Thanks for the reviews guys! Close to hundred now :D
This is the chapter where all the SasuNaru starts. Begins from fluff, soon to M rating. :)
I decided to post this chapter because I know it's a little late and I won't have to time write this following week, so give out what we got now. From the reviews I figure there are somethings I should be explaining. First of all, as many of you are sort of worried about Sasuke's and Sakura's marriage, I must remind you and it is my mistake that I haven't before, that in ancient China, royalties marriage meant nothing. Nothing. As in, the emperor had many wives as he like, if he doesn't like one of them, then she will to be known as "the unfavored one" and be ignored for her life if that's the man's wish. It was an unbalanced society between women and men, like many country back then. They do not require any commitement. In cases of arranged marriage, marrying someone was just that one night, and then later the man could not give a damn about her and move about his normal life. That's for that, so don't pay minds to Sakura. She can sit aside(ha that was mean).
Terms to know:
Yixing: a type of pottery, sometimes used for tea
Pingshen: after a proper kowtow greeting is done to the royalty, you're allow to stand up again once they say this
Taijian: Eunuch. For more info of it you can go to the wikipidea. A brief explanation would be the ones that worked for the royalty family closely. They're well known and in some way a taboo and looked down on in history of time and even today for the tradition each of them had to go through to become a Taijian - the cleanse of their body, which basically means they cut off the way they can reproduce. Now you can ponder on the details... In many ways they're said to be feminine in bad way and looked down upon, but in history some of them made very great advisors to the Emperor.
Naruto heard the last footsteps of Shikamaru, leaving for the afternoon, and immidiately stood up.
It is the third week now. He has done nothing but staying in bed, anxiously waiting to go home. He wasn't going to stay here forever, no matter how good of a friend Shikamaru was, or that he hasn't talked to Sakura yet. He missed Iruka, Kakashi, Kiba, Akamaru, Tsunade, Lee, and even Ino's meaness. Perhaps he should go and see Sakura, but with the guards walking around everywhere, it's so easy to get caught. Around here is the bamboo forest, he's pretty sure of that. Now all he needs to do is go. Just get out of here.
He can walk around without too much difficulty now, though there's still a pain running down his hip as he limped. He got up, still feeling a little full from lunch, and pushed out the dark red wood door to the garden. Like he has seen before when Shikamaru held him to try to walk, the place was still lifeless. Grass never growing, tall, ancient trees. He felt like everything was died in this place, died quiet, died silence. He walked slowly though he knew no one was going to be here, just a guilty conscience all human has. His shoes made funny noises on the dusty muddy ground. The sun shone brightly, light pouring through the spaces between leaves, making sprinkles of gold highlighting his features.
All of this. Him wanting to meet with Sakura. He still anxiously wanted to see her. So badly. Still so heartbroken that him and she will never be. His heart broke to pieces everytime he thought of it. That man and what he did to him, that darkness still lingering around in a shadowed corner, jsut waiting for its chance to seize him. And out of all of this, the encounter with Sasuke - that confused him the most of all. He thought about every single little detail, how he called out his name again, how Sasuke smiled and called his own name, and how he fell into the boy's hug, and pushed him away.
All of these things in his head. It was too much.
An escape, an rest. That's what he needs now.
He reaches just before the entrance door, beyond the walls. He looked back one more time, thinking that he will have to thank Shikamaru soon, turned, and took a step forward.
A sound quieter than death, ten long, slender, yet dangerously sharp needles came to the ground just centimeters before him.
Naruto fell back.
"What.. What the hell?"
He stood up and immediately took steps back in alertness and fear. If he would've took a step further, he would've been died.
"Who's there! Show yourself!"
Though he's scared, he still yelled loudly, backing himself up. He does not have very skilled wu gong skills, though Kakashi did teach him some moves, for self-defense. He felt his heart racing fast, and it almost stopped when a human figure appeared out of no where just in front of him.
"!"
He stepped back few more steps.
The person had long hair tied into a bun, the front parted evenly. Dressed in clothes clearly made for fighting, pure white, and an odd white mask on. Naruto studied the person in front of him. The person was slender, he couldn't quite tell if it was a man or a woman. He took a breath and yelled again.
"Who are you? You almost killed me there!"
