A/N: I'm still around and this fic will go on, so here's a new chapter to celebrate that!

I'm sorry that it took me so long to update, but I've been having a few life changes this year and it hasn't been easy. I recently got a new job that I'm pretty happy about, and at the same time, a few unexpected health issues made things complicated for me, so it hasn't been easy. Hopefully, it will all be back on track soon :)

Mah, I still need vacations!

Well, on with the show!

Unbetaed, so please forgive the typos ;)

Don't forget to read the chapter notes at the end!

Happy reading 3


From Which We'll Rise

Part XXVII: Life Changes II

It was with a bit of nervousness that Naruto got ready for the team 7 get-together. This was the very first time that all six of them were gathering and he felt humbled and happy that everyone had been willing to celebrate such an important event in his life when they were all so busy.

Naruto was one step closer to achieving his goals, and he wanted to get there as soon as possible.

However, the events didn't seem to unfold fast enough.

Admittedly, excited as he was about meeting his friends, there was a sense of apprehension as well because Sasuke had asked to meet before they joined the others at the restaurant Sakura had booked.

What had Naruto feeling on edge wasn't the request per se, but the fact that Sasuke had asked to meet at a small tavern close to the restaurant as opposed to somewhere isolated, which meant that he wanted to talk.

Naruto tried not to feel disappointed about the fact – hopefully, they'd have time for a bit of intimacy before Sasuke needed to leave again – but he couldn't help but wonder about what his friend might want to talk about. Perhaps he just wanted to congratulate him in person, or simply spend some time together.

Sasuke had asked in front of Sai so of course his intentions had been carefully concealed and this only fueled Naruto's anxiety further. At least when Sasuke's body language was open he knew what to expect.

Hinata had helped him choose a nice outfit of cream-colored khaki pants and a dark blue short-sleeved shirt and he knew he looked casually good. Still, as soon as he arrived at their meeting spot and saw Sasuke there, waiting for him in a simple pair of black tight-fitting trousers and a gray long-sleeved shirt, he groaned. He hadn't even buttoned it up properly, revealing a small expanse of chest, and it suited the elegant contours of his neck in a most flattering way. It didn't help that night had already fallen, and that time of the day had always complimented the man more than gracefully.

Leave it to Sasuke to look good in anything, Naruto mused, torn between pride and envy. The guy had probably grabbed the first thing he found and put it on and still looked immaculate, even with that damned sleeve hanging empty where a full arm should be.

Naruto had to swallow hard as he made his way to him. Sasuke's eyes acknowledged his arrival with a long appreciative glance that never failed to make his heart flutter.

"Hey," Sasuke greeted, with his hand casually placed on his hip. There was even a small smirk on his lips as he scanned his body appreciatively. "Someone dressed up nicely."

That was a compliment as far as Naruto was concerned, and it made him want to pull Sasuke to him and kiss him on the spot, yet he didn't, merely shoving his hands inside the pockets of his pants with a shrug. "It's a special occasion I guess," he said, with a smile. "I bet your lazy ass didn't put any effort into your outfit, though."

"It's not like I'm trying to impress anyone," Sasuke said dismissively, and Naruto had to snort.

"It's not like you even need to try, bastard."

Sasuke made a vague sound with the back of his throat. "Come on, Usuratonkachi; let me buy you a drink," he said, motioning with his head towards the tavern. "I know how much you appreciate drinking with me. Just save us both the embarrassment of getting horny in public, yes?"

Despite himself, Naruto blushed. "Shut up," he mumbled, giving his friend a small shove so they could go inside.

Indeed, they had confirmed many times that he got pretty horny while drinking, but Sasuke never seemed to mind, easily carried away by him. Naruto wanted to remind him of this fact but knew they weren't in a place to tease each other about it.

The tavern was a sort of familiar place for them, located on a narrow street at the farthest end of Konoha. Sometimes, they met there to spend some time together and have drinks, more often than not ending the night somewhere secluded to finally succumb to the longing of months of absence.

