Name:A kiss never forgotten.

Rating: K+

Couple: NaruSasu

Warning: Male/Male pairing

Disclaimer: If i owned Naruto the ending would have been so different.

Chap 4: A Thousand pieces

Naruto hurried to grab his gear and his spare uniform. He knew he had to go as undetectable as possible, so he decided to leave all his Hokage possessions in the office. He leaped from his window, and landed softly on the ground. All he had on his mind was to get too Sasuke, his mind was focused on what could be happening, he was so consumed by his thoughts that he didn't even realize several anbu members were following him to the entry.

Before Naruto could leave the village 3 anbu members had leapt in front of him stopping him from going any further.

"Hokage sama, where are you going? The village will be in jeopardy if you leave."

Naruto didn't have time to deal with this, every minute and every second was time he was wasting.

"Look guys it's okay, I am joining the 5-shinobi leaving for Sungakure, Kakashi will be my substitute. Now I would advise you to step out of my way."

Even though the anbu seemed reluctant to let Naruto go, they knew they couldn't defy an order from the Hokage, so hesitantly they moved out of his way. Naruto ran past the gates and leaped to the closest tree branch, stabilizing himself with a little bit of extra chakra around his feet.

He turned back to look at Konoha one more time. He knew everything would be fine, but he hoped Kakashi didn't make a mess of things whilst he was gone. Kakashi was a great shinobi who he trusted with his life, but he also was the laziest man alive. Naruto looked towards the direction of Sungakure, he knew this was going to be a long journey if he didn't get started right away. With a buildup of chakra to his legs and feet, he leapt off the tree branch and towards the direction of the Sand village.

*The forest*

Naruto was only 20 minutes into the forest, already the light from Konoha had faded away into the darkness. Naruto started realizing what a bad idea it was to leave before daylight, he couldn't see an inch in front of him.

He knew he could use Kurama's help, but he would kill Naruto for waking him up for something so stupid. He decided there was no use fighting it, he jumped down to the ground beneath the trees. He set up a small fire and camp for the night, he would continue as soon as daylight hit.

Naruto paced between the fire and a tree that was nearby, he hated waiting, he wasn't made to be patient. His nerves where extremely agitated, his heart was reaching 1000 beats per minute and he was starting to feel woozy from all the hyperventilating he was doing.

"Hey Naruto, can you please calm down, I can't get much rest if you are acting all restless."

"Kurama?"

"Yes, who else would it be."

Naruto was glad to hear from his friend, since Naruto became so busy he never got any alone time to himself and thus never got to speak to Kurama anymore. Naruto sat down near the fire, rested his head on a large oak tree and let his eyes shut close.

*Inside Naruto*

"Hey! Kurama, how are you?"

"Naruto, just because I spoke to you once, doesn't mean I want to chat at 1 in the morning."

Naruto had kind of forgotten what time it was; his body had stopped being tired the minute he found out his Konoha team was in danger.

"Oh, sorry Kurama, I just thought we could talk, but I'll let you go back to sleep."

"Hm, well I'm awake now."

Kurama drowsily arose from his comfortable position, he stretched out his front legs and let out a deep yawn.

"This better be good Naruto."

"Well Kurama I'm a bit worried, I have been feeling strange of late." Silence filled the air, it seemed for a while that neither Naruto or Kurama were going to say anything.

"Argh, why do I feel like this will be a long conversation I'm not willing to listen too. Naruto, I'm a tailed beast, not a therapist, so I'm probably going to be no help."

"Listen Kurama, I know you can't help me, but I kind of just want to talk to you and let things off my chest, if you don't mind me ranting?"

Kurama started to realize this was bit more serious than he was taking it.

"Alright Naruto I'm all ears."

Kurama got into a more comfortable position to listen to what Naruto was going to say. Naruto as well joined Kurama, he decided to sit down and relax his tense muscles, he wasn't even too sure where to start.

"Well Kurama, I have been thinking a lot of late, I haven't really been happy of late. I uh; how do I say this without sounding horrible. I sometimes regret the life I choose."

Naruto let out a deep sigh, he was shaking with fear and guilt, he hadn't actually talked to anyone about how he was feeling.

"There would be nights I stay awake, drowning in the thought that I'm stuck in this marriage, work and father life. Don't get me wrong, I love my kids with all my heart. It's just hard you know, to balance work, Hinata and my own happiness. Most of the time there isn't even enough time in the day for me."

"That's why I hadn't visited you of late. I am annoyed at myself Kurama, I feel like I am being selfish for wanting more. I feel like I'm always asking for more, especially in regards to my marriage. Me and Hinata got married so quickly, the fire which was our love started to dim, a very long time ago. But isn't that normal for people who have been married for many years?"

