This chapter's a bit angsty, dealing with the way people, especially children who are forced to grow up too fast, deal with social anxiety. Also…friendship moments~
Also, thank you so much for loving this story even though it sometimes takes me AGES to update.
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Chapter Seven
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"My dad insists on supervising this weekend," Shikamaru leads with when taking a seat next to him in class. "Something about not trusting a group of budding shinobi to be left alone with paint."
"I blame Naruto's pranks for that," Kiba pipes up in the row in front. Straddling his chair to face the group. At the other end of the room a spot of orange pops up. "Yeah, I'm talking about you!"
"Asshole!"
"Dickwad!"
"When exactly," Sasuke drawls, thumb running over his sharpened pencil, "did I invite you?"
Kiba turns back to Sasuke, giving a one-sided shrug, "Dunno. Never?"
Sasuke had to wonder what state of mind he was when deciding to befriend this idiot.
"The nerve you – "
Snorting, Shikamaru plucks the pencil from his grip and scribbles Sasuke's address on the corner of a page in his notebook. Ripping it off, he leans over. handing it to Kiba in a yawn.
"We're meeting here at ten tomorrow. Bring snacks."
"Awesome!"
Besides Shikamaru, Chōji perks. "Oooh. Your mum's chocolate energy muffins."
A light inside Kiba seems to switch on. "Dude. Yes." Akamaru barks agreement.
Sasuke looks back and forth between them. Growing increasingly concerned for himself.
"Don't worry," Shikamaru rests his head in his arms, half-lidded eyes peering at him. "He'll behave."
"…Your dad," Sasuke begins with Genos's piquing. "He's coming?"
A beat. "Yes." Arching an eyebrow his friend asks, "That a problem?"
[Nara Shikaku's threat level is Demon. A powerful ally to have against your enemy]
Interesting.
"No," Sasuke plays off his increasing curiosity of Naras and their deceitful nature.
"My father also requests his presence," Shino parts his way through classmates, coming to sit besides Kiba. "Why? Because he feels like getting out of the house."
"That's a weird reason for an adult," Chōji cocks his head, offering his chip packet to Shino.
"Many thanks," Shino accepts, Genos's readings displaying his pleasure at Chōji's kindness. "And you'll come to realise this weekend that my father is exactly that. A weirdo. Apologies in advance. I can reassure you now, I take after my mother."
"Bro," Kiba grips Shino's shoulder in companionship, "lemme tell you a thing or two about my mum."
Sasuke turns to stare out the classroom window. Blocking out the group's arguments over whose parent was weirder.
Loss twisted his insides. Discomfort growing.
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Shino comes early, his father excitedly barging in before Sasuke could even properly open the door.
"Oh yes, very depressing place you've got," the man states happily. Standing with his hands cupped behind his back and nodding at everything – implying nothing since Sasuke didn't really have…things. Only the bare necessities. "I see you've burned your way through my light bulbs," Aburame strolls over to his trash can, toeing the bin. "You know you really should recycle. My Clan and I, along with Inuzukas, would appreciate it immensely."
[Aburame and Inuzukas are known activist Clans when it comes to conservation of wildlife.] Genos informs helpfully.
Sort of makes sense, Sasuke admits.
"I'll get right on that," he responds. Slamming the door shut after Shino. His friend sighs audibly, refusing to meet his vehement look.
"Apologies, Uchiha-kun. My father insisted on coming early to discuss progress with your kekkei genkai. Why? It has been two weeks, data is necessary for improvement."
"Just so!" Aburame swirls around, feet ripping the newpaper Genos had painstakingly taped to the floor to keep out paint stains.
Sasuke winces at Genos's irritated whirring.
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The next couple of minutes were spent with Genos in control, discussing their progress with stabilising the electrical current flowing throughout his chakra coils.
By Genos's data, stability was at 21.48%.
"Remarkable improvement from last time we met," Amburame says. Shifting giddily on the sofa Sasuke adamantly refuses to use. "Here," he thrusts a lightbulb to Sasuke. "Show me." Besides him on the floor, Shino holds back a groan.
"Father, remember what Mother says. Politeness is a requirement for social conventions. Why? You come off as a jerk."
"What do you know," Aburame tilts his head back, "I conveniently forgot."
"Lazy old man," Shino mutters under his breath. Sasuke side-eyes him, wondering where the stigma about Aburame's lacking sass came from.
[Aburame's father]
How do you even know that?
[Gossipy old people in the building]
Genos really needed to stop using his body to invade others privacy like that. It leaves Sasuke feeling like a pervert.
