The Trust 'Verse, Part I - Return

The Trust 'Verse - Part I

Return

Chapter II

†

Sasuke awoke to the shrieking sounds of laughter. Rubbing at eyes still-tired from a restless night with Furiko waking up every few hours or so, scared of night terrors, Sasuke groaned. From child number three, to child number one.

Sakura had invited a number of their family friends over for a birthday party of sorts. Even those that didn’t have children themselves. Sasuke wondered if she wasn’t trying to put them off reproducing.

Rolling out of bed, Sasuke slid a pair of sweatpants atop his boxers, slipping a hand beneath his shirt to scratch at his stomach as he walked to the closet to pull out clean clothes suitable for company. It was early enough that nobody should have been there yet, and given the number of voices in the yard, it would seem that only his children were present.

Or perhaps it would be appropriate to say, he could hear two sets of high-pitched, hair-raising giggles being emitted from Furiko and Toshirou, and he imagined that he could hear Iwa’s amused silence as their accompaniment.

He’d just pulled out a clean shirt to put on once he’d showered, when the sound hit him, a burst of happy, sun-filled laughter that reminded him of Toshirou, but far deeper, and with just a hint of darkness, enough to make it sound mysterious.

The shirt slipping from his fingers, Sasuke ran.

He reached the sliding door that led into the main garden in record time, freezing at the sight of spiky golden hair, and summer blue eyes that twinkled as he stood talking to Furiko and Toshirou in turns, making them giggle.

Sasuke watched on in awed silence as he ruffled their hair, and they emitted those happy shrieks that he himself had only recently grown accustomed to.

What was most peculiar about this scene was the look on Iwa’s face as he stared solemnly up at the golden-haired figure before him. There was a look of such keen intensity that Sasuke felt a little shocked to be seeing it, especially on the face of his now five year old son.

Furiko and Toshirou had already been distracted by something else, rushing inside to fully immerse themselves in their discovery, no doubt making just as much noise, but now directing it at Sakura as she prepared lunch for the party. Sasuke was sure he’d hear all about it, in depth, later.

Inching closer, he stared as Naruto gracefully squatted, which Sasuke hadn’t thought was possible, perhaps even more so because this was Naruto, and stared back at his son just as intensely.

Sasuke almost jumped in surprise when Iwa spoke first.

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Uchiha Iwa,” Iwa said politely, but in a strangely open manner that Sasuke had never seen before. It was almost as if Iwa were inviting Naruto to speak. Iwa, who habitually shunned the company of children and adults alike, was waiting with what appeared to be interest in what Naruto would say to him.

“Uzumaki Naruto. And likewise,” Naruto began, and Sasuke cringed thinking of the sort of treatment Naruto had potentially just opened himself up to. Sasuke wanted them to remain as friends, and for once he honestly prayed that Iwa wouldn’t do as he normally did and seriously piss Naruto off.

If nothing else, Sasuke remembered the ease at which Naruto could get riled up, especially over nothing.

It was with bemusement that he looked on now, as Naruto simply stared at Iwa, as if closely analysing his features, before reaching out both hands towards him. Sasuke almost jumped in at that stage – touching Iwa was never a good idea unless you had his express permission, which at present extended to Sasuke himself, Sakura, Toshirou and Furiko. There had been an incident which had actually ended in blood shed, when Ebisu had tried to bring a wandering Iwa home. Despite the fact that Iwa had known the man his entire life, he’d still sliced through quite a large stretch of skin with a hidden shuriken before informing Ebisu that while he was grateful for his concern, it was in no way needed, or wanted, if you knew to listen to the silent implication in Iwa’s tone.

The words stuck in his throat though when instead of lashing out, his son seemed to sway forward, as if drawn to the stranger before him, trusting him for all that Iwa seemed to trust no one, not entirely.

