Title: Disadvantaged Children (formerly UnWanted)
Rating: T
Summary: Uchiha Mansion is the last place for criminally and emotionally unstable orphans to prove their worth. Naruto finds himself caught in entangling situations with the owner of the Mansion, Uchiha Sasuke, and with his fellow teammates and friends. In the process of healing from his horrific past, Uzumaki Naruto discovers that he may not be the only disadvantaged child to deserve a second chance.
Chapter Four
Chance
"Why did you do it?"
"Because it makes Naruto happy."
"Is that why you ran away with him the first time?"
"No. I did that because it makes us happy."
I'm wavering between different emotions that range from shock, joy, and a thick sorrow. Here was the only person to rightfully claim my body, my mind, but he had died so long ago, leaving me with no choice but to leave and run. Kiba had died by the hands of my responsibility, Gaara, and I had spent many restless nights with the torture of guilt and solitude.
I hold on to this feeling, savoring the happiness. He was here. I would never leave him again.
His hood is off, allowing me to see the crude markings on his face. The same markings that we had gotten together, to commemorate our first year of survival together in one of the worst orphanages in Konoha. It's so shocking to see him, healthy and with a grin on his face that's been described as the same as mine, that I almost overlook the amount of love pouring into my thumping heart.
I've missed him so much.
I take a step forward at the exact same time that he does and we keep grinning at each other, mirror images of two brothers from the same foster system.
"Naruto, I've missed-"
"I'm so sorry."
We stop together and there are no more words we can possibly say. Instead, I roughly throw my arms around him, embracing him, trying to convey what I can't with words. The last image of him that I had possessed, the blood-spattered body with open and unseeing eyes, shatters as my body touches him with an intimacy of years and understanding.
I step back and take a hard look at him, memorizing the mischievous glint in his eyes, the fangs within the grin, and the dog on top of his head. My words rush and slur together, excited to bring themselves out into the open. "How did you survive Gaara? I looked for you, but I had to leave when the cops came and I saw a body bag and Kiba, I've missed you."
I punch his head lightly, to compensate for the sappiness of my words. He just punches me back and we start messing around, trying to capture the moment with past actions. I feel free and alive, a far cry from the ball of suppression that I've been for 6 years. We finally stop, catching our breaths, and Kiba playfully answers.
"I've missed you too, ya idiot. Although I could barely tell who you were when you walked into the lounge. You never frowned back when we were in your life." Kiba points to Akamaru and I rub the dog's head. I had hated the dog back when we were young because it never stopped barking, but now I feel an exuberant fondness for its dirty pelt and big, brown eyes. "And about Gaara... Well, I just hope that you've stopped all contact with that bastard. The stupid shit nearly took my leg with him."
I take a big breath and feel the hostility welling inside, burning the blood and choking the happiness of the scene before me. "I'm sorry. Every day, I've regretted being in your life, because I thought you died because of me. Because of my relationship with Gaara." I pause for breath and finally look up into Kiba's eyes with determination in my face. "If I ever see Gaara again, I'll kill him."
Kiba nods grimly and asks, "Do you know what happened?"
He sees me shake my head and continues. "It was the last day of that hellhole orphanage. You remember, the one that didn't feed us nothing. I was just minding my own business in my room, when I hear someone's door quietly open and close. Of course, that ain't too suspicious, but then I see Gaara passing my room. I'm thinking the guy's going to go and visit your room or something, but instead, he leaves the building. Of course, I got to go and follow him, because I never trusted the guy. No offense or nothing. So I leave through the back entrance just to catch him boarding a car with some creep in the front seat."
I close my eyes and whisper. "That must be the Akatsuki that he always wanted to join."
"I don't what it was but Akamaru started whining and barking. Then I remember Gaara acting funny all week and doing some crazy shit to you, so I figure this must be bad news. Before the car leaves, I run up to the little bastard and start yelling and asking what the hell he's doing. He don't answer any of my questions and my shouting attracts some onlookers and foster workers. The guy in the front of the car says something to Gaara and before I even knew what was going on, Gaara's taken out this gourd of some kind. I don't remember anything after that, but I wake up to see the car gone and a bunch of cops around the place."
I bite my lip, knowing what had happened after this point. I don't want to hear it, but Kiba continues, a wild tremor in his eyes.
"I'm covered in blood and there's blood everywhere and I panic and start to sneak out so the cops won't question me. But I keep tripping after dead bodies and it was.. there was just this blood everywhere. I figured out that everyone who was near me had died and I overhear someone saying that Gaara gone and did all of this. I don't know why the bastard left me alive, but he sure as hell didn't feel no qualms about cutting the fuck out of my leg. I had to drag myself over to some trees and I think my last thought was finding you and telling you, but I blacked out before I could."
