Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Embracing Dreams ❯ Chapter 13
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Arigatomina 
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Comedy / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 08.12.2007 | Pages: 3 | Words: 5.6K | Visits: 307 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Comedy / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 08.12.2007 | Pages: 3 | Words: 5.6K | Visits: 307 | Status: Work In Progress
Part 13
Kakashi was the first to notice the visitor. The rain had finally stopped just after dark, replaced by a nice breeze that teased the curtains of his open window. That was something he'd missed living in hotels, being able to open the windows and let the night air in. The brat couldn't sleep by an open window, and Kakashi rarely bothered with separate rooms. He was dozing on the too small bed, dreamily imagining how much bigger Iruka's bed must be, when he heard the faint sound of footsteps hurrying down the drive. The house was too far from the main road for anyone to come so close by accident.
He got up quickly, more curious than worried. He made it as far as the stairs before one of the steps betrayed him with a resounding creak. That was four boards he'd have to avoid stepping on if he wanted to sneak around the place unnoticed. No question about it, he'd have to sound-proof the house as soon as possible. The sneaky stalker in him demanded it. He knew just the trick to do it, too, assuming the walls were sturdy enough to handle the extra weight. But that could wait till later.
He reached the front hall just in time to hear the jingle of keys, and to watch as the door was unlocked from the outside. Kakashi leaned casually against the wall, curiosity and amusement dancing over his face. The man was obviously trying to be quiet, but he was so harried that he hesitated for nearly a minute, shifting indecisively, over whether or not to lock the door behind him. Then he turned resolutely and started down the hall. He was almost alongside Kakashi when he noticed him. He immediately jumped and dropped his keys. Kakashi caught them before they could hit the floor.
"You're not very good at sneaking around," Kakashi drawled in amusement.
Hiko gaped for a moment. Then he grimaced embarrassedly, accepting his keys and slipping them into his coat pocket. "I wasn't sneaking," he winced. "I was just trying not to wake up Naruto. I forgot he might not be the only light sleeper staying here now."
"He's a light sleeper?" Kakashi gave a doubtful look.
"Sometimes," said Hiko. He brushed past, glancing over his shoulder as he headed for the stairs. "I'll explain later," he said quietly. "I have to talk to Iruka."
"He's asleep," Kakashi warned. Dead asleep, and unlikely to be anywhere near coherent if he were woken up mere hours after dropping off.
Hiko gave a knowing sigh, "That's why I didn't bother calling first."
Kakashi followed him upstairs, noting how Hiko automatically avoided that squeaky step. Not that it mattered. The hall was as silent as before, but now two of the bedroom doors were open. Sasuke's room was pitch black inside, no sign of the brat. Kakashi smirked and walked a little closer behind Hiko. If he hadn't greeted him at the door, the adorably paranoid brat would have scared the life out of him. Kakashi made a note to warn Hiko about that later. Iruka's house was no longer a safe place to sneak into, whether the man had a key for the front door or not.
Hiko stopped at the bottom of the narrow stairs to the side of the bathroom. He turned a pointed look on Kakashi. "Have you been invited up there?" he asked, with a jerk of his head at the stairs.
"Of course," Kakashi lied innocently.
Hiko's eyes narrowed and he gave a soft snort. "Yeah," he muttered knowingly. "You just stay right there. Want to sneak up there without permission, do it on your own time."
Kakashi pouted, a sullen glower following Hiko's progress until the man was out of sight. He heard a door open, then Hiko murmuring in a low voice. Iruka's sleepy voice was easier to make out. Kakashi listened with one ear, half his attention on the absolutely silent hallway. Iruka was saying something about a hospital and a door, falling and getting lost. Kakashi had just decided this one-sided conversation made no sense when Hiko emerged, pulling a sleep drugged Iruka along behind him. Kakashi went over and shut Sasuke's door before Iruka was far enough to spot it.
He followed them to the kitchen, where Hiko pressed Iruka into one of the chairs and proceeded to turn the clock face down, and to turn off the light. The man stumbled in the dark. Kakashi shook his head and went over to guide Hiko back to the table.
"Why turn off the light if you can't see in the dark?" asked Kakashi.
"It has to be dark," frowned Hiko. "As dark as possible."
"But there's nothing to focus on," Iruka protested. He stared around blindly, looking concerned, but more out of it than anything. "And we have to be quiet, or we'll wake the boys..."
"I wouldn't worry about that," Kakashi said reassuringly. His devious smile was hidden in the dark.
He should have known Sasuke wouldn't have left his door open if he were planning to get the drop on an intruder. All it had taken was one glance into the room to see that the window was open. Sasuke hadn't touched his door at all. If his guess was right, there weren't any boys in the house to worry about waking at the moment.
"What's going on?" asked Kakashi.
"I got a call," said Hiko, looking in his general direction. "A lot of wounded, and it seems the only one they have with healing talents is out of her mind. Or someone else is in her mind..." He gave a frustrated shrug. "I didn't get all the details, just that it's a mess. The sooner Iruka gets out there, the better."
Iruka was shaking his head. Hiko glared in his direction as if he could actually see the movement. "Not a word about hospitals," Hiko said quickly. "I told you, that's not an option. Bunchu's there. He'll cut you off if it's too much. Any help is better than none right now."
"Where is this?" asked Kakashi.
"He couldn't say over the phone," Hiko sighed. "Too far." He looked toward Iruka again. "They'll send someone to pick you up. All we need is a connection. The kid's never been here and he doesn't know any of us. Bunchu says he only has enough for one trip. He'll have to leave whoever he brings here if he's going to take you back with him."
"It's too dangerous," Iruka protested. "Bunchu can't show him the way because I'd need him there if I'm to be of any help. And Tenka...?"
"In no condition to move," Hiko glowered. "I know. That's where he comes in."
Kakashi froze as the two men turned to look at him. He was suddenly glad it was too dark for them to actually see where he was standing. "Me...?"
"You," Hiko frowned. "You must get around a lot. As soon as I mentioned your name, someone over there recognized it."
"Small world," Kakashi laughed weakly. He prayed it wasn't anyone he'd slept with. That could make things extremely awkward.
"Yeah," Hiko murmured, as if he knew exactly what Kakashi was thinking. "Anyway, all we have to do is stay here and wait. As soon as the kid shows up, the guy with him will move away. Iruka, you have to make contact as quickly as possible. He won't stay long. He probably won't be solid, either."
