Title: Disadvantaged Children
Rating: R
Music: "This is Twice Now" by Lydia (you can find it on their myspace.) The second half was inspired by "The Last Words" by Ivoryline.
He heard shouts behind him and the shriek of an alarm, but he didn't care. He only ran faster, grinning as he tripped on roots and decaying branches. Branches whipped him in the face and tugged his golden hair while the cool air froze his lungs.
Run. Run.
The words bit his heels and gave him the strength to forget the world around him, the orphanage they were running away from, and even the delicious taste of freedom. Running required nothing from him but breath and energy. Time and space.
He saw Gaara disappear in front of him so he tapped into the inhumane part of his body, that beast inside of him, and he literally felt the trees turn into a liquid pool of brown and green. It was so easy to escape and nothing could stop them. Not sticks and stones, not words, not even the dangerous power that made them so unstoppable.
Could he die from happiness? From the toxic mix of beast and human?
They finally got to their destination, a small clearing that reeked of innocence. Naruto stared at the moonlight shining on the water before bending his knees and laughing, laughing so loudly that any passerby would have heard him.
"What's so funny?"
Naruto raised his head to meet Gaara's cool eyes and he finally felt it. He felt freedom blowing cool air on his sweaty neck, tasted the satisfying sense of relief, see the consequence of escaping a lie.
"Nothing. I'm just so happy."
"I see."
Gaara was impassive and Naruto could only see the discomfort in those smudged eyes. Of course. Gaara didn't know what happiness was. He only saw Naruto's smiles and Naruto's laughter and Naruto's love but happiness? Feeling it? Knowing it was real?
Without thinking, Naruto slouched down next to Gaara and pulled him into his lap. Immediately, Gaara stiffened, but Naruto only held on tightly and whispered.
"It's like an explosion of all these senses and my hands won't stop shaking, my heart won't stop racing, it just gets so hard to breathe. That's happiness, Gaara. It's us being free, being able to sit like this without worrying."
"You.. don't regret running away?"
Naruto had to fight to keep the shock out of his voice. "Gaara.. They were about to separate us. We can't.. I can't live without you."
It was an obsessive love that pulled Naruto to Gaara and it was this same feeling that overwhelmed him, fed into his happiness, and kept him breathing. If only the future could have whispered its secrets to Naruto... Would the two boys have parted ways that day instead of sleeping in that trapped, asphyxiating hug? Would Naruto have stopped loving so willingly?
Run.
That same word drifted into Naruto's head but he chose to ignore it and, instead, focus on giving all that he had to the pale, small boy in front of him.
"Naruto?"
I groan and shift in my bed, shivering when someone's breath ghosts over my ear.
"I know Neji talked to you too. It's no use sleeping the whole day away."
"Mmm.. Shut up, Sai."
He pauses for a minute and I only burrow deeper into my pillows and blankets. The bed shifts and I feel hands lightly tapping on my back.
"You're going to do the noble thing, aren't you? Sakura's not going to be very happy about that."
I squeeze my eyes shut and will Sai to go away but it doesn't happen. Sighing, I slowly pull my head away from the pillows and blink at Sai's passive smirk.
"Why do you look so happy?" I make a face before lying back down on my pillow. "By the way, don't worry about me. I'm just the village idiot Naruto, tempting fate right and left, just begging to go to the Island. You know me. I'll be fine."
Sai smiles. "The funny thing is that I actually believe you."
"So? What happened to the teammate who only lived to hurt? Don't get me wrong, I don't miss that part of you at all. But it's strange to see you so calm, you know?"
Sai's silent for a while and I almost fall back asleep before I feel the blankets shift and a body move in next to me. Hiding my smile, I sigh contentedly and huddle closer to the warmth radiating from my teammate. It's not what I expect at all, but I'm not surprised by anything. My last night in the house and I'm with the boy who's given me pain and comfort, days of security and fights. Our relationship is like a the ocean, rising with each wave and element, stocked with enough complexity and emotions to never, ever miss a beat.
"This is twice now, Sai."
"Hm?"
