Inspired by the song Photograph by Ed Sheeran. Italicized phrases are song lyrics.
Sasuke sat on the edge of his bed, clenching his fist around the crumpled piece of paper in his hand. He glanced briefly towards the door when he sensed Orochimaru's chakra approaching, but turned his attention back to what he was holding when Orochimaru passed by the door. Smoothing it out, he stared intently at the picture.
Team Seven.
We made these memories for ourselves
Where our eyes are never closing
Hearts are never broken
Time's forever frozen still
Kakashi smiling- well, that crinkle of his eye that showed he was smiling under his mask, Sakura in the middle beaming widely, Naruto on the right glaring at Sasuke, and Sasuke on the left scowling and looking away from Naruto.
Back then when they were all still genin, training together, under Kakashi's guidance, for the chuunin exams. Before Sasuke had left. Before Sakura's heart had been shattered. Before Naruto's best friend had tried to kill him.
So you can keep me
Inside the pocket
Of your ripped jeans
Holdin' me closer
'Til our eyes meet
Naruto waved at Sakura and Sai as they left Ichiraku after their team lunch. He'd told them that he was going to have another bowl. As he wolfed down his third bowl of ramen, he remembered the team lunches at Ichiraku with the old Team Seven.
With Sasuke.
He dug around in his pocket for the folded picture that he always kept with him. He pulled it out, unfolding it and and holding it up in front of him. Kakashi and Sakura smiling, Naruto and Sasuke scowling.
Naruto sighed, focusing on Sasuke. His best friend. His first friend. He stared at the Uchiha's onyx eyes, remembering how they had both been fully developed sharingans the last time they'd fought.
I've gotten stronger, too, Sasuke. Believe it!
You won't ever be alone
Sasuke sits on the branch high in the tree, leaves hiding him from their view. He sees Naruto laughing, Sakura yelling at him, Kakashi walking behind them with that eye-smile he has.
He knew that Kabuto was testing him. Stretching him to the limits to prove his worth. But he couldn't do it.
He couldn't kill his team.
Because no matter how much he insisted otherwise, there was a small part of him that would always stand with Team Seven.
So he turned away, racing off through the forest, and his team glanced over, thinking they heard a faint rustling, but decided it was their imagination.
And Sasuke ran.
He ran, far, far away from his team, his family, where he couldn't hurt them, sparing them a quick glance over his shoulder.
But he knew, he just knew that he couldn't leave them forever.
Kakashi. Sakura. Naruto.
Wait for me to come home.