Full Summary:

Naruto: It was inevitable to be banned from Konoha, for the seal to break, for the truth and secrets to be learned, for him to hide. He had anticipated it all. It was even inevitable for him to change, what with all the knowledge and power he had come to possess. With a lot of things going on, he knew he shouldn't be around people, shouldn't be seen, and most of all, shouldn't be distracted. But he really didn't expect Sasuke to enter his life again, and for the feelings he desperately hid to resurface. Now with the bastard avenger around him, his secrets were threatened to be revealed. And one of those secrets just happened to be his undying attraction that started way, way before.

Sasuke: Sasuke loathes things he doesn't understand with a passion. So when he came across that Dobe after all those years, and a group of butterflies attacked his inner gut with violent flaps of their wings, he saw red. After all, everything he labels as unknown, he deals with anger. That was, until Naruto collapsed in his arms, shaking with tremors. He blamed it all to curiosity, after all, why would he hang around other than to know exactly what was going on? Unfortunately or fortunately for him, he discovered more. It just so happened that along with those discoveries, he also discovered what those bubbles in his stomach are.

Warning:

Sasuke x Naruto relationship

Multiple pairings. OOC & OCs

Mature content for later chapters. Possible Yaoi.

Prologue:

"Uzumaki Naruto, due to traces of the seal deteriorating, you are hereby banned from Konoha under the unanimous decision of Konoha Council. You are to gather your valuables and leave tomorrow morning without giving away of the Council's decision to any of your acquaintances." A cold and weary voice of an old female sliced throughout the silence of the meeting room followed by a loud sound of pounding gavel.

Naruto held his head low, feeling nothing. He supposed he always knew it, that one day, he would have to leave the village that he and his family protected – the village that his mom and dad and even that pervy old man Jiraiya died to protect. He guessed that 'one day' was today.

From a distance, he could hear arguments. He could hear it as if he was inside his mind where the darkness reigned much like where Kyuubi was confined, peering to the outside world from a huge and wide window. That sharp tongue and strong voice, he knew that well, it was Tsunade. She must be fighting the Council to keep him here. Warmth swelled inside him though just for a second. He supposed he should feel grateful for Tsunade for trying to stall and hopefully reverse the inevitable.

Smile. Smile and tell her it's okay.

He told himself that he should smile at a time like this. He should smile to Tsunade to make her feel alright and lessen the helplessness that she was sure to be feeling. But no matter how many times he told himself to do it, his own voice ordering him to smile sounded so weak and as if coming from a distance.

The muscles in his face felt so heavy and frozen to the spot, he couldn't move it. Silly, really. He just had to move his face muscle a little and a smile would break out – like what he had been doing all his life. But why did it feel like a lead now? He couldn't even look up to see the faces of his condemner nor see how hard Baa-chan was fighting for him.

He should have been nervous. Why not, when he didn't have anywhere else to go? He didn't even know what he was supposed to do from now on. Strangely though, he felt eerily calm. He wasn't panicking inside, or maybe he was just so tired.

Somehow, he found the strength to finally look up. Tsunade was standing now, spitting lightly as she roared. Her face crumpled in a dangerous frown, her eyes glaring. Naruto wanted to smile, he really did, but failed to do so. They were still arguing, Tsunade countering every card the Council turned.

But he was tired of this.

He took a mouthful of air and decided to stop all of this nonsense now.

"Tsunade."

Naruto was surprised his voice didn't waver. He was even more surprised when in that instant, silence reigned over like a splash of cold water. Blue eyes found Tsunade's honey brown, and hopefully, the tenseness of muscle he felt on his face was indication of a small smile. "It's enough."

She looked shocked and broken, he noted, but couldn't find it in him to really care. His mouth muttered an automatic apology, empty and cold. Through the years, it had become a reflex when he made someone upset. Times it was heartfelt, other times it was just a word.

He could feel his feet starting to carry him out of that place.

"Wait! Naruto! You don't have to go! Just wait a bit and I'll clear things up. Please!" Tsunade sounded so desperate that Naruto stopped and turned to look at her. Truthfully, Tsunade was a very proud lady. Hearing her plead so sincerely was something to be shaken about. They always argued over such little things, but at times like this, Tsunade never failed to make him feel he was cared for. And he will always be forever grateful.

Finally, he found the strength and courage to honestly smile at her, albeit small. "Don't worry. It's fine now." And off he went again. As he walked out, he could hear Tsunade calling out his name. Voices grew faint as he walked a little more distance until finally, he couldn't hear them anymore.

…

Naruto found himself sitting on top of the Hokage Mountain, particularly at the head of his father. This place used to be his sanctuary whenever something big happened around him. He would hide here as a kid when the villagers hunted him down. How long had it been since he stopped coming here? Busy missions didn't leave him enough time to go and whine about to his dad. Most of the villagers also had accepted him as he was. So really, he didn't have to come and hide here before now.

"Hey dad. It's been a long time since I last went here, isn't it?" As usual, silence answered his whines. It was times like this that he couldn't help but wish that his dad was still alive, or that he could at least talk to him again with that seal like before. Anything, just so he could talk to him again. And his mom, what would he give just to hear his mom's I love you again.

