Author's note: Can i just say thank you, to all of you who followed from the start, and everyone who joined along the way. This was nearly a 6 month long journey, and i feel like in my own life writing this piece helped me to grieve. I lost my twin daughters just weeks before i began this work, and as Naruto grieved in this story i to grieved. I'm in a really good place in my life right now. As Naruto found his plateau, and accepted what is, i did to. I want you all to know the last scene i wrote was Sasuke's death. It was so painful to write that i could not do it until the very end. The song of choice for our final bit of story is Meet me at our spot- specifically the Christian French version. You can find it on Spotify. I do want to point out that the end bit of the story is where the prequel series is going to kick up from. The prequel will be Naruto relaying the events prior to this story to Inorin. Well kiddos as we draw this story to a close I won't be bidding you all farewell with hugs and kisses, instead-
I'll see you in five ;)
Catstclaire
Chapter. 9 An epilogue
~During~
Naruto knew it would be bad, but he hadn't realized how bad exactly until they were all staring at the tower in person. The tower they needed to infiltrate was smushed between 2 much larger structures. Even from the tree tops their group was nestled in together hidden across from the tower, Naruto could make out the vast number of rogues inside the structures. The windows were all sealed, and the outside of tower heavily guarded. Their original plan of a quiet retrieval of the catalogues had just gone up in smoke.
"Fuck." Lee muttered out next to Naruto, and the branch they were perched on shook slightly enough that some of it's leaves fell away. Naruto glared at him, and scooted over onto Sasuke's branch instead. "There's to many guards, we'll get spotted for sure."
Sasuke rested his arm on Naruto's shoulder, and Naruto could see Sasuke's brain as it went into overdrive. Sasuke nodded at Shikamaru.
"What are you thinking, Sasuke?" Shikamaru asked, and Naruto could tell by the way Shikamaru wrung his hands together he was jonesing for a cig.
"We can't go in as a group. Like Lee said we'd get spotted for sure." Sasuke rubbed his jaw with the hand that wasn't on Naruto. "I'll portal in by myself and-"
"Hell FUCKING no." Naruto breathed out, and pushed Sasuke's arm off him. "I'm not letting you go in alone."
Naruto didn't want to separate from him for even a moment. It never worked out on missions when they split up.
Sasuke sighed. "Now's not the time dead last." He rolled his eyes. "I'm the only one who can get in with security this tight. I'll be fine. We have to put the mission first. Think like the Hokage- not my boyfriend."
Sasuke stood up straight on the branch, and Naruto had to straddle 2 branches to keep his balance between them.
"I'll go with him." Sakura volunteered, and Lee scoffed at the same time Shikamaru grunted out a hell fucking no of his own.
"I'm coming with you." Naruto leveled his gaze at Sasuke who just wagged his eyebrows.
"Fine. Fine." Sasuke grabbed Naruto around the middle tightly, and nudged Hinata's scarf around his neck more snuggly. "Ready?"
"Both your comms on?" Shikamaru asked grabbing Naruto's arm.
"Yes, sir," Sasuke said and gave a mocking salute, Shikamaru dropped his hold and then they were whirling out of the trees, and into the tower.
The air was hazy for a few moments as Naruto got over the dizzy sensations that came with Sasuke's portal ride. The actual tower was empty as far as they could tell from the trees at least.
Sasuke began to walk about the room inspecting it, and the items in it. Lots of weapons, and some foul smelling black liquid in tiny little jars. The room was straight out of some gothic horror.
"Where do you think the catalogues will be?" Naruto asked, and Sasuke swept passed him to the door of the room. He gently inched it open, and they both held their breaths waiting.
When they heard nothing they stepped out into a hallway that was piled to the top of the ceiling with crates and boxes.
"Somewhere not easily accessible." Sasuke whispered, and he tugged Naruto by the hand and obediently Naruto followed as Sasuke drug him along.
The only sound in the hall was the sound of their boots scuffing on the floor as they made progress.
