A/N: I wanted to try my hand at writing an angst sort-of fic. My goal is to make people cry. Yes, I know. I'm evil.

"Uchiha-taichou, you and your team are to be sent on a SS-rank mission to Amegakure. Your objective: to retrieve a stolen Fuuinjutsu scroll from the Private Library of the Ame leader."

An explosion of color filled the midnight-blue sky. The thundering 'boom' ringing in the crowd's ears. Tiny wisps of smoke, the only trace of the beauty that once was.

All alone in his office, Naruto stood watching the firework's dazzling performance. He silently counted, trying to estimate how long till the finale. Half of him hoped it would come soon, the other half wishing it would never come at all.

The captain nodded, bowing ever so slightly as he took their mission scroll. Unfurling it, he quickly scanned the contents briefly. His head tilted forward a bit, a sign of confirmation. Behind him, his team had already left, melting into the ground like the shadows of the night.

A sudden knock startled Naruto out of his reverie. Composing himself, he allowed the visitor to enter. Never once did his eyes leave window.

"Naruto?"

Naruto. Not Hokage-sama. Or Rokudaime-sama. Accompanied by the unique chakra signature that seemed mysteriously sweet, it could only be one person.

"Sakura-chan?"

Careful footsteps, he could feel her worry rolling off her in waves. Sigh. Same old Sakura-chan.

But Sasuke stayed. For some inexplicable reason, he stayed. Although his team could be miles ahead of him by now, he didn't move from his spot. Not giving a single indication that he was about to leave.

Then, he did something considerably taboo in Anbu circles. He took off his mask. The dim lighting could not hide the fire that burned in those onyx pools. Sasuke was...

"Everyone is worried about you, Naruto. Everyone." Sakura whispered. She approached close enough to place a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. Comforted by the knowledge her best friend made no move to shrug her off.

Still, he never turned to face her.

"Hokage-sama, if I make a request." The Anbu captain spoke slowly. His gaze boring into Naruto's. With those eyes. Eyes he had come to loathe more than the blood-red irises of the Sharingan.

"What is it, Uchiha-taichou." He tried to make it sound off-handed. He failed miserably.

The fire faded away briefly, for that Naruto was grateful. A smirk was back on his bastard's face. "I would like to talk to the blond idiot."

Sakura stood beside him for awhile. Watching him watch the fireworks. Observing the slight tension in his form when he thought the display was over. Taking in the deep breath of relief when it started again.

"Naruto...Please look at me."

He stiffened ever so slight before turning to face her. The expression on his face was something akin to child-like wonder and excite. So painfully happy.

"Who are you calling a blond idiot?!" Naruto bellowed, throwing his paperweight at Sasuke.

He vanished, seconds before the paperweight could even make contact. He reappeared behind the Hokage, commiting another taboo. The Anbu would never even dream of what he was about to do. And if they did...

Looping his arms loosely around Naruto, Sasuke chuckled. "Shall I take that as a yes?"

Naruto blushed, the heat of Sasuke's breath spreading across the side of his neck. He fought without really fighting against the other's grip. "Jerk."

"Maybe later. I have a mission to do."

Naruto twisted himself around to face his lover. "Weren't you going to say something?"

Sakura couldn't control herself then. She flung her arms around Naruto, squeezing him tightly in a warm embrace.

"It's going to be okay, Naruto. Maybe not now, but someday in the near future."

He didn't move. It was as if it didn't register in his mind that Sakura was hugging him. "What are you talking about Sakura-chan?"

The woman could only do so much as to stop herself from hugging the life out of him. "Naruto don't play dumb."

The smirk did not waver though the fire returned. The flames behind those orbs licking away everything inside.

"Moron." he breathed into his ear, nipping it softly. "Don't worry."

Naruto flinched. A blush spreading wonderfully across his cheeks. "Who said I'm worried?"

