Late late update... yawn. Only a few more chapters
Hinata lay on her side with her head resting on her arm. Her half-lidded eyes watched Sasuke's chest go up and down as he slept. Ever since she agreed to keep an eye on him during the night time, Hinata felt a sense of worth as if she was his silent protector. She thought back to her days with Team Eight and how her fellow team mates would always save her from danger. Naruto had also put his life on the line for her a few times, but she rarely had an opportunity to really prove herself. It all cycled back to how weak she was and Hinata was really starting to doubt becoming the leader for the Hyuuga clan.
She didn't get much sleep, but not because she was on constant alert for Sasuke's nightmares. Her mind just wouldn't rest. Even though her body protested and her eyes threatened to close, her mind would refuse. If anything, she got a few hours here and there. It had been a few days since her meeting with her father and there was a lot weighing on her mind. Not even the comfort of Sasuke's embrace could cure the anxiety flowing through her body.
Hinata slipped a lock of midnight blue hair behind her ears and then her hands went to form the correct seals for the Byakugan. Every hour she would check his chakra flow to make sure he was doing okay and in a peaceful sleep. However without fail, the nightmares would begin every night. Whether it was just minutes after he had fallen asleep or several hours later, his eyebrows would furrow and sweat would roll down his forehead. His chakra would start to move faster in his body as he tried to fight off Orochimaru in the depths of his own sub conscious. When it got too much, he would toss and turn violently. That was when Hinata had to apply her own chakra to his body to release him from the genjutsu.
This particular night was more violent than usual. When Hinata helped wake him from the battle in his dreams, Sasuke sat up and instantly grabbed his arm.
"Agh…. Fuck!" Sasuke hissed through gritted teeth. Hinata crawled over to him and she noticed blood trickling down from his sleeve. If she was tired before, now she was awake as her adrenaline was going.
"S-Sasuke-kun…! You're bleeding." She breathed. Sasuke pulled his hand back and saw his palm filled with blood. He curled his fingers into a fist out of anger and he pushed off the sheets off his bed. Once his feet hit the cold floor, he got up to go to the bathroom. Hinata frowned as she remained on the bed. It was still dark outside, and the clock read 3:30am which meant she still had another hour or so before she'd have to head back to the Hyuuga District.
Sasuke took his shirt off and drops of blood dripped onto the sink. He ran a wash cloth under the cold water and then dabbed at the wound. Ch… there's gotta be a better solution to this. He heard the soft pads of Hinata's feet as she entered the bathroom.
"Let me h-help…" Hinata said quietly. Sasuke tried to silently refuse it, but he soon found himself sitting on the toilet seat while she knelt down to begin applying a special ointment. Neither spoke, but Hinata understood. She couldn't imagine… each nightmare was getting worse and now he was coming back with physical injuries. Wrapping gauze around his arm, Hinata tied it to make sure it fit snug but not too tight.
"I'm so sorry." She seemed to squeak. Sasuke looked down at her and he could see a difference in her spirit. There were bags forming under those eyes he loved so much and her smiles were now few and far between.
"For what?" He mumbled irritably. Sasuke wasn't angry or annoyed with her. He hated seeing his problems affect her. Sasuke should be strong enough not to have to rely on having her there to keep him alive, but he didn't trust anyone else as much as her. Hinata stood up and her long hair slipped past her shoulders.
"You just… You shouldn't have to go through this." Sasuke watched her bring curled fingers up to her lips, clearly a habit. He frowned. While still sitting down, he pulled her close to him with her stomach resting on his cheek.
"I shouldn't have gotten you involved." Sasuke said quietly. He felt her hands run through his hair and it caused him to shiver. Even though she was just wearing a regular t-shirt and pajama pants, he still thought she was beautiful. Desire was being stirred up in his body as he moved his head to plant small kisses on her stomach.
"There isn't anything that Tsunade-sama can do?" Hinata said, clearly ignoring his hormones.
"Not yet." Sasuke said in between kisses. She looked down at him with a small smile on her lips. Hinata was aware of Sasuke's yearns to take their relationship to the next level. She, too, had thought about it, but the timing just wasn't right. She was still modest and somehow he understood that. Sasuke never made her feel uncomfortable. Hinata pulled back from him and took his hand. Her hands were so much smaller and softer than his, which were rough with callouses. Sasuke followed her back to the bedroom and watched her crawl up into bed.
