Studies and Half-Melodies

Disclaimer: I don't own anything! The song is In Too Deep by Sum 41.

Author's Note: Ugh. PE is such a pain. It's not hard, just kidna unnecessary. But, after this year, I never have to take it again. Woohoo!

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"Friends are relatives you make for yourself." ~Eustache Deschamps

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"I'm home!" Naruto called, toeing his shoes off.

"Tell the world, brat." Jiraiya muttered, but there was a smile on his face. He was a tall man with broad shoulders. His white hair (It had been like that since birth, he swore) was held back in a loose ponytail and his tanned face had two red tattoos like tear tracks on them. His coal eyes were warm as he greeted them. He wore an old pair of sweats and a too big navy blue Walt Disney World T-shirt.

"I love you too, pervert." Naruto replied, smiling.

Jiraiya laughed and looked Sasuke over. "Uchiha kid, right?"

"Yes."

"Monosyllabic answers. Definitely an Uchiha."

Naruto flashed him a grin before asking, "Ne, teme, you want something to eat?"

"Don't feed him ramen, brat. I'm cooking tonight."

Blonde eyebrows rose in disbelief. "Seriously?"

"Is that so hard to believe?"

"Yes." A feminine voice came from behind them. The teenagers turned and watched as Tsunade slipped off her jacket and hung it on a hook. "The last time I remember you cooking was when we first moved into this apartment."

The hazel eyes took Sasuke in, looking him over with a trained medic's eye. "Let me guess, Naruto brought you so I could examine you?"

Sasuke nodded.

Tsunade glanced at the clock and sighed. "Might as well start before dinner. Shirt off."

Sasuke's eyes widened and he backed up a few steps. Naruto touched Tsunade on the shoulder and whispered something in her ear. Tsunade nodded and her hazel eyes looked at him sadly. "So you got stuck in there as well."

Sasuke nodded a little uncertainly.

Tsunade was in full doctor mode now. "Do you go blank a lot of the time? An abnormally fast heart rate, do you blush when you know there's no reason to, constant stomach aches?"

"In order; not really, sometimes, sometimes, no." Sasuke replied.

"Any excessive sweating, nausea, shaking? Anything abnormal?"

"None of those. I get dizzy sometimes, and a little claustrophobic, but that's it."

"Hm. You're not as bad off as you could be. You can take your pick of two ways I can help-psychotherapy or some medicine."

"…Can I try the medicine for a little bit?"

Tsunade nodded. "Sure. I can get them to you by tomorrow."

"Dinner!" Jiraiya called.

Naruto tried to peer over the tall man's shoulder, but he barely reached Jiraiya's shoulder blades. "Ne, granny, can't you find me something that'll make me grow?"

"Sorry, shorty." Tsunade said, grinning as she ruffled his hair, "You gotta accept the fact that you're just gonna be short."

"No way! I gotta at least break six feet."

"Good luck with that, dobe." Sasuke commented, not entirely sure what he should be doing. He wasn't used to a family setting.

The blonde turned and stuck his tongue out at him. Sasuke noticed how it made him look incredibly young. Neither of them was old by anyone's standards, but something about Naruto's action made him just seem like a true child again.

"You can start setting the table." Tsunade told him, pointing to a stack of plastic plates.

Sasuke obeyed and began to count out four plates. He got frustrated when some stuck together and Naruto laughed, helping him out. Jiraiya watched through the reflection on the microwave, which sat just above the stove and he hid a smile.

Tsunade spooned out the portions of rice and beef stew while Naruto set out drinks. Cans of soda for him and Sasuke while Naruto pouted at the ratio of meat to vegetables on his plate, but had learned not to complain. As the two teenagers sat down to eat, Jiraiya gently caught Tsunade by the elbow.

"So…why aren't you insisting that the kid do the psychotherapy? It's better for him than the medicine." He asked lowly.

"Because look at them. Naruto's already doing the psychotherapy without either of them realizing it. Maybe they do realize it, but I don't think either of them knows how much good its doing."

"…Maybe they do. Naruto's always had good instincts for these things."

