A/N: Hello everyone! As promised, here is chapter 2. Before anything else, I would like to extend my thanks to the readers who take their time in reading this story. If it is not much, please leave a review so that I will know what you guys think.

3/7/2017 - Updated and edited the story. I'll be mentioning some of the things I added on the author's note below. For now, please enjoy!

Aftermath: Post War

Chapter 2: Repercussions

Dango Shop

Tucking pale strands of hair away from her face, Ino idly watched Sakura finishing one stick of dango after another. Apparently, her friend was a voracious eater when it came to sweets. "Don't eat too much. We still have to eat dinner later," she remarked wryly.

Sakura shrugged, reaching for another stick of dango. "I'm simply replenishing my energy after all those procedures."

Ino sipped her cold tea, enjoying the refreshing feel it brought to her taste buds. She could not agree more. Their last two patients were dying of chakra depletion so she and Sakura pooled their remaining chakra simultaneously to boost the chances of recovery. "Tell me about it. My chakra's running on empty by the time we finished." She flipped her bangs aside, revealing aquamarine orbs. "That aside, how are your boys doing?"

The image of Naruto & Sasuke moping in the room while trying their best not to tear each other's throats played inside Sakura's head. She grinned at the scenario. "They're recovering quickly. They have large chakra reserves so they'll be up and running in no time."

"No further injuries?"

"They each lost an arm," The pinkette replied, playing with the dango stick. "I'm afraid we don't have the means to repair it yet." She smiled at her friend. "Regardless of their amputations, those two are in good physical shape to me."

Ino only nodded. Though lacking an arm, Sasuke-kun is still hot. When she caught sight of him during the war, the flaxen-haired girl knew that the years were good to him – in physical aspects, of course. She drawled in an alluring tone, "Well, if Sasuke-kun needs help in doing his you-know-what I'm happy to oblige."

"I'm pretty sure he'll refuse the offer," her friend laughed. Their childhood fantasies about the Uchiha's physical attributes didn't change. Granted, they do not hold the usual kind of one-sided admiration for him. Instead, they resorted to girlishly poke fun of his desirability.

Ino's voice pulled her out from her reverie. "It's unbelievable that they're behaving while being in the same room."

Taking a delicate bite of her dango, Sakura chewed thoughtfully. "Maturity comes with age. Besides, there's no reason for them to fight anymore. They already settled their differences albeit with disastrous results."

I guess you preferred living in a pipe dream, then.

Until now, she was still hesitant in giving a definite answer to Sasuke's previous question.

Even though Naruto's answer was simplistic in nature, it fitted with his determined personality. As the type who did not do well with details, her teammate preferred going through the hard and challenging path. It sounded easy but the meaning behind his words was complicated.

Taking Konoha as an example, the village was renowned for its resilience. Even if broken down by opposing forces, it grew new branches and continuously spread its roots. As the prime example, Naruto showed his development through hard work & gaining important comrades. Unknowingly, he was already showing the qualities of a true Hokage.

Sasuke was his opposite.

He was a realist. Practicality was his forte & his actions justifiable. Living a life embroiled with tragedies and his quest for revenge blinded him from the truth. When the truth finally kicked in, it crashed down on him. For someone who understood the meaning of hate and acted upon it, Sasuke-kun spoke plainly:

Peace is momentary, easy to obtain but hard to maintain.

Sakura's brows knitted together. His way of expressing it was ominous. Naruto sensed it as well, hence his "Starting all over again" tactic. If she stayed a bit longer, she might discover the reason behind Sasuke's detached point of view.

"Ino," she began. "Before I came here, Sasuke-kun asked us what happens next after the war. I was unsure on how to answer his inquiry so I kept quiet. Naruto responded that everything will simply go back to the way it was."

"And then?"

"He argued that Naruto's answer was like living in a pipe dream." Sakura glanced at the tent where all the shinobi they treated are slowly recuperating. "At first, I find Naruto's answer too naïve. But after seeing him and Sasuke-kun fighting valiantly against Tobi, Madara and –"

"And?"

Sakura bit her lip, deciding either to skip unnecessary information about Kaguya or to tell Ino. It was a mutual decision by their team not to reveal any information since the knowledge of that will shake the entire foundation of Ninjutsu. If word got out of the Infinite Tsukuyomi as a precursor to the deity's chakra nursery and creation of White Zetsus – the five Kages will have a difficult time to process this information. More so, explaining the whole story of the chakra progenitor to the populace.

Kakashi-sensei warned them that some things were better unsaid.

"– the Ten Tails," she fibbed, hoping Ino will not see through her lie. "It makes me want to continue believing in them."

Ino's cerulean eyes saddened, recalling her father who died during the war. She was still touchy regarding that subject. "As farfetched as it sounds, I agree with Sasuke-kun. Peace is trivial in terms of our upbringing because we are shinobis. It's like finding a designer brand dress in a clothing store only to find out that it is yesterday's style."

