Another chapter so soon who is this guy? I know im not known for my frequent updates but had some inspiration so banged this out. Im thinking one more chapter and an epilouge and this story will be officaly finished. Hope you guys enjoy.
Naruto let out a sigh as he watched Anko's back disappear into the darkness of the hallway.
"KUKUKU looks like my little snake has become even more disappointing since she betrayed me." The Snake couldn't help but bury the knife deeper. It's what he did best.
Naruto didn't have it in him to give any kind of reply as he finished the chakra seals on his captured foe. Orchimaru was already healing from Sasuke's sadistic attacks. His neck making a sickening crunch as his vertebrae aligned themselves.
Naruto didn't rise to his taunts instead throwing the snake over his shoulder and heading towards the exit. He decided he would take him back to the village alone to minimize the chances of him getting executed in the middle of the night by his teammates.
"Can you just not do this Orchimaru? I'm the only one standing between you and two very angry pupils. Keep taunting me and ill throw you to them." The snake didn't even flinch at his threat.
"We both know that isn't true...I was very conscious when you gave your little speech about letting the Hokage decide what to do with me. But don't worry you're trite little fox head the information I can give the village should be enough for me to escape death. kukuku" Naruto couldn't see his face but he knew his disturbing smile was plastered on it.
"Who knows they might even give me my own plot of land after I'm finished. The daimyo is easily swayed." Just hearing the snake's next scheme made his blood boil.
"Shut up! Whatever you're expecting to run into when we get to the village I would taper your expectations. The only thing waiting for you is a cell. If your lucky your execution will be swift." Naruto ended it at that gagging the snake before continuing the journey back home.
His thoughts naturally fell towards Anko as he jumped from tree to tree. The look of her face before she left forever burned into his mind. Her eyes so filled with hate it made his stomach turn knowing it was pointed towards him. The last thing he ever wanted was to see that look. He only wanted to make her life better and filled with love and as far as he was concerned he had. He just hoped after she cooled down she would see how big a mistake it would have been to kill orchimaru.
He decided he would wait for her to come to him. He would not apologize to her or placate her behavior. She and Sasuke were in the wrong and he wouldn't budge from that. 'We had a mission and they tried to put themselves ahead of it.' is what he tried to tell himself but the truth was he already forgave her and the thought of not being with her far-out shadowed today's events.' I'll let her sweat it out for a little at least.'
"Never thought you were the kind to torture yourself over the uncontrollable. I figured you left that to Sasuke kukuku." Naruto would have chuckled if it wasn't Orchimaru making the joke.
"Shut up... How did you get your gag off anyway!"
"Why didn't you finish it in the first place?... Then you just walked away! All you had to do was keep him busy for 5 seconds and I could have ended it!" Anko was in the midst of yelling at Sasuke.
"Wasnt worth the effort...I'm not gonna start a fight with Naruto That would last days. He made up his mind and he would quite literally fight us to the end of the earth. It's easier to let him have his way and let the village execute him. You saw how weak he was not much satisfaction in killing a man who can barely use a fraction of his chakra.
"Who cares about the village he shouldn't be breathing. He took everything from me I'm the one who's gonna end him. It's the only thing I've dreamed about for the past ten years. It's the only reason I got up in the morning, trained, bared the looks of disgust and hatred towards me. It all leads up to this and now...now what I sit back and watch that snake slither his way out of it once again no it ends now. Get ready we're going after Naruto and we're finishing this." Anko gave her demand and stormed off with Ibi to find Naruto's heat signature.
It didn't take long for her to notice the absence of footsteps behind her. "Dammit, Sasuke you said yourself he has to die. What happened to your resolve. All that talk to stand down the minute Naruto challenges you! I didn't think you were so weak... guh"
Before she could finish her sentence Sasuke was on her his hand wrapped around her throat so tight she could feel her throat bending inwards threatening to be crushed."You forget who you're talking to I'm not Naruto. Keep talking to me like I am and you won't live to see the village you loathe so much." He loosened his grip as she gasped for air falling to her knees as she felt the air finally reach her lungs once again soon followed by tears that wouldn't stop.
"I don't know what Naruto sees in you. All I see is a hateful little girl who can't let go. A weak pathetic girl who lets her emotions control her. Who turns her back on the only man that loves her the minute he disagrees with her. A girl too stupid to see that Naruto was trying to save what was left of your absolute tattered and blackened soul." Her sobs grew louder as she laid on the cold forest floor.
"Stop!" She screamed in between wails.
"You screamed your hatred to the only person who has only ever put your best interests ahead of himself. Who spent the last month begging me to find her sensei so she can finally have peace and move on and you spit in his face and tell him the one thing you know can break him the only thing he wished to never hear from you. Pathetic..." His words cut through with a sharpness a sword could never recreate. Everything he said she knew was true and the amount of self-hatred at the moment outweighed what she held for Orchimaru a thousand to one. Her mind seared with the picture of Narutos face when she said she hated him made her heartbreak all over. At that moment she felt like the little girl who had just sliced an innocent mother's throat. If she let herself believe it maybe even worse than that night.
