Just Below The Surface

As things usually are in the Village of Konohoa, on the surface it looked calm and collected. Getting a better look you’d realize how Chaotic it all was. Rock Lee and Gai were yelling in one of the training grounds about Youthful Spirit and such. Choji and Shikamaru where watching the clouds some where. While Kiba and Akamaru ran training routines in the forest. Kakashi was begging Iruka for his book back and Tsunade was chasing Jirayia out of her office. It was a very usual day for the people of Konohoa. Every once in awhile a smoke bomb would go off, releasing way more smoke then was really needed. Meaning Konohamaru Corps. was practicing again. Everything was as it should be.

With one exception. Sasuke and Naruto. After Sasuke’s return to the village he and Naruto had been rather uncomfortable around each other. Then again, no one really blamed Naruto for being hurt. Four years ago Sasuke had tried to kill him and then left him. For three years they’d both trained. Sasuke now bore the marks that Orochimaru had cared to call the snakes. Naruto was at the same level of some Jounins. On the three year mark though, no one had to go find Sasuke he can back and dropped a thick black bag on the desk. The bag contained to head of Orochimaru and Kabuto. He’d also promised as a show of loyalty that he’d do the same to anyone else the Hokage ordered him to. Naruto had been standing in Tsunade’s office when it happened and when Sasuke turned to him it wasn’t the same person. They’re relationship had never gone back to what it once had been.

The two rarely said more then three words to each other. They would not train together or spar. If the team decided to go do something, Kakashi and Sakura sat between them and not a word was passed between them. In the three years that Naruto had trained he realized that he loved the cold heart boy. Yet when he returned, Naruto didn’t know him anymore. He wanted Sasuke back not this person who’d come back to them. That wasn’t Sasuke so he never told him and every time he saw Sasuke it tore his heart apart more and more.

On this day, it was no exception. Sakura had invited them to go get Barbecue. The two sat on opposite sides of the table, diagonally from each other so it would require moving there head to see they other. Sakura had been trying since Sasuke had returned to get them to talk. For all of them to be Team 7 again. The silence was eerie and heavy

When Sakura asked how there training had went both answered with fine and nothing more. If asked about there next there mission they said the least they could. Except on this day. When Sakura asked about there newest mission, Naruto told them he would not be going.

“What do you mean your not going?” Sakura knew that Sasuke and Naruto did not speak but they still went on missions together.

“I’m not going. I’m on leave to Sand. Gaara requested my presence and I’ll be there for the next six months. I’m leaving tomorrow morning.” Naruto didn’t even blink. He’d know for weeks. They only people who knew were himself, Kakashi and Tsunade. He hadn’t felt the need to tell anyone else. It wasn’t like the person he wanted to care about it did.

Sakura was stunned. Naruto had once told her everything. Now he didn’t even tell her when he was leaving. “And you chose now to tell us!?” He shrugged a response. “Naruto! Why in the world did you wait this long?”

Naruto stood up. “I didn’t feel like saying anything. I need to go home and finish packing.” He turned to leave and Sasuke actually spoke to him.

“Don’t die.” Sasuke’s voice made Naruto stop in his tracks.

“Still wanna do it yourself?” The blonde kept walking. Stupid Sasuke, what did he care anyway? Naruto didn’t know and he wasn’t going to let it bother him. He had a mission to fulfill and Sasuke wasn’t his problem anymore. So what did it matter to him? It didn’t. That’s what Naruto would keep telling himself until he started to believe it.

Sakura turned to Sasuke when Naruto left. “Aren’t you going to do anything?”

“No.” Sasuke stood and left as well. Ever since he’d left he’d realized they only way to be stronger then Naruto was to be his rival. To hate him. There was a problem with this plan though. Sasuke could never hate Naruto. Not after that last battle at the Valley of the Ends. He’d never be able to hate someone who tried to give his life like that. So he did what he could and he ignored him. He no longer cared about Umazaki Naruto.

***

Nothing was ever said, Naruto left the next morning to Sand. He said good bye to no one. Merely told Tsunade he was leaving and he left. Life in the village remained the norm. Calm on the outside, with they occasional disturbance. Six months passed and Sakura began to wonder where there teammate had gone. He’d never said anything. Never wrote, they only thing they know was that he was there. Kankuro or Temari would mention his presence when they came to Leaf. No one knew anything beyond that. So when Sakura went to ask the Hokage when Naruto would return she was shocked by the answer.

“He’s not. He applied for a permeant transfer and I granted it to him. He’s not coming back Sakura. What remains of Team 7 has done fine without him.” Tsunade barely looked up from her paper work.

“But Hokage!” Sakura was silenced with a glare.

The blonde woman stood. “He’s not happy here and I will not force him to be somewhere he’s not happy. Since he went to Sand he’s gone back to be himself and I want him to stay that way. If he wants to return he’ll do so, until then accept the fact that he’s happier there.”

It only made sense. He’d been tortured since Sasuke came back. He’d be happy there, away from him. Gaara and him seemed to have an understand of each other. “I understand.” She left the Hokage’s office and returned home. That was that. Naruto deserved to be happy and she would not interfere with that.

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I don't have a Beta. Sorry about the typos and errors.

I don't own Naruto. I wish I did but I do not.