A Mind is A Terrible Thing to Lay Waste || lunamist » vonlane

Chapter 7

Three days passed, and although Naruto smiled and laughed, everyone knew something was terribly wrong. Kiba, who was even more hot headed and impulsive than Naruto, was quick to blame everything on Sasuke. "It's gotta be that asshole's fault," Kiba grumbled.

"I don't . . . I mean, Sasuke l-looks just as u-upset as the rest of us," Hinata stuttered.

"Che- how can you tell? All I see is one emotionless, arrogant, son of a bitch. I mean, really, is this why we're all keeping quiet? Silently watching those ignorant villagers ogle over that traitor. I thought Sasuke being back was supposed to make things better for Naruto, but all it seems to have done is make things worse."

"Oh Kiba," Hinata answered sadly.

"Gods, I knew this would be troublesome," Shikamaru said with an overbearing sigh. Then, staring into Kiba's worried eyes he added, "Hinata's right, Sasuke's worried too. I don't think this is his fault, at least, not entirely."

"Partially's good enough for me," Kiba answered while crossing his arms stubbornly over his chest.

"And what exactly are you going to do about it?" came Ino's mocking voice.

Kiba turned his head, rolling his eyes as Sakura and Ino walked up. "Are you going to kick Sasuke's ass? You'd be dead within thirty seconds."

Kiba snarled, but in the end, could only look away, knowing she was right. "We have to do something. He's not right."

Looking sad, Sakura hung her head. "I know, but really, I think all any of us can do is be Naruto's friend." Then, perking up a bit, she added, "After all, this is Naruto we're talking about. If anybody can get themselves out of a slump, it's him!"

"T-that's right," Hinata agreed.

Deciding the conversation had become both troublesome and boring, Shikamaru stared across the street, noting a red haired figure with a large gourd strapped across his back walking away from Neji. And, as this red head strode away, a bright orange blur ran towards him, nearly knocking the scary looking man on his ass. What's Gaara doing here? Shikamaru thought, and was quickly followed by the next one, if Gaara's here, maybe his sister is too. Suddenly, the day became less of a drag.

•

"You look troubled Sasuke, what's the matter?" Tsunade asked, barely looking up from the mountain of paperwork littering her desk.

Flopping down into a chair, Sasuke could only glare at the woman before him. He was here, at her request, and yet she didn't even seem to have the time to look him in the face. "Why am I here?"

Tsunade kept signing papers, something she usually hated, but for some reason, simply knowing it was getting under the Uchiha's skin made the process immensely more enjoyable. "You didn't answer the question."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, something Tsunade would have seen if she'd been paying even a lick of attention to him. "Listen, old woman . . . "

Crash- Tsunade's fist landed squarely on the desk, sending papers flying everywhere. "You address me either as Lady Tsunade or Hokage-sama, got that brat. Just because Naruto gets away with addressing me that way, doesn't mean you do!"

Sitting deathly still, Sasuke's black eyes bored into the Hokage. "And Naruto can call you that because . . . "

Sitting back down, Tsunade leaned over, picking up a glass of sake which had somehow survived the assault on her desk. "Because, I like him."

Sasuke smirked, "And you don't like me."

"Exactly."

He was starting to see why Naruto liked this Hokage so much. Breathing in deeply, Sasuke started again, "Lady Tsunade, why am I here?" Secretly Sasuke finished that sentence in his head with, instead of being with Naruto.