A/N: The story must go on! I would really appreciate more reviews. It gets a little lonely in HQ sometimes, ya know?

Chapter 7

A Place for Peace

Naruto woke up, oddly enough, inside of a house. It was a small house, much smaller than the one he left behind, but well organized and minimalistic. Naruto sat up and grimaced in pain as his muscles cramped up from the movement and pain from the non-stop movement of previous days catching up to him. A person stirred to his right and a hand pressed him back down to the futon that he was on.

"Shh, calm down Naruto! You have to give yourself time to heal even if the Kyuubi heals a majority of it!" Shizune chided from her position beside him.

"Where's Neji?" Naruto asked as he tried to look around the room. It was night time and the only light nearby was a candle that was burning near Shizune's right side. Naruto saw a scroll lying beside the candle.

"Neji is fine. He is sleeping beside you," Shizune responded and smiled lightly at him. Naruto went to sit up again but her hands pushed him back down once more. A growl erupted from Naruto's chest in irritation.

"Where are we? What is this place?" Naruto asked as he refused to calm down and drift back into sleep. The past few days had been too much for his nerves to handle. They were fried and set permanently on paranoia.

"Oh, Um," Shizune mumbled, "I don't know what this place is to be honest. A man approached us once we reached the river and led us to a secluded village of sorts. He was on the lookout for you." Naruto's eyes widened and he shot up once more but this time pushed Shizune's hands away.

"We have to leave!" Naruto hissed quietly. Naruto didn't know who the man was but Naruto knew that anyone who could readily identify him wasn't a friend, but was more likely a foe.

"Why? The man helped me bring you here and this place is very secluded. You wouldn't know it was here unless a guide brought you here," Shizune responded in confusion. The commotion woke up Neji who groaned tiredly. His fever was back in full force and his throat was dry.

"Water," he croaked as he felt around his bed for a bowl of water. Shizune went to his bedside with a newly refilled bowl and helped him drink.

"Besides, we are in no shape to travel right now. Neji has gotten worse and you are high strung," Shizune told Naruto. 'And I am a wreck,' she added mentally. Naruto sighed and shook his head. He didn't trust this place or anyone. Naruto couldn't count the number of times he had been betrayed by other people on his hands nor his toes combined. "Lay back down Naruto!" Shizune chided once more and glared at him.

Naruto shook his head and let out a gruff of effort to stand up. He did so but on wobbly feet. Shizune set the bowl of water down beside Neji and moved to Naruto. She positioned herself so that he wouldn't be able to get past her and to the door, and then crossed her arms. "What's the matter?" she asked in a manner that clearly portrayed her irritation with his behavior.

"I don't trust this place," Naruto told her while he tried to keep the bone deep exhaustion out of his voice. He worked with this type of exhaustion before. It wasn't pleasant but it kept him alive. He attempted to move past her but her arms shot out and wrapped around his waist. He froze as her arms touched his hips and suddenly her body and face was digging into his own. Her face found the nook of his neck and shoulder and snuggled in.

After a few seconds Naruto wrapped his own arms around her and let a deep breath escape him. They remained in the embrace for a half a minute before Shizune pulled back and looked up at him. "You rest. I'll keep watch tonight, and I'll wake you if anyone comes or goes. Tomorrow night you can take watch while I sleep," Shizune told him. She knew paranoia very well. Her master, Tsunade, wasn't paranoid enough when they traveled the nations and Shizune often times had to dissuade potential offenders from her master. She understood where Naruto was coming from and how he had to live his life in the past few years.

Naruto looked down at her and sighed. "Okay," he said as he gave into her demands. Shizune began to pull away but Naruto's arms tightened around her and he reinitated the hug. "I saw you kill them. I'm here if you want to talk about it," Naruto whispered into her ear. Shizune meekly nodded against his shoulder and Naruto let her go after a few seconds passed, and then he all but collapsed back onto the futon and went back to sleep.

Neji looked at Shizune curiously after he witnessed the whole ordeal between them. Shizune sat back down beside Naruto's bed and resumed reading where she left off. If Neji was going to say anything to her, then he would, and she knew that.

