Tainted Sun
Summary: "Either you die a hero, or you live to see yourself become the villain." Sasuke's greatest regret is listening to Hinata when she begged him to let Naruto go. Never would he expect this dark and twisted outcome. Is he too late to save the sun from his darkness? SasuNaruSasu onesided NaruHina
-o-o-o-
Note: In this AU, Neji survived and Sasuke and Naruto had their arms. Just because I prefer it that way haha.
-o-o-o-
No one could see it.
The melancholic darkness tinge in those sky blue eyes, a cloudy haze dulling their light. A face with a grin, a sparkle of false joy in a ceremony of sham marriage. The news of the war hero's marriage, a union to the Hyuuga heiress spread like wildfire. And the world celebrated.
No one could have seen it.
That the momentous ceremony, a joyous occasion where two become one… would result in their sweet bitter rapture.
And the destruction of the world around them… and a hero's eventual fall from grace.
-o-o-o-
"You found him yet?"
"Yes, Kakashi-sensei. A build-up of chakra to the far North. He's preparing to shift between dimensions, I recon."
Dark eyes narrowed in response. They're on a race against time. If that man succeeds, none of them would stand a chance. For as much as they hated this war criminal, even they can acknowledge his strength, the power gifted to him that won them the greatest war this world has ever known- a war not just against demons of the past, but the very source of all chakra.
"Then we'd best get moving. Sakura, return to Tsunade and report that we found him. If fortune favors us, we'll reach him in time."
Emerald eyes hardened, a fire of determination lighting from within.
"Yes sensei."
-o-o-o-
Rinnegan eyes surveyed familiar scenery before him, a lonely smile, bitter and grim stretched his lips. This was where they fought for the last time. Such a place full of memories. This is where he nearly killed his sun, back when he ran from his home when they were children. This is where they fought after the war. And this was where they accepted their love for each other.
Ironic that this too shall be the last place he'll see after breaking the man who chased him to the ends of the Earth. He looked at the waters dancing beneath him, relishing their cool azure depths, a reminder of the eyes he loved so much before finally embarking on self-imposed exile.
For three days ago, the wedding would bind his love to her forever, and cut off whatever rights he have to call Konoha his home. For how can he face Naruto when he was the one who fought tooth and nail to give him away to the very woman who claimed to love him, to care for him better than any terrorist could.
At first Sasuke laughed at the thought. But her determined eyes told him a different story. And despite her seemingly weak and gentle disposition, the last of the Uchiha knew the truth to her words. Naruto does not deserve to spend his life with a criminal like him, broken and unmade. For he who has nothing, surely have nothing to offer the very man who gave him the world, who gave him life and his freedom from all who wanted to take him, to lock him away for his crimes. Or worse… to end his very existence for the very lives that stained his hands.
And he can't stand by to witness what he did, to see the grand ceremony of his own making. So before long, he left… just like the coward and weakness that he is, he left, unable to witness the wedding that would wrest the love of his life from his hands forever.
He closed his eyes, chakra massing on his left, to prepare for his journey ahead. And with one last melancholic gaze, he took in the Valley of the End, broken, destroyed, a whirlwind of utter destruction, just like his heart and soul.
With a shaky breath, a voice weak and weary, he gasped and channeled his powers, summoning a small dark portal before him.
"Goodbye, Naruto."
As he dragged his stiff and shaking body to its entrance, he turned in sheer alarm, years of training and on the run honing his senses for any that would approach him. And the chakra closing in on him was strong… familiar.
Ahhh..
Konoha nin.
For what purpose? He doesn't know. Maybe the last remnants of the council had changed their minds, intent on killing him after putting up a reassuring smile to the sun of Konoha that they would do him no harm.
Sasuke readied himself for a fight, aware that his status as a criminal was only absolved beneath closed doors.
"Sasuke!..."
He frowned at the voice. And soon he was face to face with his old mentor, and once rival for the heart of his beloved. Kakashi and Neji. The men stopped before him, nearly out of breath and gasping for air- desperation clear on their faces.
"Uchiha…stop…"
"What's the meaning of this? Am I still being hunted even now? You promised Naruto you'd let me go." He replied, readying his weapons to fight for his life.
"You got it all wrong Sasuke. We're here to ask for your help."
A dark eyebrow rose in suspicion but also partly in shock.
"What happened?"
The Hyuuga stepped forward this time, eyes grim and weary, yet guilt swirling within his eyes.
"It's Naruto."
"He's… we lost him, Sasuke."
Purple eyes swirled into red, his deep seated resentment surfacing.
"What do you mean you lost him? I gave him up, Neji! Precisely because Hinata promised she'd take care of him. That YOU would give him the life he deserves- the life that I could NOT provide? What happened?"
"Calm down, Sasuke." Kakashi spoke. "He's still in Konoha. But ever since the wedding… he's… different."
That was when Sasuke lowered his guard. He canceled his portal and approached the two men before him.
"Start talking."
Relief washed over the other as they signaled for him to return with them. And while Sasuke needed no convincing, the two men brought forth painful memories as they told their tale. The night that was so vivid in his memories, long he thought to be a distant one came to life once more as they told the tale of a hero's rise… and descent upon the loss of his moon.
