Team Kakashi, my team, was still temporarily led by the Anbu known as Yamato. We made our way inside Orochimaru's hideout once again.
"This is it." I said under my breath as we stopped in our tracks and let the hideout's darkness engulf our presence.
"Naruto," I heard Sakura whisper from behind. She was nervous about this as well, since it was the second time that we would be trying to bring Sasuke back to Konoha.
"We may have failed last time, but today I will make sure we take him back, believe it..." I said with silent intensity which echoed through the stone walls.
I looked at the three behind me and they gave me a smile of encouragement. They know that I was completely determined to do this mission once again- for the sake of my friend.
"Alright," Captain Yamato called, "let's go."
At that moment, our team dashed quickly and through the hideout. Every room, every corner and every inch didn't go untouched.
Until we reached a fork.
"Naruto, Sai," Captain Yamato ordered, "go left while Sakura and I take the right."
Without answering, I headed to the said direction, calling Sasuke's name out loud. The only thing that I would really want to happen was to finally meet him once again. To convince him more, that we want him back to our village now.
"Come out, Sasuke!" I shouted.
"Chotto matte, Naruto," Sai called calmly behind me.
"There's no time to wait, Sai!" He should know that.
"I understand how you feel right now, Naruto, but we just have to keep it down, or else…"
Sai's words trailed off and I wondered what made him stop. I was meters away from him when I had heard it: familiar hissing sounds coming out of the shadows. When I turned around, I found my team mate face to face with none other than Orochimaru himself.
I ran towards them and the moment Orochimaru saw my furious expression, he smirked.
"You brats, again?" he hissed, "You never give up, do you? I thought you have gotten too scared the last time you found Sasuke as strong as ever."
"I can't believe you still don't know me very well," I said tauntingly, "I never go back on my word- NOT EVER!"
The rogue Sannin let out an icy chuckle. "I just thought that maybe you might have let go of your foolish mantra, since you will never succeed in taking the shinobi who now belongs to me!"
"Ninpou: Chouju Giga."
Before I could even notice, Sai drew out a number of lions from his scroll and the lot raced towards Orochimaru. But he was too quick and he jumped out of the way conjuring snakes from his arms and hitting the lions one by one, spraying black ink all over the place.
"That silly technique again?" he jeered as he slithered and gripped onto the stone wall, "Is that all you got?"
Sai was gonna get it, so I concentrated my chakra right onto the palm of my hand after creating a clone.
"Oudama Rasengan!" I flew to Orochimaru's direction and hit my chakra spiral squarely onto his chest.
The Sannin fell flat onto the cold floor and as I walked to what I thought was the victim; Orochimaru vanished in a puff of smoke, revealing a tall candle post.
"A replacement Jutsu!" I couldn't believe I actually fell for an old trick like that.
"Naruto, look out!"
Suddenly I felt a strong grip on my ankle and I saw a snake-like protrusion from the floor. I realized that it was Orochimaru's stretched-out arm wrapped around my leg. Before I could try to struggle, Orochimaru's head appeared from under the ground as well, his neck elongated the same as my height. His mouth opened and revealed a sword and pointed it at my heart.
"Did you forget that there are two of us?" I said calmly. I was so sure Sai had come up with a plan by now.
Orochimaru, who had his sword in his mouth, laughed. I pondered for a moment until I saw Sai held up by two huge snakes, making him unable to move.
The sword slid back to his throat, and Orochimaru said, "You see, little leaf ninja? You are just as weak as before. You even borrow chakra from that beast living inside you! You can't even make it on your own. How pathetic…"
"Look who's talking." I objected.
"What did you say?"
"You say I can't make it in my own, when you, a legendary Sannin had to use a kid in order to fight for himself. You make me laugh."
Three things happened almost simultaneously: I saw Orochimaru's sword erupt from his mouth again; I heard Sai call me out loud; and Sasuke, who came and stopped the sword just millimeters away from digging into my body.
"Ah, Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru exclaimed smoothly, as he released his grip and slithered out from the ground completely.
I actually froze. Sasuke finally came out! And of all times he had to come out was when I was utterly about to get killed. Nothing would be more humiliating than that.
"I can take care of this," Sasuke said to Orochimaru. "You can leave us, now."
Orochimaru gave his usual smirk. "Just as what I expected from you, Sasuke-kun… handling these two all by yourself would be just a breeze. But you should remember that we still need them…"
Clearly, he was talking about our other goal, which was hunting down other members of the Akatsuki. I was so angry when I looked at Sasuke's emotionless face, which was then turned to Orochimaru, as if telling him to leave already.