"The second time you've willingly helped me. I've never asked-"
"You don't have to, dickless. I stole your soul, remember?"
I laugh and the dark room answers with another, small laugh. "Stay awake, Sai. Okay?"
"Of course."
Just for one more day. Just one more.
I wake up a few hours later and my breath catches when the window shines a small slant of light from the sky. The silence penetrates through the room and it should scare me.. But it doesn't. Instead, I feel such peace that I just lie there, knowing that I've felt enough, that I've loved enough, that I've needed enough.
"Promise you'll never leave again."
Jolted, I turn my head to see Sai staring at me with keen eyes. A feeling of intense love washes over me, surprising me so much that I immediately look away.
"I see."
Sai grimaces before turning to leave. I stop him by grabbing his hand.
"You're an idiot, you know that? I might have lost my mind but I'll still find you no matter where you are. Besides, I've heard the Island is perfect for two troublemakers like us."
"So I've heard."
I grin then pounce on him. "So you'll really go with me? You don't hate me, oh geez you don't hate me, and I promise to not be annoying or nothing on the Island, we'll have to bring lots of food! Food!? What am I talking about, we'll be hunting rabbits down there, are you a good rabbit hunter, Sai? Teme, don't look at me like that, we'll need stakes to kill the rabbits, some blankets because it'll be cold, ohgodtheseblanketsareprettygood, and a..."
At some point in my monologue, Sai squints at me, shakes his head, and gets out of my bed to go get his sketchbook. I let him get away with it. Just this once.
"Hey you. Brat. Need a word with you."
I shake my head quickly, mumbling through a mouthful of toast. "Can't. Busy. Need to find pink haired friend. You might know her? Nay high, looks like a squirrel, talks like a.."
To his credit, Jiraiya lets me finish my toast before he grabs the scruff of my collar, almost tearing my orange shirt in half, and drags me away from public. I protest weakly but only because I'm dreading this particular conversation.
"So I've been hearing things about you, kid. Can't say I'm surprised, since one of you idiots always manage to ruin the whole thing every year..."
"Oi!" I snort, irritated. "What do you think I am, a psychic? What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about your complete disregard for the rules..." He sighs before going on. "You can't volunteer to go to the Island. I don't know what crap the Hyuuga kid or Kakashi told you, but you just can't. Sasuke won't allow it."
"That Hyuuga kid... You know about Neji? How he's the detective.."
Jiraiya claps a hand over my mouth and I muffle the rest of my words before he looks around and sighs. "Right. That... Kid, I know everything in this damn house, even about pasty, nosy cops like Neji. I know outsiders like him and they always think that they know everything."
"But.. I mean.." I scratch my head. "I don't understand Neji and his reasoning. How can he suspect Sasuke? I always thought that Sasuke hated his brother for starting the Akatsuki."
"Do you seriously believe that's the only reason Sasuke hates his brother?
Confused, I nod.
"Oh Naruto.. You have so much to learn about life! The virtues of love! Trust, eh?"
I scowl. "Come off it, old man. Easy for you to say." I sigh. "I'm not going to question Sasuke if he doesn't want to tell me. And if that makes me an idiot, for wanting to keep him happy.."
He smiles and ruffles my hair. "As much as it pains me to admit it, you have a heart full of fucking gold and rainbows. Don't ever think you live to please only one person at a time." His tone drops and his gaze fixes on mine. "It's dangerous to place so much trust in someone you barely know. You, out of all people should know. It's not safe."
"Then... What are you saying? You don't think Sasuke is.."
"No, no, no." He pauses before waving his hand. "Sasuke will always be Sasuke, good or bad. He may cause the problem, but he isn't the problem. You know what I'm saying?"
"Noooo."
"All right. Let's try again. What it comes down to is that the people who care about you.. The people who are precious to you.. They'll show you their pain in one way or another. They will be the sort you want to keep. But the other group, the people who could give a rat's ass..." He smiles at me sadly. "Well, let's just hope it doesn't come down to that, right?"
