Summary: Companion piece to Letting Go and Living On and Finding My Forever. What happened between the lines? One shots of Sasuke and Naruto's lives in the past, as well as their new lives in the future.
Notes: Blame this on the reviewers who asked for more. XD Actually, I hadn't even thought about it, but one day I ended up thinking of scenarios and once I started, inspiration ran with it. All of the stories will mostly revolve around either Sasuke or Naruto. Some will be glimpses of the past. Others will take place in the present. And there won't be any kind of order to it. Hope you'll enjoy it.
Disclaimer: I do this for my own amusement. And I'm broke. Please don't sue me.
Warning: Possible spoilers in small doses.
Glimpses of the Past and Present
Ch. 1 - Rokudaime
Naruto paced nervously inside the office that was, in just a few hours, to be his own. Tsunade rolled her eyes at the young blond.
"Brat. Quit doing that! It's annoying." He stopped in front of the desk.
"I can't help it baa-chan. I guess I'm just nervous."
"I don't see why. It's not like you didn't know this was going to happen. Hell, I've been grooming you for this since the last ninja war began. And you already knew you would officially be my successor eight months ago."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. But still..."
"Here. Have a drink." She generously held out a bottle of sake.
"Sake? What the hell baa-chan? Are you trying to get me drunk before the inauguration? I still have a speech to give you know."
"What? I drink this stuff all the time. It's never caused me any problems before."
Naruto raised a brow at the buxom blonde. She wasn't the one who had to play interference when she drank too much. "Obviously, you don't remember the second kage summit."
"Well...I mean..."
"Or that one time with the council."
"That was an accident!"
"Uh huh...then what about that time with the clan heads?"
She glared at him.
"Don't be mad at me because I'm right."
"Stupid brat," she muttered and lifted the bottle to her lips and took a swig. The she held it out to him. Naruto blinked.
"Uh...thanks, but no thanks." Tsunade shrugged.
"Suit yourself kid." She took another drink. Naruto just shook his head. It was a long time habit of hers that he knew there was no point in trying to get her to break. Unfortunately, he was scared to even think about what she might do at the ceremony because of it.
"You know, I'm proud of you, Naruto. You've worked so hard to get here. I'm glad I'm just here to see it happen."
"Yeah, me too."
"I just wish Jiraiya was here."
Naruto lost his smile as he remembered his perverted sensei. He did wish ero-sennin was here to see this moment.
"So do I."
But he wasn't the only one he wished was here for the occasion. For it was only a year ago that he had lost his best friend forever. He wasn't dead, but he might as well have been. They would never meet again, at least not in this life.
He wondered, would Sasuke be proud of him too?
Somewhere in Amegakure
A cloaked figured moved through the streets of the village. He cut smoothly through the crowded streets. It was easy to see he was more than just a random villager. His quiet movements proved he was a ninja. But no one was stupid enough to confront someone with such dangerous chakra.
He had no family, no village, no place to call home. He wandered without purpose. Here in one of the great ninja villages, no one knew his name. He didn't even speak to anyone beyond just the barest minimum. No one could know who he was. If anyone noticed who he was, it most likely would mean his death, for he could not fight an entire village of ninja alone. At one time he was arrogant enough to believe that he could. But not anymore.
He lost that edge of himself a year ago. The side of himself that lived on vengeance and hate was no more. Now he was just a wandering man. He planned to see the world before his end. It was the only worthwhile goal he could make for himself now that he had no other goals.
He glanced off to the side and saw something he hadn't seen in a while. And under that cloak, Uchiha Sasuke smiled. The aroma drew him closer and soon he found himself sitting at the bar.
"Good afternoon, stranger." An older man called to him with a smile from behind the counter. "What can I get you?"
"One miso ramen."
"Coming right up."
He watched the man fix his bowl with a somewhat heavy heart as he reminisced about the past. The man reminded him of another old man and his daughter, who made ramen their business. And of course, it reminded him of a certain blond who practically lived there.
"Here you go."
Sasuke gave the man a nod of thanks. With a brief itadakimasu, he broke the chopsticks apart and began to eat. He never removed the hood from his head.
Ten minutes later, Sasuke was drinking down the broth and two men took seats near him.
"Hey Kenzo, have you seen the latest news?"
"What?" The bar owner took the empty bowl away and walked down to talk to the locals.
"Here...read." A grey haired man shoved a newspaper into Kenzo's face. Sasuke placed some money on the counter and was about to stand when he heard the next words.
"Konoha has a new hokage eh? I'm not surprised...the last sannin's no spring chicken anymore. She had to name a successor eventually." The man slapped the paper onto the counter and turned back to his business. "Now, if you're not going to order something, get away from my bar."
"Fine fine...get both of us a beef ramen."
"Coming right up."
Sasuke shifted his gaze and let his eyes roam over the page. His eyes went wide at what he saw.
Rokudaime Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto.
He chuckled. What irony to receive such news while he was at a ramen bar, of all places. "Well, you finally realized your dream dobe." With a parting nod at the owner, he stood up and walked away with a spring in his step that wasn't there before.
An hour later he was on the outskirts of Amegakure and on his way to the west...a place beyond the realm of his knowledge.
Yes, he was a wanderer without a home. But Konoha still held a place in his heart. That part of his heart was filled with blond hair and blue eyes. And he was sure the blond was grinning wherever he was in Konoha.