Three Years Later

'Mm yeah yeah it's not like I can actually change that. You know it's just something that I do.'

'Art is an explosion! An explosion I tell you! Art is a fleeting moment of beauty before it explodes and is gone forever!'

'Would you shut up about your sharks it's getting boring.'

'Art is everlasting, beauty that is captured and preserved forever. Your ridiculous notion that art is something explosive is just that . . . ridiculous.'

'No no I'd love to hear about Kisame-San's sharks! I find them as fascinating as toys and masks and everything else!'

'Does anyone have anything to eat? I'm getting hungry.'

'Would you shut up Tobi? This doesn't concern you!'

Naruto smiled as he walked into the common room. It wasn't every day that the Akatsuki were all together as they were, minus Pain of course. Even Karasu had managed to join everyone from her 'secret' activities in the north. The noise and constant arguing now made sense to Naruto. He remembered well when it had been something irritating and annoying. Now it seemed it was just life, everyone argued. That was how they showed they cared. They were battle-hardened murderous ninja. They weren't exactly going to write a love poem about their feelings.

Deidara and Sasori were arguing over art, as usual, and Deidara was thrusting his hands into his clay and making small creatures, then exploding them in Sasori's face. Sasori's tail was twitching to and fro while he tried to keep calm.

Zetsu was talking to no one, only muttering about how hungry he was and occasionally staring at Karasu, who was cooking silently in the kitchen.

Itachi and Kisame had been talking, Kisame boasting about some recent jutsu that he'd performed that had involved his sharks. Obviously Itachi had grown tired of Kisame's boasts and had told him to curb his tongue. At that, Tobi had jumped in claiming he loved sharks and hearing about them. Tobi was always trying to get on everyone's good side.

Kakazu and Hidan were silently arguing in the corner, a rarity for the both of them, with Konan lurking close by in case things got out of hand.

Yep. It was just an ordinary day in the hideout. In fact, it was a day of celebration, the reason why everyone had gathered. Karasu was whipping up a storm in the kitchen, and by the smells that wafted from the oven it was nearly finished.

'Hey Naruto, come over here a minute will you?' Karasu waved Naruto over. He wove around the bright red couch and glass coffee table, the long dining table that sat fifteen people and to the kitchen that was divided by a long island bench. Zetsu had found himself a seat there and was staring right at Karasu.

'What is it?' Naruto asked gruffly. Since he had been picked up three years ago his voice had certainly changed, and so had his attitude. No longer was he loud and annoying, with a squeaky voice to match, he was calm, cool and contained. His voice had finally broken, giving him a gruff deep sound.

He liked it.

'Set the table.' Karasu told him, stirring at the large tub that held batter for some concoction.

'What? Why me?' Naruto objected instantly.

'Because! Hidan and Kakazu are about to tear each other's throats out, Tobi is hiding from Kisame and Itachi is glaring at him with his eyes, Deidara and Sasori are exploding art everywhere, Konan is babysitting Hidan and Kakazu and Zetsu is so hungry he'd eat the plates! Do you have a problem with that?' Karasu snapped, bright blue eyes flashing a storm.

Sometimes Karasu was known as the Sweet Akatsuki. It was at moments like these that Naruto found it hard to believe that name had stuck.

'Alright alright. I'll go set the table.' Naruto muttered, beginning to slam open dark cupboards doors to find the large white plates that could feed an entire village.

'Don't slam things around!' Karasu snapped without turning around from her steaming pans. Naruto muttered an apology and went about his work, carefully.

Halfway through the work he looked around at his new home. Memories still lurked in his mind, memories that he knew he'd be keeping for a long long time. He remembered the Leaf, remembered training with Kakashi and meeting all those new exciting people. He remembered Gaara and fighting him, and the Old Toad Man, the Hokage and finding the new Hokage. Everything came and went in his mind. The triumphs, the failures, the hard work.

And of course being left behind to die. He had seen Kakashi see him, had seen him turn away and run off. Not even Pakkun had bothered to help him. Naruto had been lying there, knowing death was closing in, when Deidara had found him. At the time Naruto had been horrified, thinking that he would never turn to their side. But a few good months with them had changed all that.

Now, this was his home. The cavern was as big as ten houses placed on top of each other, the lights that hung down needing a cord that was at least fifty metres long. The gaming corner with the foosball table and checkers, the ground that had been carpeted until there wasn't much of the original smooth, worn out stone left showing. The constant bickering that now was music to his ears. Even annoying Tobi was something to look forward to at the end of the day.

