A Walk in His Shoes

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I do not make any money off this fiction. This is just someting fun for me to do.

Sasuke couldn’t hear Naruto anymore and he was curious, so he finally came out and approached the strangely silent and unnaturally still form of Naruto where he was lying in the grass.

“Dobe?”

Soft snores greeted Sasuke’s ears. Even in sleep there was a high strung tension in his body. As if his thoughts were so intense, even in sleep they disturbed and troubled him enough to keep his body taut like a cello string just waiting to snap. This thought bothered Sasuke but he wasn’t sure why it did.

Sasuke dropped down beside the sleeping blond. Naruto was flat on his back with his arms outstretched and his eyes squinted even in sleep in an attempt to block out the sun. Sasuke automatically repositioned his own body so that the sun no longer glared on Naruto’s sleeping face. The effect was an immediate relaxing of his facial muscles.

Sasuke smirked at seeing the dobe. He was so defenseless when he was asleep and it gave Sasuke an idea for some fun at his teammate’s expense.

Very gently Sasuke reached over and ran the back of his index finger down Naruto’s left cheek. He had to suppress a chuckle at the way Naruto’s face twitched and had to duck as Naruto’s left arm came over to rub at his face. Sasuke waited and watched as Naruto’s hand came to rest on his chest. As expected the blond went back to his comatose state once more. Sasuke then reached over and dragged the back of his index finger down Naruto’s right cheek. Once again Naruto’s face twitched and now it was his right hands turn to brush away at his face. Sasuke sat back and waited for the even breaths to resume once more.

Quiet chuckles rocked the young Uchiha’s body. A pale hand clapped over lips pressed together, desperately trying to suppress chuckles and failing spectacularly.

 Sasuke grinned…..this was turning out to be loads of fun…..something he would never in a million years admit to doing, let alone confess to enjoying so much, but could admit to himself. His instinct to follow Naruto was totally worth the effort.

Once again Sasuke leaned over Naruto and reached out to touch his face. This time tickling his team mates nose. Sasuke had to quickly pull back out of the way as both hands went flying to rub childishly at a tan face. The spasms Naruto’s face went through had Sasuke trembling with tears falling down his face and both his hands slapped over his mouth in an attempt to hold back the chuckles that were beating furiously to get past his teeth. A suspicious snicker could be heard from the jiggling Uchiha. The dobe would just love to see him like this Sasuke thought. Once Sasuke could breathe again pale hands rubbed flushed cheeks sore from the displays of humor that had taken over and worked muscles that were unaccustomed to such activity.

Sasuke was tired, he had no idea such silly games could wear a person out and yet leave them feeling pleasant at the same time. Since the sun was hidden behind some clouds, Sasuke allowed himself to roll back onto the ground comfortably beside Naruto.

As if he could sense the warmth of another, Naruto immediately rolled into Sasuke’s side and snuggled in as close as his body could get. Sasuke just arched an ebony brow at the sleeping dobe beside him. With a shrug Sasuke also closed his eyes and just enjoyed listening to the sounds around him. He discovered with surprise how relaxing it was to listen to Naruto breathing.

After some time Sasuke opened his dark eyes and looked down on his sleeping teammate. He was surprised to see a small cut near the corner of his eye healing. There was a light tint of red in the wound.

“What the……”

 

Naruto’s chakra is blue just like his eyes.

Well there’s one way to find out. Sasuke went ahead and activated the mangekyo sharingan to take a closer look.

……………………………………………..

Sasuke immediately found himself in a long passageway with flickering torches spaced every 10 feet on either side of him. The torches were held in the red stone walls by black metal holders. After walking along the passageway Sasuke found himself at a section where it branched off here and there. The walls were made up of very ancient rock and seemed to go on forever. Yet as he went from one passageway to the next he noticed a dark sinister aura that was so different from Naruto that he just had to locate the source himself. Finally ending up in a huge cavern he noticed large steel bars at the end of the room. They filled the wall from floor to ceiling going completely from the right of the room to the left. There seemed to be darkness with a hint of red haze just beyond the bars. Sasuke approached the large cell.

Was this a prison?

A prison for what?

The closer he got to the cage Sasuke finally noticed a sleeping Naruto leaning right up against the bars.

Sasuke could feel the intensity of someone watching him from just beyond the bars yet couldn’t make out exactly what it was. The room was extremely warm with a humid mist all around them.

“Who are you?”

“…………..” Silence

“What are you?”

“…………” Silence

“Why are you here?”

“…………” Silence

Sasuke had so many questions, but was getting no answers from the other presence he felt beyond the steel bars. His words were only met with silence. Sasuke had the distinct feeling of something smiling at him from a distance. What ever it was had a sinister darkness to it that radiated out and created a heaviness in the air that left a foul taste to all of Sasuke’s senses.

