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Reflections (Abandoned WIP)	By : Tsukineko9 Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 1226 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1
- 2
- 3
Title: Reflections

Author: Cecilia Tsukineko and Kirei Kitsue

Rating: NC-17

Genre and Pairing: yaoi, NaruSasu

Disclaimer: We dont' own Naruto. We just like to borrow it for our own amusment and share.

Notes: This is our pet project you could say, so the style's a little unique and the effort is huge. ^__^

Chapter Two - Conflicts

Sasuke's apartment wasn't to far from her own home, so it wasn't surprising that Sakura knew exactly where to go to find him. Hell, most of the Sasuke-fan-club knew where the raven-haired boy lived. Sighing, Sakura reached up and knocked on Sasuke's door, wishing that she alone knew where he lived, but knowing that one was made impossible ages ago. To her surprise, the door swung inwards and she stepped inside cautiously, curious as to why Sasuke might have left his front door mostly open, when she stopped dead in her tracks. There, on the floor of the first room of the large apartment, were Sasuke and Naruto, the latter sprawled on his back on the floor while the former straddled Naruto's waist, pinning the blond's hands on either side and above his head. Sakura felt a quick sensation of vertigo engulf her mind, heart and stomach. What the hell is going on here, Inner Sakura screeched.
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Oh... SHIT!! Sakura!! I wriggle harder, trying to get out from under him. I want him off! "S-S-Sakura-chan..." I stammer, forcing a grin. "A-a-ano... this isn't... uhm..." (Shut up, ahou!!) Damn him! Damn them all! Of course Sakura would have to walk in just as he pinned me, trying to make me stay the night yet again. Ever sense the festival and the ambush he hasn't left me alone for more than an hour at a time. In the past week and a half I've gotten at most 20 hours to myself.
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I just look up calmly at her and remain where I am. For a while, I just let her stare. Then I ask calmly, ignoring the idiot's struggles beneath me, "Sakura... what did you need?" Honestly, I don't care if she sees us like this or not. It's no different then us pretending for other people to keep the hordes off our backs. We've done that sort of thing more often than I'd have thought in the past week and a half, but it's worked so far and I'm not one to complain if it keeps a good bit of the fan-girl assaults down. I focus back on Sakura, still pinning the dobe, and wait for my answer.
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Sakura stood there, her mouth hanging slightly open and her teal eyes wide. Naruto was being less than helpful acting like he was a little kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar... and Sasuke's absolute calm... meant that they weren't really fighting at all... though they could be if Sasuke was pounding Naruto into the dirt.
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"Get OFF, you bastard!!" I yell, trying to bite at his arms and missing. If Sakura is just going to stand there like an idiot, then I'm going to keep trying to get out of here. "I'm going home whether you like it or not!! I don't want to wake up with you curled up next to me again!! Ecchi!!" Might as well make this even more awkward for the both of them. And who knows... maybe I get her to pound him instead of me for a change.
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I look down at him, a little surprised to hear him confess to that. Oh, well. I don't really care what Sakura thinks. I would rather curl up next to Naruto every night for the rest of my life than have her even hug me just once. It's not that I hate her, but I know what she's thinking when she touches me. It's what they're all thinking... How soon until I get into his pants...
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She stood there a moment more and then Sakura stammered something completely inaudible and bolted, out the door and away, heading right back to her house. She was already forcing the experience from her thoughts, disbelieving of such things from the two of them. From Sasuke!
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"Wow, it worked. Kinda," I mutter. Scowling, I look back up at him. "Now get off!!" I growl. We have to leave in the morning on our mission to protect the Fire Lord's son and I want to sleep in my own bed for a change before the month or so of sleeping in a tent. ...Even if his bed is a hundred times more comfortable than mine ...and even if it is nice to wake up cuddled next to someone... (Oh shut your pie-hole.) It's the principle of the thing.
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"Not until you agree..." It's all I'm going to say. I have a lot more patience than he does. Which means that I can and will out wait him. Really I don't care if he stays or not... Really. It doesn't matter. It's just that an argument started and I'm going to win. It's the principle of the thing.
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I growl and squirm, trying to buck him off me. When that doesn't work I give him my most poisonous glare. "NO."
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"Then I'm not getting off, am I?" His expression really is priceless. I wonder if he knows how handsome he's turned out. Thinking about it, I know he doesn't. The way people treat him... What the hell am I thinking?! Shaking my head a little - in a manner that makes it seem like refusal to obey Naruto's physical demand of a flex of his back that says 'Off!' quite clearly.
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Roaring, I call him every cuss word and insult I can think of, which is quite a lot. People never think I'm listening when they talk about me behind my back but I do, meaning I've learned more insults than I ever would have any other way. It takes me a good half hour before I start repeating myself, but I don't care. I want him to get off me!! This is embarrassing!!
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None of it matters. I just keep sitting right where I am, my butt glued to his stomach with a small but steady flow of Chakra. My Chakra control is nearly surgical these days, which means I'm pinning him with strength and Chakra through my hands, knees, the balls of my feet and my butt. He's not getting out of this. He'll promise to stay and I'll win, or I'm not moving and I'll make him stay and I'll still win.
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"I. Want. To. Go. HOME!!!!!" I roar when cursing him to Hell and back twenty times over doesn't work. It's not fair that he's cheating, using his chakra like that! Damn bastard! (Could you PLEASE keep your perverted comments to yourself?!?! ... EW!!! No I am NOT going to say that to him!!!) Alright, that's it. If he's gonna use chakra then so am I. This had better work! Concentrating for a second, I send a huge pulse of chakra from my whole body, hoping it will send him flying far enough that I can make a dash for the door.
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I absorb the blow to the best of my ability by bracing myself in such a manner that I'm basically streamlined. It hurts and I'm aching when the powerful flow breaks, but I'm still rooted to my place on top of Naruto's stomach. I remain silent. If I don't argue back he's got no reason to keep arguing. He will anyway, but at least I won't have to get too involved in the verbal battle.
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I try it again, using more force this time, and again when he still doesn't budge. Why isn't it working?!?! (Shut up you damn fox!!!!) "Damn you, Sasuke!!" I roar, wriggling and bucking and trashing even though I know that won't get me anywhere. (I said shut UP!!!) "Get off me now!!! I wanna go HOME and no I am NOT going to beg him to screw m-!!!" The words die in my throat as I realize what I just said and I turn bright red from embarrassment. "Damn fox, I told you to SHUT UP!!!!!!!"
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My eyes go wide and the bottom of my stomach drops out... Screw him? I'm not giving up my position. I'll win this... but... Screw him? For some reason that thought makes me feel a little odd. Something about those words makes me feel a little warmer than I should... something about those words... I narrow my eyes. I won't think about it now. I shove the sensations and responses away and focus on glowering. I'm not budging. He's staying. I'm winning and that's that.
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I keep yelling curses, but this time at my bloody parasite, forgetting he's sitting right on top of me. The damn fox keeps making lewd suggestions and I keep turning them down, eventually threatening to find a way to castrate it just so it won't be so damn horny anymore. "I don't care WHAT your excuse is, I told you to SHUT UP!!!!!!!"
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I have to feel bad for Naruto... I mean, that damn fox demon in him has to be like this most of the time. I don't know if I could live with it like that. I shift a little on top of him, sort of to remind him that I'm still there and sort of because my leg was starting to fall asleep, but my balance and seat never changes. I remain silent as well... I could say something. Maybe I could get the fox to shut up... "Can he hear me?" I ask suddenly, completely out of the blue.
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My next yell is cut off and I blink at him in surprise. That's a weird question. "Yeah... Why?"
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"Oi, Kyuubi no Kitsune no yaro..." I challenge. "Shut the hell up and stay out of our battles... This is between the Usurakontachi and me..." Any honorable creature would see that for what it was. A direct statement of the challenge that is long standing between Naruto and I, meaning the fox is stepping into something that is none of his damn business. At all.

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"I am NOT a moron!" I protest, starting to squirm again. I hate it when he calls me that!! But the damn fox did shut up... very grudgingly, but it did shut up... Now as long as we keep fighting it'll stay quiet.
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"You are.... you never even thought to tell it to mind its own damn business and stay out of matters of honor between two people... baka!" I reprimand him. He should know these things and yet he incessantly forgets the basics. I stay firmly where I am, refusing still to move.

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*Hours Later*
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It's late. Very late. And he still isn't giving up. Of course, we're both having a hard time staying awake at this point. I'm exhausted from having to keep my Chakra to a sticky, consistent little flow wherever I touch him or the floor. He's tired from trying to blast me off of him, yelling, squirming, fighting, struggling and all manner of flexing. I catch myself nodding off and cover it by lowering my chin still further and narrowing my eyes. He'd better just give up soon.
