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Naruto

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Naruto lays in bed in a dark room that once belonged to his former teammate, to his best friend, his brother. And it feels kind of weird. No, scratch that; it feels utterly wrong. Because Sasuke shouldn't have come to this place at all, have left the village and isolated himself only to get stronger, something he could have achieved with them at home.

Naruto puts his fists on top of his eyes, forcing them to stay closed.

The last four years have been lonely for the Uchiha; it's easy to tell only by the look of this place. When Naruto first entered the room, knowing it once was Sasuke's, his eyes had darted left and right, scrutinizing the bare walls, the empty desk, the neatly done bed, hoping to find something attached to this past he knows nothing about. But there were no pictures, no empty ramen cups, no spare t-shirts smeared with blood and dotted with holes, no notes, no nothing. And Naruto has the feeling it always looked like this, just a cold empty room in which Sasuke felt miserably alone.

But he knows it worked; Sasuke is more powerful now than ever, but Itachi is still alive, and his skills still seem unattainable. If he could meet his former teammate one more time, Naruto would knock some sense into his stupid thick head, make him understand the only way to defeat his older brother is by letting people in. Not that the Uchiha would listen to any of his words, but with the help of his fists, maybe... Yeah, maybe Naruto could have his former teammate back. And no matter how hard it would be, he's not one to give up, anyway.

With a grunt, the blond sits up, shoulders slumped. He won't sleep, not here, not tonight. After one big inhale, his legs fold into a cross-legged position, and his eyes close.

At least, if Itachi shows up again, Naruto will be prepared.

He starts by focusing on his breathing and lets go of any uncomfortable thoughts, replacing them with the knowledge of the natural energy surrounding him: the wood of the bed, shaped by calloused human hands; the ageless concrete of the walls and the floor that has seen so much, that has lived through everything and nothing at the same time; the gray mouse under the desk, getting ready to welcome a bunch of little mice.

When Naruto can do this in a safe, secluded environment, alone, and with no time limit, hours pass without him noticing. If he could tell his younger self how disciplined and still he can be today, the thirteen-year-old would probably laugh in his face. But he's now seventeen, and the demon inside of him is one of the most wanted things in the shinobi world; he can no longer act as a boy; he has to make sure no one will get ahold of the Kyūbi.

After some time, Naruto's sage mode takes form and envelopes his body with strength and length and wisdom, and the blond uses this newfound energy to scan the area surrounding him.

Kakashi has trouble sleeping as well. It may be because it's Hana's turn to keep watch; the silver-haired man has trust issues, after all. And speaking of Hana, now that Naruto really takes time to focus on her, he can see her chakra acting weird, like it doesn't really want to be controlled by her, doesn't accept her as its master. This is something Naruto has never seen before, and he can only guess how tiring working with something like that can be.

And then, two other chakra signatures attract his attention out of the vicinity and into the woods; a faint one, close and familiar, and another, far away but more powerful, and also familiar, but not in a good way.

Naruto isn't surprised Itachi already found them, but where is the shark guy? He thought the two of them were like a duo or something. If Kimase… Kasime… or whatever-his-name isn't in sight, does it mean the Uchiha acted on his own? But why? And what is he waiting for?

Naruto has the weird feeling it has something to do with him. After all, most people know that Konoha's Jinchūriki has a sage mode, so what if the Uchiha had guessed Naruto would sense him? What if he was expecting the blond to come? And what if he knows where Sakura is, how she is, if she is still alive?

At that thought, Naruto summons two clones to collect information, all the while trying to convince himself he's not disobeying Kakashi's order to stay hidden. Because Naruto isn't doing anything, and if someone was to look for him, he would still be seated, eyes closed, on his bed.

After a few minutes, he can hear footsteps running back to his room, then the door opens and closes, and a sweaty panting Naruto puts a small black and white bird on the desk. A drawing of a bird. Sai's drawing. The clone disappears seconds after with a thumbs up and a cloud of smoke.

Naruto inspects the bird closer; there are writings on the wings.

Dickless,

Stay away. Ugly is with the traitor. Think it's okay.

Love,

S.

Love? That guy seriously needs new socializing books. Unless it's a confession?

