[FIC] You and Me - Chapter VI
You and Me
Overall rating: R - NC-17
Summary: Uchiha Sasuke has returned to Konohagakure. He's changed of course. But so has everything else...
Chapter 6/?
SPOILERS: Up to current in Anime (i.e. Episode 135).
Pairing: Uchiha Sasuke x Uzumaki Naruto :: Others may be mentioned
Chapter Rating: PG-15 for Language
Disclaimer: Naruto and all related characters (c) Masashi Kishimoto -- i.e. They are not mine.
Chapter I :: Chapter II :: Chapter III :: Chapter IV :: Chapter V
- VI -
Unsaid
The pain was eating him alive and really, all he could do was lie back and enjoy the ride. He stared blankly at his ceiling - all around him his apartment was in tatters: signs of a break in and a struggle that never really existed. Or perhaps the struggling had.
It had taken almost everything Naruto had to crawl into bed and throw the blanket over himself. He was drenched to the bone from the rain but he knew that that wasn’t the reason why he had been shaking. But the shaking and shivering had stopped soon enough. His body was too tired to make the effort.
Eventually, as he had expected, the pain faded and what was left was a dull throbbing; a numb pulsing that began and ended at his core.
Perhaps the only consolation he had was that he’d been expecting this. His day, which begun with Sasuke would end with Sasuke and wasn’t that just great. He’d been wrong about his day creeping towards hell. It had not crept.
It had spiraled away into oblivion and, had he not been in great pain, he was sure he would have shouted and yelled at the top of his lungs about how fucking great everything was. He sighed, and winced at the pain that caused him before he frowned. A hand came up to touch the corner of his mouth to wipe away the blood there. Coughing up blood was something new. This hadn’t happened before.
He brought his fingers up weakly to look at them. There wasn’t that much blood. On his fingers, his blood was thin and slightly orange; filling up the cracks and whorls on his fingertips. He licked his lips gingerly and shielded his weary eyes with an arm and shut his eyes so tight, white bursts clouded the space behind his eyelids. It was to keep his tears at bay.
For all the pain coursing through his body, for the fatigue that drenched him to the bone; there was still enough in him to cry.
At that moment, he would have endured a thousand years of torture - he would have willingly been tied up and stabbed a million times over with blunt, rusty knives. He really would have. The pain would distract him from tears.
And even then, if tears fell - hot and angry as they were - it wouldn’t be because of Sasuke.
+++
Sasuke was not expecting Mercy.
What he was expecting, was that they’d throw him into the lowest, dirtiest, darkest, dampest prison cell they could find - have them all laugh a little at his Uchiha name - and then maybe have him executed for treachery. Maybe even torture him a little for information on the company he used to keep.
He had known there would be no smiles in the spacious, circular room that he stood in. He wore a ceremonial kimono, bearing the Uchiha crest on the back. He had had it made a while ago, before he’d come back to Konoha. He was unbound and all the faces before him were as if they were set in grim, grey stone.
Sasuke had never seen Naruto so serious in his life.
Naruto sat to the left of Tsunade, who sat in the center of the nine people before Sasuke. They were all seated with legs tucked beneath them and palms resting on their knees. Except for Tsunade, who had a low table set before her, with papers on it. She had her hands resting on that.
Throughout the trial, Sasuke had kept his eyes trained away from Naruto and the three times he had let his gaze pass over Naruto, Naruto was not looking at him but at the wall behind him, his lips set in a thin line and a slight crease at his brow.
He hadn’t looked angry. But Sasuke had not looked at him long enough to read his expression.
In the beginning, there had only been Tsunade and to her right, sat the four village advisors. Then, a door had opened behind them, a half hour into his trial and out stepped four others, taking their places to Tsunade’s left. The last one had been Naruto.
When Sasuke saw Naruto, he knew, his life was just about over.
The four that had entered with Naruto had all of their faces except for their eyes covered with cloth. All of them, except for Naruto. Naruto must have not seen the point. Sasuke would have recognized his eyes immediately.
“Uchiha Sasuke, you do not deny that you left Konohagakure on your own will. Left Konohagakure without consent from the Hokage.” Utatane Koharu began, her eyes emotionless as she spoke from Tsunade’s right.
Sasuke nodded his head to verify this.
“Please make your reply verbal.”
“Yes.” Sasuke said, his voice steady and firm.
“Neither do you deny that five of your comrades had been sent after you; three of whom came back to the village in critical condition. One of these three having been put in such a condition by your hand.”
“Yes.”
Tsunade looked at him, her hazel eyes were hard, anger flashing behind the once emotionless façade. The anger was personal and wounded. Sasuke puzzled at the sudden intimate show of anger in Tsunade’s eyes.
“In conclusion, you had injured a comrade in order to leave the village.”
Sasuke was about to reply with a yes but froze. He looked at Tsunade - eyes once more blank - before looking over at Naruto for the fourth time in that hour. Naruto was looking at him for the first time.
“Yes or no. Please answer the question.”