"Sorry dad. Looks like I won't be able to protect the village anymore," he laughed. "You see, the Council doesn't want me here any longer and is kicking me out. They said the seal is beginning to deteriorate. I have become a big threat to them now. I have to get out of here to avoid endangering everyone. You don't have to worry though, dad. 'Cause I understand. I'm your son after all! Isn't going sort of like protecting them in a different way?"

A soft sigh escaped his lips. Somehow, he didn't feel right about what he said at all. He should be feeling good knowing that he'd be able to still protect the village by being far off. But a small hole made its way to his chest just like that. An empty space. How long had it been since he last felt like this? He had been aware of such emptiness inside of him since he was young, but lately, there were people out there who taught him how to feel different emotions. Now it had come back with full force.

Seems like it wasn't that long when he would declare that he'd be Hokage and people would acknowledge him. At least he accomplished half of his dream. "I guess I won't be able to be Hokage now. Don't be disappointed in me, okay, dad? Well, wherever I might end up, I hope you'd still watch over me."

After gathering his stuff and sealing it in a scroll, Naruto started to head out. Even if the Council told him to leave by morning, he couldn't have it in him to actually wait patiently for the time. That would feel like waiting dreadfully for the sickle hanging above his head to actually pass through his neck.

On his way, he passed by Sakura's house. He wondered what the girl would do once she finds out that he was gone. He knew she didn't like him at first, but she opened up gradually. She wouldn't say that she was his best friend because only one person can be the best of friends and he already had one. Maybe she was her closest friend, that one that came next to the best friend. Well, he supposed she'd be upset when she finds out. The council might even tell a very believable lie to his friends so no one would try to find him.

No one would be there for him anymore.

Heh. Just like old times.

He looked up to see the dark window of Sakura's room. The Council was being mean to him, not being able to say goodbye to his friends. Did they want them to hate him before they announce that he's dead? Or would they tell them that he had betrayed them all and so they had to kill him? Either way, they really made it sure that no one would be able to be by his side.

"I'm sorry, Sakura," he whispered, silently hoping the wind would find its way to bring his words to Sakura's ear though he knew it was impossible. He couldn't even have the luxury of hoping that he could one day explain to Sakura what had really happened this night. After all, he wouldn't be coming back here anymore; and the chances of them meeting outside the village were pretty close to none. He had to stay hidden from everyone, not taking the chance to endanger someone when his seal finally lets up or be caught by the enemies and use him.

He put a move on his feet, all the while thinking where to go from now on. He had quite a savings from all of his missions. And his mom and dad had left him quite a lot, though no one knew except for Sandaime-jiji, and he kept them to safety. When one was constantly travelling with a perverted sage, one would have to learn how to hide his money. Especially if he didn't want to put it in use for perverted ways. Besides, he couldn't even spend it anyway that time since no one was willing to sell him anything.

During his missions outside Konoha, he had encountered a lot of people. Maybe he'd visit one of them and ask for help first, though that idea was dismissed as quickly as it came. Right. He was supposed to disappear. Meeting with people he once knew would mean they'd be put into danger - literally (with Kyuubi) and politically (with Konoha). Really, his existence alone was a threat to people.

A glint from a distance caught his eye. It was the reflection of the moon from the river. If he wasn't that much of an empty shell that moment, he might have laughed from the irony of life. Right then, he felt like someone from up there was taunting him while having a good laugh. Who would have thought, from so many places his feet would carry him, he ended up at the bridge where the Team Seven used to meet. The same bridge where he saw the small Sasuke brooding alone when he was seven.

"I'd bring you back home, Sasuke," was what he used to say over and over.

How would he do that now that even he couldn't go back to Konoha? Once he and Sasuke meet again outside of the gate walls, he wondered if Sasuke would laugh at the pathetic state he had become. Knowing him, that bastard would surely laugh at his face and preach that nothing good came out from his self-righteousness. Then, Naruto wouldn't have anything to counter Sasuke, because by then, he wouldn't have the right to lecture Sasuke anymore.

Right now, he didn't even have the right to even think of bringing Sasuke home. Because, really, how would he do that when he just lost his home?

But he understood. Of course he understood. He's Uzumaki Naruto, he was supposed to understand, he was supposed to protect the people of Konoha. And by leaving, he would put the village out of the danger named Kyuubi. He's the son of the Fourth Hokage and he was supposed to follow his steps, even if him being the son of the Yondaime was a secret.

The Council expected him to up and go once they had decided. They expected him to quietly suck everything up and obediently obey their words because he's a ninja, and the village comes first.

So, he did just that. He started walking out of Konoha, out of everyone's life. With a final glance at the Konoha Gates, he wondered why he was feeling so lost and empty when he was doing the right thing to do. Shouldn't he be determined to follow orders like before? So then, why, when he was doing what was best for all of them, did he feel so cheated and abandoned?

No answer found its way to him, and he didn't expect anyone to give him what he wanted. How could anyone tell him why he was feeling this way when he didn't have anyone anymore? But then, out of nowhere, he heard his answer from the most unexpected source.

"Because you don't want to follow orders. You just want a home."

He instantly agreed with a single track of wetness running down his cheek.