Game of Shadows by Adrian King1

Chapter 102

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto nor The Gamer. I own nothing, really.

Cover Art: Kissuli.

Chapter 102

"Don't take so long this time, ok?" Naruto said with a grin that, for once, looked rather strained. Eiji got it though, the whole group looked rather... grim. Before Iwa, they looked worried, nervous. At that moment, however, they looked somber, resigned. It was what it was though, there was nothing to be done about it.

"I'll try," Eiji replied, giving him a squeeze on the arm, before he walked away.

"Eiji," He heard Sasuke call then, almost catching him off guard. Everyone had said their goodbyes already. He'd thought that, like last time, would be it. There was no need to prolong it and make it harder for everyone.

When he turned around, he found himself face to face with the Uchiha, standing in front of him and away from the group. It took Eiji one look to realize that it was intentional, which had him send his own team away with a wave of his hand. Then, giving his whole attention to Sasuke, he nodded encouragingly. If the hesitant way he shifted from foot to foot and kept looking around was any indication, he was struggling quite a bit with words at that moment.

"I just... Don't hold back, ok?" Sasuke said, and it sounded about as awkward as those words could get, which confused Eiji to no end. The Uchiha wasn't known for this sort of behavior, that was for sure. "I mean..." The boy's face twisted into a grimace before he took a deep breath in and let it out. "I know that Itachi is in the group you are fighting. I was there when they went after Naruto."

Now that Eiji could understand, and it certainly helped fit several pieces of this puzzle into place. But surely he was wrong, right? Surely Sasuke wasn't talking about what he thought he was.

"If you see him, fight him, at your best," Sasuke all but demanded. "I... I want to kill him myself, but... I don't want you to die because you were holding back, ok?" He asked, almost pleading. "I don't want to lose anyone anymore... Please, don't die."

"I'll do my best," Eiji replied, because it was as much as he could promise all things considered. He wanted to tell him more. To tell Sasuke about his brother, and what had likely happened. It would surely help somehow somewhat, if delivered the right way... But he didn't know if he was right. He'd seen so many things change from before he became Eiji Satou, that he wasn't sure if what he knew was right or wrong.

Maybe he could do something about that though.

"Kill him, if you have to," Sasuke whispered, apparently sending all his rules out the window and hugging Eiji. "But do come back."

"Of course I'll come back. We still have to find you a girlfriend. Wasn't that part of your dream too?" Eiji told him, a grin appearing on his face as he heard him groan.

"You had to ruin it, didn't you?" Sasuke asked, but despite his words and his grimace, a glint of humor could be seen in his eyes. "Just go away already."

"Take care, Sasuke. And make sure the others don't do anything stupid," Eiji called as the other boy started walking back to the group, who were looking at him, wide-eyed.

"I don't think that's even possible," Sasuke replied and Eiji chuckled. Fair enough.

"Finished with the sappy goodbyes, Fearless Leader?" Tayuya asked, laughter in her voice.

"Aw, are you jealous, Tayuya? I can give you a hug too, if you want," Eiji asked, which made the girl shut up instantly and give him her best glare. Many people would have been frightened by that look. Unfortunately for her, he wasn't one of those. Instead he just gave her a smirk.