Here we go, second part of the story. The POV in this chapter switches from a character to the other without warning, but I hope it won't be difficult to follow. Also, Sasuke is not one of my favorite characters, but I hope I managed to portray him as true to the manga as possible. Enjoy, and as always, feel free to review or follow this story, and a big thank you to everyone who's already done that!
Morino preceded them as they entered the hall where Sasuke was kept. There were no other prisoners there. His cell was small and dark; only a couple of candles lit the place. It made sense, since the boy could not see with the seal on his eyes, so he probably didn't mind the lack of light. Also, being sight-deprived for six months, he wouldn't have liked to be blinded again once the seal was removed. Asuka followed Kakashi inside the cell and looked at Sasuke for the first time. He was sitting on his bed; his legs were parted and his right arm rested on his thigh, while the stump of his left arm filled the sleeve of his sweater only less than half its length. His eyes were covered by a bandage, the ideogram of the seal evident on it. She had already consulted with her cousin Hiroichi, the one who had put the seal on, and he had told her how to dispel it.
When they entered, Sasuke moved his head and followed their movements. Kakashi stood in front of him, his eyes examining every inch of his student's body, as to take in any signs of discomfort or even emotion, but the boy was as still as a statue. "Sasuke," he spoke. "It's time. We're about to remove the seal. Do you remember what I told you last time I came here?" The boy's head nodded imperceptibly. "Good," Kakashi replied. He then turned to Asuka and stepped back, inviting her to move forward and reach them. When she touched Sasuke's head, he flinched, his head tilting slightly backwards. "Don't worry," she tried to reassure him. "You'll feel a tingling sensation, possibly unpleasant," Asuka explained, while performing the hand-seal sequence requested by the jutsu. "But it will be gone in a few seconds. After that, I'll remove the bandages around your eyes." If the cell hadn't been that silent, Asuka wouldn't have heard the brief humming sound coming from Sasuke's mouth. She cast a glance at Kakashi, who nodded briefly, then she focused back onto the boy, her green chakra visible around her hand. She placed her fingers on Sasuke's face forming two circles around his eyes. She could feel the layers of the seal underneath. "Kai," she said, and instantly the ideogram dissolved with a purple flash. She kept her hands on Sasuke's face, letting her chakra flow and completely dispel the seal, and felt him tense, just as he emitted a light grunt. Once he relaxed, Asuka's hands reached to the back of his head and started carefully undoing the bandages. "There you go," she whispered, "Do you feel pain?" She then enquired. She had done everything right, but one could never be too sure. "No." Sasuke's voice was deep and husky, as if he hadn't spoken in a while. He raised his head and Asuka noticed he had still his eyes closed. "Try to open your eyes," she prompted; even though she was no medic ninja, she needed to check the chakra flow in them and see if the seal had been totally suppressed.
A thin layer of mucus and crust had formed along his eyelashes; the boy brought a hand to his eyes and rubbed them, then slowly opened them. At first, the light from the candles, albeit dim, was enough to hurt his eyes. He squinted and kept his eyes low for a while. When he got used to the light, he opened his eyes fully and looked at the woman in front of him. He had never seen her. The one who had sealed him had been a monk. This kunoichi was plain and ordinary, but her voice was strangely soothing. He tried not to flinch when she put her fingers under his eyes. She looked focused, and asked him to activate his Sharingan. He did so, and felt her chakra flow through his optic nerve. He noticed that the woman had a black chakra flowing inside her body, alongside the green one she was using right now, but he didn't focus on that too much. He had other things he needed to concentrate on. He had done lots of thinking inside the cell during those months, and he still hadn't come to an answer.
"There you go, pretty eyes, the seal's gone," the woman said, patting Sasuke on the cheek. He looked at her as if she were a cockroach, and she rolled her eyes. "Wow, touchy, are we?"
The strange kunoichi sighed and stood up, leaving her place to Kakashi. Sasuke didn't miss the playful grimace on her face. How old was she, twelve?
