Chapter 2. Mizu
Morning light burned my eyelids, the exaggeration of the wakening mind made me feel as though my lids were sizzling like bacon on a frying pan. This caused my body to flinch and the bulb of my wrists to rub them, like trying to put out a fire. Slowly sliding to my hind I leaned against the wall at the head of my bed, the usual person would have a head bored, but I didn't care for one– a wall was just fine.
My heavy, fragile eyes looked out the wall of windows that lay to the right side of my bed. The glass panels were covered in smear marks and scratch marks that seemed to reflect the light even brighter, causing me to wince. The border of the glass was layered with sticky, dark funk caused from the sealing wax melting over the years, catching dust and bacteria. I should clean that. That's gross.
The day seemed to be bright and beautiful, but that's not what my attention was aimed toward, I never woke up this late, the sun was usually still down. I hate to wake up with it bright. It irritated me. Today I will definitely be in a bad mood. Damn it all.
Climbing out of bed I scratched lazily below my navel and yawned. I felt like crap. My room and carpet felt hot and dry from the strong sun that spilled through my glass wall inside. I hated that feeling, the heat made me feel itchy. Snagging the towel I was to use last night from my bed, yes it was still there. I headed toward the bathroom, sliding off my boxers while heading over. Not bothering closing my bathroom door I turned on the shower, not even bothering to cheek the temperature I stalked in, ah yes, the water was nice and cold.
Walking down the dusty road, alined with the old project like architectural homes, riddled with rust, holes and off colors, I left my hands in my pockets and my eyes cast down. I listen to the tongue around me, the people maundering, it was all around, it would never stop. I always felt like I was stuck in their realms, like I was to be engulfed in their minds and idea's, I hated the feeling. My body had a tick when this happened, my head would twitch to the side and my shoulder would roll up quickly and tap my ear. I scolded the reaction, but it never ceased.
A woman's shoulder rubbed along mine, she turned to apologize but I just kept walking, I could imagine her reaction with eyes and ears closed, she would turn to her walking partner and whisper with a glare and cut of teeth, "what a jerk. People can be so rude." I smirked at the thought, I had grown found of such reactions, it seemed to reveal clearer and clearer onto how the human mind was so fragile and needed to be pleased, making it more simple for me to avoid that state of mind.
My mind then darted to today's plan. Squad seven had a mission today, what it was I wasn't sure, but I wasn't at all curious. Our missions lately have been slow motivated, painting old fences and rescuing cats from large Burch's, why they made us go through with this I didn't know, out missions seemed to have desirable rhythm, we went from B missions to C, then back to B then to D. I don't know what they wanted us to lean from that, but I don't care, just as long as it ends soon.
My feet halted, my eyes rolled up with my shoulders dropped casually, I have come to the bridge to were we always wait. Yet suddenly my eyes shot wide and gasp escaped my throat, my chest seemed to wave up then backs down, as my knee twitched. I...I was late? Naruto, Sakura and even Kakashi stood there. Never before had this happened, it seemed to disturb me greatly, like how a pause in the rivers movement can change the course of a river, and then to what had caused my tardiness troubled me the most.
Kakashi looked to me with his one visible eye that always seemed lazy and uninterested, he lifted a hand and cocked it once to the side.
"Oi, Sasuke. Late I read?"
I felt my brows burrow and my teeth harden, I didn't want to reply with any form of speech.
A loud cluck and the stop of a rubber sole, I heard loud obtrusive laugh.
"Ho ho ho, looks like the great Uchiha clans member is nothing like what he wants us to think! Always hogging the spotlight when he himself is nothing but a loser who can't get out of bed!"
After that chuckling laugh I heard a few snorts fallowed by low giggling. I just stood, trying to simmer down, no point in trying to show anger or irritation, it would only feed into the plan.
Naruto, the heckler, before I knew it was hanging on my shoulder's like a school girl, grinning with his stupid expression that made me want to vomit. His fingers bed dipper in my skin as he hung from me, making more remarks about how much I sucked and how much he ruled, how perceptible.
