Out of the Question (Do You Really Love Me?)
By .emo
Rating: T
Genre: General / Tragedy / Mystery / Romance
Category: Anime / Manga: Naruto
Setting: 'Prequel' to Naruto - Naruto Uzumaki: Age 7 - Alternate Universe
Prologue: The Night
"Daddy, no!" Uzumaki Naruto screamed, holding onto his father's clothes. With all his strength, he tried holding on - he was almost out of his father's reach.
Slowly Naruto was being pulled away from his father, which he gazed sadly at, his forehead burning and his face all sweaty; Naruto was only seven, yet so confused and hurt. He was supposed to have fun and run around, without a care in the world - he wasn't supposed to live knowing his own father didn't love him.
"I thought you loved me!" Naruto cried innocently, pushing his fingers through his father's robe. He continued to stare at his father's eyes, hoping it would somehow give his father mercy…Or empathy for his little young self.
"I do, son, but it's only for the best." His father held on weakly to his son, tears also streaming through his burning eyes. It pained him to see his son go, but it was the only choice he had for his reputation…And for the sake of his village.
As Naruto's father cried, it was harder for him to get a correct and firm grip to pull away his son. It was a painful act, an act he couldn't bring himself to do. Naruto kept his small hands locked onto his father's robe, nearly ripping his father's clothes apart. Although his fingers still managed to lock on his father's side, and even though his arms were stretched out to his own sake, his legs were being pulled away and were lifted in the air by two soldiers, by the direct order of his father.
"Father!" Naruto cried. His fingers slowly slipped away, a rip coming through his father's clothes. Naruto closed his eyes and tried forcing on more strength, until he was pulled away by a harder strength, too much for Naruto's little muscles to bare.
"Naruto!" His father shouted back, as Naruto was pulled away, and as he was being pulled back by another pair of soldiers, from ever seeing his son again.
Naruto was brought out of the village by the soldiers, and was swallowed up by the two burning flames surrounding the gate, where Naruto's father could no longer see them.
Naruto's father's voice was kept in little Naruto's head forever, from the day he was brought away by his own father's command, out of the village…For the so-called better good.
"Father!"
Naruto bolt upright, awoken from the dream. He held his forehead as it throbbed, and wiped off the sweat that trailed down his temples. He turned his head to his bedside stand, seeing the blurry numbers on the digital clock. It was four AM in the morning and his glass was empty beside him, where he forgot to refill it again the night before.
His headband gleamed menacingly under the weak moonlight, that slowly began to fade as the sun began to kick in. Naruto stood, feeling weak - as usual, after every nightmare - and reached for the glass, then crept to his bathroom.
He entered and turned on the lights with a swift movement, then stared at his tired reflection in the mirror. His necklace gleamed, the crystal glowing each night. The bags under his eyes began to worsen, and his eyes became more bloodshot each dreaded night.
He always stared at his tired and wrecked face, and saw himself that dreaded night…Where he was pulled away by the two soldiers…Who he thought were none other than two tall men standing beside his father's house. But now he looked at it different, especially since it was now his turn to control the soldiers.
But he knew better than to use his soldiers for that type of evil, to take away a child…Just for the 'sake' of the village. Naruto spat angrily and turned on the faucet sink, cold water rushing down into the sink bowl. Naruto held the glass under the faucet and let it fill, then twisted the faucet off until only small drops of water fell to the bowl.
Naruto gulped down half of the water, slipped back into bed and closed his head, hoping he would clear his mind. Of course, he would fall for the same old trick, and would only worsen his migrain. After all these dreams, he still couldn't figure it out. What was his father trying to tell him? If only he could travel back, to look more closely at what his father had meant the night before that scene…
…Being in those nightmares was one thing, but being stuck in them for more than one night was worse. Closing his eyes that dreaded night was a mistake, but he would eventually collapse anyway. Entering his next 'deep sleep', he tried seeking the right details…The right words.
If this was what it took to try and figure out what his father tried telling him, then Naruto would agree to it. But sadly, he had no choice, and closing his eyes forced him to do the one decision anyone wouldn't want to do. And it was, indeed, to go into a long, deep sleep, and no, it wasn't death…Because death itself wouldn't choose to go into a long comma, but would rather die than suffer the pain again…