Gomen for taking over three months to post this chapter! The six weeks in Japan we're great, such an unforgettable experience. Too much to describe in this so anyway, had a huge dosage of writers block during the 2nd week, homesickness and a little confusion about things. By the way, thank you everyone so much for the reviews! Was really shocked actually that some many people liked it. Hope you guys like this chapter, it was a little difficult to write since I'm still a little out of it when it comes to writing right now. My sleep schedule is the opposite of what it should be and other conflicting walls still stand. Ja ne. –Invader Nicole

Also, as a side note, if no ones noticed the chapters are titles of songs. Songs I believe either match well with the chapter or hold the content well with the simple title. The first chapter didn't have a title but the others did, as followed and by their singer/bands:

Chapter Two: 'Somebody Told Me' by the Killers

Chapter: Three: 'Before I Forget' by Slipknot

Chapter Four: 'One Step Closer' by Linkin Park

Chapter Five: 'I Can't Do This' by Plumb

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto, belongs to Masashi Kishimoto

Warning: If you dislike the thought of two guys together or two girls together, sexual scenes or anything that deals with drama/tragedy then I recommend you don't read.


"Juunin Toiro"

Chapter Six: 'Crawling' by Linkin Park

By Invader Nicole


"Sumimasen, excuse me! Sumimasen, damnit!" Deidara yelled out as he squirmed through the school hallways crowd of dead-like students. Slow moving, slouching and ignorant of the small blonde as he tried to find the Drawing Composition class for seventh period. 'Is it always like this after the last lunch period?' Deidara asked himself as he detoured into a classroom doorway to get his composure back.

Itachi had dropped him off at the school smoking section as he went to park his car, telling Deidara to go without him. Deidara thanked him before heading inside the building as the bell that signaled the end of 6th period rang. He remembered Itachi's instructions of where the 'N classrooms' were, but he wasn't sure if he got the right floor. Deidara bent his head backwards, letting it softly hit the stone wall behind him as he wondered what to do. 'Attempt to go through that mob of the living dead or wait 'til the bell rings and be late to class?'

"Damnit, yeah."

"You okay there, Deidara-san?" asked a voice in front of him.

Tilting his head forward Deidara could see who it was, but he couldn't quite remember the face. 'The voice is familiar, but she isn't in any of my class. I think, yeah.' Chocolate brown eyes stared at him in half annoyance, half (what he guessed was) concern. A thin layer of yellow and gold glitter was cast over the eyelids with black eyeliner at the outer corners. Long, layer-cut hair reached down to the girls buttocks, where her army green caprice was held up by a clip chain belt. Her right hand rested against the side of her low-cut black top and the other carrying a black tote bag, letting it fall to the floor next to her red Doc Martens. She tilted her head to the side as she asked again if he was okay.

"Hai, demo . . . who are you again?"

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised you don't remember me. You were out cold the first time we met. Name's Tayuya; Sasori and I brought you to the nurse before."

"Oh! Okay, gomen for not remembering. That was rude of me."

"It's no problem, but you sure you're okay? You look really lost."

"Somewhat, yeah. Do you know where the Drawing Composition class is? I can't find it in the throng of dead bodies over there," Deidara said as he nodded to the hallway students.

"It's this way," Tayuya said as she picked up her bag and grabbed Deidara's hand with her free one before walking into the moshpit of people.

'Shit, she's strong,' Deidara thought as she pulled him into a classroom. From what he could see it was what one would expect in an art class: a mess. A mass of disarrayed tables stood in the middle of the room covered in manila paper and charcoal markings. One wall had a small chalkboard, a door that said "Do Not Open" and a row of four computers all turned one on one side of the room. Shelves, cabinets and drawers were brimming with paper on the opposite walls; some work unfinished. Two desks piled with art supplies and files stood next to new canvases that were ready to be drawn upon. Deidara could see someone already sketching on one of the canvases, switching the charcoal to pastels every few seconds.

"Neji-kun, what're you drawing?"

'Oh crap . . .' were the only words Deidara could think of when Tayuya yelled out to who he guessed was the artist. 'Please, Lord Buddha; if you really exist, don't let him turn this way.'

"I'm drawing the death of a certain classmate for fucking up my relationship."

"What happened?" Tayuya asked as she tried to walk towards the brunette, but Deidara refused to move from the spot he stood at.

"A new kid made me mad and I started a fight with him. Gaara saw, and I'd promised him I wouldn't get into anymore fights. You know how he is about violence," Neji said, unaware of the other presence.

