Untitled Intermission

When Sai managed to sneak away from his companion, he had taken a post up on top of a decorated pillar that was overlooking the festivities. He had no real interest in dealing with Naruto’s uncertainties right now, considering how preoccupied with his own he was already. To make matters worse, he also noticed since he was outside on top of the train, that they were being followed. “Are you going to sulk in the bushes like a panther or come out?” he asked the seemingly innocent winds as he hopped over to a balcony of an empty apartment. He removed his backpack, hanging one of the straps onto a wooden post and unzipped the top to remove a pencil and a small drawing pad. Sasuke emerged from the shadows behind him, looking completely unsurprised that he was found out. “If you’re looking for Naruto, he isn’t with me right now”, Sai said, not yet turning around as he opened his pad and flipped through a few pages as he searched for a blank one. Sasuke didn’t say anything, moving toward the railing and rested his arm on it as he looked over the view down below.

They both stood in silence for a moment, but as Sasuke was about to say something, Sai beat him too it. “Do you understand what ‘unconditionally’ means?” asked the artist as he sketched his view before continuing to speak. “I understand what it means, but I’ve never actually seen it in action until I met Naruto.” Sasuke turned to stare at him, trying to see where this was headed, even though he already had a pretty good idea. When Sai finally looked over at Sasuke, he was sporting his signature neutral smile. “Unconditionally means without conditions”, Sai spoke, calmly as if this was a normal conversation between two friends. “I read that it used often, but rarely do you ever see it actually being upheld.” Sasuke narrowed his eyes, glaring slightly but kept his mouth shut for now. Sai moved his eyes back to his drawing, shading in one of the buildings. “Naruto’s feeling for you, Sasuke, are unconditional. You could destroy the world, with everyone he cares about, and you will still be the driving force in his heart. It’s rare that someone could actually manage to carve themselves so deeply into someone else without killing them. Do you think that you deserve this type of affection?”

Sai said the word ‘deserve’ with a sting of bitterness that was easily recognizable. It made Sasuke look away for a moment, eyeing the wind as he thought to himself. He often asked himself the very same question, never finding a real answer to if he actually did or not. “Deserve?” Sasuke said softly, smiling slightly as he closed his eyes. “Whether I deserve it or not, that doesn’t change the fact, now does it?” Sai’s eyes narrowed at his drawing that he was barely paying attention too, gripping his pencil tightly. “No. It doesn’t. Even if you were to die, even if you were to kill him, even if you destroyed everything that he loved and believe in, nothing would tear that title away from you. You are his pendulum. You can lead him to a salvation or destruction. His humanity, how much or how little, is all depending on you.”

“Either way is none of your business”, Sasuke said harshly, turning to leave then. He did not want to be reminded of his horror visions of Naruto’s possible future. He did not want to be told that he was responsible for the end of the world. Not by this replacement. He climbed onto the ledge of the balcony, pausing for just a moment. “I never asked for him”, said the white clad ninja before jumping off into the distance. Sai‘s drawing hand paused, unable to stop himself from shaking. With the force he was using to attempt to calm him, the lead snapped from the pencil and fell off the ledge. The snap caused Sai’s eyes to twitch, finally releasing the tears he had been holding back.