The following morning, there was a warm light licking at Naruto's cheeks. The sun burned his closed eye lids, flicking them open. Naruto reverted his eyes from the window and glanced around the room. It wasn't his usual futon and sunlight (lack there of sunlight). Instead, the sheets were a darker navy and the bed was, well, an actual bed and Sasuke was lying behind him, his arm wrapped gently around Naruto.
Naruto pulled himself away from the warmth of Sasuke's arm and sat himself on the edge of the bed, admiring Konaha outside the window, Naruto pulled at the fabric of an oversized black t-shirt, presumably from Sasuke.
His head turned back toward Sasuke's sleeping body and he felt himself tense.
He couldn't help but think about what this would mean for the two of them. Could they even be together with their current relationships? And, how would the others react if they found out about it? What about the citizens of Konaha? Would they be okay with their Hokage being with someone who was once a wanted criminal?
As these types of thoughts swirled through his head, he began running his hands through his head of blonde hair, pulling at the strands and forcing himself to his feet.
Behind him, Sasuke stirred in the sheets, curling his arm closer to his chest, no longer feeling the warmth of Naruto's body. His breathing shifted to something heavier and quicker while his blackened eyes flickered open to look at Naruto's covered back framed in front of the sunlit window. The bright light around him slimmed him down even further than he already was. His hands tangled in his tousled hair, beaming with sunlight.
Sasuke almost believed that he noticed some sort of halo glowing above his head. His entire being was illuminated as if his heart was leaking out and revealing itself to Sasuke.
He couldn't help but smile and sink back into his pillow, shutting his eyes once more, the image of Naruto burned behind his eyelids.
Naruto, unaware of Sasuke's eyes behind him, began to take a few steps toward the bedroom door. The carpet beneath him tickled the bottoms of Naruto's stumbling feet as he tripped and tumbled to the floor almost immediately after he opened the rooms door.
His left arm instinctively moved to his sore butt as he grunted in pain. His legs felt tingly and numb while an ache prodded at his ass and a flutter swirled through his pelvis. His body was sending so many signals through his nerves, he didn't know what to do with the feelings.
Naruto could hear Sasuke rearrange in the bed behind him. He bit his lip trying to keep quiet as he leisurely rose to his feet. On one knee, Naruto gingerly turned his head back to look at a sleeping Sasuke. Instead, Sasuke was sat up, leaned back on his right arm, jet black hair ruffled, uncovering his left eye.
"You okay there?" A surprisingly playful crack of a grin on his lips. Naruto couldn't help but push his attention toward Sasuke's lips. They were cracked this morning, unlike how soft they were the night before, and bottom lip was pushed out slightly farther than his top. It always was.
Naruto grinned and pulled himself back up with the edge of the door, "uh, yeah I'm fine."
Naruto felt unease, his mind still rushing with thoughts and the pain of his own rear shooting through him.
"Are you sure?" he tossed the sheets off of his body, throwing his legs over the side of the bed, "you seem weird."
A smirk was still chiseled into his mouth while his stood, his chest exposed and his sweatpants ruffling as he walked.
"Of course, I mean, I've never done that before?" Naruto shuffled his own hair and and leaned back against the door.
A single hand snaked around Naruto's waist pulling him closer to Sasuke's body, "neither have I," he moved his face closer, touching his pale forehead to Naruto's, "by it's in your eyes," the baby-blues widened, "what's wrong?"
Naruto licked his lips and averted his eyes toward Sasuke's lips once again. They were so close to his own and he wanted nothing more than to press against Sasuke and kiss him right then but he stopped himself, "I'm seriously fine."
Sasuke didn't say anything, he just kept his eyes firmly on Naruto's waiting for him to look back at him.
"Sasuke," Naruto's tone was firm, sounding definite, "I am fine, I just don't know what to do next."
