Story of our Lives -Naruto and Sasuke- Fanfiction

Chapter Twenty One- Open it Open it Open the Pandora's Box

Naruto gave the cab driver a wadded set of bills (which would normally make himself cringe) and ran out the car, leaving behind a bewildered Indian man who shrugged and began counting the twenties.

Snake Ave. The street sign burned itself into his vision, along with the shady houses that were sported behind the sign. Naruto felt a sudden wave of fear and lifted his shirt a little. The black of the tattoo was still very visible, so how come he couldn't feel Sasuke? Or anyone else, for that matter?

The place seemed void of human souls.

With a shudder he pressed on, eyes on every shadow and following the path with trust in his feet. They seemed to know where to go, and the less he thought about it the easier it became to turn this corner, round that exit and walk thirteen more paces to the large abandoned lot.

At this point his mind was still in a daze and he lifted a hand to the door. There was a large padlock securing things in place, and he gripped it, the cold a sudden shock to his system as the lock snapped loudly in his ears. The door swung inwards and he gaped, looking at the broken metal in his hand. He's always been strong...but....

"Sasuke?" His voice echoed softly, wavered and scared. He cleared his throat and tried again. No one heard that. Yep.

"Sasuke? Uchiha? Idiot? Where the hell are you? Sasuuuke??"

He saw a shadow fleetingly and trained his eyes on the spot. There was nothing there....on a closer inspection, it was someone in a dark cloak.

In a moment a hand found itself over his face and a strong arm locked around his shoulders, blocking his hands from shooting out and tearing the hand off. "Shut up, Naruto!" Itachi's deep voice whispered harshly in his ear and Naruto felt his quickened pulse slow. Thank the Lord.....

"I told you to leave." The next words again reaccelerated his heartbeat and Naruto let out a chuckle. "Are you kidding me? Why would I leave the family I love?" He heard Itachi suck in a breath behind him and felt the arm tighten around him. He couldn't help but enjoy the moment, after all, it was like a tougher version of Sasuke behind him. Physically, at least.

"You just thought I was hot, didn't you." Itachi deadpanned behind Naruto and Naruto felt his cheeks flame. "Uhhh uh no why pfffft you hot whaaaat no way."

"Teenagers are absolutely wild on testosterone. Thank the Lord it's over for me." Itachi muttered behind him and let him go. "Come on, I have a plan."

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Sasuke was in a field of snow, the compound behind him dark and empty. Of the living.

Hell. No. He wasn't back here. He didn't want to be back here. Not when he...He saw a child run into the Uchiha crested estate and a second later stunned recognition took its place. "Holy shit." He muttered, and followed after himself.

He saw what his five years old self didn't see. The blood dyeing the field around him in a dark, frozen red and the nub of a hand stuck in the snow. How did he not see...he went into the house. The boards didn't creak like he expected, and he realized he was almost transparent.

He saw his younger self standing in front of the family room, the door closed, the dark liquid across the blinds a prelude to the horror that would await his younger self. He went forward and wrapped his arms around himself, a hand over his eyes. "Don't look...please don't look..." He muttered like a prayer, as if somehow he could change what happened before.

Younger Sasuke shivered suddenly, feeling a cold air cling to his body, and pushed his small hands on the blinds, opening the doors in the next second.