Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Note from GreenMonarch.

Hello all. I've had an account on here for months but have finally gotten around to writing again. This story is also posted on my Fanfiction account which goes by the same penname. I'm interested in trying both approaches to sharing fanfiction so I'm excited to be posting this to both accounts and gauge how I feel about working with each. I hope you all enjoy the read. Please review and critique.

Chapter 1: Hell Froze Over

Frozen.

It was a frozen wasteland. There was no warmth in this village nor was there much left in the people, whose bodies, hearts and very souls often froze over with coldness. If you were able to endure the thick cold, there was always plenty more struggle and hardship to overcome.

It wasn’t easy living in such a cold and harsh position, especially when you were as poor as the rags you wore, yet, there was strength even in such an unlikely place. People found the means to survive and even to smile occasionally. Still, this place was hell, and the weather was hell. A cold one.

There was hardly a time he hated most, the boy had noted to himself when the snowfall had drifted down for the first time in a few months. The chills that took his body were always so much. The teen held his body as close as possible. It was an attempt to impede the falling soft coldness from stealing the little warmth he had left in his shivering frame.

It did little to help, but perhaps it was a better attempt than what the tattered cloth that was his clothing could achieve on its own.

The boy reached down to grasp his shirt, trying to keep one of the larger holes closed. There were half a dozen smaller to fill its place easily, and a sigh of defeat appeared before him as another terrible chill shook him.

After walking the icy streets for so long, the cold was starting to get the best of him and he found himself losing autonomy of his on stiff muscles as they tried to generate some warmth of their own. He couldn’t go on longer, so he decided that it was rather best if he stopped for the night. Looking up at the gray sky, he let the frosty flakes touch his pale face. Cold air brushed across his hollowed cheekbones blowing the messy raven hair out of his face.

The snow fell steadily, gently.

To Sasuke, it seemed like an almost never-ending stream this time of year. Strangely, as much as he despised the cold, he actually liked the snowfall, or rather he liked the look of it; the feel of it. It was soft and delicate and not yet ruined by the dirty, soiled earth.

The snow seemed unflawed as it fell on his face, the flake quickly melting. The cold drop of water caressed his cheek as it rolled down and off his jaw-line. It looked far too pure to be falling in a place as dingy as this...on a face as stained as his own.

Sasuke stayed that way for a while, mesmerized by the snow until a familiar pain tugged at his stomach and drew him away from his thoughts. He grabbed his stomach as another hunger pain braced him, causing him to emit an audible groan. There was no food. There was hardly ever food. He lived off the streets and the streets rarely provided. As hungry as he was, there was no hope of scavenging up another meal or any semblance of one. He was worn, and cold, and simple didn’t have it in him keep going. He reserved what was left in him to find a suitable place to sleep and stay warm.

He walked the next few blocks, avoiding mangy mutts and mangy people who had even less hope and health than himself and had resorted to begging. He arrived as his usual hole in the wall...quite literally. He looked the weak infrastructure up and down; it was a ruined building that he’d become familiar with. An old school or library he supposed as it was full of old books and scrolls even while a good portion had already been used for burning material. With cracks in the exterior and a gaping hole in the roof, it looked like it’s been through war. ‘It probably has,’ he thinks. Most of the
inside is ruined from the elements.

He crawls through one of the holes he’s found on the side of the lower foundation into a crawlspace. Closing the hole with some plywood and cement blocks, he gets a good look. It’s dark and it’s cold, but it’s mostly dry and somehow much warmer than anything else he has access to and he’s taken the time to make it as comfy as possible.

There is what he has of his clothes here. It’s not much. Strange items and etched stones litter the corners. They are all things he finds interesting or odd. A cloth bracelet, a kaleidoscope, a lucky tallon, A blood red marble. They bring him comfort to observe on particularly cold days he decides to stay in.

Crude drawings are scribbled on the walls but a few nice ones as well: a sun colors his ceiling reminding him that it exist though he’s hardly seen it around. Some of his favorite books lie wrapped in plastic, protected from water and mildew. Besides them, is a radio and he remembers that there’s a decent pair of batteries he’s recently placed inside.
He’s not comfortable or calm enough to read or draw so he pulls the radio out from it’s plastic and lies down, pulling a worn blanket along with him. It was old, and smelled odd, but it was warm.

He fumbles with the antenna for a couple of minutes and has maneuvered part of the thin wire through a small hole in his makeshift door. When he switches the battered device on and turns the knobs, he hears all the sounds he expect. He hears the hum of white noise. He can’t remember the last time he’s caught a decent signal but he doesn’t mind.

The static is somehow soothing and he prefers it to the silence of the dead of night. He turns on his back and faces the ceiling as he listens. When he closes his eyes, sometimes he can hear a woman singing soft lullabies, or a couple singing a duet. He wonders if he will ever be able to hear the shocking conclusion to crime thriller he imagined up a few weeks ago. He heard his stomach..

Out of the snow, and into the quietness and mock protection that he’s decided to make his own, he settled down into thought, searching for the quiet music in the static, and the peace to find sleep but his stomach reminds him of his hunger.

“Shut up” he mumbled only half consciously and turning on his side; his fatigue finally coming in the form of drowsiness. He looked around tiredly as if looking for someone. Of course he was alone, but sometimes, it’s as if he actually expected someone to be there. He was alone as always.

His thoughts drifted to another time; a time when there were others beside him who were there for him; a father, a mother, and… and a brother…
But all that was gone, and it was just him. They were gone and he was alone in a strange world he knew he didn’t belong but couldn’t understand or remember why. Every time his memory was dulled, he felt the need to remember...

He hated when his mind drifted to thoughts like these. Always occurring as his senses fogged. He shuts his eyes tight, attempting to avoid the conscious dreams of his past, and hoped for more pleasant dreams in actual sleep.

Sighing heavily, he pushed every physical sensation; every mental thought away, allowing the buzz in his head to die down, replaced by the whispering of the radio, and soon he fell into a deep sleep.

