Author: sky75rk
Standard disclaimers apply.
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Sixteenth Channel: I want to know and NeverNo. This shouldn't be happening.
Neji's panic-stricken face revealed those words as he continued watching Naruto and the Uchiha having the most civil conversation he had ever seen them have. Was this the result of erasing everything from Naruto? The competitiveness that the blonde exuded when he was around the so-called 'avenger' was gone now, and he could see that Naruto's eyes was void of all the feelings of irritation he usually showed the Uchiha before.
Was it possible that when he wiped Naruto's mind clean, he was pushing himself away from him further?
No. What he couldn't succeed in achieving when Naruto was whole he had it now.
So… should he be happy? Even if it was only a percent of Naruto he has right now, he should be glad. Naruto was Naruto, even without the memories, even with the subdued attitude, even without…
Uchiha Sasuke.
There was a risk and he knew about it. Without the hostile attitude that Naruto has with Uchiha, there was nothing that will hinder him anymore. On the other side, he thought that Sasuke would be discourage. But he was proven wrong. Again.
He came back from a mission the Fifth gave him only this day, and he didn't like what was unfolding. Sasuke and Naruto were sitting side by side at Ichiraku's, but Naruto was not eating. Sasuke must've told Naruto something that made him clamp himself up.
Neji decided to go home. Tonight. I'll ask him tonight.
---
That night, Sasuke made up his mind.
That night, he set another goal.
He thought over the matter, and it was now clear. Someone must've erased his past, the only reason he could think of plausible. It didn't matter anymore. His existence away from the blonde's past didn't matter. What matters is that he was here right now, and he was going to stay.
And all the things that he regretted not doing, he will fulfill it.
When morn arose and the sunlight woke him up, he was already alone. The rumpled bed sheets the only indication that someone was there with him the night before. Yes, he felt guilty for having the use him in such manner, but it wasn't like he forced him to. He was a willing participant, even if when he glanced at those usually impassive eyes, he could see the hurt that he carried, now deeper than what Naruto told him about.
With him that was the only thing he regretted doing.
He regretted taking him down with him.
It was not the usual 'if you kill me, I'll make sure you go down with me' action. When they shared that night, everything felt so out of place—he wasn't meant to be there! And although he kept on convincing himself that at least, he was able to give the red-haired Sand-nin what he really wanted, he faltered. And for the first time he sincerely locked with green eyes his own black ones, he immediately knew right then and there that Gaara was being honest. Right from the very start.
If he could give Gaara pity, he would've. But he also knew that Gaara hated being pitied, like what he said to him before, they were alike. Not only in one way.
Now, he was going to see Naruto again, and he wouldn't run away. Wouldn't let his emotions take hold of him again. The anger, it blinded him and it didn't bring him good luck. Not that he needed it. His good luck ran out the moment Naruto stopped remembering him.
And he knew he had to make his own.
He now had a new resolve. And it was to make new memories for the blonde to remember. Something that he was sure he wouldn't have the courage to give up.
After all, if Naruto loved him as much as he told him that fateful night, no matter how many times his memories got forcefully erased, they would still meet and he would still fall in love with Sasuke again, just like how Sasuke is trapped in his own love for him.
Everything always returns back to destiny. Right, Hyuuga Neji?
"Oi dobe!" he shouted, the blonde he called turned around sharply with a frown.
"I'm not a dobe! Stop calling me that, bastard!" he shouted back, and Sasuke felt that it was just like before. When the blonde came back, everything was stale, but now, it was as if nothing changed. He could feel that Naruto was once again comfortable with him, but not like way back. He could only hope.
"You turned around. It means that you are acknowledging that you are indeed, a dobe,"
The blonde wanted to attack the arrogant boy, he was thankful at least that he didn't need the help of his crutches any longer, but he was still slow and his leg still couldn't keep up. Instead, he just gave Sasuke a death glare that couldn't wither a weed even if he tried.
Naruto sighed when he saw that her glare was not affecting Sasuke. "Why are you here anyway? Don't you have more important things to do than disturb my peace?"
You were the one always disturbing the peace before, Naruto. "Whatever, I was just thinking that you might like to have some ramen,"
Naruto's eyes cheered up instantly at the mention of his favorite food. "Sure! Only if you pay though," he added, and cheered once again when Sasuke nodded and said, 'of course'.
Ichiraku's Ramen Stand was again booming when the blonde youth returned and it pleased the owner. "Na na, I want seafood ramen!" Naruto shouted and the owner replied with a 'coming up!'. Naruto slid on the stool and waited happily. Sasuke took the seat beside Naruto and started staring.
