Hello everyone!
Sorry for the delay in updates. I promised I wouldn't take so long to upload, with any story, and I haven't kept up with that. And I feel I owe you all an explanation. So please bear with me, because I promised to be as honest with you guys as possible!...As of late I've been dealing with some...very serious symptoms of depression. A combination of schoolwork, home-life, drama, and just internal issues have led to me being a very depressed person.
I guess I've kind of always had to deal with these problems, but over the past couple of months its all just become so overwhelming. Roughly around the time I stopped updating on my stories, I nearly snapped, and I hope you all can figure out what that means. But it's gotten better (somewhat) now. I'm going to regular counseling and I'm taking steps to try and help myself.
I'm not looking for sympathy, or attention, or whatever. I simply just want all of you to know what's going on, and that I'm trying to get better. Writing is my passion, and fanfiction is one of the few things I actually enjoy doing in my life. So thank you all for giving my the opportunity to write, thank you for reading my stories, and thank you for putting up with my sappy explanation and gratitude.
Now there are roughly six to seven chapters left in Shattered Hopes. It depends on how I want to the story to go. So just bear with my fluctuating updating schedule just a little bit longer! I hope to make it worth the wait. Thank you all! Also, Merry belated Christmas/any holiday you celebrate/um...have a great day? :)
-Astridelta 12/26/13 (26/12/13, whatever)
Chapter Ten
Lying
Sasuke watched as Naruto's body tumbled from the edge of the cliff he had launched the blonde over. The other's limp form twisted in the air, his limbs flailing like a rag-doll's as he vanished over the edge of the precipice. Waiting a few more seconds, the Uchiha ran forward, leaping over the cliff and following Naruto's decent into the valley below. Using a transportation jutsu, he vanished and reappeared under Naruto, catching the blonde in his arms and landing on a hard rock boulder. Painful jolts shocked Sasuke's legs, which buckled and forced him to kneel on one leg.
Breathing heavily, Sasuke stared at the gray wall of rock in front of him for a few moments before looking down at the person in his arms. The entire right side of Naruto's shirt was burnt away, revealing a portion of the blonde's torso. His face had scrapes that had scabbed over, small red lines crossing over the thick black scars on his cheeks. Standing erect, Sasuke hoisted Naruto so that the blonde laid more securely in his arms, then turned in the general direction of the place he had chosen as his hideout.
8-8-8-8-8-8-8
Sasuke lifted his head amidst the pouring rain, narrowing his eyes to see the dark entrance to the cave looming in front of him. Thunder clapped loudly above his head, followed by a brief flash of lightning before the world around him was once again shrouded in the darkness of the clouds above. Grunting, the raven hoisted Naruto more securely on his back and continued to trudge forward, irritated at the thunderstorm, which had started an hour prior.
Once he had entered the dry coldness of the cave, Sasuke fought back a shiver while he clenched his teeth, dragging his water-logged form towards the small storage area he had set up before, when he had first arrived to the cave. Two, tan blankets laid across from a small fire pit from each other; Sasuke laid Naruto down on the one facing the bags he had stacked against the wall at his own back. Then the Uchiha quickly gathered dry sticks and debris from around the perimeter of the cave, dumping the dusty wood and leaves into the fire pit before setting them aflame with a quick Katon burst.
Sighing, Sasuke stripped his soaking wet clothes and changed into a dry white, long-sleeved shirt and navy blue ninja pants before sitting on the mat across from Naruto's unconscious form, staring at the fire that was flickering in front of him. His head whipped to stare at the entrance to the cave every time he heard so much as a branch snap outside, or the wind howling in such a way it sounded much like a voice he knew very, very well...
Blinding white light filled Sakura's vision as her eyes flickered open.
Painful aches filled her torso as she blinked, trying to raise her arm to shield her eyes from the harsh light above her. "Ugh..." Groaning, the rosette narrowed her eyes and turned her head to the side. A white cloth was laid out under her right shoulder, and she assumed that it extended fully under her body. A stainless steel tray stood right next to her head; inside of the tray laid various surgical tools covered in dried blood. Wincing, Sakura turned her attention away from the tray and noticed that the entire wall in front of her was covered in dark wooden paneling, the floor a checkered black and white pattern laid out in tiles.
