"Uzumaki? What are you doing here?" Kakashi asked.
"I showed them the picture, sir. I think I'm responsible as well," Tobi answered, bowing his head.
"So you're punishing yourself?"
"I feel responsible, Hatake-sensei."
"That's his name?" Hidan asked. Everyone just called the principal Kakashi-sensei.
"So now I have to deal with six hoodlums after school?" Kakashi groaned.
"And where are Neji and Kiba?" Pein asked.
"Wherever they go after school."
"To beat up on defenseless pregnant people?" Kakashi coughed, Pein's words making him uncomfortable.
"I've called you all here because you seem to have your own set of morals, morals that told you it was all right to beat up two other students."
"They have even stranger morals than us, sir," Itachi said. "If our morals allow us to do justice to two people who committed a disgusting and completely vile act against another defenseless human being, then I would say our morals are restrained." Kakashi sighed.
"Fine. Bu the conversation we are about to have is not going on the records. You are not allowed to tell anyone about this, do you hear me? I might loose my job. But I'm doing it for you guys, so be grateful." All of them were silent after this. "So are you going to tell anyone what happens here?" Slowly, all of them shook their heads. "Good. You seem to have your own set of morals, but they aren't as far off as I originally thought. What do you think would be a fitting punishment, as long as it is within my means and reasons?" Pein blinked, and all of the gang exchanged looks. Tobi, on the other hand, piped up.
"Expulsion?" he tried. All eyes were on him.
"Expulsion?" Kakashi asked. Tobi coughed.
"Yes, Hatake-sensei. Expulsion." Kakashi looked to Pein. Pein kept his mouth shut.
"It seems fitting. . ." Itachi mused. "They can't be trusted to be in a social environment. When put in a situation involving communication they fail exquisitely. So close to sending in college applications, and they decide another student's gender matters more. And if causing a scandal is their priority, perhaps they should be part of one." Itachi didn't look at all smug with himself. As a matter of fact, no one looked smug or overjoyed they had got one over on ol' Principal Kakashi. They seemed genuinely angry that this had happened, and would stop at nothing to see Neji and Kiba were brought to justice.
"And what punishment would be fitting for you five?"
"Detention." All eyes turned to Konan. "Two detentions each, one for Neji, one for Kiba."
"Seems reasonable. . ." Itachi mused. "Did any one of us do any worse than the others? No. I suppose not. . ."
"You beat someone up and they get expelled, and all you five get are two detentions." Kakashi smiled. "I really would love to, but I could get decapitated for it. I'd really love to do that, but to some, getting what you gave them is fair enough."
"I don't want this picture spread around anymore," Hidan said suddenly. All eyes turned to him, and he gave a meaningful glance at Itachi before looking back at Kakashi. "I know it's not about what I want, but we have to get all these pictures before they get anywhere else."
"I'll see what I can do, but I'm afraid the damage has been done," Kakashi replied. "And I'm going to get my ass fired for you kids."
"What sort of trouble?" Kakuzu asked, leaning on the secretary's desk.
"I'm not sure, but I'm pretty sure he was part of a fight."
"What? He always does-" Kakuzu stopped and coughed. "I mean, what sort of fight?"
"It seems like five people decided to beat up two others." Five, let's see. . .that would mean one of the gang was missing. It couldn't be five of the gang against one, could it? No, that would never happen. So who did the majority of the gang decide to beat up, and why make it that unfair? Suddenly the door to the principal's office burst open and Pein walked out, followed by Konon, Kisame, Itachi, and finally Hidan. So where was Deidara? Well it obviously wasn't him who beat someone up. That would be just dumb. Everyone stopped when they saw Kakuzu, and then they were all gathered around him.
"Kakuzu, before you draw any conclusions-"
"Gang fight, you five against two. What'd they do?" Kakuzu asked, walking out of the office. The gang followed him. And then Kakuzu realized someone tagging along. "Who's he?" he asked, jabbing his thumb at Tobi. Tobi, too
"He's Deidara's new boyfriend."
"And you beat him up?"
"No, actually. It's a really horrible, ugly, involved, long story. . ." Kisame replied, rubbing the back of his head. Kakuzu sighed, finding a bench to sit down. The gang plus Tobi crowded around him.
"So tell me this story." Kakuzu had a horrible feeling it involved Deidara.
"Well, you see, these fucking bastards took pictures of Deidara and spread them around the school," Hidan said, anger flaring in his voice before dying down again to something hard to place.
"'Pictures? What pictures?" Kakuzu asked. Hidan coughed.
"You don't want to see. But. . .it did sort of prove a few things about his gender. . ."
"You're kidding. They fucking didn't!" Kakuzu cried, clenching his hands into fists. Hidan coughed and looked away. "So what did you guys do?"
