Title: No Strings Attached
Summary: The streets of Peckham are littered with crime and poverty while the borough of Mayfair lives in style. What happens when those from different sides meet by chance? SasoriItachi, GaaraSasuke
Disclaimer: OMG sorry about the late update I have no excuse, I've not even been that busy…just pure laziness and you have full right to hit me. Anyway, I hope this chapter is worth reading. Once again I apologise but cannot assure you that it won't happen again.
The Old and the New
Sasuke held the towel and dressing gown in his arms as he walked into the bathroom, after spending around half an hour just sitting in his new room taking in the events of the day and what was happening. He had smirked, as he thought, what everyone would say back in Peckham, they would be as jealous as hell…especially Suigetsu. This put a real smile on Sasuke's face to know he had one up against that wanker.
He saw, upon entering the tiled room that someone had already taken the liberty of running him a hot bath, filling it with bubbles. The smell of soap and perfumed liquids wafted through the steam. Sasuke locked the door behind him and dropped the towels on the little wooden cupboard. He stripped off his grubby old clothes, kicked off his grey (once white) trainers and threw off his cap.
He stepped gingerly in to the bath tub; the hot water was heavenly against his cold skin. Cleansing and refreshing as well as it were comforting. He leant back slowly dipping his head down under the soapy surface.
The surge of water blocked his ears and he heard a strange rumbling in the walls of the bath tub, a sound so familiar to his childhood. Many a time he would put his head under the water when he was at home, especially when his father was there. The arguments; the water blocked them out. He would stay in the water until it got cold…or until someone realised he was gone. Whichever came first.
He pulled his head up, taking a gasp of breath. He blinked the water out of his eyes, reaching out for a towel to clean his eyes. He noticed since being in the bath, he had must have been very dirty, as the water was no long a mix of soapy white suds and clear liquid but had a greyish, mirky tinge. Sasuke grimaced, as he reached out for the shower, shampoo and conditioner to start cleaning his hair.
Little while later
Karura sighed as she put another Christmas card on the mantel piece
"Hey Mum" Gaara said entering the living room
"Hello dear" she smiled slightly "Everything alright with Sasuke?"
"Oh…yes I think so, he's upstairs in his room" Gaara said "I thought I'd leave him to himself for a bit"
"That's nice dear, I'm making a nice big dinner; poor little sausage could do with a solid meal in him."
"Mhm" Gaara nodded "We should take him out to buy his own clothes…maybe tomorrow or something"
"Of course, I'll give you the money for it"
"Thanks…hey…by the way, where's Sasori?"
"On a date" Karura smiled pinning up some holly.
"Oh right…he said he'd come with me today…"
"Oh, don't think bad of him, Temari, Kankuro and me did urge him to go" Gaara's mother explained.
"Why?"
"Because she's a nice girl and Sasori's been acting so miserable recently I thought she might cheer him up"
"Who is she?" Gaara asked dubiously, anyone his mother picked out was most likely unsuitable for Sasori
"She's a university friend of Temari," Karura explained
Gaara rolled his eyes
"So why would she be suitable for Sasori?" Gaara asked
"Well, she's a bit different, and I know Sasori likes interesting people…" she said unsurely
"Uh…what's interesting about her Mum?"
"She dyed her hair pink, that's rather "punky" wouldn't you say?" Karura said hopefully
"Mum…I know her…what makes you think Sasori would like her any more than the others?"
"I don't know…I just want him to be happy" she smiled "I need to go check on the roast chicken" she said putting down her Christmas decorations and heading quickly across the room.
"So I thought of opening a little shop in Chelsea, Daddy said he'd buy me one if that's what I'd like" the girl said sipping her San Pellegrino sparkling water "What do you think?"
Sasori shrugged, he knew what these girls were like, they had no need to work, they only did what was fashionable. It was easy to have "Daddy" buy you a shop, and it was easy to run, who cared if business went well or not? It was all a laugh to them
"You're a writer aren't you, Sasori?" the girl said wide eyed, trying to get some kind of conversation from the redhead
"That's right" he answered quietly
"And you worked for the BBC too didn't you?…how very exciting, do you think I should go into television? I always fancied myself to be on television…what do you think Sasori?"
"I'm not sure you can handle it….it's a lot of hard work" Sasori sighed
"Oh I'm no stranger to work you know, and I think it would be so interesting. Oh by the way I'm going to Italy next week, spending the weekend in Capri…have you ever been?"
"Yes" Sasori nodded, unsurprised by change in conversation by the girl
"Its wonderful isn't it, why don't you come with me; we have the yacht out there"
"That's very kind" Sasori said politely "But I'm afraid I have family commitments…you know of course of Temari's wedding"
"Oh of course, and I'll certainly be back for that…isn't it exciting, she's marrying the son of the Duke. I mean aren't they distantly related to the Royal family"
"Something like that" he nodded "Anyway, my Aunt could use the help at home with all the preparations, Sakura"
"No…I understand" the girl nodded "That's so sweet of you" she smiled "Anyway, I was saying to my friend Tenten that in her house in the South of France we could…"
And thus the conversation continued and Sasori glanced willingly at the clock every couple of seconds and back to Sakura's plate, praying that she would finish soon and stop twirling bits of salad around her fork. In the mean time he was forced to listen and respond to this mindless twittering of an aggravating young woman, and her face was not even good enough to distract him.