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Friends
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The smell of iron permeated the thickening air which nearly reflected crimson soaked in the snow below.
The fear in his chest couldn't be pushed down this time. This fear was one that came from knowing something wasn't right. An abomination existed and it did something unspeakable. He had ho hold his bile in each time his foot stumbled over a stray body, or even just a part of one. This thick fog blocked everything out. His vision was reduced to mere feet in front of him, sound was dulled down to nothing. He couldn't even hear his feet sloshing in the blood soaked snow, all he smelled was what the caster of this fog wanted him to, and it was just blood.
There was absolutely no way of even knowing where he was in this ghost town.
He'd pulsed his chakra out a hundred times now and succeeded in only pushing the fog back for a split second.
Taking the smallest of steps, he wasn't making very much ground, and in this case, he couldn't speed up. He'd end up tripping and landing in the bloody messes beneath him.
There was a split second where sound came back and the fog parted ever so slightly before a smear of black assaulted his vision. His chest erupted in a dull pain. He vaguely noted he was flying through the air, then he collided with a hard surface, breaking through it and coming to a stop on a solid surface.
He could hear, he could see and smell something other than blood.
He'd crashed through a wall into some sort of large storage building. The fog was slowly making it's way inside.
He jumped to his feet, expecting anything.
His eyes caught the smear of black, and he managed to duck underneath a swipe of blades extended from a large, clawed hand. The blades were dripping with blood, splattering it all over the floor behind him.
He had to capitalize on his superior positioning.
The swirling ball of chakra that was Rasengan was in his hand and he thrust upward right at the black clad abomination's middle.
There was a moment where he just knew he'd lost. As if the man had disappeared completely, he felt that someone was behind him, and before he could turn to find out, a scorching pain dragged itself through his skin and muscle on his back all the way up to his shoulder. It was a pain unlike any he could fathom. He felt control over his own muscles give in to the pain and he fell, face first into the ground. His body twitched in a strange way, and his back felt like someone branded him across it.
He was hauled up and thrown into a wall, and he could hear his back splatter against the wall.
He accepted his defeat and a sharp pang of terror shot through him as he realized this was the end.
His attacker walked over to finish the job. He just stood there staring at his victim.
And then, without another word, he left.
He just turned and walked away.
Naruto had never been so disgraced in his life.
He rushed the man down with just a kunai, and suddenly found himself suspended in midair, a large, metal hand clutching his neck.
"Would you like to join your friends?"
Shock and fear plastered over his face.
Before he could even register, he was slammed down to the floor.
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He shot up like a spring was loaded beneath the top half of his mattress, blue eyes wide in a fear he hadn't experienced in a few years, a cold sweat that made his skin sensitive and freezing.
A nightmare.
His breath was jagged and his heart was pounding. Looking down at his hands, they were shaking. One was wrapped up in a bandage.
What happened to my hand...?
As if his body replied for him, the dull aches of his body overtook his senses. He grunted uncomfortably and forced himself back down to the bed. Oh yeah. Zabuza.
"Good morning."
Naruto's eyes closed and he withheld a sigh. He didn't want to have to deal with this immediately...
He turned to see Kakashi sitting on the ledge of the hospital window - I bet you can guess what he was doing.
Looking down at his chest, he noted that the seal was still there, but there was another seal over it. His chakra didn't feel haywire anymore.
"You should thank your father." Kakashi closed his book. "Fūja Hōin (Evil Sealing Method) should take care of your friend's Fuinjutsu."
Naruto also noted the bandages wrapped around his stomach and chest. The gash where Zabuza's sword sliced him didn't seem to hurt as much as his own muscles did. It felt like someone tried to pull him apart.
Naruto's gaze shifted to Kakashi. His look was pretty clear. He wasn't happy at all. "You're here to make sure I stay?" Naruto asked lowly.
"No." The copy ninja replied. He stood up and faced Naruto. "I'm here because I'm curious as to why you; one of the smarted Shinobi I know, decided it was a good idea to challenge an S-rank mercenary Shinobi." Kakashi never rose his voice, it just became very frank and hardened like a stone.
Naruto just sighed. "I..." He had nothing. "I don't know."
Kakahi's stare sharpened. "I want to believe you've learned your lesson, but I don't think you have."
Naruto looked away.
