蛇| Sasuke
"Well, then, ya see, we were about to attack their hideout but he pulled me back and…" I watch scornfully as Naruto blabbers out some story about fake bandits while Sakura looms over him. He hardly looks like himself with his casual clothes streaked with mud and dripping with sweat. His dirty mop of yellow hair falls loosely into his eyes with no Konoha forehead protector to hold it back. Underneath a thin layer of watery mud, he looks exhausted, large blue eyes staring up at Sakura in desperation. Despite the good few inch difference in their height, she appears his equal – maybe even taller – as she berates him angrily for worrying her.
I watch as she leans over his cowering figure, feet spread, hands on her hips. "Naruto, you baka! That is the dumbest excuse for an excuse I've ever heard! You could've at least…"
My eyebrow twitches in annoyance at their racket. Clenching my fist, I feel something squish between my fingers and glance down to see the glob of grayish rice that Sakura gave me squeezed distastefully in my hand. Despite its unappealing appearance, my stomach shifts uncomfortably. I'm starving.
Glancing quickly up at the pair of shinobi still gabbing away at each other, I raise my hand to my mouth and shove the wad of food inside. The rice rolls tastelessly over my tongue, sticking unpleasantly as I try to gather up enough saliva to swallow. As it finally passes down my throat, I make a face at the dry, goopy feeling that remains inside my mouth.
Finally finished with her rant, Sakura straightens, crossing her arms as she studies Naruto. "You look exhausted. Go get some sleep. You're totally useless right now."
He nods silently and slumps over to their packs which are arranged neatly under a nearby tree. I study the pair, disgusted by the sight of Sakura fussing over Naruto as he climbs into his bedroll. She continues to kneel beside him until his chest is rising and falling in a slow, steady motion. Despite the way I've seen her worry over him, I'm still a little surprised to see her brush a few stray locks of hair off his face before leaning in to whisper something in his all but deaf ears.
A hilarious thought suddenly comes to mind. It can't be! After all this time, after all these years, Naruto's precious Sakura-chan has finally come to him! Remembering all of his pitiful attempts at wooing my fawning fan girl, I'm barely able to confine my burst of humor to a cynical chuckle.
Sakura whirls to face me, pink hair swinging out in a fan before snapping back into place around her head. She quirks a questioning eyebrow at me. "What's so funny?"
I struggle to swallow more of the stickiness left behind by the rice. "You've finally fallen for him, haven't you?" I start to laugh even harder at this amusing thought. It's a harsh, grating sound that I hardly ever use. "He finally caught you in his desperate little clutches!"
Instead of becoming angry like I expected, Sakura stares at me blankly for a moment before realization seems to dawn on her and her mouth slides into a sad smile. "Naruto doesn't love me anymore."
I gawk at her in shock for a moment. Naruto really gave up on the "woman of his dreams"? And what's even stranger is that Sakura seems sad about it.
This strikes me as even funnier. An even bigger laugh croaks out of my dry throat. Sakura has finally given into Naruto and now he doesn't want her! Apparently Sakura has a knack for repulsing whoever she's in love with at the moment. "So…so now you…you're the one…chasing him." I stammer in between cackles.
"Shh!" She shoves a finger to her lips, trying to glare me into silence as I continue expressing my amusement. "You'll wake him up!"
I don't care. This is too good. I don't bother to quiet myself even a little bit.
With an exasperated sigh, Sakura shakes her head at me. "I don't love him either."
Oh sure. I convey my disbelief with a loud snort.
"We both love other people!" She hisses, glaring darkly at me once again.
I finally get a hold of my laughter and satisfy myself with a condescending smirk. She'll never change. "Is this where you tell me that you saved me because you love me and now we can be together forever and ever?"
"Oh, please," she spits out, crossing her arms as she turns her nose up at me. "Get over yourself."
