Four slow years passed. Naruto had his heart to heart with Iruka and they were now in the process of choosing teams.
In those for years though Gaara and Naruto were much farther along than anybody else. They were stronger mentally and physically. Sure their height was nothing to boast about but at least they made progress.
Gaara was like who he was before. He was more reserved and hid his emotions more. The only time he showed them was with Naruto or Itachi. In the four years all three of them had gotten closer. Itachi had trained them and had even showed them new jutsu's.
Itachi had been more then surprised when Madara had come to the leaf village with the whole entire organization. It scared everybody but the hokage had handled it. Meaning Naruto was quickly called and he had handled it. They were to go as if everything was normal and report to the leaf when something was terribly wrong. Naruto had told them what signs to look for and from there they had a secret alliance with them. Only the hokage, Itachi and Naruto knew about this.
They had kept good on their word ever since.
Today though was also the day Naruto and Sasuke would "accidently" kiss. Naruto inwardly shuddered at that. But it had to be done.
Everyone was in class and Naruto knew what he had to do. Though before the teams were called Iruka made a small announcement.
"There will be a four member team since we have an odd number of people." Gaara held in a snort and Naruto covered his mouth with his hand hiding his smile. As the teams were called Naruto was mentally preparing himself for this.
"Team seven will be Sasuke, Sakura-" A happy cry came from the pink girl.
"Gaara and Naruto." Sakura pouted glaring at Naruto and in turn made Gaara glare at her.
"Everyone go meet your teachers in the assigned rooms." Naruto shifted and now squatted in front of Sasuke his eyes narrowed at the raven haired boy. Sasuke glaring at him as well. Naruto was counting down in his head. When it reached 1 he was pushed forward by a kid who was getting out of his chair. Naruto's face went a little green and Sasuke's did the same. Both separated quickly blanching. While the girls cried angrily and Gaara had held back the blush crawling to his face seeing Naruto do that. He coughed softly as he watched now more amused as Naruto wiped his lips as if poison.
"Kill me." Naruto groaned his voice breaking slightly.
Soon the girls were glaring daggers at him and Sasuke was still trying to get feeling out.
"Dobe!" Sasuke cried out angrily. Naruto froze slightly. His throat tightened at the familiarity of the name. Naruto tried to breath but it wasn't working.
"G-Gaara..." He muttered. The red head called to his sand quickly and wrapped a dome around the blond making sure no one could see him.
"What are you doing Gaara?" Sakura asked as the sand went around him. Gaara stayed silent as everyone watched them. In two minutes it was down and Naruto stood there calm and angry glaring at Sasuke.
Soon though the teachers were starting to come in and take their team. It was of course team 7 that was left.
"Where is he! How could he be two hours late?" Sakura cried out angrily. Naruto wasn't to sure how he could have a crush on the pink girl.
Naruto looked at the time and sighed. "Gaara do we have stuff at home to make dinner?" Naruto asked resting his head on his palm. Gaara gave a small nod.
"I went to the market two days ago. Last time you went all you got was Ramen." Naruto grinned slightly.
"Of course!" Gaara shook his head.
"You two live together?" Sasuke asked eyeing Naruto still angry at the kiss. Naruto nodded knowing Gaara wasn't going to answer him.
"Yeah been a few years now." Naruto said with a laugh.
"Where are your parents?" Naruto stilled and Gaara grew tense glaring at Sasuke.
"Yo! Sorry I'm late. There was a woman who needed my hel-"
"Liar!" Sakura cried out quickly.
"Anyways...Naruto?" Kakashi blinked slowly.
"Gaara you too?" Both blond and red head looked up to him.
"Oh it's you. Second to pervy sage." Gaara stated with a blank stare.
"Ma-ma. I'm not that bad!" Kakashi said waving his hand in defense.
"No. Your worse."
"Gaara you wound me." The red head snorted standing up.
"Wait so you guys know each other?" Sakura asked looking at them. While Sasuke also seemed interested.
"Yes." Kakashi wasn't too sure what he was suppose to say and he knew if he pissed off Naruto then that he would be sore for a while.
