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Home Coming - Part 5

Hidden from sight Jiraiya, Tsunade and Shizune had watched the events leading to Kakashi's defeat.

"That was amazing!" Shizune gasped at the speed of Naruto's attack.

"I told you, when Naruto draws his sword you'll know about it!" Jiraiya smirked.

"That was quick-draw, wasn't it?" Tsunade asked.

"Yup!" Jiraiya grinned. "Naruto spent months just practising how to draw his sword to have an effect like that." Jiraiya grinned. "His actual kenjutsu skill is far from Sasuke's level but with a combination of his quick-draw jutsu and his shadow clones, he can put up a fair fight."

"Well then, I guess we should go congratulate them." Tsunade suggested, the the three of them began walking towards Naruto who was surrounded and being questioned by his team-mates. "Well done Naruto, that was quite impressive! Sakura, you did a good job as well."

"Thank you Sensei!" Sakura quickly replied bowing her head.

"Sasuke..."

"Save it!" Sasuke cut her off, not interested in her praise. Tsunade just smirked, typical Uchiha.

"Well then, since you passed the test I can now make it official! As of now the four of you are now Team Kakashi!"

"Awesome!" Naruto bellowed, pumping his fist into the air.

"I'll give you a couple of days to rest up and get settled before giving you a mission." Tsunade announced, the statement directed towards Naruto, but the other three members of Team Kakashi weren't going to complain about a couple of days rest.

************

Team Kakashi were walking through the streets of Konoha, the streets had a few people out having a good time, others busying them selves with work despite the late hour.

"It's just like old times!" Naruto grinned. "It's awesome that we are all back, Team 7 is back baby!"

"Only now we're Team Kakashi Dobe!" Sasuke corrected him with a smirk.

"Details, details!" Naruto shrugged off the comment. "We should get some celebratory chow!"

"I would love to Naruto, but I've got to go water my plants." Kakashi declared and with a wave goodbye, leapt to the roof tops and out of sight.

"Where's he off to in such a hurry?" Naruto asked.

"Where do you think?" Sasuke replied knowingly.

"THE BOOK!" Naruto groaned. "He blew us off to go read that damn book!"

"Well I'm on a diet so I'm going to have to pass on food as well. Plus I've got a shift in the hospital tomorrow so I'd better be getting some beauty sleep." Sakura added. "Bye guys!"

"Oh, okay... bye Sakura." Naruto replied disappointedly, now it was just him and Sasuke. "So what about you Sasuke? Want to go get some food?"

Sasuke wasn't sure how to answer, a couple of years ago he would have turned down the offer just to come across as distant, but after what had happened earlier tonight he couldn't have asked for a better opportunity to be alone with Naruto. But as much as he wanted to explore his feelings for Naruto, he didn't want to give himself too much hope that Naruto might feel the same way about him. Naruto had shown interest in Sakura back when they were in the academy but he had never seen Naruto on a date with a girl, ever. But he had been away for two years so who knows where Naruto's interests lay. Did he want to pursue the relationship he had wished for, revealing the feelings he had kept hidden from everyone for years only to have them rejected?

"Sasuke?"

'Damn it!' Sasuke cursed silently to himself. 'I'm taking too long to answer, what harm is there in grabbing some food with the knuckle head?'

"Sure, lets go get something to eat."

"Awesome! It's a little late to get some ramen... know anywhere good that might be open?"

"Hmm... I know a place, it's just down the street here."

"Well then what are we waiting for!" Naruto yelled happily putting his arm round Sasuke's shoulder and walking in a exaggerated manner, kicking his legs high with each step. Normally he would have told the blond to stop being such an idiot, but he decided to let it go this time since Naruto had wrapped his arm round him of his own accord, he knew it didn't mean anything but he could imagine that it did.

They entered a small eatery which was open round the clock that went by the name of 'Kokoro no kate' (Food for the Heart). The place was practically empty, there was another elderly gentlemen who sat in the far corner wearing a green robe, Sasuke figured that he would be able to get some privacy here. He came here quite often, it was one of the places that his mother would take him as a child. It was old fashioned and felt like it was stuck in time warp, nothing had changed since he was a kid, but that was part of the appeal for Sasuke. When he came here it felt like his mother was here as well. The old wooden tables and chairs allowed only a dozen or so people to be seated at any time and it was quite often busy, but the elderly couple that ran the place always kept a couple of tables free for their regulars and Sasuke was counted among them.

"I've never been here before." Naruto said looking round curiously.

