I'm baaaaack, and with a time skip ;)
This chaptered is unedited (forgive the typos *cries*) and I hope you are ready for a twist in the story.
Please read the chapter until the end, and more explanations will be given on the final notes.
Enjoy!
From Which We'll Rise
Part XXVI: Life Changes
A Few Years Later
Katsuo was leaning against the threshold of the entrance to Sasuke's small room; his arms crossed over his chest as he watched the man shove a change of clothes inside his bag while kneeling on the floor. Everything seemed to be in order, but Sasuke still rummaged inside to ensure he had everything he needed, plus the scrolls he had for Kakashi.
He and Katsuo finally had a house of their own. It was small but spacious enough for the two of them to have separate rooms to sleep in, and while Katsuo still slept at Misato's whenever Sasuke was away, Sasuke had a feeling that the boy would soon choose to stay in their house, even if by himself.
Sasuke knew Katsuo was never happy to see him go, but for some reason, lately it was as if with every passing farewell, he became more morose. Sometimes it was frightening how much his son had grown and developed in such a short amount of time.
"Don't look at me like that," Sasuke said without looking at the boy as he put a few other items inside his bag. "You know I have to go. Hopefully, I'll be able to return soon."
Katsuo cleared his throat. "I… want…" he started, but his voice was hoarse, forcing him to stop himself.
Sasuke looked over his shoulder warningly, making Katsuo bite down on his lower lip. Resigned, the child made a few hand gestures.
When can I go with you?
For a while now, the boy had been trying to speak, uttering small sentences, but it had become evident that the strain was still painful for his throat.
It was a victory and a sign that, someday, he would be able to speak properly. Still, regardless of how much stronger Katsuo was now compared to when Sasuke found him, if he forced himself to speak too much at once he might damage his vocal cords, unaccustomed as they were to being used.
With a sigh, Sasuke twisted his body slightly and reached out his hand towards him, palm turned upward. "You know it's not that simple," he said, gently. "I'm doing the best I can so that I can come home permanently someday. However, it takes time."
Katsuo's eyes - now a dark grey tone the same shade as Sasuke's - narrowed for a second, but he ended up sighing and accepting the offered hand.
Sasuke rubbed the boy's knuckles with his thumb, contemplating him.
Katsuo was about 10 or 11 years old now. He had already started some physical Shinobi training - his choice - and thus learning how to control his chakra, which had helped his genetic abilities unravel. With time, Sasuke found out that Katsuo was able to change his appearance, from the color of his eyes and hair to the color of his skin and even the shape of his body. However, this was a painful process for him, and something he had no perfect control over yet.
Still, the fact that he could easily change his hair and eye color at will gave him immense liberty, and he did change constantly, or so the villagers said. Whenever Sasuke was around, though, Katsuo liked to either keep his natural appearance or adopt his father's colors. Sometimes, for some odd reason, he liked to keep Sasuke's hair color but his eyes would summon the blue of Naruto's.
It was a pretty color, he always said.
At first, Sasuke had been taken aback by the child's choice. Much like what happened with Sarada, seeing Katsuo resembling him so much was uncanny, so seeing him with his and Naruto's colors had been shocking in a heart-breaking way. He had wondered if Katsuo understood what that meant or if he simply did it because he knew what Naruto meant to Sasuke. Regardless, he didn't find the will to ask, and as with everything in life, he had learned how to accept these things instead of wallowing in longing.
Sasuke hoped that the day would come when he could be honest about everything with his children. He liked to think that, someday, Katsuo and Sarada would meet without resenting each other - or resenting him, which he understood if they did.
Still, there were things he had slowly been telling Katsuo as he grew up so he could understand the way Sasuke lived and why he was always absent.
Sighing, Katsuo tightened his fingers around Sasuke's. The man offered him a small smile, amused by the small pout on the child's lips. It was amazing how expressive he had become in the last few years, and yet, he could easily hide his emotions if he chose to do so - he was becoming quite good at balancing the two, as well. In moments like these, though, Katsuo was very expressive.
More and more Katsuo was revealing the perfect specimen of Orochimaru's initial plant. Always a quick learner, thirsty for knowledge, and a perfectionist, he would become the perfect chameleon at some point, and if given the right training, he was sure to become a strong Shinobi.
Sasuke wasn't sure about whether he wanted this kind of future for him when it was so much easier and unburdening to live a life outside of the Shinobi doctrine, but Katsuo had asked to learn so he could one day protect their village properly, and Sasuke had been unable to not heed his passionate request.
He could only hope that there never would be a need for Katsuo to put his knowledge to practice. If he could help it, Sasuke didn't want his children to have to go through the same tribulations he had.
"Sasuke!" Karin's voice called out from the outside of the house - they always kept the door open as tradition demanded. "I'm ready to go! Are you done packing?"
"Yeah, I'll be out in a second," Sasuke called back. He squeezed Katsuo's fingers before letting them go. "Behave yourself, you hear me? Take care of the house. Help Kamui and the others and don't make Misato's life difficult, okay?"
"Yes…" Katsuo muttered, with a single nod of his head. Smiling, Sasuke got up and picked his bag, throwing the strap over his head and across his chest.
He ruffled the dark hairs at the top of Katsuo's head as he walked by him and headed outside. It was a sunny warm day and he almost regretted having put his cloak on, but thankfully he was wearing thin clothes underneath.
Karin was waiting for him outside, already with her bag thrown over her shoulder, her bright red hair tied in a messy high ponytail. She eyed him curiously as he carefully slipped into his shinobi sandals.
Karin had been traveling by herself to one of Orochimaru's hideouts and had decided to stop by the village for lodging since the people already knew her and Juugo. This was something they had gotten used to doing lately if they were nearby. If she had arrived a day later Sasuke wouldn't've been there anymore since he had to leave for Konoha as per Kakashi's request for an 'urgent meeting'.
"Did you pack Sarada's glasses?" Karin asked, just as Katsuo emerged from the house.
"Of course," Sasuke confirmed, frowning at her, and straightening up. "Let's get going."
Karin's serious expression changed to a tender smile as she looked at Katsuo and opened her arms, closing the distance between them as they hugged. "Take care of yourself, Katsu-chan! It was nice seeing you again!"
Katsuo hugged her back slightly, offering her a small smile as she leaned away. "Come back soon… Karin-san."
Sasuke watched the two, his heart filled with a strange sort of emotion.
Like Naruto, Karin was always so carefree and so likable, easily getting along with everyone. Katsuo had liked her and Juugo from the start, and Sasuke was sure he would've liked Suigetsu, too, if he had met him.
Sometimes, it felt strange to think about how much his bonds had grown over the years. Karin was the biological mother of his daughter, someone that had once and for a short time been his lover and someone he only saw once in a blue moon, yet she (and all the members of Taka) felt like close family whenever they met. There were no regrets between them and no burdening feelings from the past to make things awkward.
