The next few days were hell. Kakashi had been kept busy with training Sasuke, so he was left to his own silence in his own room. Sakura had knocked on his door a few times. Still, Javen couldn't respond and was exhausted from the countless attempts to talk that put him in excruciating pain. The only visitor he got that he let in was the devil one night. He heard the rap of knuckles against his window one night, and he turned to face a man in his window. Orochimaru. Javen's face paled, and he backed up a few feet.
"Calm, kitten, I am here about that deal."
Javen bit his lip and nodded, heading to his bed to sit down. Orochimaru climbed through the window and joined him, sitting on the edge of the bed a few inches away. His hand reached towards Javen to play with his hair, and Javen made no move away.
"My poor little fox has lost his spark." Orochimaru brought Javen to rest against him and pet his hair with faux affection. Yet, despite that, the actions calmed Javen down tremendously.
Orochimaru sat with him for a couple of minutes, petting Javen's hair and scratching the areas where Javen's ears would be before speaking, "Would you show me your ears and tail, Haruno? I need something to do while I decide what to do with you."
Javen knew he was in a bad position right now. But, he needed Orochimaru so he could get his voice back, and Orochimaru would be more likely to do so if he was happy. So, Javen licked his teeth, and his fangs, ears, and tail grew, and he leaned against Orochimaru willingly and let himself relax. Orochimaru seemed pleased. His fingers stroked his pink fur, and Javen couldn't help the steady purr from his throat.
"You know, Mr. Haruno." Orochimaru smiled, "You are much more pleasant when all you can do is purr."
"I think it's in your best interest, Javen if you just listen to me." Orochimaru moved a finger under Javen's chin, his sharp nail digging into his throat.
"I would be willing to let you live and speak if you came back with Sasuke and I." Orochimaru smiled, and Javen pulled back. Orochimaru just held him closer, "Only for two weeks. Then you can go back home and tell them everything."
Javen paused and looked up at Orochimaru as if to ask if he was serious.
"Yes, Javen. Only two weeks. Why don't you think about it? Then you also get to watch over Sasuke and ensure he's safe."
Javen nodded and pulled out a scroll, 'I'll think about it.'
With that, Orochimaru was gone, and Javen was left to stare at his ceiling in the darkness, thinking about how shitty his life was. The following day, he finally left his room. The first thing he did was walk over to his sister's room. His eyebags were awful, but she looked stressed too.
'What are you up to?' Javen wrote on a scroll that he had decided to keep in his pocket with a pen.
Sakura moved quickly to stand and hug him as if she hadn't seen him in years. Then she shrugged, moving to lay on her bed, "Nothing much right now. I can tell people are on edge because of Orochimaru, but it's mostly kept quiet. Lee is still recovering from his fight with Gaara. He can no longer be a ninja because his injuries are so bad."
Javen's face fell, he had been there, of course, but that fight felt like a fever dream. That kid was terrifying. He noticed his sister had started tearing up, and the only thing keeping the tears from falling down her face was the gravity from her lying on the bed. Javen moved to sit at the head of her bed and wiped away her tears.
'That must be tough. He was a noble guy.' Javen wrote and smiled at Sakura, who just gave him a smile, 'Where's everyone now?'
"Kakashi and Sasuke are training, but Naruto is training with this old guy." Sakura moved to sit up and compose herself.
'Old Guy?'
"Yeah. He has long white hair and has these long red marks running down his face? He seems creepy." Sakura sighed, and Javen paused, knowing exactly who that was.
Javen stood and bit his cheek, 'Do you know where they are?'
"Naruto mentioned they did train near this waterfall thing, but no, I don't." Sakura apologized, "Sorry."
Javen shook his head and shrugged, 'It's no problem. I'm going to go visit Naruto. Will you be okay home alone?"
"I'll be fine. I was going to go visit Lee in a little bit."
He smiled in thanks before heading out.