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My throat's hoarse from screaming and I just can't seem to dredge up the energy to squirm anymore. I'm still glaring at him but even I know it's completely pathetic at this point. Ugh, we have to get up early tomorrow for the mission... meaning we have to be well rested. Sighing, I drop the glare and finally give in. It just isn't worth it anymore, especially when we're both ready to fall asleep right here. If we do that, then neither of us is going to get a decent sleep. Scowling I turn my head away from him. "Fine..." I mutter.
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Slowly I lift my head and smirk, but it isn't superior or even condescending. I don't have the energy to be either of those. It's just satisfied. I stand slowly and back away, pulling him up by the wrists I still hold in my hands. Once we're both on our feet I let go of him slowly. My fingers are actually semi-locked around his wrists because I haven't relaxed them at all. They seem to scream voicelessly in agony as blood surges back into them and I flex both hands stiffly before looking back up to him. "Your bag is already ready and sitting next to mine in the hallway outside my room, so there wasn't any point in you going home anyway."
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It is?!?! But... Oh, screw it, I'm too tired. "Damn bastard jackass..." I mutter, slowly stripping down to my boxers as I trudge towards his room. Once there I just flop onto the bed and promptly fall asleep as soon as there's a pillow under my head. I'll trounce him in the morning...
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I too strip to my boxers and then crawl over him to my side of the bed, feeling too lazy to walk around. I lay with my back to him beneath the covers for several long minutes, but since I can't seem to sleep this way I roll over and succumb to the urge to curl up beside him again.
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*The Morning of the Mission*
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I wake slowly to the quiet breathing of the warmth beside me. My arm somehow managed to toss itself over Naruto's waist in my sleep and my nose is buried in the hair at the back of his neck... Is his hairline descending? It is. The hairline at the nape of his neck never used to be this low. And now that I think about it his pupils are slitted now too... they've been that way for a while in fact and I just never paid overly much attention to that fact. I'm contemplating it more thoroughly when he starts to stir a little. We've got a bit of time before we have to get up... and that's a good thing because my sleep fuddled mind isn't up to trying to move me much right now.
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The alarm blares and I slam it quiet, giving it a glare that would kill it if it weren't already inanimate. Geez, he's cuddled up to me again. I've been reduced to a teddy bear. Wonderful. Wait a sec... is he nuzzling me?! Oh, no, he's just got his nose buried in my neck. I sigh and roll over to glare at him. Seeing he's already awake - kind of - I grumble, "Do you mind?"
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I blink at him for several seconds and then barely shrug. "Mind what?" I mutter my brain isn't fully connected to the rest of me yet.
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Rolling my eyes, I climb out of the bed to make breakfast. This early in the morning an argument is just not worth it. "If you're not up in ten minutes I'm biting you," I warn as I walk out.
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I groan but manage to get to my feet. I stumble into the kitchen and trip/swing into my chair, neither a graceful nor catastrophic move, and then rest my head on my folded arms on the table. My shoulder is aching like usual and I can't really focus on much. I'm zoning and some recess of my mind realizes I'm staring at him while doing it but I can't seem to connect that thought to the thought that should be telling me to move my gaze. So I just sit there and zone out more instead.
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Well, he's not getting worse about waking up so I guess that's a good sign... right? I can feel his eyes on my back and suppress the urge to fidget. It's probably just because I happen to be the most convenient thing to focus on at the moment, and I know he's nowhere near fully awake. Taking a break from stirring the oatmeal, I fill a cup with cold water and dump it over his head. I'll clean up the table and floor later. "You awake yet?"
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I start out of my stupor with a splutter of indignance and all I can think of as I hear it spill from my lips is a disgruntled cat that's just gotten doused in a cloudburst. I sit bolt upright, dripping water, and then I turn the full force of my fully wakened glare on him. "Usurakontachi..." I huff and stand, moving steadily off to the bathroom to find a towel or two to clean up the mess and myself. Well, at least I'm awake now.
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Now that was fun! Laughing as he stalks out of the room, I grab a dish towel and mop up the water before returning to the oatmeal. It's done before he comes back and I dish out a couple bowls, setting one on the table for him and digging into my own. If he wants a decent amount he's gonna have to get back before I eat the whole pot.
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I return in enough time to get a decent sized meal and then I shower and dress before offering him the same privileges. I figure he's got enough stuff here to get a clean outfit on after the shower and then we can head out to meet Kakashi, Sakura and our charge at the front village gates.
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"So, do you know anything about this guy, other than he's the Fire Lord's son?" I ask him as we walk towards the gates once we're both clean and completely awake. I deathly curious to meet this guy. We've only ever met his mother and I sincerely hope he's nothing like her. (Yes we have. Don't you remember all the times we had to find her cat? ... Yeah, her. ... Yes she is loud. ... Yes she is annoying. ... HEY! I am not worse than her!)
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I shake my head. "Nothing. Only what you know, and that he's the only heir to the Fire Lord's position, meaning it is more than imperative that we keep him unharmed." I'm not sure I really care other than that this is a mission and therefore I will complete it.
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"Your other two subordinates are late," Junichiro, son of the Lord of the Fire Country, said to Kakashi while hiding his impatience with practiced ease. It was imperative that they got to the Wind Country and the home of its Lord as soon as possible. The fate of the war depended on it. "They will be here soon, I assure you," Kakashi said politely, watching the gates for the boys. He hoped Sasuke wasn't having a hard time getting out of bed again. He'd gathered that Sasuke had become even less of a morning person from Naruto's regular morning rants and it worried him. "There they are."
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Sakura sighed a little in relief upon seeing her teammates. She'd already chalked the previous night up to being one very bad nightmare by this morning and was now fully confident that she could still win Sasuke's heart. Waving enthusiastically, Sakura greeted them sweetly, though Naruto only got a sweet greeting from her because she was greeting them both at the same time. She still wasn't forgiving Naruto... even if had only been a dream.
Junichiro turned his head to watch the last two of his bodyguards approach and gave them a discreet once-over. (Hm. The blond looks capable, though very loud. Wait a moment... he has whiskers on his cheeks. Whiskers? ... That old woman gave me the demon-holder as a bodyguard! What was she thinking?!) He was about to demand a change of ninja from Kakashi when his eyes fell on Sasuke... and stayed there. He didn't even notice when his jaw fell a bit. (Wonderful, another Sasuke groupie,) Kakashi thought with regret.
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I stop trying to get him to talk about what our charge might be like and wave to Sakura, knowing that she's really waving to him but I don't care. I'm in a good mood this morning... even if he did win again last night. I immediately spot our charge and my smile fades a bit. (Great...) "Morning, everybody!"
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I shove my hands into my pockets and look off to the side. I'm not going to be cordial this morning. I don't like the way that guy is looking at me. Why me? Why can't they all just look and keep their thoughts and expressions completely to themselves for once? Why can't they not pant after my heels, or send me appreciative looks or... I sigh. It just isn't worth the energy. I come to a stop between Naruto and Kakashi and wait.
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Sakura sensed that someone else was giving Sasuke THAT look and it made her turn. It was almost like she had radar that warned her when other Sasuke-fan-club groupies were near by. Junichiro had just made Sakura's enemy list, and though she wouldn't let her territorial-self get too much in the way of her mission, she was still going to let their charge know exactly what she thought about the way he was looking at Sasuke. Stepping up, she put herself between Sasuke and Junichiro, effectively blocking his line of sight to the raven-haired youth and smiled brightly. "Are we ready to go, Sensei?" she asked and folded her hands behind her back innocently.
Snapping to attention, Junichiro turned to Kakashi, set to have his way. "No we are not ready," he said icily before the Jounin could say anything. "I will not allow that thing to come along." He looked pointedly at Naruto. "Forgive me, my lord," Kakashi said calmly, hoping to end this before Naruto's brain and mouth disconnected, "but I have to follow Hokage-sama's orders, and she very clearly said she wants my entire team to escort you. Naruto is a good ninja and is held in high esteem by Hokage-sama and Jiraiya-sama." "I do not care," Junichiro replied with equal calm, his face like stone. "I say he is to stay here."
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What the hell?! Why that little bastard!! "And Kakashi-sensei just said I'm going, so shut your trap," I snap at him. I don't care if his father's Lord of the world! Tsunade-baa-chan gave me this mission and I mean to see it through! (No, you can't kill him... yet.)
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Sighing, I look directly at the son of the Fire Lord - Junichiro, my mind informs me belatedly - and state firmly, "It's the whole of Team Seven or another team all together. Teams are chosen with specific purposes in mind, and teams train together to work as a unit. You can't just switch parts of a machine at will or it won't function well at all." It usually works with Sakura and the rest of my annoying fanclub, so it might work on him. If I didn't mistake that look, which is something I rarely do.
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"I do not care," Junichiro repeated, not reacting at all to Sasuke's looks now that he was all business and determined to have his way. "The three of you will come with me, but I refuse to have a demon in my presence." He looked icily at Naruto. "Be gone."
