Say It With A Straight Face
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summary: "Okay, Sasuke, here's how you can prove you don't like Sakura. Say 'I don't like Sakura' five times with a straight face!" "I don't -twitch- like Sakura -smirk-" "HA! YOU DO!" "SHUT UP! I JUST... HAD TO SNEEZE!" Sure. Sequel to "Just Press 'Send' "
timeline: The characters are juniors in high school; I've also lumped Neji, Tenten, and Lee in with the juniors, to make it easier. I've made Temari and Kankuro seniors. A/U
Chapter Five
The two teenagers ran from Sasuke's garage to his front door, their backpacks held over their heads to protect them from the rain. Sakura shivered and jumped every time the thunder boomed louder and louder, signalling the nearing of the storm as Sasuke dug around under the doormat for the extra key. He finally got the door unlocked and held it open for Sakura. He followed her inside, slapping his hand against the light switch on the wall to give them some relief from the darkness. They were both standing in Sasuke's kitchen, leaking tiny oceans of rainwater on the white tile floor. He threw his backpack unceremoniously into a corner behind a dark wooden breakfast table; Sakura followed his example.
They slipped off their shoes and Sasuke began walking around the house, closing the blinds over the windows.
"The laundry room is the door right behind you," he called out of the living room, "You can use the towels in there to dry off."
"Thanks," she called back, going for the towels. She wrapped herself in a white one and walked into the living room to hand him a dark blue one. He wasn't in there. She stopped, listening for him. There were footsteps coming from upstairs, so she slowly climbed up the beige carpeted stairs, her free hand trailing lightly on the ebony railing. She peeked in a few rooms and found him in the second one.
"Hey," Sakura greeted him, and threw the towel at his face as he turned around.
"Hey," he said back with a sarcastic smile. She watched him rub the towel through his dripping black hair and wrap it around his body. She looked around the room, her green eyes lighting on the bed with a black comforter and the neat desk in the corner, and the bookshelf.
"Is this your room?" she asked, eying all the ebony wood and other dark colors.
"No. My older brother's," he said casually, glancing at a picture frame on the desk with two black haired boys in it.
"Hmm, I didn't know you had an older brother," she commented lightly, walking over to the desk to peer at the picture, "Hm, he's cute. Cuter than you. Is he single?"
"Hmph," he stalked out of the room, his fists clenched in irritation. She kept up with him easily.
"Touchy, aren't you?" She poked him in the arm, "You know I'm kidding, Uchiha. Honestly, I don't even know your brother's name!"
"Pft. He's too old for you anyway."
"How old is he?"
"He's twenty-two."
"Tell me about him?"
Sasuke stopped walking to glare at her in the dark, thunder booming in the distance.
"I just want to know!" she exclaimed, holding up her hands, "I don't have a crush on him or anything! Like I said, I don't even know him."
He shook his head at her in exasperation, "Fine, I'll tell you, but over dinner. It's getting really late."
Sakura watched lightning flash behind the window blinds and listened to rain thud to the ground with the occasional thunder clap. She looked up, meeting his eyes, and nodded, "Sure. I'll help you," she replied, getting up and following him to the kitchen.
Sasuke took a couple of plates from the ebony wooden cabinets in the kitchen, and Sakura walked around the room. She stepped inside the pantry, looking for something to cook. It was totally bare, except for an empty box of white rice, the meager remains of what must have at one time been a loaf of bread, some cereal, and the box of tea mix, with a box of coffee mix beside it. Sakura rolled her eyes. He was such a guy.
Unremittingly, she went to the refrigerator and yanked open the door. There was a pitcher of water inside, some seaweed, and the crisper was full of tomatoes. Groaning to herself, Sakura closed the refrigerator and opened the freezer. There were about six boxes of frozen pizzas in there. Wow. Sasuke has diet issues. And to think he's always busting her for eating pocky.
Sasuke casually walked up behind her and took a box of pizza out of the freezer, as if it was the most normal thing in the world to have a fridge entirely stocked with tomatoes and microwaveable pizza.
"Is this all you eat?" Sakura asked him incredulously, pointing.
"Uh, yeah, I guess. So?" he asked, shoving one of the pies in the microwave.