"Like a passing trend?"

The blonde waved her hand dismissively. "Kinda. When you see something new, usually you will step to the occasion & buy it right? If you put it in shinobi terms, peace is only a brief truce between the other countries. When one expresses the desire to battle, the others will likely retaliate." She smiled at Sakura. "So, all we have to do is to make sure that nothing destroys our hard work."

"Reminds me of the clothing brawl you once did in the shopping district," Sakura said amusingly.

Yesterday, the sight of her injured teammates at the hospital evoked not-so-pleasant memories in her head. While in the company of her teammates, the medic-nin tried her best in retaining a certain air of professionalism to avoid getting grilled for information by Naruto.

Then, Sasuke asked his infamous question.

She had no idea how to respond to it so she deliberately passed the baton to Naruto. Her hesitation to answer stemmed from the fact that she was not used to hearing their self-assured teammate divulging his innermost thoughts in front of them.

Ah, how the mighty have fallen.

As much as she hated to admit it, the war produced considerable results. A soft yet melancholic smile spread across her face. For the first time in her life, she admitted that Naruto was right. 'If only we were more honest with our feelings,' Sakura quoted his words.

Undoubtedly, she agreed with her best friend's logic. It was highly likely that her teammates were not the only ones who changed. "I'm impressed that you finally grew a brain. Inoichi-ojisan will be very proud of you."

Ino winked. "I'm taking over the clan leader role sooner than you think. No time for boys & feminine wiles."

The two friends laughed together.

Konoha Hospital

Naruto cursed while fussing with his shirt. With his right arm gone, normalizing daily routines was tough – like putting a shirt on, for instance. "Come on," he gritted his teeth, fumbling with his stump inside the sleeve. "Argh!"

A hand firmly grasped his stump. Naruto blinked in surprise as Sasuke pulled down the sleeve, effectively covering said appendage. "Thanks, teme."

His friend nodded, retreating to his silent vigil by the window.

Combing his blond tresses with his fingers, a smile made its way across Naruto's face. "Ya know, this reminds me of that mission we had as genins."

"What mission?"

"Do you still remember the teddy bear idol mission wherein Sakura-chan was captured and got our hands stuck by that weird gooey stuff?"

The stoic lad cringed. Back then, he and Naruto had a hard time weaseling their way in enemy territory to save their teammate. Not to mention their second 'accidental' kiss and helping each other pee. He immediately squelched the memory like a bug. "Not a pleasant memory."

Naruto strongly protested. "How can you say that? On that day, we bonded as brothers! It's the same right now except the part where losing each other's arm wasn't part of the plan." After slipping on his sandals, he ambled to the door. Grasping the knob, he gave one last look on Sasuke. "You sure you're not coming?"

"Aa."

Knowing his friend's tendency to brood, Naruto left him to his own devices. Deciding whether to leap through the rooftops or simply walk to the memorial – he chose the latter. As his sandals made crunching noises on the dirt, the memory of his fallen comrades who fought bravely & died honorably during the war started to plague his mind.

He was not keen on attending stuffy ceremonies such as funerals. The only funeral he attended was for the Third Hokage & the other elite shinobi who died protecting Konoha from Orochimaru's assault.

During that time, he was grief-stricken by Grandpa Hokage's death because he was the only one in the village who acknowledged him as a person and not a monster. However, he did not let the elderly Hokage's passing upset him because he had Sakura, Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei on his side.

'Teme was still with us back then,' he mused. 'If I remember correctly, that was days before after he encountered Itachi at Shukuba Town.'

That was also the first time he met Sasuke's infamous brother.

His succeeding steps went slower as his thoughts distracted him. When he met Itachi, Naruto thought he was Death personified. His knees buckled from wariness that he didn't even resist when Itachi politely asked him to step out of the room.

Or rather, he was too scared to resist.

From the eyes of his younger self, he thought that was his last day on earth.

In the end, witnessing Sasuke's defeat by his brother's hands and Ero-Sennin's delayed assistance were too much for his young mind to comprehend. After they brought Sasuke's unconscious body back to Konoha, Naruto learned of Kakashi-sensei's similar fate caused by Itachi's Tsukuyomi. Healing them was his utmost priority so he willingly aided Jiraiya in his search for Tsunade.

After Sasuke got healed things went downhill.

Gazing at the Hokage monument, Naruto's blue orbs stopped at his father's face. A wave of nostalgia filled him, giving him a momentary respite from all the pressure he was currently experiencing.

'Tou-chan,' he mused, 'If it were you, what do you think will happen next?'

