Never too late
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters they are the property of their respective creators. Please be aware that no profit is being made from this work of fan fiction.
It's fifteen years to the day now, the day that Sasuke and I fought for the last time. It was about a week after I finally passed the Jounin exam and had just been assigned my duties as a member if the ANBU. My first mission was to travel to the edge of our borders and investigate reports of a rouge Nin in the area. In truth, that was just a cover story, one told to the majority of people to keep them from the truth. The reality was that waiting there, at the valley of the end, was Sasuke. He had almost killed the team of ANBU that had approached him, telling them to send me instead. It seemed that he finally wanted to finish what we started all those years ago. Oba-san and Ero-senin came to see me off before I left, both of them knowing who I was going to face. They each spoke with silent faces even while their eyes betrayed the fear that lay beneath, despite all of my training, despite all the things I had accomplished he remained an unknown quantity. I could see in their eyes that neither one of them was sure that I could beat him, at least without calling on the demon trapped within me.
It was just as I was bidding them farewell that Sakura-chan arrived, much to my surprise. I could still member how she had protested when she found out I was being sent on my own. She appealed to Oba-san to let her come along, pointing out that she herself had been the one to first call for a medic to be assigned to every team. Oba-san had simply shook her once again while Sakura-chan raged desperately, trying to get an answer from her teacher. I already knew the reason; even now she still woke up from nightmares screaming about Sasuke, remembering that day when he left. She still so desperately wanted to save him, even if it seemed that the crush she had once had ended. Strangely, we had began to get closer, our time spent together as a team forming a strong bond of friendship between us. Often late at night she would come to me, simply wanting to talk. I would have expected her to go to Ino-san but soon found out that she and Shikamaru were an item and he spent most nights with her. Often our conversations lasted well into the early hours of the morning. Countless times, I've departed on a mission feeling the effects of my lack of sleep. Recently, her visits had become less frequent and because of my increased training in preparation for the exam and the additional missions I was given to hone my skills, we had not spoken in almost a month. Not wanting to see the worry on her face, I had chosen to leave very early so to avoid a painful goodbye, this time there was no guarantee I would be coming back. She shocked me by pulling me into a firm embrace, her strong arms holding me tight against her.
"Don't die Naruto-kun."
Never in my life before had I heard Sakura-chan refers to me that way, never before had she spoken to me so fondly. Even after I had returned from my training with Ero-senin it seemed as if there was an invisible wall separating us, an unseen barrier keeping us from getting too close. Although my feelings for her had not quite faded, I stopped asking her to go out with me a long time ago, and as time passed I had forgotten about it. We spend too much time together as a team in those days; relationships would have gotten in the way. Snapping back to the present, I leaned down and gently pressed my lips against her forehead as I whispered my reply.
"I won't."
She released me from her embrace and I turned to leave, calling a last goodbye to them all as I shook my head to clear it and turning my attention to the mission ahead.
It took me little over a day to get there, I stopped part of the way to rest, it would be foolish to face him with less than my full Chakra reserve, especially since I still had no way of gauging how powerful he had become. If he had reached the level of his brother, or even beyond that then I might be in trouble. But time and experience had taught me that no matter how strong the opponent; everyone has a weakness…even me. When I broke cover from the forest and stepped out onto the dirt plain that marked the edge of Konoha territory, bisected by a great river, I saw him for the first time in eight years. Like me, he had matured with age, growing taller and now it seemed we were of about equal height. He turned to greet me as soon as he sensed my presence, a wide and insane grin plastered across his face.
"Hello Dobe, been a long time hasn't it? I still remember the promise you made, still think you can take me back for her?"
"Sasuke…"
I could see it, there in his red eyes, there was no trace of the silent boy I had once know, replaced with nothing but madness.
"The Sasuke I promise to bring back is already dead. You're just a vengeful shadow and it time for you to disappear."
He laughed, once. The rich and vibrant sound holding no trace of mirth.