"You've lost my trust."
That stung more than anything. If Kakashi couldn't trust him anymore, then their relationship was practically over.
Naruto blinked away his tears.
Truth was, he wanted to tell Kakashi that he wouldn't do this again. He wouldn't attack Joki no Shinobi alone and pursue revenge. But that just wasn't true.
So, Naruto just nodded slowly.
"I want to let you know..." Kakashi's voice lowered to a rather sad tone. "Im being pressured to place you on inactive duty by the Council."
Naruto snapped his head to Kakashi with shock crossing his face. "What?"
"They think you need to stay inactive. To some extent, I agree." Kakashi spoke. "You're not ready for-"
"Stop." Naruto's fist tightened. "Where's the Justice?" He asked softly. Nothing could get rid of that overwhelming pain and rage he felt almost always. Some sort of horror movie constantly played back in his mind's eye. One he didn't care to ever watch again. "I can't… I don't know what to do anymore!" Angry tears began to fall down his face.
"Justice and revenge are two different things." Kakashi pointedly reminded.
"That doesn't matter. To me, they're the same thing." Naruto countered. "I'm numb, Sensei. I'm trying so hard to get him out of my head and feel something other than hatred, but I can't! His face is in my dreams. Those people are in my dreams! I can't- I won't let him live knowing what he did." He declared fervently. "What he did to me, and what he did to those people!"
The masked Shinobi knew all too well. He hated that he shared the same dark feeling that a mere boy felt. "Naruto. You need to understand that he is one of the most dangerous people in the world." Kakashi explained. "You're not capable of beating him. You know it. Your revenge is your own issue, but when you put your teammates in danger to pursue your own goals is grounds to take your headband away. You go looking for revenge when the Hokage lets you. Until then, you follow orders." He continued, voice sharp as the feeling in Naruto'a chest at hearing the truth put so bluntly. "The fact of the matter is, you're delusional. Blinded by hatred. Sasuke and Sakura are hard pressed to trust you won't pull this again, and I don't trust you."
"I'm not delusional." Naruto growled. "I screwed up, and I get that and I have no excuse, but I nearly died trying to save them. The fact of the matter is, I will never lose another team. I will die before I do, and you need to understand that." His fist shook in anger.
"Naruto..."
A new voice sounded from his blind spot. He wondered how long his father had been standing there. "You're a good Shinobi. Loyal, smart and strong. I believe you when you say you won't lose another team." Minato paused for a short moment. "…But I won't lose you because of your arrogance." His voice hardened. "I love you, very much and it breaks my heart every day when I see the emptiness in your eyes. I understand your anger, your hatred even. More than you'll ever know. A key part of being a ninja is self control."
Naruto's face was unreadable as he listened.
"If you don't have that, you'll just get yourself killed. Your recent actions should prove this to you." Minato said, staring at Naruto the way only a father could. It wasn't just disappointment, it was fear and worry with a clear mix of anger. "You'll get your revenge."
Light surprise crossed Naruto's face. Even Kakashi gave a warry look.
"But you can't get it now." Minato stressed. "You need to learn control, and the first step is realizing that you aren't in control. Your anger is, and that means he's controlling you."
Naruto frowned. He wanted to protest. Nobody was controlling him! Especially not-
"You're lying!"
"What for? You're already my puppet."
Puppet... What did he mean by that, Naruto wondered. Was he being controlled?
"You're not the one I'm torturing - Your own village dropped you into my lap..."
"Who is he?" Naruto asked in a low voice.
"A mercenary." Minato replied.
Naruto glared for a moment. "Who is he to you?"
Minato stared for a moment and then sighed. "Naruto, that's something you don't have the clearance-"
"I deserve to know more than anybody!" Naruto snapped. "Stop keeping the truth from me."
The Hokage's gaze hardened. "He was a Konoha Shinobi." Minato answered simply. "He lost everything in the war. Including his mind. He's very dangerous, Naruto... I don't know if even I can beat him."
It seemed to drill into Naruto's head at that moment. He knew his father was serious about that. For someone to rival Namikaze Minato was extremely concerning.
"The Chūnin Exams are being held over the next two months. I've asked Jiraya-sensei to look after my office." The elder Namikaze began. Naruto became confused. "I reserved an entire training field for the next month and a half. You're gonna lean some things that only I can teach you."
