Pull The Trigger
Chapter 8
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Naruto's fist day at school is a memorable one. He's dressed in clothes he would usually never wear, but Iruka forced him to 'look nice'. Of course what Iruka thinks is neat and appropriate is actually weird. He falls horribly out of tone, dressed so orderly in a sea of kids in tank tops and polo's and clingy jeans and tee-shirts. He doesn't know however that Sasuke actually thinks that the sober black and white suits him.
They meet up by the buss station, Sakura has already went to sit with her friends. Sasuke sees him first. He looks so incredibly nervous he at first doesn't recognize him. When Naruto's eyes finally meet his own after having searched the crowd almost frantically, his face lights up with relief.
'Hey.'
'…' Sasuke tries to smile.
'What? Oh my god, it's the bag isn't it?' Naruto replies in complete agony.
The bag he's referring to is much like the one Sasuke first owned, all cellar tape and patches, except that it's a faded, ugly, beige color, at least three decades years old. Sasuke shakes his head and laughs at him, only in such a way that no one sees.
'Forget the bag. It'll be fine.'
Naruto snorts and looks like he's in torture.
'I survived my first day, right? You're acting like a kid.'
'Yeah well… Fucking hell Sasuke, I'm not like you! I can't give all the girls sudden multiple orgasms by just batting my eyelashes, okay?!'
Sasuke looks at him funny.
'Fuck! I'm just tense, alright? Sorry.'
All is well and forgotten. Sasuke leads the way through the large entry. Inside most of the kids don't pay any attention to them. Not many people know that he's new, new in the middle of the year. In fact, only Sakura knows because she's class rep, but actually that might mean that Ino knows too.
In the corridors it's too crowded. Because of the exceptionally windy weather outside everyone stays in. Girls excitedly report on their weekend to friends they haven't seen for two days, and most of the boys are huddled together, discussing parties, girls, videogames and hairstyles.
Through one of the corridors walks Neji. He's combed his long brown hair back into a flawless, loose ponytail and looks stunning as ever. Dressed in black and white, much like Naruto himself, he looks more like a young teacher that a student. Academic, intelligent, ever so handsome. Perfectly achieved nonchalance. A face of stone. On his right hand walks Ten-Ten, his girlfriend. She's slender and tall, Chinese nobility, or so the rumor goes. Her brown, silk hair knotted up on her heart-shaped head in two intricate knots. Her big brown eyes, framed by long blackened eyelashes, look down her nose at the others. She's wearing a pale blue skirt, well above the knee, and a white blouse. Together they are lord and lady, king and queen of school.
It is only Murphy's law that Naruto, pushed and a little bit freaked out by all the hysterics around him, people screaming at each other about weekends and dates, stumbles in front of their feet, right in their path. More exactly, right on Neji's nose. It's like a scene from a bad comedy, only slowed down and more embarrassing. So horribly, painfully inevitable and uncomfortable.
Neji is about a good head taller than him so when they collide it is Naruto that crashes with his back against the lockers. Neji actually halts, he never usually does, not if he's feeling superior, and turns to look him in the face.
'Don't walk in front of me.' He says in such a voice that, even drenched the noise and commotion, every sound of it reaches Naruto's ears.
His eyes, evanescent grey, blue in the sunlight, regard him with such disrespect and scorn that Naruto feels the little monster inside his belly twirl. He has a temper but is usually strong enough to keep it in check. Sure when he is treated with injustice he gets angry but normally, it never really gets to real physical harm. Why this day is different, one might blame on his nerves.
Nothing changes it though. Nothing keeps him from getting back up, stepping in front of him and scowling right back at the king of High School, sneering:
'I think the corridor is big enough for both of us.'
It's not maybe the words that do it but the tone of voice. Neji himself has never been regarded with such insolence. There is absolutely no fear, just intense dislike, and frustration too, in the voice. Neji takes one step forward, tall and threatening he is, even more handsome from up close. Behind him Ten-ten moves silently out of his way.
'Who the fuck are you?' He says in such a low, yet thundering voice that the lights above them seem to flicker.
'Who do you think you are, asking me?' Naruto replies, just as menacing, feeling bigger than he is.
Neji travels his eyes over Naruto's small frame slowly, dripping with condescending irony. He lifts a hand and picks at the blond's old white shirt and decrepit bag with a disgusted look on his face. He says, and there is that hurtful scorn in his voice again that makes Naruto's eyes go red in front:
'Someone with a better sense of fashion.'
