first interlude


He knew he was in a chinese town because of the beautiful red roofs and the sign painted in a shop down the empty street. To know many languages and calligraphies was one of the best things of being what he was. He also liked to watch the architecture of the different civilizations: how people found different ways to avenge gravity, the materials they used to build houses and castles and the way the buildings changed with time or endured it.

Some things would pass through time, like him. Others were destroyed by it. He was wondering if that boy in front of him – wearing a traditional Japanese hakama and not looking chinese at all – would keep being the way he was forever.

"It was easy to find you this time. You're not doing a very good job, standing out like that."

The Japanese boy snickered and leaned casually in the closest wall. "You're the one with hair bright like the sun."

Naruto laughed openly and walked towards the other person. He knew he had to be cautious, because the guy always had a sword hidden somewhere.

"Yes, but it's easy to hide it or blend in if I really want to. I think you know that very well, since both of us were ninja some decades ago, right?", the blond ruffled his clothes.

Japan was the land he had been born, but his parents had different origins. Mother came from a land across The Great Wall of China, where her red hair was common like grass. Father came from the far west; from the great area they called now Rome. In Japan, they had finally met and had their child with tanned skin and bright hair, so different from the pale, dark haired people who habited the island.

For that reason, when in places he would call too much attention, Naruto had his special strategy. Right now, for instance, his strategy consisted in a noble dress made of blue silk and a veil covering his whole face.

"I'm starting to think you enjoy cross-dressing."

He rolled his eyes and waved his beautiful fan around in a gesture of impatience. The raven snorted at the sight, but remained unmoved. "We both know I'm the prettiest between the two of us", the blond boy stated, confident. Receiving no answer, he breathed in, grinning. "You are getting careless. It took me just one year to catch you, this time."

The other maintained his face impassive, immobile like some kind of samurai waiting to make the perfect attack. Well, he had been a samurai before, so…

"Are you tired of running?", Naruto asked, face half hidden behind his translucent veil. The cloth could not hide the shine coming from his definitely-not-asian blue eyes.

For the first time during the whole conversation, his companion smiled. Truly, beautifully smiled. The crimson string tied around that pale left hand glowed eerily, calling and pulling, like it always did.

"Never."


Disclaimer: Besides Naruto and Naruto: Shippuuden, this fiction was kind of based on the soul mate concept of the movie Hancock plus the general Red String legend. Just saying before someone notices it and point out.