The Road to Understanding

This was written for the Ita/Naru for MasterFranny.--

 

--

 

 

The day was beautiful outside, the sun was shining, the skies were a crystal blue with fluffy white clouds floating away across them lazily. Inside the Hokage Tower, a thirteen year old hyperactive blond was fighting off boredom. But the temptation of rooting around the office of the Hokage of Konoha was too much and so Naruto Uzumaki gave into it. He was after all, he was not known for his control.



Naruto dug through the first few drawers of the desk and found small flasks, more than likely containing sake. He just threw them to floor, the sound of them connecting to the floor filling the room. He silently cursed as he slammed the last drawer shut. There had been absolutely nothing of interest in the drawers. He thought for sure that Tsunade would have something worthwhile in them.



He crossed his arms and pouted. He didn’t know how long the meeting with the council and the two Sannin was going to last. The old farts were very adamant that he stay in the village and stay there to train. But Tsunade was just as, if not more, hard-headed than the council and he knew that she would eventually get her way. She could have at least gave him some sort of mission in the village to curb his boredom. Instead she had made him wait in the office with a guard outside the door.



And he couldn’t just jump out of the window because there was no way that he would even begin to judge when the old hag would be back. It wouldn’t do to get caught and be beaten half to death by Tsunade’s strength. As he was looking over the drawers again, he noticed one that was slightly ajar, as if it had been closed in a hurry and wasn’t shut properly because of a scroll that was halfway hanging out.



Curiosity getting the better of him, he gently pulled the drawer out. He didn’t know if there was any kind of seal that would activate to let Tsunade know that someone was messing with her stuff. After he had grabbed the scroll, he waited for a few more minutes and when she didn’t bust in, he let out a long breath of relief.



The scroll was thick but it didn’t look to be that old. Sneaking another glance to make sure he was alone, Naruto gently peeled the wax seal back, making sure to keep it intact. The seal had the Uchiha crest on it and the blond wondered just who in the clan this certain scroll was about.



He unrolled the parchment and quickly found the beginning of it. The longer he read on, the more he became intrigued by what was written on the scroll. The further he read, the more he became confused. Surely this scroll wasn’t real or at least it was something fake that the old hag had put there to keep him from snooping.



But a feeling in his gut told him that wasn’t the case. And, he ignored the fox that was caged within him. The beast had whispering in his ear, so to speak, that the Uchiha clan was more dangerous than anyone could have ever perceived. Of course, the clan was dangerous with just the sheer amount of power they possessed with their skills as ninja alone. Add in the Sharingan and the levels of that bloodline and you had a clan that was close to all-powerful.



As his blue eyes kept wandering over and taking in the information about exactly what the clan had planned, a knot began to form in his stomach. It was clear who had run the village, and it sure wasn’t the Hokage. But to have a thirteen year old murder his entire clan, that was something that Naruto couldn’t quite grasp. How could someone just murder their clan with the exception of just one person?



Of course, the scroll provided a reason why the Uchiha clan needed to be dealt with. But certainly there had to be some kind of prison that could hold an Uchiha, right? The blond heard a exasperated sigh from his permanent tenant. He chose to ignore it and continued reading through the scroll. When he put it down, he had a such headache just trying to come with terms with everything written.



If only the old man was still alive, Naruto would have gotten answers. All he would have done was get the man full of alcohol and promise him some great porn. The blond wasn’t a stranger to manipulation, he had done it most of his life just to survive. But most of the villagers hadn’t realized it, they were too focused on their hate of the kid who had the fox spirit sealed away in him.



The blond decided that maybe he should copy this scroll and further read on it. It certainly intrigued how one man had decided that his whole clan was dangerous enough to kill instead of letting children live and giving them to other families. But, the thing that bothered Naruto the most, was that Itachi had been willing to kill his entire family with the exception of his little brother. He quickly pulled a blank scroll from Tsunade’s desk and quickly began to scribble everything down onto the paper.



After he had everything written down on the scroll, the blond shoved the scroll back into the desk the way he had found it. If he had put it back in nice and neat, then Tsunade would have been suspicious of who had been in the drawer and all fingers would point at him. He didn’t feel like getting in trouble before he left the village. Three years was certainly a long time to be gone and he wanted to leave on a happy note.



