What Could've Been

Chapter 21

"Boruto help me! I'm freaking out! What do I even say?" Boruto groaned at his father pacing around the room. "Chill! You'll be fine. Just remember the plan." Nervous, Naruto kept adjusting the collar of his shirt. Boruto took a deep breath before grabbing his arm and telling him to stop.

"Naruto. Please calm down. Everything is going to be ok." Boruto spun the older blonde around so that they were facing each other. With an exasperated sigh, he gripped the other's shoulder blades, staring at him intensely. "Deep breaths, Naruto. Deep breaths."

After a few unbearable seconds, Naruto calmed down. With a shuddering sigh, he gripped Boruto's hand ever so slightly, indicating that he was ready. Eyes analyzing the man for any sign of panic, Boruto reluctantly let go. "Ok. You good?"

"Ah, uh, yea." Naruto let out a breathy laugh. "As ready as I'll ever be, I suppose." Boruto grinned. "Go get him, D- Naruto."

Giving him a questioning look, Naruto purposefully walked forward, opening the door and stepping outside. Three seconds later, the blonde stepped back inside, closing the door behind him. "I can't do it."

Boruto groaned, letting his face fall into his hands. "For Kami's sake, just walk over there and start screaming at him! According to Sasuke, you're very good at that." At least he had the decency to look ashamed. Sighing once again, Boruto grabbed his arm and ran out the door, dragging a protesting Naruto behind him.

Once Boruto arrived at his destination, he quickly stepped inside, searching for the Uchiha's chakra signature. Got it.

Boruto headed straight for the raven, still towing a protesting blonde behind him. Quickly locating the room Sasuke's chakra was coming from he stepped inside without knocking, mildly surprised when he saw the same guy he was spying on the other night.

"Ah, hey. Um, I have to discuss something with Sasuke?" The brunette nodded, heading out the door. Right after he left, Sasuke fixated a steady glare on Boruto. "What is it?"

Deciding that he didn't want to deal with anymore drama, Boruto shoved Naruto at Sasuke and quickly walked away, shooting an "He's your problem now!" at them. As soon as there was a wall separating him and the chaotic couple, Boruto let out a sigh of relief.

Meanwhile, inside the room, Sasuke was still fuming from his previous conversation with Neji. The bastard had recently informed him of Hinata's advances on Naruto, and he was more than pissed, though he knew he had no right to be.

Spotting Naruto's troubled face, however, he forced himself to calm down. Taking many deep breaths, Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose. "Naruto. What do you want?"

The blonde said nothing, too occupied by his thoughts of what might happen. Eventually the silence became too much to bear, and Sasuke (very calmly) yelled, "Naruto please! What is it?" The raven was not prepared for what came out of his mouth next.

You see, Naruto often came to him to complain, or ask advice about mundane things, such as how the ramen shop was closed, or how Gaara was late again. Never once did he imagine, or even suspect to have heard Naruto say those words.

"Listen Sasuke, about last night, um. I was sorta, awake when you kissed me. And, uh, I think we need to talk." The Uchihas mind went on complete shutdown. I'm sorry what? No. This can't be happening. I was so sure he was asleep. Shit. That talk with Neji must've thrown me off. I can't believe I didn't notice. Shit, shit, shit.

Ok calm down Sasuke. Knowing Naruto, you can probably convince him that it was just a joke between friends. Satisfied with his conclusion, and at ease now that he had a plan, Sasuke took a deep breath and schooled his features over.

While he had been waiting, Naruto had been giddy with silence, many repressed feelings bubbling up inside of him. He decided that the prolonged hesitation could only mean one thing.

However, as soon as Sasuke's shocked face froze over again, the blonde's heart dropped. He knew that Sasuke was going to deny it. Overwhelmed by years of bottled up feelings, Naruto did the only thing he could think of doing.

He lunged forward and captured Sasuke's lips in a light kiss. No sooner than he had kissed him was he pushed away. Sasuke was blushing a furious red. "W-wha?" Unable to come up with an acceptable excuse for what he had just done, Naruto rushed out of the room, leaving a flabbergasted Uchiha behind.

The blonde ran out of the building, panting as he leaned against the brick wall in the front. He slid to the ground, and a huge grin spread across his face. He kissed back. It might've just been for a second, but he did.

Smiling wider than the Cheshire cat, Naruto let out a breath of relief. He quickly went back inside, only to see that the raven was nowhere to be found. "Excuse me?" He asked a nearby waiter. "Where was the man who was originally sitting here?"

The waiter merely shrugged. "He left a few seconds ago in quite a hurry. Naruto nodded, rushing out of the building once more. I have to tell him I love him. I have to let him know I feel the same. Those words were like a broken record playing in his mind over and over again.

Out of the corner of his eye, Naruto spotted a familiar broody figure. A bright smile overcame his face, and he followed Sasuke into the forest, where he knew he would find the raven sulking by their favorite stream.

Upon entering the forest, Naruto lost track of Sasuke. Cursing, the blonde spread out his chakra, looking for Sasuke's. As soon as he did, a small thump was heard from behind him.

All senses on alert, Naruto turned around, spotting a cloaked figure in front of him. The person was dressed in all black, and every strip of skin was tucked away beneath the cloak he was wearing. Even the hand he used to take out a kunai was covered with a dark glove.

Wait what? Naruto barely jumped in time to avoid the kunai sending his way, landing on a branch of a nearby tree. Narrowing his eyes at the figure, he concluded that whomever this was, they were an enemy. Therefore, he is cleared to attack and defend himself.

Jumping and twisting through the trees, the blonde narrowly avoided the barricade of kunai's sent his way. As soon as he saw his opening, he lunged, aiming a low kick at the other's legs.

The black figure dodged, and Naruto was sent skidding across the dirt. Spotting a punch coming towards his face, the blonde quickly rolled to the side, countering with a kick to the stomach.

As soon as he got up, Naruto attempted to call upon his chakra, and take in this person for questioning. Before he could, the figure hastily sent a high kick to his neck, forcing him to abandon the hand signs and block.

Shit. This guy hits hard. The two nin continued striking blow after blow on each other, neither wavering in their stance. Dodging and punching his opponent, Naruto fell into a routine and let his instincts take over.

However, he missed the sharp uppercut sent his way and ended up sprawled across the ground. Before he could get up, the opposing figure stuck a type of syringe into his neck.

Feeling weaker and weaker, Naruto could just barely make out a faint voice calling his name desperately right before the world went black.

Oop. I give you de drama. Welp, things are gon get pretty messy from here on out. Uh, good luck my wonderful pups, and hang on tight!