Hey everyone, it's me again today. Jess isn't feeling well, but she really wanted to update today because it's the ninth anniversary of her mother's death so it's a special day. I hope you all like the chapter 9beetter review or I'll kick your asses (just kidding, I promise I'm not like that)). Also, we've both been getting into HunterxHunter these days. We're more than fifty episodes in so it's actually very exciting and interesting. Thank a few friends for recommending it because we're trying to watch some good anime, but either way, I'm just glad we found something we're interested in. Still, Naruto is still our favourite, but without further ado, let's get on with the chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Naruto Shippuden. This is just for fun, no profit will be made from this (and I don't want to either). This is purely for my and the entertainment of Naruto fans.
Dedication: To my beautiful, amazing, intelligent, girlfriend Phillipa (Shadow Spirit Dragon-wolf) for being there for me through not only my writing (both fanfiction and my original story) but real life in general. You have been my inspiration and my support through everything.
Warnings: Violence, explicit sexual conduct (no rape!) homosexual relationship, relationship with a large age gap, struggles with belonging, self-hatred, obsession, self-harm, self-experimentation, human experimentation, mental disorders, a dark view of the "afterlife", (bonding of) pain and isolation, self-worthlessness, and male pregnancy.
Pairings: OroNaru, canon pairings (except, obviously, NaruHina).
Summary: Sometimes, the deepest scars are the ones no one can see, but in a world moving into the light even the oldest inner wounds can be seen
Enjoy! :)
Chapter Twenty-nine: Wreckage
Sasuke
A long pregnant pause falls then in an instant the wood on the floor is shattered in splinters and a large crater is formed at the contact point of my wife's fist. She pants, glaring up with tears streaming down her face, hand still in the center of the crater. The impact has caused a leg on our bed to break and everything on it to fall into lumps on the floor.
"Sakura-"
"Just don't!" she hisses, jerking her hand up and storming out.
I knew this wasn't going to be easy. I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose then make a shadow clone to take Sarada to Hinata while Sakura and I work this out.
I find my wife outside where she's jerking down the laundry from the clothes' line and throwing them into the basket.
"Sakura, please calm down."
She stops, glaring at me. "Calm down?! How can I 'calm down', Sasuke?! Does this not upset you?! Naruto is in love with that… that… freak!"
Anger boils within me when I hear her say that. I'm not sure where this is coming from. Orochimaru and I never got along. In fact, I should support my wife, but for some reason, I just… can't
I close my eyes for a moment. "We can be upset for the rest of our lives, but it changes nothing, Sakura. Naruto truly loves Orochimaru."
"How?!" she exclaims, punching a nearby tree.
"I'm not sure. I haven't asked."
"Why not?!"
"Because Orochimaru is extremely ill and Naruto is losing his mind over it."
"He already lost it being with that thing!"
"He's changed, Sakura."
"And that gives him the right to steal our friend?!"
"He needs to be killed!"
"We both know that can't happen, Sakura. Besides, this isn't about what we want. It's about what Naruto wants."
"Naruto wants Hinata! What the hell was he doing with that thing anyway?!"
"Helping him. You know how Naruto is. He wants to help everyone."
"Well, he doesn't deserve help."
"It's not your place to say, Sakura."
"So this is what you wanted to tell me?"
"And, that Orochi-"
"Not a chance."
"Sakura."
"I said no, Sasuke! I can't stand him! Just the sight of him, the mention of him…" she hisses, shaking as tears fall. "I can't do it. Please… there's Kabuto…"
"Kabuto is treating him. He can't figure out what's wrong."
"Then get Lady Tsunade."
"We've contacted her. She said until she can get there that you need to care for him. Isn't it a medical ninja's duty to treat all patients?" y
She glares at me. "Don't use that against me, Sasuke. That's not fair."
"No," I say, approaching her, "what's not fair is watching my best friend suffer because someone he loves is dying and my wife-the best medical ninja in the world-refuses to even look at him to figure out what's going on."
Her fists clench at her sides, more tears fall.
"I understand you're upset with him. I understand he makes you angry. I understand that you wish he didn't exist. You have every right. He hurt you. He took me from you and caused so much pain in this village. But we fought for peace. If we keep hating him, one day, he's going to bite back. Regardless of whether you see it or not, Orochimaru is human. I've seen the way he looks at Naruto and the fear in his eyes that he's going to be alone. They love each other. I don't know how it happened, but it did, it has. We must accept it. We have to. Otherwise, we're going to lose Naruto."
"So he'd choose him over us?" Sakura whispers, sniffing.
