It was too early to be this bright, or this happy, for that matter. He hadn't taken into thought what his mother meant by early. Usually early for him was nine, having to attend a class at ten, but six o'clock was ridiculous. He had an early class at nine and got off work at midnight tonight. His schedule was going to go to hell.
But what really pissed him off was the presence of his mom's 'best friend' and son. Sasuke was very found of Kushina, even going as far as to affectionately refer to her as Oba-San, and she was loudly obnoxious, but not as loud and obnoxious as her son. If he knew Naruto was joining this excursion, he would've stayed with Itachi and Shisui (which, unless he was brain dead, he would not do).
But Naruto? He much rather sniff paint then spin six times counter clockwise while eating leeks than spend the morning with the blond nutcase.
Now, Naruto was his very best friend, since grade school, and he considered them to be better brothers than him and Itachi. But as previously stated, he rather not spend the quiet, cool morning with him.
Loud, unruly, draining, overly caring, psychopath was some of the dear names Sasuke would use to describe his dear friend in his head, aloud? He'd use knucklehead, obnoxious, annoying, and his growing favorite, Dobe.
How did his mom even befriend the Uzumaki's? She was five years their senior, so not in high school. And his father was five years older than his mom, so there was no was he'd know Minato-Oji. Sasuke would surely ask his father, because this trip could've been avoided if the families never met.
"Teme! Are you even listening?"
"Oi! Hit me again and you'll lose your arm."
"Then pay me attention."
"Okay, as my first act of paying you attention, how about I shove my foot so far up you-"
"Uchiha Sasuke..." Came the bone chillingly calm voice of his mother just as Naruto's screeched, "Uzumaki Naruto!" Both boys glared away as they grumbled apologies to their maternal parent.
"Sasuke. I need some tomatoes. And Naruto, get some form of dessert. Seems how I must separate you two."
"But... Oba-Chan! Sasuke started it!" Naruto whined, jabbing a finger into Sasuke's rib cage.
"Didn't I make myself clear? You will loose that arm."
"You said if I hit you, I only poked you, Teme."
"That's it! You will die by my hand, Uzumaki!"
"And you both will die by mine if you do not do as you're told." Mikoto smile, eyes shining the ferocity that she held back from her voice. Both Sasuke and Naruto scurried off, fear apparent on paled faces.
"I don't know how you do it, Mikoto-Chan."
"I have three children, Sasuke, Itachi, and Fugaku. One must grow a backbone." Both women laugh.
And this is why he did not like Naruto all the time. Naruto meant getting yelled at, and Sasuke was rarely yelled at. But his mother would rather have him incapacitated than fighting.
He remembers the first (and last) time he and Itachi fought. Sasuke's father let them tear at one another, but when Mikoto got ahold of the boys, Sasuke and Itachi realized true fear. Never did he wish to piss her off again.
Anyways, tomato season was upon them and Sasuke preoccupied himself with picking out the best of his favorite fruit. He did enjoy strawberry season, and he had a weakness for apples, but tomatoes were not too sweet or too bitter, and sat in the middle of controversy. Why he romanticizes a fruit is beyond him, but he really likes them. So you can imagine just how happy he was to be doing this task.
"E koe, kei te haere mai koe ki te rakau?"
Looking up and around, Sasuke was sure he was the only one in the produce section. A quick scan confirmed his assumption. So maybe it was the radio, but he swore that was playing some random pop song.
"Hea korerotia e ahau ki a koutou ki te rere, Na hiahia tatou, te tokorua kia noa."
There was a definite tune to this chanting, though the obvious musical pauses were hints enough. But it wasn't Japanese, nor was it the occasional Korean he happened to hear on the radio. He took foreign language classes in the academy, but he couldn't remember what was what.
"I tupu ke nga mea i konei, kahore he tangata ke e riro te reira."
It sounded like nothing he's ever encountered before.
"Ki te tutaki matou i waenganui po. I roto i te rakau pa."
His mind blanked, the words becoming so clear to his head, translated so perfectly in his mind. A tree. The song spoke of a tree, he swore the song was familiar, but could not gather his thoughts enough to pinpoint it.
"E koe, e mai koe ki te rakau?"
What tree exactly did he need to go to?
"Wear te tahei o te taura, taha i te taha ki ahau."
A necklace? Why would he need a rope necklace? Too many questions at once had him feeling overwhelmed. The last thing he could remember were the words "Are you?"
"Maybe he's dead."
"Naruto!
"What? We're all thinking it."
"Not Mikoto-Chan, apologize. Now!"
"Sorry Oba-Chan."
"Sasuke, honey, are you okay?"
The first thing Sasuke saw was Naruto, as close as he most possibly could be without touching noses. Out of sheer adrenalin, Sasuke shot up, head butting the blond. Both rubbed their foreheads, groaning.
"Moron."
"You're the one that rammed me!"
"You didn't have to be that close!"
"Up yours buddy. Too bad you didn't die, 'cuz now I'ma kill you!"
