A Gamboge Sunset with Tyrian Purple
A/N: Welcome! This is chapter 3 of Those Eyes.
So, you should only be reading this if you have read chapters 1&2 (: thanks! All warnings/disclaimer are in chapter 1. Enjoy~
P.S.: Sakura bashing in this, so if you are a Sakura fan, I warn you now, just skim read if you see it.. :)
A mop of pink hair blurred through the tree tops, as a grey head scowered the forest floor. The hushed sound of clacking sandals on wood and the crunching of decaying leaves are heard.
"Kakashi,"
"Yeah, I know. I just saw him. But just wait, we have to make sure if Sasuke is with him still."
The two leaf ninja silently creep behind trees bordering the open field; with a sleeping blonde laying in the middle.
I hear them. Please just be some rabbit or whatever. Let me just lie here for a while. A short while more. Naruto pleaded to a non-existent no one.
Kinda feels like I'm being woken up by an alarm. Waking me up so I can go to the academy on time. This is the moment that where you are lying feels the most comfortable, right before you have to get out.
"There's no one around. Its just Naruto." Informed Sakura.
"Alright. Lets go… is he sleeping?" Kakashi's normally cool voice just broke, and Sakura tried to hold in her bursting laughter – failing.
"Anyways.. NARUTO! WHY THE HELL ARE YOU OUT HERE SLEEPING HUH? WE WERE SPENDING AGES LOOKING FOR YOU, AND EVERYONE ELSE LEFT TO GO BACK HOME! YOU LAZ-"
"Sakura," Kakashi warned, knowing the reason why Naruto is just lying there.
"But we spent so long Kakashi Sensei! And he's just here sleeping his fricking ass off! And he can't even be bothered to reply me, jeez, you haven't changed much Naruto, I should have expected this loserness."
Kakashi felt thick tension in the air after she spoke. He cast a glance to Naruto's face, and he saw the boy getting up. The blonde's face was facing the ground, but Kakashi noted that his brows were burrowed and a pained expression conquered the boy's face.
"… Sakura…" The teen said quietly.
Many would have just called that tone off as a quiet whisper, but Kakashi knew, he heard the torment, laced through his words.
"Oh no, don't you go Sakura-ing me! No apologising and charming will get you save you this time! You ungrateful loser!" The pink-head sistah snapped and placed a hand on her hip while taking a step towards Naruto. (1)
"Sakura, I don't think you should-" Kakashi also noted Naruto's fists, clenched until white points were seen; no doubt his nails were already digging into his palm.
"No, Kakashi, I think I should. He deserves a whack! And he isn't even reply-"
"HE FUCKING LEFT! HE LEFT AGAIN! HE LEFT AGAIN OKAY! FUCK! AND I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING! DO YOU KNOW HOW SHIT I FEEL? DO YOU? NO, SO DON'T YOU DARE THINK I'VE JUST BEEN SLACKING OFF. DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW CERTAIN I WAS, THAT HE WAS ACTUALLY COMING BACK THIS TIME? IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE HERE, THEN JUST GO!"
Sakura retreated a few steps, her jaw near the floor in shock.
Naruto never, ever speaks to Sakura like that. Ever, even after he got over his crush on her a while back. This is pretty serious. Kakashi mentally concluded.
"Naruto…" Sakura said cautiously, "I'm sorr-"
"Just go." The blonde spat
a few seconds passed and with
"I'll be back in Konoha, please take care." the pink-head disappeared into the forest.
A silence filled the air.
"You know that wasn't the way to treat Sakura."
"That bitch deserved whatever came her way. She could have used some of her infinitesimal intelligence to figure that Sasuke isn't here."
"Heh, big word there Naruto, good that you are learning!" Kakashi joked, earning an unusual glare from Naruto.
"I'm heading back." Blonde took off towards the village (well that was the way Sakura departed to, and surely she knew where she came from.)
And with that, Kakashi was left alone, standing in the middle of a field looking into the auburn dawn sky.
