Love & Truth

9. Smiles, Tears

(Sasuke's POV)

I searched the whole mansion twice, yet there was no sign of Naruto anywhere. It seemed that he did not leave even a single one. He just disappeared. Along with his bag, few pieces of clothing and some other travelling necessities.

'Where did he go?'

I left the complex in a hurry and went to check the places he usually went to. From the Ichiraku's stand to his favourite observing place on a top of Fourth's head. But no, dobe simply disappeared into the thin air.

By the time I searched every place I could think of it was past noon and I was quite exhausted, so I returned to the mansion and managed to get some sleep.

This time however there were no flowery plains waiting for me.

L&T

(Neji's POV)

I looked at Naruto who still cried silently. One would think that he'd stop by now, but no. He cried even in his sleep. The desperation he was in was that intense. So intense that even he could not hide it. And he was experienced in doing so.

Seeing it, I could not even imagine the depths of his despair.

'Is this all a good idea?'

I've asked myself this question for like millionth time since we've left the village. That was three days ago, meaning that with the slower speed we went with – so Naruto would not strain himself too much - Suna was still about two day's travel far.

Seeing the despair Naruto was in I could not help, but wonder what would I do if something happened to Gaara... or our child.

I would be furious, but still I don't think it would be the same with what it was like for Naruto. After all, Gaara and I got together quite "normal" way. And we progressed slowly and steadily from strangers to lovers. Yes, there are obstacles bound to Gaara being Kazekage and Jinchuuriki and me having Byakugan and so, but still... All of it was different for us. Naruto went through a lot to get Sasuke to village and then to keep him there. He went to incredible lengths to prove that Sasuke has changed.

'And now, they're together for few months only and they have to split. Not knowing when or IF they'll see the other again.' It was cruel.

„Should we stop for a while?" I asked, seeing that Naruto looked quite exhausted already.

„Yes, please." he huffed only and slumped next to the nearest tree to where he was when he said it. I had to chuckle at that.

„Naruto? What are you planning to do once you leave Suna?" I asked carefully. It was Hokage-sama who wanted me to ask him this, but I was curious also.

„I don't know... I'll stay at some forgotten village for now. And once I'll start to show more I'll probably use henge and pass through the rest as a girl... Though I'll still probably have to return to our village once the due date will be close. I can't actually make it alone, nor can I simply get a midwife, it'll need to be Tsunade-baa..." he sighed at the last sentence. I could see that if it was on him, he would have never left, but sadly enough he was not allowed to make the decision this time.

'He's really thought about it.' crossed my mind as I listened to his plan.

„That's a good plan you have." I acknowledged.

„The question is whether it will work."

'That's truth also.' I did not say this out loud though.

I looked at Naruto who now closed his eyes and exposed himself to the sun. It was reflecting on the tears that still flowed from his eyes. It seemed as if he was not aware of it anymore.

These silent tears of his just continued to fall.

L&T

We reached Suna in two days just as I expected us to. For guards it took only one glance to let me pass. After all I've been a frequent visitor, lately. As for Naruto it was more difficult. When they asked about him I told them that he came with me. They eyed him suspiciously. I did not blame them, Naruto did not speak a word for all the time we stood there and on the top of that he still cried.

'Where does all that water come from?' I had to wonder.

In the end the guards just let it be and we went to the Kazekage tower to meet Gaara.

L&T

(Gaara's POV)

I was impatient as I waited for Neji's arrival. I got a message from him, few days ago, saying that he'll come today. He also mentioned something about one more person coming with him.

'Who would that be?'

I so wanted to go and wait for him somewhere else, somewhere nearer, but I couldn't go anywhere. My condition did not allow me to. Being past seventh month already brought its disadvantages. One of them was my restricted movement.

'Thanks god I did not suffer from morning sickness.' I thought.

As I ruminated about all that came with pregnancy I heard a soft knocking.

'Your lover boy is here.' I heard Shukaku chuckle.

'Shut up.' I thought in response, as I invited Neji in.

Once I've seen him, I got up from the couch to greet him. His expression seemed a bit strange however.

„What..."

I did not even finish that sentence as I noticed just who was standing behind Neji. The guest he spoke about.

