The streets


1865. The industrial revolution. Everyone is begging for a job, but how much chance does an orphan have? Is it better to wait for a job at the fabric every day, or to go into an other path? SasuNeji – Short story


A/N: Since the story itself is very short, the chapters won't be really long either. Apologies for that!


Chapter 1


It was the year 1865. The industrial revolution was in full force and people were dying to find jobs. The streets were crowded and there had never been more of a gap between rich and poor. Uchiha Sasuke, and orphan from the Orphanage Elisabeth II was standing at a corner of the streets. He had wanted a job, but nobody would take him. The factories were just too full and no one really needed an orphan.
"Sir, could you spare me some money?" Sasuke asked a man who looked wealthy enough to miss something, but the man didn't even give him a look as he passed. Sasuke sighed. So far he had only made one penny. He had really wanted to work in a factory, but so did the rest of the world and nobody was waiting for an orphan his age. He just had to make do with what he could get on the streets.

Unbeknown to Sasuke, a boy from across the street was watching him closely. He was watching his every move, look on his face and body language. The boy kept looking, while thinking. Would this be a good one? He needed to observe a little longer, before he knew the answer.

Sasuke looked around and then saw another rich looking man coming his way. He pushed himself off the wall and stood next to man, walking with him.
"Sir, could you please spare me some money." Sasuke said, even keeping up his hands. But the man just pushed him away and walked further. Sasuke kicked the wall in frustration now. If only the rich people were a little more generous, he would be doing so much better.

Yes, the boy was satisfied now. He was sure this could be a good one. There was frustration, anger, and sadness. And on top of it all, he was poor. All of this together meant the mental state must be weak. The boy now walked towards Sasuke. As he saw Sasuke gripping his toe, he walked a little faster, and acted like he was just being nice.
"Are you ok?" He asked, with a gentle tone in his voice.

When the other turned around, the boy made sure he had a look of innocence and kindness on his face, making him look the prettiest boy in town. He was sure the mouse would try to get to the cheese soon. And then he would be able to make his move.

Sasuke stared at the boy in front of him. He was really handsome and Sasuke couldn't help but notice that beautiful innocent look on the guy's face.
"...Y-yeah I'm fine." Sasuke said. He was sure the guy was only being polite and would just walk off after this.

"I'm serious." The boy said, taking in the appearances of the other. Pale, flawless skin, deep black eyes, just as black as his hair, not looking like he was a weakling who couldn't defend himself, a nice way of dressing.. the guy could be perfect. "I know how those rich guys are. I didn't see what happened, but I saw you in pain and one of those guys walking off. You sure you're ok?"

Sasuke was silent for a while. It actually felt nice that someone understood where he was coming from.
"..I'm fine, I'm just getting frustrated with begging for money." Sasuke said. "Thanks for asking."

"It's frustrating sometimes, hm." The boy said. "Where are you from?"

"It is." Sasuke said nodding. "I come from the Elisabeth II. The Orphanage I mean. And you?"

"I'm living on the streets, so I'm a vagabond." The boy said. "Like you, I hope to find a job every day."

"..Oh I'm sorry." Sasuke said. Living on the streets was even worse then living in an orphanage. "I must admit I'm kinda losing that hope."

"If you're lucky, you can find a job once in two months." The boy said, nodding. "So you plan on staying in the orphanage for the rest of your life?"

"Of course not. I have to go away some time. The orphanage is only till twenty." Sasuke said. "Why are you so interested?"

"As I said, I'm living on the streets and can't get a job." The boy said, smiling a little. "I always like to have a little chat with people." Seemed like the mouse was inspecting the bait.

"Most people aren't so eager to talk to strangers. You never know what can happen." Sasuke said, looking at the boy. "What's your name?"

"It's Neji." The boy said. "I don't think you're dangerous."

"I'm not. Sasuke." Sasuke said as he held out his hand.

Neji looked at him for a second, and then shook his hand.
"So Sasuke, why are you looking so stressed?" He took his hand back and used it to push his hair behind his ear, while smiling seductively at Sasuke. Not too much of course. Easy... not too much. Only if the guy allowed him to.

Sasuke looked at Neji, and frowned a little.
".. Because I don't have money and the orphanage expects me to come back with more then a penny maybe?" He said.

Neji leaned against the wall now.
"Not the regular problems, I have the feeling more is bothering you." He said. "There's a question you need to have answered. A problem that you didn't tell anyone about yet." He may come from the streets, but he was damn smart at reading people.