-[===]-

Naruto woke up before sunrise. His body and mind refused to sleep any longer and his worry for his surroundings and precious people wouldn't lessen at all. Naruto sat up stiffly from his bed that was on a wooden bedframe and found Shizune sitting at the doorway watching the sunrise.

Naruto looked down at his body to find that he was naked underneath his blanket. He smirked at the implications his nakedness caused. "Ne, Shi Shi, where's my clothes?" Naruto asked sweetly. Shizune turned in surprise to find Naruto awake.

"Uh," she stalled as she nervously scratched her cheek. "They're hanging outside to dry," Shizune responded as she got up and sat down beside him. "How are you feeling?"

Naruto shrugged at her. "I'm feeling like I jumped into a raging river," he said. Shizune's eyes widened in surprise and Naruto's arm erupted in pain.

"You idiot!" she screamed as she stood up and walked away fuming in anger. Naruto grinned at her antics but when she turned around to face him he lost the grin in half a second. She was pissed. "Do you know how dangerous that is? You could've died! Your foot could've gotten caught on a piece of drift wood and you would've drowned! You could've hit our head on a rock!"

At this point Neji was stirring and watching the fuming woman along with Naruto. "If it makes you feel any better, I jumped from a high cliff as well," Naruto told her as his attention went to Neji for a second, and then back to the fuming woman. An angry growl erupted from deep within Shizune's chest as she paced the small room they were in. Naruto could hear her mumbling obscenities to herself and his name occasionally mixed in.

"Neji, how are you feeling?" Naruto asked as he slid out of the bed naked. Naruto felt good enough to move on his own but not without pain. His muscles cramped as he moved and he fell to one knee as he found an injury he didn't know was there. His leg was wrapped in thick bandages up to his knee and a wooden pole was put along his leg. Naruto winced as he positioned his bad leg so that he wasn't paining it and Shizune ran to his side still muttering obscenities.

"Better," Neji told him as he watched his friend struggle under his own weight. Naruto, with the help of Shizune, sat back down on his bed and rubbed at his face in embarrassment. Shizune had a large blush on her face as she moved away from him while Neji watched their interactions curiously.

Just then an old man walked in and knocked on the open door. Shizune froze on her triade around the hut and her face grew even redder as she looked around frantically for something to cover Naruto. She found his pillow and slammed it onto his crotch. Naruto hissed in pain as she stood in between her two companions with her hands behind her back.

"Hello Sir. It's nice to see you again," Shizune said respectfully. The man gave out a bellowing laugh and smiled broadly as he looked at the girl. His form blocked the sunlight from the rising sun to filter into the small hut.

"It is nice to see you again to doll. I have come to inform you that I will be hosting you three for the rest of today and that you are all welcome to the winter festival tonight," the old man said.

Naruto's eyes ran up and down the man as he took in his appearance. He wore a clean grey robe that covered his entire body. His hair was long and fell down his back. His face held the stubble of a well-trimmed beard. Naruto couldn't tell whether the man was buff or fat underneath his robe. Naruto couldn't remember ever seeing this man before and then he wondered where the shadow clone he sent with his companions had gotten to. His head started thrumming in pain as he tried to recall every detail of the past week.

"Thank you Sir! We appreciate your hospitality," Shizune replied and she bowed to the man. The two bed-ridden males simply nodded to the man.

"Anything to help out an old friend. Breakfast will be delivered soon. If you need something please seek me out in town. I have business to attend to," the man said before bowing and walking away.

Once they were alone once more Naruto looked to Shizune without a smile on his face. "Where are we?" Naruto asked. Shizune stiffened visibly and looked to Naruto.

"I don't know," she told him honestly, "I've never heard of this place and it isn't on the map." Naruto's eyes narrowed before he just nodded and leaned back in his bed. Naruto noticed a few things about their hut, like how there was only two beds and a small low table for studying or eating. There was a bucket of water nearby for them to drink from.

Naruto also noticed how Shizune slumped as she stood and how tired she truly was. "When was the last time you slept?" Naruto asked her. Shizune avoided his gaze and looked away. She ignored his question as she returned back to the small table to resume her reading. Naruto caught her wrist before she could sit down completely and her eyes went to his hand, and then slowly up to his own eyes. "You look exhausted," he said simply.