All the people who loved him seemed to forgive him far too easily, yearning too much for his presence in their lives to risk letting him go. It wasn't a concept Sasuke could understand very well. There had to be a limit for how much a person can forgive another, he considered, but he was thankful, nonetheless.
There were so many people around Sasuke that felt this way that more often than not he wondered how it would feel like if he could potentially have all his loved ones close by. His clan had perished, his bloodline was almost dead, yet, he had certainly found many people he cared for and that he could openly call family. It would be nice to have them all in his life every day.
For now, it was still a plan in the making.
000
It was becoming increasingly difficult to walk away from this place - the village that had taken him in with open arms and made him part of that big community, and the same one he was slowly helping to grow.
It was already remarkably different from how it had been when Sasuke and Naruto had first discovered it, and while Sasuke wasn't trying to modernize it to Konoha level, he did want for it to become modernized enough to make people's lives easier. The potential was immense, and there were many things he'd already been able to accomplish.
They waved goodbye at the occasional people they crossed paths with. To Sasuke's frustration, his eyes automatically searched for a familiar face but it was nowhere to be seen and his pride didn't allow him to waste time trying to find it.
However, the further away they moved from the village, the emptier Sasuke felt, longing already filling his heart. He wished he could bring Katsuo along. He wished he could've seen him.
It was a feeling similar to how he felt whenever he and Naruto parted ways, he supposed, yet it was different, more complex.
There were so many things he always missed that resided there and that hurt to leave behind he didn't know what to do with himself. Katsuo, Misato and her family, the children who were always so eager to learn new things, all the hardworking men that were as excited as he was to see the village grow and prosper, and his small, cozy house that was a sanctuary.
Well, there was also him, now; not that Sasuke wanted to admit that said person was integrated into the whole that he missed when he was away.
He often wondered when life had become so simple, yet so complicated. He had so many responsibilities, so much to do, so many people to take care of and pay accountability to, and yet, while he was alone more often than not, his life was overflowing with people, all forms and shapes of love following him no matter where he went as if destiny had somehow decided that he was worth it and that it was time to think it was okay to receive it.
Sasuke was finally considering it, too. Maybe it was time to simply embrace what the world was trying to give him and stop waiting for miracles to happen. After all, Itachi would want him to live and be as happy and fulfilled as he possibly could.
No matter what you decide to do from now on, I will always love you.
Oddly enough, Sasuke felt it daily. Itachi would've wanted him to be himself and walk his own path, truthful to himself.
Somehow, strangely enough, living one day at a time and taking things as they came had been fruitful. Once he had accommodated the idea, Sasuke's heart had become lighter and his life had seemed much simpler.
There were things he could change, so he would, but the things that were not in his hands had stopped being a stone in his shoe and something he'd kill himself over - Naruto and all things Naruto included.
Indeed, it was easier to be selfish than selfless, but Sasuke supposed he had found the needed balance to cope with his feelings for his best friend and deal with them accordingly. After all, there was nothing else he could do.
He was supposed to wait, and wait he would, at least until he no longer could. Right now, he felt like waiting was just another part of his daily life, but more and more, Sasuke felt like, someday, he wouldn't be able to anymore - or perhaps he wouldn't want to.
Under no circumstance would this ever mean that he would stop loving Naruto the way he did - he didn't think he could even if he actively wanted to -, but life moved on. Naruto knew this already, as Sasuke had told him many times.
Naruto loved him, and Konoha and his friends, and his wife and the two children he now had. On the other hand, Sasuke, too, loved his village and his children, but was also learning how to love other things and other people in many different ways.
His ability to love, he had come to realize, was just as big as Naruto's, and just when Sasuke had thought he had seen and experienced everything this life had to offer, he had been slapped across the face by something he hadn't believed to be possible.
He had met someone new - someone that was worlds apart from Naruto, but that had unexpectedly thrown him off balance without warning, and with such force that it had been impossible for him to walk away.
A few years previously, he had considered Gaara as a potential lover. They had been somewhat intimate, both physically and emotionally, but because Sasuke respected the Kazekage and cherished him, he had understood that a line needed to be drawn. Like Sakura, Gaara was no Karin or Juugo, because they were people who loved him in ways he could not respond to, and they didn't fully understand the fact that Sasuke's feelings couldn't go any further even if sex was involved.
Karin and Juugo were different. Sasuke knew he could go to them and they would embrace him without demands, knowing and understanding that there was nothing else for him to offer.
This guy, though…
It had nothing to do with love, or at least Sasuke didn't think so. There was, however, a silent mutual understanding and respect that went beyond anything he could explain.
The guy was the type of person that got on Sasuke's nerves and he was pretty disgusting in how crudely straightforward he was about everything he did, living his life shamelessly and without a hint of remorse. It pissed Sasuke off to no end, yet it was also one of the things that had lured him in, as well.
They were very different people, yet Sasuke somehow saw himself reflected in him. It infuriated him, but he couldn't help but want to keep that person close.
He knew, far too well, that the feeling was mutual.
Sasuke was admittedly still struggling with his feelings, but that was all he could do right now, too shocked still to venture into waters he wasn't sure he'd be able to get out of.
It wasn't like he felt guilty because of Naruto - or at least that's what he kept telling himself. Naruto, with his wife he so loved and whom he fucked whenever he pleased, in his stable contractual relationship. Sasuke had nothing to feel guilty about - he'd been only fucking Naruto for years.
At least until that insufferable guy showed up.
For the first time, though, Sasuke felt like he wanted more, maybe simply because the opportunity had presented itself.
Not just the opportunity though - the strange desire within Sasuke for someone other than Naruto, and not just for sex.
Before that guy, he thought he'd be fine with just Naruto forever. Apart from Naruto, he'd never been in love (or in lust) with someone to the point of wanting something deeper.
Right now, he thought he was just being dumb by simply waiting around for the love of his life to make up his mind. He was just waiting while Naruto lived his happy married life.
Sasuke didn't need sex, and he certainly didn't need a romantic companion. He didn't exactly want it either. However, he wanted something, and he was genuinely curious to see what could happen now that he was interested in someone other than his very obvious soulmate.
It was so inconceivable he couldn't help but be attracted to the concept. It was terrifying, yet extremely funny.
It seemed as though he still didn't know himself well enough.
"That doctor was looking for you," Karin commented conversationally as if reading Sasuke's thoughts while they walked side by side. "I'm surprised you didn't say goodbye."
"I don't ever say goodbye to anyone except Katsuo, it would be a hassle," Sasuke said, dismissively. "I've notified every one of my departure yesterday."
"Oh," Karin muttered, looking at him curiously. "Well, he asked me to tell you to take care and to think carefully about your conversation."
