No ownage now, nor never. Numb, by Linkin Park is also not mine.
A few minutes later, a couple of security guards found the guys. One had a toothpick stuck between his teeth, while the other looked like he was too sick to be standing up. The Fights all obediently stood and followed the guards to the back entrance, up to backstage. They were still unnoticed by all the audience.
"Your equipment is set up on stage," said Genma, pursing his lips around the toothpick.
"Thanks," Naruto said, grinning at him. The man nodded, then disappeared with the others.
The guys slouched, waiting for Tsunade to call their name and announce their presence. Shikamaru leaned against the wall, eyes closed. Naruto was unable to stand still, and pacing back and forth. Sasuke stood slightly to the left, hands in his pockets. Neji just stood there.
Stupid cool and aloof boys.
Suddenly, a voice squealed from across the busy stage. The guys squinted through all the bustling security guards and speakers and stuff to see a woman with short black hair standing in front of The Dreamers, holding a little pig close to her chest.
"A fantastic job, once again!" the woman squealed.
"Thank you, Shizune," Hinata said, blushing slightly.
"That last song, I've never heard it before," Shizune said, thoughtfully. "Who were the old friends, may I ask?"
The girls exchanged glances. Temari shrugged.
"Just some old elementary school day friends," she said, smiling up at the woman, who nodded and beamed.
"Nice job, girls," said a lazy voice.
The girls looked up to see their manager slouching in front of them, smirking behind the book he always held so close to his face. His wild gray hair stuck up at an odd angle, his lone gray eye sparkled with pride.
"Thanks, Kakashi!" Sakura said, bouncing up and down on her heels, beaming.
"How are you, Kakashi?" Shizune asked, smiling at the man, who nodded.
"I've been fine." The manager turned back to his group. "Well, you're off for the rest of the weekend. So, behave yourselves, got it?"
"No," Tenten said, sarcastically. "We're gonna be bad girls and go drinking and clubbing and smoke some illegal substances."
Kakashi and Shizune stared at her.
"I'm kidding!" Tenten shouted, flailing. "Sheesh, adults." She rolled her eyes and Hinata giggled.
"You guys wanna stick around and see the big surprise that Tsunade hasn't shut up about?" Temari asked.
"Sure, why not?" replied Sakura, while Tenten and Hinata nodded in agreement.
The group disappeared into the crowd, making their way out past the dance floor and over to the bar. Shikamaru and Neji exchanged apprehensive looks, while Naruto followed The Dreamers with his cerulean eyes. Sasuke brooded, staring at the floor.
"And now for the big surprise!" Tsunade shouted, out on the stage once more. "I am proud to present...THE FIGHTERS!"
Gasps, cheers, and screams bounced off the walls. One girl (notHinata!) actually fainted.
"Let's go, guys," Shikamaru said.
The boys raced onto the stage, and each one automatically took their place behind their equipment.
"Oh."
"My."
"Freaking."
"GOD!"
The girls were staring in disbelief at the boys on stage. Each had frozen, Coke in hand. Hinata's hand was shaking terribly, as if she were about to drop it. Temari's hands were clenching, slowly, into fists. Tenten was a statue. Sakura had almost fallen over.
Sasuke... she thought, looking up to the stage. And there, there he was, in all his glorious beauty.
The raven-haired boy was standing with an electric slung over his shoulder, onyx eyes flashing in the lights. His eyes were flickering about, as if he were looking for something.
Probably his girlfriend, Sakura thought, bitterly. One the paparazzi hasn't invented out of nothing.
"Hey, how 'bout we give The Dreamers another round of applause?" Sasuke asked the audience. His eyes had stopped on Sakura's bright pink hair, and then looked over the rest of them.
Sakura cursed her bright pink hair. She had missed him, VERY much...but she didn't want to really talk to him. Not after the way he had left her.
Applause echoed around the club as faces turned and look at the girls, who were still dumbstruck.
"Okay, we're gonna start off with a favorite," Sasuke said into the mike. He glanced over his shoulder and nodded to Naruto.
The blonde-haired boy lifted his arms and marked the beat, then crashed around him, grinning wildly. Sasuke leaned in and started the song, strumming his guitar in tune with Neji. Shikamaru started on the keyboard, lazy face focused. For once.
"I'm tired of being what you want me to be, feeling so faithless, lost under the surface. Don't know what you're expecting of me, put under pressure of walking in your shoes. Caught in the undertow, every step that I take is another mistake to you. Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow…"
The other three joined in for the chorus, all increasing in volume.
"I've become so numb," they yelled into their mikes, harmonizing flawlessly. "Become so tired, so much more aware. I'm becoming this all I want to do is be more like me, and be less like you."
Sasuke fell away from the mike, and Neji stepped up. The boy with long brown hair narrowed his pale eyes in concentration, as he pressed his lips against the mike.
"Can't you see that you're smothering me, holding too tightly, afraid too lose control. Cause everything that you thought I would be has fallen apart, right in front of you. Caught in the undertow, every step that I take is another mistake to you. Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow—and every second I waste is more than I can take."
The rest joined in, Naruto banging along even louder than before. Shikamaru's fingers flew over the keys like the pro he was.
"I've become so numb, I can't feel you there, become so tired, so much more aware. I'm becoming this, all I want to do is be more like me and be less like you."
And, shockingly, Neji and Sasuke fell back, and it was Shikamaru's voice that rang out.
"And I know I may end up failing, too. But I know you were just like with someone disappointed in you."
There was a pause, and then Naruto sent a crash of drums racing through the club. Girls leaped into the air, screaming, and guys bobbed their heads along with the music.
"I've become so numb, I can't feel you there, become so tired, so much more aware. I'm becoming this, all I want to do is be more like me and be less like you. I've become no numb, I can't feel you there. I'm tired of being what you want me to be. I've become so numb, I can't feel you there. I'm tired of being what you want me to be…"
"I never realized..." Temari said, quietly. "How much I missed them—him."
The others could only nod.
At one a.m., the club closed, and Kakashi ordered his girls to go home. They smiled at his protectiveness, knowing that he always wanted the best for them. But, the summer night was warm, and they still felt the energy of the music coursing through their blood. But the only thing on all of their minds was the boys.
"Forget Kakashi," Sakura said, suddenly leaping ahead of the group. "Let's go to the park or something!"
"And do what? Swing?" drawled Temari.
"Yeah!" Sakura cried, taking off towards the park. "Like old times! Seeing the guys again has got me walking down Memory Lane!"
"I hate it when she gets like this," Tenten muttered, darkly. Hinata giggled as they followed their pink-haired friend. "She's so—,"
"Annoying?" offered a voice.
Simultaneously, each girl turned around, coming face-to-face with the subject of their night. There was a swell of silence as they guys grinned (brightly, lazily, smirkingly) and the girls simply stared at them.
Then, Temari got red faced. Tenten puffed up. Hinata's eyes narrowed. Sakura sucked her cheeks in, puckering her lips into an angry grimace
Well, damn.