End.

GreenMonarch

Chapter Text

Chapter 2: You Can’t Take Off-Days from Living

Sasuke scowled deeply. “Damn snow,” he muttered under his breath . The snow was nice, until it hit the ground. Then, it would take on this muddy, filthy look that he hated. It turned into deep clumpy roads of icy misery. Worst of all, it was oh so cold. Sasuke hated it. Only when it was falling; still pure and light and almost non-existent was it a good thing. Now it was bothersome.

“Dammit.” He crossed his arms in an almost childlike manner. It was like having to go to school on a snow day. He never got a day off though. It’s not like he could take a day off from living.

His muscles felt tight and achy and low on fuel. He was nearing empty. It had been too long since he had a decent meal, and it was affecting him- so with a sigh, he set out to find something, no matter what it took. He was far too hungry to ignore it, and desperation was unkindly taking over. His moral constitution was at risk and he accepted it.

~

Walking through the small village, he watched for any place he could find something useful. It didn’t have to be food, but food was his main target. At 6:30 in the morning, the street venders were already out; their days tended to start early to increase profits. They busied themselves, setting up their stands with their wares.

The streets were also busy at this hour, swelling with eager morning buyers, and the vendors were becoming more alert as people began to crowd them. There were dangers to trying to run a business in this village where plenty of thieves resided, and thieves knew how to take advantage of chaos and distraction.

As Sasuke looked around, there were plenty like him, hungry, desperate, and cold. He could see the schemes forming. They calculated meticulously. Sasuke on the other hand, showcased a face of indifference and disinterest, even as he scoped out the stands in the corner of his watchful eyes. He was unsure how most people just did not get that the best way to do something was to look like you were doing nothing.

Sasuke’s eyes zeroed in on the carts and tents as he passed, searching their wares as if window gazing the many stores of a mall. He was only looking for what he absolutely needed. He was not the frivolous type and wouldn’t waste his time with something that was not absolutely necessity. He did enjoy the sights of the items he would not typically see.

There was a vendor selling jewelry. Sasuke noted the colors and the vivacity of some of them. He wondered which of them were real. It didn’t matter either way. Sasuke needed none of that and wasn’t impressed by any of it.

He came across another cart selling televisions, radios, and other such electronic devices. His radio would suffice even if others found it useless. That wasn’t the point. His eyes zeroed in on the flashing images glaring across tiny screens. He’d seen the small devices before and had only fiddled with them briefly in the past. He had no interest in trying again, but remember the brief sense of wonder that came from controlling a digital avatar that went on acid trips after gobbling up magic mushrooms, or so Sasuke believed. Suigetsu, who had the luxury to own such devices, insisted that his interpretation was not accurate but it didn’t matter.

Sasuke may have stopped to smile if he had the time. You just didn’t see this type of stuff often. It looked stolen, Sasuke thought, not that it mattered. His eyes soon moved on as he continued his simulated walk of boredom.

He started to hum. He smiled and vendors sometimes smiled back. He did not care to socialize however. People did not suspect those who looked happy and content. Rather than looking simply like a poor, dirty, bastard, he looked like a poor, dirty, happy bastard.

Clothes? He could use some but what he already had would have to suffice for a while longer. His current boots were at least comfortably warm and were not yet sporting any holes in their soles.

He came to another tent. It immediately caught the curious boy’s attention, even after his resolve to not be frivolous. An old lady was in charge of the items and accessories that were hardly ever seen by Sasuke in reality. She waved the boy over. He approached with some apprehension, his curiosity piquing for the first time in a very long while.

Kunais, katanas, shurikens, and other weaponry. Holsters, scrolls, and even headbands each carrying the insignia of some village. Most of them were of some unrecognizable place, but a few Sasuke identified clearly as Sand or Leaf, just as he had seen and read about in the books. Truly rare things to see here. This village had no ninja of it’s own. No fighting power. You hardly heard people even mention them, seeing as any ninja who they had experienced only brought trouble and violence. Weapons were weapons though, and Sasuke was sure that someone with enough money would buy them off the lady.

“You like these things, boy?” She asked him quietly. Sasuke nodded. He was intrigued. He picked up a leaf headband that had a deep slanted slice across its center. You could tell it had been in quite a few battles. Some ninja must have lost it on the battlefield. He put it down to look at a katana. It was long and slender, but sharp. It had its own share of wear and tear, but that somehow made it better.

“How much?” Sasuke knew he had no business inquiring for such knowledge.

“Two hundred-twenty for the Katana.” The corner of Sasuke's mouth faltered but only a trained eye would catch his disapointment. Not in his range, not even the range in his dreams. All he carried with him was fifteen. That’s almost all he had. But he couldn’t blame the woman. This sort of item could easily go hundreds and even thousands if it was repaired properly.

The old lady cackled at the boy’s expense, sensing his deep rooted desires. “You must not have enough then. Too bad, child.” She said sounding a cold. Sasuke’s face gave nothing away, but the loss of wonderment in his eyes was enough. “Here. I can at least give you this, eh?” She said gruffly, pulling a blue cloth from her pocket. It had a few small charms sowed and dangling from the end of twined strings.

Sasuke grabbed it slowly and looked at it bewildered. It did not have the same magnetism to him as the other items but he was curious to know what it was, at least. “What is it suppose to be?”

“A charm.” She said simply. “Everyone will only be interested in the weapons here. They won’t buy that anyway, so you can have it.”

“What? Like a good luck charm?”

She shook her head. “I’m not a shinobi, boy. I don’t know exactly how they work. But they say that if you keep it with you, you find the things you truly want. The trick is to be sure about the things you want.”

“Neat.” He says in a dry tone. “Can I have that?” He points to the katana, dazzled by its cool white metallic glow and the way it catches even the smallest glints on the morning light.

Sasuke feels the old woman’s wet breath as she guffaws. “No child!” She exclaims and she’s breathless by the time she can answer with that much.

