A/N: Guess who's back! Back again! Dungeon's back! Tell a friend! Guess who's back, guess who's back, guess who's *coughs**clears throat* Well, that's enough of that. Anyway! Here's another chapter for you lovelies! I've been doing much better on updates lately *pats self on back*. Mostly decided to get this chapter done tonight since I was hungover and didn't plan on leaving my house at all, for any reason, no matter what. Haha *sweat-drop* yeah, it was an all-day-pajama-day. Halloween gets pretty fun in your twenties, let me tell you. Cosplayed as Itachi and screamed "Fire Style! Fire-ball jutsu!" every time I took a shot of fireball whiskey. I don't know, I think I'm funny. Anyways, thanks so much for the reviews, you're all so wonderful to me and you really get me pumped and motivated to write. I love you all dearly!
DISCLAIMER: Kishi-sensei owns these dudes. I do not.
~0~o~0~
When the three Shinobi entered Kakashi's office, he was seated at his desk with his fingertips pressed against his temples. He looked up as he heard the door open and rose from his seat, greeting them with a silent nod before walking around the desk and leaning against the front of it, hands in pockets.
"Sasuke, Naruto..." He ran a hand through his hair, not breaking eye contact. "We've got a real big mess on our hands."
Naruto swallowed nervously, stealing a glance at Sasuke, who stealed his face with indifference. "Does this have something to do with-" He paused and looked to Sai, careful not to reveal anything, just in case.
"Sai is the person I had gathering intel from the ANBU." Kakashi stated. "He's discovered quite a bit in the short time that he's been assigned this mission. That's what I wanted to talk to you about."
Sasuke tensed, careful not to let his face betray him. There was a good chance that Naruto would freak out, someone had to stay calm. "So." He said. "What kind of information did he gather?"
"Sai?" Kakashi prompted. The other nodded and turned towards his comrades.
"Right. Well, Sasuke, it seems they don't want you back here." He said simply.
"They don't?" Sasuke said with mock surprise. "Get to the point already." He rolled his eyes, placing a hand on his hip.
"You shouldn't be so rude, Uchiha. It isn't helping your case much. No wonder-"
"Sai! Just get on with it. I am in no mood for arguing." Kakashi said, exhaustion evident in his tone. He was getting too old for this shit.
"Yes, Hokage-sama. My apologies." He smiled creepily, although genuine. "Anyway, as I was saying, they don't want you here. And by that, I mean, they're trying to drive you away from the village."
"I told you!" Naruto shouted, tugging at Sasuke's arm.
"Shut up, dobe." Sasuke pushed the blond away, turning back to Sai. "Continue."
"The plan is to make you leave of your own accord. That attack was meant to anger you enough that you'd abandon the village again. If that first attack didn't work, they planned to continue them until you got fed up with it and decided that being here wasn't worth it. And, if you were to leave, you'd be back to your 'missing nin' status and you would be emprisoned if caught."
"I assumed as much. Did you find out anything useful?" Sasuke asked in a bored tone.
"Well, seems you were right to suspect your therapist."
Kakashi lowered his head and Naruto turned to Sasuke, guilt written all over his face. Sasuke snorted and crossed his arms arrogantly. Well, surprise, surprise. Why didn't anyone ever listen to him?
"The medication was part of the plan too. What she was giving you, wasn't just designed for a chemical imbalance in the brain, as she led you to believe. It was actually a chakra supressant mixed with a mood stabilizer. That's why you were so drained all the time. And that's why you couldn't eat or sleep. The chakra suppressent intensified the side effects of the drug. The idea was to make you weak, robbing you of the ability to fight back."
"I fucking knew something was up with that..." Sasuke said quitely to himself.
Naruto scratched the back of his head and shuffled his feet around. He started thinking that maybe he should start listening to Sasuke more. "So that stuff really was hurting more than helping, huh?" His guilt turned to anger in a matter of seconds. "That bitch! Just wait 'til I get my hands on her! I'll throw a Rasen-Shuriken right at her stupid face!"
"Calm down, Naruto. You aren't going to confront her. Got that?" Kakashi said authoritively.
"But, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto whined, throwing his arms out.
"Be quiet and listen, dobe." Sasuke said, smacking the back of his head.
