IV
Sunlight lit up the village between intermittent clouds. Naruto walked down one of the many streets of Konoha, full from eating at Ichiraku. Multiple floor buildings lined the street on either side. He had been walking around looking for something to do all day, actually, because Sasuke had been reading a white envelope and demanding to be alone for a while at the apartment. Naruto could still envision the narrowing of Sasuke's eyes, and how quickly Sasuke had gone from quietly speaking to being quiet as he always used to be. Naruto wished Sasuke would have talked about it, but he after barely getting Sasuke to stay for awhile he did not want to push it and get on his bad side. As he walked he stretched his arms and looked up at the clouds meandering above until he bumped into something that knocked him flat on the ground. He looked up, trying to regain his sense of balance. Choji was looking down at him, chewing on potato chips drawn from the bag he cradled like a baby and looking down with an eyebrow raised. Then he saw Shikamaru, Sai, Kiba, Shino, Lee, Ino, and Sakura. They circled around Naruto and looked down at him without talking for a few moments. Naruto felt guilt when he saw that Sakura was standing back and not looking at him.
He said, "Hey, what is it, guys? Why are you all staring at me like that?"
Kiba scratched his head and slightly grinned. Akamaru was asleep in the shade of one of the buildings lining the street.
He said, "Naruto, Sakura tells us you have been getting on…very well with Sasuke. Or…you know what I mean. Is it true? We want to know."
Sakura cast her eyes away and Naruto scratched his head and decided he really did not have a good excuse to give to them.
He said, "Uh…I guess. What is it, guys? I mean, I'm assigned to watch him."
They stepped back from Naruto and Shikamaru gave Naruto a hand to pull him up and patted the dust off his jacket. Shikamaru wore his jonin jacket with his Konaha uniform, and he sighed before he spoke to Naruto.
He said, "It's normally too troublesome to mess with our friends' personal business, but Sakura didn't know what to do and came to us. We all want to know why you hurt her, Naruto, or how you hurt her."
Lee said, "You are my good friend, Naruto, but if you do something wrong to Sakura I will fight you right here."
Naruto looked at Sakura and frowned. He knew that he would have to confront her, but this was almost too much for him to handle. His throat was dry.
"Well…" he said, "I have enjoyed Sasuke being back and we do…"
He ground his teeth. Why was it hard?
Shikamaru said, "Do what, Naruto?"
Naruto said, "I do like him, a little, but it's not serious. Sakura came by to see him when we were hugging, and I did a bad job of explaining it to her. I know she likes Sasuke. I wish I could apologize, believe it."
Sakura stepped forward, staring at the ground, and then looked up at Naruto, smiling while tears rolled down her cheeks. Naruto looked at the ground to avoid the shame her speech was going to give him. He wished he could do anything to help her.
She said, "Naruto, I-I forgive you. I'm still your teammate…I'll do my best to be you and Sasuke's friend."
Naruto's eyes opened wide, and he saw the frowns everyone wore around him disappear. Naruto had no good words to respond to what she said. Shikamaru let out a loud sigh and face-palmed.
He said, "You know, Sakura, you didn't have to call us all out here if you were just going to forgive Naruto as soon as we got tough on him."
Naruto had to take a deep breath to clear his mind and speak. He had not realized how much Sakura had matured over the years, but he could not ignore it now. Before he had left she would not have taken this well at all. His friends' lack of care – they stood around him without any frowns or looks of concern – now that Sakura had dealt with the issue surprised him.
Naruto said, "What, you guys don't care that I like Sasuke? He's a guy."
Sai laughed lightly and smiled from the back of the group. Naruto felt a little annoyed, but he always did around Sai. He tightened his fist just in case.
He said, "Naruto, just because you're a fag doesn't mean that we'll stop being you and Sasuke's friends."
Naruto's frown of annoyance turned to a scowl of absolute rage. He wanted to kill Sai, who was standing there and smiling in that ridiculous midriff-showing shirt like he had just given Naruto a compliment. He ran at Sai, Choji and Kiba grabbing his arms and barely restraining him from annihilating the hapless boy.
Naruto said, "Sasuke and I aren't fags, Sai! You take it back, or I'll punch you right in the face."
Sai stepped back and kept smiling. He pulled out a notebook and started writing in it. Naruto hated that.
He said, "I'm very sorry, Naruto, I didn't know that would bother you. I won't use it again on you or Sasuke."
Naruto stopped his struggling and stood back up, folding his arms. He would admit surrender, but when he had his chance he would get Sai back. He had been planning to anyways since they had left on the mission to go find Sasuke.
He said, "Sai, you're my team mate, but you still piss me off. I wish I knew how you did it."
Kiba said, "Yeah, and you almost killed us trying to punch his face in, Naruto."
Kiba rolled his arm around like his shoulder was sore. Choji nodded and threw some more chips into his mouth. Shikamaru had turned around and was tapping his foot, and Shino, Lee, and Ino were standing back without a reason to intervene.
Ino said, "I've got to head home and do some chores. If we don't have anything else to worry about…I'll see you guys later. Don't you and Shino have something to do?"
