Monday, October 7th, 2013.
Sorry for the late update! But I finished - and it's a REALLY long chapter. Nearly 7.3k words. Not what I intended...
I was planning for Itachi to interact with everybody in this chapter after getting the point of view of some of the other characters when Sakura, Sasuke, and Karin were getting everybody, but the latter alone took this much.
I would normally split it up into two chapters, but since you all are waiting so anxiously for Itachi interaction, (and so am I) I decided to just leav it as one huge chapter.
Which means less A/N stuff.
So I'll cut to the chase.
News/Fun Fact: My sister and I really wanted to go to these college tours to the east coast (Yale, Harvard, and MIT were some of the colleges on the list) my school is setting up but the payment was too much for so little time to be turned in by. And there's two of us - so even if our parents could pay for one, there's still the other. Hopefully, the rumors about the one to the west coast (much closer to where we are) in November is true and we'll be able to go to that one. Also, my dad is also paying for the school's trip to Greece - the HS goes somewhere out of the country every year, which is surprising because we're not a rich school. I at first didn't want to go to Greece because of the price, but he insists, so yeah. We'll at least go to that. The east coat trip is during my fall break (next week) and now that I don't have to go, I have more time to make the next chapter of this story awesome and maybe finish the first season of Attack on Titan. I've been waiting to see it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Sleeping with Sirens, or Of Mice and Men.
AotW: Uh... "Free Now" by Sleeping with Sirens. "If I'm James Dean, You're Audrey Hepburn" by SWS, as well. "Check Yes, Juliet" by We The Kings. "I Come Alive" by The Used. "Somebody That I Used to Know" COVER by Mayday Parade ft. Vic Fuentes from Pierce the Veil. Yeah...
Length:
W/o A/N: 7.2 (it was 6.8 or something when I first uploaded it... what'd I add to it?!)
With A/N: 8k exactly.
Chapter 38: Meanwhile…
Every POV will be taking place at the same time, if not a few moments apart, just as/before Itachi arrives
Shikamaru POV
"Mm…" I sighed. "This is nice."
I was leaning with my back against the trunk of a tree, sitting on a branch with my legs stretched out towards the narrow end of it. I had a Chocolate Chai Tea Latte in my hand (courtesy of Starbucks, of course; thank you for your obsessions for once, Ino) and Temari sat beside me. She held a Pumpkin Spice Latte (come on, Temari – it's December!).
She shot me a look.
I rose a brow. "What?"
"I know what you were thinking." My expression deadpanned.
"Excuse me?"
"You were slandering the name of Pumpkin Spice Latte. In your head." This woman, I swear…
I rolled my eyes, going on with it. (It was true, anyway.) "It's December, Mari."
"As long as Starbucks sells it, I'll drink it." She took another sip, bumping me with her side.
"H-Hey!" I almost slipped off the branch, which is what she intended. I hissed as some of my hot latte splashed on my pants as I tried to regain balance. I ended up hanging from the branch with only my arms as support. I then worked to bring myself back to my former position on the branch, without spilling any more of my delicious, hot drink.
Then suddenly, Temari grabbed my right arm and pulled me up right next to her. I held down a blush, and then hissed as, once again, my latte was splashed on my pants. At this rate, I'll never end up finishing this thing. It'll end up over all of my clothes!
I gave her a glare that she returned with a playful smirk.
I opened my mouth to say something, but she shoved her latte right in front of my mouth. I went cross-eyed for a moment to look at it before turning to her.
"Try it." She ordered simply, as if she didn't just try to give me a concussion, a multitude of broken bones, and third-degree burns a few moments ago. (It may be an exaggeration, but I'm still kind of pissed off.)
I sighed, took the cup, and sipped it.
I gave it back to her.
"Not bad," I admitted.
"See?" She cheerfully took a large gulp of her drink.
"… but it's still freaking December, Temari. Starbucks has winter drinks, you know."
"I know, asshole. I just felt like having Pumpkin Spice today."
"Whatever." I shook my head and rested my head against the tree, taking deep breaths and releasing them; relaxing myself once again into the comfortable silence that had befallen us before Temari's spider senses and Pumpkin Spice obsession had interrupted.
Ino was out with Sai today, and Chouji was cooking stuff with his mom like he sometimes does when he has a day off. He wants to cook well and not only eat. He enjoys both activities, but he doesn't want to be known as the guy "who just ate a lot." He'd rather be known as the guy "who may eat a lot, but can cook even better."
