Everything Has Changed
I saw like the cutest picture of Naruto and Sasuke. I've always loved the pictures where Naruto is just smiling at Sasuke or sheepishly smiling and Sasuke either has his eyes closed with a smirk or he's looking at Naruto while smiling too. It's a small smile though because it's like he only wants Naruto to see it.
There was a very great review in which a guest asked whether or not Haruto wanted to take over Naruto's body. Something like Orochimaru does in canon. Taking over Naruto's body is a way to Haruto's goal. As we've seen, Haruto wants to destroy the world. With Naruto's body, he can have that and more. However, as we've seen further, Haruto knows that Naruto's body grows weaker through the years due to the older being's doings.
Taking over Naruto and killing him is not his main goal. We'll see soon friends. I promise.
I'm not sure if it's the same guest, but the questions really make my day. There are little things that I think others don't spot, but the questions really make me want to write more. It tells me that my readers are engaged.
Naruto ran as fast as he could away from his great great grandfather. The bad thing about being in this dark part of his mind was that he never knew how to escape it.
"Kurama! Son Gokū! Where are you guys!"
Naruto froze as a guttural voice called out. "Flesh of my Flesh. Blood of my Blood. Fear does not look good on you."
Naruto whimpered and kept running. How was he supposed to finish his goals if he cou-
"Oof." He slumped backward after getting knocked down. With a frown, the blond looked up.
He froze. Should he fear this man? Naruto did not attack as he stood. He should have, though. Pein killed his family. Their family.
"Pein?" He questioned aloud.
His brother was in this place. He'd grown taller, Naruto noted. He'd grown taller, stronger looking. Even then, he still looked liked Pein. By now, Pein had to be 17. Even defected, he was still Konoha's prodigy; being the leader of a group of highly ranked missing nins.
Without thought, Naruto ran up to the orange-haired seventeen year old and hugged around his waist.
"Aniki. I'm scared. Hikari's monster…..I don't know which part of my mind I'm in." He sobbed into his brother's stomach, only thinking about this fear.
Pein rubbed his back affectionately. "Otouto, you're not in your mind. You're in a sleepless dimension."
Naruto stared in confusion. Pein sighed and lowered onto one knee, squeezing Naruto's nose. "Because your fears are so great, you fall into a nightmare dimension where you do not sleep, but your fears manifest themselves. This is why you haven't been able to sleep."
Naruto stared. Pein could only know that he hadn't been able to sleep if he were watching him. Simply, the blond nodded in understanding. "Great great grandfather. He's in here and...and-"
Again, Naruto could not tell his aniki because then he'd feel ashamed to be himself. Just like when they molested him.
Pein's eyes glew and he frowned deeply. He stood. "When I tell you to wake, you wake alright?"
The blond nodded. A scraping noise got his attention and he turned, finding his grandfather crawling toward them in an odd way. Twisted and malfunctioned like his personality.
"Flesh of my Flesh. You will be with me soon."
Pein pushed his brother back and upon seeing the rinnegan child, the monster froze. The problem was Pein wasn't afraid of the things Naruto was afraid of. "You can't kill-"
"You hurt my brother and I'll kill you a thousand times."
Hikari's monster stopped mid-sentence. Naruto watched as Pein's eyes glew.
"You've been hurting my brother and I don't think you understand. I'm not stuck in here with you. You're stuck in here with me. Wake up, Naruto."
Naruto fell backward and his eyes opened. He'd been placed in a nice room that the sun shined within.
He groaned. He was never in a nightmare after all. And Pein was there too….but he saved Naruto...for the upteenth time.
Naruto sighed contently as tears filled his eyes. He wanted his brother with him. He loved Gaara...more than his own life. But, Pein was there to save him. Pein was his hero.
The blond turned his head slightly, freezing at the image before him. Sasuke lay curled next to him, his eyes looking to Naruto's.
Without a word, and to Naruto's mere frustration, Sasuke scooted closer, burying his face on the side of the blond's arm.
"You're warm, baka." he mumbled. Naruto sighed. Did Sasuke know what he did at times? In a way, they both were being selfish.
Sasuke wanted to be close all the time, and yet just friends. Naruto wanted to stay away for his clan, his goals, and both his brothers.
"Can't speak? You've been down for nearly two days. It's almost lunch time."
"I'm just tired." the blond lied with a mumble.
Sasuke moved back to observe Naruto intently, his brows furrowed. "No." he stated in a harsh manner, all emotion in one piece.
"What?" the blond asked in confusion. Sasuke seemed angry now.
The Uchiha grew slightly red. "I said no, you aren't. You left me…"
A falter and Naruto tensed. Sasuke had missed him. "You left our team for too long. You're not tired. And if you try to sleep anytime soon, I'm going to kick your ass."
The blond chuckled a bit. "Where are we?"