Hokage Memorial

Thousands of people gathered at the Hokage Memorial to pay their respects for the fallen shinobi who untimely died during the war. While Tsunade cited the rites for the dead, Hinata mournfully shed tears while staring at Neji's portrait. Her cousin chose to die an honorable death – so that Naruto would live on and fulfill his dream.

Once the ceremony was finished and everyone began leaving the area, Hinata opted to remain behind.

Although the pallid-eyed girl respected her cousin's brave decision to leave everything to Naruto, she was unwilling to accept his death. For starters, Neji was her only support. Never had she seen that serene look on his face as they laid his body to rest next to his father Hizashi. Her tears continued to flow down her cheeks, thinking that if Neji were alive and saw her crying, he would push her to move forward.

Such is the meaning of life. Where one dies, the other must go on.

Gingerly touching the frame, she allowed the last of her tears to fall. "Goodbye Neji-nisan. Thank you for everything." Turning to leave, her eyes caught sight of a boy with messy blond hair standing a few feet away from her. "Naruto-kun."

The blond immediately looked at her direction, his expression lightening up. "Yo, Hinata."

She approached him timidly, eyes darting sideways. "Where are Sakura-chan and –" Hesitancy forced her to add, "– Sasuke-kun?"

"Teme's at the hospital. No idea where Sakura-chan is though."

"I see." Remembering that her teammates are waiting for her at the entrance and sensing that Naruto needed time to grieve, she said. "I have to go. Kiba and Shino are waiting for me."

"Yeah, see you around."

Hinata bowed her head. Walking past him, she inadvertently glimpsed the portrait Naruto was looking at with solemnity. The person in the picture…looked oddly familiar.

"Oi! Over here, Hinata!"

The brunette smiled, seeing Kiba waving at her enthusiastically with his dog Akamaru next to him. Shino, unperturbed as always, simply nodded. Giving up on the subject of identifying Naruto's object of regard, she walked the remaining distance between her and her friends.

…

Staring mutely at Uchiha Itachi's portrait, Naruto noted how calm the rogue Akatsuki member looked even if the picture Tsunade used for the memorial came from the bingo book.

His usually bright mood turned dour. For the sake of their important people and knowing that their lives will end – Itachi and Neji continued to fight, all for the sake of ending the war. His admiration for both shinobi was beyond compare. Hailed as a genius, Neji entrusted his own will of fire to Naruto so he'd continue protecting their precious comrades in his stead.

As for Itachi, he loyally fulfilled his dream of protecting everyone as a Leaf Shinobi regardless of his crude revival by Kabuto's Edo Tensei. His selfless act turned the odds in their favor – in the cruel irony that he will never be commended for it.

In his young age, Uchiha Itachi was the unsung hero Konoha rightfully deserved.

During the funeral, Naruto did not like the insensitive airs he saw on the adults' faces as they peered at Itachi's portrait placed amongst the honored shinobi. The hushed whisperings the blond jinchuriki heard behind his back caused the blood on his veins to curdle in anger –

"To think that a former traitor would be honored…"

He did not want to give Tsunade-bachan a headache if he beat the shit out of those ungrateful pricks so he chose to ignore their murmurings for the rest of the ceremony.

Ironically, he understood why Sasuke adamantly refused to attend the memorial. Posthumously honoring his brother will not bring closure to the injustice his clan suffered for decades. Nor will it bring him any peace of mind since he will gain nothing from it.

To him, his brother's name carved on a rock will serve as an eternal reminder of the village's involvement in his clan's downfall.

At this very moment, Naruto realized that the world was not truly kind because of the underlying stigma in the people's hearts. It reminded him of the time people simply knew him as the Kyubi vessel – a monster. If Sasuke did attend the funeral, the people he unluckily protected will inexorably ostracize him.

Sasuke already lost his faith in the village – the only reason he returned was Naruto telling him that things will be different this time and lastly, because Itachi wished it.

"Itachi," he whispered. "Sasuke was supposed to be here. Because of his stubborn refusal to attend, I'm sure you already know the reason why he didn't go." He scratched his chin awkwardly. It felt weird talking to a picture frame, but…

"You don't become Hokage to be acknowledged by everyone. The one who is acknowledged by everyone becomes the Hokage."

"Anyway," he resumed talking. "When I saw you again during the war, I have so many questions to ask you…yet you simply placed your trust in me." He heard the sound of approaching footsteps behind him and chose to ignore it. Right now, he had many things to say to Sasuke's brother and since the bastard didn't want to do the talking himself –

"Yo."

He mentally grumbled at his teacher's mistimed arrival. "Kakashi-sensei."

Said person raised his hand in greeting. "Sakura got tied up with her duties at the evacuation shelter so she asked me to check on you two." His eyes surreptitiously scanned the area for something, or someone. "Where's Sasuke?"

