Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

The Long Run	By : Sasunarufan13 Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male > Naruto/Sasuke Views: 1939 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto nor make profit of it. Kishimoto owns it.

Chapter List
- 29
- 30
Author's note: Just a short epilogue, I thought. Fucker turned nearly 5K long, damn. I basically wrote this in one sitting because my mind wasn't in it this week because of the thesis presentation I had to do today. What happened there pissed me off somewhat, so if that in anyway reflects in this epilogue, I sincerely apologise for that.
That being said, this is the end of the story! For thirty weeks you faithfully read this story and I can't tell you how happy and grateful I am for your support! I never thought this story would become this popular - hell, I didn't even think it would pass the fourth chapter mark! (ah, naive old me) - so thank you so much for all your support!
Warnings: Time skip; mentioned character deaths
For the last time in this story, I hope you'll enjoy this epilogue!
Chapter 30: Epilogue
Sasuke knocked on the doorframe to announce his presence and walked into the infirmary. Kakashi was seated on the examination table in the front, his chest bare while Tsunade was sewing a nasty looking cut in his upper right arm.
"What happened?" Sasuke asked, raising an eyebrow.
Kakashi sighed. "Stupid accident with the axe in the woods. Apparently the axe was older and more used than we thought."
"Never knew you to be so clumsy," Sasuke remarked.
"Wasn't my axe," Kakashi denied. "A guy in my group hit the block of wood in the wrong angle apparently and the axe went flying. I ducked away, but not quickly enough."
Tsunade clicked her tongue. "I'd say you're still incredibly lucky, considering where that blade might have ended up otherwise." She shot a quick glance at Sasuke before concentrating on the cut again. "You don't look injured."
"I'm not. Father sent me to tell you that if you need medical supplies you can give the list to Kisame," Sasuke answered. "He's in charge of the next run."
"Hm, will do," she murmured.
"And he also wants you to know that the next Council meeting is going to take place this Friday," Sasuke continued and smirked when her face darkened visibly. "They'll be counting the votes, but judging from what people are saying, you're most likely going to win the seat."
"I never even asked to be put up for consideration," she said annoyed. "What the hell are they thinking?"
"They probably think the Council is in need of your wise advice," Kakashi said solemnly, but his eyes were glittering amused. "That and you're easier on the eye than Chiyo-san was, the gods bless her soul."
"If you don't sit still," she said casually, "I'll have to sew that other gaping wound as well."
The silver haired man frowned. "Which other gaping wound? I only got hit in my arm."
"See, you're moving that wound again, stop doing it," she snarked, clearly meaning his mouth, and gave him a warning glance.
Sasuke covered his smirk in time before she might see it. Chiyo had passed away one month ago, peacefully in her sleep. When she hadn't shown up to the meeting scheduled that afternoon, Yoshino had gone to her apartment to check up on her. When the older woman hadn't reacted to the door-knocking, they had forced open the door and had found her dead in her bed. Due to her old age nobody had been really surprised by her passing, but it did leave a spot in the Council open.
The compound had been given the chance to vote for whoever they thought would be suitable to take over Chiyo's spot and the name that popped up the most was Tsunade's. The doctor was less than impressed by that, but everybody agreed that she would be a very good addition to the Council, even if she didn't see it like that.
"Who did you vote for?" she asked suspiciously, looking at Sasuke before cutting the thread.
This time he smirked openly at her. "Voting is confidential, remember?" He left the infirmary before she could keep badgering him about it, almost running straight into his older brother.
A family of three lingered a few feet behind Itachi; the new arrivals Sasuke remembered instantly. Iruka had encountered them early this morning, wandering through the forest, nearly dead on their feet. The couple still looked fairly long; their baby couldn't be older than one year at most.
"Sorry, Sasuke, but could you show them their apartment?" Itachi asked, his eyes apologetic. "I was planning on doing it, but Kisame requested my help. I'll show them around in a bit, but would you mind?"
