Chapter 8

At Home

"How're you feeling, Sasuke?" Iruka asked as he walked into the hospital room. "How's your throat?"

Sasuke swallowed hair. "Better...but my eyes hurt." He touched the bandages wound about his head absently. It had been nearly a month since Kabuto had attacked the village. The man in question had died from blood loss when Sasuke gauged out his eyes. And the village was back to its normal self.

Tsunade was trying to give him back his brother's eyes though he had been careless when he had ripped his good eye from Kabuto's face. She tried her best to heal the eye but his grip had been tight and it was a few hours before the eye could be properly preserved. She could do nothing about the one blinded by Izanagi, however, but he had demanded that she return that one to him as well.

"She said…I could go home," Sasuke said slowly. His throat muscles were still sore from Kabuto's attack but he managed. "Tomorrow or the next day."

"Is that when the bandages come off?"

Sasuke shrugged.

"It snowed yesterday," Iruka continued somewhat awkward. "The kids had a field day. I could have really used your help. They started a snowball fight…indoors."

Sasuke snickered. "I probably would have joined them."

"You're a terrible teaching assistant."

Footsteps and a pink aura alerted him to Sakura's presence. "The results came in from the last test. I think we're officially going to take off your bandages tomorrow." Sasuke heard the smile in her voice.

But his stomach tightened nervously. His hands balled against the blankets.

"So…" Iruka began. "Will he be able to see?"

Sakura was silent. At least no matter what happened, he would finally be able to get out of the hospital and return to his life. He did miss his students.

"We're not sure to be honest. Tsunade's done all she could do."

Beyond them, Sasuke heard hurried feet. Not shuffled feet, there wasn't even the squeak of crutches. His chest tightened and the aroma of grass filled his nostrils. The door slammed.

"SORRY I'M LATE!"

Brilliant yellow chakra with a center of red chakra illuminated Sasuke's darkness.

"Hmph." But Sasuke's inflection was kind. "You idiot."

….

Sakura performed CPR, pressing her mouth against Naruto's, pushing air into the dead man's lungs.

Sasuke pumped his heart.

Sasuke's eyes widened as he sensed a surge of orange chakra beneath his hands.

Thump-thump.

He pressed his ear against the broken man's chest. More medical ninja appeared and pressed their hands against Naruto's bond, green healing chakra flowing into the jinchuuriki. But only Sasuke could truly sense the fire that ignited in Naruto's core.

"The seal!" Tsunade and Sakura said in unison.

Sasuke turned his head automatically. "Can you feel it?"

The orange chakra nearly burned his hands all over again. Tsunade pulled his wrists back. They sat back.

Naruto gasped for air.

"Oh my god…oh my god..." Sakura repeated. There was a strange popping sound. A chain jingled.

"What…is….it!?" Sasuke demanded feeling Naruto's chakra ignite with life.

"W-what happened?" came that gruff overly loud voice.

Sasuke lost his words all over again.

And then something little and furry jumped into his lap and licked his nose. His hands felt the little creature's ears, followed its shoulders down to its single tail. "What…?"

"The kyuubi…it's…" Tsunade began.

…..

The next day, Naruto was late again.

Naruto burst into the hospital holding a tiny orange fox against his chest, its little head visible as it peeked out of the blond's jacket. Tsunade, Iruka and Sakura were all waiting beside the Uchiha who sat stubbornly in his hospital bed. Naruto had been training out in the field and had lost track of time. He still wasn't at his full strength despite the kyuubi's healing abilities because of all the weight he had lost during his coma.

He was just so happy that he could at least move again, that he could fight a little again.

Kurama barked from within Naruto's jacket indicating that he wanted to be set down. The chakra chain that bound them together lengthened allowed the little fox to move freely. Naruto walked up to Sasuke and jokingly punched him in the shoulder.

"Can you hurry up and get better so we can fight for real?"

"Tch. I…don't have…demon chakra to heal me."

Naruto smiled sheepishly.

The God of Death had only been able to seal the Kyuubi's dark chakra when Naruto's body suddenly gave out. It didn't have time to complete the task and so it had receded. That was how Minato had been able to place some of his chakra inside Naruto when he used it to seal the kyuubi's chakra all those years ago.

But then the kyuubi's and Naruto's chakra synced when his body finally recognized itself as a jinchuuriki once more. Because the kyuubi was in control of his chakra within Naruto, he was now able to pacify it and heal Naruto without causing damage as he had always done when Naruto was hurt. That was how Naruto survived being burned by the kyuubi's chakra when he was in beast mode in the past.