Knowing how shrewd their teacher was when it came to reading a person's thoughts, Naruto schooled a smile on his face. Kakashi could easily tell what a person's thinking by analyzing his facial expressions and bodily actions. "He thought it uncool if we see him tearing up in front of his brother so I'm doing it in his place."

Kakashi smirked under his mask. His student's exuberance never failed to amaze him. "If he hears you saying that he'll kill you."

The blond teen playfully stuck his tongue out. "Like I'll let you rat me out."

The older man coughed, changing the topic. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"What? Oh, yeah." Facing Itachi's picture once again, he decided to skip the weepy parts and go straight to the end. "Itachi, I want you to know that I fulfilled my end of the bargain. Don't worry about teme so –" He lowered his head respectfully. He still had a ton of things to say but with Kakashi there with him, it was a no-go. "Rest well."

Kakashi bowed his head as well. "Thank you for everything, Itachi. Truly, you are a Leaf Shinobi. This time, I won't let your sacrifice go to waste."

After paying their last respects, Kakashi accompanied Naruto back to the hospital. The entire stroll was quiet, even Naruto who was more inclined to chitchat remained uncommunicative.

The jōnin scratched the back of his head. He was not the forthcoming type but oh well – better than to endure this stuffy atmosphere. "Naruto, how's Sasuke?"

The blond shrugged. "Still the same."

"I see."

Noting his student's pensive look, Kakashi suspected it had something to do with his other student staying at the hospital. "Something wrong?" he asked softly.

Naruto stopped walking. Eyes flickering with uncertainty whether he'd let his teacher know his thoughts or simply laugh it off, Naruto chose to be spontaneous. "Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke asked me what happens next after the war."

This was odd. "Mm, and then?"

"I answered that we'll have peace. However, he only laughed it off, saying it was impossible. At first, I assumed he was just edgy because we're stuck in the hospital," Naruto faltered, uncertainty visible on his cerulean orbs. "Listening to him talking about his insecurities – that was the first time I saw him so completely vulnerable."

Kakashi nodded his head in understanding. "It's plausible since Sasuke no longer has reason to fight. If one loses his purpose, he loses an important part in his life."

"Then why do I get the feeling that he's planning to die?" Naruto stressed, angrily. "Sasuke did his part to protect the world. He even helped us defeat Kaguya and the Infinite Tsukoyomi!"

"That may be so," Kakashi replied in a serious tone, "However, consider these facts: Madara and Kaguya are gone. There's no one left to blame for the atrocities they committed. Given Sasuke's reputation as an international criminal and as an Uchiha, it's highly possible that he'll be blamed for their crimes instead."

Naruto winced at that probability. It evoked the particular conversation he and Sasuke had at the hospital:

"Like I told you before, you guys are living in a pipe dream. Do you really think everything will go back to the way it was? As ridiculous as that sounds, it is impossible. You have the ability to move people. However…" His mismatched eyes darkened. "It doesn't work that way with me."

"Kakashi-sensei, I kept assuring Sasuke that things will be alright. But what if I'm just telling that more to myself?" Naruto told his teacher. "As much as I don't want Sasuke to die, I don't want our time with him to end. I mean, we just got him back and all…but hearing the people saying bad things about the Uchiha…"

Once again, the constant reminders of his ideals being too naïve and too unrealistic by his peers irked him.

"I'm an international criminal. I killed people to gain more power. I killed Itachi for the sake of revenge. After I found out Danzō plotted and ordered my brother to massacre our clan, I killed him too. I tried to set things right by starting a revolution and threatening to kill the five Kages. Afterwards, you defeated me. Now that everything's over…I don't see any reason to live."

Kakashi quietly listened. It was painful to hear Naruto relaying his thoughts about the injustice that the village imposed on the Uchiha clan. Like Sasuke, Naruto understood the pain of living without love.

Ultimately, for the Kyūbi jinchūriki, Team 7, Jiraiya and Umino Iruka were the closest things to a family he never had. Naruto already lost Jiraiya and right now, he couldn't afford to lose Sasuke as well.

As much as he wanted to express sympathy with Naruto's plight, Kakashi knew that their vows as shinobi would overturn every emotion in their hearts against them. At that moment, he became afraid of what Naruto will do once he found out that the village he swore to protect was actually flawed.

Not to mention Sakura.

He inwardly repressed a shudder.

"However," Naruto continued, breaking Kakashi's internal musings. "I made a vow to get the cooperation of all shinobi – Sasuke included. Since I managed to get the tailed beasts on my side, I thought getting everyone's acknowledgment next will be easier." He briefly paused, letting the truth sink in. "I guess I was being naïve huh? Thinking that everything will be fine…"

Kakashi felt bad for telling him the harsh truth of things. Fully grasping what Sasuke meant, he knew that sooner than later it will cause a rift between him and their team. 'So, he was thinking about it too…'

The apprehension on the blond teen's face said it all.

