Author's note: Hi! Let's see...I currently feel very guilty for taking so long to update. I had a terrible case of writer's block, but now I have recovered. I wrote three different versions of this chapter but I didn't like any of them. Fortunately, I hunted down some inspiration and ended up writing this one. I even came up with an idea for a new story, but for now, I want to focus on this one. Anyway, thanks to my readers who added this story to alerts and favorites. You guys rock! To my reviewers: Thank you so much! All of your reviews make me so happy, and I can't thank you enough! Alright, you know the drill; please review and let me know what you think! I appreciate any and all reviews and will gratefully accept any suggestions for improvement, OK? Let's roll!
Disclaimer: Masashi Kishimoto owns Naruto, and I own six dogs. I wonder if he would be interested in a trade...
Chapter 9: Confrontation
Naruto glanced at the apartment's front door as Sasuke slammed it shut behind him. Once again, the Uchiha had left for the day and it was likely he wouldn't be back until nightfall. Sasuke spent his most of his time at the Uchiha district. He was directly involved with the renovations of the complex because in a few days, he would be moving out of Naruto's apartment. Sasuke had announced his plans to move back to the Uchiha district the following day after Naruto's date with Sakura a week-and-half ago. Needless to say, Naruto was against the idea. He had tried in vain to convince Sasuke not to leave, but the raven-haired boy was adamant. Sasuke had spoken with a sharpness in his tone that suggested he was angry about something, but gave no indication as to what. After that, Naruto had let the issue drop. He didn't want to spend the remainder of his time left with Sasuke arguing.
Naruto sighed unhappily. He knew that with each passing day, there was a growing distance between them. Since the wedding was announced, he had always known it would be inevitable, but it still hurt him. However, he had no desire to tell that to Sasuke. Naruto didn't need or want to make things awkward, which would only add tension to the already strained relationship. He tried rather often to think of Sasuke moving as a good thing because it meant that the Uchiha would be willing to let go of the past and begin building a better future for himself... A future where he could be happy.
In truth, that was Naruto's only real solace because although he loved Sasuke and wanted only the best for him, he still wanted to be by his side. Naruto considered himself to be a bit selfish in that regard, but when you loved someone, letting them go was never easy. And it wouldn't get easier, but hopefully, he would eventually just love Sasuke as a friend. He would still remain in his life and that would be enough... Right?
But, even if he continued to be in love like he was now, Naruto still resolved to be Sasuke's friend. He just hoped he wouldn't screw things up...
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
Sakura smiled warmly at Naruto as he approached her in the park. She had arranged for them to have a picnic lunch under the large oak tree that stood in the park's center. The tree provided an ample amount of shade and was ringed with beautiful flowers. In short, Sakura considered it to be romantic, and she wanted to subtly show Naruto that she was serious about developing a relationship with the boy that went deeper than mere friendship.
"Hey Naruto! I'm glad you could make it. I was actually starting to worry if you were going to show up." Sakura said, sounding cheerful like usual.
"Of course, Sakura-chan! I wouldn't dream of just ditching you at the last minute." Naruto replied, trying to put a smile on his face. He succeeded of course, but his outward happiness was not reflected in his eyes, nor on the inside, where it really mattered.
Green eyes narrowed, studying him carefully. Sakura had known Naruto for several years, and it was obvious something was bothering him. She was concerned and decided to find out, but first things first...
She sat down on a blanket placed on the grass, and patted the spot next to her. "Sit down Naruto."
The blond did as he was told, and sat next to her, but kept a respectful distance. Sakura unwrapped some onigiri and offered one to Naruto, who took it eagerly. She kept one for herself and took a bite, and watched the boy as he did the same. A smile of enjoyment graced his features but he still had a contemplative look on his face. This seemed to be the perfect time to see what was going on.
"What's wrong? You don't seem like yourself today." Sakura said, between bites. Naruto paused, thinking about it before replying.
"Really? I feel the same. How am I any different?"
"Well, you're just not..." she hesitated a moment before continuing, "I don't know how to explain it, but you seem 'off'. Know what I mean?"
"Not really." He admitted, finishing his onigiri.
Sakura passed him another from the basket she brought with her. He thanked her, and she tried to help him understand," Normally, you're more talkative and you smile genuinely. Today, your smile felt forced and you've been quiet."
" I guess..."
Sakura winked at him, "See? You just proved my point. You're talking far less than normal. If you tell me what's wrong, I can help you find a solution to your problem. Two heads are better than one, you know."
