Friday
Naruto leaned his head on the cold tiles of the bathroom wall, his breath coming out staggered and strained. He closed his eyes, deftly tucking himself back into his boxers and zipping his pants.
"Are you listening to me?" Sakura asked, staring up at him expectantly.
Naruto stared down at her, trying to hide his mollified smile.
"I'm sorry did you say something?"
Sakura scoffed and stood.
"I asked you if you were going to make it to my party tomorrow night," she said, digging into her bag. Naruto watched as she went through the motions of reapplying her makeup. She took a swig of her pocket-sized mouthwash and spit it out in the sink, and then she reapplied the bubble-gum lip-gloss Naruto could still taste on his tongue.
"Of course," Naruto said, snaking his hands around her waist. He rested his chin on her shoulders and made eye-contact with her in the bathroom mirror. He could see the pupils in her large green eyes start to dilate and he knew he had her. His left hand went north while his right hand slowly descended south.
It looked like he would be late for detention after all.
Naruto yawned as he entered the room where he was to report for detention. Afternoons with Sakura always made him extra sleepy.
Sasuke was already there, sitting in his corner, staring unblinkingly out of the window.
"You're late Uzumaki."
Naruto tried not to groan when he saw who would be presiding over them as they "seriously thought about what they had done."
"Hi ."
Ebisu crossed his arm, clearly unamused. "Why were you late?"
"I got lost?"
"You owe me an hour."
"But –"
"Sit down."
Ebisu, the teacher assigned to be their warden during their time in detention, reminded Naruto of his least favorite teacher when he attended Octavia high school in LA. He had the look of a man who had no sense of humor and an unconcealed hatred for anyone who did not meet his high expectations.
Sasuke smirked as Naruto scowled. As a form of revenge Naruto sat directly behind him. He tried not to grin when he saw Sasuke's back stiffen.
Naruto was relieved that Ebisu actually made them do something instead of stewing in the rank miasma of sheer boredom. In addition to cleaning the whiteboard in Ebisu's classroom they were sent to the library to help organize and re-shelve books.
Sasuke purposely ignored Naruto and for the most part the blond did too (except for occasional snide comment about how Sasuke had rod shaped objects permanently stuck in his bottom).
"You want to fuck me don't you?" Naruto said as if the realization suddenly dawned on him.
"Pardon?" Sasuke was sure he had heard wrong.
"That's why you hate me so much." Naruto continued, not noticing the murderous glare he was given. "It's all sexual tension. You can't have me so it drives you crazy."
"The only thing that drives me crazy is my contempt for you," Sasuke offered angrily.
"Was it that first day Sasuke?" Naruto asked undeterred."You saw me and instantly wanted me to bend you over that desk." He walked closer to Sasuke until the dark haired teen was backed into the bookshelf. Sasuke's stony face didn't stop Naruto from delicately brushing his bangs from his eyes.
There was a pregnant pause.
Sasuke's murderous eyes was the last thing Naruto saw before he was slammed into the bookshelf, successfully dislodging a couple volumes of Shakespeare's greatest works onto his head.
He hoped the bruise under his eye would heal before Monday.
Sasuke stormed off, letting off a string of curse words that would make the devil blush.
Naruto took his share of the books they needed to shelve and they worked for the rest of the night separately in tense silence. Three hours later (in addition to the extra hour he owed Ebisu) Naruto flopped face first into his pillow.
Monday
Sasuke had skipped breakfast that morning to drive to school early in order to make his case against the dangers of allowing him and Naruto to share punishment. He had even taken time to write down his argument, sign his name at the bottom, and even placed it in an envelope. He had waited for thirty minutes in the office for the dean, running over his entire speech in his head.
Not only did the dean find Sasuke's letter hilarious, she asked if she could fax it to the rest of her staff.
Desperate, Sasuke attempted to list off ways he would systematically sabotage the dean's career.
That also failed.
Finally, Sasuke did the only thing his pride would allow him to do in place of begging. He made threats against another student's life.
"If you leave me alone in a room with him I'll either kill him or slit my wrists."
"I'll take that into account Mr. Uchiha," said the dean, a huge breasted woman who had an even bigger temper if she caught you staring at them.
"You can't punish us separately?" Sasuke asked refusing to take no for an answer.
Tsunade actually had the gile to shrug. "It's easier to lump you both together. This way you can resolve your issues and we can use you as extra labor."
"There are no unresolved issues. We just met."
Tsunade smiled. "Then you can get acquainted."
Sasuke had no choice, it was time to beg.
"Please."
"Is that all Mr. Uchiha?"
Sasuke got the hint.
His mood soured more when he saw that he wasn't the only person to arrive early to class. The two girls suddenly stopped speaking when he walked in but Sasuke was used to that by now. He would have to sulk later, for now he had to slip his mask back on. He mentally swore when one of the giggling duo sauntered over to where he sat.
"You're Sasuke right?" she said, her smile not quite reaching her green eyes. Sasuke stared at her blankly.
The blond in the front row burst out in uncontrollable laughter and Sasuke had to quill the urge to strangle her.
"I'm Sakura." She stuck out her hand.
Sasuke lifted an eyebrow at her open hand. He was sure Sakura knew who he was. In fact, he was sure the last time Sakura had addressed him they were in middle-school and she had blurted out her undying love for him. He had rolled his eyes before he coldly dismissed her, sending her crying. Her gaggle of friends descended on them but Sasuke could tell they were secretly relieved she hadn't succeeded. However, when he failed to respond positively to any of their advances they had proceeded to spread nasty rumors and shun him.
Or was Sasuke the one who shut everyone out after his parents died? He brushed away the mental cobwebs and tried hard to listen to what Sakura was saying.
"Anyway," Sakura said retracting her hand. "You have detention with Naruto after school right?"
Sasuke felt a cold chill down his spine. He nodded.
"Could you tell him that he can't come over tonight? My parents went gaga after they heard I threw a party and they totally grounded me."
"Tell him yourself."
"He speaks," the blond said, giving a dramatic gasp.
"My cellphone was taken as punishment. Come on please?"
Sasuke's eye twitched. He decided that speaking extensively to her exhausted him so he gave in.
"Fine."
Sakura's face brightened and Sasuke almost flinched.
That afternoon when Naruto came into detention with the most dejected look Sasuke had ever seen. The blond's usual bright blue eyes were red and puffy and were accented by the dark circles under his eyes. His blond hair was limp and greasy and since he hadn't bothered to tie it back the long tendrils fell around his face completing his melancholy look. Not only did Naruto walk as if the weight of the world were on his shoulders but the world was simultaneously sucking the blood from his veins.
Sasuke tried not to stare.
After Ebisu made a show of his astonishment at Naruto's early arrival they were herded to the library.
Sasuke didn't know what was worse, Naruto as remorseful and depressed or Naruto over-sexualized and cocky. Swallowing what was left of his pride, Sasuke walked to where Naruto was sorting through a pile of science books and cleared his throat. Naruto turned to look at him.
"Your…friend," Sasuke began awkwardly. "The pink haired one." Was that an amused glint in Naruto's eyes? Damn him. "She said she's grounded so don't come tonight."
Naruto nodded. "Okay."
Sasuke could feel his eye starting to twitch, then what Naruto said sunk in.
"Are you okay?" Sasuke blurted out before he could stop himself. He felt his face heat up immediately.
Naruto didn't seem to notice but he gave Sasuke a long measured look. "Yeah," he answered blandly.
When Sasuke didn't say anything more they fell back into silence, each trying to start up the conversation again but not knowing how.
