A/N: Hell yeah, I'm not dead! Just taking a much-needed break. Hopefully, I'll go back to uploading daily and then keep up that momentum for my next project but don't keep your hopes up, I know I'm not. There are some parts of this I might edit later but I like it a lot better than my last. Also, in a previous chapter (like 30 ago or something lol) I said that Naruto had gotten rid of his inferiority complex. Welp. I lied. Orrrr you could say that I misdirected. Anyways, that doesn't really matter. As a wise man once said, "Mesa Back!" Hope you enjoy :)
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Sasuke sat on the veranda of the Uchiha residence. He did nothing. His arms lay motionless by his side. He was in a terrible mood. Itachi and Sakura had gone on a mission and left him and Karah. Obviously Karah started begging and begging for him to 'be her friend again' and he, once again, exploded and yelled at her. She'd run off but had kept coming back, bugging him again and again. He was tired and annoyed by it all. In front of him was a wide-open space with a huge body of water in the middle of it. He used to train by that lake. He used to perform his fireball jutsu over the clear water. He used to do it beside-
"Hey."
Sasuke didn't react to the voice and kept looking into the middle distance motionlessly. He could sense there was someone standing to his left, just out of his peripheral vision but he didn't care enough to look.
"Hey, Sasuke."
The voice was familiar although vastly alien. It was manly and deep yet held the innocence of a young child. It had been a quiet, soft murmur. It sounded like it was unconfident yet used to pretending to be confident. Sasuke groaned. He really wasn't in the mood for socialising.
"Look, I'm not-" Sasuke turned his head slightly and saw the figure that was next to him. He froze. His mouth hung agape. Sasuke recognised him instantly. Even though he looked so different, Sasuke knew that it was him as soon as he saw him. Naruto stood by him. He was much taller and bulkier than Sasuke yet also much thinner than when Sasuke had seen him last. He shuddered.
'A-am I hallucinating?' he thought. He still didn't have control of his mouth. Naruto walked over in silence and sat himself down next to Sasuke and looked to where he had been previously looking.
"Sumimasen, Sasuke." Naruto's apology was quiet and polite. Sasuke finally got control of himself.
"N-Naruto?!" Sasuke managed to get the word out. Naruto looked down in shame.
"I know you don't want to talk to me. I understood that a long time ago," he said calmly. It obviously took a lot of effort for him to speak like this "But I've been given a second chance at life. I would never forgive myself if I didn't get to talk to you again."
Sasuke found that his lip was quivering.
"W-what?" he mustered. He had meant to ask the question casually but it came out more as a whisper. Naruto continued, not hearing him.
"Sasuke, you were my brother. I know you don't see me the same but I have to tell you," he sighed, thinking of what to say, "If you don't already know, my allegiance was never with the Akatsuki," Naruto turned himself to face Sasuke and bowed his head, "But that does not excuse my actions... I'm sorry, Sasuke. You do not have to forgive me. I know you do not wish to talk to me."
Naruto brought himself up and began slowly walking away. Sasuke pulled himself together.
"WAIT!" he called out desperately. Naruto turned around. Sasuke noticed that one of his eyes was covered with bandages. He didn't allow himself to become unfocused though, "C-come back."
Naruto, puzzled by the situation, walked back to where he sat before and looked down at Sasuke.
"S-sit," Sasuke spoke with great difficulty. Naruto sat. Delicately and uncertainly, Sasuke reached out a hand and stroked Naruto. He looked up at him with widened eyes, "Y-you- you're real!"
Naruto nodded, not understanding Sasuke's behaviour, "It's fine if you don't wish to speak to me Sasuke. You do not have to jest-"
"No!" Sasuke called out. Unconsciously, his fist clenched on Naruto's arm. Embarrassed, he immediately let go, "No..." he repeated quieter.
"Sasuke, I don't understand-"
Tears had formed in Sasuke's eyes. He couldn't control himself anymore.
"Don't think that!" Sasuke's shout sounded more like a desperate plea. Naruto tilted his head in confusion. Sasuke elaborated, "Don't think I hate you. Please."
Naruto was still bewildered. He had no idea what was going on, "Why would you not hate me?"
Sasuke felt his heart shatter. The innocence in his voice: It was so reminiscent of how he talked back when they were younger. He truly hadn't changed. And he thought that he hated him.
