Disclaimer - I do not own Naruto…blah…blah…blah…I wish I did…blah…blah…blah
Eventual pairing - SasuNaru (because there is no competition - they belong together, ne?)
And again I'm sorry about the names - I can't recall what the Sound Village is called so I just said Sound…if u know - please share your wondrous information with me! (there's a cookie in it for you).
ALSO ZANKU!! I received 2 reviews and that was 2 more than I thought I would get! You guys know who you are - this chapter is for you!! Let's hope I do not disappoint…
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Chapter Two
In the next week, school started up for them, and so together they left the extravagant household that they could never believe was their home - if anything their prison - and walked to the train station that Kabuto had shown them only a few days ago.
The Snake hadn't been there to see them off that morning. Unimportant matters were usually his department, but that morning it had only been the silver haired medic that had waived them away, neither Sasuke nor Naruto could say that they cared any less.
Sasuke recalled, as they walked side by side, the other schools that they had been to over the past four years - five different schools in that time…Orochimaru never really liked to stick around in one place for too long - just when both he and Naruto were beginning to get used to being where they were, they were moved again. Having to start over in another location - somewhere that was different from the last place they'd lived, yet exactly the same…with no waver in the precious and somehow all important routine.
On the walk to the station and as the train pulled away from the platform, the silence remained between them…although Sasuke wanted to deny it, that silence wasn't awkward or strange, it was normal that little would be spoken between them…what more was there to say? What could be said that had not already been said? Nothing, there's nothing to be said…
But, hearing the other people on the train, women rambling on behind them about the new weatherman on their preferred news-station, two boys with a grandmother in the seats across from them, talking about their different toys and about the cake that they had made with their mother on the Sunday passed…Sasuke knew that what they spoke of…it wasn't important - not to him or to others around listening - but at the same time it was important, communication was important, but he and Naruto, they didn't talk - not like they should talk.
If only they could talk about something as common as the weather - as common as food or manga…family…but it would never be like that between them - it couldn't be because they were simply too different, it was out of their knowing world to bring up such thing as the latest political debate…
Besides…Sasuke thought to himself…Naruto's voice still isn't fully healed yet anyway…Sasuke's little excuse, although he thought that on the surface, underneath his cold exterior and ignorant inner-voice, Sasuke wanted something simple and clueless to pass the lips of the tan skinned boy at his right…he wanted to see emotion in those empty blue eyes, he never had seen emotion in those eyes…he was already far gone before I'd even arrived…
Naruto's eyes remained unblinking. No thought seemed to pass through his mind as the scenery swept passed in torrents of greens, greys, blues and browns. No, he wasn't thinking, he was wondering - wondering what freedom felt like. How did it feel not to have any boundaries or restrictions? How did it feel to be surrounded by places that were open to you? How did it feel not to be suffocated and oppressed by The Snake?
He may have been free at one time, but he couldn't remember, that was long ago now and for too long had his life been spiralling downwards instead of climbing up. He would probably loathe it though. Loathe the recollecting of being free, able to see it and feel the memory of it in his mind, but then not being able to understand how it could have ever been so.
Sasuke had known freedom once. He could remember it too, Naruto was sure of it, and that was why Sasuke fought wasn't it? That was partly the reason, anyway. Sasuke remembered what it was like not to have Orochimaru there - he remembered what it felt like not to have needles puncturing skin, he remembered a time when his body didn't burn and ache and throb…a time where he felt like a person rather than a possession.
Family. A real family. Had he even had a real family? No - he was certain of that…but Sasuke had once had a real family - Sasuke had told Naruto about them, about his mother and his father and his older brother…then that something bad had happened and Sasuke had ended up with Orochimaru. With Naruto.
Yes…Naruto decided inwardly. It would only hurt more if I could remember a time like that…with a real family and with freedom…
Family was Orochimaru. Family was Kabuto. Family was Sasuke…Sasuke…its okay, because I have Sasuke.
His family was a fake one; it always had been a fake one. With Orochimaru at the top, Kabuto his right hand man - maybe he would play the uncle - and then there was Sasuke - his brother…it was all lies, something Naruto made up to help himself not to feel so alone…in reality Naruto was glad that Orochimaru and Kabuto were fake…that his family was a fake - but of Sasuke…of Sasuke Naruto couldn't be more glad.
Sasuke who looked after him. Sasuke who cared for him. Sasuke who loved him…or at least it was the closest thing that Naruto had ever had of love.
Fingers clenched around his own, bringing him out of his thoughts, helping him to realise that his fingers had been coiled tightly around Sasuke's first. Sasuke wasn't actually looking at him; instead his face was turned away, looking over to the windows at the other side of the carriage, his chin balanced in his hand, his hand upon the armrest. Casual.
