13
„Damn it!"
"It is weird," Neji said while they were walking toward the village.
"What is it?" Tenten asked, glancing at him.
"Well, all of it. This whole mission…"
"You are telling me You find this mission weird?" She hissed quietly and accusingly as if he was the one picking her up for this.
"I am sorry…" He made a kind of a bitter crooked face. "But in the end this is it…"
She turned around quickly and put a hand over his mouth. She pursed her lips in silent "Shhhht". When she got assuring nod, she removed her hand and relaxed it beside her body - Lee was marching towards them stretched like a string in his green jumpsuit. Like he usually was…
"Are you two done for today?" he asked cheerfully.
"Yes." She nodded and innerly thanked Lee for his existence, because if it wasn't for him, Neji and herself would have been stuck in that green disaster, same as their sensei's.
"OK! Then we can do 600 squats and 1000 push-ups for a rest?" He blinked pleadingly.
Both Neji and her face paled. They loved training, there was no arguing there, but with Lee… that was distemper.
"Err, no, I am sorry… We have family dinner, no excuses accepted." Declared Neji and before Lee had the chance to react, the young Huuga was far off. Neji could rarely be seen running or rushing for no serious reason. But standing up the alternative to be carried on his crazy teammate's back for example… he found out suppressing his pride and disappearing in thin air would work better.
"But I spoke to Hinata earlier and she said she had a free evening and planned something with Naruro and Sakura." the Black-haired said grimly and he smiled widely again. "What about you, Tenten? Don't you want to-"
"Oh, I have something to do," she smiled, interrupting.
"You do?" He frowned his unnaturally thick eyebrows.
"Well yes. Home actually… Oh, I just have to go home." She quit trying to explain since she didn't have a good lie to tell. And in this case there was a chance to expose herself.
He raised his eyebrows, his face genuinely sad and disappointed.
"Could I at least accompany you home?"
"I don't think the idea is g…" She began to realise if she softened now, he would go over her head. But Lee bended, grabbed her hand, pulled her to him like a ragged doll, threw her over his back and ran down the street.
"Leeeeeeeeeeee!"she yelled, feeling rage and despair at the same time.
Wonderful… Not only did I want to delay my arrival at home, but now I've been delivered even faster… she thought sarcastically. She knew Lee's intentions were pure, but that was the opposite of favour.
…
Kankuro woke up. His stomach was growling which was quite normal considering he hasn't had something to eat for the last 2 days. He got up and went to the kitchen looking for something edible. He opened the fridge but weird and disappointing enough, it was emptier than his stomach. He frowned and was about to shout his sister's name out of habit… But it wouldn't make any sense as she was three days away and in no state to reply anything to him, even "Fuck off and leave me alone!"
He sighed and got dressed so he could go out and get something to eat there. He applied his heavy makeup even if this slowed him down. He didn't do it because he had to, but because it was a habit soaked to his bones. It was part of him. When he was ready, he left…
Five minutes later Lee stopped in front of Tenten's home and got her down from his back. Her home by chance or on purpose was the same small apartment near the park, with a small amount of stuff and an empty fridge.
"Arrigatto." she said and leaned against the wall as she felt dizzy from the speed and the awful jolting. He really does terrible favours, sometimes she yelled in her mind, but told him nothing. He had no idea what he was about to put her into, so she didn't have any right to be mad at him.
"You are very welcome." The black-haired one grinned. And he really meant it.
"Mhm," she mumbled and headed to the building's front door.
"Good night, Tenten!" her teammate weaved.
"Good night, Lee," she replied. "And stop training at some point to sleep," she added.
Lee grinned, jumped, turned around and ran off. Maybe he would go to sleep, maybe he wouldn't…
Tenten shook her head tiredly. Then she turned to the stairs and began to climb up. She reached the door and unlocked it. She entered carefully looking around.
"Hello?" she asked but there was no reply.
Mumbling under her nose, she quickly rounded the rooms to check up for his eventual corpse. And she was happy till some extent he didn't die here, though she was disappointed as well she didn't find him laying down somewhere in the house. It would be so good, it would have solved her current problem…
"Where would he even go?" she whispered.