"He helped me a few years back with getting things for our apartment. Nothing special." Naruto answered off handedly. Kakashi breathed out in small relief.
"Now let's get to know each other huh?" All four kids got up and followed Kakashi to the hokage towers at the very top. Kakashi leaned against the railing and Naruto remembered this. He held back a warm laugh that wanted to leave his throat. He wanted to cry at the same time. To go through the same thing but with a different outcome made him feel...rather light but heavy at the same time.
When it came to Garza's turn Naruto tilted his head to look at his red headed friend.
"My goal is none of your business. I have no hobbies and anything else you don't need to know." Naruto held back a snicker. Kakashi laughed nervously rubbing his head some.
"Well aren't you a friendly fellow." This was followed by a glare from Gaara.
"What about you Naruto?" The blond shrugged leaning back against Gaara who didn't mind at all.
"I train everyday if I can. I like drawing, reading and being over all better then Sasuke-jerk over there." An eye twitch from Sasuke and a angry cry from Sakura were followed by that comment.
"My dream...is to make a better future." That was new. He saw everyone look at him but he just looked at the clouds with a smile on his face.
"Are you gay?" Sasuke blurted out causing Sakura to blush.
"Why? You offering?" Naruto shot back just as quick causing Sasuke to blush dark. Kakashi was a amused by this and couldn't help but let it continue.
"As if Sasuke would be gay! Especially for you!" Sakura cried out and Gaara was so tempted to kill her with his sand. So maybe the murderess parts of Gaara were actually apart of him.
"I don't like you ugly pink thing." Sakura fell over in shock. Naruto tried to stop his laughter he honestly did but it he couldn't help it. Gaara seemed like Sai so much that it was uncanny.
"Well now that was interesting. Anyways dismiss for today!" Soon he was out with a poof.
Naruto stood up alongside with Gaara. Both boys were heading off until they felt a familiar chakra signature. "Hey Itachi." Naruto said with a wide grin before he even landed.
"I can't even have the element of surprise anymore can I?" Itachi's voice came out with a sigh though amusement was held there. Sasuke stood up quickly moving too his side.
"Hey Itachi. What are you doing here? I thought you had a mission?" Sasuke questioned.
"I finished early. I thought I could walk you guys home." Itachi stated with a soft smile.
"As if the loser deserves to be walked home." Sasuke shot out glaring at Naruto. Itachi shook his head but was informed that Sasuke and Naruto's friendship would start out...odd as rivals it seemed.
"What's wrong...with her?" Itachi asked slowly looking to the fallen Sakura who was crying from Garza's words.
"Gaara still can't play nice." Naruto simply stated. Itachi looked to the red head who shrugged innocently. He let out a soft chuckle before leading the boys off. Though had accidently 'brushed' his hand against Naruto's who held back a small blush. Itachi was now 17 and Naruto was 13. Technically he would be a lot older but he was sent back in time. Not forward.
Naruto hated his now raging hormones. He was now a teen and it sucked. It was a nightmare going through puberty once. Twice is just unfair.
"So what happened today?" Itachi asked the three boys as they walked.
"Naruto was pushed into Sasuke's face and somehow they ended up kissing." Gaara informed the older Uchiha causing Sasuke and Naruto to glow bright red.
"Really now?" Itachi's voice held a certain tone to it. Naruto knew the older was now a little jealous. Even if it was all new to him he knew that the older was not happy that he kissed Sasuke of all people but it was a accident after all.
"It wasn't my fault it was his!" Sasuke glared accusingly at Naruto who scoffed.
"The kid behind me pushed me! It was an accident." He defended though he felt guilty since he had spent the better half of class preparing himself for that.
"Does this make Naruto your boyfriend Sasuke?" Itachi asked oh so innocently causing Sasuke to sputter and stumble over his words.
"N-No!" Naruto snorted putting his arms behind his neck as they walked.
"As if. I don't need a pretty boy as my boyfriend." He stuck his tongue out at Sasuke who glared at him.
"So you are gay!"
"What gave it away?" Gaara deadpanned rolling his eyes.
"Wait you are too?" Sasuke asked a little shocked.
