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Sasuke had returned to the village.
Naruto tried not to expect much the moment he felt the familiar pulse of his chakra, but he was here, actually here.
He fought to keep his focus on the pile of books and scrolls scattered around him in the village library. The quiet hum of his work was interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching, halting beside him.
Kakashi appeared, his gaze briefly scanning the mess before settling on Naruto. “You should head home.”
Naruto blinked, caught off guard. “Huh? But I haven’t even finished half of today’s lectures.”
Kakashi sighed, a knowing smile on his face. “You usually never do. Go home. He’s here.”
Naruto’s eyes widened in surprise. “Kakashi- sensei, I—”
“Go, Naruto. I know you want to see him,” Kakashi cut him off, his tone firm but understanding.
Naruto’s shoulders slumped in a rare show of weariness mixed with relief. “Alright, alright. Thanks, sensei. I promise I’ll catch up on this soon.”
Kakashi gave a casual wave, his eye crinkling in amusement. “Just don’t make a habit of this.”
“Sasuke, you’re here.” Naruto’s voice trembled slightly as he saw Sasuke standing at his apartment door, a figure that was constantly blurry and running, suddenly materializing in the dim hallway.
Naruto had tracked him down with little effort, his chakra leading him unerringly. Yet, the sight of Sasuke actually standing here, on his doorstep, seemed almost surreal, as if reality was bending in on itself.
Sasuke’s gaze was unexpectedly tender, a stark contrast to the usual intensity. “Mhm. I didn’t know where else to go.”
Naruto’s heart ached with empathy. He offered a small, reassuring smile, though it barely masked the turmoil within him. Growing up, and perhaps even now, he often questioned if this apartment and this village truly felt like home. Too many times, he’d felt like an outsider, even within his own life.
“It’s okay! You’re here, and that’s what matters.” Naruto’s smile was strained, revealing the cracks in his own resolve. “Come on in! It’s a bit of a mess, sorry about that.”
They entered Naruto’s cluttered apartment, shedding their shoes and cloaks. Sasuke’s eyes wandered over the disheveled space, and he spoke with an edge of bitterness.
“Huh, did the elders not even bother giving their future Hokage and war hero a proper house?” His voice held a hint of mockery.
Naruto chuckled ruefully. “Sadly, yeah. They said they’d sort something out once I get married.” He shrugged, trying to mask his own disillusionment.
Sasuke’s expression stiffened, and a heavy pause fell between them.
“Are you?” Sasuke’s voice was almost a whisper, betraying a flicker of vulnerability.
Naruto tilted his head in confusion. “Am I what?”
“Getting married?” Sasuke clarifies.
Nauruto blinks, “Oh. Well, no. People are trying to… y’know… but what about you? Sakura needs an answer–”
“No. I don’t think so. I–I’ll talk to her someday. I don’t think she deserves someone like me.”
Naruto’s heart ached at Sasuke’s words. “Someone like you? What do you mean?” he asked, his brow furrowing in confusion as a deep frown settled on his face. The weight of Sasuke’s self-loathing was palpable, pressing heavily on Naruto.
Sasuke’s eyes hardened. “Do I really have to say it? I’m a war criminal–”
“No. No, you’re not, Sasuke. Don’t talk about yourself like that.” Naruto’s frown deepened, the weight of their history pressing down on him. He recalled the days when Sasuke walked away from the village, seeking power through the darkness, and the long struggle to bring him back.
Sasuke scoffs, “What? Can’t accept that I’m a bad person, Naruto? That the person you saved–”
“Stop it!” Naruto’s voice cracked, the frustration and sorrow mingling. “You know that’s not the reason, Sasuke. I’ve already told you, back then at the valley. And I didn’t save you, you don’t need saving.”
The silence that followed was heavy with unspoken memories—of the pain they’d both endured, the battles fought side by side, and the healing that had followed.
Naruto recalled that day when they had nearly fought each other to the death, both losing an arm, blood staining the cold rocks. The physical pain was intense, but it was nothing compared to the sight of Sasuke shedding a tear.
He remembered saying that whenever Sasuke felt pain, he felt it too. Sasuke had said something similar—when he saw Naruto suffer, he felt it as well.
Perhaps their destinies were entwined in a tragedy forged from pain, violence, and a profound camaraderie.
And maybe that’s why they’re unable to think of… marriage, a union between two lovers, a sacred dance between kindred souls. It was something they never thought of — never thought to deserve; a dream that eluded their grasp, a vision they never dared to claim as their own.
