I did enjoy the Tsunade arc and there was so much that took place so when i got to it i was like... oh snap i can't use that... But it all worked out in the end and i feel it came out decent
It was quite satisfying to return to the village. Although Sasuke wished that Orochimaru would train him more he understood the man's lack of desire to return considering what he had done to the village…. But still Sasuke was thrilled and excited to show Itachi and his father the new variety of skills that he had learned.
So when Sasuke saw the large wooden gates no small amount of joy spread through him,
He was home….
"WE'RE BACK B*#TCHES!"
Sasuke looked to see Naruto quite excited if him yelling was anything to go by,
"You….."
Tsunade was looking down with her body trembling,
"WHY ARE YOU SO VULGAR!?"
Naruto squeaked but was quick to point to Jiraiya who was stunned,
"HE TAUGHT ME ALL THOSE THINGS!"
"WHAT THE HELL? NO I DIDN'T YA LIAR! HE'S LYIN I TELL YA!"
Sasuke sighed just a bit more…. Naruto raced off passing the guards without a care. Them being the more mature group waved at the guards but Genma quickly stopped them with a hand,
"Jiraiya i would suggest you guys and Naruto head straight to the hokage tower"
Jiraiya sighed,
"I know i know i'm heading there now"
But Genma gave him a hard look that made him pause,
"I mean it, you should head there immediately."
And Sasuke didn't know what it was. Maybe it was the hard look he gave them that told them this was not optional or the completely out of character sternness in his voice that made him shiver but whatever it was Sasuke could feel his heart racing and knew something bad was going to happen and… Naruto wasn't there.
Sasuke bolted running after the direction Naruto had gone, because he couldn't help being worried. They had spent so much time together that it came almost naturally.
SPLAT!
Sasuke turned the corner just in time to see Naruto on the floor and red dripping down. And he panicked,
"NARUTO!"
He ran over to him looking to observe the wound,
"Calm down it's just a tomato"
Naruto smiled, But Sasuke was outraged this was no joke!
"WHO DID THIS!?"
But the street was crowded with suspects and Sasuke didn't even know where to look,
"Is something wrong here?"
Sasuke looked up to see fellow clansmen walking toward them, leave it to the uchiha police force!
"Someone threw something at my friend!"
"Young master Sasuke, you've returned."
They bowed, but Sasuke had no time for pleasantries.
"I want this investigated, even as a joke this is going TOO FAR!"
"Who…?"
Just then Jiraiya and Tsunade seemed to catch up and witness the scene . Naruto on the ground with red liquid dripping down the side of his face, Uchiha police standing at attention as Sasuke stood yelling at them and a crowd of witnesses,
"Naruto!"
Tsunade yelled as she ran to the boy,
"Like i said it's no big deal, it's just a tomato"
Naruto rolled his eyes but Tsunade didn't see the humor as much as Sasuke,
"Who….DID THIS?! IF YOU'RE A REAL MAN STAND UP AND ADMIT IT!"
Her voice made every seem to quiver in their steps,
"Hold on miss, you can't just…!"
The firm glare she gave him made Fugaku look like a kitty but it was then that one of them recognized who she was,
"AH! You're...LADY TSUNADE!"
The crowd began to whisper as many had heard of her and her skill but she wasn't one to bask in the limelight,
"My lady… perhaps we should head to the hokage's office…"
Shizune tried to appease and Naruto wiping the fruit off stood nodding his head in agreement. And though Jiraiya and Sasuke wanted to oppose at least until they found the culprit it seemed pointless.
All five of them arrived at the doors of the office but it hadn't been easy. The dirty looks that they had received from the villagers was daunting and the looks of pity from the ninja community was unrivaled. No one knew what to make of it but they were sure they would learn the truth from the hokage because if there was one thing they knew it was all directed at…
Naruto.
And so he was the one who opened the door a smile on his face like he was unaffected by becoming the show.
When the door opened seeing Obito wasn't as shock so much as seeing how tired he looked. There were bags under his eyes that looked slightly red and he just looked older. Sasuke no longer felt any anger about them replacing the young man… Obito was done.
What did surprise them was their teacher standing at the desk beside Obito. And he seemed genuinely surprised to see them too if the wide eye was anything to go by.
"Naruto…."
Sasuke half expected the perv to race toward them and grab Naruto up but the fact he hadn't solidified only one thing; something was wrong.
