Chapter Text
Standing by the window, Sasuke Uchiha watched the dawn of a day that would undoubtedly change his life.
His calm and almost indifferent face was reflected in the glass. His dark eyes observed the children playing in the nearby park, wondering if one day his own children would enjoy that place.
A small but sincere smile crossed his face, and he closed his eyes, amused by the change in his thoughts compared to a few years ago. It was hard to believe that a man who could inspire fear simply with his name—who had been on the Bingo Book and a member of one of the most notorious criminal organizations of all time, and who had ultimately redeemed himself in the midst of a war—could now harbor the same desires and thoughts as an ordinary man.
He stepped away from the window and walked to where Naruto was animatedly talking about what he would teach his future "nephew" to a Kakashi who was clearly more interested in his romance novel than in the ninja's fantasies. Sasuke sat down next to the blond, just in time to hear him say that the child would carry his name, and he couldn’t resist hitting him on the head.
Suddenly, the operating room doors burst open, interrupting the peaceful state in which Sakura's friends had been resting. Shizune was the first to step through the threshold, and when the dark-haired woman locked eyes with him, Sasuke felt as if something had violently twisted his insides.
He stood up, almost unconsciously, and walked toward her. His penetrating gaze met hers, but she simply looked away. Two stretchers emerged from the room, each pushed by a nurse, and he barely managed to glimpse a bundle of sheets on each one before the nurses disappeared from sight.
“They are two beautiful babies, but they are a bit fragile. We must take them—”
“And Sakura?” he interrupted. “How is she?”
Shizune looked at him and paled slightly.
“Tsunade-sama is stabilizing her. There was an issue with her chakra flow that we hadn’t anticipated, and...”
Her voice faltered, as if a sudden lump in her throat prevented her from continuing. Sasuke didn’t need further confirmation of his fears.
He slammed his fist against the nearest wall, clenching his jaw and shutting his eyes tightly.
“Sasuke…” Naruto called, placing a hand on his shoulder, but the dark-haired man ignored him. “The old hag Tsunade will fix it, you’ll see.”
As if summoned, the Hokage emerged from the operating room, followed by the rest of the team, pushing a stretcher on which Sakura lay.
Sasuke observed her, and with relief, he noticed how her chest rose and fell rhythmically. He took a few steps toward her, but before he could get closer, the blonde stopped him by the arm.
Sasuke turned to her, questioning her with his gaze. The Hokage’s face remained serious, but in her eyes, there was a glimmer of helplessness that set him on edge once again.
“She’s fallen into a coma,” she said in almost a whisper. “There’s nothing we can do for now.”
His world suddenly crumbled before him again, just as it had when he learned the truth about Itachi. And just like then, he was left adrift, another layer of darkness enveloping him.
Sasuke turned on his heel and walked out of the hospital without looking back, without hesitation. With his head held high, his eyes burning red with fury, and his fists clenched tightly.
There was no doubt—this day had changed his life.