Bite
"Keep your head up."
He dropped his hands to his knees, taking a moment to recoup. The sky was spinning above him.
"What is it?"
"Sorry. I'm dizzy all of the sudden."
"You're dehydrated."
His Father passed him a water bottle roughly.
"Hold it."
Their entourage halted. He could feel his Father's impatience radiating off in waves. The sun seared his pale skin, casting a pink hue over his forearms. His ears were burning.
"Alright, I'm ready." He straightened, not meeting the Hokage's eyes.
He found himself trailing behind the group after only a few steps. Eyes fixed to the ground where their footsteps lay in the sand. The tracks Sasuke left, in comparison, were much shorter in length. He was half his Father's size. At the rate he grew, it seemed he'd never catch up to the Uchiha patriarch's impressive height.
"Uchiha san-"
"Do you not trust that I can guard myself?"
"Of course-"
"Then go on ahead."
Sasuke raised his head wearily. Hair matted to his cheeks with sweat. Fugaku stood before him.
His Father knelt in front of him.
"Get on."
"What?"
Sasuke gaped, cheeks flaming.
"Get on."
His Father repeated, and he dared not make him repeat it again. Awkwardly, Sasuke hiked himself up so that his weight was fully supported. They moved forward in silence. Despite himself he felt his weary limbs relax. Itachi had carried him like this as a child. When they'd walk too far from home, or even when he asked for a ride. An unbidden wetness formed in his eyes, and he felt the tears mix with the sweat and pool into the dark Uchiha shirt.
The desert stretched out around them for miles. It was miles still before they reached Sunagakure. By the time they arrived at the gates, Sasuke was back on his own feet. The incident uncommented on. He did not dare glance up to see the disapproval in the Hokage's eyes. Sunburnt and exhausted to every inch, Sasuke retreated to his quarters and collapsed into sleep.
Sunlight peeked through his lashes. Bright light illuminated his room from high in the midafternoon sky. Sasuke sat upright in a panic, loathe to leave the plush pillows decorating his snowy white bedspread. He'd overslept.
"Finally." A girl's voice. His head jerked around at the sound.
A sandy haired girl of around his age sat at his feet, head cocked to the side in exaggerated speculation.
"Uchiha Sasuke." She tasted the name. A foreign headband adorned her neck. Her voice seemed deeper than the girls of his own village. Confident, with an edge of light teasing.
"Who are you?" He reached for a kunai, only to curse himself for forgetting to lay his weapons out the night before.
"Temari." She smiled, darkly. "Welcome to the Village Hidden in the Sand."
He gathered the sheets closer to himself. Fists bunched.
"Why are you in here?"
She ignored him, rising from the bed to raise something from the bedside table.
"What is this?" She held up the cracked mirror, eyebrow cocked.
His heart froze. He held out a hand.
"Put that down." Voice as level as he could manage it.
She chanced another glance at the object, clearly confused by its presence. Judging by the state of the room, she'd dug through all of his possessions.
"If you insist." She dropped it back to its position. He winced as the glass rattled ominously.
"Meet me in the courtyard." She called over her shoulder, leaving him to his room.
He leapt from the bed, cursing himself for allowing himself to be caught in such a vulnerable position. Carefully he wrapped the mirror and placed it in his pocket. If he could just complete this task, he was 1/3 the way to fixing it.
The courtyard was empty. No sign of either the girl or his fellow Konoha shinobi. The dry air was thick with sand, irritating the sunburns slow to heal on his arms and face.
"So this is the Uchiha heir?" He whipped around. A boy was observing him, casually leaned against the wall. Temari at his side.
"Yes." He said. Voice steadier than he felt. Where was his Father's guard?
The boy stretched a gloved hand out to shake.
"Kakuro."
His grip was firm, and his gaze level.
"And why are you here? Who are you?" Sasuke asked, on edge.
The girl stood fully, walking around behind him so the two stood on either side.
"We three-" She began, still smiling. "Are your counterparts."
The sand siblings. He clenched his jaw. This is what he'd come for.
A boy emerged from a far door. His hair a mussed mop of red. Eyes dark and shadowed.