Though the times changed, he had no intention to extinguish the bright spark his student currently possessed. He was naïve but his innocent and positive attitude on things proved to be the winning factor during the war. "Naruto –"

To his surprise, Naruto grinned widely. "But, even if I'm nothing more but a naïve guy, I'm not giving up on him 'ttebayo!" He gave his teacher a thumbs-up, the same way Gai did whenever he won from their challenges. "We finally got him back and I'll do my best to be his beacon of light!"

Regrettably, his student's cheerful disposition rubbed off him. "Coming from you Naruto…it sounds cheesy."

"Wah! Even you sensei!"

Satisfied with his student's optimism, Kakashi patted him on the head. Mussing the blond's tresses playfully, he told him, "That's good. Always maintain that positivity in your heart. From the looks of things, we'll definitely need that especially in these peaceful times. However –"

"However?"

"Keep in mind that there's truth to what Sasuke said," Kakashi warned perceptively. "Peace is delicate so the village will now be relying on us to maintain it. In worst case scenarios, certain sacrifices must be made to uphold it."

"Such as?"

Before he could expound further, a messenger hawk flew above them in circles. Recognizing the patterns the hawk was creating, the tall Jōnin heaved a sigh. Eyeing his student who was glaring daggers at the bird, he spoke. "We'll continue this some other time. I've been summoned by the Godaime."

Naruto pouted. "You're no fun, sensei. I even planned to have you treat me to Ichiraku."

His teacher countered cynically. "Sakura told me to warn you that if she detects any trace of ramen on your body, she'll make sure you'll eat nothing but hospital food until you recover."

The boy flinched under the mention of her name.

Kakashi enthusiastically waved goodbye at him, quickly departing for the Hokage building. Even if he lied to Naruto about Sakura threatening every inch of his life if he indulged his stomach, he will still go to Ichiraku.

'Now to find out why the Godaime wants to see me.'

Konoha Hospital

If there was one thing Sasuke hated upon his return to Konoha, it was the unwanted attention from a fan girl. Moreover, the nurse who currently fumbled with the bandages on his stump was slowly turning into one. It was a mistake to accept her help in bandaging his left arm. He inwardly cursed his poor decision-making skills.

After an hour of incessant tugs and pulls, the nurse gave the irritated Uchiha a sultry smile. "Is there anything else you'd like me to attend to, Uchiha-san?"

The raven-haired boy blatantly ignored her obvious interest in him. He preferred impaling and reduced to ashes by Kaguya's Murderous Bone Ash Jutsu than enduring another minute of this dreadful torture. "Not interested. Leave now."

Slightly miffed by his rejection, the nurse left the room.

Thankful to be alone, Sasuke distastefully eyed the incompetent nurse's work on his bound arm. The bandages frayed from relentless pulling, exposing some of his skin. He was not used to seeing his left arm in a shorter length and he dreaded ending up like the dobe – having difficulty in doing even the most basic of tasks such as changing clothes.

He groaned. Unfortunately, he had no choice but to re-do the wraps on his arm.

Using his teeth, he carefully undid the knot at the end of his stump. Unraveling the wrappings, he checked the extent of the damage warily. The left hand he favored in using his techniques was now gone. 'No use crying over spilled milk,' he reminded himself.

With the last of the bandages completely removed, he noticed the dressing at the end of his stump was covered with coagulated blood. Apparently, the stupid nurse forgot to replace the bloody gauze because his looks distracted her. Since he did not have any medical instruments or his other hand to clean it – he resorted to covering it instead.

Clutching the end of the bandage, Sasuke steadily moved the filmy material around his arm. Without an anchor to keep the end of the bandage steady, the wrappings gradually loosened with each roll.

Gritting his teeth, he tried focusing on not touching the end of his amputation. Several attempts later, frustration got the better of him and he carelessly yanked the bindings, wincing when he accidentally hit the injury. Blood started seeping on the broken skin since the severed end was still pink and tender to touch.

'Great,' he grumbled. 'Aside from having no means to disinfect the wound, I'm not keen on calling that nurse for aid.'

"Need some help?"

His lone eye not covered by bandages instantly fixed upon the intruder. He visibly relaxed when Sakura entered the room, clutching a clipboard on her hand and a medicine tray on the other.

Noting Naruto's empty bed, the pinkette supposed that he won't be returning anytime soon. 'I hope he didn't make any side trips, his bandages still need changing,' she muttered quietly to herself. Notwithstanding the absence of their loud teammate, she proceeded to check on her other patient.

Her lips pursed, eyeing the shoddy work on his arm. If there was one thing that annoyed Sakura, it was incompetence in performing easiest tasks – like, bandaging. "Rough day, huh?"

