This chapter is weird, but I like it. I took me forever to write!! I'm soooo sorry about the wait:bows down: please forgive me!! I've been lazy….:sigh:
I can't say it won't happen again…but I can say we're actually getting somewhere now!! Fufufufu…
Enjoy! And it hasn't been beta'd so sorry about any mistakes…
On to chapter Eleven!!
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Chapter Eleven
The whole day had gone by rather wonderfully after that.
Naruto had watched Sasuke as he had left on the train; his mind seemed blank of everything else, only looking forwards to what the next day would bring them. He wondered how it would be. Nothing had been as he had expected so far, he hadn't realised that he was so weak…no, he knew he was weak, but he thought that he would have at least been stronger, he hoped that he could have protected Sasuke for a little bit longer, but he was too weak…he just didn't want to. He'd wanted to have Sasuke back…but was what he had done the wrong thing?
He had to face something that night, didn't he? Orochimaru was back, and Naruto knew that things would be as difficult as they always were…but he had Sasuke to go to now, he could find comfort in someone and forget everything that ever happened to him whenever he wasn't with the dark-haired boy. It was like some dream, like it was all a wonderful dream.
He had arrived back at the mansion the same as any time he would have. He wasn't late, nor was he early, right on time, glad to see that as of yet, Orochimaru didn't seem to be home.
He ate a small dinner before he returned to his room, just to mull over the events of the day. A small smile toyed with his lips, occasionally curling at the corners and making him roll over to shove his face in his pillow. He could almost swear the he was laughing about it all, the whole insanity of it, the strangeness of it, the luck…he could never have asked for anything more.
Immediately he lifted his head from the pillow as his limbs shot through with fear. He felt the strings of his heart tug as his ears had heard the sound of the approaching car before his mind had even really registered it. Orochimaru was home already, and he'd barely had any time to get over what had happened that day.
Naruto hoped that Orochimaru wasn't in too good of a mood that evening or it would undoubtedly lead to more than enough pain for him, of course he would have to face it tonight…maybe only in a few minutes if Orochimaru would have it, but now Naruto knew that he could handle it more than ever.
Ignorance is bliss. He wondered if that could apply for his situation too.
Changing out of his school clothes Naruto went to wash before he put on a pair of jeans and a plain t-shirt, able to hear footsteps ascending the stairs. All of the hairs stood on the back of his neck and his arms as he heard those gentle knocks upon the door. Naruto worried now, he hadn't spoken to Kyuubi since before the incident with Kabuto and then following the one with Sasuke, and no doubt he thought that Naruto was angry with him…Naruto was angry with Kyuubi, of course he was, but surely Kyuubi knew that Naruto couldn't afford not to be friendly with him.
If it was the usual experiment then Orochimaru would attempt to know all of what had happened to Naruto over the few days through Kyuubi. Of course Naruto had every faith that Kyuubi would say nothing about Sasuke, Kyuubi after all was in the same boat as Naruto.
Whatever happened to Naruto, Kyuubi would feel the effects of, and vice versa - although somehow, whenever Kyuubi had control of Naruto's body he was significantly more powerful, as witnessed by Kabuto and also unfortunately by Sasuke little more than a few hours ago. Naruto still felt awful for that…it had been so uncalled for, but inside he knew that he had called out for Kyuubi's help, that he hadn't wanted to speak to Sasuke…he only wanted to frighten Sasuke away, when he'd only brought them together.
How much of a stupid idea had that been? And Sasuke was hurt wasn't he? Of course he was…hurt because of me…
"Naruto, you're home?" Came the voice from the other side of the door. Naruto had almost forgotten he'd heard the knock, and went over quickly, ruffling his hair with his fingers as he went over.
Latching onto the doorknob Naruto opened it and there stood the being of his nightmares. "Oh, so you are here as I thought. How was it without me, Naruto-kun? Lonely?"
Naruto nodded as Orochimaru entered the room passed him and looked over towards the backpack that Naruto had open upon the bed, some papers sticking out. Naruto had made sure that he hadn't taken anything of Sasuke's or with Sasuke's name or handwriting on it, in fact, he'd been very, very careful about it, not a single trace of Sasuke for Orochimaru to follow. Nothing.
"So, have you had your dinner yet?" Orochimaru glanced over his shoulder towards the slender figure of Naruto, whose eyes he was yet to be graced by. "No, of course not, you would have only just arrived home." He smiled, moving to stand ahead of Naruto with a hungry smirk upon his thin lips. "Go down and make yourself something to - actually no."
This made Naruto look up, a sinking feeling flooded through him, not that he was hungry, he might be soon - but that wasn't the problem, the glimmer in Orochimaru's devious golden eyes were telling Naruto to be fearful, and of course he was, he was more than fearful, Orochimaru had just thought of something to make all of it even worse.
"I think for our little session tonight we'll see what more that inner demon of yours can do, ne, Naruto-kun?" Orochimaru smiled, running his thumb along Naruto's jaw, lifting his face so that they looked upon one another. Naruto's eyes were void as those strange golden ones searched him for any kind of emotion, but there was nothing out of the usual there.