Sasuke's muscles tensed, but he didn't let his emotions show on his face.
That fucking idiot. He talked to Karin just to mess with him - he knew Karin would approach him about it. "Right."
"What did you two talk about that he felt the need to bring it up as a reminder?"
Sasuke clenched his teeth. "Nothing."
Karin all but snorted. "Liar. The last time I've witnessed this much sexual tension was when you and Naruto stayed with Taka. You can't tell me there isn't something going on between you and that guy! I know you enough to know when it's not nothing."
Urgh, he couldn't believe it. Just when he'd tried so hard to not make it obvious. But of course, Karin was observant - she would've instantly noticed something was off. "I don't want to talk about it."
"We've been through enough shit together that you don't need to feel self-conscious about anything."
"I don't."
"Maybe you don't think so, but maybe a part of you does because of blondie," Karin pointed out, perceptively. "I mean, let's be honest, that's probably the only reason you didn't sleep with the Kazekage, huh? Don't tell me you never considered a romantic relationship with him because I'll beat your ass."
"It wasn't because of Naruto, Karin, I just…" Sasuke sighed. Was Karin a mind reader now? "It's impossible between me and Gaara. There was no way it would work in the long run with the way I live, and besides, he's too emotionally involved with me, I'd only break his heart, not to mention his people want to see him married and having kids. Eventually."
"Don't all Hidden Villages?" his friend retorted, shrugging. "I think they're in tough luck, though, because the Kazekage is still pretty much single and apparently with no desire to marry. I wonder what everyone would say if they knew he's gay for you."
Sasuke threw her a warning glance. "Karin…"
It was true Sasuke and Gaara still had a bit of tension going on, but that was not something he wanted to think about, let alone talk about.
They were fine just being friends- other stuff would just complicate things.
"I'm only teasing, relax," Karin reassured him, with a small chuckle before eying him fondly. "Still, it's amazing. You have so many people in love with you but you were always so faithful to Naruto. That's why I'm saying I found it strange when I saw you and that Kamui guy together. I just knew something was up, and I was right!"
"It doesn't matter, Karin," Sasuke mumbled, shaking his head in defeat. Might as well give her something before she started nagging him to death. "Kamui was an assassin and a spy in Key Country. We helped each other out for a bit and he wanted to change his life so I let him come with me, and now he's the village doctor. End of story; that's all there is to it."
"Of course, you take in an assassin just because you two helped each other out for a bit; that makes perfect sense, Uchiha," the woman teased, elbowing him playfully.
"Makes sense to me."
"How long has it been since you last had sex?"
"Let's not talk about it."
This time, Karin laughed openly, making Sasuke frown at her.
"I bet it was with blondie!" she said, grinning at him perversely. "Do you fuck only him nowadays? I mean, you rarely go to Konoha, so that must be frustrating. You get laid, what, every six months or so?"
That was probably right, but Sasuke didn't reply, not wanting to indulge her that much anymore.
"I thought you'd be coming to us more often after what happened," Karin proceeded casually, not caring about his lack of response. "Juugo and I, I mean. And, well, Suigetsu would be ecstatic if you got him involved too; you know that."
Despite himself Sasuke groaned, for some reason feeling his cheeks heat a little. He remembered being with Karin and Juugo. It had been great from a sexual and emotional perspective, so thinking about having Suigetsu in the mix was a little too much for him to handle now that his head was a bit clearer and his emotional baggage had lifted a bit. However, he had considered going to Taka a couple of times over the years when his mind wasn't in the right place. Self-shame and pride had stopped him, though.
"It's not…I couldn't go to you guys just for sex, it's not what it was about back then."
"I know," Karin acquiesced, understandingly. "Anyway. What I was trying to say is that I think Kamui wants you, and you want him back, and not just for sex. I think that's why you're holding back; because there are feelings involved. It scares you because of Naruto. If it was just sex you would've fucked him and be done with it."
Gods help him, Karin was fucking sharp today wasn't she, and Sasuke was a terrible liar. Not only that, but a part of him also wanted this situation to be acknowledged by someone because there was no one he could talk to about it.
Maybe he just wanted someone to tell him that he wasn't in the wrong.
His purposeful silence, as expected, gave Karin the answers she wanted. Her chin fell as she stopped in her tracks and reached out a hand to grab Sasuke's arm to make him stop. "Wait, did you already…?"
"Karin!" Sasuke hissed.
"I'm not judging!" She said quickly, her voice far too excited on his behalf (which was something he couldn't understand). "Holy shit! Way to go, though, you scored a total D.I.L.F."
Sasuke huffed tiredly. "A what?"
"You don't know what a D.I.L.F. is?" she asked with disbelief before shaking her head to clear her thoughts. "Never mind that! Oh my god, Sasuke, please tell me you had hot spontaneous sex with him when you two were strangers, 'cause that would be fucking awesome!"
"Can we stop talking about this?" Sasuke grunted with a frown, trying to pry his arm away from her grasp to no avail. "You're being creepy about this."
He was starting to feel uncomfortable because all of that was true, but now that Karin was mentioning it, he felt self-conscious.
She made it sound as if he'd done something lewd and dirty. Well, he had, but he didn't need to feel like he had.
"I'm not judging, I'm just really surprised!" Karin repeated, looking at him in awe. "Sasuke, don't you see? You have feelings for this guy and he has feelings for you! There's nothing wrong with that, it's a good thing for you! It's not like Naruto doesn't have a wife. Why can't you have a lover, too?"
"I have a wife, too," Sasuke countered. "Plus, Naruto already thinks I'm fucking people left and right, imagine if I tell him I'm taking a lover on top of that."
"I doubt he thinks that way about you," Karin muttered reasonably, finally letting go of his arm. "He loves you too much to berate you."
"No, he probably thinks I'm a slut, he just dismisses it because he knows it's irrelevant to how I feel about him."
"And you don't tell him the truth, do you?" Karin crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes serious now. "You should tell him what you want and what sex is to you. You're not a slut at all, but you are entitled to coping with your feelings in whichever way you see fit."
"I don't care either way; he can believe whatever he wants."
"You don't mean that."
"I do," Sasuke affirmed, stubbornly. "Can we please get going now?"
At his pleading gaze, Karin slowly nodded. Side by side, they resumed their walking, silence settling between them for a while.
Sasuke didn't like to be confronted with his feelings for Naruto, neither did he want to think about Naruto's thoughts about him. He didn't want to believe that Naruto saw him as some promiscuous guy who fucked everything that moved during his travels.
Naruto didn't know what Sasuke's sexuality was, nor how many lovers Sasuke had taken, but he supposed that it was his fault for being purposefully vague and alluding to having an active sex life that Naruto had no business sticking his nose in.