"Out of my face, dead last. I need air."
"Here," Mikoto handed him a water, helping him stand. "What happened? Maybe you should've stayed a day more like the doctor asked?"
"Got lightheaded all the sudden. I'm fine, just need air, I'm by the car."
"Are you sure? I can call Tsunade and get you an exam today?"
"Mother. I'm fine. Just, need space."
"If you insist. We wont be long dear. Naruto go with him."
"I don't need a babysitter."
"Too bad, where you go, I go amigo!"
Air and water were all he needed, not to be crowded. He won't get that now.
What they referred to was last week. He had an asthma attack during practice; it was bad enough to have him emitted to the hospital. They were never THAT bad. When he was younger, it just left him breathless for a minute or two.
His brother had it much worse. Itachi couldn't walk outside without needing the inhaler. Sasuke only needed a sport one to breath on rare occasion. But he was fine, he needn't go to practice for the next two weeks nor do anything excessive at work, so no need to be forced to the doctor again.
"You sure you're okay man?"
"Dandy." From his pocket he pulled out a cigarette and lighter, yawning as he lit it.
"Your mom is going to kill you."
"I'll just let the tobacco do it first."
"You are reckless."
"Hn."
Naruto took the pack from his best friend and lit one as well, taking a long drag.
"Kushina-Oba will kill you, too."
"Not as bad as you, asthma boy."
Sasuke chuckled, exhaling the smoke. The two stood in silence, finishing off their tobacco fix. Sasuke tilled his head up and closed his eyes. It had to be sixty-something with a cool breeze and warm sun. Today was nice to say the least.
"So, Karin is gonna be in town."
"I care... Because?"
"Man, come on! She is in love with you, least you can do is take her out."
"I'm not taking her anywhere."
"Please? Mom is gonna make me hang out with her anyway, so by default, you have to, just take her somewhere nice."
"No."
Naruto pouted, looking towards Sasuke pathetically. "Please. I'll owe you big time!"
"If I say yes, which I wont, you'll be willing to cater to my every will?"
"Well, yeah. Karin is a handful, I'd owe you for like a month."
"Starting now, you'll have to do shit for me."
"Damn it."
Sasuke smirked, flicking his cigarette to the street. Perfect.
The Uchiha house was unusually busy today. The quiet home only had four occupants, and all four had different schedules.
But there was an abundance of kids with trademarked black hair and eyes, playing tag, with the massive husky, or quietly listening to the adults. There were a few kids of different hair, such as blond, red and brown with blue, green, or hazel eyes. The smell of barbeque floated by here and there, apple wood smoking the backyard. The splashes and laughs heard from the pool. The adults stood around drinks in hand, talking of boring things such as business and what kids are doing what now. All this buzz and Sasuke was stuck with the babysitting job. Could you even classify a young adult watching another young adult as babysitting? He didn't care, that's what this was.
The basement was filled with his friends, all doing various activities. Neji and Ten-Ten were owning Kiba and Shino at foosball, Naruto, Lee, Choji and Shikamaru at the PlayStation with a happy Ino and Sai eating each others faces off. Hinata choose to sit with her sister Hanabi and Sai's brother Shin. Hell, even Itachi, Shisui, and Kisame took refuge in the room, watching a baseball game on one of the bar televisions. But Sasuke was too busy babysitting the redhead to his right. He would've ignored her, but she was close enough to be apart of his goddamn arm.
"So, Sasu-kun-"
"Don't call me that."
"How have you ben? It's been forever!"
"Hn."
"Come on talk to me!"
"Naruto so owes me."
"What?"
"I gotta piss."
Sighing out in aggravation, Sasuke took that time to maneuver to his room. He needed a smoke. Or a horse tranquillizer for the female Naruto.
His room was a loft type space, with a balcony and high ceiling. His bed was on a ledge next to a large window he usually sat out of. His room was plain black, blue and white. A large bed bathed in the colors, all the walls white except for the one by the window, which was black. He used the wall as a blackboard, letting his friends write whatever.
The latest was by Sai, a hawk flying around some lightning with a note like scroll in its beak. Next to it, Naruto's sloppy handwriting calling the drawing lame. Ino wrote out her name in bubble letters next to their graduation picture.
Away from the loft bed was the couch, set in front of a TV with a game consul and sound system. On the wall opposite was a mirror he seldom used. It was more of a thing that just sat there collecting dust. His mother offered to uninstall the full-length beast, but it never really bothered him to that point.
"Need some space?"
"Yes. God, that woman is annoying."
"Heh, women tend to be."
Looking about the room, Sasuke expected to see his friends or mother, but no one was there. So that was weird. Is he talking to himself?
"You look tired, meus Princeps."
No that's a voice. Now he was hearing things again, as if the incident at the market wasn't enough.
"I'm getting really tired of these games, Naruto. Was that you in the store as well?"
"Silly boy, no."
