Have you ever Chapter 8


Have you ever loved somebody so much?

It makes you cry

Have you ever needed something so bad?

You can't sleep at night

Have you ever tried to find the words?

But they don't come out right

Have you ever, have you ever


Temple of the Samurai

Suddenly, Sasuke woke up, drenched in sweat. He noticed that he was alone in a sterile white room. To understand where he was, the nukenin turned his head from left to right. There were no windows in the room, only a bed, a chair, and a table with a pitcher of water and a glass. Sasuke realized he was thirsty and tried to sit up, but he got dizzy. Taking a moment to close his eyes, he gradually felt better. As soon as he felt better, Uchiha slid from the bed and carefully placed his feet on the tile floor. Leaning on the bed to maintain his balance, he stepped forward. At the end, Sasuke continued his advance towards the table, grabbed the glass, filled it, and swallowed it in a single gulp.

Once his throat was less dry, Sasuke felt better. That's when he realized he was only wearing his underwear under a hospital gown. Kusanagi and his clothes were nowhere to be found. As he sat on the bed, clutching his head in his hands, Sasuke recalled what had just happened. His attempt to break that bond, the one that still made him a human being, had finally succeeded.

When Sasuke saw the door open, he gazed at his hands and kept his head down. He closed his eyes tightly as his vision became blurred, drops of water fell on his hands. Sasuke hadn't cried since his parents died. Suddenly, he was in tears over the loss of his only love. It was he who brought light to the depths of his dark places, a man who stood as a sun for all. Yet he had killed him coldly and cowardly! After all, it was just for the sole purpose of vengeance. But did it really matter? Is it fair to destroy a life that held so much promise for the future, and that gave without asking for anything in return? Having the ability to create unlikely connections, Naruto would have made a wonderful Hokage. The world of the ninja would likely have been transformed by Naruto. It is likely that Naruto would have been able to find a way to bring the great nations together.

How was Sasuke supposed to deal with this? Why wasn't he chained? Why wasn't he in prison? Maybe he should have just been killed? Naruto's absence made Sasuke realize, but too late, that his life would not be complete without him. If he were to be judged for this unforgivable act, it would not matter to him what his punishment is. Sasuke had murdered the only person who loved him, who had accepted him despite everything he had done. How could he possibly live with himself after that? He felt someone approaching cautiously.

"Sasuke."

No, no, it is not possible! He was being tricked by his jailers. Despite this, Sasuke refused to be disappointed. A hand gently raised Sasuke's chin. He let himself do it obediently but closed his eyes hard. Surely, he couldn't be there, Sasuke had seen him...

"Sasuke, please look at me."

It sounded so familiar, just like Naruto's, but it was unthinkable. Sasuke felt his blade penetrate the body of his former teammate and felt him fall limply to the ground. The moment Uchiha opened his eyes, his breath caught in his throat. Because in front of him were eyes that reflected the colors of the sea, looking at him kindly. Without Sasuke realizing it, his hand gently, tenderly rested on Naruto's right cheek. Was he being given a second chance? Sasuke couldn't believe it. A tender smile played across Naruto's lips as he held his cheek in his hand. His hand was then placed above his. Neither one moved, enjoying the light touch of the other, as they observed each other. The nukenin didn't dare blink in fear of it being a dream.

And that he'll wake up alone, locked and chained somewhere. Nevertheless, he dared to turn away from Naruto's blue eyes and examine the rest of his body. Naruto was dressed in black pants and a white open shirt with short sleeves. Sasuke could see a bandage on Naruto's torso, as well as a wound on his left shoulder. Both came from his katana. More tears rolled down his cheek. They didn't even try to hide or wipe them away. With an affectionate gesture, Naruto wiped Sasuke's cheeks and placed a delicate kiss on his dry lips. The dark-haired man answered slightly in his turn, not breaking eye contact with the man in front of him in order to savor this moment as long as possible.

"Sasuke... It's alright. We're both fine."