"Damn, what's his name?" Tayuya asked, her eyes shifting from the blonde to Neji as he continued to draw.

"Deirdra or something. Asshole called me a chick. He looks more like a girl then you do."

Deidara yelped in pain as he felt Tayuya's grip around his hand tighten from the brunette's comment. When he looked back towards Neji he was met with shocked eyes from whom the yelp came from. 'Shit.'

"You!" With that said Neji left his work, it being the last thing on his mind now, as he went for Deidara. Before the blonde could say anything Neji held him inches from the floor before slamming him into the metal file cabinet Deidara had been standing next to moments before. Deidara cried out again as his head was forcefully banged against the cabinet, his neck and back aching. "Do you know what you've done! Do you have any idea what you've caused!"

Deidara felt a warm feeling spread down the side of his head. He wasn't sure if it was his cut from 2nd period opening up or if he was getting ready to pass out, either way he was beginning to panic. "I didn't do anything to you or Gaara! You're the one that fucked everything up so don't blame me for your anger issues!"

Deidara glared at the wide-eyed Hyuuga before a cry of rage broke from Neji's mouth as he reeled back his fist high in the air. Deidara closed his eye and cringed as he knew he'd dug himself into this one.

"Neji-kun! Stop it; you're going to seriously hurt him!" Tayuya yelled as she held onto Neji's fist arm with both her hands. Deidara cracked his eye open a bit and saw that she was using all her strength to hold back the brunette from pounding him.

"You can't blame people for everything, Neji-san," came a voice from the doorway.

Deidara turned as much as he could in his current position to see Haku standing there, arms crossed and leaning against the stone wall in the hall opposite of the art room doorway. His eyes seemed to send a chill down Deidara's spine as he stared emotionlessly at Neji.

"Put him down. Deidara's innocent. If anything he's right. You're the one that screwed your relationship by starting the fight. You made a promise and broke it so you're excuse is to blame the one you aimed to fight as an act of accusation."

Deidara wasn't sure if he was seeing things, but he was sure he'd seen veins forming at the outer sides of Neji's eyes as he stared at the older brunette. "You weren't there so don't get involved, Haku-senpai. He insulted me and my reason for fighting is acceptable."

Haku smirked, eyes sparkling as he neared the angry teen. "From what I've heard he called you a girl. So what? That isn't the first time someone confused your gender. Heck, I don't mind it when people call me a girl, unless it's purposely. Dei's been called one too. He gets mad, but doesn't go mental," Haku said with emphasis on the word 'mental.' He was standing inches away from Neji now, not even a foot of space was between the two. "If you start another meaningless fight I doubt Gaara-kun would ever forgive you. My advice; forget what happened. It's in the past and nothing can change that, so get over it otherwise I'll fight you for being a total ass."

Deidara was sure he saw the world around him spin from being held up for so long. The jackets collar was cutting off the blood flow to his neck. He let out a small moan as he was sure he was going to pass out any second.

"Let him go, Neji!" Haku screamed.

With that last command from the older male Neji released his hold on the blonde and let him fall into the tiled floor. He ignored the blonde's deep intake of breaths as he stared into Haku's dark brown eyes. "There, I let him go," was all he said before leaving the room.

"Jackass," Haku mumbled as he helped the coughing male up. "You okay, Dei?"

"Yeah, now I am anyway," he said through a series of coughs. "Thanks."

"No problem," Haku said as he led Deidara to a stool to sit as he regained his breath. "You have this class now or did Neji just pull you out of the hallway?"

"I have this class now, Tayuya-senpai helped me. Arigatou gozaimasu, Tayuya-senpai."

"Don't worry about it," Tayuya said as she walked towards Neji's abandoned canvas and glanced at his work. She grimaced before removing it from the easel and setting it on the highest shelf of a art-strewn closet. "I'm sorry about Neji-kun. He does have some anger issues, but I didn't think he'd actually attack you like that. Gomen, Deidara-san"

"It's okay, really," he said with a forced smile.

"All right then, if you say so. Ja ne 'til next time."

"Ja ne," he said while waving farewell as she left the class, the late bell ringing after her. "Where's the teacher for this class anyway?"

"That'd be Kakashi-sensei, but he'll be a little late. He's late to every class he has so the rest of us sometimes come late too."