Anyway, earlier today I was lying in bed lazily around 11am with nothing to do and perfectly okay with it when Temari barged into my room demanding I get "the fuck out of the house" and come with her.
… My parents had let her in.
Once I was dressed and stuff, she took us to Starbucks and we each got our drinks –I offered to pay, being raised gentlemanly and all but Temari wouldn't have it– and I decided to have a little power in this whole forced-out thing, so I chose our revenue.
Since light snow and frost covered parts of Konoha last night and still remained today, mostly in the grassy areas, my usual cloud-gazing spots were out of the question.
So, a large tree with many thick branches that were mostly void of snow and frost in the warmer part of town was the next best thing.
And here we were, enjoying each other's company.
Temari and I had hung out a few times since she had spent the night, but this is the longest time we've spent together so far as well as my favorite.
Right now, we're just sitting next to each other and looking out at the view of Konoha from our tree.
"Hey," I said, feeling the sudden need to ask her a question.
"Mm?" She raised a brow at me.
"What are guys going to do after New Year's?" It was confirmed they were staying here for that holiday, but were going back to Suna afterward.
And admittedly, my chest clenched at the thought of her not being here anymore. Will she come back? I hope she does… God, is this how people are when they like somebody? This whole I-need-them-around-me-all-the-time thing is not my favorite symptom of this disease…
She frowned slightly at the subject. I inwardly perked up. Does that mean she'll miss me- I mean, Konoha?
… I have it pretty bad, don't I?
"Um, about week or so after that is Hiro's wedding," she said, part of me getting irrationally jealous at the mention of the ex she had a great relationship with. "And a week after that is Gaara's birthday." (1)
She paused for a moment, looking over at me for a moment in thought.
She then closed the last amount of space between the two of us, her thigh and side pressing against mine.
I felt proud that I kept my expression normal, but then I felt pathetic that I found that worth inward celebration. How far have I fallen? Though the better question may be how hard… as in, you know-… I'm gonna shut up right now. I can't bear hearing myself think when I sound like some kind of lovesick puppy.
"I was thinking of arranging a surprise party for Gaara here, since his first friends are here and all. Mainly Naruto." She said quietly, although there wasn't a need to. "But it's gonna be a pain to get Gaara here that day without him suspecting anything. Gaara always pays attention to his surroundings and there's no possible way to knock him out long enough to get here. It'd be stupid to do that anyway."
"I've got a question," I whispered after a moment of pensive silence.
"What?" She replied softly.
"Why are we whispering?" I rose my voice to its normal volume. "We're the only ones here, 'Mari. You didn't have to scoot over either – I could hear you just fine from where you were."
She hit me on my arm. "Precautionary habit, you jerk. Now do you have an idea or not!"
I already knew by the way she phrased the last few sentences of what she was going to do in Suna that she was indirectly asking my help, but I decided to first pursue the topic of our volume (or lack thereof) before that.
"Why not have whoever's going to be the temporary leader guy when you're in Suna to assign you guys a mission to the outskirts of Konoha, and decide to rest inside Konoha the night before you start your mission. Matsuri included. She's an official genin now, right? Anyways, at least that way you have a legitimate reason to be in Konoha - to rest from the long journey." I said. "The next morning can be the party, if you guys want to be at full strength at stuff for it, or want an all-day gathering or whatever. Voila." It was a simple and easy tactic that should work well enough.
Temari's expression was very entertaining.
Her expression screamed, "Why didn't I think of this earlier?!"
Her facepalm proved that I had read her correctly, which is hard to do.
"Damn it… I'm so stupid sometimes." She groaned. "Of course it would work! It was so simple! I need to stop my habit of looking over simplicity…"
"It's sometimes the simple stuff that work the best." I stated. "Although, do you think Gaara might somehow figure out what is happening, it being his birthday and all?"
Temari shook her head. "Gaara rarely remembers his birthday. If no one told him, he may forget and not realize until days later. Even with Gaara's new character, I doubt he'd remember his birthday since it's so soon. But just in case, we may just keep him busy and distract him…"
"It'll probably work, then." I took a breath, closing my eyes and deciding to finish the last of my latte.
When I did, I sighed and leaned against the bark once again, pulling my beanie further down my forehead. I fully intended on taking a nap.
Then, I felt Temari's hands play with my hair, as she often did. More so today – I wasn't wearing a hair tie, for once.
It was mainly because I was too lazy to put it up when Temari came to take me out, but it was also because I knew that she wanted to hang out, had this place picked out in my mind, and knew that my tied hair + leaning against this tree the way I am = headache.
