Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ An Understanding ❯ The Return ( Chapter 1 )

Title: An Understanding

Author: OrangeFlips

Pairings: Ultimately NejiSasu, but NaruSasu rather pronounced. Others TBA.

Rating: R. Maybe more.

Summary: It's always hard to understand the quiet ones, but sometimes, maybe words aren't necessary.

Comments: Chapter one, in which Sasuke returns (which is pretty evident from the title). This fic will be going chronologically after this chapter (meaning no jumps in time after the prologue). Just as a side note, since the Naruto manga is still progressing rapidly, Naruto and Sakura are done with their training with Jiraiya and Tsunade, but that's all. I will use some information to up to the latest Naruto mangas though... just not all, making this a little time-plotty, hmm.

Warnings: Unbetaed. My beta doesn't know much about Naruto. Beta, anyone? Leave me a review and your email address and I'll contact you, love.

Standard disclaimers apply.

 

Chapter One: The Return

 

Cold fingers slithered on his neck, another entwining around his waist; a thin, faintly warm body drew him back. Sasuke suppressed a shiver, letting the fingers slip around and across his pale skin. A breath of cold air blew around his ear, whispering, “So obedient today, my pet?”

 

No, his mind screamed at him. This wasn't obedience! This was submission. This was nothing. He did not retaliate because it was fruitless, because, honestly, if one could ever be honest in such a grotesque situation as this, Sasuke was suffocating. And Sasuke liked it, because he wanted to die.

 

If only Orochimaru let him.

 

He had tried to kill himself, bit himself on the arm to bled, starved himself, slit his wrists whenever there was a pointy object around, tried to suffocate himself, tied a noose around his neck with the bed sheets stained with a mixture of semen and blood...

 

It was useless. Orochimaru caught him every time, didn't let him release himself, didn't let him die, because he was useful to Orochimaru, and Orochimaru wasn't an idiot: he knew a good shell when he saw one. So Sasuke had lived a life like this for five years, ever since he was thirteen years old... how old was he now? Seventeen? Seventeen and a half?

 

Seventeen. If he wasn't a shinobi, he would have been married by now, had a pretty wife, maybe a newborn in his wife's arms. He would be grinning, smiling at his neighbors, and enjoying life. Maybe reading... visiting his parents, talking to his brother...

 

He was being lowered on a bed, the small of his back cradled by one long, thin hand. A pair of lukewarm lips - so dead, yet so alive - descended on his and he held back a shiver, Orochimaru's hands quickly undressing him. He opened his mouth, wondering why Orochimaru was even bothering with this; a kiss was intimate, sex wasn't. So he spread his legs as soon as Orochimaru got his shorts off, willing the man to just hurry up and get it done with. Just like a whore.

 

“Eager?” the voice above him cackled slightly. Sasuke did not respond, but spread his legs further as three fingers slipped into him. It was sex. It didn't matter.

 

What mattered was what happened after that, because he was obedient today. Orochimaru would go down on his length, and suck Sasuke off, because Sasuke was obedient today. Maybe... Sasuke should have rebelled. But, oh, Orochimaru was just so good with his tongue; Sasuke couldn't force himself to hate it...

 

And Orochimaru was never terribly horrible to him... sometimes, when he did not cooperate there were a few beatings, and sometimes, after a terribly horrible day for Orochimaru, he'd vent a little anger at Sasuke, but only sometimes. Usually, when he cooperated, Orochimaru was kinder, gentle, even.

 

It was when he was contemplating in his solitary room when it happened. There was a loud crash, and a shout he instantly recognized as Naruto's, and other voices quickly following it. He did not move, however, because he knew he could not leave this room until Orochimaru died. And when Orochimaru died, he would die along with it. Orochimaru always did love traps. The thought hummed gently in his mind.

