The sun slowly began lower behind the horizon turning the sky into a pleasant orange and red color while stars picked out across the darker side of the vast heavens
The sun slowly began lower behind the horizon turning the sky into a pleasant orange and red color while stars picked out across the darker side of the vast heavens. Air cooled down to a chilling wind that pushed through the forest's many branches. Light started to disappear allowing darkness to reign over the area and encompassing everything taking it in. Night was approaching, but that fact didn't, or it seemed like couldn't, deter the blond as he raced from branch to branch.
"Chikushou," Naruto cursed under his breath as he looked up to the pieces of purple sky. He really didn't want to stop while energy was flowing in his veins, but night was a dangerous time to travel at.
Deciding to called it a day, he propelled himself from the tree and landed on the ground, dust swirling around his feet. The trees would provide the perfect cover from attack and unexpected rain. That was a little something he had learned after his first month of traveling through uncharted territory. With a sigh of relief he dropped his pack to the grass below and started rubbing his shoulder. It was stiff from the many miles he ran that day.
He gathered up nearby sticks and leaves, anything that would burn to help light his fire. Placing them inside a circle of stone, he struck a lone match against a jagged rock watching sparks fly of the surface and land in the pit. Soon, orange flames flickered hungrily pleading for more kindling.
Naruto watched the fire in disinterest, the shadows created by the fire's light gave him an exhausted appearance. His azure eyes were half lidded and black bags suggested lack of a lovely thing called sleep. Letting his eyelids slip closed he ran a scarred hand through his ratty blond hair.
"Two years," he muttered to himself. "Two years and still nothing, not even a trace of the name anywhere. It's like he never existed in the first place."
Two years he had been searching for his best friend, two years since Tsunade gave him permission to leave the village to seek his friend. Two years he'd been in solitude.
He bit his tongue in frustration and sorrow. What did he have to do to get his hands on even a little piece of evidence to prove of Sasuke's location? He sacrificed all he had to find him, gave up his life and home for this hopeless situation. He wanted to be mad, he wanted to hate Sasuke, wanted to believe he was an enemy or better that he was dead. He wanted so much to just give up on the black haired man that haunted his mind.
But he knew that was impossible. He couldn't hate Sasuke no matter how hard he tried.
Naruto laughed. He fell to his back trying to relax enough to maybe sleep a little. The few stars he managed to see were astonishingly beautiful against the black of the night. This sight was one of things he learned to appreciate after being alone for so long. At one point he had compared the scene to his and Sasuke's relationship. The day he met Sasuke a star formed on his black canvas of a life. It was bright and warm, something he knew that would never leave him. The more time they spent together the more stars formed.
Sure, Sasuke wasn't the only one who created the stars, there was Iruka and his friends, but most of them were his. When Sasuke left, he found out first had at how many stars were dedicated to the pale skinned boy. It was like losing the milky way. There was more black then light.
He hadn't let it affect him at first, smiling and laughing as if there was nothing wrong at all. But he could only last so long. Spending a week of nights just crying and screaming at the emptiness he felt, he let it out with a simple cut. One cut turned into two which turned into five which turned into ten. It was the only way he could keep going. The only way he could feel like he was alive.
Lost in the darkness
Hoping for a sign
Instead there's only silence
Can't you hear my screams?
He touched his left wrist subconsciously remembering those long nights' years ago. Some would call it idiotic, other's desperate, and to those selected few, relief. He hadn't told anyone about what he was doing, nobody knew about the blood rusted kunai under his pillow. Well, almost nobody.
He smirked when he recalled the shocked and scared expression that flashed across the familiar face. Naruto already knew that he had suspected Naruto of something drastic like cutting, but had no proof. Brown eyes widened while a tanned hand gripped the kunai coated in blood. Shikamaru couldn't find anything to say.
After an hour, Naruto had been able to convince Shikamaru not to say a word about what he found to anybody. If there was anyone Naruto could trust he knew it was Shika. It was like some unwritten code with the Nara boy, something built into his personality. Maybe he just got tried of hearing Naruto making up excuses that he promised not let anyone know, but it made the blond happy.
Shikamaru was unmistakably one of the greatest friend a guy could have, but……he still didn't replace that empty void.