Shaking off his thoughts, Sasuke takes the lightbulb and begins to generate chakra into his palm. Bit by bit, it flickers to life. For a few steadying moments it glows before bursting in a show of sparks.
Through his sleeve, Aburame produces a notebook and pen. Scribbling down numbers, the man begins to mumble praises under his breath.
Sasuke turns to Shino, who still refuses to meet his eyes "Your father keeps a notebook on me?" He says, wonderingly.
"Father likes to record things he finds interesting," Shino says guiltily. "Why? He's a - "
"Weirdo." Sasuke hisses, accusing.
"I was going to say obsessive," Shino shakes his head in a wishy washy way, considering, "but you're not wrong."
"Hn."
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When Ino shows up, Shino is helping Sasuke tape down more newpaper to cover over the tear his father made. Leaving Aburame to open the door.
The moment he does, Genos picks up a sudden increase of awkwardness in the man.
At Sasuke's askance look to Shino, his friend gives a minuscule half-shrug.
"More people induces less motion. Why? My father is socially stunted."
Should you really be saying that, Shino? Should you?
"Not that I'm one to talk." His friend hangs his head.
Sasuke nods dearly and cringes when Ino swoops in like a storm. Small, delicate palm shoving the door open to it's entirety. Causing it to rebound off the wall and slam in her father's open-mouthed face. Aburame makes an alarmed choking sound only he could hear.
Heading straight for Sasuke, Ino selectively ignores the disturbance of peace behind her with a smile.
She doesn't hug him, thankfully.
"Sasuke-kun! Need help?"
"Just finished," he grunts. Standing up with Shino, he introduces them both with a sway of the hand.
"…I am not good with non-verbal communication." Shino admits, and Sasuke hates that. He loves non-verbal communication.
Ino, being the social tornado than she was, helps them out and takes reign of conversation. It was going well.
And then it wasn't.
Somewhere along the way, by absently noticing Yamanaka and Aburame converse in his kitchen over pink cupcakes Ino brought. Shikamaru arriving along with Chōji and his father. Leading to more people, more invasion of his and Genos's home.
Suddenly, the sound of Kiba's abrupt laughter and voices in the kitchen grew louder. Smell of sausages Chōji brought splayed out in front of him resembled vomit. Sasuke watched his friends bite into the meat, teeth tearing cooked flesh and juices spilling.
He began to feel like an internal string was being pulled. For a moment, Sasuke was overwhelmed by the sheer reality of what was happening. He felt himself start to tremble uncontrollably. Humiliation piling at the bottom of his stomach at how weak he was.
Genos, can we go? Please? Can you…
He stopped. Not wanting to ask Genos to take over and hide again. He wanted to stay here and be normal.
[Asset-san, excuse yourself to the bathroom.]
Not even asking, he a mutters a quick apology and hurries into the short hallway. Trying not to stumble over tingly legs.
"Sasuke-kun, everything alright?" Yamanaka calls from the kitchen, obviously noticing his sudden distress.
"Hn."
In the hallway, Sasuke ducks into the bathroom and shuts the door. Curling up on the floor underneath the basin with his head between his knees. Trying to catch breath.
[This was expected, Asset-san.] Genos reassures. Electrical hum circulating his nerves like a hug.
"Why?" he whispers, emotionally exhausted and numb.
[For this past year, you have not had as much social interaction than just now. Especially at home. A place you have subconsciously labelled a safe space. People have now entered it, it made you uncomfortable. Getting used to something new with anxiety and PTSD is tougher than people can imagine. You are young to have to deal with this, Asset-san. For you it is uniquely worse.]
The words flew over him.
[You'll be okay, Asset-san.]
For some reason, Sasuke surrendered to that. Tightened chest exploding in a dry sob.
"I wish it didn't happen Genos," he whispers. "If Itachi just got help, I'd be okay. If Itachi didn't – I wouldn't be so messed up. I don't want to be messed up. I want to be okay." He felt ten times his age. A veteran after the war. "Why can't I be okay?"
Genos hums gently, warming him in against the cool tiles.
"I miss mum and dad. I miss grandma and gramps boring stories and annoying festivals. I even…" Sasuke felt sick with his next words, "I miss Itachi. Why do I miss him?"
[Because he was your brother. Despite everything you both did have some good times and you can miss that. Don't hate yourself for it, Asset-san. You deserve better than allowing Itachi that gratification. What happened is over and moving on is painful but you'll heal]
"I'll get better. I won't be half a person anymore."
Genos stutters, as though hesitant. [You'll never properly heal. A broken bone is still tender after it's fixed. The trauma will always be there, but it doesn't have to be the most dominant part of you.]
