Skeletons in the Closet Chapter Four
Skeletons in the Closet
Chapter Four
By: Lazuli
PG-13
Disclaimers and general notes: One-I am not Kishimoto-sensei, so saying I own Naruto is pretty much out. For this chapter, I have to thank my awesome pre-reader/beta/overall awesome person for their help in getting this sucker out. I had such a time with this chapter, and having her there to read and go over it (plus with some really amusing ideas) it helped a great deal to get this out and reasonably well. I hope you all enjoy!
It was weird, having someone in the kitchen besides him and Naruto. And having all these people-It wasn't alike it was a bad thing, hearing the chatter and cheerful banter between the children while he scooped the rice into the bowls. They sound like they're having fun. He mused to himself. Even when they were arguing not that long ago. He never had sibling, so he wasn't aware of what it was like-and he didn't share the same type of friendship these three seemed to have.
"Was your team like that?" He asked quietly, gesturing towards the way the kids and their teacher interacted. Naruto didn't speak much of his teammates-except to say Sasuke was on his team, but he could tell that whatever he did think of them-it was positive most of the time. A family? He thought vaguely. He thought he remembered Naruto telling him that Team 7 was like the family he always wanted.
Naruto shrugged at that. "We were never that talkative with each other, but we related on a lot of levels. Like…Sakura and I always yelling at Kakashi-sensei when he was late-or how serious Sasuke and I took our training and sparring. The mission was always so important to us-" He smiled back at the team in the dining room, even if they couldn't see them. "They're a lot closer and I can tell-it's the way it should be."
Sakura? Sasuke thought vaguely to himself. That was the name that slipped through his mind the other night…She was Naruto's teammate? Naruto probably mentioned her before. He thought vaguely. He started cleaning up the bowls from the earlier meal. "You can't just judge from one meeting." Sasuke snorted and tried to get Naruto's mind off whatever lane it was traveling down. "You were close in your own way." He pointed out. "Even if you argued with each other or teased one another-you were family and protected each other when it really counted." He wasn't sure how he knew what he knew-it just seemed logical to him-but Naruto was staring at him with a sort of astonishment on his face.
"That's the way it was." He said slowly. "I saw them as my family…" His eyes crinkled at the corners. "Every last one of us dysfunctional, but it was fun. I loved those days." His gaze was distant for a moment. "That's one of the reasons why I loved being a shinobi. I gained a family from them… people could look at me and be able to talk to me, relate to me-I understood how people were." He grinned. "I got out Konohagakure and saw so much." He smirked at Sasuke. Too bad you didn't grow up here, Sasuke. I'm sure you would have fit in easily."
Sasuke didn't say anything to that, of how he agreed or wished that he did grow up here instead of where he did. He liked it here a lot and didn't want to leave anytime soon. Even if Naruto wanted to kick him out still-which he doubted-he didn't want to go. Some part of him was more relaxed here than it had ever been. Even though he didn't talk to a lot of people here, he fell more and more in place with the workings of Konoha. Even if spent a lot of time alone with a ghost that had been dead for almost a hundred years-it was like he just made the best friend of his life.
He wasn't going to give that up without a fight.
~
He and Naruto rejoined the gennin team before they went back to work, giving them a short tour of the estate-including the training area. Mika's eyes were wide at seeing the legendary Uchiha compound, and Aki coolly observing the area. Kia was the only one who didn't seem to have an interest, but sported a slight scowl. Sasuke wondered what she was thinking.
As Mika took his hand at throwing one of his shuriken at the dummy, the topic of previous gennin teams came up. They already knew who their teacher had on his gennin team, but it was much more interesting to find out who the Rokudaime had on his. Especially since the Rokudaime was currently in front of them, long-dead ghost and all. Mika was the one who initially asked the question, but all eyes turned towards Naruto, interested in answer-even Kia who had previously been indifferent.
Naruto smirked. "Only the best were on my team." He bragged. "Haruno Sakura, who later trained under the Godaime-and Uchiha Sasuke." His eyes didn't betray anything at that particular name. "And our teacher was the Copycat Ninja, the great Hatake Kakashi. We were the first team that he ever taught." He was seemingly perched on top of one of the targets, the sunlight streaming through him clearly, giving him the appearance of spun glass.
"I've never heard a great deal about him." Mika fidgeted slightly, unnerved by the image of Naruto on top of the targets that he was throwing at. "Most people hush up quick about him if anyone starts to bring it up." He looked up at Naruto, blue eyes innocently curious. "Do you mind us asking? Since we're at the Uchiha estate and all…"
Naruto smiled faintly, if a little proudly that he was once on the same team as Sasuke, that he was acknowledged as the boys friends. "His clan was one of the greatest in Konoha-just like the Hyuuga clan." He nodded towards Aki. "They were an advanced bloodline and even had some special jutsus beyond the bloodline that only they knew." His voice lowered. "The creepiest thing about them was their eyes." He said, barely being able to contain the amusement in his voice.
"Really?" Mika asked eagerly. "Even weirder than the Hyuuga clan?" He blushed and looked at Aki, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. "No offense meant, Aki." He said cheerfully. "I think it's kinda cool what your family does, but… ya know…?" His voice trailed off.
Aki just waved it off, a small smile on his face. "Our eyes allow us to see much more than yours, Mika." He said calmly. "I do not feel ashamed of the way I look, but proud at the sign of my clan." He turned his gaze towards Naruto. "I have heard some of what the Uchiha clan was capable of from my grandfather." His lips turned into an amused smile. "Sharingan, wasn't it?" He asked. "The main thing I know was that it was said to be descended from our own clan."
Naruto nodded, expression still carefully cheerful. "That's about right." He agreed easily enough. "There were actually four levels to the Sharingan-" He faltered for a moment, then continued on as if nothing happened. "And only the Uchiha clan could achieve all four levels and use the Sharingan. It was their legacy of an advanced bloodline." He smiled. "They could do other things, though-that didn't involve needing the bloodline specifically."
"Like what?" Kia demanded. "Don't tell me that there are techniques completely lost!" She looked horrified at the thought and almost demanding, as if Naruto could explain what the techniques were and how to use them.
"It's none of your business." It took Sasuke a moment to realize that the voice was his. Everyone looked at him with surprise at his outburst and he just huffed, avoiding their gazes. "If it was lost, it was meant to be that way." He said softly.
