Sasuke has long forgotten his quest for revenge thanks to Naruto. He can now finally move on to accept what life has to offer. Follow Sasuke's thoughts as he navigates his feelings to finally understand and accept the different forms of love offered...
Cold sweat trickled down Sasuke's spine. He had cooperated and allowed the Anbu to shield his eyes with bandages so that he only saw darkness and was left with only his thoughts for company, save for the medical ninjas who came to check up on him periodically.
Without any visitors, any other sane person would have lost their insanity, but Sasuke was used to darkness. Hell, he had bathed in it, welcomed it, consumed it, befriended it, for a large portion of his life. And in return he had pushed away any glimmer of light, and shut the door and beckoned it away. But now was different. No, he was different. Being literally in the darkness was comforting, but not because he had accepted it, rather, he could see the light, even if only a flicker.
That light was his two companions. His best friends. He savoured the last memories he had with them and kept them replaying in his mind, counting down the days when he would next see them again.
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He could picture it all now, the three of them were a picture to look at. Hairs dishevelled and clothes cloaked in dirt and blood as they sat atop the crushed statues of their previous incarnates.
Her tears streaming off her face, washing away his own impurity, cleansing him with her own innocence. The mixed emotions of relief, happiness, shock, and an overwhelming sense of closure clung to the three of them like the strong odour of blood. The only thing overbearing that was Naruto's laughter which soothed them of any doubts.
Sasuke found solace in their memories.
***
With his eyesight transfixed to only the darkness, his hearing and sense of smell were Sasuke's only connection to outside his cell. There was no distinction between night and day, he could only assume when one shifted into the other with the change of guard duty which Sasuke recorded by the sound of keys clinking and footsteps receding.
Whispers of hushed voices tiptoed towards Sasuke as he leaned against the cold wall of his cell. Soon enough, the whispers became louder until they sounded as if they were right outside of his cell.
"As Hokage, I have granted the authorisation of your release", spoke a lazy voice that Sasuke knew all too well.
Sasuke could imagine his silver-haired old sensei standing outside his cell, hands resting in his trouser pockets, the edge of his mask seated at the bridge of his nose whilst covering more than half of his face.
The second voice which he overheard now perked up.
"Kakashi-Sensei? May I tend to his wounds?" Sasuke stiffened. He refocused all of his energy on now controlling his breath, and blocked out the rest of the conversation.
Yet, her silky voice rang in his ears like the soft chime of a bell. "May I tend to his wounds?"
He couldn't let her know that he had started to long to hear her soft voice utter his name again, that he had been counting down the moments until she would embrace him again in her toned arms.
He hadn't redeemed himself yet. He was still stained with his crimes that engulfed the shinobi world into darkness. He was not yet a burst of light shining brightly like her and Naruto. He was not yet worthy of her.
He felt a presence sit beside him, and felt chakra surging through him like a lullaby promising the sweetest dreams...
Sasuke's lips parted open and three words escaped only for her ears. He spoke something she believed to be more meaningful than a love sonnet.
