Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Broken Reflections ❯ Broken Reflections ( Chapter 12 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: siberianknight 
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Mystery | Type: Yaoi | Uploaded On: 08.25.2007 | Pages: 4 | Words: 6.0K | Visits: 474 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Mystery | Type: Yaoi | Uploaded On: 08.25.2007 | Pages: 4 | Words: 6.0K | Visits: 474 | Status: Completed
Author's Notes: Well, here is the next to last chapter. I've enjoyed writing this story immensely and look forward to the next one.
I have decided that the next story will be a high school AU tale with a twist. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as they did this one!
Warnings: Spoilers for c295+, Language, Small Lime Scene, Sexuality
Chapter Status: COMPLETE
-----
&ld quo;Naruto -- I --” Sasuke mumbled, his eyes averted from Naruto’s intense gaze.
It was hard seeing Sasuke defeated, he had always been so strong, so in control. This new ashamed version of him made Naruto’s chest constrict with pain; the sight forced him to look away. “No -- don’t. I did what I did because you’re the person I looked up to the most. Because you’re my best friend and my rival. If you had died ... then who would push me to better myself?”
Sasuke cringed at the warmth and love etched into each word Naruto had spoken. Somehow when he had left, he had thought that would be it, that he wouldn’t have to face his best friend’s feelings. However, when Itachi had repented, had in fact given his own life to protect his little brother ... everything Sasuke had thought and planned changed.
Naruto raised his blue eyes to the lowered dark eyes of Sasuke. He waited patiently for his friend to look up, and when he did, Sasuke immediately regretted doing so. There deep within those bright blue eyes lay a sadness that was beyond words. One that he could not begin to fathom how to heal. It was in that moment that Sasuke experienced a new and frighteningly strong emotion. He wanted to wrap Naruto up in his arms and spend the rest of his life attempting to heal those wounds. As he contemplated just what exactly those feelings meant, Naruto's soft voice broke through and caused him to jump slightly. “Sasuke, let’s start over. I think that’s the best path to take.”
With a soft grunt, Sasuke grabbed Naruto’s proffered hand, and the two shook on the deal. Sasuke knew that no matter the reception he received from the village, Naruto at least understood his need to put the stupid decisions which he had made behind him.
-----
From his position before the ‘mirror,’ Sasuke peered sideways at Orochimaru, who had resumed his perch upon the chair. He had to calm his mind and think. There had to be a way out of that room and back to Naruto. He had to get to him before -- but before what? What exactly was it that Orochimaru was planning? The sick feeling inside Sasuke’s stomach intensified and made it difficult for him to relax enough to think clearly. “Tch ... tch. Problems?” At the sound of Orochimaru’s voice, Sasuke’s mind instantly cleared. A warmth began to spread through him, and even though he could not explain it, he could hear Naruto’s voice whispering softly in his ear, and suddenly he became aware of Orochimaru's plans. His laugh began softly, but slowly grew as his enemy’s face contorted into a confused expression.
“I have to say that you have some twisted ways to manipulate people,” Sasuke began in a strong and cocky voice. “First it was my lust for revenge -- now you’re using my lust for another person.” He slowly turned and faced his adversary whose cold eyes were glowing with interest back at him. “You’ve trapped me here so that the other Sasuke can manipulate Naruto.” He watched with satisfaction as Orochimaru slowly pushed himself into a more upright position and cocked an curious eyebrow at Sasuke. “It would’ve worked, if it hadn’t been for a few minor flaws.” Sasuke walked casually over to the far wall, opposite Orochimaru, and leaned with a carefree attitude against its rough surface. “You must have worked long and hard on that jutsu you developed. The one which looked inside Naruto’s mind to find that which he wasn’t even aware of. Then you used a jutsu to manipulate space and time so you could send Naruto to that other world. Where you hoped Naruto would become so wrapped up in it -- and a Sasuke who openly loved him -- he’d never want to leave. However, -- and this is your first flaw -- you didn’t realize there had already been a Naruto in that world. The second flaw -- Naruto didn’t want to stay there. He wanted to come home, and at any cost.”
Upon Sasuke’s finishing, Orochimaru’s face lit with a bright smile, one of victory. “It may have been flawed, but it seems to have done it’s trick. You are here, while Naruto is being swept away by the other Sasuke.”
“So, your plan all along was to kill Naruto. I suppose that before I prevented you from taking over my body ... you made a clone of yourself? And you would be that clone, right?” Orochimaru’s smile twitched slightly as he nodded slowly. “So then I can presume that you and those two unfortunate girls were left behind in case he died before Naruto was killed?” Again, a slight nod was his response. Sasuke’s heart was beating fast, if Orochimaru had made one clone, who was to say he hadn’t made a whole army? Naruto’s voice once more whispered in his head, bringing a touch of clarity to the situation. “So, you were to awaken at a certain time? Just for Naruto’s destruction.” This time Sasuke didn’t wait for the answer. He suddenly felt more confident in what he was saying; Orochimaru had left a clone behind to punish the one person he couldn’t kill without dying himself -- Naruto. “After awakening, you then waited for the opportune moment to capture the man who had caused most of your suffering. The one person who had constantly stood in your way. You must blame him for my inability to follow you and blindly allow you to take over my body. I’ll tell you now, Orochimaru -- that was my own choice. Naruto had no part in it.” Orochimaru shifted uncomfortably in his chair as his face began to contort with rising anger. “I have to applaud you. It was an excellent plan, trying to send Naruto as far away as possible. The only thing I don’t understand is why? Why didn’t you just kill him?”
Orochimaru slowly rose from his seat and began to close the gap between the two. “Because my dear Sasuke-kun, I wanted him to suffer. I wanted him to think you had truly and finally betrayed him. He had to suffer the greatest pain imaginable.
“I may be a mere clone, but I was told of how the two of you destroyed me. So, I came up with a brilliant plan ... I sent him away to a world where the kyuubi could not exists. Unlike what you believe, the only flaw in my plan was that Naruto didn’t seem to want to stay. It bothered him that Sasuke was pursuing him ... that was when he ruined everything. He found the kink in my jutsu -- the image of myself which needed to be in that world as well. I don’t know how he did it, but he found how to leave that world.”
