I was up every night,

A phantom of myself, beside

She rattled my bones,

(Don't you think I fit the part?)

I'll never grow, it's all that I know.

—Cool Blue, The Japanese House.

An outlier.

That's what he feels like; an outsider, on the fringes but not quite there. Unlikely and mostly unaccounted for.

Naruto doesn't trust him.

That much is certain.

Why would he? No matter what he's been holding on to—what they've both been holding on to— for all these years, those years are the answer to the hanging questions that bubble around them. They are strangers and time hasn't been so kind. Why shouldn't he be jaded and closed off? Sasuke's the same, if not worse.

But it's awkward and painful to be so close yet so far, hands outstretched but not quite reaching. Sasuke wonders if it shows on his face that's he suffocating, ready to pop with words unsaid, while Naruto simply pretends he's not here. It's probably not hard for him to treat Sasuke like an inconvenient ghost with all the moving they do in the following days. They're in a new hideout within two turns of the moon, this one more imperceptible than the last, plotting plans in hurried whispers while he's sent to do grunt work like gathering supplies and fixing leaks.

With a fucking chaperone.

Dramatic reunions don't stop the going-ons of a terrorist group, funnily enough, and the whiplash of it all leaves Sasuke lost and out of sorts.

A waiting game he'll do, until the eyes around him soften once more and the tight-knit circle allows for some give. Sooner rather than later, he hopes, since his patience has all about run thin behind the long looks and cold shoulders.

In the meantime, Sasuke watches. Observes, catalogs, makes notes for later, since that's what he's good at.

Unlike the group he was traveling with before, this one is a well-oiled machine. Not one bit or bolt out of place. Everyone's matched and responsible for what they're good at, and there's an easy comfortableness that they all share that's enviable. Since he had that.

Once.

—But certainly not amongst

The random smattering of blank faces
He met and abandoned
to prolong his solitude.

He had it here, but in another time and in another place, and it's cruel for it to be dangled in his face like the smiling prizes of old arcade machines.

In the meantime, he learns names and quilts together backstories from the snippets of conversation he hears (eavesdrops) on.

There's Sora, a troubled boy, young and reckless and angry at the world who was shipped in from the Alpha Centauri colony. He's quite like Naruto in his youth, and sometimes the two of them understandably butt heads over the simplest of things. In quiet moments, when the day's grown old and tired, Sasuke sees the boy staring at Naruto with something that looks like reverence, watching his form burn bright in the shadow of the campfire, something Sasuke understands all too well.

There's Kimimaro, who Sasuke's shocked to find out is a Model Two. He guesses Delta-1 really does allow them to have their own opinions. There's something revolutionary in that, and he's surprised the others aren't making a bigger deal out of it. Stupidly, he realizes that they most likely already did, but he wasn't present for that part.

He's quiet and eerie, but he takes to sitting next to Sasuke and comments about mundane things like he's getting used to having a personality of his own. He probably is, so Sasuke indulges him and pretends not notice how pleased the other man becomes when he realizes Sasuke's still listening.

There's Sai, who seems less and less like a clone of himself the more he watches. A wild fighter from Orion, near Venus. He's seen more death than the grim reaper, personally responsible for leagues more, but somehow remains jovial if not slightly clueless. It's most likely an act to hide a complete and through breakdown, but Sasuke can't know for certain since Sai has little interest in talking to him, just like the others.

Temari and Kankuro consider themselves to be siblings, brought up in the same house by the same mad man. Their story is a sad one, but they carry themselves well. They hail from Lennox, a settlement outlying Neptune. Their situation even rarer, since while two "children" in a household was a rarity itself, three was completely unheard of. The third, of course, is Gaara.

Gaara doesn't like him. At all. Not one bit.

He stares daggers at Sasuke any chance he gets, like he's a cobra ready to strike. It makes Sasuke antsy and itchy for a fight. He doesn't understand his vitriol, but with how frustrated and left out he's felt over the slow-crawling days he'll be damned if he doesn't meet it at the door. Sasuke learns that Naruto once saved the man from execution and he's been devoted to him ever since, always two steps behind and ready to jump into the action at a moment's notice if Naruto says the word. He sees Sasuke as a threat, then. Someone out to hurt his precious leader. Or maybe he decided he just didn't like Sasuke's face. Either way, they have static and Sasuke doesn't see it being smoothed over any time soon.

