A/N: Here's the second part, guys. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Naruto characters or the image shown above.
Warning: Yaoi (malexmale), crude language, explicit sexual content, nudity,
Rated: NC-17
Pairing: Sasuke Uchiha & Naruto Uzumaki,
Summary:Everything happened within a second. One moment he's fighting alongside Naruto and the next he's protecting Sakura. Honestly, he didn't mean for everything to turn out the way they did…
Inspiration: Sleeping Sound of Snow Doujinshi (it wasn't my original inspiration but after a reviewer kindly reminded me of it, I went back and read it and slightly incorporated a scene from there. Their story is honestly so much better than mine and just so beautiful and sweet. Go check it out on Youtube.)
Moment's Time
II/II
"Ne, Sasuke, what'd you wanna eat today?"
Turning, onyx eyes flicked onto the man beside him, noting the ripened cabbage he was overturning in his hand for further inspection. Blue eyes scoured the other green vegetables in the crate laid out before him and, with a small wince, dubbed the cabbage unfit for his standards and set it back on top of the pile. He plucked up another one, this time greener than the former.
Feeling his lips quirk upwards slightly, Sasuke spun around on his heel and ducked under the middle flap of painstakingly short awning, effectively hiding his face from view as he inspected a crate of fresh-looking tomatoes.
He'd been so immersed in keeping himself out of view that he was already five crates down the line, absent-mindedly rotating an onion in his palm when he heard Naruto's troubled voice.
"Sasuke?" Naruto called out, swiping the swaying cloth out of his face to step out onto the pathway, eyes trained down the street and arm firmly holding onto the brown paper bag filled with whatever he had purchased for tonight's dinner.
Making to step forward Sasuke bit his tongue to keep from calling out his friend's name, knowing full well that the attempt would be futile. Naruto still wasn't turning around and walked briskly away from the vegetable stand to see if he could see where Sasuke had walked off to.
Sasuke rolled his eyes exasperatedly, quickening his footsteps.
And then-
"Naruto-nii-san! Watch out!"
There was a loud, animalistic squeal and collective gasps from a few patrons. It was coming down the other street Naruto was about to pass and Sasuke couldn't see what it was but he knew it certainly wasn't going to stop. Not with the way a few trashcans soared in the air followed by pieces of wood and various fruits, most likely from a pummeled fresh produce stand.
Anxiety seized his body and he darted forward, not caring about the unsuspecting woman he shoved passed as he made his way to Naruto. Whatever the thing was, it's squealing was too close for comfort by the time he reached the oblivious blond. Wrapping his arms around a lithe waist and hoisting the man's body up, he hooked his other arm under the backs of Naruto's knees. There was a gasp near his ear and the crinkle of a bag being held tighter. Jumping and landing on top of a nearby roof, they watched curiously as a plump, pink pig ran wildly down the street, trampling the spot where Naruto had just been and only leaving a trail of upturned dirt in it's wake.
"Sorry, Naruto-nii-san! Uchiha-san!" a boy with short chestnut hair was right below them, hands on his knees and sweat trickling down his face. He was panting heavily as he swiped at his forehead, peering up at them worriedly. Two other boys joined him, equally as worn out and they were all staring at the man in his arms.
Sasuke felt the rumble of Naruto's chuckle reverberating throughout his entire being against his own body.
"It's alright! You're almost there! Don't give up!" he called down and giving the three boys a dazzling smile and a wave, the trio shot him toothy grins and with lighter hearts and higher spirits they began their chase again, throwing a small wave over their shoulders.
"Catch ya later, Naruto-nii-san!"
They watched them run off until they rounded a corner. And then-
"Ack! Sasuke, put me down! This is embarrassing! Everyone's staring!"
Obsidian eyes watched with concealed interest as a deep red blush dusted across scarred cheeks and spread up to Naruto's ears and down to a tan column. Doing as asked (more like demanded), he set his friend onto the roof, a hand lingering on the man's shoulder.
