****
Walking in the dark he pictured her face when she pushed him away. She had changed, the problem was, so had he.
“It looked like a fun party.” He heard the smooth voice say with a hint of sarcasm. Sasuke laughed short and quiet not surprised his old sensei was watching. Kakashi appeared behind him making him turn round.
“Are you going to lecture me now that I should stay because of how much people care for me here?”
Kakashi always had a habit of surprising him and now was no different. He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked past him. “Nope.” Sasuke turned out of shock. “You are grown up now. You've made your own mistakes and you'll pay for them for the rest of your life." Sasuke just stared at his former sensei. "Of course now you have a larger decision. How you're going to live now. Two paths Sasuke. Hate or love. You've been down the hate path, and you've seen where it leads in Maddara." Kakashi looked up at the starfilled sky. “I’m not your sensei anymore Sasuke. But I am what I’ve always been….your friend." He stopped and yawned Sasuke wondered if anything he thought he knew about him was real, or had it all been a ruse. “Good night.” Kakashi said turning around with his back to him.
“I thought you were suppose to watch me?”
His head turned slightly. “I trust you.” Then the silver haired shinobi disappeared, Sasuke felt him go and stood there in the night.
(Back at the Hyuga complex)
He saw her standing in the moonlight looking up at the night sky. A faint blush came to his cheeks as he walked into the smaller yard. He knew he should be wondering why he was doing this, but then he didn’t think much, he just knew what was right. He remembered her stepping in front of Pain ready sacrifice her life for his. The realization that she loved him hit him like the small moon jutsu Pain dropped on the leaf. The rage and pain he felt when he thought she was dead overtook him bringing him the closest he'd ever come to loosing control of the nine tails. She was always there for him believing in him when no one would even look in his direction. She cared for him when everyone including himself thought he was just a screw up.
“Hinata.” Her head went down and she brought her shoulders up in her usual shy reaction to him, but she didn’t walk away or say anything. Scratching his neck he walked out to her with her back to him. “I uh….I’m not too good at talking but.” He growled at himself. “Look Hinata..” He stopped swearing under his breath because he couldn’t put it into words. Taking a deep breath and deciding to go for it, he took her shoulders and turned her around pressing his lips to hers. After only a second she relaxed into his arms kissing him back. When their lips parted he leaned his forehead on hers keeping his eyes closed afraid she would pull away again but he held her fast to him. Her breath hit his skin making him smile wondering how long they could stay that way.
He’d been through battles and hardships but he’d also had great times laughing and being with his friends. There were so many people he cared about, he loved his village. His determination was stronger than ever but in that moment he realized what he was missing. What Jiraiya was missing. Kurenai and Asuma had it, Shikamaru’s parents have it. “I don’t know what the future might bring Hinata. The life of a shinobi is a dangerous one.” He quoted Kakashi sensei, who had chosen to give up this feeling, that was growing in his chest.
Then she spoke for the first time. “As long as I can be by your side.”
(The next day)
“You can’t do this!” Mitokado protested as two Anbu held his arms.
Tsunade stood tall as the pair glared at her. “You are charged with treason against the Leaf village.”
Utatane lifted her chin. “You have no proof.”
Her eyes cold as steel Tsunade said. “Danzo’s Roots corp. held allot of information. Two former members were…gently interrogated. I have all the proof I need and more than I expected. How could you ever have called Lord third your friend?” The disgust in her voice came through. She thought of her former sensei, he was peaceful and kind. In her opinion the best Hokage, even before her grandfather.
She ignored their protests as the Anbu team members took them away. Kakashi was standing off on the rooftops as Sasuke watched from a ways away. They were the last of the people responsible for his clan’s death. He turned around stone faced and walked away. Kakashi appeared beside her.
“The old ways are dying. I will sweep them away to make room for the new generation.” She said still staring where the young Uchiha once was. “I’ve arranged for Itachi’s name to be put on the Heroes’Monument. It’s not much, but I will make sure everyone knows of his brother’s sacrifice. It’s time for some secrets to be revealed.” She looked up thinking of her old friend. His dream was to find a new way for the shinobi life. Naruto carried his hopes now and she would help him to pave the way.
(Five days later)
Walking with his hands behind his head he came upon Sasuke standing looking at the gates of the village. “Hey Sasuke.”
Looking over at him with his hair hanging in his dark eyes his expression didn’t change. “Naruto.”
Taking his hands down he looked up at the large doors of his home thinking of everything that had happened. “Still plan on leaving?” He asked casting a sidelong glance at his friend...his brother. Sasuke didn’t answer, his arms crossed. Naruto stayed quiet until he spoke.
“So I hear you and Hinata are practically inseparable now.”
Smiling rubbing underneath his nose he said. “Yeah.” Hehehe “It’s going great. After the first kiss everything got easier.” He liked the fact he could talk to Sasuke about this. A shinobi didn’t talk about this kind of thing, even with his friends but Sasuke was more than that. “So.” Naruto began. “Have you talked to Sakura since the party?”
“No.” He said simply but Naruto saw the tension in his eyes.
“If you leave before talking to her you’ll just have another thing you regret.”
Sasuke sniffed. “What do you know about what I regret?!” He turned around and walked away. Naruto smiled knowing he hit a sore spot. Even if Sasuke did leave he knew their friendship would survive. But Sakura, she was hurting more than she would admit. This was something they both needed.
He smiled putting his hands on the back of his head again. “Naruto you sly dog.” He said to himself then he laughed walking away feeling very pleased with himself.
***
She sat on the bench of the street where Sasuke said goodbye to her. If you could call it that. He would be leaving today. That was the only thought in her mind. Would she ever see him again? Part of her wished he would just go and she could try to forget him. Then the fear that he would kicked in and she wanted to cry all over as if he was leaving for the first time. A wind hit her carrying a few leaves past her line of sight. She held her breath as he appeared sitting beside her. The scent of him carried on the wind was etched so deeply in her memory the depth of them swallowed her senses. She could see him in the corner of her vision, his chest open in his white kimono tied with his katana blade on his back. His hair was getting longer again hanging in his eyes that she could feel boring into her. The truth was she didn’t need to see him, she knew his every movement and feature. She could close her eyes and see him perfectly as if he was there like she did every night when she went to sleep. “Have you come to say good bye?” She asked wanting to get it over with.
“Sakura look at me.” His voice was so placid and cold she shook her head.
“I can’t.” She clenched her eyes shut as a tear came down her cheek.
His hand touched her chin shocking her as he turned her face. She opened her eyes as more tears slid to his fingers. For the first time she saw the uncertain expression on his face. “I won’t apologize for what I’ve done, because I believed it was for the best.” His eyes hardened as he spoke. “I am leaving.” She tried to pull away but his fingers dug into her face not letting her go. “The sound village needs a leader, and this isn’t my home anymore.”
“You’re wrong, this is your home.” She argued as his fingers let her face go.
He shook his head. “I wanted to tell you something first.”
She steeled herself waiting for him to tell her she was foolish or that he hated her. There were so many things he could say that would hurt her. Which was something he seemed to like doing. His hand came back to her cheeks but was so gentle it made her look back to him. He leaned in brushing his lips gently against hers at first then as if a cap had been let off of a bottle he kissed her hard. She thought it was a cruel dream like so many she had before. But his other arm came around her bringing her to him, she could feel his heartbeat. She knew they stayed like that for a while, every moment becoming more passionate. But it felt too short when he pulled away staring at her again.
“Whatever this is, I’m not sure I can survive on it. I’ve never lived without anger or revenge, but this isn’t the end.” He stopped caressing her face, she leaned into his touch. “It’s only the beginning.”