"Oh, strange." Looking around the classroom he saw that Haku was right, there were only a few kids sitting in the back rows. 'Guess they were here before the whole fight started,' he thought wistfully before looking over his class mates. A girl with long, midnight blue hair and bangs sat in the very last row, scribbling something in a notebook. He couldn't see her face too clearly what, with her hair acting like a curtain. A boy sitting one table ahead of her sat on the other side of the room. His clothes were all black, even a black beanie hat covered the short tendrils of ebony hair that poked out from the sides. His empty eyes were following the hand strokes of his gloved-hands as he was sketching something in calligraphy ink.

"Konnichiwa, Gaara-kun," Deidara heard Haku say.

Turning to the door he saw the same, small redhead from earlier, only this time his eyes seemed puffy and pink. He was standing in the doorway, his fingers twittering together as his eyeliner-coated eyes were transfixed at the floor and having a conversation with it. "Konnichiwa, Haku-senpai," Gaara half-mumbled as he lifted his eyes a bit to see the blonde. "You must be Deidara-san, right?"

"Hai."

"Gomen for Neji, really. I'm sorry f-for what h-he did to you," he stuttered as his words were said in a low voice. Deidara could see his bright green orbs close a bit in what looked like shame as his hands trembled. "I w-was so angry with N-Ne-j-ji that I ran away f-rom him and that only made him m-more angry. G-gomenasai."

"It's okay, yeah. I'm fine so it-"

"No . . . it's n-not o-ok-kay, not aa-t all. I s-should've talked t-to him instead of r-ru-running away. Gomen."

"Instead of apologizing why not express your sadness through art, Gaara-kun?"

Both turned to see a man about a foot and half taller then them, leaning against the classroom doorway and looking at the two of them with his dark grey right eye. The left eye was covered by silver bangs that seemed to spike out as they neared the back of the hairline all over. A dark green muscle shirt could be seen under the messily buttoned suit-like jacket. A symbol that appeared to be a right side and upside-down hook almost connecting could be seen embroiled on the sleeve of said jacket. Loose, black slacks met from the shirts half-tucked-in hem down to his brown leather shoes.

"Konnichiwa; Gaara-kun, Haku-kun, Deidara-kun."

"Konnichiwa," the three said in unison before dispersing. Deidara thought it best to sit with Haku for the class as he saw Gaara take the farthest seat from them possible. He couldn't help but be confused about the pairing between Neji and Gaara. 'How the hell are those two together! That guy reeks of asshole and Gaara seems like a nervous wreck. Why'd he apologize for Neji anyway? Does he always put up with that?' Deidara's eye went to the teacher and then noticed the slight wrinkle at the poorly buttoned apparel. 'Either this guy was doing something or he's messier then I am . . .' He noticed the teacher's right eye met his, catching him before Deidara looked away again.

"You must be my new student, Tsuchikage Deidara, yes?"

"Yes."

"Okay then," said the silver-haired man. "Tell us something about yourself. Name, likes, dislikes, hobbies."

'Crud.' He felt himself sinking further into the tall, metal stool in which he sat. "I dislike public speaking."

"Good enough then," the teacher said before writing Deidara into the attendance booklet. "Hm? Haku-kun, where's Sasori-kun? He usually doesn't have this difficult of a time."

'What?' Deidara mentally asked himself as he twiddled a piece of clay in his pocket. 'Sasori has this class too?'

"He told me that today would be a bit more difficult. They're starting to notice his sudden absences during class."

"I see," Kakashi said as he took in everything Haku said, already knowing it was going to happen sooner or later. How many times has he done this? At least three times a week for the past two years. It wasn't too difficult to pass by unnoticed, the study hour instructor usually slept after taking attendance after all. "I warned him not to leave class too much, he really doesn't listen sometimes."

"True, but you know how he is about art."

'What the hell are they talking about, yeah?' Deidara thought to himself as he gazed around the classroom. The black haired kid was doodling something again in worn out notebook, the movements seeming free yet set. The long, blue-haired girl was sitting in her seat, staring at the pencil marked table from what he could see. A guy he'd missed before was sitting two rows behind him and texting on a Sidekick. He knew this guy had come in after Kakashi had, or else he would've definitely stood out before class started. The spiked, green hair was definitely 'out there.' Deidara couldn't help but stare at the male's face, it was . . . different. Although the collar of his cloak hid his body from the chin-down Deidara could still see the distinct shading of his face. Half white, half black. Add moon-yellow eyes to that.

