Author's note: A head's up for next week- I have NO idea when I'll be able to get my computer up and running since I'm moving back into the dorm, so next week's chapter may be late.
Disclaimer 1: This chapter is NOT meant to portray orphanages in a bad light. I appreciate all of the hard work the caretakers go through to provide children with homes, and this is meant to be a case of bigotry, pure and simple. I apologize if I offend anyone, it was not intended.
Disclaimer 2: Kankuro, Temari and Gaara are not related in this fic.
Disclaimer 3: Slight spoilers for Amityville Horror, but nothing that actually gives anything away. I'm just posting this to be careful.
All that said, enjoy.
The two books tucked under his arm, Naruto made his way down the street, idly eyeing the traffic as it went by. He took a quick glance at his watch, frowning at the time. 11:30... If I hustle, I can pick up my supplies and head out before anyone notices I'm gone. He sighed. I really haven't been putting in much time lately. I'll have to pull double duty if I want to finish on time.
He picked up his pace, choosing to turn off the main sidewalk along the street and follow the trail that wove behind the dorms. The route was slightly quicker, and fewer people used it around this time of day. Sparing a mild glance at the new leaves on the surrounding trees, Naruto let his thoughts wander. That reminds me...I should pick up some extra grass seed on my way out. I still have a few bare spots...
A bike or two passed him as he walked, a forest on his left and the backs of the dorms on his right, volleyball and basketball courts dotting the quiet area. Even though his mind was wandering, the sound of a basketball driving into pavement was enough to make him look over at the next court down.
Gaara stood alone on the court, sweat staining his white jersey as he dribbled in place, scowled at the hoop, and shot a free throw. The net hissed as the ball swept cleanly through it.
"Not a bad shot," Naruto commented absentmindedly as he approached. Stilling, the redhead stared at the ball rolling away from him for a moment before glancing up at the blonde.
"I didn't know you'd be here, Naruto," he eventually stated, moving forward to pick up the ball. Resting it on his hip, he turned and gave the blonde a carefully blank look. "What brings you this way?"
Naruto waited until he reached Gaara to respond. "A trip to the library." He indicated the books under his arm, then dropped his eyes to the ball on Gaara's hip. "You never told me that you played basketball."
Oddly enough, his statement seemed to vaguely embarrass the redhead. Frowning slightly, Gaara looked away.
"I've played a little," he mumbled under his breath. Naruto lifted an eyebrow.
"Yeah? How come you never went out for the team?"
Gaara simply gave him a one-shouldered shrug, continuing to stare off into the distance. After looking at him for a long moment, Naruto set his books down on the side of the court and moved to stand in front of the redhead.
"How about a little one-on-one?" He smirked dryly. "I have to talk to you anyway."
Grunting lightly, Gaara checked the ball to Naruto. He glared at the hoop again, dribbling by his right leg.
"Talk to me about what?" Turning so that he protected the ball with his body, Gaara looked for an opening to get past the blonde and make it to the hoop.
Naruto didn't give him one. "About what the hell happened yesterday."
Gaara faked to the right and spun left, but Naruto moved with him, resulting in a near-battle for the ball. When Gaara stopped running and turned most of his back to the blonde again, the redhead's mild frown matched Naruto's smirk. The tension of two competitive spirits began to thicken in the air between them, making Naruto's smirk widen.
"What about it?" Gaara eventually replied. His jaw clenched briefly, giving Naruto his only warning before the redhead spun past him and sprinted for the net.
Shit. Naruto caught up to him just in time to swat the ball out of Gaara's hands as the other boy lined up his shot. Recovering the ball, Naruto took it to center court and shot. It bounced off the backboard, allowing Gaara to snag it and shoot. Naruto grimaced when the ball swept through the net.
"Alright, one-nothing." He walked to half court, lifting his hands as Gaara tossed him the ball. "And what do you mean, 'what about it'? Why were you coming on to me like that?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Gaara glowered as Naruto checked the ball to him, tossing it back. "I shouldn't have to spell it out for you, Naruto."
"Humor me."
Naruto pinned Gaara with his gaze, as focused on getting an answer as he was on keeping the ball safely out of the shorter boy's reach. The redhead silently gazed back for a long moment, apparently unperturbed by the blonde's stare. Then again, he would be. He's the champion of cold, intense stares, isn't he?
