I'd like to start by apologizing to everyone who tried to read chapter 47 and felt uncomfortable with the Sasuke and Charasuke scene, and that hopefully the platonic version in chapter 48 is okay to read! I should have considered that it's not everyone's cup of tea, and I'm sorry! There won't be anything between Sasuke and Charasuke in the rest of the story that isn't platonic, just so you know.

If you liked chapter 47, I'll probably write some more stuff in the extras in the future :3

Now, you might wonder, how I'll manage to write the rest of the story (as in, Naruto's reaction) in a way that it doesn't make a difference if you read chapter 47 or 48. But I'm going to make it work! (And if you think it doesn't work, please let me know. I don't want anyone to have to feel uncomfortable over it.) That said, there will be references to Sasuke and Charasuke being close, but nothing that says this is interpreted as non-platonic. So those who prefer 48 will be safe and those who prefer 47 can practice reading into the subtext heh.

I know it might be hard to believe but I actually wrote this chapter in one week. Sometimes miracles do happen! I was really determined lol but please don't expect any other fast updates in the future OTL

I realize also that you guys probably use adblock when you read on here... Very smart. Can't install that on my work computer sadly.

This was supposed to be part of the previous chapter but I realized it was better on its own, and it's definitely long enough to stand on its own (but shorter than usual). I think you've all been waiting for this. So I'm very excited! Hopefully everything makes sense *sweats*

Big thanks to Éva for checking through this chapter for me!

Please make yourself comfortable and enjoy! The only warning for this chapter is that it might hit you right in the feels :3

Chapter 49: You make my soul heat up

xxx

His footsteps were silent in the dark. He heard only the beat, faint at first, faltering. It wrapped around him, like fragile mist, then, a comforting blanket. He thought it was familiar, but the memory slipped out of his hands.

He knew only to hurry, ears straining to catch its source. His chest seemed to vibrate in tune, an echo, an answer.

With each step it grew louder, more insistent. He was close now, close enough to feel it in his fingertips, breaths heavy with anticipation, heart fluttering as the beat made its home beside it. It was a bright light, far away. A star sailing across the distance, leaving glitter in its wake.

He reached out with a hand, the bright light reflecting in the half-moon in his palm. It glowed, and just like that, his hand wrapped around another's.

Naruto.

He sucked in a breath, lungs desperate for air. Naruto stood before him, chest heaving, hand clutching Sasuke's so hard he feared it might break.

Their shared beat rang loud in his ears, eyes wide as they drank each other in. The darkness had given way to white, fuzzy light, their bodies floating, suspended in air.

"Sasuke," Naruto whispered, as if afraid to drown out the sound of their connection.

There was no hiding in this place. It was similar to that strange place that seemed to exist between them when they fought, blows connecting, hearts open. Between one breath and the next, it would be gone, their shared hearts lingering long after.

Here, there was only the two of them, the heat of their bodies as Naruto reached for his face.

"Am I dreaming?" Naruto wondered, fingers stroking along Sasuke's cheekbone. "You look so real…"

They sank down, slowly, until their feet touched solid white. He shivered, the tips of Naruto's fingers touching his chin, his mouth.

"It could be a dream," Sasuke said quietly, exhaling as Naruto came closer.

"I can feel your heart," Naruto murmured, his forehead coming to rest against Sasuke's temple. "I missed you so much."

Images flashed before Sasuke's eyes, impressions of the world from Naruto's perspective. Menma as the kyuubi. Kakashi, entering through a window. Iruka, hand gentle as he reached over the table.

Sakura, pain drawing her face tight. A mountain of paperwork. Snippets of conversation. The overwhelming pain of loneliness, like walls closing in on him.

He puzzled together enough pieces to make sense of the days since they separated.

"Naruto," he sighed, lifting a hand to sift through soft strands of hair, closing his eyes as Naruto pressed into him.

Hearts bared, he felt Naruto's desperate longing as his own. It mirrored his own pain, the aching emptiness filling his chest. Little by little, the cold was pushed away by warmth, Naruto's mouth touching his cheek, his jaw, his throat. It burned against his skin, each point of contact erupting into tendrils of heat that seeped into his body.

"I didn't know what to do," Naruto confessed, lips shaping the words onto Sasuke's throat. "I couldn't go back to you, I-"

Sasuke turned his head, capturing his mouth. The words were lost between their lips, swallowed by the sudden surge of need. Naruto's arm wrapped around his neck, keeping him in place. A fever caught him, leaving him dizzy and faint. He felt emotions between them like a physical caress, like they swirled in and out of their bodies, like a strong wind playing with fallen leaves.

