Chapter Text
It’s been two weeks since Sasuke started traveling for his atonement when he arrived at a secluded village on the outskirts of the Fire Country.
He walked towards an inn when it started to rain hard. An older woman was by its receiving area as he approached.
“I would like to book a room for the evening,” he said quietly.
The old woman stopped when she saw Sasuke, “Y-you…”
It’s the same reaction as he started traveling, people either get startled or they refuse to talk to him.
“Th-there’s no room,” she said and turned around.
Sasuke walked out of the inn and looked up to the sky. He stood outside by the door to wait for the rain to end.
After a long while, the same old woman walked out, “Young man, do you know how to repair a window?”
He nodded in response.
“Y-you’re not going to hurt me, right?”
Sasuke shook his head and heard the old woman release her breath.
“If you can repair the window, you can stay in that room for free.”
He nodded and followed her to a room at the far end of the hall.
“This is the room, and the materials are inside. My daughter is sick and she usually handles these things for me.”
Sasuke nodded and walked towards the room.
“You’re not much of a talker huh? I shall leave you to it. Food will be served in the evening and tomorrow morning.”
“Thank you,” he said before she closed the door.
He looked at the materials before strategizing how to repair a door with one hand. Sasuke decided to experiment with summoning a Susanoo arm to his stump if this will be the best way. Once a hand was formed, he started working and it took a couple of minutes to repair the window.
When he looked around, the futon was damp from the rain, but this will do for the night. He had much worse living situations before.
He released his Susanoo arm and it disappeared instantly. Sasuke changed into comfortable clothing and called it a night. He enjoyed the freedom of the outdoors, but a roof above his head on a rainy day is better than staying in a cave.
As he laid down, his thoughts wandered to a pink haired kunoichi who sent him a letter. He quickly sat up and got it from his cloak’s pocket.
How are you these days? Are you outside of the Fire Country already? Are you eating well? Did you get the soldier pills I sneaked in your bag before leaving? It doesn’t taste good, but not completely horrible. It should help you regain your strength. I promise to work on improving the taste soon!
You may not respond, but I want you to know that you’re always missed here.
Please take care of yourself.
Always yours.
He felt warmth at her salutation before fatigue took over. A ninja like him needs to sleep too.
He woke up from a knock the following morning, “Good morning, breakfast is ready,” he heard the old woman called from the other side. Sasuke looked towards the window and the sun was rising.
Sasuke stood up and opened the door and she handed a tray towards him, “Did you sleep well? You missed dinner last night.”
“I see.”
Sasuke wasn’t a morning person but he obliged to get the food prepared for him.
“Ahh you fixed the windows, good thank you.”
“Okaa-san, we allowed a customer inside the room? I haven’t fixed the windows yet!” a female voice asked by the door.
“Rana, dear, no, this man fixed it,” the older one said.
“Mom, why did you let this person enter? He’s a rogue ninja! You are Sasuke Uchiha right? You are cursed! Get out!”
Not wanting to cause any trouble, Sasuke gathered his things and left a few pieces of ryō on the table.
“Rana, he fixed the windows. He did not do anything bad.”
“He is evil!”
“Rana, that’s not proper! And you should be resting.”
“Thank you for your hospitality,” Sasuke said to the older woman and walked out of the room. He knew where he stood and I didn’t want to impose his presence.
Sasuke was by the entrance of the inn when the older woman caught up with a few pieces of bread.
“Please take this as our payment for fixing the windows. I apologize for my daughter’s behavior, she’s usually not like that,” she said.
“I understand, thank you.” Sasuke did not accept the bread and walked away to leave the village quietly.
Sasuke was walking for a couple of hours familiarizing himself within the dense part of the forest when he heard a scream from a couple of yards away. He infused chakra on his feet to go to the source as fast as he could.
When he arrived in a cleared part of the forest, the older woman and her daughter were in front of an outraged boar.
“Stay away!” The daughter stood in front of her mother, holding a fallen branch towards the boar.