A door was set in the far wall on the kunochi's right side, brass knob gleaming in the surgical light that hung over Sakura's head. As she attempted to sit up, a cry worked past her clenched lips as an agonizing pain ripped through her stomach, forcing her to flop back onto the table, back first. She noticed that she wore nothing except a white blanket that was draped over her pale form. Where am I, Sakura thought in a panic. Breathing deeply, the rosette closed her eyes and attempted to remember everything up until this point...
Naruto lay sprawled on the wooden floor of his hotel room, his arms out at his sides...
"Now...would you like to tell me what the bloody hell that was about?"
He looked...wild. Dangerous...
"You said it yourself Sakura," Sasuke called over the growing wind..."You knew what I was planning."
She felt her feet lift off of the wooden floor and her back connect with the wall across the room...
"I will find you. You can't hide from me!"
"I win..."
they vanished as Sakura fell forward, her vision dimming to a dull black...
"I see you're awake."
Sakura's eyes opened, her head turning to the right to see a man wearing a white and red ANBU wolf mask and a white doctor's coat, the front and sleeves of which were covered in crimson blood, standing in front of the door set in the wall facing her. Stepping forward, Kagemusha slowly approached Sakura. With his arms remaining motionless at his sides, and his legs not visible to the rosette, he appeared as though he were a ghost floating towards her; a vengeful spirit come to claim her life in exchange for those she had taken.
The rosette quickly dispelled the thought as Kagemusha paused at her right arm, his masked face turned so that he appeared to be staring at the kunochi. She peered into the eyeholes of the mask, noting that still they were pitch black, not giving any hint as to what eyes lay behind them. "How...how long..." Sakura's voice trailed off, scratchy and dry from disuse as her throat ached. "You've been unconscious for eight days," Kagemusha said quietly. His tone was tired, his words slow. "Your condition stabilized three days ago."
Sakura's eyes narrowed slightly as she mused over the information. Eight days since she and Sasuke..."What happ...ened?" she questioned. Kagemusha turned, his back facing Sakura as he remained silent. "Some of my associates found you," he finally stated. Then he sighed. "I should have told you from the start.."
Sakura's tired expression turned to one of confusion as she pondered what Kagemusha had said. "Should have told me what?" the rosette asked of the man, her eyes on the black bandana wrapped around Kagemusha's skull. The man didn't respond. Narrowing her eyes, Sakura thought about what had happened..."You knew that was him, didn't you," she whispered. Still Kagemusha was silent, as if he were confirming what Sakura suspected. "You knew," she repeated, "You knew that you sent us after Naruto. You knew, even after what we said all along, what I said all along..."
Pure, unbridled rage built in Sakura as she stared at Kagemusha's back. The energy surging through her allowed her to sit up, allowed her to ignore the sharp pain in her torso as she grit her teeth. "You knew that you sent us to kill Naruto!" she shouted, biting her lip as a single tear rolled down her cheek. "You fucking knew and you didn't say anything!" Sakura yelled and, pushing herself off of the metal table, launched herself onto Kagemusha's back and sent them both to the ground.
Surprise seemed to render Kagemusha immobile as Sakura tore her fingers into his clothing, revealing skin and drawing blood with her fingernails. She attempted to draw on her very low chakra levels, focusing the small amount of energy into her fist as she sought to punch Kagemusha hard enough that his head disconnected from his fucking body.
However, she gasped as her limbs went limp, her body tumbling off of Kagemusha's as her vision dimmed and the green light on her fist dulled as her body went limp, her form slumping off of the man's body and to the ground. Sakura's vision dimmed, colors blurring into mere grays and whites as she glared at Kagemusha. The man was still laying on his back, shreds of cloth scattered around his body. The portion of his arm that Sakura could see was marred with red scratches, some bleeding while some just looked raw. A smirk came to her lips despite her exhaustion.