"What?" Naruto was rather stunned. He'd always dreamed of being trained by his father, but as the Hokage, the man was always too busy. Everything Naruto had ever learned of his father's Jutsu was self taught for the most part. "You mean..."
Minato nodded. "During that time, you have a lot of ground to cover with your team. If you can prove to me your willingness to put them above your vendetta, I'm going to recommend you for Jōnin promotion and place Sakura and Sasuke on a team under your command - assuming they make Chūnin."
Naruto's eyes widened. Him... a Jōnin... "That's why..."
"Aa." Minato walked toward the bed. "Part of being the leader of a team means nurturing the skills of your subordinates."
"So I should try and teach them?" Naruto asked.
"Yes." Minato answered. "Imagine the the feats you could accomplish, the value you could bring to the village if Sasuke and Sakura were your equals."
Naruto had to admit, that made sense. If more shinobi were as strong as Kakashi, the Village as a whole would be a safer place.
Minato placed his hand on Naruto's shoulder and smiled fondly. "You're a strong shinobi, and you're the only person holding you back. However, there's a difference between your quest for vengeance and my wanting to bring Joki no Shinobi to justice; I want him dead to make the world a safer place. That's my primary motive. But its secondary on your mind."
Naruto's gaze fell to his lap. He felt childish because he couldn't deny that.
"And I understand that." The Hokage said in a lower, more understanding voice. "But that mindset will only bring the darkness out in you. You need to remember that you're only human. Acknowledging your flaws will strengthen you to try your absolute hardest to overcome them."
Naruto nodded. Such a simple truth was rather sobering. "What if I can't get over it?" He asked. "What if I'll always want him dead for selfish reasons?"
"If that's the case... then I've failed you as a father and as a leader." Minato replied without skipping a beat.
Naruto looked up at Minato with an incredulous stare. "Tousan! That- that's not true! It's my fault! You... you didn't make the mistakes, I did..."
The Hokage simply chuckled lightly. "I've already made a million and a half mistakes as a a leader and as your father." He chuckled lightly. "Don't worry, you're not perfect either." He jabbed Naruto's shoulder lightly. "Whadd'ya say? Wanna let your old man try and fix those mistakes?"
Naruto smiled a genuinely happy smile and nodded. "If you can still keep up."
Both Minato and Kakashi sniggered.
"Good. Then as soon as you're out, I'll see you at the training grounds bright and early."
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It played back for him like a movie clip stuck on repeat, and it ate away at him like acid. Retracing the entire scenario in his mind, every minute detail, every single mistake and every moment his arrogance blinded him.
Joki no Shinobi's speed, his ability to predict Hiraishin jumps, to sense Naruto through his own Fūinjutsu. Naruto had underestimated his opponent at every turn. From the moment he stepped out of the village - scratch that - from the very instant he began plotting revenge, he was doomed to fail. The more he thought about it, the more he realized just how ridiculous his quest had been. Naruto had seen this man killing an experienced Jōnin who he knew he couldn't face even with his current skills. What made Naruto believe he'd be able to fight the man who effortlessly killed that Jōnin was beyond even him. It was ridiculous.
Joki no Shinobi was faster than Kakashi. He had poise and control that most shinobi didn't have, and for him to show that level of control spoke bounds about his true capabilities. He was moving almost as fast as Naruto's father and stopped what should've been a killing blow instantaneously. Naruto could still feel those three blades touching his skin lightly and still feel the fear of realizing he was at another man's mercy.
Naruto didn't know if it was mercy at all, or if it was pity that stopped Joki no Shinobi from finishing the job. Either way, it was insulting - as ironic as being insulted for not being killed was.
He should've died back there in that forest; his body should still be rotting, waiting for some poor traveler to finally catch a whiff of his decomposing body and deliver it to his family.
But here he was. Alive and well. The only thing dead was his resolve and the only thing rotting was his ego.
Naruto just keep asking himself the same question over and over again. How naïve was he to think that he; a thirteen year old Chūnin could stand even a remote chance against an S-Rank criminal who managed to avoid ANBU hunter-killer squads and Danzō-sama's Foundation? What kind of delusions of grandeur ran rampant through his mind while plotting this... this laughable attempt at vengeance?
