Reflected Scars

Another chapter.. yes you all love me I know..

MORE ON THE PLOT: I had only intended for there to be 9 dreams. However I have 11 that I don’t wanna get rid of. So after a while Naruto won’t be able to determine if those are just his nightmares or fox memories. Next chapter is going to be a dream and some Shonen-ai because you all deserve it!




Chapter 5

Rainy Day Dilemma

The sound of rain beat against the curtain covered window of the room. It must have been the rain that had made him sleep so soundly. Or maybe it was the soft bed after a long walk the day before. Whatever it was, Sasuke knew he had slept too long the second his mind registered that he was the only one in the room.

He sat up and looked around. The other beds were made, but Naruto’s stuff was still there. Sasuke could hear the wind howl outside, he dressed and went downstairs. He could smell food cooking from the far side of the building and followed his nose to where the others were.

In the kitchen, he found Sakura and the man called Hiroshi eating breakfast at the large table. In the middle of the table was bacon, toast, boiled eggs and a stack of pancakes to feed a small army.

In the room across the hall, Kakashi sat stretched out on the sofa next to the big bay window, reading his book. He never even looked up as Sasuke approached and stood in front of him.

“When are we leaving?”

Kakashi reached up and pulled back the window curtain. Outside rain hammered against the window panes, making it almost too hard to see the wind whipping the outside world into chaos. The sky was dark with huge thunder clouds that rippled with lightning. Sasuke nodded and sat down at the table to eat breakfast.

Chiharu appeared next to him and handed him a large blue plate with a green flower print.

“Here you go dear. Help yourself.”

“Thank you.” He said taking a few of each item before him. Some of the pancakes were dotted with chocolate chips, and some had blueberries. There was a bottle of syrup and a butter tray to his right, and juice and milk to his left. Everything smelled and tasted so good.

The rain beat against the windows in a steady rhythm adding to the comfortable serenity of the place. There was no talking at the table, there was no need for it. With all the quiet around them, it felt as if a word spoken too loud would shatter the binds of peace and everything would come crashing down.

Which is probably why when Sakura did speak, it was quiet and low.

“Kakashi said that since the storm had been updated to a hurricane, that we’re going to wait here till it passes.”

****

Sasuke finished his breakfast and stood up from the table, plate in hand.

“Did you have enough Sasuke dear?” He heard from the far side of the kitchen where Chiharu and Sakura were washing dishes.

“Yes, it was good.” He said placing his on the counter with the rest.

“Well I can’t take all the credit. Naruto-kun helped too.”

“Naruto?” Sasuke questioned, not sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing that he had just eaten something the blond ninja had prepared. Now that he thought about it, he hadn’t see him yet this morning... Or heard him either.

“Why yes! He was even up when I awoke.” She laughed as she pulled the drain. The murky water gurgled and bubbled as it spun down the dark void. “I thought I was the only one who got up that early.”

‘He was up all night?!’ Sasuke keep the question to himself, and his expression plain as he turned and gazed into the room where Kakashi sat reading. As he suspected, there was no Naruto in there.

“Do you know where he is?” he asked.

“Yes. He’s down the hall in the den, watching tv. Not sure if there’s much on with all this weather. Satellite might be missing signals.”

*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*

*Flick* ‘BUZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.................

*Flick* ‘BUZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.................

*Flick* ‘BUZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.................

*Flick* ‘BUZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.................

*Flick* ‘BUZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.................

*Flick* ‘BUZz...

“It’s dead.”

“Wish you were too.”

Sasuke ignored the comment and sat on the blue plaid sofa against the wall. He nearly sunk out of sight in the huge fluffy cushions. He struggled to a comfortable siting position where he didn’t feel as if he would disappear and watched his teammate. Naruto sat in the chair completely upside down. His legs leaned against the back of the chair with his feet kicking the open air above, while his head hung upside down. Despite being bathed in the static glow from the tv a few feet away, Sasuke found it hard to see his face.

More flicking followed by the sound of the static.



“Its not helping.” Sasuke wondered why he was trying so hard to create conversation between them.

“Hn.” Naruto replied and continued to flick mindlessly. Eventually the blood flow to Naruto’s head proved to be too much and he finally sat properly as Mrs. Nakamura entered the room caring a box of tapes and DVDs.

“Hello boys. Just brought you something to watch incase the Dish was out.” She placed the box on the stand next to the tv.

“Thank you Chiharu.” Naruto said in a surprisingly cheery voice from the one only seconds ago. “Do you need help with anything?” he asked as she passed by him on her way out of the room again.

She stopped briefly and patted his head. “That’s ok dear, we got everything finished up already. But I’ll give ya a call if needed.”

Sasuke watched as Naruto’s face lit up like a Christmas tree as he was praised by the older woman. He looked like a kid that just got all he ever wanted. He continued to smile until she had left the room, then he stood and wandered over to the box and began to sort through it.

Most of the movies were old. Naruto read the titles out loud as Sasuke just sat and stared into nothingness.

“Gone with the Wind Ninjas, Titanic in the Mist, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Shinobi, Love Boat No Jutsu, Strip-a-rella, Come Come Paradise: The Movie?!?” Naruto’s eyes widened in surprise before placing it in the ‘not going to watch EVER!’ pile, which was steadily growing next to him.