"What?" Iruka cried. He was too horrified to keep his voice down.
Hiko winced. "The kid's in no better shape than the rest of them. He'll be concentrating on making sure his passengers make the trip intact. Bunchu says it'll be easier on him if he doesn't go the entire way himself. So he won't actually be here, just enough to make contact and pull you back with him."
"What kind of talent is that?" Kakashi frowned. "Sounds too risky."
"Only for the kid," said Hiko.
"He's the one I'm worried about," Iruka said sharply. "What kind of situation are they in to risk-"
"Bunchu's there," Hiko said again. "Calm down. He's not gonna let the kid get lost. He's got him grounded. He'll bring him back safe. And I'll be around here to keep Naruto from tearing the place apart, so don't worry about that, either."
A quiet buzzing started in the room. Hiko pulled a cell phone out of the same pocket he'd placed his keys earlier. He scowled and fumbled with it as if the cell phone were something distasteful. Then he was describing the dimensions of the kitchen to the person on the other end, notably the bare wall opposite the door that was barely illuminated by the phone. He prodded Iruka out of his chair, pushing him so he stood a few feet from that empty spot. Then he shut the phone and looked around.
"Kakashi," he said quickly, not knowing where to look. "If you can see, stand on the other side so you can grab the guy he brings. We have to replace your friend with Iruka quick or the kid'll end up taking him right back with him."
"Got it," Kakashi sighed. It had finally registered. Iruka was leaving. Someone he knew, possibly a former one night stand, was taking his place. That just wasn't fair.
Kakashi was the only one who saw what happened next. There was a waft of cool air, scented with a vague cellar smell and enough fresh blood to make him grimace. A kid appeared out of nowhere, crouching on the floor in that open space. Kakashi could see through him as if he were made of vapor. The kid dropped something without lifting his head, something small that didn't become solid until it hit the floor. It scampered away before Kakashi could get a good look at it. Then Hiko gave Iruka a push and he stumbled forward, falling right at the boy. For a second, Kakashi wondered if Iruka would go right through the crouching figure. But the moment one of his outstretched hands made contact they both disappeared.
Kakashi blinked at how quickly it had happened. Hiko stumbled over and turned on the light. Something soft brushed Kakashi's leg. Kakashi scowled, his gaze dropping to the floor. Sure enough, a furry gray face was grinning back up at him.
"Pakkun," Kakashi muttered. "I should have known."
"Nice to see you, too," the dog said mockingly. He turned his thick neck to look at the bug-eyed man gaping at him from across the room. He sniffed and lifted his pug head as high as possible. "Don't stare at the talking dog. Get him something to eat before he makes a chew toy out of you. He's had a long trip, you know."
Hiko closed his mouth slowly. He sent a disgruntled look at Kakashi. "Naruto's not going to like this."
The man turned to watch the kitchen door warily, as if he expected Naruto to come charging in. Kakashi decided now was a good time to tattle. "Speaking of the boys, I wonder where they snuck off to..."
.-.
Sasuke hadn't been able to sleep. Iruka had ordered them back out and hosed them off before allowing them into the house. He'd then separated them, sending Sasuke to use a small bathroom on the first floor while Naruto was marched upstairs. If that weren't humiliating enough - and the hosing had certainly been humiliating - Kakashi had been waiting for him when he came out with a change of clothes that most definitely were not his. The pervert had been far too amused, making all sorts of disgusting insinuating comments about exactly what he and Naruto had been doing to get so slippery. Then there was dinner, a silent affair in which Iruka frowned at the two of them, and Kakashi smirked every time Sasuke glanced up. The worst part of it was that Iruka had only raised his voice once, when he'd first spotted them dripping mud on the floor. The silent disapproval was much worse than being yelled at. He was sickly amazed when Naruto had flashed him a wink on their way to bed, as if he weren't at all ashamed of himself. Did Naruto get into trouble so often that this was something he could shrug off with a guilty smile? Just the thought of that was disturbing.
He ended up sitting at the desk in his room for hours, studying his notebook to keep from thinking about anything else. It was a small book, half filled with tense notes of all the mutants he'd encountered. The first half of the book was filled with the ones who'd attacked him. Those were marked by dates because while Itachi liked to throw him off once in a while, he was more regular than not. Once he'd started traveling with Kakashi, those descriptions became mixed with random encounters. Some were mutants they'd spotted but hadn't gotten close enough to copy, or even talk to. The difference between the first half and the second was blatant. Itachi had sent him mutants with specific talents he expected Sasuke to copy, talents that were inevitably deadly if used on anyone. The ones Kakashi'd stalked ranged from pointless to harmless, only a few of them being in any way useful in a fight. It made him wonder where Itachi found the mutants he sent after him. Itachi rarely left Japan, but he seemed to have an unending supply of dangerous psychopaths at his disposal.
Sasuke added sections for Iruka and Naruto. He didn't think he'd be able to copy Iruka's healing talent any more than he could Naruto's strength. They were the wrong type of talents. He'd learned that the elemental ones, electricity, fire, could be copied but not replicated fully. His own fire usage wasn't anywhere near as powerful as the man he'd gotten it from, he could start a fire with his energy, but he couldn't stop a fire that already existed. He could turn his energy into electrical currents, but he couldn't manipulate electricity that he hadn't generated himself. He suspected it was the same reason he couldn't copy mindreaders - those mutants didn't have 'talents', they had a unique type of energy. He flipped back to the section on Kakashi. His was another of those unique energy types. Kakashi could copy things Sasuke couldn't, because his energy was inherently adaptive. On the other hand, Kakashi couldn't copy 'talents' without copying the energy. He hadn't gotten one of Sasuke's individual talents, he'd gotten the Sharingan itself. Sasuke suspected that was why Kakashi was so selective and careful about stalking his targets before attempting to copy them. He was copying the whole or nothing at all. Sasuke copied parts but not the whole. And yet there was an exception. The last mutant they'd encountered. That man had a mess of talents. All it took was a single look at his energy with the Sharingan and it was obvious he had as many talents as Kakashi, if not more. Yet Kakashi had only gotten the one skill that man had allowed him to copy. Sasuke still didn't know how to incorporate that exception into the rest of his notes.
