Annnd I'm back! I'm hoping to do a double update next Wednesday, just in time for Temari's actual birthday cuz wouldn't that be so cool? It wasn't even planned a first, but now that her birthday is approaching and I'm conveniently writing chapters about her birthday, I might as well make them coincide.
Also thanks Axel0913 and Nasterac for the reviews!
There isn't a lot of Shikatema in this chapter but look forward to the next one!
All characters belong to Kishimoto-san.
Chapter 18: You Can't Fight Without a Form
Gaara stood in front of Konoha High's massive gym, watching as the flow of students entering diminished, until he was the only member of the fight club left outside.
He wasn't normally nervous about being with other people—hell, he barely cared about their opinions of him as it was—but for some reason today, Gaara hesitated.
"Oh, Gaara!" the voice of Uzumaki Naruto resounded from the gym and the owner of the voice came out, a widespread grin on his face.
"Glad to see you here, dattebayo!" Naruto said, skidding to a halt a bit too instantly as momentum propelled him forward.
"Same to you," Gaara said, putting a hand out just in time to stop Naruto from completely falling over.
"Thanks," Naruto said sheepishly as he composed himself. "Anyways, come on, let's go join Kakashi-sensei's group! They split us up into two groups every week, and both Kakashi-sensei and Guy-sensei teach something different, and then we switch off after that."
Gaara nodded, allowing the other boy to tow him in. It seemed to him that the freshmen of Konoha High already knew everything there was to know about their new school.
Uchiha Sasuke was standing apart from the group of students crowded around Kakashi, eyes half closed in indifference. As Naruto and Gaara came in, his eyes shifted in their direction, watching with keen interest. Gaara returned Sasuke's stare defiantly, daring the other boy to make a move first as he noticed the displeasure in the Uchiha's eyes.
"Sabaku no Gaara," Uchiha Sasuke said, not breaking eye contact.
"Uchiha Sasuke," Gaara replied, just as coolly.
Naruto frowned, looking back and forth between his two friends, unsure of what was going on.
The two students were interrupted from their staring contest by Kakashi himself, who had stopped right between them.
"I hope there's no problem here," Kakashi said, his free hand straying casually to his waistline, where Gaara knew the ANBU's gun was hidden. Kakashi was looking both students in the eye, but Gaara could tell that Kakashi was more specifically asking him than Uchiha Sasuke.
"No, sir," Gaara spoke first, and Uchiha Sasuke was quick to agree.
Kakashi nodded to himself and proceeded to check through the rest of his students, his clipboard ready to mark anything unusual down.
Naruto laughed nervously, unsure of how to break the tension. Fortunately, he was saved from saying anything by Hyuuga Neji, who was acting as one of Kakashi's assistant.
Hyuuga Neji stood in front of Kakashi's group, his eyes wandering slowly from member to member, silently judging them with his pale, blank eyes.
"We'll be learning the staff for the remainder of this week," Hyuuga Neji announced, "As well as for next week, since most of you have encountered it before, whether in the freshmen P.E. class, or as a veteran member of this club. We'll be splitting into two different sections: the beginner and the advanced; and it'll be up to you to decide which one to join. Those who wish to be in the beginner section will be on my left, and those who wish to be in the advanced section will be on my right."
Hyuuga Neji waited until the members of Kakashi's group sorted themselves into the appropriate categories before he continued relaying instructions.
"Before we begin, each one of you will have to sign a consent form," Hyugga Neji said. "It will be due tomorrow, and must be signed by both yourself and a parent or guardian."
Naruto raised a hand. "What if you don't turn it in tomorrow, dattebayo?"
"Then you'll have to sit out and observe until you do get it signed," responded Hyuuga Neji.
Naruto nodded, seeming satisfied until his hand shot up in the air again. "What if you're eighteen, dattebayo?"
"You're not eighteen," Hyuuga Neji stated. "But for those of you who are, then you don't need a parent or guardian signature."
"What if your parent or guardian isn't here right now, dattebayo?"
It was Naruto again, and Hyuuga Neji answered impatiently, his mouth curved down slightly in the beginnings of a frown. "Then you'll have to wait to turn your consent form in."
"Okay, but what if my guardian doesn't return throughout the entire year, dattebayo?" Naruto asked again, and Hyuuga Neji looked as if he were about to throw something at him, or maybe smack him on the head with his staff.
"Then you'll have to talk to me about it," Kakashi said, finishing his rounds and taking his rightful place next to Hyuuga Neji. "But for you, Naruto, you can just have Iruka sign it."
"Oh, I can?" Naruto asked, and Hyuuga Neji scoffed.
"Yes, he just said you can," the young Hyuuga said, and then added under his breath, "It's like you're deaf or something."
The words did not go unnoticed by his teacher, who gave him a moderate warning, "Don't be rude, Neji."
Hyuuga Neji shrugged and began passing out the forms, shoving one none too gently in Naruto's hands.
"Ero-sennin is never back, dattebayo," Naruto whined. "Good thing I can have Iruka-sensei sign this, or else I'd never be allowed to do anything, dattebayo!"
