Disclaimer, I do not own any of the characters in this fanfiction, with the exception of Haruka and Hashi
okie, now off to the reviews! :D
Thanks a lot OpaquexSmiles! I'm really, extremely honoured that you like this story - And I can relate to the giggles part D I get that when I see reviews and new updates from some authors too!
Thanks a lot cherry1315! Hope that it'll be up to standard for the future chapter - ! I'll keep working improve..(hopefully on my grammar...I need practice man...)
Thanks a lot ani-sand! That crazy idea just pop out of nowhere - ! I like it when little kids do real innocent and adorable things! Hope you'll enjoy this chapter too!
Thanks a lot imm0rtal! I'm over the crazy period of exams already! Thanks for understanding -! I'll keep working on the story and enjoy the new chapter!
And also, thanks for reading readers!
Broken bonds.
Chapter 8
Sasuke was extremely pissed.
His eyes glared at the men that were shooting red-coloured rays at huge, ugly monsters who seemed to have a range of one to seven legs.
Sasuke was extremely pissed.
The people were spawned all around the huge white background, easily noticed by the huge contrast of wearing black outlines with the plain surroundings… and the fact that every man had the ability to shoot huge blots of…red things… that penetrated the 'monster'.
Sasuke was extremely pissed.
Amidst all the war and fights going on, he had managed to spot a couple of interesting things sprawled on the ground…
…
Crayons…
…
…
…
…
Someone was going to wipe off the drawings on the wall, and it will definitely be the one that started all these troubles.
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"… Nii-san, can we go out and play?!"
"No."
…
The depressing and terrifying tone of the Uchiha was more than enough to rain on the parade of the little monster, he pouted and frowned in what he thought was a convincing manner and turned his back on Sasuke, falling to the floor sloppily with a dull 'thud'.
Sasuke sat on the couch, an arm was draped across a bent knee while the other leg hung down the side of the seat, dangling. His free hand supported his head, eyes directed towards the open window. Hashi sat barely six feet away from him, back facing Sasuke and his hands crossed over his chest. Sasuke's eyes slid towards the direction of the boy and stared at his back dryly.
Minutes ticked by, not a single muscle twitched, both stubborn minds refusing to give in. Hashi, disturbed and tired of the silence, lowered his head slowly. His head turned slightly as his eyes peeked behind him curiously.
Black, emotionless orbs stared right back at him.
Realising that he was being eyed at all along, Hashi released a soft squeak and turned his head back, face contorted. A few more minutes passed, as the little monster stifled a yawn and blinked slowly. Once again, his eager eyes found its way behind his shoulders, only to find that his caretaker had not even moved an inch. The process repeated itself for several more times.
Turns head.
Peeks over his shoulder.
Sees him staring right back.
Turns head back front.
-
-
-
-
-
-
'Just give in already!'
"Hey."
Hashi's ears perked up happily as his head turned behind quickly.
"You're not a very good actor."
There was nothing to do right now and Haruka was still not here. Was she trying to shrink responsibilities?
Right on cue, something knocked on the entrance of the house.
It's about time…
"Teme!!"
Oh Kami-sama….
Rising lazily, Sasuke made his way to the door, flinging it open carelessly as his vision was temporary clouded by the batch of sunshine and the huge smile plastered on the energetic individual. His eyes travelled from Naruto to the black-haired girl behind.
"You brought this idiot along?"
"Hey!!"
"Can't help it..." she replied, smiling apologetically. Sasuke sighed softly as the blonde began ranting, including occasional exaggerating body movements every once in a while.
"Onee-san!" out of the corner, Hashi stumbled clumsily towards the door and launched onto the teenager, arms sliding around her shoulders as he engulfed her in a bear hug. Haruka laughed and slid an arm around his waist, her free hand reaching up to ruffle his hair affectionately.
"And how are you today?"
The little brunette released his hold on her neck and leaned back, legs still surrounding her waist securely as he flashed her a beam.
It was, however, the raven-haired black ice that spoke – much to her surprise.
"He'll be fine, but I won't say the same about you."
She jerked her head at towards the direction of the dangerous voice.
"W…hat?"
Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her. Ill intentions were brewing.
'This is not good…' she thought, turning to stare at the boy suspiciously. Hashi avoided her watchful eye and turned to look at Naruto.
"Who are you?" he pointed a little finger at the blonde curiously. Naruto grinned, hands on his hips as he stood proudly.
"Uzumaki Naruto! Future Hokage, nice to meet you!"
His smile was infectious, Hashi smile widened along with Naruto's.
"Hyuu Hashi! Nice to meet you!"
Well… the long-lost brothers have finally met…
This'll be interesting…
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Haruka let out a grunt of annoyance as her hand dunked the cloth into the bucket of lukewarm water, rinsing and squeezing it violently before slapping it on the scribble-filled wall, rubbing it grudgingly. She was sitting on her legs, crouching to wash off the crayon marks.
She mumbled incoherent words under her breath, scrubbing the wall forcefully. Her head snapped to her back and glowered at the figure behind her.
"A little help?" she grumbled, eyes fixated on his face. He was leaning on the other side of the corridor nonchalantly, watching her work.
"You're the one that started it, so you can end it."
She turned fully and flung the cloth at him, which-expectedly- was easily avoided by a simple tilt of his head. The damp object hit the wall behind him with a dull 'thud' before dropping to the ground beside him.
