You can't be gone ten years and expect everything to remain the same... but the campus
of Konoha seemed more aged than when Sasuke had left. The walls, normally pristine and
replastered every three years, were slightly shabby, and quite worn near the bottom, probably
from over dramatic kids kicking them in frustration. The trees weren't as well trimmed as they
used to be, and the windows had a very, very fine layer of dust on them. The general air of
neglect faintly subdued the place.
Sasuke couldn't help but wonder what had happened since his departure.
After checking in with the main office, (still no familiar faces) Sasuke received a warm
greeting only after the receptionist glanced at the wall of fame, then back at him, then back at the
wall of fame...
Exhausted, Sasuke quickly grumbled a noncommital reply and allowed himself to be
dragged off by a smitten student. Babbling constantly, she led him to a familiar ivy-covered
dorm house.
Snapping out of his half-doze, Sasuke realized he knew the door he was standing before.
"Hey, this is my old room." He uttered in faint surprise. He recognized that door
anywhere, even with the room number missing and a different coat of paint. Despite a layer or
two of paint over it, Sasuke could still make out the faint carving that read "Sasuke smells like
cheese".
Even after a decade, indignation swept over Sasuke.
(I never got him back for that.) Sasuke pursed his lips in annoyance.
Mistaking his expression for something else, the guide smiled dumbly. "This building
hasn't had students in it for the last four years, but it won't be knocked down because it's
considered a beautiful historical landmark."
Sasuke looked at the stained ceiling then back at the girl, his eye brow raised slightly.
"And the bottom floor is used for storage." She hastily added, flushing.
Sasuke stood in front of his room, staring at the girl until she finally took the hint and left.
Grumbling about unnecessarily stupid people, he chucked his things onto the floor and slipped
his shoes off.
Old oriental rug on the oak floor, faded blue walls, windows facing north and east, creaky
old trunk, and a wrought-iron bed shoved against the west wall.
The room was exactly as he had left it.
Well, almost exactly. Besides collecting age, the room also sported a rickety wicker chair
and a poster of himself.
Scrunching his nose in distaste (a habit that drove his P.R. lady crazy), Sasuke ripped it
off the wall and threw it away. If he wanted to see himself so bad, he'd moon over a mirror like
so many of his peers did.
Sprawling on his bed, Sasuke was quickly lulled to sleep by the sounds of life outside his
windows.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"B-Brother? Will you come back soon?" Seven year old Sasuke questioned the taller
Uchiha.
He already knew the answer, but asked anyway.
Itachi shrugged, and turned his back to him, swiftly walking away. Sasuke lingered until
he saw the decrepit car completely fade away. And then it was final.
Always left behind.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Hours later, a faint light and quiet sobbing woke Sasuke from his troublesome dreams.
Vaguely, he realized his door was open, and the crying person was standing just outside his
room, in the weak light of the hallway.
"Hey-" Sasuke murmured.
Jerking slightly in surprise, the crier paused, then quickly shut the door quietly. Moments
later, the floorboards in the next room creaked almost inaudibly, and bed springs moaned. The
sobs only dimmed to a quiet muffle.
Hoping to return to gentler sleep, Sasuke turned on his bed, facing the wall.
Suddenly, distinct tapping noises came from the wall in front of him.
"...- - -.-..-.-.- -"
(SORRY)
Thinking nothing of it, Sasuke tapped back his message.
"-.- - - / .- -..-.- - - -... .-.. . - -"
(NO PROBLEM)
The crying quickly subsided, and Sasuke returned to his restful state.
Then bolted awake.
He had used Morse Code.
He NEVER used Morse Code, not for the last ten years.
There was only one other person he knew that knew Morse Code.
This person also happened to have learned it with him, so they could cheat on pointless
paper exams, and insult each other without their teachers knowing.
This person had also lived in the room next to Sasuke's during his student days, and his
bed also ran along the same wall.
And this person had also once been the bane of Sasuke's existence.
Sasuke spent the rest of the night in a nervous state of unrest.