His words buzz in my head and I squeeze my eyes shut to stop the dizzying headache threatening to mingle with the words. I knew what he was saying, it wasn't difficult to understand. But hearing it in such black and white terms.. and to hear Sasuke's name thrown into the mix... It was paralyzing.
I step back. "Okay, okay. I get that you're trying to help me, but right now all you're doing is confusing the living hell out of me. You've told me, yourself, that Sasuke is a weird bastard, but he's still in that first group of people. He cares, even if he never shows it."
"Brat, just-"
"No, I don't want to hear it. The last thing I'm thinking about is him so maybe you should try to talk about something else, old man." I look at him pointedly. "Like some pointers on surviving the Island."
"You crazy little.. You're not going to the Island and that's final. If Sasuke cares about you, then he won't-"
I rub my face in fatigue and groan. "This has nothing to do with him."
"THIS HAS EVERYTHI-" Jiraiya abruptly cuts off and breathes slowly, like he's counting slowly to ten. "Fine. You're right, kid, because you're so fucking stubborn that you can't hear common sense when it punches you in the face. Fine. Listen to me, then. There are certain people in the world who want you dead."
"That's cheery."
"Don't interrupt me, brat. Now, these people who want to kill you.. They are not friends of the Mansion or Sasuke. It's like a war, you see. Because you are the enemy's priority, you are our priority. We don't know yet what they want with you, but we're pretty damn sure that you're the key to winning this so called war."
"You don't need to tiptoe around me. I know that the Akatsuki wants me dead and that Sasuke is going to fight them."
"It's not just the Akatsuki. It's the whole flipping government, the nation, the fear that consumes people's hearts. Do you really think that Sasuke will be able to fight religion, itself, without losing his soul in the process?"
"I.." I falter before shaking my head.
"That's why he needs you. To make sure that he never forgets that one inch of him, the inch of humanity."
"And if I go to the Island?"
"Then he loses that one inch and dies."
I nod even though I feel like someone's punched me in the gut. "I'll help him then."
"It goes farther than that, Uzumaki. I don't care what your feelings are about him. There's one thing that you must do and that is convincing him that you hold some sort of.. endearment for him. You understand?"
"You mean friendship?"
"No. I mean.." Jiraiya sighs. "The other kind.."
"Err..."
"Don't play dumb with me, brat. I'm talking about love."
I blink before stepping closer to Jiraiya. "You want me to lie to him? About something as important as-"
"I don't care how important love is to you. What's more important is making sure Sasuke never becomes immersed in the darkness. Do you understand, now, how much power you have over him?"
Suddenly, the air is choking me and I have to take a step back from the suffocating words. It was one thing to be helping Sasuke but it was something else to be lying to him and pretending emotions. I didn't want the whole world on my shoulders, to be going to the Island, to love Sasuke so much that I'd do anything to save him.
Love? Why that word, that particular emotion?
"I.. I can't." I manage to wheeze before turning away from Jiraiya's scowl.
I couldn't do that to Sasuke.
Never.
One more day..
xx
Silence trickles in with sanity to keep the day moving, flowing, breathing.. Everyone in the Mansion is tense and scared, the perfect combination to feed into the hushed atmosphere. It takes all of my strength to make promises, knowing that I'll break them.
"No, Hinata, please don't cry. You won't leave! No one will! I promise."
"Ne, Shika, why the long face? You'd better save it for tomorrow, when I cream you in dodgeball again. It's a promise."
"Sakura.. Sakura, we won't die in the Island. I'll.. Sai and I.. We'll make sure that the Island regrets the day we step foot in it. Where are you going? Don't.."
My promises are left unheard and seeing Sakura's back is only one of the many setbacks of the day. Glimpses of Sai and his reassuring smile helps me from going crazy but when evening rolls around, not even his hand on my own can help me from fidgeting.
Where is the confident boy from two weeks ago? The same one who was convinced that no one would leave? That the Mansion would be home for everyone forever and ever...?
I have to dig nails into my palms to keep from flinching when I walk into the room that will tell our fates. The whole world is watching and I have to be strong. I have to.