Sasuke ran towards them and threw shuriken towards the head and the legs. The boar screeched in pain, incapacitated to move before laying on the ground.
“It's you again…” the older woman said, “thank you, young man.”
He nodded and started to walk away, knowing his presence was unwelcomed.
“I told you he seems nice, Rana,” he heard her say to her daughter.
“Young man, are you really Sasuke Uchiha?” She shouted towards him.
Sasuke turned around and responded, “Yes I am.”
“Will you hurt us?” Her daughter asked.
“No, not intentionally,” he said. Better to say it directly.
“Do you have a place to stay?” The older woman asked.
“I am traveling to Sand Village.”
“Stay for the night, it's the least we can do for your assistance. I am Raya and Rana is my daughter,” the older woman offered.
“I won’t take no for an answer, young man. Follow us. Rana, be nice,” she chastised her daughter and started walking towards the path to the village. Sasuke decided to follow them, keeping a few yards away.
When they arrived back in the inn, Sasuke followed the daughter back to the room he stayed the night before.
“Dinner and breakfast will be served,” the daughter said quietly as she stared at him suspiciously. Sasuke could only look at her impassively. Rana sighed and tossed the key of the room on the futon. As she walked towards the door, she tripped on her feet and Sasuke caught her by her arm to steady her.
“Oh… thank you,” she said quietly, a faint pink stain growing on her cheeks while Sasuke remained impassive. He nodded before closing the door.
Delaying my trip to Cloud Country for a day won’t hurt.
It was his thirtieth day staying in the inn – he was obliged to help them with repairs in the structures of the inn in exchange for a roof and comfortable sleeping arrangements and food. Raya was adamant to keep him sheltered in the inn as he worked on restoring its condition.
When Sasuke is not working, he often keeps himself busy by meditating or training in the forest. A shinobi should keep himself sharp after all.
“Sasuke-kun, lunch is ready,” the daughter said, a noticeable blush on her cheeks. A bowl of soup and fried fish were served with a cup of rice by the garden of the inn.
In the days of staying here, Rana was surprisingly mellowed towards him. Being one of the two strongest ninja himself, Sasuke senses it when Rana is close by, focused on watching him from a distance whether he is training or working on the inn. He doesn’t give further meaning to it, but Sasuke recalls Sakura’s thoughts before, a small progress on not being hostile towards him is still a progress. This is the same when he began responding to her while she attended to his medical and personal needs while in prison and in the hospital.
On the other hand, Rana’s misjudgment of him fades like water into air. Despite the good looks she couldn’t ignore, the way Sasuke accepted tasks over tasks that she gave made her realize he might not be that evil as he was described by people outside of their small village.
She watched how Sasuke awkwardly interacts with some of the children but their innocent minds accept him anyway. Rana observed how Sasuke offered help to the older people in the village, she was staying close, observing him how he would handle the rejection and then the slow acceptance of their village people. Spending almost every day with him made her feelings blossom into something she didn’t expect.
“You awfully spend more time watching him than doing your own job at the inn, my child,” her mother said to her, raising her eyebrows towards her daughter. She was caught watching Sasuke fix the roof from their neighboring house.
“Okaa-san…” Rana said, blushing evident on her cheeks.
“Admiration is one thing, my child, but a man who is set to leave does not have any plans to stay. You are young, my child, a good man will come across you, if you put yourself out there,” her mother said before walking away.
Rana pondered what her mother said. Can I put myself out there for him?
She continued watching Sasuke before walking towards the inn, with a decision resolved in her mind.
The following day, it was a windy and cloudy day, perfect for chopping wood without the heat of the sun. Sasuke intended the inn with enough supply of chopped wood when the weather changes in the coming months. It's the least he can do with the hospitality that was willingly offered to him.
On his break, Sasuke chose to sit by the floor boards of the inn’s den and faced the garden behind the inn. A cherry blossom tree stood in the middle along with several herbal plants and vegetation used for cooking for the guests.