After a long moment, though, Gaara seemed to give in. "It shouldn't be that difficult to understand." He made a move for the ball, causing Naruto to spin away. Naruto ended up with his back to the redhead's chest, Gaara's arms practically around him. Shifting uneasily, he glanced over his shoulder at the smoldering look in Gaara's pale blue eyes.
Smirking slightly, Gaara shifted closer. "I like you, Naruto."
Naruto's eyes widened, and his hands faltered on the ball. "You...do?" Oh sure, GAARA will say it, but Sasuke? Noooooope.
To his surprise, Gaara gave him a light chuckle. "I should think I made that obvious yesterday."
Naruto swallowed. Wonderful. So I officially have THREE guys after me. He heaved a light sigh. Now if they were GIRLS, it probably wouldn't be so bad...women are more subtle, anyway.
"Look, Gaara. I'm flattered and all, but—"
"Your focus is on Uchiha."
Naruto stopped dribbling altogether, turning to stare at the redhead behind him. "What?"
Gaara folded his thin arms over his chest, giving Naruto an impassive stare. "I heard about your trip last weekend." From WHO? Dammit, is there anyone who DOESN'T know? "Why else would you take him home with you?"
Frowning, Naruto glared at him. "Maybe I just wanted to spend time with a friend. You ever think of that?"
The redhead gave him an odd look. "Is that all it was?"
"Yes, dammit! Will you guys get off my case about it!" He paused, then scowled. "And stop getting me off topic!"
Gaara smothered a smirk. Glowering, Naruto continued in his original vein. "Like I was saying, I'm flattered, Gaara, but I'm not really that...interested in you."
"No?" He tilted his head. "You seemed to be before."
Against his will, Naruto found himself blushing. "Well, that was... Call it a moment of stupidity."
"Why was it stupidity?" His eyes narrowed slightly. "Is being attracted to me that much of a blunder?"
"No, that's not what I meant." The blonde's eyes narrowed in return. Dammit, he's good at this. "And stop turning my words around on me."
"I'm not."
"Yes, you are." Sighing in frustration, Naruto settled the ball on his hip and ran a hand through his hair. "Why do you even like me in the first place? It doesn't really seem like I'd be your type, Gaara."
The redhead fell silent, watching him for a long moment before turning away. A quiet gust of wind passed over them, toying with the freshly cut grass around the court.
"...Because..." Gaara hesitated, his voice soft. "Because you were the first, Naruto."
"Huh?" The blonde blinked in confusion. "The first what?"
At that, the redhead finally looked at him. Something in his eyes made Naruto's chest feel uncomfortably tight, and his grip tightened on the ball as Gaara took a step towards him. After a moment of quietly gazing at him, Gaara lifted his hands and gently placed them on Naruto's cheeks.
"The first person to see me...and not a monster."
Naruto jerked his head back in surprise. "What? What do you mean, a monster?" His face scrunched in confusion. "Where the hell would people get that idea?"
A slight smile crossed Gaara's face, his hands slowly falling back to his sides. "That's what I'm talking about. You, unlike everyone who came before you, took me at face value." He paused, obviously uncomfortable with speaking so much at once. "It's because of you...that I am who I am today."
...Well, damn. What am I supposed to say to that? Dropping his gaze, Naruto took an avid interest in the color of his sneakers. "Well...just 'cause everyone else was a bonehead doesn't mean I had to be one, too..." he mumbled.
Gaara's entire face softened, and his smile grew. "Then can you blame me for wanting to get closer to you? You're the most influential person in my life." He hesitated. "...And the first person I ever came to care for."
At that, Naruto's blush returned. One foot idly scuffed the ground. "...Dammit, Gaara. What am I supposed to say to that?" He finally looked up, his expression sour. "Here I am, trying to let you down gently, and you whip out what's practically a love confession. That's just plain unfair."
"...Would you like a love confess—"
"Don't even think about it!" Dropping the ball, Naruto clapped both hands over his ears. "I'm so not ready to hear that."
Gaara's small smile turned into a smirk. "Then I'll tell you when you're ready."