"Gaara." He addressed. The Sand Village's jinchuuriki, cursed with a tailed monster sealed inside of him. Just like Naruto.
"Why are you here?" Kankuro asked, his eyes having not left Sasuke's face. "This is a Hokage summit, there's no reason for you to have come."
"Maybe I was curious."
Gaara came to stand directly in front of him now. Surveying him darkly. This one was different from his siblings. Only death reflected in his eyes. A haunting hollowness beneath the icy blue shades.
"You are the last Uchiha brother." He said. His voice was grating. Despite himself, Sasuke felt his skin go cold and taut with fear of him.
"You are a jinchuuriki." He responded. Unsure of where the reply came from. Provoking him was not part of the plan.
The boy's hairless brows raised slightly.
"I had heard there was a ban in the leaf, when it came to speaking of us. You don't train your new generations."
The cold stares of the adults in his village, the hushed whispers followed by parted crowds wherever Naruto walked. It was true they were not allowed to speak of the monster child in their midst.
"There is. That's why I want to ask you." He raised his chin, meeting Gaara's cold glare head on. "If there is any way to reverse this? To remove what's inside you."
Temari laughed despite herself, covering her mouth with her hand.
"They don't even teach you that much?" She snickered. "Of course there's no way. If you remove the bijuu, the host dies."
His heart dropped. So it was true.
His disappointment must have shown on his face, for Gaara moved a step closer.
"You aren't happy with the answer."
Sasuke looked away.
"There's someone I- " He trailed off. Telling enemy shinobi about Naruto would only put him in greater danger.
"The jinchuuriki in your village. His name is Uzumaki Naruto, isn't it?" Gaara was still watching him closely.
Sasuke twiched at the name.
"Gaara. I think he's here to spy." Kankuro moved inward, threatening. "We should get rid of him. After him Fugaku has no more sons."
Sasuke braced, shuriken in hand. Three vs one, and a jinchuuriki in the midst. He had no idea of their skill sets or abilities. The red haired boy tilted his head, considering.
The sand at Sasuke's feet began to move, whirling around him as if it possessed a will of its own. It crept up around him, blanketing his legs so he couldn't move them. He cursed, flailing his arm out to cut at the air with a kunai. Temari laughed again, a high, mocking noise.
He flashed his hands into signs and sucked in air, spitting a ball of fire into the courtyard that heated the dry air to flashpoint. The sand siblings leapt away, all except Gaara, who stayed where he was as a cacoon of sand rose to engulf him. The sand around Sasuke's legs loosened and he leapt away, drawing a thin metal twine from his back pocket.
The girl pulled out an enormous fan from where it'd been holstered on her back. She waved at the air and blew the remaining fire away, tossing up a whirlwind of superheated sand.
He tossed a twine bound shuriken towards her, catching her around her torso and looping till she was immobile. Again he formed the hand signs to spit fire. A gloved fist landed on his cheek and he flew across the courtyard with the force of it, slamming into the opposing wall. The twine loosened and the girl broke free. Again the sand pooled around his feet, faster than he could stop it. He was trapped.
"Now then." Gaara, who had not moved throughout this, walked forward to him with deliberate steps. He raised his hand as if in a salute, forming a claw with his fingers. Sasuke felt the sand around his torso tighten. His heart was pounding in his ears.
"Gaara." A young man's voice bellowed across the courtyard. Fast footsteps approached. "That is the Hokage's son."
"I'm aware."
Sasuke's breath caught in his throat. This was it. There was no mistake, this was the man from the picture Orochimaru had given him.
"Are you trying to start a war with the hidden leaf?"
The sand around him loosened.
Gaara turned to leave, not bothering to cast another glance in Sasuke's direction. His siblings followed.
Sasuke turned to the young man.
"Thank-"
"What are you doing here?"
The man's calm demeanor had quickly faded to anger. Sasuke stepped back in surprise.
"I-"
He turned away, composing himself.
"You should return to your Father at once. I will lead you."
Sasuke nodded mutely. They walked along the stone halls in silence. He wondered at why Orochimaru had sent him this far just to verify this person's existence. The picture he'd given him was pressed in his pocket. He resisted the urge to pull it out for a quick comparison.
