Love & Truth

12. Black Charcoal, White Paper

(Ayame-san's POV)

I now watched Namida-san for over a week already.

She was still the same, staring blankly into the space. There was no recognition of her surroundings in the eyes that still shed tears.

She really seemed as if her mind was in some different dimension. I even had to feed her, as I did not want her to suffer from malnutrition or worse, lose her children. I was sure she would deeply regret it later.

On the tenth day, as she stared out into the garden through the window, I saw her dragging her finger across the table she sat by.

I did not know what was she doing at first, but then it hit me. She was drawing. The lines of what she was seeing in her current state were being drawn invisibly onto the surface before her. So I gave it a try and borrowed some drawing materials from Haru. Nothing much, only a piece of charcoal, which I put into her hand, and paper, which I placed before her.

I was honestly surprised with the outcome.

'It's good.' I thought as I studied the picture she made.

It was quite detailed scenery that showed seemingly endless flowery plain. There was a full-grown damaged Sakura tree in the middle and also two smaller seemingly healthy ones beside it.

Aside from these there was a figure also. A black-haired man who had his back turned to "me".

'Must be her lover.' I realized after pondering about it for a while.

'Seems like a man about her age, if I guess correctly... They must have been friends before.' I thought as I studied the drawing.

'Why? Why did it end up like this for them?' I had to wonder. I was sure that all this was because of this lover of hers. She was screaming his name in her sleep every night.

'Sasuke…san?...Why did he decide to leave her? She may have really killed herself if not for that insanely effective healing ability…'

I placed another paper in front of Namida-san and watched her draw. It was the same scenery, but the setting was different. There were two children under the Sakura tree, which was in its full strength. Also… the smaller trees were missing.

I recognized one of children as that lover of hers and the other as her... well, him. I knew already what Namida-san's real gender was. I was not used to it too much though.

I realized that the boy must have used one of those "jutsu" making his appearance as that of woman. After all pregnant women were nothing unusual. That way he was more hidden.

Right now though his jutsu wore off and he had his real appearance.

There were many things changed, but those eyes… those eyes that were now mirroring outside world only… those eyes were always his. Blue as the sky.

I took a look at Namida-san…

'What is his real name?' suddenly occurred to me. I was sure that "Namida" was not his real name, he said so himself…

I only sighed again, realizing just how little I actually knew about this boy, who now sat silently on his chair, not having to do anything, since I took last paper.

I sighed once more and took another paper, placing it in from him.

This time he hesitated a bit, as if he was not sure whether he really wanted to draw what he was seeing.

I watched this for a while and then left.

'After all nothing awful can happen if I leave her... him for a few minutes only, right?'

L&T

(Neji's POV)

I knocked on the door but no one answered, which seemed like a bad signal.

„Who are you?" I heard a voice from behind me say.

„Excuse me I am looking for Na-...mida-san." I replied, quickly covering my almost mistake.

„Are you a friend of hers, maybe?"

„Yes, I am."

„Prove it." The woman said, not sharply, but with a concern.

„And how do you want me to prove it?"

„What about... Where did Namida-san and her lover meet up?"

'In dreams, but I doubt she means that... wait, how did Naruto say the scenery look?'

„On flowery plains... under a Sakura tree..."

„Right answer..." the woman smiled. „I would not know actually, since Namida-san never told me, but figured as much from drawings she made."

„Drawings?... So you do know where can I find her?" I asked the initial question once more.

„I can take you to her, but..." The woman nodded softly.

„What...? Did something happen to her? Is she all right?"

'Were Gaara's worries on right place, maybe?'

„She does not recognize her surroundings... she seems as if she was cut out of present time and wanders somewhere in dreamland, well, more like past, I'd guess… It started, when her partner broke up with her, or so I suppose from what I heard her say, before she went like this. Also... She usually screams his name from her sleep… and… I don't think anything else would have affected her like this... this much."

„They ... broke ... up?" I said slowly, trying to grasp the meaning of these words.

'Something is definitely not right here... Sasuke would never just break up with Naruto... '

„Can you take me to where she is?" I asked, choosing my words carefully. I was really worried about Naruto, I had to look at what state is he in.

„Yeah sure… You seem trustworthy enough… though… those eyes of yours are somewhat creeping me a bit…" She added silently.

„Ah… sorry…" I said, realizing that my Byakugan was activated the whole time we were talking. Safety reasons, one never knew when another of those Missing Nin would appear.

'They must not be used to this here.' I thought as I let the veins around my eyes take their normal – not too visible – state.

The woman sighed in relief when they did.

I only chuckled at that.

L&T

(Haru's POV)

There is a miss staying in our house.

She is called Namida-san, Haru calls her Namida-nee-chan though. She has such a name probably because she cries a lot.

Namida-nee-chan is being even sadder lately. And she won't speak to Haru even if he calls.