"I have to leave soon." She said sleepily as she pulled the blankets up and over her. Sasuke crossed his arms with a small smirk. Hinata had kept watch on him all night, so he figured he would let her sleep a little. He got into bed next to her and she cuddled up next to him, her head lying on his bare chest. Sasuke had a loose arm around her shoulders and he listened to her small breaths as she drifted off into a much deserved sleep.
The sounds of metal upon metal echoed in the training area in Konoha. Sasuke was moving quickly with his sword bringing it down upon Naruto's kunai. Of course training with those particular two wasn't silent. Taunts and harmless insults were thrown at each other as they tried to overpower one another. Kakashi stood under a tree watching from a distance. Sasuke had finally agreed to come to team training, even though he really wasn't apart of Team Kakashi. He remembered approaching his sensei later that morning and beating around the bush about training. Kakashi knew that Sasuke wasn't one to ask for help. Pride was a big deal to him as usual.
"Kakashi-sensei?" His thoughts were interrupted by Sakura, who had looked up from her medical book as she sat up against the trunk of the tree. Sai looked up from his scrolls with a paint brush in hand, also curious. Kakashi's eye was glued to his book and he didn't bother looking away for the young woman.
"Hmmm?" He turned a page with his thumb. Sakura's gaze went to the two boys ahead, dueling for bragging rights. It was warming her heart to see both of her team mates back together as if they had gone back in time. Her green eyes continued to watch Sasuke's lean body effortlessly flow with his movements. He always caught her eye even though Naruto was now the center of her affections. Uchiha Sasuke would have a special place in her heart.
"Is Sasuke-kun allowed to go on missions now?" She finally mumbled, breaking her gaze to look down at her book.
"Not yet." Kakashi lowered his book and he, too, watched the Uchiha. Even with the curse mark seemingly gone, Sasuke was still just as incredible. Kakashi noted that he made little to no mistakes in his stances and he had gotten better about his chakra control, as well. Even though it was the wrong choice, Orochimaru seemed to be the perfect ninja to help Sasuke evolve his true powers.
"Damnit… no fair!" Naruto cried as he jumped back from Sasuke's sword that had knocked the kunai from Naruto's hand. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Within seconds, the infamous shadow clones appeared surrounding them and Sasuke glanced around unfazed. A Naruto clone popped up next to Sakura, who in turn screeched out of surprise.
"Ahhh, Sakura-chan! How about a kiss for good luck?"
"GAH! Damnit, you scared me!" Enraged, she made a fist and punched the clone in the face, which turned into a puff of smoke.
"The clones, huh? I figured you learned something better over the years." Sasuke growled, throwing his hands together to form seals. With Uchiha pride overflowing in him, he released the giant fire ball jutsu and the sounds of clones disappearing rang through the training ground. Sakura, Kakashi and Sai both shielded their eyes from the sudden heat. Once the fireball had subsided, Sasuke smirked as a cloud of smoke formed. Several kunai came flying through the smoke at him and he used his sword to deflect them. With exact precision, he put his sword back in its sheath and began to form the deadly Chidori in his hand.
Kakashi frowned as the fight was beginning to get a little more serious than they needed it to be. Tsunade warned him to keep an eye on Sasuke, just in case. Kakashi disappeared in a flash and appeared in between the two perfectly deflecting Sasuke's Chidori and Naruto's final clone.
"Oy! What the hell!" Naruto shouted a few feet away and crossed his arms. Sasuke smirked slightly, as he stood up straighter. Just as I thought… I'm still stronger.
"That'll do it for the day. It's getting late… Naruto, isn't Ramen Ichiraku closing early today?" Kakashi said as he looked over at the boy. His eyes grew wide.
"Wait! What time is it?! I still have time, right?" Naruto began to shuffle in panic towards the exit of the training grounds, seemingly forgetting about Sakura. Sasuke rolled his eyes and winced a bit as a surge of pain shot through his arm. He looked down to see blood seeping through the bandages that Hinata had put on earlier that morning.
"Can I help?" He heard Sakura's voice as she approached him. Her eyes twinkled and the wind tossed her pink hair. It wasn't that he didn't think Sakura was attractive. As a growing boy, he silently made observations. It was her clingy and desperate intentions that made him disinterested. Not to mention love was never a priority for him back in those days. He glared at her hoping to send the message for her to leave him alone.
"No." Sasuke said curtly and she frowned. Kakashi and Sai were already heading out for the evening, so it just left the two standing in the training grounds.
