DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. (Though the OCs are mine!)
REWRITTEN
Web of Deception
Chapter Three
So Close, Yet So Far
Sasuke stared at the little girl who stood where—not long ago—there had been a grown man. And that little girl had called him Tou-san. Oh hell no. He did not like whatever Tatsuo was planning. And why was he part of this to begin with? He was suppose to be the outsider. Not someone they could trust on a whim. Even though he would follow it. That's not the point though, he didn't want to be part of the plan. Not now, not ever. Yet, why was he still staring at him like that?
Tatsuo broke eye contact with him as he let the cloak fall away from him, leaving him in only an over-sized black shirt with his chestnut hair falling to the middle of his back. He bent down and unzipped the bag, pulling out two different dresses. One blue with forget-me-not flowers embroidered on the lower part of the dress and one pale yellow with a big duck on the front and little ducks on the sleeves. He held them both up at arms length, displaying them as he asked sweetly in a girl's child voice, "Which one should I pick; the blue or the yellow?"
"The blue," said Kane.
Tatsuo nodded and put the yellow dress back in the bag. Sitting to their right, Ryutaro shook his head. "Sometimes I wonder if you like being a girl more than a guy."
"Ohh, no no no no. . . I like my body parts," the little girl answered, pulling out a pair of little girls' flowered underwear and putting them on. "Especially. . ." he continued with a devious smirk. ". . .when they're against the same type of body parts."
"Ewww!" yelled Ryutaro, grabbing at his head. "I so didn't need to hear that!"
The child giggled at Ryutaro's reaction and bobbed her head back and forth. Sasuke watched, slightly surprised—even though he really shouldn't be—that Tatsuo was gay. It wasn't really the gay part that surprised him. He just couldn't imagine a guy like him being with another person, allowing someone to get that close. Though, that's probably what others think of himself too.
Tatsuo pushed the overly large shirt off of his small shoulders and let it fall to the ground, leaving his child-like body naked apart from his flowered underwear. He stepped into the blue dress, pulled it up and slipped her arms into the sleeves. "Can someone zip me up?"
Hikko enthusiastically walked forward, zipping the back of the dress up. "Thanks, Hikko-chan!" Tatsuo said cheerfully.
"Ahh, you're so cute Tatsuo or should I say Mizuki-chan!" Hikko gushed.
God, he couldn't take much more of this. "What is all this about?" he asked irritably. "And what the hell do I have to do with it?"
"Mmmm. . ." Tatsuo sat down and pulled up knee-length lacy socks. "Your Sharingan will be handy on this mission," he said, slipping his feet into shiny, black dress shoes. He picked up the bracelet with the crystal beads and stood, walking over and sitting in front of Kane with her back to him. All the while, Sasuke watched that bracelet warily, knowing what kind of damage one bead from it could really do.
Tatsuo handed Kane the bracelet for probable safe keeping. With his wrists being the size of a child, it was the most logical. Kane stole it away, then brought out a brush seemingly out of nowhere. Taking a section of long chestnut hair and then running the brush through it gently.
"You and I are going to go to the village just North of here." Tatsuo's childlike voice turned serious. "We're gonna be there for a day and a half before we move. So that the others can get into their positions and so we can get the layout, blah-blah. . ." Waving his small hand back and forth dismissively. "It's all typical scouting and plain ass boring if you ask me."
Kane began brushing the sides of the child's hair up, eventually clipping it in a hair clip in the back. Sasuke couldn't quite understand Tatsuo's attitude about all this. The guy—or little girl wasn't suppose to trust so easily. It was unheard of with individuals like them. He knew this because he used to be one of them. And technically, he still was. Being back in Konoha didn't make him trust others easier, it only made him more closed off. More distrustful of anyone who most likely would have a motive to do anything for him. But why was Tatsuo trusting him so much as to let him know details of a mission he could easily sabotage?
"You don't even know me," he said flatly to the child staring at him oddly. "You're insane to trust me."
