Ｂｏｎｄｉｎｇ
"I like the way we feel together. We fit. I've never fit with anyone the way that we do." – Unknown
In the blink of an eye, two weeks had passed without a hitch or a hiccup. The school had fallen back into a sort of normalcy once they realized the Specter had yet to take a life of a student.
As some of the people of Konoha high ignored the new Specter, curious others began to start a fan club. Several teens have become obsessed with the strange, morbid, and mysterious aspects of Sasuke's character. The fact that he was strikingly attractive also helped. After a period of skepticism, Naruto's friends became more accepting of him.
In their social study class, there was something unexpected that had happened outside. Sasuke watched as the kids got up from their seats to look out the three large classroom windows. "Oh wow!" One teen exclaimed.
"It's snowing!" cried another one.
"I'm not wearing the right outfit for this!" They were all excited to see the snow! Some of the teachers stepped outside their classrooms with some of their students to stare up at the falling white specks. It is snowing in September! No one could have predicted this.
Just then, the teacher's voice came over the PA system.
Good morning students and staff, this is your principal speaking. We are going to have a shortened day today due to the weather. I repeat, your school day will only last for half of its normal time.
The classroom roared with cheers it looks like the snow wasn't letting up even the lights in the classroom began to flicker.
Just then, the three of them leaned in and began whispering to one another.
"Can we go chill at your place Kiba?" Naruto whispered.
"I don't see why not. Mom is working out of town and my big sis doesn't care. She's just there to wash her clothes before going back to the university."
"Cool, can Sasuke come?"
"Uhhh sure, Shika you can bring your girl if you like. The more the merrier I'm going to invite Shino that bitch owes me a rematch." The brunette with chestnut-colored hair grinned at his friends, and as if he had heard Kiba, Aburame Shino, he gave a loud sneeze almost knocking his circular shades off his face.
"Nice, thanks, man." Shika was shocked he even suggested that he invite Temari. Kiba always called his basement the bachelor pad.
"K-Kiba why is there a Specter in mom's h-house... There's a Specter in our house- I think... I think I can hear mom calling do ya'll hear a phone?" She walked off in shock, her eyes wide, and she appeared as if she was in a daze.
"You didn't tell them, dude?" Naruto chuckled. Kiba's big sis Hana's reaction would top the day as the funniest moment.
"There wasn't enough time." He shrugged it off.
"It's been two weeks!" Naruto and Shika both countered, but Kiba was unfazed. He led the three of them to his basement dwellings.
"You are all welcome mi casa es su casa." He plopped down on his beanbag chair stationed in front of his behemoth of a 35-inch Sony widescreen, making sure his television was set to channel three before turning his PlayStation on and loading his game X-men vs Street Fighter disk inside.
"Shino get ya ass over here man! I wanna rematch!" The spiky-haired raven made his way to the tv, having a seat on an egg crate.
Shika and Temari claimed the ratty loveseat.
"Come on, we can have a seat over here." There was an old brown beaten-up recliner on the other side of the room. Sasuke took a seat, surprised by how soft the recliner was, while Naruto sat on the arm. The TV attracted his attention he had seen one before in class it fascinated him. He read how one worked but seeing it in action was still mind-blowing.
Living in the province was vastly different just like day and night. They had no TVs, no radios, their room was bare no portraits or paintings, they grew plants, and grew their food, but their existence was simple like the monks in Tibet simple and sweet.
Something out of the corner of Sasuke's eye caught his attention. He watched as the blonde with four pigtails give Shika a chaste kiss on the lips. His confusion outwardly showing. This gained Naruto's curiosity he glanced across the room to see his friend and Temari in a brief lip lock before the two started to cuddle up and watch the match unfold.
"Don't mind those two, they're gross." He joked.
"I thought that only happened between married couples." He was still watching them until Kiba let out a loud cry.
"Booyah baby in yo face!"
"Unmarried couples can kiss...And even people who aren't a couple will kiss." That seemed to throw Sasuke for a loop.
He read about how humans court and eventually marry in books which only increased his curiosity. He learned that this practice was done to keep families together or between the rich and privileged for breeding purposes. And, as it turns out, not just royalty can partake in this kind of behavior, even commoners did as well! He also read that kings and lords and even the common joe would have a concubine for extramarital affairs because humans could be overindulgent in breeding. So, if they weren't married then...
"So, she's a concubine?"
"What! No! I didn't say that." He was glad the tv was too loud for them to hear that.
"I don't understand, why people will be a couple if not for union and reproductive purposes."
