Warnings/Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Sengoku Basara franchise. Warnings include blood and mature themes, some language from Masamune, probable OOCness, and a little tiny bit of angst. I'm a huge fan of Sasuke, (as maybe a few of you have noticed with my handful of SB fics) so I just can't help it. I'm also a total whore for angst, so combining two favorites is just a fetish of mine. Slight yaoi hints or bromance of Kojuurou x Date x Yukimura x Sasuke. Takes place after the movie, The Last Party. Enjoy?

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Case in Point

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The thing about ninjas is that their work never ended, despite when their masters' finally ended wars and wrote up truces and lived happily in times of peace. There were always patrols to run, borders to watch, information to gather. And for a large portion of the ninja community, assassination jobs being paid for by those who were dissatisfied with the current rule was always a mission to take and money to pocket.

Sarutobi had only been personally been sent on a solitary assassination mission himself, before he had been entrusted to the Sanada family as guardian of the small Benmaru-sama. Through all his years of serving Sanada-Danna, and through him, Lord Shingen, Sasuke had not been once sent on a mission for a stealthy kill. Both Tigers of Kai were too honorable and straight forward with their actions to order the shinobu to assassinate an adversary. However, he had killed many would-be assassins himself during his service.

Often times, neither Sanada-Danna nor Lord Shingen were aware of being a target; Sasuke took care of the threat swiftly and silently. The shinobu of Kai was taught many and various new techniques of stealth and assassinations from the would-be-killers who came creeping for his masters' heads by watching them closely before dispatching them with relative ease.

The majority of those who came were much younger than Sasuke, around the age of the three new underlings currently under Sarutobi's wing, so they didn't have the full experience to properly defend themselves from a full-fledged ninja like himself. There were the occasional rare few who had raw natural talent, and could have developed into excellent ninjas if they hadn't invaded on his protection detail, but the worst Sasuke ever received was non-fatal wounds and he had yet to emerge from an encounter the loser- obviously proven by his very life.

However, Sasuke himself was not the oldest nor the top elite- Fuuma Kotaro proved that much. There were others who had more experience and skill than Sasuke, though he was loathe to admit it (admitting it stated that he wasn't good enough to protect his master). Thankfully, he lived through all his encounters with more skilled ninjas, scraping by bloody often times yes, but still alive.

Though Sasuke would definitely say it was both a first time and very bad luck for him when such an advanced experienced ninja was hired to assassinate him- of all people. The shinobu of Kai supposed he should be flattered that he had become so well-known under Lord Shingen and then Sanada-Danna's rule to become recognized as a threat to the plans of those who sought to overthrow Yukimura, but at the moment, Sasuke couldn't spare any energy towards pride while he fought hard to remain alive.

It was supposed to be just an ordinary errand- deliver an invitation to the One-Eyed-Dragon of Onshu of Sanada-Danna's offer to have a friendly match (Sasuke had been amused to note that Yukimura just missed Date), but halfway through Oshu territory he was ambushed unexpectedly by a ninja that he had never seen before, nor heard of in any rumors.

Sasuke was digging shallow on his energy reserves. The errand that had only supposed to take less than an hour had hence been dragged out over five, into the dark of night from Sasuke's inability to properly kill or fatally wound the other ninja, and the more experienced shinobu having made more successful attempts on Sasuke himself. Bloody in numerous places with severe wounds that needed immediate staunching before he bled out, it was a goddamned miracle that truly saved Sasuke.

The shinobu had been unbalanced enough to be grabbed and slung harshly into a tree, but for whatever reason that Sasuke had no damn clue of (and really couldn't care enough to know), the attacking ninja flinched in surprise from something- and that second was all Sasuke needed to counterattack and sink his knife in between two ribs and finally eliminate the threat. Sasuke had wiped his blade clean, tucked it away, and left the dead body where it lay precariously in the tree and continued a mile further inward Onshu territory before he forced himself to stop and bandage his wounds to at least stop himself from dying of blood loss.

The majority of the bandages were makeshift cloth ones torn from his own camouflaged outfit, but they sufficed well enough. He was exhausted and bloody and worn literally ragged with even his face paint smudged across his cheeks. He couldn't just land in the Date faction looking like such a mess, so with a deep calming breath, Sasuke used his Illusion technique to appear as his normal, healthy whole self instead of the disaster he currently actually was. "Healed", the ninja set off on the last leg of his trip finally.

It was rather late in the night, but Sasuke found Kojuurou and Date awake and discussing politics in the One-Eyed-Dragon's room anyways. He tapped on the door and announced his presence. "Sarutobi Sasuke from Kai. I have an invitation from Sanada-Danna for Masamune Date-danna." He saw the two men's shadow look at each other, before the larger one (Kojuurou) rose and came to the door and slid it open.

"An invitation of what kind?" The Right Eye of the Dragon asked, the words serious but the tone light.

