The white unblemished porcelain of her mother's fine china glistened in the stream of hot water. Her hands, already pruning from the last fifteen minutes, ran across the porcelain marveling at its smooth unblemished surface. It was the kind of dish that was too pristine to use outside of special events. Yet, the last time this dish was used was last night, for no other reason than to simply be used.
Not so long ago, she was alone, waiting to die, eager for that release. Those desires still bit at her heels, reminding her of her past. When she stopped moving, they would catch up to her, drowning her in her own sins and reminding her that she did not deserve to live.
"Itachi," Naruto bumped her with his hip, a warm smile that pushed out the cold and brought a warmth to her cheeks. Like the goofball he was, he wiggled his eyebrows like they had a life of their own.
But she wasn't alone anymore. She looked over towards Naruto the sleeves of his black shirt were rolled up to his elbows revealing his forearms, as he helped her do the dishes. Her family, while not as large as it had been a lifetime ago, was more than she could ever ask for. Both Sasuke and Naruto wanted her to live. And that was good enough. At least until she found her own reason to live.
"Sorry, just lost in thought," she hummed, handing the dish to him. Her home had never felt like this before like it was more than just a place to live. But she was still running from her past, Inoichi had said as much. And he was right, she needed to be more honest with herself, and those she cared for.
Naruto took the plate and her comment in stride. Nodding just once to show that he heard her and a touch on her shoulder told her that he understood what she did not say. For someone, so loud and talkative Naruto had proven a great listener, even when she didn't speak.
"We've met before." The words forced their way out of her. She had been in the shadows for so long, every step into the light was like plunging herself into frozen water.
"Yeaaa," he nodded one eyebrow raised. "We met like a month ago. You're not having memory problems are you? Quick how many fingers am I holding up."
Adorable.
A short giggle escaped her, something that only seemed to happen around him. He was a warm blanket awaiting her once she left that frigid light. "No, I meant before, years ago." The words trapped her lips shut, causing them to tear as she forced them out. "When I was a member of the Akatsuki, I was the one that captured you."
His nose crinkled and his mouth became small, a sign that meant he was confused. It was easy to read Naruto a person that wore their emotions on their sleeves. And she knew him well. Did she have any tells?
"Ohh!" His face lit up, and his hand slapped against the countertop. "That was you? Man, I thought you felt familiar. And thanks for setting us free, and stopping the ritual."
"How, did you know that was me?" Wasn't she wearing a mask? Or was that part of her fake memories? No, there was a mask, an orange one that Akatsuki members wore along with their cloaks.
"Ha! I knew it!" He grinned swaying from side to side like a child that just figured something out. For the first time. "I always wanted to thank that person for helping us out like that, but you ran away after we broke out, and when you said you were in Akatsuki, I kind of figured it was you. So thanks."
That was the first time anybody had thanked her for what she had done. It, but, what did that mean? What did he mean by that? "You," Her voice quivered. Her body shook, and her limbs felt cold. "You know what I did, how many people I killed, and you're thanking me?"
His arms wrapped around her and she felt her face press into the warmth of his chest. Her own hands still wet from the dishes gripped at the back of his shirt. This wasn't her first hug with him, if anything he abused it, anytime she was upset near him, he pulled her into one. A simple trick, but one that worked over and over again.
"I know what you've done Itachi. A lot of it I find hard to understand," He tightened his grip around her and rested his head next to her ear. "But I know your heart Itachi, you saw what was wrong with this world and tried to bear all that weight on your own. While I can't speak for everyone, I know that I forgive you. So thank you, for trying to stop fighting all on your own."
She was crying. Again. How many times had she cried since she tried to take her life? And for how many different reasons? It wasn't fair to Naruto for him to put up with her. He was supposed to be happy with her sister, not wasting so much time with her.
"I'm sorry," Her voice was weak, lips trembling. "I'm sorry," She muttered again, pressing further into Naruto, holding onto him with what little strength she could muster. "Can you just hold me for a bit?"
She felt him nod, his hand rubbing a circle along the small of her back. "Sure, besides you're fun to hug."
Her tears felt cold along her cheeks.
Seconds turned to minutes before she finally pulled away from Naruto, her hand lingered on his chest where her tears stained his black shirt. At least it was black and barely noticeable. Pushing what few remained in her eyes out, she brought a smile out for Naruto. "Thank you Naruto, I'm fine now."
"You sure?" He held his arms out wide rising a single eyebrow out for her as though challenging her to a hugging competition. "Sasuke normally needs thirty minutes before she's fully recharged. And I will have you know I give the best hugs in all of Konoha."
Another laugh. "I believe you, but I'm," fine was the word she wanted to use. "I'm better, I can finish up here, if you want to tend to the garden?"
His arms dropped along with his smile. "Are you sure?"
"Yes," she wasn't a child, or an idiot. "I know you and Sasuke don't want to leave me alone, but you're not, I'll be able to see you from the window." She gestured towards the mostly empty sink. "Besides, we're almost done here. I can finish up and then I'll join you in the garden soon. Then we can work on dinner?"
His smile sprung back. "Yea! That sounds great."
Sasuke was lucky to have found Naruto. He was someone that could put a smile on her face even when the darkest of thoughts choked her emotions. He was strong, kind, and the more time she spent around him, the more she wanted his company. Outside of her sister, she trusted Naruto the most.
From her window, she watched him work the garden they had started not so long ago, yet already the first of their crop was already taking bloom. A whole bed was devoted to tomatoes - for her sister that could eat the fruit raw like it was an apple - and another held a feast of strawberries that had her mouth watering at the thought of them. The remaining three beds held far more variety, and Naruto had started work on a fourth.
There was a joy in the way he worked, one that she too felt, it was the joy of having the time and peace to do something so mundane. And yet for her, there was another joy, of just simply watching him. It was small, hard to notice. But it was there in the way he cared for the plants, there in the way he hammered the wood, there in the way he smiled back at her.
Amidst the storming seas of her past, he was the light that guided her to the present.
Groceries hitting the countertop shocked her back into the kitchen. She turned to look at her sister, who had the usual scowl on her face, one that was only exasperated by the fact that she had to go shopping. With a growl, she began to put the items away. "I hate people."
"Naruto's people," She muttered with a shrug turning her attention back to the dishes, and Naruto as he hit his thumb trying to hammer two pieces of wood together. She should have him work on his shuriken jutsu. "And you like him."
Sasuke snorted, "Naruto's not people, he's an idiot."
"Well, if you love idiots so much then you should like going shopping." She could feel her sisters glare on the back of her head.
"You know what I mean," Sasuke stood next to her, drying one of the dishes with a quick once over with the towel. "He's just,"
"He's just Naruto." She finished, feeling a smile twinge onto her lips as she watched the large man-child suck his thumb while still trying to hammer the bed together. A sigh escaped her even as she rolled her eyes at him. For all his strength, sincerity, and talent he really was just one big goofball. And an attractive one too.
The admiration she once felt for Fox had been real, but it had belonged to Naruto all along.
"Holy shit," Sasuke muttered, her sister pushed on her shoulder, and grabbed her attention. Her eyes were wide and filled with a dangerous mix of joy, anger, and curiosity. Slowly the concoction stabilized and a smile worked its way onto her sister's face, one that was hard to place. "Woah, you're in love with Naruto aren't you?"
"I,"
The statement tore through her mind like a torch through the darkness illuminating many things that she had locked away for the longest time. Desires, hopes, and dreams she didn't know she had. "That's, I."
She couldn't say no.
AN: And now it's time for the fluff.