"I don't hate you!" he cried out, "Naruto, you're my brother!"
Now Naruto's eyes widened, "But you ignored me. You hated me."
Sasuke threw his arms around Naruto, "I'm sorry!! I'm so so sorry!!"
Itachi Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, Might Guy and Rock Lee re-entered the village calmly. They had just finished their own mission with a hybrid of squads. It was mostly uneventful. Even when they returned, they were so bored that they didn't even utter a word. Suddenly, they saw a figure jump from roof-top to roof-top, getting closer to them. Neji Hyuuga landed in front of them, panting heavily. Rock Lee, being team-mates with Hinata, was closest to Neji and thus spoke first.
"Neji! Are you alright? Where is your usual youthfulness?!" he asked in his usual over-dramatic-ness.
"Naruto-!" he said, through pants. Instantly, everyone apart from Sakura froze. She internally groaned. 'This again?' she thought, 'I thought we were done!'
"What?!" Might Guy stepped forward, "What did you just say?"
"Naruto is in the village!" The group's eyes all widened. Rock Lee turned to Might Guy.
"Sensei, we have to find him! NOW!" his voice was the most desperate Guy had ever heard it. He simply nodded. The two were about to leave when Itachi held them back.
"What are you doing? This is obviously a ruse. Naruto is dead! We saw it happen!" Guy pulled his shoulder out of Itachi's grip.
"We have to see him. Even if there's only a small chance, I have to take it." he said gruffly.
"We saw it! I saw it! I got my Mangekyou Sharingan as did my brother from that very moment so don't try and tell me it didn't happen!"
"I swear it!" Neji broke them up, "I swear on my honour as a shinobi."
Itachi took a step back. Now it had to be true. Neji would not say that lightly. Without a look back, Might Guy and Lee began making their way to the Namikaze residence to find Naruto. Neji disappeared and Itachi and Sakura were left alone. Sakura turned to her shell-shocked sensei.
'I have to tell Sasuke! He won't be ready unless I warn him! Wait... will I be ready?' Itachi thought to himself.
"Itachi-sensei?"
He broke out of his trance. He quickly turned to Sakura.
"Do the de-briefing and get the payments. I need to go!" he yelled and started running in the direction of the Uchiha compound. Sakura groaned and face-palmed.
"One mention of Naruto and they all go crazy," she murmured to herself and went to where Itachi had told her.
Naruto and Sasuke still sat on the veranda together.
"S-so... you don't... hate me?" Naruto asked unsurely.
"No!" Sasuke responded, "I would never..." Sasuke's voice failed him. He coughed and repeated himself, "I would never... hate my brother."
Naruto was stunned. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Why are you so surprised by that?" Sasuke asked, saddened by Naruto's response. Naruto couldn't wipe the shocked look of his face.
"I-I thought you... stopped talking to me... because I was annoying," Naruto spoke with precision, making sure he articulated his thoughts correctly, "You and Itachi-sensei had Karah-sama. By comparison... I'm just something that needs to be ignored."
Sasuke clenched his fist, "Don't ever say that!" Naruto looked at him confused. He continued, "Don't even refer to that filth as 'sama'."
"But... you are her teammate."
A sudden burst of footsteps were heard. Shortly after, Itachi appeared from the side of the house, running at top speed. As soon as his eyes caught sight of Naruto though, he stopped. He couldn't move.
"Sa-sasuke..." Itachi's mouth uttered the word before dropping open. His brain was processing it worse than he had expected. Naruto got up and walked over to him in silence. He bowed to him.
"Itachi-sensei," he greeted politely.
"Naruto..." Itachi said the word breathlessly.
"Sasuke was just telling me... the truth... of why you and him..." Naruto was struggling to find the words, "... stopped talking to me."
Itachi was still in shock from seeing him. He saw clearly the eye that Karah had gouged out, covered in bandages. His body was built and he had a large muscular frame despite being unhealthily thin. His voice contrasted heavily with his appearance. Somehow, every word he uttered created an intense sense of deja vu. The sound was exactly like his past self. Itachi struggled not to see the little boy he had taken under his wing in front of him when he spoke. Naruto slowly returned to sitting next to Sasuke at the veranda. Wordlessly and still wearing his shocked appearance, Itachi followed him and sat down next to him also on the veranda. They sat in silence for a minute. Naruto finally brought his head up and turned it to Itachi.