Ino said that to Lee and then jogged down the road from where Naruto had come, and Shino and Lee went after her without a word. Well, first Lee stopped to put a hand on Sakura's shoulder and whisper something to her. Confusion swept over Naruto. He had expected his friends to at least act negatively towards him, but Sakura's apology and everyone's behavior was positive, at least on the surface. He knew had faith in his friends. Now he knew they would support him.
Choji said, "Does anyone want to go get some bar-b-q? I'm starving."
Shikamaru said, "It would be troublesome if I'd eaten lunch, but I haven't. Anyone else want to go?"
Naruto knew he was not hungry, but he had nothing to do while Sasuke was moping around and telling him to keep away. He would go check on him after lunch and talking more with his friends. The few people remaining agreed to go, and Sakura walked next to Naruto as they proceeded to the restaurant. Her tears had dried up and she was grinning slightly. Naruto smiled too as they started to walk and stared at the ground ahead of them.
She said, "I'm sorry I freaked out last night. I just needed some time to think about it. My mother told me I shouldn't be your friend anymore because of how you are, but I don't see what's wrong. I'm glad you brought our friend back, Naruto. Thank you."
Naruto giggled a little. The guilt was gone, and he felt much lighter. Now he and Sakura could just be friends.
"No problem," he said, "I just did what I promised I would do. I never break a promise to a friend."
Kiba walked closer to Naruto.
He said, "Where is Sasuke, anyways? Isn't it your mission to watch him?"
Naruto shrugged and said, "He's just moping around at my apartment like good, old Sasuke."
Sasuke held a white envelope in his hands and stared at it as he had stared at it for the whole day until now, sitting on the bed and the yellow light of dusk pouring into the apartment. He just wore a pair of black shorts he had fished out of Naruto's dresser. He had no idea what it could be, but he knew who it came from because of the Uchiha clan seal stamped on the envelope in wax. A light breeze made him shiver and act on his resolve to open it. He pushed away fear that this was just a trap by Itachi. Something this small, probably a paper bomb, he could avoid or defuse. He slipped his fingers under the wax seal and gingerly popped it open, trying not to tear the perfect, white paper, and he knew he would read it. He did not know how he knew it would be a letter. It slipped out easily when he opened the envelope and pulled on the folded paper within, and he saw that the letter had spots where it had touched dirt and rain, contrasting with the white envelope. It must have come a long way.
He hesitated to unfold the letter and let his hands feel the rough edges and smooth paper between the rough, stained spots. Finally he opened it and saw the neat, small kanji in columns across the page, and there was still hesitation. He did not know if he wanted to read it. Anger at his brother started to fill him. He did not care what Itachi had to say, and he wanted to tear up the letter and leave it at that. Curiosity pushed him on, though. Maybe what was within could help him find Itachi.
When he had finished it all, activating his sharingan to memorize it with what little chakra he could use, he set it down and stared at the floor. The rage had gone. He frowned and shook his head. He could not believe what he had just read. If it were true his revenge had no meaning, but it had not fully convinced him. The only thing he could do was to investigate the claims.
He would have to stay in Konoha for a while to find out the truth. His thoughts wandered to Naruto, and he made the calculation. If he indulged Naruto he could stay longer and get in the good graces of the Hokage, getting access to the village's archives. Then he could decide what to do next. He wondered how to tell Naruto, but he decided to mostly keep the letter secret. He would allow himself to bond with Naruto. Maybe Naruto could find out later. Sasuke tore off a piece of the envelope and grabbed a pen off of Naruto's bedside table, and he wrote a short note on it. He had an idea of how to get started. A small part of him felt good at staying longer with Naruto, but Sasuke reminded himself he would leave when convenient. That had been three years ago. This meant nothing to him now. He was going to fake it to get on Naruto's good side. He kept telling himself that.
Naruto unlocked his door and stepped into the front hall. He flicked the light switch, and the light took away the darkness that was starting to settle around Konoha at this time of hoped Sasuke had gotten out of his bed at some point. He walked to his bedroom and saw that the bed was made and a small note had been left on the pillow. He was alarmed Sasuke had run away until he picked up the note and read it slowly. It told him to meet Sasuke at the training field.
He furrowed his eyebrows and dropped it to the ground. Naruto crawled out of the open bedroom window and began leaping from building to building towards the edge of the village, because the training field was outside the walls. The idea did not make sense to him, but it interested him vaguely that Sasuke wanted to meet at that place. He smirked as the warm night air passed around him. He was ready to fight or talk or whatever he had to do.
When Naruto arrived at the training field he was perplexed. All he could see in the moonlight were the three stumps and the river next to the old grassy field. He nearly went back to the village to look for Sasuke when he saw that Sasuke was sitting on the ground, leaning against one of the stumps with something lying on the ground in front of him, his chin resting on his knees and his arms wrapped around his legs. Naruto walked closer and saw that there was writing on the piece of paper in front of Sasuke, and he realized the dirty stationery must be what the envelope had contained. Sasuke did not look at him when he sat beside him, cross-legged. Naruto messed with the grass and decided to break the awkward silence.