“So, you’re admitting a mistake? I’m surprised Orochimaru.” With a growl of pure hatred, Orochimaru leapt forward and with a flick of his wrist, sent three snakes shooting from his arm toward Sasuke, who deftly jumped sideways and sent his own snakes after his opponent. Orochimaru missed by inches, but wouldn’t be deterred. He moved aside to escape Sasuke’s attack and easily manipulated the snakes toward his foe. Naruto’s voice began to scream inside Sasuke’s head, begging him to use all his power. Reluctantly and with a growl he agreed. He had to use it -- there was no other way, and at the moment going blind once more was the least of his worries.
The black wheels in Sasuke’s eyes began to spin as he caught Orochimaru in the mangekyou. Soon screams filled the small room, amidst begging and whimpering for release. “You may have taken my eyes from me, but I won’t let you kill Naruto -- or use the other Sasuke for your evil. He’s the true innocent which you involved this time around. You’ll die here and now, and I promise you I’ll find the others -- if there are any -- and erase them from existence.” Sasuke stalked toward the man cowering on the floor. He reached into his hip bag and pulled out his kunai. With one swift and deep swipe, he lacerated Orochimaru’s throat. Devoid of spirit, the body slumped quietly onto the dirty floor. With a soft scream of her own, the young girl dashed over to her fallen master, knelt, and carefully lifted his nearly severed head onto her bent knees. “How could you!?” Sasuke glared at her for a few moments, then allowed his face to soften a bit. She was crying, and he could imagine that she had viewed Orochimaru somewhat like her father. It was only natural for her to be upset over his death, even if the world was better for it. After a few moments of her tears, she ran her sleeve across her eyes, being careful not to get any of the blood which was on her small hands into them. When she looked up, she was surprisingly calm. “You still have the question of how he did it, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do.”
“It was the resurrection mirror. It’s made of an ore which amplifies a person’s chakra. It was how he was able to send Naruto to another world. It was in that shed that day ...”
Sasuke glanced curiously at the large crack and then back at the small girl. “But it’s broken, ” he felt silly for such an obvious statement, but the girl seemed genuine about her explanation.
“It’s not broken. Though, it is cracked, but not broken. That was what allowed Orochimaru-sama to find the other you. Yours and Naruto’s reflections in that world -- and break them.” She gazed with blank eyes at the ‘mirror.’ “He was so happy that day when he found this. He thought he’d finally beat you and Naruto.” She sniffled loudly. “May I ask a favor?”
“Of course.” It was all he could do to help her. She was after all going to be placed in custody as soon as the others arrived.
“Send the other Sasuke back before it’s too late.”
“Too late?”
“Before he breaks his reflection in this world.” Sasuke stood confused for a moment, and then simply pointed to himself.
“You mean me?” The girl nodded solemnly.
“I do mean you. I regret this, but we will never meet again. He was the only clone, so you need not worry anymore about this man. I must bid you farewell. May the bit of doubt I placed in Naruto’s mind, allow him to realize his true feelings. Goodbye.” Just as her sister had done, the young girl opened her mouth and bit down upon her tongue. Sasuke rushed forward in an attempt to stop her, but was too late. Her body began to shake with seizures, and then she fell over, her torso blocking her beloved master’s horrorstricken face.
“Sasuke!!” A familiar voice called out to him from the other side of the door.
“Kakashi-sensei! I can’t open it, I’ve tried.”
“Stand back then.” There were faint sounds of scuffling, then the familiar sounds of the chidori being activated. Sasuke suddenly felt dense for not thinking of using that on the door, but the feeling quickly passed. He needed to focus on protecting Naruto, and himself. Although, he had to duck as bits of wall and door flew across the room, he was running toward the newly formed doorway before the dust had even settled. The others had to jump quickly out of his way, or take the risk of being run over.
As Sasuke ran toward the entrance he called out over his shoulder to the others, “We have to get back to Konoha -- immediately!”
“Sasuke, wait -- what happened?”
“I’ll explain later, Kakashi. We have to move out now, or --” Or? He wasn’t even aware of what the ‘or’ was. The answer which the young girl had left him with was extremely cryptic, and made his insides churn with worry. The others glanced at each other and followed the quickly disappearing figure of Sasuke.
-----
His hands were all over him. Each place that had been lovingly caressed was then nipped and kissed by the mouth which was driving all rational thought from him. Naruto lay upon the fluffy soft surface of his bed, staring up at the ceiling. Sasuke had led him into that room, and had quickly removed most of his clothing. He was laying in only his boxers, and was loving every minute of it. How could he have been so stupid? This was what he had wanted so badly from Sasuke all these years. It wasn’t only to be acknowledge for being a good ninja, but for much much more. His body stirred hungrily, and he reached out to Sasuke’s shoulders, trying to urge him lower.
Sasuke raised his head and smirked up at the lust filled face of his lover. He ran his hand along the elastic waistband of Naruto’s boxers, and then tugged it down over his small, round butt cheek. His fingers slid lightly along its curve, causing pants and small noises to escape Naruto’s mouth. With an evil grin, Sasuke ran his forefinger down the small divide leading to the anus. He pressed up against that small hole, eliciting a small groan of surprise from the other man. “I can’t believe I get your virginity twice, I’m rather lucky” Sasuke’s voice may have been a whisper, but to Naruto it was a thunderous cry of warning. He promptly pushed Sasuke away and rolled off the bed, correcting the position of his shorts as he did so. “What’s wrong?” Sasuke asked in a thick voice. He looked rather confused, which made Naruto even more angry with him.
“How dare you!”
“What do you mean!?” Sasuke rose from the bed and quickly closed the distance between the two; Naruto, however, did not back away this time.
“I mean, how can you defile your Naruto’s memory by switching to me!?” He crossed his arms against his heaving chest and glared back at the Japanese Sasuke.
“I’m not. You’re mine. My Naruto. I’ve already told you -- that other guy ... he doesn’t want you, but I do.”
“You’re not healthy!” Naruto screamed in his face. “I cannot, will not be a replacement for your dead love! I’m sorry, but like it or not ... it’s not right for you to do so. Now I want you to leave.” He stubbornly struck a pose of pointing at the door, hoping that in his immovability, Sasuke would realize he was serious. This Sasuke couldn’t defend himself against ninja attacks, but if he tried to touch him one more time, he wouldn’t stop his natural reflexes.
Sasuke stared slightly slack-jawed at Naruto. He could’ve kicked him in the balls and it wouldn’t have hurt half as much as his rejection. The warmth which had spread through him only moments before left him in a flood, replaced by emptiness and a deep sadness. He had lost Naruto not once, but twice. “I --” Sasuke couldn’t find it in himself to apologize for his behavior. So it was with one last longing look at Naruto, that he turned and left.
