Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Duh. I really should just cram 100 words in this space just so I don't have to feel bad about posting something that's less than 5000 words. I know, it's not my normal size, but I figure that you guys would forgive me since it's for the story purpose. I could go into more detail into the stuff at the end, but I really wanted to save it for the next chapter. So don't feel cheated, pleaseee? I know I'm just releasing once a week, but that's school life for you!
Also, for anybody paying attention, this is the Monkey chapter. Note all of the random acrobatics they do XP
Trial 10: Revelation
I need to scrub all this scummy crap off my face, it's itchy!
I just hope Sasuke's comfortable, it's a bit cold tonight.
Isn't there a washcloth anywhere in this damn inn? I should go ask the innkeeper...
...if she could turn the heat up a bit so Sasuke can sleep well.
DAMN IT! Ever since we got home, my mind has been pretty much obsessed over the bastard. I've been trying for the past hour to make it change the subject. I've tried counting my leftover kunai in my head, planning ahead for the next Trial, meditating, even (can't believe I'm admitting this!) masturbating! The last one was a complete failure, seeing as it took about thirty seconds into it before Sasuke was on my mind again.
Of course, it hasn't helped that I've read that Out Magazine front to back. Now I know more than I would ever want to know about gay sex, and then some. I said to Sasuke that we can only understand each other through our fists, but that is definitely NOT what I had in mind! No, that's scary as hell sounding! What's making me curious is the "vanilla" stuff, not the crazy BDSM, dominant/submissive parts. It was embarrassing to read through it while thinking of doing these things to Sasuke, but I figure that there's no harm in it.
Nothing's gonna come out of it, anyway.
Before I seem like a super pervert, I wanna clear something up. I swear, I do not think of screwing Sasuke every single moment we're around each other. Whether we're together or apart, I'm thinking about how he's doing, like, his well-being or whatever. I did the same thing when I was chasing him around, but it's weirder now. Seriously, I know how he is! I live with him! So, brain, shut the fuck up. He's fine! Let me wash my face in peace!
He's already getting into the futon by the time I find a washcloth and get out of the bathroom. Hey, he doesn't wear a sweatshirt to bed usually.
"Are you cold? I could go get the temperature turned up, if you want," I stop myself before I start asking a billion questions about how I could help him. I have a warmer sweatshirt, I could find more blankets, some tea would be good, I could make some food to go with that, should I make breakfast tomorrow- Gah, Fuckin A!
"I'll be fine once you get in," S-Sasuke, uh...heh? Our futons are together for some reason.
"Um, ah, I'll be getting in," Captain Obvious, this is mission control. Would you like to make your blush any brighter? We think "total tomato" may be a bit too subtle. Let's go for "red beacon you can see from space!"
"I figured that you're a human heater, so I wouldn't have to bother the innkeeper," Human Heater? Man, that's a really lame super hero name! Well, duty calls, so I start getting into bed.
"Take off your clothes, dobe,"
Haa? HAA? Right now? Really? Look, I'm not prepared whatsoever! We don't have anything for lube, and I'm still in my orange jumpsuit, so it-
Oh, fuckin A.
"What was that?" Gotta clear things up in my head! I can't sleep if I keep getting over-excited by stupid little things.
"I said take off your dirty clothes and get changed into actual sleep clothes. Pay more attention, usuratonkachi. I don't like repeating myself," It's a damn good thing that he did, though.
"Oh, duh! Of course! Sorry," Scrambling out of the futon, I run and strip at the same time. Once I'm down to my boxers, I throw a t-shirt and pajama pants on. I'm not sure why, but Sasuke's already completely covered in blankets.
"Well, I'm coming," My feet stop in their tracks, "In," No, wait! "To sleep!" Only Sasuke can scoff at me from underneath a blanket and somehow manage to make me feel like the stupid one. I backhand his shoulder before crawling into my side of the blankets.