Kia shook her head violently at that. "You wouldn't understand because you're not a ninja. The Uchiha clan had some of the best techniques outside of an advanced bloodline-" She paused for a moment, brow wrinkling in thought. "Even if they were an advanced bloodline-every family had techniques that only they knew-and it helped us out in times of war. Why should we let the Uchiha clan techniques vanish forever if we can have a chance to get them back?"
Naruto rolled his eyes at the both of them. "It doesn't matter, since I was never taught them and the scrolls have been lost for ages." He pointed out. "No one is going to learn the techniques because no one knows them."
Sasuke smirked at Kia, pleased that he was going to win this one and that Naruto was on his side. Kia didn't take it nearly as graciously, though. She got up from where she was sitting in the practice yard, eyes narrowed at Naruto and Sasuke both. "Well, I think you're hiding something and I'll find it eventually." She looked at her two teammates. "Are you coming?" She demanded. "We still have work to complete."
Aki and Mika simply gave her bewildered looks, but complied with her glares. "I guess so…" Mika said doubtfully, looking back at Sasuke. "With your leave, Sensu-san….we'll get started again."
Sasuke gave an absent nod, wondering why it bothered him so much to have Kia get her hands on the techniques. They were unique to the Uchiha clan, weren't they? Didn't they deserve to die out when the last person died out? After everyone left, he decided to follow and listen in-he didn't have to make any dumb excuses for wandering around his own place, but he was determined to see why Kia was giving her teammates demanding looks. Shiba was talking with Naruto by the practice dummies, and neither of them stopped Sasuke.
~
"Well, I'm glad there aren't anymore of the Uchiha clan." Kia's voice carried clearly to where he was, and he involuntarily clenched his fists. "They were a bad bloodline, I heard. One of them murdered almost the entire clan, and the other went nuts, too-he betrayed the village when he was just twelve or something." She huffed and didn't seem to mind that none of her teammates were responding to her rant. "The Uchiha clan was nothing but hot air." She finally declared. "They got beaten by one shinobi-and didn't even suspect their own blood. The village was so enamored with the idiots that they didn't even think of stopping it."
Sasuke glared at where the girl was, even though she couldn't see him. How dare she speak about it like that? She wasn't alive, she doesn't know what went on. She has no right o assume a damn thing about what…He shook his head clear of the thoughts. Hanging around Naruto so often has warped my way of thinking. He muttered to himself, but he didn't stop listening in.
"And the Rokudaime?" He could practically see her pointy little nose tilting up in the air and he had to suppress the urge to smack her. "Everyone in my family agrees that he should have never become Hokage. With him being a demon and all, he wouldn't last very long in the office before something went wrong." There was a different smirk to her voice now. "It serves him right, being a ghost. He and that betrayer belonged in this crumbling estate together. Both a pair of pathetic losers. Konoha shouldn't have thrown them both out of the village before they were able to do damage."
He could vaguely hear Aki's calm voice trying to break down her reasoning, cutting through her argument. He didn't waste time listening to it, though. That little girl had the nerve to insult Naruto, in his own home. That she would insult a former Hokage of Konoha angered him. She had to learn not to do something like that.
He wasn't aware of himself moving forward until her gasp sounded in the room. His hands clenched at his sides as he moved closer. Naruto was his friend, Naruto had been the leader of Konoha and some little girl was talking about him? When she was too young to no him and just repeated the nonsense that everyone said about him?
"Shut up." Sasuke barely recognized his own voice, the cold anger in it almost tangible. "You don't know a thing about Naruto, or the past." His eyes were dark-much darker than they usually were and there was a frightening, almost dangerous anger there as Sasuke confronted Kia. He stalked towards her, with an easy grace that spoke of being able to move silently-quickly-like a shinobi would. Her next words dried in her throat as he focused that unnerving gaze completely on her.
"You made a mistake in insulting Naruto." He murmured, moving ever closer to her. "I really do not appreciate it…even if the words were not directed at him…" His eyes narrowed on her. "It was not his fault that he had a demon sealed in him-he fought his entire life to protect the village, and this is the respect he gets?" His lips curled into a low smirk. "Maybe I should refresh your memory on how to treat someone in such a high position." She was frozen in place, not being able to move past him or perform any moves that could save her. "You wanted to learn about the Uchiha clan's techniques, little girl?" He taunted. "I'll be happy to demonstrate for you."
Starting to move his hands in the familiar seals that would start one of the fire jutsus, he didn't pay any attention to Mika and Aki bolting out the door, heading for Shiba and Naruto-he barely noticed Naruto suddenly appearing next to him, but he did glance out of the corner of his eye for a moment. "Leave me alone, dobe." He hissed out. "You don't always have to watch me. This little girl decided that she could insult a Hokage and try and take the Uchiha clan secrets for herself."
Naruto grimaced and wished that he could restrain the idiot before he got either the girl or himself hurt. "You moron." He wanted to shake him. "She was insulting me, not you. You don't have to defend me against something like that." He didn't even want to bring up how personal Sasuke was taking the comments about t he Uchiha clan. He was already disturbed by the way Sasuke looked-the familiar nickname he tossed so easily at Naruto-the way his hands were posed to perform a seal. Too bad the dead can't really hurt themselves. He gave a mental grumble. Because I'd love to thump my head on the proverbial brick wall right now. How am I supposed to answer the questions that are going to come from this?
Sasuke blinked at him, the dangerous look gone from his eyes. "I was just tying to straighten some things out." He said, confused as to why everyone looked at him, as if unsure how to treat him. "I don't like my friends being insulted, that's all-and you said how important it is that the Uchiha clan's things don't get touched or messed with." He gave a sheepish grin. "I guess I kind of lost myself there for a moment."
Kia made a weird choking sound at that as she took another step backwards. Mika heard the floor cracking before it collapsed, and ignoring Sasuke and how creepy he was acting, he dove towards her and shoved her out of the way before she hit the bottom. Everyone heard the thud as he hit the ground and Sasuke's little breakdown was forgotten in the face of the more immediate problem.
Kia looked over the edge, face pale and eyes wide. When her gaze landed on what looked like a dead body, her scream echoed throughout the estate. It took her teacher and her other teammate to calm her down. Naruto put the rest of her fears to rest when he assured her that Mika was just a little dazed and the 'dead body' was nothing more than a pile of scrolls.
It appeared that the jutsus of the Uchiha clan were not completely lost after all.