Naruto locked the door behind Sasuke’s retreating figure, and slid down against its metallic surface. “Sasuke, I hope you come back soon.”
-----
Sasuke came to a stop before the large doors that marked the entrance into Konoha. He caught himself whispering a small prayer that Naruto was still safe, and then slowly walked through the gateway. “Sasuke ... Sasuke there’s something you should know.” Naruto’s voice echoed from deep inside his head, and caused him to pause. “Orochimaru meant what he said. The other Sasuke being here ... it’s bad for you. I died because your Naruto was sent into my world. I can only imagine that if he stays, then one of you must die.”
“I’ve figured that much out already, Naruto. I’m surprised you didn’t know that ... since you’re inside my head,” Sasuke mumbled as he glanced around in the hopes that no one was watching.
“Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention.” Sasuke’s laugh echoed off the surface of the nearby buildings. It didn’t matter which world he was in, Naruto would always be Naruto.
Much later, Kakashi and the rest of the team arrived, out of breath and exhausted. “He could’ve stopped more than he did,” Kiba complained bitterly.
“Kiba, he’s worried about Naruto.” Kakashi stared at the empty gates, wondering if Sasuke had made it in time.
“A little too worried if you ask me.”
“Kiba, what if it was Hinata? You would’ve been in just as much of a hurry as he.” Neiji gazed at Kiba with his usual overly perceptive eyes.
“That’s different!” Kiba protested with an angry huff.
“Now, now ... nothing stands in the way of love kids.” Jiraiya strode between the two men, and draped his arm around Kiba’s stiff shoulders.
“Especially social stigmas,” Kakashi mumbled, and then looked embarrassed as he realized that he was being stared at by the others.
“You sound as if you’ve heard this argument before.” Jiraiya moved away from Kiba and closed the distance between himself and Kakashi. “I’d wager that you yourself have given the argument against two of the same sex being together.”
“Could we not talk about this?” Kiba really had no patience to hear the same conversation which he had heard Hinata and Sakura share many times. Sadly, it always seemed that they liked to bring up the subject of Naruto and Sasuke, as well as Kakashi and Iruka while he was present.
“Kiba, I understand you’re feelings. I myself am not one who understands it, but if they love each other ... we have no right to say anything against it.” With that simple statement, Neiji had silenced everyone. They all turned to face him, each one with a solemn expression upon their face. Including the silent Shino.
“Say, Shino, what do you make of this?”
“If they love one another, then so be it. Love is too precious to waste.”
Kiba gave a half shrug and grinned. “I s’pose you’re right.”
Sasuke ran through the village, ignoring the many greetings and questions from the people he passed. He had to get to Naruto, and he had to get there immediately. Hopefully he was still at home, since it was early morning Sasuke doubted he’d even be awake yet. When he reached Naruto’s apartment building, he bounded up the stairs three at a time. “Naruto!” He pounded heavily on the door to the apartment, praying the blonde would throw the door open. “Please be home, please be home.” After what seemed like an eternity to him, the door swung open and there on the other side was Naruto, rubbing at his sleep filled eyes. Sasuke sank to his knees with relief.
“Sasuke? Are you okay?” Naruto was peering down at him with the most adorable puzzled expression that he had ever seen. Sasuke stood slowly and nodded.
“I’m fine. I -- I was afraid that you ... weren’t.”
“Huh?” Naruto stared askance at the dark headed man, wondering which Sasuke this really was. His eyes lowered to the other’s left arm. If there was a tattoo there, then this was the Konoha Sasuke; otherwise, he needed to slam the door in this guy’s face.
Carefully, Naruto reached out and gently tugged up Sasuke’s sleeve. There in a deep purple-black was the tattoo which marked him as the safe Sasuke. A bright smile burst across Naruto’s face as he threw his arms around his friend and gave him a fierce hug. “For a moment ... I thought -- I thought you were the other Sasuke. That he’d come back.” Sasuke could feel that he was holding back his emotions so he wouldn’t cry. That small fact caused small bursts of warmth inside of him. Slowly, Sasuke wrapped his arms around Naruto’s strong frame and hugged back.
“Naruto, there’s something I need to talk with you about. It’s rather important.” Naruto pulled away, but Sasuke grabbed one of his hands in his. The blonde’s eyes dipped down to where their hands were joined and a small smile danced about his lips.
“Sure. There’s something I need to tell you.”
Sasuke’s heart began to hammer against his chest. It was pumping so fast that he was sure Naruto could hear it. “Wha--what is it?”
Naruto tugged insistently on the other’s hand and dragged him inside of the apartment. He lead Sasuke over to the couch and the two sat, their knees lightly touching. “I --” His face felt as if it were on fire. Was it possible to die from embarrassment?
“You?” Sasuke gently urged, even though he felt as if he was going to be sick at any moment.
“I ... loveyou,” he said in a rush. After a moment or two of silence, Naruto cast his gaze in Sasuke’s direction. From his stoic expression, it was impossible to tell what the other was feeling. “Well?”
“Well, I -- really you love me? As a ... friend, right? That’s what you meant, right?”
Naruto sighed, completely exasperated with the clueless man. “You’re just making this more difficult on purpose. Aren’t you?”
“No, idiot. I -- I’m just ... afraid.” For the first time, Naruto could see that Sasuke was not only afraid of his answer, but appeared to be just as embarrassed as he was.
“Afraid? I -- Sasuke I love you. Not as a friend ... well, I do love you as a friend, but I -- want to be ... more.” He whispered the last word, scared that if he said it any louder Sasuke may run.
“‘More?’ You want more from me? Than friendship?”
“Yes, dumbass. When I say I love you, I mean that I want to kiss you and -- well ... more stuff.” Naruto’s face turned red once more, and he had to look away, causing him to miss the leer which Sasuke gave him.
“I like how you put that, idiot.”
“Dumbass.” Sasuke reached out and tipped Naruto’s face up to kiss him. The embrace was fiery and passionate, every unspoken word and feeling was shared between them in that kiss. When they finally broke away, both men were slightly out of breath and fully aroused. “Sasuke, I --” Naruto cleared his throat trying to rid himself of the sudden heaviness in his voice. “Before we do any more, I need to tell you about something. It concerns the other Sasuke.” He cringed as he felt Sasuke’s body stiffen in anger. “Nothing bad happened! But, well he tried. I don’t understand it myself, but he kissed me and I lost myself. I wanted him, until I realized that it was you I wanted ... not him.”