Naruto didn't really feel like talking about what was bugging him, but he was also aware of the fact that Sakura was just trying to be a good friend. Her kindness allowed him to share a portion of what was wrong,"Alright, Sakura-chan. I'll tell you." He shifted in his seat, trying to get more comfortable before getting to the real matter," You know that Sasuke is living with me, right?"
Sakura nodded, gesturing for him to continue.
"Well, on a good day, he's a bastard. He insults me and I insult him. It's our own little routine." Naruto smiled at the memory then his smile began to shrink, "Lately, he's just ...different. He's constantly busy, gone practically all the time, and won't even make smart-ass remarks anymore."
A frown was present on the pink-haired girl's pretty features. "Oh, I see. It sounds to me like Sasuke-kun is changing. Maybe he just wants a fresh start."
Naruto stopped eating. "Yeah. You're probably right." he mumbled. This conversation wasn't making him feel any better. In fact, he was feeling worse. Sakura noticed and quickly said," I'm sure he'll still be our friend! He's probably adjusting to the thought of marriage. After all, it is a big responsibility."
The blond said nothing.
The girl felt bad. Naruto was still clearly upset and it seemed like she had only made him even more dejected. Sakura needed to think of something that would instantly lighten the mood. Got it! She thought triumphantly as she remembered a recent conversation with Ino.
"Naruto, in three days, we're going to have a party!"
The boy blinked, "Huh?" Party? That's random...he thought.
She nodded, "Yeah! Ino told me she was planning a party at her house and everyone's invited. It's to celebrate Sasuke-kun and Hinata's engagement. I bet that will be enough to make you and him loosen up and have fun."
"Isn't it kind of late for an engagement party?" He asked, not quite believing what he was hearing.
"I know, and I mentioned that to Ino. She said it was supposed to be two parties; a bachelor and a bachelorette party, for Sasuke-kun and Hinata, respectively. However, she didn't know what type of entertainment to have for the boys. When she asked Shikamaru for advice, he told her he thought having a party like that for Sasuke-kun was 'too troublesome'."
Naruto grinned. "That definitely sounds like Shikamaru."
"Yeah. Anyway, Ino just went ahead and decided to plan both parties together, combining them into one. She didn't even say anything to Hinata or Sasuke-kun because she wanted it to be a surprise. Everyone else knows and has been invited already." She smiled. "And now you know."
"That sounds like fun, but how are you going to get Sasuke there?" Naruto asked.
Sakura took another bite of her onigiri and chewed it thoughtfully. After a moment, an idea popped into her head." You'll do it."
"Me?"
"Sure. Come on, Naruto. Sasuke-kun would know something was up if Ino or I asked him. If you do it, he would listen and wouldn't suspect anything. Please." She smiled, and batted her eyelashes at him.
"OK. I'll do it," He said and then looked at her, puzzled." Is there something in your eye, Sakura-chan?"
Sakura looked blank for a second, but if Naruto was being oblivious, that meant he was his old self. This realization cheered her up immediately. "No, but you seem to have lightened up a bit."
He grinned mischievously, "Of course! Sasuke's probably going to be pissed off, but it will be funny to see. So, thanks for letting me know about the party. You're the best, Sakura-chan!"
She blushed, embarrassed by his praise. "It's nothing, really. But, you're welcome anyway. I'm glad you're happy again. That's all I wanted..." she spoke the last sentence softly. Naruto didn't hear. He was too busy unwrapping the last onigiri.
"Naruto." She called. He looked at her, curious. "What's up?"
Sakura said nothing, but stared at him. More specifically, she looked at his lips. She leaned towards him to give him a kiss, but instead of feeling her lips on his, she felt rice on them...
Naruto had pressed the onigiri to her mouth!
Sakura blinked, not sure what to say or do. Her eyes met Naruto's, and they gazed at one another. Finally, he laughed. "I didn't know you liked onigiri so much! You know, Sakura-chan, I would have just given you the last one. All you needed to do was ask!" Naruto didn't know her real intentions. He had assumed that she just wanted the last onigiri. He was as oblivious as ever, but Sakura was not mad. In fact, it was strangely comforting to the girl because it meant that everything was fine.
A smile returned to her face. She pulled away from the rice ball, and playfully snatched it from Naruto. "I know. But why ask when I know you would just give me it?"
