Chapter 5: You are my rival or my helper?

NEXT DAY

Hebi wakes up hearing Naruto shouting her name outside her window.

"HEBI-CHAN! WAKE UP! SASUKE-TEME IS WAITING!"

"Hebi, shut him up!" shouted Anko from outside her door.

"Naruto, I'm coming. Give me a minute!" stated Hebi as she closed her window.

A few minutes later, Hebi stepped out of the house it a green dress that hung off her shoulders and tied around her waist. She wore mesh leggings and black heeled sandals. She placed her hair in a bun.

"Good Morning Naruto-kun"

"Good Morning Hebi-chan"

They stared at each other with uncertainty on their faces until Hebi reached for Naruto's hand.

"Is this ok?" asked Hebi

Naruto just nodded his head.

They walked to the training grounds in silence, both in thought the whole way.

When they got there, Sasuke and Sakura were already there. They seem to have had been talking until Naruto stepped on a twig a few feet from them.

Sasuke just stood and looked at Naruto and Hebi, then at their joined hands.

"Naruto, can I speak to you?" asked Sasuke

Hebi stared at Sasuke for a second and then let go of Naruto's hand.

Both boys walked away, leaving the two girls by themselves.

"I wonder what will happen now?" asked Hebi

"What do you mean?"

"He is my rival for Naruto. What will happen once they have spoken to each other?"

"I'm wondering that too. I see, even you noticed this"

"Of course, you can always tell when someone else is after the same one you want"

"True"

The Boys

"Yeah Sasuke-teme, what happened?" asked Naruto

"Are you happy?" asked Sasuke facing Naruto

"Huh?"

"Are you happy when you are with her?" asked Sasuke calmly.

"Well, um.. yeah. Why?" asked Naruto confused by the fact that Sasuke was asking this.

"Are you also happy when you are with me?" asked Sasuke

"Of course, you are my best friend"

Sasuke just looked down at the ground.

"So, that is all I will ever be to you" stated Sasuke softly

"Sasuke..what's wrong?" asked Naruto worried as he gripped Sasuke's shoulder

"I love you" stated Sasuke as he reached Naruto's hand on his shoulder and grip it tightly.

Naruto was shocked by the confession.

"I know it would have worked" stated Sasuke softly.

"I love you too Sasuke...but it would have never lasted" stated Naruto gripped Sasuke's hand tighter.

"Huh?" asked Sasuke confused and shocked and the same time.

"We would end up destroying each other" stated Naruto calmly

"...no. it would have worked" said Sasuke as he let go of Naruto's hand.

"No, it wouldn't. My heart cares about you too much that it can cause us harm. Even still, I want you here besides me" stated Naruto in a stern voice

Sasuke just stared at the ground. Naruto let his arm fall to Sasuke's hand as he held it.

"Sasuke, please don't leave. Don't leave Konoha" stated Naruto earnestly

"I won't" said Sasuke after a minute of silence.

"Thank you"

"Can I ask something though?" asked Sasuke

"Sure, what is it?" asked Naruto with a small smile

"Do you love me enough to still follow me? Even if I leave this world and am reborn in the next life" asked Sasuke

"Sasuke..." spoke Naruto softly in shock.

"Do you Naruto? Do you care that much? Or is it pity?" stated Sasuke harshly

"Sasuke, I am not in love with her. Not yet. If I don't fall for her, then yes. Yes, I would" stated Naruto.

Sasuke just glared harder.

"Are you trying to forget me? What the hell is 'If'? It is a Yes or No question. It is not a maybe question" spoke Sasuke even harsher.

"NO! I mean YES! I…I just...I just want to know I made the right , I believed for a long time that I loved you, but had to give you up. You would need to build your clan again. I can't help with that. I can't give you that. I wish I could, but I can't. So my love, I thought, was one-sided. Hebi brings a possibility to my life, I never imagined. The idea to love again. I like her, I do, but I do not love her. I now am learning my first love, the one I wanted even just an inkling of acceptance back from, but believed that was impossible, just proved it was possible. I now have a problem that I need to work out and decide on. I just need time. Please give me that, please Sasuke. It's only fair." stated Naruto with a firm voice.

Sasuke looked ready to break something. He looked at Naruto's determined face and closed his eyes to it. Sasuke wanted to cry so badly because this could have been avoided if he would have just worked up the courage and told Naruto before. He refuses to cry in front of Naruto, but he can't look at him either. It's painful to watch the same determined face that chased him back into Konoha to be directed to the possibility of losing him. Sasuke reluctantly nodded in understanding.

"Thank you Sasuke. Just be patient with me" stated Naruto with a sad smile on his face. Sasuke looked at Naruto for a few minutes before deciding to ask him one last question.

"Can I get a kiss at least? I don't think I can ask for one the day you decide" asked Sasuke softly

Naruto looked at Sasuke with a defensive face until he understood what he meant. It's not that Sasuke believes that Naruto will pick Hebi,; its that the decision either way will cause him shock. Shock that Naruto threw away his old love for new love or shock that Naruto willing chose Sasuke after all the pain Naruto went threw and opportunities available at a safer understood all this, because he understands Sasuke the best.

Naruto just leaned in and gave a soft and tender kiss letting last as long as Sasuke wants. When Sasuke pulled back, he looked at Naruto with acceptance.

"Come on, let's go" stated Sasuke after sighing while giving Naruto a soft smile.

Both Naruto and Sasuke headed back to the bridge with content faces.

"Everything alright?" asked Sakura softly.

"Yep, You bet" stated Naruto with a grin as he put his arm over Sasuke's shoulder.