In Your Shadow

Chapter 11: Plan to Love Part II

It's been a week since Naruto has been discharged from the hospital and a week of quiet and peaceful living. Though confuse, Naruto prefers that he's not encountering any of his friends since then. Not even his teachers get to see him or talk to him aside from Iruka who constantly paying him a visit.  

It was late afternoon and he is currently walking in the training grounds when a kunai suddenly moves towards him. He dodge it and look where it came from when another kunai came from behind. He dodge it again and surprise after seeing an explosive tag on it. He was about to move when a figure appear in front of him and carry him away from the explosion.

The raven man stands on a tree trunk and put the blonde down, his hand not leaving Naruto's waist.

"Who--" Naruto's eyes widen when he recognize the man beside him. Raven hair, pale skin and obsidian eyes, wearing a black fitted sweatshirt. 

Naruto got quiet and surprise. It feels like he haven't seen the raven for years. Ever since their encounter in the hospital, he didn't see any sign of him. 

"W-What are you doing here?" he asked, slightly nervous.

"I miss you..." Sasuke whispers in his ear causing the blonde to blush.

"T-Teme!" Naruto push Sasuke making him lose balance and was about to fall from the tree when Sasuke immediately move, holding him by his waist.

"Careful, dobe." 

"S-Shut up! And can you please stay away?!" The blonde stand firmly while getting away from the raven. 

Sasuke smirks. "You haven't seen me in a while and you're telling me to stay away?" 

"Yes and I mean it!" Naruto immediately replied taking Sasuke by surprise.

"You don't even.. miss me?" The raven asked, unsurely.

"And why would I miss you? After everything you did?" 

Sasuke looks away, feeling the guilt eats him up again. He knows it that much, Naruto won't accept him anymore and he's just a complete idiot who thinks he will be forgiven, at the very least. Shikamaru's plan is a good one but now, he's not sure if it will even work. 

The plan was to get Naruto's heart while slowly making him feel the apologies of Sasuke. They haven't say anything but everyone knows what they feel for each other but now, Sasuke doesn't know anymore. He's up to the plan because he believes (and he feels) that Naruto see him in 'that' way as he do. He thinks Naruto is just really mad at him and he promise to make it up to him but the doubts that Naruto gives right now is unbearable.

"Does he really feel the same way I did to him?" A painful question stuck in Sasuke's mind.

"Not even a tiny bit of missing me?" Sasuke asked, trying to raise his crushed hope.

"Give me a valid reason to miss you." Naruto said, successfully hiding the nervousness and longingness for the raven.

"Well... because of love---"

"I don't even love you." Words that instantly came out of Naruto's mouth without realizing it. It just come out, out of nervousness of hearing the word 'love'.

Sasuke stood there, frozen and hurt. He stares at Naruto with shock evident on his face. 

"Y-yeah.. Of course.." The raven responded, losing his self. He nervously laughs and step back. "How silly of me.. I.. I'll be going then." And without anything else, Sasuke leave the place.

Naruto was too shock for his likings. With the regret and anger to himself, he punch the tree he's standing on.

"What the fuck did I just said?" He thought.

Their friends who witness and heard everything can't help but to sigh and leave the place as well, looking for Sasuke.

The raven found himself entering their old house. He walks until he reach the room where both of his parents were killed by his own brother. 

He stand by the door, staring at the very place where his lifeless parents laid that night. Everything came back at him. When he tried so hard to get the acknowledgement of his father, to be as good as his brother, and to live like how other children do. The way he live after that incident, feeding his heart with rage and hate to avenge his clan. The feeling of jealousy to a certain blonde, seeing how he was able to be happy despite every bad things he experienced. 

Sasuke sit outside where he and Itachi usually sit. The sun is setting as the sky envelopes by the darkness.

He stares at the sky feeling the emptiness grow inside him. The only hope he had back then was Naruto. It was him that's keeping him alive and sane in the pit of darkness. That's the very reason for him to continue breathing; someone's still love him. He doesn't consider anyone else because he knew, everyone including sakura turned their backs from him and let the higher ups decide for his fate. But Naruto is different.

He's the only one who stays on his side after everything.

"He's my home."

But now.. he's not blaming the blonde in anything. It was all his wrong.

First, leaving the village and became an exiled ninja.

Training under Orochimaru, also an exiled ninja and an S-rank mission in the bingo book.

Hurts Naruto, almost killing him, and putting the lives of his friends in grave danger.

And above all.. thinking that Naruto loves him, the way he did.

It was a friend relationship afterall. Naruto treasures him as his friend. And it seems to hurt more than losing his whole clan.

"I should just wander somewhere again and die peacefully." He thought to himself.

Nothing will work. Naruto loves Sakura.

And he's just an emotional freak who deserted his village for revenge.

He laughs bitterly. "Why the fuck am I still alive?"

Feeling the silence and darkness of the place, Sasuke made up his mind. He write something on a paper and put it on a hawk.

"To the hokage." He said and let the hawk fly.

He sigh before standing up and smiles bitterly.

"You don't need me in your shadow afterall."

In the hokage's office was Naruto, talking with Tsunade about everything that happened and they come in forgiving each other.

"By the way Tsunade-obbaa chan.. have you seen Sasuke?" Naruto asked. He searched for him earlier but end up unsuccessful. He made up his mind to confess to Sasuke and just kick his ass if he rejected him. And after about three weeks, he feel like he's ready to reconcile with his friends.

"I haven't seen him." The hokage answered before seeing the hawk outside the window.

"A message at this hour?" Tsunade said and get the message from the hawk's leg.

She opened it and reads.

"What?!" She exclaimed. "That brat!"

"Tsunade-obbaa chan? What's wrong?" Naruto asked.

Tsunade look at him and mentally facepalms.

"Sasuke is going to leave the village again." 

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