A Different Path

Brotherly Love

Naruto's POV

"Naruto.. " Kurama's angry gaze melted onto his Jinchuriki's body, filled with love and a tint of sadness.
Once they were out of the other shinobi's reach, he nudged the blond's side gently, waiting for his response as they laid hidden in the shadows of some old pines. They had stopped in a small clearing lit by delicate razes of moonlight while Kurama's yellowish fur turned snow-white, making the growing night seem somewhat alive.

In return to the fox's comfort, Naruto dropped the facade and brought their foreheads together while snuggling slightly into his soft fur with his eyes closed, lost in the moment entirely.
".. You little idiot.." Kurama purred tenderly as his warm breath tickled Naruto's nose. During his whole life, the Nine Tailed Fox had always been extremely aggressive and most people were terrified of him. Except one particular blond with whom the beast would act like a completely different person, a tamed cat. And they had kept it a secret, of course.

".. When will you stop tormenting yourself?" Kurama pulled away before nuzzling Naruto's side. The blond wrapped his muscular arms around the fox's neck and breathed in his fatherly scent, sighing heavily. "Acting like this towards him.. It's hurting you, kit.. I can feel it! And seeing you broken like this.. It hurts me too.." The Tailed Beast muttered sorrowfully.
"Kurama.." Naruto frowned upon seeing his Beast so worried about him. "You know I.. I can't." The frustrated look in the blond's gaze ceased the endless line of thoughts that were flowing through Kurama's mind. He settled down with his furry back laying against the harsh bark of a tree, sighing.

Naruto slided down on Kurama's fur until he was buried in his warmth, surrounded by the fox's tails. They never needed words to understand each other. Touch was enough.
Suddenly, Naruto's shoulders stiffened as well as Kurama's muscles. The blond sighed, closing his pained eyes.
A pale hand ran its fingers along the flowing leaves of a nearby bush, as if it was searching for something.. Or someone.
".. Naruto..?" Naruto grunted and gritted his teeth upon hearing those words that made him feel somehow guilty. Guilty for leaving without saying a word to the one that cared about him the most.

Sasuke's porcelain face was glowing under the gentle touches of moonlight. His black eyes glittered with hope but soon clouded once again. He took a few uncertain steps while his cold gaze wondered whether to keep going or to back away. He clenched his fist before kneeling close to the Jinchuriki, almost feeling Kurama's fur brush against his skin.
The fox eyed him narrowly and dropped his gaze on the ground, admitting to himself that he had to let Naruto go. For the blond's sake, he had to let Sasuke in and grant him his trust fully. His trust that the raven would be able to protect Naruto's broken heart.
Sasuke softly bit the inside of his cheek while his gaze rested upon Naruto's face.

".. Why?" He shifted uncomfortably under Naruto's vivid presence. "Why do you keep pushing me away?" His voice cracked, showing one of his rare moments of vulnerability. With a heavy sigh, Naruto finally gave up. His heart couldn't take it anymore. He opened his cerulean eyes and stared right into Sasuke's as both of them remained in complete silence. The despair visible in Sasuke's eyes stung the blond's heart even more.
Kurama's gaze clouded. He sniffed the thin air and smelled nothing but pain. Grimacing with sadness, he laid his head down and threw another look sideways, to the raven, before closing his eyes and shutting himself from them, conferring them their well-needed privacy.
"I.. I'm sorry, Sasuke." Naruto finally broke the silence, making Sasuke widen his eyes slightly.

"What do you mean?" The Uchiha couldn't help but soften his features at his barely audible voice.
"My intention never was to hurt you." The blond frowned softly.
"I know.. But you could have at least left me a letter or something! Something that would have let me know you were safe!" Sasuke blurted out as he let loose of all of his frustrations accumulated over the past two and a half years.
"I couldn't. It would have been too painful to write something like that." Sasuke's shoulders slumped.
"I wanted to visit you before I had left but you were in a coma." Regret was embedded into Naruto's voice. "So I sneaked inside the hospital and put a small chakra cloak over you." The raven widened his eyes.

"What? You did?" Sasuke brushed his arms with his palms but he found nothing, earning a small, amused chuckle from the blond.
"You can't feel it, you idiot. This way I could speed up your healing process and keep watch over you."
"So.. You were there.." He couldn't help but smile to himself, knowing that Naruto hadn't left without saying goodbye, in his own way, at least. Sasuke tried to put his feelings aside and let his pride shine through. "I'm no idiot, dobe.." He muttered with a small flush that soon faded away. After all, the Uchiha never get flustered. 

Naruto chuckled again but this time he pulled his hood down, feeling completely at ease around his most precious person. He scanned Sasuke's face, smiling softly. He had to resist the strong urge to reach out and caress his pale cheek with his thumb.
"You have no idea how much I've missed you." Sasuke grunted with sadness, his head held low.
"Why were you acting, Naruto?" He suddenly asked, sorrowful.
Naruto sighed slightly.

"The villagers were already terrified of me so knowing that I'd able to control my power would have only made it worse. I would have been labeled as a major threat towards the village." Pain clawed at Naruto's heart as his eyes found their place on the mossy grass. He wasn't too eager to reopen that particular wound. "As a child, leaving the village wasn't an option for me. So I just had to keep it a secret from everyone." His gaze clouded.

"I see. I'm.. I'm sorry, Naruto." Sasuke seemed to be blaming himself.
"What for?" Naruto raised his gaze from the ground, furrowing his brow.
"For not realizing sooner." The Uchiha eyed him fondly. For a second, Naruto's eyes widened slightly. The corners of his mouth curled into a small genuine smile. He cared. He truly cared.
Naruto could now feel Sasuke's weak heat as he leaned his face closer to his, almost tempting him to do something. The Uzumaki wanted to close the gap between them, but he couldn't. He couldn't bring himself to do it, no matter how much pain he still had to endure.

The blond's heart tightened once he had decided it was enough. Letting Sasuke creep closer to him would only cause harm to both of them. It was for the best.
Naruto's eyes narrowed coldly. Sasuke looked at him and pulled away from the proximity between them, a little surprised and equally hurt. The Jinchuriki gently tugged Kurama's fur before getting up on his feet and pulling his hood back up, his back turned to the Uchiha.
"Forget I said anything." His icy voice made the raven flinch, a barely visible frown on his porcelain face. "You'd better get home. It's getting late." He said no more, disappearing soon after, along with Kurama who had risen up, his demonic-red eyes just as emotionless as his.

Sasuke sighed heavily. He knew he had lost a chance to bring him back. The problem itself, it wasn't that. It was whether he'd be able to find another one or not. And, not only for his own sake, succeed.

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Hey! 'Sup guys? Sorry I'm late! Naruto's still not willing to open up to Sasuke, unfortunately. Eh, their lives are quite troublesome, I would say.
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~See ya!~
~Bella~
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