Maybe I could find a way to lean comfortably with my hair tie, but that would require energy I'm not willing to exert.
She sighed, turning into me and resting her head and part of her torso against my chest and shoulder, her right arm reaching over to rest on my left side.
"I'm tired." She mumbled.
I adjusted myself and scooted us over to her side of the branch (which had a lot more space, with her being all up in the personal bubble of mine that she rarely acknowledged) so we wouldn't both fall over mine. I leaned over put my left arm around her, my right being warmed by her cup that was between us. I rested her head on the top right of my chest, almost against my shoulder, again.
It was still warm from her latte being in it, though she had just finished it. Her hand was wrapped around it, coveting the warmth.
I rested my fingers over hers, enjoying the warmth of both her hands and the cup, pushing down any embarrassment.
"Hey, Shika?" Temari asked.
I closed my eyes, muttering a reply. "Yeah, 'Mari?"
"Do you like me?"
My eyes shot open and all the relaxation and warmth I had felt earlier immediately left my body. I tensed, feeling like ice water was flowing through my veins, replacing warm blood. My heartbeat rate felt like it doubled.
"W-what k-kind of q-q-question i-is that?" Shit, I stuttered! That definitely gave me away!
She sighed, poking my stomach harshly in irritation from me tensing up, her bony pillow even harder now.
"It's kind of obvious," she said. I flinched. It is!?
"And that stutter gave you away, you know."
I faced away from her, looking out onto the village. My face was aflame.
"A-and so what i-if I d-did?" I said, giving up on trying to deny it. "Wh-what's wrong w-with it?"
"Never said anything about that." She said. Even though that sentence made me instantly perk up, the touch of melancholy in her voice, almost as if it reminded her of something she didn't like to think about, (maybe it did, but what could it be?), sobered me.
I didn't say anything, thinking. Does she like me back? I mean, she usually instigates our hang outs and she kissed me first… she's usually the first to make a move, actually, and is always moving close to me. I at least know that she thinks of me different than any other guy currently here in Konoha… and she's more personal with me, so I know however she thinks of me, it's positive for the most part.
But that wasn't enough. Does she like me? Or is this… one-sided like it always is in these situations?
I (more often than I'd prefer) often thought about the possibility of her liking me. And despite everything, it's still pretty low. Besides – she's had plenty of boyfriends before, and a couple crushes and flings here and there. How does a 14-year-old with his first real crush (whose heart insists is more than that and mind wonders why he was cursed with such a girly heart; both of them knowing the small crush on Ino was temporary, short, and due to hormones and thus is not a "real crush") and no experience who's only got his intelligence have a chance at winning over an experienced, in multiple ways… woman like Temari? Huh? Explain that to me. Even if she had minuscule feelings for me, it's likely she'd forget them and push them away. She's stated multiple times that she doesn't want a kid.
By the way, that was only a snippet of the thoughts running a marathon in my head. Oh, the doubts that romance brings.
"Hey, hey!" I suddenly felt a pinching sensation in my cheek and came back to the rest of the world.
An angry Temari was harshly pinching my cheek, a glare on her face. "Don't you space out on me, lazy ass."
As she let go, I rubbed my cheek with a pout, that I only realized has been my only expression (a sad, kind of angry-looking, pensive pout, I mean) for the past few minutes I was in my own world.
"I never said that." Referring to the last thing I said before I spaced out, about to whether or not there was something wrong with me liking her.
She sat up on her knees and took my face in her hands. I sat up as well to be (almost) level with her –it'll take a bit for me to finally get taller than her– and our cups where dropped, falling off the branch and down to the ground. Forgotten.
She got a certain look on her face. A look that I knew meant some kind of trouble, of a mischievous nature, but a kind of mischief that made me excited. My blood pumped and I couldn't help the blush on my face, but I was able to keep my expression as straight as I could whilst looking like a tomato.
She leaned in, closer. "I never said I had a problem with it…"
She muttered. Her breath smelled of the pumpkin-flavored latte she so loved.
She stopped just before our noses could touch, looking directly into my eyes.
"Show me what you've got, Lover Boy."
I kissed her, immediately. I abandoned any inhibitions I had.
When our lips met, my eyes wanted to roll into the back of my head. This is nothing like when she kissed me back in the forest!
Shivers ran down my body, and energy and heat coursed through right after.
Unable to stop myself, I pressed myself closer to her and put my hands on her waist, pulling her to me.
