Sakura crushed Naruto into a hug, pulling him down with her arms wrapped around his neck. He was so much bigger than her now. To think he was once the shortest. She was going to miss this idiot so much. Squeezing him one last time, she let go, feeling a dull sadness.
"You two be good to each other, okay?" She loudly told Naruto while Sasuke was busy fending off Kakashi-sensei's attempts at being affectionate. Which entailed trying to ruffle the brooding man's hair. Shikamaru had already said his farewell piece before leaving, a clan meeting taking up his time. It was funny watching the lazy man become all disgruntled while Naruto hugged him and lamented on how much he would miss him. Naruto was always able to bring introverts out of their shells.
The blonde went to Kakashi-sensei, going in for a hug. While there was something that had broken innately when they had found out about the torture, their relationship had returned to as normal as it could be. Though maybe it was less that something broke and more so a child realizing their parent was not perfect.
Stepping up before Sasuke, he sighed loudly as she looked up at him.
"Just get it over with."
Laughing, she brought her arms around him, crushing him in the same manner she had Naruto.
"I'm going to miss you two. We barely spent time together- just team seven." She said wistfully as she released him.
"You're the one always at the hospital."
"I am in high demand." She joked. It was true, though. Her passion was medicine. The project to regenerate successfully has revolutionized medicine once more. Her exploits and demanding job are the reasons dating was so hard for her. Either her success is too much for men's fragile egos, or her time was too limited for those who actually cared. And Sakura, well, she wanted romance. She was a romantic at heart and wanted the fireworks and explosions. She refused to settle for less. She'd rather be alone than ever settle. "Though, when you guys get back, we need to do a dinner."
The dark-haired man grunted in a form of acknowledgement. His eyes were trained on Naruto's back as he stressed some last-minute points to Kakashi-sensei regarding some of the work they've been doing. Lost in thought, eyes as unreadable as ever.
She decided to knock open the shell a little, "Now that you'll have all this alone time together, make sure you listen to the guidelines of that book. Preparation is really impo-"
Her words caught up to him, and his head snapped fast in her direction, reaching out to smack a hand over her mouth before hurriedly glancing at where Naruto was still yelling at the gray-haired man.
"Stop it." He scolded, going easily when she pushed his hand away.
She smacked him on the arm, chortling, "You're so easily embarrassed, Sasuke-kun."
"Not everyone is comfortable just discussing these inappropriate topics."
"Okay, you prude." Rolling her eyes.
"Why is Sasuke a prude?" Naruto asked, interrupting them. Both Kakashi-sensei and the blonde were staring at them. They glanced at one another before she burst out laughing again, finding Sasuke's caught expression all too amusing.
"Well-"
"Enough." The gloomy ninja bit out, a thundercloud floating around his head. "We need to leave. We've spent over thirty minutes just saying goodbye."
"Ah, don't be a grump, Sasuke!" Naruto swung his arm around Sasuke's shoulder, jostling them both side-to-side.
"It is impossible. He is like a grumpy cat." Their sensei decided to feed the fire.
"Yes!" Naruto agreed, eyes shining. "That's why I was gonna name Hotaru after Sasuke, but he didn't want to!"
"Considering the crow and your plant is named after me, I think it's a fucking good thing."
"Three is a charm, though," Sakura added.
"Okay, we need to leave. Right now. Before you give him more horrendous ideas."
And before her boys left her once again, going somewhere she could not follow, Naruto crushed both her and Sasuke into another hug, giggles leaving her despite the sadness she was feeling. When she looked across her, Sasuke was smiling too.
A slight tilt at the corners of his mouth. Barely visible.
But without doubt, there was happiness as clear as daylight in it.
Sakura and Kakashi-sensei watched the two men leave, Naruto leaning close to Sasuke and the dark-haired man allowing him to invade his space without reproach. If you had asked Sakura years ago whether the scene that was fading into the sunlight was possible, she would have said no without hesitation. Not these two men. Naruto, who wore every emotion and heart on his sleeve, and Sasuke, who concealed every emotion to convince everyone he was without a heart. The one thing in common they had was their volatile tempers. And yet, these two were the only ones capable of healing each other.
She basked in the warm light that was afforded to her by clear blue skies, enjoying the last snippets of summer.
Soon, the leaves would start to fall.
The first place they would stop to stay was Oto, and then they needed to complete the mission Kakashi had assigned in Kiri. There was a group that shared the ideologies of the old Akatsuki, going so far as to name themselves after them. While Naruto had seen to the protests before, the unrest still simmered due to the economic strife. The previous Kage really fucked up shit. Kakashi gave it to him since he was the one who destroyed the Akatsuki hideout as well, so finding these fakes should not be a problem.
Oto was nearby, and Sasuke wanted to check in with Karin and Jugo again. The village was known to be under his protection, so making an appearance to keep that notion going was important. Naruto seemed less than keen on the idea, though. He wasn't really outright saying that, but it was obvious by the lack of energy.
Maybe that was because Naruto was putting his energy into other things.
Such as pushing Sasuke against a tree, and kissing him senseless. They took to the forest, veering off the set path, which allowed them more privacy. Naruto reveled in being able to just shove his tongue down Sasuke's throat whenever he could now. The tip of his tongue stroked against Sasuke's, hands gripped his face to move it how he wanted.
By the time they detached themselves from one another, Sasuke was greedily gasping for air.
"At this rate, it's going to take us much longer to reach Oto." He said, touching his kiss-swollen lips. Naruto, always single-minded, held Sasuke's hand to kiss the fingertips that had just been touching his own lips.
"You don't seem like you mind all that much." The blonde nipped at his fingertips as he said this, glancing at him through hooded eyes. Sasuke did the only thing he could do.
He sent a burst of chakra through Naruto, making the blonde jump.
"Works every time." He smirked.
Naruto glared, "You need to stop doing that!"
"Then control yourself until we make camp."
"Until, huh?"
"I'm going to drown you in the next river we come across." He walked ahead, his own bag hidden under his coat, while Naruto's massive backpack was on his shoulders, looking like it was going to burst any second. He was surprised the blonde managed to buckle it.
"And we have our first death threat of the day! Took you longer than I anticipated."
"It's only because your stupid mouth was shut not too long ago. The only time it's useful."
"Gah! Sakura was right. All men are the same! They just use you for a good time and then-" Naruto's dramatic and playful words were cut off when Sasuke tripped and hid his smile when he saw how he fumbled for balance. He got an earful for that, something about him being a bastard and that he was lucky he was such good eye candy.
They continued their journey. Broken rays of light shine through tall trees, the leaves making it scatter beautifully. Deep in the forest like this meant they could smell the soil and hear the movements of animals around them. He could see the telltale signs that summer was ending, the leaves not as green as they once were.
Every step they took left footprints, cementing their presence.
Naruto still had not dropped the topic, complaining that he was just being used for a good time.
"Says the one who shoved me against a tree the minute we far enough awa-"
"You were the one who immediately pulled me closer, so who was the one really impatient?"
"Impatient?"
"You always cum first, too." Naruto's mouth always worked faster than his brain. He watched the loser flush bright at his own crude words.
"Always?" His voice lowered, irritation flickering in. "We've only done stuff a few times."
The little tryst on their couch had led to similar encounters where one of them were shoving the other down, untying their pants quickly to jerk each other off or grind together until that addictive ecstasy that was more dangerous than any opium flooded through them.
Unfortunately, Sasuke had orgasmed first every single time.
