Naruto aimlessly makes his way through the throngs of shinobi crowded into the Hokage's rooms, congratulations shouted at him from all directions. Occasionally he comes across a familiar face- sparkling emerald eyes before the person throws herself at him in a gleeful hug; pale lavender, stutter and blush long gone, replaced with a gentle smile; yawning mouth and spiky hair, calling out a 'good for you' before continuing on his way to the food. A one-eyed smile, evident as he looks upon his former student. The dog-lover, passed out already, his enormous white canine companion right next to him. The one he has affectionately dubbed Bug Boy, rather intoxicated himself, occasionally letting out an insect or two and scaring the crap out of the other blue-eyed blonde at the party. The one everyone counts on to devour the food, in whose honor double the normal amount had been served. Brown hair, let out of its usual buns, next to more, albeit longer, hair of the same color. Both wave and smile. The woman he calls grandma, who in return thinks of him as her grandson; the white-haired sage at her side. His first teacher, happily chatting with Konoha's #2 hyperactive, knuckleheaded ninja and his teammates. They are all here, his friends, loved ones, precious people happy and laughing because he has finally done what they all knew he would do. They would have no one else as their Hokage.
They are all here to celebrate his dream come true. All except one.
Naruto steps outside, nods to Genma and Raidou and various other shinobi. He walks along, paying no attention to his surroundings. He leaps up, up, and finds himself on top of the Hokage monument, where a new face, a whiskered face so like that of one of his predecessors has been carved. He sits, and thinks. Sighs.
This was his purpose. This was what had kept him going, had fueled his fire, had hardened his will to the point where giving up was never an option. He would not die before he achieved his dream- he made sure of it. He would fight, grow, become stronger and better, gain friendship and respect, however grudgingly given, until he did it. He would continue even then, so he could protect his village from the worst of attacks, so that his precious people would never have to suffer. It was all he wanted, and he felt that once he did it - and he knew he would - it would complete him, make him happier than ever. He would live his life from then on in peace, among his loved ones, having done what he most wanted to do.
But somewhere along the way, his dream his simple wish became more.
It's all that bastard's fault, Naruto thinks. If it weren't for him, I'd be perfectly happy being Hokage and celebrating it with my friends and the rest of the village. But no, he had to go and desert us, foil all my attempts at bringing him back- actually, it's his fault for making me want to bring him back. If I didn't want to, I wouldn't mind him not being here. If I didn't want to, I would be perfectly happy. But, I guess I can't blame him for being himself (although, how being an impassive bastard made me want to bring him back is beyond me). And I guess I can't blame him for my falling in love with him.
"Tch." Naruto shakes his head exasperatedly. "I wish I could hate him. I should hate him."
He sighs.
"But I can't."
"Hate who, dobe?"
Naruto freezes. He hears the familiar voice, feels the familiar smirk on his back. He almost doesn't dare turn around, doesn't want to know that maybe he's just hearing things. Before he can force himself to, the elusive traitor (though not in Naruto's eyes), the Konoha nin turned Oto nin turned Hebi founder turned no one even knows what anymore, the last remaining survivor of the Uchiha, the teammate he'd nearly (but not quite) given up on, the man he's secretly loved for - what, six years now? - steps out of the cover of the trees, around and in front of the Rokudaime Hokage.
Naruto's eyes drop out of their sockets.
"Sasuke!"
The Uchiha's smirk widens. "Yes, Naruto?"
"You- you-" Naruto's mind can t seem to come up with the words.
"I what, Naruto?"
"You-" Naruto flies at Sasuke, tackling him to the ground. "You bastard! I missed you!"
Sasuke chuckles. "I know you did." And there's a gleam in his eyes Naruto can't quite make out until-
"Sasu- mmph!"
Only then does Naruto realize what an interestingly... compromising position they had fallen into when he tackled Sasuke.
When their lips part, Naruto's eyes are wide and Sasuke is smirking again.
"Sasuke..."
"Yes, Naruto?"
"What the hell did you just do?"
"I kissed you. Usuratonkachi."
"But…why?"
"Why do you think?"
"I…well, um-"
He's cut off again by Sasuke's lips and gets the feeling he knows.