“I already know who you are,” Naruto told his son, his voice almost hypnotic, far deeper than Sasuke had ever heard it previously, and far smoother. He couldn’t even hear the slightest hint of whinge that seemed to have been an integral part of Naruto’s voice during their youth.

Then again, Naruto had been gone for six long years.

Sasuke held his breath as he watched Naruto brush his hands against his son’s pale cheeks, and felt his eyes narrow as they suddenly took in the seemingly pleased flush that appeared upon nearly perpetually pale skin.

“You do?” Iwa breathed, looking expectant and wide-eyed, his expression so completely open to be read in that moment that Sasuke was shocked to the core. He was Iwa’s father, and he had never seen this side of his son.

And Kami-sama, Sasuke had no idea how Naruto did this, all he knew was that he did. Time and time again, and Sasuke really should have remembered that.

Sasuke felt his own pulse speed up a little as he awaited Naruto’s answer; he certainly didn’t sound surprised by the fact that Sasuke and Sakura were the parents of three.

“I’ve known your Tou-san and Kaa-san for practically ever,” Naruto explained. “We were on the same genin team.”

Iwa nodded, with what, for him, could quite possibly be construed as enthusiasm. “Okaa-san has pictures of you,” he confirmed. “She says you’re important. Or that… you will be, someday?” Iwa frowned a bit at this, “I’m not entirely sure what she means.”

Naruto let out a sharp bark of laughter at this, before it turned into a steady sound, as he laughed hard and genuine, and Iwa smiled in response. Sasuke noted that his son even seemed to be considering whether he should be laughing along with this stranger that looked to be made from sunshine and sky.

Sasuke couldn’t remember the last time Iwa had laughed. He was such a silent child, though he usually spoke and laughed with his eyes, which right now seemed to be screaming a thousand things at once. They were so filled with emotion, conflicting, swirling in their depths, that Sasuke half-expected them to fill with tears, just to find some sort of release.

Naruto, on the other hand, apparently had no such problems with keeping a tight leash on his emotions. He had tears running down his face he was laughing so hard. He toppled back to flop onto the grass, a languid heap of taut muscle.

Iwa inched forward to kneel next to him, placing a small hand, my goodness, Sasuke thought, voluntarily, upon Naruto’s shoulder, before asking in that serious way of his, “Are you okay?”

Naruto closed his eyes tight in response, seemingly unable to keep them open, so huge was his smile, as he let loose another round of chuckling, before brushing a hand through Iwa’s hair and sighing contentedly before lying flat on the grass and putting his hands behind his head.

“I’m great,” Naruto said sincerely, and Sasuke was struck by the fact that Naruto spoke to Iwa the same way he spoke to people his own age. Sasuke wasn’t quite sure what to make of this fact.

He also wasn’t sure whether Naruto had noticed or not, but not once through all of this had Iwa lifted his hand.

Watching his son watch Naruto, Sasuke felt distinctly uncomfortable, though he wasn’t entirely sure why… Still, he cleared his throat, interrupting.

“Naruto?” He called, and waited with bated breath for his response. Naruto certainly seemed happy enough to see the rest of his family, but what of him?

He noticed his son watching with careful attention, no longer with just that odd interest that had suddenly appeared almost as unexpected as Naruto’s presence, but in the way he did when he was busy gathering information, analysing, hypothesizing.

They both noted the fleeting expression of pain that crossed Naruto’s face, before, to Sasuke’s horror, what appeared to be a polite social mask slid down to cover his features, making him seem, all of a sudden, cold and closed off, when he had seemed so alive and warm just moments ago.

Sasuke saw the way his son’s eyes narrowed, before turning to glare at him, as if Sasuke had done something wrong.

Which, Sasuke admitted, was pretty close to the truth of the matter. What had he been thinking? All those times he’d felt cheated that Naruto hadn’t been there to greet him, to pull him close, surround him with his friendship and be glad that he was back? He should have been the grateful one, grateful for all the sacrifices and pain and, fuck, the near death experiences that Sasuke had forced Naruto to endure.