Sadness, emptiness, solitude, pain. All things that Orochimaru had put there himself, he was slightly disappointed but glad at the same time that he held such a hold over Naruto, and knew that it would always remain as such if he had his way.
"I mean, I already know that it favours blood. After what happened to Kabuto the other night, there's no doubt in my mind about that. No doubt at all." Orochimaru hissed, lowering his hand to his side, allowing for Naruto's head to drop. "So once I get it all set up downstairs, I'll come and fetch you, Naruto-kun. Stay in your room for the time being."
Naruto nodded his head, his throat suddenly dry as he watched the lips of his so-called guardian curl into a smirk before he headed out of the room. Naruto listened subconsciously to the sounds of his footsteps as they faded away before his knees gave way beneath him. A defeated sigh escaped his lips. It was almost as if he was bored of it all, and sure enough he was more than bored.
Please…I know you can hear me…don't say anything about Sasuke…nothing that will relate to him at all…please, Kyuubi, when the time comes, if he asks you anything about school, leave out Sasuke entirely…you know how much he means to me, I know you do…so please…don't even lead on about him…about anyone…
Don't worry, Naru. I hate that bastard as much as you do. I wouldn't give him the pleasure of knowing about that Sasuke-kid.
Thank-you, Kyuubi.
Don't sweat it. And I promise I won't do anything too bad tonight, okay? I'll just attack Orochimaru some…give him a taste of his own experiment…hehehe…
Don't go too over the top…remember that he still doesn't know that we can talk with one another like this…
And I doubt he will unless we tell him, Naru.
"I know…" Naruto said quietly out loud, already feeling the aching in his muscles in anticipation of what was to come. He felt the straining muscles of his arms and legs felt the prickly-heat as it surged through his lithe frame.
We can do this, Naru! We've swapped places before.
I know…but he uses that damn serum…it hurts…and we can just swap places so easily without all of that pain…that's the worst part of it…
Yeah, sure is. You know I feel it too…it burns.
Yeah…exactly… Naruto sighed once again, bringing his knees up to his chest; it was already time for the waiting to begin. Maybe the waiting was the worst part after all?
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Orochimaru circled the chamber once more, checking all of the locks on the door once again. A smirk appeared upon his lips as his eyes glanced once more over his possession. Naruto lay - as he had become accustomed to - upon the cold metal table, eyes blank and looking up to the white ceiling above, his eyes void of any light.
"You know the drill, Naruto-kun." Orochimaru smirked, snaking closer to his target, holding a syringe filled with a gluey looking crimson liquid.
Naruto gently shut his eyes, feeling the cold pale fingers as they ran up his inner forearm, tightening the straps around his wrists and biceps. He felt entirely restrained as he usually did whenever tied down like that. Just like an animal. His breathing was shallow, so very shallow; it was difficult to breathe with the straps so tight across his chest.
He waited just a little longer; he knew that was all it would take. Although Orochimaru liked to torment Naruto, there was a limit to how much he could stand too. He wanted to see his possession do what he'd been working so hard on for so long, he wanted to see the power that he'd managed to store within that vessel. Naruto had never really come to terms with it - what he was. He knew it…but he'd never understood.
Naruto readied himself as he felt the scrape of the metal against the flesh of his throat; he anticipated it, remembering the feeling as nothing uncommon. It would be the same as the last time or the time before that…except now he had more secrets to protect. He trusted Kyuubi, there was far more hate within that part of himself, so much more of himself that wanted to piss Orochimaru off. He would never sell up Naruto. He would gain nothing from it - well - as far as Naruto knew.
As Naruto's thoughts drifted as they sometimes did, he felt the syringe as the metal plunged into the flesh of his throat. He took a deep breath, his eyebrows knitting together as the felt the pressure of the liquid as it was plunged into his veins.
He'd held back for as long as he could, but as the liquid thundered through his veins setting his body and limbs on fire he couldn't stand it. The pain was too much. The straps strained and dug into his sore flesh as she struggled against the force that held him in place, only wanting to wrap his arms around himself to make the pain go away, but such a thing would not happen. Not yet anyway.
His eyes opened broadly, shot through with blood, pupils nothing but slits as a furious and pained cry broke out from his throat. The cry was an echo of a growl and held the remains of a human yell as the pain finally showed itself.
Orochimaru watched his specimen closely as it writhed around upon the cold metal table. Naruto's head tilted back as the strap across the chest tore away and lifted from the table as if his heart was attempting to tear itself out of his chest. The Snake watched, filled with amusement, it never seemed to lose its thrill, the screaming and the growling as the creature he'd been working on for years once again showed itself. He felt like such a proud father to have created such a creature…and resented those who had shunned his research and intellect.
Naruto was superhuman now thanks to him. A part of him was meant for killing, a creature who loved to tear with those powerful elongated fingernails, a creature who stalked prey in total silence, watchful with burning crimson eyes that saw incredibly even in the blackest of night. Naruto was almost perfection. Built to kill and to cause death and pain, created for solitude, adapt to loneliness and pain…almost perfect.