Uzumaki Naruto. An unruly child in a mans' game. Actuated by the simple things in life, and baffled by the complected, yet aware of the importance. Someone and something I could never quite get a handle on. A chip off the old block in terms of mythology, so many strange encounters and unknown reasons collected together. Along with getting under my skin and along with anyone around him. He had quite a shockwave for someone so dumb.
Pushing the little imp off me I cursed and tossed my backpack over my shoulder, strolling toward the others, still containing my cool.
"Lets get this crap over with."
I was intending the mission.
"Not a problem with me, ne?" Kakashi said with his stringily voice and a lift of his hand.
I flicked my head to the side, to pull my hair from my eyes, that's when I noticed Sakura, standing solemnly with bit lips and cast eyes. Crying? No. She had been though. Signs' of tears were relevant with the puffy face and red skin that was covered with white finger marks where she had pressed her fingers against her face to the kibosh the tears.
Dropping my head, I groaned, I whipped the old pup too heard, now I have to deal with the aftermath. How unnecessary. I had to brake the ice somehow, so I would feel cold and hurt eyes cursing my hide all day.
Rasing my hand slowly I opened my mouth to greet her morning but to my surprise she had shyly yet curtly approached then withdrew.
"Good morning Sasuke."
My eyes grew sharp yet surprised, my hand still mid raised and my head turned as I watched her walk past me, practically below my chin.
"G..... morning, Sakura."
She said nothing in return, just kept walking with head bowed. I felt that my brows were still cocked, my lips kissed together in somewhat interest and confusion, she never did surprise me in action, why not now? My eyes then slide to my raised hand, I cursed it and shoved it back in my pocket where it could no longer see pitiful temptations. Imprecating under my breath, I pressed on, following the others, while trying to block out Naruto's laughter and boasting toward Kakashi-senesai.
A head flung back, with a flush of blonde hair falling back into a mess, a loud and nasally whining moan escaping his limp mouth.
"Aeee, Kakashi senesai . . . "
"Emm?" Kakashi replied weakly not even bothering lifting his eyes from his hardback fluff book, as he said leisurely on top damp boulder. He had learned not to put much effort into hearing what Naruto had to say. It was never anything of maintenance.
"Why do we have to do such dumb missions?" Naruto mumbled with eyes closed and mouth wide, "we will never learn anything by doing kid stuff?"
I smirked from a distance standing akimbo, I had to hand it to the runt, he was right, but his childless efforts were useless on the jounin who didn't care much for repeated kvetch.
Finally, after a couple three hours of our pointless mission contributing second hand help and assistance to a needy village in water supply and craft we were able to rest. Through out the day I worked the hardest, pushing myself to at least try and gain some useful fitness and mind work, but the points didn't add up.
My brows narrowed.
I lay on cool damp pebbles, surrounded my larger rocks, sand and large boulders, nested next to a twenty foot water fall and clear pond that grained into a tiny river that cascaded downward through rock and weed. My hair is damp, I had dipped into the water only but fifteen minutes ago too cool down after the laboring work. I tried to relax and catch the small sun rays that shivered through the tree canopy above the small clearing. They warmed up.
I could hear Naruto splashing and laughing in the water, though it didn't bother me, I could hear Sakura giggle every once and a while, probably at Naruto's jokes or his tricks he made in the six foot deep pool. I didn't know the whereabouts of Kakashi.
I kept my eyes shut, taking my arms from my sides I put them behind my head and yawned lightly, I could feet the water that had been resting in my muscle creases that stood upon my chest and belly dribble down my sides, I shivered lightly. I then let my eyes slightly open, the water that had been sitting on my eyelashes dripped into my eyes, I blinked twice. Looking above at the tree tops and sun my mind began to work once more. It was probably later afternoon, maybe 3 o'clock, I was probably free to leave but this place felt good, even if I wasn't alone. Closing my eyes once more, I wiggled my shoulder blades, taking me deeper into the earth, when suddenly I felt drips of water fall on my face, my eyes quickly opened to see a round bounderish face.