"I did not intend to harm you. It was merely a warning." The voice was smooth and calm. Naruto still couldn't tell whether it was a man or a woman.
"A warning for what?"
"You may not leave this place." The person said simply.
"Who are you to tell me what to do!" Naruto said angrily. "Have you been watching me all this time?"
"It is not in my wish. It's merely my orders."
"Orders?" Naruto titled his head. "The same one that ordered Shikamaru to look after me?"
"You do not need to know that." The person said coldly. "Now stay at this mansion. You're free to walk in this area, as long as it is within the walls."
"You can't tell me what I can't do." Naruto rose his eyebrows. If talking fails, use force. He bolted forward and threw a punch, yet easily stopped by that person's hand, twisting his arm back and had him in their arm. A light, flowery frangrance ran up Naruto's nose, from the person's body.
"Ow ow ow!" Naruto's eyes twitched. "That hurts!"
The person released him. He stumbled back.
He bit his lips. Force fails, talking fails, begging last.
"Please, man. I got my parents waiting for me at home, and my Niang is probably worried sick. He's so fragile and always worry too much, this time I'm not home for almost three weeks, I have to go home and tell him I'm okay." Under the mask Naruto cannot see the person's expression, and beckoned on. "Please. Please. I need to see them. I will even come back after this, I promise!"
"Your promise has no value to me, for my only order is to keep you here and keep out of intruders." The person's voice spoke on. Naruto's blue eyes turned into a sad shade, fist tightened. "I am very sorry." The person's voice softer now, with a little more emotion to it. "But it is my job. I do hope you get to see them soon."
"C'mon man! Please, I really need to get out of here! Not soon! Not later! It's been weeks! I can't wait any longer!" Naruto exclaimed, a hurried tone in his voice. "I beg of you!"
"I cannot let you pass." He repeats. "I'm sorry, but for me, there is really no choice."
"What do you mean there isn't a choice? Who the hell is this person anyways?" He was thankful before for he or she to take care of him, but caging him and locking him in this damned palace? No.
"I obey only commands from my master. He passes other's commands to me." The person said. "For who, I cannot say."
"Ugh!" Naruto drops to the ground, in a childlike way. "This is nonsense! You can't just lock me in here! I'm bored as heck everyday!"
"I cannot entertain you, because-"
"Yeah, yeah, it's not in your command!" Naruto saind impatiently.
"Very well so." The person shrugged. "I will catch you if you try to escape. Remember that." And in a moment of a second the person dissapears, just like how he appeared.
"Wait! Wait!" Naruto stood up and waved around his arms. "Where are you? At least tell me your name! I'm Naruto!"
His voice rang like a bell in the tree surrounded mansion. He looked around him, trying to find a glimpse of a white shadow. Suddenly something blocked his version of the sun, pure white, shining, falling. He reached out his hand for it and grabbed, and a crinkled noise.
A piece of paper. With nothing on it.
He looked up again, trying to see the direction the paper came from. But there was nothing but a light breeze, bringing up his messy blond hair.
His face in wonder, holding a blank piece of white paper.
* time change * time change * = * cut * cut in *
"Shikamaru?"
"Yes?"
"I want to learn how to read and write."
Shikamaru put his books down. He sees Naruto's smiling face, and a blank piece of paper in his hand.
* time change * time change * = * cut * cut in *
Time passes like river flow.
"'The water passing through a river will never be the same again. Just like people and those things going by. 朝颜夕改，物是人非。'"
Pause.
"Say, your poems are getting better these days, neh, Sasuke?"
"Watch your place, Suigestu." Smooth voice.
"Oh who cares. It's only the two of us, refined prince." Suigetsu had a playful tone.
The sun slowly rises, till the dark purple sky dyed into red and orange, a spread of bright colors.
Light dashes in.
"Are you ready?" Suigetsu asked.
He stood.
"Yes."
"About time." He sighs. "Takes you too long to prepare."
They take their leave.
* scene change * scene change * = * cut * cut in *
Naruto had a big yawn.