They both laughed. Afterwards, they spent the remainder of the afternoon together, talking and enjoying one another's company as only friends can.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
Sitting in the training field, Hinata glanced at the sky. A cold breeze blew in from the west, bringing storm clouds with it. She placed her hand over her growing bump. She hoped that she wouldn't get a cold. It could be bad for the baby.
"Hinata!" Kiba called, his hair ruffling in the wind. He raced towards her, his usual fanged grin present on his face. Akamaru barked a greeting, tagging at his heels. Kiba immediately noticed Hinata's serious expression, and felt a sense of dread.
"What's wrong?" Kiba asked, settling down next to her. Akamaru looked curious too. The large dog sniffed Hinata eagerly. After a moment, he stopped and tilted his head to the side, thinking about it. At last, he barked excitedly, as though congratulating her. She rubbed the dog's head. "Thank you."
Kiba was immediately puzzled by their exchange. The Inuzuka had always assumed that he understood Akamaru best, but right now, he had no clue as to what was going on. "Would you mind filling me in?" he requested.
"Of course... Kiba, I'm pregnant." Hinata answered. She was calm and serene when she replied.
He sat there, mouth agape. "Eh?" was the only coherent sound he made. Akamaru sat on the other side of Hinata, head on her lap. She continued to pet the large dog while the father of her child attempted to say something intelligible.
"Why?" he finally asked.
"What do you mean 'why'? These things do happen." she answered.
Kiba blinked. "No. I meant... Why are you so calm? You just saw me! I made a complete dumbass of myself!" The Hyuuga heiress laughed softly. She smiled and spoke," Kiba- kun, I'm actually really scared." Kiba still was confused. She continued, "But, beyond that, I'm just happy... I get to have a child. Our child."
Silence.
Hinata stopped her petting, and looked at the boy. He was once again staring off into the distance. "What do you think?" she asked. His lack of responses was beginning to worry her.
"You're keeping it?"
"Yes. There's no doubt in my mind. I want this child." Her reply was full of resolve. It was obvious that she had thought about it, and had already made her final choice.
"Are you absolutely sure?" Kiba asked, not looking at her.
"Yes. I'm about ten weeks along. I've taken several different pregnancy tests and they are all positive. I wanted to tell you sooner, but I wasn't completely sure. Besides, I've heard that you aren't supposed to tell anyone you're pregnant until twelve weeks. After that point, the rate of miscarriage is lower."
"I see... why didn't you wait two weeks?"
For the first time, she was sad as she answered," You know exactly why...I'm getting married in ten days." Kiba got up from the grass. He brushed himself off, and began to walk away.
"Kiba-kun! Where are you going?" she called after him.
He sighed loudly, but didn't turn around. "I'm sorry, Hinata. This isn't my problem. It's just yours and Sasuke's." He practically spat out the Uchiha's name.
"But... this is your child! Not his. What are you going to do?" her voice broke, and it was clear that she had begun crying.
He still didn't look at her. "It doesn't matter. I don't need to do anything. It's not my problem anymore." Kiba continued to walk away. Despite his cold words, his own heart was breaking. He was leaving the mother of his first child, the love of his life. Why? Even though Kiba didn't like Sasuke, he knew that Sasuke could provide a good life for Hinata and the baby. Everyone knew that the Uchiha clan had money. They could have a comfortable life with Sasuke. Kiba barely had enough money to support himself, and there would be no way he could support two more people, especially a baby. By giving up now, Kiba felt he would be sparing Hinata and the baby from a life of problems. He reasoned that this was the best possible course of action for him to take: walking away.
"Good luck, Hinata. I'm sorry." Kiba said. Hinata's once-quiet sobs were steadily increasing in volume. "Akamaru, let's go." he ordered the dog. Akamaru didn't respond. Instead, he momentarily bared his fangs at Kiba, but remained by Hinata's side. The dog was going to comfort her when she needed it most. Hinata had just been abandoned by Kiba; the dog would ensure that she wasn't alone.
Wiping away a stray tear, Kiba left without a single look behind him.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\\/
Ordinarily, when a teenager is asked to attend a party on a Saturday night, he or she will be excited. Then, once the night of the party arrives, they are thrilled.
However, it is also necessary to mention how other teens will react the exact opposite way when invited to a party. He or she will not want to attend, but it is likely that someone - typically an over-excited friend - will manage to coerce that person into attendance, either by persuasion or more likely, constant pestering. Then, that teen will have to attend and deal with something they'd rather not. And be particularly irritated while doing it.
