Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Shinobi and The Miko ❯ Things Unsaid ( Chapter 25 )

A/N: Oh my goodness, it feels like forever since I last updated this. It probably has been, too, and for that, you have my apologies. The current manga storyline has no Sasuke, and I'm reluctant to write something that might be contradicted later. But hopefully this chapter will make things a little easier to write from now on.

This one's for lipgloss62, who was awesome enough to review, favorite and alert plus in one go! Hope you enjoy it.

And I still don't own Naruto. Shame, that.

 

Sasuke came to consciousness slowly. He heard low murmurs, then made out light behind his eyelids. He squeezed them shut before cautiously allowing the light to filter in. When he found that this didn't cause him too much pain, he tried to turn his head to get a better view of the room he was in. This, too, was relatively painless and he recognized the dank walls and worn stone floors.

 

Madara's hideout. He flexed a bandaged hand, then tried to sit up. This produced a brief wave of nausea, but after a few moments, his head cleared and he could see straight once again. Looking around, he noticed a small bucket with some water and a towel inside. His room also smelled faintly of fresh air, which was obviously unusual.

 

Kaguya. He grimaced. She had probably saved his life yet again. For trying so hard not to get her involved, he was doing a poor job of it. She would probably have more questions for him now, and he wasn't sure he was ready to answer them yet. He remembered his fight with the kages, and his frown deepened. That would be difficult to explain, certainly. Worse would be his kidnap attempt on the Hachibi.

 

Sasuke slumped forward and caught his forehead in his hands. This was exactly what he hadn't wanted. Kaguya was kind and gentle, the kind of person who wouldn't even understand how he could possibly have done such things. She didn't understand rage or darkness or revenge. She lived in a world of black and white, and she stood firmly in the white area. He swam through shades of gray, and the threshold of blackness loomed ever too close.

 

His thoughts were interrupted by a more immediate problem: his stomach. Sasuke wondered just how long he'd been out, to be this hungry. He stood cautiously, not wanting to invite another bout of nausea, and managed to lurch to his door. He was walking a little more smoothly by the time he was able to get it open and head out into the hallway. He briefly considered turning left and knocking on Kaguya's door, but dismissed the idea as ridiculous, no more than an errant thought. Instead, he made for the kitchen.

 

Sasuke found himself slowing down as he approached Madara's rooms. For some reason, the thought of meeting the other Uchiha made his stomach lurch in a way that had nothing to do with lack of food. He was glad of his stealth, though, when he discovered he could hear low voices coming from Madara's office.

 

“…needs to be taken care of.” That was Madara, and he didn't sound pleased.

 

“You sure about that? Seems too useful to just do away with.”

 

“Useful now, perhaps, but what about when she finds out what's going on, hm? I've kept her around for as long as I can, but we're getting to the point where I can't risk a traitor in the midst.”

 

“If you say so.”

 

“I do. I don't like the effect she has on little Sasuke either. Sometimes, I think my hold on him is slipping, and it's usually her fault. Get it over with soon, would you? We need to begin preparations for the war. Oh, and check in with Kisame, would you? He's supposed to be dealing with the Hachibi.”

 

“Yeah, sure.”

 

Sasuke took in the conversation gradually, but by the end of it, he was downright shaking with rage. If he hadn't been in such a weakened condition, he probably wouldn't have been able to stop himself from trying to kill Madara then and there. Perhaps fortunately, he was of a cooler disposition than someone like Naruto, and wasn't about to enter into a fight he knew he could not win. Nonetheless, he knew he had to do something.

 

He collected himself just in time to use a concealing jutsu as Zetsu left. For a tense moment, he was unsure it had activated in time; Zetsu seemed to be looking straight at him. But the Akatsuki's eyes slid right over him and he continued down the hallway. Sasuke followed him for a bit, then turned away to head for the kitchen instead.

 

As he had suspected, Kaguya was within, busily prepping ingredients for some new culinary experiment, humming to herself. Sasuke felt what could only be described as a pang in his chest when he saw that she was smiling. Was she truly that happy? And now he would have to tell her that her life was in danger.

 

“Good morning, Sasuke,” she said cheerfully, turning to face him.

 

Sasuke shook his head and released the concealing jutsu. Of course it was useless as far as she was concerned. “Good morning,” he managed to choke out.

