Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, I am just happen to be in the universe for some odd reason...
True Insight
Sasuke stood calmly, fingering the hilt of his chokuto. He watched the other members of Team Hawk almost absently, his mind contemplating the fact that his vision was already deteriorating steadily. The Sharingan, infamous for the visual acuity that it granted, was already being lost to him. It is happening so quickly, he thought. Nii-san must be laughing at me right now.
As he observed his teammates, Karin hit Suigetsu for some inane comment, sending his head exploding into water. Red and silver hair melded seamlessly into pink and yellow as he saw Sakura punch Naruto, sending him flying away. Rather than Suigetsu's snide comeback for the punch, he instead saw Naruto sending pleading eyes towards Sakura, his voice raised to a plaintive whine of "But why Sakura-chan?".
He blinked to clear the scene from his mind, then looked over at Juugo who was conversing easily with a bird on his wrist as he waited quietly for the other two to finish their argument. Even as Sasuke stoically ignored the byplay between his two more obnoxious teammates, he saw Juugo dissolve into another familiar face. Kakashi was on one knee, rubbing the head of Pakkun even as he watched the other two members of Team 7 with carefully suppressed amusement. Kakashi then glanced up at Sasuke, returned his stare for a moment, then lifted his hand into a jaunty wave that was accompanied by one of his characteristic one-eyed smiles.
The images of Team 7 hung there, superimposed over the members of Team Hawk. Sasuke stood there, drinking in the image and memory of his old teammates. As he looked back at Karin, his mind inadvertently recalled the disturbing memory of her cuddling one of sweat-stained and dirt-covered practice shirts to her chest, only for the image to be replaced by one of Sakura staring up at him, vapid adoration sparkling in her eyes. Instead of the single-minded devotion and loyalty that Juugo had bestowed upon him, he felt the confidence and pride of Kakashi, as well as the absolute assurance that he would make the right choice when the time came.
Even as his eyes moved over to Suigetsu, he remembered the desperate fight against Killer Bee, when Suigetsu assumed his water-form to stand single handedly against the monstrous transformation that their opponent had enacted. Sasuke thought back to the similar situation that had occurred during the Chuunin exams, when Naruto had stood up to the Shukaku-possessed Gaara with nothing more than raw guts and a burning determination to prevent "…him from hurting my precious people!"
But somehow, the dobe managed to win that one. Sasuke thought with a combination of both envy and nostalgia.
"Sasuke-kun, why are you smiling?"
He blinked, startled out of his reverie by Karin's sudden question. "Hn." Was his curt response, even as he coldly turned away from the rest of Team Hawk.
Even as Sasuke walked away, he thought that he could hear Itachi's voice whisper into his ear. "Some bonds aren't broken so easily are they, otouto?"