It was obvious to Sasuke that Naruto had to be aware of the unknown presence seeing as he was currently sleeping curled up to the bars as if it was something he did all the time.

Sasuke was surprised to realize that there were things he didn’t know about Naruto. The things he had been yelling about in the field and now this. Here he had always thought he knew the dobe better then anyone, yet this days events were proving otherwise.

Determined purposeful steps bring the Uchiha closer to the bars to allow him to peer inside. Large glowing eyes are studying him closely. A deep growl passes sharp white teeth that are clearly visible in a wide smile. A smile that is more disturbing, then it is comforting, so unlike Naruto’s smile that lets the sun shine through. Dark red fur covers the creature, what appears to be a very large fox. Something clicks inside Sasuke’s mind like the pieces of a puzzle falling into place.

“Kyuubi…..the Nine-Tailed Fox Demon?”

A dark chuckle reaches his ears.

“What do you want?”

“Uchiha”

Sasuke doesn’t show his surprise as the demon calls him by name. Instead he focuses on getting some answers to all the questions running through his head.

“I want to know why you are here inside Naruto.”

Large red furry ears twitch while large red eyes glow even redder and narrow at the pale Uchiha.

“Grrrr…….” A growl rumbles past sharp teeth and a loud snapping of the teeth is heard echoing off the stone walls around them.

“Why do you want to know?”

“Snap” The sound of teeth grinding can be heard.

“What’s it to you……Uchiha?”

This question stops Sasuke dead in his tracks. Why does he want to know? He shouldn’t care about anyone nor be wasting his time like this. He should be training. He wasn’t about to admit to the demon or himself that he was curious about Naruto.

 Black onyx glanced over the sleeping form of his teammate and life long rival. Random thoughts flitted through his mind in quick succession.

What is it about him that just demands your complete attention?

“Other then the fact he’s loud, obnoxious, always in your face as if he owned your personal space?”

Sasuke shakes his head, unsure of he’s shaking it at himself or in reference to the sleeping dobe. He shed away from the intensity of his own thoughts and pulled out and away from the watchful gaze of the Nine-Tailed Fox Demon.

Once Sasuke pulled back and returned to himself he discovered Naruto had wrapped a right leg over his legs, effectively pinning them in place, and had an arm draped over his chest and tan fingers seeking warmth under his ribs. Sasuke very carefully shifted his legs so that Naruto’s leg slid off giving him free movement once again. Next he gently lifted Naruto’s arm and placed it in between them. His mind was in such turmoil that he needed some time to think. The distraction Naruto caused with his body draped over his was something he couldn’t deal with in his current state of mind.

Sasuke made to get up and move away, with the intention of leaving Naruto to sleep off his own worries, when a tan hand hooked onto his arm and a pronounce frown appeared on full lips and blond brows scrunched together in concentration. With the concerned thought that now would not be a good time for Naruto to wake up, Sasuke relaxed back into the grass and decided to wait till his team mate was deeper in sleep before leaving him again. With this thought Sasuke closed his own eyes and practiced waiting patiently.

………………………………………………………….

Itachi was on his way home to the Uchiha grounds when he felt the familiar chakra of another anbu operative as well as the familiar chakra signature of his latest charge, Naruto. With a split second decision he altered his course of direction away from his home and instead headed to where the two he sought were located.

Kakashi Hataki was currently sitting in a field of grass and wild flowers next to a rock wall and a stream feed from a small waterfall. With a sleeping Naruto in one arm and an Ichi Ichi book in his hand. Kakashi was not surprised in the least at the sudden appearance of one Itachi Uchiha. He did raise the one visible eyebrow in question at the expressionless young boy.

“Did you want something, Itachi?”

“Hn”

A pale hand is lifted and with arm outstretched, slim elegant fingers curl and beckon in silent yet insistent demand.

“Oh, you want to take him already?”

“Didn’t you just return from a mission?”

“Don’t you want to rest for the remainder of the day and just cover your shift tomorrow instead?”

“…..”

“You’re going to make me get up from my comfy position just to hand him off to you, aren’t you, Uchiha?”

“……..”

“I guess that’s what you get when working with a prodigy, huh?”

“Come on, Naruto, time to go to your next baby sitter.”

 

The hidden smirk behind the mask is given away by the one eye upturned in obvious humor.

“You’re still so young yourself, yet you’re more responsible than many adults my age. Here you go.”

Itachi takes the sleeping boy into his arms and rests his head against his shoulder. Then supports his weight by keeping a hand to his back and an arm under his bottom to hold him in place.

The wind blows blond wisps of hair against his pale cheeks as he leans his dark head against the sunshine locks and breaths a deep peaceful sigh.

