A/N: Let me just say that I have no idea if Sarada is younger or older than Boruto and I don't particularly care since the story was already constructed this way :P
Forgive me for I haven't been able to edit the previous chapter and rid it of atrocious grammatic typos. I will as soon as I can. Meanwhile, please forgive the ones you might find here since this chapter isn't betaed either and I can't exactly spot mistakes or typos at this early post-writing stage.
I'm terribly sorry for taking so long to update, but, as it turned out, I was dragged by the violent and blessed tide that was 'Yuri! On Ice' and couldn't focus on Naruto related stuff at all. Today was the last, glorious episode and thankfully I had this chapter finished. I'm actually updating so I can move away a bit from the emotional chaos YOI has left. Gorgeous characters, Ice Skating, a canon LGBTA+ couple and flawless character development. What more can we ask for? A truly gorgeous anime, do watch it if you haven't. I still need to catch my breath.
BUUUUUT, back to Naruto stuff! I'm happy I managed to update before Christmas!
There isn't a lot happening this chapter, but trust me, god stuff is coming for the next one ;)
Happy reading, and sorry for the wait!
From Which We'll Rise
Part XVIII: Unpredictable
Sasuke and Sakura returned to Konoha on the expected date. Kakashi had, at some point, received a letter from Sasuke announcing his daughter's birth and on which day he and his family would be returning to the village.
Uchiha Sarada was the baby's name. Sasuke was now the father of a healthy little girl and Naruto sincerely found it all too ironic.
Naruto had always envisioned that Sarada would take after Sasuke, with the same dark hair and eyes. For some reason, it seemed only natural - after all, Boruto took after Naruto himself, and certain things seemed irrefutable when it came to him and Sasuke, as if destiny itself had written it all down in stone to be this perfectly predictable.
Several months (or little over a year, Naruto couldn't tell) had passed since he and Sasuke had last seen each other. It felt like such a long time had gone by, and yet so many things had happened in the meantime that made these events seem unreal. It felt like several years had gone by. Sometimes, Naruto wished they had.
Sasuke's increasing closeness to the village had made itself known to Naruto like a strong breeze that had enveloped him. An invisible hand had seemed to close around his heart and squeeze it, rendering him powerless.
Sasuke was coming. The thought of seeing him once more was accompanied by an eerie sense of apprehension.
Naruto had, many times, thought about what would happen once he came face to face with his friend, so he had imagined hundreds of possible case-scenarios, dialogues and reactions on both their parts to a point where it had become an almost obsessive daily train of thought.
However, as soon as he felt Sasuke's feet stepping inside the village, Naruto already knew that there was no way he'd ever be able to predict what would happen once he was in the same physical space as Sasuke, and honestly, it had stopped bothering him a long time ago. As well as they knew each other, everything about 'them' as a duo would always be unpredictable to both. Even if they could read each other's hearts and, sometimes, minds, some things seemed to go beyond their own will and instinct.
Lying to himself was no longer an option - Sasuke had taught him that - so he had long since accepted the fact that the element of surprise scared as much as excited him immensely.
In fact...
It was a sort of luxurious and alluring darkness that Naruto couldn't escape from, neither did he want to. It was like a drug he didn't want to stop being addicted to because it made him feel things he couldn't feel anywhere else. He felt the most alive whenever Sasuke was involved, and this was a fact he couldn't refute.
Naruto had been busy with work, so he didn't witness Sasuke's return. He could feel Sasuke's presence, though, and it made him feel on edge like he hadn't in a long time. However, he had decided not to interfere until he saw how things would unfold. Sasuke surely had his own way of dealing with his situation, and Naruto wanted to see what would come of it. Besides, he already knew Sasuke probably wouldn't come to him unless he couldn't help it. That was how they had left things the last time they'd been together.
The village whispered incessantly during the first couple of days. It wasn't as if it was news by now (Kakashi and team 7 made sure of it), but people still wondered about things, and everyone wanted to get a glimpse of the Uchiha baby. Naruto refused to look for Sasuke and Sakura - he didn't want to get in the way of whatever it was that they had to do with their lives from now on.
Curiosity made him fidgety and exasperated, but he fought strongly against himself. He had better things to do, he kept telling himself; bigger things to concern himself with, and if neither Sasuke nor Sakura had felt the need to ask for his help so far, he wouldn't come crawling to them either - he had learned how to keep his pride.
However, the fact that Sasuke and Sakura seemed to be doing things silently and without considering his presence drove him crazy, even though he kept telling himself that he understood it. He did understand, but there was no helping the way he felt.
All their friends kept asking questions Naruto couldn't answer and no-one (not even Ino) seemed to know what was really going on. Since no-one knew the truth behind all these secretive moves, it was expected that all sorts of made up stories would start to come to life, all of them ludicrous. But who was Naruto to defend them when not even he knew the real story behind Sasuke's and Sakura's relationship?
Thanks to Sai's ever attentive ears, Naruto had come to know that there was a rumour about Sasuke and Sakura having gotten married sometime during that fateful week - a bland ceremony with only Sakura's parents as witnesses. He tried to not feel hurt that he wasn't invited, but then again, he knew how he had felt about inviting Sasuke to his own wedding, so it wasn't like this was unexpected - he just thought that it wasn't fair that they kept everyone at a distance.
Sakura suddenly appeared at their doorstep one evening, all smiles and joy and a tiny baby in her arms, but no sign of her supposed husband. Sasuke was busy, she had said, with a far too loud laugh, but she had wanted to introduce Sarada to them, and meet little Boruto. She looked a little out of herself, and her good-spirits were so out of character that Naruto thought she seemed almost hysterical. From the look Hinata exchanged with him, she felt the same way. Regardless, they invited Sakura for dinner and played the part of happy hosts.
Meeting Uchiha Sarada was a painful, yet joyful experience for Naruto. The baby girl was, for now, all Sasuke - pale complexion and dark, beautiful huge eyes and messy hair - not a trace of Sakura at all. Then again, babies never resembled their parents at such a young age. Either way, most of Sarada's traits were Sasuke's. His fantasies coming true made him feel more than a little overwhelmed.
Boruto, his son, took after him. Sarada, Sasuke's daughter, took after Sasuke. Naruto knew he'd laugh bitterly at the irony in the future. At least he hoped so.