Tatsuo's childlike features morphed then, from an expression he couldn't quite place to amusement. "Yeah. . .people have called me insane once or twice. But then again—" A sadistic smile gracing his innocent features. "—those people are dead. So, it really doesn't matter to me, now does it?" He stood on chubby legs and dusted the dirt off his dress. "You might want to henge."
But Sasuke wasn't moving. "What is this mission about?" he asked, glaring at the little girl version of Tatsuo.
"You'll learn the smaller details later." His child expression turned colder. "Now henge."
There was that same commanding tone he hated. Grinding his teeth against the obvious order, he grudgingly stood. He hated to be ordered around. He only tolerates the Hokage because he still held a small, microscopic hope that Naruto was still alive and would return home. "Fine," he growled between clenched teeth. He pictured the disguise he wished to use and preformed the correct hand seals for the transformation. A puff of smoke burst to life and surrounded him.
When it cleared, he stood at the same built and height as before, but his skin tone was tanner. He took his Wolf mask off, and instead of black hair and onyx eyes, he had the same chestnut hair as Tatsuo's and a darker shade of brown for his eyes. Which the latter was trained on Tatsuo, as per usual, glaring at him. The shape of his face, he made sure of, was more rounded than his normal sharp and angular bone structure, giving him more of a soft look.
He noticed the child Tatsuo running his eyes up and down his body with a satisfied look on his face. "Nice." This comment only made him glare harder at the midget. "Ryutaro, can you get him some different clothes. I don't think his Anbu uniform will work."
Ryutaro walked over to some scrolls laying by a pile of duffel bags, and began looking through them. Apparently, searching for a specific one.
"Why this kind of disguise?" Sakura asked, speaking for the first time since her outburst about traitors.
"Why not?" Tatsuo asked back, not expecting an actual answer since he went on. "Who would suspect a child was about to commit a crime."
"I would!" chimed in Ryutaro as he rejoined the group with a scroll in hand.
Tatsuo rolled his eyes. "That's because you've been around me too long."
"Damn right!" Ryutaro agreed while he performed hand seals. Sasuke watched the smoke erupt and clear away to reveal a set of clothes laying on the ground. "These should fit." Ryutaro continued as he bent down and picked the clothes up. "You appear to be the same size as Kane, so they should be fine." He threw them at him, and he caught them with ease.
For an unknown reason, Tatsuo smirked. "Get dressed. We need to leave within the next ten minutes." He walked over to a section of the clearing with the other Akuma members casually following. The distance became too far for him to eavesdrop on whatever they plan on saying to each other.
Damn, he thought. Undressing himself in plain sight, not particularly caring if the others saw anything. His pride had already taken a severe beating throughout the day, why not just add to it? He just had to keep in mind why he was putting up with all this to begin with. It's his mission. He has to do whatever it takes to get Tatsuo in Konoha. . .
Deep breath in, deep breath out.
Over and over, Naruto forced his breathing to stay even. Although sometimes it became difficult. . .like now. He couldn't take his eyes off of Sasuke as he changed right in the middle of the clearing. How was that fair? That flawless skin—even when under a henge—and muscled body, it was making it hard to control more than one impulse at the moment. One; he wanted to jump him, two; he wanted to tear the others apart at seeing so much of him, and three; he wanted to stay put and keep his cover intact. All three were battling and so far, number three was winning.
"Tatsuo. . .?" he annoyingly heard his mission name being called by Kane—also known as Uchiha Itachi. "Tatsuo." It was said more pointedly, which caught his attention away from his internal struggles.
"What?" he said shortly, more irritated that he had to remove his concentration from his self control.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Itachi asked, his facial expression unavailable for him to read. But with the years they've worked together, he figured he was annoyed by his lack of attention.
Purposely, he tilted his girly head in a manner of confusion. "Why do you ask?" Using his childish features to his advantage.