He learns of the dead, those that died well before he landed here and those that died a few nights ago, which Karin was responsible for, hailing from all over the solar system. Anko, Konan, Yahiko, left to rot in the grass because they couldn't risk burying them. The others mourn for them and Sasuke feels guilt licking at his heels for it, and for the limp Kankuro stumbles around on from Sasuke's own bullet.

He wants desperately to ask if the fates of his team are known. Juugo wasn't injured, but Sasuke has no idea what happened after he was knocked unconscious. He wonders if Karin can still use her left arm, if Suigetsu bled out from the loss of his right, if Juugo knows that Sasuke was taken or if he thinks him dead. But he can't bring himself ask and no one offers.

He learns of Kidomaru and his story, how they took him in because he had no one. A stray cat, lost in the world with no home to go back to. He can tell that his betrayal burns like hellfire, even though the others pretend like it does not. It's questioned, the why of it all, tearily by TenTen, and the only answer that is given is a shaken head and a shrug. Sasuke knows, but the question wasn't asked of him so he shuts his mouth. Gaara pipes up after the awkward silence, with a dry tone and a poisonous, purposeful glance:

"That's why we don't trust outsiders." He says, and Sasuke feels more gazes on him, knowing who the barb was really meant for. He chuckles from his isolated corner, but says nothing. What's the point in arguing? To him, Gaara's an outsider, as well as the others who will only serve as cannon fodder in the days to come. It's a vicious thought, but he's not feeling so optimistic now and won't stoop so low as to argue semantics. It's not worth rising to, since if they wanted him gone he would be already, so Gaara's just going to have to stew in his seat about this outsider getting a portion of the evening meal.

It's not a widely shared sentiment, anyway, since after the first night, Ino pulled him to the side and cried on his shoulder. The damn finally broke, between missing him and the weight of her struggles. He doesn't want to say that he knows what she's been through but he gets the feeling that she's already aware. He grips her tight and lets her cry, fighting down tears himself.

Sakura makes sure his eaten and that he's comfortable in his bedroll, even if it's set a little further away from the rest. TenTen's quick strike up conversation with him, but only when Naruto's occupied elsewhere to avoid friction. She's often his chaperone when he has to do errands and he forgot how much he enjoyed her laugh.

The men aren't as open with it, sometimes sitting near him to keep company or offering to let him join a card game. They're more obvious in the side they've taken, which makes sense since Sasuke's wasn't even an option until a few nights ago. They're awkward and stifled though, like they want to be more open and include him, but Sasuke's certain they've been expressly told not to.

He's trying not to let it get to him, but he's not sure how much longer he can keep it up. Something has to give so he doesn't go insane. It's no better than being back at his headquarters on earth: one wrong move and he'll be sent packing. He doesn't like being on a tightrope and doesn't like being stared at like he's some rare art piece. Soon, he'll have had enough, and with each passing day he swears he's going to storm out into the wilderness and just forget this whole thing.

And if he keeps putting off doing that until tomorrow, well…

He has his reasons.

B.

His mother sits in a heap on the floor, clutching the last photo they took together as a family.

Sasuke pauses in the doorway, messenger bag sliding to the floor off of his slack and shocked shoulder. His mouth parts, but he doesn't know what to say.

She kisses the floor, curls up in a ball, prays to some God that she knows doesn't hear her as she sobs out meaningless nothings into the floorboards.

He takes a cautious step forward, unsure, unnerved. He can recall seeing her cry exactly twice in his short life: once, when his brother left, and before that, when she found her two boys under heavy blankets watching the stars on a quiet night. Sasuke was so young then, feet still swinging loose in the air when he sat since they couldn't touch the floor.

His brother was wrapped around him while he sat in Itachi's lap, eyes low and drooping, being lulled to sleep by his brother quietly explaining the cosmos to him. He still can feel the careful kisses to his hairline and whisper of breath against his cheek.

The sight moved her so much that she cried silently with a smile on her face when they asked her what was wrong, but she told them they were happy tears, and she'd come back and get them when they fell asleep.