Sasuke had never been more confused in his life. He frowned, looking at Naruto. Naruto’s head was moving up and down by the merest fraction. He wouldn’t have caught the tiny hint of a nod if he hadn’t been looking so closely. His eyes turned back to the others who seemed to have not noticed.
“Yes.” He said, his eyes then narrowing on Naruto. Naruto was looking at the wall again.
“Uzumaki Naruto. Your response.”
“Uchiha Sasuke has been telling the truth so far.” Naruto replied, eyes still resting on the wall.
Sasuke tensed. It took all of his willpower to keep from staring at Naruto. A pair of white eyes that were unmistakably Neji’s, shifted to look at Naruto, narrowing just like Sasuke’s had a few seconds ago. Still, Neji kept silent, his white eyes focusing on Sasuke.
Tsunade spoke for perhaps the second time during the trial. “Uchiha Sasuke, the punishment for Missing-nin, once captured by Hunter-nin is death.” She paused, looking at him. “The punishment, does not change, even when the Missing-nin returns on his free will and gives his self up.”
Tsunade stood, her hands clasping behind her back as she walked towards Sasuke.
Sasuke had not been expecting mercy.
So he was not expecting this.
“However. To every rule, there are exceptions. This case happens to be one of them.”
One by one, the four people who had sat on Tsunade’s right stood and left through the same door Naruto and the others had entered.
“Behind me are four of your comrades. All of whom have vouched for your life. We have no evidence that any of the secrets of Konohagakure were given away by you. Nor do we have any evidence that you were involved in the war against Konohagakure, unless you wish to state otherwise. Thus saying, you are to be under house arrest. You are not allowed to leave Konoha for any circumstances unless I explicitly say you may.” Tsunade paused, standing before Sasuke. Although she was a few inches shorter than he was, she seemed so much bigger than he. “Your title of shinobi will be stripped till farther notice but you do not gain all of the rights of a civilian. Is this clear?”
Sasuke nodded, still in some sort of shock.
“Yes.” He said finally.
Of course, Sasuke had never been afraid of death. Had they executed him on the spot, he wouldn’t have flinched. He would have died with his jaw set and eyes staring out to the horizon. He would have died with no pain evident on his face and that would be it.
He was not afraid of pain.
Not anymore.
But, Sasuke was still shaken and shook.
Naruto had not told them about how Sasuke had tried to take his life. Again, he knew, he would have given anything to understand what was going on around him. His eyes focused on Naruto, wondering at how the loudest, most hyper-active ninja in Konohagakure could sit so still.
When he looked back at Tsunade, there was a finality in her expression that gave Sasuke no doubts that his trial was over. He bowed low at the waste and she returned it with one of hers, less deep and quicker, before she let out a sigh and turned to leave. Sasuke did not move from where he stood and he watched as Naruto stood to leave. Naruto didn’t so much as glance back as he left the room.
Neji was the first to remove his mask, before Shikamaru and Chouji did the same. Neji’s face was blank, his eyes regarding Sasuke slowly.
“You lied.” He said, as he and the others stood.
Shikamaru looked curiously at Neji and then at Sasuke.
“But then, so did Naruto.”
Sasuke frowned and then he saw that Neji was not being hostile. Neji had a thoughtful expression on his face before he looked back at Sasuke. “Naruto had always had so much faith in you. You should thank him that you’re still alive.”
Neji turned to leave, Shikamaru and Chouji going ahead of him. Sasuke stood his ground, his hands curling into fists besides him. “I never asked for his pity.”
Neji froze and then turned, to look at Sasuke.
“Uchiha, had Naruto pitied you, he would have let you die.”
Neji turned then and walked out of the room, leaving Sasuke alone with his thoughts.
Sasuke was left wishing that what Neji had just said wasn’t so damned true.
+++
Naruto looked down at Konoha from his perch on Hokage Mountain. He was beginning to come up here more and more often, particularly after Sasuke’s trial. It was a place to clear up his head. If anyone had been looking for him for the past two weeks, nobody had thought of looking up here. Which, in Naruto’s humble opinion, was pretty stupid. If he were them, Hokage Mountain would be the first place he’d look. Naruto smiled sadly down at the village.
Who was he kidding? No one was looking for him. He got up and began his walk back to his apartment. His stomach growled and he patted it lightly, frowning. He stuffed a hand in his pocket and pulled out a meal pass for Ichiraku’s. It was his last one, which meant he would have to either start paying for his ramen or buy cup ramen from the grocery store. Either way, he’d be spending money.
The lights were on all around the village, outshining the stars above. Naruto weaved his way through the crowds and made his way towards the Ichiraku Ramen stand. The lights from the stand spilled over on the street, bathing it in its warm yellow light.
As he approached, he saw that two silhouettes obstructed the light and upon coming closer, he saw that one of them was Kakashi. He would have usually ran up to Kakashi and swiped up an opportunity for a free meal without using his meal pass, but this time, he turned on his heel and decided to buy cup ramen from the grocer’s instead.
Everyone would have been surprised at how easily Naruto could avoid people. But he could. But then, the fact that no one was exactly looking for him made avoiding people easier.
