Hope
"Nine tails?" Asked the blind man in amazement after digesting the first shock about the size of the hunted deer and crystallizing out the core of the information that was gushing out of Naruto.
"Yes exactly. I only need my ninth tail and then I can break the curse! "
"And you think that because a toad told you?" Sasuke asked with an eyebrow raised and an obviously skeptical undertone.
"Not any toad. A toad with a pipe and a scar over one eye! I tell you, that was certainly a patron saint of the forest! "
"For sure."
Sasuke shook his head inwardly. Naruto was so naive. How would a toad know of his powers? Didn't the demon races usually stay among their own kind?
"Don't you believe me? I know what I saw! "
"I don't doubt what you saw, only what a speaking toad with a pipe thinks it knows about your and my fate," Sasuke replied dryly, adding more wood to warm the fire in the hut.
"But why should he(he or it but choose one) lie? That doesn't make any sense. ”, Naruto growled, slightly offended. He had hoped for a little more enthusiasm from his friend.
"I'm not saying he lied, but we shouldn't have too high expectations (either: “we shouldn't have too many expectations” or “our expectations shouldn't be too high”). How would you if it's true? We don't know anything about your powers or what a ninth tail would change. Maybe…"
Sasuke hesitated for a moment, remembering the black flames of that night.
"Maybe these are powers that you can no longer control."
Naruto hesitated at these words. He hadn't thought about that yet, but Sasuke's objection was justified. He remembered the overwhelming impressions of the past few times. A force that was boiling inside him that could hardly be controlled, he had burned down entire parts of the forest during the first attempts.
"But ... it's our only chance ...", he finally breathed softly and let his head sadly.
He wanted to help him, and now that the solution was within reach, he couldn’t take the opportunity?“
Sasuke's fingers gently pushed against the fox's cheeks, causing the demon to look up again.
"I'm not saying that you shouldn't do it, but a little caution would certainly be appropriate. We don't know what will happen if you ever release that power, nor do we know how to achieve it. Please don't do anything stupid. "
Naruto's mouth twisted into a slightly amused smile.
"I would never ~"
◊◊◊
"Sasuke?"
"Hm?"
The two young men sat lost in thought under the open starry sky. It was surprisingly warm that night, so Naruto had taken his friend outside to listen to the soft sound of nature while they were sitting together.
"If I broke the curse, what do you want to see first?"
The fox had been preoccupied with the question for a long time, since he had described all kinds of wonderful scenarios to the Uchiha during their time together. Flower meadows that stretched across entire valleys, sparkling stars in the glowing night sky and the warm colors of the sunset when they returned home together in the fading light, and each time Sasuke had enjoyed listening to his stories.
"Sasuke?" The fox demon asked softly again when he didn't get an answer to his question. Had his friend fallen asleep?
But Sasuke just remained silent at his side, arms folded over his knees and eyes closed, his head tilted towards the sky.
What did he want to see first? For many years he had wondered what had escaped his eyes, how the world had changed around him and how he himself had changed. Yet these things became meaningless in the face of something else. Something that interested him far more.
"You.", He finally replied and opened his white-gray eyes, which reflected the stars.
A moment passed. A moment of complete silence, as if the fox demon had trouble processing the information that had just been thrown at his feet.
Him? After all this time, after all the years of darkness, the first thing the blind man wanted to see ... was him?
Sasuke noticed the reaction of the fox demon and grinned cautiously.
"Stupid, isn't it? I have the choice to see a whole world and the first thing I choose is the face of the idiot who has been driving me crazy for years. ”
He laughed softly at himself. If he was honest, they were both idiots.
Silence pervaded the scene once more. Silence that made the Uchiha sit up and take notice, it was atypical for Naruto to not immediately complain about the insult.
"Naru-?"
Even before he got the name of the blonde pronounced, he found himself in his arms.
Naruto said nothing. No syllable came over his lips. All he did was hold him in his arms and nestle himself against him.
Sasuke leaned his head against the demon's shoulder and stroked his head.
Sometimes, on nights like this, time seemed to stand still for them.
A soft hiss finally made the demon look up. He looked around, his furry ears raised steeply.
"Naruto? What was that?"
Sasuke, irritated, also released himself from the hug. Again. A hiss above their heads.
"Incredible ..." Naruto just whispered and stared stunned but fascinated at the glowing sky. He had never seen anything like it.
"Naruto, what-?"
"Falling stars ... thousands of... falling stars."
The sight was breathtaking and a minute passed before Naruto realized what was happening around them. He grabbed the Uchiha's hand hastily.
"Come on, make a wish!"
The blind man stumbled in surprise at his movement. He should do what?
"It's just a fairy tale. Shooting stars do not make any wishes come true, ”Sasuke finally replied, but had caught himself believing in this illusion for a moment. Not that he really could have wished for anything out of the blue.
Indignant but also pitying, the fox looked at his friend. Had he stopped believing that it was working?
“Nothing is impossible if you really believe in it. I'll prove it to you! "
He hooked their fingers together and looked up at the sky.
>> I wish Sasuke could see the sky. I hope that he can see the sky at least once! <<
His heart was racing and with eyes narrowed, he repeated his words in his mind until the fire inside him spread to the tips of his tails.
Sasuke just shook his head. It was hopeless. No matter how much they believed in miracles, wanted to believe or prayed to the stars, they would not fulfill any wish. Their world didn't work that way.
The Uchiha flinched in shock when Naruto's aura literally glowed next to him and before he could have detached himself, a hot, stabbing impulse seized him.
Not pain, but a burning sensation that poured over him like a huge wave and made him dizzy for a moment.
Panting, he opened his eyes, hesitated.
In front of him the night sky stretched in golden and orange colors, interspersed with the sparkling streaks of falling stars and the small, glittering stars that almost faded in the golden glow of the comets.
Speechless and completely fascinated, the actually blind boy stared at the sky, felt the light spreading inside him and let the darkness, the pain and the suffering of the years fade for a moment.
That couldn't be real.
Minutes passed before Naruto himself opened his eyes again and immediately turned to his friend. For the first time he could see them, the actually black, shining eyes of his friend, who stared at the sky completely stunned, while the demon only had eyes for him.
Was that what people called hope?
If the stars had given him that wish, would he be able to break the curse and be happy with him?
"I told you it works." The demon finally whispered softly, pulling the black-haired man out of his trance. Slowly, hesitantly, Sasuke looked away from the spectacle of the glowing sky, felt his heart beating faster. He could see. It might only be for that one moment, but that was all he wanted. He wanted to see him.
Looking slowly at his friend, the smile finally faded from his face.
"Sasuke, what-?"
The fox looked in shock at his friend, whose iridies turned back into the shallow white-grey.
A sad smile played around the Uchiha's lips.
The stars seemed to fulfill wishes, but not those of ordinary people.