Other times, though, Sasuke was an ass and didn't want more than kissing (when he wanted it). Naruto was used to it already, so he knew better than to feel upset afterward. By now, he knew better than to have expectations and it was becoming increasingly easier to adapt to this uncertainty when it came to sex.

Truth be told, frustrating as it was, Sasuke's unpredictability was one of the many things Naruto loved about him, and it was true that it also upset him as much as it turned him on. His lover might be a tough stone to crack, but when he did crack, it was heaven on earth for the both of them, so no matter what, Naruto would wait for that moment and embrace it fully.

Naruto tried hard not to think about him and Sasuke in such ways – they were very much only in the friend zone today, at least for now. Considering they would be meeting the rest of the team soon he doubted there would be an opening for more.

He enjoyed spending time alone with Sasuke regardless; there was nothing quite like the feeling of trust, companionship, and complete openness that connected them.

As soon as they removed their shoes at the entrance, they found their favorite two-person low table at the farthest corner of the small establishment unoccupied, so they immediately went to sit down on the pillows on the floor before someone else took their seats.

One of the young workers there came to take their order, and Sasuke asked for the usual, which was a bottle of his favorite sake. It arrived in less than a couple of minutes along with a medium-sized plate of weird-looking black dry appetizers that they both enjoyed but that Naruto had no idea what they were. He had asked Sasuke once, but the man had merely smirked, asking if he was sure he wanted to know, so out of fear, Naruto had shoved his curiosity aside.

Sasuke poured them both some sake before raising his tiny cup in Naruto's direction. He smirked, "To your Hokage training," he said, almost sarcastically. "And to praying for you to not take fifty years to get it all inside your dumb head."

"Go fuck yourself, Sasuke," Naruto threw with a pout, but he still rose his cup and touched it to Sasuke's. "I'll have it down in a year at most!"

"Sure, you will," Sasuke said, still with that disgustingly attractive smirk before bringing the cup to his lips and downing the sake all in one go. Naruto placed his elbows on the table and watched him as he, too, drank. He took no offense since he knew the other was only messing with him.

There was no doubt in Naruto's mind that Sasuke trusted his abilities more than anyone. If there was a person who had unshakable faith in him, that was the Uchiha, even if, sometimes, it would be justifiable if he didn't.

Lowering the cup, Naruto noticed for the first time Sasuke looked carefree and relaxed as he poured himself more sake, his eyes unable to leave the other man's face. "Are you even happy that I'm becoming Hokage?" he asked conversationally.

"As happy as I possibly can be," Sasuke replied easily, grabbing some of the dried snacks from the plate that had been placed in front of them. He threw a couple into his mouth and eyed Naruto back as he chewed. "I'm happy you're going to become Hokage because that's your long-awaited dream coming true. I'm not so happy that it's still going to take years before you assume the position, and then a few more years on top of that so you can have time to full y enjoy it."

Despite the emphasis on the word 'time', his expression was calm and neutral, and for some reason, it unsettled Naruto.

"I respect that," Naruto muttered.

Sasuke was right – no matter how much he trusted his hard work, Naruto hated studying and it would realistically take him a few years before he became knowledgeable enough about laws and politics for him to be able to be elected official Hokage. Sasuke knew this well, and it only meant delays in their plans for a far-future together.

Naruto didn't say anything for a few seconds, watching the other man chew, unsure of how to even begin to reassure him. "Let's not talk about this, yeah?" he chose to say, because Sasuke was more than ready for the upcoming years and didn't seem to want, or need reassurance.

Unfortunately, Sasuke had long since been disenchanted with keeping his hopes up and had decided to simply wait for whatever happened, whenever it had to happen. Naruto didn't like this, but it was better than him giving up on them.

"I had no intention to," Sasuke acquiesced, with a nod. "As important as this occasion is, that's not why I asked you to meet me."

Naruto shifted a bit, his knee bumping against Sasuke's under the table. "I figured as much," he muttered, tapping his fingers on the surface of the table – he was beginning to feel worried.

Sasuke smacked his lips carefully, putting his small cup of sake down so delicately the object didn't make a sound.