There's paper stacks and the smell of ink lingering in the room. He walked towards the table, looking at his hand writing. It's been about a month now since he's been learning reading and writing from Shikamaru. So far, just the very basics. He did not remember one day when Shikamaru did not wrinkle his eyebrows, but he feels like with Shikamaru's method he's learned a whole lot. It was a long struggle for him to hold the brush right. It just didn't work too well with his fingers. He had to make ink everyday with the Yan, and now he knows just how to make the thickness right. Everyday now did not seem to go wasted, but with something accomplished. After some days he started learning, Kiba and Akamaru had found him by following his scent. It was a great reunion. He missed messing around with Kiba and holding Akamaru on his lap. Afterwards he told him all about what happened. Why he was here, how he got here, and why he can't leave now. He remember seeing Kiba's face change as he told him about that man. His heart felt a tiny cringe, but Kiba simply punched his shoulder and told him to "Eat more vegetables and get his ass together". Naruto felt something heavy drop in his heart. He was accepted. Being liked again.
It was hard, telling those things. He wanted to skip all the details, but he figured the more he talked the more he could not think about it. He's been scared, scared to be judged, to be hated. He was so, so relieved. He couldn't lose Kiba as a friend. Just couldn't.
"It's a wonder to me why that guy didn't stop you from coming." Naruto said as he patted Akamaru's head. Akamaru growled with joy. He hasn't seen that person ever since the first time.
"Me too. Man, that's some intense things you went through." Kiba punched his shoulder. "See you can still be standing up. I have to say, you've really surpassed my expecations man." Kiba smiled. Naruto felt a joy pouring from his heart.
Everything was still the same.
Thank the heavens.
Since then Naruto had been writing letters to Iruka-niang, with Shikamaru's help. Though, he did tell Kiba that he can't tell anyone about this, even not Choji, not yet. Shikamaru seemed a little surprised that Naruto knows Choji, and told him that Choji was his childhood best friend. Which too, was a surprise to Naruto. The mystery of human bonding - it's such a small world.
At first it was just him saying things and Shikamaru writing them down, and more and more Naruto started writing himself. His writing of course made no comparison at all to Shikamaru's neat, skillful handwriting. But he's so happy that he's done it himself, and Iruka-niang has been writing back, probably with the help of Kakashi-pervert. Iruka-niang said he was proud of him and misses him and loves him. He feels a tingle of sadness when he reads the squibbly writing from Iruka-niang, but at least now they can keep communication.
He's sitting at the red ledge step(search up Chinese style building for more), hands holding his chin, waiting for Shikamaru to come for the day. He had a brush in his head, made of wolves' tail hair, very fine, as Shikamaru said. He sharpened the tip with his fingers, feeling the smoothness in the gray brush. He learned about four or five characters a day, catogorized in smiliar meanings.
These days he still been trying to find any chance possible to talk to Sakura. But often the new Fei Zi had tons banquets, lessons, and performances each day. Besides the fact that he still knows that the person is still here, watching his every move. He sighed a little, feeling a bit down, but it wasn't all so bad anymore. Though still, he missed home and Iruka-niang very much.
He looked around him. The past month he has done a lot of work cleaning up the garden, pulling out weeds and planting in new flower seeds that Kiba bought in. He surprisingly found that under the layer of dirty and dust on the ground there was a lime stone floor. He's been watering the trees and giving them fertile, and in time they grew green and healthy. Suddenly little animals seems to appear: many birds, some butterfly, sometimes even a red panda or an otter. Shikamaru told him that there was a stream nearby in the bamboo forest, and all of the animals habitats there. Naruto was getting friendly with one of the red pandas. He seem to have those bonds with animals.
Shikamaru was getting a little late today. He impatiently kicked the ground and started whistling, attracting few bright yellow birds. The summer sky was still beautiful and the warm breeze was nice.
The red wood door open. He shot up and yelled,
"Dammit Shikamaru! Where the hell have you been-"
Came not an apologitic Shikamaru. The whole mood changed in the air as that man walked in, full of grace and elegance that no average man can attain, smiling gentler than the soft breeze. He wore a dashing white silk robe that softened his features, sewed with complex patterns. His dark, icy eyes seemed to be even warm under the bright sun.
"Sasu-"
Naruto immediately stopped himself before the name got out of his mouth.
He knew better this time.
"Your highness Tai Zi, long live thousand years."
Naruto got on his knees quickly and gave a kowtow.
