~*~
Bonds of Blood
By: Animeroxsmyworld
Chapter 10: Nightmare
~*~
“Aw shoot! I can’t believe I stayed out this late. Stupid dobe, making me help him with his shurinken practice.” Sasuke grumbled to himself as he raced down the streets.
The moon was already out and the night sky was glittering with stars. The night air was chilly, but Sasuke was still warm because of the long sleeves on his shirt. His parents would be upset that he stayed out this late.
He shuddered, coming to a halt as he peered around the street.
Was someone watching him?
He looked around, but the street was empty. It was eerie almost.
“Why are all the lights out?” He wondered softly to himself as he took in the surrounding houses. It was late, sure, but it wasn’t late enough for everyone to be asleep yet. He frowned as his stomach flopped in his stomach.
Something was wrong. He could sense it. But what? Determined to get home, he turned the corner.
Kunai and shurinken were embedded in the walls, paper lanterns slashed in half, doors lying broken on the ground. A window was shattered, and blood was splashed on the wall and on the ground.
Sasuke fell back onto his butt as his eyes widened, an ice cold finger of fear running down his spine.
Farther down the road, two bodies were lying face down in the dirt, blood staining the ground around them as a single kunai stuck out from the back of each of them.
The handle of the weapon gleamed in the moonlight, making them look like grotesque wind up toys.
Sasuke managed to gurgle out their names as he propelled himself back up to his feet, running to their bodies frantically. He couldn’t believe it. They weren’t dead. They couldn’t be dead!
He looked around before spotting his house just a few doors away.
“Otou-san…Okaa-san…” He whispered hoarsely, determination setting in his face. He raced towards his house, flinging the door open, expecting a bloody murder scene, with missing furniture and weapons strewn about.
There wasn’t one. The house was actually clean and in tact.
He held his breath as he tip-toed inside the house. Something was still very very wrong. Who had killed uncle and auntie? What had happened?
His heart was pounding in his chest as he explored the rooms in the house, each room he entered turning up empty. He should just run. Run away.
That was until he heard a huge thud from a few doors away.
Giving a frightened yelp, Sasuke sprinted down the hall, and to the double doors, faltering a few times. He stopped in front of them, his hands reaching out for the handles.
He was too terrified to move as he grasped the handles, his palms slick with sweat. His stomach was flopping in his stomach like a fish and he felt like he was going to throw up any moment.
He forced himself to shakily open the doors, his teeth gnashed together so tight they were hurting.
“Otou-san! Okaa-san!” He called out desperately as he ran into the room.
Blood was smeared across the floor, Sasuke’s heart shattering as he saw his parents bodies lie strewn about. Lifeless. Dead.
A single figure stepped out of the shadows and into the ray of moonlight that penetrated the room.
“O…On…Onii-chan?” Sasuke whimpered, backed up against the door that had swung close. “Onii-chan! Who did this?! How?! Why?” He started hysterically, his voice cracking and wobbling horribly.
He was cut off as Itachi threw a shurinken at him, the metal weapon nicking his shoulder and making blood spray into the air.
Sasuke opened and closed his mouth wordlessly as he held his shoulder.
“What are….what are you doing?” He breathed shakily as he stared at Itachi. Itachi shouldn’t be fooling around! He should be finding the person who killed mom, dad, and uncle and auntie! Itachi closed his eyes as he took a step forward.
“Foolish Otouto.” Itachi replied, shaking his head before his eyes slide open, the sharingan whirling. “Mangekyo Sharingan!”
The scream that Sasuke produced was heart shattering as Itachi forced him to witness the slaughter of his clan. A slaughter that Itachi had initiated.
Mom Dad, Uncle, Auntie…all dying before his eyes.
It lasted a few seconds before Sasuke crashed to the ground, his eyes unfocused, limbs splayed out, and drool trailing from his mouth.
Itachi walked over to him and Sasuke’s eyes widened at his presence, his vision focusing on his brother’s blurry image.
“Why…why?” Was all Sasuke was able to croak out.