"It'll just take a minute…" She pleaded and reached to grab his hand. He caught her wrist in mid action and forcefully held it tight. Sakura kept her gaze fixated on him firmly. He would give her credit that she was confident and stubborn, but so was he. Sasuke closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Why can't people just listen to me the first time? He didn't want anyone's help. He didn't need anyone's help let alone their pity. Sasuke was doing just fine and she didn't need to continue to follow him around like a puppy begging for attention.
"We're not friends. We're not team mates. We're not even comrades. Just leave me alone." He said coldly and she finally looked away in defeat. Sasuke let go of her wrist and turned around on his heels to leave. Sakura stared at her feet before taking a step forward to grab his hand again.
"Sasuke-kun… why didn't you ever love me!?" Her voice was a whisper and it was like nails on a chalk board to him. It was as if she was still holding on hoping, wishing, praying that he would change his mind. Plus the fact that she was now attached to Naruto made the whole situation stupid. It made him appreciate Hinata so much more because there were less complicated messes to deal with. He immediately ripped his hand from her grasp and turned to look at her. I don't need this petty bullshit… His anger was beginning to rise.
"I never needed you." He was not affected by her emotions and he probably never would be. Sakura lifted a hand to wipe away a tear rolling down her cheek. Sasuke remembered seeing these same tears before from her. He remembered her desperation when she tried to stop him from leaving Konoha the first time and just like before he didn't care.
"And Hinata?" Sakura dared to say with jealousy dripping from every word. Sasuke crossed his arms and stared her down. Ninja don't need love. He remembered saying that and it was halfway true. Ninja come, they go, and sometimes families are left a member (or clan) short. Their lives weren't based on fairy tales and if anyone was to know that, it was him. However his views had been slightly changed and he felt like he deserved a happy ending. Everyone needs a companion; a person to dwell in and show their affection for. Sasuke wasn't as tactical as Shikamaru. He wasn't nearly as observant as Neji. And he certainly wasn't as charming as Naruto. But Hinata had chosen him under different circumstances than Sakura. She had chosen him because of him—not because of his name, looks or power.
"I need her." Sasuke finally said after a while. "I can live the rest of my life without you, or Naruto, or this entire village. But I cannot live without her." Sometimes he wondered if he needed her too much, but that neither here nor there. Sakura had never heard Uchiha Sasuke say anything remotely close to affection what so ever. He really loves her… The wind blew eerily between them as if something had finally been addressed. She forced a sad smile after a few seconds of disbelief. He watched her closely. Deciding there wasn't much else to say, Sasuke held out his arm to her, and she glanced through teary eyes at the blood soaked gauze. Sakura approached him closer and began to unravel the bandages. He watched her with those dark eyes as she began to heal the wound with her green chakra in silence.
They seemed to finally have a mutual understanding—Sasuke didn't love her, he never would and she needed to move on. The same could be said for Hinata and Naruto. He didn't love her, he never would but she did move on. 'You don't always get what you want, but you get what need.' Satisfied with how Sasuke's wound healed, she nodded with approval.
"All better." Her voice was smaller than usual, but he didn't seem to notice.
"There you are." A familiar voice caused them both to look over towards the entrance of the training grounds. Nara Shikamaru stood with a hand on his hip. He was as equally, if not more, lazy than Kakashi. Shikamaru's face barely ever held emotion simply because it was subconsciously too much work. Sasuke hadn't seen him in years and he had heard good things about him. Just after Tsunade was deemed the new Hokage, he got promoted even though he had forfeited at the Chuunin exams. Shikamaru approached them and Sasuke frowned.
"Tsunade-sama is calling for you, Sasuke." Sakura glanced curiously over at the Uchiha who barely even registered what had been said. He just nodded and made his way out of the training grounds. Shikamaru heaved a sigh and looked to Sakura.
"That guy… he's gone for years, nearly destroys the village, and then acts like nothing happened." His voice always had a slight whine to it as things were almost always 'troublesome' for the Nara. However, ever since Asuma's death, he had taken on more responsible in honor of his sensei and was now a sensei himself. Sakura watched Sasuke disappear and she had to smile softly to herself.
"Sasuke-kun is one of a kind for sure… Can't live with him, can't live without him."
"Uchiha, the next time you barge into my office, you won't have to worry about those damn dreams anymore!" Tsunade shouted at him as he planted his feet in front of her desk. Tonton squealed in fear, jumping from Tsunade's lap and over to cower between Shizune's ankles. He smirked and crossed his arms.
