burn it down (-to feel its warmth) by Kiramiel (HunterxHunterxNaruto)

*Warning M/M, just imagine it as friendly bro mance like Killua and Gon, or as coping. But if you can't, just imagine it like one was female since the story is great and they can change body sex's anyways*

Latest Update: Oct 18, 2022

Summary: What do you do when you die and lose everything you ever cared about only to wake up and lose everything a second time? What do you do when being an Uchiha turns out to be more complicated than expected? You adapt. You embrace your Uchiha heritage while remaining true to the Zoldick clan.

And that might not be as hard as it sounds, the shinobi world looks to be uniquely equipped to deal with the particular brand of crazy of a dangerous child assassin.

At least it seems to be simple until a blond kid with sky blue eyes comes along and ruins Sasuke's carefully constructed plans of fiery revenge. There is hidden rage in those eyes and the potential for violence so beautiful Sasuke wants to see it bloom. And if there was one thing both the Zoldyck and the Uchiha clan agreed on, it's that they get what they want.

(Or: Killua Zoldyck gets reborn into Sasuke Uchiha. It goes better than expected.)

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/36083881?view_full_work=true

Word count:115k

Chapters:19

Chapter 1: Chapter 1

Chapter Text

For some time after he awoke, he just laid there and simply breathed . He never realized how precious and needed oxygen truly was, and not just to your physical body. The air was moist and somehow smelt sweet. Familiar.

Blood, he realized, with distant curiosity. He felt his heartbeat speed up in a way he never allowed it to outside of battle. It was silent, deathly silent.

Slowly, he opened his eyes and looked up at the midnight sky. As far as he could tell, he was lying on the ground, wind ruffling his dark hair.

…Wait, dark?

He bolted straight upright, eyes wide, and felt his heart skip a beat as a wave of dizziness threatened to overtake him. He was in the middle of a street littered with corpses and slowly drying blood. And something about the picture made Killua's heart clench with agony. Even if he was supposed to be used to carnage, somehow, this was different.

But that's not what made his blood freeze in his veins and his breathing catch in his throat. Hands slowly brought up to eye level were not his. They were small and elegant, with long pale fingers and slim, bird-like wrists. But what was more important, they were that of a child.

He tugged slightly on a strand of his inexplicably black hair, hair that he knew should be silver, before lifting his eyes and freezing again.

Because in front of him, right in the middle of a wall splattered with blood, was a symbol. A symbol he recognized and was intimately familiar with and yet wasn't.

The Uchiha fan.

Suddenly, agony tore through his mind. Molten metal dripped into his brain, drop by agonizing drop, and the sharp stabs of pain were leaving him breathless. It clawed at his head with the single-minded determination of a raging beast. Something was splitting his mind open and shoving things into it with complete disregard for his continued well-being. His brain felt like it was going to explode.

Too much, it was too much, too soon.

He slipped into unconsciousness before the pain could overwhelm him.

o0o0o0o

"Uchiha-san, all the damage should heal in only a couple of days. The only thing I would recommend is–" A chattering nurse looked at him with disgusting pity, as if he were an abandoned puppy she found on the street. He ignored her and pointedly looked out the window with a deliberately indifferent gaze.

It must be said that Sasuke (Killua, his name was Killua) did not endure the change of body and world as gracefully as he would have liked, indulging in a whole day of apathy and mild dissociation. Nobody dared touch him during that time, and for that, he was mildly grateful. Although it was their job as medics to make their patients comfortable and they were paid to do so, which was why he didn't feel any obligation to thank them.

He had the urge to howl from his helplessness. Or maybe curl up in some corner, where it's dark and silent. Preferably with his brother.

Brother… the thought caused a subtle flinch. He didn't know if he even meant his brother from his past life or Itachi. The merge with Sasuke Uchiha's consciousness that happened while his carcass, dumbfounded by the change, was lying unconscious, did not pass without a trace. He now knew everything the boy had known. He felt everything the boy had felt. He was Sasuke Uchiha in all the ways that mattered. And yet, he was also Killua Zoldyck, the clan head of the most revered and feared clan of assassins in the world. He was the best assassin the world had to offer, and yet, he was also a seven-year-old boy who just watched his most precious person brutally cut down his whole family right in front of his eyes.

