Hey everyone,
This is chapter 3. However, before the chapter starts, I included a chapter one from the side story. I published that chapter before as a separate fiction, but I decided that I will continue it as a side story here.
If you don't want to read the side story, just scroll down till you find chapter Three.
Note: The two stories will meet soon.
XXXX 'Clouds and Candy' side story XXXX
The tiny red head jumped once, but still he was too little to reach the cookie jar. He jumped time and again. The five year old wished he would grow up to be taller than a palm tree. He wanted to reach the sky and taste its cotton candy. His tip toes were starting to be sore from the strain. He hopped again. Finally, he reached the jar. Opps, he tipped it over the table. Oh No! It was about to crash on him. His little milky skin was going to be scarred forever. He covered his face with his arms. It's the only thing he can do. He didn't even have time to be frightened.
Here it is! Here is goes! It should land on him right about now!
The jar never fell. How can this be?
The taller boy stood next to the cute red head. His hand was holding the pot in place. He was Gaara's hero. He was so tall, so tall he could reach the sky. Well, may be not but for the five year old a few inches made the difference of a life time.
"What a drag! I had to run to catch it," The six year old pouted looking down at the flushed stunned boy.
"Do you want some cookies?" Shikamaru offered. He wanted to get it all over with and go rest on the jade grass outside. He didn't want the boy trying to get the cookies again so that he won't have to come for him rescue again.
No answer. The boy gaped silently at the other male memorizing every detail of his face. His narrow gloomy grey eyes, his curly hair trying to escape the pony tail, and his height. His superhero. Can he reach the sky? The clouds? How do clouds taste like?May be one day the hero would carry him up to the sky, Gaara thought.
"How troublesome!" Shika sighed. He didn't understand why the boy wasn't answering. Why was the red headed boy day dreaming? He wanted to lie on the grass. He doesn't have time for this.
Nara placed the jar back in its place and walked away. Gaara eyes followed him silently. He marveled him.
Suddenly, the peace was rustled. A boy in a green suit came in running towards Gaara. He bent down on all fours infront of the table.
"Gaara-chan. Use me to get up! I am a step for you to reach what you want! I will always be there for you whenever you need me!" Lee said staring at the floor beneath him. He waited from his crush to mount his back to reach the cookies. He would do anything to be the hero. Gaara's hero.
Without even looking at the green dressed kid, Gaara ran behind Shika who was disappearing from sight. He ran as fast as his little legs could bear until he found lazy Shika laying on the grass watching the sky. He really knows how the clouds taste, Gaara smiled.
"What's yow name?" Gaara asked cutely, hands behind his back.
"Shika"
Gaara waited for the boy to ask him back his name, "I am Gaawa". He could have sworn that he can pronounce the 'r' but his heart was beating too fast for him to remember how to speak.
"Hi," Shika said and looked back at the sky, crossing his hands behind his head.
"You like the sky?" Gaara mumbled laying down next to the other boy. He wanted to see what the other was observing.
"The clouds," he answered.
Gaara stayed silent for a few minutes wondering what the other was thinking about. He giggled to himself when he noticed a cloud that looked like a bunny. May be, that was Shika what thinking about too.
"Shika-chan, what do clouds taste like?"
The lethargic boy glanced at the other boy. Is he an idiot? Clouds are just water vapor?Shika was exceedingly bright for his age.
When the other boy didn't answer, Gaara continued, "I want to taste the cloud one day".
"How troublesome!" Shika muttered to himself a few muffled words that Gaara can't hear, and then said, "They are better to watch than taste".
"Will you help me taste them one day?" The tiny boy didn't seem like he was convinced with what the other was saying. His fantasy was still very much alive.
Nara stood up and stretched his back, "Come with me".
He wanted to sleep. He loved to relax. Yet, he knew that the boy wasn't going to let him. Better make the boy wake up soon from his dream.
He walked infront of Gaara who started lagging behind. His legs were shorter and weaker than the other. So Shika waited for him to catch up, and held his hand in his. Gaara's heart might have jumped out of his chest and fainted. He dragged him, forcing Gaara to speed up his step, to the teachers' bathroom. Hot water wasn't connected to the Kid's bathroom to avoid kids getting scalded.