In a way… taking a steady lover would probably shatter Naruto's perception of him. Maybe he should be honest with his friend about his relationship with Sakura at some point, and maybe Naruto did need to understand that Sasuke had fucked others on a fleeting whim and did not have lovers nor searched for sex outside of him at all.
Before Kamui, Juugo and Karin had been a one-time indulgence. His flings with Gaara… indulgences, too.
It was all in the past. It had been years since he'd been with them like that.
Kamui had been a whim, too, but a whim that - unlike Gaara, Karin and Juggo - he had genuinely wanted to indulge in. It was a desire, not a need.
Kamui had not been used as a coping mechanism. Kamui had been someone he had wanted, burden-free, simply because he had felt like it. In a way, it had been one of the most blissful, liberating sex experiences he ever had because there had been absolutely nothing but lust for him to deal with - no dark thoughts for him to work through, no loneliness to fight.
There had been nothing but desire, and it had felt… right. Relieving.
Sasuke had no regrets, yet right now that things had changed and Kamui was a part of his life in different circumstances, that simplicity was still there, light and carefree, and he didn't know how to deal with it.
Their relationship was simple and they got along well – they understood each other and seemed to be in tune more often than not.
They had only talked about their situation once and Sasuke had dismissed it. Still, Kamui knew Sasuke thought about it, and he was willing to wait.
And, well, the man - as blunt and brutally demanding as he was - was being flawlessly patient and respectful of Sasuke's space.
Sometimes, Sasuke just wanted a reason to hate him so his answer could come easily.
"I don't want to have feelings for someone else, Karin," Sasuke ended up admitting after a while. "The ones I have for Naruto are complicated enough already."
"What makes you think having feelings for someone else would be complicated?" Karin asked, softly. "Maybe it'll be easier than you think. Maybe it will help you deal with the weight of your feelings for Naruto, no? I'm all for your happiness. And you don't like people easily, so Kamui must be something, at least for you."
"Relationships are exhausting," Sasuke confessed, looking up at the sky. It was surprising even to himself that it had become so easy for him to be more honest (and vocal) about his feelings nowadays. "I don't think it's fair to put another person in this position. How can I tell him I'm bound to someone else? How can I be with someone and tell them they have to live in the shadow of another lover if they want to be with me? Because I'm not willing to compromise what I have with Naruto, Karin. But I know it's selfish to demand that someone else accepts it."
Karin smiled. "You overthink everything, Sasuke," she muttered, endearingly. "Why can't you just enjoy what you have now without thinking so desperately about the future? If Kamui wants to be with you, he will. If you want to be with him, truly want it, he'll know it's not something to be taken lightly. But you have to at least give him a chance to decide. It's not up to you to figure out what's best for him."
Sasuke threw her a glance that was meant to be grateful - he was glad she was supportive and seemed to want to lift that weight off his shoulders.
"There are things I need to do first before I can do that with a clear conscience. I already fight myself enough as it is."
"Because of Naruto?"
"Because of Naruto."
"Well, I can't predict the future, but we both know you and blondie will always come running to each other no matter what happens, or how either of you feels about it." Karin lifted her arms over her head, stretching before crossing them behind her head. "That's a constant you can't change, but I don't think you should live your life inside that loop, Sasuke. It's also your happiness and emotional well-being that is constantly compromised. And don't give me that look. I know you're miserable about the situation you're in." She laughed. "To be honest, I'm surprised someone like you would accept things as they are. But I guess love is capable of making a fool out of everyone, even you."
Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Thanks."
"Please think about it," his friend insisted. "So many people have loved you already without being corresponded, and you know you'll focus on Naruto forever, but… now you're finally opening up to loving someone else, someone who you can love without being burdened or hurt. Give yourself a chance to be happy. At least give it a try. If you can love someone else, too, then go for it. I'm sure you'll be able to find a better balance in your life and your feelings if you do."
There was nothing Sasuke could say to contradict her logic - she was right and a part of him knew it.
He had never felt guilty on Naruto's behalf about being with other people before, mainly because there were no personal feelings attached. Sasuke used people who allowed themselves to be used because they wanted to help him - it was mutually beneficial, and that was it.
But now that deeper feelings were involved, even if he didn't feel like he should feel guilty, maybe a part of him did, but that was just his stubborn self that stupidly always demanded that he stay true to himself, and faithful to his love for Naruto.
If given the chance, Sasuke would've been perfectly content with Naruto as his only lover until the end of times. If things had been different and Naruto had wanted to be with him, Sasuke would not have given himself to anyone else at all, or even considered it.
For a long time, Naruto had been enough. He would've been more than enough in different circumstances.
It wasn't fair. Why wasn't he allowed to love someone else? Why did he have to feel like this when Naruto himself had someone else he loved unapologetically?
Naruto was entitled to love, happiness, and his personal fulfillment - by all means, Sasuke wanted nothing more than for him to have it all, anything, and everything so he could be happy.
Then again, Sasuke was entitled to all of that, too. And if Naruto was achieving it without Sasuke, Sasuke was perhaps entitled to have it without Naruto, too.
This meant nothing for them - as Karin said, this was a loop they couldn't get away from, and in the end, they would always return to each other, one way or another.
Maybe it was time he stopped complicating things so much. Karin was able to do it well, too.
With a small chuckle, he looked back at Karin. "You're amazing," he said affectionately.
He was glad when she blushed and smiled at him.
It sure felt nice to talk about it with someone he knew he could trust.
000
Kakashi looked down at the pile of scrolls that had been unceremoniously dropped in front of him, hands clasped tightly over the desk. With a sigh, he looked back at his former student dejectedly.
Sometimes, he honestly wished Sasuke wasn't so damn efficient at everything he did. That razor-sharp focus and unfaltering determination were impressive, but the intel he provided was always far too detailed, causing the paperwork that followed to be absolute hell. Granted, it wasn't Kakashi himself that took care of that, but that didn't mean he didn't have to go through every single one of those scrolls himself to check their contents, as well as the resulting reports and documentation that his team would create after transcribing everything to a decent file-like format that would be stored according to the nature of their contents.
A lot of Sasuke's findings often needed to be sealed away as dangerous and classified information - on people, countries, techniques, politics, and so on.
Good stuff, but a pain in the ass administratively-wise.
"Does this concern the last missions assigned to you?" Kakashi asked, heaving a tired sigh. "There seems to be far too many scrolls here. Then again, I don't know what I was expecting."
"The red ones do concern the mission, yes," Sasuke replied in his usual stoic way, unfazed. "The other ones are matters I want to discuss with you."
Oh, wonderful, Kakashi thought, barely refraining from pressing his fingertips to his temples at feeling an impending headache coming.