I'm lost before he finishes, remembering the eerie sounds of sirens and my freezing heart when I couldn't find Gaara or Kiba. The two had never liked each other, but I hadn't thought that Gaara would resort to using violence on someone who he knew was invaluable to me. That day was the day two precious people vanished from my life.
"And the thing is, that weren't the only strange thing that Gaara done. To you, he-"
I put a hand and stagger. "Please. I can't talk about this, not now. I want to treasure this moment forever. Finding you again."
He smiles at me and reaches out to touch my face, stopping when he reaches the marks on my face. "I understand. We don't need to talk about old memories."
I reach out to touch his face, too, and we stand there for a while, drinking in lost things and bathing in the luxury of friendship.
Gaara, you broke everything I owned when you gave up the chance to be happy with me.
A piece of my heart is back and Kiba and I spend some time filling in the empty holes in our lives that Gaara made. After I left Konoha and went to the States, Kiba continued passing through different orphanages and wreaking havoc on the streets of Konoha. I tell him about the different but essentially fucked up welfare system of America. Talking with him again and laughing (laughing) at our pranks and jokes, I remember how deeply I needed Kiba with his sarcastic quips and almost endearing street slang.
"So you're saying.." Kiba starts to laugh again. "..that you don't remember pulling down the pants of that one group home worker who threatened to expel us if we didn't 'cooperate.' That geezer-"
A flash of creepy glasses and wrinkles through my mind and I finish his sentence. "..wanted to get into our pants!"
"Yeah. See, you do remember."
"Wait, didn't you end up cooperating after all?"
Kiba makes a face. "Oh yeah, forgot about that."
Back then in Konoha, when love was scarce and sex was wanton, Kiba and I weren't renown only for fucking with the system. We were famous for fucking with everyone. We knew our problems and we knew that sex was only for true love, AIDS, etc, etc, but we really didn't care. Looking back on it, I don't regret because regretting has no point. My philosophy, the same philosophy that Kiba shared, was to learn from mistakes and incorporate the lessons into the present.
Unfortunately, I didn't know what lesson I had learned from Gaara and if I would ever be able to look back without the desire to shatter my heart or scream. The only thing I knew for sure was that giving trust was a guarantee for betrayal and twisting lies.
But Kiba's here.
And he is. I look at Kiba wrestling with his dog and I suddenly want to tell him about the loneliness that Gaara had left behind and how I had closed off my heart, my determination to stay off Kyuubi Island as my only reason to live. I would come full circle in my journey, my insignificant desperation.. Things would end where I began.
But I can't do it. I have no right to intrude on Kiba's own happiness, even if I had shared homes and beds with him. I wasn't fourteen anymore. I could revel in friendship, but I was meant to be alone. I would die alone.
Kiba sees me frowning and a look of concern flutters through his face. As if to distract me, he suddenly smirks and pulls me to the floor with him. I yelp, but Kiba makes the most of his advantage of surprise. Pinning me to the ground, he whispers into my ear, sending a shiver I've denied myself for years.
"Like old times, eh?"
I just grin and squirm slowly, gyrating my body against his. Kiba bites his lip from the unexpected motion and I start laughing. "Yeah. I've kinda missed this."
Kiba slowly dips his head and brushes his lips next to my ear, making like he's going to whisper ridiculous words of love. Instead, he gives me a slow, disgusting lick on my cheek and tilts his head back in a mock-howl. I can't stop laughing at our ridiculous, blatantly sexual, behavior and he pushes off of me, feral eyes pleased that he's made me laugh, once again.
"You're such a dog," I tease and Kiba growls, about to pounce on me again, but a voice interrupts us.
"You guys going to dinner?"
I turn my head, still on the ground, and see Shikamaru looming over us with that same casual authority that struck me when I walked into the lounge. He seems almost exasperated by our immature behavior, so I allow Kiba to help me off of the floor. My hooded friend then salutes Shikamaru, takes my hand, and drags me out of the lounge.
"You got to see the food, Naruto-kun. They got this thing called pie and I swear, it's better than sex."
I just shake my head and turn my head to see Shikamaru following us. I wink and he lazily smiles. After about five minutes of Kiba directing me and my head twisting from all the corridors, buildings, and turns, I enter an enormous tiled room with one side of the room filled with people my age and the other side with adults and staff members of the faculty.
After Shikamaru tells me what food is palatable and which should be left alone, I go to sit down in a table that has mostly leaf-headband kids sitting. I'm not sure how to act in front of these people who will occupy the same dorm as me, so I focus my attention on Kiba and Shikamaru, who are talking about their teammates and the points system. I also take this time to observe, through the corner of my eyes, some of the people sitting next to us.
