AN: One more introductory chapter (Chappie Fifteen) and we'll have things moving along.

That's NarutoAddict's talk for draamaa. I can't wait to reek havoc!


Nothing is truly infinite. New, old. People come, people go. Stuff happen, stuff forgotten. Information taken, information replaced.

So why do we invest in meaningless things that would likely not last? No one will look back and care about failing a math test, losing a friend, making a fool out of yourself, so why bother throwing a tantrum about the end of your social life, when you could just mull over it and move the hell on? You'd think that setting up a blank canvas would help, but you and I both know you're reading this Akasuna-

"No sense in caring, as you so eloquently put," he muses above me, and I don't need to turn around to know he's hovering. "Such emotions are finite, right?"

"Don't you have dolls to play with?" I snap back, shoving my diary into my backpack and standing up to relinquish the space between us. "Or would you like to lose another staring match?"

He sighs irritably. "You win one time and I never hear the end of it."

I shoot him a smile. "Some things can be infinite."

"Today's assignment is you have to capture something that is infinite to you, eternal and everlasting if you may, and explain why it is to you."

"That sounds difficult," I moan with a pout. "Can't I just wait around for the others to come and then we can get down to business?"

Sasori is watching the footballers by the window, but from the angle of his shoulders he doesn't really have to turn around and face me for me to know that he is smirking that lazy smirk of his.

"We've been delaying this for a few months now."

"Well it isn't my fault the others who signed up have been skipping this, but I would prefer to think that you should start those serious-ish assignments when we're all together."

I stick a photograph of the colourful sky yesterday during sunset on the board after making sure I signed the bottom as he so forcibly demanded I should start doing. It becomes the eighth photograph I had personally taken and hopefully many more to come as I had fallen in love with photography since the day Sasori gave me the school's camera (it was old and worn and the newspaper committee only let me have it once a week) to use. Let's just say I'm actually enjoying the Art Club.

The completely un-serious part of it.

You see, four other students signed up for this as well, but none have showed up, so Sasori and I have had the most unconventional Art Club you could imagine, besides the few times where he'd take some responsibility and assign something to me and the photography. I'd evade his assignments and he'd occasionally make me assist him in his 'craft'.

Marionettes. Dolls. Yeah.

"And speaking of the others," I turn away from the board just as he turns away from the window in acknowledgement. "You did ask about them, right?"

A dimple appears on his left cheek and I subsequently roll my eyes. He hasn't.

"Don't roll your eyes at me, I couldn't care less if they came or not, and I'm sure as hell not going to ask around for them, besides…."

I raise an eyebrow as I fold my arms. "Besides…?"

Sasori looks away. "Things are good as they are..." he mumbles quietly.

There's a beat of silence between us, a moment longer than it should've been seeing as he faced me again with his cold-calculating expression on full blast, so I take the initiative to sling my bag on a shoulder and make my way towards the door with determination.

"Where're you going?"

"To ask the teacher in charge of the after school activities," I reply earnestly, shooting him a smirk. "You know, facing the inevitable since everything is finite."

"Arrogant brat," I catch him mumble as I close the door.

I easily navigate towards the teachers' lounge, assuming that should be the most plausible location of the person I'm looking for, but my confident march and blank expression cannot fool me into thinking I'm not nervous as hell because…

Let's not.

"Ah, Kushina!"

I jump away from the door as if it scalded me, before frowning at Kakashi-sensei who seemed like he was on his way to it. His visible eye holds a cheery mirth, as he shoves his hands in his pockets and nods at me in acknowledgement.

"I was looking for the teacher in charge of the Art Club," I say, putting all my weight on one foot and folding my arms.

"Well he's out to run some errand," my expression falls for a second, before I straighten myself and prepare to turn away, when he quickly adds, "but he'll be back soon, so in the meantime, I'd like to show you something."

"That isn't ominous at all."

I grumble when he shoots me a look to follow him as begins to walk away, nonetheless I do as I'm told.

The walk isn't uncomfortable in the slightest, but it should have been anyways considering the fact that it was probably only a few doors away from the teachers' lounge and Kakashi-sensei was humming like a little girl despite his cool stride. I sigh in relief when he swings the classroom door open and doesn't notice the smile currently splitting my face in two.

My smile drops.

"Welcome to the Writing Club!" Kakashi-sensei announces proudly with a dramatic swing of his arm. "Children, look alive, here comes the author I was talking to you about!"

Oh hell.

As Kakashi-sensei pushed me in and shut the door, I'm ashamed to say I resembled a wild animal cornered in a losing fight, eyes darting in every direction, a threatening sneer on my face, and my hands clenched and in a defensive position in front of me. The fact that I spot Hinata doesn't quell me, as I notice Nori right next to her with an annoyed look, and his arm almost a breadth away from her. As if this couldn't get any worse, I see my writing assignments as well some excerpts from my diary-stories all over the board, which makes me feel exposed in a way that I never thought possible. I almost want to scream.

"The infamous author is Uzumaki-san?"

My eyes dart to the back of the room involuntarily and I attempt to take a step back, only for Kakashi-sensei to catch my shoulders to stop me. For a split second, I wonder if Sasori would burst in through the window and save me. Maybe then I'd feel a little less regretful and a little more appreciative of his wise know-hows.

"Oh, don't be so shy Uzumaki-san! The Writing Club welcomes anyone who's willing to learn how powerful words can be!" chirps the devil politely, as he makes his way to the front of the class. "I didn't know you enjoy writing."

Kakashi-sensei pushes me along to meet him half way. "You don't know half of it."

"I….I need to…." I stutter as I shrink against everyone's quiet judgement and collective gazes. I feel my eyes begin to water, and I don't get much time to dwell on the fact that I suddenly felt upset and wanted to sob of all things, because the devil clears his throat and his onyx eyes narrow with delight.

"You didn't say she was introverted as well, Hatake-sensei, but I guess it comes with her peculiar writing."

Hold up. Back up.

"Peculiar?" I echo quietly, raising a questioning eyebrow.

Itachi Uchiha shoves his hands in his pockets in a manner similar to his younger brother, only his belt is visible as his shirt is tucked in neatly and his hair is tamer. He wears a polite smile and he keeps his eyes roving around instead of intensely staring at me like he's known to do. It's as if a whole new devil is standing before me, only much more deadly than the last.

"Your writing is very engaging, not to mention well-worded and natural, only the recurring, dark undertone is a little…overwhelming? For lack of a better word of course!"

"Sure."

Itachi blinks comically.

There's a sharp rap on the door before it swings open and a mess of auburn hair peeks in sluggishly. I stop myself from running towards the bored-looking teen, jumping into his arms and asking him to vanquish the evil Uchiha, but I can't stop the relieved smile that paints across my face when we make eye contact, and his slowly appearing smirk doesn't falter either.

"You've been gone too long, little girl," he makes a waving motion towards him, not even sparing a glance to the tight-smiler, to the porn-reader, or to the gawking class. "Come along now."

"Bye Kakashi-sensei!" I wave as I walk backwards, before shutting the door behind me, only to find Sasori bowing dramatically with his hand outstretched for me to take, as usual, so I decide to humor him and let my hand get lost between his.

"I recall asking you to let it go."

"I recall not giving a shit."

"I recall you making me wait."

"I recall still not giving a shit."

"I recall you being relieved when you saw me."

"Nope."

He glances at me. "Nope?"

I swing our arms. "Yes."

He stops and twirls me. "Are you going to listen to me next time brat?"

I steady myself and smile. "No, but I'll be sure to take you with me!"

"Hmph. Arrogant brat."


AN: Don't tell me Sasori isn't a bomb character.