"Yeah, and I blew your mind each time."
"Who came just from me putting my face near his dick?" Sasuke retorted, watching as Naruto decided to walk on a long log, stretching his hands out in a way that was very much unneeded since his ninja expertise should prevent him from losing his balance.
It was Naruto though.
"Okay, anyone would react like that!" He defended, jumping down once he reached the end, falling into step with Sasuke once more.
"If that helps you sleep at night."
"You help me sleep at night."
While it may seem like Naruto's words were of a sexual nature, Sasuke knew of its true meaning. They had a routine. He would be pulled back into Naruto's chest, back pressed firmly against the muscle there. They would fall asleep like that. Finding solace in each other's body. But at some point in the night, Sasuke would always end up on his back with his Naruto's ear pressed to his chest. It was only then that Naruto would truly fall asleep.
And in turn, Sasuke would finally slumber as well. After all, he rarely slept unless the blonde was at his side.
"You're such a loser." He sighed, flicking Naruto's forehead.
"Yeah, but I am a loser you're in love with so…" Naruto hooked their forefingers before releasing it. He eventually moved the topic onto their old teacher, Iruka. And how he thinks the man is seeing someone, but has not told Naruto which he felt upset about. He then began updating Sasuke on some drama he missed out on. Like the time Sai accidentally made Ino cry in public. He almost asked why the blonde was only telling him this now. "…It's just he doesn't get a lotta social cues which is hard for Ino who is so social, and sometimes he accidentally offends people, and it can a lot for Ino to deal with." He blabbered on, following Sasuke blindly. Thinking about it, Sai and Ino were drastically different. Like him and Naruto. If those two can make it work, he was sure they could too. "Oh, we have to visit Suna at some point!"
"No."
"What! Why? I don't get the beef you have with Gaara."
Maybe because I fear the day you realize there is someone who understands your brand of pain better, has a calmer temperament and is hopelessly in love with you.
"He has a problem with me."
"He does not! Gaara is chilled. Super nice."
"You can go ahead and visit him then. I'm not going."
Please don't.
"Ugh! This conversation is not over." The blonde smoothly moved in front of him to block his path, arms crossed. "It is on pause. We will be speaking about this again."
"Bite me." He snapped.
Honestly, he should have expected the reaction he got to those two words. As Sasuke tried to surpass him, his boyfriend lunged, arms engulfing Sasuke as he just went ahead and bit his ear. Before stepping back, every movement playful and light.
His ear tingled where Naruto had just sunk his teeth.
"You asked for it." He sang the words, whistling as he put his hands behind his head, moving ahead of Sasuke this time. He decided to let it go and be the bigger person for once. Definitely not because he was too flustered. Naruto really had a thing for biting him.
Traveling with Naruto was noisy. Whether it was because he was talking about the time Rock-lee drank so much that he emptied the contents of his stomach, ruining Shikamaru's pants, or because he got distracted by every little thing. One would think he had never traveled before with how he looked at everything with fascination. Overall, his presence was full of sound. Every movement was completed with too much rustling and heavy steps. They also stopped to eat- something he never did-, Naruto munching on the lunch Sakura had made them, forcing Sasuke to eat his own. And of course, no matter what flower he thought was pretty or insect freaked him out, in the end, he always gravitated into Sasuke's space, leaning against him or entangling their hands.
He hated to admit it, but he liked being able to hold the hyperactive ninja's hand. When he first got out of that prison cell more than four years ago, he always felt like he had been floating outside his body. And Naruto had grounded him. Pulled him back before he went somewhere the blonde could not follow. While those type of feelings were more rare these days, that weightlessness that felt more damning than relieving still followed him around. Now, Naruto was here, his hand smooth and warm against Sasuke's own.
As Naruto tugged him forward to show him a cool rock he found, Sasuke wished it could be like this forever.
They made camp soon after the sun had set. Deep in the forest.
With a lot of enthusiasm, Naruto went about setting up the tent while Sasuke started the fire. They passed a river earlier and stocked up on some water, allowing him to wipe himself off a bit, ignoring Naruto's lingering stares.
"We are so making some instant ramen!" Naruto stated, shucking off his own shirt to change into something lighter. Sasuke didn't camp too often. While he enjoyed nature, he much preferred finding an inn to stay in. The blonde was enthusiastic, though. His shirt ended up in a pile, toned muscles of his abdomen were on display. It did not escape Sasuke's notice how much buffer Naruto was. His body more defined than it was when they were teens. A bunch of ramen had fallen out when Naruto had opened his bag earlier, and he took three containers.
"Did you bring a pot?" Sasuke asked.
"A pot?"
"To boil the ramen." He clarified.
"No?"
"Well, how do you expect us to make it then?" Sasuke said, furrowing his eyebrows. His loser boyfriend looked from the ramen in his hands to the fire and realized soon that the paper containers would be unable to withstand the fire. The look on his face was pure devastation.
"No." He insisted.
"Yes."
"No." A pout.
"Put it away."
"Nooooo." He whined, stomping his foot in a petulant manner.
"Luckily we still have some rice balls left so we'll have that. And some protein bars."
"Sasuke!" Arms trapped him again, a bare chest pressed to his as Naruto rested his chin on his shoulder. "Quit ignoring my pain."
This was the man he was dating.
Sighing, he patted his back doing an excellent job at keeping perverted thoughts away. He should win a medal at this point.
"There there." He said drily. The blonde pulled back, pout still evident, before his eyes lit up.
"I know of a way to make me feel better."
The glint in his eyes and him puckering his lips made it obvious what he wanted.
"Sakura really was right. All men do is use you."
And when Naruto laughed, Sasuke laughed along with him.
…
By their fourth day of traveling, they found a waterfall. It was an opportunity to thoroughly clean up and wash their dirty clothes. The weather was becoming cooler, but it was still hot enough to enjoy the water.
"There's a village nearby, we can get some stuff there," Sasuke said, their clothes lying out to dry, watching as Naruto decided to jump into the water with no reservations, butt-naked. He took his own clothes off except his underwear, folding them before testing the water with his foot.
Naruto came up for air with a gasp, shaking his hair.
"It feels so good." He chirped, then blatantly ogled Sasuke. "Just get in."
"I am going to."
"Someone's scared." Naruto swam closer.
"I like to get in bit by bit." He insisted, sitting down so only his legs were in the water, keeping an eye on Naruto, who had a look of pure mischief in his eyes. "Don't you fucking dare."
"I am not doing anything!" The blonde exclaimed, reaching the part of the lake that was shallower, causing more of his chest to be exposed. This made his tanned skin glisten as water stuck to it, and the sun shone down. Naruto always appeared otherworldly with the sun shining down on him, accentuating his best features.
His boyfriend slithered up to him, coming to rest between his calves as he looked up at Sasuke.
"I think you should take these off," Naruto said, with a small tug at his last piece of clothing.
"You'd like that, wouldn't you?"
"Yup. I really would."
They hadn't done much of anything since they left besides making out. Which wasn't even that long, but Naruto had a very excitable libido. And while Sasuke thought of himself as more reserved overall, his body always reacted to Naruto.
Sasuke, distracted by how the blue of the water made Naruto's eyes appear turquoise, leaned forward to capture his lips. Overeager as always, Naruto leaned up to meet him. It was a soft kiss. A kiss that resulted from having nowhere else to put the overwhelming love you felt for someone.
"I am really having the best time of my life," Naruto whispered against his lips.
