A/N: This was my submission to the Clipped Wings Club swap at Y!Gallery. Written for fadedlullabyes, based on one of her prompts.
This is the cheesiest thing I've ever written, seriously. Hopefully someone out there can enjoy it. It's bloody huge, for a change *sarcastic snort* but what can I do?
Not Beta'd.
Disclaimer: Naruto and co. belong to Kishimoto Masashi-sama. I just borrow them once in a while.
Wishing For Happiness
Dark grey eyes scanned the shelves in front of him, trying to find the book he needed for his research, one pale, elegant finger brushing over the various books perfectly aligned. He enjoyed the feel of the different textures of the books in his fingertips, his heart fluttering gently every time he felt protruding letters.
He couldn't wait to finish the hell that was high school, but he would lie if he said he wasn't going to miss the quiet of the school's small, neatly organized library – the place where he had been the happiest in those last five crappy years of his life.
In spite of having been a firsthand witness to fate's mocking, he often still wondered how it was possible that a person's life could change so violently because of one significant incident, especially if said incident wasn't publicly known by others.
It still haunted him, every fucking day, and he had the annoying girly whispering on the nearest table to prove it.
Even though he had effectively learned how to block out the murmuring most of the times, his acute hearing insisted on catching a few unwanted words here and there.
"…so hot…"
"…beat up a kid a few years ago?"
"…he never smiles…"
"…best student of his year, I heard, but…"
"…creepy, right?"
"…doesn't talk at all…"
"…no friends…"
"…always by himself…"
"I wonder…"
"Maybe we should…?"
"…bad idea…"
"…they say he's gay…"
"…should stay away from him…"
Uchiha Sasuke couldn't even bring himself to care anymore. After all, it had been his own fault.
He had been the most popular boy at school at the time, thanks to his looks, grades and the fact that he excelled at everything he did, no exceptions. Teachers loved him, girls wanted him and boys wanted to be him. He once had had friends – not many, because he was selective of the people he trusted –, a loving family, and an unblemished soul. He used to smile, to laugh, and to joke around like the kids his age; but then his life turned upside down, and he couldn't keep up with the wave of catastrophes crashing down upon him.
Hitting people for sticking their noses where they didn't belong was just one of the many repercussions of that fateful day his parents died – the day when everything changed. Becoming unable to speak had just been a fact that had come to stay, as well as the constant nightmares that assaulted him every night.
The doctors had said he was in shock, and that he would go back to normal, eventually, since there was nothing wrong with his vocal chords. But the more time passed, the more frustrated he'd become, and the more he'd wanted to vent his anger and sadness on the people around him.
His so called 'friends' didn't understand him at all. It wasn't that he didn't want to speak, he just couldn't; his throat wouldn't cooperate with his will to make sounds and voice things, and the people around him made little effort to try and decipher his emotions and his actions, so, one by one, they simply abandoned him, claiming they didn't know him anymore.
Hell, he didn't know himself anymore, but no matter how hard he tried to put himself in their shoes, he couldn't even begin to feel sorry for them when he was the one who had lost his family, become mute and unable to sleep for three hours straight without waking up drenched in sweat from the horrible nightmares that plagued his sub-consciousness.
People became afraid of even being close to him, claiming that he had become scary and depressing.
In spite of what the doctors thought, he wasn't depressed – he just wanted his life and his voice back. He wanted to feel normal and to not need to knock himself out with pills once a week so he could get some proper rest.
Sasuke quit the Tennis team and every single club he had been on. His grades were still the best of the entire school, since studying took his mind off things, but it didn't take long for his reputation as the Golden Boy to go down the drain. For all the school cared, the Uchiha Prince had become a sour, violent emo junkie.
It didn't take long for him to not feel like talking ever again.
People knew his parents had died, but they didn't know how it had happened. The rumors started with a simple car crash, but from traveling so much from mouth to mouth, it became a tragedy of such proportions that not a single person knew how to tell the tale without even one percent of it being true.
People cared more about his new found aggressiveness than the fact that he had become an orphan. Funny that.
His older brother and his wealthy uncle, Madara – who had taken them in after the tragedy – told him to transfer to another school, but he was too proud to give in to such a tempting weakness when he knew that being strong and looking forward was his key to healing.
He could've healed sooner, he often mused, always with a sigh of regret.
I have been there! I know what it's like to hurt, be alone and misunderstood. But you're not alone! I don't care if you can't speak anymore! I can be there for you, and I'll be your friend!
Sasuke would never forget those bright blue eyes, glimmering with unshed tears of frustration in his behalf, and also undying hope. The boy had been in his class for two years, and yet, Sasuke had never wasted a second glance towards him. In the end, the least likely person to offer his hand was the only one willing to be with him, only to vanish into thin air two days later, showing him that, in fact, yes, he was all alone, and would be for the remaining five years of high school.
Brushing away the painful, sour thought, Sasuke took a deep breath and grabbed for the book he wanted.
There was no turning back now, and he couldn't bring that person back no matter what. He couldn't even remember his classmate's name, but those eyes, those firm words of resolution had meant the world to him back then when, at the age of twelve, he had lost his parents in the most gruesome way. Now, at the age of seventeen – almost eighteen – all he could do was keep moving and hope that the new life reserved for him was much better than this one.
With the book under his arm, he emerged from the corridor of shelves, effectively silencing the group of four girls sitting at a table at the end of it. They stared at him with mouths agape like he was some kind of rare animal, but he made sure to throw them the most despicable glare he could and walked by them, silently glad to see them lower their gazes in shock.
Fuck, when was it going to stop?
Three Years Later
Sasuke was a regular customer at the tiny, cozy-looking coffee shop. The place was decorated in creamy tones of golden and brown, the round tables and metallic chairs giving off an air of European cafés that was always informal and welcoming. He went there a lot with his older brother, Itachi, especially because it wasn't too far from the college he attended and his small apartment. Even though the two brothers didn't live together, Sasuke's place wasn't far from Itachi's, which meant that they saw each other a lot, something for which Sasuke was thankful for. His brother was the only person in the world who could understand him without him needing to say anything, and even though Sasuke didn't really have friends, he often found that Itachi's constant presence could almost make up for that.
He didn't go there a lot by himself, though, because he always had a hard time trying to order things, and no matter how polite the employees were, they liked to play dumb a lot, and Sasuke had no patience for charades. He had considered carrying a little notebook so he could sort of play Pictionary with them – because if they had a hard time figuring him out, out of spite or whatever, he wasn't going to make things easier for them just by writing down what he wanted.
