Heya, I've FINALLY updated, I actually wrote this a while ago, but didn't update, why? who know, but it's here now. Even though I'm not really that happy with it.
Disclaimer - Distinct lack of ownage of Naruto.
A little note - I am aware that it would've been a cremation not a funeral, but the way I see it is that Sasuke was a traitor and so would not have the same rights (I mentioned before that Naruto wanted in the grave yard and Tsunade said it's not usualy allowed for traitors) therefore he couldn't be cremated but Tsunade let him bury him 'cause she just loves Naruto sooo much.
Enjoy!
The Truth's in the Child – Chapter VII – Funeral
Naruto was stood in Konoha's grave yard along with the rest of the Rookies. The hot June sun was making his mind sluggish and he was finding it hard to focus on Tsunade's words as she repeated the familiar funeral rites.
"When leaves fall from the tree, they nurture it in their death. While some may be blown by the winds to other destinations, still they nurture. And people grow and are nurtured, and just as the leaves and the tree, the mistakes they make and the lessons they learn teach others, and help them grow. And so the cycle continues."
His eyes were beginning to water and he wasn't sure whether it was due to the bright sunlight reflecting into them or something else.
The Hokage dropped the first handful of soil onto the wooden casket. It fell infuriatingly slowly before landing with a thud. Naruto's breath caught in his throat in a sob that released the dam that held back the tears and they began to fall in a continuous stream.
As Tsunade petered to a stop the Rookies turned and left the fresh grave; not a word was spoken, but Naruto felt a hand rest on his shoulder before whoever it belonged to moved on.
He took a step forwards and stopped, scared of going any further. Taking a deep breath he walked the two meters to the plot of land that was Sasuke's eternal resting place.
There was a small, unobtrusive place stone that read;
Uchiha Sasuke
1990-2005
Will never be forgotten.
Naruto's knees buckled beneath him and he landed with his hands on the grass in front of him, his knees folded, shoulders hunched. He sobbed, great wracking sobs.
Iruka walked up behind him and watched in silence. After a while his sobs subsided to just a trickle of salty tears and Iruka sat down beside him, one hand on his shoulder.
He pulled Naruto into his lap so that his blond head was buried into his chest and he made gentle hushing sounds to sooth him. They stayed like that for a long while before Iruka kissed the top of his head.
"I shouldn't be sad." Naruto said, his croaky voice muffled by the cloth of Iruka's clothes.
"Why not?" he asked softly.
"'Cause he's a traitorous, raping bastard." Naruto's voice cracked slightly.
"That you loved." He replied, as if that made it all okay.
"I did, before he betrayed me. Before…just before."
Iruka sat and pondered what Naruto said for a while, "Are you sad that he's gone?"
Naruto shook his head and shuffled so that he was sat normally.
"I can't do this!" he cried, curling forwards into a ball, wrapping his arms around his I mid-section.
"Naruto." The chuunin whispered, placing one hand on his back, "You can do this. I know you can."
"But I can't, not on my own. I'm gonna be a terrible parent, I don't know anything about babies, let alone having one. I'm gonna mess up and if I don't do something terrible first, it's going to hate me. I can't give it what it means!"
"You're just being paranoid."
"No, I'm not; studies have shown that an animal in captivity, hand raised by people, is more likely to reject their own young!"
Iruka sighed, "You're not an animal in the zoo, though, are you?" he asked rhetorically.
"But it's the same concept, my childhood was…less than satisfactory, so what if the same happens to my kid, what if it's all my fault, what if I'm a horrible, abusive, neglecting parent or let the things that happened to me happen to them."
"Naruto, the fact that you're so worried about these things tells me you're going to be an amazing mother-father-parent figure thing."
"Whatever." Naruto sighed and stood up before walking away.
"You want some ramen?" Iruka called, beginning to follow his young ex-student.
"No." he shouted back, "But thanks." He added as an after thought.
"You could come round mine tonight then, maybe we could hang out for a bit."
"I just wanna be left alone!" he said, angrily, before picking up his speed and sprinting back to his rundown flat, tears still streaming, unbidden, down his face.
Slowly, Naruto woke up before groggily rubbing his eyes. He stared at his grubby white ceiling, after a few moments he groaned and bolted to his bathroom where he promptly emptied his stomach into the porcelain bowl.
He coughed and wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. As he was about to sit back on his heels, Naruto felt the nauseous feeling return and he darted forward to vomit again.
He heard the click from the latch of his front door and soft footsteps across the wooden floor.
A hand rested on his back before rubbing gentle circles. Naruto coughed again before gasping in lungfuls of air.
"I'm…I'm sorry I snapped at you."
"It's okay." Iruka replied, still rubbing the small, soothing circles.
"No, it's not; I shouldn't take out my frustrations on you."
Iruka just shook his head, before slotting his arms under Naruto's arm pits and hoisting him to his feet.
"I brought you breakfast." He led him into the kitchen.
Naruto groaned, "Not bacon," And bolted back to the bathroom.
I hope you enjoyed that, I don't like how the ries turned out, but oh, well, and I'm sorry that it's so short.
Drop by to say hey...