Chapter 3
Sasuke couldn’t remember the last time he was woken up from bed by someone banging on the front door. He was still rubbing his eyes as he made his way into the kitchen where his mother was already making tea for their unexpected guest. Itachi was already sitting at the table but he was trying hard not to look at her. She didn’t shoo Sasuke back to bed so he sat down at one of the chairs and yawned. A moment after that, his father and shisui came into the kitchen.
The glare Fugaku was shooting Shisui told him everything he needed about what his father thought about this late-night visit.
“We’re supposed to be lying low. What are you doing here?” Fugaku sounded more worried that angry. Sasuke decided.
“We have a problem!” It took a few minutes for Shisui to tell the entire story of his attempted murder and about the orphan child he had taken in. He didn’t mention the child by name, but it was obvious he intended to take him with them. Itachi had moved from where he was sitting and was looking over his cousin. Most likely checking for injuries.
Both his parents were sitting by now, tea untouched. Fugaku looked thoughtful and Mikoto looked more and more concerned. Itachi was still fussing over his cousin. Sasuke started to feel uncomfortable with the silence and decided to break it. “Does that mean I’ll have someone my own age coming?”
He didn’t usually get along with kids his own age. Most of them didn’t take their training seriously or just fawned all over him. Especially the girls. It made the guys so jealous; they didn’t talk to him much either. His parents always went the extra mile to teach him things the academy barely mentioned. It was only natural he was the top of his class.
There were a few people that didn’t bother him as much as others. Shikamaru was really smart even if he slept all the time. Sasuke couldn’t say he liked that the other boy slept during class but since he seemed to know the material, he guessed it was okay. He felt like he could like some of the others if there wasn’t something weird about them.
Sakura was the smartest girl in class, but she stalked him and even when he told the teachers. They laughed it off. Naruto was someone he thought he could get along with, but he wasn’t sure if the other boy was lazy or if nobody wanted to teach him. He didn’t show up to classes and was always pranking the shinobi in the village.
If he was fast and quiet enough to ambush chunin, that was impressive even if he skipped school, but when he did show up. The teachers completely ignored him. One time Sasuke watched the teacher ignore Naruto’s raised hand for 30 minutes. Naruto blurted out the question at one point and it wasn’t a stupid question or anything like that.
He thought Naruto was lazy, but nobody deserved to be ignored for trying to learn. When he put his own hand up, the teacher called on him immediately. Her face soured when he asked the same question Naruto did, but she answered it all the same. Naruto looked like Christmas came early as he took notes. So yeah, he was upset that Naruto skipped but if the boy couldn’t learn at school, who was Sasuke to judge where he did learn? He also didn’t have parents to teach him at home.
All that was a moot point because even Sasuke could figure out, they were getting ready to leave. His mom was almost finished packing everything in their house and sealing them in scrolls, even the furniture. There was empty and half full boxes all over the kitchen. His room was completely packed the day before. He didn’t know where they were going or why, but it sounded like a secret adventure the way his mom described it and if his mom began teaching this other boy that was his age. It meant he would have someone to train with when his brother was busy.
His father must have finished thinking because he looked towards the ceiling and sighed. It was one of those ‘what am I going to do with you’ sighs. As clan head, he could demand Shisui take the boy back and go into hiding but would he want to. They were already planning to leave and if this child was simply another victim of Konoha, could they really just leave them.
“He saved my life,” Shisui reminded him as he finally waved Itachi away from him. Itachi had been acting weird around everyone since they started their secret missions but for the first time since all this started, his eyes met their father’s and were cleared.
“They can’t have another chance to hurt him.” He sounded so sure of himself, and Sasuke wondered who would want to hurt his family. They were the police force that protected people. Whoever it was needed to be arrested because Shisui hadn’t done anything to deserve being attacked.
Fugaku let out another sigh but this one was followed by a small smile and a nod at Shisui. “You’re right. We can’t leave someone that needs help.” Shisui let out a smile of his own and grabbed Itachi’s hand.