"No, it's fine. Where are they staying?" Sasuke asked, accepting the key Itachi handed over.
"Apartment building A," Itachi said before flashing a polite smile at the family. "My brother will show you your new apartment. I'll be with you in a bit to give you a tour of the compound."
"Thank you," the woman said softly. Her half long black hair was a mess and the bags underneath her red eyes were hard to ignore. She had her baby in a sling against her chest.
Her husband might once have possessed an imposing form, but the years on the road had chipped away at his muscles bit by bit. He still looked like someone you shouldn't mess with, especially with the bright glint in his wary eyes and the way he hovered closely next to his wife and child.
"I'm Uchiha Sasuke," Sasuke introduced himself and beckoned them to follow him.
"Sarutobi Asuma," the man said after a pause; keeping his hand on his wife's back.
"Sarutobi-Yuhi Kurenai," she said softly. "And this is our daughter Mirai."
"You've got a nice place here," Asuma remarked, looking around as they passed the storage room and a group who was working on reinforcing a part of the wall.
"Hm, we make do with what we have," Sasuke said.
They had started building the expansion in the west; the process slow but steady as they had to take into account the groups of zombies attracted to the noise. By now they had worked out a good system with one group working on the expansion while another group roamed around the area, dispatching the undead once they showed up. Only when the expansion would be finished, would a part of the walls of the compound come down to link the extra space to the place. This way they wouldn't be left vulnerable while extra buildings were erected.
"If there's anything we can do to help, please let us know," Kurenai said, hushing her daughter when the little girl mewled quietly. "I know we're still new here, but we're immensely grateful that you're willing to take us in. We'd love to be able to do something in return."
"What did you do before this started?" Sasuke inquired curiously. Itachi hadn't briefed him yet about this couple's history, but the fact that they were allowed to stay here meant they could be trusted.
He resolutely did not think about one particular pink haired woman who they had all trusted at one point as well.
"I was a teacher in primary school," she answered promptly. "I taught mathematics and language when I had to fill in for someone else."
"I worked in construction," Asuma replied and shrugged. "Doing all sorts of jobs really. Only thing I can't really work with is electricity."
"Well," Sasuke said as they entered the apartment building, "we can always use more people with your skills, especially when we are currently building. The children here can also use more teachers. Iruka tries to teach them as much as he can, but I think he'll be happy if the workload can be shared."
She smiled; the action turning her face instantly a lot younger. "I'd be more than happy to help teach the kids here! Honestly, that's one of the things I missed the most when the apocalypse happened: teaching kids. It's going to be great being able to do that again!"
As they ascended the stairs, Sasuke quickly glanced at the apartment number written down on the key, nearly missing a step when he realised which apartment it belonged to. Pressing his lips together, he remained quiet as Kurenai and Asuma were discussing amongst themselves about who would take the first shower and who would change Mirai's diaper.
Unlocking the door was like taking a step back into the past. Nothing at all had changed in Naruto's old apartment, but then again, the corners of Sasuke's mouth twitched wryly, what could there have changed when nothing had ever been added in the first place? With the weapons and the change of clothes long gone, it was impossible to tell that once upon a time Naruto had lived here for months. Not even a small trinket remained and the furniture was still in the same place as it had been on the day Sasuke had brought Naruto here. If he hadn't been so familiar with this place for some time, it would have been easy to mistake this as a room which had sat empty for a long time now.
"I'll leave you to get settled," Sasuke said and gave the key to Asuma. "Itachi will come get you in a bit to show you around, but you should have enough time to take a shower."
"Thanks, we're really in need of that," Kurenai sighed relieved.
They did kind of reek, but Sasuke had smelt worse since the undead had risen. Zombies made it remarkably and regretfully quite easy to get used to stench.
"Sasuke-nii-san!"
Upon hearing the excited yell Sasuke turned around, smiling faintly when Konohamaru waddled over to him as fast as he could; his chair abandoned near Deidara, who watched the scene with a large grin.
