[Naruto] my eternity 8
Title: my eternity
Chapter: 8
Pairing: SasuNaru
Rating: T
Chapter eight: Voice of Accusations
Four ANBU quickly and silently left through Konohagakure’s gates. They sped swiftly through the trees, avoiding the main path as they made their way to the Land of Waves. It was in the early evening; they planned to arrive before midday.
Sasuke paced anxiously back and forth in the room a few times, and then sat down quickly in a chair. He glanced at Naruto, who hadn’t changed since Sasuke had looked at him last, about fifteen seconds ago. Sasuke sighed and rested his head in his hand, his elbow supported by the armrest of the chair. He had hardly slept at all last night. He had been too worried about Naruto to get more than a few hours of sleep. The sun was getting brighter as the morning wore on, but Sasuke was still restless despite his sleeplessness. He couldn’t help but feel worried. The silence was disturbing, unsettling.
The house was empty except for the two boys. Tazuna had left the house early in the morning, saying that he wouldn’t be back until much later because he had work to do. Tsunami left a few hours later to take Inari to visit a friend.
Naruto tossed and turned under the blanket. His face was flushed, feverish. The symptoms weren’t too severe, but Sasuke was anxious about Naruto being sick at a time like this. They were technically in hiding from both Sound and Konoha until further notice, so to be sick was to be vulnerable. To be sick and stuck in the same place, defenseless, for over twenty-four hours was undeniably worse. Sasuke sighed again. ‘Naruto…hurry up and recover.’
The trees flew by the group of ANBU as they raced towards their destination. The only sound was of shoes lightly tapping trees as they swiftly landed and bounded off again. No one spoke. The group of four seemed to exist as one entity, moving in unison and needing no instructions.
The four-man team traveled the most direct path, meaning it rarely used roads. They had crossed over a few on the way, silent and unnoticed by any travelers. They advanced on their target with deadly precision.
Tsunade couldn’t concentrate. She knew the ANBU were not due to arrive for a while yet, but she couldn’t help looking up hopefully every time someone entered her office to see if it was Naruto. She was so certain that he was going to be okay, but her mind continuously supplied her with reasons the mission could fail. What if Sasuke escaped with Naruto? What if he killed Naruto before the ANBU arrived? Or when the ANBU arrived? She told herself again and again that Naruto would be returned home safely within a few hours, but convincing herself was impossible.
Empty sake bottles littered her desk, a surprising amount from that very day. Stacks of unfinished paperwork obscured her view of the door. Work was more tiresome that usual today. Her mind ran in circles. She would start reading a document on her desk, only to find herself once again trying to convince herself that the ANBU would safely recover Naruto.
Tsunade sighed. “I need more sake.”
The bridge was in view. The group had only to cross it to enter the village. It wouldn’t be long now before their mission was accomplished.
They sped up in anticipation of their fast approaching achievement. Eventually, the group entered the villages and the houses spread out before them. The pre-mission briefing had let them in on the most probable location of their target: the house of the old bridge builder. The team reached the residence and moved in slowly, scouting the area while avoiding being noticed.
Naruto continued to sleep fitfully as Sasuke watched over him. Sasuke stood up from his chair and reached out to feel Naruto’s forehead. The skin felt unnaturally hot under his hand, a sign that Naruto’s fever still hadn’t decreased. Sasuke moved his cool hand down the side of Naruto’s face, lightly caressing a flushed cheek. Naruto mumbled something incoherent and leaned into the touch. Sasuke froze, waiting anxiously to see if Naruto would wake. When he did not, Sasuke let out his held breath in a sigh. He hung his head, and then glanced over at Naruto’s face.
Naruto’s eyelashes delicately rested on his cheeks. His face looked calm, an appreciated break after all the tossing and turning Naruto had been doing. His lips were slightly parted from his earlier mumbling, and his cheeks were dusted with a pink tinge from his fever. ‘Even when he’s sick, Naruto looks so…’ Sasuke’s thought trailed off as he leaned in closer. Sasuke’s lips were mere inches from Naruto’s when he considered his actions. Should he…?
Sasuke’s mind was made up for him when, seconds later, he heard a tapping of light footfalls. He straightened up and turned around quickly and was faced with the sight of four ANBU. Cursing himself for believing he and Naruto would be safe and unnoticed here, Sasuke reached into his weapons pouch and pulled out a kunai. He paused, waiting for the other ninja to act first. He didn’t have to wait long.
“Uchiha Sasuke. We are under orders to arrest you. Will you come willingly, or will we have to use force?”
Sasuke frowned. “What are the charges against me?” he asked. ‘Might as well see how bad things are; see if I have any chance to avoid too much trouble.’
The ANBU closest to him, whose mask was bird-like, replied, “You are charged with desertion, multiple charges of attempted murder, assault, and abduction. And, judging by the state of Uzumaki, poisoning,” he paused for effect, and then repeated, “Will you come with us willingly?”
Sasuke was silent as he considered his situation. On one hand, he could attempt to flee. He didn’t like his chances of actual escape, as it would be four against one. He also didn’t like the idea of leaving Naruto. He could attempt to reason with the ANBU, and explain that he had not mean to hurt Naruto the last time, and that Naruto’s sickness was not his fault, but Naruto was in no state to confirm his story, and he didn’t think they would believe a missing nin. He had only one more option. “I’ll go willingly.”