Holding Sasuke's child in his arms was an experience similar to the one he had felt when holding Boruto for the first time - the loneliness and elation were there - so he had been expecting it already. The tears of joy came as no surprise, and of course, Sakura teased him about it, but clearly her heart wasn't in it. For some reason, she took Sarada away from his hold before he could even let the baby's warmth reach him. It made him unbearably sad, but he had learned that keeping his pride intact was an important life hack, so he forced himself to mask his feelings behind a smile and gentle words.
Still, he avoided eye contact with her just as much as she did. There were so many things he wanted to talk to Sakura about, but it seemed far too difficult and it wasn't fair - things weren't supposed to ever be this strained between them.
They were friends, weren't they? Family. So, when had things become so irreversibly strange for them?
Sarada was an Uchiha. His two best friends' blood. He was sure Sarada would be as beautiful as Sasuke when she grew up. The feeling of protectiveness towards Sarada was strong- Naruto knew he'd keep an eye out for her no matter what.
Seeing Boruto and Sarada lying side by side on Naruto's bed was unexpectedly difficult, and yet, it filled Naruto's heart with something akin to pride and devotion. It was a vision that fascinated and terrified him, making his heart race and his stomach churn. He didn't know if he wanted to laugh or break down, so he did neither, forcing himself to shut down his emotions and put a smile on his face.
They could as well be ours…
He felt hysterical, too.
He wished Sasuke was there to see this sort of sight with him. He wished Sasuke would hold his Boruto in his arms like he had held Sarada, but he knew in his heart that it wouldn't happen. The feeling was excruciating, but he was already pro at pushing it aside.
Sakura helped Hinata and Naruto making dinner. She was in high spirits it seemed, and unusually talked her mouth off about everything that came to her mind - to keep the silence from settling in - but never once did she say a word about Sasuke or her time away from Konoha. They didn't ask anything either. Sakura kept talking to Hinata, but made it sound as if she was talking to Naruto as well, only she wasn't. Naruto pretended that he didn't notice it. Hinata was clearly uncomfortable but tried her best to be a delicate and pleasant host.
In Naruto's mind, though, throughout the forced pleasantries, all he could think of was where the hell Sasuke was. He wanted to fucking see him.
Was Sasuke alone right now? Had he had dinner already? What was he doing? Was he even feeling well and mighty composed, or was he was somehow as distressed by being in Konoha as Naruto was by having him there?
What was going on? Why did Sakura seem so strange? She had what she had always wanted, right? Sasuke had caved in, they had fucked and built a family and gotten married. Wasn't it just perfect, all her dreams coming true? She had more than Naruto ever would.
Ultimately, she had won.
So why… did it feel like nothing made sense? Why did he have this nagging feeling that he was missing something? That something terribly wrong made this world feel unfamiliar and hard to comprehend?
Sasuke… why aren't you here?
He knew Sasuke had said that once Naruto got married they'd only see each other if strictly necessary. Naruto could understand Sasuke's logic considering how much the circumstances had changed their lives and forced their relationship to change, too, in some ways.
But wasn't this too much?
Why did it always have to be like this? Always this black or white hell between them - everything or nothing.
Their lives were unfortunately miles apart from each other no matter how similar their situations were at this point.
He understood, he really did. He understood that there were certain things about Sasuke's life that were none of his business regardless of what Naruto himself thought or felt. It wasn't as though Sasuke needed to explain anything to him - they owed nothing to each other at this point.
Still, he couldn't help but want to know and want for things to be different. Why couldn't they be different? Why did it have to be like this?
Why did it have to feel like this?
Was he simply doomed to wonder about Sasuke forever - to desire the concept that formed them forever? To keep reaching out for something he had but that was no longer in his grasp? To have to settle for the painful boundaries Sasuke kept establishing?
Was he supposed to watch these events unfolding and simply accept that there was nothing he could do to change them?
000
Naruto could barely breathe, and yet he stood very still in front of Kakashi's desk, forcing himself to look outside the window behind the Hokage. Sasuke was standing right next to him, tall and imposing, and all Naruto wanted to do was stare at his profile to make sure he wasn't dreaming, but he didn't trust himself not to be emotional.
This wasn't how he had envisioned his reunion with Sasuke at all, though. They hadn't even talked to each other yet.
"You took a while to come to me, but I suppose you were busy. Congratulations on the baby, and getting married," Kakashi was saying to Sasuke, his tone polite but clearly sarcastic. "Thank you for inviting us to the wedding."
"There was no wedding, just paper signing," Sasuke dismissed. His voice was low and deep, and made goose bumps rise on Naruto's skin. "That's not what I came here to talk about."
Naruto's feet shifted uncomfortably as he put both his hands behind his back, rolling his shoulders slowly. It was as if the weight of Sasuke's closeness took a toll on his very being. They weren't even that close, not even in arm's reach, and yet he could feel Sasuke's firm heartbeat in his very body and smell his scent - soapy, clean and simple, but distinctive.
He swallowed hard. Unceremoniously, Sasuke rummaged the contents of the satchel he had strapped across his chest and took out a few scrolls that he placed upon Kakashi's desk. The Hokage didn't seem surprised as he picked one up and rolled it open. "These are not original," Kakashi noted.
"The original ones are in my possession," Sasuke said firmly. "You can't expect me to simply deliver them to Konoha's care after the trouble I had to get them."
"You can't possibly expect me to be able to do anything with mere copies, Sasuke," Kakashi grunted, with a sigh.
"That right there is still confidential and valuable information on Uchiha genetics and copies of stolen official reports," Sasuke retorted. "Some of them belonged to underlings of Tobirama Senju." Naruto bit on his lower lip as Sasuke proceeded. "I'm putting together Uchiha history, Kakashi. Slowly, I'm building a chronological order until I reach Itachi, and I intend to bring it all to life and make it all real, official. I will accomplish it."
"Even if this is valuable information, Sasuke, it's still not…"
"Give me access to Konoha's top secret files and I'll give the originals to you," Sasuke cut sharply. "I told you I'd get the information, and I'm working on it. I will get to the bottom of this. You need to work on it with me, as the village's Hokage."
Naruto couldn't help but glance at Sasuke now, needing to see his face and what expression he was making. It was a mistake.
"You know very well that I can't do that; not yet," Kakashi said, putting the scroll down. "Your determination to create an official document on Uchiha history and cleaning up your brother's name is admirable, but the council and the Daimyo don't really care about making your clan look any different in the world's eyes. You are currently an asset, a powerful beast tamed by the system, but a wild and an unpredictable one all the same. Giving you access to confidential information would be the same as giving you the keys to Konoha's destruction. You haven't proven yourself enough, Sasuke, and denying us the original scrolls isn't going to help."
