Warnings: OOCness (when hasn't there been?) and limely, orangey, cute, fluffy shouta that made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Now you're thinking: Finally. Then: Shut up and get on with it.

Chapter four

Sasuke hopped off the bus, in a better mood than he had been last week. Hah, the wonders of friendship and not walking in on your cousin touching himself. Even thinking about it made the young brunette shudder with disgust. However, it was remedied by Suigetsu's warming up to him.

They had had a wonderful Saturday. He had went over and they had played fish and he had shown his friend his ball...

Flashback

"Hey, I have something to show you." Sasuke smiled, taking a quick look through his backpack to find the object. The older silver-nette sat patiently on the floor. A triumphant smile and 'ah-ha!' indicated that his younger companion had found wahat he was looking for. Sasuke crawled back over to Suigetsu, placing himself closely beside the older of the two and held the ball for him to see.

"Do you like it?" Sasuke smiled showing him the spherical glass object with small snow-like objects inside.

"What is it?" Suigetsu asked softly. Sasuke smiled impishly.

"Well, obaa-san told me that it's a snow ball," Sasuke started softly. "She told me that if I shake it and wish real hard it should come true. But I only have three wishes." he finished on a hard note.

"Wow, like a genie in a bottle," Suigetsu remarked. "Have you wished for anything yet?" he asked, a small smile tugging at his lips. Sasuke was slightly put off when he saw it. His eyes widened slightly and he pulled the ball back to his chest, holding it protectively.

"What?" Suigetsu asked, brows creasing in confusion. Sasuke shook his head slightly, black bangs caressing his face.

"Never mind." There was a tense silence for a few moments before Suigetsu finally spoke.

"So, have you wished for anything yet?" he asked again. Sasuke shrugged.

"No." he whispered.

"Okay," another silence,"are you alright?" Suigetsu asked gently. Sasuke nodded, eyes far away.

"Sasuke-kun," he sighed. "So, I have this place at the back of the orchard, ya know, a private place?" he smiled. It became wider when he saw Sasuke's eyes come back into focus. "Ah, it's too late to go now coz it's special and big, but if you come over next week end and ask your mum if you can stay over, we can go visit it then." He looked at Sasuke expectantly while the boy look indecisive.

"Okay."

"Cool!"

Flashback end

Sasuke smiled to himself, clutching his book bag closer to his chest. Even though Suigetsu hadn't spoken to him, on the bus when he walked by, he had smiled at Sasuke a bit. It was more of a reaction than he had gotten before. It had made him bubbly and warm inside, something he was still feeling. He didn't know the reason behind it, but he wanted more of it.

The bell rang signalling the start of the school day. He couldn't wait until the week was over. Then he'd have a whole 48 hours with Suigetsu in his 'special' place. He smiled as he walked to class. Just as he took his seat and he thought about it more, he got nervous for some reason. Butterflies were swarming inside his tummy. Why was he so nervous about time alone with Suigetsu in a special place? It was suppose to make him feel happy that his friend wanted to show him something, but instead he was feeling apprehensive and sick.

Pushing it to the back of his mind, he listened to his teacher explain basic fractions.

*

At lunch, Sasuke sat with his friend Gaara and his brother Kankurou. Temari, Gaara's older sister, wasn't there this year because she had left this side of the school and went over to the big kids area. He missed Temari. She was the one that defended them against the bullying from other kids.

"So, how was your weekend Sasuke?" Kankurou asked picking at his bento with his chopsticks. Sasuke shrugged.

"It was all right? Yours?" he murmured. He didn't feel like telling them about Suigetsu. If they knew then they wouldn't want to be his friends anymore. He was removed from his train of thought by Gaara who was laughing softly.

"What's funny Gaara-kun?" Sasuke asked softly. Gaara turned his khol rimmed eyes to Sasuke's.

No one outside of his family knew of the beatings his father put him through and his insomnia. There was a small trace of psychosis in with all of that; Gaara said that if he slept the monster would come out. However, aside from all of that he was a quite boy who loved life.