Most of the Rookie Nine knew there was a possibility that he was leaving for training soon, so they had decided to throw him a party. It would be great to see his friends one last time before going away. The promise of training with a great Sannin was too much temptation to pass up. But, it made him wonder exactly why the council didn’t want him out of the village, though he was positive it was for a petty reason.



Rolling the scroll up and placing it in a pocket, Naruto went back to relaxing in the Hokage’s chair. He turned the chair around so that he could look over the rooftops of the village. He would become Hokage one day, and he would protect this village. He would make everyone see that he was much more than a loud-mouthed brat.



~`~



The party was in full swing and Naruto tried to enjoy himself, but he just couldn’t. It didn’t feel right without Sasuke there. He had tried to talk to Sakura, but the female ninja wouldn’t come anywhere near him. Shikamaru kept him company for most of the party. While he had enjoyed the shadow users company, the blond was still disheartened that Sakura was keeping her distance. He could tell that something had been bothering her, but he doubted that she would tell him.



Of course, they weren’t as close as what they should have been as a team. Anyone could tell that Team Seven was divided even before Sasuke’s abandonment. Each of them had their own objective and weren’t willing to at least offer some kind of support. It was those decisions that divided them so greatly. Even an outsider could tell that they weren’t united. But Team Seven did have it moments where they had protected one another. The memory of Haku’s mirrors came to mind and how Sasuke had protected him.



The blond rubbed a hand over his chest where he had the scar from the Valley of the End. It still pained him that his best friend had tried to killed him. He hadn’t even told Sakura what happened, all she had known was that Naruto was attacked. The blond refused to have her opinion of Sasuke tainted. He would protect her as much as he could.



“It’s your party and you’re brooding,” Shikamaru stated blandly. “You need to enjoy this last night with your friends, Naruto.”



The blond turned to look at the other man. He gave the brunet a bright smile. “You’re right, I guess it wouldn’t be a party if I wasn’t loud!”



The other ninja gave him a faint smile as the blond jumped up and started to liven the party up. Naruto was a ball of energy that could never be contained, that much was for certain. He changed lives where he went and was always improving the Leaf’s relationships with other hidden villages. Shikamaru knew that Leaf would thrive under the blonds rule.



The jounin were of course present. Even though the Rookie Nine was thirteen, they were still kids, and kids still tended to get into some trouble every now and again. Gai was in a contest with Kakashi over who could down the most drinks; non-alcoholic, of course. Kurenai and Asuma were keeping an eye out on the genins, while turning their attention to Gai and Kakashi every so often.



The atmosphere took on a more festive air. Sakura stopped hanging around Ino, and eventually joined Naruto at his table. They were slightly uncomfortable with one another, but their bond was strengthening all the same. Naruto looked out over the crowd and could not believe that everyone was here for him. A feeling of resolution washed over him as he watched his friends mingle. He would bring Sasuke back at all cost and when they celebrated, the Uchiha would enjoy himself.



It was nearing midnight when the jounin started to round up their teams and said their farewells to Naruto. The blond was leaving fairly early the next morning and no one would be there to see him off except maybe Kakashi and Sakura. He gave out hugs to the girls, except Hinata who just blushed and wished him luck.



Naruto watched as the last of his friends wandered out and he was left feeling that empty spot again in his chest. He shouldn’t be doing this. Sasuke should have been there and this should have been some other type of party. Kakashi met up with him at the front door to the restaurant that they had rented for the night and they left together, walking the village at night. 



The sky was cloudless and the moon shone down with a bright beam. They walked amiably together, Sakura already having gone home. The female ninja had left with Ino, saying that they needed some girl time. Naruto hadn’t argued, only gave her a hug and let her go on her way. In a way, he felt that the team was even more split now than ever.



Kakashi was enigmatically silent as ever. Naruto still hadn’t forgiven the jounin for pawning him off on Ebisu and concentrating more on Sasuke. The blond had thought it was irresponsible of the Copy Nin to teach Chidori to the Uchiha, but he had kept the opinion to himself. No one had known that Sasuke would use it on Naruto. As they said, hindsight was twenty-twenty.



