KV: Hey everyone! I had a lot of fun with this chapter! It's not as exciting I guess as WD's but...
WD: Shush! And how did you get out of the ropes!
KV: -runs and hides-
WD: well hope you enjoy the chapter! Naruto and his turmoil XD
CH 9
Naruto was unsure how much longer he could keep up the fake relationship. Acting happy was nothing new to him, but pretending to be happy about being in a relationship with someone you can just barely handle being around. That was a whole new story.
Now he had to go meet his sisters boyfriends family. He was less then pleased about it. Now he had to watch his sister be happy and cuddly and sickening sweet with the person she loved. He wanted to shoot himself. Just die since it seemed he was meant to be unhappy in the love department.
He sighed as they drove to the house. He had Sasuke on his mind and half smiled as he looked down at what he had chosen to wear. After listening to his sister yell at him to wear something predictable he had chosen his favorite orange t-shirt that, luckily, had no stains on it and a pair of blue jeans. He watched out the window as things became familiar. He knew this neighborhood... "Wait..." he muttered furrowing his brows. "Let me out of this car now!" he exclaimed as they slowed down in front of the Uchiha house hold.
"Cool it kiddo," Minato chuckled as he parked the car and unlocked the back door.
"I'm out of here." he stated as he started walking down the road before he was pulled to a stop. "I don't want to be here in the first place. Just go meet the family that you already know." he grumbled.
"Naruto," his sister sighed pulling him into a hug. "it's not a family Bar-B-Q unless the whole family is there. So, come along!" she pulled him by the wrist and they waited in front of the door as Ume opened it.
The families greeted each other and Naruto did his best to act like he was happy to be there. "Naruto, we don't see you around much." Mikoto chuckled pulling him into a hug. "We've missed your cheery little self!"
"Yeah, things have been... crazy." he muttered as he was let go.
"Naru-Chan!" Ume exclaimed glomping onto him.
He hugged her and looked up the stairs where Sasuke stood there staring in disbelief. Their eyes met and Naruto looked away first, biting his bottom lip. What was he supposed to say? Last time they talked nothing went down well. He looked back up to find Sasuke slowly walking down the stairs and noticed one of his hands was bandaged.
Worry set in and everything that had happened seemed to disappear as he walked up to Sasuke and took his injured hand. "Are you okay?" he asked instantly.
Sasuke pulled his hand from the blond and half glared at him. "Fine." he stated, something strange passing through his eyes.
Naruto stepped away feeling slightly anxious. "Right, of course." he muttered as awkward silence fell between them.
They retired to the back yard where many childhood memories resided. Naruko seemed so happy as Itachi kept her close. The parents sat on the far ends of the picnic table while Naruko and Itachi sat one side and Naruto and Sasuke were forced to sit beside each other, Ume sitting on the other side of Naruto. Every time either teen accidentally would bump the other they apologized instantly. Naruto wished that he could just take the steak knife he was using to just kill himself. This was too damn awkward, it shouldn't be this tense between two best friends. Then he wondered, were they even still friends? His feelings hadn't changed at all about Sasuke, but he had never felt so far away from the raven.
"Naruto?"
The blond blinked and looked up to find Itachi staring at him, "Yeah, sorry what was that?"
Itachi smirked as he glanced at his brother for a mere second, "I asked if you were seeing someone."
He forced a smile and felt Sasuke tense beside him, "Yeah," he stated with a chuckle. "he and I are rather happy." he felt something wrench at his heart as if it wanted to shrivel up and die.
"I'm full," Sasuke grumbled next to Naruto as he stood up. "It was nice seeing you guys again." he stated without looking to Naruto.
Naruto kept himself from looking at Sasuke, looking just pass Itachi's head. "Excuse me." he muttered standing and walking passed Sasuke, into the house, and into the bathroom where he got sick.
When he finished and cleaned up he found Sasuke waiting for him, "You okay?" he asked with furrowed brows.
He averted his eyes and chuckled scratching the back of his head, "Yeah, just ate too much."
He tried walking past Sasuke who stopped him, "Bull shit." he hissed forcing Naruto to look at him. "You've hardly eaten a thing on your plate. Normally you would be on your third plate by now."
"I'm just not that hungry," Naruto muttered glaring at the close proximity of the raven haired teen. Normally he wouldn't mind, but he reminded himself that he belonged to someone else.