“Well, your charm is shit.” He interrupts. She has to catch her breath as he waits for a comeback.

“Maybe it’s not the katana that you are really after then. Keep searching.” She said with an almost knowing smile. “Tie it around your neck, child. It’s nice material.

Sasuke sighed. “Thanks old lady. This is nice of you.” He said, tying the cloth as she had instructed. It was nice material. Not itchy but warm. It hung from his neck like a bandana, and the little charms dangled, sometimes clinking softly when they touched one another. It was an added bonus that it was his favorite color. “Wish me luck?” He asked as he left the lady. She only hummed as a reply and as a farewell.

“Well, I know I’m looking for food.” He said. He would see if the bandana charm had any truth to it.
.
.
.

He had been going for awhile longer, looking for something to eat. There was a food stand just a bit off, but coming closer, he could smell the fruity scents, the aromas of cinnamon and vanilla, and the distinct odor of chocolate. He turned his face in disgust. He hated sweets, but if it came down to it… Beggars couldn’t be choosers after all. He would see if he could find a better alternative though. In this village, however, he knew he would find a dozen others for this one who would offer more savory options.

Sasuke walked for some time longer passing various carts and tents, trying to find what were the better choice of foods he could choose from. Then he came across a merchant selling some sort of roasted meat going by the smell alone. What sort of meat would remain unknown, as the vendor would not give it away. It was in his best interest to keep it to himself what rodent or reptile he placed in small folded-paper cups. There were people around the vendor, hoping to get a taste of protein, not easy this time of year.

“Six dollars.” The vendor said leaving no room for argument.

“For that?” A woman complained. “That’s ridiculous.” It was ridiculous. They were small parcels. They couldn’t be worth that much, Sasuke thought with a scowl. It would take all his money just to fill him up for a few hours. No way was he paying.

“It’s not easy getting your hands on meat like this these days, ya know. And I’m trying to run a business.”

“What kind of meat is it?” A man asked suspiciously.

“Wild Boar and pheasant, I’ll have you know.” The vendor pointed at his “rarities” eagerly, trying to encourage his buyers. “These are rare and I had to travel far to hunt them. I should be selling this for much higher.”

Sasuke rolled his eyes. No one should’ve been dumb enough to believe this guy, but of course, there were people who were that gullible. Sasuke smiled as an idea shaped in his head. Now was a good opportunity. He was going to get a meal and show this guy a lesson.

He waited patiently as some naive buyers took the bait, far too eager for their own goods. The man had accumulated almost fifty dollars before Sasuke decided to jump in. Going up to the merchant he asked innocently. “How much?”

“Six dollars.

“Six?? For this?”

“Hmmph. I don’t like to repeat myself. Six is right. Pork or fowl?” He asked

“I don’t see either.” Sasuke said, scratching his head innocently. But really, he knew what boar smelt like and he knew what pheasant looked like. He also knew about a few other creatures.

“If you don’t have the cash, get lost brat!”

Brat. What an unkind word. How dare this man. He smiled devilishly at the merchant returned the look with confusion. “You’re going to regret that.” Sasuke bent in close and said in a low whisper, only loud enough for the two of them. The man squinted.

“You’re lying!!” Sasuke accused out loud, making sure he was loud enough to catch the attention of the crowd. Everyone looked strangely at the boy. “This guy is trying to swindle people out of their money. You’re selling rodent meat and snake you probably found in the sewer.”

Sasuke wasn’t sure about the rodent, but he knew what snake looked like because he had eaten them on more than one occasion. Lean like chicken but far too dark.

“What would a kid like you know?!!” The man said defensively, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stand.

“You think you can get away with cheating me out of my money. Go to hell!” The revelation triggered people’s common sense to actuate, encouraging the party of people into some sort of excited action. Some of them seemed skeptical to the boy’s claim, but many of them instantly realized the kid might have actually been right. The crowd suddenly looked a lot more hostile.

Sasuke smiled as a crowd of angry buyers approached the man who crept back guiltily, silently cursing the boy. The victims demanded their money back. People who had not even taken the bait asked for the “return” of their “stolen” money.

Sasuke took his chance, now with the man thoroughly occupied and scared for his life. No one was watching as he approached the vendor's table and began to take as many of the parcels as he could fit, stuffing them in the pockets of his jackets, and a couple underneath.

“Hey you stupid brat!!” The merchant said, noticing. “You thief!” But no one cared to listen and they would not let him by before they got their money back. Sasuke made a dodge from the crowd and left the angry people to deal with the merchant while he left to hide along with his winnings.

Sasuke stopped running and smirked once he was far enough away. He usually felt bad for doing this sort of thing, but not for that guy. First he tries to swindle him out of his hypothetical money, and then calls him a brat. He deserved it. Poetic justice, karma, whatever.

He had only managed to grab four small parcels of the food before he was noticed. From the look of it, they might have had 2 or 3 ounces. Not too bad a catch and he had managed to hold on to his money.

He opened one of the pouches as he began walking slowly down an alleyway to one of his favorite spots where few people gathered. Mostly kids like him hung around vandalizing the walls as much as possible with graffiti and paint. Sasuke didn’t mind the colorful images that colored the walls. They were interesting to him. They were mostly pictures of ninja or anything having to do with them. People in interesting stances throwing things at one another. They adorned headbands and they looked brave and honorable, as if they were fighting for a great cause.

The images were taboo for the adults, but for the children like himself, they were images of freedom from this frozen hell hole. Sure, the images were romanticized but Sasuke didn’t care. Anything had to be better than this. Here his life was on the line everyday like a shinobi, but at least they had homes and families and food to return to for the most part. They had something.

Looking over some of his favorite pictures, he opened the paper wrappings to snake, which actually tasted somewhat like chicken, but a bit earthier and tinny. It had been awhile since he had had any meat at all, so he savored the smell and taste, even if it was something he wasn’t particularly fond of.

