Hidden Inside

Chapter 3

By Sadistic Kakashi Fangirl Of The Jumping Neko Bean

One, two, three, four

Tell me that you love me more

Sleepless long nights

That is what my youth was for

- "1234" Feist

Naruto was still sitting up within the Hibiki Hotel, in Shiba. It was already 2 in the morning. He hadn't really done much of anything, when the team reached Shiba he had checked them in. Getting a suite to himself, Naruto locked himself inside.

From the beginning, Shurei always knew. His feelings for Sasuke. Why he was marrying the older boy.

Even though Shurei didn't act it he was 24, and they'd been together for 2 years. Most of the time they'd known each other. Even though Naruto did care about Shurei, it wasn't love. Not like Sasuke…

Nothing was like Sasuke. Just the way he'd said what he had, Naruto's heart hurt. From the guilt. Naruto didn't get it. Sasuke had left him behind. Leaving him to stew in his loneliness. But it hurt, it hurt so much.

"Naruto, are you still awake?" Sakura inquired, having woken up.

Naruto did not move his head, to see the pink-haired girl.

For a while now he hated the girl. The only reason she was even on this mission was for her medical prowess. Sakura grew up ignorant. Believing she was better just because she got good grades. Sakura believed that if she stopped Ino that she would be the one to get Sasuke. That she could get whatever she wanted.

Naruto knew that she'd never get Sasuke. She'd never become the useful person she always wanted to be. Naruto didn't like people who had that kind of thought process.

No one can ever have everything.

Naruto gave up on having some of the things he wanted. Things like Sasuke, or having a family.

Naruto was smug, and tired.

"Yeah, I'm still awake," Naruto muttered, "I'm just sitting out here with my eyes open, talking to you because that's the way I sleep."

Sakura glared, "You don't have to get angry about it you know?"

"I know, but I just find the prospect of angering you, very fun," Naruto scoffed.

Sakura paused, "Don't you think you should be getting asleep, so that way you're rested. Tomorrow is going to be hard since we're going through the Barium Desert."

Naruto shot her a glare, "I commissioned the mission. You don't think I don't know the conditions in which we will be traveling in. I don't need to be reminded."

Sakura frowned, "Well I just thought-"

"Thought that I needed help! Sakura I stayed away because I wanted to. I'm the one who suggested leaving the village of Konoha to the council," revealed Naruto, "I'm not coming back, and I'm not going to magically be your friend now that I'm spending time with you guys again."

Naruto stood up, stopped by the person other than Sakura in the doorway. It was Sasuke.

"Naruto I want to talk to you."

Naruto sighed, "Is today, 'Interrogate Naruto Day?' I'm tired of this! I'm really tired. The only reason that it's you people who are even on this mission is because of the need for your talents. There was no other reason."

"It seems you've been lying to yourself about some things by the sound of it," Sasuke pointed out, "What about this?"

Naruto shook his head, "There's only one person I ever needed in Konoha, and he left me alone."

"Naruto…" Sasuke muttered, "Sakura will you leave us alone."

Glancing between the two of them she nodded.

Sasuke grabbed Naruto by the waist as he tried to step away. Struggling, Naruto lowered upon Sasuke. Right now it was anger instead of the guilt he had felt earlier.

"I have no reason to talk to you Sasuke," Naruto growled, "Now let me go!"

Sasuke shook his head, "No."

Pulling Naruto close he held his lips to Naruto.

"I won't let you go again."

"Well you have to," Naruto grunted, kneeing Sasuke in the groin. In an instant he went down but surprisingly Sasuke kept a hold of the hem of Naruto's shirt, even as he was doubled-over in pain.

"Let go of me you asshole!" Naruto attempted to shake his hand off.

"I told you," Sasuke grunted, "I won't let go again."

"You've let go of me far too many times," Naruto lowered, "Now you want to hold on to me? Don't make me laugh Uchiha."

Brushing Sasuke's hand off his shirt, Naruto stomped on it until he heard the sound of a bone breaking.

