Battle to save the world took its place somewhere else - too far for its sounds to reach here. Perhaps it had already ended, perhaps it still continued. Those who had returned from the battlefield, unable to fight due to wounds of body or soul, weren't able to recount it. It had fallen into their memory with such dreadful discord that they wished nothing more than erase it out of their mind. It was already enough that, drenched in sweat, they kept waking up in the dead of night, when the nightmares, pushed to the most distant corners of their brains in the daytime, came back, twice as strong.

The gate was wide open. No-one among these who had stayed in the city could defend it. Civilians had been evacuated to the mountain caves, that had already served as a shelter many times before. Shinobi of all ranks and age were fighting far away, their only arms being their honour and desire to protect the world from darkness. In fact, it was no use to close the gate - to lose this battle meant to face an annihilation that couldn't be stopped.

Rain had ceased a while ago, but the humid fog still hovered around. Water was dripping from leaves, and this sound was the only one that existed in the world. Although it was already dawn, the birds hadn't started their morning concert yet, hunching in hide. High figure emerged from the mist and proceeded in an absolute silence, his steps on the sandy track noiseless. The closer he came, the more details about him could be spotted.

There was something proud in this straight man, despite the fact that his cloak was ragged and the disarray of his black hair told of a long way, numerous battles, the sun, the rain, and the wind experienced. His features, although beautiful, were reserved, still, and stony. The only sign of life could be seen in his eyes - so dark they seemed black - when they fell on the face of person he was holding in his arms.

If cloak-clad traveller could, perhaps, evoke some distant, almost forgotten, memory in one or two, then the face of the other man - fringed with gold, now ruffled, hair - was well known to everyone in this city and loved by as many. A random passer-by could see the serenity this face radiated with and a delicate smile on his lips - a view that everyone had been missing so much.

But this morning there were no random passer-bys on the streets of Konohagakure.

Not a word was spoken between them.

At dawn, the only personnel of hospital consisted of some medics on duty and Sakura, who lived there permanently. No-one protested when, having examined still unconscious Naruto and applied the adequate treatment, she saw to Sasuke in her office. Her calm, analytical mind prevailed over her burning heart. She didn't cry; she didn't weep; she didn't hurl herself in his arms. In complete silence, she took care of his injuries he might have even been unaware of.

She was looking at him, the only man she had ever loved and still loved with the whole of her heart. She was taking delight in his presence, that was so hard to believe in after so many years of separation. Yet she decided to believe it wasn't another dream she would wake from and have no tears left to cry. These dreams had made her sure he was alive, even if time and distance had covered his last track. She had always believed one day she would look in his dark eyes again.

She knew she wouldn't stop him. She knew she didn't belong to him. His gaze was wandering in the lands she had no access to. Perhaps he was looking at the chaos of the last battle, or into his own mind. Perhaps he was pondering on the reasons why he had left his path and come back to Konoha again, after so many years. It was the strength of her love: to know she would let him go - not into darkness, but into light now.

A single tear ran down her cheek and splattered on the pale skin of his arm. She took her hands off his shoulders and stepped back. He pulled the shirt on and stood up. She didn't watch as he was leaving. His words, however, reached her from the door:

"Sakura... Thank you."

She didn't even raise her head. She was too busy swallowing her tears.

The misty morning turned into the sunny day. Streets were remaining empty, for no-one learned yet there was no reason to hide any more. The curtains were moving lazily; the spot of sunlight kept appearing on the pillow.

Sasuke was looking into the face he knew as well as his own. He could see Naruto's chest moving under the cover. He didn't have to listen to his breath - yet he heard it. He didn't have to search for his pulse - yet he saw it throbbing gently on his throat. He didn't even need Sharingan for this, he thought ironically, almost with a smile.

Unwanted, his thoughts returned to the battle - to the dread neither of them could defeat. Neither of them. Oh, how broken they were. Why had they needed as much as the end of the world to understand their path was one? This time Sasuke did curve his lips into a wry smile. No, it had been his darkness to discover it had lost against the light, even one lone candle. That time, in the very heart of darkness, they had forgiven each other's courage and cowardice, boldness and defection, wisdom and foolishness, love and hatred. Facing this, even the most horrid monstrosity had had no chance. They had been invincible.

But there was still a way to go for him. Sasuke turned his head and set off to make his atonement, when a hand squeeze his hand, holding him tighter than irons.

"Sa...suke... don't go... again..."

"I'll be back."

The gaze of a moonlit night met the gaze of a sunny day. Naruto's eye-lids fell, covering the bluest eyes in the world. His lips were stretched in a smile, and his face was calm again. Sasuke thought it would, perhaps, stay like this for ever.

Grip on his wrist lightened; Naruto's hand fell on the bed.

Every way had its end. Sasuke decided he would try and find the end of his way as soon as possible.

Sun was high in the sky; the gentle breeze was blowing through the hair and clothes. Gold and blue - these were the colours of new Hokage, who was rightly being applauded by the crowd filling the city. Here and there, one was asking themselves a question how come the prankster who, not so long ago, had spent his time desecrating the Hokage Monument now became Hokage himself. But, they kept telling themselves, he was the Fourth's son. He was Hero of Konoha. There could be no better candidate. And the ovation grew even louder.

Naruto knew that any other day, any other time, he couldn't possibly stand so composedly over the crowd. To have the dream of one's life fulfilled wasn't something you waived aside, was it? Yet, he was standing there, calm as the stone figures of his predecessors, letting the cheers warm him just like the sun was warming his back. Somewhere in his mind, there was a thought about the speech he was to deliver in a moment - the one he had spent the whole previous evening writing down on the receipt from Ichiraku...

He looked down, moving his gaze from one face to another. He knew them all. There were people whose friendship he had won in past years. There were others whose sharp eyes he tried not to remember. Now there was only respect, faith and hope in everyone's eyes. Perhaps no-one regarded him as Nine-Tailed-Fox kid any more...

It was face of one man that made that day perfect, though. Naruto cast a glance at Sasuke, who was standing in the shadows and leaning negligently against the wall.

"Like someone who can't save a friend could become Hokage..."

I made it, thanks to you. Thank you, Sasuke, that you let me save you.

Sasuke's lips curved in a wry smile. Naruto grinned, stretching his arm, thumb-up.

"Today Ichiraku serves ramen for everyone, on Hokage's account!"

Applause grew thunderous. Konoha was starting to be pleased with rule of new Hokage. Naruto's smile was brighter than sun.

Thank you.