Mission
Naruto jumped from tree to tree, looking around for any activity or person, whether a bandit or a ninja.
He was calm, after all, the mission was simple and peaceful. He wanted to take it easy and appreciate his time alone. It would help clear his mind of all the thoughts that overwhelmed him.
It was very clear that the eye of the hurricane that his thoughts had become was Sasuke. He had accepted it and knew he had to let him go, that the man didn't want him in his life that way.
Perhaps, in no way.
That thought weighed on his heart because, much to his dismay, he could feel that it would be the final answer. It filled him with anguish and fear because he could tolerate not having the feelings or the relationship he so desired, but losing him entirely generated horror within him, his breath stuttered, and his soul ached.
Why were feelings so persistent? Why couldn't he let them go?
It was undoubtedly depressing and pathetic. And now he could do nothing because it was something already written; it was something marked since his childhood. He shouldn't have seen those penetrating black eyes. It was his sin, and now he was paying for it.
After spending some time heading toward his destination, he let himself fall onto a large tree. He sat on one of its long, sturdy branches and observed, he could hear everything clearly—the sounds of small animals, the leaves swaying in the wind. And if he concentrated even more, he could hear the birds flying above his head.
He also had to think and know how far his newly developed body could go. He knew he could choose between listening to things or not listening.
He was grateful it was this way because he would go crazy listening to everything at once, he would be more distracted than he intended. And that was bad. He lowered his head, emptied his mind, and stayed still. His breathing accompanied him. And that was fine. He knew his companion was asleep and did not want to disturb him.
So he kept his feelings and thoughts to himself as much as he could because he knew that carrying them was already difficult, and he didn’t want to drag his bad-tempered fox along. A smile crept onto his face at the thought of Kurama's bad mood.
He was also grateful to have him. He didn’t know how he would be without him. Just thinking about losing him made his eyes sting with tears.
And there he was again, being too sentimental.
At this point, it was impossible for him to stop being what he already was. He grew up this way and would continue this way. He sighed and looked at the sky; in a few hours, it would get dark. He had to move forward and then set up camp, or he could sleep in a tree.
He jumped down and continued running and jumping. But the thoughts kept persisting in his mind.
“Are you still thinking about the Uchiha?”
The voice of the fox in his mind did not scare him; he diverted his gaze and continued jumping, focused on his goal.
“Yes, Kurama, you know I can’t.”
He replied mentally and jumped to another tree.
“How long, Naruto?”
“I don’t know, maybe until I die.”
He responded, and because he was distracted with Kurama, he didn’t notice that he had jumped too far. The treetops were no longer visible; he was in open sky. He let out a scream as everything appeared smaller below him.
He had lost concentration, yes, but something like this had never happened before. It was clear that his chakra remained irregular, he kept falling, and the ground and trees were getting closer and closer.
He landed on a tree and shook himself off; Naruto regretted having made some leaves and weak branches fall. He looked at his feet and frowned.
“It's okay, pup, it’s normal. You’re still balancing your chakra.”
He nodded, clenched his hand into a fist, and continued jumping again. This went on for a few hours, with the wind in his face, moving his blonde hair. Listening to the animals, taking short breaks in a tree.
He still hadn’t touched the ground; he was just going from tree to tree. If he wasn’t hanging from a branch, he was leaning against the treetops. He also stopped to eat light snacks, he had packed some fruits, and the red apple in his mouth was one of them.
He loved the sweet taste in his mouth, having only its skeleton left, he stored it in a small bag he carried. The seeds could be useful for him.
Minutes turned into hours as night fell. He leaned against a rather large tree, settled in, and let his mind wander through everything that had happened.
Sasuke had the mark.
He didn’t really know what it was, only what Kakashi-sensei had told him—it was a cursed mark that Orochimaru had left on him during the exams.
Naruto saw that it was circular, black as ink, and in one corner were two fang marks. The area around them was red, showing that it hurt.
He watched him fall unconscious, approaching in fear of what might happen to him. The Uchiha had gotten up and whispered his name, only to fall asleep again. Kakashi-sensei appeared seconds later and took him away.
The blonde let him go with a bad taste in his mouth. Days later, he was in the hospital, he couldn’t visit him. He was afraid in a way, and that was pathetic.
He was afraid to see in what condition Sasuke was, he knew it wasn’t good, that he wasn’t the same, and that terrified him. He was close to losing him, he could feel it. He had a bad feeling, and this time, he prayed it wouldn’t come true.