My my, he really has changed. I wonder what happened with Sasuke. The man sighed, I better get back, lets hope Naruto hasn't rampaged through the forest. Yet.
Slowly dragging his feet against the dirt floor, the busy villagers go about their daily errands. Naruto breathes in the no so familiar scent. He looks around and he doesn't see anything different. There are no new restaurants, no fires or anything. He quickly gets agitated, there is so may people. A man accidentally bumps shoulder with the blonde boy and mumbles an apology. Naruto felt a heat rise in the pit of his stomach and had the sudden urge to slam that man against the wall for being rude. Good thing he fought it. What is wrong with me? He questioned himself. Quickly making his was into his apartment, he looked around. So different but the same. What's different? Nothing… everything is in the exact same place as I left it.
"Your views have changed Naruto," He turned in surprise to look at the open window with a black haired pale boy sitting on the sill.
"Sai. Why the hell are you doing here!"
"I read in a book that if a friend of yours looks sad, you should go and comfort them."
"I am not sad."
"I also read about a thing called denial."
Changing the subject, Naruto quickly questioned
"Why are you here again?"
"I told you, you looked sad so I came to help!" A rehearsed smile formed.
"…. Whatever. Anyways, what do you mean my views have changed?"
"I read in a book-"
"You read too much." He interjected
"I read in a book, that apparently, after a traumatic experience, a person's views of life can change, either drastically or slightly."
"Traumatic experience?"
"I don't know… What happened after you took off to go look for Sasuke?" Sai noted Naruto's jaw clench "I also read that 'talking about it' helps too…" he coaxed.
The blonde sighed and said
"Well long story short, I honestly thought he was going to return, like a hundred percent sure. Two billion percent!-"
"That's not possible, but I understand. So he left again huh?"
"… Yeah, all he said was I'm sorry and then he disappeared with Madara."
"Madara?"
"Yeah, you know that Sasuke is with him now don't you?"
"I do, I was informed a while back."
"Then why the 'Madara?'?"
"Why did he take him away? I mean, if Madara needed Sasuke, he would have provided Sasuke more freedom, as Sasuke isn't really depending on Madara. Right?"
"Touché, but it seemed Sasuke didn't fight back with Madara if he wanted to stay."
"This is rather confusing. But are you feeling any better?"
Naruto glanced around the room and took a few deep breaths.
"… No…"
A moment passed whilst the black haired boy was thinking; probably going through all the files in his memory of "How to Help Your Friends" books.
"Well, it seems like this is the time for a story telling, where you narrate all the good memories that you have experienced with Sasuke."
"No! Why would I try to remember all that stuff I've been trying to forget?"
"It appears that you have only been trying to bury it all. There is a difference between burying and forgetting. Now, do you have any of the music people label as 'Elevator music'?"
Naruto's face - =_=;
"What are you now? A psychiatrist?"
"That seems like a very interesting job. I would like to get to know the human mind, I have much more to learn."
"Yeeeeeah….. Okay Sai, how about I tell you one story, then you leave. Okay?"
"Alright, and thank you in advance for disclosing your story to me."
"Uhuh.. Well it all started on one day in the middle of fall, 10 years ago…."
[Flashback]
"HEY YOU, STUPID! YEAH RUN AWAY LIKE THAT!" a small rock painfully hit a little boy's hip and he stumbled,
"Good shot! Come on guys, keep throwing them, maybe he will actually run out of the village!"
"Yeah!"
The little blonde haired boy ran, unsuccessfully attempting to dodge rocks being pelted at him.
Why? Why are they doing this to me? He cried to himself.
Naruto ran around the corner and saw a three way split of the roads. His mind cheered at his luck. Small feet ran through the last turn and kept going.
Right, left, left, right, left turns.
He ran, ran as fast as he could, until his feet were sore, until his lungs were almost closing in, his chest rising and falling rapidly, until the shouts of insults and hurtful comments gradually died away.
Naruto's pace degraded into a walk and he looked around.
Where did his feet take him to this time? He definitely hasn't been to this part of the village.
Beautiful houses lined the streets, though aged but still almost untouched for years. He slowly walked and saw a small path leading off the road.
