We travel through the trees, but I am not truly there. My mind is elsewhere, wandering without reason.
I want to think that I am finally home, but I know this is not true. This not my home anymore, it never has been. It hasn't been my home since it wasn't my family's home. I was just a stranger in a world where I didn't belong.
Still, I couldn't help but feel oddly excited. This however was stopped with uncomfortable feeling in my stomach that came with the thought that we had come to get the Kyuubi, and we might just have to kill all of Konoha to get it. I'd just have to hope she was on a mission though.
We skidded to a stop as the gates came into sight, and I signalled for us all to split up. Suigetsu seemed eager to chop someone up, Jugo seemed relatively bored, and Karin seemed upset that she had to leave me. However, I needed them all out of my way.
Karin had already told me of the Kyuubi's location beforehand, and had also warned me that he was surrounded. Chances are, they either knew we were coming, or were just being cautious, considering the times we were in. Either way, this was going to be neither pretty nor easy.
I landed behind them at their place alone on a training field. Only my age mates surrounded him, and multiple pairs of eyes turned to met mine. Green, Blue; Black, Black, White; Black, Blue, Black; Black. The people had changed physically, but had not mentally. I could read each of their emotions, all of their thoughts, simply from their eyes. Except Shino, but he wore sunglasses.
But there was one color missing. Chocolate Brown, the color I searched for everywhere; that swamped my mind when it had nothing to think of.
In one swift movement that all the eyes followed, I had my hand on the sheath of my sword, and had pulled it from its case. Naruto's azure eyes hardened into a glare.
I raised the cool metal to my neck.
I could make them stop worrying; make them stop chasing me; let them go on in their lives if I did this one simple task. With this, maybe I could finally earn her respect and attention.
My hands would not move though. I tried to force them to. I was merciless, so why couldn't I be merciless to even myself? She was right all along, I was selfish, and I couldn't kill myself.
I tried to make the blade move closer, and then I could feel the cool of the metal on my skin. Just like the river however, the sensation only lasted a few moments, before the blade was pulled away from my neck. I didn't realise my eyes had been closed until they snapped open with the withdrawal of the metal. I could see hands on the handle of my katana, gently pulling it away from me.
I spun around to face the person, only to drown in Chocolate.
She held my blade, and gently slipped it away from my grip, though our eyes never stopped watching each other's. She took a step towards me, and I could feel her warmth. I could hear the soft sound of metal running along metal or plastic as she sheathed my katana, yet she didn't step back.
I wasn't sure who started it, but suddenly, all I knew was that my lips were against hers. My eyes closed, blocking out the beautiful chocolate brown, though it stayed burned in my mind.
Everything felt right again, as if nothing had ever gone wrong. I could smell my mother's cookies, and felt warm. The feeling was like I had been outside in the cold, not realising I was cold until I came inside.
Until I came home. Home. I was home.
It was like that time in the closet, the most amazing sensation, but somehow I felt even more than that. She was kissing back.