The apartment was а really small one but she doubted her observation skills anyway - her heart was pounding loudly in her chest and she was still feeling somewhat dizzy from Lee's run with her on his back. She made the round a second time, just to be sure. Then she noticed his backpack on her bed. She felt angry and kicked it out of there. Few moments later she started to discover his things all over the place, her home. Well, it could have been worse, she calmed herself. But then she entered the bathroom:
"Make-up?!" she exclaimed. Two of her shelves were completely occupied by his inks, paints and things alike.
Tenten stormed into her room. If only he fantasises that he would sleep on my bed! This is not happening! She clenched her jaw and fists.
But suddenly it came to her mind that she could actually use his absence as her advantage, as she rushed to bathe herself while she was still alone. In fact, that was one of the shortest showers she had ever had.
When she was ready, she put on a creamy colored sleeveless top and clean dark blue jeans, then sat on the bed. She returned the pillow to its place. Then tied her hair in the usual 2 buns style while looking at herself in the little portable mirror.
Usually, after taking shower, she would go out to have dinner with the boys or any other of her friends. Despite that fact, she was not hungry at all right now. Even thinking of food made her sick. Besides, she couldn't be so irresponsible and drop everything just to go out and eat, could she?
She sat on the bed for some time, tapping her heels on the floor. She couldn't just keep sitting and waiting like that. So she got up and started pacing around the apartment checking if there wasn't anything to clean up for example. She found nothing.
Tenten had spent a considerable amount of time cleaning after training the last few days. But what was the meaning if no spot or trace of dust was left? What was the point? Well, that was her way of relaxing her stressed self so she won't wouldn't think about the absurd task Godaime entrusted her with. And living together with this shinobi…Kankuro… wasn't even the worst part. The icing on the cake was they had to deceive everyone they were in love and getting engaged. Yes, they had to lie to everyone about this, excluding Godaime, Shizune and a few others that knew what was really going on. And Gai-sensei, her teacher, he also didn't know. Lying to him would be the hardest thing since he knew her well since childhood and often could sense when something was bothering her… That was why Neji was one of those who knew, right…?
"Damn it!" she said quietly and flinched hearing her own voice. She had never cursed out loud before. Or at least mostly she didn't… She was challenging the boys evenly at almost everything, but not at cursing. Since she got this mission, "damn it" has started to sneak in her speech and even get the main part in some sentences.
She decided she could use the time to load the washing machine, so she looked around to see what could use a wash. The sheets from the bed were the first to go in, no matter if she changed them the previous day, her training clothes as well went in the machine. She attempted to close the machine door when she saw some black clothing fetched in the bathroom corner.
"What the hell would that be?" Tenten didn't even notice the little phrase between "what" and "would that be".
She went to the thing, grabbed it carefully with just her thumb and pointer, then even more carefully picked it up.
"Oh, dear, it stinks!" she exclaimed yet again, wrinkling her nose. Tenten didn't even determine what it was and just threw it to the sheets kicking the door. The washing machine really didn't deserve such a treatment though. She put washing powder and textile softener then just pushed the button with a high amount of frustration.
And now what? Where has he gone, this… Kankuro? It came to her mind that she is kind of responsible for his actions while he was here. Officially he was her boyfriend and in just a few weeks this boyfriend was going to turn in her fiancee. And I am not even sure how much human he is under this terrible costume of his, she stated in her thoughts. Then sighed…
"If he doesn't appear soon, I will have to go look for him…" she said quietly to herself. "But in the meantime…" She smiled widely and decided to do something useful…
…
Kankuro was walking aimlessly through the streets. No, that was not correct - he did have a goal, he just had no idea where this goal was located. He stopped for a moment and looked around. The people around him from afar, so he probably looked kind of hostile to them. Buh he still had to ask someone or he may lose too much time wandering around.
"Hey, Kankuro!" a cheerful voice came from behind him.
The man turned around to run into a large, white, and definitely dog's head.
