Oh, this took forever to get up. Sigh Your reviews below.
Hogo-chan: Geh, you're welcome. ; Oh, I know, Naruto's being a brat as usual. Don't mind him, I promise it gets better.
Yum: Yes, Sasuke thinks Naruto has rejected him. I'm sure you'd think so too if you didn't know about the Kyuubi and he just started yelling 'Get out'. Remember, only the grown-ups and some of their kids knew Naruto was the demon's seal. Therefore, Sasuke wouldn't know about it. (Correct me if I'm wrong)
inu's-girl-forever: xD Sasuke doesn't speak fluent Blonde dodges objects thrown by blondes but he seemed to get through to our favorite ramen-eater.
Kyuubi-kun: Oh, you will see more SasuNar, but not 'till later chapters. BTW, thanks for signing the review and keep up the good work with those fics stalks
ghostninja85: I promise to keep it updated if you promise to keep writing me reviews :3
For those who did not understand the endings: ; All right. Before Sasuke ran off to go find Orochimaru, Sakura asked Naruto out on a date to explain Sasuke's curse seal (remember, when Orochimaru gave him the curse seal, Naruto was not there.) Refer to the manga if you are unsure about this(I left out the fight between Naruto and Sasuke). It should be right before chapter 180. Not up that far and stuck with Shounen Jump? Let me introduce you to and You have to sign up, but it's free.
-Warning- This chapter of RIR contains Sakura bashing.
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"Rejection is Real" Ch4 by closet-monsters
"We'll be waiting for you, Sasuke." Came the voice of Sakkon.
Sasuke sat with his back against the wall, strength draining from him as quick as the blood drained from his busted lip. He didn't have the will to get up and fight Sound's best ninja, much less the power. Understanding was not in his grasp.
He'd been clever, but his opposer had been better. The wire trick he'd used hadn't been enough for the two-headed one. And now Sasuke was mad at himself for letting his defeat look so easy to the observers that now snickered in the shadows.
For a moment he thought he would die; they had the power to do it. But no, they'd simply left him broken and stinging with pain. Damned curse seal; it'd sucked up all his chakra.
'Time to pick yourself up, Uchiha, and it's time to get going.' He thought grimly to himself. Slowly, he rose to his feet and step by careful step made his way to his house, mentally thanking Kami the fight had happened so close to it.
He pulled the backpack he got for his birthday out of the closet, fighting off the dust bunnies that had recently taken residence over the thing. He'd never thought he'd use it; after all, if was a present from Sakura. Only the important things were thrown into that backpack, such as a change of clothes and as many weapons as he could fit into it.
A small black object caught his eye and he wandered over to pick up the diary. It was plain black, the red and white fan marking it as his. A faint smile flickered to his lips, thinking about all the things he'd scribbled down in there. Goals, secrets, and things that you would never think Sasuke would be stupid enough to write down.
Yes, anyone who got his or her mits on that diary would surely have a good laugh, then ruin the Uchiha's social life forever. Not that it mattered; he was leaving.
"You're such an idiot," He told himself, "For ever thinking anyone would bow to your whim, for believing you might have a chance with someone who might actually understand. Ha!"
With that, he threw the book across the room, letting it lay in the darkened corner it fell in. Hoisting the backpack onto his shoulders, Sasuke let out a small sigh before beginning to leave and yet another thing caught his eye. He stared at the object for a moment, then picked it up and pocketed it. Then, he was off.
Uchiha Sasuke was in anything but a good mood, and he was looking for someone to break. His prayers were answered in the form of a pink-haired kunoichi.
--
Tonight was the night; it had to be. Hyuuga Hinata wandered the dark streets like a frightened child, but she knew her mission. Naruto would be alone tonight, and every night after that. Why she had chose ten o' clock was anyone's guess.
Her eyes were hidden beneath her blue-tinged hair, hiding the pearl-like gaze from the few onlookers on the street. She climbed the steps to his apartment and lingered before his door. Talking to Naruto was never easy.
What if he was asleep? She didn't think she could take getting yelled at from the blonde. And what if, if he was awake, he looked at her funny? After all, what lunatic under 18 comes to visit at ten o'clock without the thought of borrowing money in their head? Hinata with a crush, that's who.
