I don't own Naruto or Sasuke.
I own Nijiko, Akito and Yuki.
To understand who Nijiko, Akito and Yuki are, read either my profile or preferably Blood of the Namikaze (I know it's not up yet, I'm working on it, please read it when I publish, it will be greatly appreciated!)
Dealing With Fate.
The darkness seemed almost solid, covering all in it's path, almost suffocating in the warm summer breeze hanging on the night air, the only sources of light in this unforgiving terrain the soft gleam of the moon reflected on the rivers surface and the humming fireflies floating around like ghosts.
The only human in the area was a young Kunoichi by the name of Nijiko. The tears had long since ceased to fall down her ivory skin and she stayed as still as the faces of the Hokage mountain. As the moonlight fell on her midnight black hair, she shivered, the first sign of movement she had made in quite a while. The air may be warm, but it might as well have been snowing for the way she felt. Nijiko shrugged her shoulders slightly and was almost surprised when a lock of her hair dislodged from behind her ear and fell across her face, nearly touching her lip.
'My hair's been growing lately. I wonder if I should cut it again. It might get in the way during missions.' Though she sounded like herself in her mind, Nijiko neither felt like herself, nor had any real emotions in her heart as they went through her mind.
She pondered this for a moment before biting her lip in agitation. 'I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by this. Not feeling like myself. I don't even know what I'm supposed to be anymore!'
At this, tears welled up once again in her cerulean blue eyes, yet they did not fall. 'If only Uncle Akito could see me now. He always thought I was pathetic. Too much like my father, he said.'
Nijiko lay on her back, the moonlight now gracing her face. She folded her hands on her stomach as she gazed up into the starlit sky. Yes, her Uncle had never been the supportive type. He had been harsh and coarse and sometimes could even be called cruel. For the majority of her life, he hadn't been there at all. She had learnt to accept that. But she always had hope that maybe, somewhere in his dark and burdened soul; he loved her, maybe just a little. Cause if he didn't…then she would have had no one. But he was dead now and there was nothing she could do.
A flood of images and emotions rushed to her mind from her memory; fire, blood, walls caving in, fear, darkness, screams of pain, howls of horror, corpses being torn apart… Akito's eyes growing dim and sliding shut as he left this world forever.
"Nijiko…" a voice called to her gently. It was spoken as a whisper, but the sound and the feel of cold breath ghosting along her face was enough to jolt her out of her reminiscence. She opened her eyes to see Sasuke Uchiha kneeling beside her.
"What are you doing out here, by yourself? Shouldn't you be with Naruto?" The Sharingan wielder asked.
She sat up slowly and turned away from his intense gaze. She didn't know what to do. She could just stand and run, but she was too tired for that now, yet she couldn't bear to look directly into Sasuke's concerned black eyes.
"Nijiko… what's wrong?"
The caring tone in his usually empty voice made her nearly cry all over again. She had never heard this tone from anybody before. Well… at least not directed towards her. Especially not from this boy.
"Nijiko," Sasuke whispered again. She felt him slide closer to her on the grass. "… It's about Akito isn't it?"
Nijiko snapped her head around to look at the young Uchiha heir, shock and grief forming on her soft, angelic face. Then she bowed her head again to escape that scathing, knowing stare.
Something cool stroked her skin gently and it took her a while to realise Sasuke was running the back of his hand along her cheekbone, a look of peaceful serenity on his face as such she had never seen from him before.
She hesitantly reached across herself with her right hand and slipped it into his as he kept moving it, stopping the easy flow to squeeze her hand in reassurance. An unheard message passed between them when she met his piercing gaze and held it there for the first time; he wanted her to trust him.
For a moment she was utterly bewildered, at a loss to explain why the great Sasuke Uchiha would waste his time to comfort the twin sister of his rival. Then she remembered; his elder brother had murdered his whole family.
'Everyone he loved… destroyed by someone else he loved.' Nijiko thought. She sighed inwardly. Most of the time, all of the village (her included) believed Sasuke was some heartless being who cared only for himself. But that wasn't true; Sasuke had a heart, one that burned to let somebody in, to love again. But he was scared; scared that he would loose somebody he loved? Or that he would be betrayed again? She didn't know. But she knew Sasuke was trying to help and she appreciated it.
For the first time since he got here, she spoke. "Sasuke… thank you. I'm glad you're here." Sasuke looked at her, his impassive mask slipping for a split second to reveal shock and… was that… hope?
She continued "I couldn't talk to Naruto about this… I wanted to… but he's never lost anyone before… he doesn't understand how it feels… I still feel so angry all the time. Uncle Akito wasn't wonderful… but he tried. Despite everything he did… I miss him. That's not crazy, is it?"