Kakashi asked Morino and the kunoichi to leave. When they did so, he turned to Sasuke. It was strange to see both his eyes. The boy's mental image of his former teacher had always his left eye covered. The eye of his clan. The Sharingan. His thoughts wandered to the man's power when they had fought against Kaguya. Kakashi was not an Uchiha, yet he had acquired the power of the Mangekyo Sharingan in both his eyes and had swiftly adapted to it. His Susanoo had been superior to Sasuke's. He guessed it was right for him to have become Hokage.
Sasuke's mind focused back on Kakashi. He was speaking to him.
"I guess it's time for me to be blunt. You do understand that this is your last chance at doing the right thing? No more escaping, no more victim complex." Sasuke clenched his teeth. Kakashi's gaze was stern, as he went on with his lecture. "I recognize your tragedy, you had to grow up fast when you were still a child, but that does not mean you have also matured. You've always had a tendency to wallow in self-pity and put the blame on others. Now it's time to prove your worth. I've already told you this, a long time ago. Maybe you were too young to understand, back then, so I'll repeat this one more time: you and I are very much alike. We haven't been lucky in our lives. However, we have not lost everything. We still have friends who love us. Don't let that go to waste."
Sasuke swallowed. The first time he had escaped from Konoha, he hadn't fully understood Kakashi's words when he had threatened to kill his teacher's loved ones just to make him understand his feelings. He had been so focused on power and revenge then, that he had sought Orochimaru of his own will just to become stronger, discarding everyone who loved him in the village. For what? He had felt so empty when he had finally succeeded in killing Itachi, but when Madara had told him the truth about his brother, Sasuke's rage had turned to the very village Itachi had tried to protect. He had lived his life manipulated by others. In the end, when he had finally taken his own decision of burdening himself with the hatred of the whole village, he was proven wrong once more. His resolve had shattered, along with his left arm. What he was feeling right now was… a huge void in his heart. Was he worth all the love Kakashi spoke about? Did he deserve freedom?
He felt a strong squeeze at his right shoulder. "Seriously, though, I'm starting to fear you'd prefer to stay in prison, uh?" Sasuke raised his eyes and met Kakashi's playful gaze. "I was serious, before, but that doesn't mean I'm not happy to see you out of jail, nor that I don't want you to be acquitted. You were my favorite student, after all." He chuckled to himself, then turned and headed to the door. He paused briefly to turn back to Sasuke. "Are you coming, or what?"
The light outside hurt his eyes like thousands of pins stabbing his eyeballs. Sasuke felt a hand close around his right arm, gently leading him into the right direction, and he let himself be accompanied to an office where a guard had gathered his personal belongings. Not much, though. His clothes had been wrecked after his fight with Naruto, and they wouldn't let him keep weapons. He was given a simple back sweater and black, loose pants. He was also given his forehead protector back, with the leaf engraving that had been scratched by Naruto years before.
Morino made him, Kakashi and the kunoichi sign some documents, then the head of the T&I division announced that, for what he was concerned, Sasuke was free to go.
"Well, Sasuke, I guess it's time I explained what your next four months will be spent like," Kakashi said, and pointed at the woman beside him. "This kunoichi here is Asuka Sarutobi. She will follow you until your trial." The boy glanced briefly at the woman, taking in her appearance in the daylight, confirming his first impression of her being plain and ordinary. She smiled lightly at him, but Sasuke looked back at Kakashi as soon as he resumed talking. "She'll train you and accompany you on missions, her purpose being evaluating you for the trial." So, basically, he was given an average-looking babysitter who will decide upon his future. He hoped her judging skills were superior to her joking skills. From the look of her uniform, she was a jounin. She was surely well versed in fuuinjutsu; he doubted the seal on his eyes had been a joke, and she had dispelled it easily, it seemed. Also, he remembered she had an unusual chakra flow, so maybe she had some kind of special ability.
