Chapter Text
Where Fire Burns
Chapter One: Beating Heart
Naruto’s eyes flashed open as he woke with a violent start as if adrenaline had been injected directly into his bloodstream. The sudden movement forced him into a sitting position as sharp, searing pain tore through his body, making him gasp.
He clutched his stomach with his left hand, his teeth clenched.
The hospital room was too bright, the sterile white walls reflecting the harsh fluorescent light that made his head throb. Somewhere in the background, he could hear the faint beep of a heart monitor and muffled voices echoing through the hallway outside.
Groaning, Naruto squeezed his eyes shut and swallowed, feeling his throat dry and scratchy. His breath came in shallow, uneven gasps as he struggled to steady himself.
“Naruto!” Sakura’s voice cut through his initial haze of pain and disorientation, sounding both relieved and concerned, and a soft, warm hand rested gently on his back to offer him support. “I’m so glad you’re awake! Don’t overexert yourself; you were in pretty bad shape…”
Naruto’s lips parted as he tried to say something, but the only sound that emerged was hoarse, which made his stomach twist, so he immediately closed his mouth.
“Do you need to throw up?” Sakura asked beside him, sensing his nausea, but Naruto swallowed again, shaking his head even if he wasn’t sure. “Some water, then?” she offered, and he nodded. It was so difficult to open his eyes…
“Alright, wait a second,” the young woman said, her voice firm but kind. “And no more rash movements, please.”
Naruto raised his left hand to rub the sleep from his eyes but froze when another sharp jolt of pain shot through his right shoulder. He grimaced, lowering his arm as memories flooded his mind in a chaotic onslaught.
The war. It was over—finally over. And then he and Sasuke had fought, nearly to the death, but had failed to die and had instead managed to find some consensus.
He remembered Sakura and Kakashi’s efforts to bring them to safety as soon as they were done breaking the Infinite Tsukuyomi, and how he then had forced himself to stay conscious through his wounds and his exhaustion, worried sick about Sasuke. Even as his strength failed him, he stubbornly insisted that the medics treat Sasuke first. The memory of their resigned sighs as they finally gave in and reached for Sasuke instead was one of his last before darkness claimed him.
He and Sasuke had both lost an arm, but that was a small price to pay for what they had gained in return.
Naruto managed to open his eyes a little so he could look to his right side, at his missing limb, and his very soul twisted as he recalled the events that had led to this outcome because they had been far more meaningful and painful than his physical loss.
It had all been worth it, and that was all that mattered.
The soft sensation of something brushing his lips pulled his hazy mind back to the present—a straw. He parted his cracked lips and sucked feebly, the cool water sliding down his throat like a blessing.
“That’s it,” Sakura encouraged gently, her hand steady as she held the glass. “Slowly now, Naruto. Small sips.”
He obeyed, taking careful gulps even as his body screamed for more. Relief washed over him with each swallow, and it felt so good it almost made him forget the pain. When he pulled back from the straw, he met Sakura’s gaze, his voice raspy. “Sasuke… is he…”
“He’s right there, silly,” Sakura said, with a small smile. She gestured to the side, adding, “The council didn’t want you two in the same room, but Kakashi-sensei and I found a way, for now. We knew you’d probably throw an unnecessary tantrum otherwise.”
Naruto’s head turned a little too quickly, his neck protesting the movement as his eyes landed on the figure lying in the bed next to his, closest to the window.
Sasuke was there, his face turned away from him. His skin looked pale but he seemed peaceful in his sleep. Relief washed over Naruto, and a surge of fresh and unexpected emotions flooded him as tears immediately threatened to spill, but he had half a mind to stop himself, even if his chest tightened.
Sasuke was alive, and he was there with him. They hadn’t taken him away.
Naruto's tired gaze lingered on his friend, tracing the contours of his slumbering form.
“Thank god,” he breathed, his voice barely audible. He looked at Sakura again, but the room was so bright he could barely open his eyes to more than slits. “How is he?”
“He’s still sleeping,” she reassured him, setting the glass of water on the small nightstand. “But he’s healthy, and hopefully, he’ll wake up soon now that you’re awake.” She paused, eyeing Naruto attentively and her voice lowering. “You’ve both been sleeping for three days already. He doesn’t have the Kyuubi to help him recover like you do, so it might take a little longer.” Her voice became teasing. “I just hope you two can stop making me worried sick with your damn shenanigans now.”
Naruto’s lips quivered into a small, guilty grin because it hurt every muscle of his face.
“I can’t promise you that, Sakura-chan. But thank you… for not giving up on us. On Team 7, I mean. And for forgiving him, too, even after everything.”
Sakura all but huffed, but Naruto noticed the faint tremble in her shoulders.
He would’ve offered her some comfort if only his body cooperated.
Naruto knew it couldn’t have been easy for Sakura, either, to have to be a medic assisting in the war, then fight to save the world alongside her teammates like old times, only to have them end up fleeing together to almost kill each other.
Not only that, Sakura had been right beside him when he woke up, meaning that she’d been taking care of them and standing by them faithfully all along.
“I couldn’t help but to,” Sakura muttered, sniffing slightly. “You’re all my family. I just want things to go back to the way they were.”
“Yeah, I want that, too,” Naruto whispered, his gaze drifting back to Sasuke. “How are you? And everyone else? How are things out there?”
“We’re managing, one day at a time,” Sakura said, her tone steady but solemn, with an underlying hint of exhaustion that was poorly concealed. “You don’t need to worry about that for now, okay? Just focus on recovering.”
Naruto nodded faintly, exhaustion tugging at him again. “I’ll try.”
Sakura was fluffing his pillows proficiently. “Come on,” she said, carefully putting one hand on his chest and one on his back to help him lay back down, slowly—he suspected he had a few broken ribs from the acute stabbing pain. “You need to rest. I’m going to do a quick check-up on you and then I’ll ask a nurse to bring you some food, alright?”
“Okay,” he murmured, his eyes already half-lidded. “I’m still really sleepy, though…”
Sakura said something, but he couldn’t quite catch it. His eyelids felt heavy as his gaze returned to Sasuke so he could spend a few moments watching the comforting steady rise and fall of his chest. He didn’t pay attention to Sakura’s thorough examination and, if she asked anything, he didn’t hear it.
He was exhausted, and yet he was filled with gratitude.
All that mattered to him was that Sasuke was home.
Everything would be fine.
Reassured, he fell into a deep sleep once again.
000
Later that night, Naruto was having a hard time feeling comfortable.
Sakura had woken him up so he could eat something. They talked a bit and she had given him some instructions that he tried hard to listen to, but he’d only been able to get some tea and fruit into his stomach before he desperately needed to get some more sleep again.