He ate halfway down the folded paper, only to realize that the cup was half full of stones.

“Are you kidding me?!” He poured out the smooth black rocks. The merchant was even bolder then it seemed. Not only did he try to sell people rodent and snake in place of grade pork and fowl, he used the stones to increase the weight. What looked like a few ounces was hardly one. Unbelievable. It was the same case for the second parcel he opened and ate. He soon reached a pile of black rocks.

He was still hungry and was tempted to reach for a third. But then what would he eat later. He was in an economical mood so he was not willing to buy anything unless it was an emergency. He’d didn’t want to steal again.

He thought that he would feel nothing for the merchant from earlier, but even now after finding the rocks, a common ball of guilt formed in his chest. The man deserved it, but Sasuke knew what he’d done made him no better than the swindler. He was a thief.

Sasuke sighed heavily, the ball of guilt killing his appetite. He was glad for that at least, but now he felt horrible, emotionally. It was that blue feeling that he would have to push aside because he didn’t have much time for emotions.

Emptying the rocks, he combined what he had left. It hardly fill one parcel. He decided to keep that for later. He didn’t know when he would rack up the courage and nerve to steal another meal.

Part II

The hunger was still there. A very hard sensation to escape. He would tell himself again and again to not think about it. Push it to the back of his mind. Let it drown itself out. The pain was supposed to pass eventually. But it felt like it was taking too long.

He was hungry, yet the boy still felt the traces of his earlier sickness. He guessed it was the nausea that was finally waning off that gave way to his hunger. He was thankful that the cramping pains of throwing up were subsiding even if it meant the cramping pain of hunger in return. Disgusting excuse for a meal, he thought. He had no problem eating rat or snake if he had to, but there was obviously something very wrong with that meat and it seemed to grind up his very insides.

He had been throwing up for hours and could hardly even keep water down. His entire night was spent with the sickness. The taste of acid and his meal filled his mouth and the guilt of his earlier action made him dizzy. Fucking karma. It must have been some sort of punishment for stealing. It was the next morning. He felt worst than he did the day before.

“Stupid thing.” He muttered angrily, tugging at the blue bandana. It was suppose to help. He had never asked for food poisoning and a night of misery. Never.

The sickness had worn down most of its strength, but he had no food again. He’d thrown out the extra parcel. He wouldn’t bother getting sick again because that would kill him before hunger did. He’d gotten enough of being in the village and didn’t want to walk around looking for strange tents to buy from for money he didn’t have much of. He’d left for the outskirts; into the wooded unknowns of the inhabited regions outside the village. It was strange in these destinations, but Sasuke had been going into the woods almost as long as he could remember being in the village, so he knew most of it like the back of his hand.

In better times of the year, he could hunt his own food with a small pocket knife he carried, stealth, and a few extra and extraordinary tricks up his sleeves. As it was now, it was very hard finding anything. It was just too cold and everything was dead or gone. Sometimes you could get lucky and find a straggling animal left behind by the rest, or even a few frozen berries and nuts you could thaw out later.

It would be a bonus if he could find some licorice, a plant that grew in the area. The herbal tea boiled from its roots would help his stomach. Things like that were almost impossible in all this snow however, so he had little hope of such a find.

He explored the woods for most the morning, finding little of anything. His stomach still balanced uncertainly on the border of begging for food or trying to purge it out. It was confused and it was distracting. Still, he wouldn’t mind eating if he did come across something. His body craved it badly. He knew he needed it. He couldn’t go much longer like this. He was weak from the illness; weaker than he had been in a long time and some sort of nutrient was what he needed. He needed food; something that would stay down.

Just as he reached the end of his ramblings, he smelled something odd. Not bad, but entirely odd for where he was. This was the middle of the woods, yet he smelled the scent of some sort of food. Not raw meat, but an actual cooked…’something’. Sasuke was more intrigued that it meant people. There was someone nearby.

Sasuke stumbled between a few trees and over some rocks and large stones. He was quiet. Very silent and careful not to alert whoever was there close by. It was strange to meet the presence of others in the woods. Most people were very afraid of what was within it, so they stayed away or very close to the village border if they were to enter. This was deep into the woods where no one Sasuke ever met dared to venture.

Sasuke peered between some branches and spotted some small objects that littered the forest floor just ahead of him. There was an unlit lamp, some rolled up blankets, bags, chopped woods, and a small fire burning right in the middle of it all. A camp sight. Who the hell was brave enough to camp in the woods over night, Sasuke pondered, besides himself?

He looked, but saw no one around. He walked over slowly, listening and observing everything around him carefully. After a few minutes, he confirmed that he was alone for now.

There was a tent that was still rolled up tightly. This person might have just arrived…or maybe he or she was just leaving. But with all the wood, and the freshness of the wood only just beginning to burn in the fire, it seemed the former.

There were a couple of knives to the side of the campfire. A thermos. He wondered what filled it. Something warm, for sure. There were a few pieces of clothing that littered the area. Shirts, mostly, and some gloves. Whoever unpacked did so in a hurry or either they were just extremely messy.

There were a lot of bags, Sasuke noted. The raven, letting his curiosity get to him could only wonder what contents filled them so full and packed as they seemed.

‘What am I doing?’ he wondered. Instincts were kicking in and told him to leave. He was standing in some stranger’s camping sight as if it was his own, and the thought of turning to leave took too long to manifest itself in his head. It wasn’t like him to be so careless. He turned and didn’t plan on looking back, but then came that smell again.

He looked around quickly, and then he spotted the bowl of food; a platter full of... something...his brain short-circuited and it didn't matter what it was. How had he missed that? It was right in front of him. Whatever filled plate looked appetizing. Suddenly his hunger won over and he had forgotten that there had ever been any sickness. There was no nausea, only the rumblings of hunger pains.