These aren't happy tears. He doesn't think any of her tears have been happy for a long while.

She notices him then, frozen in question, one hand raised to comfort her. He can barely look at her stained glass gaze or the thick black tar that slides down her face, but he can't bring himself to look away.

They don't speak for what feels like ages. She stares, eyes falling lower and lower until they close and another sob escapes her mouth.

"Mother?" He hears himself say in horror. He doesn't understand. He never understands, even when it's right in front of him.

She shakes her head, eyes opening back up in a way that almost looks painful. She licks her quivering lips, and meets his eyes.

"Are you really going to leave me, too?" She asks quietly, and he feels his heart break in two.

—The lump in his throat

Takes days to swallow.

Long after she's gotten herself together,

He still has not.

She cries in his arms for hours, and even still he has no answer.

And that's the end of that.

Or, it's not, because days before he's supposed to go, days before he can start truly living, days before his hard-earned freedom, his parents sit him down at the table and break his heart again.

"Your mother and I think it's best if you stay." His father says over dinner that night. Why is it always dinner, he wonders? They shouldn't share life shattering news at the table. It's never good and is such a waste of food since he's never hungry after.

"What?" Is all he can ask, since this is all he's talked about for weeks. Months. Years. Going off to explore the cosmos with his closest friends. With people he trusts. With Naruto. They supported him just fine this entire time so what's changed? That's a stupid question; he knows what's changed, but it's not fair. Not now, when he's so close. Not now!

His parents share a look. A quiet, regretful, but firm look and he's almost certain that this battle's already lost.

"It's dangerous up there," His father continues. "Who knows what could happen. Not to mention that the assignments available for our kind are-"

"I don't give a shit about a fucking assignment!" He explodes, slamming his hands down on the table. Their plates clatter loudly in the otherwise silent room. The ticking of the wall clock is giving him a headache and everything seems to be moving too quickly for his liking.

"You know that I've wanted to do this since….since forever! You can't just-just-!" He's not sure what he was going to say here. You can't stop me. You can't take this away from me. You can't punish me because Itachi's gone. You can't make me! But none of it matters because his mother looks away and cuts him off.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," she says solemnly, and in that moment, he hates her. "One day you'll understand that were doing this for your own good."

One day. One day! That's what everyone says, isn't it? Like he's not here right here, right now and like they couldn't explain it to him if they really wanted him to understand. But they don't. They want to control him like they've always done and keep him locked away in this gilded cage so he can be just as miserable as they are. No! He won't! He won't agree to this!

"I'm going." He says, squaring his shoulders, puffing his chest. He's never tried before, since he knew it would never work. There's a first time for everything. But it's pointless, since his father stares at him blankly and shakes his head.

"I've already canceled your pass and barred your from travel until further notice. You've never given much thought to your future and we can't just let you ruin it. Did you really think you'd be able to stay with your friends forever? That everything would work out just because you willed it so? They don't live as we do, they don't have the same responsibilities we do, so they can just run off and try to live some fantasy up in the stars. You're different from them, Sasuke, and its high time you acted like it."

Sasuke stares at him, slack jawed. He forgot. He always forgets that his father is a powerful man—or should he say machine?—a ruthless, heartless, powerful man who gets what he wants no matter what. You'd have to be that way, to live your life as a traitor to your own kind as he does.

A million and one thoughts fly through his head, each more hateful than the last, but he settles on a simple: "Fuck you." Even though he knows he's pushing his luck. Predictably, his father's brow furrows and he's no doubt going to fly into some rant but Sasuke's not going to allow it. He spins on his heel and stalks down the hall and up the stairs, slamming the door so hard it nearly comes off the hinges.

He destroys his room that night, in the rage that follows.

Somehow, he knew. He always knew he'd be the one that had to stay behind. One way or another. He never thought it'd come from his parents directly. He thought...he thought maybe his brother would come back and they could be together again, and he'd stay to prevent him from running off once more. He thought the he'd be approached by the Spies and they'd force him to rat on his people like his parents so proudly did. He thought maybe he wouldn't even make it that far and some dumb decision would lead to his early demise. But not this. Not something so petty as to trap him here so they won't be lonely. He'll call it like it is. Anything else they say is bullshit; his mother doesn't want to be alone and his father has always done what he could to grant her wishes. He isn't stupid.

