Disclaimer:
I don't own Naruto. I'm just borrowing them for my personal indulgence.
You Have Been Warned!
This fanfic has been based on the best yaoi manga (boy's love) in the planet, Only the Ring Finger Knows by Satoru Kannagi and Hotaru Odagiri.
Sorry for the delay. Thank you for reading this far...
And thoughts are in boldletters. Please leave a review to let me know what you think about this chapter
Only Our Ring Fingers Know
- Chapter Seven -
Naruto walked aimlessly across the school grounds, his brows knitted together in deep contemplation. A few minutes after Sasuke left the locker room, he managed to sneak out of the gymnasium, opting to use the emergency exit for the second time that day. Students were not permitted to use that exit but since no one was actually there, Naruto managed to slip out without anyone noticing.
Naruto sighed deeply, his bag sliding off a few inches across his shoulder.
What was he thinking?
Naruto noticed that he had stopped on his tracks and decided to let the afternoon breeze cross his face. I really don't understand him…Realizing that he probably looked suspicious standing alone on the school grounds while the rest of the students were still having their afternoon classes, he immediately resumed walking, hastening his steps to avoid catching anyone's eyes.
Naruto's thoughts immediately returned to what had transpired in the locker room.
What's gotten to him? He was like a different person.
Naruto would never ever associate the Sasuke he knew with that other Sasuke. Naruto frowned at the thought. It was true that the other Sasuke was so unlike the original Sasuke. Naruto admitted he felt neither disgusted nor offended. He just felt…confused and atloss of what to think. After what happened, Naruto realized that there was more to Sasuke than his haughty attitude and smirking face.
People are really not what they seem…
Naruto slowed down his pace, raising his head instinctively to gaze at the sky. The various strips of white and blue coalesced perfectly, creating a soothing feeling inside him. I want to know more about Sasuke…
Naruto's eyes widened at this realization and immediately shook his head vigorously, telling himself that his sudden interest in Sasuke was only because he wanted to know what was going on in Sasuke's head. He wanted to know why a perfect guy like Sasuke (as many girls and guys would attest to) would kiss someone as ordinary and idiotic (although it was hard for him to admit that) as him.
And also a guy…
Shaking his head at the peculiarity that was Sasuke, he walked unhurriedly when he reached the shed that ran all the way to the school gates. Posters of different organizations were strewn across the walls while banners and confetti hung along poles and wires.
Could it be the Sasuke likes me? As in really likes me?
Naruto felt a slight shiver run up his spine.
No freakin' way…
His face scrunched up in deep thought, Naruto tried to connect every instance that he had been with Sasuke and if there had been at least a hint that Sasuke was indeed interested in him in that way. It was true that Sasuke gave him advice when he was feeling depressed and that he treated him ice cream. Though it was actually him who forced Sasuke to buy him ice cream, the point was…Sasuke agreed to that. The Sasuke he knew from the stories Kiba and Shikamaru told him was far from that Sasuke.
But…why would he be…interested in me?
Raising his hands to cup his head, he grimaced at how he was finding it hard to search the answers to his questions. It was like finally reaching out for the pieces but realizing that they weren't enough yet to complete the puzzle.
Dammit!
Naruto caught sight of the ring on his right middle finger, the metal glimmering against his tanned skin. Now, that he was not in the presence of Sasuke's fan girls demanding him about the ring, Naruto realized that he really didn't feel bad that his ring had the same design as Sasuke's. In fact, knowing that they shared something made him feel a bit happy…special even.
Thwacking his head with a fist, Naruto fought to stop the strange but pleasant feeling that was spreading in him. It was tickling his insides, which he really didn't understand. Distracting him from his thoughts, Naruto stopped on his tracks when something in hideous colors caught his attention. Retracing his steps backwards, he saw written in red, bold letters across the overly pink banner…
CONGRATULATIONS TO…
UCHIHA SASUKE ENTHUSIAST FACTION
for ranking SECOND in the Annual Organizations Assessment
conducted by the Student Organizations Committee!
For aspiring members, the deadline for the submission of application forms
will be on the last day of the finals week! For more information,
contact the Secretary of Internal Affairs.
Naruto stared at the dozens of pink hearts floating in the background.
What the hell?
Naruto snorted.
Uchiha Sasuke Fans Club huh?