A ghost of a smile crept deviously over Naruto's lips. That look on Sasuke's face, that attitude, the mask…it was Sasuke…it sounded stupid in Naruto's head too, but that was who he was. He was Uchiha Sasuke, and proud of whom he was, so very proud, although he was rather reluctant to speak about it to anyone, not even Naruto knew all that much about who he'd been before…and honestly wherever they went, no one really cared…they only saw that face.
And Naruto wasn't going to lie to himself about it. Sasuke was the type that girls went for, typical enough. It had been true enough everywhere else they had been, in the other schools since they'd known each other…Sasuke was the brooding, loner type, with ivory skin and sleek black hair and eyes to match, with perfect poise on the outside and the air of mystery hung around him like a bad smell…even at the age of thirteen Sasuke tended to draw more female attention than maybe he could handle…
That ghost of a smile returned to Naruto's lips, but as usual it didn't seem to reach his eyes…but it was okay. Naruto was glad that Sasuke was so popular, even if Sasuke didn't decide to bathe in the limelight that was clearly lavished upon him.
Aside from that, both he and Sasuke thought of school as a luxury in life. The work sucked, but Sasuke was intelligent and he often helped Naruto whenever needed…and often the students were cruel to Naruto, but he could cope with that, he was used to such things, it was common, and he would gladly put up with it if it meant he didn't have to go back to Orochimaru for a few hours at least.
Sasuke's view was a little different, considering usually he was coping with fan-girls rather than name-calling, but he overall believed the same…also, it also gave him a chance to be alone with Naruto, on the way there and on the way back - the same way that they were then on the train. The 'in-between' moments when they weren't in school, and weren't confined within The Snake's home.
Soon the train rolled to a halt at their destination…somehow half an hour on a train together with Naruto wasn't enough, neither would the fifteen minute walk be enough…but it was all Sasuke had to be alone with Naruto and truly alone with him…although he couldn't say if that was even what Naruto wanted…but he liked being alone with Naruto, he needed to be there to protect him, and it was only when they were together like that, that Sasuke knew he was safe.
"This is the stop, Naruto." Sasuke said casually, Naruto breaking gazes with the window and turning to look up at Sasuke who'd already left the seat, and was lifting his satchel strap over his shoulder. His fingers had come away from Naruto's, and there he felt a strange sense of nothingness. He wouldn't really be able to take hold of Sasuke's hand all day now.
"Do you have the letter that Kabuto gave us?" Sasuke's question had cut through the silence as they'd left the station. Again Naruto looked up to the almost virtuous face of the boy next to him, and he nodded his head, almost in a defeated sort of way.
"Do you want it?"
Sasuke looked down to Naruto. The boy hadn't said anything to him all morning, hearing his voice was nice, it was soothing; Sasuke had been feeling somewhat anxious to hear him talk. Although what Naruto had said was hardly a conversation starter, it was at least a start.
"Yeah, I'll take it and give it into the headmaster as usual." Came Sasuke's delayed response after he'd collected himself and eyes again fell front.
In the moments that it took for Naruto to remove the bag from his back and take out the envelope, the large modern building that was Sound-High came into view on the horizon. It was about a ten minute walk away now, a long trek through lanes of overgrown trees and high wood walls. Sasuke dared say this would be enjoyable.
"Ne…Sasuke…?" Naruto moved a little closer to Sasuke's side, so that their arms touched, their fingers tauntingly brushing passed one another's, though Naruto kept his eyes on the ground ahead of him, while Sasuke's mapped out the path ahead.
"Hn?" Sasuke's feeble response, almost unable to stop himself from being so blunt, no matter how hard he wanted to talk…he couldn't help himself… he guessed he was as much to blame about their lack of conversation.
"What do you suppose is in those letters?" Naruto questioned, sneakily linking his pinkie finger with Sasuke's. "We get one everywhere we go right…I've always wondered what's in them…"
Sasuke shrugged. "Couldn't say…" he replied, his eyes finally making the journey down to the blonde hair that stood just below eye level to his right. "I suppose it's just something compulsory…or a threat…this is Orochimaru we're talking about after all." Sasuke, believing he'd made a fair point, nodded casually to himself, Naruto nodded too.
"I'd like to think it isn't a threat." Naruto put out.
"It's a threat … you know it is." Sasuke taunted, his famous smirk coming into position upon his lips, feeling Naruto's hand as it intertwined with his own…they were still very much alone, no harm done…
"You just want it to be." Naruto noted, and looked up to see a smirking face staring back at him, and suddenly, he felt all the more better.
"And you just don't want it to be - when in reality - it most probably is…"
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The school was just as Sasuke had imagined it - and just how Naruto had expected. Bland but teaming with life, where students roamed of all shapes and sizes, all with different backgrounds and different faces and hair styles and history…yet even through all of their differences, they all looked the same in the simple black uniform that each of them wore, showing them as students of the same school.
