Fate's Garden

Part 3.5 - Consequences

"Son, wake up."

"Un, dun wanna," Naruto grumbled, rolling over and crushing Sasuke beneath him on the bed. His bedmate swore at him and rearranged them into a once more comfortable position but otherwise returned to sleep.

"It's time for you to leave this life, wake up."

"What?" Naruto was suddenly wide awake.

"Why? What's going on?"

"You're not going to die, this version will get his Naruto back, all is well."

"Really? But I thought…"

"Since you're not dying, there's no point in not returning this world's Naruto to it."

"But…"

"He'll have memories of what transpired given to him, and none of this information will be given to anyone else. Everything will be fine."

"Okay, just give me a minute."

"Only a minute, kit."

"Sasuke, wake up," Naruto mimicked his father, pushing himself up and off of this incarnation of his mate.

Dark black eyes blinked up at him groggily, "Naruto, what's going on? It's…" the same eyes flashed to the alarm clock next to the bed, "six in the morning."

"I'm leaving," Naruto told him, watching the sleep weary face become instantly alert.

"What…you're just…right now?"

"Yes, but don't worry, I'm not dying, and you'll get your Naruto bad, memories of what happened and all."

Sasuke smiled, probably only because he was still so sleepy though he was more attentive due to the news, "And you'll get your Sasuke back."

"Yes." Naruto wasn't sure why the thought made him so queasy. Everything was better, he understood, and he was ready to meet up with his mate again. But at the same time…how awkward would that be? He cheated on him…with…him? He had to stop before that got too confusing.

"It was nice meeting you, huh?" Sasuke mumbled, and as their lips met for a goodbye kiss, he was gone.

Changing lives always felt distinctly odd. Especially since this time he didn't die. He was going from one experience to another and from one body to another. Naruto transitioned from being propped up on his hands and knees in bed, kissing Sasuke to sitting in a hospital room, slumped over in a stiff plastic chair. Naruto blinked and rubbed at his eyes, already getting a surge of fuzzy shapes, images, vague memories and feelings of the soul he'd just replaced. Directly ahead of him was a hospital bed, and in it was Sasuke, from his guess, a twelve year old Sasuke. He had a thick cotton bandage of his eyes and a relatively peaceful look on his face. He was sleeping it seemed. They were genin, that was the first thought that came to him. Well, they weren't anymore. They weren't nin anymore? Why not?

Naruto closed his eyes tightly and then opened them again. He needed more memories, sooner. He had no idea if this was his Sasuke yet and his father wasn't miraculously presenting him with answers. The door to the room, which was behind him, opened, and Naruto whirled around. A medic-nin he didn't recognize nodded politely to him.

"Good morning Mr. Uzumaki, I'm just here to change his dressings."

"Alright."

She nodded again, moving around him to the opposite side of the hospital bed, Naruto just noticing the packs tucked under her arm. She set them on the bedside table, and some others on a metal tray standing by. Naruto wasn't sure why but he was suddenly filled with an enormous dread at the thought of what he'd see after she removed those bandages. The nurse worked quietly and diligently, very cautious as she worked away the tape. Slowly and carefully the bandage was removed, layer by layer. The wads of cotton closer to Sasuke's eyes were coming back drenched in blood. Fear and concern were interlaced and pooled in Naruto's stomach as he watched on. Finally, when the last piece of gauze was removed Naruto realized his growing suspicion was correct.

Both of Sasuke's eyes were gone.

Sasuke sat in the living room of Fate's house, chatting with his cousins. They were more than happy to see him again. Gaara especially was enthused, as much as he loved his family, he admitted that it was nice to have Sasuke's calm presence amidst the group. Sasuke had laughed at that, embracing the red head, filled with a happiness he didn't completely understand. He had been greeted by all of his in-laws, and even Shukaku had withheld a glare. Kyuubi was quite welcoming, going so far as to pull his 'son-in-law' into a bone creaking hug.

But now, as Sasuke sat there he was beginning to notice that Naruto had not yet shown up. That and every single god was in attendance, which was quite unusual. The big family gatherings did not occur often, usually only a few appearing along with their children, or their children visiting each other. Finally, even the grandfather had tottered out of the kitchen with a steaming plate of cookies and chocolates and teas. The food was pounced upon by the children, the parents growling or chirping or hissing their annoyance.

"Now, my children and grandchildren, it is the moment you all have been waiting for," the grandfather announced.

Sasuke watched on in confusion as the old man suddenly made his way towards him. He was pulled to his feet and guided over to the center of the room in view of everyone. All of his aunts and uncles appeared quite smug, some rather pleased, and Kyuubi was obviously reserving judgment.

"As we are all aware, little one had a bit of a misunderstanding in his last life," there was an outbreak of laughter but none of malicious in tone but still Sasuke felt a little embarrassed, "and he has now learned his lesson. However, actions do have consequences, and in accordance him and his mate are undergoing one last life together before they are to return home."

"What?" Sasuke blurted, doing his best to ignore the amused chatter of his family, "I thought I was just supposed to go through that one life and be done!"

"No, little one, the life you have returned from was to replace the one you mucked up, this is the life you are going through as consequence for the mucking." Fate explained warmly.

"But…"

"No buts, little one, now Yuuta will show you to your hallway, Yuuta my son, would you mind?"

Sasuke tried to persuade the grandfather otherwise but he didn't have a hope. The rabbit god was already at his side, tugging him along, out of the living room and into the hallway of the universe.

End of Part 3.5.