Naruto heard screams from the area near his tree. The tree had been his place of comfort since he was a child. Now, his tree had academy students crowded around the base. Shikamaru pushed out of the crowd towards him.

"Naruto, you should go home," the Chuunin said. He didn't sound like he was trying to make him. He stuck his hands in his pockets and scowled at the ground to his right. "The Hokage will call for you later."

"What's with all the people?" the fox-boy asked curiously. "Did something happen? Is someone hurt?"

The other boy sighed lazily, but stepped aside.

Naruto pushed through the crowd and froze as he reached the bottom of the tree. Tears came to his eyes as he stared down.

Sasuke, Naruto's best friend and biggest rival, sat against the tree. A kunai was sticking out of his chest with a note attached. There was another note clutched in his hand. His face was pale and his dark eyes were hidden behind his eyelids. Blood trailed from the corner of his mouth from the punctured lungs.

Naruto could only stare, tears rolling down his cheeks. He started trembling.

Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage of the Hidden Leaf, pushed her way through the crowd. She checked Sasuke's still body, confirming he was dead to Naruto. She took the note from the hand and looked it over.

"It's to Naruto," she said as Kakashi walked up behind her. "He figured he was dying, but had some things to say." She handed it to the still Genin:

He took it and read:

"Naruto,

My revenge has been completed. My existence has come to an end. You tried to give me a better life and I'm thankful for that. I probably should have listened to you, but I didn't.

You saved my life more times than, I can count. I am weak and am not able to gain anymore power to even save my own life. I could, however, beat my brother without the legendary Sharingan. I couldn't kill you for it, anyway.

My only extra strength comes from the curse seal on my neck. I do not have the mysterious charka that you do.

No matter how strong I become, you always up me ten times. I could not win and cannot. I will no longer try to.

You are superior and I give up.

Do not cry over me. Smile and joke the way you always do. That's what this should be.

Laugh. Smile. Don't cry. Move on. I am dead now. I love you.

Sasuke"

Naruto's eyes shadowed over. His fists clenched, now at his sides, and the note crumpled. For the first time in his life, the carrier of the Nine-Tails felt sympathetic eyes on him.

The whole time, Tsunade was reading the other note. She turned to the Copy Ninja. "It seems he was fighting Itachi," she said. "He killed him, but got heavily injured in the process. If we don't hurry—" She was cut off by Naruto.

Naruto's rage was growing. The whisker marks on his cheeks were thicker. His eyes had grown larger and the pupils were slits. He was gritting his teeth together.

"Tsunade…" Kakashi whispered. His only visible eye was wide in fear.

She put two fingers to the nape of Naruto's neck. The boy's anger ceased and he fell unconscious.

Kakashi caught Naruto and carried him to a caged room in the hospital. He laid him on the bed. He left the room and sealed it.

Gai, the Sharingan Ninja's rival, approached the cage. "I heard what happened," he said.

"Watch him for me," Kakashi said. He turned and went in search of Tsunade. He found her leaning over a bed with a dark-haired boy in it.

"He's recovering slowly," she said, not looking up. "It might be a while before he wakes up." She looked at him. "How is he?"

Kakashi's eye was serious. "Gai's watching him right now," he said. "I have a feeling he's going to be fairly unreasonable."

What Kakashi said was an understatement. If it wasn't for the seal around the cage, Naruto would have destroyed all of Konoha. The Nine-Tails inside the boy continuously came through and threatened to break the seal. Kakashi was able to restrain it, but time was running short for the boy's temper.

After Naruto calmed down, he curled up into a ball and cried.

"Why did he have to die?" he asked himself out loud one night.

"Who died?" The voice was familiar, but it didn't register in Naruto's mind.

"Why did Sasuke have to die!" the crying boy screamed and started sobbing.

Arms wrapped around the curled-up boy. Naruto thought it was only his imagination until they lifted him up. He looked at the owner and his eyes went wide.

Sasuke was smiling softly and tears were falling down his cheeks. "I'm not dead," he whispered.

Naruto was very happy to see Sasuke. He flung his arms around his neck. He cried happily into his shoulder. The older boy rocked the other. They sat this way for a while.

"You're real…" Naruto whispered, having calmed down.

"Of course," he said, "you total moron."

A vain popped up on the blonde's forehead. "I'm not a moron."

"Yes, you are," the darker boy said. "You're by total moron." He leaned down and kissed him lightly.

Naruto was taken by surprised, but he returned it. He pulled the taller boy down on top of him.

It was Sasuke's turn to be surprised. He didn't complain, though. He wrapped his arms around his waist.

Naruto woke up the next morning. He was on the edge of the bed and couldn't see the other side. He started crying, thinking he had dreamed everything from the night before. The same arms from the "dream" wrapped around his waist from behind. Soft lips kissed his tears away.

"Why are you crying now, moron?" the lips whispered against his cheek.

The blonde smiled and closed his eyes. "I'm… happy," he lied. He moved closer to Sasuke.

"I love you," the Uchiha whispered.

The Nine-Tails carrier was silent for a minute before replying, "I love you, too." They both feel back asleep.

Kakashi checked on the boys around noon. He smiled into the cloth around his mouth. He walked away, looking for Tsunade. He found her in her office.

"How are they?" she asked. She was working on some papers and didn't look up.

"Asleep and very comfortable," he said, still smiling.

She looked up. "They aren't staring each other down?"

He shook his head. "Looks like they had even more fun." He smiled with his eye the way he only does.