Roads to Happiness Chapter 8

Students were entering the school building.  However, they all seemed a bit slower than normal.

Naruto slumped into his seat, rubbing his eyes slightly, "Maaa. Why am I so tired today?"  He glanced over at Sasuke as he entered the class room and took the seat next to him, laid his head down, and began dozing.  "What's wrong with you, teme?

"Shut up, dobe.  I'm tired."

"Well that makes two of us then."  He sighed and leaned back slightly, "Man.  Where's Kiba?  He's not here today?"

Shino sat and yawned, "I haven't seen him this morning."

Naruto turned his attention to the new arrival, "You tired too, Shino?"

"Yes.  Quite."

Hinata entered slowly, "Ah, um, g-good morning."  she yawned and sat in her desk, immediately laying her head down.

Naruto looked around at all the tired people in confusion, "Did we have a party or something and just not remember it?"

"I don't drink alcohol," Shino stated.

"I try to avoid it also," Sasuke said.

"And I've never been drunk a day in my life," Naruto said.

"Nor I," came a muffled response from Hinata.

Sakura entered and slumped into a desk next to Sasuke, "Too. Damn. Tired."

Shikamaru entered next and sat at the back of the class where he promptly fell asleep.

Naruto looked around classroom, "Geez, Sai is missing too?"

Hinata looked up, rubbing her eyes gently, "That's strange...  Why is the class room half empty today?"

"It doesn't make sense that we're all so tired like this," Shino said.

"I'm sure we just didn't get enough sleep," Sakura said, forever trying to be the smart one.  "That, or we all have mono. Which would really suck."

"I haven't kissed anyone recently"

"It can be passed through drinks, too."

"If we do have it, I'm blaming it on Ino," Naruto said.

"I second that," Sasuke said.

"Thirded," Sakura added.

Ino sat next to Sasuke, glaring at them all, "Thanks a lot, guys."

"Your welcome," Sasuke said with a smirk.

"Anyway, where's Iruka-sensei?  Is he feeling under the weather or something?"

The only response Ino received from the class was a light snore from Sasuke who had fallen asleep.  Kakashi then entered the class room with a yawn, sitting at the teacher's desk.

"You tired too, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked, "And where's Iruka sensei?"

"Iruka isn't feeling well this morning."

"I don't think any of us are," Sakura said.

"Strange, ne?" he took a moment to look over Iruka's class schedule.  "Well, sense none of us feel well, I'll bump up a planned movie day to today and let you all sleep."

"Thank you Kakashi-sensei!" was instantly chorused from the class.  Kakashi nodded and dozed off with the class.

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Sasori was exploring his new surroundings, he had just arrived in Konoha from Suna.  He was so drawn into the beauty of the place that he failed to pay attention to what was in front of him and bumped into Deidara.  The later was carrying a crate full of supplies for the shop he worked at.

"Gomen, miss," Sasori said.

"I'm a man, un," Deidara said with a glare.

"Oh... gomen nesai," Sasori said with a slight blush.

Deidara sighed, "It's all right.  I'm used to it.  Doesn't help I work in a flippin' flower shop."

"If it bothers you, then quit."

"Can't, un. It's my family's shop."

"You feel obligated then, ne?"

"Damn right, I do," Deidara said, grinning.

"Then don't complain."

"Eh. I don't complain often. Besides, it's nice in there, yeah?  And it lets me work on my art, un."

"So your an artist!" Sasori said, now considerably more interested in the convorsation, "So am I."

"Really, un? What kind of art? Oh! Hey, I'd love to chat, but I'm going to be late, un!"  Deidara began to walk away only to have Sasori follow him.  "Ah.  Good idea, un!  That way, we can talk and I can work."  He grinned, "Name's Yamanaka, Deidara.  You?"

"Akasuna, Sasori.  And I make puppets.  What's your art like?"

"I make sculptures. Mind you, they don't last long."

"Nani?  Why?"

"I dunno why, I just can't stand something so permanent.  I usually remold the clay back into a ball, un."

"That's strange, you should keep at least a few of them."

"What'd be the point of that, un?"

"So you can see how you improve over time. so that others can enjoy seeing your work."

"But over time, it'll still be worn away.  So, why bother?"

Sasori frowned slightly, this kid was so stubborn, "Because, you and others may enjoy looking at it until it does fade."

"Whatever, un. Let's just agree to disagree, un."

Sasori sighed, "Very well."

Deidara entered the store, quickly setting down the box, grabbing an apron with his name tag from behind the counter, and pulling it over his head.  He quickly tied it around his back, frowning slightly, "Ugh, I look like Ino-chan."

"Ino-chan?" Sasori asked.

"My little sister, un."

"Ah, well, you do look very feminine."

"Shut it, un."

Ino then entered the room, hands on her hips, "About time you showed up, Deidara!"  She looked to Sasori, "Huh?  Who's this?"  Sasori bowed slightly in greeting.

"Sasori, Ino-chan.  Pig, Sasori." Deidara gave the introductions.

"Hey!  Don't insult me in front of potential customers!"

"What?" Deidara chuckled, "It's what your name means, isn't it, Ino-chan?"

