Studies and Half-Melodies

Disclaimer: I don't own anything! The song is Ocean Avenue by Yellowcard, When You Were Young by the Killers and My Paper Heart by the All American Rejects.

Author's Note: Hey people! I'm currently past my writer's block, so updates are definitely going to be coming faster. I've been reading Obsidian Butterfly, a book that's part of the Anita Blake series. Those books are AMAZING. Seriously, if you get the chance to read them, please do. And I've got a new idea as to a new story, but I want you guys' feedback on the idea first. The idea is that Itachi and Sasuke along with others that I haven't decided yet are in a band and then trouble comes along etc. Thoughts?

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"There had to be a circle of Hell where you were eternally fourteen, eternally in junior high. One of the lower circles."-Anita Blake (Bloody Bones)

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"This is your fault, dobe." Sasuke hissed at him, shoving the mop forcefully into the bucket. He honestly couldn't think of a worse punishment at the present time.

"How's it my fault, teme? That pass was perfectly legit." Naruto remarked, scrubbing at a particularly stubborn streak. Yes ladies and gents, they were stuck cleaning the sneaker streaks from the gym floor. Gai hadn't disappeared, but was outside on the track, coaching the track team. And they couldn't even slack off because there was a window to the track and Gai was keeping them in his peripheral vision.

"That's bull. If it was legit-"

"If it was legit," Naruto interrupted, "I wouldn't be here, but you still would be. So, again, how am I getting blamed for your being here?"

"Because I need someone to pin this on."
The blonde rolled his eyes. "Real mature."

"You're one to talk."

"I swear to God, teme, I will throw this sponge at you."

Sasuke had a very good leash on his temper nearly all the time, but Naruto seemed to know which buttons to press and they hadn't even known each other that long. Sure, they'd been in each other's classes since elementary, but there was just a vague acquaintanceship there. They'd known who the other was, worked on the occasional project together, but the last project that they'd worked on together was maybe in their first year of middle school. None of those actually counted as knowing each other.

A sound pricked his ears. Humming and even as Sasuke turned to watch, Naruto would do an occasional drum or guitar solo with his hands almost unconsciously as he crossed the gym floor looking for streaks.

The humming changed to an occasional murmured word before Naruto was outright singing. He didn't even seem aware that he was, everything that he did, every step, every streak he cleaned, seemed otherworldly. Not in a graceful kind of way, but kind of like a dancer's. Like he was in his own world and had forgotten about this one, like a trance.
"There's a piece of you that's here with me,
It's everywhere I go, it's everything I see
When I sleep, I dream and it gets me by,
I can make believe that you're here tonight,
That you're here tonight."

If I could find you now
Things would get better,
We could leave this town,
And run forever,
Let your waves crash down on me
And take me away, yeah.

I remember the look in your eyes,
When I told you that this was goodbye
You were begging me not tonight,
Not here,
Not now.
We're looking up at the same night sky
And keep pretending the sun will not rise
We'll be together for one more night,
Somewhere, somehow."

"Uzumaki!"

The blonde snapped out of his trance with a visible jolt. His cerulean eyes focused on Ebisu's voice. Ebisu was a lanky man, a little taller than average. His dark glasses were pushed up the bridge of his nose and he wore new jeans that were a dark blue that never stayed that way after a few washes. His shirt was a short sleeve dress shirt that was black with its sharp creases.

"This isn't music class, Uzumaki. This is a punishment and you will act accordingly. You don't see Uchiha doing that, do you?"

"With all due respect, sir," Naruto's tone made it quite clear that there was no respect in his mind, "That's probably a blessing. I think if Sasuke started singing, than we'd all be deaf at the moment and possibly for the rest of our lives."

Ebisu's eyes glared at the blonde, who only smiled back almost mockingly, the smile not entirely reaching his eyes.

"Ebisu-sensei, what brings you here? Are you enjoying these boys' power of youth?"

Naruto and Sasuke both looked over their shoulders at Gai. He was an imposing man, tall and lean with broad shoulders and muscular arms. His jet black hair was in a bowl-cut and his equally black eyebrows were thick above his warm dark eyes. He was always seen wearing green. Usually, much like today, he wore a skin tight long-sleeve shirt and jeans of the exact same shade. Every student (and several teachers) swore he dyed those jeans, because it just wasn't possible to have jeans that bright a green.