„Naruto..."

'So he really is pregnant, huh?'

It took one glance at him to know just how he takes being separated from his lover in such circumstances.

„Come in." I sighed, stepping aside so the two of them could enter. Neji smiled weakly and came to my side silently.

As for Naruto, he only nodded and headed to sit on a couch, the trail of tears he shed following his steps.

L&T

(Third Person's POV)

„Twins?" Gaara asked taken aback a bit as he listened to Naruto's story.

Naruto nodded and continued. „... I was sure of that from the time I knew about the pregnancy, actually."

„I thought that Kyuubi does not speak to you." Gaara said.

„She still doesn't talk to me, I knew because of something else. You know, me and Sasuke, we have a connection formed..."

„Connection?" Neji, who sat beside Gaara, asked.

„Yes. We can speak to each other through our dreams."

„How is that even possible?" Both of listeners asked.

„Well... I'm not too sure myself, actually... but I can try to explain... I suppose you know that Sasuke had the Cursed seal on him?" This question was met with nod from both. „The Cursed seal Sasuke has is a sort of demon. It can either stay in strong container or destroy the weak one and move on. Kind of what Bijuu do... The thing is that Kyuubi and this demon formed a way to communicate with each other by forming a connection, mainly using Kyuubi's chakra. That way I and Sasuke got to speak to each other in dreams when he was ... away." Naruto stayed silent for a moment, recalling painful memories and then continued. „We did not know that until not too long ago though. We both just thought we had dreams about the other. We did not realize that we actually spoke, back then."

„That sounds kind of complicated... but back to the topic, how did you know about children being twins?" Neji asked. He only heard fragments from Naruto and from Hokage also, but he never got to the whole picture of this problem.

„Well... The place we meet in reflects my mind's and body's condition. There always were tons of flowers and one fully grown ever-blooming Sakura tree... Now, there are tons of flowers, one fully grown ever-blooming Sakura tree and two other sprouts of Sakura trees." Naruto stated, scratching the back of his head.

„That makes sense."

„I'd know sooner or later anyway. Because there being two children caused me not to skip the morning-sickness part of pregnancy." Naruto sighed. „You better be damn glad you escaped that, Gaara." He added smiling sadly.

„Naruto? I heard only something from Tsunade-hime... But did I get it right that Sasuke does not know about your pregnancy?" Neji asked, breaking the silence that took its place.

„I was not allowed to tell him." Naruto whispered and tried to stop the tears that still came down his cheeks in streams by pressing his hands onto his eyes. „Tsunade-baa said it would be better like that."

„But that means..." Gaara could not even bring himself to finish that sentence, not knowing what effect it might have on his friend.

'... That if I ever see Sasuke again, it probably won't be sooner than half a year ahead.' Naruto thought, but did not say the thought out loud. It would be as if he accepted that fate as granted.

Gaara felt sorry for his friend, he knew that if he was not a Kazekage he would be in a very similar position as Naruto was.

Looking out of the window Neji saw that it got dark already.

„We should continue this tomorrow, don't you two think?"

Both of Jinchuurikis nodded once noticing the sky's colour also. Neji offered a hand to help Gaara up, which the red-head accepted gratefully.

Naruto averted his eyes from the two. Even such a simple gesture of gentleness caused a wave of grief to crash onto his heart.

L&T

Two weeks time skip

(Naruto's POV)

I woke up from a dreamless slumber only to dash into the bathroom.

'Guh. Just how much I hate this.' I though as I emptied my stomach.

After the waves of nausea stopped I did the usual. Brushed my teeth, tried to fix my appearance a bit... and so.

Just as I returned to the room I heard a knock on the door.

„Come in."

Once I said so a woman with a tray of food came in. She placed the food onto the table and excused herself. I still was not used to how things went here. And I was here for half a month already, Gaara convinced me to stay for the time being.

I did not think about it twice though and dug into the food. When I was like halfway through I heard knocking once more.

„Come in."

I saw Gaara enter the room. He was accompanied by Neji. The Hyuuga did not leave his side by now, worrying about his almost-eight-months-pregnant lover. The gentleness of it was killing me.