He completely disregarded the frantic beating of his heart.
When they arrived back to the apartment Naruto went about unpacking all the produce he'd bought from their trip. Sasuke could only watch amazed at the five ripened-to-perfection tomatoes that were the first to be laid out on the kitchen counter. Walking to them, he picked one up and inspected the taut, red skin, finding no blemish on the vegetable whatsoever.
When had Naruto…?
There was a swift movement from out of the corner of his eye and he instinctively dropped the tomato, cradling his injured hand to his chest as he shot a ruthless glare toward the wooden-spoon wielding perpetrator.
"Don't touch those, greedy bastard! I'm making dinner with them!" he ended his proclamation by stacking the tomatoes into a glass bowl and setting them under the faucet, turning the knob to tell the water cascade freely. Sasuke clucked his tongue in annoyance and decidedly wandered back to the other side of the apartment, picking up a random scroll from the small bookshelf and not at all feeling like a reprimanded child.
Several minutes passed by as his eyes and mind readily took in all the information from the scroll he'd chosen that he almost didn't notice the clink of porcelain against wood. Lifting his chin, he eyed Naruto's retreating back suspiciously before his eyes dropped down to the bowl of thick yet symmetrically cut slices of tomato neatly served.
The clanking of pots and pans filled the small apartment accompanied with an occasional mumbled curse when Naruto hit himself against something. Sasuke took in the endearing sight of the man slowly dicing onions, an arm coming up every so often to wipe at his eyes and release a wet sniffle. Smiling, he plucked up a slice of his favorite fruit and bit into it with a soft crunch, reveling the fresh juices that tantalized his taste buds and he noted the lightly sprinkled salt he hadn't detected before.
He hummed appreciatively.
When Naruto finally finished with his creation (which, from where Sasuke was sitting, had smelled quite delicious) and had set down two bowls filled with it at his small dinner table. Pale fingers settled a spoon between the crevices of his digits as Sasuke dipped the silverware into the auburn substance, raising it back up at eye-level to inspect a piece of potato.
"Will ya just eat it, for crying out loud!" Naruto cried exasperatedly, his face scrunched in annoyance. Sasuke spared him a glance.
Bringing the spoon to his lips he opened his mouth and closed it around the aluminum edges.
Silence.
Bright eyes directly across from him met his gaze with an expectant stare as he swallowed the food with much reluctance. Smirk spreading across his lips he set the spoon back into the bowl and with fingers intertwined under his chin he waited a few painstakingly slow seconds before speaking.
"…Well done, dobe. I guess I didn't die." And he hoped those words stood true in his near future as well, but he chose to keep that to himself. For the sake of his eardrums, of course. Naruto made a noise in the back of his throat that sounded oddly like a scoff, and his lips formed into a reluctant smile.
That was as much of a praise as he was going to get from the Uchiha.
…
…
…
He'd told Naruto he would be going off on a weeklong mission the night before and, not bothering with farewells for the simple fact that he did not like them, he took off with his team and ignored the incessant ache in his heart when he noticed Konoha was no longer in sight.
For seven days and six nights, he worked alongside his team in his usual stoic detachment. He tried not to compare the little things he took notice of his team to the treasure back home, but undoubtedly everything felt wrong. There was no banter between his teammates and he, there was no casual insults thrown his way, and there was certainly nobody he could communicate with a just a mere glance. It seemed as though all his time spent away from sunshine hair and sapphire eyes had him going through the motions of surviving through occupational means.
When he finally saw the looming gates of Konoha he pretended not to feel the slight fluttering in the pit of his stomach. He was probably just excited to take a proper bath.
But, despite his earlier claim, it wasn't his ghostly estate he'd gone straight to after handing in the details of their mission. No, his tired feet and slightly battered body led him to the place where he knew wasn't so empty.
And as he neared the raggedy towering building, he was vaguely aware of the excitement pumping in his blood when he caught sight of the highest window, a pleasant light shining through the glass and beckoning the young Uchiha to it's welcoming confines.