It wasn't as if Naruto never lost fights, but this was something that meant so much more than just an ego booster. This was his justice! His revenge on the man who made his life hell.
Every night he saw the bodies. He heard the sloshing of blood soaked mud and felt it creeping inside of his sandal. He smelled the iron of spilt blood and the rancid stench of burning flesh. He saw their faces. Civilians who never had a chance to even protect themselves; men and women of all ages. Children... boys and girls that were his own age mates at the time with their whole lives ahead of them! Even children just entering the world were cut down before they could even experience even a smidgen of the wonders life had to offer. Even though he never heard their cries of terror, those horrific screams echoed through their faces and reflected in their eyes.
To face that every night in his dreams was more than just torture. It was as if hell itself resided in his subconscious, just waiting to unleash itself the moment Naruto lowered his guard.
It wasn't determination he felt after his crushing defeat... it was hopelessness. He was starting to admit to himself that his revenge, his justice was a goal unattainable by him. Those faces would haunt him for the rest of his life, asking him why he'd forsaken them, why their senseless slaughters would never have closure. He would be the reason these souls could never rest in peace because he wasn't strong enough.
He knew he never would be the moment his father admitted his own wariness and uncertainty of whether or not he possessed the skills to destroy this evil man.
He felt like nobody really got it. Maybe he was overreacting. Maybe seeing these sorts of things was a Shinobi's lot in life. But if it was, he hated it. He thought back to the famous words of Shodai Hokage-sama.
"To live in a world where children don't have to die for nothing. That is my dream."
That dream was only stunted by Naruto's own decision to move forward with his life too soon. Too eager to grow up too fast. Hell, he still was... with his mind focused on revenge and death.
The cool, evening breeze blew through Naruto's hair as he sat on the roof of his home, gazing toward the famous mountain with the faces of the legendary Hokage carved into it.
He used to have the childish dream to be the next face carved on that mountain. Now, he had absolutely no desire to follow in his father's footsteps. He just wanted to be happy. To live a life without death and disaster around every corner. As stupid as it sounded, he just wanted the conflicts to stop. He just had no idea how to actually make that a reality. And even if he did know, he was just one person.
Years ago, he felt the same way he did now; like all hope was lost. Back then, he wanted to give it all up, and he was going to do it too. But the life of a Shinobi wasn't easy to give up, as Kakashi had reminded him. All Shinobi swore an oath to serve the village to the best of their abilities. Naruto swore that oath.
And he was never one to go back on his word. He would never betray his family - himself by abandoning his nindō.
He inhaled a deep breath, searching deep within himself to find the resolve he needed to try and fix the damage he'd done to his comrades trust. Kakashi was right. He abandoned them. Sasuke was dead right when he said that Naruto of all people should know that any mission can go terribly wrong at any given moment. It was so selfish… so damn selfish for Naruto to run around, thinking he could do what he wanted without consequences.
His dad was lenient this time. Naruto should've been placed on inactive duty pending the Shinobi Council's authority to decide whether he was fit to be a ninja. If he wasn't, he'd either be discharged and have his chakra permanently sealed from him or run away and betray his Village. This second chance wasn't one that should be taken lightly. Rarely did Shinobi get them.
His punishment was going to dished out by his father personally. As amazing as the opportunity to train with his father was, it was going to be filled with lectures and meant to drill teamwork into his mind. To make Naruto understand the concept of the Villages importance over his own selfish desires, and as much as Naruto wanted to believe he'd learned his lesson, he knew he hadn't. Maybe right now, he had no desire to follow through with his plan as it stood, but those urges would return the moment another sleepless night due to images in his sleep. Or even seeing Noya's disappointment at hearing Naruto's decision.
He needed this. And he knew it.
The sound of footsteps coming from inside the window behind him leading back into
The house caught his ears.
He expected his mom to be livid, but he could tell just by her footsteps that she wasn't.
Stepping onto the roof, Kushina sat down next to Naruto, her gaze following her son's.
For a long moment, they sat in silence. Just her presence made him feel safe and protected in a way that only a mother could protect her son. He felt like he betrayed her the most by denying her the son she deserved, by being so cursed by his own emotions and allowing them to control him when she was so strong for putting up with his bullshit, for taking as much as the burden from him - hell, from her husband and her two younger boys as she could, no matter how trivial that burden was.