His luck ran out days later when he left the village. He left him with a hole in his chest, ironically, the emotional void hurt much more than that Chidori. After a tough fight where he lost control, releasing chakra from Kurama.
The following days were blurry, the pain in his chest prevented him from thinking or seeing clearly. Everything moved differently—time, reality had changed, and he was lost. He felt disoriented, sad, and empty.
Since his departure, everything changed: days became slower, hours heavier, and nights were cold and lonely.
He had been raised in solitude, humidity, and poisonous whispers. He thought he was used to it, but from the moment he left, everything changed. His loneliness became more noticeable, the cold of the night chilled his bones.
He wanted an escape, the perverted sage appeared. He didn’t hesitate to accept his invitation to train for three years. They were giving him a chance to clear his mind and change his surroundings. And he was thankful for having accepted it.
He had lived in those three years much more than in his twelve years before. He saw the world through new eyes: society, politics, games, training, solitude, adventures—every day brought something new to see.
He was taking his escape, one that was limited—he would have to return to the village and to his routine: missions and everything without him. It was clear that there was a void left in the team that was quickly filled by Sai.
From the very first moment he had refused to accept him, he felt that Sai might be a copy of Sasuke. How wrong he was! Sai was his own person, he had his own world and had his own problems and virtues.
It was very difficult to achieve a strong and dynamic coexistence. They managed it over time, Naruto grew very fond of his new companion, who easily earned a place in his heart.
He felt for what he had lived through and all the consequences it brought him.
The world was complicated and sad. But it was also happiness, freedom, and beauty.
He had many good synonyms, just as he had antonyms. Naruto experienced everything firsthand—from loneliness, hateful looks, hurtful whispers, and his lack of confidence.
To the freedom of living, the happiness he found little by little, true love—the kind found in many things and in different forms. He could sincerely love Sasuke.
But he also loves the night, the sun, ramen, flowers, and Kurama.
He truly loves many things because love isn’t just a romantic couple, it is everywhere—from maternal love to a pet and self-love and love for one’s surroundings.
He learned a lot during his journey and is proud to have done so. He opened his mind and made his eyes see. He sincerely thanks his sensei, wherever he is, hoping he is well and continues to be who he has always been.
He knows that his life had always been complicated, he faced obstacles that cost him blood, sweat, and tears. He fell defeated but got back up stronger because that was his life, that was what he had always known.
The entrance of his friends into his world was shocking, light appeared and illuminated everything. The gray walls of his dreams changed, the dark shades of his days became bright. He had gained color and light, which he treasures forever.
He lifted his gaze to the sky; it was dark, and no stars were visible, they were hidden by clouds or perhaps they didn’t want to be seen. Naruto smiled to himself. He longed for missions, but he loved being at home.
He knew he had a lot of energy, but he also knew he could burn it off easily. He looked at his gloves and smiled even more. He felt good, he felt loved. He knew that in the end, he would have someone waiting for him.
It was a pity that his mind was filled with ebony hair, dark and alluring eyes, pale skin, long and flexible hands. He was overwhelmed by a hoarse voice, by whispered words, he was about to overflow with them—only with him.
That infatuation intrigued him day and night; it hit him like a clean blow from life. The fire in his heart only burned stronger with every moment, with a simple glance.
In front of those precious black eyes, he wanted to grab hold of him, he wanted his lips to be kissed by his own. He wanted to merge into one; he wanted so much yet at the same time did not want.
He desired to adore him in many ways and was terrified of facing him directly. He wanted to love him, but he was horrified at taking a step on the tightrope because he knew that if he stepped wrong, it would be the end, he would be falling without anyone to save him.
Being in love was complicated; he still couldn’t fully get used to it. He hoped that over the years it would fade away from not seeing him, but every moment he could cherish was a realization—a way for fate to tell him that he was there, that he existed, that his heart yearned for him.
Now that he thought about it, being in love wasn’t complicated: it was a punishment he had to bear, a lesson among many that life gives. He had grown up with nothing, but at this point, he longed so much that it felt like he could grasp the world with his hands.
What did it matter? The name Sasuke Uchiha was carved into his heart, it was written all over his body, it lived in his soul and was present in his mind.
Being in love was difficult and exhausting, but it filled him with life, air, fire—feelings that cre
Ated whirlwinds within him. He was okay, he could live with this infatuation.
He feared not being able to live without him.