As intelligent as the Hokage was, whenever Sasuke came up with serious things to 'discuss', he felt like it was becoming increasingly hard to keep up with the younger man. Sasuke always had well-structured and intricate 'plans', 'ideas' and 'concepts' in various subjects - things he had self-taught himself throughout his years exploring the world and that he was coming to excel at - yet they demanded so many internal and external changes in the system Kakashi was always impressed, but extremely exhausted.
In times like these, Kakashi supposed Naruto would be lucky to have smart people by his side when he ascended to power, helping him out in things that he wouldn't be able to connect to in a million years.
For sure, in different circumstances, he would almost say that Sasuke possessed ideal Hokage material because he wanted things done and studied all the possible ways to make it happen. He wouldn't rest until there was an answer, too. This was something Kakashi had once seen in Itachi, too, but alas, while the Uchiha brothers had been built for greatness, the damage their pasts had inflicted upon them had affected their lives and choices, and had chained them to an unfortunate path.
All things considered, Sasuke was lucky he was granted this type of freedom. He traveled, studied, and gathered information on classified things most Shinobi would be privileged to have access to. He might never make it to Hokage - not that he wanted to, anyway - but at least he would have a chance to show his potential as Naruto's right hand man. Sasuke might not value this fact enough, but he would soon be offered the knowledge that he was about to become highly influential within the village.
Of course, the merit was Sasuke's alone for all the hard work he'd been doing regardless of how much he stated that he had no interest in reaching high ranks in Konoha. Several times he'd proven himself to be harmless and devoted to the jobs assigned to him so much that the suspicion around him had slowly faded - even if he was still intimidating to many - and the fact remained that Sasuke was one of the strongest Shinobi alive alongside Naruto.
If there was someone who could keep the village safe, it was them. Never mind that the opposite was also true. Kakashi honestly didn't care where Sasuke's motivations lay as long as his devotion to Naruto forced him to always do the right thing for the village.
"What do the other scrolls contain?" Kakashi ended up asking, absently picking up one and untying the green ribbon around it.
"A personal project, and a forbidden seal I came across while in Key Country that made me believe it is possible to travel between realities."
Well, that sounded troublesome already, and yet, it was instantly intriguing. Despite himself - and to his frustration - Kakashi found his interest peaked. Why did he do this to himself? Sasuke always came up with interesting things that took a lot of time and effort to unravel, and exhausting as it was, Kakashi was rather helpless to it.
"Both sound like a hassle already," the Hokage retorted, with a frown. "Let's start with what seems easier to handle first, Sasuke, so we'll leave the seal issue for last."
"That scroll is actually about it," Sasuke mentioned, as Kakashi unrolled the scroll in his hands and a glance over the details displayed told him it had something to do with Sasuke's 'project'.
It didn't take him long to understand what was explicit there. His eyebrows shot upwards as he looked up at the man standing in front of his desk. "You're building a village from scratch?" Kakashi asked, wondering why he even felt surprised anymore.
"It's not from scratch; it was already a village when Naruto and I discovered it," Sasuke said, straight to the point. There was a moment when he seemed slightly distracted, probably recalling something before focusing again. "In short, I want to create a place for people who are alone. Whether they are renegade Shinobi, outcasts, or just members of extinct clans, I want to give them a home while creating a proper political system that could change the world as we know it, considering the other villages adopt it, of course."
Sasuke sure had mighty ideals, Kakashi thought, unable to stop himself from heaving a long, tired sigh. He and Naruto were equally ambitious people, both wanting to carve some sort of path together, so why couldn't they just aim for the same things, together? Their lives would be so much easier.
"Why this now of all times?" Kakashi asked, refusing to even think about how diplomatically problematic all of it was, least of all how controversial it would be in the long run, not to mention what this meant in the future.
"I've been thinking about this for a long time now," Sasuke said confidently. "It's where my son is. It's a good place, filled with good people; it's just underdeveloped."
It was easy to forget that Sasuke had an adoptive son, Kakashi thought, trying not to groan internally.
His students were impressive, yet troublesome.
"Do you realize how difficult it is to construct a village that could be suitable enough to even have a political system, let alone one accepted by the daimyos and other villages?" Kakashi said monotonously.
"Yes; I did my research, Kakashi."
That arrogant, smartass tone.
With another sigh, Kakashi skimmed through the basic outline of Sasuke's plans - as expected, the man seemed to have it all figured out, and indeed, he had researched everything thoroughly because his ideas had a strong foundation, the plans' execution frighteningly accurate.
For a moment, he wondered if Sasuke had truly studied all of this or if someone with political power had offered him some precious insight. Knowing him the way he did, he would guess both. Still, what did he expect? Sasuke would never expose such a project unless it wasn't flawless and completely executable.
"What, exactly, do you expect me to do with this?" The Hokage muttered, shaking his head. "If it's financial support you're after, it is impossible with a place that has no means to pay back."
"It's not financial support," Sasuke said. "I recently took in a family from Key Country. The head of the family was the one who provided the intel needed for me to get that seal I told you about. Thanks to them, we managed to build more houses. I implemented a teaching system for children and adults already. No one knew how to read. And the head of that family is teaching Taijutsu to anyone interested. Other things are already being set in motion, as well."
"Aren't you imposing your presence and ideals on a village already structured?" Kakashi wondered, rolling the scroll again with both hands. "You sound like a tyrant."
"I wouldn't do it unless I had everyone's support," Sasuke assured him. "I've done good things there. That's home for me."
Kakashi carefully set the scroll down. "What is it that you need, then?"
"I need to know if, provided the financial means, there is a way for Konoha to help with supplies the village might need, or at least help with finding the right suppliers. There are things I need as I make progress, and other types of support," Sasuke explained, as usual, straight to the point. "It's all in the scroll, but It's just administrative support at this point."
"Sasuke…" Kakashi couldn't help but huff behind his mask, momentarily closing his eyes. "Is this why you created that hidden account under Naruto's name?"
"Yes."
Mentally reminding himself to keep his cool, Kakashi looked back at the man in front of him.
"This is highly upsetting," he said, shaking his head. "What are your intentions? To leave so you can become a leader there?"
"If that's what the people want, yes," Sasuke confirmed. "It's not something that will happen right away though."
"What about Konoha? You do understand I summoned you back on short notice for a reason?"
"Yes, I do." Sasuke's expression was inscrutable as he looked away from Kakashi and outside through the window behind him. "Is it finally happening?"
"Not yet, but I've nominated him to be the next Hokage in line, and everyone was supportive of the decision. However, even if Naruto isn't dumb, he's not the smartest crayon in the box. Being Hokage isn't just about who's the strongest Shinobi and he has much to learn."
"You were appointed fairly easily and didn't have to undergo any training," Sasuke reminded him, looking back at him with a crooked smile.