Mama gave her Haru's drawing things today and Namida-nee-chan started drawing.

What beautiful, but sad, pictures she made.

Mama left a while ago and Namida-nee started drawing again.

There were no flowers this time. She started drawing some man instead.

I think I know who he is.

He is the one Namida-nee misses.

Namida-nee told Haru about him, he was the one she called "her beloved" and also "her one and only love"… Haru thinks that means that she must be very hurt by not being able to be with him. Very lonely. Haru never found the courage to ask though.

Namida-nee-chan started sniffling.

Haru got surprised by that… She was very… what did mama call it?... apo- apa-… apati… not herself these last days.

Namida-nee started crying even heavier. Haru was not sure what to do…

Namida-nee-chan took the not finished drawing of her "beloved's" picture and held it close to where heart is and wailed loudly.

Haru took few steps so he was next to her and stood on the chair so he would reach Namida-nee.

Haru petted her hair, but she did not seem to calm down. Haru thinks she did not even know he was there.

When Haru got really very worried about Namida-nee and started crying also, was only a small moment before mama and some unknown guy came rushing.

L&T

(Neji's POV)

We heard cries long before we reached the house.

I heard them first, and a second later Ayame-san did.

Her eyes suddenly widened.

„Again?" she said softly, sounding worried. She started running in the direction, of what I thought was, her house. I followed her, of course.

We came through main door and headed to where those cries were coming from.

We found Naruto clutching some piece of paper to his heart, being comforted by a little boy who I assumed was Ayame-san's son.

Ayame-san was the first one to react.

„Namida-san!" She yelled as she rushed to be by his side.

Naruto turned his eyes to her, but did not look at her. Those eyes of his looked as if they were looking through her, to somewhere in the distance.

I watched Ayame-san, as she tried to calm down both, her own child and Naruto who seemed as if on the brink of collapse.

„Help me with him!"

'She knows?' I realized as soon as she said this, but I decided not to dig into it any further and came closer to her.

„Try to snap him out of it somehow… I have to calm down Haru." She said, carrying her son in her arms away from the room.

I could not help, but look at Naruto with pity. He seemed so different from his usual self.

His eyes lacked the shine they usually had, they looked more gray than blue. His skin was getting a ghastly colour. He also lost a lot of weight, which made his heavily obviously pregnant mid-section stand out even more so.

I kneeled next to him and sighed.

'Snap him out of it… seems like it's easier said than done…'

I tried usual things, but none of them seemed to work. When I was at the end of my wit I tried something that had the most effect on him.

I tried to take away the picture he held.

He did not snap out of it though, if something it only made it worse. He started backing away from me as I reached for the picture and started shaking his head furiously.

„Naruto…" I whispered, taken aback by his reaction.

At the sound of his name he flinched. I thought he was going to put up more fuss but surprisingly enough not. He only silently and blankly looked at me.

'Ah, that's true… no one calls him with his name here.' I realized.

„Naruto." I said a bit more loudly, it caused the same reaction as before.

„Naruto!"

I kept calling his name until I saw a glint of recognition in his eyes.

„Ne… ji…"

He said only that much and passed out.

L&T

(Ayame-san's POV)

I finally calmed Haru down and went back to the living room, where Namida-san and his friend, Neji-san, were.

Just as I entered the room I saw her collapse, only to be caught in Neji-san's arms.

„Is he going to be all right?" I worried.

„He seems a bit better now." Neji-san said only and took Namida-san in his arms.

„Where should I take him?"

I lead him to the room for guests where Namida-san usually slept. He placed him on the bed that was there, covering him with a blanket right after.

Neji-san then took the drawing over which Namida-san cried so much from his arms.

„Wow… this is quite accurate." He whistled.

I took a peek and saw young raven-haired man, he looked handsome, but there was something in his eyes that told me that he is not just pretty face only.

Under the portrait there was "teme" written in small signs.

„Teme?" I asked out loud.

„Ah this, that's how Naruto calls him. Sasuke is teme, and he is being called dobe in response. Sweet isn't it?" He asked smirking.

„Ahem… Naruto-san? Is that Namida-san's real name?"

„Yes… Uzumaki Naruto, the Jinchuuriki of Kyuubi, the nine tailed fox, and the only son of our fourth Hokage Namikaze Minato. Uzumaki Naruto Konoha's number one unpredictable ninja."

„You speak quite fondly of him, I was not wrong when I thought of you as his friend then?"

„Yeah, we've known each other for a long time, and in last half a year we became even closer, he is my fiancé's best friend."

„Fiancé? Some cute lady maybe?"

At this question he started laughing.

„Did I say something wrong?"

„I just imagined what my fiancé would do to you if he heard you… especially lately it is very touchy subject to call him a "lady"." He smiled.