It was a small noise that distracted him. Someone scratching on the outside of his window. Sasuke was immediately aware of the fact that he was on the second floor with no trees anywhere near the side of the house. And he'd never heard of a mutant who could fly. He turned slowly, groggily, as if he were swimming through something thick and heavy. It was that sensation he'd had in the rain earlier multiplied by a thousand. He felt the sharingan spin, but from a distance, as if it were happening to someone else. Then he stepped on something that bit into his foot and he realized he was outside, barefoot, in the fields, and he couldn't remember opening his window, let alone leaving the house.
He wasn't dreaming. He couldn't feel the ground, the grass, the air around him, but he could feel that cut on his foot. It stung with every step he took. That was real. Whatever was dulling his senses, muddling his thoughts and controlling his actions couldn't block out that little sting of pain. He'd stepped on something that was still embedded in his skin, twisting a little deeper each time he put his weight down on it. He focused on that sensation, a slow anger rising up until the numbing weight started to ease. Someone was doing this to him. He'd break it. Then he'd kill the person responsible.
"You're so violent," a sweet voice murmured. "I like that."
The weight was gone so suddenly Sasuke reeled. His eyes snapped up and locked on a figure sitting a few yards away. It was a teenager, modestly dressed, with short sandy brown hair falling around his face. He was smiling with his chin propped on one hand, face towards Sasuke as if he could see him with his eyes closed. Sasuke took one tense step toward him and that weight returned, not as disorienting this time, but just as heavy.
"Don't attack me," the boy smiled. "I don't mean any harm. I just want to...talk to you. I'd intended to do it earlier, if your young friend hadn't shown up."
"The house," Sasuke said. He was alarmed by how calm his voice sounded. He'd intended it to come out sharp and furious. Instead it sounded as careless and fluid as the boy's.
"Mm, the house." The boy stood gracefully and approached, still holding his pretty smile. "I can't help but be drawn to places like that. Must be the sadist in me." And he gave a soft laugh that was far too sweet. He paused a few steps away. "I am sweet," he said, as if he'd read Sasuke's thoughts. "I can be very sweet when I want to be."
"Who are you?" asked Sasuke. He couldn't move. He could feel the sharingan focusing, but his vision remained hazy and vague. The only thing clearly visible was the strange boy. The field and sky were shadows in the distance. This wasn't Itachi. He was sure of it. This had absolutely nothing to do with Itachi.
"I don't know that name," the boy smiled, and this time Sasuke was sure he'd read his mind. "You don't need mine, either. I won't be here long. And I'll let you forget me if you like, after I've gone."
Sasuke forced his mind to go blank. Anything he thought could be used against him. But that didn't matter, did it? He couldn't move. Panic was starting to creep in. He kept it at bay with a healthy surge of frustrated anger, wishing he could make his calm voice reflect the emotion he was feeling. "What do you want?"
The boy's smile widened. Then he opened his eyes.
He was falling. Sasuke felt as if the ground had dropped out from under him. He didn't even have that stinging pain to keep him grounded. Those eyes were too blue. Naruto's eyes were blue. He tried to hold onto that thought, but couldn't because this was a different type of blue. This was like being trapped against a cement wall while Itachi leaned over him with the sharingan widening until he thought it was going to swallow him whole. Terrifying, dangerous, empty but full of all the bad things in the world rolled into a nauseating ball. It felt as if his insides were rotting away and all he could do was keep swallowing it back down.
The overwhelming panic was gone as suddenly as it had come. Everything was dark, but he could feel why now. There was a light hand over his eyes, holding them gently closed. He was kneeling on the ground. He could feel the grass on his legs, damp and cold. And there was an arm around his shoulders, that soft voice murmuring into his ear.
"It's okay, calm down, don't be afraid," the boy whispered. "I won't hurt you. Why would I want to? Shh..."
"Stop it," Sasuke growled. He was relieved to find that his voice came out as disgusted and furious as he meant it to.
"Ah, sorry," the boy said, with a soft self-depreciating laugh. "I'm not as good with emotions as I am actions. I didn't realize I would remind you of him. Are we so alike? Or does he rule your life and thoughts so much you can't experience anything without his presence intruding? I don't know what he is to you. Even now, all I can see is the name...and the eyes. You have the same eyes..."
"What do you want?" asked Sasuke. He could feel everything now, but he still couldn't move. He couldn't even see. "Let go of my eyes."
The hand lifted, brushing his bangs back as it went. Those deep blue eyes were as powerful as before, but not as painfully disturbing to look at this time. The boy was still far too close to him. Touching him, even. Sasuke felt himself grimace. Every part of him was struggling to lash out and he couldn't move anything but his face.
"I could rape you."
Sasuke blinked. The boy was giving him a teasing smile, watching him closely to judge his reaction. That smile faded when Sasuke gave a disgusted snort. He'd spent far too much time with Kakashi for comments like that to disturb him. If that was the only thing the boy had in mind, he certainly had the power to do it. And if he left him alive, he'd kill him painfully. There wouldn't be enough of him left to identify the body. What a stupid thing to die for.
"So that's why," the boy sighed. He pulled back and sat in the grass a polite distance away. His eyes closed in a sad smile. "I wondered. You seemed so unaware when I saw you earlier. Even the most powerful talents can be rendered useless if you encounter someone with an ability like mine. Yet you weren't at all afraid. You honestly don't care..."
"What do you want?" Sasuke repeated. "Really."
"Company. Answers?" The boy flashed a whimsical smile that didn't show a hint of those eyes. "I was curious about you. I could take away your pain. Those nightmares you have that you can't remember, that you don't want to remember...I could take them all away. I'd keep them for myself. I don't mind. That's the masochist in me mostly, but I also like to help. In exchange for keeping me company...?"
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. He knew what this was now. This was Kakashi. A young pretty Kakashi tormenting others out of pure boredom. Was this what happened when mutants had too much power, childishness, and free time on their hands? He could understand how some of them would turn psychotic and power hungry, but this was...ridiculous. Why did he keep running into mutants like this?
"It must be karma," the boy smirked playfully. "Or maybe it was simple bad luck that I saw you instead of this Kakashi of yours."
Definitely bad luck, Sasuke decided. He glowered at the boy. "He's back at the house if you're that bored." And knowing Kakashi, he'd be all over someone as clearly bored and perverted as himself. A match made in heaven. Assuming Kakashi didn't mind someone who appeared to be Sasuke's age. The pervert made so many comments Sasuke couldn't help but wonder about him.
"Oh, I'm not quite as desperate as you think." The boy opened his eyes in a glittering smile. "Even if I were, I don't associate with pedophiles. I prefer company closer to my own age." He crawled closer as he spoke, until Sasuke couldn't see anything but those eyes. "People like you...and your friend."