"I'm not sure, but I'm not going to put him in such a situation. I've hurt him enough and so have you."
Sakura looks down. "I-"
I place a finger under her chin, lifting her head until her eyes meet mine. "I know this is painful for you, but Naruto needs our support."
"I… I can't…" she whispers, pulling away. "I'm sorry."
"Sakura…"
"I just need to be alone right now," she says, heading back inside.
XXXX
Anko
I chew on a dango stick as I sit in my favourite café waiting for Tenzo. He finally shows up-twenty minutes late!
I place the stick down and frown up at him. "You're late."
"I know," he apologizes, waving the waitress over and ordering himself a cup of tea.
"Care to explain why?" I ask, grabbing another stick of dango.
"A lot of things have come up."
"Like?"
His tea comes and he takes a long sip before replying. "Orochimaru is back in the village."
I nearly choke on my sweet. "W-what? Since when?!"
"By now it's been about three weeks."
"Three weeks?!" I exclaim.
People give us looks.
Tenzo looks around, lowering his voice. "He's… ill."
I frown. "what's wrong with him?"
"Not sure. Kabuto can't even find out. The last time I was around them, Sasuke was going to talk to Sakura. I'm not sure if he convinced her or not."
"I see."
So Orochimaru-sensei is sick, huh? I feel an ache deep inside. I don't want him to be sick. Even after everything he's done-still does-I still care. I can't help it. He was the first person to accept me. He never turned me away. That was until…
I clench my fists. How could he do that to me?! I gave him everything! I would have given him the world! But I couldn't… I couldn't do that!
But now… now he's a different person. I can't even begin to imagine how much he's changed being with Naruto…
I'm not supposed to know about it. It's some S-rank classified mission that Naruto had put himself on with the mission from Lord Sixth. Originally, Tenzo had been trailing my former sensei then Naruto took the job of being his 'babysitter'. I only found out because Tenzo had stopped coming to see me and I wanted to know what he was up to. And, I wanted to know if the rumour I heard that there was a plot to kill Orochimaru-sensei was true.
First of all, if anyone is going to kill him, it's going to be me. And I know damn well he can't be killed. Second of all, he is my sensei and no one will hurt him!
It's been like this for me for years. And the fact he refuses to acknowledge me just makes it worse.
"How are you feeling?" Tenzo asks, breaking me out of my thoughts.
I shrug, taking a sip from the red bean soup can. "How am I supposed to feel?"
"Supposing and feeling are different things."
"And what about you?"
"I want to be there for Naruto."
"That's not surprising. How is he doing?"
Tenzo closes his eyes for a brief moment. "Awful."
"That sucks. I've always liked that kid."
"He's sweet."
"He's going to make someone very happy one day. Wait, doesn't that Hyuuga girl love him? What's her name…?"
"Hinata?"
"Yeah! She's been waiting for him for so long! I hope that-"
"Anko," Tenzo interrupts me.
I frown. "Yeah?"
"Naruto is with Orochimaru."
This time I do choke on a piece of dango. I finally get it down after some coughing, gagging, red bean soup, and tears.
"What?!"
"I'm not sure how it happened. But Naruto is head over heels in love with him."
"Wow. Just… wow. And Orochimaru-sensei… does he…?"
"I think so. I can't tell."
"I see."
"I think you need to talk to him. He goes in and out consciousness though."
"His illness must be pretty bad."
"I'd say."
"Do you think he'd want to talk to me?"
"I think he needs support."
Why should I care though? He's never cared. It was all an act. But if he's made Naruto fall in love with him then… perhaps… perhaps I can pull the broken pieces back. Not for the same picture, but for a better one. One where my sensei and I are happy.
I want to see him happy. Truly happy. Like he was when we first met or when he let me live with him for a few years and taught me more than just jutsu and ninja skills. I want that closeness again. Where I can tell him anything.
"He's going to think I'm disgusting."
"He's gained a lot of weight too."
"Huh."
Is he depressed too or is the illness causing it? I suppose I'll find out. I just hope he'll talk to me. No! I'll make him! He will know that I am not worthless! I am Anko Mitarashi! Student of Orochimaru, one of the Legendary Sannin! And I will show him that he has my support! He and Naruto both do!
Preview
Sakura
"Guys! I see something!"
"What?" I ask, looking up.
Suigetsu points to the screen. "See that?"
"The snakes and chakra? Yeah, we see that, Suigetsu," Karin scoffs.
"No! No! Look!" he exclaims, pointing to a certain spot.
"Is that…?"
"It's an egg!" Naruto exclaims.
Next update date: February 10th
I hope y'all enjoyed! Until next time :).