Naruto facepalms himself with a grunt. How many times has Sakura told him to focus? He's not the same without her. He cannot do this without her. Since Jiraiya's death, Sakura's presence on the field has been the only thing anchoring him. He's not a man unless she's there with him; he wouldn't be the greatest shinobi of their age if not for her. And it feels a bit like cheating on Hinata to think like this. But he's not really over his pink-haired teammate, won't ever be for as long as she will look miserable. He likes Hinata very much, knows she's the woman for him, but what if he's the man for Sakura? If not him, who will take care of her? Neji? The Hyūga clan wants to see Sakura end at Danzo's vacation house. And Naruto won't let that long-haired bastard turn her into a secret mistress. She deserves better than that. And now that Sasuke isn't in the portrait anymore...

Naruto's eyes zoom in on the bird in his hand.

Oh, but according to Sai, he is.

Ugly is with the traitor. How did that happen, anyway? Should Naruto be concerned? Probably. But in the end, this is what he needed. A sign that Sakura is alive and safe—or as safe as someone alone with an obsessive avenger can be. And as much as Naruto loves Sakura, he also has to let go. That's what Jiraiya tried to teach him for three years, what Hinata is helping him do with every soft touch of her lips.

Naruto has his eyes closed, mind focused on the memory of Hinata's curves when his second clone's experience rushes in.

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Uzumaki Naruto #2 is proud to be the one chosen to meet the older Uchiha. It has to mean something, right? The real Naruto must trust him more, see him as the better clone. Well, he will prove him right, he decides, accelerating his pace with a smug smile spreading on his whiskered face.

Left. Right. Forward, forward, forward. One branch that the boy avoids easily, then another. And a turn to the left that he almost misses because he's too busy observing squirrels stack their nuts for the winter. The morning sun can pierce more strongly through the leaves now, a sign that he's reached the end of his course.

And this is when Uzumaki Naruto #3 leaves the real Naruto alone to deal with Sai's note. See? He knew he was the better clone. He, for example, would have never left before making sure his help wasn't needed anymore.

But the clone must focus on his own mission for now, and with that in mind, he returns his attention to the small clearing surrounding him. The Uchiha should be waiting somewhere, but the only living thing currently in the vicinity is a big crow watching him watching it. The blond's gaze follows it when it takes flight, and his cerulean eyes land on a shoulder as the bird's talons curl around a black and red cloak. What an entrance.

"Uzumaki Naruto."

"Uchiha Itachi."

The other man chuckles, but Naruto refrains from glancing up at his face, knowing how deadly it is to meet his crimson eyes.

"I was wondering if you were going to come."

"So you were waiting for me."

"Aa."

The clone shifts his weight from one foot to the other, his eyes gauging his opponent, noticing the arm hidden under the cloak, the empty sleeve.

He widens his stance, his hand reaching for his kunai holster. "What do you want?"

"To talk."

His hand freezes mid-way to his calf. "Talk?"

"We have little time, so I'll be quick." The crow takes flight with a flapping of wings that startles Naruto. "First, I don't have to answer your questions, and you do not need to understand everything."

At that, the blond waves him off. "That's fine. Without Sakura-chan or Kakashi-sensei, I won't understand most of it, anyway. I'm just here to collect information."

"Right." Naruto's eyes shift to Itachi's mouth upon hearing the mockery in his tone, and they instantly land on a smirk, a freaking smirk. Do Uchihas even know how to smile properly? "Akatsuki and Danzo are working together, as you probably know by now." The blond nods, trying to stay focused. "The new Hokage bargained that in exchange for giving you up, the Akatsuki would protect the village from potential threats."

"Wait, what? The new Hokage? And what threats? I thought Akatsuki was the threat."

The Uchiha ignores him. "You may think I don't care about Konoha or its citizens, but in fact, I do. And I trust Danzo just as much as I trust my leader."

Naruto keeps quiet, wonders if he's really supposed to understand nothing or if it's just him who isn't that clever after all.

"There's a balance that needs to be maintained," Itachi resumes. "A balance supposed to keep the civilians safe. What Danzo is doing right now goes against Konoha's fundamental values. I couldn't care less about my leader's plan. What I need right now is people willing to risk everything for the village."

"So, you want me to work with you? Really? Let me guess, you'll then suggest I follow you to a dark cave? I'm not that stupid, Uchiha. You're no better than him."

Itachi tilts his head to the side. "If you haven't noticed yet, I'm not trying really hard to catch you." The blond crosses his arms but doesn't say a word. The guy has a point. "I'll continue on trying very little to bring you back to the association. In exchange, you'll gather a resistance."

"There's already one. Sakura-chan was in charge before..."

"Of course she was," the man answers with a half-smile and a shake of his head. "That actually explains a lot."