The little fox flicked its tail impatiently at Tsunade, sitting determinately by Sasuke's bedside.

The seal that jailed the kyuubi within Naruto was a makeshift combination of Kabuto's chakra transference seal and Kushina's chakra chains that Naruto had inherited. So there was a hole in it that allowed a limited amount of the kyuubi's chakra out beyond Naruto's control. Through this hole, Kurama was able to manifest himself as a little one-tailed fox. He could now move freely between this manifested form and the space within Naruto designated to the beast.

Though Kurama was still chained to Naruto even if he was technically "free" and outside the jinchuuriki. That was why, during the sealing, Naruto had needed the God of Death to pull the rest of the kyuubi within him because he couldn't control this last little bit.

"We were about to unwrap his bandages without you," Tsunade cut into Naruto's thoughts. "Sakura, please dim the lights."

The lights lowered.

Tsunade unwrapped Sasuke's bandages at a painfully slow pace. Finally Sasuke's face looked naked without the wrappings, his eyes closed. "You can open your eyes now," Tsunade said softly.

Naruto held his breath.

Sasuke opened his eyes tentatively. One was the obsidian eye that Naruto remembered while the other was misty and white. Like yin and yang in a way, he thought. Like both of them.

"Well?" he asked impatiently.

"Shut up, Naruto!" Sakura snapped. "Give him a minute!"

Sasuke sighed. "I'm still blind."

Naruto's stomach twitched. But he didn't say anything. The little fox jumped up on the bed and snuggled in Sasuke's lap. Sasuke's hands played sadly in the fur.

"It was a long shot," Tsunade said. "I'm sorry."

Sasuke shook his head. "I'm just glad I have Itachi's eyes back. They're his gift to me."

"Sakura, give us a little more light," Tsunade continued. "I want to know if you have any light perception at all."

Sakura turned on one light.

Sasuke's eyes widened slightly. His breath caught. "I can see it." His lips twitched in relief.

Naruto exhaled.

Tsunade put a little bottle in the Uchiha's hand. "I still want you to use the eye drops I told you about yesterday. They'll help the rest of the healing process regardless of the state of your vision. Who knows maybe your vision will come back eventually."

Nobody said anything to this.

"Thanks." Sasuke took a deep breath. "Okay. I expected this. This is fine." He rolled back his shoulders. "So…are we finally going to go to Ichiraku's for ramen?"

"YES!" Naruto jumped over the raven-haired man though his heart was still heavy. "So can he leave now, Baa-chan?"

The blonde Hokage rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I suppose. Let me go get his paperwork done and run a few more tests on Sasuke's eyes then you can go."

"YES!" Naruto jumped into the air.

Twenty minutes later Naruto and Sasuke were standing outside the hospital. Sasuke's eye could perceive light and shadows but only if they moved. However his eyes were still sensitive from the procedure so Tsunade told him to where sunglasses but when the woman left the room and they were released, Sasuke dropped them on the floor.

"Hell no," he had said stubbornly.

"You're a bastard," Naruto had answered and Kurama barked in agreement.

Iruka had already gone back to the school to pick up some tests he needed to grade. The little fox was snuggled in Naruto's jacket again.

"So what do you want to do now?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke lifted his head, his bicolored eyes wavering over the scene pointlessly. "Can we go to my house? Back in the Uchiha district. There's something I want there."

Naruto nodded and they started walking.

"Did you just nod?"

"Oh shit, sorry…ugh yes I did."

"You're such an idiot." But Sasuke laughed carelessly, pulling the blond closer as he was led.

"You two look like you're doing better," Kakashi said as he rounded the corner. "You two are the celebrities of the village." He waved his hand in front of Sasuke's face.

Sasuke snatched Kakashi's hand. "No. I still can't see."

"Don't be insensitive about it, Kakashi-sensei."

Both Kakashi and Sasuke, in his own way, looked at Naruto incredulously.

"Naruto, that's a little hypocritical coming from you," Kakashi said shoving his hands into his pockets. "So…Sasuke has the Hokage decided whether to reinstate you as a ninja or not yet?"

Sasuke pouted on his lower lip.

Something inside Naruto warmed as he watched the raven.

"She said she'll consider it if I can prove my blindness isn't a liability," Sasuke said sharply. "And it won't be."

Kakashi's eye smiled. "I'm sure it won't be."