"So, you actually think you can beat me last place? Hmm…let's see how much better you've gotten…"
Without any warning he swept forward, a kunai in his hand, closing the distance between us in the blink of an eye and slashing at me. I was already gone, dodging out of the way and preparing an attack of my own. For the start of our battle, there would be no techniques, no Ninjitsu, Genjutsu or ever Taijutsu, just basic attacks with our weapons, testing each other's speed. He was faster than I had initial suspected, but I could tell he was still holding back, trying to get me to reveal more of what I had learned, to use a technique he could copy with the Sharingan. I purposefully held back, showing that he would need to do far more than just throw Kunai to get a technique out of me. He stopped, standing across from me on the surface of the water, just like the last time.
"You've gotten better Dobe…I'm pleasantly surprised. It's no wonder you were able to kill my brother before me, to be honest I'm still a little upset you denied me the chance. Tell you what, rather than drawing it out any more than it needs to be how about we settle this now, Chidori versus Rasengan, for old times sake?"
"Fine with me. The sooner I take care of your sorry ass, the sooner I can go home for some ramen."
Despite my words I was uncertain, the last time we had done this he had come out on top, although he had been forced to use the second level of his curse seal. This time, even if he went that far, my control over Kyuubi was sufficient that I would match him ounce for ounce of Chakra. He began to start the hand seals, the Chakra collecting in his hand as he prepared his strike, I started doing the same and I felt the swirling ball of Chakra manifest itself in my palm. I drew every drop of my Chakra I could spare into it, intent on beating him without having to use the Kyuubi at all.
We both leapt forwards in the same instant, hands rising up to meet, the opposing forces of the two techniques raging against one another, vying for dominance. For a moment it seemed as if it would remain a stalemate when I suddenly noticed his other hand moving, a second Chidori on his left hand. Acting on instinct I dumped all the chakra I could pull from Kyuubi into my left hand, meeting his second blow head on. The malevolent ball of red Chakra wavered for a moment, pushing against the force of his technique before engulfing it along with his arm. Unguarded, the Rasengan spread upwards, tearing the flesh as it went, his left arm had the skin torn away, exposing both muscle and bone. Knowing his faint had not worked and he risked more serious harm if he did not pull away, he tried to disengage, tearing free from the pulsing red ball that threatened to engulf him. In that instant I found my opening and drove the first Rasengan into him, straight at his chest. Flesh was torn as the power ripped through him, tearing apart his chest. He dropped to the water and began to sink, no longer able to support himself. I caught him, and then carried him over to the bank, not caring about his blood as it soaked into my clothes. I laid him down on the dirt, and knelt beside him, there to witness his final breath. When he opened his eyes to look at me, even as the shadow of death was upon them he was finally free from the madness and I saw the man I had once known staring back at me.
"Looks like you weren't dead last after all Naruto…"
Those were his final words as his eyes rolled upwards and his soul passed from this world and into the next.
When I returned to Konoha it was carrying his lifeless body in my arms, despite all that he had done, he had been born a member of the Leaf and it was here that he should be buried, along side his family, and everyone he had lost. Oba-san was there to greet me, Ero-senin at her side.
"Your mission, is it over?"
"Yes."
She nodded, and then turned her attention to the bundle carried in my arms.
"What…?"
"His body…I though he deserved to buried at home even if he never go to see it again."
She nodded once again, giving her permission. She departed to make the arrangements even as Ero-senin approached me, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"Naruto…you did well."
Then he too turned and departed, leaving me alone.
The funeral came almost a week later, almost the entire village coming to pay their respects. Even now, despite all that had happened, many of the people still looked at me with hateful gazes, seeing me only as the 'demon child'. There were murmurs of discontent and a few accusations but Oba-san hushed them almost immediately, daring anyone to defy her. I had turned to look over at Sakura-chan, watching as she stood there, dressed in her uniform, a black armband showing her respect. As if sensing my gaze she turned to look at me and I could not bare the sadness in her eyes, mouthing my words I turned and left, looking back not once.
Sorry Sakura-chan, I could not keep my promise.