Sasuke liked working by the cherry blossom tree as it gives him shade from the sun and he mindlessly looks at the flowers it bore when he takes short breaks. Sasuke finds comfort in it knowing cherry blossoms can bloom in this area of the Fire Country. In more than a month of staying in the inn, he watched as the tree developed more and more cherry blossom flowers and gave him a sense of calm everyday.
“Young man, do you mind if I join you?” Raya said as she sat down with a tray of two cups of tea. Sasuke nodded, got the tray from her, before she sat on the floor beside him.
“You’ve been helping us tremendously, it feels good to have a presence of a man helping us here,” she said and took a sip of her tea.
“I can only allow myself to stay if I do the job for you,” Sasuke said quietly, holding his own cup, looking at his reflection on the liquid.
“Such a serious man at a young age,” Raya chuckled. “How young are you, young man?”
“Seventeen,” he responded quietly.
“Ahh just at the cusp of marrying age,” Raya said with amusement.
Sasuke didn’t really think about marriage – if he was deserving to marry someone knowing his bloodline. The Uchiha Clan was cursed for loving so deeply that it turns them to insanity when they experience severe despair. He had lost his family, and the brother he both adorned and hated died by his hands. It turned him mad and was easily manipulated in exchange for power. Sasuke knows he’s not better, but he is aware of what it means so he turned his back to any connection as much as he could.
“Have you ever thought about settling down, Sasuke? You would surely bear beautiful children,” Raya asked just as several cherry blossoms were blown away from the wind. Sasuke watched as the cherry blossom petals danced along with the wind.
“It may not be for me,” he said as his eyes followed where a cherry blossom landed by his feet.
“I heard a shinobi's life isn’t easy, it must have been hard to keep bonds,” Raya said looking at him, “Have you thought about living a life as a civilian?”
Sasuke’s eyes remained fixated on the cherry blossom as he recalled Sakura, Naruto, and even Kakashi as he thought of “bonds”.
“Not with the right people. But living the life of a civilian is not for a sinner like me,” he said, touching the cherry bloom on his feet. He held it delicately, afraid it would break.
Raya watched him closely pay attention to the cherry blossom, observing a fond, soft look towards the flower on his hand.
“Young man, a person makes many mistakes in his lifetime, but not all spend time correcting it, which I assume you are in,” Raya said. Sasuke only nodded.
“You must also forgive yourself as others try to forgive you,” she said before standing up, quietly startled as she smiled warmly at him. Her words lingered longer than they should have.
He stared at the cherry blossom again, putting it delicately on the floor board of the den, before standing up to resume work. He wanted to finish chopping the wood for a three-month supply for them before he leaves.
The next day was a Sunday, Raya and Rana were out in the village while he chose to train in the forest.
He set-up his shuriken stations within fifty meters away from the center. He fondly recalled his younger self watching his older brother train this way, giving him a sense of peace that is still new to him.
After a short silence, Sasuke opened his eyes with his sharingan and rinnegan both activated, with infused chakra on his feet and started his target training.
After an hour, he sensed someone approaching his training area and Rana stood in front of him.
“Mother and I got back. She said you were training so I brought you snacks and drinks,” she said, a blush noticeably seen on her cheeks. Sasuke only nodded.
“I… I should head back now,” she said as she started walking away. He didn’t think further behind her actions and continued to train. He didn’t use his Sharingan this time wanting to see the difference. He was perfecting his aim, if that can still be perfected.
The sun was about to go down when he dried himself of his sweat and wore his shirt and cloak again. He quickly gathered his training materials and the weapons he used. He walked his way back to the village and wanted a cold shower to clean himself of the grime from training.
As he entered the village, he saw an older man trying to move his cart carrying three filled sacks. He walked towards the man and helped move his cart across the street to his store.
“Thank you, young man. Are you staying at Raya’s? I saw you leaving the inn the other day,” he said. Sasuke nodded and carried a sack to the doorway.
