Chapter eleven.
Flightless Bird.
A/N; It's finally over, it's taken me so long to write this! But thank you for everyone who has been patient with me and encouraged me to continue, I'm happy to say I've finally completed Forgive me not and I'm even happier to say there will be a sequel to follow! If I get around to it..
"Baby I've been here before;
I've seen this room and I've walked this floor.
I used to live alone before I knew ya.
And I've seen your flag on the marble arch,
and love is not a victory march.
It's a cold and it's a broken
hallelujah."
- Hallelujah.
xXx
"Do not forget that Sasuke is a traitor, Naruto. And your next course of actions could be considered treason against your village and its superiors."He was naive and simple minded but he was not stupid. He knew exactly what that had meant. He too would be dealt with, swiftly, and yet what right did he have to allow Sasuke face death?
Kakashi had pleaded with Naruto to let it go and leave but Naruto did not.
He had stood staunchly in between Sasuke and the council, a layer of vermilion cloaked his body and burned his skin.
It was not his anger that drove Kyuubi to slip through the restraint of his will, it was not even his desire to protect Sasuke. Nor was it of his own consciousness that he allowed himself to lose control. It was Kyuubi's desperate instinct to escape the suffocating hole that slowly ate away at his chakra.
The jutsu that had been cast over the chamber was vile.
Kakashi was ready with a seal that Jiraiya had prepared in advance for such a situation and within seconds the Nine Tails was subdued and Naruto lay still in his Sensei's arms.
He woke up, barely, and that's when he heard her warning. She was a blur to his poorly focused eyes but he knew who she was and he knew she was serious.
He was peeking at her through bars and he knew then that he had lost.
"Naruto you idiot. Look what you've done to us."
He blinked his eyes closed and drifted off to sleep away the days sorrows.
xXx Sakura and Shikamaru did not stray far from the Hokage's mansion after Kakashi dismissed them. Shikamaru had braced himself under the expectation that Sakura would be inconsolable, he had already taken it upon himself to step up and prepare the remaining rookie nine for the bitter news.
He was surprised, even intimidated by her collected demeanor. Sakura was no longer crying, yet it was some time before she finally spoke up as they walked side by side.
"Shikamaru. Sasuke said something to me in there."
He quirked a brow and managed little more than a dumbfounded "Huh?" It wasn't that he wanted Sakura to be upset it was that he couldn't keep up with other people's mood swings. He knew how she should feel and he knew how to approach that particular scenario and that was the extent of it.
But she wasn't upset. She didn't even seem to be in shock. She was as calm and as calculating as she ever had been. He could have easily believed the day had never even happened.
"He told me to keep my eye on Sai. I still don't know what that means."
Shikamaru did. It had been almost easy for his distrust to slip in the back crevasses of his mind. From the beginning Sai had been center stage in all of Naruto's problems. There were still plenty of stones left to uncover.
He had always had his suspicions but what good was a bad feeling with nothing solid to stand behind?
"I think I might know. I found Naruto last night passed out on the street. We tried to find Sai to get some answers but the guy found us first and that's when Naruto ran off on me once we heard about Sasuke. It wasn't long after that I caught him with the Council on their way to see Sasuke. I don't doubt he has something to do with this mess."
Neither did she.
"If no-one else it going to look into this then we need to. We don't have much time, we need to find him now!"
With mild irritation Shikamaru had to accept his role in the situation. It was always him. He was always getting dragged into other peoples problems.
And so with some resignation he followed her into the heart of the Leaf village where they begun their search with no real understanding of where or how to begin but just a desperate will to track down the missing answers.
xXxWhen he arrived he was perched at the windowsill, gently tapping on the glass pane. Sai had been expecting him for he was not so arrogant as to believe that Sasuke would go quietly. He slid it open and with a silent grace his Sensei entered.
"Yo."
It was casual. His hands were even sitting in his pockets. He had to approach the conversation with great care because Kakashi was not naive. His seemingly calm body language was an obvious ruse to the few that stay close enough by his side to pay close attention.
