Oh yeah, I kinda keep forgetting to address this: if there are anachronisms or just weird things related to Japanese culture I'm getting wrong, because I will be the first to admit I am absolutely not expert on the subject, please forgive them. I may have bitten off a little bit more than I thought when it comes to the actual time period…Because it's supposed to be 1000 years in the past but like also, magic and demons and ninjas still exist. So I guess we can do some rule breaking? For the sake of setting? Please?
Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy :D Happy Holidays from your friends at Hitoko-Sama inc…which is just me…Hitoko-sama…You get my point. Regular POV
-

"Well, that was a lot better than I expected it to be for a movie called 'Bust Head'." Naruto said with his signature smile.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Oh I know, I don't understand how that movie got two stars, it needed at least two and a half." Both Sasuke and Naruto started to laugh at the assessment, flipping through horribly cheesy movies on Netflix. "My turn to pick?" Naruto nodded as he grabbed his soda from the coffee table, still smiling.

Both of them turned when they heard the jingling of the doorknob. Itachi walked in, holding groceries in one hand, his cell phone pressed against his shoulder and his ear, as he methodically pulled his keys free of the lock and closed the door behind him. "Hn. Of course, there are ramifications to a gesture of that stature. You are aware of that, yes?" He waved to the two boys sitting on the couch before heading into the kitchen. He pulled the phone up for a moment and mouthed 'Two seconds' towards the raven and blond, who simply nodded.

"You didn't tell me Itachi was coming over."

"I didn't tell me either." Sasuke mused with a smirk. "Ruins all of our plans for freaky couch sex."

"Damn, I was looking forward to my back sticking to the leather and then have to slowly rip all of my skin off."

"I know, that's my favorite part too." Naruto playful punched the Uchiha in the arm, sharing a laugh between the two of them. They chatted idly for a few minutes, knowing not to start another movie without Itachi. He also liked to engage in their favorite pass time of ripping horrific cinema to shreds.

Itachi sauntered back into the living room, grace and silence filling his steps as he leaned over the couch, planting a soft kiss on Sasuke's scalp. He had changed out of his formal dress shirt, tie, and slacks for a far more comfortable pair of sweats and faded band T-shirt. "Sorry to interrupt my adorable, baby love-birds."

"It's fine, Aniki."

"Wow, Itachi-nii, you didn't even give me a kiss. I thought we had something special." Naruto and Sasuke scooted over as the older Uchiha joined them on the couch. He was smiling gently as he looked over at the blond.

"We must hide our love, Naruto, lest Sasuke become jealous." Itachi wiggled his eyebrows seductively.

"Well, you aren't doing a very good job." Sasuke muttered.

Naruto laughed, smiling almost too brightly. "If people found out I spend quality time with the sexiest members of the Uchiha family, all of the fan girls would hate me so much."

"I'm pretty sure most of my fan girls already hate you a fair amount." Sasuke quipped, leaning back as he scanned through more movie titles.

"They're just jealous that I can touch you and not incur a restraining order."

"I find that to be incredibly valid." Sasuke said with a smirk, nodding his head once. "Alright Itachi, your turn to pick."

"Nice deflection." Sasuke and Naruto exchanged a high five as the older Uchiha huffed and reluctantly took the controller from Sasuke.

"Fine, fine, but I warn you, I'm not picking something as cheesy as whatever you two were watching. I go for three stars or higher."

"Good luck with that quest." Naruto said playfully. "What's the fun in tearing apart bad movies when they're not even that bad?"

"I can assure you, Naruto, that even films produced at the big screen level can be quite horrifying for their errors in execution and writing." Itachi replied with a smile. "I promise not to disappoint."

"As long as you don't put on another documentary about ramen like Naruto did earlier, I will approve of your choices." The younger stuck out his tongue and Naruto sneered at him.

"Oh surreee, pick on the person who has an exquisite love for the most godly of foods."

Itachi paused looking over at his younger companions. "Speaking of which, have you two eaten yet?"

"I was gunna order Thai food."

"Sasuke, you always order Thai food." Naruto complained.

"I won't hate on you for ramen, if you don't hate on Thai food." The blond blinked slowly at the smaller raven's comment, not believing a single word of it. Sasuke was biting his bottom lip to prevent him from laughing.

"I think we both know that's impossible." Itachi interjected.

Naruto let out an exasperated, loud, whine. "There's no way I'd be able to come up with good comeback if you two join forces! That's not fair, I'm calling bullshit."

Itachi smirked, sneering a little at the blond's outburst. "Don't hate the player, hate the game."
-

Shifting and other unidentified sounds caused Sasuke's mind to snap into focus; his eyes were still shut but he could hear something shuffling around in the room with him. There was a distinct presence and in his sleep-absorbed mind, anxiety hammered his ribs.

Sasuke sat up with a start, pain blossoming across his chest as the events replayed over and over in his mind. His brow glistened with sweat as he looked around him, eyes scanning, panic and fear trying to push its way into his face as he confirmed his surroundings. He swallowed softly, getting a grip on himself. This was his second time waking up and the situation he was in definitely couldn't be considered a dream, but a nightmare bleeding into reality.

