Summary: All of Sasuke's life he had thought the blonde haired blue eyed kid in his dreams was a figment of his imagination, until one day a mission brings him face to face with his dream boy, and he discovers that what he thought was his imagination was really a reality.
Disclaimer: I (sadly) do not own Naruto
Rating:This story is rated M for later Chapters
Author Note: I've been on a writing hiatus for a while but recently found inspiration. This is my first Naruto story and I'm excited about the concept and where I can go with it, I've always loved dream sequences and everything you can do with them. This chapter will be mostly back story with flash backs and dream sequences but that won't last forever I swear so just bear with me for the first chapter or two. The next one if already written but I'm going through and doing last minute editing and rewrites. Please review I love hearing your comments and I hope you enjoy
~*&*&*~ = This sign just means the beginning and ending of Flashbacks. I really hate writing "Flashback" and "Flashback ending" all the time and thought this was a more attractive way to do it.
Sasuke was running down a dark stone torched lite hallway, his blood pulsing loudly in his ears and his lungs burning. Even with his legs rebelling at the punishing pace he had set he refused to slow, he knew he was running out of time, he might already be too late. He continued running and running before coming to a stop when the hallway spilt into three different directions. Shit, now what? He didn't have time, he needed him, and Sasuke could feel him getting weaker by the second.
"Help… Me" Sasuke paused and focused on calming his ragged breathing as he listen harder to try and determine the direction the voice was coming from. It felt like countless hours ticked by while he waited, even though in reality it wasn't longer than a minute, then finally he heard it again "Help… me… please" He turned to the left and once again set off at a pounding run, ignoring his protesting muscles, his heart racing, he had to find him NOW. Finally he saw a door at the end of the hallway and ran full speed at it, for the first time in his life not caring about traps or trying to analyze all the outcomes of the situation before he acted. His heart in his throat when he finally reached the door and pushed it open, feeling a rush of relief when he discovered it to be unlocked. He glanced around the dark room and waited for his eyes to adjust. Then he saw him on the floor, pale and thin with his blonde hair plastered to his face by sweat and blood. Sasuke moved toward him and knelt down staring at the boy's face, his breathe caught in fear that he might already be too late. Finally the boy's eyes opened and Sasuke was awed by the spectacular shade of blue that looked back at him. The boy parted his cracked lips before the corners turned up into a smile, Sasukes heart twisted at the sight.
"Finally" The boy said "You found me"
An alarm blared through the room causing Sasuke to jolt awake, he groaned turning to slam his hand down on the alarm clock. Bringing his hand back to his eyes and rubbing them Sasuke groaned once again before swinging his legs over the side of his bed and sitting up. He cradled his head in his hands as he remembered his dream. Man I haven't had one like that in a long time he thought to himself. The blonde haired blue eyed boy had been a constant figure in his dreams when he was a child, their first dream meeting being after the murder of his family so long ago.
0~*&*&*~0
Sasuke sat in a corner, his knees drawn up to his chest with his face pressed against them as he silently cried. Why? Why had they all died? Why had they all died and left him here as the only person to mourn them? Why couldn't he save them? All these questions ran through the 13 year olds head as he cried and cried and cried.
"Hey" Sasuke head snapped up and he immediately found himself looking into a pair of brilliantly blue eyes. He closed his eyes in surprise but when he opened them the boy was still there. Sasuke hurried up and wiped his face trying to get rid of any evidence that he had been crying. He glared at the boy
"What are you doing here?" He hissed more out of embarrassment then actual anger. The boy just smiled
"I come here often but this is my first time seeing someone else hanging around. I think that means were supposed to be friends" Sasuke blinked
"I don't need any more friends, I'm happy on my own" He snapped, the boy leaned back on his heels and turned his head to the side, a jester that Sasuke would soon come to associate as his 'thinking' face. As he studied him, Sasuke took the time to also observe his strange and somewhat unwanted companion, the boy appeared to be about his age with brilliantly blue eyes and stunning golden blonde hair, but his most defining characteristics were the three identical whisker like scars he had on each cheek. Those combined with his current stance almost made him look... animal like
"Well you don't look happy to me, and plus no one wants to be on their own. Why are you crying anyway? You scared of sumin'?" The boy asked innocently Sasuke felt his anger flare once again at the question
"No I'm not scared of ANYTHING! I'm sad because my family just died you idiot! They died and left me here all alone and there's nothing I can do about it!" He screamed, he glared at the boy his breaths leaving him in rapid burst. He didn't know if he was breathing hard because of his screams or because of the effort it was taking to keep holding back his cries. But besides a widening of his eyes his companion seemed somewhat unfazed by what had just been said.