"Sasuke-kun, Suigetsu-senpai is watching you." he chuckled. Sasuke's cheeks turned a pale shade of rose pink. He looked at his feet willing the blush away.

Why did I react like that? he thought.

"Did something happen between you two?" Kankurou asked. Sasuke shook his head, mumbling incoherently under his breath.

"What was that Sasuke-kun?" Gaara was threatening to break into fully fledged laughter as he teased the blushing boy relentlessly.

"I said nothing happened." Sasuke poked his tongue out. Gaara chuckled again.

"Now Suigetsu-senpai is blushing!" he exclaimed softly. Then he pouted. "Now he's turned away."

"Stupid weird kids." Kankurou stated huffily. Sasuke bit back a 'they aren't weird, just different.' He wanted Suigetsu and him to remain a secret.

"Sasuke-kun isn't telling us something," Gaara mumbled to himself. "I wonder what it is."

Sasuke blushed again and began eating quickly. It was going to be a long week.

*

At home that afternoon, almost dying in the summer heat (mmmm, they're in Japan so it'll be July. Early July, ne?) Sasuke rushed into the fanned breeze of the house. Father said that if everyone was good they'd see about purchasing an air conditioner. Sasuke had seen a picture of one but that was all. If it got the heat away he was happy about it.

"Kaa-san I'm home!" he called, taking off his shoes and socks.

He saw the back door open so went to investigate. Out in the back yard his mother was putting washing on the lines. There were sheets and clothes and... handkerchiefs. Sasuke smiled and rushed up to give his mother a hug from behind.

"Welcome home Sasuke-chan," she smiled, "how was school?"

"It was fine," he stated simply. "Hey, mum, can I ask you something?" he asked, letting go of her. She nodded.

"You can ask me anything you want honey." she smiled, focusing her onyx gaze on him. Her eyes were kind and warm, so he felt no apprehension about asking her.

"Umm, Suigetsu-senpai asked if I wanted to spend the weekend over at his house this week and I said I had to ask you. So, um, can I?"

Mikoto looked at the white sheets sternly, her lips pursed. She was debating whether to let him go. What if something happened and she wasn't there? What if he got hurt and no one was there?

"....and Suigetsu said he'd make sure his dad was home, so it's not like we're gonna be unsupervised." Sasuke's voice cut in to her parental ranting. She sighed in defeat. If the Doctor was going to be there then it would be alright.

"Okay honey, but stay safe and if you want to come home at anytime, either your father or me will be there to pick you up, okay?" she smiled at him with eyes only a mother could possess.

Sasuke smiled in his cute chibi eight year old way.

"Thanks mum!" he cried, racing back inside to do his homework. Not that he ever did it anyway, it's just a good excuse to end a scene.

Sasuke had been happy about being able to spend a weekend with his friend, but at the same time he kept on getting nervous. He felt his stomach do flips whenever he thought about the secret place with his special friend. And Suigetsu was special because he was only Sasuke's friend and no one else, that mattered that much in school, knew they were friends. So he was his alone.

Gaara and Kankurou kept on teasing him about it, though. They said that Suigetsu was watching him and something about 'he's got the hots for you'. What did that even mean? He was tempted to ask, but the way they said it made him think he'd better not. However, he shrugged it off. Gaara was happy about it and that was what mattered most.

Usually Gaara was quiet and sad. Ever since Suigetsu started looking at them though, he was smiling and laughing. Teasing him wasn't really the best way to get your kicks, but it was something. Kankurou even said Gaara was happy at home...talking about Suigetsu and Sasuke and the wedding that their sister was supposed to be having.

"Who's Temari getting married to?" he had asked. Kankurou shrugged.

"This guy from a few years older than her, I think his name is Hayate. She keeps on talking

about him." he had replied. Sasuke nodded even though he didn't get it that much.

It all made Sasuke nervous. Being alone with Suigetsu. Said boy having 'the hots' for him or whatever that meant. However, he refused to let that put a dampener on things. Suigetsu had to have his full cooperation with anything otherwise it wouldn't be fun.

