Requester: Anonymous
Prompt: In "I Dream of Shades of Red," Sasuke mentions how he found Naruto as a baby. Can you write how Sasuke found him?
Warnings: May be slightly confusing if you haven't read "I Dream in Shades of Red."
Title: The Answer
It was sickening. Sasuke couldn't stand the press of the bodies around him, the salty smell of sweat and blood hanging thick in the air. He was hard pressed to keep to his oath. He had sworn off killing, having seen way too many dead bodies in his un-life. But the crowded club and his fraying nerves were beginning to take their toll.
The club was new, recently opened for the children of the so called "grunge" movement. Like most things in this new era, it tended to give Sasuke a headache. But it was an easy source of prey, and it did allow for his coven to relax, so Sasuke agreed to the scheme. It didn't mean he had to like it, but he supposed that's the way things were.
Sasuke moved across the room to stand with Kakashi.
"I think that this coven is becoming too large to bring out all at once."
"Hm," Sasuke grunted in reply.
"I think we are becoming too noticeable."
"Hm." Kakashi huffed and tried again.
"We will eventually have to start coming in shifts. It could raise some problems, considering half of your coven has problems…controlling their appetites." Sasuke sighed, realizing that Kakashi wasn't going to let this go. He pushed away from the wall to face him.
"Fine. Do what you want. I am leaving." Kakashi frowned.
"All right. I will see you at home?"
Sasuke shrugged and turned to leave. To be honest, he wasn't sure. He was so tired. He could hardly stand this existence any more, so why should he struggle through it? It had been something he had been considering for some time. He had told himself that he had to insure that Itachi's progeny stayed in line, but Kakashi was more than capable of that. For a while, he had thought his purpose was to change the eating habits of vampires, spreading the idea of keeping the prey alive, but he knew enough to know when he was fighting a loosing battle.
So what was the point? Sasuke sighed as he made is way down the street, away from home. He couldn't stand this existence, the monotony, the same grueling routine day after day. He grinned wirily to himself; it had been so long since he had seen a sun-rise. Perhaps it would be a nice change of pace.
He was nearly startled by the sound of someone hitting some trashcans in the alley he was walking by. He paused as the strange scent of blood and milk hit his nose. He wrinkled his forehead in confusion and followed the scent around the corner to the back of the building. There was a woman, wrapped in layers of sweatshirts and a torn skirt, just lowering the lid to a dumpster. She was so tiny with matted red hair clinging to her pale face. To Sasuke's surprise, when she turned around and saw him, she didn't scream or whimper or even look surprised. Instead, she sighed heavily and leaned back against the dumpster.
"Hello," Sasuke said cautiously.
"Hello," she replied. Sasuke looked more carefully at her and noticed she was shaking. Taking a quick sniff, he couldn't smell fear. But the scent of blood was clinging to her. He ran his eyes down her small frame, looking for injuries, but couldn't find any.
"How are you this evening?" There was a voice in his head telling him to see what she had put in dumpster, but he wanted to make sure she was all right. The girl shrugged.
"Okay." She shifted along the edge of the dumpster, like she was trying to sneak away.
"Are you injured?" She froze and looked back at him carefully.
"No," she said slowly.
"Your name?" Sasuke took a couple of steps closer to the girl. She didn't move away.
"Kushina."
"Well, Kushina, how old are you?"
"Sixteen." So young! What was she doing out here, in this neighborhood, at night?
"Should you be home?" She shrugged and didn't answer. Sasuke pressed on. "What are you doing back here?" Finally, he received some reaction. She finally looked away from him.
"What's your name?" Sasuke considered her a moment.
"Sasuke. Will you answer me now? What did you throw away?" She shifted her on her feet before mumbling an answer.
"I miscarried." Sasuke's mind was a bit slow to catch up. The first thing that he thought was that she was very young to be pregnant. Then, the implications of what she said finally registered.