Naruto stared at him, his expression melting into a worried frown. "But, you know, Gaara...I already kind of like someone else..." He trailed off when Gaara silenced him with a thumb on the blonde's lips. Smirking, the redhead gently brushed his thumb back and forth over Naruto's mouth.
"Then we'll see if I can't change your mind about that," he replied, voice low. Chuckling lightly at Naruto's prolonged silence, Gaara retrieved his ball. "I will see you around, Naruto."
Mystified, the blonde watched him as Gaara left. The redhead glanced over his shoulder at him.
"And for the record, Naruto...I win."
It took about a minute and forty confused blinks before Naruto came back to his senses. Grimacing, he went to retrieve his books.
Dammit! Why is it that every time I try to shoot one of them down, they find a way out of it? He sighed as he continued on his way back to the dorm. Maybe I should get advice from one of the girls who dumped ME...
"Monster! Get away!"
"Don't go near him, children! He's dangerous!"
"Monster! Murderer! MONSTER!"
Gaara dropped the basketball as he approached his room, clasping his head in his hands. "Shut up. SHUT UP!" He gritted his teeth, trying desperately to drown out the remembered voices. Of all the times to haunt him, why now?
Naruto... As the boy's image drifted across his mind, the taunting voices ceased. Gaara took a deep breath, picked up the ball, and took the last few steps to his room. Finding the door unlocked, he wearily pushed it open.
Kankuro glanced up, quickly closing and putting away a copy of Sports Illustrated, Swimsuit Edition. Gaara ignored him, tossing the ball in the corner and sitting on his bed.
"Hey...are you okay?" his roommate tentatively asked. Gaara simply gave him a flat stare. "...Right. None of my business."
Gaara started to ignore him again, then hesitated. "I'm fine," he replied softly. Feeling Kankuro's surprised gaze on his back as he stood and walked to the bathroom, Gaara peeled off his shirt and rapped sharply on the door. When no one answered, he stepped inside, shut the door, peeled off the rest of his clothes and stepped in the shower.
He heaved a soft sigh as the warm water hit his skin, closing his eyes. What I said to him was true. If he ever abandoned me...I'm not sure what I would do. His eyes opened slightly. If I hadn't met him when I did, I wouldn't have turned out this way. I probably would have become exactly what everyone already thought I was.
The son of a murderer. That's all I'll ever be. His eyes empty and confused, Gaara watched as the other children at the orphanage skittered away from him. They whispered amongst themselves as they stared at him in fear.
"I hear his father was a serial killer. He even killed his wife!"
"I hear he fathered Gaara to continue his legacy. The Sabakuno family will continue to kill!"
"Let's stay away from him. Who knows what he'll do!"
Gaara lowered his eyes, turning away. Caretakers came and ushered the children away, whispering about how they should keep their distance from Sabakuno Gaara. Sabakuno Gaara...If that's who I am, is that what I'll become? Are they right?
No matter who came or went at the orphanage, that's what they called him. Everyone heard the name, whispered something about his father, and proceeded to treat him like a criminal. Twice a day for three hours each, he was locked in an isolated room. After all, if he weren't allowed near anyone, he couldn't want to kill them. Sabakuno Gaara's purpose is to kill, isn't it? That's what I was created for, wasn't it?
As he stared at the grey floor, his eyes hardened, growing cold as steel. Maybe...if that's what I'm supposed to be...
"Are you crazy? You can't let him go to school!" The shouted voice down the hall drew his attention. He could recognize the headmistress' screech anywhere. "He'll go on a rampage! This is the only place where we can keep him under control!"
"If we keep him here, it'll be a violation of law. We've already delayed it too long," an unfamiliar voice replied. "He should be in middle school already."
"He's been getting an education here—"
"It won't be accepted anymore. His first day is tomorrow." With that, a man in a brown coat stepped into the hall, the headmistress at his heels. "Good day, madam."
The older woman wrung her hands. "Sabakuno Gaara at school...A murderer in the making at a school..." Abruptly, her worn eyes glanced at him. Her circular glasses glinted as she silently considered him, and for a brief moment Gaara wondered if she was contemplating killing him just to make her life easier. She looked away just as abruptly, and the feeling passed.
So I'm to go to school. Unable to determine how he felt about that—or if he felt anything at all—Gaara turned and headed for his room at an isolated end of the building. He would rest there until they came to take him away tomorrow.