"Then why am I the only one working while Hashi's outside?"
He slid his leg below the cloth and flipped it towards Haruka, who caught it lazily with both hands.
"He'll be of no help anyway. Scrub. Now." There was a note of finality in his voice. She muttered silent curses under her breath as she turned towards the wall again. He couldn't hear all the things she said, but he did catch one particular word.
"Icicle…"
So that was how he is to her. Strange… it had almost affected him…
Almost.
He had been called cold, heartless, someone incapable of any emotion. Icicle was nothing new to him. But hearing it from her seemed… different.
He wouldn't deny it, it had affected him probably slightly more than when he was called by others. That never actually bothered him much.
Perhaps…
He really did cared slightly more about how she felt about him.
He was letting the girl affect him too much...
Grunting, Sasuke pushed himself off the wall and approached her silently. Stopping behind her, he reached over and grabbed the cloth off her grip.
He had no idea what he was doing.
He sidestepped to the side and started rubbing at the wall, eyes never leaving the scribbles. Haruka raised an eyebrow at him.
"What are you doing?"
"You're too slow."
She would have made a retort, but chose to kept her mouth shut instead. There was no point in provoking the easily angered human icicle. He would either throw the cloth back at her – which would mean that she would be left to clean it again -, or he would make another smart comeback to shut her up.
So, she settled for collapsing to the ground, sitting cross-legged as she watched the Uchiha work.
"How's Hashi doing?" she realised that, in the end, she would have to be the one to start a conversation. Leaving him here would be slightly heartless, and she wasn't really feeling the urge to have ramen with Naruto and possibly Hashi.
"Hn."
'Oh why am I not surprise…' she thought awkwardly, hands moving to trace circles on the window.
There was a long pause, where no one spoke. Both of them were soaking in the silence surrounding them. It was tranquil, comfortable,
Familiar.
She turned her attention from tracing the wall to the boy next to her, taking the time to observe him. After all these days, she had never taken a good look at him.
His hair was longer than before, strands reaching to frame his pale face. He was definitely taller, features maturing to form the attractive man she knew he would still be in future. Nothing had change dramatically. His eyes were still the same, if not, more blank than they had been in the past.
She wasn't surprised.
"What are you planning?"
She had wanted to ask this question since the day he entered Konoha. There were always too much things happening to shoot her question. Sasuke turned and glance at her, hands still hanging on the wall.
"Why would you want to come back?" She repeated her question, this time clearer and filled with more curiosity.
He appeared to have been affected by her question, contemplating it carefully. She was right…
Why did he come back?
He had done horrible things and betrayed the village. But something had brought him back to the village. Someone had forcefully dragged him back at first, but had also knocked the senses out of him on the way.
"Naruto."
He was his first friend; someone had treated him like they were related. Someone even his own blood related brother thought of as a good person.
He had rebounded back countless time from failures; he had evolved from the 'dead last' during their genin years to a promising boy with bright futures. He had changed his destiny, done the impossible.
And became someone Sasuke grew to respect.
On the inside…of course…
If there was someone that he should be grateful to, it would have to be that hyperactive blonde.
"Why do I have to go back with you?"
Naruto clenched his fists tightly and gritted his teeth in agitation. He swung a fist at his friend agitatedly. Sasuke made no movement to dodge.
"To apologize baka!"
"For what?!" he had snapped, turning to leer at those sea blue eyes.
"For being such an idiot! For making Sakura-chan cry for you! For making Haru-chan sad!" He shouted back.
The last part had caught Sasuke slightly off-guard. He had expected that black-haired kunoichi to be angry at him, not grief.
The punch had pushed him to the muddy ground, his hand dirtied and eyes looking at the ground. His breathing was slightly more even now. Naruto seemed to have calmed down along with him, eyes never leaving the person in front of him.
"Haru-chan's really depressed, she never shows it, but everyone can see it. It's all because of you."
The words stung him like a million pins, knowing that he was the cause of it had made it worse. Naruto approached him slowly and stopped right in front of him, his build towering over to block the sun from the raven-haired missing-nin. Sasuke lifted his head to look at Naruto again.
"You made everyone sad teme, and I'm going to bring you back like I promised them. Dattebayo!" he broke into his famous grin again, lightening the previously tensed atmosphere.
"For Naruto?" She blinked at him, confused. He met his gaze.
"You're going to have to fix Haru-chan back to normal, or I'll beat your ugly face up!"
He flung the unwrung cloth at Haruka's face suddenly. She squealed as the drips fell into her eyes and fell backwards, hands moving around frantically.
"Baka! What are you trying to do?!"
He allowed the corners of his mouth to twitch upwards as his amused eyes studied the fallen girl.
"Don't expect me to do your work for you."
The reason…
The reason for his return…
Was for Sakura…
For Kakashi…
And for the three people that had changed his life.
His aniki…
Naruto…
And Haruka…
Chapter End
Author's notes : I was having a whole lot of trouble squeezing ideas out XD with exams I didn't have enough time left to invest into writing, so if this particular chapter has more mistakes and lame stuff than before, I apologize for not having done enough editing and revising... I seriously need to go out and gain some inspirational brain juice...
no previews this time, sorry... cause..well... ehehe... sorry sorry sorry sorry!