He wasn’t sure how many hours he had slept, or even if it was the same day, but it didn’t matter anyway, because his right shoulder still felt like it was being stabbed by a dozen knives and he was having a hard time breathing.
The discomfort was making him feel unavoidably anxious, and while he didn’t like to resort to painkillers, Sakura had advised him strongly not to be an idiot and make his life and recovery harder.
Not to mention that he wanted to go to check up on Sasuke but the ache he felt was quite debilitating, and he couldn’t have that—not when he had so desperately wanted some privacy with his best friend and had none, either because Sakura or a nurse were in the room or because he was too tired to stay awake.
Hissing under his breath, he pushed the covers off himself and slowly moved to slide his legs to the edge of the bed.
He didn’t know the time, but everything was dark and eerily quiet safe from the beeping of their machines, the moonlight filtering through the windows helping Naruto look for the miracle switch that he had to press to ease his suffering. He finally found it hanging next to his mattress and pressed it a few times as Sakura had instructed.
It didn’t take long for him to feel the cold medicine slide through the tubes towards the thick needle stuck in the back of his hand and into his veins.
Closing his eyes Naruto took several deep breaths to calm himself down and not feel impatient as he waited for the pain to subside, and it took a few minutes until he finally felt the horrible stinging throbbing begin to subside and was able to allow his muscles to relax.
That was so much better.
As fast as he healed thanks to Kurama, it was true that Naruto couldn’t recall a time when he’d been beaten up this badly. All his life he had fought numerous bad guys, and he did so during the war, as well, some of them the strongest he had ever faced, and once this was over, there was no time to rest because he’d had to stand up against Sasuke, too.
Naruto opened his eyes and looked at the body lying in the bed next to his, noting that his friend hadn’t moved a muscle yet.
Uchiha fucking Sasuke, who slept so soundlessly he might as well be dead, and his face was still turned away.
Naruto hadn’t been able to properly look at him yet, but he was sure the guy looked like a fucking prince, pretty, peaceful, and deceivingly harmless.
He knew this because he’d seen Sasuke sleep many times when they were younger.
Back then, it had fascinated him how relaxed the other's features were in his sleep as opposed to his usual frowning, moody semblance.
The corner of Naruto’s mouth curled slightly upwards as he snorted at the irony.
Sasuke had been the strongest and most relentless opponent he had ever faced, a force of nature ready to annihilate everything and everyone standing between him and his goal.
Merciless, was probably the best word to describe him because Sasuke was the type of person who would simply do unthinkable and cruel things to achieve his final purpose.
This train of thought came from a perspective of practicality, where he gauged the pros and cons of a situation and simply acted in the most beneficial way possible, disregarding emotional ties or even patterns that would be considered unethical.
This was something difficult for people to embrace or even understand, Naruto included.
Sasuke’s power had been overwhelming. If Naruto hadn’t agreed to fight him with everything he had, completely at peace with the fact that he was going to save him or die trying, he would’ve been terrified.
But he hadn’t. Instead, he fought Sasuke in a state of urgency and absolute awe.
However, his fascination with his friend had done nothing but fuel his resolve that he had to save him and bring him home.
Because Naruto had known—had felt, with every blow and every attack—where Sasuke’s power came from, and why it caused him so much grief, sadness, and despair.
Sasuke had been ready to die, too, but he would not go down without giving Naruto a proper farewell gift.
And boy, did he ever. Not just the worst physical and emotional beating of Naruto’s life, but also the fact that he had finally exposed himself wholeheartedly, raw and figuratively naked in ways no one would ever see but Naruto.
And Naruto had seen it all, more than he could have ever wished for or imagined that he would be allowed to see, and had paid him back full force by not leaving anything hidden either.
Through their fists, they had spoken to each other’s hearts without words, and there was nothing left to do but give in and let it all out.
If Naruto had thought that he had known himself, or Sasuke, or even their feelings for each other before then, he’d been wrong, because there was so much more in both of them than he ever thought, and these were things he had no idea what to do with or how to even being to work through.
They would both be destroyed if the other perished. Recalling that feeling they had shared was probably the most frightening and painful experience for him. It brought a sharp stab to his chest that made Naruto clutch the fabric of his t-shirt over his heart.
The only thing that made Naruto panic during their fight was seeing how willing Sasuke was to die by his hand, and even if he wouldn’t put himself in death’s way because he was too prideful, there was a chance that Naruto might make a mistake and take him down unintentionally.
Sasuke’s silent cry for help was devastating.
So many things were made clear then.
Naruto had known, very early in their fight, that he simply could not (would not) let Sasuke go.
He wouldn’t leave Sasuke by himself ever again, and if that meant that he had to die with him, then so be it.
Because Naruto was terrified of being alone once more.
So, Naruto had fought in utter despair, too.
Because someone like Sasuke was too amazing to simply disappear from this world, and because Sasuke was fucking stupid if he thought Naruto would ever give up on him after seeing exactly what was in his heart and what he wanted but thought was too unworthy to have.
You can be a real idiot, too, Naruto thought, shaking his head and looking at his friend’s sleeping form.
God, it hurt in such an oddly pleasurable way. He was so glad it was all over and that Sasuke was there, alive, and where he could see him. They could start over, heal, and make up for all the time they had spent away from each other.
Naruto was at a loss towards what the future looked like, but at least he now knew which way he wanted to go and he only hoped Sasuke wanted it, too.
Rather, he knew Sasuke wanted it but perhaps some realizations had come to him in a different way than they had Naruto. There was a chance that he might react to them differently, too, but Naruto was ready for that.
Naruto’s mind had never been more at peace. He hadn’t given it much thought since he and Sasuke had fought, but he found that he didn’t need to.
There were things he had known for a long time—he simply hadn’t dwelled on them, but it didn’t matter.
He wasn’t alone and whatever was meant to happen, would happen the way it should, or not, and he was ready for both outcomes, or at least he thought he was.
Swallowing hard, Naruto reached out to his IV pole and slowly got to his feet. He still felt weak, but his legs cooperated. The floor was cool, but the room was warm so he didn’t feel cold.
Carefully, he made his way to Sasuke’s bed, dragging the IV pole behind him. Even if there was a chair close to the window, Naruto chose to sit on the edge of Sasuke’s bed, next to his waist, so he could be closer to him.
The Uchiha heir was connected to a bunch of machines that beeped softly behind him. There were bandages around his wounded shoulder as well as around his neck and on his left eyebrow and right cheek. His hand rested on his stomach, also bandaged.
