Untitled_SasuNaru

"You went too far Sakura."



"Shut up Neji." Sakura had poofed outside of the grounds and Neji had soon joined her. He walked beside her and kept his eyes ahead as she rubbed out her sore hands. "He had it coming from the moment he tried to kill Naruto the second time." Neji said nothing but looked at her, disappointed.

"I never would have thought you of all people could lose control like that Sakura."



"I never thought I would ever lose control like that Neji but I couldn't help it. He left us...left us. It wasn't just leaving for training but he left and didn't look back."



"I know that as well as any other shinobi Sakura but you still went to far."



"I did not and you know it."



"Hmm." He didn't agree but he didn't disagree either. She supposed that was as good as she was going to get. They walked side by side until they got to the apartment they shared. For the last two years they had been together and just recently had they moved in together. Who would have thought that the Hyuuga prodigy would find a liking in her? She sighed and walked inside. Her sandals stayed by the door and she walked in pulling off her weapons pack and tossing it aside. Neji grunted. "I'll get it tomorrow." he sighed and walked up behind her, wrapping his strong arms around her waist and laid his head against her shoulder. She was covered in mud and he didn't much like the idea of it getting on his clothes but she was his lover and she needed comfort.



"Go run the bath Sura."



"Okay." She walked out of his embrace and the last he saw of her she had closed the bathroom door. He walked into the bedroom, peeling off his clothes, pinning up his hair and grabbed a towel. Wrapping the white cloth around his waist, he padded into the bathroom. Neji slid into the tub behind her and let her rest against his chest. They did this often, just soaking together. It was more intimate than the act of making love and they both enjoyed it strangely.



One of Neji’s hands moved to cover the one of hers that was over her heart. His pale lips pressed a kiss to her temple and she sighed, relaxing against him. "Why did he come back Nei-kun?"



"I don't know Sura."



"She wouldn't tell me why even when I begged her."



"It's not her place to tell."



"It is so! SHE is the Hokage not him. If she needs to give us information as to why a missing nin who happened to make the bingo book returned to the village she should give us the information."



"It was her place to decide what to give and what not to." Neji gently ran his fingers over the ANBU tatoo on Sakura's shoulder. No one knew she was ANBU except him and the Hokage. She was stronger than she let on and the best medical nin beside the Hokage herself. "Konoha's Fury. So you finally decided on your name ne?"



"Hmm."



"I like it."



"I do too." Sakura closed her eyes and just let the heat of the bath warm her. When the tub was as full as was safe she toed off the water and there she lay until it was necessary to wash and then she went to bed. She was tired and she didn't want to deal with cleaning or cooking at that moment. A short nap wouldn't hurt anyone.





"Hold still Sasuke-san." Shizune wrapped Sasuke's ribs and pushed him against the bed. "I suppose you had this coming." She had an evil smile on her face. "And thanks to Tsunade-sama's luck I win yet again."



"Win what?"



"Just a little bet we had running."



"What bet?"



"How long it would take someone to give you a sound thrashing."



"Hn."



"It just so happens I had a bet on Sakura as well."



"Really?" He wasn't interested. The words of his former teammate ran through his mind over and over again. Shizune's babble was lost to him and she sighed and left. Sakura's chakra signature wasn't hard to sense and when it spiked Shizune was sent to make sure Sasuke was still alive. Well, he was alive but with five broken rubs, a fractured pelvis and right arm and one torn rotator cuff. She'd repaired the internal damage on the shoulder, arm and pelvis but she told him he'd have to rest so the ribs would stay healed. Since they were still so soft from whatever had happened before Sasuke had come back to the village, the healing on them would be rather flimsy for a while. She left her instructions with Shikamaru and Naruto.



Naruto was sitting in the kitchen eating his ninth bowel of instant pork ramen. Shikamaru was getting a stomachache just looking at the way he inhaled the food. He never would have guessed Naruto was an emotional eater but here he was, watching Naruto eat more ramen then he himself ate in a week.



"I have to get back to watch duty Naruto." He said nothing and Shikamaru sighed, rising to his feet and walked outside. Ever since he'd heard what Sakura said, he'd been depressed, happy and utterly out of it. The only way he would even remotely show emotion was when he was eating. It flashed through his eyes slightly, the enjoyment of eating ramen. Making a quick round of the grounds, Shikamaru noticed Neji was back and surveying the damage of The Uchiha's back yard.



"Seems like your girl really wanted to kill him Hyuuga."



"Hmm."