She shook her head and looked away from him again. "You should get some more rest," she told him. Naruto shook his head defiantly before he scooted over on his bed so that his good leg was hanging off the bed and his bad one was laid out on it. Shizune's eyes narrowed as she suspected what he may be doing, but a second later he yanked her down into the bed with him and she yelped loudly.

"I'll take watch. You get some sleep," Naruto told her as he put his back up against the wooden bed frame was beside. Shizune moved to get up but Naruto's grip was steady on her wrist and after a few minutes of struggling she sighed and laid her head down on the pillow that Naruto was previously laying on.

"Fine," she mumbled tiredly and Naruto released her wrist and watched as she fell asleep within five minutes. After twenty minutes passed Naruto looked to Neji, who was half asleep, and asked, "What happened after we got attacked?"

-[===]-

Naruto hissed in pain as Shizune and Neji helped him walk to the village center. The village was very rustic in nature. There were wooden huts spiraled out from a giant burning bonfire in the middle of the village and wooden torches burned on every pathway. Naruto noticed a contradiction to this village. They enjoyed sitting on the ground and low tables, yet slept in tall wooden bedframes.

Naruto could only guess that they liked their beds enough to spend hours building the bedframes, but didn't want to bother with the tall tables or accompanying chairs. The grey longhaired man led them to a spot at the village center and told them to sit down there. They did so and sat down on a large bear pelt. The pelt was so large that Naruto couldn't even fathom where a bear of that size would even live.

The trio looked around in wonder and saw animal pelts of varying species and sizes spread around the burning bonfire. Naruto once again questioned in his mind where exactly they were, but his question has so far went unanswered since the grey haired man left them alone for the entire day and the lady that brought them their food turned out to be mute.

Lights and decorations fawned all over them. A drum beat proudly rang through the clearing as twenty drummers went along the same pace. Naruto rubbed his eyes as his head pounded painfully along with the drums, but he wasn't going to turn down the village's generousity. Soon a variety of food was set down in front of them. There was various fruits, some the trio recognized, others they didn't, cooked meats, vegetables, and a red liquid in three bowls.

None of the trio moved to eat until Naruto reached for the red liquid and took a hearty drink. The drink burned his throat as he downed the bowl and then he sat the bowl down and picked up one of the fruits. Neji and Shizune watched him cautiously and after five minutes when he didn't croak over dead they to begin to eat the food.

After another ten minutes a sloppy grin came to the blond's face as a cute lady refilled his bowl of red liquid and Naruto started to sip on it again. "Ne, Shiiii Shi, are you feeling any better now?" Naruto asked as he leaned against her a little. Shizune smirked at him and shrugged.

"I'm still tired, but there's nothing that can cure that except more sleep," she replied. Naruto's eyebrows furrowed and before he could ask another question another triage of ladies and men got up and started dancing in a circle around the fire. Naruto watched them and then he leaned against Neji a little and smiled sloppily. Naruto could only wonder how his blind friend was holding up.

Neji was tense and didn't reach out for anything. He was withdrawn extremely and flinched when Naruto or Shizune would touch him any. "Nejiii," Naruto slurred out as he noticed that his friend hadn't grabbed anything that had been put in front of them. Neji's head turned towards Naruto's voice and Naruto smiled happily. "You gotta try some of this," Naruto said in a slur.

"You're drunk Naruto," Neji said matter of factly. Naruto laughed into his friend's ear and leaned away, and a second later he was back with a bowl of the red liquid.

"Try this," Naruto said and he leaned the bowl up to Neji's lips. Neji flinched again as the liquid suddenly hit his closed lips. Neji opened his mouth and the liquid entered and stung his throat as he went down. A trail of the red juice slipped down his face and without thinking Naruto wiped it away.

"Its…good," Neji commented dryly as his head suddenly snapped to the side as a loud gong bellowed out with the drums. His body was tense and Naruto recognized the reaction. Neji was gearing up to fight.

"Calm down," Naruto all but whispered into his ear. Naruto drunkily pulled his injured body so that his legs were spread and Neji's back was at his chest. "Shizune, give Neji some of that meat," Naruto told her as he wrapped his arms around Neji's stomach.

Neji elbowed at Naruto but his elbowed didn't hit anything significant. "Get off me you idiot," Neji hissed. He felt Naruto shake his head against his back and then Shizune's hand was on his leg.