But he is hurt, betrayed, nearly inconsolable. He sits sobbing in a heap on the floor, clutching his wrist with the small, black infinity symbol on it to his chest while he shakes in grief and anger, cursing some God he knows doesn't hear him.

How will he ever tell Naruto?

He can't bring himself to, even though the deadline's getting close. He can't let him leave without saying anything, though, but every time his tears dry and he thinks of stepping out of the house, his body seizes up and fresh tears being anew. It doesn't matter in the end, since it's Naruto who seeks him out first. They haven't spoken in days and Naruto must know that something is wrong. There's a soft tapping at his window long after the sun's gone down and Sasuke doesn't move to answer it. It's a courtesy, to make sure he's not occupied and decent, because that window has always open since they were old enough to climb.

"Sasuke?" Naruto asks warily. Sasuke can't blame him; he's been staring at the wall for hours and he knows his looks match the chaos of the room around him. "What's wrong? What happened? Everyone's been asking where you are."

He doesn't answer, barely acknowledging that his friend is present save for a long sigh. He can't help but hunch over further and grip the bed sheets.

"Are you ok?" Naruto asks, advancing. He kneels, pressing a gentle finger underneath Sasuke's chin so he'll look at him, and Sasuke never found it harder to meet someone's gaze. But, he holds it, feels tears bubbling again and hates the fact that Naruto's face creases in concern.

"I'm not-" he starts, pausing to lick his dry lips. "I'm not going."

Naruto's brows pull down even further, and he drops down to his knees in front of Sasuke's slouched form. He presses firm hands into his knees and Sasuke flinches at the touch.

"What do you mean? Why not? Why wouldn't you?" he asks, confusion and hurt creeping into his tone.

"I'm staying here." He says more resolutely, proud that his voice doesn't shake for only a moment.

Naruto stands pulls away, standing suddenly. He narrows his eyes and crosses his arms. "Yes," he says, shaking his head so hard that his hair slaps against his cheeks. "You are."

"I can't." It's agony to speak, but he pushes on. "I just can't."

"Fuck that!" Naruto almost shouts, still mindful of the lateness of the hour. "You've wanted this forever! Why the fuck would you change your mind when we're so close, Sasuke?! That doesn't make any sense! Explain it to me!"

Even if he could, he doesn't get the chance because Naruto's not done. He takes a second to think and then he's rattling on a mile a minute. "Something happened with your dad, didn't it? Don't make that face; I know it did. You only ever get like this when you guys had it out. Did he say you couldn't? This is so fucking stupid. Let me go talk to him."

Sasuke raises his head in alarm and snakes his hand out to catch Naruto's wrist. "Stop." He says firmly. "Don't go down there."

Naruto tries to shake him off but Sasuke's not budging. "Why the hell not?" He shouts. Why? Because Sasuke can't bear to hear his father deny him again. He can't bear for Naruto to see Sasuke so weak and submissive. He won't be able to take the look on Naruto's face when he realizes that his words won't change anything and that this is really it.

"He already canceled my flight pass. I'm banned from flying, too, so even if I tried they wouldn't let me go since I'm flagged."

"He can't do this to you! It's not right!" Naruto cries. Sasuke agrees, but he's powerless. He's no one. Nothing. He can't fight his father on this, since the Capitol will agree with his decision to protect "assets".

"I know, but…" He doesn't know what to say. There's nothing more to say. It's over.

"You're just going to give up?" Naruto asks angrily, finally pulling his wrist free. Sasuke hadn't been aware that he was still holding it.

That's to be expected. That's all it was ever going to be. It was going to end up with Naruto being disappointed in him, since he's weak and his friend is not. He always knew.

"You're going to let him get away with it? Stow away or something. We can find a way to hide you. Or maybe we can steal someone else's pass or-"

"Naruto." Sasuke says quietly. It's hurting him. It's hurting the both of them and Sasuke just wants it to stop. He can't do this.