"Sounds good." He said and she scowled before smacking her open palm on her forehead.
"How are those dreams, by the way?" She asked, her eyes narrowing at him. He lifted up what was left of the wound on his arm. Tsunade frowned, her facial expressions getting more serious.
"They're getting worse. Each time Orochimaru is closer and closer to doing me in." Sasuke said, letting his arm fall back to his side. She nodded before glancing over at Shizune, who looked equally concerned.
"I was worried about that. I take it having someone around to help you wake up in working otherwise?" Sasuke's glare said it all and she stood up to stretch her legs. "Well, I have an idea. Hyuuga Neji!" Her voice was almost as irritating as Sakura's, but the name she called out caught him by surprise. Neji opened the door and walked in.
"Good evening, Tsunade-sama." He said as his lavender eyes glanced over in Sasuke's direction. Neji did know about Hinata's relationship with him and Sasuke could tell it really pissed him off. That thought made a sly smile spread across his lips. Of course, Neji had nothing to worry about. Hinata was probably in better hands with the Uchiha than anyone else, excluding the fact that he almost killed her.
"This idea of yours better do something." Sasuke muttered, although he was actually very curious to know how the Hyuuga could help him. In fact, he even wondered why Hinata wasn't called forth to lend her ability. Tsunade crossed her arms and looked at both of the ninja before her.
"I'm curious to know whether or not the curse mark is actually gone." Tsunade began. "If Orochimaru is in fact dead, then it should be one hundred percent gone from your body. I'm worried if he's somehow stuck in between and using the Uchiha's genjutsu to make contact." Sasuke shifted his weight, and crossing his arms again.
"The curse mark has been gone for a while, now. You can't even see it." He said dully. Tsunade kept a firm gaze on him.
"I'm aware. A mark that complicated and powerful can sometimes form roots which shoot off into your body and into your chakra streams. While the mark itself might be gone, Orochimaru's chakra might not all be wiped from you." She said.
"The Byakugan can detect different types of chakra, such as Sakura's healing chakra. It emits a different kind of color and presence. The same goes for the curse mark." Neji spoke up, his voice as calm as can be. Sasuke felt his eyes roll.
"Hinata has used her Byakugan on me plenty of times," He paused to savor the glare from her cousin. "And she never noticed anything unusual." Neji stepped forward a bit, as if he was about to shoot down that thought.
"Like I said, Orochimaru's curse mark has a different type of chakra. It is much more difficult to detect. It can only be seen if one is closely looking for it." Neji replied to which Sasuke didn't have anything to counter. Tsunade looked to Sasuke for approval on the idea and he shrugged.
"Why does he have to do it?" Sasuke asked accusingly.
"Hinata-san is busy preparing for her ceremony next week. She doesn't have time to waste." Time to waste… ch… if only you knew, Hyuuga. Sasuke acted like he didn't care, but if he was going to be honest with himself, he missed her dearly. Of course he saw her throughout the night, but it wasn't enough.
"And if there is still chakra left behind, then what?"
"Then we go from there. I can work with that." Tsunade said. Sasuke was irritated. Why couldn't things just be easy for him again? There were always so many obstacles in his way, but he could just hear his father's voice in his head. You got yourself in this mess, now deal with the consequences of your actions.
"When do we start?" Sasuke asked eventually.
"Now! Come, have a seat, Uchiha." Tsunade said brightly while her honey eyes seemed to twinkle with excitement. Sasuke hesitated before sitting down in a chair that Shizune had set out. Neji stood behind the chair and closed his eyes to concentrate.
"Sit still." He told Sasuke who felt the sudden urge to whip around and beat him with the chair, but he didn't. Neji folded his hands in the seals and the veins around his eyes bulged out.
"Byakugan!" Neji was silent after that as he began to concentrate deeper on the figure sitting before him. He saw the light blue chakra flowing normally throughout his body but there was something inconsistent. Hinata-san wouldn't have noticed… nor would I had I of not been concentrating so hard. It's like looking for a needle in a haystack. Sasuke began to shift impatiently after several minutes passed.
"Well?" He said impatiently. Tsunade scowled.
"Hush. This is going to take a little while, so get comfortable." Just as she said that, Neji spoke up.
"I see it. It's…very strange and very small." Neji murmured in curiosity and Sasuke frowned. It was times like this where he wished he knew more about the Byakugan and all its mystery. He had so much time with Hinata that he should have been asking.