These days Shikamaru taught him all the right things to say and the basic manners. The very simplistic ones were the greetings when you meet a member of the royal family. It goes with ranks. The emperor, you would say long-live ten thousand years. 皇上万岁万岁万万岁。 The queen, a thousand years, and the princes too. 皇太子千岁千岁千千岁。
His eyes did not dare to look up, his heart as his throat, racing.
What the hell was the Tai Zi doing here?
"Ping shen." The sign of approval. Naruto stood up, eyes darting around, seeing the prince's sharp eyebrows raised.
"Who taught you to say that?" Sasuke's voice was hazy and smooth.
"Eh," He wasn't sure if he should say Shikamaru's name, but as he feel those beautiful dark eyes staring at him, he felt his heart racing even faster and spilled it. "Shikamaru. Your highness." He added.
"I see he taught you well." Sasuke nodded in approval, and now the man who was standing next to him the whole time snickered. The man had white hair with a light blue tint to it, purple eyes, and dark clothing, holding a stick with long, white hair falling at its end. He had a playful smile and delicate features for a man. Something about him Naruto didn't quite like.
"Thank you, your-high-"
"Drop that, or I will be angry." Sasuke said simply, Naruto felt himself shudder and looked up. The prince had the blank expression, yet there was definetely signs of displeasness on his face. Naruto gulped. Did he do something wrong?
Does Sasuke still remember the encounter at the bamboo forest?
He felt his face reddening as he thought about that, but quickly shook off the thought.
"Ohoo, Sasuke, that's the second person you actually gave that right to." The man laughed. Naruto looked at him and noticed that his teeth were sharp.
"And that number did not include you, Suigetsu, so watch your mouth before you get it." Sasuke said.
"Aww, don't be a joy-killer." Suigetsu snickered. "Say, you there." He pointed his stick to Naruto. "Aren't you going to invite us down and serve some tea?"
"O-Oh. Right." Naruto seemed a little embarassed. "Um, where would you like to sit?"
"Outside is fine." Sasuke sat at the limestone table. Such a simple gesture yet filled with so much grace. The man was breath-taking even time Naruto sees him. Naruto felt so glad now that he wiped the table the day before.
"I-I will go make the tea right away." Naruto fidgeted and stuttered as he spoke, feeling like he doesn't know where to put his hand.
"Hey, blond-boy, don't need to be so stiff and scared. We're not going to eat you." Suigetsu approached him, his hand lifting up Naruto's chin. "Though, I would say your face tempts me."
Naruto's face flushed a ruddish-pink, though he didn't quite understand what Suigestu meant.
"Suigestu."
This time Sasuke's tone had a sense of threatening to it. It gave a chill up Naruto's spine. That aura he has. That aura he is born with as a prince.
"Tsk, Sasuke, you're really getting boring these days." Suigestu pouted unhappily and let go. Naruto backed away. "Shoo shoo boy, go make your tea now."
No need for a second word, Naruto bolted to the room.
Suigetsu sat down at one of the three lime stone stool, his stick at his lap and his hand holding his chin.
"That's the kid you had your eyes on?" Suigetsu shook his head. "Sure, he's passing above-average for the eyes, but he's not very bright, is he now?"
Sasuke said nothing. His dark eyes hid by the curtain of eyelashes above, deep in thought.
While in the other hand Naruto fumbled around in the room, trying to find some brewed tea Shikamaru bought earlier. His hand was shaking a little as he looked through drawers and waiting for the water to boil - Why was the Tai Zi here? Why didn't that person in white stop the "intruder"? Where the hell was Shikamaru?
He feels his breathing deep, heart still pounding loudly. He was not ready to see Sasuke, not after the forest. Not after he married Sakura. Not after he had just met the man.
He stopped for a second.
What the hell does he care what Sasuke think about him?
But he did care, cared more than anything. Sasuke was his rival in many ways, a man he despised and always had jealousy towards to. He couldn't bear to feel that kind of gaze from Sasuke, as if looking at something disgusting and impure. Not Sasuke. Just.. not him.