I grit my teeth in annoyance at her mockery. "So who do you fawn over now?" Remembering the hideous little spandex-clad clown who got so badly beaten in the chūnin exams, the smirk returns to my face. "Does that bushy-browed dobe pay you for favors?"
Her eyes grow wide as her mouth drops in furious horror. Ignoring the pull of the chains at my sore wrists, I cross my arms in satisfaction at getting her riled.
"How dare you insult Lee-san like that!" she says between clenched teeth.
"So it is him!" I sneer victoriously.
"No!" Her shoulders suddenly slump as the fire deserts her eyes. "I guess I shouldn't have said that 'we both love other people'." Staring down into her lap, she starts fiddles with her hands.
Unable to think of a cutting remark I simply satisfy myself with a "Hn."
"I don't think I know what real love is," she continues quietly. "Well, I guess I shouldn't say that." She smiles gently back at Naruto. "I know what real love is. He's sleeping right over there. I guess I'm just…" she turns back to meet my gaze again and shrugs "…not quite sure how to practice it myself."
"So who is the love of Naruto's life now?" I ask, hoping I can get some sort of ammunition to fuel my amusement further.
Sakura smiles sadly. "Do you remember Hyuga Hinata?"
Bare memories of dark hair and pale eyes trembling behind a tree come to mind. I nod and grin cynically. "So Naruto has the quivering heiress waiting for him at home after you two save me, is that it?"
Pursing her lips, Sakura shakes her head slowly. I let my smile fade slowly, but am careful to keep any hint of confusion off my face.
"Hinata died, Sasuke."
I'm stunned, momentarily. Grasping desperately for some sort of insult I can grab out of that statement, I sneer at her. "And I'm sure Naruto is still too weak to avenge her death."
Sakura studies me for a moment, her large green eyes gracing my own with a tinge of pity that makes my stomach curl. "I guess you could say that," she finally murmurs. "She was killed in the Fourth Shinobi World War."
I turn away from her to glare angrily at the ground as she rises quietly and walks over to tend to their gear. I clench my fists at the implications of her statement. Naruto hasn't avenged Hinata's death. She died in the Fourth Shinobi World War, a war that I helped start.
蛇
Navy uniforms, green flak jackets, and forehead protectors…Konoha forehead protectors. The images from that skirmish a few days ago have run through my mind over and over and I still can't make sense of them. Why would Konoha shinobi attack Naruto or the other way around? We're running from someone, but who? Why haven't we headed back to Konoha? I admit that I'm a little turned around out here, but I can tell that we're west of Hi no Kuni, the Land of Fire, and we've been traveling even further west. What could possibly justify that? Naruto may be dense but he's not that stupid.
Don't you remember?
Remember what?
The-the…you know…in Konoha…they…
My conversation with Naruto after he beat the two shinobi comes back to me. What am I forgetting? I grit my teeth in frustration. I just barely remember my fight with Naruto and then everything is kind of foggy, as if I was drugged. Maybe I was. Konoha would do something like that.
"Should we tell him now?" Naruto's words float towards me, quietly riding the breeze that stirs the air my way.
Pushing my thoughts to the back of my mind for a moment, I turn all of my attention towards his conversation with Sakura, carefully keeping my eyes down, lids drooped as if I'm starting to doze.
Sakura sighs. "We have to eventually."
Naruto blows out a long breath of his own. "Probably better sooner than later."
My whole body starts to tense in anticipation. What are they going to tell me?
My eyes shouldn't be very visible behind my bangs. Keeping my head tilted down, I risk a glance up at the pair where they stand about thirty yards away. Naruto leans casually against a tree as Sakura faces him with her arms crossed. Both of their postures reek of exhaustion and defeat – slumped shoulders and grim expressions. Naruto didn't bring back supplies this morning. I don't know how much food they have left but it's not much. The shadows are growing long as the sun sets and I haven't seen either of them have a bite to eat. My mouth twitches into a hint of a grin. They fed me. They're keeping me strong while they themselves weaken.