Naruto swallowed down the urge to reach out towards Sasuke in some way, because even if his friend's stoic expression didn't change, his energy swirled in anger and his eyes were intense enough to make him stop breathing. The conversation made him irrationally angry, too, but he understood where Kakashi was coming from. It didn't matter their feelings about Sasuke or their trust in his convictions - in the end, it was the eyes of the shinobi world that made the difference.
Naruto promised himself that he'd change that, too, as soon as he became Hokage. Not for the first time, he hated how powerless he still was.
Sasuke inhaled sharply through his nose, and when he spoke, his voice was collected. "You will read it, though, won't you? And help me bring the pieces together?"
Kakashi observed him in a way that could be considered fond. "As long as you remain loyal to me and this village, I will help you and do whatever is in my power to back you up and give you credit," he muttered, with a single affirmative nod of his head. "I feel your pain, Sasuke, and I understand your motivation. As Hokage, I too want the truth to be out there because there are things the shinobi world should know so real peace and trust can be achieved. But I'm merely one person juggling thousands of different matters that concern this place and the fire country, which is why there are many people behind me that have the power to make decisions. There is only so much I can do and allow by my own will alone."
"I know that." Sasuke straightened his back. "How long? What should I do to get that kind of trust?"
"I don't know," Kakashi admitted. "It hasn't been that long since you were trying to destroy this place, and not that long since you started working with us. Regardless, your past stains you, and you know you can't simply have a normal life, as a shinobi, within these walls. People know what you do, but you don't have an official title yet. Only once this government gives you one can we even start making suggestions to put things in motion."
Sasuke didn't say anything for a few seconds, but his stance never wavered. Naruto could feel the bubbling frustration running through Sasuke's veins as if it was his own. "I understand," Sasuke ended up saying, putting a definite end to the conversation.
Kakashi seemed genuinely relieved. "Well, but you did want Naruto here for this 'reunion', and I'm sure he wouldn't be necessary if we were just going to discuss the Uchiha and Itachi," he said good-naturedly, changing the subject. "Let's hear what else you have to say."
In spite of himself, Naruto now looked openly at his friend expectantly, feeling a sense of excitement he couldn't contain. He didn't know what he expected, and he hated that he was, in fact, expecting something, anything at all from Sasuke.
Anything. He would do anything if he could just manage to give Sasuke something, share something with him, even if for a little while, bring back just...
"I know you have access to every move I make inside Konoha, Kakashi." Once again, Sasuke was straightforward. "By now, surely you know I have placed all my money under Sakura's name as well."
"It was an impressive amount, too," Kakashi acknowledged, with a nod.
"Sakura wants to purchase a house, and I have agreed to it," Sasuke told them, his tone far too business-like for Naruto's liking. "Regardless of how much money I have, it's still not enough to pay for the whole thing, obviously."
"You're not going to ask us to lend you money, are you?" Kakashi teased, but there was still a hint of agitation in his words.
Sasuke actually narrowed his eyes at him, displeased. "No, that's not what this is about at all. I need a new bank account, one that Sakura doesn't have access to. And I need Naruto to manage it."
Turning on his heels so he was facing his friend, Naruto's mouth fell open in surprise. "Excuse me?"
"You should explain yourself better, because I can't understand your intentions." Kakashi's playful tone disappeared completely.
"It's just as I said," Sasuke grumbled, looking at Naruto briefly from the corner of his eyes before looking at Kakashi once more. "The money I'm currently making by working for Konoha will be sent to the account Sakura now has access to. However, I want a percentage of its total amount to go to a separate account under your exclusive surveillance and Naruto's management. I can't open a new account with my name on it since the council follows my every move, so I need this account to be under someone else's name, and that someone needs to be of trustworthy. But I also need it to be approved by you, Kakashi, and protected by you so I know the council won't be questioning Naruto's affairs."
"I understand what you're saying, but surely you understand I need to know the reason as to why you'd want to open a secret account under someone else's name without the knowledge of your family," Kakashi mumbled, with a frown, as if all of this was suddenly very bothersome.
Sasuke actually tilted his head down slightly, clearly choosing his words carefully. "There is no particular reason other than me wanting to put some money aside," he ended up saying, but Naruto could tell from his energy that there was something else behind it. "I don't live here. I don't want the money I need while travelling to be involved in the steady income that reaches Sakura and Sarada."
"You barely spend any money at all, Sasuke," Kakashi pointed out, not without sounding a bit impressed by the fact.
"Yes, but I still want to keep track of my own personal part; plus, it might come in handy someday in the future. We never know what can happen and I'd rather be safe than sorry."
Kakashi watched him for a while before clearing his throat. "That still doesn't explain why you don't want your name in this account, nor why you don't want Sakura to know about it."
"Because I want this to be between me and Naruto, and no-one else."
"Now wait a minute, Sasuke; you didn't ask for my opinion on this!" Naruto barked loudly, clenching his fists at his sides and feeling his cheeks flaring up unexpectedly. Why would Sasuke want such a thing? Why would he even say such a thing?
When Sasuke's mismatched eyes met his, he actually jumped a little. "Aren't you going to do it?" Sasuke questioned.
Naruto huffed in frustration. "That's not what I said…"
"It's also money that I'm probably going to invest at some point," Sasuke interrupted, cutting Naruto short, but not moving his stare away from the other's ferocious one. "Because Sarada isn't my only child."
"What?!" Naruto was sure Kakashi's surprised gasp had joined his own.
Sasuke actually had the audacity of groaning as if all of this was very tenuous to him. In spite of himself, Naruto started to feel personally insulted. As if everything else hadn't been enough, how dare Sasuke hide such an important thing from him?
"I have rescued a boy from one of Orochimaru's hideouts a few months back." Sasuke's casual way of delivering the news both horrified and pissed Naruto off further. "He was the product of an experiment and was about to be discarded, so I saved him. It was before Sarada ever existed. He's about five or six years old, I don't really know."
Sasuke's eyes were strong and unblinking as he and Naruto stared at each other. There was a challenging glint there.
Before Sarada? That meant Sasuke had adopted the kid several months ago. Months. And only now...
"No-one knows about this but Orochimaru and Gaara, and now the two of you. I expect it to remain a secret for the time being."
Gaara of all people knew?
Naruto felt the world shaking under his feet and his vision blurring. He could barely rationalize he was so angry, all he could do was clench his teeth.