Naruto? He didn't know why the thought of that disturbed him so much, but it did. Maybe because Naruto seemed so normal, young and carefree, as if he belonged to a completely different world where the most important worry he had was whether the grass would be dry enough tomorrow for them to mow as punishment for playing in the mud. Naruto, who'd never fought a mutant before him, let alone a sadist intent on causing as much humiliation and pain as possible shy of killing him. It was as disturbing as the idea of someone attacking Iruka. Even Itachi didn't sink to involving innocent bystanders.
He didn't realize he was being kissed until he felt the damp grass at his back and even then, he didn't pay attention to it. His senses and thoughts were too distant. There were too many rogue mutants. Itachi kept his on a tight leash. They followed his rules. No involving bystanders, no killing him, no molesting him. The last rule had only been broken once, but Sasuke remembered it more clearly than most of the fights he'd lost. The man had kissed him on the mouth and touched him. It was stupid and Sasuke had been too tired to care. Then Itachi was there and that had gotten his attention much better than his attacker's fumbled groping. If he'd ever needed proof that Itachi was powerful, it was in the way that man had cowered in abject terror. The same man who'd taken him down in a matter of seconds, sobbing and shaking at Itachi's feet. But he didn't want to think about that, what Itachi had done to that man, because even though he was going to kill the stupid boy who was taking advantage of him, he had no intention of mutilating him. That wasn't the point. The point was there were too many mutants no one had control over. It was pure chance this one had focused on him instead of Naruto. Or Iruka. What if this boy had come to live in the house? No one would know his true intentions until it was too late.
Sasuke came back slowly. A hand was gripping his shoulder so tightly he thought the bone might break. Like the sting in his foot, the sensation grounded him enough to swim his way back. His eyes were open. He focused on that, felt the sharingan spin once, twice, and then he was staring into vivid eyes. Vivid red eyes inches above his own. He made a startled sound when he realized who was kissing him. The sound was echoed a second later as those eyes faded to blue and Naruto reeled away in what appeared to be shock.
"You kissed me!" Naruto blurted. He'd scooted back a few feet and was holding a hand over his mouth. His expression was too bewildered to be fake.
Sasuke pushed himself up with an equally confused, and slightly annoyed, expression on his own face. "Me? I wasn't doing anything, but-"
He cut himself off, his thoughts once more flying at their usual rapid speed. He was still in the field, just where he'd been when the strange boy had approached him. But there was no sign of him now, not even an energy signature where he'd been. Sasuke climbed to his feet, wincing once when he felt that thing twist in his left foot. He lifted the foot and plucked out a thin sliver of rock. Then he went back to looking at the damp grass around him. There were footprints. Familiar ones. Too light for the shoe size. And just like the ones in the mud, they disappeared without any sign of where the person had gone. Only he knew where the boy had gone, didn't he? He'd scratched at his second floor window to get him outside. That was where he'd gone, straight up.
Sasuke let out a frustrated breath. He'd kill him if he saw him again. Not for kissing him, that was nothing. He'd kill him for getting Naruto involved in his bored little game. Fucking bored multi-talented perverts. Even the young ones were out to get him.
"Oi, usuratonkachi," Sasuke muttered, glancing sullenly at Naruto, who was still sitting in the grass with that hand over his mouth. Wide confused blue eyes flicked up at him. "Do you know how you got out here?"
"Of course I do," Naruto said quickly, a scowl replacing that bewildered look. "I walked. Obviously." He glanced around him and rubbed that hand over his mouth again. "And don't call me that."
"Did you see anyone else?" asked Sasuke.
Naruto blinked slowly, surprise creeping over his face. "I don't remember," he murmured. His eyes widened in disbelief. "I don't remember at all! Not even why I came out here. What was I thinking? And..." He blushed and shot Sasuke defensive scowl, "Why were we kissing?"
"Some bored mutant's sick idea of a joke," Sasuke sneered. "If he shows his face around here again, I'll kill him. But I don't think he will. Forget it."
"Easy for you to say," Naruto mumbled, too quietly for Sasuke to hear him. He was more alarmed than he wanted to let on. Kyuubi hadn't answered him at first. The moment he realized he was actually kissing someone, Sasuke in particular, he'd sent a frantic accusation at the fox. He'd naturally assumed the jerk had taken over while he was asleep. But Kyuubi hadn't answered. It was as if he hadn't even been there. The sensation only lasted for a moment. A moment was long enough. Naruto hadn't been alone in his mind for a long time and that one moment of absolute silence had terrified him.
'I tried answering,' Kyuubi assured him. 'You couldn't hear me. I could barely see what you were doing. Someone else was in here, blocking us. I tried to chase him out, but it was like chasing smoke. I couldn't do anything.'
'Bored mutant...' Naruto said faintly, starting off across the field. Sasuke was already way ahead of him. 'Someone made me come out here? And you couldn't do anything.'
Kyuubi muttered in annoyance. 'Nothing at all. Expect watch and wait.' A tinge of amusement started at that. 'It wasn't a bad show.'
'That's not funny,' sighed Naruto. Except it was funny, if he ignored the idea that a stranger had been controlling him and Kyuubi hadn't been able to do a thing to stop him. 'Was I really the one doing the kissing?'
'Physically,' Kyuubi sniffed. 'Technically someone else was making you do it.'
'But Sasuke wasn't participating, right?'
'No,' Kyuubi sighed, glowering a little as if he were personally insulted. 'I think he was asleep. He woke up a few seconds before you did. It's a good thing, too, because that kiss was pathetic. There wasn't even tongue.'
'Then it doesn't count,' Naruto said firmly. 'My first kiss'll be because I wanted to do it.'
'You did want to do it,' Kyuubi pointed out.
'Not while he's asleep,' Naruto glowered. 'That's just wrong. And speaking of wrong, why isn't he as freaked out as I was?'
'Because it wasn't his first kiss.'
Naruto stopped walking. 'Why would you say that?'
'Intuition,' said Kyuubi. 'Worry about that later. Hiko was at the house when you did your little sleepwalking escape. We should get back quickly. I don't think Iruka's there anymore.'
"What!" Naruto blurted. Loudly. Sasuke stopped in his tracks halfway up the next hill and turned to look back at him. Naruto closed his mouth with a frustrated blush. Then he broke into a run.
.-.
