Chapter 17

Promises

Three days was not enough time. How could three days be enough to decide the fate of your life? People took years to decide of what they wanted to do with their lives. Yes, Sasuke had always been precipitated in his decisions but he never stopped to think that maybe there were other options.

Ever since his parents died and his brother left, he felt that he had always followed the only option there was. He decided to live for revenge against all demons; he had decided to become the best demon slayer; he decided he would never have a family again…

Never once he felt that those decisions were wrong until of course the day he found out the truth. Being with Naruto taught him that he could live to find happiness again; that he didn't have to be the best demon slayer; and that he could have a family. Nothing could stop him from getting that now because he didn't feel that revenge was a motive to live anymore, just like he wasn't afraid to lose the ones he love. After all the love of his life was the mighty Kyuubi, the most powerful demon in the world.

However, a life with Naruto wouldn't make him totally happy.

There was so much more he wanted, now that he knew he could choose without feeling guilty or afraid. There was so much more than just love. There was an incredible feeling of freedom he had never felt before. He could do all the things he had denied himself, like travelling. There was so much to see: unknown places with strange food and clothes, different sights, smells and sounds.

He remembered when he was small and heard for the first time the word 'sea'. Not even his brother had ever seen it, and when he asked his father the only thing he said was that it was like the lake he used to go to play but bigger, much bigger. And the mountains covered in 'snow', white and cold snow. And the frozen lakes there were in those snowy mountains, which layer of ice not even an ox could break. And the stories of caves made entirely of ice, so beautiful that looked like crystal.

How could he be happy with staying forever in a castle with his lover, when he knew there was… so much more he never experienced. Not that his love wasn't stronger. He knew that if he had to choose one, he would with no doubt stay with the demon. But that wasn't the thing at cause.

And there was also the matter of his brother. He still wanted to find him, talk to him, to know that he was safe and to let him know that he was happy…

He sighed deeply.

Guess it's up to Naruto.

Sasuke put aside his thoughts to concentrate on his task: leave false tracks. He had been too careless. Leaving Naruto's castle without camouflaging his spiritual energy level had been simply dumb and reckless. It had been fine when he was at the inside of the Kyuubi's domains since demon's auras, especially the powerful aura of four demons, would make it impossible to search for human's spiritual energy.

It was the basic knowledge. That's why there were teams when it came to hunting. If a slayer hunted demons alone he would be risking his life if another slayer happened to sense the demon but not the other slayer. Demons could sense human and demon auras at the same time, but humans could only detect demon or human aura. And of course different humans and demons have different spiritual energy. Tracking teams would base their search in the unique signature of the demons and the same method was used to find slayers, who had their spiritual energy higher than common humans. However this method didn't work so well with humans, because unlike demons, a human's spiritual energy depended on his life spam and vice-versa. If a slayer used all of his spiritual energy he would die, and once you're dead, you're body ceases to have spiritual energy. It was that simple.

When slayers were injured or nearly dead their spiritual energy would run lower than it should be hence modifying its natural signature. That was why he had to leave. Once he fully recovered the ops would've been able to locate his position, endangering not only Naruto who isn't allowed outside of the mountain but Sakura and Lee.

He could only thank the Gods that things hadn't turned to the worse. In the worst case scenario, Naruto would be sealed again this time forever, Sakura and Lee would've been trialed for deserting, and he would be executed for high treason. There was no way he would let that happen, having Naruto running after him in an attempt to get him to be his mate was only a plus.

After two days and three nights running around like crazy he finally reached the north frontier of the Land of Grass.

And… Naruto wasn't there.

He would leave just like that. Once he crossed over the other side of the river, he would not be seeing the fox demon for a long, long time. He would leave without a single word or kiss…without support or trust. He would simply leave.

The raven haired slayer remained still. His feet were stuck to the ground, a sea of luxurious green grass at the light of day. Even though the sky was open, filled with shinning stars and silver crescent moon, he only looked ahead, where the sound of water running freely came from. He then noticed how tired he was. His limbs were slightly shaking, and his breathing was faltering. Either it was the shock of the fact that Naruto wasn't there to stop him or the weakness and exhaustion he couldn't tell.

