Isolated Butterfly
Pairing: Sasuke & Naruto
Rating: T
Warnings: Some mild language, mild violence
Word Count: ~8700
A birthday fic for the wonderfully patient Elizabeth. Look! Its only a year late! (^^;)
His breath expelled from his lungs in great billowing clouds, hanging in the frigid night air. Muscles that screamed in protest at being pushed so far, so hard, went unheeded. Sweat poured out of the tiny pores of his skin, hanging desperately only for a moment before becoming crystalline slivers that slid off into the night. Branches slapped against the delicate flesh of his face, brambles sliced their way into exposed arms sending rapid signals of pain to his brain, only to be shoved away and quickly ignored. Numbing shards of ice flew at him as if they were tiny knives flung by an embittered enemy. Yet still, he pushed on.
He would not stop for anything. He had to get away. Had to. No amount of physical discomfort could keep him from making his escape. As he threw himself unhesitatingly through the forested night, a sob tore its way out before being choked back down into scorching lungs. There was no way of knowing how long he had been running, nor how far, he had left the watch his brother had gifted him this very evening behind and he had never traveled so far from his estate. However, his exact location nor the time mattered to the man now. No, all that mattered was getting away.
The drive to do so was all encompassing and had sprung upon him so quickly, so thoroughly, the thought to fight the instinct, the desire, never crossed his mind. Anything had to be better than staying. And so, when he felt the ground give way beneath him and the earth fell away from his feet, landing harshly in a tangle of broken limbs, he could only smile at being away.
Naruto hummed an unnamed song as he made his way through the thick forest. The brisk spring air sent small chills throughout him as he journeyed, his worn, threadbare cloak doing little to stave off the cold. It didn't bother the happy blonde however, as he trekked a well worn path through the foliage.
He mentally went over his to-do list, ignoring the familiar scenery around him. Spring was always a busy time for the young man. There were crops to plant and animals to tend. His roof was in dire need of repair after the long, hard winter and many fences needed mended. Several herbs were available for harvest, the young shoots having escaped the cold earth only weeks earlier, now bore life saving leaves. There was damage done to one of his storage buildings; aftermath of marauders, bandits, and those convinced of their own brand of 'justice'.
A scowl marred the pleasant features of the blonde before he tossed thoughts of those people and problems aside and focused on the task at hand. Some time during the night a large animal appeared to have rampaged through the woods, several of his small game traps getting sprung by the creature. A drizzling rain in the early hours of dawn had washed away any prints or blood the animal might have left, but the excess of broken limbs and small black hairs caught on the brush left him an easy enough trail to follow. He wasn't sure what type of animal he was tracking, the erratic path it had taken in its obvious haste was atypical of anything he knew of that dwelt in this forest. The poor creature was obviously in a blind panic though and Naruto was a bit relieved to see the path veer towards one of his many pit fall traps he had set to catch bigger game.
As he got closer and closer to the hole he had dug out the summer before, he couldn't help the swell of elation brought by the thought of fresh meat caught by his own ingenious devices. Though he felt for the animal, he wouldn't let it stop him from harvesting the much needed sustenance; his farm animals were far too young or thin from winter to justify killing them just yet. He hadn't had a decent meal of protein in weeks now and the prospect of a good full belly made his stomach growl in anticipation.
He was close enough to the pit, then, to see that the leaf debris he had placed over the top had been disturbed, the downtrodden trail of grass leading straight to it. Ceasing his humming, Naruto quietly removed his bow from his back. An arrow plucked from his quiver was quickly notched. Previous experience told the often impatient man to be cautious. It only took an angry mountain lion swiping its massive claws at him, teeth snapping, and it's screaming growl spat at him once to be fully prepared. These days he preferred to shoot a distressed and often injured animal immediately to put it out of it's misery, often before he had managed to get a good look at it. He did not enjoy seeing suffering.
It was with these thoughts and a small weight on his heart that he pulled the bowstring back fully and took one of the few remaining steps toward the pit. His eyes had barely caught a glimpse of a black tuft, his fingers poised to release the taunt string, when a small crash through the underbrush caught his attention. Seconds later a small red fox burst out from a bush, coming to a stop between Naruto and his prey.
Naruto stared, confused, at the small animal currently growling at him. His confusion rose as the fox kept one wary eye towards him, backing towards the hole. The fox took only a second to peer down into the depths of the pit before quickly replacing it's stare on the blonde. Growling and defensive posturing gave way to submissive whining.
"Kurama," he called gently as he lowered his weapon fully.
Once it became apparent to the fox that the blonde man had heeded it's warning, all signs of aggression disappeared and it gave a happy yip before jumping down into the hole. Letting his curiosity get the better of him, Naruto cocked his head to the side -much like the fox was prone to do- and took the few remaining steps up to the hole's edge. Upon peering inside, the blonde was immensely grateful for the fox's interference.
Laying at the bottom of the pit was a broken man.
Upon waking, Uchiha Sasuke only knew pain. A distressed groan left his lips as he attempted to wake fully, his limbs screaming in agony as he attempted to move and get his bearings. All of his breath left him as he moved his left leg, the sensation going far beyond any discomfort he had ever felt before. Writhing in agony, he was grateful he was unable to properly voice his discomfort as gentle hands and a soothing voice tried to calm him. It was unthinkable to show weakness to anyone, much less a stranger.