Is he technically cuddling me? Or am I cuddling him? No, it can't be me, since I'm on my back. He's the one who's curling into me! I just happened to have my arm out when he decided to put his head on it. Satisfied that I'm not guilty of anything, I try to pull away without waking him up. Thing is, the only way I can do that is by sliding my hand past the back of his head. For only the third or so time that I can remember, I get to feel his thick, black hair. I've pet bunnies that didn't feel this soft! They didn't smell as nice, either.
Move along, idiot brain, or he'll wake up! I lower his head onto his pillow and skitter over to the bathroom. I'm just getting under the shower head when a loud slam comes from the other room, followed by a desperate-sounding woman's voice. Hey, that sounds a bit like-
"Naruto, get out here. It's Shizune. Something's going on," I figured it was Shizune, but I hope Tsunade's alright! I do get out there, but all I can throw on is a towel around my waist. Now I know how Sasuke felt (Hint, hint: Not too good.)
"Is this about Tsunade or the next Trial?" Poor Shizune, she looks like she rolled out of bed and was sent straight over to here.
"Tsunade-sama told me that this was to be a Trial, but it's much more important than that!" As a nervous tic, she keeps furrowing and unfurrowing her brow. She should've brought Tonton along, hugging her normally keeps Shizune calm.
"Is there a reason you're panicking instead of telling us what's going on?" I should punch Sasuke for being rude, but I want her to get to the point, too.
"It's Shikamaru! He's been arrested by the elders for mutiny. He's being held in Konoha Prison's sixth block, cell 24." Sasuke cringes when he hears where the bastards locked Shikamaru.
"That was the block over from mine. I still remember the screams," Fuckin' A! We need to go save him right the hell now!
"That block is reserved for the criminally insane, but the elders insisted on placing him there! He'll get killed if you don't get him out!" I hold her shoulders to try to steady her. She coughs and thanks me. Shizune and Shikamaru worked pretty close together during the war, so I'm not surprised that she's worried about him as a friend.
"So, that's why I'm here. Tsunade assigned this as a make-shift Trial in place of whatever the elders had planned. She doesn't know why the elders wanted to put him away, so she wants you to get him out," Jailbreak? Sweet! Except, when I look to see Sasuke's reaction, he looks haunted by the idea of going back to the place where he was imprisoned. I let go of Shizune and place my hands on both sides of Sasuke's face.
"If you want, you could just keep lookout on the roof with one of my clones. I won't make you go in there," Sasuke shakes his head slightly, so I can feel my callused hands graze over his smooth skin. He's like me, I guess, since I don't get any facial hair, either.
"You need me for navigation, at the very least. There are certain blocks that suppress chakra, and others that set off an alarm when chakra is detected. I spent most of my time memorizing the whole prison system."
"You were planning to escape, weren't you! Sly bastard, why didn't you?" He probably would have been able to escape within a month!
"I had a plan for getting out, but I had none for what I would do afterward. Being in jail gave me some time to be introspective and alone. When I didn't want to be alone anymore, and I hadn't heard from you at all, that's when it became a problem," His gaze lowers away from mine, and a pang of guilt makes it's way through my chest and up to my throat. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry...
"You don't have to forgive me for that, you know. Not that I ever thought you would, I'm just saying-"
"I did already, dobe. Now let go of me, you're making Shizune uncomfortable," I'm touching your face, Sasuke, so shouldn't you be the uncomfortable one?
"Heh, sorry," My hands fall to my sides and I sheepishly grin at Shizune. Don't think I can't see that blush, missy! What kind of thoughts are you having, hm?
"You guys should go!" That's weird, we're all going to Konoha, aren't we?
"Aren't you coming with us?" Sasuke always manages to ask the question while I'm thinking it in my head. Damn it, I'm not slow!
"Tsunade thinks they might send some people here for you, so I'm going to stay here as your cover," Man, that old hag always thinks about every possibility. I should get better at doing that if I'm going to be the next Hokage!
"Alright, we'll be going, then!"
"Put clothes on first, dobe," Hey, you weren't bothered by it, earlier! In fact, didn't you look down at one point? Ha!
