Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto!
Gone but Not Forgotten
"The opposite of love is not hate… it is fear"
Chapter 3: Fear
Sorrow
Uzumaki Arashi closed his eyes with a sigh of weariness and looked at the pale full moon looming just outside his office. Arashi dreaded this day. It had been a week since the exploding incident at Team 7's meeting grounds and… there was a full moon.
Once when he was a young Genin and was attending one of the 'posh' parties of the village's upper class, he heard about a story that every full moon a gate between the human world and the demon world opens and it allows demons to travel to our realm just as humans can go to theirs.
He was skeptic at first. Besides, he once told the Uchiha who had been telling the story, that if is it so, how come there was no village invaded by any of these so called 'demons.' The Uchiha simply smiled this sly little smile and said softly with twinkling eyes and knowing lips. 'My dear boy, what else? It is because these demons also had their own little clans and these clan heads-I tell you- currently love their own peaceful little lives and would not bother to disturb ours. But tell me my dear Uzumaki heir, what do you think would happen when a clan head suddenly got tired of it all and decided to invade our world?' Ever since that day, Arashi had always been afraid of full moons and had considered what the Uchiha said as a fact.
And yet even after many years, he still believed it. Besides, he had proof right before his eyes. It was his village. Konoha no Sato. Wasn't it full moon when Kyuubi no Kitsune seemingly appeared out of nowhere and run dashingly fast towards his village?
And yet, that wasn't the reason why Arashi dreaded this day. The day when the full moon lurks above Konoha no Sato no longer holds his fear of the demons crossing towards the human plain. No, he feared it not because of demons but because of the demons.
The demons who rule the Demon world are the ones he is afraid of. Because deep inside his heart and soul a question still lingers… What would happen when one of the leaders decided to invade their village? Would they stand a chance against a whole tribe?
And yet, Arashi knew the answer. It continuously repeats itself inside his mind whenever he sees a full moon. And Arashi dreaded it.
And for the first time in a long time, Arashi bowed his head and pray and softly sought the forgiveness of his ancestors. He said "I'm sorry for the way I'm living my life."
Out in the seclusion of his office, a voice of mirth answered his prayer. "And what is wrong in living your life?"
Arashi could only turn his head towards the direction of the voice before thick clouds of fog surrounded his office. As the fog slowly enveloped Arashi's slender form, another voice whispered in his ear, this one was serene, calm and full of wisdom. It was almost as if, it was consoling him, and Arashi was grateful for that. "You should have chosen death Arashi. Now, face the consequences of your actions."
Arashi sank to his knee and paid tribute to the calm voice. "As you wish, Master. My only Master and Lord."
And with a shaking hand, he sought the hem of the other's robe and kissed it. "I am your servant, my Lord."
Once again, the mirthful voice laughed.
The pale full moon looms outside in her majestic form.
Still, Arashi was afraid of demons.
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The constant beeping of the apparatus nearby was starting to get on Sasuke's nerves. He and his teammates and always been here since the incident 2 weeks ago and this… this little boy wouldn't wake up.
And he had so many questions to ask him.
Why are you here?
What do you want?
Who is the man with you?
Why the fuck don't you wake up?
Ands most importantly, the… Why the hell did you look like HIM?
And to the people of Konoha especially those who knew about the inevitable disaster of the Uchiha Clan, there was no question who HE was.
After a few minutes of staring non stop to the comatose body of the boy beside him, Sasuke was broken out of his reverie by a soft nudge in his shoulder by the hand that he knew like the back of his hand.
He didn't even have to turn around to know that it was Naruto. His Naruto. His one and only blonde teammate who seemingly managed to fish out his heart in the deep pools of blood and darkness he had fallen into since the death of his parents.
"You don't have to do that you know." Naruto softly whispered to his teammate as he sat right next to him, both of them watching the young man.
"Do what?" Sasuke answered, both of them not bothering to break the stillness of the room.
"Stare at him." Naruto said as he walked towards the basket of fruits his father had given to them this morning and after sorting thorough its contents, settled to pick up a decent looking orange from the bunch. Going back to his seat, Naruto slowly peeled the orange, broke it in half gave the first half to Sasuke and placed the other beside the table closest to the bed.
When Sasuke frowned at this, Naruto shrugged his shoulders and said. "He always loved fruits."
Once again silence enveloped the two of them before Sasuke whispered softly. "You seem to know him."
Silence.
Then…
"Of course I do."
"How?"
Silence.
A sigh.
"He's my best friend."
"Oh."
……
"Go home Sasuke, its getting dark." Naruto whispered before standing up and walking out of the room, leaving an Uchiha alone with his thoughts.
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"Are you sure Sachiko? Are you really pregnant?"
"Mama, am I going to be a big brother now?"
"I'm going to be the best big brother ever!"
"No, Kenji please. Not our sons, not our sons!"
"We have no choice; this is the price we must pay!"
"Please don't! PLEASE!"
A dead snake.
A silhouette of a tall and lean man holding a dagger.
Scales.
Claws.
Large Whiskers.
A baby's wail.
His mother's distraught voice.
His mother's pleading voice.
"NOOO!"
In the dark and secluded headquarters of the Akatsuki, Uchiha Itachi woke up from his nightmare with a scream.
Outside, a flock of crows began to fly away.
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Standing outside his dark and secluded room in the cave of Akatsuki's main Headquarters, Itachi sighed heavily while looking at the stars above him. He had those dreams again; those dreams that became the bane of his existence since the day that he discovered that they were true. The day that he discovered that the screams and tears he heard each night for the rest of his life were not just his imagination… they were real.
Heaving another sigh, Itachi was about to head back to his room when he heard a soft tantalizing voice. "Can't you sleep?" The voice asked.
Itachi sighed once again and hanged his head in a dejected manner while his right hand reached for a lock of hair and twisted it around his index finger. He heard the other sigh before he felt a cold almost wet hand on his own. He looked up and saw a dark silhouette, the silhouette of the man he knew he would never forget in his life. He soon learned that he depends on this man more than anything and any else in this world. He needed him. And oh Gods, be damned how would he fare when the other left?
"Stop that habit, one day your locks will curl." The other reprimanded softly as he removed Itachi's hand from his hair and took it in his and softly kissed it.
The other's hand and lips were cold and smooth like a clean flowing stream in the middle of autumn, but Itachi didn't care, he liked this man and he would never have him any other way.
Then, out of the blue, the other pulled him close until he was flushed against him. The other ran his hand on Itachi's hair and whispered, "Had that dream again?"
Itachi didn't answer. He didn't have to. The other knows him, he already knows the answer. "I'll take that as a yes." A kiss on Itachi's temple, and for a few minutes both of them stayed that way, Itachi flushed against the other's body while he stroked the other's hair uttering nothings in his ear.
"Feeling better now?"
Itachi nodded.
"Good, because I have something bad to tell you."
AN: Sorry for the delay. I got stuck on a piano recital and a family problem.
