225Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Maybe I will when Itachi turns into a homo emo fag who goes around singing I Must Be Emo and get his hair to do that flippy thing like that guy from the clan can…Oh, he's already like that? Well, I guess I just don't own Naruto then.
Author's Note: Okay, I want to start off this chapter by thanking all of the wonderful reviews I got. Yes, thank you all! Smiles at every one of ya and waves a hand to sparkle magical fairy dusts so ya'll can fly
I don't accept flames because well, I don't want to.
Writing fanfiction doesn't give me any money. Nobody gets paid on fanfiction so why, I ask all of you bloody flamers out there have to go and ruin people's days just by being an asshole? You don't get paid either! It's not like there's something in it for you. All you get is hate from other people. Why can't you guys just be nice and give me some sugar? If you don't think I deserve it then fine! Don't review me at all. If there's something you don't like say it nicely! Give me constructive criticism if you have to but please no flames.
I NEVER flame anybody. The most I do is just say things like 'I thought it was alright…' or 'you could do some spelling checks' but that is ALL! I've never gone all 'Yo ass on yo mama!' or whatever it is all you sad suckers do and say. The world doesn't need people like you coz people like you can't change anything. You think a writer will get better after being flamed? Piss off, fuckers!
Anyway, here's the second chapter.
Note: I actually like reading yaoi but I find that I cannot write it…It's just…Well, ah! I dunno! I just can't but I love reading them nonetheless. I still think that Sasuke is only suitable with Naruto, hence the femnarusasu.
Sasuke Uchiha stared after the blond boy.
Thanks to his heightened senses, he had heard that the woman the boy was with was his "mother".
It was unknown to the stoic Uchiha, why it was that he had looked at the boy in the first place. Sasuke wasn't homosexual. He had never found any man or woman attractive before. Not sexually for him at least. Women were stupid whiny and pathetic and men were too loud for his taste. Like that Kiba guy; couldn't walk through the hospital without giving most of the patients on life support a death! Men tend to smell bad too…
Yes, well, to Sasuke he's not gay. But he had felt some really weird aura radiating from the boy.
It was a strange feeling; it was like the boy's chakra didn't suit him somewhat. And Sasuke had eyed the boy with a slight interest though of course he maintained his blank expression. Sasuke knew that by the flow of chakra he felt that the boy had not received any shinobi training in all his life. Knowing that only puzzled him even more though.
If the boy hadn't been trained as a shinobi how the hell was it that he could control his chakra like that? No ordinary civilian would be able to make their chakra level increase and decrease at their own whim. It was like as if the boy's chakra wasn't "sticking" to his body.
But then, the woman that boy was with; his mother, was definitely a kunoichi. The minute Sasuke's eyes fell on her, he could tell just by the way she walked and carried herself that she was a kunoichi. There was also the steady, controlled flow of chakra he felt. Now that was a wonder in its self! No decent kunoichi would ever allow their children not to grow and become anything other than a ninja. It was a known fact that in their world, the world that consisted of ninjas, every parent was to raise wonderful and powerful shinobi. If they didn't then they might as well not have been a shinobi in the first place. That was what Sasuke's idea entirely. If he, the great Uchiha Sasuke, were to ever have children they'd DEFINITELY be raised as shinobis.
Sasuke wasn't so adept at sensing chakra but he did get a few pointers from Karin, this girl on his team once. That was of course before she died.
Sasuke didn't really care about her at all in the first place. He needed her because of her abilities and thus, persuaded her to join his own made-up group; Hebi. When Juugo went up and crazy again he accidentally murdered the red headed kunoichi.
Sasuke was about to scold the gigantic Juugo then but he decided against it. The only thing that went through his mind when he looked at Karin's bloodied and mangled body was, "Well, that's one fangirl down…"
He didn't really care if she died while serving him. He didn't care if any of the people in Hebi died while serving him. If they did that would have been an honorable death, in Sasuke's opinion. Everyone who died helping him achieve his goal to kill his brother Itachi should be glad to die for him. Yes, every single one of the; Juugo, Suigetsu and Karin should be glad no should be absolutely delighted to die for Sasuke Uchiha. They were mere tools to assist him on reaching his ultimate ambition; Itachi's death.
