Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto
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If there is one thing Sasuke has always been good at, it is acting. No, not the movie type of acting, but the type of acting where he pretends he just doesn't care. He is cautious, and won't allow emotions to surface onto his expression. He is a blank slate.
Contrary to very popular belief, Sasuke cares about lots of things, but his self-proclaimed apathy doesn't let it show.
Right now; however, it is different. It is different because he is back in Konoha.
The moment he stepped off the airplane, torrents of memories came back - memories he wanted to keep pushed away and locked up in the back of his mind. It was easier that way. Being in Konoha makes it hard. He can't pretend anymore because he is being constantly reminded and it's painful. It feels like the wounds are once again fresh and bleeding. Literally and figuratively.
Maybe there is a part of Sasuke that is thankful to Itachi for forcing him to leave. While he was gone, things were simple. He could forget about the bad, and concentrate on other things. He just studied, allowing his entire life to be consumed by school.
Everything Itachi does is in Sasuke's best interest and Sasuke knows this, deep down. Itachi raised him by himself after their parents passed away many years ago.
"Sasuke," Itachi calls.
"Yes?" Sasuke asks, opening his bedroom door. He's been unpacking his things ever since returning home.
"We're required to attend a party tonight, be ready."
"Where?"
"At the Sabaku residence. Their family company is going through a merger with ours," Itachi explains calmly. "Shisui has been taking care of things while you were away studying, but the company is yours soon and that of course means you are required to attend these events." There is a brief pause. "You'll be fine?" Itachi asks.
"I can get dressed by myself perfectly well, Itachi," Sasuke says dryly.
Itachi gives his brother a somewhat annoyed look and leaves, closing the door behind him.
Sasuke strips of his casual wear in exchange for a crisp black suit and a dark red tie. Time to be social.
"Ready?" Itachi asks his little brother before they walk through the doors. Kisame is with them, much to Sasuke's distaste. He was never fond of his older brother's boyfriend – he especially wasn't fond of his involvement in gangs. Then again, who was Sasuke to talk?
"I'm fine, Itachi," Sasuke says as they all enter the Subaku residence.
It's the same as he remembers, minus a few changes to the layout and maybe a couple new paintings.
Temari Sabaku greets them at the door. "Welcome back to Konoha, Sasuke," she grins. "Everyone can't wait to see you."
"Thank you, but if you would, uh, excuse me," Sasuke says, trying to keep his voice even, "I have to use the facilities."
"Down the hall to the left, in case you don't remember," Temari says, still wearing that damn smile.
Sasuke nods his thanks and makes his way down the hall.
Time to be social? Yeah, right. He doesn't want to see these people. There are other Uchihas here and they all know of his mistakes. They'll all judge him. They'll all be thinking that he, of all people, does not deserve to take over the company. They'll all be thinking he isn't capable. And maybe... maybe he isn't.
Sasuke feels himself shaking. He takes deep breaths until he reaches the bathroom. "Why am I doing this to myself?" he whispers, turning the sink taps on and splashing the cool water over his face.
Once he's calmed down a bit, Sasuke retreats to the first empty room he can find.
"A library?" he mumbles, viewing the room. There are two tall armchairs in front of a lit fireplace and bookshelves covering the walls. Comfy. Sasuke enters, shutting the door behind himself. 'It's quiet here… I think I'll stay,' he thinks, picking up the first novel he spots. "Hear the Wind Sing by Haruki Murakami?" he reads.
He sits down in one of the chairs and opens the book. Pages into the novel, Sasuke hears the door creak open. He looks up and sees a small blond boy is hovering in the doorway in black formal wear.
"Sorry, mister," he says, blushing, "I thought the room was empty."
Sasuke smiles. "That's okay."
"Can I stay in here?" he asks shyly.
"Sure."
The boy enters the room, closing the door behind him and hopping on the Victorian armchair across from Sasuke. "There's no one my age here, so I'm bored," he explains, bouncing up and down on the chair. Suddenly he seems a lot less shy.
"I understand," Sasuke says. "When I was your age my parents would make me come with them to business parties. I didn't have much fun either."
"How old are you now?"
"I'm twenty-four."
"Wow, old!" the child says and Sasuke laughs. "That's the same age as my daddy."
"It's not so old," Sasuke protests mildly.
"Well I'm just seven," the child gives a toothless grin, now swinging his legs back and forth.
'His parents must have had him young…' Sasuke finds himself thinking. "You're pretty hyper, aren't you?" he asks, noticing that the child hasn't stopped moving since he walked through the door.
The boy tilts his head sideways, "I'm um…hypo…hyperactive. I have this thing called ADHD!"
Sasuke makes an 'o' with his mouth. 'That makes sense.'
