the unplanned plan // sasunaru

chapter 9 pregnacy

Throughout his stay in Suna's hospital, Naruto had changed. Everybody noticed, although they really weren't surprised. The most noticeable change was that Naruto stopped smiling. They had expected a lack of happiness, obviously, but he refused to smile at all, no matter how many jokes and funny stories Kankuro told him. It worried the group immensely, but there really wasn't anything they could do.

It was finally time for the leaf nins to return home and Gaara and his siblings weren't happy. They didn't want their precious Naruto leaving them, and with a serious wound at that. But it was inevitable, they knew that, so they waved uselessly at the departing blonde who was being lead through the desert bye both Sakura and Sasuke at his sides. As they dissapeared from view, Gaara turned to his sibling and spoke icily. "Send any spare shinobi out to find Sai. If he is captured he is to be brought to me, alive."

Both siblings nodded and Kankuro smirked as he murmured. "I didn't hear unharmed though."

xoxoxox

Naruto trudged through the forest, having spent the last 3 days traveling back to Konoha. The planes had finally given way to grass instead of sand. They were close to home. But as close as they were to Konoha, Naruto couldn't find it in him to feel happy. When he got there, he would be incapacitated, useless as a shinobi. Unless, of course he could rely on his other senses for everything. It would be risky, but it might be possible. With that thought in mind he opened his mouth and spoke for the first time since their journey.

"Kakashi-sensei, do you think it would be possible for me to continue being a shinobi if i train my other senses to replace my sight?"

Naruto cursed as he bumped into a hard mass, who ended up being Kakashi himself. The group had stopped abruptly as soon as the words left the blonde kitsune's mouth.

"What the hell Kakashi-sensei, why're you in the middle of the way!"

Kakashi snapped out of his shock and cleared his throat. "Right, sorry Naruto. Well, i think, maybe, if you work hard enough and can prove yourself to still follow the criteria for a shinobi, there's no way it's not possible."

Instead of the expected outbreak of joy, Naruto simply nodded, before waiting for the group to start moving again.

As they advanced, Sakura walked in front with Kakashi while Sasuke hung back with Naruto, taking out the brown paper bag containing the necklaces previously bought.

The rustling of the paper caught Naruto's attention, causing him to turn his head to Sasuke. The raven noticed and took the necklaces out carefully. "Naruto, i was out at the market in Suna and i found this for you." He carefully deposited the necklace in Naruto's awaiting hand, letting the blonde examine the shape of the object with his fingers.

Sasuke inhaled sharply but inaudibly as he caught sight of the barely noticeable upturn of Naruto's lips. His dobe was smiling, finally. The blonde turned to Sasuke again and murmured. "Thank you, Sasuke, it's beautiful." He lifted the string and passed it around his neck, letting the weight of the pendant comfort his as it rested in the middle of his chest.

Sasuke let himself as he mumbled. "I've got the second piece by the way."

Naruto's sightless eyes widened as he spoke. "Really? i though i noticed a sort of hole in the design but i wasn't sure. May i see it?"

Sasuke nodded uselessly and passed his own pendant to Naruto, admiring how the blonde's fingers delicately traced the edges and curves of the raven. "It's just as beautiful, Sasuke. You have to wear it with me, then."

Sasuke voiced his agreement and slipped the necklace around his own neck. The two shinobi's kept walking in comfortable since until a light whizzing sound reached Naruto's better developed ears and he shouted urgently.