My not so Distant Memory

I've finally found you

Sasuke felt his heart start to beat faster and his mind whirl, as if it were trying to tell him something, but just didn't know how to say it. Something about this boy in front of him calmed his nerves and gave him a sense of security he hadn't ever felt before, not even with his own family. It was hard to tell if what he was feeling was good or bad. As he stared into Naruto's eyes, he couldn't help but wonder to himself,

'Where the hell have I met this kid before?'

Grabbing the over-enthusiastic hand, Sasuke pushed aside his growing sense of bewilderment, and let a small smile grace his lips, something he hadn't done in years.

"The same goes for me."

~

The soft squish of grass beneath their feet was barely audible over the whir of the machines as they made their way to the large tower (Sasuke decided that was a more suitable name, since the label building seemed a little too humble for the size).

"Ma Naruto-kun, it still looks fantastic every time I've seen it. You do a great job at keeping it in good shape," marvelled Orochimaru, as they entered the front entrance and took a look around. They were standing in a large yet barren room. Soft rays from the afternoon bled through the windows on all sides, tinting the walls a soft golden hue.

Sasuke's lips twisted into a perplexed frown. There was something extremely weird and familiar at the same time about the structure, and he wasn't exactly sure what it was.

"Isn't this building over 800 years old? How is it still virtually intact?"

Naruto looked back with a newfound sparkle in his eye, as the edges of his mouth curved into an even wider smile.

"Ah, well, you see, most of this structure is a replica, since, by the time we discovered it, most of the beams were quickly deteriorating, and barely able to hold up even just the support of its own weight. There was only one room that was kept in mediocre condition, so we left it be."

Their little tour was suddenly interrupted when the pound of rushed footsteps turned around the corner of the corridor where they just came in.

"Orochimaru-san! Why did you take so long! Please hurry to the site. We had to start without you, but we can't keep working on our own for now."

"Apologies Kabuto. Lead the way, I want to get filled in on everything right away." And with that, the two of them abandoned Sasuke to fend for himself.

Tch. Leave it to the snake to completely forget about me when it comes to his research.

Naruto was the first to break the thick silence.

"Sorry about that. Every time he comes, Orochimaru-san is always so immersed in his work, I sometimes have to remind him to eat! If you want, I can show you all the rooms."

"Hn, alright."

The sounds of Sasuke's shoes against the hardwood echoed against the walls, as they walked in a long, but comfortable silence. As Naruto led him around the first floor, Sasuke took the time to get to know his host a little better.

"Orochimaru mentioned something about a woman named Tsunade. Is she the one that owns this land?"

"Baa-chan? Yes, she does. Well, not until recently. My parents used to own this place, but she ended up having to take it over."

Sasuke didn't even need to ask to know what had happened. The pain that resonated in his eyes was identical to what he felt when his parents passed away. It amazed him how this kid didn't break down just thinking about it, as he would often do.