"Don't." Naruto says, pointing an accusing finger at him. He'll ignore the fact that it's shaking. "Don't say my name like that. I'm not just going to leave you here!"

"I'm sorry." he mumbles barely audible. Naruto sucks in a breath and turns away from him, hands on his hips. He's tapping his foot irritably and Sasuke stares at the wall opposite of him while his friend comes to terms with it.

After a while, Naruto sighs long and heavy, turning back to face him. Sasuke looks at him, flinching at the steely resolve he finds in the other boy's eyes.

"Fine. Then I'm staying too. I can't leave you behind, Sasuke." He says sadly, one knee pressed down into the bed as his arms loop tightly around Sasuke's neck.

No.

Nonononono. He can't. That's not right. Sasuke feels himself turn to stone as Naruto rests his head on his shoulder.

Naruto deserves more. Deserves to be more. He deserves his freedom and Sasuke can't be the one to hold him back from that. He'll hate himself forever if he binds Naruto to him, even though he desperately wants to in this moment.

—The warmth of his body

Haunted him for far too long, after.

And he regretted that he was stupid enough

Not to return his embrace.

He grips Naruto's biceps and gently pushes him away. The look of hurt that painted that pretty face kept him from sleeping that night.

"No. You won't." He says, sounded colder than he's ever heard himself. "You're going to go because I don't need you here."

He understood in that moment, why is brother's first parting words were cruel and cutting. Sasuke would have never let him walk away otherwise, and he knows Naruto will be the same.

He expects Naruto to get angry, to push at him, to curse and call him a liar. But he doesn't. It's worse, because blue eyes fill up and lips part in pain. He thrusts his wrist up so Sasuke can see it. He knows what's there, and he doesn't want to look.

"Forever, Sasuke." Naruto says lowly. "That's what we said. That's why we got these. Did you forget?"

He didn't. He's pretty sure he wouldn't for the rest of his life.

"I know what I said but it doesn't matter now." There's blood in his mouth from god knows where, blood on his wrist as his fingernails dig hard enough to scratch away some of the skin. He has to make a point; a stupid, heartless point but it has to be done. Naruto watches him take off his own skin, eyes wide and deathly pale.

The weight of his lies threaten to pull him right through the floor. "We're living a fantasy and it's time to stop." He hates using his father's words, but he knows they'll get a reaction out of Naruto just like it did with him.

"Do you really think we'll be able to do what we want up there? There's no telling what's going on in the colonies. It's all a fucking pipe dream that they sell us so we'll all be clamoring to go. Seriously, get real, Naruto; We don't have rights, we don't have futures, we don't have anything! We don't even have souls! So no, I don't need you and you don't need me, since we're just skinjobs playing at being human by pretending there's something meaningful between us. We're just using each other to pass the time!"

Too far. He instantly regrets it. It was almost an acknowledgement of the words unspoken between them—almost, but instead it's callous and uncalled for, to throw their secret in his face like this. But he can't take it back, or Naruto will weave his way into the holes inside him and never leave.

He expects it, the punch that nearly takes his jaw off, but somehow it still surprises him. He deserves that, wholeheartedly, and waits for another that doesn't come.

One tear escapes Naruto's eye before he angrily swipes it away. He's shaking but not speaking, which is scarier than anything he could possibly do next. A quiet Naruto is horrifying and capable of anything.

"Tell me you mean that and I'll go." Naruto says after a while. Deathly calm. It shouldn't be like this. He should be waving him off with a wink and a smile. He shouldn't be grinding their love into the ground in the hopes that Naruto won't look back. "I won't bother you again. All you have to do is say that you mean it." His face is all wrong and Sasuke hates himself for being the cause of it. He's too beautiful for words and Sasuke wishes—he wishes—

He's not sure what he wishes. He just wants anything other than this.

The world's falling from beneath his feet, but he has to let him go.

"I mean it."

Naruto swallows and looks away, nodding once to himself. He sees him bite his lip, almost smiles in disbelief and Sasuke knows that the other boy knows that he's lying. But it was said, and affirmed, and he's marked to prove it, so he's going to take Sasuke's word for it.

"Okay." And that's that. He can almost feel the tether break, and he fights himself not to reach back out for its frayed ends.