“Maa, Naruto,” Kakashi broke the silence between them. “I want to apologize for neglecting you during the Chunin Exams.”



“You don’t have to,” he said. “You did what you thought was right at the time.”



Kakashi sent the other a sidelong glance. “You’re maturing some. I’m sure if I had told you that a few weeks ago, you would have tried to punch my face.”



The blond shrugged his shoulders, “I guess. I have a question and you might be able to answer it for me.”



Kakashi cocked his head to the side. “Sure, if you want.”



“Why did Itachi spare Sasuke?” The question was asked innocently enough, but that didn’t stop Kakashi from halting in shock.



“Why would you ask that?” The Copy Nin was perplexed as to where this question had come from.



“Well, he did kill the whole Uchiha clan, but spared Sasuke. There had to have been a reason right?” The blond asked, blinking his eyes at the taller ninja.



“No one is quite sure why. My thought would be he still loved Sasuke and couldn’t bring himself to do it,” Kakashi answered hesitantly.



The blond furrowed his brow as he tried to think about what Kakashi had said. While it made sense, it didn’t fit the rumors he heard from other ninja. They had described Itachi has a merciless killer and someone you wouldn’t want as an opponent on the battlefield. He only filed the information away for later contemplation.



~`~



Naruto had only been out of the village for a few weeks now but it seemed like months. It always seemed that he was by himself when he was training. Jiraiya was always leaving him to go do his ‘research’ for his books. He huffed as he crossed his arms, he had already perfected this jutsu and Pervy Sage hadn’t left any kind of instruction of what to do after that.



So Naruto debated on whether or not go to into town and kill a few hours there, or move onto something else. The older ninja hadn’t shown him any more wind based attacks and the blond had to wonder if this was really training. Sighing, he plopped down on the ground Indian style and crossed his arms.



The scroll still plagued his mind and he couldn’t figure out to approach Jiraiya about the subject. It wasn’t something that you would bring up in everyday conversation. There just had to be a way to broach it with the Sannin. The blond snapped his fingers and grinned as an idea struck him.



“I’ve got it!” Naruto exclaimed as he pounded his fist into his palm. Now all he had to do was be patient enough for Jiraiya to show back up. But as he thought about how long the Sannin’s trips were into town, the more it depressed him.



“Sitting down and being lazy I see,” the familiar voice was right behind him and the younger ninja jumped to his feet, swirling around, kunai in hand.



“Oh, it’s just you, Pervy Sage,” Naruto said as he placed his kunai back in his pouch.



“And how are you sure this isn’t a substitute jutsu?” The older asked as he moved closer to the blond, hand perched on a hip and a finger wagging in the other’s face.



The blond pinched his nose and waved the air in front of him. “Because you can’t substitute smells and right now you smell of alcohol.”



Jiraiya pulled, amused by the kids answer. “Correct! That’s another lesson learned! Always keep that in mind in Naruto. A ninja should always rely on scent.”



Naruto rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms. “I have a question…it’s about Orochimaru…”



Jiraiya immediately sobered at the mention of his former teammate. It was something he did not like to discuss, but it was almost as if Team Seven was suffering the same fate as his own. So for Naruto’s sanity he would answer any questions the kid had. He knew how much the other ninja cared for his best friend and it would be awful if he didn’t help him with this struggle.



“Go ahead,” the Sannin said as he sat down, Naruto following suit.



“Were you two close?” The question hit Jiraiya right in the chest. It was too much information for a thirteen year to handle, but he would answer as truthfully possible.



“You know, we were a lot like you two. You mirroring me and Sasuke him,” Jiraiya smiled sadly. 



“Don’t you dare put Sasuke in that same category!” Naruto snarled, clenching his fist. 



“It’s true, brat. Orochimaru lost his parents at a young age, and so did Sasuke. Though, I’m sure the circumstances were different.”



Perfect, Naruto thought to himself. “I guess, if Orochimaru was a single child. But you still can’t put them in the same category if Itachi killed his clan to protect Sasuke.”



Jiraiya gaped at his student, dumbfounded. “What do you mean, kid?”



