The prologue makes sense now! Okay, okay, I know Sasuke should hurry up and do something, but he won't :P ...For awhile. When this mission is over, I promise it will get good :D But no spoilers as to why :)
"No…Please…"
I blinked, roused from my sleep. I held in a yawn and fully opened my eyes. It was pitch black! Normally I slept in late…
"Stop it…Don't…"
I looked around. Sakura and Kakashi were asleep, I turned to my side.
It was Sasuke.
He was unharmed, but the hand visible to me was clutching tight to the mat. His body tossed, and he was the mumbling. It was quiet enough for only me to hear.
"Sa-" I bit my tongue, remembering Kakashi and Sakura were asleep.
I crawled quietly to the other side of him. He was asleep, but his face was distorted in pain, maybe fear. He couldn't wake up, but his closed eyelids showed he was trying.
"Mom…Dad…Get away…"
I crawled closer to him. I knew now what he was dreaming about. More like having nightmares about. Just like he had told me, most of his nightmares were about his clan's murder. He must have been seeing his parents…being killed.
He was quiet for awhile, and I thought maybe it was over. Then he continued mumbling.
"Itachi…Why…"
"Sasuke," I called softly, getting closer so he might hear it, but Sakura and Kakashi wouldn't.
He gasped and sat upright, face to face with me. Inches away from my face, to be more exact. Both of our eyes were wide. We stayed like that for awhile. He was probably trying to focus that it was my face, not some random person.
He sighed quietly, and laid down again. "What were you doing?" He whispered, Sakura and Kakashi were too deep in sleep to hear anything.
"You were talking in your sleep. I wanted to see if you were okay." We were both whispering.
"I'm fine." He turned his head away. "You know…just dreaming. Sorry I woke you up."
"I woke up on my own," I said quickly, "I just…heard you, so…"
"Naruto…" He interrupted.
"Yeah?"
I bit my lip to hold in whatever sound may have followed.
He moved his hand so it rested on top of mine, for exactly a second that I could count. Then he drew back, his fingers sliding across my hand. He mumbled, "Go back to sleep."
I swallowed. "O-kay."
I fumbled to get back to my mat, then curled up and waited. After a while, Sasuke's breathing was even, and he had fallen peacefully back asleep.
That wasn't an accident. So, why did he do it? Why did I have that reaction?
Kyubbi.
What?
There's something wrong with me. I can feel it in the pit of my stomach.
I've already told you the answer, kit.
That can't possibly be right!
You've got something better?
I curled up, trying to warm my body more.
No. Never mind.
I fell back asleep too. Sasuke still the only thing in my mind, in my dreams.
I can't be in love with Sasuke. I just can't be. I won't let myself believe it, even if it is true!
I groaned and turned my head when the blinding sunlight came through the canopy. Then I changed my mind, thinking everyone would be mad if I slept in.
I sat up, yawning. I looked across from me, and saw Sakura's bed empty. I looked beside me one way, and saw Kakashi was absent as well. I turned the other way, and Sasuke was sitting upright, staring at me.
"So you were planning to wake up." He mumbled.
"Uhn, maybe." I rubbed my eyes.
"Kakashi went to go…do something. Sakura is down the creek a ways. Said she was filling a canteen or something…" Sasuke answered, before I could ask where the others were. "When Kakashi gets back, the mission begins for real." He added.
I fell backwards on my mat, but I was completely awake now. "What do you think he wants us to do?"
"Keep watch, or something like that."
I hated to keep concluding that I stared at him whenever I got the chance. But I still did anyway, and I was now. It was whenever he wasn't watching, so he never knew.
I almost turned. I almost turned away, then I wouldn't have been able to see his face.
He turned to look at me, and he could see the face that I had seen in the mirror. I sat back up slowly.
He didn't glare at me or give me dirty looks. He returned the staring with almost…curiosity. Maybe even a fraction of that admiration I had.
Neither of us could pull our eyes away.
"Boys?"
Both of us practically jumped and turned to see Kakashi. He glanced at Sasuke, then me, then back to Sasuke, and asked, "Do one of you have something on your face?"
"No," we said at the same time.
"Hey, Naruto! About time you got up!" Sakura came back with a canteen, water dripping off the sides.
"Um…Anyway, time to head out again." Kakashi said, shaking his head. "Here."
Kakashi tossed us all headsets. I almost dropped mine. "What's this for?" I asked. I still had the shock imprinted on my mind. Sasuke saw me starring at him, like that.
"When we get near a certain point, I'll go ahead, and you three will stay put. I'll head into Sound, and go to the meeting place. Your job is to stay behind and make sure he isn't sneaking out. That's what the headsets are for. You can tell me if you see him. You'll need to stay hidden."
We all nodded.
"Now, pack up. Quickly, then we'll leave." He ordered.
"Right!" I answered, starting to roll up my mat. Sasuke and Sakura followed.
When I was finished, I tied the ends and shoved it into my bag. Sasuke and Sakura did the same.
"You all have to be careful," Kakashi said, causing us to look up. "I don't know how dangerous he is. It's important he does not find out you're with me. You have to stay out of sight and out of hearing."
We nodded again, and Sakura shivered.
"Let's just go already!" I pulled my bag over my shoulders, and without anymore words, we took off running back through the trees, Kakashi leading us.
I wish I knew what Sasuke was thinking.
