Three times when Sasuke knew what Naruto would do, and one time when he was surprised.
A/N: A bit of a transitional chapter. As always, thank you for your thoughts.
Sasuke put down his pencil, picked up his paper, and read it over, carefully checking his work. Abstractly, he knew why they were learning about angles, speed, and trajectories, and it wasn't even all that complicated to figure out, but he would much rather have liked to apply all these theories rather than learn them on paper.
Satisfied that his work was correct, he put down his paper facedown and idly looked around the classroom. Most of his classmates were still hunched over their work, eyebrows knitted tight in their deep focus. On the other side of the room, a pink-haired girl whose name escaped him seemed to be finished as well. She blushed brightly when she noticed he was looking in her direction and hid her face behind a curtain of long hair.
Shrugging, Sasuke moved on, his eyes finding someone else who was looking around the room. One row in front of him and three seats to his right, Naruto looked mildly panicked as he watched everybody around him scribble answers on their papers. Sasuke had a feeling that Naruto hadn't written much – if anything at all – on his answer sheet. He probably didn't understand the questions. Sasuke snorted. When this happened, Naruto had a tendency to do stupid things. It wouldn't be long now, judging by the increasingly frantic looks Naruto was throwing at the clock.
Sasuke stood and went to turn in his paper. He didn't want his efforts to be wasted just because the class' designated idiot had pulled another trick of his. As the sensei took his paper with a smile, Sasuke asked to go to the bathroom, receiving a short nod as his answer. Sasuke had barely closed the classroom door behind him when it happened.
"Uzumaki! What do you think—"
A loud crash and squeals erupted inside the classroom. Sasuke snorted and took slow steps toward the restroom. With any luck, if he took enough time, the commotion would be over by the time he came back.
…
In the blink of Sasuke's eyes, the world tilted and realigned, with everything in the same place and yet not. With a small sense of amazement, Sasuke looked at the Valley of the End around him, and couldn't help feeling that he had never truly seen it until now. He wasn't sure why the sharingan had evolved at this time, but he certainly wasn't going to complain.
He returned his attention to Naruto and almost smiled. He could see where his teammate – no, his ex-teammate, now – would strike next, and dodging the blow was a child's game. It was almost too easy, and for a second Sasuke felt like he was cheating. It wasn't cheating to use his bloodline limit, he told himself again. And it wasn't like he had never been able to predict Naruto's actions before. Naruto was nothing if not predictable. Hadn't he come after Sasuke, just as Sasuke had known he would? He stomped hard on that train of thought and focused on Naruto once more.
Naruto launched another attack. Sasuke watched it happen, at the same time as he watched how it was about to happen. This time, he didn't merely dodge. He struck back, hitting Naruto hard and sending him flying backwards. He had to win if he wanted to defeat Itachi some day.
…
It was doubtful that anyone in the small village knew what the black cloaks with red clouds meant. Still, Sasuke couldn't help but notice the wary looks the villagers threw him and the rest of Hawk. When he stopped at a food stand, the seller looked at him nervously, and even stuttered a little when he thanked Sasuke for his purchase. Maybe they did know, after all. And if they did, it meant that Konoha had sent warnings through the Fire Country.
Perfect.
"Suigetsu. Juugo. Karin."
His team members stopped as he said their names, looking back to where he was trailing behind them. Suigetsu was frowning, and it was obvious why. Calling out their names in the middle of the street was hardly the way to keep a low profile.
"Get food," he advised them, idly pointing at his own purchase. "We're getting out of here. I want to get at least halfway to the Valley of the End before night falls."
He was very careful not to look around as he spoke, but even so he could tell that at least four different people were listening while pretending not to.
"Halfway?" Karin protested. "But Sasuke—"
"Don't say his name," Suigetsu hissed. "Have you forgotten?"
Her eyes widened as she remembered they had just crossed the border into the Fire Country – Sasuke's old country, where he was considered a missing-nin. She gave him an apologetic look. In truth, Sasuke was glad she had identified him to whoever was listening. He needed the reports that would soon fly toward Konoha to identify him by name.
"Come on, hurry. We're leaving in five minutes."
Hawk scattered, and Sasuke looked up at the sky. It was barely midmorning. They'd follow the border west toward the Valley of the End and would get there the next evening at the latest. By then, The Hokage would know where he was headed – and, he was betting everything on it, so would Naruto. Sasuke hadn't chosen the Valley of the End at random; it was a message to Naruto, an invitation. And if Sasuke knew Naruto at all, he wouldn't be able to resist. In three days, four at the most, Naruto would join him, probably alone. Then their last fight would start, Sasuke would lose, and Naruto would take him back to Konoha.
Sasuke just wished he knew what would happen after that.
…
Sasuke held out his hand toward Naruto, palm up. Naruto hesitated for a moment, then took it, glaring at him the entire while.
"If we're truly partners," he said gruffly, "you're going to tell me what's going on from now on. I'm not stupid. I wouldn't have thrown myself at Akatsuki if I had known they were coming."