“You go by the name of Sasuke Uchiha?”
Sasuke stopped by his words and looked at the man, unsure of making his identity known. He decided there’s no use in lying and he responded quietly, “I am.”
“My son is a shinobi in Konoha and was released in the dreamland he was brought to. He mentioned that without you and Naruto Uzumaki, he would still be stuck in it. My son is on his duty, but I would be happy to share this encounter. Thank you for saving them,” the old man said. Sasuke couldn’t help but release a sigh of relief by hearing he wasn’t hated at least by the store owner.
As the sun continued to set, orange hues covering the village and the children playing entering their homes, he walked towards the inn.
He had stayed longer than he allowed himself to, he thought quietly. He walked to his assigned room in the inn, deciding he needed to continue on his journey.
“Sasuke-kun? Dinner will be served shortly,” Rana said as Sasuke held the door knob.
“Thank you,” he said quietly.
“Would you… would you like to have it by the den? The weather is pleasant this evening… the food will be ready in about an hour. I hope you’ll be there,” she added.
Sasuke only nodded at the offer and entered the room. He showered to remove the grime for the day and dressed in comfortable clothing. Afterwards, he proceeded to wash his clothing to let it dry overnight so he could pack it the following morning.
After an hour, Rana knocked on his door for dinner, “Uhm… dinner is served.”
Sasuke followed her to the den where two sets of plated meals were laid on the floor. He thought Raya would be joining them or other customers from the inn.
“Mother wanted to rest early, she got tired from spending time with her friends,” Rana said as she sat down. Sasuke followed her and sat on the other side.
“Go on, eat…” Rana said eagerly. He nodded and tasted the soup first.
When he was about to bite on the piece of bread, he sensed a messenger hawk flying towards him and it landed on his left shoulder. He untied the letters and a tiny scroll that came with it.
“Fly back,” he said quietly and the messenger hawk tilted its head to the side before flying again.
“Do shinobis use messenger hawks all the time?” She asked him after sipping from her tea.
“Yes,” he answered curtly.
“Who is it from?” Rana asked, hoping Sasuke would share details about his shinobi life with her.
“I would know later,” Sasuke said quietly, dismissing the conversation. Rana looked at him sadly.
“Sasuke-kun…” Rana said quietly. Sasuke continued to eat, not knowing how to handle this situation awkwardly.
“I apologize for how I misjudged you when I first met you, you are nothing like the rumors that spread outside of the village,” Rana said as she played with the hem of her shirt.
“Some of it may be true,” he said, not discrediting the fact that he lived as a rogue ninja and helped in destroying peace.
“Be that as it may, I… I’ve seen a different side of you,” Rana said looking up to him as he continued to eat.
“Sasuke-kun… will you ever consider staying in one place?” Rana asked, hoping for a favorable answer to her affections towards him.
“I took this trip to atone for my past indiscretions,” he responded, as he placed his food and chopsticks back on the tray and took a sip of the warm tea that Rana prepared.
“I see… will you consider going back to live here… to live with me?” She bravely asked, looking at him, blush evident on her cheeks. I had to give it a try, she thought to herself.
He was startled for a while. Not too long ago, she was the same person who demanded he leave the inn because of his name.
“I… we can… you can settle down here with me, Sasuke-kun…” she offered. Sasuke looked at her, caught off guard.
There was a deafening silence between them.
Sasuke didn’t know how to handle these types of conversations yet.
Being consumed by hate and anger was all he knew growing up.
He shook his head as he brought his tea down to the food tray.
“But why not? I will take care of you, just… just come live with me. Our village accepts you. You no longer have to atone, right?” Rana said quietly.
He shook his head again.
“Is there… is there someone else back home?”
“I have no home,” Sasuke said. Saying it out loud broke something in him quietly. I have no one, he thought to himself.
“Well you can make this village as your home, right?” Rana asked as the cold wind of the night blew away some cherry blossom petals towards them.
