Until we meet again
A/N: i do not own naruto
Nomochi." My captain's voice rang in my ear, coming from the walkie-talkie connected to my ear by a headset.
I was immediately attentive. "Yes?"
"What is your current position?"
"Two miles north of the base." I replied. Orochimaru's base, to be exact.
"Good. Wait for further instruction."
"Hai." I let go of the talk button, turning my attention to my teammate and sister, Nomochi Hisa.
"Kameki, are you sure you can handle this?" Hisa asked tentatively. My 15- year-old twin sister knew what this mission meant to me. We, that is, my captain, Hisa, and a good number of other shinobi in pairs, were going to infiltrate Orochimaru's base, and gather information. As a S-ranked nukenin, Orochimaru needed to be watched by Konoha. Of course, that wasn't what bothered me.
If Orochimaru was there, Uchiha Sasuke would be, too. At least, that was what they all said.
Like everyone else our age, Sasuke was in the same class as us. We also happened to live close to the Uchiha compound, and we had for several years, even before the Uchiha massacre. As a result, both Hisa and I grew up with Sasuke, and became friends.
After the Uchiha massacre, however, he decided to ignore us for a while. Thankfully, he didn't do anything worse than that. When I learned of what had happened, I was afraid that Sasuke would treat us like enemies.
Instead, it was like we didn't even exist to him for the next couple of years.
But Uchiha Sasuke used to be my best friend, and so after I realized that he wasn't going to talk to me without any effort on my part, I began talking to him. It wasn't easy, let me tell you, but I eventually got him to start talking to me. It took him a while to get used to having a friend again, but after that, we were best friends again. Well, as close to a best friend as you could get to Uchiha Sasuke. He rarely showed kindness to me unless we were alone - him and his stupid ego wouldn't let him. I didn't mind, though. I was glad to have him back.
Then, the next thing I knew, we were sorted into teams, and about a year later, Sasuke went off to join Orochimaru.
I think I had always had a little crush on him. I think. Honestly, I can't remember that far back. But I do remember wanting to be around him every chance I got, and that even if I wasn't, I became anxious when I didn't know what he was doing (No idea why, though, it's not like it was my problem). Granted, I was never a fan girl. I tried to deny my feelings for him, like any sensible and ambitious shinobi would.
Only after he was gone did I realize the extent of how I felt for him.
Only then did I feel torn in two.
Only now, more than two years later, I might get to see him again.
And what would I do? I didn't expect him to treat me like a friend. But I might. That was the problem.
"Don't be silly, Hisa." I scolded, sighing. "Do you honestly think I'd let a past friendship get in the way of our mission?"
Hisa gave me a suspicious look. "Didn't you love him?"
I cringed at the question. Love? I sighed. Honestly, I had never asked myself that. I don't think I've ever even said the word love in my life. But did I? That was a good question... "I have no idea." I replied, leaning against the tree I was perched on. "But that doesn't matter. Our mission is to gather information, and then leave."
"But -"
"Please, just drop it, Hisa." I interrupted, sighing again. "With any luck he won't be there."
She muttered something I didn't catch, but I could swear I heard "no luck" and "icicle incident" in there...
"Hisa!" I groaned, glaring at her. "I don't need any comments about that."
Hisa managed a tiny smile, and looked away, but she was still glancing worriedly at me once and a while.
"Nomochi Hisa. Nomochi Kameki." Our ANBU captain's voice came out of both of our walkie-talkies, and we held them up.
"Here."
"In position?" I asked.
"Yes, we are all in position." He answered. "We will move at the previously specified pace towards the base. There, we will scan for shinobi, and sneak in. Kameki, Hisa, I'm counting on you two especially. You can disguise yourselves better than most."
"Arigato." Hisa said, then added. "Everything else according to plan?"
"Yes, it is."
"Okay, then." I said.
"Good luck, both of you." He paused. "And Kameki?"
"Hm?"
"Please don't do anything rash if he..."
Did everyone know about Sasuke? Jeez... "Whatever." I sighed, putting the walkie-talkie away.
"We'll be fine, sir." Hisa assured him.