Pain. Longing. Fear.

Happiness. Comfort. Love.

Naruto kissed him like he'd die if they stopped. He might, for all Sasuke knew.

Their hands were still clasped tight, their palms pressed together, keeping their marks in contact. Teeth dug into his lower lip, but he could barely feel the pain over the onslaught of emotion. It was overwhelming, to share Naruto's heart so fully. Was this how Naruto had felt, when Sasuke had touched him by accident? When Sasuke had shared too much of himself, and Naruto had been unable to give him the same in return.

No such restraints now.

Their souls were on fire, like chakra flames billowing around their bodies. It was too much to make sense of, and yet it felt as if they'd always been this close, always been one and the same. Naruto fit inside him like a key, like Sasuke was now unlocked, his body no longer keeping him prisoner.

"Naruto," he breathed out, over and over again, every nerve ending alight as they held each other.

An eternity later they calmed down, mouths sliding lazily over each other, heartbeats finally finding their shared rhythm. Their foreheads pressed together, Sasuke's eyes fluttering open to meet deep blue, their usual strength faded into self-doubt.

"What's wrong?" he asked, running his fingers through Naruto's hair, thumb tracing the shell of his ear. "Don't hide from me, not here."

Naruto let out a sharp breath, lifting their clasped hands between their chests.

"I missed you," he said again, eyes closing in pain. "I'm so happy you've been okay."

So much pain. Sasuke struggled to make sense of it, so much of it reflected inwards, towards Naruto himself. He could understand the longing, the absence of him like a gaping hole. It mirrored his own pain, pain he'd locked inside his heart within a steel cage. It flowed freely now, wrapping around Naruto's in recognition.

But the rest… Naruto let out a sob, and yet he was smiling. Sasuke pressed another kiss to his lips, unsure of what to say.

"Sasuke, it's so strange…" Naruto started, his words slow, carefully chosen. "You understand Charasuke so well, but Menma… I can't accept him. And now I realize, he shows the ugliest parts of me. The parts that I'm afraid of."

They both leaned back a little, to see each other's faces. Light played over Naruto's features, blurring him at the edges. Sasuke cupped his cheek, tilting his chin up so that their eyes met. Now that he knew what to look for, he could feel Naruto's fear.

"It's always there," Naruto confessed, raw honesty in his voice. "The fear of losing you. The fear of not being strong enough. The fear of becoming hokage, and failing."

Sasuke opened his mouth to say something, to reassure him, but Naruto shook his head quickly.

"Let me say this. I didn't understand it at first. Menma always rubbed me the wrong way. I know you don't like him either, but for me… It's like looking at myself and knowing I gave up."

He drew in a deep breath, his fingers trembling around Sasuke's.

"And now, here, I can't avoid that fear. Because all of it… all of it is for you, Sasuke." He swallowed, and through the fear, Sasuke saw his determination. "You asked me, if there's any room in my head for anyone but you. And there isn't."

Frowning, Sasuke bit the inside of his cheek to stay silent. Naruto was working up to something, he could tell, and part of him couldn't help but think it would end the two of them.

"Don't look at me like that," Naruto said, drawing the pad of his thumb over Sasuke's eyebrow, the touch equal parts reassuring and painful. "I can hear your thoughts, you know. Do you really believe that I would choose anything else over you?"

A lie caught on Sasuke's tongue. He didn't want to believe it, but what place did he have by Naruto's side? How could he be all that Naruto wanted him, needed him, to be? How could he be someone that others would accept walking by his side?

"I don't believe that you would want to," he replied, eventually. "But maybe you should."

They stood for a long time, looking at each other. Sasuke felt torn in two directions. He wanted to tell Naruto to never leave him. He wanted to say that he'd accept anything. That he'd remove himself from Naruto's presence to make the choice for him. That he couldn't, wouldn't, stand between Naruto and his dreams.

That he'd known, all along, that the other dimension was only a dream. An impossibility. That he accepted this, and wouldn't resent Naruto for choosing the village over him.

"You deserve me," Naruto said, voice dark with conviction. "Don't you dare think otherwise. Don't you understand? If you saw what I've been doing the past days…"

Naruto lifted their joined hands higher, shifted his grip until he held Sasuke's palm open in front of himself.