A cherry blossom flew towards his left shoulder that captured his attention. He held it tenderly. The color resembled something annoyingly familiar if he didn’t deny himself of thinking about it.
“I’ve seen you look at that tree when you are not working. Does it remind you of where you came from?” Rana said, trying to get to know him better.
He suddenly remembered her again.
Sakura.
“I guess it reminds you of someone, right? You might not have a permanent roof on your head, but home can be a person… I… I can be that person for you, Sasuke-kun… You can be happy here… with me” she said quietly.
Sasuke thought about how tempting it was to take the easier route – life has never been easy. But could it be the right path to take?
“Thank you…”
“There is someone else, right?” She asked sadly, wrapping her arms around herself.
Was Sakura that person? He asked himself.
He didn’t allow himself to think about her further. A part of him still yearned and he refused to acknowledge it.
Rana stared at him, waiting for his answer. A part of her breaks at his silence. It wasn’t his fault, but it was hers – the attraction he felt towards Sasuke was something she could not control.
“You will find your home with another person. I am not that person for you,” Sasuke said quietly but directly, “Thank you for the dinner.”
Rana nodded before he stood up.
He walked back to his room and released a sigh. Not because of regret over denying the young woman what seemed to be growing affection towards him, but the fact that he has to be in such situations again.
Sakura.
He sat down towards the futon and opened the letter he received.
How are your travels? I haven’t heard any complaints so it must mean that you’re doing well. Be good.
-K.
The Rokudaime and his first sensei always kept things short and concise.
Teme, when will you come back? Are there lots of girls during your travels? You better not hurt our dear teammate.
The letter didn’t even have a name on it but he clearly knew well who it came from.
I hope you are doing well. There’s a small scroll on the messenger’s hawk that is for you. It is an improved version of soldier pills. I hope it fits your preferences.
Please take care of yourself.
Always yours.
He used an unsealing technique to release the scroll she mentioned and a small pouch appeared after a puff of smoke. Sasuke opened it and saw several pieces of soldier pills. He popped one into his mouth and immediately tasted nothing. No bitterness, no sweetness, it wasn’t even salty. It was surprising to his preference. One that fills you without tasting it.
Sakura.
He thought to himself. He shook his head, burying the thought.
He fixed up his futon and decided that he will leave the day after tomorrow.
The next day, he approached Raya as the mother and daughter prepared breakfast for the guests to tell them of his intentions to leave.
“Is it because of last night? I didn’t mean to,” Rana said, forgetting that her mother was in the dining room with them.
“What happened, Rana?” The mother asked.
“It is time for me to leave and continue on,” he said.
“So soon?”
“I’ve overstayed my welcome. How much do I pay?,” Sasuke said. He knew it may leave a dent on his money but he wasn’t allowing himself to get things for free.
“The amount of work you’ve done here and for the village people is more than the price of staying in our inn, young man. We will not take your money, but we hope you come back,” the older responded, “You might need it more than we do.”
Sasuke nodded, “I will do some final checks and chop off wood then,” he said as he walked away from the kitchen. He spent his day working on the inn as part of his gratitude for their hospitality and… acceptance over being an Uchiha. He slept in late but woke before sunrise. He wasn’t a morning person but he was not good with goodbyes. He avoided it as much as he could.
When he was packed, he stealthily walked outside of the room to leave the inn.
“You’re leaving so early…” Rana said, “I will not stop you if you need it… but you can come back here, Sasuke-kun. I… I will be here.”
“Rana…” her mother spoke from behind.
“Okaa-san…” Rana blushed as being caught red-handed by her mother.
“It is the young man’s choice,” Raya said as she stood in front of him.
“Thank you for all that you did for us, this inn is in a better shape with your help. Remember what I said, young man, you also have to forgive yourself.”
Sasuke nodded and walked away from the inn.
He didn’t look back. It’s time to continue with his atonement.