"Are you finished?" Sai asked, somehow sounding rather polite. The blond nodded. "That isn't all there is to it either. That's just the beginning. As of right now, the members of this ANBU group are arguing over whether or not they should go behind that woman's back and just kill Sasuke." Naruto gasped and was about to say something when Sasuke held up a hand to silence him. "Furthermore, they've got their friends and families convinced that Sasuke is up to something. Even I do not know the identities of these people."
"So, what you're saying is that there are people planted all over the village who are determined to drive me away? It's not just my therapist and the ANBU, there are others in on the plan as well?"
"Exactly. Although, they don't know anything about the actual plan itself, they're only being brainwashed to drive you away."
"That explains a few encounters I've had." Sasuke said thoughtfully.
"But the thing I find the most troubling is what they have planned if Sasuke were to somehow withstand the drugs and attacks and stay in the village." He shared a look with Kakashi and cleared his throat. "Sasuke...they've been watching you. I think you know what that means."
Sasuke's heart stopped. The blood in his veins froze and his hands began to shake. Fuck!
Screw keeping his composure. "They've been watching me?!" His voice cracked slightly, too concerned with this information to really care. "How did I not notice...how did they...fuck!" He looked at Naruto and saw the look of horror on his face. He may not be the brightest guy, but even he could put two and two together.
"So..." Naruto said quietly. "They, um, know? A-about...um..." He looked to Kakashi, blushing furiously. He wondered what his former sensei must think of him now and inwardly cringed at the thought of him knowing.
"They do." Kakashi confirmed. He looked from the blond to the raven and sighed. "What you two have going on between you is about to become a huge problem. Sai, tell them..."
"They plan to expose the two of you. They're determined to spread the word and manipulate the villagers into thinking it's perverted and wrong. Sasuke, your reputation is already stained, but they plan to detroy Naruto's as well. And, considering a homosexual relationship is already taboo, it won't take much to convince people. They'll go on about what a terrible example it would be for Naruto to become Hokage while in a relationship with another male. They'll say that you corrupted him and pulled him into your perverted lifestyle."
"No...God dammit, this is exactly what I was trying to avoid!" Sasuke clenched his fists, gritting his teeth. "Fuck!"
"B-but...maybe people will be more understanding than we think. I told Gaara...and he was accepting...and the other's from our academy days...they're okay with it too..." Naruto sounded hopeful, although his expression looked more fearful.
"That's because they know the two of you on a personal level." Kakashi said. "Not to mention, they're from a different generation. I can confirm that not everyone will view it the same way."
"It's true." Sai agreed. "The ANBU members were absolutely disgusted. And I'm willing to bet they won't be the only ones to feel that way. For a man to lay with another man is taboo. These ANBU are absolutely determined to destroy Naruto's chance at becoming Hokage, and tear Sasuke down until he's at his breaking point. I'm convinced they'll succeed. Sasuke, you're not mentally stable enough to-"
"Shut up!" Sasuke shouted, shoving sai. "Fuck you! I'm not letting this happen...I'll fucking kill them before they get the chance to destroy Naruto's dream! He's worked way too hard for this and I'm not going to let them ruin it! After that, I'll leave. They all expect me to betray the village anyway. I don't care what happens to me, I don't care if I go back to being a wanted criminal-"
"Sasuke, stop!" Naruto grabbed Sasuke's arm and locked eyes, a pleading desperation in his own. "You can't! I won't let you throw everything away! Not after I worked so hard to bring you back!"
Sasuke ripped his arm from the blond's clutches, his eyes darkening. "You don't deserve to lose your dream. I've already fucked up my life. I never should have gotten involved with you. It was selfish and theres no way anything good could come from this."
Naruto looked like a kicked puppy. "N-nothing good could come from this? What are you saying? I thought..."
"It doesn't matter how we feel, Naruto. This can't work. Not if it means you could lose your chance at being Hokage. I'm not worth that."
"Are you breaking up with me?" Naruto asked, feeling himself go numb. Was this seriously happening right now? "Please don't! We'll make them understand! We can-"
"Enough." Sasuke snapped. "There are some things you just can't fix with words."
"If I could get through to Nagato, Obito, and you, then I can definitely convince people that there's nothing wrong with us! I'll even convince them that they can trust you! We can fix this! Don't give up...please..." He blinked back tears, clutching the raven's arm.