He stares at the fluttering curtain that halos the open window until the sun comes up, finally finding enough strength in his legs to stand. He looks out, knowing he won't find anyone standing there, but he looks anyway.

All that's out there is the wind, shapeless and free as always, and he likes to pretend that Naruto let himself get carried away with it.

He sets the lock and goes back to bed.

C.

They've moved again, this time to an abandoned row of warehouses in the middle of nowhere. They'd been traveling for weeks, moving just outside another small town until they hit a tall row of wildflowers that have reclaimed the wide expanse of concrete and wires. Sasuke marvels at it, running his hands softly through as they pass, biting down a smile as he sees other hands outstretched as they walk in front of him.

He takes to sitting in the half-broken rafters, looking out between the gaps in the wood and ignoring the ambient chatter below. He hasn't seen another soul for miles. It was days ago when he saw some weary travelers that paid them no mind as they passed. It truly is different up here, since people in the Capitol would question why such a large group was traveling together. He wonders what horrors they've seen, to ask nothing.

He's studying the way the grass moves when someone calls out to him below.

"Yo, Sasuke!" Kiba says, waving him down. TenTen stands next to him, smiling openly. He wonders what they want, since he was public enemy number just this morning. Still, suspicious as he is, he swings his legs over and drops down in front of them.

"Hm? What is it?"

TenTen pats his shoulder and smiles wider. "Naruto wants to talk to you."

Oh? What's changed? Is he actually going to be ousted, or knocked over the head and wake up to a firing squad? How bleak, but as he said, he's not feeling too confident.

It must show on his face, because Kiba laughs and TenTen shakes her head.

"its fine, it's fine. He's finally decided to stop being an ass and accept you back, I promise. There's some important things he needs to say first before we move forward, though." TenTen assures. Kiba nods in confirmation and starts pushing him over to the small office where Naruto's set up a makeshift war room. Sasuke hadn't been inside yet, and somehow it feels like he's being sent to the principal's office.

"He was never really angry anyway," Kiba adds. "He's just really fucking stubborn but you know that already."

Debatable.

Still, Sasuke's going to go because they can't go on like this forever. Not to mention that he's lonely and desperate.

He must have passed some test he wasn't aware he was taking between yesterday and today, but he'll try his best not to complain about it. Outwardly, at least.

He knocks, even though it's slightly ajar. He expects for it to be just the two of them, but instead he finds that Sakura and Lee are sitting together, hand in hand and he stutters awkwardly in the doorway. Part of him is offended that Naruto still won't have a private conversation with him but he's gets the distinct impression that this isn't exactly that.

"Sit." Naruto says, arms crossed as he leans against an aging desk. Sasuke dutifully sits, swiveling his head this way and that to make eye contact with everyone so he can figure out what's going on. Lee sends him a reassuring smile, but Sakura's uncomfortable and stiff.

Naruto purses his lips and clicks his teeth, seeming to struggle with what he wants to say. Sasuke leans back in his seat and waits.

"The others seem convinced that you check out, so I'm inclined to believe them." He says after a time, rolling his eyes skyward. He's always known, but to see it up close how tightly Naruto can hold onto a grudge makes his lips spasm into an almost smile. Sasuke blinks at him and waits for him to continue.

"And that's fine. We always need extra hands." Ouch. "But if you're going to be with us, really with us, there's some things you need to know."

Now he starting to get freaked out a bit. He surveys the room again but no one's giving anything away.

"Alright." he replies.

Naruto sighs heavily and rubs his temples. He wonders what could be so important that it's stressing him so.

"How much did Kidomaru tell you?" Naruto asks.

"Nothing at all, really. We didn't get that far. He only told me that there was an "unbelievable" driving force that served as the method to your madness."

Naruto smiles briefly, no teeth, but it doesn't reach his eyes. He pushes off of the desk and rounds it to rummage in one of its drawers. Sakura takes a deep breath from her place on the right and Lee rubs her shoulder in comfort. What the hell?

A picture. It's a picture he produces. A scenic background with a huge white birch, rope swing frozen in time. Sakura sits on it in a sundress, smiling wide with a child on her lap. Golden curls bounce in the wind and the little girl's smile rivals the sunshine.