“But you didn’t sleep with him. Right?”
“Right!” Naruto nodded vigorously in an effort to reassure Sasuke, who smiled warmly at him.
“I hate to say this, but we need to go and speak with him.” Naruto’s bottom lip jutted out slightly in a pout.
“Oh, alright. He should be back at Kakashi-sensei’s.”
The Japanese Sasuke was standing outside of Kakashi’s apartment building, speaking quietly with the jounin himself. Kakashi glanced up and waved at Sasuke and Naruto. “I see you found him in one piece,” he stated simply with a light chuckle.
“We came to speak with Sasuke.” The one in question presented a fierce glare for the Konoha Sasuke, but held a watery smile for Naruto. “Look, you have to go back. You can’t stay here any longer.”
Naruto leaned close to the Konoha Sasuke and whispered, “Sasuke, do you know how to get him back?”
“Yes, now hush,” Sasuke growled only loud enough for Naruto’s ears.
The Japanese Sasuke answered quietly, his eyes trained on Naruto. “If I go back ... I’ll be without Naruto once more. No, I’d rather like to stay, thank you.” The Konoha Sasuke growled softly. He started to move aggressively toward the other Sasuke, but was stopped by the sound of Naruto’s voice.
“Sasuke, allow me to speak with him.” Sasuke closed his eyes, and as he reopened them, his whole demeanor noticeably changed. With a scowl on his face, he peered at the other Sasuke. “Sasuke,” he took a deep breath before continuing. “YOU STUPID, FUCKING, MENTALLY RETARDED, MORON!! I know you miss me, but this is just ridiculous!! He’s, his. Not yours. I died, yes. And I’m sorry that I left you alone -- that that creep Orochimaru, stole me from you. But the thing is, you can’t take what isn’t yours ... anymore than you can stay here and mess things up for this Sasuke.”
The Japanese Sasuke stood quietly for a moment, stunned. Then he subtly shook himself, and gazed at the other him. “Na-Naruto?”
“Yeah.” The Konoha Sasuke slouched slightly and crossed his arms against his chest with an aggravated huff.
“So ... you’re --”
“Dead, but talking to you in spirit, Sasuke,” he dragged out his lover’s name through clinched teeth, highly annoyed with his apparent lack of cognitive powers. To everyone’s surprise -- and possibly distaste -- the Japanese Sasuke ran over to the other, and embraced him with a fierce kiss. The Naruto who was borrowing Sasuke’s body, kissed the other back with equal passion. People walking down the street stopped and stared. Some made noises of disagreement, while a few girls giggled excitedly from somewhere nearby.
When the kiss ended, the Japanese Sasuke stepped back slightly and recovered his normal air of dignity. “Naruto, may I speak with Sasuke?”
“Sure.” Again, the change in the Konoha Sasuke was visible. Soon the two men stood facing each other with alike stances and body language.
“What?”
“Kill me ... so I can be with Naruto.” The Konoha Sasuke studied the other. He was obviously serious about his request, which caused him to chuckle softly. “Why are you laughing!?”
“Because, Naruto wants to hurt you right now. He thinks it’s the -- how did he put it? ‘Most boneheaded idea you’ve come up with yet.’ I believe that’s how he phrased it.” The Japanese Sasuke pulled back his fist and plunged it into the smirking image of himself.
“Bastard! I don’t ... I can’t be alone! We had the rest of our lives before us. You don’t understand.” The anger flooded out of him with every word. An emptiness grew within his heart that threatened to overcome him at that moment, until the Konoha Naruto spoke up.
“But I do. I understand that. When Sasuke left ... there were times when it was like he had died. He was always just out of my reach and I wanted to bring him back so badly. I’ve seen death ... I know what it feels like to lose someone you care about deeply. It may be a bit different when it’s your lover, but it’s all essentially the same at its core.
“He’ll always be with you in your heart. Don’t throw away your life because of that -- he wouldn’t want you to, because I wouldn’t want you to.” The Japanese Sasuke’s shoulders slumped in defeat.
“I guess you’re right. So, tell me Sasuke, how do I return?”
“Through the mirror. A team was sent to retrieve it as soon as we returned. It’ll be here in about three days.”
The Japanese Sasuke nodded, and then turned to Naruto. “I’m glad to have gotten to be with you. It --”
“I hope you don’t remember me. I hope you only remember your Naruto, and the joy the two of you shared.” They hugged briefly. It was with a heavy weight in his heart that Naruto watched the Japanese Sasuke go back inside Kakashi’s apartment.
“He’ll be alright.” Kakashi smiled as he lay a reassuring hand upon Naruto’s shoulder. “All of this has been very confusing to him, and only rightfully so.”
“Naruto!! Sasuke!!” It was Sakura. She was running to meet them, a roll of parchment in her hand. “We’ve got -- a -- mission,” she panted heavily.
“Great,” Naruto grumbled. “What is it?”
“Well, it’s fairly easy. Just an escort mission for a dignitary. He needs to leave Konoha and return to his village. It’s a day and a half away.”
“Fair enough. Kakashi, let Sasuke know where we’ve gone.” Kakashi nodded in agreement with Sasuke’s request and watched team seven head off for the entrance of Konoha.
----
“I guess this is goodbye,” the Japanese Sasuke’s smile was heartbreaking as he turned and faced the people who had come to see him off.
“Good luck.” Sakura hugged him and then turned away to wipe at her moist eyes.
“Thank you all. I’m sorry that I messed things up. I truly am.”
“Nah, it’s okay. You helped me face my feelings for this guy,” Naruto indicated a slightly disgruntled Sasuke, who was standing very close to him. “Besides, you’re a good guy. Orochimaru had just messed with you a bit. Don’t feel bad about it. You didn’t do anything wrong.” The Japanese Sasuke grunted softly as a reply, and then turned to face the mirror.
“Sasuke, I have to leave as well ... I’m sorry.” The Konoha Sasuke grinned at the now familiar warmth of Naruto’s spirit. He reassured him that it was okay. “Listen there’s something I must tell you -- your eyes. I’m afraid that I was the reason you’ve been able to see again. Once I go they’ll --”
“It’s okay. I already knew that. Go. You don’t belong here, you need to go with the other Sasuke.” Sasuke felt the warmth slowly leave him. The room slowly began to fade, but not completely. He was able to see long enough to ensure that the other Sasuke had been able to leave through the mirror, then his vision faded completely.