Soon, the blonde felt the prickling stare and turned to look at Sasuke with a confused face. "Why are you staring?" he asked, and Sasuke did nothing but blink.
"Don't you…" Sasuke started but trailed off. He wanted to chew his bottom lip because of frustration but he couldn't. "Don't you really remember me?" he croaked out and Naruto had to strain his ears to hear him.
It was a solemn question, and the blonde understood that the black-haired shinobi was fearful of what he would answer. Only he did not understand why. Yes, it was true that no matter how much he tried, they was no Uchiha Sasuke in his memories. But it didn't explain the void in his heart.
"You told me once that I'm the only place you can call home," his hoarse voice was painful to hear, only Naruto didn't understand why.
He never did understand a lot of things after all.
"You told me that you'd always be waiting,"
When he and Sakura talked last time, he had learned that Uchiha Sasuke was once their teammate and friend and were together through most of the trivial experiences in their lives. Sakura said this with a wistful smile that told Naruto that she was sad because of this and he asked. She told him, "Because even though I try to be the most important to Sasuke, I couldn't. It was only you who rivaled the top spot with his anger with his Itachi,"
Only me. He remembered that the most. It's only me that rivaled with the top spot. His mind reiterated. Only me. The ramen was already in front of him, but he made no move to touch it. He only stared at it, as Sasuke took a pair of chopsticks and started without waiting for him.
"I'm sorry," was all he heard Naruto say before he was gone.
"I'm sorry too," he whispered to the wind that carried the sadness his message contained.
---
Naruto ran back to his apartment with all the speed he could muster. It was wrong to run away, he knew. And he didn't like running away. He wasn't the type to run away. He never ran away.
Only now.
'You told me that you'd always be waiting. That I'm the only place you can call home,'Did I really tell him that? Did I make him any promise that I wasn't able to keep? He also never backed down on his word. Did I break my promise?
He slowed down and came to a stop, and then he stared at his hands. What am I doing? Neji. He could always talk to Neji. And Neji was always there when he needed him. But is he back yet? When it came down to it all, Neji did everything for him. Even if it hurt him, even if there was a risk, the long-haired Hyuuga would gladly take it for him.
What. Did. You. Do. To. HIM! The shouting and the fighting resonated in his mind. He was there when the Uchiha and Hyuuga clashed in that alley one fateful day. He didn't get what they were talking about. He can see how fierce they were with each other and their anger was overflowing.
What are you talking about? He heard Neji answer, but it was not true. He could feel that Neji was hiding something. And that something was what Sasuke wanted to know about. Why didn't he tell him?
Would it hurt Sasuke? Hurt Neji? Or hurt me? He found himself asking. He didn't want to hurt anybody. Especially when it was because of him.
He was in front of the stairs that led him to his second floor apartment, and there was a slight presence of chakra he knew very well outside his door. He quickened his steps.
"Neji,"
---
"If only I could do something for him," whispered Temari to Kankuro as they ate dinner without the presence of Gaara. "He has been there inside his room since he returned. I know that Sasuke is the reason for all of this and that Gaara didn't really give me any motivation to help him, but he's still my brother,"
Kankuro put his chopsticks on the table gently. "We shouldn't meddle in other people's lives, Temari," he told her, but Temari shook her head.
"Gaara is precious to me," she insisted. "I don't want anybody hurting him. It was already tough on him since he was a child. He doesn't need a repeat performance of it,"
Kankuro gave a wistful smile. "And to think you were afraid of him before. Where has all your fear gone to?"
"People change, Kankuro. They change,"
---
Sasuke slammed the door of his bedroom and fell back on his bed. He felt heavy.
Everything weighed a ton.
He lazily removed his shoes and changed his clothes to prepare for bed. It was still early, and the sun was still in the sky. He moved to close the blinds and the darkness fell into the cold room. There was no fan anywhere, but it was chilly inside. Probably because there was no one to warm him up.
The night before, Gaara was warmer than what he expected. Every night there was only the cold in the room that accompanied him to sleep. The sun sets every dusk and leaves him alone, but the cold remains by his side. But the night before, there was warmth. Something that lulled him into a deep sleep. Something he never expected the red-haired nin to have.
When he woke up, the warmth had gone. Maybe because he was the cold and ice that froze up even the warmest of them all.
Will Naruto also leave my cold? He is the sun after all, and the sun always sets during dusk.