"She should have." Neji looked at him, a pointed glare. "What? Have you seen Naruto? He isn't even reacting to eating the pork ramen cups she left him. Okay, so maybe a little but it's unusual even for Naruto."



"Hmm."

"Say something else Neji."



"Something else." Shikamaru sighed and looked around at the yard. It was totaled. They would have to work the land back to its former shape and that could take days, weeks even.



"She's talking in her sleep again isn't she?"



"The nightmares won't stop. She wakes in cold sweats and tears screaming for him to not kill Naruto."



"It's that bad?"



"It has been for eighteen months Shikamaru."



"Maybe you should tell Tsunade-sama."



"She would never forgive me."



"But it would save her from actually killing him and getting killed herself. So what if she doesn't forgive you. She loves you as much as it pains me to say it." Neji just glared at him. "What? You're a cold, unforgiving bastard set in his ways. Can't expect me not to be surprised that someone could actually like you let alone love you."



"I could say the very same about you, being lazy, uninterested and utterly undesirable company."

"But I knew that."



"Hmm." They both chuckled and went back to watch duty. When Shizune came out she waved at them and they nodded at her.



"Tsunade-sama wants a report of the damages in the morning." Neji winced but nodded. He knew Sakura was going to pay dearly for what she'd done and that was putting it mildly. When the Hokage was angry, it was Sakura who got the brunt of it and she had the scars to prove it. With Shizune gone it was quiet. Amazingly the twins had slept through the ordeal and Shikamaru had a feeling they would sleep through a bomb but if you TRIED to be quiet, they would wake up instantly. Isn't that the way it always works?



Naruto poked his head out a half hour later complaining almost emotionlessly that he was out of ramen. "Then go get some more."



"I can't leave Shikamaru." His voice dropped a little. Shikamaru hated himself.



"Fine. You owe me for every last cup Naruto." Naruto smiled a wilted smile and thanked Shikamaru, ducking back inside.

"You were right Nara."



"Am I ever wrong?"



"Yes." Shikamaru shook his head. Of course, he had been once and it almost cost the life of his closest friend and other shinobi. "I think you should get him something to battle the affect of all those noodles. His stomach isn't going to like him later." Shikamaru nodded and went off shopping.





Naruto was sick on waiting for the ramen to come so he got up and started to pace. The pacing didn't help his mood any and he was agitated. Why hadn't Sakura told him any of that? What she felt? She had kept it bottled up and still treated him like he was an annoyance. Sure, they were on friendlier terms but she kept him at arms length always and now he found out she really cared for him? She cared if he was hurt? It was hard to believe and it made him sigh. He wished he would have known sooner. He wouldn't have been such a jerk to her.



When his mind started to trip over itself, Naruto decided he would go check on the twins. When he stepped in, he shut the door quietly and walked over to the crib they shared, one at each end. Sakura had said she would work on getting a second crib but after the damage she inflicted on the yard outside, she wouldn't have enough wages to keep the rent on her new place covered. Naruto sighed and decided he'd cover the damages. He had enough in the frog under his bed to cover it and he owed her something. Even if she kept him at arms length, he knew now that she was just protecting him. She was emotional and it was her downfall. She didn't want to bring him down anymore than he had been in the last few months.



Leaning over the side of the crib, Naruto stroked a soft cheek. He remembered which twin was where because he was holding Aito when he'd put her to bed. He was touching her face now. "I hope you never have to know the world you don't understand right now. Maybe when you grow up it will be better...or something."



"They always said there was something about you Naruto-kun." Naruto turned around to see who was speaking but he knew the voice better than anyone. Kakashi was sitting in the rocking chair, familiar orange book in hand.



"How long have you been there Kakashi-san?"



"Long enough to see Sakura give Sasuke a run for his money."



"Oh." Kakashi peeked over the book and then back to the page he was reading. He pulled something out of his pocket and tossed it at Naruto. The item was caught in mid air and Naruto stared at it.



"A certain ninja we both know sent it over. He says it will make you feel better." Naruto looked at the small bundle, turning it over and over until he finally opened it. Inside was a small trinket in the shape of an orange fox. Naruto smiled to himself. "Tell Iruka-sensei thanks."



"Of course." Kakashi put his book down, page dog eared and looked at Naruto. "He also says he is rather annoyed at you. You have not come to the house in a couple of weeks Naruto. He's worried you aren't eating right."



"I never eat right in his eyes Kakashi."



