Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
This will actually be two stories. The first 14 chapters are a common beginning. After that, each story takes off in entirely different directions.
The first story is called 'All In' and is approx 80K words. It is an MA rated Naruto x Sasuke drama.
The second story is called 'Constellations' and is closer to 100K words. It is an MA rated Naruto x Sasuke drama that contains a major character death.
I have posted both stories on FanFiction with the intention of posting simultaneously. NOTE: THE FIRST 14 CHAPTERS OF BOTH STORIES ARE IDENTICAL.
"What do I do now?" the blond teen asked quietly.
His dark haired companion swiped at the tears streaming down his face, smearing soot across his cheek. "Go home."
The tears were not from either grief or joy, nor even the wounds bleeding freely about his body, but from the acrid black smoke coming from the pyre before him.
He watched with neither sadness nor satisfaction as flames consumed the body of Orochimaru, his former teacher. Because, it wasn't as a show of respect, or even a fond wish to aid his sensei's journey into the afterlife that the young man had assembled the structure and ignited it with a Katon Goukakyuu no Jutsu; he was buying time. This wouldn't keep Kabuto off his tail for long, but he'd take what he could get.
Because Uchiha Sasuke was going home.
This morning, Orochimaru had come to his room and explained that the time had come for Sasuke to cough up his body. Word had arrived that Akatsuki had assigned the other Uchiha prodigy the task of retrieving Kyuubi no Kitsune, the last remaining tailed demon. He had explained that this development had altered their timetable slightly and then added, as though it would please the teen, that Kabuto was out getting Sasuke's favorite foods, which would comprise an intimate little celebratory dinner.
And Sasuke's last meal.
The full breadth of Orochimaru's intentions had been revealed at that time and it seemed that his and Sasuke's understanding of their agreement were somewhat at odds. Evidently, the Sannin had his own plans for the vessel and his demon and so, while he and Orochimaru were in accord that Itachi was to be killed, the devil was in the details. Yes, Sasuke's body would kill Itachi, but it was, evidently, also going to kill Naruto.
The youngest Uchiha wasn't one to second-guess himself, and, though not superstitious, he generally paid heed to the signs around him. It was a fact that he'd never been able to silence the voice in his head that whispered, "Naruto." Now, that inner voice seemed to be converging with the outside voices screaming, "Kyuubi." He took this for the sign to act.
Naruto, for many, had somehow become the center of the universe. Who was Sasuke to argue with the universe?
His, admittedly surprising, opposition to his own death played no small part in his spontaneous decision to revisit the terms of their contract and rip his sensei's tongue out through his liver.
The battle had not been epic. Sasuke had sustained many wounds, several, he was sure, were now contaminated with poison, but either he really had learned much in the last three years, or the snake wasn't as good as he'd presented himself. Perhaps both.
"You're going to him?"
Sasuke looked sideways at his companion, but said nothing.
"I'll...uhm...miss you." The smaller boy ducked his head and reached up to rub the back of his neck.
As always, the small action caused a surge of affection to well up in Sasuke and his lip twitched. He turned fully, his gaze softening.
"No, you won't."
"Yes, I will." A blush crept across his face. "Mostly."
"Toshio, you like girls."
"I liked you, too." He looked up, his blue-eyed gaze earnest.
"You liked something." Sasuke smirked. "Go home." He ruffled the silky blond hair. "Take an apprenticeship with a smith, or a butcher. Find a nice girl. When you're older make some babies. Forget the last three years ever happened."
"Sasuke, I won't forget you. I wouldn't be alive if it weren't for you." He dropped his gaze, blushing at the admission.
Sasuke looked at Toshio. In the bright light of the morning sun, the similarities weren't as...familiar, stopping at the slender build, blond hair and blue eyes. At night, the features were close enough.
"You've been a great comfort to me, Toshio. You saved my life, too." As always, the blond's blush charmed him and he relented, holding out his arms. The smaller teen threw himself into Sasuke's embrace.
Sasuke closed his eyes and nuzzled the top of the sunny blond head. "Be happy."
"What about your wounds," Toshio asked when he finally pulled away. "They look pretty bad."
"I'm fine. Here, now go find your mother and sister. Take care of them." He reached into his pack and pulled out a fist-sized bag that jangled quietly. "Keep an easterly heading, stay on the roads and don't talk to strangers. You should be home late tomorrow."
Sasuke watched the slender boy's form get smaller in the distance for several minutes, basking in the first rush of anticipation he'd felt in more than three years. Then he shouldered his pack, checked the location of the sun and started walking south.
He knew that if he wanted to see Naruto, he would have to go to him. Naruto had stopped coming after him in Sound a long time ago. Orochimaru, in his infinite wisdom, had put an astronomical price on the blond head, certain that, even if no one in Sound could actually capture the Jinchuuriki, the resulting ruckus would alert him and he could finish the job, naturally keeping the demon and the reward.
But for all his genius, Orochimaru didn't understand what motivated anyone but himself. Just as he didn't foresee Sasuke's own defection this very morning, he didn't imagine the bounty on Naruto would keep the boy from coming for Sasuke.
