Chapter 10 Business As Usual

Sasuke POV

I walked into the house collapsing on the couch this is all just too much for me what is even going on. I rubbed my eyes and then my head as I found this pounding started to form in my head. My joints cracked and ached as I let out a low grumble which seemed to be accompanied by a low throaty growl.

That had to be dad, I could hear his hoarse voice as I slowly turned to see my dad, my muscle seemed to tense almost immediately when I saw how stressed out he was. His black gaze seemed trained on me like he is too terrified to let me out of his sight and I get that. I honestly don't think that I could ever complain about my dad being protective after everything that happened.

"Itachi your welcome to stay here, it isn't safe to leave the shield not when he is still out there waiting for a chance to strike." I hear the exhaustion laced in my father's words as he gave me a worried smile before getting ready to slump us both up the stairs like it wasn't even It Chai's choice. "That is kind of you thank you." I watched my father shifting form as he nodded his head. "Come on Sasuke you too."

I yawned heavily as it felt like my whole body slumped inwardly before I struggled to rise from the couch. I don't know why but sleeping on the couch seemed a lot better than my own room. Though I'm sure that has something to do with the fact that I got taken from my room without a sound.

Even so, I made my way up the stair, trying my best to stifle my groans as my limbs ached from the amount of activity that I have seen this past couple of days. It's not that I wanted to be used to the training. Sure I spent most of my time in a cell, but each day he made time for me to keep up with my training. He even taught me a few things.. I shudder at the thought some of the things that he taught me I wish I never knew.

As I got lost in my thoughts I could feel my brother and fathers heated gases on me, man neither one of them is letting up. Sure I ran into the creep but they all made it in time. I swear they couldn't trust me and that might have bugged me more than anything. There is no way that I am ever going back to that hell hole.

My feet scraped against the hard floor allowing for nothing but the sound of nothing but the pitter patter of the other feet. I drifted off into my room thinking that my father would follow after me but I watched as he walked passed the room taking Itachi to the other room that uncle Asuma uses when he is too drunk to walk back to his house.

I let out the heavy breathing that I had been holding in before jumping on my bed, letting the bed collapse inwards as I settle in the middle. Folding my legs under me as I watched few tray cherry blossom fly past the window while the large opal moon shined down on me.

Tomorrow was mom's birthday, it was hard to believe that it would be another year without her. Only this time Itachi was around and that made all the different maybe it would make the day a little bearable. "Hey head to bed okay?" I snapped my head up to the sound of my father's voice. This caring undertone softened his demanding edge as I shifted to get a better look at him.

An amused smile seemed to form on his face as he thought of something, I'm sure that he wouldn't tell me what he thought is so amusing but he spoke again. This time his voice shifted back to normal as he demanded I go to bed.

"The morning is going to come early so head to bed." I nodded my head crawling under the blankets and looking intently at the ceiling as I felt my father's presence. "Thanks" I looked down to see that my father was leaning on the door a small smirk gracing his lips as he nodded his head and walked out of the room.

I heard the sound of pots and pans as I lost opened my eyes to see that the sun had risen when I turn my head out the side it felt like every muscle in my body was stuck in place. I knew that my body is slow to wake up but I was never sore. Then again I ended up sleeping in a little ball which I'm sure isn't good for me. But I used to sleeping in a cramped cell with nightly trips from the Perv.

Damn, flashes of my captivity flashed before my eyes, but this is the first time in a while that I have had a night where I didn't wake up screaming on the top of my lungs. I know that it makes dad feel better to think that I might be getting better. But to me it feels like a lie, I'm not getting better I'm a long way from normal.

I felt my head loll to the side as a picture of my mom a brilliant white smile fell into my vision, man if she could see me what would she think. Would she tell me to stop moping around she would probably tell me to take my time to adjust? But I didn't want the time I wanted to be normal now. Man, why did they have to plan that cup, true I wouldn't be able to live with dad but mom would be alive? Aunt Riza would be alive. o

I sighed heavily with that depression though, "Happy birthday mom." I let my eyes slide closed as my voice filled the gaps of silence in my room. I must still have some time to sleep or else dad would have come to wake me up. Unless he is busy doing something else. "Hey what are you doing?" I snapped my eyes opened to see that Itachi was looking intently at me from the side of the bed. This amused look on his face as he poked my forehead.

