruto saw Kiba bounding happily over. "Hey you guys," he greeted. "That was some show," he said. "That was so nasty though. You just keep them shits in your jumper Shino? I mean what the hell is that all about? That's disgusting," he told him.
"Kiba that's not nice," Naruto said and turned to see if Shino was hurt by this but he was busy investigating something in his hands. He looked and saw it was the dead cricket Sakon had stepped on. He realized that's what Shino was knelt down to get before.
"Ew! You freak, you saved that!" Kiba blanched loudly.
"Kiba!" Naruto scolded again. He looked at Shino sadly and knelt down beside him.
Shino laid the bug on the ground and brought out a tissue to drape over it and bowed his head in respect as if for a fallen comrade.
Naruto patted him on the back. "Was it a pet?" he asked him. Shino nodded and Naruto felt sad and touched at the same time.
"Want us to say a few words for you?" Shikamaru asked him. At this, Shino looked up at him and nodded with a small upturn of his lips like he would smile.
Shikamaru smiled and turned to the small tissue cloaked cricket. "We're gathered here today to honor the passing of one of God's creations. A noble cricket that never left Shino's side until the day of his untimely passing," he said. Shino brought out another tissue and dabbed the sides of his eyes, under his glasses and Naruto bowed his head in silence as Shikamaru continued. "He didn't deserve to go out like that," Shikamaru said. "He was taken from Shino without reason other than the feeble excuse of Sakon's wrath. The other didn't even get a chance to get to know him. He didn't bother to learn that he was quite the chatter box," he said and Shino smiled fondly. "That he was energetic and spoke up for his friend Shino when the other fell silent-"
"Oh so that's what that sound was," Naruto said aloud in realization. "Sorry," he said with a nervous chuckle and bowed his head again.
Rolling his eyes, Shikamaru continued. "But we will make sure that this noble cricket is not forgotten, that people will know of him for who he really was so that his death would not have been in vein. He will be sorely missed. Let him now rest in peace," he finished.
Shino took a twig and dug into the ground a short way, taking the small lump in the tissue and laying it in the dirt and burying him. Naruto patted his back sympathetically.
"Wow," Kiba said staring at them. "You three are psychos," he said.
Shikamaru snorted, looking up at him. "Well isn't that the proverbial pot calling the kettle black," he said.
Kiba rolled his eyes. "Whatever, it's time for me to feed Akamaru so if you weirdo's would excuse me," he said turning and walking away.
Naruto stared after him and looked to Shino. "Don't worry Shino. He's in a better place now," he said. He got up and walked after Kiba seeing the other walk up to the fence that enclosed them and a large dog bounded to the other side. He smiled and knelt down beside him. "So many people here have pets," he said as Kiba petted Akamaru through the small holes in the fence.
Kiba nodded and beamed. "Yep, I met Akamaru a couple days after I first came here. It's good for you to have someone whose there for you," he said and dug into his shirt to pull out a sandwich he seemed to have saved from breakfast and fed it to Akamaru. "There you go, eat up boy," he said to him as the huge dog chowed down. "He was just a puppy then. He always comes by to see me," he said proudly. "I'm a parole candidate so when I get out, I'm going to get a place just for Akamaru and I. Then we'll both have a home to go to," he said.
Naruto nodded. "Imagine if you lost Akamaru," he said now. "How hurt would you be?"
Kiba shifted uncomfortably. "Pretty hurt," he said. "I don't really wanna think about it," he said as he petted the happily panting Akamaru. "I would be crushed if I lost him," he said. "We've been through everything together."
Naruto smiled. "So imagine how Shino must feel. That cricket was his pet just as Akamaru is yours. He's just like him, if only much smaller and pocket sized," he told him.
Kiba looked at him then and groaned. "You are such a goody two shoes," he whined.
Naruto chuckled. "Go on," he encouraged.
Kiba groaned again as he stood up and went over to Shino. He sighed. "Hey Shino…I'm sorry about your damn bug," he said.
Naruto and Shikamaru face-palmed.
'What?' Kiba mouthed back and looked at Shino who seemed to be glaring at him. He sighed and knelt down. "Sorry," he said again. "So…what was his name?" he asked.
Shino's expression relaxed and he poked Kiba once. "Ow, no need to poke me Shino," Kiba said rubbing his arm. Shino shook his head and poked him again. Kiba tilted his head. "What is it?" he asked him.