"Sabakuno Gaara at school...they must be insane..."
He closed his door, blocking out the woman's voice.
The next morning went swiftly, three caretakers arriving to hurriedly rush him out the door. The ride to the public school was conducted in tense silence...for the others in the van. Gaara simply stared silently out the window.
I suppose it will be the same as always. The teacher will introduce me, and the students will keep their distance. His face remained cold and impassive. They probably know about me already.
The blue orphanage van pulled up alongside the school about fifteen minutes before the students were let into the building. The children milling about outside paused to watch as Gaara got out of the van. As expected, the whispers began.
"Hey! Isn't that the guy?"
"Yeah! I think that's the murderer's kid!"
"I hear he's a monster..."
Giving no indication that he'd heard the barely concealed whispers, Gaara calmly walked towards the front door. His caretakers hovered by the van, reluctant to spend more time than necessary by his side. He paused as he gazed up at the medium sized, red brick school.
"Sabakuno Gaara. Isn't that his name?"
Turning, he walked away from the door, heading for a more vacant area alongside the building. The few kids in his way immediately departed, leaving him with the area to himself. He paused under a tree, folding his arms.
"Hey! Who are you?"
Blinking, Gaara glanced up. A short blonde boy sat upon the branch above him, legs swinging freely in the air. The boy was giving him a curious look.
"Are you new here?" When Gaara didn't reply, he simply grinned. "I'll take that for a yes. My name's Naruto."
He's...talking to me? Gaara simply stared at him, unused to such treatment. Naruto snorted.
"You're a real chatterbox, ain'tcha?" He patted the spot next to him on the branch. "C'mon up."
Blinking, Gaara finally decided to reply. "You want me to sit next to you?"
"Why not? The branch'll hold both of us. C'mon!"
After a moment's hesitation, Gaara turned and slowly climbed up the tree, settling himself at Naruto's side. The blonde grinned at him.
"Now you don't have to look up at me." He tilted his head to the side, blinking at him with the biggest, bluest eyes Gaara had ever seen. "What's your name?"
"S...Gaara."
"Gaara, eh? Cool name." Chuckling, Naruto stuck his hand out. "Put 'er there, Gaara!"
Gaara slowly obliged him, grasping the blonde's hand. He watched bemusedly as his hand was firmly pumped up and down. He...he isn't afraid of me at all. Abruptly confused, he pinned the blonde with an intense stare. Why? Doesn't he know who I am? What I am?
"Nice to meet you, man. It's always great when we get fresh meat." He gave the stoic boy beside him a conspiratorial grin. "I've been running out of people to pull pranks on, you know?"
"Pranks?"
"Yeah. The traditional stuff...frogs in your locker, bubble gum on your seat, the whole nine yards. Then we can start hanging out." Naruto's face suddenly went blank, and he scratched at his chin. "Maybe I shouldn't have told you that I was going to prank you... Ah, well. We'll consider it fair warning, ok?"
"...Right..." Gaara felt like a fish out of water. After a lifetime of being ignored and feared, this boy comes out of nowhere and strikes up a conversation...and even suggests that they will become...friends?
The bell rang, signaling the end of their confusing conversation. Naruto immediately jumped down from the tree, waiting as Gaara did the same.
"Let's go inside! Do you know what class you're in?"
"...No."
"Well, what grade are you in?"
"Seventh."
Naruto grinned. "Cool! Same as me! What teacher?"
"Ebisu?"
"Sweet! You're in my class!" Naruto threw an arm about Gaara's shoulders, shocking the redhead into silence. "Let's hurry up! I want you to get a seat next to me; it'll be easier to pull pranks on you."
Completely lost, Gaara let the exuberant blonde lead him into the school. A few people glanced at them, but their attitudes seemed to shift slightly from the wary looks he was used to getting to a more natural curiosity. Perhaps they were used to this sort of thing from the blonde?
A few seconds later, the pair strolled—courtesy of Naruto—into the classroom. The blonde led him down the aisle, jabbing a finger at a desk.
"Sit there! Quick, before anyone else snags it." Apparently deciding that Gaara would do as he was told, Naruto turned and gracelessly flopped into his own chair. After a moment, Gaara sat down, watching as the room quickly filled with his new classmates.
