You Can Never Go Home Again

AFF: Because I strive to be a perfectionist with these chapters, I'm still trying to figure out the formatting for the damn upload process. This is my second attempt, hopefully it'll do what I want it to -_-;;

A/N: Wow, the response to this was…just…wow…especially at Adultfanfiction…totally a lot more than I was expecting. Something that was talked about in a lot of the reviews was that I should mention that it’s a flashback. My gripe with this is that there’s so many flash backs (pretty much every other scene change is one) that it doesn’t really look right to me to call them flashbacks; I’m thinking of them as more of a…um, how to word this…a whole nother story, two stories that support each other. I think I’m going to try something in this chapter’s formatting, tell me if you this makes it easier to discern or not.

Reviews from Adultfanfiction:

Blueberry - oooooooooh there’s going to be some tragic moments in here, but it wouldn’t be a good story without them, if you ask me
Ghostninja85 - yay! You’re reading this one too! I love knowing I’ve got people who like my work enough to read more than one of my stories!
Phoenixdown7 – haha, James Bond…well, you know…he IS from Team 7 and James Bond is 007…maybe there IS a bit of a connection. Urg…I’m reaching…^^
Yum – mwahahaha…that IS a good question to be asking, I was wondering if anyone was going to be thinking about that.
Hodoka – I never thought I would see the day someone would leave me a review with the words ‘bloody brilliant’ in them, it made my day.

Also thanks to turtledonkey27, TenshiKaitou, Yami Jay, ^^, the two Anon’s, urehitomi, caro8, @_@, shouta, and akuma_river for the reviews!

Reviews from Fanfiction:

Not really any replies to give for these reviews, but thanks SleepingDove, Gina-uzumaki, KunochiDreamer, Little Fox Kit, and Tsugath for the wonderful reviews. (and thanks to villin for reminding me about the sasunaru label, sorry!)


You Can Never Go Home Again
Chapter Two: It’s Only You


“Well, this seems familiar.” Naruto smiled at the raven-haired man currently in front of him, although the gesture didn’t reach his eyes, “Picking up where we left off, Sasuke-kun?” He sarcastically added the ending that he knew made the other boy…well…man…irritated.

Mission successful as the grip currently imposed on Naruto’s wrists, pinning them both against the wall, tightened and a low growl issued from behind the ANBU mask.

“You know, it doesn’t quite work the same with the mask staring me down.” He smirked with pride as another growl issued, then winced as his hands were crushed back against the wall.

“Shut up, Uzumaki.” Sasuke’s voice hissed at him, uncurling in a disturbing way, muffled by the white plate that hid Sasuke’s familiar features. Vaguely, Naruto wondered if Sasuke was going to remove the mask so they could study each other openly, or if he was going to have to hand the other nin his ass and take it off himself. (No, you can’t do that…I don’t care…I said no, didn’t I?)

The blonde’s mind drifted, and he opened his mouth to repeat a phrase almost forgotten in his memory, “Something bothering you?”

Sasuke seemed a little caught off-guard by the words, and tensed. “Yeah, you. Did you mean what you said back there?”

“Which part? That the others were waiting?” The grip increased and he winced, “Okay! Okay! Jeeze, no sense of humor at all.”

“It all kind of died out a year ago.”

Naruto frowned, then stuck his tongue out, “You never had a sense of humor to begin with.”

“I’d watch what I do with that tongue if I was you.”

Naruto had the upper hand in this conversation, he knew he did. Yeah, sure, he was pinned to the wall, but details, details. “You can’t do anything about it, Uchiha, hiding behind that mask. You won’t even meet me eye-to-eye and you’re warning me what I should be doing with my tongue?”

Sasuke’s grip released, surprising the sunshine blonde. Fingers traced the curve of his neck, and the part of his collarbone exposed by the open vest. “You shouldn’t say careless things about people in general.” The hands traced back up, feeling Naruto’s pulse rise just slightly, “It’s not so easy for people to just ‘stop caring’.”

