As I had predicted, Sasuke was bitten by Orochimaru during the second round of the Chunin exams. Unalarmed when they brought me the news, I simply walked my way over to where I knew Kakashi would be sealing the curse mark after Sasuke's victory against his opponent in the preliminaries. I remember my own Chunin exams all those years ago. How nostalgic. Clearing my mind as I entered the place where Kakashi had sealed the curse mark on Sasuke, I entered into the conversation just as it was beginning, listening to all that Orochimaru had to say.
His voice was rather irksome to listen to as it had a feeble tone to it, yet it dripped with venomous sarcasm and guile at the same time. He explained his reasoning for wanting Sasuke, that he desired to have the Sharingan for himself in order to make himself stronger than all others. If his focus was on Sasuke, then it was possible that Orochimaru had already attempted to take the Sharingan from Itachi but had failed, and thus decided that I was also an unsuitable target.
Kakashi swore that he would kill Orochimaru if he dared try to take Sasuke, but something about Orochimaru's posture told me that he had no intention of taking Sasuke today. That's right. Sasuke will eventually go to him, there was no way around it. Still, I could not simply stand by in silence, so I continued walking forwards, stepping into the light and allowing my footfalls to be heard. "Hm? Oh my, how fortunate. Two Uchiha in one place? This must be my lucky day." Ignoring Orochimaru I passed him without a single glance, startling Kakashi who stretched out a hand to warn me.
"Don't get too close!"
"I am not afraid." Responding softly I went to Sasuke and lifted him up off the ground, cradling him in my arms before I then tucked his face against my neck and nuzzled his head with my cheek. So cute, but I was sorry he was not feeling well. "Orochimaru." Now satisfied that I had Sasuke safe in my arms, I rose gracefully to my feet in my yukata, hair secured in a neat topknot upon my head with the excess trailing down my back and secured in a partial plait. "Sasuke…is mine." Without warning my eyes flashed a deep red, burning brighter than blood with a black swirl like a five pronged shuriken, each prong linked by a thin line which formed a circle with a red dot at the centre.
My ordinary Sharingan were still rather terrifying to look upon, and as I allowed my anger to rise to the surface, all colours faded out of view as I held Sasuke close to me, vowing never to hand him over. For a moment Orochimaru flinched instinctively, taking a step back from myself and Kakashi before he recovered, giving a faint laugh before flicking out his hand. "A day will come when Sasuke will seek me out, hungry for power. I will wait until then." I allowed Orochimaru to leave, not having the inclination to waste my time, energy and chakra attempting to capture him when Sasuke needed me.
"Phew." Kakashi finally released the breath he had been holding, wiping his brow as he stood upright once more. "I'm glad you showed up when you did Miyuki-chan, otherwise Orochimaru might have figured out my bluff." He smiled at me warmly but I hardly, still looking down at Sasuke. "Though come to think of it, how did you know I was here?"
"Lord Third sent word." I answered cryptically, not wanting to explain that I had known everything that was going to happen, and will happen next. "I will stay with him."
"Right, of course. We better get him up to the hospital. I'll arrange for a team of Black Ops ninja to watch over you both. You don't have to worry, Miyuki-chan." To my surprise, Kakashi touched his hand to my shoulder, possibly intending to comfort me although I was not distressed so I did not understand why this gesture was necessary. "We won't allow him to take Sasuke away."
"Hm." Nodding my head, I carried Sasuke all the way to the hospital and settled him down myself before then allowing the medical ninja to place an oxygen mask over his mouth and attach the wires to register his heartbeat, the machine blipping in rhythm with his pulse. Kakashi lingered only a little while longer before returning to the preliminaries to observe the rest of his team. I did not leave Sasuke's side at all, not even to go and get food when I was hungry. I sat in the seat by his side and stared at the wall, listening to his breathing and the sound of the monitor.
Sometimes the nurses and doctors would come in, but I would ignore them unless they required to speak to me directly, but otherwise I simply wanted to be left alone. The preliminary rounds concluded, meaning that time would be given for the contestants to heal and train further to hone their techniques and develop all they had learned. When Sasuke woke up, he would go and train privately with Kakashi, who had already sought my permission. Knowing that I had very little choice but to allow Sasuke to train under Kakashi to grow stronger, I allowed it. Sensing Sasuke beginning to stir, I turned my head and moved a little closer to him, drawing back the covering over his eyes so that he could see. "Sasuke?"
