Inconvenient truth

This has been kicking around on my computer for almost a year now, being slowly added to - thought it was time I posted a chapter or two to see if it generates any intrest. No point in adding to it if no-one likes it now is there?

Chapter One

Sasuke leaned back against the bridge railing, his elbows propping him up as he eyed Sakura disinterestedly. She was fiddling with something in her shuriken pouch and, with nothing better to entertain him till Kakashi got there, he was keeping himself amused by wondering what on earth she was so worried about. She kept fussing over it, checking her other pouches, underneath the edge of her bandages, rearranging things. He gave up trying to fathom what she was doing, wondering instead when the dobe was going to arrive. Normally he wasn’t this late, but today he seemed to be giving their errant sensei a run for his money in the absentee stakes.

A small cloud of smoke heralded their teachers arrival, followed quickly by a ‘Yo…”, accompanied by the hand-raise and arched eye, indicating their sensei was in a good mood. Sasuke rolled his eyes and Sakura raised her hand to point.

“You’re late!” She shouted, realizing halfway that no loud blonde joined her in the customary accusation. She looked around in puzzlement, realizing for the first time that Naruto hadn’t yet arrived. Sakura quickly shrugged, shooting a glance at Sasuke to gauge his reaction at the missing blonde. He leveled a flat glare at her, turning to deliver it to Kakashi when the Jounin opened his mouth to speak.

“Sorry for being late… You see, I was on my way here and then all of a sudden a mushroom popped up and was like, ‘Yo, bitch, I bust a shuriken in your ass!’ and I was like, ‘Whoa, sonny, I ain't looking for no trouble, fo shizzle.’ And then he was like ‘Oh.’ and it took up all my time.” His eye arched happily.

Sakura’s mouth dropped open and even Sasuke took a step forward. This was by far the most confusing and lame excuse their sensei had concocted so far. A few moments later, Sakura haltingly spoke, sounding very disturbed.

“Uh…Kakashi-sensei…w-what?”

Kakashi waved his hand back and forth in front of him, still smiling.

“Nan demo nai…it was nothing, don’t worry about it!”

The two Genin exchanged a look before the Jounin was speaking again.

“Naruto won’t be joining us today.”

Sasuke arched an eyebrow in surprise, momentarily abandoning the idea that his sensei had finally lost what little sense he had managed to hold onto all these years.

‘Naruto’s missing training?’ Sasuke’s pale brow furrowed slightly. ‘Dobe never misses training…it would be like him turning his nose up at ramen or something.…’ He shrugged. ‘But it’s not like I care or anything. It might even be a godsend. I’ll be able to complete the mission without that annoying voice challenging me every five seconds…’

Sakura was nodding, an unworried and almost relieved look on her face, as Kakashi jumped down from his perch, mission scroll in his hand.

Sasuke stepped forward to hear the details, nodding his understanding as Kakashi read them out. They were just going to be helping out at an inn today, doing some of the heavier chores that the elderly managers couldn’t handle.

As they walked towards the inn, Sasuke couldn’t help but wonder why Naruto wasn’t with them. He tried to push it to the side, but the idea itself, of Naruto willingly missing a mission, just wouldn’t leave him alone. It seemed too unnatural and unlike their blonde team-mate.

‘Why wasn’t he there?’

//////

Sasuke wiped a dirty, paint-flecked forearm across his eyes. Although the forehead protector soaked up a lot of the sweat and stopped it from getting in his eyes, some still seemed to find its way. The fact that Naruto wasn’t there had made the day pass rather peacefully but it still meant that there was more work for the three of them. Sasuke frowned slightly. Kakashi still hadn’t told them why he wasn’t there, although he had mentioned that they might be a two-person cell for a few weeks or so. This had elicited a confused ‘huh’ from Sakura, and a small jolt of concern from the Uchiha heir.

‘Where was Naruto?’

Both of them had asked why but their sensei had evaded the question with an ease that they both would have marveled at if they hadn’t been so irked that he had done so.

Sasuke slapped his brush back down in the paint, coating it and bringing it back up to the banister, making quick work of the rail in front of him. A tiny bit spattered onto his arm, reminding him of the last time their cell had been asked to paint something. A small smirk quirked his mouth as he remembered Naruto’s appearance immediately after they’d finished.

‘Didn’t have a square inch of paint-less-ness on him! Dobe even got it on his face!’ Sasuke suppressed the smile that wanted to surface as he recalled the hours Naruto had spent afterwards scrubbing at his face, cursing the mission and anything else that came to mind, including ‘damn Sasuke-teme’ for the amused and condescending look on the Uchiha’s face.