"You have thrown away your baby?" Sasuke prided himself on his control over his emotions, but even he heard the disgust and shock in his voice.
"I didn't know what to do!" She was crying now. "The baby's dead and I don't have money for a funeral."
"Where is the baby's father?" Sasuke finally started to move to the dumpster. Gently, he took the girl by her arm to move her enough so he could open the lid and look in.
"I…I don't know who the father is. I'm…I'm a…" Sasuke looked back at her and understood.
"All right." There was a wooden box just on top of the trash. Carefully, Sasuke pulled it back out to look in. There was a dead baby inside, still covered in its mother's blood and juices. Sasuke sighed and looked forlornly back at the infant. "I will take care of it. You should go home."
"You'll give it a good burial?" She sounded almost hopeful. Sasuke nodded and pulled out some money from his pocket. He handed it to her without counting it.
"Eat something, and then go home and sleep." She smiled at him.
"Thank you. Thank you, Sasuke. I won't forget you." She turned and scurried out of the alley. Sasuke sighed again, and gently pulled the baby out of the box. He cradled it in the crook of his arm and rubbed at its chest.
"I am sorry little one. Perhaps it is better this way. Perhaps I will join you." There was a light flutter under his fingertips, and Sasuke, if he could still breathe, would have caught his breath. He brought the baby to his face and listened carefully. There! There was a soft thump and a light inhale. The baby was still alive!
Sasuke's mind raced, trying to connect several train of thoughts at once. He had to get the baby help, had to find a place for the baby to stay during the day, and had to do it quickly. Vaguely, Sasuke remembered that there was an orphanage not too far from his coven's house. Sasuke didn't remember moving, but the next he was aware, he was rushing up the steps of the orphanage, pounding on the door.
An older woman opened the door. "What in the world…?"
"He is dying. Help him. Please." The woman wasted no time in taking the baby from him and returning to the bowels of the orphanage. He followed, but he stopped short as she entered the medical wing. The scent of blood was too strong back there, and he didn't want to endanger the baby any further.
Several hours later and he was beginning to be worried. He didn't have much time before he would have to leave, but he wanted to make sure the baby was okay. Finally, the woman came out, looking grim. Sasuke stood and prepared himself for the news.
"He's alive, for now. I'm not making any guarantees. Where'd you find him?"
"A dumpster." The woman huffed and put her fists on her hips.
"Some idiot teenager, then. Well, the baby's badly malnourished and it looks like it was born pretty premature. But I've seen worse with a happy ending. I've also seen better with a sad ending." She shrugged. "Time will tell."
Sasuke nodded in understanding. "Can I come back tomorrow evening to check on his progress?" She affirmed that this was a possibility, and Sasuke took his leave.
"Well, he's a fighter. That's for sure. We've named him Naruto."
"Naruto," Sasuke tasted it. "He's still alive, then?"
"Yup. And if he makes it through tonight, I think he'll be just fine. We were just about to see if he'd take a bottle. Do you want to feed him? We're stretched a bit thin trying to get the rest of the kids in bed." Sasuke nodded and followed the woman to the nursery. She handed him the bottle and motioned to the crib before leaving the room, following the sounds of screaming children. The door clicked closed behind her, immersing Sasuke in silence and alone with the baby.
Slowly, he walked up to the crib and looked over the edge. Huge eyes were looking back up at him. Naruto reminded him of sunlight- bright blond locks and sky blue eyes. Sasuke felt himself smile for the first time in centuries.
"Hello, Naruto. Are you hungry?" Naruto whimpered and reached a small fisted hand towards him. "All right." Sasuke reached down and carefully picked the baby up.
The baby fed…enthusiastically. Sasuke chuckled. The poor little thing was starved, so it was no surprise. Sasuke stroked the baby's fine hair away from his face. The baby whimpered as the bottle was finished.
"Hush Baby…Naruto. Do not fret. I am here." Sasuke leaned down and kissed Naruto's forehead. "I will always be here. For you."