"My life experience and my experience as high ranked Shinobi are different from Naruto's, and all those things are considered when choosing a Kage," Kakashi explained, choosing not to be offended. "If your brother was still alive and things hadn't been the way they were, he would've become Hokage overnight, too. Perhaps he would've become the youngest Kage in history, beating Gaara to it, even."
As expected, Sasuke offered no reply, merely lowering his head at the mention of his brother's name.
Kakashi couldn't help but wonder what Sasuke was thinking and feeling. Itachi had been a constant presence in his life, even now that he was dead, filling the younger man with regret, love, and yearning.
Itachi had always been a kind child, curious, hardworking, and introspective, carefully keeping to himself. However, his features would always change whenever Sasuke was in the picture, his love and devotion to his little brother so obvious that remembering it made Kakashi's heart clench.
That was why it had been such a shock when Itachi had done what he'd done to his clan, and at such a young age, too.
Kakashi, too, had been a victim of love and betrayal. He, too, had been filled with trauma and loneliness for years, so he could imagine what Sasuke had to go through daily to keep his sanity. He'd nearly lost it a few times, too.
Right now, Sasuke seemed to be doing fine, but the Hokage guessed that it was a constant mental and emotional struggle to keep pushing forward without remorse, reminding himself of what Itachi wanted and what he needed to do.
Because Sasuke wanted to fix everything that was broken – even himself – he had this burning desire to keep moving and get things done no matter what. He never stopped, his resolve unfaltering, his desire to atone and make things right for everyone fueling him and keeping him from looking back and second-guessing himself.
The Hokage was often horrified at how strong the man before him was. Sasuke had hurt so much, lost so much that his life was one of grief and constant struggle. He wasn't a man afraid of death, and that alone made him fearless and someone to be wary of. But because he loved so deeply he could not look away from life and the ones who loved him and wanted better for him.
That included Itachi's will, always in the back of Sasuke's mind.
For Itachi and everyone else who cared about him, Sasuke lived.
Because he was loved, Sasuke kept marching forth. It was terrifying how focused he still was, and more and more, he clung to life with every fiber of his being, finding more and more reasons to live and love the life he lived.
It wasn't just about Naruto alone, Kakashi realized, and the thought was somehow comforting.
"There are many things Naruto needs to be educated about, so we're having him training under my wing for a few years before he can take the position," Kakashi explained, his voice softening unavoidably. "Anyway, my point is; what about Konoha?"
Sasuke was still looking at the floor.
"My plans for that village will take years to complete," he said simply. "I'm bound to Konoha, and will continue to be until I'm free from my obligations, or until I feel like I'm no longer needed."
"Naruto will need you," Kakashi pointed out, just because he could – Sasuke was aware of how much Kakashi knew about them, even if they didn't openly discuss it.
Sasuke's eyes firmly rolled up to meet him. "And I will be there for him."
Of course. Leave it to Sasuke to think he was able to accomplish everything at the same time.
"You need to support him, not only during his training but once he becomes Hokage, too," Kakashi muttered, leaning back on his chair. "This is something that has been established by the higher-ups already, and the proposal will be made to you once we have that meeting that, allow me to remind you, you are obligated to participate in."
Sasuke's eyebrows rose. "Proposal?"
Ah, so Sasuke hadn't anticipated this.
"If you want your freedom, Sasuke, and if you want to one day see this dream village of yours exist in peace and with the necessary support from the Shinobi world, I strongly suggest you accept it," Kakashi informed. "To make matters brief, they want you to be one of Naruto's right hand-men, along with Shikamaru. It's been more than proven that you two are the smartest and more efficient for the job, there's no going against that. I know it's frustrating, but with Naruto on the wheel, you will benefit in the long run. It's not like it's going to change your life as it is all that much, but you will need to be more active in Konoha's internal affairs rather than external."
Biting on his lower lip, Sasuke paused, the wheels turning inside his head as he frowned. It wasn't unexpected that he wasn't pleased, especially if he didn't want to be in Konoha, or have anything to do with Kohona's affairs.
"Fine," he ended up agreeing, with a sigh. "Will you help me, then?"
"I will see what I can do," Kakashi promised, sincerely. After all, he wanted nothing more than to see his students succeed and find their precious peace of mind. He hesitated a bit before asking. "Have you ever considered getting medical help?"
Sasuke seemed genuinely taken aback by the suggestion. "Why would I need that? I'm perfectly healthy."
"Physically, yes," Kakashi said, crossing his arms over his chest. "You spend so much time outside the village that you never continued your treatment after the war."
"What treatment?" the younger man asked, dryly. "Having someone I don't know asking me about my problems and the reasons for my actions can hardly be called treatment. There is only so much empathy a therapist can reach towards a patient until they stop being able to put themselves in their shoes."
"I beg to differ."
"I know myself well, Kakashi," Sasuke snapped – it was obvious that, for some reason, the conversation was ticking him off. "I know my limitations, I know my flaws, I know my feelings. I know I suffer from all sorts of mental illnesses, some caused by trauma, some caused by the fact that I'm an Uchiha. I deal with it on my own, and how I see fit. That's how it's always been, and I'm doing just fine."
"I'm sure you said the same thing when you were fighting Naruto at the Valley of the End," Kakashi said, his words chosen carefully, meant to cause an impact.
He'd been thinking about this for a while now, and Sasuke's reaction only proved his assumptions right. The man was no fool; he did know himself well, so he knew that as strong as he was, there were probably many things about himself that weren't stable, especially considering his bloodline limit.
At the mention of Naruto's name and that particular day, though, Sasuke paled. "What happened in that place has nothing to do with you."
"Naruto says the same thing, so I can only assume you're both in the same boat," Kakashi grumbled, making a face. "I think he's as mentally unstable as you are, only he deals with it in a much less complicated way than you do. Regardless, you can't possibly tell me that anything about that fight was remotely stable and healthy." He and Sasuke narrowed their eyes at the same time. "Guilt, Sasuke. I can see it in the way you are trying to replace some things by building a perfect village and creating your own family of renegades."
"You think that's what this is?" Sasuke hissed.
"Do you also try to find ways to replace the fact that Naruto isn't by your side as you accomplish these things?" Kakashi pressed on, knowing he'd hit all the nails in the head, but it was all for a good cause. "Marrying Sakura, adopting a child, trying to be someone else's protector... did you ever consider another lover, as well?"
"Kakashi…" Sasuke said warningly, between clenched teeth. "That's enough."
"I may have reliable sources to tell me your every move, but you seem to forget I'm not just a strong Shinobi – I'm pretty damn smart, too, and older than you," Kakashi stated, offering the man a smile behind his mask. "And I'm guessing you want to start moving things along at this point because you probably found a relevant love interest to help you cope with your feelings and whatever issues you struggle with. All because you don't need therapy and are doing just fine."
The last sentence was uttered with sarcasm, and it made a muscle twitch in Sasuke's cheek.
