Sasuke hadn't spoken to Haku since they landed. Tsunade had returned his letter saying that she would be there in 2 week.
2. Fucking. Weeks.
Haku had 4 left and she was going to be here in 2. Sasuke had made it very damn clear that he would not be talking to his friend until Tsunade had arrived.
This meant that Haku got 2 straight weeks of the silent treatment. Don't worry, Sasuke could have gone on for a lot longer than that, he was happy to give the boy the silent treatment for the rest of the year.
It had been a week already and they had a week left, and it was at this point that Haku finally realised that Sasuke was really angry at him.
It's not that Sasuke didn't know, because he did. He was angry because the information came from Sakura and not Haku. So if that wrench never told them then Haku would still beleive that Sasuke was unaware of the poison.
That was what pissed him off. Haku is supposed to be his a current most trusted friend. Yet he hid the fact that he was poisoned.
So yes, it took a week of silence for him to realise this, not him getting punched in the face. A week of silence.
"Sasuke, how many times do I have to say I'm sorry?" Haku asked.
"..."
"It's been a week already, when are you going to start talking to me again?" Haku tried again.
"..."
Sasuke ignored every single attempt and only focused on sharpening his sword. Sasuke then adjusted his scarf and continued ignoring Haku. Well it's not like he told Haku that he was gonna be ignored for 2 weeks.
"I just thought it was for the best. After all, I was meant to die ages ago. I figured it wouldn't matter if I died this time either..." Haku muttered.
"..."
This comment got Sasuke to twitch slightly, yet nothing.
"I'm sorry. I didn't realise how much you were worried about me. I guess I thought you wouldn't care if I died, so I kept it quiet. You were so determined to save as many lives as you could I realised that I'd be taking up precious time if I told you. I thought that everything else was more important than my life to you, and I'm sorry for assuming that. Please talk to me..." Haku explained.
He never realised it before... but he really missed Sasuke's side comments. His remarks, and rude comments made their journeys fun. Poking fun at Sasuke for his crush over the Hyuga and watching the boy get irritated made the journey... a journey.
Going without that and walking in complete silence or having a one sided conversation made Haku realise that he really messed up. So he did the one thing any true friend would do... he apologised.
"..."
"Please..." Haku whispered.
Sasuke looked up from sharpening his sword and stared silently at Haku. The poor boy looked hopeless, like he had just witnessed someone he cares for die... kinda like how Sasuke looked when he learnt about Haku's problem.
Sasuke stayed silent but slightly raised one of his eyebrows at the boy. Was him being silent that bad. From all the shit talking he does Sasuke figured Haku would be enjoying the silence while he could.
He thought it was better than him yelling at the guy, but then again that was definitely more Naruto's style... to yell out his feelings... ugh. The thought made Sasuke visibly cringe, which didn't go unnoticed by Haku.
Not the point. The point is that Sasuke wasn't mad because Haku hid being poisoned... well, he was but not the point. Sasuke's anger all came from the fact that Haku thought Sasuke wouldn't care if he died. It hurt him to know that his best friend, (yes Haku was currently above Naruto) didn't think he cared about him.
"..."
Haku sighed, he didn't think he was going to get a response from the Uchiha, he just didn't realise how much Sasuke cared. Haku sat down and stared at his Anbu mask. He wanted to destroy it but it was Sasuke who told him to keep it as a memory. Sasuke had changed his future, Sasuke treated him as a dear friend... but in the end it was Haku who lied because he thought no one would care.
This was such a mess.
"..........Hn" Sasuke grunted.
Haku's head shot up and looked over to Sasuke who had moved onto cleaning his sword. But Haku saw it, something small that allowed him to see that Sasuke still cared... a small smile.
Haku let out a breath of relief that he didn't even realise he was holding. That grunt was all he needed. It didn't mean Sasuke forgave him, no. But it did mean that he was on the right track to being forgiven. Not that getting poisoned was his fault.
"So, what next?... after I get healed I mean?" Haku asked. As someone who used to relish in the silence he really couldn't stand it around Sasuke.
Sasuke was silent for a while it was a good question. Team Taka wouldn't be able to get together until after Orochimaru was dealt with, and the snakes body still had another few months going for him. So they'd have to wait.
The Akatsuki were a global problem, and although he was keeping in touch with all the Jinchuriki, (yes he found them all) well except from Naruto of course, he was still unsure if they were ready to fight on the Akatsuki 2 against 1. The 1 being the Jinchuriki's.
The Akatsuki were no joke. Only two Jinchuriki got away from them alive. Three if you count Gaara but he lost the initial fight. The first being Naruto, and he took out Pein, so Sasuke didn't have to worry. But the other was Bee.
Bee got away because fortunately, it was Sasuke himself that was sent to capture him and Sasuke had... uh... (gotten his ass beat!) He had lost. But if you ask him it was quite a close match.
So Sasuke wasn't sure how Bee would handle being attacked. Probably quite well considering how he handled Sasuke.
Anyway that just makes the question that much more important to answer. What next? Well Sasuke wasn't planning on going back to Konoha just yet. He still had plans and then there was problem number 1.
Sakura.
She came from the future. His future, where they were married. Where they were suffering. It wasn't just him that was cornered into that relationship.
Sakura was aswell.
They were both suffering. After the War how could Sasuke see her as anything but a Friend. Heck he would have even called her a Sister, but a lover? No. That was her dream and it was one Sasuke shouldn't have indulged in. He should have crushed it when they were kids.