He laughed, "We just left."
"Yeah, and this is heaven on earth for me."
"Okay, you sap." He pushed Naruto away, splashing water in Naruto's eyes, which earned him an indignant squawk. Sasuke took Naruto's momentary blindness to remove his underwear and sink into the cool water, a little hiss leaving him at the sensation. Naruto rubbed his fingers to his eyes to get the water out, blinking slowly as he opened them.
"That was not cool. I've seen you naked a few times now, mahn."
Sasuke ignored the complaints and swam out to the waterfall, the crashing sound of water being emptied into a large body of water becoming louder. They both washed up on opposite ends, enjoying the freshness of running water. He carded his fingers through his hair, enjoying the hard pressure. The coolness of the water wasn't ideal, him preferring hotter waters but it was better than having to wipe themselves off.
By the time he was done, Naruto was floating on his back watching the sky.
Moving through the water to the blonde, he splashed him again, getting his attention. He righted himself with another sputter.
"Stop that." Whined Naruto.
"What were you thinking about, staring off like that?" He asked, pushing his wet strands away from his face.
Naruto appeared surprised by the question, "Nothing? I guess I was just enjoying how peaceful all of this is."
"Yeah, I guess it is."
"Makes me get it, ya know?" They stood opposite one another, Naruto's hands gliding through the water as they spoke. He let the water run through his hands, only to dip it back and repeat the action again.
"Get what?"
"Why you needed to get away. I've only been away from all that…political pressure for a few days, and it's just been relieving." He said the words almost like he felt guilty. Sasuke moved closer, catching his hands in his own, pressing each of his fingers to Naruto's.
"Everyone needs a vacation once in a while, right? And if there is one person who deserves it, it's you." He brushed blonde locks away, tracing the blonde's hairline absentmindedly.
How could he not? He has been carrying the weight of the world's problems since he was a newborn.
"I love you so much." The words were unexpected, making Sasuke's heart skip a beat and he realized how intensely Naruto had been staring at him. The unfiltered love he received was something he would never get used to. Even when his family was alive, they were withdrawn in nature. His mother the only who was openly affectionate and still nowhere close to how Naruto jumped at every opportunity to let him know he was loved. As a child, many said he took after her. While Itachi and his father were more alike. His mother always said that he was hers. Different from the Uchiha who were noble and much too stiff at times.
He wonders how disappointed she would be to see how he turned out.
He felt himself reddening despite knowing those three words already, "So, you keep saying."
There was a knowing look in Naruto's eyes, a cheeky glint as he hugged Sasuke to him, their noses touching.
"And I'll say it forever and ever, until you're sick of hearing about it."
The thing is, he doesn't think he could ever get sick of hearing it. For years of his life, his hatred had been a drug that kept him standing. A point of fixation that allowed him to cope with knowing how the corpse of your parents looked, how stubbornly blood-stained wooden flooring was, and how the scent of blood was so potent you could taste it in your mouth.
Now, when those memories threatened to surface, he found a new feeling. A new drug occupied the spaces of his mind. If before, his love for Naruto kept him going, now that it was reciprocated, he was absolutely doomed, addicted to the feeling of being loved by the man whose importance surpassed the sun.
They were in a village near the borders of the Fire Country, Tani-mura. It was a busy village, a place where imports and exports carried by caravans and sold by merchants brought money that would eventually flow into the larger towns and into Konoha. Which was an important note: the money never stayed here. It was a pass-through more than anything else.
He told Sasuke this idly, while they bought some stuff for the road, like a tiny pot to boil his instant ramen noodles. With autumn on the way, they'll get more grapes, mushrooms, persimmons, and sweet potatoes. And export pumpkins and Konoha apples.
"With spring and summer, we import hardy apples, strawberries, tea leaves-" He said, pushing the cart as Sasuke placed pickled vegetables with some dried fruit and nuts in it.
"I am surprised you remember all this." The dark-haired man responded off-handedly. "-Miso crackers or seaweed crackers?"
He halted his retort, "Uh, Both? Oh and let's get honey flavoured and cinnamon!" He added those as well.
"We need to budget." Sasuke chided.
"Why? We're both basically rich."
"Overspending is not a good thing."
"Hey, eating well is not overspending! You just eat like a bird."
"Either way, I don't draw a lot from my family's money at a time."
Naruto waved the concern off, "Well, I have enough for both of us, and we can always just contact Kakashi-sensei if we run out, and we'll still be earning through missions."
"You're missing the point," Naruto added more instant ramen as the broody man spoke. He flicked Naruto's hand at the action. "We haven't even eaten the ramen you've brought with."
"I wanna taste their ramen!"
"It's the same brand," Sasuke said dryly.
"I need more." He stated. "Look, baby tomatoes!" He added them to the cart because his stingy boyfriend would probably think it's too impractical to do it. "You judge my eating preferences, and yet, you're like a rabbit."
"Sorry, I prefer putting healthy food in my body."
"Eating like a bird is not healthy."
"Eating plastic is not healthy either."
The bickering followed them all the way to the inn they would be staying at. As per usual, he got stopped a few times, people gawking at him and looking as if he truly were some God. Sometimes, he forgot how big his reputation was outside Konoha. With Sasuke's rinnengun covered partially by his bangs, he drew less attention besides the obvious glances he received when people glimpsed his pretty face.
A man who looked to be in his thirties was behind the counter.
"Hello! How has your day been going?" He asked, leaning his forearms on the counter. His own shadow clones were carrying the packets.
"Good, sir. How has yours?"
"Pretty amazing, actually. It's great how busy this place is!"
"Yeah, it's a real hot spot. News travels fast, too. The minute you set foot here, half the village already knew."
He laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head. The man's gaze traveled to Sasuke, who was, of course, silent, before back to Naruto.
"Hopefully, all good things were said."
"Of course, you're revered here." The man, Osamu, pushed his glasses up as he got his book out. "So, what room would you like?"
"A room with-"
"Two single beds." The bastard opened his mouth for the first time, voice smooth and effortlessly sultry as always. He felt his face twitch in annoyance at the interruption.
"Of course. How many nights?"
The jerk was silent again.
Breathing through his nose, "Just one. We're leaving in the morning."
"Breakfast added to it?"
"Yeah, sure, and can you send dinner up as well?" He tried to bring back his chirper tone.
Once that was settled, they made their way up the stairs to room seven with Naruto leading the way with loud steps. His clones dropped the bags down once they were inside the decently sized room, disappearing after.
"I call the shower first." He didn't listen to the bastard's response, slamming the door shut. The water's temperature was lukewarm, which felt nice compared to the freezing rivers and lakes they had been washing in. In his haste to avoid Sasuke, he was forced to use the inn's shampoo and soap, theirs in Sasuke's bag.
The last thing he needed was him finding the letter and hairpin.
He knew why Sasuke did it. Knew that it was not out of a place of malice, but that didn't make it sting any less. In Naruto's dream version of this trip, they would not need to cover up their relationship at all. And yet, the minute they drew closer to this village, Sasuke let go of his hand. No, he yanked it away. But Naruto tried to understand. Then he evaded a kiss on the cheek in the store.
And now…
'Don't you think you're being too sensitive?'
'Why are you taking his side! You don't even like him!'
'Why do I even bother?'
Turning the shower off, he wrapped a towel around his waist, shaking his hair off as he stepped out. Sasuke had his own sleepwear set out, bath essentials ready. He was sitting on a chair at a desk, his cloak hung over it, along with Naruto's, which he admits he had thrown on the floor.