"So I've got this one creepy guy in my Team. His name is Shino and the first thing he does when he comes into the room, is bring this huge cage full of bugs. And I know it sounds crazy, but I coulda sworn that he's got cockroaches inside of his clothes cuz they come from nowhere, these bugs."
I can tell that my presence has affected the table, but not by very much. Some chairs are empty, but the people who are eating give me a hard look then focus back on their food. Only a rare few are talking to the people around them. The rest are keeping to themselves and darting suspicious looks at each other. In fact, in this particular table, only my little group and a couple of people pitching into the conversation are talking.
"You think that's bad." An overly obese boy with fluffy hair and food in his mouth pipes in and I vaguely wonder how this boy could be criminally impaired enough to attend the Mansion. "This girl in me and Shikamaru's team.. All she does is scream at us when we're talking. Thing is, she doesn't do anything besides spend all day in front of the mirror."
Someone says, "Isn't that what every single girl does?" And we all snicker into our food.
I look up when I feel a pair of eyes gazing at me and spot Kakashi and Iruka in the faculty table, pointing at me and laughing. I'm guessing that they're relating what I've said about the beloved Uchiha Sasuke and his lack of hair. I don't care, though, because the faster that Sasuke figures out how much I dislike him, the faster I'd get out of here and the threat of the Island. Not that I had a tremendous urge to. From what I've seen, the Mansion isn't that bad. Not as bad as the orphanages that forgot to feed us.. Or some of my foster homes that dump me right back into the system after deciding that they can't afford another kid to take care of.
Someone at the far end of our table suddenly yells, trying to cut into our conversation. I crane my head to see who is brave enough to shout something that everyone will hear. What I see surprises me so much that I duck my head to hide my laughter and I look to my side and see Kiba doing the same. A shiny bowl cut, thick eyebrows and eyelashes, and a green spandex suit all come together to produce a twitching and enthusiastic teen.
"My name is Rock Lee and my team will dominate because we are Team Guy!!"
His exclamation points are pronounced so clearly that I can almost envision them at the end of his sentence. Before anyone can answer (or laugh,) someone from the faculty table who looks exactly like Rock Lee suddenly stands up and yells, "That's my boy! My name is Gai Lee and we have youth in our group! We'll succeed over Kakashi's team! What pride I have in you, Rock Lee."
While I had wanted to laugh at Rock Lee's declaration of success, I feel like inching away from the towering, scary picture of Gai Lee. And wasn't I in Kakashi's team? Gai Lee was a bizarre, ambitious man to instigate the hostilities of a team he didn't even know yet.
Apparently, this kind of behavior was normal in the cafeteria, because everyone ignores the now sobbing Rock Lee and his gushing mentor and steadfastly keep eating. I look around, noting the different symbols on everyone's headband. I hadn't gotten a headband yet, but I choose to ignore asking Kakashi for one. I didn't want to feel any more like part of the group than I already do.
Without warning, the door bangs open and a guy walks in. The effect is instantaneous. The room feels like it's dropped a couple of degrees and everyone shuts up, even the two spandex look-alikes. All heads turn and some of the girls in my table seems to sway with dreamy sighs and large, dewy eyes.
I can't get a good look at the guy who just came into the cafeteria, but he walks to my table and solves my problem. The minute I see him, I understand why the girls in the room acted like they were lovestruck.
Pale skin, an almost unearthly glow, chiseled features on a face half hidden by silky black hair that looks like he's just risen out of bed. But it's not his attractiveness that draws the attention of everyone in the room. It's the power under his hands, the calm and calculating look in his eyes, and the enigmatic shroud that beckons for attention.
I stifle my pulse and bite my cheek when his charcoal eyes meet my own. Without averting my eyes, I quietly whisper to Kiba. "Who is he?"
Kiba looks at me, then the guy, then back at me again, probably wondering why I'm interested. "That's Sasuke, the owner of this place. And why does he keep staring at you like that? Think he wants 'cooperation?'"
I rip my gaze from Sasuke's face and give a horrified look at Kiba's smirking face. "What the flying fuck, Kiba. You don't want to mess with this guy. He's a fucking asshole."
He shrugs and mutters, "He's hot enough."
"No, he's not," I lie. My gaze, inadvertently, goes back to Sasuke, drinking in the smooth lines of his body in a white button up shirt and a tie. The fluid movements of his long legs force me to dig my nails into my palm. I couldn't lose myself to the conflicting emotions inside of me; the detestation swirling with the hot desire to throw him against a wall, inflict pain with..