An eerie feeling crawled up his neck, the room feeling cooler in an instant. Sasuke shivered.
This was wrong.
"Don't be frightened. I mean you no harm."
"Then show yourself."
"I cannot."
"And why is that?"
The voice, very feminine, chuckled, the sound shaking the room.
"Because you do not believe. Believe in what you want to see, meus Princeps."
Believe in what exactly? Ghost? Sasuke did not believe in those. He may have when he was six, but Itachi assured him they were folklore.
"I am no ghost, boy."
A hand rested on his shoulder, slender and transparent. That gave him a chill he didn't want. Sasuke was internally having a panic attack, his shit lungs could not gain enough air nor could he see straight.
"Like I said. Believe and you shall see, meus Princeps."
Then all traces of any evil entity dissipated, leaving him in his full-blown attack. Crouching and cradling his chest. Sasuke heaved, willing his lungs to work. He felt hot and pained, falling to his knees.
Focus, he chaste himself. Find some grounding, fool. Something I can see. The mirror, I can see that. What can you smell? Wood. Fire wood. Taste? I can imagine the taste of mom's potato salad. Touch? The carpet, it's soft. Repeat. Can see the mirror, smell fire wood, taste potato salad and feel the carpet. I see the mirror, smell fire wood, taste potato salad and feel the carpet. I see the- Sasuke jumped, failing to breath again when he saw someone in the mirror.
Or something.
"Ototo? Are you okay? Sasuke!" Itachi ran and slid over to his younger brother, lifting his hunch form into a sitting position. "Where's your inhaler?"
Sasuke weakly pointed to his dresser, Itachi scrambled over to it.
"Breathe. Slow breathes, Sasuke." Itachi held the breathing device to his brother's lips, having done so for many years. Sasuke inhaled slowly then exhaled.
"You shouldn't wonder off without another by you."
"I'm fine. Thank you."
"You just got out the hospital," Itachi brought on his father voice. "You are not well enough for this."
"I don't need a babysitter, Itachi."
"I don't care. I don't want a dead little brother."
"So over dramatic."
Itachi helped Sasuke stand, casting worried glances at his younger. Itachi, for as long as his brother lived, was a father figure to the boy. He may act like he doesn't car and isn't listening, but Itachi knew better. Sasuke always listened.
He looked terrible, Sasuke knew he did. The way his brother looked at him told him so.
"Wanna rest awhile? I'll tell mother-"
"No, she's with father and uncle. They'll come bombard me with questions."
"Okay."
"Go, I'll be back."
"I'll send for Naruto then."
Well it was either the blond idiot or his mother, and the blond wont question why he left. So that was a plus.
Itachi left the room. Sasuke sat there in the dimming space, glaring at the white wall. Damn his lungs. Damn the voices. And damn Itachi for catching him.
Walking over to the dresser, putting the inhaler down and opening the first draw, he dug around for his favorite black box.
It was some type of wood he didn't care to learn the name of. Naruto gave it to him for his nineteenth birthday while away at college in Suna. It had his name engraved as well as the Uchiha crest. It held many things; jewelry, money, watches, loose gages. But at the moment, the box held his favorite toy. The original reason he got the box was a black and gold pipe with stars and planets blown into the glass. He was going to pull it out until his door opened.
"Yo! Itachi said you were dying, as part of our deal I must accompany you in all things you do."
Sasuke stared blankly at his friend.
"Oh. And guess what I got!"
Naruto produced a small see-through bag full of something, a fox like grin upon his face. This is why they were best friends.
By dinner, Sasuke forgot all his troubles. Sitting next to his giggling best friend, giggling himself as he watched his family, and the families of his friends interact. Nothing was funny, save for the way his the way his arm flexed. He and Naruto got looks of concern, but like they cared. The two of them could've eaten all the food set out on the table and still not care.
"Boys, do you want dessert?" Ms. Yamanaka passed a cake towards the boys.
"Ye." Naruto laughed, taking a huge slice and looking at his partner.
"Sure." Sasuke happily took a slice, earning a look of disgust from his father.
"Are you sick?"
"Fugaku. Leave him be."
"Mikoto, he doesn't eat sweets."
"Oh come on, dad. I just got out the hospital. I can eat cake."
To that, Fugaku left him be.
Sasuke was happy about that
Ereshkigal
She was pleased, so pleased. She made contact and placed in his mind he was not alone. Good. She'd have him soon.
Language key:
Hanging Tree By Jennifer Lawrence in Māori was what that Chanting Sasuke was hearing. I believe I used the noose and run at midnight parts.
Meus Princeps- My prince in Latin
Ototo- Little brother in Japanese
Oba-chan- Aunt In Japanese
Oji-San/Kun- Uncle in Japanese
-Chan- Affectionate term for females in Japanese
-Kun- Affectionate term for males in Japanese
Teme- Bastard or some other derogatory remark in Japanese
Dobe- Dead last I believe, I'll get back to you on that
Baka- Idiot or stupid in Japanese