Tsunade looked over at the teenagers. They were arguing over something, but there was no anger in either of them. They seemed like best friends sitting there, arguing in that superficial way that meant nothing to the world, but it was a basis for their relationship. Sasuke said something that made Naruto choke on his can of Sprite. Naruto put the can down, face sopping, but a grin on his face. And while Sasuke didn't smile (No one expected him to) there was something about him that said there was nowhere he'd rather be.

- ? - ? - ? - ?

"So you are going to enter the talent show." Shikamaru remarked.

It was lunchtime on a Friday and Naruto was sitting outside with half of a foot long Subway sub in one hand and the entry pamphlet for the talent show in the other. Naruto swallowed down a bite of the sub and smiled. "Yup."

"I thought you were kidding."

"Nah. It could be fun. Besides, the opportunity's not really for me."

"What're you talking about?"

Naruto smiled mischievously. "You'll see if you go."

"You're too good at getting people to do those kinds of things. You could've just asked, but no. You have to scheme your way through it."

"That's an insult to my honor."

"What honor?"

"Too far, sir, too far." Naruto flicked a slice of pickle at him.

Shikamaru ducked, letting the pickle splatter onto the concrete. "But seriously, Naruto, for the talent show, you need a song one of us has heard before."

"I know that, Shika. I have a song. I wrote it a while ago."

"And you never showed us?"

"It's a duet." Naruto explained.

Shikamaru's eyes widened. "A duet, huh? With who?"

Naruto gave him a shrug that meant everything and nothing and smirked.

"Fine, do I know them?"
"You might."

"You're frustrating."

"So I've been told frequently and with great vigor. But, to appease your frustration, I have a song!"

Shikamaru settled back while Naruto wiped his mustard stained hands on a paper towel. He reached behind him for the guitar that had been christened as his by Iruka. He positioned his fingers and took a deep breath, holding it for about five seconds before letting it out, and beginning to play.

"The faster were falling,
Were stopping and stalling.
Were running in circles again
Just as things were looking up
You said it wasn't good enough.
But still we're trying one more time.

Maybe were just trying too hard.
When really its closer than it is too far

Cause I'm in too deep, and I'm trying to keep,
Up above in my head, instead of going under.
Cause I'm in too deep, and I'm trying to keep,
Up above in my head, instead of going under.
Instead of going under.

Seems like each time
I'm with you I lose my mind,
Because I'm bending over backwards to relate.
It's one thing to complain
But when you're driving me insane
Well then I think it's time that we took a break.

Maybe we're just trying too hard.
When really its closer than it is too far

Cause I'm in too deep, and I'm trying to keep,
Up above in my head, instead of going under.
Cause I'm in too deep, and I'm trying to keep,
Up above in my head, instead of going under.
Instead of going under.
Instead of going under.

I can't sit back and wonder why.
It took so long for this to die.
And I hate it when you fake it.
You can't hide it you might as well embrace it.
So believe me its not easy.
It seems that something's telling me,

Cause I'm in too deep, and I'm trying to keep,
Up above in my head, instead of going under.
Cause I'm in too deep, and I'm trying to keep,
Up above in my head, instead of going under.
Instead of going under.
Instead of going under.

Instead of going under again.
Instead of going under.
Instead of going under again.
Instead of going under again"

Shikamaru clapped quietly before smirking. "Out of curiosity…who were you thinking of when you wrote that?"

Naruto shrugged. "I dunno. It just kinda…comes to me. Why?"

"I told you it was for curiosity's sake."

"Mmhmm."

-? - ? - ? - ? - ?

Gaara blinked in surprise at the blonde sitting comfortably outside the hospital. Naruto turned when he heard the soft sound of the doors opening and smiled at the redhead.

"Hey, Gaara. How was Lee?"

"He was fine. Tsunade's getting closer to finding a way for him to regain use of his leg and arm." But Naruto already knew that, so why was he here?

"That's good news…Listen, Gaara…you know how to play piano, right?"

Gaara frowned ever so slightly, but nodded.

"Do…D'ya think that you could help me out with a performance next week? It's for the talent show."

"…Sure."