I left the village the day after, unable to stand the memories the assaulted me. Everywhere I looked I was reminded of the times before, when we had become Team 7 and the brief time where everything was ok. I avoided Sakura most of all, afraid of what she would say, afraid to see the sadness in her eyes, the sadness that was there because of me.
I spent the next decade and a half wondering, traveling across each of the countries, continuing to expand my skills and fighting many different ninja from many different villages on the way. Over time, I picked up the nickname of Novice Toad Hermit, something that reminded me a lot of my former teacher. On occasion I picked up bits of information regarding events in the Leaf, it seemed that the village was continuing to fare well, despite my absence. It was one summer, as I drifted into the sand country, coming to visit the Kazekage, we had not seen each other in quite a time and wondered how he was fairing. From last time I had seen him, he had earned the trust of his people and nowadays was treated with respect rather than fear.
"Gaara, how are you fairing?"
I asked as I entered his office I found him with his attention on a scroll. He didn't even look up to acknowledge me; even now he needs to work on his people skills.
"Naruto, I assume you are aware that Jiraiya-sama of the legendary sanin is dying."
The way he said it, without any sense of urgency as if he were commenting on something as inconsequential as the state of the weather, I almost failed to realize just what it was he was saying.
"What! Since when?"
The old man had been perfectly fine when I last got news about a month ago, what the hell could have happened since then…
"He was diagnosed with a form of disease, one that spreads throughout the body corrupting its cells and removing their ability to produce and store Chakra."
"But Tsunade-Oba-san, she was great with things like that, couldn't she save him?"
He shook his head.
"Apparently even the Hokage herself was unable to do anything despite her best efforts, even with her considerable medical skills she cannot quell it's spread."
For Oba-san to have failed…it did not even bare thinking about. I had to go back, there could be no two ways about it, I had to see the old pervert before he died if only to pay my respects.
"How long…?"
"From what I was told…perhaps a few months at best."
"Thanks, I better go."
He nodded; still his eyes never left the scroll. I left the way I had come in, through the window and over the rooftops of the hidden sand. The journey to the Leaf would take me the better part of a day and I had no time to waste…
For the first time in over a decade I found myself standing at the gates to Konoha, the first stars now visible overhead. The gates were closed and guards were waiting outside, Jounin who immediately stiffened when they sensed my approach.
"Halt! Come no further and identify yourself."
"Umazaki Naruto, leaf shinobi, former ANBU member."
They spent a few moments looking at me, most likely trying to determine if I was lying. Finally the guard on the left nodded and turned to his fellow.
"I remember him, he disappeared just after the incident with the Uchiha."
"Oh yeah, the 'demon child'."
He turned his attention to me.
"The hokage gave strict instructions for you to be brought directly to her if you returned, you'll have to come with us. They moved forwards, intent on grabbing me…not that I had any attention of allowing them to do so.
"Kage-bunshin."
With a cry, eight clones appeared, each heading off in a different direction from the one I chose. Cursing, the guards followed to of the clones leaving me free to head from my real destination, the hospital where Ero-senin would be staying.
It didn't take me long to find his room, it was perhaps the only one that had a large warning sign outside it addressed to the female nurses, warning them not to enter this room no matter what happened. I guessed that was oba-san's doing, heck, even dying the old man still managed to find the strength to chat up women. When I entered the room, he seemed to be asleep, his clothes in a neat pile on a chair beside the bed while he was dressed in a hospital gown. I felt a lump forming my throat at seeing him like this, despite his many quirks Ero-senin was important to me, if Ikruka had been a father figure, and the third a grand father, Jiraiya was most definitely an uncle. He was one of the few people that had accepted me, even knowing my secret and then gone on to take me as his pupil as the forth had been once long ago. I had enjoyed my time spent training with him and to an extent, missed those days of long ago…
Pulling my eyes away and wiping at the tears that had already begun to form I turned my attention over to the nightstand beside his bed finding it crammed with cards of all different shapes and sizes, even a few sets of flowers too. It seemed that he was important to a lot of people and I was surprised when I noticed a few card from other villages, reading a few each of them paid their respects to him. Despite the fact they were enemies it seemed that they did not approve of a worthy opponent dying in such a humiliating way. As I was putting one such card back down one in particular caught my eye, the design upon it seemingly familiar somehow. I carefully picked it up and opened it, reading the message inside.
