The Regular and All

[Sakon/Ukon]

People thought students like him (or like them) didn’t study. How could he? I mean, look at the way he dresses, the vulgar way he talks, he obviously has some issues and needs to see a shrink, or be in a correctional institute. Did you hear that last week he stabbed someone on the street? Of course the idiots would think like that, he reasoned. They were afraid of him, so they did it secretly, but they were stupid to think he didn’t know. And their assumptions and logic were amateurish. Who the hell would want to be ignorant and dumb? Of course he studied, and if they’d actually looked into matters they would have found him at the library many times, just like they should have known he didn’t go around stabbing people for no reason: it was self-defense. He’d be locked away if he had been the attacker now, wouldn’t he?

Of course, minor crimes were not outside his normal conduit when he could get away with them. Things like shoplifting or scratching the layer of paint on someone's car. And he really wouldn’t have anything against killing people, but he wasn’t enough of an idiot to do it when he knew he could get caught and easily restrained. Or when there was really no benefit to it. After all, living things were a lot more fun than dead ones, considering that the latter would be quite… impossible to mock or to otherwise amuse oneself with.

Sakon didn’t like people. He found most of them repulsive, with their pointless love of small things and their incessant chattering about the most idiotic of topics. He had been glad to find, from what little he had been told about his other personality’s doings, that Ukon didn’t like people either. It was difficult enough to bear that there was a side of you that you couldn’t control already. If he had been too different, it would have been worse… Although, he supposed all of this was, in essence, much like having a twin brother, only that the physical link here was even stronger, since they shared the same body entirely.

His thoughts were wandering too far away and to subjects that had nothing to do with studying for his Math class. It was obvious that he needed a break, since the rules of a human’s attention span said it would automatically take one if forced to go beyond its normal time limit. He leaned back in his seat, abandoning the book open on the table for now, and looked around himself. The library was supposed to be a place of silence and study, but it wasn’t quite like that. Whispers and murmurs and the careless flicking of pages or dropping of objects prevented it. He had learned to ignore those nuisances and just concentrate on what he had to do. If anyone came and sat too close, he would usually just stand up and go sit some other better place.

With his back now comfortably rested, he realized there was a small pain in his left shoulder from slouching in concentration while he was reading. He raised the opposite hand and massaged it absently, while his gaze skimmed through the various figures in the room; there weren’t many at this time and in this particular corner, and they were mostly grouped on the other side than himself. All the better. Most of them were dressed in colorful fashionable crap, and from his experience those people were usually the most annoying. Although those other stereotypes were serious competition. He had never understood how some of these retards could be so very proud to be classed as this or that other word. He’d be ready to show his disgust towards anyone that dared to categorize him, which happened pretty often.

Moving his shoulder a little, he tested and was satisfied that the pain had receded a little. It would take some more time, and probably a walk or some form of exercise to purge it completely, as usual when these things happened. He reached into his pocket and fished for his cell-phone, ignoring the pack of cigarettes for now. He was going to have a smoke outside, but not now, later when he would be leaving the library for the day. For now, he just pulled the phone out and ended his survey of the room’s other occupants to check the time. It was disappointingly early, so he’d still be spending some time here. With what he’d gone over, it had seemed like more. But then again, he wasn’t very fond of studying even though he admitted its usefulness, so that could be why.

Placing the phone down on the table, right by the books’ edge, he continued to stare at it in an absent-minded, bored state. In the library, he couldn’t pick on anyone to pass the time. If he caused too much of a commotion, he’d be shown the way out for disturbing the peace and banned temporarily from coming here. He didn’t need that, since the other library was a long way from his home and he’d need to take the bus, which he could hardly stand. Those public transportation means, all of them, were where the worst and most insufferable types of humans seemed to like gathering.

It was rather chilly in here, he now noticed. The weather hadn’t been nice today, with clouds hovering above the city and threatening it with rain. Maybe it was raining now… he looked out the window and that theory was proven false. It was still dark and gloomy, but no drops were falling. He tucked his cold hands up each other’s sleeves, thus folding his arms across his abdomen, and glanced at the book, testing his mood to resume. Not yet… a couple more minutes.

[Sazuki Adei]

An endless path of dirt and rocks occupied the blond's path, as he stumbled over the uneven grounded blocked with rocks and unwelcome plants. The trail that led behind Kita's apartment building was the closest thing he could find to imitate the charms that were exclusive to the northern mountains. The trail had a shallow stream with murky water that didn't flow, since a boulder obstructed it. Kita had once tried to move the boulder but had failed and saw that the stream was prettier still, anyway. A canopy of trees overlooked the stream, and a jumble of twigs and vines crisscrossed each other, leading up to the back of the apartment building. The vines seemed to creep up the side of the builder and intertwine with the simple brick pattern and never touch the windows that were solemn ever opened. The path was a pebble stone that began from the narrow alleyway that was between the apartment building and the annex beside it. It continued all the way toward the downtown area of Konoha.

Kita had ordinarily cooked his meals, but was tired of his normal routine that evening and ventured out of his chaotic bachelor pad. And he was remembered that it would be necessary to stop by the library to find a book he needed for his report. The trail seemed serene as Kita found his way through the familiar path. Quietness may be ideal for some people, but to Kita it was awful. He was very much accustomed to his old house living with his six sisters and mother to be noisy, and despite how organized and tidy his mother kept it, in disarray. Although Kita would never admit to missing his mother’s house, he had perhaps subconsciously tried to imitate the house’s discomposure by hanging confusing watercolor painting and colorfully designed sofas, and the bright red paint in his bedroom. Kita felt his stomach rumble, just as he cut through the stone and jumped over the stream. It was quicker downtown this way, despite the fact the bottom of his jeans were wet and rippled. Through, a narrow crack, Kita could make the back of the crafts store, which was right in front of ending of the short cut.