--------------------
geovisit();
I have decided that the next story will be a high school AU tale with a twist. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as they did this one!
Warnings: Spoilers for c295+, Language, Small Lime Scene, Sexuality
Chapter Status: COMPLETE
&ld quo;Naruto -- I --” Sasuke mumbled, his eyes averted from Naruto’s intense gaze.
It was hard seeing Sasuke defeated, he had always been so strong, so in control. This new ashamed version of him made Naruto’s chest constrict with pain; the sight forced him to look away. “No -- don’t. I did what I did because you’re the person I looked up to the most. Because you’re my best friend and my rival. If you had died ... then who would push me to better myself?”
Sasuke cringed at the warmth and love etched into each word Naruto had spoken. Somehow when he had left, he had thought that would be it, that he wouldn’t have to face his best friend’s feelings. However, when Itachi had repented, had in fact given his own life to protect his little brother ... everything Sasuke had thought and planned changed.
Naruto raised his blue eyes to the lowered dark eyes of Sasuke. He waited patiently for his friend to look up, and when he did, Sasuke immediately regretted doing so. There deep within those bright blue eyes lay a sadness that was beyond words. One that he could not begin to fathom how to heal. It was in that moment that Sasuke experienced a new and frighteningly strong emotion. He wanted to wrap Naruto up in his arms and spend the rest of his life attempting to heal those wounds. As he contemplated just what exactly those feelings meant, Naruto's soft voice broke through and caused him to jump slightly. “Sasuke, let’s start over. I think that’s the best path to take.”
With a soft grunt, Sasuke grabbed Naruto’s proffered hand, and the two shook on the deal. Sasuke knew that no matter the reception he received from the village, Naruto at least understood his need to put the stupid decisions which he had made behind him.
From his position before the ‘mirror,’ Sasuke peered sideways at Orochimaru, who had resumed his perch upon the chair. He had to calm his mind and think. There had to be a way out of that room and back to Naruto. He had to get to him before -- but before what? What exactly was it that Orochimaru was planning? The sick feeling inside Sasuke’s stomach intensified and made it difficult for him to relax enough to think clearly. “Tch ... tch. Problems?” At the sound of Orochimaru’s voice, Sasuke’s mind instantly cleared. A warmth began to spread through him, and even though he could not explain it, he could hear Naruto’s voice whispering softly in his ear, and suddenly he became aware of Orochimaru's plans. His laugh began softly, but slowly grew as his enemy’s face contorted into a confused expression.
“I have to say that you have some twisted ways to manipulate people,” Sasuke began in a strong and cocky voice. “First it was my lust for revenge -- now you’re using my lust for another person.” He slowly turned and faced his adversary whose cold eyes were glowing with interest back at him. “You’ve trapped me here so that the other Sasuke can manipulate Naruto.” He watched with satisfaction as Orochimaru slowly pushed himself into a more upright position and cocked an curious eyebrow at Sasuke. “It would’ve worked, if it hadn’t been for a few minor flaws.” Sasuke walked casually over to the far wall, opposite Orochimaru, and leaned with a carefree attitude against its rough surface. “You must have worked long and hard on that jutsu you developed. The one which looked inside Naruto’s mind to find that which he wasn’t even aware of. Then you used a jutsu to manipulate space and time so you could send Naruto to that other world. Where you hoped Naruto would become so wrapped up in it -- and a Sasuke who openly loved him -- he’d never want to leave. However, -- and this is your first flaw -- you didn’t realize there had already been a Naruto in that world. The second flaw -- Naruto didn’t want to stay there. He wanted to come home, and at any cost.”
Upon Sasuke’s finishing, Orochimaru’s face lit with a bright smile, one of victory. “It may have been flawed, but it seems to have done it’s trick. You are here, while Naruto is being swept away by the other Sasuke.”
“So, your plan all along was to kill Naruto. I suppose that before I prevented you from taking over my body ... you made a clone of yourself? And you would be that clone, right?” Orochimaru’s smile twitched slightly as he nodded slowly. “So then I can presume that you and those two unfortunate girls were left behind in case he died before Naruto was killed?” Again, a slight nod was his response. Sasuke’s heart was beating fast, if Orochimaru had made one clone, who was to say he hadn’t made a whole army? Naruto’s voice once more whispered in his head, bringing a touch of clarity to the situation. “So, you were to awaken at a certain time? Just for Naruto’s destruction.” This time Sasuke didn’t wait for the answer. He suddenly felt more confident in what he was saying; Orochimaru had left a clone behind to punish the one person he couldn’t kill without dying himself -- Naruto. “After awakening, you then waited for the opportune moment to capture the man who had caused most of your suffering. The one person who had constantly stood in your way. You must blame him for my inability to follow you and blindly allow you to take over my body. I’ll tell you now, Orochimaru -- that was my own choice. Naruto had no part in it.” Orochimaru shifted uncomfortably in his chair as his face began to contort with rising anger. “I have to applaud you. It was an excellent plan, trying to send Naruto as far away as possible. The only thing I don’t understand is why? Why didn’t you just kill him?”
Orochimaru slowly rose from his seat and began to close the gap between the two. “Because my dear Sasuke-kun, I wanted him to suffer. I wanted him to think you had truly and finally betrayed him. He had to suffer the greatest pain imaginable.
“I may be a mere clone, but I was told of how the two of you destroyed me. So, I came up with a brilliant plan ... I sent him away to a world where the kyuubi could not exists. Unlike what you believe, the only flaw in my plan was that Naruto didn’t seem to want to stay. It bothered him that Sasuke was pursuing him ... that was when he ruined everything. He found the kink in my jutsu -- the image of myself which needed to be in that world as well. I don’t know how he did it, but he found how to leave that world.”
“So, you’re admitting a mistake? I’m surprised Orochimaru.” With a growl of pure hatred, Orochimaru leapt forward and with a flick of his wrist, sent three snakes shooting from his arm toward Sasuke, who deftly jumped sideways and sent his own snakes after his opponent. Orochimaru missed by inches, but wouldn’t be deterred. He moved aside to escape Sasuke’s attack and easily manipulated the snakes toward his foe. Naruto’s voice began to scream inside Sasuke’s head, begging him to use all his power. Reluctantly and with a growl he agreed. He had to use it -- there was no other way, and at the moment going blind once more was the least of his worries.
