Through the Darkness To You (Sasuke x Reader)

The next day after the survival test, things felt different. Not outwardly—we still bickered, trained, and went about our day like any other genin team. But there was a shift, subtle and unspoken. I found myself watching Sasuke a little more closely, trying to understand the boy who kept everyone at arm's length, the one whose pain mirrored my own in ways no one else could see.

Of course, I didn't want him to think I was one of his fangirls. No way. I kept my distance and didn't make a big deal of it, but... I couldn't ignore the questions in my mind. How did he carry the weight of his loss? Did he feel as alone as I did?

That afternoon, Kakashi dismissed us early after a light mission. Naruto immediately bolted for Ichiraku, yelling about miso ramen. Sakura tried to follow Sasuke as he walked toward the training grounds, but after one disinterested "Hn" from him, she gave up and wandered home.

I debated for a moment, then decided to head to the training grounds myself. Not to follow Sasuke, of course. I just wanted to train. Right?

When I arrived, Sasuke was there, practicing his shuriken throws. He was so precise it almost felt unfair—each one hitting dead center as if it was effortless. He noticed me but didn't say anything, his eyes flicking toward me briefly before turning back to his target.

I set up a target of my own a few feet away and started practicing with kunai. I could feel his presence nearby, sharp and calm like the edge of a blade, but I didn't want to make it obvious that I noticed.

"Your aim's off," Sasuke said suddenly, breaking the silence.

I frowned, glancing at him. "Thanks for the obvious observation, Uchiha," I said, keeping my tone neutral.

He shrugged, not looking at me. "If you're not going to hit the target, what's the point?"

I scowled and focused on my next throw, determined to prove him wrong. The kunai hit closer to the center this time, and I smirked. "There. Happy?"

He didn't answer right away, but I saw the faintest hint of a smirk on his face before he turned back to his own target.

We trained in silence for a while, the occasional thud of kunai and shuriken filling the air. I wasn't sure if it was awkward or strangely... comfortable.

After a while, I moved closer to practice hand-to-hand combat against one of the wooden training dummies. I threw a punch, but my footing slipped, and I stumbled forward.

Before I could hit the ground, a hand shot out and grabbed my wrist, steadying me. I looked up to see Sasuke standing there, his grip firm but not rough.

"You should watch your footing," he said, his tone as indifferent as ever.

"Yeah, thanks," I muttered, pulling my hand back quickly. My face felt hot, but I refused to let it show.

He stepped back without another word, returning to his shuriken practice. It was such a small thing—barely even worth noting—but my heart wouldn't stop racing.

As the sun dipped lower in the sky, painting the training grounds in hues of orange and pink, I sat down on a nearby log to catch my breath. To my surprise, Sasuke sat down a few feet away.

"You don't usually stay this late," I said, breaking the silence.

He didn't look at me. "Neither do you."

I shrugged. "Maybe I had some things to work on."

There was a pause, and then he spoke again, his voice quieter. "You're different."

I blinked, caught off guard. "Different?"

"You don't act like the others," he said simply.

I frowned, unsure how to respond. "If you're talking about the fangirls, no. I'm not like them." I hesitated, then added, "I just... don't think it's fair to judge someone when you don't really know them."

He turned his head slightly, his dark eyes meeting mine for a moment. "You think you know me?"

"No," I admitted, holding his gaze. "But I want to."

His expression didn't change, but I saw the faintest flicker of something in his eyes—curiosity, maybe. Or understanding.

After a moment, he stood up. "Don't waste your time."

I watched him walk away, my chest tightening. He was pushing me away, but I couldn't help feeling that I'd seen a crack in his armor, even if it was just for a second.

The next day, we had another simple mission, repairing a farmer's fence. Naruto complained the entire time, Sakura stayed close to Sasuke, and Kakashi read his book, offering no help whatsoever.

At one point, Naruto tripped over a broken fence post, landing face-first in the dirt. I couldn't help laughing, and even Sasuke glanced over, his lips twitching slightly. It wasn't quite a smile, but it was the closest I'd seen.

Later, as we walked back to the village, I felt someone's gaze on me. I turned my head and caught Sasuke looking at me, his expression unreadable. He didn't look away immediately, which surprised me. But just as quickly as the moment came, it was gone.

A New Mission:

A few days later, Kakashi announced our first C-rank mission: escorting a bridge builder to the Land of Waves. Naruto was thrilled, Sakura looked nervous, and Sasuke... Sasuke was quiet, as always.

But as we prepared for the journey, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was changing—between all of us, but especially between Sasuke and me.

I wasn't sure what it was, but I couldn't help feeling a spark of excitement. Whatever was happening, it was just beginning. And I couldn't wait to see what would happen next.