“I think I know why Hiroshi and Kakashi get along so well, they have the same taste.” He commented more to himself then Sasuke.

Sasuke watched him shuffle through the box for a few minutes, then turned away to stare at the blank teal walls of the room. His thoughts drifted away from him as he spaced out and finally gave in to the power of the sofa and sank in it as far as he could. It was very comfortable despite the fact that it had practically swallowed him alive. He pulled his feet up under him and leaned his head back on the cushions.

Naruto sifted through the box till his fingers reached the bottom. “Any request?” he asked turning to Sasuke, but there was no reply. Sighing, he turned to the small pile of movies he found at least a bit interesting and grabbed the top one.

“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Shinobi it is then!” he declared, as Sakura entered the room.

“What are you talking about?” she asked sitting beside Sasuke on the sofa. She smiled at him, but she received the same response. Sighing to herself, she got comfortable and joined her two allies in watching the movie.

*~*~*~*~*~*

The glow from the flickering tv screen was the only source of light in the dark room they sat in. Shadows jumped and twitched, but no one noticed. All three were focused on the light source. Not really watching the movie just watching the pictures flicker with some fuzzy sound. Needless to say the entertainment was dull. Most of the day had passed without too much fuss, other than changing movies after watching about half and getting tired of it.

After some time Naruto got up from the chair and left mumbling something about nature calling him. Sasuke sat watching as the screen became blurry. He turned away from the screen, rubbing his sore eyes. He knew better then to watch that much tv in one sitting, but what else was there to do? He had thought about going and joining his teacher and the other man for a conversation, but after going through the choice of movies, he thought maybe it wouldn’t be such a good idea.

Sasuke looked around the room again waiting for Naruto to return. The teal walls were decorated with paintings and pictures of landscapes. There were three shelves around the room, holding decorative dishes. One set was sailing ships. Their masts reaching high in the painted sky. Another set of dishes that hang on the wall next to the door was covered in horses. All different colors and sizes running this way and that, like a stampede. Finally, the last set hung above his head covered with symbols and designs from all the different countries around the Leaf country. Fire, mist, lighting, cloud, leaf, rock, sand etc. Each one was either a country's symbol or their ninja clan mark.

Sasuke shifted in an attempt to get the blood flowing back to his legs. The dope had been gone longer then he realized. ‘Stupid baka must have drowned.’ he thought bitterly. Turning he looked over at Sakura who had fallen asleep. He smirked and he pulled himself out from the clingy plaid sofa that wouldn’t let go.

“Ya the movies were pretty lame.” He said quietly, pondering for a moment if he should leave her there to fight off the plaid monster she was sleeping on or bring her with him. He choose the latter since he didn’t think he would be gone long anyhow. Just a stretch of the legs.

Sasuke walked down the hall a little ways, before the fresh aroma of dinner being prepared passed him and filled his nose. He entered the kitchen, finding Kakashi and Hiroshi sitting at the dinner table talking and laughing. Chiharu was buzzing around the kitchen like her hair was on fire and in the middle of it stood Naruto at the stove, with two red oven mitts and a white apron with the words, ‘I don’t add sugar! Because I'm all the sweet you need ;)' in fluffy pink lace.

Unable to resist the opportunity before him, Sasuke entered the room and stood next to the stove and Naruto; using his ninja skills to hide the smirk best he could. Naruto’s hand twitched as he noticed Sasuke enter the room and move towards him. Naruto figured Sasuke saw what was written on his chest in pink lace and couldn’t resist. And Naruto had to admit to himself, he really did look as bad as he thought.

He had gone to the washroom and was heading back when he had caught sight of Chiharu in the kitchen cooking up a storm. Weighting his options he asked of she needed any help, since the movies were going nowhere fast. She had called him closer to him, and with the training of a elite shinobi, aided by that of a sweet older woman/mother/aunt aura, she had him in the apron before he could utter a word of protest. Which is where Sasuke found him. However Naruto had plans of his own. And as Chiharu swung by on her way to the sink, he declared in a loud voice so she could hear.

“Sure Sasuke you can help!”

“You want to help Sasuke-kun?” she said. Before he even had a chance to glare at the blond and before he realized what had happen, he was being shoved to the sink with an arm load of potatoes and a peeler, and somehow a blue apron around his neck that read ‘I taste better than I look.’ in pink flames.

The rest of the work and preparation for the meal was spent exchanging glares. Kakashi went and retrieved Sakura before supper, who almost died laughing at Sasuke and Naruto in aprons and pink.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“You shouldn’t have said anything.”

“I didn’t.”

“I know what you were thinking.”



“You telepathic all of a sudden?”

“Shut up I just know. You were laughing at me!”

“I thought you were supposed to be sweet?” Sasuke said with a smirk he didn’t try to hide this time. He buttoned his night shirt, pulled back the blankets to his bed and climbed in. The sheets were warm and cozy as he turned to face Naruto’s bed across the room. He watched him tuck himself in, back to and fall asleep moments after his head hit the pillow. ‘Good. If the dope gets some sleep then we can be back home tomorrow if we hurry.`

“Night.” Sasuke said.

“....” Was his reply.

~~~~~~~~~~~

In the darkness Naruto struggled to get free, but failed and plunged into the cold.

END CHAPTER 5 Rainy Day Dilemma