Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Regret Not A Thing ❯ Ch. 14: Restoration of Faith ( Chapter 14 )

Regret Not A Thing

By Mizerable

 

 

 

Ch. 14: Restoration of Faith

 

Present Day

 

The moon sat heavy and looming in its dead hour. Naruto had been lying in bed watching it drag itself across the sky, feeling no calmer from its cold light. He kept waiting for sleep to stake its claim so he wouldn't have to think anymore. So he wouldn't have to remember that not so far away, Sasuke lay under the same moon. Sasuke, who now seemed bound to that bed awaiting his death sentence.

 

Gaara's words from earlier were entangled in Naruto's mind. Could Naruto, who always opened his heart to even the seemingly cruelest of beings, be cold enough to never reconcile with Sasuke? Even though it would leave Sasuke to probably die completely and utterly alone.

 

In the end, who would really suffer from the silence?

 

Naruto heaved out a heavy sigh before hauling himself out of bed. As his door clicked shut, the light of the moon glinted off the glass of a picture frame that sat righted on the side table.

 

* * *

 

Sakura was considered one of the elite when it came to being a kunoichi. Being a ninja as a woman allotted for the use of certain abilities that did not always require brute strength. Their art was subtle deception. Such a master was Sakura, she could even cleverly fool herself.

 

She had a series of medical texts lined up and methodically organized upon her vanity. Her eyes darted between the words and the mirror as she set her hair in tight twist. Strands of her hair fell in soft sweeps around her face and against her neck. She compared symptoms while coloring her lips in faint pink, a complimentary and unassuming shade. She contemplated which herbs might make for a better medicinal mix while dabbing perfume against her wrists. An orange and ginger scent; it reminded her of autumn.

 

She had a house call to make and her pride would not allow her to show up appearing unprepared or unprofessional. She had a wealth of knowledge imprinted in her mind, she presented herself as an image of comfort.

 

Her snug clothes were concealed beneath her white hospital coat. The lamplight cast an alluring glow against her skin, but she only saw her face staring back in the mirror. This was her job. She needed to gain as much experience as possible in order to be better prepared for the field.

 

This wasn't about love, she told herself.

 

It wasn't about love.

 

* * *

 

The moon was their witness, though they were no longer romantic children. They didn't see the roads as paved with silver. The world was washed in gray and it made their hearts heavy as stone. When their paths converged, they stood still as ashen statues and pondered the other's why.

 

“I've pardoned people for worse crimes…If I ever want to fulfill my dream of leading this village, I gotta make these kinds of choices.”

 

“I just thought I could bring in a fresh perspective. Maybe I could find something the Hokage and the others might have missed in their research.”

 

Naruto and Sakura were fine shinobi, indeed.

 

* * *

 

Sakura knocked tentatively on the door while Naruto stood by with his hands shoved in his pockets. A slight shiver had taken claim of his body, for he'd left in too much of a hurry to grab his jacket. What a sight the pair must have made. Naruto in his rumpled black shirt and garish orange pants, with Sakura caught somewhere between doctor and evening apparel.

 

There was a long drag of silence before the locks clicked and the door was drawn open. Anko stood in her housecoat, though she showed no sign of having been roused from sleep. Nor did she look particularly surprised to see her visitors.

 

“We apologize for the late hour,” Sakura offered a formal greeting.

 

“Yeah, it's no biggie,” Anko waved her off, “Though I'm sorry to say you're a bit too late.”

 

“Nah, it's our fault. We'll come back in the morning,” Naruto rushed out his words, feeling a humiliated blush creep across his face.

 

“That's not what I meant,” Anko's expression grew wry, “There's just no point in you coming around anymore. He's gone.”

 

“'Gone'?” Naruto echoed, “You mean he's—That Sasuke's—He die--!”

 

“No, no. Not yet anyway,” Anko was quick to clarify, “He left.”

 

“And you just let him?” Sakura's temper was quick to flare.

 

“I'm no prison ward. If he needed to be somewhere else when he, well, you know…I think he's got the right to do that,” Anko leaned against the doorjamb, feeling her body grow weary, “But if it's any help, I can guarantee he wouldn't have gotten out of the village.”

