A Couple Steps Back

Chapter 48

Third person pov

The Hokage marched into the hospital's lobby fifteen minutes later than he would have liked to, Fugaku Uchiha, Shikaku Nara and the ANBU Inu, also known by some as Kakashi Hatake, trailing behind him. His brown eyes scanned the rather empty room, eventually coming to rest on Orochimaru and those who'd ran off after him. The snake-like man sat next to Rasa. The pair of them sat on the small two seater couch, squished together so that the kids could comfortably pile onto their laps.

He grimaced. This was far worse than he imagined. Orochimaru was playing some sort of game, and somehow he'd gotten to not only Konoha's Jinchuuriki and two clan heirs, but to the Kazekage and his son as well! It was absolutely terrifying, and The Third was determined to figure out just how he'd done it. That, and he was ready to apprehend him once and for all.

"Sensei." Orochimaru said, but it wasn't sly and taunting like the third though it might be. Instead it was heavy and tired. The Third stared with a steely look, his hackles raising. Behind him, Kakashi silently drew a kunai. Orochimaru was an S-ranked criminal with a huge bounty over his head, as well as kill on sight orders. Normally the Hokage would have sent a platoon of ANBU- no, he'd send the whole ANBU force after the man! But the circumstances were anything but normal today.

"Sasuke, get away from him." Fugaku hissed to his son, who was tiredly slouched against Naruto. The young boy gave his father a withering stare that made him flinch. Somehow the kids looked older, older than before. Apparently they hadn't been kidnapped and... Raped, meaning their maturity still remained unexplained. That, and Sasuke's missing arm. Not to mention Shikamaru's thighs and Naruto's neck.

Their knowledge of the fox was also quite startling. If the nine-tailed demon hadn't show itself during a crisis such as The Cantaloupe Happening, what had gone down? It had to have been something large for the beast to emerge so early in Naruto's life. It wasn't meant to awaken for a while.

"It's fine." Rasa sighed. "He's basically their mother at this point."

"Shut up, Rasa." Orochimaru hissed, but his words had no venom behind them. If anything else it had a tinge of amusement over coating  it. Gaara rolled his eyes and scoffed. He was slumped against Naruto, and Shikamaru against Sasuke. The Nara and Uchiha we're mostly on Orochimaru's lap, not caring how much blood there was. Gaara and Naruto remained on Rasa's, even if he was a little weird. He was warm and they were tired. Not to mention this was the only couch in the whole lobby.

"Shikamaru, come here." Shikaku coaxed nervously. "It's not safe."

Orochimaru looked away to hide the gloom clouding over his eyes as his heart ached. He was well aware of the man he'd been and the mistakes he'd made, but it still hurt just a little to have to relive it all. He'd gone through redemption once. It hadn't been fun, but it had definitely been worth it. He hated to think about going through the whole ordeal again. His residence set on fire, him shunned no matter what he did or tried.

He was the rogue sannin of the leaf. It had taken him a great long while to lose that title. He was sure his death had been the only thing to make it fully go away. He'd been alright with that, but here he was again, a pair of toddlers in his bloody lap, being stared down by the Hokage. Not how he imagined ant second life he may have been granted by the gods going, but he guessed it could be worse. At least they weren't scared of him.

"He's fine." Shikamaru assured, his eyes on his hands. "It's all fine."

"He's tricking you. That's Orochimaru, the rogue sa-" Fugaku's angry retort was cut off.

"Buzz the hell off, will you?" Naruto didn't want to deal with this. He had enough on his plate without the Hokage and a couple of clan heads on his case. "He's fine. He saved Hidan, and we trust him. He's our friend and he's different. He may look homeless and be wearing a man bun but at least he didn't take us into custody and interrogate us like criminals when we haven't even done anything wrong!"

"It's fine, Naruto. You may as well go now. They'll be taking me away soon." Orochimaru sighed, moving to get up. Shikamaru slammed his fist into the man's crotch irritably. The snake sannin immediately sunk back down. "Y-You know-" he winced, "this couch is very nice. I think I'll sit a while longer."

"Boys." The Hokage growled, but was cut off when the doors slammed open. The nurse from before appeared, sweat covering her. Her eyes were bright.

"He's stable!" She announced excitably, to tired and too relieved to even notice the Hokage, ANBU and two clan heads staring the odd group that had carried the dying man from earlier in.

"H-He is?!" Sasuke questioned, his eyes wide. The nurse nodded.

"There we go!" Orochimaru cheered, grinning down at the kids. He knew people were here to take him away, but fuck the police. "I told you he'd make it, didn't I?!"

"Believe it!" Naruto crowed excitably, and Rasa laughed. The Hokage paused as they all embraced, eyes shining. And he realized something.

"You all know each other." He muttered. His eyes narrowed. "Well."

A little too well, almost. There was a bond there, one that was forged only under very unique circumstances.

These males were brother's in battle.