Gaara
Well. I wanted to add some more NaruGaa brotherly love here. I wanted to show everyone how Naruto unconsciously follows in the footsteps of Pein, even if he may hate it. Hence the title. Sorry it's so late. I've been feeling bad for some days. Who's ever gone to the hospital so frequently on a holiday season. Huh?
Naruto smiled as he walked near the border of Konohagakure. He hadn't seen it in nearly three years. With a smiled, the blond stepped further.
"I can't wait to see, Gaara." he mumbled to himself.
A chunin at the gate raised his hand. "Halt." Naruto shrugged, but ceased movement nonetheless. He must have looked odd with his hood on, the two side fronts sticking up due to his horns.
The blond removed his hood and did his best to smile at the chunins. It took some time, but finally they recognized him.
Their eyes went from narrowed to shocked, confused, and slightly disappointed.
"Namikaze Naruto. We deemed you dead. When Jiraiya came, we searched and searched."
Naruto shrugged. "Will you let me in so I can speak with the hokage?"
The chunins scanned him again, mumbling something about Akuma Kitsune, but let him by nonetheless.
Just as he walked by a chunin, one leaned forward fearfully and placed chakra-restraining bands around his hands.
The less judging chunin stared. "You're a bit dangerous, word around the world says. Those binds can only be removed by the hokage himself. You have to go see him."
Naruto nodded and walked away. He'd go see the hokage later on today. With a smirk, the blond pushed off the charak bands. No mere mortal could bind him.
He looked around Konoha. There were odd stares. Parents yanking their children away when they waved and smiled at him. Whispers of Akuma Kitsune.
He breathed deeply. Yeah, he was home.
Turning in the direction of the Uchiha compound, the blond began walking slowly. He couldn't wait to see Gaara and Sasuke and the rest of the Uchihas.
The clan compound was more of a home to Naruto then the whole of Konoha. All the Uchihas accepted him and he knew it'd be a good place for Gaara to be when he was away.
There were two Uchiha guards standing at the gates. When they saw him, their eyes widened. He nodded.
"It's me."
Eventually the two guards smiled, walking closer and patting Naruto upon the shoulders. "It's been ages. We thought the worst, but we still hoped."
Naruto smiled. "That's good."
"We heard you were a survivor. Kidnapped, but you found a way to get out. Nice job."
No talks of demon fox, no monster. Naruto missed the compound. "Any chance I can see the others?"
"Of course, Naruto. Go right ahead."
The blond smiled and walked into the Uchiha compound. He watched children running from shops and playing together. He watched as people got over their shock of seeing him, then waved happily.
They congratulated him and wished him the best.
When Naruto reached the Uchiha playground, he knew instantly which child was his brother.
Gaara, now six years old, had grown lanky and tall for his age. He now wore a beige cloak with a burning sun upon the back and brown pants.
His hair had grown out more. Tears filled Naruto's eyes slightly as he walked closer to his brother and his friends.
The redhead was sitting in a circle of girls and boys, all Uchihas, playing some sort of game.
Gaara was speaking with another boy and Naruto smiled. "I expected you to be in the house, Gaara."
He watched the redhead freeze and all the other kids look up.
"Naruto!" Some yelled.
"You're back!"
"You're alive!"
"My kaa-san knew you'd beat the bad guys!"
Naruto smiled as all the children hugged him and chatted with him, asking him all kinds of questions.
"Was it fun?"
"How'd you get horns? Can I have some?"
Naruto shook his head. "Now that's a story for later….maybe around an outside fire." Some of the kids squealed, but he raised his hand. "Now I need you all to relay the message all over the village. Naruto Namikaze is back."
The kids dispersed quickly, deeming Naruto's request a mission. They wouldn't fail him. Naruto looked back to his brother. Gaara had now stood, but he was still turned around, not facing Naruto, his head down.
"Gaara?" Naruto questioned softly. What if Gaara hated him now?
Slowly, the blond ventured forth, attempting to comfort his brother. Just as he touched the boy's shoulder, the wind was knocked out of him.
Gaara had tackled both of them to the ground and his shoulders were shaking as he hugged Naruto. He was crying. "I thought you were gone." He sobbed. "I thought you weren't coming back."