The bastard said nothing, not even when they made eye contact, his bangs now swept to the side again to reveal both eyes. Their shoulders just brushed before the bathroom door shut. He slipped into boxers, toweling his hair aggressively while he waited on the bed, wondering whether he should broach the topic or leave it alone. But he knew if he didn't, the jerk sure as hell would not say anything. No, instead, he'll let it fester until it rots and contaminates everything.
His back hit the bed as he mulled it all over.
All he wanted was to love Sasuke openly. He had all this affection, and it was meant only for Sasuke. It was overflowing, spilling out from him with the need to wrap the dark-haired man in the blanket that was his undying devotion.
The sound of the shower continued, and images of a naked Sasuke came to mind. Sharing a tent but not being able to do anything had been torture. Sasuke, too prickly to get it on in those kinds of conditions. Staying at the inn had implications of sorts…
Burned into his mind was Sasuke writhing on his lap before he had been about to…
The thought alone had him hardening.
'And it is my cue to leave you to your privacy.'
'Please do.'
Sharing a body with another being was tough.
The bathroom door opened, steam flowing out from it, with Sasuke strolling out as if he did not make Naruto's brain malfunction every time he so much as breathed, much less showed that pale skin that appeared silver when moonlight touched it.
And those smooth, long, toned legs.
Quietness, as Sasuke slipped on his underwear under his towel and then thin pajama pants, opting to wear a sleepshirt as well.
He stared.
Especially when Sasuke bent, which made his ass look…well. They were ninja with toned bodies and muscles. And Sasuke's slim waist made his bottom pop more. The contrast was very appealing.
A flash of barely restrained desire began settling more and more in his groin. His teeth always ached when his desire became overbearing.
Another flash, a towel, whipping him on the head, making him snap out of it.
"I don't want to know what pervy thoughts were going through your brain."
Just thoughts of bending you over that desk there.
"Who said I was thinking pervy thoughts?" He grumbled, hands curled on his lap. Sasuke sat down on the same bed as Naruto, feet planted on the ground as he leaned on his palms, turning his head to the side to look at him. The tension from earlier's incident could be seen in Sasuke's eyes, as he warily watched Naruto.
"You are kinda really obvious." Evasion. As always.
"Yeah, well, sue me. I like to ogle my super hot boyfriend."
The bastard actually chuckled at that. Naruto gathered up his resolve to discuss the earlier incident with Sasuke, but he never got a chance, as the minute he opened his mouth, Sasuke got up to kneel before Naruto.
Kneel.
His brain short-circuited. And his heart began racing.
"What is happening?" From this position, with Sasuke looking up at him, his half-hard erection soared to life, especially when the smug jerk placed his hands on his knees.
Fire licked at his insides.
"What do you think is happening?"
"Don't be an asshole."
"Don't act all innocent." Sasuke retorted.
"I'm not- okay-" His words cut off with a sharp inhale as Sasuke placed a hand on his crotch, making the already obvious bulge even more prominent. His own hands clenched the bedsheet, every press of the bastard's hands sending that sweet honey through him. His hips pressed up into the touch, chasing the feeling. It wasn't enough, though. Not even close. "Fucking-" With his own hand, he pressed down on Sasuke's, adding more pressure, which had every other thought fizzling out of his brain. He could feel every thought leak away until all he could think about was the way the man kneeling before him was wrapping his hand around him through his boxers, squeezing and making him hunch over to grab the bastard's face and smash their lips together in a violent kiss. Just a clash, really.
"Do you want-" Sasuke looked up, those long lashes casting pretty shadows over his cheekbones, tongue wetting his pink lips. "-me to use my mouth?"
His cock twitched in Sasuke's hand.
"You're kidding, right?" He felt the rumble in his own vocal cords. "There's no way you don't know the answer to that." Then, he carded his hand through Sasuke's black strands, tugging. "No way you don't know how much I've imagined fucking your mouth."
"And the innocent act is gone." Sasuke gave an airy laugh before urging Naruto to lift his hips so he could take his boxers off, his hands slightly shaking. He was already achingly hard and sighed in relief at the freedom. His boyfriend looked at his length with something that appeared to be morbid curiosity as he wrapped that slender hand with painted nails around his dick. He stroked, lightly at first. Naruto's mind was a mantra of convincing himself not to rush Sasuke. The flame twisted ferociously when that hand tightened around him, squeezing deliciously, a perfect friction.
He lost himself in that with his heart thudding in his ears, watching Sasuke watch his leaking cock, his hand still buried in that hair.
Then, the heat convulsed as the seductive man before him leaned forward once more, hand gripping his base before leaning forward to lick the precum that had dribbled down his shaft, tongue wet and hot and oh my god-
"Sasuke, shit…" Naruto panted, watching in awe as Sasuke began sucking at him, lips becoming messed. A rosiness coloured his cheeks, following down to his neck. Naruto knew the flush followed along Sasuke's whole body.
When that moist tongue licked up his cock all the way from the base to his bulbous tip, his other hand came to tighten in his hair, clenching tightly, and in a haze, he held Sasuke's head still when his lips touched his cockhead. Sasuke panted, hot, moist hair hitting his dick as the bastard's eyes clouded with arousal. Mismatched eyes stayed on him, allowing Naruto to hold him.
And that was it, wasn't it? Knowing how powerful Sasuke was. Knowing he was granting Naruto this.
It was too much.
His nerves were lit with an arousal that ran fast and hot, tingling down his spine.
The raven opened his mouth wide so Naruto could push into that hot cavern. He slipped his head in, and he truly understood why some people needed sex. Because in this moment, with those lips that usually taunted him so, wrapped around his thickness, he knew he needed this. His unwillingness to hurt Sasuke was what stopped him from thrusting in immediately. But the more he began burning up inside, his hands feeling scorched from where he touched Sasuke, the less careful he wanted to be.
He stopped, just the tip resting in, panting.
Then Sasuke tightened his lips and began sucking.
Sensitive nerves and glands fired up at the hot suction.
"Oh god. Oh fuck. Holy fuck." A string of more curses left him. Sasuke's eyes had never once left him through this entire ordeal. He lowered himself further, taking in more, gifting Naruto more of that lovely heat while he tried not to lose his fucking mind.
This was his Sasuke doing this. Trusting him. He loved him so much.
Sasuke sucked experimentally, and a groan tumbled from his lips, causing Naruto to involuntarily thrust up fast- to the back of his mouth, tip too close to his throat.
Sasuke gagged, yanking his head away as he coughed, eyes watering.
"Shit." Naruto hunched over, trying to think through the arousal as Sasuke coughed more, glaring at Naruto with teary eyes. His cock twitched at the sight. Visions of shoving Sasuke's head down and making him choke on his dick, so fucking tempting. His fingers ached to do that. A tension in it that had Naruto curling and uncurling them to stop himself.
What was wrong with him?
When the coughing subsided, Sasuke's tone was dark, "Do that again, and I'm going to bite your dick off."
Again, what the fuck was wrong with him? Why was Sasuke threatening him amidst a blow job so hot?
He noticed the bulge in Sasuke's pants, and the air in the room thickened.