She reached up to knock on his door, but those negative thoughts came flooding back into her mind. Oh well, she could try again, right? At an earlier, more reasonable time, of course. She turned to walk away when the door suddenly opened and a stream of hot water shot out and soaked her.
"Oh my god, Hinata?" Came the startled voice of Konoha's most memorable prankster. "I am so sorry. Hinata? Does'nt that water burn? You're steaming..."
True, Hinata was steaming. Her back was still turned to the door, where Naruto stood in only a pair of boxers and an empty bucket in his hand, so of course he didn't see the bright red she'd turned.
"Come in, Hinata, I am so sorry. I'll go see if I have anything you can wear." Naruto continued on, dropping the earlier subject and dashing into the confines of his house, calling over his shoulder. "Sorry for the mess."
To Hinata, his place was all she'd made it out to be. Ramen cups and tea can littered the floor; the only thing that looked clean was the tile in the kitchen, which Naruto had just mopped and thrown the dirty water on Hinata. There was a window he could have dumped it out, of course, but Naruto was always used to throwing the water out the door and over the railing that faced the streets.
She stood there, watching as he ran from one place to another, accomplishing mnothing, finding nothing. Hinata twiddled her thumbs, bit lightly down on her lower lip, and shuffled her feet. Naruto made her s nervous, as everything else did.
"Naruto-kun, I could just take off my jacket." She whispered, which wasn't heard over the crunching of cups and cursing of Naruto. Finally, the blonde brought her a bright orange shirt, stuffing it into her arms and gesturing in one direction.
"Bathroom is over there, go and change." He told her, then apologized for the third, fourth, and fifth time of that night. The Hyuuga did as she was told, wandering off to the bathroom while Naruto went and locked his front door.
When she returned, Naruto had himself stretched out on an old couch, still bare-chested. When he saw her in his bulky t-shirt, he gestured to the armchair in the corner. She sat down.
"Sorry about that, Hinata-chan. I was mopping the floor and I didn't think anyone was out this time of night, so I just tossed out the water. What were you doing out there anyway?" He asked, propping his chin up on his fist, cyan eyes studying her.
She stared back at him; eyes devoid of color or the emotion normal eyes could produce. "I-I-I came to s-see you, Naruto." Hinata stuttered, mentally cursing herself. Must she always stutter?
"Oh?" Some emotion she couldn't describe flickered in his eyes. "What for?"
Before he could answer, he spoke again.
"Ya know? Something has been eating at me all day." The blonde mumbled, smile collapsing into a small frown. Hinata thanked Kami for a way out.
"Tell me about it?" She asked quietly, but she heard him.
"Well," He began. "This girl came to see me earlier and... I think I said some things I shouldn't have said and now she's probably upset and hates me now."
Hinata felt something like anger burn her insides. "Oh?"
Naruto was lying through his teeth and he loathed it. But what should he do? Tell Hinata a boy had confessed his love to him? What would that do for his image? It'd ruin it for sure; not that it could be too much worse off, though.
'And it wasn't just any boy,' He thought to himself, "It was Sasuke."
Whatever that meant.
"Yes," Naruto continued, now picking at the couch fabric with his fingers," She came in and told me she loved me. That would usually be right, but because of who she was, it was so wrong. I guess I showed that in my face. I began yelling at myself and she thought I was yelling at her. I really wished I could have talked to her, then maybe she wouldn't have been so mad at me." He sighed.
"I see," Hinata replied quietly, nodding, "I think she would understand if you went and apologized to her. She can't be too mad at you if you're really sorry." A small sigh escaped her.
"Thanks Hinata," He smiled again. "Did you have something to tell me?"
"H-Huh?" She looked up at him, then quickly shook her head. "I should be going. I'll return this shirt to you, okay?"
"Don't bother, keep it." He replied, waving a dismissive hand. Naruto got to his feet and led her out, waving her good-bye until she disappeared into the darkness.
---
Her eyes studied him with a quiet knowing, she knew ahead of time he was coming this way.
"What are you doing, prowling around here so late at night?" He asked and a harsh whisper.
