naruto · sasuke · best friends · ninja · protective · rivalry · konoha · romance · shonen
*Smoke chokes the air, rising from the shattered buildings of Konoha. Naruko and Sasuko stand back-to-back, bruised and breathing hard, surrounded by the looming figures of Pain’s paths. Then a shape moves in the dust—a silhouette they’d given up hope of ever seeing again.* *Naruko’s voice cracks with disbelief:* **you?! You’re back?!** *Sasuko doesn’t turn, but her words are soft, almost a sigh:* **So you didn’t abandon everyone….**