"What do you mean?"

"Danzo's men were after her, not you."

The blond's heart skips a beat. "Dammit! I knew we shouldn't have split up. Kakashi-sensei will hate himself so much once he learns that." He pauses, pinches the bridge of his nose, tries to control the shaking of his hands. "At least, she's with Sasuke now. Even after everything, I can't imagine he'll let them get to her. And the woman is scary enough on her own. Yes. She's going to be okay."

"She's with Sasuke?"

The stiffening of Itachi's body doesn't go unnoticed by the blond. "Aa. Or so I've heard. Where's the problem?"

The older man sighs. "More complications, that's all."

"He kissed her, you know. A long time ago. I bet he loved her, but you messed with him so much he couldn't live with that feeling. He was just too afraid of losing us, losing her."

"Then let's just hope he still feels something for her."

The blond narrows his eyes. "And why do you care?"

The Uchiha ignores his question, only steps forward. "It's time for me to leave. Will you gather a resistance or not?"

The clone nods. "But what about Sakura-chan? You're hiding something. What do you know? Why isn't she safe with him?"

"Leave it to me."

And Uzumaki Naruto #2 disappears in a sudden cloud of smoke at the feeling of a kunai slitting the skin of his throat.

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The door suddenly yanks open.

"You're going to calm yourself right now." A pause. "Kami, Naruto, what the hell?"

Yes, it was probably a bit much, the broken bed and the desk upside down. But it helped control the beast; that way, Kakashi won't have to waste one of his sealing things on him.

Naruto scratches the back of his neck and glances around. "I was reorganizing."

Hana peeks above Kakashi's shoulder. "Did you also find a mouse in your room?"

Naruto's eyes widen, and he drops to his knees.

"Hey kitty, kitty, come here. It's okay, everything's fine. You can have your babies here; I won't kill them. I'm a nice guy. Hey, where are you? Kitty, kitty!"

Kakashi sighs and kneels at his teammate's side. "Naruto, what are you doing?"

"I forgot about the pregnant mouse! There was a mouse under the desk! Shit. Hey, kitty, kitty!"

Hana pats his shoulder and points towards one corner of the room. "She's fine." The boy lowers on his back with a sigh. "You know that calling a mouse kitty is counterproductive, right?"

"Shut up."

"Naruto," Kakashi leans his head on what remains of the old bed and props his elbows to his knees. "What happened?"

The blond glimpses at his teacher's worried eyes. Kakashi told him more than once to stop calling him sensei., that he's the captain of Team Seven and nothing more. But for Naruto, he'll always be more, something between a father figure and a big brother.

He runs a hand through his spiky blond hair drenched in sweat. He needs Sakura, needs her advice, her wisdom, but she's not here. No, she's with someone they can't trust anymore, targeted by her own village, with no one to hold her hands while she's having her nightmares, no one to carry her back to bed after having too much sake. And he can't do anything about it; he has to protect the village and everyone in it. He has to protect Hinata.

"I disobeyed."

The silence stretches while Kakashi's eyes scrutinize the side of his face. "No shit," the man says at last, and his voice is low, almost soft.

An awkward laugh escapes the blond's mouth, but it quickly dies on his lips. "I met with Itachi."

"You did what?" Any trace of softness has left Kakashi's voice, and the man's grey eyes are now burning holes through Naruto's skull.

"I sent a clone," he clarifies. "I don't know what happened, sensei, but Danzo is the new Hokage."

"Itachi told you that?"

Naruto nods. "He also told me he cared about the village, that everything he did has always been to keep a balance, to protect the citizens. Can we believe him?"

"I… I'm not sure."

"You told him he chose the wrong family, that he knew what it meant to put the village first."

"I did?"

Naruto frowns as he glances at his sensei. It takes everything in him not to snatch the stupid mask away from the man's face.

"He was probably talking about the Uchiha massacre," Hana says, taking a seat in front of him.

Naruto sits up straight upon hearing her answer. "What about the Uchiha massacre?"

"I don't know, but that's the only thing he's known for. And it was his family that he killed that night."

Kakashi engulfs his head in his hands when Naruto and Hana turn to him. "Naruto, finish your story, please."

"Right. Uh," he scratches his chin, eyes to the ceiling, going back to the memories of his clone. "Danzo stroke a deal with Akatsuki. He gave up the Kyūbi in exchange for their protection."

"Protection? Against what?"

