Rec the Thing

I really wanted to rec the author hereforwords and their spectacular Naruto/Sasuke stories. I'm personally very picky and find it hard to connect with other people's takes on my favourite characters and ships—it's because I'm a writer too, I think—so when I find that author that truly speaks to me and my interests it's super special. I found that in hereforwords works and wanted to share. In fact, the moment I learned about this comm, I thought of these stories. They only have three at the moment—all so good, I promise, with interesting what ifs on the canon—but I'm crossing my fingers they write more because I adored these stories immensely. I'm looking to reread them all sometime in the future. 

Title: Last Surprise
Rating: T
Word Count: 18 051
Summary: "You're alive," Sasuke finally said, half of himself willing the words back inside as the other half battled desperately to say every single thing he could think of, "Someone said that you weren't." 
Or
Just before his final battle with Itachi, Sasuke recieves news that changes nothing and everything. 
Notes: This one hits hard in the feels. Sasuke becomes convinced by rumours that Naruto was killed and promptly changes route from his goal of Itachi, to going back to the village to check on Naruto and make sure what he heard was true or not. This, unfortunately, means that Itachi doesn't get his final battle and when Sasuke meets him he's dying in bed which causes some deep angst on Sasuke's part. He ends up having a lot of halucinations in response to this and his feelings for Naruto. There's just some really good emotional crap between these boys too and I love it. Neither of them really understand their feelings, but what else is new? At least there's a happy ending. 

Title: When the Past Blinked
Rating: M
Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence
Word Count: 17 931
Summary: "What was the point?" Sasuke asked no one, rolling over onto his back. Blood was dripping down into his ear as he looked up at the close to black sky, only a few stars bright enough for his one weak eye to see at all. "What was the point of any of it?"
Or
Sasuke loses his eye and his chakra, but finally learns how to stop running. 
Notes: This follows a concept where Sasuke fails at defeating Orochimaru instead and loses an eye and his chakra permanently in the process, making him a regular, if very skilled, average citizen. He ends up being taken in by a civilian family who nurse him back to health and help him on his path to healing himself mentally. When he meets up with Naruto for the first time, it's just beautiful and heartwarming. I love how the scene where they first kiss goes. There's a non graphic sex scene in here as well which I enjoyed. Honestly, I'm just such a fan at how this person conveys this couple's undying devotion to one another. That's my bread and butter for these two and what makes me love them so damn much. 

Title: Invisible and Weightless 
Rating: T
Word Count: 13 459
Summary: "So are you taking me back then?" Sasuke asked, voice low and expressionless. He didn't sound like he cared either way what the answer would be. 
"Yeah," Naruto managed to get out, "We're going home."
Notes: This one's an alternate route where Naruto takes Sasuke back to the village after the Sasuke vs. Itachi final battle and deals with the cosequences of Sasuke's mental state after the fight, the feeling of nothing left now that he's completed his goal (and, of course, the panic attacks, can't forget those). It's their usual emotional constipation shtick as they try to convey why they do the things they do for each other (it's love, guys). Also, Sasuke is there for the Pain battle and it's his supposed death instead that causes Naruto to fall to the Kyuubi. The ending is very sweet! ^^