"You're not a prisoner anymore, however… as we've already discussed, your freedom to move outside of Konoha is limited until we have the decision of the trial. Asuka will report to me daily on your progress and behavior. Also, ANBU guards will monitor you from a distance, night and day." There was no use hiding that part to him, as he would have surely notice right away.
"Enjoy these months, kid." Morino commented. He did not say anything more, but everyone was thinking about the unspoken conclusion to his sentence. While you can.
Sasuke, Kakashi and Asuka exited the building and headed towards the hospital. Sasuke needed to be checked by a medic before being declared able to start training again.
In his heart, Sasuke was a bit disappointed that no blonde jackass was there to greet him.
He wondered how Naruto was doing. Was his arm as bad as his? He had never told that to the kunoichi that came to his cell once a week to treat him, but sometimes his stump hurt so much she just wanted to rip his shoulder apart.
"How's the idiot doing?" he asked, trying to keep his voice as monotone as ever. The plain kunoichi – Sarutobi, was it? – glanced curiously at him, probably wondering who he was referring to. Kakashi chuckled. "He's just being his usual idiotic self, of course he's been super-excited ever since he heard you were being released. However, I might have told him the wrong time to show up and meet you," he confessed. Sasuke could already picture Naruto, later that afternoon, slamming his fists onto the T&I division door asking to let him in. In his usual loud and obnoxious way.
Maybe it was better like that, Naruto not being here at that moment. Sasuke would surely need some time to adjust himself to this new situation before being thrown into Naruto's spiral of excitement and agitation.
It felt strange to see Sakura again. He had apologized to her for everything he had done, yet even he didn't believe that a simple apology was enough. He had tried to kill her. If Kakashi and Naruto hadn't butted in, he would have surely taken her life. He had always considered her weak. Always. A weak, annoying girl, who would squirm excitedly every time he looked at her. Instead, she had become strong, and frightening, at times. She had become a medic ninja under Tsunade's guidance. He recalled that Sakura had always been better than him at chakra control. Yet, he had always thought she was frail and annoying. Even with his superior eyes, he had been so blind.
The way Sakura was examining his body was detached and professional, and Sasuke couldn't help but wonder if she still felt something for him. Not out of a narcissistic need to be adored, though. Again, he had tried to kill her. That memory alone was enough to make his stomach churn. If she were still feeling anything for him after that, he would seriously question her sanity.
Then again, he had also tried to kill Naruto, but the idiot still considered him his best friend. And Sasuke, too, had come to the realization that the blond ninja had become sort of a brother to him.
He figured sanity was not a word that could apply to team seven. (Kakashi was insane too, of course. Maybe the most fucked-up out of the four of them, because he was also the oldest. He had been their teacher, after all.)
"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura said softly, shaking the boy from his thoughts. She was looking expectantly at him, and he realized she had asked him a question. His brows furrowed lightly, looking back at her. "Shizune told me you've never mentioned feeling any pain in your left arm… Has that changed since you last saw her?" Sasuke's lips tightened. She hadn't explicitly called him out on his lie, but she was nonetheless implying that he may have not told the truth, even though her tone was far from accusing. He diverted his eyes from hers and nodded. "Your chakra is all tangled up, and this affects your muscles as well. People who suffer from this condition usually experience strong pain, like the sensation of being stabbed in the interested area." Sasuke nodded again, confirming Sakura's words.
"Okay," she breathed quietly, placing her hands back onto his shoulder. He could feel warmth spreading through the area, and his muscles began relaxing after being cramped for so long. He let out a breath, closing his eyes. "It's important that you inform a medic-nin when you experience pain, distress, or any weird sensation in your arm. It'll help us determine your recovery level." She looked playfully at him, grinning, "Take Naruto, for example. He's been complaining non-stop for the last months." She ended her statement with a wink, and Sasuke couldn't help but snort. The corner of his mouth lifted ever so slightly, but to Sakura, who had always been watching him closely (replaying and analyzing all his actions and words in her mind while he had been away), it didn't go unnoticed.
