Caught in the Fray
Of Fevers and Nail polish.
Sasuke sat in a chair next to the bed. He gazed at the boy that lay in the bed, a towel on his forehead and face flushed. Not five minutes after Sasuke brought Kosuke inside he started running a fever. But this isn’t what was plaguing the Uchiha heirs mind. It was the moment before he found Kosuke; he felt a chakra signature that he recognized. He would never forget that chakra.
“Itachi…” His eyes narrowed. Something was definitely wrong. Why would Itachi be here? Naruto is gone… ‘Maybe it’s the boy…’ He sighed. Rising up from a chair he walked into the bathroom to retrieve a thermometer from under the sink.
Walking back into the room he saw that Kosuke had woken up, though he still looked out of it. “Kosuke…”
“Sasuke-kun?” His blue eyes drifted around the room in search of Sasuke. “Where are you? I can’t see you…” His voice came out distressed and he started to panic.
“Kosuke!” Sasuke ran to his side. “I’m right here.” He grabbed the boy’s hand.
“I can’t lose control.” He gritted out. “I can’t lose control-cantlosecontrolcantlosecontrolcantlosecontrol.” He started chanting, breaking out in a sweat.
“Shit.” Sasuke felt the boy’s forehead. “Damn it.” At that point the doorbell rang. ‘Not now…’ He put his hand together to form a seal. “Kage bunshin no jutsu!” A clone appeared next to him. “Wet the towel and put it back on his forehead while I answer the door.” The clone nodded and the real sasuke took off.
‘Who the hell could this be?’ He opened the door forcefully and glared at whoever was on the other side. His glare ceased when he spotted pink.
“Hi Sasuke-kun!” Sasuke sighed.
“Oh, good.” Sakura looked at him curiously, this is the first time Sasuke looked happy to see her.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s Kosuke, I don’t know what’s wrong with him, and he just caught a fever suddenly. Can you watch him while I go get some medicine?”
“Sure, Sasuke.” She walked past him and went up the stairs. Sasuke released his bunshin and headed out.
Upon entering the drug store he searched through the medicines. All the while thinking. ‘What is it about this boy? Why am I so worried? I don’t even know him…but it’s like where connected.’ A sudden flash of Naruto entered his mind ‘Maybe he’s connected to Naruto in some way.’ Sasuke finished getting the medicine and paid for it. Rushing back to the mansion his mind kept wondering to Naruto. ‘Why did you leave? I couldn’t have been because I said I wouldn’t miss you…I mean I didn’t mean it.’ He turned the corner. ‘And the note you left…
As much as I love this village and the people living in it…I can’t stay here any longer. The glares, the insults, and the pure hatred I could barely tolerate but…what happened that night…I just can’t anymore.
What happened to you? Damn it why am I just thinking about this now?’
Sasuke burst through the door and rushed up the stairs. Barging in the room he spotted no one. Sasuke ran back out the room. “Sakura! Kosuke!” He ran into the living room. “Damn it.” He heard a giggle and noticed the patio door open. Rushing outside he spotted them. Sakura was pushing Kosuke who sat on the swing set in the large back yard.
Slowly he walked toward the two. Sakura noticed him and waved. “Sasuke, Kosuke was fine!” She yelled at him from across the yard and gave another shove sending Kosuke high into the air.
Sasuke stopped in front of them and looked at Kosuke, he seemed fine now. “Are you sure he was sick? When I got up there he was fine.”
“He was running a fever…and he couldn’t see straight.”
“I’m all better now Sasuke-san.” He jumped off the swing and landing perfectly. “See?”
‘There is definitely wrong here’ He thought. “Sakura, can you watch Kosuke for a while more…there’s something I need to do.”
“Sure thing Sasuke.”
- - - - - - - - - -
Tsunade stared at the report in her hands. Sakura had just arrived at Konoha from Suna moments ago with what she learned. It appears the Kosuke wasn’t in Suna…Ever
Tsunade sighed ‘I did however come across this report...’ Tsunade took out a manila folder and took out a picture. It was of three people, Inari and his…adoptive family as the file put it. Rei and…Kohaku. The boy in the picture was Kosuke…or Kohaku it would seem. ‘He lived in the country of waves with Rei and Inari for some time…then there was an incident. Nearly the whole village was destroyed by a surge of red chakra. Who are you Kosuke?’ A sharp knock at the door brought her out of her thoughts. The youngest Uchiha walked.