Her fingers pulled my beanie off and played with my hair.
This only made me kiss her harder, all the while trying to make my inexperience up by using instinct and copying what she was doing in her own experience, using the few brain cells that were still functioning correctly. I think I did pretty well, considering my brain was mostly mush. Yup. Consciousness definitely makes a difference. A great difference. In every definition of the word.
I would've continued to kiss her until I ran out of air, and then kiss her even more and continued that cycle for as long as I could if it wasn't for a certain person interrupting.
I'm sure they didn't mean to, and judging by their reaction, –nearly falling off the branch when trying to step back, blushing, coughed, and then running a hand down their face while sighing, calming– it wasn't quite what they were expecting, either.
Temari and I jumped apart slightly the moment we noticed her, -which was, as I begrudgingly admit, after she had coughed for our attention- careful to not fall off our branch.
"W-what is it, Karin?" Temari asked. I smirked when she stuttered.
She glared at me.
The redhead shook her head, sighing in exasperation. "Sorry to, um… interrupt, but you guys need to come to the Third Training Grounds immediately."
Then she was gone, just like that.
I got serious again, jumping down to collect both mine and Temari's Starbucks cups. She jumped down as well.
"Where is it?"
I broke into a run, knowing she'd follow. "This way. We'd better hurry."
"Is it far?" She said as we ran through the trees and headed away from the city.
"We're kind of on the other side of town. If we wanted to ride your fan there, we'd have to do it once we got closer. We wouldn't be able to fly long enough to get there from here.(2) It's faster if we if we fun."
Temari frowned. "I've got a bad feeling."
I sighed, slightly upset at the turn of events (sorry, but I could be kissing a very, I'll admit, hot girl that I happen to like right now, so excuse me for not being happy at this turnout) and wondering what the emergency was. But I grew serious once more. "So do I."
Naruto POV
"Mm!" I moaned as I slurped delicious ramen. "Isn't this great, Hinata-chan?"
I turned to the girl that sat closely beside me on the park bench we were on, Ichiraku takeout on our laps.
"Yes." She murmured. "It is." She continued to eat.
Today, Hinata and I were hanging out, like I made a point to since the Forest of Death. I can't believe I took so long to hang out with her.
I really hope she likes me back. I think she might, especially by the way everybody else (as in the other rookies, the sensei, and Iruka-nii(3)) get really-… what's the word? Oh! "Exasperated", (learned it from Hinata-chan a couple days ago) whenever I mention it or talk about Hinata, since whatever feelings she may have for me are apparently obvious.
And almost everyone knows that I like Hinata.
... Or so I've been told.
Sakura-chan even got really pissed off the last time I asked her about Hinata. She yelled at me, called me an idiot, hit me on the head harder than she had in a while, and stalked off, Sasuke shaking his head (at me) and following behind her.
The boy's whipped, I say. Whipped.
But that's beside the point.
I hate to sound like some typical, cheesy, unrealistic guy from a romance book when I say this, but it's true. Sometimes, I really hate clichés.
Hinata is practically perfect (only practically because no one is) – she's beautiful with her now-growing-just-past-her-shoulder length deep blue hair; soft lavender eyes, smooth pale skin; that adorable, shy smile…
…. Anyway. *Cough*
She's also really smart, and kind, and with great judgment. She thinks clearly and doesn't let personal feelings like anger influence her decisions, but also gives people the benefit of the doubt and a second chance.
And even though she kind of disowned herself, she is/was/will be the freaking heiress of the Hyuuga clan! And that, my friends, is status.
She's practically a princess. If this were a time where there were still such things, in Konoha, at least, she definitely would be. And Sasuke'd be a prince… Ew.
Back to the whole being-kind thing, she now, for example, doesn't hate her father.
After all that that bastard has done, she doesn't hate him. Complete opposite of Sasuke.
She's very angry, yes, but is there any hatred? Just toward his actions. She will be willing to forgive him if he sees that he was wrong. Her feelings toward Neji are the same, but with much less anger – and she still loves them both. That girl is way too nice for her own good.
Maybe she is, I thought back to the demon in my body. But she's strong, too. And I like that most about her.
So as you can see, I have doubts that she likes me – why would she want something like me? An loud-mouthed idiot whose dense, can't dance, (What does dancing have to do with anything?) is sloppy, admittedly rude sometimes, and only has a dream that everybody doubts will come true anyway going for him. And maybe strength.