"Whoa! Whoa there, buddy. Take it easy. You're going to open your wounds and I haven't set your leg yet. Just hold on, I'll get something for the pain."
Startled by the touch, yet soothed by the voice, Sasuke cracked open his eyes enough to see in the dim lighting. He could just make out a blonde man digging around in the corner of the small room he inhabited, the sound of glass tinkling together and hushed curses reaching his ears.
He managed a small snort and a mumbled, "Dobe," before passing out once again.
The next time Sasuke woke, he was alone. After carefully raising himself to sit against the headboard of the bed, he took the time to fully look around the small dwelling he was in. The walls were made of logs stacked one on top of the other, an unidentifiable mortar filling the cracks in between. There were no windows; the only illumination coming from a small oil lamp hanging beside the bed. The room was a fairly decent size in his opinion, which was a good thing considering it appeared to contain all the things in a normal house; save for the bathroom. He expected though, that that's what one of the two doors he could see led to. The other, he was sure, led outside.
There was a small kitchen area in one corner, accompanied by a small table with one chair. A seating area, complete with two worn out lounge chairs, sat in front of a cozy looking fireplace, a small table between them. A scroll tapestry hung on the far wall, it's writing unfamiliar to him. There was also a small table next to the only bed in the room, several vials and bandages laying haphazardly across it. All of the furniture appeared to be made from carved wood lashed together with twine, the cushions woven together in an appealing way. Though it was not as opulent as he was used to, Sasuke found that he liked the small house. A feeling of safety, comfort, and home filled him.
The young man sighed, turning his attention to himself. His left leg was clearly broken, though now encased in a make-shift splint. He vaguely remembered someone telling him that before he passed out again. He could feel the casting and see the casting, but even without that, the break was obvious. Just raising himself into a sitting position, the ligaments and muscles moving ever so slightly, even the slight brushing of the blanket against him, had sent shocks of pain through him.
Taking more caution this time, Sasuke lifted the surprisingly soft blankets covering him and took stock of his body. Along with his broken leg, he was covered in scratches and several bruises marred his pale skin. He had a large gash on his torso and upon gingerly lifting the padded bandage, he noticed the man from before must have given him the stitches he saw there. Several of his ribs on his right side were tender, making breathing slightly uncomfortable; leading him to believe they might be broken as well, or fractured at the least. The pain was minimal however, all things considered, and he reminded himself to thank the stranger, as loathe as he was to do so.
Having assessed his surroundings and his injuries, Sasuke was unsure of what to do next. He didn't think getting out of bed was the wisest of decisions, no matter how much his stomach and bladder might disagree. At a loss at what to do, he decided to think back to what had happened at his party, the reason he landed himself in this position.
The morning of his twentieth birthday had started out well enough. One of the maids had brought him his favorite breakfast in bed, courtesy of his mother. After finishing his meal, he took a leisurely soak in his en-suite bath, followed by a ride around the manor grounds on his favorite stallion, Fruetis. By the time he had returned from the stables, it was lunch and he joined the rest of the family for the meal. As the dishes were being cleared away from the table, they gave their customary birthday well-wishes and reminded him to be ready for his obligatory birthday bash that evening. He had thanked them before politely excusing himself. He ventured to the library intent on finishing the book he was currently reading while grumbling under his breath.
It wasn't the party itself he had a problem with really, simply the simpering guests that would be in attendance. They were the vultures and hyenas of society, only there to pick at the prestige of the Uchiha name, only trying to take a part, however small, as their own. They made no contact with the family unless they thought they could somehow benefit from it. His mother, father, and brother seemed to revel in their false praises, bask in their disingenuous glorification. It sickened the youngest member of their clan to no end. There was no helping it however, any complaints went unheard and if he didn't go willingly, he would be dragged to the festivities and fed to the wolves.
So Sasuke took the time beforehand to simply be; to spend his few, precious hours before events like these in his solitude. When the time came, he would dress himself in whatever ridiculous outfit that was given to him, slap on a obviously forced expression of 'enjoyment' and suffer through. He'd done it for the past twenty years, he couldn't see it getting any worse.
Sasuke snorted to himself. Never before had he been so wrong.
Oh, it had started out the same as always. The ballroom was full of people who's name he couldn't be bothered to remember; hoards of rapacious women vying for his attention, throngs of covetous men mingling through the crowds. Sasuke, too, had walked amongst them, though never speaking to anyone or staying in one place longer than a few moments. To linger would plant the idea he was interested in them, and he most certainly wasn't. After enough had been spent in the ballroom, his parents had ushered everyone into the dining hall for dinner. Still, this had all been typical of years before.
It wasn't until after the cake had been served and then taken away that everything changed. His parents had risen to their feet, his mother daintily tapping her knife against her crystal glass, calling everyone's attention. When his father was sure every eye was on them, he had cleared his throat in preparation of his speech.
Flashback
"My dear esteemed guests," Fugaku began, "my wife and I want to thank you for joining us on this most happy occasion. It's not everyday that your child turns twenty and we're glad you could all be here to welcome our son Sasuke into the folds of manhood."
Several guests politely clapped and gave cordial nods, Sasuke merely rolled his eyes.