Sasuke Uchiha. It was now his name. Not Killua. And certainly not Zoldyck. And If he didn't want to die again at the hands of monsters with inhuman strength, then he had to get stronger. A lot stronger. (In his previous life, he honed his skills as an assassin, neglecting to realize that there might be times when overwhelming force was the only way out. He paid for that mistake dearly.)

"I'm leaving," he threw at the stuttering doctor, "I need to get to the clan compound." He left without another word, jumping through an open window and onto the roof, not paying any mind to her yells of protest. Thankfully, he didn't need to adjust to the new body. With the memories, it might as well have been his the whole time. And it was a good body, he noted, as he ran unhurriedly in the direction of his clan compound. He relished in the feeling of muscles rolling and stretching under his skin. His breathing was even, and his eyes focused, even as he scanned the village to refamiliarise himself with it.

He slowed down to a walk when he reached the Uchiha compound and hesitantly stepped in. The smell was familiar like nothing else managed to be. He should be used to this; the blood, the death, and the empty houses. He's seen this before and been the cause of it many times. And yet, the streets felt haunted in a way that was entirely new to him. Was it because he can still remember the compound being full of life and cheer? Childish laughter filling the streets as all the Uchiha relaxed in a way they would never dared outside the safety of their compound?

Fortunately, the bodies were removed, even though the scent of blood still clogged the air.

The sight tore at his heart, and he stumbled, barely catching himself in time. Because this is different, this was not the blood of some faceless people spilled. This was his family. It's his family that was gone, never to be returned. Maybe the merging of their minds was not such a good thing because Sasuke Uchiha was a very emotional boy. A true Uchiha that felt so deeply and loved so completely that it was all-encompassing.

And that love, that furious burn of emotions, was now his. Because now he was Sasuke Uchiha. And even though Killua's emotional capacity is very different from the innocent child, even if his love was always tinged with madness and an animalistic possessiveness, he would never forget the pure feelings of a child long gone. They are two different beings, but from now on, they are one and the same.

But there is another side to every coin, and this is no exception. The love of an Uchiha is all-encompassing, but their hate is single-minded, destructive, and desperate, prone to casually leaving collateral on the sidelines. He knew intimately how easy it is to twist love into hate and let your rage feed off your passion. Uchihas were prone to being obsessive, in part because of their heightened emotions. Without a goal, they simply drowned in their nightmares and self-destruct.

And Sasuke, he would make his clan great again. He will make it known once more. He was now an Uchiha, but he will also always be a Zoldyck. And Zoldycks were always the best. No matter what.

Sasuke will make That Man pay for every life, every drop of blood spilled!

But for now, he had to wait. Grow stronger and wait for the right time to strike.

His lips twisted in a sharp, anticipatory smile. Itachi will regret leaving him alive.

He stopped in front of the door to his house, trying to scrounge up the courage to step in and confront his new reality. Carefully, with smooth motions, he opened the door and was immediately hit with a wave of grief that almost took his breath away. But he would not let that happen. He could not allow himself to drown in self-pity and misery. He had to move forward for his family, both old and newly lost.

He stepped into the house, pausing by the kitchen that his mother used to occupy. She would bustle around, humming a tune, and scold them for trying to steal the food before it was ready.

He made a beeline for his room and flopped into his bed that was so familiar yet wasn't. The tension he was unaware of leaked out of his body in a wave, and Sasuke was left sagging.

He fell asleep not a second later.

o0o0o0o

Sasuke woke up like a shinobi. Aware and ready between one heartbeat and the next, but careful to keep the illusion of sleep. What followed was a brief bout of disorientation. Then confusion. And finally understanding. The surge of sadness was pushed away with the ease of long practice.

It's strange. Sasuke was expecting a sleepless night, maybe some nightmares at the very least. But it seemed that his body was exhausted enough to gift him a night of uninterrupted sleep. He knew it wouldn't last but was nonetheless grateful for the momentary reprieve.