They went passed several doors, and they checked each as they did. The rooms were mostly empty save for trash or broken boards of wood and metal.
Then finally they came to a staircase that spiraled upwards. It looked decades newer than the rest of the tower they'd seen so far.
Naruto exchanged a wary look with Sasuke as they neared it. They both knew that wherever it led, it was likely to be where they would find what they needed.
They climbed the staircase with Sasuke in front and Naruto closely behind holding onto Sasuke's cloak. If anything happened Sasuke could portal them out in a second.
When they came to the top of the stairs there was a large red door, with bars, and several large locks.
Sasuke grinned. "Thought they could keep everyone out didn't they?" He palmed one of the larger locks, and Naruto grinned back slyly.
"Well it's not like they expected the last Uchiha to turn up here did they?" Naruto knew better than anyone in the world. Nothing was off limits to Sasuke. There wasn't anywhere he couldn't go.
"I'll portal in and unlock from the other side."
"Sounds good." Naruto leaned up against the wall, and readjusted his pack while Sasuke went to work on the other side of the door. The sounds of the locks being disengaged wasn't quiet, but Naruto didn't think they'd have any trouble anyways. The tower really was deserted.
Which Naruto briefly thought was strange. Why was the tower empty? If this was where their catalogues were being kept what on Earth were these guys doing leaving it unguarded? Something about it all itched, and Naruto felt a little ill but then Sasuke was swinging the door open, and Naruto went back into Ninja mode.
Thinking later. Work now.
"Holy shit—" Naruto broke off, and his eyes went wide. "This- is-."
"I know." Sasuke laughed a high and thrilled sound. "The academy is about to get a major glow up."
When Sasuke swung open that door Naruto was immediately greeted by piles of money. Gems. Jewelry. The band of rogues wasn't just storing their catalogue here, it was also their treasure trove.
Naruto was stuck in awe until Sasuke bumped his shoulder. "Come on dead last let's get to it."
They started to sort through the piles. The catalogue wasn't just left out on the open like Naruto wished it would have been. If the mission was that easy he'd be home by tomorrow. He blew out a sigh of annoyance.
Sometime passed.
Sasuke swore under his breath. Then before anything else was said he was holding up a great book made of leather. The catalogue.
"Score!" Naruto rejoiced, and raised up one hand for Sasuke to high five. Their hands brushed as they clapped. They exchanged a pleased sort of look, and Sasuke let his hand linger on Naruto's.
Naruto smirked and leaned back onto a table. "Come here." Naruto wagged a single digit at Sasuke bidding him closer into Naruto's arms.
Sasuke sat the book down, and obeyed. Naruto pulled his face into his hands, and kissed him.
Deep, and passionate.
"Marry me." Sasuke pulled back from the kiss and breathed into his mouth. Sasuke trailed his hand up over Hinata's scarf, moving it aside. Naruto sucked in a quick breath.
Marriage- Sasuke-
Naruto's eyes searched Sasuke's. Sasuke would never say something like that in jest or if he didn't mean it. Likely Sasuke had spent countless hours toiling over this decision. Sasuke wanted this badly enough to ask for it. Naruto sighed against Sasuke cause fuck if he didn't want it to. He wanted the entire world to know who was his, and who he in turn belonged to.
"Yes. Sas. Yes."
Sasuke kept himself pressed up against Naruto, but he reached back behind his own neck and unclasped his medallion. Naruto felt his throat constrict.
"I told you i had something better than a scarf, dead last." Sasuke's eyes darkened as he secured his most prized possession around Naruto's neck.
"Your necklace- I can't take it- Itachi gave it to you, it's to important."
Sasuke grabbed his chin between his fingers. "You. Are the most important thing to me in this entire world. The necklace comes second." Sasuke smirked. "Never forget that."
Naruto grabbed him hard by the cloak and pulled him back in for another kiss. "You planned this." He accused.