Kagemusha remained on his back for a few minutes, Sakura's consciousness slipping all the while, until she noticed the man rise onto one knee; slowly, as if his very bones ached. Then he stood, again achingly slowly to his full height; Sakura could only see the man's black covered legs and feet. However, her smugness turned to confusion when the sound of rustling reached her ears. The kunochi had nearly passed out, however, when a white and red ANBU wolf mask clattered to the ground, shaking her from her tired stupor.
Sakura's eyes snapped open and landed on the mask, which was laying face-up on the ground, shock on the forefront of her thoughts. A movement above the mask caught her attention, and her eyes saw a black bandana twisting in the air like water, descending until it landed on top of the wolf face, covering the mask. Then, she felt two arms snake under her body and lift her into the air; one arm was resting just below her shoulder-blades, and the other under the crooks of her legs, behind her knees.
Her chin was propped on Kagemusha's shoulder as he carried Sakura back to the table she had awoken on. Her eyes drifted to the open doorway across from her, but all she could make out beyond the room was black nothingness. Snapping from her musing, the rosette felt her body being lowered back onto the metal surface covered with a white sheet. "...You...you're going to...pay," Sakura whispered as pure white light enveloped her vision. "I know," a voice replied softly. A person's shoulders and head entered the kunochi's vision, hidden in pitch-black shadow cast under the light.
However, as Sakura's tired body finally succumbed to fatigue, she could make out the man's face above her. Her eyes widened in shock and disbelief. "You...!"
White walls, white ceiling, white floors. White was the only color Naruto could see in any direction as he paced around the tiny cell he was contained in. Dressed in a white shirt and slacks, Naruto was thoroughly convinced these people wished to drive him insane. Turning on his heel, Naruto paced the length of his room for the one hundredth and seventy-eighth time. He had counted. He was so bored, he had resorted to counting.
The blonde paced towards the gray metal door set in the far wall; the only splash of color (admittedly dull) in this hell hole. "Oi!" the Jinchūriki shouted at the small, opaque square window at the very top of the door. "I'm gettin' bored in here, you know?! Lemme out!" No response. "As usual.." Naruto sighed, turning towards the wall on his right and shuffling towards it. Pressing his back to the smooth surface, he slid down until he was seated on the floor, staring at the white plastic slab that jutted out of the opposite wall, covered in a white sheet and blanket with a white pillow set in the corner where the two adjacent walls met.
The blonde's eyes slid to the door at the foot of the bed, a white divider with a small dent carved into the right side to allow for one's hand to grip the door and slide it away and reveal the, you guessed it, white bathroom with a single white toilet, white sink, and a white shower. There wasn't even a mirror; if there was, Naruto probably would have tried to talk to his reflection. At least then he'd have someone to talk to. At the thought, he shot a quick glare at the door on his left, then sighed and hung his head. -This is getting really stupid,- the blonde thought to himself. He breathed deeply, then exhaled and raised his head, eyebrows pulled into a scowl as his golden bangs fell over his azure eyes.
For what felt like hours, Naruto stared at the wall across from him. It was a game he had come up with after he had been in this cell for a few days. To see how long he could go staying quiet until someone came into his cell to give him food, or a change of clothes. Sure enough, as his stomach growled, a click sounded at the door, resonating in the cold room with an echo that jarred Naruto's bones. "About time!" Naruto shouted as he stood and winced as the blood in his feet started to flow once more.
The door swung inward, and Naruto allowed himself a moment to screw his expression and stick his tongue out at the thought of the disgusting meal that surely awaited him as two people entered the room; one woman, one man. The Jinchūriki arched an eyebrow and stared up at the adults. The woman held a folded pile of black cloth balancing a pair of shinobi sandals in her arms, the man carried a pair of gray shackles that clanged together as he walked. The pair stopped before Naruto.
"What's goin' on?" Naruto questioned as his stomach growled. "I'm hungry!" he continued as the woman held out the clothing in her arms to him. "Put these on," she said in a detached tone, as if she wanted to get this done and over with so she could leave. Naruto shot her a confused stare before looking at the clothes she offered, taking them into his hands. He rolled his eyes as he saw the black shirt and pants. "Feels like I'm going to a funeral," he joked as he tossed the shoes onto the floor and unfolded the clothing.