Only a mother could do that. Only a mother could love unconditionally and sacrifice anything to make their children as happy as they could. Even if it meant sacrificing everything.
He couldn't imagine what he would've done to her if Joki no Shinobi were to actually have killed him. And he would've been the one responsible for for the pain she would feel. The pain his father would feel.
The damage he would do to his little brothers.
A shame unlike any before washed over him as if he'd dove right into freezing water.
He felt like a little boy.
It was amazing the way his mom's mere presence made him understand the extend of what he almost did. He knew he put her through a lot of stress as it was, and that made him feel so terrible.
Tears welled up in his eyes, and he glanced down to his lap sheepishly like a child.
He almost died. He almost put her through a pain he couldn't comprehend.
"I'm sorry..." He whispered.
Kushina turned to Naruto. Her own eyes were beginning to water as well. She reached out and pulled Naruto into a hug, and he broke. He was too old to sob, but it didn't stop his tears from flowing freely as his forehead rested against her shoulder.
She held him tight, rubbing his back methodically and kissed the top of his head. "I love you, Naruto. So much." Her heartfelt whisper made Naruto feel so much better as if she was healing the wound in his soul. "If I could take it all away, I would."
Naruto's arms wrapped around her. "I love you too."
"Please... don't put yourself in danger like that." She said with a small quiver.
He nodded. Next time he went after Joki no Shinobi, he'd be prepared. That much, he was one hundred percent sure of.
They pulled away from each other. With the distinct swirl of love in her eyes, she just held her gaze on her first born for a long moment before placing a kiss on his forehead. "Your brothers took over your bed. They said they wanted to keep it warm for you." She chuckled fondly.
Naruto smiled. Such an innocent excuse. They wanted to feel as close to him as possible. "I hope they didn't destroy anything."
"They're asleep right now, why don't you go and get some rest. You have an early day tomorrow."
Naruto couldn't protest. He needed rest.
Kushina stood up and pulled Naruto to his feet, giving him one last, quick hug before he went to his room.
Sure enough, there they were, sprawled out on his bed in a tangle of arms and legs with the closet light on and the door cracked.
Naruto put on a pair of shorts and threw his sweater in the hamper, wiggling in between the two trouble makers. They both instinctively cuddled up to him to absorb his warmth.
He'd never truly realize how grateful he was for his family.
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Naruto was up earlier than everyone in his house. It was still a bit dark outside and the distinct chill of winter rested in the air. As silently as he could, he sat up and peeked outside his window. It was snowing lightly. The way the clouds were looking, the ground would be covered in a small layer of snow.
He readied himself for the day, dressing in a long sleeve with an orange and black vest over it. Making sure he had his gloves on and the red scarf gifted to him by his mother some years back.
The house was still silent by the time he was ready to leave, a home made breakfast bar in hand.
He had one place to go this early, the only person he knew would definitely be awake, only because he trained day and night. Naruto quickly made his way through the quiet village, enjoying the remaining darkness and the feeling of being wrapped in warmth and the small prickle of the winter air blowing through his clothes.
Surprisingly, the Uchiha compound was a bit busier than most. Store owners setting up, the police force patrolling. But, Naruto expected as much. Most Uchiha were dedicated to their craft, whether it be as a Shinobi or as a simple restaurant owner. It was endearing. Naruto wondered if they even took any days off, because he knew Sasuke didn't.
He was let in to the compound right away. Walking through, he received respectful, welcoming looks and smiles, even some greetings from the civilians. The Hokage was close to the Uchiha, having helped their public image from one of negativity into one of gratefulness. Easily the most powerful clan in Konoha, these people were needed more than the village knew. They were the reason nobody dared openly attacking Konoha, and arguably a huge reason the Third Shinobi World War was won so soundly. They definitely set up the circumstances for Naruto's father's legendary feat that ended the war.
The head family was powerful as well. Kakashi had once admitted that even he probably couldn't defeat Uchiha Fugaku without injury, and as for Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Shisui, Kakashi said that he had serious doubts about even surviving an encounter with either one, going as far to say that they would surpass him if they hadn't already.