Another mandatory thing. How planned out life was, how perfect everything needed to be in their clearly imperfect world. Sasuke sighed in frustration as he and Naruto in their silence left the head master's office, the Uchiha noting on the way out the slimy look in the man's clearly dishonest eyes. Eyes that reminded him of the gold eyes of The Snake. Sasuke didn't want to think about it.
"This must be it," Sasuke pointed out a simple plain door that looked very much like the others that lined the almost empty corridor. "Homeroom here we come."
Naruto's lips curled into a slight smirk as Sasuke knocked once for politeness-sake before entering, his whole being dressed in that heavenly glow that even Naruto found entrancing. It was safe to say it earned him plenty of looks from broad-eyed Sound-High students. Naruto stepped in obediently behind, closing the door behind him as the teacher - sat neatly as his desk - looked over the class having suddenly noticed the chilling silence that had fallen over his usually filthy-mouthed pupils.
Sasuke tossed an callous glance over his new classmates, one that earned him giggles and sighs from the girls, and something that some-what resembled death-glares from the boys. An over all expected reaction.
"Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto?" the narrow-eyed teacher stood from behind the desk and looked to them both, from Sasuke to Naruto and back again - without knowing which one was which - and in a particularly feminine manner flicked a few strands of silver hair over his shoulder.
"Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto said, keeping his eyes to the ground and Sasuke's hands deepened into his trouser pockets.
"Uchiha Sasuke." Sasuke mimicked the presentation, awaiting the sigh that arose from the crowd not moments later. Sasuke noticed the blonde's slight curl of the lip, which made his expressionless face glow somewhat, Well I'm glad that at least one of us is enjoying this, Sasuke thought momentarily to himself.
It did end up being typically like any other day. In all honesty - Naruto noticed it had gone far better than what he could have hoped for - for himself at least. It seemed that people left him alone as they would usually do - but that time it was different…he wasn't being called names or picked on - as of yet. So far it had been a good day.
Sasuke had been in most of Naruto's classes, making sure that he sat next to him every chance they got. They often received strange glances from the other students, but Sasuke as usual was indifferent to any looks that he was given by boys and girls alike. Naruto felt that unwelcoming cloud swallow him again, but it wasn't unlike the students to look at him so hatefully - he thought students when he really meant girls.
Lunch time went…smoothly - if only that was thanks to Sasuke's death-glare that he only reserved for the most persistent of fan-girls - and Naruto went about eating silently - Sasuke again wishing to find some form of communication. About to open his mouth to speak, Sasuke caught sight of a black form at the corner of his eye, through the window.
"Sasuke?" Naruto noticed the sudden change of attitude in Sasuke, the look in his eyes, the emptiness - something else was there too…"Sasuke? Are you okay?"
Hearing his friend, but unintentionally ignoring him, Sasuke swiftly got onto his feet, black eyes broad as they stared towards the window…no…it couldn't be…it can't…no…
Within a moment Sasuke had taken his satchel strap and was running with a lightning speed towards the door. Naruto gasped falling back into his chair as Sasuke had ran off, accidentally knocking him back. Naruto's eyes were broad…what had he seen? "Sasuke…?" Naruto's voice was small and frail; his brows were knitted together slightly - what had just happened? Why had Sasuke done something so terribly out of character?
Pulling himself together, and placing his back-pack over one shoulder, Naruto swiftly made the decision to follow, and headed off into the direction that Sasuke had ran off in…hoping that he would soon find out what had caused Sasuke to act as he had.
Sasuke came to a sudden halt as he stood at the head of the staircase over looking the main grounds ahead of the school. The lunchroom was to his left, that was where he'd seen…where he'd seen…it's impossible...I…I couldn't have seen him…although Sasuke knew the improbability of what he had thought he'd seen…of who he'd caught a glimpse of…but none the less he ran into the direction he'd seen him in…
"Sasuke! Sasuke!" he heard off behind him, but he continued to run, eyes broad, staring around him - searching for a glimpse of that familiar face…but…there's no one…he wasn't here…
"Sasuke-teme! What - what did you go and do that for…? You - you got me worried…" Naruto called from behind him, finally catching up, short on breath from the excitement and fretting. Sasuke's shoulders seemed to drop - but none the less he turned around to Naruto and put on one of those 'everything-is-fine' smiles that comforted Naruto slightly.
"Sasuke -,"
"I'm okay, dobe…it was nothing…I just…I just thought I saw…my brother - that's all."
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Psht - how awful was that chapter??
I am soooo very sorry that this chapter really is just so very bad - I mean it's longer than I wanted it to be and nothing happens…it's all just crappy psychological shit…but I promise that from now on it will be far more interesting…(if its not then you may shoot me).
And - just wondering - how many of you guessed it was lovely Mister Uchiha Itachi that Sasuke saw?? (You know before I told you…?) It's obvious I know - but meh - and also - PLEASE REVIEW!
Also just so you know now - I'm a bit Itachi fan-girl - don't ask why - I just am…so there will be a wonderful little twist in this FanFic! (Kukukuku)