"To be honest, I didn't want to talk to you about this, not for the time being at least," the man confessed, his voice changing subtly to a more careful, serious tone, as he reached out for the bottle and poured himself and Naruto another drink. "And today might not be the best day, either."

"Well, if you decided you had to tell me today, then it must be important, at least to you," Naruto countered, offering the other man a small smile. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

Biting down on his lower lip, Sasuke looked down at Naruto's fingers, momentarily fixated on the way they moved. He seemed to be thinking about the best way to start, and as he did so, Naruto felt tense because he couldn't understand the feel of Sasuke's aura just then.

The other wasn't upset, nor worried. He wasn't particularly happy, either, but there was also a simmering excitement coming from him that was also a little dark, full of longing for something unknown, which instantly told Naruto that he wouldn't like what was coming.

"How are your children?" Sasuke then asked vaguely, not looking at him.

Naruto all but blinked at him, taken aback by the question. "What?"

"How are your children?" Sasuke repeated, slower as if to make sure Naruto understood him.

"I heard you the first time," Naruto muttered, confusedly. "They're fine, thanks. How's Katsu-chan?"

"He's very well, yes."

"Sasuke, you're freaking me out," Naruto complained restlessly, bumping his knee a little more forcefully against the other so he would spill the beans. "Just say what you want to say already! You've always been shamelessly straightforward, don't go and pussy out now, it doesn't suit you."

Sasuke's expression became strangely serious then, but his eyes finally rolled up to meet Naruto again.

There was a pause, yet when Sasuke spoke, his voice was smooth, steady. "Do you remember that family I took in a few months ago?" he asked, in a deceivingly conversational tone. "I wrote to you about it, if I'm not mistaken."

"You mean the family of that assassin-what's-his-name?" Naruto asked, trying to remember exactly what Sasuke had said in his letter about the issue, but in all honesty, his friend sometimes wrote a lot and Naruto tended to skip all the information that wasn't directly connected to his friend, Katsuo, or the village.

"His name is Kamui, and yes," Sasuke confirmed reproachfully. "You didn't read everything I wrote, did you?"

"There was a lot, and you know I have a short attention span!" Naruto defended, apologetically. "Plus, I hate reading."

Sasuke all but heaved a sigh. "Well, it doesn't matter," he said, adding "If you had read my letter, you would know I mentioned having an affinity with this 'assassin-what's-his-name'. What I didn't mention, though, was that he and I got involved."

Naruto blinked at Sasuke again, feeling stupid. Had Sasuke mentioned something like that in his letters? He couldn't remember at all.

But wait, what was he talking about? Affinity? They got involved? No, Sasuke couldn't possibly be saying what he thought he was saying.

"Involved?" The word slipped out of Naruto's lips and he sounded dumb and ignorant even to his ears.

"It means I fucked him if you need me to be more specific."

Well, there was no misunderstanding that dry, cruel statement that was uttered in a careful low voice due to the surrounding environment, and Naruto instantly felt his throat run dry.

Not that Naruto didn't know Sasuke slept with other people, but it was something he didn't exactly appreciate and that he had stopped asking about because it made him feel like complete shit.

"You never told me about your casual fucks before, I don't understand why you consider it to be any of my business now," Naruto replied in an equally low voice, knowing very well that, for Sasuke to be telling him something like this, there was more coming. He instantly knew he wouldn't like it.

"It's none of your business; you're right about that," Sasuke said, this time simply sipping on his sake thoughtfully. "But because it feels different this time, I wanted you to know about it."

Naruto hesitated before asking "How different?"

"I think I might have feelings for him."

The confession hit Naruto like a punch to the gut, and it didn't help that Sasuke's smart, evaluating eyes were now openly observing him.

"We only had sex once, though," Sasuke added without remorse, yet it was almost as if he felt the need to offer reassurance, somehow.

Reassurance of what, exactly? There was no changing the fact that he had been touched by another person. Sasuke kissing, desiring, and physically connecting with another body was something Naruto still struggled to accept, to feel indifferent to.

he didn't think he'd ever be okay with it no matter how hard he tried.

