Chapter 1
Sasuke kept to the edge of the clearing, careful to remain unnoticed by the creature tangled up in his brother's trap. It was the first time he'd ventured into the forest alone, determined to prove to his parents he could be just as dependable a Hunter as Itachi. When he had heard the bells that announced a trap had sprung, Sasuke had rushed towards it with a stern determination to bring back home his first kill and make his parents proud. He had been expecting something more on the lines of a wild boar, or even a bear, that would have been in his league.
Whatever this creature was, it was nothing like Sasuke had seen before. He had the basic appearance of a man, with golden brown skin and a slightly muscular frame. His golden hair was arranged into a spikey mess, framed by a pair of auburn fox-like ears atop his head that matched the bushy fox tail protruding from his back.
Sasuke had to admit that he was impressed. The trap was a painful one, where a snaky black rope embedded with tiny silver spikes had wrapped itself around the creatures waist and arms and held him hanging from a tree branch, dangling a few feet off the ground. Yet the creature uttered no sound of pain or discomfort, even as the slight breeze slowly revolved his body in a lazy circle, where the rope wound tighter and the spikes dug deeper. His eyes were downcast, and his body was limp.
What exactly was this creature? It was this spark of curiosity that led Sasuke to take a step forward, causing the leaves to rustle underfoot. The creature lifted his head at the noise and stared at Sasuke. It had a human face, with three whisker like scars on each cheek and merciless sapphire eyes with cat-like slit pupils. Almost entranced by the alien features of this creature, Sasuke approached it slowly, wanting a closer look in the dim forest light.
The creature narrowed it's eyes, baring it's sharp elongated canines with a guttural growl that was positively beast-like in nature. Sasuke ignored the obvious warning, coming closer to the creature than would have been wise in his curious fascination with it's appearance. The creature immediatelly lashed out, striking Sasuke with a kick to the side. It would have hit his stomach if Sasuke had not seen the backswing and dodged appropriately, though the creature still moved swiftly enough for the blow to connect.
Sasuke stumbled back, rubbing his now sore rib cage whilst glowering at the creature, who scowled at him in return. It hissed slightly before snarling something in a strange foreign tongue. "Teme, ikajiji mudene todeyasu tsusunahi yasu, dattebayo!"
Ignoring the pain in his ribs, Sasuke raised a single brow at the creature, knowing that whatever he had said wasn't exactly complimentary. He folded his arms across his chest as he saw with a grim satisfaction a squirm of frustration on the creature's part.
The creature wore strange clothes that hung loose from his frame but yet seemed too small on his arms and legs, in a clash of bright orange and blue that somehow managed to mesh together. His garments were laced with thin streaks of blood were the spikes dug into his skin. Looking at the creature from that close distance, Sasuke guessed him to be around the same age as himself, too old to be called a child but not yet recognised as a man, and seemed to be only slightly shorter than Sasuke.
It would have been easy for Sasuke to pull out his short knife and drag the blade across the creatures neck, putting it out of it's misery. But the aura of power emenating from it even as it hung uselessly from a primitive trap, and it's alien appearance was terrifying, fascinating, thrilling and... captivating.
"I'm not going to hurt you." Sasuke said eventually, holding his hands out in front of him in what was supposed to be a placating manner. Instead it made the creature glare at him with narrowed eyes and emit a low rumbling growl from it's throat. Sasuke held the creature's gaze, taking a step towards it. He jumped back in time with a curse as it kicked out at him again, those sapphire eyes blazing with a stubborn anger.
"Damn it, I'm trying to help you, you idiot!" Sasuke yelled in frustration after he attempted a few times more, only having to dart back to avoid blows from the creature's swinging legs. Why exactly was he helping it again?
His anger with the creature softened slightly as he saw the wince of pain cross his face. "Look," Sasuke said softly, unsheathing his knife from his belt and placing it harmlessly on the ground before his feet. "I'm unarmed. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm going to help."
The creature watched the action with an obvious expression of suspicion on it's face. "Ranehino yasu tsudeno mudene tteba?" He asked, glancing between Sasuke and the disgarded blade.
Sasuke held his hands out in front of him again, approaching the creature once more. "I won't hurt you." He said slowly as though speaking to a child. The creature eyed him warily as he drew close, saying and doing nothing even as Sasuke reached up the creature's side to untie the knot that held the trap together. The creature winced as the trap wound tighter momentarily, but made no sound.
"Almost." Sasuke murmured as he worked at the knot. Finally it parted, and the creature fell to the ground, immediately rolling out and away of the rope and it's spikes and jumping to it's feet as though it had retained no injury from the trap. The mysterious glint in the creature's eyes stopped the words from forming in Sasuke's mouth.
It reached beneath it's blood tattered shirt, pulling out a small blue diamond that hung about it's neck on a thick black cord like a necklace. The creature snapped the cord from it's neck with a sharp jerk of it's fist and held it out delicately with the tips of his fingers in a silent offering to Sasuke.
Sasuke shook his head. "I don't want payment. I just... I just wanted to help." Though why, he still had to figure out for himself.
The creature rolled his eyes and waved the necklace up and down in an impatient manner, waiting for Sasuke to take it. "Kukakeno deke noranatsu kenagade nonaisu." He said in an annoyed tone.
Sasuke hesitated for a moment, before he reached out and gently took hold of the tiny diamond, examining it in his open hand in a small amount of awe. He curled his hand around it in a protective fist. "Thank you." He said softly, with a nod to the creature.
He couldn't help but stare in amazement as the creature grinned wide enough to reveal it's large pearly white teeth. It somehow managed to meld the creature's already alluring features into something beautiful. "Naruto." It said suddenly, jerking a thumb towards its chest.
Sasuke frowned. "What?"
The creature rolled it's eyes again in a manner that was beginning to annoy Sasuke. "Naruto." It said again with the action.
"Na-ru-to." Sasuke repeated slowly, realization dawning on him when the blonde creature nodded emphatically and looked at him expectantly. He pointed at himself. "Sasuke."
Naruto's grin widened. "Sasuke." He repeated, elongating the pronounciation to give the name a foreign flavour. "Yamu Sasuke."
Sasuke let out a cry of surprise when in the blink of an eye Naruto had seized him by the front of his shirt and pulled them together.
"Wha-" Was all Sasuke managed to get out before Naruto captured his mouth in a kiss. Sasuke froze, eyes wide, too shocked to react. Naruto wound one arm around his waist, tugging him closer as he gently carressed Sasuke's lips with his own.
It wasn't until Naruto's tongue slid against his lips, begging for entrance that Sasuke came to his senses, roughly pushing Naruto away. Surpressing the urge to touch his searing mouth Sasuke glared at Naruto who was grinning at him with impish glee.
"Netsu tsusurino masu yasuno, Sasuke." Naruto said, with an almost mocking bow.
Then, with a flick of his tail, he was gone. In a blur of orange and yellow, Naruto vanished into the forest, leaving Sasuke gape-jawed, alone and utterly confused.
He stared dully at the diamond in his grip, trying to figure out what was probably the most bizarre morning of his life.