Then he heard the man mutter something that he probably could have gone without hearing. "Yeah, your own," he said quietly. The woman smacked his arm and glared at him. "Quiet," she hissed. Naruto felt his blood run cold at the statement. "What do you mean?" he asked. The woman was quick to return her attention to the blonde. "Just put those on," she snarled. "Go in the bathroom if you want; but just hurry up. We're running on a tight schedule."
Naruto, perplexed, picked up both of the sandals in one hand and turned his back on the pair, retreating to the bathroom to change. As he was busy trying to tighten the too big pants around his waist, he heard voices murmur on the other side of the thin paper door.
"...can't believe they moved the trial up," a female voice whispered.
"I know, this wasn't supposed to happen for another month," a male replied.
"I kinda feel bad for the kid. He doesn't seem that bad. Just really bratty," the female said sadly.
"That's what he wants you to think. When you turn your back he'll probably grow claws and bite your throat out," the male growled quietly.
"Oh shut up. Just because I said he isn't that bad doesn't mean I trust him. Hell, the village will be better off without him," the female retorted defensively.
"I agree. The sooner we're rid of this demon, the sooner the children will be safe. Us, too," the male said.
"Hey, kid! You done in there?" the female asked, raising her voice. Naruto shuddered, his mind reeling from what he had just heard. "...Yeah," he called back, pulling his shirt over his pants and quickly tugging the sandals over his feet. "Just, uh, gotta pee!" he continued. "Ugh. Hurry up," the male said irritably. "Yeah, sure..." Naruto mumbled as he pulled the lid of the toilet up. He didn't really have to use the toilet anyway; he just wanted to buy himself time to think in silence.
What did they mean, trial? The blonde remembered the ANBU that captured him talking about charges, but he couldn't remember what the charges were. Curse his short-term memory. He glowered into the water of the basin, trying to figure out what was going on. Clearly something was about to happen. And aside from knowing it was a trial of some sort, he couldn't fathom what was going to happen during it, or after it. The people who had come for him seemed to assume something would happen to Naruto after the trial...he just hoped it wasn't death.
"Oi! We don't have all day!" the female shouted, her knuckles knocking on the door rapidly. Naruto jumped slightly, broken from his thoughts. "O-okay," he said, slapping his hand to his forehead when he noticed he stuttered. Bringing the lid of the toilet down, he flushed the system and moved to the sink, where he wet his hands slightly and raised his head to stare at the wall. He desperately wished he had a mirror there; some face aside from the accusatory and spiteful ones that had graced his presence as of late. Shutting the water off, he began to wipe his hands on his pants when he saw the discarded pile of white clothing on the floor. Grinning, he instead wiped his palms on the shirt and placed it on the bottom of a pile before putting the pants on top.
Gathering the clothing into his arms, the Jinchūriki proceeded to slide the door aside and stepped out to where the woman and the man stood on other side of the door. The woman was tapping her foot on the ground, clearly annoyed as Naruto held the pile of clothes out to her, hiding a grin. As soon as the woman took the items, she grimaced, glaring at Naruto. He smiled once as the man behind him grunted.
Turning, the blonde saw him holding out the handcuffs. "Hold your wrists out," he ordered in a monotone voice. Naruto began to do so, until he felt something coming off of the cuffs. Like cold air, as if they had been in a freezer before the man took them here. "What's with those," he asked, bringing his arms back. The man sighed. "They're chakra restraints," he said, clearly irritated. "If you try to draw on your chakra these will drain it from you and render you helpless." Naruto shivered.
"Come on, we gotta go," the man demanded. Naruto sighed and closed his eyes briefly before opening them once more, holding his arms out fully. The cold air radiating off of the cuffs chilled his skin, and he wanted nothing more than to rip his hands away from them before they latched around his wrists. Before he could change his mind, however, the man secured the rings around his hands and tightened them with a key, then quickly melted the metal with a Katon jutsu in his palm. Naruto shivered as chills ran through his arms and into his chest, radiating mostly around his stomach.