"It's good to see you again, Sasuke." She had whispered those words in such a low voice that Sasuke wasn't sure he had heard them correctly. But when he raised his head to look at her, Sakura had already turned around to speak to Kakashi and the older kunoichi.
"Sasuke-kun is overall fine. There are still some issues with his left arm, which will need regular treatment, and he could really use eating more, however… he's fine."
Kakashi eyed him before addressing Sakura. "How often will you need to treat him?"
"I'd say once every other day. He's very tense and his muscles are cramped. However, as he progresses, he'll surely need less frequent treatments."
"What about training?" The plain kunoichi asked. "Is there anything he should really avoid doing?"
Sakura shrugged and shook her head. "Honestly, I think that training might somewhat help his condition. After all, he hasn't had the opportunity to exercise for quite a few months… moving his body will surely be beneficial. Also, he needs to get used to live with only one arm. I'd refrain from directly overexerting the affected area, though. Some lighter, easier exercises at the beginning would be definitely better." The woman nodded in understanding.
Sasuke was somehow irritated. It seemed as though he was being treated like a child being visited, and now his doctor was talking to his parents, telling them what medications he should take and what he could and couldn't do.
He wanted to remark that he was there too. They were talking about his health, after all. They were making plans for his future. Even though he was still so uncomfortable with that notion. Future? Did he even have one? When he was a kid and thought about his future, there wasn't really anything beyond getting revenge on his brother. Yeah, he had the dream of reviving his clan, but it was secondary to his main goal, killing Itachi. Now, he couldn't say that he had any dreams for his future. Also, his trial would be in four months. What if his sentence would be death, or life imprisonment? He didn't really want to start making any plans, or think about that, for that matter.
He felt a hand rest on his shoulder and raised his head, meeting a pair of intense green eyes. He hadn't even realized his mind had drifted off.
"Come on, pretty eyes. We have some work to do."
"Stop calling me like that," he growled. He didn't like being made fun of.
The kunoichi laughed. "Oh, I thought it was a cuter nickname than 'emo boy' or 'big frown', but if you insist…" Sasuke glared at her, but that only seemed to intensify her mirth.
"Now, angsty, put your sweater back on or you'll make our common friend there uncomfortable," she said, then got nearer and lowered her voice, "And I'm not talking about Rokudaime, here." Sasuke was very uncomfortable with the lack of respect the woman showed towards his personal space. He had killed… no, maybe not killed, but seriously injured people for less of an insult. He grabbed the sweater by his side and jumped off the bed he was sitting on.
"Kakashi, can I have someone else evaluate me?" he asked, addressing the Hokage. The man looked at him with eyebrows raised, then his eyes briefly darted to the annoying kunoichi before setting back onto him. "I'm sorry, Sasuke, but I think you'll need to put up with Asuka." Sasuke could tell that Kakashi was grinning under his mask. The bastard. Was it that funny to make fun of him?
"You know, it's a bit disheartening that you want to dump me this early… I'm feeling hurt," the kunoichi said, bringing a hand to her chest in a dramatic stance. She then smiled warmly and nudged him in the ribs. "Let's go. We have some training to do." That said, she waved goodbye to Sakura and Kakashi, and pushed him to the exit. Sasuke glanced at his former teammate, wondering if what he was seeing in her eyes was pity, then looked at his teacher, who was waving his hand at them. Jackass.
It was fun to tease him. Asuka had not meant to, at the beginning, but seeing how he reacted to her calling him 'pretty eyes' for the first time, she had really not been able to stop herself. The boy was so serious.
Asuka and Sasuke reached the training camp she had reserved for the afternoon. The boy had been silent through their walk there, and Asuka had just let him be. But now she was so going to pull words out of that pouting mouth.
"So, before we start, I guess it's better if we introduced ourselves, don't you think?" She ignored his scowl and resumed talking. "I'm Asuka Sarutobi, jounin of the Leaf. I like eating, music and sex. I dislike boredom and bats. My hobbies… well, I guess they are linked to what I like." She ended with a smile and a tilt of her head. "What about you?"
