Sasuke limped through the dark tunnels of Orochimaru’s hideout. He had been led here by a sound ninja that had apparently been given orders to wait for his arrival. He hadn’t seemed at all surprised that Sasuke had arrived alone. And thankfully he hadn’t asked any questions.

Sasuke didn’t know what had happened to the four ninja’s that were supposed to escort him. But he knew it had something to do with the Konoha ninja’s that had been traveling with Naruto.

Naruto. The name caused an unexpected stab of pain in Sasuke’s chest. He knew he was injured but it was nothing fatal. He was more tired than anything. Straightening his shoulders he continued through the labyrinth of tunnels trying to ignore the hollowness he felt inside his stomach.

There was no turning back now. No matter how he felt he would never be welcome in Konoha again. He had betrayed his village and the people so close to him they almost made him feel like he had a family again. Family. Another word that caused pain to shoot through his body. How could such simple words hurt so much. There were so many words that caused him pain. Mother, Father, Brother. The mere mention of such words always caused him more pain than he would ever have been able to explain had he ever tried to do so.

The tunnel he was follow ended suddenly in a large sparsely lit chamber and he stopped staring around a moment thinking that he might have been impressed had he not been so numb.

It was obviously a laboratory. There were countless shelves some filled with scrolls, others with specimen jars and things he didn’t want to guess at. Standing at a table in the center of the room was the man he had betrayed everything to come to for training.

Orochimaru stood the flickering lamplight casting half his features into shadow causing him to look more sinister than Sasuke remembered from their first and only meeting.

Sasuke reached up, fingers brushing the curse seal that adorned his neck. For a moment fear rose inside him sweeping quickly through his body like an icy wind. Was this really the right thing to do? Was this really worth it to get his revenge?

Just as quickly as it had come the fear dissipated as memories of his slaughtered family rose unbidden to his mind. It was worth it, it would all be worth it if he could kill that bastard.

Orochimaru looked up at him an unpleasant grin teasing his lips as his eyes took in Sasuke’s tattered appearance.

“I’m glad you made it Sasuke-kun.” He said his voice low and dark. “I was beginning to wonder if you were going to make it.”

Sasuke straightened the familiar expression of cold contempt falling onto his face and into his body language like armor against the uncertainty that was trying to take hold of him.

“You know why I’m here.” He said glad that his voice was steady and cold. Orochimaru looked at him his expression a mixture of amusement and triumph. Sasuke frowned when Orochimaru said nothing annoyance chasing away the last of his uncertainty. “Train me.”

“Of course.” Orochimaru said at last moving around the table and walking towards Sasuke so silently he nearly looked down to make sure that he was actually walking. He stopped just a little too close and Sasuke found himself resisting the urge to step back. Orochimaru’s eyes ran over Sasuke’s body almost possessively. “But first you must treat your wounds and heal.”

“Bastard.” Sasuke said “I didn’t come here to play games. I came here for training. I am not so injured that we cannot begin now.”

“Be patient.” Orochimaru responded resting his hand lightly on the boy’s shoulder. “We have plenty of time to train. But you must be strong to learn all the things I have to teach you.”

Something about his tone disturbed Sasuke in a way he couldn’t explain. But deciding that he would need all his strength in this place he nodded his assent.

The revolting smile appeared again and Orochimaru stepped back looking towards the door. Another sound ninja had appeared soundlessly. “He will take you to the room I have set aside for you.” Orochimaru said. “Clean up and I will send my physician to you afterwards.”

Sasuke turned and walked towards the waiting ninja silently cursing himself. He needed to be on guard here. No matter what Orochimaru said he knew he was deep in enemy territory.

After the ninja had left him in the large almost empty room Sasuke made his way to the bathroom, undressing along the way. He stopped when he saw himself in the mirror taking in the wounds and bruising covering his body and face.

He realized with a sinking feeling that he no longer had allies and that he could no longer afford any emotion that might deter him from his goal. Coldness settled into his body as he washed and he knew, he hoped that it would never leave him.