Naruto frowned and rubbed the boy's back soothingly. "I wouldn't abandon you Gaara."
Gaara looked up at Naruto then. How the blond had missed his pale green eyes. The pale skin and the dark eye circles. Naruto stood and helped his little brother up.
"I'm so sorry for leaving you." Naruto croaked and he hugged the boy closer, making Gaara cry even harder.
"The third told us you might be dead." He squeezed Naruto even tighter. "But, he was wrong."
"You bet."
The blond waited for the other to cease crying. When the redhead did, he looked at Naruto. Naruto wiped the boy's face and chuckled. Cautiously he reached up and squeezed the boy's nose.
"You still breathing, Shuk?"
Gaara inhaled and exhaled dramatically, but nodded subtly nonetheless.
"Then you and I know you're alive."
Gaara giggled and hugged his brother. "I missed you."
Naruto sighed. "I missed you too."
He had missed Gaara to a great extent. Being honest, Naruto admitted to missing Gaara more than missing Sasuke and the others.
Missing Gaara was different. It wasn't about how long they'd seen one another or the amount of time they talked. For Naruto, it was moreso the moment he'd be doing something and turning to tell Gaara about it, then falling into a mood where he wished Gaara was right next to him.
Pein had told him something like that once too. Said something along the lines of always thinking of Naruto. Those times.
Gaara was flesh of his flesh, blood of his blood. He didn't want to leave the boy, but saving the world was on the line.
Even then, Naruto was his brother's hero first.
After a while, Gaara moved back and grabbed Naruto's hand. "Come on. I bet Mikoto-bachan can't wait to see you."
The eleven year old allowed himself to be dragged to the large Uchiha mansion where the main branch lived.
The house felt the same as it always had. Warm and high ranked. Naruto laughed a bit as they took their shoes off at the door. Gaara probably didn't remember, but he did.
How their mother would hit all the boys upside the head for tracking the floor. She'd swiftly hit them one by one all the time and if their father was misbehaving, she'd hit him too.
Mikoto and Kushina were so different, but they were best friends. Just like Naruto and Sasuke.
Gaara drug him into the kitchen just as Mikoto turned around. "Sasuke go and get Gaara so you two can have lun- oh my."
Naruto smiled and waved awkwardly, neither knowing what to do or say. Mikoto put her trays of food down softly, staring and staring.
Slowly, she walked over and touched his face. He smiled softly. "You look like you've seen a ghost, aunt Mikoto."
Mikoto gasped and hugged Naruto sharply. "Oh my. Naruto where have you been? You have horns. Oh-"
She moved back and pinched his arm. "Don't you ever disappear like that again, young man."
Naruto laughed softly. "I'm sorry. But, it's a good thing. I've learned so many things about the world in my travels. I can't wait to tell you all about it." He looked around. "Where is everyone?"
"Sasuke is out somewhere and Fugaku and Itachi should be back with their team. Left three days ago."
Naruto raised a brow, and Mikoto 'oh.'' "I thought the Uchiha guards would have told you. Well, when Jiraiya came and told us you'd been attacked and kidnapped, Fugaku and a few other Uchihas banded a Naruto recovery squad. Every week, they go and look for you."
Naruto smiled and Gaara hugged his waist. "Sasuke. Is he out with….friends?" That hurt to say.
Mikoto looked and laughed as if it were a big joke. "Sasuke hasn't been talking to people in a while. Hopefully you can change that."
"Me?" Naruto questioned, but he did not resist the small whiff of hope that kissed his thoughts.
Mikoto nodded. "He and Gaara talk about you as if you put stars in the sky."
Gaara smiled. "Aniki. Are we able to go back to the Namikaze home."
The blond nodded. "Of course we can." He hugged Mikoto again. "We'll be back later."
Gaara showed him a flower charm. "And I got this from Hanabi Hyuuga on my fifth birthday. She said it's because I'm the only one in our class that knows how to be a ninja."
Naruto raised a brow. Gaara already having girls like him. That was odd. "You have a girlfriend?"
