A C C E P T A N C E

D U E L

Sasuke's POV

The sun was just coming up over the misty horizon, sending different shades of pinks and oranges through the dark blue sky. As I continued to lay on my back in the grass, I gazed up at the colors through the hair that lazily fell in my eyes and sighed internally. It seemed that the day was finally starting, and I'd barely slept at all.

Hn. Not that I expected to anyway.

My mind was far too clouded by the events of the previous night to allow myself rest.

The birds began chirping their morning songs about an hour ago, a small, seemingly insignificant detail that would have gone unnoticed by the me of the past. Over my years of solitude, a strange fondness for nature began uncharacteristically growing within me. In the beginning, I made myself sleep under the stars as an act of punishment, viewing myself as undeserving of a warm bed with crisp pillows and sheets. But as time dragged on, I actually found myself enjoying the openness that nature provided. While I reflected, I would stare up at the night sky and count the constellations, comparing sizes and brightness, shape and color, until the details coupled with a comfortable breeze would lull me to sleep.

Those nights would usually leave me more refreshed, rested and ready to trudge forward in my haphazard journey, but tonight, I was not so lucky.

With a large sigh, I lifted myself from my sleeping mat in the orange glow of the morning and began rolling the make-shift bed closed. My newly acquired fingers stumbled over this simple sequence of action and I rolled my eyes at how such a mundane task could still cause me trouble.

What a nuisance.

As I eased the mat into the open messenger bag to my side, I blew the hair from my face in both concentration and annoyance. I clicked the bag closed, placed my sword on my back, fastened my kunai holster in its usual place on my thigh, and swung my tan cloak up and over my head, concealing any evidence of the weapons. Craning my head around in a circle to stretch the stiff muscles of my neck, I looked up at the sky once more, noticing how the haze in the air began to thicken and subdue the brilliant colors above.

I watched on with a blank expression as the air fell stagnant for a single moment, before the leaves of the oak trees around me began to flutter in the slight breeze that suddenly arose. At the same time, the hair on the back of my neck stood of their own accord. I felt the prickle of intuition at the back of my mind and threw a side ways glance over my shoulder, towards the thickest part of the brush.

Chakra.

A silent smirk emerged on my face and I casually turned my attention back to the sun still rising over the forest. I blinked once, twice, and then leaned just my head to the left at exactly the right moment. A sharp, silent shuriken buried itself into the bark of the tree closest to me, narrowly missing the cartilage of my right ear.

"I was wondering when I was going to run into you," I said, straightening my neck again and turning slowly towards the sound of rustling leaves. "Suigetsu."

The white haired shinobi emerging from the trees with his head held high, mirroring my own blank expression. I resisted the urge to activate my eyes just yet as I studied his form, noticing the extra weapon pouches he carried along with the giant scroll he wore on his back. I was almost surprised that he seemed absent of a sword as our eyes met for only a moment.

Another breeze shook the air around us.

"You have some nerve coming back after all this time, Sasuke." He smirked, mimicking the tempo of my line of speech from before. I half expected him to cross his arms or pout like the Suigetsu I used know, but he stood his ground firmly instead, leaving his arms free at his sides to both attack or defend if needed. His stance showed his intention well, and I found myself releasing my poker face as my gaze hardened. He seemed wiser now, more focused, but he still had a slight air of immaturity about him that I both expected and loathed.