Pairings: Sasuke/Sakura, Naruto/Hinata, others are irrelevant to the story

Timeline: after Sasuke Shinden and before Boruto; Sasuke's 23rd birthday

Additional notes: 23rd birthday IS a reference to his birth date: 23rd July

WARNINGS: some swearing because of author's and Sasuke's foul mouth

The art in media is mine.

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//Breakline no Jutsu!//

Do not ever threaten to take a duckling from it's parent. You can get Lichtenburg figures or be left with smoldering feathers.

//Breakline no Jutsu!//

The sun rising is an everyday occurrence. Every day, it's bathing the world in warm light, no matter the season, and chasing the moon away. Yet, this was one day when the moon wasn't running away that much and the sun had an actual chance of finally catching up. No one has ever seen the whole moon illuminated at once, maybe... Maybe this was the day?

Moon got annoyed by a lot of things, and the ticking of a clock indicating the time he had to wait for the water to finally boil was getting on his nerves nonetheless.

Empty cupboards mercilessly showed the little time he'd spent in his apartment, at the same time reminding him of the emptiness left in the Uchiha Compound by the ones whose mouths had been shut forcefully and untimely. The Ghost Town that still stood as a reminder of past mistakes Konoha had made, and what greed for power can cause.

He shook his head, leaning back on one of the counters. Slowly increasing in volume whistling a plain, undoubtedly new, keetle was making was breaking the silence. The only edible things in vicinity were some cups of instant ramen, courtesy of the world's number one Knucklehead Ninja. How and when did he even get to his apartment, the young Uchiha didn't know. The whistling had gotten louder by now, and one of the aforementioned cups sat readily on the flat surface of the counter, next to Sasuke's right hand. He moved to turn off the keetle and pour the required water to the instant ramen. How much in common with actual ramen it had was irrelevant.

He looked around his house. It was by no means small but not too big either. It was furnished only with necessary items and appliances. A fridge, usually empty except for some tomatoes from time to time, a stove, a table with two chairs, a practicality new couch. There was also a bathroom and his scarcely decorated bedroom, only a bed and four photos, three on the wall and one on bed stand. The later one was the one Team 7 took right after forming, it's edges were a little roughed up by time and it's formerly cracked frame got replaced with a new one. Three other photos were as it comes. His team after the war, team 7 that is - how did they manage to persuade him into taking it, that's a mystery, something about being punted to the moon by Sakura to meet Kaguya again might have been a case. Then, Team Hebi/Taka, lastly, his parents smiling softly while he himself was sitting on Itachi piggy riding. His older brother's face cocked to look at him with so much love in his onyx eyes.

Those were good times, he thought dimly. The keetle was making thrumming sounds now, already past the time it should have been taken off the stove. Seemed like a walk down the memory lane had gotten his whole attention. It had been happening a lot since he started coming back to Konoha more. Not thinking much about it - he'd learned not to dwell on those things and push them into far corner of his mind - the ramen cup finally got to be filled with long anticipated water.

Now to wait.

Sasuke moved to sit on the couch, it was quite comfortable, not really stiff but not 'collapsing' either. His thoughts wandered to the time of Team 7 introductions, how Naruto went from hating to wait for the ramen to get ready to declaring to be a Hokage. A small, wry smile tugged at his lips, quiet but amused "hn" leaving his mouth without permission. How ironic. He laughed at Naruto's intent then, but now here he is. Naruto is in all ways but the official the Seventh Hokage and Sasuke's hating these minutes he has to wait in his empty house.

//Breakline no Jutsu!//

Some time had passed, an empty cup of instant soup discarded in a trash bin and Sasuke was standing in front of the window looking out, raven black bangs falling over his left eye, successfully covering the lilac sclera of the Rinnegan; red and white uchiwa proudly embroidered at the young Uchiha's back.

Suddenly a doorbell echoed through the apartment, Sasuke's head snapped towards the direction of the front door. Not expecting anyone - not like anybody not from his team would come, anyway - he used his Sharingan, only to see Naruto there. As usual, he outright ignored it and laid himself on the couch, letting out an exasperated sigh. The blonde would welcome himself in anyway, so no point in opening the door. This, and he had to keep his appearances.

As expected, not fifteen seconds had passed and his friend and his iconic blinding orange jacket shunted through the door. Not so long ago he would have punted his best friend right out, but those were different times. Times when his current self would pummel himself to the ground, his decision-making skills really sucked back then.

Back to the matter at hand. Naruto ran to the couch and bent over it's back, his face was above Sasuke's neutral one, at that Uchiha's right eyebrow raised slightly.

"What brings you here, teme?"

He got a big, toothy grin in return and whipped cream to the face. Naruto's eyes landed at the window, then he swiftly moved away and the sound of breaking glass was heard. Sasuke was now half laying and tilted his head, eyes widening in surprise, clusters of the cream falling off his face. Sakura had her Chakra-infused fist clenched, shards of broken window laying around her. She looked at his confused face and smiled slyly.

"SHANNARO! Cha!"

Her flying fist was the last thing he saw before the world went black.

//Breakline no Jutsu!//

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Tell me what you think!
G'night

Words: 994