Gaara blushed. "No. She's mean sometimes and I think she has a crush on Konohamaru. Girls are annoying."
When Naruto opened the door of the Namikaze mansion, he smelled it with relief. This was home.
Home for him and Home for Gaara. So many memories had been in this house. Most good, the last bad.
In the living room is where they used to play games and arm wrestle with their mother.
The training ground was where Deidara would explode things and rant about art. Where Nagato would attempt to teach his brothers about efficiency and when he read books on prophets.
The kitchen, where Naruto used to sneak and eat at night, take food for he and Sasuke. The rooms where the brothers would spend days talking about the world.
Everywhere in this house held a memory. Naruto breathed deeply as he visualized a memory.
Deidara's transparent form ran past slowly into the kitchen. 'Come on, dad. I'm hungry.'
Naruto smiled as he watched the memory unfold. As Deidara turned around too late and hit his face on the henge of the kitchen door. He'd busted his nose that day.
The blond smiled even more when his father appeared, trying to quiet Deidara down. Then Naruto squinted his eyes. His mother had come in after that, her hair flying like the nine tails of Kurama.
'Minato. What'd you do to our son?'
'I didn't do anything, Kushina. Deidara, sweetheart, stop crying. You'll live; come on. Just a little bruise.'
Naruto laughed softly as his mother's fist came down onto Minato's head. 'It's not, you idiot. My baby's in pain.
"Aniki, are you coming in?"
Naruto's thoughts were interrupted as he watched Gaara stand by the door. He nodded sheepishly and walked inside. It felt like so long.
The blond walked in more and smiled at the pictures hanging all around. He stopped at a photo that had been there when Gaara turned one.
They had all posed together, Their mother and father in front like an advance guard. Behind them, their offspring had been arranged.
Kushina, their mother sat in a chair, upright, he short legs not touching the floor. She had been trying hard to smile due to the actions behind her. Naruto smiled. His mother wanted to kill them all that photo day.
Beside her was Minato, husband and father. He looked mighty upon his chair. His large hand resting on Kushina's back. His face was shining, a small smile still lighting the room. Unlike his wife, he'd been looking straight ahead, carved and rigid. Not a ripple out of place.
Behind Kushina was Nagato in a heavy cloak. He was stiff and thin back then. His nostrils were wide on his bony face. Still, he was healthy and pushing Pein over slightly.
Pein was next to him rubbing and messing up Nagato's hair. He was laughing slightly at Deidara who was trying to push Naruto away.
Naruto laughed sheepishly at his misbehaving nature. He didn't understand how his foot had actually connected with Deidara's face. Even then, Deidara had two fingers behind his father's head.
And right there, between Kushina, in the place of honor was the new addition. Gaara's face was a freshly baked bun and his tiny mouth was puckered. His marshmallow fists popped out of the gown Kushina had dressed im in.
Tears filled Naruto's eyes, but he blinked them away. He touched every inch of the photo. How long had he been gone for this to happen? So long, he had forgotten how they looked.
"Did they like me?"
The blond turned to Gaara who had been staring at the picture. He was only three when the clan was massacred and although he heard of it, he never remembered much. He had no opinion of the massacre, but he often disagreed with what others said about Pein, even when he knew Pein killed the clan.
Naruto snorted. "No, otouto. They loved you. So much. You were so unique to us."
Green orbs shined. "Really?"
"Really."
Naruto raised a brow as he walked in from school one day.
Kushina had the Gaara atop her head as she vacuumed the floor. Nagato was lying upside down on the couch biting something as Deidara tried feeding his hands at the table.
Naruto deadpanned. At least Pein isn't crazy like this, he thought. Pein, as the oldest son and heir to the clan, was responsible- who the hell was Naruto kidding?
Pein was anything but responsible at this age. In fact, the jinchuuriki found it odd that the orange haired boy wasn't in this room.
As if he could conjure his own thoughts, Pein came from the back room. Pillows were strapped to his arms, legs, back, and stomach. "I'm a sumo wrestler!" he yelled over the vacuum.
The eldest son jumped on Nagato's back, making whatever he was biting on fly from his mouth and onto Naruto's face.
Everything stopped.