“To test my abilities.” Itachi said, watching Sasuke’s form. Sasuke took a sharp breath before he suddenly shot up, lunging at his brother.
“DON’T FUCK WITH ME!” He screamed as he ran, his eyes alight with rage. He was stopped halfway when Itachi rammed a fist in his stomach, Sasuke doubling over and crashing to the ground from the force behind it.
Tears leaked from his eyes, trailing down his cheeks as he lay crumpled on the ground. This couldn’t be happening.
It was all a dream! Itachi wouldn’t kill everyone just to test himself! He wouldn’t!
Itachi shifted and Terror engulfed him.
Screaming, Sasuke ran out of the room, out of the house, and down the street, fumbling and tripping over his own feet.
He didn’t want to die! Please God! No!
He screeched to a stop, falling back onto his butt as Itachi appeared in front of him, looming above him.
“Don’t…don’t kill me!” Sasuke whimpered as fresh tears ran down his face. “Please don’t kill me!”
“I’m going to let you live…for my sake.” Itachi said as he looked at the trembling mass in front of him. “You have the potential to test my abilities, since you’ve always aspired to surpass me.”
“You can also obtain the Mangekyo Sharingan, once you do the requirement. You have to kill your closest friend.” Itachi relayed, Sasuke flinching as two blond kids popped to the front of his mind.
“No…no way…” Sasuke whispered.
“If you can get the Mangekyo Sharingan, the people who have obtained it will be three. And that will be a reason to let you live.” Itachi chuckled. “At the moment though, you aren’t even worth killing.” Itachi bit out as Sasuke flinched at the mere movement of Itachi turning.
“If you want to kill me, despise me, hate me, and live a loathsome life. Run away and cling to life, and when you have the same eyes as I do, come find me.” Itachi finished before his eyes swirled to the Mangekyo Sharingan once again.
Sasuke starred into the triangle design before he slumped, passing out onto the bloodied street beneath him.
~*~
“You have to let him live. I couldn’t kill him, I’m sorry. Forgive me. I killed all the others, I just couldn’t kill him.” Itachi apologized as he knelt in front of Sarutobi, head touching the ground. When face to face with Sasuke, he just couldn’t do it.
He couldn’t kill his younger brother.
“Itachi, what on Earth are you talking about?” Sarutobi asked in shock as he starred at the teenager in front of him. Who had he killed? What was going on?
The office door opened and Danzo walked in briskly, Koharu and Mitokado Homura on either side of him. Koharu and Homura were both Sarutobi’s previous teammates, and current council members.
“He was following orders.” Danzo spoke up as Homura closed the door so their conversation was secluded.
“Your efforts were futile Hiruzen.” Koharu continued sharply. “The Uchiha’s were going to start a war sooner or later and we had to do something.”
Sarutobi paled as a feeling of dread washed over him, his eyes riveting back to the still kneeling teenager in front of him as Danzo’s words from their last meeting rang in his head.
‘No. But maybe some force is required.’
“You didn’t…” He whispered, his eyes darting back to the trio of elders.
“We ordered Itachi to kill the Uchiha clan.” Danzo confirmed emotionlessly, Sarutobi’s face turning into one of rage as he shot to his feet so quickly his chair toppled over.
“HOW DARE YOU!” He roared, voice making the walls rumble. They went behind his back and ordered the slaughter of countless people!
The three however, were not intimidated.
“We had to take action and it worked.” Danzo said. “But it appears that Itachi let one live from what I heard.”
At this, Itachi’s head snapped up so quickly it was amazing he didn’t get whiplash.
“Sasuke is not a threat.” He said as he turned his head to look at the trio behind him. “He is only eight years old.”
“Everything doesn’t start out a threat. It turns into a threat.” Danzo said, his one visible eye opening to survey Itachi who was bristling at the talk of his brother. “The fact is Itachi, that you were ordered to kill the whole clan and you failed.”
