A/N: This is an interpretation of the SasuSaku-part of chapter 699. Probably more than one week passed before this happened, but in this storyline I wanted it to be a short time. I really wanted to write their thoughts and feelings, but using the exact same words as they did in the manga. I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Reviews would be really appreciated.
Big thanks for my usual beta reader to correct it.
A week had passed by now and everyone returned to their original villages, rebuilding them if they received any damage and taking care of every shinobi that was still hurt and in pain. Beside the fact that everyone was still worn out and restless, the world seemed to be back to normal, like nothing happened. The war was an unspoken truth, most people tried to forget. The only ones talking about it now were the ones in charge of planning the future and discussing things regarding that matter.
This week was way too short for team seven. Kakashi became the sixth Hokage in quite a rush, because he was announced once before already and Tsunade was just exhausted and tired of this life. Even if she looked young and strong, she was over fifty years old already and she wanted to spend the rest of her life differently. Naruto just got an arm-prosthesis in the morning to be able to use both hands again. Sakura helped out in the hospital to heal the wounded people, because they lacked manpower. Sasuke just rested the entire week to think about everything that had happened the entire time he was alive and started to plan his future. By now there was a new goal he had and which he wanted to work on.
In the afternoon Kakashi, Sakura and Sasuke met at the gates of Konoha, because the raven haired teenager declared to leave the village for a long time. Naruto wasn't among them and Sasuke thought, he wouldn't come at all to say goodbye.
Kakashi was the first to speak, his words were serious and brief, his eyes determined and honest, just like the words he had to tell his former student.
"…Well, I'll be honest with you. Under normal circumstances, you'd be imprisoned for life. But the only reason you've been pardoned is because of your assistance in undoing the Mugen-Tsukuyomi Jutsu. Try not to forget, however. That all this is thanks to Naruto. He is the hero of this war and well…I did put in a few comments as the sixth Hokage. So take it easy and don't go crazy on me again…It'll be my head they'll take this time." Their former teacher said.
Sakura looked at Sasuke with a lost gaze, which showed the pain in her eyes. She didn't want to lose him again without knowing when he would come back. He finally chose a new path and even apologized to her. This young man standing over there was not the one who left her unconscious on the bench. Right now she had no idea where their relationship might head, but she wanted to figure it out with him. But this chance was denied the moment he told them he would go on a journey.
Meanwhile Sasuke answered Kakashi: "Yeah…Sorry."
He apologized quite often these days and it was a surprise for everyone else except Naruto, who knew him best of all people. The young female swallowed hard, before she looked into his eyes to ask him: "You're leaving already? Tsunade-sama's just about to complete your prosthetic hand from Hashirama-sama's cells…"
What she meant to say was: 'Please don't go. You have been through so much by now. You deserve rest, peace and…love. I will give it all to you, if you just stay. I will make your life joyful and exciting. I want to be with you forever. You once said, you want to restore your clan. I will help you with that. Just…Don't go again. I won't be able to see this scene once more. All the years we were searching for you, doing everything we could. So don't do this.'
But she couldn't say it. It was too painful and she had the feeling that if she repeated her mistake from years ago, he might change back into old habits and call her annoying.
"I…I need to see it for myself. How the world looks." Sasuke answered.
Did he just pause at the start? What did that mean? Both of them wondered about it, actually. Her heart skipped a beat and she saw a glimpse of hope to tag along with him. He on the other hand realized that a part of him he didn't know until then, wanted to stay and be by her side. But since he really wanted to see the world after his heart was free from the darkness inside it, he had to explain so she would let him go.
"All those things I've overlooked, I have a feeling I'd be able to see them better now…And if I miss this chance…I don't think another will come. Plus there're a few things that have been bothering me." He explained.
His explanation had good points, but he hesitated while speaking. Why did he do so? Why was she so damn sweet in front of him, still worrying about him after the pain he caused her? Why was she still in love with him? He had no idea and it irritated him, although he was happy about this deep down in his lonely heart, somehow.
