Crown & Anchor
by Nilladriel

I started this fic in February. Five and a half months have passed, and with this chapter, C&A has (finally!) hit 50,000 words. I seriously hope it won't take me another half year to finish this fic, though. D:

Chapter Twelve: Go Fish

"It's--kind of small, isn't it?" Naruto said doubtfully. He slammed the car door shut.

Karin whirled on him. "You--"

"It's not meant to hold five people," Sasuke interrupted.

The land was partitioned off by a double wire fence. There wasn't even a proper gate, just a gap between two wooden posts. The land sloped uneasily, and at the crest of a hill stood the bungalow. It was old-fashioned, with sections painted light green and thin, flowery grills that looked more decorative than protective. The windows were all blackened.

The big guy, Juugo, hefted Naruto's luggage like a man idly picking up pieces of paper. Naruto said, "Er, thanks," and trailed after him.

Sasuke unlocked the door, and they all went inside, into an expansive living room. There was no TV; rolled-up bedding was stuffed against the wall. Karin kicked a pillow out of the way ("That's mine, bitch," Suigetsu said) and stormed towards the kitchen.

"Where's she going?" Naruto asked.

"Pigging out," Suigetsu said, loudly.

"I'm not!" Karin yelled back.

"I am," Naruto said, and followed her through the arched doorway. The kitchen was hideously green, with the walls matching the floor. Naruto felt offended just being in it.

Karin opened the refrigerator and took out a covered dish. "What is that?" he asked.

"Look," Karin said. Naruto had never seen anyone open a microwave so angrily before. "You're only here because Sasuke decided, for whatever reason, you'd be more useful away from Orochimaru."

She pressed the start button and whirled around. "But I think you're a danger, and I think you're a liability, and I don't trust you. I just want you to know someone's watching."

Naruto's eyes crossed as he focused on her pointing finger. "I, um, just wanted to know what was in that dish," Naruto said. "If it makes you feel better, I don't trust you guys, either."

"Then why are you here?" she asked.

"Where the hell else would I go?" Naruto asked. "Back to Sarutobi? Look, at this point I just want to find Konohamaru and bring him back home. Finding some answers would be nice, but going home's even better."

"You really think you can do that?" Karin asked.

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"You think it'll be as easy as that? You think Orochimaru, or even Sarutobi, would hesitate to come after you?"

The microwave beeped. Karin carried the ceramic dish with bare hands to the table. She took off the cover; it was chicken.

"I just want to go home," Naruto said, exasperated.

"You want to run away," Karin said. She pointed at him with the dish cover. "If you really want to scarper, fine. But you need to at least find a away to keep whoever's after you down. Otherwise, home will be as dangerous as here."

She pushed her glasses up. "You already know that, though, don't you? Otherwise you would have gone back already. You wouldn't have come here. And that's why I'm suspicious of you. I won't let you use Sasuke."

"Who's using who?" Naruto snapped.

"Right now, we're using you," Karin said, shameless. "I'd like to keep it that way. Here."

She shoved the dish across the table. Naruto looked down at it. "At least get me a plate," he said.

"Get it yourself."

She left the kitchen. If there was a door, she would have slammed it. Naruto said, "Bitch," and went to search the cupboards.

He found mugs, none of them matching. There was a bright orange one that he liked, so he took it out to use. The drawers yielded cutlery, which Naruto ignored. He had perfectly serviceable hands.

Under the sink were bottles of cleaning supplies, and rags, all surrounded by filth and cobwebs. Naruto gagged.

"They're in the right-most cabinet."

Naruto banged his head against a pipe. The sound made his entire head vibrate, even his brain. "Ga-huh?" he croaked.

He straightened. Juugo was already taking out two plates and setting them on the table.

"You're probably hungry," Juugo said apologetically, "but--"

"I don't mind sharing," Naruto said. "Er. It isn't even mine."

Juugo smiled.

Naruto was reminded of Hinata. If Neji calmed people with (probably drugged) tea, Hinata calmed them just by being nearby and emitting mysterious waves of zen. Juugo wasn't the same--he moved like Lee, with the control of someone exactly aware of his strength--but he was similar enough that Naruto smiled back.