"Tobi showed us a picture, so that's where he comes in," Pein said. "We were able to see two of them in the picture. We don't know who else was involved, but we'll be sure to find out soon. So we all went and beat up the two of them.
"Seems a bit unfair, don't you think?" Kakuzu growled.
"We talked to Kakashi-sensei, and they might get expelled. We, on the other hand, have to detentions each." Itachi said. There was something in his voice that, like Hidan's, was hard to explain. It wasn't sad, but close. Kakuzu stayed silent for a long moment, trying to get over his anger and think clearly.
"What if they pursue this legally?" he asked. "What if they get their parents involved?"
"We were sort of in the right. . ." Hidan said, trailing off. Kakuzu sighed.
"If they pursue this legally, who knows where it could go? How many of you are eighteen?" he looked around. Pein and Kisame raised their hands. "You two could go to jail if they play their cards right. And Tobi-" he turned to Tobi, who could've just about died. "Tobi, you'll get dragged into this because you showed them the picture. Are you convincing?" Tobi stuttered for a moment, gulped like a fish, then closed his mouth. "You guys just might be screwed. Was Tobi the one who saw whoever it was selling the pictures?" All nodded, Tobi's a little more stiff than the others'. "If he says he saw him doing it, and whoever it was says he wasn't doing it, who are they going to believe?"
"Tobi." All looked to Konan. Tobi was the most surprised out of all of them. "Hyuuga Neji doesn't have a great record, though it's far better than any of ours. Especially Deidara's. But Tobi's is the best out of nearly everyone involved. If he says he started it all because he saw Hyuuga Neji selling the pictures, then that's what happened."
"How do you know so much about Tobi?" Kisame demanded.
"I found it out. I was looking out for Deidara; I didn't want him rebounding off Sasori for some shmuck." All were silent. Kakuzu sighed.
"Who's going to call Deidara?" he asked finally. "We can't all call him at once. Though I know all of you want to." Everyone started volunteering at once, but one voice cut through the rest.
"I will." Everyone looked to Tobi.
"You?"
"Yeah, um. . .could I?" Everyone exchanged a few glances.
"All right." Pein said. "As long as you call me right after him and tell me everything."
"Um. . ."
"Give me your phone." Tobi tentatively pulled out his phone and handed it over to Pein. Pein quickly flipped it open and set his number into a new contact. "I'll keep my phone on."
"Right, I'll call him when I get home."
"How are you getting home?" Kakuzu asked, the mother in him showing herself.
"I usually drive my brother and me home, but he's going over to his boyfriend's house," Tobi said. Itachi's head shot up and he whirled around to face Tobi.
"Your brother, Uzumaki Naruto?"
"Uh. . .yeah?" Tobi said. Itachi sighed.
"Your little brother is dating mine," he said.
"Oh. . ."
"I sure hope they're not expecting a ride from me. . ."
"Um, actually. . ."
"I'm leaving. Sasuke's probably going mad trying to find me." Itachi whirled and left, off to find his brother. All were silent.
"You do know that he's just worried about lewd conduct in the bathrooms, right?" Hidan said.
"What?"
"Sasuke probably heard he was at the principal's office and thought he could get some alone time in with Naruto."
"Oh. . ."
"Just out of curiosity, but, has Deidara made you faint yet?" Pein asked.
"What?"
"You look like you're about to keel over with us ignoring you. The sadist in me would like to see Deidara actually paying attention to you."
"I'm not this way around him. . ." Tobi trailed off, blushing.
"Do I want to know?" Pein asked.
"Um. . .nothing like that!" Tobi cried, realizing what Pein was hinting at. Pein snickered.
"I'll bet Deidara has lots of fun messing with your mind. Well, I got to go, I probably missed the bus. . ." Pein sighed dramatically. Kakuzu growled.
"Fine. You get a ride. And you, Kisame?" Kakuzu stood and turned to Kisame. Kisame grinned.
"As long as you're offering. . ." he stood as well. Kakuzu glanced down at Hidan.
"Well?" he asked impatiently. Hidan jumped, looking around. "Quit spacing. Let's go." Hidan stood up and followed Kakuzu and Kisame to Kakuzu's car.
Kakuzu sighed. "Something's wrong. Tell me?" Hidan turned away moodily.
"I'm fine."
"Hidan, please. I'm ready to listen."
"It's just. . .when did they do that to Deidara? Was it when Itachi and I were still at school? God, I could've done something!" Hidan sighed, slumping against the door. "I'm feeling so guilty. I couldn't help him, when he was in trouble."
"So that's it. Hidan, if you could've done something, you would've. But you had no way of knowing what was going on."
"But. . .I still feel bad."
"I know. You should probably call Deidara at some point." They sat in silence for a while. Finally, after a long moment, Hidan spoke.