Closing my eyes once more I groaned with un-pleasurable face.
"What is it Naruto."
I could hear the sound of air pressing through Naruto's teeth, slightly whistling, he must be smiling dumbly and let out a small airy laugh.
"Oi, Sasuke!" he exclaimed, I could tell he was leaning over cause the hair on the back of my neck was standing.
"What ya do'en?"
"What dose it look like I am doing, idiot?"
"Hehe, sleeping."
My teeth bared down, I tried to keep in a loud remark.
I then heard Naruto take a few steps back and leap up onto something flat and clammy, along with a few grunts and then his body plop down.
He must have climbed on the boulder to my left.
"Hey Sasuke?"
Great, he was wanting conversation.
"Ne?"
"You know what's wrong with Sakura?"
I felt my lighten, and my eyes grow wide even under my lids, was her behavior still going on? was it still acuminating? I had not noticed her at all during the mission, let alone realize that her behavior was effecting other people, even a stone head like Naruto noticed.
"What are you talking about Naruto?" I groaned.
"Well, she seems all... mad.... yet sad. Its just usually, she is all happy and what not," Naruto had paused, "and to come to think of I never saw her look at you today?"
I was growing irate with Naruto's words and point, "Naruto!"
I was going to tell him to shut his hole after that but he just kept talking, somberly and worriedly.
"She is always watching you, always admiring you and trying to communicate with you. Its just that....well...its so weird.... everyday she is around you she wants to be with you, and today, its like she tried not to even be in your site. I hope she feels ok. Ya know?"
I felt my eyes slowly open, looking once again above, the had moved, the trees seemed more grim and the birds seemed to quite down.
Why was Sakura so absorbed into me? Why would such a simple request from me be so unendurable for her?
My eyes narrowed once more, losing my once soft look.
Like a child. Like a selfish little, she was. She angered me damn it.
I could feel Naruto looking me over, head to toe, I didn't like it all, being in only my shorts, but that was the last thing on my mind.
Before my mind could prod and shred at the thought of Sakura's behavior, I heard Naruto speak up once more.
"You got any idea?"
I sighed deeply, closing my eyes once more, leisurely lifting my limp wrist I let it float over my belly and with a light rub of my finger tips I stroked then indent that started from my navel, to the center of my chest. Water still rested in the crease.
"I don't know," I began in a subdue voice, "I guess you need to be able to recognize that some people deal with weird things in wrong ways, maybe she is just having one of the those effects."
I said too much. It sounded too much like the true situation.
No reply came from the blonde.
Perhaps too stupid to comprehend what I even just said. It was obvious he was still chewing on my simple words and trying to swallow it with a heavy draft.
I didn't bother to wait for his reply, my mind was only tracing over a thought I had a few moments ago, rather or not I should get ready to go. Head home, take a shower, make a meal, go to bed.
"I see."
My eyes looked to Naruto whom was still up on his perch like a cat on the arm of a couch. His eyes looking off to the distance in almost solitude. He seemed to be very worried about Sakura. Why?
Just ready to stand, I heard a voice and a presence stand abroad from me.
"I am going to get going, Naruto."
It was Sakura,.
My eyes looked up at her, though she stood behind my laid down head, it was not a very clear image. She stood in her dress which was damp from the water, her hair lay damp and tangled at her neck and cheeks, she held over her shoulder her bag and wet towel. Her eyes were aimed toward Naruto.
"Ok," Naruto chirped.
I kept staring at her, my upper lip lifted slightly from my head position with a speck of my buck teeth showing.
Hey eyes looked to me quickly, she seemed to blush at my nakedness, but when her eyes met might she was as quick to look away as she was to look.
"Then I'll see you tomorrow," she waved lightly and began to walk barefooted into a small dirt path through the woods that led home.