Sasuke felt distinctly uncomfortable from all the attention they gathered. It seemed like every villager was out and about with the express purpose of staring at them. Naruto always gathered way too much attention, his orange jumpsuit followed him in every life. Sasuke much preferred his hokage robes, though they would be impractical now. Not that the jumpsuit was practical, far from it. It was burning hot yet here walked Naruto without a single drop of sweat.
Sasuke didn't envy him. He didn't.
He really did not want to be doing this. If anything Sasuke would have liked to just stay at Naruto's house and wait for him to come back with the popsicles. The sun was unbearable this time of year butNaruto doesn't want to go alone.
Their conversation had been as animated as always, with Naruto doing all the talking and gesticulation. All smiles and sunshine, as was the nature of the world. If Naruto smiles, the sun becomes brighter. Unfortunately Sasuke wanted it to be colder.
As they hit the village line (Naruto lived on the outskirts just past the woods), Naruto had slowly stopped speaking. His expression started to drop to something more monotone. Even his voice lowered. What was this about? Naruto hardly seemed to care how he was seen, yet now he was almost shifting from foot to foot uncomfortably.
"They won't say anything to you." Naruto finally said, burying his hands deep into his pockets. "You don't look like a pirate."
"I don't think I am a pirate." Sasuke raised his eyebrow, "and what do you mean I don't look like a pirate? Should I be wearing an eyepatch?"
"Well.." he drifted off smirking a bit. "I don't know many pirates who wear kimonos everywhere."
"They're comfortable!"
"Sure," he shook his head, still smirking. "But you don't exactly strike fear into people's hearts with it."
He wasn't exactly wrong there. Sasuke couldn't have been less intimidating if he had tried. The horrors of being short and very girly looking.
That didn't mean he liked it being pointed out though. Before he could reply with something witty, Naruto grabbed his wrist and made them walk a little faster. Very determinedly walking to a little corner store with a large yellow roof.
"Naruto! Hey! Naruto!" An old man with a large white hat followed after them. "Stop!"
"Keep walking, lower your head." He switched positions pushing Sasuke in front of him. "Don't make eye contact."
"I can hear you, stop right there!" Naruto continued to ignore him and pushed them right into the entrance of the store.
The old man caught up grabbing Naruto's collar and shoving him backwards. Sasuke, who's wrist was still being held hostage by Naruto, was dragged along.
"Young man! You should have-" he cut himself off with a cough. "Stopped."
"Sorry Fluddy."
"That's Mayor Fluddy-" the mayor bent over and hacked up something, "No I mean Mayor Florence to you Mr!"
"Yeah yeah whatever, whatcha want?" Naruto smiled but he pushed Sasuke behind him.
Sasuke wasn't sure what was happening here. One second they were close for popsicles, the next Naruto was talking to some old man and trying to hide him. Stupid Naruto was taller than him by a good three inches, so he had to stand on his tippy toes and look over his shoulder.
The old man was only an inch taller than Naruto, at least slouching. It was difficult to see how tall he actually was since he had this odd shaped hump on his back. He wore a long pointy white hat and long white robes. His beard was down to his knees and his long arms were waving across the place.
"-avoid them! I see 'em all over the place now. You gotta-oh who's this?"
Sasuke stepped from behind Naruto and waved at the old geezer. Right staying away from pirates, the one thing Naruto was not doing.
"Girlfriend? Arent you to young one for one those?"
"She's not my-"
"Ya Luffy's daughter? Look just like her." The old man scratched his chin. "Haven't seen Luffy in mm ten years? Been a while. Wonder what she's been up to."
Sasuke blinked at the man. Did he not know what pirates were on the island? Who his mother was?
"Er yeah she's been doing her thing." Sasuke said.
"Yeah that well bye now."
"Aye I wasn't done with ya yet-"
"Sorry in a rush bye!" Naruto pushed Sasuke into the store and followed after.
"Stupid mayor and his stupidness."
Sasuke turned and raised an eyebrow.
"Shut up."
"You want to explain that?"
"No."
Well okay then. Sasuke stuck the popsicle in his mouth and decided to wait on it. He would come around sooner or later.
"It's just…" there it was, "Fluddy keeps pushing me at the marines, he thinks I'm going this year." That wasn't what he was expecting to hear. Naruto leaving for the marines was expected of course, he had told him the plan but still. Wasn't it early for that? "My dad is a marine. And everyone expects me to live up to him! He hasn't visited once you know that? My mom died and he still didn't show his stupid face. Not even a letter!" He stood up from the log he had found and sat on. They were back in the forest now, the deliciously cool forest.
Sasuke wasn't sure what to say to any of this. His own father in this world had disappeared, but he had no ill to him. Once upon a time Sasuke had done the same thing to his own daughter. He understood enough.
"Does your dad know she died?" Naruto paused his rough beating of the tree across from him. His face was shrouded in the shadows.