Still. Naruto asked, "So, did you take care of the guards around the mansion?"

"Hm?" Juugo said.

"Or did Karin?" Naruto pulled up a chair. "It was probably you, though, right?"

Juugo was magically conjuring vegetables and rice from the fridge. "It was me."

Not so much like Hinata, then. Naruto said, "Huh," and dug in.

It felt good to take a shower without desperately planning escape in the back of his mind; it felt even better to dress in his own clothes. Sasuke stared at him as he stepped out.

"What?" Naruto said, self-conscious after their little session in the toilet.

"You wore that shirt the night Sakura," Sasuke started, and then stopped, obviously not really knowing how to say it.

Naruto believed in being helpful. He said, "The night she completely owned you with her shoe? Yeah," and grinned. The bed was old, and one of the posts was missing a cap. He spread out his towel and sat down.

"There's bedding on the floor," Sasuke said.

Naruto affected surprise. "Yeah? Cool, you can use it, then."

Sasuke frowned. "Naruto...."

"Why'd Karin bring the bedding, anyway? The bed's large enough for both of us." Naruto rubbed at his hair. A droplet trailed down his back, and he shivered slightly. "And we've shared before."

"Maybe you should sleep in the living room," Sasuke said.

"But there's a bed here."

"Look." Sasuke stood. It made him taller, but after dinner with Juugo, it left Naruto unimpressed. "Karin is a valuable member of the group, and--"

"My existence is pissing her off?" Naruto said. "Too bad."

Sasuke stepped closer. "You--"

"Maybe," Naruto interrupted, "you should have thought about that before you kissed me."

"Would you be quiet?" Sasuke said.

Naruto gaped. He threw the towel at Sasuke's face; Sasuke dodged. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to sleep in the living room," Naruto said. "Since you asked." He wrenched the door open--

There was a long, awful pause. And then Naruto said, "Oh, hey, Karin. What's up?"

She was glaring at him through her thick-framed glasses. When she spoke, it was obviously to Sasuke, but she kept her eyes on him. "Orochimaru called."

"Did he say why?" Sasuke said, suddenly behind Naruto.

Karin's face transformed; her lips stretched into a strained smile. "No. But he wants to talk to you now."

"Alright." Sasuke added, "You can go." He snagged the back of Naruto's shirt before he could follow her.

"Oi," Naruto said.

Sasuke reached around him and closed the door. "Sit," he said.

Naruto crossed his arms and didn't sit. He wasn't some mutt. Sasuke raised and lowered a shoulder--whatever--and crossed the room, picking the phone up from its cradle.

"Orochimaru," he greeted woodenly, and then: "Yes, he's here."

A pause. "I was going to, until I discovered that Konohamaru is missing." Sasuke smiled. It didn't look natural.

"Yes, but we did, and your team didn't."

The pause this time was longer. Naruto resisted the urge to step closer and press his ear up against Sasuke's. The other man obviously didn't like what he was hearing: his eyes were thin, narrowed slits, like he could glare Orochimaru out of existence.

He said, "Goodbye, Orochimaru," and hung up.

"You're a pretty good liar," Naruto said.

Sasuke flinched.

"But this time, you let me listen."

"I learn." He put the phone down.

Naruto snorted. "Fine," he said. "I'll stay, you contradictory asshole."

He dropped dramatically back onto the bed, arms flung out. Sasuke stepped closer and looked down at him. His frown wasn't any more attractive up-side down. It just made his features float, like they didn't really belong to his face.

Naruto said, "You could at least look happy."

Sasuke sat down. The mattress sank. He said, "Why are you here?"

"Um." Naruto mirrored Sasuke's expression. "You--did just stop me from leaving, so I assumed--"

"No." Sasuke hook his head. "Why are you here, in this house, and not...."

Naruto turned onto his side, propping his head up on a hand. "You know, Karin asked me the same thing. And then she answered herself," he added, and rolled his eyes. "I want to go home... but I have things to take care of first, here." His eyes flickered up. "Lie down and quit looming."