"We're in Tazuna's home. His daughter, Tsunami, and grandson, Inari, live here too."
Naruto sat up. "And our team?"
"Everyone may be downstairs getting ready for lunch. Naruto?"
"Hm?" The blond hummed back as Sasuke threw him his block staff.
"Zabuza isn't dead."
Naruto tensed at the name of his mother's student. "I know. Nor is the hunter-nin innocent."
Sasuke smirked. "I told sensei you already knew. Come on."
Naruto stood and placed on his cloak, walking out of the room after Sasuke. The kitchen was down the steps and Naruto tensed as the woman by the stove tensed.
How did she feel having a child with a 300,000,000 ryo bounty upon his head? Who killed ex-shinobi from her neighboring village?
Naruto forced a smile at the woman, who in return smiled at him sadly. She didn't fear him. She pitied him….and that was worse.
Sitting across from Sasuke, Kakashi eye-smiled. "Naruto, having been asleep, you must be regenerated."
Tazuna laughed. "Darn right. Tsunami, this is the kid that saved us from that Zabuza man, Naruto. Naruto, this is my daughter, Tsunami, and my grandson, Inari."
Tsunami remained by the stove. "I know."
Naruto's odd eyes roamed to the boy sitting at the end of the table, glaring at team seven as if he hated them.
"Is something wrong?"
The child glared harder. "Yeah, you."
"Inari!" Tsunami scolded and Naruto shook his head.
"It's fine, Tsunami-san."
Naruto waited for Inari to continue. "You think just because you have dumb powers you'll be able to defeat Gato and his men. You won't. There are no heros in this world, so why don't you just leave us alone?"
Naruto laughed. "Of course there are heros. And there are also monsters, and demons, and all kinds of other things too. We are all human, no?"
Inari growled. "What makes you think stopping Gato will save you. You're just like him."
Naruto frowned. Why couldn't this kid just be like Gaara? "I'm just a kid trying to save the world from itself."
Inari kept his gaze down. "You'll just add more bodies to the pile. I've heard of you...we all have. You're not helping the world. You're a murderer."
Naruto glew and punched the table, his area cracking. "And you're a coward. You live in fear daily and you tell me, a monster, what I'm doing. Everyday of my life I train to be what I'm meant. Waiting for a war that's hasn't even started so I can save ungrateful shits like you. I'll take down Gato and his army in a single second. But you!"
Inari flinched as Naruto pointed at him. "Stand up for yourself. Start a fight. If you don't claim your humanity now, you'll only be a number. And if you ever pull that fear shit with me again, you and I are visiting the God Chi together. You've been warned."
The blond stormed from the house, leaving Tazuna's family in shock. Sasuke stared at the stricken face of Tsunami.
"That poor child." She spoke.
Inari had been staring in awe at the trail of light Naruto had left behind. "That was so cool." he whispered, making his mother grow even more shocked.
Sasuke smirked and looked down. "That's Naruto for you. He'll tell you to go to hell in such a way, you'll actually look forward to the trip." He knew more about Naruto than anyone in that room. Even then, Gaara knew his brother more than the world because Naruto only ever told Gaara things.
Just like when Pein would take Naruto out camping for days just to tell Naruto everything.
Sasuke frowned in annoyance. This was the third time this week he'd given Gaara ramen to give to Naruto. The blond had been back for more than a month and had somehow chosen to spend his days with Gaara and spend his nights in solitude.
Sasuke and Naruto hadn't seen one another in a whole week and Sasuke begrudgingly admitted- while alone- that he missed his best friend. And it wasn't that Sasuke was jealous that Naruto chose to spend his wake hours with Gaara.
He knew this because Gaara had told him. It was always Naruto and I went to the festival, he's tired now though. Naruto and I went shopping and sewed more Namikaze clan clothing. Naruto and I trained all day and he taught me how to do a sand coffin. Naruto's sleep now because he trained me all day.
Sasuke understood why Naruto was clinging to Gaara. He obviously was afraid of losing the only family he had left. Still, Naruto was his one and only friend. He was supposed to at least say hi.
With a sigh, he knocked on the door of the Namikaze mansion. After a moment, it opened and Gaara stood there smiling.
Sasuke sighed. Naruto must have felt his chakra signature and chose not to come to the door.
Gaara waved. "Hi, Sasuke-nii-san. What brings you here today?"
Sasuke's heart melted. Although he was angry at Naruto, the Uchiha could never resent Gaara. He was like a little brother to him and he was so damn nice.
Reaching forward, he poked the boy's forehead, making him yelp. "I'm here for your brother." he told the advanced six year old.
Gaara sighed. "He's having dinner."
"Can I speak to him?"
"He says he wants to only be with me this month. He's just trying to figure things out."
"He could have told me."