He was wrong and Sasuke had understood that fact the day he learned of his teacher's plan. Two years ago, he had actually felt the pain of grief as he looked at the stack of notices that would be placed around the village. He knew that Naruto's quest to retrieve him was over. He would never come to Sound again, and not for reasons that Orochimaru or Kabuto would intuit.
Naruto would know that if he stepped foot in Sound, every single person in the village, ninja and civilian alike, would be out to get the reward. He wouldn't concern himself over the ninja. The problem would be the civilians who didn't understand these things, and who would think they could take the blond with a few gardening tools and some rope.
Unless he was prepared to just hand himself over, Naruto would know that he would be obliged to use potentially lethal force against innocent farmers and shop keepers, perhaps desperate mothers and children.
Sasuke knew he wouldn't risk it and would stay away.
Still, he was honest enough with himself to admit that while he had an uncomfortable desire to rush to Konoha to protect Naruto from Akatsuki's campaign, the act was probably reckless. Naruto could call on the power of a demon; Sasuke would probably be an annoyance rather than a help. And if Naruto somehow faced these foes with only his own strength, even with Sasuke by his side, they would likely end up smears on the landscape.
But none of that mattered. He'd followed his heart his whole life, ignoring suggestions, advice, orders and even brute force. He wasn't inclined to stop now that his heart was pointed home.
Three weeks of traveling and Sasuke was finally only two miles from Konoha.
He almost laughed at the irony that this was where the Leaf patrols would find his dead body. The fever from infected wounds, the toll of the slow acting poisons and Kabuto were conspiring to make this shade mottled glen his final stand.
He estimated that Kabuto was about fifteen minutes behind. Since his right leg was virtually useless and his chakra was nearly gone, he knew he'd never make it to the gates before having to confront the sinister medic.
Maybe he could somehow spend these last minutes leaving Naruto a message. He swayed on his feet and considered by what means he could tell Naruto…what? What did he want to say to his best, his only, friend here at the end?
The question ended up being moot, as he was forced to admit that he'd misjudged Kabuto's relative location. The snake's sidekick was standing fifty yards away. Evidently tired of the chase, Kabuto eschewed any preliminary taunting or gloating and just charged forward. Sasuke closed his eyes and reached over his shoulder for his katana.
When he opened his eyes, ready for battle, he realized he couldn't see. Kabuto, and the rest of the forest in front of him, had disappeared behind…a set of shoulders?
His senses swamped his brain. That chakra, that laugh. Naruto!
"Kabuto, you old fuckface. I've been waiting a long time for this." He could tell that Naruto was grinning.
"Gladly, after I dispatch Orochimaru's murderer." Kabuto looked pointedly over Naruto's shoulder.
"Well, now, that doesn't work for me." The broad shouldered teen tapped an imaginary watch on his wrist. "You know how it is; places to go, people to see..." He shrugged. "I can't reschedule."
Kabuto sighed. "Fine, have it your way." Then he charged forward.
The next few seconds were a blur for Sasuke as he found himself lifted and repositioned several feet away. When he regained his orientation, he realized that a Naruto clone had his arms wrapped around him and was keeping him away from the fight.
But it wasn't a fight. Naruto was now facing the opposite direction. A log impaled with a single shuriken lay behind him. He stood relaxed, holding eight kunai, four between the fingers of each hand, his grin taunting.
"Ooh, Wood Bunshin," Naruto mocked in an imitation of someone slow witted. "Where'd you learn such a neat trick?"
Then before the medic could even open his mouth to retort, the wind in the clearing kicked up. Sasuke watched as Kabuto, his arms flailing, came hurtling from his hiding place in the branches of a nearby tree. Naruto caught him with the kunai and swung the impaled shinobi to dangle within inches of his face.
"Hi." The smile on Naruto's face was terrifying.
"Bye." Sasuke watched tan shoulder muscles flex as the larger blond ripped his arms to each side, effectively shredding Kabuto's torso. The silver haired nin looked down at his own intestines, most of his body still hanging from the kunai in Naruto's left hand.
Naruto dropped the kunai from his other hand, made a fist and punched a hole through Kabuto's head. After dropping the whole mess, he made a disgusted face and swatted at the brain matter coating his fingers.
"Damn it. That was a new pair of gloves."
He then turned to Sasuke and dispelled the clone holding him.
"That may not…" Sasuke stumbled toward Kabuto's corpse, his katana dragging a furrow through the loamy earth. "He might still…" He didn't think the medic could recover from having his brain pulverized, but wasn't willing to risk it.
"I've got it." Naruto then looked to the sky and closed his eyes.
After a several moments, Sasuke heard a sound similar to when he called up Chidori; birds, lots of them. His eyes widened as hundreds of ravens descended into the clearing and immediately crowded around the warm body. The deathly pale teen dropped to his knees and retched as Kabuto's corpse disappeared, some immediately, some to be carried away, dangling out of bloody beaks and claws.
"Oh, sorry." Naruto was at Sasuke's side, wrapping his arm around his shoulders. "Hey, you're burning up. I thought I smelled infection. That's what brought me this direction to begin with."
It took almost all of Sasuke's remaining strength, but he looked over at the male whom he had nearly killed himself to come and see, the male who had just saved his life. He lifted a hand and almost made it to a whiskered cheek, before he pitched face first into a warm chest.