"Sorry-" He rushed down to capture his lips again. "Your mouth felt so good." Hand squeezing the nape of his neck. He could taste himself on Sasuke's tongue, possessiveness purring at the heady thought. "It was so warm and wet." He murmured against his lips before fucking his tongue into the parted lips, mimicking what he wanted to do with his cock. When they parted, Sasuke bit his lip hard. "I said sorry." He said, lip slightly cut at the action.
"Sorry isn't enough. I always get even." His voice was raspy.
He smiled. His vengeful, gloomy, and petty boyfriend.
There was nothing he'd deny him.
Leaning down, he let their foreheads rest together, noses touching.
"You okay to continue?"
A knock interrupted before he could answer.
"Dinner for room seven!"
"You need to answer," Sasuke said.
"What? There's no way I'm getting this to go down." They both looked at his length, which stood proud in his attraction to Sasuke.
"I have your taste in my mouth and this-" He gestured to the ruddiness of his face. "-isn't going away either." They both breathed heavily, too, telltale signs of what they had been doing. He wondered if Sasuke could hear his heartbeat.
"I feel like my situation is worse."
"I'm not opening." Sasuke's voice made it clear he would not budge.
It was solved in a manner that Naruto had solved many fights before.
A clone.
They barely looked at the food, too preoccupied with what they were doing before.
"I'm going to put my mouth back on you. Don't move." He glared as he said this, tucking his hair behind his ears, mouth opening to swallow his cockhead again before sinking further. He kept his hands to himself this time, gripping the sheets in an effort to control himself.
Groans left his mouth, the deep tone reverberating throughout the room. The further Sasuke sank, the less he could think. He went down a little too fast, the onslaught of pleasure making his brain melt. So fast that he gagged again in his overeagerness. Not as violent this time, so he stayed right there, suckling while he got used to the length. Delicious pleasure ran through him. A tug on his hand, and then Sasuke was pulling Naruto's hands to rest in his hair. His fingers curled immediately into the silky strands. He would not fuck up in that tight heat. He had more control than that.
Chest heaving, he watched through half-lidded eyes as Sasuke closed his eyes as if to concentrate before he took more in. Half of Naruto's length appeared to be his limit when his throat and the back of his mouth constricted once more. He let the length rest there, driving Naruto crazy, hands twisting black strands harshly to communicate his impatience.
He didn't expect the moan he got in response and the intensity of vibrations that had that hot sugary feeling flooding him.
Everything narrowed to the tightness, blood rushing in his ears.
Electricity singed through him, causing him to dig his fingers into his scalp, and a shiver wracked through Sasuke. Any point of contact burned, and any space between them was charged with blistering heat.
"Sasuke." He gasped out, head tilted back, before he forced himself to look down again, not wanting to miss the sight. Sasuke hollowed his cheeks, flattening his tongue against his length as he sucked, making Naruto groan and moan even more than before.
"Hah."
He began bobbing his head.
"Nghh."
Both hands wrapped around to fist at the parts of his cock he could not fit in.
"Fuck- You take my dick so well." He gasped out, brain-to-mouth filter nonexistent.
Sasuke swallowed.
"Pleas-ahhh"
He pulled away completely, taking a moment to take in a breathy gasp of air, only to sink back down again. The motion made him pant even more, and pleasure shot up his spine in hot bursts. When Sasuke went too slow, as if still adjusting to the size, he tugged him back down faster without thinking, a sound leaving Sasuke at that.
His lips were wrapped obscenely around Naruto, and the sight with that wrecked expression on his face had Naruto tightening his grip on his hair before he began moving his head up and down.
And Sasuke let him.
Sasuke let him slide his cock into that warm, wet, tightness with increasingly frantic movements that had his orgasm approaching fast. He was being tormented in the best way possible.
"Fuck, just like that." He was unable to control his rambling. Praise fell from his tongue with almost every breath. His thoughts, however, were: faster, faster, deeper, tighter- oh.
He couldn't breathe underneath his need to cum. On Sasuke's face. Inside his mouth. Inside him. He wanted, needed to.
To make matters worse better Sasuke was moaning, one hand still wrapped around Naruto while the other disappeared down, palming at his own erection, squirming on the floor. Saliva pooling where his mouth had to stretch to accommodate his length.
Eyes glossed over.
He was all helpless and needy, and-
This was turning Sasuke on.
It was that little fact that caused the syrupy sugar to heat to a scalding temperature, his climax coming violently, and too late did he realize he was still in Sasuke's mouth. He began spilling, so he tried to pull away before another pulse shot, but Sasuke followed his cock instinctively, swallowing whatever he could as some spilled past his lips either way. It had his control slipping, gripping the man's head firmly with the silent permission, emptying himself.
"You're swallowing it all so good, baby." The pet name slipped out without his permission, and he was surprised when Sasuke whined at it.
Naruto crashed down onto the bed, staring at the ceiling in a daze, panting. Only when he grew soft did he feel Sasuke release him. Then, he was being crawled on, Sasuke's weight settling on his stomach, and it burned Naruto, static between them. Instead of his appetite being sated, all he could think about was pressing Sasuke onto the bed, and spreading his legs to-
A playful smirk stopped his thoughts, a soft look given to him. They both were trying to catch their breath.
And that tugged at his heartstrings.
Only he got to see this relaxed version of Sasuke.
Only he was allowed to.
Only him.
Rushing up, he kissed Sasuke, their mouths opening. Sasuke tongued his way into Naruto's, allowing the blonde to taste his own cum on him. He sucked on the man's tongue before taking more control and licking every inch of the inside of his mouth.
Sasuke pressed down on his chest with his own, pushing him back onto the bed. He wanted to return the favour, but the lack of an erection and a wetness pressing against him made his mind whirl.
He pulled Sasuke away by his hair, watching a string of saliva connect their lips.
"Did you- did you-"
Sasuke bit that same spot, and he hissed, his bottom lip caught between the bastard's lips before he let go.
"Another word, and I'll never suck your dick again." The scratchy voice, red lips, and heaving chest against him made the threat fall flat.
But Naruto shut up either way. That didn't mean Sasuke could not feel his smirk as tongued his way back into his mouth.
…
They reached Oto by the late afternoon the next day. Naruto felt antsy, which came with Sasuke interacting with his old team.
It was unfortunate, but his relationship with them was a reminder of the worst time in Naruto's life. The time when Sasuke had left him all those years ago. It was like scratching open the scab of a wound that would never fully heal.
Still, Karin and Juugo were nice. More Juugo, though. Karin was kinda crazy.
"Karin and Juugo have done a lot of good around here. You should have seen how bad it looked before." Sasuke said as they navigated through the village. It looked okay. Clearly not prosperous, but the people of the village carried a determination in their every step, a hope in their eyes for the future.
"And you."
"Hm?" Sasuke questioned.
"You did a lot of good here, too."
"It's not good. It's atonement. It's what I owe these people."
"Shut up. I can say with absolute certainty, you'd help any starving village you could." He swung his arm around Sasuke's shoulder, happy when the dark-haired man did not push him away.
"You think too highly of me."
"You think too little of yourself."
"Sasuke! Naruto!" Karin rushed out of a decent-sized house, waving with her hand high in the air.
"Hey!" He waved back, despite the bitter feelings; he couldn't not match her enthusiasm.
Entering their home, he took note of books scattered everywhere and cats.
Five cats.
He missed Hotaru.
It was a simple house. The front door opened into a corridor that led to the kitchen and then the lounge, which opened into a hallway that led to three rooms. The three of them sat in the lounge, he and Sasuke side-by-side.
"I set up the room for you guys-"
"We were going to stay at the inn where Noriko works."
