A/n: Heya everyone,
I'm uploading a chapter every time I get another written…that's a bad explanation. I mean that I'm uploading 6 because I just finished chapter 8 and I'll upload 7 after I'm done with 9. That way I always keep ahead of the story so I don't fall behind. Anyway, yeah this part can be kind of OOC-ish but I tried to keep it close while showing there is a relationship at least. Emotions. Weeee. Fun fun.
What else…oh yeah disclaimer: I don't own Naruto just my OC's. Surprise surprise.
Enjoy-shyshi
"Actions Speak Louder Than Words."
Metal chains scratched together, squeaking in high protests that rang out into the chilled night air. The noises rippled through like a wave through a blanket and Emiko imagined vibrantly the shifts in the folds of the atmosphere. Her seat swung again, her feet dragging lifelessly along the unearthed mud to break grooves into the ground and wrap her shoes in the heavy mass of wet soil. Her eyes were half lidded and downcast upon the ground before her, a solemn sensation garnishing her body in the pale street lights.
It was late, hours since the group had disbanded and hours behind the moment of truth. In her mind the possibilities of maybes and ifs tormented her mind before cruel factuality reduced her mind to a numb state. Her skin had pricked long ago and in the icy air she felt nothing more than a familiar companion.
"Ino," Emiko remembered how she had been laughing with Naruto mere seconds before the shadowed voice of Sakura met her ears. Instinctively she had turned to see the two sitting together on a bench. Raising her head Emiko spun in her swing to stare at the bench only a few feet away from the playground but the distance seemed to fall away and stretch before her eyes and she quickly pulled her feet from the ground to allow her power to dwindle as she rocked from side to side.
"Do you like Sasuke-kun?" Surprise was clearly traceable across Ino's face and Emiko had moved her gaze to shield the fact that she was eavesdropping.
"Yes." Ino's reply had been firm but soft and Emiko had heard the sound of someone rising only seconds before Sakura's voice rang out.
"Then from now on we're rivals."
'So this is where we are.' Emiko thought the sentence over and over again until it became like a sickening relative who had overstayed their welcome. Her body reacted to the mental anger and began to twist and bind like venomous snakes underneath her skin. Ino and Sakura had both immediately walked in different directions and it wasn't long after that Naruto followed the pink haired girl and the other two followed Ino carelessly. Their choices left Emiko standing in the middle of the sidewalk, alone, her friends dividing in different directions, and her mind torn down its seam with them.
Now, hours later, she was still sitting upon the playground swing, her eyes vacant as she tried to construct a plan from the ruble of her group. How could they break over one guy, one stupid guy? A diminutive scowl crossed her lips and her hoarded anger seemed to unleash at the dark haired trouble.
Half-heartedly Emiko slammed her foot repeatedly onto the ground as she prayed the sudden spectacle of her frustration would fix the problem. Bringing down her foot for the fifth time, the heel of her severely worn out shoe landed upon the upturned broken end of an old beer bottle, slicing straight into her foot. An anguished cry passed her lips as she crumbled back to her seat and pulled her heel into view. Sticking through the heel of her 5 year old shoes was a sickening shard of a beer bottle. Her throat tightened and she lurched at the sight, her senses screamed as she realized the shard had torn through her flesh.
Sickness swept upon her in waves as she fought to keep her calm despite every instinct pleading and crying at her to scream for help. Her mind was swept blank. Should she take it out? What if something vital was damaged? What if she bled to death? Should she scream? She definitely wanted to cry but furiously blinked back the tears swelling in her eyes. The pain was throbbing but it had reduced to a low drumming. She didn't have bandages; she didn't know how to treat it. What if it was infected? She wouldn't be able to walk with it in her foot. Oh god it hurt!
Regardless of her craving tears leaked from her eyes and she speedily brushed them away before she tried to focus on her current problem. The sound of a revving engine passed her ears and she drew in a shuddering breath before glancing into the street to see a dark Jaguar cruising down the street. Had her mind not been so clouded Emiko might have acknowledged the uncommonness at seeing the high ranked car perusing through the mucky streets.
Tiredly her lids wilted, her mind lightening of thoughts as she leaned against the swing's metal chains. Footsteps echoed in her mind and she frowned as the noises exploded painfully in her mind three fold.
"What have you done?" There was no question in his voice and Emiko blinked momentarily to have her eyes focus upon a familiar dark haired problem.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Her fogged mind was still able to retain the spare parts of Emiko's thoughts. As he heard the words Emiko could discern a small smirk upon his face before it was shrouded in shadow. Carefully he crouched down and Emiko felt a gentle hand grasp her ankle as the Uchiha inspected the wound.
"Baka." He muttered and Emiko laughed in a dazed and soft sort of way before she leaned back against the swing's chain to support her head, she was beginning to grow tired and despite the fact that the moment of Sasuke actually seeming to care called for some attention and teasing she couldn't find the words in her mind to speak.