Why would she want me? You have no idea, dear God. *groans like the whiny baby he is* Why'd I have to get stuck inside such a dense idiot… *mumbles*
What the hell is that supposed to mean?!
Ugh. Nothing.
"Naruto-kun?" Hinata's voice shook me out of my thoughts.
"Oh! Sorry, Hinata-chan. I spaced out." I shook my head. "What'd you say?"
"I asked i-if you… u-um… w-w-wanted t-to…" I leaned in close to Hinata with my finished ramen in my lap, –I must have been eating while I was spacing out; good job, me!– and noticed she had finished hers as well.
"Yeah?" I prompted, enjoying our proximity and Hinata's usual, cute reaction to it. Sometimes I wonder if she'll permanently stay red.
Kurama!
You've thought about that too, so shut up.
"T-to w-walk…" Hinata took a deep breath, then rushed out quickly, "Doyouwanttowalkaroundtheparkwithme?"
It took me a couple extra seconds to decipher – a couple extra seconds I took full advantage of to shamelessly stare at her adorably hopeful and embarrassed face that was awaiting my answer.
I smiled widely when I finally figured out what she had said and made my (very easy) decision. "Of course!"
I stood and helped her up. Then I took out takeout boxes and threw them away, holding my hand out to her for her to take.
"Come on." I smiled as she shyly took my hand.
For a half hour –though for all I knew, it could've been an hour or more– we walked around the park and trees and fountains at this central part of town.
We did all those cheesy things couples did – throwing pennies into the fountains; stopping for a moment to listen to street performers, be amazed, then give them some money; throw crumbs of bread for pigeons to eat (bread we had bought from a bakery close by that we ate most of); and laugh and talk comfortably with each other the whole time.
Though one un-couple-like thing we did that was more like what two people in denial did, was blush at the all the couples we saw during the walk.
Finally, we rested against another bench, sharing a large hot chocolate from Starbucks. (My idea. Aren't I sly?)
Between us, my right hand and her left were still intertwined, and for once, the only blush on Hinata's face was from us sharing one drink between our other hands. Though I liked it when she blushed, (I figured out more or less why she did in the first place and purposely caused them sometimes, too) it felt good to realize that she was growing used to me touching her so much and being so close to her.
We were pressed up closely to each other, our entwined hands resting on both of our thighs. Her head was resting on my shoulder, and my head was against hers.
I'm glad she can't see my face right now… I'm as red as a tomato!
For once, I was the really anxious one. My heart felt like it was beating twice as fast as it normally did.
I was so nervous with her being so close to me that my hand shook as I was raising the hot chocolate to my mouth to take a sip, and a couple drops spilled on my pants.
I hissed and jerked to sit upright, Hinata sitting up as well and turning to me to see what happened.
"A-are you alright?" She took the cup from my hands to prevent me spilling any, not knowing I already had.
I nodded and checked to see if I dropped any of the drink on her. "I just spilled the hot chocolate a bit, that's all."
I noticed our new distance and I decided to close it reaching over and pulling Hinata by her waist to me, right beside each other again, but slightly turned to face the other.
I wrapped my arms around her, hugging her.
"N-Naruto-kun?" I took a deep breath, taking in the smell of her hair. Lavender and grapes… Mm…
"Please don't pull away," I murmured. "This feels good, doesn't it?"
She gasped lightly, but nodded. "Mhm."
She wrapped her arms around my back, and I felt her holding the cup as well.
Now would be a good time.
I know.
I took a deep breath. I can do this… I have the guts to finally do this… to kiss her.
Gather up the balls you're supposed to have and fucking do it already!
Shut up! This is a delicate process!
Wuss.
Ignoring him and trying to calm my heart and my nerves, I took a couple more deep breaths. I steeled myself.
It's now or never…
I was about to pull away from Hinata to make my move, but was interrupted when Karin suddenly appeared in front of us.
She looked just about as surprised as we did as we hastily pulled away – we were all, "Where the hell did you come from?!" And she was all, "Oh shit, I wasn't expecting this".
Then, her expression turned into one that said, "Come on, not again." Yup. I can totally read people's expressions pretty well. Sometimes, at least.
And yet you can't tell when someone... *grumble*
I'm going to ignore you.
"What is it?" I said, disappointment leaking into my voice. I was trying my best not to glare at her, settling with a blank stare.
It's not like it was her fault or like she intended to, but I still wasn't happy at all with the interruption.
"Uh…" she started, still embarrassed at catching us hugging each other. Beside me, Hinata was at the brink of passing out.