"Noo, not until you calm down," Naruto said in a slur before he laid his head against Neji's back. Naruto closed his eyes and tried to experience what his friend was experiencing.

"Here, try this, it's good," Shizune said as she grabbed Neji's hand and placed a chunk of meat in it. Neji sighed and gave in to his companions. He tasted the meat and was shocked at its texture and flavor. It wasn't like the meat back in Kohona. No, this meat held more of a spicy taste, but the spice wasn't hot.

"Good, mmm?" Naruto said. For the next half hour Neji was coddled and fed as Naruto stayed cacooned around him and Shizune handed him things to eat, try, or drink. Neji relaxed as his surroundings continued to pound on and make unfamiliar noise, but he couldn't bring himself to care. After a while the drums pushed him into a type of trance and he physically relaxed into Naruto's hold.

Naruto all but purred against his back and his grip lessened into a comfortable hug. Naruto's head was now resting on Neji's shoulder and Shizune was leaning lightly onto Neji's arm and her right hand rested on his leg. The trio was tired and worn from their flight from danger and they all felt it in different ways. Neji still felt sick and was blind, Shizune was emotionally torn, hurt, and confused, and Naruto as physically injured and felt lost in his beliefs.

The trio stayed like this well into the night as they drank and ate in peace. It wasn't until the festival was beginning to die down that they were approached again. The grey haired man that housed them sat down beside them on the giant bear pelt and smiled at them. "Well, you three certainly look comfortable," he commented.

Neji immediately went to sit up but Naruto's arms shifted to Neji's chest and pulled him back to his chest. Naruto was half asleep and slurred an incoherent mumble. "What?" Neji asked as he turned his ear to Naruto's mouth. Naruto mumbled something that made Neji's spine straighten and a blush spread out across his face.

"Naruto!" Shizune chided and smacked his arm. "Neji is not a possession!" she continued before she turned to the grey haired man. "I'm sorry Sir. We're a little drunk," she apologized. The grey haired man laughed.

"I never caught your name," Naruto said as he sat back and let Neji sit up as well. Naruto rubbed his eyes as he looked to the man in complete seriousness.

"Well, Naruto, my name is Lue," Lue told the group. Naruto's eyes narrowed as he suddenly understood who this man was.

"You're not going to give the old pervert our positions are you?" Naruto asked as his body tensed for a fight. The old man laughed as he shook his head.

"No! Heavens, boy! Look at you. You are in no condition to fight. He did say that you were going to be feisty though," Lue said as he smiled at the trio. Naruto looked at the man in a hostile manner as his mind put together the facts. Lue was given an assignment to look out for Naruto should he travel in this direction. Lue was a spy that was a part of his master's spy network. Lue worked for Jiriaya. Jiriaya worked for the resistance.

"What did he want you to do?" Naruto asked in a low dangerous voice. He knew that Jiriaya knew where Naruto was heading because Naruto received the information about the blind monk from Jiriaya. What Naruto didn't know was that Jiriaya knew more about the area they were in now than Naruto did. Would Jiriaya give away his position?

Naruto's mind worked sloppily but he tried to beat the drunken haze he was in and speed through the potential outcomes with the current facts. They were as good as captured if Jiriaya and his contacts gave their position away and Naruto knew that. His group was in no condition for further travel or fight. They were injured and sick.

"He told me to keep an eye out for you and your companions and to help you along should you need it," Lue said as he lifted a bowl of the red wine up to his face and took a sip. "Your master isn't against you," Lue said and Naruto's face opened up into surprise. Lue smiled at his reaction and said, "It was written on your face. I am well informed of the situation in Kohona, and of the part that your master plays. If he wanted you captured then you would already be on your way back to that place by now."

Naruto blinked as he looked at his companions and then Lue. Lue was right. Naruto smiled as he felt the respect and love he had for his teacher return and the deceitful thoughts take a leave. "Thank you for your generosity old man," Naruto said with a smile. Lue laughed again before he shook his hand in front of his face.

"You are an odd one, Uzumaki Naruto. The man you seek is over there," Lue said as he pointed towards the other side of the raging fire. Naruto's eyebrows shot to the sky and he tried to look through the fire, but it was impossible due to its height.

