Don't Ever Let Me Go
Chapter 13: Gotta love that bromance
Author's Note: Okay, I have a confession. I just freaking love the cannon paring of Choji and Karui! And their baby-girl is just adorable too!x3 I just couldn't help myself!xD Anyway, back to the subject at hand, thank you everyone for your wonderful reviews, and I gotta say, I'm glad I've changed many of your minds about this story. It just makes me happy, knowing that I'm doing somewhat of a good job with this story.:')
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or the Titanic!
Steam sizzled off the grills as cooks placed the meats on it.
There were workers: waiters, chiefs, and maids running around rapidly around the large, yet inconveniently cramped kitchen quarters.
"I need more spices over here!"
"Hey! I asked for some red peppers a while ago! Where the hell are they? This food isn't going to get done on its own!"
"The orders for tables seven, eight, and ten are done!"
"Table twelve is asking for another bowl of soup!"
"Are you kidding me?! I still haven't even gotten my red peppers yet! Tell someone else to fucking do it!"
Choji walked in then. "I got it! I got it!" He put on his apron, and came to stand by the other chief. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "You certainly look pissed, Karui." He chuckled.
The red-haired, dark-skinned woman picked up her knife, and pointed it at him. "Don't think just 'cause we're working together that means you can get all chummy with me, fatty," she threatened. "Just hurry up and do your job and no one will get hurt here, comprende?"
Choji sweat dropped, backing away from the pointy object in her hand, laughing nervously. "Yeah. I get the message."
"Now, now, Karui." A male voice tuned in above the rambunctious and clamorous workers. His tanned hand grabbing hers holding the knife, and brought it down on the wood board, impelling it with the pointy end. "You shouldn't threaten colleagues like that. It's not very nice." The white-haired male chewed on a toothpick.
"Omoi, would you prefer I threaten you then?" She lifted the knife right above his jugular. Her hawk eyes ablaze.
The dark-eyed male gulped. "I'd prefer to live," he countered, elevated the blade away from his throat.
"Karui, Choji, Omoi! I'd say you get back to work before Ibiki sees you three!" Another female worker with a shapely body and bleach blonde hair said to them.
"Nobody asked you for your opinion, Samui!" Karui yelled at the female. "You just get your big breasted-ass back out there and serve the customers!"
Omoi snorted. "You're just jealous 'cause Samui has more hooters than you, Karui," he muttered.
Karui picked up her knife. "I dare you to say that again, Omoi. C'mon! Say it! I'll cut off that precious dick of yours and make you a chest-less woman as well!"
"That's enough!" A vehement voice boomed throughout the room.
The rowdy bunch stilled; their voices dulled, as they all looked to the source of the noise.
Karui dropped her knife. "Shit." It's the boss...
A man with three unmistakable scars running down his face stood before all of them with a nicely pressed black suit and tie and white button up underneath.
He opened his mouth; a flurry of words came out of it. "You all have guest," he began, slowly and agonizingly calm—for the moment. "And yet you all decide that this is the moment to start messing around!" Everyone flinched at his ear-splitting echo. "I will not tolerate insubordination, or negligence! That is not why I hired you all! Now I say you all better get your shits together and speed up your workload ten times over! I will not tolerate any misconception! If I even see one single customer come up to me telling me that they spilled a drink and nobody came out to quickly clean it up, or the chiefs didn't perform as outstanding as they should have, it will be all your heads!" The sizable man looked daggers at each and every one of them. It was so damned quiet that even a pin drop could be heard if it happened. Not to mention the tension was so thick in there that someone could slice it down with a knife. There was just no way anyone could lighten the mood so suddenly—or so they thought...
"Clean up on table three! Yeah. The little girl made a mess as she spilled juice all over the table." Kiba had bad timing as he suddenly came into the kitchen. He cut his walk short, as he gawked at everyone. "...Is there something going on? Did we have a team meeting or something, because I totally missed it…?"
Ibiki gave him a good long, deadly, stare. Everyone dreaded what may come next from the man, as they feared for Kiba's safety. A smirk then slithered up to Ibiki's lips. "Do you see that?" He gestured to Kiba. "Now that's commitment!" His face contorted. "So what the hell are you all waiting for?! There's a spill on table three! Go clean it up!"