~
Shiba was tucking away the smaller scrolls in a pouch and tying the larger scrolls to the backs of his students. He had to get these back to the Hokage, so that he could decide what should be done with them. With no heir to the Uchiha estate and thus the scrolls-the decision would most likely be to return them to the village and have them as standard techniques for all students in the academy. Team 4 wanted to open the scrolls right away, but neither Shiba or Naruto would permit it to happen.
He had a brief talk with Naruto before he went to his team. "I really don't want these left here, especially with how unstable your friend is acting." He looked immensely concerned over the whole matter. While he wanted to get Mika and the scrolls back to Konoha, he couldn’t entirely discount how weird Sasuke acted. "You need to check into this, Naruto. I think it's just gotten more serious than you know." Naruto just nodded at that, processing his words and assuring the man he'd look into it. Shiba just gave him a look and gathered h is team to make sure they understood how important the scrolls they were carrying were.
"They are not yours." Shiba had lectured severely. "This is an object retrieved on your mission, and as such you should treat it as the classified material it is. It first gets turned over to our village leader, and then based on the judgment of the Hokage, we will go from there." He gave them all a fierce look, but it was mostly aimed at Kia. "So stop pouting over it."
He bowed to Naruto and Sasuke, promising that they would come back tomorrow. Sasuke wasn't sure he wanted this particular team to come back-not with the way Kia acted and the trouble Mika got in-but he hired them for the duration of how long it took to take care of things… Naruto was already agreeing and Sasuke was too dazed to really protest at the moment. His head hurt and all he wanted to do was lie down until the pain went away.
After he and Naruto were alone, Sasuke's expression turned pleading and the tone the question of the question made Naruto hurt somewhere inside. "Naruto…was what happened so awful that they have to take away the jutsu scrolls?" He searched Naruto's face for an answer. "I thought… didn't you make a promise?" He sounded so lost, so like someone that lost everything dear to him. Naruto didn't know how to reply. He just closed his eyes, trying to hide his own expression.
"Yes, Sasuke." He wanted to comfort the dark haired boy, but he couldn't touch, couldn't have what he wanted. "It was that bad, but it will turn out okay. I'm sorry I wasn't able to keep my promise." He was rather sad himself at seeing the loss of the scrolls, secret jutsus that the Uchiha family had been proud of and kept close to themselves for generations. For it to be common practice… Naruto felt the weight of that broken promise and it cut deep. Just one more thing I have to beg forgiveness for. He thought sadly.
He managed to direct Sasuke up to bed, ordering that he had classes the next day, and even though he felt it his 'duty' to protect Naruto (from what, the ghost didn't know) Naruto insisted that his classes were more important and that was the reason why he came here in the first place. It was only because Sasuke was so confused that he was able to get him to cooperate at all.
After he was left alone, Naruto closed his eyes and was glad that he couldn't dream-but he could remember the past too clearly for his own comfort sometimes. And the memory of the day he promised Sasuke he'd look after the estate and everything in it came back to him in crystal clarity.
~
Sasuke was still recovering from the battle that won him his freedom from his personal hell and Orochimaru, but the Godaime deemed it more soothing to everyone's piece of mind to have Uchiha Sasuke confined to his family's estates and to have a constant guard watching over him. While no one really liked the fact that Uzumaki Naruto-said to be Uchiha's only friend -was to be his guard, Tsunande said it was good training for when the boy later became Hokage. To distance himself from his feelings. Some had problems with Naruto becoming Hokage as well, but most had resigned themselves to the fact.
For the moment, Sasuke wasn't even able to get out of bed, his body trying to fight the remains of the curse seal and the wounds that had almost killed him. Naruto watched him silently behind the ANBU mask, his body language entirely neutral. Neither friend knew what to make of each other at that point-neither of them knew what to say.
It was Sasuke who spoke first, his voice raspy and barely able to lift his head to glare at his silent friend. "Hey, Uzumaki." He levered himself up slightly, the only indication Naruto heard him was the slight change in body direction. "You ever wonder what will happen to this place once I die?" He was a little out of his head, not seeing much beyond the pain of now. He had achieved his goal of killing Itachi-he escaped Orochimaru, but with the way he gained his power, no one in the village would acknowledge his existence. None but Naruto--
"I don't really care, Uchiha.." Naruto's voice was expressionless. "Since you'll probably live for at least a hundred years out of sheer arrogance." He ran a hand through the spikes of golden hair that were visible above the mask. "Stop acting like the world has come to an end just because you finally got beat enough that you're the one bed-ridden, not me." Even behind the mask, Sasuke knew that Naruto was smirking. "Payback's a bitch, isn't it?"
Sasuke's face hardened at that. "I thought you understood, Naruto." He hissed out. "You were the only one that understood." He coughed, the tremors racking his body, a few bright drops of blood appearing on his hand. "Why are you trying to act like such an ass? It doesn't suit you."
Naruto turned away enough that he wasn't directly facing Sasuke, but could still keep an eye on him. On one level, it hurt to see that Naruto trusted him so little, but another part of him understood that Naruto was doing his job. He would have done the same thing if he was in his position. "I do understand." He said softly. "That's why it hurts so much to see you like this-to see this happen to you. You're not the Uchiha Sasuke I became friends with."
"Naruto…" Only because Sasuke knew Naruto so well could he pick out the pain in that statement, the hurt that he bottled up and hid from the world. Only he knew that there were more masks he wore than the visible ANBU one. Sasuke knew because he and Naruto were a lot more alike than either of them would ever admit-at least at the moment.
"Hey…" He paused, eyes drifting down to the bed, the confinement to them more damning than any prison. "If I suddenly die, I want you to take care of my family's house." He lifted his chin and gave Naruto the most arrogant look he could muster at the moment. "I don't want you stealing my secrets or anything-but keep those nosy villagers out of my family's things." He wanted to cross his arms over his chest and look more commanding, but it was hard when he barely had the strength to move his hands and form the words, much less try and knock Naruto upside the head to drive the order home. "Damn vultures would descend upon this place to get all the Uchiha secrets." He let his own mask slip a little and he looked up at Naruto pleading. He almost seemed to be that boy from so long ago, the one that could lean on someone-if only for a second. "Don't let them take that away from me as well, Naruto."