He thanked the girl at the counter of the grocers who had eyed his three bags of ramen. It would last him about a week more and then he could always go off and buy some more. Till then, he guessed he had enough things in his apartment to become a complete recluse. The idea of holing up in his apartment wasn’t a half-bad one, if it weren’t for the fact that Naruto got bored easily. Although he got a few decent channels on TV, his television wasn’t working properly and washed everything with yellow.
It made Naruto constantly need to go the bathroom.
He paused at his apartment door, but only for a moment, turning away from the figure that had been waiting for him. He managed to open the door after a few moments of struggling with the key and the lock - if his hands weren’t shaking the key would have gotten into the lock the first time - and he entered his apartment, taking a few steps in before kicking the door closed behind him.
He heard the door stop just before it slammed shut, a hand stopping it.
He didn’t turn around.
Taking off his sandals, he proceeded to put away the ramen he’d just bought. He heard the door click shut behind him, but he didn’t turn around.
He began boiling water and prepared the contents of the cup ramen as the water boiled. He strained to hear the sound of sandals being removed and set neatly to the side. But he didn’t turn around.
As the electric kettle clicked off, he poured the water into the cup and closed the lid and waited for the three minutes for his Ramen to be ready.
It was the worst three minutes of his life he found, and not because he was anxious to eat his ramen.
The sound of sandals being removed never came. Had Naruto not been a Ninja, he would have thought he was alone. Maybe he had left. Had Naruto been more optimistic, he would have thought he was free to enjoy his ramen after the three minutes were up.
As it were, Naruto was a Ninja, and he wasn’t feeling very optimistic just then.
So he didn’t turn around.
“Not looking at me isn’t going to make me disappear.”
Naruto breathed out, the air escaping his lips was harsh. Naruto kept his eyes trained on his cup of Ramen, watching the steam seep up from under the aluminum lid.
“What do you want?” Naruto said, his voice came out hoarse - like he hadn’t used it in forever.
“Meet me outside. When you’re done with that.”
Naruto turned then, his eyes meeting Sasuke’s. Sasuke turned to open the door.
“You expect me to come.” Naruto’s question didn’t come out as a question at all and he found himself glaring fiercely at Sasuke’s back.
Sasuke paused, his hand resting on the doorknob. He nodded, not turning around. “Yes.” He said, before turning the doorknob and disappearing outside.
As it were, Naruto wasn’t hungry anymore and he stared at his Ramen for what seemed like forever. He swallowed hard. If he didn’t go, he knew Sasuke would taunt him about it for forever. If he did…Naruto backtracked and wondered for a moment if Sasuke would tease and taunt him about anything ever again. He wondered if he’d ever give Sasuke the chance again. It was different now. With a sinking feeling to his stomach, Naruto knew it was very different.
He put the Cup Ramen into his fridge and walked to his door. He slipped on his sandals and quietly walked down the stairs of his apartment block. When he was outside the building, he stared up at the sky for a moment; the sheet of summer’s night sky was spotted with stars. There wasn’t a cloud in sight.
When he looked back down, he found himself eye to eye with Sasuke. It gave him a sort of smug pride that he was just as tall as the other now. Sasuke eyed him for a moment, looked like he was going to say something but then stopped. A gentle jerk of his head signaled to Naruto that he should follow him.
Naruto did not hesitate as his stride matched Sasuke’s. As they walked side by side, Sasuke with his hands in his pocket and Naruto’s behind his head; Sasuke felt oddly small. He felt young again. Twelve again. But a glance to his side reminded him he wasn’t. Where a smile or a stupid grin used to be, there was a thoughtful expression which he knew was hiding a sharp impatience and simmering anger.
Naruto found it odd that he had known where they were going. That he had known that somehow, they would end up here, in the middle of their old training grounds. Not the place where they were made Genins. No. That was team seven’s training ground. This was theirs. The trees around them were recovering from the damage they’d done seven years before. Not a single one had been left unharmed except for one. The one Sasuke used to sit under while Naruto trained by himself. Sasuke would watch and throw occasional insults while Naruto would remind Sasuke over and over again how great of a Ninja he’d be someday. How he’d kick his ass. Sasuke had always scoffed. Every single time.
He’d found it odd that he had known where they were going but as they automatically stood at the center of the ring of trees, three meters apart, directly opposite each other; he found it odd that he’d found it strange at all. All this - all this was to be expected. This is the way it was.
As both automatically assumed fighting stance and both automatically registered the change in fighting stance from the other since they last fought; Naruto felt it the most natural thing in the world. That this was how it was meant to be.
When they both struck at the same time, Sasuke felt something in him soar.
Fighting was something he could do.
And he did it well.
Naruto felt an instant exhilaration rush through him - a heady rush that was quick to hit even though he was reluctant to admit it to himself. But he couldn’t kid himself. He hadn’t had a challenge like this in a long time.
And at the back of his mind, he acknowledged the fact that he’d trained all this time for this.