“Relaxing aren’t they?”

“It’s really amazing how they make you feel so at peace just by holding them, you know?”

“No wonder really, they are innocent and know nothing of their world around them and the pain it holds.”

“Are you always this depressing, Itachi?”

“Just realistic about the world around me.”

“They have yet to be corrupted by the world and only know how to accept whatever is given to them.”

“Ah”

“You think so?”

“Of course, they don’t know what’s good or bad for them unless someone tells them or teaches them the difference.”

“If they never have anything to compare they could just as easily live with bad things in their life and think it’s normal or alright if that is all they have ever known.”

“Yet give them both positive and negative experiences and they will learn for themselves which is better and that which they will prefer to have in their life to grow upon.

“Maybe your right, Itachi.”

“You seem to be very insightful for one so young.”

“I’m sure your father is proud to have a son like you!”

“Can one be proud of one they do not know or understand?”

“Huh?”

“Nothing”

“Oh, alright then, I’ll be off.”

“I can assume you’ll be keeping him till the next shift change after you?”

With a dark nod of his head, Itachi turns and takes off towards his home with his small bundle of sunshine.

The sound of small footsteps running can be heard as a blue blur races out of the house and launches itself into the arms of a returning older brother.

“BIG BROTHER!”

“heheh”

Sasuke wraps his arms around his brother’s neck tightly and clamps his legs around his waist to cling to him.

“BIG BROTHER!”

“I’m so happy to see you home!”

A huge smile splits across his little face big enough that his eyes close in response.

“Now that your home you can train me new techniques!”

“Father never has the time to train me. He’s always at the police station with work. Besides I already know your better then father anyways.”

“Oh!”

“You’ve brought Naruto with you too.”

“Will he be staying over night?”

“Yes, little brother.”

“Will he be sleeping in your room or mine?” Sasuke frowns at this thought. Not one to share his brother with anyone else but accepting Naruto since he was part of his brother’s responsibility to the village. One that kept him home a little more then he used to be.

“He’ll sleep in mine.”

I wonder if it’s ok to ask him. Sasuke thinks to himself.

“Well…..um…..”

“Hm?”

“Ah….”

“Yes, Sasuke?”

“Is it alright for me to sleep in your room with you too, big brother?”

“Yes little brother you can too.” Chuckle

At this Sasuke smiled brightly and just hugged his brother even tighter.

“Careful Sasuke, or you’ll choke me.” Itachi laughs. Pleased to see his little brother so happy.

Itachi gently lays Naruto on top of his bed and pulls up the extra blanket folded across the bottom up and over the sleeping chibi.

“Sasuke, would you like to stay with him while I go and take a shower?”

After getting no response, Itachi looks over to see his brother perched on the side of his bed watching the tan face twitch as he traced the whiskered scared cheeks gently with his finger.

“Soft toddler giggles can be heard by the little raven.”

Itachi walks over to stand behind his little brother.

“Sasuke” He whispers in his ear. The small dark head whips around at once only to run smack into his older brothers outstretched fingers.

“Ouch”

“I’m going to take a shower, are you coming or staying?”

“Um…I’ll go with you…..”

“ahhh….I’ll stay and wait instead till he wakes up.”

“Alright, just don’t tease him the whole time I’m gone.”

“Do you want me to turn off the light?”

“Na it’s alright, I’m not tired.”

With that Itachi gathered up his things for the bath and left the room.

Sasuke turned back to the sleeping chibi and thought how comfortable he looked sleeping.

“I wonder why he feels so warm all the time.”

A draft causes a chill to run through his small frame as a tired yawn stretches pale cheeks. Midnight eyes close for a moment and reopen to focus on the inviting blanket draped over the other sleeping boy.

I may as well lay down beside him till Itachi come back and we can start my training. Besides he’s so warm he’s like my own personal hot water bottle. Sasuke chuckles to himself as he climbs up slides under the covers with Naruto.

Almost immediately a tan arm and leg drapes over him and a tan face snuggles into his side as if seeking even more warmth to curl up too.

“Smirk”

“He’s just like the clinging vines that climb up the trees I’ve seen at the park.”

Dark eyes start to feel gritty and pale palms try to rub the feeling away. Then lids feel too comfortable to open again and too soon the lady that whispers sweet dreams into children’s ears comes to pull under yet another and this is how Itachi found his little brother after he had returned from his bath.

Pale fingers brush back ebony locks of silk from a pale face and then they ruffle blond locks lightly.

Knowing they won’t sleep soundly for the night since they had yet to eat the evening meal, Itachi decides to get in some reading time to relax and unwind till the time his mother calls them all in to eat the meal she has prepared.