Disclaimer: I didn't own Naruto when I first wrote this story and I certainly don't now either.
Dedication: To everyone who read, reviewed and suffered through the horrible spellcheck-less story this once was.
Category: PG-13, Sasunaru
"Because it's your fault that my family is broken apart."
It took me a few minutes, but I did manage to somehow recover from this statement.
"What in Kami's name are you talking about Dobe? I haven't even been around for years and you're still managing to blame me for everything!"
Those cold eyes turned to look at me, and I saw something I had always feared. Eyes flashing red with fury. I knew he wasn't going to hurt me but I also knew this - Naruto was beyond angry.
"Because it's true! It's because of you being gone! It because you weren't around that everything happened and it's because of you that I had no chance to ever get it back!"
"What does anything have to do with me? I'm not seeing how you HAVING A CHILD WITH HINATA and it being my fault have to do with -anything-."
"Think about it Sasuke. Think real hard. You were supposed to be the number one rookie of our class after all. For once in the last ten years or so why don't you actually use that brain of yours?"
Ok, that last statement...hurt. And like Naruto, I retaliated the only way I knew how - anger.
"I do use my brain Naruto. Quite often really, and maybe if you used yours you wouldn't have lost your family. Or maybe they just saw you for the Kyuubi you were."
I saw red eyes flash violently against his azure blue. Anger and pain fighting for control. And for once I hoped - maybe he will kill me this time. Because as soon as I had said those words, I ruined everything.
"Naruto I-" I started to say.
"Go away Sasuke. Go far far away before I make you go so far away you won't ever see anyone ever again let alone the light of day. You think I'm a monster? Fine. I can be a monster. Come near me - or my family again and I will rip your throat out as the Kyuubi would have done to you."
'Gomen...' was all I could think before leaping away. I had screwed up again.
SASUNARUSASUNARUSASUNARU-
It was days before anyone came to see me, and when someone did, it was one of the last people I expected. Hinata. A very pregnant Hinata. Leaving me very confused. If Naruto had lost his family, it must have been recently for Hinata to be pregnant.
"Hello Sasuke-san. It is good to see you have finally returned to the village." She spoke, her words as soft as ever but her old stutter apparently gone.
"Um, thanks. Shouldn't you hate me for what I said to Naruto or something? Why are you even here?"
"I think there is a long story that you maybe need to know. You and Naruto I've heard have both said some harsh comments to each other and I think things would be a lot easier for you if you at least knew how to retaliate correctly."
"Alright...why don't you have a seat over there and I'll just get something to drink." I said warily. I might have been happy for Hinata but the jealousy I harbored for her was still there in mountains. By the time I came back with tea she had managed to make her way to the couch and sit down. And since everything I seem to be learning lately had been earth shattering, it was probably better for me to sit down.
"Where to begin..." She said.
"The beginning is usually the best place."
"That is a easier comment to make then the beginning is to choose. I suppose it should start back when you returned from Orochimaru."
My mind was reeling again. This all started that far back? And I had had no idea. Some kind of person I am - to say I'm in love with Naruto and know nothing.
"Naruto was very angry at you. He felt very betrayed by your actions when you left. As your rival Naruto felt it was his... duty is to be there while you progressed. The fact that you felt you even needed to go somewhere else, let alone Orochimaru infuriated him and left him very depressed. I had been walking around Konoha on what has become a mandatory chore for genins - on watch. I barely saw Naruto crumbled up against a tree before I realized he was bleeding profusely and looked completely worn out. I found out later he had nearly killed himself with the amount of chakra he had used. He'd been training."
It was like a thousand needles stabbing me as Hinata spoke. I knew the meaning behind even the words she hadn't said. He had been training because he'd felt he wasn't powerful enough to train with me. It was because of me that Naruto nearly died.
"I started to watch Naruto over the next few weeks, and I watched as slowly he became more and more resentful and angry at you. When you left - it was horrible. Had Tsunade not forcefully kept Naruto here, he would have gone after you. It was only when Tsunade-sama informed him that if he wanted to keep you alive, he needed to testify on your behalf to not make you a S-Class missing nin. For a long time I hated you Sasuke, for nearly making him kill you."
"What does this have to do with Naruto blaming me for breaking his family apart?"
"I'm getting to that part. To fully understand everything, you need to know everything."
"And if you are here, where is Tsuki-san?" I asked, nearly interrupting Hinata as she went to begin again.
"Tsuki-Chan is with her father and Iruka-sensei for dinner." I just nodded for her to continue.
"After you first left Naruto grew more and more...attached to me. I had become his emotional support, which was fine with me since as you knew, I loved Naruto-kun. Eventually our relationship grew more... intimate. It was nearly a year later when I realized that the cause for him being so needy the first night was because it was the one-year anniversary of your disappearance. By now Tsuki had already been born and Naruto-kun is the perfect father for her. She takes after him far more then she does myself. But as the days grew on I realized that Naruto had never once said that he loved me. I waited nearly a year before I had finally figured out why, and that is the same reason Naruto blames you for losing his family."
"And what is that?"
"Because Naruto, however much he tends to refuse or try to ignore it - is in love with you."
My world, if possible for the third time, crashed around me again. And I was finally getting the idea that when things involved Naruto - worlds will crash many times a week.