7Ok. . .so I was combing through old document files. . .trying to decide what to delete when I stumbled upon this story that I started like a year ago. . .I stopped writing it because. . .well. . .things in the manga weren't working out like I thought they would. . .but. . .I really liked this story once I started to re-read it so. . .should I set Where the Heart is on the back burner and pick this one back up? Because I'm really considering it. . .this one is just so much. . .smoother. . .odd that my old writing is better than my new lol.
Anyway. . .I'd really like your feedback on whether I should continue or not. . .
This story is as if Sasuke never joins the war. . .so manga readers please don't be confused. . .
I still don't own Naruto. . .
And, again, I have no beta reader so any and all mistakes made are purely my own. . .
Now off to the story!
Uchiha Sasuke tossed back the rest of his sake and gazed around the bar with disinterest. It had been several years since he'd been to Suna as it was the closest to Konoha and had the strongest bond of friendship with his home village. Not much had changed since the last time he'd been here.
Suna was as close as he dared go to Konoha. He'd bourne a grudge against the village of his birth for years and only in the last few had his hatred begun to dissipate. He'd given up on destroying Konoha after seeing his brother again during the war. Knowing that attacking the village would do nothing more than make Itachi come to hate him he'd set aside his need for revenge and had buried his hatred as deep as he could inside himself.
To ensure that he didn't attack them in a rage, he'd turned a deaf ear to all topics concerning Konoha and its residents. He hadn't wanted to know how everyone was doing. He hadn't really cared. Or so he'd believed. . .
Several weeks ago while languishing in a seaside town in the Land of Waves he'd heard some villagers talking about the new Hokage of Konoha who was visiting each of the four other Kage's in their respective villages, and how each village was welcoming him like a returning hero. Hearing this had peaked his interest. So he had asked the villagers the name of the new Hokage and had been stunned into silence upon learning that it was none other than his former rival Uzumaki Naruto.
Upon leaning this, Sasuke had been unable to stop himself from learning more. He'd found out that the war had been won because of Naruto and each and every village considered the man a hero, so when he'd become Hokage every single one of the five nations had approved. Naruto was renown for his bright, somewhat goofy personality. He was known to rush into things at times but to think things through when it really counted. He was admired for his fierce spirit and his never-ending tenacity to keep the peace among the five countries. He was spoken of with admiration and reverence. All in all, a complete opposite of the shinobi that Sasuke had once known.
He'd learned that Suna was the last village that Naruto planned to visit before returning to Konoha and unable to help himself Sasuke had found himself headed here, almost without thinking. He wanted to see this new Naruto for himself. Even if he wouldn't be speaking to him in person he could observe him from a distance.
Or so he thought. . .
Staring into his empty sake cup, he was brought out of his reverie by the sound of a throat being cleared. He looked up and felt his eyes widen in surprise behind his sunglasses as he caught sight of the familiar face. True the face had changed, but Sasuke knew that he was looking at Naruto. A very grown up Naruto. A very handsome and grown up Naruto. Sasuke shifted as he felt his pants tighten uncomfortably.
He couldn't really say that he was surprised by his reaction to his old rival, as he'd been reacting the same way since they'd accidentally kissed back when they were first made teammates. It hadn't really bothered him until it became apparent that Naruto did not see him the same way. Instead the irritating girl Sakura had his affections, which had annoyed Sasuke to no end. It had made him snap at everyone around him.
"Is this seat taken?" Naruto asked him, indicating the chair directly across from him.
Sasuke shook his head, unable to speak, knowing if he did so he'd be recognized. He hid a smile behind his hand when Naruto ordered ramen. Some things, it seemed, never changed.
Naruto sat quietly as he waited for his ramen, something that surpised Sasuke, as the Naruto that he knew was rarely quiet. He'd been a ball of energy that had lit up each and every day for Sasuke. When the waitress brought Naruto his food he dug right in, like he hadn't eaten all day. Another thing that hadn't changed, another thing that made Sasuke smile. It had been the longest time since he'd smiled. . .and in the space of ten minutes Naruto had made him smile twice.
His heart actually ached while watching Naruto eat. He'd thought he'd put his love for his former teammate completely behind him when he'd left Konoha but it turned out he'd simply buried it. He still loved the moron. He let out a small sigh of defeat and slumped in his chair.
"So. . .what brings you to Suna?" Naruto asked, as he set his empty bowl aside.
Sasuke shrugged, hoping Naruto took the hint and realized he wasn't going to speak.
"We haven't seen each other in nearly five years and you have nothing to say, Sasuke?" Naruto asked him irritably.
Sasuke jerked in his seat and stared at him in shock.
"Surprised?" Naruto asked with a smirk. "Kurama recognized you were in Suna the moment we arrived."
"Kurama?" Sasuke asked confused. The name was not one that he recognized.
Naruto tilted his head studying him. "Kurama is the kyuubi's name."
Sasuke frowned. "You speak to i. . .him? You're on friendly terms all of a sudden?"
Naruto shook his head. "It's not a sudden thing. He and I have been friends since the war. We never would have won without his help. And he never lets us forget that fact either," he said with a small laugh.
Well that filled in a lot of blanks. It explained a lot of things that he hadn't been able to figure out about the outcome of the war.
"Ah, well then. . ." Sasuke began as he stood up, "I should leave."
Naruto shook his head and grabbed his hand. "Don't run away Sasuke."
"I'm not running away," he denied.
"You are!"
"I'm not running away!" he snapped. "You're Hokage now. You shouldn't be talking to a missing-nin."