The teacher strode into the room a minute later, a pair of dark black glasses perched on his nose. Standing at the front of the room, he looked around with mild displeasure.
"We have a new student with us today." He glared at Gaara. "Would you come to the front of the room, please?"
Naruto leaned over towards him. "Don't mind him. He's always cranky," he whispered. Gaara spared the blonde a brief glance before standing and making his way to the front of the room. Once there, he looked at the surprised and curious faces of his classmates, then fixed his gaze on Naruto.
Ebisu cleared his throat behind him. "Class, this is S—"
"Gaara." His gaze never strayed from the blonde's face. "Just...Gaara."
He watched as the blonde gave him a triumphant grin, holding up the victory sign. A corner of Gaara's lips quirked slightly in response.
"...Right." Even though he couldn't see the teacher roll his eyes, Gaara sensed the attitude. "Unless you have anything to tell us, you can sit down, 'Just Gaara'."
Remaining silent, the redhead returned to his seat. Two seconds later, Naruto fired a spitball at him and grinned.
"Welcome to Konoha Middle, 'Just Gaara'," he teased. Staring at him, Gaara slowly wiped the spitball off his face...and a frightening thing happened to him.
...He smiled.
And from that day on, 'Sabakuno Gaara' was never mentioned again.
Running a hand through his red hair, Gaara leaned back against the cool wall in the small shower. After that day, I clung to Naruto like a shadow. I'd never had a friend before, and he seemed more than willing to fill the position. I wanted to know everything about him, what made him tick...hell, at times, I wanted to be him.
A very faint flush of embarrassment touched his cheeks. Hell, he's the reason I started weight lifting and playing basketball on the sly. If he did it, I wanted to do it, too. Not that I would ever tell him so. He smirked. Amazing how a little competition can loosen your tongue.
After a long moment, Gaara turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, toweling himself off. I'm not sure I can win Naruto's heart...but I have to try. I can't...I can't deal with the thought of him leaving me. His expression darkened. His past relationships were bad enough...I have a feeling that this time, things will be far more serious.
Wrapping his towel about his waist, he stepped out of the bathroom. One day, Naruto...
Maybe one day, I can repay your kindness...and you will feel for me what I've always felt for you.
Kiba had officially lost his mind.
Standing in the hallway as people filed out of his organic chemistry class, he nervously fingered the strap of his bookbag. His eyes scanned the crowd. Where is she? He bit his lip, starting to turn away. Maybe this was a bad idea...
"Oh! H-Hello, Kiba."
Swallowing, he turned back around and pasted a smile on his face. "Hey...Hinata."
She gave him a sweet smile, hands folded in front of her. "Were you waiting for me?"
"Well, um, actually..." He took a deep breath. "Yeah, I was. I was wondering if you were... I mean, if you don't have any plans tonight..."
Schooling up his courage, he squared his shoulders and looked her in the eye. "Would you like to go to a movie with me tonight?"
Hinata blushed immediately, lowering her gaze to the floor. "S-sure, I'd love to go," she replied quietly, a shy smile on her face.
"Really?" Relieved, Kiba flashed her a huge grin. "So I'll pick you up at...six thirty tonight?"
"All right." Looking up, she gave him the sweetest smile he'd ever seen. "Thank you so much, Kiba! I'll look forward to tonight."
It was Kiba's turn to turn bright red. "Y-yeah, um, me too." He tightened his grip on his bookbag. "So, um, I guess I'll see you later?"
When she simply gave him a shy nod and began twiddling her fingers, he gave a light, nervous chuckle and ran his fingers through his hair.
"Ok, then. Um...see ya!" Waving, he darted away. A huge grin split his face. YES! She said YES! Woohoo! As he ran back towards his dorm, the smile abruptly dropped off his face. But...wait a minute...what am I supposed to do? I've never really been out on a date before, much less with a girl like HER...crap! What am I gonna do?
...WHERE'S NARUTO?
Sneezing briefly, Naruto unlocked his door. Is someone talking about me? He shook his head, tossing the two books on his bed. Must've been my imagination... Anyway. If I hustle, I can still get out to Auntie's before anyone notices that I'm—
"Oi, Naruto."
