Chapter Text
Three Years Later
The bell above the door jingled as it was pushed open.
The room's occupants turned to look at the newcomer as a raven-haired man in the standard jonin uniform entered. The seamstress paused mid-stitch, her eyes widening slightly at the sight of the Uchiha.
"Sorry I'm late, training ran long and then I had to change," Sasuke said, walking over to the blonde who stood on a stool, while the seamstress fussed with the hem of his Hokage robes. Sasuke gave him a quick peck on the cheek.
"Careful, if you keep this up you'll turn into Kakashi-sensei," Naruto laughed, then yelped as a pin stuck him in the leg.
"I am so sorry, Uzumaki-sama." The seamstress bowed her head before returning to the white and red robes that fell to mid-calf, designed to look similar to the one his father had worn.
"Ah, Uchiha-sama, I am so glad you are finally here." She straightened, gesturing to her colleague. "Let us get your outfit."
The second seamstress hurried to the back room and returned moments later with a stunning kimono draped across her arms. Coral pink silk bloomed with golden chrysanthemums, their petals layered in shimmering thread that caught the light. The obi was deep gold, the collar lined with white that made the colors pop even brighter. It was cut to clearly display his mating mark, as tradition demanded for all mated omegas at formal village ceremonies.
Sasuke's expression went flat. "Absolutely not." His voice was calm, but steel ran underneath. "There is no way in hell I am wearing that."
A deep sigh came from the corner where Shikamaru had been standing with his arms crossed. "This is going to be troublesome." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's tradition, Sasuke. The Hokage's omega always wears a kimono to the inauguration."
"Then it's time for a new tradition." Sasuke's Sharingan bled into his right eye, the Mangekyō pattern spinning as he focused on the offending garment, intending to burn it to a crisp.
"Don't even think about it."
The command washed over him like a wave, stopping him in his tracks. His Sharingan deactivated against his will, the technique fizzling out before it could form. Sasuke felt the compulsion settle over him. frustrating and grounding at once.
He turned to look at his mate with a raised eyebrow. "Seriously? You're pulling the alpha card?" The exasperation in his voice couldn't quite hide the grudging amusement underneath.
Naruto shrugged, unrepentant. "Would any rational argument have prevented you from burning a perfectly good, extremely expensive kimono?" A smile played on his face, blue eyes bright with mischief.
Sasuke didn't respond, just glared.
"Thought so," Naruto said with a grin.
"You owe me two weeks of dish duty for that," Sasuke grumbled, arms crossed.
"I'm aware." Naruto's smile grew wider before he turned back to the others. "If he doesn't want to wear the kimono, he doesn't have to. He'll wear whatever makes him comfortable."
"The council—" Shikamaru started.
"Can deal with it." Naruto's tone left no room for argument. "I'm not starting my time as Hokage by forcing my mate into something he doesn't want to do. That's not how this works."
The seamstress looked between them uncertainly, the kimono still draped across her arms. Shikamaru sighed again, longer and more suffering than before. This was going to cause a huge headache but the look on Naruto's face told him now was not the time for that argument.
A hawk flew through the open window, letter clutched in its beak. Sasuke grabbed it reflexively, his fingers unrolling the small scroll. He scanned the contents quickly, his expression giving nothing away. The summon disappeared in a puff of smoke.
"Duty calls." Sasuke stepped closer, careful of the seamstress still kneeling at Naruto's feet. The kiss was brief but deliberate, a familiar press of lips that still felt electric after all these years. "Be safe," Naruto murmured against his mouth.
"Always am."
And then he was gone.
***
Sasuke was sweaty and tired as he approached the Hokage's office to debrief his mission, dressed in his ANBU gear with his hawk mask in place.
He was about to knock when he heard his name coming from inside.
"...just about Sasuke." Shikamaru's voice was laced with frustration. "You're going to be the Hokage in a few days, Naruto, and that comes with expectations and responsibilities, not just for you, but for your mate as well. So get him to wear the damn kimono!"