"Well, it's not very healthy. And you hypocrite! You're always lecturing me about my pocky when all you have is microwave pizza over here! MSG!" Sakura pouted, folding her arms and sending him her own version of a death glare.
"Tomatoes are still healthier than pocky," Sasuke smirked, "And I eat other stuff too," he said defensively, turning to punch some numbers into the microwave and hiding his face, "I just... ran out of it all. I'm... going to the store tomorrow."
"Uh huh. Sure."
"Really! Geez! Shut up!"
They sat at the black breakfast table together and polished off some of the tea and microwaveable pizza, listening to the storm outside as it continued to worsen. By nine o' clock, the sky was pitch black outside. The two worked on their physics project for awhile and finished all the parts that didn't require a computer, since computers are unsafe when there's lightning. By eleven though, they'd given up and were ready to go to bed.
Since Sakura was staying the night, Sasuke found her a t-shirt and a smaller pair of shorts of his to wear to bed, and led her to one of the guest rooms so she could change.
Sakura came down the stairs a couple minutes later, ready for bed, but not quite feeling tired enough to actually turn in. Sasuke was in old sweat pants and a t-shirt, sitting on a couch and staring at the television set, even though it wasn't on. He looked bored. Sakura walked over and plopped down next to him.
"You broke your promise," she accused.
That got his attention, "What promise?" he asked blankly.
"That you would tell me about your brother over dinner, but you didn't."
"I never promised," he said defensively, punching the pillow behind him and leaning back on it.
She glared, "Well, I'll tell you about my family then. And then, you have to tell me about your family, so we're even. Ha!"
"Whatever. I already know you live with your mom, who works at the hospital and is never home."
"Well, yeah. She usually sleeps in the hospital beds and usually will just come home on weekends for more clothes. But I'm really proud of her. She said she always wanted to be a surgeon, and now she's one of the best in the region. I can tell she really loves it, even the long hours," Sakura said, smiling a little, "I don't mind that I don't see her so much if she's having fun. I don't mind the responsibility, and she trusts me," her smile darkened a little, "Well, as for my dad, he left us when I was seven. I just remember what he looked like back then. I don't know anything about him, and I don't really care. He wanted to leave, fine." Sasuke studied her face and could tell it really didn't look all that 'fine', but she continued, turning away from him, "You're really lucky to have an older brother. I always wanted one; that's why I wanted to know about your brother. No siblings for me," she stopped talking now and looked at Sasuke expectantly.
He sighed, but started talking anyway, "Just me and my brother live together. He's in art school right now though, but he visits a lot. His name's Itachi," he shrugged, "I guess I really used to idolise him and look up to him, and I still sort of do. I mean, he's my brother, he takes care of me. My parents are overseas right now. My mom's aunt was really sick and she had no one to take care of her, so my parents went. My dad says he really likes it over there, and he might want to move there permanently, but me and Itachi could stay if we want, because Itachi's twenty-two, and in a little over a year I'll be eighteen," he shrugged, "It's just that the colleges are better over here. I know I'm staying." He fell silent.
"Well, that's good," Sakura said, "You can't go moving on me; I'll have no one to pick on." The teasing words were there, but her voice was a little quiet and uncertain.
"Heh," he smirked at her, and she smiled.
Sakura jumped off of the couch, and shivered a little, her body missing the warmth of sitting on the soft cloth with Sasuke's body beside her, "Well, I'm tired. See you in the morning, unless this storm destroys the house in the night," she joked, then leaned over and softly gave him a hug, "Goodnight," she said quietly in his ear, and before he knew it, her warmth was gone, like a spring breeze just brushing you, making you long for more. He sat up and opened his mouth, wanting to say something that would make her stay down there at least a minute longer, before realising she was already gone.
Sasuke grimaced to himself at the emotions spinning around inside of him; they made him feel like he had a stomach ache or something. Moodily, he grabbed a pillow off the couch and jammed it under is head, and closed his eyes.
"What was that Naruto said this was?" he muttered to himself in the dark, holding his stomach with his hands, "Oh, yeah, I'm 'lovesick'."
Hmm, that feels too short again. Gah, sorry, guys! The writer's block fairy has been camping out on my desk again, and I really wish someone would tell her to quit making campfires out of my ideas and roasting mashmellows over them, and just tell her she's not welcome!
Anyway, thanks for the continued feedback; I don't deserve it. Much love.