Kushina turned off the vacuum, Deidara hands weren't being properly fed, Nagato turned his upside down head to the side, and Pein stared at Naruto.
Naruto made his face red. "This family" he began, shaking his head disapprovingly. "I wanted to come home and be me from a long day...but this family….is so…..cool!"
He tackled Pein's pillows and the two boys began rolling around on the ground, unconsciously pulling Nagato into it.
"Don't break anything. Your father should be home early today" their mother stated and went back to cleaning.
Nagato bit onto Naruto's shoulder and Naruto growled, swiping at his older brother. Nagato punched Pein lightly, hitting the pillow on his arm.
"I didn't want to be in this fight."
"But, you're punching me!" Pein yelled back.
All three boys rolled around more. Kushina just smiled happily and moved to the side. Having five boys was anything but new.
Naruto stood up and Nagato grabbed at his legs, making the jinchuuriki fall backward onto Deidara. "Alright, you guys. I'm bringing the water in!" He ran to the kitchen.
The front door opened as Pein chopped Naruto in the back with his hand. Naruto roared and bit down on someone's leg, which felt too strong to be a child's.
Everything stopped.
Kushina turned off the vacuum, Nagato let go of Pein's hair, Pein stared wide eyed, Gaara grabbed his mother's hair and covered his green orbs, and the great Namikaze Minato's eyes filled with tears as Naruto's teeth went deeper into his leg.
On cue Deidara ran in and threw the water at his brothers. It only hit Minato. "Oh. Sorry, tou-san." he whispered.
Minato inhaled deeply. "Now you're all getting it." he stated and grabbed Deidara over his head. Kushina smiled happily and continued cleaning.
Naruto dug his teeth further into his father's leg, Nagato and Pein were hanging on his arms, and Deidara had ended up on the top of his father's head.
By the time she finished cleaning, Kushina's boys were drained on the couch. "Oh, no, Gaara. Your brothers and father are weak. They need to be helped."
She walked Gaara over and let him touch each of their foreheads. Naruto stood and stretched. "I feel much better now."
"Me too" Minato stated, kissing Kushina's forehead.
"Praise Gaara, the best healer in all of Konoha!" Deidara yelled. The baby giggled.
Those were the best days ever. Gaara smiled at the story and Naruto deemed it better that Gaara didn't remember much. Sure there was the occasional remembrance of Kushina taking him to the hospital or Minato tickling him.
Other than that, Gaara was fine with just Naruto and Naruto was fine with that.
The Namikaze brothers were something else. Although they wrestled and argued, absolutely nothing could tear them apart. Sasuke had said once that Naruto could walk through hell and not get burned….because his brothers would be there to shield him with anything.
The raven even said that he and Itachi were not that close.
Before Naruto's power had unfolded, the Namikaze brothers had fought back to back, and side by side.
They could carry one another through the flames of hell, their flesh getting burned to the bone. Through places where demons dwelled. Naruto smiled. They were powerful. He wondered how it'd be if they all got together again.
The child enhancer of the rinnegan and six paths.
The wielder of intellect and classic ideas.
The art child, building things for explosions and shaping his body.
Then there was the youngest. A wielder of sand.
And then there was a near god.
A force they'd be. Naruto grabbed Gaara's hands. "Come on, Gaara. Let's go get some ramen."
As they left the house, Naruto glanced at the picture one last time. Even if two were dead, one a traitor, one on the edge of insanity, and the last a loner, they were brothers; then, now, always.
Naruto smiled at the Uchiha children that ran over to Gaara. "Naruto-sama, we know that you just came back, but can we please show Gaara something quickly?"
Naruto smiled and nodded, figuring he'd have plenty of time to spend with his younger brother. Naruto vowed that he would not leave the village for a long duration of time until Gaara was about fifteen. He couldn't miss anything else.
Another child grabbed onto Gaara's arm, but the boy seemed hesitant. He didn't want to leave Naruto's side for fear of the blond not being in Konoha.
Naruto squeezed Gaara's nose. "When you guys are finished, please bring him to the Uchiha compound. I'm not done with him yet, so I'll be there."
Gaara smiled and nodded for his friends and Naruto watched as they ran off.