"How did you know we were…" Naruto began but then he shut his mouth and shook his head. "Thank you again old man," Naruto said as he unfurled himself from Neji and tried to stand up. Naruto hissed in pain as he tried to put his weight on his injured leg, and was about to fall down when Shizune shot up and slid underneath him to help support him. Neji got up as well and slid underneath his other arm. Neji was supporting the side that Naruto couldn't.

"Follow me," Lue said as he too got up and walked in a lazy manner around the fire. The trio followed slowly while Naruto instructed Neji on where to place his feet since the village center was now loaded down with drunk and cheerful people who were laughing and having a great time. They were practically everywhere except two places. The place they came from, and the place they were going.

Lue sat down in front of a man who was covered in red robes. A sash came down from his shoulder and wrapped around his waist, and then came up his back. The man's eyes were open and his head was pointing towards the general direction of Lue. "Lue, my lad! How are you?" the old man asked.

The old man's eyes were grey and misted over. His face held a well groomed beard and a long mustache. His head held no hair, but had many faded scars running across it. Naruto looked at the man and smiled happily as he realized that his teacher led him to the monk they were looking for. He would have to thank him later. Lue replied in a positive manner and then the old man's focus went to the trio.

"Naruto-kun! It has been a long time since I have sensed your vibrant chakra," the old man said. Neji and Shizune deposited Naruto onto the giant pelt that Lue and the old man was sitting on.

"Ne, old man! It's been a long time since I've seen your crazy mustache to!" Naruto replied. The old man's hand went to his mustache almost immediately and he pulled and groomed the hairs on habit.

"There is nothing wrong with my mustache young man. You are just jealous that you too do not have one as magnificent as mine," the old man replied. Naruto's head tilted back and he laughed hard.

"I am glad to see you Ruk-sama," Naruto said as he finished laughing. Lue, Shizune, and Neji were lost as the two conversed like old friends.

"I wish I could say the same about you lad, but you are injured and your companions are not doing so well either. What brings you to me?" Ruk asked as his face settled down into a serious expression.

"Ruk-sama," Naruto began nervously, "these two people are my companions. This here is Shizune." Naruto put his hands on her and pushed her gently towards Ruk, "Go shake his hand or pat him on the shoulder." Shizune moved forward nervously as she approached the old man.

Just what was Naruto thinking putting her on spot like this? She didn't know this man. He was blind from what she could tell and she still didn't know how to act around people who had lost their sight. Neji was tough enough, but she knew Neji and could be close to him without injury. Ruk was different. She stopped in front of Ruk and nervously fidgeted.

A kind smile came to Ruk's face and his hand lightly rubbed her shoulder. "Shizune-san, huh? Oh my, you are beautiful!" Ruk said as his hands went up from her shoulder and to her cheek. Shizune blushed immediately and fidgeted her hands. "You are a very compassionate woman I see, but what is this? You are in pain," Ruk frowned lightly before he let his hands fall back down to her shoulders. "It is okay my lad. You will soon find the answer," Ruk said as he smiled at her and patted her shoulder.

Shizune nervously nodded and bowed to the old monk, and retook her spot beside Naruto. She elbowed him painfully in the side to which he grunted. Ruk gave out a bellowing laugh and Naruto smiled. "Shizune, please take Neji to him," Naruto asked her kindly as he put Neji's hand into Shizune's. Shizune nodded as she understood what Naruto was doing. He was introducing them to Ruk in a way that Ruk could understand and sense.

Shizune led Neji to Ruk. "He may touch you," Shizune whispered into Neji's ear, "If he does don't panic. He is like you." Shizune purposely left out the ailment Neji had. She noticed that if Naruto or Shizune mentioned his blindness then Neji would sulk for the rest of the day if he wasn't sulking already.

Ruk didn't respond when Neji was set out in front of him, and this confused everybody greatly. Ruk never hesitated to touch anybody. Lue watched on in great interest as Ruk slowly but steadily grabbed Neji's hand. "My lad," Ruk whispered out softly as he put his other hand onto the other side of Neji's hand, "You've been through a great deal. I see that you have lost something that was precious to you." Neji's face scrunched up in anger and for a moment Shizune thought she would have to pull Neji away from Ruk. She didn't want Neji to assault the man that they traveled all this way to see.