"I was going to wait until i picked up the cake i had a letter written out and everything, but i can't help myself. I couldn't wait another second." Sasuke looked deep into Naruto's eyes. "I Wanted to add another good memory to October, try and tip the scale in favor of good memories versus all the bad ones-" Sasuke bit his lip. "Maybe by next October, you won't think of this month as a total travesty anymore."
Naruto gave him a quizzical look. "You aren't serious?" Naruto laughed and scoffed at the same time but he also smiled. "That quickly- you want to get married that quickly?"
"The second we step back foot in Konoha, i'm taking you straight to Kakashi's office and making it official. Then taking you home, and making it more official."
"Oh Sas- oh fuck. Baby i-" Naruto pulled him tighter, and rounded his hips against Sasuke's, his need evident enough Sasuke's eyes were transfixed downward staring at Naruto's pants. Then Sasuke was grappling with Naruto's belt, and Naruto pulled his comm off and sat it down on the table. He could ask Shikamaru to torch this tape like he had all the others when inevitably Naruto couldn't resist Sasuke on missions.
Naruto's hand wandered downward but before he could do anything with it their comms went off.
"Sasuke- Naruto-" It was Shikamaru. "The guards know they've got company- fuck-" The comm let out a steady static sound. Naruto scrabbled with his belt, and Sasuke messed with his own communicator trying to adjust it to speak back with Shikamaru.
"Status?" Sasuke said into his comm.
Naruto pulled the catalogue over and tossed it into his bag.
"Status!" Sasuke screamed and adjusted it to Sakura's frequency. Nothing.
Then he tried Lee's, and it to was static.
"What the fuck just happened- static- they don't just go static like that?!" Sasuke glared at the comm in his hand, and Naruto wracked his brain. "If the comms break the signal just won't pick up right?"
Shino. Shino.
"Shino said once-" Sasuke whipped his head up, and put his comm back in his pocket. "he told me the communicators go static if the signal chip in them is destroyed. To destroy the chip it takes a hell of alot of effort. A bomb- or- the fucking things are made out of reinforced shit and practically indestructible-"
Naruto's throat constricted once more for entirely different reasons this time. He cupped his mouth. "All of them went static..."
The implication hung in the air like rotting meat.
They couldn't be though. No. No.
"We'll find them." Sasuke shook him by the shoulders. "Keep it together." Then he grabbed Naruto close, and they were spinning back into the trees from before.
Naruto left his comm behind. It was forgotten on the table.
When they righted themselves on the branches Naruto breathed out a sigh of relief. Their friends were alive, fighting a shit ton of goons, and getting their asses handed to them sure, but alive.
"Don't let that book out of your sight." Sasuke told him as he leapt down from the trees, and made a rush at the guy Lee was fighting.
Naruto jumped down himself, and he spotted the pile of remains that were 3 comms before a thug spotted him. They had been burned from the looks of the comms.
They were still all outnumbered 5 to 1. Naruto wondered where all the other guards had gone off to. Probably to the tower to scavenge what they could. Naruto smirked knowing the most important of the spoils was in his bag. Their mission was complete, it was just a matter of tying up loose ends.
...
It took them a fair amount of time to deal with the guards but eventually they did. Sakura got a busted lip, but Shikamaru gave the guy that gave it to her a broken neck. Lee probably dislocated his arm, and Naruto was watching Sakura try to shove it back in place and pretending not to take satisfaction in the sight.
Lee was such a drama queen.
"Need me to hold him down?" Naruto mocked, and Sasuke rolled his eyes when they exchanged a glance. Lee flinched when Sakura got it in place, and Naruto did to when he heard the bone scrape together.
Gross.
Sasuke was helping secure the guards that hadn't run off, and hadn't sustained things like broken necks in the melee that just took place. There were only 3 of them. Shikamaru was keeping them bound with his shadows, while Sasuke did the rope work.
Sakura patted Lee, and held her hand out to start a healing jutsu on it.