Naruto had left him a note, expressing his hope that Sasuke would find happiness, but what had Sasuke left Naruto?

Nothing, he realized. He had never even thought to ask Tsunade-hime to see whether it was possible to get in contact with him. For six years, Sasuke had in turn wished for Naruto’s happiness, had desired his friendship, but, unlike Naruto, had done absolutely nothing to see those desires realized.

“Sasuke,” Naruto replied, in a carefully modulated tone, as he lifted himself from the ground to stand.

It was so fucking impersonal, Sasuke felt as if he were the stranger in this situation, completely at odds with the fact that they were standing in the rear garden of his home.

It came to him then that his best friend wasn’t even a friend anymore, and he had no one to blame but himself.

He was instantaneously flooded with guilt and shame in equal measures. What had he ever done to be worthy of Naruto’s friendship?

The answer was staring him in the face, nothing.

Then somehow, Naruto spoke again, but this time his voice had softened, was so tender Sasuke couldn’t help but wonder if Naruto had some sort of split personality.

“What’s wrong?” Naruto asked, paused, then prodded. “Iwa?”

Sasuke felt his heart stutter and then stop, to see Naruto look at his son with a gentleness that Sasuke recalled having once been on the receiving end of, to see Naruto lower himself with ease, his gaze filled with concern as he placed a hand atop Iwa’s head, before asking once more, “What’s wrong?”

Iwa turned to look accusingly at Sasuke, before returning his gaze to Naruto. “Are you sure you were a team?”

Naruto raised his eyebrows before replying, in a tone that suggested he was amused, “I think I’ve remembered correctly, it wasn’t that long ago, and I’m really not that old, chibi.”

Iwa nodded, astoundingly not taking umbrage at being called chibi, before shaking his head and glancing sharply between the two of them. Sasuke knew what was coming; Iwa had drawn his own conclusions, and apparently felt that Naruto deserved to be privy to one of his rare declarations regarding the world he saw through a tensai’s eyes.

Sasuke swallowed dryly, dismayed that his son seemed to have recognized Naruto’s worth, and had done so in minutes, if not seconds of them having met. Whereas he, who had had the better part of a lifetime to do so, still hadn’t managed to grasp the simple concept that Uzumaki Naruto was possibly the best friend a person could ever wish for.

Sasuke’s train of thought was broken as Iwa frowned once more before exclaiming, “Kakashi-sensei says that in order to be a team, you need to trust one another. But…” Iwa trailed off, for the first time that Sasuke had ever seen looking almost hesitant, before he continued, “but… Naruto-san, you don’t trust Otou-san.”

Naruto looked slightly surprised by this, but it wasn’t the kind of surprise indicative of disbelief, it was the look you saw upon people’s faces when someone you hadn’t expected to, guessed the truth.

Sasuke felt crushed. This was in no way how he had envisaged their reunion. Where was the calm camaraderie, the trading of insults, the laughter, the goading?

Sasuke wasn’t sure whether he felt better or worse when Naruto murmured softly to Iwa, “I… don’t really trust anyone.”

Iwa gasped at this, before exclaiming, “How can you not trust anyone?”

Naruto half-smiled, “Okay, maybe that wasn’t entirely true. I do trust, well, a fair few people. But there are probably only a couple of people I could trust entirely.”

“Who?” Iwa demanded, suddenly reminding Sasuke entirely of a child, and not the pseudo-adult that Iwa had always purported to be.

“The thing is…” Naruto sighed, glancing sideways at Sasuke, his eyes dimming to a dull neutral blue as he did so. “What usually happens is that you come to trust different people for different things. Take your Kaa-san, I trust her to tell me the truth about things, to watch my back, to not let myself do more than I can, to take care of me, when I need it, and to keep my secrets if I have to share them.”