"Kakuzu. . .?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you want to break up with me?" Hidan asked softly. Kakuzu sighed.
"Hidan, can we not talk about this now?"
"Kakuzu, can I just get a straight answer?"
"It's not that simple."
"But you have to want to do something! Tell me, just straight from yourself, what you want!" Hidan growled. Kakuzu sighed again.
"Hidan, if I had my way in a perfect world, there would be no drugs to get addicted to, no shitty bills to pay for other people, and. . .there'd be a chance for us."
"Deidara?"
"Who else, dumb ass?" Deidara shot. "And yes, I already talked to Lee-san, and no, I didn't skip school because of it, yeah." Deidara practically heard Tobi's confusion on the other end.
"Are you all right?" Tobi finally asked.
"Morning sickness didn't go away this morning. I've been puking my guts out all day and haven't been able to hold anything down. And I'm about as pissed as one person can get, un. I want the dirt, yeah. How much trouble are they in, hmm?"
"I was in the library and I saw Neji selling. . .pictures. I managed to get one and I took it to your friends. They went and beat up Kiba and Neji." Deidara laughed hoarsely.
"Knew it. You didn't, did you?"
"Um. . .no. But I felt guilty, so I stayed after school with them." There was a long silence on both ends. "Deidara?" Tobi finally asked.
"Yeah?"
"What happened? How did they get those pictures?"
"It was after school and I was taking a walk, and Kiba, Neji, and Shino all jumped me. They- they hit me with baseball bats, and took my pants off and took pictures, un. I screamed, and- and- Lee and his dad showed up. They took me to the hospital, and everything is ok, un." Deidara's voice cracked on the last few words. "I'm- I'm gonna puke-" Deidara dropped his phone and darted to the bathroom. Once he ws done he went back and picked up the phone. "S-sorry, I vomited."
"Oh, Deidara, I'm so, so sorry."
"What's going to happen to them, un?"
"They might get expelled, I think."
"Cool." Deidara lay back, feeling sick again. "I'm going to try to get some rest, un."
"All your friends say hi."
"What?"
"They say hi. I was the designated caller."
"Well tell them whatever the hell they did to Neji and Kiba wasn't enough."
"I'll do that."
"Bye."
"Bye."
"Hello?" Kisame answered the phone.
"Kisame."
"Itachi?"
"Who else?"
"Um. . .you could be Pein, you know, calling about all that stuff with Deidara. . ."
"I am. Deidara was sick today, and would've come to school if he wasn't. But yesterday when he was taking a walk at school, Kiba, Neji, and Shino, all jumped him. They hit him a couple of times with baseball bats, and took pictures. But then Lee and his father scared them off. Lee and his father took Deidara to the hospital, and everything seems fine."
"Jesus Christ! You're not making this up?"
"No, I'm not. You can tell Konan, right?"
"Duh, she's looking at me right now. One sec-" Kisame put his hand over the phone. "Konan, once I'm off the phone, you are going to hear quite an interesting story. But for now, go away, please?" Konan bowed her head slightly, and walked off. Kisame thought he saw the hint of a smirk on her face, but shook it off. She never smirked. "Anyway, is there anything else?"
". . . . . . .yes. . . . . . ."
"What?"
"Are you somewhere private?"
"I'm at my house, Itachi. My parents are God knows where."
"Good. Can I talk to you about something?"
"Sure."
". . . . . .I'm feeling guilty. . . . ."
"About what?" Kisame sat down at the dining room table.
"I was there. . . . .when Deidara was. . . .yesterday. . . . . . ."
"You were?"
"Yes. Sasuke had plans, and I was waiting with Hidan and Deidara outside the school. Kismae. . . . . .I could've prevented this. . . . . . ."
"No, you couldn't have, Itachi. If you could have, you would have. There's no doubt about that."
"Deidara must hate me."
"Deidara doesn't hate you, Itachi. And if he did, he would be being unreasonable and too demanding. Does that sound like Deidara?"
". . .no. . ."
"Exactly. So Deidara doesn't hate you."
"If you say so. . ."
"I insist. Don't worry at all, all right? Just focus on getting your calculus homework done."
"What? How did you know I didn't do it?"
"How often is it you're worried enough to talk to me about it? Jeez, with all of this, I'd be surprised if you ever did it."
". . .you know me too well."
"Well duh, Itachi! We've known each other since junior high!"
". . .right. . ."
"Do you feel better?"
"Somewhat. . ."
"Anything else you want to talk to me about?"
"Maybe tomorrow."
"All right then. Keep your brother in line, then."
"All right. Bye?"
"Bye."
A/N: Ok, this chapter is long enough! Review please! My GOD, I NEVER thought food could taste so good. But after a day of fasting. I never thought anyone in my house could cook, but yummy!