A/N: So, I'd like to take this time to point out that I, Lystee, have over 400 reviews!! Oh. Em. Gee!! Why, pray tell, do you people like these so much? lol.

Sasuke: Because they're all idiots, obviously.
Lystee: Sasuke...you're an asshole.
Sasuke: ...bitch.
Naruto: Be nice to her, she feeds me ramen in these one-shots! Believe it!
Lystee: ...have I?
Naruto: Um...
Sasuke: You're both idiots.
Lystee: Don't you have a hot blonde to blow or something?
Sasuke: ...
Naruto: ...who?
Lystee: ...have I ever told you how adorable you are, Naruto?
Naruto: Everyday, actually.
Lystee: (sigh) Would you rather have them hot and stupid or hot and emo?
Sasuke: Is that rhetorical?
Lystee: Well...we all know what you want, 'suke. (wiggles eyebrow)
Sasuke: ...shut up.

Anywho, on to the story!


One-Shot #70
Memento

The morning of Naruto's departure from Konoha, in which he'd be gone for two and a half years training with Jiraiya, the young

The morning of Naruto's departure from Konoha, in which he'd be gone for two and a half years training with Jiraiya, the young blonde took an hour for himself. He told Jiraiya he'd meet him in front of Ichiraku's at midday, giving Naruto just enough time to make it across town to get something he desperately needed.

Getting there wasn't the problem, as Naruto knew how to avoid people when he needed to; it was avoiding the friends he wouldn't see for years that was the hardest. He hid from Sakura and Ino, Kiba and Shino, and Hinata hiding behind a tree. Neji nearly saw him, but Naruto now knew where the Hyuuga's blind spot was. He hid well. Naruto finally arrived at his destination, without getting caught by any of his friends, and left out a sigh of relief.

Slipping into the window from the balcony outside, he landed soundless on the floor. The room was dark, bathed in shadows created by the small amount of light he'd made from the open window blowing the curtain. The small bed, covered in a blue comforter, was neatly made. The only thing different, out of place, was the Team Seven picture lying face down on the night stand.

Naruto walked toward it, a pang of sadness stabbing into his heart. Sasuke had flipped the picture over before leaving, so Naruto put it back in its original position. He breathing became shaky as he turned, hand still on the picture, to look around the dark room. Everything was how Sasuke had left it; a place for everything and everything in its place. The eerie silence that filled the room, instead of the usual light music only Naruto knew he played, was unnerving.

Sitting carefully on the foot of the bed, Naruto began seeing the flashback of his and Sasuke's last fight play through his mind. The words he'd thought but didn't say were screaming at him, begging to be let loose, to be heard. Naruto denied them now like he denied them then, when he should have said them. Sasuke meant everything to him, the world, but he wasn't enough for Sasuke. Sometimes Naruto thought that hurt worse than him actually leaving, that he just wasn't good enough to keep the Uchiha in Konoha.

Wiping a tear from his cheek, a tear Naruto didn't even know was there until the light caught it as it fell to the carpeted floor, he saw something sticking out from under the bed. Bending down to pick it up, he realized it was the outfit Sasuke had worn at the chuunin exams and after. It was the outfit Itachi had beaten him down in. Sasuke had apparently wanted to forget it existed.

He didn't know what made him do it, but he gathered the fabric in his hands and held it close to him, breathing in the pleasant scent of Sasuke. He didn't come to sniff one of Sasuke's outfits, he came to take the Team Seven picture as a memento. But Naruto left with something entirely different. He left with something that would smell like Sasuke until the scent faded and was replaced with his own. But, for a while, Naruto would have something to draw up many memories of his best friend…at least until he could drag his ass back home.

Nearly three years, and many life-or-death fights later, Naruto emptied his sack on the ground next to his bedroll. Lying next to him in his own bedroll was a very injured and weak Sasuke, who watched Naruto carefully. The blonde had managed, somehow, to find Sasuke after Itachi died. The youngest Uchiha was passed out due to chakra exhaustion and Naruto rescued him, hell-bent on forcing Sasuke back to Konoha. Sasuke didn't fight him, for once, and just let the blonde complete his lifelong promise.

When the black outfit fell from Naruto's sack, all bunched up and wrinkled from being jammed in the bottom for so long, Sasuke's eyes widened considerably. As did Naruto's, who tried a weak laugh and attempted to jam it back in the sack in a hurry. Sasuke gripped his wrist, forcing Naruto to stop, and pulled the garment closer to him.

"This is mine." Sasuke said, his voice still hoarse. Naruto just nodded. "Why'd you have it?"

Naruto scratched the back of his neck and glanced around the campsite. The others were all busy doing whatever they were doing, not paying attention to the two boys at all. Even Sakura was fussing over Sai, who wasn't badly injured but wasn't letting Sakura heal it all the same, and was ignoring Naruto's plight.

When the black eyes that were focused on him didn't give it up, he sighed. "I wanted something to remember you by."

It may have been the exhaustion and the relief that Itachi was, finally, dead that made it happen, but Naruto wasn't really complaining. Sasuke smiled a real smile and chuckled lightly.

"You're an idiot."

Naruto watched as Sasuke laid his outfit back on the sack and pulled the blanket tighter around him before closing his eyes. Relieved his friend wasn't angry, Naruto folded the outfit carefully and, after taking a deep sniff, shoved it back in his sack. It didn't really smell like Sasuke anymore, it smelled more of Naruto's dirty socks, but there was still a small trace of the shampoo and soap Sasuke used to use. It was enough, by any means, to draw up some very pleasant memories of the two of them.

Crawling onto his own bedroll, Naruto scooted himself close to Sasuke and closed his eyes. Sleep came easy to him that night because, for the first time in a long time, he had the Sasuke's fingers linked with his own as comfort. A memento he couldn't live without ever again.


Yeah...hope that was enjoyable!