"He's a good kid, isn't he?"
The blond turned to Teuchi, the ramen owner, one of the civilians who didn't judge him. "Yeah. He is. Even if he's so quiet, he has a bright mind."
Teuchi smiled. "Of course. Gaara-kun would come here often and eat ramen. He'd order several bowls. One for himself and the others for you."
Naruto smiled softly, and ignored the slight wince. That money that Gaara was spending would only come out of the Namikaze earnings. And although they had enough of it, the blond would have to tell his otouto not to over indulge on spending.
Naruto sighed and looked to the dimming sun. He'd have to speak with the hokage soon and see Sasuke.
Although he dreaded bringing up his travels, the blond wanted to see his dear friend. He hadn't seen the raven in nearly three years.
"Have a good day, old man Teuchi. And give Ayame my regards."
Teuchi smiled. "Of course, Naruto."
He walked stiffly to the hokage building, his staff feeling the earth beneath him. Was he ready to conjure everything back into existence? Could he uphold information from the hokage?
He'd tell the man about Chi, but her wouldn't tell him where she resided. Nor would he tell him about Kaguya.
He'd tell the man about the tailed beasts, but not his quest for more. Nor his quest to defeat his grandfather or to save Kaguya.
He'd tell about the attack, but not who administered it.
He'd tell about the new prophecy and the seizures, but Naruto decided he'd obscure the most fatal part; he was dying.
The hokage building was just as Naruto remembered. When his brothers would be in school and Kushina would bring Naruto to hang around Minato all day.
He missed his father's company and Naruto wanted to believe the man missed his.
"I'm here to see the hokage." He told the woman at the front desk.
Although she looked normal and calm, Naruto knew the woman was highly alert and trained. Why the hell else would she be outside the hokage's office?
She looked up and gave neither a sneer nor smile. "He's been expecting you. Go right ahead."
Naruto nodded and walked forward, feeling the woman's stare on this attire every step of the way.
He knocked once and slipped inside. The third sat quietly at his desk, lips in a pitiful frown, Naruto's bingo status sitting before him.
Naruto walked in further. The tales he had.
Naruto walked from the building with a sigh of relief. He'd expected a full interrogation, but Hiruzen had simply asked about the attack and how his body had been coping with the tailed beasts.
He's also tried negotiating with Kirigakure, but they hadn't answered back to his requests of pardoning Naruto.
Other than that, it had been a clean meeting. No talk of monsters and doomed men, just talking. Hiruzen promised to place Naruto back into the academy with his class and spread word to Jiraiya that Naruto was alright.
It was nearing dark, so Naruto figured he'd return to the Uchiha manor and retrieve Gaara.
Just as he turned down a moonlit alleyway, the blond froze in his steps. There leaning against the wall was Sasuke Uchiha.
He'd changed. When he was younger, the boy was slightly pudgy. Just on the cheeks. He only wore black clothing. He was lanky and tall.
Some of those features were still there. Naruto blinked slowly, his eyes inhaling every aspect of his friend.
Dark blue shirt and white shorts. His skin was still pale, but he didn't seem sick. And holy shit, he was even more beautiful.
Every feature had shaped itself into the eleven year old boy standing here. Naruto looked away when Sasuke's dark eyed turned to him.
He felt them widen. And there was a murmur. "They were right. You are alive."
Naruto looked back, resisting his monstrosity. "That I am."
He watched cautiously as the raven walked closer, staring and analyzing every part of him. The horns, and then he reached skin, where the neck met the chest.
A small glimpse of the scar Naruto had gotten while being held captive. Slowly the raven reached his hand up and touched over the burden.
The scar Gaara consistently asked about and the scar no one else noticed. Sasuke raised a brow at how his friend tensed at his touch.
"I didn't realize it hurt." he whispered. "Kurama didn't heal these…meaning that it was too embedded."
Naruto sighed and looked away. "Don't worry about breaking me or making me sad. You can't break something that's already broken."
Before the blond knew it, he was thrown back. He could already feel his cheek bruising as he stared shocked at Sasuke. Forget being nice. "Teme, what the hell you'd do that for?"