Sasuke lay on the grass not bothered by the cold of winter. He would only rest, close his eyes for a small nap, and if he was lucky enough, when he woke up next morning his demon would be right next beside him.

He smiled, knowing it would be better this way. Somehow the thought of traveling through the world became just that… a thought. Naruto should give him his gratitude. He would have a mate after all.

The demon fox sniffed the air urgently. Time was running out and he was still far away from the northern frontier. The Land of Grass was… well the name said it all actually. All of the country was a long carpet of vivid green tall grass. There were some rock formations there and there, but just that. There wasn't a single tree, and flowers would only grow in spring, not even villages (not of humans anyway) were at sight.

Naruto never gave up on anything; even knowing that the sun would rise within half an hour, meaning he would most probably… lose Sasuke forever, he still ran like the wind. It was frustrating because the wind carried the scent of his human, although he couldn't see him.

He looked at the open night sky not slowing down his pace in the least. The stars were already fading out, though his hope would only increase. There was no way he would lose his fated mate, not after what they had been through. Sasuke said that he loved him, and he had as well told him that he loved him. Things could not end like that. They simply couldn't…

The golden fox demon stopped, reaching the small river that marked the frontier. Slowly he walked to the figure that lay on the floor. His human looked small when he was curled on himself. Naruto changed to his human form, feeling that something wasn't right.

It was definitely Sasuke that was sleeping peacefully on the blades of grass. But why was he here on this side of the river? He could have simply had take a couple of steps to the other side and had sleep there, so why? Had he been waiting for him?

Blue eyes scanned the human carefully, checking for any wounds but there were none. His human had let him win… and that made him furious.

"Sasuke! Wake up!"

Said human woke up startled, never expecting that the demon would be mad at him. Confused about it, the demon slayer was about to talk when he was abruptly interrupted.

"Why did you let me win? I know you, you would do anything to prove you're better than me, so why? Even if it was just a test, you would have cross the river to make a point! Why? ANSWER ME!"

"I… what is that supposed to mean? I chose to be with you."

"Yes, but I want to know why!"

"I…it isn't worth it."

"What? What isn't worth it?"

"Not being with you. I want to be with you…"

Naruto was not an idiot. He could tell the sadness in his tone.

"What isn't worth it?"

"Looking for my brother, following my dreams… it isn't worth it, if I can't be with you."

The demon locked his gaze with the onyx orbs of his human. He firmly believe that… that he couldn't have his dreams and him. He was giving up on one of them. And he chose to stay with him. He was sad because of it.

"What is it? Your dream?"

"Travel around the world. I mean, I never left the village. When I was small I dreamt of that, but after my family died I forgot it. But I remembered… because I finally got rid of my hate somehow. It's because I love you. That's why it isn't worth it. I have you, and dreams are meant to be dreams."

"You're saying you want to be with me, even though you'll be sad?"

"I am not sad. I will choose you always because I'm happy with you."

"But… you'll still be sad."

"I know, dobe! However I can live with that sadness. I can't live without you though. I want to be with you, but I want to see the world. You can't because if the elders find out you'll be locked forever in some stone or urn. And… damn it I don't know what to say anymore!"

"You're right, I can't go with you. I lived three hundred years and ten of those I spent exploring this world. Two months is one thing but the elders would notice my absence if I left for more than a year."

"Ten years? As if I could stay away that long."

"I know you could. And I know you would think of me every day, you would love a bit more as the days went by."

Naruto had finally understood what Gaara had said. Humans would always leave, and it was selfish to stop them. If he really loved Sasuke he would let him go. After all ten years were like ten minutes in a demon's time spam.

"Naruto?"

"You should go and look for your brother and see the world while you're at it."

The human looked at him firmly.

"It's a promise. In ten years after you make your dream come true, you'll come back and stay with me forever."

"Naruto. I… really don't know what to say."

"I didn't say it would be that easily, I have three conditions."

Sasuke smirked.

"Do tell, dobe. You can do your worst."

Naruto could only grin at the statement.

Again very sorry for the late update. I hope you like it so far. Next chapter will be about, well... very smuty themes?