"There. No monster breaking outta you today, eh," the man chuckled. But the laugh seemed more forced and malicious as he clapped his hand on Naruto's shoulder, effectively turning the blonde towards the door and steering him out into a dim hallway. Naruto blinked a few times, his eyes not adjusted to the sudden darkness. "There. He's your problem now," he heard the woman say. Someone snorted. "Not for long," a deep voice said in reply.
Then, two hands gripped his shoulders tightly. "C'mon. We're late enough as it is," someone growled. Naruto tried to look over his shoulder to see who were behind him, but he still hadn't adjusted to the lighting, and was practically blind.
Left, left, right, left, right, right. Those were the turns Naruto counted as he slowly ascended upward with two men on either side of him. He could tell that one of them was taller than the other; one person's strides came at longer intervals than the other. The one on Naruto's right had a slight limp; one footfall was heavier than the other. He was the shorter one. Both of them rarely communicated with Naruto. The only time they directly spoke to him was to tell him if there was a staircase. He didn't need those directions now, though. He could see just fine in the dark.
The blonde couldn't tell how much time had passed from when he had left his cell to where he was now, standing at the end of a long hallway where, at the end, a small pinprick of light waited. He halted, causing the men on either side of him to stop suddenly, their fingers tightening on his shoulders. "Where are you taking me," Naruto demanded. The man on Naruto's right sighed, and the voice seemed to be dampened slightly, as if he were wearing a mask. "Come on," he said roughly, both of them dragging Naruto forward.
The Jinchūriki dug his heels into the stone floor, trying to fight the two. "Tell me what's going on, dammit!" he said loudly. Neither of them did not reply. On instinct, Naruto drew on his chakra and concentrated it on his feet. For a moment, he effectively stood still, then with a soft whooshing sound, soft blue light emanated from Naruto's hands and flowed into the cuffs as an extremely drained feeling rushed him as if he were passing out. He started to fall forward, his legs giving out, before a pair of arms caught him under his armpits.
"Idiot," a voice muttered. For a second, Naruto thought it was Sasuke behind him, not a grown man who obviously hated him. "Stand up. Don't use your chakra. I don't feel like dragging you into the courtroom," the voice continued irritably when Naruto didn't move. The blonde's breaths came out in hard gasps as his feet flailed on the floor, weakly attempting to find purchase. "Give him a second," someone said; the guy with the limp on Naruto's right. "Let him catch his bearings, then we'll go." The person holding Naruto snorted.
"Monsters don't get breaks," he muttered. "They get justice."
Naruto, too drained to bother to care, simply let himself hang limp for a few moments, letting strength flow back into his muscles. It was a slow process, considering all he had to eat for who knows how long was corn mush and water, maybe the occasional beef stew that looked like crap floating in brown water. Eventually, he managed to stand without his legs shaking like jelly. And according to his escorts, that was good enough. His limps still felt heavy yet weightless as they continued down the seemingly endless hallway, and Naruto found himself dreading that growing pinprick of light with every weak step he took.
With the light getting larger as they approached, Naruto managed to bring himself to stride forward on his own; slowly but steadily, he no longer needed the mens' help to walk. And as they continued forward, Naruto heard voices murmuring from ahead. Soft like a river brook at first, but then growing to the noise of a roaring waterfall just before Naruto stepped into the light.
The blonde noticed that as soon as he entered the blinding white, all noise ceased.
Blinking quickly, his eyes slowly adjusted to the light. He wished he could raise his hand to shield his eyes from the glare. Then he felt himself being pushed forward, and his eyes slowly took in the room. It was a large, ovular room. He stood in a pit of sorts, wooden walls encasing him inside as benches rose from on top of the walls, stretching high to the ceiling where stadium-like lights beamed down like the sun. Naruto's eyes lowered, taking in the mass of people crowded in all of the seats.