They made it to a set of large doorways. The man turned to face him.
"He's just within these doors. Open them quietly, the meeting is still in session."
Sasuke nodded, opening his mouth to thank him again.
"And Sasuke." The man looked down, eyes shadowed. "Try to be more careful."
"So you found him."
He nodded. Wary of the thin man's positioning around him. He paced the small room, raising the hair on the back of Sasuke's neck.
"That's excellent." A wide smile lit the snake like face. "Very good."
He took a seat in the chair in front of where Sasuke stood.
"I suppose you want to know the next favor."
"Yes."
"And don't worry, there are only three. I am a generous man. A favor for my silence, a favor for my labor, and a favor for the mirror itself. It is my possession after all, but I'll let you continue to borrow it."
Sasuke said nothing. He had grown to hate this man. The sickly smell of him. His manner of speaking, condescending and playful at once.
"Now, the next two favors can be completed here in this office. You will have your mirror back by the end of the hour."
He looked up, wide-eyed. It had been a month of waiting. A month without sign or sound that his only friend still existed in this world.
"What is it I have to do?"
"Extend your arm for me, will you Sasuke?" Orochimaru busied himself in a desk drawer, returning with a long needle.
"You want my blood?"
"Only a little. Uchiha blood is so marvelous isn't it?"
He fought down the wave of repulsion as the man neared him. No telling what manner of use this would be put to. He eyed the strange instruments around the office. Still, if Orochimaru acted out of line, Fugaku would kill him. His Father would not suffer a traitor to the leaf.
He extended his arm, hair-raising as Orochimaru's cold fingers wrapped around it. He tapped on a blue vein.
"And after this?" He asked, distracting himself as his blood was extracted into the dusty vial.
"After this I just need your promise."
"Promise what?"
"Promise that you will come find me in three weeks time. No matter what."
"What kind of promise is that?"
"One that," Orochimaru smiled. "I will make sure you will keep."
"Why do you want me to find you?"
"That's a discovery for the future! But don't worry, it's nothing that would cause your Father to notice."
He withdrew the needle. Carefully placing the vial in a desk drawer and locking it away.
Sasuke rubbed at his arm, hesitating. Compared to the first task, this was a relatively simple request.
"Come now Sasuke. I've kept your silence. I haven't even asked you who you are so desperate to reach using this mirror."
He smiled, showing long canine incisors.
Sasuke nodded.
"Alright. I promise I will come to you in three weeks' time."
"At exactly noon."
"At exactly noon."
"Excellent."
Orochimaru clapped his hands together. Then, without warning, his face rushed at him. Sasuke yelled, throwing himself backward. The man's dark head reached forward on an impossibly elongated neck. His teeth sunk into the skin at the crook of Sasuke's neck. He screamed. Liquid heat emanated from the bite, burning its way through his body.
The bite lessened and Orochimaru's head returned to its natural place on his shoulders.
Sasuke dropped to his knees, clutching at the bloody incisions.
"What was that?" He roared out through the pain.
"Your promise. I made it so you cannot break it."
Sasuke stood, wobbling.
"You're insane. I would have..you didn't need to-"
He lurched towards the door, fuming and frightened at once.
"Don't you want your mirror fixed?"
Sasuke stilled, panting. He glared at the man, handing him the mirror.
Orochimaru took it gently, smiling into his cracked reflection. He performed a complicated set of seals before placing his palm on the surface. It glowed white and mended together. Sasuke snatched it from him.
"See you in a few weeks Sasuke, do take care of yourself."
Orochimaru waved cheerfully as he pushed through the door, wobbling from the pain.
"Look at them."
Jiraiya wiggled at his position on the ground, face pressed up against a wood fence.
"Just look at them."
Naruto rolled his eyes, arms crossed behind his head as he observed the sky. The hot water soothed him, and thick steam warmed and cleansed his face.
"I thought you were supposed to be some kind of legendary sannin."
The big man splashed back into the water, letting out a deep sigh as his white mane floated around the pool.
"A man can enjoy his vices."
"All you are is vices, perverted sage."
