Okay… this was an idea I got after reading ahnehyeah18's fanfic 'Penumbra'. Somewhere in the story I had to take a break from it to do something else, and then I started thinking about how it would turn out (I practically made up the whole story!), when I read on, and it didn't turn out that way, I decided to write it down at upload it. I won't say my 'version' is better, (cuz ahnehyeah18's story is fantastic!) it's just different.

Title: A bad day

Prompt: Biscuits

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters (except Atsuo, he's mine)

Blood.

Blood all over.

At the walls, at the ground, at the bodies strewn around the place.

He ran.

More blood.

At the door to his house, at the floor as he entered; ignoring to order to stay away.

All over.

His once so glorious family now scattered everywhere in the Uchiha compound.

His family, his parents, his… 'Mom?' *sniff* 'Dad?'

Sasuke sat up in his bed, panting heavily, the picture of his brother standing over the dead bodies of his parents slowly fading, but never really disappearing. He closed his eyes – and quickly opened them again when the picture reappeared. It seemed going back to sleep was not an option. He glanced at the clock at his night-stand. Might as well get up…

Memories from the night's nightmare started flowing back as Sasuke entered the graveyard once again. He came there at least once a' week, and had already been there twice this week. But today was special. An anniversary, if you will. And his teammates had felt it too. They didn't know that that was the reason, but he had been extra grumpy today; had snapped at them more than twice as much as usual. He had even attacked Naruto with the intent to kill for some insult that he didn't even remember.

"Hey Mom, Dad" Sasuke muttered as he dropped down in his usual spot, his back resting against the tombstone. The sexton had created that little spot for him, when he on several occasions had found Sasuke sitting there, between the flowers neatly planted in front of the stone. As he sat there he remembered how Naruto had looked confused at him when he had attacked him. He could still see Kakashis surprised face when he had seen the anger and hatred in his eyes. But the worst was Sakura. She had looked at him with something dangerously close to fright. She had actually been scared of him, not for him. And that was when it occurred to Sasuke what he had done. He had taken a step back of sheer surprise at what he had been about to do. Then he had turned around and simply walked away without a word. He hadn't known what else to do; he just needed to be alone. The other had called out for him, but he had started to run. Naruto had yelled after him, but Kakashi then said something that had made the blonde quiet. "*sigh* what am I gonna do? At this rate I won't be sleeping tonight, and then I'll just be in an even darker mood tomorrow…"

"Mr. Uchiha?" A slightly uncertain voice drew Sasuke out of his musings.

"Hm? Atsuo? How many times shall I tell you to just call me Sasuke?"

"I'm sorry, Sasuke. *slight smile* Uhm… I found these at the market the other day, and I remember you used to eat them whenever you came here, so I took the liberty to buy you some." Atsuo, the sexton, said as he held out a little pack of sweet biscuits. Sasuke looked at them for a little while then reached out for them.

"You really shouldn't have."

"Oh, it's nothing, Sasuke. I remember when you came to me, almost crying because they had stopped selling them, so when I found them I figured I should as well give them to you."

"Hn. Thank you. I really do owe you a lot…" Sasuke said as he opened the pack of biscuits. He wasn't really sure he could actually eat them – they were rather sweet after all – but he would try, if not then just for the nostalgia of it, seeing as his mother used to buy them each time they visited the graveyard.

"It is my job, Sasuke, and I really enjoy it when you are here. – You are the only one really talking with me."

"Hn." Sasuke couldn't help but smirk a little at the irony of that. Him, who never really talked at all, was the only one actually talking to the gravedigger. But then again; Atsuo had been the one to bury his family, and he had been there every day, when Sasuke was there.

"Well, I better get going. I have to bury one from the old people's home."

"Hn." Sasuke knew he should probably have said something more, but he knew Atsuo understood.

"See you around, Sasuke."

"Ah." As Atsuo left, Sasukes attention was drawn to a little family visiting a grave two rows in front of where he was sitting. A mother, an old man and a little girl. With his keen eyes Sasuke was able to make out a rather new date – only about a week ago. From the name and the age, he realized that it was probably the woman's husband. The little girl wasn't crying, but Sasuke figured that she had yet to find out that her father wasn't ever coming back. Poor girl. She seemed to be about the same age as Sasuke had had when his family died. That was probably the worst thing about the death of his family. There were so many things he just never got to try: so many memories he could have had; so many things that could have happened. Maybe he would have finally gotten the pet he had begged for so long. Maybe his dad would have finally acknowledged that he, Sasuke, was his son as well; not only Itachi. Maybe he would have gotten that little brother or sister he had secretly wished for, so he would no longer be the youngest, the weakest – so he had someone to look out for, the way Itachi had looked out for him.

