Don't own Naruto and all that jazz
I don't mean for this to take over the other story, just struggling to juggle writing with other stuff
This story will also be finished but will be mainly only be used as filler for the other one, as I have a lot of this one already written
Sorry chaps!
I will really try harder to do stuff for the other and update it ASAP
Chapter 1- Aftermath
Naruto walked slowly through the forest back towards Konoha, his breaths where labored and slow.
He leaned against a tree and slowly slipped downwards, he just hadn't the energy to stop himself, and his exhaustion was far too great.
Naruto ground his teeth and waited for the taste of grit and soil that was about to fill his mouth, but it never came. Instead he opened his eyes to reveal that his head had come to rest on the shoulder of a Jonin jacket.
"Good job" said Kakashi as Naruto slowly raised his head,
"Kakashi Sensei" he managed.
"Lean on me Naruto" he said with both concern and relief.
Naruto complied and slumped holey onto his shoulders. Kakashi eased him up so that he could carry him, and they began their walk back through the woods of Konoha, as they walked, Kakashi glanced at Naruto who was spaced out and had a content smile on his face.
"He has gotten heavy" thought Kakashi as they came to the border of the leaf village.
A loud cheering met the two as they exited the woods which perked Naruto's interest
"Hmm?" he though aloud. As they crested the hill, he caught sight of the whole of Konoha cheering his name.
"Welcome home!" shouted one man;
"I knew you could do it!" shouted another.
Kakashi lowered Naruto onto the ground and steadied him with his hand.
Naruto stood perplexed to the crowd, Kakashi smiling softly beneath his mask "They've all been awaiting your return Naruto-you did well" said Kakashi placing his other hand on his shoulder.
A crowd of children ran to greet Naruto and began bombarding him with questions his mind was too overcome to take; he stood puzzled-
"What is this feeling?" he thought. His friends began walking towards him, Sakura in the lead, she practically ran up to him
"You reckless idiot!" she shouted before cuffing him around the head, as he fell forward, she hugged him tightly and then she understood that she had been worried about him the whole time.
She released him gently and he looked around his friends with fogged over eyes, they stood around him with smiles all around, congratulating him, all but one.
"Hinata" he breathed "Hinata is she alright?!" he burst out looking around again frantically, tears beginning to sting his eyes.
"Naruto...I-I'm fine" came a small voice from behind Kiba, he and Shino parted and she stood there beaming with happiness with a distinct pink flush about her face.
He hurried to her just to check for himself if she seemed fine, her wound through her chest he has seen Pein inflict on her before he was overtaken with anguish was completely gone, she looked perfectly healthy.
He sniffed deeply and rubbed his eyes, tears falling in earnest.
"I'm so happy..." Naruto said quietly and he face too began to flush a crimson colour.
He was just about to add something when the rush of the crowd reached him and began tossing him about in the air like the true hero that he was.
Naruto turned in his bed, switching his pillows to get the cold side once again. Two things had been bothering him, one was the promise he made to Pein before his passing.
"How do I achieve global peace on the shinobi world...?" Naruto thought aloud.
"If only Ero-Sanin was still around, he'd know how to start".
He thought for a long while before turning over clockwise again onto his front. The other matter that bothered him, Hinata, she had told him she had loved him just before the finale in the fight against Pein.
"Does she really actually like me?" he said quietly, "After all the time I've known her, that nervousness she had around me...and...It flew completely over my head this whole time..."
Naruto blushed inwardly and his chest tightened somewhat, what could he say to her, he had never spoken of love to anyone before...except without receiving a large punch in the face and a follow up lecture about how cool and sexy Sasuke was.
"Sasuke" he said in monotone before rubbing his eyes and snuggling up into his sheets again, "What are you doing right now Sasuke...?".
Sasuke walked along the forest track, his team following in his wake, Karin, ever arguing with Suigestsu and Jugo carrying on his pointless pursuit of calming the two down.
He approached the sign at the junction and eyed them intently in the moonlight night.
Without a sound he turned down the left route and kept walking, his features solid and his heart cold.
"I'm coming Itachi, you will pay for what you have done" he thought, as the four outcasts disappeared into the night.