He couldn't help but feel crushingly betrayed, and he knew it was a childish feeling and that he couldn't simply think that he had the right to be part of anything in Sasuke's private life, but…
It still hurt. And the way Sasuke's gaze seemed to test Naruto did nothing to ease him.
The silence that followed Sasuke's words was chilling, but it was Kakashi who broke it. "I'm speechless."
"I have to leave, soon. My son is waiting for me," Sasuke said, his tone becoming surprisingly humble. "I would be… grateful… if you two could do this for me before I left."
"What about Sarada?" Naruto spat, forcing the constriction around his throat to loosen up. "And Sakura-chan? You're just going to drop a bomb, make demands and then fucking leave, again, just like that? You just got married, Sasuke! Your daughter is just a baby!"
"I've already done what I needed to do here in Konoha," Sasuke said, quirking an eyebrow upwards as if it was the obvious answer. "Sarada's existence, and my marriage, will not stand in the way of the other things I must do. I will not stop being a shinobi just to live here and 'be' with them. That makes no sense to me. It's not something I can do since it's my job to provide intel for Kakashi and work for the village, not inside of it."
"Why didn't you fucking tell me, Sasuke!" Naruto yelled, taking a single step closer to Sasuke - that brought them close enough to be considered a bit threatening - his body tense with rage. "A fucking son?! You adopted a kid and didn't tell anyone and now you just expect it to be acceptable when you've been lying to everyone, including Sakura-chan?!"
"Omitting an event isn't the same thing as lying," Sasuke countered coolly, completely unfazed by Naruto's approach. He even turned towards Naruto so they were standing face to face. "Sakura knows my plans already, and she doesn't expect me to stick around randomly like you do."
Naruto couldn't help but gasp at the fucking nerve. Without thinking, he reached out and grabbed for Sasuke's collar with both hands to brusquely pull him close until their faces were mere inches away from each other. He felt the sudden tension of Sasuke's own body and the almost imperceptible way Sasuke's breath caught abruptly. He could feel the warmth that emanated from his friend, and the equally hot breath that reached his face. It all made his heart race for more reasons than just his anger but he wasn't going to dwell on it.
"Fuck you," he hissed, through clenched teeth. "How are you even going to pull this off? Why didn't you fucking tell me? I could've helped, I could've…"
"You have nothing to do with my decisions," Sasuke hissed back, defiantly, the dismissal hitting Naruto like a slap. "Your family is here."
"So is yours!"
"My family out there is currently needing me," Sasuke said, putting emphasis on every word, and their faces were so dangerously close it made it impossible for Naruto to breathe without fearing his own disgrace, but he could tell Sasuke looked pissed. A hand came to rest at one Naruto had at his collar, squeezing it hard and painfully. "This family is well protected. They have you and all their friends."
"How can you say that…" Naruto whispered, before swallowing hard - it was even hard to speak. "What are you even thinking? How can you speak like this when you just married Sakura-chan…"
"It served a purpose, Naruto."
He was going to lose it, either to lust, love, frustration or anger, he was going to lose it.
"I'm going to fuck your face up if you don't stop…" Naruto choked out. "I'm fucking going to…"
"Boys, please give each other some personal space, you're making me uncomfortable," Kakashi's voice got in the way and forced Naruto to realize the position he was in and that they were not alone. Still, his own body was too rigid to move, so he didn't, challengingly keeping his face close to Sasuke's and not letting go. "Sasuke is a free man, and personally, I only care about his work for Konoha being done, so I'm not going to judge or make assumptions about his decisions."
"But!"
"We will create that account, so long as Naruto decides to cooperate," Kakashi said, tiredly. "Now, since it's lunch time, I think I'll be going out for a bit. You two can have the office for a few minutes and fix this… whatever it is that's happening right now."
"There is no need since there's nothing to fix between us," Sasuke said, intent on putting a definite ending to that conversation. He tugged at Naruto's hand and forced him to let go of his collar, which Naruto did on reflex because he knew he couldn't simply let his emotions out since he had no idea what they'd make him do. Letting Sasuke handle it was the answer, and the rational part of Naruto's brain understood this, even though he wanted so much more, to talk more, to press their buttons further, to yell, to unleash chaos between them no matter in what shape it might manifest itself.
He just didn't want it to end. He wanted answers, he wanted solutions - for them, for right now, for everything.
Sasuke leaned away slightly so they could look at each other properly. His expression softened the slightest bit but didn't lose its overpowering resolution. Sasuke hadn't released Naruto's wrist yet, but his grip had relaxed considerably. Naruto could only chew on his lower lip, feeling his chest tight and an odd sense of sadness and absolute helplessness that was greater than his fury and shock.
"Will you do it or not, Naruto?" Sasuke then asked, infuriatingly calm.
Were they really just going to leave it like this? Was this how they'd interact, was this all Sasuke had to say? Was Sasuke just going to keep on making demands and dropping bombs and simply dealing with everything by himself without giving a fuck about what other people wanted or how his decisions affected others?
It's because you know we can't turn away from you no matter what...
Several things passed between them in the few silent seconds that they spent looking into each other's eyes. "You know I will," Naruto muttered, defeated. There wasn't much he could do or say in this situation, not with Kakashi right there. There wasn't a lot that they could tell each other, not a lot they could talk about.
"Thank you." Sasuke sounded sincere and for just a moment Naruto almost forgot about all the conflicting feelings inside him.
Unexpectedly, Sasuke blew shortly on Naruto's face, making him blink several times, confusedly. It was an innocent, almost playful action. However, for some reason, it made goose bumps rise all over Naruto's skin and a familiar rush of adrenaline travel down his body. Then, Sasuke let go of his wrist and stepped away from him until they were no longer in contact.
If anything, Naruto felt lost, looking at Sasuke's now closed expression as he turned away from him and again towards Kakashi. The two men were exchanging words but they didn't register on Naruto's brain. He felt empty. Everything felt empty.
Before he knew it, Sasuke was turning his back on them and leaving the office. Naruto wanted to call out to him, to run after him and maybe kick his sorry ass, but found that he didn't have the strength.
Wait for me, he wanted to say.
What was Sasuke even thinking that made sense only to him?
But Naruto wanted to understand, to see things the way Sasuke did, feel things the way Sasuke did.
Take me with you…
Why can't I just...
Kakashi's next words and instructions fell on deaf ears. Naruto didn't feel like he'd be himself again for a while.
000
Sasuke had only stayed in Konoha for a few days, but even those felt like too many to Hinata.
The constant uneasiness she had felt during those seemingly never ending days made her feel guilty. She was being stupid, she knew, but she couldn't help herself when the centre of her husband's world was so close.