Pressing his back to the wall, Kita slipped through the opening and squinted his eyes as the now intensified sun shone brighter. It was evident that Konoha was still in it’s usual bustle, people flew in different directions all around him. Konoha was a beauty in this sense-- it was seldom still. Kita walked past the shops including the ramen bar, which was odd considering how hungry he had been a few minutes before. Kita's urge to eat passed as he closed in toward the library. He'd been to the library here only when he was extremely bored, or when he wanted some peace from his sisters. Now that he had a place of his own he no longer needed the library as a sanctuary. Today was an exception seeing as he needed the extra points in History from this report.

Kita took hold of the long handle and stepped inside the air-conditioned opening. Two librarians stood at the front desk, one typing up something from a paper in front of her and the other reading a novel. Kita found the section he needed to be in, and walked over too a computer with the library's home page on it. He typed in the name of the book he was looking for, and hit the search button. The computer froze for a second and the green bars at the bottom stopped and blinked. Kita groaned and cursed at technology. Looking around, Kita saw a face he'd seen at school.

He couldn't put his finger on what the boy's name was, but Kita was more than sure they shared a lunch period together-- it was uncommon in such a school as big as Konoha High to not be in a class with someone. Kita scrutinized the boy carefully; he wasn't exactly what he'd call attractive but he was definitely built strong. He looked like the type who'd be a bit of a... bad-ass, rather than some who'd be studying in a library.

When the damned computer finally processed a search result, Kita saw that the boy he had been staring at had the book at the edge of his table. Kita sauntered slowly to his table and gave the boy a sincere smile. "Hey, my name is Kita," he started never breaking his gaze from the boy. "It looks as if you're using a book, I'm looking for," he continued. "Do you mind if I use for a minute or two?"

[Iroke!!!]

Women. He couldn’t stand the existence of such beings with their flirtatious smiles and fluttering eyelashes. The lot of them looked like "star-gazers," their make-up applied messily and in numerous layers, their earrings too large, nails too long and painted in the most hideous of colors. Dressing in the latest fashions of "skin showing" in competition of how low the waist of the skirt could go before it was socially unacceptable. And they applied their perfume by the bucket. But most of all: they were held in regard in the eyes of the most attractive of the Konoha males. Women. Sickening creatures.

Thank god the variety of fashion sense in his household kept his disdain of the opposite sex in check for the most part. But they were the reason he would up in this place, curled up in a corner with his nose stuck in a book. He had, after all, been chased out of the house by those giggling creatures and their scents mixed together in chemicals and fake flowers. Or fruits. The fruit was even worse because he could understand how a mango came out smelling like a watermelon. They were being too loud, screeching about vengeance of some sort. Oh, that was right! He recalled stumbling out the kitchen half drunk, the entire family gathered around his eldest sister as she sobbed her eyes out, the globby mascara running down her cheeks in ashen streaks. Her boyfriend, it appeared, was cheating on her. Last he had heard before he and his hangover left the house was their plans to make his and his new girlfriend’s lives miserable.

Though if he remembered correctly…his sister had been cheating on him on and off because he wasn’t the sex beast she had wanted.

And so, he discovered sanctuary in the library. Almost. Every little sound made his headache worse. The rustling of pages being turning. The tearing of paper to take a quick note or mark a section in a book. The clatter of dropping pencils, calculators, bags. Explosions of sound against his eardrums in deafening pangs. He would have been the first to admit that he’d had three beers too many. If only he could fall into a deep sleep and forget about the world, let the pains fade into but a dull thud.

Yet this was the place that he hated most of all. For silence was an enemy of his. Not that he really, actually, truly hated the library. He loved reading, but on his own terms. And not around other people. There were just better spaces to be. For places that got too quiet were frightening. Thus, he tended avoid the areas or gatherings where solemnity or hushed voices were required. He was far too active to be confined in silence. Funerals and weddings were boring aside from the clothes. But libraries were the worst, seeing that you couldn’t make the slightest noise without receiving the “glare of death.” As it was, he found himself sulking pitifully after having been reprimanded by a librarian. He hadn’t been that loud.

It must have been his appearance. After all, everyone judges by appearance despite what they say. With that in mind, he took a quick glance down at what he was wearing. Something flashy and colorful. As always. With crosses dangling from his ears and his nails gleaming black, his eyes shadowed over in hues of purple and pink, and his lips painted in a deep blue. He looked rather…there was a word for it…gaudy? Not quite what he was looking for but it would have to do.

Here he was. This boy named Iroke who was a college freshman, looking for a job, recuperating from the effects of his drunkenness from last night. And he was in a library. What was he thinking? He needed to yell. Scream. Jump up and down. Throw something across the room, get in a fight. Anything. Anything whatsoever so long as it kept him entertained. Because he was completely and totally bored. Out. Of. His. Skull.

Running his lanky fingers through his light hair, he breathed out a sigh and stretched his legs. The book was set aside immediately (despite the fact that he really needed to read it for class) as he stood, raising his arms above his head while he bounced on his toes to get the blood circulating again. It was an awkward moment, him rolling his stiff shoulders and cracking his neck, feeling like he was the center of attention in that hushed public place. He may not have been, but he was by far the most colorful.

Air. Space. He needed both as quickly as possible.

Of course, he seemed to have forgotten the way to the door, so snatching up the book once again, he wandered aimlessly through the aisles, searching for something even the slightest bit entertaining. But nothing caught his eye. So perching in a comfy chair again, he settled for examining the kid who had caught his eye, who was now trying to get something from another being.

They were both relatively attractive and pleasing to Iroke’s taste.