"Kakashi-Sensei, I thought you'd be with Naruto?"
"I thought the same of you. You've both gotten so close recently, aren't you going to see how he's doing?"
He didn't need to see because he knew. There was already a picture painted in the canvas of his mind of Naruto, grief stricken and disappointed in Sasuke's outcome. When Sasuke protested and begged Naruto for forgiveness, Sai liked to believe that he would deny Sasuke that one last desire.
"I'll see Naruto when he's ready. I don't think it's appropriate for me to be there right now."
Sai had been sat before his easel when he was interrupted. Kakashi made his way over out of curiosity to look at Sai's work. All of his pictures were full of bold, vibrant colors and his latest portrait was no exception.
A marigold sky filled the space as well as the early beginnings of trees that had violet leaves. He had only just begun to paint the background and so it sat, incomplete.
"Now why do you think it would be inappropriate to stand by your friends' side in his time of need?"
It was a mind game Sai decided. He was playing into the hands of a master-manipulator who sought to catch him off guard. Kakashi was probing him.
"I don't know what to say to him."
He would not play into his hand. He had no reason to stand watch over such an intimate moment. It was what he desired so greatly, Sasuke's final goodbyes, yet he couldn't bare to watch it happen. He never did come to understand the bond that Naruto and Sasuke had shared and he had become impatient with longing to further develop his own relationship with Naruto.
"I see."
And Sai naively thought that was the end of their conversation.
"Tell me then, why are you trying to remove Sasuke from the picture?"
If Kakashi didn't know better he would have been convinced that the bewilderment on Sai's face was real. His eyes were very convincing and it was hard to believe that he spent his time learning feelings from a book and rehearsing them in front of a mirror.
"Kakashi-Sensei I-"
"-Don't need to lie to me. I know you tie into all of this, I want to know how and why."
Sai knew that Kakashi's eyes had sharpened over time and there was very little his Sharingan couldn't see. Still, his suspicions were based on nothing more than a hunch and knowing the truth did not change Sasuke's sentence.
With that in mind Sai remained calm, he had no reason to fear the outcome of their conversation.
"I don't need to tell you anything. There's nothing I could say that will change things or make them right for you. You are wasting your time."
It seemed as though someone had flicked a switch on the nature of their meeting. Sai had retreated to his Easel and his interest in Kakashi had waned entirely.
"And if I am to take that as an admission to your interference with Sasuke's immersion in the village?"
He wore a blank smile and did not bother himself to pull his eyes away from his painting.
"You've allowed your feelings to get the better of you. However you chose to accept our situation I suggest you believe in whatever helps you find closure, Sensei."
There was nothing for Kakashi to stand firmly behind; no confession, no evidence, no grounds for suspicion. Just the painful swelling in his heart and common sense. It was not enough to act on.
"Feelings are what drive determination and will power. Long after Sasuke's death Naruto's feelings for him will burn on. You will never win this fight."
xXxWhen they arrived the house was dark and silent and Sai was long gone. Things were never just easy. Still, Shikamaru and Sakura were not daft. They stole the opportunity without hesitation to look through his home and his belongings.
The sun had already begun to sink low into the hills, the daylight was fading and the clear blue sky was morphing into shades of purple and orange until eventually the evening came and the village settled.
But their efforts were short and in vein. Shikamaru was quick to speak out. He was nervous, he didn't want Sai to return and find them rummaging through his stuff. A confrontation would do anything but solve their problems.
"Sakura. I think the chances of finding anything lying around are next to nothing, I mean this guy isn't an idiot. We're wasting our time in here."
There wasn't time to disagree, and before she even had time to respond somebody spoke up first.
"What exactly are you expecting to find?"
He seemed unnerved, not even surprised to find them in his home. But they had not noticed his presence and the shock from his sudden arrival gripped them tightly, painfully.
"Sai."