Landing with swan-like grace atop the balcony, he quietly took the necessary few steps to slide open the wooden door, relief washing over him.
Only to be gone in an instant when he realized nobody was home.
The open journal on the kitchen table had said as much:
Since you didn't die, there's dinner in the fridge, teme. Don't wait up.
The faintest of smiles found its way onto his face. Shaking his head he made to close the journal, but his hand paused just above the corner when he noticed some of the end pages appeared to be slightly worn out. Curiosity getting the better of him he flipped the pages until coming across a page with scribbles and doodles littering its once white sheet.
His finger twitched when he caught sight of the badly drawn doodle of what Sasuke could only assume was himself, if the poorly shaded in hairstyle was any indication (was that the head of a duck peeking over his head?). There were several 'temes' thrown around the drawing, accompanied with a few 'bastards' and 'smug assholes'.
Letting his eyes move onto the next page, he couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him when he scanned the doodle of Naruto in Hokage garb with many (poorly drawn) females and men alike surrounding him. Even the Naruto on the paper was blowing doodle-Sasuke a raspberry.
Not really thinking there was more after the drawings he flipped the page absently-mindedly, only for his entire being to freeze over.
There, right in the middle of the paper, was a set of neatly written kanji, the sentence it read gripping the fragments of his thawing heart.
'I'm scared to forget Sasuke's voice...'
And with a whisper of wind, he was gone, pages of the journal turning with the sudden gust of air.
…
…
…
With his Sharingan activated it didn't take long to locate Naruto. Despite his weary body still adorned with his Anbu uniform, blotches of blood that was, for the most part, not his own had soaked into the material and his fatigued mind he tracked the blond down. Determined intentions giving him all the willpower needed to continue forward.
He came to a clearing, the moonlight from above illuminating the rustling trees and billowing grass. In the middle of it stood Naruto. Having long discarded his shirt off to the side, his strong and sweaty back facing Sasuke.
A long, drawn out breath released from him as he watched numerous figures jump from deep within the trees. There was a cool gust of wind.
Then an anticipated silence that buzzed in the atmosphere, like a calm before the storm.
And then Naruto moved, his clones quickly advancing from all directions. Sasuke held his breath, heart beating wildly in his chest as he took a step forward.
But he stopped dead in his tracks when Naruto bent his body and stuck his leg directly in one clone's face; effectively disturbing it's chakra resonance. It disappeared with a 'poof'.
There was a rapid succession of graceful spins with flying fists and powerful kicks and it reminded Sasuke of when he was much younger, the twinkle of mirthful childishness still in his eyes as he gazed at his beloved big brother who possessed such a raw skill. Hitting every single target dead-on while his body remained in the air with just a few flicks of his wrists and a tug of string wire.
That deadly gracefulness was now being reflected upon his unpredictable knucklehead of a friend. Naruto's lithe body spun and spiraled in the air, hips jerking and body twisting in such a way that left Sasuke wondering how long the man had been doing this for.
His body crouched low to the ground, legs spread to accommodate his build. Everything was quiet. Sweat trickled down a scarred face and a small, pink tongue slipping out to lick dry lips. His eyes were closed and a look of deep concentration etched across his unusually composed countenance.
And then Sasuke saw it; the slight movement from the top of a tree followed by a slight crumble of broken earth directly underneath Naruto. The blond man moved his head at the last second, narrowly missing the fist aimed at his fist. His fingers wrapped around the clone's wrist, pulling him out of the earth and plunging the heel of his foot into its side.
It disappeared and Sasuke was about to scream at him to watch out for the one falling from above but it died on his lips when Naruto teetered his weight on his hands, lifting his legs up in powerful sweep. They wrapped around the clones neck and with a surprised guffaw it was roughly slammed to the ground.
Now it was only Naruto left in the clearing.