"Uzumaki was enjoying a detention. Detentions are not supposed to be enjoyable, Gai."

Gai merely shrugged. "Talk to Kakashi. His detention." Gai motioned Ebisu closer and lowered his voice to a whisper. "And you don't need to speak about Naruto so condescendingly. He is a good student and a good man."

"He is not a man, Gai."

"I'm not going to sit here and try t convince you that he is. That is a matter of opinion. But whether he is now or not, Naruto will certainly grow into a very good man. Much like his father."

Ebisu stepped back, not deeming the comment with a reply. He shot another glare at the blonde before leaving the gym, the door's slam echoing through the room.

Gai took a look around the gym. "It looks like you two did a good job. No surprise, knowing your spirits of youth." Both boys resisted the urge to roll their eyes. It was an old speech. "Go ahead home. I'll take everything back inside."

Naruto let out a relieved sigh and tossed the sponge back into the bucket. His arms hurt a little, but it wasn't bad enough to complain. Sasuke stretched out his back, shoulders feeling a little loose after the work. It hadn't been hard, but there were a lot of streaks. Sasuke would be a pretty penny that they'd been playing basketball today. Sasuke hadn't needed to take PE this year. He'd taken PE last year and it was only required for a year.

Naruto picked the guitar up from where he'd leaned it on the corner wall by Gai's office and leaned it on his shoulder. Just as he was about to leave the room, Gai called, "Naruto, could you tell your aunt that I need to speak with her? It's about Lee."

Naruto nodded. "Sure thing." The blonde didn't actually have a problem with Gai as a teacher. A little exuberant, not that Naruto could talk, and his eyebrows creeped him out, but Gai was okay excluding that.

Sasuke walked past Naruto through the door. He'd said his aunt was a doctor and everyone had heard about Rock Lee's 'accident' involving Gaara. Gaara was from the next school over, and it had gotten out that they'd been training against each other on the track and Gaara had attacked Lee. Lee had been in the hospital for a month now.

Speak of the devil.

Gaara was leaning on the low school wall, hands stuffed in his pockets, red hair vibrant in the setting sun. He was wearing black cargo pants and a black shirt that looked like it had been poured on. The seafoam eyes looked up at Naruto as he pushed himself away from the wall.

Startlingly, Naruto smiled when he saw him, a smile that truly reached his eyes. "Hey, Gaara. What're you doin' around these parts?"

"I heard from Temari that you had detention." Naruto had borrowed Sasuke's cell phone to call Shikamaru (AKA Temari's boyfriend of three and a half months, or so Shikamaru told him) to tell Jiraiya that he was coming home late. Naruto's uncle couldn't figure out texting for the life of him." I was wondering…"He trailed off. Gaara's voice was hoarse and quiet, like he didn't use it often. Naruto had liked it from they very first time he heard it.

Naruto's smile grew gentler. "I think Lee'll appreciate a hospital visit. Teme, wanna come?"

Gaara's eyes met Sasuke's own and the brunette frowned mentally. Why would guy A want to go see guy B who guy A originally put in the hospital? He glanced over at Naruto, who didn't seem to find anything strange about the situation.

"It's fine if you don't. I'm sure you have people to get home to." Gaara told him.

Sasuke hadn't known Lee that well, didn't know anyone at school that well, but something was telling him to go. Sasuke figured it was just protectiveness. What if what happened to Lee happened to Naruto? And while true, the blonde was annoying and a smartass, if he got himself stuck in the hospital, Sasuke wouldn't get tutoring to pass Government.

"…I'll go."

If Naruto shot him a semi-suspicious look, Sasuke ignored it.

-?-?-?-?

Naruto could never understand why people said hospitals were places of healing. The too white walls, floors, everything, didn't seem very healing to him. When Naruto thought of healing, he thought of soft, warm blankets with the occasional hole, of a soft light that illuminated the room just enough so one could read, of honest smiles and maybe watching a movie or two curled up on the couch with his family. The only questionable part of the hospital was whether it was more frightening to the visitors or to the patient.

