Answering Eternity [SasuNaru]

[3] Enchanting Secrets (part 1)

I know, it's been 6 days since I posted this on Archive Of Our Own but, frankly, I'm just too emotionally exhausted to even bother rambling (I'm an introvert).

So, from now on, it's just Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V (at least for this chapter).

So, ignore the notes that don't make sense.

Okay?

Thanks.

Let's begin!

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[❝Don't desire happiness because it only creates unhappiness and nothing else.❞]

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To say that Sasuke was perplexed would be a fucking understatement.

He watches, eyes narrowed, as Naruto Uzumaki walks out of the gates of Konoha acting completely unlike himself (bubbly, energetic, and all-around adorable), and was instead with hunched shoulders, a stiff back, and a dazed look in his eyes.

Sasuke watches him with narrowed eyes and follows (naturally), making sure to keep his movements soundless, keeping a safe distance from himself and the blond. It's weird how the roles suddenly seem a bit reversed, the blond as him searching for a destination that will soothe his aches and soul. And him as Naruto, always chasing but never being acknowledged with a single glance.

He cringes at the thought as soon as it passes through his head. Wincing at the thought of Naruto standing all alone begging and pleading for anybody to acknowledge him, especially Sasuke.

It hurts.

The only difference right now is that Naruto doesn't know that Sasuke is following him (and he'd like to keep it that way despite what his heart is telling him) as opposed to how Sasuke willingly ignored him and left.

He quickly hides when Naruto stops and peers out carefully to see Naruto entering a bar.

Huh, Interesting.

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Okay, Sasuke knew everybody-including him-underestimated Naruto.

But, damn, he really hadn't expected Naruto to hold his liquor so well.

And this makes him even more curious, who or what gave Naruto the sudden urge to drink?

Especially, 55. Honestly, Naruto was giving him a run for his name. Everybody knew that Uchiha could hold their liquor well (Page 45 of the Uchiha Clan Handbook) but, even Sasuke didn't think he could his this well.

It's made even more interesting when he watches an old man-Jiraiya was it?-swing an arm over Naruto only to get shrugged off harshly.

He tunes out the bickering thinking that nothing exceptional will come out of it and wonders if he should leave when something catches his attention.

"...that has had an impression on you, what are you doing here? What has made the Great Naruto Uzumaki so down in the dumps that he had decided to take support from a drink?"

It's not the question itself but, Naruto's reaction to the question that makes him go rapt with attention.

See, Naruto is sort of like a symbol of the future. If Naruto came to you during a despairing night, you would believe in ideas, hope, humanity, and humans again by dawn. Naruto just gave off that sort of aura. He was a tonic for turbulent times.