"I'd rather die than go out with the girls here. Especially the pink thing."
"Gaara her name is Sakura." Naruto stated shaking his head laughing.
"Little brother you're not uncomfortable with them are you?" Itachi questioned though couldn't help but tease them.
"N-No! But...you guys live together...are you guys..." Sasuke wasn't sure how to ask.
"Together dumbass." Gaara muttered and Naruto shook his head chuckling.
"No. We aren't together." Naruto eyed the back of Itachi seeing him visibly relax. He couldn't help but roll his eyes. Sasuke shook his head for a little bit.
"Well this is our stop." Naruto said with a sheepish grin. Gaara nodded to the two before turning to walk up the stairs. Naruto waved to them before heading off following the red head.
When the two were safely in the apartment both went to their respective rooms and changed into comfortable clothing. Tonight Gaara was sleeping on his own. Naruto lay in his bed yawning loudly before settling into his bed. He had his eyes closed for at least twenty minutes. Though he felt two arms wrap around him causing him to sigh softly.
"Someone will see you one night." A deep chuckle vibrated into the chest that Naruto was now against.
"No they won't." Naruto snorted softly though didn't complain.
"Care to explain the kiss?" Naruto held back a teasing smile.
"You jealous?"
"No."
"Liar." Naruto muttered before nuzzling his face into his chest once more.
"It had to happen. It was how we broke the ice so to speak." Naruto justified in a soft voice.
"Did...we happen?" Naruto held back a frown and sighed.
"No...This never happened. But I'm here to change the future Itachi...who knows." Naruto yawned once more.
"I'm tired...are you going to spend the night?" Naruto asked softly never once looking up to the eyes that held him. There a small nod and Naruto relaxed more.
"Make sure you don't scare Gaara again." He warned softly before falling asleep.
Itachi smiled gently at the blond in his arms. He knew it was wrong to be with Naruto like the way he was with him now. But he wasn't going to do anything to him until Naruto was ready. Then again that might be a few years considering his age. But after meeting him...he would always think about him. He felt happier when he was with Naruto. But he knew there was a chance that Naruto might be taken away from him. Not by choice.
Soon he fell asleep as well holding his blond angel close to him.
When morning came Naruto was still asleep. Itachi had brought spare clothes with him and quickly showered and changed. He often stayed over and when he woke he would have breakfast done.
On cue Gaara came in looking like he just got out of bed. Probably because he just did. As soon as he smelled food he was up. Gaara nodded to him before sitting down and began to eat his fill. A few minutes later Naruto came out with his hair even wilder then before and sat down getting his share as well. Itachi sitting down on the third chair eating as well.
"I have another mission. I won't be back for a while." He informed the two though more for Naruto then Gaara. Both nodded at this but still trying to wake up.
"Nah...What's today?" Naruto asked a little grumpy.
"September eighth. Why?" Naruto shook his head slightly. It was getting close for Gaara to "leave" and come back for the exams. Gaara knew this too. He was filled in on the plan but didn't really know that Naruto had been sent back. Naruto didn't want to tell Gaara that bit.
"Just wondering." Naruto's mood soured slightly but he knew once this happened as well things would start to happen. Orichamaru would appear during...and unfortunately he had to let the hokage die. Then he would be sent with Jiriya to get baba and soon...he was off for the months to train with him.
But first was the mission where they would meet Haku and Zabaza. They still had numerous missions before then. Sighing with so much going on his head Naruto started getting a headache. It was always like this. Itachi watched with concern on his face as Naruto held his head.
"...I'm going back to bed. Tell Kakashi I won't be at training today Gaara." Naruto informed slipping off from the chair with a glass of water before heading to his room. Itachi shook his head before continuing his meal with Gaara.
"I'll walk you to the training grounds when we are done." Gaara nodded in a "thankful" manner.