He laid back again, thumping his head against the small pillow. Sasuke ran his hands across his face, pressing sweaty bangs upwards and out of his face. His body ached tremendously. But it wasn't just the pain in his chest, there was a deep seated ache in his mind, an urge, a want; it made his lips tremble softly, and his stomach churn. The man, who dwelled deeply in the Uchiha shrine, was effecting him. Sasuke felt the desire pulling and pummeling him with desperation.

"Good to see you've finally graced me with consciousness." Sasuke turned his head towards the corner of the room where a figure moved slowly, almost with inhuman speed and elegance. From the shadows emerged a man wearing his brother's gentle face; Sasuke knew better than to get his hopes up. He could tell from the futon, the paper dividing walls, and the lack of city noise that he was still in the past. This man was not Itachi; red eyes were not a feature on his brother's face. But the gentleness was there, the softness in his voice and smoothness of his gestures. "There was a fear that you may not awaken."

Sasuke's memory was somewhat hazy; he could pick out bits and pieces before his mind practically blacked out the rest. He remembered seeing this Itachi before he passed out, when Tsunade was healing him. He remembered two other women, somewhat, and Naruto's egregious strength holding down his legs…

Madara's face came right back to Sasuke and there was an unpleasant, pulsating need growing through his gut and threatening to fill his throat.

Sasuke said nothing, mouth thinning into a line as he tried to focus his mind.

"Forgive me for my rudeness; allow me to properly introduce myself." Itachi's eyes shone with a calmness that Sasuke remembered fondly in his own brother. "I am Uchiha Itachi, son of the current leader of the Uchiha clan." No solace was brought to Sasuke from Itachi's words and the smaller raven looked away, lips quivering. "Hn, understandably, you must be distraught from your ordeal. I just wish to share a hint of advice with you before I take my leave."

"You're leaving?" Sasuke said suddenly, on impulse. This man was not his brother and he shouldn't feel the burn of apprehension from this stranger taking his leave. He turned his head towards the wall, ashamed of himself for getting lost again in the sea of familiarity.

Sasuke heard Itachi's soft chuckling and turned his head back, attempting to mask his embarrassment by keeping his features calm. But even as Sasuke tried to do so, he could feel the storm raging through his heart and causing a tightening squeeze on his ribs. "I cannot overstay my welcome here, I'm afraid. I am needed elsewhere. But I wanted to have a proper conversation with you before I quit this place and retired somewhere more suited to my person."

"I understand." The smaller raven's voice was quiet as it filled the room. Itachi slowly moved towards Sasuke, as not to startle him, and took a seat close to the boy, examining his face. He looked definitively Uchiha; head full of raven feathers, eyes deeply saturated with obsidian shine, and skin kissed with the paleness of moonlight.

"You truly are a beautiful child." Itachi's voice was filled with admiration and sweetness, smiling at Sasuke in a manner the younger Uchiha found to be too familiar and left a soft aching in its wake. "However, as much as I would like to be here of my own volition, I'm afraid that is not possible, given what has happened in the past day."

"You mean…About Madara?" The way Sasuke's voice caressed Madara's name was too sultry and foreign for the younger to process for a moment, almost not knowing that it was his own voice which spoke those words.

Frowning deeply, Itachi sighed, nodding his head as a confirmation. "Unfortunately, circumstance has not played favorably, you see. But how shall I explain this to you?" The older raven mused for a second before speaking once more, "Madara is somewhat of an Uchiha artifact; hidden away in the deep bowels of that shrine as to protect him from the world, and protect us from him. Whether or not you believe it to be true, you are quite fortunate Naruto was able to save you from Madara, even if it was a small gesture."

Sasuke thought about Naruto, wondering where this time's little blond had scurried off to. He had a vague recollection of the blond holding him tightly in his arms as they raced back to Konoha. The Uchiha was somewhat surprised this Naruto wasn't here with him as he seemed incredibly protective.

A pregnant pause filled the air with a stiffness as Sasuke's fingers wrapped into the sheets over his body. "Itachi…What exactly did Madara do to me? I don't really…"

"Remember?" Itachi supplied. "I assumed you may not; you were quite enraptured when I arrived."

"I…I don't know what possessed me to feel like that. To be honest, he hurt me but I just…"

Itachi looked at Sasuke with a forlorn yet thoughtful expression. "You cannot resist Madara if he has taken sampling of your life essence and blood. He has placed you in a very…Unfortunate web of entangling. There is a sleeping curse inside of you; one which reacts strongly in his presence. At the current moment, you are safe and there is nothing to fear for Madara is lacking. Frankly spoken to the contrary, however, you will indeed put yourself in harm's way and likely seek him, against your will, as fate would have it."

"Why would I do that?" Sasuke asked, a little flustered by Itachi's response.

"You've become dependent upon him; he's forced an addiction into you." The Uchiha explained, a sullen tone edging into his voice. "As Madara walks this earth once more, you will crave his presence. Fear of him will no longer play strongly on your emotions, and in turn, you will seek him, as he will, undoubtedly, seek you as well."

Melancholy bled into Sasuke's expression as realization set in.