He turned on the hot water and waited for a few minutes watching the other boy shift nervously on his feet. Finally, the restroom was filled with warm humid vapor.
"Gaara, open your mouth and swallow," Shika instructed.
Gaara obeyed, tasting nothing.
"This is what clouds taste like."
"But they look so pwetty!" Gaara pouted his full bottom lip protruding. Why didn't they taste good? Sweet? Why don't they taste like cotton candy? He was disappointed by what he had tasted.
"That's why they are better to look at than touch. Some things are better admired from far," Shika smiled a faint smile.
He was still Gaara's super hero. He knew everything in the world. He knew everything that the boy would ever want to know. Gaara smiled and rocked their hands.
XXXXX
Years later…
Gaara held the sides of the raft tightly; stupid Kiba was rocking it. He was going to make the raft flip into the water. Gaara hated getting wet in winter. Plus, he doesn't want to embarrass himself infront of Shika, he doesn't know how to swim after all. But his super hero would try to save him, right?
The sixteen year old glared at Kiba. Yet, Gaara seemed to be the only one who believed that his glare could scare anything. People didn't take him seriously. Who would take a marshmallow with strawberry jam topping seriously?
He trembled; Kiba just gave the raft an aggressive shake. He clinched his fist to hold down. But before he knew, his lungs were getting filled with cold water. Everything was disappearing from sight. The raft's frame hit him in the head, didn't it? He was losing consciousness and sinking. He was drawn into a place of no return. He didn't feel a thing except a bit sleepy and wet.
SLAP!
"Gaara, wake up!" A girl's voice brought him back from his dream.
"Go get Iruka-sensei! He might have a concussion!"
His eyes were closed shut when he felt a mouth touch his. He felt his head pushed back. His first kiss was being stolen away. He trembled. It might be the cold, or possibly the nervousness of brought by his first kiss being captured. It must be Shikamaru saving him. He let his mouth open and felt air fill it up. Suddenly, he felt sharp pain. All the water in his lungs gushed out. He fluttered his eyes. It was Shika. His first kiss was taken by his hero. But Shika didn't have a dark black bang or big black eyes. That was Lee.
"Lee?"
"Yes, my fair prince! I am here for you. As I promised you before; I will protect you with my soul!" Lee's repeated his standard love speech about devotion. He was sincere, but Gaara stopped listening half way through. He wanted Shika. Lee's love might have been obvious for everyone to see. But just like the clouds, they lose their beauty when they meet you tongue and your taste buds. Shika, on the other hand, was so… beautiful to watch. May because the lazy boy was far away.
Gaara got up and watched as Temari had a nervous attack worrying about him.
"I am fine," he fisted his hair rubbing the bump in his head. It hurt so much. Awfully sore. Plus, he had a killer headache.
He spent the next few minutes trying to breathe after Temari jumped all over him. She usually almost suffocated him with her bear hugs.
XXXXXXX
Here he was. His eyes landed on Shikamaru far away in the woods. Over the years, he gained the ability to locate the other boy wherever he was. He tried to free himself from the others and headed towards the other male.
"Gaara-chan!" Lee called. He ran after the other. It wasn't very 'troublesome' to catch up with the red head since Lee was athletic and persistent. He was never a stingy when it concerned his energy and feelings.
What does he want now?
"Yes, Lee-san"
"Can I have a word with you alone?"
Is he blushing?
"I am busy right now," Gaara turned around. But suddenly Shika wasn't in sight.
"You shouldn't be alone right now. You hit your head pretty hard," Lee was really worried about Gaara. It was his entire fault he got hurt in the first place. It was his fault, or so he believed, because he let Kiba be paired with Gaara to ride in the raft. You see, the art teacher paired them up to get into the rafts and draw the scenery. The lake was just near their school.
"I am fine, Lee, don't worry about me."
"But you are so fragile! I don't want something bad to happen to you. I must prote-"
"I am not fragile!" he knew he looked like a marshmallow. He looked like as if he would break if handled too harshly. He knew how he looked, but he didn't appreciate being treated as so. The only one who was allowed to call him marshmallow was Shika.
