Akatsuki Princess

Friday came much faster than I hoped it would. I had refused to tell Kiba anything until we were safely inside my semi-soundproof room. School was too risky to tell him about Sasuke and I; his fangirls were everywhere lurking in plain sight. I also refused to tell him what I would be doing over the weekend, telling him only that I was doing something that would determine whether or not he would be allowed over. Since his parent’s would be away on a mission the next week, it was decided that he would sleep over on Monday.
“Come on Kamiko!” he whined. “Just let me know what you’re doing! Maybe I can help.”
“For the zillionth time Kiba. No! You can’t help anyway. This is something I have to do on my own.”
“Why don’t you trust me?” The question caught me off guard. After a week of begging, he had never asked why I wouldn’t tell him.
“I trust you” I replied. “I just don’t want anyone to know. I don’t want word getting back to Sasuke.” As soon as his name left my mouth, I knew it was wrong to say. “Kiba—“
He cut me off. “Do you really think I’d tell him if you asked me not to? And anyway why are you so hung up on him thinking you’re perfect?”
“Kiba, It’s not like that,” I started to tell him, but he wouldn’t let me finish.
“No. Don’t talk to me right now. I need to cool down. In the meantime why don’t you go kiss you’re perfect boyfriend? Oh speak of the devil!” That said, he turned and walked away. before I could even try to stop him, I felt myself being wrapped in a hug, and a kiss placed on my temple.
“Don’t bother with him. He’s a jerk.”
I whirled around to face Sasuke. “No he’s not! He’s my friend. What’d he ever do to you?”
“How can you put up with him? He treats you like utter crap!” Sasuke was staring at me in disbelief. I could feel people’s eyes on us as we fought, but I didn’t pay them any attention.
“He’s just a little hot-tempered,” I huffed. I started to turn away, but Sasuke grabbed my arm and pulled me into a kiss. I overcame my shock and pushed him away furiously. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? Me being angry does not give you an invitation to make out with me; especially in the middle of school!”
I knew people were staring at our little lover’s spat now, but I paid them no mind. “I am so sick of you thinking you can get away with anything just because you’re you! News flash: I’m different than most people and I won’t let you walk all over me!” I started to leave but he grabbed me again. “Let go” I growled.
Before he could move, Kiba appeared at my side. “Everything ok over here?”
Sasuke pulled me closer and wrapped his arms around me protectively. “Everything’s perfect. Now why don’t you just run away and sulk like you always do?”
“Oh my God!” I exploded, causing Sasuke to release his hold on me and take a step back. “What is you’re problem? Quit being such a jerk to him when he’s never done anything to you. I can fight my own battles you know. You don’t need to constantly protect me from petty squabbles among schoolmates!”
I turned to apologize to Kiba to find him smirking arrogantly in Sasuke’s direction. “And you’re no better! Get off your high horse you hotheaded brat!” I pushed him slightly and continued. “Next time you get all pissy for no reason, don’t even think about trying to be my knight in shining armor.”
Kiba was shocked. “I only got mad because you won’t tell me anything! I get that you don’t want your boyfriend to know certain things but come on! You can trust me and you act like you can’t.”
“You don’t get it Kiba. I don’t trust anyone The fact that you might be coming over says a lot. I’m going to be trying to break down those walls to tell you a few secrets nobody knows. Ok?”
I had forgotten about Sasuke until his voice pulled me back to the reality of where we were. “Kamiko, what the hell aren’t you telling me?” I trembled slightly; he sounded so much like his brother. He turned me around, forcing me to face him. “What are you hiding?”
He forced me to look up at him and I squeaked at the anger in his eyes. Kiba pushed me behind him protectively. “Dude, you need to cool down. Go take a walk or something. Don’t do something you’ll regret.”
“Move,” Sasuke pushed Kiba away. “This is between me and her. Nobody follow us or I will hurt you.”
He grabbed me and carried me away from the crowd. Once we were far enough away, he faced me expectantly. I stared at my feet. “Kamiko look at me and tell me what’s going on.”
I shook my head. “Please don’t be mad. I have to spend the entire weekend with your brother because my father wants us to get along since we want to kill each other whenever we’re close. I’m sorry.”
I felt Sasuke tense up immensely. Before he could say anything, the bell rang. “You go on ahead. I’ll catch up later.” He hesitated, but turned and went into the school. Finally after everyone had left the grounds and gone inside, I climbed up to the roof to try and relax.
Somehow I didn’t notice Naruto lurking behind the trees. He stepped out holding a rope and a can of paint. I watched him look around, making sure the coast was clear. “Naruto! Are you getting in trouble?” I yelled down to him.