Naruto sighed and bit his lip, glad that Sasuke couldn't see the uncertain movement. He knew that the chances of Sasuke surviving a long time were slim-Tsunande-baa-chan had told him from the start-but his also knew that Sasuke was a stubborn ass that would live just to turn up his nose at all the predictions people made. But he couldn't deny the wish of his only friend-the only real one he had. Sasuke looked like he wouldn't rest until he got an answer-and even though he wasn't anywhere close to dying at the moment, the idiot needed sleep. So Naruto gave his word to protect the Uchiha's jutsus. As soon as the words left his mouth, Sasuke gave him a real smile-one that hadn't graced his face in several years. Sleep-deprived lids closed over dark eyes, and Uchiha Sasuke let himself sleep and relax in the presence of the only person he called a friend.
Even if their friendship wasn't repaired yet from the damage it took early on, Naruto kept watch for the rest of the night. He wondered if Sasuke would even remember his demand in the morning, or the way he acted at all. Sasuke looked vulnerable in a way that he had never been before, pale skin mostly hidden by dark bruises and bandages, breathing labored as his body struggled to repair itself.
Naruto wanted his friend back-but he knew that it would take a long time to bridge the gap that had been damaged on both ends. He consoled himself with the fact that Sasuke trusted him, in his most vulnerable state, in guarding the only legacy he had left of his family. He deemed it prudent to never mention it to the Uchiha again, lest it cause more trouble than it was worth It was enough that it occurred to him. He would never forget the promise he made-but sometimes it was best not to bring up things that were meant to be silent.
Dark blue eyes watched his friend sleep, and he wondered where they were going to go from here. He and Sasuke were more alike than ever now-the village fearing both of them equally. He only hoped the village wouldn’t decide to take it in their own hands to rectify themselves of the problem of the two 'demons' of Konoha.
~
Naruto was nowhere to be seen when Sasuke left for school the next morning, and he wondered if the events that occurred yesterday soured the way Naruto acted towards him. He didn't seem that angry yesterday, just rather distracted. Sasuke himself couldn't really remember all that went on, just that the little snot Kia was talking about Naruto like she knew everything-and it was mainly a blur until Mika fell through the floor and the jutsu scrolls from the Uchiha clan were discovered. He didn't feel too badly that he would be on campus when the gennin team arrived again, confident that Naruto would be around and was more capable of handling the team than he was.
He put all of that in the back of his mind as he headed towards his history class, so he wouldn't get completely distracted and have his mind wander again. He'd be spacing out a lot lately and he was considering going to the doctor to see if something was wrong.. He could just see explaining the situation to the doctor, though.
"Well, I live in a haunted house where a ninja lord once lived. Oh, and I share the same name as the ninja's friend who had gone nuts and betrayed his village. And I apparently scared a little girl the other day because she was insulting the ghost and I thought she was going to kill him."
He wouldn't be given drugs for sleep loss or something benign like that. They'd take him to the nearest psychiatric ward and runs tests of him for several days, if not weeks. He wouldn’t see the light of day for a long time if he started spouting off that sort of nonsense. He would just let it go for now-something had to turn up to make sense.
A few of the kids in the class waved at him as he sat down, then they all turned their attention the professor who’s topic for the day was the role of ninjas in the Fire Country's past. Sasuke resisted the urge to groan and bang his head. Some days were just meant to be a loss from the start. At least if I get stuck on something weird or obscure in the class, I can always ask Naruto for help. A small smile crossed his face for a moment. I think he'd have fun correcting the professor. With that thought in mind, he let his thoughts wander once again.
~
Naruto kept himself hidden when Sasuke left for school, but he observed him carefully, making sure that there was no sign that he was going to 'slip' again. It was painful enough seeing it last night, but he could only imagine the disaster if Sasuke managed to slip to his other persona at school, considering Naruto wasn't exactly sure how to predict what was going to happen next.
He met Shiba at the door when the gennin team arrived-at least an hour later than they had come previously. He raised an eyebrow in silent inquiry over the status of the scrolls. "Sasuke isn't here." He hastened to explain. "I thought it would be best to handle some stuff when he isn't around." He grimaced. "Especially with the effect your team and him have on each other."
Shiba rolled his eyes at that. "Yeah, well-some of them have a little more growing up to do than others." His team was in earshot and he gave Kia an especially pointed look to accompany the remark. "I suppose the problem with Sasuke was straightened out?"
Naruto nodded, eyes shifting away for a moment. "Yeah… for the moment." He didn't mind Shiba and his team so much… but it was weird and uncomfortable for them to be here and for him to interact with them. He had set himself apart from the shinobi world, from people and the way of life he knew for so long. He made promises, deals-and it was skirting close to the rules for him to have Shiba and his crew here. "I'll figure out the rest later."
Directing the gennin outside, Shiba lowered his voice for Naruto alone. "The scrolls are safe, Naruto. Hokage-sama has them in his office and he's waiting to see what develops here before distributing them to the Academy." His smile was gentle and almost knowing. "Hokage-sama understands, Naruto. Even if the rest of us are in the dark, always trust there is someone that understands what is going on."
The gennin team was well into their appointed task of the day-repairing the broken walls of the outer buildings-when Aki came up to him, his face more serious than usual. He flicked a brief glance towards the place his teammates were, then back up at Naruto. "My grandfather wishes to make an appointment with you, Naruto-sama." His voice was that even, precisely controlled voice that Naruto found went with all the Hyuuga clan. "He found it quite intriguing that you were here and wishes to speak with you again." Mouth quirking up briefly, Aki proved that a sense of humor wasn't entirely lost on the clan. At least he saw the twisted humor in the situation. "Something about catching up on old times and fixing problems that need repaired." His gaze remained on Naruto. "You do remember Hyuuga Neji, do you not?"
As Naruto stared at him in open-mouthed shock, Aki walked away. "I must get back to my tasks now, but please tell me before I live if you would like him here. I know that there are rules that bind you here and those that are permitted to visit." He looked over his shoulder as he left, lips still curved into that small, amused smile. "I am sure that he will be eager to see you as well, Naruto-sama."
With that Aki vanished around the corner, unaware of the havoc he created within Naruto's mind. The fact that Hyuuga Neji was still alive threw him-badly. It had been far too long since he had been alive and known the then-potential head for the Hyuuga clan. He wondered what was going through his mind to want to seek out Naruto-and what the overall purpose would be. He has to be incredibly old at this point. The image he had of Neji was a strong, competent fighter. Someone who advised him near the end-and one of the few people besides himself who almost-forgave Sasuke for his betrayal against the village.
His eyes narrowed thoughtfully. It was sure to be an interesting visit, either.