"Nah, I'll just go like this and make all of the guards pass out from blood loss! See, I can make plans, too!" He pushes me (I'm laughing my ass off) and slaps me on my bare back. I yell, but I still chuckle until I'm in the bathroom. I get changed into my normal orange jumpsuit and walk back out.
"Dobe, for once in your life, try to attempt to be sneaky. Wear black," But that's, like...(what's the word?), sacrilegious or something!
"If it pleases you, sire," It's nice to get a jab in every once in a while. I sift through the supply boxes until I find something acceptable. Once I'm in the bathroom again, I pull off my normal clothes and shove on a sleeveless, skin-tight, black ANBU shirt. The pants aren't regulation, but they're black cargoes, so they're close enough.
"Hey, you aren't wearing black!" Normally, his eyes would look down at his own white shirt. Instead, they seem to be glued to my bared arms. For a split second, they slide over the places where my shirt defines my chest and abs. Damn, I should've looked in a mirror, 'cause I bet I look real good.
"I have the ability to sneak when necessary. In a glaring orange jumpsuit, you don't even have the option," Point taken.
"Fine! Let's just go already! Shikamaru's waiting for us, we don't have time to be playing dress-up!"
"We're off, then," Sasuke turns to Shizune, who's making a pot of tea in our kitchen, "Don't let them take you, too. I don't want to go back there more than once."
"I can take care of myself, Uchiha-san," I've seen her fight. Her poisons are scary as hell!
"I believe you," That's probably the closest to a compliment anybody will ever get out of him, so I hope she's happy. With goodbyes out of the way, we leave to go break our friend out of prison.
Sneaking around my own village is one of the creepiest feelings. It's like I'm an actual traitor, you know? Now, I'm doing this on orders and because it's a Trial, but it's still illegal! I used to do the occasional prank and vandalism, but I never wanted to land in a cell. Just thinking about it is making me feel (What is that term, it has something to do with claws, right? Whatever!) really uncomfortable. The wooden walls seem too close together, and the smelly dumpster is just totally noisome (There, since I didn't know the last big word, I'll use a different one!)
"Are you listening to me, dobe?" Hey, just because I'm on the look out for anybody coming past this alley doesn't mean I'm not paying attention to your plan, Sasuke.
"Heard you loud and clear, Saucy. We go in, find the nearest vent system, crawl around the alarmed areas, pop out, throw Shikamaru into a reverse-summoning scroll, then ditch the place. None of that explains why I'm wearing black."
"For the last time, it's because we need to be ninjas for this to work!" He slugs me in the gut, "And what the hell, Naruto? Saucy? Stick with teme if you don't want to be eating your own leg."
"Whatever you say," It's all I can get out through coughing and laughing at the same time.
"Shut up and get ready to go in," Teme grabs our bags and throws them in the nearby dumpster.
"Sheesh! Who made you the leader? Shikamaru's my friend, last time I checked!" I could complain for longer, but Sasuke's already transforming into the agreed form. It sucks! I wear black, and yet we have to transform into little mice for this first run. Why not a centipede, or a fly, something that can go faster and people pay less attention to? What about anything else that's cooler than stupid mice? I asked him that on the way here, and he said something about not knowing the "logistics" of how a fly's body or a centipede's body is constructed. We did mice in the Academy, so he probably figured that's all I would know how to do. Man, if I can transform myself into a hot chick, I think I can make myself into a spider!
Still, Sasuke squeaking orders will be great teasing fuel for later.
"Follow me, dobe," Actually, a black and white mouse with Sasuke's normal voice is hilarious by itself! I should get Killer Bee to transform some time so he can rap as something stupid looking. I'll save that idea for later, since Sasuke would kill me if I didn't pay attention. I get it, this is a Trial, and our friend is in danger. That doesn't make this any less fun for me!