She looked beseechingly into Sasuke's eyes. After a slight hesitation, he answered. "No… that's not crazy and neither are you."
Nijiko raised her eyebrows slightly.
"My father… wasn't very kind. The majority of my clan weren't… but I loved them. I wanted them to love me and respect me… it was all I'd ever dreamed of." He elaborated. Nijiko could've sworn she saw tears welling in his eyes.
Sasuke looked like he wanted to say more, but couldn't bring himself to do it. Nijiko realised they were still holding hands and squeezed his gently, encouraging him to go on.
He hesitated before saying "Can you keep a secret?"
Nijiko was confused but she nodded immediately.
Sasuke gulped and continued in a whisper barely audible "I've been thinking lately… my brother…" he gulped again. Nijiko waited patiently, knowing he would confide in her when he was ready and not about to push him.
"I-I loved him… s-so much… he was the best anyone could ask for… the best ninja… the best son… the best brother. And I… I've always known… even though I always train for it… even though I swore I would… I can't do it. I can't avenge my clan… I don't want to kill my brother. …I still love him. And he-he left me alive… out of the whole clan… he picked me to survive." He glanced at Nijiko hesitantly before asking, "Do you think… there's even the tiniest chance… that he… loved me as well?"
Nijiko pondered this. Memories crashed in her mind for the second time this evening. Naruto and herself walking along the hot springs before she shoved him in. That day had been wonderful, they had a fight in the water after he dragged her in as well and they had walked home laughing. The day Akito died, she had been willing to sacrifice herself to save her newly found twin brother and she had almost died. Her waking up in hospital to find Naruto sleeping at her bedside; the nurse telling her she had been unconscious for three days straight and Naruto hadn't left her side once, not even to go to the toilet, that information sending Nijiko into hysterical laughter.
Nijiko looked Sasuke in the eyes and said, "Yes… I believe your brother loved you."
Sasuke stared before looking down at the ground, a small smile appearing on his face.
Nijiko squeezed his hand and stood up to leave. It was time to get back to her own brother before he started to get worried. She tried to move forward but couldn't. Looking back, she saw Sasuke was staring intently at her, keeping an iron grip on her hand.
"Hey, what's wrong?" The kunoichi asked.
A blush crept its way onto Sasuke's cheeks. "Um… Nijiko… could I… would you let me…" he said slowly.
"Yes?"
He gulped audibly. "Can I kiss you?" his face burned crimson and he looked at the ground as if it were about to open up and swallow him at any moment.
Nijiko stood stock-still. Then she leaned down and kissed him softly on his right cheek. He froze as if he had been hit with one of Yuki's Ice Style techniques.
Nijiko pulled away for the second time but Sasuke still held onto her. This time, instead of holding her in one place, he gently pulled her back down next to him and turned to face her.
His face flushed an even deeper shade of red as he leaned forwards, so close she could have kissed him again. She didn't have to.
He whispered, "I asked you if I could kiss you." And he did, closing the space between them in less than two milliseconds.
It was Nijiko's turn to blush as her eyes slipped close and Sasuke deepened the kiss. It was very shy at first but they quickly got bolder, more interactive with each other. It seemed like they were there for hours, but it was really a mere thirty seconds.
When they pulled apart, they looked at each other shyly before Sasuke said, "I'm… I'm sorry. I-I shouldn't have done that…"
"Sasuke."
"Y-Yes?"
"You asked to do that. I didn't say no."
She smiled. A happy, genuine smile. For the first time in weeks. And it was at him; the last person she ever thought could make her happy, no matter what she felt for him.
Sasuke was shocked. He never thought the girl he loved could smile like that. He had always known she and her smile were beautiful and it was true he had seen her smile plenty of times. But never like this, never at him.
Nijiko leaned forwards. Before she could kiss him, he stopped her. She looked at him inquisitively. His face flushed pink. Not quite the same shade as before, but close enough.
"Nijiko… you're beautiful when you smile like that… do it again… please?" Nijiko didn't have to try; the look on Sasuke's face amused her considerably.
She whispered softly "Do you like me?"
Sasuke nodded slowly. "Yes… ever since I first met you. Do you like me?"
Nijiko blinked rapidly before saying "I've liked you for… I can't even remember how long… but it has been a long time."
And with that, she kissed him on the lips again. They stayed like that for a while and there were many more moments like this to come.
A/N: This is my first try at a oneshot and I think I did well. I had a little scene at the end with Itachi and Kisame but decided against it. I thought it would be too much. What do you think (about my decision and my writing)? Good? Bad? 50/50? Why don't you tell me?
Review please!
(To all of you who wonder why this note is in purple… I like purple, ne? So don't ask in reviews or I will ignore you.)
