Warning: SasuNaru if you squint, like, really hard.
Sensory Overlode
Contrary to popular belief, Naruto is not dumb; nor is he oblivious. He sees and hears and feels a lot of things. Too many things.
Naruto sees the way Kakashi gaze lingers at a blank spot right next to him, because surely Sasuke will be there if Sensei stares hard enough. He notices Sakura's hopeless face when she lets her thoughts drift to Sasuke. He sees it in the awkward silences. The hope. Desperation. Sadness. Hate. Love.
Then there's the times when Naruto can smell that perfume, the kind Sakura continues to wear on Sasuke's birthday. Mission or not, she wears it faithfully. The times when he's home alone, he thinks of Sasuke and he can taste the bitterness. (salt. tears. he tells himself to be strong.)
Most of all he can feel the ache in his heart. It only beats half-way now. He can only live half-way now.
But Naruto smiles through it all, and promises. He wont - can't - let his teammates down. He'll let them do the seeing. Hearing. Tasting. Feeling.
And never say a word. Because Naruto will always keep his promises.
Always.
AN: I don't know people, I've never been good at writing angst. Criticism is appreciated. You can flame if you want, but I won't take to time to even laugh. Idk, maybe if I get a lot of flames it means something?