Sasuke sees the puddle in the distance, and weighs his options. Before, Kakashi let the demon brothers through, just to see who they'd target. They don't necessarily need to now, however. They know exactly who the nuke nin were after and it was easier to stop a fight before it had even begun than risk things going differently and get the client, or worse, his teammates injured.
He doesn't know when he's started thinking lile that. He doesn't know when Naruto's words have finally gone through to him. While hed stopped just thinking of himself a long time a go, a huge part of his motivation when it came to interacting with other people was her. Being nice to people she considered her's. Being polite to villagers because doing anything otherwise would disappoint her.
It all started just because of her. For her. Except now, he finds himself looking after his team too.
It's not much. It's not the all consuming compassion the blonde has, but he could relieve a thousand lifetimes and he knows he'd never have that. That's something entirely Naruto.
He isn't nice, the way she is. Kind and optimistic without asking for much in return. He isn't that, but he's a possessive bastard and only now does he realize that he's started seeing this Kakashi and this Sakura as his too. People to protect. People who would have his back without question.
Family.
He doesn't have much in the way of family. What little is left of his blood relatives are either insane, dying or both. People they'd have to retrieve, to save, because apparently Naruto has changed him that much, but he has a long way to go before he gets there.
For now he has his team to look after.
Sighing, he shares a glance with Kakashi and Naruto. Casually, he steps over the puddle as they come across, and drops a chidori nagashi into the puddle, electrifying two chunin.
It's a testament to her improvement, that this Sakura doesn't shriek. She moves with Naruto, standing on either side of Tazuna while Kakashi jumps behind the demon brothers and incapacitates them with ease.
"Naruto," Kakashi turns to the blonde whose already digging through one of her pouches. She pulls out two prison scrolls and makes short work of the chunin.
"Alright, Tazuna, tell us about Gato," Kakashi asked without much preamble, giving a close eyed smile.
Tazuna gives the same sob story after he gets over the shock. It's a rather pitiful attempt at emotional manipulation, if Sasuke was to be honest but he says nothing. Judging by Kakashi's look, he's just as unimpressed.
Sakura eats it up of course. She's civilian born and still so very innocent to the dark underbelly that was their world.
Naruto knows what's going on. Naruto expects it. She's heard the exact same story before. She's old enough to understand the Tazuna's amateur attempts at guilt tripping their team. So of course she still tears up and promises to help.
She's so adorable.
"Maa, guess we have no other choice than to go then," Kakashi said dryly. Sasuke hums in exasperated agreement but she beams at them as thanks so he thinks it's worth it.
Sasuke was relieved that they had Kakashi push them the past week. It had gained them enough of an edge to react. Naruto quickly makes two clones to back Sakura up and maintain a perimeter around Tazuna. Her fingers flow between handseals and she breathes out a grand breakthrough that pushes away the occluding mist. It reveals Zabuza coming at them with a sword, interrupted by Kakashi.
It melts into water, just as before, and Zabuza appeared behind Kakashi again, only for their teacher to erupt into a mess of screaming lightning that fries the missing nin.
It's a testament to Zabuza's abilities, that he grits his teeth through the storm, and still swings his arm around to cleave Kakashi in half. It also erupts into lightning and this time Zabuza goes down. The clearing is filled with the sound of birds shrieking, but they're interrupted by two needles flying in and burying themselves in the nuke nin's neck.
"That's rude," Sasuke speaks up when the accomplice glides into the clearing.
"Apologies," the other said gently, before he swept Zabuza away.
"I see you didn't bother playing around, sensei," Naruto noted with a smile. "Were you hurt?"
"Nothing some rest wouldn't cure, Naruto-chan," he replied, placing a hand on the top of her head.
Sasuke gives a hum as he tries to discreetly scan his teacher for injuries. Kakashi has the unpleasant habit of hiding his injuries after all. Judging by Naruto's beaming smile, he probability isn't as successful at hiding it than he thinks. Kakashi eye smiles at him too.
He fights the urge to blush. Or glare. Or maybe poke his tongue out.
They walk through Wave and get a first hand experience of what Gato has done to the country. They see shabby clothes and haphazardly repaired buildings. They see near empty markets. Everywhere they looked, people were pale and gaunt, sunken eyes shifty and postures tense.
Naruto has this grim look on her face. One that understands because she has been through hunger. Her hands clench at her sides and Sasuke reaches out a hand to hold hers.
She squeezed his hands in thanks.
When they make it to Tazuna's house, his daughter welcomes them with a relieved greeting. Then Naruto takes over to their surprise.