'What the fuck? Is that guy on something! Is he albino? Face paint and contacts? Isn't there some kind of rule against face paint in this school? He has the same coat as Itachi too, that black one with the red clouds.' He didn't know what to think because at that moment something stranger caught his eye; there were a pair of feet dangling from the top ledge of the art room window. More like a pair of legs from the knee-down covered in large jeans and abused black and white Etnies, barely moving.

"Kakashi-sensei?" voice shaking as he wasn't sure if he was going insane.

"Yes, Deidara-kun?" the silver-haired man asked with no particular interest.

"Nani kore!" Deidara yelled out as he frantically pointed to the window, almost falling out of his stool.

The whole class turned to see what had startled the new kid and saw he had seen. Eyes rolled and a wave of 'whatever' moved throughout the class. Kakashi only sighed before going to the window and opening it, shaking his head as the body slowly entered. Deidara stared as the jean-covered lower half emerged from the window, the torso covered in a button-up black coat, the tails at the back reaching his knees. A white polo shirt could be seen from underneath the half-buttoned coat, along with a great number of silver chain neck wear. Tossing a red messenger bag aside from one arm the person was able to swing onto the classroom floor with ease.

"If you keep doing that one of these days you'll fall and they'll know you've been leaving study hall for this class."

"And then I'll just get a few casts and do it again 'til they give me another art course," replied Sasori as he brushed off his pants from the descent.

"That's only a possibility, only if you live through the fall."

"We both know I'll live, Kakshi-sensei. There's not much to break after all," Sasori said with a tone of agitation before picking up his bag and sitting at a front table.

"True," Kakashi whispered to himself before adding Sasori's attendance to his booklet. Closing it at that second a student appeared at the door, a freshman or sophomore by the looks of it. Wooden tonfa were gripped in her hands and poised against her elbows as she crouched on the ground, indicating she had come from a defense class. Her clothes consisted of an ash grey skirt, black leggings and a plum purple shirt; making it questionable if she really had come from gym class before or not. Short dirty blonde was tied in a tight, low ponytail and a white surgical mask covered her mouth as she spoke.

"Kakashi-sensei, Morino-sensei asked me to give you this."

"Arigatou, Rin-san. You may go now," Kakashi said before accepting the letter handed to him.

"Hai," the girl known as Rin said before leaving the room.

He opened the letter and read it over quickly before rolling his eyes at the context and opening a desk drawer. "Sasori-kun."

"Yes, sensei?"

"Please take Deidara-kun to the counselor's office for a meeting with Yuhi-san."

"Hai," he said, turning to the clueless blonde.

Deidara only nodded before taking his backpack with him and following the photographer. 'What did I do now? Did something happen to Saiai or Muteki? Are we changing families again! We haven't done anything wrong. I didn't do anything.' Deidara thought to himself, panic rising as possibilities rose and he found himself walking faster. Ahead of Sasori; ahead of everyone and everything. Walking down any hallway that seemed to lead him to any escape. 'Did I forget to do something again? Maybe they found mom and they're moving us to a different home, a different school. But then why would it have taken so long to find her? It's been years, there's no way they found her, yeah. I can't remember her that much, but I remember she left our dad-"

"Deidara-kun! Wait! You're going the wrong way!" he could hear someone say far behind him. 'Am I running? I didn't even realize it. Why though? Am I excited that they might've found mom? Am I scared? Why should I be scared? Why am I running! W-'

"Oof," Deidara grunted out as he hit something and fell to the floor. 'That hurt . . . yeah.' Looking up he saw that he'd crashed into an older student, who hadn't fallen like him from the impact; he'd crashed into the wall face first.

"Fucking son of a bitch!" yelled the person who'd hit the wall. Deidara could already see a slightly red mark forming on the pearl white forehead of the person, the rest of his body hidden under an all too familiar black and red cloak. The person's eyes went to Deidara who still sat frozen on the ground, unable to move from the anger-filled violet eyes that glared at him. "What the hell's your problem, asshole!" the silver-haired man asked the stunned blonde.

"Hidan, just let if go. He's not worth the trouble of hiding the body." Deidara, from his current position on the floor, could see another black and red cloaked person. Super tall guy with obvious muscles hidden under the tumbleweed-colored skin and coat. Part of the face was hidden by a cobalt ski mask, but Deidara could easily see the glowing white irises and pupils surrounded by black retinas staring at him.

"Fuck no! Asshole bumped into me first. The least he could do is apologize, not gape like a retard," the one called Hidan said as he massaged his injured forehead. Something about the silver-haired male made him want to leave. "May the gods have mercy on your soul as I send you off."