Sakura stood dumbly with her hands to her mouth. She silently prayed that a fight would not erupt and they could settle the matter without resigning to violence.
"We know what you're doing-"
"-And you're trying to find evidence?"
There was nothing hidden from his beady, hawk like eyes. Shikamaru felt exposed and for once, a little stumped.
He tried to draw in his mind a plan of action and an outcome where things turned in their favor but his mind was empty.
"You're not wrong."
He could only steer into the black ice as things quickly spiraled out of his control. Sai did not blink an eye and they watched, frozen, as he took a seat before his easel and continued where he had left off, right before Kakashi had interrupted.
Sakura saw it before Shikamaru could. Sai could not find it in himself to react because everything was already set into motion, the Council believed him because they wanted to, not because they were naive to his manipulative nature.
She didn't speak again as she left in haste.
"Sakura, wait!"
She slowed down enough for Shikamaru to return to her side. It had been barely noticeable before but now that the adrenaline had subsided the chill in the evening air felt sharp and she shivered uncontrollably.
"What was that about?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
"Not to me. I don't get you sometimes."
"I thought you were smart, use your head."
Voicing her sorrows would only make them true, she refused to admit out-loud that the people of the Leaf had forsaken their own. That such injustices could still slip through their fingers.
"What are we going to do?"
Sakura thought to herself before she answered.
"I'm going home now."
The inevitable pain and anger that shrouded the future could wait until the morning. She had the rest of the night to escape the waking world. And while Shikamaru wanted nothing more than to fall into a dreamless lull, he did not believe they had done all that they possibly could have to save their friend. xXx
He mused silently to himself that maybe in the distant future he may be able to forgive himself.
"What's going on?"
His voice was slurred and confused.
"Naruto? Are you awake?"
Scrambling to his feet, Naruto began to feel in front of him for anything at all to tell him where he was. The first thing he touched was a stone cold wall and he used it to gain his balance.
"Is that you Sasuke? Where are you?"
"I'm right here."
The voice was closer to him and shortly after he felt a cold hand reach out and grasp his shoulders. Naruto collapsed into the foreign touch and accepted a ferocious embrace.
In the darkness it became clear that the Sasuke he was holding was not the Sasuke he could remember. He was thin and cold.
The memories of his friend were still fresh, as if yesterday was not many years prior, but rather a quick blink of his eyes. It felt right though, it felt like they always belonged to each other.
"I'm sorry, Naruto. I'm sorry for everything."
And Naruto nodded in response.
The darkness that had plagued their friendship seemed to never disband. They were forever engulfed by the misery that Sasuke endured, and all the pain he had ever known bore down on Naruto's shoulders as a weight he could no longer carry alone.
In all the time that had passed between them Sasuke had never known such a passionate love and knowing it was the only moment they had left, he chose to spend his final hours returning the compassion he had been blessed with.
He could make out every crease, every ridge and every pool of soft skin underneath the nights' thick blanket that kept him blind. His fingers explored unattainable land that he spent many miles searching for. With a silent breath Sasuke felt Naruto relax into his touch.
In his mind, Naruto's face was clear. The two of them could see each other how they always were, not worn down with age and heartache.
Sasuke was still young and his porcelain skin unscathed by fierce battle and a life of little resource. Naruto was vibrant and his eyes were wide with a naivety to a cold world that had stolen his happiness.
In these final moments they pretended that no time had passed and no future was certain.
It began innocent; the touching turned into a kiss so gentle Naruto could believe it never happened. His heart thumped so hard and fast it became violent. He had to pull away out of fear of how overwhelming their love had become.
"Tell me that you won't leave. Tell me that you love me and you always have."
Sasuke couldn't promise that. It simply wasn't true. He had to leave.
"I've always loved you. I always will."
It seemed to be good enough because Naruto reached into the dark and pulled him back out of nowhere and into his arms.
It was almost painful when their lips crashed into each other. The two of them were intoxicated with overwhelming lust.