"I think I get it," Shikamaru said. "I think the cricket's name was Kiba," he said.
Naruto smiled. "Aww you named it after Kiba?" he asked.
Shino nodded his confirmation and poked Kiba again.
Kiba gawked. "What? Why did you do that?" he asked looking utterly lost.
Shino got up and went over to Sai for a few minutes on the other side of the court and came back with a paper and pen. He began to write something down and handed it to Shikamaru to read for him.
Upon seeing the letters on the paper however Shikamaru started laughing.
Kiba got up. "What? What is it?" he asked.
Shikamaru chuckled. "He said it's because he was always talking and wouldn't shut up," he said.
Naruto laughed loudly and Shikamaru joined in. Shino only nodded and Kiba fumed, grinding his teeth together. "Yeah well…y-you're a weirdo an-and no one likes you!" he said childishly and stomped away back to Akamaru.
Naruto wiped at his eyes and jogged over to him. "Oh calm down Kiba. You should be flattered," he said and chuckled again. "Now come on, let's go play a game of b-ball and you can get it all out of your system," he said. Things were still strange and he knew that being there was still a bad thing, but he felt he could live with it. He would be okay as long as he had friends. Who knew, maybe it would be better from now on.
'He left! He just up and fucking left! After I searched all over for that asshole to give him a piece of my mind he acts like I don't matter and just leaves with that loser Shikamaru!' Sasuke's thoughts ranted angrily as he stomped back to his room. 'I can't have him showing me up. I can't let him get away with looking down on me! What right does he have? I see that look in his eyes! Judging me with those damn eyes! What the hell is his problem? He goes out of his way to stand up to me and next minute he won't even speak to me!' he continued to mentally shout. He growled. What was worse, the lower wards were blocked off thanks to that freak Shino's bugs and now he couldn't follow after him to demand he obey him. He could only go to his room. He didn't care. He'd deal with Sakura and Ino. It was better than dealing with that irritating blonde dumbass!
He turned the corner and froze in front of his door. It was opened.
He slid it open the rest of the way and gasped quietly. He narrowed his eyes. "Orochimaru," he said the name with venom as the pale male casually leaned against the wall of his room, looking down on a bowing Ino and Sakura.
Orochimaru looked up at him and smiled pleasantly. "Hello Sasuke. Did you miss me?" he asked him and licked his lips with that extra-long tongue of his. Sasuke only glared at him. Orochimaru didn't seem to care as he looked down at Sakura and Ino. "Imagine my surprise when I came here to celebrate my return with you Sasuke and I found these two pathetic tramps instead," he said. "Naked and fighting over you," he hissed.
Sakura and Ino trembled. "We're so sorry Orochimaru," Sakura said. "It won't happen again."
"We don't know what got into us," Ino sniveled. "Please give us another chance Orochimaru," she pleaded.
Orochimaru hummed. "Very well then," he sighed. "Quality workers are so hard to find nowadays. You two are living proof of that," he said elegantly. "Leave us," he commanded them. Shuffling awkwardly, Ino and Sakura quickly got to their feet. They were dressed now as they bustled out of the room without a backward glance. Orochimaru smiled. "Come in Sasuke," he said.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes and stepped inside, closing the door behind them. "I don't have time for this Orochimaru. You had better have good news," he said.
Orochimaru chuckled. "You seem to forget who's in charge here, Sasuke," he said taking a step forward. "You're in my facility now and it's you who needs my help. Don't forget that," he told him.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "I need you? I was doing fine by myself," he said.
Orochimaru chuckled. "Oh yes I saw, you were doing just splendid," he said sarcastically. "Bleeding, weak, with your head filled with so much false information about your brother you didn't know where to go. I remember it well," he said.
"Have you found anything or not?" Sasuke spat.
Orochimaru chuckled. "You need to learn some patience Sasuke, but yes I have found something," he said.
Sasuke turned to him and listened.
(a/n: Here you have it! Dun dun dunnnn! *dramatic background music*. So what is this here? An alliance of some sort? Will the road be as smooth as Naruto wants….naaah I think you guys know that it isn't ^_^ much love to you. Please review and stay tuned for Chapter 3: Corruption and Red Suit Madness. See you soon! :/)