Sasuke had been close enough to touch, and definitely close enough for Naruto to want to at least try to reach out to him. There was nothing more terrifying to her than that.
Not that she wasn't aware that Uchiha Sasuke's existence haunted Naruto every single second of his day. When one thought of this, it became far too easy to feel depressed and irrationally scared, but Hinata was no longer the sort of woman that ran away and belittled her own worth. After all, she was married to one of the shinobi world's greatest heroes, the man of her dreams. She, alone, had achieved it. Despite how long it had taken for Naruto to look at her and see her, she had managed to pull through and shine - to become a worthy person in his eyes, worthy enough to love, to be more than a shinobi companion, to stand out from all of Naruto's friends.
She was his wife, the woman he had chosen to have a relationship with, the woman he had chosen to have a family with.
She was the woman he had chosen instead of the person who meant the most to him in the world.
They were happy. Naruto loved her, took care of her. They were friends, and lovers, and had good dynamics. Their sex life was healthy and pretty good; they worked together to take care of their home and of their beautiful, perfect baby boy. They were a wonderful team. One could almost say that they were the perfect couple, the kind that is book-like ideal, and the kind that girls dreamt of while growing up.
She had no reason to be scared. She had been chosen. This life, with her, had been Naruto's choice. Nothing could change that.
Only it never seemed to be enough when she knew perfectly well that Naruto's heart was not fulfilled by this perfection at all.
Regardless of how honest Naruto's feelings for their life together were, Naruto's soul belonged somewhere else, and his thoughts, his longing, would always belong somewhere else.
This wasn't his fault. She knew Naruto's and Sasuke's past together wasn't something people from the outside would ever understand, and she understood that what connected them had been written by fate itself. It was what it was, and it wasn't something she wanted to understand - she had long since accepted that there were things about her husband she was better off not knowing for her own sake.
But being aware of these things was difficult. Knowing her husband thought of someone else, wanted someone else, could feel someone else…
Knowing their feelings were connected in ways no-one else could reach…
How could she not be affected by this? But what was there to do? What could she possibly do that wouldn't ruin her relationship with Naruto, destroy their family and make him feel even more miserable than he already did?
Because Naruto was miserable. Well, he was happy with her, but only as happy as his own mental fantasy allowed him to be. Half of him was embracing this life he had idealized while the other half clung to whatever memories of times shared with Sasuke that he couldn't, wouldn't let go of.
It was all genuine, yet it was all a lie. Hinata preferred to believe the lie she had created for herself so she could live with the reality of Naruto's situation - it was easier that way.
So, she pretended that she didn't understand that Naruto made love to her automatically. She pretended that she didn't see the sadness and apathy in his eyes on some days, or the constant frustrated flush in his cheeks when the longing was painful to bear.
She didn't mind being the receptacle of his needs, the one who would help him carry out the burden of his feelings for his bond with Sasuke. By acknowledging Sasuke and Naruto for what they were to herself from the very start, Hinata had been prepared to live life just like this - like Naruto's second best. Because that's what she was. Even if Naruto had chosen her…
As Sakura had once said, Naruto and Sasuke were selfish for each other, but also selfless. No matter what, they were two people that were very different from each other. Circumstances alone had led Naruto to Hinata, nothing more.
So, what was there to do? Even if she had accepted her fate and chosen to love and support Naruto, could she really just stand by doing nothing forever? For how long could this weight in her heart exist? For how long could she pretend that she didn't know Naruto's feelings, that she didn't see his desire, his pain?
Did she even want to? Was this fake image of her and Naruto preserving them or simply thickening the walls that divided them?
It was all very tiring. She didn't like being scared, but more importantly, she didn't like being scared of not being able to tear down those walls.
Because seeing Naruto's sadness made her feel incompetent. It hurt knowing she wasn't the one who knew how to make it go away, but if there was a way she could at least contribute to the solution of a problem, then she wanted to be able to help.
She had always wanted Naruto, had always looked up to him, always jealous of those who were able to make him smile. Now, she was standing right next to him as his wife and the last thing she wanted was to be powerless when it came to him.
She wanted Naruto to trust her, to rely on her, to know she would love him forever. He was her everything, the strength that had helped her stand up and walk so many times in the past, and while she knew she had no light in Naruto's eyes compared to Sasuke, she still wanted to be seen, acknowledged, respected. She wanted to be a confident, a shelter. She didn't want walls dividing her and Naruto, and she didn't want to be left in the shadows.
She was in Naruto's life for a reason. She had to be Naruto's best friend next to Sasuke and the person closest to his heart. He had to trust her in ways he didn't trust Sakura, or Kakashi, or Shikamaru. Not even Iruka. She had to be better than all of them, even if she'd never out best Sasuke.
Just thinking about it made her feel sick, but it didn't matter. She knew what she had to do to nurture her bond with Naruto and protect their life, their family, and their simple, beautiful love.
Sasuke was a force to be reckoned with. He and Naruto's souls were bound, their fates linked until the end of times. Sasuke possessed, as a man and as an individual, a beauty hard to match. He was strong, powerful, fearless, challenging, threatening, unpredictable, unreadable, overwhelming and breath-taking. She didn't think Naruto feared him at all, and yet, she was sure something about Sasuke's overpowering and intimidating existence excited him. She was aware that these were things that lit a fire in Naruto's passion for the other man.
Sasuke made her shiver. She tried to think of him as just another man - an ordinary man - but deep inside, she felt like they were worlds apart and that she could never reach him. No-one could, except for Naruto. She didn't understand him at all, and sometimes, she wished she did, but then immediately regretted it. He was the scariest person she had ever met.
Even if he was the hurricane that brought chaos to Naruto's world, she couldn't bring herself to hate him for some reason. In fact, in spite of herself…
She was grateful that Naruto had someone who fulfilled him so completely, someone who was equal to him, someone who would always fight him the way he needed, who would protect him with his very life and who would love him unconditionally and fill that bottomless loneliness. It was a reassuring thought that she didn't understand, but…
She supposed this was proof of just how much she loved Naruto.
Of course, she was jealous. Sometimes that jealousy was so strong she wished Sasuke would just disappear, but then guilt ate at her in Naruto's behalf.
It should've been a relief when Sasuke and Sakura came back with a child and got married, only it wasn't. Hinata didn't know a lot about Sasuke, but from the way things had gone, she knew enough to share Naruto's confusion and uneasiness. From Sasuke's actions he hadn't changed miraculously in order to suddenly fall in love with Sakura, plus, Sakura wasn't herself at all, and surely, there was more than what was meeting the eye. Sakura wasn't stupid, she and Hinata had a certain situation in common, so what, exactly, was going on?