Gaara noticed my look, but instead of digging into it he pointed at the food.

„It'll taste salty, you know?"

„Your sense of humour sucks." I muttered only and continued eating.

„I'm well known for that." Gaara only smiled and sat on a chair beside mine. He then turned serious all of sudden.

„Naruto? How many people know of the pregnancy?"

I sighed and counted in my head.

„Five, I think. That's you, Neji, Tsunade-baa, Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-sensei also, probably."

„Probably?" Neji, who stood by the door, asked.

„Well, he and Iruka-sensei are lovers, and I told him that if it will be easier for him he may share it with Kakashi-sensei also, not directly, but I think he understood it... Besides it's not like Kakashi-sensei is someone who I do not trust."

„You're right..."

I finished eating and took a cup of tea in my hands, once I tried to taste it I shuddered. It really was salty. Gaara must have noticed.

„Ahem... Naruto? Shouldn't you just stop it somehow?" he said hesitantly, pointing at my tear-stained cheeks.

I only smiled weakly in response. „It's not like I did not try it. It just does not want to... stop..." I trailed off a bit then started crying for real.

„I want to see him..." I said through the tears. „So very much."

Gaara took one of my hands into his and lifted my chin so I'd look at him.

„Naruto... Can't you... speak to him? ... You know in those dreams of yours... Maybe you'd feel better if you did."

„You're right... probably... but not today... it would be pitch black there tonight."

L&T

Another two weeks time skip

(Third Person's POV)

„I know you know where Naruto is!" The Uchiha raised his voice at the Hokage, who sat on her chair calmly. „Where did you send him?"

„How can you know that he just did not run from you?" She smirked.

„First, Naruto would never do something like that. Second, he's been gone for more than a whole fucking month already. There is just no way he wouldn't tell anyone about it. And I am sure as hell he told you."

'For once Naruto's personality does not work for my advantage.' The woman thought.

„Okay, okay, so I sent him off, but believe me, it's better if you don't know where he is at the moment."

„Why!"

„It's for his safety."

'Their safety.' Tsunade thought. She could not say it out loud though.

„And why didn't he tell me?" Sasuke continued, his rage cooling down a bit.

„I forbid him from telling you about it."

'That's why he was acting so strange?' crossed Sasuke's mind.

„For how long, will he need to be gone?"

„I'm not sure, yet."

„Why can't I be by his side when he's in danger?" Sasuke whispered.

The blonde woman only looked sadly at the raven. He went through so much despair in his life. Naruto also did that was why they were so ideal for each other. They knew the hardships someone has to go through until he's recognized. Until he is loved. And yet there were circumstances that made two people like these two separate. They needed each other.

That however was something that was not possible now.

L&T

(Sasuke's POV)

I came from the Hokage tower emotionally exhausted.

I slumped onto the bed, not even bothering to change out of my clothes and fell asleep.

What a surprise it was for me to find myself in the well-known scenery. I was not able to see it since Naruto disappeared. There was something off, though. And it was not just that the light source came from the ever-blooming Sakura tree now. It was something else. And it did not take me too long to get it.

'It's raining.'

That certainly was strange. It never rained here.

I went to the direction of the Sakura tree only to see a silhouette hidden behind it.

„T-Teme?"

'How I missed that voice.'

„Naruto..."

I went closer to him, but was stopped suddenly.

„Don't come here!"

That I did not expect.

„Why?"

„It hurts." he whispered.

„What hurts?" I asked, worried, taking another step. He did not seem to notice.

„Being with you hurts, being without you hurts..." he mumbled.

„Then why are you torturing yourself?" I asked, taking another step when he was not looking.

„Because this is not just about me!... It no longer is..."

It was not until I took another step that I saw that he cried.

'Is this what the rain means?' I realized.

„Naruto..."

I saw him fall onto his knees and then bury his face into his hands.

„I can't take this anymore..." he cried.

In a second I was by his side, wrapping my arms around his shivering figure.

„Naruto, love, what's wrong? Tell me."

„I ... I can't..." He said between the sobs.

I did not push the topic any further, knowing that it would not be helpful in any way.