"I thought only of you. I cared only about you. What good is the village to me, if you're not there?"

His heart felt too heavy in his chest. Naruto's words rang through his ears, the implication behind them ensnaring his heart until Naruto held it in his hand, too.

"I don't want any of it, if you're not with me."

Sasuke lowered his eyes. He couldn't allow himself to give in. He'd already given so much, and although he knew that Naruto would have this, too, it was too much in this moment.

"Sasuke… When are you going to recognize that you're a good person? That even if our relationship hadn't changed like this, I'd still need you beside me?"

"Me, a good person?" Sasuke raised his eyebrows, meeting Naruto's gaze again. He recognized the stubborn glint in Naruto's eyes, and sighed. "Even if that was true, you're smart enough to know it's not enough."

Slowly, Naruto pulled his hand closer, his grip turning gentle. Sasuke caught himself holding his breath, as Naruto's lips connected with the mark on his palm.

"You still don't understand," Naruto murmured, the movement of his lips tickling Sasuke's skin. "The past few days, what have you been doing? Caring for the children, when I wasn't there to do it. Putting Charasuke before yourself, comforting him in the ways he needed you to. Holding yourself together. Trusting me to come back."

Staring at him, Sasuke's breath caught in his chest at the swell of pride Naruto felt for him. Was it true, that he had changed so much? In Naruto's eyes, he had. It was startling, to realize how Naruto thought of him. But Naruto had changed too, he thought. They had grown closer, in a way he didn't think they could have in their own Konoha.

"I think Charasuke is a bit like you," Sasuke said, lips twitching upwards at Naruto's affronted look. "He needs physical comfort. I don't mind giving it to you, and I guess I don't mind giving it to him either. You both tend to do whatever you feel like, anyway."

"You used to mind." Naruto looked serious, reaching out to touch Sasuke's mouth as if to prove his point. "Suddenly, you didn't."

The smile slipped from Sasuke's lips. Naruto was right. A few weeks ago, he did push Charasuke out of the window. To be fair, Charasuke hadn't liked him much back then, either, and the circumstances had been very different. He did understand him better now. If Menma represented Naruto's fears, Charasuke represented everything Sasuke wanted in life. But Charasuke didn't have Naruto, didn't have Menma with him either, and maybe that was why Sasuke wanted to be there for him. His connection with Naruto was precious to him, had kept him going, had kept him questioning himself even in his worst moments of darkness. Had given him a reason not to give up on a life that wasn't filled with pain and hatred.

Naruto made it worth it to change. Was he hoping to help Charasuke change, too?

Perhaps Kaguya had something to do with it, but maybe, even without her influence, he would have reached this point anyway if given enough time. Time they didn't have back home. It surprised him to realize that Naruto had thought of this already. That he felt selfish for wanting Sasuke to go back with him, when he knew it would be painful.

"You minded when I touched you, too," Naruto added, as a reminder that they were talking about the two of them.

"I didn't." It was easy to confess. "I couldn't allow myself to accept it, but I never minded. And now…"

Even if Naruto could read most of his thoughts in this space, it was difficult to say the words.

"I was afraid to have more of you. I still am. Because I know they'll never accept it."

Naruto kissed him again, desperately. There were so many thoughts swirling between them, a mess of images and emotions overshadowed by the overwhelming fear of losing each other.

Naruto's guilt, for not being able to reach Menma like Sasuke reached Charasuke. Their worry for each other. The frustration of being forced to wait. Sasuke's slow realization of how much Naruto meant to him. How much his family meant to him, even a different version of them.

"I can't be without you again," Naruto said, swallowing thickly. "There's so much I want to say and I don't know how."

"I'm here," Sasuke promised. "Any way you want me to be."

Even though it hurt, knowing the struggle that lay ahead of them, how Naruto had struggled only the past few days.

He wasn't sure when he'd closed his eyes, but Naruto's hands holding his face between them made him open them again. His expression was serious, almost solemn.

"I think you'd be happier if you stayed there," Naruto whispered, searching his eyes. "You can't deny it. I know they'd take care of you, and I can tell that your bond with your family is important to you. In a different way than ours, but still. I'd forgive you, if you chose them."

"How could you say that?" Sasuke grabbed Naruto's wrists, glaring at him. "Even after everything you said about how you can't be without me, how you'd never choose anything over me, and you still think I would leave you? Even when you can feel my heart, you think I won't choose you no matter what?"