Sasuke Uchiha perfectly describes the second teen. He has all the traits: not wanting to go, getting annoyed into going and being very irritated. He even has the over-excited friend... Yeah, you guessed it. The one and only Naruto Uzumaki.
Anyway, back to our story...
-:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- :- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:-
Three Days Later...
Sasuke glared at the blond by his side. "Remind me why I'm not killing you right now."
A smile greeted the murderous Uchiha. "You're the one that agreed to this." Naruto said, gesturing to the scene around them. They were at Ino's house, in her living room. Nearly everyone they knew was either drinking, dancing around to the loud music, flirting, eating, and being very lively. To everyone involved, the party was a success.
Not to Sasuke, of course.
Naruto draped an arm around Sasuke's shoulder, "Come on, Sasuke! Lighten up! We're here to celebrate."
The Uchiha rolled his dark eyes, "What do I have to celebrate? I'm surrounded by drunken idiots." He sniffed Naruto briefly, and pulled away from him, disgusted. "Including you. You stink like alcohol!"
Naruto blinked, blue eyes slightly unfocused. He grinned, embarrassed. "Well, I did have some sake..."
"Dobe, don't you know that alcohol kills brain cells? Are you trying to make yourself even more stupid?" Sasuke asked. He was already mad, but Naruto's constant idiocy was making him psychotic.
Naruto didn't say anything in reply. Sasuke didn't care. Instead, he stalked away, crossing Ino's spacious living room and heading out the door to the back yard, ignoring all who approached him. Outside, he took a deep breath to calm down, and got a lung full of cigarette smoke for his trouble. He coughed loudly, not used to it.
"What the fuck?" He said between coughs.
"Oh... Didn't know anyone else was out here."
Sasuke looked around. Shikamaru was standing there, lit cigarette in his hand. Neji and Chouji were nearby, sitting on a bench. None of them were drinking. This was a surprise to Sasuke. "What are you doing here?" He asked them.
Shikamaru replied first, "l don't like to drink. I prefer to smoke." He took a drag on his cigarette, and exhaled a plume of smoke, proving his point.
Neji folded his arms, frowning. "I won't drink either. It ruins the clarity of one's mind. Plus, the music is obnoxious."
"And you?" Sasuke asked Chouji.
Chouji shrugged, "I'd rather not drink; sake and barbeque chips don't mix well." He resumed snacking on the mentioned potato chips. After a moment, he added," it's nicer out here anyway. Quiet and breezy."
Sasuke nodded in agreement. He looked up at the night sky. A thick blanket of dark clouds hovered overhead, obscuring the stars completely. The wind blew, blowing away the cigarette smoke. The wind carried a faint scent of water, revealing the clouds' intentions. I wonder when it will start raining, thought Sasuke, still busy with his observations.
"Speaking of quiet, where's Hinata? I haven't seen her recently." Neji mentioned. Then the Hyuuga addressed Sasuke. "You two are getting married next Friday; you should at least know where she's at."
"Hn." was his reply.
Neji was irked at Sasuke's lack of concern. He was about to reprimand the raven-haired boy but Chouji spoke before he could, effectively interrupting him and preventing a possible argument. "I saw Hinata earlier, Neji. She was at the party for a while, and then she left. She looked kind of pale, like she was sick or something. Maybe she had some sake and it made her feel like puking."
This answer was enough to placate Neji. He knew his cousin was stronger than people were willing to believe. He assumed she left because she didn't want to partake in any questionable behavior tonight.
"Thank you for informing me, Chouji. It's good to know that others are paying attention to the current situation." Neji said, and then glared pointedly at Sasuke, "Unlike some people..."
"Hn." was Sasuke's opinion on Neji's remark.
"Anyway, why are you out here, Sasuke? Shouldn't you be inside, being the life of the party?" Shikamaru asked, tapping his cigarette and watching the gray ash fall to the concrete below.
"Why the hell would I do that? Believe it or not, I don't even want to be here." Sasuke said. His tone reflected his bad mood.
"Heh. I can believe that." Shikamaru replied. "Why did you even come?"
Sasuke sighed loudly, exasperated.
Chouji chuckled. "I know what that means." He grinned, amused."Naruto, right?"
"Of course. He just wouldn't stop bothering me! I told him I'd go if he would shut up. He eventually did, and now I'm here."