Chapter: 8
Pairing: SasuNaru
Rating: T
Chapter eight: Voice of Accusations
Four ANBU quickly and silently left through Konohagakure’s gates. They sped swiftly through the trees, avoiding the main path as they made their way to the Land of Waves. It was in the early evening; they planned to arrive before midday.
Sasuke paced anxiously back and forth in the room a few times, and then sat down quickly in a chair. He glanced at Naruto, who hadn’t changed since Sasuke had looked at him last, about fifteen seconds ago. Sasuke sighed and rested his head in his hand, his elbow supported by the armrest of the chair. He had hardly slept at all last night. He had been too worried about Naruto to get more than a few hours of sleep. The sun was getting brighter as the morning wore on, but Sasuke was still restless despite his sleeplessness. He couldn’t help but feel worried. The silence was disturbing, unsettling.
The house was empty except for the two boys. Tazuna had left the house early in the morning, saying that he wouldn’t be back until much later because he had work to do. Tsunami left a few hours later to take Inari to visit a friend.
Naruto tossed and turned under the blanket. His face was flushed, feverish. The symptoms weren’t too severe, but Sasuke was anxious about Naruto being sick at a time like this. They were technically in hiding from both Sound and Konoha until further notice, so to be sick was to be vulnerable. To be sick and stuck in the same place, defenseless, for over twenty-four hours was undeniably worse. Sasuke sighed again. ‘Naruto…hurry up and recover.’
The trees flew by the group of ANBU as they raced towards their destination. The only sound was of shoes lightly tapping trees as they swiftly landed and bounded off again. No one spoke. The group of four seemed to exist as one entity, moving in unison and needing no instructions.
The four-man team traveled the most direct path, meaning it rarely used roads. They had crossed over a few on the way, silent and unnoticed by any travelers. They advanced on their target with deadly precision.
Tsunade couldn’t concentrate. She knew the ANBU were not due to arrive for a while yet, but she couldn’t help looking up hopefully every time someone entered her office to see if it was Naruto. She was so certain that he was going to be okay, but her mind continuously supplied her with reasons the mission could fail. What if Sasuke escaped with Naruto? What if he killed Naruto before the ANBU arrived? Or when the ANBU arrived? She told herself again and again that Naruto would be returned home safely within a few hours, but convincing herself was impossible.
Empty sake bottles littered her desk, a surprising amount from that very day. Stacks of unfinished paperwork obscured her view of the door. Work was more tiresome that usual today. Her mind ran in circles. She would start reading a document on her desk, only to find herself once again trying to convince herself that the ANBU would safely recover Naruto.
Tsunade sighed. “I need more sake.”
The bridge was in view. The group had only to cross it to enter the village. It wouldn’t be long now before their mission was accomplished.
They sped up in anticipation of their fast approaching achievement. Eventually, the group entered the villages and the houses spread out before them. The pre-mission briefing had let them in on the most probable location of their target: the house of the old bridge builder. The team reached the residence and moved in slowly, scouting the area while avoiding being noticed.
Naruto continued to sleep fitfully as Sasuke watched over him. Sasuke stood up from his chair and reached out to feel Naruto’s forehead. The skin felt unnaturally hot under his hand, a sign that Naruto’s fever still hadn’t decreased. Sasuke moved his cool hand down the side of Naruto’s face, lightly caressing a flushed cheek. Naruto mumbled something incoherent and leaned into the touch. Sasuke froze, waiting anxiously to see if Naruto would wake. When he did not, Sasuke let out his held breath in a sigh. He hung his head, and then glanced over at Naruto’s face.
Naruto’s eyelashes delicately rested on his cheeks. His face looked calm, an appreciated break after all the tossing and turning Naruto had been doing. His lips were slightly parted from his earlier mumbling, and his cheeks were dusted with a pink tinge from his fever. ‘Even when he’s sick, Naruto looks so…’ Sasuke’s thought trailed off as he leaned in closer. Sasuke’s lips were mere inches from Naruto’s when he considered his actions. Should he…?
Sasuke’s mind was made up for him when, seconds later, he heard a tapping of light footfalls. He straightened up and turned around quickly and was faced with the sight of four ANBU. Cursing himself for believing he and Naruto would be safe and unnoticed here, Sasuke reached into his weapons pouch and pulled out a kunai. He paused, waiting for the other ninja to act first. He didn’t have to wait long.
“Uchiha Sasuke. We are under orders to arrest you. Will you come willingly, or will we have to use force?”
Sasuke frowned. “What are the charges against me?” he asked. ‘Might as well see how bad things are; see if I have any chance to avoid too much trouble.’
The ANBU closest to him, whose mask was bird-like, replied, “You are charged with desertion, multiple charges of attempted murder, assault, and abduction. And, judging by the state of Uzumaki, poisoning,” he paused for effect, and then repeated, “Will you come with us willingly?”
Sasuke was silent as he considered his situation. On one hand, he could attempt to flee. He didn’t like his chances of actual escape, as it would be four against one. He also didn’t like the idea of leaving Naruto. He could attempt to reason with the ANBU, and explain that he had not mean to hurt Naruto the last time, and that Naruto’s sickness was not his fault, but Naruto was in no state to confirm his story, and he didn’t think they would believe a missing nin. He had only one more option. “I’ll go willingly.”