"Could you two do this later?" Kakashi asked, sighing. "And, Sasuke, you are not assasinating a team of ANBU and you are not leaving the village again. After everything Naruto and I did to help you be accepted back here, you're not throwing it away. We'll figure something else out. Both you and Naruto need to stay out of this. Do not make any decisions you'll regret. The only reason I'm letting you in on this is because I feel I owe it to you. That, and the fact that the two of you need to know about the severity of what's going on regarding your...relationship. I suggest you stay very low-key for a while. And if word should get out before the problem is resolved, I wanted you to be mentally prepared to deal with what may be coming."
"See, Sasuke? We'll figure something out...you don't have to shoulder the burden all by yourself! You're always trying to do that...I thought you finally understood the problem with that..."
"I'm simply trying to right my own wrongs and take responsibility for my actions. There's no reason for you to suffer because of me."
"If I may interject?" Sai asked, holding up an index finger. "It's really looking as though Sasuke doesn't have a chance. These ANBU are not the only people who feel so strongly about Sasuke's residence here in Konoha. I've been eavesdropping a lot lately whenever I hear his name, and there's an overwhelming amount of distrust within the village towards him. It won't be easy to convince them otherwise. Naruto has already done his fair share of talking him up and it hasn't really worked thus far. Perhaps we can work something out in which Sasuke can leave without being considered a missing nin. Jiraiya-sama and Tsunade-sama were both wanderers and it was accepted. The council could probably work out a similar deal with Sasuke."
"I would be okay with that." Sasuke said, purposefully avoiding the gaping blond beside him.
"I'm not sure how they'll respond, honestly." Kakashi said, crossing his arms. "They're pretty suspicious of him. They might actually feel safer with him here, where we can keep an eye on him."
"If that's the case then why did it take so much convincing to allow me to stay here in the first place?" Sasuke asked, irritably.
"You have no idea how difficult these people can be." Kakashi stated flatly.
"Well, it's worth a shot, right? Besides, if they were to find out about Naruto and I, they may want me gone anyway."
"About that..." Sai said, hesitantly. "They may learn this information sooner than we think. After all, it was the council that asked the ANBU to keep an eye on him."
"What?!" Sasuke and Kakashi exclaimed in unison.
"Hokage-sama, you weren't aware of this?" Sai said, raising an eyebrow.
"I was not." Kakashi bit out. Man, he was really getting tired of things slipping past him.
"Well that's just fucking great." Sasuke said, bitterly. "Those acient bastards. They've just got a grudge against the Uchiha. After what they did to Itachi-"
"Sasuke!" Kakashi interupted, his eyebrows cast downwards.
"I don't think it's fair for him to have his name tainted like this. He was-"
"Enough!" The tired Hokage rubbed at this temples, feeling the stress of the evening taking it's toll.
"Whatever." Sasuke said bitterly, clenching his fists. "So what's the plan? What the hell are we supposed to do about all this? I assume these people are to recieve some form of punishment. Right?"
"Yes. They will be taken care of. I need to go through the councel before I can issue any orders though. And it's normally the ANBU that take care of criminals around here, since we no longer have a police department. I'm worried about how all of this is going to play out. There's a chance of rebellion if the rest of the ANBU agree with what that group is doing."
"This could get messy." Sai agreed. "We need to be careful."
"So." Said Sasuke. "First take care of those bastards and lock them up. Then, I'll convince the councel to let me leave to avoid more trouble in the future should anyone else oppose my residence here."
"That's the plan." Kakashi sighed. "Let's just hope it all goes smoothly."
"I don't like the second part of this plan." Naruto growled. "Why should Sasuke have to leave? This is his home too! Everyone needs to just learn to deal with it! They need to know he's not a threat! Sasuke, you can show them you've changed. Eventually they'll see that you're trustworthy!"
"Naruto." Sai placed a hand on the blond's shoulder. "I agree that it isn't right. Sasuke proved himself when he helped you release the Infinite Tsukuyomi and he hasn't given us a reason not to trust him since then. But, you have to understand that if there are so many people unwilling to accept him, it could jeopordize the peace we've worked so hard to achieve. People will just keep trying to drive him away. This solution is the only one that could prevent all of that."
Naruto frowned and shrugged Sai's hand away. "The kind of peace I want, is the kind where people can learn to accept one another. A peace that spreads understanding and second chances. It's not true peace if we have to turn our backs on an innocent person just to make everyone else happy. Sasuke doesn't deserve this. He's made up for what he's done and he's been loyal to us since then!"
Sasuke shook his head, sighing. "Naruto, stop being so idealistic. Things don't work that way. It's just not that simple."