I feel the blood draining from my face and choose not to go further with that line of thought. I had to be the one in control and control didn't mean wanting to throw Uchiha Sasuke's clothes off just because he was strikingly good looking. Besides, those roses he had used to greet me
would look against that skin, that milky skin with pink petals scattered all over it
were a mockery of what I stood for. I hated Sasuke because I always hated the owners of the orphanages I attended. All of them were cruel, malicious, and wanted to kick out the poor orphans in favor of the misbehaving kids with rich parents. Not only did I believe this fully, but I also had a duty to myself and that was to contain Kyuubi. That came first, above everything. Even above my goal to avoid the Island.
The next time Sasuke's dark eyes meet mine, I've hardened my face. He gives me a mocking smile and clears his throat, finally speaking to the entire room.
"Because of our newcomer, Uzumaki Naruto, the entrance doors are unavailable for use until the end of October. Take a good, hard look at our new blond friend. In a way, he's exactly like everyone of you. But I'm here to tell you that my expectations transcend petty rebellion and idiotic behavior. If you expect to survive life in my Home, set Uzumaki as your role model. Then surpass him."
I hear Kiba mutter, "Harsh." But I barely hear it, instead narrowing my eyes at the smug authoritative figure in front of the room. The various people in my table who had ignored me are now staring intently at me, trying to guess what I had done to instigate the hostilities of Uchiha Sasuke.
The roar in my ears surges throughout my entire body and this anger is so damn familiar that I'm starting to wonder if I'm incapable of any other emotions. I concentrate on Sasuke's smooth words, turning over and examining each insult and insinuations of my inferiority. How dare he act like that was all the best I could be. To judge me so harshly and then offering a challenge to the others. How-
And then a crazy idea strikes me. Yes, he had said the whole thing like a challenge. But not for the others. Those frigid eyes that focused on me during his whole speech... Yes, he was offering a challenge. But the challenge was for me.
Even now, he looks like he's waiting for me to say something. The swelling rage slowly falls until all I hear is a rapid pulse that quickens when I see a look of disappointment shadow Sasuke's face. He opens his mouth to say something, but I pound my palms into the table and stand up, determination outlining my entire face.
"That's right, guys. Listen to Uchiha Sasuke who's proven that he can show off his ignorance by neatly characterizing a person he knows nothing about. Listen to the owner of this place offer a thinly veiled threat for people who act up. Listen to a boy who is the same age as I am pretend he's God. You can, but I refuse to."
I sweep my gaze across the room, finding people nodding their heads in assent. I lock gazes with Sasuke for a second longer than I should and what I find in his face is something that could pass for satisfaction.
So this was his plan all along.
I grin then point to myself. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto and I tend to stay in the Mansion for as long as it takes or until I choose to leave." Crossing my arms, I continue, cockily. "And for anyone who expects to surpass me.. Well, I just hope failure's on their agenda, because you do not want to fuck with me."
The silence is unnerving as well as the number of heads looking from me to Sasuke then back, trying to assess how much damage my words were going to inflict on Sasuke's power. After an edgy minute, I'm starting to wonder if I had misinterpreted Sasuke's signs and if my brash outburst was going to cost me a trip straight out of Uchiha Mansion.
The smile on Sasuke's face is like an indication of normalcy and I hear sighs of relief all around me. For me, however, seeing the pink lips curve and smudge with the white face twists my internal thoughts and scrambles dislike for lust. If every little thing that Sasuke did could have such an effect on me, then I wasn't going to survive.
"Thank you, Naruto, for introducing the most important rule in this foster group home. By questioning my authority and asserting his own importance, Naruto has exhibited a trait that many orphans lose earlier in their lives. Rule number one. Respect yourself."
He nods at me then lightens the mood by casually saying. "Of course, I don't want people breaking my doors to show that they understand what respect is." The girls who are still staring up at him with adoration giggle and I sit down to Kiba's elbowing and Shikamaru's eyes of respect.
"Now that Naruto has joined our group, we can start the team recreational activities. Counselors will personally delve more in-depth about the importance of these events and how they'll affect who will be staying and who will be leaving."
He pauses then carries on. "As you guys should know, every year one team is chosen for exemplary reasons. This is mostly determined by acquiring the highest number of points throughout the semester. But for every high point, there is bound to be a low point." A whisper of noise from the tables foreshadows his next words. "Every year, one team is also chosen, but for the opposite reason. This team, with dishonorable actions that contradict the purpose of Uchiha Mansion, will be expelled at the end of the semester."
The whispers in my table are loud enough to hear.
