Sasuke looked over at Naruto lying next to him. His arm was still bleeding out and dripping into the water below. It was slower and thinner than before. If they didn't get medical attention soon Naruto was going to die. They were going to die - bleeding out on what was left of the statue, barely conscious. Every single hope and dream Naruto ever had was going to die. All the people Naruto ever helped would be crushed and ruined. All that hope, all that optimism, he would be the one to kill it. Someone that people loved. Naruto, the man that Sasuke loved.
If Sasuke weren't in shock from the loss of blood, he would have been in shock from that realization. The man that he loved. He was in love with Naruto. He was in love with that idiot. The stupid idiot who was bleeding out for him. Naruto, who trained for three years to get him back. The one who put everything on hold for him. The one who… might love him back. No, Naruto would never love him back. He shouldn't love him back.
In the haze of it all Sasuke knew that Naruto would never love him the same way. It didn't matter what they went through. None of the moments mattered because he'd never let anyone know. He'd bury it deep inside him and Naruto would be happy.
He vowed to never hurt Naruto again. If they came out of this alive, he would love him from afar. He didn't deserve Naruto's love. He already took away so much of the other's attention - so much of his life. He knew he could never ask for more.
Just Naruto, alive, that's all he wanted, all he needed. If he could just have that, he would never hurt him again.
Naruto might love him back. It might have been the haze and the pain and the delusion, but Naruto might actually be in love with him. After everything they'd gone through, he didn't know if he could bury it down inside- it'd eat him alive.
If they were alive tomorrow, he could never even comprehend the idea of hurting Naruto again. Which is wild, but comforting thought after spending two years vowing his destruction. He could love him, love him close. He wanted the rest of their lives together. Naruto had spent so much time chasing after Sasuke, and all he'd ever had done was push him away. He would never do that again. He'd pull him close and never let go. But mostly he just wanted Naruto. His essence, his very existence. Him.
Just Naruto, alive. And never hurt again.
"Nothing to do with me…." Sakura became deflated at his rejection.
Sasuke stared at her. Maybe in another life, he could have loved Sakura like she had loved him, but that wasn't this life. If the circumstances that had surrounded his life had never happened and he grew up with a more normal upbringing, there was a chance he could love her. But even then, they couldn't have ever been together. He did love Sakura, just in a different way. Not the way she would have wanted him to.
He gave her a small smile. Sakura deserved better anyway, she'd realize that someday.
"Thank you," He said.
She looked up at him, a few tears in her eyes, and a small smile. He then walked away from the gates of Konoha and toward the rest of the world.
He was far enough away that he could barely see the gates, when he sensed a presence in the tree's. His stomach turned, he knew that chakra. His knees started to feel weak, and his heart beat so loud, he was sure someone from the hidden mist could hear it.
Naruto.
"I didn't think you'd come to see me off."
He turned to look at Naruto, the man he loved. He hadn't seen him in over a year. The entire time he was locked away, his thoughts of him had been all-consuming. He had wanted to see him so badly it hurt. He was possibly the only person he wanted to see.
Sasuke could tell that Naruto had grown since the last time he saw him. Not physically, but something was different, more mature about him. But he could tell that Naruto still had that pure heart and energy that he loved. He hoped it would never go away. Naruto stepped towards him, and he felt his chest swelling.
"Here."
Sasuke looked down to see his headband in Naruto's hand.
"You...you, kept that thing?"
Sasuke's heart stopped. Naruto had kept this part of him this whole time. Why would he do that? Especially after everything he'd done to him.
"I'm returning this."
Sasuke's heart burst into a million pieces. Naruto didn't want to be reminded of him anymore. He couldn't look back at him, the tree behind him would do. It was only for a few seconds, but it felt like years.
He'd been wrong. Naruto didn't love him never would.
He blinked, and took the plunge - shifting his gaze to meet Naruto's. His breath hitched, and he froze. The look there wasn't just any emotion - it was hope. The hope that Sasuke would come back to him again. When he came back was up to him, but eventually, it would happen.
