Death is the only way to freedom

Second part of the funeral for you, my dear readers... plz forget to comment after you read it XD

Warning: Sad chapter!

Chapter 18: Ashes to ashes, dust to dust 2

“Sasuke?”

“Mmmm.” Sasuke smiled happily in his sleep, he hugged the warm body beneath him and drew in the scent of something that reminded him of summer, a faint and delicious smell of fruity soap and something very familiar and addictive.

“Sasuke?”

“Mmmmm? Just a little longer.” This was a nice dream, and the Uchiha didn´t want to wake up just yet. If he could choose his dreams, this one was actually one that was worth of repeating.

“Teme?!”

“What?” Sasuke slowly opened his crimson eyes only to stare right into deep azure blue pools.
“Beautiful.” He said, still under the influence of the comfortable feeling of warmth and sleep.

“What?!” The voice beneath him sounded surprised.

Sasuke sat up and suddenly realized where he was. He was now straddling a firm hip of the blonde angel that was trapped beneath him on the black leather couch.

“Naruto?” He said in surprise before he remembered how he had carried the sleeping blonde to the couch and had taken a nap next to the dobe.

“Um, how did we end up here and would you mind crawling off me? I need to pee.” The blonde didn´´t sound upset or angry at all, he sounded more like he was slightly amused that they had been napping together like this.

“… Gomen.” Sasuke muttered as he climbed down from the gorgeous blonde to allow him to go to the bathroom.

`Damn, he´s hot! ` Sasuke thought as he tried to calm down his nerves. He sighed deeply and walked into the kitchen to make some tea.

“What time is it?” Naruto walked into the kitchen and leaned against the kitchen table, next to the raven.

“… Almost noon, we have about an hour to get ready. Wanna eat something before or should we wait till afterwards?”

“I would prefer to wait till the funeral, if you don´t mind. I´m not good with these kind of things and I wouldn´t want to be sick during the ceremony.” Naruto said with a shy grin.

“… I don´t mind to wait… I could arrange for some food for the two of us afterwards, as we will only have a light dinner during the cremation as it is tradition.” Sasuke said. ´I have waited so long for you to be so comfortable around me again, so I can wait a bit longer. ` He told himself with a soft smile.

“Sounds fine with me, Sasuke. Let’s order something traditional, nee!” The Uchiha was surprised by the blonde’s suggestion.

“No ramen?”

“Nope, not suitable for a funeral!” He grinned.

“Are you sure?”

“Yup. You order and I´ll go buy some flowers for the ceremony, k!” Naruto sipped at the bitter green tea that Sasuke offered him.

They stayed like that till the tea was finished before Naruto stretched his tanned arms above his head with a yawn.

“Well I´m off, teme. See you in about half an hour.”

“Naruto?”

“Yeah?”

“… What are you going to wear?” Naruto almost dropped his jaw to the floor in surprise at the softly spoken question.

“Are? I was planning on wearing a traditional black yukata but I can wear the black ninja uniform instead if you think it’s better suited!” The blonde said.

“Yukata is fine. I was planning on the same as I still want to show respect towards Itachi.”

“Would you mind if I changed here?” Naruto asked with slight hesitation as he placed the cup in the sink. “I don´t feel like answering questions I can´t answer when I come back from purchasing flowers.”

“Sure, no problem.” Sasuke´s lips curled upwards into a small smile. ´You can change your clothe at my place forever, kirei, or run around butt naked inside these walls if you want to.` He couldn´t resist to wave back Naruto did not wave at Sasuke so how can Sasuke wave back??? at the blonde as he left to buy flowers and incense for the funeral. ´This is actually a nice feeling, to have someone who you look forward to return to. This house has been too empty for too long; and this is something I plan on changing in the near future. `

~ # ~

The blonde girl yawned in boredom. The activity in the flower shop had been rather dull and she had decided that it would be alright if she took a brief nap as the bell at the door signaled that a potential customer had entered her parents shop.

“Welcome, how may I help…? Oi Naruto, what can I do for you on this fine day?”

“Yo, Ino. I need some flowers.” The blonde grinned. His entire being radiated calmness which made the blonde konoichi smile. He had truly grown into a very attractive man during the years and she almost regretted that she was already taken.