 

She swiftly picked up on his tone, and her smile disappeared, much to his chagrin. “Are you feeling any better?” She crossed the space between them and lifted a cool hand to his forehead. “Your chakra level is still lower than normal, so be careful.”

 

He swallowed hard. “Kaguya,” he began gravely.

 

She lowered her hand and took a half-step backwards. Could she sense the foreboding he was feeling? He had no doubt, and tried to calm himself.

 

“What is it?” Her tone carried the barest hint of fear, and he mentally chided himself for projecting so many negative feelings.

 

“You have to leave. Now.”

 

She took another step away from him. He half-expected her to launch into a frenzy of questions, or to assure him that she was strong enough to handle whatever problem he was worried about. Instead, she answered in a low voice.

 

“Come with me.”

 

That was the last thing he had expected. “I can't. I'm a criminal now. If I'm with you, they'll never stop chasing us. Besides, I have to stay here.”

 

She looked like she was about to interrupt, so he continued, words falling quick and quiet. “I can't let Madara do what he likes. I have to keep his trust as much as I can, and I have to be near him if I want to stop him.” Here he paused, and found himself waiting impatiently for her to respond. His brows knit together, and as the silence stretched out, he realized that he wanted, no, needed her to understand this about him. He deeply wanted to believe that he was no longer what he had once been, and somehow, it seemed that if she believed it, then it would be true.

 

Caught up in his racing thoughts, he hardly noticed that the distance she had put between them had somehow closed. Then she took his hand in both of hers, and all his thoughts came to a screeching halt. The direct contact initiated a veritable barrage of emotions. First he was hit by sadness, then an indirect sort of anger which was clearly not aimed at him, a profound loneliness, and finally something much calmer. Through it all ran the same undercurrent of acceptance as he always felt from her, when she chose to make her feelings known to him. He was reminded of a time not so long ago when they had stood this close, only then there had been the cold steel of weaponry between them. Now, there was nothing keeping them apart save a foot or so of air and the distance that each of them always kept with other people, though Sasuke was sure that this last was growing smaller.

 

This realization produced in him a separate tide of feeling. Mostly, he was afraid. He, Sasuke Uchiha, who as a rule allowed no fear in himself, had felt fear twice this day. Once upon learning that her life was in danger, and again, upon discovering that the defenses he placed about himself were quickly withering.

 

So it was with an odd feeling of guilt that he released her hand. There were still some things he could not tell her, some parts of himself he knew she would not be able to bear. He would let no knowledge of his crimes go with her; she had to remain as innocent as possible.

 

Kaguya lowered her hands and bit her lip, her face more a mask of concern than disappointment. Why? Why will you not get angry or be disappointed in me? I deserve it. You should hate me.

 

Yet, instead of answering his unspoken question, she nodded slowly. “Okay. But, Sasuke…”

 

“What?” He asked, trying desperately to keep his tone as level as possible.

 

“Don't be too long. I won't be able to stop worrying until this is all over, you know. And don't think I'll just go live somewhere and stay out of this altogether. I want to stop Madara as much as you do.”

 

A corner of Sasuke's mouth twitched; that he had expected. “Fine. Just don't get in over your head.”

 

“I would say the same to you, but I'm afraid it's too late. For the both of us.”

 

“Yeah, I guess so. Look,” he began awkwardly, “I suck at goodbyes, so-”

 

He was abruptly cut off when the distance between them disappeared entirely. Afterward, he would remember only a feather-light brush of her lips against his cheek, a burning sensation that lasted long afterward, and the deep red that colored her face on each cheekbone and across the bridge of her nose. Anything more than that, he simply would not be able to recall. He supposed she probably said something before disappearing, but the words meant little to him even at the time; his brain processing things painfully slowly in the wake of what could only be described as his imagination run off the deep end. And yet, there it was. In his nose, the smell of lilies, on his cheeks a flame of blush, and on his tongue words rendered painfully inadequate, and others that he had forgot to say.

 

***

Kiku's Corner~

 

Hate me yet? I hope not, though the plot turn this time might be slightly aggravating. I will hopefully be able to update more frequently because of it though, since Kaguya's adventures are entirely mine to invent. We shall see, ne? Please review!

 

~Kiku~