True to Itachi's words, however, Sasuke's chest was aching with that aforementioned need and he could feel the pain of separation deeply in his heart. Itachi hit the nail on the head, he was indeed craving for Madara's presence. "So resistance is futile for me…There's no way for me to avoid him."

Itachi shook his head. "Not true. Madara is weak as the ritual between him and you was not complete. Since he's bound only for a certain time period there is a chance you can escape him. That being said, the Uchiha clan has never encountered Madara's return, there is no telling how much time will pass before Madara withers again and is returned to eternity."

Sasuke chewed his bottom lip, anxiety too strong to fight against. "My presence here in this village only stands to serve as a burden. I cannot allow Madara to rain havoc down because of what has transpired. I should leave…immediately."

The older Uchiha grabbed Sasuke's arm, with surprising force, pulling the smaller raven closer. "Leaving now would only service Madara. If you are alone, you are an easier target in his sights. Being obscured behind the walls of this large village will buy you time; Madara has to regroup and gain the necessities to find you. Since no one but a select few even know of you, it will be infinitely more difficult for Madara to track you down. If you were to quit this place and roam without guidance, more people would be likely to see you and as such, be likely to supply Madara with the information he needs. Cunning and obfuscation will serve you well on this occasion."

Itachi let go of Sasuke's arm and the younger Uchiha blinked, nodding slowly. This Itachi had his brother's fierce protectiveness; the passion and anger in his eyes had scared Sasuke somewhat but he knew, just like his own Itachi, this one would not hurt him.

"Sasuke," Itachi paused for a moment as he looked at the raven's face again. "Is it alright for me to use your given name so casually?" Sasuke nodded his head once. "Thank you for the privilege." The smaller raven felt an even deeper pang of longing for his own brother as this Itachi spoke to him. Their mannerisms were very similar and the formalities this Itachi employed reminded Sasuke of when Itachi would speak to his business associate. There was a calm air of respect in his voice and it comforted Sasuke, even just a little. "Sasuke, I know this current situation is trying for you. Tsunade has informed me of your…placement in the ebbing waves of time. Upon seeing and acknowledging me for the first time, you referred to me not only by my given name but also sweetly called me 'Aniki'."

A sudden flushing charred Sasuke's cheeks and again he had to look away from Itachi. "Ah…Yes, well…Tsunade informs you correctly. From what little information I have sequestered, the evidence tends to agree that I am no longer within my own time period, but rather, a thousand years in the past."

"Fascinating," The look on Itachi's face was calm but also filled with wonder. The older Uchiha put his hand on top of Sasuke's as a friendly, reassuring gesture, smiling as he did so. "Perhaps if you shared with me the conditions of your situation, I may be able to give a pointed guide towards a solution. I do not mean to impose myself so severely on your life but there is a chance, in my worldly travels, I have stumbled upon something of this nature before, or perhaps know someone else who may know."

"I would greatly appreciate any help I could receive." Sasuke muttered. "However, I do not know if there is a finite solution."

Itachi nodded his head. "Please begin, if you will, Sasuke. Tell me as much as you can remember."

Sasuke took a deep breath through his nose, recounting it all in his head before putting it to words. He told Itachi everything he could about the library, his Naruto, and the book. Sasuke noticed, when he was speaking, that Itachi's face twitched upon its mention. Perhaps he did know something after all.

"And the title of this book…Your Naruto just called it the 'Classic'?" Itachi questioned.

Sasuke nodded. "As far as I know, that was all it was called. I was unable to read the cover anyway; it was in a language I had never seen before."

"This may seem to be a strange question, but, do you perhaps remember what the language looked like? There are many ancient writings present throughout the land, and with these ancient languages, comes the volumes of experts who can read them."

Sasuke pursed his lips together. He could clearly picture the first two symbol-like gibberish from the title, but not much after that. The young Uchiha hoped those two symbols would be enough. "I don't suppose you have something to write on or with, do you?"

Itachi frowned and sighed. "Parchment is quite expensive to have on hand, so no, I do not." The older thought for a moment and presented his hand to Sasuke. The paleness of his palm comparable to Sasuke's own. He blinked with confusion at the gesture, but Itachi's small smile reassured him. "Here, draw it on my skin. You may have to use your nail, but the redness of the markings will be quite clear."

After the confusion past Sasuke weighed his options and found no easier solution. It was, of course, almost too inconvenient for words that his duffle bag had been lost in the earlier scuffle with Naruto. He doubted the blond was smart enough to grab it. Sasuke breathed a small sigh through his nose and grabbed his brother's incarnation's hand.

His nails were relatively short, but Sasuke managed. Luckily for him, it wasn't a bubbly, overtly connective language with an obvious, meaningful stroke pattern. He drew a long line first, horizontally across half of Itachi's palm, then drew a shorter line above it, about half the length. To finish the first part he remembered, Sasuke drew a vertical line from the bottom line with a short outcropping vertical dot.

The second symbol was far simpler, consisting of what looked like a primitive claw-tearing-on-fabric design, like Sasuke had seen in plenty of movies. Only the small difference was that it had a disconnected, third vertical drop.

