Charter 10 Movement

By Kuroi-Urufu

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I am no longer there,

Did you notice?

-

How, without noticing you entering in,

was I supposed to know that you let yourself out?

...Because it was you, who led me to the door.

-

- canvas-

Naruto woke up covered in sweat, his chest heaving. He was catching air in loud gulps, like a fish thrown out of it's tank. Finally when he evened out his breathing, his mind started to work again. He took in his surroundings, which he was still not accustomed to. For a week now he was living in a small apartment he managed to rent with the little money he earned. Even though Naruto loved living with his father, he decided it was high time to become independent and take a few expenses off of his father's shoulders – constant supply of ramen being on the top of the list.

He looked around, his eyes slowly accustoming to the darkness surrounding him. The digital clock showed 4 am.

"Not again" the blond complained to no one in particular, making a dive under the covers and trying the best he could to fall asleep, even though he new it was futile.

Three months, that's how long it was since he last saw Sasuke and yet, even though on the surface it seemed that he moved on with his life, in reality he woke up every night due to nightmares. Every single night, for the past three months, he's been having the same dream and in this dream he would reply the last day he saw Sasuke over and over again. He would remember visiting the hospital. How the truth of the meaning hidden behind canvases dawned upon him and the way he ran out of the room, breaking down, swearing to himself that he'd never come back to that place again. Most of all, however, he remembered the look Sasuke gave him, the look which is haunting him everywhere at anytime. At that day, the man who was always confident and prideful seemed lost, confused and tired. As if he knew that the whole world forgot about him and the only thing left to do was to wait.

Naruto shuddered breaking his train of thought. Seeing as it was futile to try to fall asleep he decided to get up and take a shower. On his way to the bathroom he took his cell phone, the blue screen showing one unread message. He opened it and skimmed through the text with bored eyes.

Honey, how about meeting tomorrow at the shopping center? You're free, right? I'm sure the guys would also like to join us. Kisses. xSakurax

Ah yes, Sakura, he almost forgot abort her…. almost. Though it was actually impossible, seeing as she send him at least ten messages every day.

He took off his pants and went into the shower, the cold water giving him an unpleasant feeling. He vaguely remembered as once, under the shower, he scratched his wrists and arms until they bled. That was after his first encounter with Sasuke, but he also remembered how mad the man had been at him for hurting himself.

"Enough already!" he yelled, water splashing on his body. He didn't want to remember any of this, he wanted to forget everything about Sasuke, otherwise he'll never be truly able to move on. He would be trapped in his head like this, reliving those memories over and over again…. which was probably what Sasuke was doing right now….

"What the hell! Stop it already!" Naruto scolded himself yet again, trying to find some distraction. Sakura for instance, she was a very good distraction. Normally he would think that the girl would never want to talk to him again but apparently he was wrong. After the court case became public, everyone got to now about him being held captive by Sasuke. No one knew the whole truth of course, but it was enough to make his dad traumatized for a few weeks and his friends and girlfriend apologizing to him for not noticing something was wrong. And even though he was not officially together with Sakura, he was damn near close to it. So basically he was back to his old life, the only problem was, he couldn't recognize it anymore.

-canvas-

Naruto managed to somehow make himself busy until seven, which was the time for his daily jogging session. He always liked to start his day with a little exercise thus, putting on some comfortable clothes, he closed his apartment and was soon running at his full speed.

It was already nearing eight and he was still running, though fast walking would be a better term to use as he was exhausted after running so many kilometers. This time he ended his jogging session near a small elementary school on the outskirts of the city. He plumped on a bench with a loud sigh, propping his arms on either side of it. Head tilted back, he was looking at the sky, trying to relax. On the blue, midsummer sky, clouds were moving lazily, as if too tired to stop and oppose the wind but too lazy to go faster. He felt the wind blow lightly through his hair, grateful for the little refreshment on such a warm day.

"You're so stupid and poor no one wants to hang out with you!"

"Yeah, it would be better for all of us if you didn't exist at all!"