"Am I meant to feel this drained and void of any emotion? I'm worried Kurama, that most of the time I can't feel anything towards her. I feel like everything between us has become so stale and robotic. I miss feeling emotions, I miss the excitement I used to get when I was younger. Is it selfish of me to want more than this? Is it selfish of me to want those butterfly feelings back again, to feel like my heart is going to leap out of my chest when I'm around that special someone? As well Kurama I'm scared that I'm not doing a good job as Hokage, I look at the previous 6 Hokage. I am nothing like them, I feel so worthless in comparison to them."

Naruto let out a long breath, he felt like he just let go of so much tension he didn't even know he was holding on his chest.

Kurama was apprehended by the depth and seriousness of the conversation Naruto was having with him, he wasn't even sure how to respond to something as serious as this.

"Naruto, take a deep breath and calm down, things will be alright. You have to remember that at the end of the day you have a family, but your happiness is also crucial. So, you need to figure out how to balance these elements so that you can find peace."

"Kurama, there is also something else I'm really concerned about."

Kurama had no idea how things could get more complicated for Naruto at this point.

"Last night, I kissed Sasuke as a practical joke."

"Well that's not too bad, it was a joke, what's the harm in that?"

Naruto couldn't believe the words that were about to leave his mouth, "Kurama, that kiss was like nothing I have ever felt before. That kiss made me feel things I hadn't felt in so many years, those butterfly feelings, that warm fuzzy sensation in my stomach. It was all there. After I found out it was Sasuke, I couldn't get his lips off my mind, I haven't stopped thinking about those feelings, it's been driving me insane. Because I want it again, and I know I can't have it."

Kurama was baffled by Naruto's confession, he was so lost for words he just stayed there slightly gasping.

"Uh Naruto, I know this is different and strange, but it seems to me you might have developed a little crush or something."

Kurama was trying to hold in a laugh, he knew this was meant to be a serious conversation, but the thought of Sasuke and Naruto liking each other was pretty funny considering their rival history.

"Look Naruto, this is the only sappy nice crap you're going to hear out of me, so you better be paying attention."

Naruto was still blushing from embracement from Kurama claiming he had a crush, he tried to push the blush away and give Kurama a dead serious face.

"Okay Kurama, I'm listening."

"Naruto, I have lived upon this earth for a very long time, this world has always been shrouded in darkness and hatred. Shinobi have been misusing their abilities to create oppression, sadness and fear. For most of my life, which you would know, I was a result of that hatred and hunger for power. I became consumed by the darkness that this cruel world envelops us in. I was used to destroy many lives, I aided in creating this world of darkness."

"Do you know who showed me the brightness of this world? You. Without you I would have stayed in the darkness. Naruto, you are very special if you haven't noticed. Even though you were born into a world of hatred, shunned upon by your own village and left alone as a small child. You still seemed to find happiness. That's what makes you special, you find the light in the darkness. Whilst most shinobi let the overwhelming darkness become there only vision."

"Naruto when you were young, you were only a spec of light floating in the darkness, but as you grew you gained friendship, love, family and much more. Every time you grew, you would become even brighter, sooner or later you were as bright as the sun. When people meet you, brightness is brought into their own internal darkness. You are so special. Never forget that, as Hokage you are the light that shines for many, you have to remember that you are different, you should take charge of your village the Naruto way. Don't run the village like the previous Hokage before you. Run the village how you believe you should run it."

"With Sasuke, I'm going to be honest, I don't have a lot of wisdom to give to you, all I can say is that you have obligations as a father and a husband, you can't just run off and have time to figure yourself out. You are important to your children, but as much as family is important, you need to remember that happiness is also important. Without happiness, love and joy cannot be attained. You just need to figure out where that happiness lays."

Naruto was shocked with Kurama's statements, his heart was full of raw emotion, he could feel his eyes starting to water.

"Kurama, thank you; really. I needed to hear that."

"Hm, well you're not getting any sappier cute crap from me."

"Haha, thank you, I'll let you get back to sleep now."

Naruto took in a deep breath and opened his eyes. He was now surrounded by warmth and the light crackle of embers from a toasty fire.

His heart was beating quickly and tears started to rapidly fill his eyes, he grabbed his legs and wrapped his arms around them. He lowered his head into the middle of his legs. He began to sob; Naruto was letting go of years of buried feelings. As Naruto cried his heart out alone in the forest, he knew when he came back to Konoha he needed to find this balance between happiness, family and work.

*The morning*

Naruto's tired eyes opened, he heard the calming chirps of birds in the nearby trees. He quickly packed up and poured water on the left-over embers that were still red and hot. He needed to get out of this forest and get to Sunagakure as soon as possible.