Sasuke relinquished his grip when the marks raised, deeply and angrily from Itachi's skin. The older Uchiha hummed softly in his throat, nodding one, as he raised his gaze back up to Sasuke. "You're sure about this?"

"There are more symbols, to be sure, but those are the ones I can remember with the most clarity." Sasuke didn't receive a response right away from Itachi. A nervous sweat gathered at the back of his neck. "Well?"

"Hn…" Itachi seemed contemplative as he stared into Sasuke's eyes. "I fear if I reveal this information to you, you will immediately seek to leave this place. However, I do not wish to control you, by any means…"

"Itachi, please, you must understand my position." Sasuke gripped onto Itachi's forearm, looking deeply into the older Uchiha's obsidian gaze. "I know you've warned me away from the potential dangers lurking outside the walls of this village and you're worried about…My unfortunate circumstance, but I miss my home, my Naruto, and my Itachi. I need these answers, and I know you are reluctant, as you should be, but I need to take a risk to return home." Sasuke paused for a moment, having to look away to finish his speech. "I'm…Afraid. I've never been so afraid…The thought of being stuck here and never being able to return to the people I care for…It…I…"

"Enough." Itachi said in a decisively, somewhat hard tone. "I understand, no need to say more." He sighed, audibly. "If I give you this information, I will also give it with a suggestion, just to save my mental state about the matter with Madara." Sasuke nodded slowly, trying to hide his excitement for the answers he'd been seeking since his arrival. "The language you've shown me is not one of extinct variety, for snakes, at lea-"

"Wait, wait, j-just hold on a second." Itachi blinked in confusion at Sasuke's interjection. "Did you just say 'snakes'?" The befuddled gaze of Itachi was returned with unhidden expression by Sasuke. The two Uchiha sat and looked at each other for a moment.

Sasuke supposed his life becoming a Harry Potter book shouldn't be too surprising since Naruto DID have a demon inside of him and Madara obviously used magic. But the idea of snakes being sentient enough to use language absolutely baffled him.

"Right, of course, yes. I did." Itachi said with a sudden realization. "Forgive me, sometimes my memory is fleeting about your placement in time. I suppose snakes do not talk in your time?"

"Hissing is as far as it goes." Sasuke replied, trying to wrap his head around the idea of a snake actually saying something to him. "Do most animals talk here?"

"Oh, Heavens no. Don't be ridiculous." Itachi's smile was back. "Animals derived of the divine beasts, or have the correct magic placed on them can, but other than that, no. Snakes are ancient relatives of dragons, which could speak, and by that blood relation, snakes also have the ability to speak. It isn't necessarily the same language as ours, but, some will be able to speak to you."

"So…I should go into the forest and find a snake nest and ask them about this book?" Of course by this point, Sasuke wasn't exactly sure where Itachi's information was about to lead him so he just made a bold conjecture, hoping Itachi would tell otherwise. Although, from how everything had been working out so far, Sasuke felt he wouldn't be surprised if Itachi said he was completely right.

"Please do not do something that dangerous." Itachi's face conveyed a seriousness Sasuke's own brother employed during his routine childhood scolding. "Considering the fact it was a book, and a magical book at that, we must assume it was a snake priest or cultist who wrote it." Itachi's face soften a little. "The only priest I can think of with enough expertise for this matter is a man named Orochi-"

Naruto burst into the room, slamming the paper screen open. Sasuke jumped slightly in his surprise, his heart jumping up in tempo. "Itachi, you need to go." Itachi's eyes widen, only a fraction, as he stood up quickly.

"Naruto, what are you talking about?" Sasuke kicked off his blankets, about to stand when the blond started to move cautiously, circling around Itachi so he could come to stand by Sasuke, separating the two Uchihas. "Naruto!"

"So, the truth comes out." Itachi's voice was calm and he seemed almost too stoic. Sasuke was surprised and worried by the sudden change in his attitude; panic started to grab at the smaller Uchiha's throat. A renewed fear started to fill him as Itachi started to back away from the blond. "Forgive me, Sasuke, it was only my intention to try and help you…"

"W-what is he talking about, Itachi?" Sasuke's eyes were wide with confusion and the older Uchiha smiled sadly.

"I'm not your brother, Sasuke." The tone of Itachi's voice completely changed, edging into an almost harsh, cold reminder. The older Uchiha's eyes reflected this change; all sweetness from earlier disappearing from them. The haunting redness of his eyes seemed far too foreboding and Sasuke felt an ache in his chest. He had been fooled. "My, my, seems like the village has finally picked up on me."

"Tsunade is giving you one chance to leave the village…And never return…Right now." Naruto made an awkward gesture with his head towards the wall behind Sasuke; his face was almost too stern, as if he was faking the anger. His lips were shaking, very slightly, words rushed as they fell from his lips. Itachi smiled again, laughing lightly.

"Oh, Naruto, just for your kindness in this moment, I will leave you some information, no doubt useful to you…About Akatsuki." The blond's eyes widened considerably and Sasuke could only feel himself becoming more and more lost. "The man who seeks you wears the masks of his deceptions. Orange, like the sunrise." There was a shuffling down the hallway and Itachi smirked. "Tsunade and her guards are coming now…I must go. Perhaps our paths will cross again."