Gaara stared sadly, eye filling tears. "My brother wants to be alone with family, Sasuke. Did you ever think about what happened years ago tomorrow?"
Sasuke thought hard. His eyes widened and he stepped back. Tomorrow would be an anniversary. Tomorrow, four years prior would be the day Naruto went home and saw most of his clan murdered.
He sunk a bit. "I….I'm sorry, Gaara. I should have remembered. I've been so anxious to spend time with him, I forgot."
Gaara smiled. "It's fine, nii-san. Aniki isn't that broken, he just doesn't like the world so much."
Sasuke smiled softly. Only Gaara could speak of the most angst filled things with a smile. No wonder Naruto wanted to spend time with him only.
"Aniki's been sick lately. Not physically, but just sad. He wants to stay inside with me because he says I make him happy."
The red head scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "My brother's philosophy of life is that he could die at any moment. The tragedy is, he says, he didn't."
Sasuke smiled sadly. Whatever Naruto was going through, surely Gaara would help him get through it.
"Fine, but tell your brother I want to see him next week.. And if he doesn't see me, I'll beat him down."
Gaara smiled. "I sure will, Sasuke-nii-san."
Sasuke walked away as the door closed.
NSNS
When Gaara closed the door, a blushing Naruto came from the kitchen, having been listening to the kitchen.
Gaara smiled as Naruto squeezed his nose. He inhaled deeply. "Sasuke-nii's really worried about you."
"I know" Naruto mumbled with a blush.
Gaara smirked. "Aniki. Do you…."
"Do I?" Naruto nearly mocked.
"Do you have a crush on Sasuke-nii?"
Naruto froze and blushed. Gaara began to giggle. "No, Gaara. And don't go around saying things like that."
"I won't, big brother." The boy stated, calming down. Naruto was still flustered and that's when Gaara knew.
"It's okay, aniki."
Naruto sighed. How could Gaara recognize his monstrous sins. Tears filled his eyes and Gaara ran to hug him. Instantly, they disappeared.
Gaara had that power to calm him down. "It's okay, big brother."
Naruto nodded. "I know." He really hoped he could let it all go.
"Is that why you've been avoiding Sasuke? Why you've been hanging out with me?"
Naruto felt the pain in his brother's voice, so he knelt on a knee. "Gaara. Don't ever think that the only way to avoid someone is to hang out with you. I hang out with you because you are my flesh and blood and nothing can tear you and I apart.
I hang out with you because I love you...more than anything or anyone in this world. I protect you and I want you to be my brother forever.. I love you because you are so amazing and my life would be so wrong without you."
Gaara smiled and Naruto did as well, continuing. "Because I have a brother, I will always have a friend."
Sasuke stood. "I'll find him." The boy walked out the door, in hopes of finding his friend.
Naruto was in a bad mood. So bad that he glared at the teen girl that scurried past him with herbs in her basket.
He stormed into the forest, trying to find something to take his anger out on. With a small frown, the prophecy child threw a kunai into a tree.
He threw his staff onto the ground. "Namikaze Light Release: Light Speed."
With as much chakra in his hand, Naruto ran forward and punched the kunai further into the tree, letting his anger course through.
With satisfaction, the blond watched as the tree fell down.
"You shouldn't have done that to that poor tree."
Naruto sighed at Sasuke's voice. "I know."
He slumped down as Sasuke crouched next to him. They sat in silence for a moment. Naruto tensed and Sasuke concerned.
"Usuratonkachi?"
"Yeah, Sas?"
"I'm not sure if you remember, but you collapsed into exhaustion after your….. Seizure." Naruto frowned. "Are you okay, Naruto?"
The blond sighed and looked at his friend. "I have those a lot, but never in public. I know you may be concerned, but I'll live alright? I've had enough and Chi gave me this green healing liquid. Lucky I have you, eh?"
The blond watched as his friend grew flustered. That was odd; Sasuke never grew flustered. Had it been something wrong he said?
"Lucky you have me?" the Uchiha repeated in question.
Naruto nodded. "Of course. If it were anyone else besides you and Gaara, I would have been a goner. You knew my body language even when I was having that seizure."
After a moment, Sasuke blushed and looked away, getting into his mood again. It always came when the raven felt confused or irritated.
"Hn, whatever, just be careful next time, dobe. You'd be a fool to let it happen if Zabuza was still there."
Naruto smirked. "Teme, I don't think he could have beaten me if I were having a violent seizure."
Deciding to be a tease, the blond grabbed Sasuke's face. He moved closer so that there foreheads were touching. "You know what I liked about that seizure?"
Before Sasuke said anything, Naruto smiled and grabbed Sasuke's face on both sides. He answered for him. "I got to look at you."
Sasuke pushed him back and punched him in the head, but the raven was laughing, his eyes closed and tears leaking from them.
Naruto rubbed his head and chuckled, just taking the time to stare at Sasuke laughing. He always looked great caught off guard.