Naruto initiated it.
He pulled off Sasuke's loose shirt, with little grace, and set it on the ground. The two of them worked together to undress and hastily build a make-shift bed with their clothes.
"Who's going to be bottom?"
Was what Naruto really wanted to know. He really was worried about a struggle for dominance, but Sasuke seemed to comply. He even laughed a little.
"You can choose. Idiot."
Naruto couldn't see the smirk but he could hear it, and it made him grin. Wide. From ear to ear. Everything was just like it had been.
Naruto pushed Sasuke to the ground and climbed on top of him. Skin on skin, they brushed against each other and it seemed not every part of their bodies felt soft. If Sasuke were to admit anything, it would be that he was nervous.
In his life had never experienced a proper relationship and he'd certainly never made love. It was for that very reason he complied so easily to letting Naruto take control.
After all, he was sure Naruto had done it many times before. It was a thought that could easily make him feel sick.
"Can I tell you something Sasuke?"
"What is it?"
Naruto was hesitant and so Sasuke kissed his neck to encourage some trust.
"I don't really know what I'm doing."
When the truth came out, they were both confused for different reasons. Surely Naruto knew something about sex. It wasn't his first time. Why was Sasuke taking to long to respond?
He had pulled away while he tried to process Naruto's confession.
"That doesn't make any sense."
"Huh? Why shouldn't it?"
"Because, I know you slept with Sai. I heard everything."
They were even further from reaching an understanding by that point.
"We never did any of that together! He tried, at least."
That was enough for Sasuke. No need to argue the small details and ruin the moment, it was a thought he was certainly happier to believe.
Before anything more could get between them, Sasuke rocked his hips and in one movement flipped Naruto onto his back and took over.
It was clumsy. They were inexperienced. Most importantly though, it was undeniably perfect. Under the shelter of invisibility the two of them explored each other with confidence and passion, when it was all over they collapsed in sync onto the cold hard ground.
There were too many thoughts running through Naruto's mind after that.
"What happens now?"
He spoke out eventually. There was still the elephant in the room to address; had Sasuke changed his mind? Surely they had crossed a line where their close bond was no longer just an unwavering friendship, but now a deep rooted passion. Everything had changed for him. No matter the outcome, Naruto knew he would never be the same person again. Too much had happened.
"We wait until someone comes back for us."
It wasn't quite what he had wanted to hear, still, Naruto accepted the ambiguous response as a very real possibility that Sasuke had seen reason. It was enough to put his mind to ease for the remainder of the night.
They spent it talking together; romanticizing the very brief childhood they had once shared.
Naruto had always mourned the loss of their youth, the day Sasuke left. He would never know what could have been if Sasuke had just stayed with him in the village.
One night was not enough time to answer all the questions they had. Sasuke knew that, Naruto still believed he had much longer.
He could still see a future where Sasuke lived a long, carefree life by his side. He fell asleep with a calm mind with his head on Sasuke's lap.
Sasuke could not find peace so easily. He couldn't waste a single second of the night and there was still one question that raced through his mind after many hours; how would it happen?
He believed it would be public so as to humiliate him and his family. There was most likely some sick pleasure to be found in eradicating a clan and that the Leaf was not above a barbaric approach.
Even though the battle to control his fears was far from won, he didn't for one second doubt his fate. He had sworn to stand tall and accept the consequences he faced.
And then, almost as if a small grace had blessed him, a light approached and soon Utatane stood before him. She used the torch that she carried to light the one that hung outside the cell and illuminated his dark prison.
"My Lord-"
She raised her free hand to silence him and reached into her robe to retrieve a small bottle. She placed on the ground, just in front of the bars that held him distant. He understood and came forward, reached through a gap to collect her gift.
"Drink it if you wish. You deserve the dignity to die on your own terms."
"Thank you."
There was nothing more to be said, so with that she left. Leaving behind the light and one last freedom.
xXxNaturally he was hesitant. The liquid in the vessel had no scent, no warning and no hint of the taste that would follow. It made him nervous.