"You're not alone, you know."
Just one more day.
Sai bumps shoulders with me and I look away. My friends are starting to walk into the room with the same dazed look that I have. I knew what they were thinking. Chouji, Lee, Ino... They were all wondering how we had gotten this far and why it was stopping here. None of them look at me and I can't bear to look at them.
Was it shame that linked us together now? The dread that three orphans would leave and never come back?
Was this friendship?
Then I see him and it's like all of my resolve, my determination, my heart crumbles into dust.
Black hair (the night on the hill, before I knew who he was.. Watching as he sat there, staring at the same set of stars), the dark pools in his eyes (breaking the glass, the first taste of him mixed with blood and sweat), flawless ivory skin (mocking me, taunting me, challenging me to defy him), a dark blue shirt on his tall, toned frame (his body against my own as he tells me about Kiba, refusing to retaliate against my anger), and long legs hidden in black jeans (spending time together, small touches, warm lips against my own).
"Before Sasuke announces the winning and losing team, I would like to say a few words." Kakashi pauses and stares at our hypnotized faces. "I didn't know it was possible, but I've seen transformations in all of you... Some of you have become more outspoken in your beliefs, more fixed on your morals. Others of you have found strength within yourself to help your teammates and, more importantly, yourself. You have all faced losses that you have somehow found a way to overcome."
He walks forward and then gestures to the rest of the counselors. As if on cue, they walk with Kakashi and face us.
"No matter what happens in these next few moments, I want everyone here to understand... The Mansion may have been one part of it all, but it couldn't have provided the strength and courage. That can only be found within yourself."
Iruka suddenly steps forward. "And no matter where you are.. In the Mansion, in the Island, out on the streets. You will always have yourself."
He's interrupted when Gai catapults himself into the crowd with tears streaming from his face.
"What is the use of these long talks, Kakashi, when there is no physical contact?! I want to say good bye to all of these pea blossoms before they depart for the unknown!" Green spandex squeaks as Gai clutches Lee to his chest. "I WILL MISS YOU, MY BEAUTIFUL PROTEGE."
It's as if Gai's words have triggered the laughter and permission for other counselors to walk forward and join their teams. I watch as Kakashi stares at Gai before chuckling and shaking his head. The room becomes enveloped with the sound of precious smiles and tears as if the Mansion is joining us in our last evening together. It burns my eyes to see Hinata and Shino embrace their counselor and act like there's nothing wrong, like their names aren't on the bulletin board as the team with the least amount of points.. They believe in hope, even on a night like this.
"Naruto.. Sai.. Sakura." Kakashi offers a small smile and ruffles my hair when I grunt a reply. "Is there anything I can say to lighten up the atmosphere?"
"Yeah, pervert sensei. You can tell us that no one is going to leave."
For a second, I see Kakashi's face filled with regret. Just that one second gives me the answer that I need. What I wanted was something that I would never get...
"Please, Naruto. I don't want to fight with you. Not this night."
I sigh before forcing a smile on my face. When it came down to it, it wasn't Kakashi decision to oust a team. It was Sasuke's.
Sakura grabs my hand and squeezes it reassuringly. "But Kakashi.. We never got to see you without your mask on!" She taps her lip thoughtfully before lighting up. "How about.. We won't argue with you and you'll show us the oh so secretive face behind the mask?"
"Ah.. Now that I cannot do." Kakashi raises a hand when we start to protest. "It's only because I don't want to endanger your lives. As I've told you time and time again, my face is too beautiful to show to the general public. Can you imagine the hoard of enamored girls who would gladly trample over every one of you just to lay a hand on my chiseled jaw, my flawless skin, my..."
"Triple chins.."
Sakura giggles. "Vampire fangs."
"Moles."
"Lip piercing."
"Buck teeth."
"Huge nostrils."
Kakashi raises an eyebrow. "Shocking how well versed my students are.."
Sai crosses his arms. "It looks like Sasuke's about to speak. Don't you want to support him, counselor?"
"I could.. But Gai might kill me if I don't grant a parting word to my Team."