He stood upright, wiping the sweat off his forehead and grinning molar to molar at his achievement. The light sheen of sweat on the rest of his body shone under the blue luminescence from above.
Whether Sasuke wanted to believe it or not, his heart skipped a bit and a heat settled in the pit of his stomach.
Before he knew it his feet led him to stand right behind the man that had been plaguing his thoughts and dreams ever since his departure.
Azure eyes that held all the depths of every ocean and the vastness of a clear summer sky blinked up at him in curiosity.
"Sasu…ke?"
Naruto's voice notably faltered, the intense gaze Sasuke was pinning him with unnerving him to no end. Body having cooled off from the initial adrenaline, the gust of wind that suddenly passed made Naruto shudder. With narrowed eyes Sasuke spread out his arms, finally giving into his screaming desires, and enveloped them around the other man's shoulders.
To say Naruto was befuddled would be an understatement. His eyes were as wide as saucers but his shock didn't last long. Not when he was watching Sasuke's lips move.
"Idiot."
Nostrils flaring and eyes burning he was about to push away from the enraging Uchiha, but a hand came up and pushed the back of his head into a strong chest, effectively muffling any objections.
"I don't think you really know what you do to me. Fuck, Naruto, if I only I was stronger you wouldn't be..." he breathed deeply, sucking in the air to gain the strength to continue. "Even now my only desire is to be with you but what kind a person am I when I can't even protect you? All those years you spent chasing after me and I…" he couldn't finish, something lodging itself in his throat. He wondered how emotions had the physical ability to do that.
Naruto shifted in his embrace, tilting his head to look up at him with furrowed eyebrows and sparkling eyes.
"Sasuke…I can't hear you." He whispered solemnly, having felt the deep rumble from Sasuke's chest. Obsidian eyes gazed down at him with a tempest of emotions swirling in bottomless depths. Sasuke's face looked…sad. Pained even. And he wanted so desperately to hear the man's voice and understand what he was saying.
Hesitantly, he brought up his own arms, winding them around Sasuke's strong body.
A warm wetness spread across his palm and, eyes widening and breath hitching in surprise, Naruto retracted his arms and held his hands up to the light.
"Sasuke!"
Crimson blood stained his hands.
As if on cue, Sasuke's eyes drooped and his body crumbled to its knees, fatigue finally draining him of all his energy. The last thing he saw was Naruto's moving lips and flailing arms before blacking out.
…
…
…
When he finally woke up he was met with a familiar ceiling. Not familiar in the sense that it was Naruto's apartment, but he realized that he was in his own house now, bare ceiling and even barer walls surrounding him on every corner to remind him of what he used to have. Parents. A loving brother. A family through the ins and outs. A home, not just a house.
It was silent and so he sat up. A shot of pain ran up his spine and he winced, lifting his arms and eyeing the bandages wrapping around his middle warily. There was a slight blood splotch that leaked through on his side.
He remembered then. The numb feeling of a badly aimed sword intending to slice through him and at the last second he jerked forward, the blade cutting through his flesh instead of his insides. His team was undependable, pathetic, and even less coordinated than his last team. Of course, Sasuke had Naruto then.
The sound of a door sliding open had him turning his head, eyes watching as a familiar head of pink hair walking into the room with her air of expertise and expectancy. It didn't take a genius to know she was angry with him, if the heated glare he was receiving was any indication.
"You shouldn't move around too much," she advised, not meeting his eyes as she situated her things by his side. "I managed to repair the damaged tissue but it still needs to close normally."
He remained silent, wondering where Naruto was but choosing not to voice his concerns. There was a smack and Sasuke suddenly found himself nursing a sore head. He directed his icy glare toward the daring woman but stopped short when furious emerald eyes met his.
"You know you really are a careless idiot!" her voice was a bit lower than a shout but he still found himself wincing at the harsh tone, not used to being reprimanded.
"Why is that when you're gravely injured it's Naruto who comes to me in the middle of the night to tell me about it?!" His eyes were downcast, refusing to meet her gaze. Knowing better than to expect any kind of response from the prideful man before her, Sakura huffed and redressed his bandages with less than gentler motions.