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I am sorely tempted to fill his bed with toads tonight, the bastard. Returning his icy look I present him with both of my middle fingers and walk past him, stretching to my full height - and I'm a good head-and-a-half taller. Ha, take that, shrimp. I hate Nobles.
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Junichiro flushed bright red from anger and spun on his heel, calling after the blond, "Come back here and apologize this instant! Did you hear me, demon?!"
"Naruto listens only to himself, me, the Hokage, Iruka, and Jiraiya," Kakashi informed the irate lordling. "I hate to tell you this, but you're wasting your breath. I suggest you get into your carriage so we may leave. Sasuke, Sakura, let's go."
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I'm already on Naruto's heels, walking directly behind him until we get to the horses we're going to be riding. I swing up easily onto the black gelding I've been given and settle there in the cushioned saddle. It's obvious to tell who these creatures belong to from the tack even if it would have been obvious from the fact that horses are only owned by lords. I look to Naruto to see how he's fairing. I'm trying not to let my temper get me over Junichiro's poor display of diplomacy. Makes me want to worry about the end results of this war if this guy's going to be making diplomatic negotiations with the Wind Lord. I watch as Sakura settles onto the back of a strawberry roan a little nervously and the horse fidgets a little beneath her. However, Sakura, being the intelligent girl she is, figures out the fact that the horse is only nervous because she is tense and relaxes. Immediately the little mare is calm again. Kakashi's riding a big steel-gray gelding, one that fits both his lanky body and his laid-back personality. Finally I look to Naruto again. He's riding a palomino gelding, a horse that is definitely going to be a pain. It's not letting him get on, rather sucking in huge snorts of air and shying to the side every time Naruto makes to get on. I finally swing off of my gelding and head over to Naruto to help him. Grabbing the reins under the bit I give a tug to get his attention and then look to Naruto. "Get on... I'll hold him..."
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"Dumb animal..." I scowl, climbing onto the horse quickly before it can recover from suddenly being held pretty much by the bit. The horse shies and tries to throw me off, tossing his head and bucking. Getting annoyed, I bring my fist down hard right between his ears. Unfortunately that doesn't help much - the horse just acts up even worse. (What the hell?! ... What do you mean it can smell you? ... Oh. You are such a pain in the ass, fox.) Grumbling, I get down and walk away just far enough that I have plenty of room to do a summons. I bite my thumb and my hands fly through the familiar seals before, "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" A large bull-sized frog appears, the brother of the one ero-sennin rides all the time. "Hey buddy," I greet it. "Wanna go on a trip?" He croaks happily at me and lets me settle on his back.
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Kakashi chuckled lightly and motioned for the lordling's servants to tie Naruto's stubborn horse to the back of the cart. It wouldn't hurt to have an extra horse along just in case one of the others went lame during the trip and couldn't be ridden. (Naruto, you sure are something sometimes. No wonder you and Jiraiya get along so well.)
"What is that?" Junichiro demanded, leaning out of the window in his carriage's door to stare in horror at Naruto's chosen mount. That wasn't normal!
"A frog," Kakashi said with amusement before signaling his horse to walk. It was time they headed out. He rode in front of the carriage while Sasuke and Sakura guarded the sides, Naruto watching the back.
Sakura simply looked at the frog oddly for a moment and then turned her attention to both guarding her side of the carriage and to trying to catch peeks of Sasuke between the curtains of the twin windows on the twin carriage doors. Whatever Naruto chose to ride was his problem not hers and therefore she wasn't going to put much effort into paying it any mind.
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I simply remount my horse and the whole party of us gets underway. I would expect that much from Naruto. He's just like that. Does his own thing... all the time. Goes on and on about how it's his way of the ninja, his Nindo... He's right but still. After several hours of riding, I notice that I'm getting a little stiff, but I don't say anything. I'll just deal with it and when I finally get off I'll hide the fact as best as I can. It doesn't occur to me until we reach our predetermined campsite that Naruto and I... will be sharing a tent. Convenient is the first thought that comes to mind to my surprise... which, I almost don't believe, because... well, I have gotten used to him sleeping next to me... It's sort of conducive to me trying to prove that I trust him, and ... that he's my friend.
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Junichiro waited in his carriage as his tent was set up by his attendants before coming out and immediately looking around for Sasuke. It irked him when he saw Sasuke and Naruto pitching a tent that was clearly big enough for the both of them. After watching Sasuke all day through his window, Junichiro decided he wanted the raven-haired youth as a companion, if not more. He entered his tent and sent a servant after the pale ninja, sitting down in a pile of cushions to wait.
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Dammit, I forgot we're sharing a tent. It's been so long since we've gone on an overnight mission. Before I didn't mind but now that I've been waking up with Sasuke against my back for two and a half weeks... I'm not quite sure how I feel about this.
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I look up as one of our charge's attendants approaches us. We've just finished up the tent and I've tossed my bedroll and pack inside on the right side of the tent, which is where I normally sleep when Naruto is beside me, when the attendant finally speaks.
"Sir... Junichiro-sama would like a word with you... this way please..." And then without waiting for a response the pompous little bastard turns and heads towards the tent that's far too big for this kind of trip, but for the fact that we have the carriage and an extra horse to carry extra stuff. I just hope we never have to hurry during this trip. I sigh and then follow the ass to Junichiro's tent and am escorted in. I stand just inside the door flap-way and stare at him waiting. This had better be good.
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"Sasuke-san, welcome," the lordling said smoothly with an easy smile. "Please, have a seat." He gestured to a cushion in front of him and waited patiently while the ninja made himself comfortable. "There are a few things I would like to discuss with you, if you do not mind." He clearly expected for Sasuke to say "No, of course not".
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"Hm," is all I say in response to that. I just want him to get on with whatever it is he needed to see me about so I can get back to setting up my sleeping place and then see to getting some fresh kill for dinner tonight. This had better be more important than that or I might get very angry.
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"I noticed you are sharing quarters with your... teammate." Junichiro said it as if the word tasted bad. "If you would like, you may sleep here with my attendants instead so that you will not have to sleep in the presence of that demon. That thing must be quite dangerous."
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"Naruto is only dangerous if you piss him off," I state, and soundly. It's true. My teammate can put up with a lot before he loses his cool... in some cases anyway. I give the Fire Lord's son my best stony look. "And my sleeping arrangements are the same on every mission. They're set like this for a reason... is that all?"
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"Surely you would be more comfortable here that in that little tent. Here you would have a futon instead of a bedroll," Junichiro coaxed, wanting Sasuke to be easily accessible to him. He did not trust Naruto one bit. The boy was excessively rude besides holding a dangerous demon. "And you would be in the company of humans as opposed to a monster."
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"There aren't any monsters here. Not yet anyway... and comfort isn't an issue," I say and lift my chin a little. Does this guy even know who I am? I'm an Uchiha! If I really wanted to I could sleep wherever I wanted, but I'm sleeping with my team because my team is like the family I lost... sort of. I wonder if this guy really even noticed that my last name is Uchiha?
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"Come now, Sasuke-san," Junichiro insisted, still smiling easily though it was beginning to look a little forced. "You are practically noble in your own right, coming from such an important clan." Well, that answered Sasuke's question. "I insist that you reside with my attendants for the duration of this mission."
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(Nothing like buttering me up only to burn me in the next second...) I think and my eyes narrow. "I don't sleep with attendants..." I say with a chill to my voice. The temperature around us has to have dropped several degrees.
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Junichiro's smile slid off his face and he looked sternly at Sasuke. "That is an order, ninja. You will move your things here and you will reside with my personal attendants."
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I stiffen. The little bastard! Who the hell does he think he is, ordering me like that?! "Let me tell you something... Sakura, Naruto and I answer only to a select few numbers of the Jounin and Anbu and the Hokage of course... I'm not sleeping anyway but my tent." And then I'm standing and heading out of that oversized tent and head for my own cozy tent where I reach down and turn to face the interior of the tent. Naruto - I notice - is simply sitting there.
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"Yo," I greet, looking up from the scroll I was reading. He wasn't gone very long. He looks really annoyed though... wonder what happened with the wonder-brat. "What'd the pompous ass want?" Kakashi-sensei's gone looking for firewood and sent Sakura hunting since she needs the practice. Once they get back I have the job of cooking - with Sasuke's help since the last time I tried to cook something over a campfire by myself I accidentally let the food burn to a crisp when a really cool bug got my attention.
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"He ordered me to sleep in his tent," I reply shortly, facing Naruto with my pack held in the air between me and him.
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"He WHAT?!" I squeak in angry disbelief. "What in hell for?! Are you actually gonna listen to him?!" How dare he!! How dare he how dare he how - Wait a sec... Why do I care so much? Haven't I been trying to get him to leave me alone since the festival? ...Well, yeah, I have but... but that doesn't mean I'm gonna just sit here and let that pompous jackass steal my best friend!!
