Drabble Rating: T
Status: 45/45
Word Count: 304 words
Warning: Character Death
Theme: Afterlife

Three years after Naruto died, Sasuke fell ill and slipped away during fever.

He couldn't recall the actual sensation of death, he just remembered everything going white in his vision. The world grew hazy, and before he knew it, his wrinkled old hands had regenerated to the young flesh from his youth. His scars gone, his hair no longer peppered, and his vision clear, he found himself wandering in a village lit with brightly lit festival lanterns with paper animals decorating doorways and porches.

In his dark blue yukata and fan, he wandered the streets and passed many unfamiliar faces, many donning masks of animals from lore.

It wasn't until he rounded a corner did he finally spot a familiar face.

In the orange yukata, wielding a fan with the fox donned on it in black paint, Naruto stood and was staring at the bright lights and boisterous atmosphere.

Sasuke felt a clenching in his chest. "Naruto!"

The blond jumped, head turning to the source of the voice and stared in awe. "Sasuke?"

Sasuke pushed through the crowd, determination set into his fresh new bones and flesh and refused to back down until he was by his side. "Naruto—is it—are you really?"

Naruto's blue eyes twinkled. "Hello, teme."

The Uchiha smiled. "Baka."

He reached out, searched under the overflow of fabric for the blond's hand, and clasped it. "Let's go."

"Where are we going?"

Sasuke tugged him close, felt themselves connecting as one. "Anywhere you want, we have all the time in the world."

Naruto laughed, jumping up to kiss him on the cheek, and dashed forward, yanking the Uchiha through the crowd.

The lights dashed by in boisterous bursts of color and sounds, and yet the only world they saw, was in each other's eyes.

That was all that they needed.

Author's Note:
It's been a long ride, and it's finally completed. I apologize it took so long. I will not be continuing with another installation. I thank everyone who had participated, pushed me, and gave me ideas. Thank you so much.

Mint Pizza Queen