A part of Naruto almost feared believing that this was real—that he had saved the world and brought a willing Sasuke back to Konoha. This was just the beginning, the turn of a new page, not only for them but for the village as well.
It wasn’t all flowers and happiness because many people had died and the world was shattered. There was so much that needed to be done, so much healing and rebuilding that had yet to happen, and a part of Naruto felt like he should be out there already, helping and doing everything he could, while another just wanted Sasuke to wake up and simply spend time with him.
Still, he needed to recover before he could even think about doing anything, and to make matters worse, he was an invalid. Until he could find his coordination and organize his life around his new disability, there was only so much he could do.
In that hospital room, secluded from the world outside, things didn’t feel so dire. Of course, he was sad and worried about the village and his friends, but he was also exhausted and in need of a little peace, even if for a little while.
Was it selfish of him? After all he had done, all he had accomplished, this was the only thing he wanted.
There were also things Naruto wasn’t ready to think about yet—political things that would probably slap him and Sasuke in the face once they both recovered and left the hospital.
He had no idea what Sasuke’s fate would be, but he was ready to fight for him with everything he had.
Naruto could feel Sasuke’s body against his thigh, and yet, it felt like a dream. He desperately wanted to reach out and touch him but feared that he might vanish.
Still, he had to make sure, so he released the IV pole and cautiously reached out to touch the back of Sasuke’s hand. A relieved breath escaped his lungs at concluding that, indeed, the young man was flesh and blood and would not magically melt or disappear.
Naruto almost laughed, placing his hand more firmly over Sasuke’s, the touch filling him with an unexpected surge of happiness that made his pulse race.
“Gosh, I’m so stupid,” he said out loud, shaking his head while chuckling nervously and looking down at his friend. “Good thing you can’t listen to what’s inside my head, heh, Sasuke? You’d be calling me an idiot three times in a row.”
Sasuke still didn’t move, but Naruto hadn’t expected him to. He could feel the healthy flow of the other teen’s superb chakra and the steady pulse through the bandages of his hand.
Sasuke was fine, he could tell as much.
“It’s not fair that I woke up before you, bastard,” Naruto muttered, with a smile. “You’re my roommate; you can’t leave me here alone and sleep all day long, I’ll die of boredom. This is not how I had planned our hospital stay to go.”
Biting on his lower lip, Naruto couldn’t help himself. He hesitantly brought his hand to Sasuke's face, gently turning his head towards him so he could see it properly.
As expected, Sasuke’s face was a mess, still filled with cuts and bruises, and some of them had swollen pretty badly.
“Look at that,” Naruto whispered, with a small smirk. “I’m a mess, but I kicked your ass pretty good, too. It’s going to take forever for these to fade.”
He allowed his fingertips to brush tenderly over the bruises on Sasuke’s cheek. “I don’t feel sorry for you, though. Serves you right. You gave me such a hard time, fucking asshole.”
His thumb traced along the edge of a dark mark with an affectionate softness that was a personal indulgence, because he wasn’t sure how close Sasuke would even let him get once he woke up.
“Don’t worry, I’m not mad at you for that, but I’ll have you make it up to me eventually,” Naruto proceeded, letting out a quiet, breathy laugh, letting his fingers sweep carefully over Sasuke's jaw, pausing for a moment to admire how peaceful he seemed.
Yep, not only did the bastard look peaceful, his features were still quite striking despite the injuries.
“There’s no way you still look handsome with all these bruises. There’s just no way, it must be a lighting issue, it has to be.” Naruto groaned, rolling his eyes, and still, his hand lingered on Sasuke's skin, his thumb brushing gently under Sasuke's eye where a faint bruise marred his usually flawless face.
“Urgh, not fair. I don’t remember you being this pretty.”
Lies, of course. Sasuke had always been a gorgeous specimen of a man, and Naruto had to concede that, despite his condition, he was still breathtaking under the faint rays of moonlight.
Naruto’s stomach was doing a lot of funny things recently, and appreciating his best friend’s level of attractiveness did nothing to stop it.
Things weren’t like this before, Naruto considered, gently brushing a stray lock of hair from the other young man’s forehead. He’d always envied and admired Sasuke, who had always carried a strong presence and given him a sense of adrenaline that he couldn’t deny but hadn’t dwelled on either.
So many things he had known about his feelings for Sasuke but hadn’t dwelled on because it would’ve crushed him before.
But not now. It was what it was, and even if it made him feel nervous and lost, he was too tired to try and see it as something else—he’d done that for years already, and still, the truth had prevailed.
His fingertips lingered, tracing the line of Sasuke's brow with tender care.
“You need to wake up… Sasuke…” His thumb caressed the edge of a fading bruise on Sasuke's cheek as if trying to erase it. “I’ve missed you. I can’t believe you’re here, even now. You don’t know how much I wanted to bring you home, and even if I know you don’t consider this place your home anymore, at least let me be that to you, somehow…”
Naruto’s hand drifted lower, ghosting over Sasuke's bandaged neck before returning to his face, his touch featherlight.
He knew he was probably being a little too physical, but he couldn’t stop himself if he tried, because touching Sasuke like this felt strangely natural.
Even if he knew well that they had never shared this type of affectionate intimacy before, right then, it felt like he was allowed to, that he had somehow earned the right.
Maybe something in their bond told him so.
If Sasuke felt differently about it, it would still be okay.
“I know reconnecting won’t be easy, and we don’t know each other all that well at this point.” His breath hitched as he struggled to find the right words, even if he knew he was speaking more to himself than to Sasuke. “But to me, it feels like you never left. I… I know you well enough, but I still want to know more, as much as possible. I want to know everything about you.”
Naruto then dared to touch Sasuke’s chin, his nail gently scraping over it almost contemplatively.
“We have… a lot to talk about, and I know you know it, too, that things are different now. You felt it, right? It feels a little bit scary, to be honest, and I don’t know what to do or even how we’re going to deal with each other from now but… if you feel the way I know you do, I hope you can at least want to work things through between us. We have to or all of the crap we went through would be in vain.”
He leaned in just a bit closer, his voice barely above a whisper, and despite his better judgment, he couldn’t stop himself from brushing his thumb over Sasuke’s slightly parted lips, and they were a bit dry, but no less perfect.
The bastard had such a pretty mouth.
I somehow feel like I’m in deep trouble…
“I’m here for you,” Naruto whispered. “I won’t ever let you be alone again, I swear. I’ll beat your ass before you can even think about it.”
Without thinking, Naruto leaned in closer while holding his breath, and the action was hard on his body but didn’t stop his lips from gently touching Sasuke's in a soft, instinctual, and completely irrational kiss—quick, fleeting, and filled with unspoken emotion.
