I know a lot of you didn't like the idea of Naruto leaving. But too bad for
you. It would end way too soon if he stayed... not to mention it would
actually make the shounen ai stuffs have to wait for another ten or so
chapters before I could get to it. Think of it as me speeding up the
process. Hee hee... hurting my baby Naruto-kun is just a bonus... honest!
*crosses fingers behind back*
Chapter Title: 35. Going, Going, Gone
Both boys flushed at the implications Sasuke's words brought, before Sasuke remembered to explain himself.
"T-that didn't come out right." He stuttered quickly, trying to fix his words. "I don't want to see you getting yourself hurt-" Naruto held up a hand to silence him.
"It came out exactly how it was meant." He replied. "You're afraid that I'm going to become evil like you did the last time you were offered a chance out of this place."
"No, that's not it!"
"Of course that's it. You think that I'm like you. That I would turn on my village." Sasuke continued to shake his head in denial. "No? Either that or you think that when I leave you, I'll become even stronger. Leave you behind."
"Naruto, stop putting words into my mouth." The blonde continued packing as though he'd never heard his rival's pleading.
"I'm not turning on Konoha, and I'm not leaving to gain power, like you did. I'm creating an alliance. I'm getting a mom. You take it for granted that you actually had a mom." He hesitated, not seeing the look of frustration on Sasuke's face. He might not have cared even if he had seen it. "I'm taking a break from the tensions of this war. I'm getting a LIFE! You're just jealous that I now have a mother and the only family you're left with is Itachi!" As soon as the words left his mouth, he knew he shouldn't have said it, and he knew it would rile up Sasuke more than anything else he could ever have said, but he was already so angry and didn't care who else got hurt.
"You think you can get away from your problems." Sasuke hissed under his breath. "But you're nothing special. You'll always be a demon. You'll always be the demon to just about everyone in this village. To that woman in the hut. But to me... you'll always be that stupid little idiot. I don't want you to leave... me, because I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't brought me back from Orochimaru. I've talked to a lot of people since then. Everyone says that only you could have brought me back. Lee told me. Neji told me. Even Shikamaru told me that. Chouji believed in you. Hell... even Sakura thought you were the only one who could save me."
"So?! What is that supposed to mean?!" Naruto retorted, not liking the fact that Sasuke was slowly changing his mind. He turned his head, slightly so that he could watch the other boy's reaction from the corner of his eye. "You don't need me to save you again!"
"No, you're right. Right now I don't. But you promised me you'd help me train to fight against my brother. Don't you remember when Orochimaru was killed? Shinyuu, don't go." Naruto turned to look at Sasuke fully, hearing the words repeated. He frowned knowing if he didn't leave now he would never leave. He quickly performed Kage bunshin, and his clones slowly surrounded the Uchiha.
"I'm sorry, Sasuke." Said one Naruto as they circled him independantly.
"You should stop being so selfish."
"I need to do this."
"I'll be back before you know it."
"I'll never stray far."
"Don't worry."
"I promise you I'll come back." Sasuke whipped his head around, not sure which one was the real Naruto.
"But I don't want to lose you!" He yelled at them all. "I don't want you to lose yourself, either!!!" In a puff of smoke all but one disappeared. Naruto looked guiltily at his feet before looking Sasuke straight in the eyes.
"You already have." He whispered before disappearing himself. Naruto had used Sasuke's confusion to escape through the window.
***
They walked for a few hours after sundown, the time Naruto was told to meet up with the woman, before setting up a small camp in a clearing. Naruto lay back on his sleeping bag and stared up at the cloudless night sky that still held a tinge of faded violet, allowing himself some time to think. He'd met up with the Kitsune's mother at the gates and was surprised to find her in the presence of a masked shinobi. Now, of course, he didn't think much of it, assuming the man to be her bodyguard, but he was a little unnerved at the introduction. He said nothing, just acknowledging his presence with a slight nod of his head.