He sighed and stretched lazily, humming at the satisfying pop his back gave before sitting up. His bed was disgustingly understuffed. It only had one pillow and a blanket. He wrinkled his nose slightly and set himself the task of rectifying this mistake at the first opportunity.

That decided, he climbed out of bed and patted over to the bathroom. The fact that he was in another world and merged with another mind not so long ago didn't mean he would sit around all day. He will adapt and thrive in this world. No matter what.

The house is silent, eerily so, but he will have to get used to it somehow, one way or another. He reached his destination in a matter of minutes and couldn't help but step in front of a mirror. Then he just stared, slightly wide-eyed, at his reflection.

He was used to being bright, with his silver-white hair and blue eyes, so what he saw in the mirror made him pause.

Devastatingly huge black eyes with long eyelashes blinked owlishly at him. Short hair, so dark it seemed almost blue, puffed up adorably at the back. He was the picture of androgynous perfection – all long lines and pale skin. He was slim, and even at this age, it was easy to spot that he was created for speed and agility rather than strength. His wrists were thin and bird-like when he looked at them, his fingers long and slim. And if he didn't know for sure, he would be hard-pressed to identify which gender he belonged to. All in all, the coloring was the exact opposite of what Sasuke was used to, but everything else was gratifyingly familiar. The Uchiha in him is unmistakable.

He wondered if his new body could survive his particular lifestyle. It hasn't even been a week, and he already missed the lightning running through his veins and the static in his hair. His body would need copious amounts of training to handle what he had in mind, but it was entirely possible, what with him being an Uchiha. They were born and bred for battle.

Kunai and shuriken would be needed; he felt distinctly vulnerable and naked without any weapons. And maybe he would get some wire while he's at it. And food. All the food in this house was at least a week old.

But first, he needed funds. He will have to survive on his own from now on, after all. And he couldn't very well just hire a maid and lead an outsider right into his house. That would be a disaster waiting to happen.

To the bank it is, then.

o0o0o0o

Sasuke lounged in the uncomfortable chair he was given, legs crossed and a hand propped under his chin, as he studied the man in front of him with lazy, dark eyes. His account manager seemed distinctly uncomfortable, both from the scrutiny and the necessity of talking to someone he perceived as a child with any modicum of respect.

"Uchiha-san, it seems that the Uchiha estate was frozen. It will remain untouched until you either reach the age of majority, which is sixteen, or earn the rank of chunin, whichever comes first. At that point, you will be able to reclaim your rightful inheritance with minimal problems." The man glanced at Sasuke, who was still looking uninterested, before continuing hurriedly, "As of right now, you have access to the accounts of your deceased parents, Uchiha Fugaku, and Uchiha Mikoto, as well as your brother," he coughed uncomfortably, but continued at Sasuke's unimpressed stare, "Khm, Uchiha Itachi."

A stab of painhurtbetrayalrageconfusion flashed through his body before Sasuke resolutely pushed it away. He couldn't afford to lose his composure every time he heard That Man's name. He won't let himself be controlled by his emotions, he never had, and he certainly wasn't starting now. He couldn't fathom how it was even possible to kill your own family, what must have happened to change Itachi from the peaceful boy he knew that cared too much for his own good but resolutely tried to hide it to the crazed man he saw that night, with bloody tears running down his cheeks and wild eyes.

And it would have been easier to handle if the image of Itachi wasn't merging seamlessly with the image of Illumi. In another world, he and his older brother had a rocky start, what with Killua running away from home and Illumi chasing him down. But they worked it out in the end. Learned to understand each other and compromise. Killua took his rightful place as the head of the Zoldyck clan and stopped suppressing the part of himself that was shrouded in darkness and in love with violence, the part of him that was undeniably Zoldyck, just like Illumi always wanted. And his brother, in turn, allowed him to have a friend. He understood, eventually, that Killua needed someone to tether him to the world and serve as his light, or else he would lose himself to the darkness. Illumi kept Hisoka around for similar reasons, even if he would never admit to it.

