Escaping the Past Chapter 3
Tittle: Escaping the Past Chapter 3
Author: Niri
Genre: Yaoi, AU
Characters/Pairing: NaruSasu, implied Kiba/Shino, Gaara/???, Shika/Temari. Rating: PG for this Chapter. N-17 later.
Warning: Yaoi (duh) Mention of violence.
Summary: Last period of his first day - Naruto meets Gaara who he has a connection with from before.
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Naruto glances at the clock for the hundredth time since the beginning of class and fidgets in his seat. All he could think of was the redhead sitting a couple of rows in front of him, Why is he acting like a student, Why isn’t he making a move? Why HIM???
Almost as if reading his mind, the redhead in question turns his head and fixes Naruto with an expressionless stare that had always unnerved Naruto because he could never interpret what the other boy was thinking. The trademark stare never changed either, no matter where Naruto met Gaara, be it on safe ground, during a fight, or even here in school.
The two tense boys would have continued to stare at each other had it not been for the door to the class opening and their teacher striding in, twenty minutes late.
Even though Naruto wanted to keep his attention on Gaara he couldn’t. The teacher was the most interesting he’d seen all day. Not only was he late for his own class but now he walked in carelessly, his nose stuck in orange book. As he got to the front, he turned to the board and wrote in black letters "KAKASHI" while still reading his book. The students waited for him to continue to write his full name or to add sensei to the name on the board, but instead he just turned back to the class. Finally dropping the book on the desk he revealed his face. Not that there was much to reveal. He was wearing a high turtleneck or maybe a mask, because the collar came up to over his nose and his left eye was covered with a mop of silver hair that didn’t match up with his youthful look. Everyone in the class, including Naruto had to agree that this had had to be the weirdest teacher they’ve met so far.
"My name is Kakashi. And you will all call me just ‘Kakashi’." His visible eye scanned over the crowed, making it clear to everyone there that he didn’t not want this rule to be broken.
Satisfied with the students’ lack of argument he continued more cheerfully, "I’m your English teacher and you will all leave this classroom at the end of the semester with a new and improved English vocabulary if I can help it." The sentence seemed innocent enough but everyone in the class caught the gleam in their new sensei’s eye and had to wonder just what they have gotten themselves into by joining this class.
Skipping over the rest of the introductions and welcome speech Kakashi picked up a stack of pages on his desk and passed them around the class. Making sure that everyone had a page he assigned their first assignment, "Everyone here has to read the short descriptive text I just gave out today and come in tomorrow ready to explain what is happening in the short story. If you are unsure of any of the words or how to properly use them, just underline them and we can discuss it tomorrow." With that said he flopped into his chair and picked up his orange book. Looking up at his confused class, "Well….Get to it."
Realizing now that Kakashi was incredible lazy, the class groaned at having work to do so early in the semester and started looking over their sheet.
The groans and scowls on the kids’ faces quickly turned into embarrassed flushes as everyone tried to read through the complicated English text while still managing to pick up on the general theme; porn.
Naruto felt his face heat up and quickly turned the sheet over, unable to read anymore. Hoping to share his embarrassment he turned to Sasuke who was sitting beside him and gave a sheepish laugh. He was about to comment or crack a joke about their new sensei but at seeing the light blush coloring the raven’s cheeks decided that there was no need to embarrass himself or his friend any further. Deciding instead to just turn back to face the front of the class Naruto sighed as a grin worked its way onto his face.
The smile on his face was quickly wiped away as he once gain caught sight of the redhead that’s been plaguing his thoughts earlier and instead an uneasy frown appeared on his usually sunny face.
Since he obviously couldn’t bring himself to work on his English assignment he opted for just sitting there for the remaining half hour and counting down the time until class ended. Counting down the time until his confrontation with Gaara.
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Sasuke had always been considered a genius but right now he really wished he wasn’t because as he looked down on the sheet handed out to them all one more he realized that unlike everyone else in the class who could only understood the main idea, he could understand every. Little. Detail. Really not how he wanted to end his first day. Fighting his blush down Sasuke finally looked up first at his teacher who has action oblivious to the class’ reaction and then as Naruto who seemed to have already got over his own embarrassment and had his eyes once again on the red-head near the front of the class. Sasuke had noticed Naruto’s earlier anxious behavior and how his eyes seem to shift from the clock to the red-head. And as much as he wanted to just ignore it and continue talking to Naruto like normal, Naruto seemed to radiate an aura that said don’t-talk-to-me. Sigh.
