-
Gaara stood waiting for Naruto in the hallway. Gaara was back at school, actually finished all of his homework, and currently was about to be late for P.E., not that he actually cared. He'd skip the class if he was allowed to.
What WAS taking Naruto so long? Gaara walked down the hall. Did it really take that long to use the restroom? The red-head stepped up to the bathroom door and was about to open it when Naruto came out, looking flustered and angry. Gaara blinked repeatedly.
"Are you okay?" Gaara asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Let's just go to P.E," Naruto said, moving around Gaara and dashing down the hallway.
Gaara looked back at the bathroom. Sasuke emerged from it, saw Gaara and glared. The red-head glared back. The red-head thought about the situation for a bit and his glare changed from dislike to angry.
"What did you do to Naruto?" he asked.
Sasuke grunted and made to move around Gaara.
BAM!
Sasuke fell to the floor, surprised that the red-head punched him.
"What did you to do Naruto?" Gaara repeated.
The dark-blue-haired boy glared, hopped up, and stood in one of the fighting stances Gai-sensei taught them.
"I should be asking you that," Sasuke growled.
Gaara narrowed his eyes, shifting his feet to the proper positions.
"Why's that?"
"Ever since you came here, Naruto's been acting different. He's not the same Naruto. And it's all your fault."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
Sasuke ran forward and threw a punch. Gaara dodged and round-housed kicked him in the stomach. Sasuke stumbled, but managed a turn-back hook kick. It threw Gaara off balance, giving Sasuke the perfect moment. He bombarded Gaara with punches. Gaara got down to the ground and tripped him. The blue-haired boy fell to the ground as the red-head stood back up. Sasuke stood back up with the assistance of a back flip. Punch, block, kick, dodge, punch, dodge, trip, hop up, kick, block, kick, dodge, punch, block, kick, block. It went on for the duration of the P.E. Gaara was missing. Sasuke landed another punch on Gaara's jaw. The red-head launched a punch, but at the last moment, he unclenched his fist and grabbed Sasuke around the neck. He re-clenched his fingers and Sasuke began struggling to pry his fingers off.
"What did you do to Naruto?" Gaara said, his voice low and deadly.
Sasuke gasped for breath, trying desperately to remove the other's hand. The red-head only clenched harder. Memories of similar situations flew through Gaara's head. Nine-year-old Temari being choked by some random guy on the street. Kankuro's throat being stepped on by a gunman. His own neck trapped in Yashamaru's hand that first time. The stranger outside his window being suffocated by someone who came up from behind. His father choking someone who had broken in . . . .
"Gaara!"
The red-head snapped out of his thoughts, recognized the voice, and let go of Sasuke. Sasuke fell to the floor, gasping for breath. Gaara turned around and relaxed his glare as he saw Temari standing down the hall, Neji, Lee, and Tenten standing behind her. Tenten's hand covered her mouth. Lee's jaw had dropped, and so had Neji's but not as noticeably.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Temari shouted.
Gaara crossed his arms.
"He did something to Naruto," the red-head muttered; after thinking, he added, "And he attacked me first."
Temari sighed, "Well, it's over now. Go to your next, class, Gaara-nii-chan, okay?"
Gaara nodded and walked away. Temari knelt down next to Sasuke.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
Sasuke coughed into his hand.
"Do you need to be taken to the nurse's office?"
Sasuke shook his head.
"Okay. Do you need help going to your next class?"
He shook his head again as he stood up.
"Okay then. Sorry about Gaara. See you around."
Temari walked back to Neji, Lee, and Tenten.
"What the heck was that about?" Tenten asked.
Temari shrugged.
"I can ask Gaara for a full narration later." Temari reasoned. "Come on, it's time to go to our next class."
-
Kankuro paced up and down. He stood outside of the police station. He was also supposed to be in class at this moment.
Did he want to go in? Did he really want to tell on Dad? Did he need to tell anyone about Gaara? Did he want to risk the possibility of loosing his dad, possibly forever? The risk of going from foster family to foster family and maybe even being separated from Temari and Gaara?
All this thinking hurt Kankuro's head. Why did Dad have to be a mafia head? Why? Kankuro sat down against the gate and hugged his knees. What was he to do? Was he supposed to do anything? Was he going to get into trouble by keeping this a secret? Should he tell Gaara and Temari first? Kankuro buried his face into his knees. Why did this have to happen to him?
"Hey, aren't you Kankuro, Temari's brother?"
Kankuro jumped. He looked up and saw a woman with purple hair in a ponytail.
"What are you doing here, anyway?" Anko asked, raising an eyebrow. Were fourteen-year-olds supposed to look that scared?
Kankuro shrunk back as though he was trying to disappear into the gate. Anko's curiosity rose. What was going on to make this kid act like that? Anko looked at her watch. He should've been at school right now. She looked back at the boy.
"Did something bad happen?" Anko asked.
Kankuro didn't answer right away. He nodded.
"I don't know what to do," he said; Anko almost didn't hear it.