Never stop hoping
Need to know where you are
But one thing's for sure
You're always in my heart
A sigh escaped through parted lips. Naruto sat up and grabbed the liquid filled bucket turning it upside down over the pit. Smoke instantly rose up from the once been a fire creating swirling figures before dissipating.
He had thought enough for one night and was beginning to feel the lack of sleep get the better of him. Pulling his pack over close his turned into a make-shift pillow and let his head fall on it. Eyes closed and breaths slowing, he soon found himself in a dream like trance.
Inside this place so close to paradise, life was as it should be. No one was without happiness. There was smiling and laughter. Nobody had a care in the world seeing as there was nothing to worry about. Everyone was there: Kakashi, Sai, Iruka, Sakura, Neji, Tenten, Lee, Shikamaru, Ino, Chouji, Shino, Kiba, Hinata, Temari, Kankuro, Gaara, Gai, Kurenai, and Asuma. Obaa-san and the pervy-sage standing to the side arguing about god knows what. Temari and Ino were bothering poor Shikamaru while Chouji watched from the side smirking. Lee was challenging Neji to a contest much like Gai was doing with Kakashi with Iruka nervously fidgeting under the bookworm's gaze. Sakura and Sai were throwing insults at each other in mock fun with Tenten trying to keep them apart. Kurenai and Asuma were all lovey-dovey under a tree letting everything around them be ignored. Shino and Gaara standing in silence watching Kiba and Kankuro fight for what they called power, Hinata squeaking every time either got hurt.
But the best part was where he watched the events happening, and the fact of who sat next to him. The familiar warmth brought up a blush to the blond's cheeks. He peeked over at the boy next to him. Sasuke was gazing back with unreadable black eyes.
A smirk made its way to the missing nin's lips. He lifted his hand to Naruto's cheek and brushed a finger across the hot redness. He didn't move his hand from Naruto's face; in fact the other joined it. In sequence, they made their way to the back of his and Naruto felt a tug on his forehead protector. He would've tried to see what he was doing, but black eyes held his blue ones in place. A pale hand retreated carrying the protector with it while the other remained firmly against his head.
Being pulled forward, soft, warm pressure was placed to his revealed forehead. The blush deepened as Sasuke left a trail of feather light kisses from his forehead down to his cheeks to the corner of his mouth. Their eyes met once again this time barely inches apart and despite himself, Naruto felt his lips tremble in anticipation. He knew what would happen next as Sasuke closed his eyes.
I'll find you somewhere
I'll keep on trying
Until my dying day
I just need to know
Whatever has happened
The truth will free my soul
The pressure on Naruto's lips caused his eyes to snap open. In the darkness, he could only make out a silhouette of someone hovering above his body. The figure lifted his face from Naruto's and the blond took this opportunity to shove the other away. Naruto sat up and moved back a few feet allowing some distance between him and the stranger. He couldn't believe that he let his guard down so much.
Slowly, his blue eyes began to adjust to the dark and the figure that had now stood up was starting to come into focus. In his right hand was a protector reflected by the moonlight. The familiar sense of chalkra was drowning Naruto. He dared to look at the other's face and was nearly out cold by the sight.
"Sasuke….."
She sighed in content. There was a beautiful sunset before her, a mix of orange, red, purple, and blue splashed across the evening sky. If she tried hard enough she could see the stars starting to poke out. A small smile found its way on her mouth. She could sit here forever if she wanted to.
"Kaa-san!" a little voice yelled from the field in front of her.
She looked down to see the little boy wave over at her with a crooked grin. Spiky brown hair adorned his head in a messy manner. Brown cat-like eyes shined in delight at the attention he was receiving. Two red triangles scrunched up as he smiled showing off his sharp canines.
She smiled back and raised her hand to wave back at the little Inuzuka as he went back to chasing a dark puppy. It was amazing how much the two-year old looked like his father and so little like her, but she couldn't have been happier at that fact.
"Hinata," a husky voice whispered.
Said girl turned to the other and gave her greatest smile yet. "Kiba-kun."
He gave that smile reserved only for her and hugged her form gently. He sat on the bench and pulled her into his lap. His arms snaked around her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder. He took a deep breath and sighed at how it was still shocking that she could smell this good. A hand went to her bulging stomach which was soon covered by both of hers.
Hinata hoped that these two would look just like their father and older brother. For once, she was truly happy.