Every single muscle in Naruto's body stiffened in a mix of anger and absolute shock. This was new. This was… was it unthinkable to him? Did he think Sasuke would never develop feelings for anyone else? Had he been so obnoxious into believing Sasuke's heart was exclusively his no matter what just because they had a bond?

It was a stupid train of thought when Naruto himself loved Hinata. It was stupid because Sasuke had told him he'd had feelings for the people he'd been with, even if they hadn't been romantic.

But now, there was something else. It wasn't just mundane feelings of kinship, but deeper feelings, and Naruto didn't know how to feel about it.

He wasn't angry at Sasuke per se; he was just confused about how something like this had happened, and he knew this overwhelming feeling of jealousy and possessiveness was not right.

"I don't care how many times you had sex; you know that doesn't make me feel any better," Naruto hissed despite his better judgment, feeling upset but not able to help it.

Why was Sasuke telling him this? He'd rather not know at all – he didn't need to know about Sasuke having feelings for other people, even though he knew it was hypocritical of him when he'd told the man many times that he had genuine feelings for his wife.

"Kamui and I have a good connection, Naruto," Sasuke emphasized, setting his cup down. "It's been quickly growing with time, so much so that he felt… compelled to come to me and ask me to consider something more."

"And are you considering it?"

"I am."

Naruto's jaw clenched painfully at Sasuke's merciless assertiveness.

They merely looked at each other in silence for a while as Naruto's hands clenched.

There was a serenity in Sasuke's handsome features that was unnerving, and his gaze was unwavering.

Sasuke was serious, and for some reason, Naruto couldn't wrap his mind around it. Feelings as sex partners were a far cry from feelings as a potential full-time lover and worst, partner.

A partner. Was that what Sasuke was looking for in this guy? Was that something he – ever the independent, lonesome Uchiha – needed at this point that Naruto was failing to provide?

A strange gloominess took over Naruto's heart then as regret burned his heart.

Sasuke didn't deserve his negative feelings, and Naruto couldn't be egocentric like this. They didn't own each other, and realistically, what bound them was emotional and soulful, but they held no moral obligation towards each other.

"Holy shit, I can't believe it…" Naruto eventually breathed disbelievingly because, hell, Sasuke – his Sasuke – was the last person he'd ever imagined wanting to give his heart away so easily.

Guiltily, Naruto mentally slapped himself, knowing very well his best friend – his soulmate – was too wounded to be capable of such a thing as emotionally opening up to some random person. This wasn't a casual decision on Sasuke's part.

Many had been in love with the Uchiha, and some still were. Hate him or not, he had a beauty and a presence that was hard to forget, and no matter what people thought about him, the truth was, they were never indifferent, and there would always be admiration, for one reason or another. This man – Kamui – surely was no exception.

Kamui had been unfortunate enough to be bewitched by Uchiha Sasuke's spell.

However, he was an exception to Sasuke, for some outstanding reason, just as Naruto was, and this was a tough pill to swallow.

Granted, Naruto didn't know anything about Sasuke's relationship with the guy to belittle him, or the events that brought them together. It must've been something grand and meaningful to cause them to have such a strong impact on each other that led them to this stage.

"I'm not asking for your permission, mind you; I'm merely informing you of the circumstances." Sasuke didn't seem fazed by Naruto's reaction, merely shaking his head a little. "I'm still trying to decide what to do, and I don't even know if he'll still want it under my terms. I mean, I still have you and he will have to understand that. But, if it turns out that we do start a relationship…"

"A relationship?" Naruto's voice nearly failed him.

Sasuke frowned. "If we do, you'll have to respect it."

At this, Naruto straightened his back at once, suddenly so offended his horror dissipated.

Without thinking, he slammed a hand on the table, causing a few people around them to jump, yet Sasuke didn't even flinch. "When did I ever not respect your life or your decisions?" Naruto hissed between clenched teeth as he leaned in, affronted. "I might not agree with them, or be happy about them, but I always supported you! I never told you not to do something regardless of how it makes me feel!"