"You ask too many questions, dobe," Uchiha Sasuke said, checking his form out.
Gaara did the same, processing the words rapidly, the way he had been taught to do by his father. There were three sections to the form. The first were the basic school rules and cautions about proper behavior and arriving on time. The second section contained the grading criteria—grades were determined mostly by attendance, followed next by written exams and participation—which Gaara mostly ignored. The last section was the most important one: there were warnings about possible wounds and permanent injuries, and reminders to always follow the directions and to use only assigned equipment.
"Man, this is a lot to read," Naruto complained, squinting at his paper. Uchiha Sasuke rolled his eyes and summarized it aloud.
After a couple more minutes of Hyuuga Neji standing condescendingly and Kakashi listlessly teaching the very basics of the staff, the new members were let loose to swing the staffs around at a target, while the veterans and a few select others who already knew martial arts lightly sparred with each other.
Gaara was among the ones who already knew martial arts and he stood awkwardly to the side, the dark circles around his eyes and his scowling expression scaring off any would-be opponents. There were only two people Gaara surmised would be willing to spar with him, and the first was Uchiha Sasuke.
Gaara remembered how easily Uchiha Sasuke had held the staff the first time they had met; the way the blue-haired boy had single-handedly threatened Kankuro; how his dark, calculating eyes had recognized Gaara as a like-minded warrior as the two had sized each other up. Uchiha Sasuke was a worthy opponent for the Kazekage's heir.
The other option was Uzumaki Naruto, who Gaara did not want to admit he was growing somewhat close to. Though Naruto was no seasoned fighter, Gaara knew it would be enjoyable and refreshing to spar with his new friend.
However, the only problem was, Naruto had already somehow gotten the unsociable Uchiha Sasuke to teach him some complex moves. They were standing a few feet away from Gaara, with Naruto clumsily striking at Uchiha Sasuke, who smoothly avoided all the attempts.
Gaara studied Naruto as he fought what was clearly a losing battle. The Konoha Inc. heir rose again and again as he was knocked down, each time with a seemingly endless cheerful attitude. He complained loudly about how annoying Uchiha Sasuke was, and how Sasuke was cheating, but he never once complained about how hard it was, nor did he give up. Gaara watched in half wonder, half awe as Naruto got up again, pointing his staff right at Uchiha Sasuke's heart.
"One more time, dattebayo!" Naruto shouted, his shoulders heaving up and down from exhaustion. He was the only student in the club who looked like he had been run down by a tornado.
"Aren't you tired?" Uchiha Sasuke asked, his staff already at rest by his side.
"Nope!" Naruto declared, pumping his staff up in the air. "Let's go again!"
Uchiha Sasuke sighed and sat down on the bleachers, waving his staff dismissively at his childhood friend. "You need to rest."
Naruto pouted but then acquiesced. "Fine, dattebayo."
He went to the fountain at the boundary of the gym and took a long drink, conveniently splashing himself with water and leaving little droplets of his sweat on the floor, which earned him a disgusted rebuke from the nearby janitor.
After cooling himself off and apologizing to the janitor, Naruto pranced back in; only, he did so without the grace of a deer. Gaara made to catch him, but he was beat by Uchiha Sasuke, who had anticipated such a blunder from Naruto. Uchiha Sasuke's staff jerked out from its dormant state, trapping Naruto in an upright position.
"Calm down," Uchiha Sasuke said, returning his staff to its initial location as gravity ceased forcing Naruto down. "The fight club isn't going anywhere. You always have tomorrow. And the days after that."
"Right," said Naruto, guiltily rubbing the back of his neck. He patted Uchiha Sasuke on the back. "Don't worry. I'm not always hyper, you know?"
Uchiha Sasuke did not look convinced but he let the other boy go. Gaara saw the opportunity to ask Naruto to spar with him, and he reached a hand out to stop Naruto, but his attempts at approaching the Uzumaki were thwarted once again.
"Neji! Come fight me!" Naruto yelled at the top of his lungs, his voice carrying throughout the entire gym, gathering even the eyes of Guy's members.
There was the feeling Gaara was used to again: disappointment. Only, this time, Gaara couldn't pinpoint why he was disappointed. It was as if Gaara couldn't understand himself today. He watched as Hyuuga Neji regarded Naruto with mocking eyes, but Naruto was undaunted.
"You can't beat me," Hyuuga Neji stated, looking up from where he had been teaching a freshman how to hold the staff.
"You don't know that!" Naruto argued, aiming his fist at the other boy in a vow of victory.
"Either way, I don't have time for you," Hyuuga Neji said, returning to his teaching.
"Hey, don't ignore me, dattebayo!" Naruto said.
"I said 'light sparring', Naruto," Kakashi said, appearing out of nowhere. "You don't look like you've been sparring lightly. Why don't you take a break and watch the others for a while?"
Naruto pouted. "I haven't been sparring for long! Anyways, I have to beat Neji, dattebayo!"
"Naruto, you have nothing you need to prove," Uchiha Sasuke said, agreeing with Kakashi. "You can fight him any other time."