"…Really?"
"Yes. There is a small cluster of dark blue chakra flowing. It seems to originate from the shoulder area." He said, a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead. The amount of concentration and chakra control it took to keep a steady view was even challenging the great Neji. Tsunade uncrossed her arms and approached Sasuke.
"This is the problem." She said pulling back the top of his shirt. "The curse mark is gone, but the root of it is still there." Sasuke's mind began to race. Perhaps that flow of dark chakra was what caused his temper to overflow constantly. His body was attempting to call forth the curse mark, but it wasn't entirely there so it just circled his body stirring up anger and rage. At least that was what Sasuke had a theory about. He stood up, obviously done with being a lab rat. Neji allowed his Byakugan to retreat and he rubbed his forehead warily.
"Well, get that chakra out of my body." Sasuke demanded as he crossed his arms. Tsunade rested her hands on her curvy hips and her facial features remained serious. There was silence for a while until she spoke again.
"There are two things we need to do, Sasuke. We need to get rid of the root of the curse mark and then cut off the genjutsu causing you those dreams." Sasuke stared at her.
"Cut off the genjutsu?"
"Yes. And that means cutting off complete contact…" Her voice trailed off as she turned her back to him.
"Absolutely not," replied Sasuke with an annoyed tone. Being reunited with his family was one of the best things that ever happened to him. He was able to see, interact and emotionally re-connect with his mother and father. Neji crossed his arms.
"From my understanding you don't have a choice." He said as if disinterested and Sasuke turned to glare at him. What the hell do you know?
"This isn't any of your fucking business. You can go now." He growled and Neji closed his eyes not swayed by him. He took a step forward loose robes swaying as he stopped next to the Uchiha.
"It is when you involve Hinata-san." Neji said eyeing him threateningly. Sasuke felt the rage churning in his body. He'd shut this Hyuuga up right here and right now, except Tsunade interrupted his thoughts.
"Alright, alright. Sasuke, you have some things to think over. It's all or nothing with this; you either continue the rest of your life with potentially life threatening dreams, or we get rid of it all together and problem solved." Tsunade said, throwing in more authority to her tone. Sasuke stared with icy eyes at the Hokage before laughing arrogantly.
"Whatever. I'll take my chances, then." He said. "I've dealt with worse. That fucker can toy with me all he wants…" Sasuke turned and began walking to the door of the office. Neji turned.
"Sasuke, that's not a good move." Neji said, but it wasn't acknowledged by the Uchiha as he slammed the door behind him. Tsunade sighed heavily, and leaned up against her desk.
"Damnit. I have a bad feeling about this." She said and Neji thought about Hinata. She had enough going on that she didn't need anything else piled on her plate. The past week, she was attending long and grueling sessions with Hiashi learning different rules, traditions, and even sitting in on Hyuuga council meetings. Hinata even still worked in training time with her sister. He could see the stress wearing down on her; bags were under her eyes, the sparkle had vanished from eyes and even her small smile had gotten even smaller. Neji knew deep down that her breaking point would be near.
Hinata crept silently through the Hyuuga mansion, knowing precisely where each creak and crack was in the floor boards. The moonlight was there to guide her through the hallways and her Byakugan was also there to keep close watch on family members as they slept. It had become quite the routine and something Hinata got a thrill of. She never snuck out of her home before, especially not for a boy. At first it terrified her, but once she got it down and had gotten away with it, she welcomed the challenge.
Her feet were quiet down the road to the Uchiha District and she pulled her jacket tighter around her body. Winter was definitely upon Konoha as she could see her breath fog up and disappear before her wary eyes. After all the hard work she put in, Hinata almost considered herself a full-time Hyuuga now. Not that she was ashamed of her clan before, but there were other things in life for her to concentrate on… like becoming a ninja, fitting in with her team and even Naruto was there to keep her mind elsewhere.
Her birthday was just a week away, and she couldn't tell if she was shivering due to nerves or due to the cold breeze that shot past her. The light from Sasuke's house was on as usual and she began to jog to get there quicker. All she needed was him. He was on her mind when she woke up in his bed, to the afternoons when she should be concentrating on Hyuuga documents all the way until she rested her body next to him. Hinata was glad when Sasuke opened the front door to greet her. She smiled tiredly as she walked inside.