*

Pushing those thoughts to the back of his mind on this warm Thursday evening, he packed his bag for the weekend. He'd be going straight to Suigetsu's place on Friday after school. It would chew up too much time and energy to go there on Saturday morning. And he wanted to have as much time with Suigetsu as possible.

*

Sasuke followed Suigetsu, Tayuya, Juugo, Jirobo, Kidomaru, Karin, Kabuto, Kimimaro, Sakon and Ukon into the large house. Up until that point in time, he'd never really noticed how many children lived at the Oto residence.

"Father, we're home." Kabuto called.

The doctor, a tall, pale man with oddly hued god eyes and long black hair walked in from the back. He was wearing overalls and a wide brimmed hat with corks on it. Sasuke thought he looked like the workers at his farm.

"Afternoon children and..." his raspy voice trailed off as he noticed Sasuke, standing half behind Suigetsu. "Oh, Uchiha Sasuke. Hmm, is he the one staying over?' the question was directed at Suigetsu.

"Yes, Father." Suigetsu replied quickly. The doctor smiled kindly.

(A/N: NOOOOO!!!! He is not a paedophile. There is a reason so many children live there. He's a doctor and he's a nice person. OOC, I know but, where in my story did I not specify that there will be a lot of it? Bear with me…please P_P)

He stepped closer to Sasuke and knelt down in front of him.

"I'm Oto-san, however you can call me Orochimaru...I don't know why they all call me father, I don't ask them to." his voice was kind, humorous, like his own father's voice. Sasuke nodded.

"I'll try Oto-san," Sasuke replied. Orochimaru smiled and stood up straight.

"Dinner will be at seven, okay?" he said. "I expect you to change out of your school uniforms and get started on your homework. Jirobo and Ukon, you are on dish duty." he instructed. Everyone nodded and went up to their respective rooms.

"No misbehaving and try to be kind to Sasuke-kun, please!" he called after them, a hint of a smile in his voice. Everyone gave half hearted replies.

(Hey, Oto-san sounds like father, ne? So that's why they call him Father.)

Sasuke stood at the center of Suigetsu's bedroom, shifting on his feet nervously as Suigetsu got changed. He blushed furiously and shivered slightly at the sight of his friend naked (I stress, he is eight and Suigetsu is ten).

"Put your things by the desk and change. He doesn't like us messing up our uniforms. He can only afford so many, so he doesn't like them getting dirty or torn." Suigetsu smiled slightly before pulling on a shirt. The pants were next.

Sasuke did as he was told and pulled out a spare pair of clothes and began to undress. When he heard moving behind him, he jumped and covered himself.

"Don't worry, I'm not looking." Suigetsu laughed. Sasuke nodded weakly, wondering why there was a happy nervous sensation in his gut at the thought of Suigetsu seeing him naked.

He quickly finished dressing and turned back to Suigetsu, clad in shorts and a shirt.

"Come on, we'll do our homework together," Suigetsu invited Sasuke to sit next to him on the bed. Sasuke complied, dragging his school bag over and getting out his worksheets.

"Hey, are you thirsty?" Suigetsu placed all of his books on his bed, making sure there was space for both of them.

"Yes thank you." Sasuke replied nervously. Suigetsu went down the stairs to get them drinks. Sasuke got on the bed and sat down, looking around the room.

It was clean and cool and smelt like musk and fresh air. Then his eyes came to rest on the bed. It was covered in a doona a crisp white sheets and a pillow. It was also small.

Where am I sleeping? he thought scared. He ran over the list of options and outside seemed the most plausible option. He shifted around uncomfortably, the butterflies returning full force.

Suigetsu re-entered the room with two glasses of water and set them down on the desk by the bed. He looked over Sasuke who had his eyes on the doona, twisting the hem of his tee shirt.

"What's up?" he asked softly, leaning over Sasuke, his pale hair cascading over his shoulder, hands on the bed in front of the ebony haired Uchiha.

Said boy looked up with fear filled eyes, backing away slightly.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Suigetsu asked softly, kneeling on the bed in front of the Uchiha.