"He easily distracts you," Itachi monotonously answered. The previous moment apparently proving this statement.
But he's right. Uchiha definitely distracts you.
Shush.
"What?" he spoke smugly. "Do you not expect me to stare with him practically naked in front of him? I think you expect too much of me."
"I don't think that's what he meant, Taichou," Tara, the medical shinobi of Akuma, said. Her real name being Ishikawa Ruri, former wife of the late Kirigakure's Daimyo. "We just want to make sure his mere presence isn't going to draw your attention away from the mission. That's all." She always means well. The heart of Akuma, who makes sure every one of them are well taken care of.
He dropped the smugness he showed to Itachi and stared up at Ruri. "You guys don't have to worry. I'll make sure it doesn't happen." He turned and headed back to where Sasuke now stood dressed in a black button down shirt, blue jeans and tennis shoes. His Anbu uniform, Wolf mask and hitai-ate were neatly piled on the ground. "It's time to go," he told him.
"Hmn," he responded in his usual one word answers that used to annoy him so. And it still does.
"You guys know what to do," he told his team behind him without looking. "And bubblegum. . .you can watch over the camp while we're gone." He saw her fully ready to argue at being left behind, but he let his face fall into what he hoped was the deadliest look ever. And it must have worked, because she shut up real quick. He just thought though, he was still a little girl. So, it must have looked extra scary, because homicidal kids are nightmare worthy.
He was about to leave, but decided to add distrustfully to Sakura, "Oh, and look through our shit and trust me. . .we'll know." He walked to the edge of the clearing, calling over his shoulder as he went into the lining trees and heading to the Genjutsu surrounding nearby, "Come on Uchiha! We have a village to scout!"
Sasuke and Naruto walked in awkward silence down the path. Well, Naruto considered it awkward, because he didn't know what to talk about without saying too much. But with Sasuke, it probably was more like he didn't want to talk. Especially to him. And taking the years of experience in dealing with these kinds of moods when they were younger, he was being ignored and Sasuke was perfectly comfortable in doing so. But even now, the silence was too much.
"You know Uchiha, you need to lighten up sometimes."
This only issued a, "Fuck you." from the raven. Not much, but at least it was something.
"Not in a talkative mood, I see?" he prompted. But this time, Sasuke didn't rise to the bait and remained silent. He jerked his head to the side, refusing to admit he was pouting at being ignored, and murmured accidentally, "Teme. . ."
Before he knew what he let slip, he was being jerked up by the front of his dress and dangled in the air. Right at eye level with furious Sharingan adorned eyes.
"Don't you ever call me that again," Sasuke sneered at him. The pure fury in his voice struck him harder than a blow ever could. Why it was there, he knew. Teme. His nickname for the bastard. Why would he care if someone else used that name to describe him? It couldn't be because of him. That was ridiculous.
Hmph, a ridiculous denial.
You, be quiet.
He couldn't let his true emotions show. Sasuke was too smart for his own good. One slip-up like this could be enough to let him figure everything out. So instead, he quirked an eyebrow mockingly. "Now—now, Tou-san. You wouldn't hurt your own daughter, now would you?" he said in a patronizing sort of way.
Naruto couldn't help but notice Sasuke's left eye twitch. An unconscious action that occurs when he's really aggravated. He's always had that way with him to get on his last nerve. He felt the raven's grip tighten for a moment before letting go completely.
"Ouch!" he shouted after landing roughly on his butt. "Now you didn't have to be so rough!" he yelled at the raven who continued forward without looking back. Yup, still a bastard, he thought as he pulled himself up, rubbing his butt while catching up to Sasuke. "Damn, you become pissy just for being called a bastard. The way you act, you would think you get a lot of it."
Once again, Sasuke ignored him. He began to find this whole situation taxing. He took a deep breath in, preparing himself for what he planned on saying next. He has to get his point across. Even if most of it was a big fat lie.