Naruto shrugs. "I don't know, but Itachi wasn't happy about the deal. He asked if I was willing to risk everything for the village."

"And obviously, you said yes," Kakashi replies, shaking his head.

"If I want to become Hokage one day, I have to act like one, sensei."

The silver-haired man pinches the bridge of his nose. "And what does he want you to do, exactly?"

"Gather the resistance. Prepare a coup, I guess."

"Not to insult you or anything," Hana intervenes, frowning, "but I'd prefer Kakashi do the thinking on that one."

Naruto turns to glare at the woman.

"That doesn't explain your reaction, though," Kakashi points out, ignoring Hana's comment.

The blond stays silent, tries to form the words, to let it go, but it's proving harder than he thought. He doesn't want to make Kakashi feel responsible, yet again, for the fate of one of his students.

"Does it have something to do with Hyūga?"

The question stings. Maybe the reaction has been too strong. Naruto shouldn't have reacted that way for a girl he's not supposed to love anymore.

"No."

Kakashi's body tense. "Sakura?" Naruto's silence tells the silver-haired man enough. "I failed again, didn't I?"

The blond jerks his head up, tries to meet his sensei's eyes. "She's fine."

"Tell that to the frightened mouse and the broken bed."

"It's just... We shouldn't have left her alone, sensei. She thought she was giving us time, but Danzo's men, they were after her from the beginning."

Kakashi remains silent after that, but by the way his hands tighten into fists, Naruto can tell the man he's blaming himself again for something out of his control.

"Then why are we not going after her? Shouldn't we try to save her?"

Naruto glances at the woman in front of him, tries to hide the surprise the eagerness in her voice provokes. "Since when do you care?" But he cannot refrain from snapping at her, his own guilt clouding his mind. "You were willing to steal her life a few years back. What could have possibly changed?"

"Naruto..." Kakashi warns, a hand running through his silver hair.

"What? I'm only stating the truth."

"What could have possibly changed?" Hana jumps, hands on her hips, glare burning holes through Naruto's skull. "You tell me, Naruto. You were the one willing to risk everything for her. What? Now that you have a girlfriend, she isn't worth your time anymore? She risked her life for your sorry ass, if I remember correctly."

Jolts of electricity run through his body as he pushes himself up as well. If Hana's been sent to trigger the demon, she's doing a great job at it.

With a sigh that momentarily distracts Naruto, Kakashi follows them up. "Hana has a point, Naruto. There's something you're not telling us."

His shoulders slump at being so easily read. "I received a message from Sai," Naruto begins, kicking dust, head low. "Sakura found Sasuke. Or maybe it's the other way around. I don't know. But I think it's a good thing. Or I want to believe it's a good thing," he rambles while Hana's brow scrunches into a frown, and Kakashi turns a scrutinizing gaze on her.

"You are trusting the guy who almost killed you to protect the girl who sacrificed everything for your safety?"

"I trust my best friend to protect the girl he loves."

A flash of hurt washes over Hana's face, but she quickly recovers from it and juts her chin up. "He's not the same anymore. We don't know if he still loves her."

"Well, I decide to believe he does because I have my own girl to protect, and with her comes a whole freaking village."

Hana is about to reply when Kakashi lifts his hand to silence her. "I will send my ninken to search for members of the old resistance. In the meantime, Naruto, you could use your sage mode to make sure Itachi is not just toying with you. I don't want either him or his shark in close vicinity. And you," he turns to Hana with stern eyes, "we'll have a chat. I want to know everything about this new Sasuke you're talking about. There's no way I am abandoning Sakura to another unstable Uchiha. I'll send her Pakkun with as much info on her new-old companion as possible."

The man turns to leave then, shoulders tense, hand gripping the door's handle.

"Sensei, wait!"

Kakashi falters in his step, and Naruto hesitates, doesn't know what words would comfort his old friend. Again, he feels Sakura's absence, wishes she was here; she would know what to say, always does.

"Hana's right. I leave you in charge. If Sakura survives, it won't be because of me, but because of you. I trust you with her life just as much as she does."

The man shakes his head and leaves the room. His whispered words still reach Naruto's ears, though.

"Isn't that the problem?"

[A/N] Sorry it took me so long to publish this chapter. It was inevitable, I got sick with you-know-what on Christmas day. I have an autoimmune disease, so it took me a while to get better. But here I am now! And I'm working on other projects too, and I'm healthy and happy.

Anyway, I hope you still want to read this story!

Stay safe and take care,

MB