 

He was going to die. Finally. Well, only if the Leaf Shinobi could kill Orochimaru... he decided not to dwell on the matter. Ah, yes, he could feel the room shaking now... Orochimaru must be on the last strand of his life. He took a deep breath. The last breath of his life -

 

 

White. It's always white, the color of sanitized sheets draped over metal-framed beds, the color of the blank walls and white pillow sheet Sasuke had woken up in. And then there is always the sharp stab of pain that slowly comes to focus as he wakes up from his coma, mind automatically geared to thinking is this the afterlife?

 

And then it's the yellow tuff of hair that first comes in to view, followed by blue eyes and a smile that screamed life. No, he wasn't dead. Yes, this was Naruto he saw. His eyes were little more glazed over than usual, Sasuke noted. Ah yes, he was just waking up. Black eyes, tinged with the slighted bit of red if one looked close enough, met the now clear blue ones. It was always Naruto that speaks first, always Naruto that makes the first move. So Sasuke waited.

 

“Sasuke!” Naruto finally managed to gasp out, breathing ramen over Sasuke. He pulled Sasuke in to a hug, and grazed his slightly chapped lips against Sasuke's smooth forehead. “We finally got you back! Sakura would be so happy to see you.”

 

He was a little older now, his face not so wild with childish naivety anymore. His voice had gotten lower, but it still held the childish cheer. It reminded Sasuke of the sound of the birds, sometimes receiving admiration, sometimes receiving a kunai in the chest.

 

“... hello.” Sasuke muttered softly, in lieu of a reply. Naruto had always been so careless with his kisses - it threw Sasuke off. He didn't know what to make of it. He cast his gaze down, looking at the wooden floor of the infirmary. Naruto really needed to get some salve for his lips.

 

“Hello? What kind of response is that, teme?” Naruto seemed to be on the brink of laughter.

 

“I... don't know.” His voice came out hoarse, a little downtrodden. He hadn't used it in a while. “Could I get some... water?”

 

“W-water?” Naruto's eyes widened and he stumbled over his words. “Oh, right. Water.” He regained composure, and stood up. “I'll... be right back.” Sasuke nodded, a grateful sigh escaping from his lips.

 

Naruto soon returned cradling the cup of tepid water in his hands. Sasuke took the cup from Naruto's hands, their fingers brushing for a small moment. Naruto's hand felt warm. His probably felt cool and slithery like a snake's skin, like Orochimaru's.

 

“... What happened?” He peered cautiously at Naruto, who was staring at him in a dazed sort of a way. His mouth was hanging a little open, as though surprised by something. Sasuke? Maybe.

 

“O-oh, um. Well, we got Orochimaru. Killed him right then and there. Had to get both Tsunade-baba and Ero-sensei to do it though. Sort of sad though, seeing as Orochimaru was their comrade and all. Can't you believe it? They were in a team together, all three of them. And to think! We were all—“ Naruto stopped. But Sasuke knew what words were going to be next. We were all students under them at one point.

 

“hm.”

 

“Yeah, and you're all clear even after following Orochimaru and all... I think the Elders rode it off as mind control or something. Of course, you're to be under Kakashi's supervision for a while, but that's not anything.” Naruto chuckled. “If it were me, they'd had me skinned alive right then and there. Or not rescued me at all.”

 

Ah yes, there was the tension that he was waiting for. The tension he knew he was going to get after he was rescued, that's why he wanted to die in the first place...

 

“Um... yeah. So how are you, Sasuke?”

 

Oh fine, just half-wrapped up in bandages and in a hospital bed, moron. “Hm.”

 

“Tsuname-baba says you can leave when you wake up. Well, after she checks up on you.” Naruto hesitated, before continuing, “Do you want me to call her now?” Sasuke nodded, although he could feel the tension riding up his shoulders again, slowly covering his body. He repressed a shiver; he learned the trick from Orochimaru. Or, rather, because of Orochimaru, he mused.

 

Naruto nodded again, and then slipped away. He'd gotten stealthier, Sasuke noted, as he saw the last traces of blond hair escape from the door. The door creaked defiantly shut.