Lee was a gangly kid, but he was growing into himself. Developing muscles were apparent on his bare arms and his strong-boned face was ablaze with a grin when they all walked in. He looked very similar to Gai, although it had long ago been established that they weren't related.

"Naruto! Gaara!" Lee looked past them at Sasuke. "Sasuke? I am surprised you all came."

"It was your birthday last week, wasn't it? Sorry I missed it." Naruto took a seat at the foot of the hospital bed, setting his guitar between his legs.

Gaara sat on the empty bed next to Lee's. "I…could not make it. My apologies."

"You should know by now that that is fine. I wasn't expecting you all to come at all."

Sasuke sat at the foot of Gaara's bed, mildly uncomfortable in the blindingly white hospital. Although Lee's room had a bit ore color than he would've expected. There was a small vase with about four yellow flowers along with a book that Sasuke had to turn his head sideways to read properly. History of Martial Arts in Movies; interesting. There was also a faded light green blanket on top of the hospital ones.

"Have you written any new songs lately, Naruto?" Lee asked.

"A few. Wanna hear them?"

Lee nodded enthusiastically and Gaara settled back a little more comfortably on the pillow. Naruto set the guitar on his thigh with an easy, practiced move, hands automatically moving to their respective places at the sound hole and the fret board.

"You sit there in your heartache
Waiting on some beautiful boy to
To save you from your old ways
You play forgiveness
Watch it now
Here he comes

He doesn't look a thing like Jesus
But he talks like a gentleman"

Sasuke noticed that as he sang, Naruto used his eyes and face to express emotions his voice couldn't. It added to the effect a little, he thought.


"Like you imagined
When you were young

Can we climb this mountain
I don't know
Higher now than ever before
I know we can make it if we take it slow
Let's take it easy
Easy now
Watch it go

We're burning down the highway skyline
On the back of a hurricane
That started turning
When you were young
When you were young

And sometimes you close your eyes
And see the place where you used to live
When you were young

They say the devil's water
It ain't so sweet
You don't have to drink right now
But you can dip your feet
Every once in a little while

You sit there in your heartache
Waiting on some beautiful boy to
To save you from your old ways
You play forgiveness
Watch it now
Here he comes

He doesn't look a thing like Jesus
But he talks like a gentleman
Like you imagined
When you were young
(talks like a gentleman)
(like you imagined)
When you were young

I said he doesn't look a thing like Jesus
He doesn't look a thing like Jesus
But more than you'll ever know…" Naruto let the last strum fade into the hospital silence.

Lee clapped as much as he was able. His entire right side had been rendered nearly useless after Gaara attacked him. Gaara clapped quietly as well, his dark rimmed eyes seeming more menacing to Sasuke under the bright hospital lights.

"You said you had a few, Naruto." Gaara reminded him.

"Some of them are still in the works. I think I've got…one more that I'm totally done with.

"Please just don't play with me
My paper heart will bleed
This wait for destiny won't do
Be with me, please, I beseech you
Simple things, that make you run away
Catch you if I can

Tears fall, down your face
The taste, is something new
Something that I know
Moving on is easiest when I'm around you

So bottle up old love, and throw it out to sea
Watch it away as you cry
a year has passed
The seasons go

Please just don't play with me
My paper heart will bleed
This wait for destiny won't do
Be with me, please, I beseech you
Simple things, that make you run away
Catch you if I can

Waiting, day to day it goes through
My lips are sealed for her
My tongue is tied to a dream of being with you
To settle for less is not what I prefer

So bottle up old love, and throw it out to sea
Watch it away as you cry
Now a year has passed
The seasons go

Please just don't play with me
My paper heart will bleed
This wait for destiny won't do
Be with me, please, I beseech you
Simple things, that make you run away
Catch you if I can

(Fa Fa Fa la la la Fa Fa Fa la la la Fa Fa Fa La La La)"

Naruto was fighting a grin as he sang the last part, and the smallest of smiles quirked Gaara's lips while Lee full out smiled.

Summertime, the nights are so long
The leaves fall down, and so do I into the arms of a friend
Winter nights
My bedside is cold, for I am gone
And spring blossoms you to me

Summertime, the nights are so long
The leaves fall down, and so do I into the arms of a friend
Winter nights
My bedside is cold, for I am gone
And spring blossoms you...
To me."

