Naruto Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ More Than Anything ❯ Weekend Visits ( Chapter 10 )

Chapter Nine: Weekend Visits

 

“Oh, come on, I was just trying to help!” Naruto whined.

 

Sasuke, having ignored the blonde since the day before, surprisingly turned on his foot and glared the other boy straight in the eye. “You might have been trying, but you screwed up everything,” he hissed.

 

Rolling his eyes, Naruto scowled, “It's not like you were doing any better!”

 

“Shut up already, idiot.” Sasuke, even after only one attempt at one of Naruto's plans, had had enough of the other shinobi-in-training. He could do without seeing him for a very long time. Not only had he screwed up his own plan—and Sasuke was so glad that Higurashi Kagome did not have those feelings for the hyperactive blonde—but he had been nagging him every second he could without someone else finding out.

 

And he was sick of it. Sick of him. Sick of everything that reminded him of the idiotic Uzumaki and his stupid, stupid disturbance.

 

Huffing, Naruto growled, “I never said this was going to be easy. And you weren't helping. You just stood there! Like an idiot! You were supposed to be asking her on a date, but you couldn't even do that right!”

 

“You think that it is easy asking her?” Sasuke sneered. “Because if you do, perhaps you should go try asking Sakura on a date and see how it feels!”

 

Oh, that was low. Naruto scowled even more at the dark haired Uchiha, because he had gotten over his little crush on Haruno Sakura quite some time ago. Around the time that she first started snapping at Kagome for doing anything while in the presence of her precious Uchiha. Because he realized that it would not be fair to his one, and basically only, friend if he continued to want a girl that seemed to absolutely hate her.

 

“Girls ask me on dates, not the other way around,” Sasuke continued.

 

Finally, Naruto made a face at the other boy, stopping his little speech altogether. Then, he said, “Yeah, well, if you plan on having a chance with Kagome, you're going to have to get over your little fear. You've got to let her get to know you, become someone she knows she can lean on, otherwise you're screwed.”

 

Uchiha Sasuke only turned his head away.

 

Allowing his anger to drain away, Naruto reached up to scratch the back of his head. “Well,” he began, “it's probably for the best anyway. Now that I think about it, Kagome would have probably turned you down politely because she doesn't know what type of person you are. And it probably would have been pretty weird that you, Sasuke, suddenly asked her on a date out of nowhere.”

 

Again, for the millionth time, Naruto found himself underneath the Uchiha's dark glare.

 

“That's ok, though,” Naruto punched his palm with a fist, “because I've got the perfect plan this time!”

 

“I'll believe it when I see it—” Sasuke was quickly cut off.

 

“This weekend,” Naruto grinned, “you're going to be visiting the Konoha Orphanage!”

 

“The Konoha Orphanage?” Sasuke asked. That was certainly not what he was expecting to come out of the blonde's mouth. What reason would he have to go there?

 

“For someone that claims to like Kagome,” Naruto shook his head lightly, “you sure don't know a lot about her. What were you doing all this time? Watching her hips sway?”

 

“No,” Sasuke replied.

 

“I wouldn't be surprised if that's what you were doing,” Naruto teased. “Watching her hips go back and forth, back and forth.” He snickered, while he lightly moved his hips the way he had learned to while in his girl transformation state. It was just hilarious to think that the Uchiha might be a pervert, and he almost turned himself into Kagome just to tease him completely.

 

“For someone that claims to be Kagome's best friend and nothing more,” Sasuke countered, anger filling his voice the more he spoke, “you seem to know a lot about her swaying hips. What do you do all the time? Stare at her butt? Or follow behind her because you need tips on how to be a girl?”

 

“Ew!” Naruto scrunched his face up at the thought. “That's disgusting! Kagome's like my sister, there's no way I'd stare at her butt! Gross! Ah!” He did not seem to catch the fact that, harshly, Sasuke had once again called him a girl until a few moments later. “And, damn it, I'm not a girl!”

 

“Could have fooled me,” Sasuke muttered lowly.

 

“What did you just say?” Naruto growled. He swore, if the Uchiha called him a girl one more time, he was going to stop helping him completely. He would let him do whatever he wanted and watch with glee as he was left in the dust like all of Kagome's other followers.

 

Sasuke decided it was best to change the subject. So, he asked, “Why am I going to the Konoha Orphanage this weekend?”

 

“Because,” Naruto smiled, “Kagome goes there almost every weekend. She knows all of the children currently there, and it would look good for you if you got to know them and made them like you. Which, I seriously hope you can do. How good are you with children?”

 

“Better than asking—” again, the blonde did not let him finish.

 

“Good!” Naruto nodded a bit. “Though, we can only hope that the kids don't try to bite your head off or something.”

 

Sasuke's eyes flickered.

 

“They're a little… odd,” Naruto said, noticing the Uchiha's twitch. “Insecure, you know. But, trust me, if you can get these kids to like you, you've almost got Kagome in the bag! Though, you shouldn't ever think of Kagome as some type of possession.” Naruto laughed a bit in fear, stating, “That might get you killed.”