"It's a stupid outdated tradition." The pout was audible in Naruto's voice.
"Maybe." Tsunade this time. "But the fact remains that the village and the other delegates attending have certain expectations. Over the course of your time as Hokage, you and Sasuke will both have to do things you don't want to do."
"Sasuke is a formidable shinobi, but when he mated you, someone he knew would wear the hat one day, he was committing himself to this village and the responsibilities that come with being mated to the Hokage. And yes, sometimes that includes dressing up and fulfilling his role as the Hokage's omega."
Naruto sighed. "Look, I understand everything you guys are saying. But it took Sasuke a long time to earn the respect of the other ANBU. Nobody wanted to work with an omega, let alone have one leading their team."
Sasuke's jaw tightened under the porcelain mask. He remembered those early missions all too well; the challenges to his authority, the barely concealed disdain, the constant need to prove himself over and over again despite having won a war.
"I can understand why he doesn't want people to see him dressed up like that," Naruto continued.
"All anyone's going to see, Naruto, is your mate standing beside you on top of the Hokage Tower. A powerful unit that shows the strength of this village." Shikamaru's tone softened slightly. "Sasuke has proven himself a thousand times over. He's captain of one of our best ANBU teams. Not a single shinobi in this village would think less of him for honoring tradition at his Alpha’s inauguration."
"I know that, but he doesn't think like that and I can't convince him otherwise. Believe me, I've tried."
"You could always just..." An aide's voice, choosing his words carefully. "Use your authority as his alpha.."
The temperature in the room seemed to drop.
"Finish that sentence," Naruto said quietly, "and you'll regret it."
A beat of silence. Then, nervously: "I apologize, Uzumaki-sama."
"I will not command Sasuke into doing something he does not want to do. Ever. Are we clear?"
"Yes, Uzumaki-sama. It won't happen again."
"It sounds like the decision has been made then." Tsunade sighed. "There isn't much point pushing the matter."
Sasuke felt something twist in his chest. Here was Naruto, days away from achieving his dream, and Sasuke was still his priority. The thought made his knees weak.
He heard the sounds of people moving toward the door and quickly disappeared, mission briefing forgotten.
***
He moved through the village on autopilot, jumping from rooftop to rooftop without conscious thought, until he found himself at the hospital, sitting on top of the water towers that he and Naruto had once destroyed during their genin days.
The metal was cool beneath him, the afternoon sun warm on his ANBU armor. Sasuke pulled off his mask and set it beside him. The village spread out below, peaceful and bustling with late afternoon activity.
His home.
Get him to wear the damn Kimono.
Sasuke's hand came up to absently rub his mating mark; the scar on his neck that declared to the world exactly who had claimed him, who he'd chosen.
When he had first returned to active duty after the seal was removed, the whispers had been brutal. An omega in the Shinobi ranks? He'll get his team killed. What was the Hokage thinking, allowing this?
But he'd proven them wrong. He'd worked twice as hard as anyone else, pushed himself beyond every limit, refused to accept anything less than perfection from himself and his team. And slowly…painfully slowly…the whispers had changed.
He'd earned his mask. Earned his team. Earned the respect of every shinobi in this village through blood and sweat and refusing to quit even when it would have been easier to hide behind Naruto.
And now they wanted him to put on a pink kimono and stand there looking decorative while Naruto became Hokage.
Sasuke's first instinct was to refuse. To see it as everything he'd been fighting against; being reduced to his omega status, being put on display, being forced into a role that had nothing to do with his skills or his strength.
But...
I will not command Sasuke into doing something he does not want to do.
Naruto's voice echoed in his mind, that steel determination that had made Sasuke fall in love with him in the first place. Naruto, who could have ordered him into the kimono at any time, saving himself an argument with people who would soon be his closest advisors.
And he had refused. He would rather face political pressure and break with a century of tradition than take away Sasuke's choice.
Naruto was achieving his dream and instead of being his anchor, his support, Sasuke was being selfish, putting his pride over the man he loved.
Duty over self.