He shook his head and grabbed the little white cloth that wrapped up the tea leaves and waited impatiently for the water to boil. He took deep, long breaths, trying to calm himself down. But it was not much use. Anyone would feel nervous by the presence of Sasuke. Just his natural pressuring aura as a borned royalty, that elegance and grace. And his face, something even Naruto felt flustered seeing, not to say a woman. Sometimes Naruto even had the thought, if he was Sakura, would he resist Sasuke? No, if he was a woman, would he resist Sasuke?
Probably not.
The thought of that made him blush even more. How could he have such thoughts like this? But it was anavoidable. Ever since the incident at the bamboo forest, he's been more confused than ever. about what he thinks of Sasuke. It's just.. contradicting.
He sees the water boiling and poured them in to the Yixing ceramic teapot. There is a whole set of art to the work of tea, Shikamaru told him, studies, traditions, ceremonies and more. Naruto don't know much except the basics. You wash the tea leaves with clean water twice, there is a good temeparture range to make the tea, usually when the water boiled. He did that carefully, though still some water spilled on the table and his hand. He stuck his burned finger in his mouth and did his best. He was serving tea to the Tai Zi. That isn't something anyone could do, either.
He lift a set of tea cups on to a a wooden plate and carried it outside. There, Sasuke and Suigetsu seemed to be in a very engaged conversation, and stopped abruptly by his appearance. Naruto felt himself blush. He sat the plate down and poured some tea into the cups, hands a little shaky. His heart beating fast as he felt those dark eyes on him, making him blush again.
"What tea is this again?" Suigetsu sniffed the tea.
"Chrysanthemum." Sasuke said as he took a small sip. Naruto looked at gesture and felt a sudden unjust. It's just not fair how some people's simplest movements can be so graceful. Goddamit.
"Flower teas?" Suigetsu stuck out his tongue. "Ew."
"It's my favorite." Naruto said defendingly. "It's sweeter than most tea and it smells like flowers."ff
"Well isn't that just obvious." Suigetsu grumbled. Naruto stuck out his tongue at him, about to say something rude, then stole a quick glance at Sasuke's little grin and held back. After all, he still didn't know the hell this Suigetsu person is. If he was someone important and he said anything rude, he's screwed.
"So, um." He's a little unsure, but curiosty has driven him to his edge. "What brings your highness here today...?"
"Taking a morning walk and happen to stop by." Sasuke said, sipping his tea. Naruto tries to remember the exact angles of Sasuke's hand so maybe he could try to copy it. He felt like he has to do his best around him, to match up to him. So he sat up tall and straight, though his simple orange robe did not match to anything Sasuke was wearing. Or Suigetsu's.
"Yep." Suigetsu agreed.
Naruto felt nervous. Didn't Shikamaru said that no one was suppose to find this place? Does the Tai Zi count? I mean, he couldn't possibly stop the Tai Zi from coming in, right?
"So kid, what's your name?" Suigetsu said, looking at him.
"Naruto. Uzamaki Naruto." Naruto said. "And you?" And then he regretted it. He shouldn't have said that.
"Hozuki Suigetsu. Where did you come from?"
"Um... pardon?"
"What social class, where on the map, you know." Suigetsu urged on.
"Um, just.. normal people. I guess." Naruto blushed and felt unsure what to say. "From this country... by the countryside."
"Peasants, huh." For some reason, the word that meant of contempt seemed just a mere fact to Suigetsu. "Well. You know who this guy is, right?" Suigetsu pointed his stick to Sasuke's direction, who is quietly drinking his tea. "The littler one of the two "refine prince" of our country." He snickered as he said this, and Sasuke looked to him with something like a glare. "And me, I'm the lucky bastard, this prince's very personal Taijian."
Naruto choked on his tea and started coughing violently by that word. His face was apple red and he looked at Suigetsu with shock.
"Don't be in such a hurry."
And then he felt Sasuke's cold hands patting gently on his back, his dark eyes locked on to his. He started to blush for the hundreth time today and was sure his face couldn't be in a deeper shade of red than it is now. Such a simple thing to do, yet the only ones that did to him was Iruka-niang - who cared about him more than anyone in the world. He can feel the temperature of the prince's hand, cold as he remembered it from so long ago. He stopped coughing and looked to Suigetsu's face, seemingly like an expression of trying to hold in his laugher.
"T-thank you, your highness." Naruto said, stuttering a bit, not looking to him in the eye.
