Fate Wheel | Naruto

𝟔𝟗| Laughter

"I'd be lying if I said things are going according to my plan... but beggars can't be choosers, right?"
– Madara Uchiha

───※ ·❆· ※───

NARUTO

He made a mistake.

Humans were prone to mistakes, that was apart of the learning process; to make mistakes and learn from them in order to become a better individual, yet there was some mistakes that he couldn't help but make. In all honesty, Naruto didn't know whether it was a mistake, or a selfish desire- or something he couldn't help but feel all because his heart told him to do so. Emotions were a powerful weapon that could make anyone do anything if they put their heart into it, but it didn't mean he should.

Likewise, he was a fool for developing feelings for Dawn.

He didn't mean to, it just happened. A dwindling urge to be the reason she smiled or be the one to call her his. But he knew that what he felt was unrequited and unrealistic, as a kid he was more focused on proving himself that he wasn't the individual everyone else made him out to be- that there was more to him than just being the Hokage's son, and eventually he gained that acknowledgment and respect through fighting for what he wanted. Not only that, but he had help along the way, and he couldn't be more thankful for the friends he made.

So why was it that he wanted more than what he was given?

Did he feel guilty for enjoying the times he had with Dawn a little more than he should have? Yes, he did. Did he acknowledge the undeniable, growing crush he had? Yes, he did. Was he aware that the possibility of her returning his feelings was non- existent? Well, yes. A part of him wanted to believe that there was a possibility of her liking him back, but the moment he walked in, her eyes were different. They were no longer glazed with the one thing that had been on her mind, they were filled with relief, with joy, with happiness- such that he almost felt like it was a crime to have feelings for someone who had feelings for someone else.

Naruto knew that it wasn't him that was the problem, he also knew that she was probably unaware of the feelings he had for her. He was kind and cared about others a little too much than what he was given in return, but that was fine. He'd like to think he wasn't unattractive either, but emotions stemmed from an explicit instinct that compels you to want to be around a certain person, it had nothing to do with him but rather fate itself. And that seemed too troublesome to meddle with.

That was until he saw the tears that leaked from her eyes. Tears that made his heart stop, his vision turn red and his mind blinded by pure anger.

Anger was a dangerous emotion, because it was initiated from the love you have for someone. Whether it was friendship, familial bonds, cultural connections or romantic feelings. Although his feeling weren't returned, Dawn was his friend, someone who cared for him and changed his life in more ways than one— or maybe it was because he had feelings for her that he wanted nothing but to pound his fist into Sasuke's face and make him regret every single word that he had uttered.

And so he did.

Shortly after Sasuke stormed away from the training grounds, Naruto had tailed after him ignoring Sakura's attempts to call him back. His fingers were curled into a fist, his nails digging deeply into his skin that his hands itself turned a faint shade of pink, his thoughts were all jumbled up- nothing comprehensive enough to redirect his emotions to logic and instead acted on the instinct to protect his friend because that was what friends were meant to do. Friends cared for each other, helped each other, be there for each other even if it meant they didn't see each other all the time- true friendship stemmed from love. That was why he craved to make a correction in whatever twisted logic Sasuke had created in his head to have ever dared to make his friend cry.