Sasuke's face grinned even as the ninja fought not to sway. "An invitation for a friendly sparring match between Sanada-Danna and Masamune Date-danna." Remembering his customary playfulness, Sasuke leaned forward in a conspiratorial whisper that was purposefully loud enough for the Dragon's sharp ears to pick up. "Personally, I think taishou just misses him."

"Ha!" Date snorted, but his very broad grin gave all the acceptance and acknowledgement Sasuke needed for his errand.

Kojuurou gave a chuckle, reaching out to land a hand on the ninja's shoulder companionably. "Tell Sanada-sama that we accept. When is the rendezvous for this…" The Right Eye trailed off with widened eyes as his hand came back wet with blood.

Sasuke mentally cursed, having been looking towards Date and not being stable enough to evade the Right Eye's hand. His Illusion was only that after all- underneath the image, he was still a bloody torn wreck. To make matters worse, his vision was starting to blur and now he was starting to sway to one side. He was ashamed to say that he was unconscious before he even felt the floorboards as he collapsed.

~x~

Date had been relishing the fantasies of fighting Sanada Yukimura, when he was pulled out of his daydreams when Kojuurou abruptly shouted the Kai's ninja's name and the Dragon looked over in surprise, just in time to see Sarutobi keel over sideways and smash hard into the floorboards- completely unconscious.

"What the hell?" He declared loudly, standing to his feet and striding over to where Kojuurou had hurriedly knelt next to the passed out shinobu and turn him over- shocked when his retainer's hands came back bloody. "He's wounded? Where? He looks fine though." Even as he said so, Sarutobi's body gave what looked like a full-body shudder, but then with a puff of heavy smoke that was quickly waved away as the Illusion dispersed (unable to be held in such a state), revealing that Sanada's shinobu was shredded.

"What the fuck happened to him?" Date asked rhetorically, leaving the messed up ninja in Kojuurou's capable hands to instead walk to the interior door, pulling it open and shouting down the hall for the maids to fetch the doctors and bring as many medical supplies as they could carry. He didn't owe anything to Sarutobi, but he knew enough to realize that the russet haired man was someone very important to his rival, and that in itself was cause to keep the man alive.

If they could. Depending on what happened through the night, Date would be riding a horse to either tell Sanada Yukimura about his ninja's injuries or his demise.

~x~

Sasuke's first conscious thoughts were blurry and disorientated. He recognized the signs that he was well into anemia, and he could tell it originated from the multitude of wounds he could feel throbbing painfully across his body. From there, it was only a few short moments to remember the other ninja he had fought for hours and barely escaped with his life, and with a hand laboriously lifted to ashamedly cover his eyes, Sasuke remembered how he had fallen unconscious essentially into the Dragon and his Right Eye's laps.

"Ah good, you're awake."

Sasuke peeked out from under his hand to view Kojuurou standing at the door with a tray of what looked and smelled like food. He dropped his arm back to his stomach, this time on top of the blanket that it had been previously been tucked under. He had been entirely stripped of his armor and clothes, mostly covered in thick rolls of bandages but also wearing a loose plain yukata while lying in a guest bedroll. "I apologize, Katakura-danna, for the trouble I have caused."

Kojuurou didn't respond immediately, carefully placing the tray near Sasuke's head as he kneeled and leveled the shinobu with a reprimanding stare. "It was quite the trouble indeed. You nearly died from blood loss alone, nevertheless several serious injuries. What were you thinking, trying to hide them like you had been?"

Surprised at the question that sounded blatantly like concern, Sasuke stared back with widened eyes for a long time before hesitantly offering a reply. "I had planned to leave after delivering the invitation to treat myself and avoid causing you this trouble?" His eyes snapped closed automatically when Kojuurou's hand sharply slapped his forehead. "Ow."

"Idiot." Kojuurou scolded. "You nearly died even with our medical care. How would you have fared on your own without supplies?" The question was rhetorical because the answer was glaringly obvious. "Masamune-sama left this morning to personally deliver his acceptance and the news of your injured state to Sanada-sama." He told the shinobu, turning towards the tray of food.

Sasuke groaned and rolled his head away. "Danna's gonna be frantic… jeez, I've never gotten hurt on a simple mission, this badly or not otherwise. Now he's not even gonna wanna send me out for weeks after this." Amber eyes opened again to see that the outer door was open so that Sasuke could see blue-armored soldiers milling around outside in the courtyard, quite a few pausing to look in and give the shinobu a supportive thumbs up or a cocky grin of approval. It amused Sasuke at the same time it surprised him. He hadn't thought he'd made such an impression on the Date faction.

"Here," Kojuurou's voice prompted Sasuke to turn his head back to facing the man to see that he was waiting to assist the younger male in sitting up. "You need to eat. Slowly now."

Sasuke's injuries burned and throbbed harshly in protest, but the pain was something he had been trained to accept and then ignore, so the only sign of the physical effort the simple motion of sitting up had caused the ninja pain was furrowed brows. One arm was left locked straight beside him to keep himself remaining upright (and to stop it from shaking) as Sasuke accepted the proffered bowl of simple hot broth when Kojuurou held out once he was sure that the russet haired man wouldn't collapse.