After nine years of pursuing Itachi, Sasuke still hadn't manage to kill his brother. Itachi Uchiha was the S-class criminal who had committed the crime of slaughtering his entire clan at the mere age of fourteen. When they had parted ways, Itachi had left Sasuke a new purpose in life and that was to become an avenger consumed only by hate and the need for vengeance. Sasuke had drowned his entire soul in that purpose to live. He lived, ate, breathed, slept only to kill Itachi.
Sasuke had abandoned Konoha and joined Orochimaru as a means to gain power. Once, the sharingan wielder had decided he had enough of the snake sannin he killed the man and took off to form his own group which he called Hebi. He hadn't heard from Suigetsu for a long time since he returned to Konoha. Juugo just completely disappeared. No one had ever heard from the powerful giant since he was brought back to Konoha.
Tsunade was more focused on the top priority of her list though and she didn't bother about Suigetsu or Juugo. Their major concern was the Akatsuki. Konoha's sources had found out that Akatsuki were running low on members and that they were currently recruiting new ones. It would seem that they were in hiding. Since Akatsuki operated at several different bases it was extremely difficult for Sasuke to be sure where Itachi was taking cover. He knew that if he wanted to find Itachi, he would have to wait until more specific news turned up.
The rest of the Akatsuki members were nothing to Sasuke. He was only obsessed with Itachi.
Sasuke inhaled sharply. Let the need for revenge take a small slumber for a while. No need to rush things. Besides, that blond boy was quite interesting.
Sasuke watched as the boy grew smaller and smaller from his eyesight. The bay had a nice set of golden blond hair. He kept it quite long; almost reaching past his shoulders but it was kept in a mess of bright soft spikes sticking out in every direction. His eyes, Sasuke did not fail to notice, were a beautiful cerulean blue. Such brightly colored eyes looked like it had shards of blue crystal embedded in them for they sparkled remarkably. Sasuke had never seen eyes like those before.
The boy's skin was tanned into a smooth honey brown hue. Not a single blemish on his perfect complexion save for the three whisker-like marks he had on each side of his cheek. Those whisker marks intrigued Sasuke the most.
Running away from Konoha, Sasuke had met people with the most bizarre appearances possible but none of them ever managed to peak his interest as much as the boy's whisker marks had. Curious…
Perhaps it was because the boy looked fairly normal and nothing out of the ordinary. He looked like a typical mommy's boy who has been coddled and taken care of all his life. He probably still needed his mother to accompany him to the toilet so he could pee…
Aside form the whisker-like marks and his strange fluctuating chakra; the boy also radiated an aura; a kind of hostile but not quite so hostile aura at the same time. It was as if he was weary of other people but he also wanted them to discover him; to seek him out. He acted like a person keeping a very deep dark fragile secret.
What secret was that? Sasuke was not so sure he was curious enough to go on a wild goose chase just to find out what it was. As much as the boy interests him he would not stick his nose into other people's business. Sasuke wouldn't trouble himself for the sake of others when he himself had a very heavy burden to carry as it is. He needed to avenge an entire clan and nothing else mattered besides that.
"Staring at someone now were we, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked with a teasing look.
Sasuke spared her a look, looked away again and kept silent.
Sakura didn't seem to get offended by this, however. She just went on smiling at Sasuke. She was used to his silent treatment and she couldn't get upset about it any more. Years of trying to get Sasuke to like her finally made her give up on the plan entirely. Getting Sasuke to love her back was an impossible feat and every girl in Konoha was beginning to get the idea.
Sakura used to find him to be very attractive and he still was, there was no denying it. Everyone in the village would say that he was; the women would eagerly shout and scream and the men would probably grudgingly admit. He had been a beautiful boy and now he grew up to become a perfectly handsome male.
Yes, she had been a fool when she chased after him, pining for his attention, pleading for him to go out with her on dates. It had been an infatuated girl's dream; a mere fantasy. The saddest fact was that she truly believed she'd loved him then. Even after his betrayal to Konoha her heart still called out for him. She spent another three years trying to get him to return back to Konoha. During those three years; she discovered that she didn't love Sasuke any more. She didn't even love him in the first place. She was only in love with the idea of him; the Sasuke she wanted to love not the real Sasuke. The real Sasuke would barely even say a word to her much less love her in return. Growing up and maturing had made Sakura realize her true feelings for Sasuke.
