Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Wish I did, but that's not gonna happen.
Sorry if the Character seem a bit OOC, I tried to avoid it, but it didn't really work.
Rated M for cussing, violence, Lemons, violent lemons, oh, and angst. (Although, I don't really get how angst can really be considered M…), oh and possible character death. (Still deciding on that though)
Italics are thoughts or flashbacks; bold print is usually Kyuubi.
Dedicated to my BFF Em. Luvs ya bunches.
"Dobe, just give it up." Sasuke smirked. Naruto was trying, yet again, to drag him home. It wasn't happening.
"Damn it! Sasuke, you're a pain in the ass, you know?" Naruto yelled. He was slumped, defeated, against a tree and bleeding profusely.
"Yeah, I know. But hey, It works for me," Sasuke said. He started walking away, toward the tree line where he knew Orochimaru and Kabuto awaited him.
"Teme, get back here, I'm not through with you!" Naruto called after him. The blonde was barely holding himself up against the tree.
"Yes you are," he called back over his shoulder. He disappeared into the thick foliage. but he didn't leave. He waited to make sure Sakura found him before he bled to death. He didn't want to kill Naruto, but the blonde was making it very hard not too.
"Oh my G-d!" Sakura exclaimed, seeing Naruto. She ran over and checked for a pulse.
"I'm alive," he replied wearily. Naruto was barely clinging to conscienceness. He wasn't going to admit that Sasuke had beat him, again.
"Sasuke's gone too far this time, he nearly killed you!" Sakura stressed, chakra forming around her hands as she healed her teammate.
"Nearly, but he didn't. He could have, but he stopped, he's keeping me alive, and I don't know why." Naruto confessed. Hinata and Shikamaru appeared by the duo.
"There over here! Hurry up," Shikamaru called out, to whom Naruto wasn't sure.
"Naruto…" Sakura sighed. I want Sasuke back too, but not if it means getting myself killed, she thought to herself. She sill loved Sasuke, but more like a brother now.
"Don't criticize me, Sakura. If you don't want to help anymore, don't. Leave, get out of here. I don't care," Naruto said angrily. The rest of the group appeared in the clearing. Kiba, Chouji, Lee, Neji, they were all helping, but none of them really wanted to be there.
"I'm not criticizing you. I just think we should head back to Konaha, or on to Suna. We all need a break, you most of all. In the past week you've fought Sasuke four times, and you've-" Sakura commented.
"And I've lost everytime, yes, Sakura I know, thank you soooo much for pointing that out." Naruto snapped, cutting her off.
"Don't get mad at her, she's not the one getting her ass kicked around like a dead baby," Neji said. He hadn't been in the best mood for a few days. They were all pretty on edge, at each other's throats constantly. Arguing over the smallest things. Maybe we should head back…Naruto thought, I can't. I have to bring Sasuke back.
"You guys go ahead. Go back to Konaha, or Suna, and get some rest. Eat some good food, then find me," Naruto instructed.
"You're coming with us, though, right N-Naruto?" Hinata stuttered. Her speech had gotten a lot better, but she still couldn't say more then a few sentences around Naruto without stuttering.
"No. I'm not going back unless Sasukes with me. Not when I'm - we're - so close." The blonde replied. He got up, despite Sakura's protest.
"Oh no, I don't think so, you're coming with us," the medical ninja demanded.
"I agree, we'll drag you back if we have to." Lee added.
"Plus, you have all the money and I want some good food, maybe barbecue!" Chouji said enthusiastically. The others laughed.
Sasuke watched as Sakura healed Naruto. Not that she had much to do, the fox was working faster then she could.
He leaned against a tree, completely exhausted. Damn dobe. Four fights in a week. How does he do it? I'm at the edge here, and he always manages to snap right back up like a fucking weed! Sasuke complained to himself.
"Damn Sasuke, he's really working you over this week." Kabuto noted, healing the teen.
"Shut up, Kabuto." He hissed.
"Why don't you just kill that worthless loser-" Kabuto didn't have a chance to blink before Sasuke had him pinned to an adjacent tree, kunai pressed against the soft flesh of his throat.
"If you ever say anything about Naruto again, I'll make sure you never speak again." Sasuke threatened, pushing the knife in until a trickle of blood ran from beneath the blade.
"I'd be careful, Kabuto, Sssassuke doesssn't make idle threatsss," Orochimaru hissed. He slithered up next to them.