"I'm not used to being a human mother, Naruto-kun." The woman spoke up, moving to sit beside his bag. "I'll try my hardest. What about your life? Tell me something about you. Something I missed about my child's new life. I'd like to earn your trust."
"I've been by myself for a while."
"From what I've heard that's a very large understatement."
"Yeah, I was an orphan from the moment I was born. But I've done alright for myself."
"What about the Kyuubi?" She asked, curiosity shining in her eyes. He shrugged, wondering what she wanted to know.
"He comes out every so often, when I need his help, or when I'm very angry." He lifted up his shirt and concentrated some chakra at his feet to show her the seal.
"Is that?" She hesitated, tracing an elegant fingernail along the design. He nodded. "It's remarkable, that something so small and insignificant could contain such a great and magnificent power like the Kyuubi's."
"Yeah." He exclaimed softly, feeling more than a little awkward. He looked up to see the bodyguard's red eyes trained on him steadily through the mask, but he couldn't see much else of the man, and it was starting to give him shivers. His mother noticed the stare and smiled gently.
"Don't mind him." She whispered. "He's always like this. You just go to sleep and we'll continue walking in the morning." Naruto nodded and closed his eyes wondering briefly why he felt so confused about his choice to leave Konoha, but he decided it must have been something to do with the look on Sasuke's face when he disappeared. He never liked hurting people that he cared about.
***
"May I, please?" She asked. Naruto was reluctant to give in to his mother's pleas. It didn't feel right to allow what she was asking for, but he couldn't turn her down. This was her child she was asking for after all.
"I don't like the idea of giving up control of my body to the Kitsune." He voiced his doubts. She nodded in understanding.
"I know it may be a difficult idea, but I really would like to speak with him for a few moments. He is my son after all and I miss him so much." He frowned before nodding and closed his eyes, letting the Kyuubi take over his body, secure in the notion that if he needed to he could still regain control of his body. He would be damned if he was going to let the fox have free reign over his body.
While the Kyuubi and his mother chatted about random things, Naruto allowed his conscious to keep him occupied with musings about Sasuke. He wondered why the boy was so adamant about keeping him in the village.
"Is he paying any attention anymore?" The woman asked, warily. The Kitsune shook his head.
"No." She nodded.
"It's nice to finally see you. I've heard a lot of stories about all the trouble you've caused that landed you in that boy's body. You've made quite a name for yourself."
"Of course." He nodded to the masked bodyguard. "So who is he really?"
"Oh him, I believe you've already met once before, but let me formally introduce you to..."
***
"He's gone." Sasuke spat out. Kakashi shook his head, not in the least bit surprised, and Sakura frowned.
"He didn't even say goodbye to us!" She cried.
"I didn't expect him to." Kakashi spoke up, patting the girl on the back. "I had a feeling he would leave with her, whether she was his mother or not, so long as she claimed it. It was one of the three things Naruto's desired since he was a little kid. Besides Sasuke's acceptance, because you represented the entire village's acceptance of him, he desired, wanted... no he needed love. Someone who would be there to look after and care about him. Either romantically or familial. It was an offer he couldn't refuse."
"But he had us!" Sasuke yelled, not wanting to believe in his teacher's words. He didn't want to believe it was so easy to sway the blonde.
"Do you think what you offered him was enough?" Kakashi narrowed his eyes at the pair. "It was obvious what he was looking for to anyone who had eyes. You two just didn't care enough to look." Sasuke took a step backwards before running away. He couldn't believe Kakashi had been so harsh.
He was angry beyond words. At himself, for not seeing what Kakashi so obviously spotted. At Kakashi, for seeing what Naruto needed and not trying to help. At Sakura, for hurting him so much that he sought love in any place he could get it. And at Naruto for leaving. That, above all else, hurt the most.