Three minutes into the fight, Sasuke found his eyes blazing red. These eyes are his blood. The unbidden thought shocked Sasuke but he didn’t miss a beat throwing several kunai in Naruto’s direction.
Naruto dodged five skillfully and with equal ease, caught the sixth and seventh, one between the index and middle finger of each hand before throwing them back at Sasuke with deadly accuracy. But Sasuke wasn’t Uchiha for nothing. He dodged them without blinking.
Five minutes later Sasuke found himself getting into the rhythm of the fight. The dance was unfamiliar. Both their techniques had changed so much since they’d last fought.
As Sasuke watched closely at how Naruto dodged his side kicks, another odd thought popped into his mind.
They were learning each other again.
Naruto’s brow was furrowed in concentration and Sasuke knew it wasn’t from the effort of his moves. He was memorizing Sasuke just as Sasuke was memorizing him. But Sasuke was quicker at learning thanks to his bloodline. His eyes finally activated themselves - this time he wasn’t just watching with them. He was attacking.
Naruto faltered for a second and in that second Sasuke took the opportunity to knee him hard in the stomach and elbowing him hard in the spinal cord in quick succession. Naruto dodged his next hit and Sasuke smirked when he saw the other was carefully avoiding looking into Sasuke’s eyes.
With the Sharingan Sasuke noticed the pattern Naruto made all too easily. It was almost too easy when he planned his next attack and when his body executed the move quickly and efficiently.
So he was surprised when Naruto’s fist met his stomach and he felt a kick hard to his side.
His eyes widened slightly at Naruto as he blocked Naruto’s next attack. Naruto had feigned the pattern? He smirked and looked on at his old team mate. Naruto caught the smirk and something in his eyes eased. Sasuke watched the blue eyes. There was something familiar in them. Something from a long time ago that Sasuke had almost forgotten. A small sparkle and a shine and Sasuke’s smirk was met with one of Naruto’s.
Neither let the other rest and their movements were quick and swift, hitting where they intended if they weren’t being blocked or dodged. The initial rush of adrenaline was overthrown by something else - something headier and sharper. Sasuke breathed in swiftly as he dodged another attack and countered with one of his own.
Naruto’s eyes narrowed on Sasuke, careful to avoid looking into the other’s eyes. He judged the other’s movements by concentrating on the other’s hands and feet. He glanced occasionally over at Sasuke’s face to see the other’s expression. But he firmly avoided the other’s eyes.
Sasuke was thoroughly impressed. No one had lasted this long in a fight with him before. He was not holding back in his attacks. Strangely enough though, Naruto seemed to be and Sasuke pounded the inhibitions out. Still, there was something distinctly unusual in Naruto’s fighting style. He was not using any Genjutsus, which was normal for Naruto, who had never been good with that style; but neither was he using very many Ninjutsus. Only the basics. There was no more kage bunshin no justsu, which he knew was Naruto’s favorite.
He frowned slightly that someone could work him up like this with only basic Genin techniques and Taijutsu.
Minutes passed. Maybe hours. Neither really noticed nor cared. This was no longer fighting. This was a battle.
They were so different. Each was the other’s worst enemy. With Sasuke’s ability to read moves, Naruto’s unpredictability simply didn’t exist. With Naruto’s sheer stubbornness, stamina and lack of openings, Sasuke couldn’t use the full extent of his Sharingan.
As they fought, it became clearer and clearer: They had been made for this, to fight each other. Techniques had been honed to defeat the other. They’d trained for this.
As the final clashes of kunai rang sharply in their ears and the dust they’d disturbed settled, they looked at each other, both breathing hard. Both had managed to get their kunai under the other’s throats and they looked at each other, breathing in deep gulps of air; standing an arm’s length apart.
They may have stood that way for forever. They challenged each other with their eyes, demanding the other back down. Daring the other to use the kunai for its intended purpose.
As the silence settled and the gulping of breaths became calmer, it became clearer and clearer. Whatever they were made for, this was not what they were meant to do. At the end of the day, the scorch-marks left on each other by their eyes throbbed more painfully than any wound could. The scars left behind by stupid insults and words chosen clumsily ran far deeper than any battle scar could or ever would. The wounds they’d left each other by their actions were livid and bright white against the skin of their memories.
They pulled away from each other simultaneously, neither able to speak or able to look at each other.
Sasuke looked at Naruto’s feet and watched as Naruto dropped his kunai, turned around and walked away.
Sasuke’s fists clenched at his side. He’d promised himself he wouldn’t let Naruto turn away again; walk away again. He would have called out to him; demanded he turn around so that Sasuke could punch him. But he didn’t. As his eyes shot up to look at the back of Naruto’s head, he threw his own kunai to the ground. It pierced the ground next to Naruto’s. Naruto didn’t turn around at the sound and kept on walking.
He’d promised himself he wouldn’t let Naruto walk away again. So he walked away with him.
In the silence, Sasuke realized they had not spoken since he’d left Naruto’s apartment. But for now, it was okay. It was okay.
Words weren’t needed anyway.
