Fireworks

Chapter 15

Naruto woke up with a start when Konan gently shook him awake. It was still dark out. Sai was helping Karin sit up, Nagato was giving a rather disoriented Sasuke a glass of water and Itachi was leaning against the door, talking to Yahiko in hushed tones. Naruto's stomach lurched. Itachi probably knew everything about the Uzumaki massacre, Nagato had agreed to tell him after all.

"How are you feeling?" It took Naruto a moment to realize Sasuke was directing the question at him.

"Uh...I'm fine...I guess..." Naruto awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. "How are you feeling, Sasuke?"

"I haven't slept so well in years." Sasuke chuckled comfortably. Naruto cracked a small smile. Sasuke was talking to him just like they were the kids they were years ago.

So would they just go back to being the friends that they were years ago? There were so many issues with that. Could they just brush aside what had been going on for the past few years after the massacre and continue on? That wasn't possible. Naruto knew there were things they would have to talk through. It was still very unrealistic for him to be able to talk to Sasuke without trying to find an answer that wouldn't make him angry.

Could they go back to being friends? Naruto's startling realization that he wasn't in love with the Sasuke in front of him had upset the balance he had been living with. No matter how much he understood he wasn't in love with the current Uchiha Sasuke, he had still been extremely attracted to him and things couldn't change so easily. Moreover, they were still engaged.

"Naruto," Naruto flinched when he heard Itachi's voice. Itachi walked up to him. "I heard everything from Nagato san." He raised his hand and Naruto squeezed his eyes shut waiting for a blow when he felt the hand settle comfortingly on his hair. "It's not your fault, OK? It never was your fault and it never will be your fault. Don't forget that, alright?"

Naruto wasn't surprised to find himself crying.

"It wasn't your fault either, Sasuke." Itachi turned to Sasuke who had a pained look on his face. "Now let's get this awful topic out of our minds, we aren't going to speak or think about it, alright?"

Both Naruto and Sasuke nodded.

"Hora, Naruto, don't cry. You're a man aren't you?" Nagato teased. Karin giggled and crawled onto Naruto's bed to wipe his face with her sleeve.

"Are we expected to move to our room?" Naruto asked.

"No, actually we're starting an emergency meeting. The Five Kage Meet has sent in the verdict. We need to discuss things immediately. Everyone should already be gathering in meeting room. Shall we go?" Nagato glanced at all of them.

"Just let me wash my face." Naruto said. Sasuke and Karin seconded that. Once they had washed their faces they headed to the meeting room. Most of the members were already there and Suigetsu was falling asleep in his seat, drool coming out of his mouth. As soon as everyone had settled Nagato started speaking.

"Thank you all for arriving here on such short notice. This emergency meeting was called because we have just received the Five Kage Meeting verdict and need to share it with all of you." Everyone sat up straight in interest. "But before that, we will let you all know what happened this afternoon. Naruto, Sasuke kun, which one of you would like to narrate what happened?" Nagato asked. Naruto and Sasuke looked at each other.

"I'd like to inform everyone on what happened today." Naruto got to his feet. He had no reason to be afraid anymore. If his cousins and Itachi and Sasuke didn't blame him, he had nothing to fear. "I was meditating in the training field with permission, with my guard, Sasuke. I noticed an unfamiliar person approaching us so I slipped into Kyuubi mode and noticed the blood lust coming towards us so I warned Sasuke, but then I also realized underneath the shape-shifting jutsu was Yahiko san. Neither of us wanted to hurt Yahiko san and he was the same man who took down the Uzumaki clan. The trauma of seeing him made us stop moving. He managed to get a vital point on Sasuke. Luckily, Nagato san, Karin san, Konan san and my guards Sai and Itachi arrived on the scene. Using his ability to absorb jutsu Nagato san absorbed the shapeshifting jutsu and left Yahiko san unharmed and Karin san healed Sasuke. Before the man disappeared he told us that this was just a greeting." Naruto finished and then took his seat.