"He should." With a surge of panic Sasuke noticed the tears that were falling on Naruto's face. Quickly he stood and tried to reach for him but Naruto pulled away.
"Naruto." He said quietly. "Come here."
It was hard to remember that this wasn't the Naruto he remembered. This Naruto was young and innocent. He grew up with a parent that adored him. He didn't know the anger and rage of a village. This Naruto was happier. Sasuke reminded himself of all this but yet he couldn't force himself to stop treating him like he was.
Ignoring Naruto's very angry attitude he pulled him into a hug. They were never very affectionate in the before life. They touched rarely and spoke mostly in tongues. "You're not alone," - this may not be his Naruto, they may not have had the same experiences or the same life yet -"You can tell me anything." - he still would have done anything for him. -
"I don't understand." Naruto said. He relaxed in Sasuke's hold and leaned his head on his shoulder. "I'm not alone, you're right here."
"If the pressure is getting to you, it's okay. I can come up with a plan."
"Can you?" Naruto laughed. "What sort of Olán could you come up with!"
Whatever he was thinking of it just has to have been wrong. Sasuke pushed Naruto away letting him land on the ground. "Well you don't have to join the Marines at all."
"What?"
"If you don't want to join then don't."
"Miki you don't understand-"
"You are Naruto Uzumaki, no one can control you."
"That's all very inspiring but that doesn't stop the fact that I still have to go." Naruto laughed from his spot on the ground. "But thanks."
Though his little talk didn't work - of course it didn't he wasn't sure where he was going with it in the first place - it had cheered him up. Always a plus in Sasuke's book.
"The popsicles are melting."
"Damn it!"
"Not a single sign. No one's seen him, no one has even heard from him!" Nami slid her hand down her face. "He's just not here."
It was hard for Luffy. Hearing the defeat in the girls voice, seeing the slouch of her shoulders. She hated it more than anything, especially because she was the cause of all this.
"I think we should take a break from searching." Luffy was the captain, she had to take care of her crew. It was obvious now how much of a toll it was taking on everyone. The constant searching and fighting. She understood they were tired.
"Why don't we regroup?" Robin slid from behind her, smiling slightly as she held her hand out. "Usopp wanted to see Suki-Chan right? Let's relax for a few weeks."
The idea sounded enticing, but it didn't stop her stomach from curling in on itself. "Yeah relaxing. New island right? That's yeah let's do that I guess."
Robin wrapped two sets of hands around Luffy pulling her into a very warm hug. "Set sail?"
"Let's go then!"
Luffy forced a smile onto her face, "we can have a feast! Think about all the steak guys!" With a laugh Luffy stretched her arms out and flung herself into the direction of their ship.
The others laughed, very much used to their captains antics, and moved to follow.
"Oh! Mikoto-Chan! I'll go get her." Sanji stopped short, gripping onto Zorro and pushing him forward. "Watch them! My dear darling girls ~"
Zoro groaned. "Hurry up shitty cook."
"Mikoto!" Sanji screamed. "Sweet darling little Miko~" he wandered around the village for the first time and asked around.
The ladies were particularly helpful pointing him in the direction of one of her little friends' houses. "Just on the edge of the forest." The brunette giggled. "I swear I saw the sweetest little girl with Naru-Chan at the corner store. She's probably over at his house."
Sanji, so wrapped up in his head over the girls, didn't even notice the fact that they had just gendered his sweet darling friend as a boy.
"Thank you so much ladies ~" each lady gave him a kiss on the cheek and giggled.
"I'LL SAVE YOU FROM THIS THIEF MIKO!"
"Where did you even-"
"THIEF!"
"What did I even steal?"
"MY GODDAUGHTERS HEART YOU LITTLE-"
At this moment Sasuke forced all the power into his fist and plopped a good on Sanji's head.
"Are you going to see me off?"
For the second time Sasuke had left him. In another life he had made a promise, (I'll never leave your side. Not while I still breathe idiot), he was sad to watch him wave them off in goodbye.
Still wearing that terrible jumpsuit, Kami he hated that outfit.
"We're gonna see my daughters!" Ussop sang as he danced around the ship. Brooks pulled a floor out of nowhere and started to play a tune that went along with it. "My beautiful little babies~"
Everyone laughed except Sasuke. He couldn't force himself to be happy when he was leaving Naruto again. As they all slid around the deck in joy Sasuke walked to his room.
It was small but he liked it enough. Making a beeline for his bed he lifted the blanket where his father's hat sat underneath his blanket
It was his comfort object. The only thing that truly made Naruto feel a little less lonely. He was excited to see Unami and Sakura, but yet they weren't Naruto were they? Sakura made him uncomfortable as well, what if it was her? Reborn as well? She was just a little baby, they were different people.
Sasuke didn't think about Sasura often anymore but yet it hurt to possibly see her again. He didn't want to deal with all the unpleasantness that would rupture.
Clutching the hat against his chest Sasuke slid into bed and stared at the wall. Maybe time would move a little faster if he slept.