"All you have left is a human heart." Orochimaru said out loud, listening to the moans and the heavy breathing that escaped Naruto's lips. His golden eyes broadened in excitement as the lithe frame of the boy became sturdier, as the markings on his face became darker and more prominent, he couldn't miss those wonderful elongated canines as his teeth gritted together in order to hold in the crying.
"A simple human heart. You're broken enough, aren't you, Naruto-kun? I've done well in making you feel entirely useless, haven't I?" Orochimaru grinned, the toothy smile spreading across his white face. "Oh, I know I have…I've just always wanted to hear it from your mouth, Naruto-kun. You never tell me how much of a wonderful guardian I am - but I know that's what you're thinking on the inside."
Orochimaru stood back and continued to watch this physical transformation, the red as it shot through his blonde hair, the fire as seemed to cling to the boy's olive flesh. He felt such a pride swell within him for this wonderful creation. Truly, it would be perfect as soon as he had managed to destroy the human within this vessel.
"You're everything I hoped you would be. You were so useless before, as a normal human, and now I am near to perfecting you after all these years. This wonderful serum allows me to speak with you…allows me to speak with the wonderful demon that I am proud to say that I have created…though I'll be looking for a second specimen soon, Naruto-kun…you may have a friend around soon…wouldn't that be nice?" Orochimaru walked closer as the struggling lessened, though Naruto's breathing remained heavy and thick, echoed with malice and strength and something other worldly.
"So…I wonder what our Naruto-kun has been up to while I've been away…will you tell me, Kyuubi no Kitsune…?"
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"It was close this time, you nearly got caught."
"I got it under control."
"This time, Leader-sama is slightly anxious about the next hit."
"Don't worry…I was simply caught off guard…it won't be the same the next time."
"Yeah sure…it was unusual of you…you seemed a bit out of it all night. You sure you're okay?"
"I am fine…I have to go now, Kisame…"
"Sure. See you tomorrow."
"Aa."
Itachi put the mobile phone aside on the kitchen counter and took a deep breath. He listened to the gentle almost silent footsteps of his brother as he walked along the landing. He'd heard him rustling around in his bedroom since he'd gotten back, it sounded as if he'd finally woken up from his bad dream.
He checked the time on his wrist watch and noted that it was nearly half past three in the morning. He reached back and pulled the tie out of his hair, his dark hair falling over his shoulders as he turned around to switch on the kettle, ready for a hot mug of tea.
The dim kitchen lights illuminated his face slightly; the darkened marks under his eyes the only thing that showed how tired he truly was. He listened carefully to the sounds around him, hearing Sasuke's footsteps as they stepped gently down the stairs, no doubt he was able to hear the kettle boiling and came down to see what it was…or that he'd been listening from the top of the stairs - as Itachi suspected.
"You're still awake."
"Aa…" Itachi replied as Sasuke entered the kitchen, stood at the archway, he looked as tired as Itachi felt. "I just got home."
"Oh." Was Sasuke's simple response, he didn't bother to waste his time in questioning Itachi again about his work, he had always avoided answering in the past and probably wouldn't submit to it now either.
"How are you feeling?" Itachi asked with his usual placid tone as Sasuke came and sat himself down at the kitchen table, crossing his arms ahead of him leisurely, dark eyes focusing on a spot on the table.
"Fine." Sasuke replied bluntly, when in reality he felt awful. He'd just woken from a nightmare like no other he'd had, he felt drained and so very tired, and the mark on his back…the one placed there by Orochimaru years ago, all so suddenly it had begun to act up, even right then it was throbbing like nothing else he'd felt.
It was such an ominous feeling, he didn't want to feel like that, yet even as he sat there with his brother he couldn't help but be aware of how he was hurting. Sasuke winced slightly and quickly his right hand went to massage his shoulder and neck feeling the throbbing tomoe mark beneath the black bed-shirt.
Itachi had noticed this movement, he knew about the marking, he couldn't have missed such a thing, yet he'd never suspected anything of it. Nothing particularly unusual had happened recently to make Sasuke react to it…except for the fact that about two nights ago now he'd come back home even more miserable than he had in a very long while.
Itachi was a big thinker. He also always immediately thought and prepared for the worst…and in that case the worst thing that could happen with Sasuke would be if he harmed himself again. Itachi felt a pain in his heart once again as he remembered the last time it had been so bad…he couldn't help but think rather negatively about these things…there was never any room for error when it came to Sasuke.
"Want some tea?" Itachi asked, still stood as he waited on the kettle. Sasuke looked up to Itachi through his dark bangs and thought on it. "Or Hazuki bought some flavoured hot-chocolate-things…I think there's a white-chocolate one. You like white-chocolate don't you?"
"They make white-hot-chocolate?" Sasuke mused and shrugged as he brought his arm back down onto the table.
"Apparently so." Itachi shrugged as he headed towards the cabinet above the kettle and pulled out the teabag and the sachets of different flavoured hot-chocolate.
"I'll try it if you do." Sasuke replied.
Itachi raised a usually motionless eyebrow and glanced over his shoulder towards his younger brother. He shrugged. "Why not…" Itachi mused as he drew out both sachets and put back the teabag.