As soon as he felt Sasuke’s lips against his, though, he realized what he was doing and quickly pulled away, his heart slamming against his ribs.
“Oh, shit…” he gasped, sitting upright and bringing his hand to his mouth. “Shitshitshitshit…”
His face turned crimson. He immediately stood up, eyes wide in horror while hands flailed for balance as he nearly tripped over his IV line.
“I’m sorry! That was… I wasn’t… I didn’t do anything bad!” Naruto awkwardly tried to justify himself, even though his friend was still as unmoving as he’d been from the start.
He was mortified at himself, because not only did he kiss a sleeping person, but he’d kissed Sasuke and he had not seen it coming. “I’m heading back to my bed now. Sweet dreams, yeah?”
He fumbled with his blanket as he slid back into his bed, refusing to glance at Sasuke again, and yanked it over his head, his entire face burning with embarrassment so he buried it in his pillow. His heartbeat was so loud it sounded like drums in his ears.
He groaned, muffling the sound into his pillow.
What the hell did I just do?
He had kissed Sasuke. Uchiha Sasuke.
I must have a death wish...
He lifted his head under the covers and as his hand drifted to his lips, it shook, hovering there before his fingers lightly touched where they had met Sasuke's.
Naruto squeezed his eyes shut.
He and Sasuke had a couple of accidental kisses during their time in Team 7, and oddly enough, Naruto still remembered them vividly.
Back then, he’d been embarrassed and frustrated, and yet, something inside of him hadn’t allowed him to mull over it too much because they hadn’t been all that bad.
Besides, he had shared those kisses with Sasuke. As much as he had complained about him back then, the Uchiha had always been a best friend and rival to him, someone he could trust and someone he liked enough to not make a big deal out of it.
And just then, even if he knew it wasn’t right because Sasuke was unconscious, it hadn’t felt wrong either.
If Sasuke were to even dream about it he’d probably kick his ass for taking advantage of him.
No matter how much they knew about each other and empathized, his best friend’s take on their feelings and the future of their relationship could be very different from Naruto’s, so there was a strong chance that Sasuke might not find it funny at all.
"Crap. I’m so screwed," he muttered into the fabric, heat creeping down his neck. His stomach twisted in a way that was both thrilling and terrifying.
Who the hell kisses a sleeping, defenseless, and clueless person anyway?!
Naruto couldn’t even comprehend how his subconscious thought it was a good idea.
Naruto rolled onto his side, burying himself deeper under the covers.
Even if he doesn’t hate me… would he be angry or find it upsetting?
Naruto couldn’t have that. The last thing he ever wanted was to jeopardize his friendship with Sasuke and the delicate balance they had after the hurricane that was the last few years and their final battle.
But even as panic coursed through him, Naruto’s fingers stayed pressed against his lips, and the thought of how perfectly Sasuke's mouth had fit against his own refused to leave his mind.
And this was the moment when he truly realized that things were a lot more serious than he had anticipated.
Sasuke was his best friend and the person who cared about him in ways no one could match. Sasuke also knew him with a soul-binding intimacy.
But Sasuke was a ticking bomb, someone as capable of loving him as much as he was capable of trying to kill him, and even if those things were behind them (hopefully), it didn’t make things miraculously good for them, nor did it make the past disappear.
That was why Naruto would fight for him, for them, but he couldn’t take anything for granted or afford to hope.
It had been stupid of him to take a step towards making his own life more difficult by creating a concept that was nothing but platonic and abstract at the moment.
Naruto took a sharp intake of breath.
Fuck.
000
Naruto's eyes snapped open to the soft morning light filtering through the curtains. He blinked a few times, adjusting to the brightness, and turned his head toward the bed beside him, only to find it empty.
His soul left his body. Sasuke was gone.
"What the…?" Naruto bolted upright, wincing as pain shot through his body, but it wasn’t as bad as a few hours previously.
Ignoring it, he yanked the IV needle from his hand with a hiss. Blood beaded at the site, but he didn't care as he ran towards the door of their room and yanked it open brusquely.
"Sasuke!" he yelled, his voice echoing down the sterile hall and making the people there start in shock.
As he stumbled out of the room his bare feet slapped against the cold tile floor and all he could do was run, following the faint, familiar pull of Sasuke's chakra. At least Sasuke was still in the hospital, but what if he was seriously ill, what if something had happened, what if…
"Sasuke! Where the hell are you?!"
He tore through the hallways, ignoring the startled nurses and patients. His breathing grew ragged.
The muffled sound of voices up ahead made him pick up speed.
At the end of the hall, the door to one of the offices creaked open, and Sakura’s pink-haired head peeked out. “What’s with all this commotion?!” she snapped with a scowl, only to have Naruto stop in his tracks right in front of her, who all but eyed him with disbelief.
“Is he in there?!” Naruto blurted, chest heaving.
“Of course, he is! What…”
Naruto didn’t wait for her to finish because he shoved past her, his eyes scanning the room and finally setting on Sasuke, who was sitting on an examination table, looking battered but perfectly calm, with an eyebrow curled upward, unimpressed at Naruto’s dramatic entrance.
Their eyes locked and Naruto almost felt like his legs would give in. “Sasuke!” he yelled, relief crashing over him. “You damn bastard, don’t scare me like this!”
Sasuke frowned and opened his mouth to say something, but Naruto ran to him and thoughtlessly lunged forward, wrapping his arm tightly around him.
That wasn’t something he would have done in the past, and not something he would ever do if he was in his right state of mind, but his body had been faster than any sort of coherent thought.
Feeling Sasuke against him, real, alive, and warm was the best thing at the moment.
Sasuke stiffened under the sudden contact and immediately thrashed in discomfort. “That fucking hurts, idiot!” he growled, squirming and trying to push him away. “Let go!”
Naruto hadn’t exactly considered that the other teen was just as badly injured as he was, if not worse, so he immediately loosened his grip and leaned back but didn't fully let go, leaving his hand on Sasuke’s shoulder.
“Calm the hell down, Naruto!” Sakura scolded, closing the door behind her. “Where do you think he’d go in his condition?”
“I don’t know,” Naruto replied, apologetically. “I didn’t expect him to be out of bed! I just… I don't know what I thought, to be honest; I wasn’t thinking.”
“That much is obvious,” Sasuke retorted.
“Shut up,” Naruto mumbled, feeling his cheeks heat up in both embarrassment and instant irritation at the silent insult.
And yet, he was ecstatic. This type of dynamic was familiar and showed how easy it was for them to settle back into old patterns despite how long they’d been away from each other.
