It's Been Years…
"It's been years since I felt this empty. I was so happy, we were happy, and then this happens? How could something like this happen? Why would something like this occur? All these years have been a waste. Why?" -Hinata
It had been years since last seeing that place. Years since graduating from the academy. Years since returning to that town. Years since returning to all those childhood memories. All those childhood dreams. All those childhood desires. Years since last seeing her team. Seeing their faces. Seeing their progress. Seeing their lives move forward. Years since last hearing their voices. His voice.
Unfortunately, years had been too long. Years that dragged on with no end, finally had found their destiny. Their finale. Their final days, for the one who'd done so much. The one who seemed, though not the same all those years ago, to mean so much to everyone.
Sakura had been silently sitting at home that night, settling down from all the running she'd done that day, when she'd received the news from a solemn Kiba at her door. Those days she had been training under a sensei. These days she was working along side a trainer as a traveling medic. An assistant if you will. It was what got her by the days and being around the kids, remembering all the times she'd messed up, or accomplished something incredible. It made her feel better about leaving. Deep inside, it put her mind at ease.
But now of all times, this had to happen? Now of all times, why did the inevitable have to occur? She was stuck in a state of utter and complete disbelief when she'd heard the news. Every word Kiba had said in that small moment, every word struck her hard. The way he said it, just made her want to say no. It couldn't be. Just the way he spoke to her. The way he said her name, so painfully full of sorrow and remorse. Regret and disappointment. Those four simple words, how could they be so hurtful? How could what he said pain her so much? It wasn't until that very moment when he'd finished, that she realized how much that boy meant to her. How much she needed him. Just those words…
"Sakura," Kiba paused and took a deep breath. "Naruto…he's dead."
Just those words, caused her to realize how much she knew him. How much she missed him. How much she needed him to still be there.
Naruto had become Hokage, just like he had always been saying. He made his dreams come true and he was recently on his way to becoming one of the greatest rulers that village had ever seen. But despite his efforts, death soon beat him in a game of life. No one really knew what happened or how he died. There were no signs of a fight other than a few scratches here and there that he had on his body. They said he had looked peaceful and completely normal for dying so suddenly.
But sadly enough…this tragedy is what brought us here this day. After it's been years, this is the event that brought us…all…back…
"As this rain falls, onto us today, we are cleansed of our turmoil. Our hatreds. Our grudges. Even our jealousy. We are washed in the grief and the misery of losing one, Naruto Uzumaki, to the battles of life and the struggles of the path he chose. May he rest in peace, forever more."
As the rain fell, harder and harder by every passing moment, the ceremony was ended with Tsunade's final words and the people of Konoha began to depart. Tear filled eyes and trembling hands. Everyone was hurt. Everyone was regretful.
I can't believe it finally happened. It's been years, but I can't believe it happened so soon. This just…can't be. -Sakura
Sakura turned and walked away slowly after most everyone had already gone. Her eyes fell on the ground, hard, and didn't shift for anything. After she was out of sight, she began to cry, and did not stop for anything.
Ino was standing next to Hinata holding onto her shoulders as tears flooded her eyes. Losing a friend, let alone a loved one is not easy on one's heart. Nor is it good for their soul. Hinata was dying inside, as it stood, because the only one whom she ever loved, was gone for good. Ino gave her arms one last gentle squeeze and turned away towards where Shikamaru and Kiba stood.
"Almost makes you sick, don't it?" Kiba shoved his hands in his pockets and kicked the pebbles beneath his feet.
"Hell, makes me feel like dying for him." Shikamaru looked up as Ino came within feet of him.
"I'll see you at home, babe." She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek and looked towards Kiba. "I'm sorry, Kiba. This is never something that anyone should have to endure." She bowed slightly and began to walk away. "Goodbye." With that, she left and Kiba and Shikamaru were left to stare at the newly dug grave and the broken Hinata crying over it.
"How long you guys been together now?"
"Kiba, this is not the time."
"How long?"
Shikamaru sighed and stuck his left hand in his pocket letting his right one hang loosely at his side.
"Four years." He paused and looked up to Hinata. "Last month."