"Whose Noriko?" Naruto asked.
"This girl who works at the inn, didn't you hear? She and her little brother love Sasuke."
His gut churned. The evidence of them already knowing things about Sasuke, which he didn't, made him upset.
"Oh."
"You're not staying there. Not when I have a place for you." Karin insisted, pouring water for them.
"Karin-"
"Remember that time you shot lightning through me?"
His boyfriend grew silent. It was funny watching someone actually bully him.
A cat rubbed against his calf.
"What's up with all the cats?"
"Juugo."
"Where is he?" Sasuke asked.
"Down helping mend the fields."
"This place looks great, by the way. You can really see it's growing."
"Yeah, it is, the people actually call me chief."
"Chief?"
"Every village needs a head, I guess." She shrugged.
"Yeah I know. It's just the last time Oto tried to have a head, it was Orochimaru trying to make himself Kage."
"That's when he tried to make this a ninja village. But these are just ordinary people. Not a threat." Karin said firmly, eyes narrowing. "These people needed a leader that cared. Not that I ever thought that'd be me..."
"I don't see them as a threat. I just never knew…that-"
"People like this existed here?" Sasuke finished off for him.
"No!" He flushed. "That's not what I meant… I guess whenever I thought of this place, I always just thought of Orochimaru, even though Kakashi-sensei told me about what you did here, it was just…hard."
To not associate this place with stealing you away.
"Relax." Karin sighed. "We get it. Orochimaru made this place fucking awful. For everyone."
"But now, you've repaired a lot of the damage." Sasuke commended.
The red-haired smiled at the praise.
"It's still a long way to go. But we're getting there."
"When you have time, I want to go over where you think the rest of Orochimaru's hideouts could be." Sasuke asked, and the woman nodded.
A part of him jumped for joy at what he saw when Karin led them to their room, opening the door.
"There's only one bed!" He cheered. Two tall, grown men cuddling on a single bed was really difficult.
"Yeah?" Karin raised an eyebrow. "You guys are dating, so it shouldn't be a problem."
They both froze. He and Sasuke had not discussed whether he was telling these two.
Sasuke whirled on her, eyes piercing, "How do you-"
"I am not blind, you losers." Naruto held his tongue about the falseness of that statement. "And when the news of Hinata and Naruto's break-up spread, and then you two traveling together? It's called logic."
"Well, we don't want a lot of people to know."
"Then you're doing a poor job."
"Karin." Sasuke hissed.
"Fine! If anyone asks me about it, I'll just say the world's hero decided to travel with the man he chased around the entire fucking world as a rebound journey after his break-up." Her words dripped with sarcasm.
"Good." Sasuke did not retaliate. "Now get out." The bastard shut the door in her face.
Naruto flopped on the bed, enjoying its softness.
"How long are we planning on staying?" He asked.
"Maybe a week or two." Sasuke hummed, flopping down next to him. Naruto turned to study his side profile, loving every angle. The man's eyes were closed, lashes lowered, and touching his cheekbones. Just to gaze upon Sasuke was something that brought him immense joy. And he wanted Sasuke to know that. So he reached between them with his right hand, sun-seal throbbing as it always did in his presence. It was familiar by now, the thrumming in their palms that reached their souls the less distance there was between them.
They didn't hold hands with their sealed ones often. It was too overwhelming. The gates to their minds opened, allowing them to feel one another's emotions. So, it was a silent agreement not to cross that boundary.
But he wanted Sasuke to feel what he felt.
His fingers grazed Sasuke's, causing his eyes to open. He turned his head towards Naruto just as their hands intertwined, sun-seal pressed against the moon-seal.
Sasuke's breath hitched, their emotions intermingling until it was hard to distinguish between who was feeling what.
Sadness was something that came with Sasuke. He knew the dark-haired man was always drenched in melancholy.
But, for the first time, the happiness within pulsed more vibrantly than before. It multiplied his own happiness, squeezing his heart until it could not take it, and the joy reached his lips and cheeks.
"I really make you happy, huh?" Sasuke whispered, turning more towards him and his other hand tracing the whiskers on Naruto's cheeks.
"Like nothing or nobody else ever could."
…
The little boy, Yuuta, took a liking to Naruto immediately. And he took a liking right back.
"And then what happened?"
"Then, to stun him, I used my smelly fart jutsu to distract him." The kid laughed, his giggles infectious in a way only a child's could be. "You see, he had a good sense of smell, and it really messed him up, so I could land the final blow and move onto the next round of the chuunin exams."
"That's really cool!"
"Cool is not the word I'd use." Sasuke scoffed.
They were helping out in the fields. Yuuta worked for a farmer, and in exchange, they got some of the good crops. Naruto had tried to give Noriko, a really lovely woman, some money, but it only seemed to offend her. Sasuke had berated him, saying that that kinda behaviour would make people feel like a charity case.
He only wanted to help.
That was how they ended up here, helping little Yuuta with his job.
"Sasuke's just jealous. His fight was lame and boring."
"You literally copied the move I used in that fight."
"You copied Rock-Lee."
"Because it's my ability. You named your move after mine."
"I did not!"
"Lion's barrage. Uzumaki barrage?" The continued ploughing of the fields.
"Those do sound really similar."
"Hey! Don't betray me, Yuuta! I thought you were my best friend!"
Yuuta had the decency to look guilty.
"Don't fall for it, Yuuta. He calls everyone his best friend. He told me the same thing too."
"Yeah, well, your situation was different."
"How so?" Yuuta asked, eyes big and curious.
"Ah…well…" He scratched the back of his head.
"Don't worry your little head with that," Sasuke commanded.
"But-"
"Noriko wants you back for lunch, so get back to work."
"Boo! Buzzkill." He teased.
"Get to work, Naruto." Sasuke chided, and then snickered when Naruto tripped, distracted by how cute Sasuke looked with Karin's clips pinning his bangs back.
"For a ninja, you sure are clumsy." His traitorous fan commented.
"It's all part of the charm, Yuuta!"
At some point, all the hacking and ploughing had him sweating, so he used the bottom of his sweater to wipe his face. Dropping it, he met Sasuke's wondering eyes, and when Yuuta wasn't looking-his tiny arms trying their best to keep up- he leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss on his too-pretty boyfriend. Sasuke looked around quickly before deeming it safe and pulling Naruto back for a firmer kiss, pulling away just as the little kid turned around to start chatting again.
Later, they met Noriko for lunch with Yuuta.
"Hello, Noriko-chan!" He greeted loudly, attracting some attention from others.
"Na-Naruto." She stammered out. It had taken a lot of pressing for him to get her to drop the 'sama' or 'san' so many people added to his name these days. "Sasuke."
"And me!" Yuuta yelled.
"Hello, nuisance brother of mine." She smashed his cheeks together. "I have your meals prepared. Just give me a moment. I'm taking my lunch now."
Yuuta's feet barely reached the floor, his toes just touching the floor. The boy sat beside Sasuke while Naruto took the seat opposite. The inn was quite cozy. Small, but an atmosphere that felt like homey. Sasuke had told them poverty had been visible everywhere you looked before.
It was good to see that was no longer the case.
The pinnacle was Sasuke though. They left the village and with that, a tension left the dark-haired man's shoulders. He was different here. In the way he carried himself. When he was invited and asked to help around this place, instead of shooting down any socialization, he accepted it easily. His smiles, also came easier. The way he interacted with the people around them, still very much reserved but no longer so tightly hidden in his shell.