Naruto heard some kids scream on the soccer field near the school. He guessed it was just one of those fights kids also used to have back at his school. Every year there would be a person who did not fit the crowd and, kids being kids, they would bully the poor soul. He knew that, eve if he was to help the kid right now, they would just hunt him down later and enforce an even harder punishment on him. Nevertheless he decided to at lest check out the situation from afar, if only to make sure that they wouldn't do anything too dangerous to the poor kid. He stood up and walked a small distance, hiding behind one of the bushes, peering at the scene in front of him.

"Take your ugly face and everything that has to do with you as far away from this school as possible. We don't need trash like you here." The boss of the group shouted with venom in his voice, kicking the small boy who was curled up on the ground. To Naruto that definitely seemed like a good time to step in. He was just about to go out and teach those kids some manners when he heard someone approaching the group.

"Leave him alone you idiots!" he heard a voice call up to them and soon saw a silhouette of a young girl who was hurrying to the scene. Something in the way she was walking made it look like she was uncertain of the steps she made. Only when she reached them, did Naruto notice that the girl was blind.

"Come guys, it's that crazy girl." One said, seemingly loosing interest in their pray.

"Yeah, knowing her, she'll babble everything to the teachers." The boss said, not without casting one last, pitiful look at the boy, who was now trying to stand up. When they finally went away the girl helped him get on his feet, asking whether he was ok.

"Do I seem ok to you? Oh yeah, right, you can't see, can you?" the boy said in a bitter tone, obviously embarrassed by the fact that he had to be saved by a girl.

"Well excuse me for worrying!" the girl puffed her cheeks, hurt by the cold words.

"It's no use trying to protect me, if they won't beat me now, they'll just do it later. If only I wasn't this hideous to look at… I'd be as popular as one of them, I'm sure of it!"

The words the boy had spoken seemed somewhat familiar to Naruto, who was now examining the child's face. Well, he wasn't very handsome indeed, but he wouldn't call him ugly either. His looks seemed rather unique, but for kids at that age unique equaled different and different equaled unacceptable. Naruto wondered though, what the girl's response would be. Meanwhile the girl tilted her head a bit, as if actually examining the boy's features. After a while she said jovially.

"You're not ugly, not at all!" she said, beaming happily. Naruto thought that there was definitely something weird about her. Besides, like that was something the boy needed, some false reassurance and to top it all, coming from a blind girl. Oh the irony of it.

"Yeah, thanks a lot, you can't even see my face. I don't need pity from a blind girl!" the boy yelled and was about to storm off when the girl caught his arm in an awkward manner, not knowing where the boy stood exactly.

"No, you're beautiful because you're ugly." The girl smiled in a peculiar manner and continued.

"It's true, I can't even see whether you're ugly or not, but since you're saying so, let's just assume you're ugly. Now it's also true I'm blind so the only thing I see are images, little portraits of people I create in my head. I know some people call me crazy because of it, but I don't care. It's better than to live in the darkness right? Anyway, I'm rambling here." the girl kept on talking, earning a confused look from the boy, as well as from Naruto.

"So let me summarize the image I have of you. To make it easier, let's compare this image of mine with chest pieces."

"Chest pieces?" the boy asked quizzically, now almost certain that the rumors about the girl being crazy were true.

"So in my imaginary chest set you are the king. I'm sure you want to know why. Well here are the things I know about you from our little encounter – even though you think you are ugly and you're being treated in this horrible way you never give up. You always manage to get up, no matter how hard it gets. You're also brave, never going to the teachers for help, always dealing with it on your own. Last but not least, you have a high sense of honor, which is why you were angry at me because I saved you. Now aren't those the traits of a real king? Now how about those thugs? I tell you what they are, they are pawns. The all look the same way for me – in chest there are a lot of them in the front line, all identical. And what do they do? They move around only one square, left, right, front. I mean puhleas, how difficult is that?" the girl said smiling.

"Now you wanna know the best part? They may not know it yet, but the pawns all work for the king, so don't you forget that!" The girl said with a bright smile, turning away from the boy and once again, with a bit uncertain strides, she walked away in the direction of the school. Meanwhile the boy stood amazed, with a forlorn look watching the girls retreating back. He then looked at his small hand, which was now balled into a fist.

"A king huh?" he said to no one in particular, and with knowing eyes he laughed, the bright smile enlightening his features. To Naruto it seemed as if that laugh was all that the boy needed to overcome his so called ugliness. With silent steps Naruto walked away from the scene, a dry laugh escaping his lips.

