'Tryin' to Get to Heaven,' Part 10

[midnightdiddle]

As a rule, Shikamaru never grew angry. Growing up, he'd never fought with other kids, not the way Naruto and Kiba did. He never yelled or screamed like Ino and Sakura, or even argued like Shino or Sasuke could be goaded into doing. The only other person in the Rookie Nine that was as adverse to confrontation as him was Hinata, and that was because she was shy. Shikamaru, one the other hand, was simply lazy.

He believed it took too much energy to even become angry, and to stay angry? That'd take more energy than he'd ever had. It was so much easier, and less tiring, to simply let things slide, and let other people have their way.

So now, when he was stalking through the streets of Sand, glowering at Temari, he was surprised at how good it felt, to be angry. It felt refreshing, almost, to want to strangle someone's neck.

"Your brother said no," he nearly snarled, and Temari jumped to her brother's defense.

"The council said no, not Gaara."

"Who's in charge, the Kazekage, or the council?"

"He's fifteen, they won't let a fifteen year-old pull our village into a war." She stopped, grabbing Shikamaru's arm to pull him into a stop next to her. "We're here."

"Don't they understand that Sound will come after you next?" he asked, letting Temari pull him out of the dusty street and into a dark building. "They won't stop after Konoha."

"They won't touch us," Temari snapped, scowling. "No one can touch Sand, not if we don't want them to. The desert will stop them."

"Then why were you in the Third War," he asked sarcastically, "if your desert protects you so well?"

"Shut up." She sounded almost scared, and Shikamaru sighed. "Shut up," she said again, voice growing stronger, and she leaned over to kiss him.

"God, you're so troublesome," he grumbled, but he kissed her back.

!-!-!

Kakashi jogged into the center of the temporary camp, Kurenai following close behind. The ground was a mottled mess of sticky mud and dry, rock-hard dirt. The mud caked onto his sandals and the dry dirt stuck to the mud, weighing down his feet. When he saw Reiji and Ibiki he slowed down to a walk, kicking the ground clumsily to force the sticky mud off his shoes.

"We need you to get to Konoha and tell Tsunade what happened, and to get help," Reiji told Kakashi when the copy-nin reached the two jounin.

"What about the messenger birds?" Kakashi asked, confused. "You need me here."

"They're buried in the trenches. You've been between here and Konoha the most, you can get back the fastest. We're sending one other person with you, to make sure at least one of you get to Konoha." Reiji looked at Ibiki and Ibiki shrugged one shoulder tiredly.

"Is there anyone in particular you want to go with? We'd send Gai, but Reiji says he's been missing since the trenches collapsed."

"Gai too?" Kakashi sighed, shoving his hands deep in his pockets, and his shoulders fell a bit more. "Asuma's as fast as me, and Kurenai's nearly as fast. Send them, I want to stay here."

Reiji looked at Ibiki, eyebrows coming together in a knot. "Ibiki?" he asked, and Ibiki rubbed his hands together.

"If they want to go, I have nothing against it. Kakashi or them, it's all the same, as long as the message gets there. Kurenai?"

Kurenai stepped forward from behind Kakashi, smiling faintly. "I'll go get Asuma, and we'll leave now."

Ibiki and Reiji nodded, Reiji already turning away, and Kurenai gave them a jerky bow before she turned away herself, jogging back across the camp. Kakashi watched her go silently, then followed Ibiki, sticky mud regathering on his shoes at every step.

!-!-!

"Gai-san?" Iruka was trying to pay attention, because he was sure that was important, to pay attention to his surroundings, but he was so tired, and his eyes refused to stay open. "Gai-san?"

"Yes, Iruka-sensei?" Gai was crouched on the ground, untying the ropes holding Iruka on his back, and Iruka let his arms fall from around Gai's neck.

"Why are we stopping?" he asked, letting gravity pull him off Gai's back once the ropes were pulled free.

"It's a stream," Gai said cheerfully, grabbing Iruka's elbow to steady him. "I'm going to refill the canteen, it's almost empty."

Iruka nodded and stumbled after Gai, footsteps clumsy and unsure. "Water. Good." He froze, swaying, and Gai grabbed his elbow again.

"Careful, sensei," the jounin warned, pushing lightly until Iruka knelt. "Stay here, I'll get the water." Iruka nodded again, fingers curled against the dirt.

"Just dizzy," he said, blinking. He watched as Gai crouched next to the stream, a few yards ahead, and dipped the canteen into the water, shaking the water around before letting it run back out. The jounin filled the canteen once more and jogged back to Iruka.

"Here," Gai said, holding the canteen out. Iruka took it, taking shallow sips, watching the way the water clung to the outside of the canteen.

"Iruka-sensei?"

Iruka jerked and swallowed, forcing a smile as he handed the canteen back to Gai. "Sorry, was thinking." At Gai's curious look, Iruka stood shakily. "Gotta take a piss."

"Do you need help, sensei?" Gai asked mildly, drinking the rest of the water in the canteen.

Iruka flushed madly, smile faltering. "No- no," he said stiffly, "I'll be fine, thank you, Gai-san."

Gai nearly beamed at him, white teeth shining. "Ah, your youthful modesty," he began, walking back to the stream, canteen dangling from his fingertips.

Iruka slowly walked away from the jounin, trying to squash the urge to hide himself beneath a rock. He wandered until he was a few yards away from Gai, then leaned against a tree, back to the jounin. He could feel a dull pain in his chest, enough to twinge each time he breathed, and he was so tired. He fumbled with his pants, fingers awkward. He took his piss, then began to refasten his pants, leaning his head against the tree. He was just so tired...

"Sensei?"

Gai was leaning down, his hands clasped around Iruka's arms, and Iruka turned his head to the side, sighing.

"Sense?" Gai repeated, looking worried. Iruka let his body relax, weight falling against Gai's arms.

"Sleepy," he murmured, eyes drooping, "just sleepy." He let the older man manipulate his limbs, pulling his body over Gai's back, and he wrapped his arms loosely around Gai's neck.

"We have another two hours before the morphine wears off," Gai said, pulling the ropes close. Iruka fit his chin against Gai's shoulder, letting a faint breath out of his nose.

"Two hours..."

"Two hours, sensei," Gai assured him, shifting Iruka's limp weight over his hips. "Ready?"

"Ready," Iruka said, trying to pay attention, and Gai began running again.






...Hmm... So, I pulled every one of those freakin' words out of my butt. It was so hard to write again. But meh. I did it. I'm slightly proud. I beat the system! Or rather, the blockage.

Nene wasn't around to harass about morphine, so I went back to my memories of codeine, which are mainly of me sleepy, feeling dizzy, and halucinating. However, I didn't think it'd be entirely appropriate for Iruka to talk to large, pink bunnies. o_o

Now off to bed. Night night!

Comments

[midnightdiddle.livejournal.com]

Shika/Tema! *dance*

How many chapters? Hmm... I really have no clue. I have a loose outline in my head (read: I know who I want to kill off o_o), but chapters? Hmm... Well, this in itself isn't a chapter, actually. A chapter is usually about two or three parts.

But... Probably at least five more chapters, or about fifteen more parts.

Did any of that make sense? I hope so.

And is everyone going to be okay? Well...Yes and no?

>^..^

[dana-fields.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes, made sense! Thanks!

[midnightdiddle.livejournal.com]

Yay! Of course!