 

“I know,” Sasuke replied. He was not stupid. He knew for a fact that doing such a thing could end with dire consequences, since Higurashi Kagome hated when people treated anyone else like a possession. And she especially hated when people tried to treat her like she was one.

 

However, the way Naruto shivered brought up a new question in his head: had Naruto ever tried to do such a thing? And, if so, how did he come out alive?

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

With a roll of her eyes, an Uchiha Sasuke Fan Girl asked, “Where is Ino? She's supposed to be here by now.”

 

“Yeah!” another agreed. “We're going to miss Sasuke-kun if she doesn't get here soon.”

 

The entire Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club began to scowl darkly. Every single girl that had come for the Weekend Uchiha Watch disliked the very thought of missing Sasuke as he went out for his morning training. It was one of the only times that they each got to see him push beyond the limit, lower the mask he wore in public, and dream about the day they might be put onto the same genin squad with him. Because they all knew that the time was drawing near and needed to see him just one more time before Uchiha Leiko was most likely put onto his squad.

 

Deep down, they all knew it would happen. It was inevitable. Uchiha Leiko was the best of the best—the perfect kunoichi to be placed at Uchiha Sasuke's side. Yet, still, each hoped that they might be able to capture his attention before the inevitable happened. Thus, Yamanaka Ino had established the Weekend Uchiha Watch.

 

“Why does it matter if our president isn't here?” the arrogant Uchiha girl called from the side. “We all know that we could easily follow Sakura once she gets here, since she is our second in command.”

 

“Yes, once she gets here,” Asuka huffed.

 

“As if it matters,” Mayu called. “We all know where we're going. They can catch up.”

 

The Uchiha Sasuke Fan Girls quieted down with the information. They all knew it was true. They could easily leave because it was common knowledge among the fan girls that the watch took place in the same area every Saturday and Sunday at exactly eight in the morning. All who were late could easily catch up, whining about how they had not waited. Because, really, if they were not serious about wanting Uchiha Sasuke, the rest of the fan club was more than happy to leave them in the dust.

 

Asuka growled in Mayu's direction, stating, “True. However, Mayu, you're forgetting one little detail.”

 

“And what might that be, Asuka?” Mayu hissed back. Oh, how she wished that the other girl would just drop dead. Asuka had been a thorn in her side for quite some time and it was time that the other girl realized that she would never be good enough for Sasuke.

 

“The Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club Code clearly states that all activities revolving around Sasuke must always be monitored by one of our presidents,” Asuka smirked. She just loved the way Mayu began to sneer in hatred. “That way someone like you, though you'll never be able to, will not go behind our backs and try to snatch Sasuke-kun without our knowledge. Because, as you should know, one of us will get him, but it must be on fair and even grounds.”

 

“That's true,” another girl nodded. “We must wait for Ino or Sakura.”

 

“I say we go,” Mayu argued. “We all know that Leiko—”

 

Uchiha Leiko's dark eyes narrowed at the disrespect attached to her name.

 

“—is, and always has been, more of a president than Ino or Sakura.” Mayu huffed again, continuing, “Ino is more worried about chasing after Uchiha Itachi, and Sakura is always whining about how Sasuke-kun keeps pushing her away. We need someone with a level head, someone that has always been there for us, and Leiko is that person!”

 

Quietly, the girls began to mutter back and forth amongst themselves. They all knew it was true. Uchiha Leiko had always acted more like their president than either Ino or Sakura. She always had the right idea, always steered them in the right direction, and she was a genius from the Uchiha clan. And, the more they thought about it, it only seemed fair that Leiko was named the president if Yamanaka Ino was more worried about Uchiha Itachi and Haruno Sakura thought only about herself.

 

“All decisions must be overseen by a club president!” Asuka yelled. There was no way Mayu was going to beat her. Not if she had anything to say about it!

 

“They are,” Mayu sneered happily. “Leiko is right here.”

 

“Um,” an Uchiha Sasuke Fan girl called from the back. “No, she's not.”

 

“W-what?!” Mayu shrieked, turning on her foot to find that the Uchiha girl had disappeared. She wanted to stomp in outrage at the very sight, because it just figured that Leiko would bail on her and let that damn Asuka win!

 

“Oh, my, Mayu,” Asuka gave a fake sigh, “it seems that Leiko doesn't want to be our club president. That must really make you feel bad. I mean, the one person that you obviously look up to has left you high and dry. I feel for you, I don't know what I'd do in a situation like this.”

 

“Oh, shut up, Asuka!” Mayu yelled.

 

Reina stepped in at that moment, waving her hand in a pacifying manner. “Girls, there's no need to—”

 

“Shut up, Reina!” they both hissed. That girl really got on their nerves.

 

Reina, her levelheaded nature draining away, allowed herself a moment to scowl.

 

“So, where do you think Leiko went?”

 

“Most likely got tired of them arguing and decided to go on ahead,” another girl suggested. It was the most logical explanation, since Leiko was a part of the Uchiha clan and knew the most about Sasuke. She would probably be able to infiltrate the Uchiha Head's mansion by simply speaking with the Uchiha matriarch, and thus place herself closer to Sasuke.

