Orochimaru was dark silk and poison. Older, experienced, and twistedly beautiful, he could sugar-coat anything with that deep, slithering voice and sweet promises. But one thing that could always be counted on, Sasuke knew, is that beneath the grin and the gracefully arching eyebrows would be a lie.
Sasuke knew how to deal with lies. Hadn't his mother lied to him when he was a child, saying that his father loved him? Hadn't he lied to the village of Konoha, pretending to be a strong and bold little genius boy instead of the mourning, angry one? Hadn't he lived his first eight years with Itachi, who was the best liar of them all?
Sasuke knew how to find the truth in the lies. He'd been raised to question every word, every inflection, directed towards him, and now the truth in the lies was more real that a truth freely given. Not that anyone freely gave the truth anymore. Except Naruto.
Uzumaki Naruto, so bright and unchallenged in his goodness and freedom, used to hand him the truth without even realizing he was doing so. Honesty like that could not be learned, could not be taught, and no one else gave up their secrets. No one mapped out their every weakness for the enemy to follow and attack. And if he did, he certainly didn't win the ensuing battle.
Naruto always won. No, he didn't just win; he conquered all resistance with a wide smile and an annoying little "dattebayo." He infected; just a breeze through his shining hair and one glance from impossibly blue eyes made the hardest, coldest ninja sick with joy and laughter. He brainwashed everyone to believe in him and he never failed.
He brought the disheartened and pressured Iruka back to full life in the classroom with his pranks and adoration. He was the first to make Kakashi really smile in years. He brought the hermit Jiraiya out of solitude. He raised Tsunade, depressed and alone, to the head of Konohagakure as Hokage.
His words, however ineloquent, saved Neji from Fate, Lee from himself, and Gaara from his greatest demon. His words, however coarse, caused Sakura to blossom. His words, however stupid, made Sasuke love him.
Sasuke watched the dancing candle flame in the darkness of his room, somewhere in the Hidden Village of Sound. Naruto was the light in the darkness for so many people. He created hope where there was none. He inspired great deeds. And, though he had often taunted his friend and made him believe otherwise for a few moments, Sasuke knew Naruto was a leader.
Not a leader in the way Orochimaru was a leader. He twisted people's hopes and dreams to fit his needs and made his men fear him. No, Naruto was a true leader. He had loyalty without looking for it, and, even though he was sometimes blinded by his goals, his followers found their solutions along the way somehow.
Sasuke knew Naruto was looking for him without the reports from Kabuto. He knew Naruto too well to think that he would just let his best friend go. But Sasuke had business in the darkness yet, and would push away Naruto's light until it was time for him to be saved.
He knew that, when everything was over, Naruto would be there to lead him away to safety and light and love. It made the darkness worth it.