Primal Scars (SasuNaru)

Chapter 6: Bike Jump

The freedom of the jump, the soar of air before the tire hit the ground with a small bounce, then it was rigid control again, fast reflexes and adaptability. Naruto had discovered his love for dirtbikes at around ten, a fact he had forgotten to mention to Iruka for several months. A fact which had landed him in a world of trouble for just as many days. Were it just an interest in them, that would have been one matter, but he had been riding on one, holding onto a neighbour's back without a helmet. Then started racing about on smaller bikes at thirteen, on occasion skipping school with Fuu and their friends at the time to enjoy the thrill.

As it were presently, the stresses of the day being rapidly left to the wood with the multiple jumps and tricks Naruto readily basked in while biking. In descending the last hill, Fuu drove up beside him, her engine making that odd 'tick, tick,' sound it did on occasion. In plain statement of her intention, she took off her helmet and shook the hair stuck to the sides of her cheeks off, a sly smile already prepared and ready on her face.

"So, whats got you buggin'?" He took his helm off in turn, but mainly to affix her with an annoyed stare rather then give an answer. They locked gazes for a long while before he clicked off his motor and leaned his weight against the handles already feeling irritation creeping back up on him. They'd been riding for a few hours and the sky was not going to slow down time for him, as her sun crept down to the horizon. Naruto had felt the pull, a multitude of times, to simply let himself let go of the rope, to fall away from his duties, decend back into something simple- forget his title. It was an urge, but the block of him had no want for it- he felt attached to his duties to his country -the empire, and that would not falter because at times regret gave a tug.

He looked to his friend her open, welcoming gaze, he knew she would listen but he did not know what he could say to her. As his mouth opened and words to placate her curiosity and fuel his guilt, were about to tumble out. Her bike, which had been on, made a loud groaning sound as if it might have a bad stomach pain, and then turned off with nothing more. They both looked to it, but as Fuu attempted to turn it back on by turning her key harsher then necessary, it refused- only coughed a moment before settling under its blanket of silence once more. She shrieked and slid off it, barely remembering to push the stand into place as she slid into place on the side.

Naruto waited, very glad they hadn't been doing jumps when her bike decided to cut out. Neither of them were very adapt with machines, but they knew some basics and as she whined loudly into the darkening evening he knew it must be bad for her to actually know whats wrong. She stood a large pout on her lips and teary-eyed as she turned to look at him.

"Whats the damage?" Her foot kicked her bike slightly with a frustration he didn't often see on her.

"Its the damned sparkplug of all things, it got wedged in its socket because the metal bent, and now its sitting at a weird angle so it won't start!" Naruto blinked, rather startled by her sudden loud outburst and at just how a serious problem manifested after they had been using the bikes just moments ago.

The loud reverberation of a motorcycle sounded on the highway. Normally it wouldn't bother him as they were sat just off the shoulder by the trees and people did not pay attention. Yet, his mouth closed and he stared forward as a bike pulled up and the driver put his foot down to the pavement, those same too dark eyes staring into Naruto's own- he'd known it was Sasuke before he had even pulled up, somehow the roar of his engine had been integrated into his memory -even though he had only heard it once.

Naruto stared and Sasuke stared back, it was stilled and thus with a growing feeling of discomforting familiarity Naruto spoke first. "What ya want bastard?" It came out rather brash and his voice turned a little gruff as he spoke it. From his peripheral Naruto could see Fuu pulling out her dagger from under her jacket, cautious as she always had to be. In due course, and knowing that the man wouldn't do anything, the hidden princess stuck his hand in front of her to still her actions, not once letting his gaze waver from the biker in leather.