Deidara stared at what Hidan held in his hand. A box cutter; average size and a black stone handle. The fact that it was pointed at him and getting closer paralyzed him. 'I can't move . . . my body isn't listening to me.' Before he could scream for anyone to help him something did. The taller of the two quickly grabbed Hidan's wrist before he could reach the frozen student and stopped him from inflicting harm. 'What?'

"What was that for, Kakuzu?"

"Look," the one named Kakuzu said as his eyes stayed focused down the hall behind Hidan.

Hidan grumbled something before turning his neck to see Sasori standing a few feet away. Short, deep breathe were being taken as the redhead slowly walked towards the three of them; his eyes holding a strange expression as he neared and saw Deidara on the floor. "Well if it isn't Sasori," Hidan said as a slight smirk played its way along his lips. "Long time no see. I think the last time we saw you was at Rei-shidousha's house. You were screaming, heh."

Deidara's eye went from Hidan's face of amusement to Sasori's. It was expressionless to say the least; distant eyes that seemed to either recall something or leave the present for the time being as he thought of something else. There was a certain degree to the absence of life in those eyes that frightened Deidara into wondering what they were talking about.

"Aw, c'mon, Sasori. Don't give me that look. I wasn't the only one if you recall, you weren't that drunk that you forgot, were you? You distinguished us all so well that night."

"Shut up, Hidan. Just shut up. You're had you fun for the day so why don't you go fuck a statue or something," Sasori said who clenched teeth.

"If it's wooden then sure. why not? You offering?"

"Hidan, enough," Kakuzu said as he released his partner's wrist from his death grip. "The bells is going to ring soon for 8th period so let's get out of here"

"Right, I here you," Hidan said as he pocketed the unused box cutter into his pants before casting one final look at the redhead. "Who's this person anyway, never seen 'em before."

"Deidara, he just needs to go to the main office and I got assigned the job of taking him there."

"Hm, right then. Be seeing you around Sasori. You as well, Deidara," Hidan said to the still-flat on his ass blonde before walking off down a stairwell with Kakuzu behind him.

Deidara stared at the backs of the two until they passed the swinging door before he picked himself up and turned to the still photographer. Fists clenched at his sides and shaking terribly he worried something was wrong. Sasori's head was bent forward so far that his bangs hid most of his face and Deidara was unable to tell what was happening to the stoic artist.

"Sasori-san? Sasori-san, what's wrong? Daijoubu desu ka?" he asked the quivering redhead, slowly reaching out to grab his shoulders and shale him. Before he could so much as touch said body part Sasori instantly drew back, withdrawing himself from the blonde's arm. Shocked at the sudden movement Deidara drew his arms back, wondering if he's done something to offend him.

"Gomenasai, it's a habit. I'm not comfortable with being touched, Deidara-san," Sasori said as he lifted his face up enough for Deidara to see that some form of life had returned to the honey-colored eyes.

"Iie, I'm the one that should be apologizing. I shouldn't have assumed that it was okay to do that, gomen ne."

An awkward silence passed between the two as Deidara gathered up his fallen backpack and disarrayed articles before Sasori led him to the counselor's office. 'Smooth, very smooth, Dei. You just scared the living crap out of a fellow artist. Nice one.' Reaching the assigned door Deidara thanked the redhead and apologized again for earlier.

"It's alright, Deidara-san, really. Just don't mention it again and it'll be okay. Hidan's just insane like that, but he has Kakuzu to hold him back most of the time. Anyway I should be going now, arts ending soon so you'll most likely be going to your last class of the day."

"Arigatou gozaimasu, Sasori-san. I guess I'll be seeing you some other time tomorrow then. I'll try not to pass out again. Ja ne," Deidara said, a smile on his face as he said that then wished he could take it back.

To his surprise the redhead only smiled at the blonde before nodding and saying "Right, just be careful. Ja mata, Deidara-san," he said before leaving he blonde at the door of the counselor's office.

'He's got a nice smile, yeah,' Deidara thought as he caught himself thinking of the artist's smile before opening and walking through the door. The conversation between Sasori, Hidan, Kakuzu and himself still fresh on his mind as he walking inside to see his counselor, Yuuhi Kurenai.


Hey readers, again sorry the long time span between updates. There were a few scenes in this chapter that kind of give off what's going on behind the scenes, plot wise and character-wise so guesses would be cool. I hope to get chapters out faster since this chapter really wasn't much to my liking. Review please. –Invader Nicole