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"Tch... Usurakontachi..." I mutter and then finally drop my pack out of the way so I can spread out my bedroll while actually answering "Like hell... He isn't a power over ninja." And in seconds my bedroll is rolled out right alongside his own. Once that's finished I settle in the middle of it cross-legged and stare at Naruto. He's a little... absent for a moment. It makes me wonder what he's thinking.
-----------****-----------
"Good... and I am NOT a moron," I grumble, going back to reading my scroll. I'm a little relieved that he's staying here really... even if it means being used as a teddy bear again. (Shut up, ahou.) "Want me to put frogs in his bed?" I ask out of the blue, not sure where the idea came from but it sounds fun.
-----------****-----------
"Whatever," I mutter in response to that. I actually kind of think it would be funny. Junichiro is too sheltered. I can tell that just by the way he looks and acts. I want to say 'Yes, do it!' but I don't want to open up that much. "Yeah sure... I don't care...."
-----------****-----------
I roll my eyes at him. "Well, aren't we enthusiastic," I taunt, reaching over to tug on his bangs just to be annoying. I'm gonna do it. I haven't summoned Gamakichi and his brothers in a long time and they love pulling pranks just as much as I do. Hmmm... maybe I can talk them into helping me round up creepies to scare the brat out of his skin. I snicker as I imagine the yells. Bet he screams like a girl.
-----------****-----------
Naruto's snickering should worry me, not lull me into a sense of security and comfort. Regardless, I try not to dwell on it too much. I try to quell my curiosity - who wouldn't be curious when he snickers like that? - and then crawl out of the tent and stand, stretching . I wonder if the lordling brat will go to Kakashi and complain about how I wasn't following orders.
----------------------
Kakashi stood up after dumping a double armful of logs by the fire pit and waved at Sasuke to walk over. "Hey. I hear his highness gave you an order that you refused."
---------------------
I walk over to Kakashi and shrug one shoulder. "It was a stupid order. He ordered me to sleep in his tent with his attendants. Like I'm one of his servants�" I give him a brooding look and toss my bangs out of my face. "He was continually telling me that I didn't want to sleep with the 'monster'�" I know my tone easily tells what I think of those words.
----------------------
"Naruto's only a monster when he's thinking of a prank or when he's extremely angry. More when he's pulling pranks," Kakashi said with a smirk. His smirk was short-lived though. "I hate to do this, Sasuke, but I have to ask you to obey him. Just for tonight." He held up a hand before Sasuke could protest. "I know, I know, you don't want to. But as you know, much of the village's resources come from the Fire Lord, and if his son finds any fault in us during this mission, there is a possibility that the Fire Lord could decrease the amount of funds we get. We were chosen for this mission because Tsunade considers us one of the best teams, and if Konoha's best team is deemed to be arrogant and refuses to take orders� I have spoken with Junichiro and he has agreed that he will be satisfied even if you only spend one night with his attendants." His voice lowered in volume. "Apparently he thinks one night will convince you to stay there." He rolled his eye.
----------------------
"Then he's an idiot," I say shortly and turn on my heel without another word. I re-enter the tent and snatch up my pack, tossing it over my shoulder and then turning to leave. I can feel Naruto's eyes on me, but what is there to say? I'm following orders.
-----------****-----------
I reach out and grab his sandal. "Where're you going?" I demand, my stomach fluttering nervously. What is going on? Just a bit ago he said he was staying! Don't tell me he's actually gonna listen to that brat now?!
-----------****-----------
"Kakashi just instructed me to stay there for one night to appease the little bastard," I mutter, stopping dead in my tracks with his hand on my sandal like that. My voice drips the venom I feel over this situation and I'm more than ready to maul something. I would rather stay here, in the presence of someone I know and trust, than to stay in the tent - which will be overcrowded with more people I do not know - of someone who does not trust my team to function and do its job properly.
-----------****-----------
"Well damn," I scowl, letting him go and flopping backwards onto my bedroll. "What'd he do, go crying to Kakashi-sensei like the overgrown baby he is?" I want him to stay here, dammit! Even if I have been trying to get away from him since the festival, it's completely different when we're on a mission. On missions I like to have someone close by at all times... especially him. As much as I hate to admit it sometimes, he's the only one I honestly trust when I need someone to watch my back, other than my mentors. (Shut up, damn fox. How many times do I have to tell you that NO I am not going to ask him that?!)
-----------****-----------
"Ha~..." I grumble. "I'll see you in the morning..." I leave then, a little disappointed for some reason. I think maybe it's because all he did was grouch a little and let it go. Isn't he supposed to be the loudest ninja in all of Konohagakure when he's unhappy... or does that just apply to certain other people? Not really pleased with any of this business, I head back over to Junichiro's tent and announce my presence by simply walking through the front tent flap. I wonder where the hell I'm going to sleep for a moment when it occurs to me that I won't be sleeping tonight. I'm certain of it. Even if I had wanted to sleep despite being amongst potential enemies... I won't be able to. Not a chance in hell that I'll even get some rest. Feeling even less inclined to be doing this, I stand there and look about me, feeling obstinate and not even bothering to put the effort forward to find out where I'll be put. This is absolutely ridiculous.
-----------****-----------
As I watch him go I feel a black mood settle over me. This just isn't fair... He clearly doesn't want to be anywhere near that bastard and yet he's being forced into it. The only reason I didn't protest more is because Kakashi-sensei normally has a solidly good reason behind his orders and arguing with him often goes nowhere. Muttering curses under my breath, I get out of my tent and get a fire going so that we can eat as soon as Sakura gets back with food. I hope he'll be okay tonight...
-----------****-----------
Junichiro looked up from supervising something and smiled at Sasuke. "Sasuke-san, welcome. Follow me and I will lead you to your bed." Playing the good host he led Sasuke to a back corner of the large tent, where a futon had been set up with curtains around it for privacy. "Make yourself comfortable. You will be eating with me in a short while." It was not an invitation. Satisfied that he now was going to be obeyed, Junichiro walked out of the servants' tent towards his own.
-----------
Eating with him?! That bastard is just being a pain in the ass now. It isn't like me to think like this... but damn it, I don't want to eat with his high-brow, royal highness! The prick is probably going to make some huge fuss about etiquette and I don't even want to think about what I'm going to be eating... I sigh in defeat and drop my pack on 'my' futon. At least Naruto will get the use of my bedroll on top of his own ... and now he'll have more dinner to boot. Those three probably aren't even going to miss me... I feel like throttling this little ... Nevermind. Anger won't get me anywhere.
-----------****-----------
"Where's Sasuke-kun?" was the first sentence out of Sakura's mouth as she approached the fire, two ducks and three rabbits in hand. It was more than enough meat for the four person team, but she only saw two of her teammates sitting by the fire, and the one she wanted to see the most wasn't there.
"Junichiro-sama insisted that Sasuke spend the night with his attendants," Kakashi answered while Naruto just took one of the rabbits and began to skin it quickly, his jaw clenched tightly. He didn't like the storm clouds that covered the blond's face. They meant he was brooding, and a brooding Naruto could be very dangerous.
-----------
(So what do you think? Wood lice, spiders, and caterpillars? ... Earthworms. Perfect. ... Snakes aren't as much fun as bugs. With bugs it's a lot harder to get rid of them all.) It's not every day I plan a prank with the demon's help, but this is a special case. That bastard of a noble is trying to steal my best friend and that deserves special punishment. I smirk evilly. There are going to be screams come morning, I'm going to make sure of it.
-----------
She scowled and it was a black expression fit for the face of Orochimaru. Sitting down, Sakura pouted, still functioning, but pouting nonetheless. She was less than pleased at this forceful intrusion into the workings of her team... especially since it was Sasuke that had been taken from her. Dinner was a silent affair, one with dark clouds over the heads of all present but their Jounin.
-----------****-----------
*Predawn, The Forest*
-----------
I look at the large pile of invertebrates in front of me and fox-grin at my small army of frogs. They really outdid themselves this time. I congratulate them and send them to put the creepies in the lordling-bastard's bed, promising that they can eat the bugs once his high-and-mightiness starts screaming. But I keep one of the frogs - Gamakichi - behind to ask him a favor. I... ask him to go check on Sasuke and make sure he's okay. ...I haven't been able to get any sleep tonight. As tired as I am from traveling all day yesterday I just haven't been able to. I think I've gotten too used to having him there when I sleep... somehow. (When I sleep, ahou. ... Is it required for demons to be horny or something?) It�s hard to believe how much can happen in a couple weeks. I didn't realize until tonight just how comforting it is to have someone sleeping next to you. Now that I think about it, I haven't had a single nightmare since I started staying at his place... (One of these days I am going to have Tsunade-baba find a way to muzzle or castrate you, damn fox.) Shaking my head to bring my attention back to the prank at hand, I send Gamakichi on his way after his brothers. ...I wonder if he's been having as much trouble sleeping as I am tonight.
