The Curse Of Hatred ~Book 2~

Chapter 21: Red Eyes

The way back home was quick. She reached the village late afternoon a days later after safely delivering Kia and her daughter to the Hidden Waterfall Village. Yuzuki saw no sign of the rogue Akatsuki ninja on the way back as she flew through the trees in a hurry to get back home. But in her rush she strained herself a little too much and now she collapsed onto her bed still fully clothed and armoured with her sides throbbing like a painful stitch. A sharp throbbing and the occasional stabbing pain.

Her bandaged wrapped feet hung off the bed and her face was buried in her sheets, the white sword was digging into her leg but she was too lazy to move it.

Who knew going back into commission would be this difficult when she was so eager to get back out there before. Now she almost regretting her choices. If she wanted to she could stop, but then she'd complain she was bored like before. Dammed if you do, dammed if you don't.

When Sasuke returned home from the Academy ten minutes later he saw Yuzuki's knee high black sandals at the doorway and a small bit of relief filled him. Whenever she left for a mission he worried when she would come back, although he'd never admit, but he felt lonely when she wasn't here.

Slipping off his own sandals he noticed a rectangular box on the counter with delivery stickers and assumed it was something she needed to deliver somewhere else.

The box was something she picked up on the way home.

Sasuke found his older cousin passed out on her bed when he walked by her bedroom doorway. He had the box in hand. On the label it was requested it be delivered to the Hidden Leaf. He knew where it had to go.

Taking the box, he put his sandals back on and left the apartment.

祟

A short and sweet dream shocked Yuzuki into jumping from nerves. Her dream turned into a haze the moment her eyes opened, but the one image of two beady red eyes staring at her from a dark abyss was the only thing that seemed to remain intact. But why? Only the dreadful feeling of the dream remained.

She peeled her face off the sheets which left indents of folds on one half of her face. She rolled back and peeled the white sword from her leg which she fell asleep on. There was a nasty rectangle lines running deep into her skin from her thigh to her knee.

"Ow." she massaged the deep lines. Yuzuki stood up on sore feet and unclipped the sword belt and tossed the sword and her pouch onto the bed. She came out into the dark hallway surprised by how dark it was outside. In the main living area the lights were switched on and Sasuke who sat on the lounge indulging in dinner.

"Hey." she chirped. "How was things while I was gone?"

Sasuke shrugged. "Good."

"Good-" the box on the counter was gone. A pang of worry flooded her lungs as she checked around the kitchen hoping it was misplaced. Did she leave it behind? She didn't imagine all that- "Sasuke, there was a box here, have you seen it?" she resorted to opening the cabinets.

"I already delivered it for you." he said. Yuzuki paused closing the cabinet doors and blinked mildly surprised.

"You did what?"

Sasuke bowed his head. He felt like now he was in trouble for trying to help. Dammed if he tried to do something like that again. He knew she'd be mad. "You were passed out. So I thought I'd take it for you." If he explained himself he could try to make her understand his good intentions.

"Oh." was her reply. There was no 'How could you. What were you thinking!' she was remarkably calm. "Did you take it to the right place?" she questioned. Sasuke nodded hesitantly. "In the Hokage building?" he nodded again. "Oh, well in the case, well done." she approached him on the lounge and sat beside him. "That saves me the trip. Man, I cannot believe it's this late already... when did the sun go down?"

"You're not mad?"

Yuzuki turned to him. "Why would I be mad?" she raised an eyebrow in concern. Then she realised he thinks he might have done the wrong thing. "No, Sasuke. I'm not mad."

Sasuke looked down to the dinner Yuzuki left prepared for him, and then his eyes came up to the black Kusanagi sword mantled on the shelf before them.

Yuzuki tapped his shoulder and motioned to the dormant sword. "See that sword. It's the sister sword to mine, you know. You get to have it one day. "

"I do?"

"Totally. The metal it's made from will allow you to cut threw any material in the world no matter what it is. It's stupidly heavy and unconventional, but you'll get used to it with practice." she felt like Minato repeating his words. "There are only three swords like that in the whole world. And I'll give you one when you become older."

"Where's the third?"

"They say Orochimaru has it." she shrugged. "But who knows. He went rogue years ago."

"The Sannin."

Yuzuki nodded. "For illegal experiments. But we don't have to worry about that!" she came forward and picked out a piece of beef. "Hey!" Sasuke scolded when she threw into her mouth. She shrugged, "What?" and took another piece of meat. "Sharing is caring."