Konnichi wa!
OH MY GOODNESS! YOU GUYS REALLY LOVE THIS STORY! –laughs- You all are reviewing faster than I'm typing this up!
Thank goodness I wrote on ahead, otherwise I'd be in BIG TROUBLE! XD
210 reviews! ALREADY! OMG!
I LOVE YOU GUYS!
Wow… -laughs- the 100 reviews mark seems so long ago…
But in reality it's been only – like what? – two weeks?
Wow again… -blushes- All of you are really great! I can't get over it!
But I need to give myself some leeway for updating…
But don't worry! It's not that back!
Every two days, I will update! So! If I updated on Wednesday… then the next time I update would be on Friday!
See? Not that bad! XD
Besides, I need to pay attention to my other stories – they're all planning to kill this one… -sweatdrop-
But don't worry! I won't let them! –shields story-
OH! AND SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE 200TH REVIEWER!
At the end of the chapter.
Ja ja till the end! –waves-
Treacherous Heart
Chapter Twenty-Six – Memorial
Okay, how're we going to do this? Sasuke asked himself as he settled in the rafters of an abandoned building on the edge of downtown Konoha. I need to make it subtle. I won't get anywhere by tearing the place down – I'm already on bad terms with enough of the village as it is. He pinched his nose in thought, scrunching up his face. Okay, let's think this over. If I DID bust Kabuto out, who would be the first one to realize it was me?
Kakashi – he's the only one who knows the relationship between me and Kabuto.
He nearly hissed in disgust, his right eye twitching.
Uh… no. NEXT!
And if a deal needed to be made with the Godaime, who would she listen to?
The only people that I can think of are Kakashi and Jiraiya. But the fucking perverted toad sage hates me. He won't listen to a word I say. And I don't know WHAT Naruto and Sakura have been up to… I haven't seen Naruto since the Valley of End, and I haven't seen Sakura since I knocked her out before leaving for Sound. He sighed. Besides, I wouldn't trust either of them with this. Sakura would screw things up with her ridiculous feelings – which she probably still has, knowing her – and Naruto would blow my cover by opening his big dobe mouth. Kabuto's LIFE hangs in the balance – I can't afford to make a mistake!
But I don't know anyone else who could help me…
Except…
A picture of a gray-headed man popped into his mind, and he nearly groaned aloud.
Kakashi!
Kakashi instantly realized something was different the moment he stepped on the path headed for the memorial stone.
He didn't realize WHAT was different until he arrived.
All he saw for a moment was black – a shimmering wave that rippled shining white in the wind.
He didn't see who it belonged to – he didn't need to.
"It's not like you to be so thoughtful," he said to the other when he saw the group of white orchids placed carefully at the head of the stone.
"We are all equal in death," came the soft reply, the other not turning to face Kakashi. "But these people, however…" he raised an elegant hand as Kakashi neared, running light, caressing fingertips over the engraved names. "These people did something to be remembered on something other than their tombstone. But it's pathetic." His voice suddenly became harsh and bitter. "When you look at this stone, you believe it will last forever. That these names – these people – the actions that they have done – will be remembered for all time. But it is a worthless memorial. Not at all eternal. Deep inside your mind – you know it – you know that eventually – through the wind and rain and destruction – that this stone will fade, crumbling at the earth's touch. And thus, the names – the stories – will be forgotten. And yet... you refuse to believe it, even as you watch the writing fade before your eyes – you're still blind. Worthless."
Kakashi blinked slowly.
"A bit angsty today, aren't we?" He asked. But he couldn't shake the fact of how right the other was.
He's right. Eventually – Rin and Obito WILL fade.
And that's one of the few things that frightened him terribly.
No. I promised I would remember forever.
The other didn't even bother to glance at him – he continued to gaze at the stone.
"You should know. But you can't deny it – you have people that you seek to remember for all time, but as the days go on, your heart heals and you find yourself slowly forgetting about them. Before you know it, they're gone from your mind entirely, and you're just left to weep at the loss."