The Uchiha merely shrugged.

Grabbing the nearest chair, she sat in front of him. Letting his arm fall to his side, Sasuke allowed her free rein of his injuries. After undoing the bindings and carefully assessing the amputation, the medic-nin frowned at the bloody dressing. "Your wounds reopened. Did you do this?"

He retorted. "The nurse forgot to change it."

"Hm…I wonder why," she considered, fingers tapping under her chin. Judging from the slight twitching of his mouth upon mentioning the nurse, she need not guess. Without any doubt, his attractive looks caught the attention of all the female population in the hospital.

No wonder there was a lot of squealing involved in the nurses' station when she dropped by earlier to get their charts.

As her fingertips glow green with chakra, she lightly placed it above his wound. It was a standard procedure to cauterize the wound to inhibit further bleeding.

Sasuke found Sakura's chakra soothing. He could feel the tenderness of his abrasions lessening. From what he heard, becoming a medical specialist required immense chakra control and it didn't surprise him that she'd end up following Tsunade's footsteps. 'Being a medical specialist suits her,' he realized, inwardly.

The soft rush of her chakra engulfing his arm was warm and comforting. This was the second time she healed him – and he was thoroughly impressed with her abilities.

He never paid much attention to her. Heck, the only time he saw Sakura displayed her skills was during their battle against the Terrible Trio: Jūbi, Madara and Kaguya. She definitely held her own ground, even rescuing him from being stuck in Kaguya's desert dimension.

Her feats made him realize that a strong-willed woman who could break mountains with her fists replaced the Sakura he left on the bench not too long ago. The lavender-colored rhombus mark on her forehead served as the proof of her growth.

Recalling his brother's words not to underestimate people based on their appearances, Sasuke realized he underestimated Sakura's skills and paid dearly for it. If there's a chance that he and Naruto decided to fight again, she will definitely pummel them into submission.

After doing all the necessary disinfection, Sakura started to re-bandage his arm. On the other hand, Sasuke busied himself by watching her nimble fingers meticulously rolling the thin strip of fabric around his appendage.

Several minutes passed and no words are spoken between them. Sasuke debated with himself, whether to initiate the conversation himself or wait for the pinkette to finish her work. The muted stillness of their surroundings was unsettling and it made him uncomfortable.

Usually, Sakura did the talking for all three of them whereas he and Naruto did nothing mostly except exchanging insults. It dawned on Sasuke not once had he tried talking to his female teammate outside of their missions. With her right there with him, the tension was strangely awkward.

Within him, an uncomfortable feeling in his gut tightened like a vise. Sasuke hoped furtively that Naruto would return in time. However, knowing the idiot's selfish tendencies to do his side trips along the way –

'Tch, the dobe must've gone to Ichiraku.'

He moodily discerned his assumption was correct since his blustering friend kept voicing out his displeasure of the hospital food.

"All done."

Sasuke broke free from his musings, seeing Sakura neatly tying the end of his stump with a sturdy knot. Glancing at his newly bandaged upper limb, the raven-haired teen unobtrusively admired her workmanship. Averting his gaze from her, he muttered, "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Once again, indomitable silence covered the room.

While waiting for Naruto to show up, Sakura chewed her bottom lip. She did not get to talk much to her teammates yesterday due to her appointments. Right now, Naruto disappeared to unknown places and left her alone with Sasuke. The confident energy she possessed hours ago literally sapped away from her body, making her tongue-tied. If she were her 13-year old self, she will probably faint or squeal at the top of her lungs for being in the same room as him.

Learning from experience that Sasuke will not talk unless he deemed it important, she tried thinking of topics that will coax him to reply. Unfortunately, she had none considered safe so she ditched the idea. Throwing a sideways look at her stoic patient, she assumed that even he wasn't in the mood for idle chats.

She cursed inwardly. 'Stupid Naruto! Why, of all times did he have to go somewhere?' Of course, Naruto's reason for not being there was understandable but she was mentally unprepared to face their former comrade who found the wall more intriguing than talking to her.

When they were genin, her persistent chattiness and fawning over the Uchiha dropped any chances of decent conversations between the two of them. She was a shallow girl back then, her mind singularly filled with thoughts of him.

In turn, Sasuke often turned her advances down, telling her repeatedly to run off and learn a jutsu or two. Eventually, she realized that his rude remarks of her inadequacies were well ahead and proven.

As the less active one of the group, her constant reliance on Naruto and Sasuke's strengths crippled her growth. Not wanting to depend on them for security, her training with Tsunade began. She trained rigorously each day and night as she used her teammates as motivation. She repeatedly swore to herself when Naruto returned from his training with Jiraiya that she would be a changed kunoichi.

Three years quickly passed by.

Not everything worked out according to her wishes.