"How's school going this term?" Itachi continued moments later as he stirred the mixture in the mugs. His attempts at starting conversations usually didn't succeed, but he thought he'd give it a go anyway, take Sasuke's mind off whatever he was thinking about.
Sasuke was tempted…but he couldn't give Itachi the satisfaction. Naruto was back, and Itachi didn't seem to know about him…about anything in fact - which was a change. Sasuke wasn't sure how Itachi would take it if he knew that Naruto was in Konoha…would he think that it was a good thing that he and Sasuke were back together? Or would he try and keep them apart? Sasuke didn't want to take the risk, so he had decided to remain very much silent about it.
"The same as last term." Sasuke replied bluntly, watching his brother's movements from the corner of his eye as he set the mug of hot-chocolate ahead of him before sitting himself opposite.
"So you're still going out with your friends?" Itachi commented, he knew the kind of things that Sasuke got up to while he wasn't being watched, he knew that Sasuke usually got into some trouble - and the fact the he'd been escorted home in a police car on more than one occasion had given him further ideas of what he usually did when away from home.
"Yeah…why not…" Sasuke shrugged, holding the warm mug between his hands, watching the chocolaty white liquid swirl within.
"You're happy then?"
What a random question…Sasuke thought to himself, mentally rolling his eyes. No matter how many times he could answer this question, it always seemed to be answered the same way. So Sasuke did the same as always, he shrugged and nodded his head. "Yeah, as happy as I'm going to get." Actually I'm really happy, thanks for asking, jerk - and it's no thanks to you of course.
"That's good."
"Suppose it is." Sasuke replied rather coldly, attempting still to avoid eye contact with Itachi - which he seemed to be rather successful at.
Itachi's lips curled into a smirk…Sasuke was certainly Sasuke no matter what happened to him.
"You haven't touched your drink." Sasuke noticed with a small smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. Itachi raised his shoulders in a barely noticeable shrug.
"Neither have you."
"Oh. So I haven't."
"You first." Itachi challenged.
"On three." Sasuke argued.
Itachi looked down at the mug and the white frothy mixture within, he barely liked hot-chocolate…so what had possessed him to agree to this? His dark eyes met with Sasuke's and in a silent count the both of them lifted the mugs to their lips, still watching each other intently before the both of them carefully took a sip.
Lowering the mugs back down to the table, both of them still watching one another closely as if eagerly waiting for the other to react. Then once again with the same movements, the mugs were pushed ahead of them until they pretty much met at the centre of the table.
"Never again." Sasuke sighed, swallowing hard, realising that he much preferred the real thing.
"I agree."
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Sasuke was out of the house sooner than usual once again, he'd even been up early enough to watch Itachi's silver convertible pull out of the driveway - which was very unusual. Hazuki was up and about as she usually was and nearly choked on her morning cup of tea when she saw Sasuke enter the kitchen.
"Well, to what do I owe this honour?" She laughed before going right ahead to making Sasuke something nice to eat. "This is a bit unusual for you, to be up this early. What's wrong, Suki? Couldn't sleep?"
He shrugged before he took his seat at the kitchen table, watching Hazuki as she went about beginning breakfast for him. He yawned before he even bothered to think about answering her. "Just felt like getting out of bed…"
"Oh." Hazuki grinned like a Cheshire cat as she held her back to the dark haired youth before breaking the eggs. "So…looking to meet a young lady are we?"
"What? No!" Sasuke was quick to deny, gaining an excited giggle from his soon to be sister-in-law. He felt suddenly agitated as he sat back in the seat, dropping his shoulders as he rolled his eyes rather typically.
"Oh, I see…" Hazuki mused, still holding her back towards him. "Then a male friend of yours perhaps?"
"I really don't like where you're going with this." Sasuke glared, folding his arms neatly across his lap. Hazuki giggled again.
"I always saw you as the type, Suki-chan!" Hazuki turned around, stars in her eyes as she held onto the cooking pan and spatula in separate hands, looking upon Sasuke with a bright grin upon her quaint heart-shaped face. "I knew you wouldn't let me down!"
"Uh…what are you talking about, exactly…?" Sasuke wondered nervously, restraining the urge to rub his tired eyes, unsure whether he wanted to hear the answer.
Hazuki was still beaming as she answered. "Well…I'm sure I'll find out soon enough…"
"Wait - Hazuki-chan -,"
"It's perfectly alright, sweetie!" She declared, turning back to what she was doing. "As long as you're happy then your aniki and I will be."
"Er…what?" Sasuke felt confusion build up within him…and Hazuki was certainly confusing enough without that added on top.
"Do you want fish?" Hazuki asked, suddenly changing the subject. "Or is the miso soup, rice and egg enough for you this morning?"
Too confused to really answer anything else, Sasuke - with a slack jaw nodded his head. "Yeah, yeah sure that's fine…"
He left waving Hazuki good-bye and headed off to the train-station, once again fully willing to wait at the crowded station, knowing that Naruto would walk passed it on the way to school. If he had to put up with Sakura again then he would gladly do so.
So he waited.
And he waited.
And waited.
It was even raining. How terribly cliché…Sasuke sighed as he lifted the hood of the hoody he wore beneath his school jacket. The whole scene around him was bleak and wet, which was unusual since they'd been having such wonderful weather, though now it seemed to fit his mood perfectly.