Naruto sat on his bed his head in his hands. He hated when he was weak...he had to be strong. Gaara counted on him and he knew it. Even if the other didn't say it out loud. He knew sending him back to the sand was going to hurt him but Naruto knew that Gaara had a bright future. Nothing was going to stop that. For now though Naruto had to try to keep a level head about it all. Breathing out he looked over to the picture on his night stand. It was almost the same but this time Gaara was in it. Naruto was grinning, Sakura was smiling, and Sasuke had a frown on his face and Gaara...just stared. Kakashi...well he was Kakashi. He tilted his head back sighing needing to get his mind off things for now.
He knew it he would start getting to know his other generation. He couldn't believe what he was thinking but he actually missed Kiba, Neji and a few others. He sighed softly before getting up. He might as well go talk to Neji about Hinita. Getting up he dressed in his normal clothing and looked at the head band in his hand.
"Will the fight still happen? Will you still try to kill me Sasuke? Or...will I have to hurt you?" Naruto asked himself before tying it on. He looked in the mirror before moving to his window.
He jumped out and ran towards where he knew Neji would be. Well actually his team was practicing. When he got there he saw Gai and Lee going at their competitions and Naruto smiled warmly.
"Always going to be the same with you two." Naruto spoke to himself as he watched them for a little bit.
"It's annoying at best." A voice spoke next to him. Naruto watched them still.
"...You will say that now. But one day you'll miss their antics." Naruto muttered out softly. He had severely missed it when they were at war. Lee had been killed because of his lack of jutsu and couldn't protect himself in a genjutsu. Naruto had been next to him when he fell over dying and he never felt so helpless. He tried hard to save him but Lee only smiled sadly. Naruto couldn't even mourn his death because he was attacked right after.
Neji snorted softly.
"I doubt it." Naruto shook his head before looking out to the clouds.
"Say Neji...why do you hate Hinita?" That questioned surprised Neji causing him to blink and turn to the blond.
"Who ever said I hated her?"
"You don't have to say it really. Every time your with her...your aren't nice. She tries hard to be like you...try to impress you. All she wants is for you to acknowledge it...I know how she feels." Naruto muttered the last part to himself but Neji had caught it.
"How would you know what she wants? All I have to her is my duty. I don't go against fate." Naruto turned to Neji this time. Their eyes locked and Neji stopped breathing.
"Fate isn't a path. You chose your path and you make your own decisions. You dislike her because she is the main branch. But has it ever occurred to you that she hates it? I see her...she feels weak compared to you. Feels like you shouldn't bother with her. Don't give me that bullshit about fate. If I listened to fate...well I'd be dead a long time ago." Naruto cursed his emotions as they started to act up.
"Watch her. Next time you two fight look at her. Really look at her. If you don't see it...then it's all hopeless." Naruto gave a small grin that which Neji noticed didn't reach his eyes.
"She's a good person Neji. She's just waiting for her chance to show you." With that Naruto walked off his hands in his pockets. Neji wanted to be angry at him but something in the blond eyes kept him from being angry and just replayed his words in his head.
Naruto sighed softly. "That was harder than I expected." He didn't like these talks. It was bringing up memories. One painful one was when he fought Pain for the first time. All the anger in him. All of the hate that festered knowing he killed Jiriya. Then seeing Pain kill Hinita or at least at the time he thought she was dead made his heart hurt. His village destroyed because of him...
"Damn it all." Naruto clenched his hands. He hated remembering.
He didn't really know where he was going at that point since all he wanted to do was walk and try to forget but he knew he could never forget. He ended up bumping into Shikamaru and accidently opened a link. Naruto eyes widen and quickly took his hands off him. Shikamaru stood there his eyes wide with small horror at what he had seen. Naruto took a step back.
"W-What was that?" Shikamaru asked in a whisper. Naruto held his hands up quickly in defense.
"Nothing Shikamaru." He couldn't tell him. But he knew the younger boy would tell his father. Naruto had accidently showed him his own childhood and then a flash of the future of when they were fighting Pain.
Naruto quickly took off knowing that he had to watch it. Because he had so much power in him he had to learn how to control it again.
When he got a good distance away he breathed out in small relief. "There it is." "Demon brat." "I thought that thing couldn't become a shinobi?" Naruto knew that he shouldn't listen to them. He heard those whispers all the time. "I heard he was the one who kill the Uchiha's." I'm surprised the Hokage hasn't ordered them to kill it." Naruto bit his tongue as he kept walking. "I wish it was dead already." Naruto turned around quickly facing the those who were whispering about him.