"Thank you, Katakura-danna." Sasuke murmured before he lifted the bowl to his lips and swallowed a mouthful of the hot healing soup, enjoying the way its heat burned and somewhat numbed his mouth temporarily. It was a welcome distraction to the heavy protest his body was giving from maintaining this position. He finished the broth in another two slow sips and swallows, breathing out in contentedness at having something warm and filling in his stomach, while Kojuurou took the bowl back and replaced it with a plain biscuit.

"What happened on the way here to give you such grievous wounds?" Kojuurou brought up the question of the day again after allowing the shinobu of Kai to finish munching on his piece of pastry. His gray eyes drifted downwards as he asked, mentally recounting all the wounds that were hidden under those layers of clean white bandages that he could only see now- but in his mind's eye could still see the long bloody gashes and deep stab wounds. He hurriedly supported the shinobu when Sarutobi began lying back down.

Once settled flat on his back once more, Sasuke took a moment to regulate his breathing in a way that would hopefully bring less aggravation to his injuries. He then rolled his head towards the Right Eye's expectant expression with his own decidedly smug grin. "I was almost assassinated by another, more experienced ninja than myself on the outskirts of Onshu territory. He was stronger and faster than I, and it was only a pure stroke of utter miracle that I lay here now and not in the forest."

Kojuurou's expression was surprised. "He had been specifically ordered after you?" The Right Eye asked in astonishment, having never heard of such a case where a ninja was sent after another ninja for assassination.

Sasuke laughed lightly. "Yeah, I was sure surprised too. Bit flattering, ain't it?" He chuckled again, and despite gaining another swat to the forehead for doing so, he only grinned broader.

"Yes, yes, very much so, but I'd suggest not to let the idea go to your head." Despite his words, Kojuurou could only grin somewhat fondly down at the younger man. Despite his profession and for all his skills as an excellent shinobu, Kojuurou was struck by just how young Sarutobi truly was- possibly only a handful of years younger than himself. The world today just continued to marvel as it spun.

Sasuke opened his mouth, but whatever it was that he had been going to say would never be known because a very loud and distinctive voice was abruptly heard even over the thundering pounding of hooves from several horses.

"SAAAAASUKEEEEEEEEE!"

The shinobu smirked at Kojuurou. "Looks like Danna's here."

The Right Eye returned an amused look. "So it seems."

"SASUKE!" Yukimura all but tripped into the room a few seconds later, thoroughly wind tousled and flushed as he crashed down on his hands and knees beside his Shadow with an expression of frantic concern. "Masamune-dono said you were hurt very badly! What happened? Are you alright? Are you going to be alright? Tell me what happened immediately! Katakura-dono, is Sasuke going to recover?"

"Easy, easy there, Danna. Calm down, ne? Breathe," Sasuke coaxed with a reassuring smile, lifting his arm to gently trail his fingers over Yukimura's trembling jaw. "Yeah, I got injured pretty seriously, but thanks to Katakura-sama and the Date physicians, I'm still living here with you now and yes, I will recover to be just fine."

Kojuurou remained silent and watched the interaction with an emotion he could relate between the two like he could with how he himself acted around Masamune-sama. He saw how Yukimura's hand still shook as he clutched Sarutobi's comforting hand tightly to his cheek, but the brunette's expressive brown eyes no longer looked as ready to spill tears. He got up when Sasuke began explaining what had happened again to his master, instead going outside where Masamune-sama was standing with his arms crossed, leaning against the wall.

The One-Eyed-Dragon looked contemplative. "He freaked out when I told him, yanno. Rushed out immediately and I even had to catch up to him." Date mentioned casually, looking out over the soldiers he commanded over. "It reminded me a bit of you and me, Kojuurou."

His Right Eye squeezed his shoulder. "I felt the same, Masamune-sama. They're a good pair."

Date hummed absently in agreement, turning with Kojuurou to see that Yukimura had leaned over and carefully wrapped Sasuke's head and shoulders up into his arms, tenderly cradling the quietly laughing shinobu with the expression of a young child who had just been reassured that his treasured companion wasn't leaving him yet. The ninja's bandaged hand comfortingly pat Yukimura's head where it was bowed low over his own, Sasuke murmuring more soothing words of calming his master.

Date grinned broadly. "Sanada Yukimura's not gonna wanna move Sarutobi anywhere until he's sure the monkey is healed enough to even leave that bed, which looks like it's gonna be awhile with those wounds, huh Kojuurou?"

"Yes Masamune-sama, we can expect that Sanada-sama and Sarutobi will be our guests for some time."

"Excellent."

No, I don't know what is it with me and my seemingly ease to just write out these long oneshots for Sengoku Basara! You know what, I blame all the doujinshi I've been reading from livejournal.

Review?

p.s. I edited Sasuke's illusion technique a bit, because otherwise his discovery of being wounded wouldn't have been found out and the bottom half of this fic wouldn't have existed. Forgive?

p.s.s. there will most likely be some kind of sequel to this…