He quickly moved in front of Sasuke, placing his small index finger on the raven's stomach, successfully stopping him. "Look Uchiha," he spoke sternly. Although a voice of a child isn't the best choice if you want to threaten someone. "I don't know what's up your ass but you might want to remove it before we reach the entrance, which happens to be not far from here. You are a father now, Uchiha." He poked Sasuke's firm stomach, ignoring the shiver down his spine. "To me. So, you better start acting like one." Another poke. "Because I'm warning you right here and now, what I did to you years ago will seem like child's play if any of my team gets hurt because of you."
He let his hand fall limp to his side, the guilt at threatening Sasuke making him feel like shit. "So, I'm asking you to follow what I say because. . ." His eyes dropped to the dirty path. ". . .I don't want to hurt you."
A long stretch of silence followed. One that was filled with such animosity that it was stifling. Then Sasuke grunted his response and walked past him without another word or sound. Naruto grabbed his wrist, stopping the raven before he completely moved out of his range.
"Let go of me," Sasuke said as he glared coldly at him.
"No." I can't. "We're near the entrance so. . ." He forced his face into something he hoped resembled amusement, and lifted both his arms up like he was about to give Sasuke a hug. "Upsy daisy."
A look of utter horror crossed Sasuke's face. "You're kidding me."
He twisted his smile into a smirk. "No, I'm not. A father wouldn't let his daughter walk for so long."
The tick in Sasuke's left eye twitched, but in jerky movements of obvious reluctance, he placed his hands under his armpits and hoisted him up. He wrapped his chubby legs around the raven's waist with his arms doing the same around Sasuke's neck. Naruto kept his muscles relaxed to not show how much the closeness affected him. Yet, he couldn't stop the shiver that coursed through his body from Sasuke exhaling roughly against his small shoulder. Even with the cloth covering it, he could still feel the hot breath against his skin.
As Sasuke began to walk once again, he rested his head on his broad shoulder. Without sound, he inhaled the sweet but spicy scent of Sasuke. God, how I missed it. He turned his head so he was now staring at the passing forest and not Sasuke's neck. This was safer. He couldn't allow himself to get attached to Sasuke so fast. It just couldn't happen. He was dead to the raven and it needed to stay like that.
But how was he suppose to detach himself when his heart and body wanted the other so desperately?
Sasuke stared in front him as the arch of the village came into view. He didn't understand what was happening here. Here he was, holding Tatsuo disguised as a little girl. . .and a part of him didn't mind. There was something about Tatsuo that felt so familiar. He couldn't quite place from where or how he was familiar, but he was. Something that's been missing in his life and deep down, he longed for it. This familiarity. . .
He stepped through the arch and into the village, glancing at the various villagers. Tatsuo lifted his head from his shoulder and leaned back, using his hands on his shoulders to avoid falling. "Are we there yet, Tou-san?" he asked with such innocence.
Innocent. . .yeah right. Underneath that mask there was a deadly and ruthless killer. One who probably wouldn't have much problems in killing any of the passing villagers, who were looking at them curiously. There was no innocence in the child in his arms. That could be the villagers downfall, assuming innocence was in all children.
"Yes," he said as softly as he could muster. "Would you like to walk now?" He really wanted to say, "Yes, now you can get off me." but that would be rude to speak to your child that way.
"Yeah!" he yelled enthusiastically, wiggling to break free of his hold. And Sasuke was too glad to comply, placing him down on his feet on the ground. His small childlike hand immediately latched onto his own, attempting to drag him in a direction. "Let's explore, Tou-san!" But he didn't move. "Please!" She whined, tugging on his arm.
He nodded just to shut him up, and let himself be dragged all over creation. With every road they came across and every building they passed, he committed the locations of them to memory. It was a tedious task; pretending to be tourists checking out the sights but in reality, were memorizing where everything was. As Tatsuo explained in a moment where they were alone on a street, it was just in case something went wrong in the original escape plan and they needed another route.