Itachi had such mastery of Genjutsu that nobody knew the extent of his ocular power's limits. He didn't even need to use the Sharingan half of the time, a simple sound or a short glance at anything Itachi used as catalyst was all he needed. He once averted a potential conflict with Suna by placing over twenty ANBU in a Genjutsu after illegally entering the Fire Country's borders. Twenty fully trained Shinobi in a Genjutsu.
It wasn't just that he was skilled with, but his shurikenjutsu was legendary, his Taijutsu and Ninjutsu were so incredibly dangerous that anyone who fought him tried their hardest to keep him from weaving hand seals, which he could do so fast that not even a Sharingan couldn't notice it.
And what was even crazier was that Uchiha Shisui was considered to be even stronger than Itachi. They called him Shunshin no Shisui. He could move so fast that his enemies sometimes mistook him for the Hokage who could literally move instantaneously. Some said that Shisui's shunshin no jutsu rivaled even the Hokage's - which was incredible because people often mistook Minato's speed for his space-time jutsu. His Taijutsu, Ninjutsu and Genjutsu were nothing to scoff at, the first two arguably better than Itachi's.
Naruto had no doubt in his mind that Sasuke would one day be as strong, if not stronger than them just because of his determination to surpass his older brother and earn his father's approval. As of then, Sasuke could easily be the strongest active Genin, maybe even stronger than the Hyūga prodigy - though that would be an incredible fight...
Sasuke's training with Itachi would pay off, Naruto knew it. The younger Uchiha seemed to be a bit of a late bloomer when it came to discovering the potential of his powers.
Naruto made it to the Clan Head's home, knowing that Sasuke would be by the docks in an open field. He wasn't wrong. Sasuke was there, relentlessly attacking his older brother with an aggressive Taijutsu. He was fast, Naruto already knew that. In such a short time, he'd become even faster. His moves were fierce and purposeful, more precise than when Naruto faced him. It was that Sharingan of his that made his attacks so brutal and so accurate. No movement was wasted. But, Itachi was not deterred in the slightest. It seemed as though Sasuke was moving slowly, the way Uchiha Genius wove through and blocked the various punches and kicks with minimal movement.
Naruto noted that Sasuke was beginning to get frustrated at his inability to land even a single blow on Itachi. And then, Naruto saw it, probably just after Itachi did. Sasuke made the simple mistake of overextending his foot in the follow through of a punch launched out of sheer frustration. Itachi simply redirected the punch and exploited the overextended foot by tripping his younger brother when his balance was compromised ever so slightly.
Sasuke fell with an audible and surprised grunt.
"You're getting sloppy." Itachi chided evenly. "I've told you before that your temper will only hinder your progression."
Sasuke stood up with a scowl on his face, but surprisingly, accepted the criticism with a nod.
"Small flaws are the only thing of note." Itachi continued. "Otherwise, your Taijutsu is near perfect."
"What mistakes?"
"Only efficiency." Itachi answered. "You still have a bit of room to minimize body movement to conserve energy. Taijutsu isn't about how hard you can hit the opponent, but rather to force them into making a mistake to capitalize. And then you hit them hard."
Naruto's eyebrows rose. That was probably the most accurate description of how Taijutsu was supposed to be executed.
"Hai." Sasuke acknowledged.
Itachi then slowly turned to stare at Naruto hidden in the trees. "You hide well, Naruto-kun."
Sasuke spun to try and find Naruto. He simply jumped down from the trees and walked into the open, not surprised in the slightest that Itachi both found him and identified him. He'd probably done it before Naruto even arrived.
The look on Sasuke's face was rather sour at seeing him which made Naruto grimace internally. "Not good enough, apparently." Naruto replied to Itachi. "Your Taijutsu is incredible." Naruto turned to Sasuke. "Even better than when we fought."
Sasuke chose not to respond.
Naruto smiled a bit sadly, gaze turning toward the ground.
"I have a mission soon. It was nice to see you, Naruto-kun."
"Yeah, same." Naruto replied.
Itachi walked away, leaving only the two teammates together.
"What are you doing here, Naruto?" Sasuke asked a bit sharply.
The blonde sighed. "I... I wanted to explain myself." He answered. "I think you deserve that much."
Sasuke placed his hand on his hip, silently waiting.