"Please tell me it's true," he said, an innate longing hidden in his tone. For some reason, Itachi felt the need to cry.
"W-what is?" he said, awkwardly.
"That you didn't hate me."
Itachi swallowed. Tears built up in his eyes like his brother before him. Sasuke stepped in for his brother's sake.
"It's true, Naruto," he said, regaining his previous composure. Naruto smiled happily. He too had begun to cry, although oblivious to the fact that he wasn't the only one.
"Thank goodness," he said before his joyful tears began to fall. Sasuke and Itachi put their arms around Naruto.
"We will never leave you again," Itachi said, causing Naruto to sob even harder. He held them tighter.
Eventually, everyone regained their composure. The tears had stopped and there was now a new atmosphere over the conversation. Neither Uchiha intended on showing any more emotion. Naruto sat between them, his face now rid of tears. Sasuke spoke first.
"You spoke to your parents?" he asked. Naruto nodded sadly.
"They said they were sorry. They said it was all some 'genjutsu'," Naruto spoke emotionlessly. He really didn't care, "I don't believe them."
"I should've seen this," Itachi said, still wracked with guilt, "I should've put a stop to the abuse."
"This may be weird," Naruto's face held a sad smile, "But the abuse wasn't that bad," Sasuke flinched, "I just wish they didn't leave me alone for so long. I don't like being left alone."
Itachi fought another wave of tears. He put a hand on Naruto's shoulder.
"I was your sensei. I failed you." Naruto shook his head.
"You gave me the best time of my life. You taught me friendship and love. I don't know where I'd be without you!" Naruto's smile was happy now. Itachi gulped when he saw it.
"Thanks Itachi-sensei!"
"That's so cool Itachi-sensei!"
"Me and Sasuke are like brothers, right Itachi-sensei?"
"I'm gonna be a ninja, just like you Itachi-sensei!"
A million memories flooded through his head.
"Yeah... and then we left you all alone... great friends we were," Sasuke said cynically. His words were filled with self-hatred. Itachi shared those same feelings.
"You kept me going," Naruto said, "When I was all alone, the thoughts of you kept me going. Without you guys I wouldn't have succeeded in fulfilling the prophecy."
Sasuke and Itachi's minds returned to when Obito had taken them through Naruto's past.
"Alright I've got you now Sasuke!" Naruto yelled out enthusiastically. Everyone's eyes shot up to look at him. He was standing there in his fighting pose staring off into nothingness with a joyful smile on his face. Sasuke felt a deep pit in his stomach. He swallowed. Naruto jumped into the air and proceeded to take part in a fight against an imaginary foe.
"That was good." Naruto made occasional comments as he continued his 'duel'. Hinata fell to the ground, helpless to do anything but watch. Naruto jumped forward and seemingly stabbed his kunai into something invisible. He pulled it out and stabbed again, yelling out a battle-cry.
"I got you!" celebrated Naruto, his smile joyful, "I got you." he repeated, his smile changing. He thrust his kunai back into the invisible body, "I got you. I got you." His smile was slowly transforming and becoming demented. He started laughing. It was not his usual laugh. It was strange. Off. It was too joyful for what he was doing. It sounded like it hurt to laugh.
"Sasuke," he said in a sing-song voice through gritted teeth, "I got you." He kept stabbing with growing intensity. The real Sasuke's voice dropped open.
"Sasuke, you left me. You were meant to help me. You were meant to be my brother. You ignored me like all the rest. You were meant to be my brother. Sasuke you left me like all the rest," Naruto's voice was becoming hoarse and itchy, "I hate you Sasuke, I hate you. I hate you Itachi. You left me. You were meant to help me. You were meant to save me. You hated me. I hate you. I hate you Sasuke." His muttering continued, growing in intensity. It was getting louder with each word. His laughter was getting louder too. His breathing was unsteady and he frequently had to take in quick breaths of air to keep himself going.
"I trusted you. I hate you Sasuke. I hate you Lee. I hate you Guy. I hate you Kakashi. I hate you Itachi. I hate you Minato. I hate you Kushina. I hate you Karah. I hate you Naruko. I'm all alone and I hate you all."
Itachi fell to his knees.
"No..." he said, desperate to not believe what he was seeing.
"I'LL KILL YOU ALL!!" He screamed.