"Now you can't hold on," Naruto sneered.

Stepping over Sasuke as he held his hand.

The next morning, Naruto was sitting eating breakfast when everyone started arriving.

Shikamaru was the first to notice Sasuke's hand in the cast.

"Sasuke what happened to your hand?" Shikamaru inquired.

Sasuke froze up, "It was just an accident."

Sakura eyed him suspiciously, he had said the same thing to her. But it was after she had seen the angry Naruto stomp back to his room that Sasuke had come to her to treat his hand.

When she had she healed some of the broken bones, but it was soon clear that some of them would have to heal on their own. Luckily none of those would take much more than a couple of months.

"It's hard to believe you would break a bone in an accident, around the hotel," Neji mocked.

Naruto looked up from a book, "I dropped something on it. It'll be fine. Sakura probably fixed most of it. If it becomes that big of a problem, Orochi could take care of in the next town."

Kurenai stopped for a second, "Where are tose two by the way?"

Naruto returned his gaze back to the book, "Those two went ahead when we had reached the last town. I needed them to do some business for me in the same place that we're going to be headed today."

Sakura eyed Naruto, "What did you drop on Sasuke's hand. When I was out there I hadn't seen anything that could break a hand."

Naruto sighed, "Waitress, do you allow smoking?"

The waitress nodded, "But it's frowned upon."

"Yes or no," Naruto glowered sternly.

"Yes, sir."

Pulling out a cigarette, lighting it. Naruto took a long drag.

"Bring me an ashtray why don' you," Naruto ordered.

For a moment there Naruto seemed to calm down. Now instead of wanting to smack Sakura across the head with a frying pan to see if she would still get back up, he was willing to just glare at the pink-haired girl. He still did chuckle when he imagine a hot plate of soup getting dumped on Sakura when a waitress with some had walked by.

"Naruto you didn't answer my question," Sakura coughed.

"I know Sakura," Naruto scowled, "I don't feel like answering it either. Is 'it was an accident,' not enough for you losers?"

"You can't talk to us that way!" Kankuro barked.

Naruto smirked, "Do you know what your all getting paid for this mission? Which I'll add now is a S-rank mission."

Kankuro scratched his head, "Well no but most S-rank mission only go around 3,000 dollars on average."

"Over 100,000 dollars, ten thousand for each of you, another ten thousand for both villages, though none of you will get paid if this isn't a successful mission, or if you're dead," Naruto added.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kurenai inquired, ever the vigilant one.

"No one's going to be there to save you, if the member is too much for you, it'll be the end of you," chuckled Naruto, "No one will be there who can take care of a wound if you get hurt."

"We know that, but why would you think we didn't," Sakura said, "If you didn't we couldn't survive it why'd you hire us."

Naruto smirked, "I don't need you to live I just need you to keep the members of the Akatsuki off my back."

The whole team was caught off guard. Who ever this was, no matter how many times he said he was Naruto. This person wasn't him. The boy who smiled long ago wasn't the person smirking before them.

They were all sadly mistaken.

Naruto; silly, prankster, dead last, a boy who always had that wide smile plastered on his face. That Naruto he was never really there. Just that simple mask that Naruto needed.

Now, he didn't need it.

Naruto now showed his true colors. A bitter boy, who could never really hope for much of anything. Now was as bitter, as heartbroken as when he left the village. The only difference was now he could get whatever he wanted, because Naruto had the money and power. Naruto had what it would take to bring the world down with him.

Naruto couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh. Seeing how they looked at him.

You see, Naruto didn't have a heart. All he had was a black void filled with; hatred, sorrow, bitterness, and greed.

I'm sorry to tell you this now. But if you were expecting Naruto to have feelings of love or kindness, something happy, I believe you are sadly mistaken. I tell you this now, even though you are quite into this story that if you were looking for a happy ending; where Naruto and Sasuke could be together. You should look elsewhere.

I tell you this, because the Naruto who sits chuckling at his table isn't happy at all.