Right away, all the workers went back to work; many waiters going out with food in their hands and rags in another hand, all speaking at the same time.
"Great job my boy." He came and put an arm around Kiba. "For a boy with absolutely no experience, you sure have showed me a great deal."
Kiba chuckled, trying not to look too uncomfortable. "Well it is my job, sir," he responded, meekly, scratching his cheek.
"It is," Ibiki agreed. "And since I see you as a capable staff member, I will not be so concerned about you getting a certain job done right."
Kiba was confused.
But Ibiki didn't mind. He quickly explained to him what he had in mind for him. Kiba listened intently.
"There are a couple of guests in this ship that are very important in this world, and have requested their meals in their rooms. I want you to take these meals up to them without a single mistake. Understand?"
Kiba gulped, but nodded. "Yeah. I got it. Bring the food to them without faults. I can do that much..." I think.
"That a boy." Ibiki smacked his arm, roughly, in a kind gesture, smirking at him.
"Heh...ow." Kiba rubbed at his aching arm.
After that, Kiba got the plates ready, and hastily made his way out of the kitchen.
Gently, he brought the cart out, gulping, and hoping he wouldn't spill anything in the staff hallway, as he came out with his back first, assuming no one was there. However, the moment he made it out without a sweat, someone almost crashed into him.
"Unhand me!"
"Dammit woman! Will you stop fidgeting?"
"Never! I don't want to do this! I don't want to go to a whore house!" There were dragging sounds, as someone pulled back, brushing against Kiba's backside.
"What kind of lewd thoughts are you having?!" The male shouted, pulling the woman along.
Kiba stopped before he could get hit; feeling like something heavy had dropped in the pit of his stomach as he steadied himself and his cart. Holy shit! That was close... He let out a breath of air, and then he glared at the couple arguing with each other.
What the hell?!
He lost the ability to speak as he saw just who it was that was being dragged. Tenten! He turned back around to face the door, before she could see him. What the hell is she doing here, in this spot, where all the workers come through, and with that kind of flashy man?!
Tenten didn't like wealthy people, she constantly told her friends how much she hated them, and yet, here she was with an outrageously good-looking upper-class man, with an over the top suit, and hair so glossy and long, it looked like a rich woman's hair. He looked like he was made out of a million bucks. Someone, Kiba would never see Tenten with.
Suddenly she screamed. "Ah!"
Alarmed, Kiba spun around to see what had happened, worry etched all over his face. His mouth was slightly agape as he stared at the two fighting.
"Put me down! Put me down!" The brunette smacked Neji with her fists on his back, as he held her in place, on his shoulder, not budging. She kept screaming as they continued to move.
Kiba was so surprised, he had no words. He didn't know how to react to these two. The man didn't look threatening, and Tenten didn't look like she was in any deep shit either. They were just arguing. If anything, these two looked like a comedy show as they argued, like a couple of clowns. No wait, more like a couple in a relationship.
"Will you keep still?! I am not taking you to any type of whore house!"
"No! No! I can't trust you! You're rich!" Tenten beat him some more, her eyes closed shut tight. "Help! Help!" She opened her eyes to look around for anyone that could help and landed on Kiba. "Sir, please, help me—Kiba?!"
Shit! The said man took a step back, ready to run away. He hit his cart with his back, and looked to it; his desperation showing on his face.
She looked astonished to see him. And just like that, it was like everything turned around. Tenten's face was pink, but now it was crimson. Her eyes looked wild like a bulls. "Wait!" She thrashed harder all of a sudden.
Neji held her tighter. "Are you crazy? If you keep squirming like this I'm going to drop you!"
"Then do it!" She looked back at him, mad. "I know that guy!" Neji rolled his eyes and ignored her, tossing her more back in place.
"Ah!" Tenten bounced. She glared back at Neji.
"Hey! Didn't you hear me?! Stop!" His stride didn't falter. She huffed. Her wrathful gaze came down then on Kiba next. "Kiba! What are you doing here?! Hey! Don't walk away from me!"
Kiba turned his back on her, hurriedly walking down the hall, lowering as he ignored her, pushing his cart. It looked like everyone seemed to be ignoring Tenten today, which was beginning to piss off the girl even more.
"KIBA! I'm going to kill you when I see you again!" She pointed at him, threatening him from across the hall, as Neji turned the corner.