He scanned the room, trying to find his team as the two men behind him pushed him again, forcing his attention forward. The Jinchūriki's eyes raised to the highest wooden wall, stretching up to half of the height of the public benches before landing on the table set atop of it; seven chairs were set up in a row behind the surface, each occupied by an elderly man or woman until they reached the middle chair. There, Tsunade sat, her hazel eyes watching Naruto with guilt, sorrow, and rage brewing in their depths. Naruto swallowed nervously as she nodded at him, then her eyes flickered to a spot in front of him.
Following the old hag's gaze, Naruto saw an old wooden chair set in the middle of the sandstone floor, metal cuffs set on the arm rests that he immediately recognized as chakra restraints, as well as metal poles that tethered the legs of the chair to the ground. Stepping forward, Naruto strode towards the chair; he was not about to appear afraid in front of the entire city of Konoha. He stopped in front of the chair, where the man on his left made him turn. Naruto saw that the man was wearing a hawk ANBU mask.
Naruto passively waited as the chakra restraints were removed, allowing for a brief moment of relief as his connection to his chakra intensified, then he turned back and sat down on the already uncomfortable chair. The same ANBU then took his left arm and placed it under the metal restraint; his right was taken by the ANBU on his right and the cuffs were tightened over his wrists, the uncomfortable cold feeling returning.
Then the ANBU left. Naruto wished they would have wished him good luck or something.
The noise level grew as soon as the ANBU left. Rustling clothing at first, then murmurs, shouts, screams. "MONSTER!" "DEMON!" were two choice words Naruto could make out of the fray. The insults continued until Naruto saw an old man, far above, raise his wrinkled hand, demanding silence. The crowded quieted, some lingering words remaining, then sparse coughs and babies crying. Naruto, despite being in a courtroom where all eyes were on him, felt a stare as intense as the sun on his face as he continued to stare at the panel of elders high above him. All seven, including Tsunade, stared back, no expression on any of their blank faces.
"Uzumaki Naruto."
Naruto blinked as his voice was announced in a deep voice. "Do you understand the charges set against you by the state of Konoha?" The blonde hid a glower and nodded once. "And you understand the consequences if you are found guilty?" He nodded again. The pointless dramatics of this court were really starting to bother him; he almost wished he were back in his cell staring at the wall and talking to himself.
"Of course he's guilty! He killed my brother!"
Various accusations rose from the crowd once more, and Naruto couldn't contain a wince until the council called for silence once more. "Uzumaki Naruto. You are being tried for numerous counts of murder, manslaughter, vandalization, and conspiracy against the state of Konoha. Do you plead guilty to any of these charges?" Naruto grit his teeth. "...No," he growled. "Why don't I have a lawyer? Shouldn't I be given one?" He ignored the shouts from the crowd. "Whether you have a lawyer is not relevant at the moment," an elderly woman sitting at Tsunade's left said in a lax tone.
The trial droned on. Twitching, Naruto noticed that the more questions the council asked, the more agitated the crowd became with his replies. He refused, however, to show that he was scared. Every now and then, his feet would lose feeling, and he would shift them to get the blood back in them.
After what seemed like an eternity, silence fell over every single person in the courtroom as the council made their decision; but it didn't matter. Everyone, including Naruto, knew the answer.
"Uzumaki Naruto...you are hereby sentenced to death."
A numb feeling spread through Naruto's body as the sound of a body thumping against wood hit his ears, followed by the victorious cries of the population surrounding him. He didn't notice when the shackles around his arms and legs were released and he was forced to stand. His eyes drifted to the right; and whether it was by sheer luck or if some higher power allowed it, he saw Team Seven still seated amongst the still forms of his comrades, silent against the roaring mass surrounding them. The blonde's eyes landed on Kakashi first; the Jonin's visible eye seemed incredibly sad. When he noticed Naruto looking at him, he nodded one to his own right.