Chapter Four
By: Lazuli
PG-13
Disclaimers and general notes: One-I am not Kishimoto-sensei, so saying I own Naruto is pretty much out. For this chapter, I have to thank my awesome pre-reader/beta/overall awesome person for their help in getting this sucker out. I had such a time with this chapter, and having her there to read and go over it (plus with some really amusing ideas) it helped a great deal to get this out and reasonably well. I hope you all enjoy!
It was weird, having someone in the kitchen besides him and Naruto. And having all these people-It wasn't alike it was a bad thing, hearing the chatter and cheerful banter between the children while he scooped the rice into the bowls. They sound like they're having fun. He mused to himself. Even when they were arguing not that long ago. He never had sibling, so he wasn't aware of what it was like-and he didn't share the same type of friendship these three seemed to have.
"Was your team like that?" He asked quietly, gesturing towards the way the kids and their teacher interacted. Naruto didn't speak much of his teammates-except to say Sasuke was on his team, but he could tell that whatever he did think of them-it was positive most of the time. A family? He thought vaguely. He thought he remembered Naruto telling him that Team 7 was like the family he always wanted.
Naruto shrugged at that. "We were never that talkative with each other, but we related on a lot of levels. Like…Sakura and I always yelling at Kakashi-sensei when he was late-or how serious Sasuke and I took our training and sparring. The mission was always so important to us-" He smiled back at the team in the dining room, even if they couldn't see them. "They're a lot closer and I can tell-it's the way it should be."
Sakura? Sasuke thought vaguely to himself. That was the name that slipped through his mind the other night…She was Naruto's teammate? Naruto probably mentioned her before. He thought vaguely. He started cleaning up the bowls from the earlier meal. "You can't just judge from one meeting." Sasuke snorted and tried to get Naruto's mind off whatever lane it was traveling down. "You were close in your own way." He pointed out. "Even if you argued with each other or teased one another-you were family and protected each other when it really counted." He wasn't sure how he knew what he knew-it just seemed logical to him-but Naruto was staring at him with a sort of astonishment on his face.
"That's the way it was." He said slowly. "I saw them as my family…" His eyes crinkled at the corners. "Every last one of us dysfunctional, but it was fun. I loved those days." His gaze was distant for a moment. "That's one of the reasons why I loved being a shinobi. I gained a family from them… people could look at me and be able to talk to me, relate to me-I understood how people were." He grinned. "I got out Konohagakure and saw so much." He smirked at Sasuke. Too bad you didn't grow up here, Sasuke. I'm sure you would have fit in easily."
Sasuke didn't say anything to that, of how he agreed or wished that he did grow up here instead of where he did. He liked it here a lot and didn't want to leave anytime soon. Even if Naruto wanted to kick him out still-which he doubted-he didn't want to go. Some part of him was more relaxed here than it had ever been. Even though he didn't talk to a lot of people here, he fell more and more in place with the workings of Konoha. Even if spent a lot of time alone with a ghost that had been dead for almost a hundred years-it was like he just made the best friend of his life.
He wasn't going to give that up without a fight.
~
He and Naruto rejoined the gennin team before they went back to work, giving them a short tour of the estate-including the training area. Mika's eyes were wide at seeing the legendary Uchiha compound, and Aki coolly observing the area. Kia was the only one who didn't seem to have an interest, but sported a slight scowl. Sasuke wondered what she was thinking.
As Mika took his hand at throwing one of his shuriken at the dummy, the topic of previous gennin teams came up. They already knew who their teacher had on his gennin team, but it was much more interesting to find out who the Rokudaime had on his. Especially since the Rokudaime was currently in front of them, long-dead ghost and all. Mika was the one who initially asked the question, but all eyes turned towards Naruto, interested in answer-even Kia who had previously been indifferent.
Naruto smirked. "Only the best were on my team." He bragged. "Haruno Sakura, who later trained under the Godaime-and Uchiha Sasuke." His eyes didn't betray anything at that particular name. "And our teacher was the Copycat Ninja, the great Hatake Kakashi. We were the first team that he ever taught." He was seemingly perched on top of one of the targets, the sunlight streaming through him clearly, giving him the appearance of spun glass.
"I've never heard a great deal about him." Mika fidgeted slightly, unnerved by the image of Naruto on top of the targets that he was throwing at. "Most people hush up quick about him if anyone starts to bring it up." He looked up at Naruto, blue eyes innocently curious. "Do you mind us asking? Since we're at the Uchiha estate and all…"
Naruto smiled faintly, if a little proudly that he was once on the same team as Sasuke, that he was acknowledged as the boys friends. "His clan was one of the greatest in Konoha-just like the Hyuuga clan." He nodded towards Aki. "They were an advanced bloodline and even had some special jutsus beyond the bloodline that only they knew." His voice lowered. "The creepiest thing about them was their eyes." He said, barely being able to contain the amusement in his voice.
"Really?" Mika asked eagerly. "Even weirder than the Hyuuga clan?" He blushed and looked at Aki, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. "No offense meant, Aki." He said cheerfully. "I think it's kinda cool what your family does, but… ya know…?" His voice trailed off.
Aki just waved it off, a small smile on his face. "Our eyes allow us to see much more than yours, Mika." He said calmly. "I do not feel ashamed of the way I look, but proud at the sign of my clan." He turned his gaze towards Naruto. "I have heard some of what the Uchiha clan was capable of from my grandfather." His lips turned into an amused smile. "Sharingan, wasn't it?" He asked. "The main thing I know was that it was said to be descended from our own clan."
Naruto nodded, expression still carefully cheerful. "That's about right." He agreed easily enough. "There were actually four levels to the Sharingan-" He faltered for a moment, then continued on as if nothing happened. "And only the Uchiha clan could achieve all four levels and use the Sharingan. It was their legacy of an advanced bloodline." He smiled. "They could do other things, though-that didn't involve needing the bloodline specifically."
"Like what?" Kia demanded. "Don't tell me that there are techniques completely lost!" She looked horrified at the thought and almost demanding, as if Naruto could explain what the techniques were and how to use them.
"It's none of your business." It took Sasuke a moment to realize that the voice was his. Everyone looked at him with surprise at his outburst and he just huffed, avoiding their gazes. "If it was lost, it was meant to be that way." He said softly.