"I don't expect you to forgive me and I'm not gonna try and make any excuses. When I left you guys, I was trying to get revenge on someone who ruined my life." Naruto began. "Four years ago, my Genin team and I were assigned to what was supposed to be a routine scouting mission. Some stranger had entered Port Town without proper papers."
Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed a bit. The Port Town Massacre was a well known incident...
"When we got there, everyone was dead." Naruto's voice dipped. "Men, women... children. Even babies." His fist clenched painfully as he spoke through his teeth. "The man responsible for this killed my sensei and my teammate after splitting us apart and left them for me to find. They were torn apart with unnecessary brutality." Sasuke understood the rage. He was reluctant to hear the rest... "He injured my other teammate - Noya and I tried to stop him from killing Noya. The same thing happened to me back then as it did this time. He toyed with me before leaving me to die... I spent weeks trying to keep Noya alive. By the time we were found, both of us were on the brink of death. Noya was even pronounced dead for a few minutes." Naruto blinked away the bit of moisture gathering in his eyes. "I hate him." He said after a long pause. His fist shook. "I hate him so much, I can't even think straight." His voice quivered in rage. "Me and Noya have spent the last year and a half trying to find him. I thought... I could kill him. If I had an excuse to leave the village without raising suspicion, I thought I could get my revenge without even having to explain myself." He shook his head and took a few deep breaths to steady the rage in his chest. "It was stupid of me, but I never intended to put anybody in danger... please understand that, because as long as I'm still alive, I will never let another teammate die!"
Sasuke regarded Naruto for a long moment. He knew Naruto was a tortured soul, his eyes would sometimes become absolutely hollow and he wouldn't respond to anyone. There were clues like when he explained S-rank missions and how Kakashi ended that conversation rather quickly. That incident explained Naruto wishing Sasuke had visited to just hang out, wishing to make a friend, but it also seemed like Naruto wanted to keep his distance. Maybe he was afraid to experience the trauma of losing another friend subconsciously.
Sasuke never expected Naruto to explain himself. He figured that the blonde boy would see himself justified and throw the fact that he saved all of them around as a defense. It was surprisingly mature the way he owned his mistake. Sasuke appreciated that. "I believe you."
Naruto looked up at Sasuke with a stunned expression. "Y-you do?"
"Aa." Sasuke nodded. "But you're still an idiot."
Naruto grinned as he saw the subtle smirk on Sasuke's face.
"Besides, you saved my life." Sasuke reminded.
"Oh yeah, I did, didn't I?" Naruto chuckled.
"It won't happen again." Sasuke amended.
"Maybe next time you'll save me." Naruto shrugged. "Congratulations on awakening your Sharingan, by the way."
Sasuke folded his arms arrogantly. "Hn. I saw the way you moved in that fight. I'm sure I can defeat you with these eyes."
"Right." Naruto said sarcastically. "After I was smashed through a tree and had a seal that ate away at my body and almost sliced in half. Yeah, you would've beat me. But so would a civilian child." He laughed.
"Chūnin exams start in a few days. After that, you'll acknowledge me as your equal." Sasuke said assuredly. "We'll fight on equal terms. Chūnin versus Chūnin."
"I can't wait." Naruto smirked. "By the way, how are you gonna enter the exams? It takes a team of three."
"Kakashi found a replacement." Sasuke explained. "Shisui's private trainee."
"Oh?" Naruto's eyebrow rose. "I didn't know he was teaching anybody."
"We're meeting up today to work on formations. There's talk that he'll become a permanent member of Team 7 after the exams."
Naruto frowned. "A replacement." He repeated. "Yeah, I heard as much. Is that what you want?"
"No." Sasuke answered simply. "What better way to keep track of your progress than having you on my team?"
Naruto smiled. "What about Sakura?"
Sasuke shrugged. "She was only mad at you for a little while. Now she's mad that they want to replace you."
"I guess I can take that as good news."
"What did Kakashi say?" Sasuke asked.
"That he doesn't trust me." Naruto answered with shame entering his voice. "It's because I won't give up my goal to kill the man who killed my friend and my sensei. He knows I won't abandon my team again... he doesn't know that I won't walk right into my own death I guess."
"It was a stupid decision, even you have to know that." Sasuke said evenly.
