Naruto the Last | Sasunaru Version

Naruto slurped ramen as the two rested in a cave. The cave appeared to be an old hideout, with several pillars creating a small, spacious area in the middle. Tiny, corridor-like openings acted as rooms, providing access to the jugs of water at either end of the room.

"So good!" Naruto loudly exclaimed as he put down his empty ramen cup before standing up and walking towards the exit.

"Where're ya going?" Sasuke asked, slurping down his favorite tomato soup. He usually ate his home-cooked meals, but today, he was eating from a can he warmed up over the small flame they made.

"Oh, nature's calling!" Naruto exclaimed before running straight into a spider web. "Ahh!" He yelled, running around the room before crashing down the stairs.

Sasuke clicked his tongue and shook his head as he walked down the stairs toward Naruto, an amused smile on his lips. "You alright, loser?" He asked, leaning over Naruto, who was holding his head on the ground.

"Ugh, another spider web!" he said, disgusted, pulling the web off his forehead. Nah, now my back hurts," he complained as he sat up.

"I think I should have some ointment in my bag. Hinata practically begged me to take it before." Sasuke said with a mocking tone, unconsciously bad-mouthing Hinata.

"She's a sweet girl, huh?" Naruto smiled as he took the ointment out of Sasuke's bag.

"Yeah..." Sasuke slowly agreed.

Sasuke quietly laughed as Naruto struggled to reach his back. "Here, I've got it," He said, taking the ointment away from Naruto.

He opened the bottle and scooped some onto his hands before lifting Naruto's shirt and gently applying it to his back.

"Thanks a lot," Naruto said with appreciation, looking behind him at Sasuke and pulling down his shirt.

Sasuke smiled, gazing at a wall before frowning, lost in thought.

"What's the matter?" Naruto asked worriedly.

"While we're here, who knows what she's doing to those poor villagers..." Sasuke said with a hint of melancholy, looking down.

"Sasuke, don't worry. I'm sure we'll find them!" Naruto reassured, placing a hand on Sasuke's shoulder.

"This is all my fault!" Sasuke yelled, causing Naruto to flinch.

"How is this your fault?" Naruto asked seriously.

"If it were you, you would've caught that girl in less than a second while I didn't do anything. I don't even deserve to be a free man right now! I deserve to be rotting in a cell for what I did! I bet those villagers don't even trust me, and now they'll trust me even less!" Sasuke erupted, tears rolling down his face. "I guess that's good; I'm not trustworthy anyway."

Despite the warmth he felt with Naruto, he didn't feel he deserved it. He had done so much wrong in the past, especially to the village and its people. At one point, he had wanted to kill all those poor villagers.

"Oh, Sasuke..." Naruto wiped a tear from Sasuke's eye before pulling him into a reassuring hug. "Don't worry, I'm sure we'll find them."

"Yeah, thanks," Sasuke said, pulling back and looking away, sniffling. "We should go and find the others." He stood up, thinking back to what Tonari's puppet had said to him when she appeared in that cave. If she listened to what she said, she might release the hostages. Sasuke would be able to do one good thing in his entire life.

"Sasuke, don't worry, I'm sure-" Naruto was cut off when someone spoke through a window beside the two.

"Oh, there you are!" Sai exclaimed. "We found something; Hinata's checking it out. Come one!"

Naruto and Sasuke looked at each other before following Sai outside.