He didn't realize he had broken the kiss until he heard Naruto's voice. While sitting next to Sasuke on the bed, Naruto took Sasuke's hand and kept it in his own. The Jinchuriki looked at him with hope, tenderness, and love. Sasuke had trouble swallowing his saliva.

"Why Naruto?" he asked.

"How come you never gave up on me? All I did was hurt you."

A wistful smile appeared on Kitsune's face. When he raised his eyes, his eyes were full of tears.

"I love you." he said.

"Sasuke, I have no other reason to give you than this. All I want is for you to come home."

He could not believe that this exceptional man still felt such love for him. Sasuke was a traitor, a murderer, and a coward who had sought to end his life. He almost succeeded. But how could he accept this happiness? Sasuke had always believed that he would get revenge and that he would not survive this fight. In this dark life he had chosen, Naruto was the only source of warmth, hope, and light. Did he have the right to accept this hand so easily? His decision was made despite all the questions he asked himself. Sadness in the clear blue eyes of the man in front of him was not what Sasuke wanted to see.

"Okay."

An answer so simple, but so hard to get out.

"Hey, I know you... "Eh?"

Naruto was dumbfounded.

Naruto leaned down to hug Sasuke tightly and whispered in his ear as he smiled his Uchiha smile.

"Sasuke, thank you so much. I'll make sure you never regret this decision. I will make you happy. Together we can overcome anything."

Sasuke could not answer because a lump formed in his throat. There was nothing that Naruto could prove. The mere fact that he still believed in him after all these years said a lot about his feelings. It would be up to him to always prove to Naruto that he was right to love him. Sasuke promised Naruto that he would be there for him always. The Uchiha was also aware that his return to Konoha would not be easy. He was still a nukenin who'd allied himself with another nukenin. Sasuke was considered an enemy as well as a danger to his village. However, Uchiha was willing to face anything for the man who had saved his life. He promised himself never to betray the man who had given him a taste for life.

It's Uchiha's turn to grab for Naruto's lips. It was like he couldn't live without it. It never occurred to him that he'd like to kiss someone like that, let alone a man. Uchiha thought to himself that he hadn't been attracted to anyone before today. Never felt the urge to kiss until he was breathless, like now with his kitsune. Naruto did not resist the kiss; instead, he put more ardor into it. Sasuke had the impression that he was trying to steal his breath. The nunekin didn't give up, answering with the same amount of enthusiasm. A hand was buried in the sumptuous golden hair, as he sought to deepen this intense oral exchange. A knock at the door interrupted them, they separated reluctantly. Despite this, Naruto didn't let go of Sasuke's hand. The door opened carefully for Kakashi, who entered the room nonchalantly. A smile formed behind his mask as he watched the two young men. As he saw the disheveled look of his former students, he was pleased for them. These two young ninjas deserved it so much.

"Are you going back with us to Konoha Sasuke?"

He looked at his best friend turned lover; it was up to him to answer. The abyssal eyes found the blond boy, staring at him for a moment before turning to his former sensei.

"I'm going back to Konoha. But I want to make it clear that if I return, it will only be for Naruto.

Naruto tightened his grip on the nukenin. It made him so happy that he agreed to go back with them. In any case, going back right away wasn't an option. After all, Naruto had two months of vacation and three years to catch up with the man he loved.

"No matter why you're coming back to Konoha, I'm glad you're here."

Before leaving the room, Kakashi greeted the two young men and quietly closed the door. After making sure Kakashi wasn't listening, Naruto turned to Sasuke and announced.

"Sasuke, I was thinking about taking a few days off with just you. I had Tsunade's approval before you came."

He was not bothered at all; on the contrary he was ecstatic. They stared at each other tenderly. Once again, Naruto leaned in to kiss Sasuke's lips, who responded enthusiastically. This was so natural for Sasuke, he had no hesitation, no regret. He sighed at ease in Naruto's arms before he huffed.

"A vacation?" he asked.

"Yes, I asked for them before you arrived. I needed some time to think. Now that I have my answer, I want to spend some time getting to know you again."