TBC
-notes-
If you don't recognize Sasuke's visitor, just consider him an OC. I doubt he'll pop up in this fic again. I'll give a hint, though - it's an anime character, no one from Naruto, and it's not Fay (TRC).
Kakashi was the first to notice the visitor. The rain had finally stopped just after dark, replaced by a nice breeze that teased the curtains of his open window. That was something he'd missed living in hotels, being able to open the windows and let the night air in. The brat couldn't sleep by an open window, and Kakashi rarely bothered with separate rooms. He was dozing on the too small bed, dreamily imagining how much bigger Iruka's bed must be, when he heard the faint sound of footsteps hurrying down the drive. The house was too far from the main road for anyone to come so close by accident.
He got up quickly, more curious than worried. He made it as far as the stairs before one of the steps betrayed him with a resounding creak. That was four boards he'd have to avoid stepping on if he wanted to sneak around the place unnoticed. No question about it, he'd have to sound-proof the house as soon as possible. The sneaky stalker in him demanded it. He knew just the trick to do it, too, assuming the walls were sturdy enough to handle the extra weight. But that could wait till later.
He reached the front hall just in time to hear the jingle of keys, and to watch as the door was unlocked from the outside. Kakashi leaned casually against the wall, curiosity and amusement dancing over his face. The man was obviously trying to be quiet, but he was so harried that he hesitated for nearly a minute, shifting indecisively, over whether or not to lock the door behind him. Then he turned resolutely and started down the hall. He was almost alongside Kakashi when he noticed him. He immediately jumped and dropped his keys. Kakashi caught them before they could hit the floor.
"You're not very good at sneaking around," Kakashi drawled in amusement.
Hiko gaped for a moment. Then he grimaced embarrassedly, accepting his keys and slipping them into his coat pocket. "I wasn't sneaking," he winced. "I was just trying not to wake up Naruto. I forgot he might not be the only light sleeper staying here now."
"He's a light sleeper?" Kakashi gave a doubtful look.
"Sometimes," said Hiko. He brushed past, glancing over his shoulder as he headed for the stairs. "I'll explain later," he said quietly. "I have to talk to Iruka."
"He's asleep," Kakashi warned. Dead asleep, and unlikely to be anywhere near coherent if he were woken up mere hours after dropping off.
Hiko gave a knowing sigh, "That's why I didn't bother calling first."
Kakashi followed him upstairs, noting how Hiko automatically avoided that squeaky step. Not that it mattered. The hall was as silent as before, but now two of the bedroom doors were open. Sasuke's room was pitch black inside, no sign of the brat. Kakashi smirked and walked a little closer behind Hiko. If he hadn't greeted him at the door, the adorably paranoid brat would have scared the life out of him. Kakashi made a note to warn Hiko about that later. Iruka's house was no longer a safe place to sneak into, whether the man had a key for the front door or not.
Hiko stopped at the bottom of the narrow stairs to the side of the bathroom. He turned a pointed look on Kakashi. "Have you been invited up there?" he asked, with a jerk of his head at the stairs.
"Of course," Kakashi lied innocently.
Hiko's eyes narrowed and he gave a soft snort. "Yeah," he muttered knowingly. "You just stay right there. Want to sneak up there without permission, do it on your own time."
Kakashi pouted, a sullen glower following Hiko's progress until the man was out of sight. He heard a door open, then Hiko murmuring in a low voice. Iruka's sleepy voice was easier to make out. Kakashi listened with one ear, half his attention on the absolutely silent hallway. Iruka was saying something about a hospital and a door, falling and getting lost. Kakashi had just decided this one-sided conversation made no sense when Hiko emerged, pulling a sleep drugged Iruka along behind him. Kakashi went over and shut Sasuke's door before Iruka was far enough to spot it.
He followed them to the kitchen, where Hiko pressed Iruka into one of the chairs and proceeded to turn the clock face down, and to turn off the light. The man stumbled in the dark. Kakashi shook his head and went over to guide Hiko back to the table.
"Why turn off the light if you can't see in the dark?" asked Kakashi.
"It has to be dark," frowned Hiko. "As dark as possible."
"But there's nothing to focus on," Iruka protested. He stared around blindly, looking concerned, but more out of it than anything. "And we have to be quiet, or we'll wake the boys..."
"I wouldn't worry about that," Kakashi said reassuringly. His devious smile was hidden in the dark.
He should have known Sasuke wouldn't have left his door open if he were planning to get the drop on an intruder. All it had taken was one glance into the room to see that the window was open. Sasuke hadn't touched his door at all. If his guess was right, there weren't any boys in the house to worry about waking at the moment.
"What's going on?" asked Kakashi.
"I got a call," said Hiko, looking in his general direction. "A lot of wounded, and it seems the only one they have with healing talents is out of her mind. Or someone else is in her mind..." He gave a frustrated shrug. "I didn't get all the details, just that it's a mess. The sooner Iruka gets out there, the better."
Iruka was shaking his head. Hiko glared in his direction as if he could actually see the movement. "Not a word about hospitals," Hiko said quickly. "I told you, that's not an option. Bunchu's there. He'll cut you off if it's too much. Any help is better than none right now."
"Where is this?" asked Kakashi.
"He couldn't say over the phone," Hiko sighed. "Too far." He looked toward Iruka again. "They'll send someone to pick you up. All we need is a connection. The kid's never been here and he doesn't know any of us. Bunchu says he only has enough for one trip. He'll have to leave whoever he brings here if he's going to take you back with him."
"It's too dangerous," Iruka protested. "Bunchu can't show him the way because I'd need him there if I'm to be of any help. And Tenka...?"
"In no condition to move," Hiko glowered. "I know. That's where he comes in."
Kakashi froze as the two men turned to look at him. He was suddenly glad it was too dark for them to actually see where he was standing. "Me...?"
"You," Hiko frowned. "You must get around a lot. As soon as I mentioned your name, someone over there recognized it."
"Small world," Kakashi laughed weakly. He prayed it wasn't anyone he'd slept with. That could make things extremely awkward.
"Yeah," Hiko murmured, as if he knew exactly what Kakashi was thinking. "Anyway, all we have to do is stay here and wait. As soon as the kid shows up, the guy with him will move away. Iruka, you have to make contact as quickly as possible. He won't stay long. He probably won't be solid, either."
"What?" Iruka cried. He was too horrified to keep his voice down.