"I finished my training!" Konohamaru told him proudly; his small hand coming up to grab Sasuke's sweater.
"Yeah? And how did you do today?" Sasuke asked while Deidara approached them, carrying the chair.
"Deidara-ji-san says I'm doing really good!" Konohamaru said enthusiastically.
"He really is, un," Deidara confirmed, placing the chair near the boy. "His strength in his arm is improving with leaps and bounds now and his stamina is already a lot better."
"That's great to hear," Sasuke praised, making the young boy beam up at him.
It probably could be called nothing short of a miracle that Konohamaru was still alive, two years after he'd been bitten. He had remained in an odd comatose state for two months, his fever coming and going. To be quite frank everyone had expected him to die in the end, certain that his body couldn't handle the stress of the burn and the fever for much longer.
But then, one day in the height of the summer, he had opened his eyes, still dazed and incoherent but very much alive. Somehow they had made a good call by burning the bite, but the virus had left its traces behind in other ways. His energy levels and stamina in general were shot to hell; he would never be able to run and play for as long as other children could and he constantly needed to have a chair nearby so that he could rest when necessary. The arm in which he had been bitten was almost entirely useless. While he did have some sensation left in it – something Tsunade checked every month – he could barely pick up anything with it and was forced to rely on his other arm to do all the work. The bitten arm had been his dominant one on top of that as well, making it twice as difficult to relearn everything with his non-dominant one.
He was a lot more prone to colds in general for some reason; Tsunade theorising that the virus had affected his immune system severely as well.
Still he was alive, had fought through the fever to come back to them. Even in spite of everything that had happened to him, Konohamaru remained cheerful and spirited, determined to become stronger by training. For now Deidara was teaching him how to live with just one arm; the blond having been forced to become an expert in that himself after his own arm had been cut off. Konohamaru hoped to one day join the rest of them on runs outside the compound, which was why he trained so hard each day.
Sasuke wasn't sure yet whether Konohamaru would ever be allowed to go on a run, but his persistence and determination was admirable nonetheless, especially considering he was still so young.
"We're going home now?" Konohamaru asked, keeping one hand balled into Sasuke's sweater, the other one playing with the edge of his scarf.
"Hm, my work is done for today." Sasuke glanced at Deidara. "You want me to take the chair with us?"
"Nah, it's one we borrowed from the doctor, so I'll bring it back to her before she gets crabby," Deidara chuckled, making Konohamaru giggle. "I'll see you tomorrow, squirt."
"Bye, Deidara-ji-san!" Konohamaru waved furiously, making Deidara chuckle again before he picked up the chair and started his trek to the infirmary.
"You want to prepare dinner with me or do you want to rest first?" Sasuke asked as they slowly started walking to their own house.
"I want to help! I'm not tired!" Konohamaru insisted.
Sasuke was a bit sceptic about that, considering Konohamaru was keeping a tighter hold on his clothes even more than usually, but he wasn't about to baby the boy either. If he wanted to help, he could help and otherwise he could lie down and rest up before eating.
While several families had been willing to take in Konohamaru as soon as it became clear he wasn't in danger of turning anymore, Konohamaru had latched onto Sasuke and Naruto firmly from the very start, refusing to let them out of his sight for the first couple of days after he'd woken up. Somehow along the line the both of them had slipped into the roles of guardians for Konohamaru, taking care of him in lieu of his parents. To Konohamaru they were like brother figures, which was just fine with them. They had never intended on replacing his parents.
Sasuke had just turned around to close the door behind them, when Konohamaru shuffled with his feet and asked, "When is Naruto-nii-san coming back?"
Something clenched in Sasuke's chest. He forced himself to smile and knelt down in front of Konohamaru. "Soon, okay? He'll be back soon."
The young boy stared down at him. "You say that every day," he pointed out, pouting slightly and turning away.