Naruto moved towards a hidden back wall and opened it for Itachi. He nodded his head quickly and the Uchiha quickly moved through, giving the blond more than enough time to cover the exit again. Tsunade moved through the opening with two men following her. Her face was a mask of ice but quickly changed as it displayed the fire of her anger when she realized Itachi was already gone. Her caramel eyes were piercing as she stepped towards Naruto, steps heavy with the thunder of her rage.

She stopped short of the blond, whose face was a mask of innocence. "You…" She halted her words, eyes still shining but she turned, heading back out the door and slamming it so hard it fell into the hallway behind her.

Sasuke glanced up at the blond, who breathed out heavily. They exchanged a look.

"So, are you going to tell me what's happening? Or am I going to have to guess?"
-

Madara looked up at the seal, intricate, black, and beautiful. The way the circles and lines locked and weaved were absolutely breath-taking. If it wasn't being currently used on him, he would be very impressed with the skill his Uchiha counterpart could use. But it was being used on him, to contain him, no less, like he was some kind of common demon.

The implications, alone, were massive in the Uchiha's eyes. Something had happened in the clan, or perhaps, that particular Uchiha had been a rogue to the dream. However, Madara felt it was more than like the former than the latter.

Things had changed, Madara could feel it in the marrow of his bones.

Had his dream died?

Creaking and groaning of the remaining wood floor only served to remind Madara than the shrine still hadn't fully collapsed. The seal, much to the Uchiha chagrin, was very much intact. And it was very much so draining his powers, keeping his destruction limited. Not to mention, as Madara had reminded himself a few times, that due to his anger he had spent a great deal of power before realizing it.

Madara felt every single, thin thread of his patience snapping, one by one. He had been so close to achieving his goals and it had all been for naught. The young, beautiful boy had escaped him. And now, he had no idea where the small Uchiha had gone. Undoubtedly, this Sasuke boy, was obviously unassociated with the clan. He wouldn't be able to find the Uchiha hiding among them; Madara hadn't decided if that was a benefit or not yet.

"Well, isn't this quaint." A man with an orange, swirled mask walked through the dilapidated corridor, avoiding some of the falling stone. "If it isn't the Uchiha patriarch himself, in the flesh, no less."

Madara raised a brow, frowning slightly at the mysterious man. "You seem to know me, but who exactly are you, I wonder?"

The man bowed; black, spikey hair signaling to Madara the Uchiha blood flowing through his veins. And when he righted himself again, his one, red eye shining demonically through the dark. Madara chuckled ominously. "I'm assuming from your new humor that you've decidedly discovered my Uchiha heritage. I am Tobi, your humble servant."

"Oh? Servant?" Madara was smirking widely, showing his bright teeth. "I see. Well, perhaps you may begin by freeing me?" He waved his hand towards the ceiling which was sprinkled with gaping holes, but seemed to be avoiding the seal completely. "An Uchiha showed up, far before you, and destroyed the plan I had laid."

Tobi was stilled, looking up. "Interesting. Very interesting."

"Are you skilled enough to tell which Uchiha could have created such a masterpiece?"

Tobi shook his head. "No, this seal was created by clan, as a precaution for your return. Almost every Uchiha can perform it."

"So, it is as I assumed. The clan has left me."

Tobi placed his hand against one of the remaining walls, pulling out a heavy stone. The wall collapsed behind him. He jumbled the rock in his hand before tossing it, hitting the seal in the middle, and causing the rocks holding it to finally fall loose. Madara moved away as the ceiling fell, plummeting to the hard earth.

"Madara, where is your sacrifice? I was expecting a body since you're still so…Alive."

Madara moved over the debris, with a contained beauty and grace. "He escaped with the rogue Uchiha and Jinchuuriki…"

Tobi seemed somewhat surprised. "I thought I felt the lingering of a demon, but I hadn't assumed it was a Jinchuuriki."

"An Uzumaki priest, no less."

"You were graced by the vessel of your failure, then. That Uzumaki boy holds the spirit of the Kyuubi within him. Ironic, no?"

Madara's wasn't smiling. His lips were pulled thin into a frown as he was reminded of his failure. He turned away from his fellow Uchiha, staring up through the ceiling and seeing the stars painted across the night sky, the sun slowly reaching its tendrils through the dark. Morning would be upon them within the next hour or so. "Tell me, Tobi, was it? What has happened these odd years?"

Tobi moved slowly through the stones and falling mortar, the wood of the shine already crushed and buried beneath the heavier material. He approached Madara slowly, placing a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. "Perhaps, my lord, this is not the place for such a conversation."

"Indeed. Lead on then, this shall be one of the few times I shall follow you."
-

Naruto had moved himself and Sasuke into a different room after Tsunade's fit. The Uchiha felt less and less comfortable as the blond did something out of character; keep his mouth shut for once. Sasuke nursed his lip between his teeth as the two of them sat, a kettle of boiling water between them, bitter herbs in the cup waiting to be submerged. Naruto hadn't divulged anything, seeming to avoid the subject completely.