What was he suppose to do? He was starving, and there was a perfectly viab.le food source there in front of him, and a lot of it. Whoever had this much food around must not have even cared. There was so much, and all he wanted was a mouthful.

“I’m not suppose to.” Sasuke’s conscience spoke through his mouth. He knew he shouldn’t. There were consequences to this. After all, what little trick of his had gotten him a nasty stomach bug? And it was wrong.

But on the flip side, this person, judging from what was on the camping site, was not some poor vagabond. He wouldn’t steal from the starving, but he could steal from this stranger who he was certain was not starving. What starving person would dare leave their food all alone? There were a lot of other possessions around too. This person wouldn’t let himself starve at the expense of owning all of it. But that was not good rationale. It was Sasuke’s hunger talking, but often, his hunger won over his conscience.

He felt his starvation. His stomach ached unmercifully and his cold fingers trembled. His heart pace rose, and his hands made to do the same. He was going to do it...

“What are you doing?”

Sasuke’s very soul nearly escaped his body as his heart tried to wrench itself from its container. He turned around quickly to see a tall person standing right there in his line of vision. He had to look up to see his face and was startled by how close he was; the figure appeared as a silhouette against white tree until he took a couple steps back. He froze right there. Completely paralyzed, he could only wonder why he wasn’t moving. It wasn’t like him to freeze, but there he was left without action, even his face refused to budge from a void expression. It must have been the stomach bug, or perhaps the hunger, but his stimuli weren’t working.

“……What?” Sasuke croaked, frozen. Completely frozen.

“I asked, ‘what are you doing?’ You wanna answer me, kid.” The stranger said in a bored tone. He seemed completely uninterested, and the long dramatic sigh that followed seemed to almost seal it. His only visible eye focused on him lazily, patiently waiting for a response.

“Uh…Ummm.” Was all Sasuke let out. So uncharacteristic. ‘C’mon, speak.’ Sasuke thought.

“I… I was just…” He took a good look at the man and stopped. He had a hard time concentrating after he got a good look. A mask ran across the lower halve of his face concealing his mouth and nose. His left eye carried an eye patch. The bridge of the man’s nose and one eye was all he could see. And to top it all off, literally, was the tall, white hair on his head, standing upright about a foot high. And people said his hair was weird.

“Hnhmm. Please don’t stop. Go on. You’re doing so well.” The man cocked his head to one side in an amused manner. His hair moved with him, and continued to somehow defy gravity. ‘Creep.’ The boy thought and the man’s little gesture seemed to bring him out of his stupor.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be intruding. I didn’t realize anyone was here.” Sasuke said innocently. “I was going to put out that fire you left unattended.” He pointed to the campfire and lied accusingly, gaining his mind back to its completeness, finally. He shot the unknown adult a sharp performed glare. Yes, it was an act, but it was Sasuke’s trademark, and he could perform it masterfully, whether he meant it or not.

“You know, this place has got enough problems without careless people burning down it’s national forest, now doesn’t it?.” Sasuke argued.

“Well, yeah. But I was only gone a few minutes to…-“

“That’s no excuse!” He said shaking his head in a hopeless manner.

Sasuke gave a more detailed observation of the man. His nice supplies, that warm looking coat, his appearance, which was not exactly neat, but it was clean and sanitary. Not the type of person you’d see around there. “You know what. Since you look like a foreigner, I’ll let you off with a warning. Next time, I’ll alert the authorities. There’s a fine for that.” He warned with piercing eyes, but his voice was calm and generous.

The man gazed at Sasuke strangely with that same lazy stare, as if he was waiting patiently again; waiting for something amusing or strange to come out of the boy’s mouth.

This irked Sasuke to discomfort. What was this guy doing anyway? Why did he continue to stare? The man just kept that patient eye on him, searching for something in his face, in his expression, in his cloths, in the way he wavered like a feather in the cold gust of air.

And now Sasuke realized he was staring as well. He felt uncomfortable and awkward and was itching to leave. He took his eyes off the man and began to walk in a direction away from the stranger and his camp. Then he felt the strange sensation.

Something wrapped around his arm. He almost expected it, but he did not expect the way it would feel. The man had grabbed Sasuke’s arm with a gloved hand. Sasuke shirked away from the warm touch, and perhaps it was the vague heat that he was not expecting. He realized how cold and numbed his skin was as the warmth of the man’s hand sunk into his own flesh. It was a strange prickly and stinging warmth, and he wasn’t sure if it was a pleasant feel, or one of complete discomfort. Either way, he was very uncomfortable with the man holding onto him or touching him at all. He gave a forceful tug, trying to pull away, but the hand around his arm was not budging.

“You know, I much rather prefer that a person shows a little backbone, and admit what they’ve done up front. But, you gave a rather convincing lie; not convincing enough, but it wasn’t a bad try.” Sasuke could somehow make out a smile underneath the mask, and the curve of the man’s eyes proved it. Sasuke’s face remained calm. Somehow, he knew that the stranger knew the truth. He knew he had been caught, but he hoped that nothing more would be said. Apparently, that wouldn’t be the case.

“So you wanna tell me the truth?” He asked, using his immense strength to turn the boy around and look him in his face. He still had that patience though. There was no anger, or pity, and even humor had left again for the sake of complete lazy curiosity… or something. Sasuke was not sure.

Sasuke sneered at the way the man handled him, and he tugged away trying to break free from the grip, but he found no relief as the fingers tightened. “Tell me and I’ll let you go; unless you’re afraid. But you don’t seem like the cowardly type, hmm?”

Sasuke made a noise of distaste and mumbled something quickly under his breath. “I…was going to take one.” He said simply. No clarification was needed. As the man had agreed, he let Sasuke go and Sasuke stuttered backwards out of range.

Ahh. One of those?” He pointed to his lunch. “Yes. That’s what I thought.” Sasuke rubbed his sore elbow guiltily, looking down at his feet and the snow that half covered them. Sasuke was a few feet from the man now, and he had a small head start if he ran. Maybe he could outrun this guy.

