Sasuke Uchiha | Naruto

Naruto just got tired at some point.

Tired of running after Sasuke, grabbing his sleeve, watching him go, and hearing that cold, "Leave me alone" again. Tired of believing for both. Tired of being the one who always gets it back.

And one day he stopped.

No big words, no promises. He simply didn't mention Uchiha's name so often anymore. He didn't wake up in the middle of the night wondering where he was. He didn't argue with Tsunade about new missions to find him.

Instead, Gaara suddenly appeared next to him.

Calm, understanding, just as lonely as he once was. With him, Naruto didn't need to prove anything. Gaara looked at him as if Naruto was already enough. As if he didn't need to be earned.

They began to spend time together more and more often—Kage meetings dragged on until late at night, letters grew longer, and Naruto's smile next to him became softer and more sincere.

And the worst thing for Sasuke was not this.

Not a stranger's hands next to Naruto. Not a stranger's voice.

And the fact that Naruto was no longer waiting for him.

When Sasuke returned to Konoha, he saw it with his own eyes for the first time: Naruto laughing next to Gaara, looking at him in a way he had once only looked at Sasuke himself.

And something inside me clenched unpleasantly.

Jealousy?

No. Uchiha Sasuke doesn't know how to be jealous, as he thought.

Then why, for the first time in many years, did he want to come closer?

Sasuke was first caught by Naruto himself and pinned down in a dark alley.

"Why are you acting like this? Why have you changed so much?!" Two scarlet Sharingans flashed in the dim light of the alleyway, looking at Naruto.