It was obvious by the casual way he spoke to Noriko and the way he allowed Yuuta to follow him around.
A Sasuke unburdened by the elders, and Konoha allowed that softness to be seen in tiny glimpses, unprotected.
The day passed them by, helping around the little village anyway they could, visiting the only school in the village, and assisting with improving the infrastructure, the best they knew how.
"You know, you're supposed to be on a vacation, but you have clones running around this village," Sasuke stated at dusk, the sky painted in a rosy hue spilling across gold.
"It's nothing. This place needs it. Besides, I'm here for you." Naruto said. They were sitting on top of a rocky escarpment, watching the sun sink into the horizon, becoming a molten red disk. He leaned sideways, hand linked with Sasuke's, before resting his head on his boyfriend's shoulder. He tensed for a moment before relaxing into the touch.
A translucent moon was approaching the first quarter slightly to the east of the sun, hanging low in the western sky.
The village had lost its energy, street vendors packing away, and little stores closing. A day of hard work, completed. Naruto wonders if he could ever live this life. With Sasuke by his side, he was sure there was no storm they could not weather together.
As the sun began to disappear, the rock cooled with it. The last touch of it flickers away, holding its breath before the sky dims to purple and a muted blue, with snippets of pink woven in with the moon climbing higher and higher.
A tiny sparkle, and the first star said hello. Timid, then more confidently.
And just like the man next to him, the moon glowed in its elegance, a pale silver amongst an indigo sky that was darkening.
"I was thinking…" The timber of Sasuke's broke through the muted world. "…one more place I wanted to show you after this was Mio's and Kai's place. The-"
"-Family you stayed with." He lifted his head to look at Sasuke, feeling himself melt at the vulnerability there. As if Naruto was not greedy for every scrap the man before him gave. "I'd love to meet them."
Brushing his bangs away from the pale boy's face, appreciating how the night made the contrast of dark hair and dark heterochromatic eyes more mesmerizing with the faint glow from the new moon touching his skin. As if the moon knew who its living embodiment was, directing its attention to the most beautiful person to grace this earth.
…
"So-" They were at one of two taverns in the village. He and Sasuke sat at their own table after being dragged out by Karin, who was making out with a random dude. "-I was thinking we should go out on another date sometime in the near future"
"A date? What kind of date?" They were sharing a bottle of sake.
He said the words before he chickened out, "I was thinking, a picnic."
"A picnic," Sasuke repeated slowly.
"You think it's lame."
"It's super lame," Sasuke confirmed. Their legs were entangled, and their faces were hovering near one another. " And cheesy." He felt embarrassment stiffen his body. "-Hey…" Sasuke tapped his nose, "-I want lame and cheesy."
The with you went unsaid.
"You just like keeping me on my toes, don't you?" He knocked their heads together, relieved the bastard didn't actually hate the idea.
"Can't let you get too comfortable."
…
"Why are you here!" Naruto exclaimed, glaring at the one person who truly grated on his nerves.
Fish-boy.
It was the early hours of the morning, and Naruto had been the first one up, needing to pee before a knock sounded on the front door, startling him so that he almost broke the tap.
"It's been a while, porcupine." Razor-sharp teeth peeked through that wide smile.
Naruto still very much seemed to dislike Suigetsu.
It was really funny. Sasuke kept that part to himself, though.
"I am on the couch once again." Suigetsu lamented before sneaking a look at Karin. He remembers Karin's blunt confession of the two's shenanigans. There was a slight tension between. It was clear something had occurred. "While Sasuke and Naruto bone in the-"
"We're not-" Naruto began, flustered.
"You need to tell us how he is in bed, though."
"Probably better than you." Karin's quip was drowned out by Naruto's yell
"Don't talk about Sasuke like that!"
Suigetsu smirked, resembling a shark too much, before turning his predatory eyes on Sasuke, "What about Naruto, huh? Come on, guys, don't hold out on us."
"I will rip out your tongue, Suigetsu."
"Please don't."
"Then shut up."
"You guys are all bores!" Then, he slouched back further into the one-seater, eyeing Karin, who was busy writing some notes down, ignoring him. "I hooked up with a bunch of chicks."
Scribble.
"Ew, man. Nobody wants to hear about your escapades." Naruto grimaced.
"Yeah, everyone was in the festive spirit. Willing to do wild things."
"Why are you-" Naruto blurted, but Sasuke nudged him with his foot, getting the blonde to shut up because he was slightly curious at what the white-haired man hoped to achieve with this.
Scribble.
"There was this one brunette, with cat-like nails and-"
Snap.
Karin held a broken pencil as she shot up, slamming her book shut, hair floating and curling like snakes. Suigetsu smirked, clearly ready for the tension between them to break, but the woman just shoved her things in her bag.
"I am going out."
The front door slammed with the tension of Karin's anger. Suigetsu blinked, clearly surprised by the lack of verbal insults thrown his way.
"You need to stop." Juugo, who was silent and blended into the surroundings despite his big size, stated, all five cats were lounging on him.
"I didn't say anything wrong."
"So, you and Karin boned, huh?" Naruto smirked all fox-like, clearly ready to enact vengeance.
Sasuke took that moment to follow Karin, leaving Naruto to enjoy his moment. She was clearly upset, and he found that he cared.
He found her just around the corner, leaning against a wall, anger still apparent. He stood at her side, both of them hidden from the crowd.
He followed without thinking, and now he didn't know what to say.
"I need to stop liking jerks," Karin muttered, and he knew if he were not here, she'd probably be crying.
"Ouch." He droned, monotone.
"You were a big jerk. Accept it."
"I have."
It took only a second more before she exploded. Her temperament reminded him of Naruto.
"It's just- he comes here, we fuck. He leaves to go find those damn swords. Then he comes here again, when he has made no progress, and we fuck again. And at first, it was fine! Then I realized I liked that jerk. And out of all people, why would I like that asshole who takes everything like it's a big joke! And boasts in front of me about sleeping around-"
"You were making out with someone not too long ago." Sasuke pointed out.
"Yes!" She threw her hands up. "I know! I'm no better than him. The difference is, I'm not the one who keeps goddamn leaving. He isn't the one stuck waiting."
Something splintered inside him at her words.
"Does he know you want him to stay?" He asked, fascinated by how her hair reacted to her volatile emotions.
"No? Yes? I don't know."
"Have you ever asked him?"
He vaguely felt like Sakura in this moment. Getting involved in other people's business. It felt uncomfortable. He regretted his moment of humanity.
"No." She admitted, slumping against the opposite wall. "He doesn't take anything seriously."
Sasuke thought about how Suigetsu wasn't one to mince words. He said exactly what he thought, uncaring whether it was appropriate or if it hurt your feelings. That Suigetsu was prodding at Karin, vying for her attention through means that were not the best…
He thought of a harsh storm and a kiss in the rain.
Seeing it from an outside perspective made him realize how really fucking awful he and Naruto were at dealing with everything.
"You should tell him."
"I can't." She insisted.
"I'm pretty sure he likes you back, Karin." He met her red eyes, watching her flush at his words. "I don't think he knows how much you want him to stay."
Sasuke left her after that, already out of his element. He wasn't one for big speeches. That was Naruto's thing. Should he have offered her a hug? The thought made him uncomfortable.