"Sorry"
"Never mind," where did he go?
"Gaara-chan. I had a confession-"
"Shika," Gaara interrupted Lee when he dashed towards Shika as soon as he spotted him. Lee followed.
XXXXXX
"Hey Marshmallow…" Shika said laying down again on grass.
"Why do you keep calling me… Marshmallow…?" Gaara whispered sweetly sulking. He hesitated.
"Cause you-Never mind-" Shika gave up. It just took so much energy to explain to the boy how cute he looked. In addition, phrasing the words not to sound like flirting was too troublesome.
"Gaara-chan, you need to sit down! You hit your head!" Lee said placing a cushion on the grass. Anyway, where did he get this thing from? Was it in his hand all along?
"I am perfectly fine standing!" Gaara was stubborn.
"But you might faint and then I wouldn't be able to stop blaming myself for-"
"I don't want to sit!"
"I can get you a chair from the school if it will make yo-"
"I said NO"
"But-"
"Gaara, why don't you just sit down!" Shika sighed; his friends were silly and annoying, "What a drag!".
Since Shika said so, he complied. He sat down after pushing the cushion closer to the other.
"Shika…"
"Yes"
"You didn't do the drawing assignment?"
"No"
"Me too. Stupid Kiba kept swaying the boat. I couldn't let go of the-" he stopped. He didn't want to sound like a sissy saying that he couldn't stop clasping the sides of the raft enough to draw anything, "the drawing got messed up when I fell in the water".
"Iruka sensei will be furious!"
Gaara looked to his other side, and sighed when he noticed the nerd in the green suit bowing to him.
"Please Gaara 'sama', can we have a word alone?"
"No!" you are the meanie who always makes me do stuff I don't want, thinking I can't depend on myself.
"Then, I just have to say it right here and now!" Lee swallowed, "Please be my boyfriend?"
Lee has admitted his love before a few times, not that it was hard to miss without a confession. However, he never asked Gaara to return it before. This was the first time he ever asked Gaara to be his boyfriend.
Gaara was sick of turning down Lee. Sometimes Gaara was mean although he never really meant to be, "No".
"I will protect you with my life!" Lee put his hand over his heart, "I love you". Gaara was truly his life.
"That's not it."
"Then why are you denying us the happiness of-"
"Have you ever looked in the mirror before? Everything about you is lame. You are a 'drag'," it was a word he learned from the man he loved.
"I have looked in the mirror before… but I thought if I tried hard enough to make you happy-" The words cut like razor blades into Lee's innocent loving heart. Gaara also loved a man who didn't return his love (at least it appears so); he should have known how it felt for Lee.
"I can't have a boyfriend who looks like you. Not with your big bushy brows," he said not noticing that he almost had no eye brows, just a few blond hairs. He knew he was good looking, regardless. He continued the insults, "Your nerdy hair and your retarded sense of fashion. And don't get me started on the irritating way you talk!"
Gaara waved his hands in the air to make a point, "you are hopeless. You are too clingy. You make me sick. If you really want to make me happy, say away from me! Isn't it enough that I will have to brush my teeth for hours to get your taste out of it?" he poked out his tongue in disgust.
How can he say that to the guy who jumped in freezing cold water to save him? The one who ran back to school wet in the ice cold weather to find Gaara some change of clothes. He might have not been the most handsome man, but he loved him. Even if the red head didn't return his love, he didn't have to be so cruel when turning him down!
Gaara clenched his fists, closed his eyes, and listened to one offense after the other. He couldn't help the stream of tears wetting his cheeks. He didn't know that his 'ugly' face told his worth. At least he used to think that working hard to take care of the people you love was all that matters!
"GO! GO AWAY! LEAVE ME ALONE! UGLY-"
"That's enough, Gaara!" Shika frowned. He was watching all along. Gaara's blood froze in his veins. Shika had seen the worst side of him. He will hate him now.
"But he-" Gaara wanted to explain himself.