Then there is that tiny little change in the atmosphere, the little spark that absolutely ignites everything. Naruto slaps the hands away from his shirt and with his own hand pushes Neji against his shoulder with a force that you wouldn't expect him to possess. Neji falls back against the lockers on the other side of the narrow corridor and his face is worth taking a picture of, he looks that surprised.
Just for about one second after that when the students around them shut up to realize what's going on, both parties get up and fly at each other's throat like rabid vultures... It's not really certain who threw the first punch (although later Naruto will proudly admit that it was him), both are equally fast.
In the meantime Sasuke watches from a distance and is in complete shock. After having lost sight of Naruto for maybe a few seconds, he finds him clashing fists with the most adored boy in school. He pushes forward hurriedly but is forced to duck to avoid a punch by Neji, aimed for Naruto's head.
'Sick freak.' The taller one manages utter between clenched teeth. It might be the first time that he's ever been this unconcerned about keeping up a reputation.
It's not really clear who's winning, with Neji pinning Sasuke's blond to the wall and smacking his fist in the general direction of his face, and Naruto hunched up like a boxer throwing punches in Neji's gut. What he does know is that Neji's the crowd's favorite. It's the encouraging shouts from the audience that make him snap out of his indecision.
He steps forward and, endangering his own bloody life in the process, tears them apart, holding a viciously growling Naruto with his arm against the lockers. Neji stumbles backwards again with the same expression of shocked offense on his face. Sasuke however has no time to savor it because he's got his hands full with kicking and screaming Naruto.
'Bastard, I'm gonna kill you!' The little demon roars.
Only then, when the damage is already done does someone get the incredibly clever idea to go and get a teacher. If he hadn't been holding Naruto back with all his strength, Sasuke might have rolled his eyes.
'Shit! GO FUCKING REDO YOUR STUPID PONYTAIL YOU PRICK!' Naruto screams as he furiously smears the blood under his nose with the ripped sleeve of his formerly white shirt.
Thankfully the teacher arrives just in time to prevent Neji from going at him for a second time. He looks a little scared to be honest and peeks over his shoulder desperately, praying for back up as he stands shaking in between the two warriors.
The bell goes and backup arrives. They usher the persistent students to their classes. Sasuke too wants to disappear in the crowd but a firm hand on his shoulder keeps him from taking a step.
'Why don't you three come with us.'
No way, he thinks, life can not be this unfair.
-
Apparently it is. Naruto sits next to him silently sulking on a hard chair. They're in the infirmary and the air smells sharply of disinfectant. Sasuke has his hands crossed over his chest and fumes. He refuses to look at the boy beside him, nor at the other one at the end of the room, sitting on a hospital bed pressing ice against a wound on his eye. Naruto is picking at the cotton in his nose, soaking up the bloody remnant of a nosebleed. It's actually getting a little blue near the bridge of his nose.
In front of them is the nurse who is avidly putting up a file for them both, her pen scratching against the paper is the only sound that breaks the oppressive silence.
'Hyuuga Neji, Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto. Right. OK. You are registered. First day of school for you Naruto, and already a record, I must say… Not exactly what we like to see.' She says without lifting her black eyes from the papers.
She stands up and picks up an empty cup as she walks to the door.
'I'll be right back with the principle, nobody move a muscle.'
She eyes all three of them once and then closes the door after her. The silence that follows is only filled with breathing and Sasuke's foot tapping the floor in an annoyed, rhythmic fashion. He doesn't avert his eyes but hears the ruffling of fabrics beside him. Naruto's hand secretly tugs his coat.'
'Sasuke…' He says, really quietly as if he doesn't wants Neji to hear them.
It's a futile attempt because his voice is painfully clear in the absolute silence and grey scornful eyes immediately flash over to focus on the back of Naruto's head.
'Come on…'
'Get off me.' Sasuke sneers and slaps away the hand. Then he shakes his head.
'What the fuck were you thinking?' He asks with genuine curiosity.
'…He started it.' Naruto's tiny voice sounds, bratty like a four-year-olds.
Sasuke snorts in disgust and unbelief, and from the other side of the room Neji does the same. Both of them lock eyes for just a second. It's a strange moment. Neji is not just anyone it seems. His eyes are familiar. The grayness hides something else, something secret that for some reason doesn't feel alien to Sasuke.