"Yeah, but one day I'll be strong enough and I will kill him." Naruto said assuredly. "Kakashi has always said he didn't want me to end up like him. He's got a reputation for being cold and brutal, he'll kill a comrade if ordered to. I guess... I guess he doesn't want that for me. For any of us."
"That's not a bad thing." Sasuke pointed out.
"I don't want to be like that." Naruto admitted. "But I'm a shinobi. We carry the darkness so other people don't have to."
Sasuke nodded. He knew that all to well. Itachi was just as cold and relentless as Kakashi was. He held that darkness so Sasuke didn't have to.
Sasuke wasn't against Naruto's revenge. He'd be the same way if something like that happened to him. And he couldn't picture Naruto turning into a cold blooded killer like Itachi. Even if he was a killer, Naruto's humanity would remain intact.
"Thanks." Naruto broke the silence. "Y'know, for understanding."
Sasuke nodded once.
"I guess I should go. Gotta go get my ass whopped by my dad, so I'll see you later." He chuckled. He turned to walk away.
Sasuke watched for a moment. "Oi, Naruto." The blonde boy stopped and turned. "You're the dumbest friend I've ever had."
Naruto's eyes lit up and he smiled. Friend... "Guess I deserved that one, but call me dumb again and I'll seal your mouth shut."
"Hn." Sasuke smirked.
Naruto chuckled and turned, giving Sasuke a peace sign before disappearing.
One last stop.
Sakura was up early enough to beat the morning rush for supplies for what he assumed to be for meals or maybe some sort of medical stuff.
This warm smile was on her face as she made small talk the elderly woman who owned the shop. She didn't have to fake it either. Her joy was genuine. He admired that about her. He envied it, actually.
He waited just outside the shop, and her eyes actually lit up when she saw him. "Naruto!"
"Sakura…" He managed to hide his regret. For him to be the reason she could no longer spread joy or even feel it… he would hate himself.
"Naruto, I'm glad you're okay." She held her basket in front of her with both hands. "You gave us all a scare."
"Yeah…" Naruto rubbed the back of his neck beneath the scarf. "Sorry about that." He sighed. "For abandoning you, I mean."
She pursed her lips. "You came back." Sakura's eyes focused intently. "That's what matters. So you didn't abandon us."
"I never should have left." He admitted lowly.
"But you did. So get over it. I know you won't do it again."
"I think you're the only one who thinks that."
Her eyes rolled. "I know that's not true. Kakashi-sensei told us you were definitely not going to be replaced."
That was information for sure. It was actually nice knowing he had someone fighting for him.
"Come on." Sakura waved him forward as she walked. "Can't be late for training with your mom."
"How's that going?"
She shrugged. "I've only just started, but so far I've learned a lot."
"She's good." Naruto remembered all the times she stunned him with her knowledge and skills. He still wasn't even close to her level. "She taught me when I was a kid. Scarred me for life."
Sakura gave him a lightly confused look. "What do you mean?"
"Well, she's scary." He answered. "Isn't… she?"
"Sure, she's a powerful ninja. But it's not like she's mean or anything."
Naruto stopped in his tracks, jaw on the floor.
"What?"
"Y-you mean she doesn't torture you?"
Sakura's eyebrow rose. "No. She teaches me."
"Oh. My. God." He actually smiled with incredulity. "She actually likes you."
"Well, I hope so."
"No, I mean… is it because you're a girl?" He asked more to himself. Naruto shook his head. "Not the point. You're learning. That's what's important." He again said more to himself.
Sakura merely chuckled.
"Anyways. Thank for saving my life and all." Naruto's casual voice didn't conceal the genuine gratefulness.
"It's my job." She simply replied. "I am a medical kunoichi in training after all."
"Oh yeah. You'll be saving my life a lot then." He chuckled.
"Probably." She joined him.
Naruto paused his step and she turned to him. "I've gotta run." He said. "Dad's gonna beat me down if I'm late."
"Have fun, Naruto." Her smile was again so genuine. "And hey. Don't beat yourself up, okay? You still got us all of a pretty bad situation. You're a good friend."
That word again made his chest warm. "I hope I am."
She didn't fail to notice how vulnerable he sounded in that moment. "You are."
"Thank you. It means a lot." With that, the vulnerability was gone as if never there. "I'll see you after you become a Chūnin." He gave a two finger salute.
She giggled. "Bye, Naruto."
—