-Thanks for all your reviews ^^
I was planning to hold the narusasu back a little longer, but AyameRose made me re-consider that (she seemed worried about when it was coming in, though I'm wondering if the little nod to NarutoxInari caused that ^^), so I've made some adjustments and pushed some things forward in this fic- as a result you might figure out the mystery Minato pairing sooner than planned- sooner being in this chap =D you're in for a shock because so far out of all the reviews only one person got the guess right (and she did only because I know her personally thus she gets the way my mind works ^^) so enjoy and tell me what you think after.
Disclaimer: Previous…..
If I don't Laugh I'd Cry
Chapter 10
Kiba wouldn't answer the phone no matter how many times I called that weekend, it made me really nervous, we've never fallen out like this before…..okay, maybe we have, but it's been a while. But something else was worrying me. Was Kiba gay? He had to be right? I mean he does like Shino. There's no way he could deny it after what I saw in Ichiraku, the way he looked at Shino, I could tell he has it really bad too. The possibility stunned me to the point that I spent my entire weekend just staring off like I was in some daydream- My best friend is gay, all this time and I didn't know- is this how Shikamaru, Kiba and Gaara would feel if they find out that I'm g- I glared at myself (figuratively)- I'm NOT gay!
But then I face-palmed as I remembered my not so straight reactions to that hot Uchiha-teme look alike and Inari. God, the thought of Inari in that cosplay outfit, blushing, made me want to visit Ichiraku everyday- which caused me to make a fervent oath with myself NOT to do that.
"Naruto." I heard a knock on my door, with a frown I picked back up the manga I was trying to read on my bed and ignored him but Dad still came in. He stepped inside carefully; I could feel the difficult grin on his face, his eyes that must have been tiredly apologetic. "Hey, I'm home."
"….."
"I brought you ramen from Ichiraku, you're favorite."
"….."
"There's a new waiter there. Have you met him? He's very cute."
"*sweatdrop*…."
Dad sighed, "Naruto, I can't fix whatever you're upset about if you don't tell me you know. I can't read your mind."
"Well, let's think about it Dad. Is there anything that you're doing that might be wrong? That might hurt me?" I said with measured patience and without looking at him.
"I-I don't think so." I glared at him pointedly then and Dad looked surprised by how angry I was by his answer, "Naruto-"
"I'm going to bed, good night!" I said quickly, I didn't care to talk to him anymore; he was lying straight to my face.
The next day, at school, I was taunted- as usual, I think I was getting used to it now, besides, every time I retaliated the bastard sensei would teleport out of thin air and punish me without question, so I guess my passivity was some type of conditioned response by now. I released a burdened sigh as I remembered that we have that book signing field trip this week, which meant that I'd be spending even more time with Uchiha-teme.
"Arrrggh." I groaned into my opened locker, I had the sudden urge to crawl into a dark place and this was the best I could come up with at such short notice, so I rest my head in there and groaned again the vibrating sound echoing louder outside.
"Er- Naruto."
"Huh? OW!" I hit my head on the door of my locker when I jumped to turn to the person who had just spoken to me, "Oh, Kiba!"
Kiba smiled timidly at how surprised I was that he was actually talking to me, "Yo."
"Hey, I- I'm sorry about Friday, I-"
"Yeah, you can forget about that." He told me with as he slapped me on my shoulder.
"Really? You've forgiven me?"
"Yeah, I talked to Shikamaru and he reminded that you're stupid, that I shouldn't expect anything less of you, and that I should have know that you would make my life 'troublesome' from the moment I agreed to share my nap-time futon with you in kindergarten."
I didn't know whether to feel relieved or insulted.
"Heh- Shikamaru." That bastard.
"So, we're good, okay?" Kiba smiled at me and I nodded, "Great, let's go to class."
"By the way, Kibs." I said as we began walking, the bell had rung so everyone else was clearing the hall, I thought that now was a good time to ask as we were alone, "Are you gay?"
Kiba tripped, then he looked about frantically to see if anyone was around to hear that, "I knew you were bound to ask, but couldn't you at least wait until after school!" he hissed at me.
"I can't wait! It's been haunting me all weekend. Now do you like Shino or not?"
Kiba gave me an annoyed look but I just glared stubbornly back, I was serious about that question torturing me all weekend. With a short sigh he grabbed me by my arm and pulled me into a classroom that was always empty for this period. I sat on top of the teachers desk as I waited for Kiba to pull the blinds down on the door.