Now she dared to threaten everything he was working so damn hard for! No. If he sees her again.... When he sees her again, she is going to die. To suffer.
And next time he'll make damn sure there is no escape for her.
Anyway, anger put aside, the next person on his hit list that he could probably kill was... Danzo.
Oh Danzo. A real problem that one. Kotoamatsukami, Wood style, Hashirama cells, 6 Sharingan, 1 Mangekyou and about 65 to 70 years worth of Experience.
Yes, Danzo Shimura is definitely a problem. Now Sasuke has defeated him in the past but that was because he got Danzo alone. The man is smart and more often than not is travelling with his band of slaves.
Also Sasuke has altered a lot about the present now, compared to before. Danzo could already have prepared something to go up against Sasuke... and no he's not talking about 'Sai the stupid Spy'. This time it could be something more, or something worse.
"Sasuke? Are you really not going to at least answer that?" Haku spoke up. His voice snapped Sasuke out of his thought process.
Right, he was in the middle of Ignoring Haku. Nonetheless Sasuke had his answer. They had to get rid of Danzo before he became a problem. Only this time Sasuke was Dragging Itachi alone. Kami knows the man deserved to get in a few good hits.
"Danzo..." Sasuke muttered and he wiped his sword down. If he sharpened it anymore it would probably do more damage than good.
Haku's eyes widened a bit, he knew they were going to have to deal with Danzo at some point. He just didn't think that point had come so soon.
Hopefully if everything went according to plan, after Danzo's death there should be a small timeframe in which they could train up a bit more. After which would be Gaara getting attacked.
They would head to Suna to help out since Naruto should be in Konoha by then. There would be another gap. (Hopefully) after that is.... when Asuma dies... though Sasuke isn't too sure about that one. He just has to hope that the necklace he gave to Shikamaru was handed to Asuma, and hope that Asuma trusts what Shikamaru told him.
He was probably going to be attacked by Asuma once he saved him though, he didn't really know the guy all too well, but if it makes for a better future then he'll do it.
After that is when Orochimaru's current vessel should be weak enough to kill, but at this point this is all just speculation.
Everything has a plan for it... but it all starts with Danzo's death.
****
****
Naruto sat on the cliff and watched the world below him. He stared at it all with sad eyes as he thought of his two friends that had left.
When he thought it back through the whole situation frustrated him to no end. He never thought he would think this, but he missed life back when he was a child.
When it first started getting better, when it was Just him, Sasuke and Hinata against the world. Back then those three could take on the world! They were going to grow up together, be Ninja together. He the Hokage, Sasuke his second in command, Hinata his advisor.
He thought for sure they were going to make it to places and they were going to do so together.... until they weren't.
That one stupid clash changed everything. That final fight between Sasuke and himself. By the Gods does it haunt him, it lives in his thoughts, in his dreams and nightmares.
That one moment where Sasuke got up, but Naruto couldn't. When Sasuke dissapeared in a flash of purple and blue. That one moment made Naruto realise... Sasuke didn't use his full strength. Sasuke didn't fight his hardest, if he had he would have used the Hiraishin at the start before Naruto even got a chance.
So that begs the question... why didn't he? Why did Sasuke use Orochimaru's seal to fight him and not the Hiraishin, why did Sasuke hold back.
Naruto didn't know, and it irritated him beyond belief. The whole situation confused him. One moment Team 7 was as happy as could be, all of them seemed at peace in Konoha... so why did 2 of them leave.
"Calm down idiot. I'm sure the brat has a reason" Kurama cut in.
Right Kurama. Naruto had tried everything to get a hold of Sasuke through the link. It took exactly 27 failed attempts for Naruto to realise that Sasuke had managed to create a block for it.
Naruto won't lie. He missed the time when his only worry was what flowers he would get Ino. He still didn't get the whole meaning stuff, but the flowers always made Ino's eyes light up in a way that always made his heart beat a bit faster.
Then there was watching Sasuke trip over himself for Hinata.
A goofy smile grew onto Naruto's face.
Oh yes, the great Scary Uchiha that would beat anyone into the ground would happily run to the bakery for Hinata. Oh Hinata, she wasn't exactly heart broken that Sasuke had left.
No.... she was pissed. Naruto remembered getting out of the Hospital and watching Hinata head to the training grounds. He was worried because Neji had told him that training was all she would do.
That worry grew to fear very quickly. He watched as she perfected her Gentle fist, as she slammed her plams into the trees blowing back the bark.
The scariest part was when she made a fist and slammed it into the tree pulling the whole thing out, roots and all. But then he remembered when she fell to the ground. When she pulled out a small picture from her coat and glared at it with silent tears. Then he would remember what she was angry about and become angry himself.
"Naruto! Are you ready, we'll be heading back soon!" Jiraiya called out.
Naruto snapped out of his memories and wiped the few stray tears that fell. His once sad eyes were again filled with determination. He will bring Haku and Sasuke home. For Hinata, For Sasuke and Haku.... and... for himself.
"Yeah yeah, coming pervy sage!" Naruto yelled out as he stood up.
A stray thought reached him as he walked down to the idiot he called his teacher.
.
.
.
Whatever happened to Sakura?
_____________________________________
Ok. First, yes people I'm alive.
Second, after finishing my course work a I fell seriously ill and have stayed that way for about a week and a half.
I'm still ill now.
But I feel bad. So pain and all I worked through it to create the things that I love.
So I hope you enjoyed.
Ja ne