Warning: SPOILER if you're not caught up until Shippuden 631.
A/N: Hey everyone, apologies for the slow updates. I hope to pick it up a little bit now that I'm out of a little depressive swing. Here we go!
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Chapter Two: Meditation
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The first day had almost passed. And so far, no one had died by Sasuke's hand. Even at this small victory Naruto breathed a sigh of relief.
Since Sasuke had lashed out at him earlier today, Naruto figured it would be best to keep his distance for a while, at least until tomorrow morning. A few hours ago he had grabbed some scrolls he'd borrowed from Sakura the other day, plopped on his bed, and made a big motion of turning towards the open window to study. Sasuke sulked in the kitchen, or at least it seemed like he was sulking. Sulking was kind of a neutral state for Sasuke in Naruto's opinion.
And that was how most of the afternoon had passed. The birds chirped outside, the sun shining and tempting Naruto like anything, and he even saw Chouji and Shikamaru pass by his window. He wished he could just leap out the window and follow them, but he didn't know if that was such a good idea with Sasuke around. It became so distracting that he cursed the fact that his apartment had windows, and after awhile Naruto simply couldn't stand it. Gripping one of the scrolls a little more tightly, he pondered over what to do.
Did Baa-chan say anything about going outside? Meeting with other people? What if he runs away? What if he-
He sighed, putting the thought away, then turned to glance at Sasuke, who hadn't moved from the stool. He was surprised when he looked closer to find not violent rage, but a look of peace upon the other man's face. Sasuke sat with the soft breeze from the window blowing at his hair, his legs limp, face without expression. He wasn't glowering or scowling, but…meditating. It was relaxing, infectious even. Naruto had never recalled seeing Sasuke with this sort of calm about him; from as long as he had known Sasuke, he had always been troubled by something. But for some reason, this made Naruto feel a little better. He won't run away.
Something had happened while Sasuke had been in solitary confinement, Naruto decided. Or perhaps before that. But this was strange behavior for sure; massive mood swings, kicking Naruto in the ribs and meditating quietly all in the same day. Naruto had a feeling, a small feeling, that Sasuke was battling with himself deep inside. He couldn't help but grin and feel optimistic, knowing that his friend was alive and kicking.
He watched the other man for awhile, wondering what it must be like. Then he thought to his recent internal battles with Kurama, and how things were so much better now between them. Hmm, I wonder if it's anything like that. Naruto made a mental note to ask Sasuke when he was back on the planet again. So many questions popped into his head. Naruto was lost in thought until his stomach grumbled, and he decided on tiptoeing over to the kitchen to grab himself a bite to eat. I'd better leave him alone.
"Naruto," Sasuke spoke suddenly.
The voice sent Naruto clattering to the floor in shock. He let out a special sort of yell reserved only for moments like these.
"SASUKE! Don't scare me like that!"
His calm meditation face had turned to a classic smirk, that gut-wrenching tone of amusement ringing with every syllable, and he said nothing in reply. Naruto ground his teeth, but kept walking, and called out impatiently behind him.
"Ramen?"
"I can't cook," Sasuke gestured to his tied hands "And I can't eat."
At this, Naruto flushed with color.
"Well I sure as hell am not feeding you!"
Sasuke kept his face steady, and Naruto turned back to getting hot water for two packages of ramen. Be nice, he's unstable, he reminded himself. As a nice gesture, he even picked out one of his "special edition" ramens that had taken him several struggles, including a mild wrestling bout with a mother of three (or a mother and three, as he remembered it), to procure. Not that Sasuke would have enough appreciation for the art of ramen to notice.
He poured the water, calming himself with the routine processes of meal making.
"Why were you meditating?" Naruto asked when the room had gotten quiet but for the soft bubbling of hot water. Sasuke turned on the stool to face him, and Naruto could see the mixed emotions in his eyes. His lips pressed together; it seemed like the harder he tried to speak, the less he spoke.
"I think," Naruto decided, remembering their exchange after Sasuke had killed Danzō and almost battled Kakashi, that it would probably be a one-way conversation for a little while longer. Just a little longer, he reminded himself, until the old Sasuke returned "You're in battle. Inside."
Sasuke's eyes widened visibly, something that surprised even Naruto, who knew Sasuke to never reveal emotions all too easily.
"You've been through a lot, Sasuke." Naruto looked at the floor, messy and complicated like the world was "I have also been in battle with myself, with Kurama for a long time. It was hard to admit, hard to see that I was in conflict with myself. In the end I am stronger because we work together now. But I had to admit it, don't you think?"
The room was silent, and Naruto kept smiling like always, and he turned back to the ramen.
"Yes." After a moment, Sasuke gave a small utterance of an answer, surprising Naruto even more. He had said it with bitterness, even a little bite of rage, but he had admitted it after all. Naruto couldn't keep the smile off his face, striding up to the other man and just beaming at him.
"You can do it, dattebayo! I knew the real Sasuke was still there all along." Naruto clenched his fists excitedly, then his tone grew a little more serious as he sighed happily and peered into Sasuke's inky black gaze "You're strong, Sasuke. You've always been strong."
Sasuke bit his tongue, feeling like a dog about to be pet for doing some stupid trick. Part of Sasuke wanted to be angry, so very angry at revealing this vulnerability. He wanted to lash out so very badly, kick Naruto again and make him bleed. But he thought back to all he had learned as of recent, from the previous Hokages and their stories. And especially what he'd learned from Itachi. In some ways, everything always went back to Itachi.
"I will be Hokage." He repeated resolutely, just like the first day he had said it before they marched into battle. When he had said it then, it had shocked everyone. If they weren't so frightened of his power, they would have probably even laughed at him.
But Naruto didn't laugh, and he wasn't shocked like everyone else. Naruto placed a hand on his shoulder, still smiling. And then he turned around to the kitchen to serve the ramen.