"Wow." Kiba paused and shook his head with a slight smile on his face. "Four years." He pointed to Hinata and spoke a bit quieter. "Two and a half." He sighed and thought a moment. "Two, three, four, seven, ten." He paused and looked at Shikamaru through the corner of his eyes. "It's been nine years since the day we graduated." He took a deep breath.
"What were those other numbers?" He looked over to Kiba who slowly raised his head.
"Two years for them," he pointed to Hinata once more. "Three years since Shino died." He frowned a bit more as he continued. "Four for you. Seven for Neji and Ten." He paused yet again and looked at Shikamaru finally. "And ten since the day Naruto proved us all wrong."
Shikamaru thought for a moment and a small smirk came upon his face. "How shit happens." He shook his head and looked back to Hinata.
They both watched silently for a few minutes, as Hinata just stood motionless in front of the towering tombstone.
"So it seems everyone showed up for this, huh?" Shikamaru and Kiba both turned around in surprise upon hearing a voice from behind them. To their utter relief it was simply Neji returning from his far off position of earlier. He took a step up so he was standing in between them and sighed.
Kiba and Shikamaru turned their heads back to look at Hinata as Neji did as well.
"Not everyone." Shikamaru said solemnly. Neji looked at him out of the corner of his eyes, then to Kiba who was staring into the dull and dreary sky. Neji set a strong hand on his shoulder and Kiba's eyes snapped to the ground catching Neji slightly with his peripheral vision.
"Sometime it'll be just like the old days. The worst mistake you can ever make is to cage yourself up." Kiba nodded slightly and Neji took his hand from its place on his shoulder as he walked forward to the fallen Hinata. There were a few words and murmurs whispered through the tears, but soon Neji scooped her up in his arms and walked away from the memorial, leaving Kiba and Shikamaru completely alone.
There was a long moment of silence before Kiba's soft voice broke it slowly.
"You weren't talking about Shino, were you?"
"Didn't think you'd realize."
"You're not dumb, Shikamaru, and you don't treat people like they are either. Obviously he wouldn't be here. He's long gone."
"So you did catch it. Think Neji did?"
"Nah. Didn't even register." Kiba sighed and pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and a lighter. He pulled one stick from the box with his pointed teeth and lit the end taking a few puffs. He held the box out to Shikamaru who eyed it warily then carefully pulled one out putting it into his own mouth as he retrieved his own lighter from his pocket and made the end glow.
"Didn't know you smoked." Kiba spoke as Shikamaru lit his punk and then waved out the lighter and replaced it in his pocket.
"Could say the same about you."
"Started after Shino died." He took another drag and blew the smoke up into the air above him.
Shikamaru took a quick puff and pulled the cigarette from his mouth and looked at it.
"Ino doesn't like it. I've been tryin' to quit."
"Harder habit to break than you'd think, huh?"
They both chuckled slightly before it was quickly wiped away. Kiba sighed and Shikamaru tilted his head back and looked at the dark, rolling clouds.
"So, how long do you think the sky's going to look this dead?"
Kiba took in a deep breath and looked up for himself for a moment, then dropped it back down to take another drag before speaking.
"Not sure. It's been years since I've seen the world so dull…"
Kakashi sighed deeply, staring at the large black plaque where his closest friend laid, gone. He stood under the chilling shade of a nearby tree, which he was leaning against, and just stared at the dull shine of the rock. He remembered all the years he spent training with his team. Then, he ventured into his thoughts reminiscing upon the days of training his own team. Sakura, Sasuke, and…Naruto…
Naruto…damn that kid for being great. He was something else. Seems so unreal. Seems like it could never have happened. Hell, something isn't right. It's been years, and this is all there is left of what matters. -Kakashi
"Still sulking, I see." Kakashi glanced in the direction from where the voice came from. It took a second to realize, but Kakashi soon remembered the voice of one, Sasuke Uchiha.
"Didn't think you were comin' back."
"Didn't think I was either."
"So why the change of mind?"
"I've got some things to take care of."
"Such as?"
"Well now that Naruto's dead and out of the picture, there're some things I have to do. Some things that were started that can now finally be finished."