Thinking of his boyfriend, he decided to get some ingredients to make homemade ramen. Soon, they'd be leaving for the road again, and the blonde would be stuck eating the instant version. By the time he made it back, a light drizzle had begun, the first tendrils of autumn rain welcoming them.
His thoughts were occupied with Naruto the entire time. He thought of how heartbroken Karin was, shielded by her anger, and knew he had done the same to his boyfriend.
Boyfriend.
The term never truly felt enough. Because they were so much more. When the Gods had created their souls, they carved and moulded them so theirs would fit perfectly. Naruto had dedicated his teen years to chasing Sasuke. To save him. Loving him when everyone else had given up.
What had Sasuke done for him? Even now, his visit to Orochimaru was kept secret.
He needed to do better.
He needed Naruto to know how much he loved him.
Wanted him to feel how his heart sang for him. To open his ribcage and show him the flowers that had bloomed for him all the years they were apart.
"I was about to come looking for you!" Naruto exclaimed as Sasuke set foot in. "You're all wet." He worried, rushing to usher Sasuke inside, taking the grocery packet before quickly getting a towel.
"I thought I'd make some ramen for us." He said as Naruto gently rubbed his hair, the care and concern so evident, he felt dizzy from it.
"Well, it's just us right now. Juugo left somewhere, and Suigetsu is going to confess."
"What?" His surprise was clear at the last statement.
"Yup." A toothy smile. "We had a heart-to-heart." Of course, Naruto eventually bonded with him. "-and he really has a thing for Karin. Apparently had for a while, she had had the hots for you. And he thinks she kinda hates him, and well, I told him to stop being an idiot and take the plunge."
Naruto pressed the towel deeper to his scalp. It felt good.
"I don't think we can judge considering…"
"I'm not. Just giving advice based on experience. It's better to just be brave and go after what you want. I want to kick myself when I think about all the time we wasted."
How could you have known? When I pushed you away whenever you got too close?
"I'm going to shower, start dinner in the meantime."
"Okay." A kiss to his cheek.
Hot water made red burn on his skin as his mind went to the book Sakura gave him. The book he had read the moment she had left. He was soaking in the bath, thoughts anything but innocent.
They have been here for almost two weeks now, and besides one intense grinding session where he had woken up with Naruto's dick against his backside, they haven't done anything else. Partly because their days were wrapped up with helping the village. And someone else was always here.
Now, they were alone. For the first time.
It felt like an opportunity.
What better way to show Naruto his love than to connect the way lovers were meant to?
To open up his body for the blonde, hoping it'd be enough so he could feel the love Sasuke carried within every drop of his blood, every piece of his flesh, and segment of his bones for him.
What would happen if the moon and sun were to finally meet?
Sasuke was acting strange.
They made ramen together. Miso. His favourite. Which wasn't unusual. But he was a master at all things Sasuke. Knew when something was up. Knew when his little 'hns' went from listening to distracted. The food was amazing, his craving for Ichiraku's subsiding for the moment. Sasuke barely ate, his mind lost to something that had Naruto feeling nervous.
While doing the dishes, he made jokes about how Karin and Suigetsu were probably getting it on somewhere. Sasuke dried off, packing away silently.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
"Why wouldn't I be?"
Evasive. Okay. Something was up.
He decided to leave it for now.
Taking a hotter shower than he usually would, he came into their room with his towel hung low on his hips. Sasuke was busy folding their laundry from the day before, on the edge of the bed. Too lazy to get pajamas from his bag, he decided to scavenge the easier source.
"I just folded that." Sasuke sighed as Naruto stole the boxers and pants from the pile.
"I need clothes." He shook his hair.
"You're getting the clothing wet." The dark-haired man scolded. Naruto was relieved at the scowl.
"And? Whatcha gonna do about it?" He caught Sasuke before the man could protest and rubbed his wet hair all over his face and neck, making him gasp in surprise.
"Narut-" A laugh bubbled out. "-Stop it." He tried to push him away, but he just cinched his arms tighter, his chosen clothing discarded somewhere as he continued his attack. Slender hands pushed at his shoulders, but Naruto refused to let go. They tumbled down on the bed together. Sasuke huffed, using his body to roll on top of him instead, but Naruto's arms were wrapped tight around his waist, as if he could merge their bodies together like this.
"Stop what?" He rubbed their cheeks together, nuzzling his nose against Sasuke's.
The jerk glared, but Naruto knew he wasn't actually upset. They breathed one another in, but the more time passed, the more the cords pulled tighter. The string of tension between them rigid as their breath intermingled.
There was intensity in the air that felt different from before. A warm pulse started in his chest and was fervently increasing in heat. Burning like hot coal beneath their skin.
His cock jumped to life immediately when Sasuke darted his tongue out to lick Naruto's bottom lip, hands planted on Naruto's chest. When he drew the wet muscle back into his mouth, Naruto followed like he always did. Unyielding in his loyalty.
It was open-mouthed with their tongues meeting in slow strokes, both wanting to draw out this intoxicating desire that he could feel to the tip of his fingers, the ache in his teeth, and his quickly diminishing ability to think of anything or anyone else that wasn't the man in his arms. Little sounds escaped their mouth. Desperation spilling out from them in hot waves.
Sasuke planted his hands more firmly before pushing down to sit up, their mouths separating with a smack, opening his mouth to say something, but the magnetic attraction forced Naruto to follow, the distance unbearable. It caused the raven to slide down onto his… dick.
"Oh." Sasuke gasped as Naruto groaned, that same electric feeling spreading all over again. The flimsy towel, which had mostly come undone, did nothing to hide how turned on he was right now. The rigid length peeked through the towel, and Sasuke, with pink dots accumulating on his face, was grinding down as if he could help himself, biting down on his own lip to stop any more noise. His super thin, cotton pants allowed for better movement, Naruto's cock stretching the material and wedging between-
He hissed, sharp. He wanted to, he wanted to, he really, really wanted to fuck Sasuke. In every way possible. To defile his body so that his touch was burned into him and he was ruined for anyone else. Desire boiled up, and he bit at Sasuke's shoulder from where his top had slipped down. To stop himself from asking for something he wasn't even sure Sasuke wanted.
"Naruto." Breathy, soft, and sinful in its ability to render Naruto to his whims.
"Hm?" He hummed, sharp canines grazing pale skin and fingers digging into his hips as they both lightly gyrated their hips, both determined to drive the other mad. Sasuke pressed closer, and he could feel his heartbeat matching Naruto's in speed, almost as if they were racing one another.
Sasuke ground down harder, burying his face in Naruto's neck as his knees pressed into Naruto's sides and his arms tightened around his neck, his erection pressed into Naruto's stomach. Hard and twitching.
"Do you want to…" His lips brushed Naruto's ear, lust dripping from them, making him shiver in response. His next words were something Naruto had not expected, despite how much he had been wanting it. Craving it. Dreaming about it for so long that the reality of getting closer to it felt like a fever dream. Every hot tingle, another string snapped from the rope that held his control together.
"Yeah?" He urged lowly between each grind, realizing Sasuke had not finished his sentence but instead was breathing hot air in the nook of his neck while Naruto was resisting the urge to bite him again.
A tremble, and Sasuke sat back, his own hands still pulling Sasuke so could grind his cock up, into the cleft of his ass.
"Do you want to…" His face was bright red, and through the hazy pleasure, it almost seemed as if Sasuke was nervous. He was on high alert, anticipation curling hotly in his gut, all the eye contact making that sugar feeling drip down his spine again."…fuck me?"