He dropped the brush back in his pail, standing and stretching before he moved onto the next section, glancing at Sakura next to him. His pink-haired teammate shifted to make room for him, her own eyes intent on the delicate woodwork she was decorating.

She looked up from her painting as he sat, her eyes immediately fixing on the bridge of his nose. She quickly stifled a giggle, looking away and resuming her painting. He gave her a puzzled glare, and, looking down, subtly tried to stretch his face so he could see what she was laughing at. He wiped quickly at his nose, hoping that what ever provoked her mirth had been wiped off. He shrugged, and went back to painting, still aware that there might be something on his face.

A few moments later, Kakashi arrived to tell them that, after the painting was done, the mission had been completed. Sasuke and Sakura stepped up their pace and soon finished, washing out the brushes and putting them away.

Sasuke glared at his sensei as the Jounin kept giving him sideways glances, eyeing whatever Sakura had noticed earlier, but the Uchiha heir couldn’t tell if he was smiling or not because of the mask covering his mouth.

They wiped their feet, tramping into the inn to report the chores were complete. The elderly woman behind the counter took one look at Sasuke and snorted with laughter. The Uchiha pursed his lips angrily, glaring at everyone.

‘What’s so damn funny!? I swear if someone doesn’t tell me…!!’

The anger must have shown on his face because the woman quickly got herself under control and, grabbing a wet cloth, came out from behind the counter and approached him.

“Oh…ha ha ha- Dear…you’ve got some…some…” She stifled her laughter again. “You’ve got some…paint…on your nose…” She raised the cloth to wipe it off as Sasuke jerked his head to the side, avoiding the impromptu cleaning. He took the cloth from her hand.

“Thank you. I can do it.” He said curtly. “Where is the bathroom please?” She pointed and he gave everyone else a glare before walking in the direction she had indicated.

He leaned over the sink, wetting the cloth some more before raising it to his face, catching sight of himself in the mirror. A massive stripe of white paint ran across his nose and both cheeks, drying thickly on his skin. His eyes widened in horror.

“How in the hell…?” He muttered, trying to swipe at it with the cloth. It was drying fast and if he didn’t get it off soon… He growled to himself. He’d be cursing just as much as Naruto had been.

After a few minutes it looked like all the paint wasn’t coming off. He scowled, frustrated, at his reflection, eyeing the remains of the stripe that was refusing to budge and the red, irritated skin around it. Kakashi knocked politely on the door before opening it a crack.

“Sasuke? Have you got it off y- oh. You haven’t.”

The Uchiha heir glared at Kakashi in the mirror wordlessly. His sensei’s eye arched and he waved a hand at Sasuke.

“Maa, maa, I’m sure you’ve got something to take it off at home, ne?”

Sasuke refrained from punching a hole in the mirror and stomped angrily over to the door, very put out that he’d have to walk through town to the Uchiha District with a huge splotch of paint on his face.

“Fine.” He shut the door behind him and followed Kakashi to the entrance. Sakura, it seemed, had already left, so at least he was spared her amused looks at his predicament. He stood in the doorway, glad at least, that it wasn’t a busy hour and most of the villagers would be in their homes, having the evening meal and not out on the street to stare at him.

Kakashi shot him another neutral look, again avoiding giving away his expression. Sasuke glared anyway and started forward.

‘Better get home before this dries completely…’

Kakashi put out a hand to stop him, reaching into his vest with the other and producing a small vial.

“Sasuke. Can I ask you to do something?”

The Genin paused and nodded slowly, eyeing the vial. Kakashi thought for a second, and, reaching a decision, held out the clear liquid.

“Can you take this to Naruto? He’s at home. You know where it is, ne?”

Sasuke nodded again, taking the vial, glancing at the nondescript liquid inside, and giving Kakashi a curious frown.

“What is it?” He shook the container lightly.

“It’s…uh…” Kakashi coughed, obviously unsure if he should mention it. “It’s medicine for him. He’s…sick. Normally I would take it but tonight I have a dat- a…a meeting with someone.” The Jounin finished in a rush before performing a hand seal and disappearing.

Sasuke looked curiously at the liquid in his hand, a niggle of concern rising in his chest.

‘Naruto’s sick? But Naruto’s never sick!’

He stepped out into the evening and quickly made his way to the rooftops, searching for Naruto’s apartment, completely forgetting about the paint on his face.

**************

I know the first chapter isn't anything great, but being split between something like 12 different stories at the same time takes it's toll. I'm also going to start posting a NejiSasu story that I've been working on too.