Sasuke sighed, clearly annoyed. “I woke up and asked a nurse if I could take a shower. You were sleeping, so we came here so Sakura could change my bandages so we didn’t wake you up.”
Naruto's shoulders slumped and he finally let go of Sasuke to bring his hand to his chest, feeling a pang of blissful emotion.
Sasuke was awake and he was all right. Naruto's surge of anxiety had been embarrassing and uncalled for it seemed, but it was stronger than himself.
Maybe this was some kind of trauma, or maybe because things were so uncertain regarding Sasuke and his future at this point he couldn’t simply allow himself to relax.
“Right, that makes perfect sense,” he conceded before scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. “Sorry about that. You feel alright?”
The dark-haired teen gave him a flat look, and only then did Naruto notice that his eyes were mismatched, the right one dark grey while the left one—still a little swollen—was purple because of his newly acquired Rinnegan.
It momentarily mesmerized him how beautiful that set of eyes was.
“I'm fine,” Sasuke replied, tilting his head slightly to the side. “How about you?”
Naruto shook his head to clear it before flashing him a huge grin. “I’m great! Had a good night’s sleep and nothing hurts all that much anymore, I guess.”
“Good,” Sasuke said casually before suddenly raising his fist and smacking Naruto hard across the head.
"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura yelped affronted.
“Ouch!” Naruto complained, stumbling back and bringing his hand to the abused spot. “Damn it, Sasuke! Why are you hitting me? What did I do?!”
Sasuke's expression remained inscrutable, but he was looking straight into Naruto’s eyes, unfalteringly. “You know what you did,” he said simply, narrowing his eyes. “Usuratonkachi.”
“What’s happening? What did you do, Naruto?” Sakura asked, reaching them and looking from one to the other with confusion.
At this, Naruto froze, his body tensing up. His mind flashed back to the kiss he had given Sasuke the night before—a moment he had convinced himself he should delete from his mind so as not to overcomplicate things and bring out unnecessary problems in his head.
But Sasuke had been asleep. There was no way he could know.
Or was there?
Still, the other was scrutinizing him as if he knew something.
“I…I didn’t do anything! I just got here!” Naruto stammered, rubbing his head where Sasuke had hit him rather ruthlessly. “Didn’t you beat me enough already to satisfy your psycho side, asshole?”
Sasuke pressed his lips tightly together, his expression darkening. “Apparently not.”
Naruto glared at him.“I thought we were done with this, but if you want to fight, I’ll kick your ass again!”
“Just say when, dumbass.”
“Hey!” Sakura's voice cut as she boldly stepped between them with her index finger raised, which she waved in front of Naruto’s face and then Sasuke’s threateningly. “If you guys don’t shut up, the one who’ll beat you both until you can’t move for three months is going to be me!”
She finally crossed her arms over her chest, looking utterly exhausted. “Seriously! It’s too early for this! Give me a break, you two...”
Both boys winced. Sakura could be scary sometimes, and Naruto knew that it definitely couldn’t be easy to always be in the middle of his and Sasuke’s bantering.
“We’re sorry, Sakura-chan,” Naruto mumbled, genuinely apologetic.
“Yeah, sorry,” Sasuke said, his face still scrunched up as his eyes returned to Naruto with a lingering edge of irritation.
Sakura sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Alright, enough. Naruto, sit down. I’m very busy today so I’ll take the chance to check on you too. I’ll have you guys do some exams and x-rays as soon as I’m done.”
Naruto hesitated for a moment before shuffling over to the examination table and sitting next to his former teammate.
Their knees accidentally brushed, sending a jolt through Naruto's already tense body. He stared straight ahead, face heating up, but he could feel Sasuke’s eyes on him, way too intense and sharp—almost knowing.
The fact that he could smell Sasuke’s clean, freshly bathed scent didn’t help.
Before he could even think about shifting away, though, Sasuke elbowed him in the side, not too hard but enough to snap him out of it.
Naruto blinked, startled, before instinctively elbowing Sasuke back. Sasuke elbowed him again, and the next thing he knew, they were engaged in a fierce, rather stupid battle to see who would be the last one offering the final blow.
The tension melted in an instant, and Naruto knew—without a doubt—that everything was okay between them.
Sakura raised an eyebrow at their silent exchange. “Would you stop being childish? I swear, if I have to bandage either of you again today, you’re both getting sedated for the rest of your stay.”
Naruto chuckled softly but eventually decided to be the one to stop. "Yeah, yeah, Sakura-chan. We’ll behave."
Sakura rolled her eyes but ended up shaking her head, a small smile appearing on her lips that showed a poorly concealed happiness at witnessing them be idiots as they used to be back in the day.
Sasuke let out a quiet huff, glancing away but not moving his leg from where it pressed lightly against Naruto’s.
Even if Naruto still felt his whole body catch fire, at least now he knew everything was fine.
Or so he thought.
000
Sakura had examined them both and then sent them off to their rooms to wait for breakfast.
The walk back was quiet.
Naruto glanced at Sasuke, noticing how pale he still looked despite his usual composed expression, but he carried himself with dignity regardless.
There was still something a little on edge brimming under the surface of Sasuke’s chakra that Naruto couldn’t pinpoint, but he wasn’t going to risk the balanced atmosphere between them by trying to figure it out.
They reached their room to fetch some toothbrushes and paste from their nightstands and headed out together to the nearest bathroom Because it felt satisfying to be out and about.
While they brushed their teeth side by side in front of the small sink, they eyed each other in the mirror, and Naruto almost choked because he found that the sight of their bruised and battered faces was extremely hilarious for some reason.
Naruto hadn’t said a word, and yet Sasuke seemed to have grasped what was making him laugh because while he didn’t seem to share the same opinion, he still snorted and shook his head condescendingly.
Breakfast was already waiting for them when they got back to the room, so they settled on their respective beds and ate, making small talk about the condition of their bodies.
Sasuke was feeling well—he had, after all, been able to stand on his own two legs as soon as he woke up—but he admitted to being tired and in pain. They didn’t talk about their arms, but that was a topic not worth discussing anyway.
Two male nurses arrived shortly after to take them to their respective exams, and Naruto felt disappointed that they wouldn’t go together, but knew better than to complain.
After spending a couple of hours going from one exam to the other, being more thoroughly evaluated by one doctor after another, he was brought back to the room only to see that Sasuke wasn’t there yet, but that their beddings had been changed and their beds made.
Sasuke took so long that he got bored to death and eventually made conversation with the nice nurse who came in to check up on him.
