Letters we wrote

Letter 11

Two whole weeks passed, Sasuke was standing back at the entrance of Sunagakure, with a bag full of food and water, Gaara standing in front of him.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay a big longer?" he chuckled. "The villagers sure have gotten use to have you around. And I appreciate the help."

Sasuke sighed. "No offense but, I had enough of the heat"

Gaara laughed. "I imagine"

"Thanks for everything, though" Sasuke added.

"No problem. A friend of Naruto is a friend of mine" he said with a small nod. "Can I ask you a question, though?" he asked suddenly, his smile faded.

"What?"

"Have you thought about what I said?" he asked.

Naruto's smiling face appeared on Sasuke's head again, as it had none-stop since they talked that first day he had arrived.

"I have. And I think I found it" he replied.

Gaara's short smile came back. "Good" he nodded. "Are you okay with rations?"

"I am, thanks to everyone" he nodded as well.

"Have safe travels, Sasuke" he made a short bow, Sasuke returned it.

"Thanks."

He turned his back at him and started walking away. Naruto's face was still in his mind, he tried his best to take it out, to not think of it so often. But it had proven, many times, to be useless. It didn't matter what he did, the blond's face would always come back.

He had spent all his nights thinking about it, every time he'd just stare at that piece of the last letter that read "I guess I just miss you" for hours until he fell asleep.

Each time he'd ask himself what did it all meant. This was not something strange to him. Back in the day he'd think about Naruto a lot, and it'd be just like this, picturing his face in his mind over and over. Especially the first months after he left that first time all those years ago. Back then he'd only get angry every time that happened, it was a reminder of something he had failed at, and it used to be very frustrating.

But now, it was different. Each time Naruto's face came to mind he'd feel at peace, and warm. His heart rate would feel a bit faster, and his breathing would become deeper. And a part of him, bigger than he'd like to admit, missed him too. He'd try to make sense of it, the feeling was too strong to not mean something more, but what?

Except maybe, that was the key, something more.

He stopped in his tracks.

"Something more..." he whispered to himself.

This was the first time his mind was contemplating this. For almost his whole life, his mind had only been busy with one thing: his revenge, his hatred. And even though there was a time when he almost let go of it, thanks to Team 7, and Naruto especially, it was brief and fate didn't allow for it to last too long. But now, his mind was free to just imagine the thought of actually being attracted or interested in someone else.

Naruto's face came up again. His blue eyes were staring at him, and a soft smile slowly turned in that big and amazing smile that's so characteristic of him.

His heartbeat went up. His hand squeezed the right side of the neck of his jacket, where the piece of paper was hidden.

He had always thought of Naruto as a friend, or at least he thought that was what a close friendship was supposed to be like. But a part of him had doubts about it. He felt this when they were younger. That the way he felt about him was too strong to be just of friendship. And now those thoughts were back.