"Please, don't do anything rash..." I muttered under my breath as we crept through the halls of Orochimaru's... lair, if that's what you'd call it. "Does he really think I'd -"
"Shh..." Hisa whispered, and we continued down the hall, Hisa in front of me.
So far, we hadn't run into anyone. All the rooms we'd passed either had people in them or no information whatsoever.
Then I froze. Just my luck. It was his chakra. Hisa wouldn't notice, of course. It was only me who found Sasuke's chakra so familiar.
Sasuke.
My heart rate doubled, and I found myself with a horrible longing just to see his face again...
Don't do anything rash. I reminded myself. Don't do anything... screw that!
I couldn't take it. Quickly, I performed a genjutsu on my own sister so she wouldn't detect what I was about to do, and made a shadow clone. I couldn't leave her alone, even though it would split my chakra in half. With that finished, I slipped out of the line Hisa and I had formed, and into the room that Uchiha Sasuke's chakra was in - Sasuke, in other words.
It was his room, I soon realized. Sasuke was the only one there, and he was asleep. How could he be asleep in the middle of the day? Then it occurred to me - there was no way he would be asleep, especially after I came in.
"Kameki." Sasuke said in that voice of his - almost quiet, but strong. The problem was, his voice wasn't coming from the sleeping Uchiha. It was behind me.
I spun around, taking a step back immediately. No matter how close I had been to Sasuke, he was still dangerous. "Sasuke..." The name came out breathless, completely unlike I had intended it to be.
"What are you doing here?" Like I had expected, his voice contained no emotion - no curiosity, concern, or friendliness.
"What are you doing here?" I countered. A fair enough question, I'd say.
I actually looked at him while I asked that. His clothing was very strange - with that giant rope of his. But he was taller, and obviously stronger. His chakra was greater, but more sinister. A sword was behind him, and I found myself idly wondering if he had known how to use one before. His shirt was open, showing his chest, but I forced myself not to thing of that. Sasuke's face was what disturbed me, though. There was no trace of that smirk he always had, or any sign that he still acknowledged me as a friend. I know it shouldn't have, but it hurt me to see it.
"To gain power." Was Sasuke's simple reply. I had nothing to say to that. There was no going against Sasuke's revenge.
So, instead, I blurted out something random, which I always did whenever I had nothing else to say. "Why are you wearing that purple rope? Do you honestly think it's intimidating?"
He said nothing for a while, but then I was grateful to see an eyebrow raise, and then had to stop myself from smiling when he sneered. "Do you honestly think I care?" He was mocking the fact that I always said 'honestly!'
Honestly, I didn't know how to answer the question. "I don't... know?"
Sasuke sneered again, and I saw a trace of a smirk. An elevated feeling rose up in me, and I could have punched myself for it, too. "A loser, as always, Kameki." He turned away from me, reaching out to open the door.
"At least I was born one." I countered, to counter and to stop him from leaving. "You became one."
I could have sworn I heard him chuckle. "You've used that one countless times, Nomochi."
"Yes, yes." I sighed. "And Uchiha's aren't losers." I mocked Sasuke's superiority speeches. "Uchihas are elite and powerful, and no one can even compare to an Uchiha."
"That's right." He smirked.
"Of course it is." I rolled my eyes.
"You're saying a Nomochi is better?"
"No." I replied, lifting my chin a little. "I am."
"Really?" Sasuke took a step forward, smirking. "I'd be willing to prove you wrong on that."
"I'd like to see you try." I scoffed.
I saw a flash in front of me, and then became frighteningly aware of a katana flying towards me. I yelped, and dodged it by gracefully falling backwards on my backside.
Sasuke stepped forward again, his smirk even more arrogant. "You said something?" He crouched down so that his face was level to mine.
"Yes." I replied, but me voice wasn't as confident as before, and he knew it.
"And that was...?"
I stood up, taking a few steps past Sasuke, so he wouldn't see me trying to think of a comeback. "I said..."
Then I felt a hand on my arm, and it spun me around to face Sasuke. Instantly, I felt something against my lips. It took me longer than it should have to figure out what, exactly, was going on.
Of course, anyone reading this would know immediately that Sasuke had kissed me. To me, however, it was simply unbelievable that Uchiha Sasuke would kiss me. Think about it. But I really wished he would, so, thinking this was some kind of daydream, I kissed back, eyes closed, wrapping my arms around him, as the daydream-Sasuke did the same. Idiotic of me, I know. But this daydream was an amazing kisser.