Chasing after Sasuke ended fruitlessly and sooner than later death came knocking at their doorstep. The deaths of Asuma and Jiraiya, as well as Pain's invasion completely decimated the Hidden Leaf. Their village's destruction reminded her of her helplessness as she desperately tried to save countless people from dying.

Regrettably, she played the role of an unwilling spectator as she witnessed Naruto battling Pain on his own. The numerous bodies she failed to save coupled with her dependence on Naruto and the sight of her master's deteriorating body further weakened her resolve.

When news of Orochimaru and Itachi's death by Sasuke's hand spread throughout Konoha, she clung to the hope that he will finally return to the village. However, witnessing Karui taking her anger out on Naruto due to Sasuke's affiliation with Akatsuki and kidnapping their master effectively crushed every last bit of hope she held onto.

Despite the injuries he received, Naruto never stopped believing in Sasuke all the while repeating his promise to her like a mutual prayer. Spurred by Sai's words and afraid to lose Naruto from the pain they put him through, she decided to ease his burden by going after Sasuke and kill him herself.

Even after facing Sasuke and had the chance to stab him with her poisoned kunai, she still could not bring herself to kill him. The last thing she saw as he grabbed her by the throat was the coldness reflected in his eyes. Only then, she realized that he was no longer the same person they once knew and the mere thought of it terrified her.

And now…

Sasuke was still reluctant to talk.

Fed up with the silent treatment, Sakura focused on writing her teammates' progress notes instead. Her pen made scratching noises, breaking the stillness of the room, and providing the distraction she needed from the stifling atmosphere.

"Sakura."

Engrossed in her writing, she questioned. "What is it?"

"Why aren't you at the funeral?"

More scratching sounds followed. "I got my hands full at the evacuation shelter so I decided to skip the funeral."

"Hn."

Done with her writing, Sakura placed her clipboard on his bedside table. Gazing at her former crush, she warily asked, "How about you? Why didn't you go to the funeral?"

His voice was low and hoarse. "There's no point for me to be there."

"I see."

A long pause.

With his wary eye, Sasuke scrutinized her solemn façade. 'She must be expecting if I'll continue this conversation or not.' Somehow, he appreciated her willful consideration in giving him time to gather his thoughts. Unlike Naruto who he could easily connect to by using their fists, it was an entirely different matter for Sakura.

To begin with, he was hesitant.

The undeniable feeling of remorse stemming from his cold disregard of her feelings when she tried dissuading him from his fight with Naruto haunted his psyche. Before his guilt lingered further, Sakura broke their quiet battle of wills.

"I'm sorry."

Her apology caught him off-guard.

Feeling Sasuke's gaze locked on hers, Sakura quickly explained. "When I confessed to you last time, I was desperate. I couldn't fight you on equal footing like Naruto so I decided to convey my feelings for you in order to change your mind in fighting him."

She gently wrung her hands together to ease the nervous tension she was experiencing now. "Thinking about it, it was a futile act of selfishness on my part."

For such a trivial matter, Sasuke found her apology bothersome. He'd usually avoid this types of conversation because it'd end up too provoking for his taste. He was thinking of telling her off but he stopped himself at the last minute after seeing her determined expression.

Too tired to argue, he sagged against the pillows. Since Naruto oh-so-greatly removed his personal issues off his hands, he had no choice but to join Sakura on her trip back to memory lane.

Awkwardness aside, her soft voice was a welcoming distraction from the depressing thoughts he currently harbored.

"Kakashi-sensei filled me in on your conversation," Sakura enlightened him. "You said my feelings were like chains from your failed past. Come to think of it, you were right all along."

Like a film playing on a projector, Kakashi's words replayed in his head.

You only need a reason to hate someone.

She paused, allowing a familiar memory to occupy her mind. Noticing Sasuke's quizzical look, she clarified. "When I saw you leaving the village, all I wanted to do at that moment was to embrace your hatred and turn it to love so you'll never go through with your revenge."

Her words forcibly relived the past – his feeble attempt to kill his brother and the growing insecurity he felt when he saw Naruto's rapid growth. Hell-bent on revenge, he blamed the slow progression of his skills on the village's lenient ways so he defected.

And the rest was history.

Contrary to what he previously told Sakura, Sasuke didn't forget her untimely confession.

Back then, he scoffed at her immature offer of happiness. The heavy weight of her words reminded him that the blissful feeling of familial love was transient. After tipping the scales, he ultimately decided that his vengeance weighed more than the village.

She only wanted to save you. This girl, who you've been more than ready to kill…

A bitter smile crossed Sakura's weary features. "Seeing as how that didn't work…" A solitary tear fell down her cheek. She hated tearing up in front of him but Naruto's previous encouragement of honesty compelled her to continue. "Even though we were a team, only Naruto understood the pain you went through. I'm sorry I failed to understand your pain."

