An Uchiha At Heart || SasuSaku

1. Return to Konoha

A cool breeze travels through the earth, swiftly grasping grains of sand and wandering rose petals for company. They fly together amongst the birds, eyeing the tall creations of man and the blue creations of God. They chance upon cities full of withering leaves and sweep them along for their journeys. As they flap their invisible wings in the midst of existence, they clash upon long, dark locks of hair draping down from the skull of a fair-skinned man with very particular eyes that can't be missed.

Roaming the earth for thousands of days and thousands of miles, the winds had taken their course and landed back to their homeland of the leaves, accompanied by their dark friend. He strolled through the gates of the village whose every whiff of air carried a different memory. The last Uchiha elevated himself to where he could get a full view of his old home. It was still the same, that Konohagakure. The statues of its greatest heroes stood still at the heart of it, watching over its citizens from every threat. It seemed that no matter what happened and what changed, it would always be the one thing that remained fixed in his life.

Sasuke landed gracefully on the ground, and continued his re-acquaintance with the place so full of history.

He walked and walked, trying to accustom himself to the feel of the village once again, though successful he was not. He would never admit it, but the raven haired man was restless for more than one reason. He was very aware of the terms on which he had left back then, and despite assisting Konoha in the war, not many had forgiven nor forgotten the series of events that occurred before that.

Sasuke was used to being an outcast his entire life, but for a short period of time in the start of his time with Team 7, he had let himself hope even just a little bit, that maybe he finally found a place where he belonged. That feeling felt so very distant now, but it was there nonetheless. He only wondered at the back of his head if his former team would ever grant him that comfort and safety ever again.

Naruto certainly would, he reassured his inner self. But what about Kakashi and....

Sakura.

The image of the pink haired girl he had parted with appeared in his mind, and suddenly he was overcome with some sort of feeling...curiosity.

His words to her were "I'll see you when I'm back," but he hadn't thought back then in what condition he would find her. Would she be waiting for him, after all this time? Or would she have settled down and found happiness for herself, all while Sasuke was paying for his sins and protecting the earth?

"Sakura..." he whispered to himself, as if trying out the feel of the name-one he hasn't called for in so long-on his tongue.

The reformed Uchiha decided he was going to seek his old teammate and friend, but first he had another necessary stop to make: his old dwelling, the Uchiha house.