Iwa nodded solemnly at this, though he was smiling a little as he said, “Okaa-san’s really good at keeping secrets, even though she wishes she could gossip without breaking confidences.”

Naruto smiled crookedly for a second wordlessly acknowledging the truth of Iwa’s statement. The smile slid quickly away, to be replaced by a tightness in his features that Sasuke hadn’t thought Naruto capable of expressing.

“And your Tou-san,” Naruto choked, eyes sliding close for a moment. “We were a team, and in a lot of ways we still are...” Naruto paused before elaborating on an exhale, “I’d trust him with my life.”

The but nothing else, seemed to echo loud and clear to Sasuke’s mind, which seemed to beg the question of, what else had he managed to lose?

Naruto’s friendship, yes, but factors were starting to trickle through with memories. Sasuke mightn’t have been a tensai but he was still intelligent.

The sight of Sakura smiling at him, in such a way that it looked more like a grimace of pain, returned to his mind. The way she would close in on herself for a few days after he saw that smile.

It always appeared when he started talking about Naruto. About missing Naruto, about wishing that he hadn’t just left.

Then there were the flickers of conversation overheard, dispersed over the years, and always cut off upon his approach. The scene freshest in his mind that of Neji and Hinata, scant hours after the news that Naruto was coming back, walking with their heads together, discussing having a get together for his return.

Sasuke recalled Neji’s words; I’m surprised he came back. I suppose he got over it… and Hinata’s surprisingly cutting tone as she snapped back, You don’t just get over these kinds of things! You saw how much he hurt because of him. He broke a part of him; he shattered the part of him that had always been willing to hope, against all odds. Now, when he believes, he only believes in part, never in whole. He holds back, when before he was the freest soul we’d ever seen. And just like that, it’s as if he’s been caged…!

It had seemed like an odd conversation to be having. At the time, it hadn’t even occurred to him that they had been talking about Naruto. Because he hadn’t been able to think about Naruto in those terms.

Hurt? Broken? Shattered? Caged?

Those words didn’t describe Naruto… They described a stranger, much like the one standing before him now. And worse, they had been talking about him. And apparently Naruto’s feelings for him. He’d always wondered why Hinata had never seemed inclined to be in his company, she always bid him good day, politely enough, but she never talked to him, or sought him out. And now he knew why.

He was the one who had done all this, irrevocably and obliviously. Even after six years to reflect and contemplate, it never once crossed his mind; the cumulative effect of his actions.

The road to hell is with good intentions paved. Only Sasuke couldn’t even describe them as that. Good intentions? Hardly, it had been more like a misguided desire for power bought through undeserving sacrifice. Naruto’s sacrifice.

Naruto had trusted Sasuke, had loved him, been in love with him, but had been burned so badly, he no longer trusted. The naïve and open boy had been replaced by a man with walls and boundaries and ‘no trespass’ signs in place, as if compelled by the need to protect himself, to warn others away.

All this time, he hadn’t known what he’d done. He hadn’t known that he was the one who had driven Naruto away, for whatever reasons... He’d never realized, had never thought to try to make things better, instead he’d let the chasm grow forever wider between them.

Sasuke’s fists clenched tight, if he had just known, then maybe things would’ve been different, and some of the person they all loved and remembered would still be there.

Sasuke mightn’t have been in love with his best friend, but once upon a time Naruto had meant the world to him, so much so that he had been the one Sasuke had needed to kill – only he’d been unable to do it.

All his thoughts coalesced in that moment. And he felt anger burn through him, this entire time, Sakura knew, and she had done nothing help him change how things were. In fact, she had worked against him, but hours ago, telling him not to go meet Naruto halfway… It had seemed poetic at the time, meaningful, symbolic. But he hadn’t done so, and as such the thought didn’t even count.

Distracted, Sasuke turned on his heel and left, once again completely oblivious to the anguished blue eyes that followed his every step as he walked further and further away.