"So you're all alone now" Sasuke just nodded, his throat still tight from holding back his tears, the boy continued to gaze at him "I'm all alone too, but I've always been alone, I don't know what families are like or what it feels like to lose one." He paused a thoughtful look on his face "Although if I did have a family and I had been the one who had to die and leave them on their own I wouldn't want the ones I left behind to look anything like you do now." Sasuke was in the boy's face before he even knew he reacted
"SHUT UP! You said it yourself you know nothing of families so don't pretend like you could even begin to know what or how they would want me to feel!" he seethed. The blue eyes staring back at him sparkled in challenge and he leaned his face even closer to Sasukes
"So they would want you to be sitting here in the dirt crying to yourself, throwing a pathetic pity and tearing yourself apart with guilt and anger? They wouldn't want you to move on and be happy and look back on the happy memories you had with them instead of focusing so hard on their death? They wouldn't want you to try and honor their memories and continue your life trying to better yourself and find your own happiness? No instead they want you to go through life hating yourself and those around you for things that no one can change?" He chuckled and shook his head slowly side to side "Well if that how families think then I'm glad I don't have one" With that the boy pushed up off the ground and started to walk away
"Hey you can't just say stuff like that and walk away! Where are you going?" Sasuke called after him, the boy continued to walk as he called over his shoulder
"Away from here, I have enough sadness in my life without yours bringing me down. If you ever stop feeling sorry for yourself and want to talk you know where to find me." He was beginning to disappear from view, Sasuke started to get up to go after him. He didn't know if he wanted to yell at him some more or if he just didn't want to be alone but either way he figured it was best to keep the boy in sight.
"HEY-" He yelled. As he started to jog after the boy he tripped, the ground rushing up to meet his face and-
Sasuke jerked awake in his bed. He sat up and looked around the room in confusion... Wait... It had all been a dream? Sasuke laid his head back down and sighed with annoyance. As much as the boy had angered him, he had also been the first person, dream or otherwise, in 4 months to not look at him in pity or treat him like he was going to self-destruct. He stared at the ceiling and thought about what the dream boy had said... maybe... maybe he had a point. Maybe his parents were looking down at him right now sadden by what they see he has become, a withdrawn, angry and moody child, and the last thing he would want is for them to feel anymore sadness. But how could he possible let it go? He pondered this, all the while in the back of his mind hoping he would see the blonde again tomorrow night, maybe he would have answers
And when he fell asleep the next night the boy was there, like an answer to his prayers.
0~*&*&*~0
After that he had become a dream companion and best friend, every night when he would fall asleep the boy would be there waiting for him. They would talk and hang out, all the while Sasuke knew that this dream and his friendship with a person that was most likely a figment of his imagination was strange but he couldn't bring himself to end it or distance himself from the boy. He was fine with the way things stood, even though he figured that they boy was not real and he was most likely conversing with a different form of himself the blonde was his friend and the only one he could talk to, the only one that he felt truly understood him. He would have continued on this way for god knows how long if one night his dream hadn't taken a dark turn. He began to imagine that the boy was being tortured, his skin being cut and ripped apart while his captures laughed and called for more pain, it had felt so real almost as if it had been happening to Sasuke as well. The dreams had continued for weeks each time Sasuke would wake up in pain and screaming calling out for his friend and for his torture to stop, causing his Guardian Kakashi to rush into the room in a panic. After one night when he came in to find that Sasuke had dug his nails so deep into his palms they had left behind deep bleeding gashes he decided enough was enough. He called in a "specialist" and after his session with him there had only been one more dream with the boy in it, one that even now pierced at Sasukes heart.
0~*&*&*~0
"Why?" The boy was huddled in a corner his arms wrapped around his legs with his head pressed against his knees, he appeared to be even weaker and thinner now then he had ever been before. It was strange, Sasuke thought, this was the pose that the boy had found Sasuke himself in once the first time they met and now their roles were reversed on this night which was meant to be their last. In the past Sasuke would have went to him, but he could almost hear "the specialist" telling him to stay back.