Kia shook her head violently at that. "You wouldn't understand because you're not a ninja. The Uchiha clan had some of the best techniques outside of an advanced bloodline-" She paused for a moment, brow wrinkling in thought. "Even if they were an advanced bloodline-every family had techniques that only they knew-and it helped us out in times of war. Why should we let the Uchiha clan techniques vanish forever if we can have a chance to get them back?"
Naruto rolled his eyes at the both of them. "It doesn't matter, since I was never taught them and the scrolls have been lost for ages." He pointed out. "No one is going to learn the techniques because no one knows them."
Sasuke smirked at Kia, pleased that he was going to win this one and that Naruto was on his side. Kia didn't take it nearly as graciously, though. She got up from where she was sitting in the practice yard, eyes narrowed at Naruto and Sasuke both. "Well, I think you're hiding something and I'll find it eventually." She looked at her two teammates. "Are you coming?" She demanded. "We still have work to complete."
Aki and Mika simply gave her bewildered looks, but complied with her glares. "I guess so…" Mika said doubtfully, looking back at Sasuke. "With your leave, Sensu-san….we'll get started again."
Sasuke gave an absent nod, wondering why it bothered him so much to have Kia get her hands on the techniques. They were unique to the Uchiha clan, weren't they? Didn't they deserve to die out when the last person died out? After everyone left, he decided to follow and listen in-he didn't have to make any dumb excuses for wandering around his own place, but he was determined to see why Kia was giving her teammates demanding looks. Shiba was talking with Naruto by the practice dummies, and neither of them stopped Sasuke.
~
"Well, I'm glad there aren't anymore of the Uchiha clan." Kia's voice carried clearly to where he was, and he involuntarily clenched his fists. "They were a bad bloodline, I heard. One of them murdered almost the entire clan, and the other went nuts, too-he betrayed the village when he was just twelve or something." She huffed and didn't seem to mind that none of her teammates were responding to her rant. "The Uchiha clan was nothing but hot air." She finally declared. "They got beaten by one shinobi-and didn't even suspect their own blood. The village was so enamored with the idiots that they didn't even think of stopping it."
Sasuke glared at where the girl was, even though she couldn't see him. How dare she speak about it like that? She wasn't alive, she doesn't know what went on. She has no right o assume a damn thing about what…He shook his head clear of the thoughts. Hanging around Naruto so often has warped my way of thinking. He muttered to himself, but he didn't stop listening in.
"And the Rokudaime?" He could practically see her pointy little nose tilting up in the air and he had to suppress the urge to smack her. "Everyone in my family agrees that he should have never become Hokage. With him being a demon and all, he wouldn't last very long in the office before something went wrong." There was a different smirk to her voice now. "It serves him right, being a ghost. He and that betrayer belonged in this crumbling estate together. Both a pair of pathetic losers. Konoha shouldn't have thrown them both out of the village before they were able to do damage."
He could vaguely hear Aki's calm voice trying to break down her reasoning, cutting through her argument. He didn't waste time listening to it, though. That little girl had the nerve to insult Naruto, in his own home. That she would insult a former Hokage of Konoha angered him. She had to learn not to do something like that.
He wasn't aware of himself moving forward until her gasp sounded in the room. His hands clenched at his sides as he moved closer. Naruto was his friend, Naruto had been the leader of Konoha and some little girl was talking about him? When she was too young to no him and just repeated the nonsense that everyone said about him?
"Shut up." Sasuke barely recognized his own voice, the cold anger in it almost tangible. "You don't know a thing about Naruto, or the past." His eyes were dark-much darker than they usually were and there was a frightening, almost dangerous anger there as Sasuke confronted Kia. He stalked towards her, with an easy grace that spoke of being able to move silently-quickly-like a shinobi would. Her next words dried in her throat as he focused that unnerving gaze completely on her.
"You made a mistake in insulting Naruto." He murmured, moving ever closer to her. "I really do not appreciate it…even if the words were not directed at him…" His eyes narrowed on her. "It was not his fault that he had a demon sealed in him-he fought his entire life to protect the village, and this is the respect he gets?" His lips curled into a low smirk. "Maybe I should refresh your memory on how to treat someone in such a high position." She was frozen in place, not being able to move past him or perform any moves that could save her. "You wanted to learn about the Uchiha clan's techniques, little girl?" He taunted. "I'll be happy to demonstrate for you."
Starting to move his hands in the familiar seals that would start one of the fire jutsus, he didn't pay any attention to Mika and Aki bolting out the door, heading for Shiba and Naruto-he barely noticed Naruto suddenly appearing next to him, but he did glance out of the corner of his eye for a moment. "Leave me alone, dobe." He hissed out. "You don't always have to watch me. This little girl decided that she could insult a Hokage and try and take the Uchiha clan secrets for herself."
Naruto grimaced and wished that he could restrain the idiot before he got either the girl or himself hurt. "You moron." He wanted to shake him. "She was insulting me, not you. You don't have to defend me against something like that." He didn't even want to bring up how personal Sasuke was taking the comments about t he Uchiha clan. He was already disturbed by the way Sasuke looked-the familiar nickname he tossed so easily at Naruto-the way his hands were posed to perform a seal. Too bad the dead can't really hurt themselves. He gave a mental grumble. Because I'd love to thump my head on the proverbial brick wall right now. How am I supposed to answer the questions that are going to come from this?
Sasuke blinked at him, the dangerous look gone from his eyes. "I was just tying to straighten some things out." He said, confused as to why everyone looked at him, as if unsure how to treat him. "I don't like my friends being insulted, that's all-and you said how important it is that the Uchiha clan's things don't get touched or messed with." He gave a sheepish grin. "I guess I kind of lost myself there for a moment."
Kia made a weird choking sound at that as she took another step backwards. Mika heard the floor cracking before it collapsed, and ignoring Sasuke and how creepy he was acting, he dove towards her and shoved her out of the way before she hit the bottom. Everyone heard the thud as he hit the ground and Sasuke's little breakdown was forgotten in the face of the more immediate problem.
Kia looked over the edge, face pale and eyes wide. When her gaze landed on what looked like a dead body, her scream echoed throughout the estate. It took her teacher and her other teammate to calm her down. Naruto put the rest of her fears to rest when he assured her that Mika was just a little dazed and the 'dead body' was nothing more than a pile of scrolls.
It appeared that the jutsus of the Uchiha clan were not completely lost after all.