He tried to get information on how things were outside, how the village was faring, and how the people injured by the war were. He tried asking about his friends, too, but the nurse didn’t know much. She looked tired and a little saddened, but the only thing she said was that all the doctors and nurses were working tirelessly and doing the best they could.
Naruto also found out that his room was located in a private part of the hospital reserved for ‘special cases’, which was why it was so quiet. Naruto had no idea what this meant, exactly, but he supposed it was either a sort of VIP area or one meant for prisoners and criminals in need of medical assistance.
When he asked, the nurse didn’t say anything.
It wasn’t like he and Sasuke were the only two patients in that area because Naruto had seen other people in the rooms and the hallways, so he wasn’t exactly sure what to make of it.
Sasuke was brought back in by his designated male nurse just as lunch was being delivered. He looked just as bored as Naruto had been, but also considerably more tired than before.
Naruto offered him a bright smile, and Sasuke all but flashed him his middle finger. The blue-eyed one couldn’t even pretend to be offended, because he was too happy that his friend was back.
They silently settled back in their respective beds with their trays hovering above their laps, and Naruto couldn’t wait to tell Sasuke what he’d been doing and what little he had learned from the nurse as he slurped his soup.
The other teen didn’t look at him as he quietly downed his light broth as well, but was listening because he hummed in acknowledgment at what Naruto was saying.
After a while, Naruto stopped himself because he noticed Sasuke wasn’t exactly eating anymore, instead looking at his plate with a concentrated frown as he picked at the food.
Naruto hadn’t exactly paid attention to his main course, so he finally looked down.
The meal was simple: fish served whole with rice and a bit of salad.
He stared at the fish for a moment. Okay, now he understood why Sasuke didn’t seem pleased.
Naruto had only eaten some fruit, juices, and soup, so he hadn’t exactly been faced with the struggles of using his chopsticks to eat.
Plus, he was right-handed, and now he only had his left one.
He awkwardly tried to adjust the chopsticks in his fingers but it was a hassle, let alone trying to pick apart the meat from the fish.
Sasuke was right-handed, too, but at least he still had his dominant hand. Regardless, a sideways glance revealed that he was facing a similar difficulty, though he remained silent about it.
Naruto let out a quiet huff. “They weren’t very thoughtful about giving us the whole fish of all things, huh?”
Sasuke paused for a moment before giving a small, almost imperceptible nod. He looked to the side at Naruto. “Maybe it would be easier if we tried doing this together,” he said casually, and Naruto immediately jolted.
Grinning, he carefully got out of bed and maneuvered his tray over towards Sasuke's bed as his friend adjusted himself to give him some space so he could sit beside him.
He noticed Sasuke had already managed to take most of the meat out of his fish.
Both leaned in, shoulders slumped together, and Sasuke immediately reached for Naruto’s fish with his chopsticks and worked on it as proficiently as he could while Naruto tried to help him as much as possible even if he was shit at it.
It was clumsy and slow, but bit by bit, they managed to separate the delicate meat from the bones. In their focused effort, their heads bumped together.
Naruto chuckled. "I think we did a pretty decent job, huh?"
“We?” Sasuke said sarcastically beside him. “For a Shinobi your left-handed coordination is absolute crap.”
Naruto was going to snap back at him with a nasty remark, but as he lifted his head, his words got stuck in his throat because he became instantly aware of how close their faces were considering he was immediately making eye contact with Sasuke.
He hadn’t been aware of the proximity of their bodies, to begin with, and his breath caught.
It was strange and caught him off guard how he had simply felt so naturally comfortable that he didn’t notice it.
The last time they had been this close was when…
Inadvertently, Naruto’s gaze dropped to Sasuke's mouth. His brain stopped as he stared.
“Cat got your tongue?” Sasuke asked, and the tone wasn’t exactly mocking, but deadly serious. "Or are you going to kiss me without my consent again?"
Oh, shit…
Naruto’s instant reaction was to scramble back, flustered beyond belief, nearly knocking over the tray in his panic as he stood, quite the dejà vu.
"Oh my god, Sasuke!" He uttered, looking at the other teen with horror. "What?! No! I wasn’t…I didn’t mean…!"
Sasuke snorted, and while he didn’t seem exactly angry, Naruto immediately grasped what that underlying simmering feeling in his chakra was. "So you're going to deny that you assaulted me while I was unconscious?"
Naruto's eyes widened in horror. His voice cracked with disbelief, and Sasuke was staring at him firmly, completely disregarding his humiliation.
"Assaulted?" Naruto's face was now drained of color, his breath hitching. "Wait, you were awake the whole time? The whole time?!"
Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly, his tone unforgiving. "Take a guess."
Naruto could only cover his face with his hand, groaning loudly. "Oh, my God ..."
His words tumbled out in a frantic mess. "You were supposed to be asleep! I didn't... you weren't supposed to hear any of that, I..." Naruto's hand tangled in his hair, pulling slightly.
What could he do? He was so embarrassed and didn’t even know what to say to excuse himself and to make matters worse, Sasuke was not cutting him any slack.
It would have been better if Sasuke had kicked his ass and left it at that.
Sasuke's piercing gaze didn’t waver. "So you didn't say any of that out loud, hoping that I would hear you, is that what you’re saying?"
Why did Sasuke sound so exasperated and upset? Not upset, just…
Naruto didn’t know, he couldn’t find a proper state of mind to try and dissect Sasuke’s mood.
"I was emotional!” Naruto yelled. “I needed to let shit out of my chest, I..." His eyes darted away from Sasuke. "Why didn't you tell me you were awake?!"
"Because I doubt you'd feel better if I interrupted your monologue,” Sasuke replied bluntly, and he had a point. He let out an unexpectedly exasperated breath. "For fuck's sake, Naruto. You’re unbelievable."
"What does that even mean, I don’t…” Naruto slumped forward, burying his burning face in his hand again. "Fuck, this is the most embarrassing moment of my entire life..."
Sasuke snorted quietly. "Somehow, I doubt it."
Naruto lifted his head and shot him a glare. Sasuke was still looking at him, and it was so hard to decipher the expression on his face that Naruto didn’t even want to try because he simply couldn’t.
“I need a moment," he croaked, and without another word, turned on his heels and stormed toward the door.
"At least don't make excuses when you get back," Sasuke's voice called out after him sharply.
“Fuck you!”
Naruto didn’t stop. He shoved the door open and slipped out into the hallway, slamming it shut before leaning heavily against the wall next to it.
His face and neck were burning so much again that he had to hook a finger in the collar of his t-shirt to shake it a little so he could get some air to calm himself down.
His mind spun wildly.
