sorry if youve already talked about this, but i wanted to get your thoughts on sasuke in these panels..maybe im looking too much into it and its not that deep, but i was rereading gaiden recently and i just feel like theres something here im missing. sakura even looks a little confused/worried in the bg. the way he talks is kinda cryptic, especially with how they put quotation marks around "cooperation". like?? am i crazy or is there something going on here. its like hes vaguely referring to something that only he and naruto know about. not to mention how sullen he seems...what do you think?
No you're not imagining it, Sasuke is clearly a bit sad and snidey here. Naruto looks taken aback by his words too, sweating nervously. Naruto didn't hesitate wanting to go with Sasuke and leaving his own family in the process, but Sasuke declined his offer.
It seems Kishi left it up in the air what's going on here, but clearly it's to show not everything is okay between these characters. Sakura is like a third wheel here, also very nervous.
Sasuke knows Naruto loves him, and Naruto knows Sasuke loves him. But Sasuke also knows Naruto felt hesitant and conflicted, with all the expectations and burdens on his shoulders. They both had even bigger responsibilities now after the war.
And while it's obvious Kishi wrote them to be in love, he can't say it too obviously, so he leaves these clues for us to patch together, to make some sense of why the hell are they married to Hinata/Sakura. He will leave implications that Sasuke never kissed Sakura, that Naruto doesn't want to go home even if Shikamaru could take over his mundane duties like counting on headbands. He will write some bimbo fangirls fawn over Naruto and Hinata walking in the park, talking about how they make a perfect couple because Naruto is the war hero/Hokage candidate and Hinata is the heiress of the Hyuga clan. Very shallow reasons, and we know how Kishi isn't too fond of fangirls. But those reasons make sense, considering NH marriage is appearance only, without the kind of deep love Naruto feels for Sasuke. Naruto settled for her, because that's what everyone expects from him.
And Sasuke isn't happy. But he loves Naruto, so he will stand by his side regardless. And in Boruto manga, there was the scene where Sasuke gave his headband to Boruto, and Boruto asked if it's okay, isn't this the symbol of the bond between you and my dad (which shows Kishi definitely didn't forgot, which some people might otherwise claim)? If you remember, at the end of chapter 699 Sasuke said he will keep holding onto it until him and Naruto finally settle things between the two of them. The chapter where Sasuke gave Boruto the headband and talked with him also had Sarada and Mitsuki at the same time talk about one's true, inner romantic feelings and being honest about them. Mitsuki suggested Sarada likes Boruto like that, and Sarada suggested the same about Mitsuki liking Boruto as well. Like? And Sarada also reminds us once again that Sasuke spends more time with Boruto than with her. Lol.
So yeah, that moment is just yet another clue to show Naruto and Sasuke aren't happy with their lives, but they are doing their best for the sake of the future. But since Sasuke gave away the headband, it feels like something is gonna happen...