"That's crazy. I can't be kicked out-"
"What if my team members won't cooperate? What then?"
"Wait, what does he mean by kicked out? Is that the Island? I refuse to-"
"Tenten, we must exhibit youth and win the highest honor!"
Rock Lee's voice is carried out throughout the entire room and Sasuke pins him with a cold glare. The bowl cut sways as Rock Lee blushes a healthy red then mutters an apology.
Sasuke's eyes penetrate through all the indignant whispers and his voice is final and impersonal. "There is no room for questions. Every year, Uchiha Mansion witnesses the arrival of four teams in each dorm. However, without fail, one team in each dorm manages to show that they can't have what it takes to survive the Mansion, much less the real world. This team has, so far, always been the team to ruthlessly slaughter their humanity and push aside all thoughts of camaraderie to push themselves ahead. I have no qualms in expelling such negative and heartless people from my Home."
It's that faint scent of challenges which arouses the feral nature deep within me and I lick my lips in anticipation. I didn't place much importance in the points system but the recreational activities that Sasuke briefly spoke of sounds like an opportunity to show what I can do, what I've learned. As for the team aspect of the whole thing.. I casually dismiss it and, instead, decide to focus on my own strengths and weaknesses.
"On that note, I once again extend my wish to help anyone who isn't too proud to ask. The Uchiha Mansion is not only my home, but also everyone else's. I hand-picked each and every one of you, because I can see the potential that can be brought out with the right care and environment."
He scans the room, each person wincing when his gaze finds them. When his eyes reach mine, I look away, pushing away the voice that swirls through my head.
"Enjoy your stay and welcome to Uchiha Mansion."
When dinner ended, Shikamaru and Kiba were prompted by their counselors so I was left to find my way back to the dorms. Luckily for me, I found a group of leaf-bearing girls to stealthily follow and their trail had lead me to a grandiose staircase, embellished with wood and twirling for at least five floors. As I'm walking, the stairs reverberate with hushed and almost awed conversation between the various females in my dorm. They had been talking about one subject during the entire walk to the dorms and this subject turned out to be the reason I kept pounding my head against the proverbial wall.
"Sasuke is so, well I can't say it any better than this, hot. I don't know about you ladies, but I want that attractive man in my bed."
"Oh, no you don't. I claimed him the minute he walked into the cafeteria. And besides, you know what the rule is about having a boy in your bed. You could get kicked out."
"Well, I heard that Sasuke's never shown any interest in anyone."
"Except that Naruto kid."
They all turn to glare at me, and I innocently grin at them. They savagely snarl at me then resume talking after I duck my head down. Crazy, fucking insane, girls... Acting like I had wanted Sasuke's tinted eyes to stare so darkly my way.
One of the girls, Tenten from Rock Lee's group, wisely chimes in. "Sasuke wouldn't have any time for love. He's so caught up in the Mansion and trying to keep up with the Uchiha inheritance. Besides, he would be oblivious to any kind of attention besides business matter."
"I don't care how oblivious he is! My name is Haruno Sakura and I want that boy." I'm sure that the pink-haired girl would be pretty if it weren't for the almost crazed look in her obsessed eyes. The other girls start bickering after her dramatic statement and I slowly trail behind them, trying to avoid eavesdropping on any more Sasuke-worship.
I soon lose them and I watch them go up the stairs, sighing with relief when they're out of my sight. Without warning, a voice above me calls out, "Naruto, I need to talk to you."
I look up and see Kakashi standing calmly on the railing of the stairs, which was impressive considering that if he fell, it'd be four stories of banging, tumbling, and uh, dying. Of course, the thought never crosses his mind and he nearly stops my heart when he jumps off the rails and lands in front of me. I keep looking at the banister, judging that in order to have landed in front of me, he would have had to jump a clear five feet. And he hadn't faltered.
As if hearing my thoughts, he raises an eyebrow at me. "You wouldn't believe how many people ask how I do that. Please don't bore me."
I smirk and shake my head. "Old man's got some skills. Whatever."
Kakashi just looks at me like I'm a very insufferable bug. But then he smiles and say, "Very nice speech there in the cafeteria. Iruka and I were impressed. You won't mind if I walk you back to your room, right?"
"Creep," I mutter, but allow him to follow me.
"I need to convey your schedule to you. I apologize if the news about an annual team extermination took you by surprise. There were a couple of things I forgot to mention to you, but that's the price we pay for saving elderly lady's lives."
I just stare at him in disbelief. He was still on about that?
"Anyway, heroic antics nonwithstanding, I hope you understand how important your team is to you. They will be your life, your chance at staying in Uchiha Mansion, and your best friends."