„Lately?" I only asked, deciding to skip the isue of his fiancé being a guy entirely.

„He gave me a son, not too long ago. He has the ability to bear children, just as Naruto does. It is due to the demon they have inside their bodies. My lover carries the one-tailed racoon Shukaku."

„Ah sorry I did not know that. I thought Namida-san, pardon, Naruto-san was a woman until not too long ago so I never had the chance to ask him about it."

„He is not very popular in our village, sadly enough I have to say. Even after he's done so many good things for it. A lot of older villagers don't see Naruto, they see the demon inside him. And as for younger generation… ladies don't like him very much for taking their beloved Uchiha… they think Naruto cursed him or something."

„Uchiha?" Even someone as unaware about shinobi world as me has already heard about this clan.

„Yes, Sasuke Uchiha, the only Uchiha left… wait no… there are more of them now." Neji-san smiled pointing to Naruto-san.

„Yeah."

I then looked back at the picture before my eyes. The picture of the man who Naruto-san loves more than his own life.

It seemed as if it was mocking me.

That black charcoal on that white paper.

L&T

(Sasuke's POV)

I sneezed out of nothing, making my hair even more of a mess than it already was as I jerked my head because of it.

'Someone is talking about me.' I thought bitterly, looking at the ghost of myself in the mirror in front of me.

'Is that really me?' I had to wonder. 'Maybe some imposter…'

'Or maybe you after not sleeping normally for last two weeks?' The ever-present voice in my head had to add.

'If you were a person I would have beaten you already.' I growled back, meeting with laughter only. The demon shut up after that.

I walked through the house in the direction of the bedroom.

I was exhausted, really, and I planned to get some sleep.

'I wish I could see dobe…' I thought as I fell onto the bed. Then I had to laugh at my own stupidity. 'It was me who decided to do it like this. There must have been a different way…'

'Really... How selfish can I get?'

L&T

(Third person's POV)

To Sasuke's surprise he really appeared in the ever blooming field he and Naruto usually met up at. He looked around and saw a Sakura tree in the distance. Giving it not too much of a thought he ran to the tree.

As he was getting nearer and neared he saw that it was damaged. It was practically split in two and its branches were broken. I was a pitiful sight to look at.

„Dobe?" Sasuke asked hesitantly.

Not getting any answer, he went to two little Sakura's that were peaking from the shadow of the tree.

There he saw his beloved curled into a small ball poking into one of the trees which were the symbols of their children.

„Dobe?"

Still no answer came, so he walked so he'd see Naruto eye to eye.

He was really shocked over the change he saw.

„Ah… dobe…" He said silently, sitting next to his beloved, stroking his blonde hair softly.

„I'm so sorry… please forgive me…" Sasuke repeated over and over.

However the blonde was still unresponsive, which made the raven even sadder.

„Naruto…"

The name has power. That is what some say. And really it was only after hearing his name being spoken that Naruto seemed to take his surroundings in a bit.

„Sa…suke…" He said hesitantly. „What a nice dream for once…" He muttered silently.

„What dreams were you having?" Sasuke asked, seizing his opportunity to know at least something.

„Lot… of bad dreams… Babies killed… you…" Naruto trailed off, not wanting to remember.

Sasuke wanted to ask more, but the was Naruto behaved made him stop, it did not seem as a good idea to overstress Naruto.

„Are you taking care of yourself?"

„Taking… care? Why? It is so beautiful here… I don't leave here too much… but Neji came today… what is today?"

'He really seems out of it…' Sasuke thought bitterly.

„Ah dobe…" He whispered, taking the pregnant boy into his arms. He was alarmed over how skinny the blonde was.

„Naruto… you have to promise me something…"

„What is it… teme?"

„You have to take care of yourself… no… you must take care fo yourself… think about our children… please…"

„Babies…Yes… Our babies." Naruto whispered, feeling the shape of his rounded stomach with his hand, which was quickly covered by mine.

„You don't want them hurt, don't you?"

„Hurt?" Naruto echoed, scared.

„They may even die if you don't take care of yourself…"

„Die? I don't want them to die…" Naruto said, sniffling.

„You have to wake up, then…"

„Wake… up…?"

„You've been trapped in this dream for way too long…" Sasuke said hugging Naruto even tighter. So tight, that his body started to crumble into flowers, that signalled blonde's departure.

„Naruto…I love you… I always will…" Sasuke said, just before Naruto left.

Even so he saw the surprise in blonde's eyes.

I'm dead…

For real… I can't … I'm too tired… I will probably just go to sleep. (-.-) ~(Zzz)

Anyway as always I'll be happy if you give me a review (^o^)=b

Also since I won't upload till after a week or so... MERRY CHRISTMAS~ :D

(A/N - 3rd Apr. 2013 - chapters 11+12 self-beta-ed, corrections made)

See ya~ ( "-.-)/