"Don't take too long. We still have a lot to do." And Orochimaru's figure faded in the darkness, leaving Sasuke, Sai and me alone in the empty halls of the hideout.
"Sasuke…" I said. He looked at me, the boy that he had considered as his best friend. He was still wearing that straight face, not showing any care that I was there once more.
"I see that you still have him as my replacement," Sasuke said, giving my teammate a quick glance. Sai stood there looking at us, observing how everything would go. I was sure that he had no intentions of killing Sasuke now; since he had realized a lot of things about 'friendship' and 'bonds'.
"Please, Sasuke," I said once again, ignoring his comment. "Please come back to Konoha." I couldn't even forgive myself for begging, but it was the best I could do.
"I thought you already understood that I am never coming back?" Sasuke said flatly. "You can ambush this place a million times for all I care; but I am never going to return to that useless village."
I felt my eyes sting with tears. I tried my best to hide them but failed since Sasuke noticed immediately.
"Is crying the only thing you can do right now?"
Before I could even protest, I felt Sasuke grab my arm so swiftly that I choked between my sobs. Then suddenly we were in a different place; we were in one of the small rooms of the hideout.
I dizzily looked around and saw him standing motionless a few steps away from me; light flickered across his body from the flames lit on the wall candles.
"What are we doing here?" I asked, "Where's Sai?"
I don't know if I should even panic or stay calm.
"We won't be needing his company right now, Naruto." He was looking deeply into my eyes. I felt a bit weird and shifted uneasily. I was wondering if I would just take that chance and knock him out cold so that we could finally retrieve him.
"What do you mean, Sasuke?"
"You're the one I need to talk to."
There's no need to talk about anything! Why wouldn't he just come back home so that everything would be back to normal? I had no idea why, but I swear I felt myself blush. I know I want Sasuke back home more than anyone else, but was I that devoted?
I tried to shove off the thought for a while.
"Sakura's still out there! Don't you know how hard it has been for her since you left us all?"
Don't you know how hard it has been for me?
"I have seen that she has taken care of herself pretty well."
"That's not the point," I gritted my teeth at his indifference.
But my jaw relaxed when I saw Sasuke's expression change. I wasn't sure if it was the dim light, but Sasuke looked like he was wearing a broken smile.
"You have no idea," I heard my friend whisper. "You don't know everything that I had to go through to become stronger, Naruto."
"But what about me?" I retorted, keeping my tone composed at last, "do you have any idea what I had to go through just to finally get this far and take you back?"
"I never asked for you to fetch me here, Naruto." He paused. I nearly jumped when he pounded his fist loudly on the nearest table. "This is pointless."
"What do you mean, 'pointless'?" I felt my voice rising again with every word.
"This argument." Sasuke answered flatly.
He moved from his spot and walked slowly towards me, who remained standing there, puzzled and feeling foolish. I didn't have a clue what he was trying to pull off. I looked down on the floor as I didn't even know what to say or do next.
My head started spinning when I heard him speak.
"I need to tell you something."
I looked at him. My eyes widened when I found his face almost an inch from mine. I wanted to take a few steps back, but I couldn't. There was this part of me that also wanted to stay; wanting to feel his every breath touching my lost face.
"Wha-what is it, Sasuke?" suddenly, saying his name wasn't as easy as before; as if my heart would explode when I tried mention it.
His eyes were still fixated on me. I tried looking away, but it just made me feel more uncomfortable. I had no choice but to look back.
My head spun faster at the next statement.
"I'm really missing you, Naruto."
Hearing him say my name also made me feel uneasy, but not in a bad way. I don't know if it was the way he said it, or was it just me, longing for him to say my name over and over.
And what did he just say?
"I miss you." I heard him whisper again. I was so confused.
"Sasuke, I…" but I paused when I heard him speak again.
"You don't know how happy I am that you came back for me. The last time we saw each other was torture. I could never forgive myself for that. I almost took your life away!"
I was a bit surprised when I sensed him close to tears. Was that really Sasuke? CRYING? Because of me?
"You were so persistent with taking me back with you," he continued, not minding his cracking voice. "You never gave up. You really wanted me to come home! And I was a fool to refuse!
"I thought that if I'd decline, I'd forget about you- but it was impossible. And now that you came back; I don't know if I should go on with this life in Otto…"
I wanted to speak, but I really yearned for more of his words. He said that he had missed me and he knew how much I had missed him; so I decided to just listen to him. But he didn't say anything more after that, so it was my turn to speak.