"That's because you know you have no fucking right," Sasuke said lowly, a little accusingly, causing Naruto to press his lips together. He took a deep breath through his nose, but there was no anger in his eyes. "Tell me what's going through your mind right now," Sasuke then asked, so politely he seemed like he wanted to appease him.

Sasuke's unperturbed demeanor was frankly infuriating, but Naruto knew he could feel his emotions and that they affected him.

Huffing, Naruto straightened back up, momentarily looking away from Sasuke and towards another table where a couple was eating, his fingers clenching and unclenching over the surface of the table. He gave himself a while to get his temper in check and his mindset back on track, absorbing Sasuke's soothing energy that purposefully worked him slowly, without malice, silently calling out to him and asking him to understand and accept.

After what might've been a couple of minutes, Naruto was able to heave a sigh and force himself to read the other man's aura with a cooler head, and he noticed that there was no challenging intent, no defiance or spite coming from Sasuke – just a gentle, genuine desire to resolve this peacefully, which was a little surprising, to say the least.

Sasuke wasn't trying to hurt him or upset him – he hadn't brought Kamui into their middle in some vengeful act, but…

This was, indeed, something Sasuke wanted, and he wanted Naruto to be okay with it. It was as simple as that.

It still hurt like hell because Sasuke's desire to be with this unknown man was so natural, plain, and untainted that it made it even harder to bear.

It was one of the simple, most uncomplicated emotions Naruto had ever felt coming from him.

Sasuke just wanted this and he didn't want to think about the possible consequences. There were no doubts about the future, no hesitation, no anxiousness that things could go wrong.

The only thing that unbalanced Sasuke's emotions was this unsettling thought that he might eventually hurt Kamui. This was something Sasuke feared, but they were completely unrelated to their relationship and deeply connected to Naruto himself.

Seeing how he was the only thing truly coming between those in Sasuke's heart was ironic and also terribly sad for Naruto.

Naruto had always wanted his most precious person to be happy, and it was painful to know that he was now an invisible, but deeply settled barrier between Sasuke and everything else.

God, it would've all been easier if Sasuke had simply said he wanted to fuck this guy.

Looking back at his friend, Naruto's blue eyes scanned the other's features attentively. He swallowed hard as he realized that, again, this wasn't something he could ignore or avoid.

Sasuke wanted to be with someone else, and that yearning in his heart was very real despite his love for Naruto. He was fine with that barrier; he could work around it.

As painful as this was, Sasuke's pure intentions were also immensely endearing.

To see Sasuke reaching out for something he cared for in such a mundane way showed how far he had come, how much he had changed, and how the things he pursued were slowly changing, too.

He wanted a home, a community, a family, and a love so simple he didn't have to worry about a single thing.

Sasuke wanted peace. Peace of heart and peace of mind. He wanted it so badly that it broke Naruto's heart.

All these things Naruto wanted to give him, but couldn't, not now, and these were things Sasuke didn't want from him as things were at this point.

And for Sasuke to openly admit this and embrace it…

He had grown. He was finally allowing himself to receive all the things he had thought he hadn't been worthy of, and it was nothing short of beautiful.

When… have I stopped being able to flow your steps?

When did I stop looking at you?

Do I know nothing about you at this point?

It certainly felt that way. Yet, Sasuke had exposed his soul to him without restraint, showing him how their connection was still the same – how his love and hope for them was still alive, cracked as it was. How his passion still burned for everything they were.

Without being able to contain himself, Naruto released a laugh he had no idea where it had come from. It wasn't a scornful laugh, but it was a saddened one, mixed with a strong surge of pride.

Naruto laughed because he felt miserable, yet his heart couldn't help but understand his friend's need and feel happy on his behalf.

Sasuke was healing.

In a heartbeat, he felt all the tension and negative feelings leaving his body to be replaced by resignation and acceptance.

All he wanted was for Sasuke to be happy. As long as they stood by each other's side, that was all it mattered.

Everything else was nothing but senseless anger, selfishness, arrogance, and possessiveness – none of them emotions Naruto deserved to feel, or project onto Sasuke.