Righty...this'll be the last chapter for a while. Me going avay!!! yay!!! ^^
Overall rating: R - NC-17
Summary: Uchiha Sasuke has returned to Konohagakure. He's changed of course. But so has everything else...
Chapter 6/?
SPOILERS: Up to current in Anime (i.e. Episode 135).
Pairing: Uchiha Sasuke x Uzumaki Naruto :: Others may be mentioned
Chapter Rating: PG-15 for Language
Disclaimer: Naruto and all related characters (c) Masashi Kishimoto -- i.e. They are not mine.
Chapter I :: Chapter II :: Chapter III :: Chapter IV :: Chapter V
- VI -
Unsaid
The pain was eating him alive and really, all he could do was lie back and enjoy the ride. He stared blankly at his ceiling - all around him his apartment was in tatters: signs of a break in and a struggle that never really existed. Or perhaps the struggling had.
It had taken almost everything Naruto had to crawl into bed and throw the blanket over himself. He was drenched to the bone from the rain but he knew that that wasn’t the reason why he had been shaking. But the shaking and shivering had stopped soon enough. His body was too tired to make the effort.
Eventually, as he had expected, the pain faded and what was left was a dull throbbing; a numb pulsing that began and ended at his core.
Perhaps the only consolation he had was that he’d been expecting this. His day, which begun with Sasuke would end with Sasuke and wasn’t that just great. He’d been wrong about his day creeping towards hell. It had not crept.
It had spiraled away into oblivion and, had he not been in great pain, he was sure he would have shouted and yelled at the top of his lungs about how fucking great everything was. He sighed, and winced at the pain that caused him before he frowned. A hand came up to touch the corner of his mouth to wipe away the blood there. Coughing up blood was something new. This hadn’t happened before.
He brought his fingers up weakly to look at them. There wasn’t that much blood. On his fingers, his blood was thin and slightly orange; filling up the cracks and whorls on his fingertips. He licked his lips gingerly and shielded his weary eyes with an arm and shut his eyes so tight, white bursts clouded the space behind his eyelids. It was to keep his tears at bay.
For all the pain coursing through his body, for the fatigue that drenched him to the bone; there was still enough in him to cry.
At that moment, he would have endured a thousand years of torture - he would have willingly been tied up and stabbed a million times over with blunt, rusty knives. He really would have. The pain would distract him from tears.
And even then, if tears fell - hot and angry as they were - it wouldn’t be because of Sasuke.
+++
Sasuke was not expecting Mercy.
What he was expecting, was that they’d throw him into the lowest, dirtiest, darkest, dampest prison cell they could find - have them all laugh a little at his Uchiha name - and then maybe have him executed for treachery. Maybe even torture him a little for information on the company he used to keep.
He had known there would be no smiles in the spacious, circular room that he stood in. He wore a ceremonial kimono, bearing the Uchiha crest on the back. He had had it made a while ago, before he’d come back to Konoha. He was unbound and all the faces before him were as if they were set in grim, grey stone.
Sasuke had never seen Naruto so serious in his life.
Naruto sat to the left of Tsunade, who sat in the center of the nine people before Sasuke. They were all seated with legs tucked beneath them and palms resting on their knees. Except for Tsunade, who had a low table set before her, with papers on it. She had her hands resting on that.
Throughout the trial, Sasuke had kept his eyes trained away from Naruto and the three times he had let his gaze pass over Naruto, Naruto was not looking at him but at the wall behind him, his lips set in a thin line and a slight crease at his brow.
He hadn’t looked angry. But Sasuke had not looked at him long enough to read his expression.
In the beginning, there had only been Tsunade and to her right, sat the four village advisors. Then, a door had opened behind them, a half hour into his trial and out stepped four others, taking their places to Tsunade’s left. The last one had been Naruto.
When Sasuke saw Naruto, he knew, his life was just about over.
The four that had entered with Naruto had all of their faces except for their eyes covered with cloth. All of them, except for Naruto. Naruto must have not seen the point. Sasuke would have recognized his eyes immediately.
“Uchiha Sasuke, you do not deny that you left Konohagakure on your own will. Left Konohagakure without consent from the Hokage.” Utatane Koharu began, her eyes emotionless as she spoke from Tsunade’s right.
Sasuke nodded his head to verify this.
“Please make your reply verbal.”
“Yes.” Sasuke said, his voice steady and firm.
“Neither do you deny that five of your comrades had been sent after you; three of whom came back to the village in critical condition. One of these three having been put in such a condition by your hand.”
“Yes.”
Tsunade looked at him, her hazel eyes were hard, anger flashing behind the once emotionless façade. The anger was personal and wounded. Sasuke puzzled at the sudden intimate show of anger in Tsunade’s eyes.
“In conclusion, you had injured a comrade in order to leave the village.”
Sasuke was about to reply with a yes but froze. He looked at Tsunade - eyes once more blank - before looking over at Naruto for the fourth time in that hour. Naruto was looking at him for the first time.
“Yes or no. Please answer the question.”