Shizune was about to move to pull Neji away but Ruk's hand shot out and pointed towards her. "It is alright lad. He will not attack me," Ruk said and Neji bit grinded his teeth angrily at the man. "Neji," Ruk said his name without any emotion, "Men like us walk a rough path in life, but it is not without meaning. There is a balance even if we cannot sense it. With the loss of one thing we always gain something greater. Do not forget that."

Ruk then pulled his arms away from Neji and smiled at him. Neji backed away and found Shizune's hand. Neji was confused and scared. He didn't want to admit it to anybody but everything frightened him now, even meeting fragile old men. He felt weak and unworthy of life. Neji bowed respectfully and said, "Thank you Ruk-sama. I am pleased to make your acquaintance." Ruk smiled as if he was pleased by the teen's response.

"I too am pleased to make your acquaintance young one," Ruk said as Neji raised and together with Shizune retook their positions beside Naruto. "Ne, Naruto, why don't you approach me?" Ruk asked curiously to which Naruto laughed.

"I am injured old man. I cannot walk right now. I would prefer not to," Naruto said aloud, but Naruto knew the real reason why he didn't want to approach the old man. He held powers that Naruto didn't want used on him right now. Naruto didn't want his already shaky resolve to dissiapate tonight. He didn't want to feel lost again. For the first time in the past year Naruto actually felt rooted to reality because of his companions.

Ruk laughed and shook his friends in front of his face to fan his face lightly. "Very well young man. As much as I enjoy your presence, I must ask again. What has brought you to me?" Ruk asked curiously.

"Ruk-sama. Neji has lost his sight because of me," Naruto told the old man respectfully. Neji was about to pip up his opinion on Naruto's words but Shizune's hand quickly shot to his mouth and Neji's words became an incoherent mumble. "The lives me and my companions have led have not been an easy, but without sight my friend sees his life as forfeit," Naruto told the old man sadly. Neji was still struggling against Shizune to get his words out, but what Naruto said next made him freeze in place.

"I humbly request for you to train him in the ways of your sight, and the ways that you see the world," Naruto said aloud and then he kneeled down on his injured leg and bowed his entire body and head down to the old man. The group of five people froze all except Ruk and the other patrons of the festival around them.

"Naruto, my lad," Ruk said aloud as he seemed to reach out from his spot. Naruto felt his senses and body get touched by energy of a sort and Naruto rose from his painful bow. "You have grown so since we first met," Ruk said and he smiled as Naruto looked at him with confusion and at lost for words. "You no longer pursue the world selfishly, but you are still lost," Ruk continued and Naruto felt his heart twist painfully. This isn't want Naruto wanted and he began to panic, "I will help you and your companions if you agree to do something for me."

"Anything old man," Naruto said as he felt the energy lift him up from his injured leg and deposit him back on his rear end so that he was no longer leaning against his injured leg.

"Naruto-kun. I want you to embrace peace and live in it. I want you to understand the world and to find your place in it. I want you to find love, and to love thyself as much as thy prisoner," Ruk said with a smile on his face the entire time, "If you agree to do so then I will help you and your own, but if you do not or do so and then do not, then I will send you on your way and wish you the best."

Naruto looked up at the old man and he felt his stomach swirl in fear and his heart thrum in pain. He was afraid of doing what the man wanted, but if he didn't do it then Neji would never become more than a scared blind cat. The group was silent as Naruto pushed his worry and fear down into a small ball in his stomach. He felt physically sick from the emotion but he nodded his head in agreement. "I promise to do so Old man. I will find peace and embrace it," Naruto said, but when he fell silent Ruk interjected.

"And?" Ruk asked.

"And to understand the world, and to find my proper place in it," Naruto continued and fell silent again. The pit of his stomach felt like something exploded in it and sweat was stinging his face.

"And?" Ruk said as a wily smile came to his face.

"And…And," Naruto stuttered as the words came in a struggle, "And to find love, and to love…myself, and to love my…my." Naruto went silent again as he struggled with the last word. He knew what Ruk wanted, and it frightened Naruto more than it should. Finally, after a few more seconds he said, "And to love my prisoner."