~
"Is this... where it ends?" Naruto asked himself rhetorically, "Is this where I die? Cold and alone. After all that's happened? After all I worked for? I die here? With no one..."
"It's what you deserve." Naruto's tone shifted when he next spoke, as if he was trying to replicate someone else's voice.
"I know Sasuke," Naruto responded to himself. He really was on his last strain of sanity. Sasuke's jaw dropped in protest and sadness of the situation in front of him.
'That's not what I would say!' He found he couldn't voice his thoughts.
"I just wanted to be warm..." he said quietly.
"You're useless," Naruto replied to himself again in a slightly different voice.
"I'm sorry Itachi-sensei," he said, now in the same voice he had when he was a child, "I just really wanted to learn the jutsu." He blinked, realizing what he just said. He shook his head and chuckled, "I'm losing my mind..."
"Naruto," Itachi looked to Naruto, "You're not healthy..." Naruto turned to him, confused, "Y-you..." Itachi was struggling with what to say, "Your life has been hard. You need some help with your mental state."
Sasuke was as confused as Naruto.
"Nee-chan, I don't see-"
Itachi cut him off, "Naruto, your mind isn't stable. You aren't thinking straight."
"I'm thinking fine," Naruto spoke to Itachi exactly like how he had all those years ago when he had been hiding the abuse. Itachi wasn't going to ignore it now.
"No, you have an inferiority complex. You see yourself as a second-class citizen."
"I am, useless annoyances are second-class," Naruto replied quickly as if automatically. Sasuke blinked and turned to him. He was shocked. Naruto acted as if he hadn't said anything strange. Itachi's eyes filled with sympathy.
"Naruto, please let me help you. How you are thinking is unhealthy! This prophecy-"
Itachi was interrupted by someone clearing their throat. They all turned to see who it was.
Karah Namikaze stood by the edge of the house, peering over at the group in front of her. Naruto, having seen her, got up and walked up to her. She was too stunned to move. Naruto knelt before her.
"Karah-sama," he greeted with the utmost politeness. Karah's eyes widened.
"No!" she said instantly, "No, don't call me that!"
Naruto looked up at her confused. Karah saw the bandages that covered his eye. The eye that she gouged out. She saw the look on his face. It was the same one he had worn when he was younger. Even though his body was so different, his face was still the same as it always had been.
"But-"
Karah cut him off, "D-don't call me that!"
Naruto nodded, trying his hardest to understand, "Yes, I will do as you say, Karah." He spoke her name like he would a deity. Karah winced. Itachi stood up and walked over to her. Karah looked up at him, hopefully.
"Itachi-sensei! I've been looking-"
"Leave," Itachi said coldly. There was not even a scrap of warmth of friendliness, "Leave now."
Karah's face fell. She ignored the kneeling Naruto at her feet, as she focused entirely on Itachi's rejection, "But I-"
Sasuke stood up. "LEAVE!!" he screamed. Karah jumped and quickly scuttled away. Naruto slowly brought himself up. Sasuke walked over to Naruto and put a hand on his shoulder. Naruto brushed it off.
"Eh?"
"Why would you do that?" Naruto asked. His friendliness was gone from his voice, also. Sasuke felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Naruto now sounded like he had when he was in the Akatsuki.
"What do you mean?" Sasuke in comparison sounded like a mouse.
"Why would you talk to her like that? Why are you treating her like that?"
Sasuke was bewildered. Why was Naruto angry with him? Itachi bravely spoke up.
"Naruto, you have finally freed yourself from the delusion that you love your parents. Why can't you do the same for Karah?" he asked, his voice surprisingly not faltering under the stress he was feeling.
"Karah is my sister; she is the child of prophecy. If I find out you have been holding back teaching her, I will never forgive-"
"I haven't! I taught her to the best of my ability! But then I found out what she did. What she did to you! She is no 'Child of Prophecy'! You need to let go of the past!" Itachi yelled. Naruto shook his head fervently.
"NO!" Naruto's voice boomed. The lake in the distance slightly shook. The crows resting in the trees of the Uchiha compound took off into the sky, a choir of bird-calls following them. Naruto left the Uchiha compound silently, refusing to look back whilst Sasuke called him. Eventually, he was gone. Sasuke returned to the veranda where Itachi was still located.
"Nice going," he commented sarcastically. Itachi groaned and hit himself with his fist.
'This isn't how I wanted our reunion to go.'