Sasuke watched Naruto as he babbled away, telling him everything that had happened since they'd last talked. He had quite a lot to tell. Sasuke just nodded, ignoring his words and watching his mouth. More than anything, he wanted to kiss Naruto, but the blond was taken. He felt a flash of resentment, but he wasn't sure if it was aimed at himself, at Naruto or Gaara. The latter would be more logical, certainly, but no, the redhead was his friend. He wasn't the friendliest guy, but if he was, Sasuke would hate him. He was jealous, but it was his own fault. And thanks to Gaara, his mistake was repaired.
And he felt happier than he'd ever felt before.
"Oh yeah and where's Gaara?" Naruto said, panting and almost out of breath. "Did he get canned for fighting too?"
"Yeah, he and Suigetsu," Sasukle replied, glad Naruto had given him some of the air. The blond had been hogging it for almost ten minutes with no lapses. "They were really going at it, so they're probably in a lot of trouble."
"Yeah, Gaara beat the shit out of Suigetsu, right?" Naruto giggled. "Still, it sucks he's in trouble. But he'll get out soon enough! Believe it! Come on, let's ditch fourth period!"
He grabbed Sasuke's arm and yanked him around a corner, ignoring the raven's pained gasp as his hand slammed against the corner of a locker.
Gaara stared at Shizune.
This couldn't be happening.
He began trembling, ever so slightly. His hand curled and dug into his knee.
This couldn't be happening.
His breathing grew erratic until he'd stopped breathing altogether, his eyes on her.
"Your son is in the vice principal's office for fighting."
Shizune paused, listening to his response.
No. This couldn't be happening. Shizune was lying. She was talking to Suigetsu's dad or to no one at all. She was lying. She just wanted to, immaturely he might add, to shut them up, to make a point.
"No, not Kankuro, Gaara."
No, he could almost hear that hated voice, that awful voice, the demon of his childhood, the monster that lurked at the edge of his nightmares, just waiting to take him again.
He'd been stuck in a fairy tale. No, he'd beeen stuck in reality, believing that he could actually live and thrive if he had Naruto, that anything was possible, that life could be wonderful and happy, or some sembleance of it, because of one person.
But his nightmare had come back.
And it was only a matter of time before he was consumed once again.
Fear gripped his chest, a terrible fear, an awful anxiety that chilled him to the core until he was trembling harder. All anger, all annoyance, all irritation faded until they seemed like distant dreams he'd had once.
"Yes, sir. No, there's no- yes, sir, I understand. I just wanted you to be aware. What? No, but he's looking dangerously close to a suspension... yes, for starting fights."
No, he couldn't break down, he couldn't! But the problem was exactly that. He couldn't. His fear was swallowing him whole. All of his worries, the ones he'd shoved away on Christmas, had been locked in his mind. He'd been thinking of Naruto, then Sasuke. He hadn't been thinking of himself. He hadn't had time to prepare himself. And now... something seemed to be snapping and biting at his gut, sharp stings and jabs. But what really scared him, was just how hard this was affecting him. Just knowing the man was home sent his heart racing, his lungs suddenly incapable of doing their duty, his eyes wide and his face pained.
"This is his last warning, Mr. Sabaku. What? I-yes sir," she said, suddenly meek.
Gaara tried to control his breathing, tried to keep the emotion out of his face and posture, trying to make himself relax. But how could he, when that voice was so close-?
"Right, sir. Of course. Yes, do you need the school phone number? No? Okay... okay, bye now, you have a good day now, sir."
"Where's Gaara?" Sasuke wondered.
"Yeah, I've been wondering that too," Naruto said, face furrowed in contemplation. He threw the tennis ball at the wall. It rebounded back and he hit it with his tennis racket. It bounced off the wall again and Sasuke darted forward and hit it back. They did this several times before Naruto spoke again. "It's been way too long," he said. "Suigetsu's here. Where's Gaara?" Sasuke shrugged. Then cursed as Naruto's overenthusiastic swing almost killed him. Due to quick reflexes, he was able to dodge by a hairbreadth. "What the hell? What are you, a windmill?"
"Don't stand so close," Naruto said. "Maybe we should go look for him?"
"He's a big boy," Sasuke snorted. "He's fine. Shizune's just chewing him out for this being his one hundreth offense. I wonder if he'll be suspended?"
"Aw, that'd suck," the blond grumbled. "Oh wait, no, me and him could hang out. I could get suspended if I punched Suigetsu over there. He's asking for it, seriously, look at him. What did you see in that guy?"
Sasuke bit his lip.
Geez, Naruto was so forgiving. Most people wouldn't let things go as quickly as him. They'd be cold and distant before eventually warming up again. But things would've never been the same. The "trust" and "comfort" would always be mended, never healed. Things weren't supposed to be comfortable and easy without a hint of resentment. Not for the first time or the last time, Sasuke wondered just how dim Naruto was. Shouldn't he be more pissed? Shouldn't he have beat him up a little or used a few scathing, nasty insults, to make up for his unprovoked betrayal? Didn't Naruto know how these things worked?
Why was he complaining? He was getting off easy. He should be glad there wasn't too much awkward drama between them. It was nice going right back to where they'd left off. But still, a part of him wished Naruto would be angrier. He deserved it and his punishment should match his crime. A part of him wished things wouldn't go right back to the way things were, right where they'd ended. A part of him, wanted more than how it had been. A part of him that writhed with guilt at the thought of Gaara. His friend... and greatest obstacle... no, he couldn't think of it like that. Gaara was his friend. And it wasn't Gaara's fault Sasuke hadn't had the nerve to come out of the closet. In fact, it was because of Gaara.
He shouldn't be thinking of Naruto like that. He shouldn't. He couldn't. He wouldn't. It would hurt too many people. It could ruin something he'd just recently fixed. And something he'd just established.
Irritated, Kankuro thrummed a pencil against his desk. Then his calculator, then his folder. So boring. He really hated Algebra 2. It was true awfulness. He thought he hated Geometry, but Algebra 2? Hell of a lot worse. And the teacher was incompetent. Clearly wet behind the ears. Why did he have to have an inexperienced teacher teaching him the year where Math mattered the most? He had his SAT's next year. He had to learn this shit properly or-
Someone knocked on the door.
Their teacher looked away from the problem he'd written and had been in the process of solving on the board. He frowned at the door and went to open it. From his position, Kankuro couldn't see who it was, but he didn't really care. Now how the hell was he supposed to solve this? Numbers and letters and ahh, this crap was really making his head throb. He wished it was lunch time...
"Can Kankuro be excused?"
No...frigging...way.
Gaara?
What's up? So I hate Math. I hate English. And I love history.
Yup. There's my randomness.
It should also be noted that I have a lot of homework from the subjects I love and the subjects I hate. Therefore updating shall resume... tomorrow. And possibly after that, if my school gets a gas leak or hit by a tornado or the electricity goes out. Fingers crossed.