TITLE: Children of Fate
CHAPTER: Familiar
AUTHOR: Kami Beverly
FANDOM: Naruto
GENRE: Romance/Angst
RATING: PG-13
PAIRING: Kakashi/Iruka, future Sasuke/Naruto
WARNING: Itachi bastardization, slight Sasuke OCC
DISCLAMER: I don't own anything.
NOTES: I apologize for the shorter chapter and lengthy wait. My creativity is currently rather dry. And as for 'itai' in the last chapter, I apologize for the confusion it has caused.
CHAPTER DEDICATIONS: Keo Siph, for offering me something rare in reviews, but much appreciated: constructive criticism.
-----------------------------------------------Sasuke hummed carelessly as he removed the steaming kettle from fire and poured the hot water into his black clay teapot. He didn't even flinch when a large chakra suddenly burst behind him.
"Ah, tea! Wonderful! Thank you, Sasuke."
...Although hewas fully entitled to twitching. "Good morning, Kakashi-sensei." He dropped the small pouch of dry leaves into the pot, sighing. "Make yourself comfortable, I guess." And, as you can imagine, the teacher did just that. A few minutes later, Sasuke sat at his table, setting down two porcelain cups, the black pot and a bowl of cold miso soup. He poured the tea, with one hand, rubbing his other arm across his eyes. Judging from his black t-shirt, made of very light fabric, he had been expecting Kakashi to show up.
The silver-haired man's eyes scanned Sasuke's arms and he sighed in relief, glad to see no fresh scars adorned the pale skin. He shook himself out of his reverie with a small smile directed at the cup of his favorite tea now caught between his palms. "Domo arigatou." (Translation: Thanks very much)
"Eh. I have a feeling you're not here to train me. What would you like to discuss?"
"You know me too well, Sasuke-chan."
Sasuke rolled his eyes and scrunched his face at the older man. "You know perfectly well I hate to be called that."
"Would you rather I call you tenshi-chibi-chan?" (Translation: little angel)
The Uchiha took on an absolutely disgusted look. "NO!"
Kakashi laughed and ruffled the messy black hair. "On to business. I'm going to group your class into smaller sparring teams based on their level and style of fighting. Since you're so ahead of everyone, I was wondering who you'd like to be placed with."
Sasuke crossed his eyes and mumbled something.
"What was that? I don't speak Shy."
XP "I SAID it doesn't matter who I pick, because we both know that you already have your groups chosen!" XP
"Quite right! What do you think of being Naruto's sparring partner, then?"
Sasuke twitched slightly, before shaking his head, muttering something about 'not being surprised.' After all, he knew perfectly well that Kakashi and Iruka had been conspiring on how to help Sasuke understand Naruto's spirit ever since he'd started 'remembering' things.
"That reminds me!" Kakashi suddenly exclaimed loudly, slamming his fist into his palm. "The two of us are going to a father-son dinner at Iruka's. Fun, huh?"
"For one thing, I barely know Iruka-sensei. Another thing is that YOU'RE NOT MY FATHER!"
"Nonsense. I may as well be." He grinned and patted Sasuke's head. "Besides, if you and your daddy's boyfriend are going to get along, you have to talk at some point, right?"
The teenager rolled his eyes, crossing his arms and reclining against the wall. "Whatever you say, dad. Besides, how is it a father-son dinner if Iruka-sensei doesn't have a kid?"
"It's a surprise!"
'I really should haveseen thatcoming,' the teen though as he stared at the bouncy blond helping his homeroom teacher cook. 'After all, he did call him brother when he barged into class, ne?' His perky classmate noticed him leaning against the wooden doorframe and stuck his tongue out at him childishly.
"Naruto, don't be rude."
"Whaaaaaa?" Naruto turned to the dolphin, who was still separating an egg from its yolk. "What did I do?" He questioned innocently.
"Nice try." Iruka gave the annoyed boy a small smile. "Why don't you show Sasuke-kun around the house?"
Naruto rolled his eyes and stalked towards the paper door, hissing as he brushed past Sasuke. "Just so you know, Uchiha-kun, I'm still mad at you for insulting me. I am, in no way, an idiot."
Sasuke followed him with a snort. "Wanna bet?"
The blond rolled his eyes and trudged into his room, followed by his bored classmate, and collapsed on the futon he'd left out, throwing an arm over his eyes. "Shut the door."
Sasuke obediently slid the paper door shut, before promptly dropping cross-legged to the floor, pulling a piece of strawberry pocky from his pocket and sucking on it. "So."
"So what?" Came the annoyed reply.
"Well, nothing in particular. Want some pocky?"
Naruto suddenly sat up, staring at the raven-haired boy with wide eyes.
"What?"
"N-no one's ever offered me anything, much less someone that is readily accepted into high society."
shrug "It's just a piece of pocky."
"So? Jesus Christ, I'm used to getting rocks thrown at me. I mean, for God's sakes, all I need to do is glance at a store and people are accusing me of theft."
