Finding Family | A Naruto/LOTR Crossover

Chapter Ten: Pulling a Sasuke

Naruto wasn't entirely sure of what was going on – only that most of his precious team were back together. Only Kakashi was missing from their number and given how he had gone to find Sasuke and Sakura, Naruto was fairly sure he would be coming back soon. In the meantime though, he had ensured they wouldn't be separated ever again, and if he had used his new, large, woebegone blue eyes, then that was entirely his business and nobody else's. he was tiny, and very adorable, and Kakashi had told him exactly how to use it.

"They said they're gonna look for him," Naruto said, swinging his legs back and forth as he waited atop the bed. "Kakashi will be with us soon."

"Hn," Sasuke grunted, which was more than he could get from Sakura – who simply reached forward to pat him on the shoulder in that silent way of hers. It was slightly unnerving to see her being so quiet, what with how she was one of the loudest people he'd known in Konoha. He winced, remembering the way her skin had turned grey, the cracks sliding over her body before she crumbled into ash. It had hurt in his heart to witness it.

But she was back now, and Kakashi would no doubt be joining them soon.

He had to. They were family, and family stuck together, even when his absurd luck dragged them into yet another weird situation.

He laughed then, wanting to fill the silence as he grabbed Sasuke's hands in his own, enjoying the small smile the sound of his giggles brought to their caretaker for that day. The Elrond guy who seemed to be in charge of the place had introduced him as Erestor – a scholar, whatever that was. He had kept him and Sasuke entertained with weirdly interesting stories. Ones that were tales of their new clan.

Sakura was just sitting there, stiff as a board whenever he or Sasuke touched her or attempted to hug her again. But Naruto supposed her death had been more painful. His own had been something more akin to falling asleep, chakra drained, heart slowing to a stop. So instead of invading her personal space as he had always loved to do back in their old world, he settled for sitting nearby her. Blue eyes met her green ones every now and then, and Naruto smiled tentatively.

A knock at the door came then, the tale Erestor was telling them of coming to a halt as he called for their visitor to enter. The figure was familiar, and Naruto scowled when he spotted the smile on Sakura's face as she spied the golden-haired figure. Sure, he loved that Sakura smiled around him, but he wanted to be able to make his old friend smile. Pouting, Naruto levelled a glare at Glorfindel as he seated himself near them – Sakura crawling into his lap then, before he began speaking to her in a quiet voice, eyes holding pity, sorrow, and relief.

Naruto tried to reassure himself he wasn't jealous. He wasn't. He didn't get jealous. Sighing, he sat back turning his attention back to Sasuke and Erestor as the tale continued. At least they were together. Well, almost.

::

Frowning, Naruto folded his arms. It had been a week. A week since he had bumped into his other two teammates. Kakashi should have been back.

"What is it?" Sasuke grumbled, glaring at him as he sat in the bed on the other side of Sakura. "Your frown is annoying."

"I was just thinking," he mumbled, glancing out the window as soft moonlight filtered through the curtains which danced in the mild breeze. They liked leaving the window open somewhat, no matter how the adults seemed to fret. They were shinobi through and through, even if they had been relegated into weird bodies with a lack of chakra to aid them. "I thought Kakashi would have come back by now."

"He's not in trouble," Sasuke muttered – which was probably as close to a compliment as Kakashi would get from him.

"Don't you think he should have figured out that we're all here by now?" Naruto asked. "He should have joined us by now... unless..."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "You aren't thinking what I'm thinking are you?" he enquired, chewing on his lip as he mulled over that thought. "He wouldn't be stupid enough... wait, actually perhaps he is, hn."

"Do you think so too, Sakura?" Naruto asked, a smile lighting up his face when she nodded vigorously – one of the best responses he'd gotten from her. Ha. Take that Glorfindel, he mused, puffing up his chest as Sakura's hands curled in the shirts he and Sasuke wore. "He's totally pulled a Sasuke on us."

"Do you really have to call it that?"