Sasuke had no idea why Itachi reminded him so much of his now lost brother. His brother, who would sacrifice himself, once had almost done it before letting harm befall his family. His brother, who Killua genuinely came not only to love but consider undeniably his. Itachi, on the other hand, will not survive their inevitable encounter. He would make sure of that. He hated traitors with a burning passion of an Uchiha, and Itachi was the worst kind of scum. A blood traitor, a kin slayer. Even assassins had morals, and raising your blade against a family member was the worst kind of sin.

No one, and he meant no one , murdered his family and lived to tell the tale.

Mentally scowling at the direction his thoughts have taken him, Sasuke refocused on his account manager, who watched him with an expectant look on his face.

He hummed noncommittally before speaking, "What is the overall amount of money I have access to?"

The manager scrambles for a calculator and types in some numbers before sharing the results. Sasuke could not help the impressed rise of his eyebrows even if he wanted to. Now, he was not too familiar with the pricing around Konoha since, until recently, Sasuke was just a child, but that many zeroes have to mean something good, right?

He nodded silently before requesting what, to him, was a reasonable amount of money. But going by the widening of the man's eyes, he was wrong. It didn't matter, either way. If he took too much, he would just have to put it away somewhere safe in the house.

When he was already walking out of the building, he remembered something strange. Before now, he was almost sure that the Hokage would confiscate the Uchiha fortune. It would be idiotic not to sease an opportunity to get your hands on the estate of one of the wealthiest clans in Konoha. And while the only member of the clan was a helpless traumatized child, at that. He was half expecting to be forced to live on an orphan stipend.

But the Hokage not only gave him his inheritance but also allowed access to his family's accounts. What was this? An attempt at gaining favor? Loyalty? Or just a kind gesture? He almost laughed at that. The Hokage is a military dictator, a politician. He would only think about what's good for himself and the village. Not necessarily in that order. So what did he want? Sasuke couldn't kill him, couldn't even protect himself from him. The God of Shinobi. At least not yet.

He was interrupted by a voice calling out to him, and he turned around to see Iruka-sensei running towards him, out of breath but smiling. The teacher came to a stop before him and his smile gentled further. "Hello, Sasuke. I am sorry for your loss."

Sasuke eyed the man uncertainty for a moment, ready to bolt, but saw only sincerity in the twist of his lips and the shift of the feet. So he nodded, the most he can manage at the moment.

Iruka-sensei seemed tired and disheveled, probably because of the increased workload, what with the disappearance of a good portion of Konoha's shinobi overnight. He was a chunin, so it made sense for him to take extra shifts.

"I'm glad I caught you here. I wanted to ask if you feel well enough to join the academy once again. The whole class dearly misses you." Sasuke couldn't help but grimace at that, remembering the hoards of fangirls he had, but it seemed that Iruka misunderstood him because his expression turned a little sad, "I know it might be hard, after everything that happened to you this past two weeks, but it's for your good as well. It's not healthy to be cooped up in a house all day."

Sasuke wanted to argue that, no, he was fine, and please mind your own goddamn business but held it in. It would not do to snap at Iruka, especially if he was to be his teacher for the foreseeable future. So he purposefully relaxed his body and gave another nod, resigned to his fate of brats and painful incompetence. "I will come back at the start of the week. I do have a lot of homework to make up." Iruka-sensei seemed to be satisfied with that and patted his shoulder. Sasuke resisted the urge to pull out a knife that he didn't have and slice off the offending appendage. The chunin either didn't notice his discomfort or just ignored it as he waved his goodbye.

Sasuke watched him leave for a moment before going toward the shopping district. Now that he had the money, he needed to get supplies – everything from food to gear.

He sighed. It was going to be a long day.

------

Sasuke stormed into the house, outwardly calm, but his fingers were twitching for a blade. His blood was boiling, and his eyes burned with the urge to let his dojutsu spin to life. The Sharingan, as it turned out, was hard to control under emotional duress. He didn't even know he had it until a civilian flinched away from his glare and hurried away with more haste than a glare from a seven-year-old should imply. He turned towards a window, then, to see what spooked the woman so, only to see blood-red eyes with one lazily spinning tomoe. He deactivated his eyes with some difficulty, before continuing his way through the streets under the sad and pitying gazes of civilians and shinobi alike.