"I'm gonna head back into the tower, i didn't see anyone try to go in so it should be fine on my own." Sasuke said as they secured the last guy. "There was more we should take back to Konoha up there."
"Don't bother." Lee tried. "Can't be that important." His voice only slightly warbled in pain as Sakura readjusted her flow of chakra.
"Academy would beg to differ." Sasuke said smirking.
Lee gave Naruto a puzzled look, and he shrugged but answered.
"Treasure in the tower."
"Go get that shit." Shikamaru commanded. "Kakashi's gonna rip my ass a new one, when he sees we have 4 Communicators to replace."
"Going." Then Sasuke spun back into the tower.
Naruto helped ready the 3 prisoners for transport back to Konoha. They'd have to drug them. It would make the journey easier. Lee was holding them down by their arms, and Naruto at their feet as Sakura plunged a needle of sleepy times into their necks. Shikamaru was jotting notes down into a book, and chain-smoking like a mother fucker.
Naruto realized then he patted down his belt. He left his comm on the table in the tower...
"Hey i'm gonna go back in. I Left my comm on the table in the tower. I can help Sasuke finish up so we can get out of this place before dark."
"Cool." Shikamaru didn't even stop his writing. "One less lost asset to report i guess."
Naruto darted up the length of one of the structures since he no longer had to worry about any guards. He followed hallways and up stairs until he found his way back into the tower.
"I was looking for you, you know." Sasuke said when Naruto breezed back into the room they had found the book in only hours ago. "I was watching you work down there for a little while. When i took a break."
Naruto smiled.
"Creep."
Sasuke laughed.
"All finished then?" Sasuke asked as Naruto came closer.
"Yeah i came to help you out, then we can go."
"Don't need it." Naruto looked around it was true. Sasuke had filled a bag to the brim with what was probably the most expensive stuff in the room. "You can head back down with what you can carry, i'll be done in just a second there's one more box I haven't hit yet."
Sasuke motioned to a black lock box. It was encrusted in jewels and Naruto imagined whatever was inside must be as equally dazzling.
Naruto turned to head back down, but Sasuke grabbed his hand. He intwined them briefly, and kissed Naruto chastely.
"I love you."
Sasuke Uchiha. He was so cute it was sappy.
"Maybe i should have made you sweat about the whole proposal thing- i said yes to fast didn't i?" Naruto joked and toyed with the medallion at his throat. "Gotta say though this is nice. A guy could stand to be told that more often."
They kissed again. And again. "Cannot wait to marry you dead last."
"Same, Sas."
Naruto completely forgot about recovering his comm on the table. Then Sasuke pulled back grinning.
"I'll see you in five." Sasuke said for the last time, only Naruto didn't know it was the last time.
Naruto left the tower grinning like an idiot with the bag Sasuke filled of treasure crushed close to his chest. He was so happy. So in love.
When Naruto met back up with the others he set the bag down, and realized one of the guys they had drugged was still wriggling around.
The guy had a line of drool going down his cheek, and he smiled up at Naruto with an insane glint in his eye. Lee noticed to, and asked Sakura for another dose to give to the guy. The guy just kept staring at Naruto and the bag of treasure they looted from him.
"What, fucker?" Lee nudged the guys head with the toe of his boot so he could sink the needle in easily.
The guy hooted out with a torrent of wild laughter. "Robbed us didn't you?" The guy seemed glad about it somehow. Naruto watched on absently, he just wanted to get on the fucking road already. "You'll regret that any minute i think." -and his eyes roved over the bag of treasure like he was looking for something in particular.
Frowning at the guy Sakura looked over at him at the same time a shiver of unease crept up Naruto's spine. "What the hell does that mean?" Sakura's voice was breathy, and shallow. Naruto exchanged a quick look of panic and dread with her. They both felt something was off in that moment. Time was slowing down to a crawl-
"I expected we might get raided someday." The freak was grinning widely now, and more drool dribbled out. His teeth were yellow, and pointy. "Planned for it even. Why is it you think we put all our treasure in the same room- all of our records to?"