The hand on Naruto's back lightened its hold and Sasuke moved his face away slightly. Annoyed, confused eyes resting on his face, "what do you mean 'what to do next'? We're together now," Sasuke moved his soft hand to the smaller man's shoulder and down his arm softly to his hand, holding it gently, "right?"
Naruto looked up to Sasuke's face, "of course I want to," he gripped Sasuke's hand tightly, pushing forward to him once again, "I've been waiting years for this but," his eyes shifted again, "what about Sakura and Hinata?"
Sasuke rolled his eyes and lightened his grip, letting Naruto's hand fall,"we will deal with it. Don't worry about it. We'll tell them and then we can-"
Naruto threw his head back and growled slightly in his throat, "but what about all of our friends? What about my position as Hokage? Won't it be strange for them to see their Hokage with a former criminal?"
Sasuke was taken aback. He was worried about Sasuke being a criminal? Sasuke glowered, his brows furrowing, "you're worried about your standing? Are you serious?"
Naruto's hands waved in front of him, panicked, "No, that's not what I mean! I mean..." what did he mean? Was he actually worried about his position? "I mean that...I..."
Sasuke waited, semi-patiently, for Naruto's response. His frustration and concern blending in his head. Sasuke kept his face calm and completed but every bit of his brain was confused. He never believed Naruto to be someone who could care more about his damn job than his friends, especially him.
While Naruto stumbled through his worlds he made eye contact with Sasuke once more. Sasuke's eyes reflected anger, beneath them something heavier, and Naruto could feel the weight of it all.
Flamed, Naruto tucked his tail, signed, and teleported out of the room, heavy with unspoken words. He sat atop the rooftops and leisurely leaped from roof to roof, finding his way back home.
Naruto needed time to think. He knew that, of course, Sasuke meant more to him than his standing but, still, being Hokage had been his dream for his whole life. The village now loved him and praised him, aside from his past of being hated and despised. Would bring with Sasuke threaten everything he had gained?
What he really was asking himself and what was destroying him was, did Sasuke mean more to him than everything else?
Sasuke spent the remainder of his day in his home, lying in bed, contemplating what on Earth could have been going through Naruto's head.
Naruto had felt something for him since they were kids and Sasuke knew that. At lease he thought he had.
He was doubting himself and everything he thought he knew about Naruto. How much had becoming Hokage changed him?
Meanwhile, Naruto was enclosed in his own small place, his mind rushing around as well. Sasuke had meant the world to him since he was young. He was willing to give everything up for him before, what was different now?
...
Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
That morning a few days later, the sun shone brighter than normal. Naruto's curtains being drawn and sparse cloud cover let the bright light pool into the room. He squinted into the sun and sat up, glancing around his room. He was familiar with each scrap of clothing on the ground and each empty cup of ramen. (a total of 9 cups had piled up beside his bed since he had last taken them away)
The thought sprang to his mind, how many mornings have past? He tried to remember but he couldn't quite pin the number. It wasn't too long, someone would have come.
He settled on being ignorant and gathering himself together to prepare for work. Naruto had been sending clones out to do his work but he knew there will still be paperwork for him to deal with.
For a moment, he felt angered that Shikamaru hadn't reprimanded him for sending in clones but then he remembered; it was Shikamaru.
Naruto gathered himself up to his feet and dressed himself to head outside. As he tossed his shirt on his body, he began to think about Sasuke and why he hadn't contacted him. Then he started to wonder if Sasuke had been in his room as well for these several days.
Naruto then began to feel guilty about everything and the only thing he could think of doing was rushing to his side and holding him close again. He could almost feel his hands and his breath on his neck. Sasuke's hand against his breast and his eyes trailing his body.
His body began to feel uncomfortable while he jerked on his jacket and left his building. Marching his way down the walkways of Konaha, trying to think of what to say to Sasuke and Hinata and Sakura and everyone else.
Some form of 'I'm sorry' would pass his lips but before he could connect all the dots his name was called.