"Relax. And dropped the highness, it's irritating." Sasuke said, his voice rather soft.
"S-sorry." He felt his head lowering. He hears a laugh from Suigetsu and had feeling of not knowing what to think.
"You're a Taijian." Naruto said.
"I'm a Taijian." Suigetsu repeated.
Naruto remembered Kiba telling him about the Taijian before. That day he told him that he snuck to see the procedure and it was the most disgruntling thing he's ever seen. Every little detailed was said and Naruto remembered a sick feeling in his stomach.
"It's just wrong man." Kiba shook his head, his shoulders shuddering. "That kid was around 10. He needed money that damn bad."
"Why did you need to tell me that!" Naruto can see an image forming in his mind and quickly chased it away. "Those kind of things should be kept to yourself!"
"Well I suffered, so you must too." Kiba shrugged. Naruto glared at him and they started punching each other.
Ever since then he understood all the dirty talks about Taijian. In some ways he too felt disgusted, but mostly he felt bad for them. This is the first time he met one in real life.
"Hold that thought blond boy, I know what you're thinking." Suigetsu said darkly. "I will tell you something else though. I ain't like the rest of them. I told ya I was lucky. My master here," He points to Sasuke again. "Approved that I don't need to get my balls chopped off. So hell, I can get hard and make love as much as I want."
Naruto felt his face getting hot by such a comment. Sasuke rose his eyebrow at Suigetsu. Suigetsu merely smiled playfully.
"Look at the way you're blushing, must be a little good virgin boy." Suigetsu chuckled. "How old are you boy? 16? 17?"
"Shut up!" Naruto immediately threw away all the manners there are to be cared about. "I'm not a virgin! What do you know about me?" He felt suddenly nausea in his stomach. Memories ran in playing that scene, the darkness, and that man's touch. He felt his body turned cold in a second. Yet he still had his stupid little pride.
"Not virgin huh?" Suigetsu said with even more interest now. "Then with a face like yours, could you possibly be a prostitute?"
"Hell no!" Naruto said a bad word. But he didn't even care now. "What do you mean with a face like mine? Besides, boys can be prostitutes!"
"Hey, you're looking at one right now." Suigetsu stuck out his tongue. "Well, that was the past, and I was forced, but still. Orochimaru had plenty of them-"
Sasuke put his cup down harshly, the whole table shook. Naruto tensed up and Suigetsu stopped talking, looking to the other direction and whistled.
"Sorry, sorry." Suigetsu put his hand up. "Got carried away."
"You talk too much. Perhaps I should replace you soon, Suigetsu." Sasuke said, his tone fairly calm yet very cold.
"Oh, you would never." Suigetsu smiled. "I'm the only one that understands you, Sasuke."
"That comment was rather disgusting, Suigetsu." Sasuke said simply.
Naruto could see a clear bond between the two of them, something similiar between him and Kiba. He smiled a little, maybe he didn't even realize. Suigetsu noticed his smile and raised his eyebrows.
"What are ya smiling about?"
"Hm? Nothing." His smile grew wider. It became his usual smile that everyone knew so well. So bright and warm, like the sunshine above.
Sasuke looked to Suigetsu's little dazzled expression and snickered lowly.
"Say, Naruto, I heard from Shikamaru that you're learning how to read and write?" Sasuke said, smiling a little. That smile can take any woman's hearts if they lay their eye on it.
"W-what?" Naruto gulped a little. "How did you know that?"
"Never mind how I know." Sasuke drank some tea. "Bring out your writing and pens."
"Um-"
"That, boy, is a command from the prince." Suigetsu says. "Obey it."
Naruto had a displeased look towards Suigetsu and pouted, but still stood up and went in to grab the stuff Sasuke asked for.
"So," Sasuke poured himself some tea. "You are seeing the reasons now?"
"He's pure." Suigetsu looked up. "Innocent. So much so it makes you want to taint it."
"That's for twisted people like you." Sasuke held his chin, his fingers circling the rim of the cup.
For me, all I want is to keep that light beautiful and bright as it is.
That, is love.
So you could think of this as a half chapter if you like. Next chapter will finish up this and covering some other pairings, so please look forward to it and I will write as much as I can! x)