“Fuck me,” he whispered to himself through clenched teeth, slamming his head back against the wall. “What the fuck…”
He felt the urge to run away, but he noticed that his legs were shaking and were failing him, so he merely slid down the wall until he was sitting on the floor. He brought his knees up to his chest and buried his face in his arm, completely uncaring of whether some passerby could see his pitiful state.
What was he supposed to do now? He was so embarrassed he wanted to disappear.
It wasn’t as if he hadn’t planned to talk to his best friend about them eventually, but he had expected that they’d have some time to test the waters and see how things progressed in their overall relationship until the right time presented itself.
Or something.
He had not expected Sasuke to have been awake. Even if he knew him to be an honest and painfully straightforward person, the last thing he thought was that his friend would be so shockingly blunt about something like this.
If their positions had been reversed, Naruto would be too mortified to ever say anything—it was one of those situations that people just didn’t blatantly bring up without carefully considering the other person’s feelings and so on.
Not that Naruto knew anything about it, but well, at least he knew he would’ve been more sensible.
But of course, leave it to Sasuke to be different from everyone else and completely take him off guard so ruthlessly.
Unless Sasuke was genuinely offended and upset, then it was justifiable. Naruto had kissed him without his consent, even if he hadn’t exactly done it on purpose.
Sasuke probably thought he was a weirdo.
He shouldn’t have let his emotions get the best out of him, because there was a strong chance that he had compromised everything between them without meaning to.
“Do you need help?” A feminine voice asked, making Naruto lift his head to see the nurse he had talked to that morning crouching down in front of him, eyeing him with kind concern.
Naruto forced a smile. “Nah, I’m peachy; thanks,” he dismissed, as politely as he could. “I just need a moment, and I’m quite comfortable here.”
It wasn’t exactly true, because his body still hurt and the floor was far from being cozy, but he couldn’t move if he tried.
“Alright, honey,” the nurse said, with an understanding nod. “Just call me if you need anything, okay?”
Nodding, Naruto watched her smile and proceed down the hallway before burying his head in his arm again and taking several deep breaths to calm himself.
Naruto shifted uncomfortably, staring at the floor between his legs.
Something within Naruto told him that he was being stupid, that he knew very well that his and Sasuke’s bond transcended irrelevant events like this, but his rational side thought otherwise.
It didn’t help that he could feel Sasuke’s uneasiness from the room behind him, and he didn’t know what to make of it.
Naruto stayed there for several minutes, motionless and crestfallen, and completely at a loss for what to do.
What would he do if Sasuke hated him for such a stupid thing?
After a while, the door creaked softly behind him, making him shudder. “How long are you going to stay here and sulk?”
Sasuke’s voice was steady but carried a faint undercurrent of irritation that he failed miserably at masking.
Naruto tensed without lifting his head. “I don’t know, are you going to give me a hard time?”
He heard Sasuke groan and then take a deep breath. “Stop being stupid, Naruto. Come inside, you haven’t finished your lunch.”
Sasuke was at least trying to not be an asshole, and that offered Naruto some form of relief, and yet he wasn’t sure if he was ready to face him at all.
“I’m not hungry.”
There was another sharp intake of breath. “Come inside, or I’ll drag you myself.”
To someone else, it sounded menacing, but because Naruto knew Sasuke was debilitated and all talk—not that he wouldn’t kick his ass effortlessly if he really wanted to—Naruto snorted. “I’d like to see you try.”
There was a pause before Sasuke 'tsked'.
To Naruto’s surprise, he heard him stepping outside the room, and the next thing he knew, he had sat down beside him on the floor.
Not at a distance from him, no. Their sides were pressed together, purposefully so.
This was Sasuke’s way of telling him it was alright, and it filled Naruto with warmth.
While it did, indeed, instantly blow away Naruto’s doubts and fears, the fact remained that he was still in a very awkward position.
Sasuke cleared his throat. “I’m sorry for throwing it in your face like that,” he muttered, his tone softer than Naruto expected. “I wasn’t going to say anything because I knew you’d make a scene, as you did, but I was pissed and couldn’t help myself.” He stopped himself, and then added “You’re always yapping about us being friends, after all.”
Naruto winced.
Ah. So that’s why Sasuke was upset.
They hadn’t exactly gotten that vague perspective of their relationship sorted out yet, and Naruto knew it was his fault that this was an issue for Sasuke.
“I know,” he conceded, quietly, before gathering up his courage to lift his head to look to the side, only to find Sasuke gauging him cautiously. “I’m sorry for doing that to you. You were asleep, and I don’t know what came over me. I didn’t mean to.”
Sasuke arched an eyebrow. “Are you sure about that?”
It wasn’t said with irritation or disdain, but it was a little mocking and Sasuke did not hold back on pressuring him for some reason, and while this should be a good thing, Naruto hadn’t even sorted himself out yet and everything was still too overwhelming.
Naruto let out a groan, rubbing his face tiredly. “Look, I’m really not ready to have this conversation right now, Sasuke.”
This was absolutely not how he had envisioned sorting things out.
“You talked your mouth off yesterday though,” Sasuke pointed out.
“I didn’t think you’d hear it!” Naruto defended furiously, blushing. “Or even if you did, I thought you might think it was a dream or something.”
With his lips pressed shut together, Sasuke merely watched him with a small frown, and Naruto could only gaze back into his eyes stubbornly and defiantly, even if his stomach was in knots and his heart was beating too fast.
Looking at Sasuke’s features, Naruto realized he was completely unprepared for this—for Sasuke’s return and presence in his life after so long. He was immensely happy, but the tidal wave of emotions left him reeling, unsure how to make sense of it all.
Maybe, for the first time, he had no way to do it, because Sasuke was just… Sasuke.
And just looking at him like this, in that proximity that was as powerful as it was innocent, Naruto knew he simply could do nothing but ride the wave and hope it wouldn’t crush him.
He was thoroughly overwhelmed by all the familiar yet completely new things that trespassed between them.
Eventually, Sasuke broke eye contact to turn his face away. “Right. Well, I guess I’m not ready to have this conversation either.”
Sasuke’s chakra still carried the strong thrum of uneasiness Naruto had felt before, but there was an enticing flow there that gave away other things, including the fact that he was telling the truth and was just as conflicted as Naruto was.
Had Sasuke been able to read his mind and his heart again? Had he realized the way things were right now, just like Naruto?
“Then why are you pestering me so much?” Naruto mumbled.
Sasuke’s expression didn’t change as he threw him a sideways glance. “Because I can. And because I don’t know what else to do in this situation.”
Naruto stared at him for a moment, blinking several times. His chin fell.