Turning around, Hinata was leisurely walking forward toward him. Her eyes smiled and her body swayed with the wind, she was gentle like the leaves and Naruto couldn't help but be guilty knowing his hurricane would rip her to fragments.
Hinata suggested Ichiraku's for lunch but Naruto instead wanted to take her to the park, a walk of sorts. He couldn't tell if his stomach could keep the food down anyway.
His pockets remained full with his sweaty hands and his eyes wandered along the water's edge as they walked together. They didn't speak or exchange a glance. Their eyes just wandered along the sky and the water and each others hands.
"Naruto," apparently, Hinata had noticed something, "are you okay? You seem bothered?"
Naruto moved his ocean eyes to Hinata's face. She wasn't looking quite at him, more-so at the ground in front of his feet. Her body was tucked into itself and her hands were folded neatly in front of her. You didn't have to know Hinata to know she was soft spoken.
"Not really," Naruto continued to look down at his own feet.
She didn't say another word, she just shifted and kept side glancing at his face.
He could feel her eyes and eventually he spoke up.
"Hinata, um, I do need to talk to you."
She smiled up at him, their eyes connecting for the first time.
Naruto explained the situation and what had happened. His voice was shaking and cracking but he refused to remove his eyes from her's. All the while, her smile faded farther away and tears crawled to the forefront of her blank eyes.
"I'm sorry, I've loved him for so long now and I-" Naruto could feel himself on the verge of tears looking at the broken woman in front of him. She looked so small; so childlike.
Hinata was crying. Heavy, ugly tears and hiccups from her throat. Her head was bowed and she was caving into herself and clutching her hands together in her lap. She was shaking and biting her lip. Hinata looked just like she did when the two of them were kids. And Naruto only felt guilt.
A smile cracked briefly on her bitten lip as she wiped away the onslaught of tears, "it's okay. I understand the feeling."
She shifted her faded eyes to Naruto's, his hands shaking as well as she looked at him, "you're in love with him. I can't just tell you to stop. I loved you this whole time and you loved him. As long as you can be happy, that's okay with me."
Naruto felt his head droop even farther, "if you loved me, why are you letting me go so easily?"
Why did he feel so hurt she wasn't yelling at him or reacting in some way? She just...accepted it. She says she loved him but did she?
"Naruto, you have a lot to learn about love," she touched his trembling hand gently with hers, "when you love someone, their smile is your smile."
Hinata retreated her hand back to her chest, "if you are happy with Sasuke, I can't deny you that. I may or may not find someone but you can't let me stop you from finding happiness," she smiled, her tears now shimmering streams along her cheeks. The hiccups were back, "I will always love you, Naruto," hiccup, "I just," hiccup, "will have to move on."
Naruto pulled her close to him, smoothing her hair down her neck and breathed in the scent of lilac and wildflowers.
His mind was swallowed in the moment but he could hear his own fear whispering, "what will you do if Sasuke does this to you? Will you wish him happiness and march on with your life or will you cling onto him and refuse to let him go?"
Sasuke himself wasn't doing much better in his situation.
While he particularly didn't care if Sakura hated him or not, he didn't want her to overreact and he sure as hell didn't want to deal with her crying and screaming.
For the first time in a few days, Sasuke dressed himself and headed outside. He needed to find Naruto. He needed to know what was happening with them.
As quickly as he could, he rushed to Naruto's small home, only to find he wasn't there. Disappointment and anger touched his neck but Sasuke shook it off and began to walk back home. There was no need for him to be out, he would just check back later.
Though, a certain pink haired nuisance stopped Sasuke. Sasuke could feel his fingers twitching and his teeth grinding without even noticing.
"Sasuke!" Her voice was pitchy and too loud, it always had been, "where have you been? I haven't seen you in awhile! I didn't even know you were back. Why didn't you tell me?"
Her questions continued and for just a moment, Sasuke remembered the time he had nearly stabbed this girl and now, here she is. His damn fiancé.
Mentally, he slapped himself.