"Shut up!" Naruto shouted. "I'm sick of everyone saying stuff like that instead of working to make it happen! No one's even trying!"
"Grow up, Naruto. The world isn't going to change just because you want it to. The way things are right now, is the best we're going to get. Just be greatful for the changes we've had, things are a lot better than they were. It's never going to be perfect. A perfect world does not exist. That was Madara's mistake. That was the whole point of the Infinite Tsukuyomi, to put everyone in their own perfect world. That was the only way it could be possible. And that was wrong. You're dreaming, it's time for you to wake up." Sasuke said darkly, turning towards the door. "I'm going home. Kakashi, I'll be back sometime tomorrow to discuss the plan after you've had time to think about it. Naruto...I'll see you around."
"Wait!" Naruto yelled, grabbing Sasuke's hand as he opened the door. "I'm not done talking to you yet!"
"Save it. We'll talk later."
"Promise me!" Naruto pleaded, tightening his grip. "Promise me you'll still be here tomorrow and we'll work everything out."
"I promise I'll still be here. Good night." He wrenched his hand away and slammed the door behind him, the blond staring blankly at the large wooden door.
"I should be heading out, too." Sai said. "I've got to be up early to meet at the base. Good luck, Naruto." He nodded to the two others and quietly left the office.
"Kakashi-sensei..." Naruto said, nervously. "Um, can I talk to you about something?"
"It's about you and Sasuke isn't it?" Kakashi sighed. "I figured."
~0~o~0~
Darkness had fallen on the village and the previously crowded streets were void of occupants. Sasuke was thankful for the privacy as he walked swiftly towards his home. He cursed under his breath as he walked, more than dissatisfied with his current situation. Things were becoming much too messy, much too quickly. He didn't want to leave Naruto, he really didn't.
But, even more than that, he didn't want Naruto to suffer because of him.
He sighed deeply, mindlessly kicking a pebble as he walked. He watched carelessly as the pebble skidded and plopped into a puddle near the edge of the path. Sasuke stopped dead in his tracks, staring through narrowed eyes. It hadn't rained in weeks and this path was outside of town, surrounded by forestry.
He sighed in irritation and returned to his swift pace. "Thank god my home isn't far from here." He said. "This day has really left me irritated." he added with a drop of venom. A quiet splash was heard from behind him and he rolled his eyes as he continued down the path.
When he reached him home, he braced himself as he creaked his door open, irritated by the familiar chakra signature coming from his living room. He slid his sandals off and turned the corner to find a smirking, white-haired man lounging on his sofa as if he lived there.
"Hey, Sasuke." He said, pointy teeth glinting in the dim lighting. "Long time, no see."
"What the hell are you doing here, Suigetsu?" He bit out. With everything currently going on, he really didn't need any more drama. And the fact that his former teammate was lounging on his couch unexpectedly, was undoubtedly a bad sign.
"Oh, come on now. Don't be like that." Suigetsu said in mock hurt. "We're old comrades after all. You're not even going to ask me how I've been? All I get's a 'what the hell are you doing here'?"
"Let me put this bluntly. I've had a terrible day and I'm not in the mood for your games right now. Just get to the fucking point before I lose my cool." He stormed across the room and fell into his arm chair, promptly crossing his legs and leaning his cheek against his hand.
"Sasuke Uchiha, lose his cool? What could possibly be bad enough to cause that? Although, it is annoying how cool you are all the damn time, so I am a little curious." He grinned devilishly. Clearly this man had a death wish.
"I invite you to test it out, if you think you'll survive the outcome."
"Oh, how I missed this banter." Suigetsu laughed, scratching the back of his head. "Alright, I've had my fun. I'm sure you've already figured out that I came here for a reason."
"What a pity. I was really hoping I was lucky enough to recieve a friendly visit from you. Catch up on old times." Ouch. The king of sarcasm strikes again. "Okay, so what the hell do you want from me?"
"Buckle up, Uchiha." Suigetsu laughed, grinning at Sasuke's eye-roll. "Orochimaru built a new base. I bet you already knew that though, since one of Konoha's conditions was to know exactly where he was and to be allowed to pop in on him randomly. Well, he's still experimenting, except this time he only takes willing volunteers and no one's being locked in fuckin' cages."
"What a swell guy." Sasuke stated flatly. "Truly admirable."
"Hey man, I'm not saying he isn't still a creep. He totally is. But, he's seriously changed. You know he has, because otherwise there's no way in hell I'd go back to him. Get this, dude baked Juugo, Karin, and I lemon squares just last week."
