a/n: Super short chapter today but a long one to come in the next few days, forgive me?

Chapter 5

Six Months Ago...

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He returns and Naruto thinks that Sasuke can slot himself back into the space he should have occupied in all their lives. But Sasuke knows better. He is a satellite doomed to careen out of their orbit soon enough. Except that he doesn't want that at all. He just doesn't fully believe that he can have it.

Naruto has made it his mission to debate Sasuke over the best way to live his life- as if either of them have any clue.

"Why did you come back?"

"I thought I had become a man who deserved to be here."

And Sasuke questions it every day.

He and Sakura never talk about her letter. The Letter.

Instead, he waits. He wants to see if this life will stick.

It's not a matter of whether or not Sasuke wants to stay. It's all he wants to do. With each passing year Sasuke aspires more and more towards a quiet existence in the village. He realized something that culminated in a screaming match between the New Sannin.

"The best way to change something is from the inside!" Naruto shouted, "Look at me. Look at Sakura. This is our home, your home. And like anyone else who lives here, you're one of the people who makes it what it is. This village can be better, I genuinely believe that. Do you?"

The thing is, he believes in his peers. He trusts Naruto and the future he keeps a weathered eye out for. He admires Sakura who is always questing for ways to make people whole.

"Konoha can be everything that me and you needed it to be when we were kids."

"The village failed you," Sakura said quietly. "It's our job to build a future so that it never happens to anyone. Never again.

And Sasuke knows he can help. He might even be required to help.

He just needs to figure out how.

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Sakura awakes with a splitting headache and unbroken fury in her heart.

She needs to blow off some steam. She needs to get away.

She had three weeks before she's due in Suna, more than enough time for a mission.

Sakura had been serving as diplomatic envoy to Suna for a little over a year. It was decided in the early days following the war that greater cooperation between the Five Nations was needed. Sakura is well-liked everywhere, but particularly in Suna. Their leaders owe her their lives, the people give her their trust and adulation. She finds that moderating Sasuke and Naruto, then later Sai and Naruto, prepared her well for politics.

It's been wonderful. It's not that Sakura doesn't love the hospital, but she never wanted to be confined to one place. Ever since her first mission, her first steps outside the village, she'd loved seeing new places. She's getting that itch again. She can't wait.

Kakashi is shoulder deep in stacks of paperwork by the time she gets to his office at noon.

"How's it going your Lordship?"

Kakashi doesn't glance up, but sighs deeper into the pile. "Such a shame, you were always my most polite, adorable student."

"At least I'm still adorable." She hops on his desk, comfortable as can be, "So I need a favor."

"You and every single other person in this village."

"Anyone else in this village been bought like chattel recently?"

Kakashi props his head up with his elbow on the table and a hand under his chin, "Thankfully no."

"I want a mission."

"I see you're taking it well."

"I'm taking it amazingly, shut up. How well am I supposed to take this?" Sakura's shoulders slump and she stares at the ceiling. She feels tears coming on and she'll be damned if she angry-cries in the Hokage's office. Again.

"Have you guys talked about why?" he throws his hands up in ineffectual defence. "Not that it makes it right. Just asking. I can have him killed if you want, I've got a lot of pull these days."

"I don't care why."

"Of course you care."

"Fine, I can't care yet."

"Can't stay mad if he has a good reason."

"Exactly," she sighs. "I might take you up on the assassination thing. For now, can I just have a mission?"

"You're due in Suna-"

"Just a short one!" she implores him with her eyes, "I need to not be here right now. I need some space. I need-"

"Fine." Kakashi sifts through his drawer for a scroll and hands it to her. She unfolds her crossed legs and slides off his desk. This next part is a harder request.

"One more thing?" she tries not to twiddle her thumbs, "Can you get my house key back from Sasuke?"

Many questions enter Kakashi's head at this request. Perhaps they were further along in their budding relationship than he thought. They could both be such secretive brats. In a better moment he might have teased her about it, but instead, "He doesn't really need a key if he wants to get into your place."

"It's a symbolic thing," just like giving it to him had been.

It's so petty, but she can't seem to stop herself. She's still under the wave, waiting for it to crash on shore. The worst will come and she will be braced for it.

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"-Anyway, that's how I feel."

Naruto considers his friend. Sakura and Naruto's backs each rest on opposite arms of his couch. It's small, so their crossed legs bump up against each other. This is how all their serious talks go.

He rubs the back of his neck, "Geez, I'm sorry. Do I really do that?"

"...Yeah," she replies reluctantly, "I know you want to see the best in him, but I really needed you to be on my side here. You don't need to be mad-"

"Oh don't worry, I'm really mad."

"-But I don't need to hear 'he must have had his reasons'. Y'know?"

"Want me to beat the shit out of him?"

"Maybe."

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Sasuke goes through three phases: confusion, anger then right back around to his greatest hit.

The self loathing is sour and hot in his gut.

He takes her key off the ring and places it in Kakashi's palm. "Still think she'll get over it?"

"Don't give me that self-pity. I'm mad at you too." Then why is he smiling? His old teacher is possibly the most confusing person he's ever met. Kakashi waved him away. "Begone. I'll call you when I get intel."

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"Oh shit, I've gotta go. Mission." Sakura hops off the couch and leans down to kiss Naruto's cheek goodbye. "I'll see you in a bit."

"Bye Sakura!"

She opens the door to find Sasuke, hand raised to knock. "Oh."

Sasuke awkwardly avoids eye contact. "Uh, Naruto and I had training."

"What?! We did?" Naruto scrunches up his face, trying to remember, "Shit no, I'm not talking to you."

"Hn."

"Nope. I see no one. But if I did, I would tell them to go away."

"Naruto…" Sakura sighs.

"Sakura." She crosses her arms and tries not to think about the way he says her name.

"I have to go."

"Wait."

She stops cold. Not by choice. It's a grim reminder.

Sasuke had reached out a hand to grab her arm, but upon realizing what he's done, withdraws. "I'm… sorry. It wasn't my intention-"

Sakura starts to shake, she clenches her fists. The burning in her eyes returns, but this time she glares at the floor. "You have to tell me I can go."

He looks at her and she's reminded of the way he looked as a kid, angry and afraid because he couldn't protect everyone on his own. She shakes it off as best she can.

"...You're free to go."

She's gone the next moment.