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Backwoods	By : Ljiljana Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 981 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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Chapter List
- 4
- 5
- 6
Chapter Four

There were two cells in the local police station and both
were empty. Naruto was doing his best to keep it that way, but Kakashi was hard
to read and, considering how small Konoha was and how everyone knew each other
very well, probably in mourning. The entire morning, Naruto was doing exactly
what Kakashi wanted him to do, answering questions as clearly as he could.
After all, he had nothing to hide.

Kakashi was not letting him go, though. He had decided to
let Naruto sit in the wide office that was directly leading out on the street
on one side, and to an open hallway with a bathroom, two doors without any
labels and on the opposite side, two cells. They were waiting until Kakashi got
information he asked about from the city, on Naruto, through the phone, because
network was down at the moment in the entire Konoha.

Maybe because every window in the station had bars on the
windows, Naruto was sitting as close as he could to the door. Kakashi was
giving him a dark look when he dragged his chair backwards, but Naruto ignored
him. He wasn�t planning on running away. When information arrived, they will
see that Naruto didn�t do anything wrong, but there was little chance that he
will stop being a suspect so easily. It was only normal, considering he was new
in town.

The very thought he was a suspect for the murder � because
that is what it was, a murder � of his own godfather, was making Naruto�s
stomach queasy. The memory of the not exactly comfortable conversation from the
last night was not as clear and pleasant as Naruto�s hopes for the future with
some kind of family by his side were, but it still hurt. Jiraiya was dead.
Worse yet, he was murdered; it didn�t just slipped through his hands like
everything else, someone took Naruto�s opportunity to have family of his
own.

Naruto was calm� or maybe dead emotionally. At first, he was
in such disbelief that when Kakashi instructed him to follow him to the
station, he did it without a word. Sakura had kissed his cheek, face still
smeared with tears. That was a warm, welcome gesture. Naruto didn�t remember to
tell her that he was innocent; he wasn�t even sure if there was something to be
innocent about. But maybe he should have said something. Sakura didn�t know him
well, who knew what she would start thinking after she got out of shock.

The disbelief had worn off, melted under Kakashi�s swift
steps and sharp questions. Naruto�s mouth was still burning from throwing up
earlier, but his eyes weren�t. He couldn�t cry. He couldn�t even remember how
crying felt. But his godfather was dead. How was that as the trade for a few
pale memories that never even belonged to Naruto?

Probably because Kakashi had to be around the crime scene
and investigate, he was coming and going all the time so Naruto was alone in
the office with the only other employee of Konoha�s police force, a chubby guy
around Naruto�s age. Kakashi called him Chouji. He was sitting at the table and
while waiting for the call from the city on Naruto, taking instead many other
calls from upset people. Despite of his own sour state of mind, sadness and
disorientation, Naruto couldn�t help but feel sorry for the guy.

�No, Mrs. Yamanaka,� He was saying into the speaker. �I
can�t tell you anything. We are investigating��

Chouji was obviously interrupted. If Naruto tried, pushed
his chair closer and just paid attention, he would have heard the other side of
the line. He didn�t bother. They were just demanding explanations police still
didn�t have.

�No, Kakashi is not in, he has work to do�� Considering he
had already said those words about twenty times before, Naruto was impressed
with the patience Chouji was showing. He would have snapped a long time ago and
hung up on everyone who called without having some business calling. �Yes, of
course he is doing everything he can � right now��

Kakashi came in again some minutes later. He brought with
him food � sandwiches made of halves of bread loafs � but not all the gratitude
Naruto was feeling when he took one couldn�t be compared with the glint Chouji
had in his eyes on the very sight of Kakashi with his hands full.

�Did you find what happened to my godfather?� Naruto asked
right away, demanded, just like every other time Kakashi came back inside.

�Anything back from the city yet?� Kakashi asked Chouji,
completely ignoring Naruto�s question, just like he did every other time Naruto
had opened his mouth without being asked a direct question.

�Nah..� Chouji managed around a generous bite. Fortunately,
he had waited until he finished swallowing before he said: �Doctor Tsunade
called to tell you she doesn�t care who came from what place, she wants to
examine the body.�

Naruto�s hands with sandwich in it fell. He should have paid
closer attention to Chouji�s calls.

Doctor Tsunade wanted to examine the body. The woman who was
sitting with them previous night, with Jiraiya and Naruto, demanding alcohol
and cutting the tensest silences, she was also doing something. Only Naruto had
to sit and wait, like he was some kind of delinquent, while Jiraiya�s murderer
was somewhere out there, free to kill someone else.