 

So. He was alive. He was alive, and he was free. You should have died, a little voice told him. You should have died, or at least be on trial to be executed. You shouldn't have gotten away, useless Uchiha.

 

But he had. Now what?

 

The door suddenly burst open, revealing the Hokage with Sakura in tow. Naruto appeared wordlessly a moment later, amiss the rampage of the two women. Sakura had pulled Sasuke in to a long, tender hug, Sasuke limp in her arms, like a rag doll. He owed Sakura this much, at least. After a moment, Tsunade pulled Sakura away, and checked Sasuke's body.

 

“Well, physically, Sasuke, you're around half way there,” Tsunade said after a moment, looking over Sasuke clinically. “You were incredibly lucky Naruto was there to pull you out of the carnage, with Jiraiya and I completely used up. You're subjected to a wheelchair for a few days, maybe weeks, depending on how long your leg wounds heal, and you're to be under Kakashi's supervision. He is on sick leave as of now, suffering from wounds to his eye. You are never to appear in public without the supervision of Kakashi or another jounin for the time being, but I'm sure that will be lifted soon depending on your obedience.”

 

Sasuke could do nothing but nod and smile, because it was a simple way of answering a question, and left the others happy. So he nodded and smiled, and Sakura smiled back at him sweetly, kissing him lightly on the brow, but his heart winced when he saw the cold glare he received as he glanced over his shoulder, a cold glare so uncharacteristic for Naruto.

 

It wasn't regret, because Sasuke never regretted, not even after Orochimaru. But the act made him feel emotionless, unnecessarily cold to a girl who loved him so much, had given him so much, because he knew Naruto could see right through him.

 

“Sasuke, time to go home,” Naruto sighed, eyes softening again. The women nodded, and left the room. Sasuke could tell he wanted to add something, but Naruto remained quiet. Naruto had matured.

 

It was when Sasuke was situated at the dining room table, feet clutching the edge of his wheelchair, hands grazing a side of the porcelain tea cup when Naruto spoke, a shrill edge to his voice.

 

“You're finally back, huh?”

 

“Hn.”

 

“You know, after all these years, you haven't changed a bit, Sasuke. You still have that quiet bastard shit going on, even though we all know Orochimaru wasn't only training you back at that cave. You know this, you know he fucking raped you, and you're still like a stone. Man, the others will start to say you liked it or something, Sasuke.” Naruto's voice wavered hesitantly at the end, prompting Sasuke to say, no, no, he hated Orochimaru, he just was acting like himself...

 

But he did like it, in a sick, twisted way. Orochimaru was a genius in more ways than one, and Sasuke's body burned at the memory of it.

 

But he couldn't hurt Naruto like that. Not Naruto. “I'm sorry, Naruto.” The Sasuke three years ago would have killed himself before admitting he was sorry to anyone, even for a small accidental jab in the ribs, but he had changed. He had hurt too many people. His silence was due to insecurity, not superiority.

 

“W-what?” Naruto stuttered, shock evident on his face, “You really didn't like it, right? Sasuke?” Naruto's voice dropped to a low whisper. “What did he really do to you?”

 

Sasuke's face froze along with his heart. No, no, no... he couldn't tell Naruto. He couldn't. It would be the utmost shame, couldn't, just couldn't... what would Naruto think of him after he told?

 

“Of course not,” he whispered.

 

A knock on the door emitted Kakashi, with a bandage over one of his eyes. Sasuke looked up, and wondered if it was the eye with the Sharingan transplant or his normal eye that was covered. He'd forgotten. He looked down.

 

“Sasuke,” Kakashi's voice melted over the name as though not to scare Sasuke, but he jerked up quickly despite Kakashi's precautions.

 

“Kakashi-sensei,” he acknowledged after recomposing himself.

 

“You're safe, you know.” Kakashi's words were kind, laced with sympathy.