“Will you be staying the night?” Naruto asked softly, trying to shift the focus to something more immediate, offering a semblance of normalcy.
He watched as the tension in Sasuke’s shoulders eased slightly, the shadows of his past momentarily lifting. “Yeah. If that’s okay.” The man replies.
Naruto nodded, a flicker of relief crossing his face. “I’ll grab my futon. Is that alright with you?”
Sasuke nodded, the quiet acceptance in his eyes reflecting a fragile truce between them.
Naruto walks into his bedroom and sets his futon on the floor, providing a small comfort in the midst of their turbulent emotions. Sasuke watched from the kitchen quietly, his expression a mask of weary resignation.
Once Naruto finished, he turned to Sasuke, trying to offer a small smile. “Oh, Sorry, did you want me to lay it out there? I don’t really have an extra room so…”
Sasuke shook his head, the edges of his mouth twitching in a semblance of a smile. “No, it’s fine. That’s… fine.” He enters the room, filled with trinkets and plants.
Naruto nodded, sitting on his bed and watching as Sasuke sat on the futon he had prepared, his gaze distant. They sat in the quiet, the weight of their shared history hanging heavily between them, the air thick with unspoken regrets and enduring affection.
Naruto broke the silence once more. “Do you remember the night after the fight at the valley? When we were both so exhausted we could barely move?”
Sasuke’s eyes softened slightly, a distant look of recollection crossing his face. “I remember.”
“We were so broken then,” Naruto continued, his voice barely a whisper. “But even in that darkness, there was this strange… feeling. It felt like hope.”
Sasuke’s gaze dropped to the floor. “I thought that hope was just a fleeting illusion. That the weight of everything we’d done would crush us.”
“And yet,” Naruto said softly, “we’re still here. Maybe it’s not the hope that saves us, but the fact that we keep fighting for it.”
Sasuke turns to Naruto, his eyes reflecting a profound sadness. “And what if fighting for it only brings more pain?”
Naruto’s voice was filled with a gentle resolve. “Maybe the pain is part of it. Maybe it’s a reminder that we’re alive, that we care.”
Naruto gazes at the man’s eyes, and he sees something… within it — hope and regret.
They fell silent again, the room enveloped in a cocoon of muted emotions. The weight of their past lay heavy upon them, yet there was an unspoken acknowledgment of their bond, an acceptance of their shared struggle.
As the night deepened, the shadows grew longer, wrapping the two of them in a quiet, sorrowful embrace. Despite the darkness that surrounded them, there was a fragile, tentative peace in their presence. They were two souls bound by a history of pain and healing, finding solace in each other’s company amidst the scars of their past.
Eventually, sleep began to creep in, bringing with it a delicate calm. Naruto’s breathing evened out, his mind still heavy with the day’s revelations. Sasuke, too, seemed to relax, his gaze growing softer as he let the quiet of the night envelop him.
“Night, Sasuke,” Naruto says, knowing the man must be exhausted, and would likely appreciate some silence.
“Mhm,” Sasuke replies, settling in his futon.
Naruto lay on his bed, the stillness of the night deepening around him. The rhythmic rise and fall of Sasuke’s breathing filled the room, a constant reminder of the man who lay only a few feet away, lost in sleep.
Naruto gazes back over the expanse of his past—the endless battles, the grueling struggles—all in pursuit of Sasuke. Now, here he rests, within reach. Yet, Naruto feels adrift, and uncertain, a sense of emptiness gnawing at him.
Despite having achieved so much—training to become Hokage, having his best friend resting on a futon in his room—Naruto finds himself questioning why he feels so hollow.
As his thoughts meander through this disquiet, a profound realization begins to crystallize: buried deep beneath layers of denial and distraction is a truth he can no longer ignore.
The quiet revelation strikes him with an almost unbearable clarity: his feelings for Sasuke have always surpassed the bounds of mere friendship, delving into a realm of affection he had never fully acknowledged.
A deep ache settles in Naruto’s heart as he comprehends this newfound understanding. Every shared moment—the battles, the separations, the silent nights—has carried a deeper, unspoken significance for him.
The battles at the Valley, their time apart, and the lonely nights had never been just about duty or rivalry.
They were driven by a deep, unspoken yearning — one Naruto had been too afraid to face. At first, he believed their bond was merely the mark of soulmates, counterparts — yin and yang, sun and moon, two halves of a whole — destined to stand side by side from the very beginning. But now, he’s certain that it’s not just because of that.
