Disclaimer: Sasuke has that damned assbow. So obviously, I don't own Naruto.
Warnings: Angst
Title: Heart
Summary: Post Chapter 310. Naruto rants in the forest at night, and encounters an old friend.
Heart
by: Boshoku
An angry fist pounded into the bark of the tree.
He was right there! RIGHT THERE, and you couldn't even touch him!
Punch, kick, jab, pant. Naruto's fury was far from spent.
Damn it! Why couldn't I do anything?
"Naruto."
Before he knew it, he whirled around, fist flying towards the intruder's face. A hand snatched his out of midair, forcing it down.
Sapphire blue met onyx-rimmed slate.
Heart pounding in his chest, he registered the face of the other person.
"Sasuke…"
The name was choked out, almost incoherently, as he tried to decipher the look in the other's eyes. It was odd to see them without Sharingan these days…
The look in his eyes was almost…dead. For all he knew, it was Kabuto animating a walking corpse.
But somehow, he knew, he just knew, that this was Sasuke.
And that hurt most of all.
"YOU BASTARD!"
His other hand curled into a fist, flying towards Sasuke's face.
He didn't even try to block it. A muffled thump rang through the air.
Sasuke's head was bowed to the side, black bangs shadowing his face.
Naruto winced. That's going to bruise in the morning…
However, his temper still raged.
"Are you crazy? After almost three years, you just showed up and start spouting all that crap about breaking bonds? Kami, you sound like Neji and all that shit he kept saying about fate and destiny! What gives you the right to just toy with our minds like that? Come on, Sasuke, answer me!"
His last sentence was punctuated with a sudden shove that smacked Sasuke into the tree behind them.
"What gives you the right to come after me, then?"
Naruto blinked at the quiet sentence.
"Like I said, how are you going to become Hokage if you keep doing stupid things that are going to get you killed?" Impassive eyes looked up. "I told you not to come after me for a reason."
Naruto suddenly snarled. "What, you think I'm going to let myself get killed by some stupid snake like Orochimaru?" He leaned in towards Sasuke's face. "You are one of the first people who ever acknowledged me. And you are my best friend. You are mine, Uchiha Sasuke, more than you will ever know." Suddenly, Naruto grabbed him in a fierce hug. You're a lot more than my best friend, Sasuke…but I can't scare you off now, not when I'm so close.
"Come back to Konoha, Sasuke. Come home to Sakura-chan, and Kakashi." And come home to me.
Sasuke stiffened at the close contact.
"No."
Blue eyes dimmed.
"My heart does not lie in Konoha. My heart is bound to another path…to another person."
Gently removing Naruto's arms from his sides, he turned away to vanish into the night.
Naruto felt his hope shatter.
"However…"
Naruto looked up, hardly daring to believe it.
Sasuke was staring at the glimpses of the night sky between the leaves.
"They say that home is where the heart is…"
He whipped his head back to stare at the blond.
"…and you have something I want."
Shattered bits of hope melded...just as Sasuke vanished in a flurry of leaves.
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End.
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A/N: Gah. This didn't feel like it was very clear for some reason. If you have trouble understanding, just say so.