Naruto shrugged his shoulders, “It seems to me that it’s odd Itachi killed his whole clan, but left his little brother alive.”



“Did you go snooping again?” Jiraiya asked as he hit the kid upside the head. “What did I tell you about that?” 



The blond rubbed the back of his head and gave the Sannin a dirty glance. “And what if I did? No one noticed anything.”



“What did you find out is the most important question,” the older ninja stated as he crossed his arms and sighed. 



“I’ll show you,” Naruto answered as he scrambled for his pack and began to dig out various scrolls until he found the one he was looking for. He clutched it tightly before handing it over to Jiraiya, biting his bottom lip as the man perused it, his expression changing with every sentence. 



“This is what the council has been doing?” Jiraiya growled as he clenched the scroll tightly in his hand, crinkling the slightly yellowed paper. “Why didn’t the Old Man fight them?” 



Naruto was silent, at a loss as to what to say to comfort his mentor. He sat there, waiting for the Sannin to say something as a slight breeze blew his hair. It was a few minutes later when Jiraiya stood, a determined expression on his face. 



“Stay here,brat; I have business to tend to,” he said as he rolled up the scroll and placed it in a pouch. “Do not move from this area until I come back.” 



And in a flash of speed, Jiraiya was gone and Naruto couldn’t help but wonder what the old pervert was getting up to. He sighed as he realized that the Sannin hadn’t given him a new task to complete. He already got the hang of the new jutsu’s he’d been taught, but then again practice did make perfect. Naruto adjusted the headband on his brow and set to task, he would make Jiraiya proud. 



~~



The sun was setting as Naruto stopped his training. He headed to where the camp was arranged, careful of any traps that he and the pervert had set up. Jiraiya still hadn’t returned. The old pervert had a habit of leaving him in the wilderness while he slept in a nice hotel. 



It was something Naruto didn’t agree with, but he rarely argued about. In order to be a strong ninja, he would have to learn to survive on his own if he were separated from his team. His heart clenched as his thoughts drifted to his recently broken team. 



He knew that when he finished dragging Sasuke back to the village, things wouldn’t be the same. He wasn’t that naive. It didn’t matter how much he wished things would return to normal, it wouldn’t happen, not with the scroll he had discovered. 



He had some hope that the scroll would change things, but deep down he knew that it wouldn’t. Hatred ran so deep in Sasuke that the Uchiha was consumed by it. He didn’t even know if the scroll would help his best friend now. Naruto rubbed the scar marring his chest beneath his shirt. If Sasuke had been capable of at least attempting to kill him back then, what would he be capable of in the future?



Naruto tried to stray his thoughts from that subject, he didn’t want to think about a future without his best friend by his side. The blond sat on the cooling ground and looked to the sky, searching for answers in the vast darkness of glittering jewels. He found none there and hugged his knees to his chest as the night animals began calling out to each other. 



He continued to gaze at the sky as the sounds intensified. There seemed to be a fight somewhere out there in the forest. Naruto knew he wouldn’t get any sleep tonight anyway with so many thoughts churning in his head. 



A rustle of leaves was the only warning he had as a figure appeared in the moonlight that shone through the forest canopy. Naruto did not need to see the ninja’s entire body to know who it was. He sighed as he stood, his stance not very threatening as he knew very well he wasn’t on the same level as Itachi Uchiha. 



The blond stood and dusted his pants off, he had already resigned himself to going peacefully. His curiosity had already been perked by the scroll and he wanted to hear things from Itachi’s perspective. The tanned face was painted with a petulant expression as the Uchiha approached, strangely silent. In the past encounters, Itachi had talked at least a little, but then again Sasuke had been around during those events. 



“It’s unusual for you be so ill protected.” The voice was almost a whisper lost on the wind, but with the Kyuubi’s advanced senses, he was able to pick the words up with ease. 



Naruto snorted in answer, crossing his arms. “I don’t need protection.”



“Are you so sure about that, Naruto?” Itachi asked as he advanced upon him in a flash, a scant few inches between them. 



Naruto couldn’t answer that question, much to his own dismay. But to give him credit, he wasn’t trembling as he stared up into the eyes that had probably tortured a lot of people, a determined scowl on his face. 