Sasuke took a deep breath through his nose and straightened up even more regally than he usually did, like a wolf acting tough and protecting his territory.
"Are we done?" he asked coldly, but his voice was firm and formal. "You're my Hokage, Kakashi, and I am who I am, but you're not allowed to meddle in the parts of my life that have nothing to do with you, or Konoha."
Kakashi merely nodded. He'd put his thoughts out there on purpose, knowing Sasuke would be thinking about it later on as he always did – thoroughly so.
"I'm not saying your intentions aren't noble, because it's frankly admirable how much thought and diligence you put in everything," Kakashi praised, easily. "Sasuke, you are remarkable in everything you do, and you know you are. You've made unbelievable progress in the past few years. But I don't understand how you are unable to stop. Why do you need to drown in this constant onslaught of information, setting yourself in constant motion? The thought alone of how much you take upon yourself exhausts me. You should stop for a while and wonder why you're doing it all, and for whom. You need to understand that if it's a necessity, you're not exactly fine."
Sasuke's expression was inscrutable now, closing itself to his former teacher completely.
"I'm doing it for myself, and for people like me, who deserve a second chance and a better world than the one I've grown up in," he replied, devoid of emotion. "I've seen too much destruction in my life, so I want to build something for a change; something that makes a difference, and something that makes me proud of myself. That's all there is to it. How I, or Naruto, cope with everything else may seem unhealthy to you, and maybe it is. but it works and it's how we do it. You have no say in this."
Unable to argue against it, Kakashi merely nodded. "You're going to get yourself killed at this rate," he said, seriously. "Don't do this to yourself or you won't live to see the end you so want. Naruto won't be able to handle it if something happens to you because you don't know how to juggle your well-being with everything else."
Again, at the mention of Naruto's name Sasuke's muscles tensed as he seemed to grow angrier. Still, he shoved his feelings aside, remaining impassive.
"If you are done prying in things that are none of your business," he said, again with impressive control and formality. "Can we please discuss the seal?"
Kakashi all but sighed.
"If you insist."
000
Leaving Kakashi's office and the Hokage building came as a relief to Sasuke who had to summon his willpower to unclench his teeth because his jaw had started to hurt.
It had been a long time since he'd last felt this fucking annoyed and upset.
What was the meaning of this after all this time? Why were his motivations - his fucking mental stability - being questioned, now of all times? Just when his life was taking such an unexpected turn, just when things were starting to move in a good direction he had to be confronted with his flaws, Kakashi reading him like an open book and throwing everything to his face.
Was everything that fucking obvious? Maybe this was the price he had to pay so Kakashi would have his back all the time. It didn't make it any easier to swallow.
As soon as he had received the Hokage's message telling him to return to the village because his presence was requested for important matters regarding Naruto and the 'personal affairs and well-being of Konoha', Sasuke had known what it meant. It was about time, too, but that didn't mean he was happy about it.
Or rather, he didn't know how to feel. Naruto was one step closer to reaching his dream, and to a certain extent, Sasuke was happy for him. However, now that it was finally happening, it felt like this was yet another beginning for them, and yet another milestone to complete before another one presented itself. While Sasuke wanted to be there for Naruto at every step of the way, the perspective still felt exhausting. It was some form of progress, but he couldn't see the end of it. A part of him was always prepared to think that, maybe, he never would.
This was why Kakashi's words had hit home in such a painful, infuriating way because, as much as he loved Naruto and wanted to be part of his life, he knew he was trying to build his universe, separated from Naruto's and their reality together. That was something he needed.
Was he trying to find a replacement for all the things he didn't have, all the things he lost? Perhaps, but that didn't mean he wasn't serious about them.
More and more it felt like his and Naruto's lives were taking completely different paths while intricately linked together, but Sasuke supposed he should've expected it.
In recent years Naruto had another child, a little girl that, according to him, still took after him apart from Hinata's hair color. Naruto had been working hard to be where he was, and now he was on his way to start his training to become Hokage.
Katsuo had grown up immensely, a sharp, strong child that already knew self-defense techniques and had an impressive aptitude for leading and taking care of others. He and Mika had grown up as real siblings, and the village had already 'adopted' him as if he was their own.
Many things had changed in his village - it was bigger, the houses more modern as Sasuke implemented a few things to facilitate the residents' lives, one step at a time. He had also implemented a teaching system for children and people interested in learning how to read and write. He built a small school with a library - some of the books there had been courtesy of Suna. Some wanted to learn how to fight, so Sasuke helped, too, because the village would most certainly be better protected if its people could fend for themselves.
Apart from that, Sasuke had taken in a few people that were hard workers and grateful for having a home. Kamui and his family had been newcomers, too.
While Kamui's existence in his life had been unexpected in all shapes and forms, Sasuke would lie if he said that he had been caught off guard by how things had progressed between them. In fact, somehow, he had known from the start that it would come to this, even if he had ignored it at first.
Keeping things simple was always better, but things were monumentally different this time and Sasuke was having a hard time wrapping his mind around it.
With everything happening, Sasuke didn't have time to tell Naruto about it, but in truth, he didn't know what to tell Naruto. Was there even anything to tell at all at this point? This was no different from how things had been in the past, so vocalizing it to his best friend would just upset him and bring forth past resentments that they had somewhat ignored in the last few years in favor of a more carefree relationship for the both of them.
But who was Sasuke kidding? He had been upset that Naruto had gotten Hinata pregnant again, even if he kept his feelings to himself this time. Naruto made so many promises and was always so fucking certain of everything and considered everything so natural and normal that Sasuke wanted to smash his head against a wall he was so frustrating.
'We'll be together in the end, I promise, and it'll happen as soon as possible! But hey, I accidentally had another kid! No biggie, though.'
Of course, Naruto hadn't said anything of the sort, but it had sounded this way to Sasuke.
How does one 'accidentally' have a second child Sasuke didn't understand. Was Naruto that stupid that he didn't wear protection even if his wife told him she was on the pill? Karin and been on the pill, too, and look what happened. He certainly would not make the same mistake twice, but Naruto was a sexual person and pathetically gullible. He wouldn't be surprised if Hinata had talked Naruto into having another child, and because she was okay with his and Sasuke's relationship, the idiot conceded.
Either that or he genuinely had wanted to extend his family. It didn't matter anyway because Sasuke had assured Naruto that he wanted him to have everything he wanted, and he meant it.
Sometimes Sasuke wished he could just go deaf. If it was possible to rip his own heart out, that would be great, too, it would save him so much trouble.
He had no hard feelings for Hinata, though. The woman loved Naruto with all her heart and was brave enough to give him freedom to love someone else. That alone took a lot of courage, and while Sasuke couldn't for the life of him comprehend how she could do this, he also couldn't hate her for it.
After all, he too indulged Naruto.
