In this universe, Naruto says, "Come home, Sasuke." It's a whisper and he's so tired he almost can't bear to breathe.
But Sasuke's the same. And even though he doesn't want to (but maybe he does) he scrapes Naruto off the ground and they walk shoulder to shoulder back in the direction of their jilted home. The dirt clings to their bones, their blood bright on their skin, but then the rain is pouring and maybe, just maybe Sasuke can believe he's being cleansed of his sins.
In Flames
by. Misery's-Toll
Come on, Come on
Put your hands into the fire
She's waiting at the gates with dew-drop eyes and dreams of rainbows and smiles and happy endings when they stumble free from the belly of the beast. The forest coughs them up with the mocking laugh of scorned leaves with a secret, and there they are, her boys, passed out on the ground with smiles on their faces that they hadn't meant to show.
And because she's only thirteen year-old Sakura, who never trained under the great Tsunade and now doesn't have the motivation, she doesn't heal them, doesn't get the chance to show Sasuke this is what I've learned and doesn't that make you proud to call me your friend? Instead she finds her trustworthy protector Kakashi-sensei and sobs to him with nearly unintelligible words to please HELP. THEY'RE HOME. THEY'RE HURT.
The prodigal son returns.
There's not even breathing room between recovery and interrogation. As far as Tsunade is concerned, they're the same thing. But Sasuke has learned his lesson. He cooperates and he gives up what little he can. But what does it really matter when the entire Sound Four is dead? It matters enough, Tsunade tells him. And then she tells him the truth.
He is detained much longer than anyone would have anticipated. But Sakura and Naruto and Kakashi are ready and waiting for him when he's finally let free.
Sakura gives him a hug and promises she meant what she said and Sasuke calls her annoying, but it doesn't sound right. His words aren't venomous, and Sakura takes this with a smile on her face. But what she doesn't realize is that it's still poisonous, and Naruto notices. Kakashi notices.
There's something wrong with Sasuke. There's a new darkness that wasn't there when they were beating the shit out of each other at the Valley of End. Naruto sees it in the smirk that's a bit too heavy. Kakashi sees it in the way he looks right through them.
Sasuke is planning his revenge.
Orochimaru wasn't the Pied Piper you needed saving from, was it Sasuke?
Sasuke is working so hard. But they all are, in their own ways.
Think you can keep up, Bastard? Naruto will taunt, and Sasuke will respond, I don't want to hear that from you, dead last.
They'll keep competing, because they're rivals (because they're friends) and that's what they do. Naruto will keep pushing at Sasuke's buttons, not only to keep the motivation alive but to keep up the sense of normalcy, which is what Naruto thinks Sasuke may need more than anything.
Kakashi will keep grabbing missions for them, whether he thinks they're too easy or bordering on too hard. They need this, he knows it. Sasuke needs to feel that sense of peril, needs to watch his teammates in trouble and fight to protect them. He needs to see them in mundane situations, something to remind him we're human, we're friends.
Sakura won't leave Sasuke alone. He needs company. It doesn't necessarily need to be her, it just needs to be somebody. One day when they're finally home from a mission that was long and hard and painful and God, Sakura almost died today, Sasuke stops her when she and Naruto are heading home and Kakashi is heading to the Hokage Tower.
"I don't love you," he tells her. His eyes are hard and dark but at least they're seeing her. Their hard work might be paying off, but Sasuke still holds more hate in his heart than love.
"I know," she promises. Then they kiss.
Those who abandon their teammates are worse than scum, right?
Months pass. Years pass. Of rainbows and smiles and there's really no need for endings is there?
Sakura is stronger. Maybe there's not that extra push to get stronger, get stronger, or you'll never save Sasuke-kun! But there's a desire to protect her teammates. To not be a deadweight. To not be the reason their team doesn't make it.
She's not the best. But she's adequate. And maybe that's all she'll ever be, and she wishes she could say that she's okay with that, but she's not. She just can't figure out what it is that's missing. Why she can't break the jump between herself and her boys.
Sasuke told her he doesn't love her, and she won't delude herself into thinking that's not true. Even after years of stolen kisses and declarations of friendship and I'll protect yous, she knows nothing's changed. Sasuke holds a secret.
I trust you, Sasuke, she's told him countless times. But she's never ever heard I trust you, too. If she did, it would be better than any love confession. Because this isn't a love story, and she knows it. But she's still hoping for a happy ending, when the time comes.
I've suffered because I had those ties.
The day the village burns, they were supposed to be out on missions. But maybe they realized that the intel Sasuke had given Tsunade led them on a wild goose chase. Maybe they realized something was wrong when Sasuke stayed behind. But when their home goes up in flames, they're not gone. They're not safe. He wanted them gone. He wanted them safe. Because they're his friend, lover, teacher and they're his important people.
The job is done and their world is dead. The village they'd sworn to protect, that Naruto was going to guide to greatness is dead.
When all is done, they find him in the forest.
Rasengan!
Chidori!
Naruto is hurt but Sasuke is mortally wounded. He bleeds out into the dirt that clings to his bones, and it gleams red on his flesh. Sakura tries to put Humpty Dumpty back together again, but she doesn't have the strength or the talent. She never found the something missing. She cries into the hole in his chest.
"I don't love you," he whispers to her when he almost can't bear to breathe.
"Liar," she says, and never lets go.
A/N: I wrote this years ago. I don't remember how many, but quite a few because I was living with my parents at the time. So if it looks familiar, that's why!
I don't own "Into the Fire" by Thirteen Senses, from which the italicized headline at the top originates.
Please review! Number four will be up within the next few days.
-MT