Sasuke kept scowling at her. Did she really say she liked sex? What kind of person – a woman – could say something so scandalous as if she had said she liked flowers? At her expectant look, he sighed. "Kakashi's already introduced us. What I like is none of your concern, what I dislike is you." His irritation only grew exponentially when the woman's reaction was to burst out laughing.
"Oh my, you're exhilarating." She sighed and looked around her. A feeling of nostalgia washed through her, as she thought back to years before, when she used to train there with her team, or spar with Kakashi. "Well, you're my first student, so I'm a little excited," she told Sasuke. He narrowed his eyes at her. 'Like I have anything to learn from you.'
"I'm not your student. You're here to judge me." Asuka pouted. "Evaluate. It's the Kage council that will judge you. I will only have to write a report on you, specifying if I deem you worthy of being a free shinobi or not." Sasuke crossed his arms. His sentence was probably already decided. Even in Konoha, he was greatly disliked. Figures in other countries.
"And why you, specifically?" He asked. What was so special about this kunoichi? She was annoying, obnoxious and loud. And she didn't seem strong. Why couldn't someone like Kakashi judge him? Or even that guy who had substituted for Kakashi as the leader of team 7. Or anyone else. She approached him, her mouth to his ear, as if to reveal him a secret. "Because I frankly don't give a fuck about you," she whispered. She then stood up straight. "I haven't been in Konoha for a long time, and I don't know jack about you or your story, apart from what I've read on your file. Which means I don't know anything. To me, now, you're just an ordinary teenager shinobi. So, Rokudaime thought I could evaluate you more objectively than any other ninja."
That made sense. If she didn't know him, she was unbiased. But still, even though she gave a positive report, Sasuke was certain his future was doomed. He didn't say anything more about that matter, though, and started following the woman's instructions on his training.
Even though he would have never confessed that feeling aloud, Sasuke was almost ashamed of himself. He would have never imagined that six months in jail with his chakra sealed would deteriorate his stamina so much. He had fallen on his knees while practicing a basic taijutsu drill, something kids learned during their first year at the Academy, and he had fucking collapsed. The kunoichi was swiftly in front of him, extending her arm. "I guess we can call it a day. It's better if you don't overexert yourself."
Sasuke ignored the arm she was offering and stood up on his own, his legs wobbling under his weight. Just as he was about to retort that he could go on more, an annoying voice invaded his ears.
"Sasuke! So you're here!" Said boy rolled his eyes in irritation. Another thing he would have never confessed out loud, but he was hoping for his friend to show up.
"Took you long enough, idiot."
Naruto's eyes narrowed as he growled. "Aah, Sasuke, you don't always have to pretend you're not happy to see me!" He then smiled at the kunoichi behind him. "Oh, good afternoon, Asuka-nee! I hope you're not fed up with Sasuke already!" The woman giggled. "Nah, he's just the easiest person to interact with," she replied, winking at Naruto and then grinning at Sasuke, who just grunted and turned his head the other way. The blond teenager started bombing Sasuke with questions, about his health, and training, and chakra, and… Asuka had stopped listening, after a few seconds.
"We were just about to leave the training grounds and head to the market," Asuka said. Noticing Sasuke's questioning expression, she pulled a shopping list out of the pocket of her jacket and handed it to him. "We need to settle the accommodation issue. You've been given an apartment, but we still need to buy some things," she explained. The boy skimmed through the list. Mainly food and clothes. "I have a budget we have to stick to, but feel free to buy whatever you want." He nodded in response.
"Can I come with you?" Naruto's request came out as a plea. Sasuke's eyes widened for a bit. He was not sure he could stand his booming behavior right now. Asuka instead smiled warmly at him. "Of course."
The trio exited the training ground and headed to the center of Konoha. Actually, Asuka was glad that Naruto was there. She would have gotten lost a lot on her way to the market. At least he was leading the way without even noticing. The blond ninja was in fact blabbing about nothing, as usual, and Sasuke was pretending to not listen to him. He would sometimes make a snarky remark to show his irritation, but the truth was that he was listening to Naruto's voice and words just like a man would drink from a river after being in a desert.