 

The entire Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club stiffened at the very idea. It might be inevitable that Uchiha Leiko would most likely be placed onto Uchiha Sasuke's genin squad, but none of them liked the fact that she always had one foot ahead of them. After all, they were all supposed to be given a fair and equal chance at Sasuke's heart until one of them managed to steal it from under his nose. And, from their eyes, Leiko did not seem to be following the rules very often.

 

“Hey! I'm here,” Yamanaka Ino's voice echoed into the area. “Sorry I'm late, my mother needed me to clean up the shop before it opened!”

 

As if to rub it in, Asuka said, “Good, now we can leave!”

 

And Mayu scowled darkly at Asuka's back as she practically skipped over to Ino's side. Someday. Someday she would shove Asuka's face into the dirt and show her, her proper place in the world. After all, she would need something to do after she managed to capture Sasuke's attention.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

The plan was quite simple, really. Nothing he could not handle. And, besides, he was positive that the children at the Konoha Orphanage could not be as bad as Uzumaki Naruto tried to make them seem. They were probably just lonely, scared of new people, and attached themselves to Higurashi Kagome because she was one of the few people willing to actually pay them any attention after they had been there for so long.

 

So, Uchiha Sasuke strolled down the street with every intention of making Naruto's current plan work. It had to work, because he doubted that the idiot's head was filled with many good ideas. The fact that he had come up with one was shocking enough. And that single fact gave Sasuke every reason to fulfill the one good plan that might ever come from Naruto's head.

 

He was becoming a bit impatient, though. His gut was fluttering lightly at the mere thought of what he planned to do, yet he had not even seen a trace of the dark haired Higurashi. And, truly, it was ridiculous. The mere thought of her fluttering black hair or deep blue eyes or smiling lips should not leave him with a constant ache in his stomach.

 

Where was she? Naruto had said that Kagome followed the same path every time she went to the Konoha Orphanage. There was no way that he could have missed her, since he had at least four shadow clones patrolling the path up and down every second. So, where was she? What was she doing? Had she been kept from coming?

 

It was becoming very likely that her mother had decided to keep her for the day. Her skills as a kunoichi would make any rough housework a thing of the past. And there was also the possibility that someone had managed to snag her attention and decided to start a conversation. He would not be surprised if that blasted Hyuuga tried to take her time away from a few children waiting for her to arrive.

 

Onyx eyes narrowing, Sasuke turned on his foot once more and nearly collided with one of his clones. His mouth opened instantly to yell, despite the damage that it might do to his reputation, before the clone lifted its arm and pointed just beyond the people he had turned to face. And his eyes followed the clone's hand just to make sure, before he dismissed them all.

 

There she was. Her hair bouncing with each step that she took, her smile bright, and her eyes betraying her happiness even from the distant. However, despite how much her beauty captured his attention, Sasuke did take note of the few plastic bags hanging from her arms. He wondered for a brief moment what she was carrying, before he noticed how close she was getting to his position and set his feet back into motion.

 

Allowing his eyelids to fall halfway closed, the Uchiha boy mentally created a straight line toward the object of his affection. It would be so easy. Though he quickly became annoyed with the increased flipping in his stomach the closer he got. It only told him that he was right, Higurashi Kagome was the only girl for him, but he could do without it erupting in his gut each time he came into her presence.

 

Mentally, knowing he had already screwed up many times before, he tried to shift his attention away from the Higurashi girl in order to make the fluttering stop. She commanded his attention, though. The beautiful lift of her lips and the way she practically skipped the longer she walked. It was almost amazing that she could command his attention in such a way, considering she was completely oblivious to his attention in the first place and each movement she made was not meant to be as seductive as he saw it.

 

Almost.

 

Someone called out to the Higurashi girl from the crowd, catching her attention, and Sasuke almost smirked when he recognized Naruto's voice. Perfect timing for an idiot, so he was not about to let the opportunity run away from him. He shifted into Kagome's path in that moment, turned his head, and allowed his body to collide with her own hard enough that she was toppled over by the impact. She gave a small sound of surprise, the bags she was carrying hitting the ground and spilling their contents, while he quickly grabbed a hold of her wrist to keep her upright.

 

“Hey, you need to watch where you're going!” Kagome hissed in outrage.

 

“Kagome?” Sasuke asked. He sounded quite surprised, and he silently congratulated himself. He had been sure that his damn tongue would betray him once more.

 

Glancing up from her spilled goods, Kagome's pretty blue eyes blinked in surprise. It was obvious why anyone would be surprised, since everyone knew from listening to the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club that Sasuke always trained from eight in the morning until eleven every Saturday and Sunday. So, to find that the Uchiha boy had been the one to nearly bowl her over made her pause.

 

Releasing her wrist—it was so small, and he felt the urge to drag it to his face—he quickly averted his eyes from the damage he had caused to the street. Quietly, he muttered, “Sorry about that.”

 

“Oh.” Kagome looked back down at the candy and sweets spilled at her feet, blinking for a moment as if she had never seen them. “That's alright.”

 

Watching the girl as she knelt down to begin picking up the boxes and boxes of junk food, Sasuke wrinkled his nose just slightly. He hated sweets. Absolutely hated them, but he supposed that it was just one more thing that he would have to live with once he gained her love. After all, it was not like she would be shoving the snacks down his throat.