When she was done she walked out of the room without so much as a backward glance but Sasuke knew she would return, after all, a medical-ninja never leaves without her kit. So he remained seated and waited for her to return while concentrating on the noises in the house to see if Naruto is anywhere near. He heard a slight shuffle but before he could distinguish what it is Sakura scuffled back in the room, an apple and a small kitchen knife in her hands. She slowly slid the rice paper screen closed and he couldn't help but mentally roll his eyes when he catches the light flush on her cheeks as she kneels next to him.
If he knew her at all, she was going to attempt to kiss him right abouuuut….
"…I'm really glad your okay, Sasuke." She breathed shyly while cutting off the red skin of the apple. Sasuke can't help but remember a time at the hospital that somewhat reflected this moment, but instead of hugging him with her girlish figure and girlish might with girlish tendencies, she leans in with her womanly physique and her woman independency with her far-from-innocent intentions.
Ah yes, his prediction was spot on.
Rosy lips descend on his and it's only for the sole fact that he considers her less of a nuisance than his other acquaintances and a rather reliable fellow kunoichi that he lets her have this moment. He is unresponsive and Sakura seems to realize all too soon because she pulled away, hurt flashing in her eyes before she composed herself and continued with the task she had previously abandoned.
When she is finished she utters a soft goodbye and leaves, this time with her medical kit, and the peeled apple lay unmoving by his side.
"I'll see you later, Naruto, kay?" He hears her say somewhere to the left and he pinpoints the location.
He waits until he can no longer feel her presence before sitting up with a slight wince, accidentally stepping on the apple and mushing its contents into the ground. Grimacing at the unusual feeling he proceeds on his path, standing in the hallway stalk-still because it's only then that he realizes where the noise is coming from, but only now there is a distinct murmuring.
One foot after the other, languid and dreading and it's the pace he takes until he's standing in the open doorway of his late brother's room. A room which he has not stepped foot in since the massacre of his entire clan and the riddance of the man who loved him so dearly he was unwilling to kill his only little brother.
Naruto is there on his knees, back facing Sasuke and he can see the crinkles of his feet as he sits on his folded legs, eyes looking at the picture of Itachi and Sasuke as happy kids (as happy as Uchiha can be) that is trapped within a picture frame on the nightstand.
Sasuke swallows and he wants so desperately for Naruto to leave the confines of the room of the man who has shaped his life for the worst and eventually for the better. But before he can Naruto begins to talk and so he listens.
"…Itachi…it's been awhile, neh? Sorry it's taken me so long to come talk to you. I hope you're fairing well with your family and the Pervy Sage. I know you're a genius and all but make sure not to edit that old man's books! They'll rot your brain!" he lets out an airy chuckle, hand coming back to scratch the nape of his neck.
Silence reins overhead, and then a shaky exhale of breath.
"I guess…I've just been nervous, ya know? You left Sasuke in my hands and then went ahead and died. Tch, typical Uchiha assholes. Always tryna tell me what to do!"
Fingernails dug into the skin of his palm, memories of Itachi flooding in his mind like a broken dam. Naruto's voice seemed to tighten and Sasuke realized that the gravity of Itachi's death weighed down on both of them.
"He misses you, ya know?"
Figures that only Naruto would manage to befriend even the most unlikely people, including and (supposed) renowned mass murderer.
"Just because I'm deaf doesn't mean I can't hear him suffocating."
Ice seemed to have replaced the blood pumping through his body because he froze completely at the words that had been uttered so knowingly.
"Until next time, Itachi…" Naruto whispered and made to stand.
Sasuke quickly made his way back to his room despite the frantic beating of his heart that threatened to break out of his chest.
He feigned sleep until Naruto left.
