We Three

Chapter 7: The Sand

We Three

Smile if you love me.

Forget- if you want what's best.

...

"Sai, have you seen the rest of the boxes from the back?" Naruto yells from the other side of the shop, running from one end to the other, transferring cardboard boxes to the front where the moving trucks sit waiting. He dodges around burly men with bandanas and plaid coats and thick facial hair in order to scoot all of the things they're taking with them to a place they'd have easier access.

"Which ones?" he hears Sai answer teasingly and Naruto scowls, though he knows the man can't see him.

"For the last time, I'm not letting you get rid of your old art!" the blonde demands, moving around a huge muscly man carrying boxes out to the trucks, "I told you we'll hang them up in Suna!"

"Of course, dear," he feels against his ear, and Naruto yelps in surprise as Sai's arms come around his torso.

Naruto turns his head to glare at Sai, but only ends up getting a nuzzle to his cheek which totally ruins the full effect of his angry face.

"You need to stop worrying about all of this. The guys and I will pack everything up. Go back to your place so you can finish with your things. I'll be around in an hour,"

Sai withdraws from him, fingers his blonde hair for a second before urging him back outside. Naruto lets himself be lead, knowing the moment of telling Jiraiya he's leaving is upon him. He'd been putting it off for weeks, even staying at Sai's for the past few days to help him box up everything they would need for the new place. Sai squeezes his shoulder one last time before giving him a gentle shove in the back to get him walking through the snow.

"It's not like he can say no," he reminds him in what's supposed to be reassuring.

Naruto just sighs and begins the walk back to his apartment. He'd only briefly mentioned leaving Konoha once to his gramps, and only as a hypothetical scenario- but Jiraiya is an understanding person who knows Naruto's got the blood of his family in him- the type that has trouble settling down for school and a career. It'll be easy to talk to him, Naruto knows. He's just nervous. There's always a chance Jiraiya will get upset that he's leaving, and that's something Naruto is willing to put off to the very last second.

So first...

Naruto takes an alley to the left, around the west side of Haku's Diner and Tea Place, another left onto 15th Street, and smiles to himself a little sadly.

He has to say bye to Deidara, Gaara, and Ino.

The apartments the blonde man lives in aren't like his own; instead of building up, the complex built out, leaving a large area of one-story flats in its place. He walks around to the center, where a court yard lies with a pool that's been sealed off until spring rolls in. His shoes make tracks as he cuts across the yard, Deidara's door already in sight.

"Naruto!" a surprised voice echoes across the the field of snow.

He looks over his shoulder to see his sister running in the white power, a bright blue scarf flying behind in her white hair that is down for once.

"Naruto, hey! What are you doing here? I thought you leave today,"

She reaches him, and Naruto finds her expression odd- like since the last time he's seen her (Don't think about that night, Naruto; you've been doing so well- as long as you don't think), her face has undergone some metamorphosis, some subtle shift that makes her glow. He studies her as she bounces on the balls of her feet, hyper. She is grinning.