A dark midnight. With only streetlights to guide him.
There was no way to deny it. It wasn't a trick of the light, but if it had been, the world would have found the wrath of one devastated blonde. Standing in front of him, was the one and only, Uchiha Sasuke.
His one and only love, his one and only best friend, and his one and only rival.
The epitome of perfection, of arrogance, of condescendence, of love.
And here he was, after ten years, standing in the middle of Konohagakure although he was a missing nin and the news was very well known to him. Although he was only mere inches away from forces that would not hesitate to take him down in all of a second.
And why? To finish his last deed with the blonde before running off to destroy his brother and to harness the man whom he had manage to suck into his body? To taunt the blonde's memory of his only time that he was thought of as anything besides dirt?
"No. I'm not here to do anything like that, Naruto."
Sure. He could say that with a straight face. Damn bastard. There was no reason for him to cover up anything when he could easily twist every little word because he was an Uchiha. Because he had the power to make anyone believe anything. So, he was here to try to convince the blonde that he was nothing and that his bonds were no longer there?
"I already said that I wasn't here to do that, Naruto?"
So it had to with the fact that he just wanted to check up on the blonde?
"Something like that."
Of course. So why was the bastard here?
"I need to tell you something before I leave again."
Silent skepticism was all the raven was met with.
"Are you going to listen to me, or run off and alert the village that I'm here?"
It all depended on how long it took for the ANBU to realize that he had entered the village.
"I'm sorry."
Again, the cynical blonde could only snort because he'd heard those words before. Many people had dared to say those words, and he could only recall that he wasn't very happy with the outcome. Either he'd been beat, spurned, or left behind to wilt away.
There was no reason to bother to listen to a word without interruption, because there was always a hidden message. What was it this time, a plea for him to—
"No! I already told you, I have no ill intentions. All I want is a chance for you to hear me out, Naruto."
So just because he had found his way back after being 'lost' for one hundred and twenty months, fifteen days, twenty-three minutes, and three seconds, he was suddenly to be forgiven? Was that it?
"No, I don't expect your forgiveness, but that is what I'm asking of you."
Well, there was a first time for everything.
"I need to inform you of what I've heard. It seems that someone outside of the village is searching for you."
So? There was just another person who wanted to use him? To do things to him that he didn't want? That wasn't anything new. He'd just meet that person head first as he had with all the others.
"I'm not sure that you're strong enough to take this person on your own."
Oh, so now he was worried about the blonde's abilities? Well, he could take that concern and shove it. It wasn't like he was going to be around long enough to have to follow through on this whim.
"Are you sure that you are strong enough?"
Now he was playing dumb, was he?
"I'm just concerned—"
Shut up with the damn angst already! Why couldn't he just leave? The blonde didn't need protection.
"So what if he happens to be watching you right now?"
Then he could go to hell! He would be better off showing his face instead of hiding like a coward.
"You're right. He might get somewhere if he came out and said what he needed to say instead of hiding like a frightened child."
Was he insinuating something? If he knew who the person then why would he lead the person here?! The village could be destroyed! The blonde cared little for his wellbeing; he just wished that the so-called prodigy of the Uchiha clan would have thought of this a little better.
"I did think this out well. Now, he has a chance to say what he wants."
The blonde couldn't sense anybody else. So where was the person who wanted him?
"Right in front of you."
He was kidding, right? So, he had wanted to kill—
"I love you, Naruto."
Why couldn't he just stop with the crap? First leaving him, then attacking him and leaving his newest friend injured, and then claiming that he loved him?! Why couldn't he just die?
"If that is what you want, I will do so."
Fine, he could go die! The blonde wouldn't care!
"Alright."
Wait! The blonde hadn't been serious when he'd said it! And the one time that he hadn't really meant anything by it, the bastard had just taken off and believed it! Why couldn't the man actually believe his truths?!
Couldn't he see that the blonde really did love him? That he was just too afraid to let his heart be touched again? That he wasn't going to be able to let him in as easily as he had in the past?!
Damn it!
"So, you want me to believe your truths? Then I will. If that's what you want."
Damn bastard! He couldn't just come out and say it like others, no, he had to go threatening to kill himself and disappear before finally saying anything!
Idiot.
"Then I will start by following through with a whim that I wanted a long time ago."
And how sweet it was.