To Jiraiya,
Sorry I never took you up on that offer of a date.
Love,
Tsunade
I almost dropped it in surprise, never would I have expected her to write something like this…
"So, you finally came back eh Naruto?"
I turned to look at my former master, shocked by how weak he sounded, his one jovial voice now reduced to little more than a whisper.
"I came when I heard…how you doing old man?"
He laughed, or tried to, instead it came out as a mangled chuckle and a series of coughs.
"Not bad…I'm still alive aren't I?"
His eyes switched from my face to the object in my hands.
"So…you saw what she wrote me?"
I nodded, not trusting my words.
"You know, you and that Haruno girl remind me a lot of Tsunade-chan and I when we were young. You know, I used to have a crush on her a long time ago, but she was always fixated on Orochimaru like all the other girls. A lot of the time we got into arguments and she would end up clobbering me and storming off in a rage, a fact that Sarutobi-sensei always seemed to find highly amusing. When we were older, I spent a long time trying to find the courage to ask her on a date but then her brother was killed..."
He paused for a moment as his eyes took on a faraway gaze, lost in the memories of his youth. In the time he had been training me he had not really spoken about his past and when he had it was mostly about his time when the forth was his student.
"I still remember how sad she was when he died. The day she came to see his body, I tried to get her to turn back but she ignored me. That bastard Orochimaru had to open his mouth and had it not been for her presence I would have shut it for him there and then. I so badly wanted to offer her comfort then, to have her cry out her tears against my chest but I was too afraid, afraid of being rejected by the one woman who meant something to me…"
He stopped, for a few moments his whole body shook from the force of a coughing fit and when it ended I handed him a glass of water that he took gladly. He sipped at it for a moment before placing it on the nightstand and resuming his story.
"After that she made it her goal to ensure that no team was sent out again without a medic, a crusade that brought the attention of another Jounin of about our age named Dan. She fell in love with him and for a time it seemed they would be married until he was killed on a mission. After that she changed, and withdrew into herself. It wasn't long after that Orochimaru showed his true colors and was driven out, I couldn't stand to see her in anymore pain so I went after him, stupid as it was I ended up letting him get away. It wasn't long after those times that the forth died and I found myself unable to stay, haunted by too many bad memories. I left on a journey, stopping in from time to time…when I found out about Orochimaru I had to come back. As it turned out, that lead to my reunion with Tsunade-chan and my feelings rising anew…my one regret is that I never told her, never found the courage to tell her how I feel…"
I felt tears burning my eyes, it was so sad. He had been in love with his teammate for so long but never had the chance to tell her…just like Sakura-chan and me.
"Jiraiya…"
Surprised I turned around to find Tsunade-Oba-san standing in the doorway. How long she had been there I did not know but it must have been long enough because already tears were running down her cheeks.
"…You blasted idiot! Why didn't you tell me you hard-headed fool!"
"I…I don't think I ever found the courage, there was always something else to do and I just kept telling myself I would do it tomorrow but when it came I said the same thing again…"
"Idiot! I swear, that best be the last time you keep anything from me, I swear if you do I'll never go out with you again."
His face brightened a little even as his eyes went wide.
"Does that mean…?"
"Yes you old fool, I'll go on a date with you."
Then she reached down and kissed him briefly on the lips before seating herself beside him. Now she finally turned her attention to me as her eyes hardened.
"What are you waiting for? Sakura isn't going to wait forever."
I paused for a moment, struggling to understand until her meaning hit me and I raced away, searching for the woman I loved. I finally understood that no matter what happened there would always be time because as Ero-senin had said just before I left.
It's never too late.
A/N: Just a quick Naru/Saku, my first work for Naruto although hopefully not my last. My second, goodbye is in the works as we speak, or rather type in this case.
Till next time,
Hououza