I grunt but Kakashi ignores me. "Tomorrow, your 'normal' day here will begin. Breakfast is mandatory and starts promptly at seven and ends at nine. You'll have a counselor meeting, a group counselor meeting, and some odd hours of free time. However, during the first semester, the most important part of your day will be the opportunities to get closer to your team members and the interteam recreational activities. How you spend these hours will be crucial in determining if you can develop your team's progress. Don't mess this up, Naruto. The team to be expelled will suffer not only shame and failure, but they will also lose their second chance."
I ask something that's been bothering me for a while. "Isn't there a way to avoid getting kicked out? The way Sasuke described the teams from the past that he expelled... He acted like getting the lowest number of points is the equivalent of "ruthlessly slaughtering your humanity." If points are how you people decide such an important decision, then I have no words to describe my disgust."
Kakashi chuckles and agrees. "Yes, I can see your point. But Sasuke shows no mercy for those who he despises. And you're also forgetting that points aren't the only way we measure a team's worth. There are actions that will determine your fate and the entire faculty has to unanimously agree on who will be expelled from the Mansion. You shouldn't worry; we've never made a mistake in choosing our lowest team."
He stops then looks at me straight in the eye and gravely says. "As for your question about escaping expulsion.. Uchiha Mansion has existed for ten years and every year, every year, four teams from four different dorms are kicked out. Statistics show that it's impossible for everyone to stay. It's a worthwhile endeavor, but I prefer that you not stick to dreams, Naruto."
"Tch. What a pain in the ass. Have any of you counselors ever rolled around in the dirt? Laughed? I'm surprised you depressing people have survived for so long. Trying to shoot down my dreams.. That's anti-counselor behavior right there."
Kakashi makes a face. "We're the depressed ones?"
I see his point, but seeing my dorm room gives me an excuse not to reply. The door is unlocked this time so I turn the knob. I'm about to step inside but Kakashi interrupts.
"It's admirable, Naruto, that you speak so freely of dreams. Four points for your uncharacteristic behavior."
I slightly grin, unable to hold back the pride in getting Kakashi to admit a compliment. It's ridiculous that I feel this way about some stupid points, but I can just envision the points next to my name tally back up to 100. I might have a chance at surviving and living up to my own expectations, if I can get everyone in the Mansion to believe in me.
"It ain't uncharacteristic," I pompously respond in English.
I figure that the guy can't understand what I've said because he just gives me a blank stare and says, very slowly. "Good night, Naruto."
I just laugh and open the door, stepping inside the dark room.
xxx
I can't see a thing inside my room, but it's big enough for me to trip and not bang my head on the wall. I hum a little tune, not that I was happy or anything, and start treading as lightly as I can, trying not to bump into the beds or the desks. After a minute of touching along the walls to find the lights, I give up and continue humming as I walk across the room, trying to make out shapes in the dark.
I infer from the lack of clothes on the floor and the absence of a second suitcase that I'm alone in my room. I stop for a minute and try to remember my roommate's name, while, at the same time, trying to look for my suitcase. I remember, idly, that there's a flashlight that I could use to try and figure out where the lights are.
"I know it sounded like a bodily function.." I murmur to myself, a little irritated that I can't remember a stupid name without a last name.
"And it started with an S." I say under my breath.
I finally find my suitcase. There's barely anything in it, except for the basic necessities like toothpaste, some old clothes, and some things I could use if I ever wanted to escape. Which was why I had brought the flashlight in the first place for.
"Squint? Sun-" I falter, remembering that the sun wasn't really something one could do. "Sunning?"
I keep blindly rummaging through my suitcase and yell in triumph when I feel a hard object in the shape of a flashlight under my fingers. Now, time to solve the mystery of my roomate's name.
"Stand? Sit?" I idly chuckle at my last idea. "Hey, Sit, come over here, you stupid big lug." I sigh from my terrible memory then a trigger goes off in my head.
"Sigh!" I start whistling then click on the flashlight, unprepared for the freaky sight that greets my eyes.
I yelp and jump, trying to back away from the almost dead, pasty face looking at me with empty and completely black eyes. I didn't watch many movies, but this was probably the part where the dead body comes alive and attacks the only blond person in the room with all intentions of murder.
In my defense, my guard was down. And it was dark. And the guy hadn't blinked the entire time that I had shined my flashlight on him, so the belief that he was dead was a completely reasonable thought.
I frantically turn off my flashlight, but this doesn't prove to be such a great idea because now I'm alone, in the dark, and there's a dead person in front of me. Or maybe he wasn't dead but going to attack me at any second.