-o-o-o-
Sasuke know what they were referring to. It was a few days after his sentence and Naruto invited him over the stone heads of the Hokage faces. There they would celebrate their special day, a remembrance of how they first came together. He remembered his love's face, as bright as the sun, smile stretching from ear to ear as Naruto patted the blanketed ground next to him, along with a delectable assortment of their favorite food.
On its centerpiece, a flower, the very same one that Naruto had been giving him since his time in prison was proudly on display.
"You're late, bastard. Now come on. I made these for us" Sasuke rolled his eyes, unwilling to admit that he was with the council beforehand, and one Hyuuga heiress. He sat beside Naruto and the other rested his head on his shoulder. The touch caused Sasuke's body to ache knowing just what he's planning to do. But so convinced was he at the time that what he's doing is right, that he put on a brave face, steadied his hand as he pushed the man away.
"I don't think this is working out, Naruto." He managed to choke out. And those sky blue eyes laughed, thinking he was joking. Naruto rolled to the ground beside him, clutching his stomach as he wheezed in sheer laughter.
"Gee that's a good one, Sasuke. Now come on. I'm hungry."
But he steeled himself, barely resisting the alluring inviting warmth of Naruto's head on his lap. And resist did he at the other's sweet and homey laughter, shielding his melting heart by giving the other a glare.
"I mean it, Naruto. We're done. You're free to marry the Hyuuga."
Blue eyes turned serious, and in an instant, he was pinned to the ground.
"What? I told you didn't I? I choose you no matter what, Sasuke. Now stop being dumb. If we break up now, the council would marry me and Hinata! Is that really what you wanted?"
He smirked despite his aching heart, watching the man slowly breaking before him. "Yes. You're no longer of use to me. I'm a free man now. Free from that prison, and now, I'm freeing myself from you."
"You can't mean that Sasuke! You promised me."
"Well, I lied. Now get off me. We're done here."
Angry eyes glared at him, and Sasuke believed for a moment how the Sun turned red, how its warm radiance turned icy and piercing.
"No. We're not. And you're not ending anything until I say so!"
"Too bad. If you really claim to love me, you'd set me free. Now, hands off." And his heart did ache, a pain a thousand times more painful than he ever felt in his life squeezed at his chest. More painful than the night his clan was slaughtered, more painful than his only brother dies by his hands, Sasuke's soul felt the stabbing pain with every tear that feel from clouded blue eyes.
"I love you Sasuke, but did you really love me at all?"
Sasuke paused, his heart screaming yes, but he knew that Hinata was right. He's a criminal. He's a hated man. A dark taint to the Sun. And while he may hurt them both tonight, he knew that this choice will set them free… set the sun free from the darkness of the moon, set it free from its responsibility to light up his dark side.
"No." And with that, he turned, finally letting tears fell from his eyes, leaving the only man left who accepted him… a few days from now, he too would leave Konoha, away from everything, away from all that he held dear. But this choice is for the better… Right?
As he left the broken man behind him, he never saw loose and shaky hand dropping a velvety box of blue… and from it, a golden ring fell to the ground, rolling… lost… lost like their love.
-o-o-o-
"Sasuke?"
"Huh?" He asked, in daze as he shook himself from the memory that gripped him.
"You still with us?"
"Yeah. You were saying?"
Kakashi sighed.
"After the wedding, Naruto started acting differently. He locked himself for a day in the office. We thought he was just overwhelmed by it all, by the attention his wedding received from the world. But when he came out… it all changed. He lashed out. Within half a day, all of Konoha's elite ninja fell. The rest that survived retreated to Suna. To rendezvous with our allies."
Sasuke stared at his old mentor, shock written on his face. He never realized that his departure would escalate this bad.
"What's worse… all of our Jinchuuriki allies suddenly turned dark. Correspondence with allied villages reported that all eight carriers had been in a coma since Naruto emerged. This is not just a problem for Konoha, Sasuke. Clones were attacking from everywhere. No one is safe."
"Are you saying that Naruto… the one who saved the world…. Who fought for its peace is now its enemy?" Sasuke asked in disbelief. He worried instantly whether it was right to end it all that night.
Kakashi could only nod grimly.
"It would appear so. But… Tsunade believed that we have not lost him completely. Hence we came to you."
Sasuke heard enough. He was bitter when Konoha conspired to wrest him from his beloved. He was angry that they would come to him now. But the thought of his beloved being this way gnawed at him.
"So, what's the plan?"
"A resistance has been established, Sasuke. Tsunade was able to rally some of our old allies. And we're protecting some of the villages from the clones. But you… you have a special task. We'll explain more once we reach the hide out. But for now… let's focus on making it home."
"I still don't understand just what-" Before Sasuke could even finish his sentence, Neji stopped in front of them. And they came face to face with a familiar face.
"Naruto?" Sasuke whispered. He stepped forward, guilt eating at him. "Naruto about that night…". But Kakashi held him back.
"No. His clone. Prepare to fight."
And true enough the Naruto in front of him glowed golden, growling menacingly as his orange eyes glared at them before three tails emerged from him hurling three golden rasengan in their direction.
-o-o-o-
A/N: This will be a short one. Maybe a two or three part fic. Just something to unclog my writer's block. I hope you'll still enjoy this one. :)