"Teme, maybe an elementary school girl would have been a better apprentice, ne?" he said in a somewhat humorous way, desperately trying to get rid of the heavy, nauseas feeling, and that wet liquid which was making his vision blurry.

---canvas----

"Quick, someone, we have a suicide attempt!" an intern yelled in a hysteric voice, for the first time having to deal with such a situation. It's not like it was uncommon in a mental institution, but he did not believe that such a thing would happen on his first day of work.

"What happened here?" a doctor asked frantically looking over the room.

"I don't know, he was like this when I came here." The young man said, looking at the amounts of blood oozing from the man's cut wrists. Weren't any dangerous objects supposed to be removed from all the rooms?

"He might still be alive, check his pulse." The doctor ordered and the young intern soon confirmed a very weak, albeit still steady pulse.

---canvas---

"He's crashing!!" one of the doctors yelled as a once beeping sound turned into a heavy, long one.

"Quickly charge to 200…clear!" he yelled but the deadly sound would not change. Finally for a moment a long awaited beeping sound was being heard, only to turn into the monotonous one.

"Damn he's crashing again! Charge!

---canvas---

Since Naruto had a free afternoon he decided that catching a nap would be a good idea. After all he was heavily lacking in the sleeping department, thus when he was free, he tried to make up for it. Unluckily for him, his cell phone started ringing. Assuming it was Sakura he just wanted to put it on silent mode, but after glancing at the screen and seeing an unknown number he decided against it.

"Naruto speaking." he said stifling a yawn.

"Naruto, I'm really sorry to bother you. This is Iruka speaking." The man on the other side of the phone said, the name making Naruto freeze.

"Why…why are you calling me? Where did you get this number?" Naruto asked getting up from his coach and looking around the room, as if any second now, the man would appear right in front of him.

"I'm sorry, I got your number from the registration slip you had to fill in when you visited our hospital. Anyway I'm calling about Sasuke…"

"Of course you're calling about Sasuke, but guess what, I don't care!" Naruto said in rage. All this time he was struggling to put all the memories connected with the man behind him and now they were forced on him yet again. All the guilt he's been dealing with… it's not like there was anything he could do right now! He could not change what was done.

"Sasuke committed suicide…" Iruka said with an emotionless voice.

Naruto stopped in his tracks, eyes wide opened. This was too surreal, this couldn't be.. All thoughts gone from his head, the only thing he could think about was Sasuke and how he killed himself. No, how he killed him.

"But we managed to save his life. He's still unconscious though." Iruka said after a pause.

"Why the fuck didn't you tell me that sooner!" Naruto hollered. At one moment he felt like dying and at the next he get's to know nothing really happened! Though something did happen, Sasuke tried to commit suicide and unless something is done about it, he'll undoubtedly try to do it again.

"Well, I though you didn't care about Sasuke." Iruka said in a cold voice, obviously mad that the blond hadn't visited his patient. After a moment of silence he continued.

"After searching through his room I found a letter addressed to you. I took it so that it wouldn't be read by anyone, I'll give it to you when you come here…. That is, if you'll decide to come at all." Iruka said.

"Yeah, I will come. I'll go right away." Naruto said, even though he knew that it might just be a way to lure him to the hospital.

"But I'm not promising I'll visit him." Naruto added, ending the talk.

---canvas---

"I'm sorry. I came here to get some information about Uchiha Sasuke." Naruto managed to ask while trying to catch his breath. He ran to the hospital all the way from the train station.

"I'm sorry but right now I can't give you any information. Are you related to our patient?" The women behind the desk asked while looking at her nails, obviously finding them much more interesting than the conversation she was having right now.

"Listen lady, I know about the suicidal attempt ok? I was supposed to contact doctor Iruka." Naruto said impatiently, nearly slamming his hand on the receptionist's desk.

"I'm sorry but unless you're family I cannot give you any private information nor contact you with anyone from our staff." She said finally raising her eyes to meet the gaze of the enraged blond. A moment of silence passed before Naruto decided to say something.

"Well, ok, rules are rules, I'll try to come here tomorrow then. Maybe the situation won't be so hectic by then, I mean with the whole suicidal attempt and all."