I was surprised she hadn't already. She's getting better.
Karin shook her head, becoming serious. My expression turned worried. What happened?
"Emergency at the Third Training Grounds. Get there ASAP." She was gone immediately.
I turned to Hinata to find her already looking at me, her complexion back to normal, our expressions were both serious.
"Let's go."
Tenten POV
"Stay, for tonight. If you want to, I can show you
What my dreams are made of, as I'm dreaming of your face."
I sighed pleasantly to the song that started on the playlist from my phone as I turned the next page in the book I was reading, reaching back down with the same hand that turned the page to play with Neji's hair until I had to turn the next page again and repeat the same process over and over.
"I can't imagine being anywhere else,
I can't imagine being anywhere else but here."
Here we lied on my bed on a beautiful winter afternoon. Neji's head rested on my lap, his body slanted on the bed to alignment of my body. His legs were almost hanging over the bottom left edge of the bed, his head on my lap on the top right end. He lied shirtless, relaxing.
We had only left my apartment to buy groceries this morning, and spent a lazy day off together in my room for the rest of the day.
After Neji disowned himself, we decided to have him move in with me until he got his own place. In the back of our minds, though, I'm sure neither of us wants him to leave.
Since that night, Neji has been randomly getting attacks from his uncle – through the curse mark.(4) I guess Hiashi had forgotten that he could have used that against him in the chaos of that Thanksgiving night, but ever since, a couple random times a day, even in the middle of the night, Hiashi had hurt Neji with the curse mark.
In fact, the last attack was less than 10 minutes ago, and he was still recovering.
The random attacks were another reason for us to live together longer – he wouldn't be able to properly take care of himself with them constantly occuring if he was alone.
The boy in question reached up to play with my loose hair.
"How the hell did you ever pick me?
Honestly, I could sing you a song,
But I don't think words can express your beauty,
It's singing to me."
"I wonder how as well," my boyfriend said softly, still in slight pain. "And though I do not sing, I agree with Kellin."
"If I'm James Dean, Then You're Audrey Hepburn" by Sleeping with Sirens (whose frontman is Kellin Quinn, the guy Neji mentioned) had become our new favorite song. It was really, as cheesy as it may sound, our song. Adorably cliché, isn't it?
A smile reached my lips. "I wonder why you picked me, too, sometimes. But we already told each other why. And it's not like we choose who we love." The unspoken, "If we did, I'd still want you" floated in the air, known to the both of us.
"I fell in love from the moment we kissed,
And since then we've been history."
"Did you?" I asked him.
"The first or second time?" He questioned.
"The second. We were like, 6 the first time."
He thought for a moment. "I think that forced-open my eyes to feelings that had already begun to grow by then."
He looked up at me expectantly. "What about you?"
"By then, I already knew."
He smiled lightly, and my heart skipped a beat. Just like it always did when I saw him smile.
"They say that love is forever,
Your forever is all that I need.
Please stay, as long as you need.
Can't promise that things won't be broken,
But I swear that I will never leave.
Please stay, forever with me."
That chorus is one of my favorite parts of the song. I smiled.
I felt Neji's hand drift to hold my cheek, though the his hand was upside down (to me, at least) from his position on my lap.
Then, his hand drifted to my book to pull it away from me.
"Forget the book," he said. "I'm more important."
I rolled my eyes, but I let him set the book on the counter next to the bed. "Of course you'd say that, arrogant bastard, you."
"This arrogant bastard of yours speaks the truth." He pulled me down to lay beside him, and I cradled his head against my chest, knowing his pain was still there, though wearing off.
"What were you reading, anyway?" He said into my collarbone, moving up to bury his head in my neck.
"Of Mice and Men," I answered.
"Didn't we read that in the Academy?" I nodded.
In the last year of the Academy, and before graduation for early graduates, students are required to read the book.
We read it as a class for the purpose of showing sacrifice, realism, and the painful reality of not being able to protect everyone forever. It was necessary to know such things as a Shinobi. So it didn't have to be learned the hard way – by losing someone you love.
John Steinbeck may have been an American realist during the American Depression, but the values here are still relevant to anyone – having a dream and trying to work to achieve it. But in the end, dreams don't always come true. And they could be destructive. Like Sasuke's in the future…
The sad end to the book was a good eye opener, with the death of one of the main characters by the hand of his best friend and the one he looked up to and trusted most. Neither of them were bad people, and it hurt the main character to do it, but it was better he end things now before worse consequences caught up to them. And if he didn't do it out of love for his best friend, others would have violently beat him and killed him out of spite, anger, and hatred soon after.