They look away. It feels like treachery.
-
So the sentence is just what one would expect. All three have several weeks of detention in which they are to help with the painting of the new building and cleaning up the general area. Principle Tsunade, the iron lady with flashing brown eyes delivers them the unhappy news with a smile on her face. Guess what! She can actually purchase a new set of schoolbooks for the library because of the money she saved in cancelling the professional help she'd hired in the first place! Naruto and Sasuke and Neji are forced to say: 'you're welcome'. It's one of the most embarrassing moments of their lives.
-
The rest of the day goes fine. As good as can be expected. Of course Naruto has built up a reputation for himself, instantly, he's proud. Subjects are difficult for him and he doesn't think he'll pass but that's a problem for the future. Either he'll figure it out or he'll double, it doesn't really matter. What does matter is that Sasuke doesn't talk to him for the rest of the day.
The last bell goes and Naruto can't take it anymore.
'Sasuke! Will you look at me, Dammit!' He cries as they walk down the road, distancing themselves from the great mass outside he school gates.
The latter suddenly turns around and says:
'I thought you wanted to start over. What happened to that?'
'Well if starting over means allowing for Hyuuga-fucking-stick-up-his-ass-Neji to walk all over you then, no thanks!'
Sasuke shakes his head at him. They don't really share the same opinion concerning school and blending in and such. Mainly Sasuke is pissed at himself. He should have known that Naruto is a person to bright and spontaneous to go unnoticed. He was never a type to be invisible like himself. Everyone is always and everywhere attracted to him, revolving around him, he's a planet, he's said so before.
'Come on, you saw what happened.' Naruto says to him softly.
Yes he did. He's just scared.
-
Up in the sky the sun is a brilliant orb of warm light making the horizon shimmer almost violently. It's way to hot for the time of the year, a lush spring afternoon. Sasuke lies back completely content with his head against the hot leather seat. The corners of his mouth ache, he hasn't really smiled as much as this in a very long time. Next to him is Naruto, obviously, who's never been far these recent times, not since the fight.
The latter is driving. That's right. Iruka has been giving him driving lessons in the old, beat up tractor ever since he started school again. Surprisingly, there haven't been any accidents yet. The radio is on but the noise seems to be coming from very far away, it's distant. What's not so distant is Naruto himself, breathing and warm next to him in the other seat. His voice is a pleasant little waterfall of sounds. Sometimes Sasuke wonders what he always has to talk about. Things that happened on the street, things he saw, funny commercials, his thoughts, whatever.
Then the shaking of the tractor stops suddenly and Sasuke opens his eyes, not realizing he'd closed them in the first place.
'You even listening to me?' Naruto asks him and you can see that he's trying really hard to look serious, the attempt horribly fails because there is that everlasting smile of his breaking through.
'Here I am telling you my hopes and dreams and fears and you're asleep!' He cries out, exasperated.
Sasuke grunts and stretches.
'I'm sure I didn't miss anything.'
Naruto mocks offense and hits the other on the arm, hard.
'Fuck that, I'm out of here.'
He hassles the handle on the door three times and then manages to crack it open large enough for him to jump out. The tall grass reaches to his knees. They're in the field, the earth is dry and the wind is almost non-existent.
'Have a good life Sasuke!' Naruto cries to him, amused.
Sasuke tries to grab his shirt but he's not quick enough. He leans forward, through the open window and shouts:
'I'm sorry. Please do tell me about all your hopes and dreams and whatever.' He sounds ironic but Naruto knows he not.
Life has been good. There's no denying that and even Sasuke had to deal with it. It seems like everything that happened in the city was someone else's life. It's not a distant memory, it'll never be like that, but it's not as close as it used to be. Both actually have other things to dream about. For instance the upcoming summer, or even closer: the approaching school trip.
Both Naruto and Sasuke aren't really all that excited about the trip, for them it feels like holidays all the time. They make out in the tractor, drive it, sleep in it. They go running together sometimes, although that usually leads to something else (blame solitude and panting). Iruka cooks for them, they cook for Iruka. It's actually weird, they think, that he hasn't figured it out already, with all the sleepovers and stuff.