"You baka." The raven laughed harder was Naruto pushed tackled him.
They rolled around for a moment, Sasuke still laughing and immune to Naruto's banter. After a while, he calmed down and sat up.
"At least you're not angry anymore. Mind fixing the tree?" the raven questioned.
Naruto nodded with a blush and bit his thumb. How could he be so stupid to ruin something Chi had created.
The blond bit his thumb and slammed his palm on the ground. "Fox!"
His forest fox had appeared and Naruto rubbed her head as she snuggled against his leg. "Mori, I need you to rebuild some of a tree for me."
The fox sighed and turned around. "This is the last time. You'll have to use your prophecy art to fix it next time."
The blond bowed. "Hai."
The fox strutted to the tree and began stomping around, smiling as it lifted back onto its stomp and reconnected.
Mori walked to Naruto for a good reward, which was only Naruto hugging her. And then she was gone.
Sasuke pushed his shoulder. "Do all your foxes cling to you?"
"Yeah. Usually, they take turns sleeping with me."
They were growing up and someone had to tell them about adult matters. Sasuke burst out laughing and Naruto blushed. "You pervy teme. Not like that. I don't like bothering Gaara when I'm feeling down so much, my foxes are next in line."
But, Sasuke just kept laughing.
"What are you two laughing about?" Sakura's voice sounded as she and Kakashi walked over.
Sasuke concealed his emotions quickly, a thing he'd always be the best at.
Naruto chuckled and looked away from his friend. "Nothing big." He mumbled.
Kakashi jumped forward. "Well, you three should begin a bit of training if Zabuza will be here."
Naruto raised a brow. Since when did Kakashi train him? His thing was with Sasuke usually.
"On what?" He nearly mocked. What could he possibly be trained with.
Kakashi smiled. "You and Sakura need to work on your chakra. Yours is too powerful, Naruto. And Sakura you need some training. I'm sure Sasuke has everything he needs."
He could only see red then. Was Kakashi that bad of a teacher to only acknowledge one of them? Naruto knew that he was a near God and Sakura was capable of being powerful too. But Kakashi kept pushing that.
The blond stood and the calm voice of Saiken spoke volumes to him. She had always been the calmer of the beasts, but when she incited violence, Naruto listened.
"Prove him so wrong, Naruto, that he wishes for his doom."
Naruto growled as his solid grey horns grew. As he glew a bright yellow. "You've got some damn nerve talking like that. I ought to kill you, Kakashi-sensei. You judge me from when I was younger and was not able to use my chakra correctly.
You think Sasuke's better than everyone because he's like you. Or is it his last name? You can't judge Sakura and I, ever. You can't do that to us. My chakra is infinite, not a flaw."
Without pause, Naruto grabbed Sakura bridal style, making her yelp and hold onto him. "Light Speed!"
The blond ran to a nearby tree, running alongside it. He wouldn't stop for anything. Not until Kakashi saw that he was worthy of being trained too. Of course he didn't need training, but it was the principal of it all.
Sakura yelped as Naruto continued running into thin air. "He'll see us soon, Sakura." he told her soothingly.
The girl only smiled at Naruto. "It's good that you're standing up for us, Naruto."
Naruto nodded and turned back, placing a barrier around he and Sakura. The hit to the ground hadn't hurt at all for he and Sakura, but Kakashi and Sasuke were thrown back slightly.
When the dust cleared, Kakashi and Sasuke stared at Naruto. Sakura still clung to Naruto and the blond simply glared at his sensei.
Kakashi crossed his arms over his chest. "Naruto, I'm disappointed. I expected you of all people to keep calm. And I expected you not to do anything so dangerous. Like putting Sakura's life in danger."
Sakura screamed. "He didn't put my life in danger. He was proving a point."
Sasuke glared at Naruto and the blond glared back. The Uchiha was angry that was evident, but why? He knew Kakashi favored him. Sasuke looked back and forth between pink and blond, drawing conclusions that weren't there.
He ran over as Naruto let their pink-haired teammate down gently. He swiped the kunai, not anticipating that he would actually slash Naruto's face.
The blond touched his burning cheek, and watched the blood drip down. He looked to Sasuke and gathered an immense amount of chakra in his hand.
By the punch, Sasuke was thrown back and knocked into a tree. He wasn't finished, however. With a sigh, the blond watched as Sasuke began to swipe again with the kunai, getting his arm, as Naruto punched again and again.
Sakura held her hands out. "You guys, stop fighting. We're a team."
Sasuke and Naruto only glared at one another. "How can you do that, Naruto? Kakashi-sensei is only looking out for our team. You're too high strung to think."
Naruto stood shocked. "How can you say that and you know he favors you. You see it, but you ignore it."