Naruto's gaze shifts my way and I glance quickly back towards the ground.
"I'm not sure I can handle it tonight," Sakura murmurs, her voice betraying her fatigue.
"Why don't you get some rest," Naruto suggests, the usual, disgustingly-cheerful note in his voice dimmed a bit. "I've been sleeping all day so I'll take first watch tonight."
"Thanks." A short silence lapses before she speaks again. "Naruto?" she asks, hesitantly. "I-I've been meaning to tell you something…"
After a long pause, Naruto prods gently. "You know you can tell me anything."
"While you were gone, I…" her voice falters.
"You what?"
"I almost killed Sasuke."
My eyes widen in shock as my ears barely catch her pained whisper. She what?!
Another long pause ensues where all I can hear is the shifting of bodies. Finally, I can't resist anther glance up. Naruto is holding Sakura against him, stroking her hair gently. Tugging quietly at my chains, I allow the pain as they bite deep into my raw wrists to fuel my fury. Of course he forgives her. He's done it every time she's tried to kill me. His forgiveness is a pathetic joke. Naruto lets the bonds with his comrades tie him down, but doesn't seem to care about them enough to avenge them. He's weak. That is the answer. And I will make him pay.
"It's okay," Naruto murmurs, resting his chin on top of Sakura's head.
"I felt so alone and the darkness just…it just…took over."
"I know, but it's okay now."
Disgusted by yet another display of intimacy, I drop my eyes back towards my lap. They've changed. Sakura never would've been so open with Naruto before. They care very deeply for each other now. I saw it Sakura's concern for Naruto while he was gone and now again in his return of the sentiment…although I suppose that isn't new. Bonds like that are pathetic. I can use it against them.
"Well," Sakura says briskly after a long moment. I hear a shuffling of feet as she presumably steps back. "It's a good thing you came back or something really drastic might have happened." Her voice holds a forced light air.
"I told you I'd come back!"
"Yeah, well, you don't have much to show for it," she says with scornful good humor. "All you had to do was bring back one sack of supplies."
"I told you what happened!"
"Well we can talk about that tomorrow."
"Sure," he grumbles.
I listen as Sakura's footsteps move away from him and towards me but wait to look up until her feet are in my eye line. I watch her coldly as she approaches and crouches in front of me, a careful smile on her gaunt face.
"Do you need anything?" she asks.
"Hn." I glare at her with contempt. Is that some sort of joke?
Her smile turning a bit sad, she studies me for a moment before reaching behind her. I tense, deepening my glare as I prepare to fight sedation, but instead of a needle, she unhooks a canteen from her belt and holds it out to me. When I simply sit there and continue to scowl at her, she sets it down next to me.
"Goodnight," she says softly and is starting to turn away when her eyes land on my wrists. "Oh, Sasuke!" she exclaims, reaching for my hand. "I'm so sorry!"
Jerking my hand out of her grasp, I release a low growl from my throat.
Giving me a motherly, condescending look, Sakura holds out her hand expectantly. "I just want to heal your wrists. They're raw from the chains and I meant to heal them earlier. I'm sorry." When I continue to hide my hands from her she finally rolls her eyes. "Oh don't be such a baby."
With this small prick at my pride, I finally hand over one of my wrists with an angry "Hn." Ignoring me, she holds it carefully in her hands, studying it meticulously before a very dim glow of green chakra pools in her palms and flows slowly over my wrist. It really is a pitiful display of medical jutsu, but I have to hold back a sigh of relief as the ever present ache gradually starts to fade.
"Sorry it's taking so long," Sakura comments. "I have to be careful because of the chains."
Work around the chains? It's not that hard to slip chakra under a loose piece of metal! I think contemptuously before realizing what she means. Oh. The chains are chakra suppressing. If she puts too much chakra into my system, it would probably break whatever kind of seal the chains have on me. I store the information away in my brain. It could prove useful.