 

After a moment of watching her, Sasuke finally knelt down beside her and grabbed onto a box of strawberry pocky to hand to her. “Here, let me help you,” he stated calmly.

 

“Thanks,” Kagome grinned. Her shock wore off quite quickly, while she gathered the treats back up and shoved them into the plastic bags lingering nearby. However, she quietly cursed underneath her breath when she realized that one bag was completely missing.

 

“Is something wrong?” Sasuke asked. He had seen her problem and did not think it all that helpful to tell her that the bag had flown away with the wind. It was probably being trampled underneath the feet of everyone else by then. Or maybe Naruto had managed to use his brain and picked it out of the air in case she tried to look for it. Either way, it would be of no use to her.

 

Perfect. Mission accomplished.

 

“My bag is gone,” she sighed.

 

“I—” he sighed to calm himself, “I made you drop them, so I'll carry them for you.”

 

“Oh,” she laughed a bit, “you don't have to do that. I'll just find some way to get them to fit into these—!”

 

“It's fine,” he shook his head, gathering the remaining sweets into his arms. “Where are you headed?”

 

Standing with him, Kagome frowned a bit when she flickered her eyes over the sight of an esteemed Uchiha clan member carrying boxes and boxes of sweets. It just did not look right, but she was not going to stop him if he really wanted to help her. He had, after all, been the one that bumped into her. So, she sighed, stating, “I'm just going down a few more streets to the Konoha Orphanage.”

 

As they began to walk, Sasuke nodded his head at her answer. He already knew that, but he figured it was best to show a little curiosity at the information. “Why?” he asked.

 

The Higurashi girl had expected the question. It was not every day that an Academy student—or anyone, really—paid a visit to the local orphanage. The fact that she wanted to go there probably stunned him. She shrugged, though, smiling as she said, “I know the kids there.”

 

“Hn.” Sasuke decided, his stomach burning from the inside out, that he should keep his sentences short and to the point. He knew that he did so subconsciously with every one else that wanted to speak with him and it would help to keep up appearances. Not only that, but at least with short sentences he did not run the risk of tripping over himself.

 

“You should know one of them,” Kagome continued. She recognized the beginning of silence, and she was more than willing to speak in the Uchiha's place as long as silence did not fill the space between them completely. “He's the oldest out of them all, and he graduated from the Academy when Hyuuga Neji did.”

 

“Did he?” Sasuke asked. He was drawing a complete blank, but he supposed that it was because the Uchiha clan never found it important to meddle in the lives of those beneath them. Which was also the reason he stiffened just slightly when that blasted Hyuuga's name slipped from Kagome's lips.

 

She nodded, saying, “Yeah.”

 

Sasuke remained silent.

 

Frowning, Kagome said, “You have no idea who I'm talking about, do you?”

 

Again, Sasuke chose silence. He was satisfied with listening to her speak, though it was about someone else, and found that the flipping in his stomach seemed to decrease a bit each time she opened those pretty lips of hers and allowed her voice to spill forth. His attention was on her, her attention was on him, and surprisingly it did not seem so difficult to be in her presence—at least without trying something to catch her attention—when he began to relax.

 

Shaking her head with a sigh, she continued, “Well, you'll have to come inside to set those down, so I guess you'll find out when you get there.” She paused in thought, before nodding to herself. “He shouldn't be on a mission at the moment.”

 

Silence finally filled the space between them, while Uchiha Sasuke watched from the corner of his eye as Higurashi Kagome bit her lip. The butterflies in his stomach scorched through his throat—oddly enough—pleasantly, and he knew it was because every action she made was because of him at that moment. There was simply no way she could ignore the fact that he was there, with her and watching her, and he had to hope that she might just notice how much he wanted to be there at all times.

 

But, he knew that her oblivious nature would write it off as kindness, and he was probably letting his hope rise too high. At least for the moment.

 

Unfortunately, though, the walk to the Konoha Orphanage was not a long one and Sasuke soon found himself staring up at the old, leaning building in the distance. It had to be the millionth time he had seen it that day, but again he wondered why every one ignored the current state of the building. Every one except for Kagome, he could see her frown as they neared, because she clearly noticed the cracking wood covered up with vines; the old roof that had not been replaced in years and probably leaked; the dark coloration of the building that had probably not been caused by paint; and the slight lean that the old building was beginning to get.

 

And, he supposed, that despite his clan's views, he began to notice because of how much it seemed to matter to her. He knew it mattered to her. She would not go there, befriend those that lived there, and constantly bring them food, unless she cared.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Quietly, Uchiha Leiko gazed down upon the busy street with slitted eyes. She had been searching for her cousin for quite some time, after realizing he had skipped out on his morning training, and had been a little surprised to find him near the Konoha Orphanage. Well, until she had noticed the girl walking at his side.

 

Higurashi Kagome. The completely oblivious girl that had gained the attention of the Hyuuga prodigy—Hyuuga Neji—the year before after she tripped and accidentally kissed him on the mouth. The charming, bright-eyed girl that suddenly jumped in rank because her family decided it was time she learned some of the Higurashi family's treasured techniques. The only person, girl or boy, that could stand the idiotic, dead last, Uzumaki Naruto and his foolish pranks.

