Lonely Faces (*aka. -Roommates) | Chapter 23

Beta: abnegation218

Lonely Faces (*aka. Roommates)


Chapter 06

The next morning, Kiba and Naruto learned what Hinata meant by being the talk of the school. As they walked down the halls on their way to their first class, many people stared misty-eyed at them, but many others stared daggers.

Kiba was starting to feel the pressure, but he wouldn’t let it show. If Naruto saw him cracking up, he might have another relapse. Instead, he pretended not to even notice the crowds, and talked to Naruto as though nothing was happening.

“ … So that’s why the teacher decided to give me a 99% rather than 100.”

“Ok, and how does that effect my grade?” asked Naruto, eyebrow raised.

“I guess it doesn’t, I thought you might be interested in knowing.” he said, trying to sound innocent.

“You can stop trying to force conversation because everyone is staring at us. Let’s just get to class and ignore them.” said Naruto, rolling his eyes.

Kiba sighed. “I’m sorry, you’re right. We have nothing to prove to these people.”

“That’s right, and if they don’t like it, they can screw a banana!” said Naruto, shoving a finger in the air energetically.

“Screw a banana?” asked Kiba, thinking it a rather strange saying.

Naruto laughed. “Oh, Granny Smith taught me that one. I just thought it was so weird, so I started saying it.”

Kiba was about to respond when someone stepped in their path.

“Back on the drug wagon are we?” asked Sasuke, contemptuously.

The moment Sasuke finished his sentence, he was on the floor, clutching his nose. But this time, it wasn’t Naruto that hit him, it was Kiba.

“Get the fuck away from us you filthy piece of vermin!” spat Kiba, rage etched into every contour of his face.

It was Sasuke’s fault; he was the one who got Naruto so depressed that he turned to drugs in the first place. If he so much as touched Naruto, he would rip his head off.

“Kiba!” exclaimed Naruto, half shocked, half impressed.

“We don’t need to waste our time with this load of garbage!” roared Kiba.

He took Naruto by the hand and pulled him though the crowd milling around Sasuke’s fallen form.

“Kiba, that was great!” said Naruto, barely concealing his glee.

“He has no right to talk to you! Especially about that!” he said, nearly running down the halls in his anger.

Naruto stopped and looked admiringly at Kiba. Kiba turned to see what was taking him.

“Thank you for defending me Kiba.” he said, his eyes pooling with emotion.

“Come on, we’ll be late for class!” said Kiba, attempting to look touched and annoyed at the same time.

Naruto laughed at his expression and followed him down the corridor.

-

Kiba walked through the campus as the autumn wind whipped through his hair and rain lashed his face. He was heading back to the dormitories after the last class of the day. He usually enjoyed the long walk from the biology wing back to the dorm, but today, people were following him. He estimated about three or four boys where tailing him, each not looking too happy.

Kiba began to run and his pursuers followed suit. He dashed up the football field and headed for an alley he hadn’t been down before, hopping he could lose them. Looking over his shoulder, he saw the four boys track him into the passage.

He turned to see where he was going to find a large brick wall impeding his path, it was a dead end.

Kiba looked back, the four boys walked slowly down the alleyway, cracking their knuckles menacingly.

“We’ve finally got you, you little faggot!” said the one on the far right.

“We don’t want shit like you at this school!” said the one on the far left.

“We’re going to have to teach you a lesson! Homo’s aren’t wanted!”

Two of the boy’s ran around Kiba and grabbed his arms. Kiba struggled to free himself as he screamed for help.

“There’s no one coming!” one of the boys said, punching Kiba in the face.

Kiba spat blood out onto the grimy floor as the other boy aimed a blow to his gut.

What did they want from him? It wasn’t his fault he liked men. Why were they doing this?

Again and again, they punched and kicked him until his face and ribs were bruised. They laughed, hitting him with pleasure as they spat out homosexual jokes.

Kiba was beginning to pass out, his vision blurred as the rain continued to poor down on him, washing away the blood. The boy pulled his fist back again.

‘This is going to do it.’ thought Kiba. ‘I won’t be conscious after another hit like the last.’

He closed his eyes and readied himself for the blow, but it didn’t come.

“What the?” the boy said, looking back.

Kiba opened his eyes, Naruto stood there, holding back the boy’s fist. Naruto looked furious, the look of ferocity in his eye was tenfold more passionate then he had ever seen it.

“Naruto, get out of here, save yourself!” said Kiba hoarsely.

“Hey look, faggot number two has come to save his boyfrie-”

Naruto punched him in the gut. The boy was lifted off the ground by the sheer power of the blow and collapsed in a heap on the cold floor.

The other boys attacked, Naruto countered with lightning fast and calm clean strokes. He took them all on at once, but every time they tried to hit him, he either dogged or blocked with surgical precision.