-----------****-----------
There's something here with me. I can sense its presence approaching me... and I am completely on edge. Absolutely on edge. I've had no sleep, but as soon as I whip up and around to stab at the intruder - be it animal or human - I stop. It's a frog, which means he's from Naruto. At least the attendants are asleep and won't see this... it might just give them something else to accuse me of. Bedding frogs, or some such... they've been muttering everything else tonight. I lower my weapon and stare at the frog intently. If I'm not mistaken, it's Gamakichi.
-----------
"Yo," the little frog greeted. "Naruto just wanted me to check if you're okay. Looks like you're just as unable to sleep as he is."
-----------
I stare at him for a minute and then ask, "What do you mean 'as unable to sleep as he is'?" Naruto can't sleep? Why?
-----------
"He hasn't slept a wink, and apparently neither have you."
-----------
No, I haven't slept at all. I feel a little... happy that Naruto can't sleep any more than me. Instead of saying any of the many things drifting through my mind, I simply tell the frog, "Tell him I'm fine... sleepless but fine."
-----------
Gamakichi nodded. "Okay." He turned around to head back to Naruto and said over his shoulder, "Don't be surprised if you hear yelling from the lord's tent." He grinned. "My brothers are over there." With that he hopped away.
-----------
A little puzzled, I nod and settle back onto my futon when all of a sudden a shriek fills the tent. I'm tempted to stand and rush in there but as it is I stand slowly, stretch stiffly, and head into the part of the tent that belongs to Junichiro. What I find there, makes me want to laugh uproariously. Frogs are eating bugs that were obviously in Junichiro's bed. I decide to simply stand there and watch. Kakashi will be coming soon... and Naruto and Sakura... I wonder what our Jounin will do about this...
-----------****-----------
Yep, I knew it. My lord bastard screams like a girl. Slowly, I exit my tent after finishing my conversation with Gamakichi and walk over to the tent emitting the screams. I know Kakashi-sensei and Sakura are already over there - I heard them run over at the first yell. When I walk into the lordling's tent it takes a lot of willpower to not burst out laughing. He's standing on top of a small dresser that's creaking ominously under his weight as my buddies hop around, eating their hearts out.
-----------
"YOU!!" Junichiro screeched when Naruto walked in, red in the face from fury and pointing at him. "This is all YOUR doing!! Get rid of this right now!!"
"As soon as they've eaten their fill they'll leave," Naruto said calmly, watching as the number of bugs quickly diminished.
"I want them out NOW!!!"
"If you will excuse us a moment." After bowing to Junichiro, Kakashi grabbed Naruto's arm and dragged him out of the tent. "Dispell them now," he ordered firmly, tightening his grip on Naruto's arm in warning. The blond had chosen a very stupid time to pull a prank and Kakashi planned on telling him just how idiotic he'd been.
-----------
I give Kakashi-sensei a glare but I send the frogs back to their home. My lord bastard is just going to have to deal with the rest of the bugs himself. I yank my arm free and begin to walk back to my tent, changing direction towards Kakashi-sensei's tent when he tells me to do so. Wonderful... lecture time.
-----------
Kakashi re-entered Junichiro's tent and began to apologize for Naruto's poor behavior.
-----------****-----------
Feeling freed of my obligation to stay � it�s morning now anyway - I gather up my things and exit without so much as a word. I know exactly where Naruto is and I make a B-line for the tent of our master, pushing the flap aside without announcing my presence and I enter settling beside him with folded legs. "It's noisy in there..." I complain and cover a yawn with one arm-socked hand.
-----------****-----------
"I bet," I grin. Any lecture is worth the wonderful screams of yet another prank victim. My grin fades a bit as I watch him. "You look as tired as I feel." He really does. I've always been good at hiding how exhausted I am and so has he, but I've been around him long enough to learn the difference between the "I'm tired" face and the "I'm being antisocial, go away" face.
-----------****-----------
I'm silent for a long time before finally admitting what he already knows. "I couldn't sleep." I wonder what he'll say. I just admitted to be less than perfect. I'm exhausted because I couldn't sleep. I couldn't sleep... because he wasn't there.
-----------****-----------
"Me neither." I yawn and stretch out on the ground next to his knee with a sigh, folding my arms behind my head as a pillow. "It's kinda funny how fast you can get used to something, ne?" Now that he's here next to me, my tiredness has caught up to me and it's getting really hard to keep my eyes open. I have time for a short nap... I have a feeling Kakashi-sensei's gonna be in the brats tent for a long time. "Wake me up when sensei gets here. ...On second thought, don't. I hate lectures." I yawn one more time and fall asleep.
-----------****-----------
I watch him in silence for a minute and then yawn myself. I'm as tired as he is. I toss my pack off to the side and slowly stretch out beside him. I'll just sleep until Kakashi gets here too, since I figure he'll be gone for a while. Laying parallel to him like this makes the world seem so much safer, warm despite the darkness, and in moments I'm fast asleep as well.
-----------
*Hours Later*
-----------
Looking rather harried, Kakashi entered his tent - and nearly tripped over his two sleeping students. Muttering a curse he shook them both awake. Once they were both awake enough that he knew they would listen, he sat down across from them and crossed his arms. He had a hunch that Sasuke had known about the prank beforehand and confirmed it with a question. That done he began to lecture them up one side and down the other, expressing his disappointment in them and their maturity level and why it was so important that they get along with Junichiro.
-----------****-----------
Oh my god, I didn't know Kakashi-sensei could talk this much in one go! He's been chewing us out for a good hour now! ...There, he's finally winding down. Personally I don't care what that little bastard thinks of me. He already doesn't like me for being the fox's container so I figure making him hate me a little more isn't gonna do any damage. And he tried to steal my best friend so nyah. (Yes, nyah. ... Oh, shut up.) Yes! He's done! About time! "Can we go now?" I ask irritably.
"Yes," Kakashi-sensei says. "But you both now have to do all the hunting, cooking, and setting up camp for the rest of the trip."
Whatever, as long as we can get out of here! "Fine," I mutter and leave as fast as I can. Speaking of hunting... I'm starving.
-----------****-----------
I don't care. I never have before, so why should I start now? I stand and grab my pack, dropping it in my and Naruto�s tent on the way while following Naruto off for the morning's hunt. It's quiet and so are we... a little surprising for him, but I'm not complaining. Again he makes me wonder... this time about what he might be thinking...
-----------****-----------
It doesn't take long before we've killed four large rabbits - one for the each of us. I walk back to camp slowly and it doesn't surprise me when he falls in step beside me. I don't want to go back just yet... I've been thinking a lot throughout the hunt and I want to be able to talk to him freely. "Why don't you hate me like everyone else?" I ask quietly, remembering when my lord bastard refused to let me come along yesterday morning just because of the thing I carry inside me.
-----------****-----------
"Why should I? You're you. Not it," I answer simply and immediately, and then counter him with logic. "Why don't you worship me or expect more than I can give, ever?" The streets runs both ways, give and you shall receive... if people believed that stuff more often then it would be a better world, and people like Naruto and I would have an easier time... but we might never make such strong bonds or true friendship... like the one we share now.
-----------****-----------
"'Cause you're a real bastard most of the time," I taunt with a smirk. "Or you used to be anyway. Now I'm not so sure... I'm starting to think you're actually human." I just grin when he snorts, but it fades quickly. "Seriously though..." I say softly. "I never saw any reason to worship you like everyone else. And all I wanted from you was friendship... but you never opened yourself to anyone and I decided to be your rival instead. I figured that if I could be better than the great Uchiha Sasuke then maybe... I dunno... I didn't want the fan club so much as the respect." I shrug and pick up the pace a bit, a little self-conscious from revealing more than I meant to. (Yes, yes, we'll eat soon. ... No I am _not_ going to eat the rabbit raw. ... Because it's gross, that's why!)
-----------****-----------
I keep up with him, mulling his words over in my head. I think I understand him now. Why he acts the way he does most of the time... We reach camp then though and I hold my peace, acting like I usually act as Sakura fawns over me and scolds and abuses poor Naruto. Kakashi still looks very pissed, and I haven't seen or heard from Junichiro since the prank. "When are we moving out?" I ask Kakashi as we all begin to eat the fresh-cooked rabbit.
-----------
"As soon as they finish ridding my lord's bed and tent of insects and worms," Kakashi grumbled, somehow managing to eat the rabbit in the small spaces of time where none of them were looking at him.
-----------
I'm tempted to say that I'd told Juni-bastard to let the frogs finish eating but noooo... But I don't want another lecture so I keep my mouth focused on devouring my breakfast. I wonder what he thinks about what I told him...? Will it drive him away or will it make us stronger friends?
