Sight and Sound

You and Me

The night was cool and windy, whirling breezes curled around Aster's ankles as she made her way toward the village gates. She hated this village, these people. It was useless to stay, she needed to leave, but somehow it seemed unreal. How could see just walk out the wooden gates and never return? Very easily... She thought, trying to solidify her will. She didn't have any of her things; she didn't want anything from this place. I'm never coming back here. She wanted to cry, she would never see either Uchiha brother again, but her hate for the people in Konoha was overwhelming and she helpless to its will. Pressing her lips together, she trudged onward, refusing to look back. "Where are you going?" She stopped dead. The voice hadn't been hostile, but she felt as though it had attacked her in some way. Turning slowly, "What are you-?" Aster forgot the rest of what she was going to say. Itachi stood, hands shoved in his pockets with, a calm, curious expression. "You wouldn't be thinking of running away from Konoha?" he asked lightly. "I-I have to," he had broken her resolution; doubt and fearful anticipation were taking hold again. "Don't do it," He took a step toward her, "please." She had been waiting for someone to try to stop her, but it was his 'please,' that threw her off. "I have to," she repeated feebily. It seemed that her feet were forced as they walked toward each other. She knew if she listened to him, there was no way she could leave. "Why?" His arm was draped loosely over her shoulders. "I-I can't stay," she was crying again. "I can't live this way! Nobody wants me here!" She was suddenly very aware of the heat coming off his body as they stood there, of the way the moonlight hit his face and shadowed it. "What do you mean?" he asked, sounding slightly surprised, but his face remaining calm and blank. "You're needed here..." Aster's heart beat faster. How long had she watched him from afar, pretending that she saw him as nothing more than a friend? Did he know the true extent of her feeling? "N-no.. I..I" she was stuttering incoherently, and she could feel the blush rising on her cheeks. "Sasuke needs you more than ever," He whispered. The world stopped for a second. Sasuke. That was why he was here. She was still second to his brother. He didn't love her like that, she was being foolish. But now it was too late, she couldn't gather the courage to leave. "I-I.." she paused, trying to keep the words in her mouth. "I won't leave..." He hugged her lightly, but it was enough to make her forget to breathe. "I need you too.." he muttered, letting her go. Aster stood, watching Itachi fade into shadows. Her sense came back to her with him gone. What did he mean about Sasuke needing me? He's doing great in school... Seems to have enough friends... I don't understand. What he had said had only sent her troubled mind into more chaos, but she wouldn't be running away any time soon.

Naruto pushed onward, grimacing as he forced one foot in front of the other. Walking along the root infested forest floor had become a challenging game of wit and will.

"Naruto!" Sakura called, breathing hard with exertion. "Slow down, you're going to hurt yourself!"

Naruto turned, giving her a chilling scowl. "And you're just going to let him get away?!"

"N-no," Sakura stuttered, shocked by his cold hatred. "I just..." She trailed off, realizing that Naruto would not listen.

Itachi moved swiftly towards her. Aster gaped as he kneeled and made a few short hand signs, undoing the shackles.

"It's really you?" she asked, unnerved and frightened for his safety.

He didn't answer. She stared hard at his eyes, trying to make him look at her. There was an unfamiliar degree of iciness in them. It had once seemed she had been looking through a veil, into something another might call his soul; but now, it was more like heavily tinted glass. His feelings and thoughts were far from her.

She wasn't sure what she had been expecting at this moment. Maybe he would he would free her and carry her off to safety, maybe he would kiss her passionately and they would fight their way out. But this, this, it was nothing like what she could have expected. Even the brush of his fingers on her wrists might have been comforting, but he would not even speak to her, let alone touch her in any way.