"Also, you don't have your consent form filled out yet," Kakashi reminded, briefly patting the hyper boy on the shoulder. "Take a break."
Naruto opened his mouth to argue, but Kakashi interrupted him. "That was not a suggestion."
Naruto scowled and sat down on the bleachers, his arms crossed. Now that Naruto was no longer available again, Gaara was back to his aimless wanderings, which wasn't exactly a good thing. After witnessing Uchiha Sasuke fight, Gaara was more determined than ever to fight him. He could feel the blood rushing to his head, adrenaline flowing through his body until it overwhelmed him.
Gaara's hands twitched, itching to get violent. He wanted to fight someone badly. No, he needed to fight someone.
That's right, boy. Everyone hates you. It was Shukaku's chilling voice pounding in Gaara's ears, once again reminding the fourteen-year-old whose mercy he was at. You're not a person; you're a weapon. And weapons are designed to kill, aren't they?
This time, Gaara completely agreed with his captor. All he could see in front of him was Uchiha Sasuke. The Uchiha's well-fit body exposed his athletic capabilities as he swung the staff expertly in his hands, his eyes trained on all the minor movements around him. Gaara imagined himself crushing Uchiha Sasuke with his staff, watching as the wood indented itself on his skull and blood wafted through the air.
"Sabaku no Gaara," Uchiha Sasuke said, and suddenly the boy himself was before Gaara.
Gaara stopped his fantasizing. "Uchiha Sasuke."
Uchiha Sasuke raised his staff up a few degrees, unafraid to face the brutal youngest son of the Kazekage. "You and me tomorrow."
Gaara needed no other invitation.
"Of course," Gaara said, a slow smile marking his face as he anticipated the upcoming victory.
.
"Yeah, 'cause apparently, I need a consent form to do stuff, dattebayo!" Naruto grumbled to his friends.
Gaara followed quietly behind them, his previous bloodlust buried for now.
"I mean, it's not like Neji was going to kill me," Naruto continued. "Was he?"
"Hyuuga Neji might have," Kiba mused. "He seems to dislike people like us."
"People like us?" Ino questioned.
"You know, people who aren't talented prodigies like himself," said Kiba. "His attitude sucks in general."
"Also, where is Shikamaru?" Kiba added as the group arrived at Asuma's room only to discover their Nara friend was not in there. "Did he ditch school again?"
"He was here during lunch," Chouji said. "Besides, he would never miss the one class he actually enjoys."
"He's at his tree," Ino supplied. "You know, that one tree he likes to hide out under. He thinks he can't be seen from behind, but honestly his hair sticks out when he moves his head."
"So much for the Nara genius," Kiba laughed. "He's probably asleep under the tree."
Contrary to Kiba's words, Shikamaru was not asleep. Instead, he was engaged in a game with Gaara's only sister, while Gaara's other sibling was leaning against the tree looking restless.
"Come on, Shikamaru," Ino said, shaking her finger at him. "It's already been five minutes past the bell. Why are you still here?"
Shikamaru moved a piece on the board and shrugged. "Does it matter? Do we have any plans after school?"
"Actually, we do," Ino confirmed. "In case you forgot, you lost the bet the other day, so we're going to your house to play video games."
"Plus, dango before that," Chouji added.
"I wanted ramen," Naruto lamented.
"Anyways, hurry and get your ass up," Ino said. "Your board isn't going anywhere."
"It's Asuma's board," said Shikamaru.
Ino rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean."
Shikamaru shrugged and got up. Temari helped him clean up and Shikamaru took hold of the board and made the journey back to Asuma's room. Thankfully, the door was propped open this time, so Shikamaru had no trouble getting in.
"Oh, by the way," Ino said as soon as Shikamaru was out of earshot. "Happy birthday, Temari! I heard it was your birthday today."
"Let me guess," Temari deadpanned. "Shikamaru?"
"Naruto, actually," corrected Ino.
"Oh. Well, thanks, I guess," Temari said, unused to receiving so many "Happy birthdays" in a day.
"You know, you should come, too, Temari!" Ino said, giving the older girl a warm smile, which Temari saw through right away. What did Ino have planned?
"Go where?" Temari asked suspiciously.
"We're going to get dango and sweets and then go play video games, dattebayo!" Naruto said. "Gaara's invited! And he's definitely coming, right, Gaara?"
Gaara's expression said he had agreed to no such thing. "Today is Temari's birthday. I shouldn't go off on my own."
"But it'll be fine if she comes too, right?" Naruto said, finding the loophole right away. "And Kankuro is also invited! We can all have fun together, dattebayo!"
"Who is invited?" Shikamaru asked, returned from his mission.
"Gaara and his siblings!" Naruto said. "They're coming with us today!"
"Wait, we didn't agree yet," Kankuro protested but Temari stopped him.
"Yeah, we'll go," Temari said. She had nothing to do back at the hotel anyways, other than possibly homework. Though there was the tiny problem of money since Temari hadn't thought to bring extra cash to school, but she knew Kankuro was paying his debts today so he would most likely have the money. "Besides, I like dango."