The wind was his first friend.
It was his constant company since before he could remember, it has always been there.
It took him awhile to figure out that other people couldn't hear the wind the way he did or at least the wind never talked to other people the way it did Naruto.
It took him a while longer to realize that he was also the wind's first love.
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The villagers didn't care for him so he didn't spend much time near them instead he made the forest his place of comfort, his place of refuge, his sanctuary. There he was free to play with the wind all he wanted and the wind was always willing to play with him. He'd climb in the tall trees as high as he dared which was higher then most kids would go and jump off letting the wind gather him up and lower him back down to the ground laughing all the way. Sometimes he'd jump tree to tree with the wind helping him on leaps that would not have been possible otherwise, other times he'd run in the open fields arms spread out at his sides the wind pushing at his back till he ran so fast it seemed his feet weren't even touching the ground and he flew.
It was the taste of freedom and wildness an untamed joy.
(/)
His second love was to a girl named Sakura with hair the colour of her name sake that sparkled in his eyes when the sun shone on it. When he first set eyes on her Naruto thought that she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen and the wind, his first friend his first love, twirled her hair in it grasp and fluttered as soft as butterfly wings on his cheeks.
She was smart too he noticed when he spent more time watching her in class then what Iruka-sensei was teaching, she was the top of the class always reading something when she thought no one noticed. Naruto tried numerous times to get her to notice him but all she had eyes for, all anyone had eyes for, was Sasuke.
So after a time he went back to looking out the window dreaming about running with the wind again He loved Sakura but not as much as he loved the wind.
He'd always go back to the wind always.
(/)
The wind loved to tell him things. It would whisper of private conversations that were happening in the village sometimes it would carry voices from other places, ones that were full of sand, ones that rained all the time and ones were people just lived and loved and filled him with joy. It was the wind that had told him what he carried. The words where brought to him from The Hokage floating on the breeze, he had been shocked scared sad all rolled into a bundle that it was hard to tell where one began and the other ended. But he learned and learned some more about the night he was born and came to terms with it. That was the night Naruto stole a scroll to become powerful and Iruka came to save him putting himself in harms way. Iruka believed in him and Naruto loved him for it. The wind became fond of the man who carried a scar across his face too. It often rushed up to greet him in powerful gusts that would lift his feet off the ground.
But that was just the way the wind loved and Naruto wouldn't have it any other way.
(/)
Sakura is on his team. She still only has eyes for Sasuke, still ignores him but that's okay Naruto's used to it by now. (Besides he doesn't think she actually means it he's seen her question and wonder and puzzle over the fact that he's an outsider.) Naruto is so happy that he is on team 7, it is now his team he would have team mates, he would be apart of something. Sasuke is also on their team and although Naruto groans about it he is secretly glad that their on the same team. He thinks sasuke and him are the same they have no one and that makes him special to Naruto. He think wonders hopes that Sasuke sees him as a friend too.
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Kakashi is strange and sad to Naruto. The wind told him of a time when he had two eyes and two teammates alive. It whispering to him that the lighting loved him. Naruto had thought that meant that Kakashi could hear the lightning like he could hear the wind but the wind told him that lighting was distant, it rarely talked or touched only when called upon would it do its masters bidding. He thought that strange but Kakashi was strange so who was he to say anything. It didn't really matter either if Naruto thought him strange because he also had a great deal of respect for him. When he was younger and the villagers were more open about their hate towards him there had been an ANBU with a dog mask that often saved him. The wind had carried his sent to him and he had committed it to memory so that he might repay that kindness. He thinks Kakashi wants to redeem himself by training this new team 7.