“I see you have a backbone now and aren’t scampering to safety,” Itachi commented, standing still as water on a windless day. 



“Is that what you told a clansman as you killed him?” Naruto growled as his fist shook. He didn’t care if it had been a mission that was sent down from Old Man Hokage...Itachi still killed his family, something that should have been precious to him. 



“It is amusing that you think what I did was despicable.” Itachi answered drolly. “I’m assuming that you somehow came across top secret information.”



Naruto’s silence was the only answer he needed. The blond was still scowling, blue eyes lit with a fire that bordered on more than determination. 



“Tell me, why are you so insistent on my brother?” It was an innocent enough question, and he was curious. He had hoped that his younger sibling had had more sense without the influence of the clan, but it seemed like he was wrong. 



“Because he’s my best friend and he’s going about things wrong!” Naruto answered, a rough edge to his voice. Sasuke had been a touchy subject of late, especially with the Valley of the End incident so clear in his mind. 



“At least you have his best interests in mind.” Itachi was studying him now and Naruto wasn’t too sure what exactly was going through his mind. “Tell me, why do you want to be Hokage?”



“So I can be recognized as the strongest ninja, duh,” Naruto answered childishly, his expression smug. 



“That is not a good reason to be a Hokage,” Itachi answered, disappointed. “And here I had such high hopes for you.”



“The hell you mean by that!” Naruto demanded, stepping closer the Uchiha and getting in his face. 



“A ninja becomes Hokage not only because he is the strongest, but to protect his village as well. Even the ones who have wronged him. You lack compassion, Naruto, something I thought I would never say.” Itachi’s eyes were hard to read, but the blond could make out the disappointment in the red depths. 



The sound of another ninja approaching made Itachi flee into the night, his words still echoing in Naruto’s head. Jiraiya landed beside him, the only indication that he was there was the swaying of his long white hair. 



The Sannin’s eyes scanned the area while he searched for any traces of chakra. When he was satisfied that there wasn’t any around, he turned the young ninja at his side. “What did he tell you?”



Naruto shrugged as he plopped down to the ground, releasing a breath that he hadn’t known he was holding. “He just asked about Sasuke and why I wanted to be Hokage,” he frowned. 



“That’s all?” Jiraiya asked surprised. 



“Yeah...it was weird...” Naruto answered as Jiraiya re-secured their camp and both ninja worked out a watch schedule. It was clear that he would not be left alone any time soon. 



~ Three years later~



The sun was bright, he shaded his eyes as he took in the village in at sunset. He’d already been back in Konoha for three days and caught up with everyone. The council was having some super secret meeting with Tsunade. It was almost like the day he left, except he wasn’t caged in a room. He was to meet Sakura later for lunch and was looking forward to it. 



While he no longer housed a crush for her, she was one of those people he considered to be a precious person, with Sasuke being number one still. He still held a burning hope inside of him that the Uchiha could be saved and come back to the village, though the thought of ‘everything will automatically go back to normal’ was cast aside. He wasn’t stupid, he knew that Sasuke would be severely punished for what he had done. 



His years training with Jiraiya had washed some of his naivety. He now understood the ramifications that would fall upon Sasuke should he ever return to the village. But it was Naruto’s belief that he could talk Sasuke into walking back into Konoha under his own free will. That surely would lessen his punishment just a bit. 



And then reality had to hit him in the face. Sasuke was already considered a missing nin, which meant that even if he were to return, the punishment would be severe and that any leniency would be next to nil since he did have three years to return to the village. 



Naruto didn’t want to think of that kind of future, where he and Sasuke couldn’t go on missions along with Sakura. Naruto swiftly crushed them as Sakura came into view, smiling when she saw him. He was surprised Tsunade had given her a day off, but with whatever meeting that was going on, it wasn’t a surprise. 



“Hey! I’m glad I was able to catch up with you!” She smiled brightly as she stopped in front of him. “It’s been a long time!”



Naruto could tell immediately she grown away from her previous self. No longer was she solely focused on Sasuke. She was growing, and he could not help but wonder what sort of ninja she grow into. 