 

Sasuke felt pathetic. “I know.” But he didn't feel as though he were safe, as though the tendrils were wrapping around him again, up his arms, down—

 

“Care to explain, Sasuke?” Naruto snapped, partly out of annoyance, partly out of desperation. But it didn't matter to Sasuke if Naruto had killed him, or, Sharingan-forbid, dressed him up in lace, because he was the person at fault. He was the guilty one, the one that had succumbed to power at no price, the one that had Jiraiya in a coma and gave Kakashi an injury to his eye.

 

“I'm sorry.” He'd talk for Naruto. He'd do anything for Naruto, now.

 

“You should be,” Naruto snorted, and caught a silent reprimand between Kakashi and Naruto. He grimaced, knowing what Naruto was thinking, that he was getting special treatment from Kakashi-sensei again. He was probably right.

 

Besides, he didn't need Kakashi-sensei anymore. He had the Mangekyou Sharingan; he had obtained it when he punched through Naruto and left him to die. Orochimaru had helped him master Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu as well. There was nothing more about the Sharingan Kakashi could ever teach him, because if they were to duel today with their Sharingan alone, Sasuke would overwhelm Kakashi.

 

“Naruto, I'll see you tomorrow,” Kakashi urged, and Naruto left. Perhaps he had developed a few sensibilities over time.

 

“Kakashi-sensei,” Sasuke said, drawing the other man's attention from the door, “I really am sorry. I really am.”

 

“Do you regret it?”

 

“Yes,” Sasuke said, the ending sounding awfully like a hiss. It made him cringe.

 

“You were meant to be forgiven, but that will come with time.”

 

“Have you...” he choked, looking away.

 

“Yes, I have forgiven you, because you were merely a child when he took you. You were easily manipulated, perhaps. And for that, I will forgive you. But if you ever do something like that again, now, when you're almost eighteen, I will rejoin ANBU and personally hunt you down.” His one eye smiled, taking the edge out of the last sentence.

 

“How are the others?” he mumbled, wondering really how Neji was, but he didn't want to cause any suspicions to arise.

 

“Fine,” Kakashi replied offhandedly, before looking closely at Sasuke. “Are you sure you're feeling fine?”

 

“Fine,” Sasuke mumbled, before adding hopefully, “Bed?” Chuckling, Kakashi showed Sasuke to his room.

 

 

“How are you feeling?”

 

Sasuke frowned, staring at his sensei from over his cup of tea and toast. It's been an entire week after his return - he was even out of his imprisonment in the wheelchair - and they were still asking him this every few seconds? “Fine.”

 

“Anything... you'd like to do today?” Kakashi prompted. He was done with breakfast, his mask firmly back in place again. Kakashi always ate earlier than Sasuke.

 

“Hn.” He paused, thinking for a moment before realizing Kakashi wanted an answer. “Whatever you think I should do.”

 

“I think you should train.”

 

Train... it was training that got him into this mess in the first place, his stupid desire to become stronger at whatever costs he needed to pay. What a disaster that was. The craving to avenge his clan was still there, but he wished... he wished he had listened.

 

“I don't think that would be wise.”

 

Kakashi gave Sasuke a hard stare before stating, “You're really taking this seriously.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Well, no Sharingan. We will work on your taijutsu, perhaps with Rock Lee?”

 

Sasuke cringed, bringing a crinkle in Kakashi's black mask. Sasuke guessed he was smiling. Perhaps Rock Lee and Sasuke would have the same general distaste for each other as Gai and Kakashi. Perhaps Rock Lee and Sasuke would have the same general distaste for each other as Rock Lee and Neji. Or perhaps there will be no rivalry at all, simply disgust.

 

“Ah, the quiet ones are always alike, mm? No, taijutsu would put your mind off of other things, perhaps. My taijutsu is not as comparable as Gai-sensei's, but it is considerably better than Rock Lee's.”

 

Sasuke nodded. Perhaps a bit of training would be good. Just... not Sharingan right now. No. Perhaps never, if he could.