Sakura wasn't saying anything, just pretending everything was fine and telling the whole world about her marriage with Sasuke (even though they didn't even have wedding rings) and showing Sarada off, but she said nothing of how things had come down to this. Hinata had realized that Sakura was the one who had unexpectedly closed the doors between them for some reason she couldn't understand.
Were they no longer in this together? Or maybe it was just her living the momentary high of becoming officially an Uchiha bride and finally having her own dream coming true.
But… she was supposed to know it wasn't completely real. She had been aware of it from the start, she couldn't possibly think things were different now, right? Because they would never change. Never. Accepting it, Hinata, thought, was probably the best shortcut to some form of contentment.
All in its due time. She had more to worry about than Sakura at this point. Sasuke was finally gone once more, but this didn't placate her since it meant yet another season of Naruto's emotional distress, and she was already predicting a horrible downfall this time. From Naruto's sour moods during Sasuke's short stay, she had realized that those two hadn't exactly been on the best terms, and very likely had barely spoken to each other, let alone do… other things.
Hinata didn't know if this relieved her or made her feel unsettled. Being on bad terms with Sasuke for whatever reason would always take its toll on Naruto's heart and soul, and Hinata feared the thought that her husband would be mulling over this for an indefinable amount of time.
No, she had to look out for him.
Boruto was sleeping in his crib on their room as Hinata was making sandwiches in the kitchen. She heard keys entering the lock in the front door, alerting her that Naruto was home at just the expected time. He called out a grumpy 'I'm home' as the sound of him taking off his shoes and vest could be heard. Her heart burst with nervousness. She started making another sandwich just as she heard Naruto entering the kitchen. She didn't look up as he approached her, but once he stopped next to her to put a hand on her shoulder, she turned her head to the side so he could place a small kiss on her lips.
"Hey," he said, massaging her shoulder gently. "How are you? Is Boruto sleeping?"
"I'm fine, and yes, he finally is," she muttered, smiling up at her husband and meeting blue eyes that seemed to have lost some form of life over the last few weeks - and even more in the past few days. "Are you hungry? I just brewed some tea and I'm almost done making sandwiches."
"Yeah, sounds good."
"Have a seat, then."
Naruto leaned in to kiss her cheek affectionately this time before making his way to the table at the centre of the small kitchen and slumping down in a chair.
Taking a deep breath, Hinata looked over her shoulder at the love of her life. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah," Naruto sighed, running a hand over his hair and shrugging. "Just really tired, I guess."
After eyeing him for a while, Hinata turned her attention back to the sandwiches. It was now or never. She had to be subtle, but in a way that would make Naruto understand her intentions. "Did you hear? Sasuke-kun has left the village again."
She could almost swear the sudden tension in Naruto's body caused the air to thicken. "I know," he said, sounding empty. Hinata waited for him to say something else, but he didn't. Mustering up her courage, she calmly reached up to open the cupboard doors and retrieve two plain teacups. She carried them to the table, setting down one in front of Naruto and another one across from him.
"Before this, Sasuke-kun was away for a long time," she dared to comment, casually. "Did you two manage to catch up?"
She chanced a glance at Naruto but he wasn't looking at her, vaguely watching some pattern on the tablecloth. "Apart from that day with Kakashi-sensei where we discussed issue of his phantom account under my name that I told you about I haven't been with him at all," he muttered. Then, he bit on his lower lip and his eyes seemed to lose their light further even if he was clearly making an effort to sound casual. "He just vanished. I didn't get to see or talk to him since then."
She hated how old he sounded.
"That's really unfortunate," she said, sincerely, turning around to grab for the teapot from the stove. "I'm sure he was very busy."
To her surprise, Naruto laughed dryly. "He's just being an ass, doing everything by himself and not wanting others to lend a hand," he hissed, a bit of resentment finally showing. "Sometimes I wonder why I worry so much about him. Maybe I'm the only one who always has things I want to tell him."
Hinata couldn't be sure if this last part was meant for her to hear or if the words had slipped his mouth without his consent. Either way, he hadn't noticed, nor seemed upset at himself.
"I'm sure that's not the case," she assured him, pouring him some tea carefully, the steam reaching her face and offering a bit of comfort. "If you missed him, then there's no doubt that he's missed you too."
Her words had been chosen carefully. She didn't look at Naruto, but could tell his attention had been captured.
"That's not really relevant when he's being a fucking bastard, is it?" Naruto retorted, sounding a bit confused as she moved away to pour herself some tea now. She felt him swallowing hard. "It doesn't really matter. Sasuke's gone."
"Are you okay with that?" She asked, before she could stop herself, moving to place the teapot over the stove again and picking up the plate of sandwiches from the counter. Naruto was watching her with a startling intensity now but she remained calm, not meeting his eyes. "I'm surprised you didn't try to talk to him by force, to be honest."
"He's married to Sakura-chan now, and there's Sarada-chan, too; I can't simply..." Hinata pretended that she didn't notice the way his voice cracked as she placed the plate in the middle of the table before moving to sit on the chair across from him. "It's not like we're kids anymore. We don't… step into each other's affairs, nor violate each other's personal lives anymore. It's just the way it is."
They had never spoken so openly about Sasuke before, Hinata realized. In fact, apart from trivial mentions of Sasuke, they had never spoken about him at all because the man had always felt like a sacred entity to Naruto, someone with whom he had shared things no-one was worthy enough to be privy of. Sasuke had always been some sort of taboo.
Inhaling gently, she allowed her clear eyes to look at Naruto's awaiting ones. Trying to relax, she moved both her hands so they were cradling the teacup. "So, you're telling me you're just going to let another year and something go by before you two see each other again?"
There was no malice in her question, just gentle curiosity, but Naruto seemed taken aback all the same. "We write to each other," he confessed, something Hinata had guessed long ago.
In spite of herself and of how tight her heart felt, she offered him a lopsided smile. "And is that enough for you?"
Naruto looked so surprised one would almost say she had slapped him. She was glad he was beginning to catch up with her, because she wasn't sure if she could be straightforward if he hadn't. "What do you mean?" he asked.
With a sigh, she brought the teacup to her lips and sipped the clear beverage, allowing the warmth to engulf her and give her the necessary strength. There was no turning back now.