The black wheels in Sasuke’s eyes began to spin as he caught Orochimaru in the mangekyou. Soon screams filled the small room, amidst begging and whimpering for release. “You may have taken my eyes from me, but I won’t let you kill Naruto -- or use the other Sasuke for your evil. He’s the true innocent which you involved this time around. You’ll die here and now, and I promise you I’ll find the others -- if there are any -- and erase them from existence.” Sasuke stalked toward the man cowering on the floor. He reached into his hip bag and pulled out his kunai. With one swift and deep swipe, he lacerated Orochimaru’s throat. Devoid of spirit, the body slumped quietly onto the dirty floor. With a soft scream of her own, the young girl dashed over to her fallen master, knelt, and carefully lifted his nearly severed head onto her bent knees. “How could you!?” Sasuke glared at her for a few moments, then allowed his face to soften a bit. She was crying, and he could imagine that she had viewed Orochimaru somewhat like her father. It was only natural for her to be upset over his death, even if the world was better for it. After a few moments of her tears, she ran her sleeve across her eyes, being careful not to get any of the blood which was on her small hands into them. When she looked up, she was surprisingly calm. “You still have the question of how he did it, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do.”
“It was the resurrection mirror. It’s made of an ore which amplifies a person’s chakra. It was how he was able to send Naruto to another world. It was in that shed that day ...”
Sasuke glanced curiously at the large crack and then back at the small girl. “But it’s broken, ” he felt silly for such an obvious statement, but the girl seemed genuine about her explanation.
“It’s not broken. Though, it is cracked, but not broken. That was what allowed Orochimaru-sama to find the other you. Yours and Naruto’s reflections in that world -- and break them.” She gazed with blank eyes at the ‘mirror.’ “He was so happy that day when he found this. He thought he’d finally beat you and Naruto.” She sniffled loudly. “May I ask a favor?”
“Of course.” It was all he could do to help her. She was after all going to be placed in custody as soon as the others arrived.
“Send the other Sasuke back before it’s too late.”
“Too late?”
“Before he breaks his reflection in this world.” Sasuke stood confused for a moment, and then simply pointed to himself.
“You mean me?” The girl nodded solemnly.
“I do mean you. I regret this, but we will never meet again. He was the only clone, so you need not worry anymore about this man. I must bid you farewell. May the bit of doubt I placed in Naruto’s mind, allow him to realize his true feelings. Goodbye.” Just as her sister had done, the young girl opened her mouth and bit down upon her tongue. Sasuke rushed forward in an attempt to stop her, but was too late. Her body began to shake with seizures, and then she fell over, her torso blocking her beloved master’s horrorstricken face.
“Sasuke!!” A familiar voice called out to him from the other side of the door.
“Kakashi-sensei! I can’t open it, I’ve tried.”
“Stand back then.” There were faint sounds of scuffling, then the familiar sounds of the chidori being activated. Sasuke suddenly felt dense for not thinking of using that on the door, but the feeling quickly passed. He needed to focus on protecting Naruto, and himself. Although, he had to duck as bits of wall and door flew across the room, he was running toward the newly formed doorway before the dust had even settled. The others had to jump quickly out of his way, or take the risk of being run over.
As Sasuke ran toward the entrance he called out over his shoulder to the others, “We have to get back to Konoha -- immediately!”
“Sasuke, wait -- what happened?”
“I’ll explain later, Kakashi. We have to move out now, or --” Or? He wasn’t even aware of what the ‘or’ was. The answer which the young girl had left him with was extremely cryptic, and made his insides churn with worry. The others glanced at each other and followed the quickly disappearing figure of Sasuke.
His hands were all over him. Each place that had been lovingly caressed was then nipped and kissed by the mouth which was driving all rational thought from him. Naruto lay upon the fluffy soft surface of his bed, staring up at the ceiling. Sasuke had led him into that room, and had quickly removed most of his clothing. He was laying in only his boxers, and was loving every minute of it. How could he have been so stupid? This was what he had wanted so badly from Sasuke all these years. It wasn’t only to be acknowledge for being a good ninja, but for much much more. His body stirred hungrily, and he reached out to Sasuke’s shoulders, trying to urge him lower.
Sasuke raised his head and smirked up at the lust filled face of his lover. He ran his hand along the elastic waistband of Naruto’s boxers, and then tugged it down over his small, round butt cheek. His fingers slid lightly along its curve, causing pants and small noises to escape Naruto’s mouth. With an evil grin, Sasuke ran his forefinger down the small divide leading to the anus. He pressed up against that small hole, eliciting a small groan of surprise from the other man. “I can’t believe I get your virginity twice, I’m rather lucky” Sasuke’s voice may have been a whisper, but to Naruto it was a thunderous cry of warning. He promptly pushed Sasuke away and rolled off the bed, correcting the position of his shorts as he did so. “What’s wrong?” Sasuke asked in a thick voice. He looked rather confused, which made Naruto even more angry with him.
“How dare you!”
“What do you mean!?” Sasuke rose from the bed and quickly closed the distance between the two; Naruto, however, did not back away this time.
“I mean, how can you defile your Naruto’s memory by switching to me!?” He crossed his arms against his heaving chest and glared back at the Japanese Sasuke.
“I’m not. You’re mine. My Naruto. I’ve already told you -- that other guy ... he doesn’t want you, but I do.”
“You’re not healthy!” Naruto screamed in his face. “I cannot, will not be a replacement for your dead love! I’m sorry, but like it or not ... it’s not right for you to do so. Now I want you to leave.” He stubbornly struck a pose of pointing at the door, hoping that in his immovability, Sasuke would realize he was serious. This Sasuke couldn’t defend himself against ninja attacks, but if he tried to touch him one more time, he wouldn’t stop his natural reflexes.
Sasuke stared slightly slack-jawed at Naruto. He could’ve kicked him in the balls and it wouldn’t have hurt half as much as his rejection. The warmth which had spread through him only moments before left him in a flood, replaced by emptiness and a deep sadness. He had lost Naruto not once, but twice. “I --” Sasuke couldn’t find it in himself to apologize for his behavior. So it was with one last longing look at Naruto, that he turned and left.