"Yes please do that sir. I'm glad we reached an understanding. Have a nice day." The girl said, pleased with her negotiating skills. She watched Naruto as he turned around and made his way towards the exit. Satisfied, she return to her exiting task of examining her nails.

Meanwhile Naruto, making sure that the girl wasn't looking anymore, quickly ducked behind the long reception desk and crawling made his way towards the nearest stairway. Checking for one last time that he wouldn't be seen, he made a short run for the staircase.

"Have a nice day my ass!" Naruto mumbled to himself trying to remember where Sasuke's room was the last time he was in the building. The first and only time. He was fairly sure Sasuke wouldn't be there anymore, he was probably transformed to some hospital wing they had here. He remembered Iruka telling him that he was still unconscious. But Naruto wasn't even sure he wanted to face Sasuke, all he knew was that there was some letter left for him, which he was intending to read.

"I'm sorry who are you and what are you doing here?" A man dressed in a white coat asked.

"I'm sorry, I'm looking for doctor Iruka." Naruto responded, startled by the sudden question.

"This is an authorized area, you have no right to be here. Who let you in?" The man kept asking. This surely wasn't good.

"I can explain…." Naruto said afraid that his effort of sneaking into the hospital will be in vain.

"Naruto? You got here quicker than I thought." Iruka said appearing out of nowhere. This was Naruto's lucky day, well maybe saying 'a lucky moment' would be more apt.

"You know him?" the man in the white coat asked, as if he didn't hear Naruto asking about Iruka a moment ago.

"Yes, I asked him to come here so no worries." Iruka waved the man off and asked Naruto to follow him. After a while Naruto started to recognize the way and he was sure that the older man was leading him to Sasuke's room. When they finally reached the place Naruto, after making sure that the raven haired man wasn't actually there, entered that small room. Nothing had really changed in the past three months. The place was still as depressive as it was back when he visited Sasuke.

"Here, you can read it." Iruka handed him the letter he had hidden in one of the pockets of his white coat.

"No one will disturb you, so you can read it here. But the important thing is for you to tell us if there was something that would explain Sasuke's current behavior. You understand that even though the letter is addressed to you and it's private, in order to prevent such things from happening again, we would like you to tell us if there was anything important written there. There might be some clues that would help us answer as to why Sasuke wanted to kill himself."

Naruto merely nodded and as soon as Iruka was out of the room, he sat on the bad and started reading.

Dear Naruto,

The days have become extremely long lately – to an unbearable degree. My existence keeps on moving lazily, with no direction. It feels like I've been put in a cage, in which I keep on looking at people. Sometimes I try to reach them, but it seems there's this grand wall separating me from them. However don't start blaming yourself for my condition for I'm not referring to this hospital. The cage I'm talking about, is a very different type of seclusion, and I've known it all my life.

You know, I've always dreamed impossible dreams… one of those dreams was to achieve beauty. I foolishly thought that, by just being in the presence of a pure person such as yourself, I would achieve beauty as well. That I would, by some unimaginable means, overcome the barred wall of mine. But how can a repugnant being be accepted among the ideal creatures? Looking back at our conversations, which were a joyful time for me, I can't escape the feeling that all my reasoning was just an inconsistent intellectualization. A mere excuse to make what I believed in, what I wanted to be the truth, at least a bit more plausible. For it seemed logical that every good aspect of this world needed a shadow to define it, and that by defining beauty, ugliness would also be integrated with it. After all, isn't it sadness that defines happiness, once broken promises that define true meaning of a friendship? Would the meaning of love even exist if it was not opposed by hate or indifference at least?

But it seems I was wrong. The world that we know, the world of 'now', is ruled only by beauty and it despises ugliness. Of course you cannot make ugliness disappear, but you can try to hide it, and that is exactly what the human kind is doing. They run away from it, try to fool themselves into believing that it doesn't exist at all, therefore I, who was born in the darkness, also become the falsity of this life. This hospital is nothing more than a great rug under which people try to hide the dust in the otherwise perfectly clean room. A huge hiding place for ugliness.

