Midnight

Chapter Fifteen

The first thing that marked the unfamiliar waking was the smell. The scent of an old house that has its windows shut for years. With the second inhale his body recalled many wakings sensing this scent. No matter how new everything was the underground lab would always have the closed atmosphere of a place not reached by the sun. Then he picked up something else. Lavender and vanilla. So close that he could almost taste and so foreign in a place like this. His eyes opened wide in the realisation only to meet her a little lower beside him sleeping on the floor. Her hand had reached out to the bed where he was sleeping, holding his own. It took him a minute to grasp the situation before a frown formed on his face. What was she doing? Was she scared about the place or possibly about the people living in it.
Wake up.
A voice rang on his head as a scene from a dream lost in the void of sleep was coming back to him.
Please wake up. It's only a nightmare.
He pulled his hand with force, leading to her waking after hers hit the floor. He was on his feet before her eyes shed away the night.
"Get ready."
He entered the bathroom and exited both quickly. He wanted to leave this place as soon as possible. She stopped for a moment before him as to say something but refrained. Only after the door closed behind him he noticed the towel left on his bedside and a glass of water he knew he hadn't brought.
Shit. He slammed the door as he walked to meet with the others.
Sasuke had sensed the two former members of team Taka chakra. They had come from whatever errand Orochimaru had sent them. He knew Jugo wasn't a regural resident of the place unlike Karin and Suigetsu. He had decided like Sasuke to travel the world and help in whatever small or big obstacle was found in people's way. He was a kind soul despite the raging beast that crawled inside him. Sasuke had learnt that he was able to control it by now but his days as a fighter was behind him.
His mood was already bad but the constant nagging of Karin and Suigetsu didn't help. They talked non stop not even waiting for an answer in the questions they made. Karin halted her movements for a split second before she grabbed his arm with full force. Hyuga was coming. She made her appearance standing a little further from the couch the four of them were seating. She was an object out of place in a harmonic scene. Her head bowed showing her greeting. Her presence spread an uneasyness. She kept her distance not looking anyone in the eyes. Sasuke turned his head not bothering to suggest her to sit. Suigetsu continued his previous conversations but less joyful, looking constantly on the peculiar person that distarbed his concentration.
"Can you sit please? I can't speak normally with you standing there." The sharp teeths spoke for everyone.
She whispered a sorry and retreated to the space the white haired man showed. He felt her tense as she took the place beside him. On his other side Karin moved closer to him as to prevent Hinata from stealing him.
"Suigetsu shut up. Let someone else speak for a change." Karin was angry. And when that happened Suigetsu was her target.
"So Sasuke tell us your news. Bored in the Leaf yet?"
"No and move." He pushed her aside. That earned him a laugh out of Suigetsu and then a cry after Karin got up and hit him.
"Are we leaving soon?" She spoke quietly only for him to hear her voice.
"We are waiting for Orochimaru to draw us a map." His words reached the others ears.
"Eager to leave? Are you not enjoying our company?" The venom evident on Karin's words.
"No, it's just that... it's the schedule. We don't have much time." Hyuga spoke covering her eyes with her hair.
"Or maybe you want Sasuke all by yourself."
He saw as her knuckles became whiter of the pressure she was putting on them.
"I'm sorry if I offended you."
"Karin enough. Learn some manners." Jugo scolded her. "You make everyone uneasy."
"Huh? Me?"
A clap was heard silence the room.
"Why are you fighting? You will make Sasuke angry. And noone wants that." Orochimaru formed something that seemed like a smile.
"This is for you." He handed him a piece of paper with a detail map of where to look for the hideout.
Sasuke got up and she standed immediately as she knew it was finally time.
"Can you do me a favour? Since I'm so willingly helping you." The snake spoke with sparkling eyes.
"You don't have a choice." Sasuke cut him bluntly.
"You are right. Nevertheless if you can, I would like to know what you found."
He nodded to his former teammates, ignoring the Sannin completely.