He felt a part of him aching as he sat there, still waiting as people ran around him with umbrellas and morning papers over their heads as the rain came down harder. Hinata had passed by too; she was walking with Neji that morning, the both of them beneath a plain black umbrella. Sasuke had half hoped that maybe he would see Naruto with Hinata, but he had no such luck, Sasuke had already missed homeroom, and Naruto hadn't shown up.
Half way through lesson one, Sasuke appeared at the reception and signed in, not really giving much of an excuse for is late appearance, simply went to the lesson that he was supposed to be in, lost in a sort of daze as worry filled his every sense, limb and nerve.
What if something happened to him? He said that Orochimaru was coming back…what if he did something to him?
"Uchiha-san? Will you answer the question?"
Sasuke looked up to Genma-sensei, his eyes simply blank of anything and everything. He shook his head. "No." He answered bluntly, returning his gaze back down to the pattern on the desk. Genma-sensei raised an eyebrow and sighed as a small uproar of laughter emerged from different parts of the classroom.
"Thank-you, Uchiha…" Genma-sensei sighed, realising that he should have known better than to ask him.
Sasuke hadn't heard the rest of it; his mind was too focused on other things to even really care anymore for what was the teacher was saying or anyone around him for that fact. He couldn't stand the worry any longer.
Making himself seem comfortable, Sasuke sat at his desk in lesson two with the book held ahead of him as if reading the novel like everyone else in the classroom was, the voice of Anko-sensei reciting the lines as they went along, explaining certain things about the text and language used before continuing.
Sasuke was in a complete daze. Sakura noticed that he hadn't once turned the page since they'd begun reading the novel. She watched him closely from the corner of her eye, catching the stern coldness in his eyes, and the crude stoic-ness of his stature that day…he looked slightly worse than he usually did…although she would hardly admit that out-loud…of course he looked wonderful and handsome, to her, he always would…yet once again that morning there was something not exactly right about his brooding.
Tempted to question him about it, Sakura watched him a little harder, wondering if maybe that once he might look her way, yet she still had no luck, he didn't turn or even bat an eyelash. This continued throughout the lesson. Sakura was near to rolling a ball of paper and throwing it his way, but somehow she doubted very much that even hitting him would have any kind of affect upon him.
"Sasuke-kun?" she whispered delicately, keeping a watchful eye out of Anko-sensei…although she seemed to be going on a bit up front about a past relationship she'd had that was similar to the one in the novel…that smirk upon her face as always.
"Sasuke-kun?" she whispered again, reaching out her arm ready to snap him out of the trance he was in if necessary.
Sakura gasped and jumped back into her seat as she witnessed the sudden change in Sasuke's eyes and as out of the blue he moved so suddenly clenching his eyes shut as his right arm latched onto his left shoulder.
"Fuck…" Sasuke felt his whole left side burning from that same point on his shoulder…it was far worse than it had been that morning when he'd woken from that nightmare. His dark eyes were clenched shut as he sat forward in his chair, his free hand balling into a first upon the desk.
"Sasuke-kun?"
"Not…now, Sakura…" he forced through gritted teeth, before a pained gasp passed his lips that drew the rest of the eyes in the classroom upon him. Whispers started up, but Sasuke couldn't hear them above the sound of his heartbeat like a drum in his head.
Anko-sensei raised an eyebrow and looked over to where Sasuke sat hunched over his desk. "Somethin' the matter, Uchiha?" she asked, folding her arms as she approached the desk.
Sasuke did not hear her voice, but his whole left side was throbbing, his whole body, aching and a stabbing pain shot through his limbs, causing him to cry out. The classroom was busy with commotion, and Sakura was beside herself with worry, Anko-sensei raised an eyebrow and leant closer to Sasuke's desk.
Sasuke felt people closing in around him; he held back another gasp of pain before getting up swiftly from his chair, fumbling clumsily through the desks and people as he rushed towards the classroom door. Sakura chased after him but was held back by Anko-sensei who did not really seem to understand the severity of the incident.
"But - sensei!"
"Neah…sit down, Haruno…he'll come back in his own time…now! As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted by a whimpering teenage boy - this relationship I was having…"
Sasuke found his way bouncing off lockers in the corridor as she shuffled nimbly along, biting his lips in an attempt to stop him from calling out. He gripped on harder, the throbbing had worsened - as if that could be possible - yet he couldn't understand why on earth it was happening…since that night it had never pained him so much since it had been placed there years ago.
Naruto stood with his hands placed neatly in his trouser pockets as Orochimaru spoke to the young lady behind the desk at the reception. He kept his eyes mostly focused on the ground ahead of him, his eyes not so dark and empty as maybe they should be after the night that he'd had…but the surprise in the morning…it was a very pleasing one. He could hardly contain in his contentment.
He hoped that he hadn't worried Sasuke too much, knowing that he had shown up late for school…even Orochimaru had offered to drive him in…but not only because of the rain, but for another reason, one that had not only made Naruto happy, but very happy…although he would wait until he was to see Sasuke to tell him all about it.