And then he was gone, and Uzumaki Naruto rubbed his neck gingerly, glancing around. He cursed Sasuke’s speed and forced himself to continue on, determined not to be interrupted from his course again.

!!!! !!!!

He left Sasuke for a few hours of restless sleep. Tossing, he was met with the barriers in his mind, the demon that shed himself onto every aspect of Naruto’s life. The part of himself he hated and was forced to accept.

The Kyuubi hissed, fanning out the glorious nine fire-colored tails as best it could in its cage. Unintimidated, Naruto slumped down against the bar, glaring up at the beast. “Oh come off it, you already know I don’t care, Kyuubi. You don’t intimidate me THAT much.”

Fangs bared themselves, and the low voice curled out to him, “I should. I’ve killed stronger than you.”

“Then why are you still in that cage?”

The demon was quiet, watching him with angry, angry eyes.

Naruto sighed and looked up at the demon, “Look, I’m not here to fight with you. It’s going to be time for you to pay your rent soon.”

Kyuubi looked interested, “Blood needs spilling?”

“You don’t need to get excited, I don’t know yet. But Sasuke—” The demon hissed, not liking the name one bit, “…Sasuke said something didn’t feel right, and honestly, I’m sharing the same thoughts, so just be ready.” He rose, floated a little above the floor and met red eyes with his own, “Anything could happen, and I promised him I’d be home for his birthday.”

The demon shifted and made a gruff sound, then gave its thought on the whole thing by turning around and flopping down, tails fanning out and leaving Naruto with the view of the demon’s ass.

The dream faded, as Naruto was drawn back to the world of the living. He pulled himself out of bed, stretching and going through the morning exercises, before heading for the shower that could quite possibly be his last in days, if not forever.

!!!! !!!!

He hissed in sharp pain as hot water struck his worn, sunburned skin. It’d been too long since he’d been able to do what he was doing now; standing under a stream of water in the local bathhouse. He scrubbed gently at his arm, forcing himself not to think about the lack of scars there.

It didn’t matter that he was the only one who returned with such smooth skin. His mind was scarred enough to make up for it. Blonde hair became a little brighter as he scrubbed out the months of dirt he’d collected. There had never been time for a proper bath, when the opportunity could present itself in Sand territory…which hadn’t been often. He and his ragged band of youth had to indulge in short sand baths, which never left anyone feeling cleaner, although it did tend to warm them up a little.

Naruto shivered and turned, water spraying his face. He ducked his head down, watching as the water ran down his body to the drain in the ground. After several long minutes of standing there, clearing his mind and watching tendrils of almost invisible red chakra lace up and down his body, he reached out and cut the valve for the water, immediately shivering as the afternoon air swept over his damp body.

Naruto stepped back from the showerhead, smiling a little to himself about nothing, and headed for the baths, to do what he hadn’t done in ages: simply sit and do nothing at all.

!!!! !!!!

“Aaaaaalright, men!” Naruto’s cheery voice called out in the early morning hours. He stretched his arms and cracked his knuckles, “Are we ready?”

He was greeted with a mumbled reply from the five sleepy youngsters. His shoulders fell and he looked a little disappointed.

“Oh, come on, guys! Aren’t you the LEAST bit excited?”

“Too early, Naruto-niichan.”

Naruto glared at Konohamaru, then at the other four, growled a little, then shouldered his back, “Fine, fine, let’s just get going then.”

“We should make formation.” One of them said, stilling Naruto in mid-step. The blonde turned, looking at the one who’d spoken. He was a little taller than the rest, skinny as a twig, with short, spiky brown hair. He was wearing what all the others wore, black slightly baggy pants and a long-sleeved black shirt, which he had tugged up the sleeves, revealing white bindings that started at the wrist and vanished under the sleeve.

Naruto eyed him, “And which one are you?”

“Sigume.” He stated simply, looking a little bored as he shifted from one foot to the other.

Naruto nodded, “Then, Sigume, you’re in charge of formations.”