Ruk nodded as he was satisfied. "Very well my lads. Please enjoy the rest of this wonderful festival. Lue, I would greatly appreciate it if you would please take them back to the temple when they are done here," Ruk told them. Neji and Shizune came to kneel on both sides of Naruto and slowly the slid underneath his arms and lifted him up.

Naruto withdrew into himself as his friends lifted him up and he was silent until he stopped them from walking away. Naruto looked to Ruk and said, "Ruk-sama?" When Ruk looked towards his general vicinity Naruto continued, "Thank you." Ruk smiled and nodded.

"Think nothing of it until you have completed what you have agreed to. Then you may thank me," Ruk said. Naruto just nodded and then he let his friends lead him back to the pelt they were previously on.

The trio wasn't very talkative for the rest of the night. Neji was nervous, and tried to strike up conversation with Naruto but Naruto was still very withdrawn and silent. Neji did successfully talk to Shizune, but her replies were short and concise. Neji seemed to be the only one who still had an appetite and he ate with the help of either Naruto or Shizune, but even then they were quiet.

When the festival started to die down, and the drummers quit thrumming, Lue returned and led them to a great stone temple that was a little ways from the village. "I will have your things brought here in the morning," Lue said as he guided them to the temple's mass room. Great statues loomed over them and pillars held up the structure proudly. "You will be staying in this room for now," Lue explained before he left and returned with cots for them to sleep on. "Good night," Lue bid them farewell and left them in the temple.

Naruto looked up at the statue as the torches cast long shadows on it and the walls around them. "This is a little condescending, isn't it?" Naruto said aloud. It was the first thing he really said to them since he talked to Ruk. Shizune muttered in agreement while Neji asked what he was talking about. "There are statues in this room. We are in a temple. The light from the fire bounces these shadows around the room that are creepy looking," Naruto explained as he settled down on his cot beside Neji's cot.

Neji laughed a little before he yawned. Shizune settled down into her cot which was on the other side of Neji. "You didn't have to do that, you know?" Neji said aloud as his head faced Naruto's general direction.

Naruto remained quiet until he quietly responded, "Yes. Yes I did." Neji frowned at him. He didn't understand just what exactly made Naruto afraid. Naruto was hardly afraid of anything. Hell he jumped off a cliff and into a raging river just two days ago. Neji moved on and said, "You didn't cause me to lose my sight. I did."

Naruto laughed at him and disagreed. "No. I made you lose your sight. I could've just as easily blocked your attack and fled, but I put you in this situation and it cost you your sight," Naruto argued. Neji scowled and sat up, but Naruto didn't bother sitting up. He was too tired and emotionally taxed.

"I lost my sight on my own accord! If it weren't for you I would've lost my life as well!" Neji argued.

"No! You lost your sight due to my stupidity and selfishness!" Naruto sat up this time and glared at the Hyuuga. "I should've never told you were I lived knowing full well that it could've implicated you into an assassination plot. I made you lose your sight and I might as well clawed your eyes out with my own fingers for all the good I've done you!" Naruto yelled.

Neji growled angrily and Shizune shifted so that she was ready to break them apart if need be. "Guys," Shizune tried to defuse the situation. They both looked towards her and growled angrily, and then looked towards each other again.

"Naruto! I choose to attack you and attempt to take your life! It was my choice!" Neji yelled back as his face flooded red with anger. Naruto seemed to bustle with anger for a few seconds before he glared heatedly again at Neji.

"No. You didn't have a choice in the matter. Either you done it or you died," Naruto said almost quietly, to which Neji found odd.

"I should have chosen death!" Neji replied snarkly and then he looked away from Naruto. He was angry that Naruto blamed himself for the predicament they were in. Naruto glared at Neji and before he knew it Naruto punched Neji across the face. Neji was immediately on guard and he threw his fist towards where he thought Naruto would be. His fist hit Naruto's head, not his face, and Naruto hit the ground hard. Neji looked in Naruto's general vicinity and twitched in barely controlled anger.

"Never say that again!" Naruto said as he got back up. Shizune took a step back and was at loss for words or actions as the two men argued with each other. "Your life is worth more than you think it is your idiot! I don't know what I would do without you!" Naruto screamed out before he got up on his pained leg and hissed in pain. The argument was getting too emotional for him. Tears were threatening to spill out of his eyes and down his cheeks.