He knows he loves Sasuke, consciously and unconsciously, even without fate and divine intervention. This love isn’t simply a prophecy spun by the gods or their ancestors; it’s a choice, a shared language that only they spoke of, a language that speaks to the heart of their connection.
It wasn’t just their souls or the universe that bind them — not the so-called string of fate, no — but Naruto’s own willing heart.
He remembers the countless nights spent awake, consumed by worry for Sasuke, the relentless drive to bring him back. It wasn’t merely about saving a friend or restoring a bond ; it was a feeling that had always been there, lurking beneath the surface.
He remembers the puzzled looks and whispered doubts from his friends, who questioned his sanity for going to such lengths. They had told him he was crazy, that he was risking everything for someone who might never come back. But their words had only fueled his resolve, even as he struggled to understand the true nature of his own devotion.
And now, he realizes that the fleeting glimmer of hope he felt during their fight wasn’t hope at all—it was love. He had loved Sasuke all along.
It was simple, yet complicated.
Is this love even permissible? Jiraiya had once mentioned that love could take many forms, but Naruto had never seen it. In their world, where traditional roles and rigid expectations defined relationships, the idea of loving another man was not just unfamiliar—it was unthinkable.
He had never seen such a relationship in his village, and he had never heard of one being accepted. The very thought of it felt like a betrayal to everything he had been taught, everything he had grown up believing. He couldn’t help but wonder, what would it mean for him if he were to act on these feelings? What would it mean for Sasuke, who had his own path and burdens?
A pang of fear grips him. What if Sasuke despises him? What if he finds him disgusting? After all, Sasuke had spoken of rebuilding his clan — perhaps he already has someone, a woman, who could give him the family he was deprived of, a family he deserves.
Naruto sits up, overwhelmed by the weight of his emotions. His chest tightens, his mind spins, and he tastes bile at the back of his throat. No, I can’t lose him.
His gaze falls on the figure sleeping on the floor. The dim light reveals Sasuke’s exhaustion and vulnerability, a rare glimpse beneath his usual stoic facade. Despite the weariness, Sasuke looks at peace—a peace Naruto had longed for and fought to restore. This moment, this peace is something Naruto treasures deeply.
He kneels beside Sasuke, the revelation hitting him with icy clarity. He tenses.
I’m in love with Sasuke.
Naruto had never been particularly religious, having lost his faith early on, believing that the gods had abandoned him, much like the people of his village. But now, as he grapples with this new truth, he wonders if anything can ever be the same again.
But like a penitent soul at the altar, he kneels. He bows his head, weighed down by a heavy burden — shame? fear? The distinction blurs. He thinks of his parents, of their wish for him to find a wife to start a family with, and he shudders.
His mind is racing, and he buries his head in his hands, desperate for relief, but it eludes him. The nausea rises, threatening to overwhelm him.
Like a sinner, he asks for forgiveness, Mother, father, forgive me for I have sinned. I haven’t found a wife to spend my life with, and perhaps I never will.
He recalls the dirty and accusing fingers pointed at him as a kid, accompanied by dagger-sharp words that pierced through him. But before his mind spirals further, he thinks of Sasuke, his beacon of salvation.
He thinks of his eyes that he’d often get lost in, gentle yet penetrating, serene yet intense. He envisions Sasuke’s pale skin, marred by scars like sacred inscriptions etched on a marble statue — a statue for him to kneel at, to worship.
Naruto’s thoughts drift to his beloved parents once more, whose lives were claimed by a love so profound it became their sacrifice. Their deaths, born out of love and in the name of love, were a testament to their unyielding bond. In the quiet of his mind, he hears their voices, gentle and forgiving, never casting judgment upon him. They would never see him as flawed or tainted; they would never harbor hatred or disappointment.
He looks at Sasuke, and closes his eyes, like a devotee praying to his god, and thinks, Mother, Father, I kneel before the person I have always yearned to be with. My deepest wish was to be near him; in the end, my childish curiosity was love. I’ll take back my apology and I won’t ask for divine forgiveness; to love him is a sin I would commit again. If the gods choose to punish me for filling my life with Sasuke, then so be it.
With trembling hands, Naruto brings his hands to Sasuke’s, he’s no longer praying — he’s longing . “Sasuke, I love you.” A whisper, a prayer no longer unspoken. “ I love you more than anything,” Naruto wasn’t religious, but at this moment, he understood what worship was.
He no longer feels the weight of shame and revulsion — he no longer tastes bile. For the name on his tongue tasted sweet, tempting, sinful; or maybe like milk and honey; forbidden nectar.