Night was just falling as they entered the Hostel. They payed for one room with two twin sized beds, since Sasuke refused to sleep in the same bed as Tatsuo. Down right refused.
Tatsuo skipped down the slim hallway that led to their room—like a little fucking girl—like he's been doing all day long. It had gotten on his nerves the first three minutes of it happening, and since then, that same nerve was frying relentlessly in annoyance. When they got to the door of their room, he unlocked it, letting the both of them in.
The room was quaint. The twin beds were positioned side by side with only a small night table separating them. Once the door was closed, Tatsuo immediately collapsed like a bag of potatoes on the left bed. "Arg. . .my feet are killing me," he whined.
"Maybe if you weren't bouncing around like an idiot rabbit," he murmured to himself, walking over to the other bed.
"I'm a six year old," Tatsuo said, surprising him a little that he heard what he said. "I'm suppose to be full of energy."
He scoffed. "But does that energy ever run out?"
"Yes. . ." he groaned, flopping back on the bed. "I'm exhausted. . .There's only so much bouncing around I can do before I myself get aggravated."
He sat on the other bed, taking off his shoes before laying on the bed fully, letting his body relax a little. His body and senses were always on auto alert, so he never actually relaxed completely. It was against his training. There was only one exception, though. But he didn't need to think about that time right now. Fuck, he never wanted to think about it. It only made the moment harder to get through. So instead, he let his mind go blank as he stared up at the stained ceiling.
Rustling was heard coming from the other bed. Tatsuo was moving and doing something he didn't care about. "What are you thinking about?" Tatsuo asked with the feeling of his eyes on him.
"Nothing," he said flatly.
Nothing else was said as long, uncomfortable minutes passed. Until Tatsuo asked out of the blue, "Why did you leave Konoha? Was it really to get stronger to kill your brother?"
No reaction came from him, surprisingly he wasn't angry at the questions as he thought he would. He turned, seeing Tatsuo sitting on the bed indian style, and asked his own question instead of answering. "Why did you leave your village?"
The child's face fell from the question, a deep sadness shadowing his eyes. "I didn't," he said softly, his haunted eyes never leaving his. "I was banned from my village. But I'm still a traitor. . .to the people I called friends, and to the person I fell in love with."
He wasn't expecting this sort of answer, nor the emotion that came with it. It looked like it was almost painful for Tatsuo to be reminded of that time. Such strong emotions from a ruthless mercenary. It was an odd mix with the idea of the man before him. "Why were you banned?"
There was a small hesitation from him. "For something I had no control over. . ." he answered vaguely, before changing it around on him. "What about you? Why did you leave?"
Turning away from Tatsuo, he focused on the ceiling above. "Because there was nothing left. . ." His voice held no emotion, showing nothing of what he felt that pushed him to take that path. "And no, I didn't leave because of my brother. I left because there was nothing left to hold me in Konoha. . . and I had something to search for," he trailed off as unwanted memories of that night flashed before his mind's eye. He closed his eyes firmly, forcing himself to think of something else. Anything else to get away from the road that would lead to nothing but pain.
Naruto bit his lower lip hard. The urge to go and comfort the raven beginning to make his body shake from restraining himself. Damn it, he screamed in his mind.
"Get some sleep," he said in a clipped tone. More harshly than he should have if he wasn't pissed at himself and lack of good judgment. He almost threw himself on the bed, and made sure his back was to the raven. He hoped it would help ignore the ache in his heart. Ignoring the pain like he's done for so many years. It used to be so easy. But now, with the other so close, it was almost an impossible feat.
He was beginning to wonder how bringing Sasuke along was a good idea. Hell, having him within a mile wasn't a good idea. But now he was going to have to spend almost everyday with him like when they were younger. He wasn't sure if he could do that. And he was foolish to think he could to begin with. How could he think he could really do what his mind strictly tells him to and not let his feelings get in the way? There was no way he could.
Fuck, was he screwed.