Sasuke had the gall to look at him in disbelief. He didn't reply in words, but he did nod before tugging on Naruto's hand and leading him out. He didn't let go until they had reached the Hokage Tower.
The sun had just risen, and the village was still sleeping, the narrow streets empty and quiet. It suited Naruto just fine. He was growing tired of the frowns villagers threw at him and Sasuke when they walked through the village. He'd been used to them while growing up, but it had been a while since he had been on the receiving end of such glares, and he had forgotten how to pretend he didn't see them. Sasuke, of course, never seemed to notice.
He looked down at their entwined fingers; the novelty wasn't fading. His eyes continued up to Sasuke's face. In the growing morning light, he could see a darkening bruise on Sasuke's jaw, where he had hit him earlier. He scowled, angry both at himself for losing his temper and at Sasuke for making him lose it. Part of him wanted to apologize for hitting him, but he hated the idea of admitting he might have been wrong when Sasuke was the one who had acted stupidly. Once he was sure Sasuke wasn't playing him for a fool, he would, maybe, but not before. He wished he hadn't been so uncertain whether it would ever happen.
As though feeling Naruto's eyes on him, Sasuke glanced at him, an eyebrow raised in a silent question. Naruto humphed and looked away. Sasuke muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like "dead last," and Naruto replied with an equally quiet "bastard." That would work quite well as an apology, he decided.
When they reached the Tower's entrance, four ANBU guards stopped them, their bodies falling instantly in defensive stances. Naruto raised his hands to show he wasn't armed. Sasuke imitated him after a couple of seconds and said very calmly, "We need to talk to the Hokage."
"And she'll probably want Shikamaru there, too," Naruto added right away.
The guards looked at each other. The one on the far right answered gruffly, "Come back in a couple of hours. This is too early."
Sasuke snorted. "Is it ever to early to learn about an attack on Konoha?"
"She'll be mad if you don't get her now," Naruto said when the guards hesitated, and that finally made up their minds. No one who worked around Tsunade liked to risk one of her temper tantrums if they could avoid it.
The guard on the left hurried inside the Tower, while a second one ran toward the village. A third one gestured at Sasuke and Naruto to follow him. He led them to a waiting room near Tsunade's office, and stood by the door until the Hokage arrived ten minutes later, a sour expression on her face, Shizune just a step behind her.
"You better have a good reason for waking me up two hours after I went to bed," Tsunade thundered. "Or I swear the both of you will get to know Konoha's jail quite well."
Naruto flinched. He couldn't remember seeing her so mad before – or at least, not at him.
"We do have a very good reason," he said quickly. "Just as soon as Shikamaru gets here, we'll tell you everything. Right, Sasuke?"
Sasuke looked at him blankly for a second, then slowly nodded. Tsunade continued to alternate between grumbling and threatening them, pausing only to accept the tea Shizune offered her, until Shikamaru arrived. His bored expression briefly changed to surprise when he saw Sasuke there, but he didn't have time to say a word. As soon as the door closed on him, Tsunade said, "I'm waiting, Uchiha."
Sasuke started at once. "In three days, at sunrise, Akatsuki will come. Madara, Zetsu, Pain, Konan, and Kisame. They want the Kyuubi, and they're ready to destroy Konoha to get Naruto. They think I'll help from within Konoha." He threw a slight eyeroll at Naruto before adding, "Obviously, I won't."
Naruto took a few steps back to lean against the wall while Sasuke, Tsunade, and Shikamaru gathered around maps. Sasuke continued explaining Akatsuki's plan, adding more details as he went about where they would come and what abilities they possessed. Tsunade was silent for the most part, her brow furrowed and anger coming off her in almost visible waves. Shikamaru kept interrupting Sasuke with short, almost absentminded questions. He was clearly already planning.
Staying out of the way, Naruto observed Sasuke carefully, and wondered whether these revelations meant that he could fully trust him. In truth, he wanted to. He'd missed him so much during these long years, and he had been so happy to bring him back… For the first time, he asked himself why he had been so obsessed with Sasuke's return. Had he wanted his teammate back? His friend? His rival? Or had he wanted more than that? If it was the latter, it had not been a conscious thought. He had never thought he'd get… this, whatever 'this' was. Partners, Sasuke had said. To Naruto, it felt like family, even more so than Team Seven ever had.
It took a long while before Sasuke had answered all of Shikamaru's questions. The entire time, Naruto waited for him to come up clean and admit to the last bit, but when it looked like he wouldn't, Naruto sighed and said, "What about the three people you talked to this morning?"
His back suddenly very rigid, Sasuke turned to stare at him.
"I thought you had told us everything," Tsunade said, her voice on the edge between fire and ice.
Sasuke's eyes did not leave Naruto as he answered. "These three won't fight Konoha shinobi. They'll do what I tell them to."
"And what is that exactly?" Shikamaru asked.