She bit her lower lip a bit. "I knew you'd be coming this way if you were going to leave. So I just waited here." Sakura replied.
"Go back to sleep," He told her gruffly, giving her one chance to leave before he started to get more angry. With that, he walked forward, ducking his head.
"Why won't you say anything to me?" She asked, her pretty green eyes now brimming over with tears. "Do you hate me?" This was asked in a soft whisper. Did he hate her?
At the moment... Hell yes.
He swiveled on his foot and stared at her harshly. "Are you blind, Sakura?"
"W-what?"
He shook his head, ebony strands wagging. "Deft too? Tell me Sakura, are you aware of those who pine for your attention?"
"Oh, you mean Naruto and Lee?" At that, she snorted a bit. "Idiots, really, both of them. But that's not the point; the problem is you're leaving. Please stay, Sasuke or... at least take me with you! I'll help you with your revenge; I'd do anything to help you. I love you with all my heart!"
"Isn't that precious?" He sneered. He had Sakura's heart in the palm of his hand, so it seemed. He savored it, this is what Naruto must have felt when Sasuke had confessed his own love. Then, he squashed the heart in his mind. "You don't know what love is, Sakura. Maybe you do, but you'll never understand me. I don't have time for your childish games or your inconsideration."
"Inconsideration? I care for you, Sasuke!" Sakura cried.
"And you can't see pass me; that saddens me and pisses me off at the same time. Don't you see that I don't like you? Why don't you actually go for someone you have? Naruto is more than sufficient for you, no, he's too good for you. Even Lee is too good for. You deserve to be alone for all you've done to them." He twitched.
"Did you even think of talking to him about forcing me into a kiss? Dont trouble yourself, I told him." A sigh now; letting anger out this way made him feel much better. "You really are an annoying, whiney, bitch."
He tried walking away, but she called after him.
"If you leave, I'll scream." She whispered, still crying. Sasuke's eyes narrowed and he was standing behind her in a flash.
"I can't have you do that. Good-bye, Sakura." He pressed his fingers hard down on her pressure point and caught her when her knees gave out. She slumped in his arms, pink hair shading her peaceful features. He lay her on a bench, then disappeared into the night.
----
"Shit. When is he coming?" Cursed the eight-armed Kidoumaru poked at something soft with his fingers. "I'm tired of having to kill these scout-teams. They're no fun like Sand nins."
"Patience, Sasuke will eventually come to us." Spoke Sakkon, who stepped up and kicked the corpse of a Leaf Jhounin away from Kidoumaru's prodding hands. "Stop it, it's no fun to play with the dead."
Kidoumaru snorted, looking over his shoulder at the other two Sound, Tayuya and Jiroubou. Jiroubou stared right back at the spider-freak and gave a grunt, something he did quite often. Tayuya perched her flute between her fingers, nimble digits dancing around the instrument made of bone, but produced no sound.
"I don't understand this, Kimimaro was so much stronger than him. He could beat you with only one hand, Sakkon, yet you kicked that boy's ass as simple as crushing a daisy." Kidoumaru went on, receiving a small glare from Tayuya for breaking her concentration.
Sakkon simply gave him a flat stare. "Yes, but Kimimaro is dying," he reminded his comrade, "And there might be some possibility that I just might have gotten better."
Kidoumaru waved his hand dismissively. "Yes, pity he has to go; he loves Orochimaru so."
"Oh, look there," Tayuya whispered, cutting off the boys' conversation and getting to her feet at the same time. The three males looked, and low and behold one shadow pronounced itself from the others, moving smoothly and efficiently under the moonlight.
Only once did the figure lift his head to them, pale features illuminated as well as the bloody red eyes. Tayuya shuddered and put her flute away, following as her teammates as they made their way down the hill they had stood on towards the youngest Uchiha brother.
"We've been waiting on you, Sasuke-sama." Purred Sakkon, lips drawn into a tight smile to Sasuke.
"What are you doing here?" Sasuke grumbled, though he knew they'd be there.
"When we left our village, you were assigned to be our leader," Sakkon explained, "Please forgive our rude welcome."