"I just got back, where's Naruto?" Sasuke spoke dully. At least maybe he could get something out of this.
She folded her arms, "he was walking with Hinata last I saw. They were heading toward the park, but Sasuke, seriously, we need to talk about-"
He didn't let her finish. He waved a hand and took off down the paved streets, weaving between pedestrians.
Maybe he could catch him.
By the time he had caught up, Hinata was gone and Naruto was sitting by himself on one of the swings. Something about the scene reminded Sasuke of their childhood and Naruto, by himself with the echo of laughter in his ear and how Sasuke had ignored it, like everyone else. He remembered how he had always felt a connection with the kid. That bond of loneliness that they shared.
Though, Sasuke never did approach him then. Now was different.
Sasuke padded up to Naruto and sat himself beside him.
Naruto didn't look up but Sasuke could see his puffy red eyes and the cracking skin in the corners.
"I hurt her so much, because I was selfish," Naruto began, "because I loved you, I hurt her."
He looked up at Sasuke with a somber smile, "but I'm happy. Isn't that weird? That I'm happy?"
Sasuke didn't speak. He sat silently, letting him cry while he starred at the sand below his feet, occasionally kicking up a cloud of dust. He was really beating himself up.
"I'm going to go," Naruto rose to his feet and started to walk away, "talk to Sakura. Let's just get all of this out of the way."
And he vanished into the shadows of the setting sun.
Two days passed by without word from Sasuke or any sign from Sakura that she had a clue about Naruto and Sasuke meeting up. Naruto has tried to contact Sasuke but he wasn't home or anywhere he thought he would be.
Work carried on like normal and breaks were few and far in between that's to the nagging of everyone else in the office.
During a lunch break, Naruto quickly created a shadow clone to cover his spot while he went on another search for Sasuke. He couldn't find Sasuke, but instead he found Sakura sitting by herself on one of the piers beside the lake. More precisely, the pier Sasuke sat on during his childhood. Her face was downcast and she was fiddling with the ring on her finger. Had he told her?
Naruto made his way down the gently sloping hill to stand behind her, "Sakura?" Naruto's voice was somber and gentle.
She didn't respond right away.
"Do you think he even loves me?" She asked.
Naruto was slightly lost. If he knew Sasuke -and he did- he would have made it very clear that they were done. Why would she be questioning it?
The water ripples and the waves lapped at the shore like a tongue along the sand. The sound was calming and the breeze carried her vibrant hair back and whipped it around her soft face. Just looking at her, anyone would mistake her for a casual citizen, a beautiful woman, not someone with such immense power. Naruto could help but feel apprehensive with what he was going to tell her, yet he also felt guilty, taking this away from Sasuke. He deserved to be the one to speak to his fiancé.
"Do you?" She turned her head, her face stone and her eyes glass, shimmering with the water.
"Sakura," Naruto started. He took in a breath and looked her straight on, "He doesn't," her face sank and went flat. All color drained from her cheeks and her eyes lost a certain life they had before.
"What? What do you mean?" She wasn't crying, she wasn't silent. She was pissed.
"Sasuke and I slept together-"
Naruto carried on telling the story, trying not to stop talking because if he did Sakura would break down in one of two ways and Naruto found himself not being able to decide which he would rather deal with; her anger or her sadness.
By the time he finished speaking, her fists were clenched so white knuckled tight she was bleeding from where her nails were impaling her own palm. She was crying but not sobbing, just streaks of tears falling from her angry face onto her tight fist.
"I'm sorry I-"
"Naruto!" Sasuke's voice rang from on top of the hill behind them. He was standing tall, watching the scene in front of him. Running down he stood before Sakura and Naruto, his brow pressed together, "why did you tell her all that? I was suppose to."
Sakura's eyes were fixated on the water, avoiding his eyes.
Naruto pinched his lips together and cocked his head toward Sakura sitting silently on the pier.
Talk to her. Naruto's blue eyes seemed to read themselves aloud to Sasuke.
