Sasunaru fic: Notes of Encouragement (for industrialgirl1)
Title: “Notes of Encouragement”
Author: Shaitanah
Rating: PG
Summary: They see the prelude to the end differently, but the end - it’s always the same. [Sasuke/Naruto] Please R&R!
Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto Masashi.
A/N: Beware of the overuse of brackets! Muhahah!
Dedication: to my dearest Shining Star a.k.a. industrialgirl1 - you know why. XD
NOTES OF ENCOURAGEMENT
Say you’re a guy.
And not just a guy (because it’d be pretty damn much weird if I were that interested in just about any guy), but the guy.
Say you abandoned your home, then declared out of the blue I was your best friend, then tried to kill me and left me to die after you’d miraculously changed your mind.
That would make you Uchiha Sasuke.
(On the scale from one to ten of ‘How Annoying Do You Think I Am’ chart you’d probably give me 100.)
I often imagine how we will finally meet. I know I promised to break every bone in your body in case of resistance, but like I said, our fists do not have to cross to ascertain things. The way I deem you important is the way no language (neither physical, not - most assuredly so - verbal) can explain.
So I imagine something a lot cooler than us fighting. Us fighting together. Against a common enemy. Like the village is in some big trouble (preferably not our village, but hey, I don’t get to choose everything!) and we’re running out of power, and then you show up because hogging the spotlight is what you’re best at. Have always been.
And when I see you… You don’t wanna know! When I see you, it feels like my heart has stopped for a moment which lasts for a thousand years. You look stupid as always in your new set of ‘call boy’ clothes (which, I have to admit, is infinitely more ‘you’ than any uniform Konoha could dress you in), but your Sharingan flares and those funny black comma thingies dance around your pupils, and you give everyone that ultimate Terminator look that says something along the lines of: ‘I’m the last Uchiha, mess with me and die.’ (No exclamation mark at the end because you don’t need it; you’re just that cool.)
I say something cheesy like: “What’s taking you so long, bastard?”
(In fact, maybe I don’t: I’m too busy gaping at you, breath caught in my throat, and trying at least to utter your name.)
You glance at me briefly, then turn away, but I can see your lips curve into a small smirk. I think I can even hear that annoying ‘hn’ of yours. And I thank you for that: before you, I never knew how much a simple unintelligible sound could convey.
And then we fight. You and me, side by side, like we were supposed to from the start.
You have developed this new cool jutsu of yours that you show off proudly. It all has to do with lightning and fire; that’s what you are - lightning and fire. It crackles and chirps like a thousand birds. (And you’re calling me noisy!)
I have a couple of new tricks up my sleeve as well. You smirk, say they’re complimentary to yours, but just this once I let it pass. Wind is what makes fire stronger.
We end up alone against a multitude of bad guys.
“Do I always have to save your ass?” you utter irritably.
I grin. “Nah, more like the opposite.”
We combine our jutsu and just come out on top of awesome. How much awesomer can we possibly get? It’s when I know for sure: I’ll be a kickass Hokage and you’ll be here to see it.
We pile up our fallen enemies and finally we are all that’s left. We stand still for a moment, uncertain of what to do. My heart beats somewhere in my throat. You look away, clearly feeling uncomfortable.
And suddenly (that’s the latest invention) I lean into you (more like stumble, actually), and we’re less than a few inches apart, and you look me in the face, and…
(It’s alarming how quickly I’ve gone from fantasizing about doing this with Sakura-chan to doing it with you. No, really, should I be worried?)
But that’s an accident, isn’t it? Like that first kiss! (Now my cheeks are burning.)
You pull away first (I’m too transfixed and scared out of my mind and in a ‘wtf am I/are we doing?’ state) and look at me (and probably regret your decision not to kill me back then in the Valley; the idea sounds appealing again, doesn’t it?) and (here I thought you’d bolt) say:
“Don’t you look dumb now?”
What can I do but grin stupidly at you?
“You’re here now. You’re here to stay?”
You hesitate. I’m waiting. Trying to pretend my heart is not drumming in my ears already.
Oh, come on, you heartless fucker!
“I…” Your voice sounds strained.
And I smile. Take you by the elbow and tug you after me, all the way to the others to tell them you’ve come back. If you wanted to say no, you wouldn’t hesitate.
That’s just the way I see it. Not always exactly like that, but there’s one thing that’s always there: you come home.
* * *
Say you’re a guy.
And not just a guy (because be it any other person, I wouldn’t bother), but the guy.