Naruto sat back in surprise, pulling Sasuke forward slightly. "Is that the only reason you're leaving? To save my reputation?"
Sasuke nodded.
Naruto stood. "There's no need for that Sasuke. But if it makes you feel better we can go to my room and speak in private there."
He knew that it was a bad idea, but Sasuke felt himself nod anyway.
Naruto couldn't believe that Sasuke was following behind him so trustingly. Hell, he couldn't believe that Sasuke was here in the first place! He hadn't seen or heard from his friend since their fight right before the war. The fact that Sasuke was speaking to him at all was a shock in itself, not to mention the fact that there was seemingly no animosity coming from him. He didn't know what had happened to Sasuke in the past five years, but he wanted to find out.
When they finally reached his room Naruto slipped the key in and silently opened the door, beckoning Sasuke inside, mildly surprised when he followed without question.
Sasuke took his sunglasses off and set them down on the side table next to Naruto's temporary bed. He silently stared down at them, seemingly at a loss for words, before looking up and meeting Naruto's eyes. Naruto felt a jolt of attraction as those dark eyes met his, and just barely stopped the gasp of shock that nearly escaped.
For the longest time Naruto had been under the mistaken belief that he was in love with Sakura. . .but when he'd finally been offered all that he'd thought he'd wanted, he came to the realization that he just wasn't physically attracted to her. While everyone around him was falling in love or lust he hadn't felt a thing. . .until now. He really didn't know what to think about it, but he knew it wasn't something that Sasuke would appreciate, so he knew he had to hide this attraction he was feeling for him. It was something he could think about later.
"So. . .you're Hokage now," Sasuke said, breaking the silence that had descended upon them.
"Just like I'd always dreamed. Following in my dad's footsteps," he said with a sad smile.
"Your. . .dad?" Sasuke asked, confused.
Naruto closed his eyes. "Ah, I forgot. You don't know."
"Know what?"
Naruto opened his eyes and walked over to the bed. Sitting on the end he smiled at Sasuke. "I met my parents. Found out who they were, their dreams. . ."
"Who they were? Past tense?"
Naruto nodded. "They both died the day I was born. Sacrificed their lives for me and Konoha. They were incredible. I'm proud to be their son."
Sasuke listened to Naruto tell him about the circumstances leading up to meeting his parents, the actual meetings, the war. . .everything. He'd been through so much heartache. Just as much as Sasuke himself. Learning all of this just made Sasuke fall even more in love with the incredible person that Naruto had become. He'd overcome so many inconceivable obstacles in his life that had help to mold him into the amazing man who sat before him. Sasuke had always known that Naruto was the light to his dark, the day to his night, and hearing all this just solidified that belief.
In Naruto's place Sasuke would have become just like Gaara had been when they were still kids. Hell, he'd probably be worse than Gaara had been. That just went to show how incredible a person that Naruto truly was.
"Are you okay? You're so quiet," Naruto murmured jerking Sasuke out of his thoughts.
"Just thinking. . ."
"About?"
Sasuke sighed. He owed Naruto for being so honest with him, to be honest in return. "Just thinking about what an incredible person you've become. And how much of a disappointment I am by comparison."
He barely surpressed a gasp of surpise when Naruto grabbed hold of his chin and gently turned his face toward him. "You're not a disappointment. You just went down the wrong path briefly but are trying to find your way back. We all have times like that. . .but as long as you try, as long as you make an effort to find your way back to the right path, then you can't call yourself that. And I know you're trying Sasuke. It's been nearly five years and not a single bad thing has been reported about you. Hell, I've even heard some stories of you helping people who desperately needed it! People who couldn't afford to ask a neighboring village for help! You're trying! And that's what matters!"
"Is it? I killed my brother Naruto," Sasuke exclaimed, ". . .I don't see how any kind of penance is going to make up for that," he whispered in shame as he jerked his chin out of Naruto's hand.
"Itachi wanted you to kill him. He deliberately egged you on to do just that because he thought it was his own penance for doing what he did." When Sasuke refused to look at him, Naruto got up until he was standing directly in front of him.
Sasuke still refused to look up.
When Naruto reach out and gently grasped his face in his hands Sasuke shivered, unable to help the sharp jolt of lust that his touch ensued.
"I know this because he told me," Naruto murmured as he looked into Sasuke's dazed eyes. "You need to stop beating yourself up over his death and live. That's what Itachi would want you to do. He would want you to live. So do it Sasuke. Live."
Sasuke closed his eyes so he wouldn't focus on Naruto's mouth. . .otherwise he'd do something stupid like kiss him. He hadn't known that Naruto had spoken to Itachi but it did help to fill in some blanks of things that his brother had said. And Naruto was right. Itachi would want him to live. He just hadn't really felt like it until now. Until Naruto had come back into his life and woken up the heart he'd thought long dead, as well as woken up his body, which he'd thought had gone frigid. He hadn't felt desire since he'd left Konoha, but now. . .his body burned with it.
"Sasuke. . .look at me!" Naruto demanded, worry in his voice.
Sasuke opened his eyes and moaned at the look of concern in Naruto's eyes. His own eyes strayed to Naruto's lips and he felt himself lean forward, desperate to bring their lips together. He saw Naruto's eyes darken as he joined their lips in a kiss. He was about to pull away when Naruto took control of the kiss and Sasuke lost himself as he felt Naruto's tongue enter his mouth in a blaze of passion.
Sooo. . .should I continue?