†

When Naruto awoke that morning, it was to the feel of hot breath ghosting along the back of his neck and hardness pressed enticingly against him from behind.

Leisurely, he and Sai spent a good hour ‘properly’ waking each other up, all the while appreciating the convenience of a comfortable mattress beneath them.

It had been a wonderful way to start the day.

It was a pity it hadn’t lasted that long.

Word had reached them of the celebration being held in the main compound of the Uchiha estate, and it was with some hesitancy that Naruto pulled Sai in that direction.

“Presents,” Sai murmured. He rarely spoke, when they weren’t in the privacy of each other’s company, and each other’s company alone, and become studiously more silent when they were in public, instead deferring communication with the outside world to Naruto, which worked fine by him.

“Yeah,” Naruto sighed, wondering what you were supposed to buy for kids between the ages of two and five. He settled on a set of three plushies, assuming that Sasuke’s sons were probably still young enough to not consider soft toys girly.

Paying for the squishy animals and using the card for credit Tsunade-baba had given them, Naruto asked that the toys be wrapped.

Leaving the store with a cheerful bag in his hand, they meandered through the streets of Konohagakure. Everything looked far more familiar by daylight.

It was still early when they arrived at the estate gates. Slipping his free hand into Sai’s, and receiving a reassuring squeeze in return, they strolled into the front garden, before approaching the front door.

Sai squeezed once more, before releasing his hold on Naruto’s hand. Naruto glanced over, about to demand why Sai had let go, when Sai quickly took his face in his hands and placed a surprisingly sweet kiss upon his lips.

Just as quickly, he let go, and stepped back, but Naruto could see the smile in Sai’s eyes, and he understood – he needed to do this for himself.

Knocking quietly, hoping that he wasn’t waking anyone, Naruto took deep steadying breaths to calm himself. He wasn’t sure how he was going to react, and he desperately hoped that it would be Sakura-chan who would open the door.

As it was, she did. It was strange to note the twinge of disappointment he felt when it happened.

Shrugging it off, he reached forward and pulled her into a hug. It was strange to find himself so much taller than her now. Strange and nostalgic.

“Naruto!” Sakura cried in delight, hugging him back just as tight, before looking up at him with tears in her eyes.

“Tadaima,” Naruto murmured, tightening his hold slightly.

“Okaerinasai,” she replied, in a whisper, before returning to a volume closer to her norm. “I’ve missed you so much!”

“Yeah,” Naruto smiled, “me too.”

Sakura paused a moment, looking at him intently. “You’re okay?” She finally asked.

“For now, I’m more than okay,” he said, still not releasing her from his embrace. He considered her to be as close to family as he could possibly get. They’d been through so much together.

She smiled, sniffed and then laughed. “It’s so good to have you back,” she exclaimed, even as she peered over his shoulder.

It became obvious that she had spotted Sai lingering in the background, as she called to him in pleasure, “Sai! Okaeri!”

Sai’s eyes smiled indulgently at them, as he mouthed, “Tadaima” back.

Sakura let go of Naruto to walk over and smack Sai upon the shoulder. Naruto grinned hugely as Sai responded by flicking her forehead.

Sakura’s eyes narrowed at that, before she smiled genuinely, and beckoned them in.

Once inside, Sakura began to speak. “He’s still asleep upstairs. I decided not to wake him, especially as I thought you might stop by early today…” Everyone present knew she was talking about Sasuke. Naruto appreciated that anyone else probably would have felt at least a bit awkward with the knowledge that one of their best, male, friends had been in love with her husband, and the father of her children.

But Sakura loved him unconditionally, which was more than he could have ever asked for. It was also why it had been such an easy decision to leave; for all that it had been the most excruciatingly painful experience, to turn away and not look back.

“Thanks, Sakura-chan,” he said, his gratitude evident in his voice.

Nevertheless, despite the sincerity of his feelings, Sakura giggled slightly at his words.