He sticks out a hand and looks Sai in the eye, voice soft. "We might not have gotten off to a good start, Sai, but you've proven that you have the capacity to care for others. Especially your teammates." He smiles. "I hope you'll choose your future wisely. I would hate for you to lose another precious person."
Sai looks like he's going to walk away for a second but he shakes Kakashi's hand instead.
"Sakura.. Something inside me tells me that you'll be content to hear anything. But I think I'll stick to the truth. If you ever leave the Mansion, I know you'll survive. Don't ever doubt yourself. You're too strong to do that." He wavers and then stretches his arms to hug her. A whisper floats to her ears. "You don't need to get rid of the people inside of you. Learn to live with them and they'll help you along the way."
They stay like that for a few more minutes before Kakashi lets go and winks at her. He then turns to me and sizes me up before shaking his head.
"Eh?" I grin and shrug. "Nothing to say to me?"
"Only one. You made the right choice."
My eyes widen and I only have a moment to figure out what he means before Kakashi ruffles my hair.
"All right then. Let's have one last hug before I make my way to the front? Got to fulfill my requirements of being the extraordinarily sappy counselor."
Sai, Sakura, and I reluctantly squeeze together but Kakashi's arms never wrap around us. Instead, his hands blur, Sakura's eyes widen, and the mask falls down.
"Oops."
And then he walks away, leaving me to stare at Sakura and Sai with disbelief in my eyes.
"Did that just happen?"
"He.. wasn't kidding, was he?"
There's a few more minutes of dumbfounded silence before Sai finally snaps out of it and scowls.
"Let's just pretend that never happened. For our sake and his."
I'm about to answer when my attention is diverted by Sasuke's smooth voice. The room slips away as anxiety pours over me like a monstrous tidal wave, eating away at my control. There's something strange about the way Sasuke is staring at us. It's too dark, too intense. I can't look away any more than I can look away from death.
Why? Why does he look like that? Where is his humanity?
Sasuke crosses his arms and a slight sneer breaks his face. "Every year, there's always one Team that fails to meet the standards of the Uchiha Mansion. As everyone here should know, this place has no use for the weak or the criminal. The method that I use to pinpoint this certain Team is a competition of sorts. Groups against groups, competing to win the most points. After four major Events, I announce the winning Team and the losing Team as well as the Team that will be expelled from the Island."
My voice freezes in my throat and it's impossible to say what I want, to protest, to fight the evil crowning Sasuke's soul. I shiver violently and Sai grasps my hand. Sasuke sharply looks my way and there's nothing recognizable in his stare.
"The winning Team from the Leaf dorm is.."
Where is the drumroll? The fake laughter? The cheers?
"Team Seven." Sasuke smiles, but nothing about his smile is true. "Congratulations, Team Seven."
How did this happen?
Why?
"Unfortunately, there is a loser as well. I regret to announce that Hinata and Shino from Team Eight have the least amount of points."
As soon as the words escape Sasuke's lips, a barrage of noise starts. Protests, complaints, and gasps overwhelm Sasuke but he only stands there, passive.
"It's not fair! They only had two people on their Team! For crying out loud, their teammate was expelled!" Ino stomps over to Hinata and crosses her arm. "There's no way that I'm allowing you to take them away."
"SASUKE-SAMA, PLEASE RECONSIDER! LOOK AT HINATA'S CUTE BLUSH! SHINO'S YOUTHFUL GLASSES! NOTHING ABOUT THEM IS WEAK AT ALL!"
Even Shikamaru and Chouji make their way over to Shino and Hinata, glaring at Sasuke who never takes his eyes off of me. The temperature is suddenly too cold to bear and I have to keep from squeezing Sai's hand into a bloody pulp. More noise surrounds us until the room is divided into two. Hinata, Shino, and the rest of the orphans. And on the other side, my Team.
"Team Seven.." Sasuke's eyes narrow and he gestures to the other side of the room. "Why aren't you taking your rightful position besides the losers? Too proud to resort to begging?"
"No." I grind through my teeth. "We have something to say."