We stayed like that for what seemed like hours. It took a long time to calm Naruto enough for him to breathe normally. The tears did not stop, however.

„Naruto... How much more?" I asked after a long silence.

„I don't know." he mumbled in response.

„I can't take this for too long also, you know?" I sighed and pulled him into a tight embrace. He seemed startled by that.

'Did he gain weight?' I thought as I circled my arms around his waist.

„I-I-I have to go..." he stuttered suddenly and pulled from my grip. He then disappeared in a whirlwind of flowers.

I looked at the place he stood at, just a second ago, and frowned.

'What was this about?'

The place seemed too gloomy without Naruto, however, so I decided that it is my time to go also.

I took few steps into the field of black flowers. As the flowers were encircling me I looked back at the Sakura tree.

Then just as first flowers started to block my view I noticed something.

'Was it just me or were there more sources of light?'

L&T

I woke up confused.

'What was all that about?' I wondered.

I got up from the bed and headed to the kitchen.

As I walked through the corridor I felt as if the mansion wanted to crush me. Such a heavy atmosphere was there. I should have been used to it, but no.

Every time Naruto was here it was lifted, as if it was never here. It was replaced with a warm feeling of content I had whenever I was with him.

Once he was gone, however, the strained, heavy and suffocating atmosphere returned in its full force.

By the time I got into kitchen I felt like pushing the first knife I'll find through my heart.

'What a hopeless person I've became.' I chuckled at myself.

Once I returned to the bedroom I realized that I did not sleep that much and fell asleep once again.

L&T

I found myself in a white space. There was nothing before me, only whiteness. I turned around and saw someone in the distance.

I ran there, wanting to ask just what this meant. As I came closer, however, I slowed down.

There were two children looking at me, with their black eyes.

'I've seen them already, didn't I?' I thought, trying to catch shards of dream that I had some time ago.

„You forgot about us?" the blonde boy asked.

„That's mean." the black-haired continued.

They then looked at each other and started to giggle.

I looked at them and suddenly noticed that I'm holding something. When I looked at it I saw two blossoms on my palm. Then I remembered.

„You gave me these, didn't you?"

„We did." both boys said in unison.

„And what is their meaning then?"

„You have to..."

„...think of it yourself."

As they completed each other's sentence they started to giggle again.

„Oh, god who raised the two of you?" I sighed in defeat.

'There is just no way to get something out of them.' I rambled in my head.

„No one did... yet."

L&T

As I woke up, suddenly a lots and lots of different memories swirled in my head.

Our last night together... He behaved strange... He knew he had to leave...

That time I found him retching in the bathroom.

How exhausted he was after even regular sparring.

Then the memories turned to more detailed ones.

'Did he gain weight?' I thought as I circled my arms around his waist.

„The tree symbolises heart, if it is blooming it means my heart still beats. One tree, one heart."

'Was it just me or were there more sources of light?'

„No one did... yet."

I clasped my hand onto my mouth and stared wide-eyed before me.

„Oh my god."

L&T

(Third Person's POV)

Sasuke waited until it was later morning, before he went to the Hokage tower. He did not rush. He did not need to.

Once he reached the village head's office he knocked. When he was invited in he entered.

The blonde woman sitting behind the desk that had huge piles of papers on it, sighed at the sight of the raven.

„Sasuke... Do you want to damage my hearing second time?"

„Is the place where Naruto is at safe?" the raven asked, ignoring woman's question.

She cocked her eyebrow at this. There was something different about how Sasuke acted yesterday and today. There was more confidence in what he said.

„Is. The. Place. Safe?" he repeated.

„It is." She replied.

'Though I can't guarantee where exactly he is right now.' She added in her mind.

„Good then..." The raven said only and looked as if about to leave, but then he turned around to face the woman once more.

„One more thing, Tsunade-hime."

'He knows!' That was what the woman thought immediately once she got called by this title by this Uchiha, it was never something good.

„Naruto, he... He's pregnant, isn't he?"

Ohoho~

Soooo? What do you think about it? :3

It's done... I'b~ zooo~ habbii~ (TT3TT)/

Review please ( *.*)=b

See ya~ ( "-.-)/