A/N: This is the fourth installment on the Last's Canon Divergence and continuation for "Three Words". Naruto and Sasuke's relationship is still the main focus, but there's more political drama because I can't accept that nothing changed in Boruto. Hope you enjoy the reading.

Chapter 1:

Patterns & Changes (Naruto)

Probation Period Concluded

Naruto had to read the words multiple times before comprehending their meaning but almost screamed when he did. The implications of the document he was holding were enough to make him burst with excitement, his smile quickly overtaking his whole face. In fact, he was so enthused with the piece of paper that he forgot he was holding an official document and was about to wrinkle it beyond repair.

The sound of steps on the other side of the door extracted him from his trance, forcing him to spare a glance at the clock. Kakashi-sensei would return from his meeting any time now. He couldn't find Naruto inside the Office, much less meddling with something he clearly was not supposed to see. At least not yet.

Naruto fumbled about the place, trying to return everything to its original position before jumping through the window. As excited as he was, he didn't even care about rewriting the essay he had lost among Kakashi's mess.

Sasuke would finally stay.

...

The following couple of weeks, he had been extra careful, trying not to act too excited around his friends, especially Sakura. He was not sure why Kakashi had not informed anyone of the bastard's full pardon. Naruto assumed he had his motives and decided to keep the secret as well. The last thing he wanted was to cause trouble with the Council because he had leaked information before it was made official. And he wasn't sure whether Sasuke had even been informed already, so he couldn't write about it in his letters either.

The night before Sasuke's scheduled return, he couldn't sleep. And his cheeks would ache by the morning due to all the smiling, but he couldn't wait to see Sasuke's reaction and make plans to celebrate. Before he reminded himself that the bastard wasn't comfortable around many people yet, Naruto's first impulse had been to host a party or a reunion. In the end, he decided to postpone Team 7's gathering and went for something more private.

He woke up early and went straight to the plant market at the outskirts of Konoha. There he spent the best part of the morning looking for the best tomato plant available. After much consideration, he had concluded that was a welcome gift even the bastard would appreciate. A perfect combination of practical and ornamental because Sasuke's place was in serious need of some colour. Even if Mr Plant Assassin couldn't be trusted with Pomodoro —plants deserved a name too— that would give Naruto an excellent excuse to barge into the other's home.

His second stop was at the grocery store to buy the ingredients for okaka onigiri. Naruto was the first to admit he could not rival Sasuke when it came to prowess in the kitchen, but cooking some riceballs was safe enough. He still had a clone ready to run for Sakura if they both ended with a case of food poisoning.

The last part was his least favourite because it involved cleaning the abandoned apartment. To be honest, it was something he didn't do even at his own place regularly, but he was ready to make an exception. The only problem was he was running late because stupid onigiri had turned out to be more challenging than expected. So he relinquished receiving Sasuke at the gate and accelerated his pace towards the apartment building.

Naruto had never asked Sasuke for a spare key because he didn't like the idea of visiting the place when the other wasn't there. He was sure the sight of a place where Sasuke was supposed to be but wasn't would only increase his longing. Anyway, it wasn't like Naruto needed the key as being the Hero of Konoha came with its perks. He had met the landlady a couple of times and was sure he could smile his way into the apartment. Like, he wasn't planning on doing anything questionable.

"Naruto-sama, what a pleasant surprise to have you here!" The lady greeted him as soon as he peeked his head into her office.

"Just Naruto is fine, Serizawa- baasan." He tried not to grimace, still uncomfortable with the deferent treatment he had received in recent years. "I- um, could I-" Naruto stared at the tomato and bento box he was carrying, suddenly feeling incredibly ridiculous. "I was wondering whether you could help me with something," he forced himself to finish.

The landlady's eyes sparkled as she clasped her hands together. "Of course, of course." She stepped forward, trying to guide Naruto to take a seat across from her. "Let me guess, you have finally decided to move from that horrible apartment of yours. I never understood why you would choose to live in such a small place. I get claustrophobic just thinking about it..."

It would benefit no one reminding the woman that very few had been willing to accept a Jinchuuriki in their buildings. Instead, Naruto laughed but didn't try that hard to make it believable. The woman was too busy talking about a penthouse available and the advantages of the neighbourhood to notice anyway. Only once the landlady slowed down a little, he clarified his true motives.

"I'm not planning on moving at the moment, Baasan."

"Ah, well, that's a shame," her enthusiasm practically vanished. "Then how can I be of help?"

"I know it's kind of, like illegal..." Naruto scratched the back of his head, a bit ashamed. "Could it be possible for you to allow me to enter Sasuke's place?"

"Uchiha's apartment?" The landlady's shocked face told him he would need to be a bit more convincing.

"I won't cause you trouble, believe it!" He hurried to add. "I just want to drop something before Sasuke gets home. I'll take full responsibility if the bastard complains or something," he stated.

"Oh, no, Naruto-sama. It is not that I don't trust you, but Uchiha cancelled his lease a while ago."

Naruto blinked, unsure of what he had just heard. "Did- you mean he moved somewhere else?"

"I wouldn't be able to say. All I know is Uchiha decided not to renew his contract and took his stuff away."

Naruto felt his stomach dropping. The bastard had not mentioned anything of the sort, had he? He was sure he would remember something like that, would have demanded answers. More importantly, didn't Sasuke know he would need somewhere to live when he was fully pardoned? Unless...

He placed the plant and box on the desk lest he would drop them, his mind racing with a myriad of thoughts. He had assumed... he had been overly optimistic.

"Naruto-sama?"

Naruto lifted his head, remembering he was not alone. "Yeah," he cleared his throat. "I don't- I just got mistaken. Thanks for everything, baasan and sorry for bothering you," he hurried to apologise, disappearing right after.

He stopped for a second on the roof of a nearby store, trying to make sense of what he had just learned. Getting a pardon didn't mean Sasuke would live in Konoha, which at the same time didn't make sense considering he had kept an apartment at the beginning of the probation period. Naruto had assumed that Sasuke would stay because the last couple of times he had visited, he had seemed comfortable —for lack of a better word—. And, of course, there was their relationship.

The truth was Naruto had been setting himself for disappointment. He had known how deep ran Sasuke's hurt and resentment towards Konoha. What had been done to him was unforgivable. Honestly, it was a miracle Sasuke even stayed long enough to hang out with Naruto.

This is okay, he told himself. The situation didn't mean Sasuke would leave for good or that they wouldn't see each other again. They would find a time and place.

Naruto turned his face towards the sky and breathed deeply. If he ran now, he would be able to catch up to Sasuke at the Hokage Tower. After a moment of hesitation, he took the special kunai he carried with him these days, performed a series of seals, and teleported away from Konoha.

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