"Do you wanna check for surveillance cameras too?" I asked him and he stuck his tongue out at me.
"About Shino, I guess I need to thank you." He told me.
"What do you mean?"
"After I kicked you out I didn't know what to do because I knew it would be really awkward, but I went back inside anyway, and well-" I lifted an eyebrow at the red that suddenly colored Kiba's cheeks and the way his eyes shifted to the side.
"Weeellll…."
Kiba rubbed the back of his neck, something I know he does when he's embarrassed, "Do you seriously need me to spell it out?"
My eyes widened and I almost fell off of the desk as it hit me, "YOU-" I brought my voice back down when Kiba glared at me, instead whispering, "you had sex with Sh-"
"No!" Kiba scowled, though his blush deepened, "Of course not, we just kissed that's all!"
"Oh, really? So you do like him then?"-
"Yeah- I do."
"…."
"I like him a lot, actually."
"…."
"Would you say something, I just shared some very fragile stuff and now your silence is freaking me out."
I chuckled, "Nah, it's- I'm just sort of surprised that all." And numb, at least I defined it as numb, but I was also wondering if the reason why I was feeling nothing was because I just truthfully wasn't upset or troubled by this at all. I should be, I'm supposed to be- why aren't i?
Kiba's shoulders fell as he relaxed, "Good, surprise I can handle. I'm sorry that you're the last to find out though, not that I told Shikanaru and Gaara, they figured it out themselves."
I wasn't surprised, Shikamaru and Gaara are like that. "When did you start liking him?
"Remember when I was failing biology back in junior high and my mom made me go to Science camp over the summer? I told her that it was a dumb idea, that I'd keep up on my own, but she wouldn't listen. That camp was full of masterminds, I didn't fit in with them at all because they all looked down on me, I thought that it was going to be the longest summer of my life. But then I bounced into Shino, he remembered me and hung out with me, even though I never used to pay that much attention to him at school, and even when they bothered him about it he still stuck by me the entire time we were there."
"So that's why you like him? Because he was a good friend to you?" I somehow I couldn't find this convincing.
"No!" he rolled his eyes, "It's deeper than that, I can't explain it, I mean what he did over that summer really touched me and it changed how I looked at him but- the feelings, that just developed gradually on its own. I can't really say for sure if I'm truly gay, but I know that I'm definitely that way for Shino."
"Oh, really?"
Kiba smiled at me, it was stunning simply because I could tell that he was thinking about Shino, "Yeah."
I turned away from Kiba as my mind wondered off. Something about what he said struck me. I couldn't exactly pinpoint what but it had me thinking and I realized that I'd always viewed anything gay as sort of perverse, but maybe there was more depth to it. I think my perspective just changed because being gay had always felt like a straight line decision, not something as gently distinctive as a feeling.
I wonder if this is what Uchiha-teme was talking about-
"Naruto, haven't ever felt anything for a guy before?"
"Wh-Wh-Wh-What!" my attention jerked back to Kiba, "What are you talking about? I've never-"
"Calm down, it's just a question."
I took a deep breath, geez he really caught me off guard with that one. And when I was thinking about that pedophile too!
"No Kiba, I haven't."
Kiba smiled almost mischievously, "Oh c'mon. Never?"
"Never ever, ever ever- ever. And for good luck- ever."
"Not even if he was really hot? Like Uchiha-sensei?"
My heart skipped about three beats and I bite my bottom lip in my concentration to appear calm and normal. I shook my head to Kiba's question.
"That's weird Naruto, I mean even if you're straight as hell there's no way you could not notice that guy."
Oh I notice him enough, "Um- shouldn't we get to class before they find us and I have to spend the next week in detention with mentioned bastard?"
"Right, class. Let's go then."
Last period loomed in the distance like a dark storm and I could see the clouds hovering over Uchiha-teme's office door as I walked towards it at that time. I had planned to pretend that I'd forgotten about the meeting and not go, but apparently he knows me a lot better than I thought and the demon sensei emailed me a reminder (bone chilling death threat) so I had no other choice.