"I figured as much. Ino forced me into attendance. She can be very troublesome sometimes..." Shikamaru stopped talking to listen to a female voice calling him.
"Shikamaru! Get in here!" Sure enough, Ino appeared at the doorway. She surveyed the four boys and the surrounding garden, to make sure nobody was hurt and nothing was broken. She glanced up at the clouds that threatened rain. "All of you get inside. Can't you see it's going to rain? I don't need wet footprints all over the floor."
Right after Ino was finished talking, water fell from the heavens. It seemed almost as though the rain was waiting to be acknowledged before coming down.
"Troublesome..." Shikamaru muttered to the sudden shower, before taking his cigarette out of his mouth and stepping on it to extinguish its flame.
"Hurry up!" Ino ordered them. She would be cleaning once the party was over and didn't want to clean any more than she had to. Wordlessly, the boys listened to the blonde girl and walked inside. Sasuke delayed a bit, lingering near the threshold. He closed the door behind him and locked it, but continued to look through the glass, watching as it slowly began to rain harder. He didn't want to be here. Being outside, even if it meant getting soaked, would be much better.
"Hey, Sasuke!" Shikamaru called him, and threw something towards him. The Uchiha caught it easily and glanced at it. It was an unopened bottle of sake. He gave the Nara a questioning look.
"You may not want it, but you do look like you need it."
Sasuke scanned the area around him. Drunken idiots were present. Not surprising, really. What did catch his attention was Sakura. She was sitting on the couch in the middle of the room, and was all over Naruto, who was next to her.
To be fair, she wasn't literally all over him, of course. She was tipsy and flirting rather brazenly with him. The blond boy was even beginning to look a bit uncomfortable. Sasuke felt a familiar jealousy nonetheless. His envy was also mixed with sadness, which was visible only for an instant.
The raven-haired boy returned his attention back to Shikamaru, who was waiting for a reaction. Sasuke smirked, covering up his inner turmoil. "You know something? I think you're right." he said.
Shikamaru wasn't surprised as the Uchiha opened the sake and started drinking straight from the bottle. Although, he didn't say anything else, the genius tactician was sure this situation was going to be troublesome...
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
Two Hours Later...
Kiba was the type of person who liked to drink for recreational purposes. Normally, when he got drunk, he was very jovial and was considered to be a 'happy drunk', which meant he was overly friendly and in good spirits when intoxicated. However, due to the fact that he was currently trying to drown his sorrow over Hinata's news, he was just drinking to cope with it.
The alcohol was putting him in a depressed state of mind, and he had been mildly lashing out at people. Kiba had insulted Ino, saying she looked like a whore. Understandably, the blonde was furious. To retaliate, she slapped him across the face with a surprising amount of force, called him a moron and demanded an apology. He complied, suddenly afraid of the girl's wrath. Afterwards, he was careful to avoid Ino at all costs.
During this time, Shino had been watching the incident. He suggested to Kiba that he should stop drinking and go home. Kiba had gotten angry, calling Shino a coward for not helping him out. The insect handler had been patient with Kiba throughout the party, listening to him complain about everything, and was now fed-up with the Inuzuka's ungrateful behavior. Shino left the party without another word, leaving Kiba alone to drink and sulk quietly.
Kiba was sitting in the corner of Ino's kitchen when he heard a peal of laughter from the living room, then a reprimanding voice followed. Curious, he got up, and wobbled a bit, nearly falling over. Holding on to the wall, he slowly made his way to the living room. Kiba noticed a several people had left. Only Ino, Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke remained.
Ino was cleaning up. Naruto looked nervous as Sakura approached him. Sasuke watched her, wary of her motives.
"Come on, Naruto. Don't you want to take me home now?" Sakura asked, leaning on the blond. She was obviously drunk now, and Naruto didn't know how to interpret her question.
"Uh..." was his reply.
"No, he doesn't. If he's taking anyone home, it's me." Sasuke declared, pushing Sakura away. He wrapped his arms possessively around Naruto, who, being sober, wondered how strong Sasuke's bottle of sake had been. Then again, he had drunk a full bottle by himself. Maybe this was normal...
Sakura pouted, "Why do you get Naruto? I saw him first."
"Bullshit like that doesn't change anything. Besides, I saw him first." Sasuke replied, tightening his hold on Naruto. He smirked, then licked the side of Naruto's face. "Do you still want him now?"
The pink-haired girl looked shocked, "Why did you do that?"
