Crow's feathers - Naruto fanfiction

Extra: Moving on - Sasuke

"Ichiru," Sasuke called and he waited for the boy to come out of his room.
It didn't take long.

"What is wrong, uncle Sasuke?" the boy asked him concerned.

Sasuke shook his head. "Nothing." He wasn't going to explain to the boy that he couldn't be in the same space as the newly arrived visitor. The boy would ask questions he wasn't ready to answer. "I just thought you might like to train with me." He picked the boy up in his arms.

"Now?" Ichiru questioned, "weren't you helping mom?"

"Yes, now," Sasuke said stiffly as he walked out the door and past Taryn and Kakashi. "Because your mother has a visitor and we're gonna let them talk."

"Are we going to throw shuriken again, uncle Sasuke?" the boys asked hopefully.

"If you want to," Sasuke said.

"Can you teach me how to spit fire?"

"Maybe some other time," he answered in a gruff voice. He had only recently discovered he could perform the fireball jutsu again. It wasn't something he was wiling to share with others. Only Taryn knew and she wisely didn't comment on it.

He carried the boy on his shoulder until they reached the training grounds.

"Show me again how to do it, uncle Sasuke." Ichiru held a hopeful gleam in his eyes.

Sasuke let out a sigh, but took out a handful of shuriken. "Okay. Watch closely and be careful. These are weapons, not toys."

The boy nodded seriously and watched as Sasuke threw them at the practice target. "Can I try? Can I?"

"Just be careful," Sasuke warned, "don't cut yourself." He watched his nephew as he took a hold of the star shaped objects.

"It's sad really."

Sasuke glanced to the side. From behind the wooden wall around the training area, he could clearly hear the male voice. He was just about to ignore it when the next few words caught his attention.

"Taryn-sama should have kicked him out long ago. That brat doesn't deserve her generosity. And now, she's giving up on the things she wants. And he's not even remotely grateful."

It was obvious that the shinobi was talking about him. Sasuke gritted his teeth. What did he care about Taryn's motives? Why should he be grateful? He hadn't asked for her to meddle.

"Things she wants?" That was another voice. "What do you mean?"

"You don't know about her and Hatake-sama?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes and edged closer to the wall to hear better.

"No way! Hatake-sama from Konoha?"

"Yeah. I heard about them back in the war. He kissed her and declared his love, but she said she couldn't be with him because it might upset the Uchiha brat."

Sasuke tsk-ed. It was just like that woman to do something so pointless.

"Why would she do something like that? Why would it matter what that traitor feels?"

"Beats me. But that's Taryn-sama for you. Always putting others before herself."

"Hey, isn't Hatake-sama in the village at the moment? Maybe they'll get together now."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. He had heard enough. He turned away from the conversation and walked up to Ichiru. "Enough for today, kid. We're headed home."

"But we just got here," Ichiru protested.

"We'll come back tomorrow," Sasuke said, "now come with me."

"Five more minutes?" Ichiru begged.

Sasuke sighed. There wasn't much he could refuse the boy. "Alright," he gave in, "five more minutes."

***

"Momma! Momma! I almost hit the target today!"

Sasuke bit back a smile at the boy's enthusiasm, but it quickly turned into a scowl again when he noticed Kakashi was still there.

"Did you?" he heard Taryn say, "very good, Iku. I'm proud of you." She kissed the boy's cheek and then looked over at the doorway where Sasuke was still standing.
She put Ichiru down and ordered him to wash up for dinner.

"I'm eating out today," Sasuke said before she could ask anything.

"Okay," she nodded and she turned her attention to the stove while Sasuke made a quick exit. He didn't head into town though. Instead he leaned against the wall outside and listened to the conversations in the house.

"Did you know my daddy too?" he heard Ichiru ask.

He strained himself to hear the answer.

"I didn't know him very well," Kakashi replied calmly, "he was very busy with ANBU and I wasn't assigned many missions with him." The was a pause and Kakashi continued. "You look like him."

Sasuke closed his eyes and sighed. He took a hold of Taryn's fan that was still perched against the house, and headed towards his brother's grave.

Kakashi and Taryn

He had seen it back in Konoha when he was still part of Team Seven.

It was still there now.

And they weren't acting on it because of him.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes and opened the large fan on his lap. The tear was still there and he slowly continued the repair they had started earlier that day.

This simple work helped to calm him down. He needed to clear his head.

Before he knew it, it had become dark and he heard Kakashi and Taryn more clearly.

When he looked up, he noticed they were standing on the porch now. They didn't see him in the dark and he stayed out of sight.

He heard their soft exchange of goodbyes and watches as Kakashi gave her a short kiss.

"Good night," Kakashi said softly.

"Good night," Taryn replied equally quiet.

Sasuke watched as the masked shinobi left and he waited until the man was completely out of sight before returning to the house.

The living area was empty, but he could hear her down the hall. She was probably checking up on Ichiru.
He placed Taryn's fan against the wall and moved over to the kitchen. His eyes fell on the dirty dishes and he sighed. 'Why not?'

"You don't have to do that." Taryn's voice sounded behind him.

He didn't look up. "I don't mind," he said stiffly. It was silent for a moment.

"Have you eaten yet?" Taryn asked, "I saved you some."

She had saved him dinner? How was he supposed to respond to that? Why was she continuously being nice to him? "I fixed your fan," he blurted out.

Immediately, Taryn rushed to the door to inspect the weapon.

A small smile escaped his stoic expression when he heard her relieved sigh. He knew he had done a good job of fixing the weapon. He had even polished it.

"The Chuunin Exams are tomorrow," she suddenly spoke, "are you going to watch?"

"Why would I do that?" Sasuke asked emotionless. How could she even ask?

There was a sigh from Taryn. "Gaara asked me do take up guard duty. I thought you could take Ichiru. He's been wanting to watch the matches."

So that was what she was going to use against him? Ichiru? "I'm not going," he said firmly. He heard her place the weapon against the wall again and her footsteps across the room.

"I'll ask Kuro to take him then," she said. And then. "Turn off the lights when you're finished, okay?"

He heard her bedroom door click shut.

He had never felt more alone.