Naruto wondered how much Sasuke's fans club knew about him.
W---wait.
For a moment, Naruto seriously considered the idea of disguising himself and sneaking in one of the meetings as a member of the Uchiha Sasuke Enthusiast Faction. If he could enter that club and gain information about Sasuke that would be exclusive among the members only, Naruto might find some valuable information he could use to decipher Sasuke.
There…must be something wrong with me.
Naruto slumped on the bench, grabbing and pulling at his hair in frustration. He was on the verge of getting insane, Naruto just knew it. The proof of that would be found in his thoughts. He sighed dejectedly, his bag lying pitifully on the ground.
I don't need to go that far! What I need is…
Naruto pushed his index fingers hard against the sides of his forehead, his face crumpled in concentration.
…what I need is someone whom I can ask information about Sasuke. Someone I can trust. Someone that is around him…
Naruto hit his head when the answer instantly came to him.
"About Sasuke-kun?" Lee asked him carefully as though he heard Naruto wrong.
Naruto felt himself starting to redden, fighting his escalating urge to just bolt out and escape Lee's questioning gaze.
"Aheheheh…" Scratching the back of his head, Naruto started to laugh albeit awkwardly.
Lee looked honestly confused. "Naruto-kun?"
"Aheheheh…Well…you see thick-eyebrows…" Naruto started, trying his best not to make eye contact with Lee and instead focused his gaze on the hideous thick black lines above his eyes.
"Well…the thing is…the thing is…" Naruto desperately searched for any excuse that would work, his mind starting to weave one lie after the other. Lee waited patiently, the sides of his lips moving slowly.
This is not good…I can't think of a single excuse!
Naruto wanted to hit his head against the pavement. After all the waiting he did, he did not even prepare for anything that could help him out of his predicament.
After deciding that the best person he could ask about Sasuke was Lee, Naruto couldn't contain his excitement. He decided he would wait for his friend until his last class was over so they could immediately talk. Since classes were still going at that time, Naruto decided to hide himself in the unused classroom on the third floor he discovered during that time he had the detention with Sasuke. When the bell rang, Naruto hurried to get out of the school. Periodically changing locations just outside of the school gates, he restlessly waited for his friend. Fortunately, Lee came out alone wearing his P.E. uniform, his green duffel bag slung against one shoulder.
"Naruto-kun?" Lee asked, snapping Naruto out of his jumbled thoughts.
Naruto felt like he swallowed a big fish. Admitting he wanted to learn about Sasuke to anyone was beyond humiliating. It was a disgrace of a lifetime.
Naruto flinched, his face filled with surprise and suppressed panic when he felt a hand land softly on his back. Looking up to see Lee smiling at him lightly, his sparkling set of teeth blinding him momentarily, Naruto didn't know what to do anymore. His plans forgotten, he felt somehow defeated and unsure about what wanted to know.
"About Sasuke-kun you said?" Lee released his hand from Naruto's back and walked ahead, his duffel bag bumping Naruto lightly on the side as he passed him. Naruto followed him with his eyes, hesitant to say anything yet. He remembered Shikamaru telling him before that there were times when it was best not say anything. Naruto then thought it was the best time to apply his friend's advice.
"To tell you the truth Naruto-kun…" Lee continued, pausing to look back at Naruto to see if he was listening. Satisfied to see Naruto paying attention for once at what he was saying, Lee smiled to himself, keeping his other thoughts to himself for the moment.
"…I don't know much about Sasuke-kun. In fact, in the three years we have been classmates, the number of times we talked to each other…I can very well count with my fingers." Naruto noticed Lee was smiling sadly as he was saying this and somehow he knew how he was feeling.
Before the ring incident, Naruto never ever dreamt that he would have the opportunity to talk with Sasuke because it was very obvious how different their worlds were despite being in the same school. Seeing him in the corridors alone, in the library once when he was asked to retrieve books for Iruka-sensei and in the comfort room twice in his second year, he had always felt a pull, an urge to talk to him, to just utter a simple greeting to him. Because despite the slight irritation he felt towards him for being popular and all, Naruto had always thought that Sasuke looked sad.