Another smirk, "When someone licks something they want, it means they really want it. It also discourages others from touching the licked object. Or in this case, Naruto."
Poor Naruto was in a total state of disbelief. His face was red, and he was sure he must have been hallucinating for something this crazy to happen. The only problem with that was there was no way he could be hallucinating. He had stopped drinking earlier after Sasuke had told that he smelled like alcohol.
Perhaps that was a mistake. Maybe being drunk right now would make things easier. Who knows? It might have even made sense of things...
"But, Sasuke-kun, you can't have him. What about Hinata? Next Friday, you two are getting married." Sakura said, hands on hips.
"So what?" Sasuke remarked, nuzzling Naruto gently. The blond gaped, knowing it was official; Sasuke was astonishingly drunk. Why else would he behave like this?
"I knew it! Hinata deserves way better than trash like you!" Kiba suddenly yelled. He had just witnessed the whole scene between Team 7 and was beyond furious. He approached Sasuke, trying to be as intimidating as possible.
The Uchiha was not even remotely scared. After all, it's difficult to be intimidated by anyone who can't walk straight. "Why do you care who marries Hinata?" Sasuke asked, annoyed.
"Because she's...Uh..." Kiba stammered, trying to remember why he was running the risk of getting beaten up. Although he forgot about the pregnancy, he still remembered the most important thing," Because I love her!"
Sakura and Ino exchanged looks of surprise. Naruto didn't know what to think, but he now realized why Kiba was acting the way he was. The blond pitied him and just wanted to end this now before it escalated into a fight, but Sasuke didn't care in the slightest. "What's your point?"
Kiba's eyes narrowed," You cold bastard! You don't give a shit about anyone except yourself! Why don't you get the fuck out of Konoha? We were a lot better off without you!"
Sasuke finally released Naruto. He stood directly in front of Kiba, and looked at him. His onyx eyes gleamed with malice and anger," You make it sound like I want to be in this damn place." he whispered, only loud enough for the Inuzuka to hear. "You say I don't care about anyone...Maybe that was true at some point, but now I do. This person is my only reason for staying here. This person would probably be upset if I killed you, so consider yourself lucky."
Staggering back, Kiba tried to distance himself from the Uchiha. He walked backwards towards the door, not taking his eyes off Sasuke. It was obvious the he meant every word he said. However, Kiba just had to antagonize him some more. "You care about anyone? Don't make me laugh."
Sasuke said nothing, but waited for Kiba to speak again. "Let's be real here, Uchiha. Even if you do actually give a damn about somebody besides yourself, what makes you think anybody would give a shit about a traitorous son of a bitch like you?" While Kiba had spoken, he had gotten foolish and approached Sasuke once again.
To everyone's horror, Sasuke grabbed Kiba's wrist. He twisted it roughly, causing Kiba to fall to his knees. He continued to twist it, until an audible crunching sound could be heard. Sasuke released Kiba, who clutched his now-broken wrist. Kiba's eyes were clouded with pain, but he did eventually stand and jump backwards, once again trying to quickly distance himself from Sasuke. This movement made Sasuke laugh softly. His laugh was frightening, and Kiba had the good sense to try to run out the front door of Ino's house.
Just as Kiba turned his back on Sasuke, the raven-haired boy's voice was heard, "Don't you know that you're never supposed to turn your back on an opponent?" There was a whistling sound as six shuriken ripped through the air. They collided with the flesh of a person, making a soft slicing sound.
Kiba felt nothing, and slowly reached behind him, trying to feel his back. There was no shuriken, and no blood. One of the girls made a choked sob, and spoke, "Naruto!"
Naruto smiled very slightly at the girls who were both crying now, watching as blood from the shuriken stabbed into his back dyed his orange jacket crimson. "I'm fine. Please don't cry..."
The Inuzuka turned around to see meet Naruto's blue eyes. "Are you okay?" Naruto asked him. Kiba could only look at him, and eventually nod. He couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that the blond had just saved him.
"That's good." Naruto said, then returned his attention to the girls, "Sakura-chan, fix Kiba's wrist, and escort him home. Ino, thanks for the party and help Sakura-chan."
While he spoke, Sasuke stood there, feeling nothing. He had known that Naruto had seen him reach for his shuriken, but he didn't think that the Uzumaki would actually interfere and take the attack in Kiba's place. The Uchiha didn't know what to do. By being reckless, he had hurt Naruto.