“Now you’re in a lot of trouble for stealing.” The man shook his head at the boy playfully. “And don’t think of running. I’m pretty fast.” He said as if reading the boy’s thoughts seconds prior. Sasuke thought it over. He had gotten himself into this mess, and now he had to find some way to get out of it. He would fight this guy if he had to but before something so drastic and energy wasting, he would wait it out.

“Hn. You seem like the type of person who likes to lecture people ‘like me’.” The boy scoffed.

“You seem like the type of kid who doesn’t like to listen to lectures ‘like mine’. What’s your name?”

“…What?”
“Cooperate and just answer me some questions and I’ll let you go. I promise. What’s your name?” He asked again.

“Why should I tell you something like that?”

“Because, you have no choice.”

Sasuke mulled it over. “Karasu.” He lied easily. In a way, it was his name. He told few his real name. He used the nickname he was given.

“Karasu? Really? How intimidating.”

“What? Is there a problem with my name?”

“No. It’s an interesting name, but for you…-?” He raised his hand to rub his chin as if he was thinking. Sasuke waited.

“Chibikarasu is more fitting. So Chibi it is, then.” The man said chuckling. Sasuke mouth gaped for a few seconds before he gained control of himself again. He glared at the man and his supposed insult or attempt to be funny. Whatever it was, the boy had objections.

The man easily ignored the other’s violent glare, the creases in his mask deepening as the his smiled widened underneath, “Nice to meet you Chibi.” He stuck out his hand, gesturing. “The name’s Gisou Kakashi.”

End.

~GreenMonarch

Chapter Text

 Sasuke was dumbstruck. He looked at the strange man named Kakashi. He was so odd. The way he held out his hand and that strange expression barely visible behind his navy concealing mask. He just stood there, with that patient, lazy stare, waiting. He almost seemed…friendly. Sasuke didn't know how to describe it, but he'd never met anyone like him, especially right after he'd tried to steal from them.

"Hmmm? You've never shaken hands before? Or you forgot maybe?" Sasuke thoughts shifted at the amused voice, as if awakening from a daydream.

" I... I know." His head wavers dumbly but his thoughts remained a jumbled mess.

"Well…?" Kakashi said expectantly. Sasuke looked from the man's face, to his outward stretched hand, and back again. He wasn't sure. He didn't face people much. He didn't get close to them. He didn't speak to them.

He certainly didn't shake their hands.

Sasuke wasn't even sure why he was still there. He had the opportunity to run, since he didn't believe this man could actually keep up with him, yet he didn't. For some reason he was fixated and he couldn't work up the nerve to leave, and it wasn't because he was scared. He didn't know why. Was it curiosity?

Finally, almost in a haze, Sasuke stretched his arm forward, his hand leading the way. An anxious feeling crept into his chest as he got closer, but he continued. Before he knew it, he felt the sensation of the warm touch of the gloved hand on the bare cold skin of his own. Kakashi's hand almost completely swallowed his smaller one. It seemed to end as soon as it began, and it lasted almost an eternity.

Kakashi let go, and Sasuke only now realized his eyes were nearly squinted shut. When he opened them again, he looked carefully at his hand, which felt strange and unsteady.

"Isn't it great?" The assaulter inquired. "Your arm didn't explode or anything." It took several seconds for Sasuke to catch the sarcasm. Even then he could not find the words to retort.

"So, back to the point…?" Sasuke looked confused. Had the boy forgotten already?

"…I haven't done anything to you. Why are you trying to steal from me?" he reminded pointedly.

"I…" His words stumbled. He tried to speak coherently but nothing came and he quickly stopped to save himself the embarrassment of sounding like an idiot.

"No words, huh?"

"…"

Kakashi waited for an answer, but did he really need one. It was obvious enough without any confirmation. He knew why, but he wanted the answer in words from the other's mouth. It wasn't a science though. It was common sense, really. Anyone could see it just by looking at the raven child. He was so obviously underfed and malnourished. His clothes were torn and baggy. He'd looked like he'd just risen from a hole in the earth after a long hibernation.

He was homeless and visibly hungry. Kakashi sighed after a moment of silence.

Sasuke's face had become rigid with annoyance and shame. Embarrassed to be confronted, he couldn't bring himself to say that he was hungry and that he didn't have the means to get his food honestly; that he didn't even have the decent shelter to stay warm at night, or the clothing to stay warm in the day for that matter.

Sasuke searched the strange man's figure, his stature, his appearance once again. His back was straight and strong, unlike the hunched adults he typically witnessed; and unlike the type of adult he imagined he would become. As odd as his hair was, it was clean and free of tangles, matte, or knots. His clothes were clearly used but intact; the vivid greens and blues of his attire popping against the muted white and grey backdrop. The difference between them was suddenly stark. Wow. It was no wonder his act failed.

His shamed intensified at his uncontrollable condition and he knew this man sensed his humiliation. He also had a feeling that this man before him had no need to ask his question. It would take an idiot not to understand without explanation and this fact only made Sasuke all the more aggravated at this… Damn Sadist.

"What if…" Kakashi began, snapping Sasuke from his reverie. "I had been someone less caring. I might have tried to kill you,… or something worse." Sasuke visibly scowled at this. "You should be more careful."

"I don't need your lecture and I can take care of myself." Sasuke said, suddenly finding the words, angered and offended. He wasn't some helpless child.

"Right. Apparently you can. But really. You should reconsider. Thievery is not the safest or best way to do that."

Sasuke resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "What do you know?" He challenged peeved, but doing well to seem unaffected. "I doubt you know what it means to live here in a place like this. I can tell you're not from around here. You don't know what it takes to survive here in this poor ass country. I doubt you've had to worry about the same things we do."