-----------****-----------
*That Night*
-----------
Junichiro quietly tiptoed his way to Sasuke and Naruto's tent. He had again spent the day watching Sasuke through his carriage window and had decided to try again and win the raven-haired youth over. For most of his life he had heard the whispers in court about how men and women (sometimes men and men or women and women) interacted and wanted to see if he could put his gleaned knowledge to use. He was almost to the tent when a sudden sound stopped him in his tracks. There it was again. It was... a moan?!
-----------
I was asleep. Now... I'm only kind of asleep. I'm not sure what it was that woke me up, but for once I'm completely lucid if not entirely conscious, in a second. A little groggily I listen and hear from right in front of me another moan. It had to have been the moans that woke me up. Naruto's squirming might have done it too though... well, no. He's not moving that much. I'm about to close my eyes and go back to sleep - he's probably having a nightmare and the best thing to do is let it run its course - while tightening my arm around his waist for comfort to maybe soothe him anyway, when my name slips past his lips as one of the moans. I freeze, lying perfectly still.
He moans my name again, a little louder this time, and his fingers curl around the blanket as he squirms. His other hand slips slowly under the blankets and I can only imagine where it's going. Clumsy with sleep he presses back against me as the blankets around his waist stir slightly. Little groans escape his mouth. After what seems like an eternity he shudders with a whimper and stills, his breathing a little ragged but quickly evening out again. ...That did not just happen. I'm too stunned to really do much of anything. I... don't know what to say... or do... or even think at this moment. I'm confused... because for some reason... that actually stirred a response from me. I thought I'd be... frigid for the rest of my life. Women have always been pains in the ass to me... so I've never found them attractive, but Naruto moans my name a few times and rubs his... nice, firm... gah, ass! against mine and... I think I don't know what to think... My mind goes still and silent though I'm not asleep. Then the thought surfaces: maybe it isn't unusual that I shouldn't like girls... I need to think more about this, so I let my mind wander a little bit.
-----------
Horrified by what he'd just heard, Junichiro silently walked up to the tent and pulled the flap open just enough to peek inside. The rage he'd felt that morning at the prank was easily eclipsed by the rage coursing through him now. Sasuke was spooned up against Naruto's back and looking very cozy. Too cozy. The lordling dropped the tent flap and quietly slipped back to his own tent. He'd get his revenge in the morning. There was no way he was going to lose to a demon!
-----------****-----------
There's... a mess... in my boxers... Aw, shit. That damn demon gave me a wet dream about Sasuke again! (How many times have I told you not to do that?! Damn perverted fox!!) Why the fox always picks him I don't know, but it's sure annoying. ...Kuso, I hope he didn't wake up! I quickly become fully awake as my face burns with embarrassment and I whisper, "Sasuke...? You up?" Please don't be awake! Please please please!!
-----------****-----------
I remain absolutely 'asleep'. I'm good at this, playing opossum. I even manage to keep my blush down low enough that he can't see it in the dark tent. He sounds mortified... and I don't blame him. Not at all.
-----------****-----------
Oh thank God... Doing my best not to wake him up, I untangle myself from him and crawl silently over to my pack in the corner. Looking behind me to double-check that he's really asleep I pull out a clean pair of boxers and a clean towel. Muttering at the demon for being a stupid pervert I pull off my boxers and wipe myself off, then wrap my soiled underwear in the towel and shove the bundle into the bottom of my pack. After pulling on a fresh pair of underwear I silently crawl back into my bedroll. It doesn't take long for me to fall back asleep, arguing with that damn fox until sleep silences me.
-----------****-----------
More than I had bargained for... I can't believe it. I'm glad he isn't cuddled right back up to me yet. I hope... pray... whatever... that he won't do that until after this goes away. Or mostly away... I want him... there's no denying the physical attraction now. Oh no.
Now not only do I want his friendship but I want something more as well... this is something I'm going to have to think over very carefully. Damn it, I want to be asleep and taking care of this problem as easily as he did. But I know that isn't going to happen, gods! This is hard... It's his fault for giving me more show than I needed... and not as much as I wanted... when did my mind change like this!? I try not to groan or moan and roll over, putting my back to him as though in sleep. It's going to be a long rest of the night.
-----------****-----------
*Next Morning*
-----------
I wake up feeling strangely cold. Turning over, I see that he has his back to me... That's strange. He's always cuddled up to me come morning. (You're awake? Go back to sleep... it's too early to deal with you.) Not quite ready to get up yet, I start to roll over and lay against him for a change when all of a sudden there's light in my eye. The hell?! ...Oh. Kakashi-sensei. Dammit, I wanted more sleep! "Breakfast, now. Wake him up and get to it. We're leaving in two hours." And then he leaves. Two hours, huh? That means I can sleep for another fifteen minutes. I finish rolling over and snuggle into his back, quickly dozing off. Warm...
-----------****-----------
I wake very slowly, feeling a warm solid thing at my back and I groan shifting into it a little, trying to get as close to the warmth as possible. It's got to be early... there's probably time to sleep. I can't figure out what's behind me at first... but then I realize that there's only really one person it could be. Feeling as not with it as I usually do upon waking these days, I roll over and face him snuggling close with the image of cuddling foxes in a burrow fuzzily drifting in my head.
-----------****-----------
Feeling him shift I wake up again, but I fall asleep again as soon as I've thrown an arm around him, pulling him closer to bury my nose in the hair just behind his temple. He makes a good teddy bear... Maybe I do too and that's why he's always lying against me in the morning...
-----------****-----------
Half an hour later Kakashi walked back into the tent and ripped the cover off of them. "Up. Now. You need to find and make breakfast." He was still very annoyed with them for the prank and didn't care how tired they might be.
-----------
I snort a little and attempt to burrow more into Naruto's chest. I don't know why I should have to get up... I roll my shoulder a little while trying to will myself back into the darkness of sleep. It's aching again.
-----------****-----------
I crack one eye open and glare at Kakashi-sensei. I'm comfortable, you bastard... and okay, yeah, hungry too... Oh alright, I'll get up. Untangling myself from Sasuke I crawl over to my pack for clothes. Kakashi-sensei leaves, satisfied that I'm moving. As I pull my pants on I nudge my bedmate with a foot. "Up. Don't make me bite you." Hmmm... bird. I want bird for breakfast. Yep, definitely bird.
-----------****-----------
I hear a mumble but in my hazy state it's indiscernible as more than that. I curl up a little tighter and grumble putting a hand over the burning where my neck joins my shoulder towards the back. Stupid pain.... Yes, I want to sleep so stop it.
-----------****-----------
Sighing, I crawl over and give a lock of his hair a sharp tug. "Wake up, lazy slug. We have to find food. I will bite you," I threaten. I take the hand off his neck and hiss quietly - the Curse Seal's acting up again. Normally it dies down when he becomes fully awake. I shake him a bit, trying to rouse him from his grogginess. "C'mon, Sasuke. It's time to get up."
-----------****-----------
I roll onto my back and look at him. For one moment I'm not sure who he is... and then I remember last night... and everything floods my brain to the point where I sit bolt upright. "I'm up..." I pant a little, gasping as my heart speeds up for two thumps and then slows back down. I don't know why everything startled me... but obviously something got my attention... and I'm not entirely sure that it was my memories from last night.
-----------****-----------
"No you're not..." Rolling my eyes, I stand up and walk outside, heading for the forest. I'll take care of everything. He needs the hour or so before we leave to regain his brain functions. With the fox's help it takes me almost no time to snatch a handful of partridges for breakfast. Good thing too since I've never been good at plucking and that can take me forever. (How many times do I have to tell you I'm not going to eat meat raw? It's gross and just asking for us to die of food poisoning. ... Well sorry for being a weak human but that's how it goes.) Just when I finally get the birds ready for cooking, I feel an angry presence behind me. Wonderful. My lord bastard.
"On your feet, demon," he demands. "I want to have a word with you."
Just to annoy him, I calmly spear the birds on sticks and set them up to cook before standing up. "Yes?" He's glaring at me, the little prick. Jeez, can't he take a prank in stride? He's worse than Sasuke was back when we were kids and he had the stick ten miles up his ass.
"I forbid you from associating with Sasuke-san for the rest of the trip."
...Excuse me?! WHAT did he just say?! Who the hell does he think he is?! "Screw you. I'll do whatever I want, so get the hell out of my face. If Sasuke wants me to leave him alone then I will, but I'm not going to just because you have the mentality of a three-year-old." Suck on that, bastard.
-----------
Loud enraged screeches had Kakashi running towards the campfire. (What happened now?!) He ground to a halt and groaned at what he saw. Junichiro and Naruto were in the middle of a shouting match... and Naruto was definitely winning when it came to the insults. (Is that even a word?!) The Jounin walked over and tried to separate them but their shouts easily covered his attempts to calm them. The insults kept getting nastier and nastier and Kakashi was getting almost afraid of how this would end. (Note to self: next time there's a mission involving a noble, turn it down!)