The reasoning was a bit out of reach for Sasuke, but he understood the implication. Calmer, Sasuke stands and washes his face with cool water. Staring at his reflection. The burning yellow around his eyes comforted him, as though he were staring back at Genos.
[Yamanaka-sama is outside the door waiting for you]
"He's not even my therapist right now," he sighs. Too tired to care. Opening the door, he stares up at the young man. He looked serious.
"Better?"
Sasuke gives a lame shrug. Feeling heavy.
Yamanaka kneels to his height, looking as though he sorely wanted to hug him. Sasuke didn't appreciate the pity.
"You can talk to me anytime. Nothing you can say or do will make me judge you." There was a pause, "Do you want us to leave?"
"No!" Sasuke hisses, shaking his head. "I can do it. I'm better. I just…needed a moment."
Not looking entirely convinced, Yamanaka sighs. "Anytime you need another moment, tell me. I'll always be here to help. You're still a kid, you don't need to work through this alone." He cocks his head towards loud voices in the living room. A small smile tugging his lips. "I'm sure your friends would agree."
Sasuke grunts, unease swirling his gut as he's guided back to his friends. Everybody looks as though Sasuke had never left for over five minutes and helps open tins of green paint. Handing out brushes, Kiba's terrifying mother reminds him to not hit anybody with it.
"Not like I was gonna," he mutters sullenly to Sasuke before dunking the large brush in paint and whacking it against the nearest wall.
Sasuke wonders again how he befriended this peculiar person.
He flinches when Shikamaru elbows him a look.
"You good?"
Something inside tightens, not uncomfortably. It was odd. "Yeah," he admits. Shikamaru squints, as though trying to catch something on his face before humming.
"Tch. I was worried."
Sasuke blinks. Bewildered at how somebody non-related to him can - before shaking off the disturbing stirrings of something. Shikamaru disappears to the opposite wall, grumbling as he's handed a cupcake by Ino. She turns to him, handing him one.
"You haven't eaten anything all day."
"…Thanks. I guess."
"Hmph!"
It takes twenty minutes of messy work to finish one half of a wall, ending up to get help from the adults for the top.
Little by little, Sasuke starts to feel better. Livelier.
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He's helping Shino with the corner wall when Genos starts beeping madly.
"Uchiha-kun?" Shino's insects notices the change in chakra temperament immediately. Dark glasses scanning the room, following Sasuke's juddering eyes. In the kitchen he can vaguely notice Aburame halting movement to do the same.
[Incoming heat signature of Uzumaki]
He can't hear Genos's next words because suddenly the adults are shouting and rushing towards him as a metal object is tossed into the room. Shino flings himself at Sasuke, nocking them both to the ground.
Everything explodes in orange.
"Teme! I heard you were redecorating!" Someone hollers from his balcony then squeaks in fear. "O-oi, why're there adults in your home? Teme?!"
"Uzumaki." Sasuke can hear Kiba's mother growl. "What's the meaning of this shit storm?"
Sasuke ignores the rest, accepting the help of standing when Shino releases him.
The sight of his apartment that greets him, is uncomprehending.
"Oh man," Chōji mutters, adorned in orange paint just as the rest of his room was. All the green they painted on the walls were mixing with Uzumaki's neon orange. Turning it into an ugly brown.
This was – Sasuke stares. A part of him suddenly blocked off as though he had stepped into a soundproof room.
[Asset-san, you are disassociating do not worry]
Worry, why would he? He breathes an airy chuckle. Catching sight of a neon Shino makes him nearly loose it.
"You're orange." He snickers. Sasuke can't really see Shino's face, but he get's the impression he was almost gawping.
"Sasuke-kun," Ino comes up to him. Slipping on the floor almost.
"Oi, Teme, tell them it was just a prank!" Uzumaki tries to wrestle himself from the furious adults on his balcony. Expression pleading. "Kiba! Your mum is terrifying!"
Kiba, Sasuke just notices the boy sitting on the floor, camouflaged to his surroundings and radiating anger as he stares at a petrified Akamaru.
"Good!"
"Teme!" Naruto pleads again.
Everything and everyone was moving so quickly, it was like an unpleasant dream.
"Yamanaka-san, don't worry," he waves it off. Taking sudden interest in Shino's sandals and the paint dripping onto them from the ceiling. "It was a joke. No harm."
Yamanaka or somebody releases Naruto. Kiba doesn't like that.
Shouting ensues, spewed words and angry voices forces one side of Sasuke to recall Itachi slicing his relatives heads off.
The orange on Shino's sandals turns red.
Sasuke can't remember what comes next.
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Naruto always has the best intentions. He just needs work on execution. The poor kid.
