Momento: Days

Rating: PG-13

Author's Notes: I feel the unbelievable sort of writer's block slowly creeping out to me. Wait, is there…really such a thing as writer's block? No really, is there? :sees Itachi marching to her with a mallet:

Reviews: Minna-san! I will be answering back some questions more frequently if it's okay with you guys if I answered back using the  review option, but first I want to know if it's okay with you readers! :3 That way I can answer questions and comments faster. So you don't have to wait for the next chapter for answers!

Kaiyo No Hime: Forgive me! :sobs:

Iceheart19: Sankyu! I made a mistake about Iruka being a jounin…..;; :places head in a large hot steaming pot of rice: I deserve this! XD 

Yuen-chan: Lol. Shino deserves some of the limelight too! But Don't think that he will be playing such a part in here….:pats Shino's back: :Shino starts sobbing and mumbling about how unloved he is:

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"I was thinking, Kakashi-sensei, maybe I should come with you."

Before he had began to realize, Uchiha Sasuke was becoming a young, mature man. He could see through his student's eyes the desire to protect and to fight for something, or someone he loved. The jounin smiles as he closes the small bag he is to wear on his back, for the travel ahead of course.

Kakashi nodded his head, placing a hand on Sasuke's shoulder, his hidden smile not so hidden.

"Itachi may be there."

And the jounin frowns again. The boy was disillusioned between the love for Naruto and the hatred for his brother, Itachi. But what he feared was Sasuke knew that Itachi was indeed after the Kyuubi's power.

If ever—Naruto loved Sasuke back.

When the time came that Sasuke was so drunk with revenge, Kakashi wished that the boy would never resort to using Naruto for his own whims. 

That would be absolutely unforgivable, and Kakashi, as the years will pass by, will have to watch over the last Uchiha.

But for now, let Naruto have a blissful moment, at least, once they return his memories.

"Sasuke, say your goodbyes."

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"It won't be forever, it'll just be, for three days. And it's not like Itachi's really after any one of us."

"But you want him to be there. STUPID ASS."

Sasuke is taken aback, Naruto had already known him too well, the midnight air was colder than usual and crickets and frogs chose to stay silent.

The dark little apartment (rented by Uzumaki) was their sanctuary, Sasuke held Naruto's hands and laughed, an event that happened ever so rarely. Naruto, who sat on the bed, and Sasuke who knelt before him…they always, or more correctly, used to be together.

Kakashi advises that naruto should stay in a safe place than to join them to retrieve his orb of memories. Having Naruto with them may lure Itachi to them.

Which was highly undesirable.

The blonde wanted to be with Sasuke so much.

Perhaps intuition had forewarned him of an ill-fated event that may possibly happen.

It was all too much of a risk to take. 

It was too big a risk to let Sasuke and Kakashi go. Not when Iruka had told him about Itachi, Sasuke's older brother. The man had allegedly killed the whole Uchiha clan, something not to be taken lightly.

"Maybe you shouldn't come, it's not worth it."

Sasuke blinks, and then holds Naruto's hands tighter, he holds them up guiding them to touch his face. 

"Everything should be perfectly fine."

"You're lying…you're such a bad liar! Sasuke, I swear, if you die out there…I will kill you!"

The Uchiha laughs at the illogical dialogue.

But he never lets go of Naruto's hand.

"I will come back."  

It was 3 o' clock in the morning when the two decide to leave. Naruto pretends and says he's asleep, but he secretly watches through the window pane as Kiba shakes Sasuke's hand, smiling in a friendly manner. Even Inuzuka didn't want Sasuke to die. But when he said this, Sasuke knew that Kiba enjoyed exaggerating things more to what they should be. Iruka takes out from behind his back a medicine kit, opening it and telling Kakashi what each of the things inside did. It took fifteen whole minutes off their time.

They wave and say goodbye, unknowing of Naruto who watches them secretly. As they leave, the young boy sobs.

Why had he have to be so useless at a time like this?

Naruto sobs till morning, because his heart aches because on what may happen is something he did not see.

He worries.

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The next day, the afternoon was hotter than ever, the fluctuation between the weather was frustrating.

Naruto sits alone in the park bench, Kiba Inuzuka watches him.

He knows he's in pain, and it pains him as well.

Perhaps reality was slapping him with the truth.

Naruto, maybe he did love Sasuke more than him. The way the blonde reacted to his advances…..Naruto shunned him away.

Reality was painful but Kiba would never let that poison his mind and heart, he walks towards Naruto and pats him on the back at sits beside him.

"He'll be just fine, before you know it; he'll be stomping back here."

Naruto didn't respond, but Inuzuka kept on talking anyway.

He points his finger to the Konoha main road and smiles wider, atop his head sits Akamaru who barks at the said road.

"He'll be walking there and shouting your name."

"He won't be shouting my name."

"Yes he will, that is…if he wants to. That moron isn't made of ice or glass."

Kiba looks at Naruto, and realizes on more thing, his mark hasn't faded, his heart beats faster and head starts spinning. A traitor would take this chance and steal the thing he wants the most in the perfect of moment of all moments.

He tries to touch him but pulls away.

That would be…so spineless.

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Sasuke pants, the mountain gets steeper and steeper and the gravity pulls his weight down, not to mention that there was a large bag riding his back. Sometimes he thought of dropping the thing, but was reminded that it had everything necessary for the trip, a medicine kit and food.

Sasuke pauses.

"DAMN YOU KIBA! YOU DIDN'T EVEN MENTION YOUR FOOD PILLS!!!"

Kakashi is wide-eyed at the Uchiha, startled. The jounin realized that if Kiba did give them food pills they wouldn't have to bother with carrying the food they had. And the load would be much lighter.

Stupid little dog boy.

They curse all the way up the mountain, scaring the animals even the large ones. In fact, Sasuke's burning anger was too much to bear for anyone.

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"Will he be okay?"

Iruka asked Kiba worriedly as Kiba entered his apartment, but he doesn't give an instant answer. He breathes deeply while looking at the plain ceiling…

"If Sasuke does come back, he will."

Iruka looks away, rather uncomfortable with Kiba's answer.

"I'm sorry, Kiba…I know how you feel. I'm sure that…"

"What are you talking about?!  I'm not jealous at all, that would be stupid, I just wish I could do the same for Naruto."

"But just by staying with him, you're already doing something for Naruto."

Kiba gives out a sad look at Iruka.

"I'm doing nothing for him at all."

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Author's Note: So there you have the end of chapter 12.  I'm not into love triangles/polygons but I always seem to make them, unknowingly. LOL. Thanks for reading and I hope you guys enjoyed it!