"HELL NO!" Naruto asserted and punched his fist into his opposite palm. "I'll fight him to prove it."

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"See you both on the training field then," Kakashi said, opening his trademark book and walking away lazily.

Sasuke was silent as they walked.

"What's up?" Naruto asked finally unable to handle the quiet.

"Just thinking about what would happen if I fought you," Sasuke said quietly and unexpectedly vulnerably.

"Well I'd beat you of course." Naruto grinned. "But you'd put up one hell of a fight."

"Naruto…"

"Hm?"

Sasuke's lips were turned upward ever so slightly. They passed through the Uchiha District's gates. Sasuke's pace slowed slightly. Naruto realized that Sasuke probably hadn't been back here since he was thirteen. Sasuke's face was downcast as they walked through the long silent streets. Kurama buried deeper within Naruto's jacket and receded into the seal with a popping sound.

Naruto had never been to this part of the village before. People used to say it was haunted with the restless souls of the once powerful Uchiha clan. It was enough to scare any kid.

"Which house is yours?" Naruto asked.

"The last one on the block. Since my father was the head its also the biggest."

Naruto knew exactly which one Sasuke was talking about and they paused. The symbol of the Uchiha clan was faded on the opposite wall that surrounded the district. They moved toward the front door.

Sasuke paused, trembling slightly.

Naruto wondered if he was afraid.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes."

They entered and respectively took off their shoes. Sasuke pulled away from Naruto, moving carefully into the house, his hands outstretched. Naruto followed silently. It was a nice house. Everything was made of the finest materials even covered in dust, they were priceless. Apparently the rumors of the Uchiha ghosts had been enough to keep looters away.

"Naruto?" Sasuke was standing in the middle of the kitchen looking somewhat lost.

"What are we looking for?" Naruto took Sasuke's hand and squeezed it though the raven turned away.

"I need you to find a picture of my family. It should be in the living room but I don't remember where."

"A picture? But—"

"Just find it, Naruto," Sasuke snapped.

Naruto nodded.

"Sorry I nodded again."

"Yeah I figured."

He brought Sasuke into the living room, leaving the Uchiha in the doorway. His blue eyes landed on the picture immediately and his heart gave a painful thump in his chest. In it Sasuke was maybe six or seven smiling happily between his mother and father and off to the side a little bit was Itachi looking somber as always. Naruto chuckled thoughtfully. So this was what Sasuke's family looked like, he thought. So regal and dignified.

"Did you find it? You're laughing." Sasuke frowned but his cheeks colored a little.

"You're so cute in this, Sasuke!"

Sasuke's cheeks were instantly the color of the tomatoes he loved so much. "Shut up."

Naruto suddenly remembered the picture Sakura had taken of them when they trudged out into the field that one day. She had given it to him when he had woken up in the hospital. He pulled it out now. It was a little crumpled from being in his pocket but there was the three of them. Sakura beaming the epitome of health and happiness.

He looked at his past self. He hadn't realized how skinny he was or how long his hair had gotten in the photo. Those golden locks framed his skeletal face and his hands were blurred slightly indicating that he had been shaking. Behind him the kyuubi was watching him worriedly. Sasuke's face wasn't angled toward the camera, it was downcast, his head cocked toward Sakura and Naruto. But his face wasn't the emotionless mask he usually wore. It wasn't even a scowl. It was simply contented.

Naruto compared the two Sasuke's in the pictures.

"What are you doing, idiot?" Sasuke asked irritably moving carefully from the doorway toward Naruto's chakra signature. His cheeks were still pink.

"Just comparing the picture Sakura took of us and this old one of you," Naruto answered simply, grabbing the Uchiha's hand and pulling him roughly to where he stood. Naruto slipped the picture of Sasuke's family into his hand.

"Oh." The raven's delicate pale fingers danced over the frame wistfully.

Naruto bit his lip anxiously. Maybe he shouldn't have mentioned the other picture after the…after the news they had just received about Sasuke's eye. He lifted the Sasuke's head to face his own. The Uchiha's expression was incomprehensible. Sasuke's eyes were tragically directly slightly to Naruto's left. Naruto wished for a moment with all his heart that he could give Sasuke his eyes. The he could allow his friend to see his family again.

Sasuke scowled.

"Now what are you staring at, dobe?"

Naruto smiled and pressed his lips against Sasuke's.

Sasuke hesitated a moment before returning the kiss, leaning against Naruto and wrapping his arm around the blond.