Sasuke balled his fists. "Stop saying dumb things, dobe. You're not what they say you are. You're not a monster, you're not a demon fox, and you're not broken. Say it again and I'll kick your ass."
Naruto growled himself and stood, standing dangerously close to the Uchiha. "Face it, bastard. Monsters are real. Ghosts are real too. Sometimes they live inside you…." The blond opened his cloak to display how deep and disgusting the scar was. "Sometimes they win."
Sasuke did not falter at the image of the scar. Instead, he stared at Naruto for a long moment. Then his fist connected again.
The two began scrambling around on the ground, punching and biting as if they were enemies. Naruto frowned when he stood and blew his staff.
"Prophecy Sage Art: All world Destruction"
He frowned as the small shockwave went toward Sasuke and did not dizzy him. It did not hurt him even the slightest.
Sasuke only ran forward and tackled him.
He looked into the obsidian eyes and it dawned upon the blond.
His power was equal to Sasuke's. And the reason why? Sasuke Uchiha was immune to all of Naruto's prophecy techniques.
He was punched in the chest. "You think war is all you know, Dobe? You think it's cool to accept what others think about you? How dumb can you get?"
Naruto laid down then and let Sasuke finish his banter. He'd be done in due time.
"Sasuke." He spoke softly, making the Uchiha freeze. "I'm going to summarize my three year travel in these sentences.
War is hell, but that's not the half of it. It's also mystery and terror and adventure and courage. For me, war is nasty and fun. It was thrilling to be called a monster. War makes you a man…..war makes you dead."
Sasuke stared at Naruto for the longest moment. Then, the boy hugged the blond. "You idiot." He mumbled.
And Naruto knew he'd been missed. "Bastard."
Sasuke got up, much to his friend's dismay, and helped Naruto up. "How long have you been back?"
"I came this morning." Naruto admitted as Sasuke glared.
The raven opened his mouth, then closed it. He opened it again. "Happy birthday, idiot."
Naruto raised a brow, but smiled nonetheless. "I'm your age now. Still better than you though."
Sasuke punched him playfully. "Race you back to the manor, loser."
Naruto ran ahead. "Try and keep up, bastard."
They ran through the streets of Konoha, right on one another's neck. Forgetting how the shop owners cursed their names and how the ANBU apologized for their shenanigans.
Both their feet stepped into the Uchiha home at once. The two began to bicker.
"Did you see my foot, Usuratonkachi? Don't tell me your eyesight's gone bad."
Naruto growled. "Teme, even with this cloak and staff, I still had to turn around and find you running. I beat you."
Sasuke shoved his rival a bit. "Keep dreaming."
"As long as you wake up."
Just as the two began to banter, a voice cut them off. "Naruto, my boy, you're alive and well. Happy birthday."
A hand touched his shoulder and Naruto looked into the eyes of Fugaku Uchiha, his father's best friend.
When he looked around the living room, mostly everyone was there. Mikoto, Shisui, Itachi, the Uchiha children, and a many others. They must have been the Naruto retrieval team. They were all smiling and happy and watching Naruto as if they were so proud.
Finally the blond looked back up at Fugaku and smiled. "It's good to be home, uncle." Fugaku laughed as the others came over, asking about Naruto's journey.
He told them everything he told Hiruzen, only this time, he'd put more action and adventure into it. He relayed to them Iwa, the personalities of his tailed beasts, the beauty of Mount Myoboku, and even shared with them teachings he got from Chi, including pictures of her.
When Mikoto brought out food for everyone, Fugaku cleared his throat. Everyone listened. "As you all know, and Naruto I hope you do not think we forgot. Today is his birthday. We all got you something today."
"Really?" The blond asked, clearly excited as a child jumped upon his head like a skinny monkey. Briefly, he wondered where Gaara and his little friends were.
Mikoto nodded and handed him two boxes. "These are from Fuga-Fu and I."
Fugaku turned red at the nickname as the other men laughed quietly. Naruto opened them quickly and held up two scrolls and a bag of tea.
It was the same tea Chi once had, very ancient. And within the scrolls were steps on how to complete the Hiraishin as a Namikaze.