He had a grand total of two approaches to take; he could have a test taste and start with a small sip, or he could attempt to drink it all at once. Get it over and done with.
He wasn't brave enough to chug it all down in one go, so he chose the latter of the options in his arsenal.
How potent was it? Did he have to drink all of it in order for it to take effect or was just a small amount enough? When he brought his lips to the rim of the bottle he was pleased to find it was only slightly bitter. The sip was mildly unpleasant but still bearable.
Then suddenly there was another thought.
Was this small mercy she had granted him a ruse? Would he spend his remaining hours suffering until dawn? He could believe she would be so cruel.
No. He could not allow himself to be so afraid. He had resolved to accept that death was his fate and he couldn't go back on his words. It was too late, this was the end.
Albeit a little slowly, Sasuke finished the bottle and to his surprise didn't feel anything immediately. He imagined it would happen in his sleep. He would close his eyes and he would die peacefully.
But there was, in reality, nothing peaceful about the prospect of an inevitable death. Sleep seemed almost impossible. It was definite and fear was beginning to sink in. Naruto slept beside him, his breathing steady and rhythmic. It was lulling.
Sasuke fingered golden curls and focused on the comforting warmth that Naruto emitted until his hand eventually, slowly, became numb.
He was naive to initially believe it was the motion that took away his feeling, until he tried to move his foot. It lay stubbornly in front of him and sunk to the floor like an anchor. His body was worn and slowly giving in.
It didn't hurt though and Sasuke felt calm as he told himself it was finally happening. He was dying.
He focused on the room that was thankfully lit, and on Naruto, who slept with a clear mind. He could feel his heart beating and it was fighting to beat steadily. His heart beat was coming to a slow. It came in steady thumps hard against his chest and as time drew out the seconds between each thump became longer and longer.
His breath was scarce and soon it became painful to breathe in deep.
It was about this time that his vision grew strained. The light was fading, but somewhere in the background he could see someone standing and watching over him. Just beyond his cell.
He couldn't call out. He could only blink to adjust his vision.
The person became clearer, and they spoke to him.
"Sasuke. It's time now."
The weight that pinned him to the concrete floor was lifted and he felt a release that brought tears to his eyes. It was Itachi. Itachi opened his door, as though nothing could have stopped Sasuke or Naruto from opening it and walking away.
Sasuke tried to stand and succeeded. He pulled away from the warmth and left Naruto's side.
"You made the right choice."
Itachi stretched out his hand and Sasuke clasped it tightly.
"My brother."
He followed Itachi, first into the light and then into the dark. Everything was much calmer than he had ever expected.
He felt weightless and free upon his exit, and he felt no sadness in saying his final goodbyes. It was the right thing to do, there was no need for remorse.
As they passed by, the lamp flickered and hissed and fizzled out, once again shrouding the cell in night.
xXxWhen Naruto awoke there was light, and he was initially under the impression that he was in his own bed, in his own room, and everything had been a dream; however there was also a heavy weight on top of him that soon saw panic rush to his eyes and his blood.
"What the-"
He tried to throw whatever it was on top of him onto the floor. Onlookers watched in horror as the scene began to unfold before Naruto.
"Get it off me!"
Of course, once it was off it was clear to him what 'it' was and it was Sasuke's cold, limp body. He had awoken alone.
"Sasuke!"
Naruto was inconsolable. He could see everybody watching: Kakashi, Sakura, the council. They all stood, staring dumbly, as he sobbed and clung to the lifeless body of his lover.
Kakashi had to tear his eyes away and force himself to take control of the situation. He fumbled to open the cell and rushed in to try and pull Naruto away.
"What happened?"
He demanded. This had not been discussed. This was not a part of the execution and Naruto was not meant to be a part of it, he wasn't meant to see.
Naruto was hysterical as Kakashi wrapped his arms around him and attempted to drag him away from Sasuke.