Also, Naruto had grown a healthy hatred of the Leaf. They had deserted him, they hadn't come looking for him. He hadn't seen a single effort from them to locate him, not even his body. He had checked multiple times, and only once had they come back, and that was morning after he'd been found. At first Naruto was overjoyed at had tried to reach them, but Kakazu had held him back. Kakazu, Hidan, Deidara and Sasori had been assigned to take him back. If it had been Itachi, Naruto would have suspected some foul play, as his eyes might have made him see things that weren't real.

Instead, Naruto had seen Pakkun and Kakashi walk to where Naruto had been dying, look around, and then walk straight back into the forest.

'See that, kid? They don't even care. They could be looking for you, looking down the river, but no. They're just leaving you to rot.' Hidan had said, chuckling quietly.

'No! No they wouldn't! They wouldn't! They'll come searching for me! I swear they will! I'm important to them!' Naruto had fought. His wounds had still been stinging, and were in danger of opening up. Someone had healed him with medical jutsu the night before.

'Oh really? Well, if in six months they still don't come, you're one of us.' Kakazu had whispered loud enough for everyone else to hear. A sort of hissing whisper that sounded like snakes.

'And if they do come?' Naruto had asked defiantly.

'Then it's fair game.' Sasori had groaned before turning to walk back to the hideout. They had dragged Naruto along behind them, kicking and screaming as he called for Kakashi.

Six months and no one had come.

Six months of hopeful waiting, of a waiting that was so certain it nearly pained him to think back to it. Of course the Leaf wouldn't come looking for him! He was expendable to them, always had been. He'd been the monster of the Leaf, kept under watch in case he broke out and killed everyone.

Then Karasu had come into the hideout, and been made his partner. Since then Naruto hadn't known he could feel to content, like he truly belonged somewhere, as much as he did.

'Naruto snap out of it you thick-headed oaf! Cutlery! Or do you want to become animals again!' Karasu snapped, whacking the top of Naruto's head with a wooden spoon.

'Ooooow.' Naruto complained, rubbing the top of his head and glowering at Karasu. She only glared right back, eyes alight with fire and hair tussled and wild. She really was beautiful when she chose to be, in fact she beautiful even if she tried to avoid being so. Her temper was the only problem Naruto could see. It could make even the mountains quiver.

'If you don't get to setting this place up in the next ten seconds then I'm going to make sure that your life will be a living hell! Now get to it!' Karasu yelled the last part, yanking off her shoe and throwing it at Naruto.

'Shadow Clone Jutsu!' Naruto yelled, performing the hand sign. Instantly ten clouds of smoke came up around them, and perfect clones appeared. They all ran for the cutlery draw, grabbed their knives and forks, and ran back to the table setting it all up. The original Naruto smirked and crossed his arms gloatingly over his chest.
'What do you think about that?'

'I think you're a lazy sod.' Karasu snapped, her favourite type of speech, before throwing her other at Naruto. He dodged quickly, laughing as it hit one of the clones and made him vanish in a loud cloud of smog.

Laughing, Naruto righted himself and walked smugly to his seat. 'And I think you're just making us wait for food now, because you are mad at me.'

'What? But . . . . food.' Zetsu groaned slowly, sliding off his seat and making his way to his dining chair. Karasu rolled her eyes and dished out the food she had prepared onto serving platters, sliding them down the long table.

No one had noticed. Everyone was still arguing, though some stomachs had been rumbling loudly for some time.

'IF NO ONE COMES TO GET THIS FOOD RIGHT NOW I SHALL PERSONALLY SEE TO IT THAT YOU ALL BURN!' Karasu screamed at them, sinking herself into her seat and staring at everyone with a look that could kill.

Instantly the cavernous room was silent, all eyes turning towards the table. Suddenly they all began to run, tripping over everyone else in their way so they could throw themselves into the chairs closest to their favourite food. Deidara came to a chair before Kisame, who flashed his teeth and sat next to Deidara, Sasori threw Hidan off a chair that he had claimed long ago, much to Hidan's shouting and cursing which was cut off by Karasu, and so on.

Finally when the dust had settled, and everyone was staring at the food waiting for Karasu's permission to eat, did Karasu give a haughty nod. Once again chaos erupted around the table, but this time it was a chaos that was . . . . nice. Everyone reaching to grab food, piling their plates high, and laughing at the smallest of things.

Smiling Naruto leaned back in his chair. Oh yes. This was definitely better than the Leaf had ever been.