~
Shiba was tucking away the smaller scrolls in a pouch and tying the larger scrolls to the backs of his students. He had to get these back to the Hokage, so that he could decide what should be done with them. With no heir to the Uchiha estate and thus the scrolls-the decision would most likely be to return them to the village and have them as standard techniques for all students in the academy. Team 4 wanted to open the scrolls right away, but neither Shiba or Naruto would permit it to happen.
He had a brief talk with Naruto before he went to his team. "I really don't want these left here, especially with how unstable your friend is acting." He looked immensely concerned over the whole matter. While he wanted to get Mika and the scrolls back to Konoha, he couldn’t entirely discount how weird Sasuke acted. "You need to check into this, Naruto. I think it's just gotten more serious than you know." Naruto just nodded at that, processing his words and assuring the man he'd look into it. Shiba just gave him a look and gathered h is team to make sure they understood how important the scrolls they were carrying were.
"They are not yours." Shiba had lectured severely. "This is an object retrieved on your mission, and as such you should treat it as the classified material it is. It first gets turned over to our village leader, and then based on the judgment of the Hokage, we will go from there." He gave them all a fierce look, but it was mostly aimed at Kia. "So stop pouting over it."
He bowed to Naruto and Sasuke, promising that they would come back tomorrow. Sasuke wasn't sure he wanted this particular team to come back-not with the way Kia acted and the trouble Mika got in-but he hired them for the duration of how long it took to take care of things… Naruto was already agreeing and Sasuke was too dazed to really protest at the moment. His head hurt and all he wanted to do was lie down until the pain went away.
After he and Naruto were alone, Sasuke's expression turned pleading and the tone the question of the question made Naruto hurt somewhere inside. "Naruto…was what happened so awful that they have to take away the jutsu scrolls?" He searched Naruto's face for an answer. "I thought… didn't you make a promise?" He sounded so lost, so like someone that lost everything dear to him. Naruto didn't know how to reply. He just closed his eyes, trying to hide his own expression.
"Yes, Sasuke." He wanted to comfort the dark haired boy, but he couldn't touch, couldn't have what he wanted. "It was that bad, but it will turn out okay. I'm sorry I wasn't able to keep my promise." He was rather sad himself at seeing the loss of the scrolls, secret jutsus that the Uchiha family had been proud of and kept close to themselves for generations. For it to be common practice… Naruto felt the weight of that broken promise and it cut deep. Just one more thing I have to beg forgiveness for. He thought sadly.
He managed to direct Sasuke up to bed, ordering that he had classes the next day, and even though he felt it his 'duty' to protect Naruto (from what, the ghost didn't know) Naruto insisted that his classes were more important and that was the reason why he came here in the first place. It was only because Sasuke was so confused that he was able to get him to cooperate at all.
After he was left alone, Naruto closed his eyes and was glad that he couldn't dream-but he could remember the past too clearly for his own comfort sometimes. And the memory of the day he promised Sasuke he'd look after the estate and everything in it came back to him in crystal clarity.
~
Sasuke was still recovering from the battle that won him his freedom from his personal hell and Orochimaru, but the Godaime deemed it more soothing to everyone's piece of mind to have Uchiha Sasuke confined to his family's estates and to have a constant guard watching over him. While no one really liked the fact that Uzumaki Naruto-said to be Uchiha's only friend -was to be his guard, Tsunande said it was good training for when the boy later became Hokage. To distance himself from his feelings. Some had problems with Naruto becoming Hokage as well, but most had resigned themselves to the fact.
For the moment, Sasuke wasn't even able to get out of bed, his body trying to fight the remains of the curse seal and the wounds that had almost killed him. Naruto watched him silently behind the ANBU mask, his body language entirely neutral. Neither friend knew what to make of each other at that point-neither of them knew what to say.
It was Sasuke who spoke first, his voice raspy and barely able to lift his head to glare at his silent friend. "Hey, Uzumaki." He levered himself up slightly, the only indication Naruto heard him was the slight change in body direction. "You ever wonder what will happen to this place once I die?" He was a little out of his head, not seeing much beyond the pain of now. He had achieved his goal of killing Itachi-he escaped Orochimaru, but with the way he gained his power, no one in the village would acknowledge his existence. None but Naruto--
"I don't really care, Uchiha.." Naruto's voice was expressionless. "Since you'll probably live for at least a hundred years out of sheer arrogance." He ran a hand through the spikes of golden hair that were visible above the mask. "Stop acting like the world has come to an end just because you finally got beat enough that you're the one bed-ridden, not me." Even behind the mask, Sasuke knew that Naruto was smirking. "Payback's a bitch, isn't it?"
Sasuke's face hardened at that. "I thought you understood, Naruto." He hissed out. "You were the only one that understood." He coughed, the tremors racking his body, a few bright drops of blood appearing on his hand. "Why are you trying to act like such an ass? It doesn't suit you."
Naruto turned away enough that he wasn't directly facing Sasuke, but could still keep an eye on him. On one level, it hurt to see that Naruto trusted him so little, but another part of him understood that Naruto was doing his job. He would have done the same thing if he was in his position. "I do understand." He said softly. "That's why it hurts so much to see you like this-to see this happen to you. You're not the Uchiha Sasuke I became friends with."
"Naruto…" Only because Sasuke knew Naruto so well could he pick out the pain in that statement, the hurt that he bottled up and hid from the world. Only he knew that there were more masks he wore than the visible ANBU one. Sasuke knew because he and Naruto were a lot more alike than either of them would ever admit-at least at the moment.
"Hey…" He paused, eyes drifting down to the bed, the confinement to them more damning than any prison. "If I suddenly die, I want you to take care of my family's house." He lifted his chin and gave Naruto the most arrogant look he could muster at the moment. "I don't want you stealing my secrets or anything-but keep those nosy villagers out of my family's things." He wanted to cross his arms over his chest and look more commanding, but it was hard when he barely had the strength to move his hands and form the words, much less try and knock Naruto upside the head to drive the order home. "Damn vultures would descend upon this place to get all the Uchiha secrets." He let his own mask slip a little and he looked up at Naruto pleading. He almost seemed to be that boy from so long ago, the one that could lean on someone-if only for a second. "Don't let them take that away from me as well, Naruto."