A blast of newfound pain shot through her mind and she let out a censored yell before leaning forward as though to shake the hurt from her mind. Sasuke glanced up and noticed her eyes were shut tightly as she tried to refrain from screaming. With a small sigh of annoyance he removed his watch and frustratingly shoved it in her face. It took a moment for the brunette to register what had happened and she tentatively used the strap as a release for her pain.
"I'm pulling it out." Sasuke declared and consequently felt a hand clutch his shirt sleeve firmly while he tilted her foot enough to examine the wound. He understood silently her pain as his fingers clipped the bottom and sent another jerk of pain throughout her foot. To him it was clear someone had broken the top of a beer bottle off, the round bottom was coated in grime which he consequently scratched away without realizing how the sharp motions would affect her.
Her nails pressed into his skin but he maintained his uncaring nature and grasped the end of the shard with a steady hand before wrenching it from her foot. No noise came from her mouth and Sasuke glimpsed her face to see her lips set in a firm and determined line. Few tears shed down her face but she rashly brushed the traces away.
"I can do it." Emiko managed to insist as she carefully removed her shoe and sock. The wound didn't seem to dangerously deep but Emiko couldn't get a full examination in the dark and the blood quickly drenching her foot didn't help. In a hurry she tried to use her sock as a bandage and began to gingerly wrap her heel.
"Why do you wear such crappy shoes?" Sasuke's voice broke her thoughts and she paused her shaking hands to glance up at the teen that was currently leaning against a tree.
"I'm sorry," she retorted sarcastically before finishing a weak tie. "Next time I go shoe shopping I'll make sure to buy top brand durable ones." The words were laced with a hint of loathing and Emiko adverted her eyes to the ground as the hatred in her voice ebbed at her mind.
'Here he's being nice, in his own way, and I have to be rude.' He seemed to think nothing of it rather and Emiko seized the swing's chain as she stood to her feet. The sock bandage upon her foot seemed to function just enough that she could take careful steps.
"You look like an idiot." Sasuke remarked and Emiko managed a turn to meet his gaze.
"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind." She retorted and twirled on her good heel to continue towards the sidewalk. Sasuke watched with hidden curiosity as she made each step, her eyes were focused in determination and as the street light struck her face Sasuke could make out faint glimmers of tears.
Almost as though she sensed his attention she washed away the tears and continued on. On the sidewalk the blood from her injured heel could be tracked clearly and it seemed the sock was acting as a sponge. And it had reached its maximum as the crimson liquid began to slide down her foot.
"Are you planning on walking the entire way like that?" Once again he chose to speak and she sighed before glancing over her shoulder. Her eyes were slightly clouded and the street lights added another layer of film over her eyes to add to her dazed look. Despite that, she managed a remark in her casual voice.
"Well I left my pony at the house. So yeah I have to walk." The pain had shortened her temper and she desperately craved her bed and some clean wraps for her foot. Worse case scenarios passed through her mind and she felt her vision singe around the ends. 'I have to get home soon… if I faint out here I'm screwed.' Not bothering to wait for a response she returned to her task and continued down the sidewalk towards her house.
Onyx eyes followed her trail and Sasuke's annoyance pricked in his thoughts before he followed quietly after her. After each step Sasuke could notice her determination weakening, her footsteps became less steady and confident and her head bowed forward. He wasn't surprised, not that he would admit if he was. When he'd glimpsed the wound it breathed pain and it was almost 2 in the morning.
Sounds of her yawning drifted back and he halted as she began to hop in place. His brow furrowed in silent confusion until he noticed her sit on the curb and pull her injured foot up. Her fingers delicately peeled away the sock that had been reduced to no more than a blood filled rag. Her other shoe was removed and he watched as she replaced her old 'bandage' with her other sock. Carefully she managed to knot the sock around her heel before she grabbed her shoes and hopped to her feet, er foot.
Her silhouette wavered in the light but minutes later Sasuke watched as Emiko stepped up to her apartment building. She paused before slamming her side into the door and Sasuke glimpsed a victorious smile upon her face before she hobbled in. As the door clicked shut a familiar car horn beeped and the Uchiha turned to see a Jaguar pull up beside him.
"Hey Sasuke, where'd you run off to?" Sitting comfortable in the car were some of his fellow students from Gideon who had dragged him into the neighborhood for some nighttime 'fun'. Sasuke wouldn't call them friends but he rarely, if ever, called anyone a friend.
"We lost ya after we finished trashing that whore's car." The driver leaned over to speak to him but Sasuke ignored his question.
"Hn." Without any real explanation Sasuke took his seat in the back and returned to his copy righted state of watching out the window, without a flicker of life in his black eyes.
A/n: P.S! If anyone wants to guess at why I named this story Iris I'll think of some kind of prize for whoever gets it right. Even if 23 people get it right I'll get a prize for each of ya . And guesses are welcome at any time so don't worry about a deadline. Yep…I'll be leaving now.