“Yeah, it has!” He answered smiling brightly as they took off into the market, meandering to Ichiraku’s without thought. “I’m glad we’re finally able to catch up!” 



“Me too! It’s been different since you’ve been gone, quieter,” Sakura answered in a teasing tone. “But then again, Konohamaru has pretty much been a brat since you left.”



Naruto laughed as Sakura pushed him playfully with her shoulder, making sure not to bump him too hard. They chattered inanely the entire way to the ramen stand, pausing only when they were taking their seats at the counter. 



Their orders were taken with a huge smile and soon they were left alone. The silence stretched between them before Naruto spoke up. “Do you think Sasuke would really be accepted back into the village, Sakura?”



The answer he got surprised him, it wasn’t like the Sakura he had known years ago. “I doubt that, if the Hokage doesn’t punish him severely there will be an outcry. Things have changed in the village, well except the council. Lady Tsunade has to fight tooth and nail with them just for little things.”



“Something needs to be done with those old fools,” Naruto muttered under his breath. 



“Tsunade’s trying her best,” Sakura tried to soothe Naruto as she placed a hand on his arm. Things hadn’t exactly been that great between them when they were younger and how she treated Naruto was regrettable. 



Naruto didn’t really know how to answer that so he just made a face at Sakura, showing his displeasure at the mentioned party. The female ninja laughed as she smacked Naruto’s arm and told him to quit it. Both were hyper aware of the fact that someone was missing, well mostly his glare. 



“How’s your training going?” Naruto asked, turning the subject away from a dark topic. 



Sakura’s smile was bright as she answered in a happy tone. “It’s going great! Lady Tsunade has helped me with a lot of things so I’m more useful now!”



“Sakura...” Naruto murmured as he watched her light up with conversation of what Tsunade had taught her and what she was still learning. He hated her having thought herself useless at one point.



Naruto could not bring himself to interrupt her. This was the first time that Sakura had ever opened up to him and he couldn’t but help to listen to her. There was always that tension between them back in their team days. It was as if they were oil and water and wouldn’t be able to co-exist. But, it seemed the years he spent away from the village were good for them and now that Sakura could defend herself, she was a happier person. 



Their ramen was delivered to them, but Sakura kept the conversation going, pausing every now and again to ask Naruto a question. The sun was going down in the sky as their empty ramen sat in front of them. The old man kicked them out of the ramen stand and they wandered the streets together, Naruto’s hands behind his head. 



“Naruto, what would happen to Sasuke if he returned to us?” The question was innocent, but Sakura’s expression wasn’t. It was a mix between pain of the unknown and concern for Sasuke. 



“I’m not sure, Sakura...” He answered honestly as they wandered to a park, both sitting on the swings as they watched parents gather their children to return to their homes. 



“At least you’re honest,” she smiled sadly as she prodded the sand with her foot. “I still wish for him to come back and have things as they once were. Is that bad of me?” 



“No Sakura, it isn’t. I wish for the same thing.” He answered looking off into the distance, wondering if Sasuke was thinking of them. 



--



He offered his chakra to the old woman of the Sand Village, anything she needed in order to bring Gaara back. The village needed its Kazekage and Naruto needed his friend. Gaara was the only one who knew what it was like to be one of them. 



The seconds rolled by as Chiyo thought of his offer and Naruto was becoming impatient. He was pretty much dumping unlimited chakra into her hands and she had to think about it. He ground his teeth as she was silent a few more moments. 



Then finally, she looked at him and told him to place his hands on hers. A determined expression set on his face, he did as he was told. Her hands were wrinkled and felt like leather, but that came with being her age. 



Blue eyes stayed trained on their hands as their chakra began to work its way inside Gaara’s body. Naruto didn’t know what kind of jutsu this was, but it was a powerful one. Then she began to speak, telling him how glad she was that he had appeared. And of her regrets of the relationship between sand and leaf. He didn’t know why she was being so long winded, but he hung onto her every word. 



When she began to talk of Gaara and his suffering, Naruto saddened. Images flitted through his head of all the people that he had behind him as the years wore on. Increasing by number every so often while Gaara still had no one. 