"True, true but still. For my sake Naruto, please come over when you can and let him know you are still alive and doing well."



"Sure Kakashi." With that, the gray haired nin smiled, well, what smile he could from under a mask and walked to check on Sasuke. When the door clicked shut, Naruto took the chair that had just been vacated and studied the small trinket Iruka had given him.



For the last few months he'd grown closer to Kakashi and Iruka especially. It seemed he could find some peace in spending time with both his former sensei. He was the only one other than Sakura that knew they were together. They kept it under heavy wraps but Sakura figured it out and they actually had to tell Naruto. He'd blushed, babbled and asked them how it was possible. They told him it was a discussion for another time and maybe he should ask Sakura. Well, Kakashi had told him to ask Sakura and Iruka had given Kakashi a dirty look. After they broke the news it seemed like it was easier to be around them. There wasn't as much tension on their side that kept Naruto away.



Iruka had always been like a parental figure to Naruto so he was thankful that Iruka had someone to love him and to love other than Naruto himself. Kakashi had taken to acting like an older sibling, even another parental figure and even though it was uncomfortable at first for Naruto he adapted and thanked them both in his own way. What would happen when Iruka found out Sasuke was back? Iruka watched him waste away to almost nothing over Sasuke and now said traitor was back. Sighing, Naruto put the trinket back in the pouch but he found something else when he went to put it in his pocket. There was a note attached to a small red stone.

Naruto-

I am giving this to you because I think it would really help you.

It's called a worry stone or a stress stone. When you are stressed,

worried or even when you aren't, you can rub the stone. It gives your

mind something to focus on even if it is subconscious. I know, lots

of big words but believe me, it helps. I hope you like the fox and

when you get a chance stop by. I might even treat you to some ramen.

-Iruka



Naruto smiled. So did everyone think he was an idiot? Obviously. He looked at the stone and slipped it into his pocket placing the note and trinket back in the small bundle they had come and slipped them into his inner breast pocket. His gaze drifted from nowhere to the crib and then to the window. The day was slipping by and he couldn't be out in the sun, or training, or at the ramen stand.



So lost in his thoughts, Naruto didn't notice the door open and was surprised when Sasuke came walking into the nursery. The blonde stood and let him have the rocking chair but took to standing at the window, back to the fading sun light.



"How are you feeling?"



"Fine."



"Right." Naruto looked away and his gaze landed on a faded picture. He frowned, wondering why he'd never noticed it before but as he looked at it he pointed out four people. A father, mother and two boys. Apparently it was Sasuke's family. Sasuke had a grin that nearly cut his face in half whereas his older brother just looked stoic. His mother smiled and stood behind Itachi while his father stood behind Sasuke. It was an odd picture seeing as even when Sasuke was still with them he never talked about his family.



Movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. Sasuke was standing over the crib looking at the sleeping girls. There was that look again but it was gone as quickly as it had come. Gently, Sasuke's hand came up and a finger brushed a lock of white hair out of Hikime's face. She squinted in her sleep and then started to cry. Naruto walked over and stroked down the middle of her nose and she quieted.



"How did you do that?"



"Sakura showed me"



"Hn." Naruto walked away and went to leave the nursery. "Naruto?" Naruto stopped but didn't turn. "I-" he paused. He could never apologize because he wasn't sorry. "Never mind."



Naruto shrugged and left, closing the door quietly.





Five weeks passed with relative ease after Sakura's outburst. After the five-week mark was up, everyone was allowed to go home and Sasuke’s return had been announced but he was still under strict watch. Watch duty usually rotated between Naruto, Neji and Sakura. It wasn't any easier now that Sasuke had been announced to the village. Even though he had betrayed them, they still welcomed him back. They sent flowers, food baskets and anything else some sort of respected person might get but oddly, no one, even the council elders, knew of the twins. They were still utterly under wraps. Why? Tsunade wouldn't say anything other than they weren't old enough to be exposed.



Sakura, after her outburst had undergone ruthless training with the Hokage and Shizune and she was looking a little green around the edges but she kept up with her watch, hospital and other assigned duties. Naruto didn't speak much to anyone, even Iruka and Kakashi. In his own way he was finding a way to cope with the return of his long lost friend.





"So Naruto, what are you doing for the holiday?"



"I don't know Hinata-chan."



"Oh come on Naruto! Cheer up!"



"I am happy Chouji." Naruto gave a perfected fake smile to Chouji and then looked away. He was out at dinner with most of the Rookie nine, the few exceptions being Sasuke, Sakura and Lee. "So when does Lee get back from training?"