"Naruto, now is not the time to become a mute." Sasuke urged. He had been fighting Naruto's silence the entire time they had been moving, and now, even at their stand-still, the silence was becoming unbearable. It made Sasuke miss his Naruto that much more. That awkward idiot would never let a silence become too heavy, especially one like this.

"Should we head into the bath before nightfall?" Naruto's suggestion was not the lapse in silence Sasuke had been hoping for. He sighed, knowing that it might be the best he would get, given the circumstances. "You've had quite the ordeal; it shall give you time to relax." The blond leaned in, surprising the Uchiha with his sudden closeness. "And it may give us some privacy." Sasuke's eyes wandered to the paper screen, noticing for the first time, there was a shadow passing over it.

Sasuke nodded. "Yes. Let's head in."

The blond nodded and held out his hand for Sasuke to take. Normally, Sasuke wouldn't allow himself to be pampered and babied like this, but his physical condition was lacking. He suppressed the annoyance at his own weakness as his fingers slipped between Naruto's. With little effort he was on his feet, slowly following the blond out the door.

Sunset bathed the walls in a romantic, golden glow, casting shadows on Naruto's face as he looked back at Sasuke. In the dying light, Naruto could see just how fragile Sasuke actually looked. He was paler than when they first met, skin already gathering a faint glisten of sweat from the heat and exertion. His eyes rested on the Uchiha's chest. Even though it was mostly covered, Naruto could see the faint scar-like mark on Sasuke's chest from the extraction.

Sasuke looked up to Naruto's face, catching the brief look of guilt as he turned away. Bathed in golden light, Naruto's blue eyes were even more striking and deep. He wondered how he had never noticed that from his own Naruto. Sasuke had to look away, fighting down an awkward feeling spreading through his gut.

The silence between them now, Sasuke welcomed with much vigor.

It somewhat surprised Sasuke just how silent this shrine could be. Usually, Naruto's bubble of chatter enveloped him in waves of conversation and banter, but with the blond's mouth shut, he realized just how silent the world was. It definitely wasn't like his city home. And even if he complained about it keeping him up at night, he still missed it. The noise comforted him.

Sasuke ducked into a room as Naruto opened the door for him.

It was wall opposite from Sasuke had small cubbies to store their clothing, but from the looks of it, not many people visited the inner shrine's bathing facilities. Naruto took a step forward, pulling at his robing while he did so. "Do they have onsen in the future?" Naruto asked, as he started to strip, any sense of the word modesty removed from the situation.

"That's a stupid question." Naruto's open mouth gasp of exasperation was followed by Sasuke's triumphant smirk.

"How am I supposed to know that?" Naruto huffed indignantly. Sasuke followed the blond's lead as another wave of awkwardness filling him as he stripped down. Naruto handed the Uchiha a towel for his waist, but even that seemed like it wasn't enough. Even though Sasuke's Naruto had seen him naked plenty of time, from the occasional walking in mishap, to the 'no-shame' skinny-dipping they did when they were fifteen, to the eventual not caring if Naruto was in the room; this Naruto was different. Sasuke felt awkward with this blond being so close to him, invading his privacy while naked bubble.

"Come, I'll wash your back for you." Naruto said with a smile. Sasuke seemed somewhat reluctant, which in turn made the blond chuckle. "Oh come now, we are both men. There's nothing to be embarrassed about. I've seen it all." He produced a small stool for Sasuke as he waved a small cloth to motion for Sasuke to follow him farther in.

"Shouldn't you be a bit more modest, as a priest?"

"Perhaps with a woman, I would be." Naruto replied with a slight shrug. "We're in the house of the Kami's worship and we are not partaking in sins of the flesh. I feel no shame at my nudity. Besides, I have lived here all my life, I feel at peace."

Sasuke nodded, still not completely convinced by Naruto's words. He felt awkward about being naked in a somewhat public setting. However, he felt awkward about being in this place in general. Sasuke sighed quietly to himself, accepting his nude fate.

After heading in a little deeper back, the steaming of the hot springs brought a slight flush to Sasuke's face as he stepped into the outdoor area behind Naruto. The blond set the stool down and Sasuke, much to his displeasure, sat in front of the blond. He tried his best to relax, even going as far as trying to fool himself that this Naruto and his were the same. But with the sudden unceremonious grace Naruto employed to dump a bucket of water over Sasuke's head, soaking him with semi-warm water, Sasuke didn't have to fool himself.

"Ah, sorry, I should have warned you." Naruto said with a sheepish smile as Sasuke looked up with a glare. Sasuke flexed out of jump when Naruto's warm, calloused hands were on the Uchiha's shoulders, slick with soap.

Sasuke shivered and Naruto pulled away for a moment, robbing the Uchiha's wet body of the blond's warmth. He relaxed slightly when he felt the softness of cloth lathering up the soap on his back; Sasuke leaned forward.

"So, are we finally going to talk?" Sasuke inquired, looking over his shoulder at the blond. He sighed as he continued to scrub.