The picture frame pressed gently against Naruto's back.

…..

"Come on, they're waiting for us!" Naruto shouted from the living room.

Sasuke had been packing his things. He was trying to keep everything from getting lost in the move. Although he knew that was going to be impossible with Naruto. They were finally going to move out of Iruka's house since it had been six months and his parole had been pardoned.

"Hold on!" he snapped going over the contents in the newly acquired desk when his hand touched something unfamiliar.

It was a letter in braille.

"We're already late," Iruka's voice chimed but it didn't seem like the man really cared. It was Sasuke's and his day off from working at the school. Iruka had slept half the day away.

Naruto could wait. They were just meeting Sakura and Kakashi at Ichiraku's again. It's not like they didn't do this practically every other day. He sat down on the carpet and let his fingers skim over the two pages slowly.

Naruto, you…you idiot, he thought.

His fingers paused as they finished tracing over the little dots.

But I'm your idiot.

"Sasuke, you bastard!" Naruto shouted suddenly in the doorway of their room. Kurama barked impatiently. "Why the hell are you reading!? We're late!"

Sasuke stood up; setting the letter carefully on the desk, making a note not to forget it was there. He let Naruto grab his hand roughly and drag him through the house. He forgot his cane but he didn't say anything. He'd manage without it.

He was a ninja after all.

Naruto and Iruka chatted happily as they walked through the streets toward Ichiraku's. Though the two were unaware, Sasuke listened to the voices of the villagers as they passed. No one really said anything negative anymore. But every so often, Sasuke would catch some snide comment.

He didn't care though. He didn't need their approval. He knew he could kill anyone who threatened him. He had need training with Kakashi and Sakura to overcome his blindness with chakra control and his crippled Sharingan. It had become quickly apparent when he started training again that he could still use it. He had obtained the Eternal Mangekyou after all and with it, he could "see" the chakra of others and it even sharpened and defined the shadows he could see to the point where he wouldn't bump into anything.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SASUKE!" a chorus greeted him tearing him out of his thoughts.

He had forgotten completely. His mouth gaped as he was at a loss for words. His lips twitched and something warm and bright nestled in his heart.

Naruto nudged him affectionately.

He was pulled into the tent. He realized his class was there too. Meiwaku was pulling at his shirt obnoxiously going on about how he thought he could do the fire jutsu Sasuke had demonstrated in class.

"I'll show you right now!" Meiwaku shouted when a girl doubted him.

"You most certainly will not!" Iruka snapped.

Sasuke chucked and maneuvered around his excitable student. "I couldn't see it anyway so don't burn anything. It'll be a waste."

"Sasuke, you're eyes are so pretty now that they're open," that little girl said. Her name was Rin.

Naruto burst into laughter beside him. "Sasuke , you're so pretty!"

Sasuke punched him lightly and finally made his way to a chair. The place was packed. There was definitely more people than the old man could house let alone feed.

"Naruto, sit down," Sasuke commanded and felt the blond plop next to him. He felt Sakura sit down on his other side.

"Happy birthday, Sasuke-kun," she said squeezing his shoulder. Still had started volunteering at the hospital with her on the weekends when Naruto went out on missions. She kissed his cheek.

"HEY, OLD MAN! RAMEN FOR EVERYONE!" Naruto bustled loudly beside Sasuke and suddenly he felt the jinchuuriki's hand take his own under the table. Was Naruto jealous? His lips twitched again.

"Hey, Sasuke!" familiar voices said.

Sasuke's eyes widened. Team Take was here? "Suigetsu? Karin? Jugo?"

"Naruto invited us," Karin said hugging Sasuke suddenly. "So happy birthday, asshole."

He patted her back awkwardly until Suigetsu pulled her off.

"Glad to see you alive," Jugo said, his deep voice was always so gentle. "But I wasn't worried. The birds told me you were okay."

"Yeah yeah." Suigetsu's voice was just as snarky as ever. "After all the trouble you put us through you better be alive." He felt the white-haired water ninja punch his shoulder.

"Thanks, Suigetsu," Sasuke said sarcastically.

Tsunade's presence was suddenly behind him, shoving his old team out of the way. "I have a birthday present for you."

He turned his face to acknowledge that he heard her.

"I'm going to officially reinstate you as Konoha ninja," she announced. The whole place erupted into applause.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun!" shrilled Ino's voice. He felt Shikamaru's chakra sigh with the air that this was "such a drag."

