title: wonder
summary: Have you ever wondered? What it could be like and I was all set to come back home. — Sasuke/Team 7
genre: friendship/family
rating: T (for language)

dedicated to: the Naruto fandom & Masashi Kishimoto for allowing us to grow up with these characters. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, sir.

inspiration: Naruto 698-699 & the song, Wonder (feat. The Kite String Tangle) by Adventure Club

disclaimer: these characters and dialogue belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I'm just a fan trying to sort through her feelings.

i know i should have treated you better.

Apparently, whatever deity looked over them now wasn't ready for them to die just yet, Sasuke thinks to himself. There he and Naruto lay, bleeding from their stumps and Sasuke's honestly ready for death.

At least that's what he wants it to seem like and well…Naruto isn't exactly going to let him die peacefully anyway.

How annoying.

But Sasuke supposes he has himself to blame. He did state he wanted to settle things with his own body. Meaning Naruto's right…he can't exactly do that if he's dead.

Also annoying.

"What I want to do is going to take the cooperation all shinobi everywhere!" Naruto continues on. "And of course that includes you!"

Sasuke slowly turns his head to look at the beaten blond. It's a nice sentiment, Sasuke thinks, but there's no way anyone else would agree with Naruto. Sasuke has hurt too many. Committed too many sins. No way anyone would be as accepting. No fucking way.

"Even if I think well of you, I wouldn't be able to accept anyone else," Sasuke says instead.

Naruto makes a sound of indignation, and Sasuke's positive if he could move, Naruto would have punched him a few more times.

"Damn it," Naruto hisses. "Just go ahead, try and give me more of your babbling bullshit! I'll kick your ass all over the place again!"

Sasuke stares at him, "What if I end up opposing you again?"

"Then I'll stop you again, but you won't do that anymore!"

Naruto's so certain. So certain that Sasuke's completely done running. That Sasuke's ready to come back home. And Sasuke wonders…

"How…" he pauses, his eyebrows furrowing together slightly. "Can you say that?"

"I'm not gonna keep repeating myself to you," Naruto scoffs. "Geez, you still don't get it?" he asks closing his eyes and turning his head skyward. "Well, I guess it can't be helped…" Naruto sighs.

You're my friend.

Sasuke looks away too as the unspoken words float around his head. It's not long before he can feel the tears slipping through his swollen eye.

"…You were always pretty exceptionally stupid after all—" Naruto stops short and Sasuke knows he's looking at him again.

"…Shut it…" Sasuke says. "…Usuratonkachi."

They lay there as the sun shines down on their beaten and dismembered forms.

Fighters to the end.

Death certainly isn't quick.

It's as that thought passes that he hears someone land before them.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto exclaims in equal surprise and happiness.

Sasuke watches her as she kneels between them and stares at the place their arms should be.

"Thanks, Sakura-chan!" Naruto says as the pink haired kunoichi beings to heal them both. And Sasuke's bothered by it as he continues to stare at her.

He doesn't deserve her kindness…not when he…not after…

"Sakura…I…"

"Just shut up for now…" she mutters. "I'm concentrating."

Sasuke's eyelid lowers slightly, "I'm sorry…" he says softly.

She doesn't answer or look at him right and a part of him doesn't expect her to or rather wouldn't blame her if she doesn't speak again.

"Sorry…" she prompts, her eyes still trained on her mission. "For what?"

"…For everything I've done…" he says with as much sincerity as he feels. Because he truly means it.

Sakura's shoulders shake, "You better damn well be," she says. "Geez, you were so much trouble…Stupid."

Naruto's smiling slightly, but Sasuke can't find it in himself to smile. Not yet, even if she had forgiven him…because she's crying.

He's never likes seeing her cry. Especially because of him.

But he always seemed to be the reason, didn't he?

He and Naruto slowly sit up once healed and Sakura's drying her tears. Sasuke even briefly notices, Kakashi kneeling up on the cliff.

Naruto's grin is full blown as he looks between he and Sakura.

"I told you, I'd get him back, Sakura-chan," Naruto points at him. And it's not until Sakura smiles that Sasuke allows himself to as well.

Look at us, Sasuke thinks. Idiots.

This was his family.

It was small. It was broken. It was mending.

But with them, he was finally home.

Geez, I haven't written these characters in years and back then it wasn't even good haha. And this isn't entirely all that great either XD. I just wanted to get my Team 7/Sasuke feelings out of the way, so I can rest in relative peace.

Anyway, I've been back and forth with this fandom, falling in and out of love with it. And for the first time in four years; I feel like I'm back home too.

So thanks for reading. :)

-TR