13.03.04
Fourteen reviews. At first when I opened my email account I figured someone had been working extra hard at spamming my ill-fated account, but to my avail they were better than your average spam. They were fanfiction reviews spam (I'm not serious, put the guns away)...
Huge thanks (the streaks of happy tears and squeals kind) to the following reviewers who gave me encouragement, helped with typos and bribed me o !
So listed in order of being received, arigatou to Kuroi Kistune, shinimugen, Jiro, Dearest, KCxis, ghostninja85, nightsiren02, bloodredtears13, Megagirl14045, trubluewolfeyes, lala, Hagen-chan whom I vow to corrupt, Splash-Yaoiluv and hatesschool.
Plot: What plot..? Kidding... Takes place anytime you want from Haku and Zabuza time period. If I pinpointed an exact place I'd just screw it up, so I'll just leave that for you guys to decide.
Hey look, Kakaishi has made an appearance, let's all read the chapter together and think lecherous thoughts.
[Mayoi Nagara Demo Ii] By Crimson 408
It's ok to be Lost on the Way
Chapter 2 – Tourniquet
Feathers seem to dance over his forehead, causing a stir in the darkness.
Still less than half aware of who he is let alone where he is, he can't decide on whether he's awake or still unconscious.
His nose twitches slightly.
The touch is soft and tender, accompanied by soothing warmth, yet it both itches and tickles.
He presumes that he must be awake because he can vaguely make out the soft inhaling and exhaling of air from beside him. He still can't find enough clarity in the darkness to piece together why that conclusion makes something flutter in his stomach.
He decides not to find out for this moment, not because he doesn't want to, but because something tells him that he's better off as he is. Though also partly because he doesn't want to lose the touch that has developed from mildly irritating to enjoyable and coaxing...
There's no need to open his eyes just yet. No, not now anyway...
The corners of his mouth curves slightly. The young, blonde genin relaxes to a new definition of peace, oblivious to making any facial expression whatsoever.
The touch then pauses. The movement over his face ceased as if cautious or surprised.
But it's soon alright. He can relax again, because the soft caress over the boy's face is shortly continued. The kind strokes carry on bringing warmth to his forehead, then faintly over his eyelids, and then hands... and then lips.
Before he is able to come to a decision of whether to awake or not, the gentle caresses have already enticed him back into deep slumber.
I couldn't deny how unnerving sitting here was. My legs folded, a silent, lifeless Naruto before me rather than the annoying, vociferous dobe that could never stay still.
I had to admit though, it was an interesting change. The baka could actually be described as angelic in this unconscious state. Those golden bangs that fells inwards into his eyes without his normally irremovable headband, matched with crescent shaped lashes above whisker-like scars.
Iie.
More like an angel of death. Blood splattered paled cheeks, hair dulled from the usual blinding blonde, some strands with streaks of obvious scarlet and drying wounds that were scattered on numerous places.
Were you just trying to prove my taunts right?
I outstretch my right arm again and continue to trace his blood stained features lightly while my other arm leans across his right shoulder so I hover above him. It's a shame he can't be silent like this all the time. Who knows, I may actually be able to tolerate him for longer than the average split second.
"You really didn't have to drive yourself to such a pathetic state, baka..."
Naruto's nose twitches...
I quickly lift my hand and for some reason my breath hitches.
Is he...?
No, if he was awake I'd be knocking my head on one of these walls to drown his outraged cries. 'Kuso he has such a huge mouth, he could cause earthquakes with that weapon if he ever felt the desire.
Doesn't look so wide now though...
I lean closer, a disbelieving scorn marking my features. I find it hard to believe that the vulnerable teen before me was the same Naruto I had began to see as more than a rival. The same Naruto with that obscurely wide grin. Wait...he's smiling...
It's a shame. He has such supple, peach lips, if it weren't for that blatant bite mark on his lower lip they'd be per-
What am I thinking?
My face pulls back, slightly embarrassed for not having been aware of moving closer. I give myself a mental kick for being so deeply concerned for the boisterous boy and continued with my set task. That had to be it...
Then there was a deliberate cough from near the doorway.
How long had been standing there? Why didn't I sense his chakara, shimatta how could I be so careless to let my guard down like that?
"Sasuke?" Kakaishi-sensei's head appeared by the side of the door. My arm retreated to my side for the second time.
He knew I was listening. I didn't need to make any form of reply to indicate he held my attention. "Naruto-kun is still out cold ne?"
A frown crept to my face. Why would a Jounin need to ask such an obvious question to his student? I hope that this isn't Kakaishi's way of mocking me, underestimating that I won't realise he's trying to annoy me. Or perhaps his perverted mind has come up with a new scheme to commence, that could explain unnecessary questions and the fact that he most likely had been lurking behind that open door for quite some time. It was clear that something of great significance had come to the mentors mind if he had decided to take time away from indulging in his, presumably obscene, novel to ask rhetorical questions.