Still, it was too much trouble, and he couldn't bring himself to bother.
Lately, however, it seemed that the management had changed, and with it, came a whole new, fresh staff, as well.
Sasuke had walked by the place one day on his way to the supermarket and simply glanced through the wide show window out of curiosity only to find his eyes attracted to a messy mop of golden blond hair and the bluest, most expressive eyes he had ever seen.
Of course, the Uchiha hadn't lingered, but he instantly realized who they belonged to. Even after eight years, he could recognize those eyes anywhere, and yet, it seemed impossible that that person was there.
For the first time in his life, Sasuke wondered if such a thing as fate truly existed.
He and Itachi had visited the coffee shop a few more times after that, and sure enough, the blond young man was always there, apparently still on training, because, apart from an occasional appearance behind the counter, he was always in the backrooms; his loud, vibrant voice mostly the only giveaway of his presence. Sasuke wasn't sure if the guy had ever really taken notice of him, but Itachi certainly had noticed that his younger sibling's eyes were always looking for something, and it didn't take him long to figure out what, or in this case, who.
The teasing was never ending.
It wasn't like Sasuke could help it. The voice of his former classmate, now rougher and considerably manlier than he remembered made Sasuke's heart beat a little faster, and some part of him – a part he was embarrassed about and deeply despised – desperately wanted to be noticed, even if the guy never gave any indication that he acknowledged him.
When they had been younger, the boy had been the perfect opposite of him, with golden blond hair and his very soul reflected in eyes as blue as the sky. He was the kind of carefree, happy-go-lucky person that didn't let anything get to him.
While Sasuke had been the popular kid, the blond had been the scrawny ugly duckling and could often be found either alone, or trying to make a fool out of himself in the middle of a crowd to catch attentions. Everybody made fun of him for being a goofy moron, and still, the dumb idiot smiled, relishing naïvely in those small moments of attention before being left alone and friendless once more. He wasn't the brightest person either, or so it seemed to Sasuke back then.
The Uchiha had been able to see the sadness in the other's eye on occasion, when he thought no one was looking, but he hadn't cared for it – it had been none of his business.
Now, the blond had grown up to be strong, as tall as Sasuke was, and strikingly good-looking. The irony was bittersweet, because from what Sasuke could see, the guy held within himself the strength and the light he wanted for himself, for his own life - something that drew him to the blond idiot like a magnet.
He wasn't even sure if it was a crush at all, but Sasuke was fine with not having the same feeling of apathy towards him as he did towards everybody else, even if they hadn't seen each other for years. He had many times wished that he could find that person again, and yet, there he was, in such a convenient place, after all hope was lost.
In spite of fighting against his own will, Sasuke eventually did end up sitting by himself at the usual small, round table he often shared with Itachi by the show window. It took less than five minutes for him to regret it - the pretty blond waitress that went to him in a very enthusiastic way – clearly trying to impress him, moved by his good-looks – quickly lost her drive as soon as she realized he wouldn't speak to her. She became so uncomfortable she started shaking, and after a while, Sasuke all but heaved an annoyed sigh and dismissed her with a cold wave of his hand. After his irritation vanished, he would call her back and point at the menu for something simple.
"Oh, no, I'm so embarrassed!" The girl said hopelessly once she was safely behind the counter next to her co-worker, way too loudly to be discreet. "I think he's mute or something..."
Sasuke rolled his eyes and searched his backpack for the book he was currently reading and opening it. He had yet to see the blond man, which worsened his mood considerably. Was it the guy's day off or something? It just had to be his luck.
"Really?" The other girl said thoughtfully, shorter than the first one, with short brown hair. "That's such a shame. Who would've guessed?"
Sasuke fought the urge to roll his eyes again and scanned the pages of his book to catch up with the last phrase he had read.
"It was so awkward... I don't even know how to deal with this..."
"Come on, Ino, you were the one who wanted to get close because he was SO hot..." The shorter one reminded, teasingly.
"Yes, but..." The blond one, Ino, heaved a long, shaky sigh. "Do you think he's deaf, as well? What should I do?"
"Ladies, I think he can hear you," a new, male voice replied good-humoredly, the familiarity or it making Sasuke tense instinctively, even though he kept his head lowered, eyes trained on the book. "Don't worry, I'll take care of it."
With his heart suddenly hammering in his chest, blood flowing so quickly Sasuke could swear he could hear it running through his veins, he listened as steady steps made their way to his table. He didn't have time to decide if he felt horrified, scared of ecstatic, because way too fast, a strong presence was standing in front of him.
"Hey there." The tone was casual, comfortably informal, and Sasuke had to remind himself that he needed to breathe and acknowledge the person, so he tilted his head up, meeting that friendly face, graced by the most charming smile he ever saw someone give him. The young man was wearing a red fabric apron over a pair of black trousers and a short sleeved white shirt. "What's it going to be?"
Sasuke noticed his mouth had opened somewhere during his quick but thorough examination of the other, so he hurriedly closed it, his teeth clacking loudly, almost making him flinch.
He almost lost his train of thought at realizing that the guy was even better looking from up close. Thankfully, he had enough self-control over himself.
Clearing his throat, he lowered the book and closed it before setting it over the table and reaching over it to grab for the menu. He quickly read through it and pointed at what he wanted. The blond took out a pen and a small notepad from the pouch in his apron and started writing it down.
"Okay, so, one orange juice..." he mumbled, before checking what else Sasuke wanted, making a face and lowering his voice. "Ah, I wouldn't order that if I were you. The sauce is really nasty." Then, he smiled again. "But we do have some great sandwiches. If you can tell me what you like, I can suggest something?"
Sasuke quirked one eyebrow at him, and the other let out an awkward chuckle.
"Okay, you don't... right. I know a bit of sign language, so maybe you could..." He rubbed the back of his head as Sasuke's eyes simply narrowed. Was the guy for real? "No? You don't know sign language? Alright, then. Awkward. Moving on, maybe you can look better at the menu and see if you like anything? Our tuna sandwich is really good."
Luckily, the blue-eyed Adonis's natural care-freeness was way too ridiculous and attractive, and Sasuke found that he wasn't going to lose his composure anytime soon, if his amused exasperation was any sign.
When Sasuke didn't move, the guy smirked a bit.