And Naruto was so jealous. He knew, deep down, Sasuke liked being favored by Kakashi. He liked that he wasn't second to Itachi with their father or second to Naruto when the world saw them. Sasuke was high off of it and Naruto hated that. Because 'Kakashi and Sasuke' didn't sound right. 'Sakura and Sasuke' didn't sound right. It should be 'Naruto and Sasuke,' but Sasuke was obsessed with being favored by Kakashi.
Did Sasuke know that Naruto favored him only a daily basis. Over their friends? Over their team? Over his own happiness?
Loving to be praised by an older man, to Naruto, Sasuke was being an attention-seeking whore. And he said just that, making the raven gasp in shock.
Sasuke pointed. "Well you favor Gaara over me."
Naruto froze. Did Sasuke really think that way? His tan face formed into a sneer. "What do you expect? You know for a fact that Gaara is all I have."
Sasuke stomped. "You have me too!"
"That's not the point. Gaara is my brother. He's….he's all I have left from my family. I can't speak to you and see you do things that remind me of my parents or brothers. I am my brother's hero first.
And if you think that I favor Gaara over you, hell yeah I do. Family first. Gaara isn't some friend from the street. He's the only brother I have. I'll favor him thousands of times if that's what you think. You're nothing more than a friend."
Naruto regretted it as soon as it came from his mouth. Sasuke's stance faltered and the blond could see the tears. Visible but never falling, not when they stood before others. Then the sadness had been replaced by resent. Sasuke sneered. "I hate you!"
Naruto turned and ran away.
Naruto seethed against a tree. Angered and saddened at once, the blond resented his team at the moment. Sasuke had no right to call out Naruto and Gaara's relationship. It was nothing like theirs.
And the Uchiha said he hated him. How he'd done everything for Sasuke, even when he didn't know it?
Tears brimmed Naruto's eyes. Of course only Gaara, his family, would love him. No one else would love him. Naruto would have to find a wife outside the village and reproduce. She wouldn't love him though.
"Little boy feel bad."
The boy froze and wiped his tears. Turning, he was met with the soft eyes of Chi. "Chi-baasan!" The blond ran and hugged the older woman.
She hugged him back. "I come all the way to make sure you cannot cry."
Naruto nodded sadly. "I am known all over world now. I should kill little boy for telling world, but little boy is already killing himself."
Naruto sighed. "You know about the prophecy. That I only have 14 years to live."
Chi smiled sadly. "I know before now too. I did not come to avoid cry from eyes, but I find tear ducts have been clogged many years ago."
Naruto smiled as she ruffled his hair. "Chi will find a way to keep little boy alive."
"Is that all, baasan?" Naruto had so much to tell her, but since Chi carried the burdens of all her creations, he figured she knew.
"Sad boy. Love does not understand your pain."
Naruto hugged Chi and sobbed, watching at the woman put a barrier around them. "Something's wrong with me. I have a crush on my friend and It's not right. I keep thinking about him.
I try to put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within me. I want nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. I don't want to be greedy."
Naruto let Chi hold him for some time. When he was done, the woman moved back.
The God removed the sack from her back and opened it, making Naruto gasp. "I make your journey easier, Naruto."
Naruto stared into the eyes of the last four tailed beast he needed, all sitting patiently in the sac Chi had brought. The woman must have reduced their size temporarily.
Matatabi, the two tailed Bakeneko; Isobu, the three tailed turtle; Kokuō, the unknown species of five tails; and Chōmei, the seven tailed Kabutomushi.
Naruto smiled as the beasts ran to him, licking and playfully biting him.
"I can't believe it! We're all together!"
"Believe it, Gyūki." Naruto stated as Isobu snuggled against him. "How did you guys help Chi?"
Chōmei jumped on him. "We went to Chi and asked her. We heard all about you, Naruto."
Kyuubi growled within Naruto. "Why does everyone want to get into you now? My siblings are so annoying!"
Naruto laughed. "Don't worry, guys. Kurama hasn't seen you all in tears. He wants to hide his excitement. He's also not the only tailed beast within me. He's jealous."
The other beasts snickered as Kurama grumbled. Naruto looked to his late mentor. "Baasan having four beasts placed within me at once is going to be pretty dangerous. I could collapse into exhaustion."
"Chi will put barrier around you and go when that happens. Keep you safe. I must go soon, so hurry."
The dark woman leaned over and kissed Naruto's forehead, making him smile. To the remain beast, Naruto smiled. "Alright guys, I trust Chi told you all the things pertaining to my goal."
At the nods, Naruto performed a few hand signs. Exotic ones that no other would ever understand.
"Sealing Art: Non-binding technique."
At the wave of power and freedom, the beasts scurried around a bit. When they settle, Narut performed more seals.
"Godlike Divinity: Non-restraint seal."
One by one, the last of the beasts surged within Naruto. The wave of power was new and Chi caught Naruto as he fell back. He'd be out for the night.
