SUMMARY: Sasuke has no idea what is going on.
Sasuke has to leave.
Konoha is not home anymore.
Maybe it will be one day.
Maybe he will be able to come back to the compound and not be assaulted by memories.
He is not going to go after Orochimaru - the man is clearly too weak.
Besides, Sasuke knows the only person he can rely on is himself.
He has to avenge his clan.
Maybe, secretly, he does not want his friends associates to have to deal with the burden it.
But he is going to leave.
He must.
So he does.
Well he begins to.
He doesn't manage to make it to the gates before he is attacked.
Sasuke doesn't understand how the village knows he is defecting already.
Then he realises just who his attacker is.
Kiba.
His pack-oriented teammate who he is going to be leaving.
Kiba won't stop him.
The boy doesn't stop attacking him - loudly calling him an idiot.
Sasuke manages to subdue him.
And then, driven by anger he begins to remind Kiba of all his weaknesses and how he will never catch up.
Because Sasuke is a prodigy, an Uchiha, skilled.
Kiba cannot stop him.
Sasuke won't let him.
He has to do this.
Even if Kiba doesn't understand...
Sasuke must.
He is so engrossed in his speech that he doesn't realise he has an audience until it is too late.
Sasuke is strong.
He knows it.
They know it too.
But there are eleven of them (excluding Kiba) and even he isn't powerful enough.
It doesn't mean he is going to come quietly though.
If there's even a chance that he can escape...
They don't understand.
None of them understand.
He has to go.
He doesn't care in that moment.
If they don't let him go, they were never friends allies in the first place.
Tenten throws something at him.
It's probably one of her weapons.
But Sasuke is tired.
Kiba put up a good fight, even though he was holding back.
So he catches it.
And then abruptly frowns.
Because it isn't a weapon.
It's a seal.
The expensive kind by the looks of it.
Sasuke could afford it.
The Uchiha wealth is his after all.
But as far as he knows, Tenten is an orphan.
How did she...
More importantly, why did she?
Sasuke doesn't understand what's going on.
He is left even more confused when Tenten kindly informs him that it is an extra durability storage seal.
Sasuke, confused, simply lets out a "hn".
If they are going to confuse him, he is going to confuse them right back.
Annoyingly, none of them seem fazed.
Neji gives him a polite nod.
There is a scandalised "Neji!" from Ino.
A fellow prodigy, Neji adds on a little bit about having a spar next time they meet.
Luckily for Neji and unluckily for Sasuke, Lee cuts in next.
Sasuke doesn't quite hate Lee.
In fact, he respects him.
But the boy is a weirdo.
Sasuke dearly hopes this will be the last time he hears "Youthful" for a long time.
Unlikely.
Sasuke doesn't even get a moment to try to understand what is going on because it's Ino's turn next.
The girl has grown on him but he absolutely detests the way she squeals "Sasuke-kun".
She does get him a very pretty but very poisonous flower, though.
For that, Sasuke thinks he can forgive her.
Maybe.
When he has time to process what is going on.
An unusually grave looking Chouji and a bored looking Shikamaru come over to him next.
Choji is holding two bentos.
Sasuke is fairly sure they aren't poisoned.
And there is no way he is refusing the tomatoes in the one Shikamaru shoves at him.
The lazy boy is complaining about it being a "drag".
Sasuke feels a sliver of affection.
A pinprick really.
Nothing noteworthy.
His second teammate takes his hand.
It says something about their relationship that Sasuke doesn't immediately pull a kunai on Shino.
He blames it on shock.
No one believes him.
(He doesn't even believe himself.)
Two of Shino's kikaichu crawl onto him.
The statement is as clear as Kiba's declaration that he is "pack".
Sasuke is not feeling warm.
It is just unusually warm for a night in Konoha.
That is all.
Gaara approaches him next.
Suauke owes him and he knows it.
Gaara doesn't seem to realise.
Instead, he cheerfully declares an open invitation for him to come to Suna.
Sasuke won't visit.
He already owes the other boy too much.
(That's why he will.)
Sumire is as blunt as always.
She tells him she'd better not hear about him getting himself hurt or she'll try out her new exploding seals on him.
Sasuke is ready to say something but Sakura steps up next to Sumire.
She gives him her best 'you'd better listen to Sumire' look.
He's not foolish enough to go against both of them.
And then the baka steps up.
He lives up to his title - rambling on about how he cannot believe it.
Sasuke does not understand.
But he has long since given up on understanding the situation.
Some of his confusion must show up on his face because Team Eight is looking at him like he has gone mad.
They say nothing more though because that is the moment Kurenai, Anko and Gai appear.
Sasuke looks cautiously at the exit.
He doubts he can make a break for it.
Gai starts wailing about "how youthful" exploring your own path is.
He's still going to try.
It would be worth it.
Anko blocks his path.
Sasuke doesn't know much about the woman except for the fact she was once Orochimaru's student.
He swallows worriedly.
Only to be left stunned when she leaves him alone after a 'small' threat about joining Orochimaru.
Still bewildered, he doesn't even try to resist Kurenai when she tells him he'd better write.
He doesn't want to test her.
(And he's still completely disorientated.)
He cannot move for a good few seconds - long enough for Sumire to slap a tag on him.
His last images of them as they wave goodbye are distorted by sudden, pouring rain.
(Grumpily,) he seeks out some sort of shelter from all the water falling on him.
Sasuke is fire-natured, after all.