"I have a name! I'm not a thing! Not an it! Not a demon! I have a name and it's Naruto! Just shut up!" Naruto screamed at them tears blurring his vision as he took off yet again. He kept running blindly unknowingly running to where team 7 was training.
When he ran into the clearing Gaara's head popped out from a tree giving away his spot when he sensed Naruto. Kakashi was about to scold him when he caught sight of the blond.
"Naru?" Gaara jumped down from the tree his face showing concern. Sasuke and Sakura joined him and were surprised to see their usually loud team mate crying. Naruto ended up tripping and just broke down in sobs on the grass.
"I'm not a thing...I'm Naruto..." He cried and Gaara understood why he was upset. Though he knew it must have gotten to the blond this time when they whispered. Gaara moved kneeling down next to Naruto who just couldn't stop the tears from his eyes.
"I hate them Gaara...I hate them so much." Naruto whispered.
"Don't say that Naru. I'm keeping my promise...you have to keep yours too." Gaara muttered.
Somewhere deep in Naruto he knew he wasn't sure if he could keep that promise.
"How could you hate your village Naruto? That's a fast way to becoming a traitor." Sasuke pointed out with eyes narrowed.
"I have could give you a list Sasuke." Naruto shouted angrily.
"As to why I hate this fucking village!" Gaara stopped the upset Naruto from attacking Sasuke. Deep down Naruto knew this was how it was supposed to start. Well their actually friendship. Then it would become more so after a certain mission.
Sasuke glared angrily at him.
"Say it again dead last!" Sasuke challenged.
"Ah, I believe we had an eventful morning. Let's take a break." Kakashi stated quickly so a fight wouldn't break out. Gaara pulled his older brother (Naruto) along to the ramen bar so he could cool down. Naruto hated himself at that moment.
"I'm sorry Gaara...I guess I just lost it." He muttered softly as they walked.
The whispers weren't there this time.
About an hour later the team was back and Sasuke had calmed down as well. While Naruto and Garaa had gone Kakashi had a "talk" with Sasuke about Naruto.
Sasuke replayed the conversation in his head.
"Sasuke come walk with me for a little bit." Kakashi said waving his hand motioning Sasuke towards him. The raven just glared and followed him.
"How much do you know about Naruto?" Kakashi questioned as they walked.
"There's nothing to know. He's a loser. Dead last." Sasuke stated with confidence.
"Okay let's try a different approach...when you came home and saw your father dead how did you feel?" Sasuke tensed the subject still sore even after the years.
"I felt...lost. Hopeless...like a part of me died." Sasuke muttered.
"Well Sasuke. That's how Naruto feels. He doesn't know his parents, in fact they aren't even alive. When he was younger much younger, he would look at the parents and we all could see it. The longing of wanting the love of a family. He has had no guidance and this village hasn't made it easy for him. Unlike you, he doesn't have a mother. A older brother to help him train. Doesn't have the love a family and or clan like you. He grew up alone. Even now when he's with Gaara he still feels alone. Just look in his eyes and you'll see. But don't pity him. He doesn't want it." Kakashi stated and Sasuke had his shoulders slumped. He felt...well like a complete douche. He figured now that was what Kakashi was trying to make him feel like.
Sasuke watched as Gaara came back with Naruto who was laughing and grinning like an idiot. He tried to look at his eyes but the other kept moving around. Jumping around Gaara asking him questions that he couldn't quite understand. But he saw a flash of something...a brief moment where Naruto didn't look...like himself. He looked older almost. As if tired. Worn out and scared. He was taken back but what he saw but soon it was gone.
"Naruto stop bugging Gaara!" Sakura screeched. Gaara glared at the pink girl and Naruto rubbed the back of his neck in a sheepish manner.
Soon though their training was restarted this time with Naruto.
It went on for a few hours and they were finally able to rest.
"See you tomorrow for your first test." Kakashi stated happily.
Because the last chapter was so short I have uploaded the next chapter. Review please!