“Figures!” She grinned. “Why else would you be here.”

“Well, I could just be dropping by to flash one of my addictive smiles to one of my dear friends,” He grinned widely.

“Are you hitting on my girlfriend, Uzumaki?” Sounded a warm voice from the room in the back of the store. A huge figure stepped out off the shadows of the door with a smile on his round face.

“Oi Chouji, long time no see.” Naruto waved at the huge shinobi.

“Don´t change the subject. The girl demanded. She loved the attention, though they all knew it was just for fun.

“So how are you two? Happy?” Naruto asked.

“Yup, we sure are. We are getting married in two months, the invitations will be out soon and I really hope that you are able to attend.” Ino hugged her soon to be husband and kissed him.

“Congratulations, I´m happy to hear that! I would love to come.” Naruto smiled, happy for their joy.

“What about you? How are your wounds healing?” The Akimichi asked. “Buying flowers for a cute girl?” Chouji asked, still hugging his girlfriend.

“I´m good thanks. I´m not healing as fast as before but I´m fine,”Naruto explained.” I wanted to go and visit my father’s grave and I wanted some white chrysanthemum for that purpose.” Naruto knew that almost everyone knew who his parents were because he looked so much like his father the Yondaime, now that he was a grown-up and his hair was longer; he kinda looked like a foxy copy of Minato.

“Sure thing, Naruto. How many do you want?” Ino asked. Both she and Chouji considered Naruto as a valuable and loved friend and of course they had long ago guessed who his father was. There where not that many blonde people in Konoha after all.

“… Give me five of the really big ones.” He pointed at the beautiful white flowers with the biggest heads.

“Here you go, want anything else?” She asked as she handed him the wrapped flowers.

“… A red rose and two sunflowers too, please.” Naruto decided that he would place one of the pretty white flowers as well as a sunflower on his father´s monument. The other chrysanthemums were for the funeral as well as the last sunflower. The rose was for Sasuke; Naruto wasn´t quite sure why, but it just felt right somehow.

He took the flowers and paid for them with a smile before he excused himself and left. When Ino started to talk there would be no way that he would be able to have the time to return to his apartment to pick up the yukata and return to Sasuke´s place in time.

He walked to his apartment to make sure that the fragile flowers wouldn´t get damaged from the force of the wind if Naruto were to jump the rooftops as he usual did. It took him about ten minutes to reach his apartment and pack up the clothes.

As he had walked half the way back towards the Uchiha district he heard a familiar voice behind him.

“Naruto! Wait up.” He turned around and almost dropped the bag that contained his clothes as well as the wrapped flowers.

“… Sakura-chan, Sai? What a surprise!” Naruto said with a smile while he cursed on the inside. Why did those two had to show up right now? And was Sakura going to argue with him about his sexual preference?

“What up?” The blonde asked as he started to walk again.

“Where are you going?” The pink-haired annoyance asked with a smile.

“I have an appointment.” Naruto answered coldly. He had no time for twenty questions right now.

“With Sasuke?”

“And if that was so, Sakura?” The blonde said in a slightly irritated tone.

“I was just wondering if you wanted to get some ramen with Sai and me?”

“I don´t have the time for that right now, Sakura!” His golden brows frowned as she grabbed Sai´s arm and clung to it as if her life depended on it.

“Aw come on, Naruto. You never say no to ramen, why start now. Come and celebrate with me and Sai!”

“… No can do, gomen Sakura!” He didn´t care what she was celebrating though it was quite obvious that she was trying (if she hadn´t succeeded already) to get together with Sai. Naruto almost laughed on the inside at the thought of those two together as a couple.

Sakura with her unruly inner self and fierce temper and Sai who still had a problem with real emotions… a perfect couple – yeah right, but Naruto had the suspicion that Sakura was desperate and took what ever she could get.

“Why are you so angry with me?” She asked, while Sai followed the conversation with amusement.

“I´m not angry with you, Sakura and hope that you and Sai will become really happy together. I really have to be somewhere and I am in a hurry if I want to be on time.”

“…” For once, the pink-haired konoichi was speechless and Naruto quickly used the silence to wave at his two teammates and run off in a hurry towards Sasuke´s place to get ready.