The book hit a chord within Neji, kind of reminding him of his father's death. I have no doubt that it must have hit Sasuke pretty close too, but I never asked.
I, however, greatly enjoyed the book, and its realism. So after graduating, I bought my own copy.
"They say that love is forever
Your forever is all that I need
Please stay as long as you need
Can't promise that things won't be broken
But I swear that I will never leave
Please stay forever with me
(If you want to, I can show you)
(If you want to, I can show you)"
"Swear you'll stay?" I murmured into Neji's hair. I was scared of him leaving or dying (again), which he was aware of.
"If you swear to do all you can to, I will as well." He replied, placing a kiss on my neck.
Another of my favorite parts of the song, though not on the acoustic version that we were currently listening to (we love both versions; they're both our song), had the lines, "I couldn't love just anyone, I was created to love one baby/girl".
Last night, when we were listening to that version, the original, he whispered to me as I fell asleep, "I'm not sure about my beliefs on fate at the moment, but I feel that I was destined to love you. You, Tenten."
If I were more conscious then, I would've sighed from how happy it made me feel. I may have even cried.
As the acoustic version of our song ended, Neji moved up even further to place a soft kiss on my lips, one I returned.
When we pulled away, I sighed and was fully prepared to take a comfortable, cozy nap in my boyfriend's arms until a knock on my balcony window stopped the both of us.
Both of us groaned, but I still climbed off the bed and Neji still reached over to pause the music on my phone, which was on my bedside table.
I paused to quickly put my hair up back into its usual buns. Neji kindly did one for me to speed up the process as I did the other.
I stood up and pulled away the already-partially-open curtains of the sliding window/door to the balcony completely to find Sakura and Sasuke.
The soft, warm, ghost of a smile on Sakura's lips and Sasuke's slightly embarrassed expression on his face that was turned away from me told me that she had seen Neji and I between the large gap between the curtains. I blushed as I opened the glass sliding door.
"What is it?" Neji asked, walking towards us in his usual manner after he pulled a shirt on to stand behind me.
At the mention of their purpose here, Sakura and Sasuke's expressions turned serious, and I tensed. What's wrong?
"Emergency at the Third Training Grounds. Get there immediately." Sasuke said, and they jumped off the balcony together in another direction, away from the training grounds they ordered us to go to.
"They must be getting others." Neji commented, as I quickly locked the balcony and pull the curtains together. I closed any window and set of curtains that I passed that on the way to the front door, Neji behind me.
We pulled on our ninja shoes. "Are you okay now?" I asked Neji, referring to the migraine he received after every attack.
He nodded. "It's completely gone." He tossed me a jacket he got from the bedroom, his own already on.
Once we were out and the door was locked, we turned to each other and nodded.
But just before we leaped onto the top of my apartment building, Neji leaned in for a quick peck on my lips. "I have a bad feeling."
I gave him my own quick kiss. "I'll be careful if you will."
He nodded, and we leaped toward the training ground.
Hana POV
I feel so sick…
The nervousness I felt in my stomach made me feel almost nauseous, and my dog triplets turned to me and whimpered, sensing my discomfort.
I shook my head at them, resting against a large tree. "I'm fine. Just a bit tired, boys."
They nuzzled my legs for reassurance, then curled around each other and my body.
I smiled, scratching them all behind their ears.
"Today, Hana," Itachi had told me over the phone, his voice changed to sound similar to his, but still like a different person as it always did as a precautionary.
Last night, A crow had sent for me to meet up with him at "our" house last night. Or at least, that's what I thought would happen.
Instead, I found a letter on the table, telling me that he'd be here the next afternoon, but was not in the best of condition to come see me after communicating with Tsunade that night and apologizes. He said he'd call me the next day (today) to let me know when exactly he'd be coming.
He did call, letting me know he'd arrive in an hour from then, right about now.
He told me he'd be at the Third Training Grounds and asked for me to "happen" to be there around that same time.
Bored out of my mind on a cold, day off, I jumped at the opportunity for something to do. Training while waiting for Itachi was a good idea.
As I left the house, telling my mother I'd be out for a couple hours, she teased me, asking if I was going on a date with "Kaito". She had heard me speaking with Itachi, using his alias.
I blushed and refused, but she laughed. "At least Kiba's getting some action!" She said, referring to my brother's little shopping trip (or "date", as we call it and as he wishes it was but denies it being) with Mitsuki.