Relinquishing my arm, Sakura holds out her hand expectantly for the other. I think about being stubborn but the relief in one wrist has only emphasized the pain in the other. Besides, why not let the enemy heal me when she's ready and willing? Her hands are warm and sticky with sweat. I grimace as they touch my skin. She tried to kill me and now I'm letting her touch me.
Looking up I'm not surprised to see Naruto watching us. He's back to leaning against a tree, arms crossed, staring blankly at the faint glow between Sakura's palms.
After a few minutes, the second ache is gone and Sakura drops my hand before rising slowly to her feet, grimacing as a few of her joints pop. "Goodnight," she says for the second time, stretching her arms up behind her back as she turns to walk away. "You might want to stand up for a while," she calls back over her shoulder. "Don't sit for too long or you'll get stiff."
"Hn." I turn my nose up at her, glaring off into the trees as I watch her out of the corner of my eye. Rolling out a bedroll, she basically collapses on it, curling up into a pitiful, tense little ball with her back towards me. Not even a minute passes before her body goes limp, lungs filling and emptying in slow, steady intervals. Moving slowly so as not to clink the links of my chains together, I carefully brace my hands on the ground to help me stand. Suppressing a groan, I wince as tight muscles stretch and stiff joints crack. Closing my eyes in pained pleasure, I roll my head back and forth, enjoying the slight popping sound as the back of my neck releases.
Gravel shifts beneath a sandal off to my left and I jerk my head to face it. Naruto is just turning his back towards me, but even in the dimming light, I catch the hint of grin on his face. I glare daggers at the back of his head for a minute but he doesn't turn around. Keeping a careful eye on him, I return to stretching.
They are trying to be friends with me again, to "mend our bonds." This in itself is weakness, but even worse is that it's not sincere. Sakura tried to kill me and Naruto just let her get away with it even though she might do it again. I can no longer trust them to keep me alive until I regain my strength. I have to destroy them and soon before it's too late. They're of Konoha. Their corruption may be buried, but it's always there.
蛇
"We're gonna have to get supplies somehow." Sakura rubs the back of her neck stiffly, using her other hand to cover a yawn.
Naruto nods and leans his head against the tree at his back, staring blankly up at the branches above him. Only a few streaks of morning light filter through the leaves to illuminate his position seated against the trunk, arm draped over his one propped up knee.
I roll my eyes at the pair of them as I try to inconspicuously stretch the stiffness out of my limbs. The morning dampness has soaked through my clothes, making them unpleasantly sticky. My stomach aches with a hollow emptiness. I haven't been fed yet this morning and wonder if perhaps it's because all of the food is gone. I clench my fist furiously. Did these two idiots drag me out here so that we could all starve together?
"I could go back to Ryoichi-san's," Naruto suggests. Isn't that the man he said betrayed him? "The ANBU should be gone by now."
ANBU. So that's whose chasing us. Maybe they disguised themselves as Konoha shinobi. But which ANBU? Which village would be hunting down the "hero of the Fourth Shinobi World War"?
"No," Sakura breathes tiredly but in a tone that doesn't allow for argument. She arches her back, stretching her arms back up behind her. "You can't go back there."
"But then wha – ?"
"I'll go." She drops her arms back to her sides.
Naruto's eyes widen in momentary surprise before his eyebrows snap together in fierce determination. "No."
She rolls her eyes. "Naruto, there's no other way. You can't be seen in that town again and we need food. There might not be another place to get it around here."
Naruto's glare drops to the ground. Clearly he knows that she's right.
I smirk inwardly. This is my chance. Naruto is the more trusting one, even if he's much stronger than Sakura. It'll be easier to eliminate him without her around. I can take care of her when she returns.
"I can hold a transformation for a short amount of time," Sakura says. "They're probably tracking us based on the Kyubi's chakra anyway. They won't be focused on mine too much. Besides, they can only have so many sensory shinobi in one area."
Naruto continues to glare at the ground. "Do you think they sensed me yesterday?"
