Author's note: You guys know i'm not capable of writing anything that isn't dreadfully sad. You've been warned.

Xoxo

Catstclaire

Karin left a ramen platter on the coffee table in his office. Even though Sasuke had reminded her on numerous occasions that he didn't want it there.

He didn't like ramen, but that really wasn't what irritated him about it, if he was honest. Sasuke didn't like having to watch Naruto fawn over it.

It made him feel...

Something- and he hated it.

"You're only torturing yourself." Sasuke told the blonde in a sour tone.

Sasuke hoped one of these days Naruto would take a hint and finally go the hell away.

Naruto glanced at him, but turned back to the food quickly.

"I miss it, you know?" Naruto's voice was syrupy and Sasuke could practically see all of the fond memories Naruto had of inhaling ramen during his life, swimming in his eyes.

"I'll remind Karin not to bring it again."

"I don't mind." Naruto frowned and Sasuke glowered at him.

They were sitting directly across from one another in the Hokage's office. Sasuke's office. Naruto was at the coffee table, and Sasuke behind his desk. There was a small pile of paperwork to the side, and Sasuke shuffled it around looking for the most urgent matters.

Sasuke couldn't understand why Naruto tortured himself like this. He could never have ramen again so why bother even looking at it?

"Loser."

Naruto flipped him off.

Sasuke just selected one of the papers-an escort mission that would surely require a team of Jonin- when Karin knocked at the door.

She wasn't the best assistant, but she was certainly one of the few people he could trust with the tasks he gave her. The leaf village hadn't been rowdy enough for an uprising in a long time. Sasuke wanted to keep it that way. Sasuke always acted with caution.

He deserved their ire. He knew that. It didn't bother him most of the time. Sasuke deserved every bit of the hatred his own villagers directed at him.

Afterall, he was the one who killed their hero- their hope 10 years ago. They should all hate him. The years since his triumph had made the people of the leaf meek and obedient but he knew they had not forgotten, they would never forget. Sasuke was always on his guard. He had to be. Given half a chance anyone of the villagers might try to assassinate him.

Using Karin, and Jugo, and Suigetsu to help him run the village had been an easy decision. They didn't give a damn about Konoha or it's people. They served Sasuke for the money, and some remaining familiarity they owed him from when they served the snake together.

"Come in."

Karin wore the standard issue gear, and her hair was neatly pinned back. Her heels clacked against the tiled floor.

"Lord 6th." She greeted him and Naruto turned to look her up and down with his jaw tense. Naruto never cared for Karin. Sasuke supposed it was fair that Naruto was jealous. Sasuke spent more time with Karin than he ever did with Naruto growing up.

When Sasuke first deserted the village he tried not to think of Naruto or team 7, but he did. Alot. During his time with Orochimaru, Sasuke always knew someday he would cross paths with Naruto again. It felt inevitable back then. He felt that red string of fate drawing him closer and closer to a conclusion he still didn't know what to make of even now.

Karin had her clipboard against her chest defensively, and it was how Sasuke knew she didn't want to be in here. Whatever she was here for was something she knew would put Sasuke in a foul mood. Sasuke coughed awkwardly, and leveled his gaze at her.

"The medics are here early, i know they weren't scheduled until this afternoon but if you see them now-"

"Fine." Sasuke said curtly. Karin knew Sasuke despised meeting with the hospital staff more than any other duty as Hokage. She picked up on it fairly quickly when she first began working for Sasuke. He would like nothing more than for it to be over with quickly.

Naruto got a far away look on his face suddenly and he went to stand at the window to look at the Hokage mountain. He always did that when Sakura showed up. Sasuke asked him why once. Naruto said. 'It hurts- like i'm dying when i see her now.'

Karin went back into the hall, and Sasuke closes all the files still open on his desk. There was a reason he kept Sakura in the hospital. She was to smart. If anyone could destroy him it would be her. All she'd need really was some confidential files, and she would have half the jonin on payroll rowdy enough to start planning a coup.