�Do you even have a real reason to keep me here?� He
demanded. It has been hours. He was behaving for long enough.

�As I told you before,� Kakashi asked, typing something on
the keyboard of the computer with two fingers of one hand. �You are the only
new guy in town and you have no alibi. I am just checking you up.�

Only the internet in Konoha was out, so it had to be done by
phone. Kakashi called several times, and his colleagues had promised they would
call back. But they didn�t, not yet. And when they do, Kakashi will lose that
little reason he had to suspect Naruto; ha never did anything wrong and police
will not have anything to report back. It was just the matter of waiting for
it.

�I didn�t do anything.� Naruto said, repeating the same
thing for the hundredth time. �I only met the guy last night, and then I went
to the inn with Sakura and came out of my room this morning, when she invited
me. Just let me go. I won�t go far � though the report you�ll get won�t give
you a reason to look for me.�

Kakashi gave him a flat look over the monitor as a different
color from the screen flashed across his face. �If you would rather wait in one
of the cells, Naruto, that is something I can arrange.�

Naruto huffed. There was a voice inside of his head,
demanding, giving him all kinds of cocky lines to retort, but he was feeling
exhausted, drained. A part of him felt guilty he was sitting instead of
searching for whoever killed his godfather, and the other just wanted to go
back to the inn, crawl inside the covers and stare blankly at deaf walls.
Naruto couldn�t do either.

The door opened, and Naruto scowled automatically at the
person stepping over the threshold. From the entire Konoha, Sasuke was the last
person he was expecting to see there, but Kakashi took one look at the newcomer
and asked, a little impatiently: �Where were you? I�ve been looking for you the
entire morning.�

Sasuke, for his credit, just cocked his head a little as the
door snapped shut behind him. �Sakura said so. Why?�

Kakashi had already picked up a note book he was caring
around, and he writing something in it. Naruto turned so he could see both of
them, but his eyes were mostly measuring Sasuke. Dark circles around his eyes
spelled tiredness clearly � but on the bright sunlight reaching through the
bars of the window, to Naruto, Sasuke didn�t look bad, just more human then the
day before, somehow more real.

�When was the last time you saw your brother?� Kakashi
asked, hard stare firmly on Sasuke. There was no way that he could miss
Sasuke�s badly concealed flinch, just like Naruto didn�t. He was either really
surprised with the question or the subject was sensitive.

�I don�t remember exactly.� Sasuke answered, glaring across
the room at the chief of Konoha police. �I was ten.�

Kakashi ignored the rude tone. �He didn�t try to contact you
recently? You didn�t hear from him � a phone call, maybe? Letter? Anything?�

�No. Why?�

Kakashi persisted. �Did you hear anything about him?
Maybe he contacted someone else in the house.�

�Not that I know off.� Sasuke�s voice was becoming more and
more emotionless with every answer, like he was accommodating to the
conversation. �Why? Do you think he�s back? You think he killed Jiraiya?�

His eyes, though, flickered to Naruto at the last words.
They were very dark and, Naruto could swear after several seconds of holding
Sasuke�s gaze, somehow sad. Was that him expressing sympathy in the case his
brother really was the one who killed Jiraiya? Or he maybe knew it for certain.
Naruto could feel anger turning his measuring look into a glare, but Sasuke
wasn�t averting his eyes.

�Just answer the questions.� Kakashi said, obviously still
talking to Sasuke. His voice demanded attention. Naruto could feel a little
growl forming in his throat � couldn�t Kakashi see that Sasuke had to keep
looking at him? �I�ve been though all this with your family already � where
were you the entire morning?�

�Walking.� Sasuke said and after a second blinked and looked
away. �I couldn�t sleep.�

�You were walking?� Kakashi repeated. �The entire morning?�

It was starting to sound if he was really suspecting Sasuke,
not just asking about his brother. Naruto was in the station from before seven
in the morning. If Sasuke went for a walk before then � because Kakashi would
have wake him up to ask these questions right away if he was in � that meant he
was walking around for more then four hours.

�Yes.�

Kakashi was quiet for several moments, just looking at
Sasuke. His notebook was still open in his hands, pen ready to move and write
in it. �Don�t go far. I want to be able to find you if I need you.�

�I had no plans of going anywhere but back at the inn.�
Sasuke answered. It was such classical example of answering but not promising
anything, Naruto just had to smile a little.