Sakura purses her lips, considering his question. "I don't know. Whatever story your friend told them yesterday probably has them a bit confused but either way, once I get back, we need to get moving."
"I never said you were going," he grumbles.
"And I thought," she crouches in front of him, trying to meet his eyes, "that we agreed that it was the only way."
He looks up at her sternly. "I never said that either."
She smiles softly at him. "But you know it's true."
Studying her face for a moment, he finally nods. I give an inward sigh of relief, as my muscles, which I had no idea were so tense, suddenly relax. Good. I'm going to get my chance.
蛇
"Well, I'm ready." Sakura faces Naruto, knapsack on her back, dressed in a navy skirt and light yellow shirt. I've got to hand it to her, she looks nothing like a shinobi.
Naruto looks her up and down, arms crossed, face scrutinizing. He's still pouting about her going. "You still have pink hair."
She gives him a patient smile. "Yes and I'm going to use a transformation jutsu when I get on the road."
He sucks in a deep breath, apparently frustrated. I clench my fist nervously. I don't think he'll be able to talk her out of it. He's not smart enough.
Finally he sighs in defeat and I release a long, silent breath of my own. "Be careful," he says.
Reaching over, she gives his shoulder a light squeeze. "I'll be back in a couple of hours."
"Okay." He follows her out of earshot where they continue their conversation. I watch her anxious glances in my direction through the curtain of my bangs. He appears to be giving her instructions as she gives him some in return.
As I continue to keep an eye on them my mind wonders. I haven't worked out a way to get rid of Naruto yet. I feel so powerless with these chains on. I have no chakra, no sharingan, no nothing.
But you still have your most powerful weapon – I remind myself – your hatred.
Finally Sakura makes a face in my direction and Naruto laughs out loud. "Okay, Sakura-chan."
Giving him one last encouraging smile, she takes off. Naruto stands and watches her disappear into the tops of the forest, remaining frozen as if he expects her to return any second. I roll my eyes. I don't care what Sakura said about Naruto and Hinata, he still loves Sakura-chan in his own way. I can use that.
Sakura is the only one I've seen undo the lock that connects my chains together but that doesn't mean that Naruto doesn't know the chakra pattern too. How to get him to unlock me is another matter and after that, how to remove the chains completely. From what I've gathered, to break the chain's hold on me, I need to somehow introduce more chakra into my system, but getting me unchained from this tree is the first problem.
Suddenly, Naruto turns back towards me, a quirky grin on his face. Inwardly I smirk. Sympathy, that's how I'll get Naruto to unchain me.
I hide my confusion as he makes a hand sign and a clone pops into view beside him. I'm even more surprised as the clone walks behind me and around the tree. Shooting Naruto a glare, I growl lightly. What is he up to?
Crossing his arms, Naruto chuckles lightly. "Relax. We're just going on a little trip."
Trip? My chains rattle as I assume they're unlocked from behind the tree. I keep me face stoic as excitement courses through me and my muscles tighten in anticipation. This is it. This is my chance.
A blade is being held to my throat. I blink as Naruto's clone appears in the corner of my sight, brandishing what I assume is a kunai.
"None of that, Sasuke," Naruto says, a warning edge on his still cheerful voice.
I fix him with a furious stare, pouring all of my hatred into the look. I'm positive that I didn't give away my intention to pounce. How did he read me so well?
"Look," he says, amiably, "I'll tell you how this is going to work. Sakura-chan thinks we both stink and she's probably right. We're going to wash up in the river which is about a hundred yards that way." He flicks his thumb towards the south. I deepen my glare. I already know where the river is. I'm not stupid like some. I can hear! "Now, are you going to cooperate? Or should we both just sit around here?"
I clench and unclench my fists angrily. He's got me. I need for him to unlock me if I'm going to escape. I only have a few hour time window until Sakura gets back. She might return with more sedatives and at the very least it will be two on one again. I need to do this now.