Why is that red-head so important?
As the class neared its end Sasuke noticed how Naruto seemed to fidget just a bit more and his eyes seem to be gravitate to the red head a little more often and he swore that as the clock counted down the last minute of class the seconds seem to last longer.
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BR-R-R-RINGGG!!!!!
The bell rang and Naruto was the first person up, hoping to catch Gaara before he left and figure out why he was here. But as soon as he noticed that the red-head hadn’t moved he forced himself to sit back down and wait some more.
Their teacher happened to be the second person up and he raced out of the classroom to god knows where leaving the rest of the kids to filter out on their own.
Sasuke didn’t even notice the teacher leave as his eyes were planted firmly on the blond who in turn hadn’t taken his eyes of the red-head since the bell rang. Sasuke let out a frustrated sigh. He had been hoping that after they leave the class he would be able to talk to Naruto again….guess not. Standing up Sasuke gathered his stuff and looked at Naruto again. Only to find out that Naruto hadn’t even looked his way and was still staring straight ahead.
What’s so special about that guy anyway?
Naruto for his part barely registered the ravens glare and instead his eyes followed Gaara’s every movement. The red-head had gotten up and was packing his stuff away slowly. By the time he was done and had placed his own red and black backpack on the table he and Naruto where the only people left in the class. That was exactly what he wanted. Turning around he fixed his expressionless stare on Naruto and walked towards him with slow measured steps. Naruto had also got up from his seat and made a step towards the red-head.
"Gaara." Naruto growled out, trying to keep his raging emotions under control.
"Naruto" Gaara greeted the blond for the second time that day.
Letting his emotions spill out Naruto almost yelled, "Why are you HERE? Can’t you just leave me alone. I resigned. RESIGNED."
‘I know. I am not here for you especially. More correctly put - I am here because of you." Gaara explained in his usual weird way that made no sense to the blond.
"What? How does that make any kind of sense? Because of me? We are enemies so unless you are here FOR me you should be somewhere far away."
Naruto honestly didn’t understand what Gaara was getting at. They where enemies, have been for a couple years and should by all means still be enemies even though Naruto resigned and stepped down from the rankings. Naruto was no longer the leader of Fire, he had left that position to him. Gaara on the other hand was still a fighter of Sand. One of the best in fact. Naruto had a feeling that he would not have a chance against the other male if they fought here. This was not like their previous meetings where they would face off in the dead of night, their best fighters behind them, fighting over territory, merchandize, honor, pride. This was a school for god’s sake. And here he was alone. Without his protection.
"I am not your enemy." Gaara stated with an even voice as if this was a fact. Naruto didn’t believe him.
"YES YOU ARE!!!" he screamed. "I might have resigned but I know you - if that bastard Sasori, your so called leader, though he never actually fights, commanded you to come here and fight me, kill me. YOU would do it." Naruto continued to scream to Gaara.
At the accusation Gaara finally broke his stare and turned his head a little so that his bangs now fell away from his forehead and the tattoo was in plain view. "I am not your enemy." He let out in a whisper.
Naruto still caught the whisper and had to still himself from yelling again as he noticed the soft tremble run through Gaara’s body. "How so?" He asked, still a little anger laced into his voice but at least he wasn’t yelling.
Gaara answered still in a quite voice, "I left as well."
This was not the answer Naruto was expecting and he stared in astonishment as Gaara his mouth open in shock. Finally gaining some composure he choked out, "Why?"
"Because you left." Gaara looked up at the blond only to see confussion in the blue eyes and continued explained. "You and I are the same…and when you left I realized that I could leave too. It never knew someone can leave. Never knew it was possible but you did it…. so I followed."
"But..Sasori, he let you. I was the leader so I could do whatever I wanted. Leave if I wanted, but you…you where the best fighter Sand had, and Sasori let you leave?" Naruto needed some answers. He had kept away from that world all through out summer while he settled in this area and prepared to go to school here. He did everything he could to loose touch with those from before so he didn’t know what was going on in Fire or Sand.
"No. I took his position from him and then left." Gaara explained in a more even tone, once again fixing his eyes on the blond. "I killed him."