Kakashi was done with Sasuke, though. He was talking to
Chouji. �Did you find me those files I asked for?�

Chouji was getting up to go to wherever the files Kakashi
needed were, mumbling something about phone calls and annoying people, when
Sasuke spoke again. �Kakashi? Why is Naruto here?�

Naruto straightened his back and looked at Kakashi to hear
the answer, though he was much more interested in why was Sasuke asking in the
first place.

�Where is he supposed to be, in your opinion? We know
nothing about him.�

Sasuke turned to the door, as if Kakashi�s tone reminding
him that he had no business asking about Naruto. �I don�t care where he is. But
if you�re considering him a suspect, you�re wasting your time. He was at the
inn all night.�

�How can you be sure?� Kakashi asked, already picking up his
notebook.

�I told you. I couldn�t sleep. Walls at the inn are thin,
you can hear every door at the floor opening and closing. Naruto didn�t go out
of his room at all.�

Naruto wanted to jump up - half out of surprise, half out of
gratitude. Kakashi just narrowed his eyes as Sasuke, who was still standing
with one hand on the doorknob, half turned to face the chief. �At all? And how
do you know when the murder happened?�

How, indeed? Like all the details, some probably so
exaggerated that they were as correct as the latest Patterson�s novel, weren�t
all over the Konoha already. Sasuke obviously talked to Sakura and if Sakura
had spent the entire previous day on the phone over Naruto�s return to Konoha,
she was certainly doing the same this morning over a murder in such a small
town.

�I don�t,� Sasuke smirked faintly, as if to say that he was
not so stupid to set such a clumsy trap for himself. �But you were at the bar
this morning when I started my walk.�

With this, Naruto had a decent alibi. Jiraiya was with
Tsunade when he left, then he was with Sakura until he got up his room and then
Sasuke was awake all night, even when Naruto was asleep, able to hear if the
door opened at some point. They, of course, didn�t, because Naruto wasn�t even
leaving his room to use the bathroom; just as he told Kakashi over and over
again.

The door opened under his hand, but Sasuke, surprised,
stepped back. Someone was walking in.

Forest green trainers on
the guy were covered with a bright orange vest, even though hunting was
forbidden around Konoha. Either there were people who disrespected the rules or
was just an extra precaution. Remembering a little of how this guy � he had
forgotten the name, but he didn�t think he would be able to forget the thick
eyebrows and enthusiastic behavior any time soon � from the bar last night,
Naruto thought that the second option was more likely.

�Chief, sir.� Thick-brow said, almost stomping over Sasuke
on his way inside. He was panting, flushed and sweaty. �Uncle Gai has sent me
to tell you have to go where he is right away, there was an accident.�

Kakashi, who was listening half heartedly at the beginning,
stuffed his notebook in the front pocket. �Where? Is someone hurt? Did you get
Tsunade?�

But Thick Brow was already shaking his head. �No, I didn�t
see anything, uncle didn�t let me go near � but he just told me to get you quickly.
I don�t think doctor can help anything, I think people inside are dead.�

�Chouji!� Kakashi called for his subordinate.

Naruto didn�t even notice when he got so close to the
newcomer, it must have been while he was talking, but when Sasuke stepped
closer, all three of them were inside of just a couple of steps.

�Who are those people, Lee?� Sasuke asked. That was right;
it was Lee � Lee who shook his head again.

�I don�t know them; I never saw the car before.�

Sasuke glanced back at Kakashi, just like he would if he was
doing something forbidden. It was quick and not without skill, but Naruto
noticed and wondered about it. Sasuke was just asking about the accident. There
was nothing forbidden in that, Kakashi couldn�t stop anyone from wanting to
know more.

�Where did it happen?�

�Just outside of Konoha.� Lee didn�t seem to have picked up
on Sasuke�s secretive manner. He was talking loudly enough for everyone in the
station to hear. �We were jogging down the road and we saw the car, they hit a
tree. Uncle went there to see if there was someone hurt, but he told me to go
get Kakashi, not the doctor.�

Yeah, that probably meant they were dead. Just a stupid
accident, but it happened in a really bad moment, Kakashi will have so much
work to do. Naruto hoped these strangers who were stupid enough not to be
careful on unfamiliar road won�t eat too much of his time; he was supposed to
be looking for Jiraiya�s killer.