"Loneliness, companionship, friendship, love, stuff like that." He started to pick at some lint on his pants leg, he was antsy.
"If all those things are true then why do some people have more than one person in their life."
"Some people might have an understanding and some are cheaters."
"Cheaters." He recalled the definition; a person who acts dishonestly in order to gain an advantage
"Yeah, if two people are exclusive and one person has sex with someone else then they are called a cheater." They were also emotional cheaters, but he felt like he confused Sasuke enough.
"I don't understand," he pinched the bridge of his nose.
"You see Shikamaru and Temari are in a relationship; they are exclusive, meaning they only want to be with each other. Now let's say Shika kisses or has sex with someone else without Temari's knowledge that would be considered cheating, especially if Temari believes her partner is loyal to her and honors their relationship." He'd hope that made more sense. He hate using his friend as an example but they were the only couple in the room.
"Then why would people cheat?"
"I don't know, maybe because they're bored, selfish, not having enough sex in the bedroom, not feeling wanted, all of which is not an excuse if you're hiding that or being dishonest to your partner."
"I see. Thank you for the information it was... Enlightening." Sasuke realized something, the books he read in the library back at home were outdated, and his understanding was old fashion.
"Of course, what are friends for."
"We are friends now." Again, the corner of his mouth turned upwards in a smirk. He didn't realize he was doing it. It came naturally around the blonde.
"Yeah," Naruto sounded almost offended. He looked at him before turning his gaze back at his pants leg.
"I should tell you something."
"Hm," He was concentrating on the piece of fray string of stitching on the side of his pants leg.
"My elders warned me to stay away from you."
"Really? Why? Does that mean I'm a bad influence on you already?"
"No, they believed with the time we spent together you will sway my view on things. Making it hard to do my job."
"Am I that dangerous? I doubt I have the power to do that. You're your own person and a Specter at that! I'm just a mere mortal." He said it in a joking way, but he was also serious.
"My experience here is far less than theirs." He said this more to himself. Maybe he should heed Itachi's advice. He knew if Madara or Obito found out they wouldn't be so understanding. There was a quietness that fell over them both, it was unlike Uzumaki to be so quiet. When he looked over, He saw Naruto looking down his face hidden by his hair. This caught Sasuke off guard.
He could sense what he said affected him more than he thought it would. This mood Sasuke didn't like it. He didn't how it made him feel. He couldn't place this feeling in him, but it made him sick. At that moment he made his mind up.
"You are right. I am my own person."
"Does that mean you're not going to stay away?" His face lit up.
The raven inclined his head his crimson pools seemed to bore into Naruto's own with an intensity that caused the blonde face to heat up, and in a teasing way began to speak, "What can I say Uzumaki? You are a bad influence." While mimicking Naruto's signature wink that he did the first day they met and using it against him. Having a precise memory has many benefits.
Naruto had a look on his face that Sasuke couldn't quite place. It was the same one he encountered when they had that lunch break two weeks ago under the small maple tree. Suddenly, the blonde snapped out of it and jerked back.
He fell off the arm of the recliner with a loud thud gaining everybody in the basement's attention. "Ha!" Shika said getting an elbow to his side by Temari. "Don't be a jerk." She chided.
"Sorry."
"Ya high already man?" Kiba began to snicker, his brief distraction causing him to lose the round. "Agh! C'mon, man!"
Just then the power went out, bathing the room in complete darkness. "Son of a bitch!" They heard Kiba's sister yell they heard her footsteps as she made her way to the basement door. "Everybody alright down there?" There was a dim light coming from the door as she opened it.
"No! Well, this sucks." He climbed to his feet stretching.
"I think the power went out on the entire block." She informed as the teens made their way to the basement stairs.
Naruto was grabbed by the back of his arm and wrist and swiftly hauled to his feet. "Thanks."
"What are friends for." He watched Sasuke follow the others up the stairs before running after them.
They all filed inside the living room. "I'm going to walk Temari home. I'll catch you all tomorrow." The pair left hand in hand.
It was still snowing, and the snow was about ankle height. "Thank you for your hospitality." Sasuke gave a bow.
"Oh, uh not a problem." Hana was still cautious of the new visitor. He made his way home not expecting to hear hurried footsteps following behind him.
"Hey, Sasuke wait up!"
He turned to Naruto next to him, whose teeth were clicking together from the sudden cold. But they all lived close by; Sasuke's house was furthest away.
"You should go home. You're going to freeze out here."
"I feel bad dragging you here and making you walk back alone."