---
"Neji,"
The Hyuuga silently placed his hand that poised to turn the doorknob when he heard Naruto call him. "Naruto," he acknowledged.
The blonde was sweating slightly and was panting. Naruto slid by him and opened the door, holding it ajar, an invitation to let Neji enter.
The apartment was dark and chilly. It was only when the blonde turned on the lights that he got to see what was inside. "You're a neat freak after all, and an enthusiastic reader. Why didn't I see that side of you before?" he commented. Although he was always with Naruto when they returned, it was always the blonde staying over at his house and never at his own house. There was so much that he didn't know about Naruto, and it would take an entire lifetime before he could know everything about him.
"Because you didn't ask," was the simple answer the blonde provided him.
Neji followed Naruto's lead and he noticed he was being led to the kitchen. "Then next time, I'll always ask. That's okay right?"
I wouldn't do it, not without Naruto's consent. The voice in the blonde's mind replayed. "Un," he answered with a grin and set out to prepare some food. "I know you're hungry, Neji. I can feel it," he added and Neji smiled.
"You really know me well,"
A low chuckle. "No, you're just predictable," he told him with his back turned against him.
If Neji did erase my memory, he wouldn't do it unless I told him to do so. But why would I let him do that? And besides, I remember everyone. Except Sasuke… he concentrated on this thoughts as he still prepared the food almost effortlessly just like how Neji taught him to. Why is it so damn empty?
"Why is it so damn empty?" they were spoken softly, but clear enough for Neji to hear. He closed his silvery-white eyes and rested his forehead on his palm. Am I going to lose you again?
-Continued-
A/N: I know this is short, only a good 6 pages, but don't blame me! I've been having a hard time balancing my schedule and it's really tough to force words out. I have writer's block, one of the reasons why this is shorter than usual and probably you can't feel the emotion as much as you did on the last channel. But just spare me okay? My update is later than usual too!
Questions now answered!
Why is Naruto more subdued than the original Naruto?
This is true only with Sasuke. Since he couldn't remember Sasuke, anything at all, he had no reason to remain boisterously loud and such. And with the information of him actually being rude to someone he didn't know, it was only natural to apologize. After all, he spent a good year with Neji right?
Why doesn't Sasuke go to Naruto?
Sasuke did get to see and talk to Naruto once, but he ran away. In this channel, he had the opportunity to gain back what he'd lost. He can't bear to see Naruto first, because of the wild feeling stirring in him.
Will Naruto remember Sasuke?
Ahh… the most asked question of them all! Sorry, I really can't reveal that outline yet. Since I'm not sure myself either. But you'll know soon!
Why did Naruto think that Sasuke did not care for him?
It wasn't like he thought Sasuke did not care. It was mostly because he felt guilty that Neji accepted everything Naruto threw at him, even if it hurt. He wanted to try and make Neji smile again, that's why he had his memory erased. To start anew.
How much more hurting are you gonna put them through?
Hmm… I don't know exactly. Maybe a few more.
Does Sasuke even realize what happened to Naruto? That the memory got erased?
He has a very vague idea about it. Read channel 15, it said 'forgotten from his memories' right? And he confronted Neji about it. He does not know any details, but he has the idea.
Does Naruto like Sasuke?
At this point, he's still confused, and the emptiness in his heart is not leaving. However, the fact that he likes Sasuke is still unknown, even to me. There is this whole cloud of confusion and everyone is just drowning in it.
Am I planning on becoming a writer?
Unfortunately, no. I'm planning to take up Molecular Biology and Biotechnology after I graduate this year and hopefully start from there. I like writing, but only to pass the time away. But I'm glad that someone will be happy to buy my book if ever I'm going to write one. Don't worry, I'll tell you all if I did.
How many writers use the bible as a reference to their fics?
Actually, a lot. I read this incredible story and it was inserted in the fic the Lord's Prayer. (See my profile page, there's an excerpt). If you want to read the rest of it, give your email and I'll mail it to you.
How was your Sparks Day?
Actually, I don't know anything about Sparks Day… anyone care to elaborate?
Alterhybrid, Sociopathlover, xxxfissshbonesssxxx, MsDbzMedabots, tins, Momochi Zabuza, Catc10, Jena, Bloodmistress, Kisu, Kurisuteru-chan, ChiKoiDoji, Naaja, sansty-san, Princess Kitana, Uzamaki Liliana, Naito Kiseki, Amethyst Blossom, ayanoi… you guys totally rock!
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