She wasn't so certain when she fell out of love with Sasuke but when Kakashi-sensei, Sai and she had dragged Sasuke back from his nearly over battle against Itachi she knew she couldn't keep her feelings for him any longer. She just felt out of love for Sasuke.
The younger Uchiha had been severely injured but so was the older. In fact both had been almost unconscious. That very minute before Sasuke fell to the ground Kakashi-sensei had grabbed him and pulled him away. Hoshigake Kisame, Itachi's partner had taken hold of the older Uchiha, cast them a glance and left abruptly.
When Sasuke awoke and Sakura looked into his cold black fathomless eyes she knew it was over. There was no way he could love her and she couldn't love a person like him either. He was too cold and uncaring for her. Sakura wanted a man that she could cuddle with and laugh with. She couldn't imagine Sasuke doing either of those things.
Despite all this, Sakura still cared for him and she still thought of him as a friend even if he didn't treat her like one.
"You were looking at that blond boy, weren't?" Sakura prodded, "Don't lie to me, I saw you eyeing the boy!"
Sasuke didn't move to make any respond whatsoever. He looked on with the constant expression on his face. Sakura wasn't easily defeated though.
"Oh, sure I thought he was cute too!" Sakura chirped on innocently, "A bit of a pretty boy to me but he's still cute. You like pretty boys, Sasuke-kun?"
This time Sakura saw Sasuke's eyebrow twitch ever so slightly. He looked at her too but in an instant turned to look away again. Without a word, he straightened up and walked away. But before he disappeared into the shadows, Sakura could hear a very soft growl. Stifling a giggle Sakura watched his retreating back.
Sasuke had just returned from a new mission. When he got back he asked Sakura to come to their favorite hang out. It was a ritual for them both. He did it every time after he got back from a mission and Sakura never failed to make herself present even though it would be her talking alone. Sasuke just usually sat on a stool and sipped at his tea. He didn't even really listen to her.
Sakura would start talking about random subjects; the weather was an always, new missions second, the hospital not often, Tsunade-sama rarely and other things. And the man would just sit there, tea cup in hand, treating her like as if she wasn't even there.
Sometimes, well, most of the time really, Sakura wondered why it was that she even bothered about making an appearance during their little outings at their usual café. Sasuke certainly didn't seem to care, he never cared about anything. Anything except, perhaps, if it was about Itachi but that was never good. God only knows what other stupid catastrophe would be on its way if that happens. One of the horrible things that have happened all due to mentioning Itachi's name was Sasuke running blindly into Orochimaru's very wide opened arms. What a nightmare that had been for the entire village. Sakura still remembered the nights when she would stay up all night worrying about him. Sai, their other team member, didn't worry at all but that was obviously because he did not have the ability to express any human emotions.
Thinking and worrying about Sasuke though was never a good thing for Sakura. If anything it made her more depressed and Sakura was tired of being depressed over Sasuke. Some of her other friends, like Ino, had once told her to just simply keep away from him.
"Girl, you gotta get a life of your own," Ino said with a sigh, "I mean, the guy's a walking statue. You might get more from a molding rock. He's just sooooo cold!"
Sakura hadn't said anything. Ino was Sasuke's fangirl too at one time. The two girls had been rivals and had stopped being best friends just for Sasuke. But Ino got over the younger Uchiha faster than Sakura. The pale blond girl had been going out with her teammate Shikamaru and the two had been boyfriend girlfriend ever since.
Ino had declared that she was head over heels in love with Shikamaru; her lazy assed boyfriend. During one of her lovey dovey days, Sakura even heard her best friend whisper in a breathy kind of voice "Sasuke who?".
"Hell, I don't think you should even try to be friends with the guy! I don't think he's worth it," Ino said firmly.
Well, really!
Sakura could understand Ino for saying that. The girl barely knew Sasuke. She wasn't on the same team and she had only fallen for Sasuke's face.