 

Leiko's mouth slowly dipped downward into a dark scowl, while she watched her cousin and the Higurashi girl interact. She never quite understood what it was about the girl that attracted people to her, but she was beginning to see that her own flesh and blood, Uchiha Sasuke, was falling to her devious call. Why else would he suddenly pay so much attention to her? Why else would he stumble, trip, and screw up the Uchiha clan's beloved fire technique?

 

She really should not be surprised, she supposed. The girl had attracted the Hyuuga prodigy, so it had only been a matter of time before the Uchiha prodigy felt he needed to compete with him. Win the heart of the girl he wanted and throw it in his face. Prove to the village that the Uchiha clan was superior to the Hyuuga clan in every way, despite how low it might seem.

 

Yet, despite how normal the situation seemed in her mind, Uchiha Leiko could not control the monster that raged underneath her flesh. Her father—constantly bowing down and kissing Fugaku's feet—had mapped out her entire life long ago, and she hated it. Hated the fact that her entire life had to be dedicated to the Uchiha clan and the heirs Uchiha Fugaku had produced. Hated the fact that she was held down by invisible chains.

 

She had found a way out, though, despite the awful taste that it left in her mouth. A way to escape the life her father and the rest of the Uchiha clan expected from her. Marry Uchiha Fugaku's youngest son. Gain his attention and love, become his wife, and settle down in the comfort of the Uchiha Head's home. The very idea might leave a disgusting taste in her mouth, but she would rid herself of the responsibility expected from her and finally obtain the life she truly deserved.

 

The sight below her might just ruin her entire plan, though. Sasuke's need to compete with Hyuuga Neji might lead to him actually caring for the non-Uchiha twit. His need to gain what Hyuuga Neji wanted might lead to him actually wishing to marry Higurashi Kagome. His idiocy might lead to him ruining her entire plan, and Uchiha Leiko was not about to let her foolish cousin screw her out of her pampered life.

 

Silently, the beast within her roaring in outrage, the Uchiha girl wished that she had the Sharingan. The Uchiha clan's Sharingan would prove once and for all that she was superior—that she deserved the life Uchiha Itachi and Sasuke gained by simply being born. The Sharingan would show the rest of her stupid clan that she deserved more than what they expected to give her. And the Sharingan would put an end to Sasuke's need to compete with the Hyuuga prodigy.

 

Because, really, why would her cousin want some non-Uchiha twit when he could have a strong, Sharingan wielding, Uchiha born woman?

 

But, Leiko did not have the Sharingan. So, she supposed, she would simply have to eliminate the Higurashi girl. It was clear that she would not take a hint, ever, which left her with only the option of destroying her to the point Uchiha Sasuke would never look in her direction again. Actually, the more she thought about it, she would not even have to touch Higurashi Kagome to eliminate her. There were plenty of fools within the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club she could manipulate into doing anything once a few seeds of anger were planted.

 

After all, why should she, an Uchiha, risk the anger of the Uchiha clan, Hokage, and Higurashi family when she could get some other fool to do her dirty work?

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

The floor creaked ominously underneath Sasuke's feet, while he followed Higurashi Kagome's bouncing form into the less than impressive kitchen inside the Konoha Orphanage. The whole place seemed barely fit enough to house mice, let alone children. How in the world had the Hokage, or the Elder Council for that matter, let the living conditions inside the orphanage get so nasty?

 

“—and Rin's the cutest little girl you'll ever see,” Kagome smiled. She was not sure if the Uchiha boy was paying attention to her, but she was glad to be rid of the silence that had settled around them. And even if he was not paying attention to her, it was nice to recall all the little events she had shared with her friends. “I think you'll like her, though she can be a little shy when she first meets someone.”

 

“I see,” he nodded. He did not even try to remind Kagome that he never said he was staying. Because he was, and it was probably best just to let her think she had come up with the idea on her own.

 

The Higurashi girl smiled a little wider, turning her head enough that she could see the boy following behind her. She had expected him to drop the snacks he was carrying and run for it, but it was nice to know that someone higher in status at least took the time to examine and think about the poor souls living in the Konoha Orphanage. Because truly they had no one but themselves, though they had gladly dragged her into the small group, and many overlooked them as if they did not exist.

 

Well, except for one, but in truth he wanted nothing to do with the rest of the village. His loyalty was bound to the old, falling a part home and the other children that often times looked to him when the times were rough. Not to the village. Not to the people that lived there. Just himself and those that had managed to crack open his cold, black and bleeding heart.

 

It did not take long for them to enter the kitchen, where Kagome set down the bags she was carrying and helped the silent Uchiha with the armful of items he held. Though, in truth, he probably could have just thrown them onto the table. He liked the current situation much better, since the object of his affection continued to touch him lightly each time she took something from him, leaving tiny trails of fire up his flesh.

 

Sasuke shivered when Kagome looked away again. Oh, if only the oblivious girl would open her eyes! Then he could drag her into his arms and tell her how much he wanted her, needed her, instead of silently allowing her to touch him in order to get rid of his growing weakness.