He knew he would come back for one reason alone.
"I'll hang on to it…"
Until I can see you again, he thought. Until I'm worthy of being able to love you. Until I'm brave enough to say it out loud.
"...until our real match."
Sasuke took the headband, Naruto smiling at him the whole time. He had committed the smile to memory without the Sharingan, never even realizing it. He looked over the headband before pocketing it.
He didn't say thank you, but he thought about saying what he wanted to say for a whole year. He could, right now. Right before he left the village, before he left Naruto...
But that would hurt him too much. It would hurt Naruto, and make him wonder why he wasn't enough to make Sasuke stay. So, he decided to let his actions speak for him. He knew that Naruto would understand its meaning, and it would leave a thought in his head.
He pushed two fingers into Naruto's forehead like Itachi used to do to him. Naruto moved back slightly, more out of surprise than anything.
"Gah," Naruto let out the noise at the contact. Naruto rubbed at the spot, face scrunched in annoyance. "What was that for?"
Sasuke gave Naruto a small smirk. "See you around, Loser." Naruto looked up at him, confused, but, that was all Sasuke left him with, not bothering to look back as he walked away.
He might have not told Naruto that he loved him, but he wanted to. He would do it when he worthy of loving Naruto. He would do it when he had scrubbed himself clean of his sins, and deserved to be loved in return.
Only then would he say it.
Kakashi called Sasuke back to the village. He'd done his job and was almost ready to go. It hadn't been hard to leave most of the village the first time. There weren't many people he cared about in Konoha. He'd already said goodbye to Sakura, as well as Kakashi. He came back when he was needed, or when it was time. He had one thing left to do before he'd be off again.
He had to say goodbye to Naruto.
He hated it the first time, and the second, and the third, and the fourth. He dreaded it more now, the weight of his confession getting heavier every time he saw him. It would be easier to not say goodbye - for him at least. But that would hurt Naruto, and he promised years ago that he would never do that again. He couldn't hurt Naruto after everything. So, he would say goodbye.
Naruto's apartment was in the same place it had been before the village was destroyed. They spruced it up a bit for the village savior and Naruto deserved it after all he'd been through. Sasuke stood in front of the door for what felt like an eternity. He should knock. He raised his hand to do so, but before he could - the door flew open. There stood his blonde-haired, blue-eyed idiot.
His Naruto.
"Sasuke!" Naruto yelled. Sasuke felt his lips twitch into a smile. Naruto's excitement always did that. Hell, Naruto always always did that.
"I thought you were going to leave." Pure hope and warmth radiated from Naruto's body, as he fidgeted and leaned against the door frame.
"I am." Sasuke confirmed. Naruto's face dropped, and Sasuke hated that he seemed to always be the cause of it. "I wanted to say goodbye first."
"Yeah, okay." Naruto seemed to be hanging by a thread on the door. He was focused on the ground, gnawing his lip. He pushed the door back and forth slightly as if debating whether or not to shut it.
"Do you, wanna come it?"
"Yeah," Sasuke answered without even thinking.
Naruto took a step to the side, and extended his arm in welcome. Sasuke stepped inside the apartment, hearing Naruto close the door behind him. Naruto leaned against the door for a moment, clearly trying to find something to say, or knowing what to say and just not being able to.
"Naru-"
"Do you want some tea?" Naruto blubbered, catching Sasuke off guard.
"Uh, yeah sure."
"Great." Naruto said, in a way that sounded like a sigh of relief. He paused for a moment before rushing away from the door to start on the tea.
Sasuke stood in the center of the apartment. Should he sit? Should he wait until he was invited to -
"Have a seet, the tea will be ready in a few minutes."
Sasuke looked at the table less than a foot away from him. Oh. He sat down and waited, the silence between them eating at him.
"Why do you stay here?" Sasuke asked, finally breaking the silence.
"Huh?" Naruto turned slightly from the stove to look at Sasuke.