Suddenly, I smelled and felt his chakra signature. Itachi-kun...
My boys must have smelled him as well, because they suddenly stood straight and growled. I hadn't told them the whole story yet, but they knew there was more to Itachi and the Massacre than what everyone else thinks and that he isn't entirely evil.
Regardless, they still didn't like him much at all for, well… breaking my heart and killing his family, so it was easy for them to act as if they hated him, to pretend they had no idea about the truth. Because they really did hate Itachi. (They'd tolerate him if they had to, though. For my sake.)
We hurried over to the Third Training Ground, which was two grounds away from the one I was in.
Once I got there, I noticed a crowd of ninja was already gathering, the rookies and their sensei at the front. They were all looking at Uchiha Itachi, and the two bound teens behind them.
"Itachi-kun," I breathed.
One sat with his tied legs stretched out in front of him, seemingly bored out of his mind and swaying as if in a useless attempt to entertain himself. He seemed to be about the same age as Sasuke. Must be the "Suigetsu" Itachi told me about.
The other boy, much larger and likely older than Suigetsu, sat still, also with his legs tied and stretched out in front of him. But instead of looking bored, he looked nervous, his eyes flicking back and forth between the ground, Itachi, and the crowd of angry people gathered in front of him. I'd be scared, too, in his position.
I took a place beside Shisui, at the right edge of the front of the crowd. "Where's Mura and your mom?" I whispered to him.
Behind him stood Fugaku, but I couldn't see Mikoto or Mura. I was too fidgety and nervous to try and find their scents through those of all of the others gathered here.
"Back of the crowd," he whispered back. "I tried to leave them at home, but they insisted and won't go. I have a clone back there to protect them from getting hurt."
I looked over to my brother, Naruto and Sasuke.
Naruto seemed to be breathing heavily, his hands flexing and shoulders rising and falling. I saw a glimpse of claws on his fingers, so I realized he must be trying to hold Kurama back and keep his anger down. Hinata stood beside him, her hand on his shoulder, drifting down slowly to his hand.
Sasuke's curse mark was swirling around his body, a crushed cup by his feet. Beside him, Sakura stood nervously, holding the back of her love's shirt. She quickly drowned her own drink to try and calm her nerves, but looked even more anxious when she took it away from her lips. She tossed it to the ground in frustration, deciding focus back on Sasuke and his brother.
Kiba was on all fours, growling viciously. His nails where elongated and sharpened from what I could see, and I had no doubt that his fangs were as well, and his eyes sharper and more dog-like. He was in front of a nervous Mitsuki, as if to protect her.
The crowd hushed as Tsunade approached and made her way through the crowd, a path opening up for her as she approached and remaining parted behind her. The Elders and their bodyguards remained in the back of the crowd for protection from Itachi. I doubt that'd make much of a difference if he actually wanted to and tried to kill them.
Behind Tsunade were Shizune, Tonton, Yamato, and Jiraiya.
However, Itachi did not address them.
Instead, he gazed over them and all of those in the crowd of ninja before turning to his younger brother.
He sneered. "Did you miss me, Foolish Otouto?"(5)
(1): January 19th. He's turning 14. Yes, he's the youngest, but the other option was to make him older than everybody and I hated that, so he's younger. Makes more sense to me. And he's cuter that way.
(2): White Tiger pointed out that the fan was unlikely to be used as a long-term flying device, so I made a point to add that here. In that one chapter, where they first flew on it, the forest was literally right behind the stadium anyway, so they didn't have to fly long. I didn't make it clear that it can only be used for so long last time, so I made sure to do so here.
(3): If you remember in the manga (and they should have in the anime, but I haven't seen the episode), Iruka said he thought of Naruto as a younger brother after giving up on trying to stop him from joining the war once he found out about it. And if you remember, during the scroll chapter, one of the differences in this timeline is that Iruka adopted Naruto as his younger brother and is his neighbor, to watch over him.
(4): If you remember the flashback Neji had about the curse mark being used on his father, that's exactly what Hiashi's doing to him.
(5): If you didn't know, "otouto" = "younger brother".
QotW: Do you have an "anime/manga to watch/read next list"? If so, what are the top anime/manga on it? Do you guys have anything you're planning on watching/reading next or soon?
Love,
Cherry.
PS: Don't forget to review! And I'm sorry for no Itachi interactions, but the next chapter will have it, with a whole week of no school to be written and edited on!