"Miyuki…where am I?"
"Hospital." He seemed to be alright, merely a little confused and perhaps drained from all he had gone through. "You did well, Sasuke." A mere grunt was my only reply, signalling that he did not care whether or not he had done well. His hand went straight to the mark in order to touch it, rolling his shoulder slightly as he sat himself up. "Does it hurt?"
"Not really, I guess I'll just have to get used to it. What happened with the preliminaries? Did Naruto win?" He made no mention of Sakura, indicating he was more concerned with how Naruto had fared more than his female comrade, but I deigned to inform him of both their fights regardless.
"Your teammate Sakura drew with the Yamanaka girl, and Naruto defeated his opponent." After a few moments, Sasuke finally smiled, closing his eyes to rest back against the pillows I had propped up for him.
"Good. In that case, I have no time to lose. I have to train so that I am ready for the next round." Getting up from the bed, I drew myself back just as Kakashi came to the room, carrying an open book in one hand.
"Yo! Miyuki-chan, Sasuke. Glad to see you're finally awake, I was beginning to get a little worried." Snapping his book shut, Kakashi placed it down on the side table in order to get a good look at the mark and ensure that his seal was still intact. "Good, good, everything seems fine. Now Sasuke, we're going to have some time before the next round for you to be able to train a little more, so I've asked Miyuki-chan if she is willing to spare you for the next couple of weeks, so we can go somewhere private to train and…"
I trailed out of the conversation of my own accord, glancing around the room before my eyes fell onto the book Kakashi had been reading. Curious I lifted it up and looked at the cover, Make-Out Paradise. Curious, from the title I would expect this to be a romance novel. Usually I read only history books, autobiographies, poetry or factual texts, but this may prove interesting and may even give me some insight on how to improve my social skills and develop better relationships. Opening it up to a random page, I began to read to sate my curiosity, however within a few sentences, I suddenly felt a huge swarm of embarrassment at the rather vulgar explicitness and my face turned the colour of beetroot.
"Agh! No Miyuki-chan, don't read that!" Both Sasuke and Kakashi yelped and the latter snatched the book out of my hand as I had frozen in place, blushing a deep crimson colour. What did I just read? I have never come across anything like it in my entire life.
"Kakashi-sensei, look what you've done! Miyuki doesn't read that kind of stuff, so you shouldn't just leave it lying around!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't realise she would try reading it. Hey, Miyuki-chan, just forget about what you read, it's nothing, nothing at all. Don't mind it." Kakashi tried to amend himself, waving his hand in front of me as I continued to try and remove the images which had been conjured in my head. Do partners with relationships really…do that kind of stuff? I cannot believe what I have just read, I shall have to put this memory at the very back of my mind and hope that I one day simply fail to recognise its existence. "Miyuki-chan?"
When Kakashi tapped me on the shoulder I squeaked and blushed further. I could not believe that Kakashi would read such material around young children, especially his own students. The kind of impression he must leave on others, I could not even fathom. Was this a new acceptable standard in society that I had not heard about? Was it common for people to be open about their intimacies or explore such interests without shame? I feel as if I want to wash my eyes with soap.
"Hey. Hey. You're spacing out again. Miyuki." Sasuke poked at me until I finally realised that he was addressing me so I shook off my shock and recovered.
"Hm?" He exhaled exasperatedly, closing his eyes a moment before he settled a little, even looking rather affectionate in his expression as he looked up at me.
"I'll be gone for two months in order to train and grow stronger. Will you be alright on your own?"
"Hm."
"And you promise you'll remember to eat and get plenty of rest?"
"Hm."
"And you won't touch my stuff or go in my room unnecessarily, right?"
"Hm." Each time I responded I gave a single nod to emphasise my agreement to his terms. If my speculations were correct, I would almost say that Sasuke was the one who was worried about leaving me on my own for such a long time.
"Good. Well then, I guess I'll be going." Looking down to underneath the chair where I had been sitting, I pulled out a bag full of supplies and clothes, including all of his spare shuriken and kunai knives, rope, matches, a small gas cooker for them to properly cook their food, canteens for water, blankets and such things to ensure that Sasuke would have everything he needed. "Huh? You knew I would agree to go?"