…
…
…
It was relatively easy to avoid Naruto for the majority of two weeks that he took to recover. Apparently the blonde was able to take on C-ranked missions as long as they didn't require much communication with other people. Which meant they were mostly solo missions, to which undoubtedly unnerved Sasuke.
Yet, he remained stubborn and prideful, refusing to crawl back to Naruto with his tail between his legs even though it was he who'd left, and despite Naruto's unwavering acceptance. He was not ready for someone to see him for the man that he truly was under his cold and domineering exterior.
Never had he been prepared for Naruto to realize what he really considered himself to be; weak and vulnerable and drowning in his infinite list of mistakes that he'd committed, burning hatred for the cruel demons that had ripped his happiness, his brother, away from him at such a young age, filling his lungs and manifesting itself in the very core of his soul.
There was sudden crack and he cursed, throwing the pair of chopsticks away in irritation for the second time that evening.
Naruto…Naruto was too kind to assume the worst of Sasuke's intentions, was too naïve to realize the seething hatred in Sasuke the moment they stepped into the village that lived in harmonious peace at the expense of his happiness, his family. Or so he had assumed. But, as always, Naruto would forever see more deeply and more vividly than his Rinnegan ever could.
"Sasuke-kun!"
The shrill voice suddenly startled him and pulled him out of headache-inducing reverie he'd been in. His rice paper door was slammed open to the point in which he feared it would have scrunched up like actual paper if Sakura had used a tad bit more of her monstrous strength.
"What?" he bit out, annoyed that his supper had been interrupted.
Sakura was panting harshly, a light sheen of perspiration shining on her forehead. Emerald eyes were wide with fright, something which made him rise from his seat as a poignant sense of foreboding settled within his core.
"Naruto-" she began breathlessly and that was all he needed to snatch his katana from it post against the wall, long legs striding toward the woman with inhuman agility and speed.
"There was an ambush…we just received word from-"
"Where?" his tone was piercing and she visibly flinched.
"He's in Cha no Kuni."
In the split second it took for her to blink, he was gone.
…
…
…
Whether he wanted them or not, vivid memories of his last mission in Cha no Kuni with Team 7 were replaying in his head like snippets from an old film reel. The rudiments of their genin-skills having been put to the test when that powerfully strong and lethal Amegakure ninja, Rokusho Aoi, had been out to kill the arrogant punk secretly known as the intimidating Morino Ibiki's younger brother.
That mission had been…interesting. Sasuke refused to acknowledge the poignant feeling in his chest as he remembered the budding emotions of resentment he'd possessed toward Naruto. He'd been so utterly useless then, and now even. Still so helpless to help his comrades and it'd been Naruto, like always, who'd saved them from seemingly impending failure. The idiot had literally carried the boy a good distance despite the damage done unto his body and even then Sasuke and Sakura had trouble catching up to the blond ball of energy.
Unknowingly, a small smirk splayed on his lips. Now was not the time to commiserate for past mistakes.
Picking up his pace, he whizzed passed travelling residents at a break-neck speed. There was no mistaking the trail of disproportionate chakra leading to a vaguely familiar estate.
He landed with the faintest of noise, his steps brisk as he climbed up the set of stairs and ripped open the sliding door.
Steely grey eyes met his and Sasuke inwardly cringed. Yet another one of Naruto's unintended 'friends'. God, the list was getting so long now it was irritating the hell out of him.
"Uchiha…Sasuke?" Idate appeared baffled by the intimidating presence, and the furiously swirling Sharingan eyes causing him to crouch near the prone figure on the floor, a hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of his sword resting at his hip.
Sasuke paid him no heed, eyes never straying away from the painstakingly motionless body of the loudmouthed idiot that was known to never sit still. The sight caused his chest to constrict painfully, dully noting the thick bandages wrapped around Naruto's head and the sickly pallor of the usually tanned skin he was accustomed to seeing.
"Last I heard, you were considered a missing-nin." The tone was defensive and accusing all the same and no matter how much Sasuke wanted to simply obliterate the fool, he knew Naruto would never let him hear the end of it. Instead, he focused in on the man he'd met as a genin.