Jiraiya frowned at him.
"Look boy, you should try for yourself. No one is here to judge." He gestured around the empty pool.
Naruto rolled his eyes, hoisting himself up the side to the slotted wood where Jiraiya had been peeping. He could barely make out the rising steam on the other side. Glimpses of pale female flesh. He flushed.
"See! Not so bad is it!" Jiraiya guffawed, tickled by Naruto's apparent discomfort. He turned away from the wood.
"I don't see what the big deal is, you can barely see anything."
He grabbed his towel, leaving the pool behind.
His empty room came as a comfort to him. The water had done well to erase muscles sore from training. Jiraiya's clothes were strewn about the room in a mess. His own in a similar state of disarray.
He was still getting used to it. This constant presence of another person. For as long as he could remember he'd been alone. Now he could scarcely find time to think to himself. Days filled with training had left more than just his hands calloused and muscles sore, his heart felt changed as well. For the first time, he had someone to say good morning to. Someone to welcome him home, even if now home was a word without meaning for him. He closed his eyes and pictured the leaf village. Warm and green with the summer air. The great stone faces in the mountain side watching down on the quiet village. Was that still his home?
A knock sounded on the door. He wrapped the towel securely around his waist, answering it.
"I'm here for the room cleaning."
"Oh." He looked around, taking in the mess. "Um, that's okay."
She hesitated. She was a few years older than him. Attractive by conventional standards, dark hair and fair skin. He figured she was the type of girl Jiraiya would nudge him over and point at.
"I'll come back later." She said. He shut the door quietly. Her eyes had reminded him of Sasuke's in shape. Heavily lashed and dark. He used to make fun of him for having such dainty features, though it had done well to gain him attention from the girls in their class. When they would talk at night Sasuke would tell him stories of the girls who had pranced around him in a bid for his attention. He'd almost wanted to hate him out of pure jealousy. Throwing himself into his training in the hope that he wouldn't fall too far behind. That Sasuke wouldn't one day look up and realize just how pathetic Naruto was. That he wouldn't lose interest entirely, letting their strange and secret friendship dissipate into unanswered calls and unreturned glances.
He sat at the desk, dropping his head to his hands.
"Sasuke." He called out quietly. Hoping without logic that somehow he would hear an answer.
Not only was Sasuke's mirror destroyed, but Naruto's own was missing. Four days prior he'd woken to find it gone from his tableside. He'd spent hours looking for it. Begged Jiraiya to let them stay another night until he found it. The man had only shaken his head in pity, pushing them forward to the next stop. It was dangerous to stay any place too long, and the mirror was worthless now anyway.
A pad of paper sat on the desk next to a pen. He leaned over a sheet, smoothing it out.
'Sasuke'
It was almost a comfort to see the name written out like that. Made him feel closer, even if only by a little. He hesitated over what to say next.
'I miss you.'
"A hot spring?!"
"Well, I figured you three deserved a bit of a treat."
"I guess you aren't so bad after all." Kiba grinned, looking down at his dog. "You hear that Akamaru, we're sleeping tight tonight."
"Wi-will we have to cover this ourselves? I'm not sure I brought enough-" Hinata clutched at her coin purse, white eyes pinched in concern. Kakashi waved a hand in dismissal.
"Don't worry about it, this time it's on me."
Sasuke relaxed. He didn't think he'd brought enough either. Judging by the steam rising through the trees they were approaching the place now.
The owner met them out front, all smiles and apologies.
"We had a bit of a ruckus earlier, had to remove some rowdy guests. We'll have their room cleaned out for you in a moment."
Sasuke shifted at his packs straps. His sunburns had yet to heal, and the fabric irritated the inflamed skin.
"I think we're all pretty eager to relax. Can we drop off our stuff in the rooms in the time being?"
The manager nodded eagerly and led them in. Kakashi took a suite to the right of theirs. Hinata to the left. Kiba and him took the center room, fortunately equipped with two beds. Sasuke crinkled his nose at the idea of sleeping in the same bed as the Inuzuka and his irritating dog.