"Yes; I'm sorry about my secretive nature. You have to understand, Tsunade, currently, has no evidence of my interference. I did not want to be shamed publically if I was mistaken for a lapse of judgment."

"What do you mean by that? Are you saying I shouldn't trust what Itachi has said?" The blond sighed again, pulling the cloth away from Sasuke's back.

"No, that's not what I'm saying at all." Naruto came around to stand in front of Sasuke, his towel covered crotch hovering right in the Uchiha's face. True to Naruto's character, Sasuke noted with a hint of annoyance, the blond seemed completely oblivious to what he was doing. Naruto crouched down, grabbing Sasuke's arm and beginning to scrub it. "Itachi is being hunted by the Uchiha clan."

Sasuke's eyes widened considerably. "What?"

"If I hadn't seen the decree with the official clan sealing on it, I wouldn't have believed it myself." Naruto was looking directly into Sasuke's eyes and the Uchiha felt his heart sink. Naruto's eyes were so blue and honest that Sasuke couldn't fight the disbelief anymore. His stomach was churned at the thought. "Last night one of the guards spied Itachi through the courtyard and found his face familiar so he looked through the bounty letters. And lo, there he was. He's wanted for murder of a fellow clansmen."

Sasuke was silent and Naruto watched him for a moment. "I just…I don't know what to think."

"I don't think Itachi is a murderer; there was something about him that…" Naruto paused for a moment as if considering what to say. "I don't know how to explain it. When I met him, sure, I was skeptical, but he didn't leave us to die, Sasuke. He could have, but he didn't. I trusted him, on a whim, and he kept his word. His actions don't say 'killer' to me."

Relief swelled in Sasuke's chest hearing Naruto's words. He had hoped his disbelief wasn't just his child-like ignorance for his own brother's face. "I'm glad we share the sentiment, but either way, we cannot get in contact with Itachi…"

"I hope that our paths may cross again, but I fear it may not be on such noble terms…" Naruto muttered, standing up again. He made a motion for Sasuke to stand also, and the Uchiha did, having the cloth shoved into his hand. "Buckets are over there." Naruto pointed out and Sasuke retrieved one, with semi-cold water in it. A shock for a shock, Sasuke had decided.

Naruto suppressed the jolt from the cold horrendously; standing up completely, muscles fully tensed at the temperature. Sasuke was holding back his laughter at the reaction, feigning innocence. "Sorry, I didn't realize it was so cold." Naruto grumbled something, probably very profane, under his breath and sat back down.

"Sasuke, there is something else I need to tell you about him as well." The Uchiha lathered up the cloth and brought it against Naruto's skin; the blond didn't react. He grabbed onto Sasuke's wrist pulling him closer, making him bend over Naruto's shoulder. "He is officially affiliated with Akatsuki."

Sasuke blinked. "What does that mean?" Naruto loosened his grip and Sasuke continue to wash the blond's back, who had reverted back to silence, as if he was formulating an answer.

"It means he belongs to the people who wish to see me dead…" Naruto said with a neutral tone. Sasuke's hand stilled on Naruto's shoulder. He nearly dropped the cloth from his hand but couldn't quite shake the shock.

"He wants to kill you?" Sasuke leaned in closer, hovering above Naruto's shoulder. "Why would you let him so close to you?!"

"He made no move against me, nor did he even attempt to capture me." Naruto muttered; his face was scrunched with his own puzzlement and Sasuke couldn't help but share the sentiment. "Which, then, brings me back to this 'killer' business. Something isn't quite right about it. I don't know what, exactly, but there are things about this that do not make sense."

Sasuke nodded as Naruto stood up, removing the cloth from the Uchiha's grip. "Finish washing and let's enter the bath. Perhaps an epiphany will grace us while our minds wander…"

The Uchiha couldn't disagree, knowing that there was nothing else he could do at the moment. He wondered if he should engage Naruto about what Itachi had told him. Naruto was a priest himself, so he was bound to know something about the snake cultists, or at least, be able to point him towards someone else who did know. Sasuke cursed, thinking about how close he was to Itachi revealing the truth in this matter.

He sighed, taking up one of the buckets and ridding himself of the suds. After the water ran clear, he walked towards the edge of the springs, dipping a toe in to test the water. It was hotter than he liked, but from the milky color he knew it must hold some kind of healing property to it. He removed the towel from his lower half and wrapped it around his head, entering slowly. Naruto followed in behind him, causing a sea of ripples to spread as the water was displaced by his jerky motions.

Naruto sat, on the other side of the spring, looking directly at Sasuke. The Uchiha felt suddenly even more awkward about those large blue eyes boring into him. He tried to look away but before he could, Naruto did, with a slight flush covering his face. And it wasn't from the hot spring. "Sasuke, may I ask you something?"

"Hn."

"You know, perhaps it's my curiosity getting the better of me, so feel free not to answer if you feel strangely about doing so…" Naruto paused and Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the sudden rambling. "I was just wondering..."

Sasuke's eyes widened slightly, "Get on with it, either ask your question or don't."

"What is he like?"

The Uchiha blinked. "Who?"

"Naruto. Well, not me obviously, but you know…Him. Your future Naruto."