"I never knew you were so ugly inside!" Shika glared at him. It was the first time ever that Gaara saw Shika this angry. In fact, he never saw Shika angry even the slightest bit. And now, Shika had this look on his face showing disgust. He was appalled by Gaara's attitude.
Gaara's eyes snapped open and he started to weep instantly. He didn't want the person he loved most in the world to hate him. What should he do? What should he do now? Tell him what he should do to make his hero not hate him? He was freaking out, terrified, and panicked like a cat drowning in sea.
"I didn't mean to…" Gaara mumbled quietly. His voice was so hushed, that it won't be strange if he didn't hear it himself.
"Don't talk to Gaara-chan like this! He is a good person… I am just… not worthy… I should have known my place. Don't blame him from my mistake!" Lee defended the boy that just ripped his heart out and stomped on it. Gaara was shocked. Now, he started crying harder than ever. He knew he made a big mistake!
"Lee…"
"Go away… you are… troublesome!" Shika took a final glance at a devastated Gaara whimpering and stared back at the clouds. He couldn't see Gaara anymore, but he could hear his sobs. It hurt Nara that he had to break Gaara like this. But he couldn't let it go… he couldn't let him turn into a horrible person. Gaara was better shattered, instead of hideous on the inside.
XXXXX End Side Story XXXXXX
Chapter 3, "A number on my list"
Neji sat smiling at his raven, "Do you want more eggs?"
"I-" Before Sasuke could even open his mouth, he noticed his mobile vibrating. If any other person was calling, he would have most certainly ignored the call. Yet, Naruto was the caller. He stood up, and exited the kitchen as he answered his phone.
The Hyuga gazed at the other's back, wondering who was important enough to distract Sasuke from his breakfast and boyfriend. When the raven was out of sight, Neji stalked towards the direction in which the raven went.
He saw Sasuke frown and quickly put on his jacket. "Don't worry, I live twenty minutes away."
"Who is it?" Neji asked as the other put the mobile back in his pocket.
"Not now!" Sasuke dashed towards the door without uttering anything else.
XXXXX
Sasuke opened the apartment door with the spare key he had from the night before. It had taken him a much longer than expected because of the early morning rush hour.
"Naruto, where are you?" He called out as he scanned the vicinity for the blond mope of hair. When he lowered his eyes, he saw Naruto on the floor by the bedroom door.
Sasuke approached him quickly, but then froze. Naruto was lying on his face soaking wet. His shoulders were shaking, as soft whimpers filled the room. The boy was definitely crying.
"Naruto, are you okay?" What question is that! Of course his not okay! Sasuke frowned, hating himself for the ridiculous question.
"Go away!" the heart breaking blond screamed between sniffles.
"Naruto…"
"I shou-ld I should have just called the ambulance!"
"It's okay. I am here no-"
"Leave!"
"I- you need to go to a hospital if you really dislocated your arm-"
Naruto turn his head, facing Sasuke with a crimson face drenched in tears. "If I really dislocated my arm! If? Do you think I like peeing myself like a toddler! Do you think I like calling you for help! Don't you dare second guess what I said! Fucken bastard! I was so much better without you! You just had to humiliate me! I was so so… ahhhhh… much better alone!" Naruto screamed as he wept harshly. He knew he wasn't making sense anymore, but he just needed to get it out.
"I am sorry," the raven uttered simply as he bent down next to Naruto. Should I move him, or not? His ribs might puncture his lungs if I try to…
"Naruto, I will slowly try to turn you around. Okay?"
The blond nodded.
When Sasuke tried to use Naruto's arm to turn him around, the boy screamed in pain. However, after a bit of perseverance, Sasuke succeeded. He slowly lifted the blonde's shirt up, and pressed gently his chest. Naruto cringed.
He fractured his ribs, no doubt in that.
"I think you should try coughing now. It helps prevent secretions from pooling in the lung causing pneumonia." Sasuke read about it some where before.
"Ehm-It hurts…"
"Do you have any pain medications?"
"In the bathroom cabinet."
"Hang in there. I will be back."
Sasuke ran quickly to the bathroom. When he was finally out of Naruto's sight, he called the ambulance. He didn't want to worry the blond but he figured Naruto was in worse shape then he first expected. Plus, although Naruto was skinny, it will be very hard transporting him when he was in unbearable pain.