Following the gesture, Naruto saw what he had heard earlier; the body that had fallen. Sasuke was barely sitting, unconscious with only Sakura supporting him with her arms wrapped over his shoulder, one hand pressed against his chest. Her emerald eyes lifted and met Naruto's, her's filling with tears once she saw him. Naruto smiled briefly at her before he was forced to turn, forced to enter the dark hallway once more and allowing the numbness to return; allowed a mask to slip over his face. And all he wanted was to lie to himself and to the world, that he wasn't going to die. He wanted to live. And if it meant living a lie, then he was alright with that.
Naruto woke to a very familiar sight of gray stone above his head. A pulsing ache ran through his body as he attempted to sit up. "Fuck," the blonde hissed through his teeth. His whole frame felt as though someone had dipped him in lava and chucked boulders at him for the hell of it. "About time," a voice said somewhere in front of him.
Naruto's eyes narrowed into a glare as he stared at the ceiling. "You really don't understand the concept of 'no', do you," he muttered. A sigh was all that replied. "...still as persistent as ever," Sasuke's voice finally said. Naruto snorted. "Says the guy who decided it would be okay to tackle me over a cliff while electrocuting me," he said, smug. "Says the guy who decided he could fake his death and run away from me for six years," Sasuke retorted. Naruto stiffened. "...If you...value your life, you will not talk about that," Naruto whispered.
"I think I have the right to-" Sasuke began, but was cut off as red chakra flared from Naruto's skin, instantly healing his wounds. The blonde sat up quickly, feeling a blanket sliding down his torso as he glowered at Sasuke across a crackling fire. "You have no right," he hissed in reply. "Like I said Sasuke, if you value your life you won't talk about that," he repeated. Sasuke's expression morphed into a snarl, a corner of his lip curling up as his Sharnigan activated.
"Would you rather me force you to tell me," Sasuke growled. "Try me," Naruto snarled in reply. Sasuke's image flickered, then vanished. Naruto didn't bother to move until the raven reappeared, crouching over Naruto with his hands pressed against the stone on either side of the blonde's head, forcing him to lay on his back. The Uchiha's face was lowered down way too close for comfort; Naruto could practically feel Sasuke's breath on his face every time the Uchiha exhaled.
However, he did not back down as he stared into the red Sharnigan of the raven's eyes, his gaze staring at the three tomoes in each eye that surrounded the pupil, placed on a single ring. Sasuke tilted his head to the side, and licked his lips. Naruto hid his disgust by deepening his glare. "Just tell me," the Uchiha whispered, his voice hardly louder than the rain that fell outside. "Tell me how you left."
Naruto tilted his head to the side as Sasuke shifted, lowering himself even more until he was almost laying on the blonde, his forehead brushing Naruto's. "Get off me," Naruto growled. Sasuke chuckled; the blonde could feel the vibrations rumble through Sasuke's torso and into his own. "If you wanted me off, you would have used that chakra of yours to make me," Sasuke whispered, lips brushing Naruto's ear. Naruto's eyebrow twitched. "All you've got to do...is tell me how and why you left. That's all." A pair of lips brushed Naruto's cheek, and then he lost it.
"Enough!" the blonde screamed, flaring his chakra into a bubble, pushing Sasuke off of him and throwing the raven to the other side of the room. A soft crack sounded as Naruto's chakra bent, wrapping around Sasuke's torso and lifting the Uchiha into the air as Naruto sat up. "Do not test me Sasuke," Naruto snarled. Sasuke appeared smug as he watched Naruto.
"Interesting..." the raven murmured. Naruto continued to glare, but somehow managed to raise an eyebrow. "What," Naruto growled. Sasuke's eyes focused on Naruto. "Oh...nothing..." Sasuke said with a slight grin. Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Now, would you mind releasing me?" Sasuke asked. Naruto's glare faded, but the arched eyebrow remained. "I'd rather not risk the potential rape again," he said coldly. Sasuke chuckled. "Calm down, it's not like you weren't asking for it," he said. Naruto remained confused until Sasuke nodded at him.
Looking down, the blonde saw that he had nothing but a blanket covering his naked form, a blanket with was conveniently draped over his...private parts, but was also slipping fast. With a yelp, Naruto lowered his hands and brought the blanket up, unraveling it so it covered his legs up to the middle of his chest. The chakra restraining Sasuke faded, and the raven dropped back to where he had been when Naruto had awoken with a victorious smirk on his lips.