"No-" Naruto began, stepping closer.
"In case we ever got busted i set up a little gift. A reward for whoever ruined us. Payback you could call it." A trap. The guy set up a trap, Naruto's dread and panic was blowing sky high as he scrambled to align his thoughts enough to jump into action. "There's a box up in the tower, and when it's opened- BANG!" He laughed cold and loud.
None of the thugs had made a run to get the treasure in the tower while the fighting was happening. No. They knew. They ran as far away as they possibly could.
Naruto's breath turned to ice in his lungs. "Sas-" The black box of jewel's flashed in his mind and- fuck! His hand darted out to snag the comm on his hip out of instinct- but it wasn't there. It was still in the tower with Sasuke. "I left my communicator in the tower!" Naruto screamed at Shikamaru who had a cigarette hanging between his fingers as the ash fell to the ground, and Lee's mouth hung open.
There were no other comms. There was no way to warn Sasuke, and any second he was about to open that box and get blown to hell.
Sakura moved first, she made a mad dash to try to get to the tower, but Shikamaru was to fast for her. He had her pinned an instant later as she clawed at his face and throat, screaming at him to let her go.
Naruto moved, and the next few seconds were so dizzyingly crystal clear that they could be glass. There was a crisp gust of wind, and the clouds drifted in whirly puffs of gray and white. The wind ruffled his hair as he dashed forward with both arms outstretched in front of him- Sasuke's name on his lips, and a fierce determination to get to him. Rocks crunched under his shoes, and he heard Lee shouting his name close behind. He covered some distance, but Lee caught up when Naruto tripped on a stupid fogging log. He shoved Naruto hard from behind, and Naruto's face bounced off the ground. Gravel ate into his cheeks, and he howled out in pain. Lee scrambled on top of him, wrenching his arms behind him, as Naruto fought to buck him off with everything he had.
"Fuck you! Fuck you Lee!" Naruto bit his hand when it got close in range to his mouth. "I FUCKING HATE YOU!!!" Naruto screamed like a dying feral animal.
A songbird called out, and momentarily Naruto calmed his voice, hoping he could convince Lee to let him go.
"He'll die, if you don't let me go." Naruto felt the blood on the side of his face from the rocks as the warmth shifted when he lifted his head from the ground. "Please i can't let him die- i have to get to him."
"It's to late, Naruto. I'm sorry." Lee's voice was gentle, and stern. "I'm sorry i can't let you die with him." He shook his head, and tightened his grip onto Naruto.
Naruto would never forgive him for this. He only briefly swore that to himself before-
The blast.
It shook the Earth when it went off.
Naruto's fingernails snagged and broke as he clawed at the ground and Lee. He was still desperate to go forward. Even though he knew what that blast had meant. Naruto fought Lee for every inch forward- to Sasuke. Lee's hands were constant and clutched him hard enough to bruise or break bones, and Naruto only stilled when he looked up to see the billowing inferno where the tower once stood before them.
Then Naruto screamed.
And screamed.
And screamed.
Nothing that could be considered recognizable from any language.
The air filled with smoke faster than Naruto thought could even be possible, but it found his throat and choked him until he could do little more than blow a puff of air out when he meant to scream. His face was wet. Mixed with tears and blood, and it was all smeared on himself as well as Lee.
Lee didn't let him go after he stopped trying to break free. Instead Lee, Naruto quite felt was holding onto him for other reasons in that moment. He heard sniffles from behind his head, and he knew if he looked he'd probably see Lee crying to.
Somewhere in the distance, Naruto heard Sakura's wails, and shrieks. It made him hurt even more.
His own pain was threatening to tear him in 2, and hearing Sakura like that just made him want to die right then.
Why hadn't he just died with him? Why had Naruto left! He should have been in the tower with him! They should have stayed together! These thoughts allowed him to muster up another torrent of screaming sobs somehow.