She noticed his hesitation and her hopes got higher. Now she would put everything on one card and hope that he would accept her to come along, her feelings, her herself.
Embarrassed she looked away to avoid his intense gaze, while her cheeks turned a dark shade of red. This was the one and only way to ask him directly as she did: "What…if I told you…that…I'd like…to come…too?" Her voice was shaking while she asked, because she put all of her courage into this question.
He didn't answer right away, which tensed up the atmosphere even more. It was unbearable for her to wait any longer, so she slowly lifted up her eyes to meet his gaze. When they looked into each other's eyes for a moment of silence, he suddenly closed his.
"It's my road of redemption. You have nothing to do with my sins." He answered calmly, the hesitation from before was entirely gone. He knew he sounded cold-hearted again, but that was the truth, although not all of it. What he couldn't say to her, especially not with Kakashi around, was 'You didn't even harm Karin when I asked you to. You are a good person and untainted. I want you to stay this way. Heck, I want you to give this innocence to our children one day. And I would be worried about you even with your strength. You are still a woman and you shouldn't travel around with someone like me, before I redeem myself. Besides I wouldn't be able to focus on that part, if you were around. At the end of the day I'm just a man who has needs, which I figured out in the last week. So you better wait until I come back and then I will screw you so much that you will be glad you didn't go with me.'
She on the other hand thought something entirely different, since she was not able to read his mind but only listen to his words: 'I'm still a bother to you, aren't I? You accept me as a person but you are not ready to accept my feelings. I wish you would be able to do so soon. I want to be with you, take care of you, watch over you.'
Her answer in defeat was simply: "Nothing to do…you say…" Her head dropped in frustration and sadness. She had no idea what to say or do to change his mind. And she knew that she couldn't push any further. They weren't kids anymore and she would accept his answer, even though it was depressing.
Suddenly his feet appeared on the ground in her field of vision and surprised and somehow perplexed her, she raised her head up as she flushed slightly out of nervousness. As soon as she did, she felt a tap on her forehead, the part of herself she hated since kindergarten.
'Why are you doing this? What is the meaning of this? Why do you give me so much hope with such a simple gesture? Why can't my heart stop racing now? Sasuke-kun, please don't go. I want to hold you so badly right now.'
"I'll see you soon." He answered softly with a hint of a smile, but his own mind was working busily too.
'I can't just go over and hug her with one arm – that would be so odd. And Kakashi is still standing there instead of giving us some privacy, too. So I'll just show her the special treatment my brother used on me in the past. This way he won't know about the real meaning and Sakura will understand it sooner or later by herself, since she is clever enough to figure it out. I should add the sentence which I said back then to make sure she is special to me, just like she always was since we became a team and I saw more in her than another stupid fangirl.'
"Thank you." He added in a sincere tone.
Her blush got worse and she looked at him even more surprised. Those words were so familiar and she had repeated them all over the years when she was in despair. They used to give her courage and kept her believing in him the years of his absence. And hearing them now and in this very moment along with that gentle tap made her realize that she was special to him and not just now but back then too.
Without any further words he turned around to leave.
'I'll miss you.' She thought while screaming those words in her mind desperately.
'Please wait for me to return.' He thought at the same time, forcing himself to not look back or he would grab her hand to pull her with him.
'I always loved you and I always will. You are the love of my life.' She told him in her heart.
'Finally I realize how much I needed you all those years and what you have done for me to keep me sane and happy, while I was still around. You never gave up on me, even when you wanted to eliminate me, after I decided to kill our home town.' He thought meanwhile.
'Please come back safe and healthy…and I would be happy to hear from you from time to time.' She told him through thoughts.
'Don't date anyone but me. I want you to be my wife one day, who will bear my children.' He begged mentally. She was the perfect woman for him to build a new family with, one that he would treasure and protect.
As his figure got smaller and she still stood there with her teacher, her last thought towards him was: 'I love you.'
Just before he could see Naruto standing at the beginning of the forest, he thought: 'I love you.'