"What the f…" he started making a step backwards. Then someone put a hand on his shoulder. He flinched and looked over his shoulder. "You…?" He frowned. "Kiba was it, right?"
The newcomer had brushed brown hair, two red triangles over his cheeks and a really wide smile. That's all one could get from a first impression.
"Oh, you remember me!" he exclaimed.
"Of course I do." Kankuro smiled just so lightly. "I wouldn't forget I saved your ass," he teased him.
"We also wouldn't. Right Akamaru?" Kiba turned to the big dog which barked agreeingly. "Akamaru sensed your smell at lunch, but we couldn't look for you then. " He explained seriously.
Kankuro didn't really pay him much attention. Instead he was staring at the giant animal.
"Damn it, Kiba! Look at him, you were carrying him in your hands, on your head!" He remembered the sizes of the pup and drew them into the air. The other man laughed.
"You know, I am happy to see you here." Kiba changed the topic.
The sand shinobi looked a bit down on him, though he said nothing.
"What are you doing here anyway?" Kiba asked, attempting to chat more informally.
"I have a mission to complete," he replied shortly.
"Can I get more information about it?" he grinned and leaned to Kankuro closer than what felt appropriate.
"No, I am sorry."
"Eh, well, no problem," he kept grinning. "I was obliged to try my luck." Kibba scratched his head and added, "Where are you actually going if that is something I may ask?"
"Actually," Kankuro put his hands in his pockets. "I was looking for a place I could have a meal in."
"So you got the right person then!" Kiba exclaimed. "I am just about to go eat dinner." He approached some more, causing Kankuro to back off a bit, and whispered: "It is just my elder sister's home and her cooking is terrible."
The sand shinobi smiled slightly thinking that it was indeed true that the sisters' cooking was terrible. They hadn't been living together for a long time now - Gaara, Temari and himself. But there was a moment in their lives they did share home and Temari had really tried cooking then… His stomach clenched painfully by the memory of her…trying. Though that was long ago, they all were just kids back then.
"Arrogatto." Kankuro said. Maybe he is not that useless after all, he thought.
"Kiba!" Someone shouted from the other end of the street and when they turned to see who it was, he started waving with both hands like a crazed person.
"That's Lee. He will be coming with us," Kiba explained and walked towards the boy wearing a really ugly green suit. Kankuro remembered him - he was maybe the very first person to actually hit Gaara, overcoming his absolute defence. He hadn't remembered his name, but it didn't really matter. In the end, he just followed them tiredly.
…
Tenten went to the bathroom and got a bucket with warm water, a few old towels and a special oil for her weapons. She carefully put them down in the middle of the living room. She pushed away the short table to gain maximum free space. Then she spreaded an old and quite torn blanket, thoughtfully arranging all of her weapons on it. When she was done stacking them up on little piles by type, she sat on the floor, smiling. Methodically she started to wash, rub and oil every single knife, shuriken, and kunai, taking good care of each one, treating them not as tools, but as something that could carry name.
Her teacher Gai often repeated that if one wanted to succeed in handling the weapons masterfully, one should take good and regular care of them in the first place. Leaving aside the fact that most of the things he was saying were weird, hard to understand and mostly...stupid, this one rule she remembered well and followed it almost fanatically. It turned out weapon care was something that calmed her and was bringing her joy. So she was doing that often and thoroughly. Just like she did now.
…
"That was really tasty." Kankuro said and leaned back placing a large hand over his stomach.
"Yes!" Lee shouted, irritably cheerful, as Kankuro remarked in his mind.
The black-haired one raised his fist near his own face and gazed dreamingly into something only he could see. "It will help me train all night long!"
Kankuro glanced at Lee. Ragged pieces of memories flooded his mind - he remembered how Gaara almost killed him during the chuunin's exams some years ago. But Lee got lucky and a lot of teachers meddled to help him out. There was really something fascinating about this weird shinobi, so atypical… And even if he was purely irritating, he was actually…interesting.
His make-up face turned to Kiba with raised eyebrows, as if asking him "What's wrong with him? What's with this behaviour?"