 

They were going to question her further when the metaphorical light seemed to click. If there was a place in this town Sasuke would have fled to, there was only one answer. Anko didn't take offense to their abrupt departure. They didn't exactly have time to spare. She didn't even contemplate why there were no Anbu stationed to watch her house (or Sasuke's movements).

 

You already foresaw this, didn't you, Hokage-sama?

 

* * *

 

The Uchiha Clan, despite their dark secrets and their trail of death, were still of old and noble blood. They were a people steeped in tradition and formalities, and even Sasuke found himself relying upon these old ways. He knelt in proper seiza style; the light of the moon slipping through the boarded windows and casting the room in a washed out blue glow. Three objects were placed before him: a drying ink brush, a scroll, and his father's wakizashi. The white yukata he wore had been his mother's, as it was the only one that he fit.

 

He'd kept his words short, all while finding it ironic that he would go this far to protect the truth.

 

The knowledge is mine alone. May the Devil dare to fight me for it in Hell.

 

He drew the blade carefully from its sheath with one hand. His left arm was cradled within the folds of his robe like a cold stone. As he held the weapon, all he could think was how this house had been drenched in far too much of his family's blood. Even knowing of his parents' true nature, he stubbornly found it impossible to hate them completely. In the end, he just thought of his wayward clan as one of the greatest wastes that never should have turned out so. Things could have been so much better.

 

So much better…

 

He steadied his hand and readied himself for the blow when a large clattering echoed from the hall. Stomping feet and gasping breath grew closer. There was no time for hesitance. The Akatsuki were already upon him.

 

As the point of the blade made to pierce his skin, the door burst open and the full force of the moon followed. The sheer surprise of the sight before Sasuke allowed him to stay his hand. There were no monsters in waiting to learn what he knew.

 

“Sasuke!”

 

The two people he'd cast away time and time again to protect them from suffering as he had were here now. The three stared at one another as if cruel words had never been exchanged in each other's presence. The disbelief Sasuke felt overwhelmed his senses and his weapon slipped from his fingers to the floor with a clang.

 

“Sasuke-kun!”

 

Both Sakura and Naruto dashed forward, let their knees give way, let their arms wrap around their long-absent teammate. Sasuke found himself unable to move, unable to even blink or breathe, while the other two openly wept.

 

“Why…” Sasuke's voice was faint and dull as he stared dead ahead, “I said—I told you not to come around anymore.”

 

“Since when do I listen to you?” Naruto words were muffled against Sasuke's shoulder, the bad one, “And you know I don't go back on my words.”

 

I made a promise once, that I would bring you home. The promise of a lifetime.

 

“We're a three-man team. Team 7,” Sakura's breath was warm against his skin, and she smelled like autumn, “Nothing will ever change that.”

 

I told you once that I would follow you anywhere. Nothing could ever truly change that, either.

 

Sasuke raised his hand tentatively, fingers twitching nervously, as he brought his arm around Sakura's back. She clung to him tighter still and the palm of his hand rested against the nape of her neck. Her face was hidden against his neck and her tears ran down his skin. Her unabashed acceptance of him only caused his guilt to surge. He recalled all too clearly what he'd done to her memories while at the mercy of the snake.

 

“You're only going to get hurt if you stay,” he murmured, “Nothing good will come of this for either of you.”

 

“Why do you always do this?” Naruto brought his gaze level with Sasuke's, “You don't have to go through everything alone.”

 

“What I'm involved in doesn't concern you,” his cold words lacked their typical bite, “This is something I have to do alone.”

 

Naruto gave a pointed glance towards the discarded sword, tears still visible on his face.

 

“I'm not gonna let you just up and die,” he stated with growing determination, “We'll find a way to save you…Sakura-chan is a medic, after all!”

 

“And a genjutsu specialist,” she threw in between her soft sobs, ever eager to impress.

 

“You really did do well for yourself,” Sasuke couldn't recall when his fingers had wound themselves in her hair. God help him. “But there's far more at stake than me dying, things I can't talk to you about.”

 

“You can tell us,” Naruto was quick to say, “We'll help you, no matter what.”

 

“People have been killed for knowing,” Sasuke answered gravely. He felt Sakura stiffen beneath his touch, watched Naruto's eyes grow impossibly wide. “I've already said too much, as is. You've got to go before it's too late.”

