21

"Finally!" He said loudly as he let his body fall back into the soft grass. Naruto felt the slow, warm, steady throb of his muscles; the familiar aftermath of an extended period of training.

"I know. I mean, how long should it take for a person to master one technique?" A sarcastic voice sounded from behind him. Naruto tilted his head back and held up a hand to block the sun from his eyes as he looked up at Sasuke with a small scowl. He knew the raven was just teasing him, but he gave an answer anyway, replying in the same sarcastic tone.

"You're one to talk. I would ask you how long it took you to master your kekkei genkai techniques, but you still haven't, have you? Don't give me that look." The blond practically singsonged when Sasuke glared at him. "You shouldn't have said it unless you were prepared for my reply." Sasuke gave him a blank look, to which he responded with a grin. He patted the ground to his right and Sasuke took the proffered spot.

It was the day after they had met up with Sasuke in the Wave Country. They'd made their plans then formed a temporary camp at the training grounds. Naruto had gone to visit Haku and Zabuza's grave that night and had come back to find everything already settled down. It was afternoon now, and Naruto had been training since early morning.

"Only you would complain about mastering a technique in half a day, dobe."

"Well…" Naruto started, trying to come up with a reasonable retort. "There's only so long it should take to master a technique when you're using one thousand clones."

"And only you could summon a thousand clones, shadow clones, no less, keep them stable, and train at the same time."

"Now that I can access Kyuu's chakras, I could actually make quite a few more than that. I just didn't want to overly exhaust myself." Naruto protested, knowing he was only giving Sasuke more ammunition to mess with him.

"That's a first. Usually you just train until you fall over asleep."

"That only happened once…okay, maybe twice. But, still!"

They fell into a comfortable silence, staring at the moving clouds in the deep blue sky and playing with the grass beneath their fingers.

"Sasuke…"

"What, dobe?"

"Are…are you okay? I know no one's asked what happened, but I want to know." Naruto said slowly.

"I'm okay now, but it wasn't the best trip I've ever had." Sasuke said, tensing, remembering his treatment.

"What happened?" Naruto pressed. He didn't like the way Sasuke was reacting.

"He…the first night I was there he…" Sasuke stopped and shook his head, clenching his fingers and breathing a little more harshly. He didn't know why, but he felt he could tell Naruto everything, even what that man had done to him. He shuddered visibly. "Orochimaru. That snake's alive."

"What? How?"

"Kabuto. Orochimaru took over his body. He's working with Madara. He was there when me and Madara arrived." Naruto moved to sit up and turned to face Sasuke, staring hard to try and figure out what exactly was making the stoic Uchiha show signs of a breakdown. The raven's shoulders were shaking, his head down so that his bangs hid his face. "He took me to a cell. They cuffed me with chakra repressors. He…I…couldn't…I couldn't get away…" Naruto gasped, realizing exactly what had happened that first night.

He wasn't blind. He'd seen how Orochimaru had looked at Sasuke years ago in the Forest of Death, the look of lust and want. That was one of the unspoken reasons why he had tried to stop Sasuke leaving. Naruto had seen that same look in the eyes of many villagers and he'd felt the results it, once. He hadn't wanted those results to be directed at Sasuke. It had seemed that Orochimaru had kept his hands to himself until recently though, if Sasuke's reaction was any clue.

"Oh…Kami. Sasuke…" He reached out tentatively and pulled Sasuke to him when the man didn't move away. "I'm so sorry. I… I didn't want that to ever happen to you." His breath caught when he realized how that phrase could be turned back on him, but he pushed back his panic with his need to comfort Sasuke.

Sasuke continued as if he hadn't heard Naruto at all. "I tried to get away, but he tied me down. I couldn't move. He just kept…Kept touching me-" Sasuke broke off, his voice cracking. "He…I'm glad Deidara got me out when he did. He…he didn't get the chance to…do that again. They kept me in the same cell and chained me to a wall. The way I was chained up, I couldn't sleep. After I refused to eat or drink the first time, they didn't give me food or water. Then they came every few hours to torture me. Then they healed me. Then it started all over again. Kami, it felt so much longer than four days…"

Naruto pulled Sasuke closer when he felt the man's arms wrap around him. One of his hands moved to play with Sasuke's hair, trying to calm the raven down. He felt Sasuke bury his face into his shoulder. From his viewpoint, Naruto saw Konan walk from the woods that surrounded the open field he'd been training in. She spotted them a moment later and sent him a questioning look. He gestured with one hand for her to stay away, and she left, returning to their camp, presumably. He turned his attention back to Sasuke.