Then he stirred, sitting up as Naruto held onto his shoulder and smiled, relieved that his friend was once again breathing. The area around them swarmed with people concerned for Gaara, and Naruto thought it was such a change from years ago. It was a huge change in just a few years; how everyone rallied behind their kazekage was amazing and Naruto couldn’t help the small tinge of jealousy that flared up in his chest. But, he crushed it back down, one day he would be recognized by Konoha as a Hokage, it just wouldn’t be anytime soon. 



Temari and Kankurou butted in and gave their two cents while Naruto glared. And then people began speaking in the crowd. Words of how cool and handsome was filled the air and Naruto twitched slightly. He was just still a genin and would get no such recognition. Gaara had tried to comfort him, and that made him feel a bit better. 



“Thank you Naruto,” Kankurou said as he knelt near the blond. 



“I’m not the one you should be thanking, it’s the old lady.” He answered with a soft expression. “She had that awesome medical jutsu.” 



He turned his head and saw that Sakura was supporting the old woman’s body. Her expression was slightly worrying since it was grief stricken, but Naruto thought nothing of it. He smiled slightly at the resting form and thought that she deserved it for being able to save Gaara like that. 



“She’ll be fine, she’s passed out from tiredness.” Naruto said as he smiled, thinking of their return to the village. 



“No,” Kankurou answered, his expression serious as he studied Chiyo. 



“What do ya mean?” Naruto asked, confused. 



“She’s dead, Naruto,” he answered as he placed a hand in the air to stop Naruto from talking further. “Chiyo used a life transfer jutsu to save Gaara. It was a jutsu only she knew.” 



Naruto didn’t know what to think. A thousand thoughts ran through his mind as the history behind the jutsu was explained. From its beginning to Chiyo’s abandonment of it, he listened to every word. Saddened at how such a sacrifice had to have been made to save Gaara. 



Then he reflected on her words, she had been basically saying goodbye. It tore at his heart when Temari began to speak to him. Telling him of his power that changed people, he wanted to snap back at her that it wasn’t enough to change Sasuke, that he was changing all the wrong people, but he held his tongue and grieved for the old woman. 



But he understood now, what she was saying. That change wouldn’t come unless he and Gaara worked hard for it. And that it would not be an easy task, not with Akatsuki running around or his status in the ninja ranks. Naruto knew that he needed to rise higher in order to change the world around him. 



He and Gaara stood, making their way over to Sakura and Chiyo. It was amazing how peaceful she looked in the glittering sun, almost like she knew what the future would hold. They were silent for a moment before Gaara softly told everyone to pray for Chiyo. 



--



“I’m glad you’re fine!” Naruto sobbed as he hugged Gaara. They had just arrived back to the sand village and Naruto couldn’t wait for a relaxing night. It had been awhile since he had caught up with Gaara and was looking forward to their time together tonight. 



They were silent as they stalked through the Kazekage tower, heading for Gaara’s room. Why the redhead had to room in the tower, Naruto would never know. As they passed the ninja on duty, Gaara thanked them for their service and gave the order that he was not to be disturbed until the village was in danger. That all concerns should be directed at Temari or Kankurou instead. 



They entered Gaara’s chambers, the redhead placing his sand container on a chair and then sitting on the chair next to it. Naruto followed suit, the silence long and awkward between them for a few moments. 



“How did they capture you?” Naruto asked, blue eyes searching Gaara’s own green ones. 



“I was protecting the village, that’s my one and only priority.” He answered as he leaned back in his chair, relaxing just a bit. “I was caught off guard and my opponent got the better of me.”



Naruto’s face scrunched up as he thought for a moment. “But as the Kazekage, shouldn’t you be the one to be directing your ninja into battle, not fighting one?”



Gaara sighed, he should have known that Naruto would have brought up that point. “A leader’s priority should always be protecting his village. And as the leader of Sand, I refuse to stand by and watch others fight my battles. I’m more than capable of fighting a battle. I will always be on the battlefield myself Naruto.” 



The blond didn’t quite know how to counter that, he felt ashamed that Gaara was the same age and yet seemed to grasp what being a leader meant. He clearly still had some growing up to do, then like venom, Itachi’s words surfaced in his thoughts. The Uchiha had been right in what he had said. Naruto had to understand that as Hokage he would be protecting his village. 