...Gone. Sighing, he turned around, spotting Sasuke in his doorway. "You know, it's almost scary, the way you just keep popping up like that. Do you have radar or what?"
The Uchiha's lips twitched. "Something like that." His eyes dropped to the two books lying on the blonde's bed. "Is that for our project?"
"Yeah. Ino told me that we needed six book sources. Can you believe it?" He rolled his eyes. "Why can't teachers just accept the fact that this is an internet age and GET OVER it?"
Smirking, Sasuke stepped into the room and folded his arms. "No idea." He rested his weight on one foot, watching Naruto with a pointed gaze. Naruto watched him right back, always willing to get into a staring match with the other boy.
Of course, there was something about those black eyes that made him want to stare into them anyway. A guy could get lost in them if he let himse—
Ok, back up. Not the time for this. Gathering his wandering thoughts together, Naruto looked away.
"Anyway, I have to get going," he stated casually. "So you, out."
Sasuke lifted an eyebrow. "Going? Where?" He gave Naruto a slight frown. "We should get to work on our report. It's barely even half done."
Naruto winced. "I know, Sasuke, but I really have to get back to work on my proj—"
"NARUTO!"
Both boys froze as the blonde's spiky-haired roommate burst through the doorway and launched himself at Naruto, nearly bowling Sasuke over in the process.
"Oh thank God, there you are!" He clutched Naruto's upper arms. "You have to come with me tonight!"
"Come with you?" Completely baffled, Naruto stared down at his roommate. "Where?"
"The movies. I'm going on a date with Hinata, and I have no idea what to do!" The way he stared up at Naruto gave the blonde the distinct impression that Kiba's tail was firmly tucked between his legs. "You have to come with me! For...emotional support!"
"Woah, woah, woah, Kiba. I'm not sure I'm free tonight...and besides, I'll be a third wheel!"
"Then make it a double date!" Kiba looked like he was going to start shaking him. "I don't care who you bring—bring Sasuke for all I care! " He gestured wildly at the perplexed Uchiha behind him. "Just come!"
As Naruto opened his mouth to protest, Sasuke jumped in. "It may be a good idea, Naruto. If he's nervous on his date, it might not go well." He kept a cool expression on his face. "I think we should go as backup."
...Opportunist. Naruto glowered at him. Dammit all. Now it's two against one. He withstood Kiba's pleading eyes for all of ten seconds before he caved, his shoulders slumping.
"Oh, fine already, I'll go." He gave the boy in front of him a sour look. "But you owe me big time, Kiba."
The dog lover immediately perked up, a huge grin on his face. "Naruto, I could kiss you."
"No, you couldn't." Prying himself free, Naruto stepped away from his roommate. "Save that kind of talk for Hinata, lover boy."
"Yeah, yeah. You're a life saver, man." His face abruptly fell. "But...what am I supposed to wear?"
Naruto gave him a you-didn't-just-say-that look. "...Jeez, who's the girl? You or Hinata?"
"Shut up." Kiba crossed his arms and frowned at him. "I'm nervous, okay? Unlike you, I haven't gone out with practically every girl I know."
"That's because you were always hung up on Hinata, dumbass."
Kiba's jaw dropped. "You knew?"
When Naruto simply smiled, Kiba clenched his fists. "Why you little..."
Sasuke abruptly cleared his throat, reminding the other two to his presence. He lifted an eyebrow. "As riveting as this conversation is, Naruto and I do have work to do."
Chuckling lightly, Naruto snagged his duffel bag from the corner. "Ah, not today, Sasuke. We can work on it tomorrow, I promise." Before the brunette could argue, Naruto brushed past him out the door. "See you guys tonight!"
As he walked down the hall, he shook his head. Sheesh. What will it take to get a BREAK from these guys? He sighed.
Sometimes I wish I weren't such a studmuffin...but not often.
Sasuke resisted the urge to whistle as he pulled on a pair of black slacks, already wearing a dark blue button-down silk shirt over a black T-shirt. Yeah, he was a little overdressed...but dammit, he looked good. He chuckled lightly to himself, running a hand through his hair.
Who would've guessed that an opportunity to go out with Naruto would fall into my lap? Shoving his hands in his pockets, he strolled out the door and leaned against the wall. He smirked as sounds of mild chaos erupted from Naruto's room.
