My Hidden Life Chapter 25, a naruto fanfic

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

XX Chapter 25 XX

Sasuke has never been so nervous in his entire life.

He's never had to deal with so many things at once. He's usually what you call a reclusive person. In almost every sense of the word. Normally, because he never cared much to befriend other kids and because he never wanted to invite his trouble on them.

His parents you see were not the greatest parents in the world. They were barely involved in any aspect of his life, be it sports or academics. They could truly care less. Any other teen would love to have them, he knew that, but he wanted them to care at least a little bit.

And then there was the fact that they couldn't even stand to be in each other's presence. It was like death con five whenever they were in the same room. It had been because of this that he began to distance himself from his friends in elementary school. Not that he had many, even then he was content to play by himself.

It had been a smart decision. His parents did not stop fighting like Itachi had promised. No over the years they got even more violent. Until there was a point that they just couldn't stand to even look at one another. That was when the other men and women came. The affairs.

It had confused him. He had come to accept that fact, that his mother and father did not love each other like Itachi had told him. He wasn't dumb, he could tell that much, even then. But the affairs shook him to the core. It was strange to think of his mother and father with anyone but each other. He knew people with parents that did not like each other like his parents but never had he been told about affairs. It was unheard of.

And now. Now his parents were headed straight for a divorce. And he didn't know what would happen now. Would he stay with his mother or father? Did he have any choice in the matter? It still unnerved him to think about it. And when he was alone he could honestly say without any trace of embarrassment that it frightened him. It really did. Because it left him uncertain of the future and more than anything he hated uncertainty.

It was funny that he chose those words. Because right now all he felt was uncertainty. He knew how he felt. Well he knew how he felt now. But everything else was so uncertain. Even now he could feel it crushing him. He had expected a hundred different reactions from Shikamaru and Kiba. But them staying silent had never even crossed his mind.

They could have yelled at him. Never spoken to him again…. Accepted him…anything but just stay silent. It was the worst thing they could have ever done at the moment. It was utterly nerve wrecking. He wished they would just get it over with. It reminded him too much of his parents silence. It was like waiting for a bomb to explode.

The three of them made no move to shatter the silence. It was uncomfortable for the three of them. It was easy to tell but what could they say to break it? Shikamaru at the moment was tongue tied and Sasuke feared the worst from their silence. So sadly, the task was left at hand for Kiba to handle.

Oh and handle it he did.

" So does this mean that you do want to get into Uzumaki's pants?" Kiba finally asked.

And there you go, the silence shattered.

Shikamaru knew very few people who could say something so idiotic with such a straight face. Possibly because he usually avoided such people on a daily basis. Not his kind of people, well not usually. God knows how he became friends with Kiba. He was certain that Sasuke too could have once claimed that fact. Such was fate however, what a cruel mistress she was.

Still he was rather proud of Kiba's stupidity at times. Who could honestly really say that my friend told my gay friend that if it was true that he wanted to get into my other friends pants after he just came out of the closet? Really that wasn't something you heard every day. Still it did the job.

He felt kind of sorry for Kiba though. If the murderous look on Sasuke's face had anything to say about it. Oh that got to hurt. He flinched in sympathy.

Sasuke knew that Kiba was dumb. Stupidity practically radiated off him for god's sakes! But this was low even for him. He had been worrying for the last five minutes that they would reject him. That he wouldn't have any more friends here, how they would tell Naruto and he would-

So he felt perfectly justified in kicking Kiba right where the sun don't shine. Such a stupid phrase by the way. Hello, had nobody thought of skinny dipping?

Kiba rolled around on the floor comically. Moaning pitifully about the pain. Sasuke smirked in satisfaction and exchanged a smirk with Shikamaru. It was lucky they were so far back, so only a few students looked back before going back to their chats.

And then suddenly as if a light switch flickered on he looked back at Shikamaru and then at Kiba.

" So you guys aren't..?" Sasuke trailed off and looked from one to the other.

Kiba was the first to answer surprisingly. He sat back on his seat and grinned at Sasuke. "Nah we're okay. We know plenty of people who are well…" here he paused and widened his grin. "…. straight challenged."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes and hit Kiba on the head non to gently. Kiba swore and clutched his head protectively. "Ignore the idiots ramblings. He knows not what he speaks." then he turned and smiled reassuringly at Sasuke. "But yeah we're okay with you liking the same sex. Same difference, no?"

Sasuke could only stare for a moment. Slowly however he smiled and nodded. It was kind of confusing the sudden rush of relief that engulfed him in that moment. He had been so nervous just a couple of minutes ago. The feeling almost crushing him and now it was gone. Just like that. It was wonderful and confusing him.