"Sasuke…Sasuke, I'm so sorry. It's my fault; I should have gone with him. Then you'd be alright. He would have never touched you."

"'s not your fault." Came a soft reply.

"Yes it is, and you know it." Naruto said with a hard voice. Sasuke's voice hitched. "But…we can't change what's been done. We've decided, haven't we? We're going to fight them all, and we're going to win. You can leave Orochimaru to rot in a cell for the rest of his pitiful life once I'm through with him. How does that sound?"

"And what do you plan to do to him?" Sasuke chuckled slightly, still holding tightly onto him.

"Well, see, me and Kyuu have this nice little new technique. It's rather horrifying. I'm sure Orochimaru will be enjoying it for a long while once I get a hold of him."

"What does it do?" Sasuke asked, his voice a little steadier.

"That, my dear Teme, is for me to know and you to guess at."

Sasuke laughed, not a chuckle and not very loudly, but it was a laugh. Naruto smiled, glad that he could do something right with Sasuke. The man pulled back a little, but stayed close to him, still touching shoulders with him.

"Thank you." Sasuke said, keeping his head down. "I needed that."

Naruto looked wistful. "Everyone does every once in a while."

"What about you?"

"Huh?" He began to tense up a little at the question, wondering if Sasuke had caught his wording, but it was revealed to be a false alarm as Sasuke cleared his throat and clarified his question. Naruto had never been more thankful that Sasuke hadn't yet regained his wits. He told himself over and over again to think about his words, but his mouth just seemed to be throwing things out.

"What happened after I was taken?"
"Well, Konan was pretty beat up. I carried her out and then her tower collapsed. Turns out that she was unconsciously holding it up until we could get out; she's pretty powerful. I managed to get halfway back to the village before passing out, then I sent a pulse of chakra at the village and Tsunade and your team came looking for me. After a nice little chat with your team-they're pretty protective of you, you know-Kyuu started breaking the seal Madara put on me."

Sasuke gave a watery laugh at the comment about his team, but adopted an alarmed look at the mention of Madara's seal. It seemed that he'd remembered what Madara had said at the end of their fight, and had picked up on how dangerous it might be for a seal that locked away a demon to be broken. Naruto nodded.

"The only problem was that she had to merge her chakra system with mine to do it, so, yeah… She can't take over when I get mad, and I can access her chakra freely, although I'm still having trouble with my temper. Seems that I have developed some of the same tendencies and characteristics as she has: temper, hearing, smell, strength, etc…"

"So you're ahead of me again." Sasuke deadpanned. Naruto restrained his urge to laugh at Sasuke's practical need to be the best at everything.

"Well, not really. Once you get a hang of the Mangekyou, you'll be pretty much even, seeing as you have the eternal Mangekyou, which means you won't go blind. I was gonna let you look at my dad's journal with me if you wanted to. It has some pretty awesome jutsu in it that I was sure you'd want to see."

"Your dad?"

Naruto grinned. "The Yondaime-Hokage: Minato Namikaze" He stated proudly. "And my mom was from the Whirlpool country. Her name was Kushina Uzumaki. I just found out when I was fighting Pein."

"Wow…"Sasuke said, slightly shocked. "So you can't be a complete dunce, then." Naruto bumped his shoulder, and Sasuke returned the motion, but his brow furrowed. "Why did they keep it from you?"

"They actually kept it from the whole village. No one knew but Jiraiya, Tsunade, and the elders. My parents both died in the attack from the Kyuubi. Dad sealed her inside me because when I was born, the seal weakened on Mom, who was the previous Jinchuuriki, and then Madara forced Kyuubi to attack the village at the same time to save her pups, who he had threatened, which eventually led to her being sealed in me…" He took a breath and Sasuke scoffed at Naruto's long, simplistic wording. "I'm glad no one knew, though. Because then they would have treated me like a prince when I walked by and then talked as if I were a monster the moment I was out of sight. I'm just happy I knew where I stood with them."