"Dammit, Kiba, it's a trip to the movies, not a fucking prom! Lose the damn tie!"
After a moment, the disgruntled blonde wandered out into the hallway and slumped against the wall. "What a moron."
Amused, Sasuke pulled his door shut and locked it, then made his way over to the blonde's side. "Having issues with the wife?"
"Oh, ha ha." Naruto glanced over at him, blinked in mild surprise, and let his eyes roam over the Uchiha. "Well don't you look nice."
"I have a hot date." Sasuke smothered a laugh at the look on Naruto's face. "Is he almost ready to go?"
"If he ever stops primping." Sighing, Naruto shook his head. "You'd think he's asking the girl to marry him."
"I heard that, Naruto." Kiba finally emerged from the room, gel in his hair and a mutinous expression on his face. "You are absolutely no help."
"You require more help than I could ever give you, Kiba m'boy."
Rolling his eyes, Sasuke watched the pair with amusement. Naruto, despite his earlier words, seemed to take the occasion seriously in his own way; he was dressed in muted colors for once in his life, and his hair also had a touch of gel in it. It left Sasuke to wonder whether Naruto did it for him...or if it was for Kiba and Hinata's sake.
Sasuke suspected it was a little of both.
Eventually, the trio managed to get on the road, Naruto behind the wheel of his truck and Kiba in his own car. Agreeing to meet each other at the theater, Naruto drove off while Kiba nervously went to pick up his date. Sasuke smirked at his companion.
"Think he'll be alright?"
"Eh, if he has a heart attack, Hinata knows CPR."
While Sasuke chuckled, Naruto gave him an odd look. "That was smooth of you back there, by the way."
Blinking, the Uchiha played innocent. "What was smooth of me?"
"Oh, give me a break. Like you had no personal gain in this double date."
The brunette folded his arms, giving Naruto a disdainful look. "I had completely selfless intentions, thank you very much. Your roommate was in need."
"And you give a damn about him since...when?"
"Since I felt like it." He smothered a smile when the blonde rolled his eyes. "Is there a problem with that?"
"Oh no, none at all," Naruto replied sarcastically. He sighed. "Well, whatever. Thanks for coming, anyway. I would've been conned into going eventually."
Allowing himself to smile this time, Sasuke turned away. "My pleasure."
After about five minutes of silent driving, the pair pulled into the theater's parking lot. Stepping out, Sasuke waited yet again as Naruto secured his vehicle.
"I still say your obsession with your car is unhealthy."
"Shut up. I'm allowed to fuss over my pride and joy."
"This is your pride and joy? Overcompensating for something?"
That earned him a filthy look from the blonde. Taking a step back, Sasuke lifted both hands in front of him. "Kidding, Naruto. Just kidding."
"You'd better be, or next time I'll remove your 'pride and joy'," the blonde grumbled. Sasuke winced. "And by the way, I have a ruler in my room. Any time you wanna go, big boy."
The Uchiha contemplated replying to that, but he decided that he was in enough trouble for the moment. They walked silently towards the box office, waiting impatiently for Kiba to arrive.
Just before Naruto looked like he was going to hunt the dog lover down, the couple appeared in the parking lot, heading their way. Kiba had a light blush on his cheeks, and Hinata was smiling shyly at her purse. Sasuke lifted an eyebrow—he'd never really considered the girl very attractive, but she'd chosen to wear a short red dress tonight that, while fairly conservative, left little to the imagination.
Beside him, Naruto whistled. "Hey Kiba, can I trade dates with you?"
Sasuke socked him in the arm.
Blushing prettily, the girl looked up at them. "Hello, Naruto. I didn't realize you'd be here, too," she stated quietly. Naruto grinned charmingly.
"I felt a little cooped up, so when Kiba said he was coming, I invited myself along. I hope you don't mind."
Sasuke spared him a glance, but said nothing. That was a nice cover, Naruto. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Sasuke turned to Kiba.
"So, what are we going to see tonight?" The other three glanced at the Uchiha, looking as though the actual movie had never occurred to them. He stifled a sigh, turning to look at the movies available. Well, if we're here to score Kiba some points, how about...
"Does Amityville Horror sound okay to everyone?" he suggested. Kiba immediately perked up, Hinata stepped closer to the boy, and Naruto...looked blank. Lifting an eyebrow, he turned back to the group. "Well?"