Those words had been drilled into him by his father, it had been what defined the Uchiha clan. Duty to the clan, duty to the village, duty to something larger than individual wants or comfort.
He'd forgotten that for a long time. Twisted it into something dark during his pursuit of revenge. But Naruto had helped him find his way back. Had shown him that duty didn't have to mean losing yourself, it could mean choosing to be part of something bigger.
The inauguration would take place on top of Hokage Tower. The entire village would be watching. Delegates from every major nation would be in attendance; this wasn't just about Konoha's internal politics, but about how the world saw their village.
And he would be standing beside Naruto. The last Uchiha. A former missing-nin who'd tried to destroy this village and been given a second chance. An omega who had clawed his way from disgraced returnee to ANBU captain through sheer skill and determination.
What message did he want to send?
He could refuse the kimono, wear his jonin uniform, make a statement about not conforming to omega expectations. That he was, first and foremost, a lethal Shinobi. The foreign delegates would whisper about Konoha's lack of tradition, their progressive attitudes, their unconventional leadership. They might see strength in it. They might see disrespect. Either way it would be Naruto who had to face the political fallout for his decision.
Or...
Or he could wear the damn kimono. Could show the world that being an omega didn't make him weak. That he was secure enough in who he was, in what he'd earned, that wearing pink silk and showing his mating mark didn't diminish his strength or his accomplishments. That the respect he'd earned wouldn't evaporate because he appeared in formal omega attire for one ceremony. The delegates would see a united front, a village that balanced tradition with progress, untouchable.
The sun was beginning to set, painting the sky in shades of orange and red. The Hokage Tower cast a long shadow across the village.
Sasuke picked up his mask, running his thumb along the smooth porcelain hawk face. He'd made his decision.
***
The seamstress's shop was empty when Sasuke arrived that evening, the closed sign already flipped on the door. She let him in anyway, clearly expecting him.
"Uchiha-sama," she said, bowing. "I hoped you might reconsider. Let me get the kimono prepared."
Twenty minutes later, Sasuke stood in front of the mirror while she fussed with the obi. The coral pink silk seemed to glow against his pale skin, the golden chrysanthemums catching the lamplight. He looked... Ridiculous. Like playing dress-up in someone else's life.
"The sword will have to go," she said.
"What sword?"
"The one strapped to your back under the kimono."
Sasuke scowled but removed it, setting it aside. The seamstress went back to adjusting the fabric, her hands deft and practiced.
"And the kunai in your right sleeve."
He pulled it out, leaving it on top of his sword.
"The left one too."
"How did you—"
"The shuriken in your obi."
He removed two.
"All three of them, Uchiha-sama."
Scowling harder, he produced the third.
She stepped back, examining her work with a critical eye, then sighed. "The tanto at your lower back."
"That's a backup!"
"Out."
Ten minutes and fifteen weapons later, Sasuke stood significantly lighter and considerably more irritable. The seamstress circled him, checking the drape of the silk.
"The wire in your hair piece."
"Absolutely not." His voice was flat, final.
"Uchiha-sama."
"I need something."
She gave him a long look, then reached down and lifted the hem of the kimono slightly. "The kunai strapped to your thigh. That one you can keep. It won't show and won't disrupt the lines of the fabric."
Sasuke relaxed slightly. "Fine."
"But that's all, Uchiha-sama. No wire, no poison needles, no explosive tags.."
"I wasn't going to—"
"and I will be checking before you leave the dressing area."
Sasuke caught sight of himself in the mirror again. Pink silk, golden flowers and a deadly glare.
"This is ridiculous," he muttered.
"This is tradition," she corrected, not unkindly. "And if I may say so, Uchiha-sama, you wear it well. Even with the death glare."
Sasuke's scowl didn't soften, but he didn't argue either. In the mirror, the pink silk caught the light, the golden chrysanthemums seeming to shimmer with each breath.
He still looked ridiculous.
