Grains
Community/challenge: naruto100 - Sasukes Return
Also posted to: n/a
Title: Grains
Fandom/characters: Naruto/Sasuke
Rating: PG
Warnings/notes: Bonuses for the naruto100 challenge include a Rokudaime who is not Naruto, death, crowds, and photographs.
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The grains of time wore down people without a second thought.
In the crowd that had welcomed him back (out of ANBU questioning, of course, since he wouldnt be let off too easy) with fists and grins, he'd singled out his old team.
Kakashi had given him a simple smile--old, though, too old; you could see it in his eye --and teasing bob on the head. "Welcome back. You caused a lot of trouble, huh?"
Sakura spoke to him about anything that came to mind, from her lessons with Tsunade to how Lee talked her into a date, once. All the while, her smile was faded--like Kakashi, she'd grown old in her own way.
"Tsunade-sama was a great sensei, when she was still around... but her jutsu to keep her young was only for looks, you know?"
Apparently, Neji had taken over as Hokage after her death. Who would have guessed?
He didn't even see Naruto--out on a mission, perhaps--though, when he went home, the first thing he did was flip the photograph of cell seven upright.
Taking it in his hands, he wondered if that idiot would still have that same, stupid grin, or did the grains grind down his smile, too?