Naruto glowered at the Uchiha, feeling very exposed. Then, like two live wires connecting in his head, Naruto made a connection, and he smirked. "I didn't know you swing that way," he taunted. Sasuke's smirk lessened for a second, before returning full force. "Who said I do?" the Uchiha asked, laying back and propping himself up on his elbows so he could still see Naruto. Naruto rolled his cerulean eyes. "The near rape that occurred less than four minutes ago?" he questioned. Now it was Sasuke's turn to roll his eyes.
"Coincidence," the Uchiha scoffed. Naruto snorted. "I knew something was off about you," he accused. "Nothing is 'off' about me," Sasuke retorted. "Yeah," Naruto argued, "you're into guys-" "I'm not into guys," Sasuke interrupted with a sigh. "The sooner you realize that the sooner you'll stop annoying me." Naruto shifted, sitting cross-legged on a tan mat under him. "You tried to rape me," he pointed out. "That wasn't rape," Sasuke exclaimed. "Kami, have you gotten more stupid in these six years?"
"Actually I like to think I've gotten more creative," Naruto said with a grin. He was replied by a sack being thrown at his face. Frowning, Naruto put the bag aside and stared at Sasuke, who was looking outside at the cave entrance. "So if you don't like guys, do you like girls?" Naruto asked. Sasuke sighed again. "First time I get to have a conversation with you in six years, and you want to discuss my sexuality..." Naruto grinned. "That's just how I roll," he said happily.
But his grin soon faded. "You haven't answered me," he stated blankly. Sasuke's onyx eyes flickered briefly to Naruto. "No, I don't like women, and I don't like men," he said, bored. "So you're asexual?" Naruto asked. "Dammit Naruto, if you ask one more question I will not hesitate to take my sword and shove it up your ass." "I'd rather that than my heart," Naruto said. Then he realized what he said. His face turned bright red as Sasuke smirked at him. "You-you shut up," Naruto mumbled.
"Never said anything," Sasuke drawled before laying on his back, staring at the ceiling. "Like I said Naruto, the sooner you realize the sooner you'll stop annoying me," the raven murmured. "I don't think I'm annoying you at all, actually," Naruto said seriously. "You're arguing with me. That alone shows you enjoy my company." Sasuke snorted. "Keep dreaming," he muttered. Naruto arched an eyebrow. "You followed me for three years, then kidnapped me when you found me," he said.
"You've had plenty of opportunities to escape," Sasuke replied. "In case you haven't noticed, every time I try and leave you try to kill me," Naruto grumbled. "That was only two times," Sasuke stated. "Stuff it," Naruto muttered. "Better yet, get me some clothes, considering you decided to strip me while I was knocked out. Pervert."
"You would have gotten hypothermia if I hadn't. And there are clothes in that sack."
Naruto rolled his eyes, but reached for the bag regardless, pulling out a gray, long-sleeved shirt and blue pants. He narrowed his eyes at the Uchiha flag stitched into the back of the shirt. "Those are the only clothes I can afford to give you," Sasuke muttered as Naruto opened his mouth to voice his complaint while staring at the shirt. "If you want new clothes you'll have to buy some later."
"Could it have killed you to get me some orange," Naruto mumbled as he threw the shirt on and found the only article of clothing that had belonged to him; his boxers. "Yes, considering that color can draw the attention of a color-blind hawk," Sasuke said. "That made no sense," Naruto retorted. "Looks like your stupidity is already rubbing off on me," Sasuke said, then shifted on his mat. Naruto pulled the pants up over his waist, then sat up. "You should go to sleep," Sasuke suggested. The Uchiha was still laying on his back, staring at the ceiling.
"We'll go to the nearest town tomorrow and get supplies." Naruto sighed. "Fine," he said, then laid back and folded his arms behind his head. "...Good night Sasuke," he murmured. The blonde wasn't sure if Sasuke heard him, but as he drifted to sleep, he heard three simple words. "Good night, Naruto."