"When can we have the cake?" Choji asked from somewhere.

"When I'm finished eating whatever ramen this idiot's feeding me," Sasuke snapped in Choji's direction.

"Sasuke, be nice." Naruto tugged on his hand.

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Anyway…" Tsunade continued. "You'll be starting missions next week."

"WHAT!" Meiwaku yelled in outrage.

"Don't worry, he'll still work at the school when he's not on missions," Tsunade said. Sasuke felt like the woman was shaking her head.

A bowl of hot steaming ramen was placed in front of him. His stomach growled expectantly. He had never realized how much he actually liked the noodles.

"There are tomatoes in it just for you," Naruto whispered.

Sasuke blinked and that bright warm feeling spread.

…

Naruto and Sasuke walked carelessly home after Ichiraku's.

Naruto led Sasuke this way and that, trying to confuse the raven onto where they were going. He had a plan. Sasuke's head was downcast again but Naruto had a feel it was because the Uchiha was tired after all the excitement.

He smiled evilly to himself. After all, he had even gotten the raven to dance at the party at Sakura's house. Sasuke had scowled the whole time, struggling to release himself out of Naruto's iron grip to the point where they had almost started fighting right in Sakura's living room. But at the last moment, Sasuke surrendered shaking his head letting Naruto lead…and coincidently stumble all over Sasuke's feet.

They finally made it to the rebuilt red bridge where they had always waited for Kakashi when they were younger. They stopped. Naruto waited quietly watching the sun begin to set behind the trees casting the sky into beautiful shades of pinks and purples.

"Where are we?" Sasuke finally asked cocking his head and listening to the water beneath them.

"The bridge where we used to wait for Kakashi," Naruto said quietly.

Sasuke's expression softened and he turned his head toward the sleepy sun. Naruto wrapped his arms around the Uchiha, bringing the bodies together. Their heartbeats synced with the closeness.

Kurama looked up at Naruto from where he sat on the ground before receding into the seal on the blond's stomach.

"Naruto…" Sasuke said presently.

"Hmmm?"

He turned to see the raven's face almost touching his own. The raven's eyebrows relaxed, his lips parted just slightly. He felt the heat radiating between them. He held his breath.

"I have a present for you," Sasuke practically whispered.

"You shouldn't be giving me a present!" Naruto laughed. "It's your birthday, bastard!"

"Hmph so where's my present from you then?"

Naruto shifted nervously. "It's at home…in the bedroom."

"Oh, Naruto," Sasuke crooned playfully. "'I didn't take you for that kind of guy.'"

But they both knew what was going to happen later. Sasuke held him tighter. Naruto grinned stupidly at the setting sun.

After a moment, Sasuke turned to face Naruto, moving his hands to rest on the blond's shoulders. "I just wanted to say thank you…for always believing in me. For forgiving me."

Naruto's face burned. He chuckled nervously. "You're my friend."

Sasuke raised his eyebrow. "You're friend…?"

"Y-yeah."

Sasuke pulled him closer. "Only…you're friend?"

Naruto swallowed when Sasuke's lips moved to his neck. He shivered slightly. "I-I-I mean…you're more than just my friend. You're my best friend!"

"I don't believe you."

"WHAT!?"
Sasuke pulled back, the corners of his mouth turned skyward. "Because friends don't do this." He leaned in and pressed his lips against Naruto's, slipping his tongue into the jinchuuriki's mouth slowly. Naruto shivered.

"Friends don't write last letters that end with them talking about love and marriage."

Naruto froze. "How?"

"It was written in braille."

Iruka. Naruto's eyes widened and his face burned. Sasuke's hands moved up his neck and rested on his cheeks. He smirked.

"You're blushing."

That only made it worse.

"What's your…um…present?" Naruto managed.

Naruto's breath caught.

Sasuke laughed, lightly, earnestly, allowing the laugh's carelessness to reach his unfocused eyes. It loosened his features and brightened his pale face. Naruto's eyes moistened and his chest warmed when Sasuke's lips widened slightly and spread, turning skyward into the most beautiful and sincere smile. A real smile.

"I love you," Naruto blurted.

Sasuke's smile deepened.

"Yeah…I love you too."

Fin.

A/N: Thanks for everyone who read this! I hoped you all enjoyed it! This is the end but there may be an epilogue if I have time to write one and I'll probably go through the chapters and fix some of the errors I missed as well. Goodbye for now!

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