Sasuke let his words settle for a minute before speaking."So pathetic and so much like I use to be it's uncanny. Your hatred your resolve to throw everything away for that one moment of revenge its enough to make me pity you. So ill tell you a story about my revenge...Then your gonna get up and decide for yourself if destroying the only person you cared about was worth it."
"I'm sure you're aware of my brother Itachi...But what you don't know is the sacrifices he made for the village and in my eyes, he was a greater hero than any ninja that's ever lived..."
3 days later.
"Any last words Orchimaru..." In the darkest recesses of Hokage tower rested a special cell for only the worst criminals that the land of fire had to offer and that was where the once infamous Snake Sannin now called his home for the past 3 days and now it was about to be where he drew his last breath.
In front of the man's cell stood a select few. Of course, the Hokage was present, followed by Sasuke, Anko, Hiashi, Shikamaru. and Naruto. Tsunade had chosen to not come saying something along the lines of not wanting to witness another Sannin die.
"I refuse to die here. You worthless vermin sitting here telling me my fate as if it means anything. I'm immortal you can not kill me. I refuse to die dont be fooled this isn't the last you'll see me. But be assured the next time it will be as you watch this village burn to ash" Orchi's insidious laugh echoed through his cell.
"Even your so-called immortality has its limits... Do it Sasuke." Kakashi's words held no hesitation or any acknowledgment of his threat. Sasuke only gave a nod.
The group watched as the once feared and great sannin was reduced to a pile of ash. A great moment for the leaf only held somber faces as they reflected on the man's reign of terror.
They didn't stick around long after the execution moving to the office for final reports. "Thank you for letting me be here today to witness this great moment Lord Hokage." Hiashi gave a bow.
"I hope this puts to rest your accusations of Anko and Naruto?" Kakashi asked?
"I won't apologize for what I said at the time I whole heartily believed my words...But I'm a man of honor and ill admit to my wrongs." He turned towards a stiff Anko who was too busy staring at Naruto to pay attention to the conversation. Hiashi's movement was the only thing that alerted her this was about her.
"Anko you have proven yourself loyal to the leaf and I retract my words about your character and hope we can move forward as allies." He didn't bow but his words sounded sincere enough.
"To be honest I never cared what you thought of me. I'll do my job as a ninja no matter what people think of me. The real person you owe an apology to is Naruto I hope this means your once again in Naruto's corner for Hokage." Her words becoming more heated towards the end not helping herself. It didn't matter that she hadn't spoken to Naruto or for that matter seen him since their mission she still wanted him to be Hokage and felt horrible about him almost losing it because of her relationship with him. Not that there was a relationship to worry about now anyway.
Hiashi gave a curt nod before moving to Naruto. "No need to apologize Hiashi...Your support is more than enough for us to move forward. We both said some things in the heat of the moment but at the end of the day, we both want what's best for Konoha." Hiashi gave a smirk while extending his arm for a handshake. With that, the Snakes Sannin unceremonious execution was over with, and without the villagers knowing it Konoha became a little brighter because of Naruto.
Anko left the tower with a mix of emotions. For all the good things that happened today, Naruto getting his position back as future Hokage, Orchimaru finally dying, and even Hiashi easing up on her. She should be ecstatic, over the moon that everything worked out in spite of her. She wished she could feel any of that, instead, she was empty she had been since her conversation with Sasuke. His words really made her understand just how broken she was. Just how fucked up what she did to Naruto was and she was sure she would never forgive herself for it. She refused to think she deserved forgiveness from him or herself.
The minute she made it back to Konoha with Sasuke she realized the only place she wanted to go was Naruto's apartment. His bed seemed like the most comfortable place on planet earth and the realization that she would most likely never be in his presence like that again broke whatever was left of her.
So she aimlessly made it into her barren apartment and climbed into her sheetless mattress using only her coat for a blanket she cried. She cried so hard her ribs hurt. She cried so hard her throat was raw. Her eyes so puffy it looked like they swelled to twice the size. She didn't stop till the exhaustion finally caught up to her but the next morning she felt numb no tears came to her she couldn't produce them she didn't have the energy or the right to.
Anytime she felt self-pity creeping in or the urge to cry the permanent picture of Naruto's face came to her. The look on his face as she turned her back on him made it impossible for her to cry. What right did she have when she caused him so much pain. So she decided that morning she wouldn't cry she wouldn't beg for forgiveness. She would let him go. His life had only become harder since they met she only hurt him and destroyed his future in a mere month. What would happen if they stayed together nothing good was her guess.
