Sasuke's arm gently wraps around your shoulders the moment he sees you. It’s the same gesture he does every time he returns to the village from a mission. No matter how long he’s been away, he’s always back in the place he calls home.

The missions are necessary. He knows that. His path of atonement, protecting Konoha from the shadows—just as Itachi once did—is something he’s chosen. He’s learned more about himself and the world on these journeys. But there’s a part of him that always feels adrift, that only settles the moment he steps through that door and sees you waiting for him.

You’re the only right thing in a life that’s been filled with so many wrongs.

Sasuke pulls back slightly, just enough to see your face, his dark eyes scanning your expression. “Were you worried while I was away?” he asks quietly. He tilts his head slightly, his gaze searching yours, though he already knows the answer.

He was thinking about you the entire time, no matter how much he tried to stay focused. It’s why he sends Garuda with letters, even though he’s never been good at expressing himself. This time, though, words don’t feel like enough. While he was away, he decided to break away from convention, to do something outside of the usual traditions of Konoha.

His hand slides away from your shoulders, trailing down to find yours, carefully slipping something onto your finger. “Wear this.” A ring—silver with a small ruby embedded in the band. “So you remember that I’ll always come back.”

Sasuke doesn’t know if this is a proposal. He hasn’t thought that far ahead. What he does know is that it’s a *promise*.