Say I told you to stay out of my way and you disobeyed - mainly because you are so good at it. You wanted to become stronger than me and somewhere along the way I almost believed you made it. I called you my best friend, and you just wouldn’t leave me alone. I left you to die but just because I knew you’d survive. Or maybe I left you for the same reason Itachi had left me: to have someone chasing me when I’m all alone.
That would make you Uzumaki Naruto.
(On the scale from one to ten of ‘How Annoying Do I Think You Are’ chart I’d give you 200.)
I never imagined how we’d meet for the final battle. I had no time to think about it. Nostalgia is hardly an active word in my vocabulary. But I know exactly what’s going to happen.
Put it like this:
Our joint forces (the Akatsuki and my newly renamed Team Hawk) make a resolute assault on Konoha. I don’t exactly know why I am doing this. Perhaps it’s already too late for me to stop. Perhaps the concept of ‘avenger’ has sunk in so deep that I won’t sweat it out even if I want to. Maybe I’ve grown so wonderfully skilled in ruining my life that I won’t settle down until I have no life at all.
Take your pick.
Anyway, we fall upon the village swiftly (night is the best option to go with my plan) and I let the army loose because for once I want to take the weight off my shoulders. Let someone else keep them in check; I’ll go take what’s mine.
I kill the Elders swiftly, efficiently, like Itachi had slaughtered our kinsmen. (I know he wouldn’t want me to do it this way, but it’s too late now, brother.)
I think I’m finished here. That’s when the things go wrong. The village puts up too good a fight, something I would expect from the Leaf shinobi. I make my way through the battlefield, looking for my last goal. Danzou.
There is no way we (I) can lose. We’ve got an army, we’ve got ourselves (the criminals), we’ve got the Bijuu for heaven’s sake!
And we’re losing.
I don’t give a damn. I’m running, parrying some side attacks until I finally bump head-on…
…into you.
Of course.
Who else would have the nerve to stand on my way?
Your breath catches in your throat the minute you realize it’s me. You stare at me like I’m a ghost or something, and it gives me time to collect my thoughts and slip the bastard-y façade back on.
“Sasuke…”
I hate it when you speak my name. Nobody else speaks my name the way you do: like it’s the very air you breathe.
“Sasuke…”
My lip curls.
“I have no time for you, moron.”
I really don’t. I have so much blood on my hands and I won’t let you try and wash it off when I’m about to shed more.
You get angry. You always lose your temper quickly. You ball your fists and dart in my direction and snarl at me: “You’ll find time!”
I can tell you are shocked and frustrated and, I guess, disappointed even though you try hard not to show it. Looks like I’ve finally done something to piss you off.
We fight. We always fight because we neither can nor want to talk properly. It’s the scent of fire and raw gusts of wind against my skin, and the chirping of the Chidori Nagashi that pours down my body forming a shield so that you couldn’t touch me. (Please, stop touching me.) We fight painfully, roughly, furiously. I’m trying to shake you off like a pestering bug, but you just won’t be dropped.
The Kyuubi awakens. I push it away with my new eyes, drain you off its malicious chakra, and I hear its laugh fade in my head.
You can’t win against me, Naruto.
I hope Madara dies in battle. He means nothing to me, he’s just a tool. I’m waiting to be rid of him - and I am. I suppose Tsunade does it. It’s a fitting end for him to lose to Senju Hashirama’s grand-daughter.
Hawk is also expendable. Inevitably, each of them falls. I am left alone.
Against you.
We have both exceeded our limit in this battle. My eyes hurt unbearably; I squeeze them shut and hear you breathe raggedly beside me.
And then you come closer (more like stumble, actually), and I feel my lips part as you open your mouth to start bitching again, and…
(I can’t be serious!)
I can’t help wondering if that’s your second kiss. It’s sloppy, timid, as if mildly inquiring. ‘Can I? May I? Will you let me?’
I can’t help wondering if that’s your second kiss because it sure is mine.
Eternity after, when I pull away, you’re still looking at me like I’m some kind of a mutant.
“You look dumb, blockhead,” I comment wearily. “Shut your mouth.”
That cracks you up.
“Asshole,” you manage weakly.
You grasp the front of my shirt and cling to me as if trying to stall me on my way out of the village. But, I realize with a start, time flies and I’m not leaving. I’m standing right there, letting you press yourself against me harder and harder till I can feel your heartbeat as mine.
You whisper:
“You bastard. You staying now?”
“I…” My mouth runs dry.
Suddenly you grin. You know me too well, I daresay. If I wanted to say no, I wouldn’t hesitate; there’s no need to spare your feelings. The problem is I don’t know what I want so I just stay there, allowing myself to be hugged by you. You blabber something that my mind doesn’t register.