Naruto has found a sacred truth in his love for Sasuke, and in his presence he finds religion. And he converts, he shall build a chapel of Sasuke in his heart; a place where he is cherished and revered above all else.
Naruto slowly wakes, the morning light filtering through the thin curtains. He rises from his bed, and a pang of relief and heartache hits him as he sees Sasuke sitting on his futon, fixing his scrolls and weapons.
“Sasuke, you’re still here,” Naruto says softly, his voice tinged with a mix of surprise and lingering anxiety.
“I am,” Sasuke replies quietly, his tone carrying the weight of unspoken words.
A thick silence stretches between them, filled with the echoes of past arguments and regrets. “Are you leaving?” Naruto finally asks, his voice trembling.
Sasuke meets Naruto’s gaze, his expression burdened with unspoken truths. “I… I heard you last night.”
A heavy wave of fear washes over Naruto, mingling with the lingering sadness of their past. “Sasuke, I—”
“No. Listen, Naruto.” Sasuke’s voice is filled with raw vulnerability. “I… I feel the same. I always did. I love you. I always have. That’s why I’m here, why I came back—despite everything.”
Naruto’s heart aches with a painful blend of hope and doubt. “Do you really, Sasuke? How can you be so sure—”
“What would my love mean if I weren’t still here?” Sasuke interrupts, his voice strained. “What would it say if I ran away again?”
“Then why did you leave, Sasuke?” Naruto’s voice cracks, revealing the deep scars of their past.
Sasuke’s face hardens, a bitter edge to his voice. “It wasn’t easy, Naruto. My brother, my clan, my powers, this village—you know the struggles I faced. And back then, I didn’t understand. And now, with you about to become Hokage, the dream you’ve always had... I’d ruin you–”
“Then ruin me,” Naruto interrupts, his voice filled with a desperate sincerity.
I’d rather have you here, with all your pain and regrets, than to be without you. I’ve spent too long without you; I can’t endure another second apart.
But Naruto wasn’t selfish; he knew he couldn’t ask Sasuke to stay. He couldn’t bind him with such a plea, knowing how easily he might leave again.
The room falls into a profound silence, heavy with the weight of their shared history and unspoken emotions. Sasuke looks at Naruto, and for a moment, the pain of their past and the hope for their future hang in the balance, tangled together in the fragile morning light.
Sasuke stands up from his futon, and sits next to Naruto on his bed. “It’s not… normal, or common. For people like us, you know that, right?” Sasuke says quietly.
“I… I do,” Naruto replies, “but maybe things can change. When I become Hokage… as long as you...”
“Naruto.” Sasuke’s voice was pained, and Naruto hated it. He wanted Sasuke to repeat it over and over again, but not like this.
Naruto doesn’t reply, instead waits for Sasuke to continue.
“Ask me to stay,” Sasuke breathes out, his voice barely a whisper, “Ask me to stay, and I will. I’ll drop everything and stay here with you.”
“God, Sasuke I–”
“Ask me, Naruto,” Sasuke implores, his voice cracking with a vulnerability he rarely shows. He reaches out and takes Naruto’s hand in his own, fingers intertwining with a desperate need for connection.
Naruto’s gaze drops to their joined hands, the sight of their fingers laced together a stark contrast to the turmoil in his heart. Tears blur his vision, his hand trembling as he tries to hold onto the fragile moment.
“I can’t do that to you,” he murmurs, his voice breaking under the weight of his sorrow. “You don’t seem to belong here in this village, and I don’t want to add to your pain—” His words falter, choked by a sob that escapes despite his efforts to remain composed.
With a shuddering breath, Naruto's voice breaks free like a dam bursting. “Sasuke, I love you. All this time... it was always you, always. I was just too afraid to admit it because it was... scary. And even if I did, would it change anything? You’re always going to leave me. You’re always going to leave.”
As Naruto’s words hang in the air, their hands remain entwined, the warmth and solidity of Sasuke’s touch a fragile lifeline amidst the storm of Naruto’s emotions. The tender pressure of their clasped hands speaks of longing too deep for words, a silent promise of enduring love even as fear threatens to overwhelm them both.
Sasuke’s fingers grip Naruto’s with tender desperation, his eyes searching Naruto’s face for an answer he already fears he might not get.
“Then ask me to stay,” he pleads, his voice a fragile whisper laden with the weight of his own uncertainty.