"Why are you with that fake?" Sasuke finally asked keeping his eyes averted as well as he stepped back away from the blond. "I know you better then anyone Naruto, and you are not happy."
"What!" Naruto exclaimed. "Of course I'm-"
"If you were, then why did you puke after lying to my brother?" Sasuke bit out.
Naruto decided to take a different approach to this. "Why do you even care?" he asked instead of answering the question. "If you wanna talk about not happy how about we talk about you and that skank!"
"Stop calling her that!" Sasuke ordered clenching his fists at his side.
Naruto scoffed at this, "When are you going to see that she's only using you!"
"Shut up!" Sasuke screamed as he punched Naruto in the cheek.
The blond staggered back before catching his balance, "Not until you listen to reason!" he pulled back his own fist before it connected with the other teens face. "You're an ass and you always will be Uchiha!" he bit his lip and ran out the door slamming it behind him.
"What's going on out here?" Naruko and Ume asked walking in from the back.
"You okay Sasuke?" Ume asked curiously, noticing the bruise already forming on his cheek. "Where did Naruto go?" Sasuke merely looked at the door as he stood then walked towards the stairs. Ume cursed under her breath before smiling to Naruko, "Go back and have some fun. Let them know I'll be back with Naruto in hand."
Ume ran out the door and found Naruto not far. His shoulders shook and tears hit the pavement. "I'm not going back," he muttered when she was close. He didn't look at her and Ume felt like her heart was being squeezed by an unknown force. "I can't do it."
"Naruto," Ume began softly. "he went to-"
"I don't care!" Naruto screamed turning to the raven haired girl, his tears rolling down his cheeks. Ume watched her best friend break down, she was sure that he had been holding it in all this time. All this pain and betrayal that he felt had been locked up all this time. "It doesn't matter any more."
Ume shook her head in protest as she took a step closer, "But Naruto you don't get it!" she tried reasoning. "Last night he-"
"What? Fucked that whore!" Naruto yelled, ignoring the look the girl was giving him. "I don't care any more Ume! It was a useless cause to begin with!"
Ume glared at him realizing that it was hopeless to try and reason with him. "Alright fine, give up." she said softly, her glare only intensifying. "Do what you want Naruto. I tried to help, but if you just want to give up while Simca is out of the picture for the time being, then do it. I wont stop you." she turned around and walked back to the house.
Naruto growled under his breath and turned on his heel to head home. He kicked at every rock and can he could as he finally made it home. He was surprised to find Sai waiting outside the door for him. He glanced up at the blond who said nothing as he opened the door, Sai followed in after him. "Ume called ya huh."
Sai said nothing as they sat in the blonds room. He stared out the window while the blond sat there almost anxiously. "You want to give up on the plan?" Sai finally asked rather softly.
Naruto bowed his head and ran a hand rather roughly through his hair. I fell onto his back on his bed and stared up at the ceiling. "I just..." he began and heaved a sigh before rolling onto his side and curling into a small ball. "I just don't know any more."
The week seemed to go by slowly after that night. Naruto continued to be happy and he avoided Sasuke at all costs once more. Ume ignored him, still upset with him, while Sai staid by his side. They acted as the happy couple they weren't while Sasuke watched from afar. "Hey Kit!" Kiba exclaimed throwing an arm around the blond. "I was wondering if you wanted to get together to play some video games tonight!"
"Video games?" Naruto asked with wide eyes. "At your place?"
"Of course." Kiba laughed rubbing his knuckles into the blondes head. "My ma's been asking where you've been! She's tired of the excuse that you're too busy."
Naruto laughed at this and scratched the back of his head, "Alright, alright, I'll come over after school." he laughed grinning at his friend. "I'll meet you by the front gate after school."
Kiba agreed and walked away with a wide grin. Naruto heaved a sigh and shook his head. He didn't feel like himself and he hated it. "Naru-Chan!" Naruto fell backwards as a hyper Akito flew at him. "I've missed you! Why don't you come see us!"
"Akito, you're suffocating him." Agito stated pulling his hyper twin off of the blond. "Yes, we were not at the; what sounds like; an intense family Bar-B-Q. Please do tell your side of the story? Sasuke is an ass and wont speak and Ume only says that you are both being thick headed dumb butts."