Sasuke sighed and watched Konohamaru stick out his tongue while he carefully unlaced his shoes. Yes, he did say that every day. What else could he say, though, when the answer was unknown?
"Naruto-nii-san's been gone for a long time," Konohamaru muttered; his pout increasing.
"I know, but – he'll be back." Yet another thing Sasuke said every time. It felt like a badly rehearsed theatre piece at this point.
He placed his katana on the shelf and beckoned Konohamaru to follow him. "Let's go see what we can make for dinner, all right?"
He ignored the empty side of the bed when he went to sleep later that night.
"I'm telling you, I don't get how the fuck Shikamaru is still alive when he can be this fucking lazy!" Ino ranted, driving a knife straight through the forehead of the last remaining zombie straggling on the side of the road. "How the hell hasn't he been bitten yet?"
"Sheer dumb luck, I suppose," Sasuke said dryly, flicking off most of the blood from his katana. "Why does it even matter so much to you how lazy he is?"
"Because his laziness irritates the hell out of me!"
"Why? Pretty sure he carries his own weight when outside on runs," he said calmly and started walking back to the gates.
"Doesn't mean he can't be lazy as hell too," she grumbled, following him.
He side-eyed her, which earnt him a scowl in return.
"What?" she snapped.
He looked away. "Oh nothing. Perhaps you should have this conversation with him instead?"
"That might make me want to punch him," she muttered darkly.
He thought he was starting to understand the peculiar looks Deidara was throwing at Ino and Shikamaru lately.
Ino held her hand in the air once they were close enough for the guards to take notice of them. A moment later the gates opened a bit, leaving just enough space for the two of them to pass through. Even with no zombies lingering nearby, they didn't take any chances.
"There's apparently going to be some kind of get together for the entire compound tonight," Ino said, picking at a dried blood smudge on the back of her hand. "Not sure what it's for, but are you going to join us?"
"Why on earth would I want to - " he cut himself off when a flash of red in the corner of his eye distracted him. He turned around, curiously, and came to an abrupt halt when he realised what was drawing his attention.
The red Yamaha. Parked in the garage.
She followed his gaze and smirked, recognising the motorcycle as well. She clasped his shoulder briefly, shaking him gently. "All right, guess that's a no for tonight," she laughed and pushed him in the direction of his home. "Go on, I'll be gracious and give your father the report."
"You can't call yourself gracious for that," he replied absently, but he walked away before she could form a retort; his walk turning into a half rushed pace very soon as anticipation started to build up rapidly, thousands of butterflies swarming around in the pit of his belly.
He broke out into a run once he passed the corner and his breathing hitched when Konohamaru's excited laughter ran out brightly. Another corner and there they were: Konohamaru was sitting in an actual wheelchair of all things, his one hand clumsily pulling back and forth on one wheel, giggling when that made the chair veer slightly off course.
The sight of the young boy enjoying himself was great, but Sasuke's eyes were drawn towards the blond man standing just a couple of feet away from Konohamaru. Dressed in that familiar leather jacket, his ripped jeans cacked with mud and zombie gore, Naruto was a goddamn sight when he turned around; his face lightening up when he caught sight of Sasuke.
"There you are!" Naruto grinned as Sasuke hurriedly crossed the distance between them. "I was already starting to wonder where you were."
"I don't need to hear that from you, Mister 'I'll only be gone for a little while'," Sasuke snipped, but his hands reached out to lock behind Naruto's waist, underneath his open jacket, in order to pull him closer.
Naruto smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, I know, I was gone a bit longer than expected, but I came bearing gifts!" He twisted around a bit in Sasuke's hold, pointing at the wheelchair. "Look what I found! It fits him perfectly, don't you think?"
"It does. How did you even take that with you?" Sasuke asked, furrowing his eyebrows. "You only took the motorcycle."
Ever since Karin and Kisame had returned for that motorcycle, Naruto had been attached to it every time he left on runs. While Naruto had never officially stated that it was his, everyone in the compound could see how much the motorcycle meant to him even when they didn't know why. It had become an unspoken agreement that only Naruto could use that motorcycle.