"As many of you may or may not know, our family has many ties throughout the realms." This time it was his mother speaking. "However with previous wars and conflicts, some of these ties are in need of strengthening; now more than ever. This is something I think we can all attest to. It is with this in mind we are elated to make an announcement."
Sasuke snorted under his breath before taking a healthy drink of his wine.
"Our very own son, Sasuke, will be wed to Sakura Haruno in a forte-night!"
The wine that had been in his mouth quickly left, spraying across the pristine linen covering the table, effectively stopping the applause that had immediately erupted.
"What?!" Sasuke stood abruptly from his chair, the unfortunate piece of furniture sliding several feet backwards before toppling over. "What in the hell do you mean we're to be wed?!"
"Now son, I understand your excitement, but-"
"Excitement?!" Sasuke yelled. "You're off your rocker old man, if you think I'm marrying that obsessive shrew of a fangirl!"
This statement was met with several cold stares, an exclaimed "Well I never," from the Haruno matriarch, and a very loud "Sasuke," from his mother.
"No! You didn't even discuss this with me! How dare you?!" His outburst caused a deafening silence throughout the room. No one had seen such a display of emotion from any Uchiha, especially the youngest, most often thought of as the Ice Prince of the family. He was visibly trembling with rage.
"Sasuke. You will cease this childish outburst at once!"
"Father, I don't think-"
"Quiet Itachi. This has nothing to do with you," Fugaku admonished his eldest son. "You went through the same thing. It's time your brother lived up to his responsibilities."
"Re-responsi-" Sasuke began, incredulous.
"But Sasuke-kun," Sakura cut him off, "don't you want to marry me?" She fluttered her eyelashes towards her intended as she sided up to him, pressing her chest that was severely lacking against him arm, trying her best to appear enticing.
"God no," came his immediate reply as he shoved her away from him. Her overly pink hair alone was enough to make his stomach turn, but once she opened her mouth – nevermind actually daring to touch him- he to actively fight the urge to vomit.
And these people thought he could -and would willingly- spend the rest of his life with her? Create a family with her?
A humorless laugh escaped him unbidden. There was no way.
"No," he said, "no." Shaking his head back and forth, a piece of his hair catching near his eye giving him a wild look. His eyes darted from person to person, seeing their desire for this crazy union clear in their returned gazes, frowns accompanying most.
He could stand the sight of them no longer, his parents most of all.
He turned and ran.
Flashback End
Even now, an unknown time later, the thought alone was enough to make his blood boil in rage. Luckily for Sasuke, the man he vaguely remembered from his brief waking period had emerged from one of the doors he had noticed earlier, dispersing all thoughts of possibly murdering his parents. The man hadn't yet noticed his wakefulness and he took the time to watch him, concealed in the shadows of the corner, still covered mostly by the blanket.
The man, -Dobe, he remembers calling him- was blonde, a bright vibrant shade, even in the low light of the cabin. He moved with a grace born of the wilds, with just a touch of clumsiness thrown in; demonstrated as he knocked his shin against something unseen on the floor, whispered curses leaving his mouth as he hopped around the room clutching his injury. Sasuke thought the man adorable, much to his own surprise. His affection only growing as the man finally realized he was awake and upon noticing Sasuke's smirk only rolled his eyes and with a smile said, "Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up."
And Sasuke did. He laughed. And once he had started he found it hard to stop, even when his injured ribs protested the action.
"Well," the blonde man giggled, "I see you're in a good mood. Much better than moaning in your sleep about pink headed banshees for the past two days."
That stopped Sasuke's laughter rather quickly, a look of embarrassment crossing his face. It was then that the man took his turn and let out a hearty laugh. Once the blonde man had calmed himself, he made his introductions.
"Right. I'm Naruto," he said with a grin. "I found you in the woods. This," he gestured around him, "is my home. Though from the looks of your clothes, it isn't what you're used to, you're welcome to stay here as long as you like."
"Thank you, " he graciously replied. "My name is Sasuke. Where did you find me exactly? I seem to be a bit damaged. I don't remember what happened, but I do remember falling..." He was blushing, he was sure of it. As if a simple fall causing all of these injuries wasn't bad enough, his face had to alight in such a disgraceful way. He only hoped the shadows hid it from his companion.
If Naruto did notice, he didn't let on, instead moving the topic of conversation to Sasuke's various wounds and the predicament he had found him in. Once all of the explanations from the blonde were done, and sensing he wouldn't be receiving the same from Sasuke, he gave him another dose of pain medication and checked his bandaged. He stayed only until the dark haired man fell asleep once again, then returned to his chores outside.
Sasuke was confined to bed-rest for three days before Naruto let him out. Of course, he'd been able to shower and use the bathroom -something that had proved far more difficult than he had anticipated- but he had tired quickly of staying in bed all day. Even when his bed-rest was over, most of his time was spent in silence. For most of every day, Naruto spent his time outside tending to crops and animals he had told Sasuke he was raising, often being done by the time he awoke and coming in for the day well after Sasuke had returned to sleep.
They spent their meals together though, and slowly learned about each other. Sasuke told Naruto about his family, the pressures of being an Uchiha, though never mentioning his last name properly. He told him about his cause for running away. Naruto spoke of the wilds, his chores, and of a pervy old hermit that would visit on occasion. They never delved into topics too personal, or revealing. Their conversations did, however, often turn into a competition of sorts. Who had worse experiences, who had the best? They quickly fell into a friendship neither had expected.