So that was it for the 3 days she went back to her norm before Naruto. Anytime she felt weak enough to go crawling back into his arms she would take a small mission or drink or hide in the forest but most often she would bug Kurenai to let her stay the night knowing if she was left alone she wouldn't be able to stop herself. Much to Kurenai's disapproval, after hearing the full story she realized how serious the situation was but it was not unfixable. In fact, she was sure Naruto would forgive her instantly but that wasn't what was stopping Anko and she knew it. Instead of yelling at her to make up with Naruto, she decided to wait for the night and approach Naruto on her behalf when she had some free time. Nobody was gonna take away her best friend's happiness even her own self. Instead that night she did her best consoling her friend with drinks lots of drinks.
That left her today sitting outside the Hokage tower wondering exactly what she should do for the day. She had only been a couple of feet away from him and it took everything she had to not run into his embrace to hug him even if he hated it. But her will steeled itself long enough to get away from him. Scurrying from the meeting room before she had to meet his eyes again.
To her, he seemed almost indifferent to her presence. She could tell he was still mad at her as he should be she made herself acknowledge. She took note that he barely looked her way during the execution and following meeting afterward.
"Anko you got a minute?" Her head whipped around so fast it was almost unnatural. Naruto couldn't help but chuckle at her reaction. He would be lying if he said it wasn't cute.
Anko grimaced when she realized he was laughing at her. "No we have nothing to talk about." Her words were harsh but she meant them at least she thought she did.
Naruto gave a cute pout in response " Please Anko-chan! I'll buy you some Dango." He said with a mischievous grin.
"I said no Naruto, Leave me alone!" The words came out louder than she meant but held firm.
Naruto's façade dropped almost instantly. "Why do you always have to be so goddamn stubborn. I'm miserable ok is that what you want to hear! Goddammit, Anko I miss you ok." Her jaw almost dropped at his words why did he always have to say such stupid things. Didn't he know she was trying her best to not breakdown in front of the whole goddamn village?
"I know you miss me too Kurenai told me what you've been doing. She told me what you said." At the moment Anko was about to explode in anger how dare she tells him what she said in confidence.
"Let's move on Anko ok?" He asked his eyes so sad it broke her heart to even think to not accept his words.
"Why? Why can't you just let go of this Naruto? I spent these last few days in my shitty apartment just thinking of crawling on my knees to apologize and you come to me like this without a shred of doubt. What I did to you was terrible. I used your love for me to get what I wanted to make you try to question your loyalty to the village. I became everything I hated at that moment." Naruto felt his tears start to well up at her words the amount of self-hatred she was exuding was the most troublesome thing out of that whole speech to him.
Without thinking he scooped her up and in what seemed like a blink they were in front of his apartment."let's talk somewhere private." was all he said before pushing her inside. She didn't have time to argue as she somehow ended up on the couch.
"Before you start I want to say some things...is that ok?" Anko nodded her head not sure what he could say to fix this situation.
"First off, I don't hate you or think less of you for what happened that day. I'll never pretend to understand what it was like for you and how much hate you had for that man. I told you I would never judge you or come to hate you and I meant that I promise. Now with that said." He gave a pause as he kneeled in front of her putting his hands on her knees. It was enough to make her moan in appreciation at the contact she missed so much.
"What you said that day hurt. You saying you hated me that you would never forgive me. It really got to me. So I became a little petty and let you sit with it for too long so for that I want to say sorry. I know you were hurting and I let it drag on. But to be fair you should have known You were forgiven the moment you said those things. You just had to suck it up and come home!" He moved a little close dragging his hands up her legs till that gripped firmly at her hips.
At that moment Anko's mind went blank god how she missed this feeling of being this close to him in his strong grasp reassuring her he would never let her go. 3 days was longer than she ever wanted to go again. She almost quite literally shook her head at those thoughts. Now wasn't the time for fantasizing.
"Sasuke told me about Itachi. He told me about his revenge and it really put things in perspective. Like him, I used you for my gain and betrayed your trust, and just like him when Itachi was finally dead it did nothing to fill that emptiness. Im broken Naruto! Don't you get that ill never be normal ill never be the good little wife who has dinner and a hot bath ready for you when you come home?" Naruto was about to refute her words tell her didn't care what she was. She belonged to him and that's the only thing that mattered but he didn't get that far.
"Is what I wish I could say to you to make you forget me! But the truth is the only time I don't feel empty is when I'm with you. Just this right here talking about the worst things that have happened in my life I feel lighter just because you're here.
Please...dont leave me alone...I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please let me come back I dont want to be alone anymore." She gripped his arms as hard as she could her nails digging into his skin.
He didn't hesitate to wrap her in a hug that squeezed the air out of her. "You'll never be alone again I promise. I won't let you."