"The apartment," Sasuke clarified. "It's so small and I know you could get something better. So why do you stay?"
"It's my home, Sasuke." Naruto turned back to the stove top. "I wouldn't go anywhere else."
For a moment, it felt like he could be a jab at him. From anyone else it would be, but Naruto wasn't one to take petty jabs. Sasuke could understand, but nothing felt like home since the death of his clan.
But, the very few times he saw Naruto, he remembered what home felt like. He always felt warm, was always there and supporting him. He wanted him to be better. Even when he wasn't around, it felt like he was with him, and would return to him. And he could return to Naruto.
The teapot whistled, and Naruto took it off the stove. He poured two cups, and brought them over, setting one down in front of Sasuke. He took a sip as Naruto joined him.
"It's good," He said. Naruto nodded.
The silence hung between. Neither knowing what to say. Naruto was the one to break it.
"I've been thinking about something." Naruto said. Sasuke stared down at the cup in his hands. He didn't know if he could look Naruto in the eyes.
"When you left the first time, you did this thing…" Sasuke lifted his head up, and looked at Naruto. Naruto was miming the gesture of pushing his fingers to his own forehead. It was endearing and Sasuke felt his lips twist into a momentary smile.
"Yeah." Sasuke knew that he shouldn't have done that. It was an in the moment thing and knew that he was going to have to explain himself eventually. Although he'd expected it to be sooner.
"What was it?"
Sasuke felt his heart in his throat. He had known the question was coming, but he'd never prepared to give an answer. Probably because there was only one answer he wanted to give... The outcomes of spilling the true answer flashed through his mind. The worst ones at the forefront: Naruto rejecting him, yelling how he never wanted to see him again. His heart couldn't take it, a Naruto he could love from a distance was better than none at all.
"Sasuke…" Naruto whispered. Sasuke was pulled from his thoughts and stared at Naruto. The way his name dripped off his lips...Sasuke swore he fell in love all over again. Naruto was intoxicating. Everything he did, the way moved, spoke, laughed, hell the way he breathed made him sink deeper.
The part of him that was always making his stupid decisions, made him stand up. Made him cup Naruto's face in his hand. Naruto blinked back at him.
It made him say three little words.
"I love you."
Naruto's eyes became wide at Sasuke's confession.
"I love you." He wasn't sure if he said it again for Naruto or himself, but once he did, he couldn't stop. He closed his eyes, not able to take the chance to look at those bright blue eyes anymore.
"I'm in love with you, Naruto Uzumaki."
Naruto didn't make a sound, and Sasuke felt his throat grow sore and choked, fearing whatever came next. Sasuke felt Naruto remove his hand from his face, keeping a hold on it. The sound of scraping letting him know that Naruto was standing in front of him. This was it. This was the moment that Naruto rejected him and told him to leave, to never see him again. He'd have no reason to come back to the village. He'd lose the last thing that felt like home.
Naruto hands caressed his face, tracing down his cheek. Sasuke flinched at the contact. Was he comforting him before he told him to never come back? Before he never got to see Naruto again? Before he let him down?
Naruto wiped something off Sasuke's face, making him realize that he'd been crying. He opened his eyes, staring at Naruto in front of him. He expected to see anger on his face. But instead there was something he couldn't read. Something much quieter than he expected.
"Say it again."
It was practically an order. He could deny him. He didn't have to listen. But he wanted a last chance to say it.
The words tumbled out.
"I'm in love with you. I love you."
The words were choked, as tears streamed down his face. Sasuke wanted to fall in Naruto's arms. The emotional exhaustion starting to hit him. Knowing that this was the last chance to be close to Naruto and all he could do was say it one more time.
"I'm in love with you, Naruto Uzumaki."
Naruto's face burst into a grin, and he pulled Sasuke against him. He did the one thing Sasuke had dreamed of for so long, the thing of day dreams and late night musings. The one thing he wished could take but had never acted upon.
Naruto Uzumaki kissed him.