"Oh," Sasuke found himself strangely disheartened by this question. Thinking about the Naruto he left behind in his own town made him miss home even more. He bit the inside of his cheek. "A lot like you, I suppose. Hot-tempered, presumptuous, loud, really stubborn, kind of annoying…Well, actually he can be very anno-"

"I don't suppose he has any good traits, does he?" Naruto's flush returned, filling his face with almost at full redness from his suppressed anger.

Sasuke smirked. "Of course he does, he would not be my best friend if I didn't like him." Naruto's anger seemed to quell at the admission and he moved across he pool, coming close to Sasuke. "He's very kind, he makes me laugh, and he listens, when no one else had time to or wouldn't, he did. I've known him for a very long time and we are practically inseparable. He knows everything about me, and I know everything about him. Every story, every scar…" Sasuke paused feeling a sudden ache of longing in his chest, looking over at Naruto's face and nearly choking on his own disappointment. He had to look away.

Naruto chewed his lip. "It's difficult to look upon me, isn't it?"

Sasuke tore his eyes away from the water and couldn't contain the compulsion; he let his fingers run down the marks on Naruto's cheek, shaking his head. "There are differences when I look at you. You do not look exactly the same. Just as it was with Itachi and my brother; I do not fool myself."

"Oh, yes…" Naruto looked away, forcing Sasuke's fingers to slide down and back into the water. "Your Naruto doesn't have a horrific monster inside of him." Naruto was still not looking at Sasuke as he reached the place where the Uchiha had just been touching. "These marks are not scars; they mark me as a vessel for this evil."

Sasuke was silent as Naruto laughed in a dejected manner. The blond looked over at him, smiling softly. "But enough about that. We cannot change our situations if we do not have the means to do so. One day, I will be free of this demon, when I am stronger as a priest. For now, I will hold him and keep his evil from spreading."

"Naruto…"

"Hmm?"

Sasuke felt the words dying on his tongue as he looked at the blond, who was smiling so gently at him, just like his Naruto would do when he was swallowing his sadness. "Don't bother to hide anything from me. I can read you like a book."

Naruto laughed again. "Perhaps I should say you're of prophetic blood and let you tell them their 'fortunes' to raise a little money."

Sasuke sneered slightly. "No, thank you." Naruto slowly started to sink down into the milky pool, letting the water hit him under the chin. "Naruto…If there is something you wish to say, tell me. You can trust me."

"Do you say that because I wear this face? I feel, perhaps, you are somewhat less reserved because of it." Naruto said, and then looked away, obviously feeling conflicted about the harshness of what he had said. "Do not take offense, Sasuke, but I feel maybe you were far quicker to trust me because of who I look like, and not who I am."

Sasuke remained silent for a moment before nodding. "Yes, I guess you're right about that."

The blond sighed, looking up at the ceiling. "I don't know if I'll be able to protect you, Sasuke."

The Uchiha's eyes widened slightly. "What are you talking about? You saved me from Madara."

Naruto laughed dismissively. "No, all I could manage to do was stall him. And even then, I didn't do a very good job. Madara is more powerful than I could imagine…Itachi had to seal him to even get him to stop. I know not of that seal, nor do I think anything I could produce would have a similar effect."

"I believe in you." Sasuke said in a small voice. They looked at each other, eyes locking. "If you're anything like my Naruto, I know that you'll do anything you set your mind to. Maybe, it would be best for us to try and find my way back home. If Madara can't find me, then this will resolve itself. He'll die again."

Naruto nodded, the water rippling as he sat up a little taller, smiling at the Uchiha. But then his smile dropped as he gained a contemplative look. "But how exactly would we begin to look? Trusting Tsunade didn't exactly work…"

Sasuke nodded. "Well, Itachi told me the language the book's cover was written in was probably something a snake priest could read. He gave me, well, part of a name."

Naruto perked up. "Which was?"

"Orochi…I assume there's more, but you cut him off before he…could…finish." Sasuke watched as Naruto's features scrunched together, his brows knitting. "Why are you making that face?"

"I know of a man named Orochimaru. He used to reside in this village before his overzealous interest in forbidden rituals was discovered." Naruto said, frowning. "He became a priest of Manda upon his departure. The village keeps surveillance on his whereabouts. I actually possess that knowledge…"

"However?"

"He's very dangerous. His rituals are the stuff of legends, the stories we tell to child to keep them from going out at night."

"Well, if you're scared, I guess I can find someone else."

"What did you say?" Naruto's tone was full of anger and his face was flushed from the accusation. Sasuke smirked. "Uzumaki Naruto, never backs down from a challenge! Believe it!"
-

Alright enough with the baby stuff, time to get this plot rolling! While, I'll admit, Orochimaru probably won't actually show up for a little bit, we still have our main badass, ready to roll!

Sasuke: Isn't this what Itachi told me not to do?
Me: When is doing what you're told ever fun? Stay in the village, let them protect you, don't die…Sounds like a nag to me.
Sasuke: …
Me: Would it reassure you to know that you won't die in the next chapter?
Sasuke: No, not really. This was Hitoko-Sama.