His body was still wiry and lean like that of every runner, but his face had taken on an expected masculine quality. A strong, angular jaw was clenched tightly; aged eyes far wiser than when they had been adolescent teenagers were narrowed suspiciously at him.
"Then you must have heard wrong." He responded coolly. Idate stood then, hand firmly wrapped around the hilt of his sword and his position never straying more than a foot away from Naruto.
"Somehow, I honestly doubt that. Back then…the hatred you felt for him was practically tangible." His gaze shifted to the man on the floor, eyes softening substantially as steel grey eyes took in the distinct yet familiar features of the boy-turned-man who had changed his life and ideals around for the better. Sasuke let a scowl settle on his usually impassive face, his eyes noting the overt change of aura in the man.
"You know nothing." He hissed, taking a menacing step forward. It proved to be the wrong move when the familiar metallic ringing of a sword being unsheathed sounded through the room. The sharp end was only centimeters away from Sasuke's neck.
However, the young Uchiha remained still, no sense of distress on his composed face as he gazed at the glaring man.
"Where the hell do you think you're going?"
He felt his upper lip twitching from the restraint of withholding a growl, his obvious displeasure of being expected to be so acquiescent showing with every shift of his body. Idate sensed the impending danger but continued to handle the reigns of destructive authority.
"To retrieve Naruto."
A smirk tugged at Idate's lips and the domineering aura infuriated Sasuke to no end.
"Naruto is no condition to leave the premises, Uchiha-san. The trauma he received to the head is far too delicate to be manhandled by a brute like you."
The taunt got the necessary reaction and, with speed faster than the human eye could see, a katana was drawn and barely grazed the skin above his jugular. Grey eyes widened momentarily and the grip he had on his sword faltered for a fraction of a second, but it was all Sasuke needed to stride forward, neck craned to avoid the sharp metal as he knocked the sword out of Idate's hand.
A hand found its way to a tan column, pale fingers tightening in warning as scarlet eyes bored into Idate with overwhelming maliciousness that the man found himself quaking slightly in fear. This man was not hesitant to kill in the slightest.
But there was no time to tell if the livid Uchiha would have actually gone through with it when a trembling hand encircled around Sasuke's wrist.
"Stop…" a voice croaked out and Sasuke immediately let go, the anger pumping in his veins like a dark poison disappearing the instant he registered what was happening.
Turning, he met Naruto's stern and disappointed gaze with his own disbelieving one. The body which had been so motionless before now stood weakly and shakily, almost as if the man was about to collapse.
Which, in the next second, he did.
But Sasuke was quick to react, wrapping his arms around Naruto's body like a veil of dark protection and they crumpled to the ground on their knees together.
The other's body leaned heavily against his and Sasuke gazed down at him solemnly.
"Idiot…you're always causing me problems." He whispered without much bite behind his words, the underlying affection not going unnoticed by Idate who watched on in silence.
Naruto's breathing was evening out as his head rested against Sasuke's neck, his energy to stay awake depleting by the second.
"Shut up…teme."
And then his body slackened while Sasuke's own stiffened.
…
…
…
After two days of patiently waiting for his dobe of a teammate to awaken, Sasuke was on the his last wit's end when tan eyelids finally, finally, fluttered open to reveal glossy blue hues like they were God's gateway to heaven themselves.
Naruto's injury had fully healed by the time his state of grogginess was replaced by acute awareness of where he was and what had happened. It caused the heavy ache in Sasuke's chest to ebb away with every slow blink the man had given him.
And then-
"Sasuke? What are you doing here?" The young Uchiha had never heard anything sweeter than Naruto's voice at that point, despite it being laced with heavy dryness that rasped against a tight throat. Handing Naruto a glass of water, he spoke evenly, lips not moving as much as they had before to see if he hadn't just been dreaming things in Cha no Kuni.
"Seeing to it that you aren't dead, idiot."