Sasuke's thoughts mushed together and his mouth felt dry.

"Um....Um...ah, er…" he mumbled incoherently. He was irritated with himself. Why was Suigetsu making him so speechless?

"It's all right, you can tell me, I won't laugh." Suigetsu cooed. Sauske took a few deep breaths, collecting his thoughts.

"Where am I going to sleep?" he asked after a minute or two, voice still shaky. Suigetsu chuckled and Sasuke pouted.

"You said you wouldn't laugh!"

"That's before I heard something stupid."

"It's not stupid!" Offended. "I really don't know where I'm going to sleep."

"Haa, you'll be sleeping in here, with me." Suigetsu stated as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"There's only one bed!" Sasuke blanched. Suigetsu chuckled.

"Yeah, we don't have any spare mattresses," he paused, looking at Sasuke's pink tinged face and uncertain eyes.

"Father isn't rich, Sasuke-kun," he started. "He can't afford the best for us, but he manages. He has ten children to feed, clothe and pay for, plus himself. This house might look big but it only has five bedrooms.

"We have to share. So you have to share with me. Kimimaro and Kabuto share and Sakon and Ukon even have to share a bed. We have to share and you have to share the bed with me, okay?" Suigetsu's voice held a tone that comforted Sasuke and he nodded.

Suigetsu smiled and ruffled Sasuke's hair.

"Not gonna be scared anymore?"

Sasuke shood his head.

"Okay" he smiled. Suigetsu leant back and sat down.

"Good!"

*

That night, Sasuke and Suigetsu sat next too one another at the table for dinner. It was a simple meal of rice and boiled vegetables, which they ate in relative silence, aside from the rustling of movement and the chewing of food, that seemed unnaturally loud to Sasuke.

He was used to eating with lots of men, loud boisterous men. It was slightly unnerving to be in a snake themed room with silence.

"So, Sasuke, what brings you here?" Kabuto asked from in front of him. Sasuke's head bolted up.

"Umm, Suigetsu-sempai asked me to come." he replied. Kabuto nodded.

"What's your blood type?" he asked. Sasuke looked unnerved at that.

"Umm...ah-"

"Now, now Sasuke, you don't have to answer that." Orochimaru said from the head of the table, a smile on his face "Kabuto, you should know better."

"Sorry Father." Kabuto bowed his head and they returned to silence. Sasuke took this time to inspect the people at the table.

At the head on the table was Orochimaru. Kabuto was to Oto-san's left, next to him was Kimimaro. He was a green eyed boy with his silver/white hair let down, two red hair ties tying it down at the side. His eyes were underlined in a kind of paint or eyeliner, the same type of thing that made two dots on his forhead. He was a pale, sickly looking boy, with gaunt features.

Next was Kidomaru, a tanned, skinny, lean boy with dark brown eyes and spikey black hair. Tayuya was next. She was an orange haired girl with a stern face and darkish green eyes. Her hair was hidden under a bandanna, with a fringe covering her nose, but not her eyes. She looked rather tomboyish.

Karin had long red hair let down her back, dark brown eyes and a pale face, though not sickly so.

There was no one at the other end of the table and Sasuke briefly wondered where Mother was. Across from Karin was Jirobo, a tanned, tall, pudgy male with light brown hair and dark brown eyes.

Next was Juugo, similar to Jirobo in skin tone and built, however he was slimmer, more muscled and (you're thinking: they're ten. how do they look like this lol?) sporting dirty blonde hair and green-blue eyes. After him were two twins with long turquoise coloured hair and blue eyes. Their skin was pale and they were wearing an array of rosary beads, earrings and make up.

Then came Suigetsu, himself and then they were back to the head of the table. Sasuke wondered why they all had different hair colours.

When dinner was over they were sent to their rooms and told the shower order. Suigetsu told Sasuke they'd wash together to save water. The thought turned Sasuke's stomach slightly.

Why does he make me nervous? the naive brunette thought.