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry, I take it back," Kabuto said in defeat. Sasuke released him.
"Not to mention, you wouldn't last five minutes against that 'worthless loser', Kabuto." Sasuke added.
In the end, Sakura, Hinata, Neji, Lee, Shikamaru, Chouji, and Kiba had had to drag Naruto, kicking and screaming, back to Konaha. They forced him to take a break, much to the blonde's dislike.
"Every minute I spend here, Sasuke gets father and farther away!" complained the day-glow-orange ninja. Some one was always with him so he wouldn't take off.
"We'll be leaving again in two days. Will you please just relax and stay put until then, Naruto, so the rest of us can get a break!" Sakura complained. She had just taken her shift for watching him.
Naruto sighed. His shoulders slumped, "Fine. I'll relax."
"Promise?"
"I promise. I won't leave the village until you, Neji, Hinata, Shikamaru, Kiba, Chouji and Lee are ready to go. Okay?"
"Thank you." She sighed, "I'll see you later, Naruto."
Naruto shrugged and walked in the opposite direction. Maybe I'll go get some ramen. I haven't had any in a while. The idea just didn't appeal to Naruto; he walked right past the shop.
"Since when do you pass up Ichiraki (that is soooo not spelled right) Ramen?" A voice said from the shop. Iruka was watching Naruto.
"Oh, Hi Iruka-sensei." Naruto said sadly.
"What's up Naruto? I haven't seen you in months. Come on, I'll buy." Iruka said, waving him over.
"Nah, I'm not really hungry," the blonde said, starting to walk away. Iruka got up and followed him
"What's up, Naruto?" Iruka asked, confused by his former students' behavior.
"The some thing that's been up for the last year. No matter what I do, Sasuke still won't come back. I mean, I know he wants to kill his brother and all, but he couldn't have just asked us for help? We're his team, we're supposed to look out for each other, and help one another. Right?" Naruto asked his former sensei.
"Yes, but Sasuke's always been a loner, Naruto, you know that. Plus, he doesn't want to lose anyone else, especially you and Sakura. You're his best friend, Naruto. I'm sure when he's done that he has to do, he'll come back on his own."
"That's what everyone keeps saying. 'Oh, he'll come back', but I know he won't. Sakura may say he will, but deep down, she knows I'm right." The blonde said sadly, hating to admit it.
"When are you leaving again?" Iruka asked suddenly. Naruto gave him a 'and why do you think I'm leaving again' look.
"Oh please, Naruto. You're the most persistent person I have ever known. You're not just going to give up. Especially on something like this." He pointed out.
"Two days. Sakura, Neji, Lee, Hinata, Shikamaru, Chouji and Kiba are making me wait for them."
"And you're listening?" Iruka asked, strangely confused.
"Yeah…" the blonde said, stopping by his apartment door, "I'll see you later sensei."
"Okay, bye Naruto." Iruka said as he watched the blonde. I hope Sasuke knows what he's doing to Naruto…
Naruto laid on his bed, feet hanging over the edge. He was staring at the pictures that had been taken of team 7 over the years. The last one, however, was just he and Sakura. Naruto had meant to take them down so many times over the years, but he never could. Something always stopped him from doing it.
He got up and walked over to the wall, meaning to tear the pictures off. But, just like every other time, he couldn't. He stopped everytime he looked at the picture he was going to take off. The one taken right after Kakashi had passed them. We were so uncoordinated. I don't know how we ever got through that fight with Zabuza… he remembered how he thought Haku had killed Sasuke. He couldn't remember why he was pissed and sad at the same time though.
Sasukes never coming back, team 7 is finished. The only way to get Sasuke back now is to kill him. But Sakura sure as hell won't. Kiba, Chouji, and Shikamaru could honestly care less. Neji and Hinata, well, Neji might, but who knows why Hinata's even a ninja. I won't, that's for damn sure. Plus, what would have been the point of chasing him down to bring him back alive for all this time, if we just end up killing him. I could have done that several times over by now.
Naruto stared at the wall, trying to get some clue as to how to bring his best friend and rival back without killing him.
I'd have to kill Itachi… Wait a minute… The blondes' face lit up; I know how to get him to come back. And his older brother is going to help… I have to find Akatsuki.
Okay, so I hope that wasn't too bad. If I need to fix anything, just tell me. Especially if it's grammer or something, because English is my worst subject, even though it's the only language I speak.
Anyway, if it completely sucks, tell me. So see ya in the next chapter!