Art Hoe

Chapter 1: Good Intentions

Half an hour couldn't hurt, Sasuke Uchiha thought to himself as he roamed the University grounds. He had a little less than 45 minutes before his next class, but his previous late night study session had since left him exhausted and barely standing.

Sasuke wasn't much for idle strolls when there was work to do, he preferred a busy schedule, but this fragrant spring afternoon complemented his dreamy fatigue and put him in a more careless mood than usual.

The campus was known for being a garden of sorts in the middle of the city. Trees dotted the grounds and trails wove naturally through the pristine landscape. The university was expansive and immaculately manicured, with the main courtyard carefully lined with impressively blooming cherry trees. They left a light scent in the air that was almost tangible.

Too many people... Sasuke noticed. Students and faculty alike were busily making their ways through the crowded square, some laughing, some skateboarding, some playing frisbee, all being far too noisy. He was looking for a secluded place, somewhere he wouldn't be bothered but still open and inviting, a perfect place for a quick nap.

Aimlessly he wandered the cobbled pathways, turning random corners and following trails he'd never walked before. Tall evergreens confined his path on either side and light broke through the tree cover in frequent streaks of gold. He glimpsed a squirrel on his periphery and witnessed it scamper across the trail before him, dashing under the brush and quickly out of view again. Sasuke nudged the shrub aside on a whim and noticed a thin dirt path that was severely overgrown. It twisted through the trees and disappeared beneath the undergrowth. It looked like a deer trail of sorts. A trail is a trail, Sasuke supposed, and so with a quick glance over his shoulder, stepped off the stone walkway and into the brush. A twig would pull at his shirt every few feet until the path made a sudden sharp turn to the right and abruptly ended. The low hanging branches and overflowing brushwood made continuing unlikely. Sasuke frowned at having come all this way for nothing. Hoping there may be more path just beyond the overgrowth, he pushed up the branches blocking his way and peered underneath. There was sunlight beyond, a jarring juxtaposition from the dimly lit woods. The small, bright clearing he could just make out several yards in front of him was oddly out of place. It was a circular, meadow-like space probably less than ten feet in diameter. It didn't seem to be being taken care of by the groundskeepers, but the grass appeared soft and lush. Whether it was a spot the university had forgotten or abandoned, Sasuke didn't know, but it was off the beaten trail and perfectly secluded. More than that, it's quiet, Sasuke noted with satisfaction. He ducked under the branches as gently as he could and stepped over the shrubbery, dropping his book bag at his feet as he entered the wide open space. He knelt to run his fingers through the greenery before stretching out on his side, resting his head on his hands as the thick grass enveloped him. He exhaled a heavy sigh, relieving his body of a tension he hadn't realized he'd been retaining. The air here was still floral, but had a bit more earthy musk to it. The scent was slowly melting away Sasuke's conscious mind. Half an hour should be fine. His eyelids drooped, and sleep overtook him.

Sasuke's stomach growled. He swallowed and readjusted his position. The grass tickled his nose, and he lifted a hand to scratch. His other arm, he realized, was completely dead, with an uncomfortable numbness spread all the way to his shoulder. He shifted again and blearily opened his eyes.

He blinked.

For a moment he wasn't sure his eyes were open at all, as shadows stretched across his vision, and the world appeared blurry. As his eyes began to focus, shapes began to solidify and he could just barely make out the figure sitting across from him, not five feet away.

Sasuke was immediately bolt upright and glaring at the intruder. He blinked again and rubbed at his eyes.

It was a boy, his age, with wild blond hair and an orange long sleeved shirt and jeans. He had a dark tan and was sitting cross legged in a pile of scattered papers, with a notebook in his hand and a pencil in the other. He was sitting tense and wide eyed, staring back at Sasuke with piercing blue eyes that made Sasuke shiver.