"What are you reading?"
"It's called Hear the Wind Sing by Haruki Murakami," Sasuke says.
"Sounds boring! What's it about?"
Sasuke laughs, "It's about a nameless man narrating his everyday life."
"Oh," the boy says. "Can you read it to me?"
Sasuke blinks a few times. "Um, yes, sure."
The boy grins, jumping out of his chair to sit with Sasuke, who begins to read where he left off. The child tries to concentrate hard enough to follow the words. The boy, though unsure of what he is saying, takes in each word by itself. He takes comfort in the sound of the stern looking man's strangely soft voice.
"Thank you," the boy says once Sasuke finishes reading. "I didn't really get it, but you're a good reader! My Daddy doesn't read to me."
"Why not?" Sasuke asks, closing the book.
"He's too busy," the child explains. "He works at a fancy cafe. He used to have two jobs, but he got fired from one of them."
"Oh," Sasuke frowns, unsure of what else to say.
The boy makes a face, "It was my fault. He stayed home with me because I got really sick with pneumonia! They told him if he didn't come in that day, he didn't ever have to come in again."
"That's not very fair," Sasuke sympathizes and the boy shakes his head. "Where are your parents now?"
"Daddy is with Gaara," the child says. "They're talking about boring things, so I went exploring. Gaara said I could go in any of the unlocked rooms."
"Oh, is your father friends with Sabaku?"
"Yup!" the boy says cheerfully, "A little while ago Gaara came to babysit me."
"Is that so?" Sasuke feels a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. Gaara babysitting? It makes Sasuke wonder what else has changed in Konoha since he's been away.
"Yup! But he isn't very good at it," he says, shaking his head and Sasuke chuckles.
"What about your mother?"
The boy shrugs, his joyful demeanor wearing away. "It makes Daddy sad, it makes him cry when I ask about Mommy. I don't want to make Daddy cry, so I don't ask about Mommy anymore."
Sasuke frowns at the statement. "You don't know who your mother is?"
The boy shakes his head. "No one likes to talk about it. Gaara says that Daddy will tell me when I'm older, but I think he just needs more time so he won't be so sad anymore."
Sasuke nods. "Hey," he says, "What's your name?"
"Minato!" the child says.
"That's a very nice name," Sasuke says, feeling as if he's heard it before. 'Why does it sound so familiar?' he wonders to himself.
The child beams at the compliment. "What's your name, Mister?"
"I'm –" he starts, but before he can finish he is interrupted by a low call coming from the hallway.
"Minato?" the voice echoes.
"In here, Daddy!" the child happily shrieks back, hopping off the armchair and running towards the door.
Sasuke shouldn't be surprised, but he is. The man that walks through the door is none other than the idiot Naruto, wearing a black suit with a blue tie. Oddly, no orange. He looks the same, yet so different. It reminds Sasuke just how many years have went by.
"What are you doing in here?" Naruto asks, ruffling the boy's hair.
Minato looks back at Sasuke. "I was just talking!"
"Talking? I hope you weren't bothering anyone, little man."
The boy shakes his head turns around. Naruto follows his sons gaze, locking eyes with Sasuke.
"Sasuke…"
"Naruto."
Minato looks at the two adults. "Are you friends?"
"Hopefully he wasn't any trouble?" Naruto asks, brushing off his son's question.
"No way, not at all!" Minato holds up his hands defensively, "I was being good, right, Mister?"
Sasuke puts on a polite smile, "Yes, you were."
"Okay, squirt," Naruto says, "We're gonna head home. You getting tired?"
"I'm fine, daddy!" the boy says stubbornly, though his yawn gives him away.
Naruto laughs. "All right, little man. Let's go."
"Piggy back?"
Naruto crouches, "Hop on."
Minato wraps his arms around his father's neck and his legs around his father's torso. "Bye, Mister!" Minato waves to Sasuke, who waves back.
"Thanks for, uh, watching him," Naruto says before they leave.
Sasuke hasn't heard Naruto's voice in many long years. It was once a voice he thought he'd never be able to forget, constantly screaming, "BASTARD-SASUKE!" each time they crossed paths. It used to be boisterous and loud, but it isn't loud now. It is soft and gravelly, giving it a sombre sort of tone. Sasuke assumes the scratchiness comes from all the screaming he did when they were young. Sasuke remembers many occasions back in school where the blond boy had screamed himself hoarse and couldn't talk for the rest of the day. Ah, yes, Sasuke always appreciated when that happened. The silence was blissful.
However… this sombre look… it doesn't suit him.
Sasuke remembers the child's words from earlier: "It makes Daddy sad, it makes him cry when I ask about Mommy."
What the hell happened while he was away?