“Orders aren’t final until I approve them!” Sarutobi shouted, getting back into the argument. “Sasuke is only a child! The rest of the clan is already dead Danzo, isn’t that enough for you?!” Sarutobi roared, banging a fist on his desk.
Danzo opened his mouth to speak, but Itachi rose to his feet and cut him off.
“If you try to hurt Sasuke, I will tell all of Konoha’s secrets to the other Villages.” He threatened, his eyes changing to the Sharingan, the tomoes whirling around his iris.
Danzo took a sharp intake of breath at the idea as Itachi just stood firmly in place. If another Village got their secrets, they could use it to their advantage and start a war. It would be dreadful.
“…Fine…” Danzo growled between his teeth, his lone eye glaring at the Uchiha. Itachi’s eyes reverted back to their onyx color as he turned back to Sarutobi.
“Please keep Sasuke safe.” He said, looking extremely tired and spent.
“I’ll do all I can.” Sarutobi promised, feeling horrible for the task that Danzou had made Itachi complete. Slaughtering his own family.
How horrible.
“I’ll then take my leave.” He said with a nod.
“To where?” Danzo inquired. It wasn’t like Itachi could stay in the Village after killing the Uchiha clan.
“I’ll become a rogue ninja. That’s all I can say.” Itachi replied before disappearing.
~*~
Sasuke woke up in the hospital bed with a scream. He panted as he regained himself, sweat trailing down his forehead.
“A…a dream?” He panted as he looked around himself. He tried to sit up but winced as pain shot up his arm. Lifting up his shirt sleeve, he saw the bandage, his eyes widening as he gently prodded the white material.
“From the shurinken.” He whispered. He felt sick as he looked around the room he was in again. So it did happen. Where was he? He pulled the covers off of him and walked down the halls, eyes darting around.
“Yes it’s true. He was the only one who was rescued.” A female nurse said as Sasuke peered around the corner. He flinched, her words stabbing him through the heart.
Only one. He was the only one alive. It couldn’t be.
“I heard he had an older brother.” The nurse she was talking to commented, Sasuke feeling like a hole had been punched through his heart at her words.
His brother.
A traitorous, murderous bastard.
“Yes, but they don’t know where he is. He just vanished.”
Sasuke took a step forward before he ran down the hall, past the two nurses who didn’t even notice he ran past them.
They had to be lying! It all had to be a dream!
He ran out of the hospital building, ignoring the nurse who called out to him as he went out the double doors.
He didn’t even register how many streets he ran down until he came to a stop in front of the Uchiha Compound entrance, yellow tape warning people away.
He batted the tape away, ignoring the rain that was pouring down on him, and walked into the compound. Memories berated him as he walked along, tears mixing with rain as he walked, face as expressionless as the dead.
~*~
“Ino, have you seen Sasuke-kun?” Sakura asked as she glanced back at the Uchiha’s desk. The platinum blond looked back at the vacant desk as well.
“No.” She admitted, the two looking at each other nervously.
“You think he’s ok right?” Sakura asked in concern.
“Of course. This is Sasuke-kun we’re talking about.” Ino reassured confidently, waving her hand. Sasuke was the best, nothing could phase him. Sakura nodded.
“You’re right.” She agreed. Ino nodded again before turning to the other blond female who sat in front of the two.
“But still…” She murmured before taking her pencil and poking Kyoko in the back of the head. The Namikaze blinked before turning in her seat to look at the two girls.
“Huh?”
“Do you know where Sasuke-kun is? It’s been four days already.” Ino said as she jerked her thumb in the direction of Sasuke’s desk. Kyoko plucked her lollipop out of her mouth as she looked at the desk quizzically.
“No, sorry. Why are you asking me?” She asked with a shake of her head, pigtails flying around her.
“Even though I hate to admit this, you’re closer to him then we are.” Ino ground out. “I figured you might know.” Kyoko only shrugged.
“T-t-try asking N-N-Naruto-kun.” Hinata stuttered from next to Kyoko, having unconsciously eavesdropped on their conversation. So unlike the Hyuuga heiress.