-----------
Ignoring Kakashi-sensei, I tell that bastard to go do something that I don't think is even anatomically possible with a horde of rats and take great satisfaction in the way his face turns beet red. Ha, beat that!
"At least I'm human," he snarls viciously when he's regained the ability to speak... and I see red. I hate it when people do that... refuse to acknowledge my humanity because of what I carry. My hackles rising, I prepare for an all-out verbal, if not physical, assault.
-----------****-----------
The shrieks pull me out of the tent and I move over to where I can see what's going on. Naruto's upset... Really upset by the insults I hear flying between them. Wonder what they're arguing over this time?
"At least I'm not some bastard son of a crow and horsefly that's trying to break a team apart just so I can bed one of them!!" Naruto screams, getting enraged splutters from Junichiro. Oh, it's over me again. Well... fine. I'll help this one get settled fast enough and maybe that idiot of a noble will finally realize I'm not interested. I move forward and put my arms around Naruto's waist from behind, pulling him as tight against my chest as if we were getting ready for sleep and I nuzzle his ear. Murring a little, and still feeling groggy to be honest, I look to Junichiro with my nose still brushing the edge of Naruto's ear.
"If you're looking for a quick lay then look somewhere else... I've got all the bedtime fun I need." I feel awkward saying it, but I manage to pull it off. It's got to be because of the slightly lazy feeling I've got from sleep yet.
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I start in surprise when all of a sudden there are arms around me and a nose in my ear. Immediately I deflate and just lean back into him, playing along so that the little bastard will go away. His words make me blush furiously but I just mutter, "Didn't we talk about what we do and don't say around other people? I'm pretty sure that was on the 'don't say' list." Play along... just play along... I can chew him out for his word choice later.
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Junichiro's mouth flapped a bit as he searched vainly for the right response to that. Eventually he spun on his heel and stalked towards his tent, fury radiating off him in a thick cloud. It was time to come up with a new plan...
Kakashi watched silently as the lordling left, dreading the storm he knew would come later. Yesterday and today's incidents were only the catalysts... Looking back at the boys he muttered, "When did you two get so friendly? Normally you can't stand each other."
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"Not too long ago..." I mutter to Kakashi and lick once at Naruto's earlobe for good measure before pulling away. I chuckle very softly - probably only Naruto can hear which makes it even better - at the way he turns a darker shade of blush. It was worth it. I realize suddenly that Sakura has been awfully quiet and I turn around to face the rest of my team to find the girl in question staring with wide, surprised teal eyes. I know what she must be thinking. Those two really weren't just wrestling that evening... It's priceless, the look on her face. This is for all the times she's ever participated in a jump Sasuke contest, or tried to push herself on me... and it's for me too... I think some things are about to change between me and the only person that's ever seen me as less than a prodigy and more than a pretty boy. I look back to Naruto to see if he's come around to himself yet.
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"Y'know, it would have been a good idea to tell me about you being an exhibitionist," I grumble, razzing him over my shoulder. "Pervert." I kneel down and check on the state of our breakfast, using that to hide the fact that I am now so flustered it isn't funny. (Will you please keep your horny comments to yourself?!) My mask slips easily into place and I smirk as if nothing's wrong. But on the inside... my stomach is doing flips. I'm highly aware of the wetness on my ear from his tongue, as well as the residual heat from his body on my back. When did he start having this much of an effect on me?! Back when we started this whole game to keep people away from us - fangirls from him and ambushers from me - it was just that! A game! But now... I don't know anymore. (No, I am not going to lay him!!)
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I yawn, covering it with a hand and then stretch a little before settling near him to help with the cooking. I mutter, "Thanks for getting breakfast and starting it... I couldn't have woken up right then if I had wanted to," and take over the checking of the food completely. It's only fair. Absently, I wonder what Junichiro will do this time to get even for turning him down again. If he's like the rest of my unwanted entourage... he'll be harder to get rid of than that. I hear feet move quietly away and know that it is Sakura by the light and even steps. She's hurt... but she'll get over it. I can't feel too badly for her. I've never led her to believe otherwise about me. She got her own hopes up.
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"I know," I murmur back, leaning back on my hands to watch the flames as my blush finally dies. I can see Kakashi-sensei walking away out of the corner of my eye - he's probably going to read more of his ecchi books before we head out. "That seal is really causing you problems... Have you found out about any ways to get rid of it?" I don't know if he knows just how much the Curse Seal acts up in the morning... I'll have to watch him at night and see if it does the same thing while he's asleep. If it does he's in some deep crap.
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�No. I've looked everywhere and tried everything. The only place I haven't looked is that scroll... The one the Hokage keeps. I've tried everything from basic to as complicated as I can manage on my own. So far Kakashi's seal hasn't done more than make it easier for me to ignore it... but I'm wondering how long that will last."
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"Hm." I stare into the fire, thinking. Maybe I should tell him. Old news doesn't hurt, and he has a right to know what happens to him almost every morning. "Y'know... that thing tends to flare up just before you wake up. Not a lot, just spinning a bit and glowing. Sometimes it spreads a little bit but it quickly shrinks again..." My nose tells me the birds are done and I take them away from the fire to cool before we eat them.
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"I'm not surprised... I always try to remember something when I'm finally lucid... but I never can. That must be it..." An odd image flashes through my mind... I think it's Orochimaru and his mouth is moving but it's there and gone again in the blink of an eye so I just sigh and take one of the birds. They aren't big game birds and we'll each eat one. I think they're cool enough. "Oi, loudmouth... call the others..." I mutter to him and take a bite.
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"KAKASHI-SENSEI!! SAKURA-CHAN!! BREAKFAST!!" I holler right in his ear, deciding I've been serious long enough and want to have fun now. I am not going to let myself be in a bad mood all day just because that little bastard ruined my morning. But tonight I will definitely watch Sasuke while he's asleep... I hope the seal doesn't act up any more at night than it does during the day...
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I watch as our other two teammates appear. Sakura looks like she's come to some fierce conclusion - probably some form of denial for what she just witnessed between Naruto and myself - and Kakashi just looks like he always does. Our sensei takes his bird and leaves so he can eat in peace. I just roll my eyes and keep eating. My ear is ringing from Naruto's yelling, but I pretend like it's nothing and keep on chewing. No sense in letting him know I have sensitive ears. He'll just use it against me eventually.
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*That Night*
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The quiet song of crickets filters through the material of our tent and it's making it hard for me to stay awake. We traveled for longer today than any other day so far and I'm bone-tired. A frog is not that much more comfortable than a horse when it comes to riding all day. At least I don't get saddle-sore. He's cuddled up next to me again, but this time I'm facing him and watching his neck carefully. For the past couple hours it hasn't done anything and my body is demanding rest. I'm just about to give in when he shifts... and the seal comes to life. Before I can even blink it spreads like wildfire across his skin, covering half of him before stopping. Not good... this is not good! I have to wake him up so he can put it under control again!
"Sasuke! Oi, Sasuke!" I call loudly, taking a hold of his unmarked shoulder and giving him a firm shake.
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It seems like an eternity between the time I hear a voice to the time I open my eyes jolting awake in an instant. I see him all blue eyes and blond hair shadowed by the night and then I shriek. The pain's so intense that I jerk onto my side with my back to the strange person next to me and double up into the fetal position. The pain is pulsing and I can feel it spreading farther along my skin, burning and stabbing me like a thousand slender knives. It's disgusting this feeling of wriggling just under the top layer of my skin and the pain makes me try to stand, but I only get as far as my hands and knees. What did I hope to do... outrun it? Oh, god the pain...
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Shit!! This wasn't what I'd wanted to happen!! (Not NOW, fox!!) I sit there for a moment, unsure of what to do, before I scrabble to my feet and run for Kakashi-sensei's tent. I need help! He needs help!! Oh god what have I done?! I run into my mentor halfway to his tent and I just turn to lead him back to the source of the screams. We kneel down next to Sasuke and I pull him close so that he's leaning on me while Kakashi begins trying every Jutsu he can think of to make that bloody thing retreat. Not knowing what else to do I start murmuring soothing nonsense in his ear. Please Sasuke... please, come back to me... You can fight this, I know you can...
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Sakura burst into the tent and froze just inside. It was a small tent and so she all the way in, but she knew better than to try and cram in more. "Oh my god, Sasuke-kun! Naruto! What's wrong with Sasuke?!" She knew her voice was panicked but Sasuke was writhing and arching up and screaming and that damn seal was coating his body again! A hand flew to her mouth as she stared in terror.
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I can't think, I can't see, I can feel my body straining... I think I'm going to tear muscles if this keeps up. I grab something - it flashed in my line of sight in one of the downward pulses of pain - I think it's a hand. I squeeze it anyway screaming again and arching up as the pain ascends once more. This is hell... and I want to die...