Sasuke dashed back to where Naruto was. He glanced over Naruto deciding to give Naruto the injection in his thigh rather than upper arm. He figured it wouldn't hurt since Naruto doesn't have sensation in his legs. Plus, the boy was already wearing shorts.
He quickly pushed the needle against the sanitized skin, not concerned with doing it too quickly,
"Fuck! That hurt! What are you doing!" Naruto shouted.
"A-a-"
"You bastard, you thought I can't feel my legs, didn't you? You probably think I am impotent to-"
"Shut up and get off my back! You can't expect me to know every fucken thing about- I don't know! I don't know what to do so give me a break!" Sasuke snapped. He started panting as he felt the anxiety build up inside of him.
"Sorry…" Naruto lowered his voice. He shouldn't be getting his anger out on someone who was helping him.
Sasuke nodded. "The ambulance will be here anytime now."
"S-Sasuke, I know you hate me right now… but can you… please change my pants before they arrive?" Naruto looked away.
Sasuke started pulling the boy's boxers and shorts at the same time, revealing the boy's limp member. He left and came back with a wet towel, and slowly started wiping Naruto clean. It didn't feel awkward then seeing Naruto nude, or touching him in his most private parts.
He put new boxers on just in time, as the medics knocked on the door.
XXXXXX
The Uzumaki sat in his hospital bed watching Sasuke ogle at his mobile screen.
"Sasuke, you can stop pretending to be busy. Man, you are such a chicken. Can't handle someone else crying-" Naruto grinned.
"Shut up!" Sasuke blushed, and glared at the same instant.
"Fine…"
"Hn." Sasuke looked back at his mobile screen.
"Sorry for being a jerk today."
"Whatever."
"It was strange," Naruto pursed his lips, "Usually, you are the jerk-"
"Shut up or I will punch you," Sasuke threatened in a monotone voice. "And I won't care that you can't punch me back!"
"I can punch you back-"
"Not with your hand tied up."
"I can try punching you with the other."
"Try and you will have two dislocated arms instead of one."
Naruto shrugged. "Whatever, I am on so many drugs right now, I won't feel it!"
"You are an idiot!"
"Hey, stop being so passive aggressive!"
"My aggressiveness is far from passive, Uzumaki! I am telling you bluntly, you might be the biggest idiot I have ever seen in my life!" Sasuke gashed his teeth together.
"And you are the biggest bastard I have ever seen in my life. You know, I am here because of you-"
"Because I saved you!"
"Because you forgot to put my wheelchair next to my bed! I doubt that it was Iruka's fault!"
Sasuke's eyes widened for a second, "Whatever. I won't try to help you anymore, you ungrateful idiot."
"Thank you for my fractured ribs- Aww! What was that for?"
Sasuke flicked his fingers over the broken ribs. "Shut up, you are annoying the other patients!"
"Nurse! Nurse! This man is abusing me!"
"Shut up!" Sasuke pressed his palm against Naruto's mouth, but was bitten in response.
"Is something wrong here?" The nurse peeked in, raising an angry eyebrow.
"Nothing is going on!" Sasuke uttered in between clenched teeth as he mended his injured hand. The boy had sharp teeth.
The woman looked at Naruto waiting for his response. The blond gulped. The woman looked like she was in the army, and not in a hospital.
"Fine. Nothing wrong…" Naruto hissed.
"Please keep it down!" She glared.
As soon as she left, Naruto started laughing, and so did the usually stoic Uchiha.
"Shouldn't nurses be cute and warm?"
"Naruto, I take it back."
"What?" One blond eyebrow rose.
"I take what I said back. I won't stop trying to help you. I want to be there for you."
Naruto sighed, "Can I convince you not to?"
"Never."
"Fine… but I will look after you too."
"Hn."
"Like a friend!" Naruto shook his head trying to get Sasuke to be the one to say it.
"Hn."
"Don't you have something for me?" Like a photo you promise to give back when you consider me a friend!
"Not really."