It was a week later when Naruto said Sasuke was well enough to be allowed outside. Since he still couldn't walk well, obviously, Naruto set up a table and chair in the front of the house for Sasuke to sit at. The days then turned to the raven watching him work while calling out taunting remarks, goading Naruto into verbal spars while he labored.
On one such day, several weeks after he was 'allowed' outside, trouble struck. Sasuke had noticed that Naruto never seemed to interact with other people, save himself and the now infamous Pervy Sage, but since the blonde had never brought it up, Sasuke hadn't mentioned it either. Though he did find it a bit off, he rather liked the peace and quite. Well, as much as he could get around someone as boisterous as Naruto. He also rather liked having him to himself, if he was honest. It hadn't taken him long to realize he found the other man quite attractive.
So one could imagine his surprise when a group of five youths came upon their small glade. He immediately noticed the tension that wrought through Naruto with their arrival and placed his most daunting glare at the boys' invasion.
"Oi! Fox boy," one of the men called out. "Killed any more families while we've been away?!"
Naruto placed the hoe had been using in the garden down and clenched his fists at his side, though he said nothing in return. Sasuke wasn't quite sure what was going on, but the tone of the red headed man instantly angered him and he let out a growl. His animalistic show of disdain caught one of the men's attention.
The largely obese, black haired man snorted, nudging his companion with an elbow. "Naw man. Looks like foxy over there has gone towards kidnapping now." He turned and spoke to Sasuke. "Foxy there break your legs and turn into his sex-slave, did he? Don't worry man, we'll get you outta here." The man licked his lips. "Though from the sounds of it, you've come to like it, eh? In that case, maybe I'll keep you for myself. You're a pretty one, ain'tcha? Bet you'd look even prettier on your knees with my-"
"Shut up."
The attention was once again back on Naruto. A breeze seemed to have picked up, tossing his golden locks around his head. Sasuke couldn't see his face but he could see him visibly trembling, whether in anger or fear, he couldn't be sure. Instantly Sasuke was pissed, rage like he had never felt before swept through him. He schooled his features and called out to the pervert.
"Oi! You. What's your name?"
The man sent a leer his way before saying, "Mizu."
Sasuke raised his eyebrows at him. "Mizu, eh?" He snorted. "Well, Mizu. As... enticing," he rolled his eyes, "as your offer is, I'm afraid I don't let men touch me who can't even see their own dick. Sorry 'bout that." Sasuke smirked, watching Naruto out of the corner of his eye. The blonde tensed only for a moment before relaxing and letting out a snort.
"Think that's funny, do you, you fox faced monster?" Mizu sneered out, ignoring the snickers coming from his companions.
Sasuke answered before the blonde could. "Of course he does. I'm hilarious. Unlike you, I'm positive he can see his own prick after all. Are you sure its even there still? I imagine you can't even reach it. I'm even more sure that since you can't, you've got to sit down to take a piss. Good thing too, I'm sure your feet appreciate the break." His voice was deadpan but he couldn't keep the amusement out of his eyes, something he was sure Naruto noticed when he turned to look at him in shock.
"He's got a prick, you asshole!" One of the men shouted, who until then, had remained silent.
"Does he? Seen it, have you? I'm not surprised. I'm sure you're fairly well acquainted with it aren't you? Heaven knows no one but one of you idiots would be interested in it. Don't worry though, there's no need to be jealous of his earlier proposition. Can't blame this guy for wanting to upgrade his bed partners though, can we?" Sasuke sneered before once again focusing his glare at them. "Your lack of intelligence and Chubby's search for sexual favors aside, was there a reason you cowardly imbeciles decided to grace us with your presence?"
"You bas-mother fu-bitc-argh!"
Sasuke wasn't sure which inarticulate fool has shouted, but when the men charged at him, he sighed.
"Violence, is it? I suspected as much." A maniacal grin took over his features and a chuckle escaped him as he watched them come at him, the one named Mizu falling behind the others in their assault. "You poor, poor idiots," he said, with little sincerity.
When they had reached a distance of twenty yards from him, he picked up his tea cup, tossed it up in the air a couple of times, shot a quick apology in advance to Naruto and threw.
Hard.
The cup smashed into the face of the first, a plate with smears of his lunch quickly following, striking the neck of the second. The third was dispatched by a fork in the thigh and the forth was stopped by the saucer that had matched Sasuke's cup.
The, by now, infamous Mizu was the only left standing, the others either knocked out or rolling around in pain. He looked towards his friends, then towards the calm, still sitting, pretty boy that had so thoroughly mocked them. A calculating look came into his beady eyes as he realized the jerk had nothing left to throw. As he slowly came closer, he called out, "Seems you've run out of ammo. You'll be sorry for what you've done."
Naruto took a step towards them, only to be stopped by a raised hand from Sasuke. "Sasuke," he called, a questioning lilt to his voice.
Sasuke turned to look at Naruto, keeping Mizu in his peripheral vision. "It's alright, Naruto." He winked at the blonde before turning back to the other man, who by now was only ten feet away. "I will warn you now, Mizu. Take your fellow fools with you and leave. If you don't, there will fairly serious consequences for you and I won't be responsible for my actions."
Mizu's only response was a snort, popping the knuckles of his fist, and continuing to advance.
