Chapter Fourteen; The Funeral
I'm sorry that this chapter is a bit short, but the next one should be longer.
Sasuke slowly set Hokori's body down on the ground. He hadn't even made it to sixteen and he was already dead. Sasuke took a deep breath and heaved a long drawn out sigh. "How am I going to tell Naruto?" he questioned. "Well, before I worry about that, I have to find him first." He said to himself and that's when suddenly he heard screaming coming out from the other end of the cave and gasped. "Naruto." He realized before he turned around and dashed outside.
He tilted his head back and looked up at the tree. Sure enough his dopey little brother was all tied up and hanging from one of the branches. "Why is it that I always seem to get myself into these things?" he wondered aloud with a groan before Sasuke reached down inside his holster and threw some shuriken at the rope instantly breaking it. Naruto fell to the ground with a thud. "Ouch!" he cried while he started rubbing his bottom.
"Are you alright?" Sasuke asked him.
"Yeah, thanks buddy." He replied before getting to his feet.
"Uh Naruto, listen. There's something that I have to_" Sasuke began before Naruto cut in.
"I just wanted to let you know that Sasame's safe and sound. She used the transformation jutsu to turn into a hawk and flew away. Now all we have to do is grab Hokori and make our way back to Sakura and the others." He said as Sasuke took another deep breath.
"Naruto." He repeated.
"Speaking of Hokori where is he? I thought that he was with you." Naruto said as Sasuke stared at him solemnly suddenly feeling his heart begin to shatter. "Why are you looking at me like that? Where's my son?" he asked him anxiously.
"Listen Naruto, this isn't easy for me to say to you but Hokori's dead." Sasuke told him before he slowly took a few steps backwards.
"What?" he questioned him quietly with uncertainty.
"Hokori wanted to come with me because he wanted to protect Sasame. I'm sorry Naruto, I should have tried to stop him." Sasuke said heaving a final sigh before dropping his head and hanging it in despair.
"No,.." Naruto said as a tear rolled down his cheek.
"I am so sorry Naruto please forgive me." Sasuke pleaded while gazing back inside his eyes.
"No!" Naruto shrieked before he turned around and ran away further into the woods.
"Naruto!" Sasuke cried as he ran after him until finally had managed to grab ahold of his arm and pulled him back inside his chest wrapping his arms around him tightly while his heart pounded against his chest. He rested his chin on top of his head as Naruto wept before he gently started rubbing his back. "Shh,.." he whispered as Naruto sobbed harder. "it's alright. You can hate me if you want to. I'd be pissed off at me too." He told him but Naruto just simply shook his head.
"No. It's all my fault. I shouldn't have let him come." He said as tears continued rolling down his cheeks.
"No." Sasuke began. "He wanted to come. He wanted to protect Sasame. I'm the adult. I should have told him that it was too dangerous. Please believe me Naruto, you did nothing wrong. You acted exactly like a good father should. And Hokori was the luckiest boy in the world to have you for a father and so are the rest of your children." He told him before softly kissing the top of his head.
"I know Sasuke. It's just so hard to say goodbye." Naruto began. "I loved him so much." He said with a sniff while continuing to weep silently.
"I know. Believe me, I understand more than anybody else how hard it is to lose somebody that was precious to you. At least you don't have to go through this alone though. I'll always be there for you Naruto." He assured him before planting another kiss on the top of his head.
"I love you Sasuke." Naruto told him.
"I love you too." He said as they wrapped their arms around each other tighter and embraced while Naruto continued sobbing inside his chest and Sasuke continually hushed him and rubbed his back telling him that everything was going to be alright.
…
"Surely your goodness and love shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Naruto hung his head and watched as the preacher closed his bible and his son was finally laid to rest. That's when suddenly Sasuke turned over to look at him.
"Don't forget, God knows how you feel. He lost a son once too you know." He said as Naruto narrowed his eyebrows and glared at him.
"How can you say that!? He doesn't know how I feel!" he snapped angrily. "First I lose my father and now I lose my son. I don't care what you say now Sasuke, Doragon will pay for this." He growled as Sasuke took a deep breath.
"Alright." He began taking Naruto completely by surprise.
"What?" Naruto questioned him with uncertainty.
"You were Hokori's father. You have every right to feel the way you do. Although, I'm not too thrilled to watch my best friend become a killer." He said. "But there's something that I always you to remember. That no matter what you decide to do from here on out,.." he began while placing a comforting hand upon his shoulder. "you are my brother. And I will love you always." He told him while softening his gaze and staring deeply inside his eyes. Naruto looked back into his eyes before looking back down upon his son's tombstone and giving a sniff while rubbing his eyes. Sasuke kissed his cheek before resting his head against his.