Daylight

A New Dawn Pt.1

Sasuke lay on the dented blue couch placed awkwardly in Naruto's abode. It was a few hours before dawn but sleep would not take Sasuke. He had left the living room window open to let a soft breeze in as well as the dim light that silently came in like a thief in the night, peeking in from the starlit sky and street lights. Sasuke's eyes adjusted to the darkness, but also welcomed in the streaks of light that timidly shone into the living room which he was temporarily staying in. 

With his lone arm seated under his head, and what remained of his left arm slumbered into a tingling feeling of pins and needles, Sasuke was grateful he had a friend who let him stay the night. She had mentioned he may feel a tingling sensation and numbness if he didn't move his muscles for too long. He couldn't bring himself to think of her name, as if the mere thought would forever entwine his fate to hers. Not yet...

Kakashi's promise of freedom did not mean without consequence. Sasuke would still have to face a trial, or at least that's what his pink-haired ... friend told him that day in the cell. His mind wandered back to the trial  from the previous day. His eyes were still bound during the trial in case Sasuke used genjutsu on anyone to influence their testimony by affecting their memories. He remembered the voices of his old Team 7 as they had all spoken their witness accounts echoing across a vast hall, all three of them testifying that he had indeed had a change of heart and vowed to never lay a hand on Konoha again; but would rather fight for the peace of not only Konoha, but the whole shinobi world. The witness account from the war hero, the sun-streaked tanned clown, was the tipping point. Naruto had gained trust and respect from across the globe, including the Five Kage who were present. It also helped that one of the Kage was his former Sensei, part of Team 7. Sasuke knew he owed his new life to them, and would forever be indebted, especially to Naruto for dragging him, punch by punch, out of the darkness, and into the light, where he could finally lay his eyes upon the most beautiful pink cherry blossoms... 

Sasuke finally rested his eyes, and dreamt of a field of cherry blossoms dancing in the sunlight, searching for any shadows to kiss with its fragrance. 

***

Sasuke woke up to a slam of the front door. Even when he was the strongest shinobi alive, Naruto was still a blond dork at best, Sasuke reflected. He had no respect for his friend who had finally been able to find peace in a deep slumber after a decade of turmoil and heartache. Sasuke lifted his weight off the couch with his two sturdy legs finding flat carpeted ground to kiss the soles of his feet. After a quick shower and change of clothes, he made his way to the Hokage's Office in the early hours of daylight. 

Walking through the streets of Konoha was a strange sensation. The villagers bustled around him, when they looked into his mismatched eyes, many were quick to avert their gaze. Only the few brave onlookers kept their stare at the handsome carved face; many men's eyes screamed a look of contempt at an international criminal being set free for the lucky chance of having friends in high places. The brave females on the other hand, had a different sort of look, the same that his red-haired companion, Karin, once had. Lust. Sasuke was no stranger to affection from the opposite sex, however, he had only ever had eyes for one... One that he shut his eyes to a long time ago. But one that silently encouraged him to start to lift the clouds of emptiness from his gaze and beckon the slightest glimmer of light in. 

Sasuke had now reached the threshold of the Hokage's office. He signalled his entrance with a low-voiced greeting to the Hokage. 

"Kakashi". His voice was almost silent. 

The silver-haired masked man looked up.

"Ah, Sasuke. You're right on time." The creases in his dark blue mask suggested a smile was at play. 

"Hn."

"I was just sealing the last of your scrolls detailing the nearby small villages that needed assistance".

Sasuke took the scrolls that sat on the desk and pocketed them inside his satchel resting against his waist. He turned to leave when Kakashi's fatherly tone stopped him from taking a step further.

"I assume that you being here at this hour means that you will depart tonight, if I am not mistaken?"

"I intend to depart as soon as I can. Before midday if possible. The less people that are at the village gates, the better."

Kakashi perked up an eyebrow,

"Ah, before midday you say? I trust that you're aware that Sakura is usually on her shift at the hospital until dusk?" 

Sasuke's eyes transfixed onto the floor, heaving out a sigh. He was about to reach for the door when once again Kakashi's voice stopped him in his tracks. This time Sasuke turned his head  in response to Kakashi's words, to give his old Sensei a menacing glare. 

"Lucky for you, I gave Sakura the week off. Actually she should be here any minute now to take you out for breakfast!" Kakashi's eyes had been closed as he said this, but the cold gaze of his former student's surged a nostalgic ripple across Kakashi's spine, forcing him to meet the Uchiha's stare. 

"Hey don't look at me like that. It's just an informal meeting between a medic-nin and a shinobi," Kakashi defended himself, raising his hands out in protest. "Hearing the information directly from an expert like Sakura is more informative than those scrolls would ever be". 

Sasuke's cold gaze never left Kakashi. What right did the former Sharingan wielder have to meddle with Sasuke's life? Sure, he had been one of the people close to him that gave him a chance to redeem himself, but Sasuke was not ready for romance. 

Just then the door burst open.

"Hokaga-sama!" The sound of the angelic voice caused Sasuke to shift his gaze to the doorway. 

"S-Sasuke-kun." The rose-coloured haired beauty's green eyes met Sasuke's mismatched eyes, before casting her eyes away towards the floor. "I-I didn't expect to see you here already. Sorry to intrude." Her fingers started to twirl with a few locks of her hair. For the first time, Sasuke had noticed that her hair had grown a few inches longer than the last time he had laid eyes on her. Her pink locks fell across her face, covering her pink blushes like a silky curtain. 

"Enough with the 'Hokage-sama'." Kakashi interjected, rolling his eyes, shifting the tension to a lighter tone. Both Sasuke and Sakura were visibly relieved to have been awakened from the awkward atmosphere, as both their sight fell towards their old Sensei. "I'll always be 'Sensei' to you." 

Sakura's eyes perked up, and she seemed more at ease as she responded, "But you'll have to get used to your new title some day, Hokage-sama." At that last bit, she winked. 

"Yes, yes," Kakashi said impatiently. "I don't think I'll ever get used to it. Nor the amount of workload. Don't you two have somewhere to be?" At that, it was his turn to wink, before standing up from his chair and ushering them out, with a hand on each of their backs. 

"I'll see you two at the Village gates at midday, hm?" 

Without waiting for a response, he closed the door on a flustered kunoichi and an irritated Uchiha. 

Sasuke started walking a few steps, stopped, and turned to give the dazed pinkette a good look at the purple ripples of his rinnengan. "Are you coming?" His tone was indifferent. 

"Ah, yes. I'm sorry". She put herself together and briskly took a few steps until she was beside Sasuke's side. 

Her presence so close to him filled him with warmth, as if he was bathing in a cool fire.

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