It was maddening, and by the end of it, he could barely keep the urge to hurt, maim, kill, break, snap, or otherwise injure in check. If there wasn't a law, old but nevertheless followed, that prohibited any violence towards civilians out of an emergency situation, he would have been tempted to snap some bones as a warning. As it is, he was still tempted, but at least the idea of ANBU hunting him down calmed him down some.

He still entered his house in a murderous mood and slammed the door in an act of childish frustration. Surprisingly, it did make him feel better. Huh, maybe children were into something with that.

He spent the rest of the day training and working out the frustration anyway.

The familiar motions were soothing and allowed Sasuke to adjust to his body. And with a new body came new limitations. He couldn't pull off most of the moves he used in his old body. His muscles were not developed enough, his limbs were short, and most importantly, his tools were different. He was used to his body being a weapon, the ability to turn his hands into claws in less than a second. He had not even tried it yet in this body. Mostly because he didn't have the time but partially because he was slightly apprehensive. The ability was tied closely to the body, and it was doubtful it would work here. On the other hand, it could work, but not fully, and he might get stuck somewhere in the middle of the transformation.

But a little danger never stopped him before, did it?

So he sat down under a tree that was artfully positioned to the side of the training ground. He took a deep breath before concentrating on his right hand. He felt every muscle, every bone, every vein. And then he began to rearrange them. First, the bones, meticulously moving each one and breaking and changing the ones that didn't fit. Then the muscle, which shifted easier, almost flowing from one position to the next. And finally, the veins. This took the most concentration; if he messed up, there would be consequences. And he would be lucky to burst an unimportant vein. It was delicate work. Slow and meticulous and unbelievably painful.

The shift used to happen in a blink, his hand shifting seemingly from one form to another. It wasn't this painful since the first time he tried the technique. Agony ripped through his wrist. It tore at his mind and burned through his bones. It would have been unbearable for anyone else. But he was a Zoldick, and pain was his constant companion for as long as he could remember. He never shied away from it. And as his hand screamed in agony, he sat there impassively, only focusing on the task at hand.

Finally, the transformation was over, and Sasuke let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. His hand still throbbed with phantom pain, but that was secondary to the sight of unnaturally long fingers and diamond-sharp nails.

He stood up and turned towards the tree he leaned against before raising his clawed hand and slashing down. Sharp nails and hardened bones easily sliced into the wood. He did not make a gash too deep, not wanting to clean up a fallen tree, but the ease with which his hand passed through it was better than he expected. It seems that the only weakness was the time it took to transform, but that will improve with time and practice. He had five years before he graduated from what he understood, and he certainly won't waste them.

He tested the Sharingan next. Now that he is assured by the familiarity of one of his favorite techniques and the knowledge that if push comes to shove, he would always have a weapon on him, he could afford to give in to his excitement and curiosity to test out his new eyes. To be truthful, they sound like a dream. To be able to copy any technique you see? Predict enemy movement? Have heightened perceptiveness? It almost sounded too good to be true.

And yet, when he channeled chakra to his eyes and the world-tinted scarlet, he couldn't help but stare, absolutely enchanted. The world came into focus and slowed down at once, and he had to blink a couple of times before adjusting to the amount of data being processed all at once. He could see an ant on a tree fifteen feet away from him, and he did not doubt that his eyes would only get stronger with time. He instinctively knew where the squirrel on a tree would move moments before it did. And those precious moments would mean everything in battle.

A kunai appeared in his hands. With a barely noticeable flick of the wrist, it sailed through the air and embedded right in the middle of one of the targets without any substantial effort from him.

And from what he could tell so far, it doesn't take a lot of chakra either, just a small but consistent amount. It's still quite a lot for his seven-year-old body, but overall? It was perfect.

His dojutsu was amazing, and he was already in love with it.

He giggled, a delighted and gleeful sound that made Sasuke snap his mouth shut with a click, grateful that there was no one around to observe his momentary break in composure.

He was the last Uchiha now; he couldn't walk around giggling, even if his eyes were fucking awesome.

o0o0o0o

Sasuke strolled into the academy two days later like a cat on the prowl. His movements fluid and graceful, he walked through the halls with silent footsteps. It's a skill he was determined to make effortless. As it was, it still took concentration to erase all traces of sound.