When Chi studied Naruto for a moment, she nodded and her face became impassive. She had business with these people.
Using her staff and placing a barrier around Naruto, the woman teleported to her destination.
The boy Naruto had cherished sat at a table, obviously irritated at something-maybe Naruto. Chi had been watching from the afterlife realm. She saw everything.
Her child Kakashi sat upon the table. To get their attentions, the dark God hit her staff, sending a wave around.
Kakashi sat stunned in silence. "God. Chi."
She growled and yanked him toward her. "Do not hurt my family. Naruto is good boy."
Sasuke stared at her as she threw Kakashi back onto the ground. No one moved as she glared at the young boy. When she looked closer, however, the woman saw something hidden.
She held it for her children; for Naruto; for hope and peace. She held it within her and Sasuke's, this child, was much more intense than such. How could Naruto not have seen it?
Sasuke sat staring at Chi in fear, but when she searched his previous memories and emotions, the woman softened.
Naruto collapsing onto the ground; fear.
The blond telling Sasuke he was lucky to have him; embarrassment.
Naruto telling Sasuke he was able to stare at him; love.
Naruto holding and defending Sakura; jealousy.
Chi smiled softly. "Everything has changed."
Floating over to the Uchiha, Chi leaned down and smiled. "Slow can go. Do not judge Naruto. You do not know what kinds of storms I've asked him to walk through."
Sasuke nodded. And Chi could feel his emotions. Regret.
When she moved back, Sasuke still stared, confused as to why she smiled so softly at him. "Everything has changed now." she whispered. With that, the God of all things vanished, leaving team seven in such a shock, they still had not formed speech.
The Next Day
When Naruto awoke, he yawned. It was different than yesterday. The sun was just rising toward the village, meaning that Naruto had slept until the next day.
With a sigh, he sat up. None of his teammates came to get him. Even when he just got into an argument, they still should have cared.
Naruto bet Kakashi told them the blond would be fine. That didn't anger him. What angered him was that he knew Sasuke would be the first to oblige.
Standing on such wobbly legs, the blond looked around. Soon he'd head back to Tazuna's home. However first….
Thinking of a mirror, the blond stomped his staff. "Cogitation Monstrosity."
His thoughts became reality as a full body mirror formed before him. Thanks to Chi, his appearance had not changed so much.
Everything still was the same. However, Naruto touched the tattoos that had not formed upon his torso. Whatever ancient language it could be of Chi's Naruto would soon ask her.
When the blond looked closer, he could still see remnants of a chakra barrier around him. He was nearly invincible. Watching carefully, the Namikaze squeezed his fist, watching as fire dripped to the ground.
"I am become of death, a destroyer of this world." he whispered.
With a frown, the blond began to tread back to the house.
It was quiet. Very quiet. Almost as if the house was asleep. Naruto frowned. Pulling out his kunai, the blond walked into the kitchen, finding Inari attempting to hold his own against two bandits.
Naruto took them down quickly. Inari ran to his mother.
The blond looked around frantically. If Sasuke was hurt, he'd be crushed. And for them to separate on this note.
"Inari, I acknowledge your bravery, but where….Where is Sasuke?"
"Your team is at the bridge, Naruto. Already fighting Zabuza and his apprentice."
Naruto faltered.
Sasuke looked into each of the mirrors, trying to figure out where Haku, or so he called himself, would come from.
He was holding his own with speed, but without the sharingan, the Uchiha could nothing else. The eighth water needle slashed at his arm, but he wouldn't back down.
Sasuke watched intently as the kunai Sakura threw was caught by the fake hunter ninja. The Uchiha smirked. It wasn't much, but it was just enough. Enough to end the battle and help defeat Zabuza.
Enough that Sakura felt Naruto coming. Enough to distract Haku.
The Shuriken Naruto threw was enough to knock Haku out of the mirrors and dizzy him. Naruto jumped next to Sasuke and both looked toward each other. "I'm sorry." They spoke in unison.
Naruto smiled. "Give me details."
Sasuke stared down Haku's masks. "Zabuza's apprentice has the name of Haku. He uses this form of demonic ice mirrors to move swiftly. I've been trying to get him out, but now thanks to Sakura's distraction, he can't move."
"Want to end it quickly, teme?"
"Now your speaking, dobe."
Naruto and Sasuke looked toward one as Haku stood slowly and moved near her mirror. The jutsu they had perfected was dangerous and they knew they' be questioned.
"Are you sure we should ever use this, Naruto? We'll be questioned by the hokage." Sasuke panted out as he lay next to his friend.
The joint jutsu they had been practicing for months now was finished. The nine year old blond turned over, panting slightly. "Of course. We have to show our power at some point."
Sasuke sat up. "You do realize, we'll both be deemed as dangerous if we show this."