Naruto locked the door behind Sasuke’s retreating figure, and slid down against its metallic surface. “Sasuke, I hope you come back soon.”
Sasuke came to a stop before the large doors that marked the entrance into Konoha. He caught himself whispering a small prayer that Naruto was still safe, and then slowly walked through the gateway. “Sasuke ... Sasuke there’s something you should know.” Naruto’s voice echoed from deep inside his head, and caused him to pause. “Orochimaru meant what he said. The other Sasuke being here ... it’s bad for you. I died because your Naruto was sent into my world. I can only imagine that if he stays, then one of you must die.”
“I’ve figured that much out already, Naruto. I’m surprised you didn’t know that ... since you’re inside my head,” Sasuke mumbled as he glanced around in the hopes that no one was watching.
“Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention.” Sasuke’s laugh echoed off the surface of the nearby buildings. It didn’t matter which world he was in, Naruto would always be Naruto.
Much later, Kakashi and the rest of the team arrived, out of breath and exhausted. “He could’ve stopped more than he did,” Kiba complained bitterly.
“Kiba, he’s worried about Naruto.” Kakashi stared at the empty gates, wondering if Sasuke had made it in time.
“A little too worried if you ask me.”
“Kiba, what if it was Hinata? You would’ve been in just as much of a hurry as he.” Neiji gazed at Kiba with his usual overly perceptive eyes.
“That’s different!” Kiba protested with an angry huff.
“Now, now ... nothing stands in the way of love kids.” Jiraiya strode between the two men, and draped his arm around Kiba’s stiff shoulders.
“Especially social stigmas,” Kakashi mumbled, and then looked embarrassed as he realized that he was being stared at by the others.
“You sound as if you’ve heard this argument before.” Jiraiya moved away from Kiba and closed the distance between himself and Kakashi. “I’d wager that you yourself have given the argument against two of the same sex being together.”
“Could we not talk about this?” Kiba really had no patience to hear the same conversation which he had heard Hinata and Sakura share many times. Sadly, it always seemed that they liked to bring up the subject of Naruto and Sasuke, as well as Kakashi and Iruka while he was present.
“Kiba, I understand you’re feelings. I myself am not one who understands it, but if they love each other ... we have no right to say anything against it.” With that simple statement, Neiji had silenced everyone. They all turned to face him, each one with a solemn expression upon their face. Including the silent Shino.
“Say, Shino, what do you make of this?”
“If they love one another, then so be it. Love is too precious to waste.”
Kiba gave a half shrug and grinned. “I s’pose you’re right.”
Sasuke ran through the village, ignoring the many greetings and questions from the people he passed. He had to get to Naruto, and he had to get there immediately. Hopefully he was still at home, since it was early morning Sasuke doubted he’d even be awake yet. When he reached Naruto’s apartment building, he bounded up the stairs three at a time. “Naruto!” He pounded heavily on the door to the apartment, praying the blonde would throw the door open. “Please be home, please be home.” After what seemed like an eternity to him, the door swung open and there on the other side was Naruto, rubbing at his sleep filled eyes. Sasuke sank to his knees with relief.
“Sasuke? Are you okay?” Naruto was peering down at him with the most adorable puzzled expression that he had ever seen. Sasuke stood slowly and nodded.
“I’m fine. I -- I was afraid that you ... weren’t.”
“Huh?” Naruto stared askance at the dark headed man, wondering which Sasuke this really was. His eyes lowered to the other’s left arm. If there was a tattoo there, then this was the Konoha Sasuke; otherwise, he needed to slam the door in this guy’s face.
Carefully, Naruto reached out and gently tugged up Sasuke’s sleeve. There in a deep purple-black was the tattoo which marked him as the safe Sasuke. A bright smile burst across Naruto’s face as he threw his arms around his friend and gave him a fierce hug. “For a moment ... I thought -- I thought you were the other Sasuke. That he’d come back.” Sasuke could feel that he was holding back his emotions so he wouldn’t cry. That small fact caused small bursts of warmth inside of him. Slowly, Sasuke wrapped his arms around Naruto’s strong frame and hugged back.
“Naruto, there’s something I need to talk with you about. It’s rather important.” Naruto pulled away, but Sasuke grabbed one of his hands in his. The blonde’s eyes dipped down to where their hands were joined and a small smile danced about his lips.
“Sure. There’s something I need to tell you.”
Sasuke’s heart began to hammer against his chest. It was pumping so fast that he was sure Naruto could hear it. “Wha--what is it?”
Naruto tugged insistently on the other’s hand and dragged him inside of the apartment. He lead Sasuke over to the couch and the two sat, their knees lightly touching. “I --” His face felt as if it were on fire. Was it possible to die from embarrassment?
“You?” Sasuke gently urged, even though he felt as if he was going to be sick at any moment.
“I ... loveyou,” he said in a rush. After a moment or two of silence, Naruto cast his gaze in Sasuke’s direction. From his stoic expression, it was impossible to tell what the other was feeling. “Well?”
“Well, I -- really you love me? As a ... friend, right? That’s what you meant, right?”
Naruto sighed, completely exasperated with the clueless man. “You’re just making this more difficult on purpose. Aren’t you?”
“No, idiot. I -- I’m just ... afraid.” For the first time, Naruto could see that Sasuke was not only afraid of his answer, but appeared to be just as embarrassed as he was.
“Afraid? I -- Sasuke I love you. Not as a friend ... well, I do love you as a friend, but I -- want to be ... more.” He whispered the last word, scared that if he said it any louder Sasuke may run.
“‘More?’ You want more from me? Than friendship?”
“Yes, dumbass. When I say I love you, I mean that I want to kiss you and -- well ... more stuff.” Naruto’s face turned red once more, and he had to look away, causing him to miss the leer which Sasuke gave him.
“I like how you put that, idiot.”
“Dumbass.” Sasuke reached out and tipped Naruto’s face up to kiss him. The embrace was fiery and passionate, every unspoken word and feeling was shared between them in that kiss. When they finally broke away, both men were slightly out of breath and fully aroused. “Sasuke, I --” Naruto cleared his throat trying to rid himself of the sudden heaviness in his voice. “Before we do any more, I need to tell you about something. It concerns the other Sasuke.” He cringed as he felt Sasuke’s body stiffen in anger. “Nothing bad happened! But, well he tried. I don’t understand it myself, but he kissed me and I lost myself. I wanted him, until I realized that it was you I wanted ... not him.”