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Their not ready for the chuning exams, they think they are, they hope they are, but their not. Kakashi signs them up anyways
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Sasuke leaves and it tears his whole world apart. Sakura cries tears that seem like permanent rivers in her cheeks and Kakashi fake eye smiles pats them on the head like one of his nin-hounds and shoulders the weight of his students thirst for power on his own. Naruto had known the moment Sasuke left had heard his conversation with Sakura the wind had whisper it to him sadly. He did not go to him. He did not try to stop him. He did not because he knows that you cannot give someone the answer, Sasuke has to figure out how to live with the pain and hurt and loneliness on his own, Naruto cannot give it to him he knows this but it still burns at him. He does not tell Sakura or Kakashi or anyone that he knows, it's a secret he'll keep just like the wind. what's one more secret to the pile that keeps building a castle in his heart.
(/)
It destroys Kakashi and Sakura, Sasukes leaving, it destroys them and rebuilds them into something else. Sakura is determined to stand her ground between her teammates and be equal so she starts training under Tsunade to become a medic and Naruto has never been prouder of her. Kakashi hides himself away buries himself alive with guilt and shame. Naruto goes to his place one day goes in through the window he finds it funny to mimic what his sensei does. Kakashi does not find it as funny as he does but Naruto is not there to make him laugh. So he stands in front of his sensei, eyes held firm in Kakashi's one good one visible says "he'll come back when he figures out how to live with himself" you are not to blame he whispers half said to him half said to himself.
Kakashi understands and he heals starts to teach Naruto and Sakura like he should have the first time.
(/)
Years pass and Naruto still chases after the wind and Sasuke.
He hears of the training Sasuke receives, hears of the deal he makes to gain power, hears the tears Sasuke cries for his village on the wind. His heart hurts and hurts and hurts but he has survived this long he will survive a little longer. Naruto doesn't know if it's Sauske surviving or himself anymore, doesn't think there's a difference.
He doesn't have much time to play with the wind anymore but he will toss leaves and twigs into the air and watch as the wind giggles and throws them around in its arms. He smiles.
He will survive. They both will survive.
(/)
Then Sakura smiles at him laughs at his form on the ground and suddenly he knows that he has gained a sister.
He loves her so much and he's always loved her.
This girl is his friend teammate sister and he is so glad.
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He finally tells them his secret. He gathers them up, his precious people, and they come to his call. He tells them, his team and Iruka, about his first friend his fist love of the wind. Tells them how they played together and how it tells him things. At first they don't believe him then the wind curls around them all and whisper we love Naruto gives Iruka a hug like the ones it does so often after he saved him. Naruto laughs at their faces almost cries when Iruka goes stiff then yells about why that's the reason the wind is always knocking him over whenever he's outside. you love Naruto like we love Naruto that has made us grow fond of you the wind whispered all around them wrapping tightly around Iruka as he goes red in the face as the wind giggles quietly the push's off the ground into the trees above. They question him and he answers with the wind giggling around them. It's okay then, they believe him and love him and it's okay and Naruto is once again thankful to his first friend and first love the wind.
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He meets Sai and his new captain of team 7 and although they are not Sasuke and Kakashi they are not that out of place. Sai kind of reminds him of Gaara, the way they are puzzled by the people around them so Naruto watches him and Sai tries to learn emotions resembles child wonder and in the end he thinks he's not so bad.
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They meet Sasuke again after years have spanned between them and team 7 is no longer what it was.
Naruto does not know what to make of this Sasuke this boy in a mans body, this sad and angry male who still has not figured out how to live with what has happened.
Naruto gets mad he wants Sasuke to come home knows Sasuke wants to come knows that Sasuke is angry and confused and so so tired. He can't take it anymore and Naruto thinks Sasuke can't either. No one can stand that for as long as he has without breaking maybe he is broken or breaking maybe so is Naruto maybe so is everyone.
They fight with fists and words and thoughts. They become each other and not themselves. Tear the ground from its home make the skies part for them. In the end Naruto wins and they lay side by side on the ground near the small body of water. They are bleeding and scraped and they are healing. Sasuke admits defeat states that Naruto was his best friend, his brother, he learns that it's okay to let go of some of the pain. Friends will help you through it.
(/)
After all this is done and Sasuke is back in the village Naruto finds himself in the fields where he used to roam as a child.
The wind tickles at his hair and he breathes in the fresh air and smiles.
He is home.