A/N: Written for Tempsmort community challenge Broken Heart.
Warning: one sided sasu/naru
"You're late!" She yells, when he walks into the house. The phrase is just the same as it has always been, right down to the tone of voice and cadence of her speech. For a moment Naruto finds himself transported back in time, to a clearing where he sits with her and Sasuke and they scold their teacher for being late. But the illusion is shattered just like that. He and Sakura are all grown up. She is beautiful and glowing in her wedding kimono and Naruto is trying very hard not to let his heart break any more than it already has.
"Sorry, sorry." He says, not bothering to come up with a creative excuse. Instead he shove a carefully wrapped box into her hands, trying awkwardly to figure out how one presents a person with their wedding gift. "It's for you and Sasuke . . you know . . after . . ." He trails off as she smiles and places the package down with care.
He knows that expression on her face. She wonders if he might still be in love with her, and maybe, in a way, he kind of his. She was his first crush, his teammate and his friend. But she's not the reason that his heart is broken, even though, for a while, he tried to tell himself she was.
"Well, none of the guests are here yet, so it's ok."
"Where's Sasuke?"
"In back."
Naruto finds him, standing in the yard and staring at the sky. He fights the urge to wipe away tears, telling himself the moisture in his eyes is just the wind. Sasuke killed his brother, and Naruto went through hell to bring him back. Something harmless like a wedding shouldn't make him feel like he is loosing Sasuke all over again. He calls himself a moron for thinking that way, and feels a little better knowing Sasuke would probably say the same if he told him.
He wants to ask Sasuke if he's happy, but can't bring himself to say the words. He knows that for Sasuke, happiness has nothing to do with the revival of his clan. Sasuke has already sacrificed his life for the sake of his goal. Naruto is too afraid that Sasuke will say no. He wants to believe that his best friend is happy.
Naruto is also afraid to ask because he thinks that Sasuke might say yes. For the first time in a long while, Sasuke looks at peace, and it hurts Naruto somewhere deep inside that he wasn't the one to help him find it. Naruto loves Sasuke, he's known it for a while, and he's already decided to keep it to himself. He can't ask Sasuke if he's happy, so he asks the only thing he can think to ask.
"Are you ready?"
Sasuke nods in response and turns to him. There is no smile on his face but his eyes are clear and tranquil and free of any doubt.