"Naruto…. And Jiraiya. Welcome back as well Sasuke."
Obito said straightening up but it seemed so forced it was painful.
"I see you brought back quite a legend"
He smiled as he looked at Tsunade who had analyzed his health in 2 seconds,
"You're a little young to be retiring…."
Obito and her shared a look one that knew what it felt to lose a loved one,
"Young only in body...though i'm sure you understand"
She nodded, because she did.
"Oi Obito what's with the village?"
Jiraiya interrupted because though he was glad that Obito and Tsunade seemed to get along Naruto's current treatment wasn't something that could be overlooked,
And there it was again…. That pained look of pity and sorrow. Obito's eyes drifted to look at Naruto who was looking very confused but held out his hand in offering,
"Naruto… come."
And to Naruto this was the strangest interaction they had ever had. Because the two of them always had a love/hate relationship. Arguing, goofing off, pranking each other… but there was always laughter. There was no room for softness like this in their relationship. Even when either were hurting they only told the brutal truth. Naruto so often wondered if Obito would be like the brother Sasuke had. that was their relationship… not this.
But Naruto who was at a loss for words obeyed walking toward him and around the desk to stand in front of him. He wanted to gather some sort of hint of what was going on but Kakashi refused to make eye contact,
"Naruto…"
Eyes that looked like they were going to cry and though Naruto didn't quite understand what it was he knew it was something almost as painful as losing Rin…
"Naruto there's something i…."
But the words wouldn't come out. Like they were lodged in his throat and he couldn't say it. He couldn't say it, not to these wounded blue eyes.
"Say it"
And there was that command, so much like when he was younger. Naruto's hand reached out touching his face no longer innocently soft but slightly rough for hard training, But how could he? How could he tell him? He didn't want to… he wanted this all to be a lie..
"SAY IT!"
And without thinking his sharingan activated and Naruto's eyes widened as he was taken control.
"NARUTO!"
"OI!"
"WHAT'S GOING….!"
A Kunai slammed in the desk silencing everyone and Kakashi was gritting his teeth as if trying to restrain himself,
"Just...wait"
The other four in the room looked at each other and watched the stone like dou wondering what was going on.
It was different from the last time.
Less like a prison and more like a hall, with multiple doors. But one thing he noticed was the fox… wasn't there.
"He's in another area"
Obito turned to see Naruto leaned against the wall.
"Naruto…"
Naruto frowned,
"Will you stop calling my name?! I'm right here!"
Naruto walked up to the man and he felt so small compared to the young child. How had Naruto dealt with it? When his mother died how had he just continued with the exams? When Rin died how had he thought clear enough to prevent another war? How..?
"If you have something to say, SAY IT!"
ANd it was the command from those firm eyes that broke him. And like a dam crumbling the tears that he had managed to hold back flowed making Naruto pause unable to move. Obito walked closer and closer until he was able to fall almost on top of the boy in a tight embrace,
"I'm...sorry…"
And there were plenty of things to be sorry for. Such as giving him crummy missions or calling him short, pranking him and saying mean things… but this was different. Like he was apologizing for something deeper,
"I'm so sorry…"
Naruto raised his hands so they rested on the sobbing man's back rubbing it like his mother had so often did with him,
"It's okay…"
Naruto whispered but Obito shook his head in refusal,
"First your mother…"
Naruto's hand stopped moving…. They all knew that his mother had died but he supposed not many people knew that he had had closer with her. Not many people got a chance to say goodbye to loved ones, but he had.. She had loved him and so he was okay…
"I'm sorry… you had to endure...that for…."
Naruto sighed and resumed rubbing the man's back,
"For Rin…"
Naruto wondered how long it had taken him to finally be able to say that name? How painful it had been…. And Naruto thought of Obito the most… He felt like he didn't have a right to hurt and whine when Obito had lost someone so important to him…
"I'm sorry….I'm sorry…."
Well at least they could move on. Now that Obito was letting his true feelings out surely they could learn to smile right?
"You keep...losing…"
That's when Naruto stopped rubbing his back again,
"Keep? What are you talking about?"
But the grown man continued to cry,
"Obito! Tell me. what 's going on?!"
Obito gave a few sniffles and leaned back so that he could face Naruto face to face and finally say it,
"Naruto… Minato...Minato's dead…"
Naruto's eyes widened,
"He committed suicide"