"I like it." Was all Sasuke said in response walking over and taking his usual seat near the window. The simple response was enough to intrigue Naruto, Sasuke never spoke about himself and would rarely say what he liked, though the raven haired ninja was always quick to say what he didn't like.

"So do you come here often?" Naruto asked taking his seat across from Sasuke.

"Often enough." Sasuke said vaguely turning his head to look out the window, Naruto grabbed a menu while Sasuke lost himself in his thoughts.

'Should I tell Naruto how I feel about him? No... that would be stupid and risky Sasuke! You don't even know if Naruto likes men in that way, but you could drop a few questions and see if he says anything that suggest he might. But like what?'

"Ah, good evening Sasuke-kun." Came the kindly voice of the eatery's owners wife. Sasuke had no idea what her name was, even after all the years he had been coming here, but everyone who came here called her Sobo. She was every imaginable stereotype that you could imagine for an grandmother. Wrinkled face, grey curly hair, a kind smile, spectacles which balanced on the end of her nose, with a chain attached which hung round her neck. She wore an old fashioned robe which had worn with age but the floral design was still visible.

"Evening Sobo" Sasuke gave her a smile.

'Sobo?' Naruto asked himself quietly and couldn't help but find himself staring at Sasuke, he had thought that all of Sasuke's family had been wiped out, on top of that he had never seen Sasuke smile like that and what made it even stranger was that it seemed to be genuine.

"Ah, so who is your young friend?" She asked with a smile.

"This is Naruto Sobo, Naruto this is Sobo. She runs this place with her husband Sofu."

"Uh, nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too, young man. It's nice to see Sasuke finding someone to spend his time with, and such a cute one at that." Sobo replied, the comment seemed innocent enough to Naruto, but Sasuke had to fight the blush which he could feel building. Sobo knew very well that he was gay and was one of the few people in his life before the Ino/Sakura incident that didn't treat him any differently from before.

"Uh, thanks... I guess." Naruto blushed hoping that Sobo wasn't coming onto him."Yeah, I've been friends with Sasuke for years!" Naruto grinned. "I've just got back into town."

"Friends, hmm." Sobo smiled giving Sasuke a knowing look and Sasuke could only blush and look out the window with a pout hoping that Sobo wouldn't say too much, the old woman was too perceptive for her own good sometimes. She already knew that Sasuke liked Naruto from his reaction to her comment, but Naruto was completely clueless to how Sasuke felt. "So what can I get for you?"

"Uh..." Naruto turned his attention back to the menu. "I don't know..."

"Can I recommend the Donburri?" Sobo asked. "Sofu's Donburri is quite popular."

"Yeah, why not?" Having taken his order Sobo began heading into the kitchen. "Hey wait! You never took Sasuke's order!"

"He-he-he, I know what Sasuke-kun likes." Sobo grinned, her statement making Sasuke blush some more.

"I guess you do come here quite often." Naruto grinned. "She seems like a nice old lady."

"Yeah..."

"I mean, she's like the grandmother I never had... if I was to imagine what my grandmother was going to be like."

"Yeah, she reminds me a lot of my own grandmother..." Sasuke said with a slight smile, the memory of his grandmother tainted with the fact that she had been killed by his brother Itachi, along with the rest of his clan. The thought used to make him so angry, the need for vengeance being fed by the memories, the anger was still there; but he no longer dwelled on it, not since that day when he had decided to give up on his vengeance..

************

As Sasuke looked down at Naruto's unconscious, unmoving body, his thoughts a whirlwind of emotions, the sky cracked with thunder as the heavens rained down on them, almost reflecting Sasuke's emotional state. Kakashi arrived with Pakun, the small dog sat down next to Kakashi as the silver haired ninja looked at him. Tears were rolling down Sasuke face, they were difficult to see because of the rain.

"Sasuke!"

"Kakashi-sensei..."

"You're coming back with me!"

"Naruto's hurt!" Kakashi's gaze went to Naruto before returning to Sasuke.

"Come back with me!" Sasuke wasn't sure if that was an order or plea for him to come back willingly. If he ran would Kakashi chase him or would he stay and help Naruto? "I know why you want to go to Orochimaru Sasuke, but you don't need to do this. Vengeance isn't everything! There are more important things than vengeance!"

"There is?" Sasuke asked, was this why he couldn't leave Naruto? He had had plenty of opportunity to leave, the rain would have washed away his scent making it impossible for Pakun to follow him and Kakashi wouldn't leave Naruto in his current state to try and find him, but Sasuke knew now, he loved Naruto and could never leave him in his current state. He would have to choose, love or vengeance.

************