日向導 - A Hyūga's Guide

Chapter Fifteen: Unimaginable Pain

He didn't need Naruto's help as they both walked side by side in the forest. The terrain was practically memorized from the amount of times [however few they were] he walked them with Hinata's help. The silence between them was almost deafening but neither bothered to speak.

What were they up to?

Sasuke had listened to Hinata leave that night, completely sure that he was asleep and alright. It felt as if she was taking a part of him he wasn't even aware of with her but he did not ask her to stay. The moment her footsteps were nothing but distant echoes, Naruto had emerged from the shadows asking if he was ready to go.

The cabin was practically cleaned up and down, scrubbing every trace of Sasuke being there, before they departed. The night air was frigid, and the chirping of crickets was almost deafening, drowning out his thoughts with ease. What would she say? How would she feel?

Naruto glanced at Sasuke, his body still poised to help him if he needed it, and he couldn't ignore the almost saddened look on his face. "Are you alright?" He asked.

It was as if Sasuke could not hear a word he said, his mind obviously occupied with something more important even if his safety should be his only concern. With a delayed response, he grunted and nodded. "How far are we?"

"Not too far, if I carry you, we will get there before dawn." He hoped his suggestion wouldn't upset him any further. "I'm still working out what I would say." Naruto laughed anxiously.

"I'll handle it."

"You always step up and take the blunt of the scolding, I don't think your father would go easy on you this time. I mean...You've been gone for nearly a month and he hasn't been taking it very well." They crossed a bridge, the creaking of the wood below their feet did not phase them in the slightest.

Since Sasuke was no longer familiar with the path, he reached for Naruto's hand for guidance. "Has he resorted back to his old habits?" He could hear the water below them crashing against the rocks, and was briefly reminded of the analogy of his life being a stream. He was approaching those rocks with no way to stop, the calm waters would soon turn harsh.

"Drinking? I'm not too sure since Kakashi is the one who's with your father often, but if his tired eyes in the morning are any indication — I would guess that he has gone back to that." Naruto pulled him along carefully. The forest was long gone and now they walked on an open path.

He had opted to go all the way around the forest so that they would emerge from the direction of the Uzumaki-Namikaze compound. If anyone saw the two of them together, they'd just assume that Sasuke had sought out his best friend after weeks of being gone.

"Hn." His feet began hurting, his zōri obviously not fit for long travels on foot. "He should be relieved rather than angry when he sees me."

Naruto raised his eyebrow and stared at his friend in disbelief. "No, he would be downright pissed at you and then hug you. I'm still confused by your eagerness to return home though; did something happen between you and Hina?"

Sasuke did not respond.

"Hey? Did you two fight while I was gone?" Naruto then muttered under his breath: "I swear you two seemed to be getting along great."

"We always fight."

"You two have actually fought? Was it an argument or an exchange of fists?"

"Both."

"Sasuke—"

"That is not the reason I want to return home...She is not to blame." But she was, it was just for a whole other reason that neither of them had factored in. Naruto would be truly shocked once he learns why his friend no longer wanted to be confined to the cabin. "I miss my sleeping quarters." He lied.