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I squeeze his hand hard, trying to be his anchor. My other arm wraps around him tightly, holding him to my chest in an attempt to keep him still. I make sure to keep the left side of his neck clear so Kakashi-sensei can work.
"C'mon, Sasuke," I murmur right in his ear. "Fight it. You can win, I know you can. Don't let that damn seal win. If you lose I'll never forgive you." I can't lose him... not like this. He's my best friend. My only true friend. I don't even want to think about what would happen to me if I lost him...
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"What is going on here?!" Junichiro demanded as he entered the tent, having been woken up by Sasuke's screams. He froze at what he saw.
"Sakura, take my lord back to his tent," Kakashi said shortly. This tent had been overcrowded as it was and he had to concentrate if he was to help Sasuke any. "Now!" he ordered when she didn't move.
Sakura started as if from a daze and turned ushering Junichiro out with a well-controlled shove. "Come with me, Junichiro-sama.... We can't do anything for Sasuke-kun right now... Let's let Kakashi-sensei and Naruto take care of him." Without waiting for a response, she planted her hands firmly on the backs of his shoulders and propelled him back to his own tent, for as much as she wanted to be with Sasuke, she couldn't do anything for him and so would leave him in the care of those who could.
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"Ah-ahhhhhgh!" The pain tightens more and I scream louder, my body straining, wanting to get away from whatever it is that makes it hurt so much... but then another pain that is accompanied by the loudest, slowest crack I have ever heard shoots up my arm.... and the other pain leaves me entirely, receding like the tide, leaving behind only the throb of several fresh breaks. My hand is broken... and yet it still clings so tightly to the darker one within it. Darker? I turn my head and bump noses with...
"Naruto..." My throat hurts and my voice is hoarse... "Nanda...." I try and then cough. My throat is so dry and I'm trembling like a leaf. What the hell just happened?
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Owowowow... I think he broke a couple of my fingers along with his. But I don't try to separate our hands. I just hug him closer and bury my face in his hair. "It's okay... You're okay now..." I murmur, feeling relief overtake me and threaten to make me shake as badly as he is. I was so scared... Thank God he's alright... Sasuke...
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Kakashi watched them silently, just as relieved as Naruto that Sasuke had managed to force the seal back, but he was still wary. Winning one battle did not mean they'd won the war. Silently he left the tent, returning with a water skin. "Get this into him," he ordered Naruto gently. "Sasuke, get some rest. You and I have to figure out what to do about that thing in the morning. Oyasumi." He left again, headed this time for Junichiro's tent so he could tell the lordling and Sakura what had happened. And to make sure they didn't storm the boys' tent trying to find out for themselves.
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I lay there panting in his arms for long minutes. My hand hurts like hell, but at least it's a relief compared to what just happened. I don't remember much of it.... just the pain and some soft, indiscernible whispers. I cough again and close my eyes tightly. I can't believe how weak I feel right now.
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Gently I pull our hands apart, wincing at the pain, and lay him down on his bedroll. My fingers are swollen and purple... but that's nothing compared to his hand. His looks to be ten times worse. At least I know my fingers are already healing and should be fine in a couple days. I grab a clean towel and soak it in the cool water Kakashi-sensei gave me, wrapping it around his hand to help with the swelling and pain. Lifting his head carefully I press the opening of the water skin to his mouth. "Here. Drink," I order softly. (I don't know how bad it is. ... Since when were you concerned about him? ... Should have guessed. Horny demon.)
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Wincing with a quick inhalation as our hands are separated, I simply lay there and tremble and let him take care of me. I swallow deeply from the water skin, feeling the dry ache in my throat ease a little. "Thank you..." I manage. For some reason I'm not upset over him seeing me like this, this weak. For me, in the beginning, I wouldn't have been able to have stood having him see me like this... when did it change? When did I change?
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"Think you can manage an aspirin and a little food?" I'm gonna have to rig up some sort of splint for his hand. If his hand doesn't heal properly it will spell serious trouble. At least it's not his right hand. It surprises me that he's not being more... I dunno, resisting of help, I guess. Normally he wouldn't be saying anything and glaring at me for even daring to come near him while he's like this. ...And normally I wouldn't help him this readily. When did we change? When did our friendship become more important than our rivalry?
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"Yeah," I mutter and lift my hand to look at it pulling the soaked towel off now that the trembling has stopped. "This needs to be set and.... I can't do it." I still don't like admitting that, for any reason.
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"I'll do it in a second," I assure him, handing him two pills and the water skin. I put a couple onigiri within his reach. I know he'll get really annoyed if I insist on doing everything for him and the most important thing right now is to make sure he's okay, not to start a fight. "Be right back." I head for the forest, looking for straight, strong sticks to use as splints. I'm pretty sure I have medical tape in my pack and if I don't I know Kakashi-sensei has some.
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I've eaten the onigiri by the time he returns with the sticks and medical tape. I'm not looking forward to more pain, but I know that I need to repair my hand if I'm going to continue being a ninja. I eye the sticks for a minute and refrain from sighing. This isn't going to be fun. "Get it over with fast... I've had enough for one night."
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"How fast we get it done depends on how much you squirm," I point out with a teasing smirk, trying to lighten the mood. I take the towel off his hand and put it into his mouth. "Bite down on that." Gently I feel each of his bones and set them as best I can, taping sticks to them to keep them straight as they heal. I start with his fingers and work my way down to his palm, being especially careful with the bones there. I don't want to accidentally tear any of the muscles. The whole time I bite down on my lip to distract myself from the pain in my own injured hand. Once I'm done setting his bones, I wrap the whole hand in a thick layer of medicinal tape to make sure all the splints stay in place and to act as a cushion. "As soon as we get to a town we need to get you a cast or something," I mutter. "You really did a number on yourself."
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The towel muffles my whimpers... god I feel so weak. I can't believe how weak I am! However, I know that Naruto's hand isn't fairing much better than mine and I point that out in a strained yet slightly defiant voice once I remove the towel from my mouth. Cast be damned... sometimes I could do more than envy Naruto for his fast Healing ability.
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"My hand will be just fine in a couple days," I mutter, laying down next to him. I hold my hand in front of my face and stare at it, willing healing chakra into it so that heals faster. It hurts a lot, but I know that's just because I'm forcing the healing process to go at a faster pace than normal. (A little help here? ... No, I won't ask him how much experience he's had. ... Well screw you too.)
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"Naruto...." I begin cautiously... not sure I want to really know and having this feeling that I already do. "What... exactly happened?"
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"You were sound asleep and that thing wasn't doing anything, then all of a sudden you shifted and it just... exploded. In less than a second it had covered half of you. I panicked and shook you awake in hopes that waking you up would make it retreat, but the second I did you started screaming in pain. I ran to get Kakashi-sensei... you know the rest."
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I stay silent for a while after that, my good hand drifting up to brush my fingers over the mark on the back of my neck. I hate it. I hate the one that gave it to me. I press it and feel the sensation of fangs sinking into my skin again. I shudder and roll onto my side with my back to Naruto. I don't know what to do about this seal... No one's been able to help. I haven't gone to the other two Sannin yet... I'm worried that they'll tell me it's hopeless... and if they say it's hopeless that's it. That's the end. I kamikaze trying to kill my bastard of a brother and call it quits. The only ones that would really miss me would be my unwanted fan club and when have I ever cared about them? I sigh. I'll never get a break in life. I'll probably die before I ever achieve the revenge of my Clan.
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He's in a really bad mood now... and it's all my fault. Feeling guilty, I roll onto my side and scoot close to him, wrapping my arm around his waist to pull him against my chest just like he does to me every night. "Suman," I whisper. "If I hadn't woken you up this wouldn't have happened... suman... but I was... scared..." That's a little hard to admit to him, but it's the truth. Thinking back on it, the times in my life when I've felt the most fear have always been because either my life was in serious danger or when there was a chance that I could lose him...
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I still immediately and stiffen for a second. Then I lay my good arm over top of Naruto's arm around my waist, my good hand grasping his elbow. I don't say anything... not yet anyway. I'm not sure what to say. He was scared? "....For me?"
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I nod slightly, my nose buried deep in his rooster tail. Now that most of the excitement is done and over with, sleep is slowly taking over my mind. My tiredness from today's journey has caught up to me and I won't be awake much longer. Sighing deeply, I hold him tighter. He smells really good...
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My hand tightens on his elbow and I pull his arm more around my waist, effectively pulling him tighter to my back. My hand isn't hurting so bad any more - the meds must be kicking in - and I'm warm and safe. Not something I feel all the time. I let my eyes droop shut as I slowly start to drift into dreamless sleep. With him beside me like this what is there to be afraid of? "Sankyuu... Naruto...." I murmur low in my throat and let sleep claim me entirely.
TBC...
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Reflections (Abandoned WIP)