It doesn’t have to this way. But it will be. And there’s one thing that’s always there: I come back to you.
Author: Shaitanah
Rating: PG
Summary: They see the prelude to the end differently, but the end - it’s always the same. [Sasuke/Naruto] Please R&R!
Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto Masashi.
A/N: Beware of the overuse of brackets! Muhahah!
Dedication: to my dearest Shining Star a.k.a. industrialgirl1 - you know why. XD
NOTES OF ENCOURAGEMENT
Say you’re a guy.
And not just a guy (because it’d be pretty damn much weird if I were that interested in just about any guy), but the guy.
Say you abandoned your home, then declared out of the blue I was your best friend, then tried to kill me and left me to die after you’d miraculously changed your mind.
That would make you Uchiha Sasuke.
(On the scale from one to ten of ‘How Annoying Do You Think I Am’ chart you’d probably give me 100.)
I often imagine how we will finally meet. I know I promised to break every bone in your body in case of resistance, but like I said, our fists do not have to cross to ascertain things. The way I deem you important is the way no language (neither physical, not - most assuredly so - verbal) can explain.
So I imagine something a lot cooler than us fighting. Us fighting together. Against a common enemy. Like the village is in some big trouble (preferably not our village, but hey, I don’t get to choose everything!) and we’re running out of power, and then you show up because hogging the spotlight is what you’re best at. Have always been.
And when I see you… You don’t wanna know! When I see you, it feels like my heart has stopped for a moment which lasts for a thousand years. You look stupid as always in your new set of ‘call boy’ clothes (which, I have to admit, is infinitely more ‘you’ than any uniform Konoha could dress you in), but your Sharingan flares and those funny black comma thingies dance around your pupils, and you give everyone that ultimate Terminator look that says something along the lines of: ‘I’m the last Uchiha, mess with me and die.’ (No exclamation mark at the end because you don’t need it; you’re just that cool.)
I say something cheesy like: “What’s taking you so long, bastard?”
(In fact, maybe I don’t: I’m too busy gaping at you, breath caught in my throat, and trying at least to utter your name.)
You glance at me briefly, then turn away, but I can see your lips curve into a small smirk. I think I can even hear that annoying ‘hn’ of yours. And I thank you for that: before you, I never knew how much a simple unintelligible sound could convey.
And then we fight. You and me, side by side, like we were supposed to from the start.
You have developed this new cool jutsu of yours that you show off proudly. It all has to do with lightning and fire; that’s what you are - lightning and fire. It crackles and chirps like a thousand birds. (And you’re calling me noisy!)
I have a couple of new tricks up my sleeve as well. You smirk, say they’re complimentary to yours, but just this once I let it pass. Wind is what makes fire stronger.
We end up alone against a multitude of bad guys.
“Do I always have to save your ass?” you utter irritably.
I grin. “Nah, more like the opposite.”
We combine our jutsu and just come out on top of awesome. How much awesomer can we possibly get? It’s when I know for sure: I’ll be a kickass Hokage and you’ll be here to see it.
We pile up our fallen enemies and finally we are all that’s left. We stand still for a moment, uncertain of what to do. My heart beats somewhere in my throat. You look away, clearly feeling uncomfortable.
And suddenly (that’s the latest invention) I lean into you (more like stumble, actually), and we’re less than a few inches apart, and you look me in the face, and…
(It’s alarming how quickly I’ve gone from fantasizing about doing this with Sakura-chan to doing it with you. No, really, should I be worried?)
But that’s an accident, isn’t it? Like that first kiss! (Now my cheeks are burning.)
You pull away first (I’m too transfixed and scared out of my mind and in a ‘wtf am I/are we doing?’ state) and look at me (and probably regret your decision not to kill me back then in the Valley; the idea sounds appealing again, doesn’t it?) and (here I thought you’d bolt) say:
“Don’t you look dumb now?”
What can I do but grin stupidly at you?
“You’re here now. You’re here to stay?”
You hesitate. I’m waiting. Trying to pretend my heart is not drumming in my ears already.
Oh, come on, you heartless fucker!
“I…” Your voice sounds strained.
And I smile. Take you by the elbow and tug you after me, all the way to the others to tell them you’ve come back. If you wanted to say no, you wouldn’t hesitate.
That’s just the way I see it. Not always exactly like that, but there’s one thing that’s always there: you come home.
* * *
Say you’re a guy.
And not just a guy (because be it any other person, I wouldn’t bother), but the guy.
Say I told you to stay out of my way and you disobeyed - mainly because you are so good at it. You wanted to become stronger than me and somewhere along the way I almost believed you made it. I called you my best friend, and you just wouldn’t leave me alone. I left you to die but just because I knew you’d survive. Or maybe I left you for the same reason Itachi had left me: to have someone chasing me when I’m all alone.