Sakura knew that it might have been a right choice to entirely forget about Sasuke but, she didn't want Sasuke to go on living the way he was. Sasuke seemed to be drowned in his need for vengeance and that was the only thing he lived for. Sakura wasn't as old or as wise as the Hokage but she was old enough to know that to let the need of vengeance consume you was just a way to live an empty life. She didn't want Sasuke to perish all because of his goal. And he would if he kept this up!
Sakura knew very well that having Sasuke falling in love with her was just not going to happen but she did still want him to have something for her. A bond of friendship would have been good for him.
Anyway, if Sasuke was really the cold silent person he was why did he still ask her to meet him after every mission? Sure, it was hardly a date and of course Sakura would be talking to herself but he still asked for her, didn't he? Why would he have done that if he was really a lost cause? Searching her feelings Sakura hoped that maybe Sasuke cared for her too. Maybe Sasuke wasn't such a heartless bastard. Deep down inside he might have a small piece of him that could resemble compassion for her. If Sasuke couldn't even afford to feel that then he was a lost soul; a soul that could never be satisfied until he saw Itachi Uchiha dead.
The truth was, even Tsunade, was a bit skeptical about Sasuke's loyalty. She had told Sakura that she wouldn't be surprised if Sasuke suddenly disappeared again in order to chase after Itachi.
There was a time when it did happen after Sasuke was back in Konoha! He just went up and left. Just like that!
A week later, they'd found him unconscious at the borders of Konoha. He wouldn't say what happened but Sakura suspected it had something to do with Itachi. What else could have gotten him into such a state besides Itachi? Tsunade had almost gone mad with rage that time. She was screaming and yelling; demanding why "the Uchiha brat" had left again. It took both Shizune-san and Kakashi-sensei to restrain her. It didn't help matters either when during that time Tsunade was roaring drunk.
"That kid is nothing but trouble!," Tsunade had ranted later when she was much more sober.
"First he runs off to that sick snake pedophile Orochimaru and then suddenly, outta the frickin' blue, he just 'poofs' away!" she yelled. A couple of reports had gone slamming down onto the desk with so much force that she also got the desk itself to crack in half.
Sakura had listened to Tsunade with a heavy heart. But she sat through it all. She'd flinched every once in a while at the words Tsunade uttered. It wasn't so much the use of swear words that hurt Sakura's ear but it was the brutal truth Tsunade was delivering that was so painful to hear.
"You know what, Sakura-chan?" Tsunade cried with a horse humorless laugh.
"I've had it! I've washed my hands off that little brat! He can take off and disappear all he wants but I will not worry myself any longer! I vow that the next time he does it I am so not gonna be surprised! But as long as he's still here, I'll make good use of him…"
After the horrible conversation, Sakura began to get worried over the fact of how much Tsunade trusted Sasuke. She sounded like she would have him executed the next time he did something that might put Konoha in danger. And because she cared so much for Sasuke, Sakura had tried her best to get him closer to the village by pushing him into the other shinobis their age. There was a chance for Sasuke to form some inkling of a friendship that might tie him to the village and that might also make him think less of Itachi.
So far, he had not shown any interest of forming friendships with any of her other friends. He stayed away from all the girls and he kept quiet when he was around the guys. Sasuke proved to be skilled at keeping silent among crowds of people. It could have also been because most of the shinobi their age refused to make an effort to get to know him better. All the guys had told her bluntly that they found Sasuke to be "arrogant" (that was Chouji), "boring" (that was Shikamaru), "a tight ass sonavabitch with a poll the size of Akamaru's behind in his ass!" (that had been Kiba) and a "…." from Neji.
It really did look hopeless but Sakura wasn't about to give up. She was convinced that he wasn't so heartless.
Sakura sighed into the horizon. That was where the mother and son she'd seen earlier faded off to.
The blond boy…Sakura herself had been checking him out too. He was really cute, a bit on the feminine side for her taste but he was still adorable.
She had been somewhat surprised to see Sasuke staring at the boy himself. It was surprising and she didn't know Sasuke was into boys but it didn't bother her. Sakura didn't care if Sasuke was into girls or boys because she was truly over him.
Sakura had tried dating other guys too since she realized her feelings. No one steady but she was still keeping an eye open for some of the single men in Konoha.
Hopefully there would be someone Sasuke could get interested in as well. That person might just be able to get more out of Sasuke than anyone else.