Sasuke�s strange voice, rough like he hadn�t even seen water
for a week, made him snap his attention back at the pale face in front of him.
�And you didn�t see anything else? Nothing at all?�

Lee couldn�t answer, because Kakashi appeared next to them
and ordered. �Lee, we�re taking my car. You two, go back to the inn. Chouji will
call Tsunade.�

Naruto walked out after Lee. He was suddenly very interested
in the accident. It was stupid to stand up and pay attention to something just
because of Sasuke�s odd reactions, but Naruto couldn�t help it � just like he
couldn�t help it last night. There was no way he would be going back to the inn
before he finds out who the people Sasuke was so upset about but didn�t want
anyone to know were.

Kakashi�s car was parked practically on the street. They
made a big turn over the road and after a minute, disappeared in the distant
end of the main Konoha�s street. Sasuke was watching after them, too.

�Thanks.� Naruto remembered to say.

�What?�

Naruto glanced sideways at Sasuke, who was still watching
the spot the long street was ending at. The sun was bright on the parts of his
face not shadowed by the dark strands of hair. Sasuke looked sick, tired and
afraid. Naruto softly explained: �For what you said inside��

�I wasn�t doing you a favor.� Sasuke snapped back at
him, not bothering to remove his eyes from the end of the road.

Naruto didn�t try to say anything else, even though he
wanted to. Of course it wasn�t a favor to him. Just a citizen�s duty. Of
course it wasn�t anything personal. Were they really friends once? Because
right then, without any real memory of the guy as younger and faced with some
horrible things, the possibility felt like a nice illusion, nothing more than a
pleasant daydream. Naruto had questions he wanted badly to get answers for, but
judging by his tone, Sasuke won�t be answering anything today.

Naruto sighed and started to walk.

�The inn is not that way.� Sasuke said behind him, after
three long steps of hesitation.

�I�m going to check on that accident.� Naruto answered over his
shoulder. �Aren�t you?�

There was no answer, but on the empty street, it was easy to
hear when Sasuke moved to follow. It wasn�t a surprise; there was no doubt that
it was exactly what he wanted to do all along. Naruto couldn�t wrap his mind
around why was he restraining himself in the first place.

Shadows of the trees on either side of the clean asphalt
road were not long enough to give useful protection from the strong sun, not
that Naruto was trying. He enjoyed the warmth at the top of his head, on the
sleeves of the shirt Sakura had grabbed for him that morning. Sun was burning
differently among the concrete and steel of the city; there, it always felt
like it was trying to melt you when it was this warm. But on the not very wide
road that was cutting through a thick and old forest, it just felt nice.

Sasuke was walking at the very edge of the empty road, some
steps behind Naruto. Was he either careful or catching those rare shadows from
the branches stretching so far over their heads, it was anyone�s guess. Naruto
was just glad to hear his steps following.

Kakashi�s car on the road was visible sooner then he
expected. The accident had happened just outside of the town, on a very tricky
bend. As they approached, Naruto saw that no one was yet taken out of the car.
A bigger version of Lee was talking to the original quietly nearby, on the half
way between the road and a newer BMW model, smashed on the front side, but
Kakashi was the first one to see them approaching.

He narrowed his eyes. Naruto almost regretted he didn�t
listen. �I told you two to stay at the inn.�

�I can�t just sit around anymore.� He answered without
slowing down. �At least let me be useful.�

Kakashi didn�t answer; he turned back to whatever it was
that he was going through on the back seat. Peat of the ground was soft, but
crackling loudly under the weight of humans walking. Sasuke�s steps were louder
than his, Naruto noticed in detached amazement as he came close enough to see
through the window of the crashed car. Almost as if he was so familiar with the
ways of the woods, the ground itself was accumulating to his steps as a
welcome.

�Did you know him?�

With horror, Naruto realized he was grinning right at the
face of a dead man sitting at the wheel. Kakashi didn�t appear to notice, maybe
because the sun was glaring into his face through the treetops, and Sasuke was
still behind Naruto, fortunately. It was such a tactless thing to do � Naruto
was thinking about something else, he didn�t thing someone dying was funny, not
at all.

Words sunk in, so Naruto took a careful look at the dead
person. He was fairly young, around thirty, hair bleached and long, face
handsome� And there was a hole, a bullet hole on the driver�s temple. He
wasn�t dead from the accident, this person still in his seat, in his car, was
killed. Shit, what was going on in this place?