We skitter over to the opening side of the door and curl up in wait until we find an opportunity to slide in. Some random guard walking out for his lunch break lets us in eventually. There are way too many guards in this first room, but Sasuke ducks us into a nearby hallway before we're detected. We have to crawl through grates and wires blocking the outside rooms from the first cell block, but our little bodies squeeze past easily.
The next part of the plan is to find a vent big enough for our normal bodies to crawl through. Now where the hell would they need one of those?
Shit! Three female guards are marching towards us side-by-side. If they see us, their shrieks will alert the whole damn prison!
With his teeth, Sasuke yanks my ear towards a door that's swinging open. As fast as our little legs can, we scurry into what ends up being an empty bathroom.
"Stand up on your hind legs on three," Sasuke says the counts, and I rear up. In a flash, he uses my head as a jumping platform, swings up on sink pipes, and digs his claws into the hanging paper towels. It starts unfurling, but Sasuke manages to jump onto the faucet. He leaps from faucet to faucet, turning all of them on purposefully. For his finishing move, he springs up and pushes in the air dryer button. Under the noisy cover, he and I undo the transformation with a pop and cloud of smoke. He casually turns off the faucets and produces a black marker, some paper, and a roll of tape from his weapons pouch.
"Write 'Do Not Enter, Leaking Pipes' on this and tape it on the door," I don't even glare at him for ordering me around before I scrawl the note. While I do that, he double-checks the stalls for hiding chicks. Yeah, this is the women's restroom, all right. There aren't any urinals, and I'm not dying from the smell.
"It's not the vent I expected us to use, but there is one in here. We'll use it," I follow his voice into the last stall.
"The handicapped stall? That's kinda wrong, don't you think?" He's getting in ahead of me so he can lead us in the right direction, so I just hold the vent cover for him.
"We don't have time to worry about political correctness. Get in and put the cover back on behind you."
"Sheesh, you don't have to be so forceful," Why not yank his chain when I can, right?
"Tch. Don't go too far, dobe," he somehow glazes over the first innuendo with another one without making it seem like he noticed. That's some fucking skill right there! If I wasn't at least attempting to be sneaky, I would've burst out laughing. Instead, I jump up into the ceiling vent and replace the cover behind me, as I was told to do. It's a vertical climb for a while, but we easily stick to the metal walls with chakra. A turn here, a turn there, I follow Sasuke in total darkness. Thanks to his Sharingan, the bastard can see just fine.
"Alright. We're almost there," Though Sasuke's whispering, it bounces off the metal walls and sounds much louder than it should, "Are you ready for your part?"
"Yeah, no problem here."
"Good, because here's the opening for Shikamaru's cell block," Slivers of light come through the vent opening that Sasuke crawls over. After listening to a second, we figure that no one's around. Quickly but quietly, I pull the vent opening off and pop my head through the opening.
"It's clear," Standard ninja procedures – I follow them. Sometimes.
"Get down there. His cell should be three cells to your left."
Taking the cover with me, I slide out of the opening, flip forward once, and land on my feet silently. After handing the grate back to Sasuke, I run to find Shikamaru's cell.
Oh, whoops. I forgot part of the plan. I was supposed to be on the look-out for keys we can steal. I've seen people pick locks with senbon needles, but I never learned how to do it. I don't have any time to waste being embarrassed about my mistake, so I get back to Sasuke pronto.
"Oi, do you know how to pick locks?"
"Dobe, you were supposed to-"
"I know, I know. We didn't have time!" It takes a lot of self-control to keep my voice down, but somehow I do.
"Yeah. I made a back-up plan in case you fucked up, anyway," Oh, I see how it is. Asshole!
I nearly get brained by the vent cover falling down on me, and then again by Sasuke coming out of the vent. Heh, his bangs flew up and flailed around when he was falling, I just love it when they do that.
He finds the cell himself and stands in front of it. Suddenly, a black flame starts burning the the metal locks. They get white-hot, and soon turn all melty, like some gross kind of ice cream. He pulls back his Amaterasu and opens the door.
"Oh, it's you guys," This lazy bastard's staring at the stone ceiling as if it were the sky! It's like he doesn't even give a damn that he's in jail!