 

 

Fist in the air, low kick.

 

Clean. The air was fresh, the wind strong, moving like chakra strands around him.

 

Dodge, spinning high kick.

 

Like a boulder in the water, persisting, never relenting.

 

Bend. Too slow! Dodge!

 

Strength. Justice. Revenge. He was Revenge. He was Power. But above all, he was the Best.

 

Increase chakra. Left fist, follow with right.

 

Strength in fists, clean mind, and deep chakra control exist for only the Avenger.

 

Lunge, sidestep, increase chakra, punch.

 

The future is not where my dream is. My dream is in the past.

 

Breathe.

 

“You've gotten better.”

 

It was an understatement. He wasn't just better. He had beaten Kakashi hands down. But that might have been because Kakashi hadn't expected Sasuke to be so passionate.

 

But that wasn't what was scaring him. What was scaring him was the fact that he was so enthralled in his movements he had forgotten who he was fighting with all together. It made him dangerous.

 

“Perhaps.” He wiped a trickle of blood on his face with the back of his hand. It wasn't his blood.

 

“Your Peregrine Falcon Drop has gotten stronger, and if I'm not mistaken, you've developed some new techniques?”

 

“Merely some I've copied.”

 

“Ah, I saw your version of Rock Lee's Kage Buyo, but that was years ago... care to share?”

 

“My Shishi Rendan is no longer a weak imitation of Kage Buyo. It incorporates the full lotus movements and develops into Ura Renge.”

 

Kakashi looked down, before looking back into the black eyes of his student. Or former student? He wasn't sure anymore. “I underestimated you.”

 

“I highly doubt that is the limit of your taijutsu as well, sensei. But I apologize. I seem to have... lost myself for a moment.” He grimaced at his choice of words, and hoped desperately his curse seal hadn't acted up.

 

Kakashi nodded, thoughtful. He wasn't looking at Sasuke queerly, so the curse seal must not have acted up.

 

“Again?” Sasuke questioned, voice flat.

 

“Again,” Kakashi agreed, “Although I really should put you against Gai or Lee... later.”

 

A few flurries of kicks, and Sasuke found his back to the ground, looking up at Kakashi. He couldn't have caught the movements with his eyes.

 

“Too slow? Aw, poor Sasuke. Get up,” Kakashi commanded, and Sasuke remembered the brilliance that this was Kakashi, the man who is one of the best in Hidden Leaf, the man that was trained by the Fourth Hokage and the son of the man who was as great as Orochimaru.

 

He was a challenge. A goal to reach for.

 

“Teach me,” he whispered, that hungry urge for power gnawing at the pit of his soul.

 

Kakashi bent down, ruffling Sasuke's hair. “That's why I'm your teacher. But,” and his voice grew stern, “You must forget about avenging your family.”

 

Sasuke turned his head away. He couldn't... he...

 

“How can he ask me to do that? Is that what you're thinking about, Sasuke? That your life's goal could be ended, just like that? It would have been a waste of a large part of your life, but you can always start anew. Don't make the same foolish mistakes again.”

 

“No!” Sasuke jumped up, ignoring the pain in his ribs and the curse seal that had abruptly started spreading around his neck and ran, ran away from Kakashi and his stupid words and stupid training, ran to the first place he could think of that he felt like running to.

 

He was lucky the window to Neji's room was open, even luckier when he found Neji meditating, and instead of kicking him out, let him sleep on his bed.

 

 

Sasuke awoke to the sound of the teapot shrieking before Neji deftly turned off the fire. Neji motioned towards the small table he had set next to the bed and Sasuke crawled towards it, embarrassment evident on his cheeks.

 

He had lost control again, and oh Hokage, what was Kakashi going to do? Were they finally terminating him?

 

There was only one chair in the room, and Neji sat on it while Sasuke sat on the bed, now cradling a cup of hot tea in his hand. “I took the liberty of informing Kakashi of your presence,” Neji stated softly, as though it was perfectly normal for Sasuke to arrive through the window of his room.

