Sightless chap. 3
Nikki: So the first part of this chapter is in Naruto's P.O.V because I felt like it and then the rest is back in Sasuke's. And to clarify for a few readers, if a painting has enough paint layers (Van Gogh comes to mind) you can trace the images because they practically pop off the page. Naruto is doing this with Itachi's and Sasuke's pieces.
Sasuke Uchiha is a cold bastard to everyone. I know because he avoids everyone except those few who were close to him.
I'm not one of them. One of the few close to him, I mean. I am a nuisance to the raven. I pull him down with me in our report. I ruin his reputation without meaning to but he doesn't even care.
And with his words, everything I think Sasuke Uchiha is, shatters and is replaced with something else.
My wrist is pulled harshly and I know that the fingers aren't Gaara's. Gaara's hands are rough with the callouses all sculptors have; this hand is soft yet strong.
"Sasuke?" I am confused. Am I not supposed to touch the paintings Gaara says are hanging in the hallway?
"Don't touch that painting. That's my brother's," His velvety voice is ringing too close to my ear. It tickles and I want to push him away, but I can't. "Here, you'll like this one better. This one has lots of coatings. You can feel the picture beneath the paint."
My hand is placed on top of a frame that obviously holds the painting Sasuke is talking about. I run my hand up and down, trying to figure out any pieces of the puzzle I can't see. Like Sasuke promised the paint is in many layers and the brush strokes practically stand off the paper. I can't determine any shapes that led to its subject so I deem it an abstract painting.
"What color is it?" I can feel the upturn of Sasuke's lips against my neck because of the smile he must be wearing plus he's standing a little too close. Well it is probably a smirk but I imagine they're the same thing. I have never seen colors to have a reference of what it all looks like but it just seems like a good question to ask. I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings by not inquiring about their work.
My hand is held by its wrist gently. "Where your hand is now its blue-green." My hand is moved upward and to the left, "Here it's red-orange." My hand is moved in circular motions over a portion of the art. "And this whole section is mustard yellow."
He is very excited. And he sounds like he's happy too. But I can't picture Sasuke with a smile on his face. In my mind he is this tall, scowling boy who is trying so hard to be a man.
I ask the question I've been wondering. "It's abstract, right?"
"Of course. I can't draw for shit. Do I… sound like the type of person who can draw well?" It hurts. The way that Sasuke feels he has to change the way he speaks because he knows that I don't know what he looks like. It sends a pang into my chest.
I wish I could see him. That I don't have to be blind. I wish I could see the colors of the world around me instead of this darkness. I wish that I could be normal and see the beautiful world surrounding me; I would be the last person to take things like that for granted.
"Don't do that. Don't talk to me like everyone else does. There's no reason for you to speak to me differently. I'm not going to snap like I did before. You're just a baka sometimes, teme." I hope I am smiling reassuringly, but I could be smirking like a psychotic axe murderer. I mean, Gaara and Kiba tell me that I have the sincerest smile in the world (my mom used to say I had my father's smile too, but she always burst into tears right after and she stopped saying it…)
"Hn." Sometimes I wonder if the teme is as smart as everyone says because I don't think monosyllabic words count as a vocabulary. I voice that thought and imagine about what his reaction could be.
(Sasuke's P.O.V)
I shrug at Naruto's recent statement but choose to say nothing.
"Your mom will worry if you don't get home soon right?" I ask, leaning against the wall. Naruto stands in front of me, fidgeting with his hands. I guess if you can't see where things are, you can't determine where to put your limbs.
"Yeah, she's a worrywart. The project's almost done, ne? So we can end here today and go home." He relays this all with a thoughtful frown on his face.
"I can go with Gaara to take you home, you know? My brother won't miss his car… much." I don't want to leave Naruto's company when I just started getting along with him.
"Mom doesn't really like guests, but she does like it when I make nice, new friends."
"She'll love me, most adults do. It's my charisma." I smirk – I bet if he could see it he would've melted – and Naruto laughs.
"What charisma?" Naruto pokes fun at me. Before I can retort, a certain redhead appears in the doorway. I almost forget that he was in the house with us.
"Naruto? Your mom called me. She said that you have to be home soon. If we leave now we can get home in thirty minutes by bus." Gaara leans against the doorway on his left shoulder.
I straighten myself and said, "No need. I'll drive you." I walk out of the room and into my kitchen. Once there, I snatch the keys to my brother's truck.
When I turn around, Gaara is staring at me suspiciously and Naruto is clutching his shirt for guidance.
"Are you guys coming?" I ask, raising an eyebrow and slipping on my sneakers at the front door. Gaara sighaa and guided Naruto to the door where he proceeded to help the blond with his shoes. I looked at the odd display of the redhead tenderly tying Naruto's laces (1). I doubt that I could tie my shoes without my sight; it would be in a knot, so I keep my mouth shut.
"We're ready." Gaara states as he pulls Naruto up to his feet.
We all pile into Itachi's car and drive to Naruto's house.
Unfortunately, Gaara insists he ride shotgun, while Naruto sits in the backseat. We get to the house pretty quickly, despite my efforts to drag the ride out. Naruto lives in a two floor townhouse with a well-kept lawn decorated with lots of sunflowers and petunias.