Naruto raised an eyebrow. “What? Think you’re too good to be Sakura-chan now… Maybe I should start calling you Sakura-baba, after Tsunade-baba. Like mentor, like apprentice,” he teased.

“If that’s the case, then I really should get to call you Naruto-ero, after your mentor,” Sakura snarked with candour.

Naruto let his eyes grow wide, before he managed to imitate his childhood voice to perfection, “But… but… Sakura-chan, that’s so cruel!”

Sakura just laughed at him. At least some things hadn’t changed, he thought fondly.

With a smirk she turned to address Sai, “I hope you haven’t let him do anything too perverted to you, Sai.”

This time round, Naruto’s eyes bulged wide for real. “What?!”

“No need to look so surprised,” she waved him off. “You know I’ve been able to see past your masks for a long time, Naruto. Though, oddly enough, it was actually easier to tell looking at Sai.”

“What?!” Naruto meeped again. “You could tell from looking at him?!”

“…Impressive,” Sai praised.

Sakura snorted at Sai’s input, “Actually, it’s probably on account of the amount of practice I’ve had, reading the emotionless.”

“Sasu—” Naruto’s voice broke a little on the name – it had been some time since last he’d said it aloud. He cleared his throat, and tried again, “Sasuke’s not emotionless.”

“No,” Sakura agreed. “But then again, I wasn’t talking about him.”

Naruto and Sai exchanged looks of bemusement, not that anyone else would probably have been able to tell, but they knew each other well enough that it worked.

Sakura was looking between them, as if trying to decipher some inexplicable conundrum.

“Well,” she chirped. “I guess it’s about time you met the kids.” Looking at Naruto curiously, she raised an eyebrow before inquiring, “You know we have three, right?”

“Iwa, Toshirou and Furiko,” Naruto promptly recited.

Sakura nodded, “Furiko and Toshirou are easy enough to keep happy, but honestly, I don’t know what to do with Iwa sometimes.”

“What do you mean?”

Sakura hesitated a moment, before finally murmuring, “Think Itachi.”

Naruto tensed, narrowing his eyes slightly at the thought.

“Not in a ‘I’m going to murder the clan’ way,” Sakura hastened to assure him. “He’s just… very much like how Sasuke tells me Itachi was when he was younger. Kakashi-sensei says so, too. Apparently Iwa’s just like him – in mannerisms, skills, intelligence. And as I’m sure you can tell… it kinda freaks Sasuke out a little.”

Naruto’s eyes narrowed further, for a second, before he forced himself to relax. “Can I meet them?”

“Sure,” Sakura inclined her head towards a door that led further into the house, “They’re just out the back.”

The sight that greeted them was that of one solemn looking child watching over his younger siblings, eyes intent and focused on making sure that they were safe. Furiko and Toshirou were playing in what looked to be something like a sandbox. They appeared to be sculpting animals and weapons out of sand, giggling all the way.

Which reminded him… “Here.”

“What’s this?” Sakura asked, reaching out to take the colourful paper bag from Naruto’s grasp. Looking inside she found three tastefully wrapped presents.

“I wasn’t sure what to get them…” Naruto mumbled, shuffling slightly in embarrassment. “So I ended up going with these animal plushies from this shop that seemed pretty new… what was it called?” This part of the question he directed to Sai, who was standing by the door, in the shade.

“Fuwafuwa Kuma,” Sai drawled sardonically.

“Oh yeah,” Naruto laughed. “How could I forget?”

“Oh! Were they the three teddy bears dressed in the Hokage, ANBU Captain and Medic-nin uniforms?”

“They were,” Naruto affirmed in surprise. “How’d you know?”

“I didn’t,” Sakura smiled. “But Toshirou has been asking for one ever since the store opened last month. I told him he had to wait for his birthday… But, this is fine, too.”

Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good. I was worried whether they’d like them or not.”

“Well,” Sakura pronounced, “Furiko seems to like pretty much anything cute and cuddly.”

