All That Glitters ||NaruSasu|| ✔️

He's A Dead Man

When we finally do return to school, everyone badgers us in an attempt to find out where we've been. We just tell extravagant lies. It's none of their damn business anyway. I don't feel like talking about it and neither does Sasuke. I'm not even going to spill the beans to Kiba. This one is going in the vault.

Our parents have been acting strange lately, as if they're stepping on glass. They're too cautious. Strangely enough, Kisame and Itachi are also acting the same way. I won't question it. Not yet.

Sasuke's mood has been pretty low for the past few days. He sleeps as soon as he gets home and he hasn't even been doing the assigned English readings. The teachers are giving him an out, though, since he's not well. It's no longer a secret. It's something even the students now know about – Sasuke is sick.

After school, we both go back to Sasuke's house. His father is in the kitchen filling his mug. "Sasuke, Naruto," he greets us flatly.

"Hi, Dad," Sasuke murmurs.

"Yo," I say.

"There's tea left if either of you want any," Fugaku points to the pot on the stove.

"Thanks," I smile, while Sasuke simply nods his head.

Fugaku looks like he wants to say something more, but he doesn't. Instead, he places a hand on his son's head briefly before leaving the room.

I open the cupboard and turn to Sasuke. "Want?"

"Sure."

I pour two cups and we sit and drink in the living room. "Exams will be starting soon," I mention, taking my backpack off.

"Hn..." Sasuke mumbles, doing the same.

"What exams do you have?" I ask him, pulling out a math textbook.

"Calculus, English, history, economics... but I'm getting econ and history exempted because I have over a hundred percent in those classes," he says. "You?"

"Uh..." I muse aloud, trying to think. "Math, English, history... and I take two electives. Thank fuck we don't have exams for electives."

"Ha... yeah," he say. I think he's trying to sound a lot livelier than he feels.

"You can nap if you want," I tell him.

"Can I?"

"Yeah," I nod. "I'll just study quietly."

He gives me a gracious smile before lying down on the sofa. I stare down at my textbook in an attempt to study, but I think it's pretty obvious I won't be getting much done.

||XxXx||

The following week is the last week before finals. On the last day, the teachers let us go home early to study, though I think they know that most of the kids will be heading to parties. Me and Sasuke are no different.

For once, Sasuke isn't fighting to prove me wrong or pretending everything is normal because we both know it's not and everything is fucked.

"Let's go out," he says to me.

"Where?" I ask.

"Anywhere," he shrugs.

"Ino's having a party," I tell him. "She invited us to go along... but I didn't know if you'd be into that."

"Sure," he says carelessly. "Let's do that."

We drive across town and park on the side of the road. When Ino opens the door, she looks happy to see us and we're immediately greeted with the sounds of laughter coming from inside. "Hey," she grins. "I didn't expect you guys to show up. Come on it."