"I'm sorry but I can't be with you any more, you're hurting me….." The boys head snapped up his blue eyes flaring in anger
"They're hurting ME, please don't leave me here alone, please…. I don't wanna be alone anymore" The boy held Sasukes gaze, silently pleading with him. Sasuke wanted nothing more than to cross the room and hug him, to comfort him as he had done for Sasuke all those years ago, but the specialist had said that the boy was only a figment of his imagination, the part of him that he had created when he was scared and in pain over the death of his family, he had told him he needed to be strong and let him go because now all his repressed pain was coming back to hurt him.
"I'm sorry, but I can't come back to you anymore" he turned and gripped the door, his heart felt like it was ripping in his chest.
"Please, Sasuke, don't leave me in the dark alone" The boy whispered…. His words almost to faint for Sasukes ears to hear.
"I'm sorry, Naruto…" Then he opened the door and was plunged into the light.
0~*&*&*~0
After that dream Sasuke once again drew into himself, he had lost his confidant and had a hard time trying to replace him. He continued on with his life trying to follow the advice he had been given but it was hard and there were times he wished he could have gone back in time and never had to say goodbye. Even now looking back on the dreams seven years later it still felt so real, they had all felt so real. He could have sworn that the boy was in trouble and that he needed Sasuke to help him. But after that night he never dreamed of him again
Until now.
Sighing he lifted his head out of his hands and looked at his cell phone, resting on the night stand next to the alarm clock and debated over whether he should call Kakashi and see if he could determine why the dream had made a reappearance. He quickly decided against it, reasoning that one bad dream most likely brought on by stress wasn't enough to panic over. He pushed off of the bed moving toward his shower and began his morning routine. As he moved around his somewhat sterile apartment he paused when he saw the coffee and donuts waiting for him on his counter. He went over and picked up the card.
Hey Sasuke,
I came over earlier hoping we could ride into work together but I had forgotten that you were assigned a late mission last night so you'd be coming in late today. Any way I decided to leave the coffee and donuts for you, though I did sneak one :) I hope you enjoy them
See you later,
Sakura
Sasuke glanced from the note to the food and back again, unsure how to take the jester. Sakura had made no secret of the fact that she wanted him and after one drunken incident last month when he had let things go a little too far, she had become almost relentless in her pursuit. He had continued to brush her off but she refused to take no for an answer, if anything his indifference seem to make her want him more. He picked up the donut and sniffed it experimentally, he wouldn't be surprised if they were laced with some kind of love poison. He sighed and dropped the donut back onto the plate and decided to ignore the suspiciously friendly event he moved away from his counter making a mental note to ask for his key back. He had only given it to her because they were neighbors/coworkers and for emergencies, but now he was beginning to worry about her having access to his home.
After making his own breakfast he headed out the door and made his way to work. The streets of Konoha were clogged with mid-day traffic but he still managed to make it to the office in time. Sasuke parked his car in front of a seemingly inconspicuous office building. Sasuke entered the building waving to Genma at the security doors before he made his way across the lobby to the elevator where after he punched in his code and gave his finger prints he was granted access to ride to the top floor where the ANBU black ops office was located. He exited the elevator and began the walk to his office when a small curvaceous blonde stepped into his path.
"Hey Sasuke" Ino said as she batted her eye lashes at him, Sasuke inwardly sighed
"Hey" he replied trying to step around her, before he could complete the action she was once again in his way
"So I have these tickets to a concert on Saturday and I was supposed to go with a friend but she cancelled on me last minute so now I'm stuck trying to fill her spot" She stopped and gazed at him, He guessed she was waiting for him to offer to come with her. Like that was ever going to happen. Though Sasuke did have a thing for blondes he knew anything he started with Ino would prove difficult to end, and because they worked together he didn't even want to chance the possible headache it would turn out to be.
"Hn" He replied simply hoping she would see his disinterest and move along. He glanced over her head again, staring longingly at his office, if only she would move then he could make his escape.
"Oh Sasuke" She giggled "I was wondering if you wanted to go with me? As like a date" She blushed and looked away but not before he saw the hopeful look in her eye. Sasuke sighed out loud this time, he hated doing this, if only these girls would get a clue.