"That's because you're predictable, idiot." He told me simply when I asked him how he knew. Uchiha-teme was sitting at his desk, his laptop open as he typed away as if I wasn't there sitting directly opposite him. I was leaning on the desk with my chin in my palm quietly studying the way his eyebrows sort of tightened when he concentrated. And I never noticed it before but, was there some red there in his eyes? Ha, I bet none of those stupid girls ever noticed that. Actually I'm pretty sure they've never even been this close to the bastard….. I think I can see why they all want to kill me-
"Like what you see?" he asked me suddenly without looking up, the beginning of a smirk tugging at the edge of his lips. I looked unamused.
"Don't start with that again."
"Because it's disgusting?" he said as if he was ending my sentence and for some reason I was reminded of Kiba which caused my chest to clench with blunt pangs of guilt.
I didn't reply, I just suddenly felt so irritated because I came here (even though I really didn't want to) and after ten minutes we still haven't discussed anything, and now I was angry at him for making me regret what I said last week, even though I should actually be upset with myself for saying it in the first place.
"Could we just get to the point, you know the reason you called me here in the first place." I told him and Uchiha-teme looked up at me finally, his eyes were emotionless but I knew that meant that I was pissing him off.
"Sohma Shigure will be in Konoha next weekend for the release of his new book." He told me.
"Sohma? Who the heck is that? I've never heard of him."
"With your pitiable comprehension of literature, I'm not surprised."
I pictured myself tackling him over the desk- took a deep breath- then pretended I didn't care.
"Sohma-sensei writes romance novels, gay romance novels."
I scowled, "Are you serious? Why him?"
"Because he's one of the best in Japan, he won the Oda Sakunosuke Prize last year and two months ago he picked up the Poplar Publishing Grand Prize for Fiction."
I tried not to look impressed, but then he gave me one of his deliberate little smiles that I knew only foreshadowed some type of evil. "What? Is the homophobe scared?" he asked.
"I'm not- I'm not scared, I'm not homophobic either." Trying not to be that is, for Kiba at least.
"That's good, because I chose this author with you mind. I know Sohma-sensei personally, I told him about you and we both thought that you are a lot like protagonist in his new novel."
I rose an eyebrow at that, "What is it about?"
"A gay-for-pay porn star who can't come to grip with his true sexuality, he ends up being sold as a sex slave to a rich yakuza who he falls in love with. It's a compelling plot actually, and Sohma-sensei is very excited to meet you."
"I'm not going." I said after about ten seconds of staring opened mouth at him.
"As the president of the club you have to go."
"I don't care. I'll quit if I have to, as long as I'm not raped by you and your sick best friend."
Uchiha-teme looked pissed again, "Sohma-sensei is faithful to his lover, and second it's insulting that you'd think I would actually be interested in a child like you." He told me with a cold bluntness that actually surprised me. So all of sudden he's being serious?
"If you're not interested in kids then why did you kiss me?" I grumbled as I looked away from those scrutinizing eyes.
"What did you just say Uzumaki?"
"Nothing."
Uchiha-teme's cell phone vibrated suddenly on the desk and with one glance at the name on the screen he answered it quickly then got up and went for the door.
"Yes nii-san-" was the last I heard before he disappeared, then a few minutes later he came back and told me I could leave, which I did happily. As I was walking down the hallway, trying to come up with a convincible way to 'accidentally injure' myself by next weekend, Dad called me. I hesitated but decided to answer as he never usually calls me while I'm in school unless something happened.
"This better be important because I'm not supposed to be talking to you." I told him and Dad chuckled.
"Naruto, I'm coming to pick you up right now."
"Huh? Why? What happened?"
"Nothing, there's just something I need to tell you."
I meet Dad parked outside; when I got into the car he gave me a wide grin that freaked me out. I looked at him cautiously as I clicked on my seat belt, "Are you okay? Did you hit your head again?"
"No, I figured out why you're upset with me." he said, Dad turned the engine back on and began driving out of the lot. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you Naruto," he told me now more serious, "I guess I was just worried about how this would affect you."
"You should have known that I would be happy for you." I told him grudgingly, I was still angry.
"I know- I know." He nodded, "But you see, this situation is different Naruto, this person is my student."
My eyes widened, "You're with one of your students!"
"Before you get worked up, I want you to know that this wasn't something that happened easily, I was very reluctant to get into a relationship like this with one of my students, obviously because it's dangerous for my job, but mostly because of you." Dad glanced at me and his eyes that are just like mine were filled with some heavy emotion, it reminded me of Kiba for a moment actually. Wow what a day I'm having…
I sighed, "Okay, I understand, she means a lot to you doesn't she? I mean you wouldn't risk so much for just anyone right? So I forgive you."
