Black as Blood

I'm sorry about the late update! I've been swamped with term papers and work and *cough* video games. Shin Megami Tensei:Devil Summoner to be exact. Not to mention, I also hit a block. Kudos to my muse, who helped me get over it. Thanks to my wonderful muse, I have a treat for all of you. Not just one chapter but two. This one, and the next. Nine should be nice and long, too. Hope you enjoy what my hiatus has spit out of my brain.

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me. I wish it did. I'd be freaking rich, man.


VIII

“So, wait, you’re saying that Kabuto shaves his legs?” Naruto asked around a mouthful of sushi, pausing in grabbing another piece to soak in soy sauce. Sasuke swallowed his own sushi piece as he nodded, taking a sip of tea before continuing his story.

“He thinks Orochimaru is going to make him the concubine or something. Only problem is, Orochimaru hardly even thinks he exists.”

“Orochimaru doesn’t care ‘bout anything but power and living forever,” Naruto muttered around his teacup, taking a sip to wash away the sticky rice that stubbornly clung to his tongue. Sasuke made a sound that wasn’t quite agreeing. “Wait. He doesn’t care about anything but power and immortality, right…?”

“He does now, only because he lost someone important to him.” Sasuke said.

“Who?”

Sasuke shrugged. “I don’t know. I wasn’t that important, despite being the future vessel.”

“So basically, you were just shoved into the background until needed, huh?”

“Pretty much. Except for those little escapades where we bumped into one another, I was essentially a shadow. Believe me when I say that being in the shadows when around Orochimaru is more preferable than being in the light. I do not envy Kabuto.” Sasuke said as he sipped his tea, settling back in his chair to watch the blonde finish off their order of sushi, content for the moment with his stomach filled and Shiro blissfully silent in the back of his head.

“I don’t think anyone does,” Naruto replied around the sticky rice in his mouth, swallowing after taking a sip of the water near his elbow, setting the glass in a spot that wouldn’t cause it to be knocked over.

“Well, Kabuto’s in love with Orochimaru, like I said. Last time I saw Orochimaru, he was hating something or someone. I could tell by the way he walked. It was almost as though something really pissed him off. It was kinda, I don’t know, weird.”

“Considering Orochimaru really doesn’t hate anything but Tsunade or Jiraya.”

“It wasn’t just that, but the killing intent I could feel, it was worse than Itachi’s on a good day.”

Naruto stared at Sasuke over the rim of his teacup, watching the brunette intently. Sasuke was no longer looking at him, but off to the side, head tilted almost in thought. He blinked a moment later, turning his attention back to the blonde jounin. They stared at each other for a good while, blinking as if they couldn’t figure out what it meant, what Sasuke had said, until Naruto blanched and Sasuke shuddered.

“I -really- don’t envy Kabuto now,” Naruto muttered, finishing off his tea and rising, pulling money out of his pocket to pay the bill. Sasuke followed, hands shoved into his pockets as the blonde jounin led them out of the establishment. They walked in silence, side by side, through the streets of Konoha, watching the sun sink to lengthen shadows along the sidewalks and buildings. Together, they walked back to Naruto’s apartment, Naruto unlocking the door to let Sasuke inside first.

-Sasuke, wait,- Shiro whispered to his vessel, shifting behind the flimsy cage that kept him in check. –Something isn’t right.-

-Lend me your senses.- Sasuke replied, head tilting toward Naruto at an inquiry as to why he wasn’t moving forward. Scents Sasuke hadn’t normally smelled jumped out at him as Shiro’s senses overrode his, and he slowly entered the apartment. He could smell Naruto, himself, Kyuubi. He could smell that morning’s breakfast still in the garbage, the perfume of the kunoichi next door. He felt the pressure of the air more acutely than before, and almost at once he knew something was wrong. Added pressure made him tense, and he backpedaled a few steps into Naruto before the contraption let fly several shuriken, the weapons digging into the opposite walls instead of Sasuke’s – or Naruto’s – head. Naruto’s hands fell on Sasuke’s shoulders as the brunette slid down the length of Naruto’s body, eye wide as though in shock. Naruto certainly thought so, because he was holding tight to Sasuke, refusing to let him go even though instinct told him to go search the rooms. Sasuke finally nodded and tugged Naruto’s hands to send him on his way.

Naruto left Sasuke by the front door, crouching low as he moved into the larger area of the living room. Nothing seemed out of place, nothing seemed to appear to be wrong, until he heard that soft twang, that oh so familiar sound of wire being snapped or touched in some way. It was a twang he’d trained himself to hear, having practiced this little trick on Kakashi and Iruka too many times to count, a trick that Kakashi always reciprocated and smacked him for if he failed to hear it. He motioned Sasuke forward, signaling for him to keep low, and he moved forward, reaching for his next handhold on the floor. Again that twang, and he sensed Sasuke still, glancing back only for a moment to see how tense the brunette was, indicating he’d heard the twang as well. Sasuke’s hand rose, fingers flashing in a silent code. Naruto nodded, head tilting left, then right, watching as Sasuke skittered along the floor to the right of him, coming abreast only a few feet away.

If the two hadn’t of known what they were looking for, they would have missed the shadow splayed on the den’s floor, courtesy of the moonlight and streetlamps.

Naruto raised one hand, two fingers up and spread, closing slowly to indicate a pincer movement, one Sasuke repeated to say he understood. The two shinobi moved forward, Naruto pulling two kunai from the sheath on his thigh. The shadow shifted and before Naruto could give the signal, Sasuke was already moving. Naruto followed, tossing him one kunai as he came in from the left. The shadow froze, but only for a moment, dodging both Naruto and Sasuke’s attacks. The blonde jounin tackled Sasuke down then as that soft twang became an exploding noise, heat rushing over the two of them as they lay on the floor. Acrid smoke burned Sasuke’s sensitive nose, and he reluctantly let go of Shiro’s senses, pushing himself up from under Naruto, who was sitting up with a horribly angry expression on his face.

“I’m gonna have to fucking replace that window. That’s the fifth time in two months.”

“Naruto, I don’t think one window really compares with our lives or who that was.” Sasuke said as he rose, helping his friend up. Naruto managed a sidelong glare at the brunette, as though trying to lay blame. Sasuke only stared back and said nothing other than offering the kunai back to its owner.

Naruto sheathed both weapons and looked toward the window, sighing loudly. Sasuke followed his gaze, and bowed his head a bit.

“Come on.” Naruto said finally. “We’ll tape the damn thing up and report it to Tsunade in the morning.”

Sasuke only nodded, still watching the window as Naruto went to find plastic wrap and tape, returning after a few minutes of loud cursing and tumbling boxes. Together the two taped the hole, constantly watching the street for any movement. Finished, Naruto pulled back, glanced at the window and then looked at Sasuke.

“Hey, you… ah… wanna sleep in my room tonight?”

Sasuke was silent for a few moments, watching the blonde, assessing, weighing. Finally he nodded, offering a small smile.

“Okay.”