Naruto’s eyes are downcast, his tears falling unchecked. He shakes his head slowly, each motion heavy with a heart-wrenching resolve. “No,” he whispers, his voice barely above a breath. “Maybe I—maybe we’ll stay like this. I… I can wait. Just return to me, Sasuke. It doesn’t have to be in this apartment or this village; just come back to me. I’ll wait as long as it takes, knowing that you might come back to me someday.”
Sasuke’s eyes widen with confusion and hurt. “I thought you loved me? Then why don’t you want me to stay?”
Naruto’s voice trembles with a mixture of pain and unwavering affection. “Because I love you! I can’t bear the thought of another moment without you, but I value your happiness more than my own. I… just come back to me. I’ll make this village a place where you can be happy—or I’ll find us somewhere else to go. Just… return to me.”
The silence stretches between them, filled with the echoes of their unspoken fears. Sasuke’s voice finally breaks the quiet, barely more than a whisper, “I will. You’re the only person I would return to. I… I don’t know if I can ever truly belong here. But what I can give you is my heart, my presence, for as long as I can manage.”
Naruto’s throat tightens painfully, a lump forming as he swallows hard. His voice is raw with emotion, barely holding back his despair. “That’s all I ever wanted, Sasuke. Just… to know that you’re with me, even if it’s just for a moment.”
Their hands remain clasped together, a symbol of their fragile connection amid the uncertainty. Naruto’s grip tightens, his fingers almost pleading, as if holding on to Sasuke could somehow anchor him in place. The warmth of their touch, though small and fleeting, is a promise that transcends their current pain—a quiet testament to a love that endures even in the face of an uncertain future.
Sasuke’s gaze softens, and for a fleeting moment, his hardened exterior cracks. “You have always been the one constant in my life, even when I couldn’t see it. I fought so hard to return because… because I needed to be near you, even if it was just to confront these feelings I couldn’t face before.”
Naruto’s breath hitches, the pain and relief mingling in a bitter-sweet embrace. “I’ve waited for this, Sasuke. For you to be here, even if the future is uncertain. It’s hard… it’s hard to believe that this is real.”
Sasuke’s hand lingers on Naruto’s face, his touch warm and comforting. “It’s real, Naruto. I’m here, for now. And maybe, that’s enough.”
But it isn’t. They both know that.
They sit in the quiet of the early morning, the soft light casting gentle shadows around them. The room, filled with the echoes of their past and the fragile hope of their future, feels both comforting and tragic. They hold onto each other, knowing that their love is both a sanctuary and a source of pain.
Naruto’s fingers entwine with Sasuke’s, a silent promise passing between them. “I’ll keep waiting,” he says softly, “for you to come back to me, whenever you can. I’ll cherish every moment we have.”
Sasuke’s gaze meets Naruto’s, a complex tapestry of gratitude, sadness, and resolve mirrored in his eyes. He nods slowly, his expression a poignant mixture of resolve and regret. “And I’ll come back, ” he vows, his voice barely more than a whisper. “As often as I can. I promise.”
They had never thought of marriage before. Yet now, as they sit together, their hands intertwined like the fragile threads of a wedding vow, the air thickens with longing, and they understand . It feels like a prayer —both sacred and agonizing—filled with unspoken hopes for a world that may never accept them. Each moment they share is a testament to a love that defies divine judgment, a bittersweet vision of a union that exists in the shadows.
They yearn for a world and time where their love can be celebrated openly when they can step into the light and proclaim their devotion, but for now, they are left to navigate the aching distance between desire and reality, hearts heavy with the weight of unfulfilled promises.
And Naruto shall break this world, and create anew where he, and his beloved, can be united and revered.
As the morning light begins to warm the room, a heavy silence settles around them. Naruto’s heart aches with the knowledge that Sasuke must leave again, yet he finds a bittersweet comfort in the certainty of his return.
They part with the quiet understanding that their love, though tested by distance and uncertainty, remains an unbreakable bond.
Sasuke is about to leave. As he steps towards the door, he looks back one last time, his eyes reflecting a depth of emotion words cannot capture. Naruto watches him go, the warmth of their last moments together mingling with the chill of his absence.
In the soft light of morning, Naruto is left alone with his thoughts, clinging to the promise of Sasuke’s return. The pain of their separation is softened by the knowledge that their love, though marked by distance, remains a constant, guiding light in both their hearts. In that bittersweet stillness, hope flickers like a candle, illuminating the path they will one day walk together.
Sasuke leaves, but he will return. And Naruto will wait, as long as it takes, his heart a steadfast beacon of love, unwavering through the silence.