He entered his classroom and slipped into his seat by the window, propping his elbows on the table and leaning his head on one hand.

The classroom was empty. Probably because he arrived an hour before the bell. He successfully predicted that this would be the only way to avoid all of his fangirls. Iruka-sensei was sitting behind his desk and quietly grading some papers, so Sasuke engaged in a starring contest with the chalkboard.

The chalkboard was losing.

(Okay, maybe it was not, but Sasuke's head was so far off in space that he was barely even breathing, let alone blinking.)

And then the door slammed open, jarring Sasuke from his astral projection escapade, and the one and only Kiba Inuzuka freezed in the doorway.

The dog boy exclaimed a loud "Hello, Iruka-Sensei!" before noticing he was not the only student in the classroom.

Sasuke just watched him, uncertain of what to say. Before he could decide, the decision is taken from him as the Inuzuka nods in his direction and mumbled something that might be a greeting before awkwardly moving towards his seat. Trying to be as far away from Sasuke as possible.

Huh.

Well wasn't that interesting. It seemed that bog-doy decided to avoid him. He wondered idly if he was just uncertain or thought that Sasuke would lash out at him. It didn't really matter either way. Sasuke was just glad that the second most annoying person in this class decided not to bother him. If this behavior is temporary or would continue throughout the year is still up for debate. Sasuke certainly hoped it would.

A group of civilian-born children came in next, laughing and joking. Sasuke cringed. Just watching future killers acting so carefree made him feel uncomfortable. People like that would die on their first real mission. He couldn't even imagine himself acting like that. His parents would have had kittens.

He ignored the girls as they giggled in his direction. It seemed that the Last Uchiha title only enhanced his appeal in their eyes. Sasuke shuddered. Thankfully, even the fangirls had enough tact to stay away for now.

Sasuke had a sinking feeling that it would not last long.

He decided that ignoring all the civilians was the best he could do if he wanted to avoid snapping and showing exactly why annoying him was a bad idea. He had a feeling that wouldn't go well with the Hokage.

A Hyuuga cane in next, squeaking something that might have been a 'hello' before scampering off to the back of the class.

Sasuke almost facepalmed. A shy shinobi?! He would have been disgusted if he wasn't so incredulous. Who let her into the academy? Or better yet, why has not anyone beat the shyness out of her yet? Killua had any pride or shame literally beaten out of him at the age of four so it didn't interfere with his missions. So why weren't the academy instructors doing anything? Or her clan? Wasn't she the Hyuuga princess? How could those pompous white peacocks allow this to continue? The girl will get herself killed because she was too shy to look the enemy in the eye!

Sasuke sighed. He didn't really care about it. The Hyuuga's almost certain death in the near future didn't bother him. What did bother him was that someone like that wanted to become a shinobi. Did she think that the dangerous, dark lifestyle was a game? One that she was not even taking seriously? That rankled.

Sasuke realized, of course, that he couldn't hold everyone to the same standards he set for himself. That would be childish and ultimately useless in the long run. That was exactly why he would not actively antagonize the girl like he might have if he were truly the child that he looked like and would generally stay out of her vicinity.

The appearance of Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Chousa – together as always – distracted Sasuke from his internal ramblings. Nara swept a lazy eye over the class, his gaze sharpening as it reached Sasuke before moving away. The boy slouched towards his seat as Akimichi gave a distracted 'Good Morning' and followed his friend, too focused on his chips to say anything else.

Sasuke watched silently as Nara slumped in his seat and laid his head on his folded hands on top of the desk. They briefly made eye contact, and Sasuke inclined his head in acknowledgment. This is a shinobi he could learn to respect. Such sharp intellect hidden by the illusion of laziness was fascinating. Nara was the kind of person who could be weather a great ally or a very… annoying enemy.

Shikamaru just blinked at the Uchiha slowly and slight surprise reflected in his eyes before he closed them and seemingly fell asleep.

Sasuke knew better.

Aburame Shino stepped into the room next. He barely acknowledged the class with a glance before sitting in the corner and turning to silently watch the clouds outside.