I'm onto him, but that won't prevent me from playing along with his game until he slips. I want to know what his grand plot is before he has time to commence it.
"Hai, still knocked out," I respond with my usual cool tone.
I can picture that lone curving eye, hinting at a smile even before I receive his smug reply.
"Hmm, glad to see you've taken your task wholeheartedly. It's pleasing to see that you're giving your subject your full, undivided attention."
My hand clenches over the moist cloth that's smothered in diluted blood. I knew it! He'd been spying on me. That damn pervert, who knows what ideas he's created in his sick world now... Ordering me to do things then teasing me. He won't get away with this.
"You and I both know I'm only carrying out your order," it's not my fault that Sakura made such hideous sounds when he asked her earlier, I'd had no desire for a migraine so early in the afternoon so obviously I agreed without resistance, "Kakaishi-sensei".
Though thinking back, it was suspicious.
Suspicious that he asked her yet ordered me.
I unclenched the cloth and placed in the bowl of water to rinse away the residue. The water was now a transparent yellow, the aromatic scent of the dissolved herbs and medicine much fainter than before and metallic scent growing stronger. [1]
"Sasuke, no need for such harsh words," he scolded in a mock shocked tone. "Oh and be sure to only wash the visible wounds. Naruto can finish whatever concealed damage when he's slept enough."
If possible due to my ever fair skin, I paled but still shrugged off his implications. I picked out the cloth out of the clear glass bowl and twisted the excess liquid away. As long as I finished the task the Jounin's distasteful allusions were unimportant.
"Don't go inventing things in that cross wired mind of yours."
I made sure to give him a warning glare. His single eye shut and eyebrow rose indicating a smile. Hands rose with palms upwards facing me, like a crook would after being caught.
I continued my death glare unable understand why such a simple task was creating more trouble than some of my previous set missions. It was completely irrational.
"Hai hai Sasuke," and oddly, with that the Jounin left me. Odd and suspicious indeed but I was thankful. I stood up and shut the wooden door just for caution. I knew that if the silver haired sensei wanted to keep further eye on me he'd probably spy through the window with binoculars whilst perched on a nearby tree top, but if I shut the curtains it would only encourage whatever twisted thoughts he had.
"Humph."
I sat back down and continued to cleanse the unaware blonde's wounds once again. I started with cleansing the crusted blood that had dried over cuts and grazes over his forehead. I was finding it quite a tedious job due to the problem of not being able to apply too much pressure. After I was satisfied I carefully dabbed under his eyebrow and glided the warm material over his eyelids that somehow also had specs of crimson dotted over.
Must had been when he was beating the stone, blood seemed to spatter all like rain...
My shoulders tensed at the memory but I willed the thoughts away.
His bottom lip appeared so swollen around the small puncture of where he had evidently bit down. That wasn't going to be so straightforward either. Cleaning that small wound would take more patience then I had. The slightest increase of pressure and the pain would definitely cause the boy to stir, and Kakaishi had clearly stated not to wake him because it was crucial that he rested.
Though I still hadn't figured out why. True a wounded shinobi would need rest to renew his body but Naruto wasn't such a drastic state that sleep was a necessity. Or was he...?
Thinking back, I can't remember the boy resting before me ever having been in need of another to nurse his wounds. I can't even remember him having to nurse his own wounds.
That time... With the kunai embedded in his hand... Wounds like that didn't just vanish.
I frowned and turned my gaze away. Only to find it pilled back and settling on the soft expression that I had never thought possible on the face of someone as irritating as Uzumaki Naruto.
I played with the stained cloth in my hand. Eyeing the wound something shivered inside me, I didn't like the thought of touching the laying boy's mouth...
Never mind. I'd just move on to his hands for now.
"...Naruto no baka."
The sight was grotesque, fingers were raw, encrusted with thick black and the visible skin was flamed an angry red. I blinked and tried to stop any thoughts of the distressing display.
This was going to take a while but at least I could finish the other minor wounds later.
I needed to get Sakura to change the water and add whatever remedies that had been mixed into the water before. The colour was sickening.
Even for me...
[1] When blood is washed the water will turn a yellowish colour, unless there's a dramatic amount of blood.
There. Discreet hints of SasuNaru, or least they were supposed to be discreet... Damn.
I know Naruto has super-duper, amazing healing abilities, me no stupid. Me have plan.
Hai- Yes
Iie- No
'Kuso - Shit
Shimatta– Damn it
Baka– Idiot
I think I have a plan...
Review and Kakaishi will read you a bedtime tale?