It was then he realized that Itachi had been protecting the village in his own way. He was out there putting his own life in danger. But it wasn’t only that, it was the fact that he had let Sasuke hate him and attempt to kill him. He sacrificed his little brother’s admiration and love so he could protect Konoha. 



“Naruto?” 



“It’s nothing,” the blond answered, smiling. “I just realized something that’s all.” 



Gaara pinned him with a look, but didn’t say anything else on the matter. “How is your training?”



Naruto smiled brightly as he answered the question, the two friends getting comfortable with one another as they caught up on the last two and half years of missing one another. It felt good to be in Gaara’s company. And for once Naruto wasn’t worried about becoming Hokage. Being a leader may have gained him recognition, but that would not be satisfying. He realized that he would rather be in the shadows like Itachi, he kept these thoughts to himself as he formulated a plan to meet up with the Uchiha at a later date. 



-One Year Later-



The night was warm and the breeze felt nice against his skin. He was waiting just outside the gates of Konoha, wondering if this was the right path. But he needed to go out on his own and grow more. And while he was thankful for Jiraiya’s training, he needed this. Naruto wanted to be able to go out on his own and make his own decisions for once. 



He re-shouldered his bag with determination. He would do this, even though he was leaving a lot of people who cared about him behind. And the only who would possibly understand why he was doing this would be Shikamaru. The Nara knew about the council’s ways and how they tried to keep Naruto from advancing. 



He had thought that by now he would be above the rank of genin. He’d been disheartened and finally came to the conclusion that he would never rise above the rank he held. He knew then that it didn’t matter if he had Tsunade on his side, the council would never change their minds. And their kids would only take over when they passed and the cycle would begin anew. 



So he had spent the past year growing before he would take off on his own and protect his beloved village from the shadows. He no longer craved the recognition he had wanted, finding that all he wanted now, was one person to love him. 



The slight disturbance of air alerted him to the presence of another ninja. Smiling he caught the hand that was aimed at his head and pulled the person close to him, placing his head just under the other man’s chin. 



He had been waiting for this moment for a year, it had seemed so long since he had made contact with Itachi, telling him of his desire to join the other in what he was doing. Naruto had been met with resistance at first, Itachi effectively shooting him down. 



But the meetings continued under the watchful night sky every so often. Naruto would argue his point while Itachi simply told him no. The debates only heated up as the blond became more stubborn about what he wanted to do. So it was no surprise when he kissed Itachi one night just to rile the ninja up. 



The reaction he had gotten was one that he hadn’t foreseen. Instead of pushing him away, Itachi only pulled him closer. When the kiss ended, both parties were unsure of what had happened. Naruto had been pushed away while Itachi had taken off into the night. 



“Are you sure you want this?” Itachi asked as he gently cradled the body in his arms. “Once you leave there is no turning back. While Tsunade may know the truth, the rest of the village won’t. And for that, you will not be loved.”



“I want this.” Naruto answered, pulling back and staring at Itachi with a determination that was stronger than when he proclaimed he would be Hokage. 



Itachi pressed a kiss to the tan forehead that was missing a headband. “Then let’s get going.”



Naruto gave one last look to the village and set out with Itachi. He didn’t know what the future held, but he did know that he would miss Konoha greatly. The blond could only hope that his friends would understand why he had chosen his path. He would keep them safe, even if they weren’t aware of it. He smiled as he hooked his hand with Itachi’s as they disappeared into the forest. One day he hoped both of them could return to Konoha, not as heroes but as citizens and live a life that wasn’t clouded by the threat of war. 



He was certain his path now was with Itachi and that this was right. As they traveled further away from Konoha, Naruto felt truly free. He wouldn’t be kept in the village like a dog on a chain. He squeezed the warm hand in his before he let go and took off in a fast pace, Itachi easily catching up with him. 



Naruto never looked back after that, knowing that it would serve no purpose to do so. He may have only been sixteen and still needed to learn, but at least he was finally doing something he wanted to do. And the taste of freedom had never been sweeter.