"Hmm, bed time is at eight thirty," Suigetsu stated, "you got any problems with that?" he asked, taking out his night clothes. Sasuke shook his head.

"Why are there so many of you?" Sasuke asked absent-minded. Suigetsu looked at him confused.

"What do you mean?"

"Um, why are there ten children here? And where's your mum?"

Suigetsu looked at the floor and ushered Sasuke to sit down. They were last, meaning they got all the cold water.

"Orochimaru isn't our real father. He just takes us in," he started. "We all used to be on the streets or in orphanages and he adopted us. Most of us were adopted or taken in five or so years ago. That's when Father still had Mother. She was very pretty, with long black hair, warm gentle green eyes and she looked like a geisha. She was very pretty and everyone of us loved her. Father loved- loves- her a lot.

"Then she died. She was sleeping one day and never woke up. Mother liked music and art and the water and a lot of things still in this house. Father was very sad when she died and for a while he thought of getting rid of us, but he didn't. Mother loved us and wanted us so he does to."

There were tears in Suigetsu's eyes which he hastily wiped away, but they continued to fall.

Sasuke reached forward and brushed them away with the pad of his thumb, realising for the first time how smooth Suigetsu's skin was. He knew he too was crying. How would it feel to not have a mother? He couldn't live without his.

He went to take his hand away but Suigetsu held his palm against his cheek, closing his eyes, face rested on his hand.

Sasuke blushed at the warm breaths assailing his wrist, shivering slightly at how close they were. He was almost in Suigetsu's lap. One more inch and he would be pressed up against the white/silver haired boy.

He raised his other hand, eyes glazed over, moves trance like, and ran his small, nimble fingers through Suigesu's silk soft hair.

The boy in front of him tensed a bit, but then pulled Sasuke into his lap. Sasuke's stomach flipped and he felt like he was going to be sick, however it was in the good way.

He breathed in Suigetsu's aqua and fruity scent, nose pressed against the junction between his friends clavicle and his neck.

The pulse beat was steady and Suigetsu was so warm. He closed his eyes and nestled into a comfortable position, hands falling to grip Suigetsu's shirt.

The warm arms wrapped around him. He felt so warm and comfortable and safe. He also felt tired. He yawned, snuggled closer and let the darkness of sleep overtake him. Falling asleep to the lullaby of a heart beat.

Suigetsu lowered his lips onto Sasuke's silk soft hair, arms wrapped protectively around he small bundle in his arms. He lowered his gaze to the round, childlike face rested against his chest. The small, warm breaths heating his shirt. Those lips, slightly parted and pink. Those cheeks, blush tinged. Bright, onyx eyes hidden behind pale eyelids and dark eyelashes.

Suigetsu leaned down and placed a soft, chaste kiss on those slightly parted lips, water eyes closing as he felt the warmth rush through him at the slightest contact. When he took his lips away, he looked down with a loving gaze at the smooth, innocent face and laid them down. He smiled when Sasuke curled up closer to him, whimpering slightly, hands fisting tighter in his shirt.

He pulled the covers over them and hugged Sasuke closer.

He closed his eyes, legs tangled with the younger boys. It felt so good, it felt so right to be here, like this with him.

Resting his chin on the dark locks of silk smooth hair, he let himself go to his own dreams. He wasn't even aware of the dark, bespectacled eyes watching him from the doorway.

The door closed and Kabuto stood outside in the hall. He looked grimly at the floor boards before turning his eyes on his own silver haired companion.

He pulled Kimimaro to their bedroom, thankful the twins were in the shower, and kissed him gently, door closed. The younger boy hugged his 'older brother' closer. Kabuto kissed the top

of his wet head.

In his mind, the wheels were turning. What has Suigetsu done? What will this mean for Kimimaro and me?

Pulling his 'younger brother' into their bed he settled them in.

Kimimaro was asleep instantly. It took the deep steady breaths of his younger partner to lull him to sleep.

TBC

Finally lol. It tool me about a week to get this done. Eight pages and 3832 words. I'm proud of me. Drop a review and tell me if you are too.