"What do you want me to say, Sasuke?" Naruto said, chuckling awkwardly as he wiped tears of laughter from his eyes. "Just thinking about someone else touching you makes me sick to my stomach, yeah. But I promised myself I'd stop being selfish on your behalf, so go ahead, do what you want if it makes you happy."

He hadn't meant to sound bitter, yet he did, so he quickly cleared his throat and immediately stopped laughing, noticing that the other was looking at him with narrowed eyes that weren't reproachful, but that acknowledged Naruto's pain.

Sasuke had read his feelings - all of them - so he knew what Naruto was thinking. Regardless, he seemed to evaluate him, curious for some reason. "You sound like a child," he pointed out.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay?" Naruto said, sounding genuinely apologetic this time. "Please don't think badly of me. I mean it when I say I want to see you happy."

Sasuke didn't reply for a while, and then merely nodded. "Thank you."

Another moment of silence fell between them, during which several things ran through Naruto's mind as many other things were shared between them through their link.

They both picked up their tiny cups and downed their sake at the same time.

He couldn't shake the sadness he felt, almost as if a feeling of loss had taken over him. It was a stupid feeling, but he knew Sasuke would not berate him for it.

However, as he watched the man in front of him without shame, he was also overcome with love.

How Naruto loved him. How he loved knowing that he was finally choosing happiness over grief, the future over the past, and himself over others.

Sasuke had been hated enough – he should be showered with love as much as possible, no matter which shape that took.

At some point, Naruto was the one to pick up the small bottle of sake, feeling that his hands had finally steadied.

"Are you in love with him?" He asked, forcing his voice to sound casual as he poured the man in front of him another drink.

At this, Sasuke's eyebrows rose slightly, but he seemed comfortable with the question. "I'm sexually attracted to him and I respect him, so I'm merely curious to see where it goes," he explained, carefully, yet straightforwardly so that Naruto had no doubts of what his goal was. "He makes me feel at ease. It's uncomplicated. For now, that's all."

Uncomplicated. Exactly the words Naruto himself had thought about when sensing Sasuke's emotions towards Kamui.

"Love is never not complicated," Naruto mumbled, pouring himself more sake now. He needed it if he wanted to get through the night looking as if nothing had disturbed the status quo.

Sasuke all but snorted softly. "Because your romance with Hinata is super complex?"

"Well, yeah…"

"I reckon that's why you like her so much, and relish so easily in what you two have."

Again, said without malice, which was also new.

"I guess… I can't deny that," Naruto conceded, playing along.

Nonchalantly, Sasuke picked up his cup again. "I also really want to have sex with him again."

Naruto jumped slightly before slamming the bottle on the table. "Look, I'm trying to get my head around this, but you don't need to be an ass, and I quite honestly hate him already," he snapped, exasperated that Sasuke found it funny to poke his ego.

This was tough on him, but he would swallow it for Sasuke's sake.

His friend smirked, amusement and endearment making his eyes glint before he downed the sake without another word. Man, the guy could drink.

Pouting, Naruto did the same and also slammed the cup down. "Is he good-looking?"

"Yes," Sasuke said, placing his elbow on the table and leaning his cheek on his hand thoughtfully. "I was a little taken aback by him when I first met him, to be honest."

Naruto paled. "I hope you're joking."

"His looks don't matter to me," Sasuke said as if this needed to be clarified, yet still very much amused. "But yes, he is probably the second most handsome person I know aside from my brother."

Naruto was surprised that Sasuke would bring Itachi up on such a silly topic, and yet, this was probably the first time such a thing had happened.

Sasuke rarely mentioned his brother, and when he did, it was to defend his honor or in conversations that carried emotional weight to him.

This was also new, but refreshing.

"Well, thanks for the consideration!" Naruto complained. "I thought I was the most handsome person you knew!"

"I didn't say you weren't handsome, but you can't possibly compare yourself to Itachi, Naruto," Sasuke retorted, faking offense with a small frown. "I mean, no one can compare to him, let's be realistic."

How did this happen? How could Sasuke talk about Itachi so freely, so casually, so… burden-free?

It was beautiful to see because it meant Sasuke was letting go enough to think about the good things related to his beloved brother rather than the things about him that had bruised him.