Lost in the darkness
Tried to find your way home
I want to embrace you
And never let you go
He paced in the marble kitchen waiting for her to return. She told him it would only take a week for her mission to be completed, so why wasn't she back yet? It was seven days later as assured and she was about four hours late. With anyone else that would have seemed normal, but his wife was nowhere near normal; punctuality was a key component in her life.
Slight breathing stopped him from completely destroying a door; he really wanted to keep quiet. He walked down the carpeted hallway to the only door that was almost closed and opened it just a bit more and peered in. On a bed that lay opposite of him was a small boy sleeping silently in oblivious peace. Short, disheveled brown hair fell over the closed eyes and the covers raised up then lowered down in a steady beat.
The man couldn't help, but envy the little boy as he slept without a care. Something just seemed to make him believe that he might never be able to sleep like that ever again. As if adding to his questioning feeling, a knock sounded from the front door directly across the hall.
He heaved the thick door open and saw a person he hadn't been expecting in the least. "Neji-kun?"
Neji looked up at other with what seemed to be sorrowful eyes. There was a sympathetic smile on his lips. "Lee….I don't know….how to tell you this…"
Lee's heart wrenched. He somehow already knew what his rival was about to tell him, but still asked, "Nani? Tell me what?"
Neji lowered his head in Lee could only believe was shame. It was then that Lee understood the news before it was worded. His breathing became ragged as the Hyuuga muttered the words, "She's gone Lee…I'm sorry….Sakura's dead…"
Lee blacked out.
Almost hope you're in heaven
So no one can hurt your soul
Living in agony
Cause I just do not know
Where you are
Naruto blinked several times believing that his eyes were playing tricks on him again. This wouldn't have been the first time he thought he'd found Sasuke. But, man, if he was imagining things again, his mind was becoming a true artist. The Sasuke in front of him looked so real, the curve of him lips, the firm jaw line, and the way his onyx eyes, though black as they were, shone with some unknown light.
"Sasuke…?" Naruto tried once more.
The Sasuke smirked at the other, like old times. "Naruto," was the simple reply.
I'll find you somewhere
I'll keep on trying
Until my dying day
I just need to know
Whatever has happened
The truth will free my soul
The voice was sweet music to Naruto, sweet music that he had been deprived of from so many years that hearing it again brought a content smile to the blond's lips. His mind was getting better at these illusions.
"Sasuke…are you really here? You're not just some figment of my now very creative mind?" He needed to know because every minute he stared at Sasuke the illusion idea seemed so far fetched. He mind never did Sasuke justice, well, not until now.
A chuckle escaped the black haired beauty bringing another smile to Naruto's mouth. He walked up to him, cautious steps that would've made Naruto impatient if he weren't in sweet bliss at the moment. He went to his knees, his eyes locking on Naruto's.
Wherever you are
I won't stop searching
Whatever it takes me to know
Naruto felt a hand sneak around his back while another went to the back of his head. They both slowly brought him towards the pale man. It wasn't until he felt warm, moist breath against his face did Naruto realize how close Sasuke's face was to his.
"Do you still think I'm a fantasy?" Sasuke challenged, his lips brushing slight against Naruto's.
Naruto didn't say anything back since he knew that if he did their lips would definitely meet. Plus, he loved hearing the other's voice too much to question its reality.
Sasuke smirked once more. Naruto was practically putty in his strong, firm grip. It gave him a satisfied feeling that he had this power over the blond. Then the urge was too powerful to hold back, he closed the little distance between their lips.
Naruto's eyes slipped shut and he melted into the kiss, fully aware that Sasuke was the dominant, but…he could live with that.
I'll find you somewhere
I'll keep on trying
Until my dying day
I just need to know
Whatever has happened
The truth will free my soul
Hey, plp!! I present to you (Dramatic music in the background) CHAPTER TWO!! Holds up sign that says 'Appaulaous'
Jacob: Who would actually read that?
Me: GASP!! Jacob-kun?! You're here to haunt me in this story too?!
Jacob: I have nothing better to do...Plus, it's fun to watch you make an idiot out of yourself.
Me: I resent that...
Chikushou is damn, Kaa-san is mother and the song is called "Somewhere" by Within Temptation. WAS IT GOOD?! BAD?! TELL ME!! PLEASE REVIEW!!