Sic Itur Ad Astra

Quatro: Transeat

Standard disclaimers apply.

---

A raven-haired boy stepped out of gym class and wandered down the hallways before the start of the next one he has. He had Electives next, together with Shikamaru and Shino, and he was not really excited at all. Although math is considered a universal language for it doesn't change wherever part of the world you go, it still does feel boring to study it.

Earlier, gym class was pretty much easy as pie. They only had practice for the upcoming Sports Festival that he will be taking part in. It was a voluntary event, and since he did like to play several sports, he decided to waste his time there, if only to stay in school for longer hours to practice. That way, he won't get to see his beloved family until late.

Electives was at third floor, and he spent his time walking leisurely along the grounds. His pace was slackened, as he was trying to regulate his heartbeat to normal, resting as he was thinking on the way. Whatever he was thinking of, it was something he would rather not share to anyone of his friends. Not that they would ask anyway. They know better than do that and stretch the limits of their friendship.

A few minutes of walking and he arrived, taking his usual seat beside the pony-tailed boy who, as usual, was taking his sweet time sleeping as they were waiting for their teacher to arrive.

What surprised Sasuke that time was the sudden movement that Shikamaru roused and the dark-haired boy woke up suddenly. He quirked a brow at this. "What made you wake up? I doubt that it's my fault,"

The boy yawned and straightened, but went back to his original position again. "Nothing. I just met him,"

"Met who?"

"Him," asserted the lazy boy.

By 'him', Sasuke understood that the person they were now talking about was the boy from the event that happened in the cafeteria that day. Shikamaru's abrupt interest to tell him peak his curiosity. "Why are you telling me about him?" he asked, his voice maintaining the indifference he had.

A shrug. "Just thought you'd be interested. It looked like you were in the cafeteria," those dark orbs spoke volumes. Sasuke hated how he could be so damn astute about his surroundings. But he decided that learning more about that person wouldn't hurt him.

"So what did you learn?"

If the boy could smirk, he would have. But he didn't have the mood to match what he was thinking. "His name," he said simply.

"No shit,"

"Uzumaki, Naruto,"

"What about that?" a slightly irritated voice.

"That's his name," another simple reply.

"What good will knowing his name brings me?" Sasuke demanded on a silent voice. Shikamaru didn't flinch at the tone he was emanating.

"Nothing. But you did ask," and that was the end of it. The stoic boy didn't know how the genius always managed to end their conversation, but he always did.

The class soon started, and everyone took out their things. The teacher began droning out his lesson for the day and for the first time he didn't feel the need to listen.

---

At his last subject, Naruto did not administer another screw up, and that gave him a signal to be relieved, at the very least. When the final bell rang, he immediately went to his locker, deposited his books that he wouldn't need for the night and went straight back to the seminary, hoping to assist Father Marquez on his daily six o'clock mass down at the chapel.

The place was empty when he returned from school. He wove around the area and asked some of he students whether they had seen the priest and they told the blonde kid that Father Marquez already went ahead of him. Naruto slouched his shoulders and proceeded back to his room and do his assignments. After all, if Father was already there, it meant that he would not make it in time for the mass.

His work was consistent, although when he started his school work (he treated it differently from other 'works'), it was like he was a mechanical robot, just doing the assigned tasks efficiently, but without any thought of it at all. The only thing he wanted to do at that moment was to finish the home works and pray that tomorrow would not come. But he knew that could never happen.

As he pondered on the day's events, he learned that he could not make himself entirely invisible to the public, so instead, he thought of just trying to blend in. his thinking led to the dark-haired boy who was staring at him through the whole of Economics time (he also learnt that the boy's name is Shikamaru) and shuddered. It was the first time someone stared at him like that.

But no, he countered rapidly. It was not the first time someone stared at me as if they were burning my insides from the outside. Another dark-haired boy strolled in his mind and this time, it was the one who interrupted the Holy Eucharist.

I would never forgive that boy. He said in his mind, although he knew better than that. He disrespected the Lord. It is unforgivable! His beliefs started clouding his mind of what he feels to do rather than what he should do. He didn't recognize that sudden change in his attitude. He didn't see it coming at all.

---

Shikamaru held a triumphant smile at the end of the day. In his room, he kept on busying himself with ideas on how much the next day's events would affect the stoic boy he wanted to change.

It was not for him, and he knew that he would get nothing from it, but he was someone who would be determined enough if only to have a few moments of entertainment. Never mind that fact that Sasuke would most likely kill him for meddling in his life, since it was the Uchiha's fault for letting him sense his interest on the new boy.

No one should bombard Shikamaru's head with ideas.

He was hopeless this time. His mind told him that it was too much work, but his other self whispered adamantly that they should continue on with the plan. Well, actually, it was never a plan in the first place. In reality, he just wanted to see what will happen when the two finally meet and of course, he would push their buttons. Tactfully.

Another smile threatened to spread across his face. It was scary.

But this is just the way he is. And no one could ever change that.

"Ok, that's creepy," another voice joined in his mind and he realized that someone was now talking to him.

Shikamaru frowned at once. "Stop going inside people's rooms without bothering to knock, Ino," he reprimanded the blonde girl.

Ino huffed haughtily. "It's just you, Shikamaru,"

"Well, thanks for the compliment," was the sardonic reply.

Ino sat on the desk table, studying Shikamaru's features. "You're planning something,"

Those dark orbs narrowed slightly. "What do you know?" trust Ino to be so blunt.

"Enough. You can never hide things from me, Shika,"

Shikamaru sighed. There was a point in his lifetime where he thought that Ino was just a nosy girl that's so troublesome, but sometimes, he had his doubts. He, then, settled into the fact that it was a girl thing to become so intuitive.

"So, what are you planning?" Came the question. Shikamaru just knew that Ino was dying to take part in this.

"Nothing," an answer followed by a yawn. "I just intended to watch,"

"Watch my ass. You're a lousy liar,"

"No, you're just nosy for your own good,"

"I am not," her voice was indignant.

A sigh from the lazy boy. "Yes, you are, and I'm not going to argue with you about this because it's troublesome,"

"You think everything is troublesome,"

"Because they are,"

Another bout of temper passed and Ino smirked. "It's ok if you won't tell me, Shika. I do have ways of finding out," she said, an air of confidence around her.

"Yeah, well, just don't be too disappointed when you find nothing,"

Ino stuck her tongue out of Shikamaru and scurried on ahead, closing the door behind her.

Man, girls really are troublesome.

-Continued-

I'm sorry for the long update period. My computer broke down (again) and I just had it repaired by my cousin this Christmas. I'm really depressed this holiday season, so I do hope that you would make me happy with your simple yet encouraging reviews. I do want to have many reviews, but as long as there are people reading my fics, I won't abandon them. But it is good to hear out your opinions…

Transeat means 'Let it Pass'

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