Sasuke had never been more confused in his life. He frowned, looking at Naruto. Naruto’s head was moving up and down by the merest fraction. He wouldn’t have caught the tiny hint of a nod if he hadn’t been looking so closely. His eyes turned back to the others who seemed to have not noticed.
“Yes.” He said, his eyes then narrowing on Naruto. Naruto was looking at the wall again.
“Uzumaki Naruto. Your response.”
“Uchiha Sasuke has been telling the truth so far.” Naruto replied, eyes still resting on the wall.
Sasuke tensed. It took all of his willpower to keep from staring at Naruto. A pair of white eyes that were unmistakably Neji’s, shifted to look at Naruto, narrowing just like Sasuke’s had a few seconds ago. Still, Neji kept silent, his white eyes focusing on Sasuke.
Tsunade spoke for perhaps the second time during the trial. “Uchiha Sasuke, the punishment for Missing-nin, once captured by Hunter-nin is death.” She paused, looking at him. “The punishment, does not change, even when the Missing-nin returns on his free will and gives his self up.”
Tsunade stood, her hands clasping behind her back as she walked towards Sasuke.
Sasuke had not been expecting mercy.
So he was not expecting this.
“However. To every rule, there are exceptions. This case happens to be one of them.”
One by one, the four people who had sat on Tsunade’s right stood and left through the same door Naruto and the others had entered.
“Behind me are four of your comrades. All of whom have vouched for your life. We have no evidence that any of the secrets of Konohagakure were given away by you. Nor do we have any evidence that you were involved in the war against Konohagakure, unless you wish to state otherwise. Thus saying, you are to be under house arrest. You are not allowed to leave Konoha for any circumstances unless I explicitly say you may.” Tsunade paused, standing before Sasuke. Although she was a few inches shorter than he was, she seemed so much bigger than he. “Your title of shinobi will be stripped till farther notice but you do not gain all of the rights of a civilian. Is this clear?”
Sasuke nodded, still in some sort of shock.
“Yes.” He said finally.
Of course, Sasuke had never been afraid of death. Had they executed him on the spot, he wouldn’t have flinched. He would have died with his jaw set and eyes staring out to the horizon. He would have died with no pain evident on his face and that would be it.
He was not afraid of pain.
Not anymore.
But, Sasuke was still shaken and shook.
Naruto had not told them about how Sasuke had tried to take his life. Again, he knew, he would have given anything to understand what was going on around him. His eyes focused on Naruto, wondering at how the loudest, most hyper-active ninja in Konohagakure could sit so still.
When he looked back at Tsunade, there was a finality in her expression that gave Sasuke no doubts that his trial was over. He bowed low at the waste and she returned it with one of hers, less deep and quicker, before she let out a sigh and turned to leave. Sasuke did not move from where he stood and he watched as Naruto stood to leave. Naruto didn’t so much as glance back as he left the room.
Neji was the first to remove his mask, before Shikamaru and Chouji did the same. Neji’s face was blank, his eyes regarding Sasuke slowly.
“You lied.” He said, as he and the others stood.
Shikamaru looked curiously at Neji and then at Sasuke.
“But then, so did Naruto.”
Sasuke frowned and then he saw that Neji was not being hostile. Neji had a thoughtful expression on his face before he looked back at Sasuke. “Naruto had always had so much faith in you. You should thank him that you’re still alive.”
Neji turned to leave, Shikamaru and Chouji going ahead of him. Sasuke stood his ground, his hands curling into fists besides him. “I never asked for his pity.”
Neji froze and then turned, to look at Sasuke.
“Uchiha, had Naruto pitied you, he would have let you die.”
Neji turned then and walked out of the room, leaving Sasuke alone with his thoughts.
Sasuke was left wishing that what Neji had just said wasn’t so damned true.
+++
Naruto looked down at Konoha from his perch on Hokage Mountain. He was beginning to come up here more and more often, particularly after Sasuke’s trial. It was a place to clear up his head. If anyone had been looking for him for the past two weeks, nobody had thought of looking up here. Which, in Naruto’s humble opinion, was pretty stupid. If he were them, Hokage Mountain would be the first place he’d look. Naruto smiled sadly down at the village.
Who was he kidding? No one was looking for him. He got up and began his walk back to his apartment. His stomach growled and he patted it lightly, frowning. He stuffed a hand in his pocket and pulled out a meal pass for Ichiraku’s. It was his last one, which meant he would have to either start paying for his ramen or buy cup ramen from the grocery store. Either way, he’d be spending money.
The lights were on all around the village, outshining the stars above. Naruto weaved his way through the crowds and made his way towards the Ichiraku Ramen stand. The lights from the stand spilled over on the street, bathing it in its warm yellow light.
As he approached, he saw that two silhouettes obstructed the light and upon coming closer, he saw that one of them was Kakashi. He would have usually ran up to Kakashi and swiped up an opportunity for a free meal without using his meal pass, but this time, he turned on his heel and decided to buy cup ramen from the grocer’s instead.
Everyone would have been surprised at how easily Naruto could avoid people. But he could. But then, the fact that no one was exactly looking for him made avoiding people easier.