"Fair enough, but still!" Naruto played along and crossed his arms over his chest. "So I'm the third most handsome person you know?"

Sasuke offered him a genuine, soft smile. "Indeed, you are."

"Aw, fuck me…"

"Stop being dramatic, it's not like this will change anything between us. Everything will be the same as it is now."

Naruto knew that, but it felt good to listen to that secret hint under those simple words.

Rolling his eyes, Naruto lowered his voice again. "I want you to be happy, Sasuke, because I love you and think you deserve everything. But you can't expect me to be mindlessly happy for you when we both know what this means. You don't just want to be with people out of thin air, and it upsets me, but that's fine. You deserve this."

"That's why I thought you should know because it's important enough for me," Sasuke confessed. "I need to find my version of contentment, Naruto, and it's not here, and not with Sakura. You know that." He sighed, almost sweetly, and his eyes got lost somewhere in thought. "I feel like I need this sort of… unburdened life, somehow, to ground and balance all the things I need to do and want to achieve."

"I know." Naruto bit down on his lower lip. "I'm sorry I'm not the one to give you that."

"That's not what this is about," Sasuke dismissed, and it was so sincere it relieved Naruto's heart. "It's not just about me being with someone else; it's about me setting myself free and stop being someone I'm not. I'm going to come clean to Sakura as well, and tell her about Katsu. We'll see what she wants to do about the marriage, then."

As if Sasuke didn't amaze him enough. "If that's what you need to do, then you have my full support," Naruto assured. He felt the urge to touch Sasuke, somehow, but held himself back. "I… hope he makes you happy, Sasuke. I hope you find what you're looking for, at least for now, until we… well, you know."

Again, Sasuke offered him that beautiful, simple smile. "I'm not expecting anything from him, to be honest," he said, with another elegant shrug. "The village likes him, Katsuo likes him…"

"You like him," Naruto finished for him, teasingly because he wanted Sasuke to feel good about this conversation and he did want to be supportive regardless of his personal feelings.

Sasuke nodded. "I'm still trying to understand how I feel about him, but at least I know what I want to do about it."

"Well, that's good enough," Naruto approved, with a nod. "Just please, spare me the details in the future, yes? I don't want to hear about your handsome assassin and all the sex you want to have with him."

Sasuke chuckled at this. "I don't think so."

At this, Naruto did reach across the table to smack Sasuke's hand, which made the man laugh.

God, his laughter was the most beautiful thing, and it was so free that it showed a strong contrast to the way Sasuke had been months before.

This thing he wanted with Kamui, the way he wanted to change life for himself and just be who he was… all of this had changed him, and it would continue to change him from then on as well.

Sasuke was finding himself and his place in the world, and Naruto had no right to hinder it – he wouldn't.

I didn't think it was possible to fall in love with this bastard all over again, he thought. I hate you for doing this to me, asshole.

Yet, this Sasuke was on the way to becoming the best version of himself and Naruto wanted nothing more than for him to reach it. This was what needed to happen.

I should've been the one to save you. I did once, why isn't it me this time, too?

It didn't matter. They would always have each other and they would be together until the very end – no one could take that away from them. Not the Gods, and certainly not Kamui.

Huffing, Naruto took a good handful of the snacks and shoved them inside his mouth. "Okay, I want to know everything about how you two met!"

TBC…


Alright, this was a small chapter because I wanted to update something and I didn't feel like I wanted to mix this part with the next one. I hope you guys liked it, regardless.

Kamui will probably make a small appearance in the next chapter, but I feel like he'll still be a huge question mark, so I will probably dedicate the following couple of chapters to Kamui's and Sasuke's story so that this part of the story makes more sense and you can understand, exactly, why and how they have reached this point.

What do you guys think?

Anyway, as usual, thank you for reading, for the constant support, and for not giving up on this fic! I'm humbled by the fact that new readers are still coming, and that older ones are still following it faithfully and loving it for what it is.

Don't forget to comment! I will try to keep up with them and reply as they come so I don't have hundreds pending T_T

Lots of Love, and see you soon!