"I'll cooperate," I hiss savagely, bile rising in my throat as I say the words. My clothes are still uncomfortably sticky, but I've been on the road for years without a real bath. I'm determined that I won't enjoy one second of this.
"Good." Naruto gives another one of his stupid grins before looking me seriously in the eye. "I know the word of an Uchiha means everything."
I clench my teeth. Word given to traitors is nothing. He's of Konoha. Konoha betrayed the Uchiha long ago.
蛇
"Ah," Naruto sighs, leaning back his head as he shakes his hair free of water. "This feels good."
I ignore him and try to concentrate on my escape plans, though the distraction of the river keeps pulling at my mind. The water is a pleasant temperature, chasing away the heat of the day and sweeping away the days of filth that I've accumulated. I wriggle my toes, burying them into the soft river mud as the flow of the current starts to relax my tense and aching muscles. I've had little activity in the past week or so. My body craves to burn with the sensation of straining muscles and clean, rushing oxygen where my mind narrows to focus on each intricate detail of my movements, flowing through them with the ease of practice and familiarity. I want to fight again.
A dull ache throbs at my empty stomach. As soon as I escape, I'll need to find food. I'll need all my strength before I attack Konoha again, but this time…I glance over at Naruto who's lazily bobbing above and beneath the water's surface and smirk. This time, they won't have their precious hero to save him.
"You know, I've never bathed with a shadow clone running around," Naruto comments after spitting a stream of water through his teeth. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see his clone keeping a close eye on me from the bank. "Once they disappear, their experiences come back to me. I wonder if their dirtiness does too? Maybe I'll be like half dirty, or maybe, if I kept guard and let the shadow clone bathe, when he disappeared, I'd be totally clean. But that wouldn't be as much fun…"
Pushing Naruto's endless stream of babble to the back of my mind, I stare down at my chained wrist and start to fiddle with one of the manacles. I can put them in the water because they are steel and won't rust. The wetness makes them slippery, but not enough to slide off. A series of seals are probably imprinted around the metal. I'd be able to see them if I had my sharingan. Then I could measure their strength.
I've already tried forcing chakra out several times, but it always stops right at the edge of my system. It seems like I can manipulate it however I want inside my body, it just can't leave. I stare blankly at the water, watching the sunlight glint off of each tiny crest of the small waves. Chakra can't get out of my system, but maybe something else could…
Maybe lightning could.
If I could turn my chakra into lightning inside my body, it could pass through the seal on my system. This would have to be real electricity though, not chidori where I just stream my chakra. I have to turn the chakra into something else entirely.
I glare at the water in frustration. Sending an electrical current through my body while I'm standing in water won't leave me in good shape. I'll probably be unconscious afterwards and there's a possibility of drowning.
Glancing up at Naruto, a slow smirk slides over my face. I study his animated expression with contempt as his continued chatter passes over my deaf ears. It doesn't matter what happens to me, as long as I get him. The hatred of the Uchiha will live on. I'll survive this. Konoha will be destroyed. Tou-san, Kaa-san, Nii-san…I will avenge you and I'll start with Konoha's precious hero.
I raise my hands in front of me, preparing to make the seals.
A sudden burst of giggles startles me and I whip my head around to peer over my shoulder. Not far down the bank, three young children emerge from the cover of trees and plunge into the stream. There's a moment of silence as they all go under but the laughter starts up again as soon as they break the surface. Splashing each other gleefully, they don't even notice us as their shouts ring through the quiet forest.
My hands twitch, unsure of whether to continue or not. The kids aren't far away. The electric shock will definitely hit them. I stare at them for a moment, the dark heads bobbing up and down in the water reminding me of when I would play with Itachi and my cousins in the lake near the Uchiha sector.
Whirling back around to Naruto, I grit my teeth angrily. Konoha made sure that no Uchiha children would ever play in that lake again.