"I figured even as we grew, we always would be."
Sasuke smiled. "If that's what you want."
"As long as I'm next to you, teme. Then I'll do good in battle."
Sasuke hit Naruto uptop the head. "You dobe, say that to some girl!"
"Are you sure?" The raven asked once again.
"Absolutely. We have to go all out."
"I don't have Chidori."
"But you have lighting release. All I'm asking is that we try it this once."
"If teammates cannot even agree on their attack, you two will not see the end of this fight." Haku's voice interrupted them.
Sasuke looked to Naruto again. "Hn. Let's end this."
"Yeah!" Naruto formed the Rasengan into his hand and smiled as Lightning grew in Sasuke's hand.
"I'm only doing it this once, so you better to it right."
Haku watched in disbelief as Sasuke placed his lightning induced hands into Naruto's forming rasengan, making the blue ball spike and twitch in immense power.
"Let's go, Naruto!" Sasuke told his friend.
Naruto smiled as they each added their other hands respectively, adding to the flame. "Alright, Sasuke!"
Failing to miss the senbon needle Haku hid within his Kimono, Naruto and Sasuke ran forward together, yelling in unison.
"Wind and Lightning Style: Typhoon Lightning Spiral!"
The hurricane led by the two rivals was enough to not only hit Haku and defeat him, but it also broke down his mirrors.
Sasuke shielded himself as the glass broke around him, smirking as he caught a piece and held it in his palm. "Naruto, we got hi-"
Turned to his friend, the Uchiha moved faltered as Naruto lay motionless on the ground, eyes closed, not breathing.
Haku groaned as he tried standing. Seeing red, the Uchiha ran forward and punched Haku back into the ground, watching as his mask split in two.
Without pause, Sasuke ran to Naruto's side. "Naruto. Look what we did. Come on wake up, dobe."
Tears leaked from his eyes as Sakura and Tazuna ran over. Kakashi remained fighting Zabuza. Sakura faltered. "Naruto."
Minutes passed and Naruto still would not breath. Sasuke placed the blond head in his lap, tears still leaking before everyone and he didn't care
His chest hurt. His heart hurt worse. Naruto was gone. And not the way he expected. At the last minute, Haku had placed three senbon needles in the blond's neck, repeatedly jabbing his pressure point.
Sasuke removed them. "Naruto. Come on! Come on! Come on!"
Tazuna put a hand forward. "He's gone, k-"
"Get away from us!" THe Uchiha screamed, making the pink haired girl and bridge builder move back, staring into his sharingan. "Get away from us. You've judged him. None of you know him. Not like I do. Please. Please, get away from us!"
He wondered if Naruto saw the needle coming to him. Because he knew Naruto, so well that maybe Naruto didn't want to dodge the needle.
At great periods like these, Naruto always felt, deep down, the temptation to commit suicide. Sasuke knew. Naruto gave himself to it, breached his own defenses. He was a child. The idea of suicide was a protests against life. By dying, Naruto would escape the longing for it. It was rebellious. By dying, Naruto would escape everyone's view of his heroism.
But, he couldn't die. Not like this. Not now when Sasuke had so much to tell him. He loved the idiot. He loved him so much that he could die to bring him back. Naruto was a idiot.
"I love you." He whispered, even then Naruto could not be able to hear it. Not even in death. His heart hurt immensely. And now, like Naruto, the Uchiha knew loss. It lay right before him.
"I'm not dead yet." Came a hoarse voice.
Sasuke moved back from Naruto in shock, glass ice shard still in his palm.
"You alright, teme? You look like you missed me." Naruto croaked as Sasuke laid on his chest for some time, staring up at him. "Oh. You finally got that Sharingan of yours.
The raven prodigy could have slapped Naruto for that foul play. He could have laughed with him. He could have even made fun of him. Could have told him off.
But when Naruto leaned up off the ground, supporting his weight on his backward elbows, signalling that he was alive and kicking, Sasuke only sobbed and threw his arms around the boy's neck.
There was a stabbing pain in Sasuke's hand and he realized he never let go of the glass shard. He was clutching it and drawing blood as he held onto Naruto for dear life, as if the blond would whisk away. But, he didn't care.
"You can't die. I won't let you. I thought it was our jutsu that kill you." Sasuke sobbed even harder as Naruto wrapped his arms around his waist.
Sasuke squeezed tighter. "I don't want you to leave me. I don't want that jutsu."
"It wasn't the jutsu, sas. It was the needles. And If you and I only do what we can do, we'll never be more than what we are." Naruto stated soothingly, rubbing the small of the Uchiha;s belt.
If Sasuke saw his thoughts, would he even be his friend.
"Please don't do that again."
"I promise." Naruto said and Sasuke believed him.
Sasuke moved back and punched Naruto in the shoulder lightly. "You idiot."