The sunny cloudless sky lifts their spirits. So yeah, Naruto gets back in the tractor and they make out fiercely but tenderly at the same time, something that they're very good at. In fact Sasuke is right in the middle of ripping off Naruto's shirt (the damn buttons just won't open) when the latter suddenly sits up and faces the window.
'Fuck' Is all he says, but the tone of his voice awakens something fearful in Sasuke that makes him rise lightening-fast, he hasn't felt like this since a long time.
Just at the side of the dirt road leading to the forest, not more than a couple metres to the right, is the retreating back of an expensive-looking silver car as it speedily drives away, the metal glittering in the bright sunlight.
Both boys look at each other and for a moment it's not really clear what they're thinking. Maybe a hesitant: 'he didn't see us right', or a shocked: 'what the fuck!'. In reality, they don't know what to think. It's always been them, and just them. No one has ever really known or witnessed anything of their relationship. The fact that the fragile intimacy was disturbed hits them like a bullet.
'Do you think he saw?' Naruto asks with a quiet voice.
Sasuke doesn't respond immediately. For one, he doesn't know whether they were visible or not, and second, he doesn't really think that Naruto is afraid the same way he is. He knows that his dear friend doesn't care for anyone's opinion apart from his own, which he thinks of very highly, like the word of god. He knows that if, hates to even think it, but if their relationship becomes public, he would probably have the least trouble dealing with it.
Sasuke however, and he doesn't really know why, would rather than anything in the world keep what he and Naruto share, intimate, secret and just between the two of them. Maybe it's because he wants to fit in, but that's unlikely. He doesn't particularly like or respect the students he goes to school with. More likely it's because he wants to have a normal life with no trouble. He's had enough trouble to last him a lifetime.
The truth is that they're just that scared of change. Everything has been going fine, more than fine, it's wonderful. Why alter that? Why come public if it's no one's business? Why undergo the trouble if just the two of them are enough? Everything is perfect now, so let's not fuck it up.
-
That night both have gone to their separate beds, and both of them can't sleep. There's a restlessness, an anxiety that wasn't there before. Sasuke can't stop thinking about the silver car, driving away over the dirt path. For some reason he reminds himself of Neji's sky-coloured, scornful eyes and he hears a voice in his ear. It's Karin's. He remembers her snapping at Juugo.
'Christ Juugo will you stop giving Sasuke the goo-goo eyes already. Honestly you're such a fag sometimes.'
It's strange, he hasn't thought about them for weeks.
Naruto, in his place, is lying in bed as well, eyes wide open on the ceiling. He sees the moving shadow of the tree just outside his window. The dark spots that drift around the walls, like sombre clouds. He thinks about Iruka, and how he doesn't want to be a pain. He want to spare him any suffering, same goes for Sasuke. If only he could make a deal with god, he'd tell him: blame me, I'll take the pain, I'll take it all. That's just the way his mind works, it's just the way his heart is.
-
The next day it's a Tuesday, and Naruto arrives before Sasuke does, so he waits. He sits outside the gates and watches people pass. He waves at Sakura who waves back with a sweet smile on her face. She's with that girl, Ino, who's wearing the most impossibly short, black skirt he's ever seen, he's seen a lot. Sure Ino is gorgeous, anyone with eyes can see that. He smiles at her too and she winks at him.
For Naruto it's all innocent, and in a way he's right. Although from the outside Ino looks so obviously like a woman, she is still a child inside. She likes the power she has over men, uses it to get what she wants, but never abuses it in the way that she could. It doesn't cross her mind. She's still young.
Naruto has no watch, though if he had one right now, he'd be looking at it constantly. Sasuke's late. He knows by the decreasing amount of pupils flowing through the gates, and by the speed of their walking, that it's almost time. He still remains seated, like the loyal dog he is.
A silver car pulls up the driveway. It parks in the only spot left. The windows are black but Naruto's heart has already started beating a little faster so he knows what's coming. The door to the passenger seat opens first and Tenten gets out. She straightens her back and put on her dark sunglasses. They obviously cost a fortune, and the sun's not even out properly. She walks around the car and opens the other door, leans in so Naruto's view is obstructed. He can hear her laughter, clear and high, like a bell. Then she pulls back and heads for the gates as well. She doesn't spare him one look, instead walks over the path with the style and confidence that belongs on the runway. To her everything is a show.