That would make you Uzumaki Naruto.
(On the scale from one to ten of ‘How Annoying Do I Think You Are’ chart I’d give you 200.)
I never imagined how we’d meet for the final battle. I had no time to think about it. Nostalgia is hardly an active word in my vocabulary. But I know exactly what’s going to happen.
Put it like this:
Our joint forces (the Akatsuki and my newly renamed Team Hawk) make a resolute assault on Konoha. I don’t exactly know why I am doing this. Perhaps it’s already too late for me to stop. Perhaps the concept of ‘avenger’ has sunk in so deep that I won’t sweat it out even if I want to. Maybe I’ve grown so wonderfully skilled in ruining my life that I won’t settle down until I have no life at all.
Take your pick.
Anyway, we fall upon the village swiftly (night is the best option to go with my plan) and I let the army loose because for once I want to take the weight off my shoulders. Let someone else keep them in check; I’ll go take what’s mine.
I kill the Elders swiftly, efficiently, like Itachi had slaughtered our kinsmen. (I know he wouldn’t want me to do it this way, but it’s too late now, brother.)
I think I’m finished here. That’s when the things go wrong. The village puts up too good a fight, something I would expect from the Leaf shinobi. I make my way through the battlefield, looking for my last goal. Danzou.
There is no way we (I) can lose. We’ve got an army, we’ve got ourselves (the criminals), we’ve got the Bijuu for heaven’s sake!
And we’re losing.
I don’t give a damn. I’m running, parrying some side attacks until I finally bump head-on…
…into you.
Of course.
Who else would have the nerve to stand on my way?
Your breath catches in your throat the minute you realize it’s me. You stare at me like I’m a ghost or something, and it gives me time to collect my thoughts and slip the bastard-y façade back on.
“Sasuke…”
I hate it when you speak my name. Nobody else speaks my name the way you do: like it’s the very air you breathe.
“Sasuke…”
My lip curls.
“I have no time for you, moron.”
I really don’t. I have so much blood on my hands and I won’t let you try and wash it off when I’m about to shed more.
You get angry. You always lose your temper quickly. You ball your fists and dart in my direction and snarl at me: “You’ll find time!”
I can tell you are shocked and frustrated and, I guess, disappointed even though you try hard not to show it. Looks like I’ve finally done something to piss you off.
We fight. We always fight because we neither can nor want to talk properly. It’s the scent of fire and raw gusts of wind against my skin, and the chirping of the Chidori Nagashi that pours down my body forming a shield so that you couldn’t touch me. (Please, stop touching me.) We fight painfully, roughly, furiously. I’m trying to shake you off like a pestering bug, but you just won’t be dropped.
The Kyuubi awakens. I push it away with my new eyes, drain you off its malicious chakra, and I hear its laugh fade in my head.
You can’t win against me, Naruto.
I hope Madara dies in battle. He means nothing to me, he’s just a tool. I’m waiting to be rid of him - and I am. I suppose Tsunade does it. It’s a fitting end for him to lose to Senju Hashirama’s grand-daughter.
Hawk is also expendable. Inevitably, each of them falls. I am left alone.
Against you.
We have both exceeded our limit in this battle. My eyes hurt unbearably; I squeeze them shut and hear you breathe raggedly beside me.
And then you come closer (more like stumble, actually), and I feel my lips part as you open your mouth to start bitching again, and…
(I can’t be serious!)
I can’t help wondering if that’s your second kiss. It’s sloppy, timid, as if mildly inquiring. ‘Can I? May I? Will you let me?’
I can’t help wondering if that’s your second kiss because it sure is mine.
Eternity after, when I pull away, you’re still looking at me like I’m some kind of a mutant.
“You look dumb, blockhead,” I comment wearily. “Shut your mouth.”
That cracks you up.
“Asshole,” you manage weakly.
You grasp the front of my shirt and cling to me as if trying to stall me on my way out of the village. But, I realize with a start, time flies and I’m not leaving. I’m standing right there, letting you press yourself against me harder and harder till I can feel your heartbeat as mine.
You whisper:
“You bastard. You staying now?”
“I…” My mouth runs dry.
Suddenly you grin. You know me too well, I daresay. If I wanted to say no, I wouldn’t hesitate; there’s no need to spare your feelings. The problem is I don’t know what I want so I just stay there, allowing myself to be hugged by you. You blabber something that my mind doesn’t register.
It doesn’t have to this way. But it will be. And there’s one thing that’s always there: I come back to you.