Prolly a park! He enthusiastically skipped down the dirt floor and marvelled at the sight before him.
An expanse of a crystal lake emerged before him, the gentle lapping of water at the sides, a cool gentle breeze whispered around. So surreal.
Naruto's eyes carried on to see an old wooden pier, stretching out onto a magnificent lake. A small raven haired boy sat on the edge at the end.
It's Sasuke! ... Why is he here alone? The little blonde totally forgot about his pursuers and decided to go chat with Sasuke. His small sandals cause the wood planks beneath him to creak, surprisingly Sasuke didn't turn around.
"Hey! Watcha up to?"
"Hello Naruto." The raven said curtly, "if you must know, I'm thinking..." "Abbboooouutttt?" Naruto questioned cheerfully.
"That's for me to know. And -"
"Me to find out!" Naruto finished for him.
"No, it's for me to know and you to not. Because you don't needa know."
"Awww Sasuke tell me!"
"No."
"Pleaseeeeeee?" The blonde pleaded, and for the first time since his arrival, Sasuke turned his head to meet huge cerulean eyes- he had to look away quickly.
"Stop puppy dog eyeing me. It doesn't work on me."
We all know that's a lie.
"Hmph. Fine." he pouted.
The two boys sat there just basking in the setting sun, Sasuke rather enjoying Naruto's silence.
"Hey! There he is! You little loser! Come here! Let us finish what you deserve!" An obnoxious call came from behind and the two silent boys turned to face a bunch of kids their age.
Naruto's stood up, walked towards them and yelled back
"Go away! Leave me alone! I didn't do anything wrong!"
"You being alive is already wrong! My dad told me that you are evil and bad! Just get out of this village! No one wants you here!" They called back.
"No! That's not true!" Naruto tried to block out the too familiar words.
"Yes it is and you know it! You don't even have any parents to teach you! You loser! You loner!"
Sasuke abruptly stood up and walked towards the boy who said that. Anger and rage radiating off his body - his eyes screaming disgust.
"O-oh Sasuke! I err, didn't notice it was you! Wh-hat are you doing here? With Naruto!"
Previously, Sasuke didn't know that Naruto didn't have parents. He just never associated with him, and also he hadn't heard anyone speak of such a thing. With that point, he felt rather... Extremely unusually protective over Naruto. After all, he didn't have parents too; he of all people would understand.
But Sasuke hated the way everyone treated him. Like some prodigal son, some special boy. As if he did anything special. All he did was cry and somehow became a lone survivor -apart from Itachi.
"Do you even know where you are?" He spat, "no, you don't... This is the Uchiha district. Mine. And you snot nosed kids stampede in here and directly insult my friend! You disgust me, what do you even know what's it like to not have parents? Nothing! You ungrateful trash!" His voice pouring with searing rage and all the emotions he only experienced when thinking about one single soul - Itachi.
"Err, uhh, w-we d-didn't kn-n-now! P-please forgive us Sasuke!" They always treated him with respect. Always said his name like he was the Hokage or something. He just wanted to be treated normally. He wished.
"Just get lost. Never step foot into the Uchiha district, ever." The boys quickly nodded and scrambled off, one tripping in hurry.
The whole time, Naruto had been silent. Now after what Sasuke had said, he was as shocked as his pursuers, so he decided to mumble his thanks and start walking away.
"Where are you going Naruto?"
"Uh, out of the district? Like you told them." he gestured the direction the boys had run off to.
"Nah, don't worry, you can stay." Naruto smiled his usual cheerful grin,
"So you said I'm your friend huh?" His face brimming with happiness. Sasuke felt his cheeks go slightly warm, a squirmy feeling in his abdomen.
"Heh, yeah, I guess so."
"Well this makes you my first friend Sasuke! And you are going to be my best friend too! Believe it!"
Sasuke couldn't help but smile.
"Yeah, alright. That sounds good moron."
"Hey!"
Believe it or not, Sasuke concluded that he rather liked that weird squirmy feeling in his tummy, that the warmth in his cheeks were rather annoying and that he also made his first real friend.