You simply need to look around you to notice how the ugly side of life has been ostracized. Our modern deities are beautiful models, singers, actors who dictate current trends. They tell you what to like or dislike, narrowing your free choice to a few simplified statements of 'yes', 'no', 'maybe'. But people are satisfied with such an existence, with an existence without ugliness. They dislike films with sad endings or books that require them to think. The world has become a place, where people believe in simple pleasures and if there's an obstacle they eliminate it. You have conflicts with your loved one? Leave them, find someone who'll 'appreciate' you more. You find going to church mundane, become an atheist but start praying on your death bed, remembering the words: Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has eternal life. In other words this world, this modern world, has become a place where beauty is worshipped egoistically. By denying it ugliness, we rupture the truly significant meaning it holds. Therefore the world has become a shrine worshipping false beauty, empty beauty. A beauty nursed on diet pills, plastic surgery, happy endings and uncomplicated day to day existence. Beauty only makes you accept things, it is ugliness which makes you question them, which makes you think.

Beauty deprived of ugliness is a truly terrifying thing, don't you agree?

Like I said, I have always dreamed impossible dreams, one of which, was to be able to be loved by you. But I'm here, behind my barred wall, and you're there, unreachable. Though at the times we were together this wall of mine seemed to transform into a thin glass and I had the feeling that, if I just stretch my arms a little further, just a little further, I'll be able to touch you. But I am not a part of this world and you saw it – I don't blame you for that.

This world belongs to beauty, it belongs to you, so make the best out of it. But before I part from this place, finally being able to leave my cage, I'll tell you one last thing. I want you to be aware that, in my eyes, your's… is the true beauty…You're not false, you're real… and your beauty as well, holds a meaning to it.

Sasuke

Naruto put the letter into his pocket and with shaky steps left the room. He knew what he had to do. Actually he knew it from a long time, but was too much of a coward to realize it. He ignored the shouts of an enraged receptionists as he walked right past her and left the hospital. The sun was already setting, but he could still spot it from behind the large buildings. The vivid, orange rays giving life to the tones of gray the city usually wore.

---canvas----

- 10 days later –

"Please bring forward the man in question." The jury bellowed and one of the policemen went out of the court room. A few seconds later he returned, leading a very confused Sasuke to one of the front benches, reserved for case witnesses. He was still wearing some bandages over his now handcuffed wrists – the remains from his suicidal attempt. Judging from his confused look, he had no idea why he was called to the court again.

Finally their eyes met, Sasuke spotting Naruto on the prosecutor's side. This time was different though, this time Naruto tried to maintain the eye contact, having enough of acting like a coward. It all only added to Sasuke's growing confusion.

Naruto felt relieved in a way. For the past three months everything connected with the man seemed like a persistent shadow, following him wherever he went. The more he tried to get rid of it, the more memories of the time they spent together returned with twice the force. But even though those weren't only good ones, they all made him feel self conscious, causing a dark entity to lodge itself in the pit of his stomach and grow every time he thought of Sasuke. And at every such time, this entity made him feel sick, causing a nauseous feeling.

Most of all he felt guilty. By being scared of what was unknown to him, he sentenced an innocent man and then, being the coward he was, when he saw what he did, he just ran away terrified. But running never solves anything. He kept running every single day, subconsciously thinking that one day, he'll run far enough to actually forget. But every time he started running, he realized that he'd return to the same place, all the time running in circles. That is why this time he had to undo everything that he messed up, even if it meant that, the story he is about to tell will be a little distorted.

"Uzumaki Naruto, you filed a case against present on this courtroom detective Hatake Kakashi and the head of Akatsuki corporation."

"That's right." Naruto said standing up.

"As far as I remember a few months earlier you were the key witness in the trial against present here Uchiha Sasuke. The case was closed but by your personal claim we reopened it, so I really hope you have something relevant to say." The judge said measuring the blond. This didn't surprise Naruto since he was the one accusing the most important businessman in the whole of Japan and the most prestigious detective there was. He would be stupid if he hadn't though it through before filing any accusations against said men.

"Yes Your Honor, I realize it. But I really have something important to say, something that will shed light on what had really happened." Naruto said, trying to calm himself down. Making speeches was never one of his talents. The only good thing was that he hadn't told anything about the case to his friends, not even his father. Knowing media, however, they will all know about the trial as soon as tomorrow.