"I don't care about that. Let's get out of here." He responded in a light growl. Yes, away from here, away from Naruto and the annoying fangirls. Away from childhood memories of...Itachi.
"Now it begins."
"So it does," Was whispered after the five had made off into the forest. Lazy emeralds surveyed the scene under rings of black and a mane of red hair. Gaara of the Desert was pleased with the sight before him.
Not because it was amusing to watch the Sounds from a close perimeter -along with his older siblings- but because he was right. He wasn't always right, mind you, niether in actions or thoughts, but he was right about this. It pleased him almost as much as soaking up fresh blood into his sand did.
"What do we do?" Asked the blonde Temari, who shifted the weight her large fan from one shoulder to the other.
"We follow them, what else?" Kankuro smirked, giving a cat-like smile beneath his purple markings.
"No," Gaara told him, causing the puppet master to unconsciously sink into himself. "We follow the team headed after them tomorrow. Why should you go racing to your death when it's really none of your business in the first place? Atleast wait for those given the mission, don't do the work for them. We are simply here to repay a debt."
"You care if we're killed?" Temari asked him, surprised.
"Care to find out?" Gaara asked, voice a little too thick with saliva...or was it blood? The eldest genin could see the sand begining to rise from the gourd on his back and gulped. Kankuro almost backed away, but Temari caught his arm. Walking away from a predator was walking into a swift death.
A throaty chuckle escaped the sand manipulator, and then the sand was gone. "I'd rather not have to put up with two more annoying sacks of meat. Besides, I've gotten used to you being there and you are not worth my time.
For once, the two were glad they were not worth any time.
-----
"You better eat all of your breakfast, too." The stern woman told the boy who was looking like he was about to pass out in his eggs. "And your father has a mission as of today, so there's no time for training this morning."
"Yeah, yeah.." Mumbled Nara Shikamaru, now taking a bite out of his sausage.
"One 'yeah' is enough," She growled. The doorbell rang, interrupting whatever next she might have said.
'Saved by the bell,' thought Shikamaru, chewing thoughtfully at a strip of bacon, 'What a nag...And it's early too.' His line of vision landed on his father, Shikato, who was pushing his empty plate away and leaning back in his chair.
"Hey, dad," He whispered to the man behind his hand, "Why'd you marry mom? She's scarier than Asuma-sensei in a tutu."
Shikato patted his stomach thoughtfully at that. "Well, your mother has her happy and cheerful moments at times, I guess that's why." He replied.
Shikamaru gave his father a flat stare. "That's it?"
His father chuckled, inwardly resisting the urge to strangle his own flesh and blood.
"Shikamaru," His mother called sweetly, poking his head around into the kitchen, "There's some messagers from the 5th here to talk to you."
"Nani?"
----
"What?!" Naruto shouted, spittle coating Shikamaru's unchanging face as he spoke. The blonde was now in a pair of pajamas with a cap that looked like it was about to swallow Naruto. Shikamaru tried not to laugh at the sight, as it was funny to look at.
'That bastard!' Naruto cursed in his mind. 'What the hell is wrong with him?'
'It's all your fault,' Hissed another voice in his head; Kyuubi.
'You shut up, damned fox.' He told it. 'It is YOUR fault.'
Shikamaru shifted boredly from where he was, lazily leaning back on the apartment's railings.
"So I'm one of the elite ninja you chose?" Naruto asked, eying Shikamaru suspiciously.
"That's right." Shikamaru replied, crossing his arms. "So, get dressed and come on."
"You got it." The blonde smiled meekly, dissapearing into his apartment and reemerging in his usual, orange apparel. The Nara then led the boy to their next house.
"Chouji! Come on, get ready." Shikamaru sighed at his teammate, who was now stuffing his mouth with potato chips.
"I thought you said we were rounding up the best nin to go on this mission," Naruto commented over the shadow manipulator's shoulder.
"I've known Chouji for a long time, so he's easiest for me to work with." He gave Naruto a challenging stare, as if daring Naruto to back-mouth him. He didn't, so they left Chouji to get ready while they went off to get Hyuuga Neji.