He thanked the girl at the counter of the grocers who had eyed his three bags of ramen. It would last him about a week more and then he could always go off and buy some more. Till then, he guessed he had enough things in his apartment to become a complete recluse. The idea of holing up in his apartment wasn’t a half-bad one, if it weren’t for the fact that Naruto got bored easily. Although he got a few decent channels on TV, his television wasn’t working properly and washed everything with yellow.
It made Naruto constantly need to go the bathroom.
He paused at his apartment door, but only for a moment, turning away from the figure that had been waiting for him. He managed to open the door after a few moments of struggling with the key and the lock - if his hands weren’t shaking the key would have gotten into the lock the first time - and he entered his apartment, taking a few steps in before kicking the door closed behind him.
He heard the door stop just before it slammed shut, a hand stopping it.
He didn’t turn around.
Taking off his sandals, he proceeded to put away the ramen he’d just bought. He heard the door click shut behind him, but he didn’t turn around.
He began boiling water and prepared the contents of the cup ramen as the water boiled. He strained to hear the sound of sandals being removed and set neatly to the side. But he didn’t turn around.
As the electric kettle clicked off, he poured the water into the cup and closed the lid and waited for the three minutes for his Ramen to be ready.
It was the worst three minutes of his life he found, and not because he was anxious to eat his ramen.
The sound of sandals being removed never came. Had Naruto not been a Ninja, he would have thought he was alone. Maybe he had left. Had Naruto been more optimistic, he would have thought he was free to enjoy his ramen after the three minutes were up.
As it were, Naruto was a Ninja, and he wasn’t feeling very optimistic just then.
So he didn’t turn around.
“Not looking at me isn’t going to make me disappear.”
Naruto breathed out, the air escaping his lips was harsh. Naruto kept his eyes trained on his cup of Ramen, watching the steam seep up from under the aluminum lid.
“What do you want?” Naruto said, his voice came out hoarse - like he hadn’t used it in forever.
“Meet me outside. When you’re done with that.”
Naruto turned then, his eyes meeting Sasuke’s. Sasuke turned to open the door.
“You expect me to come.” Naruto’s question didn’t come out as a question at all and he found himself glaring fiercely at Sasuke’s back.
Sasuke paused, his hand resting on the doorknob. He nodded, not turning around. “Yes.” He said, before turning the doorknob and disappearing outside.
As it were, Naruto wasn’t hungry anymore and he stared at his Ramen for what seemed like forever. He swallowed hard. If he didn’t go, he knew Sasuke would taunt him about it for forever. If he did…Naruto backtracked and wondered for a moment if Sasuke would tease and taunt him about anything ever again. He wondered if he’d ever give Sasuke the chance again. It was different now. With a sinking feeling to his stomach, Naruto knew it was very different.
He put the Cup Ramen into his fridge and walked to his door. He slipped on his sandals and quietly walked down the stairs of his apartment block. When he was outside the building, he stared up at the sky for a moment; the sheet of summer’s night sky was spotted with stars. There wasn’t a cloud in sight.
When he looked back down, he found himself eye to eye with Sasuke. It gave him a sort of smug pride that he was just as tall as the other now. Sasuke eyed him for a moment, looked like he was going to say something but then stopped. A gentle jerk of his head signaled to Naruto that he should follow him.
Naruto did not hesitate as his stride matched Sasuke’s. As they walked side by side, Sasuke with his hands in his pocket and Naruto’s behind his head; Sasuke felt oddly small. He felt young again. Twelve again. But a glance to his side reminded him he wasn’t. Where a smile or a stupid grin used to be, there was a thoughtful expression which he knew was hiding a sharp impatience and simmering anger.
Naruto found it odd that he had known where they were going. That he had known that somehow, they would end up here, in the middle of their old training grounds. Not the place where they were made Genins. No. That was team seven’s training ground. This was theirs. The trees around them were recovering from the damage they’d done seven years before. Not a single one had been left unharmed except for one. The one Sasuke used to sit under while Naruto trained by himself. Sasuke would watch and throw occasional insults while Naruto would remind Sasuke over and over again how great of a Ninja he’d be someday. How he’d kick his ass. Sasuke had always scoffed. Every single time.
He’d found it odd that he had known where they were going but as they automatically stood at the center of the ring of trees, three meters apart, directly opposite each other; he found it odd that he’d found it strange at all. All this - all this was to be expected. This is the way it was.
As both automatically assumed fighting stance and both automatically registered the change in fighting stance from the other since they last fought; Naruto felt it the most natural thing in the world. That this was how it was meant to be.
When they both struck at the same time, Sasuke felt something in him soar.
Fighting was something he could do.
And he did it well.
Naruto felt an instant exhilaration rush through him - a heady rush that was quick to hit even though he was reluctant to admit it to himself. But he couldn’t kid himself. He hadn’t had a challenge like this in a long time.
And at the back of his mind, he acknowledged the fact that he’d trained all this time for this.