Turning my back on Naruto, I face the children, watching their horse-play with eyes flashing. How dare they laugh so casually when the screams of Uchiha children are still ringing in the streets of Konoha! My family cries out for revenge and I'm the only one who can hear it. I will make everyone pay for it.
My hands steadying once again, I start to perform the hand seals. Heat rushes through me as the chakra changes shape and nature. My energy starts to tingle painfully and my eyebrows snap together in concentration as I steel myself for what's ahead. Pain is of no consequence. The rest of the Uchiha felt pain as they were cut down. I will feel pain as well so that I can pass it on to the rest of the happy world.
A suffocating grip suddenly closes around me. Hands grab mine, stopping my hand seals in mid-sequence.
"Sasuke, don't!" a desperate voice hisses.
I squirm in Naruto's grasp, grunting with the effort as I try to shake him off. In a last ditch effort, I try to force my changing chakra out of my body but it's too late. The tiny bit of lightning I was able to produce has already dispelled, though I can feel its effects as my body twitches without my consent.
Thrusting my elbow back, I nail Naruto square in his bare stomach, but the hit does little to loosen his grip. I try kicking at his shins underwater, twisting madly in his arms. My muscles burn as they strain against his, but he soon has me in a headlock and is towing me easily towards shore. I continue to pummel him as best I can as he drags me through the mud and into the trees. I have to get free. This may be my only chance.
The air rushes out of my lungs as a sickening pain hits my back and works its way around my sides. My head thuds dully with the sound of my own heart as the vision of the forest canopy blurs above me.
"What do you think you were doing?!" From his position on top of me, Naruto grabs my shirt in both fists, lifting my shoulder a few inches off the ground.
It takes me a moment to realize my position – lying on the forest floor, with Naruto sitting on my stomach, his blue eyes on fire as they glare down at me with untamed ferocity.
Matching his glare with my own, I work up enough saliva to spit in his face. "I was ridding the world of mindless, Konoha scum!" I growl.
Naruto's pupils shift eerily, flecks of red sifting through the burning blue orbs. "You were about to murder three kids!"
"The lives of three children are nothing compared to the treachery of Konoha!"
My head pounds against the ground again as Naruto slams me back down. "Taking innocent lives is exactly like the treachery of Konoha!" he cries.
I can feel chakra rising towards my eyes instinctively as my temper flares. How dare he compare me to Konoha!
Naruto sighs, eyebrows snapping together as he closes his eyes in frustration. Ducking his head, he continues in a low murmur. "Don't you see that those kids are just as innocent as the Uchiha children were? Just as innocent as you were?" He releases my shirt, resting his hands on my shoulders as he lifts his head to meet my glare once again. His eyes have settled the once again pure blue orbs staring down at me with despairing gentleness. "I understand why you hate me, why you hate Konoha. I don't resent you for coming after me. I've told you before that we can die together, when the time is right. Hatred is devouring you Sasuke, but don't let it make you into what you're trying to destroy. If you take innocent lives to accomplish your own means, how are you any better than those who ordered your family murdered to serve themselves?"
His words hit me hard, causing my stomach to sink down into my gut as anger bubbles up through my chest. Furious tears sting the back of my eyes as I try to hold them back. How dare he. How dare he!
Overpowering my defenses, the tears pour down my cheeks, leaving behind hot, wet streaks. I continue to glare up at Naruto's blurred image. How dare he accuse me of being like Konoha! How dare he compare the lives of those three brats to the slaughtered Uchiha children! His accusations have left me livid, not only at him but at myself, because more in my heart than in my mind, a small part of me says that he's right.
A/N As always I'm sorry for such a late update. You're going to have to be patient with me for the next few months because I go straight from basketball season to soccer, plus both my hands are sprained. In the meantime, please check out my new one shot "Defining Moment" and review.
I got two requests for one shots and am working on one that I hope will satisfy both. I'll have it out as soon as I can finish it. Please review this chapter! A very late Happy Holidays and God bless!