 

“Hm, I wonder where they all are—” Kagome reached for the final box of pocky Sasuke held between his fingers, while she muttered to herself, “—they can't all be training this early in the morning. Rin hates mornings, and Ka—”

 

The faint sound of feet hitting the ominously creaking floor entered the kitchen, and Sasuke noticed the way Kagome's smile brightened. He almost sighed, wishing for a moment that that beautiful smile was directed at him, but managed to keep the small exhale in when a child's voice yelled from somewhere in the old house.

 

“Kagome!”

 

Another voice quickly followed, squealing, “Kagome-nee's here?!”

 

The floor creaked continuously, until finally two small children came rushing in through the kitchen door. They made a beeline for Higurashi Kagome, ignoring the fact that the boy with her quickly stepped out of the way, and tackled her as if they had not seen her in decades.

 

Sasuke studied them both for a moment, realizing that the girl attached to Kagome's waist had to be the young girl that Kagome had been talking about. Rin, if he remembered correctly, and he was a little surprised to find that she looked a lot like Kagome. Almost like they could be distant cousins, though the young girl's hair was a deep shade of brown instead of black. And she certainly did not seem shy, with the way she had attached herself to Kagome's body and began rubbing the lopsided ponytail on top of her head against Kagome's stomach.

 

The other orphan, a boy, was much shorter than the girl. His shockingly red hair was a mess on top of his head, almost as if he had just managed to rouse himself out of bed. His clothing was nothing special, though it appeared as if the most expensive thing he owned were his shinobi sandals. The boy was reaching upward, much like a child would when they wanted their mother to hold them, and tugging insistently at Kagome's shirt.

 

“Kagome! Kagome!” the little boy called, demanding her attention. “What'd ya bring us?”

 

“Only your favorite, Shippo!” Kagome smiled down at him. She plucked a box of strawberry flavored pocky from the table and handed it to him. And her smile only stretched a little further as she watched him immediately tear open the box and shove one of the sugar coated biscuits into his mouth.

 

“Kagome-nee,” Rin began tugging at her shirt. “Kagome-nee!”

 

If Sasuke had not known any better, he might have said the scene before him looked very much like two younger siblings fighting for the attention of their elder sibling. He did know better, though, while the thought of Kagome one day spoiling her own children entered his mind. The thought was very tangible in his mind, and he was positive she would not object to them being Uchiha born by the time they graduated.

 

“Hm,” Kagome looked down at Rin, tilting her head, “who're you? I've never seen you here before. Are you new?”

 

Sasuke smirked just a little, content with watching.

 

Rin growled, her bright face turning sour. “Kagome-nee! You've forgotten about Rin, again!? Rin has always been here! Last week, the week before! Rin is Rin!”

 

“Are you sure?” Kagome asked. “Because if I remember correctly, Rin is a sweet little girl who always says `please' before I give her any candy. Unlike a certain little boy that I know.” She cast a pointed look at Shippo, silently reminding him that he needed some manners.

 

Shippo smiled cutely, stating, “Thank you, Kagome!”

 

“You're very welcome, Shippo.” She reached down, ruffling his hair until it looked extremely awkward. He tried to bat her hands away, shoving another pocky stick into his mouth, but she only laughed lightly until she released him.

 

“Rin says please! Rin says please!” Rin laughed, tugging at Kagome's shirt once more to gain her attention. “Please, please, please!”

 

“Ok, ok.” Kagome shook her finger at the younger girl, while grabbing onto a box of chocolate flavored pocky. She smiled, while she said, “Alright, little girl, I don't know who you are, but I'll give you some of Shippo's candy for being such a kind young lady.”

 

“Rin is Rin!” Rin cried in outrage. “And Rin hates pocky! Kagome-nee knows!”

 

“Yeah,” Shippo scowled, “that's my candy!”

 

“Don't be greedy, Shippo,” Kagome scolded lightly. She tossed the chocolate pocky onto the table, before picking up the small box her mother had filled with cookies and chocolates for the little girl. She handed it down to Rin, as the smiling girl grabbed onto the box and ripped it open to get at the sweets inside.

 

Rin squealed at the sight of her favorite cookies, as she said, “Thank you, Kagome-nee. Rin loves you!”

 

“I keep telling you,” Kagome sighed, “you should love my mother, she made them.”

 

The young girl shook her head quickly, saying, “Rin only loves Kagome-nee!”

 

Shippo nodded in agreement, shoving another pocky stick into his mouth. He would eat it as quickly as he could, no matter how many times Kagome tried to tell him to slow down, because he knew that he had pissed Rin off the night before. And though the little girl said she hated pocky with a passion, she would eat it just to get even with him when she got the chance.

 

“There's no living with you two,” the Higurashi girl sighed.

 

A quiet sigh caught Sasuke's attention, dragging his attention away from Kagome for only a moment. He narrowed his eyes, looking behind him to find another occupant of the Konoha Orphanage standing there. She was a little odd, as Naruto said they would be. She was young, obviously so, yet she wore entirely white, right down to her shinobi sandals. She did not just wear all white, she was white. Her skin was extremely pale, almost as if she had never seen the light of day, and even her hair was the same stark white color. The only thing on her that was not brilliantly white, that he could see, was a tiny purple flower tucked behind her ear.