�No, never saw him before.� Naruto told Kakashi honestly.

�Sasuke?� Kakashi prompted; the question was apparently
meant for the both of them. It was probably why Kakashi had let them so close;
he was trying to make a connection of some sort.

Sasuke stopped closer, taking a look into the car almost over
Naruto�s shoulder. It lasted just a moment, and his voice was flat when he
answered. �No.�

If the person in the car wasn�t what he was interested in,
then why did he want to see the accident? Maybe he saw that it wasn�t the
person he was afraid it was as soon as he saw the car, but if he was expecting
someone, wasn�t it easier to ask Lee about the type of the car? Naruto
suppressed a sigh. He had never met someone who confused him as much as Sasuke.
There was just no sense in anything he was saying and doing.

On Naruto�s right, deep enough among the trees for him to be
sure it wasn�t anyone he was aware that was around, something moved. Something big.
But big animals usually keep away from people. Was it a human?

Naruto glanced back, in case he had missed when someone
moved. Lee and his uncle, Gai, were still where they were before, Kakashi was
examining a bag and Sasuke was close enough to notice Naruto�s reaction
instantly.

�What?� He demanded.

Naruto gave him a one shoulder shrug. �Kakashi? Is there
anyone else here?�

Much like Naruto did a second ago, Kakashi glanced around.
�No, it�s just us.�

Naruto closed his eyes and concentrated on the sounds coming
from the woods on his right. There was nothing for a moment, not even birds or
wind. When the cracking sound came again, Naruto kept listening. It repeated,
almost, but not quite, rhythmically. It was familiar, so familiar in what
should be different and new to Naruto, it reminded him of�

It sounded as if someone was trying to sneak out carefully.

Naruto moved into the direction of the sound. It could be �
it probably was the person who killed the man in the car. Possibly, it
was the same person who killed Jiraiya. He didn�t manage more then two steps
when someone yanked him back, though.

�Where are you going?� Sasuke demanded.

�There�s someone�� Naruto started, half turning back. Words
died on him when he saw Sasuke�s face, more pale then ever, eyes shiny with
suppressed panic. He was worried about the killer, not the victim?
Naruto pulled his arm out of the grip, with a lot of effort and probably just
because Kakashi was just a few steps away. He said, loudly enough for Kakashi
to hear, but looking at Sasuke. �There is someone out there. I�m going to see
who it is.�

�There is no one there.� Sasuke said, gritted out. �You�re
imagining things.�

Another sound of careful movement behind him made it easier
to pull out of Sasuke�s captivating gaze. �No. I�m not.�

He was turning around again and starting to run when he
heard Kakashi called that even if someone was there, he shouldn�t go in the
woods, not on his own. Naruto ignored him.

Trees were wide, old. They were leaving enough space between
them to make running easy, even with twigs and dry, broken brunches laying
around. Sasuke was running after him but Naruto was handling the uneven track
better.

He couldn�t hear the person in the woods any longer, not
through the entire ruckus Sasuke was making � maybe on purpose? � but when he arrived
at the place noise was coming from, there was no one there. Naruto must have had slowed
down, because Sasuke grabbed him again.

�The woods are forbidden to go into.� He said, when Naruto
had to stop. Sasuke�s grip was much firmer now, his fingers hurt Naruto�s
forearm. �You have to go back.�

Naruto tried to get his breath under control and listen.
They were out of sight of those next to the car � and Kakashi might come after
them, or send Lee�s uncle. Naruto would lose every chance to hear anything with
that many people running around.

Sasuke hauled him to the direction of the road. �Come on. We
have to go back.�

Naruto had to pull much harder to free his arm, but he
managed it, sending Sasuke one quick glare. His ears caught something further
among the trees, and he ran again. No surprise there, Sasuke kept up. Who
exactly was that, out there? Who was it that Sasuke wanted to protect so badly?

As he ran into a little clearing, Naruto saw someone
disappearing into the trees on the other side. No, he had seen
something, but it was just backside of someone who had a sleeve caught on a
branch yanking his arm free and then disappearing. Grass was high but otherwise
the ground was easier to step on, safer. When Naruto was over the half, he knew
Sasuke would manage to catch up once again. He was, after all, obviously faster.