Sasuke blinked at him.
"Fucking lemon squares, Sasuke!" Suigetsu threw up his arms for emphasis. "And he's got baby fever for some strange reason. I mean it. The other day he was sulking around the place mumbling about wanting a baby."
Sasuke sighed and rubbed at his temples. "And, what does any of this have to do with me?"
"Listen, I'm here on his behalf but, if I'm being honest I have my own reasons too. The thing is, he's experimenting with DNA. He wants your approval and cooperation to use yours. And, I'm going crazy being stuck in a lab with Karin and Juugo. I kinda miss your sarcastic ass. You always kept the balance between us, that's why Team Taka worked together so well."
"You're asking me to come back with you to Orochimaru's base? You're really asking me to join back up with the people that I associated with during the time I had fallen the farthest. You realize I'm under extreme speculation and I'm not exactly the most trustworthy person, right? They're watching me like fucking hawks, Suigetsu." He crossed his arms and glared at the pointy toothed rogue. "And, just what the fuck is that creep planning to do with my DNA anyway?"
"Look, I knew you probably wouldn't go for it if you were happy here. So, before I decided to even bother you with the question, I've been lurching in Konoha's shadows for the past two days and you don't look so happy, Sasuke." He arched an eyebrow at Sasuke's stony expression. "At least you'll be wanted at Orochimaru's base. None of us are going to judge you or try to push you away. From what I can tell, you aren't wanted here." He sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "As for what he's planning to do with your DNA, well I'm not exactly sure. He said he'd explain it to you, if you were willing to come back with me."
Sasuke contemplated the option, weighing the pros and cons. After all, wasn't the plan to leave Konoha anyway? At least at Orochimaru's base, he'd have a purpose. As much as he detested Orochimaru, he had grown fond of Team Taka. And his former teammates had despised Orochimaru just as much as he had, and yet they seemed content to work with him. So perhaps the old snake bastard had changed considerably after all. And Sasuke's options were really running low at this point.
But, what the hell did Orochimaru want with his DNA? Just what exactly was he planning? What kind of experiments was he running these days? If he was trying to obtain the sharingan for himself, that wasn't happening. Sasuke would be damned if he'd let that bastard have the Uchiha's unique bloodline trait. But, still, if Orochimaru was as reasonable these days as Suigetsu had made him out to be, perhaps Sasuke could help him in other ways. At least then he'd have a purpose and a strong enough will to never allow the creep to take advantage of him.
"Give me a day to think on it. Things have gotten a little out of hand as of late, and presently I'm unsure if I'll be staying in Konoha much longer." Sasuke snorted at Suigetsu's enthusiasm as he slapped his hands together and grinned from ear to ear.
"Of course. I'll be back tomorrow for your answer."
~0~o~0~
With an exaggerated sigh, the weary Hokage fell into his seat. A dismal blond filled the office with a heavy gloom as he locked cerulean eyes with the wooden floor boards. The conversation about to be had pulling on them like a death grip, despite wanting nothing more to avoid it, they both knew it was coming.
"Kakashi-sensei..." Naruto started, too ashamed to meet the Hokage's eyes. "What do you think? About me and Sasuke, I mean."
The silver-haired man shifted in his seat, sifting through his brain for the right words. He needed to go about this delicately and he had to be careful not to offend his former student. After all, Naruto was like a son to him. This kind of thing should be handled with care. "Naruto, I admit that the whole thing makes me a little uncomfortable."
Naruto winced, tightening his fists.
"But," The Hokage continued. "You and Sasuke are very important to me. I'll accept the both of you no matter what. After all, news like this is nothing compared to discovering Sasuke's internationally wanted criminal status." He chuckled light-heartedly, a little light breaking through the gloom.
Naruto finally looked up, finding a soft look in his former sensei's eyes. A small feeling of comfort swelled inside of him and a flickering sense of hope spread through his heart. "You're not against it then?" He asked.
"Look, Naruto. It's like I said, it makes me uncomfortable. But, despite that discomfort, it's not my place to tell you it's wrong. I only wonder if you're confusing your feelings."
"Confusing our feelings? What do you mean, Kakashi-sensei?"
The Hokage rubbed at his temples. This was the part that needed to be the most carefully thought out before he really offended the blond. Naruto's short temper wasn't something to mess with. "The two of you grew up alone, starved of love. You never had parents to observe as an example of a healthy functioning relationship. And, Sasuke was so young when his parents were killed, that he hadn't yet understood what romantic love really was. Neither one of you had a parent to teach you about that sort of thing."