´I wonder if Sasuke is relieved that Sakura will finally leave both of us alone and go bug Sai instead heh… heh. ` He chuckled to himself.

~ # ~

The Buddhist priest with the name Tetsuha turned on the cremation oven and turned to the casket to make sure that everything was as it was supposed to be, before he would apply and nail the lid onto the casket.

The dead shinobi, who had once been the pride of the Uchiha clan before he had decided to kill them all except Sasuke because of the things they secretly did to him and Naruto, was now dressed in a white yukata and ready to begin his final journey to the other side to join his soul once again.

The monk knew that the family and friends had already said their goodbyes and wouldn´t be attending to the cremation as it was usual. The last Uchiha, a close friend of the family and the Hokage would return here as soon as the cremation was over and would then go on with the ceremony.

~ # ~

Naruto walked into the living room with a huge grin on his face, which made Sasuke stare in confusion at the blonde.

“Why are you grinning like that, dobe?” The raven asked as he smiled back. He was a bit confused because he had somehow expected to see the blonde´s sulking face all day and not the bright sunny face that he loved so much.

“You´ll never guess who Sakura is hitting on this time!” Naruto chuckled as he sat down on the couch next to the Uchiha.

“Not you I guess, or didn´t she understand that you don´t like girls?” Sasuke smirked as he felt the comfortable warmth of the other man´s body so close to his.

“Oh I think that she got that perfectly back then,” He grinned. “I met her as I was on my way back here… she was hanging on Sai´s arm and wanted to tell me all about it or so I guess.”

“… Or so you guess?” Sasuke raised an eyebrow in interest. If Sakura was hitting on Sai… then he could have the dobe all to himself.

“Well, I didn´t wait around for her to tell, but I think it was pretty obvious that they were hitting it off… what a funny combination, don´t you think?”

“Sure is.” The raven said. ´Much like you and me, kirei` He thought as he watched the blonde rise to his feet.

“Where are you going? Leaving me so soon?”

“I´m not leaving you, teme. I need to get changed… would you mind if I used your shower?”

“Be my guest, dobe.” The Uchiha said as he leaned further against the back of the couch, while imagining Naruto´s naked toned body all wet in his shower. ´Soon, very soon, Naruto you will be mine. `

An hour later:

“You look good!” A deep voice said behind him.

“You really think so, teme?” Naruto turned around to face the well dressed man who stood close behind him.

“You sure do.” Sasuke smiled warmly at the blonde. ´He looks so perfect in that dark blue (almost black) yukata` the raven thought.

Naruto had yet to tie the sash around his slim hips. It revealed some of his beautifully sculptured chest and the two necklaces that graced his neck to the Uchiha. Sasuke stepped forward and picked up the necklace the Naruto had won from the Hokage so many years ago, between his thumb and index finger.

“Everything seems to look good on you, Naruto.” He whispered as he let his fingers caress the smooth blue stone that was attached to the silvery chain.

“… Thank you, Sasuke. You look really good to; the black yukata goes so well with you skin color.” The blonde mumbled with an almost invisible blush that didn´t go unnoticed by the raven.

Sasuke´s coal black eyes rose from the necklace to bright blue eyes and smiled softly at the blonde. He slowly reduced the space between them as he pulled softly at the silver chain around Naruto´s strong tanned neck.

“Um… Sasuke…?” Naruto stuttered as he watched the raven lick his pale kissable lips longingly.

“Hnnn.” The distance shrunk slowly till their noses brushed against each other.

“…” Naruto failed to say anything as he felt Sasuke´s tongue swipe against his lower lip lightly before their lips meet in a soft kiss.

“Gomen, but you looked so good that I just couldn´t stop myself.” The Uchiha smirked as he pulled away. ´Oh god he tastes so good. And that golden skin against the dark fabric of the yukata… he should wear black or blue all the time instead of the hideous flashy orange… or maybe he shouldn’t wear anything at all and just stay in my bed all the time… damn, I´m losing my focus here. What was I´m supposed to do again? Oh yeah… the funeral; guess I better wait till afterwards to ravish him then! `

He was smirking not only because of his not so pure imagination but also because he heard a desperate whimper from the blonde their lips parted. Naruto wanted this as much as Sasuke did… but now wasn´t the time for hot steaming sex on the living room floor… not yet… but soon. After the funeral.