Naruto, thanks.
The two boys carried on to watch the sun set, dangling their feet over the pier, staring at the gamboge sky.
"I keep reliving that day, his words replay in my mind probably billions of times already. To be honest, this is the first time in half a year that I've recalled that memory." Naruto secretly thanked Sai for getting him to, a too familiar warmth seeped through his body, his skin remembering the feel of the old wood beneath him, the cooling gentle breeze, the image of Sasuke perfectly captured in his mind like a burning flash of a camera. Every time he blinks, closes his eyes, he sees the image. Crystal clear.
And the thing that he always gets addicted to staring at is Sasuke's eyes.
Those eyes.
"You know, in ANBU, we were trained to analyse emotions and how people would physically display theirs. And just now, it seemed that you were reminiscing. And reminiscing a rather happy thought. This might sound rather sudden, but answer me nonetheless. Alright?"
"Sure whatever," The blonde shrugged.
"Uchiha Sasuke."
Naruto could listen to his name all day…
"What about him?" Sai had paused then smiled soon after.
"Think about him." Naruto cocked his head questioningly, "think about his face, his body, the way he fights, his posture, his personality. How he moves…" Sai purposely drifted off, carefully watching Naruto.
"Do you love Sasuke?"
"What?" Naruto's eyes widened dramatically.
"Are you in love with Uchiha Sasuke?"
"I know what you meant! But no! he is just my brother! I've never thought of him in that way!"
"Your facial expression and body language says otherwise…"
"I don't know what you are talking about…"
"Well for example, when I first mentioned Sasuke, you had slightly widened your eyes, sat up, and your breathing hitched, your pupils dilated and your eyes glazed over in thought. This shows that you were either interested, enjoyed it, or felt attracted."
Naruto was slightly shocked and blushed at being watched so closely. And he also knew that he did rather enjoy the though of Sasuke, just having Sai point it out so easily was just… Weird.
"And there, your eyes, when I pointed it all out, you had avoided eye contact with me. I was right wasn't I?"
"err, uhh…" Naruto stumbled for words.
Sai smiled. Naruto was sure it was genuine.
"Your mind lies to you Naruto. In everyone, there is a sane side. The side which tells us what is commonly right and wrong, the pure intellect." He paused, "but there is also another side. A whole different world in our minds, teeming with creativity, adventurism, and especially out true emotions. Right now, you have to listen to that side Naruto. Take the risk to listen to it, just like you have so many times before! This situation deals with love. Your intellect will tell you it is wrong to love him. But I suggest to take the risk. Take the plunge." Sai was actually really good at this. Suddenly he left. His last words were,
"Really Naruto. Think about taking the risk. "
I will. I will take the plunge. Step up to the edge, breathe in the glacial air, feeling numbness. Jump. Don't look back.
Falling, falling, falling.
I break the surface of the water.
I'm not cold anymore. My mind is lucid. Everything makes sense.
I am in the other world, my other brain. So many colours, tyrian purple swirls, and I'm loving it.
Naruto opened his eyes. And once again, the world was different. But this time, there were no dull colours, no grey and monotone. He felt the cool breeze prickle against his flushed skin. He felt the soothing soft carpet under his toes, the warmth of the sun against his face. He felt so… Good. Naruto felt so happy, so secure. He repeated the words out loud. Those small everlasting three words. Now so deeply engrained in his mind.
"I love him?"
The question scratched the back of his mind like an itch. Maybe he needed to think more.
"Yeah. I'm happy to think."
TBC
A/N: I've got the next chapter all planned out! And this is longer than the prev chapters. Sorry for taking 8 days! Soooo busy. I can't want for next chapter! Hope you enjoyed it so far~ btw, for people wondering, I'm making it up along the way, so I don't actually know where this is going~
(1): you know you snap and it makes a Z shape and it fits with the "oh no you didn't!" Yeah LOL, that amuses me.
And sorry for any typos. I was writing this throughout midnights and through school on the iTouch, so yeah. Bear with me!