"Um Dad, where are we going?" I asked as I realized that we weren't on the usual route home.
"We're going to Ichiraku, you're going to meet this person."
"What? Right now?"
Dad nodded, "Yeah, there's still a lot of things that I need to share with you. I want you to promise me that you'll keep an open mind Naruto."
"Why? Is she ugly or something?"
Dad laughed again, "No, but if it was-" he paused and he made an uncomfortable face as he thought, "if it was- something like that- would you still be accepting?"
"…." I felt like there was more to this question and that I should be more bothered about the way Dad presented it, but at that moment I was more concerned about getting myself mentally prepared to meet his new girlfriend. "Yeah, I don't if your girlfriend's ugly, if you love her Dad then I love her too." I grinned.
"Heh." Dad chuckled uneasily; I realized that he was sweating again, "Okay."
Haku wasn't there to greet us today, which made sense because my school probably just call out, and Inari wasn't there either (he went to a different high school), so Ayame, the owner's daughter, met us at the door instead.
"Oh hi Namikaze-san, Naruto-kun." She bowed, "I think there is someone waiting for you."
"Yes, thank you." Dad told her before he went inside, I followed behind him finding Ichiraku to be quite empty at this time of the day, there was just the few regulars sitting at the bar and a couple of random customers at tables. I watched Dad walk up to a table for four, only one person sat there, her back towards me so that all I could see was that familiar head of long jet-black hair. I made a futile attempt at making my hair a little neater by running my fingers through it, then looked down at my uniform for any stains, I wanted to ask Dad if I looked okay but he was ahead of me, almost right beside her.
"Uzumaki?" someone said to my left and I jumped because I wasn't expecting to hear that voice here of all places and at this time. When I spun around I found Uchiha-teme looking puzzled, "What are you doing here?"
"I'm here with my Dad. What are you doing here?" I asked him as I immediately diverted and went towards him instead; I think he was just coming out of the toilets.
"I'm here with my-" Uchiha-teme paused when he looked up over my shoulder, I was confused when his eyes widened slightly and I turned around to find my Dad hugging…. A-A GUY!
"Wait-wait!" I said louder than I'd like causing Dad to slip out from the hug and turn to me, "Where did the girl go?"
"Er-Naruto-" Dad sort of chuckled, he was nervous, I could tell from the way he ran his hand through his hair. The man next to him, the MAN who's hand was lying casually on my father's waist, he was intimidatingly handsome, faultless porcelain skin that contrasted with his hair and eyes, even his slender frame- wait- those eyes…
"Naruto, this is Itachi, he's my boyfriend." Dad told my awkwardly, and I didn't reply. Later Dad told me that it had been a while but to me I had only been quiet for a few seconds, "Naruto?" he finally said again.
I blinked out of it then started chuckling uncontrollably, "Sorry, I- I thought you just said-"
"Nii-san, is this true?" Uchiha-teme stepped up beside me and I had to trace and then re-trace his line of vision about five times before I allowed myself to accept who exactly he was calling his older brother. This- this is the first time I've ever been at a loss for words. Shikamaru would get off his lazy ass and kill to witness this-WHY AM I THINKING ABOUT SHIKAMARU RIGHT NOW! Not only is my Dad GAY but now I'm going to be related to the spawn of the devil!
"Naruto breath!" Dad told me and I exhaled, I hadn't even noticed that I'd stopped breathing, but now my head was spinning. "Come sit down."
I took a seat at the table and Dad came over me, he touched my pale face as I stared at him with empty and stunned eyes. Uchiha-teme took the seat opposite mine and watched on from there as the Itachi guy stood behind Dad, he was studying me intently with eyes that were even harder to read than Uchiha-teme's.
"I knew he'd take it hard but now I'm worried, he's never reacted like this to anything." Dad was saying to him. "I guess I'll have to leave out the last part for now." My eyes shot onto my Dad with the wordless question of 'There's more?' in them, he looked hesitant though so I grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer, "Okay, okay, we- well- Itachi and I are, we are planning to- move in together. And as Sasuke lives with Itachi, he'll be moving in with us too."
Uchiha-sensei and I both jumped out of our chairs, "WHAT!"
End of Chap 10
Sorry for leaving it at that ^^
Tell me what you think please