“Hokage-sama” He greeted her.
“What is it?”
“Earlier today I sensed Itachi near my house…near Kosuke.” He met her gaze. “I think he has something to do with Kosuke.”
“Hm, truly perplexing…” She folded her hands and closed her eyes in thought. “How is Kosuke?” Sasuke sighed.
“I really don’t know…one moment he’s lusting after me, then he’s shy, then he’s being delusional. There is something he’s not telling me.”
“Sasuke, until I can find out more I want you to enroll him in the ninja academy, I want to see something.”
“Hokage-sama?”
“Your dismissed Uchiha.” She said with no room for discussion. The Uchiha scowled and left the room. Tsunade sighed inwardly and looked at the paper in her hand. Kohaku was a ninja in the hidden waterfall village, in the time he was a ninja he comlpeted nearly 7 B rank missions and a few A rank with Inari and Rei as his team. 'This boy...Could he be in a spy?'
“What are you keeping from us…and who are your really?”
- - - - - - - - - -
Sasuke walked into his home after an hour of walking, thinking. It was dark out and the lights inside the mansion were on. “Sakura?” He walked into the large living room and ran into Sakura.
“Hey Sasuke.”
“Sorry it took so long.”
“Its okay, but I have to go now, I’ll see you later Sasuke-kun!” Se hugged him much to Sasuke’s dismay and left.
“Kosuke?” He walked farther into the mansion.
“Sasuke-san!” Kosuke ran into the Uchiha full force knocking them both over. “Ow…” Sasuke rubbed where his skull came in contact with the wood floor.
“What’s the rush?” Sasuke groaned out. Kosuke sat up, legs on either side of his waist, and grinned at the Uchiha.
“Look!” Kosuke held out his hand for Sasuke to see. For the first time in a long time Sasuke’s eye twitched. Not a little unnoticeable one but a ‘have to get that checked out’ twitch. There in front of him was Kosuke’s hand. His nails painted a bright, annoying shade of pink. “Sakura-chan did it.” Sasuke promptly sat up, grabbed Kosuke’s hand and dragged him to the bathroom.
‘There is no way in hell I’m ever letting Sakura touch my Kosuke again! Honestly who paints a little boys nails pink!?’ Oh crap. ‘I just sounded like my Father…’ Sasuke, once again, sighed.
- - - - - - - - - -
The next day
Sasuke, Ebisu and Tsunade sat in the Hokage office. Ebisu looked royally pissed; Tsunade looked stern while Sasuke looked as though he didn’t care, because he didn’t.
“Hokage-sama I cannot promote some one who did not even attend in the academy to the genin level.” Ebisu readjusted his sunglasses.
“Then put him in the academy.” She couldn’t believe she had no jurisdiction in the academies affairs. The high council of Konoha had the power to enroll some one not of this village, she was really just a front man with all the physical power but really the town was ruled by those behind the scenes. And she’d be damned if she would have to ask those pompous bastards.
“The school year is over in one week…He hasn’t-”
“Ebisu, I hear you concern but Kosuke already has some ninja skill. He doesn’t need to attend the entire semester.”
“How about this…” All eyes darted to the usually quiet Uchiha. “Instead of Kosuke entering your school…how about I train him. Then when your class graduates Kosuke will fight your top student, if he loses Kosuke won’t become a ninja…” Ebisu took in the information and read between the lines.
‘A challenge’ Ebisu smirked “Fine Sasuke-san I will accept. You have one week” Ebisu exited. Before Sasuke could leave he was stopped.
“Sasuke.”
“Hn.”
“The Kazekage is coming for a meeting this week…”
“So?”
“I have a favor to ask of you.” Sasuke’s eyebrow arched.“He needs somewhere to stay, and he refuses to stay in a hotel so…”
“You want me to house him?”
“Hai…”
“There’s no way out of this is there?”
(Here is the replacement chapter, tell me if you like this better or the other chapter.)
Till next time.
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Chapter notes: This is a replacement for Chapter 7