"Two days." Neji spoke up and looked at everyone then back to his food, which he was picking at. Hinata looked worried for her cousin but she said nothing, sitting in between Shino and Kiba.



"Eh, Naruto?"



"..."



"Naruto?" Someone touched his shoulder and he jerked back to himself. "Oh sorry guys." He laughed and stood. "I'm going to head out. Talk to you all tomorrow." He put the money for his part of the bill down on the table and left the restaurant.



"He was so much better without that monster," Hinata whispered. She looked down at her hands and everyone looked at her. "I-I'm sorry."



"No it's alright Hinata-san." Shino looked down at his teammate and then at his own plate. "It would have been better if the Uchiha had never come back but there is nothing that we can do about it now."



"Yea. We just have to sit back and be here I guess." Kiba spoke up and patted Hinata’s shoulder. "Cheer up Hinata-chan. It will work out right?" She smiled and nodded.





He would have stopped by Iruka's house but he knew that they weren't home. It was their five-year anniversary. Five years...he wondered how they managed to keep it such a secret from everyone. He smiled. If he wasn't sworn to secrecy by threat of a slow and painful death by both parties, he would have blabbed it to the entire village even if they didn't want to hear it. But, he didn't want to get on Kakashi's imaginative side.



Walking up to his door, Naruto slid the key home, not that he needed it and when he walked in, he was greeted with four overly excited shinobi in his apartment. The lights were turned on and they were yelling.



"HAPPY BIRTHDAY NARUTO!"



Stunned, Naruto laughed and walked in, shutting the door. "What's all this guys?"



"Well it's your birthday and we decided we wanted to give you a surprise party." Sakura walked over and handed him a gift in blue wrapping. "Happy birthday."



"Thanks Sakura-chan!" He walked over to his small, dusty couch and sat down, carefully tearing open the paper to the package she'd given to him. When he opened it he found a picture in it. He didn't remember the occasion but when he looked at it, it was the two of them together at the beach. "OH! That was last summer!" Sakura nodded and sat down next to him. "Yup. I thought it would be nice seeing as how Kakashi was snapping pictures in secret, to give you one of them." He hugged her and set the picture on the small crate he used as a coffee table.



"Me next!" Tsunade walked over and handed him a green wrapped gift. When he opened it he found some papers and he couldn't make heads or tails of them.



"What are these Baa-chan?"



"Well brat, they say that once you reach ANBU rank you can enter training to be the next H-O-K-A-G-E." Naruto looked up at her, eyes bulging out of his head, smile forming on his lips and he jumped up, all but tackling the woman to the floor.



"THANKS BAA-CHAN!" He was jumping around acting like he just won the world’s biggest jackpot.



"You're welcome brat. You earned it and I finally got the council to see that."



"Thank you so much Tsunade-sama." It was the first time the he used her title when he wasn't angry with her.



"Us next!!" Kakashi and Iruka stepped foreword and Iruka handed him a rather large gift wrapped in orange paper. "I decided since you are out growing everything-"



"Don't tell me!!" He ripped the paper off the gift and opened it to find a new outfit. The shirt was black with the detail of a fox on the left arm and the Naruto swirl on the back. The pants were also black but had that sickly orange color stripped up the side of both legs. There was a shirt to go under the black on and it was a long sleeved orange shirt that matched the orange stripes on his pants.



"Since you are out growing everything, I got you something to wear so you don't look like some alien in your own clothes." Naruto's eyes studies the fox. It was the same fox as the one that was carved in his trinket.



"Thank you." He smiled and pulled the fox trinket out of his breast pocket. He looked at it and just as he put it back, there was a loud banging on his door.



"Did we miss the party?!" Kiba yelled inside and Naruto looked up to find the people he'd just been dining with walking into his small, run down apartment. First it was Kiba, followed by Shikamaru, Hinata, Tenten, Shino, Ino, Chouji, Neji and last but not least, the green marvel, Lee. "I thought you were going to be gone for two more days!" Naruto was standing and looking at all of the people crowded in his apartment.



"I am faster than that Naruto-san!" As he and Lee talked, there was one more knock on the door and Sai walked in. "Hello."



"Hi Sai."



"Hey!" Everyone greeted him as he walked in and set his smallish gift on the crate where the rest of them had been put.



The night, even though it was crowded, it was the first night Naruto was himself since Sasuke had returned. He smiled, laughed and was Konoha's number one, unpredictable ninja.