Asuka followed them silently, enjoying the two boys' bickering, at the same time examining people's reactions as they strolled through the streets. They would all smile warmly at Naruto, someone at her, too, but as their eyes recognized the third party in their group, they would show fear and suspicion. Asuka was hoping Sasuke would not notice that, even though she highly doubted he wouldn't. His shoulders seemed stiffer than when they had left the training ground, and she noticed his head turn to the middle of the street, as if to avoid directly looking at the people. Her lips tightened.
"What about something other than black?" Asuka asked, showing Sasuke a red sweater. Beside her, Naruto held an orange t-shirt in his hands. Of course he would go for such an outstanding color. Sasuke looked at it as if it would be about to suddenly catch fire. "Blue is fine, too, as long as it is dark," he replied. "Moreover, it's not like I need many clothes. I only have four months left, after all," he mumbled to himself, grabbing a couple of dark sweaters and pants and heading to the fitting room to try them on. Asuka's brows furrowed and her lips tightened as she heard Sasuke's comment.
"Asuka-nee, what do you think? Pretty cool, uh?" Naruto was showing off the t-shirt he had recommended to his friend a few moments earlier. She smiled at him. "You look great. But the money I have is just for Sasuke, you know." Naruto pouted, and searched for his wallet. "It's ok, buy that too," Sasuke said, exiting the fitting room and literally throwing his clothes at Naruto. "Let's pay and go out." He tried to ignore his friend's excitement and beaming smile as he thanked him for such a gift. Asuka watched the interaction amusedly, then headed to the counter and paid for the clothes.
Next, they headed to a stall selling fruits and vegetables. "Buy some tomatoes, too." Asuka turned to Sasuke, a bright smile on her face. "So, finally, you've revealed something you like!" The boy's head jerked to the side. Was he embarrassed? Naruto was still looking at him and grinning like crazy. And why did he seem so enamored with that kunoichi?
"You're lucky Asuka-nee's your teacher, you know? She's so beautiful and nice! And she's also Kak-" Sasuke interrupted him. "Stop it, Naruto. I don't give a damn about her." He huffed in irritation. She was not his teacher. She was neither beautiful nor nice. And she was definitely too old for Naruto, if he thought he had any chance. Sasuke insulted him before resuming his walk.
"Ok, Sasuke. This is the apartment."
Aauka opened the door to an extremely plain, one-bedroom apartment.
"Wow man, this is the saddest house I've ever been in," Naruto commented, taking a brief tour of the apartment, and literally taking less than ten seconds. The kunoichi smiled sheepishly and scratched her neck. "Well, yes, it's a bit gloomy, all grey and anonymous, but I'm sure it only needs to be personalized to your taste. After all, the rent's already been paid, so it's not like you get to be too picky, uh?"
"It'll be just fine." Sasuke was being honest. He didn't care much where he would live. If he had to choose any place in the world, he would probably want to go back to his old house in the Uchiha neighborhood. But after Konoha's destruction (one of the crimes against the village he had not committed) there was no Uchiha neighborhood anymore, so right now, virtually any place was good.
He walked to his bedroom and threw the bag with his new clothes on the bed. He would put them away later. What he really craved for, now, was a shower. While in prison, they let him shower once a week, for a limited time only, and he was always guarded. It was not like he could ever relax.
However, coming back to the living room, he realized his relax would have to wait. The plain kunoichi and the blond idiot were still there, in the kitchen, putting everything they had bought in order into the cabinets. "Say, Sasuke, what do you think? Maybe we could stay here and have dinner all together! Asuka-nee will surely cook us some delicacies, and we could invite Sakura and Kakashi-sensei, too!" Sasuke's face didn't probably have the impassive expression he thought he could easily wear, because the kunoichi started chuckling and shook her head. She nudged Naruto in the ribs. "I think we should just leave, Naruto. Sasuke's clearly in need of some sleep." The blond boy looked down, discomforted. "Come on," she whispered to him, "Try to understand." She then turned to Sasuke again. "Besides, I really can't cook any delicacy. But if you want, I can make you some sandwiches that you could eat when you feel like it." Sasuke shrugged. "I'll just make something myself," he replied. He was really starting to feel the weight and stress of that day, and he just really wanted to take a shower and sleep in a proper bed.