Three minutes into the fight, Sasuke found his eyes blazing red. These eyes are his blood. The unbidden thought shocked Sasuke but he didn’t miss a beat throwing several kunai in Naruto’s direction.
Naruto dodged five skillfully and with equal ease, caught the sixth and seventh, one between the index and middle finger of each hand before throwing them back at Sasuke with deadly accuracy. But Sasuke wasn’t Uchiha for nothing. He dodged them without blinking.
Five minutes later Sasuke found himself getting into the rhythm of the fight. The dance was unfamiliar. Both their techniques had changed so much since they’d last fought.
As Sasuke watched closely at how Naruto dodged his side kicks, another odd thought popped into his mind.
They were learning each other again.
Naruto’s brow was furrowed in concentration and Sasuke knew it wasn’t from the effort of his moves. He was memorizing Sasuke just as Sasuke was memorizing him. But Sasuke was quicker at learning thanks to his bloodline. His eyes finally activated themselves - this time he wasn’t just watching with them. He was attacking.
Naruto faltered for a second and in that second Sasuke took the opportunity to knee him hard in the stomach and elbowing him hard in the spinal cord in quick succession. Naruto dodged his next hit and Sasuke smirked when he saw the other was carefully avoiding looking into Sasuke’s eyes.
With the Sharingan Sasuke noticed the pattern Naruto made all too easily. It was almost too easy when he planned his next attack and when his body executed the move quickly and efficiently.
So he was surprised when Naruto’s fist met his stomach and he felt a kick hard to his side.
His eyes widened slightly at Naruto as he blocked Naruto’s next attack. Naruto had feigned the pattern? He smirked and looked on at his old team mate. Naruto caught the smirk and something in his eyes eased. Sasuke watched the blue eyes. There was something familiar in them. Something from a long time ago that Sasuke had almost forgotten. A small sparkle and a shine and Sasuke’s smirk was met with one of Naruto’s.
Neither let the other rest and their movements were quick and swift, hitting where they intended if they weren’t being blocked or dodged. The initial rush of adrenaline was overthrown by something else - something headier and sharper. Sasuke breathed in swiftly as he dodged another attack and countered with one of his own.
Naruto’s eyes narrowed on Sasuke, careful to avoid looking into the other’s eyes. He judged the other’s movements by concentrating on the other’s hands and feet. He glanced occasionally over at Sasuke’s face to see the other’s expression. But he firmly avoided the other’s eyes.
Sasuke was thoroughly impressed. No one had lasted this long in a fight with him before. He was not holding back in his attacks. Strangely enough though, Naruto seemed to be and Sasuke pounded the inhibitions out. Still, there was something distinctly unusual in Naruto’s fighting style. He was not using any Genjutsus, which was normal for Naruto, who had never been good with that style; but neither was he using very many Ninjutsus. Only the basics. There was no more kage bunshin no justsu, which he knew was Naruto’s favorite.
He frowned slightly that someone could work him up like this with only basic Genin techniques and Taijutsu.
Minutes passed. Maybe hours. Neither really noticed nor cared. This was no longer fighting. This was a battle.
They were so different. Each was the other’s worst enemy. With Sasuke’s ability to read moves, Naruto’s unpredictability simply didn’t exist. With Naruto’s sheer stubbornness, stamina and lack of openings, Sasuke couldn’t use the full extent of his Sharingan.
As they fought, it became clearer and clearer: They had been made for this, to fight each other. Techniques had been honed to defeat the other. They’d trained for this.
As the final clashes of kunai rang sharply in their ears and the dust they’d disturbed settled, they looked at each other, both breathing hard. Both had managed to get their kunai under the other’s throats and they looked at each other, breathing in deep gulps of air; standing an arm’s length apart.
They may have stood that way for forever. They challenged each other with their eyes, demanding the other back down. Daring the other to use the kunai for its intended purpose.
As the silence settled and the gulping of breaths became calmer, it became clearer and clearer. Whatever they were made for, this was not what they were meant to do. At the end of the day, the scorch-marks left on each other by their eyes throbbed more painfully than any wound could. The scars left behind by stupid insults and words chosen clumsily ran far deeper than any battle scar could or ever would. The wounds they’d left each other by their actions were livid and bright white against the skin of their memories.
They pulled away from each other simultaneously, neither able to speak or able to look at each other.
Sasuke looked at Naruto’s feet and watched as Naruto dropped his kunai, turned around and walked away.
Sasuke’s fists clenched at his side. He’d promised himself he wouldn’t let Naruto turn away again; walk away again. He would have called out to him; demanded he turn around so that Sasuke could punch him. But he didn’t. As his eyes shot up to look at the back of Naruto’s head, he threw his own kunai to the ground. It pierced the ground next to Naruto’s. Naruto didn’t turn around at the sound and kept on walking.
He’d promised himself he wouldn’t let Naruto walk away again. So he walked away with him.
In the silence, Sasuke realized they had not spoken since he’d left Naruto’s apartment. But for now, it was okay. It was okay.
Words weren’t needed anyway.
Righty...this'll be the last chapter for a while. Me going avay!!! yay!!! ^^