7. Narusasu 💛🖤

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by itoshirinsimp

by itoshirinsimp

It had been a year since Sasuke had left the village. A year since Naruto's heart felt like it had been torn in two. Despite Sasuke's departure, they had never broken up. There was no finality in the way they parted, no last words spoken. Just Sasuke’s cold determination to follow his own path. And yet, Naruto couldn’t let him go.

In the time since, Naruto’s life had felt hollow. His usual loud, cheerful demeanor was dulled, replaced by a quiet longing. He wasn’t the same without Sasuke. His friends, like Hinata and Sakura, noticed the change. They, too, missed Sasuke in their own ways, but they were more worried about Naruto. Despite her crush on Naruto, Hinata could see how deeply he cared for Sasuke, and she knew that Naruto's heart belonged to him. Sakura, still nursing her own feelings for Sasuke, understood Naruto’s pain all too well. And so, they supported him, hoping that one day, he would find Sasuke and bring him back.

Team 7, along with a few others, had searched tirelessly for Sasuke. Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, with no sign of him. Naruto could feel Sasuke slipping further away with every passing day. It hurt, knowing Sasuke had chosen this path alone, even though they were supposed to face everything together.

The search had led them all across the land, from barren deserts to bustling cities, but Sasuke was always a step ahead. Naruto wouldn’t give up though; he *couldn’t*. Somewhere deep down, he knew Sasuke still cared about him, that the bond they shared wasn’t broken, just strained.

One afternoon, while following a new lead, they stumbled across a familiar face—Itachi. Sasuke’s older brother stood in the clearing, his cloak billowing gently in the wind. Naruto’s heart skipped a beat. Maybe Itachi knew where Sasuke was.

"Itachi!" Naruto called, running towards him with Sakura and the others not far behind. "Do you know where Sasuke is? Have you seen him?"

Itachi’s dark eyes regarded them quietly for a moment. His face was unreadable, as usual. "No," he replied, his voice calm and controlled. "I haven’t seen him."

Naruto felt his stomach drop. Even Itachi didn’t know? If Sasuke’s brother couldn’t find him, how could they?

"But..." Itachi added after a pause, "I can sense him. He’s not far from here."

Naruto’s heart raced. Itachi was lying about not knowing Sasuke’s whereabouts—that much was clear. But if he was giving them a lead, it meant they were close.

It didn’t take long before they finally found him. He was standing by a river, his back turned to them, the sound of rushing water masking their approach. Naruto froze when he saw him, his heart clenching painfully in his chest. Sasuke had changed. He looked different—not just older, but… darker.

Sasuke turned slowly, as if sensing their presence. His once familiar face now seemed distant, detached. But it wasn’t his expression that startled Naruto; it was his eyes. One eye was a deep, swirling purple, the other the blood-red Mangekyō Sharingan. The very sight of them sent a shiver down Naruto’s spine.

"Sasuke..." Naruto breathed, stepping forward cautiously. "What happened to you?"

Sasuke regarded Naruto with a cold, unreadable gaze. His voice, when he spoke, was low and emotionless. "I’ve gained the power I need. I told you, Naruto. I’m not coming back."

Naruto’s heart ached at his words. He clenched his fists, feeling the familiar heat of anger and frustration rising within him. But he couldn’t give up—not after everything they’d been through, not after waiting a year for this moment.

"I don’t care about your power!" Naruto shouted, his voice cracking with emotion. "I don’t care about any of that, Sasuke! All I care about is you!"

Sasuke’s gaze flickered, just for a moment, but he remained silent. Naruto stepped closer, his voice softer now, pleading. "I’m not the same without you, Sasuke. You can push me away all you want, but I know you still care. We never broke up, remember?"

Sasuke’s façade cracked, if only for a second. His eyes softened, the cold exterior melting just a bit. Naruto saw it—the hesitation, the flicker of emotion. Sasuke still cared. He *had* to.

Naruto took another step forward, his hand reaching out to grasp Sasuke’s wrist. "Come back with me. You don’t have to do this alone."

For a moment, the world seemed to stand still. Sasuke stared down at Naruto’s hand, his heart pounding in his chest. He could feel the warmth of Naruto’s touch, the familiar sensation that he hadn’t felt in what felt like a lifetime. His resolve wavered.

Without thinking, Sasuke pulled Naruto into a rough embrace, his hands gripping the back of Naruto’s jacket tightly. His breath was shaky as he pressed his forehead against Naruto’s shoulder, the tension in his body finally releasing. Naruto, stunned for a moment, slowly wrapped his arms around Sasuke in return, holding him close.

"I hate that you always find me," Sasuke whispered, his voice thick with unspoken emotion.

Naruto smiled, tears stinging his eyes. "And I hate that you always run away," he whispered back, his voice full of love and relief. "But I’ll always find you, no matter how far you go."

For the first time in a year, Sasuke let himself relax in Naruto’s arms. The weight of his choices, his burdens, seemed to lighten just a little. He wasn’t ready to go back to the village, not yet. But maybe, just maybe, he didn’t have to do everything alone anymore.

And Naruto would be there, every step of the way.

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