 

“He insisted on checking up on you,” Neji added, “But I denied his request.”

 

“You can do that?”

 

“What? Forbid him from seeing you?” Neji asked smoothly, before adding “Yes” to Sasuke's nod. “I am jounin, after all.”

 

Sasuke choked on his tea, spilling a little down his shirt, scalding hot and alive, but he did not notice as he stared at Neji's cool face. “Jounin?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Jounin... shouldn't you be making fun of me for being genin...”

 

Neji barely caught the soft mutter of words against the porcelain tea cup, but he had always been good at hearing. Not as good as his eyes, certainly, but better than Hinata had been. “You aren't really even genin.”

 

“What class ranked criminal am I then?” Sasuke snorted.

 

“C at the time of your departure.”

 

“Why send an entire crew over just to rescue me, eh?”

 

“Your Sharingan, you should know that.”

 

“Ah, yes, three of the most powerful jutsus in the world.” Sasuke chuckled crudely, “Only three people can do them now, eh?”

 

“Three?” Ah, of course, there was Kakashi, Itachi, and Sasuke, making three.

 

“Che, you don't exactly expect me to be using it anytime soon, mm? Although I never figured out who that last person was... Itachi,” and he spat the word with vengeance, “spoke of him once.”

 

“Oh,” Neji replied. Sasuke was no longer going to use Sharingan? “I suppose you're right. Still, it would be a shame. Find a girl anytime soon?”

 

“Like they'd marry a spineless traitor,” Sasuke replied. It was comfortable chatting with Neji, as though the weight on his shoulders had been lifted a bit.

 

“I'm still pretty sure half of Konoha would jump you just so they could get red-eyed babies,” Neji smirked.

 

Sasuke stared off for a bit, before saying, “When're you and Tenten getting married anyways?” They couldn't be married yet; this was one of the sparsest bachelor pads Sasuke had ever seen.

 

“She's already married.”

 

Sasuke froze for a second, before replying, “And you're going to live with that?”

 

Neji shrugged, “It's not like I was in love with her or anything.”

 

Sasuke let out a harsh laugh. “I suppose, eh? But still, you have those evil eyes. I'm sure girls are just dying for them.”

 

“Ino said I had eyes of a sex god,” Neji replied, “But I would never have children.”

 

“Trust Ino to say that,” Sasuke mumbled, “No children?”

 

“Lower branch. Not convenient.”

 

“I thought you were over that.”

 

“I am. I wouldn't want my children to have to go through the chuushin exams just to get it though.”

 

Sasuke paused, looking at the other man carefully, calculating, before letting out a nasal sound and turning his head away. “I should find Kakashi-sensei.”

 

“You should,” Neji dutifully noted, before standing and sweeping up the cups from the table. “Come with me.”

 

They walked a little awkwardly, side by side, millimeters apart but never touching. Sasuke refused to lag behind, Neji refused to walk any faster. Sasuke thought he felt the brush of Neji's long hair a few times, but he couldn't be sure.

 

As soon as Neji knocked on the door, Kakashi pulled Sasuke in with the speed of the White Fang and left a stony and slightly shocked Neji at the other side of the door.

 

“Are you okay?” Kakashi stared into Sasuke's eyes, hands clamped heavily on Sasuke's shoulder as he forced Sasuke in a chair.

 

Sasuke blinked at him through heavy lashes, torn between the fact that Kakashi wasn't reprimanding him and that they had just left Neji out there. “What?”

Kakashi hesitated, causing Sasuke to become even more confused, before saying, “He didn't... hurt you or, perhaps, use you or anything...”

 

“Oh,” Sasuke grew slightly pink, and then angry. Every other person knew what happened at Orochimaru, apparently. “No, he didn't...”

 

Kakashi straightened up. “Nothing at all. You just spent the last six hours doing nothing.” There was an immense amount of doubt evident in his voice.