Sasuke sighed. Though he figured the moron wouldn't listen to him, he would rather not be forced to take such actions. He always had hated taking out the garbage. As Mizu reached him, grabbing his collar, he tried one last time to make him see reason.
"Last chance," he growled darkly. "Take your friends and go."
Mizu laughed in his face, foul smelling breath washing over him, spittle flecking Sasuke's cheek. "Not happening, pretty boy. I've changed my mind though. After putting you in your place, I'm taking you and the monster as my own. You'll be my slaves, you'll see, to use as I see fit." He licked his lips. "Once I'm done with you, I'll sell you off, make a nice profit for mysel-"
Sasuke had had enough. This man clearly has no remorse and not a moral bone in his body. That was his last conscious though before his self-control shattered. He grabbed the hand holding his collar in a tight grip and before Mizu could react with more than a surprised gasp, he jammed his other hand into his elbow, forcing it to bend the wrong way. The only sound heard was the dull crack of a snapped bone and for several long seconds afterward, silence reigned. Then it too, shattered, as a scream tore through the air. As Mizu doubled over, clenching his broken arm to his chest, Sasuke raised his good leg and kicked the offending man away from him.
It took a total of five seconds for Naruto's brain to catch up with the events he witnessed. Sasuke; strong, smart, amazing Sasuke, had just taken out five of those who often harassed him without getting up from his chair. He had a broken leg, for Kyuubi's sake! He knew his mouth was hanging open and that his bewildered expression must look ridiculous but he couldn't believe it.
"S-Sasuke!"
Said raven looked over at the scandalized tone. Seeing the obviously gobsmacked blonde, he smirked and shrugged. Raising an eyebrow in a perfect arch, he sent a look towards Naruto as if asking, "Well? What did you expect?" Rustling near his feet brought his attention back to the matter at hand.
Mizu was attempting to stand and Sasuke was having none of that. This group has inspired feelings within him like he had never felt before. Before the fat man could pick his overly abundant flesh from the ground, Sasuke knocked his table over, the edge smashing into the exposed break of his arm.
"Yeaaaa-argh! You s-son of a bitch," Mizu spat out between whimpers of pain. "You think you're such a hot shot. Just wait until the Lord of the Lands hears about this! You'll never get away with it!"
Sasuke laughed. He laughed so hard, he doubled over, clutching at his stomach. Not even the residual pain from his injured leg could stop his mirth. "Tell on me to the Lord, he says!" His laughter continued.
"Ha! So scared, you've gone insane, eh? I don't blame you. I'm best friends with the youngest son, you idiot, and he won't take kindly to this, Shunsei won't. You'll be cast out and-"
Sasuke's laughter only grew. He couldn't breathe, air coming in short gasps. He was laughing so hard he fell out of his chair onto the broken man at his feet, cutting off his posturing, digging the table deeper into the broken arm. Naruto was immediately by his side, helping him back into his chair. Sasuke calmed himself enough to choke out, "Ah-ha-a, Mizu! Don't let anyone tell you you're not funny. Shunsei?!" And he was laughing again.
"S-Sasuke, " Naruto called. "Sasuke!"
When he still received no response from him, Naruto slapped him.
Instantly the laughter cut off. "Ow! Usuratonkachi! What was that for?" Sasuke demanded, rubbing his cheek while grumbling to himself. That was, until he saw Naruto's pale face.
"Naruto?"
"H-he's right, Sasuke! We're going to be put into the dungeon! Tortured! Hung! This-is-the-Lord's-land. They don't know I stay here. They don't tolerate violence! We'll be carted off and starved and the house'll-"
"Naruto. Dobe. Stop." He took tanned hands into his own pale ones. "We'll be fine."
Naruto was spasticly shaking his head, his eyes wide. Sasuke sighed.
"Shit. Look. Yes, this is the Lord's land, and yes, they dislike violence. That does not, however, mean you can not defend yourself. Okay?"
"N-no! Sasuke, you don't understand! He said he's best friends with that Shunsei guy! He-"
"I assume the idiot was talking about the youngest son. He is not, in any way, affiliated with him. I promise."
"You can't know that, you idiot bastard!"
"L-listen to the monster, pretty boy. Shunsei will not be merciful. Why, I may even ask him for this plot of land. I'm sure I'll be well rewarded for turning heathens like you in. Sasuke, did you say your name was? I'll be sure to remember that. Your whole family will suffer!"
Sasuke sighed, non-plussed. "That's fine."
"What?"
"WHAT?!"
He rolled his eyes. "Look, go on. It's fine. Run on up to the manor. Tell them exactly what happened. I could care less, honestly. Throw my name out there too. I'm sure they'll be eager to hear all about it." His smirk had returned as he said the last. "Tell them you came upon us and decided to try and run us out. How the big, bad Sasuke kicked your great lump of an ass while he had a broken leg. I'm sure you'll be... rewarded appropriately."
"Filth! You underestimate the Uchiha family!" Mizu screamed, finally managing to roll the table off of him.
"Yeah, yeah." Sasuke waved him off in an unconcerned manner, the moans and groans of the other men drawing his attention. "Take your lackeys with you. You're all sticking up the place."
Naruto stared at him as the men left, a calculating look in his eye. Sasuke pointedly ignored the look and instead asked for help returning to the cottage.