"That's how he is." Kiba whispered and shrugged.
"I must go!" Lee got up from his chair.
"Have fun," Kiba waved apathetically with his hand and Akamaro quietly growled.
"Have a nice training session." Kankuro replied and closed his eyes for just a second until the black-haired one was moving away.
Then he looked up in the distance and got up slowly:
"I should better go too. I didn't get proper rest on the way here and I need one now." He staggered slightly, but returned his balance right away.
"I understand," the other one nodded. "Would you be alright on your way back? Would you like Akamaro and I to accompany you?"
"I would…" He was thinking to say he will be just fine, but then he realised he couldn't remember how they got here. He couldn't even remember how he got to the place he met Kiba. It had been a long time since he walked around those streets. He hated to depend on anyone but he also understood the possibility to wander around till the morning. Also he didn't really have orientation issues, but this, now…it was different. When they found Temari, he was already exhausted, coming back from a mission. Then the worries came, the emotional exhaustion, then travelling to his current location and this…mission. He sighed "Yes, it would be wise if you come with me."
Kiba smiled almost softly this time.
"Right, where do you have to go?" He asked.
"I have to find a small park near the east edge of the village." Kankuro explained tiredly.
"Can you give me some more details?" Kiba frowned.
"I would recognise it when I see it."
"Alright, alright. We should follow our trained noses then." he shrugged and started to mumble. "Let's see, a small park, east edge of the village. If I take into consideration where I found you, let's try this way."
…
Gaara sat down on the edge of the bed. He carefully took the sleeping girl's hand and sighed. He watched her sickly pale face still covered with fading purple patches.
"I've heard people in coma can hear well when someone talks to them. That's why, Temari, like it or not I am going to talk to you every single day," he said emphatically, though his voice sounded surprisingly soft.
The young woman continued to breathe as even and lightly as she did just moments ago, showing no signs that she heard a thing.
"It is so weird," said Gaara quietly . "It is so weird how a person can evaluate something when one stops receiving it, right?" He kept silent for a bit. "I must confess I really hated your yelling at Kankuro and myself in the mornings. Do you remember that time when we used to live together? When we used to go to the bathroom after each other and you were enraged?" He was silent yet again. "I know it was long ago. But it is so quiet at home now that I don't want to go there at all. I expect to hear "Come on, boys! Hurry up!", instead there is one nasty, choking silence…" He stroked her hand awkwardly. "I do miss you… Both of you…"
Gaara gazed through/spaced out the window for a few minutes.
"Temari, even if we don't live in the old house anymore, I really would like to hear you yell at us…" He whispered and massaged his temples with his free hand.
…
"Is it here?" Kiba asked.
"Yes, it is here." Kankuro nodded and looked up to the big window.
"All right." The leaf shinobi scratched his head, looking around. "But I really must ask… Isn't this Tenten's apartment?"
"It is." The other man nodded, obviously not offering something more.
Kiba grinned mischievously. "Have a nice evening, pal." He lightly patted the Puppet-Master on the shoulder and chuckled.
"Arrigatto." He replied. "But please NEVER EVER PAT MY SHOULDER!" He hissed and Akamaru flinched.
Konoha's shinobi attempted to say something but changed his mind waving his hand. Then he smiled apologetically.
"Gomen…" He said.
"I am the one that is sorry…" Kankuro sighed, realising he shouldn't have reacted so sharply. Kiba didn't have bad intentions, he was just that "patting shoulder" type of person.
"That's fine. Get some sleep, we will see each other again those days if you are still here."
Kankuro nodded and watched a bit after the man and the dog until they disappeared around the building.
I am so going to sleep, he thought calmly, even gladly, while he climbed the stairs. He reached in his pocket for the key that he got from Shizune earlier. Then he put it into the lock and turned it. When he pushed the door open, he stopped right in his tracks: Damn it! - he cursed in his innerly while 3 shurikens flew to his head. His reflexes, fortunately, were still relatively intact, because his body moved. In conclusion - he had a well scratched left arm…