Naruto wiped the raven's eyes, both unaware of Kakashi finishing his battle with Zabuza, who had surrendered for the sake Haku. They were unaware of the stairs.
He grabbed Sasuke's face. "Again. You know what I liked about waking up now? I got to look at you."
Sasuke pushed him back with a laugh. "You're so silly." He stated. Standing, the raven helped his friend up, poking his forehead quickly.
Naruto laughed and squeezed Sasuke's nose.
"The scar on your hand is bleeding, Sasuke." Naruto grabbed the boy's hand and began to heal it; however, just as the blood stopped leaking and only a lumped scab remained, Sasuke grabbed his hand back.
At Naruto's raised brow, the raven blushed and looked away. "I don't want to die without this scar."
Before they could tease one another anymore, the sound of someone clearing their throat stopped them.
Naruto stared down a shorter man with glasses and a cane. Zabuza stepped away from Kakashi. "Gato." He sneered.
Gato laughed. "You can't get through my ninja even if you tried."
Naruto moved forward. "But I can. Even when I'm wounded."
Gato faltered. "Well if it isn't the demon fox, Naruto Uzumaki. Prophecy child of the world."
Naruto smiled and stomped his staff.
"Single Movement-Technique"
Naruto and Gato stared one another down for a moment, When the jinchuuriki appeared before him.
Gato's men moved back knowing that they could not defeat the blond. The older man looked down. "I knew my time was coming, but not like this. I thought, it'd be better; peaceful."
Naruto shook his head. "I don't think that would have been possible. If you feel you have sinned, forgiveness is between you and Chi. It's up to me to arrange this meeting."
Gato smiled softly and it hurt Naruto to do what he would. "I know I've sinned. We all have. Killing must feel good to Chi too. She does it all the time. And aren't we created in her image"
Naruto nodded. "Good philosophy."
"When I was younger, my father-a great shinobi he was- used to tell me one thing. He said you kill one man, you're a murderer. Kill a thousand, you're a conquerer. Kill them all, you're a God."
Naruto sighed. How could he do this? To keep balance, but then kill the same people he once swore to protect . "You will meet one soon. Any last words, Gato."
The man stomped his staff. "Hurry it up, will ya? I want to be in hell in time for dinner."
Naruto smiled at the sick humor. "That's the spirit." he whispered.
Moving back, Naruto examined Gato and the thirty or so men behind him. He knew they'd have to go as well. Or they would terrorize wave for money they didn't receive from Gato.
This would strain him. He was going to make their death swift by bring his thoughts to life
Focusing on what was before him the blond waved his staff. "Cogitation monstrosity."
All men dropped at once, dead to he world. At the surge of power, Naruto's knees buckled and Sasuke grabbed him. "I got you."
Naruto smiled as Tazuna ran over. "That was great Naruto! Gato won't terrorize the town anymore." The man thought for a moment. "Hm. Great Naruto. That sounds nice. The great Naruto. The great Naruto bridge."
Naruto looked to his friend and leaned his forehead against him. This was new and he wanted it to be like this. Sasuke seemed closer and more open. Wanting to be physically closer to Naruto as if it were no problem.
Sasuke smiled and closed his eyes. "I'm so glad you hit me in the face when we were younger, Sas."
"Hn. So am I."
And so goes the story of love. It wasn't cheesy because to Sasuke, normal love had nothing to do with them. Naruto and Sasuke were more complex than love.
It was that moment that Sasuke realized he had never felt this way before. Because Uchiha Sasuke was in love with Namikaze Naruto, his hero, friend, and dobe.
What Sasuke felt for Naruto was a butterfly.
It was beautiful, exotic, and captivating. It drew in his breath, twisted his insides, and warmed his face. But it wasn't normal.
This butterfly had the power to flap its wings and create tsunami's. Rumble volcanos. Split mountains. Drain rivers. Mutate animals. Give insects power to speak. Enlighten demons and darken angels.
As the team walked along the bridge with Haku and Zabuza, an orange butterfly flew across the team's line of vision. It hovered over their heads and even did a heap of tricks.
The pink haired girl told Naruto that the butterfly was him, flapping his wings not even realizing that he brightened people's lives.
When the orange insect flew away, the team continued walking. Only Sasuke noticed how the insect's wing was torn and its flight was curved, as if it were something wrong with the wing.
The butterfly landed on the ledge of the bridge. Right next to a darker butterfly, blue in its glory and healthy.
The smaller butterfly crawled under the torn wing of the orange butterfly. In that moment the orange butterfly noticed the frozen raven watching. Sasuke wanted to believe it smiled at him, so he smiled back.
So goes the story.
I think that last bit was cute. And now look, after some chapters, both Naruto and Sasuke like each other. They haven't admitted it yet, however. I mean, just wait guys But, who else loves this chapter?