It didn't take him long to find Jiraiya and Naruto. He sat on a nearby tree branch before breaking off a twig and chucking it at Naruto. The blonde jumped and turned around, throwing a kunai straight at Javen, who quickly caught it.
The blond seemed happy to see Javen, "Javen! So you're finally out of the house. Sakura was worried."
Javen just shrugged and looked at Jiraiya, who seemed slightly surprised to see him. Javen pulled out the scroll and pen, 'So Naruto, who told you that this guy was a good person to train with? He'll corrupt you.'
Naruto opened his mouth to argue, and Jiraiya spoke up, "Actually, he wouldn't leave me alone till I trained him, so here I am, Javen."
Javen looked at him dead before Naruto spoke up, "You guys know each other?"
Javen gritted his teeth and sighed, 'As an ANBU, I was tasked with finding and delivering a message to him. But, instead, I found him harassing girls like a disgusting pervert.'
Jiraiya's jaw dropped, "It was observation for my book. Is there a reason why you can't speak, Javen?"
Javen moved to write again, but Naruto took the initiative, "Orochimaru took his voice with a jutsu because Javen overheard something he shouldn't of."
Javen just nodded in confirmation. Apparently, Kakashi had spread the news for him.
"Can't you just write it?" Jiraiya looked somewhat concerned for Javen, and Javen shook his head no.
Javen shrugged and wrote on his scroll, 'There's nothing I can do about it.'
Jiraiya gave him a pitiful look, one Javen clearly didn't appreciate.
'I did find a way I might be able to get my voice back, but I need to talk to Lord Hokage about it.' Javen wrote, 'It could seriously backfire. So besides coming here to check on Naruto, I hope I could run the idea against you, Jiraiya.'
Jiraiya furrowed his brows, "Why me?"
'You know him best. I need you to tell me the chances of me surviving the risk I'm about to take.'
Jiraiya then turned to Naruto, "Naruto, why don't you head back to the village?"
Javen rummaged in his pockets and handed Naruto a wad of cash, 'Go get ramen for yourself.'
Naruto seemed concerned, but he wasn't going to pass that up, so he began to make his way to the village. When he was out of sight, Jiraiya turned to Javen.
"What's the proposal he made you?"
Javen started writing, turning the scroll around for Jiraiya to read when he was done.
"He said you would get your voice back after going with him for two weeks? Then you can return here?" Jiraiya moved to sit down on a rock as Javen just nodded.
"I wouldn't trust it. He likes experiments, and he likes testing kekkei genkei. Since you have a rather unique one, I'm sure that's what he wants from you." Jiraiya looked up at Javen and sighed, "I doubt he will kill you, though. Otherwise, he wouldn't have promised you could go back home after." Jiraiya continued, "If you go with him, keep in mind that you will have to bend to everything he wants, or he might just take back his promise and kill you."
Javen nodded.
"If you want your voice back that bad, this isn't a bad deal. It's just dangerous." Jiraiya looked at Javen.
'Thank you for the advice.' Javen wrote.
"When does he want you to go?" Jiraiya asked, and Javen paused.
'I don't know.' Javen turned his scroll again.
"That's an issue. He could have some event planned before." Jiraya closed his eyes in thought, "I will find out if you can. You can convey that to the Hokage then."
Javen just nodded in understanding and sighed heavily, 'Thank you. I'm going to go now.'
Javen then spent the few weeks before the final exams working on training those who needed help or doing smaller missions for money. Most of all, he spent that time sitting in his room wondering when Kakashi would return. Towards the end of the month, he went out of his way to visit the one and only Gaara of the Sand. The redhead was on a roof of a building. He seemed tired and stressed. Javen appeared next to him, and the redhead didn't hesitate to have sand around his throat, ready to squeeze his head right off. Javen just smiled and pointed at his scroll. Gaara squinted his eyes.
"Why do you have a scroll?" The redhead's sand retreated back.
'I'm mute.'
Gaara looked at Javen unamused, and Javen could tell he wasn't believed, so he wrote some more.
'A guy from another village. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.'
"Why did you come to see me?" Gaara's glare only deepened.