Sasuke scowls and it's like I've never been with him, never made him laugh, never felt his touch, never seen his true side.
"Do tell us what you need to say, Team Seven."
I take a breath, but it hurts to inhale or open my mouth or anything. I've never felt so weak or pathetic. "We-"
Sai suddenly steps forward. "-would like to take the loser's position."
A dark shadow casts over Sasuke's face. "What?"
Sakura suddenly takes my other hand. "We want to leave."
Silence falls again, leaving me to withstand Sasuke's cold stare. His every movement is like a warning sign going off in my head - it's like the sun is gone and there's a demon hiding in the mirror. I can't understand why the Uchiha is acting this way when, just days ago, he had seen me vulnerable. What had happened during these last few days? Why was he so cold?
Why can't I get over the feeling that something terrible is happening?
Trying to brush aside my suspicions, I force myself to grin and scratch my head. "We uhh.. Heard from someone that the winners could give their points to the losing team. Now, not to get a big head or nothing, but Sakura, Sai, and I figured that we'd win. So we decided that we can't stand seeing someone carted off to the Island.. Not when we could have stopped it."
"Yeah. I mean, at first I thought Naruto was crazy for bringing up the conversation. But..." Sakura looks down. "I realized that I've learned enough from the Mansion. And someone wise just told me that I can live on my own out there... Anywhere.. even the Island."
Sasuke's cold voice never changes. "Do you understand what you're saying, Team Seven? The Island is not some cozy house or even a normal jail. It's-"
"N-no! Naruto-kun, you can't."
I smile at Hinata. "I promised you that you wouldn't go there."
"Y-you said that.. That no one would go." Hinata blushes when she realizes that everyone is staring at her like she's grown three heads. "T-That was your promise, Naruto-kun."
"Whatever he promised," Sasuke cuts in snidely. "Is not good enough. Team Seven, I'm going to ask you one more time. Will you take the losing Team's place and go to the Island?"
One more day..
One more hour..
Without a single trace of hesitation, Sakura nods. "Yes."
"Yes."
"Yes."
As soon as the words leave my lips, an explosion of activity attacks everyone. The orphans are all shoved out of the room, Kakashi pushes us into another room, the counselors follow us, and chaotic noise leaves its trail. I can't feel anything other than the dread at seeing Sasuke's face when I had said yes. It was like a demon had possessed his face, like pure darkness had covered his emotions, like satisfaction.
"Good job, kids. Ten years and not one single Team has had the courage to do something like this. This is a special year, yes it is."
The whisper reaches my ears, but I can't tell who it is. Another person soon bumps into us and shakes our hands. Confusion leaves its imprint on Sakura, Sai, and my face. Kakashi keeps shoving us into the direction of a smaller room and it's not until we've set foot in it that he hastily whispers something.
"I'm not supposed to say anything until Sasuke has officially announced it, but you kids aren't going to the Island. It was all a ruse, just another little test to see if-"
Jiraiya suddenly appears and grins. "Hey brat! Didn't expect to see you here. Excited, ain't ya? Stop looking so shit-faced, this is a good thing-"
"AH, TEAM SEVEN! SUCH ELOQUENCE! SUCH SELFLESSNESS! OH, I WISH THE ISLAND COULD HAVE SEEN SUCH YOUT-"
I don't know what's going on other than the fact that everyone in the little room seems to be either grinning, shaking my hand, or slapping my back. Bit by bit, a sense of relief and warmth floods into my skin, making it easier to breathe, to smile at Sai and Sakura. In the corner of my eye, I see Jiraiya popping champagne and laughing loudly. The complete insanity is overwhelming but I manage to keep a tight grip on both Sakura and Sai's hands.
"You see, Neji was supposed to tell you these things so you would have the information to completely change the fate of the losing Team. Had you not been willing to take the loser's place, you would have actually been on the boat to the Island as we speak."
"Can't believe this is the Team that's broken the record. Let it be known that Haruno Sakura, Sai, and Uzumaki Nar-"
*SLAM*
The noise of the door immediately silences the aimless chatter inside the little room.