Sakura floated in with Ino behind her. Her eyes were fixed behind Sasuke's shoulder, but he knew she didn't see Naruto there standing. Sakura never came alone when she had to make her reports. She hadn't trusted Sasuke since...

"Lord 6th." Sakura said dead eyed, and with about as much warmth as an iceberg. She gave a crude little bow. Her hair was shorter than ever now, right above her chin, and she had tattoos from the start of both wrists twining up to her neck. On one arm a fox darted up a trail, and on the other arm a Sakura tree blossomed. Both scenes met in the middle. He knew she always came to report without a jacket on purpose. She wanted Sasuke, more than anyone to see those tattoos. Hell, she probably solely got them for Sasuke.

To force him to think of Naruto.

Then Sasuke chuckled a bit to himself darkly when he realized, it was what Karin had been doing to. Karin was bringing the ramen in on purpose. She wanted Sasuke to see it more than anyone didn't she? To force his thoughts to Naruto. To make him feel remorse, and guilt probably.

Sasuke made a mental note to have someone look into any possible links between Karin and Sakura. For all he knew they had been working together for years. Carrying out their little spites that they knew they could get away with. Tattoos and ramen platters could turn into mutiny before he even knew it, if he left well enough alone.

They'd have to be stopped if they were up to something.

Neither of the women know though that their acts are pointless. His thoughts were always on him- there was no escaping Naruto Uzumaki. Not for Sasuke.

Sasuke deserved all of these slights he knows. He didn't deserve friends or even allies anymore.

Ino rocked back and fourth on her feet. She was nervous.

"Make it quick." Sasuke leaned back in his chair not looking at Sakura either. "Medic."

She gave the numbers for inventory, a baseline of what the hospital made, and what they needed to spend for the next quarter, Sakura was as ever efficient as Sasuke remembered her growing up.

When Sasuke took the title of Hokage 10 years ago he knew exactly where she needed to go to best serve the village. It was just gravy that it also kept her out of his hair. She kept the hospital running smoothly, and almost always met what Sasuke expected her to. Even so he never let her leave his office without a reprimand. She kept her face neutral as he started in, still not looking directly at him.

"Are you even capable of simple addition- should i send you back to the academy for a refresher-" He slapped his hand on his desk, and Sasuke saw Naruto cringe out of the corner of his eye. Sakura turned to look Sasuke square in the face, and he felt her chakra pulse. Her eyes were defiant, and stormy- full to the brim of the disdain she now held for him. Sasuke pushed to stand from his desk, he was not surprised that she didn't back down they were both Kakashi Hatake's students after all. Her leered at her, and let his own chakra pulse out. She didn't back off- at least not until Ino put a steadying hand on her shoulder.

Gently Ino stepped in front of her.

"My lord- i beg your pardon- Sakura has been working overtime lately and i fear her attitude has been effected." Her voice trembled and broke, but she went on. "My sincerest apologies and-"

"Shut up." Sasuke interrupted, already bored with them both. "-and get out."

Sakura was rooted to the spot, and Ino had to tug her harshly to get her to move. The entirety of her walk out of his office her glare made him think of that saying. 'If looks could kill.'

Sakura Haruno hadn't loved or even cared for him in a very long time. In fact Sasuke had no doubt that if he were to die tomorrow she would throw a party, and dance on his grave. That was all fine with him. He never knew what to do with the relationships from his past after everything that happened. It was easier for Sakura to hate him- Sasuke understood hate. He deserved hate.

He stole the Hokage seat that was not rightfully his to have, afterall. Everyone in the village had more than enough reason to hate him. That also didn't bother Sasuke. He had done what he set out to do 10 years ago. He swore he would become Hokage, and change the village and he had. No longer did the leaf use children as soldiers, no longer did the leaf cover up the atrocity that was genocide. Sasuke took the village and molded it into something better. All of it he accomplished in his brother's name.

Many lives were taken to achieve the goal he set, but it was for the better- at least he told himself that every night before he went to bed.