"I'm fuck- i'm sorry man-" Lee spoke into the back of his head. He jostled around from on top of Naruto, and Naruto knew he was looking for something in his vest pockets.
Then Naruto felt a sharp prick to his neck when Lee injected him with the needle meant for the guy that blew Sasuke up.
A warm sensation shot into his veins, and then starbursts appearred in his vision as everything faded to black.
...
"He lied." Naruto murmured into Sakura's lap.
After Lee drugged him the first time, they kept him that way until they go back to Konoha. Naruto hadn't had to report and he was glad. He didn't want to see Kakashi or anyone for that matter. He just wanted to lie in their bed at their apartment and scream.
"What?" Sakura asked.
"Sasuke lied. He told me i'll see you in five. That was our thing we always said and- he lied this time though. I didn't see him in five, and i'll never see him again."
"Oh, Naruto." Her voice cracked, and he felt her insides adjust as his words cut into her as deep as any sword could have. She loved him to, and Naruto held her tighter. Sakura's hands petted into his hair slowly as she tried to soothe him.
She kept at it, as his eyes get heavier.
"Did they- could i have the footage from my comm? It was on the table in the tower, and i think i should see it, i-" He mumbled it all into her lap. He had to. He needed to see Sasuke's last moments no matter what.
Sakura bit her lip, and he could see her at war with herself as she fought to speak without bursting into tears. "No." She frowned. "Nothing could be recovered. They couldn't recover your communicator or Sasuke's. They were entirely destroyed."
Naruto felt fat tears begin to slide down his cheeks.
"I'm sorry." Sakura breathed. "It was fast. He didn't feel anything when he died. So fast he didn't have time to feel any of it. He didn't feel any pain."
If anyone knew it would be Sakura right? All those years in her training. If anyone could speak on the final moments in someone's life it was her Naruto trusted to know.
"I'm so tired but I can't sleep." Everything felt impossible to do. Eating. Sleeping. Everything hurt to do because Sasuke would never do it himself again. Survivor's guilt Sakura kept calling it.
Sakura pulled something from the jacket pocket of her coat that was laid on the bottom of the bed. She pushed it into his hands, and she got up from the bed.
"I'll get you a glass of water."
He heard her as she moved about in the kitchen.
She had cleaned up the place a bit earlier in the day. Did dishes, and such. She tried to throw out Sasuke's hair gel and the way Naruto looked at her must have been what stopped her. She set it back in it's place. She didn't touch the kunai either. She cleaned Sasuke's favorite bowl, and Naruto replayed those last few moments of them together in the apartment before they had been called in for the mission. It stung.
Sakura came back and handed him the glass of water. He uncapped the bottle of sleeping pills she had put in his hands.
"3 should do it." She told him.
He swallowed. He caught sight of himself in the mirror. He looked frail. Disturbed. Lost. An anger, and fury hit him. He threw the bottle into the mirror, and it smashed. Sakura only weakly gasped, then she was scooting closer to him on the bed. He let her hold him as he fell asleep.
He was so angry, but he couldn't fight the pills. He let fury and wrath drive him as he was pulled under.
Fuck Lee.
It was his fault.
He let Sasuke die. He stopped Naruto from getting to him. How dare he. How dare he say it was to late, there was still time!
FUCK LEE.
Naruto repeated on a loop in his head. Over and over.
-because he had to place blame somewhere or the grief would drown him.
Eventually Naruto was out again, and Sakura stayed until Naruto awoke again.
He asked her to leave for awhile.
He needed to be alone.
.
.
.
~After~
25 years later...
Naruto became the longest reigning Hokage. Konoha had never been more peaceful nor prosperous under another kage. He didn't change the village alone, of course. Sakura. Shikamaru. Lee, and even Hinata became his pillars of the village.
Sakura of course still ran the hospital, there was talk that she surpassed even the 5th Hokage with her medical prowess- Naruto never commented when asked for respect of Tsunade, but he thought it to. He was glad Sakura had grown to be a master, but he would be lying if he said he didn't wish it had happened sooner. If she had been this gifted years ago then maybe things could have shaken out differently...