Even now, she is crying tears filled with thoughts of you…

At this time, Sasuke struggled to comprehend her nostalgias. Hearing her repeated confessions of love was sickening. Based on what she said to him, she became strong because of her desire to bring him back to their team.

His expression turned grim. 'Was Naruto aware of this as well?' Memories of their reunion after killing Danzō occupied his head. During that dark moment, the blond relentlessly voiced his intention to die with him and shoulder all his hatred.

Drunk with revenge and self-absorbed in defeating his rival, he unintentionally affected grief for the pink-haired medic. Ignominy graced his pale features, realizing that Sakura solely centered her life to redeem him.

Sakura's lips quivered, voice quieting in each syllable. "In the end, I was an inconsiderate fool for imposing my feelings on you without even considering how you feel. I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun."

Because she loves you so much it's breaking her heart.

Sasuke regarded her trembling form with concealed regret. Her feeling of insecurity was uncannily similar to his previous self. In her case, he dragged her down into the darkness he unknowingly created – her deep love for him eventually turned into hatred –

Sakura hated her inability to save him.

Right now, she cares for his well-being. Always has and always will. Knowing her persistence firsthand, even if he tells her to stop – she will keep on loving him.

'That's the kind of girl she is – selfless, nurturing and…annoying.'

Without looking at her, he spoke in a low tone. "Of the three of us, you've always been the sensitive one – you chose to bear all the emotional baggage Naruto and I carried without us telling you to –"

His gaze met hers.

"– and that's your weakness."

Hokage Tower

Kakashi peered cautiously at the towering pile of documents on the Hokage's desk. Fearing the aura of animosity emanating from the Fifth, he assumed that she won't be going home anytime soon.

'I'm glad I'm not in her shoes. I hate paperwork too…' He considered smugly. "Godaime-sama."

Tsunade's amber eyes flitted at his direction, the sullenness of her facial features alarming. The bags under her eyes indicate unending review of building proposals for several damaged landmarks.

To some degree, he didn't have the heart to complain since his responsibilities paled in comparison to hers. Nevertheless, he felt sorry for her.

According to Yamato, construction already commenced yet some projects were on hold due to the village's meager budget. He surmised that a meeting with the Fire Country Daimyo would happen anytime soon to discuss the amount required for said restorations and the means to acquire it.

The jōnin gulped at the prospect of doing several underhanded missions.

Tsunade's pacing halted. Facing Kakashi, she placed a scroll on his upturned palm. "I called you here because of this."

Kakashi unrolled the scroll with mock interest. Behind his mask, he struggled to maintain his composure after perusing its contents. "What does this mean?"

"The Kage Summit will take place in Konoha within two weeks." Tsunade crossed her arms over her ample bosom. "The council and the Fire daimyo's representative jointly agreed to the arrangement."

"The council sees this as an opportunity to boost our status as the most powerful nation among the five countries. The daimyo will agree to this since it will also increase his popularity," Kakashi remarked mockingly.

Tsunade lips thinned. "However, the council also decided that in order to solidify our status, there's one more thing that we have to do. As proof of good faith and to show everyone that we do not tolerate wrongdoings –"

Even if she did not say it, the insightful ex-Anbu captain already knew their demands. His mind brought him back to his previous conversation with Naruto. For the first time in his life, he mentally cursed himself for being right.

Staring at his esteemed leader's eyes, she implicitly confirmed what he dreaded to hear.

"The Council demands we surrender Uchiha Sasuke."

A/N: There you have it. To summarize it all up, Team 7 pondered the meaning behind Sasuke's question. I like tweaking on Naruto's positivity. By planting doubts on his way of thinking, it made him more humane and not ignorant of the issue. Even he was affected by Sasuke's resigned outlook in life.

Writing about Sakura and Ino's friendship was the first thing that came to my mind since they have the best bonds in terms of girl power (winks). I also put Kakashi in 'mentor mode' especially to Naruto since they lacked the time to address it during the war. Well, thinking about it – you'll have no time relaying those thoughts while fighting. (The fillers made sure of that)

For the Naruhina lovers out there! I'm sure you noticed the lack of interaction between Naruto and Hinata. I apologize for that, but since we're following a delicate timeline (The Last Movie), my story will focus more on Naruto rebuilding bonds with his teammates. As for Sasuke and Sakura, well… unless you guys give me a good review, I'll consider writing more about them next time (cruel laughs).

3/8/2017 – I added more interactions and insights in Naruto's scenes at the funeral and his interaction with Kakashi. I also added further insight in Sasuke's thoughts regarding Sakura's strength and weakness. The succeeding chapters will also have extra bits after editing but it won't change the story (Additional spice). For the readers who took their time in reading and giving reviews, thank you! See you on the next chapter!