"S-Sure is getting colder out…" Her teeth chattered as she slipped off her shoes. Sasuke approached her from behind and wrapped his warm arms around her.
"You're late." He whispered huskily into her ear which sent a shudder throughout her body. Hinata smiled, smelling the scent of his soap. She was so happy to finally be with him.
"Hai… Father had a late meeting with the Elders." Hinata said quietly and he released his grip on her. "O-Oh. Your arm is so much better!" She exclaimed turning to face him. Sasuke gave his eyes a roll, remembering the day's events.
"Yeah. Kakashi was holding a training session today and Sakura had to be nosy." He mumbled, as he looked down at his arm. Hinata smiled brightly when his fingers came up to caress her rosy cheeks. Sasuke then poked her nose.
"Cold?" He asked with a slightly amused tone. Hinata laughed gently and nodded. "C'mon."
They lay in bed and Hinata talked quietly about her day. Sasuke normally wouldn't have cared about anything that went on in other people's lives, but to his surprise it was more interesting than he originally believed. He discovered that there was quite a bit of things Hinata needed to learn, from secret jutsus to proper protocol in case of war or emergency. Her head was resting on his chest and as she spoke, her small fingers drew little circles and swirls over his heart.
"Sounds like a lot of bullshit." He said after a while. Hinata laughed half-heartedly before nodding while her eyes closed.
"Yes. I'm worried I won't be able to do it." Sasuke conjured a growl from deep within his throat as he rolled on his side to face her.
"Whether you think you can or you think you can't—you're right." Sasuke said word for word one of the many riddles his father offered in times like these to him. His dark eyes stared deep into her light eyes and he watched a lock of her bangs slide down into the crevices of her eyelids. Her pale skin was glowing and she reached up to move a lock of his own hair from his eyes.
"Thanks, Sasuke-kun." She whispered. Hinata was so used to dealing with these things on her own. Hanabi was often too young to fully grasp the concepts of her life and sometimes she was too scared to let go of her personal feelings. And of course Hinata didn't dare divulge in Neji, knowing how judgmental he could be. Sometimes Hinata would talk to Shino or Kurenai-sensei seeking advice in silly ways. She was now at a point in her life where she was no longer a child and responsibilities were hard to avoid. Sasuke didn't say anything; instead he leaned forward and planted a gentle kiss on her soft lips.
He put his hands on her lower back, pulling her closer to his body. Their kiss deepened and Hinata felt a sudden burst of passion. Her small hands began to explore his shoulders and broad chest. Whatever she was doing, Sasuke was thoroughly enjoying and he pulled her up with him when he rolled over onto his back. Hinata managed to break their kiss, staring down at him. Their legs were entangled as she lay on top of him and his hands held her firmly.
"Hinata…" His voice was a groan of desire. Hormones were raging through both of their bodies and Hinata leaned down to kiss his nose.
"Y-You should get some sleep, Sasuke-kun." She whispered, before sliding back down to his side. Disappointed, but understanding, Sasuke managed to stuff his feelings back inside as he felt his eyelids beginning to get heavy.
Darkness surrounded him and his eyes looked around. It reminded him of when he was running at Itachi with his electrifying Chidori. There wasn't anything to his left, his right, above or below him. There was simply blackness. Sasuke frowned as he stepped forward and began to walk. He was hoping to see his mother or even his father. He remembered just a few days ago when he talked for hours to his mother about Hinata and about the rebuilt district. Sasuke was even able to spar with his father earlier that week. They always ended with the menacing eyes of Orochimaru.
"Mother? Father?" His voice seemed to echo in the nothingness that was all around him. There was no sign of anything. Perhaps this was what a normal dream was. He couldn't quite remember; Sasuke never really had much for dreams, except the nightmares as a child of the massacre to his clan.
And then it hit him; that pain that seemed to crawl deep into his brain caused him to fall to his knees as he cried out in agony. It was the same pain he got whenever Orochimaru showed his ugly face, and his body felt like it was crawling with bugs under his skin. This chakra… it burns! He managed to open his eyes even though the pain was almost blinding. It was a good thing, though, because there he was, with that all too familiar sword coming straight for him. Fuck.
"Hahaha. That bitch Tsunade thinks she can cure you." Orochimaru's voice echoed and he lurched out of the way somehow. The legendary ninja reached into his throat to withdraw the sword and he licked his lips with his long tongue. Sasuke tried, like he always did, to conjure up the strength to put all his chakra into the Chidori. There was literally nothing that he could do but dodge the blade that came at him one more time.