Kiba frowned, looking back at her one last time. Why the hell does she have to be so loud? It's like if it's not Naruto or Sakura, its Tenten too. The family is just crazy! It was all just filled with physically strong angry, forceful, and obnoxious bullies!
"Stay still!"
"Never!"
Neji groaned. "What has gotten into you all of a sudden?!"
"Are you really asking me that?! Do you not see the position I'm in?!"
Tenten's voice disappeared the further they moved apart.
Kiba let out a breath of air he hadn't even noticed he was holding. "These girls are just a bunch of maniacs..." He remembered Sakura and how she had choked him. Kiba shuddered by just the thought. If Sakura made him feel like that, then just imagine Tenten.
She'd probably rip my balls out...!
He moved on ahead, soon after, trying not to think about it anymore, trying to get as far away as he possibly could, while hoping this was it, and he wouldn't experience anymore hectic problems caused by any of the Haruno's.
Surprisingly, things were going well for him as he delivered the food with no mistakes what so ever. He thought perhaps he could get through the day, like this, flawlessly, without any faults like he promised...but that was so wrong. He shouldn't have gotten his spirits up so high so suddenly. Because the moment he knocked on his last customers door, an able-body came crashing into him, dropping his cart and him, and spilling his food as well. Plates clattered to the ground, causing a disturbance.
Shit...
It all went downhill for Kiba from there.
Naruto ran with persistence and a big grin on his face. He was just too thrilled. He had gotten away with scamming some upper-class idiot and had made lots of money, to which he was still holding onto (inside the box) as he ran.
"This is just great, Tenten! This totally makes up for the money last night from that old schmuck!" He howled so emphatic. Ultimately, he was innate of Tenten's presence not being there.
He ran through the entire ship, losing himself in the big maze that was the ship as he went through rows and rows of doors—rooms—sections—and work areas, all so he could get away.
Finally when he felt "they" were far enough, he took the opportune moment to look back at her, finding it funny that the brown-haired girl hadn't responded since their prior get away.
"Hey, Ten, you've been awfully quiet." He chuckled. "Don't tell me you're suddenly feeling bad... Ten?" Naruto did a big circle around himself, finding no one. "Tenten? Where...?" He ran back, frantic now, looking for his sister. "Where the hell did she run off to?!"
Bam!
He slammed into someone. "Oof!" Naruto fell over; food falling all over him and his clothes, as well as the person that fell alongside him, and the box in his hand falling to the side, spilling a few coins on the floor.
Aw. God... that hurt. Naruto held his head, moaning. I just hope the other guy's okay... He glanced up, only to meet eye to eye with a familiar dog-eyed stare.
Naruto gapped. "...Kiba?"
"Naruto?" He and the other guy said at the same time, except Kiba's was more distressed than his, as he gulped.
Naruto blinked, trying to register all this in his mind. His aspect burned angry. "Kiba!" He pointed.
Suddenly they both scrambled to their feet, the dog-lover trying to get away, before the blond got his hands on him.
"Hey! Where the hell do you think you're going! Get back here fucker!"
"As if! That's not going to happen, idiot!"
Naruto tackled him.
Kiba yelped. "Fuck!" He collided with the door. "Uh!" he groaned. His face hit the wall first.
He was being squished under Naruto's hold as Naruto held him in place with his body and elbow, crumpling his white work suit under his vice.
God dammit! Kiba was sure his cheek and forehead were going to bruise. "Why the hell do you Haruno's always have to resort to fucking violence?!"
"Cut the crap—you oversized dog—and answer me, what are you doing on this ship?"
But Kiba was still speaking. "God dammit... First Sakura now you... Can this ship ride get any worse? What's next? Tenten's going to jump out of nowhere and rip out my balls?! Can't a guy just fucking have a peaceful and safe boat ride to America—?!"
"Not when you owe me money, dumbass!" Naruto slammed him onto the door. "Now where's my money, asshole? Or were you planning on leaving to America without paying me?" Naruto grinned down at him menacingly. He frowned. "And what's this about you meeting Sakura? When the hell did you meet my sister, huhh, dog breath?" Naruto slammed him a couple more times on the door.
Kiba was getting mad now. "Ugh! Will you cut that out, you fucking blond troll!" He elbowed Naruto in his stomach.