"I know you, Sasuke." Handing it over to him, I lowered myself so that I was eye level with him, ensuring that I had every detail memorised in my mind, from each individual eyelash to the shape of his eyebrows. "Be safe. Train hard." Something else lingered on the tip of my tongue, making me frown as I stood upright, trying to discover what else it was that I wanted to say. Sasuke took my frown to mean I was lost in my own thoughts again, so he shouldered his back and tusked his tongue rather abruptly, making for the door. "I will miss you." Ah, so that's what it was.
Kakashi had politely already excused himself from the room, meaning that Sasuke and I were alone when he froze in place. The moonlight gleamed through the window, casting light upon shadows and I took a moment to admire how well Sasuke looked when bathed in moonlight. His skin became as fair as porcelain, his dark eyes shining with a glimmering sheen and I noted how pretty he was for a boy. Had he been born a girl, I believe Sasuke would have been the most beautiful little kunoichi of them all. He was staring at me, mouth popping open slightly as he was taken aback by my words. Did he not think me capable of phrasing my own feelings? For the most part he would be right, but I feel I have become somewhat better at it recently.
Allowing my head to tilt to the side, I smiled at Sasuke, feeling tranquil and oddly happy even though he was leaving me. My heart was thrumming with resonance, as if it was for once finally in rhythm with my mind and the two were working together as one, translating all of my thoughts and feelings which came tumbling forwards to my mouth, allowing me to articulate them fluently. "I am proud of you, Sasuke, for how strong you are, and I look forward to seeing you return even stronger still." Lowering myself to my knees after coming to face Sasuke directly, I reached up my hand to brush aside a little of his hair. "I am sorry I am no good with sharing my feelings, and for often misunderstanding or getting things wrong. I…" I faltered a little, the resonance beginning to disappear so I desperately grasped at it. Just a few moments more, that is all I need. "I am rooting for you, little brother." Closing my eyes I leaned forwards, allowing my weight to tilt in a controlled manner so that when my lips came into contact with Sasuke's forehead I did not accidentally bump him too hard or miss.
It was my hope that Sasuke would understand my meaning, even just a little. Lingering a little longer just to memorise the feeling of this moment I then pulled myself away, hoping I had not made him angry. Daring to look into his eyes, I was surprised to find them swimming with emotion. He was biting down upon his lip as if attempting suppress those emotions, and when I placed my hand over his heart I found it thundering away in his small chest. It is to be expected. We Uchiha feel emotions far more potently than the ordinary person.
"Wait for me to return…Miyuki onee-chan." Surprised by his affectionate address, I suddenly found myself smiling at him a little more openly, my lips spreading as my pupils dilated until almost all of the red had disappeared.
"Hm." With a firm nod, I stayed with Sasuke like that a little while longer, my hand resting over his heart until I knew that it was time for me to let him go. I took him outside the hospital to where Kakashi was waiting, having signed all the papers to secure his release.
"Ah, Sasuke, Miyuki-chan."
"I'm ready to go if you are Kakashi-sensei. Sorry to keep you waiting." Kakashi waved it off, assuring Sasuke that he understood that tender farewells between siblings were emotional. "It was not emotional!" He snapped back before pouting, making me chuckle a little to see his cute reaction. Kakashi seemed astonished to actually hear my quiet, lulling laughter, blinking at me before he too chuckled. "We going or not?" Without another second of hesitation, Sasuke flickered out of sight, leaving our presence in order to hurry away from Konoha as quickly as possible in order to begin his training.
"Ah that kid, he's as impatient as Naruto about some things. Well, I better go after him since he doesn't actually know where we're going yet." Kakashi grinned at me brightly, patting me on the head like a senior would his junior. "Don't worry Miyuki-chan, I'll take good care of him and return him to you all in one piece." A spark of concern lit within my chest, my natural instincts to want to protect and shelter Sasuke kicking in but I forcibly controlled them, taking a gradual breath before I nodded my head.
"I leave Sasuke to you, Kakashi-san."
"You're a good girl, Miyuki-chan. Take care now!" And with those final words, he was gone, and I was alone.