"Let me guess, you're a vegetarian?" He noted perceptively, as to which Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Hah, I knew it! So, if you're willing to trust me, I can get something really nice done for you?" Sasuke shrugged. "Sweet! I'll be back in a minute."
As the waiter made his way to the counter, where the two girls had been observing the interaction attentively, Sasuke couldn't help but smile internally for some reason.
His food arrived not even ten minutes later – a fresh looking salad, with lots of colorful vegetables, a few pieces of fruit here and there, and a clear brownish sauce smeared over it.
"Hope you enjoy it. Just signal if you need me, okay?" The guy said, before winking at him and leaving to attend to another customer.
It was probably the best salad Sasuke had ever had, hands down, and he ate it until the plate was pristine clean.
"How did you like it?" Blondie asked, when he had approached his table to retrieve his plate. Sasuke nodded once, the corner of his mouth tilting up slightly and making the other laugh a bit. "I'll take that as a positive reply. Can I get you anything else?"
Sasuke pointed at the menu for a coffee.
A few minutes later, he was sipping on his warm beverage as he read his book calmly, once in a while glancing at the handsome familiar face from his childhood discreetly.
"'Teleny'," the man of his focus had approached his table once more and now had his arms crossed over his chest, looking curiously at Sasuke, who looked up at him with surprise. He was talking about the book Sasuke was reading. "That's some heavy stuff. I mean, it's really a whole new vision on Wilde's universe, isn't it?" Sasuke would've never guessed that that person would know anything about Oscar Wilde, let alone such a book. He liked the author, but really, he was just reading that particular work because he was supposed to compare two books of the same thematic from two different eras for an assignment. "I'm a fan myself," Blondie proceeded. "He had an in depth vision of the world and human beings that was just so... ahead of his time, you know?"
Sasuke nodded solemnly, making the guy smile at him, and it was so charming that the sparkles almost blinded the black haired one.
Since he still had classes to attend that day, he made his leave not too long after that, leaving a big tip.
When the guy shouted a loud but excited 'please, come again!' Sasuke wished he meant it, and not only because of the tip.
oOo
Sasuke went back the coffee shop a few more times, but he only entered when he knew the blond was there. He tried to pay attention to see if any of the other employees said his name, but was never lucky. It irked him that he didn't remember the name of someone he had shared a classroom with for two years, and it made him feel guilty that the person he had wanted to meet again so badly was someone whose existence he hadn't even acknowledged for so long.
Whenever the guy happened to be working, his former classmate would always make sure he was the one to go to Sasuke, even if, on several occasions, other employees – including the ponytailed blond girl – tried to approach him, convinced that it wasn't a big deal.
"There you go," Blondie said, placing a sandwich in front of Sasuke, who noticed that he was blushing a bit and looking at him with a strange look, so he eyed him questioningly. "I'm sorry for staring, I was just... I've been wondering for a while... have we met somewhere before?"
Swallowing hard, Sasuke straightened his back. Could it be that he recognized him?
"You kind of remind of someone from my childhood. You're better looking, I think... but the hair, and your eyes, and he didn't... it's so weird, I could almost swear..." Blue eyes lit up a bit, hopefully, before returning to their normal state. "Nevermind, I'm just being sentimental, I suppose. Although, it'd be great if you were him, because I never really got the chance to... well, I talk too much, don't I? I'll just leave you to your meal. Please enjoy, and let me know if you need anything."
As he ate, Sasuke wondered if he should let the other know that they did know each other, but then again, he didn't really want to give himself away; not now, at such an early stage of their relationship. If the guy didn't know who he really was, he couldn't be sorry for Sasuke, for who he was before – for his situation. Well, there would always be some form of pity, but it would be better if…
"On the house."
Blinking, Sasuke noticed that a large yellow milkshake had been placed in front of him. As much as he appreciated the gesture, he couldn't help but twitch his nose.
"Let me guess," Blondie said, amused. "You either don't like sweets, don't like milkshakes, or you're refusing to accept my treat. Which one is it?" Sasuke raised three fingers at the guy, who sighed. "Well, since you didn't add sugar to your tea, I was already counting on you not liking sweet things. I guess I got it right."
Sasuke nodded, feeling thankful that he was perceptive. "Okay, so, what can I get you, and let me emphasize, for free, that is not water?" Sasuke dismissed the good intention with his hand raised nonchalantly, but the guy pressed on, good-naturedly. "Come on, you're a good customer and I like talking to you. You're an interesting guy, so let me bribe you into staying a bit longer."
It took a while for Sasuke to finally decide to indulge him, pointing at the menu for something not very expensive.
"Beer, huh? Glad to know you're bolder than I expected," Blondie replied, patting his shoulder approvingly. "And I'm Uzumaki Naruto, by the way. I'll be right back."
Naruto, huh?
Sasuke looked out the window, resting his chin on his hand, not able to help the small smile at the thought that his memory had been right on one thing: his almost-friend did have one of the stupidest names he had ever heard.
oOo
Even though Sasuke never gave him his name, Naruto still seemed more than happy to start a friendship with him.
Whenever he had time, he would sit at Sasuke's table and comment on whatever it was that Sasuke was doing, be it listening to music, reading a book, writing essays, or doing homework.
Naruto also told him about himself with unconcerned honesty. He was an orphan, brought up by his godfather and his godfather's lover, two men that gave him as much love as any parent would. Unfortunately, they travelled a lot because of work, and Naruto had moved a lot while growing up, never staying in one place for more than two years at the time, which made it difficult for him to make friends. He had lived in a small town nearby (the one where Sasuke had first met him) a few years previously, but had once again been forced to move. After graduating from high school and working for a while, he came back because he remembered he liked living there, but even if he had his apartment there, he had only been able to find a job in this bigger city. Also, he had admitted, there was someone he was hoping to meet again. He didn't talk much about that person, but somewhere deep inside Sasuke's heart, he knew who he wished it was.
The blond was working to pay his bills and trying to save a bit of money so he could eventually attend college, but since he didn't really know what he wanted to do in the future, he was content in just living one day at the time. He was enjoying his full-time job at the coffee shop, so he said that he might open his own business someday, or at least work somewhere where he could really deal with many people. He also loved kids.
He'd always tease Sasuke – more like flirted – about how one of the reasons why he loved his work was because he had met him.