 

The white girl bowed her head, her black eyes closing, as she said, “Uchiha-san.”

 

Blinking at the girl's monotone, Sasuke dipped his head politely in return.

 

She glided by him, not making a sound, until she stood in front of Higurashi Kagome. She ignored the Uchiha completely once she reached her, deciding that he was not a threat if he had entered the house with the older girl, and allowed a tiny, awkward smile to cross her emotionless face. “Kagome,” she greeted.

 

“Hello, Kanna,” Kagome smiled back. She was glad that the girl was beginning to open up, especially after what had happened to her family so long ago. “Would you like some candy today?”

 

“No.” There was absolutely no passion in her voice, yet her answer was absolute and left no argument. “Sweets make me nauseous.”

 

“Yes, yes, I know,” Kagome chuckled. She rummaged through each bag she had brought, before she produced two shining, red apples. As she handed them to the awaiting girl, she said, “You're the only little girl I know who doesn't like sweets, Kanna.”

 

“It does not matter,” Kanna shrugged lightly.

 

“No, I guess it doesn't,” Kagome agreed. There was no arguing with Kanna, but she did not blame the girl. She might have lost her will to live after watching every one but her elder brother ripped a part before her eyes, too.

 

Kanna merely ignored her afterwards, pulling a single chair from the table and sitting in it. She also ignored the rest of the treats sitting on the table's surface, choosing instead of bite into one of the bright, red apples the Higurashi girl had brought her. A bit of juice trickled down her chin a moment later, but she did not practically care and did not reach up to wipe it away.

 

“She's been up since five this morning,” Shippo whispered. He knew Kanna could hear him, but the girl would not do anything about it. “She had to go visit their graves today, ya know.”

 

“Oh, right,” Kagome nodded back. That explained why the final, and oldest, had yet to arrive. And she almost hit herself, because she should have known that.

 

“Rin thinks that Kanna is sad today,” Rin frowned.

 

Shippo shook his head, saying, “Kanna's sad every day.”

 

“Nuh uh!” Rin scowled.

 

“Uh huh!” Shippo scowled back.

 

“Nuh uh!” Rin growled.

 

“Uh—!”

 

“Guys!” Kagome snapped, putting a stop to the argument. “There's no reason to argue. Not today.”

 

“Sorry,” they mumbled together.

 

Kanna remained silent, chewing at her apple slowly, dispassionately.

 

Sasuke cast his onyx colored eyes around the room, feeling the atmosphere weigh down on him as if he was not supposed to be there. He ignored the uncomfortable feeling, though, because he refused to leave until Higurashi Kagome told him to leave. And even then he would be back another day to try and capture her heart.

 

Quickly, Shippo shoved another pocky stick into his mouth as the room became silent. He tapped his foot against the floor, twisting himself to remain occupied, before he finally realized that something was not right about the room. “Hey,” he started slowly, “who's he?”

 

Rin turned, blinking when she realized that an older boy was standing near the doorway. She stiffened at the sight of him, her eyes wide, before she ducked herself behind Kagome's legs. Her tiny hands gripped onto Kagome's loose shorts, as terrible memories shifted through her mind.

 

Now, seeing the girl's action, Sasuke understood why Kagome said she was shy. She was actually shaking, and she seemed more terrified than shy.

 

“He's—”

 

“Uchiha Sasuke,” Kanna's quiet voice replied. “Uchiha Fugaku's youngest son, little brother to Uchiha Itachi, and soon to be genin.”

 

“How—how did—?” Rin whimpered.

 

“He came with me, Rin,” Kagome said softly. She smoothed her hand over the young girl's head, trying to calm her nerves. “He came with me. It'll be all right, he's not going to hurt you.”

 

“Kagome-nee.” Rin whimpered again, burying her head into Kagome's back.

 

Sasuke decided it was time to say something, anything, though his stomach began to flip harshly. He knew that anything he said might turn the children against him—each and every one of them—and he had only one chance to get on their good side. But, he also knew that it might be the turning point in his hunt for Higurashi Kagome's love, and his stomach turned against him at the last moment. “U—”

 

“What's going on in here?”

 

Swiftly, Sasuke turned on his foot and found himself staring into a pair of pale, lavender colored eyes. He wondered for a moment how the other person had snuck up on him—though, he did admit that Kanna had done the same thing—and his eyes narrowed as a brief thought crossed his mind. The boy standing before him, his black clothing contrasting with his brilliantly white hair, almost looked like a Hyuuga for a moment, but Sasuke quickly realized that his eyes were far too pale.

 

“What are you doing here?” the boy hissed. “Uchiha.”

 

“Hakudoushi,” Sasuke growled back. Oh, yes, he remembered the eleven year old that jumped through the shinobi world as if it were nothing at all. And he vividly remembered how harshly his father trained him for quite some time afterward, demanding to know how an orphan managed to surpass one of his sons in skill.

 

The air became tense, and Kagome quickly stepped forward.