Naruto expected him to catch his arm again, but this time,
Sasuke used his weight and speed and pushed Naruto so hard they both ended up
on the ground. His knee was hurt. Angry, confused and bleeding, Naruto snapped,
�What the fuck is your problem!? Who is that!?�

Sasuke didn�t answer. Instead he crossed the space that was
left behind them and grabbed Naruto�s shoe. It was one of those without laces,
so it slipped off easily before Naruto understood what was happening. In a rich
arch, the sneaker flew all the way across the clearing. Naruto would never
manage to retrieve it and catch the guy running away, so he turned to Sasuke.

�You fucking bastard.� He hissed, but then he
couldn�t help it, not when those words were coming out, �That fucker you�re
protecting maybe killed my godfather! I lost everything! There�s no one left!�

Sasuke stood up, not looking back at Naruto, hiding his
face. He was too careful, probably also hurt from the fall. Naruto didn�t care
right now; he deserved much worse.

�I lost everything, again.� He repeated, more quiet and more
angry. �My godfather is dead!�

Sasuke shot his head up this time. �So what? You don�t even
know how it�s like to have family, so what�s the difference?�

Naruto�s chest hurt, empty and full of burning flames at the
same time. His legs were not feeling as his when he stepped forward, his fists
were clenched. Sasuke wasn�t stepping back, his dark eyes matching Naruto�s
fury � and he had no right on it!

�I could have! I could�ve had a family now! I could have
known � he�d have me, I know he would!� There was a part of Naruto�s brain
shocked at the words, at all his hope coming out like that, and for what? For
this guy, this asshole who will pick up the shreds and finish him off? It
didn�t stop him. �But now he�s dead!�

Sasuke�s eyes grew darker, he placed on hand between them
and, Naruto was almost shocked to register, yelled back, �So you get to take
everything from me, too?! I won�t let you, I don�t care whose fault was it, I
don�t care how fucked up you are, I don�t give a fuck about all that shit! You
can�t take it away from me, you fucking freak!�

Naruto froze. Yeah, he knew Sasuke hated him. That was not a
secret and he also knew that he wanted badly things to be different. He was
willing to try, to do anything. Wasn�t he being nice, even when Sasuke was rude
and unpleasant and afraid? Wasn�t he being considerate, to the best of his
abilities?

It wasn�t enough. It was never enough. People always turned
away from him. Sasuke was just smart and clear from the beginning. Naruto
understood and respected that. The fire in his chest died and left just the
emptiness behind.

Sasuke�s fingers closed viciously around the cloth that was
until then underneath them for a moment before he let his arm fall. Naruto
could find the words, but not the will to force them out. He wasn�t even
looking at Sasuke; he was busy booking through him into the past, into the
faces of all those people who called him freak before. It never hurt quite this
much, how very odd was that?

Neither moved for a long minute. Finally, Naruto heard a set
of steps approaching from the side of the road. It efficiently snapped him out
of the haze, and he moved. Sasuke was still as a rock, and Naruto wondered if
he should tell him something. When he was out of the way, Sasuke�s eyes fell
down to the ground. Naruto opened his mouth, but then Sasuke�s gaze sharpened
and he frowned.

Naruto turned to see what caused the reaction. In the bright
sun, it took him only a second to see it. On the ground that was under Naruto�s
back until a moment ago, there was a necklace glittering.

Naruto glanced back at Sasuke just as Sasuke glanced at him;
a clear check on the enemy status. They both moved at the same time, and dived
for the piece of silver in the grass. His face full of green, Naruto felt his
hand wrap around the thin chain. But when he tried to actually take it, it
wouldn�t budge. Naruto looked up to see that Sasuke also managed to grab an
end.

�That�s mine.� Sasuke hissed, trying to take a better
hold of the necklace.

�Fucking liar.� Naruto answered, and tugged back. �It�s
not.�

�You�ll break it! Let go!�

But Naruto didn�t want to let go. He wanted the freaking
thing because it clearly belonged to the person he was chasing. It also meant a
lot to Sasuke, and even if there wasn�t that thing about people being killed
around Konoha, he�d want it.

�I won�t break it if you stop that.� Naruto said. Sasuke was
up, kneeling while Naruto was still sitting. He could tell it would be a
powerful blow before Sasuke�s unfortunately right free fist connected with his
jaw. He didn�t let go of the necklace, though. Neither did Sasuke.