Hiko winced. "The kid's in no better shape than the rest of them. He'll be concentrating on making sure his passengers make the trip intact. Bunchu says it'll be easier on him if he doesn't go the entire way himself. So he won't actually be here, just enough to make contact and pull you back with him."
"What kind of talent is that?" Kakashi frowned. "Sounds too risky."
"Only for the kid," said Hiko.
"He's the one I'm worried about," Iruka said sharply. "What kind of situation are they in to risk-"
"Bunchu's there," Hiko said again. "Calm down. He's not gonna let the kid get lost. He's got him grounded. He'll bring him back safe. And I'll be around here to keep Naruto from tearing the place apart, so don't worry about that, either."
A quiet buzzing started in the room. Hiko pulled a cell phone out of the same pocket he'd placed his keys earlier. He scowled and fumbled with it as if the cell phone were something distasteful. Then he was describing the dimensions of the kitchen to the person on the other end, notably the bare wall opposite the door that was barely illuminated by the phone. He prodded Iruka out of his chair, pushing him so he stood a few feet from that empty spot. Then he shut the phone and looked around.
"Kakashi," he said quickly, not knowing where to look. "If you can see, stand on the other side so you can grab the guy he brings. We have to replace your friend with Iruka quick or the kid'll end up taking him right back with him."
"Got it," Kakashi sighed. It had finally registered. Iruka was leaving. Someone he knew, possibly a former one night stand, was taking his place. That just wasn't fair.
Kakashi was the only one who saw what happened next. There was a waft of cool air, scented with a vague cellar smell and enough fresh blood to make him grimace. A kid appeared out of nowhere, crouching on the floor in that open space. Kakashi could see through him as if he were made of vapor. The kid dropped something without lifting his head, something small that didn't become solid until it hit the floor. It scampered away before Kakashi could get a good look at it. Then Hiko gave Iruka a push and he stumbled forward, falling right at the boy. For a second, Kakashi wondered if Iruka would go right through the crouching figure. But the moment one of his outstretched hands made contact they both disappeared.
Kakashi blinked at how quickly it had happened. Hiko stumbled over and turned on the light. Something soft brushed Kakashi's leg. Kakashi scowled, his gaze dropping to the floor. Sure enough, a furry gray face was grinning back up at him.
"Pakkun," Kakashi muttered. "I should have known."
"Nice to see you, too," the dog said mockingly. He turned his thick neck to look at the bug-eyed man gaping at him from across the room. He sniffed and lifted his pug head as high as possible. "Don't stare at the talking dog. Get him something to eat before he makes a chew toy out of you. He's had a long trip, you know."
Hiko closed his mouth slowly. He sent a disgruntled look at Kakashi. "Naruto's not going to like this."
The man turned to watch the kitchen door warily, as if he expected Naruto to come charging in. Kakashi decided now was a good time to tattle. "Speaking of the boys, I wonder where they snuck off to..."
.-.
Sasuke hadn't been able to sleep. Iruka had ordered them back out and hosed them off before allowing them into the house. He'd then separated them, sending Sasuke to use a small bathroom on the first floor while Naruto was marched upstairs. If that weren't humiliating enough - and the hosing had certainly been humiliating - Kakashi had been waiting for him when he came out with a change of clothes that most definitely were not his. The pervert had been far too amused, making all sorts of disgusting insinuating comments about exactly what he and Naruto had been doing to get so slippery. Then there was dinner, a silent affair in which Iruka frowned at the two of them, and Kakashi smirked every time Sasuke glanced up. The worst part of it was that Iruka had only raised his voice once, when he'd first spotted them dripping mud on the floor. The silent disapproval was much worse than being yelled at. He was sickly amazed when Naruto had flashed him a wink on their way to bed, as if he weren't at all ashamed of himself. Did Naruto get into trouble so often that this was something he could shrug off with a guilty smile? Just the thought of that was disturbing.
He ended up sitting at the desk in his room for hours, studying his notebook to keep from thinking about anything else. It was a small book, half filled with tense notes of all the mutants he'd encountered. The first half of the book was filled with the ones who'd attacked him. Those were marked by dates because while Itachi liked to throw him off once in a while, he was more regular than not. Once he'd started traveling with Kakashi, those descriptions became mixed with random encounters. Some were mutants they'd spotted but hadn't gotten close enough to copy, or even talk to. The difference between the first half and the second was blatant. Itachi had sent him mutants with specific talents he expected Sasuke to copy, talents that were inevitably deadly if used on anyone. The ones Kakashi'd stalked ranged from pointless to harmless, only a few of them being in any way useful in a fight. It made him wonder where Itachi found the mutants he sent after him. Itachi rarely left Japan, but he seemed to have an unending supply of dangerous psychopaths at his disposal.
Sasuke added sections for Iruka and Naruto. He didn't think he'd be able to copy Iruka's healing talent any more than he could Naruto's strength. They were the wrong type of talents. He'd learned that the elemental ones, electricity, fire, could be copied but not replicated fully. His own fire usage wasn't anywhere near as powerful as the man he'd gotten it from, he could start a fire with his energy, but he couldn't stop a fire that already existed. He could turn his energy into electrical currents, but he couldn't manipulate electricity that he hadn't generated himself. He suspected it was the same reason he couldn't copy mindreaders - those mutants didn't have 'talents', they had a unique type of energy. He flipped back to the section on Kakashi. His was another of those unique energy types. Kakashi could copy things Sasuke couldn't, because his energy was inherently adaptive. On the other hand, Kakashi couldn't copy 'talents' without copying the energy. He hadn't gotten one of Sasuke's individual talents, he'd gotten the Sharingan itself. Sasuke suspected that was why Kakashi was so selective and careful about stalking his targets before attempting to copy them. He was copying the whole or nothing at all. Sasuke copied parts but not the whole. And yet there was an exception. The last mutant they'd encountered. That man had a mess of talents. All it took was a single look at his energy with the Sharingan and it was obvious he had as many talents as Kakashi, if not more. Yet Kakashi had only gotten the one skill that man had allowed him to copy. Sasuke still didn't know how to incorporate that exception into the rest of his notes.
It was a small noise that distracted him. Someone scratching on the outside of his window. Sasuke was immediately aware of the fact that he was on the second floor with no trees anywhere near the side of the house. And he'd never heard of a mutant who could fly. He turned slowly, groggily, as if he were swimming through something thick and heavy. It was that sensation he'd had in the rain earlier multiplied by a thousand. He felt the sharingan spin, but from a distance, as if it were happening to someone else. Then he stepped on something that bit into his foot and he realized he was outside, barefoot, in the fields, and he couldn't remember opening his window, let alone leaving the house.