 

“Kagome-nee,” Rin tried to call her back. She did not like meeting new people, not at all, and she only wanted the older girl to come back to her.

 

“Hello, Hakudoushi,” Kagome grinned.

 

Hakudoushi's glare shifted a bit, catching sight of the Higurashi girl, before he relaxed his stance. His glare remained as he kept an eye on the Uchiha boy, but he dipped his head in greeting. “Hello, Kagome.”

 

Sasuke's eyes narrowed a little further. He really did not like the tone the other boy used when he spoke to Kagome. It was almost as if, silently, he was trying to strike a claim! And it gave Sasuke more than enough reason to hate Hakudoushi more.

 

“Have you been training this entire time?” Kagome asked.

 

“No,” Hakudoushi shook his head. “I remained at my father's grave after Kanna left.”

 

“I see,” the girl nodded in acceptance. “Would you like something sweet? My mother gave me enough to feed a horse.”

 

“Not at the moment,” he declined. He kept a firm eye on the Uchiha, daring him to do anything as he tensed. Really, he would like to see him try.

 

“Sasuke?” Kagome offered.

 

“No,” Sasuke replied, “I don't care for them.”

 

Shippo, scowling when he realized he was going to be ignored for some time, shoved another pocky stick into his mouth. He glanced at Rin briefly, noticing the way she was picking at her skirt. Finally, he said, “Kagome, you were going to play with us today, weren't you?”

 

Rin perked up a little, though not enough to be noticed physically. She wanted to play with Kagome, but she was unsure what might happen if that new boy stayed. She knew nothing about him. There was a big, big chance that he might try to hit her like all those mean kids that Hakudoushi got rid of.

 

“Of course!” Kagome smiled brightly.

 

“Yes!” Shippo yelled. “Lets play shinobi-tag! Please, please, Kagome!”

 

“Are you sure?” Kagome snickered. “You're going to lose if we do.”

 

“Not today!” Shippo growled at her. “I've been practicing with Hakudoushi!”

 

“And was he going at full speed?” Kagome had to ask.

 

“Um—well—no,” Shippo admitted. “But I'll still beat you this time!”

 

“I guess if you really want to play,” Kagome sighed. They always played shinobi-tag, Shippo determined to at least increase his skills before he decided to finally enter the Academy. “Are you going to play, Rin?”

 

Slowly, Rin nodded, saying quietly, “Yes.”

 

“Kanna?” Kagome asked.

 

Kanna did not reply, continuing to chew on her apple.

 

“If you don't want to, you can just say—” Kagome sighed, as Kanna finally moved.

 

Very slowly, Kanna turned her black eyes onto the Higurashi girl, and stated, “No.”

 

“Do you want to play, Sasuke?” Kagome asked. She did not need to ask Hakudoushi, she already knew that he would cater to the other children by playing.

 

“I—” Sasuke growled at the flicker in Hakudoushi's eyes, “—I suppose.”

 

Hakudoushi suddenly smirked cruelly, as he chuckled, “Prepare to be beaten, Uchiha.”

 

“Don't count on it,” Uchiha Sasuke hissed.

 

“Well—!” Kagome pumped her fist into the air, “—I guess it's time to go outside and get started then!”

 

“Come on, then,” Hakudoushi ordered, grabbing the Higurashi girl by the hand. He easily shifted his appendage enough that he was holding Kagome's hand tightly in his own, and he smirked when he noticed the way the Uchiha's dark glare became darker. That was his game, was it?

 

“Eh?” Kagome blinked, while Hakudoushi pulled her forward. “Hakudoushi!”

 

“Yes, yes, yes!” Shippo shouted. He quickly snatched another box of pocky off the table, waving a little to the silent Kanna, before he raced to beat the older children outside.

 

Rin followed at a slower pace, taking nervous glances at the Uchiha boy standing nearby.

 

Sasuke glared holes into the back of Hakudoushi's head, mentally trying to sever the connection the other boy had made with Kagome's hand. The boy ignored him, though, and the Uchiha boy felt anger swell heavily in his chest. How dare Hakudoushi touch Kagome with such familiarity? How dare he act possessive over something that was clearly never going to be his? How dare he try to take Higurashi Kagome's heart from him?!!?

 

Glancing over his shoulder, Hakudoushi cast another smirk in the Uchiha's direction.

 

Sasuke growled from deep in his chest. That little bastard!?

 

His fist clenching, Sasuke realized that it was going to be a long day. He really could not do anything about Hakudoushi—the bastard—because he needed to make sure the children at the Konoha Orphanage did not end up hating him. And pounding the eldest orphan into the ground might just make them hate him. He supposed one thing was on his side, though.

 

Higurashi Kagome, the oblivious girl, did not even seem to realize how possessive Hakudoushi's grip really was. That meant her heart was still his for the taking, and he planned to take it. Very, very soon if that little bastard did not get his hands off her!?!

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

KibaSin: This chapter is extra long because I love you guys so much! (And because school is approaching, once again, on Monday and I have to do all the homework I forgot to do over the two-week vacation). Also, I'm trying to introduce more characters in case I get in a snag later on and need someone else to bring my muse back (really the only reason I use the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Girls, lol).

 

Kiba