Naruto still had regrets. Everyone did. It was natural to contemplate what might have been.
Shikamaru was his right hand as the Hokage. It was the role Naruto wished would have been Sasuke's, but Shikamaru did the job exceedingly well so what more could Naruto really ask for?
Lee, after they made their peace began working even closer with the academy kids. Naruto gave a helpful nudge after his return and now Lee even ran the place. The academy got that glow up eventually, thanks to Sasuke. Kakashi made sure every bit of that treasured they recovered back then went to the academy like Sasuke had wanted.
Naruto had his friends everywhere he needed them inside the village. He also had Hinata out of the village right where he needed her. Her husband died a few years after Sasuke did, and by that point Naruto had been made Hokage. He invited his old friend back to the village and offered her work. Hinata traveled the country, and kept her ears and eyes open to any threats to Konoha. She made regular reports, and came home between breaks.
His pillars were all in place. Life was good. Naruto found peace after Sasuke- somehow.
There were days when the old scarred up wound of losing Sasuke broke back open. It left Naruto gasping, and pained for days after when it did.
That was life though. We move on and forward, but still we carry everything we've ever loved with us as we do.
Sasuke was still the pillar by which Naruto measured himself. Even in death.
Naruto refused go to his grave without having accomplished what he swore to do. And so with his reign the village was born anew in the image of Itachi Uchiha's dream.
Sasuke would have been proud- that's what Kakashi said at least.
The passage of time was a funny thing. It felt like it was just yesterday when Naruto last laid eyes on Sasuke, but it also felt like an entire life ago.
Naruto visited Sasuke's grave often. Sometimes he would talk to him about the council, or some new dilemma the office faced, Naruto kept him up to date on all of their friends of course.
When the weather was especially nice though, Naruto liked to walk down to the cemetery on his day off, and spend his whole day with Sasuke. From sunrise to sundown. Naruto would pack the both of them a lunch, Naruto would eat both portions by the days end. -and Naruto would talk for hours on end- he even began to read to Sasuke after a time.
Some stories he thought Sasuke might have liked. Even some of Jiraiya's novels because he thought those might make Sasuke laugh. There was even a book of poems Naruto found in a thrift when he was doing some traveling to a summit. Imagine his surprise to find that damn poem in it.
Naruto had hated it. At one time. Because back then when he was so terribly young at all those funerals- for Choji, Ino, Kiba, Shino, Tenten, and Neji- all Naruto could feel was the crushing pain of grief, he had absolutely no appreciation for what was. All he focused on was the bad in that moment. It was hard to appreciate all of the wonderfully glorious moments Naruto shared with them all when he was staring down the barrel of a world without them all. As he grew up, and aged- as he lost more and changed though- after Sasuke died- Naruto could finally apprecite that poem.
He fully understood why it got so much foot traffic at funerals.
That poem spoke of so much beauty from the past, and it managed to capture the beauty of infiniteness. Even when someone died- they were never really gone- because they were.
They were here once. They lived, and loved and walked across the stone paths in Konoha, and Naruto could feel them from wherever they all were as he read that poem to Sasuke's grave.
Their presence was like a gentle floating feather on the breeze. Barely enough pressure, but just enough you could feel it.
'Do not stand
By my grave, and weep.
I am not there,
I do not sleep—'
Naruto smiled at Sasuke's grave marker. Kakashi had done so much Naruto could never pay him back. It was Kakashi who picked this poem for Sasuke, it was Kakashi who had the forethought to melt the kunai down for the headstone- Kakashi was the one who had it inscribed.
Naruto could probably look all around the world and never come across a better sensei.