"Tsunami-san, Tazuna-san, my team and I have actually anticipated the situation here in wave," Naruto admitted as they sit around the table. "Not only have we brought rice to cover the duration of our team's stay with your house, we would also like your recommendations on who would need the most help in Wave. We have excess rations we could share, to help ease the strain the economy wrought to the worst of your people."
Tsunami has tears of relief in her eyes, and Tazuna looked pleasantly stunned." If you could bring it up to your Daimyo, when the bridge is done.., you could send a petition for help from the Fire Daimyo. It could foster a long term alliance that would ensure you're under Konoha's protection and allow Hi no Kuni to aid you."
Sasuke is impressed by how she suggested an alliance. How she sold it entirely in their favor while effectively securing any and all missions from Wave for Konoha in the near future. The gleam in Kakashi's eyes say he's caught it too. He isn't even sure if she does it on purpose or if she genuinely wants to extend protection to the small country.
"We'll have to talk to the others, to get the petition written up, shinobi-san. And, I'll come up with the list of people who would need help most this night. Thank you," Tsunami said softly.
Sasuke resists the urge to hug Naruto. That will have to wait for later when they aren't in front of strangers. She's grown so well, away from him and he knows that peripherally. But some moments, it just hits him and he's in awe.
Naruto is a hero. Someone who would fight for her people, then help them through the aftermath.
After an emotional dinner, they're shown a guest room for them to stay in. Naruto spends the next hour laying out intruder seals on the windows
and alarm wards on the doorknob to sense if someone would touch it.
Sasuke was busy summoning their bedrolls out from some of Naruto's storage scrolls. The room had two beds they've surrendered to Kakashi and Sakura while the two of them laid out on the floor, relatively side by side.
Kakashi was in the bathroom while a bathed Sakura sat on her bed in dazed silence. It takes her a while, Sasuke notes she's gathering her thoughts, but by the time Naruto's done and Kakashi's out of the bathroom she speaks up.
"You were amazing out there, Naruto," Sakura said tentatively. "How did you know what to do? How did you think ahead enough to bring supplies to give away, and ask them to make a petition?"
"I became a shinobi to protect my precious. It took a while for me to realize that. If we don't fight to protect, then we shouldn't fight at all," she shared with a smile. Sakura looks at her with wide eyes. Like she's never even thought about why they fight.
"Much later I realized, that if you could talk to people, you sometimes don't even need to fight.." here her smile turned wistful. Sasuke wonders which one of her many enemies turned friends does she remember. He's one of those after all. "And then, much much later, I learn that sometimes, simply defeating the enemies aren't enough. Just because the battle has ended doesn't mean everything's going to be okay. It will take time, care and help till everyone's back at their feet and that's just as important."
"Your father would be proud of you," Kakashi said gently, smiling.
"I hope so," Naruto said, blushing and looking down on her lap. To this day it still amazed Sasuke, that behind all her bluster she's still so insecure. He doesn't understand how she's the only one who never noticed how great she is.
"Maa, take it from me, Naruto," Kakashi said with a smile. "As your father's student, I have every right to tell you, that Minato-sensei and Kushina-san would be so proud of you." He beams, like he hasn't let slip Naruto's parentage to Sakura.
Sakura who looks first at Kakashi with wide eyes, then at Naruto with wider ones. Sasuke sees her green orbs flick towards the blonde's hair, then her eyes then the scars on her cheek.
"Oh my god," she said faintly.
"Sensei! You can't just let S-rank secrets slip! Hokage-sama could punish you for that!" Naruto protested, cheeks flushed.
"Sakura deserved to know." He shrugged.
"Wait so Sasuke already knew?" Sakura asked, expression hurt.
"It was kinda obvious," Sasuke shrugged which was true enough. "Sensei didn't tell me. Neither did Naruto." He reassured and the pinkette nodded. It was true too. He found out from the fourth himself after all.
"I'll keep it secret, Naruto-chan!" Sakura said, eyes ablaze with promise. "You can count on me."
"Thank you." Naruto smiles just as brightly, and Kakashi ruffles both of their hair.
Sasuke fights a smile, at how well everything is going on. They still have a long way ahead of them. The future is waiting, but he's with his team in a way he has never allowed himself to before.
The urge to leave, to get stronger by himself and get things done faster, it doesn't come. They're behind on their kill list, but it's fine. They have time, and he has Naruto by his side. He's allowed to lean back a little. The world can wait.
AN:
I knooow. It's been yeaaars. I may have been lazy with the cross updating aaand I've been in a bit of a rut so I haven't been able to write as much till much recently. So I'm going to start updating this and my other fics again. Thank you all who've kept reading!