Surprise filled Sasuke's eyes. He could already picture himself back in the village, facing the Hokage for all the crimes he had committed. Even if he wasn't killed, he would have faced endless interrogation and imprisonment. Although the current Hokage had a great affection for Naruto, she couldn't overlook his misdeeds simply because the jinchuriki asked her to. Sasuke had the impression that his lover had forgotten its importance. As Hokage, she was obligated to punish him to set an example.

"Naruto, the Hokage will ask you to bring me back to the village immediately. She won't want you to take me on vacation when I should be on trial."

His last words were only whispers, but Naruto heard them. Yet if anyone truly believed he would let Sasuke rot in jail, even for one night, they were deluded. Jinchuriki had to admit he hadn't considered the consequences of his lover's return in the euphoria of the moment. Naruto still held Sasuke, his head resting lightly on his shoulder. Sasuke looked calm and confident. Then he reclaimed his soft lips. Naruto barely let go of him, but they had a lot to talk about. He had waited for years to have him, so now that he had him, the Uzumaki could well wait a few more hours.

"Yes, you're right. I'll write Tsunade. However, I won't permit your imprisonment."

Sasuke tried to protest, but Naruto's finger touched his lips.

"Sasuke, trust me. There's no way I would let them throw you in a dungeon. "Not after I've searched for you for three years."

Uchiha just shrugged. The fight was already lost. Naruto was as stubborn as a donkey whenever he made a decision. Getting up from bed, his lover kissed him chastely.

"I'm going to get something to write with as well as some clothes and food for you. I'll be right back."

Then he disappeared. It was still difficult for Sasuke to believe that this was not a dream. The day before, he was about to kill his best friend in order to break his last link. Now he was lying in bed, smiling as he recalled the taste of Naruto's lips. How was this possible? How could he be entitled to all that happiness when he had done nothing to deserve it?

Sasuke decided to stop asking why and just be grateful to Kami for giving him this second chance. He then settled into his bed to wait for his lover's return. The Uchiha sank into the arms of Morpheus, his lips curled into a discreet smile.


Konoha. Tsunade's office.

Tsunade pushed the pile of scrolls to one side. She hoped to make it home before sunset. Shizune suddenly burst into the room, running up to her breathless. Handing her a scroll, he smiled triumphantly. The Hokage took the document and began to read it, the seal already undone by her assistant. He hurried to find out what the copy ninja had found. To be sure of her understanding, she read it a second time more slowly.

"Naruto and Sasuke fought? And Sasuke won? But Kakashi believes Sasuke will return to Konoha with Naruto. That doesn't make sense to me."

As perplexed as Tsunade, her assistant shrugged. Kakashi was the only one with the ability to turn simple situations into mysterious ones. If what he wrote were to be believed, Uchiha Sasuke would return to the village. Shizune wondered how her long-time friend would handle this difficult news. It was certain that more than half of the ninjas in the village would demand that the "traitor" be executed or imprisoned for life. On the other hand, it was necessary not to overlook a detail of importance in the Uchiha caseNaruto would reject both of these options. There would be a lot of tension in Konoha following Sasuke's long-awaited return. Moreover, Shizune knew the blonde would have the support of Kakashi and Sakura. It was Naruto's gift to be able to convince anyone when he wanted to be heard for a cause he believed in. He had been working on Sasuke's return for three years, and supporting his friend was something he could not fail to do.

"In that case, we will wait for their return. "I don't want the news to leak until I'm ready to share it."

After getting a bottle from her desk and a glass, the blonde filled up the glass to the brim and drank the liquid. Tsunade sighed and repeated her gesture a second time.

"Naruto... He's succeeding where no one else can. I'm happy for him, but I'm not looking forward to this."

Tsunade stood up, turned out the lights and headed for the door.

"If I'm wanted, I can't be found. I must think about this. I'll be back tomorrow."

Then she left the room without saying anything else. Shizune went to get the paperwork the Hokage had done today, to file it carefully. Shizune sighed, the next few days were going to be crazy. The assistant hastily cleaned up so she could go home early and rest up for the ordeal that lay ahead.