“You bastards are going to pay for what you’ve done to Kiba!” he said, anger seeping from him in waves.

The boys looked shocked; they couldn’t touch him, and it looked like it was easy for him.

Naruto had until now only been on the defensive, but he assumed an ominous stance that told everyone there that he was ready to fight.

“Bring it on buttercup!” They attacked again, this time one of them took up a lead bar that had been lying on the alley floor.

Naruto made his move, aiming swift punches and kicks into each of their faces. They all fell to the ground, out cold.

“Kiba!” he said, losing his fierceness in an instant as he saw Kiba cough up blood.

Naruto ran to him and held him in his arms “Kiba, it’s going to be ok, just hang in there, ok Kiba!?”

Kiba looked up at Naruto, the mixture of blood, rain, and tears marring Kiba’s face as he smiled at him. His vision blurred and his body finally gave out. The last thing he heard was Naruto calling out his name before he fainted.

-

Kiba awoke in a daze. He heard a steady beeping as he tried to open his eyes, they felt like lead. He was in the hospital, he saw Naruto next to him, half sitting on a chair, half lying on the bed as he slept, his face was blotchy from crying. Kiba tried to sit up and let out a sharp gasp as pain ran up his body.

Naruto’s eyes shot open. “Kiba, lie down! You have some serious injuries!”

He gently placed a hand on Kiba’s chest and forced him down.

“Naruto, what happened? What’s going on?” he asked, needing some answers.

Naruto looked at him, something like pity in his gaze. “Well, those guys jumped you. You were pretty beaten up by the time I got there to stop them. You’ve got two cracked ribs, the almost all of them are bruised.”

Kiba winced as pain seared though his torso.

“Haven’t we been here before?” asked Kiba, staring at the ceiling.

Naruto laughed shakily and shook his head. “Well, it’s a different room, and we’re in opposite places.”

Kiba spun his head to face Naruto, a look of incredulity on his face. “I just remembered, you kicked their asses. What the fuck was all that about!?”

“Oh, that. Well it’s a good thing I took up Karate. I’m a brown belt. I did tell you I know how to defend myself.” he said, chuckling slightly.

“Cool, I never knew you knew Karate! You always seem to be so defenseless.” said Kiba, obviously amazed.

“Yeah, well it’s nothing … Oh, you mother and sister are on their way. They left a couple of hours ago. They should be here any time now.” said Naruto.

“Oh Crap!” said Kiba, shocked.

“What, what’s the matter?” asked Naruto anxiously.

“I haven’t told them about me being Bi yet!” he said fearfully.

“It’s ok, I’ll be here to support you.” said Naruto, placing his hand reassuringly on Kiba’s shoulder.

Kiba settled a bit, taking comfort from his presence. He was right, besides, they had to find out sooner or later.

After a few minutes, the door opened cautiously to reveal two women, both with brown hair and the same markings on their faces as Kiba’s, they crept in, and, seeing Kiba was awake, the elder of the two screamed and ran forwards.

“Kiba! Oh God, Kiba! Are you ok!?” she cried, embracing him. She quickly let go after a jagged breath of pain issued from her son.

“Hi mom.” he said, trying to hold back any further articulations of suffering.

“Kiba, why would someone do this to you? You’re too kind a person to go picking fights.” she said, worry creasing her face.

Kiba sighed; time to get it over with.

“Mom, I need to tell you something …” he said, glancing at Naruto for support. Naruto smiled gently at him and nodded encouragingly. He turned back to face her and drudged up the courage he needed,

“Mom … I’m … I-I’m bisexual!” he stuttered, his face reddening.

“… Bisexual… You’re bisexual?” asked Kiba’s sister, who until now had been standing at the entrance.

His mother looked stunned to say the least. “Are you sure it’s not just a phase dear, I mean lots of people go through-”

“No Mom, it’s not a phase! Do you really think after a beating like that, if I’d have any doubts they wouldn’t be voiced!?” he said, voice raised.

“So this is why they attacked you, because you’re Bi!?” she whispered, the awful truth dawning upon her.

“Yes Mom …” he said shortly, not meeting her saddened gaze.

“Well, we have no problem with you being Bi. We just want you to be happy!” she said, tears tracing lines down her face.

“Thanks mom.” he mumbled.

“And who’s this?” asked his sister, pointing at Naruto.

“Uh, hi. I’m Naruto Uzumaki.” he said, reaching out a hand for her to shake.

“He’s the one who rescued me …” said Kiba, finally looking into his mothers face. “And he’s my boyfriend.”

His mother paused for a moment before letting out a high squeal and hugging Naruto. “My name is Tsume, and this is Hana. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving Kiba, and welcome to the family dear!”

Naruto looked surprised and slightly suffocated as Kiba’s mom embraced him tightly.

Family? A real family? He didn’t have one for so long.

A tear ran down his cheek as he hugged her back. Family, a real family!