It was only when he pulled away that I opened my eyes. I was half-expecting to find myself kissing some table or whatever, but instead, I saw Sasuke - close, with his arms still around me like in that daydream. There was no way that could be a dream - I wasn't that delusional.
"You were saying?" He smirked, and his face was still so close to mine that I could feel his breath.
"Uhh..." What was I saying, anyway? I couldn't remember. Instead, I leaned into him, and shrugged.
I didn't see his facial expression, but I guessed that he didn't mind, because he pulled me closer. "Who's better - me, or you?" He questioned, and I could hear the smirk from the tone of his voice.
I looked up, wanting to see if his eyes were still lacking the trace of remembered friendship (or more, in this case). To my pleasure, he was looking down at me with an expression I might identify as actually caring for me, even if he was smirking. It was his eyes that made me tell the truth, because I didn't want to lie to him. "You." I answered. Actually, I was probably the better one for choosing to stay with my village. However, what I was referring to - and he was, too, I think - was the kiss, and I could guess that he was saying something along the lines of that he was a better kisser, so ha-ha, he won the argument.
Which he did, because I certainly wasn't arguing.
I sighed, pressing my face into his shoulder again. "I've missed you, Sasuke. Why did you have to -" But I stopped, because he would never give me a better answer than what he already had, and I knew he would never go back with me.
Sasuke pulled me away, and took my face in his hands. "I didn't want to leave you. But I had to. I must kill him."
I nodded. "I know." But I didn't understand, not really.
Then Sasuke stiffened. "There's a battle going on not far from here. I don't think it's Hisa, but you should go help them. It's part of your mission, isn't it?"
I nodded, stepping back, against my will. "We'll probably never see each other again." I stated, sadly.
"Kameki," Sasuke look a step forward and leaned in to kiss me again. "I love you."
"So do I." I whispered, unable to make my voice any louder.
'And I always have, but I must concentrate on killing him." Sasuke continued, suddenly glaring at the air like he always did when he thought about his elder brother, and then turned back to me. "Have a good life, Kameki." He added. "You mustn't only think of being with me."
I looked away, unable to agree with him. "You know what I'd say to that."
"Yes." Sasuke said, cupping my chin in his hand and turning it to make me face him. "But you can be wrong."
I sighed. "Don't end this like that." This time, I leaned forward, and kissed him. "I'll miss you, I love you, and you know it. Get stronger, kill him, and come back. That's final." Finally having spoken the unspoken word, I hugged him, and turned away, walking out the door.
As soon as I used a jutsu to heighten my hearing, the sounds of a small battle reached my ears. I raced towards it, hoping that Hisa wasn't part of it.
She wasn't, thank God. My ANBU captain, and four other shinobi, were fight three sound ninja that seemed to be at a high chuunin level. They were winning, but I joined the battle anyway, so we could leave quicker - if Sasuke could tell a battle was going on, reinforcements would be here soon.
I blocked a kunai aimed at my fellow shinobi, Takka.
"Thanks, Kameki." Takka said giving me a brief smile before blocking a punch by the sound ninja. "Where's Hisa?"
"Right here." Hisa's voice rang out behind me, and I was relieved to see her safe. My shadow clone, I noticed, had just joined the fight. In less than a minute, the enemy shinobi were killed. "We have to get out of here." My captain said, and we all ran towards the exit (we had memorized the map we had gained from spy intelligence).
Once we were out and safely away, but still running, Hisa turned to me. "How did it go with Sasuke?"
"When did you figure it out?" I asked, suprised. I thought that genjutsu would have worked.
"I've grown up with you my entire life, Kameki." Hisa rolled her eyes. "Do you really think any jutsu would keep me from figuring it out."
I sighed. "I should have known."
Hisa laughed, but then became serious. "So? What happened with Sasuke?"
I paused, unable to think of what to say at first. "We love each other," I whispered. "But we each have things to do." Hisa nodded, and left me to my own devices.
I looked up, at nowhere in particular. "Until we meet again, Uchiha Sasuke, no matter what you say. I will see you again."