The boy’s dark eyes widened for a moment, clearly surprised, but then they narrowed and he nodded sharply, “Sir.”

“Naruto!” The blonde turned sharply at the sound of his name. Tsunade. She was strolling towards him with something in her arms. Shit. He could recognize what she was carrying from a mile away. He smiled anyway, as she approached, “Getting a nice early start, I see.”

“I want to make good time, I told Sasuke I’d be back for his birthday.”

Tsunade nodded and held out the object. He stared at it for a moment, then reached out gingerly.

“It’s not going to bite you, you know.”

Naruto glared at her, “It very well could.” She released her hold on the item and he felt the full weight of it settle in his hand. The vest’s rough texture reminded him of the day he first received it, in the shadows instead of a great ceremony, such as this early morning departure. Nothing grand for the self-proclaimed future Rokudaime. He gave Tsunade a weak smile, “I guess…thanks.” And pulled it on.

Tsunade smiled as she watched the youth zip up the vest all the way to the top, then leaned over and removed his hitai-ate from his forehead, and bent, placing a gently kiss there, before pulling back.

Naruto blushed a little and rubbed the back of his neck, glancing over his shoulder as his ‘soldiers’ who stared for a moment then bowed their heads and discussed amongst themselves, Sigume leading the conversations. Tsunade smiled at them all then back at Naruto, “Wait here for a moment.” She vanished with his headband.

Naruto frowned, where the hell was that old woman going with his hitai-ate?

The answer returned after a few brief moments, when he had returned to his team and was pretending to analyze the formation they’d come up with. He turned his attention back to her, and came to her when she gestured.

“Close your eyes.” She spoke, smiling reassuringly. He let them slip closed, and felt something cool touch his forehead, “So you don’t forget where you belong.” The headband fell onto his forehead over the object, “So you don’t forget where you will return to.”
Naruto opened his eyes when he felt her shift backwards, and reached up to touch his forehead, pausing when she shook her head, and let his hand drop back to his side. He nodded in understanding, and she retreated without another word, vanishing into the shadows.

The sky was beginning to glow a soft purple. The sun was rising.

“Come on, let’s get going, we’ve been held back long enough, we’re being waited for.”

The others nodded in agreement and leapt for the gates. Naruto paused, feeling eyes on him, and turned, lifting his head towards the Uchiha manor, catching sight of blackness in the trees. He smiled, seeing the glint of black eyes, and lifted a hand in farewell, before turning and following the others.

!!!! !!!!

Cool evening air swept through the Hidden Village of the Leaf as a freshly-clean Naruto dropped onto his butt on a branch, dangling one leg over the side and propping the other one out in front of him. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, looking out at the city as lights began flickering on in homes and off in businesses. He leaned back against the tree, a dreamy smile crossing his lips.

Home. It was just like he remembered. So painfully the same.

We are the only ones who have changed, aren’t we? Here, everything is just as it should be, nothing warped, nothing different. (Quiet, I’m trying to enjoy the moment…yes, it is pretty, isn’t it? I…huh? What? Where?)

The air changed, took on a scent of vanilla and cool steel. Naruto shifted, brought his arm up. There. His hand shot out, grabbed at the night, wrapped around hard steel that pierced his flesh.

Blue eyes glowed with a slight flash of red, and he turned in the direction the kunai had come from. He smirked.

“I saw you coming a mile away, Uchiha.”

Sasuke dropped down from the shadows to his left. Naruto scowled.

“Oh yes, I can see that, and your sense of direction hasn’t changed, I see also.”

“Shut up, teme, I’m tired.”

Naruto leaned back again, loosening his grasp on the weapon and watching as the blood retreated back into the wound. It was like watching time rewind and it always wished that it could all go backwards, back to the way it was. He raised his eyes and wiped his hand on his pants as Sasuke landed in a crouch on the branch, shaking it a little.