Naruto follows her with his eyes subtly, but then his attention is pulled back to the silver car again. Neji stands there. He's wearing sunglasses too, but he takes them off and throws them back in the car, absentmindedly. He looks at him now. There's a tiny moment on his face, something like shock, or maybe something darker. Whatever it is, it's only there for a second.
He throws the door closed and the sound is deafening in the suddenly empty parking lot. The closing beep-beep that comes after is too. Neji walks up to him. Naruto suddenly has an itch on his nose, he wonders if it's still blue around his eyes. Nonsense of course, the bruises already cleared up days ago.
'Waiting for someone?' Neji asks with a knowing voice that dares the boy in front of him to say yes.
Naruto looks at him with courageous blue eyes from beneath his eyebrows.
'No.'
Neji's face is all mask, but behind the mask there is frustration. He smiles in a wicked sort of way, twisting his features. It's sad at the same time. He looks around like a skittish horse and sneers at him.
'You two disgust me.
Naruto doesn't move a muscle. Fuck that silver car, fuck it all. He just looks up, straight into those storm-colored eyes. They meet his head on. For a second Neji think he'll hit the blond. Or maybe he's scared of being hit. Whatever the case, he turns away. He follows after Tenten.
-
The rest of the day Sasuke doesn't show up. Naruto waited for him, he missed the entire first hour. He doesn't really care about that, he does care about that prick not showing up. He has an idea of why he might be avoiding school.
At lunch, there is that frustrating question, the one everybody has dealt or will deal with eventually. Where to sit? Naruto usually just sits wherever Sasuke's sitting, which is at Sakura's table. By himself though, he doesn't know whether it's alright or not. He's not really friends with them. Hasn't really talked with them, not about real stuff anyway.
He's thankfully put out of his misery by Sakura, who calls him and waves him over. He smiles at her and rushes to the seat next to her. Shikamaru sits in front of him, next to Kiba and Chouji. Ino sits at the other side, at Sakura's right.
'Sasuke stayed home. Sorry I didn't say before. I forgot. He was feeling sick.'
He nods. Inside his head he scowls. You're not feeling sick, you're scared is all.
'Sasuke told us you used to live in the city, that's where you met.' Kiba states, and all eyes are on him, curious for more.
'He said that?'
'Yeah, that's all he tells us though. He's fucking secretive.' Kiba answers.
'Kiba!' Sakura hisses. For politeness sake. It's the absolute truth actually.
'We used to go to school together.' Naruto says after a little pause, in which he took a tiny sip of his juice.
'Was he…quiet, there too?' It's Shikamaru who asks this time, no sign of anything on his face.
'I don't know. I guess so. We… weren't really friends then.'
Naruto quickly scans all their faces. He can see that Shikamaru and Kiba have their own opinion, they all look slightly haughty. Sakura's face is in deep thought, which makes him think. Does she even know what her foster brother went through before he came here. She must have known he did time in Juvie. Does she know about what happened before?
Then Naruto feels something hit the back of his head. It bounces back a little and falls in his hood. With something inside warning him he rapidly plucks it out of the hood. It's can of coke. It open. It's not empty. He swears and puts the can on the table, feeling with his hands how big the damage is. Behind him he hears laughter erupt. He doesn't have to look back to know whose the can was, but he does anyway and he's proven right. Neji of course.
'Do you have some kind of trouble with that guy?' Shikamaru asks him.
Naruto shakes his head without a moment of hesitation.
'No.'
Kiba sighs, checks whether the can of coke is finally empty, doubts, and then drains the rest. Ino says 'yuk'. Sakura looks at him funny. Kiba licks his lips, and then states with all the confidence in the world:
'Well, Hyuuga is just natural jerk, don't worry about it.'
The sound of a chair being pulled back startles them all. They've all forgotten Hinata was sitting there, as always. She stands with her arms pressed to her body, her fists clenched and her eyes are on Kiba. Eyes the same, pale-blue color that Neji has, Naruto notices.
'He is not a jerk. He's not. He just sad. That's all.'
With those words, it seems like she pales underneath her angry flush. Like she's said too much. Then she turns 180 degrees and rushes away, through the doors.
'Shit.' Ino says.
'Hinata…' Sakura sighs and looks after her with pain in her eyes.
Everyone looks at Kiba.
'What?! I forgot they were cousins!'
-
Updated.