"Let me go! Who did this!"
All along it was Sasuke who had done it to himself. There was nobody to blame and yet, it was an avoidable situation that left everybody guilty to some degree.
The bottle lay empty on the floor and caught the eye of Mitokado.
"Koharu, can you begin to fathom an explanation for this?"
He was not necessarily suspicious of her, but he wasn't a fool. She had been strangely against him along the way.
"My only guess would be that perhaps he intended this all along. He was acting rather calm the entire time."
Mitokado nodded in agreement. It was plausible and something they didn't intend to look further into. Sasuke Uchiha was dead, that was the outcome he had always desired and now it was a reality. The 'how' did not matter to him.
Sakura stood beside them in silent horror. It wasn't a theory that she so easily accepted, still, any energy she had to spare looking into it, would always have been better used preventing the situation. What good was knowing?
It had happened, Sasuke was dead.
xXxA funeral was held several days later. The time that followed was plagued by an unsettling restlessness. Everyone was there to send him off, his friends, his Sensei's, and even ninja who made an appearance simply out of curiosity. For an opportunity to say they lived to see the death of the notorious Uchiha clan.
The day was somber but the wind was calm and the sky was blue. He was surrounded by a beautiful arrangement of flowers that Ino had personally hand picked and arranged herself.
One person chose to remain absent for quite sometime.
Naruto kept himself far away from the bitter farewell. He refused to hide his disdain towards the village. He had survived loss and grief many times before but there had always been someone to blame. A face to shoulder the responsibility.
This time, there was no one else to fight, just his own conscious.
Naruto was keeping his distance and it did not go by unnoticed.
''You would think he would have at least made an appearance."
Shikamaru stood beside Sakura during the service. She clasped her hands and kept her eyes glued to the ground, in case she started to cry.
"He doesn't know how to handle it."
Naruto was so full of hatred. His soul was bitter. And while he was not there he wasn't far. He wanted to be alone. He didn't want to say goodbye and so he wouldn't. He sat up high, hidden by branches and leaves, and simply listened.
He could see the rookie nine and team Gai. All of them had arrived to pay their respects. Ino was the only person to cry.
The ceremony was short and once it was over and the crowd had dissipated Naruto made his way down. He didn't believe it when he saw the headstone. He wouldn't believe that Sasuke was dead.
He picked up one of two photos that had been placed, it was of a young team seven. The same one he kept beside his bedside.
The same one that greeted Sakura every morning when she opened her eyes.
The same one Kakashi spoke of former comrades he had lost to, every night when he said his prayers.
The very same one that Sasuke carried with him even after all their years of separation.
A tear fell onto it and he quickly wiped it away.
The second photo was of Sasuke and Itachi, he was even younger still. They were happy. It didn't seem all that long ago. Things could have stayed that way.
Naruto had never understood Sasuke's scorn for the village. He'd never known why Sasuke couldn't let go of the darkness in his heart, until he felt it creep through his own veins. The hate and the anger that Sasuke had finally escaped hadn't left, it had moved on to the next person.
"Naruto."
He figured Kakashi would find him eventually. He didn't turn away from the picture he clutched.
"Go away."
His voice was empty. Kakashi couldn't decipher whether it was meant to be a plea or a threat. He wasn't going anywhere either way.
"I want to talk to you."
Naruto didn't want to hear it, so he started to walk away. Kakashi grabbed a hold of him and in an instant there was a powerful rage that took a hold of Naruto. He delivered a decent punch that pushed Kakashi backwards and took him by surprise.
"We're finished. There is no team seven anymore!"
Kakashi had wanted to let him down gently, but with no regards he called out to Naruto's retreating back;
"I've been asked to fill the position of Hokage. I accepted."
xXx
Several months had passed and in that time nobody had heard from or even seen Naruto. It was no secret that he had been keeping himself hidden in his run down apartment. As the village's new Hokage Kakashi had disbanded his team and refused to give Naruto any further missions. His title as Chunin had been revoked.