He….doesn't understand.

Sasuke raises his eyes in question after staring at the photo for far too long. Naruto's watching in with a guarded expression and his eyelids twitch when they make eye contact.

"Who's this?" He asks dumbly. Is it stupid if he truly has no idea?

Naruto doesn't answer at first, looking first at Sakura and then at Lee. They both give nods of confirmation and Naruto's sighing heavily through his nose before turning his attention back to him.

"Our daughter. Sakura and I. Hanami." He says, like it's the most normal thing in the world.

It's instinct to immediately deny it. That doesn't happen, not for them. They aren't human and there's no way. Built, not born, is what they've always said. Always believed. They were created to serve a purpose and were lesser beings to their human counterparts.

But, staring at the photo, he knows it to be true. He can see the both of them in her; in her upturned eyes, her wide smile, her tanned skin and blonde hair. It's impossible. Unbelievable. A miracle that could change everything they've ever known. Their very society was built on the idea that the synthetic beings were soulless servants, created to obey, and assembled in a factory somewhere far off and magical. But this, this destroys the idea that they are little more than talking appliances.

If Sakura can give birth, does that mean—?

What does that mean? His brain is firing off rapidly in too many directions and he can't settle on one concrete answer.

"Most people wouldn't believe it." Naruto says quietly. Sasuke feels like he's been dragged back to the present at the sound of his voice. He was tumbling through time, remembering moments make more sense now, with context.

A memory: His voice has just started getting deeper and his mother smiles every time his voice cracks. His father tends to frown at it,

—for some reason.

Was he—? Were they—? Did he—?

"But I knew you would." He finishes. There's meaning behind that, something well-guarded and well taken care of, even after so long, but Sasuke's reeling and he can't process much of anything right now.

The breath's been knocked out of him and he feels like he might pass out. Finally, after ages, he can meet Naruto's eyes again. The other man looks away, shying from his gaze, and Sasuke still doesn't understand everything, it seems.

Another side of him, something he wants no part of at the moment, can't ignore that it's their child. That Naruto got what—who—he wanted, like Sasuke figured he would. He was never jealous of the affection Naruto had for her, knew it would come to a head one day, but now the fruits of their union eat at his insides like a rat in a bucket. He feels it clawing and his blood's rising so much that it nearly chokes him.

"This is...amazing, Naruto." He manages to say over the fire and brimstone blooming in his head. "This is life changing. I can't—I don't even know what to say."

Naruto nods absently. He looks distracted, almost lost. Old pain flaring across his face. All at once, Sasuke understands and his heart drops to his feet.

It's Sakura who confirms it a moment later, voice shaky and strained. "It's okay. No one really does." She pauses, closing her eyes and leaning into Lee for comfort. "She's gone, though. We lost her three years ago in an ambush. She'd just turned two. It wasn't long after that photo was taken."

Oh.

There was no other reality. It wasn't like they could hide a child from him while living in such close quarters. She'd have to be elsewhere or dead. Still, he's bitter that he never got the chance to know her, to love her, and he mourns for all that he's missed.

Naruto lost his child, a child they were all certain couldn't exist, and Sasuke never knew.

He shuts his eyes at the tell-tale signs of tears.

It's silent. His heart's beating too rapidly in his chest and he wonders if the others can hear it, too.

Eventually, he looks up again, meeting Naruto's eyes head-on with steely resolve. He was already sure before they told him that he wanted to be all in, but now there's nowhere else he can be after learning the truth.

"What more do we need to do?" He asks. Naruto nods at him, eyes alight.

"There's more proof we need," Is the answer he gets. "Papers, records. We know where they are but they're a bitch to get to. There's proof that this cover-up goes all the way up the totem pole and the people deserve to know about it. We still have her...bones and her DNA, so we can present that too. And…" He trails off, turning to Sakura. Finally, she smiles a matching smile with Lee, and it's so sickeningly sweet that Sasuke almost smiles back even though he's devastated.

"I'm pregnant." She says, almost sheepishly. "Not too far along. I'm not supposed to be fighting but we don't have much of a choice."

It feels strange to say good words after learning that her first child died, but he smiles and says: "Congratulations." All the same.