There was silence for a moment. The other began to speak again.
"Your friends – Rin and Obito – they are here. Many of your family's names are here on this stone. However, there is one… important name missing." He took his hand away from the black stone after running his fingers down it once more. "Your father…" he turned, and Kakashi stared into wide, consuming black eyes that threatened to suck in his very soul if he let them. "White Fang…"
Kakashi blinked.
"How did you…?" He trailed off. Sasuke turned back to look at the deep obsidian stone.
"Why didn't I see it before?" He asked quietly, not looking at Kakashi. His fingers caressed the stone once more – barely a feather's touch. "All the pain you hide everyday – all the darkness in your heart – it's so obvious – but…" He sighed inaudibly. "I was blind."
"When?" Kakashi asked quietly. Sasuke's long black waterfall was still to him.
"I found out quite recently – just now, in fact. There's a blank spot here…" he leaned down – his hair slipping around his back and over his shoulder, trailing down his outstretched arm. He ran a finger across a spot near the base of the stone. "There's just enough room for your name. I wonder…" he straightened up and turned to look at Kakashi, the dark black eyes wide and intense and controlling. "If they did that because they expected you to die a glorious death."
"That might be," Kakashi admitted, fighting the shudder that wanted to drag down his spine at the gaze Sasuke was giving him – so deep and intense and powerful in a way even greater than the Sharingan. "I've had a lot to live up to."
Sasuke smirked at him, his eyes losing none of that intensity.
"Do you think you've lived up to it?" He asked as Kakashi trusted the teenager enough to let himself go closer. The Jounin shrugged.
"I think so – but who am I to judge?" Sasuke's eyes narrowed and he gave Kakashi a condescending look before discreetly moving the flowers to the edge of the stone.
"You should be one to judge – you're the one whom your life belongs to. You should make it satisfactory for yourself."
At the certain flash that crossed Sasuke's eyes – eyes that perfectly matched the stone portraying so much death and sadness but as eternal as the stone wasn't – Kakashi sighed.
"I knew it – you're not here just because you want to be." He straightened his head and looked at the Uchiha. His voice – against his will – came out hard and bitter. "It's Kabuto, isn't it?"
Sasuke smirked.
"You of all people should know what he has done for me," he replied. "I would have gone insane in Sound if it wasn't for him."
Not taking into account that you were quite possibly already insane for even GOING to Sound in the first place, of course. Kakashi thought dryly.
"Yes – he even gave himself up for you," Kakashi breathed. He fought down the urge to gulp. "That was very noble." Sasuke's smirk widened – he knew what Kakashi was feeling.
JEALOUSY –
"Can you get any more bitter, Kakashi?" He asked tauntingly.
"You know Kabuto's in prison, I presume?"
"Duh – of course."
"Then why haven't you tried to get him out?"
"I'm not an animal, Kakashi." The Jounin blinked as Sasuke set his right hand on his opposite shoulder, wrapping his left arm around his waist, underneath his bent elbow as he surveyed Kakashi impatiently. "I'm not the type to just start a war with an entire village by blowing up a dungeon. There's more of a discreet way to do it." Kakashi smiled slyly.
"Such as?" Sasuke gave him a mocking smirk.
"It would ruin all the fun if I told you what I had in mind, now wouldn't it?" He asked. Kakashi rolled his eyes.
"Well, you wouldn't let your presence be detected if you could do this yourself," he commented knowingly. "What do you want me to do?"
The answer was immediate.
"Make sure Kabuto doesn't get killed," Sasuke replied sharply. "You can tell Tsunade I'm here if you like, but make CERTAIN that he doesn't die."
"And what will you do in return?"
"I saved you from death and a life of prostitution!" Sasuke spat venomously. "THAT, is what I did in return!"
Kakashi smiled.
"What if I could get some motivation to convince Tsunade to drop the charges?" He asked, pressing closer to the Uchiha. Sasuke raised a disbelieving eyebrow.