Sasuke locked eyes with him. In the intense stare, he could see himself reflected in the eyes of his lover. Immediately he knew, the fire was burning in him too.

"I'll be back. Our anniversary is coming up, ne?"

Naruto could not stop the snort that escaped him. Sakura raised a brow.

"Isn't that the only thing I'm good at?" He countered, pulling himself away from her.

Sakura frowned, cupping his cheeks. "Don't do that. Don't give me that! Stop acting like everything's okay!"

He shooked his head, looking at her as if she was some foolishly naive child. "Why shouldn't I? There's a celebration going on outside. A party for our hundreth and twenty-fifth year of existence. Everything is alright."

Sasuke kissed him deeply. Passionately. Not a goodbye kiss. Simply one of reassurance. A promise.

"I'll finish this mission. I'll return before the last firework."

Naruto grinned. That idiot smile. It made him look like the sun. At the peak of it's beauty.

"He said he'll be back. Before the last firework. So he will. Don't lose faith so easily Sakura-chan!"

Unable to take it anymore, Sakura fled. Her eyes filled with more tears than it could hold. A sob sprang for her lips as she flew through the doorway.

A long, awkward silence was left in her wake. Only the wise, ancient tomes and ink-blotted mission files left to keep him company. Naruto heaved another sigh, turning back to the window. The moonlight bathing him ethereal light, leaving everything else to the warm darkness. His reflection stared back at him, solemn and tired.

It couldn't be helped. Naruto supposed once Sakura wakes up and realizes everything was alright. That he was alive. Then things would go back to normal. And the three of them would go down to Ichiraku for another one of their reunion feasts. Ah, he could almost taste the ramen. Mm. Salty.

He watched the fireworks for a few minutes. His silence almost reverent as his awe grew. The firework's committee had outdone themselves. Tommorow he and Sasuke were definately going to visit them to give them their compliments. Definately.

Lost in his plans for the next day, he did not notice the presence behind him. The barely discernable figure of an unnamed man. A head taller than the Hokage with a wiry build. The stranger leaned in close, his nose nearly touching the nape of Naruto's neck.

"Boo."

Naruto jumped a mile high. He turned around swiftly. "Damn you bastard! Must you creep up on me!"

"Not my fault you let your gaurd down." Said bastard smirked.

The blond raised his fist to begin a tirade of foul words when he paused. Relief overwhelmed his features as his entire posture sagged. "Teme-"

"Don't tell me you were worried?" Sasuke inquired, almost incredulous.

Naruto huffed, crossing his arms. "Oh please. The world does not revolve around you jackass."

"Ah yes. But your world does."

Naruto could feel his face reddening. He twisted himself to face the window once more. Unwilling to let Sasuke see him so mortified. Curiously enough though, he didn't want to disprove Sasuke's claim.

A loud explosion brought his attention back to earth. Back to the Founding Festival as a series of fireworks bloomed across the sky. Beautiful, bright, shimmering fireworks. Streaking up and up in a tiny insignificant flare before revealing it's fiery might.

"See, I wasn't late. Here comes the finale." Sasuke stated softly.

Naruto huffed, crossing his arms. "Yeah, but you're still a jerk."

Sasuke ignored his lover's comment, continuing despite the interruption. "I'm glad, I didn't miss this. I love fireworks."

"I didn't know that. Is it some Uchiha thing? Because you guys have a fire affinity?"

"It has nothing to do with that. It's a Sasuke thing."

Naruto threw Sasuke a questioning glance over his shoulder. "Eh?"

Sasuke smiled, that tender smile he reserved for Naruto. "Fireworks remind me of you. They capture everyone's attention just like you do. Also there so much power, beauty, and light packed into suck a small package. Like you are."

Naruto's heart fluttered, he drew his attention to the floor. The carpet suddenly becoming very interesting. "Uh, wow. Thanks, I--" His head snapped up. "Hey! Are you calling me small?!"

Sasuke chuckled, closing the gap between their faces. "Shut up, dead last. You're ruining the moment."