"Yo, Sakura-chan!" called a voice.
Sakura turned to find Kakashi-sensei waving a lazy hand at her. She smiled brightly at him.
"Kakashi-sensei! What're you doing here?" Sakura said, pleased to see her sensei. She ran over to where he sat in the café and took a seat next to him.
"Nothing really…I just thought I'd try to ask how you're doing," he said conversationally. Sakura couldn't' see any of his 'Icha Icha' series with him. Wow! This must be serious.
"I heard I could find you here since it's your favorite hang out and all…"
Sakura grinned at her sensei. Who was he bluffing? She knew he wasn't here to ask her how she was getting along.
"Kakashi-sensei, tell the truth, what is it that you want to know?" Sakura asked slowly, all the while keeping the sly grin plastered on his face.
"He he he…Looks like I can't lie to you any more now, can I?" he laughed lightly, and then turning all serious he proceeded to find out the thing he wanted to know.
"Sakura-chan, how is Sasuke doing? Has he stayed the same as the walking ice block he is after all these years?"
Sakura looked down and bent her head forward slightly. Her eyes looked a bit sad as she sighed for the second time that day.
"Well, you know what it's like, Kakashi-sensei…" she said slowly, "He still doesn't talk much and he still doesn't try to mix around with anybody…"
Kakashi nodded and eyed his student intently. She'd grown over the years he had taught her and she looked so much more mature now but Kakashi knew she still cared for Sasuke. He was aware that she no longer had a romantic interest in the younger Uchiha though.
He had come to tell her something he had recently found out and now seeing her he wasn't so sure how to tell her the news. When he found out about it, he'd been surprised himself but only a little bit. He sort of figured something like this would have happened the second time Sasuke disappeared. Anyone with a brain would have suspected something like this and he knew even Sakura had an idea.
"Look, Sakura-chan, I'm gonna have to be frank with ya," Kakashi began gravely, "I came here to tell you a couple of things Tsunade-sama told me about. These things have got something to do with Sasuke."
Sakura's eyes widened in shock then it was replaced with a look of fear. Kakashi was positive she knew what he was about to say now.
"Tsunade's ordered some of the ANBU to keep a look out on Sasuke. She told them to observe his daily activities and report to her…She refused to tell me how frequent the reports have to be given to her but I think she wants a daily update on things," Kakashi explained. He watched Sakura's eyes looked at him in disbelief.
"Sh-She c-couldn't have!" Sakura gasped. When Kakashi nodded gravely she almost lost her breath.
"I think she's set her mind that that boy isn't to be trusted. She doesn't feel good about it. Can't say that I blame her though…After that last stunt he pulled off, heck, I'd feel like it was my duty to keep an eye on him," Kakashi admitted sadly. He had been fond of his students and he was sad that Sasuke had turned out the way he had.
"The truth is Sakura-chan, I think it would be best if you tried to get him to socialize with the rest of your peers. It would help it if he could show some sort of loyalty to Konoha," Kakashi said a little cheerfully. Sakura looked like she was about to faint and he guessed she needed to be hopeful.
"What do you think I've been trying to do all these two years since we got him back, huh, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura said, her voice rising. Kakashi didn't know the hell she had to go through to get Sasuke to just even say a word to her!
"I've tried to get him to be friends with the rest of the guys but does he do it? Hell, no! All that man ever does is sip his tea and stay silent!" Sakura cried in desperation. She was on the verge of tears.
"I know, Sakura-chan. I've watched you guys from time to time," Kakashi tried to calm her down.
"No you don't know! You don't know how hard I've tried! He just won't budge!" Sakura yelled.
"He stays the same, Kakashi-sensei…"
Kakashi watched sadly as a few tears poured out of her eyes.
"Even though he's like that…I still believe he can change. If he couldn't why else would he still ask me to come see him here after every mission?"
"Maybe you're right…"
A/N: I wanted to update yesterday but I couldn't finish the chapter…Anyway, you'll have to wait for a bit until Sasuke and Naruto get to meet each other face to face…Sorry! But that will probably come in the next chapter or the next two chapters…I can't be sure. Keep reading and please please please drop me a review guys…I want reviews…