He wasn't dreaming. He couldn't feel the ground, the grass, the air around him, but he could feel that cut on his foot. It stung with every step he took. That was real. Whatever was dulling his senses, muddling his thoughts and controlling his actions couldn't block out that little sting of pain. He'd stepped on something that was still embedded in his skin, twisting a little deeper each time he put his weight down on it. He focused on that sensation, a slow anger rising up until the numbing weight started to ease. Someone was doing this to him. He'd break it. Then he'd kill the person responsible.
"You're so violent," a sweet voice murmured. "I like that."
The weight was gone so suddenly Sasuke reeled. His eyes snapped up and locked on a figure sitting a few yards away. It was a teenager, modestly dressed, with short sandy brown hair falling around his face. He was smiling with his chin propped on one hand, face towards Sasuke as if he could see him with his eyes closed. Sasuke took one tense step toward him and that weight returned, not as disorienting this time, but just as heavy.
"Don't attack me," the boy smiled. "I don't mean any harm. I just want to...talk to you. I'd intended to do it earlier, if your young friend hadn't shown up."
"The house," Sasuke said. He was alarmed by how calm his voice sounded. He'd intended it to come out sharp and furious. Instead it sounded as careless and fluid as the boy's.
"Mm, the house." The boy stood gracefully and approached, still holding his pretty smile. "I can't help but be drawn to places like that. Must be the sadist in me." And he gave a soft laugh that was far too sweet. He paused a few steps away. "I am sweet," he said, as if he'd read Sasuke's thoughts. "I can be very sweet when I want to be."
"Who are you?" asked Sasuke. He couldn't move. He could feel the sharingan focusing, but his vision remained hazy and vague. The only thing clearly visible was the strange boy. The field and sky were shadows in the distance. This wasn't Itachi. He was sure of it. This had absolutely nothing to do with Itachi.
"I don't know that name," the boy smiled, and this time Sasuke was sure he'd read his mind. "You don't need mine, either. I won't be here long. And I'll let you forget me if you like, after I've gone."
Sasuke forced his mind to go blank. Anything he thought could be used against him. But that didn't matter, did it? He couldn't move. Panic was starting to creep in. He kept it at bay with a healthy surge of frustrated anger, wishing he could make his calm voice reflect the emotion he was feeling. "What do you want?"
The boy's smile widened. Then he opened his eyes.
He was falling. Sasuke felt as if the ground had dropped out from under him. He didn't even have that stinging pain to keep him grounded. Those eyes were too blue. Naruto's eyes were blue. He tried to hold onto that thought, but couldn't because this was a different type of blue. This was like being trapped against a cement wall while Itachi leaned over him with the sharingan widening until he thought it was going to swallow him whole. Terrifying, dangerous, empty but full of all the bad things in the world rolled into a nauseating ball. It felt as if his insides were rotting away and all he could do was keep swallowing it back down.
The overwhelming panic was gone as suddenly as it had come. Everything was dark, but he could feel why now. There was a light hand over his eyes, holding them gently closed. He was kneeling on the ground. He could feel the grass on his legs, damp and cold. And there was an arm around his shoulders, that soft voice murmuring into his ear.
"It's okay, calm down, don't be afraid," the boy whispered. "I won't hurt you. Why would I want to? Shh..."
"Stop it," Sasuke growled. He was relieved to find that his voice came out as disgusted and furious as he meant it to.
"Ah, sorry," the boy said, with a soft self-depreciating laugh. "I'm not as good with emotions as I am actions. I didn't realize I would remind you of him. Are we so alike? Or does he rule your life and thoughts so much you can't experience anything without his presence intruding? I don't know what he is to you. Even now, all I can see is the name...and the eyes. You have the same eyes..."
"What do you want?" asked Sasuke. He could feel everything now, but he still couldn't move. He couldn't even see. "Let go of my eyes."
The hand lifted, brushing his bangs back as it went. Those deep blue eyes were as powerful as before, but not as painfully disturbing to look at this time. The boy was still far too close to him. Touching him, even. Sasuke felt himself grimace. Every part of him was struggling to lash out and he couldn't move anything but his face.
"I could rape you."
Sasuke blinked. The boy was giving him a teasing smile, watching him closely to judge his reaction. That smile faded when Sasuke gave a disgusted snort. He'd spent far too much time with Kakashi for comments like that to disturb him. If that was the only thing the boy had in mind, he certainly had the power to do it. And if he left him alive, he'd kill him painfully. There wouldn't be enough of him left to identify the body. What a stupid thing to die for.
"So that's why," the boy sighed. He pulled back and sat in the grass a polite distance away. His eyes closed in a sad smile. "I wondered. You seemed so unaware when I saw you earlier. Even the most powerful talents can be rendered useless if you encounter someone with an ability like mine. Yet you weren't at all afraid. You honestly don't care..."
"What do you want?" Sasuke repeated. "Really."
"Company. Answers?" The boy flashed a whimsical smile that didn't show a hint of those eyes. "I was curious about you. I could take away your pain. Those nightmares you have that you can't remember, that you don't want to remember...I could take them all away. I'd keep them for myself. I don't mind. That's the masochist in me mostly, but I also like to help. In exchange for keeping me company...?"
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. He knew what this was now. This was Kakashi. A young pretty Kakashi tormenting others out of pure boredom. Was this what happened when mutants had too much power, childishness, and free time on their hands? He could understand how some of them would turn psychotic and power hungry, but this was...ridiculous. Why did he keep running into mutants like this?
"It must be karma," the boy smirked playfully. "Or maybe it was simple bad luck that I saw you instead of this Kakashi of yours."
Definitely bad luck, Sasuke decided. He glowered at the boy. "He's back at the house if you're that bored." And knowing Kakashi, he'd be all over someone as clearly bored and perverted as himself. A match made in heaven. Assuming Kakashi didn't mind someone who appeared to be Sasuke's age. The pervert made so many comments Sasuke couldn't help but wonder about him.
"Oh, I'm not quite as desperate as you think." The boy opened his eyes in a glittering smile. "Even if I were, I don't associate with pedophiles. I prefer company closer to my own age." He crawled closer as he spoke, until Sasuke couldn't see anything but those eyes. "People like you...and your friend."