"Whatever!" Naruto sulked.
In fact, Sasuke was starting to consider Naruto more than just a friend.
Ring Ring
Sasuke glanced at the number calling, Neji Hyuga, and then returned the phone into his pocket.
"Aren't you going to answer that?"
"It's no one."
XXXXXX Meanwhile XXXXX
Neji sat in the cold room alone crying. He brushed his fingers against his torn skin, and cringed in pain. He tried to muffle his whimpers as he heard his uncle scream outside his room as Hanabi tried to calm him down.
His heart almost stopped when the door opened. The man instantly dashed towards the boy, fisting his long dark mane. He started dragging him to the mansions reception where most family members gathered.
The boy was tossed onto the ground, as the firm cane met with his naked back.
"Uncle, please." The boy didn't want to beg. He honestly didn't. The words just escaped his lips. He buried his face into the ground trying to save what was left from his dignity.
The man lifted the boy's face up by dragging his hair, "You are a shame on the Hyugas. How dare you break the rules! Do you think you can come and go whenever you want, boy!"
"No, uncle. I fell asleep- ahh!"
The wood connected with his skin leaving a dark red blotch. He looked up seeing a few pale eyes on him; some sympathized, some savored the moment, and some just pretended to look the other way.
"You are a failure just like your dad! I was wrong to take you in!"
WHACK WHACK
The rest of the punishment went by without any one uttering anything. Neji was left almost out of conscious on the floor as everyone went on their business. He swallowed watching Hanabi stand far away terrified to approach him. Her father would never let her.
It's okay. You don't have to worry about me. He was used to it ever since he was a child. When his grand pa passed away years ago, his uncle inherited the Hyuga estates and businesses naturally since he was the older of the two sons. Yet, Neji's father received nothing except shame. He worked for his brother until his fingers literally bled, and finally decided to be independent when Neji was born. The man fell into profound illness three years later brought by extreme poverty. Before he died, he begged his brother to take Neji in. The man agreed but never stopped degrading Neji for it.
Nonetheless, the pale boy was happy. He was blissful because he had Sasuke. The Uchiha made everything right. He was the warmth he never got in his life. He was the one who would hug away the scars and the wounds. Yes, it was okay as long as he had Sasuke. He was okay.
He struggled to stand up feeling pain shoot down his spine. He took small steps until he reached his room. He sat on his bed as he started to cry again. He grabbed his phone instantly calling his love.
Please answer.
XXXXXXXX
"Someone really wants to talk to you. Answer. I will be fine," Naruto commented as the phone persisted on ringing.
The raven nodded, bringing the phone to his ear. He started walking away from Naruto.
"I am busy right now-"
Whimpers
"Neji."
"…"
"Are you okay?"
"S-sa-Sasuke…"
"Are you crying?"
"I h-hate him!"
"Did he hit you again?" Sasuke frowned glancing at Naruto. The guy in the bed next to him seemed to be bothering him.
"I-I- need to s-see you."
"Hn." He couldn't meet with the Hyuga right now. He needed to drive Naruto home, and look after him.
"S-Sasuke?"
He paused thinking for an excuse, "He won't let you out right now. We can meet tommo-"
"He will let you in if you come here. H-he likes you. He likes your family. He won't mind." Neji sniffled feeling better now that he could hear the other's voice.
"I am b-" Sasuke suddenly froze. Naruto might have been his new friend, but Neji was his boyfriend for years now. The raven swallowed the guilt, "I am busy right now-"
"Sasuke, if you don't come he will start hitting me again. Plea-"
"I will call you again, Neji."
"Sasuke…"
"Just lock your door." He hanged up.
The raven walked towards the sitting blond.
"Your girlfriend?" Naruto asked grinning.
"I will sleep over your place tonight okay. You will need help until you recover," Sasuke stated.
Choices... We go through life making simple decisions that impact our and other's lives. Choices can be as simple as what to eat for breakfast, while others make the difference of life or death. Gladly, we have priorities to help us choose. The only problem is, sometimes we are someone's first priority, and they are just a number on our list.
- To Be Continued -
Please review.
And should I keep writing the side story or not?