He heard movement behind him and saw Orochimaru standing behind him in the mirror. He stiffened at the look on the snakelike man’s face dread filling his stomach.

So this was the price. He straightened making no attempt to his nudity. He turned meeting the hunger-filled eyes with cold emotionless eyes.

He walked past Orochimaru into the bedroom and stood in front of the bed. His movements were smooth, none of the dread and nausea he felt showing in the slightest.

Orochimaru walked towards him sheding his clothes along the way. He moved behind Sasuke his long tongue running down the side of his neck.

Sasuke closed his eyes his fists clenching of their own accord as the cold hands traced his body.

He’d said he would pay any price. He held onto the coldness in his middle cradling, cherishing the numbness.

He paid.

Four Years Later

Uchiha Sasuke moved silently through the thick trees his senses alert for any movement. He had spent years training with Orochimaru to get to this point.

Bitterness filled him at the thought of his former master. Killing Orochimaru had been satisfying beyond anything he had imagined. Years spent suffering that cold touch had given Sasuke an almost unbreakable will. He had endured it all to gain what he needed. He’s hidden his contempt and anger all so he could be where he was now.

The last information he’d received had estimated his brothers whereabouts somewhere in water country. He was making his way cautiously through one of the many forests the territory contained. He didn’t fear meeting any of their ninja’s. He knew with out a doubt that no one in the country had strength to rival his own. He did however want to avoid attention and wasted time. He hadn’t waited all this time to lose his quarry over something as small as a battle with minor ninja.

Sasuke froze listening intently. He was being followed and it was by more than one person. A slight frown marred his otherwise neutral expression as he quickly formed a plan. His hands moved so fast anyone watching wouldn’t have been able to read the hand signs. A shadow clone appeared beside him continuing in the direction he had been going.

Sasuke moved quickly circling the presence he’d sensed wide to get behind them. He was very annoyed that he was being tracked. He’d been just short of paranoid of diction and apparently he still hadn’t been cautious enough.

He was closing in on one of the targets when he realized that it was a shadow clone. His eyes narrowed as he concentrated on the chakra around him. He realized there was six shadow clones and only one ninja. There was something familiar about the chakra and his eyes widened slightly as he realized who it was that was following him.

Releasing control of his own clone he moved forward with expert speed to drop gracefully in front of one of the last ninja’s he expected to see, Uzumaki Naruto.

Naruto stopped his blue eyes wide in shock as he stared at Sasuke’s cold, unreadable expression.

They started at each other each appraising the differences three years had made in the other.

Then leaning against a tree with a casualty that he didn’t feel Sasuke spoke.
“I’m impressed that you were able to find me.” He said his voice emotionless. “But I am disappointed that after all this time you are still lacking in trailing ability.” The casualness dropped from his posture “how did you find me?”

Naruto stared at him for a moment his emotions playing across his face making him contemptuously easy to read. “I just followed Itachi’s trail.” Naruto said a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “I knew that I would find you eventually if I did.”

“Don’t be too proud of yourself.” Sasuke said old contempt creeping into the words. “Any ninja of moderate skill could have done that. What I’m interested in is how you found out my current whereabouts.”

Naruto straightened to his full height and Sasuke was surprised to see that it was almost a match for his own. He was also shocked to see the grace in the movement. Gone was the clumsiness and hotheaded nature that Naruto had been known for. A part of Sasuke, a part he thought died, was killed a long time ago yearned to test himself against his former rival.

The feeling annoyed him and he spoke without thinking. “You know that I’m going to have to kill you.” There was utter certainty he could do it. “I’m not the weakling I was, I have no qualms about killing you where you stand.”

“Who says I’m not here to kill you.” Naruto said his voice just as cold and certain as Sasuke’s. It cut him a way he’d thought no longer possible. “You betrayed our village, you nearly killed me.” Naruto’s face was colder than Sasuke had ever seen it and it chilled him. “You are a fugitive and there’s a price on your head. Maybe I’m just here to make some extra money.”