Sakura had at first been reluctant to let go, but with no team members left the missions with the other teams were becoming too scarce for her to make a comfortable living for very long. Sasuke was gone. Naruto was AWOL and Sai had been re-recruited into ANBU root at the council's request.
Eventually she accepted a new position as team captain of a younger generation.
Even in the middle of peace Kakashi couldn't convince himself he had done all he could as the leader of the village.
He found some solace though, in the midst of a very dry summer. It had been a very tiring and very stressful pregnancy for Shikamaru and Temari, who still hadn't decided upon where to raise their baby boy even by the time he was born.
On his first visit, he and his mother were escorted by Kankuro and Kazakage Gaara to the Leaf village where a small group awaited their arrival at the village gates.
Shikamaru and his team, Kakashi and Sakura all waited patiently under the scorching sun for the majority of the afternoon.
"You finally made it."
Kakashi called out. It was the first time he'd been early, let alone on time, for anything that Sakura's eyes had ever witnessed.
While she understood the importance of their meeting, she struggled to put a reason behind why she too had been summoned.
"Lord Hatake. It's a pleasure to meet you under these circumstances."
He had yet to master the art of a genuine smile, but there was a secret glow to Gaara that Kakashi believed to be pride in the tiny bundle his sister carried.
Of course, their purpose was to discuss who would lose their right-hand man.
Shikamaru, the loyal Hokage's adviser. Or Temari, who guarded the Kazakage with vigilance.
There were the pleasantries, Shikamaru meeting his son for the first time and a friendly exchange between the two leaders before Sakura who stood silently and observed finally grew impatient with their location.
"Lord Hokage, are we still waiting on something?"
"Someone."
He already turning his attention away from her when she questioned him further.
"On who? Surely we have everyone we need?"
She was wrong. When his eye met with someone behind her she turned around to see Naruto begrudgingly dragging his feet towards them.
"Naruto.."
Nobody spoke when he made his appearance. There were dark circles beneath his eyes and he looked weary.
"Well. I'm here aren't I?"
He hadn't actually been told why he needed to be there, just that he had to be. In fact, Kakashi had kept the nature of the meeting quite well hidden to the majority of the group.
"Naruto. I'm glad to see you."
Gaara wondered if Naruto still felt some compassion for him. He knew about the deep pit his friend had fallen into and he wondered if there was anybody who could still touch his heart.
Naruto feigned a small smile in response, but it was quick to slip away again into a twisted frown.
"Naruto. Now that you're here I guess we can move this along. There's no need to relocate. I'll say it now."
There was confusion and among it there were knowing smiles.
"It has been decided, between myself and Lord Kazakage that Temari is to stay with us, in the Leaf village and Naruto is to take her place in the Sand alongside Gaara and Kankuro."
He was abrupt. There was no need for a discussion in his eyes because the decision was final. There was only one reaction he was really waiting for and that was Naruto's which could have gone one of two ways;
He imagined Naruto would be furious or he would be indifferent. He didn't quite have the emotional maturity to recognize how important the swap would be to his mental health.
Naruto surprised him with wide blue eyes and a slow, confused nod. It was the group who seemed to voice their surprise and even almost anger.
Though Naruto couldn't bring himself to feel that way.
He would be leaving nothing behind as he started a new journey. There was a swelling around his heart and suddenly he felt alive and excited again. He needed to escape and this was his out.
"I have to go pack!"
Within a second Naruto was off again to collect his things. Now it was obvious; why she was there. To say goodbye to her dearest friend.
For some time now he had closed his heart to her and to everyone else in the village. Even before Sasuke's death; Naruto had lost his sense of self.
Maybe saying goodbye was what he really needed. She looked to Shikamaru for confirmation and instead saw him by Temari's side cradling their infant child, she knew that it was right for everyone.
"I think that went well."
Kakashi mused. Finally, he believed he was doing the right thing as Hokage.
xXx
Finished.