Blue eyes flared momentarily and a pout formed on dry lips.
"Hey! I would have been perfectly fi-"
His words were stuck in his throat as a wave of realization suddenly dawned on him like a slap to the face. Sasuke couldn't help the relieved look that crossed his face and he leaned into the back of his chair heavily, as if the weight of a thousand pounds had been lifted off his shoulders and the constricting feeling around his heart finally slithered away. A small smile graced his lips as he settled an amused gaze on the excited blond.
"Sasuke! I can hear you!" he exclaimed, a grin that reach molar-to-molar stretching across his cheeks and the sight rendered Sasuke into a serene sense of warmth that encompassed his body like his Katon no Jutsu had never done before.
He suddenly found himself with an armful of a jittery blond, warm hands coming up to cup his cheeks. Blue eyes twinkled with absolute rapture and just as suddenly as the warmth was placed firmly on his cheeks, it was gone and instead, replaced by strong arms wrapping around his neck in a tender embrace.
"Sasuke…SasukeSasukeSasukeSasuke-"
"What?" there was no annoyance in his voice when he spoke, only the usual uncaring tone that he seemed to possess with just about everything he said, but it didn't hinder the smile on Naruto's face. If anything, it seemed to brighten with every vowel that was uttered.
He pulled back then, hands settling on Sasuke's shoulder and not paying much attention to their seemingly awkward position if someone were to walk in at any given time.
"I thought…I didn't think I was ever going to hear your voice again." There was a silence that settled between them as Naruto's smile fell into an ill grimace, the mere thought of the possibility upsetting him to the point where Sasuke's own mood fell with his.
"Usurantokachi…" he muttered, shifting to sit up straighter, their faces now only centimeters apart as he gazed deeply into Naruto's melancholy blue irises. A hand slid along the Naruto's back, the gap of the hospital gown letting the calloused hand glide along smooth flesh that sent shivers down Naruto's spine as nimble fingers traced along the curvature of his spine to rest a warm palm against the spot between his shoulder blades.
Small puffs of breath mingled together in the tense atmosphere hanging overhead, both men's bodies now closer than they had been before when Sasuke's hand pressed along Naruto's back.
"I hardly ever speak, anyway." He spoke softly and a gentle smile flitted along Naruto's mouth.
"But when Sasuke speaks it…" the blond paused, inclining his head just a tad bit more and their lips brushed, sending electricity-like tingles throughout every nerve in their bodies. "…it warms my heart."
Sasuke let out a shaky breath, every knotted up muscle relaxing alongside the genuine words. He slid his hand along the nape of Naruto's neck, his other arm winding around the man's waist.
Everything happened in a moment. A single, earth-shattering, brain-muddling, fire-sparking moment that it left both of them breathless. Lips met tenderly and eyes closed for the briefest of seconds. Mouths melded together, the wholehearted feeling of being connected after such a long time running through them like waves of warm sun.
Sasuke's hold tightened, feeling the slight trembling of hands entwine in his inky black locks. Their kissed deepened, bodies flush against each other and still seated in the chair.
"Sasuke…" the breathless whisper caused him to separate, but he never let his hold on Naruto lessen. His head lowered, the tip of his nose tickling the crook of Naruto's neck.
"Sasuke?"
"Never again." His voice was resolute and Naruto stiffened. Sasuke merely tightened his embrace, lifting his head to let his breath tickle Naruto's ear.
"Never again will I be so careless to leave you for another moment."
Taking a hold of Naruto's shoulders, Sasuke pulled away gently, bottomless black eyes staring determinedly into widened blue eyes.
"Next time…next time, I'll protect you."
Unbeta'd
A/N: Sorry it took awhile, guys. I will be working on the epilogue during the vacation but I can't make any promises as to when it will be finished. I've been working on a Christmas/New Year's Special SasuNaru Fanfiction so I have to put that up before I run out of time. Hope you guys enjoyed this, though. Feedback is appreciated!