He hears his name being called. Naruto blinks, and the world comes back into focus around him.
"Are you alright?" Sakura asks, waving a hand in front of his face. He feels his right side burning under Sasuke's curious gaze.
No, he thinks.
But he doesn't say that.
"Ha, I'm fine, Sakura," he laughs and rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. "Just tired."
"Well, alright then," Sakura replies. He feels her gaze linger for a few more seconds before she takes another bite of soup.
He stands up, kicking the tatami mat he sits on underneath the table.
"Where are you going?" Sasuke asks brusquely.
"..." He doesn't reply immediately. Somewhere where he can think, he wants to say. Somewhere quiet where everyone will just leave him alone. But he doesn't say that. Instead, he pastes on a large, reassuring smile and says, "Traveling here took a lot out of me, you know? I think I'll just head back to the room and take a nap."
And then Naruto leaves before he can give them a chance to respond.
*
Amegakure is not even a day's run from here. If he left now, surely he could be in and out before the wedding began and anyone even realized he was gone.
But, the logical part of his brain argues, these people, whoever they are, killed the pervy sage! Whoever they are, they've gotta be powerful, right? This fight won't be that easy. It'll take time–- Kakashi-sensei and the others will notice when he's been missing for hours with no sign of him anywhere on the castle grounds.
The emotional part of his brain, however, could not give two shits. With that bodyguard guy, there'll still be enough shinobi to guard each client, so who cares if he's not here? Besides, Naruto's been itching to try out his new Sage-mode enhanced rasenshūriken.
He hears the low beginnings of a deep, familiar laugh. "Foolish brat. You're a weapon far too valuable and frightening to them for your precise whereabouts to never not be noted."
"Shut up," he replies automatically. His eyes fly open, concentration broken and delicate awareness of the nature chakra in the air around him disrupted. Naruto shifts positions, uncrossing his legs before crossing them again, then resumes his meditation.
He stretches his senses outwards, feeling the chakra in every single plant, animal, and person present throughout the Grass daimyō's expansive property. Nature chakra is thick in the air like a cloud of fog. He inhales and exhales steadily, until his heart rate has slowed to the lazy beat of a drum. That indistinct haze sharpens into distinguishable forms, glittering pathways made of energy leading anywhere and everywhere. He feels the hard tiles of the metal roof beneath him, the slight warmth to the sunset air, the distant smell arising from the kitchens.
Inhale. Exhale.
Inhale. Exhale.
Inhale. He had access to Jiraiya's spy network, his emotional brain argues. He'd gotten to know his sensei's contacts very well over the course of his training– there was absolutely no reason why the member of the pervy sage's Grass Country network who'd gotten him into Ame couldn't also get Naruto into Ame. (They owe him that much.) Exhale.
Inhale. But, counters his logical brain, that's a really, really stupid plan. That's not even a plan! What's he gonna do, run off half-cocked and die trying to avenge Pervy Sage? Exhale.
Inhale. He's stronger now, he's a sage himself now, rebuts Emotion. Exhale.
Inhale. Revenge, no matter how strongly he desires it right now, right this very instant, can wait.
YOU ARE READING
Ain't That a Kick in The Head?
FanfictionSasuke feels haunted by Itachi's death. Literally. During their fight, his brother placed a seal with the remainder of his chakra on him as a protective measure so he could watch him from the grave. Itachi, however, did not realize that his actions...