Naruto glanced warmly at his ring. Sharing the same ring design with Sasuke (although he would act as though he was irritated by it) established a connection with the aloof guy, he never ever thought would be possible. Naruto tore his gaze from his ring and looked at Lee whose sad expression was now mingled with pity.
"Sasuke…He doesn't mind being alone. I have this feeling he has always been alone. That's why he never lets anyone get close to him. Not a single one. Even Sakura-san…" Lee's voice had a tinge of bitterness that Naruto thought his friend tried to hide but failed.
"Even Sakura-san who expresses her feelings for him so openly, gets rejected every time. But then somehow I can understand why he's not returning Sakura-san's feelings." Lee glanced at Naruto, his eyes damp and glittery. Naruto gulped before uttering a quite, "Why?"
"Because I believe, Sasuke-kun is thinking along this line, 'How can someone love another without understanding that person first?' and well, Sasuke-kun believes no one understands him, so he believes that Sakura-san's affection is purely on the surface only."
Lee glanced back at him, his soft smile back in place, "Although I don't know if it's the case with Sakura-san."
Naruto gazed at his ring, feeling his chest tighten at the feelings suddenly engulfing him. If he would say he understood Sasuke to some extent, was he being too full of himself. And better yet, if he would tell Sasuke that he understood him and that he was special to him, would he believe him or would he shake him off just like he did with Sakura?
Naruto's broke into a cold sweat. Not good. Not good..
"Naruto-kun?" Lee stopped to look at Naruto who seemed to have frozen on his place.
"What's wrong? You look pale all of a sudden. Are you not feeling well?" Lee inquired his thick brows knitted together in apprehension, searching Naruto's face for signs that he was having a fever.
Naruto shook his head mentally, wanting to kick himself for real for having weird ideas about a guy he hardly knew. He couldn't believe what he was thinking. All thoughts about Sasuke were making him strange, and he didn't like that.
"Naruto-kun?" Naruto jumped in surprise when Lee grabbed him by the shoulders, probably in attempt to shake him out of his musings. Looking around, he was surprised to see they had already arrived at the lobby of the dormitory. A couple of students he didn't recognize were sitting on the couch at the lobby, looking at the both of them strangely.
"Are you okay?" Lee asked again, concern echoing in his voice, his brows furrowed considerably, making them look thicker than would have been possible.
"Sure...Surethick-eyebrows." Naruto said, blinking back at his friend. Gripping the strap of his bag real hard, he stepped back, his feet feeling heavy against the marbled floor.
"I…that's all I wanted to ask." Worried that Lee would start asking questions, he added quickly, "I gotta go, see ya thick-eyebrows!" and sprinted in the direction of the stairs.
Lee had a confused expression on his face as he shouted at Naruto's retreating back, "Aren't you going to use the elevator Naruto-kun?"
Naruto didn't even glance back, leaving Lee seriously baffled at his friend's sudden change of actions.
Naruto climbed the stairs two levels at a time, wanting most in the world to reach his room and bang his head against something real hard. He couldn't fathom the reason why he went through all the trouble to ask anyone about some guy and then thought of really weird ideas about this same guy. It was strange. It wasn't normal.
Reaching the fifth floor landing, he gripped the metal handle of the door to his and Shikamaru's room and hauled himself in. He almost hit his head against the foot of Shikamaru's bed but was lucky to miss it by mere millimeters when he stopped himself just in time. He maneuvered his way to his own bed and there threw himself face forward, grabbing his pillow with ocean blue casing within reach and started hitting the back of his head with all his strength.
Dammit! Dammit!
Naruto felt embarrassed...After all, a guy liking a guy was…Naruto kicked the other pillow he had on his bed with his right foot, not caring where it landed. He had the sudden urge to throw things, but luckily, he didn't have much in their room, nor there was anything within his reach that could satisfy his urges at the moment.
Naruto rolled on his back and sighed, his eyes closing wearily. He finally admitted it to himself…He liked Sasuke…Naruto stared helplessly at the white-painted ceiling, the coat peeling at random spots because of age. There was no doubt about it. He really liked Sasuke…
Naruto clutched his pillow tightly against his chest.
Damn…So what do I do now?
AN: So…I'm still alive after all sorry for the extremely long delay…Reviews winks Reviews grins Btw, I'm planning to rewrite the previous chapters, if you have time, please check them out as well when they are done. Spread Sasunaru love!