Orochimaru turned to Naruto after he'd signed something, and placed his hand upon Naruto's shoulder to gain his attention. Naruto turned towards him and looked up slightly to the white face of his so-called guardian, noting the usual wide grin that decorated his face.
"I'll leave you to it then, Naruto-kun." He began, and Naruto was listening…for a few moments until he saw someone at the head of the corridor…who he was almost certain was Sasuke…his eyes went slightly broad as Orochimaru continued to speak, though thankfully, Sasuke was behind Orochimaru…but Naruto could clearly see that something was very wrong.
"…so that's it…remember to keep that phone with you, Naruto-kun." Orochimaru had continued to speak as Naruto had been watching Sasuke struggle up the corridor…he'd even fallen through the door into the boys toilets…Naruto felt his heart thudding in his chest…if Orochimaru had even turned around just once…then it all could have been over…
Focus, Naru! The Snake's talking to you…don't give it away…
Right…thanks…
"I will." Naruto replied, lowering his head, Orochimaru's cold hand squeezed the back of his neck gently, one finger gently massaging that sore spot on his neck in a taunting manner.
"Good, Naruto-kun." Orochimaru grinned, moving slightly closer to Naruto, whose heart was rising up his throat in a panic. "Good-bye."
Naruto nodded his head, eager for Orochimaru to just leave, just leave so that he could go and check up on Sasuke…just go, just go, just go…
Once Orochimaru had left the reception and was back outside, heading towards his car, Naruto took one look around before he ran as quickly as he could to the head of the corridor and rammed into the door entering the boy's toilets.
"Sasuke? Sasuke?" Naruto called rushing passed the rows of sinks and towards the cubicles…three of the doors were shut. "Sasuke!" Naruto called out again, pushing open the doors; sure that no one else was in there aside from he and Sasuke, since he hadn't seen Sasuke leave.
Sasuke lifted his head from slumping against his chest, and looked up from where he leant against the inside of the door to one of the cubicles. He was almost certain then that he had heard Naruto's voice…
The pain in his shoulder by now was steadily ebbing away, but his breathing was still heavy and uneven, the burning was yet to go away, his whole body now aching from the effects of whatever it was that had happened to him. Sasuke's mind was mostly blank as she leant there against the door, able to feel the coldness of the metal against his back through his still damp clothes. Obsidian eyes were blank as they opened; his brow still furrowed ever so slightly, the pain still apparent upon his features.
"Sasuke! Please answer me…"
It is Naruto…
"Naru…" one final jolt of pain shot through his limbs, he bit his lip harshly, his fingers sore from gripping on his shoulder so tightly.
Naruto came to the final closed cubical door and pressed his hand against it, but it did not budge. A sinking feeling filled him, his blue eyes broad as he held his hand against the cold metal. "Sasuke?" He said quietly. "Are you in there…?"
Naruto applied pressure to the door once more, and slowly the door began to open, though before it could open all the way, Sasuke fell out and landed against Naruto who caught him with open arms as relief washed over the both of them.
Naruto accepted Sasuke in a warm embrace, able to feel the dampness of his clothes and hair against his face and hands; he smiled as he pressed his face against Sasuke's cold cheek, feeling the other boys' fingers as they gripped onto his school jacket.
"Are you alright…?" Naruto whispered delicately, feeling the slight limpness of Sasuke's body as he leant against him for support. "What happened?"
"It's nothing…I'm fine now…" Sasuke replied quietly, still a little short of breath after he'd been holding it for so long. He felt so relieved now that Naruto was there with him…and he too seemed fine, Sasuke's lips curled up into a smile, suddenly relaxed, the pain ebbed away almost completely.
"It didn't look like nothing…" Naruto replied quietly. "What happened to you?"
Sasuke shook his head. "It doesn't matter…" he told Naruto, when what he really meant was 'I really don't know'.
"Sasuke -,"
"It's nothing, dobe…quit it…" Sasuke cut across, standing up a little sturdier, his fingers releasing their hold upon Naruto's jacket. Naruto frowned as he heard that old name being said again, having hoping that being called a 'dobe' would remain in the past.
"Where were you?" Sasuke suddenly asked, pulling himself out of Naruto's embrace, wanting to forget about the whole ordeal, though how he could even attempt to forget it was something insane…that pain he couldn't think to what on earth could have caused it, but it didn't matter now, Naruto was there.
"I wasn't very well when I woke up this morning." Naruto replied, realising that he was half lying to Sasuke…but he would still hold true to what he knew was right, he wouldn't allow for Sasuke to get involved with what happened to him, he wouldn't let it get in the way. "So Orochimaru drove me in…are you sure that you don't want to tell me what happened?"
"Are you okay now?" Sasuke asked, avoiding the subject of himself once again.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm good." Naruto replied. "But you don't look it. Maybe you should go home, Sasuke, you don't look too well."
Sasuke smiled, lowering his head slightly, unconsciously rubbing his sore shoulder. "Maybe I should."
"You should." Naruto encouraged. "Where's your bag? I'll go and fetch it for you."