Naruto took the moment to study him. Time had treated the Uchiha well, he seemed to have lost a bit of weight, but Naruto could still see the muscles in the thin arms. He was wearing black shorts with white bindings around his ankles, and a black tanktop. Naruto raised an eyebrow as he noted Sasuke’s hitai-ate was missing from his forehead, but the eyebrow sank back down as he studied the beauty that had overtaken the planes of his face. His cheeks had narrowed a bit, all signs of baby fat completely gone, and the nose looked a little more pronounced. The hair and the eyes, though, were just as he remembered. Especially the eyes, when he was finally forced to meet them.

It seemed he wasn’t the only one studying the effects of time. Those cold eyes met his and sent electricity through him. They were so dull looking, so lifeless. But that was the mask, and Naruto still remembered how to look beyond it. Not far, but just barely beyond. He didn’t understand what he was seeing, anyways.

A thin, pale hand reached out and took hold of the kunai Naruto still held, “Come on, let’s spar.”

Naruto’s thin lips curved into a smile, “Alright, Sasuke-bastard, let’s see how good the ANBU have made you.”

“However good I am, I did myself.” Without you. was the unspoken comment that left hanging in the air and stung a little bit at Naruto. But that was alright, he figured he deserved it.

Besides, he was planning on showing Sasuke just how much he’d learned in the past year.

(And I don’t need your help, Kyuubi.)

!!!! !!!!

The man and woman who had requested their escort were nobility in the Lightning Country, and had been forced to remain in Konoha for three months longer than planned. Needless to say, the couple had been very anxious to head out and made as best time as possible.

What none of them had counted on, however, was that the weather would take such a terrible turn for the worse. Two days into their journey, miles from civilization, a downpour had begun, ripping open the sky with thunder and lightening and torrential rains. They’d been forced to seek first higher-ground, and then shelter when the rain hadn’t let up after two hours.

The group slumped into a cave, pushing the couple to the back of it once it had been checked and cleared for safety. The ninja set themselves at the entrance, creating a semi-circle around the couple, who shivered as cold air settled amongst them.

“I’ll get wood.” One of the nin rose, and headed for the exit. Toshio, his mind provided Naruto with the name. With long black hair in a loose ponytail, from the back he almost reminded Naruto of a certain Hyuuga. Almost. But he was too thin, not as developed and didn’t carry the same pride/angst in his step. Naruto let him go, and a few seconds later, Sigume followed, and he lost sight of them as the mist and rain became a wall.

“Hopefully they’ll find their way back safely.” Konohamaru spoke in a quiet voice, curling his legs up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them, “I mean…it wouldn’t do to lose them both.”

Naruto nodded and glanced over at the couple.

They were in their thirties, he guessed, both dressed for travel in loose garments and a few bags. They didn’t like him, and he returned the discomfort, which was made a little worse by the fact that they insisted there be no horses or carriages and everyone would move by foot, saying they could make better time and there weren’t enough possessions in the Hidden Village for them to need something that big when they could carry it all on their backs.

They huddled together, looking like a mass of one person. He didn’t bother to learn and remember their names. They didn’t address him, so he wouldn’t bring attention to them. It was a rather nice mutual understanding.

His stomach rumbled and he dug into his pack, pulling out a ration bar and taking a quiet bite out of the hard, chewy substance that didn’t taste much better than a chunk of wood. Darkness was quickly settling outside, he noted, and grew more worried with each bit of time that passed, until finally, there was movement.

Toshio and Sigume slipped back into the cave’s small entrance, bowing to make it through, and dumped a pile of wood in the center. Naruto frowned, there wasn’t enough ventilation to get a fire going in the cave and not kill them all.

“This isn’t going to work.” He stated, “The smoke has no where to go.”

Toshio stood silently for a moment, studying the cave, then slipped over to the wall. Naruto lifted an eyebrow and watched him form a few seals with his hands and slap them against the rough surface. He rubbed his nose when he smelled the hint of blood.
The cave groaned in protest to whatever jutsu the black-haired man was performing. The couple huddled together a little closer. There was suddenly an crackling noise and the whole cavern shook, dirt and small stones falling on their heads. When Naruto dared open his eyes again, Toshio was kneeling beside him, reaching out to arrange the wood. The blonde leaned back, propping his weight up on his hands behind himself, and looked up. There, barely noticeable, was a hole, high up in the roof, about the size of two of his fists.

