Chapter 28 - First Words

'Thoughts' "Memories"

"Speech"


Naruto opened the door to his apartment and entered it, shutting the door loudly behind him. As hoped, Sasuke opened his bedroom door and walked out, a smug smirk on his face. Naruto's own smile drained suddenly at seeing it.

"Finally found me, eh?" Sasuke teased as he walked over. "I have a question."

"What?" Naruto asked, and his ability to answer still made them both happy. His voice now was clear and crisp, like it had been before. It sounded as if he'd never shut up to begin with.

"Why don't you hate me?"

Naruto stared at Sasuke in confusion at first, then shock and understanding. Sasuke had turned to look at the floor and Naruto smiled kindly. He placed a hand on each of Sasuke's shoulders.

"Sasuke is special to me." Naruto began, taking a deep breath between each sentence. This is what he'd been training for! "You've done so much for me, and I always felt that I was less than you. But then I managed to catch up and you got so angry at me, and that hurt."

Sasuke looked up from the floor. Naruto saw something in Sasuke's eyes that gave him the courage to continue this little speech.

"After everything that has happened, all the trials we've been through...I couldn't just toss you aside when you left. And so I fought for you, always for you." Naruto paused here to take a few deep breaths and Sasuke knew that this was still hard for him to do, talking this much. "I was so happy, when you said you would come back with me."

Sasuke saw that the memory was very dear to Naruto, as it seemed like the blonde was holding back tears.

"I can't let you go Sasuke. I never could. You disappeared and I wanted to die, because it seemed that you had died too." Naruto shook his head, and after a long pause, he was able to continue. "Do you know how happy I was, when you came back?"

Sasuke and him just stared at each other until Naruto managed to continue, seeing as Sasuke wasn't going to answer.

"I was elated." There he went, using his new vocabulary. "Those years gave me time to think, Sasuke. And I know now that there is only one thing I really want right now. I'll want more in the future, and I've wanted a lot in the past. I wanted recognition, attention, a family, and friends. But right now, I only want one thing Sasuke. And it's the reason why I don't hate you."

"What?" Sasuke asked in a whisper, as if afraid talking too loud would break some spell they were under.

"I...I love you." Naruto was blushing heavily. "I love Sasuke Uchiha, with all of my heart. I love you."

Naruto pulled away from Sasuke and headed into his bedroom, not even bothering to close the door. Sasuke didn't even have to wait ten seconds before he'd decided on a plan of action and had entered Naruto's room silently.

Naruto looked up at him, and Sasuke knelt in front of the blonde sitting on the bed. He looked up at Naruto and then took a deep breath.

"I've felt the same way, for a long time." he admitted, leaning up and planting a kiss on Naruto's lips.

"W-what?" Naruto managed after the kiss. Sasuke smirked.

"Shikamaru arranged for me to go to the records room. I'm not sure, but I think he knew that the key to my memory was in that room." Sasuke stood up and then sat next to Naruto on the bed. "At the time, I thought that the bandits claiming to be the Akatsuki had been commanded by my brother, but it seems I was wrong. All he's done since I came back is try to help me...in his own way of course."

Naruto's eyes were widening slowly but steadily as the truth of what Sasuke was saying collapsed on him.

"I suppose I worried him when I left the battle field, and he probably thought I was dead. I was never able to truly hate him, you see. Because he is my brother, I'll always be able to forgive him at least a little bit, just enough that I'm not able to kill him." Sasuke smirked as if it were ironic. "I wasn't able to kill you either." (Took long enough to get to the point, didn't he?)

Naruto gave him a confused look.

"I said I would, but every time I tried...You stopped me, or I couldn't bring myself to do it. Somewhere deep inside of me, I knew that I never could deliver the final blow to you. I would always leave you alive, maybe wounded, but alive." Sasuke shook his head. "That's why I'm surprised that you don't hate me. It seems unrealistic that you could love someone like me."

Naruto suddenly hugged Sasuke and Sasuke managed to somewhat hug Naruto back. After all, they were sideways to each other so the hug was awkward. Sasuke smiled, his eyes closed, and tightened the grip he had on one of Naruto's arms.

"I read your journal, and I realize now that I've missed out on a lot of important things." Sasuke laid his head sideways so that it rested on top of Naruto's, which was on his left shoulder. "I'm sorry that I've been gone so long."

"But you're here now. That's what matters, right?" Naruto turned his head so that he was face first in Sasuke's sleeve and took a deep breath. "That's...what matters."

Sasuke sighed in exasperation, but he smiled. Naruto had just fallen asleep on his shoulder. He supposed that it took more out of him to make that speech than even Naruto himself had noticed.


Chapter 29 - Epilogue - Reunion

It's time to tie up loose ends. The Julian's, Tucker and Marry, are in town! But Sasuke isn't home and it's up to Shikamaru to lead the way.

Sasuke grinned. "He's not someone you easily forget."