Sasuke was silent for a moment. Then he remembered what he'd been about to ask Naruto the day before, when Naruto had stopped him from speaking about it in front of everyone else. For a moment, he thought to ask why Naruto had stopped him from asking in front of the others, but then he realized that that specific question could have led to a more personal conversation. With that understanding, he decided to leave well enough alone and just ask his original question.

"What about your dream?" Again, Naruto knew what he was asking immediately.

"What did I tell you back when you left for Orochimaru?"

Sasuke scoffed, not in humor this time, but with a bitter taste on his tongue. "You mean when I almost killed you."

"Yes-but you're forgiven, remember? I told you that I can't be the hokage if I can't protect my best friend. If the village can't accept you, then it can't accept me. Although one would think that my crimes would be more than worth death in the eyes of most the villagers…" Naruto mused.

"You idiot. You haven't done a thing to deserve that."

"I exist. That's enough for most people."

Sasuke couldn't think of anything to say to that, at least, nothing that he hadn't already said in the past. "Naruto…"

"Look. I don't want to be hokage anymore, not without you there. We can just start a new future away from the village."

"That's still cruel to you…" Sasuke said, glaring at the ground.

"But it's done and over with. Can't change it now."

They settled into a short silence again.

"We're leaving tomorrow, right?" Sasuke asked.

"Yeah. Oh! Wait, I actually forgot to give something to you. It's from Kakashi-sensei. I know he wanted to come too, but he had too many things going for him at Konoha. Hold on, it's in my bag. I haven't looked at the one he gave me, either."

Naruto stood easily and moved around the tree and grabbed the bag he'd brought with him. It held some food, his extra weapons, some money, the scroll Jiraiya had given him, and the two packages that Kakashi had given him. He pulled out the one that had "Sasuke" written on the outside of it and took out the one labeled for him. He held his in his lap and waited for Sasuke to open his, wanting to see what their sensei had given him.

Sasuke slowly opened his gift, unwrapping it carefully. Pulling the last strip of the thick paper off, he sat back against the tree with a slow exhalation. His eyes were wide, and when he met Naruto's eyes, he could see that he was just as surprised. On his lap sat Kakashi's tanto, the one passed down to him by his father. There was a note attached to the hilt of the blade by a line of twine.

Sasuke,

I am sorry that I could not keep Tsunade from making this decision. I know that you use another blade. The Kusanagi, was it? Either way, I had hoped you could also use this. This blade was my father's, as you most likely know, and is uniquely suited to the properties of lightning. I have no need of it any longer. Who should it go to but my protégée? Be safe.

-Hatake, Kakashi

Naruto read over the note. "Well, we can safely say that Kakashi is on our side. Either that, or he's gone completely insane."

"We can't be sure about that. Maybe it's just a parting gift, but, hopefully, it's the former. What did he give you?"

Naruto shook his head and began opening the oblong package. This one was different than Sasuke's. It was not all stiff, as if there were multiple small things inside it. Once he caught sight of the gift his sensei had given him, his jaw dropped more than one would think it could. There was also a note from Kakashi to Naruto on it and it was significantly longer than Sasuke's.

Hey Naruto,

I know you probably forgot about this after you left. You're probably already on your way to find Sasuke. I wanted you to know something. I was going to tell you after everything calmed down, but it seems I won't have the chance now. When I was a Genin, I was in the team your father led. He was the best role model I could ever hope for. He was the greatest man I've ever known, and I want you to realize that he is not someone you should ever feel ashamed of.

These were presents from him to me back during the first war. He would flash-step from kunai to kunai to move quickly. Did you know he was nick-named the Yellow Flash because of it? They also never dull, so if you ever use them, make sure to retrieve them after the fight's over.

The other three are some things that should have gone to you when he and your mother died, and I should have given them to you a long time ago myself. I'm sorry I'm only doing it now.

You have a house in the mountains to the east of Konoha, although Minato and Kushina never spent much time there, so it's really not commonly known in Konoha now. This is the key to it- he used to have me clean it for him as an extra mission on the side. The hitai-ate was your father's and this picture is of him and your mother while she was pregnant with you. She gave me hell for taking a picture of her while she was 'fat' but, really, she was beautiful. Pregnancy suited her. And they both loved you with all their hearts.