"Were you expecting anyone else?" I wanna be able to make come-backs as fast as Sasuke. I need to start practicing that right away! I mean, after we save Shikamaru, of course.
"Not really. I wouldn't want Ino or Chouji to risk coming in here, and I think Tsunade knows that. So, logically, she sent you two."
"Everything always has to be so damn logical, huh?" I hate those "It's a genius thing", uh, things. However, I'm teasing him as a fellow reformed Academy loser.
Shikamaru glances over to me, then back to Sasuke, "No, sometimes it's just common sense," What is that supposed to mean?
"We'll have time to talk later. For now, prick your finger and sign this scroll," Sasuke flips open my weapon pouch and grabs the reverse-summoning scroll. Shikamaru slides it open, bites his thumb, then uses the blood to write his name on the scroll. Sasuke does a few hand seals and slams his hand on the scroll. Shikamaru disappears from his cell and is successfully freed from prison! Hell yeah!
"Now us," That's what Sasuke says, but we both hear the guards approaching.
"Shit, I didn't know they would get alerted when someone gets summoned out!" We flew out of that cell and disappeared down the next hallway. We heard the guards coming from that direction.
"Here!" There's a cell without a name outside the door! No one's in it! It's not even locked, so I rip it open and throw us into it. The guards go screaming by, since they all think they should be looking for someone who left the prison. Do they really have such dumb asses working to guard dangerous criminals? Man, just another thing I need to change when I become Hokage! I need to get these guys trained up ASAP!
And what the hell are they thinking, letting the inmates come out right now? It must be lunch time, since that's what that guard was going out for earlier. Shouldn't they be in lock-down mode? Sasuke and I stare out the little cell window, waiting for the inmates to pass us by. When they're gone, he turns around and finds the light switch. I keep looking out, just in case, but that doesn't last for long.
"Alright, don't panick," I'm telling myself more than Sasuke, "We'll just wait until things cool down, then do our scrolls. Right?"
"Why?" Judging by his tone, he isn't asking me to explain the plan.
"What's the – Whoa!" Dobe, dobe, dobe, usuratonkachi, Naruto. The walls are carved up with my name, over and over again. It's on the floors, the walls, even the low ceiling. There's only one person who could've done this.
"Your cell? This was yours?"
"I never got to see it, to be honest. I couldn't take off my blindfold."
For an entire year, Sasuke was in this very cell. Since he couldn't see it, he had to feel it with his other senses. I can picture him here, crawling on the floors and marking them up with my name. Wherever he could lay his hands, he wrote to me.
He was calling out to me. And I failed him.
I wasn't there when he needed me this desperately. The guilt hits me like a kunai to the heart, or his fist through my chest (pangs pierce through that healed wound, now more than ever before.)
"It's all I could think to do, other than dread my hair. I didn't realize how much I carved," Why won't you look at me when you're talking, Sasuke?
Hell, I wouldn't look at me.
My fingers brush over the rough grooves that Sasuke put in the walls, spelling my name. Though I'm late, I need to answer them. Now.
"I'm here now, Sasuke. I know it doesn't make up for that, but-"
"You didn't owe me. Before you saved me from death row, you had already saved my life. I knew when I was sitting in here that I wouldn't even be alive without you. It was a simple fact," Do I really deserve that credit?
"I could've done more. Not just when you left, but before then. You were right, I was a naïve idiot. I should've helped you," My tracing hand curls into a fist against the wall.
"That's what you're doing now, isn't it?"
Now? The present. Sasuke's talking about the present. That's obvious, I know, but I didn't notice something until he said it. It's just hard to believe.
Sasuke has moved on, and yet . . . He's still with me. It's everything I'd hoped for since I heard about his desire for revenge. His sanity is in check, he's in Konoha, and he even helps out my friends. At this very second, he's helping me accomplish my dream.
This isn't the boy who I used to fight with. This guy, no, this man (When did he make the transition, huh? When did I?) is none other than Uchiha Sasuke.