Neji was silent since they started arguing at the blond's emotional outburst. He didn't know how to reply. Naruto was limping away painfully and Shizune was trying to help him or guide him back to bed but he was having nothing of it. Naruto shoved Shizune away and hopped towards the door. "You have free will now, you idiot. It's not life or death anymore," Naruto said as he tried to exit the temple.

Tears were now freely falling down his face and he couldn't stop them anymore. He fell against a pillar and slid down to the ground in a crumpled heap as he held back a sob. It hurt too much to try to escape anymore, both emotionally and physically. Naruto tried to hide the tears with his arms and hands but they wouldn't stop.

Shizune kneeled down and tried to wrap her arms around Naruto but he pushed her away. "Come here," Shizune said, but Naruto blurted out a 'no' and kept trying to hide himself. Shizune shook her head and forced Naruto's face into her chest and wrapped her arms around him. Naruto sobbed against her as he broke down from the choices and events of the past week.

Neji stayed at his cot as he listened to Naruto's sobbing, and after ten seconds he couldn't stand it anymore. Naruto was strong. He was strong enough to never show his emotions, but Neji finally realized that Naruto had delicate emotions. Naruto wasn't a drone, and Neji realized that if Naruto wasn't a drone then neither was he.

Emotions were beaten out of him at an early age. He was taught to show no emotion unless he was instructed to. He was raised as a tool. So when Neji got up on his hands and knees and crawled over to Naruto he truly had no idea what he was doing. Neji wrapped his arms around Naruto and Shizune both and laid his head against the side of Naruto's and Shizune's.

At first Naruto flinched almost violently but then he melted into Neji's and Shizune's touch. He was tired, stressed, hurt, and afraid. He didn't know what to think but his friends, both of them, were by his side and holding him. At first he thought they were stupid for getting so close to an emotional ticking time bomb, but he couldn't help but melt into their embraces.

"I'm sorry," Naruto sobbed out as his head turned and snuggled against Neji's in a cat like fashion.

Neji shook his head and said, "No, I should be the one that is sorry." Shizune looked to the two, sighed, and wondered if the argument was going to reignite.

"I wanted you to live," Naruto said as he leaned back a little so that he could look at Neji. "I knew there was a risk that Hiashi would pit you against me, but I didn't want to push you away. You were the first person my age, other than Shizune, to get to know me," Naruto explained. "I didn't meant to gamble your life," Naruto finished. Neji was silent as he took in his words and then he let out a big breath of air.

"That man made me do things that I never wanted to do. I've killed children Naruto. I've had to kill my own clansmen and huntdown my allies. I wanted to die, but I couldn't bring myself to do it," Neji told them as he looked down out of reflex and shame. "I taunted Hiashi on a regular basis but he wouldn't kill me. He would only leave me in agony. I regularly patrolled the streets to try and make up for the evil that I've done, but even that wasn't enough to clean my sins away. Hiashi found out my knowledge because he tortured me, and then ordered me to kill you.

When I came to you that night I was coming to you for death, not life. I wanted it to end. I wanted to be free from the evil that I've caused, and the evil that ruled over me," Neji told them as he wiped the tears away from his eyes. He didn't understand why he was crying, but he was. Naruto's hand came up to wipe the tears away and suddenly with a pull Neji's forehead was against Naruto's.

"You are no longer ruled by that evil Neji. You are free," Naruto told him. Shizune felt loss at what to do in this situation, so she hugged the crying culprit. Neji seemed to melt to the ground and against her and Naruto's embrace. Neji cried as his heart broke and his stomach swirled as his barriers broke. He couldn't hold strong against the thoughts he felt for such a long time. He never thought that he would share the thoughts with another person, or even two people.

"You are both at fault," Shizune said aloud and the boys looked to her. "If we are to blame someone, then you are both to blame. Either accept this or don't bring it up anymore," she continued and she used her hand to wipe some tears from Naruto's cheek. Naruto nodded tiredly and Neji just mumbled in agreement. "Can we go to bed now?" Shizune asked tiredly. Even though she slept that day she was still tired.

Neji gave off a small chuckle and Naruto smiled at her. "Yes," Naruto said, and Neji mirrored his words.

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