Sasuke looked up at Naruto, and looked up in the eye, catching a slight gleam in there that he recognised…it surprised him how much he could still remember about Naruto, even after all of their years apart. He was excited about something…surely it couldn't be about him leaving..?
"What is it?" Sasuke questioned, catching Naruto off guard, whose lips parted not really understanding the question.
"What is what?"
"You're excited about something…" Sasuke replied calmly with a gentle smile. "What is it?"
"Oh." Naruto nodded his head, placing his hands in his pants pockets. "I'm that easy to read, huh…?" he smiled, looking slightly down at the ground.
"Uh - yes." Sasuke smiled, moving to stand a little closer to Naruto who suddenly seemed to be too far away. "What is it?"
Naruto grinned broadly; the excitement building within him…maybe now was the right time?
"Well…this morning, Orochimaru got a call from someone…he didn't sound too happy about it but he came up to me afterwards and told me something I never thought that I would hear." Naruto paused for a moment, frustrating Sasuke slightly. "Well…Kabuto is a little…er…indisposed right now, so he's not at the mansion anymore and apparently won't be for a while…and Orochimaru has to go away. And he's leaving for over a month."
"Shit." It didn't take Sasuke long to realise the extent of those words. He could clearly understand the reason why Naruto was excited. "That means that - shit - that means a lot of things…"
"I know." Naruto grinned, almost nervously scratching the back of his head.
"Come home with me."
"Huh?" Naruto looked up, raising an eyebrow.
"You heard me. Come home with me now."
"Wait - right now?"
"Yes right now." Sasuke replied, furrowing his eyebrows at Naruto's slowness.
Naruto thought about this for a moment…and a moment was all it would take for him to make up his mind. "Tell me where your bag is."
"81, Literature - Anko-sensei's room, down the corridor." Sasuke replied with a grin, reaching forwards as he gently touched the back of Naruto's hand with his fingers.
"Okay…you go and sign out or whatever it is that you do here…and I'll go and fetch your bag." Naruto grinned, excitement once again welling up inside him as he took a step closer to Sasuke, turning around his hand so that their palms touched.
"Sure." Sasuke grinned. "I'll meet you at the gate."
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"You want something to drink or eat?" Sasuke asked after unlocking the front door and entering the house, showing Naruto in ahead of him.
"No, I'm fine for now." Naruto replied, taking off his bag and dropping it alongside Sasuke's at the foot of the stairs, then followed him through the lounge and into the kitchen, eyes passing over photographs on the walls and furniture on his way through. He saw a few old ones of Sasuke and his family…over all the lot of them looked pretty miserable, and really quite traditional, most of them wearing kimonos and stood outside a rather traditional looking mansion. Naruto couldn't say he was surprised.
"So you found the photographs." Sasuke noted as he appeared back from the kitchen, a glass of water in hand holding some dissolvable aspirin in the other, ready to place in the glass, hoping it would help his aching body.
Naruto looked over to him and nodded his head, glancing over at the newer ones, seeing Sasuke stood - looking rather glum - with another two people. One of them was a man, he seemed to resemble Sasuke somewhat - or the other way round - he recognised him from the other pictures…but not only that…Naruto knew that face he'd met that person before he was certain of it.
"That's Hazuki and my aniki…" Sasuke said, not really sounding exactly pleased. Naruto caught this tone and looked towards him slightly wide-eyed. Sasuke wasn't looking at the photograph and had turned away heading back to the kitchen as he continued. "Hazuki's my aniki's fiancé…they'll be getting married once they have the baby…I live with them here."
"Your aniki…" Naruto voiced finally, with a sinking feeling inside of him as he looked at the picture. "But…I thought…"
"Neah…he's fine…alive and well…" Sasuke didn't exactly sound pleased. He went back to the kitchen after he'd drunk down the aspirin, and came back out moments later where Naruto's eyes were still lingering over the photographs…mostly of the family portraits.
"I…I…" Naruto began, feeling a slight tightness in his throat. "It must be nice to have these photographs of you together." Naruto smiled. "You and your family…even though…"
"Yeah. It is." Sasuke agreed, walking up behind Naruto and looking over the photo's with him. "I guess I sort of take it for granted."
Sasuke took a careful step closer to Naruto, until he could see over his shoulder…though he'd just drunk, his throat was suddenly dry. Naruto felt how close Sasuke was behind him, he could almost feel the rise and fall of his chest, he could feel Sasuke's warm breath upon the back of his neck, and he looked down away from the photographs on the wall, and steadily turned around.
Sasuke was stood so close to him, Naruto found himself leaning back slightly over the table he stood against, placing his hands either side of himself upon the table he held himself where he was, looking Sasuke carefully in the eyes, that obsidian gaze looking back through equally as heavy bangs.
In one fluid action Sasuke was as close to Naruto as he had been before, he was breathing so carefully, looking so closely upon Naruto's slightly parted lips. Naruto relished at the satisfaction he felt as Sasuke placed his hand gently upon the side of his face, at the strange calm that spread throughout him like any time before…except that time, there was so much more there.