"Sasuke, what're you doing all the way out here at night? How'd you get past the ANBU on patrol?" he said.
Sasuke scooted a little closer to Naruto. Naruto felt a shiver run up his spine as his hand barely brushed against Sasuke's leg.
He said, "Thinking."
Naruto knew how fast Sasuke was, and the second question probably did not dignify an answer. Naruto scratched his head. He did not know whether to ask about the letter, but he figured that was making Sasuke act strange. Concern for Sasuke made him ignore the warm feeling for a moment.
"What's wrong?" he said, "You were feeling just fine this morning."
Sasuke shook his head. Naruto willed himself to lift the hand that was against Sasuke's leg and put it on his shoulder, but Sasuke looked straight ahead with the slightly tense expression he always wore.
"No, Naruto," he said, "Nothing's wrong. I'm just thinking."
Naruto said, "What do you want to talk about, then?
Naruto watched Sasuke stare straight ahead for a few moments. They felt like forever. Then Sasuke put his hand on Naruto's that lay on his shoulder. Naruto felt a warm feeling wash over him as Sasuke stroked the back of his hand.
"Sasuke…" he said.
Sasuke muttered in reply, and Naruto did not hear him.
"What did you say, Sasuke?" he said.
Sasuke suddenly grabbed his hand and said, "I won't to leave. I'll stay here with you."
Naruto could feel the breath leave his lungs as he sighed in relief. He had been a little worried Sasuke would attack him, but this was amazing. Sasuke leaned towards Naruto until their faces were only a few inches apart. A blank expression replaced the tense one. The starry sky was framing his pale face, with his two dark eyes in the midst of the light skin, which were illuminated by the moonlight. It was as if the sky created him from the Milky Way, the stars, and all the vast stretches of darkness in between. Naruto just stared. He would have touched his face or stroked his hair, but that did not feel right with the relationship he and Sasuke always had. He could not think what to say.
He said, "That's…that's great."
Sasuke smirked and leaned in closely to Naruto's ear.
He said, "Do you remember when we accidentally kissed each other back in the Academy?"
Naruto said, "Yeah, of course I-…"
Sasuke kissed him, his soft lips pressing against Naruto's as they both closed their eyes, and Naruto felt like he had fallen off the edge of the world. Naruto knew that it felt right. When Sasuke pulled back from the kiss he rolled to the side, Naruto stared back with his blue eyes and felt warmer and happier than he had in three years. He felt a pang of doubt in the back of his mind. He shoved it back, because he finally had Sasuke back.
In the far distance an orange, full moon was hanging low on the horizon.
A Letter, Hand-Written on Weather Beaten Paper
Dear Sasuke, my little brother,
I have waited many years to contact you, and I know that you probably do not want to read what I have written for you. If you can find it in you to read this, please do. I decided I had to tell you the truth before I die, and I will die soon.
Whenever I killed our clan, it was not my choice. The clan was planning to lead an uprising that would have brought the whole village to ruin along with themselves, and I did what I had to do as a member of ANBU and a ninja of Konoha. I could not bring myself to kill you too, Sasuke. Do you remember the tears streaming down my face as I told you to avenge yourself on me, surrounded by the remains that I could not even look at for the shame of what I had done? I only wanted to make you stronger to restore our clan. However, when I discovered that you betrayed the village and were with Orochimaru over the last three years, I knew that my plan had failed and decided to write this letter so that you would not continue on that path.
Do not try to avenge our family on me, Sasuke. Your anger and your hatred will not bring you any closer to saving the clan than anything else. Instead, return to the village and save the honor of our clan before it can no longer be redeemed. The Akatsuki are on the move, and Konoha is more in need of an Uchiha who will safeguard his friends and home than ever. I am sorry I could not fight by your side in the battles past and to come, but I did what I had to do.
I am very ill as I write this and can only hope to see you before my time to die has come. I will be protecting you from afar as I have always, despite what wrongs I have done you. All I ask you is your forgiveness, if you can spare any for your older brother who has confused you and abused you without telling you why for all of these years. I have seen the error in my ways for a long time now, but the years have burned away before I could tell you the truth.
You will discover that the true man behind the evils that have fallen on our clan is closer than you may think. Be on the lookout for a man who claims to be of the Uchiha, for he deceived me many years ago. I resolve that you will not follow in my footsteps into the darkness that lies on his path and the path of revenge.
Fight for your friends, for they are your true family now, Sasuke. Those who you love and cherish most will give you more than any hope of revenge could ever begin to and far more than I could ever give.
Itachi Uchiha
(an extra page, not as stained as the rest, is tucked behind)
Now that you are back in Konoha I am very excited to see that you and the Uzumaki boy have gotten along well. I can only warn you that two Akatsuki are on their way to capture him now, and he should not remain in the village unless heavily guarded if you want to ensure his safety.
I have observed you two and believe that he cares very much about you. If that is so, never let him go like I let someone else go a long time ago. Goodbye, Sasuke, I love you.