Sasuke rose a skeptical eyebrow, a strange, calculating look in his eyes. "What are you talking about?"
Naruto stared at him for a second before returning to his previous position. "Did you know I have a prison record? Repetitive attempts at theft and whatnot. Don't even know why, I never did anything."
"And that has to do with pocky because..."
"Because that just goes to show that even those that are supposed to be absolutely fair are biased against me. The only person who's ever been nice to me is Iruka. That's probably just 'cause he was lonely and he had nothing better to do. I mean, he's great and everything, but why would he take in a monster like me? It can't be because he loves me. No one can love a demon like me."
"Don't ever say that again." Sasuke hissed.
"What's your problem?"
Sasuke shivered, hate filling the pit of his stomach. "You are."
"Then why don't you leave me the fuck alone?"
"I will." Sasuke stalked out, slamming the door so hard he practically cracked the frail wooden frame, send a slight tremor through the paper. He stomped into the bathroom, knowing full well Kakashi wasn't going to allow him to leave, curled up in the bathtub, and sobbed his heart out. Naruto had unknowingly opened up old wounds.
"Why?" Child Sasuke felt the tears swell in his eyes as he stared at the carnage of blood and flesh splattered on the walls and ceiling of the living room, and on his brother's face and clothes. The older Uchiha regarded the toddler with a solemn look, crouching down at the little boy's level. He rested his hand on the small head of black hair.
"It's your fault, Sasuke. You're a demon, and no one's allowed to love demons. Mommy and Daddy loved you, and look what happened to them. I'm very lucky not to love you, Sasuke, because then I would be like Mommy and Daddy, because you're a rotten little demon."
He furiously wiped the tears off his cheeks with the sleeves of his small black kimono. "No, it's not true. I didn't want Mommy and Daddy to die!"
"It doesn't matter, Sasuke, because you're a disgusting little demon who makes people die."
"NO!"
"It's all your fault, Sasuke, because you're a disgusting, ugly, rotten, weak little demon that nobody will ever love, because they'll all die otherwise."
"No!" He sobbed, collapsing to the ground, "no, it's not true. It's not true... I didn't do it. I didn't want Mommy and Daddy to die. MOMMY! WHERE ARE YOU, MOMMY?"
"She's dead, Sasuke."
"NO! NO, IT'S NOT TRUE! YOU'RE JUST PRETENDING! YOU'RE MEAN AND EVIL, ITACHI!" He pounded his tiny fists against his brother's chest. The older Uchiha laughed cruelly.
"They're really dead, Sasuke. Look! There's Mommy head! And look! I found Daddy's too! But I'm going to have to leave now, because if I stay here any longer, I'm going to die too, just like Mommy and Daddy. I'm just still alive because I don't love you, you stupid, ugly demon." He grinned, dark eyes swirling with insanity. "No one could love a demon like you."
"No one could love a demon like me." He mumbled. "No one. They'll just get hurt." After a long silence, he exhaled nervously and finished. "It's not true. Itachi murdered them. He's in an inanity ward under lock and key and he won't hurt anyone again. It wasn't my fault. It wasn't…" Sasuke stopped trying to fight it and let out a low whine. He felt like a frightened little boy again.
A soft knock on the door shifted his attention back to the real world. "Sasuke, we're going to eat in a little while. Naruto and Iruka are finishing up and setting the table. Can I come in?"
Sasuke exhaled shakily and rubbed his eyes clean. "Sure."
Kakashi slid the door open quietly, leaving the light off, and sat on the bath's ledge near Sasuke's curled-up form, speaking gently. "Are you ok to eat?"
"Yeah, sure."
"You know you can talk to me about anything, right?"
"Yes, of course. I'm fine now. It was just a passing thing."
"If you're sure."
Sasuke stood shakily and started making his way towards the door.
"One last thing."
"Hm?" Sasuke suddenly found himself entirely enveloped in a warm, comforting hug. The two stayed there for a few short minutes because Kakashi slowly unwound his arms.
"Feel better, Sasuke-chan?"
"Hai, otousan. Domo arigatou gozaimasu." (Translation:Yes father. Thank you very much (formal) )
He was greeted with an affectionate smile.
Dinner was mostly silent. Kakashi would complement the dolphin and fish-cake's cooking occasionally, but for the most part they were quiet. It wasn't so much an uncomfortable, I-can't-think-of-anything-to-say silence as a we-all-need-some-time-to-think silence. When he had finished eating, Sasuke respectfully rinsed his dishes and left them in the sink. Naruto caught him on the way back, himself going to get the dessert for everyone and putting his own dishes away. "Hey, listen, Uchiha-kun, I apologize for what happened earlier. I was venting, and I didn't mean to offend you."
Sasuke nodded, the corner of his mouth twitching upwards. "It's fine."
Naruto was surprised to find a single, pink pocky stick sitting on his pillow when he retired for the night.
-End of chapter 2-