 

Sasuke did not want to reply, but Kakashi's eyes told him he couldn't refuse. “I... fell asleep.”

 

Kakashi's eyes widened, before bending down on his knee to look Sasuke in the eye. “Do you... feel sore in any uncomfortable places?”

 

Sasuke turned bright red. “Don't you trust Neji?”

 

“He forbade me from looking up on my own charge for six hours, and then you tell me you fell asleep during broad daylight,” Kakashi stated, “I have reasons to be worried.”

 

“I'm fine,” Sasuke relented, the guilt wallowing up in his stomach again. He had lashed out at Kakashi, one of the few people who still slightly believed in him.

 

“There are still people who dislike you immensely,” Kakashi reminded Sasuke, “You need to have supervision at all times.”

 

Sasuke nodded, looking down. It gave him a rather forlorn appearance.

 

“We'll return to training tomorrow, then?” Kakashi reached down and ruffled Sasuke's hair affectionately, but Sasuke jerked away reflexively.

 

“Yes sir,” Sasuke softly replied, a slight sneer in his delicate voice. “May I be excused, sir?”

 

It was only therefore a few breaths at most, but the slight pain in Kakashi's one eye did not escape Sasuke's eyes.

 

Damn it. Sasuke was a bastard.

 

 

They were over him again, twining, slithery-smooth creatures, curling up his legs, across his throat, in his hair and up his thighs. They bit sometimes, not enough to draw blood but occasionally purple-red patches formed. Orochimaru liked to play with his blood with a kunai, but sometimes he'd use a shuriken. He liked playing with Sasuke's inky black hair the best. He said it was a lot like Itachi's, but softer, more innocent.

 

Orochimaru said Sasuke would loose his innocence once he had the blood stains of his brother in his hair. And then it'll be coarse and long and he would be more Itachi than Sasuke, but he'll still be desirable.

 

He wished the snakes would stop touching his hair. He wished he wasn't so cold, like a reptile, vulnerable in darkness. He knew Itachi wasn't weak like him. He knew even Naruto wasn't weak like him.

 

Orochimaru talked about Jiraiya and Tsunade sometimes, more of Jiraiya than Tsunade. He said Jiraiya had always been special, but he was always better. He said Jiraiya had integrity and a healthy amount of talent, but he had always been the genius while Tsunade was a gifted princess and a proficient healer. She had been better than Jiraiya, but Jiraiya had always been protecting her and Orochimaru just laughed at them, secretly hating Tsunade for stealing Jiraiya's heart.

 

Sasuke had heard that Jiraiya was the one that had thrown the last punch, the final Rasengan, at Orochimaru. He also knew Jiraiya was currently being treated in the mental institution next door to the infirmary. He knew Tsunade was weeping as well - he had seen her red-rimmed eyes - but he wasn't sure if it was for Jiraiya or Orochimaru. He suspected it was both.

 

Orochimaru was wicked. He was a member of Akatsuki. He molested teenage boys. And most of all, he killed without remorse, without a country. He was Orochimaru, and he fought only for Orochimaru. And yet, even Orochimaru had comrades, had people who wept for him when he died.

 

Sasuke awoke with a silent scream burning in his throat, wondering if Naruto or Sakura would cry for him if the traps had detonated, or if Neji would sit at his table, staring at his cup of tea, and really feel nothing at all.

 

 

They had gone training the next day, and talk of Itachi had completely subsided. Kakashi was kinder than Sasuke thought.

 

 

Endnotes: For Sharingan definitions and whatnot, please visit narutofan[dot]com and click advanced bloodlines. Also note that ANBU is the same as Black Ops. Updates for this fic will be very slow because of my rather busy schedule right now, but read and review all the same please!

 

Thank you Mercury Chaos for the review. NejiSasu! Hehe, could you e-mail me some of the links to NejiSasu fics on mediaminer or other whatnots? LJ and fanfiction.net go waaacckoo on my computer for some reason x.x