She lowered the teacup, making sure her expression was serious. "Naruto, I… I understand that you… care about Sasuke-kun… deeply," she started, again, trying to be cautious in her approach. "I understand, very well, in fact, that you miss him and that he is the only one who can give you certain… things... that you need."
Naruto's mouth was slightly open. The sandwiches were left untouched. He released another laugh, this time, a nervous one, and scratched the back of his head. "What are you saying, Hinata? I don't particularly need anything," he said, louder than necessary and almost sounding like the little noisy kid he had once been. "I mean, yeah, of course I miss him, he's my best friend, but…"
"You want to be with him," Hinata cut firmly, almost flinching at her audacity when Naruto seemed slightly taken aback. "You want to see him and talk to him and spend time with him. Not having these things is draining you."
She pressed her lips together. This was it. Once she violated Naruto's and Sasuke's territory, once she exposed their secret, everything would change, and even if it scared her like nothing else before, it was literally all she could do to hold on to her precious person.
She had to swallow hard to keep the tears from stinging her eyes. Her resolution had to be rock solid.
"I don't want you to wither away, Naruto. All I want is for you to be happy; for that sadness inside of you to go away, even if it's only temporary. I can't do anything else when certain things are only up to you two. There are things only he can give you, I know." Naruto actually gasped, but she wouldn't falter. "That sort of love you need from him isn't something I can interfere with, and I don't want to. I know I cannot fight against it, and I wouldn't dare to. Just thinking that I could do something to make you unhappy, I..."
The words got stuck in her throat. She tried to clear it but it felt dry, swollen. Her ribcage felt too small for the sudden feebleness in her lungs. She took another sip of her tea, hoping it would help it all feel better than it did.
Naruto seemed to be speechless, but his eyes - those beautiful eyes that were the bluest in the world - seemed to have gained a new sparkle. He looked pale, yet his cheeks were flustered. It was as though he was torn between surprise and horror. In another situation, Hinata would've laughed.
"Hinata," he sounded out of breath, but there was definite hope resounding amidst the tremor in his voice. "What…"
"All I'm saying is he surely feels the same way and wants to be with you just as much regardless of his actions and words." Better to let it all out than waste time with uncertainties, and Hinata had given up on being a coward. She was glad she sounded more in control than she felt. "I think… you should speak to Kakashi-san and ask for a few days off so you can go and meet Sasuke-kun. Surely, you'll be able to find him easily, right? After all, you two are connected."
"I…"
Hinata didn't know how to deal with a speechless Naruto, but seeing that flame of life in his eyes was worth every excruciating moment of that conversation. They looked at each other for what felt like hours, millions of things being communicated between them - understanding, respect, confusion, pain, happiness, hope - but the only thing Hinata cared about was the honest overwhelming wave of affection and gratefulness she saw displayed on Naruto's handsome features.
This was what she needed - all she needed. This sort of love, this understanding, this companionship. This was a mutual but silent pact that she'd always have his back, that she knew about him and Sasuke and that, no matter what, she'd let Naruto have at least a little bit of what he desired. If that made him happy and if it brought him closer, this was the only gift she could possibly offer him that he would ever find useful.
They didn't need to talk about it. Naruto understood Hinata didn't want details or excuses. She was simply giving him a free pass that he could use and that was the only thing they needed to settle between them, nothing more.
His features were filled with empathy for her - he understood knowing more about him and Sasuke would only destroy her, and she could tell he had no intention of hurting her.
He loved her. She knew that much, and that much alone was enough for all this to make sense.
For a minute, she thought he was going to cry. He was aching for her, hurting because his condition was hurting her.
He truly loved her. It wasn't the same love he had for that man, but it was love all the same. As long as he could love her like this, and see only her, want only her by his side, that was enough.
She would never let him regret being the woman he chose to marry. She could be second best to a man, but she would not be second best to anyone else.
"It's alright, you can go," she reassured him, with a small nod and an encouraging smile even though her voice was failing her. "I'm telling you to, actually." Her chest quivered with emotion. "Our son and I will be waiting right here when you return, honey. We'll always be right here, waiting for you to come home."
The message was clear to Naruto, and so was Hinata's dissimulated plea.
Go, but return to us. Take what you need, do what you must, but come back.
Please, Naruto, is that too much to ask in return?
But she couldn't possibly say this out loud.
Naruto shook his head from side to side, a grateful, yet sad smile gracing his lips. He seemed even more drained than before, but his muscles had relaxed and for some reason, the air around him felt lighter, his stance a lot more relaxed and unburdened. She had been the cause for it.
"I love you, Hinata." His whisper was clear, honest and gentl. His eyes held a kindness within them, for her, that made her feel powerful and important. Thanks to them, she could almost feel happy. Almost. "I hope you know it. I love you very much, no matter what."
"I know," she muttered shakily, clutching the teacup in both her hands tighter. "I just want what's best for you. I only want you to be happy."
And it was the truth. That was the only truth she could fight for, and the one truth that she had to be strong for.
Even if only for now, even if this truth would only help her buy as much time as she possibly could…
. All she could do was fight for Naruto for as long as he allowed her to. For as long as she could keep helping him be strong.
For as long as he could endure to 'stay'.
"Thank you."
Forever would never be real for them. And she probably knew it better than Naruto himself did.
The clock had started ticking long ago.
000
The feeling was strong and startled Sasuke violently. Like a premonition, a sense of déjà vu, he knew something was coming. Not exactly something, more like who. It was unmistakable. It was so strong it hit him with the force of a wild beast.
He looked up from his notebook, his eyes urgently scanning the centre of the village in front of him in that rather gloriously sunny afternoon, where several children of various ages were playing some made-up game with stones he hadn't learnt yet. He easily found the figure of Katsuo crouched between two boys who were laughing. The group was noisy and was yelling at something happening on the dusty ground as a boy and a girl took turns playing the game. His son was smiling widely, blank eyes very unblinking as he watched whatever it was that was happening in the game. He was smiling, yet it looked awkward, still strangely distorted in those immaculate features he was still learning how to use. Regardless, Sasuke knew he was finally beginning to understand how to relate expressions with internal states of mind. He had progressed so much since arriving at the small village, and yet, he still had a long way to go.
But he was stronger, more independent now. He had friends, even if he wasn't able to talk yet, and he was more comfortable gesticulating his intentions in order to be understood. The kids around him were fine with it - they liked him and protected him.
He didn't run yet, but he was able to walk on his own for long periods of time without collapsing.
Katsuo lifted a hand to brush the fringe away from his eyes. Sasuke's heart seemed to inflate.