Naruto sighed and bit his lip, glad that Sasuke couldn't see the uncertain movement. He knew that the chances of Sasuke surviving a long time were slim-Tsunande-baa-chan had told him from the start-but his also knew that Sasuke was a stubborn ass that would live just to turn up his nose at all the predictions people made. But he couldn't deny the wish of his only friend-the only real one he had. Sasuke looked like he wouldn't rest until he got an answer-and even though he wasn't anywhere close to dying at the moment, the idiot needed sleep. So Naruto gave his word to protect the Uchiha's jutsus. As soon as the words left his mouth, Sasuke gave him a real smile-one that hadn't graced his face in several years. Sleep-deprived lids closed over dark eyes, and Uchiha Sasuke let himself sleep and relax in the presence of the only person he called a friend.
Even if their friendship wasn't repaired yet from the damage it took early on, Naruto kept watch for the rest of the night. He wondered if Sasuke would even remember his demand in the morning, or the way he acted at all. Sasuke looked vulnerable in a way that he had never been before, pale skin mostly hidden by dark bruises and bandages, breathing labored as his body struggled to repair itself.
Naruto wanted his friend back-but he knew that it would take a long time to bridge the gap that had been damaged on both ends. He consoled himself with the fact that Sasuke trusted him, in his most vulnerable state, in guarding the only legacy he had left of his family. He deemed it prudent to never mention it to the Uchiha again, lest it cause more trouble than it was worth It was enough that it occurred to him. He would never forget the promise he made-but sometimes it was best not to bring up things that were meant to be silent.
Dark blue eyes watched his friend sleep, and he wondered where they were going to go from here. He and Sasuke were more alike than ever now-the village fearing both of them equally. He only hoped the village wouldn’t decide to take it in their own hands to rectify themselves of the problem of the two 'demons' of Konoha.
~
Naruto was nowhere to be seen when Sasuke left for school the next morning, and he wondered if the events that occurred yesterday soured the way Naruto acted towards him. He didn't seem that angry yesterday, just rather distracted. Sasuke himself couldn't really remember all that went on, just that the little snot Kia was talking about Naruto like she knew everything-and it was mainly a blur until Mika fell through the floor and the jutsu scrolls from the Uchiha clan were discovered. He didn't feel too badly that he would be on campus when the gennin team arrived again, confident that Naruto would be around and was more capable of handling the team than he was.
He put all of that in the back of his mind as he headed towards his history class, so he wouldn't get completely distracted and have his mind wander again. He'd be spacing out a lot lately and he was considering going to the doctor to see if something was wrong.. He could just see explaining the situation to the doctor, though.
"Well, I live in a haunted house where a ninja lord once lived. Oh, and I share the same name as the ninja's friend who had gone nuts and betrayed his village. And I apparently scared a little girl the other day because she was insulting the ghost and I thought she was going to kill him."
He wouldn't be given drugs for sleep loss or something benign like that. They'd take him to the nearest psychiatric ward and runs tests of him for several days, if not weeks. He wouldn’t see the light of day for a long time if he started spouting off that sort of nonsense. He would just let it go for now-something had to turn up to make sense.
A few of the kids in the class waved at him as he sat down, then they all turned their attention the professor who’s topic for the day was the role of ninjas in the Fire Country's past. Sasuke resisted the urge to groan and bang his head. Some days were just meant to be a loss from the start. At least if I get stuck on something weird or obscure in the class, I can always ask Naruto for help. A small smile crossed his face for a moment. I think he'd have fun correcting the professor. With that thought in mind, he let his thoughts wander once again.
~
Naruto kept himself hidden when Sasuke left for school, but he observed him carefully, making sure that there was no sign that he was going to 'slip' again. It was painful enough seeing it last night, but he could only imagine the disaster if Sasuke managed to slip to his other persona at school, considering Naruto wasn't exactly sure how to predict what was going to happen next.
He met Shiba at the door when the gennin team arrived-at least an hour later than they had come previously. He raised an eyebrow in silent inquiry over the status of the scrolls. "Sasuke isn't here." He hastened to explain. "I thought it would be best to handle some stuff when he isn't around." He grimaced. "Especially with the effect your team and him have on each other."
Shiba rolled his eyes at that. "Yeah, well-some of them have a little more growing up to do than others." His team was in earshot and he gave Kia an especially pointed look to accompany the remark. "I suppose the problem with Sasuke was straightened out?"
Naruto nodded, eyes shifting away for a moment. "Yeah… for the moment." He didn't mind Shiba and his team so much… but it was weird and uncomfortable for them to be here and for him to interact with them. He had set himself apart from the shinobi world, from people and the way of life he knew for so long. He made promises, deals-and it was skirting close to the rules for him to have Shiba and his crew here. "I'll figure out the rest later."
Directing the gennin outside, Shiba lowered his voice for Naruto alone. "The scrolls are safe, Naruto. Hokage-sama has them in his office and he's waiting to see what develops here before distributing them to the Academy." His smile was gentle and almost knowing. "Hokage-sama understands, Naruto. Even if the rest of us are in the dark, always trust there is someone that understands what is going on."
The gennin team was well into their appointed task of the day-repairing the broken walls of the outer buildings-when Aki came up to him, his face more serious than usual. He flicked a brief glance towards the place his teammates were, then back up at Naruto. "My grandfather wishes to make an appointment with you, Naruto-sama." His voice was that even, precisely controlled voice that Naruto found went with all the Hyuuga clan. "He found it quite intriguing that you were here and wishes to speak with you again." Mouth quirking up briefly, Aki proved that a sense of humor wasn't entirely lost on the clan. At least he saw the twisted humor in the situation. "Something about catching up on old times and fixing problems that need repaired." His gaze remained on Naruto. "You do remember Hyuuga Neji, do you not?"
As Naruto stared at him in open-mouthed shock, Aki walked away. "I must get back to my tasks now, but please tell me before I live if you would like him here. I know that there are rules that bind you here and those that are permitted to visit." He looked over his shoulder as he left, lips still curved into that small, amused smile. "I am sure that he will be eager to see you as well, Naruto-sama."
With that Aki vanished around the corner, unaware of the havoc he created within Naruto's mind. The fact that Hyuuga Neji was still alive threw him-badly. It had been far too long since he had been alive and known the then-potential head for the Hyuuga clan. He wondered what was going through his mind to want to seek out Naruto-and what the overall purpose would be. He has to be incredibly old at this point. The image he had of Neji was a strong, competent fighter. Someone who advised him near the end-and one of the few people besides himself who almost-forgave Sasuke for his betrayal against the village.
His eyes narrowed thoughtfully. It was sure to be an interesting visit, either.