“So Sai’s out, huh?” Naruto joked.

“While you, on the other hand, will no doubt suffer an early demise by glomping,” Sai rejoined, expression impassive.

Naruto cringed, “So long as they don’t get snot on me, I think I’ll live.”

Sakura rolled her eyes at them, before smiling proudly as she gazed at her children, “Do want me to introduce you?”

Naruto looked wistfully at the children playing, before glancing back at Sakura. “Would you mind if I introduced myself?”

“Of course not,” Sakura declared loftily. “I’ll keep the presents inside with me, so if they become too much, you’ll have an excuse to send them in.”

Naruto laughed, “Surely they’re not that bad?”

At the serious look he received from Sakura, he laughed even harder, “Alright then, take the presents hostage by all means…”

Naruto looked to Sai, silently asking him what he wanted to do.

“I’ll wait inside.”

Naruto nodded, returning his attention to the kids, peripherally aware of Sai and Sakura heading back into the house.

He took his time watching them play, noting what they had inherited from each side of the family. Iwa and Furiko had Sasuke’s dark, midnight blue hair, while Toushirou’s seemed to be a mix of Sasuke and Sakura’s, turning out to be a rich chocolate brown. Furiko had inherited Sakura’s eyes; green, but a slightly darker shade than that of her mother. Her brothers both had eyes the same colour as Sasuke’s.

Looking at them though, Toshirou’s eyes seemed brighter, filled as they were with laughter. Iwa, on the other hand, had eyes that reminded Naruto of the oceans near Ice. Deceptively calm, but so dark you could never quite tell what lurked beneath. Naruto could see what Sakura had meant when she said, think Itachi. Even this young, Naruto was able to see a genius mind wrapped in a child’s body. Naruto imaged that Iwa was probably a scary-smart strategist and tactician to boot. Or that he would be, as soon as he started his formal training.

Naruto wondered whether they would keep him back, limiting his potential in a hope to stop him from wandering down the path that Itachi had taken – the one followed by someone in possession of too much brilliance, and too few outlets.

It hurt, just a tiny bit, to look at him, because unlike Toshirou and Furiko, Iwa had bred true to the Uchiha line. He looked just like a miniature replica of Sasuke. In Toshirou and Furiko, Naruto could see glimpses of their mother; the parts that most resembled Sakura seemed to have instilled some sort of innate warmth in their beings. Iwa… Iwa looked as if he were subject to a perpetual chill, in spite of the fact that he was sitting in the sun at the edge of the shadows of a large tree.

Naruto approached slowly, with the intention of not startling the younger ones who played on oblivious to his presence. Iwa was already watching him carefully, threat-assessing. The fact that Sakura had brought him in, and then left him out here alone with them though seemed to grant at least tacit approval in Iwa’s mind, seeing as he made no move to intercept him before he reached his siblings.

“Hey,” Naruto called out softly. “I’m Naruto.”

The kids stopped what they were doing to look at him, before they stood up and rushed over to crowd about his legs. Peering up at him, eyes filled to the brim with curiosity, Toshirou happily informed him, “I’m To-shi-ro-u and she’s Fu-ri-ko.”

“Hi,” Naruto smiled at the little girl who was currently wiping her sandy hands on his pristine, black pants. Oh well.

“Hi,” came the almost shy reply.

“Hi,” Naruto said again, actually somewhat at a loss as to what to say, now that he was alone with them.

Naruto repeating himself was apparently taken to be an attempt at humour, given the giggles that escaped them, and just like that he found himself being glomped, with Toshirou babbling rapidly at him, asking questions about who he was and what he was doing here. He answered as best he could, arms flailing slightly to keep balance as they raced about his legs. Apparently this was hilarious, as they started laughing harder and running faster.

He didn’t remember ever being able to go that fast when he was their age. Damn Uchiha genes, he thought sourly, before smiling wryly at the thought.