Sight a little blurry and ears ringing, Naruto was still
presence of mind to use that Sasuke had to follow his fall to keep the grip on
the chain and slammed his free left elbow up at Sasuke�s shoulder. It caused a
grunt of pain, but Sasuke�s fingers were closed tightly around the necklace.
Naruto started removing one finder after another, blocking Sasuke with his body
to try and reinforce the grip, with his shoulder pressed against Sasuke�s
chest.

�It�s mine.� Sasuke repeated, panting and stubborn.

Naruto barked back, pissed. �No it�s not! It belongs to the
murderer! I�m not letting you have the only proof about his identity of the man
who killed my godfather!�

Sasuke stopped trying to push Naruto off, though his grip on
the necklace was still strong. �He didn�t kill your godfather, you moron. That
wasn�t him. Let that go.�

Naruto turned, still holding Sasuke�s hand in his. Dark,
serious gaze met him there, looking afraid but honest. �Who was it, then? And
how do you know that?�

Voices were near enough now for Sasuke to react on them.
People were about to step up on the clearing. Sasuke�s eyes were a mixture of
pleading and panic. Naruto thought that his throat was never drier in his life,
like he was eating desert sand with a spoon.

�I�ll tell you.� Sasuke whispered, so hoarsely as if Naruto
was strangling him. �I�ll tell you everything, just let go.�

Watching those dark eyes, that fear, Naruto was tempted. But
he wasn�t stupid. If the necklace was that important, he had to keep it if he
wanted to hear what Sasuke knew. �So tell me.�

Sasuke glanced on the side, where Lee and his uncle came to
sight with identical worry and puzzlement over their faces. Gai had a gun,
probably Kakashi�s gun, in his hands. They were approaching quickly. There was
no time.

�Are you guys okay?� Lee�s uncle yelled. �Was anyone there,
did you see him?�

Naruto looked back down at Sasuke. How they must have looked
to those two, him practicality sitting on Sasuke�s bent legs, looking like he
was holding his hand with both of his? Not good. Sasuke must have been thinking
it, too, because he tried to move back and make some space between them. Naruto
couldn�t let the necklace to slip, though. He help Sasuke�s gaze firmly, and
made an offer.

�No, we didn�t see anything.� He answered loudly. He
wouldn�t say anything until he hears Sasuke out. But � and Naruto tugged gently
on the necklace � he had to be the one to keep it.

Slowly, painfully slowly, Sasuke�s fingers relaxed and he
let go. He didn�t say anything, he didn�t confirm he would tell about what he
knew, he was avoiding to look anywhere near Naruto as he stood up on his feet.
But he had let go, so Naruto followed him up a moment after.

Gai asked a lot of questions as Naruto hopped around on one
leg to find his shoe. He answered them automatically, but not mentioning the
necklace. Sasuke was walking behind him, silent. Naruto glanced back at him a
couple of times, the memory of his desperate, panicky words returning in waves.
The closer they were to the road, to Kakashi, the paler he was. He had no faith
that Naruto wouldn�t say something. It was insulting, hurtful to be distrusted
like that. But that was the problem, wasn�t it? Why would Sasuke trust
him? All he knew about Naruto was from some apparently not too pleasant
childhood memories. And Naruto didn�t so anything to change that.

Making up his mind, Naruto took his hand that was gripping
the necklace out of the pocket and halted. When Sasuke was passing him, he
grabbed his wrist, letting the necklace stay caught between, so Sasuke could
feel it. Sasuke stopped dead, narrowing his eyes. Naruto let his hand slip
further down, until the necklace was between their palms and squeezed hard over
Sasuke�s fingers.

�Promise me.� He whispered, forcefully. Sasuke blinked and
frowned. Naruto had to lick his lips. He needed water, soon, or he would
die from dehydration. �You�ll tell me?�

Sasuke�s until then lifeless fingers closed over Naruto�s
hand in turn, almost like they were shaking hands, but much stronger. The
necklace was in danger of bending and losing shape from the pressure.

�I will. I said I would.�

Naruto let go, leaving Sasuke to close his fingers around
the silver chain. When Sasuke pushed his hands back into the pockets and turned
to follow Gai and Lee, who were already far ahead, Naruto realized, a little
disgusted with himself, that he was regretting the loss of Sasuke�s warm palm
more then the loss of the necklace.

Under the circumstance, that was really fucked up. Naruto
couldn�t shake it off or deny it, so he just tried not to think about it and followed
Sasuke�s back out of the woods, wondering vaguely is his head supposed to hurt
quite as much because of one single punch, until they were back on the road.
- 4
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