Bringing You Back AU

Takes place in the same AU as "To Sasuke…". Post-war. AU. Sasuke has returned to Konoha after losing to Naruto and practically being dragged back. Little by little he has to grow accustomed to life in Konoha again, but with his past still weighing on him. If only to make things more complicated, his relationship with Naruto has started to change. Perhaps after being on opposite sides for so long, it's finally time for them to learn to understand each other. And perhaps something else will come of it…


"How did you know?"
There was a pause, then Naruto turned around to face Sasuke. He hadn't been asleep either.
"Know what?"
"You spent all these years chasing after me to bring me back here. How did you know I wouldn't just turn around and kill you like I said I would?"
He chuckled softly. So that's what had been on his mind.
"You want to know that huh?"
"I want to understand—"
"I didn't"
"…Didn't what?"
"I didn't know. I never did. I hoped. I even prayed. And I believed. But I never knew."

"Even that I'd be able to bring you back at all, I didn't know that either."
"Then how…why…"
"Because there was just one thing that I did know, and it was more than enough"

"Failure wasn't an option 'ttebayo."
They both fell silent.

Sasuke stared at the shirt covering Naruto's chest, noticed the way it moved as he breathed. He suspected Naruto had fallen asleep but then he spoke again.
"Whenever my doubts got too strong, I'd start to dream…"
To dream…?
"I don't usually dream, you know? When I sleep, its like meditating. Or like… I go inside, where Kurama is. But during those times, I saw things, dreams."
"About what…?" He knew he didn't have to ask, but he couldn't help himself.
"About failing. Failing to bring you back. Sometimes you even killed me… Teme." He chuckled, trying to make light of it.
It wasn't amusing.
"Aren't those what people would usually call nightmares…?" he asked in a quiet voice.
Silence fell again. Sasuke looked up to see his face and found his expression was grim, much too serious to belong on that face.
"No."

"The nightmares were different."
"Different…?" Worse?
"In my nightmares…I succeeded. In bringing back your corpse."