"So I can only assume this meeting was just sheer accident?"
"Wrong. It's been years. Real it seems, but it was just sheer imagination." Suddenly, Sasuke disappeared and Kakashi just ignored the fact that he was ever there.
Shikamaru threw the used cigarette to the ground and rubbed it out with his foot much like the three previous buds. He sighed and looked up.
"Life is so troublesome." He threw his hands into his pockets and looked over to Kiba who was taking a drag on his fourth cigarette.
"How so?" He spoke before taking another short puff.
"Because of this."
"Because of death?"
"Because of having to die." He sighed. "And because of having to live."
"I think the grief's goin' to your head."
"Think about it. People are brought into this world for one reason. It's not to become great. It's not to save. It's not to defeat. It's to die. We are born, we live, and we die. That's all there is to look forward to. Everything in between the beginning and the end is just worthless."
"Ya know, all that starin' off into space you do gives you too much time to think."
"That's what I've been tellin' myself for years."
"Yeah. Ah hell, what do ya say we go drink away our grief?" Kiba dropped his burning bud to the ground and set a hand on Shikamaru's shoulder and Kiba watched the contemplation in his face.
"Nah, I gotta get home, though we both know how much I'd love to join you, I've got other things to worry about."
"Yeah, yeah. You and your family and all." Kiba sighed and looked back to Naruto's grave. "What could've been, right?"
"What's the point anymore?" Kiba put one more punk in his mouth. Lighting it, they bother turned and took a couple steps away.
"How easily you've started to give up over the years." There was a pause as Shikamaru and Kiba turned to face the owner of the deep voice. "Such a disappointment."
"Sasuke." Kiba's eyes widened slightly as he stood ready to fight back in the case that Sasuke attacked.
"I'm insulted, Kiba. Don't you think that if I came here to hill you, I would've done it by now?"
Shikamaru took a step forward to stand just a little bit in front of Kiba.
"What do you want here Sasuke?"
"What does it matter if it's nothing to do with you?"
"Because you no longer belong here Uchiha."
"And if I told you I have unfinished business?"
He came to say good-bye. 'Bout time that bastard got some Goddamn sense. It's been years, but I never expected him to find it this soon. -Shikamaru
Shikamaru stared at him for a moment longer and saw the look in his eyes. He recognized that look. It was the same look in his eyes that he had the night he had come back. That same night he left. It was the same look he had in his eyes when he saw Sakura crying for him.
"Make it quick, and get out of here." Sasuke nodded his head slightly. Shikamaru whispered something in Kiba's ear and after a short, confused look he turned to walk away. "I don't wanna see you here again, Sasuke." He turned to walk away but stopped feeling a hand on his shoulder pulling him back. He didn't turn, just listened.
"Shikamaru…" he paused and Shikamaru just waited. "Where is Sakura?"
"I could only assume home, wishing and hoping her life away."
"Cryin'?
"Who knows? It's a new Sakura. Things change." Shikamaru shook his hand from his shoulder and began walking after Kiba, but spoke his last words just loud enough for Sasuke to hear. "That's what happens when it's been years."
Things really do change more than you'd expect as the years go by. So unreal, unlikely. That's how it feels all the time. I never expected Hinata to be happy. I never expected Shino would be gone. I never expected Shikamaru would learn to have the patience for kids…his own and those at the academy in the years later. I never expected Naruto to achieve what he'd said he always would. More so, I never expected he's die before he got the real chance to show people what he could do. To prove us all wrong. I never expected him to come back, let alone to see him. I never expected him to want to say good-bye. I never expected Sasuke ever felt anything but hate towards Naruto. It's been years, and so much has changed. -Kiba
So here I am, Naruto. It's been years. It took me those years, but I finally heard you calling out to me. Too bad I was too late. Standing here makes me remember how much I still hate you. But then again, it won't be the same without you around. Hope you're happy. Hope you're havin' a great time wherever the hell you've ended up. Just thought I'd come by, take one last look. Give you yours, and say. . . -Sasuke
Sasuke turned away and, before disappearing once again, thought one last word…
Goodbye. . . -Sasuke