"Leave me ALONE!" Sasuke hissed through gritted teeth as he stood up warily. Orochimaru simply laughed while he pointed the sword at him.
"I gave you my power and this is how you repay me, Sasuke-kun? You're not going to walk away this time. I'll kill you before the Hyuuga can pull you out." His eyes seemed to be full of excitement and Sasuke could just feel the power radiating from him.
"Touch her and you'll die again." Sasuke growled trying desperately to ignore the sharp pain inside his body. Orochimaru was calm as he stood there. His long hair seemed to slither like snakes and his tongue came out to lick his lips again.
"The Byakugan is a power thing. What would you think if I plucked them right from her head for testing purposes?" Orochimaru asked casually, smiling gleefully when Sasuke's fists shook with anger. "I mean, if Kakashi can acquire the Sharingan…imagine what could happen with the Hyuuga Kekkei Genkai." Sasuke hadn't felt this much rage since he decided to go after his brother with thoughts of revenge. Without even thinking about the pain anymore, he ran up to throw a solid punch at the man. The punch landed on his jaw, but it felt more like rubber underneath his fist and Sasuke lurched back when Orochimaru's body became a pile of snakes.
"I will get your perfect body this time, Sasuke-kun…" That voice echoed around him and he looked left and right but there was no sign of Orochimaru. There was nothing but silence for a while, but he didn't let his guard down. A presence came behind him, and before he had the chance to take cover, he felt the sharp blade of Orochimaru's sword pierce through the left side of his back.
"AGH!" Sasuke felt frozen as the blade slowly pushed through his muscles and organs.
"My chakra will always flow through your veins, Sasuke-kun. I will become one with you, now…" Orochimaru whispered pushing the blade in further with more force. Blood began to drip down his chin as he stood almost defeated. Hinata… HINATA! He was going to die. Sasuke was going to be no more. He would never see her again or be able to look into those eyes again. He gritted his teeth as he tried to move his hands, but it wasn't working.
Suddenly, another presence was exposed and everything from there on out was in complete slow motion for Sasuke. He watched Itachi appear out of the darkness, knocking Orochimaru to the ground. With a quick and fluid motion, his brother pulled the sword from Sasuke's back. He fell to his knees and hands as blood began to pour out.
"….Itachi!" He managed to cry. Orochimaru was already at work attacking Itachi, producing another sword from inside his body. This didn't seem to faze the late Uchiha as they went back and forth, the metal clinking straight into Sasuke's brain.
"Sasuke." Itachi yelled calmly and he looked at his little brother while pushing Orochimaru away. "You know what you need to do. I am going to close the genjutsu for good." Sasuke gripped his back, and slowly got to his feet. No…no. Not this way!
"NO!" Sasuke cried hoarsely, and Itachi went through another round of fighting the snake-like man. "Mother…and Father! And you!"
"You were meant to survive. You were meant to rebuild the Uchiha name. Father and Mother already know." Itachi muttered through blows to Orochimaru's sword. Blood began to forcibly make its way up Sasuke's throat as he coughed. The pain was getting worse, but it was the last thing he was worried about as he watched his brother fight his former teacher. The entire time, he kept screaming 'no' in his mind.
"It's no use!" Orochimaru screeched as he knocked the sword from Itachi's hand. "You won't get in my way… You both failed! This world doesn't need failures! It needs GREATNESS. It needs me." Orochimaru's voice was getting disturbingly desperate. Itachi smirked and looked back over at his brother one last time. Sasuke saw his eyes no longer bore the Sharingan—they were just like he remembered them before everything turned into utter chaos in his life.
"You are weak. Why are you weak? Because you lack… love. Cherish what is in front of you for me… for mother and for father. We'll be watching." That familiar phrase struck a chord in his heart as the memory of Itachi holding him up against a broken wall whispering those words in his ear. Except… now Sasuke had too much held out his hand in shock as Orochimaru's sword swiped into Itachi's side. With quick precision, Itachi's hands formed seals he didn't recognize and with one last word, Itachi yelled "SEAL!"
"NO!" Sasuke screamed, and the last thing he saw was his brother smiling at him. Like a wall crumbling from loss of support, the blackness fell apart all around him. Itachi and Orochimaru seemed to be dissolving in front of his eyes and all he could hear was Orochimaru's scream. It would haunt him for the rest of his life as everything faded away.