“Thanks Hinata!” Ino smiled before her and Sakura bounded over the blond boy, Kyoko unwilling to go over there.
“Hey Uzumaki!” Ino called as she slapped his desk to get his attention. He whirled around from his conversation with Shikamaru at the sound, eyes looking between Sakura and Ino.
“Y-yeah?” He answered uneasily. Ino was a scary girl…even for an 8-year-old. Plus, she didn’t usually talk to him.
“Do you know where Sasuke-kun is?” Sakura asked from Ino’s side, hand on her hips. Naruto just shook his head dumbly, the girls looking at each other before sighing
“Well never mind then.” Ino said as the two girls left him alone, Naruto watching them go in confusion. The two girls sat down again, disappointment on their faces.
~*~
Naruto was grinning to himself as he ditched the detention he had received for not paying attention in class. He jogged down the stone path by the pier, pausing when a flash of color caught his eye.
A boy was seated at the very end of the pier, feet dangling centimetres above the water. The Uchiha symbol was stitched into the back of his shirt and Naruto blinked as he realized who he was looking at.
“Sasuke?”
The raven haired boy raised his head up before slowly turning to look at who called him. Naruto flinched at the lifeless, hallow look reflected in his friend’s eyes. It disturbed him.
Without even thinking, Naruto was already clambering onto the pier, the wood creaking underneath his feet.
“Hey, are you alright?” Naruto asked as he crouched next to the Uchiha. Sasuke didn’t answer as he looked out in front of him, starring out into the water. Naruto bit his bottom lip as he looked at the boy next to him.
He looked so…unresponsive and lifeless. Like a zombie.
“You haven’t been to class in a while.” Naruto continued as he shifted, dangling his feet over the pier like Sasuke did. “Ino and Sakura were bugging me about it for some reason.”
Sasuke gave the faintest noise that resembled a grunt…but it could’ve just been heavy breathing. Naruto wasn’t sure.
“Man seriously. Are you ok?” Naruto asked again, nudging him with his hand.
“Go away.” Sasuke muttered, the words so quiet Naruto almost didn’t hear them.
“Eh?” Naruto asked as he blinked, trying to peer at Sasuke’s face.
“Go away.” Sasuke repeated again, his tone remaining flat as he continued to stare out into the water. He had dark bags under his eyes and his hair looked more unkempt then usual. Naruto’s face twisted into on of irritation.
“Well I was just wondering wh—“ He started before Sasuke’s hand jutted out and gave him a rough shove forward. There was a loud ‘splash’ as Naruto fell into the water, Sasuke not even flinching when droplets of water splashed onto his legs as well.
“WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR YOU JERK?!” Naruto sputtered angrily as he resurfaced, choking and coughing up murky water. The water in the lake was luckily deep enough that Naruto didn’t have to worry about hitting his head on the bottom.
Sasuke was also lucky that Naruto knew how to swim.
Sasuke just said nothing as Naruto tread water angrily, hair flopping in his face. Naruto growled when Sasuke didn’t respond.
“You know what? That’s it! You’ve made me angry!” Naruto declared before a single wet hand broke through the water’s surface. He gripped Sasuke’s ankle and Naruto actually saw an emotion break through Sasuke’s zombie like mask.
Surprise.
With a powerful yank, Naruto brought Sasuke into the water as well, the Uchiha resurfacing in seconds, coughing up water much like how Naruto had. Another emotion was displayed on his face. Anger.
“Dobe…” Sasuke growled as he pushed his hair out of his face. He couldn’t say anything else as Naruto splashed a huge wave of water in his face.
“That’s for pushing me in!” Naruto proclaimed with a huff. Sasuke glared venomously as he wiped the water out of his eyes.
“I told you to go away!” Sasuke growled, dunking Naruto’s head under the water violently with both hands. He let go and Naruto sprang back up like a spring, gasping for breath.
“I just wanted to know what was wrong!” Naruto snapped as he flicked a huge wave in Sasuke’s face, the Uchiha’s nose and throat burning as he coughed up the water. Sasuke returned the gesture vigorously.