I want both you and Sasuke to be safe. Live well, and contact me any time you need something. I would have said much the same in Sasuke's letter, but I know he doesn't appreciate 'mushy stuff'. I don't ever want to hear a word from ANBU that you've been spotted, and since Itachi's probably going with you, you have no excuse.

With love from sensei, Hatake, Kakashi

By the time he'd finished reading the letter, Naruto was crying, holding the picture of his parents in one hand and his father's headband in the other. Sasuke sat next to him reading the letter over his shoulder with an arm around him, smiling softly and fingering one of the kunai that had fallen to the ground.

It seemed their sensei was really on their side. Good to know. One less enemy to take down.

xXx

Konan walked down the animal trail to their not-so-small camp. There were five tents. Naruto and Sasuke were in one, then Itachi and Deidara, for obvious reasons. Since it was not supposed to be known that Karin and Suigetsu were…something… Karin and Konan were sharing a tent and Suigetsu and Juugo were in another. Sai, the lucky bastard, had one to himself.

At this particular moment, Itachi and Deidara were somewhere out in the forest together and Karin, Suigetsu, and Juugo were speaking quietly around the remains of the small fire they'd started last night. Sai had gone off to get some supplies and talk to some contacts he said he had in the area.

The three left in camp looked up at her entrance.

"I thought you were going to check on Naruto, Konan." Juugo asked softly.

"I was, but, it turns out he and Sasuke were talking about something important. Naru-chan probably got Sasuke to tell him what happened when he was taken by Madara. He looked rather upset." She said. "But he should be alright. He's got Naru-chan to help him."

"I wouldn't have been so reassured to hear that before a few days ago. Konan, do you think something is going on between those two?" Karin asked.

"I don't know. Is there something going on between you and Suigetsu?" Karin blushed and Konan smirked. "To be honest, I don't think they even see it, but there's something more than friendship there. Anyway, I think we should go scout the area for a bit, see what's around, just in case we ever need to come back. It's a good meeting place, being so isolated."

They all nodded at her suggestion.

xXx

Deidara panted as he felt Itachi's hands move soothingly across his chest. "If this is the thanks I get when I save your little brother, I think I should do it more often."

They lay under the dark canopy of trees, naked bodies intertwined on a layer of clothes, coming down from their natural high. Deidara was playing with a strand of Itachi's black hair that fell into his face as he leaned back into the man's chest.

"You can have this treatment anytime you want 'dara, and you know it. I love you."

"And I you. But you haven't answered me yet. Are you going to stay with your brother this time? If you leave again, it'll break him. You wouldn't believe how many times he asked me about you after I mentioned that you were alive. If I'd known he hadn't known, I wouldn't have said anything."

"I won't leave this time. Besides, I think this is the right way to go about the war this time around. Naruto is smart. Smarter than I gave him credit for. I'd like to think that the nine-tails is giving him the knowledge and cunning he's been showing, but I don't believe that. He's much to mature for his age, even as a ninja. I don't like it."

"Maybe you should talk to Sasuke. He knows him best, after all."

"Maybe."

Deidara tilted his head back to capture Itachi's lips in a deep yet almost chaste kiss. "How about another round before we go back, 'tachi?"

"Mmm…I wouldn't object to that..."

At that, Itachi flipped them over. "But don't complain when the others comment on a limp."

Deidara smirked, breathless. "Never."

xXx

Sai nodded at the strongly built, older man.

"Thanks, Tazuna-san. We appreciate your help."

"It's the least I can do. Ask if Naruto will stop by later, please? Tell him we won't tell a soul, but we want to see him and Sasuke again before we leave for Konoha. We were supposed to leave today, but, hell, I want to see our heroes again. Tell him we'll help him any way we can."

"I'm sure he'll be glad to know that he already has allies. Thank you, again."

"No problem. Take care of yourselves."

Sai nodded and took off down the bridge back into town. Now, all he needed was to get some supplies to last them on their way to Sunagakure. They'd all agreed that they needed to make contact with as many of their sure allies as they could as soon as possible. Then they were off to Kumogakure to talk with another Bijuu host by the name of Killer Bee.