Naruto wasn’t as shocked at this as the fact that Gaara left , "You finally did it, Huh? I always knew you where better then him." Naruto let out a dry chuckle. "Guess the only thing that I left unfinished was finished by you. I always wanted Sasori to fall, he was a horrible leader."
An awkward silence fell over the two males as Naruto processed everything that happened. Gaara isn’t my enemy. He’s the same as me, a refugee of the gang wars. Letting a small smile brace his lips Naruto relaxed his rigid posture and slumped down in the nearest chair, now unafraid of the close proximity of the red-head. Gaara hesitated a moment before sitting down in the desk in front of Naruto and turning around to look at the relaxed blond.
Naruto noticed Gaara’s gaze on him again and smiled at the red-head, "So what now?" he asked.
Gaara figured the question was about what was happening there so he answered, "Kankuro took over for me. He’s a better leader then me anyway. And apparently he has taken over for you." At the last sentence Gaara sharpened his stare at looked Naruto in the eyes, "Why did you let him take over? Can’t you imagine what must be happening to your gang in his hands?" Now his voice carried over an accusation.
Naruto stiffened once again, his own gaze becoming hard. "He is my family. Who else did you think I would leave the gang to?" he shot back.
"Anyone but him."
"He will make a good leader. People listen to him, they obey him. He has their respect. And he is strong. He will be able to protect them from harm." Naruto explained his own reasoning. And true enough everyone knew that the one Naruto left the gang to was strong - only one that could match him where Naruto.
"What if they need the protection FROM him? Without you there who will protect them?" Gaara forced the truth onto Naruto. Hoping to open Naruto’s eyes to what was happening.
Naruto shook his head in exhaustion and frustration.
"Why are you so against it? What has he done to deserve that?" Naruto tried to defend his family. Because he was the closest family member Naruto had left. The only family he talked to. Or at least he used to talk to, now he had broken contact with all his remaining family.
Gaara let out a sigh, "Nothing yet. But I know him, he isn’t meant to be a leader. Only as fighter." Gaara slumped a little in his own chair and crossed his arms in front of him, wanting to end this conversation. There was obviously no way to convince Naruto.
Naruto let out another frustrated sigh and shook his head. "Kyubi will protect them. He will. I know. He is my twin after all." Saying this Naruto stood up and picked up his backpack from the desk he left it at. Slowly he made his ways between the desks to the doorway.
Gaara watched him exit, hiding his surprise at Naruto’s revelation well. He had known that the two fighters of Fire, Naruto the Fox and Kyubi the Nine Tailed where strong. When they fought together they became unstoppable and became a legend - The Nine Tailed Fox. Truly an undefeatable duo. He wondered about them at times since he only saw them in battle and he had guessed they where related, maybe even brothers but never had he guessed that the two where twins! They looked nothing alike. Naruto had sunshine kissed skin, bright blond hair and blue eyes that shone when he smiled his fox-ish grin. Kyubi on the other hand had pale skin, bright red hair, brighter then even Gaara’s own and dark eyes that seemed red when the light caught them. His hair was also messy but longer then Naruto’s and fell around his face framing it. He often smiled but it was the smile of a predator faced with his prey, nothing like Naruto. And Naruto had those scars on his face, faint white lines that stood out against his tan skin while Kyubi’s face was unmarred by any scars even after all the fights they had gotten into. Some might say they where even opposites had they met them in a different situation. But anyone that had seem the two fight together can see they where very much the same and very much in tune with one another.
Gaara stared at Naruto’s retreating back as he walked out the door. Naruto had not lost his air of command and respect, Gaara was pleased to notice and he let a small almost unnoticeable smile creep on to his face. Maybe here at this school he will be able to find out more about him, the boy he had always admired from afar. Here he will be able to shake the hackles placed on him by Sasori and Sand and live for himself and only himself. Just as Naruto was now doing.
Sasuke couldn’t stop the anger that bubbled in his as he was continuously ignored, glaring at the blond now he let out a "Hn." and strode out of the class not bothering with a proper goodbye.
What a weird (and perverted) teacher.
A/N: Sorry fort he long wait but RL is filled with exams so bleh… And don’t wait up for the next chapter because I am going on vacation for 2 months (YAY) and the next installment will probably be in September. I’ll try to find a computer to use so I can at least write - maybe when I get back I’ll have a couple chapters ready. Don’t hold your breath though.
EDIT: Now Beta'd <3