Hinata peeked out from the doors of the Hyuuga household, blushing when she saw Naruto. She quickly disappeared back into the house, calling out her cousin's name. Neji looked up at her from the scroll he'd been reading, giving her a scrutinizing look.
"He's here, isn't he?" He asked, seeing the blush tinting her cheeks. When she opened her mouth to reply, he just cut her off by waving a dismissive hand. "We will speak of that when I return."
Hinata breathed a sigh of relief, whispering her good luck to him when he passed. He didn't show any signs that he'd heard, but she knew he had by the way his lips twitched ever so slightly, how his walk paused for a millisecond before carrying on much more strongly. Hinata hid a smile behind her hand.
"The Hyuuga house would not like to participate in buying Girl Scout cookies this year." Neji said, now appearing at the door. Naruto fumed.
"Very funny, Neji, but we-" Shikamaru started.
"You need my help in going after Uchiha." Neji finished. Naruto gaped, to which Neji gave him a bored gaze. "News spreads fast, especially to those of higher class."
"Well this is what I get for trying to take a walk early in the morning," Commented a voice from behind the shinobi on the street. Inuzuka Kiba sighed, patting the small puppy that trailed at his heels.
"I also know what is going on," Said Lee, who had snuck out of the hospital again to wander; the rest of them ignored him.
"So are you in or out?" Naruto asked, giving Neji a small glare.
"I'll come," Neji replied, "And save myself from that baby of a Jhounin. All he talks about is Lee now; we've never had time for training."
"And you, Kiba?" Shikamaru asked the dog-boy over his shoulder.
"Count me in," He grinned in reply.
"Alright then, to the front gates."
---
"The team is assembled at the front gates, Gaara." Kankuro reported, carefully approaching the insomniac of a brother that sat on a tree stump. The red-head glanced up at him, the kanji on his forehead wrinkling ever so slightly.
"Where are they headed?" He asked.
"My guess is towards the Sound region," Kankuro replied.
"That's smart, Kankuro. They're headed towards the West," Temari suddenly appeared from the surrounding forest, fan tucked under one arm. "At least, that is where Uchiha and the Sound nins are headed."
Gaara smirked approvingly, but didn't turn to look at her. Kankuro folded his arms and spat on the ground.
"We'll be following them, then. Once again, stealth is an issue," Mint green eyes stared towards Kankuro. "If one of us were to give ourselves away at inopportune moments, I'd have to...quiet them."
Kankuro gulped, seeing a creepy smile spread across his younger brother's face. Temari tactfully remained silent.
--
She'd told them a lie, of course. Telling those messengers the truth of what really happened with Sasuke would be to her utter humiliation.
So she lied, and now she was standing there listening to Shikamaru discuss tactics with the gathered genin team. Sakura sighed.
"Wait!" She called out. Naruto's head turned at her voice and he was over to her quickly.
"Sakura, I-" He began, but was cut off by Shikamaru.
"So, Sakura, even you couldn't convince Sasuke into staying? That means we'll have to take him by force if we must." Shikamaru commented.
"Naruto, please," Sakura whispered, tears now running down her cheeks, "You're the only one who can bring him back. Please, bring him back."
"You really like Sasuke, huh, Sakura?" Naruto smiled. Sakura blinked. "Don't worry, I'll bring him back, I promise." The blonde then gave a thumbs-up sign.
'He knew. Oh Kami, he's known all along!' Sakura bit her bottom lip. "Thank you, Naruto."
He grinned and then turned away, taking off with the group into the forest. Lee drew near now, smiling comfortingly at Sakura.
"It's okay, Sakura. Naruto gave his nice-guy pose; he'll keep his promise." Then he gently wiped away one of her tears, smiling. Sakura sniffled and hugged him around the neck, beginning to cry incoherencies in his ear. Lee didn't seem to mind at all, even though he thought another of his ribs might be snapping. He gently gave her a pat on the back.
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Dear God, it took me forever to get off my butt and write this. It almost took a month o.o The second chapter of Don't Pick Up comes out Friday (yes, I've already typed it up) and I am sorry if I left anyone out of the reviews, you will be included next chapter. Thank you for your patience, everyone; at least it's longer, yes?