When Sasuke was alone with Naruto once more the blonde huffed. "Do you always have to treat her like that? I mean come on it's Sakura."

Sasuke gave him a derisive little look.

"You are so full of shit." Naruto declared. "I've been with you every second of the last 10 years. I know you still care about her- in some way." He laughed humorlessly "-you didn't kill her, right?"

Sasuke ignored him like he's used to doing. After awhile Naruto would zone out if he just ignored him. The perk of chakra fading. Naruto didn't have strength enough to be wholly present all the time anymore.

"Coward." Naruto muttered. "What could it even hurt to be honest for once in your life? Not like i could even tell anyone."

Sasuke spun his chair in Naruto's direction. "You want the truth?"

Naruto nodded.

"You think because I didn't kill her, that it means I cared for her? Cared for her more than you even?"

Naruto nodded again.

"Then you don't know anything. Here is the truth-" In all the 10 years they had been stuck together Sasuke never once agreed with what Naruto spent all those years insisting to him. That they were friends. Naruto had tried to get him to admit it before, but until now Sasuke wouldn't do it. He didn't understand why he was finally admitting it either- it wasn't like anything would change. "To me, you are still my closest friend Naruto- and it's been more than a decade since i killed you at the valley of the end."

Sasuke hadn't spared Sakura because she meant more to him than Naruto- he spared Sakura because she wasn't in his way at the time.

The ghost of Naruto Uzumaki threw one hand behind his head to support it, just like he did all those times in life. His lip quirked up into a dopey grin. He was pleased to hear Sasuke's admission, he had been hoping for it for a long time.

"Aww Sas- i'm touched. There's no one else i'd stick around to haunt. You know." He shrugged, and went back to staring at the untouched ramen after awhile. His eyes glazed over, and Sasuke wondered just how much chakra was left to support his phantom friend.

10 years and the energy keeping him around had already waned significantly. Naruto wouldn't make it another 10 in this form Sasuke guessed.

Part of him hoped he dissipates quickly so Sasuke can get on with things without his presence around to annoy him.

Then in the dark recesses of himself- the same place where he still mourned for his own brother- Sasuke hoped Naruto lingers for as long as possible.

He didn't realize it at the valley of the end, what it would mean- what it would feel like to live in a world without Naruto. If he had perhaps he would have made a different choice...

No it was to late for regret or guilt. He made his decision and now he had to live with it.

Sasuke was still only just getting a taste of Naruto's death. It made his blood run colder than he ever could have imagined. Food was ashes in his mouth. The sun had dimmed- would it go out completely when Naruto's sprit finally left for good?

Not for the first time in the passed decade Sasuke wondered back on their fight. How would things have panned out, had Sasuke heeded Kakashi's plea? If Sasuke had spared Naruto's life what would their lives have been like?

Sasuke pulled open his desk drawer, and palmed his packet of cigarettes. He pushed open the window behind his desk, and Naruto reanimated and looked up. He followed Sasuke out onto the roof top of the building. They sat side by side overlooking the village. People looked up at them from below- but it was only Sasuke they could see. Sasuke lit up his cigarette and took a drag.

Naruto stretched out his long legs, and reclined on his elbows. His eyes traced the faces of the Hokage on the mountain.

"My dad was the fourth, you know?" He pointed out Minato on the great stone faces.

"I know." Sasuke blew the smoke into the air, his voice came out steelier than he meant it to. "You told me." Many times over the years. The more time passed the more Naruto seemed to forget. Sometimes he forgot he was dead even. Chakra fading out Sasuke assumed, meant Naruto's memories also faded. Like cotton candy dipped in water. They were there one second, then dissolved with only granules of sugar left behind.

Naruto looked put out, and confused. Sasuke was remorseful and regretful sometimes- if he was honest. Some days he even wished someone would assassinate him.

Gently Sasuke said, "-but tell me again, please."

Naruto smiled his eyes were so full of trust, making Sasukes heart ache thinking of him back as a gennin.

Sasuke sure as hell never deserved any of that trust then, and he still didn't now.