"Well then we all are very curious us to what you are going to say Mr. Uzumaki." The judge said and looked curiously at the blond.

"First of all I want to confess that my previous statement, the one from the trial which took place over three months ago, was a lie. Sasuke never really held me at his place against my will nor did he abuse me in any way, be it mentally or physically. What's more, the illegal dealings he had been accused of were simply a trap set by the Akatsuki corporation."

"Objection! Your honor, this is absurd. This kid appears out of nowhere and starts accusing my company? In my opinion…."

"But thankfully it's a court room and it's my opinion that counts here. So if you interfere in this trial once again, you may be punished with temporary arrest. Is that understood?" the judge asked raising her voice.

"…yes." The man replied albeit reluctantly.

"Now Mr. Uzumaki I must say this is unheard of. Not only did you just admit that you lied to the court the last time you testified, but you also change your statement completely. Why is that?" the judge asked, her temper rising slowly.

"I'm very sorry Your Honor. I realize it was against law to lie in a court room, but at that time I felt like I had no other choice… because… because I was being threatened by Mr. Hatake and the president of the Akatsuki company."

"Now that is an utter lie!" this time it was Hatake Kakashi who interrupted the trial.

"Mr. Kakashi, I though that as a detective you should know better. Am I to reprimand your behavior as well?" The judge asked irritated.

"No, of course not, I'm sorry." The detective excused himself.

"Now." She said turning to the blond. "Mr. Uzumaki when did this supposed threatening started?"

"Actually it happened just once, not long before the trial. Mr. Hatake, dressed as one of the staff from Sasuke's mansion, went into my room. He then said that unless I testify against Sasuke on the trial, they will hurt my father and my friends. Listening to Mr. Hatake I got really scared because I realized just how many information about me they had. I was afraid to tell anyone that I was being blackmailed, but Sasuke can confirm that Mr. Hatake actually entered my room on said day." Naruto said.

"Is it true Mr. Uchiha?" the judge asked. There was a moment of silence where all eyes fell on the man in question. Naruto looked at Sasuke with hopeful eyes. Actually the only loophole in his plan was Sasuke. He couldn't have contacted him earlier because all the rooms in the mental hospital were constantly monitored. He knew that if he had talked to Sasuke about it, Akatsuki's attorney would certainly find out sooner or later. That is why the only thing that was left to do, was to hope that the sane, logical Sasuke will decide to cooperate with him. After all it was for his sake that Naruto was lying. Besides Sasuke really did walk in on the detective talking to him.

"Yes…." Sasuke finally said, with a bit of reluctance in his voice. "Now that you mention it, I do remember meeting the man in the mansion. I noticed how tense both of them had been when I walked in, but in the end I didn't question it any further." Sasuke said according to the truth.

"May I say something Your Honor?" the detective rose in his seat.

"Yes you may." The judge said looking more and more skeptically at the man.

"It is true I came there at that time, I'm not denying it. But I never threatened Mr. Uzumaki. I don't know why he's making up such lucid stories right now. What I came there for, was to convince him to testify against Sasuke, this much is true. But I knew that he was being held against his will in the mansion and that he wanted the man convicted just as much as we all did."

"Do any of you have evidence for your claims?" The judge asked, silence being the only answer. "Then we have no way of telling what was the actual topic of the conversation you had. Without substantial evidence there is nothing I can do."

"That is exactly what I though as well, therefore for the sake of my family and friends I decided to testify against Sasuke. Of course I felt horrible about lying but at that time it seemed the only reasonable solution. Besides, naively enough, I never thought this would have such far reaching consequences. I didn't know they'd connect the case with some faked accusation of illegal dealings in Sasuke's company." Naruto said.

"And how would you possibly know that those accusation were fake!" the president of Akatsuki corporation yelled, but before the judge had any time to react, Naruto answered.

"The same way I got to know that Mr. Hatake and you were in on this together. When I came back to the mansion after the trial to collect some of my things I left there, I heard an interesting conversation. It was Mr. Hatake and the Akatsuki president talking about how the case was a scam from the very beginning and how thanks to it, the Uchiha corp. will soon be merged with Akatsuki corp. Mr. Hatake also mentioned that for his job he was to receive a large amount of money on his bank account." Naruto explained in detail.