Naruto? He didn't know why the thought of that disturbed him so much, but it did. Maybe because Naruto seemed so normal, young and carefree, as if he belonged to a completely different world where the most important worry he had was whether the grass would be dry enough tomorrow for them to mow as punishment for playing in the mud. Naruto, who'd never fought a mutant before him, let alone a sadist intent on causing as much humiliation and pain as possible shy of killing him. It was as disturbing as the idea of someone attacking Iruka. Even Itachi didn't sink to involving innocent bystanders.
He didn't realize he was being kissed until he felt the damp grass at his back and even then, he didn't pay attention to it. His senses and thoughts were too distant. There were too many rogue mutants. Itachi kept his on a tight leash. They followed his rules. No involving bystanders, no killing him, no molesting him. The last rule had only been broken once, but Sasuke remembered it more clearly than most of the fights he'd lost. The man had kissed him on the mouth and touched him. It was stupid and Sasuke had been too tired to care. Then Itachi was there and that had gotten his attention much better than his attacker's fumbled groping. If he'd ever needed proof that Itachi was powerful, it was in the way that man had cowered in abject terror. The same man who'd taken him down in a matter of seconds, sobbing and shaking at Itachi's feet. But he didn't want to think about that, what Itachi had done to that man, because even though he was going to kill the stupid boy who was taking advantage of him, he had no intention of mutilating him. That wasn't the point. The point was there were too many mutants no one had control over. It was pure chance this one had focused on him instead of Naruto. Or Iruka. What if this boy had come to live in the house? No one would know his true intentions until it was too late.
Sasuke came back slowly. A hand was gripping his shoulder so tightly he thought the bone might break. Like the sting in his foot, the sensation grounded him enough to swim his way back. His eyes were open. He focused on that, felt the sharingan spin once, twice, and then he was staring into vivid eyes. Vivid red eyes inches above his own. He made a startled sound when he realized who was kissing him. The sound was echoed a second later as those eyes faded to blue and Naruto reeled away in what appeared to be shock.
"You kissed me!" Naruto blurted. He'd scooted back a few feet and was holding a hand over his mouth. His expression was too bewildered to be fake.
Sasuke pushed himself up with an equally confused, and slightly annoyed, expression on his own face. "Me? I wasn't doing anything, but-"
He cut himself off, his thoughts once more flying at their usual rapid speed. He was still in the field, just where he'd been when the strange boy had approached him. But there was no sign of him now, not even an energy signature where he'd been. Sasuke climbed to his feet, wincing once when he felt that thing twist in his left foot. He lifted the foot and plucked out a thin sliver of rock. Then he went back to looking at the damp grass around him. There were footprints. Familiar ones. Too light for the shoe size. And just like the ones in the mud, they disappeared without any sign of where the person had gone. Only he knew where the boy had gone, didn't he? He'd scratched at his second floor window to get him outside. That was where he'd gone, straight up.
Sasuke let out a frustrated breath. He'd kill him if he saw him again. Not for kissing him, that was nothing. He'd kill him for getting Naruto involved in his bored little game. Fucking bored multi-talented perverts. Even the young ones were out to get him.
"Oi, usuratonkachi," Sasuke muttered, glancing sullenly at Naruto, who was still sitting in the grass with that hand over his mouth. Wide confused blue eyes flicked up at him. "Do you know how you got out here?"
"Of course I do," Naruto said quickly, a scowl replacing that bewildered look. "I walked. Obviously." He glanced around him and rubbed that hand over his mouth again. "And don't call me that."
"Did you see anyone else?" asked Sasuke.
Naruto blinked slowly, surprise creeping over his face. "I don't remember," he murmured. His eyes widened in disbelief. "I don't remember at all! Not even why I came out here. What was I thinking? And..." He blushed and shot Sasuke defensive scowl, "Why were we kissing?"
"Some bored mutant's sick idea of a joke," Sasuke sneered. "If he shows his face around here again, I'll kill him. But I don't think he will. Forget it."
"Easy for you to say," Naruto mumbled, too quietly for Sasuke to hear him. He was more alarmed than he wanted to let on. Kyuubi hadn't answered him at first. The moment he realized he was actually kissing someone, Sasuke in particular, he'd sent a frantic accusation at the fox. He'd naturally assumed the jerk had taken over while he was asleep. But Kyuubi hadn't answered. It was as if he hadn't even been there. The sensation only lasted for a moment. A moment was long enough. Naruto hadn't been alone in his mind for a long time and that one moment of absolute silence had terrified him.
'I tried answering,' Kyuubi assured him. 'You couldn't hear me. I could barely see what you were doing. Someone else was in here, blocking us. I tried to chase him out, but it was like chasing smoke. I couldn't do anything.'
'Bored mutant...' Naruto said faintly, starting off across the field. Sasuke was already way ahead of him. 'Someone made me come out here? And you couldn't do anything.'
Kyuubi muttered in annoyance. 'Nothing at all. Expect watch and wait.' A tinge of amusement started at that. 'It wasn't a bad show.'
'That's not funny,' sighed Naruto. Except it was funny, if he ignored the idea that a stranger had been controlling him and Kyuubi hadn't been able to do a thing to stop him. 'Was I really the one doing the kissing?'
'Physically,' Kyuubi sniffed. 'Technically someone else was making you do it.'
'But Sasuke wasn't participating, right?'
'No,' Kyuubi sighed, glowering a little as if he were personally insulted. 'I think he was asleep. He woke up a few seconds before you did. It's a good thing, too, because that kiss was pathetic. There wasn't even tongue.'
'Then it doesn't count,' Naruto said firmly. 'My first kiss'll be because I wanted to do it.'
'You did want to do it,' Kyuubi pointed out.
'Not while he's asleep,' Naruto glowered. 'That's just wrong. And speaking of wrong, why isn't he as freaked out as I was?'
'Because it wasn't his first kiss.'
Naruto stopped walking. 'Why would you say that?'
'Intuition,' said Kyuubi. 'Worry about that later. Hiko was at the house when you did your little sleepwalking escape. We should get back quickly. I don't think Iruka's there anymore.'
"What!" Naruto blurted. Loudly. Sasuke stopped in his tracks halfway up the next hill and turned to look back at him. Naruto closed his mouth with a frustrated blush. Then he broke into a run.
.-.
TBC
-notes-
If you don't recognize Sasuke's visitor, just consider him an OC. I doubt he'll pop up in this fic again. I'll give a hint, though - it's an anime character, no one from Naruto, and it's not Fay (TRC).