Maybe Kiba had been right. Maybe everyone, especially Naruto, had been better off without him. He looked at the door, and raced towards it. He opened it, and dashed away into the raining night.
"Sasuke!" Naruto called after him. He moved towards the door, but someone caught his wrist. It was Ino, "Naruto, you can't go! What about your injuries?"
He pulled away from Ino gently, "I need to go after him."
"You don't! Just stay here and I'll heal your back." she said. Ino was worried about him. He was always so selfless, but now, he needed to take care of himself.
The blonde girl felt a hand on her shoulder," No, Ino. Just let him go. He needs to. Can't you see that?" It was Sakura. She looked sad, but she knew that Naruto wanted to go after Sasuke. After all, he had spent years trying to bring him back, which allowed her to see Naruto's determination and faithfulness regarding Sasuke.
He smiled at the girls, "Thanks for all your concern. I'll be back later." With that, Naruto ran out the open door, and into the night, in pursuit of Sasuke.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Rain fell in sheets, blurring the boy's vision. The wind blew, making the trees sway and shudder. Naruto felt branches tug at his clothing, as though trying to stop him. He paid no attention to their efforts. Naruto wouldn't let anything stop him. Earlier, as he reached the beginning of the forest, he had ripped the shuriken out of back and tossed them to the ground, thinking they would slow him down. Removing them had produced more blood loss, but Kyuubi was quick to remedy the situation, using his chakra to mend the lacerated flesh.
Now, he was still running, calling Sasuke's name. The blond leapt swiftly from tree branch to tree branch, never once losing his footing. Any mistake could result in Naruto's worst fear; Sasuke running away from Konoha. Again.
After more traveling, Naruto reached a clearing in the center of the forest. He noticed movement in the darkness, and knew somebody was there. Lightning split the heavens, brightening the night into day for an instant, but it was enough to reveal the person in the darkness.
It was Sasuke, and he was just standing there. It almost seemed as though he was waiting for something.
"Naruto, why are you always following me?" Sasuke asked, voice lacking any emotion.
"I'm your friend, and I don't want to see you do anything stupid." Naruto said, then continued," Sasuke, let's just go home. I'm not mad at you."
"Why not? Why aren't you mad? After everything that's happened, you should hate me!" Sasuke yelled at him, emotionless mask breaking. He couldn't understand why Naruto had so much faith in him. Sasuke knew he didn't deserve such flawless loyalty from anyone.
"I could never hate you. I only want to help you." Naruto replied, feeling water slide down his cheek. He didn't know if it was tears or rain.
"Help me? Don't you get it? All of this shit I've needed to deal with regarding this damn hellhole you call a village is your entire fault! You're always fucking up my life!"
Naruto took a step back, shocked, "Is... is that what you really think?"
"Yes! If you had never brought me back, I could have avoided all of this shit! But no, you just had to be an annoying dobe and continue to stalk me relentlessly throughout the years."
The blond looked at him in the eyes, walking a little closer to him. Sasuke didn't walk away, just stood there, wondering how Naruto would react.
Naruto smiled, but it was obvious he was hurt by the Uchiha's harsh words," Do you really want to know why I was chasing you for so long?"
Silence, then a weak nod from the raven-haired boy.
"I just wanted you to be happy, and I still do." Naruto replied honestly.
Sasuke looked angrier," Happy? I'm not happy! I'm just pissed off. How can you believe I would be happy here? You brought me here against my will. I was happier being a missing nin!"
Now it was Naruto's turn to be mad," That's bullshit and you know it! Life as a missing nin? What kind of life is that? That's a criminal's life full of problems! How can anyone be happy like that?"
The Uchiha knew that Naruto was right, but would not admit it. A pained expression appeared in Sasuke's dark eyes, as though what he was about to say would hurt him. "I hate you, Naruto Uzumaki! I've always hated you!" Around them, the wind roared. Once again, lightning struck, causing the downpour to worsen.
"That's too bad, Sasuke, because I still love you."
Even though they mixed with the falling rain, Sasuke could still feel his own tears fall as he spoke," Why, Naruto?"
"You know what? I used to hate you too, but later I realized I was just jealous of you. You had everything I didn't; a family, popularity, natural talent, and even good looks, but beneath that perfect exterior, I did learn that even with all that, you were like me; lonely. Only when your family was killed did you finally realize how isolated you were, yet that's not what drew me towards you." Naruto smiled before continuing, "Once we became a team, I saw your determination, your pride, your arrogance, but beyond all of that, I saw you for who you really are, and I loved what I saw... I began to love you, Sasuke."
