Occam's Razor

Hokage and his Shadow

Sasuke is eighteen years old when he leaves Konoha behind for a second time. Sakura looks pained but resigned as they see him off. Kakashi only threatens him a little.

Even Naruto tracks him down, though part of Sasuke had hoped he'd be able to make it out of there without having to openly confront the fact that he was choosing to leave the idiot behind once again. Against all expectations, Naruto doesn't try to talk him out of it, even though he probably could if he wanted to. Sasuke is well aware of his own weaknesses, at this point. Instead, he shoves Sasuke's old, cracked hitai-ate into his hand. His smile only a tinge confused and bitter as he accepts Sasuke's promise of a future score to settle between them.

All in all, it could have gone worse.

And so Sasuke leaves.

As much as it feels like he's ripping himself apart to do it, he can't argue its easier to breathe, out here in the world. Away from the pressure of a future Sasuke had never felt fully prepared to face. The thick, oppressive atmosphere of expectations Sasuke was never going to meet.

Out here, he's free. He can practically feel the cool, fresh breeze on his skin, despite the mild summer stillness that surrounds him.

Freedom smells like the ocean, as it turns out.

Sasuke continues moving forward.

When Sasuke is twenty years old, he receives a letter from Konoha.

That in itself isn't so unusual— he's been gone for over two years now. A number of his former friends and mentors still reach out the only way they know how. Chief among them are his former teammates, to Sasuke's absolute lack of surprise.

Sasuke feels the breath of a nonexistent wind on his face, as he unravels a scroll for the ink summons to crash land onto, the words are the last ones Sasuke had ever expected to read.

For the first time, its Hyuuga Hinata writing to him— and a wedding invitation of all things.

So, Naruto's getting married. To someone who isn't his soulmate. Sasuke has no idea what to make of that. The whole reason he'd left— aside from obviously seeking the feeling of atonement and redemption for past misdeeds or whatever— was to give himself the space he needed for Naruto to find his soulmate and happiness without tearing Sasuke's heart out in the process. This wasn't how things were supposed to go at all. What did this even mean, for Naruto and his soulmate?

As Sasuke stares down at the Hyuuga heiress' flowing script, he has to wonder what this means for him as well. For all the choices and sacrifices he's made to get here.

... What the absolute fuck was Naruto thinking?

He doesn't respond to the requested RSVP, choosing to nurse the unexpected feelings of betrayal in silence.

He simply sends a messenger hawk with his felicitations instead and keeps moving forward.

Sakura joins Sasuke on his travels when they are twenty-one years old.

He isn't happy about it, at first.

"C'mon, Sasuke-kun," she wheedles, following him along the back country trail she'd somehow managed to track him to, "I've never gotten to have some big, grand adventure the way you and Naruto have. You said 'maybe, next time'— well, I've decided next time is now!"

"Oh, you've decided?"

"Yes," she says with finality, stomping up to his side, "Everything's different at home now, with Naruto getting married and Ino getting pregnant and Tsunade-sama leaving us again. Life is moving too fast to have regrets. So I'm coming with you whether you like it or not."