He has a bunch of things that he hates, and very few things that he likes. He doesn't have just an ambition anymore, now he can have dreams. He specifically likes tomatos and hates natto. If he doesn't spend some time outside, he gets pissy. He absolutely has to sleep on his right side. He's a bastard, a teme, and an asshole.
But you know what? I'm in love with him anyway.
"Dobe?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you."
I'll never know if Sasuke expected it. He might have been turning when I took him by the shoulders. Then again, it took him a moment to react.
Whatever. All that matters is that he's kissing me back.
Before anybody says it, I know the word claustrophobic. Naruto though, who knows! And yes I know, I'm such a cocktease, even to myself. Damn it, I want the good stuff fuuu!
Oh yes, I realize this one is ridiculously shorter than most. Looks like I just manage to post once a week now that school's in, so bleh. I'm writing during school, even. Random note, New Year's Day by U2 came up while I was writing this last part, so if you feel like listening to that while reading it, it sort of fits the atmosphere.
I decided to also give reviewer shout-outs to beef up the word count and to repay you guys back for a short, yet pivotal, chapter XP
By the way, I don't know if I ever explained this, or needed to explain it, but for cyber popcorn * that is the popcorn and ~ is the butter/steam. Lol, just thought I'd clear that up.
To Mabutashi: You need to tell me which part seems like FF7, because it's super awesome that anything even remotely reminds you of such an awesome game. And I apologize for the contact high (not really XP) I hope you like my story, here's some cyber popcorn: *~*~*~*
To moopad: Baa Baa Black sheep XP Thanks for covering my ass for plot holes! I try to avoid them, but who cares that much about a fan fiction having inconsequential plot holes? Who's going to go OMFG WHERE'S THE GOAT, BITCH! WHERE! And thanks for liking the Trials. There are going to be some chapters after the Trials, so look forward to them I guess! *~*~* I'm thinking of taking requests since I like my reviewers so much .
To Hoshimi Mika: An hour? I wish I could read fan fics that fast :( lol *~*~* cyber popcorn for you !
To Emirri: I found this review particularly ironic, since you were commending me for taking it slowly when I had planned for this chapter to be the "confession" chapter XP *~*~* I hope that's slow enough for you!
To jinto22: I love regular reviewers, and you're a really great one. I'm half tempted to take one-shot (SasuNaru or NaruSasu) from regular reviewers...after the Trials are done, of course! -whistles innocently and hands you cyber popcorn *~*~*-
To maxridelover: Does your name imply Maximum Ride, the book series? If it does, sweet, I made my book club do those books when I was in middle school XP James Patterson is effin amazing as a writer. Hey, cool hat -takes it and gives you cyber popcorn in return *~*~*-
To Cogasha: I extend the same thing I said to jinto and moopad to you, since you all seem to review a lot. You and a few others XP Thanks for all the awesome reviews *~*~*
To kilala-hunters: I especially wanna thank you for sticking around for so long 0-0 Ah, fuck it, I'll extend the request thing to anybody who asks, since I can't keep track even of who my regulars are. I have so frikken many now it's blows my brains. You always remember your first, though! Love you! *~*~*
to xXxvirtuosoxXx: I'm glad that you're even happy when I update, though I feel bad for making it less often than it was supposed to be originally. I mean, damn, right? However, I hope you like this chapter XP *~*~*
to Dashel: I'm glad I'm not the only pervert who noticed -wink- lol. And yet another person who's like "Little touches? Me likey" and yet here's this chapter and SHEBANG. I had this planned out since the beginning but now you guys are making me feel like I rushed it XP
SUPER CYBER POPCORN FOR EVERYONE ELSE BECAUSE DAMN I GOTTA GO SOMEWHERE! *~*~*~*~*~*~* I LOVE YOU GUYS ALMOST AS MUCH AS I LOVE NARUTO AND SASUKE BEING TOGETHER! FOR ALL MY READERS STILL IN SCHOOL, I'M SUFFERING WITH YOU!