It turned out that his best friend didn’t have a clue about what to do either, and he had confronted him out of impulse, or perhaps in some attempt to not leave this secret hanging so it wouldn’t make things even more strained between them.
Or maybe he had wanted to expose the elephant in the room right from the start.
Don’t make stupid assumptions you’ll regret.
A little nervously, Naruto released a half-laugh “Asshole. At least you’re honest.”
Maybe they were both lost. No, for sure, they were, because no matter how much they knew about each other’s feelings in perspective, bringing them out into the real world and turning them into something tangible and manageable felt like an astronomical feat.
Sasuke chose not to comment. “Let’s go back. This isn’t the right time or place for this.” He cleared his throat again. “Working on that fish was too much of a hassle for us not to eat it in the end.”
At this, he pushed himself to his feet, brushing off his pants. He paused for a moment before extending his hand toward Naruto who blinked in surprise, staring at the offered hand.
Hesitantly, he reached up and took it. With a firm, steady pull, Sasuke helped Naruto to his feet, yet their hands remained clasped together longer than necessary.
The feeling of Sasuke's bandaged palm against his own seemed to send small jolts of energy up Naruto’s arm, and this wasn’t exactly imaginary, it was a physical force, unmistakable to both of them. Their eyes met and they held each other's gaze. Sasuke’s hand shivered almost imperceptibly while Naruto held his breath.
Flustered again, Naruto quickly pulled his hand away, not knowing what to do with himself. “Thanks,” he muttered.
He pretended he didn’t notice that Sasuke’s hand remained extended for a couple of seconds before he closed it into a fist and slowly lowered it.
Without another word, they quietly made their way back into their room. The faint hum of medical equipment filled the otherwise silent space.
Naruto moved toward his tray when Sasuke stopped him.
“You can sit here,” he said simply while sitting on the edge of his bed as he had before. “I’m not sure how you expect to eat by yourself with that clumsy hand of yours. Let me help you.”
There was no explaining how grateful, relieved, and emotional these words made Naruto feel, and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to cry or laugh.
So, he swallowed down the lump in his throat and nodded gratefully, slowly sitting on the edge of the bed next to Sasuke.
His friend picked up his chopsticks and proficiently gathered some rice and fish from his plate before extending them to Naruto, who was a little taken aback as a particular memory flashed through his mind when Sasuke had nearly compromised his personal development to feed Naruto when they had been kids.
He supposed some things never changed.
Naruto could only smile and open his mouth, completely devoid of self-consciousness because that was his best friend and the person who was no longer willing to let anything stand between them as he had in the past.
There was nothing more valuable than that.
They didn’t talk at all as Sasuke calmly fed Naruto all the food on his plate. At some point, Naruto had to gesture that he was already full because he had the feeling that Sasuke would keep feeding him and not have any for himself.
They exchanged plates, but Naruto didn’t return to his bed, instead watching as Sasuke slowly picked at his food. The other teen didn’t seem uncomfortable with this.
After a few minutes, because he felt more at ease and considerably more confident, Naruto dared to ask, even if hesitantly so, “Are you still angry at me?”
Sasuke paused, his chopsticks lingering over his plate. He didn't look up immediately, as if carefully considering his answer. “Not right now, no.”
His tone was softer, lacking the usual edge, and Naruto's shoulders relaxed slightly.
A flicker of hope stirred in his chest. “Okay.”
“Listen, Naruto, about what you did…” Sasuke suddenly started but then stopped himself to release a long breath and close his eyes, making the other eye him questioningly. “Don’t overthink it; it’s not what I’m upset about.”
He opened his eyes but still didn’t look at Naruto, instead frowning down at his plate. “I don’t know what to do, but I’m not going to waste time trying to pretend that things aren’t the way they are between us, even though, for your sake, I think I should. But I’m an open book to you now, after all, so there’s no point.”
Freezing, Naruto looked at him unblinkingly, not sure if he had heard him correctly.
Sasuke was not only silently forgiving Naruto’s actions, but he was also acknowledging—and voicing—the fact that there was something between them.
His words hung in the air and Naruto gulped, eyebrows raised and goosebumps rising on his skin as he attempted to process the seemingly grandness of what was happening.
For a moment he wondered if Sasuke could hear how hard his heart was pounding.
“The only thing I need from you is to stay by my side and not do anything stupid ‘for my sake’, Sasuke,” he managed to whisper, his voice nearly failing him. “And I don’t know what to do either, so… at least we’re on the same boat?”
Mentally, Naruto cringed for not having anything smarter and cooler to say, but Sasuke’s mismatched eyes found him and the corner of his mouth curled delicately upwards. “I’ll keep that in mind,” he said slowly, as something unspoken passed between them. “I just wanted to let you know my take on it.”
Naruto swallowed hard. “Thank you, that’s… good to know.”
For a long moment, they sat there in silence, their gazes locked. The air between them felt heavy with things neither of them could put into words yet. The room seemed smaller somehow, stuffy and oddly perfumed and Naruto was frighteningly aware of how close they were that Sasuke’s scent was so excruciatingly alluring to him.
Sasuke’s expression was unreadable, but his eyes held an intensity that both unnerved and grounded Naruto, and for a second there, he thought he saw the faintest trace of vulnerability before that gaze too fell to Naruto’s lips contemplatively.
It made Naruto’s head spin.
Caught off guard, he bit down on his lower lip nervously and clutched the fabric of his pants, which for some reason made something in the atmosphere cackle between them and caused Sasuke to take a sharp intake of breath through his nose.
When Sasuke elegantly leaned slightly away from him and dragged himself a little to the side so they were no longer touching, Naruto didn’t know whether to feel disappointed or relieved.
"You should get some rest," he said, his voice soft but also carefully controlled.
Naruto jumped but nodded faintly, understanding that he was being asked for some space.
Sheepishly, he got up and dragged his tray away from Sasuke before making his way to his bed, filled with confusing emotions that he didn’t even know how to begin to rationalize.
As he lay back on his pillows, he watched his precious person slowly finish his lunch, and while he didn’t look up as he did so, he didn’t protest the attention bestowed upon him.
Naruto couldn’t stop himself if he could, because he now knew that he wasn’t the only one completely thrown out of orbit by these things between them.
There was an obvious lingering tension in the air, and yet it was gentle and completely devoid of stress because, awkward and confusing as it all was, it was still new and exciting and, more importantly, mutually acknowledged.
It didn’t mean anything more than what it was at this point, but Naruto wasn’t concerned because it was theirs, and he now knew this was a journey they’d go on together, regardless of its final destination, so he had nothing to fear.
For now, it was enough.
TBC?