my one in million

chapter six

His eyes were trained to read people and gauge their intentions in a split second; it was the difference between friend and foe, life and death. He was capable of activating his sharingan to look into their inner flame, true, but their souls were much more complicated than chakra streams, and more often than not he needed more than a split second to pierce their depth and decide if they would attack in the next hearbeat or not.

So he spent his free time roaming the streets and polishing this important but dormant ability when he wasn't allowed to train his muscles.

The woman sweeping snow off the shop front, for example, was young and if he conformed to cultural standards she might even be beautiful; but the look in her eye when she caught sight of him resembled that pointed towards an insect crushed under her sandal. She was obviously a woman with children and a husband, the worry had etched thin lines into her face to prove that, but he knew she would rather drive her shovel into his ribcage than sell him one of her shop's ointments.

His feet took him down the road further.

The girl walking in the opposite direction with a plastic bag in her arms met his eyes for an instant, took a right turn and disappeared. In that single instant he could clearly read what she was thinking about, and it relieved him to know that his abilities hadn't dwindled as the dull life of the civilian dragged on and on. The girl thought he was attractive but her parents have warned her of him so thoroughly, that she is too scared to even cross paths with him. The boy trotting behind her obviously liked her. His eyes were soft and his face was relaxed, but the minute their eyes met he pretended to be brave enough to not follow his girl's escape and instead, decided to take a chance by looking at him pointedly and keeping the pace. He didn't show fear when they finally passed by each other, several feet of road between them, and Sasuke couldn't help but smirk when the boy released a relieved sigh when he thought no one was looking.

Little achievements, some people still had them.

For one who'd already achieved the greatest power possible and had his main ambition fulfilled, he no longer cared for little children's equivalent of successfully finished challenges.

He could, at any moment, pull a string of chakra and make the boy fall face down in the fresh snow. He briefly considered trapping that old man hobbling down the ally in a prank genjutsu where he got pummeled with spoiled fruit all day. He could also spout the smallest ball of flame into the flower shop ahead and watch people scramble in surprise and it wouldn't bother him one bit.

But all of that was boring.

He was bored, and it was making him feel lethargic and detached.

Well, at least more detached than he already is.

Naruto was away training as the boy was insistent on succeeding Tsunade directly despite the old lady's doubts, so Sasuke was left without a training partner. Sakura was in the hospital with Tsunade's assistant, aiding with the increased number of patients because some nearby villages were having internal conflict, he assumed the girl would welcome him with a smile anytime but they both knew she would prefer it if he didn't talk to her unless he was gushing blood from every orifice. Even Kakashi, the least pleasant of his acquaintances, was too busy to spare him a minute; planning dispatches here and there around the country and eventually setting off with a team of Anbu for an S ranked mission that took them miles away from Konoha.

That meant there were fewer eyes on him now, but it also meant all the people who tolerated him in this town, as few as they were, are now null.

It didn't hurt, he didn't feel betrayed or lonely or left out; just bored.

Sasuke made his way towards the small bridge above the frozen stream that crossed downtown and pushed snow off the ledge; he hopped up and made himself comfortable to watch the world pass by. Children made snow nin, girls showed off their jackets and gloves, boys had ninja fight simulations with snow and couples crossed the bridge looking uncomfortable and intimidated with him watching their every move.