Sasuke?
"It has come to my attention that certain events have taken place, completely changing the situation. There will be no party, no celebration, nothing to delude Team Seven's happiness for much longer. I understand that this isn't-"
"With all due respect, Sasuke, I believe this is unnecessary."
Sasuke looks sharply at Kakashi before shaking his head. "I regret to say that this is necessary. Please remove yourselves from this room with the exception of Team Seven."
A few people grumble before walking out of the room, leaving Jiraiya, Kakashi, Sakura, Sai, and me to stare at Sasuke's clenched fists and the venom pouring out of his words.
"Jiraiya. Kakashi. Please get out of this room. You know the protocol."
Kakashi calmly leans against the wall, boring holes into Sasuke with his omniscient eyes. "This is petty behavior, Sasuke. Nothing Naruto has done deserves this treatment."
"What do you know about any of this, Kakashi-san?" Sasuke spits out the last word like it hurts. "Who are you to judge me and my actions? What I say goes in this house and I don't want to see you trampling over my authority."
"This ain't authority, kid. This is pure hate." Jiraiya tries to place a hand on Sasuke's shoulder, but Sasuke quickly grabs his arm and pushes him against the wall.
"I will only say this once. Get. Out."
There's a pause as Jiraiya and Kakashi look at each other and silently communicate what to do. During those few seconds, I see discarded memories piling in my head, injecting various emotions into my body. Fear. Regret. Sorrow.
"Naruto.. What's.. What's going on?"
"I don't know, Sakura. Just.. Don't worry. I'll be with you."
The door slams as Jiraiya and Kakashi leave the room. There's nothing funny about the unopened champagne in the corner of the room, the nasty tension that's brewing from Sasuke's glare, the melted happiness from my lungs.
And then I finally ask the question that has been haunting me the entire night.
"Sasuke, what's going on?"
He slowly turns around to face us and everything has been wiped clean from his eyes. There are no words to describe it because there are no emotions.
Look at what I've done. I've created a beast.
"Isn't love frightening, Naruto? It makes you perfect. It makes you untouchable." Sasuke grins and his teeth are bared, like he's about to rip out my heart. "But love can't save you now."
"What are you talking about?!" I want to scream, but all I can do is pull Sakura and Sai closer to me. "You crazy bastard, will you talk some sense? Will you just tell me what I've done?"
"You did nothing, Naruto. That's all you did. And you'll pay by going to the Island. All three of you."
His laughter stays with us even after he leaves, after Sakura breaks down, after Sai punches the wall in anger...
…and after I lose everything.
I saw him with Sai. In bed together, talking, dreaming about the Island. That was when it started. The paranoia, the suspicions, the hurt... And then I heard him talking to Jiraiya as if I were just some toy, a dispensable pawn in this game of perfection. That's when I realized how much of a fool I was.
I need to win this game. I need to rip him apart, just as much as he ripped my life. I need to remember why I lived.
I need to get rid of him.
-Sasuke
AN: Typed this up in a hurry. Will go back and edit! Just wanted to post this before I go to dinner. :D
So I had this hugeeeee drought in my writing and the main culprits were summer, the newest Harry Potter film, and gay boys on Big Brother UK. I know what you guys are thinking. "This girl has friends. Loads of them." Yeah, right, well.. We'll see what you have to say about that when gay people take over YOUR life.
Enough about my lack of life. Thank you to all of my reviewers and readers who have stuck with me and given me freaking awesome reviews. Don't think that I don't read them because I DO. I love critiques, especially, and bonus points to those who can can actually put up with this story's Sasuke. Another thing I want to mention is that certain bands and styles of music will always be in my life and without them, this chapter would have never been formed. Sometimes, I just want to scrap the story and just post chapters FILLED with lyrics. But that might result in my decapitation by angry people, so I'll stick to putting certain lyrics in dialogue. Sneaky, who me? Ha. Lastly, there is this wonderful, awesome girl in my life. Her name is Sauna. She writes "Disenchanted." We are probably going to meet someday and make beautiful babies.