He knocked their foreheads together, tightening his grip.

"You think I'd choose happiness over you?"

How could he be happy, if Naruto wasn't there with him? It wasn't even an option. He cared about Charasuke, that was true. And the other version of Itachi, of Shisui, his family… Even the Sakura of that world. But how could they compare? Losing Charasuke would hurt, but it wouldn't rip his soul apart. Staying with them would be a life, but it wouldn't be living. How could Naruto think of himself as selfish, and still be so incredibly selfless when it came to Sasuke? What was he supposed to do, to make Naruto trust him once and for all?

"If I deserve you, why wouldn't you deserve me in turn?"

Naruto didn't have an answer to that. Sasuke hadn't expected him to, and he felt him struggle with the concept. Naruto's hero complex wasn't doing either of them any good.

"You want to do this the hard way?" Sasuke continued, tone sharp. "I'll do it with you. I don't think you'll succeed but I'll do it."

He gathered up all his resolve, all his conviction, pushed aside his own reservations.

"Saying you'll forgive me… that's a lie. You wouldn't. You never would. And I wouldn't want you to, anyway. If you wanted me by your side and I couldn't do it, you'd be right to hate me."

"I could never hate you."

"Then I'd hate myself."

Naruto made a face, as if to disagree, but Sasuke felt him smile despite the topic of their conversation.

"What kind of role reversal is this," he muttered, pressing his thumbs into Sasuke's cheeks childishly. "I don't even know why I'm arguing about it."

"Because you love me."

They stared at each other. Naruto's eyes widened in shock, but Sasuke held his ground. What was the point in pretending anything else? It all made sense like this, and perhaps deep down Sasuke had always suspected it, even before he returned to Konoha.

"Y-you can't just say it out loud!" Naruto spluttered, slapping his hands onto his own face instead, hiding behind them with a groan. "Stop being so smug about it!"

"I won the argument, didn't I?"

"Ugh, shut up!"

Feeling lighter, Sasuke wrapped his arms around Naruto, leaning his cheek against the top of his head, Naruto burying his nose in his neck. He'd deny it when they were back in reality, but he could feel that Naruto wanted the body contact, and he was unable to resist it. It didn't take long for Naruto to calm down, releasing a huff into Sasuke's neck.

"Maybe we can just stay in this place forever," he said, sneaking his arms around Sasuke's back.

"You'd miss ramen too much."

It was strange, to talk and immediately feel every thought behind the words, every emotion on full display. Naruto's amusement radiated off him, and it was his turn to feel a little smug as he concentrated on everything that Sasuke felt for him.

When Naruto started imagining long days spent in bed, Sasuke rolled his eyes and decided they'd been emotional enough for the time being.

"I doubt Kaguya brought us here just to be nice," he said, tugging at Naruto's shirt when he hugged Sasuke tighter. "Look."

Naruto reluctantly raised his head, and the bright light gave way to darkness again. In the distance, there was a flicker of something. He took Naruto's hand, feeling the pull of Kaguya's mind. Maybe they could finally get some answers.

He could tell that Naruto was unhappy about it, but he didn't protest out loud as Sasuke guided him towards what could only be Kaguya's fire.

She greeted them with silence. The fire was lit, but the flames lowered as they approached. A large log laid beside it, and they sat down on it, hands still entwined. For a few seconds, Naruto seemed to contemplate thanking her for giving them some time alone, hesitating only because they couldn't be certain of her reasons for it.

"Well?" Sasuke asked, when the silence had stretched out too long.

Her pale eyes swept over them slowly, considering them.

"It is time," she said, expressionless. "I must reveal to you what I could not say before."

Sasuke's heartbeat sped up, Naruto's mimicking it. He felt Naruto squeeze his hand reassuringly, doing little to ease the tension.

"I believe you are familiar with my origins, and the chakra fruit of the God Tree."

Naruto nodded, speaking for the both of them.

"The time is drawing near for the cycle to be complete. The tree will bear a new fruit, and my time ends as a new one begins. It is the way of things. I grow weaker, and it is my wish to leave in peace. However."

There was only the faintest of changes to her face, and yet they could sense her deep anger and sorrow. The image of her shimmered once, and wrapped around her wrists were golden chains of chakra, keeping her bound.

