Completely On Purpose

Chapter 7

How fast a month passes.

Sasuke and Naruto had let themselves lose track of time in themselves and imagining life with their baby. Sasuke had finished his first painting, and he'd cried when he came home and Naruto had hung it. He was lucky that he hadn't gotten any bigger in a month's time, but he knew that this good fortune wouldn't last long.

Sasuke stood facing Naruto now, with his back to the escort. Naruto's back was to the village. It was snowing, but just a light dusting had collected over them as of yet. Sasuke had hot tears in his eyes, and he tried to wipe them away as fast as they came, but too many came all at once. The last time he'd left Naruto was in a fit of rage, an insanity, an obsession with something he had realized he'd been wrong about.

Sasuke could feel himself about to sob, his shoulders were already starting to shake. Naruto's arms were around him in an instant, so fast that Sasuke was confused as to how Naruto had closed the gap between them so quickly. He didn't let himself think too much, though, just returned Naruto's embrace. He'd never wanted to be held by someone so badly. If Naruto hadn't enveloped him in that moment, he would have fallen apart.

Naruto's hands were in Sasuke's hair, petting him and then brushing it out of Sasuke's face so that he could see his eyes. "It's going to be ok," Naruto whispered, over and over, until Sasuke could barely hear him over the sound of his own crying. He had forgotten about everyone else there, because there was no one else there. It was just Sasuke, Naruto, and their world as they knew it being changed forever. Sasuke had tried to tell himself he was being dramatic, they'd see one another soon enough, but how could he know that for sure? He couldn't. For all he knew, they'd never see one another again, and their baby would never know who Naruto was, and Sasuke would be alone forever.

"I'm going to miss you so much, think about you everyday," Naruto said. His words fanned hot over Sasuke's ear as he spoke. "And you have to write me, ok? You have to, and tell me all about what's going on at home. I'm going to come home sooner than you know it, and then we'll be together, you and me and the baby. Forever." Sasuke sniffled against Naruto's chest. "Do you promise?"

"I stake my life on it."

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Sasuke tried his hardest not to be annoying. He wasn't used to these people, he was used to Naruto. It wasn't even people that he knew. He thought for sure at least Sakura would be there for him, so that at least he'd have her to talk to, but these were just chunin. Kakashi hadn't even sent jounin to escort him back. Sasuke had half a mind to be feel disrespected, but he decided he didn't care, and he didn't care about them, either. They would only be with him a week, and then he probably wouldn't see any of them again.

Sasuke wanted to run, wanted to get home as soon as possible, but apparently Kakashi had put a limit on that. "We can only run for four hours at a time, sir. Hokage-sama said we have to make sure you don't overexert yourself." It made Sasuke feel puny, to think that Kakashi didn't think he could handle running.

"Make it five hours and I'll have him promote you the moment we get back." That was enough for them. Who were they to tell Sasuke no, anyways?

Sasuke would soon regret trying to exercise authority over them, because he was exhausted. He didn't think he'd ever been more tired in his life as the journey dragged on. Eventually, it got to the point where Sasuke didn't think they'd make it back in a week, because he just kept having to stop. Sometimes, he just needed to rest an hour or so. Sometimes, he felt unbearably dirty and needed to take a bath. Sometimes, he needed to throw up. Sometimes, he just needed to go to sleep. Sasuke knew he was endangering their mission by making them stop so frequently, but he couldn't help it. He wasn't used to being so weak; in all his life, he'd always has strength enough to get through anything set out before him. Now, he couldn't even walk in a straight line for a whole day.