He managed to get them to stay still, and then only by telling them he had a surprise for them, but that he wasn’t going to say anything until they came to attention like proper shinobi. It did the trick, although Furiko had wrinkled her nose at him before saying, “Like Mama, medic!” Which Toshirou translated to mean, “Furiko wants to become a… a… Medic…” He paused as if considering the terminology, “-nin, like Kaa-chan! And S’nade-baa-chan!”

It took Naruto a moment to realize who ‘S’nade-baa-chan’ was, but when he did, he laughed out loud in delight, really loud, in fact. He definitely had to call Tsunade-baba that sometime soon.

The entire time he could feel Iwa’s piercing gaze upon him, as if he were watching and dissecting his every move. It actually caused the hairs on his nape to prickle.

Patting both Toshirou and Furiko on the head, he couldn’t help but laugh good-naturedly at their exuberated anticipation. He gave in and confessed that their surprise was presents that he’d left for them inside with their mother.

As soon as the word ‘presents’ had left his mouth however, they were already shrieking in excitement as they rushed away from him and towards the house and the allure of the aforementioned gifts.

Naruto watched them go for a moment before turning his attention to Iwa, deciding it was probably time to introduce himself to the eldest of the Uchiha children, who had stood and moved closer sometime in the duration.

There was something about the assessing gaze that made Iwa look as if he were trying to memorize his features. This gave Naruto pause, and he held his tongue to wait and see what would happen. Despite the cold nature, or perhaps because of it, and the aloof way in which Iwa seemed to carry himself, made even more prominent by the simple fact that he was only five, Naruto felt as though this chibi before him needed to be properly spoiled and doted upon. Not because he was adorable, which Naruto admitted he was, clearly. But because Naruto felt as though he understood some of what was there swirling around in those obsidian eyes, far too old for a child so young.

Introductions were made, and Naruto found himself studying Iwa closely, reaching out to him when he normally would have held himself back. It thus came as a shock when he heard that oh so familiar voice speak his name. He hadn’t even felt Sasuke’s approach, so engrossed was he in identifying the oddity in the chakra stream of the Uchiha before him.

The rest of it became something of blur then, only interspersed with a few scattered thoughts, about how gorgeous Sasuke still was, how perfect looking, even rumpled from sleep.

Simply seeing Sasuke, standing there, looking at him with uncertainty and a strange openness of expression was more than enough to tug at his heart. What was odd though was that the shocking pain that the sight of him alone used to evoke was no longer there. It had been replaced by the dull ache of pain freshly healed. An echo of pain, if you will. But clearly not enough time had passed, as the ache was still so sharp, sharp enough that Naruto thought he might’ve even winced at the feel of it.

The ensuing conversation was also slightly awkward. It was certainly hard to try to explain to Iwa in any sort of comprehensible fashion, without completely giving himself and his feelings for Sasuke away, how it was that he was connected to the family.

He settled for describing his relationship with Sasuke in simplified terms. Settling for as much of the truth as he could say without giving everything away. And it was the truth, he would trust Sasuke with his life. He had already done so, and had somehow survived.

The silence that followed was more confusing than anything. For one, Naruto had assumed that Sasuke would have been at least mildly pleased to see him. The sight of Sasuke, fists clenched, turning and walking away, without another word said, other than that first acknowledgment of his name, scratched at the deeply agonizing wound that had apparently only just begun to scab over.

He had come back hoping that enough time had passed that he would be able to look at Sasuke and Sakura together and not die inside because of the hunger he felt to be in her position. Sai had been a huge part in helping him to move on. And it seemed as if he had. He could look at Sasuke and not think of all the things that he wished could be, but knew never would.

Right now, all he wanted was his friend back. And he had thought that that was all that Sasuke had wanted to begin with. But maybe Naruto had been mistaken. Maybe Sasuke had never wanted that at all...

Maybe he should have just stayed away.

†

To Be Continued...