Name: Uzumaki Naruto Should Know Better Than To Gossip
Author: sirona on ao3
Word Count: 7,256
Summary (provided by author): Sasuke comes back to Konoha; Naruto is promptly declared one of his parole officers by Tsunade. How will he survive Sasuke moving into his flat for the next 6 to 18 months? And why should he never listen to a word that comes out of Sai's mouth?
-
Work Text:
Uchiha Sasuke came back to Konohagakure one bright, sunny morning in early September. There was no fuss, no drama or fanfares – he simply walked up to the gate with his Taka team and asked to be taken to Tsunade-sama and Ibiki-san. This is why Naruto had to find out from Sakura.
Naruto was in the kitchen chopping up vegetables. He was amazed they had even survived the night in his kitchen, but there you go. Resilient buggers. Maybe there was something to the stuff Iruka-sensei was always going on about, "healthy eating" and "help you grow up big and strong" and so on for 5 more minutes that Naruto usually tuned out.
That still would not have made a difference to him personally, but Konohamaru was coming over for lunch and Naruto thought he really should take better care of the runt – Konohamaru had no one else to do it for him any more. So – vegetables it was. Konohamaru would moan something rotten, no doubt, but Naruto felt that now that he was almost 17 he should express his maturity in ways other than getting fall-over drunk with Kiba.
That was how it came to pass that Naruto almost chopped his thumb off when Sakura came in through the window. This was such an unusual occurrence that it startled Naruto quite thoroughly. Sakura was such a proper young kunoichi that she always used the door. Naruto shuddered to think that Kakashi-sensei was rubbing off on her (in more ways than one, the old pervert).
"Sasuke is back," was what she said to him before it all went dark.
***
When Naruto recovered from his fall (he most emphatically did not faint), he tried to sprint off immediately. Only Sakura's secure hold on his shirt prevented him from running away at top speed to... Oh.
"So? Where is he?" Naruto voiced the issue that had occurred to him.
"He and his companions are with Tsunade-sama and Kakashi-sensei at Ibiki-san's Interrogation Centre. They are being... what was that term they use in Suna? Debriefed?"
"Never heard of that. Oh my god, is it painful? Sakura-chan, tell me they are not going to hurt him?!"
"Relax, you big baby. They will be fine as long as they answer all Tsunade-sama's questions."
Another thing that occurred to Naruto was that there was a remarkable lack of flailing and fangirling coming from Sakura. This confused him. When had Sakura not been excited about seeing her precious Sasuke-kun?
"Uh, Sakura-chan? Are you okay? You're not ill or anything? Oh my god, I must be in a genjutsu! Kai! Kai! K- OUCH!"
"Naruto!!" He looked over at Sakura to see her growling menacingly at him.
"Sorry, Sakura-chan,~" Naruto managed as he was rubbing the large bump on the back of his head. "But... shouldn't you be more excited?"
"Oh, I'm excited, alright. I can't wait to get that pink-haired kunoichi assigned to the hospital so that I can quiz her on her jutsu!"
Sakura looked slightly manic, so Naruto thought it might not be in his best interest to point out he had been talking about the teme.
It was at about this time that the news started to really sink in for Naruto. Sasuke was back within walking distance. What had changed? Why had he decided to come back now of all times? Sure, it had been over 8 months since Pain's attack and the almost complete demolition of the village, but last time they had met Sasuke had looked as determined as ever. Then Itachi's death had happened and Madara had got to him first and Naruto, in his heart of hearts, had almost lost hope of getting him back to Konoha in one piece. Now he's here? Oh his own free will, no less? Naruto had to get to the bottom of that.