The man took a deep breath and looked up at the clear blue sky, lips parted so he could breathe more easily.
He could feel the rush of adrenaline, a sudden surge of anticipation, urgency, and happiness, but these feelings weren't his - or rather, they mingled with his and fuelled them, blurring them to the point where he didn't understand the things within him at that very moment.
What was he supposed to do now? He didn't even know if he was angry or somehow… relieved? If he was looking forward to this or hesitant.
This… what was going to happen now?
He didn't know if he was ready for this.
Either way, it wasn't as if it mattered since there was no turning back. He had to deal with it now and see what would happen; there was no point in wondering or planning anything.
He quickly closed the notebook in his lap and shoved it inside his bag. Vaguely, he sensed Katsuo looking up at him in wonder as if sensing his distress, so he looked up and managed to offer him a small smile simply to ease his mind.
Then, he nimbly got to his feet. He was only wearing a pair of cream shorts and a linen sweater that was too big for him. He was aware that he looked ridiculous and maybe undignified to anyone outside of that village. He had flip flops made of straw on. Still, he dashed off and ran, somehow, knowing exactly where he was headed. He didn't care about anything but the wild beating of his heart and the reality of another's very soul throbbing within his veins, announcing chaos, intimacy and a growing closeness. The presence was approaching fast but not fast enough.
The village was soon left behind. The forest was dense and eerily quiet, but by now, Sasuke knew it like the back of his hand, so it was easy to avoid obstacles and know exactly the path he needed to take. The blood in his ears, his own raging breathing and the sound of his running feet crushing leaves and sticks was all he could hear. The calling that reached him was of a spiritual nature and couldn't be described, familiar but somehow different. It seemed to grow stronger with every second that passed.
It didn't take long for him to abruptly come to halt. Clumsier feet than his stumbled before stopping in their tracks, too.
Two elaborate breathings echoed in the forest as two contrasting sets of eyes met. Sasuke quickly took in Naruto's appearance, dishevelled in his plain travelling clothes and clearly having been on the road, but not for as long as he should've been - it was obvious he had been trying to get there as fast as possible.
Sasuke shouldn't have been surprised, but now he realized that he was. These sorts of things weren't supposed to happen at this point, Naruto had no right…
He had no right to simply show up and look at him like that. He had no right to simply exist in this very moment and make it feel like everything that had been falling apart was finally coming together.
"Naruto…" he blew out, unsure of why he was feeling so breathless for so little effort. "What are you doing here?"
"I was summoned," Naruto breathed back, with a sheepish grin Sasuke couldn't return.
"I didn't summon you," he said.
Naruto's grin softened. "You always summon me, even without realizing it," he replied, gently. "Just as I summon you."
Maybe that was true, Sasuke realized, a bit annoyed at himself, but also…
Why was it so easy to let his guard down outside of Konoha? Why did he feel like the stoic armour he had been wearing throughout all these months was about to fall apart completely?
Things weren't supposed to be like this. Naruto wasn't supposed to be there, Sasuke had specifically...
"Listen, I'm not here to ask questions or make demands," Naruto said quickly, probably seeing the change in Sasuke's suddenly cold expression. "If you don't want to talk to me about what happened during the time we were apart and you were away, fine, that's your choice and I respect it. We have our own separate lives and we don't have to stick our noses where they don't belong. I accept that."
Sasuke could only frown and bite on his lower lip. His hand closed in a fist at his side. He had tried so hard to move away from this, to form his own mental and emotional shield, to not reach out when Naruto had been within his reach back in Konoha…
He had tried so hard and somehow had been successful, and yet...
Naruto's grin disappeared to be replaced by a pleading and hopeful expression. "I missed you, Sasuke. I wanted to see you so badly but you're just so frustrating all the damn time, and worst part is, it's something I hate as much as I love about you…" he actually had the nerve to blush, clutching the straps of his backpack in his hands like and uncertain child. Still, he lifted his chin up and dared to look defiant. "I'm pissed at you. I know you said we would only see each other unless it was strictly necessary, but I'm not letting you do this alone, Sasuke. I want to be a part of this, of your life, of your kid's life… this has nothing to do with what's back there in Konoha. This is us. And I'm tired of just… pretending that I can do it all without us when I can't."
Sasuke wanted to tell him not to be stupid and to stop saying ridiculous, embarrassing things that served no purpose other than to hurt them both.
But he had closed his feelings for this for so long that he had somehow managed to completely ignore the fact that he was completely exhausted, too.
And right now, he was so angry at Naruto for reminding him of this. He was angry at being forced into feeling that despair, loneliness and hopelessness again, angry at Naruto for imposing his presence. He was furious that he had worked so hard and still, he had fooled himself into thinking he had it all under control when all it took was a spontaneous moment like this for everything to get fucked.
And yet, he was simply so… stupidly grateful, too. He didn't know why, but he was.
Have I been really wanting this all along? For him to defy me and simply force himself into my life no matter what I say or do to keep him away?
Naruto was right - they did summon each other constantly.
You're here… for us.
Naruto…
What was going to happen now? How was this going to destroy them this time?
Why did he know it would and yet was more than eager to see how it would all unfold?
It was moments like this when Sasuke was sure he definitely was a very unbalanced individual.
But it didn't matter. Naruto would always come for him even so.
"I don't care what you say, I'm not going anywhere!" Naruto affirmed, with a stubborn pout. "So, you either take me in right now, or you're going to have to fight me and force me to go away. If you can, of course. You can always try, but I'm warning you that I'll kick your ass."
And in spite of himself, Sasuke knew this was the sort of tide he couldn't fight anymore.
TBC...
A/N2ND: I knoooow, cliff-hanger. I have a feeling things are going to change soon, but even though I know what I want to happen next chapter, I'm genuinely waiting to see what Naruto and Sasuke are going to do and how they will interact from now on. I'll let them decide. Naruto has a new-found freedom and Sasuke… well, hasn't he been free all along?
It's been a while since they've been 'alone' together, huh? I wonder how they'll deal with it, especially being away from Konoha. Plus… Naruto is going to meet little Katsuo! Are we all excited for that or what?
I truly appreciate every single one of you reading my story, faving, commenting, and really, just being patient with me and sticking around regardless of how long I take to update or the fact that 'Naruto' is over. Trust me, I'll write for the fandom for as long as I have you guys wanting to read my fics :)
Thank you for reading, and I wish you all a happy Christmas!
Lots of love, and see y'all next time!
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