Naruto missed the next two days of school. Sasuke didn't care, but Ekusa ferreted out the reason why; the attack for violating other children ("He didn't," Ekusa hissed, a scorpion with her tail ready to sting) that was only just stopped before it killed him, the short coma, the stay at the hospital.
He didn't pay much attention when Naruto came back. The sideways glances that Sakura was darting at the idiot weren't being copied from him at all. Ekusa was just fascinated for no reason, it wasn't as if he wanted her to be staring so constantly at Naruto and whispering perplexed comments about how he seemed happier after what had happened.
Why in the world would someone be happy that another person's daemon had told the class they weren't a monster, after all, he wondered sarcastically, not bothering to comment out loud. Ekusa gave him a sardonic look and turned back to staring at Naruto. Careful not to let anyone else hear, she asked with an edge of nervousness, "When can I ask him to touch me again?"
"Never," Sasuke snarled before he could stop himself. That touch... he'd dreamed of that touch, of feeling Naruto's warmth and confidence and care and trust and strength -
He needed his mind to shut up. He needed to never feel that again, or he was going to do something stupid and embarrassing like begging Naruto to not let go.
He needed Ekusa to stop looking at him as if he was the idiot, and just go along with his attempts to lie to himself.
Ekusa gave him the half-annoyed, half-smug look she got when she thought he was being a moron and had worked out a way around whatever restrictions he'd placed on her. Sasuke looked back warily, not wanting to find out what she was going to do.
Nothing happened during lessons, which just made him tenser. He knew Ekusa far too well to think that she'd changed her mind; no, she was just waiting, biding her time...
They both went back to their apartment, Ekusa casting a single thoughtful glance over her shoulder at Naruto. Sasuke tried to convince himself that he was out of danger now, and she wouldn't be trying anything until tomorrow.
He failed.
Ekusa smirked at him as she dragged out her old grooming kit. "I think I need longer fur, don't you?" she asked, changing into a chinchilla.
"Of course not," he scoffed, trying to be subtle as he moved between her and the door. "Why would you?"
She blinked at him innocently. "To ask Naruto to groom it, of course," she said, and jumped out of the window with her kit in her mouth.
Sasuke chased after her, horrified that she might actually do just that. He was so desperate to stop her that he didn't even notice whose voice was asking, "Where are you going?"
Ekusa changed into a monkey and pulled her kit out of her mouth, holding in one paw as she called back, "To get Naruto to groom me!"
"NO YOU'RE NOT!" Sasuke bellowed, trying to catch her. She dodged, laughed, and hurried on.
Behind them, Sakura and Raksu exchanged startled looks. Raksu's expression quickly became determined. "Come on!" he ordered, chasing after them. Sakura was forced to follow, wondering what her daemon had in mind.
Team Seven Daemons 3
He didn't pay much attention when Naruto came back. The sideways glances that Sakura was darting at the idiot weren't being copied from him at all. Ekusa was just fascinated for no reason, it wasn't as if he wanted her to be staring so constantly at Naruto and whispering perplexed comments about how he seemed happier after what had happened.
Why in the world would someone be happy that another person's daemon had told the class they weren't a monster, after all, he wondered sarcastically, not bothering to comment out loud. Ekusa gave him a sardonic look and turned back to staring at Naruto. Careful not to let anyone else hear, she asked with an edge of nervousness, "When can I ask him to touch me again?"
"Never," Sasuke snarled before he could stop himself. That touch... he'd dreamed of that touch, of feeling Naruto's warmth and confidence and care and trust and strength -
He needed his mind to shut up. He needed to never feel that again, or he was going to do something stupid and embarrassing like begging Naruto to not let go.
He needed Ekusa to stop looking at him as if he was the idiot, and just go along with his attempts to lie to himself.
Ekusa gave him the half-annoyed, half-smug look she got when she thought he was being a moron and had worked out a way around whatever restrictions he'd placed on her. Sasuke looked back warily, not wanting to find out what she was going to do.
Nothing happened during lessons, which just made him tenser. He knew Ekusa far too well to think that she'd changed her mind; no, she was just waiting, biding her time...
They both went back to their apartment, Ekusa casting a single thoughtful glance over her shoulder at Naruto. Sasuke tried to convince himself that he was out of danger now, and she wouldn't be trying anything until tomorrow.
He failed.
Ekusa smirked at him as she dragged out her old grooming kit. "I think I need longer fur, don't you?" she asked, changing into a chinchilla.
"Of course not," he scoffed, trying to be subtle as he moved between her and the door. "Why would you?"
She blinked at him innocently. "To ask Naruto to groom it, of course," she said, and jumped out of the window with her kit in her mouth.
Sasuke chased after her, horrified that she might actually do just that. He was so desperate to stop her that he didn't even notice whose voice was asking, "Where are you going?"
Ekusa changed into a monkey and pulled her kit out of her mouth, holding in one paw as she called back, "To get Naruto to groom me!"
"NO YOU'RE NOT!" Sasuke bellowed, trying to catch her. She dodged, laughed, and hurried on.
Behind them, Sakura and Raksu exchanged startled looks. Raksu's expression quickly became determined. "Come on!" he ordered, chasing after them. Sakura was forced to follow, wondering what her daemon had in mind.