Naruto came to understand him all too well, even to the point where he understood Sasuke's questions just by looking at him a certain way. It was baffling and confusing, but immensely pleasant, and after a few weeks, it was clear to Sasuke that Naruto always looked forward to seeing him. He could almost say that they had become friends, even if they only saw each other at the coffee shop whenever Sasuke could drop by. Although, he made the detour more often than he liked to admit.
Their relationship made the young raven-haired male hesitate for all the obvious reasons, and yet, it was something he really wanted, because he hadn't noticed how much he had missed having a friend, someone by his side, not looking at him with pity or hesitation until Naruto had re-appeared in his life. He wondered what it would've been like if they had never been apart in the first place. One thing he knew for sure – he would've been a lot happier.
As it was, he could only keep looking, and hopefully, that happiness would come knocking on his door someday. He just couldn't afford to hope too much.
"How come you're always by yourself?" Naruto inquired one afternoon, sitting across from Sasuke on the usual table for two by the window, looking at him curiously with his chin resting on his fist. The place was surprisingly empty for a Friday afternoon, so Naruto decided that it was okay to keep him company. "A good-looking, smart guy like yourself... I mean, from head to toe, you're the typical popular pretty boy."
Sasuke looked at the blond over the cup of tea he was drinking from.
"I can just tell that you are probably some kind of genius or something," Naruto proceeded with a small smile. "You take your studies so seriously… I'm sure you'll become someone important, someday. Girls must fawn all over you."
Sasuke set his cup on the table with a snort.
"No?" Naruto inquired, his eyebrows disappearing behind his rebellious fringe. "Oh, wait, don't tell me they get discouraged by the fact that you can't speak?"
Sasuke all but looked down at his book, not really feeling like acknowledging something like that, even if it was true. Girls were all over him, but the moment they found him to be unable to speak, they backed away, and the ones who didn't, eventually ended up finding it too embarrassing to try to communicate with him.
Guys, on the other hand, were more confident; but then again, their intentions always leaned more towards sex with no commitment. It wasn't like Sasuke was looking to be in a relationship at this stage of his life, anyway, but fooling around always led to the kind of depressive emptiness he didn't need.
Naruto, as per usual, understood him all too well. "Do you have that kind of issues with… well, other people? Like, you can't make friends because people are intimidated by you not being able to speak?"
Sasuke shrugged and flipped the page of his book before looking down and picking up his pencil so he could underline the catchy phrases. The topic was far too sensitive for him, and it made him feel both relieved and tense that Naruto hit the target dead on.
"That sucks and they're all idiots," he said, sounding serious and offended on Sasuke's behalf. "It's their loss, right? People can really be stupid sometimes, and miss out the best things in life."
Sasuke swallowed hard.
"You don't deserve it," Naruto went on, sounding genuinely pained by the knowledge. "You deserve to be happy, loved and respected. It's not your fault that you can't…"
Sasuke made a sharp dismissive gesture with his hand, hoping that the blond could drop the subject.
He didn't want to hear something like that coming from him.
Not everybody was a charitable soul like Naruto, and not everybody was willing to waste their time with a mute person just because they could, and even though it bothered Sasuke that he might just be one of the many targets of his friend's good Samaritan side, he preferred to ignore that nagging thought and pretend it didn't exist, even if, at some point, he was sure that his heart would be broken and that Naruto would leave, like all the others did, yet again.
Feeling his throat dry, he picked up the cup and sipped on his tea again, chancing a glance at his companion and finding those huge pools of sapphire glued to him with the most curiously intense gaze ever. It made his heart beat clumsily for a few seconds and his cheeks feel a bit hot.
"I was wondering," Naruto muttered cautiously "Are you free right now? My shift is almost over, so if you want to wait, we could… like, hang out for a bit?"
Sasuke stared at the man in front of him for a few seconds, his brain processing the other's words and quickly working them, and while a part of him felt disgustingly ecstatic at the prospect of spending time with Naruto outside the coffee shop, another part screamed 'charity alert!', and he couldn't have that. He would not let himself become hopeful, and he would not allow Naruto to think that he was happy for being pitied on.
Slowly, he bended down to pick his backpack before looking for his wallet. Naruto's confused stare was on him, and yet he proceeded to take out a bill to pay for his meal, which he set on the table rather brusquely before beginning to put away his possessions inside the backpack.
"Hey, wait a second!" Naruto exclaimed as he tensed, horrified at realizing Sasuke was intent on leaving. "Did I say something wrong? I didn't mean to, I swear!"
Sasuke just sent him a cool glare and got up, throwing the backpack over his shoulder and turning his back to Naruto, making his way to the exit.
"Aw, dude, come on! Don't be like that!" He heard the sound of Naruto's chair being violently dragged backwards. "What did I say?"
Sasuke opened the door and stepped outside into the warm afternoon sun, praying to any existing deity that Naruto wouldn't follow him. He only managed to take three steps when his wrist was grabbed, stopping him from going any further. He looked over his shoulder with a vicious frown, and his look took Naruto by surprise, because he flinched visibly, his eyes becoming huge for a bit as his mouth hung open.
This was it, Sasuke thought, staring at the blond man with his lips pursed together. He had been in this situation far too many times. This was the moment Naruto would let go of his wrist and step back, misunderstanding Sasuke's actions and taking them as him not wanting people around him – not wanting Naruto around him.
But he did, he just didn't want to end up being disappointed for the millionth time in his life, not by someone he actually liked and cared for, for a change.
He might as well get it over with before it was too late.
He tried to free his wrist from Naruto's grasp, but found that the other's fingers had tightened strongly around it.
"You're not gay, is that it?" Naruto blurted out, anxiousness making his voice shake a bit. "Not that you look like a gay... person, I just... I'm not gay either, I'm Bi… or something..." Pink colored his cheeks and he made a face, more at himself than at Sasuke. "Point is, I thought we had some kind of empathy going on. I'm sorry if I've offended you, it wasn't my intention. It's just... I know how you feel. I know what it's like to be lonely and suspicious of people; I've been there. I can't make you trust me, but I can prove myself if you give me a chance. I don't care if you can't speak, I can hear you just fine. I… like you… just the way you are."
Sasuke couldn't do anything but to blink at Naruto, his mouth falling open a bit. Well, he hadn't been expecting that. Especially not the overwhelming sense of dejá vú.