"My son is not prepared to follow me into sleep." She spread her hands out, chains jingling. "In my weakened state, I could not oppose him."

"Your son?" Naruto asked, surprise coloring his voice. "You mean the Sage of the Six Paths?"

"Indeed."

Several things seemed to slot into place. And yet, new questions spun through Sasuke's mind.

"How?" he asked, settling for the most obvious.

"I had hoped to dissuade him of this path. It is his intention to absorb the chakra of the new fruit, and become as powerful as I once was. Unfortunately, his ambition does not stop there." Her voice darkened, and the flames flickered lower. "There are many dimensions. I have a certain awareness of them, and what you refer to as sage chakra, the purest form of chakra, allows me to travel between them. Some of my descendants in your world inherited this power."

Obito, Sasuke thought, and perhaps himself, given enough practice.

"When the me of your world sent one of her descendants into our world, Hagoromo discovered many things to aid him in his quest."

"So me and Sakura-chan coming here last time led to you getting captured?" Naruto asked, worrying his bottom lip between teeth.

"He had already chained me to this place. His plan was set in motion. Your arrival merely adjusted it."

"Yeah… I still don't get it."

Sasuke held back a sigh, but Kaguya didn't seem bothered by Naruto's comment.

"It was always his intention to capture the bijuu. Measured in years, I have been under his control for longer than a century. His previous attempts have failed, as he was not strong enough."

She paused, gaze lost as she stared into the fire.

"Slowly, he has gained control of them. Your arrival the previous time coincided with one such trial of his influence. Your defeat of the one called Menma, jinchuuriki of Kurama, interfered with this. What he lost in influence, he gained in knowledge."

"That Red Moon Scroll," Naruto mused, "was that you? It seemed a little too convenient."

"I will admit that without your arrival, it would not have proven effective. Weak I may be, but I have not given up on my world."

Sasuke didn't really know the details of what had happened that time, but he supposed it made sense that Hagoromo's control of Menma in addition to Obito's had been broken if Naruto had used a scroll with a seal provided by Kaguya.

"Because of it, our worlds are now intertwined beyond repair. Your actions affect ours. When my counterpart was sealed, Hagoromo was able to reach into your dimension and become aware of the creature known as Zetsu, which never existed here. Before, he used me as a link between the world and the God Tree to gather chakra. Chakra, which allowed him to manipulate the cycle of the chakra fruit. It is now out of sync with the other dimensions, and by manifesting his will in the same way your version of me did, he was able to create Zetsu."

"So you mean it's sped up," Sasuke guessed, starting to have an idea where all of this was going.

"He is forcing it," she agreed. "With the help of countless Zetsu creatures, he has gathered enough chakra to ensure the fruit is ripe early. The portals allow them to travel quickly between places, so that he may scatter them over the world and in turn capture the bijuu swiftly. The portals themselves allow him a focal point for the energy needed to transport them. As the cycle is forced, the bijuu would not come willingly. Forcing them, too, has been beyond his power until now."

"Uh, question," Naruto said, tapping the fingers of his free hand over his knee. "The Kaguya of our world, was she weakened too? Because she was ridiculously strong."

Kaguya nodded.

"Her life was ending as well. Was this not the reason for her to lower the world into the infinite tsukuyomi, and gather the bijuu to fully awaken the God Tree?"

"Oh. I mean, yeah."

Sasuke shuddered. The thought of this world's Hagoromo succeeding in eating the chakra fruit…

"Then how will we defeat him?" he asked. "We received the sage chakra from our world's Hagoromo, but he's the one who actually sealed that Kaguya."

"I cannot tell you," she said, simply. Then, closing her eyes, a faint smile playing on her lips, she continued. "You are both quick to carry the world on your shoulders. My son needs more chakra still, and I believe it is his intention to use the both of you for this purpose. Furthermore, in order to find the God Tree of your world and take that fruit for himself, too, he must have access to the sealed Kaguya and through her gather the bijuu. He cannot reach that place in your world without absorbing your power. As long as you are alive, he cannot bypass the seal placed on her."

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Naruto asked, frowning deeply. "Hide? If he eats the chakra fruit he'll be able to find us, right?"

"The future is unclear to me," Kaguya said, no longer so calm. "Infinite possibilities stretch out before us. Only one path stood out to me, with any chance of survival for our world."

She opened her eyes, catching Sasuke's. He felt chilled to the bone as she gazed at him, pale eyes seeing through him.