Shikamaru meanwhile was rolling his eyes at Kiba. While he cringed away and shook his fist. It was strange to watch them. To know that they didn't really care. That they accepted him..it was mind boggling.

"You idiot stop swearing, I'm not going to hit you again." Sasuke heard Shikamaru say with a smirk. "Not unless you say something stupid like that again of course."

"Bastards all of you." Kiba groaned theatrically standing up. He glanced at Sasuke and winked as he continued with his narrative. "My poor abused head. You fiends! I swear vengeance on you all!" and then cursed again. Sasuke watched in amusement as Shikamaru clocked him in the head.

"And there you go again." Shikamaru said with a amused shake of his head. "You bring it upon yourself good sir. I advise you back off now if you know what's good for ye."

"Are you calling me a coward sir." Kiba said with a sweep of his arm catching the attention of his classmates. Some who were already laughing at the impromptu play. Sasuke along with them.

" Oh no. I believe you are the one who said that sir." Shikamaru said politely. " I merely think you a belligerent fool."

Kiba grabbed a paper and brandished it like a sword. " You! Draw your sword good man. I will not fight an unarmed man!"

"Perish the thought." Shikamaru said dryly and also grabbed a paper. And then they were fighting childishly, their mock fight catching the attention of the whole class by now.

Shikamaru knew from the moment Kiba had started this childish play scene that it was done with the intention of getting Sasuke's thoughts from straying to Naruto. He smiled at Kiba who grinned as they continued to pretended to fight with paper swords.

It was oddly grownup of Kiba to worry so much about others. It was one of the things that Shikamaru found out about Kiba during their long friendship. It had surprised him in the beginning but at the same time didn't because it strangely suited Kiba.

He could be the most naïve person ever but deep down he could also understand people at a more singular level. It was really Kiba who had guessed at Sasuke's true feelings for Naruto. Possibly because he understood those feeling better.

And while most people would guess that Kiba wasn't the most sensitive person when it came to feeling, the truth was that he is. He's not very tactful and sometimes completely lacks the subtlety that you require with delicate subjects but he can put a smile on your face when other people scramble to get to that very act and he can understand it. He doesn't bullshit with subjects and tells you the truth when it's something you don't want to hear.

The point is that he trusts Kiba's judgments. And so when he asks silently for him to help he follows.

It's what he believes friendship is all about.

The 'fight' had escalated quite quickly. It had traveled from their seats in the back to the middle of the classroom. The class had quickly become engaged. Shouts of encouragement on both sides had quickly erupted. It was fun. It was distracting. It was what they needed.

A cough returned much of the class back to reality. Jiraiya was leaning against his desk. How long he had stood there no one could quite tell. They had all been rather distracted.

Kiba meanwhile had not yet taken notice.

"Raise your sword. I'm not through with you yet!" Kiba continued raising his paper sword at Shikamaru threateningly. Shikamaru meanwhile had taken notice of the sudden silence and was trying to gesture at Kiba to shut up. And groaned when he didn't.

"Ahem." Jiraiya coughed louder and Kiba finally looked up with a scowl which promptly fell as his mouth opened and then closed and finally closed again. "Well good sir. I imagine class has started, and as such toys must be put away."

"Now that I have the class's attention." He looked pointedly at both Shikamaru and Kiba who had turned red while Shikamaru merely murmured under his breath what Sasuke was fifty percent sure was 'troublesome.'

Jiraiya grinned and raised his arm. "You may continue your little fight afterward gentleman. Now as I was going to say. You have a paper due by the end of the month. It's written on the board." Here he gestured behind him carelessly. The class groaned in chorus. " Now then have a good day." and the bell rang as if on cue.

The class was still for a second then there was a scurry of movement as students grabbed bags and books and set off into the halls. Sasuke, Shikamaru and Kiba were amongst the few who stayed behind to write the words on the board before they took off into the halls.

They made it to Orochimaru's class with no problem. A couple of people had stopped to clap them in the back for their performance in Jiraiya's class but nothing else. They had looked around for a sign of blond hair in the crowd but saw nothing.

"He's probably in the nurse's office or something." Shikamaru said bracingly to a forlorn Sasuke. "He goes there sometimes. Don't know why but he does."

"Maybe to check out the hot nurse." Kiba said without much thought a lecherous grin spreading over his face and then cursed as he got hit in the head again. "What?! She's hot! You can't even deny that Shikamaru!"