* *
of Konoha seemed more aged than when Sasuke had left. The walls, normally pristine and
replastered every three years, were slightly shabby, and quite worn near the bottom, probably
from over dramatic kids kicking them in frustration. The trees weren't as well trimmed as they
used to be, and the windows had a very, very fine layer of dust on them. The general air of
neglect faintly subdued the place.
Sasuke couldn't help but wonder what had happened since his departure.
After checking in with the main office, (still no familiar faces) Sasuke received a warm
greeting only after the receptionist glanced at the wall of fame, then back at him, then back at the
wall of fame...
Exhausted, Sasuke quickly grumbled a noncommital reply and allowed himself to be
dragged off by a smitten student. Babbling constantly, she led him to a familiar ivy-covered
dorm house.
Snapping out of his half-doze, Sasuke realized he knew the door he was standing before.
"Hey, this is my old room." He uttered in faint surprise. He recognized that door
anywhere, even with the room number missing and a different coat of paint. Despite a layer or
two of paint over it, Sasuke could still make out the faint carving that read "Sasuke smells like
cheese".
Even after a decade, indignation swept over Sasuke.
(I never got him back for that.) Sasuke pursed his lips in annoyance.
Mistaking his expression for something else, the guide smiled dumbly. "This building
hasn't had students in it for the last four years, but it won't be knocked down because it's
considered a beautiful historical landmark."
Sasuke looked at the stained ceiling then back at the girl, his eye brow raised slightly.
"And the bottom floor is used for storage." She hastily added, flushing.
Sasuke stood in front of his room, staring at the girl until she finally took the hint and left.
Grumbling about unnecessarily stupid people, he chucked his things onto the floor and slipped
his shoes off.
Old oriental rug on the oak floor, faded blue walls, windows facing north and east, creaky
old trunk, and a wrought-iron bed shoved against the west wall.
The room was exactly as he had left it.
Well, almost exactly. Besides collecting age, the room also sported a rickety wicker chair
and a poster of himself.
Scrunching his nose in distaste (a habit that drove his P.R. lady crazy), Sasuke ripped it
off the wall and threw it away. If he wanted to see himself so bad, he'd moon over a mirror like
so many of his peers did.
Sprawling on his bed, Sasuke was quickly lulled to sleep by the sounds of life outside his
windows.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"B-Brother? Will you come back soon?" Seven year old Sasuke questioned the taller
Uchiha.
He already knew the answer, but asked anyway.
Itachi shrugged, and turned his back to him, swiftly walking away. Sasuke lingered until
he saw the decrepit car completely fade away. And then it was final.
Always left behind.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Hours later, a faint light and quiet sobbing woke Sasuke from his troublesome dreams.
Vaguely, he realized his door was open, and the crying person was standing just outside his
room, in the weak light of the hallway.
"Hey-" Sasuke murmured.
Jerking slightly in surprise, the crier paused, then quickly shut the door quietly. Moments
later, the floorboards in the next room creaked almost inaudibly, and bed springs moaned. The
sobs only dimmed to a quiet muffle.
Hoping to return to gentler sleep, Sasuke turned on his bed, facing the wall.
Suddenly, distinct tapping noises came from the wall in front of him.
"...- - -.-..-.-.- -"
(SORRY)
Thinking nothing of it, Sasuke tapped back his message.
"-.- - - / .- -..-.- - - -... .-.. . - -"
(NO PROBLEM)
The crying quickly subsided, and Sasuke returned to his restful state.
Then bolted awake.
He had used Morse Code.
He NEVER used Morse Code, not for the last ten years.
There was only one other person he knew that knew Morse Code.
This person also happened to have learned it with him, so they could cheat on pointless
paper exams, and insult each other without their teachers knowing.
This person had also lived in the room next to Sasuke's during his student days, and his
bed also ran along the same wall.
And this person had also once been the bane of Sasuke's existence.
Sasuke spent the rest of the night in a nervous state of unrest.
* *