The Jashinist's Son (Naruto Fanfic)

Chapter 2: Owing Baki

Chapter 2: Owing Baki
/ / Flashback = BOLD AND ITALICISED / /

Koneko quietly nudged the crack in the door wide open, spilling light into the dark room her best friend has occupied since their arrival in Suna.

Her pupils dilate as they adjust to the shadowed room wondering why, for the last week, Takeo had insisted on not opening the blinds until he was ready to leave.

'Baka never learns,' she thought, watching as he stumbled around the room trying to get ready as quickly as possible. Like clockwork, she padded into the room, jumping onto the bed and pulled down on the string connected to the blinds.

A low groan escaped the pair of chapped lips as the warm sunlight flooded the room, bathing it in its golden rays, as the final article of clothing is pulled onto Takeo's once bare torso.

"What do you want, Koneko?" he asked, sitting at the end of his bed, hurriedly tugging on his footwear. "I needed to leave... ten minutes ago. Dammit," he sighed looking towards the golden caracal. "But seriously, what is it you wanted to talk about?"

"You," she replied, "what is going with you, my best friend and why didn't you say anything sooner?" Takeo yawned allowing his tired eyes to meet his friend's like he did every morning with the same damn expression.

"I don't know what you mean, Koneko," he said, feigning confusion, "there's nothing to talk about. Would I lie to you?" He asked hurriedly before patting her on the head. "I'll see you later, okay?"

Koneko watches Takeo leave just as quickly as he had gotten ready, throwing a smile over his shoulder that was supposed to reassure her, but all it did was make her stomach turn.

Kankuro passed the silver haired teen and entered the room, eager to see what Koneko had uncovered although it seemed that her incessant kneeling on the bed, told him enough.

What the pair didn't know, was that Takeo had been hurt and was keeping it a secret, and he had no intention in sharing it any time soon.

-

'You,' she replied, 'what is going with you, my best friend, and why didn't you say anything sooner?'

A sigh escaped Takeo as he pulls his hood further over his head to protect him from the harsh rays of Sunagakure. The heat radiating from not only the sun but also off of the buildings, ground and hot wind, set his mind at ease for the most part.

'I don't know what you mean, Koneko... there's nothing to talk about. Would I lie to you?'

He regretted lying to Koneko, after all they've been through everything together, but he wasn't willing to share information about his most recent mission with the Kazekage.

Takeo didn't know whether he was hurt, ashamed, embarrassed or a mixture of all three, but he did know that his pride had taken a beating. He only hoped that things would be resolved quickly, but that would mean actually seeing Gaara.

His gaze immediately drops as the memories of the mission resurface, unable to push the negative feeling from his mind. With his eyes fixated on the sand he took little notice of the lingering stares of various shinobi as he made his way to the the one building he was mildly dreading, the Kazekage's building.