Shikamaru slapped a hand to his face in frustration and then pointed to Sasuke who was now slumping over his desk.

Kiba immediately tried to undo the damage. " She's not that hot Sasuke I swear! She's like younger and hotter than Tammy and stuff but really she's not that much hot!"

Sasuke smothered himself against the desk even deeper. Shikamaru sighed. Oh Kiba you mean well but why do you have to be such a dumb ass.

" Naruto's too young to go for her anyway…right Shika?" Kiba finished off weakly.

"Right." Shikamaru said dryly without much honesty. The truth was that the nurse was actually very good looking and she was in fact younger than Tammy. And Naruto went for women any ages really so the possibility of a relationship starting up with them would not shock Shikamaru. Not that he could say that in current company. Man, when did things start to get so complicated.

Being Naruto's and Sasuke's friend took a lot out of you, that was becoming painfully obvious. Speaking of Naruto where was he? Sasuke was still smothering himself against the desk but he was looking at the door too as if willing Naruto to appear. Shikamaru glanced at Kiba and exchanged troubled looks. Naruto had promised them he would talk to them, They still had technically two more periods to go, but Shikamaru had a nasty feeling that Naruto would not show up.

He should have shown up in fourth period if he was going to and that troubled him because as far as he could tell, Naruto had been completely sincere when he had promised them he would. In fact the little talk with Tammy they had overheard also confirmed it. Naruto would not tell Tammy he was going to meet up with us if he didn't mean it. Naruto was not a person to lie. From the years he had been in the same classes with him, that fact alone was self evident. When he ditched, he never made an excuse, generally even now Tammy did that for him. If he didn't like them, in fact, he would just plain stop hanging out with them.

Shikamaru was dragged out of his thoughts as the door slammed closed and he and the rest of the class were engulfed in sudden silence as Orochimaru made his way to the desk, his eyes a scorching yellow as he surveyed them disdainfully. His eyes lingered on the empty desk between him and Sasuke before letting it sweep to the rest of them.

"Turn to page 211. Make a noise and I swear you will be spending the rest of the school year in detention."

The class quietly and quickly followed his instructions. They knew it was no idle threat. Besides him Kiba murmured quietly, "Sheesh what got his panties in a knot." before Shikamaru could respond however a ruler snapped at his desk.

"I trust you know what the word quiet means Mr. Inuzaka." Orochimaru voice hissed. Besides him Kiba nodded quickly. "Good then please apply it in real life or I shall be forced to start signing detention slips."

"Yes sir." Kiba murmured cowed, his shifting indicating that he too was now leaning over his book in an attempt to look like he was reading attentively.

Shikamaru didn't dare raise his head until he heard the unmistakable sound of feet trailing away. Looking up he caught Sasuke and Kiba's eyes before looking back down. The roll of the eye he received from Kiba and Sasuke were enough to get him to start chuckling quietly. He stifled them when Orochimaru's gaze came their way but otherwise smiled lightly as he buried himself in the reading. The classroom was stifling but he had a nice feeling around his chest that distracted him from the ones moments before. No need to start thinking the worst after all.

The house stood ominously silent. The house seemingly devoid of human life. The curtains drawn forward so that no light entered on the bed, or on the person buried under it. It was nice and quiet. Nice and easy. And then it shattered.

The phone was ringing.

Ring…

Ring……

Ring……….

The bed creaked slightly as a cool hand emerged from under the comfort of warm blankets. The hand wandered a bit until it located the phone grabbing it with a lone arm and pulling into the recesses of warmth.

The ringing abruptly cut off as the phone was answered. There was a pause and then the phone cracked against the wall and lay clattered on the phone. The hand that had so violently thrown the phone emerged again and the blankets were abruptly pulled off.

Naruto looked up at the ceiling and laughed a short bitter laughter. He covered his face with a bandaged hand. His hair shifting as he moved, showing purple marks over his neck and some strangely red ones.

The phone was still on and a faint voice can be heard repeating. "Uzumaki Naruto. This is Kazema enterprises. We would like to speak to you on the matter discussed two weeks ago.

"Uzumaki Naruto. This is Kazema. enterprises. We would like to speak to you on the matter discussed two weeks ago." the phone kept repeating until it crackled and finally died.

Only silence remained in the house now and the soft bitter laughter of one Uzumaki Naruto.

TBC…..

A.N: Yeah….sorry it took so long to update but hey I'm juggling a lot of stories besides this one. I have to stay consistent and it's taking a lot of rest to get it back to it's normal working level. I'm getting lazy…hopefully summer vacation will get it back to normal.