Sasuke accompanied Naruto and the kunoichi to the door. "So, I'll see you soon… right?" Naruto looked back at him, expectantly, a half smile on his face. His nod was hardly perceptible, yet the blonde's smile widened. Sasuke then looked at the woman. "Tomorrow…" he started, wanting to know the plans for the following day, but trying to sound as unconcerned as possible. She tilted her head and smiled. "We'll start from where we left off today. I'll come pick you up around 9." Of course, she would escort him. He still wouldn't be trusted to walk alone. He nodded slightly and closed the door, not waiting for the two shinobi to be gone.
"This sucks… I was hoping that Sasuke would behave at least a little more pleasantly…" Naruto complained in front of the closed door, putting his arms up and behind his head. Asuka eyed him and smiled. "Well, he's had a rough day, you know… I'm sure he was just very tired." Naruto hummed in agreement, then grinned at the woman. "Say, Asuka-nee, what about some ramen? We could tell Sakura and Kakashi-sensei, too!" Asuka chuckled. "Sounds great to me. Now, why don't you go ahead and ask Sakura? I have to report to the Hokage. We could meet at Ichiraku's later tonight." Naruto nodded excitedly. "That's great! I'll go to the hospital and invite Sakura-chan, then! See you later!"
That said, he rushed down the hall and out of the apartment building. Asuka sighed and turned towards Sasuke's door. 'Good thing Naruto's stormed outside. He wouldn't have liked this,' she thought, her hands forming a few seals and letting her green chakra appear. She placed her hands on the door and let her chakra slide along the walls, encasing the house inside an invisible barrier. It was a simple, yet effective jutsu. The one she would cast around her house when she was a kid, to control undesired flows of people in and out, but she had upgraded it with Hiroichi's help. She tugged back the sleeve of her sweater, seeing the kanji for 'closed' appear on her arm above her wrist, like a black tattoo. Once she exited the building, she noticed a cloaked figure perched on the tree beside it. Its porcelain boar mask was a huge giveaway on why he was there. When Asuka nodded, the ninja made a sign in Anbu code, meaning everything was fine, and jumped to the roof.
When Asuka entered the Mission Assignment Desk, she was welcomed by a beaming smile. "Oh, it's so nice to see you, Sarutobi-san!" Iruka chirped, next to Kakashi. The Hokage gave him a side-stare and then focused on Asuka. "Good to see you too, Iruka-san, Rokudaime-sama. I came here to report on the Uchiha."
Kakashi motioned for her to get nearer and nodded lightly to have her begin her report. Asuka described their training and shopping, and ended her report explaining the seal she had cast on Sasuke's apartment. The Hokage hummed, nodding at her report. Of course, he didn't expect much from the boy immediately after being released. "What do you think of Sasuke, Sarutobi-san?" Iruka asked, concern clear in his voice. Probably he was worried about the younger shinobi as well, considering he had been his student. Asuka shrugged. "It's not like he opened up. My first impression is that he is quite the introvert brat. And maybe a little too self-centered. Like, the tragic hero of a sappy novel. However," she said, lifting her brow, thinking back to their walk through the village, "people in Konoha are either afraid of him or really despise him… I fear this is going to be one major problem of his new life here."