I park the car in a convenient space directly across from the home. Gaara helps Naruto out of the car and gets him across the street safely before I could even contemplate it.
I stand behind the two first-years while waiting for Naruto's parents to open the door. When the door swings open, it reveals a panicked redhead that instantly calms when she sees Gaara and Naruto on her front step.
"Oh, you guys are back. I was worried; you know I don't like you out so late." She ruffles Naruto's yellow locks before looking at me. She smiles brightly at me before reaching her hand out for me to shake. I can't help but wonder if the dobe's smile comes from her or if she inhabited it from her son. "And who might you be? Are you another one of Naruto's friends?"
I nod and introduce myself. "I'm Sasuke Uchiha, a second year in Naruto's school. I had to do a project with your son, we were trying to finish as much as we could today. I'm sorry that he's back so late." I bow slightly in respect.
"Its fine, I just get worried and all with his condition." She says sheepishly rubbing her arm, and I wonder if she inherited that habit from Naruto too.
She ushers us all inside and I mutter a, "sorry for the intrusion" much like the other teens who did the same earlier today. I kick off my shoes in the doorway and take in the décor of the den I was standing in. It's cozy, welcoming and warm. I can't help but feel jealous because my house doesn't have an aura like his does.
"Are you staying for dinner, Sasuke-kun? I'll set another plate at the table." She then walked away into what I'm guessing was the kitchen. I don't have the opportunity to protest.
"Kushina, I can't stay for dinner so I'll be leaving." Gaara says loudly, as he backs himself towards the door.
"Bye, sweetie!" Naruto's mom yells from her place in the kitchen. Naruto and Gaara walks to the front door together and I feel a spark of… something when they pull each other into awkward hugs.
"Bye, Naruto. Uchiha." Gaara wavs over his shoulder as he exited the house.
Gaara sends a glare in my direction right before he shuts the door behind him. I about-face and gaze at the small freshman standing awkwardly in his own hallway. Naruto is something else, if I do say so myself.
"Want to go to my room? I don't have much to do but I'm sure we can do. Want to see if you can teach me print? Or I can teach you how to read and write braille. That sounds cool doesn't it?"
"Yeah, it does." I follow him up the stairs and then two doors down to his medium-sized room.
The door has something I didn't expect, but I guess I should have. Naruto's name is printed in orange on the dark wood and there's braille that I assume is his name as well.
I did expect his room to be the way it is. A flurry of color - mostly yellows, greens and brown - and a mural painted against the wall behind the headboard of Naruto's bed. a mother fox with eight cubs suckling on her bosom. Eight tiny tails tangle with the mother's larger one and gives the illusion of the elder fox having nine tails raising towards the sun. The other colors are covered with a forest setting during autumn, and finally the ceiling was painted an azure blue that rivalled Naruto's eyes.
"Your room is beautifully painted, Naruto." I don't usually give out compliments, but I give credit where credit is due. This is no exception.
"Oh? My dad painted it, a couple weeks after I was born I think. He did it before he left."
Left? What does he mean by left? I don't ask the questions racing through my mind because I wasn't that close to Naruto, yet.
Naruto starts rummaging through books on his desk, palming each cover. He takes two of them and waves them above his head, not facing me.
"I got them Sasuke!" The dobe exclaims, still waving them. I sigh and stroll off to the blond. I place my hands on his shoulder. He jolts, and I apologize quickly in his ear.
"Sorry." I guide him to his bed, which is a small twin sized one, and sit him down. He flushes when I sit beside him and I smirk at his reactions.
"I'm in no rush to learn Braille, but print is a wonderful skill for you." I conclude grabbing his bag and picking out looseleaf and a pen.
I write the letter 'a' on the paper and let him trace it with his finger. A look of confusion flashes across his expression.
"What is that?" He asks me, still tracing.
"Its the print letter for 'a'." I explain, but that look doesn't leave his features.
"There's no 'a' in Braille, Sasuke. We use a number system. Are you taking about the first letter? Thats called 1-0, you dummy." He snatches the pen from me and makes an indent on the page. He must be pretty damn thing at Braille because he doesn't even poke a hole through the paper.
"Really?" I feel kind of stupid. I assumed that I knew everything, only for Naruto to prove me wrong and show that I know nothing about me.
"Maybe we should learn Braille first, Sasuke? It won't take long and then you can teach me print by knowing the system and then teaching me the actual letters."
I cross my arms and lean away from the freshman.
"Hn." Naruto laughs whole-heartedly and it feels good to hear him guffaw and knowing that I'm the reason.
Arms are thrown around my torso (clumsily, I might add, seeing as one of then knocked me in the back of head) and a mop of yellow tickles my nose and lips.
"You're awesome, Sasuke!" The mop exclaims, squeezing my waist and crushing my organs. My cheeks burn from asphyxiation and embarrassment.
"Whatever."
Nikki: And thats all I can offer you at the moment. Busy, busy bee - thats me! Well I have more time now so I'll have more updates sooner, but only like a month between. Always check my profile for update dates for all my stories! GOOD NIGHT, NEW YORK! Or wherever you leave, I happen to live in New York.
(1): I tried tying my shoelaces without looking and I ended with a knot so bad I had to throw away the laces. I found it impossible for me, so I assume blind people need a little assistance in that area.