"Don't, it does not affect me either way." Naruto began to shiver. After trying to walk faster, Sasuke stopped when the blonde kept following. He then unbuttoned his black uniform jacket and wrapped it around the blonde's shoulder. He had a white long-sleeve shirt underneath his jacket. "Wait what about you?"
"I'm not cold." He said in a matter-of-fact way and continued his brisk walk home with Naruto right in toe. When he made it to the gate of the province he stopped turning to Naruto. "I appreciate you walking me home. You can go now and feel free to keep my jacket." But Naruto wasn't budging. Sasuke sighed, "What is it?"
"I've never been this close. What is it like in there?"
"Much too boring for your taste."
He peered over his shoulder, noticing Naruto trying to sneak a peek. When he opened the gate.
"Wait right here."
He crossed through closing the gate behind him, he quickly walked down the wooden pathway in search of any sight of an elder, once he did not see one, he went back to the entrance opening it.
He gestured with his head for the blonde to follow. He followed keeping up with Sasuke's wide strides. He was moving fast, and Naruto was keeping up. The place looked like it was trapped in time in Japan's Edo period they had no locks, but did they really need any? Besides the building and wooden walkway that attached each building, there was so much greenery and with the snow, it looked like some hallmark card. It was beautiful.
"In here," Sasuke gestured for them to enter the open room door. Once he did Sasuke slid it closed behind him.
Naruto got a good look at Sasuke's room it was... Well, it was bland very bland. His bed sheets were grey he had a closet, there was a circular wall clock and one large grey dresser with an old fashion looking lantern and one lone unopened water bottle it looked out of place in this impeccable clean room. Wait, ain't no way.
"Is that?"
"Yes."
"And you kept it?"
"Yes."
Naruto didn't know why but he was touched. "So, this is the infamous Specter's room."
"Yes." They were both standings, it was awkward. The raven seemed to clam up. "I did warn you it was boring for your taste."
"Not even, now that I'm here I can't imagine it any other way. This is you."
"What boring?" The seriousness of Sasuke's voice made Naruto realize he wasn't joking.
"No, organized and clean." Sasuke seemed to relax after that. He had a seat on his bed Naruto doing the same.
"Do you have any electricity in here?" The room was so dim.
"No, most of our light sources come from natural lighting, oil lanterns, or candles."
"Cool you guys are like vampires."
Sasuke scoffed, "we don't drink blood if that's what you're implying."
"C'mon can you blame me? Ya'll are so mysterious. Like them. Where did you guys come from? Can y'all die? Is there one supreme being you follow? Do you get stronger with age?" He was brimming with so many questions this could go on all night.
"We came from the nexus between this world and the spiritual one. We can die but only by our own hand or another specter. We can kill one another, though it is frowned upon. Yes, the nexus is our supreme being. Yes and no, we learn how to use the abilities we have with time, but we are born with the abilities all the same, it's just learning how to use them."
"Are you all related?"
Sasuke gave a light chuckle, "I guess you can say that."
"Is there a list that all humans are on and the day we are supposed to die?" There was a brief pause which caused a cold sweat to form on the blonde's forehead even with the nip of the cold present around them.
"No, it is like a calling. You just know when it's their time, be it, murder, suicide, natural causes, or unforeseen events we appear. We don't have to have any involvement, not anymore, just our being there helps set things in motion. I guess we are like the grim reaper in that aspect."
"How many of them have you appeared at thus far."
"None as of yet." He looked away.
"Really?"
"Yes"
"How come?"
"The cosmos created the right number of Specters. Theoretically, I should not be here. Unless, of course, one of us is about to die that's the only logical explanation."
"That means one of you is going to kill your kind."
"Yes."
"Are you worried?"
"No."
"What!? Why not?" He was surprised at Sasuke's nonchalant attitude.
"We will just return home."
Their ears suddenly picked up the groaning of floorboards from outside. Sasuke grabbed the blonde by his arm shushing him when he protested and shoved him into his closet right as he slide the closet door shut the door to his bedroom slid open.
"Food is ready." Itachi poked his head in.
Sasuke briefly exhaled and turned to the voice. "I did not know you returned."
"Ah yes, I was in the garden when the unsuspected snow came it was a nice surprise."
"I was unable to sense it coming either."
"The weather seems to be behaving oddly. Something may happen soon.." This was unheard of for them. Nature was in sync with them, and it snowed in September, which meant they did not know what was to happen tomorrow or the next day. This was a first for them. Would one of their own soon pass away?
"I see." He left his room pausing at the doorway before giving his closet a glance. He hoped Uzumaki would remain quiet long enough before his return.
AN/
I hope ya'll enjoy :)