Mikoto was the one who broke the peace with her own question. “Are you completely packed up and ready? Does the boy need anything?” She fired questions at him.
Shisui could barely keep up. “Yes, and he doesn’t have anything. I came straight here.”
“Okay, tomorrow, I get him some things. For tonight, I want you to take him to the shrine and the two of you need to stay there for a few days until were ready to leave.” The village of Konoha would never dare set foot in the Shrine by the Naka River. It was completely closed off from the village and the desecrate holy land was something they would not do unless they were sure something, or someone, was hiding there.
“Yes, Ma’am.” Him and Fugaku talked for a few more minutes and drank their cold tea while Mikoto puttered around the kitchen. Sasuke got up as well and went to his room. He knew from experience that the shrine was a very boring place for a kid. He really didn’t have many toys, but he did have lots of books and games. He grabbed a couple of books and a deck of cards. Shisui was really good at card games. So even if the other boy didn’t know any, Sasuke was confident Shisui would teach him. When they were done, Mikoto handed him a perfectly wrapped bento box. Sasuke also handed him a wrapped bag of what he thought they may need.
Fugaku proudly looked at the bag and bento. He knew he made the right choice. Even if they were going to be on the run. If someone was in need, they should help where they could. It was an invaluable lesson to both of his sons. It seemed like Itachi finally understood what they intended to do to any surviving Uchiha regardless of whose side they were on. If nothing else came from this. At least now they were on the same side. He had missed his son’s help and knew the clan needed a strong front now more than ever.
“Take this and make sure he eats it,” she hadn’t even met this child and she was already fussing over him. Smiling and relieved, Shisui took the bento and went to gather Naruto to take him to the shrine. The sun was already peaking over the horizon, so Mikoto began making breakfast. Fugaku and Itachi started getting ready for work.
Sasuke was of course getting ready for school. He still had his most recent mission to fulfill and there wasn’t much time left. His mother had him checking out books from the school and the library in the central part of Konoha. She would use a special Jutsu that she promised to teach him later to duplicate the books and he would return them and pick up the next batch.
He questioned her about getting caught but she brushed it off. By the time anyone noticed, they would be gone. “I’ll tell the others what happened last night.” She informed Fugaku. “You need to report Shisui missing. If we're lucky, they’ll think they landed a hit that killed him before he came home.” Here she turned towards Itachi. They all had bags under their eyes from the long night. “Play up your worry. Act concerned. And Sasuke, keep doing what you're doing.”
Proud and happy that he was doing a good job. Sasuke left for school. He could feel his brother following from a distance. His mother said he was a very talented sensor but that it was natural because of his bloodline. He felt his brother move to meet up with their father when he passed the school gate. He went to the library before he went to class.
Since he didn’t want to be stuck sitting next to a girl. He sat beside Shikamaru at the back of the class. “Looks like Naruto’s not coming today.” Sasuke said conversationally. Normally he didn’t talk to the rest of his class, but he was really happy and didn’t despise Shikamaru.
“Didn’t you hear?” Choji injected himself into the conversation. “Naruto was kidnapped last night.” Choji was good at pretending he didn’t just hear it from Shikamaru. The other boy only knew because his whole family was woken by the news that very morning. “Apparently a Konoha shinobi went rogue and just took him.”
“Who was it?” Sasuke asked.
“They didn’t tell us. That’s pretty suspicious.” Shikamaru lifted his head to state. He looked at Sasuke’s overflowing bookbag and commented. “You’re reading a lot lately.” It wasn’t really a question, but it still made Sasuke nervous.
He was prepared though and tried not to show it. “Yeah, I’m doing a personal project at home.” He answered how his mom told him too.
“Troublesome.” Shikamaru answered and laid his head back on the table. “Not my problem.” He stated after. Sasuke didn’t know why he said that, but the teacher called the class to order so he couldn’t ask. Sasuke realized halfway through the day, he was just like a real shinobi now instead of in training. He couldn’t wait to tell his mom what he learned today from Shikamaru.