…about food or shelter or drifting into a frozen death while you slept, unaware of your slowing heartbeat, a fear that admittedly kept him awake some nights. Sasuke was going to say these things but he caught himself. Much longer like that and he would start to sound emotional regardless of his calm disconnected tone. He wasn't here to put on a show.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. Yes, to a large degree, he was right. So was it right to judge him for what he did? Well, it was his food that he had nearly stolen.

"Okay. That doesn't change the fact that it's dangerous. Besides, you could have asked me?"

"…asked?" Sasuke looked amazed. What did he take him for? "What? Do I look like some sort of beggar to you?"

Kakashi said no such thing. "…and being a beggar is worse than stealing?"

Sasuke paused, his mouth opening and shutting as if trying to say something. 'It's worse for my ego,' Sasuke thought, but he said nothing, pretending he hadn't been asked the question.

"Besides, there's no harm in asking for help."

Sasuke only sneered; He had no intentions of arguing any longer. He was restless and his feet were shuffling mildly making anxious depressions in the snow. He inched backwards, no longer comfortable in the idea of taking his eyes off Kakashi.

"Who says we're done talking Chibi-kun." Questioned the gray-haired man, sensing the boy's intentions on leaving.

"Don't call me that!" He snapped, speaking louder than he intended. "And don't speak to me with such familiarity." Kakashi chuckled lightly. Is he taunting me? Sasuke wondered. "Dumb fucking bastard."

"You've got some vocabulary. Good grammar too. What are you doing wandering the woods alone like this anyway? You need to go home." Kakashi spoke.

"Mind your own business. And I can be anywhere I want."

"You sure about that?" He asked teasingly. "You still didn't answer my question? Why did you try to steal from me." He asked provokingly again.

Sasuke sighed frustrated. That bastard knew why. He couldn't be so dense. "I don't know." He grumbled.

"You don't know? Why take something you have no intentions for? Sounds pretty pathetic and worthless to me." Kakashi mentioned.

"I…because I was…I only wanted one." Sasuke confessed.

"Ah so you wanted one to eat." Duh! Sasuke wanted to say and throw a rock at this guy's stupid looking head. Kakashi smiled, sensing Chibi's annoyance.

"Well see, all you had to do was ask, and maybe I would have shared sooner." Kakashi reached for something behind him. It was the bowl of food. On closer look, they were rice balls and they looked as appetizing as ever to Sasuke as Kakashi held them out.

"Well, you still want one?" Kakashi came forward with quick steps. Sasuke could hardly prepare before Kakashi was right up to him staring down and grinning at him like a sun struck clown, bowl of food in one hand, and a single rice ball in the other. He held it out just in front of Sasuke to see; to smell; to want, as if he was some mangy mutt.

"Well. Don't stand there. Say something." Sasuke was frozen, unsure of what to do. All that could come to mind was…

"What the fuck. I tried to take your food, and now you're giving it to me?" Sasuke asked. He didn't know what to make of this. Was the food poisoned or something. Rotten. Something had to be seriously wrong with it. And now here was the man offering it to him as if they were best buddies. No, it was revenge. "Are you trying to kill me?"

"What?" Kakashi asked lazily and blinked in the mildest surprise possible. After a while, his confusion turned into amusement. "I'm not sure what you mean." He admitted smiling. Sasuke responded with silence and steady observing eyes.

"You sure are…weird…for your age."

For my age? Sasuke thought. What the hell did that have to do with anything? "I could say the same about you." He countered dispassionately.

"Well then Chibi-kun. It's a good thing we met each other. Wouldn't you agree my little raven friend?" Before Sasuke could comment on this name-calling, this strange man interrupted his thought process with a rice ball held right to his face. "So the offer still stands. Yes or no?"

Sasuke felt his face heat up, regardless of the cold. How tempting, but could he really accept it and he was still a little suspicious, but his hunger was winning. His stomach groaned miserably and regrettably loud enough for Kakashi to hear at his proximity, though he didn't bother to mention that he had. Finally, out of what felt like a moment of pure desperation, he took the rice ball. He couldn't believe what he'd done, as if his body acted on its own accord without any permission whatsoever.

He was standing there with a semi-warm sticky rice ball between his fingers. What was he supposed to do with it? Eat it? That's what it was for right? Well why did the thought of eating feel so awkward? The whole situation was awkward, and he felt awkward and for a brief moment he thought he was being set up to be ridiculed. He was right.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sasuke looked up startled. He had forgotten that he and the rice ball weren't alone. "I've never seen someone have a staring contest with their food before."

Sasuke blinked, and for the second time, he felt his face heat up abnormally. The embarrassment passed as he tried to gain control of himself.

"Why did you give this to me?" He asked. He had to hear an explanation.

"Why not?"

"I tried to steal from you. That was wrong, wasn't it?

"Was it?"

"Well yeah…sure it was." He honestly admitted, partly to himself.

"If you know how wrong it is, then why would you do it? You obviously have a conscience."

"I did it because I wasn't thinking at the time, and because…I was desperate; I was hungry."

Kakashi sighed. "Eating is a cornerstone of life. It's the greatest enemy of 'self-control.'"

"Yeah well, you didn't answer my question."

"Well, everyone needs a second chance sometimes and besides-you said it yourself. You look…um…hungry." Kakashi put delicately.

"Yeah well…I'm" Sasuke's eyes squinted., trying hard to keep that fleshy hot feeling from engulfing him again."...Like I said, I was desperate." That's not what he wanted to say. "It's not easy finding food around here." He mentioned as an afterthought. "It's almost impossible. Everything is so expensive and it's hard for someone like me to find work."

"Why?"

"This is a poor country and the economy is no good. Why pay money for someone to do a job you could do yourself or pay family to do it? People who have money to hire outside family aren't willing to offer people like me more than an odd job and even then, even before they know me, they immediately think I'm some crime waiting to happen. I don't really look the part."

"Well perhaps you give them a reason to think of you as a criminal.." He vaguely gestured.