"I wanted to talk to you ever since I saw you sitting on that table with your brother," Naruto admitted, heaving a sigh and running his free hand over his hair awkwardly. "I've sworn to myself that I'd never deny myself the things that I want, so... it's fine if you don't like guys, I just really want to get to know you better, hang out with you... that's all. I'm..." he cleared his throat, looking down at his hand grasping Sasuke's wrist, letting his voice drop until it was almost a whisper "…very attracted to you."
Biting his lower lip, Sasuke stared into the intense blue of the other male's eyes, feeling his anger and fear fading away to give place to a vivid flame of embarrassment, surprise and, most of all, hope.
He wanted to cling to the anger, to be strong enough to not believe Naruto's words, but as he felt a thumb rub nervously the underside of his wrist, he found that his brain - his heart - couldn't deny the truth that he desperately wanted it all to be real. He had waited for that for so long, clutching to the dream that, someday, he might find that person once again and that, at some point, they might become friends and…
Was Naruto… attracted to him? That's what he said, right? He had sputtered a lot of bullshit because he had meant something more than just normal hanging out between two guys.
Naruto didn't even recognize him. He didn't know his name.
It seemed way too good to be true, and the whole situation hurt in ways Sasuke couldn't explain.
Even if he wanted to indulge, the question was: was he ready to place his hopes on someone else?
"Please," Naruto whispered, his eyes imploring. "Don't walk away like this."
Sasuke couldn't help but heave a sigh. He lowered his head, closing his eyes briefly and feeling Naruto's on him, expectantly.
With a calmer, softer gesture, he shook his wrist free, and Naruto, feeling the lack of animosity on his part, let go, his fingers loosening slowly, brushing his skin as Sasuke pulled away and turned to him.
Breathing in deeply, Sasuke adjusted his backpack on his shoulder so he could use both his hands. Fighting the embarrassment, he slowly made the gestures that would allow him to tell Naruto what he wanted, hoping that the man hadn't lied when he said he knew sign language.
I Will. Think. Naruto attentively watched his hands and his mouth with eyes comically wide. About. It.
Naruto's eyes shone brightly with new found excitement, his lips spreading in a large, heartwarming smile that was nothing but genuinely happy, which relieved Sasuke more than he would admit to himself.
"Okay," Naruto said, with a simple nod. "That's enough, for now, I think. Thanks." He shoved his hands inside the pockets of his baggy pants in an almost shy demeanor, and it was weird seeing his eyes clearly trying to focus on something else but always ending up trained on Sasuke's face. "So, huh… see you soon?"
The dark-haired male took a while to answer, his mind running wild with that he wanted to do and what he felt hesitant in doing. Eventually, he gave up on warring with himself and positioned his hands once more to formulate what he wanted.
My. Name.
Naruto's eyebrows rose up so much he almost looked astonished. Sasuke removed his cellphone from his pocket and pressed the keys until he was in the device's notebook. Taking a deep, calming breath, he typed his name before turning the screen towards Naruto, who eagerly stepped closer to read, offering him a brief sample of his apple scented shampoo.
"Uchiha… Sasuke?" He said, his expression softening almost immediately as he looked at him, and when he spoke again, his voice shook a bit with some kind of uncontrolled emotion Sasuke couldn't understand. "It's… I… it's a great name. It feels nice to say it out loud."
Feeling his throat suddenly dry, Sasuke took a step back, shoving the device in his pocket again before turning around and walking down the street as confidently as he could, even though his heart was beating fast and with an odd heaviness that, hopefully, would dissipate with time.
"Bye, Sasuke." he heard Naruto say in a small tone behind him, but he didn't look back.
God, what was he doing? Was he wrong in feeling a little bit happy? In wanting to have faith in Naruto's honest, expressive blue eyes and wish that this time, once and for all, everything he ever wanted could be real?
oOo
When Sasuke went back to the coffee shop a few days later, Naruto looked happy and relieved, as if, at some point, he had started believing that he wouldn't come back.
Sasuke still didn't like to communicate through sign language, so he only did it when there was something he really wanted Naruto to know. Not that Naruto minded, since he was as perceptive of Sasuke as ever, probably a bit more now, for some reason. It was like he was watching his every move, anticipating his actions and expressions, and Sasuke never felt more comfortable with himself.
Naruto didn't ask him to hang out again, neither did he dare ask questions about Sasuke's private life or his whereabouts, even though Sasuke had, at some point, showed him his college ID card. Instead, he was apparently content in accepting Sasuke's daily visits. Naruto would tell him stuff about him when he had the time, trying to guess things about Sasuke, too. Sometimes he'd offer him free tea or something he knew Sasuke liked. Sometimes they'd walk the streets for a bit on Naruto's breaks just to get out of the shop, sharing earplugs as Sasuke showed him what kind of music he had in his iPod, only to figure out that Naruto had similar tastes. When Naruto told him he had jacked off many times to the sound of Pink Floyd's 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond', Sasuke snorted, but ended up thinking about it later. That song had a whole new meaning from then on.
Two weeks later, Sasuke and Naruto exchanged phone numbers, much to the blonde's excitement, which allowed them to talk during the day, even if, for some reason, Sasuke couldn't drop by the shop.
Naruto was fascinated by Sasuke's text messages.
Just as I had predicted, u are a word freak, he had said teasingly, but with obvious fondness. U write all neatly nd shit. Makes me feel 4 for using slang and abbreviations.
Texting someone other than Itachi was, however, an awkward experience for Sasuke, because he always felt like he was exposing himself way too much, truly saying what was on his mind, but at the same time, it felt liberating. He loved making fun of Naruto, and their teasing bickering always made him smile.
They often texted each other before going to sleep. Sometimes, Naruto would call and Sasuke would listen to him talk about random stuff, like what was on the TV, or how his day had gone, and surprisingly, it calmed Sasuke.
Naruto seemed oddly smitten by him, even though he made no move on him. He was always glancing at him from the corner of his eye when he thought Sasuke wasn't looking, and there was an intense sparkle there that was unlike anything Sasuke had ever seen. It wasn't just lust, or simple attraction – it was empathy, care, curiosity, and fascination. The casual touches held no deeper meaning to them, but they were frequent and lacked a real purpose other than to simply touch. Sasuke never refused Naruto's hand on his lower back, or his arm around his shoulders, even if, once in a while, he'd roll his eyes just for the sake of it. Sometimes, he would lean in a just a bit, or let his own hand linger longer than necessary on the hem of Naruto's t-shirt.