Sasuke sniffled and wouldn't meet Naruto's gaze. He heard the sincerity in the other boy's voice and it was heartbreaking to him. However, he couldn't let Naruto know that. Instead, he reacted like - for lack of a better term - a jackass. "You selfish bastard! You just wanted me in Konoha just for your own peace of mind. If you really loved me, you'd let me go where I wanted and do whatever I wanted."
Naruto lunged at Sasuke, pinning him to a tree. He held onto the Uchiha's wrists, holding them above his head. "I just want you to be happy! I love you so much that it hurts. I don't want to see you get married, but I won't stop you. If it makes you happy, then I don't care!"
Sasuke struggled free, and pushed Naruto away from him. "This is why I hate you! You're always bothering me. Even when we were part of Team 7, you were being a nuisance to me. I was actually considering giving up on my revenge against Itachi because of you... You made me believe I could move on with my life! But I'm glad I left! If I had stayed, who knows what could have happened." Sasuke sighed, and then whispered, "I hate how you always make me feel something, even though I'd rather not."
It was true. Because of Naruto, Sasuke had felt everything, ranging from happiness, sadness, envy, and every other conceivable emotion. He even felt love towards the blond himself, he realized.
"I'm truly sorry, but that's just how things are. You can't always wear a mask, Sasuke. I just wish I understood you."
"Let's settle this, Naruto. Words can cause misunderstanding, but true shinobi can understand each other through an exchange of fists." Sasuke said, getting into a fighting stance.
Naruto nodded, "I remember the first time you told me that. The Valley of the End, all those years ago. I'll never forget that day. Are the same things at stake?"
"Of course."
"If it makes you happy, then let's go." Naruto said, watching Sasuke carefully. The Uchiha didn't look as sturdy as usual. His stance was a little unbalanced. It was probably an effect of the alcohol, just like how candidly he had spoken and how he had behaved earlier that night.
Sasuke attacked first, punching Naruto, who blocked the attack and countered with one of his own, hitting Sasuke in the jaw. The Uchiha retaliated by kicking Naruto in the gut. Naruto winced at the impact, and grabbed Sasuke's leg, and threw him into a tree. Sasuke fell to the ground, but got up quickly.
Brushing himself off, Sasuke smirked. "Who would have guessed you improved, usuratonkachi?"
"Not you."
"Hn. I guess not... All right, you know what I want to see." Sasuke focused his chakra, and activated his Sharingan. Red eyes gleamed in the darkness, illuminated by the blue glow of the Chidori. The sound of chirping birds filled the forest.
"Chidori, huh? I think Rasengan would be appropriate." Closing his eyes, Naruto felt Kyuubi's power surge within him. Red swirling chakra formed in his hand, and when he opened his eyes, they were red, with slit pupils. "Just like old times...Right, Sasuke?"
There was no reply. Instead, they raced forward, intent on hitting each other with each of their powerful jutsu. They collided, the energy hot enough to cause the rain to evaporate on contact. At first, it seemed like they were evenly matched, but Naruto had no intention of prolonging this match any longer. However, he still didn't want to hurt the one he loved. Focusing his own natural blue chakra, he strengthened the Rasengan, overpowering Sasuke's Chidori.
Sasuke's chakra was low, so he couldn't stand up to the powered-up Rasengan. The Uchiha flew backwards, landing on the ground, hitting his head, which caused him to black out.
The blond panted, and immediately went to the unconscious boy's side. He checked for a pulse and was relieved to find one. The Uchiha also was breathing evenly which meant he would be okay. He sat Sasuke up, and studied his face. He looked so peaceful, and it caused Naruto to smile. Naruto hugged him, and held him close.
Blue eyes glanced around the silent forest. The only thing moving was the falling rain. Deeming it to be safe, Naruto leaned forward and kissed Sasuke, heart pounding wildly in his chest.
"Couldn't resist." he whispered to the boy, although he knew Sasuke couldn't hear him. "I love you, Sasuke, and I will always love you. Please don't forget that."
Naruto looked at the heavens above, and the rain that finally seemed to be letting up. That was a good sign. Maybe it meant things would get better eventually. Perhaps the sky was being kind to him and he wondered idly if it cared about what was going on before scooping up Sasuke and walking back home.
No. It probably doesn't care, but it would be nice if it did...