The boy stripped off his pack eagerly, heading for the spring. Sasuke draped his pack on the chair, sighing in relief at the release of pressure from his shoulders. Paper was strewn about the desk.
His name stood out to him in stark relief.
He stood suddenly, heart pounding.
'Sasuke' Written in Naruto's unmistakable childish scrawl.
It was empty aside from his name. He rifled through the other pages, heart pounding. A trashcan stood to the side of the desk, filled with crumpled wads. He pulled each out, spreading them across the desk. Each started with his name in the same script, followed by crossed out words and smudged letters. They were drafts. Meticulously crafted, misspelled words crossed out and tossed.
Sasuke,
I miss you.
A quick knock on the door, and a woman entered the room. She was young, a few years older than himself. He ran at her, the note crumpled in his hand.
"Where is the person who stayed in this room last?"
"I'm sorry?" She backed away, wide eyed and hand on her chest.
"What did they look like?"
"Um.." She hesitated, still shocked by his fervent demeanor. He calmed himself, stepping back to give her room.
"There was a boy," She gestured at his head. "Around your height. He had yellow hair."
Sasuke's heart stopped.
"And?"
"And an older man. They just left."
"Which way did they go?"
"I'm not sure I-"
"Please. Please. There's no time."
Her brow crinkled in distress.
"Outside there's a road crossing, if you go straight you might be able to catch up to them."
"Kakashi should be here soon, if I have the timing right."
"Cutting it close aren't you?"
"Well, we had a bit of a mishap earlier."
Naruto laid perfectly still in his pack. From this distance they likely thought he couldn't hear them. It seemed his hearing was better than the average persons. The only positive the fox had brought to his life.
Itachi's voice was low and terse. He sounded stressed. Naruto wondered at that. In his years knowing the older boy, he'd rarely heard him put so on edge.
"What brings you out here anyway, you should be in Suna."
"Sasuke."
Naruto held his breath, straining to hear.
"He showed up at the Kage summit. He was looking for me."
"How could he?"
"Not for Itachi, but for the Suna shinobi I was impersonating. I believe he was sent there by Orochimaru."
"What would Orochimaru have to do with this?" Jiraiya's pitch had dropped dangerously. He spit the name like a curse. Naruto's heart went cold with fear.
"Only Orochimaru would know to look for me in that guise. He was the one that provided me with that information."
"You were working with him! Do you have any idea how dangerous-"
"It was years ago. Orochimaru was interested in me as a potential vessel."
There was a deafening silence. Naruto shifted, afraid that they'd dropped to a whisper.
"And you think with Sasuke-"
"I think he is after Sasuke for the same purpose, and he sent him to me as a message."
"A taunt?"
"Perhaps."
More silence. The leaves shifted in the wind around him. Night was falling.
"Once Kakashi arrives we can put together a plan around this. Maybe Sasuke will talk to him, they've had a month to gain some camaraderie."
"Orochimaru is due for a transfer in three weeks time."
He slowly, methodically crept from his bag.
"That's enough time to figure something out."
"I will not take this lightly. If we fail it will mean Sasuke's life."
He bolted. Through the trees as fast as his legs could carry him. Aware that his crashing would draw their attention.
He screwed his eyes together in concentration. This grueling month of training, if it meant anything, he needed it now.
"Bunshin no jutsu!"
A perfect clone sprang up beside him.
"Go!"
He shouted at it. His heart rose if only for a moment.
I finally did it Sasuke
The clone weaved behind him, intent on confusing his pursuers. He jumped and dodged over branch and bush back towards the hot springs. He would make it. He would make it.
He ran from the springs, heart pounding as his feet flew down the road. He cursed himself for not asking how long ago they had left. He'd have no way of knowing how far down this path he should travel. He flew through the crossroads. If the girl had given him the wrong information he'd have no recourse, he could only pray she'd told him the truth.
He flew down the empty road. It was a straight path, and he could see down for some distance. No sign of a fellow traveler. The sun was setting and dusk cast long shadows down the grassy lane. It was completely empty.
"NARUTO!" He bellowed as loud as he could. Maybe if he were on another path..maybe there was some we'd hear-
"SASUKEEE!"
A/N: :) Let me know what you think.