"Look Ino-"
"Sasuke" He paused and turned, Kakashi was at the other end of the hall behind him. The masked man took in the scene in front of him and Sasuke could see in his eye that he had analyzed the situation and could probably read in his body language that he needed an escape. He blew out a breathe, he was saved
"Yes" He answered
"Come on, we have another Mission and Tsunade wants us to come to the briefing room immediately." Sasuke nodded turning away from Ino without a word and falling into step beside his old guardian.
"Thank you for that" He muttered Kakashi turned and gave him a smile, at least Sasuke assumed it was a smile. Even though Kakashi was his guardian and they had lived together for a number of years he had never seen his full face, all of his facial expressions had to be deciphered by the top left side, the only part that he left exposed.
"You looked like you could use a rescue, but we really do have a mission" Kakashi replied, waving his hand dismissively
"I don't know what's wrong with these girls, they're like vultures, or worst roaches. As soon as you think you get rid of one, two more pop up to take its place" Kakashi laughed at Sasukes disgusted tone.
"They just can't help themselves against your 'Man of mystery' persona, every single one of them wants to be the girl who you let in, the one that gets to know what you're thinking" Sasuke gave him a half smile, the closet he ever came to an actual laugh
"Trust me, no they don't. Plus I've learned my 'man of mystery' charm from the best. Every girl in here is also dying to be the one who gets to see your true face. But I swear you eat, sleep, and probably fuck with the damn thing on so good luck to them" Kakashi glanced at him giving a surprised laugh but chose not to comment and they finish the walk to the briefing room in comfortable silence. They entered the room to see Tsunade, Sakura, Neji and Hinata already gathered around the table.
"Took you guys long enough, hurry up and sit down I don't have all day" Tsunade yelled already in a temper. They both sighed and took a seat, Kakashi took the one closest to Tsunade which meant Sasuke was forced to take the only available one next to Sakura and judging by her smile, he could tell she'd been saving it just for him.
"Ok now that everyone is here" She glares pointedly at them and both Kakashi and Sasuke glance away from her piercing gaze "I'll begin" She handed each of them a folder containing papers detailing their mission, they start to shuffle through them as she talks "We've received intel that could possible lead us to the hide out of one of the world's most dangerous criminals Orochimaru. In the past when we have gotten close to discovering his hide outs we always arrive too late and he goes underground for months before we hear from him again. So we need to move quickly on this, your team is to leave as soon as possible your mission is to infiltrate his lair and bring this criminal back to answer for his crimes. Also bring back any other information you find that could give us more evidence against him and details about just how much damage he has caused." She leans back in her chair and slowly glances around the room a look of annoyance on her face
"What are you waiting for, a written invitation? I said move QUICKLY" She screams the last word and they all hop out of their chairs and file out of the room. The group gather outside of the boardroom and quickly agree to meet at Kakashi's apartment in two hours, giving them enough time to settle things before we head off.
Sasuke quickly moves toward the elevator, pretending to not to hear Sakura behind him calling out his name and breathed a sigh of relief when the elevator doors close shut leaving him alone. He drives back home and begins moving around his apartment getting everything he thought he needed for the mission ahead and packing it away in his bag. He finished pretty quickly and after glancing at the clock realized he still had a good thirty minutes to relax before he had to leave. He laid down on the couch, going over the mission that lie ahead, there's no mistaking that Orochimaru is a dangerous and powerful opponent and he needed to be mentally prepared for the upcoming battle. He started to run through battle strategies in his mind before slowly nodding off to sleep
"You're Back" Sasuke's head snapped up and he glanced around the familiar windowless brick room before his eyes settled on the blonde before him. His eyes grew larger when he took in the aged form of his imaginary childhood friend, the boy had grown taller, his long body taking up half of the windowless room they were in, the whisker scars on his cheeks had grown more prominent and gave his face a more dangerously attractive look, his crystal blue eyes regarded Sasuke quietly. As Sasuke looked up and met those beautiful blue eyes an unfamiliar emotion rose in his chest, actually the appearance of any emotion at all was distressing for the usually stoic man. Naruto must have noticed his rising discomfort
"What's wrong?" He asked cocking his head to the side while gazing at him, a move at one time so familiar to Sasuke it made the feeling sharpen even more becoming almost painful. Sasuke slowly shook his head while trying to analyze what the tightness in his chest could be
"….I think I….. Missed… you" Naruto eyes widen in shock before they narrowed
"Missed me? You're the one who LEFT me?" He hissed, Sasuke flinched back from his anger once again feeling another unfamiliar emotion but this one was easy to identify. It was guilt.
