The writers block was HORRIBLE. I swear, I had this open all the time for writing, but just couldn't!

M, if you're worried about the F word.

Why am I so fucking selfish?

I shouldn't have come. I should have just killed Orochimaru and went on with the life I chose. The things I wanted and still want to fulfill.

Then I decided to do what Orochimaru said, and for my own benefit, not Naruto's, come to Konoha. I didn't even take into consideration that if something like what was happening now happened, that I would only be hurting Naruto by coming and leaving. Again.

Sure, I hadn't expected this. I had thought Naruto would never ever forgive me, and not only did he forgive me, he doesn't hate me. He still cares. Does more than fucking care. Still loves.

But that didn't make it any better for him, just me. It only made me -leaving him- harder. On him.

Selfish.

I almost asked him why he forgave me for everything. How it was possible to not hate me. I hate myself. But I decided against it, because I didn't want to know the answer yet. It would only make me more disgusted.

"I kept your house clean." I heard, slightly muffled from below me.

I couldn't think of an answer. Thank you was unfitting, and besides that, not good enough.

"And Sakura, you'll be surprised…" He went on talking like noting had changed, and I had never gone. "She had it for me, not you!"

I stayed quiet for a moment, then couldn't resist the urge to act the same. "Hn, that was a little obvious, last I saw you two."

"Jealous?" He suddenly sounded zealous.

"Ha ha." I answered sarcastically. "Jealous over her?"

"Me, not you!" Naruto repeated.

"A First." I couldn't hold in a smirk.

He made a "hmph," sound.

Since things had suddenly lightened up, and I had awhile, I decided to ask something else that had been bugging me.

"When did Sai come in?"

I could tell he almost answered, but asked another question first. "How'd you know his name?"

"That Jounin addressed him after you lost it." I answered, recalling the moment when the same boy I was holding was demonized, and lunging for me.

"Right." It sounded like he was remembering too, but he left it alone. "Well, missions have to be carried out in groups of four. Kakashi was in the hospital at the time, and you-" He didn't bother to finish the sentence.

"So he's a replacement." I replied.

"Not a replacement," He corrected, emphasis on not. "He's just a new teammate."

"Haven't you noticed-"

"Huh?"

"Never mind." I shook my head against his. Mentioning that Sai seemed to worship the ground Naruto walked on didn't seem like a great idea. And I could only assume that from the way Sai looked at him.

"Hey, want to see your house? I kept it clean and everything!" Naruto offered.

Then suddenly it hit me.

This line, and the conversation before when Naruto pretended everything was alright, was his sad attempt to keep me here. My self disgust suddenly multiplied, though I couldn't keep it in anymore.

"Naruto, I'm not staying."

He said nothing, but shifted his body so he was holding on tighter, like a threat.

"Naruto." I growled again.

He twisted some of my shirt in his fists. "See?" He whispered. "I want Sasuke back. Not you. He was just here." His voice was a mixture of rage, hysteria, and softness altogether.

"You sure know how to make people feel guilty." I muttered.

That earned me a swift punch in the chest. "Why can't you stay here, and be you again?! Are you really that dependant on Orochimaru?!"

"Not anymore." I replied. "But that's not why."

"Then why can't you just be Sasuke!?" He pulled away slightly to distance us, and looked up at me. Our arms were still somewhat on the other.

It took me awhile to answer. I had to consider the best way to word it. "The Sasuke you're talking about isn't good enough." For a moment, Naruto didn't change, then slowly his face returned to impassive, though not as much as mine.

"He's not strong enough to kill Itachi. I am." If I hadn't been so serious, I would have found it funny I was referring to myself as two separate people.

Naruto opened his mouth slightly to say something, but we both stopped moving at the same time. Something snapped in the bushes to the right of us.

Shooorrtt...But hopefully the next one will be quicker.