“Is that enough?” He questioned.

No one replied.

!!!! !!!!

Weapons clashed and glittered in the moonlight. Sweat poured down his forehead, and Naruto felt some slip down his back under his shirt, making him shiver as he launched himself off a tree, kunai raised, to meet Sasuke head-on, who had made a similar move.

This. This is what I’ve missed. They fell apart again, the simple dance of their one-on-one battle going through the steps. Chests heaving, they watched for a moment of weakness. Waited for that instant when opportunity would present itself.

Naruto made the next move, going in for the kill.

!!!! !!!!

“Come at me with the intent to kill, or you’ll never succeed.” The storm had moved on in the morning, and they were far behind schedule. However, the woman had come down with a fever and they stopped at a stream to give her time to rest and bathe away the fever. Naruto spun easily out of a strike, bringing up his arm to block a kick aimed at his head. He smirked. Two against him, and still he was barely working a sweat.

They’d been at it for almost an hour and a half, when there came a sudden silence, everyone stilling, stiffening. He had sensed it first, had ended their spar with one sudden snap, and had straightened, signaling the end. They must have understood his silent command, and shifted towards the man and woman.

He stretched out his hearing, listened for anything…anything. But there was nothing, no sounds but the water flowing in the stream. His fingers went to his case and withdrew shuriken, as he sank down into a guarded stance.

“Whooo.” Naruto frowned. An owl? He turned slowly, arm lifting to guard his blind side. But nothing happened. A white owl watched them, unblinking. He took a step backwards.

“I’m thinking…” he stated slowly, backing himself towards the couple, eyes remaining locked on the animal, “That we can’t stay here. We’ll have to carry her. And move quickly.”

!!!! !!!!

Sasuke spun, sharingan eyes glowing brightly.

“Cheater.” Naruto muttered as he landed sliding backwards and using his hand in the dirt to stop the movement.

Sasuke smirked, “Come on, dobe, is this all you’ve got?”

Naruto snarled and launched.

(No, I do NOT need your help. I can beat the…freaking bastard on my own!)

One arm drew up in a block over his weak point, his neck and heart, while the other pulled back, kunai catching the light of the moon. He gave a sharp battle cry and did the unexpected, landing and launching himself into the air, catching Sasuke off guard.

The Uchiha tried to prepare, head shooting up, mouth open slightly, in surprise. His feet shifted and he brought his center of balance lower, but still, it wasn’t enough.

That’s right, bastard. Surprise!

He changed the angle of the blade seconds before it could pierce Sasuke’s shoulder in a deadly move, and instead tore through the shoulder of the shirt, and took the black-haired boy down with his own body weight.

They landed with a loud noise and a puff of dirt thrown in the air. Naruto pressed one knee into the ground, hovering over Sasuke, panting. He stared down at him as the dirt settled, blue eyes clashing with red that was fading back to black. Strength left him a little and he slouched a little bit, perched over Sasuke, rear end barely applying pressure against Sasuke’s stomach.

There was that infernal smirk. Damn him. Naruto sat back, wiping some sweat off his forehead, “I win.”

“Yay, one in a million.” Naruto glared ineffectively.

“Shut up.”

The night breeze cooled the sweat on their skins as they sat like that for a long time, watching each other but pretending not to. Somewhere, there was an annoying nighthawk, making a screeching noise every few seconds.

Naruto felt Sasuke’s muscles go lax, and brought his full attention to him, frowning, “What?”

“Welcome home.”

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ch. 2 Fin.

Wow…okay, so I was going to keep going, but my brain died, I spent about 3 ½ hours writing this, got to the last two scenes and my brain faltered, went and played DDR for a little while, came back and forced out the last two parts.