"Here" a little voice said, and brought Sasuke back to the real world. He had been so lost in his thoughts about what his life could have been like, that he hadn't even noticed the little girl walking over to him with a single flower in her hand, which she was now holding out to her. "For your family." Sasuke looked at the girl and then at her mother who was giving him a sympatric smile. He guessed she had told her little girl about him. Sasukes eyes then moved back to the girl who was still holding out the flower to him. He reached out to accept it, if not anything else, then just to make the little girl happy. She seemed to really want him to take that damn flower.

"Thank you" he said quietly and then he remembered the biscuits Atsuo had given him. "Want a biscuit?" he asked, and saw how the girls face seemed to brighten a little. He felt slightly tempted to give a little sad smile of his own. He almost did when he saw her face brighten even more as he handed her the biscuit. Seemed it was her favorite. He remembered his mother had once told her, that she had started the tradition with the biscuits, because Itachi never wanted to go to the graveyard, so she needed something that would make him almost look forward to go – and the biscuits had worked, seeing as it was his favorites, and he only got them when they went to the graveyard. Their father had scolded him for only going because of the biscuits, when he should really go to honor the dead. Mikoto had then argued that it was better than not going at all, and that had been the end of the discussion. It was the only time Sasuke remembered his father scolding Itachi for something that wasn't not going to a family meeting.

Oh, how he wished he could just have had a little more time with them! For the first time in what felt like years, a single tear made its way out, though never growing big enough to leave the corner of his eye.

"Sasuke?" A light feminine voice drew Sasuke from his brooding, and he lifted his head to look at the owner of the voice. He was thankful for the hair that had fallen into his face and hid the tear from their view.

Even though she couldn't see the tear, Sakura could still tell that something was wrong. Even for a normal, more emotional person, Sasuke looked sad. And honestly; why else would people be sitting at the graveyard? Sure they, her and Naruto, were there, but that was because it was the shortest way to her house. Slowly, she made her way to him, her eyes full of worry, leaving Naruto to just stand and watch. When she was close enough she bend down and moved the hair from his face; her eyes immediately locking at the single tear in the corner of his right eye.

"Oh, Sasuke" she whispered, barely loud enough for him to hear, as a delicate finger gently caught the tear before she wrapped her arms around his neck. Sasuke looked up at Naruto, who had changed his confused gaze to one of sadness and sympathy. Then his eyes adverted back to the girl softly leaning against him. He didn't move to hug her back, but he didn't push her away either. He just stayed in the same position; his back against his parents' tombstone and his arms resting atop of his bended knees.

"I'm sorry." When they just looked puzzled at him he clarified. "I'm sorry for snapping at you, for attacking you, Naruto. I didn't mean to, it's just…" He paused for a moment as he thought about what to say. "It's been ten years…" he then stated quietly, knowing that they would understand what he was actually saying. "You should think I'd be over it now…"

"No, Sasuke. No one ever really gets over such things. The hurt can fade, the wounds heal to a reminding scar; you can move on, but never get over it, never forget." Sasuke was border lining frustrated; he didn't want to forget, but… he didn't really want to remember either. "Just remember that we'll always be here for you, okay? We won't think less of you if you ask for our help; just opposite actually: it takes a strong man to admit his weak sides." During her speech, Sakura felt Sasukes head bend to rest against the crook of her neck.

"Hn. Thank you. Both of you." He added the last part, because he figured Naruto would think he was only talking to Sakura.

"You're welcome!" Sakura exclaimed as she stood up, while Naruto slowly walked closer. Sasuke didn't move, but looked up at them when Sakura started to talk again. "You know, the baka there *pointing at Naruto* forgot his keys, so he's staying over at my house tonight. You can join if you want, right Naruto?"

"Of course! Our first Team 7 get-together/sleepover-thing!" Naruto exclaimed while fist-pumping wildly, almost pulling a muscle in his shoulder. Sasuke smirked a little at his blonde friends antics and then nodded at Sakura who was looking at him for an answer. She responded by beaming widely at him and doing her own little victory-dance. When Sasuke was about to stand up, Naruto appeared out of nowhere and held out a hand to help him up. He really didn't need it, but accepted it nonetheless.

Atsuo means friendly man, so I figured it fit the gravedigger, since he (in this story) is a friendly man.

Uhm, btw: As I have already told you, this story was inspired by ahnehyeah18's fanfic 'Penumbra'. Check it out, it's really good(it's number nine in 'Optics', but you should read the rest as well).