There was a tense silence between them as they sat in front of the fireplace staring into the flames. Naruto fidgeted in his seat as the silence stretched on. Feeling a bit sorry for the blonde, seeing the wheels spinning like mad in his head, Sasuke decided to break the strained atmosphere.
"Why didn't you do anything?"
Naruto jumped, startled by the unexpected question. "I think you did enough for the both of us."
"True." Sasuke conceded. "But that's not what I meant. I meant, before they noticed me. When they first showed up, you just stood there. You didn't even say anything until he started insulting me."
Naruto shrugged, bringing a hand up to scratch at the back of his neck, a sign Sasuke knew to mean he was uncomfortable. He narrowed his eyes at his companion. "They've come before."
It was a statement, not a question, but Naruto answered with a small nod.
"Did you defend yourself then?"
Naruto shook his head.
"Why?" He asked through clenched teeth.
Naruto shrugged again. "It's not like they attack me. They come around, throw around insults, mess up my property and then leave."
"And you tolerate this. Why?!"
Again, a shrug. "Why wouldn't I? Yes, it makes me angry. But I'm not just going to attack them. I'm not going to chase after them and break the windows in on their houses. I would be just like them, wouldn't I? That's something I'm not willing to do."
"So you do nothing?" Sasuke asked, incredulous.
Naruto smiled, the action confusing Sasuke. "Why don't you ask me why they hate me? You've only asked why I did or didn't do anything in return."
Sasuke rolled his eyes, his voice condescending as he spoke about the intruders. "They're idiots. Who knows why people like that do anything."
"Ask."
"What?"
"Ask me why they hate me."
"No." Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the blonde.
"You won't ask, but I can tell you want to know." When Sasuke didn't answer, he continued. "I'll tell you. They hate me because I'm a monster."
It was an unbelievable confession. "Liar. If you want me to ask, fine, but don't spout nonsen-"
He stopped himself mid-sentence as he took in Naruto's now glowing red eyes. "Oh."
Naruto gave him a sad smile. He rose from his seat, inwardly glad that Sasuke showed no signs of fear. When he reached the odd scroll on the wall that Sasuke had noticed many times before, he hesitated for a moment, then spoke.
"This was given to me by Pervy Sage before he left. He was the one that raised me, here in the forest. The first time men from the village came, the first time I realized they came for me..."
He trailed off, getting lost in a memory. Sasuke dared not speak, something within him telling him his words would mar this confession, would put a stop to Naruto's explanation. Several minutes went by before the blonde continued.
"When... I was ten years old, Pervy Sage got a letter. His sister was ill, dying. He had to go..." Again there was silence. It didn't last quite as long this time, however. "The first time they came, after he had gone, I hid. They were yelling and breaking things, setting fire to the fields. They said it was my punishment, that I had killed their families, that isolation was my sentence... When they left, I sat and cried for hours before I pulled myself out of my hiding place. The cottage was trashed, most everything broken. They had taken anything of value, ruined all the food... but suddenly," he smiled, "suddenly, I could read this."
It was silent again as he reverently touched the scroll.
"The familiarity of isolation is both haunting and inviting." Sasuke perked up, knowing he was reading the scroll aloud. "In our separateness we contemplate the joys of shared hours with others while seeking the freedom from the pain that likewise hovers on the heels of intimate relationships. The question eternally whispering around our souls is, 'Do I dare let you in, to share my space, to know my heart's longing, to feel my fears?' Only when we trust to say yes will we find the peace our souls long for.
"Passage through the doors that separates us frees us to change, to grow, to love ourselves and others. We must plant our feet in the soil of shared lives to quiet our longing."*
"Naruto..." he said hesitantly, an arm reaching out unseen towards the blonde. He stopped, unsure of what to say, lost as to what he should do.
"I don't respond to their anger. Its counter productive. Foolish as it may seem, I always hope that they will... I don't know. It never happens though. I put naive trust out there in hopes that maybe, one day, someone will see me as Naruto- not as a monster."
When no response came from Sasuke, Naruto turned around and regarded his expression. It was obvious Sasuke was in deep though, something he could understand. He decided then to leave him to his contemplation. Pausing at the door, he turned once more towards the silent man, the man that could very well change his life.
"You're the only one, ever, who has been kind to me- aside from Pervy Sage. So, for that, thank you."
Sasuke looked up with wide eyes but could say nothing as Naruto went through the door, a day of endless chores still ahead of him, and a few dishes to repair.
It was two days later that Sasuke had come to a decision concerning his blonde. He had come to several realizations, in fact. In those forty-eight hours, claiming Naruto had been just one of them, not that the blonde knew that yet. He was mostly healed by now as well, though neither of them mentioned it, something both were secretly glad for. That night at dinner, Sasuke finally broke their estranged silence.
"Your reasoning is shit."
Naruto looked up with raised eyebrows. "E-excuse me?"
"So you can make your eyes glow. How, exactly, does that make you a monster?" Sasuke leaned on the table, elbows holding him up as he steeples his hands in front of his face.
"What?"
"You heard me. How does that make you a monster? It may make you unique, odd to some people, but not a monster. Monsters are evil, scary beings that come in the dead of night to gobble up children. Monsters are violent, angry things that wreak havoc and mayhem wherever they go. Monsters relish in the pain and torment of others. You are not a monster."
