Chapter Seven

"YATTA! We made it!" Naruto shouts, as they enter the Uchiha Compound. "Geez, do you have to be so loud?" Sasuke mumbles to himself, but is ignored by Naruto. "Wow, this is SUPER big! Like, wow, teme!" he exclaims, his eyes roaming everywhere at once. Sasuke rolls his eyes, even though it really stings.

"Hn. I didn't think it mattered when I was a child. What's it to you?" He asks, as Naruto leads him around the household. "I dunno. Where I come from, everything's so small. Y'know? Like a star." He looks past the window at the sky for emphasis. Sasuke stops. "That's...an odd thing to say," he admits eventually, staring at Naruto strangely.

"Is it, though? I mean, I always looked at them and thought of family. Sometimes I wonder...if they're there or not..." he says, and covers his mouth as if he said something he shouldn't.

"Naruto."

"..."

"Heh, it's nothing. Ahaha hah." He laughs and smiles, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. They seem sad. Sasuke knows that feeling all too well. Too bad he can't really see it when it's all so blurry.

"Don't lie to me, dobe. I lost mine. In this house. And I was only eight." he says, recalling the Uchiha Massacre. And how it all happened.

"Yeah, well," Naruto hesitates, and glares suddenly. "I was a baby when it happened! I never got to see them...EVER! A - and..." The words are choked, and Naruto is hyperventilating. Sasuke places a reassuring hand on his shoulder, but Naruto shoves it away. There are tears in his eyes.

"It was really...lonely. All I had as a home was Team Seven. You guys kept me going through the darkest of days. And now, and now you're... hurt. It's all of my fault. I wish I could've done something...something important..." Naruto angrily wipes away the tears, hiccupping slightly, "I...I kept it all in, 'cuz I wanted to be happy that everything worked out, b - but..."

"Sorry, I'm getting emotional. I'm just...really glad you're here." Naruto says, smiling brightly through his tears.

"As am I, Naruto. Now get going. I still have to set up everything for us today. And you're helping."

"Agh, you got anything? Like sake, or something?" Naruto asks, and Sasuke tosses him the bottle.

"I've got champagne. I'll only give you a little bit. It's easy to get addicted to alcohol, so don't overdose."

"I won't! I promise!

"Hmph, good. Well, here it is."