Sasuke opened his mouth to protest, but then huffed instead.
"I don't know you, why would I tell you something I haven't told anyone before." He said.

"Because you'll probably never see me again, so it wouldn't hurt to get it out of your chest." Neji said. "I couldn't confront you with it later on."

Sasuke kept silent as he looked at Neji, inspecting him. He wasn't sure whether or not he should reply to that. But then he decided Neji was probably right.
"I'm looking for my brother." Sasuke said.

"Your brother hm?" Neji asked. "Why?"

"Because I have one but we got separated." Sasuke said, as if stating the obvious.

"And you just heard a little while ago?" Neji asked, trying to keep the conversation going. He was annoyed though. Didn't his appearances work on Sasuke after all?

"Yes." Sasuke said. "I overheard the staff at the orphanage talking about me and it came up."

"Do you even know 'anything' of your family then?" Neji asked, frowning. He knew orphanages were bad, but he didn't know they didn't tell important things like this to the children.

Sasuke shook his head.

"No I don't. At that place, nobody talks about their families. It's not appropriate." He said. "You didn't know that?"

"I never spoke to someone of an orphanage." Neji simply said, as he crossed his arms. He should try a new strategy. But he couldn't think of something right now.

"Never?" Sasuke asked curious. "Well.. I never actually spoke to someone of the streets either.. You don't act like it's really horrible."

"You have to find your own way." Neji said, giving Sasuke another smile. "You can have self pity, but you can also try to make the best out of it."

"I still wouldn't like it." Sasuke said, looking at Neji's smile. He had to admit that Neji looked really good.

"You're really handsome for a vagabond." He said.

Neji had to stop a smirk coming on his face. It worked after all.

"Vagabonds aren't chosen on their looks." He then said. "What's the name of your brother? I'll tell everyone to look for him, I know a lot of people. Then I can go to your orphanage if we heard something of him." Easy...

Sasuke looked at Neji a little worried now. Was something not right? It wouldn't hurt to agree right?

"That's fine. He's called Itachi. How come you know a lot of people?" He asked.

"Vagabonds know almost every vagabond around." Neji explained. "Just the nice ones though. Most people can't help they have no home. There are some that don't even try, and those are the ones who spend all their money to alcohol and prostitutes of course. Or rub people."

"I know that." Sasuke said. "I just didn't know you knew a lot of them. I thought vagabonds were pretty much on their own."

"Doesn't surprise me you don't know." Neji said, shrugging. "I don't know of the lives of orphans either."

"It's because we life around each other, not with each other." Sasuke said. ".. So how did you end up on the street?"

"My parents died when I was seven, and there was no money to put me in an orphanage." Neji said. Getting the guy to trust him could only happen when he gave him something of himself.

"..That sucks." Sasuke said. "So you've been on the streets since you were seven? How did you survive?"

"I found some nice people who wanted to take care of me." Neji said. "They taught me how to survive."

"Most of them were just two years older then me." He added.

"And you still know them?" Sasuke asked, sounding interested for the first time in the conversation. 'Really' interested.

"Yes I do." Neji said, nodding. "Actually, I speak to them every week. One of them has a bike he found, probably wasn't fashion anymore, and he can get me anywhere I want. Really, living as a vagabond isn't that bad." He smiled now. "And by travelling around the city, you get to know more people who are in the same situation as you are.

".. I still don't think it would be fun." Sasuke said. "So you have friends right?"

"I do." Neji said, ignoring the comment about how fun it was, living on the street. He should've known. This guy wasn't stupid. Playing naive and saying it was nice to live on the "It does, we share a lot." Neji said, nodding. "Well Sasuke, I need to go now, perhaps I'll see you again."

"Oh.. ok." Sasuke said. Well that sucked, he had wanted to talk some more.

"Unless you got something more to say?" Neji asked, looking at Sasuke questioning.

".. No, it's fine. I should try making some money anyway." Sasuke answered. He didn't wanna come across as desperate or anything.

"That's exactly what I'm going to do as well." Neji said, nodding. "Good luck. I'll ask everyone if they know Itachi. Before I go, do you also have a last name?"

"Uchiha." Sasuke said. "It's Uchiha. Thanks Neji. Maybe I'll see you some day then." He didn't think that would happen, but oh well.

"Alright, you're welcome." Neji said, smiling to Sasuke one last time. "Goodbye." He then said, and waved, then turned around and walked away.

Sasuke waved a little and then sighed. He'd better start working again. Sasuke spotted a rich man immediately a little further and ran up to him. This life sucked.