One month later, Sasuke texted Naruto in the morning, asking if he was busy that night. It wasn't like he wanted them to go on a date, it was just that he had been entertaining the idea of spending some time with his new friend somewhere that wasn't the shop or in small intervals of 30 minutes.
It so happened that Naruto had already proven himself enough for Sasuke to not want to run away from him, or himself, anymore.
Naruto picked him up from college at the end of the day in his old grey blue Vespa that he insisted Sasuke should learn how to ride, and since the raven wasn't exactly one to decline a good challenge, he listened carefully to Naruto's carefree explanations before Naruto let him be in charge of his apparently very precious vehicle.
The slightly older one was feeling nervous as he put on the extra helmet brought for him and mounted the Vespa, but he tried hard not to show it, especially after Naruto sat behind him, easily slipping his arms around his waist. It made Sasuke feel a bit pressured that the blond was trusting him so blindly, but also made him want to impress him all the more. Never mind that he didn't have a license.
In spite of the shaky start and Naruto's teasing laughter in his ear, he got the hang of it pretty quickly, and soon enough he was riding down the busy road towards the unreachable sunset, enjoying the warm wind hitting his face, not really knowing where he was headed, but following Naruto's directions easily until he was told to park in front of a music store. Apparently the other had to pick up an album he had ordered. Sasuke went to check out the shelves of CD's and vinyl records as his friend talked to the girl behind the counter, noticing that the place had really old stuff, some of it pretty rare, too.
To his immense surprise, he found a brand new, very hard to come across album by Deftones covering other bands and artists, and reached out for it, only to have someone's hand grabbing his gently in mid-air, stopping the gesture. He didn't need to look up to see who it was, because the tanned tone of the warm fingers wrapping around his was enough for him.
Still, he slowly looked up, his eyes tracing the path upwards until he was looking at Naruto's kind smile.
"You like this one?" Naruto asked softly, the smile almost too simple when compared to the sudden intensity in his eyes. "Let me buy it for you."
Sasuke was, by no means, a person who needed anyone to buy anything for him. The now closed company his parents had once owned had provided enough money for the both him and Itachi to live comfortably for the rest of their lives, not to mention the support their uncle Madara provided – considering he had no heirs of his own. Under no circumstance was he intending to allow Naruto, who struggled to pay his own bills, to spend money on him.
Sasuke frowned, more than ready to let his face show his protest when, all of a sudden, Naruto's whole presence was invading his personal space, and all he could register was the blonde's hand tightening around his before full, soft lips were slamming over his own. It wasn't exactly the smoothest move, but Sasuke was too pleasantly surprised to care.
The kiss was nothing but chaste, just a simple press of mouths that lasted little over five seconds, but the Uchiha still let his eyes fall close as his heart beat faster and a good kind of nausea made his stomach twist.
Naruto pulled away slightly, more gracefully now, and Sasuke opened his eyes only to find the deep emotion in the ones if front of him.
"I know this the worst place and situation for a first kiss to happen," he whispered, brushing Sasuke's nose with his own lightly. "But I couldn't help it."
Sasuke took a deep breath to steady himself. What was the blond idiot talking about? As far as he was concerned, the place was just fine, and the situation couldn't have been better. He didn't care for romance, anyway and, to prove it, he used his free hand to grab the back of Naruto's neck to pull him close so they could kiss again. Naruto all but made a small sound of surprise, but eagerly parted his lips for him and gladly allowed himself to be properly kissed as their mouths moved together experimentally, tongues tracing each other in their willingness to taste as much as possible.
Finding that he enjoyed Naruto's mouth in his was no shock for Sasuke.
To his exasperation, Naruto still insisted on buying the CD for him, and no matter how much Sasuke tried to stop him, the blond didn't mind him.
After that, Sasuke drove them to Naruto's small and untidy apartment – which Sasuke still found modestly cozy – to drop Naruto's working garments and Sasuke's backpack before heading out again to a nice dine-in to have something to eat.
Naruto talked his mouth off, as per usual, always laughing when he could understand Sasuke's thoughts on the matters he was discussing just by reading his face. He was constantly reaching out across the table to touch his hand, or his arm, or making sure their feet were constantly bumping, and it wasn't as awkward and as weird as Sasuke had thought it would be. He actually felt himself smiling more often than not, action that always seemed to take Naruto off guard.
"I hope I can always make you smile like that," he had said, consequentially forcing Sasuke to feel overly self-conscious in spite of himself, because he rarely felt like offering someone his smile. "You look gorgeous when you do."
Later on, Naruto took him to a modern looking bar with a lovely esplanade, and they sat side by side, Naruto ordering a colorful drink for himself and something clearly not as sweet for Sasuke. They watched the starry sky in silence, fingers linked loosely as the happy social chatter of the people around them filled the air. For the first time, the blond didn't seem like he felt the need to talk for the both of them, and Sasuke was fine with that, because the moment they shared just then was perfect the way it was, and even without words, he felt like they could understand each other perfectly.
As Naruto drove them back to his apartment, Sasuke held on to his waist as they rode the Vespa, his chin over the blonde's left shoulder. He had never been religious, yet he still prayed to whichever entity that would listen for it all to be real, and for that moment of blissful happiness to not vanish in the morning, like those unfair fairytale spells.
It didn't take a genius to figure out that he wasn't coming up just to fetch his backpack, even if Naruto said it was just that and that he'd drive him home afterwards. The thing was, Sasuke didn't want the night to end like that, since wanted to enjoy that perfect day of his life for as long as he could, and if Naruto was as sensitive to his actions as he usually was, he would know it for sure.
When he was offered to stay for a while and have a beer, Sasuke heaved a sigh of relief. Naruto let out a relieved laughter as well, even if constricted with the kind of nervousness Sasuke wasn't accustomed to, coming from him.
Sasuke's new CD was playing in the background by the time both males headed to the kitchen. There were dishes piled up inside the small sink and empty instant ramen cups spread all over the minuscule square table on the center. Sasuke sat down at the only plastic chair he found there. It didn't bother him, even if it meant that Naruto was probably a really messy person. Something prevented him from looking away from the tall figure of the blond as he opened his fridge and removed two canned beers, throwing one at Sasuke, who easily caught it with one hand.
They snapped the cans open at the same time, Naruto leaning his back on the fridge and looking back at him with the same intensity. The air was heavy with tension, but a good kind, Sasuke noticed, sipping his beer cautiously and watching attentively as Naruto took three gulps in a row before lowering the can in his hand and setting it down on the counter beside him.