Javen pulled out the scroll again and wrote, 'I wanted to make sure you were okay.'
"Me?" Gaara seemed surprised.
Javen just nodded.
"Why me?" Gaara leaned forward, intrigued.
'I watched your battle with Lee; the boy gave you a run for your money. I know how it feels to be struck down when you're not used to it.'
Gaara now turned his whole body away, "I'm fine. Go away. You anger me."
Javen sighed and tapped Gaara, sand moving between his finger and Gaara's actual body. Gaara turned to face him again.
'I don't want to. My boyfriend isn't in the leaf right now, so I have no one to talk to.'
"That's a lie. You have a sister."
Javen let out a groan of frustration, 'I don't have anyone around that interests me. You're an interesting personality Gaara.'
Gaara didn't seem to know how to process that statement, so Javen continued.
'I wanted to know if we could spar one day or if you could just show me how your sand works.'
Gaara's eyes narrowed, "Why would I agree to that?"
Javen shrugged, 'I don't know. Cause you're bored? Cause you need to let off some steam?'
Gaara read the words and thought for a moment, "I suppose. My sand hurts people, though."
Javen could have laughed if his voice allowed it, 'I used to be ANBU. I don't deserve my title if I can't handle a broken arm or serious injuries. Plus, I trust you.'
Gaara seemed almost angry at that last statement, "Why would you trust me?"
'Would you kill someone who just wanted to spar?' Javen tapped his pencil on the paper before continuing, 'I don't believe you would kill someone without reason.'
"You're wrong."
'Kill me now, then.' It was a simple challenge Javen had given him, and Gaara seemed to momentarily widen his eyes.
Gaara's sand moved around his neck, but it paused again before retracting it.
'See? Now I'll spar with you tomorrow then?' Javen wrote.
Gaara just nodded. Javen smiled and moved off the roof.
When the next day came around, Javen invited Sakura to come to watch, mostly because he didn't want her to be so angry with Gaara. Javen understood bloodlust a little too well and didn't want Gaara to be hated entirely because of it.
When they met on the training ground, Javen smiled at the redhead who was there with his siblings. Then, Javen took out a different notepad than the previous scroll and wrote.
'Hello.'
"You're early." Gaara was monotone as normal.
Javen shrugged, 'So are you. I hope it's not a problem. I'm early, though.'
Gaara shook his head no. Javen peered over his shoulders and waved at his siblings. Temari stepped forward, and Javen shifted his attention to her.
"What do you hope to gain by this spar?" Her voice was one of concern for a sibling and one that Javen knew all too well.
'To relate to Gaara in the way I know best, fighting.' Javen smiled, 'Even if I'm older, I feel like everyone can benefit from someone who slightly understands them, even if not fully.'
Temari seemed to soften even if Gaara seemed slightly put off by it. She stepped back and nodded her head. Javen turned back to Gaara,
'Shall we?'
Gaara nodded, and Javen handed his notebook to Sakura. His sister and the sand siblings moved far away from the two. Gaara stood with his arms crossed, and Javen licked his teeth. The same routine again. His teeth sharpened, and his tail and ears grew. Gaara seemed to be watching his every move. Hence, Javen did what the redhead wouldn't expect and walked slowly towards him. It was a normal pace, one that showed Javen wasn't scared. He could tell Gaara was put off by this because Gaara lashed out when Javen had only walked a couple feet closer. Javen dodged the sand easily.
Javen had no hope to win. He had heard the stories about this kid obliterating assassins that his father sent after him. All the assassins were likely ANBU rank or similar. Javen did hope to give Gaara a run for his money just like Lee did, but instead of trying his best, he was going to be simple.
When Javen had dodged Gaara's attacks from that distance, he moved to continue walking. This time he only got a bit more than a foot before sand moved towards him and wrapped around his ankle. Javen looked at it and smiled. Gaara seemed to tighten the hold. Javen just walked forward, and with every step, the grip tightened and tightened until a sickening snap was heard, and Javen's ankle snapped. Javen winced only slightly and let out an audible sigh. Gaara let his sand retreat, and Javen bent down to his ankle. He held his hands over it, straightening the bones before only slightly healing them.
