SNS Summer Week 2k17 || AnimeTrashLord-007

Day Seven;; Souls (Finale)

    Dark clouds covered the moon, allowing only for a few beams of light to illuminate the forest. There were no sounds of animals hunting in the distance; not even the trees moaned as the wind itself was stilled. Silence engulfed Sasuke as he walked further into the endless night. Everything remained stagnant and frozen in the unforgiving passage of time. Cold air stung his onyx eyes and tears threatened to form as he abandoned his home once again. He knew he should be happy with his choice, or at least find pride in his decision to do what was best for the Konoha and Naruto, but he was selfish. Hadn't he sacrificed enough already?

    A chilling breeze tickled his sides as the forest erupted into life once more. Owls hooted and wolves howled alongside the chirping of numerous insects. The sudden reemergence of sound snapped Sasuke out of his daze. His attention focused on the young man waiting for him in the bright clearing just beyond the shadows of the treeline. Nothing seemed more appealing than running to Naruto and embracing him for eternity, just the two of them together as he thought they always would be.

    He had left without saying a last farewell and while he knew he owed it to the future Hokage, he couldn't bring himself to do it. Uttering the words would bring about finality and he couldn't stand the idea of never seeing his partner again. He had chosen this path and would stick to it, but he wasn't strong enough to face Naruto now. He wasn't strong enough to resist his pleas to stay by his side. Sasuke wanted nothing more than to stay, he wanted it so much it hurt.

    “Sasuke!"

    That electric voice pleaded for him and Sasuke found his will faltering. That voice that could melt his heart with three little words was beckoning for him. Sasuke’s mind wandered to the way Naruto would whisper his name in the early mornings they had spent together, how he shaded his eyes from the sunlight leaking through the blinds as left a trail of kisses on his chest. The way Naruto wielded his voice as a weapon to make enemies cower from his threats was something Sasuke had always admired about the man. His voice could bring entire nations to their knees - a position Sasuke knew he would miss finding himself in after a long mission or heated and pointless debate. That electric voice that eased his mind and cleansed him of his sins was one of the many things Sasuke hated himself for giving up.

    “You don't need to leave! Konoha is your home!”

    Those sapphire eyes searched for him, gleaming as they bore into the darkness that surrounded Sasuke. Those eyes that sparkled when Sasuke wrapped his arms around his waist, pulling him close to dance in the cover of thick mist and light snowfall. He remembered how they narrowed when he thought someone lied to him, or how they widened when Sasuke had confessed his feelings all those years ago. The way they conveyed his emotions without him needing to say a word, how much power Naruto held within his gaze as he pinned Sasuke to the wall and clamped down on his neck. Those eyes could destroy his resolve with a single glance, could remind him of all the joy he was discarding for no good reason other than the benefit of a village he only cared for because of his lover. Those sapphire eyes that would always forgive, no matter how many times Sasuke failed to be the man Naruto deserved.

    “Sasuke, come out! Please! We can talk about this! There's always another way!”

    That exuberant determination that beckoned Sasuke back into the only place he called home, back into Naruto’s welcoming arms. That determination that flared greater than any flame ever could as he fought for Sasuke’s freedom, insisting on his value not only to the village but to Naruto as well. Sasuke would never forget how people stared at him, how much everyone had come to hate the Uchiha name, and yet Naruto never once treated him as anything other than his equal. The way he protected his friends, battled for his allies and believed in redemption even for his enemies was one of the many traits Sasuke wished he had in common with him, one of the traits that made him the most suited to lead Konoha into the future. That determination that led him across the country, chasing Sasuke down until he faced his past and accepted his flaws, until Sasuke learned how to love himself once again. That exuberant determination that forced Sasuke to become the best person he could, that forced him to realise that sometimes one must put the needs of others above their own.

    “Sasuke! You can't do this to me! Not after all we've been through!”

    That fierce loyalty that burned like a supernova, his desire to be by Sasuke’s side the only thing that mattered in the heat of the moment. That loyalty that kept his eyes from wandering, kept his attention on Sasuke and no one else. Even after all the times the Uchiha didn't reach the unrealistic expectations he set for himself, Naruto had been there to push him to the top or catch him when he fell. The way Naruto threw aside his own safety in order to protect everyone whether they were close to him or not was beyond commendable to Sasuke, yet another reason the man had earned his respect. That loyalty to not only the present but the past, that will to never forget the pain of yesterday in order to forge a better tomorrow for everyone’s future because he genuinely cared for people had begun to wear off on Sasuke, had prompted him to acknowledge his own acidity. That fierce loyalty to Sasuke was why he had to leave, as they both knew that Naruto would always choose his wellbeing over the village.

    “Please, Sasuke. My place is by your side. I need you. I can't do this without you! Being Hokage is worth nothing if it means losing you again. Please come home to me!”

    That endless love that swallowed Sasuke whole, that healed his frayed ends and pieced him back together again after he thought his world had crumbled into dust. That love that nurtured kindness within the hearts of everyone he met, that was stronger than the hatred and contempt within his foes. Sasuke felt invincible when Naruto held him, felt infinite when their bodies entwined. The way he tasted like starlight and made Sasuke feel lost within the cosmos when his lips danced across his skin, the way he made Sasuke feel immortal when he accepted his affections a hundredfold. That love that magnetised the very essence of his being and reminded him of all the beauty in the world. That endless love that Sasuke had decided to set free and disentangle from the void within his soul, to give back to Konoha as his final parting gift before he faded back into the shadows that haunted him.

    “It doesn't matter what I say, does it? You've made up your mind,” Naruto murmured, his voice almost inaudible as he slumped to the ground.

    Sasuke wasn't strong enough to face his lover one last time. He couldn't say his final goodbye for he knew without a doubt that the moment his body met Naruto’s, he wouldn't be able to leave. Once he felt Naruto’s warmth again, his selfish desires would return in full. No matter how many lies they told themselves, the truth was inevitable. Pain and destruction followed the Uchiha. It was unfair to curse their home any longer with his presence. He would have given the world to Naruto if he could, but settled on giving him a future instead. Sasuke wasn't strong enough to abandon his lover for himself, but in order for Naruto to achieve his dream and attain the recognition he had earned a million times over, Sasuke was more than willing to let his own happiness go.

    His eyes widened when the blond stood tall, fire blazing in his eyes as he spoke, “I have something to say before you desert me once more. I need you to hear this, so listen closely!

    “This isn't a goodbye. I know we will meet again, I can feel it in my heart. I forgive you for this, as I've always forgiven you, because you're doing what you think is right. I respect your decision, even if I don't agree with it. Even if I know this isn't what is best for either of us!

    “No matter how far you travel or where your journey takes you, you will always have a home with me. It doesn't matter if you travel to the ends of this earth, my spirit will always be by your side. Our bond is not one that can be stopped by mere distance or separation.

    “You promised me an eternity of happiness, an eternity of love and acceptance! You said we would be together until the end and then beyond. That's a promise you cannot break. My love for you is not something you can so simply shatter! My heart will always be yours, now and forever. If we cannot be together now, then I will find you in the next life and every life thereafter.

    “My soul will always find yours, Sasuke, for that is our destiny! I will always find you, and I will always love you!”

    Naruto fell to the ground, his knees cushioned by the dense undergrowth that covered the forest floor. Tears streamed down his face and Sasuke fought back the urge to comfort him one last time, to embrace his lover and learn what heaven felt like before descending into the wastelands of despair.

    “I’m sorry, Naruto,” Sasuke whispered as he turned away from the clearing and faced the darkness once more, “Until we meet again.”