"Well I wouldn't have to if they stop looking at me like I'm a thief and give me a chance. You talk about second chances, but I was never given a first chance. I tried to find it. Didn't have a chance in hell." Sasuke said monotonously as if it was a bored fact that he had been repeating in his head for years.

Silence…for just a moment as Kakashi looked on, a bit intrigued by this supposed scenario. "If I had another option. Any option besides…this, do you think I would be stealing ?" Would he? Kakashi wondered. How would he know? He didn't know this kid. But still, he briefly considered what a difference could be made if more people were given a chance.

And suddenly, he felt a vague sense of growing curiosity, and a dose of guilt mixed with his instinctual need to help a little bit. A plan was forming, and it didn't sound so half bad actually. This would maybe even help him.

"What if it's me who gives it to you. That first chance you missed out on."

Sasuke's brow quirked upward.

"You'll have a chance in hell."

Part II

The air pressure felt awfully heavy now and one could feel the temperature dropping by the second . "What?" Sasuke asked, quirking a brow and purposely intensifying his stare. A shiver ran up his spine.

"You said if you had the chance to earn your meals honestly, you wouldn't steal. So here's a chance." He clarified "You know the saying. I scratch your back, you scratch mine. Well here's your opportunity." The boy eyed him suspiciously. "You see, I could use some help. As you guessed, I'm new to these parts and I don't know much about the area. I'm not supposed to tell anyone this, but I'm sort of,… a detective."

"And…" Sasuke was curious but he still didn't see how he came into this.

"And…I'm kinda looking for someone or at least some information so I-"

"You won't find that in the middle of a place like this." Sasuke was quick to point out, his facial expression changing ever so slightly. His eyes were growing more observant, more searching.

"Well…The person I'm looking for could be hiding anywhere or even more places that one."

"You're looking for some kind of hidden…?" Sasuke tried to find the words to describe it.

"Yes. Like a base of operations. It could easily be here anywhere among these trees."

"Yeah well…?" Sasuke hurried the scarecrow man to get to the point?

"So, if a person didn't want to be discovered, where would you say is a good place to hide?"

"Why should I know something like that?" The strange boy seemed to shy away from answering such a question.

"You have an idea, no?" Kakashi reasoned. "I have a feeling you know about these sorts of things."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Kakashi blinked at the supposed conclusions.

"Calm down small time. I'm looking for far worse than committers of petty theft. You don't have the mind of the sort of criminal I'm searching for."

"I don't have the mind?" Sasuke again sounded affronted in that strangely calm way but his eyes glowered at the man nonetheless, he becoming increasingly annoyed by the insulter's intimations.

"Doesn't matter." Kakashi put shortly, trying to sway the conversation back on course. "Look, you seem like a kid with sharp eyes. I bet you notice all sorts of things, right? Well I wouldn't mind having an extra pair of eyes to help me." Kakashi resorted to mild flattery. Did it work? The boy smirked slightly.

"Are you saying you want me to help you find these people?"

"Any information you could offer would help me. I don't want you getting involved, however. I just want you to tell me if you see anything…suspicious. I can make it worth it."

Sasuke felt some amusement. Oh. He saw all manner of suspicious 'activities' happen. The man needed to clarify. "What exactly are looking for? These people? Why are you after them?"

"I can't exactly get into that…"

"Then I can't help you." The man smiled lightly under his mask. Made sense. The man nodded.

"These people are quite dangerous, which is why I don't actually want you involved. They've been known to kidnap people important to their goals. They've killed many. Their international criminals and are known all over, even by the shinobi nations."

That well known? Sasuke quirked an eyebrow and frowned. Sounded like more trouble that he wanted to get involved in, even if all he had to do was impart some helpful information. What would he gain from such trouble and time. He had more important things to do than to watch this man go on a hunt for people who would probably end up killing him.

"What's my incentive?" Still, if the reward was grand enough, he may just be interested. Sasuke smirked and the detective grinned.

"Well, I can't offer you much. I can give you a meal and money. That's quite all I can offer, but that seems like exactly what you need if you ask me." The man was observing him again. Sasuke had the impulse to sneer, uncomfortable with being observed so closely through his clothes as to be determined hungry. "So do we have a deal or not?" Kakashi pushed.

Sasuke had to think, didn't he? Kakashi didn't seem keen on speaking anymore until Sasuke responded with an answer. He waited patiently for what seemed like a while as Sasuke thought of what such a deal could entail. Surely, how much help did the man expect from a child. It was hard to tell how serious he was, as Kakashi's face looked completely indifferent.

"So why do you need me?"

I don't.

"Because…I need a pair eyes that knows the place like the back of his hand. I don't. This is my first time here and I need someone who knows the people and places well. I think my investigations would go a lot quicker if I had someone like you to provide a few details here and there. That's really all there is to it."

Sasuke thought for a moment on this. There was something completely wrong here. Sasuke was suspicious, still. It just didn't make any sense. Something told him he was in bad company.

"We got a deal or not?"

"…."

Sasuke felt as if a live fish was flopping around in his stomach. This time it wasn't due to sickness, or even hunger, although now that he thinks about it, he's hungry. He looked down at the dense rice cakes in his hands, wrapped in guildwood leaves. It was cold at this point but that hardly mattered.

Sasuke had become nervous. He accepted and he wasn't sure why. He had accepted that strange man's request; a man he hardly knew and certainly didn't trust.

He'd finally taken a bite of a rice cake. Maybe out of nervousness, he took a larger bite than usual. It wasn't like him. He swallowed and shuddered at the taste. It was…really good.

End
GreenMonarch

Hello everyone. For those who's celebrated Thanksgiving, I hope you all enjoyed the holiday. For those who don't, well I hope the end of you week is bad ass and you've got a great weekend ahead of you. Happy Friday. To my reviewers, thank you again for the kind and awesome reviews. I hope you continue let me all know what you liked about this chapter and what you didn't. Any characters you would like to see in future chapters. What do you think of the characterization? Really ask me or critique any and everything. Thank you for reading.