He stopped in his tracks and looked up at me. “What? No, I just, um, I – what are you doing up there?”
I rested my chin in my hands. “Trying to relax.”
Naruto put down the paint and climbed up next to me. “What’s wrong?” I merely shrugged in response, but he poked me.
I sighed, agitated. “Kiba’s mad at me (no surprise), Sasuke’s mad at me, and I may very well die this weekend trying to become Itachi’s friend because my father is forcing me.” I laid down and covered my eyes.
“What! Why are you gonna die?” I peeked through my fingers and instantly felt bad seeing the terror that filled my friend’s eyes.
I changed the subject quickly. “What were you doing before I distracted you?”
He grinned mischievously. “I was gonna go graffiti the most important monument in…” he trailed off. “Hey don’t try and distract me! You just told me you might die. Do you expect me to be ok with that?”
I glanced at him and sat up staring into the forest. “I exaggerate a lot. I don’t think he’d actually kill me. He’s not allowed.” I laughed humorlessly. “But I’m being forced to spend the entire weekend with him. We kind of hate each other. If we aren’t friends by Sunday night, I don’t want to know what my father will do to us.” Naruto pulled me into a hug and lay down so we were cuddling. We stayed like that for a few moments until he asked if we should go inside. “You can if you want,” was my reply, “but I’m sick of Iruka telling me I need to try harder. Maybe he should start explaining things better!”
Naruto laughed. “You must be too far in the back. Most of the Explanations are on the board.” I fidgeted nervously and he noticed. “What’s wrong?”
I took a deep breath. “I can’t read Japanese. I never learned.”
Naruto looked shocked. “But…I’ve seen you read before! What about that book you were reading when you got here early yesterday?”
I fished out my tattered copy of The Book of Lost Things that I always carried with me. “It’s English.” I showed him. “This is one of my favorite books.” He flipped through the pages in awe. “It helps me escape from the world when life gets too tough” I continued. “My best friend gave it to me a few years ago for my birthday.”
“Will you read some of it to me?”
I chuckled in response and opened to the beginning. “Once upon a time there was a boy who loved to read…” I read to Naruto until the bell rang. “I should probably go find Kiba and Sasuke to apologize in case I’m not here Monday.”
Naruto nodded in understanding and gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. “You’ll be ok,” he promised and though I wasn’t as sure, I smiled in return and nodded. I jumped down from the roof in search of my friends. I found them easily; they stood talking to each other near the edge of forest. Kiba glared at me as I approached. Following Kiba’s stare Sasuke turned toward me also looking me with hostility.
“I came to apologize.” I explained staring at the floor.
“You should’ve just told us.” Kiba shrugged no longer seeming angry. I let my eyes flicker up to look at him. “Apology accepted.” He smiled at and I returned the grin.
Sasuke cleared his throat. “Kiba can I talk to her alone for a minute?” Kiba said nothing but walked away giving us privacy. “Kamiko, why didn’t you tell me about this?”
I stared at the ground. “I didn’t want you angry with me. I thought you would be and it seems I was right. You’re pissed off.”
“I am mad,” he agreed. “But not at you! I’m mad at your dad for making you do this and at Itachi for anything he might do.”
“I’m sorry.” My voice was barely above a whisper.
“Don’t be.” He assured me. I gave no response; I didn’t know what to say. “Kamiko, look at me?’ I glanced up quickly, but turned my gaze down again almost immediately. Suddenly I felt a hand on my chin forcing me to look into his charcoal eyes. He wrapped his free arm around my waist pulled me into another kiss.
As soon as his arm moved, I broke the kiss. “You really need to stop doing that.” He merely chuckled a goodbye as I left. To my surprise, barely 20 feet away stood Itachi, completely hidden by the trees. “What are you doing here?”
He glared at me. “Picking you up. Did I just see you and my baby brother kiss?” I ignored the question.
“But I thought you never picked me up.”
“Special occasion. Come on.” He started walking and I followed, glaring at his back.
“It’s not going to burst into flames, you know.” I looked up in surprise as Itachi broke the silence. We had been walking for almost an hour in complete quiet, and his statement confused me. He clarified. “No matter how long you stare at my back, a hole is not going to be burned into me. I’m going to stay quite intact.”
I looked down at the floor in embarrassment. I hadn’t realized I was glaring so badly. “Do you really hate me that much?” he asked me. I didn’t answer and the man sighed. “Whatever. We’ll be there in about five minutes.” I nodded as a response and kept my eyes on the ground the rest of the way.