I yell, knowing that my life is on the line here, then throw my flashlight as hard as I can. I hear a satisfying thunk and I listen for a groan or anything to show that my dead friend is not dead but very much alive. But I don't hear anything and this bodes so ill for me that I turn away and run for the door.
But then I feel a flashlight hit me in the back of my head and I blindly reach out for the doorknob, but instead trip over my suitcase, which causes me to land flat on my face. Ladies and gentlemen, Uzumaki Naruto was down for the count.
I come to my senses after a couple of seconds of lying on the floor, a little dazed and confused, to see an easel hovering over me and my mysterious dead guy painting behind it. There's a throbbing pain in the back of my head and I touch it tentatively, only to feel my fingers coated with blood.
"Don't move." The voice that speaks is frightening, but I do what it says because I figure moving my head can't be medically beneficial. I freeze in my position, head locked in an awkward angle and fingers slippery from the red liquid.
"You going to get a doctor or something?" I ask, after ten minutes, my voice betraying a bit of fear from the person still painting. He could be a dead guy moving around, for all I knew. And what the hell was he painting?
"No."
I scowl, irritated that I had let myself be fooled into staying in such an awkward pose for so long, then carefully ease myself into a standing position.
"Then why the hell did you tell me not to move?" I yell, taking a good look at the shockingly pale boy in front of me. He's wearing the strangest clothes; a black jacket only partially covers the belly-baring black shirt. Now that the light is on, I can see that he's not dead or even as dead-looking as the flashlight had suggested. He actually possesses an attractive face with inky black hair that flows around his face. In fact, he bears a striking resemblance to..
"Hey, are you related to Sasuke?"
He doesn't even deign to look at me. He keeps painting and says bluntly. "No."
I put two and two together then exclaim, "You're my roommate, aren't you?"
"Unfortunately."
My good mood keeps suffering some weight from the lack of emotions emanating from Sai and it's all I can do not to punch this stupid, Sasuke look-alike. I go back to my suitcase and start unpacking my clothes. The silence is punctuated by paintbrush strokes from Sai and my curiosity for what he's painting keeps growing and growing.
Of course, judging from the way Sai is huddled over his work and his overall silent disposition, I don't think he'd take too kindly if I asked to see what he's painting. Which is why I don't bother asking.
People have always underestimated my strength because of my height, but these same people normally are the ones to suffer from my infamous anger. There had been many times in my foster homes when a jealous brother or foster sibling became incensed that a stranger had invaded their home. I had gone through many beatings, injuries, and broken bones before realizing the need to inflict pain first before someone hurt me. Living on the streets, dealing with Kyuubi's power, and participating in gang fights hardened and shaped my body into the perfect killing container that Kyuubi sometimes used me for. I hated to admit it, but the knowledge that I could protect myself was liberating and emotionally satisfying.
It was rare for me to ever use my strength unless I was dealing with the occasional spies that the government sent to finish me and the beast inside me off. Those moments when I allowed myself to release the forceful, choking fury were quickly countered when, after the bloodshed and unmoving bodies, I blanketed myself in a white haze, doing everything that I could to forget. I hated yet loved freeing myself from the limitations of proper society and the human strength, which was why people scarcely saw me in my true form of ire and frenzy.
However, the other thing that came with my impossible strength, was the speed that I had acquired from working with social workers who periodically chased after me, yelling death threats and brandishing possible weapons. It came with being an orphan.
It's this same speed that I conjure to quickly come up behind Sai, take a sneak peek at the painting in front of him, then exclaim, "Is that why you told me not to mov-"
I don't even see Sai blink before he grabs my arm, twists it painfully behind my body, and whispers slowly in my ear, punctuating each syllable with another wrench of my arm. "You're not very smart, are you? The next time you look over my shoulder, I'll poison you."
"Bastard," I grit, before kicking him with enough force that should slam him across the room. But this guy's not normal because the only thing that happens is his releasing my arm and skidding only a couple of feet away from me.
We circle each other and I'm wondering if I have to kick this guy's ass, until Sai suddenly stops then smiles. Well, in this case, the word smile should only be taken figuratively because Sai is completely freaky. His smile is devoid of any emotion and has the exact opposite effect of a real smile; instead of relaxing, I find my shoulders tensing and my nerves on guard. I'm almost pained by having to see that blank face contort into any kind of facial expression.
What a creepy guy, to have mutilated one of the most basic human actions into one of emptiness.
The next thing I know, there's an elbow up my windpipe and the sound of a huge crash as I smash into a desk. I quickly recover, ignoring the broken desk and the cloud of dust settling around me, and start to run up to Sai, who's startled that I'm still up.