~~~~~~~
Yeah. I hate the ending too. It's so... crappy. I think I lost my little faerie that made the words that come out of my mouth make sense. And if that made any sense to any of you, you need a padded room and a designer straight jacket (looks to closet full of them). They're really quite comfy.
Chapter Title: 35. Going, Going, Gone
Both boys flushed at the implications Sasuke's words brought, before Sasuke remembered to explain himself.
"T-that didn't come out right." He stuttered quickly, trying to fix his words. "I don't want to see you getting yourself hurt-" Naruto held up a hand to silence him.
"It came out exactly how it was meant." He replied. "You're afraid that I'm going to become evil like you did the last time you were offered a chance out of this place."
"No, that's not it!"
"Of course that's it. You think that I'm like you. That I would turn on my village." Sasuke continued to shake his head in denial. "No? Either that or you think that when I leave you, I'll become even stronger. Leave you behind."
"Naruto, stop putting words into my mouth." The blonde continued packing as though he'd never heard his rival's pleading.
"I'm not turning on Konoha, and I'm not leaving to gain power, like you did. I'm creating an alliance. I'm getting a mom. You take it for granted that you actually had a mom." He hesitated, not seeing the look of frustration on Sasuke's face. He might not have cared even if he had seen it. "I'm taking a break from the tensions of this war. I'm getting a LIFE! You're just jealous that I now have a mother and the only family you're left with is Itachi!" As soon as the words left his mouth, he knew he shouldn't have said it, and he knew it would rile up Sasuke more than anything else he could ever have said, but he was already so angry and didn't care who else got hurt.
"You think you can get away from your problems." Sasuke hissed under his breath. "But you're nothing special. You'll always be a demon. You'll always be the demon to just about everyone in this village. To that woman in the hut. But to me... you'll always be that stupid little idiot. I don't want you to leave... me, because I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't brought me back from Orochimaru. I've talked to a lot of people since then. Everyone says that only you could have brought me back. Lee told me. Neji told me. Even Shikamaru told me that. Chouji believed in you. Hell... even Sakura thought you were the only one who could save me."
"So?! What is that supposed to mean?!" Naruto retorted, not liking the fact that Sasuke was slowly changing his mind. He turned his head, slightly so that he could watch the other boy's reaction from the corner of his eye. "You don't need me to save you again!"
"No, you're right. Right now I don't. But you promised me you'd help me train to fight against my brother. Don't you remember when Orochimaru was killed? Shinyuu, don't go." Naruto turned to look at Sasuke fully, hearing the words repeated. He frowned knowing if he didn't leave now he would never leave. He quickly performed Kage bunshin, and his clones slowly surrounded the Uchiha.
"I'm sorry, Sasuke." Said one Naruto as they circled him independantly.
"You should stop being so selfish."
"I need to do this."
"I'll be back before you know it."
"I'll never stray far."
"Don't worry."
"I promise you I'll come back." Sasuke whipped his head around, not sure which one was the real Naruto.
"But I don't want to lose you!" He yelled at them all. "I don't want you to lose yourself, either!!!" In a puff of smoke all but one disappeared. Naruto looked guiltily at his feet before looking Sasuke straight in the eyes.
"You already have." He whispered before disappearing himself. Naruto had used Sasuke's confusion to escape through the window.
***
They walked for a few hours after sundown, the time Naruto was told to meet up with the woman, before setting up a small camp in a clearing. Naruto lay back on his sleeping bag and stared up at the cloudless night sky that still held a tinge of faded violet, allowing himself some time to think. He'd met up with the Kitsune's mother at the gates and was surprised to find her in the presence of a masked shinobi. Now, of course, he didn't think much of it, assuming the man to be her bodyguard, but he was a little unnerved at the introduction. He said nothing, just acknowledging his presence with a slight nod of his head.
"I'm not used to being a human mother, Naruto-kun." The woman spoke up, moving to sit beside his bag. "I'll try my hardest. What about your life? Tell me something about you. Something I missed about my child's new life. I'd like to earn your trust."