“It doesn’t matter!” Sasuke snarled, now becoming angry at the blond for not leaving him alone when he told him to. He was riled up in a way that only Naruto could get him. Naruto wiped the water from his face before the two glared at each other, electricity rolling off of the two of them and clashing in the center.
In unison, they began trying to splash the water at the other, starting a battle as they fought to get the bigger wave. People passing by looked at the scene and rolled their eyes at the two boys playing in the water.
“It does too matter! Now tell me!” Naruto persisted, spitting out some water that had got in his mouth before using both arms to send a huge wave towards Sasuke.
“No!”
“Yes!”
“No!”
“Yes!”
“Itachi killed my clan!” Sasuke snapped furiously, the words vibrating through the air. Silence fell over the area, Naruto’s glare vanishing in an instant. He blinked slowly before taking in the now thoroughly drenched, and still glaring, Uchiha.
“Oh…uh I….man I….oh…” Naruto fumbled, speechless. What was he supposed to say? What was anyone supposed to say when they heard something like that?
“I’m…I’m sorry.” Naruto managed awkwardly as he looked at the water just centimetres below his face, the image of his feet blurry in the water. Sasuke didn’t respond and Naruto glanced up to see Sasuke gone.
“Sasuke?” He called out before finding the Uchiha pulling himself out off the water, and onto the pier. Naruto swam back to the pier as well, the two having moved farther away from it when they started their battle. Sasuke stood up on the pier as Naruto pulled himself up, sitting on the wooden planks.
“Just…go away.” Sasuke muttered as water dripped from him, the droplets rhythmically hitting the ground below them.
Naruto opened his mouth to speak, but closed it as his shoulders slumped, watching as Sasuke walked away.
Sasuke’s family had just died. His whole family. He…needed some time to be by himself. It had to be horrible, and rough.
Naruto got to his feet, his wet clothing sticking to him awkwardly before he wrung it out, the water spilling from it in a small stream. Running a hand through his hair, he continued on his way home, proceeding with his plan to ditch detention.
It took only minutes for the blond child to arrive at his apartment building. When he did, he blinked as he saw a plump, red haired woman, standing in front of the entrance with her hands crossed over her chest, scowl etched on her face. She was scary.
Naruto gulped, backing away. It was the lady with the cat.
The one he turned green.
“I knew you would get home soon.” She growled, uncrossing her arms. Naruto thought about running then and there. Her tone suggested that something bad was about to happen.
Deciding to follow his instincts, Naruto turned, but she grabbed the scruff of his wet shirt.
“Hold on!” She snarled as Naruto lurched back to her. “I have to have some payback for my cat, Karimo!”
~*~
Sasuke tossed and turned in his sleep, head jerking every which way as his sheets tangled in his limbs. He jerked awake with a start, panting as sweat rolled down his cheek. He sat up, bringing a shaky hand across his face as he tried to disperse the images from his head.
He never got any sleep anymore. His nights were filled with nightmares that jerked him awake, made him wake up screaming, or made him roll off the bed. Once awake, he would be damned if he would try going back to sleep again.
To submit himself to those horrible images.
He pulled the covers off of himself as he got out of bed. The Hokage had provided him with an apartment since he had no where else to go, but he hated it. There was nothing here for him. It had no signs of life, of home, residing inside of it. It was an empty shell, reminding him of what he had lost.
He still expected everything to be one hellish nightmare. To wake up one day, in his own bed, and find out everything was just a dream. His parents would be in the kitchen when he walked downstairs, his mom making breakfast while his dad made the newspaper.
And Itachi…Itachi wouldn’t be a murderous bastard!
He flicked the lights on, changing out of his pyjamas as his nerves finally calmed down from their jittery state.
He looked around at his apartment and the hole in his heart seemed to grow. He couldn’t stay in this place. Not in a place that was so empty.
Not even thinking about what he was doing, Sasuke walked out of the front door of the apartment, and was soon out the building and onto the streets of Konoha.