"I'm sorry, he told me I had to… he said you weren't real…" Sasuke paused then began to laugh at himself "Of course you're not real, this is all in my head, some sick twisted fantasy my lonely traumatized brain came up with. Why am I even apologizing to you? It's the same as apologizing to myself." He continued to laugh not noticing the infuriated look the blonde was giving him, in a flash Naruto was in front of him and before Sasuke could blink he had landed a blow against his jaw, strong enough to send him stumbling back.
"What the fuck!" He grunted bringing his hand up to his cheek
"Did that feel real enough for you? This isn't some dream this is a reality, a reality you left me in alone. After everything that we have been through together, everything I helped you with, I thought you would save me but instead you walked out." The boy was breathing hard with tears gathering in his eyes, Sasuke was speechless, figment of his imagination or not he couldn't have Naruto look at him with such hurt in his eyes, anyone else he could stand but not him. He moved slowly toward the wary blonde, started do something he hadn't attempted since he was a child. He moved his arm around the boys shoulder and drew him into a hug. He felt stiff and awkward and Naruto had stilled in his arms but after a while he relaxed and turned his face toward Sasuke shoulder wrapping his own arm around the waist of his childhood friend.
"I'm sorry, if I had known…" Sasuke told him as Naruto shook and squeezed him harder "I'm so sorry… I…. I don't even know how I could make it up to you" He asked, Naruto stilled and leaned back so he was face to face with Sasuke once more
"You can save me"'
BBBBUUUUUUZZZZZZZZ
Sasuke was once again jolted awake falling off of the couch and landing in a heap on his living room floor. He groaned angry at himself for being so uncharacteristically jumpy. He rubbed his left shoulder which had taken most of the impact, before jumping to his feet. He quickly identified the sound he heard as his buzzer and moved to answer the door while continuing to rub his sore shoulder. On the other side stood a beaming Sakura
"Hey, are you ready to get going?" Sasuke blinked for a moment confused about why Sakura was here and where on earth she thought they would be going together. Then in a rush it came back to him. Mission. Orochimaru. Now. He rubbed his head before nodding
"Yea just let me go grab my bag" He ran to his room grabbing his pack and tossing it over his shoulder, glancing around the room and the rest of the apartment as he made his way back to the door checking to make sure he didn't forget anything important or leave something on. Usually he trusted his instincts, he was very meticulous and almost never forgot anything, but today with all of the weird dreams his been having has left him feeling off his game.
You can save me...
He paused as he remembered his freaky and extremely realistic dream then shook it off once again relating it too stress. He tried to assure himself that the only reason he dreamed about the boy again was because he had been thinking about him earlier this morning so he had dislodged some old memories in his subconscious and they had played out an alternate reality while he slept. Nodding his head at his assessment he marched the rest of the way to the door of his apartment and back to Sakura, his equilibrium restored.
"Let's go" Sakura exited the apartment and he followed after her, locking up quickly before turning and tailing behind her lost in his own thoughts. She must have sensed that he didn't want to talk because she had curbed her usual incessant chatter and remained silent till they arrived at his car. He unlocked the door and they both slide in, he turned to throw both of their bags in the back seat when he heard Sakura's gasp
"Oh my who hit you?" She asked reaching over the console to touch his cheek, Sasuke drew his head back flinching away from the unwanted touch
'What?" Sakura's hand was still hanging in the air between them. After casting him a brief wounded look she pulled it back holding it to her chest. Her expression changing again as she continued to gaze at him
"Your cheek, it's swollen. It looks like someone punched you pretty good." She said again, concerned. Sasuke blinked then turned and adjusted his mirror to get a good look at his face. Just as Sakura had said, there was a bruise and slight swelling already beginning to form along the left side of his jaw. He touched the area in awe
No fucking way
It.. It was only a dream!
"Who could land a punch on you? I've never seen that happen before" Sakura asked, the sound of her voice interrupting his chaotic thoughts. Sasuke just slowly shook his head in disbelief and said one word
"Naruto"
And there you have it! So what did you think? Like? dislike?