Sasuke snorted. He didn't move.

"Fine." Naruto turned over again, onto his stomach. It was easier to explain to the wall than to Sasuke. "I need to rescue Konohamaru, first up. And then I need to"--what had Karin said?--"keep Sarutobi and Orochimaru down. Then I can go home."

"Hn," Sasuke said, like it was an adequate response.

"You--do know who has Konohamaru, right?" Naruto asked.

"I have suspicions," Sasuke said.

"Good enough." Naruto yawned. Damn, but he was tired all over. "What about you? What are your goals?"

Sasuke said, "Right now? To sleep."

"Oi, that's cheating," Naruto said. The mattress bounced as Sasuke got up to turn off the light. "Seriously, I want to know."

He pushed himself up with his elbows. Sasuke's silhouette got gradually more defined as he adjusted to the dark. He couldn't see Sasuke's eyes, though, and that was strange. They were his most striking feature.

"Sasuke," he said. "Seriously."

Sasuke approached and leaned down. His middle and ring finger trailed the helix of Naruto's ear. He said, "I wanted to find you."

"That's it?" Naruto said, skeptical.

"... No," Sasuke said.

"Anyway, you've found me. Congratulations. So now what? You have other things you want done, right?"

Sasuke said, "Do you hate Sarutobi?"

Which didn't answer Naruto's question at all, just made Naruto freeze up. The shock went straight through him, until he recovered enough to hiss, "What the fuck kind of a question is that?"

"Do you?" Sasuke pressed. He cupped the back of Naruto's head. His fingers slid through damp hair, lightly massaging the vulnerable flesh at the back of Naruto's skull.

"Why are you asking?" Naruto said.

Sasuke didn't answer. Naruto wished, more than ever, that he could see his eyes. All he could discern, though, was the hint of teeth, the darker mass of hair, and--Sasuke's hand on him.

Naruto exhaled, long and clear. "I guess I should," he said.

"That's not a 'yes,' " Sasuke said.

"Fuck you," Naruto said.

"Not yet."

Naruto said, "Not funny, jackass."

"It wasn't a joke," Sasuke said. Naruto turned his head slightly, but Sasuke didn't move any closer. But--ah, now he could see Sasuke's eyes. They told him less than he'd hoped they would.

"I don't hate him," Naruto said, very slowly. "He's given me too much."

"Then," Sasuke said, "it's only the legendary three I want to bring down."

Naruto laughed, incredulous. "What does that mean?"

"I wanted to find you," Sasuke said. "I've found you. So now I'll finish what my brother started."

"I don't get you," Naruto said. "The legendary three... okay, fine, they sound big, bad, and ugly. But why did you want to find me so badly? Though--"

He stopped. Even with the lights off, it was easy to see how red Sasuke's face was. Like a tree ornament, or a pepper, or a flag. "Okay, now I really want to know."

"Shut up," Sasuke said.

"I haven't said anything, man," Naruto said. He grinned. "So?"

"Shut up!" Sasuke said again. "It's your fault for forgetting, anyway."

Naruto's grin widened. "But since I don't remember, you should tell me."

Sasuke rolled Naruto under him, planted his elbows on either side of his head, and kissed him.

Naruto said, "That only shuts people up in movies and books."

"Are you sure?" Sasuke said, smirking.

"Because as soon as you stop I can just keep talk--"

Sasuke shut him up again. This time, he did it properly.

Naruto woke up that night from another nightmare.

Like before, he didn't remember what he'd dreamed about. But it was easy to guess, with the way his heart was beating--quick stacatto bursts that made his chest ache.

Winter night or not, it was too cold. He groped for the blanket, and found Sasuke's hand instead. Naruto's own hand was roughened by years of working with paint, plaster, clay. Sasuke's was surprisingly soft for a guy's, really, except for a callus from a pencil.

There was a whispered exhalation. Sasuke didn't seem to have woken up, though. Naruto could tell, because his brow was completely relaxed.