"You can't do that – Kabuto has a solid case against him – Tsunade won't just drop the charges!"
"I'm assuming you're not going back to Sound?"
The question first struck Sasuke as sudden, but he recovered quickly, surveying the Jounin.
"And why do you ask that?" He asked carefully. Kakashi shrugged.
"You have nothing left for you there – I was thinking maybe…" he took another step forward, the black stone at Sasuke's back. "I could arrange a deal."
Sasuke's eyes turned sharp – he suspected something.
"What kind of deal?" He replied warily. Kakashi's visible eye quirked upwards.
"It would ruin all the fun if I told you what I had in mind, now wouldn't it?" He answered smoothly. Sasuke's eyes immediately turned sharp.
"Don't you go shoving words down my throat –"
Sasuke's upper back was pressed against the black stone, the back of his knees sandwiched between the square rock that made the base of the memorial and Kakashi's legs, fighting against buckling under the stress of the 45 degree angle his back was in – his entire upper torso was trembling slightly with the strain.
Gravity and the weight of a 170-pound man pressed flush against him with all the power he possessed didn't help matters.
"Do you want him out or not?" Kakashi asked, his tone all business, pressing against the Uchiha as the awkward position the teenager was in forced their hips together. He hands were holding the middle of Sasuke's back, cradling him without offering any support. His hands were warm on the Uchiha's back. Sasuke glared at him, succeeding in fully ignoring the friction their lower torsos were creating.
"What, have you lost your balls?" Sasuke snarled angrily as he set his hands on the stone behind him in hopes of supporting himself, making Kakashi blink. "You were never so beat-around-the-bush before – why don't you just come out and say that the only thing you want out of this is to fuck me?"
Because one part of you is absolutely DYING to hear it –
NO!
Kakashi shifted above him, staring into the pitch black orbs that matched perfectly with the stone behind him as hate-laced tones rang through his ears.
"All right – let's say I DID say it," he began letting his lips draw closer to Sasuke's. "And let's say I DID want to fuck you." A large, warm hand pressed up at Sasuke's back, bringing him barely a fraction of an inch closer to the body above him but not giving any sort of support whatsoever. As Kakashi realized that the length of his hand – from his outstretched thumb all the way to the tip of his pinky – covered the width of Sasuke's powerful back, he understood once more how petite the love of his life really was. His one gray eye didn't leave the black ones staring up – with just a little bit of fear? – at him. With an inward smile, he leaned even closer, letting his breath caress the other's parted lips. "Would you refuse the advance?"
Sasuke's eyes widened slightly as he felt Kakashi's hand trail upwards from his back to his face, gently cupping his cheek as the other hand braced the Jounin above him. Kakashi's lips ghosted over Sasuke's, but didn't yet touch.
There was silence for a moment as the Uchiha looked up at him, his face uncontrollably heating up with the touch. The callused skin was soft – strangely soft and gentle. The breath caught in his throat and he fought from swallowing. Kakashi's one gray eye seemed to steal into the teenager's soul, and a part of him jumped at the feeling. His breath quickened, and Kakashi leaned forward.
"Would you refuse the advance?"
For one moment, Sasuke's heart took control of his mouth, and his eyelids fluttered closed.
"No…"
End Chapter Twenty-Six – Memorial
Teehee. A bit of a teaser for all of you! XD
Notes on the chapter: It was much longer than I planned it to be…
All for you, my dear reviewers.
But really – thank you all so much! YOU MAKE EVERYTHING WORTH IT!
And my 200th reviewer was: Alchemist of the Flame!
So, she gets a special dedication ONESHOT! WOOHOO!
Please tell me the oneshot details via sugar-coated reviews! Any Sasuke pairing is eligible!
I HOPE YOU ALL LIKED THIS CHAPTER!
And please review! I would like… -thinks- 223!
KYAH! And once again – THANK YOU!
Ja ne!
DDB