 

“No,” soft as it was, there was steel behind Sakura's voice, “Even if it costs my life, I will not abandon you.”

 

I will not be left behind again.

 

“You know damn well I'm not leaving, either,” Naruto declared, his fist maintaining a firm grip on Sasuke's collar, “If a fight's gonna break out, you'll need me here to protect your half-dead self, idiot.”

 

I want you to remember I am your equal.

 

“I can't go through it again,” Sasuke burrowed against Sakura's shoulder to hide from Naruto's intense stare, “I can't watch anyone else die for this. Or for me.”

 

“I just won't die, then,” Naruto was full blown confidence now, “You can't expect me to leave a friend during a time like this!”

 

“I already told you we're not friends.”

 

Naruto sat back on his haunches, his hold on Sasuke growing slack. There was such a serious and definitive quality behind his words that made Naruto think this wasn't just a tactic to make him leave. This was something Sasuke truly felt. They shared the bond of teammates, but it went no further?

 

“Naruto, to me you are a brother,” Sasuke's good eye peered over Sakura's shoulder and held Naruto's complete attention, “I've already lost one. I cannot bear to go through that again.”

 

“Brother?” Naruto could feel a fresh wave of tears threatening to fall, “Sasuke…You—All this time, you—“

 

He was too deeply shocked to put his thoughts into words. Sasuke had cared so goddamn much and yet he still made himself endure everything alone so no one else would hurt. He'd always seemed so cold growing up, yet he probably loved his team more deeply than anyone else. As Naruto clung loosely to this little circle of three, he studied how strongly Sasuke and Sakura held on to each other.

 

He's seen how much Sakura had been hurt by Sasuke's departure all those years ago. He watched her change and shut her heart off from the world. But now all he could think of was how much did it cost Sasuke to walk away from her?

 

“Sasuke-kun,” Sakura seemed to grow timid now, her lips accidentally brushing against his neck now and again as she spoke, “Do you think I've become a good ninja?”

 

“What…?”

 

“Do you think I've become a good ninja?”

 

“It does seem that you've accomplished a lot,” he answered vaguely, not entirely sure where her line of questioning was leading.

 

“I realize now I couldn't have done anything for you back then. But at least believe in me now. So long as the three of us are together, I swear you won't have to lose what's precious to you ever again.”

 

Sasuke finally pulled back to look at her, really look at her. She was awash in silver from the moon, glowing almost in her white coat. Her face was tear-stained and her hair was tousled but her expression was fierce. Gone was the young girl who wanted his approval. Now she was a young woman who knew she was capable of great things, and merely wanted him to concede to that point.

 

He had been right about one thing. It was impossible for him to look her in the eye. But even so…Even so…

 

Sasuke's fingers were grazing her nape. Sakura had her arm clutched at his back, her other arm around Naruto's waist. Naruto kept an arm around her shoulders and a hand against Sasuke's collarbone. They had traveled so far from each other, in body and in mind, but now the circle was whole. They were more than a team. To one another, they were the point of everything.

 

Sasuke never thought he would feel this again. But in their arms, he felt himself pulled out of that dark pit once more. He stopped caring at that moment for missions and secrets. Once more, all he wanted was that chance. The chance to be alive.

 

Time slipped away. They found themselves on the porch now, Sasuke dressed again sweatshirt and all. Sitting hand in hand in hand, Naruto didn't think it strange to be holding his brother's hand. And even though his left hand was so cold, Sakura clasped it and let her touch spread the warmth. The sun began to climb with a gentle pink glow, letting the heavy night drop away. Day was coming with hope on its heels.

 

“There's a woman,” Sasuke's voice was a soft rasp against the shared quiet, “In the mountains of Water Country. She might be able to help.”

 

The three stared ahead with resolve etched into their features. Each understood what Sasuke was telling them. It didn't need to be said.

 

Our mission starts now.

 

And

 

I believe in you.

 

* * *

 

“I don't blame you, for not being able to do it.”

 

“And why is that? You were correct in saying this situation is my fault.”

 

“I couldn't do it,” his voice was no more than a whisper, “Kill my best friend. I had the chance. But I couldn't do it, either.”

 

 

 

 

To be continued…