Lee stands, still smiling, and comes to shake Sasuke's hand. "It's such a relief that you now know, my friend! It's very hard to keep secrets." Sasuke nods because he doesn't have an answer for that, and indulges Lee when he swoops in for a hug. It's not so bad, though, since he feels wanted again. He lets Sakura do the same. She holds on for a little longer, pressing her face into his chest and he tightens his grip when he hears a suspicious sniff. They stand like that for a while, him holding her as gently as he can and her using him as a handkerchief, but eventually they break away and he finds her teary smile to be beautiful.

When they exit, it's just him and Naruto, standing awkwardly, not quite looking at each other. Naruto blows a raspberry with his mouth and runs a hand through his hair.

"So now you know." He says solemnly and really, what more is there to say?

Sasuke has plenty, starting with: "I'm sorry." He'll maybe follow it up with an "it kills me that I couldn't be there for you" and also "It'd be great if I wasn't such a fuck up."

"Don't be." Naruto replies dismissively. He must be used to the pity that comes with the revelation of a dead child, and Sasuke doesn't want to annoy him with his sympathies. Still, he has to say something, right?

"You certainly couldn't do anything about it. I couldn't do anything about it. It's just the way, life goes, I guess." That's too flippant for someone as outspoken and emotional as him, but he knows that the years have been hard so he won't push. The way he grieves is all his own and Sasuke has no dominion over that.

He dares to step closer, and Naruto watches him with cautious eyes and a blatant defensive stance. What he thinks Sasuke would possibly do to him right now, he's not sure, but he makes sure to stop right outside of touching distance.

—He can tell,

Just by a look

They're both so terribly disappointed

At the acres between them.

He can't help himself. His emotions get the better of him, and even though he doesn't want to pick at old scabs, he can't help but admit:

"I really would have liked to meet her."

He really would have. A sweet girl with Naruto's face and Sakura's charm? He would have been head over heels.

Naruto swallows thickly and looks down at the floor. His hands snake out and grip at Sasuke's sleeves. He doesn't quite lean into him, but its close. Sasuke feels his breath catch and he forces himself to stay still.

"I... really wanted that, you have no idea." He confesses. All Sasuke wants to do is hold him, massage away his pain and his fears, but he's not sure if his touch will be welcome.

"Can I...hug you?" Naruto asks quietly, still not looking at him. He guesses he has his answer.

Sasuke doesn't wait, pulling him closer. Naruto's arms settle around his waist and his head against Sasuke's chest. They stay like that, in silence, until Naruto jokes:

"If you tell anyone about this, I'll have to kill you. I have an image to uphold." Sasuke chuckles and Naruto responds by gripping him tighter.

"Okay. I promise." He's afraid for a moment that Naruto will make a jab about how his promises never amounted to much, but he doesn't.

At that thought, he feels the guilt start to eat him alive again. He feels the need to explain himself, even though this might not be the right moment. He has to take the opportunity, since Naruto's vulnerable right now and he might close off and ignore him again once he's calmed down.

"Naruto, you know I-" he starts, but Naruto huffs and cuts him off. He shifts until his lips are pressed against Sasuke's neck, making him shudder.

"Yeah I know you didn't mean it, asshole." Naruto replies, stale as ever. Even still, he can read his mind like no one else. Or, it was bound to come up, since it was the last words they said to each other some ten odd years ago. "Do you know how pissed I was that I fell for the bait? I know you only said that shit so I would leave because you're always so irritatingly noble and protective of me. Don't get me wrong, I wanted to kill you and just might have if I didn't leave right then but I get it, okay? So just shut the fuck up and let me hug you, you bastard."

Sasuke laughs into his hair, a little glad that Naruto didn't let him apologize just then. He just wants to stand here and feel his warmth, let himself get swept away by the feelings pulsing inside him that he tried so hard to forget.

"I missed you." He breathes, and he hears Naruto suck in a breath. The other man stiffens for a second, and Sasuke wonders if he said the wrong thing. But then Naruto's settled back down onto his shoulder like nothing happened.

"I missed you too, asshole." He sighs softly and Sasuke pretends like he doesn't notice the budding blotch that soaks into his shoulder.