Naruto gave a sad, slightly amused smile at his rant. "Are you human?" he asked.
"Of course."
"How do you know?"
"What?"
"How do you know you're human?"
"I can look in the mirror and see that I am." Sasuke answered, not knowing where this conversation was going.
"Yes, exactly."
Naruto rose from his seat and grabbed two small boxes with glass tops from a drawer before returning to his seat. He placed them in front of Sasuke and asked, "What are these?"
Sasuke looked into each box, both containing insects with large beautiful wings, once spot of difference allowing one to tell them apart. "Butterflies." He answered, still unsure of where Naruto was going with this.
"Why do you say that?"
"Because, obviously, they look like butterflies."
"Obviously," Naruto smiled, rolling his eyes. "This one," he said, pointing to the first case, "is a butterfly. I've no idea what its called, but I named it the Kist butterfly. This other one though..." he pointed his finger to the other case, rubbing the edge fondly. "This one isn't a butterfly at all, not a moth either. It doesn't fly, is never a caterpillar, and as far as I've ever seen, lives only here; in this glade."
Sasuke was caught off guard. Not because of the fact that the second insect wasn't a butterfly, but by the intensity with which Naruto was staring at it; filled with a strange sort of melancholy and understanding.
"The butterfly is poisonous, you know. All the animals know it, and so they avoid it. The other, isn't. It knows though, that if it can convince those around it that its the same as the butterfly, it won't be eaten. No matter how hard it tries, however, it can't make itself identical to it. See the spot of difference there? There are several animals that have learned how to spot the difference and prey upon it."
"What do you call it?" Sasuke asked, looking intently at the mimicking insect.
"Naruto."
Sasuke was tired of thinking. It seemed that he had thought more during his time with Naruto than he ever had in the previous twenty years of his life. He was extremely intelligent by anyone's standards but he had never had to contemplate such things ever before. It made him wonder what else in the lives of the people he had never considered before. Himself aside, the same went for his family. What other misconceptions had they had? How were the lives of the citizens impacted by their lack of thought into such matters?
It wasn't as if he believed Naruto to be a monster, even after his metaphorical confession. He did, however, realize that many people had been, and would continue to be, cast aside or preyed upon for any difference, and preconceived weakness. He had a feeling that it was a vicious cycle, that he could manage the effects but never quite stop the circular motion of hate and distrust.
Naruto though...
Naruto had something special. He didn't think it had anything to do with his label as a monster, or his glowing red eyes. Or, maybe it did. Either way, the blonde had something about him that drew Sasuke to him. They both knew he could have left long ago, but Sasuke really didn't want to and to his surprise, he found it had nothing to do with the fact that he'd have no other option but to return home.
No.
He wanted to stay with Naruto just to be with Naruto.
"I've always been alone," Sasuke confessed, "even when surrounded by people. I'm not really sure which is worse; your situation or mine. Yours is a real, physical isolation. Mine, I think, was more mental. The Uchiha are all about mind games. Family? Ha!"
Naruto gave a small smile when he fell silent, finally understanding Sasuke's mirth a few days ago. That in itself was a shocker, but now was not the time for that. "Your whole family isn't like that."
Sasuke snorted.
An unexpected knock came from the door, and as Naruto rose to answer it, he called over his shoulder, "What about your brother?"
"Ha! He's the same as the rest."
"You wound me brother."
A 'manly' yelp, he'd never admit otherwise, came from Sasuke as the door opened to reveal Itachi.
"What are you doing here?!"
"Why saving you, of course!" Itachi piped with a grin.
"Hah? Saving me from what, stupid Aniki?"
"Yourself."
Sasuke looked at his brother as he made his way to Naruto's vacated chair, a look saying "Are you stupid?" playing across his face, totally disregarding the suddenly somber tone he had switched to.
When Itachi reached the chair, he sat with a sigh. "You've always done what's been expected of you. I thought they had managed to brainwash you into the perfect little Uchiha." He had a sad smile on his face before a twinkle appeared in his eye. Sasuke could never keep up with his brother's mood swings. "But! Then you threw that pink troll off of you and ran away!"
"Maybe... I should go." Naruto mumbled.
"NO!" Sasuke shouted. "Erm, no. Its okay, you can stay."
"B-but..."
"Stay! Sit down!"
"He stole my chair!"
"Then wait on the bed, Dobe!"
Itachi sent his little brother a leering smirk. Sasuke returned with his own death glare, only succeeding in making Itachi laugh. Naruto, however, was clueless but did as suggested. Demanded. Whatever. These Uchiha men were confusing.
"Yes, well." Itachi began, getting back on track. "As I was saying... When you ran away, I realized I had given up hope too soon. By that time, all my plans... Well, that doesn't matter now. What matters now is what you want."
"What I want." Sasuke repeated, a bit dumbly.
"Indeed. Our lives, as Lords, are dictated the moment we leave the womb. Before that even. No one ever stops to think to ask us what we want, even with the previous generations have gone through the same thing and faced the same troubles. They assume that since they gave up everything for the sake of the family, and that all predecessors had as well, that all successors are bound to do the same without question. A folly one can attribute to no one and everyone."
"Uh-huh."
"Not very articulate this evening, are you Outoto?"
"Shut up, Itachi, and get on with it so you can leave."
"Oh? But you still haven't answered my question."