"And who would believe something such a brat says." The boss spat angrily.

"Well actually." This time it was Naruto's attorney speaking up. "We checked the information Naruto had given us. The police confirms that Mr. Hatake received a large amount of money on his bank account. In addition we also discovered that a lot of cases that Mr. Hatake solved in the past also ended in large amount of money being send to his account." The man said making Kakashi pale visibly. "Furthermore we double checked Akatsuki's dealings and in fact it seems that taking over Sasuke's company had been their goal from the very beginning. Those so called illegal dealings with Sabaku Company where in fact a scam. We even have a former employee of Sabaku who can confirm it. " As soon as the man ended his explanations, the court room fell into chaos.

"Order, order in the court." The judge yelled while hitting the hammer. Finally, when all the outraged voices quieted down a little, she said.

"Under such compelling evidence I am forced to change my previous verdict. Also there will be two new cases set against Mr. Hatake Kakashi and Akatsuki Corporation. However, before giving my final judgment in favor of Uchiha Sasuke there is one last thing I have to ask." The judge said making both Sasuke and Naruto freeze.

"Why, if you haven't forced Naruto to stay in your mansion against his will nor harmed him in any way, didn't you object to what he testified during the last court meeting?" The judge asked skeptically, while Sasuke just kept staring at her. After a long moment of silence it was Naruto who stood up.

"You Honor, I believe I know the answer." Naruto said, while Sasuke looked quizzically at him.

"Well then go on, tell us." The judge insisted.

"But the thing is, I really wouldn't like this information to go into public. Is it possible for me to tell it only to Your Honor?" Naruto asked earning a few dissatisfied looks.

"I object, if this is relevant to the case, we have the right to know." Akatsuki's attorney said.

"Well actually, there is this paragraph about protection of private information, so if I agree that it falls under that paragraph I will not reveal it to the public. However, our secretary who takes notes of everything that happens in this court room will also have to know your reason and write it down because I cannot be the only one that knows this matter for it may be seen as subjective. Don't worry though, the written account of this trial won't be seen by anybody unless the case will be reopened, which I highly doubt it will. So do you agree to such terms?" she asked and Naruto only bowed his head in understanding.

He then walked up close to the judge, all microphones turned off, and with the secretary as the only witness, began explaining something to the judge in a whisper. During the explanation the judge kept looking at Sasuke with a very incredulous look. When finally Naruto finished, the woman fell into silence. Sasuke was observing her and for a moment he could swear that he saw some kind of mirth in the judge's eyes.

"I accept the explanation and I will not reveal it as it is a private matter. I therefore close this case and announce that Uchiha Sasuke is to be set free, all charges dropped!"

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For a long time Naruto tried to fool himself. He tried to go back to his normal life he had been so fond of before knowing the dark haired man. Was it like this for everyone? Does everyone think they are satisfied just because they don't know the true definition of experiencing life with all of their senses? Thinking about it, Naruto concluded that people indeed had five basic senses. The touch, smell, sight, taste and hearing all created to allow us outer perception, to allow people to experience the world. Lately, however, Naruto concluded there was also this one sense that, unless people knew about it, they could go on living happily without it. But once it is revealed to them, nothing will satisfy them anymore. Naruto was no great philosopher, he didn't know how to name that extra sense and he guessed that perhaps for everyone, this sense differed. He knew, however, that in his case, this sense was simply Sasuke. Because once he got to know that sense, nothing he came to percept was the same, it always had this second, hidden meaning to it. And even though he hated to admit it, he needed Sasuke in a way, because without him, everything just seemed so black and white, devoid of true emotion.

He finally saw the man being escorted out of the courthouse. Clad in some everyday clothes he walked out of the building, looking very out of place. Once the rays of the setting sun hit his face, he raised one of his hands to give some shadow to his light sensitive eyes. Staying for a long time in a closed room could do that to a person. He then made a few uncertain strides and stopped, looking left and right as if not knowing what to do from then on. He finally looked forward spotting Naruto sitting on one of the benches in a small park situated in front of the building. For a while he just kept looking at the blond, as if not knowing whether to approach him or not. Finally with uneven strides, very much unlike him, he crossed the busy street and went into the park. Reaching the bench he sat beside Naruto.

