Chapter 3
As the morning sun climbed higher, casting a warm glow over the village, the room was quiet save for the soft, rhythmic breathing of its occupants. Sasuke's rest was undisturbed, a testament to the exhaustive healing he had undergone. Naruto, Sakura, and Hinata had settled into a comfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts until Sasuke's voice softly broke the stillness.
"Hey," he murmured, his voice still weak but carrying a stronger presence than before.
Naruto's head snapped up, his eyes instantly locking onto Sasuke's. "Hey yourself. Feeling any better?"
Sasuke took a moment to assess his own condition before nodding slightly. "Yeah, thanks to Sakura."
Sakura, who had been dozing in a chair, stirred at the sound of her name. "Sasuke? You should be resting," she said, though her eyes were bright with concern and care.
"I've rested enough," Sasuke replied, though he made no move to get up, knowing his body wasn't ready yet. "What happened while I was out?"
Naruto and Sakura exchanged a glance. "The village has been on edge," Naruto said. "They're worried about you, about what happened. But Tsunade's handling it. She's told everyone you're recovering."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly. "The details of the ambush?"
"We're still putting it all together," Sakura added. "But we'll find out who's responsible, Sasuke. We'll make sure of it."
Hinata, who had been quietly observing, spoke up. "The Hyuga have been monitoring the borders since we heard of your return. If there's any movement, we'll know."
Sasuke's gaze shifted to Hinata, a silent nod acknowledging her contribution and the strength of the village's unity.
"Sasuke," Naruto began, his tone serious, "when you're ready... we need to talk about why you were out there alone. We're a team, remember?"
Sasuke looked away for a moment, a flicker of the old defiance crossing his features before it softened. "I remember," he admitted, and it was as close to an apology as he would get.
Sakura reached out, placing a hand over Sasuke's. "We're stronger together. Don't forget that."
There was a moment of silence, a mutual understanding passing between them. They had all grown, changed, and yet some things remained constant—their dedication to each other, to their village.
Hinata stood up, her innate kindness filling the room. "I'll go get some food. You must be hungry, Sasuke."
Sasuke's pride warred with the grumbling of his stomach, but he conceded with a slight nod. "Thanks, Hinata."
As Hinata left, Naruto scooted his chair closer to Sasuke's bed. "You scared us, you know. Don't do that again."
Sasuke's response was a soft snort. "Wasn't the plan, Naruto."
The room filled with a comfortable silence once more, the kind that only comes with years of friendship and battles fought side by side. They were the unspoken words, the shared glances, the quiet support—they were Team 7, and nothing could break the bonds they had forged, not even time or darkness.
And as they waited for Hinata's return, each of them knew that this was what it meant to come home. Not the walls that surrounded them or the bed Sasuke lay in, but the presence of each other, the shared heartbeats of a family not bound by blood, but by choice, by love, and by the unyielding spirit of the Leaf.