"Then why won't you come with us?" I said. "If you really want to, we can just get out of here now!"
"I can't," he said, "I still have to pursue my ideal: to avenge my clan. I need to become stronger to face Itachi on my own."
"But…"
"I am sorry, Naruto…"
"I need you, Sasuke!" I didn't know where it came from; probably from the deepest part of my heart.
"What?"
He was looking at me with an expression I'm not sure of. As if he was shocked and flattered at the same time.
"I said," my voice was shaking, "I need you. I need you back. You were the only one who meant the whole world to me. You're my friend!
You may have come this far just for the brother you've hated so much, but I…" I clenched my fist as I felt my heart race faster and faster. Friend? Still there was a tiny possibility that I see him more than just a friend. "I did everything I could for a friend whom I've cared about for a long time, believe it!"
He let out a short 'hn' through his nose. "I see you're still into that 'believe it' catchphrase…"
Tears came falling down my burning cheeks as Sasuke's hand grabbed my shoulder. It was gentle, but I seemed that it weighed me down to my knees. I felt him push me back slowly, and I followed until my back reached the wall.
I didn't know what to do. Sasuke's face was closer to mine as ever, and his hand slid up from my shoulder to my jaw; causing me to flinch and close my eyes by reflex. I had never even dreamed of having this kind of moment with him, but I was ready. I have finally realized how much I have cared about him.
"Naruto," I heard him whisper and I opened my eyes. "I'm sorry…"
Just come back home with me… Please… My mind was screaming so loud I wouldn't be surprised if Sasuke had heard it.
"I can't come back to Konoha," I heard him say, "Not yet."
I didn't know if I should get frustrated or rejoice at what he had just said.
"Not yet?" I repeated.
"When the time comes, Naruto, I'll make sure I return to Konoha. I'll make sure I'll return to you."
I still hadn't stopped crying. I had chosen to be happy that I can finally not hope for his return; but to wait for it.
"Promise me," I cried, "that you'll be back."
"I promise."
"I'll wait for you."
"I bet that you have gotten used to that, anyway."
We both laughed difficultly. But I stopped when he traced a finger on my cheek to wipe off my tears. I didn't even have to guess what we were about to do. Our faces were just too close; I could feel him breathe completely. His exposed chest from the white robe he was wearing was pressed upon mine that I could feel every beat of his heart with my own.
He closed his eyes as he leaned in, and before I knew it, we were kissing. It was a whole new feeling. As if our true emotions came flowing out and into each other's mouths, telling us that everything was happening the way it should be. The whole world had stopped and it remained that way until we pulled apart.
We were both breathing heavily as our foreheads rested on each other.
"I'll wait for you, Sasuke," I said yet again.
With that, he gave my hand one last squeeze, and walked to the closed door. I noticed that he did a hand sign that was used to make shadow clones. Did he deactivate something?
"This is the first door near the entrance," he said, and I nodded my head in reply. "My shadow clones had just brought your captain and your teammates outside. You can go to them, now."
"They left without even fighting you?"
"Actually, they're unconscious. They met Kabuto along the way when they were still inside... He must've done something to them. You'd better go." He wasn't even looking at me anymore.
"Sasuke," I said softly. I smiled when he turned to face me once more. He was wearing his usual arrogant grin, just like when we were kids.
"Ja ne, Naruto." And he disappeared in flames which lit up the whole room for a second.
The coast was clear in the hallways, so I easily got out of the cave. And there, I saw Sakura, Sai and Captain Yamato getting up; they probably had just come around from what Kabuto had done to them.
"Are you alright guys?" I shouted as I ran towards my team.
"Naruto!" Sakura jumped up and gave me a quick hug. "I thought we've lost you!"
Captain Yamato was dusting off his shoulders when he explained that Sai told them what had happened.
"Is it true, Naruto?" said Sakura, as she let go of me, "Sasuke-kun took you with him?"
"You sound like you don't believe me, Sakura," Sai said innocently, his smile looking as natural as ever. I didn't want to tell them exactly what had happened, but I just had to lead them off.
"Yeah," I answered with a strained smile. "But he still wouldn't come with us."
The mood turned grim for a moment, but a tiny ray of hope shone through as I assured them of something.
"But I am sure," I added, "that he'll be back."
I saw Sakura smile at my words.
"I can promise you that. Believe it!"