"You need to loosen up," Naruto told him. "You're gonna turn into one of those overly bitchy old men. Like the principal of my school, hah."

Sasuke just kept on sleeping.

Naruto said, "I lied to Karin. I do trust you."

No answer, of course. Naruto kissed the callus on Sasuke's finger and let his hand drop. He was hungry. He decided to stay in bed instead, waiting for the effects of the nightmare to properly fade so he could drop back to sleep.

Beside him, Sasuke lay still and asleep. Naruto draped the blanket around them both, and pillowed his head against Sasuke's shoulder.

The next morning, Naruto demolished five pancakes, four bananas, an entire packet of cheese, and six sausages.

"Those were mine," Sasuke said. He looked underdressed in a baggy shirt and loose pants. He also looked stupefied.

Juugo smiled.

Karin had woken up last, walking into the kitchen in black shorts and an open white shirt, laptop under her arm. She'd glared at Naruto, and Naruto had braced himself, arming himself with a blunt knife smudged with ketchup, and then Karin had seen Suigetsu.

The two of them were still arguing. At least Naruto had been able to get on with breakfast.

"Are you cooking eggs? Can I have them?" Naruto asked hopefully.

"No," Sasuke said.

"Yes," Juugo said, and transferred the eggs to Naruto's plate. Sasuke frowned but didn't protest, maybe because Juugo was the one with the heavy, black frying pan.

"What's our next move?" Juugo asked, while Naruto drew a face onto one egg with ketchup.

Sasuke thought for a bit, and then just took Suigetsu's unattended plate. "Has Konohamaru's disappearence been confirmed?" he said.

Karin turned away from Suigetsu long enough to say, "Yes. There are people looking for him already."

"Did his parents contact the police?" Naruto asked, around a mouthful of yolk.

Karin and Juugo glanced at each other. It was Suigetsu who snorted and said, "Not in this world."

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "Why not?"

"The police are dangerous," Suigetsu said. "And this way, they get to use methods they normally couldn't, right?"

That didn't seem right. But then, the police were only the good guys when they couldn't fuck you over, Naruto guessed.

"Our first priority will be finding, and returning, Konohamaru," Sasuke said.

"Another rescue mission?" Suigetsu said. "Shit."

Karin said, "It'll take even me some time to find which of his bases Orochimaru's occupying."

Juugo raised his head, and frowned. The eggs sizzled.

"What if Orochimaru doesn't have Konohamaru?" Sasuke said. "He's not the only one with reasons to target Sarutobi."

"Yes, but we've already checked Jiraiya out," Karin said, "and everyone knows what he's up to now."

Sasuke turned to Naruto. "The necklace," he said, and held out his hand.

"At least speak in full sentences," Naruto grumbled. He put down the fork and reached behind, clumsily undoing the clasp. He held the necklace out with some reservation, watching uneasily as it passed from his hands to Sasuke's.

Sasuke held it up; in the kitchen, the blue turned the sea-green of picturesque beaches.

"Recognize this?" he said.

Karin straightened. "She survived, too?" she said. She looked offended, like people didn't have the right to exist unless she knew about it, too.

"Who?" Juugo said.

"That's her's! Lady Tsunade's!" Karin pushed her glasses up. "I don't believe it!"

Juugo looked impressed. Suigetu flipped a butter knife from finger to finger and said only, "Hey, Sasuke, give me my plate back."

Naruto pushed his own towards Suigetsu. "Is it that hard to stay hidden?" he said.

"Not really," Karin said. "It depends on how dedicated people are. You, for example--"

Yesterday, it had been a finger; today Karin pointed with her fork. Naruto looked at the sharp tines, and said, "Er."

"Sasuke couldn't find you until he teamed up with me," she said, a picture of modesty.

"Please," Naruto said, "put that fork down."

Sasuke said, "Could you find Tsunade?"

"Yes," Karin said immediately. She lowered her arm and used the fork for what it was meant for: eating, not threatening innocent blonds. "Of course, it'll take some time. But I'm very dedicated," she added in a purr.

"Right," Naruto said, and got up to take over frying the eggs. It meant he was on the other side of the room from Karin.