"Hey, come on. If you want, I'll take you into the station and get you something to drink, okay?" Anko suggested.
She remembered from her training that, when dealing with kids as victims you have to be gentle with them. Whatever happened, this kid did need some help, so why not act like Obito for a while?
Anko held out her hand and waited for Kankuro to take it. Kankuro hesitated as he reached out, but in the end he took her hand and she led him inside.
-
Gaara, Temari, Tenten, Lee, and Naruto waited for Kankuro. They had been waiting for thirty minutes already.
"What's taking him so long?" Tenten asked, glancing at her watch again.
Temari uncrossed her legs and crossed them again. Naruto was pacing while Lee and Gaara sat on either side of Temari.
"Do you think he played hookie?" Naruto asked, turning to the others.
Temari and Gaara shook their heads.
"It's not like him to play hookie," Temari said, standing up. "I'm going to ask those girls he hangs out with if they've seen him."
"Good luck finding Ino or Sakura. They go shopping after school, and Hinata has a baby-sitting job," Naruto announced.
Temari let out an angry cry. Gaara stood up.
"Hasn't Kankuro been acting a little weird lately?" Gaara asked.
"I guess. Why?" Temari asked.
Gaara closed his eyes.
"Maybe something had happened. Something he doesn't know what to do with it."
Everyone looked at Gaara curiously.
"Like what?" Tenten asked.
Gaara shrugged. Lee thought for a moment.
"Do you think he went to the police station?" Lee questioned.
Temari dropped her things. Everyone looked at her. Lee suddenly wished he hadn't said anything. Temari's face was the epitome of terrified. Tenten laid a hand on Temari's shoulder.
"I'm sure he's fine wherever he is, Temari-chan. Don't worry about it. We'll just check there first. Who knows? He might already be at home," Tenten said, putting on a hopefully convincing smile.
Temari calmed down somewhat.
"Right. That does sound like something the idiot would do," Temari said as she picked up her things.
Gaara shook his head.
-
"So, would you like to tell me what happened now?" Anko asked.
They sat in Anko's office. The phone rang. Anko cursed under her breath as she answered it.
"Hello, Konoha Police Department. This is Mitarashi Anko, how may I help you?" she said into the phone. "Yes, I send someone right away. HEY! HAYATE! I need you to go to Sakura Highway! Someone high-jacked a car and is currently driving on it!"
"Aye, aye, Anko-sempai!" Hayate said, adding a few coughs.
Anko worried about that man's health.
She turned back to Kankuro as she hung up. She smiled sweetly. Kankuro looked down at his cup.
"I – I found out something about my dad . . . . I still can't believe it's real."
"Mm-hm."
"Well - ."
Ring!
Anko picked the phone up.
"Hello, Konoha Police Department. Mitarashi Anko speaking. How may I help you? . . . . . . Yes, I'll send someone right away. OBITO! You and Kakashi have to go stop a robbery that's on Nidaime Street! It's the bank again!"
"We're on it!" came Obito's voice from the office next door.
Anko hung up again.
"Sorry about that. You were saying?"
Kankuro opened his mouth, but the phone rang again. Anko twitched and picked it up.
"Konoha Police Force. What do you need? . . . . . . . . . I'm sorry, but rescuing cats from trees is not our job. Call the fire department."
She hung up. Before she could even tell Kankuro to continue, the phone rang again.
"Konoha Police Force. Yes, I'll send someone right away. ITACHI!"
No reply. She handed the phone to Kankuro.
"Hold this. I'll be right back."
Kankuro took the phone and watched her leave.
"ITACHI!" Anko screeched.
Damn that man! He was never around when he was needed!
"ITACHI, WHERE ARE YOU?" Anko yelled, banging his office door open.
She froze. So did Itachi and Arashi. She rubbed her eyes and pinched herself to make sure her mind was playing tricks on her. They weren't. Itachi really was on top of Arashi-sempai and really had been making-out with him moments before. That son of a bitch.
"Itachi, there's a woman in need of your and Arashi-sempai's assistance at Shika Avenue. It's another murder case. So get off of Arashi-sempai and DO YOUR FREAKING JOB!"
Anko slammed the door so hard it came off its hinges. She stormed back to her office and plopped herself down. She took the phone back.
"Itachi-sempai and Arashi-sempai will be with you shortly."
She hung the phone up with more force than was required. She and Kankuro sat in silence for a few minutes.
"DAMN, I HATE THAT UCHIHA!"
-
Anko stared at Kankuro after he finished. Wow. No wonder he was confused on whether to tell anyone. It was his DAD. And that poor little brother of his. And the kid was trying so hard not to cry in front of her, too.
"Hey, don't worry, kid. We'll figure something out. And, maybe we won't have to throw your dad into jail. There is a thing called probation."
Kankuro nodded and wiped his eyes, saying there "was something stuck in them."
"Now, why don't you go home – study or whatever you do – and I'll figure out what to do from here, okay? Trust me."
Anko smiled brightly. Kankuro nodded.
-
Red Roses2: And inspiration ends there. Oh well. Please review.