"I've been by myself for a while."
"From what I've heard that's a very large understatement."
"Yeah, I was an orphan from the moment I was born. But I've done alright for myself."
"What about the Kyuubi?" She asked, curiosity shining in her eyes. He shrugged, wondering what she wanted to know.
"He comes out every so often, when I need his help, or when I'm very angry." He lifted up his shirt and concentrated some chakra at his feet to show her the seal.
"Is that?" She hesitated, tracing an elegant fingernail along the design. He nodded. "It's remarkable, that something so small and insignificant could contain such a great and magnificent power like the Kyuubi's."
"Yeah." He exclaimed softly, feeling more than a little awkward. He looked up to see the bodyguard's red eyes trained on him steadily through the mask, but he couldn't see much else of the man, and it was starting to give him shivers. His mother noticed the stare and smiled gently.
"Don't mind him." She whispered. "He's always like this. You just go to sleep and we'll continue walking in the morning." Naruto nodded and closed his eyes wondering briefly why he felt so confused about his choice to leave Konoha, but he decided it must have been something to do with the look on Sasuke's face when he disappeared. He never liked hurting people that he cared about.
***
"May I, please?" She asked. Naruto was reluctant to give in to his mother's pleas. It didn't feel right to allow what she was asking for, but he couldn't turn her down. This was her child she was asking for after all.
"I don't like the idea of giving up control of my body to the Kitsune." He voiced his doubts. She nodded in understanding.
"I know it may be a difficult idea, but I really would like to speak with him for a few moments. He is my son after all and I miss him so much." He frowned before nodding and closed his eyes, letting the Kyuubi take over his body, secure in the notion that if he needed to he could still regain control of his body. He would be damned if he was going to let the fox have free reign over his body.
While the Kyuubi and his mother chatted about random things, Naruto allowed his conscious to keep him occupied with musings about Sasuke. He wondered why the boy was so adamant about keeping him in the village.
"Is he paying any attention anymore?" The woman asked, warily. The Kitsune shook his head.
"No." She nodded.
"It's nice to finally see you. I've heard a lot of stories about all the trouble you've caused that landed you in that boy's body. You've made quite a name for yourself."
"Of course." He nodded to the masked bodyguard. "So who is he really?"
"Oh him, I believe you've already met once before, but let me formally introduce you to..."
***
"He's gone." Sasuke spat out. Kakashi shook his head, not in the least bit surprised, and Sakura frowned.
"He didn't even say goodbye to us!" She cried.
"I didn't expect him to." Kakashi spoke up, patting the girl on the back. "I had a feeling he would leave with her, whether she was his mother or not, so long as she claimed it. It was one of the three things Naruto's desired since he was a little kid. Besides Sasuke's acceptance, because you represented the entire village's acceptance of him, he desired, wanted... no he needed love. Someone who would be there to look after and care about him. Either romantically or familial. It was an offer he couldn't refuse."
"But he had us!" Sasuke yelled, not wanting to believe in his teacher's words. He didn't want to believe it was so easy to sway the blonde.
"Do you think what you offered him was enough?" Kakashi narrowed his eyes at the pair. "It was obvious what he was looking for to anyone who had eyes. You two just didn't care enough to look." Sasuke took a step backwards before running away. He couldn't believe Kakashi had been so harsh.
He was angry beyond words. At himself, for not seeing what Kakashi so obviously spotted. At Kakashi, for seeing what Naruto needed and not trying to help. At Sakura, for hurting him so much that he sought love in any place he could get it. And at Naruto for leaving. That, above all else, hurt the most.
~~~~~~~
Yeah. I hate the ending too. It's so... crappy. I think I lost my little faerie that made the words that come out of my mouth make sense. And if that made any sense to any of you, you need a padded room and a designer straight jacket (looks to closet full of them). They're really quite comfy.