"Sounds good to me!" Smiling broadly, Kiba offered Hinata his arm. "Shall we?"
The girl nodded shortly, taking his arm with a blush as they walked forward and purchased their tickets. Sasuke expectantly turned to Naruto.
"You ready?"
Flinching, the blonde gave him a tight smile. "Yeah...sure." He strode forward to buy his ticket, but somehow Sasuke got the impression the Naruto was attempting to act calm and collected. Buying his own ticket, Sasuke gave Naruto an odd look.
"You sure you're okay, Naruto? You look a little pale."
"At the risk of sounding like you, I'm fine, Sasuke." Looking slightly grumpy, Naruto followed Kiba and Hinata into the building. Sasuke followed curiously, watching the blonde as they made their way into the theater. Kiba and Hinata chose a pair of seats closer to the front, so Naruto made a beeline for the back row. Sasuke sat beside him.
The pair said nothing as the lights dimmed, and continued to say little as the previews rolled. Sasuke glanced at Naruto out of the corner of his eye. It's not like him to be this quiet. Not during previews, at any rate. Even so, the blonde sat by his side with an oddly blank expression. I wonder what's bothering him...
As the movie started, Naruto began to slouch in his seat. Sasuke watched him in confusion.
"...Are you sure you're—"
"Just shut up, Sasuke."
The longer the movie went, the further down Naruto slouched in his seat. He jumped when the ghost girl appeared, making an odd noise in his throat and placing a hand over his face. Sasuke finally turned to stare at the blonde beside him.
"Naruto...do you have problems with scary movies?" It sounded ridiculous to his own ears, but Naruto didn't contradict him. The blonde looked up at him through his fingers, his expression sour.
"Hey, you have issues with horses, I have issues with scary movies. To each his own, alright?"
"How did you know—"
"Sasuke, you were shaking in your boots the whole time. I'd have to be blind not to notice." He shifted uncomfortably as night fell in the movie yet again. Frowning, Sasuke turned back to the movie.
"You could've said something," he grumbled. Naruto didn't reply.
Abruptly, a corpse appeared on the screen, blood dripping from its mouth. Sasuke jumped.
"!"
Staring in amazement, Sasuke watched as this big, buff blonde with his take-on-the-world attitude screamed like a little girl and clung to his arm. Said blonde buried his face in Sasuke's shoulder.
"Just tell me when the damn thing's over, ok?" he muttered. Sasuke blinked.
"...It's not that bad, Naruto—"
"YES, it IS." Naruto braved a look at the screen, then shuddered and returned his face to the crook of Sasuke's neck. "...hate scary movies."
After a long moment, Sasuke's shoulders starting shaking as he fought hard not to laugh. Naruto tightened his grip on the brunette's arm, but he didn't lift his head.
"It's not funny, Sasuke."
"I-I'm not laughing."
Naruto scowled. "Yes, you are."
"I'm not!" Sasuke fought to get himself under control, unable to hide his grin in the dark theater. Glancing down at his companion, Sasuke's grin grew as Naruto flinched and burrowed his face deeper into Sasuke's neck. Lifting his free hand, he gently rubbed the other boy's back.
"It's okaaay, Naruto. The bad ghosts will go awaaaaay."
"I hate you so much."
Chuckling lightly, Sasuke settled against his seat. To be honest, the movie was very good, but it was hard to take it seriously—or concentrate on it at all—with Naruto burrowed against his side. He spent more time reassuring the blonde and taking the punches he received for it than watching the movie.
After a long moment, he leaned over and whispered in the blonde's ear.
"I never knew you could be so clingy, Naruto."
"Not another word."
"I think I like it. Maybe I should drag you out to scary movies more often."
"Don't think I won't kill you. It'll be justifiable homicide."
"Hey! Look! That ghost girl is back! Ew, and she's pushing a girl's finger through the hole in her—"
"Sasuke, shut UP!"
"You're adorable, Naruto."
"And I swear I'm going to kill you in your sleep." He was silent for a long moment. "I'm never going to live this down, am I?"
"Nnnnnnope."
"Damn."
Author's note: ...And Naruto finally gets what's coming to him. Lol.