And with that, he claimed those pouty lips. Their kiss soft and gentle. A welcome home.

Naruto shivered. Sasuke's lips were so cold. And then it hit him. Sasuke was back. He was here with him. Kissing him. It didn't matter anymore that Sasuke was freezing, as long as he was home. Before he could stop himself, he spun his body around and threw his arms around Sasuke's neck. His eyes squeezed shut, a few tears rolling down his cheeks.

Sasuke broke away from the kiss. Staring down at his lover, puzzled as the blond began to sob quietly into his shoulder. "Naruto..."

"I was so-" he hiccupped, "I was so scared. When I heard about your team, I was so scared. I didn't know what to think especially when-when-!"

Comprehension dawned on the other 's face. Sasuke swallowed, placing one hand on the small of Naruto's back and cupping the blond's cheek with the other.

"Y-You idiot. A-As if I would break my promise. Do you have such little faith in me?"

Naruto gawked at him for a full minute, causing Sasuke to squirm under his intense stare. He then broke out into a wide grin, giggling softly. "Are you blushing, Sasuke?"

"Shut up. I'm back aren't I?" Sasuke mumbled, his eyes looking everywhere but at Naruto.

The blond nodded slowly, pecking Sasuke softly on the lips. "Yeah, you're back."

Sasuke smirked, though the blush did not recede. Naruto grinned, settling his head at the crook of Sasuke's shoulder. They watched in silent contentment as the finale came to an explosive end.

Sakura walked slowly back to the Hokage office, her footfalls soft and hesistant. She felt awfully guilty running away from Naruto last night. Especially when her best friend needed her the most. But she just couldn't stand it, he was just so happy. So fake. A shattered reflection of the man she used to know.

A few days ago, a week after Sasuke and his team was dispatched to Ame, their corpses were found. They were floating down the river, all badly wounded and barely identifiable. Every single member of the team was accounted for, except for...the captain.

Sakura believed it was that false hope that had kept Naruto going. That gathered all the peices of the shattered reflection and tied it together with the flimsy red thread of fate. Now however, those peices will be scattered once more. And no one would be able to gather them again. Because last night, around midnight, just as the last firework erupted in the sky, Sasuke's corpse was found. Propped up against the frame of the Main Gate. No one knew how it got there, the gatekeepers claiming it wasn't there one minute and then the next, it was just suddenly there.

Sakura could care less how the body got there, instead she focused on the severity of Sasuke's injuries. There were several stab wounds, countless broken bones, deep lacerations, and two empty eyeholes where the eyes were gouged out. It was a gruesome sight, whoever did this was merciless. And she knew it would break Naruto's heart. Whatever was left of it.

Pausing in mid-stride, Sakura found herself in front of the office doors. She didn't think it couldn't be anymore daunting than if she was a wanted criminal awaiting her death sentence. Nonetheless, it had to be done. Naruto couldn't be left in disillusion anymore. Why, oh why did she have to deliver the news though? On the otherhand, she couldn't have it any other way. Taking a deep a breath, she relaxed and open the doors.

The sight that greeted her shocked her to her very core. There, in the warm sunlight, was the outline of the one and only Uchiha Sasuke. She could barely make it out but it was there. Hovering closely over the slumbering Hokage slumped over his desk.

Sakura rubbed her eyes. Rubbed them twice. But the figure was still there. And just when she thought she couldn't be anymore surprised, the Sasuke-thing looked at her. His eyes were the same coal orbs that she remembered. He winked at her, smirking that same infuriating smirk.

"I had to keep my promise, Sakura."

His expression grew somber, gazing down at Naruto once more. A tear fell from his eyes, the fire once again alive and licking away everything inside.

"Take care of him."

Without another sound, Sasuke vanished. Tiny wisps of smoke, the only trace of the beauty that once was.

A/N: This was basically rushed. I think. Interpret it however you will.