Iruka smiled sadly, looking down onto his desk. "Yeah, I guess… You know, Sarutobi-san, your words to me all those years ago… it took me some time to fully understand them, but I guess you were right… hatred won't bring anything but more hatred. You were referring to Naruto, back then, but I think it could be valid for Sasuke, now… It's going to take time, but I believe the people in Konoha will show him love, if they understand what he's been through… Rokudaime-sama has made the perfect decision, assigning you to Sasuke's case…" At the end of this speech, Iruka was blushing hard. Asuka's lips curved into a soft smile, but her eyes bore a feeling of uncertainty that Kakashi didn't miss. He voiced her thoughts out loud.
"Unfortunately, time is what Sasuke does not have right now."
He stood up and sighed, looking out of the window. He was worried for his student. Four months might seem a long time, but they would pass by in the blink of an eye.
"By the way, Ka– Rokudaime-sama, Naruto proposed we have ramen together, tonight," Asuka said, lifting the mood in the room. The man turned around and nodded, accepting the invitation. "He has gone to the hospital to tell Sakura, too. He invited Sasuke but the boy was too tired. Understandably." Her eyes then traveled to the chuunin at the desk. "You can come too, if you want, Iruka-san."
"Oh, Iruka-sensei, you're here too? Great!" Naruto greeted his teacher, and beside him, Sakura smiled, waving her hand at the three adults approaching.
Kakashi ate his ramen rapidly and put his mask back on. Beside him, Asuka was chatting with Sakura and Naruto was bragging about only God knew what with Iruka. He glanced down at his empty bowl and rested his head on his hand. He liked spending time with his students, but he was feeling tired. And it was only Monday. He couldn't help but recognize that part of his tiredness was due to his concern about Sasuke. The boy had looked so frail and vulnerable, and he was beginning to regret what he had told him. He must have looked cold and distant during his lecture. Probably the last thing Sasuke needed at that time.
His mind wandered off on its own, and after a while he felt Asuka's leg bump into his. Sakura had intervened in the conversation between Naruto and Iruka, and the three were now talking animatedly. Asuka was looking attentively at Kakashi, probably understanding what was going on in his mind. She leaned towards him and whispered to his ear, "What about we make off and have them pay for our food? You look like you could use some rest." She smiled knowingly, her eyebrow raised in playfulness, asking him to be her accomplice. He chuckled, placed a hand on Asuka's thigh, and leaned over the counter. "Yo," he said, drawing the attention of his two students and Iruka. The three turned questioningly towards him, only to see the Hokage waving at them and Asuka grinning mischievously. "We should definitely do this more often. Thanks for the meal!" That said, Kakashi and the kunoichi disappeared in a whirlwind of leaves, leaving their three dumbfounded companions behind.
Sakura was the first to pull herself together. She blinked at the now empty seats and screeched. "That asshole!" She shrieked. "And he involved Asuka-san in his petty prank, too!" Her hand balled into a fist, as the vein on her forehead started pulsing dangerously fast. "I'm gonna make him pay for that!" Naruto clicked his tongue in annoyance. 'Damn! He's stolen my idea!' He huffed, closing his eyes and sporting an offended expression. "Well, that's Kakashi-sensei for you. Even though Hokage, he's still a damned cheapskate!" He then nudged the pink-haired girl in the ribs. "Hey, Sakura-chan, what about we do the same? Iruka-sensei still hasn't recovered from shock!" He proposed, grinning like a madman. "Sheesh, Naruto, you're such a baby!" She replied, but her glinting eyes strongly contrasted with her words. Inside her head, Inner Sakura was doing backflips. 'Way to go, Naruto! You're a genius!' She took the boy's hand and disappeared with him.
Seeing the puff of smoke clearing, Iruka gave a start and realized what had happened. Was the Hokage's hand on Sarutobi-san's thigh? Had they gone away together? His jaw was still open, as Teuchi hastily slammed the bill onto the counter in front of him. "Iruka-sensei, I hope you're not thinking about leaving before paying for your and your friends' dinner, uh?" He asked, smiling. Iruka gulped, feeling somewhat threatened by the menacing knife the cook was casually holding in his hand. He peeked at the bill and the last of his broth went down the wrong way. Had those jerks really ordered the most expensive sets on the menu and left him in the lurch?