The grave marker read:
"Sasuke Uchiha died age 24, in the line of duty protecting his village and his beloved brothers dream. In his youth he was a member of the legendary group of genin known as the Konoha 12. He is remembered as a devoted and cherished comrade by the 7th Hokage Naruto Uzumaki, had Sasuke lived they were to be married. May his soul be guided into the great beyond by familiar faces, and may he find eternal rest."
Naruto ran his hands over Sasuke's medallion. He never took it off. Sasuke put it around his neck, and Naruto had never let go of him for that. He raised the medal to his lips and kissed it.
Naruto had liver spots, and his hair was graying in places now, somedays he thought Sasuke would probably barely recognize him now.
The passage of time was cruel.
For Naruto had changed so irreversibly, and yet in his mind Sasuke was perfectly still and frozen at 24.
They were supposed to grow old together.
Naruto might have cried if one of the village kids hadn't walked up to greet him.
"Lord 7th." The boy had pale blue eyes, and a mop of silky blonde hair.
Naruto smiled at the similarities on his face. He was another descendant from Ino, and Innan's family. Naruto knew at some point just how this boy fit into the Yamanaka clan but he hadn't needed to remember much in the last handful of years.
"Inorin, isn't it?" Naruto asked and waved the boy closer.
Naruto had discontinued the Yamanaka clan from any of it's members serving indefinitely. It was like a jinx or curse Sakura called it. Every time a new heir was named they ended up dead, and Naruto had had enough of that for a lifetime.
After he disbarred the Yamanaka village casualties were incredibly rare, they might get 1 or 2 a year. Those were stats Naruto could live with.
"Yes." The boy smiled brightly showing his teeth.
"Would you like to join me?" Naruto asked and nodded at his picnic basket- "i have more than enough to share."
The boy nodded eagerly. "Yes very much, sir."
Naruto wondered so he had to ask. "Were you the heir?" The next in line when Naruto disbarred them.
"Yes." The boy hung his head a bit, as Naruto handed him half a sandwich, and a cup of apple cider.
"I'll bet you're mad at me then aren't you?" Naruto nodded to himself.
Naruto had taken that title from the boy, and he had never asked how the kid felt before doing it.
"No. I'm not-" the boy rushed to get out. Naruto watched as he rubbed his sweaty palms on his pants. "I was- a bit, but i understand why you did what you did." Inorin bit his lip. "Sometimes i'm still mad. I'd probably have died already if you kept allowing the Yamanaka to join the service though." Then he shrugged finally.
"Who knows..." Naruto's voice drifted on the wind. "Some things are set in stone-," He looked at Sasuke's grave marker. "and some things are still waiting to be determined. I might have taken a great honor from you Inorin. I hope you'll forgive me completely someday."
"You wanna tell me about him?" Inorin's eyes set on Sasuke's stone.
There. There was exactly what Naruto was talking about. Not everything was set in stone, life was so fluid it was practically sand. Here was Inorin who was only born after Innan had long died, and yet it was like fate was reaching out to Naruto.
Inorin looked to Naruto and Naruto saw Innan kicking his legs back and fourth on that tree limb the night Naruto told him about the Konoha 12. Inorin smiled at him, and Naruto saw Ino again as she brushed the long rope of hair on her head that fell far passed her hips. When the wind picked up Naruto could have sworn he could make out her velvety voice. 'Look who grew up, and all on his own to.' He felt the wind blow on his cheek, like a kiss.
Death happened and the world went on. It was a cycle. Death. Rebirth. Death. Rebirth. And somewhere in between there was sometimes overlap.
"You don't wanna hear about him it's not pretty it's to-" Naruto paused to remember the words he said to Innan all that time ago. "tragic how it all ended."
"Sometimes the most beautiful things in the world are tragic." Inorin repeated Innan's same words to him, and Naruto felt another cycle as it began for the next generation.
Stories were how the beloved were remembered.
Naruto palmed the medallion around his neck again.
Naruto leaned back onto his elbows and got comfortable.
"Years ago- way before Sasuke ever even gave me this necklace- the village made us both part of the Konoha 12..."
.
.
.
The end