"Fine. So Karin finds Tsunade, and then we rescue Konohamaru?" Suigetsu said. "And what do we do in the meantime? Bum around? You don't pay me enough for that."

"Relax," Sasuke said. "We have Orochimaru to deal with, too."

And then Juugo said, "So you're really going against Orochimaru, huh," with a voice suddenly full of steel.

Karin snapped her head up.

Silence filled the kitchen.

Naruto opened his mouth--and closed it, because Sasuke had stepped in front of him. Juugo was completely still. He was watching all of them, somehow, not just with his two eyes but with his entire body. He was more than two meters of coiled energy, waiting for--

A wrong movement. A misspoken word.

It was suddenly very, terribly obvious to Naruto that they were in a kitchen. There was the knife-rack by the sink, the plates and cutlery on the table, the mortar and pestle in the corner. There were chairs, and plenty of heavy, blunt objects under the sink.

But we have the advantage. It's four against one, Naruto thought, and then: Yes, but why?

Suigetsu said, "I told you we shouldn't have--"

"Be quiet," Sasuke said. "Juugo? If you want to leave, you can. Just remember that you were the one who decided to join our team."

"Are you crazy?" Suigetsu asked. "You think he's going to listen to that!?"

Naruto saw Suigetsu's gaze cut towards the knives on the table.

With his other eye, the one in his mind, he saw a completely different yet somehow similar scene: Gaara, and him, and that corpse, and a tension pulled so tight even the air was stretched.

That had gone wrong. This wouldn't.

He said, "Why don't I make tea?"

Suigetsu said, "You're even crazier!"

Karin said, "Tea?"

But Naruto wasn't looking at them; he was looking past Sasuke's shoulders, at Juugo. "Look, I don't really get what's going on," he said. "But you have a decision to make, right? And it would be a lot easier with some tea."

He bent down; Sasuke had dropped the necklace. He picked it up and put it on again, shooting the other man an annoyed glare. "Be more careful with my things, you bastard."

He turned the dial on the stove; the flame died. Then he turned around, palms out, hands in full view, and said: "So, tea?"

Four sets of eyes fell on Juugo, and they waited.

When he said, "Tea would be nice," the whole room seemed to breathe.

"Cool," Naruto said. "Is the water in this place filtered?"

"Yes," Sasuke said. The single word was stuffed with a thousand questions.

"Okay," Naruto said. "I'll just use water from the tap, then. And meanwhile, you guys can go chill in the living room."

When no one moved, he pointed out, "It has less pointy objects in it."

It was Sasuke that finally moved first. He picked up the plates; he walked towards the sink and rinsed them, then put them aside. It was ridiculously casual, and normal, and it calmed Naruto down.

As he brushed by, Sasuke whispered, "Thanks," in Naruto's ear. Juugo went next, and then Suigetsu and Karin. For once, the two were totally focused on Juugo intead of each other.

Naruto said, "Huh," and made sure no one was looking before he collapsed onto his seat.

He counted slowly to himself; at thirty-seven, Sasuke's low voice filtered into the kitchen, muted by distance. Only then did he get up to find the kettle.

Juugo's eyes....

They'd been exactly like Gaara's.

It was a chapter of his life he considered firmly closed. He'd never expected to be reminded of it like that. Naruto stood to fill the kettle, and wondered about Sasuke's little team.

They were all, he decided, creepy as fuck. But kind of nice, each in their own way. Even Karin. Besides, he liked her hair.

And that's all there is to it, Naruto thought, and turned off the tap. Through the door, he heard their voices--Sasuke's, and Karin's, and Suigetsu's, and Juugo's. Hopefully, they were sorting shit out.

But he'd better make the tea extra-good, just in case.

When he came into the living room with the tray, only Suigetsu was there, looking bored as he fiddled with--

Well. There were lots of plastic bits, and wires, and Naruto probably didn't actually want to know what it was.

"Where's, um--"

"Sasuke and Juugo are talking outside. Karin's sulking," Suigetsu said. He looked suspiciously at the tea.