Naruto pulled himself into Sasuke, gripping onto his jacket and brought their faces closer, watching Sasuke's lips closely, wondering…just wondering what it would be like to kiss him…just a small kiss…
With a gentle hand movement, Sasuke brushed Naruto's hair away from his eyes, reaching out with his other hand and wrapping it around Naruto's narrow waist, wondering the same thing himself…a small kiss…
"I…really have missed you…" Sasuke whispered gently, the situation seemed to call for it, their breaths mingled, their lips so very close. Naruto gently closed his eyes; Sasuke did the same…ready to do something that maybe was what he had wanted to do from the very start.
"I'm just going to take it through to the kitchen!"
Sasuke recognised that voice as Hazuki's.
He hadn't even heard the car pull up, let alone the door open. He opened his eyes and moved quickly away from Naruto as the lounge door opened and Hazuki walked in backwards with arms filled with bags. Naruto felt his heart lunge into his throat and turned away also as the door had opened, that sinking feeling had returned.
"GAH!" Hazuki turned around and nearly slipped up as she saw Sasuke stood there. Her hazel eyes went wide before she realised who it was. "Oh, dear me…Suki, what one Earth are you doing here? And who's your pretty little friend?" Hazuki noticed the blonde stood to her left and smiled broadly, her eyes moving between the awkward looking pair. She grinned like a cat as she stood there, watching them.
"Hehe…did I interrupt something?" She bit her lip, but she couldn't keep the grin from her face as she looked over them, seeing the slight of pink in the cheeks of the blonde she was yet to be introduced to.
"No…no, you didn't interrupt anything." Sasuke said, finding his voice at last as Hazuki suddenly heaved her bags into Sasuke's arms.
Naruto turned around and put his hands in his pockets, looking down at his feet as Hazuki approached him. "I am Juuna Hazuki, soon to be Uchiha Hazuki," She beamed. "And you are?"
"Naruto…Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto replied, still feeling slightly awkward, he flinched slightly as she boldly took his hand from his pocket and took it in hers as Sasuke - armed with bags of God-only-knows-what - dropped them onto the kitchen table through the archway, vanishing out of sight for a moment.
Hazuki seemed to be closely inspecting his palm, Naruto didn't know what to make of it, but he was closely watching her, still able to feel his heartbeat racing, wondering if she felt it too. She looked over his palm, stroking it gently, making him feel even more uncomfortable before she looked up to his blank blue eyes and smiled, a little softer that time.
"It's wonderful to meet you, Naruto-kun." She said calmly. "Now, Suki-chan." She dropped his hand almost at once and turned her all-mighty pregnant forces upon the other teenager. "Explain why neither of you are in school."
Sasuke stood in the archway and glanced over to Naruto through his bangs. With a calm shrug he replied. "I wasn't feeling well. Naruto's a friend from school; he offered to walk me home. Now we're gonna bunk off school for the rest of the day and I'm gonna take him to Itchiraku."
"Oh?" Hazuki said with raised eyebrows. Sasuke nodded his head and folded his arms, seeing the nervous look in Naruto's eyes, still able to feel his body tingling from that wonderful closeness before they were…interrupted.
"Oh, okay then!" Hazuki grinned. "Have fun, and you'll have to take the train 'cos I'm still using your car. My okaa-san is still out there waiting for me to come back so we can go out again. I only stopped by to drop off the first batch."
"Sure…we'll walk, it's within distance." Sasuke pointed out. "Come on, Naruto." He continued as he walked passed Hazuki towards Naruto who seemed to be quite perplexed by the situation. "We'll go and change first so we don't get too many looks…you can lend some of my clothes."
Naruto nodded his head, his jaw still a little slack as his eyes followed Sasuke. Naruto bowed his head to Hazuki who was still beaming at them before following Sasuke out to the hallway and up the staircase to his bedroom.
"Is…is she usually…like that?" Naruto questioned after he'd entered Sasuke's room. Sasuke sighed and nodded his head as she shut the door before looking back to Naruto's more than nervous eyes…he seemed to be oddly shaken.
"Are you alright?" Sasuke asked approaching him…though for some reason held back when he was about to touch Naruto, suddenly nervous himself, realising that his heart was beating so very quickly.
Naruto smiled and nodded his head. He felt fine, just a little strange…he wasn't used to witnessing things like that…or to what had happened - or was about to - before Hazuki had walked in.
"I'm perfectly fine." He smiled, crossing his arms, looking more like he was hugging himself than anything, avoiding eye contact with Sasuke…maybe even swaying. "I…I just…"
Why did you back away…?
"Do you want to go out? Or we can stay here…" Sasuke suggested, able to feel those same strings painfully tugging at his heart. "Because we can stay…we can talk some more…if you want?"
Naruto smiled and nodded once again. "Yeah. Yeah I'd like that."
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Am I an evil person?
Don't worry, by next chapter you'll love me…also…the rating might have to go up…haha…yeah…
Who wants to guess what Itachi does for a living?? Go on!! Guess!! Haha!!
And what about guessing what the hell is up with Sasuke's seal-thingy? You know the tattoo thingy that Orochimaru-sama left there??? GUESS! Haha…I'm a little too passionate today…lol.
Yesh, well grope the review button, you know you want to!
SabakuKyuu17 3