"Those are excellent, Naruto. Fully of your youthly springtime!" Naruto chuckled, accustomed to Lee repeating Gai's catchphrase. "You haven't found a gig yet?"
Naruto shook his head. "Not yet, but there's a few places downtown that I'm hopeful for."

"Naruto…" The voice was familiar and they all turned to see Tsunade standing in the doorway, arms crossed across her stomach. Sasuke hadn't seen Tsunade since he was a kid, but she hadn't changed much at all.

"I thought you had the morning shift." Naruto explained sheepishly, trying for a smile.

"I got called for double shift. There was a three car accident off the highway." Tsunade turned her attention to Lee. "Any new pains or discomforts?"

Lee shook his head.

"Oh, granny!"

"Dammit, brat I told you not to call me that. I'm only your aunt." There wasn't much fire behind her words. It was an old argument.

Naruto waved it off. "Gai-sensei wanted to talk to you."

"He tell you that in detention?" One of her thin eyebrows rose.

"Ah…you heard about that, huh?"

"Yup. Skipping?"

"I didn't wanna sit through another one of Asuma-sensei's lectures. They get tiring after a while, no offense to him. He looked kinda tired last time I saw him."

"That's not an excuse, Naruto." Tsunade told him as she checked Lee's damaged arm.

"No, but it is a reason."

Tsunade rolled her eyes, but didn't comment further. Naruto would work when he wanted to and still manage good grades at the end. It was how he'd always gotten through school and Tsunade doubted he'd go changing it now.

"Your condition hasn't changed much since yesterday, Lee. I think it's best I go talk to Gai for now. Anything you want me to tell him?"

"Just a hello, please."

She nodded and before she got through the door, she warned, "Visiting hours are over in five minutes."

They all nodded in acknowledgement. Gaara stood. "I think it's best I get going. Daylight's going to scarce soon."

Lee smiled and said, "I hope you come back soon, Gaara."

That surprised Sasuke more than a little, but he didn't comment. Naruto looked at Lee. "Anything I can get you before we go? Another book, maybe?"

"I'll probably be needing more than one tomorrow, if it isn't too much trouble."

"No problem. You want me to just bring a bunch?"

Lee nodded and Naruto hugged him carefully before saying his goodbye. Sasuke nodded his goodbye and they stepped into the hallway. The hallway was less crowded than it had been when they'd arrived, but there would never be a truly abandoned corridor of a hospital.

"Before you say anything," Naruto began, "Don't judge Gaara. It wasn't his fault for what happened. It really was an accident."

"You don't attack someone and leave them in the hospital on accident, Naruto."

"Gaara is a schizophrenic with personality disorder. He's been that way since he was born. He's got good control of it most of the time."

"Most of the time." Sasuke echoed.

"My aunt's working with him, trying to make it controllable. She's working on the theory right now that he needs to spend more time with people, that maybe that's why it developed in the first place."

"You said he was born with it."

"That's not technically true. It's what his father says anytime someone asks. It actually showed itself for the first time when he was six." Naruto was silent for a long while and Sasuke thought he wouldn't say any more when he continued, "He killed his uncle because of it. His uncle was just joking around with him, ya know, playin', but I guess the other personality didn't think so. The uncle was killed with a butcher's knife."

Sasuke looked at him sideways. Naruto looked older than he'd ever seen him; blue eyes darker, face serious and holding the guitar by the neck loosely with the practiced ease that many guitarists get.

"You know all that and you're still so casual with him?"

"He's a good friend of mine, teme." Usually the word was spoken with a teasing or casual tone, but now his eyes flashed up at him dangerously. Sasuke had a feeling that Naruto cared a great deal about his friends. "If you have a problem with it, why'd you come?"

"Would you believe me if I said I don't know?'

"Maybe." Naruto shrugged. "Weird stuff happens a lot, I guess." And just like that, the dangerous look in his bluer than blue eyes was gone. He was the lazy teenager again. The change unnerved Sasuke as they stepped through the main hospital doors.

"I'm this way." Naruto jerked his head to the right. "Talk to you tomorrow, I guess."

Sasuke hn'd a response, heading out the opposite direction. How Naruto figured out which direction he lived was beyond him, but he supposed it didn't matter too much. He was still an idiot.