***
"He's late," Tsunade commented, glancing at the clock on the wall in the Hokage Tower. Through the windows, the sounds of the gathered crowd drifted up from below, thousands of villagers and foreign dignitaries assembled to witness the transfer of power.
"He'll be here," Naruto assured her, though he was starting to get worried himself. He'd woken up to an empty bed and a note that Sasuke would meet him at the tower before the ceremony.
"Maybe we should send out a search party," one of the aides suggested nervously. "The ceremony is supposed to start in fifteen minutes and the Fire Daimyō is already seated. We can't begin without Uchiha-sama."
Shikamaru checked his watch, frowning. "He's probably just running late from training."
The door opened.
Every head turned.
For just a moment, one brief foolish moment, Sasuke considered turning around and walking back out.
The room had gone silent when he entered, every face turning toward him with expressions ranging from relief to shock to something that might have been awe. The afternoon sunlight streamed through the tall windows, making the golden thread in his kimono catch and shimmer with every breath.
The hairpiece pinned his hair in place so he couldn't shake it out of his eyes the way he normally did. The blush on his cheeks made him look softer, younger, nothing like the hardened ANBU captain who had returned from an A-rank mission just hours ago with blood still under his fingernails.
But.
But Naruto was looking at him like he had hung the moon and stars. Like Sasuke was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
And suddenly Sasuke understood something he hadn't fully grasped on the water tower, this wasn't about proving anything anymore. It was about choosing to show up for Naruto the way Naruto had always shown up for him.
"One word from any of you and I will stab a kunai through your eye. Don't be fooled, I am armed." He crossed his arms over his chest, the deadly glare on his face completely contradicting the delicate beauty of his appearance.
"Sasuke, you look stunning," Naruto said, his voice slightly rough.
The blonde's scent spiked with arousal so obvious that Tsunade coughed diplomatically and Shikamaru suddenly found the ceiling very interesting. Naruto's eyes were dark, his pupils dilated, his hand gripping the table a little too tightly as he struggled with his composure.
Good. If Sasuke had to feel exposed and vulnerable in pink silk, at least he had the satisfaction of watching his alpha struggle for control.
"I look ridiculous, but apparently it's necessary," Sasuke replied flatly, though some of his internal amusement must have shown on his face because Naruto's expression softened into something fond and full of love.
"Right," Tsunade said diplomatically, ignoring the tension in the room. "Let's get this done. The village is waiting."
Shikamaru moved toward the door, gesturing for the aides to follow. "We'll head up first with the other advisors. You two follow in five minutes." He caught Sasuke's eye and nodded, an acknowledgment, perhaps even an apology for pushing the kimono issue. Sasuke returned it with the barest tilt of his head. They understood each other.
As the room emptied, leaving them alone for a brief moment, Naruto crossed to his mate.
"You didn't have to do this," he said softly, his hand coming up to gently touch the silk of Sasuke's sleeve. "I meant what I said. If you didn't want to wear it…"
"I know," Sasuke interrupted. "That's why I'm wearing it." His expression softened slightly, the deadly glare melting into something more genuine. "You reminded me what duty actually means; not losing yourself, but choosing to be part of something bigger. If standing beside you in this outfit is what the village needs today, then that's what they'll get."
Naruto's hand moved from the sleeve to cup Sasuke's face, careful not to smudge the makeup. "Have I mentioned how much I love you?"
"Not in the last eight hours," Sasuke replied dryly. Then, more seriously: "We should go. Can't keep the village waiting on their new Hokage."
As they walked toward the door that would lead them up to the roof of Hokage Tower, to the ceremony that would change everything, Sasuke's hand found Naruto's. The silk of the kimono rustled softly with each step, an unfamiliar sound compared to his usual gear. But the weight of Naruto's hand in his, the solid presence of his mate beside him, that was familiar. That was real. That was home.
As they emerged onto the roof and the crowd's roar rose to meet them, Sasuke stood straight and proud beside his mate; coral pink silk and hidden kunai, deadly ANBU captain and perfect omega, every contradiction that made him who he was on full display.
And he wouldn't have it any other way.
[fin]