"You don't have to drink it," Naruto said defensively.

Suigetsu put the mysterious thing down. It beeped. "You're probably wondering what was up with that, huh?"

"Yeah," Naruto said.

"Sasuke found us all through Orochimaru," Suigetsu explained. "I'm in it for the money, Karin's in it 'cause she's a bitch in heat, and Juugo--"

He broke off, putting in even more sugar than Naruto normally did. "Juugo doesn't know," he finished.

Naruto sat down next to him and watched him stir. "You guys are a team though, right?" he said.

Suigetsu shrugged. "We all listen to Sasuke," he said. "How'd you do that?"

"What?" Naruto said.

Suigetsu looked at him over the teacup. "That thing with Juugo. I've never seen him calm down so fast, 'cept when Sasuke really starts yelling."

Oh. "Um. I went to this boarding school when I was younger," Naruto said, rubbing the back of his neck self-consciously. "And my room-mate was... a bit violent. I mean, we were both bad, but he was worse."

"And you got used to calming him the fuck down?" Suigetsu said.

"No. I got used to wishing I could calm him the fuck down," Naruto corrected him. "And, hey, don't drink all of the tea--"

The door opened. Sasuke entered, Juugo a step behind. Neither was smiling, but Juugo no longer resembled a walking time-bomb, and Sasuke's habitual frown had lessened.

They must have gone out in just their usual clothes. Had they wanted privacy that bad?

"Tea?" Naruto said. "It'll warm you up."

Sasuke ignored him. "Suigetsu. Go with Karin and start getting information on Tsunade."

"Fine," Naruto said. He pouted.

"I'll have tea," Juugo offered gently.

Naruto brightened. "Sure."

Suigetsu was scowling, baring his teeth like he was a dog or a shark or something. "What? You're sending us out alone? We don't even get along!"

Sasuke looked at Juugo, and then back at Suigetsu. "It's time you learn to get along," he said.

Suigetsu said, "Shit, fine," and stood.

"I want results, Suigetsu," Sasuke called after him.

Suigetsu yelled back a rude reply. Naruto, impressed, said, "Wow."

He observed Juugo, calmly sipping tea as if the incident in the kitchen had never occured. He noticed Juugo's big hands, his obvious strength, and really, all he could think of was Hinata's gentle nature.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yes. That won't happen again," Juugo replied.

Whatever that was supposed to mean. Naruto poured a cup for himself and Sasuke. "So what do we do while Suigetsu and Karin are--"

Sasuke didn't let him finish. Naruto said, "Hey, let go of me--"

Sasuke didn't listen, just dragged him all the way to the master bedroom. The door banged against the wall, and then right into its frame. It shuddered.

"Sasuke... what the hell?" Naruto said.

"I'm going to see Orochimaru," Sasuke said.

Naruto stilled. "Why?"

"I don't think he has Konohamaru," Sasuke said, "but I need to make sure."

"O-kay," Naruto said doubtfully. "I take back what I said. You're a shitty liar."

"Shut up and listen to me," Sasuke said. "I'm leaving you with Juugo. I don't want to, but--"

"Then don't," Naruto said.

"I have to," Sasuke said.

Naruto thunked his head against the wall and stared up, imagining he could see the sky through the ceiling. "I've been wondering," he said, "for a while. Since that phone call. You remember."

Sasuke obviously did, by his darkening expression.

"What exactly is the deal between you and Orochimaru?" Naruto asked. "It's like you're with him and against him at the same time."

"... Sarutobi sabotaged most of my efforts to track you down," Sasuke said. "Orochimaru helped me."

Right. The team. "So what, you--work for him? Made a deal with him?" Naruto guessed.

Sasuke's lip curled. "As if I could work for him," he said.

"So you made a deal with him," Naruto said.

No answer: Just a sudden cessation of movement.

"What does he have on you, Sasuke?" he asked. "What the hell was worth finding me?"

Sasuke breathed in, slowly. His grip on Naruto tightened, until Naruto could swear his bones creaked.

Sasuke met Naruto's eyes and said, "My brother."