It was late at night so the street lights were lit up, but hardly anyone was outside. The moon was hidden by big dark clouds, and there was a small breeze in the air. Anyone roaming the streets at this hour was most likely a ninja, returning home from a mission, going on a mission, or doing some late night training.
Sasuke didn’t think as he walked down the streets, his feet guiding him along the path. He walked for a good ten minutes, the passing time not even registering in his head. The worries of getting mugged didn’t even occur to him. He didn’t even care. If he was mugged, maybe the mugger would finish his brother’s job and kill him off.
His fingers twitched at the idea.
He continued down the streets, passing by stray ninjas every now and then. They all seemed like a blur to him. Before he knew, he was out of the main district, and in more enclosed parts of the Village.
Down one street, Sasuke stopped when he saw a very familiar blond male asleep in the street.
Why? He was taped securely to a lamppost. Naruto was seated on the ground, his torso engulfed in duct tape while his head was resting on his shoulder, the Uzumaki asleep in his weird position.
His snoring reached Sasuke as the Uchiha continued to stare at the scene before walking forward and nudging Naruto awake with his foot. Naruto grumbled something unintelligible as his eyes fluttered open.
“Huh? Wha?”
He blinked sleepily before his eyes found Sasuke, the raven haired boy still unfocused in his mind. Naruto squinted as his brain started functioning again.
“Sasuke?” He mumbled.
“What did you do?” Sasuke asked bluntly, jerking his head towards the blonde’s torso at the look of confusion he received. Naruto looked down and jerked awake as he saw the duct tape binding him.
Then, recognition dawned on him and the blond settled down.
“Oh yeah.” He started as he relaxed his head on the pole behind him. “That lady said this was pay back for her cat. You know, the one I turned green.” Naruto explained as he wiggled his toes in his sandals.
Sasuke gave the faintest nod that showed he knew who Naruto was talking about, before he made to keep walking.
“Hey! Hey! You can’t just leave me here! Come help me!” Naruto scrambled as he struggled against the tape, Sasuke’s back starting to get farther away. “SASUKE!” Naruto yelled, kicking his feet.
The Uchiha stopped, shoulders visibly slumping in defeat before the raven haired boy turned around. Naruto stopped shouting, perking up as Sasuke stalked back over in irritation.
In one deft motion, Sasuke grabbed a tab of tape and yanked, Naruto biting his tongue to keep from yelping in pain. Naruto’s eyes watered as Sasuke continued to rip the tape off, relentless in his procedure.
“Th…thanks.” Naruto managed as Sasuke finally stopped, wad of tape in one hand, and an ever present look of irritation on his features. Sasuke grunted in reply.
“So why are you out this late?” Naruto asked as he stood up, rubbing his sore butt as he followed the Uchiha who had started walking away again. Sasuke didn’t answer and Naruto frowned.
Sasuke was getting harder and harder to talk to.
Naruto just continued to follow Sasuke around, Sasuke not showing any sign that he acknowledged Naruto was there. They pulled into a street that was surprisingly alive with lights and chatter, Naruto freezing as he saw a group of people pull out of a building.
They had pulled out into a street of bars.
And for him, being who he was, that was always trouble!
“Sasuke!” Naruto whispered quickly as he grabbed Sasuke’s arm, pulling him to a stop. “Sasuke, we have to go. This is a bad place!” Naruto warned quietly.
Sasuke only starred at him, a brow quirking at him. Naruto looked panicky…scared almost.
“What do you mean?” Sasuke decided to actually voice.
“I just mean th—“ Naruto started.
“Hey! It’s the demon brat!” A man slurred badly as he wobbled out of the building, pointing at Naruto. A bottle suddenly crashed near their feet, glass shattering over the ground and causing the two boys to jump.
Naruto bristled and Sasuke suddenly felt he should listen to Naruto’s warning.
Naruto took a step back, hissing a warning to the taller boy. “Run.”
~*~
[Reviews - 35]Chapter or Story
Table of Contents
- Text Size +
Chapter notes: Disclaimer: I don’t own Naruto