"Oh!" Naruto hunched over, holding his stomach.
Kiba stood straight, cleaning himself up... Well the little he could clean off since he had food stains on his clothes now. He made an annoyed face at his clothes. Great, what the hell am I going to tell the boss now? He shook his head, unable to figure it out right now. I'll probably get Genma to help me out, he thought, grinning down at Naruto.
"So," he passed a hand through his hair, picking out some carrot strings from it, tossing them to the ground in disgust. "I'm guessing she hasn't told you yet, since you're asking me. Meaning you don't know."
"What don't I know?" Naruto said through a pained tone, glaring up at Kiba, still holding onto his belly. That fucker had hit him pretty hard.
Kiba only shook his head, smiling stiffly, like he had a secret. "Ah-nah. I'm not getting involved in this one. If you want to know, you're going to have to confront her about this one yourself. However, just make sure you tell that airhead of a sister of yours to stop messing around with powers completely out of her league."
Naruto stiffened. "What did you say?"
"You heard me, dobe." Kiba held a challenging look.
"Do you want to die, mutt-face?!"
"Bring it! I'm already all messy, meat for brains!" Kiba got into his fighting stance.
"Rah!" Naruto charged. He socked him in his face, as Kiba hit him in his side, both pounding at each other as they fell back onto the door.
"Alright! Alright! I'm coming! Don't get your panties in a bunch, dear!" A male voice called out from behind the door. Naruto and Kiba weren't paying attention to it.
"You called my sister a slut?!" Naruto hit Kiba, banging his head on the door.
"Yeah! I'm calling her something! And that could be around the range of words I was thinking about!" Kiba socked him back, hitting his face.
"I'm gonna fucking kill you!" Naruto head-butted him.
"Ugh!" Kiba's head swung back to the door.
Nevertheless, the instant he did that, the door flew open, and he and Naruto tumbled in, hitting the floor of the inside of the room, hard.
Naruto and Kiba groaned, as Naruto held his face, and Kiba tried rubbing at his aching back. Both boys were a bloody mess.
"Um... Am I interrupting something?" An overbearing white-haired man stood over them, gazing down at them with his own amused look.
Dumbfounded, Kiba and Naruto had no words as they gawked up at him. It was hard to come up with a solution or explanation as to why they were on the ground covered in food and blood, when all they could think of is 'they got down'.
Nonetheless, that never stopped them from blurting out the first words that came into mind. "I can explain!" They said at the same time, and glared at each other. They glanced back at Jiraiya, and swiftly pointed at each other. "He started it!" They growled at each other. "Stop mimicking me! I'm not! You are! Stop it!" Naruto and Kiba socked each other, groaning as they hit each other's noses, holding onto their throbbing nostrils.
"Jesus!"
"God!"
"Did you really have to aim there, Kiba? You couldn't go for my throat like Tenten does?" Naruto says, nasally.
"I should be telling you that, idiot!"
"Yeah, but unlike me, you don't have to worry about your good-looks, beaver-brains!"
"Screw you, bastard! I have much better looks than you, bitch!"
"As if! I can pick up way better looking chicks than your cheesy-ass!"
"Ch'yeah! More like transvestites, you faggot!"
"Oh for heaven's sake, Jiraiya! What is it with all this noise?! Please don't tell me you've hit on the maids again, or I promise you I will throw a vase at your noggin." A blonde busty woman walked out of the room. She glared at the older man, crossing her arms under her breasts. "Well?"
Jiraiya chuckled nervously, passing a hand through his neck. "I haven't," he confessed.
"Then what is it..." Tsunade's honey gaze came down to Naruto and Kiba's dirty complexion.
"I found me a couple of clowns." Jiaraya smiled, looked down at them.
"Oh..."
"Is that so?" Another voice interrupted. The group glanced back at the doorway. A young man around his thirties with fair hair stood with his wife, Naruto's box under his arm.
"I was wondering what all of this mess was about, dad," the man said to Jiraiya, pointing over his shoulder, outside.
"Yes, we feared Tsunade had kicked you out—again," the red-haired woman standing by the male said next, smiling anxiously. "But I suppose we were wrong."
They all looked down at Naruto and Kiba then.
We're so screwed! Naruto and Kiba gulped, fearing what may come next.