“But you didn’t sleep with him. Right?”
“Right!” Naruto nodded vigorously in an effort to reassure Sasuke, who smiled warmly at him.
“I hate to say this, but we need to go and speak with him.” Naruto’s bottom lip jutted out slightly in a pout.
“Oh, alright. He should be back at Kakashi-sensei’s.”
The Japanese Sasuke was standing outside of Kakashi’s apartment building, speaking quietly with the jounin himself. Kakashi glanced up and waved at Sasuke and Naruto. “I see you found him in one piece,” he stated simply with a light chuckle.
“We came to speak with Sasuke.” The one in question presented a fierce glare for the Konoha Sasuke, but held a watery smile for Naruto. “Look, you have to go back. You can’t stay here any longer.”
Naruto leaned close to the Konoha Sasuke and whispered, “Sasuke, do you know how to get him back?”
“Yes, now hush,” Sasuke growled only loud enough for Naruto’s ears.
The Japanese Sasuke answered quietly, his eyes trained on Naruto. “If I go back ... I’ll be without Naruto once more. No, I’d rather like to stay, thank you.” The Konoha Sasuke growled softly. He started to move aggressively toward the other Sasuke, but was stopped by the sound of Naruto’s voice.
“Sasuke, allow me to speak with him.” Sasuke closed his eyes, and as he reopened them, his whole demeanor noticeably changed. With a scowl on his face, he peered at the other Sasuke. “Sasuke,” he took a deep breath before continuing. “YOU STUPID, FUCKING, MENTALLY RETARDED, MORON!! I know you miss me, but this is just ridiculous!! He’s, his. Not yours. I died, yes. And I’m sorry that I left you alone -- that that creep Orochimaru, stole me from you. But the thing is, you can’t take what isn’t yours ... anymore than you can stay here and mess things up for this Sasuke.”
The Japanese Sasuke stood quietly for a moment, stunned. Then he subtly shook himself, and gazed at the other him. “Na-Naruto?”
“Yeah.” The Konoha Sasuke slouched slightly and crossed his arms against his chest with an aggravated huff.
“So ... you’re --”
“Dead, but talking to you in spirit, Sasuke,” he dragged out his lover’s name through clinched teeth, highly annoyed with his apparent lack of cognitive powers. To everyone’s surprise -- and possibly distaste -- the Japanese Sasuke ran over to the other, and embraced him with a fierce kiss. The Naruto who was borrowing Sasuke’s body, kissed the other back with equal passion. People walking down the street stopped and stared. Some made noises of disagreement, while a few girls giggled excitedly from somewhere nearby.
When the kiss ended, the Japanese Sasuke stepped back slightly and recovered his normal air of dignity. “Naruto, may I speak with Sasuke?”
“Sure.” Again, the change in the Konoha Sasuke was visible. Soon the two men stood facing each other with alike stances and body language.
“What?”
“Kill me ... so I can be with Naruto.” The Konoha Sasuke studied the other. He was obviously serious about his request, which caused him to chuckle softly. “Why are you laughing!?”
“Because, Naruto wants to hurt you right now. He thinks it’s the -- how did he put it? ‘Most boneheaded idea you’ve come up with yet.’ I believe that’s how he phrased it.” The Japanese Sasuke pulled back his fist and plunged it into the smirking image of himself.
“Bastard! I don’t ... I can’t be alone! We had the rest of our lives before us. You don’t understand.” The anger flooded out of him with every word. An emptiness grew within his heart that threatened to overcome him at that moment, until the Konoha Naruto spoke up.
“But I do. I understand that. When Sasuke left ... there were times when it was like he had died. He was always just out of my reach and I wanted to bring him back so badly. I’ve seen death ... I know what it feels like to lose someone you care about deeply. It may be a bit different when it’s your lover, but it’s all essentially the same at its core.
“He’ll always be with you in your heart. Don’t throw away your life because of that -- he wouldn’t want you to, because I wouldn’t want you to.” The Japanese Sasuke’s shoulders slumped in defeat.
“I guess you’re right. So, tell me Sasuke, how do I return?”
“Through the mirror. A team was sent to retrieve it as soon as we returned. It’ll be here in about three days.”
The Japanese Sasuke nodded, and then turned to Naruto. “I’m glad to have gotten to be with you. It --”
“I hope you don’t remember me. I hope you only remember your Naruto, and the joy the two of you shared.” They hugged briefly. It was with a heavy weight in his heart that Naruto watched the Japanese Sasuke go back inside Kakashi’s apartment.
“He’ll be alright.” Kakashi smiled as he lay a reassuring hand upon Naruto’s shoulder. “All of this has been very confusing to him, and only rightfully so.”
“Naruto!! Sasuke!!” It was Sakura. She was running to meet them, a roll of parchment in her hand. “We’ve got -- a -- mission,” she panted heavily.
“Great,” Naruto grumbled. “What is it?”
“Well, it’s fairly easy. Just an escort mission for a dignitary. He needs to leave Konoha and return to his village. It’s a day and a half away.”
“Fair enough. Kakashi, let Sasuke know where we’ve gone.” Kakashi nodded in agreement with Sasuke’s request and watched team seven head off for the entrance of Konoha.
“I guess this is goodbye,” the Japanese Sasuke’s smile was heartbreaking as he turned and faced the people who had come to see him off.
“Good luck.” Sakura hugged him and then turned away to wipe at her moist eyes.
“Thank you all. I’m sorry that I messed things up. I truly am.”
“Nah, it’s okay. You helped me face my feelings for this guy,” Naruto indicated a slightly disgruntled Sasuke, who was standing very close to him. “Besides, you’re a good guy. Orochimaru had just messed with you a bit. Don’t feel bad about it. You didn’t do anything wrong.” The Japanese Sasuke grunted softly as a reply, and then turned to face the mirror.
“Sasuke, I have to leave as well ... I’m sorry.” The Konoha Sasuke grinned at the now familiar warmth of Naruto’s spirit. He reassured him that it was okay. “Listen there’s something I must tell you -- your eyes. I’m afraid that I was the reason you’ve been able to see again. Once I go they’ll --”
“It’s okay. I already knew that. Go. You don’t belong here, you need to go with the other Sasuke.” Sasuke felt the warmth slowly leave him. The room slowly began to fade, but not completely. He was able to see long enough to ensure that the other Sasuke had been able to leave through the mirror, then his vision faded completely.
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