"Only your influence on this world could save us," she told him, and he shivered as her words rang through him. "Your world may be ruled by brute strength… Ours is not. My son cannot be defeated in battle."

"Then how?"

Sasuke's heart sank. His influence? What could he possibly do – what had he even done, during his time there?

"Hold on a minute," Naruto interrupted them with. "Only Sasuke? So you brought him to your world for a reason?"

"I apologize for the discomfort I caused you," Kaguya continued, as if she hadn't heard Naruto. "It was necessary. I could not wait for your heart to open on its own. Time is scarce, and I do not know if it will be enough."

"Okay, you're gonna have to explain this to me slowly," Naruto said, sounding irritated. "You sound like I wasn't even needed."

"Perhaps you were, perhaps not. I had not intended for you to join. It weakened me greatly."

Sasuke stared at her. He could feel Naruto's eyes on him, but he was too caught up in the implications of her words. So they now knew the answer to the question why, and probably how, they had ended up in the other dimension. But just the thought of living through it on his own, without Naruto…

"How could he not be necessary?" Sasuke swallowed the lump in his throat. "Nothing I've done would have been possible without him."

"No," Naruto said, turning towards him. "Think about it. Your fight with Menma, I wasn't even involved. And Menma ended up in our world, didn't he? Something about that seems like it shouldn't have happened."

"Kurama is correct," Kaguya said. "When you infused Menma with your sage chakra, the portal redirected to your own world. There, my son cannot easily influence him. His attempt as your companions travelled between the dimensions failed. He is gathering up his strength for it as we speak."

"Then how come it got blocked once we got back?"

Kaguya placed her palms together, as if in thought.

"I may be captured, but I am not powerless. As I said, time is scarce. The one path that showed itself to me, is dependent on not allowing him to be in control of it."

She looked between them, weighing her words.

"Your souls are linked. I understand your suffering. If we succeed, it is only temporary."

"Temporary or not, I don't like it," Naruto muttered. Louder, he directed his question towards Kaguya. "When you say you opened Sasuke's heart… What will happen when he goes back? You said he'd die if he did."

"Had he returned with you, our worlds would be lost."

Narrowing his eyes, Naruto shifted closer to him.

"That didn't really answer my question."

"I cannot answer. His heart is open. What he chooses to do with it is beyond my control."

Sasuke stared down at their linked hands. He'd tried not to think too much about it when she first mentioned it, but Naruto was thinking so loudly about all the emotions Sasuke had been showing lately that he couldn't ignore it. Kaguya's interference explained the sudden shift, but did it bother him? His dignity aside, if presented with the choice of reversing it he wasn't sure he'd want to. Naruto would have cracked him open at some point, anyway. Maybe years from now, but surely it would happen. He must have made a face, because Naruto elbowed him in the side.

"No need to look like that," he said, tentative smile on his lips. "I kinda like you like this."

"You would." He sighed, wondering if the fact that he didn't mind too much anymore was because he'd realized it wasn't so bad, or if that, too, was Kaguya's doing. "If it's the price to pay to save the world, I guess I don't have much of a choice."

Laughter bubbled out of Naruto, his free hand reaching out to push some of Sasuke's hair out of his face. The sight warmed him, the touch making him yearn for more. Surely, if the price to pay was the amplification of Naruto's emotional impact on him, he could survive the embarrassment of being known by others, too. He did reserve the right to change his opinion when this whole thing was over, though.

Kaguya seemed to fade away, leaving the two of them alone once more. He had a hundred questions left, but they all caught in the back of his throat as Naruto's gaze turned serious.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked, combing his hand through Sasuke's hair.

A few weeks ago, Sasuke would have found the question annoying. More than that, he would have feared answering truthfully. How could he possibly be okay? And why did it matter? But it mattered to Naruto, and he was able to accept his concern now. Okay didn't have to mean good. And saying no didn't mean the world ended.

"I'm managing," he shrugged, tilting his head appropriately when Naruto leaned in for a soft kiss. "It's not like she made me into a different person."

"I know."

"But you don't need to tell everyone, though."

"Of course not," Naruto agreed, lips twitching in amusement. "We can't have them thinking you've gone soft."

Sasuke pulled him closer, breaths mingling. He'd let Naruto think he was soft, if he wanted to. It wasn't that simple, not really, and there were too many differences between the dimensions to say he would feel comfortable in the Konoha that was supposedly their home. Kaguya may say that his heart was open now, and he could tell that Naruto would not hesitate to make this openness a common occurrence. But to stretch this to the point where he'd walk through the streets of Konoha with a smile on his face? Not happening.