"What does that have to do with anything? I don't get it. Just 'cause I never had parents and Sasuke lost his when he was little, doesn't mean we don't know how we feel." Naruto spoke defensively, immediately raising his gaurd.
"I know that you two have both been through Hell. You understand each other in a way that no one else possibly could. I know how important each of you is to the other...but maybe you're misinterpreting the closeness you feel. Are you sure you understand the difference between romance and friendship?"
Naruto's jaw clenched, his fists shaking. Azure eyes narrowed at his former sensei. "You think we're stupid enough to mix up our feelings?"
"That's not what I meant. I just-"
"Because I'm pretty sure the things these feelings I have for Sasuke make me do are things that I would never do with a friend like Kiba or Shikamaru."
Kakashi blushed and suddenly became very uncomfortable. This was really something he didn't want to think about. Especially when it involved his two former students. He shivered as he shook the thoughts away.
"Sure, me and Sasuke may not have had parents around to teach us about these kind of things. But don't you dare try to tell me what I'm feeling or what he's feeling. We aren't idiots and we're not as ignorant as you think. I can tell the difference between what I feel for him and what I feel for my comrades. Just seeing his face...I-"
"Okay, Naruto." Kakashi interupted. "I think I get it. Just, for the love of God don't go into detail." He rubbed at his temples. Well, at least now he knew the relationship really was worth fighting for. The blond had just made it painfully clear that this wasn't a result of confusion.
"Sorry." Naruto said awkwardly, blushing as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Well, then. If this is the case, and you two seriously want to be together and this isn't some fling-"
"It's not! I swear! We-"
"I know, Naruto. As I was saying, I will do what I can to protect you. I don't want Sasuke to leave either. Not after we just got him back. And I refuse to let the villagers turn their backs on you now. Not after everything you've done, and certainly not over something as insignificant as who you've chosen to be with." He spoke sharply, his words hard and determined.
The blond relaxed immediately at hearing these words. Happiness swelled inside of him and that small glint of hope grew brighter, chasing away his doubts. He smiled at the Hokage and felt assured that he could trust the man. After all, it was Kakashi who taught him the importance of protecting your comrades.
"Thanks, Kakashi-sensei." He said, tears forming at the corners of his deep blue eyes. "I'm puttin' my trust in ya!"
"I'll do all that I can, Naruto. You have my word." Kakashi smiled back at him through his mask, his eyes curving joyously. He watched as the blond mock-soluted him and left the office. His heart fell into his stomach as he thought about the stress the next few days were promising.
He had a plan. Was it a good plan? Well, he wasn't sure. All he knew was that he was pretty much desperate at this point and there was no way in Hell that he would fail team seven again. He felt like he had made so many mistakes in the past and now it was time that he made up for them. No matter what, he was going to fight for these two. After all, he was the Hokage, damn it.
~0~o~0~
Naruto finished towel-drying his hair and flopped onto his bed. Bright azure eyes locked on the blank white ceiling above him as he recounted the events of the evening. His thoughts rolling around in his head and tugging on his heart. On one hand, he was relieved to have Kakashi's support. On the other hand, he was deathly afraid of what Sasuke would do next.
More than anything, he wanted to reassure himself that Sasuke wouldn't really leave. He wanted to believe that Sasuke had made a rash decision in the heat of the moment. Perhaps the raven was overtaken by the severity of the threat the ANBU had presented...
But, this was Sasuke Uchiha. The shinobi who went rogue at the age of fourteen and almost destroyed the village in honor of his late brother. This was the man who had been so determined to bare the hatred of all people on his own shoulders. And he had come close to achieving it. Sasuke was not easily swayed by others. When his mind was made up, that was it. He was his own man, and no one could stop him.
No one but me.
That hope in his heart began glowing again. He had gotten through to Sasuke once before. He had gotten through to many people who had been deemed too far gone to listen. Naruto smiled slightly as he remembered something very important he learned a long time ago.
He had to believe in himself.
He could do this. He wouldn't lose Sasuke and he would become Hokage one day.
He just had to remind the world how beautiful it is to come together and understand one another. To know the pain in each other's hearts, and to accept people for who they were. Differences could be set aside to achieve peace.
He and Sasuke were proof of that.
And, he was going to show them all.