Javen looked into Gaara's confused eyes. There was no doubt that Gaara was confused how Javen wasn't scared, but honestly, Javen just wasn't afraid of a boy who only attacked because he believed he had to live up to the title of monster. Javen stood on the broken ankle, and Gaara's eyes widened. Javen took another step forward.
At this point, they were only a few feet apart. Javen licked his teeth again, and Gaara uncrossed his arms.
"How are you walking on your ankle?" The boy's monotone voice spoke with just the slightest hint of confusion.
Javen just grinned. He couldn't answer, and Gaara knew this. At this point, Javen knew Gaara was more psyched out about the fact that Javen wasn't scared than actually watching his movements, so Javen slowly moved to prepare himself to launch an attack.
After Javen positioned himself, the attack was lightning fast, shattering Gaara's fake skin. Javen took a few leaps back as sand went straight for him. Once Gaara had 'calmed down' with the attacks, Javen stood still. Javen prided himself on being a good fighter, but one of the many things that made him good was his ability to manipulate what his opponent was feeling. He was cunning and sly, much like a fox.
He held up his hand for a pause and waved Sakura over to give him the notebook in which he wrote,
'I'm sure you know the Bingo books. Guess who I am.'
He knew he wasn't supposed to be telling people this, but part of him felt like this was an exception. So with that, he waved Sakura away and lowered his hand.
"Guess who you are?" Gaara spoke as if to confirm it.
Javen just nodded as he took a step forward. His wounded ankle was really hurting by now,
"You are in the Bingo books?" Gaara seemed to not believe him.
Javen nodded again, and Gaara seemed to process that information. Javen took the chance to lunge again, once again cracking Gaara's armor. Sand wrapped around his arm as his nails got close to penetrating the sand, and Gaara squeezed. Javen felt his arm snap. He let out a sound that was similar to a yelp. He shut his eyes in a wince. That wasn't good at all. He paused but didn't let up, lunging again and again. He was blocked these times, and he figured Gaara knew his game. He backed up slowly, and he licked his teeth. Javen's second form switched back to his first, the fox form, and Gaara's eye's widened as it clicked.
"The Pink Fox. An ANBU for the Leaf." Gaara spoke, almost sure.
Javan just nodded, holding his broken arm. Once again, green light glowed as he healed the broken bones.
He held up a hand, waving for Sakura again and grabbing his notebook, 'I think I'm done fighting, but not because I quit but solely because I have to be in good enough condition to protect the Hokage should something happen.'
Gaara nodded in understanding.
'Do you get why I wanted to fight you even though it could potentially hurt my ego?'
Gaara looked at Javens words and spoke, "Like you told Temari. Understanding."
Javen moved his hand in a 'so-so' fashion, 'That is part of it. So what do you know about the Pink Fox?'
"You're an assassin known for your quick kills, manipulation, and kekkei genkei." Gaara repeated the Bingo book's words back to him.
'Anything else? Everyone in the bingo books has some weird quirk, right? Like something mystifying?'
Gaara seemed confused, and then it dawned on him, "They can tell your kills apart from others because their throats are always slashed first, but there is always so much injury that they usually have trouble figuring out who the person is."
Javen nodded, 'What are the words used in the bingo book to describe that?'
"You overkill." Gaara put it simply.
'If anyone understands bloodlust, it's me. I understand the euphoria that comes with releasing that rage.'
Javen's words seemed to hit hard for Gaara as the man just looked at the ground. Javen snapped his fingers to get his attention again,
'I'm assuming most sensei or advisors don't understand. If you need a teacher or an adult who does- I'm that person.'
Gaara nodded, but it seemed that the mask of rage he wore earlier overtook him, and he just turned to walk away. Javen just let him leave. Gaara would be better off knowing someone was there than no one.