"Watch it girly-boy!"

"Conceded little girl!"

"Disfigured freak!"

"Annoying bitch!"

Sasori watched this go on and became increasingly bored, "Please, stop fighting."

Deidara allowed his attention to go back to the redhead, "Hai, hai.  Just venting.  We really care about each other."  There was a slight pause before he added, "Sometimes."  Ino huffed and looked away.  "So, Ino.  Ready for school, un?  Or are you sick or something?  I thought it started earlier than now."

"Eh.  I forgot something here.  I'm going to need to be heading back soon."

"Don't need to be skipping classes your firsst day, un.  Mom would kill you."

"Yeah yeah.  See you later!" she called out as she ran to school.

Deidara watched her go, he was the only one home now, "Man... I really wish mom could run the shop right now.  I want to go somewhere."

"Would you like help?"

"Not much to do, un. Just stand around, look pretty, and hope to god someone comes in and buys something."

There was a moment of silence as Sasori looked around the store.  After a few moments he covered his nose, "Ugh.  It smells so strong in here."

"I never noticed.  I guess I'm just used to it, un."

"Well, I'm starting to get hungry any way.  So, I should probably go soon."

"I could cook something for you, un," Deidara said to stop him, he wasn't quite ready to be left alone in the shop.  It was painfully boring.  "I mean, we live right behind the shop, un." Plus... it gave him a chance to tell this attractive male where he lived, not that he felt he had a chance with him.

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble."

"problem, un!" he grinned and pushed the door leading to the back open so he could see if any one came into the shop, "Just follow me."  The two entered the kitchen, "There should be some dango in the fridge.  Help yourself, un."  Deidara started getting out a pot, a pan, and all the ingredients he would need.

Sasori opened the fridge and took out a stick of dango, taking a bite, "Ah!  It's so sweet!  How can you stand this!?"

Deidara looked up from the rice with a confused expression, "Really, un?  Must be a different type.  Here.  Let me try."  Sasori handed Deidara the dango and the blond took a small bite, "What are you talking about, un?  This stuff is barely sweet.  You must be oversensitive."  He finished off the dango in just a few bites.

"Strange.  It was so sweet though.  I guess perhaps you're right about me being sensitive."

Deidara returned to cooking before he became frustrated with the gloves he was wearing to hide the mouths there, "Ugh!  I hate these stupid gloves, un!  They just get in the way!"  He pulled them off quickly, "Much better."  He cracked his knuckles, "I can't take them off because what they're hiding usually freaks people out, un."  He said holding out his palms, hoping Sasori would not be one of these people. "Check it out."

"Don't see that every day.  It's quite interesting.  So what are you fixing?"

"Just some rice right now, un.  There should be some vegetables in the fridge to make stir-fry, un."

"Sounds good."

Deidara lowered the head on the rice before beginning to heat some oil in a pan, "So, Sasori-danna." He quickly slapped the back of his hand over his mouth and looked to Sasori who was smirking with a raised eyebrow.  "What the hell was that, un?!?"

"Wow, Deidara, I didn't know you felt that way.  It's so sudden.  We only just met."

"I don't, un! I, uh... I meant 'Sasori no Danna!'  Like artistic master, un!"

"You haven't even seen my art."

"But I'm sure you're good at it," he was grasping for any excuse he could find.

"There's no way for you to know that."

"Yeah... Well... You want food or not, un?" perhaps blackmail will work.

"Hai, please."

"Then drop the subject."

"Ok ok."

Deidara turned away and began cutting up vegetables to put into the pan.

Setsuka, Deidara and Ino's mom, entered from the back door.  "Deidara, why aren't you at the front?  Hm?  Who's your new friend?"

"Hello, Kaa-san. This is Sasori. Sasori, this is my mom, Setsuka, un."

Sasori stood from where he was sitting at the table and bowed slightly.

"Oh," Setsuka said, "Well your shift is pretty much over, anyway.  I'll cover for you.  Let you two do something more interesting than hanging around at a flower shop all day.

Sasori chuckled, "Oh, but something interesting has already happened, Deidara called me 'dan-'"  Deidara rushed over and cut him off by slapping a hand over his mouth.  Sasori's eyes widened before squinting them shut and moaning deep.

Setsuka quirked an eyebrow, "I'll just leave you two alone then."

Deidara quickly removed his hand from a darkly blushing Sasori's mouth, "It's not like that, Kaa-san!"

Setsuka simply shook her head and left the two, smiling slightly.  Deidara sighed and sat down next to Sasori, "Great, un.  Just great."

"Gomen nesai," Sasori said, now having regained his senses.

"It's my fault too, un.  I should've made sure I didn't accidentally, um, kiss you, un."  

There was a moment of silence as Sasori's blush darkened.  Deidara, however, couldn't stand it for too long and had to break  it, "Well, this is awkward, un."

"Hai, quite."

"Well, you may as well see the village after we eat," Deidara said, going back to cooking, anxious to get off the topic, "I mean, you're new and all, so you won't know your way around, un."  Sasori nodded.  "So I'll show you around."

"Arigato"