AUTHOR'S NOTE: So, this goes along more with the anime. I would say it's a year after the three year mark we all famously know, and Naruto and Sasuke fought again. This is the outcome. It's kind of sloppy, but I was just trying to get my creative juices running for something else :3 Please be kind with reviews, it goes from GREAT to bleh.

Also, I just realized how short it is.

-shrug-

Different voices sneaked their way into Naruto's mind, each carrying a different face with them. Some agreed on slandering him, spitting out the same enraged, rotten words. They called him a traitor; a snake trying to disguise himself as a hawk.

Rival.

Enemy.

Stranger.

Others though disagreed with the decayed view of him some carried on their shoulders. The words spoken by them were kind, but filled with sadness. They ached, watching as the wounded hawk stumbled around aimlessly in the dark. They wanted to be the light that reached him, but he would stumble away from them. He'd stumble away from every single attempt to open his eyes. Except for this one.

Comrade.

Ally.

Friend.

Naruto took a deep breath, his chest throbbing as his lungs expanded. If he felt pain, that meant he was alive. Smirking to himself, he knew he would have to thank Sakura for making him take those pills before he had come here. Still, his entire body was sore. Shifting his vision to the left he could see the other boy's body on the ground, the black coat with red clouds he wore before torn to shreds beside him. His complete upper body was exposed, lacerations and crimson droplets scattered across his flesh. He was facing up just like Naruto was, his eyes closed.

He looked peaceful for once. The torment of his clan and the world around him was gone when he was resting. His lips were relaxed, the depressing grimace he usually had painted on was nowhere in sight. Then the thought hit him: he could be dead. Sasuke could be dead. Naruto forced himself up with his elbows, falling back down onto the soggy ground when he tried to lift his lower limbs up. He landed with a groan, the wounds on his back cursing him for being stubborn.

"Dobe…stay lying down."

"S-Sasuke? You're not dead?"

"Hmph," the black haired boy muttered, glancing over at Naruto. His eyes were back to normal, the sharingan switched off. "Like I'd let you kill me."

"Yeah." Naruto hissed, trying to force himself back up again. Sasuke watched as the boy struggled, his body falling back down more than once. Finally though, the blonde haired idiot managed to get up. He stood still for a moment before making his way over to the body resting on the floor. Each step he took felt like a stab to his leg, but he didn't care. He had to reach Sasuke.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke questioned, trying to get up himself. A jolt of pain sprung throughout his body, his eyes closing tightly in agony. He took a deep breath, calming himself down. He opened his eyes to see Naruto hovering above him, his blue eyes locked onto his black ones. He had no more chakra for the sharingan, and if he did, he wasn't even going to bother.

"Are you feeling guilty? Is that why you do this to yourself?"

Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows, what was Naruto talking about?

"I don't know what you're saying."

"You..you weren't strong enough to stop Itachi back when he killed your family. You struggled your whole life just to get back at him, just to kill him…you finally do. And what? He turned out to be protecting you. You weren't able to protect the things that meant the most to you. Is that why you do this? Is that why you punish yourself?" Naruto questioned, his voice showing no sign of emotion. It was just a monotone noise speaking to Sasuke.

"You're wrong. I don't feel guilty..I don't feel anything."

"You feel lonely, don't you?"

Sasuke's eyes widened. That caught him off guard. He knew he was alone, he had forced himself to be. Why though? Why had he? No. No, it didn't matter. It was necessary to reach his goal. But, what came after? What if he achieved goal? There'd be no-one to share his accomplishment with. Hell, there wouldn't be anyone to even look at. Sasuke was lonely, as much as he tried to deny it. There was an empty pit dwelling in him, covered by his fake ambitions and goals. Naruto slowly was peeling the cover away, letting all the hurt out. Naruto stared down at Sasuke, the last question he had asked apparently a hard one to think about. His friend's black eyes suddenly closed, a single tear falling from each.

"It's okay." Naruto breathed, watching as more tears fell. Sasuke's eyes opened again, their attention entirely on the boy above him.

"I don't deserve to have you come after me. I shouldn't go back. They all hate me. Don't you understand that? I'm the enemy."

"Ha! It doesn't matter what they think, you have me, Sakura, Sensei, and everyone else that knew you. We don't hate you. We want you back. It hurts us to watch you like this." Naruto chuckled, lifting one of his arms behind his head.

"Naruto, I-I."

"Don't be stubborn, teme. You have no reason to stay away any longer."

Confidence flickered into Naruto's eyes, the corner of his lips twitching up into a smile.

"You're finally coming home, aren't you?" Naruto questioned. Relief had begun to bloom throughout his body. Maybe, just maybe, this four-year ordeal was finally over.

"Yeah. I guess I am, dobe." Sasuke murmured, his own lips turning into a small, shy smile.