The Sharingan's Voice

Chapter 9.2 Chats and Speculations

Sakura had wondered when Tatakai would return. Lately he hadn't been leaving notes anymore, rather telling her where he was going and often skillfully skipping for how long he'd be out. She was even more surprised when he returned with Naruto in tow just after ten pm. Seriously, what was it with those two since yesterday.

"Sooo, what will you cook? How long will it take? I'm starving!" Naruto was asking just as they entered the kitchen.

"I'll reheat some rice, now don't bother me, or it will take longer." He pulled out a pan, added some butter and dumped in some rice leftovers that had been sitting in the fridge once the butter had molten. Soon the delicious smell of fried rice floated through the air, making Naruto even giddier.

"How was sparring?" Sakura asked. They looked quite a bit ruffled, but they weren't sweaty anymore, so that was weird.

"Oh, we... uhm we didn't spar all that long... We went to the library instead."

"You? Library?"

"Yeah, Tatakai wanted to show me a book, actually, we even took it home... tadaa!" He presented her the book. Reluctantly she took it, reading the title and flipping through the chapters quickly.

"That sounds quite dry, are you really going to read it? I mean you usually avoid all written things if you can help it."

"Eeh, hehe, well, the Teme made it sound useful."

"Indeed." Tatakai snorted quietly as he filled three bowls. He handed each their meal, taking the last for himself, then sat down. "About that, we'll continue in my room after eating. And he'll stay the night."

"What?..." Naruto, who had been about to take the first bite sputtered. Sakura witnessed Tatakai sending one of his infamous I'm-annoyed glares towards Naruto and to her surprise, Naruto grew beat-red and didn't say anything else for the rest of the meal (though stuffing food in his mouth might also have been a reason for the quiet). Tatakai was a bit more refined in wolving down his food, but it was quite clear that he was hungry as well. It made her wonder what just had happened.

As soon as Tatakai was done he got up to wash the dishes. Naruto wordlessly followed to help dry them. Then, as soon as the blonde had put away the last item, he sent a fake wide grin to Sakura, grabbed Tatakai's arm and pulled him out of the room. A door slammed closed and Sakura was left to wonder some more.

00000

"What the hell, you were serious with staying the night..." It was a statement, not a question. "You know... I really don't swing that way, ... I mean you're alright and all, but...I'm not interested... I have my boundaries..."

"Idiot... like I'd want to start anything with the likes of you."

"... huhh, I'm glad... that would have been like so awkward... But why do you want me to stay here then? You weren't serious about studying, were you? I really used up all my reading tolerance for the day." Naruto sat down on the bed and leaned back onto the wall behind it, there just wasn't anywhere else to sit.

"No, I told you, we need to talk about what happened. Now just let me set some seals in place, I don't want anyone listening in."

When he was done, he'd sealed the room off in all directions, locked the door and closed the curtains. Naruto who had been waiting for Sasuke to finish up, now looked at him expectantly as he sat down on the other end of the bed.

"Is there any reason why someone would be interested in you?"

"Why, of course there is! I'm awesome!" Naruto exclaimed, grinning.