As they were both looking somewhere far ahead, both lost in their thoughts, people kept walking up and down the nearby street while the sun was slowly setting. The world kept moving as they watched it. Suddenly though with a loud heave of breath Naruto sprung onto his feet, becoming a part of the process of movement.

"Well I suppose we should head home." He said as if to no one in particular and started moving ahead, arms raised high, fingers entangled together behind his head. It was only after stopping and looking poignantly at the man who was left behind, did Sasuke realize, a bit startled, that the blond was talking to him.

"Obviously I know that your mansion is way better than my crappy apartment, but it seems it will take some time till you gain it's ownership back and until then I'm kindly offering you a place, so don't be ungrateful!" Naruto said looking at the people rushing down the street, still finding it hard to look straight into Sasuke's eyes.

"Why are you doing this?" Sasuke asked unmoving.

Great, it seemed that at such a moment the man decided to be logical and ask the question Naruto most feared to answer. With a heavy sigh he turned to the man still sitting on the bench and looked into those piercing, black eyes.

"Cause I realized I'm just a pawn, ok? And I believe I can do better, maybe not a king but how about a horse? I think they're cool too! Yeah I definitely have the potential to be a horse!"

"Naruto… what are you talking about?" Sasuke asked furrowing his brows. Suddenly the blond started laughing loudly, startling Sasuke and all the passersby in the process.

"Now I find it a bit problematic, that even a crazy guy can't understand what I'm saying." He said still laughing slightly.

At first Sasuke looked at him almost angrily, most likely not finding the blond's sense humor funny. After a while though he smiled slightly as well, or as close to a smile as he could get.

"I suppose." Sasuke said in a faraway voice, looking at the ground.

"And I guess you did mention something about some walls needing to be brought down." Naruto said in an offhanded manner scratching one of his cheeks, on which the whisker marks Sasuke once gave him were still present. "If you were to ask me, I don't see any walls here, but in case you spot one, just let me know, there's not a wall that would defy my awesomeness!" Naruto said, with a determined look, pointing somewhere high up in the sky. He knew he was acting a bit childish for such a situation, but the fact was that he still didn't know how to act around the taller man and until he'll know how to do it, he's just gonna try his best. That is why he found the courage in himself and with determined strides he walked up to Sasuke and, grabbing his hand, he pulled him a bit forcefully, causing the startled man to stand up. Now they both became a part of the process of movement, just like everyone else was.

Not saying a word they kept walking in the direction of Naruto's apartment, Sasuke a few steps behind Naruto. The blond was not stupid, he knew it won't be easy to understand Sasuke. He also knew about the darkness that resided in the taller man, which from time to time would surface. Sasuke had his moments of logic, ones in which he'd be just like everyone else, but there were also those times when he would even become dangerous. Naruto fully realized the fact that Sasuke was not mentally stable, but he also knew that he was not insane, which for him was enough to try and make it work. Sasuke was different, but in Naruto's opinion it was this difference that made him beautiful. However, before he admits that to the man, there is still a long way in front of them. It'll probably be a path of mistakes and errors, but he'll get there, he was sure of it. They both will.

"I was meaning to ask…." Sasuke said breaking the silence. "What did you say to the judge at the end?"

The taller man was now walking right beside the blond. Naruto looked at Sasuke, his bright, blue eyes filled with mischievousness.

"Well, obviously I told her the truth."

"… which was?" Sasuke said mildly irritated.

"Of course I said that you are madly in love with me and that you were so shaken by the fact that I would testify against you that a mere thing like fighting for your own rights didn't occur to you at the time." He said laughing lightly and to his amazement, even Sasuke found it amusing, smiling a bit.

---

"…..But… it actually was the truth." Sasuke commented offhandedly.

"…I know."

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AN. I've got to warn you that there's only going to be one more chapter! Anyway hope you liked it and sorry for my poor English . Oh and please leave a comment… show that you're not a pawn! ^^

Ps. As some of you might have noticed, I edited a little part of this chapter about women getting emotional. Actually this was meant only as a joke and I wasn't really being serious, but seeing as some people got offended (even though hey, I'm a woman too, but what the hell) I decided to edit it…