The wind starting whipping Naruto's face, he was reaching absurd speeds which could be harmful if he missed one tree branch. But as soon as the mission was back on his mind he stopped thinking logically. At this point the thought of Sasuke in danger was the only consistence thought inside his head. Naruto's breath was heavy as he pushed himself to go faster and faster. He wasn't concerned about exerting himself, he only knew he had to get their as soon as possible.

*The edge of the forest reaching Sungakure*

Naruto was extremely tired; he knew he should be close to the edge of the forest right before the valley of sand that lead to Sungakure. He had only used his own strengths to reach this far, he was saving any extra help for the battle that lied ahead.

The trees around him where blurred by how quickly Naruto was racing through them. He could notice the trees were starting to thin out, they were getting smaller, thinner and browner.

Naruto could start to hear what sounded like shiruken hitting each other. What hit Naruto's body next was something he wished he wasn't going to have to face again. He started smelling the crude smell of blood, the scent of hours of fighting and a sickening metallic hint in the air. Naruto's body became extremely tense; he was so afraid what laid ahead of him.

His feet pushed harshly against the branches of the trees, enough for the branches to crack underneath Naruto's pressure on them. His breath was becoming extremely irregular, his heart had lost any form of rhythm, he felt hot and nervous.

Naruto's eyes started catching glimpses of golden sand which were scattered all over the forest floor. He knew he was extremely close now. Noises started pouring into Naruto's ears, people were yelling and screaming. The pain in their voices struck a chord in Naruto's heart, his chest was compressed and everything in his body was set on 'alert'.

Naruto nearly gasped at the sight of the sand terrain in the distance hidden behind the leaves and branches of the forest. He crushed through all the tree foliage until he harshly fell onto the sand. He felt that hot hit of the direct sunlight, he could see vultures circle the sky in front of him.

He could make out a sand cloud which was in the distance. He knew this would be where the fighting was occurring, so with all his strength he pushed forward and started bolting towards the fight. As he got closer he could see purple light illuminate throughout the cloud, Naruto already knew this was Sasuke's Susanoo.

He pushed through the lung and leg pain. He was reaching the cloud of sand that had formed from the fighting. He could see Garra in the distance fighting against one of the rouge ninja. Before Naruto could run into the fight and help he had to do one thing. He closed his eyes, silenced the world around him and reopened his eyes.

Now he was glowing and had his bright orange six paths and Kurama's energy flowing around him. He flew through the sand mist; his first obligation was to save as many injured ninjas. But he also had to look for Sasuke. Where could he be?

"Fire Bolt Jutsu. Chidori!"

Sasuke! Where was he? Naruto was looking everywhere. This dam cloud of sand was blurring his vision.

"Sasuke!"

Silence. Naruto was trying to sense Sasuke's chakra in the mist of fighting and sand that swirled around him. He sensed it over to his right. He was shocked by how little chakra he could sense from Sasuke. He flew as quickly as possible towards the faint flickers of Sasuke's chakra.

"Sasuke! Where are you?"

"Naruto?"

Naruto's heart at this stage was working overtime, his body was already on edge by the enormous amounts of fear he felt. As Naruto jumped down, he could see two figures fighting just ahead of him.

"I'm coming Sasuke."

There was no response, just noises of grunting and metal hitting each other. There was a bright electrical flash sent through the sand cloud. He could see one of the figures doge the attack flawlessly.

Naruto could finally start to see the two figures, Sasuke's uniform was tattered, the rouge ninja seemed to be having the upper hand in the battle. Naruto was still a fair distance away from Sasuke. He physically pushed himself to get to him as quick as possible. His eyes never left Sasuke's.

"Sasuke!"

As Sasuke turned towards Naruto, he collapsed straight to the floor. Only then did Naruto see the large metal rod sticking right through Sasuke's body, now drenched in his blood, quickly tainting the golden sand beneath it.

Naruto's heart at that moment had felt like 5 knives had projected themselves into him. His lungs felt like they were being starved of oxygen and his eyes quickly filled with hot water. He reached Sasuke and held him in his hands.

"SASUKE! PLEASE DON'T CLOSE YOUR EYES."

"Hm dobe, you are late."

Sasuke smirked, looked fondly into Naruto's eyes and then slowly his smile disappeared, his eyes shut and his body went limp. Naruto could feel a hot, fiery sensation build inside himself. He was starting to become consumed with hatred.

With a blink of an eye, red hot chakra started surging outside of him. He felt enormous amounts of chakra build inside himself and soon enough that chakra became unstable. Naruto looked at the rouge ninja in front of him.

"YOU! You are going to regret killing Sasuke!"

-Just like that Naruto was no longer a controlled Hokage, he was a young kid again, on the bridge of the land of waves. -