Sasuke felt like he had just found a kindred spirit.

Of course, that feeling just had to be ruined by the sharp increase in noise outside the door. What seemed like a pair of footsteps were rapidly approaching. They were making so much noise while doing so that it almost made Sasuke cringe. It almost physically pained him to see such blatant incompetence. It reminded him of the harsh training he had to go through whenever he dared to make the same mistakes. And even then, as just a three or four-year-old, his failings were never so… cringe-worthy.

The door banged open with a sharp crack, revealing two girls pushing and pooling at each other to try and get into the classroom first. They were arguing. Loudly.

Finally, the blond one – Yamanaka Ino, clan heiress -- managed to win in their competition by pulling on the pink one's – Haruno Sakura, civilian-born – hair. They both stumbled into the classroom, Yamanaka triumphant and Haruno enraged, still arguing and yelling, now over who gets to sit next to their dear Sasuke-kun.

Fangirls.

Sasuke barely kept a frown off his face. Those two spoke like he was their possession, never considering what his opinion might be on who he would be romantically involved with. If he ever would. With his chosen carrier and his mental maturity, he doubted he would ever be able to find a partner.

Gon came close, once upon a time. But there was always something missing. Something vital. Gon was his light and his best friend, but he could never be more. He was too bright, too naive. He never truly understood the darkness inside Killua. But he accepted it, even though he preferred to ignore all the bodies Killua left in his wake. Gon tried to make him better and showed him what it felt like to have a friend.

But Killua was a Zoldyck, and that went beyond just simple training and assassinations from a young age. Otherwise, why would the Zoldycks stand unchallenged on the top for so long? No, a true member of the clan was different from an average human on a genetic level. Their body structure was different, bones stronger, muscles denser and more elastic, and even their skin was more durable. But the greatest difference lay in their psyche. All Zoldycks were practically programmed to be more in tune with their baser instincts. To be less emotional. To be less, well… human.

Members of the clan were never averse to bloodshed and violence. On the contrary, they were drawn to it in most cases, while other times, they were simply apathetic. Everyone was different.

There was one trait that every Zoldyck shared without fault. The clan was considered theirs, and if anyone stood in the way of that, they would be eradicated with extreme prejudice and made an example of. The same went for anything or anyone else they claimed as theirs. They were highly possessive and territorial. That was what made the clan so strong and what kept them together. If one of theirs was attacked, then the whole family, no matter how old or young, would bear down on the offender with all their combined terrifying power.

From what he could tell so far, his new clan is not so much different. Born and bred warriors and emotionally traumatized down to the last member.

He smirked. He would fit right in.

While Sasuke spaced out for a moment, Iruka-sensei seemingly got tired of the constant yelling and separated the two girls, ordering them to go sit in the opposite corners of the classroom and away from Sasuke.

The class started soon after, and Sasuke quickly realized that it would almost take more effort not to fall asleep than to listen to what was being taught. History might be different – what with the new world and all – but everything else was as good as useless to him. Which, honestly, he would be disappointed in himself if that wasn't the case.

About twenty minutes into the class, when Sasuke contemplated just following Nara's example and taking a nap, the door burst open a blonde in an eye-catching jumpsuit of a distinct orange color standing out of breath and grinning sheepishly.

This must be Uzumaki Naruto.

His thoughts were confirmed when Iruka-sensei practically exploded in indignation, scolding the boy about his lateness in front of the whole class.

Throughout it all, Uzumaki kept the smile on his face, looking entirely unconcerned and all too used to the proceedings.

Only because Sasuke was studying him so carefully did he notice that the blond's smile never changed or wavered. It was perfect, almost unnaturally so. And his eyes were just a touch too dark for the way he was acting. He was clearly genuine in his apology, but certainly not as much as his body language and expression would imply.

Interesting. It seemed that the happy-go-lucky eye-sore of a boy was not all that he appeared. Or at least there was definitely something he was hiding from outside observers.

Interesting, but ultimately none of his business.

Sasuke turned away.

The lessons were still boring.

Hiding away from insistent fangirls after class was even worse.

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/36083881?view_full_work=true