Then the door opens and any thoughts of finishing our fight flies out the window when I see an enraged girl with pink hair and sleep-deprived wrinkles in her face.
"WHO THE FUCK IS MAKING THAT NOISE? THERE ARE SOME GIRLS RIGHT NEXT DOOR WHO ARE TRYING TO SLEEP AND-"
The same girl who had yelled her declaration of love for Sasuke on the stairs is yelling at us right now, not even noticing the hostility simmering in the air or the blood trickling from my cuts.
"YOU STUPID, INSENSITIVE BOYS ARE ALWAYS MAKING TROUBLE, WITH YOUR BRAVADO AND YOUR TESTOSTERONE. I'LL KILL BOTH OF YOU, DON'T THINK I WON'T."
Sai finally tears his gaze from mine and stares steadily at Sakura. "Shut up, ugly."
I almost, almost feel sorry for Sai and his insensible mistake.
"WHAT?!" The yelling has reached a high-pitched scream that attracts onlookers into our room. I try to block everyone's view, knowing that Sai suffering the wrath of Haruno Sakura might be potentially embarrassing. Of course, I'm right.
The pink hair becomes a smudge as Sakura darts toward Sai's shocked face, a murderous and glassy-eyed look on her face. I didn't want to admit empathy with my emotionally dead roommate, but I knew what he was thinking, because I had undergone the exact same mistake earlier in my life. We knew how to deal with subtle threats, physical attacks, and emotional attacks. But the unpredictable actions of females, especially insulted females, always took us off guard and gave them the power of surprise.
I silently snicker as I and a couple of people in my dorm are witness to Sakura painfully yanking a handful of Sai's hair in one hand and twisting his ear in another. My amusement turns quickly to one of fear when I see her actually heave him into the nearest bed, using only that head of hair and the support she had on his ear. And then she promptly continues yelling and I wince as her voice fills up the entire room.
"I DON'T CARE IF YOU LOOK LIKE THE LOVE OF MY LIFE. NO. ONE. CALLS. ME. UGLY."
Then she whirls on me and I do my best to look like I'm listening.
"AND YOU, UZUMAKI NARUTO. INO AND I SHARE A BATHROOM AND A DOOR WITH YOU IDIOTS SO WE CAN HEAR EVERY SINGLE THING THAT GOES ON IN YOUR ROOM. IF I HEAR ONE, ONE MORE NOISE TONIGHT, I WILL COME INTO THIS ROOM AND MURDER YOU IN YOUR SLEEP."
She looks at me and Sai, who's sat up in his bed in a stony shock, then huffs to the door and starts yelling at our onlookers to get out. The door slams shut and I quietly start laughing, almost choking and crying from the hilarity of the situation.
Sai looks blankly at me, all the while absentmindedly rubbing his cherry-red ear. The image of sickly pale skin against a lone, brightly colored ear just does it in for me and I keep on laughing, gasping out sentences.
"Oh man, your ear.. Dude, your ear..."
I keep squeezing out sentences but only get vacant stares from Sai, so I quickly run to my suitcase then fish out a broken mirror. Forgetting our past conflict and only focusing on the present ridiculousness, I only hesitate for a moment before taking a chance. I throw the mirror in Sai's direction and he catches the mirror, giving me a puzzled look, but only meets my hopeful nod. He looks into it cautiously, his face changing from wariness to surprise.
There's a vast silence and after a while, I awkwardly climb into my bed. Okay, so the guy had no qualms about injuring people, possessed no sense of humor, and was going to be my team member. We would probably end up murdering each other, if my other teammate, Sakura, didn't beat us to it. Great. I shuffle under my covers, keeping one eye open to look out for any potential assassination attempts from my pale roommate, who's still looking into the mirror.
Just as I'm about to fall asleep, I hear it. Laughter. It's broken, quiet, and rusty from disuse, but for me it's enough. I go to sleep that night with both eyes shut.
I thought he was going to take out a knife or an instrument of some kind to document my humiliation.
Instead, he gives me a mirror. My hesitation had good reasons. My life doesn't require knowledge of what I look like or my real name. Naruto's mirror was the first mirror I ever looked into.
I laughed because I didn't know what else I could do. The irony, the surprise, the unfamiliar face that I saw clearly for the first time.
I didn't sleep that night, but Naruto did. To have shown trust in someone he barely knew by leaving his defenses open was either very brave or very stupid.
Who is this boy?
Sai
GAH my guilt is pervasive. I know I'm giving clear ammunition to those who hate the revised version, but once again, I'm here to remind you guys that I am sincerely sorry for deleting UnWanted and using UnWanted's reviews to boost up DA.
Thank you for reading! :)