Naruto blinked softly and Fugaku patted his back. "Your father left those for you. He gave them to me when you were first born, forbiding that if something happened before you grew, he'd know you'd remember him. You're of age now."
Mikoto smiled. "I travelled all around as a jounin when I first met Fugaku. I found that tea and used to give it to Sasuke and Itachi-kun when they were sick."
Naruto thanked them both as Itachi and Shisui came over. Shisi bumped Itachi and handed his presents over first. "I was a child when Kushina gave me this."
Naruto smiled and opened the present only to blush intently. It was a picture of Naruto and Sasuke, both near infants in the bath tub. Sasuke was chewing on a frog, probably Naruto's, and the blond baby was looking up saying something to the camera. His other hand was on Naruto's head.
Shisui smiled. "You guys had one play date when you were younger and this was it. Aunt Mikoto had to go the the hospital for her check up and Itachi was still in the academy, so she sent Sasuke and I over to aunt Kushina's house.
Aunt Kushina told me to take you guys a bath, but you to wouldn't pay attention. I turned the cleaning into a photo event."
Naruto smiled and hugged the picture close. "I love it. I love all these gifts. You guys don't know how much it means to come back home and be accepted."
Itachi rubbed his head and handed him a box. Naruto opened it and smiled softly. That was only to his his shock.
From the box, he pulled out a cloak like his own, only larger. He looked to Itachi with a raised brow. "I really like your cloak, so I went and got another tailored for you as you grew."
Naruto smiled and bit his tongue. He knew no one could tailor this. He knew this material could not be found anywhere else. He knew Pein made this.
But when had he given it the Uchiha? Before he left or after? And if Itachi saw the missing nin, wasn't it his clear order to capture Pein at all costs.
He'd gotten it before. Still, Itachi still harbored feelings for the older Namikaze. And he knew Naruto knew as he blushed.
"Thank you, Itachi."
There was a tap on his shoulder and Naruto turned to see Sasuke begrudgingly holding out a small box.
He grabbed hold of it with a swift, 'teme.' Opening the box, the blond's smile widened tenfold. It was a necklace, shaped like the Namikaze sun, yet painted like the Uchiha symbol.
He looked to Sasuke as the raven pulled a necklace from his shirt. It was shaped like the Uchiha fan, but painted a burning yellow.
"Mother helped me make it, loser." He mumbled. "Look on the back."
Naruto twisted his necklace and winced at the two words upon the back. Rival and friend. That was the only way Sasuke would see him. It hurt, but he smiled anyway.
"Thanks, teme. I'll keep it forever."
Sasuke pointed behind him as Fugaku brought a large box into the room. He raised a brow but, gave the box his full attention. "What is it?"
He really loved presents. Shisui laughed. "Open it up."
The blond did as told. When he opened the top, the blond laughed in pure delight. There in the box was Gaara in a large fox onsie. He jumped out and stood before Naruto with his arms outstretched.
Naruto froze.
"Why'd you name him Gaara?"
Kushina laughed at Naruto's question as the boy looked into the crib. Pein raised a brow too and answered for his mother. "It just something mother and father came up with at the time."
"Does he need to be protected?" Naruto questioned even more as green orbs stared at him.
Deidara smacked his head and Nagato and his father shared a look. "Of course, Naruto. Just like we all protected you when you were born."
Naruto smiled. "You did?"
Minato laughed and removed his cloak. "Of course. In this family, we protect each other. That's our way."
Naruto laughed and gave a thumbs up to the highly confused Gaara. "Then, I'll protect Gaara with my life. Dattebayo!"
"Aniki?" Naruto snapped from his memory, finding Gaara still standing there as his present. He dropped to his knees and hugged the redhead., his shoulders shaking as he cried.
Gaara rubbed his back. "Why are you crying, big brother?"
Naruto sighed with relief. "I'm just so happy."
And that's it for Gaara. Next chapter, we actually get into canon. Because graduation is coming up and so is the wave arc. Are you guys ready for another tailed beasts? Well I want you all to know that we will see Chi, Pein, or even the other Namikaze. And certainly can't forget Hikari's monster.
Narusasu is coming soon friends, but feelings will only be present.