Sasuke didn't answer. Naruto could feel a muscle twitch in his cheek as long, tense seconds trickled by. Tsunade finally broke the silence.
"Shikamaru, thank you. I'll see you in two hours. I want a preliminary plan by then. Shizune, prepare a list of all shinobi that are currently in Konoha or who will be back within three days."
Shikamaru's eyes went from Tsunade to Sasuke to Naruto, his expression puzzled and slightly annoyed that he was being dismissed so fast. He did leave, following a just as perplexed Shizune. The door closing on them sounded almost ominous. At once, Tsunade turned a glare to Sasuke.
"Killing them is not the solution."
Sasuke finally looked at her. "Did they do it?" he asked, much too calmly.
Tsunade thought for a while, then nodded, her features suddenly looking older as her weariness surfaced.
"I found the order a few hours ago. The Elders and Danzou all signed it. The Hokage attached a note saying he tried to stop them but couldn't."
Naruto was stepping toward them before he even knew it, outraged. "How can that be?"
Tsunade shook her head. Her voice was pure bitterness. "You'll understand some day."
"No, he won't," Sasuke said, still calm but now sounding deadly as well. "They won't be there anymore to mess with him by the time he's Hokage."
Despite everything, a flash of warmth spread through Naruto. Without thinking, he reached to brush his hand against Sasuke. Tsunade's eyes flashed to the small touch before returning to Sasuke.
"You have no idea how many times I've wished to be rid of them myself. And still, it's not the solution."
"Then what is?" Naruto asked angrily. "They're supposed to protect Konoha, and instead—"
"In their minds," Tsunade cut in, "they probably thought they were doing just that. They just forgot that the Uchiha clan was – and is – part of Konoha." A dangerous glint sparked in her eyes. "There's a very easy way to remind them of that fact."
"And what would that be?" Sasuke asked.
"Call them to justice. As a citizen of Konoha, demand justice from the clan leaders. Let them decide how they should be punished. Give your clan back its status. Start fresh rather than becoming a fugitive again."
Sasuke didn't even seem to consider the suggestion. "I don't care about the status of my clan," he said, frowning. "I'm not restarting it."
Tsunade's eyes widened in shock. "Why not? The sharingan—"
"Causes nothing but grief. Brothers against brothers. Itachi and I weren't the first. But we will be the last."
A hint of pain bled through his voice, causing Naruto's stomach to tighten unpleasantly. He reached out again, and this time took Sasuke's hand.
"If that is your decision," Tsunade said very slowly.
Sasuke glanced at Naruto and nodded. "It is."
She sighed and massaged her temples with two fingers. "Will you at least think about what I said? About bringing them to justice?"
Sasuke didn't reply.
"Or I could just have you arrested," she said, her voice darkening with anger again.
Sasuke's expression turned deadly, and Naruto could have sworn his eyes flashed red for half a second. "Akatsuki is coming."
"So they are," Tsunade said flatly. "And I would rather fight them without you if it means stopping you from taking revenge. You've had enough of that, Sasuke. Do you really want to lose everything again?"
Naruto was startled when she turned her eyes to him as she spoke. For just an instant, he wondered how she knew – and then realized he was still holding Sasuke's hand. Of course she knew; she wasn't blind.
"Am I under arrest?" Sasuke asked, his tone almost yet not quite rude.
Tsunade sighed again. "No. Just under surveillance as before. For now. And you're not doing any more missions. Either of you."
Sasuke started toward the door, but Naruto didn't move, nor did he let go of Sasuke, effectively stopping him. He looked at Tsunade and cleared his throat before asking, "How do you think the clan leaders will punish them?"
For a moment, he was sure she wouldn't answer. She crossed her arms and stared at him, as though wondering why Naruto was asking rather than Sasuke.
"They might banish them," she said at last. "Or throw them in jail. I doubt they'd execute them."
"Might?" Naruto repeated, anger rising again inside him.
Tsunade shrugged. "Something like this never happened before. The clans might accept that they were acting for what they thought was the good of Konoha."
Naruto dropped his gaze to the floor between them and thought for a moment. Sasuke's hand was warm in his, but his friend – his partner – wasn't at the forefront of his thoughts for once. Instead, he was thinking about Konoha, and about what he had believed the village stood for. Had he been wrong?
When he looked up at her again, his decision was made. It had been surprisingly easy.
"If the clan leaders don't punish them," he said very quietly, "I'll help Sasuke kill them. I don't care that I'd have to leave Konoha. If that happens, this isn't the village I thought it was."
He didn't wait to see how Tsunade would react. He turned, ready to leave, and met Sasuke's wide, bewildered eyes. He tried to smile at him, but the grin felt like a grimace. Sasuke's fingers tightened over his. They left the Tower as they had arrived, without a word. Something fundamental had changed, though. Coming in, Naruto had felt like he had to protect Konoha from Sasuke. Now, he wanted nothing more than to protect Sasuke from being hurt again by Konoha.