A Different Path

The Twisted Truth

Sasuke's POV

Sasuke sighed softly, his back pressed leisurely against the bark of a tree while he rested one of his hands on his left knee, his strong legs laid next to each other on the cold patch of grass. His groggy gaze moved onto Kakashi's motionless form, lit dimly by a small fire crackling nearby. The Jounin was finally able to get some rest after having kept watch for so long. His light snores told the raven that he was fast asleep, buried beneath the thick and warm blanket of his sleeping bag. Furthermore, his closed eye and the even rising of his chest proved it. Sakura, on the other hand, was sitting next to the Uchiha and she had almost fallen asleep with her head on his right shoulder. Although her eyes were closed, she wasn't showing any signs of falling into a peaceful slumber any time soon. Sasuke was quite sleepy himself, but he didn't want to leave Naruto all by himself.

The blond had been sitting on a sturdy branch, two meters high up in the trees. Since Izumo and Kotetsu had tagged along to let the tired team relax for once, there was no need for Naruto to stay awake and keep watch. He was probably thinking of something that troubled him and so he wouldn't be able to let his guard down. Partially, at least. Sasuke kept throwing worried looks at him but he didn't know how he could be of use to the Jinchuriki.
Feeling his body tensing up, Sakura realized what was on his mind and wrapped her delicate fingers around Sasuke's right wrist, tightening her grip gently to comfort him. She had found out that his slender wrists were the most sensitive out of all and thus, the warmth passing onto him through there had a more profound meaning to it.

Sasuke's eyes softened slowly. He had gotten used to the feeling, even though he wasn't a touchy-feely person. His body relaxed immediately, letting the kunoichi know that her gesture was welcome.
"Go talk to him, Sasuke. You're the only one he'd open up to." Sakura breathed out, forming white puffs in the freezing air as she snuggled closer into the raven's shoulder.
Maybe I should. I don't think I'd be able to rest otherwise, either.
"Yeah. You go to sleep." Sasuke pushed himself up while Sakura nodded her head sleepily with a small smile on her lips before she retreated to her sleeping bag, near the tree they had been using as support.

Giving her one more glance, the raven straightened his creased clothes with his pale hands and in a flash, he jumped up onto the branch opposite of Naruto. In Sasuke's eyes, it was a rare sight to see. The blond had his hood pulled down, showing his vulnerability by having his face exposed entirely. But the young Uchiha knew that he got to see that only because the blond had allowed him to. Naruto didn't really acknowledge his presence by doing more than letting his eyes move briefly onto Sasuke before staring back into nothingness. A few seconds of silence passed until the raven managed to swallow a bit of his pride and spoke.
"Hey." His voice was no more than a murmur.
"Hi." Naruto's was something more like a lifeless whisper.

"Are you okay?" Sasuke didn't want to leave it at that. And even if their branches weren't far from each other, he still felt the need to get closer to the blond. Both physically and mentally.
"Yeah. Just tired, really." Naruto's hoarse voice let the other know that he was indeed exhausted.
"Why don't you go to sleep?" The Uchiha finally made himself comfortable, his knees bent to his chest as he leaned against the tree.
"I don't know. I just.. Can't." The blond's state was something that was breaking Sasuke's heart. He couldn't have felt worse. Sighing softly, the raven ran his fingers through his silky hair.
How am I supposed to ask him when he's like this? I don't.. I don't want to hurt him more than he already is.

Naruto's azure eyes caught his moment of frustration and he didn't just let it slide.
"Go on." Sasuke looked at him with a tinge of confusion written on his porcelain face. "Ask me whatever is on your mind, Sasuke." Slightly turning around to face him, Naruto closed his eyes and tilted his head gently as if he knew what the other was about to say. And in fact, he did. As he took a deep breath, the raven prepared himself for the worst.
"How come you know Itachi?" Although he was ready for it, the blond's body tensed up anyway. Mostly because of the hateful look in the other's eyes, that he didn't like one bit.