“Are you ready to go, dobe?” The Uchiha teased as Naruto seemed to lack the ability to move.

“Teme, you distracted me, don´t do that!” The blonde snapped out of it and began to tie the sash properly around his waistline while muttering silent curses at the raven.

Soon they were ready and on their way towards the crematorium to pay their last respects to Itachi.

~ # ~

“Welcome, I am Tetsuha and I am the Buddhist monk who will perform the ceremony today.” The monk bowed deeply in front of the two young men who bowed respectfully back.

“Please follow me to the next room. Hokage-sama is already present.” Tetsuha said as he led the way.

“Hokage-sama, thank you for coming.” Sasuke bowed in front of the busty blonde woman who placed a hand on his shoulder to show her support.

“Tsunade-baa-chan, how nice of you to come.” Naruto smiled softly and gave her a warm hug. She hugged him back and felt happy that both of the young men seemed to have accepted the situation and had come to terms with their loss and each other.

“Are you ready to begin? The body has already been cremated as you requested and the remains are ready for you in the next room.” The monk asked as it seemed that no one else was attending.

“Yes, we are.” Tsunade smiled reassuringly at the two young men. As promised; this was going to be a private ceremony for those who knew the truth about Itachi´s reasons to kill almost his entire clan. Naruto took the beautifully black glanced urn into his hands and sighed. This wasn´t going to be easy. He could feel the stinging pain of loss in his chest and suddenly he felt very guilty that he had spend the entire day so close to Sasuke.

´Life goes on without me, little angel… live on and be happy in any way you see fit. ` He could almost hear Itachi´s words ring in his sensitive ears. ´I will live on and I will try to become happy… Itachi, I will never forget about the things we had together… your memory will live on in both Sasuke and I.`

They followed the monk into the next room. A large tray was placed in the middle of room; the tray was holding the ashes of the cremated body.

The casket, the flesh and most of the contents had burned down into fine ash. Naruto and Sasuke could see that the skeleton structure of the body was still intact and warm as they could all feel the heat radiating from the tray.

They all knelt down on the soft cushions on the floor right in front of the tray and Sasuke took the mismatching chopstick from the monk. Sasuke stared at the chopsticks and noticed that one was made of some unknown sort of wood while the other was made from bamboo.

“You should begin with the bones from the feet and up.” The monk explained as he seated himself at the end of the tray where Itachi´s skull was located. “That way, your beloved ones body will be upright in the urn.”

They all nodded and the monk began to perform the sutra. Sasuke, as the only living relative began. He carefully picked a bone with the chopsticks and placed it into the urn before passing on the chopsticks to a slightly trembling Naruto.

“Are you alright?” A worried Uchiha asked as he wrapped an arm around Naruto´s shoulder to support the trembling blonde.

Naruto looked at Sasuke with tears in his azure blue eyes. The pain they emitted made Sasuke´s heart sting. He promised himself that he would do anything he could to prevent the blonde to look at him again with that sad and painful expression.

“… I´m… I´m fine. I didn´t think that… it would be so… hard to… to see him like this.” Naruto sighed and refrained from taking a deep breath because he feared that he could risk breathing in some of Itachi´s ashes. And though he had loved the man so much… he didn´t want to choke on his remains.

He pulled it together somehow and managed to pick up a small bone from the tray and carefully placed it into the urn. He felt a single tear run down his cheek as Sasuke dragged him closer to let him rest onto his strong shoulder.

Naruto felt strange and slightly sick as Tsunade accidentally picked up a nail from the casket instead of a bone. She quickly exchanged the nail with a bone and handed the chopsticks back at Sasuke.

Each one of them picked a bone in turns, and placed them into the urn till there were no more bones left.

The monk ended the ceremony and rose to his feet. Tetsuha was stunned to see that the former carrier of the Kitsune no Kyuubi was so emotional about the older Uchiha´s passing. He had always considered everyone to be alike in the eyes of Buddha but had also somehow thought that the demon boy would be influenced by the demon… but now he saw that Naruto, like everyone else, could feel grief, sorrow and love as Sasuke lovingly helped the blonde man to his feet and hugged the sobbing blonde close to his heart.