Naruto parted from the two with a wave and left the pair alone.
"Listen Sakura-"
"No! You listen to me!" She whipped around and pointed a skinny, blood tipped finger at him, "you are pathetic! I loved you! I made that so clear to you! You gave me pity and agreed to marry me when you knew, you knew, that you never would or could love me back," she stomped forward, one step at a time, "you wouldn't be able to return my feelings and you led me to believe that you would be happy with me. Do you understand how much it hurts to be so in love with this false hope that they just might one day feel the same? Do you?!"
Sasuke slammed his foot down,"shut up!" Sasuke's voice echoed around the two, "yes! Yes I do! Longer than you know I've felt that way toward that blonde little shit and, damnit, I love him! So yes, I understand having feelings for someone who you know you will probably never have but you can't help but feel some kind of hope. So just shut the hell up and quit acting like you know exactly how I feel," Sakura was standing dumbfounded and Sasuke continued to babble on, "this is reality and you are going to have to accept that."
The two stood quiet, the wind louder than their breathing and the waves crashing against the Earth, the droplets of water shattering into pieces.
Sakura's brow was furrowed with anger but she kept her mouth clamped shut. She clenched her fists and stomped toward her fiancé. Removing the diamond ring from her hand, she dropped it in the water and marched on past him.
Sasuke's gaze fell to the water where bubbled surfaced, the ring seemingly trying to breathe. He let out a sigh and stepped away from the pier back toward the direction Naruto had left. The blockades were lifted and it was just the two of them once more.
Naruto was sitting alone at Ichiraku's, tapping at his ramen reluctantly. He couldn't help but wonder what would happen during Sasuke and Sakura's conversation. He kept running through it, all in new ways but he just wasn't seeing it ending well. Sasuke was blunt. Naruto only pictured their friendship with Sakura ending. Not that Sasuke would care. The thought terrified him. He didn't want to go back to being alone.
Naruto's eyes followed the ripples in his ramen broth when Sakura stepped in, her presence coming with a heavy aura.
Naruto's eyes connected with Sakura's and he flashed her a smile. She lowered her face once more and began walking over to him.
"Hey," Sakura sat beside Naruto, her green eyes trained on the counter, "so, I talked to Sasuke."
Naruto didn't feel like he was even breathing. He couldn't determine what she was thinking so he ended up just staring at her, trying to get some kind of information.
"I'm sorry," he said, stirring his ramen with his chopsticks. His face was sour, remorse reflecting in his eyes.
She shook her head, "don't be," Sakura rubbed her empty ring finger sadly, "I get it. You guys have always had some kind of special connection. I knew I couldn't compete with that. Though, I didn't expect it to actually work out like this," She was smiling but there was pain dragging her chin downward, "I'm happy for you two. Well, angry with Sasuke for accepting my proposal in the first place, but not at you Naruto."
Naruto let out a breath; she wasn't angry at him. He smiled and slurped up a few noodles of ramen, "thank god."
The two shared a conversation for a good while, he even offered to buy her some ramen, even if he couldn't afford it, but she rejected it. Though he managed to squeeze a laugh from her. However, Sakura's face was downcast the entire time but at least she was staying. That was one thing he could at least be happy about. She was still here.
The days and weeks blended together. Naruto and Sasuke had found their way back to each other after the whole ordeal of informing their friends and Naruto even saw a smile come from Sasuke once they could actually settle down. The two were happier than they had even been. This was joy, years in the making; from childhood to their now adult lives. Naruto's guilt weighed on him until he was noticing Sakura, Hinata, and Ino becoming closer. He saw Sakura and Hinata laughing and smiling, that's all he was asking for.
Naruto had been standing on the highest ledge and he had jumped. As he plummeted, he found Sasuke but couldn't catch hold. He fell and he fell until finally, their hands connected and they could float to the bottom with ease. Alone, they were two halves of a parachute and together, they could fly.