He wasn't brave like Naruto. He wasn't forgiving like Naruto. And he didn't much care to be, either. But as he placed his hand over Naruto's cheek, looking into his eyes, he felt Naruto's reassurance that he didn't need to be. It was enough that he was there.

"I love you," he said.

And he meant it.

xxx

Charasuke let out a shuddering breath, watching Naruto and Sasuke's eyes glaze over. Kaguya watched them intently, red eye spinning slowly as she put them back to sleep. They hadn't seen him, and he wondered now what Kaguya could possibly want from him.

Even though both their counterparts were there, he couldn't see Menma. He swallowed, fighting the lump stuck in his throat. If he was lucky, she would ignore him. He desperately wanted to wake up in bed, and pretend none of this had happened. What was the point of him hearing all of this? Sasuke could have told him in the morning.

Kaguya's eyes turned to him, pinning him to his seat. Even though she didn't seem dangerous, there was something about her that set his teeth on edge.

"Do not fear," she said, the flames between them billowing with her words. "Strength is not only physical."

"What do you mean?" he asked, biting his lips as soon as the words left him.

He wondered how long he could stand her gaze before crumbling.

"You doubt yourself." Her tone was gentle, but her face was stern. "Your path will not be easy, and you cannot hesitate. Your heart must make the right choice."

But how could he know what was right? A choice between what? Confused, he stumbled onto his feet as she beckoned him closer, past the spot where Naruto and Sasuke had sat, now empty.

She held up her hand, and when he was close enough, she reached out to touch his forehead with two fingertips.

"You will know."

With a gasp, he sat up in bed, chest heaving. Beside him, Sasuke slept on, calm in the faint morning light seeping in through the curtains. Hand trembling, he touched the spot on his forehead, wondering if it was all a dream.

He breathed, in and out, drawing his knees up to his chest and hugging them tight. His thoughts were a mess, spinning too fast for him to follow. Pressing his forehead to his knees, he tried to erase the feel of her touch. There was too much static in his head.

He hadn't truly believed he would play a part in this. Not like this. Not in a way that Kaguya would acknowledge.

Shivering, he crawled back under the sheets, curling into a ball. He looked at Sasuke's relaxed face, wondering if he was still seeing Naruto. Wondering if he should tell him, when he woke up.

He turned onto his other side, and tried to will himself to sleep.

An entire chapter in italics...

But finally! Reunion! I've been both dreading and looking forward to writing this chapter, so I'm relieved I've now finished it. Hopefully the plot makes sense... Some of you were really close with your guesses! I think it makes sense for the plot and the whole parallells and mirror stuff that if Kaguya is good in rtn universe, it's the sage of six paths that's evil :3 I never remember what actually happened in canon so I have to search Narutopedia all the time. I know Kaguya is supposedly an alien according to the movie The Last but I'm going to ignore that movie's existence and anything else after that. Isn't it enough that they're ninjas? Must the chakra use be "because aliens"? Ah well, I'll spare you the rant.

Also, I can finally admit that when I first started this story and didn't have much of the plot figured out, one idea I played around with was making Hinata the bad guy. Like. Before I decided Kaguya was good, I considered making Hinata the reincarnation of Kaguya or sth like that. Might explain some stuff, idk. At some point I'm gonna have to share my really early chapter plans that I wrote down by hand in a notebook, because it's pretty different from what actually ended up happening. Well, if I can actually understand my own handwriting, that is.

I feel like Sasuke's really embraced his emotions by now. He's like, oh, I have to Feel Things? Might as well turn it up to max. No regrets. (But good luck trying to make him admit it out loud again when he wakes up) One the one hand I felt it was maybe a little early to drop the whole I love you thing but on the other... we're at almost 300,000 words lmao I'm just gonna let them be soft with each other if that's what Sasuke wants.

And Charasuke! I've been hinting that he has a role to play, and now we got it spelled out for us by Kaguya. I really wonder if anyone could guess what I have planned. The only person besides me who knows the ending is my brother, and he sure had a reaction when I told him. (It's a happy ending though so don't worry)

Thank you, as always, for being such amazing readers and making me super happy and flattered by your lovely comments:D I can only hope to live up to expectation!