With a serious expression, the blue-eyed man gestured with his hand for Sasuke to come closer, opening his arms invitingly afterwards. Sasuke didn't need anything else from him, because he also set his can down on the table and got up, quickly closing the distance between them since the kitchen was so small.
Naruto's arms wrapped around his shoulders as Sasuke surrounded him by the waist. Their lips touched several times before Naruto planted small, caring pecks all over his face. Then, their mouths moved over each other carefully, tryingly, experimentally for a few seconds. Naruto's obvious restraint was flattering, but Sasuke was impatient and demanded more by pressing his lips more onto Naruto's, who all but let out a grateful moan before willingly parting his mouth to let Sasuke's tongue in. Before he knew it, his hands were exploring the caramel skin under Naruto's t-shirt and there were hands grabbing his ass possessively, which was fine with him.
It wasn't that Sasuke had planned on ending up in Naruto's bedroom, lying on his back on the bed with the other man between his thighs, feeling so overwhelmed that he even forgot how to breathe properly.
He only vaguely noticed that there was a pile of clothing scattered on the bed underneath him, but he dismissed the useless information to focus of Naruto's teeth sinking into his neck and sucking wetly. His hands shook slightly while he hurriedly removed Naruto's clothes and allowed Naruto to remove his with the same urgency.
The feeling of the blonde's hands on him was like nothing he had ever experienced. With his previous short-time lovers, it was always either him offering the affection, or the normal touches offered to him being way too detached for his liking, leaving him feeling empty and unaccomplished.
With Naruto, though, he could feel the eagerness, the need, the desire and the gentleness. He could feel how much the other really wanted him, and it wasn't just lust driven passion. There was longing there, and silent promises, and it felt surreal.
He had looked for that person for so long, and yet, there they were. It was like life was granting him his only wish for true happiness, and with it, giving him understanding and completion as well.
Is this real?
Naruto had seemed like a natural top so, in spite of Sasuke preferring to top, himself, he was alright with giving the position to his new lover on their fisrt time, just because it was him. Naruto, however, had all kinds of different ideas, because he rolled them until Sasuke was on top of him, straddling his legs and feeling a little confused, but the resolute expression on Naruto's face told him exactly what he needed to know, so Sasuke all but leaned down and captured his lips voraciously, relishing in the feel of those rough, warm hands all over him.
With his fingers inside Naruto's way too tight passage, Sasuke understood that what the other was giving was a silent display of trust and intimacy, one that he had never, by the feel of it, given to anyone else before, and it made him feel so many conflicting things he didn't know where one feeling started and the other ended.
Once he was fully inside Naruto he tried to hold back as much as he could, even if his heart was beating so fast he felt dizzy, even if he was so hard he started sweating from the rampaging hormonal and emotional chaos he was in, but Naruto was so damned tight and was clinging to him so hard, grunting so deliciously in his ear, whispering his name over and over again, that it didn't take him long to let go and give in to his seemingly insatiable urge. Naruto didn't seem to mind at all, urging him on.
Sasuke couldn't remember any time when he wanted so badly to be vocal, to moan and to speak all kinds of nonsenses, but his throat wouldn't let him, constricting painfully and making his chest hurt every time the amazing sensations almost forced noises out of his mouth.
For the first time in years, he regretted never having tried to fight his own body and get his voice back, but in his vague desperation, he felt an urge to change, to do something once and for all to become normal and to grasp the life he wanted so badly.
If Naruto was there, maybe he could do it.
If only…
Afterwards, the two young men lay down side by side, panting heavily as their bodies cooled down and the sweat dried slowly over their skins.
Coming to their senses was a process that took considerably less time than Sasuke had expected, especially because it cleared his clouded mind most effectively.
Heaving a sigh, he moved to a sitting position, ignoring the mess of Naruto's fluids all over his chest. Naruto watched him without saying a word before sitting down as well, looking at him worriedly.
"Are you okay?" He asked, placing his hand over his naked shoulder, which Sasuke grabbed and squeezed gently before letting it drop, almost flinching at Naruto's hurt look.
He had to be honest. Naruto deserved one last chance to back away from him, to reject him - to decide that he didn't want to live with the wreck that Sasuke still was. Even if the Uchiha desperately wanted to rely on him for healing, he couldn't force him, couldn't make him bear such a burden.
For years and years he had kept everything to himself. Not even Itachi spoke about the nightmare they had both witnessed – the one that had shocked Sasuke speechless – but he needed to let go, to get rid of his demons, and he never wanted it more than he did now.
He lifted both hands, signaling Naruto to wait, then gesturing for him to watch in silence. Naruto bit his lip with a frown, but nodded.
His hands were shaking violently as he made the hand gestures. He was slow, too slow, and he couldn't remember the right gestures most of the times because he had never practiced as much as he should've. Still, he tried to express himself as much as he could. It would've been easier to simply write it all down, but he needed Naruto to understand that he wanted to communicate, that he was making an effort, for both of them.
Clumsily, he made his hands tell Naruto what he couldn't. How he had become mute because he had seen his parents getting murdered by members of a rival company – belonging to a very powerful Yakuza family – when he was twelve. How those people had spared his and Itachi's lives because they were kids, but still threatened to kill them if they opened their mouths to anyone, and how the shock had muted him.
Naruto's chin fell, and Sasuke prepared himself to finally see the pity there, only to be disenchanted. There was sadness in Naruto's eyes, anger, too, but not pity.
Swallowing hard, Sasuke proceeded.
He then told Naruto that he still had to take sleeping pills and antidepressants because of the nightmares. Then, he confessed that he knew him from high school and that he was miserable after Naruto had left, because everybody around him always ended up being a complete disappointment. During all those years he had wanted to see him again, to be friends. He had been happy to find Naruto in that coffee shop.
There was a stinging in his eyes that was bothering him, and yet he blinked the unwanted tears away, willing them not to fall. There was no way that Naruto would see him in such a weakened state when he had fought so hard to keep himself strong.
You. Make. Nightmares. Better.
I want. To Heal.
I might. Speak. Again. Have to. Try.
I want. You. With me.
I can't. Make. You. Stay. If. You. Don't. Want.
By the time he was finished, his arms were exhausted and his fingers hurt. He wondered if Naruto had understood everything, since he was still looking at him with that intensity that was so breathtaking. Sasuke felt glad, in a way, that he didn't look upset, frightened, or disgusted, but his eyes were shinning like huge stars, unmistakably watery. He was still chewing on his lower lip when he let his eyelids drop.