This only proved that time didn't stop; Naruto moved on, and so did Sasuke. Kakashi was right; he had to cope somehow, and a part of him always wanted more - things he wanted desperately to share with Naruto above anyone else, yet he couldn't. It didn't mean that he couldn't have it all the same, though.
Gnawing on his lower lip, he exhaled loudly through his nose, his hand clasping the strap of his bag tightly.
Everything had changed so much it was exhausting, all of it. The sooner he simplified things for himself the better.
Besides, what did the village want from him now? Why did he need to be attending some fucking meeting with all of Konoha's higher-ups and every single Kage? Sasuke already knew what was expected of him, everything else was none of his business. This was Naruto's thing. If it weren't for Naruto, Sasuke would've never even bothered working so hard for that place.
Speaking of which…
"Sasuke!"
He turned around to see Naruto running towards him in his Jounin uniform, a large grin on his face at seeing him.
No matter how upset he'd been, seeing that happy smile made Sasuke's annoyance dissipate in a puff of smoke.
Arms surrounded him by the neck shamelessly, squeezing him in a tight hug, and it was merely out of pride that he didn't hug back, merely tapping Naruto's back with his hand. Still, it had been months since he'd last seen Naruto, and he'd missed him. Naruto's scent, the feel of his body close to his, and the content, warm feel of his chakra soothed him in ways nothing else could.
Naruto's embrace always felt like home.
There was nothing quite like the sudden rush of emotions Naruto made him feel.
In times like these, Sasuke understood why he couldn't simply walk away.
Naruto might be the source of many of his issues, but he was also the pillar that held him together and made him feel like nothing was unfixable. Because of this, Sasuke was helplessly forced to believe that even they would be fixed, someday.
Naruto pulled away until only his hands were on Sasuke's shoulders, still grinning so brightly anyone could see how happy he was at seeing Sasuke.
Sasuke, on the other hand, could feel it – Naruto's complete relief, joy, and the almost unstoppable desire to grab hold of Sasuke again and kiss him senselessly.
"I'm so glad you came!" Naruto said warmly.
"Of course, Kakashi insisted."
They exchanged a brief look before another presence announced itself, and over Naruto's shoulder, Sasuke could see Sai.
"Sasuke-kun," Sai greeted placidly, with a nod of his head. "It's nice to see you."
"Same," Sasuke said blandly, just as Naruto let go of him. "How is your son?"
"Inojin is doing great, thank you."
"See, I told you he had arrived!" Naruto said proudly to Sai, to which the man smiled softly.
"So you did."
"Did you go see Kakashi-sense already?" Naruto asked Sasuke then, hopefully.
"Yes, I just came back from his office."
"So you know the news already!"
"Yes." Sasuke eyed his friend and smiled. "Congratulations, Naruto."
Naruto beamed at him, and he looked so full of life and so handsome Sasuke could only feel endeared.
How could he resent this man now, when knowing he was about to become Hokage made him this happy? This was Naruto's dream coming true, there was no way he could take that away from him.
"We were thinking of doing a team 7 get-together later tonight, to celebrate," Sai said with a soft, pleasant smile that was a little unusual for him – less forced and strained and more genuine. "We've spoken to Sakura-san and Yamato-sensei. The Hokage said he would come, as well."
"Sakura-chan is coming, so don't even think of bailing out on us!" Naruto threatened, making a small pout. "It's gonna be a Team 7 reunion for old times' sake! It's gonna be so much fun!"
Despite feeling exhausted and having way too much to think about, Sasuke acquiesced with a casual "Sure."
How could he say no when this was such an important event for his best friend? He couldn't turn away from him, so all he could do right now was to be supportive.
After all, it was to reach this point that they had turned away from each other and away from life together. If Naruto had walked away from him so he could have this, at least let their shared misery be worth it.
Sasuke had expected it. He'd also expected Naruto to be as happy about it as he was.
And he was happy for him, and more importantly, more certain of his path than ever before.
Everything was about to change, but it couldn't be helped. Life moved on, and they just had to move with it.
Strangely enough, Sasuke didn't feel restless about it anymore.
TBC...
PLEASE READ BEFORE FREAKING OUT!
So, I bet everyone is either disappointed or extremely curious. This small arc will contain two more parts at most and it's meant to be an arc where things change so we can start heading towards the end of the fic, where more time skips will occur.
As you all witnessed, a new OC has been (sort of) introduced, and this time, it is obviously a 'romantic' interest for Sasuke.
I have to be honest that I thought about it ever since the beginning of this story. Naruto has Hinata and lives in his own pretty world and now is about to become Hokage. This arc is meant to create some peace for Sasuke's mind, and this is where he settles everything, makes peace with others (and himself) and starts finally carving a path forward, without thinking of Naruto. Of course, he still loves Naruto and is waiting for him, but I think he needs this so this wait isn't agonizing for him. For the plot, and Sasuke's character build so far, it needs to happen.
For a long time I thought that this person Sasuke would grow to like in a deeper way would be Gaara, and that was the initial plan. However, even if Sasuke and Gaara did have a few moments of intimacy, as time passed, it became clear that Gaara is someone Sasuke wouldn't be able to be in a relationship with, mainly because Gaara is a Kage and very much in love with him. Sasuke likes him, but perhaps not enough to go through the effort of being with someone who has no way of giving him stability. For long distance relationships and hidden affairs, he already has Naruto.
Kamui's character came to me and for some reason it made a strange sort of sense. For the way Sasuke is in my fic, I think it's immensely interesting (and something he deserves) that he would learn to care about someone else in such a context in the same way Naruto does.
Please keep in mind that Kamui's existence will under no circumstances influence how Sasuke and Naruto are with each other or how they feel. This will not affect how I want the ending to go.
Now, Kamui will make an appearance eventually, but… are you guys interested in his story with Sasuke? Because it's a pretty awesome one, I have it all figured out in my head and I think you guys would like it and it would certainly help you embrace this twist AND my train of thought for going down this road.
Either way, if there is little interest I will probably write their story as an extra, and you guys are free to read it or not. Regardless, Kamui will be present in the plot, but please don't be discouraged. I think you might like him, even if he's no Naruto.
I have to admit that this is an arc I've been wanting to write for a few years. I don't know, it's just so interesting for Sasuke's character, and this is a plot twist that changes him and brings him peace of mind. It's kind of a relief to think about, which is why I thought about it so carefully. It's kind of dark, but I think Sasuke truly needs it in his own way.
So please, let me know what you think about it! Your thoughts and feedback are always deeply loved and appreciated.
Speaking of which, I owe you all replies, but life has been a chaos recently, and only now am I having the time to properly update. So please forgive me, but know that I read every single one of your comments and that they fill me with joy and happiness and fuel my inspiration!
Thank you for reading, and see y'all next time!