Naruto huffed amused and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Man, honestly just a shit ton of stubbornness and some good old rope to tie it to my back. I'm lucky it's a foldable one, but dude, those things weigh a lot!"
"You could have hidden it somewhere and returned for it later on with a car," Sasuke sighed exasperatedly.
"Mah, what's the point in that when I could carry it with me anyways?" Naruto shrugged. "It's kid sized, so it's not like it was that impossible to carry with me. Just not very comfortable, but it makes him happy so … We'll have to try to find a bigger one later on I guess."
"You were supposed to scout," Sasuke reminded him finely.
Naruto's impish smile had him shaking his head. "I did scout. I scouted and found the wheelchair, so I brought it with me. I'd say it was a very successful scouting run."
"Yeah?" Sasuke glanced at their home, the small house he'd been sharing with Naruto for almost two years now.
It had originally belonged to a guy named Aoi, but he had moved in with his girlfriend after their relationship had started to become more serious. Father and Itachi had been less than subtle in their suggestions that perhaps Sasuke would be more comfortable with a place of his own that he could share with Naruto and Konohamaru. They had been about as subtle as a brick to the face, but Sasuke couldn't say he regretted moving in with Naruto. Amidst the absolute insanity that was the zombie apocalypse, this house he shared with Naruto and Konohamaru was one of the few normalities and securities still left in his life.
"You want to tell me about it?"
"If you've got time," Naruto said.
"Always for you."
That made Naruto burst out in laughter and made Sasuke smile. "Fuck, you're cheesy," Naruto chortled and rose up to kiss his mouth. "You're damn lucky I love you. Now come on, so that I can regal you with my tales of wit and zombie bloodshed."
Sasuke snorted, but he found it hard to deny being amused, not when he had had to miss Naruto for way too long. It had been two weeks, but those two weeks had felt endless, bogged down with that constant, unrelenting fear swirling in the pit of his stomach as he wondered what Naruto might be doing at that moment, whether he was still alive or whether his luck had finally run out after all.
One would think he would have become used to it after nearly three years of being with Naruto, knowing very well he could handle himself, but Sasuke doubted he would ever become used to it. No matter how many times Naruto would go out there alone, Sasuke would keep worrying, would keep secretly fretting until the blond man was back here with him.
Perhaps that was the price to pay for being in love.
"You fucking did not," Sasuke said in disbelief.
Konohamaru was up in his room, taking a nap after the excitement about his wheelchair had become a bit too much. After settling in with some tea, Naruto had started to talk about everything he had been up to in the two weeks they hadn't seen each other.
"But I did," Naruto said grimly and put his cup down on the table.
"That was way too dangerous!" Sasuke snapped, narrowing his eyes. "What the hell were you think-"
"I got there after visiting Gaara's grave. There were new cars in the street," Naruto said quietly.
Sasuke instantly shut up.
"I stood there, saw all those extra cars and …" Naruto took a deep breath and raised his left leg on the couch, bracing his foot against the edge and linking his hands around his knee. "All I could think of was Konohamaru's parents, how they had hung up there like slaughtered pigs. About how many more people they had got their hands on, how we might have been the only ones to ever escape them. I'm not saying everyone passing through that town had been innocent, but … What they did, was beyond fucked up. That goes way past simply killing someone. So I went there and locked all the doors from outside. They won't be able to escape through them anymore. They're locked up now."
"They might still try to escape through the window," Sasuke pointed out.
Naruto snorted derisively and sneered. "They'll have to hash it out with their lovely new inhabitants then. They might be able to kill a couple of them, but I doubt they'll be able to take on an entire herd."
"How did you get so many there?" Sasuke asked mystified.
"Found a radio still working on batteries. Pretty sure the batteries are nearly dead, but they'll work long enough to attract all those dead bastards with the CD I put on," Naruto explained. "Knocked down the barricade too, so the herd has all the time in the world to collect there. I'd like to see them try to escape from there with no working vehicle."