The silence that stretched out between them seemed never ending and felt awkward to Sasuke, even if Naruto's stance was nothing but relaxed.
"I told you before, didn't I?" Naruto eventually replied, opening his eyes to look at Sasuke with such determination in them that the Uchiha felt small under that strong gaze. "I like you. Just the way you are. I don't care if you can't speak. I don't care about your past, or about things that kept people away from you. I care about the you right now, and about the you that chose me. Because I chose you, too." He breathed in deeply and shook his head from side to side. "As soon as you told me your name, I knew it was you, but I was… I thought you didn't remember me, and it was fine, anyway, because I was thrilled that we had met again. I left, but I never forgot about you." He touched Sasuke's thigh and caressed it gently. "Back then, before your parents died, I was always watching you, wishing I could be like you, wondering what I could do to get close to you, but you never noticed me. When I left, right after you had finally accepted that I could have a place in your life, I hated that I had to abandon you when you needed me the most. I didn't speak to my parents for two months."
Sasuke pressed his lips together, barely believing what he was hearing. Naruto let out a sour chuckle, using his other hand to touch his face before cupping his cheek. "I'm so sorry, Sasuke," he muttered, sadly. "I dreamed of the day that I could come back and see you again. I learned sign language because of you, thinking that, if we did meet again and you still couldn't speak, I absolutely had to be able to understand you, to be there for you." He smiled a bit. "I want to be there for you, no matter what. It's okay if you never speak again, I just want you to be happy, and I'll chase away every nightmare that consumes you. Of course, I am being a little selfish, too, because I want to be happy, too, and being with you makes me happy, so yeah, you are probably going to have to put up with me, 'cause I'm not going anywhere."
He grinned slightly, and with his hands, he made firm gestures that Sasuke could easily understand.
You are. Not. Alone.
Almost as if in a dream, Sasuke grabbed his lover's wrists and nuzzled his face on both of his welcoming palms, kissing one first, then doing the same to the other.
Naruto had wanted to be with him as much as he had wanted to be with Naruto. Sasuke never believed in karma, soul mates, or even fate, and for years he had thought that there was no way around the sadness and general apathy of his life, but it seemed that some things really didn't have a reasonable explanation.
Maybe some things were simply meant to be.
Could this really be it? Could this person really be responsible for his brand new start? Could he really start trusting, loving, and giving himself completely without being afraid to get hurt?
He wanted it. He wanted all of it; he would demand all of it, selfishly, but he'd be damned if he didn't let Naruto be as selfish as he wanted towards him, as well.
Sasuke found himself smiling before he pulled Naruto to him, hugging him by the neck, and feeling the most amazing sense of completion when Naruto's arms pulled him close. It was perfect, even if they were both sitting Indian-style and the position was uncomfortable.
"It'll be alright," Naruto murmured against his neck, sighing contently. "I will do my best to see that smile every single day for the rest of my life."
It was too soon to talk about the rest of their lives, Sasuke knew that all too well. Many things could go wrong, but there was also a chance that everything could turn out just right, just his kind of perfect, and after waiting for the light at the end of the tunnel for so long, that was enough for him.
It wasn't wrong to want to picture the happy ending already, was it?
oOo
"Don't look so sour, Sasuke," Naruto said jovially, brushing Sasuke's hand with his thumb to catch his attention. "It a good thing that we're leaving, right? You wanted it."
Sasuke looked away from the small window of the airplane to meet his lover's soft gaze. He let his shoulders relax and slumped back in his seat, turning his hand upwards so he could lace his fingers with Naruto's.
"It just feels… weird," Sasuke replied, clearing his throat afterwards. His voice was still abnormally hoarse, and his throat still hurt like hell most of the times, but he had decided to get his voice back to normal. It would take a while, but he was working hard, Naruto's encouragement giving him all the motivation he needed. "I grew up in that town, that country… and… even though there were so many bad memories… we met there. It makes up for everything else."
Naruto beamed at him, causing Sasuke's heart to become lighter.
It had been little over a year since he and his blond idiot had started dating, and many things had changed for the better. Sasuke now had friends – Naruto's friends, who had been very accepting of him and welcomed him into their circle with open arms – and Naruto had a new older brother he was very fond of. He also had uncle Madara, but Sasuke wasn't sure if those two bickered so much because they actually liked each other or because they couldn't stand each other. Also, Sasuke had been sleeping a lot better and hadn't taken any kind of pills for a while now.
Sasuke had yet to meet Naruto's 'parents', but they were planning on going back to Japan to spend some time with them once they had everything settled in France.
"Damn right," Naruto said, with firm nod. "Us moving to France is just another beginning, you know? I got the scholarship I wanted, and without any help from you, thank you very much, and don't say a word about how things could've been easier if Itachi had put a word for me…" he said in one breath, effectively stopping Sasuke from protesting "…you got the job of your dreams, not to mention that Itachi is there, too. All we have to do now is get a place of our own, get married, and we're all set for having babies and stuff."
"No babies," Sasuke dismissed, with a smirk. "I already have my hands full with you. Because, you know, you think you're so mart, but you're going to whine every second of the day about how college sucks."
"Shut up," Naruto mumbled, punching his arm lightly with his free hand. "I'll be a fucking genius and become a famous pediatrician in no time, you'll see!"
Sasuke all but smiled.
"But I was being serious about the marriage thing," Naruto said thoughtfully after a while, looking at his boyfriend from the corner of his eye. "I don't mean right now, because I can't afford to get you a ring that will find the approval of your uncle's high standards, but…"
"You can always get me a plastic one in the meantime," Sasuke teased, leaning in to kiss Naruto's temple. "It might give me allergies because my fine Uchiha skin can't take anything lower than gold, but I'll make the effort and wear it for you."
Naruto laughed good-humoredly before leaning his head on Sasuke's shoulder and letting out a contented sigh. "Don't test me, I might do just that so we can get married as soon as possible."
Sasuke listened as Naruto's breathing slowly evened out before looking out the window again, watching the white, fluffy looking clouds outside.
The future still had so much in store for him – for them – but he wasn't hesitant. As usual, he knew that moving forward was always the only option available for him, only now he had someone by his side, who made it all look easier, no matter what adversities may cross his path.
For some reason, though, Sasuke was sure that things could only get better.
- The End -