I felt my eyebrows knit together as I frowned at him, but he just kept poking me in the head till I slapped his hand away causing him to laugh light heartily at me. "Don't do that Itachi it's annoying and I hate mornings."

He had this wide smile on his face as he sat on the ground next to the bed and tilted his head up looking at the picture on my nightstand. I watched his hand shaky grabbed the picture just staring at it intently. I'm sure that that picture along with this day made him feel guilty for what happened with mom and Riza back in the day.

"You know she would agree with your choice, to let me live with dad instead of being a traitor to the village or dead. She is even more proud if she knew that you talked me out of doing something stupid. That would bring disgrace to everything you worked for." I left my voice cut short as my mind went back to that one toxic thought of destroying the village.

I don't know how he lived in isolation and still work for Danzo still doing what he was told even though they made him kill his family. "What are you doing" I have a large slim finger jab me in the head. This small smirk on his face as he did it again before poking my cheek. "Itachi knock it off."

I growl angrily at him but that smug grin on his face told me that he had no intention to stop any time soon. "Or what" I sneered at him as I took in a large amount of air before yelling on the top of my lungs. "Dad! Itachi's bugging me." I looked at Itachi as this wide smile form on my face check and mate.

But as I looked up at my door I could see my mom's wild black hair and bright red eyes. I could see the joy in her eyes as she watched the two of us. But I am more shock that she isn't flipping out or having a cow.

"I asked him to wake you up, your father had to step out with Asuma for a bit, come on get up and get dressed you need to get to training." I nodded my head and watch her leave the room, but I could have sworn that I hear her laughing as she walked back down the steps.

I sat up in bed looking at Itachi who went back to looking at the picture of our mother, "Happy birthday mother." I could hear how much pain was in his voice as he stood and looked down at me depressed look in his eyes. "I have to go but I will see you." I nodded my head and watch him vanish into thin air just like the day at the lab. Alright well, I think that it was about time that I started my day.

I was walking down the streets there was this building sunlight hitting my face causing me to stumble. I don't think that it was the fact that the sun was bright but that I wasn't used to seeing the light. I let out a heavy sigh as I barely noticed the pole sitting in my path. As I quickly moved my way out if I let my eyes fall on each shop.

As I walked I could hear the whisper and shocked gasp of everyone around me, I'm sure that they didn't think that they would see me ever again. I'm sure that some of them hope for it but here I am back again. Other than my family no one really seemed aware of how long I was gone.

Which is fine by me but then don't talk about me when I am inching form you, my ears still work I didn't go deaf or blind while I was gone. I swear some people have no common sense.

I felt my feet stop short as I look at a building next to me. I knew it well it was a flower shop that I use to stop it with my mom when I was kids. I walked into the building taking in the walls to wall shelved of flower. Vibrate red rose, and lilies and blossom. I sighed as I took in the secret of pollen and rain. It was claiming here, I didn't feel like I was crawling out of my skin half the time.

"Sasuke" I knew the voice there was something familiar about the high pitch tone, something that racks against my nerves and sent shivers down my spine. When I turned my head there was Ino her long blond hair seemed to have grown longer in the few months and the dark colors of her clothes remind me of the flowers that were on display. I hope that this isn't awkward which of course she is. She almost seemed frozen in place.

I shook my head slightly was it really that big of a shock to her system to see me alive. Damn did anyone think that I was going to survive. "Hey, Ino. How have you been?" I rubbed the back of my neck gingerly as I tried to bring her back to her sense.

But her pale blue eyes were staring intently at me as I let out this sigh. I walk from her looking around the flower shop my mother loved Morning Glory flowers they were flowers with dark blue petals but towards the center of the flower was light purple. My mother always said that they remind her of the day that she met my father, even though it was before I found out the truth I always knew that she wasn't talking about my stepfather.

I looked around the shop but they didn't have any that I could see, this was going to suck that meant that I was going to have to talk to Ino and she seemed too shocked for words. I sigh and walk over to the counter tapping it lightly and that seems to bring her back to the world of the living. Her eyes blinked rapidly a few times and then they came back into focus.

