Orochimaru smiled at Naruto, trying to be as reassuring as possible. That morning the blonde had been really jumpy, knowing they would be leaving any moment for whatever defenceless place they would be destroying next. Naruto ran his finger over his sound headband. He knew, by taking this, he was supposed to be a sound shinobi and follow Orochimaru's every order. Protecting Orochimaru and destroying the village wasn't even an order, but Naruto kept telling himself once he attacked this last village he would be able to stay with Orochimaru forever without hurting anymore people.
'That doesn't really justify killing all those people, does it Naruto?' Kyuubi said angrily. 'As long as I can spend my life with Orochimaru after, I don't care. Apparently it's his dream. Once he completes this, we can life…'
'Happily ever after? I don't think so. Orochimaru doesn't love you and you don't love him. He's using you and your so blinded by these fake emotions you can't even see it.' Kyuubi taunted. Naruto clenched his fists angrily.
'I do love him! My feelings for him are not fake!' he argued. Kyuubi laughed loudly.
'Then you really don't mind killing even more people?'
'I would do anything for Orochimaru even if it is killing, so no. I don't mind.' He said firmly. 'Oh yeah? Then why are your hands shaking?'
'Fuck off!' he shouted angrily.
Kyuubi knew the state Naruto was in and that he couldn't stand much more provoking so the fox retreated to its cage. "Its all right. We can be in and out of the village in an hour if you use all your power." Naruto nodded shakily. "You can't hold back this time however. I need you to kill every last person without me having to intervene."
"I-I won't let you down Orochimaru-sama, I promise" he said quietly. The sannin smirked and cupped Naruto's face with his hands. "You have no idea how much this means to me Naruto, and I know you wont let me down because you love me." Naruto nodded. Orochimaru kissed him and Naruto returned it immediately, allowing the other to slip his tongue into his mouth. The blonde moaned appreciatively and grabbed onto Orochimaru's shirt, trying to pull it off.
'You don't want him kit! You're trying to stall him and I know it. Heh. I think he knows it too.' Orochimaru broke the kiss and pulled away from Naruto gently. "There will be plenty of time for that later, Naruto-kun." Orochimaru then noticed kabuto standing at the door. "Yes?"
"Everything is ready Orochimaru-sama. I am prepared to leave immediately." He reported. "Excellent. Naruto, are you ready to leave?" the blonde swallowed a lump that was rising in his throat and forced himself to nod. 'Don't go. Just tell him you want to stay here like you obviously do. If Orochimaru really loves you like he says he does then surely he would understand you not wanting to do this!'
'If I really love Orochimaru like I say I do, then I should follow his orders without question…like I'm going to.' Orochimaru handed Naruto a weapon pouch, which was filled with kunai. "These could come in useful." He said. Naruto took the weapons and followed Orochimaru as he walked out of the room.
The hokage had been sorting out the protection scheme for Konoha. Giant meetings were held they had arranged it so extra ninja would be watching a certain perimeter around the village in anticipation of the enemy's arrival. The first sign and the whole of Konoha would be alerted and the defence would be in place. The hokage decided this extra precaution should be used for about a week. Sasuke had been dropping hints in every conversation he could, desperately trying to persuade the hokage to let him go after Naruto again. The raven hadn't said anything about Naruto for twenty minutes now, and he decided now would be his time. He shoved past a group of jounin that were gathered at the hokage's desk and cleared his throat loudly.
One of the jounin was pointing at different points on the map and Sasuke's abrupt interruption didn't seem to faze him. "I believe this area would defiantly be a weak spot. Hokage-sama, I believe I should personally monitor this section taking with me"
"That's it! I'm going after Naruto, like it or not!" he snapped. At this, everyone turned around to look at Sasuke. The hokage frowned. "There are more important things right now than Naruto!" the second she said it, she regretted the words.
"There is nothing more important than Naruto!" he screamed.
Anyone who wasn't already looking at Sasuke turned their heads at this. Sasuke blushed slightly. "Look, I just…he…he means a lot to me." He mumbled. The hokage smiled sympathetically.
"Naruto means a lot to all of us Sasuke, but we need every ninja we have at the moment protecting the village. You saw those reports. The Akatsuki could be the ones who attacked that village and if they come here and we are unprepared it doesn't bear thinking about. Naruto would never forgive you if there was no Konoha for him to come back to." She said. Sasuke ignored the fact that everyone in the room was listening. "You think he will come back…on his own?" the hokage nodded.
"I think he will come to his senses soon enough. If we haven't been attacked in two weeks I give you permission to go looking for him again." Sasuke nodded; he knew this was going to be the shortest amount of time the hokage would keep him from going after Naruto, so he agreed without arguing. "Thank you, hokage-sama."