Sasuke stared at the person who was once the closest thing to a friend that he had allowed himself. Keeping his expression blank was hard; maybe Naruto had changed more than he thought.

“Is that what you’re here for?” His voice trembled slightly but he didn’t think Naruto noticed.

Naruto’s face softened slightly “Maybe.” He said and something tightened in Sasuke’s chest.

“I don’t have time for this bullshit.” Sasuke said annoyance moving slowing but unstoppably towards anger. A kunai appeared in each hand “Leave now and I won’t kill you.”

A kunai had appeared in Naruto’s hands almost as quickly. “I’m prepared to fight.” He said there was no uncertainty there.

Open emotion flickered across Sasuke’s face as he stared into determined blue eyes. They faced each other for a moment eyes locked, then Sasuke moved.

Naruto braced himself catching the attack. He had trained for this moment. Memories of Sasuke’s hopeless black eyes haunting him, pushing him to become stronger. Giving him strength when his legs had given out and his body had given up. This was what he had been living for and ther was no turning back now. He would die if he had to.

He ducked a strike Sasuke’s kunai pasing mere inches above his head. Pushing down his emotions Naruto gave himself over to the fight.

Sasuke was angry. He hadn’t felt anger this hot in so long it burned him. He’d felt cold anger for the past three years. He’d forced himself to be cold, ruthless, numb. He’d gained a stranglehold on his emotions forcing them behind walls where they couldn’t disturb his focus.

With each attack that was caught, dodged or parried he felt those walls cracking.

Naruto caught Sasuke’s attack their kunai’s crossed each pushing against the other fighting for dominance.

Their faces were inches apart fierce black eyes staring intently into fierce blue. Their harsh breathing mingling together.

“Are you really here to kill me?” Sasuke asked his voice low with strain.

The fierceness of battle vanished from Naruto’s eyes replaced by tenderness almost as fierce. “No” he said simply his voice as low and tension filled as Sasuke’s.

The tenderness burned Sasuke adding fire to his anger and filling him with another emotion that he refused to name. A scream of rage left him, his expression contorted and he pushed hard over powering Naruto sending his kunai’s flying.

Sasuke landed on top of Naruto striking him hard not realizing his own kunai’s were gone as well. He was blind and he didn’t know why, he also didn’t care.

His fists connected with Naruto’s flesh over and over and with each strike the walls containing his emotions crumbled. Blood, dirt and sweat mingling his cries filling the otherwise silent forest as he vented years of emotion.

Sasuke stopped one hand on Naruto’s throat his fist raised to strike. Naruto’s hands dropped to his side even as his face darkened with lack of air. Sasuke was shocked to see tears sliding out the side of Naruto’s eyes, eyes that held a world of hurt and resignation.

“Fight me you bastard.” He shouted, was that harsh voice really his? He stuck blood flying across the dead leaves beneath them. Naruto still didn’t lift a hand. “Fight me.” He screamed again. He could barely breath something was blocking his throat, his breath was harsh and loud in his own ears.

But Naruto didn’t move. He just met Sasuke’s eyes tears sliding silently down cheeks. Sasuke’s vision was blurred and he never noticed that his cheeks were wet.

He sat back removing his hand from Naruto’s throat. Gasping painfully. Why couldn’t he breath. “Why won’t you fight me?” It was a plea his hands were balled into fists, fists that trembled as he grasped Naruto’s shirt pulling the blonde’s face close to his. “Why?” He choked out pain filling his voice “Why?” He said again the words so low they barely made a sound. He was shaking hard as emotions he’d spent years fought to the surface. All that he suffered, everything he’d done and been forced to do, all the pain he’d worked so hard to contain. It overwhelmed him. “why?” He choked out one last time before giving in.

With a slowness that spoke of untold pain he lowered his face to the only person he had let close to him after the traumatic betrayal that had formed his life. He pressed his face into Naruto’s neck a lifetime worth of loss making his body shaking and forcing harsh cry from this throat. Trembling arms embraced him breaking the last of the walls that had held his emotions in place.

He cried.