Naruto stood up and whipped off any dirt and shook his head. "I don't wanna talk about it." he muttered leaning against a wall. For once he wanted nothing more then for class to start again. He hated free period any more and found himself hiding from people more then talking to them any more. He had become quite the coward in running away from his problems more then facing them.
"Hm, so you guys are being thick headed dumb butts." Agito concluded, keeping a hold on Akito's arm.
Naruto blinked and furrowed his brows, "What do you mean?" he asked.
Akito opened his mouth but his brother covered it up, "You don't want to talk about it right?" Agito stated with a shrug. "So why should we-" his words stopped as a slick tongue ran across his hand. "Agh! That's so gross Akito!"
"Sasuke refuses to talk about it either!" Akito exclaimed happily. Naruto was unsure why he was so happy about it, they were all about the gossip and the helping of others. Akito was nearly jumping up and down in place, "Ume said she heard something rather disturbing while Sasuke was in the shower the other night!"
"Akito, shut up!" Agito ordered, smacking him upside the head. He glared at Naruto who stared back in confusion. Agito shook his head and heaved a sigh running a hand through his hair. He knew that this was hopeless but he wasn't about to spill the beans on the whole situation at hand. "Well when you figure out what you really want Naruto, you know where everyone is." he dragged Akito away, who complained the whole way.
Naruto stared after the twins and heaved a sigh. He looked up to the ceiling and began to wonder. What did he want any way? What did he want any more, and was he willing to fight tooth and nail for it? When he looked across the hall he saw Sasuke walk by and his eyes met onyx ones before the other teen looked away. "Yes, I am." he muttered, answering his own inner turmoil. He turned and walked down the hall where Sai waited for him. He hugged him instantly ignoring the small growl he could hear coming from Sasuke just across from them. "Sai." he whined. "I've been looking every where for you."
Sai raised a thin eyebrow before a slow fake smile crossed his features. "I'm sorry," he stated as he realized the plan was still on. He gave Naruto a small peck on the lips before wrapping his arm around the blondes waist. "you ready for lunch? I'll buy your favorite Ramen."
Naruto's eyes widened in joy at this and nearly jumped for joy. "Thank you!" he exclaimed hugging Sai again as they walked into the cafeteria. Once they had their food they walked straight to where Ume and the others were sitting. Ume glared up at Naruto and he bowed his head. "You're right Ume-Chan. I can't give up after all of this."
Ume smirked that famous Uchiha smirk and motioned for him to sit down. "What are your plans for tonight?" she asked looking between to fake lovers.
"Oh, um I'm going to Kiba's for the evening." Naruto answered sheepishly. "I couldn't say no."
Sai frowned at this and Ume merely nodded. "Alright, would you like to come over for dinner tomorrow night?" she asked Naruto specifically.
Naruto shook his head instantly. "Oh no, not again." he stated, sounding panicked. "I don't think I could do that again. I might faint or puke again! I was a nervous wreck last time!"
"Naruto calm down, damn." Ume hissed resisting the urge to slap him. She shook her head and heaved a long sigh. "You wont have your family there this time. Just you and mine."
"Exactly!" Naruto exclaimed waving his arms wildly. "I'll have to keep lying to them and have to be way too close to Sasuke. We fought last time, what's to stop us from fighting again?"
Ume crossed her arms over her chest as she leaned back in her seat, "Well at least that's one form of communication!" she yelled at him. "You guys aren't even speaking at all at this point in time! Fighting has always been your guys way of speaking for the most part any way!" she stated feeling frustrated all of a sudden. "If you guys disagreed you used your fists. If one was right and the other didn't like it, you used your fists. That's just the way you two are."
Naruto let his friends words sink in. She was right after all and wondered if they were in a dating relationship, would that still be true? Would they use fists to settle an argument or actually talk things out? Naruto was unsure if he was ready for that kind of change in their relationship. He wouldn't fight it, but was it really good for them? He scoffed at his own thoughts, of course it was good for them! Less bruises and broken bones would mean less hospital bills for their parents of course. "Argh!" he groaned as he pulled at his hair. Thinking was so not a strong suite of his.
KV: -whispers from hiding spot while shaking head- Oh Naruto... stop thinking and go for it...
WD: Well there you go ^^ Chapter nine! Hope you enjoyed! As always, reviews, faves, and the sort are appreciated ^^ Now I must go tie up Kitty Vamp for stealing something she shouldn't of from me. Until next time!