"Nothing. I don't want anything, okay. Thanks for dropping by. Now leave."
Itachi suddenly got a calculating and mischievous look in his eye.
"Is that so? Well then, brother, its time for us to depart. Come, we must make haste if we wish to reach the manor before morning." He turned away, hiding his smirk as he took a step towards the door. Inwardly, he counted down from three. Three. Two. One.
"What?!"
"W-what?"
Bingo.
"Well, Sasuke," he turned back towards the duo who were now standing closely together. "You do not want for anything, and since that is the case, then you wouldn't mind returning home to your fiance and your proper duties."
"Y-you're...leaving?" Naruto whispered out, unable to hide the surprising agony from his voice. He hadn't expected the thought of Sasuke leaving to affect him so severely. In fact, he hadn't even thought about the possibility, though he supposed he ought to have.
Sasuke turned to Naruto. "NO!" As he turned back to his brother, knew he had just played into his hands. He sighed. He hated when his brother did this to him. "No."
"You want to stay here then?" Itachi was bouncing on the balls of his feet, exuberant in his win.
"Ugh. I hate you. Yes. I want to stay here."
"With Naruto?"
Sasuke clenched his jaw. "Yes, with Naruto."
"Hmm." Itachi rubbed his chin. It was obvious his little brother was totally smitten. He actually thought the whole scenario was ridiculously cute. Almost annoyingly so. He still wasn't, however, sure of the blondes feelings. Time to test them out then.
He bounded over to Naruto. "Then, you must call me Aniki as well, Naruto." He smiled, holding out his hand to the other. "You've obviously been a better brother to my idiot Outoto than I have."
Naruto unexpectedly paled. "B-brother?" he whispered.
Ha! Too easy!
"Why yes. He's obviously more attatc-"
"NO!"
The sudden outburst caught Itachi off guard. "Pardon?"
"B-brother? No. No, I... I don't... want..."
"Oh? It seems you're unwanted, Sasuke. Guess you should leave with me after all."
"No." Again, Itachi was taken off guard. Far from the panicked response from only a moment before, the tone now had drastically changed. In its place was a determined fierceness. "You can't have him."
"Excuse me?"
Sasuke was totally out of his league. What was going on here?
"You can't take Sasuke away. You can't. I'll break every bone in your body if you try."
"Now, Naruto, that's not-"
"I don't care if its against the laws of the land. I don't care if he's your brother. I don't care if you attack me back. Sasuke is my friend, someone I was finally able to form a bond with, I don't care who I have to fight. If he rips off my arms I'll kick him to death, if he rips off my legs I'll bite him to death, if he rips off my head I'll stare him to death, if he gouges out my eyes I'll curse him from the grave. Even if I'm torn to shreds, I'll take Sasuke away from you."** Naruto was visibly shaking now, his eyes hid behind his hair, anger palpable in the air.
"Whoa! Whoa, there, Naruto!" Itachi began, starting to feel a bit uncomfortable with the murderous aura surrounding him and the fiendish red eyes staring him down.
"Naruto?" Sasuke was flabbergasted, his eyes wide. What was Naruto saying?
Naruto moved quick as lightening to stand in front of Sasuke and began emitting a growling sound from deep within his chest as Itachi took a step towards him. "Try it."
Itachi stopped, then started backing towards the door, hands up, palms open wide in a sign of surrender. That hadn't gone exactly as he had planned at all.
Sasuke smirked, finally realizing what was going on, a deep warmth settling deep within him. "Well. There you have it, Aniki." His smirk increased as he molded himself to the back of Naruto, flinging an arm around to embrace the blonde and feeling him relax back into his hold. "Mine."
Naruto's face erupted into a bright blush.
Against his better judgment, Itachi couldn't resist one last dig at the couple in front of him. "Something wrong, Naruto?"
Naruto tensed for a moment before relaxing even more in the raven's hold. "No."
"Time to go, Aniki."
Itachi pouted. "But-"
"Goodbye, Aniki."
Itachi sighed. "Fine. But it looks like you really will have to call me Aniki now, Naruto!" He cheerfully declared before bolting through the door, narrowly dodging a bowl thrown by his little brother, slamming the door behind him.
Sasuke turned the blonde around in his arms so they were face to face, making sure they maintained their close contact. They looked at each other with a sense of wonder as their heads slowly drew closer together. Sasuke could feel the blondes warm breath cascading out in slightly rushed puffs against his face, their lips barely brushing.
"Oh! I almost forgot!"
They backed away from each other as Itachi came bounding back into the house. "Whoa, you guys move fast!"
"Itachi!"
"Don't worry, I'm leaving. Just wanted to say that you don't need to worry about Mother and Father, I'll take care of them."
"Right." Sasuke glared. He was interrupting for this?
"Also, Mizu sends his regards." The brothers shared an evil smile at this. "Oh! And it looks like Naruto there has been imbued with a fox spirit. Be sure to wear a condom, you never know what might happen. Wouldn't want anyone to get pregnant, would we?"
"ITACHI!"
"W-what?!"
"Ahahaha, so long little brothers!" And once again, Itachi was gone.
"Your brother is so weird," Naruto stated, turning back towards the Uchiha.
"Shut up." he growled.
And he kissed him.
*An anonymous quote my mother once gave to me.
** Ahhh, sound familiar? I love this part of Shippuden. ^^)