Sasuke looked at him perplexed. "You really are … something."
Naruto shrugged stiffly and looked away. "I never claimed to be a good guy," he said curtly.
What was good in this world anymore, though? If the label of 'good' depended on never harming anybody, very few people could still be called good then. They all had blood clinging to their hands, whether that was of the living or the undead. The old definitions of good and bad no longer applied. Not in this world anymore.
They were silent for a little while, leaning against each other, soaking up each other's warmth.
"We're going to have to think of something that will make it easier for Konohamaru to use his wheelchair," Sasuke mused, looking at the wheelchair parked in the corner.
Konohamaru had only wanted to get out of it when he had nearly toppled over in pure exhaustion.
"Maybe some kind of steering wheel," Naruto said thoughtfully. "If we ask Sasori, I'm sure he'll be happy to help us with that."
Sasuke snorted derisively. "No, he won't be."
"No, he won't be," Naruto laughed in agreement. "But well, he'll at least be smug enough that we came to him for help that he won't mind inventing something."
"Everything for his ego," Sasuke muttered.
He opened his arms automatically when Naruto nudged them open, allowing the younger man to settle closer against him. They ended up with Sasuke braced with his back against the couch, Naruto lying between his legs; their feet knocking against each other.
"Got you a gift by the way," Naruto said casually and retrieved something from his pocket.
"Were you on a scouting or a shopping trip?" Sasuke snarked, but he fell abruptly silent when Naruto held out his gifts in the air.
A pair of silver rings greeted him over Naruto's head.
"I know it's not anything fancy," Naruto said and while his tone was casual, there was an obvious tremor running through his body. "Not anything really expensive or gaudy, but I found these in an abandoned jewellery shop – can you believe even when surrounded by zombies people still consider jewellery to be essential goods? The entire place was ransacked to hell and back, shit – and I thought that … Well, I want you to have this as proof."
"Proof of what?" Sasuke asked; the roof of his mouth drying up.
Naruto leant his head back so that blue eyes caught black ones. "Proof that I'm in it for the long haul," he said softly. "That I'm not going to run away. I know it's not the same as before this entire bullshit started, but I just … You're it for me. No question about it."
"That means you'll be stuck here with me, you know," Sasuke said, forcing himself to sound light even when the enormity of the situation – of what Naruto was asking – was settling in. "You think you won't get bored of this place?"
Naruto twisted around so they came face to face. He smiled. "There are worse places to get settled in. None of them have you, though."
"Now who's the cheesy one?" Sasuke muttered, firmly ignoring the way his eyes started to sting in an irritating way. He held out his hand to a surprised but very pleased Naruto. "Nii-san and Deidara are not going to let this go for a long time."
"Heh, I'm looking forward to it," Naruto chuckled.
They both ignored the way his fingers – always so steady on his crossbow, so sharp and quick with his machete – trembled slightly when he slid one of the rings around Sasuke's finger.
Sasuke stared at the silver ring, before looking at its twin adorning Naruto's finger. He slipped his hand around the back of Naruto's neck and pulled him closer to him. "I'm glad you're home," he murmured against Naruto's mouth.
Those lips curved up into a smile against his. "I'm happy to be home."
Home … Never had a word tasted so sweet as when it was shared between their lips.
He had no idea what the future held for them, how long their luck would last, how much longer they would have to put up with the undead. He did know that this moment? This was something nobody would ever be able to take away from them.
For as long as they both shall live.
The End
AN2: God, that last line was so cheesy, I'm so sorry. This won't be my last multichaptered zombie fic, so I hope that you will also give the future ones a chance!
For one more time in this story: please leave your thoughts behind in a review. Should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me.
I hope to see you all back in my future stories! Please stay safe and take care of yourselves!
Cuddles
Melissa
- 29
- 30
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

The Long Run