"It really is you I heard talk and I wonder why Sakura and Kiba looked a lot happier than they usually do." I smiled to myself as I managed a polite nod."Yeah, they knew I wanted to keep it under wraps till everything with the Hokage was sorted. Do you have any Morning Glories"

I watched her head down as her thick blond bags cover her bright wide eyes. "I think so in the back garden hold on one sec." I nodded my head and waited for her to disappear into the back of the room before letting out a large sigh that I had been holding in. It was so weird she was so weird it's been awkward since I started a dating Sakura. Like I broke some unspoken rule between the two of them.

I heard the door open and the ringing of the bell, when I turn back I saw a man with long blond hair tied back in a ponytail and he had the same light blue eyes as Ino that must have been her father. I watched as he walked passed me moving behind the counter for a moment before his eyes widen. But not from shock but joy.

"Aren't you Kakashi kid right?" I nodded my head and this small smile formed on his face as the back door opened up. As I shifted my head I could see Into moving carefully into the room like she might break the flowers. But in her hand was a banquet of Morning Glory, in heard right hand. I smiled and I took some money out of my packet and she shook her head.

"No, keep it considered to a welcome home gift." I nodded my head and his smile wide at her. Maybe things weren't as awkward as I thought. "Thanks, Ino that is kind of you." I waved to her and then her father before walking tour the store.

I drifted towards the bridge, I dropped the flowers off to the grave but it seems so lonely when I left like I should have stayed the rest of the day but I couldn't blow off my first day back. When I was walking toward the bridge I felt my heart crawl into my throat. I looked at the two kids on the bridge.

I knew that the bright pink head was Sakura and seeing her now would make my heart crawl into my chest as it sped up. I smile wildly as I jogged over other pulling her into my arms. I caught her scent as the wind picked up. The smell of cherry blossom filled my nose as I kissed her cheek.

I felt this smile spread across my face as I she kissed my lips gently. "Are you two done." I hear a male voice called out to me as I turned around and see that my father was standing with Naruto. I let out a small sigh as I nodded my head untangled myself from her grasp. It time to start training.

The sun was setting when the training was over, Sakura and Naruto were gone and I was walking down the street with my father. He was humming to himself as we walked down the road. "How do you feel your ribs are hurting? Do you want to spend tomorrow in bed? It okay if you need more time." I don't know if it was the way that he shot off rapid-fire questions of the worried expression but something in my snapped taking offense.

"That's why you were taking it was on me. You know I did do training with that monster, I did what he told me to do which included learning how to improve my chi dior and I even learned how to use the katana."

I felt this smile form on his face as he nodded his head. "Yes, he was a great student." I looked up to see that there were Kabuto and the guy that grew bones out of his body what the hell was his name again. Jugo talked to him a lot I think that his name was. "Kimimaro"

I let the words slip out of my mouth before it was too late. He seemed wicked as he looked at me and then at my father. "Yes, and you are what the Lord seeks come along Uchiha."

I scoffed at him there was no way that was going to happen I'm not in the mood to have my life stolen from me again. I got into a fighting stance when I felt two people at my back. When I turn around my uncle and brother were standing there. When I turned back my mother was standing next to my father this sneer on her face. "If you think you are taking my boy then you will go through me." I watched her lips curl over my teeth as she let out wild sneer.

It forced a smile to my face them run away from me when they were gone I let out this sigh and started the walked back to the house it was going to be a long night. When I made it back to my house. I collapsed on the couch closing my eyes just listening to the sound of my parents arguing

That was when I heard a shift in my movement I think that I heard someone whisper. "You see mom today." I turned back to look at Itachi he has this small smile on his face as looked intently at me. "Yeah, I dropped off some morning glory flowers I know how much she loved them. How are you doing? You did go see her right?"

I looked at my brother he had this sad look in his eyes. "You have to go see her, please mom would want to see you." I rolled onto my side lifting my head up and resting it on my arm. I could feel emotion forming in my eyes as he looked at me. "Sasuke doesn't guilt me." I looked at him what the hell did he mean by that. "Please, mom would love it." I watched him sighed as he slowly stood. "Fine but be asleep but by the time that I come back." I watch him slowly walk away as my lids closed content for the first time in a while.