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They only make it on time because of Sasuke. Which has been true countless times through their life, and thankfully, is true once again. Despite waking up late, Naruto misplacing their tickets, and Sasuke realizing the car was nearly out of gas, the couple walks onto the deck of their cruise hand in hand and smiling.
“Thank goodness,” Naruto sighs, the rigid line of his spine relaxing now that they’re successfully on board. “I didn’t think we were going to make it.” He throws a glance over his shoulder as the gangway withdraws from the pier.
Sasuke snorts next to him, wrinkled face scrunching slightly in displeasure. The action slides his glasses down his nose. “Thank goodness, or thank me for finding the tickets in time. Really, Naru, why would you put them in one of the cookbooks?” Thin fingers push his glasses back into place.
The other man grimaces, a blush washing over his cheeks. It highlights a small olive spot and Sasuke leans down to kiss the mark affectionately. Naruto’s sour expression softens at the gesture, but blue eyes still narrow petulantly.
“I told you. I was making dinner and needed a bookmark. I figured I’d either remember where I put them or remember to move them, ya know?” His voice starts out defensive, but trails off into an embarrassed mumble, blush darkening. Naruto has always been the scatterbrain. On more than one occasion, Sasuke was the one finding his textbooks in college or passing him the car keys he can’t find when he’s running late for work. In the past, the once-blonde had a system that usually worked, but with time and age, Naruto has only become more scattered.
Luckily, Sasuke is here to help pull him together. The light grey haired man, dark eyes soft with fondness, leans to kiss Naruto gently. It’s a lingering kiss, neither wanting to pull away. One of Naru’s knotted, wrinkled hands curls around the back of Sasuke’s neck, pulling him closer. Sasuke arm snakes around Naruto’s waist, grip tight but gentle. The loud call of the ship’s horn startles them both and they chuckle quietly when they jump away from each other. Reaching out a calloused, wrinkled hand, Sasuke takes Naruto’s and starts to pull him deeper onto the ship. Naruto stumbles slightly, leaning heavily on his cane, before getting his footing and following.
“Let’s go find our room,” the Uchiha murmurs, bending slightly to speak close to Naru’s ear. “Drop our bags and get a drink.”
Naruto nods, blue eyes shining with excitement. While the rest of him has aged and wrinkled and sagged, Naruto’s eyes have never changed. They’re still vibrant, clear skies. Full of life and love and wonder. Sasuke could look into them forever, drown in their waters and never come up for air. Almost sixty years together and Sasuke’s not sure he’ll ever get enough. Deep smile lines crease and fold as Naruto’s lips stretch into the soft, lopsided, adoring grin. The one he’s always reserved for Sasuke alone.
Raising his hand, Sasuke cups his husband's cheek and leans down to kiss him again. Naruto’s smile stretches against Sasuke’s lips before the shorter man presses back firmly. Naruto pulls away first, starry eyed and glowing.
“C’mon, old bastard. I wanna go to the arcade,” he says impatiently, taking the lead now and heading toward the door which leads to the cabin rooms. Sasuke keeps pace easily, rolling his eyes and scoffing as his husband tugs him along.
“When will you admit that we’re too old for the arcade?” he asks in a flat tone, sounding fondly exasperated. For their entire relationship, Naruto has been dragging Sasuke into any arcade they happen across. Challenging the Uchiha to game after game, insisting Sasuke watch him fail to get anything from the claw machines, and ending each trip with a silly prize from the tickets they’d won. Sasuke loves it, has always loved it, but being ripe in age, he wonders if they aren’t a bit too old from the flashing lights and screeching cabinet games.
Naruto looks over his shoulder, sapphire eyes bright with mischief and flaring with determination. A wicked little smile spreads over his lips. Playful and youthful, just as radiant as ever.
“Never.”
---
The sky is a sea of stars. Wave after wave of them fill and spill from the sky, gleaming bright against the coal backdrop. The lights on the ship are dim, minimizing the light pollution as much as possible. Light jazz plays over the ship speakers, the smooth tones of a saxophone whispering through the air.
Naruto sighs blissfully, sinking against Sasuke’s side. The couple are curled together on the bow of the boat, sitting on a bench built into the deck. They smuggled a blanket from their room, wrapping it around their shoulders and snuggling into each other. Naruto rested his head on Sasuke’s shoulder, Sasuke laid his head on Naruto’s hair. Occasionally, he shifts to press kisses into once-blonde hair, pulling a giggle from his husband every time.
“So, why Alaska?” Naruto asks, taking a sip of champagne from their room. A silly straw, in Naruto’s favorite shade of orange, pokes out of the drink. His prize from their arcade adventure. The bubbles tingle on his tongue and he hums appreciatively. Sasuke mimics him, taking a deep drink, through his own blue swirly straw, before turning his eyes to the sky. A soft smile lifts his lips.
“Juugo suggested it. He spoke very highly of the hiking options. I thought you might like a bit of a challenge. A change of scenery,” Sasuke explains quietly, resting his cheek on soft, thin hair. The arm wrapped around Naruto’s waist squeezes gently, a comforting action.
Naruto sighs softly, a sad sound.
It hadn’t been an easy year. Eleven months and six days ago, the couple had gotten earth shattering news. After many months of agonizing and avoiding the tell tale signs, Naruto went to the doctor. After explaining that it started with forgetting how to get home from the grocery store and not knowing what year it was, the doctor had him tested and ultimately diagnosed Naruto with Alzheimer’s.
Despite reassurance from the doctor that he was in the early to middle stages, even though there were handfuls of treatment options and support groups and resources, Naruto initially took the news very hard.
He held it together until they made it home. The car ride was silent. Just Naruto with clenched fists and blank eyes staring out the windshield, while Sasuke stole glances at him from the corner of his eye, dark eyes concerned and mouth pinched. Sasuke wanted to say something, anything to fix this. There's nothing to stay and the car is silent.
“I don’t want to forget you,' Naruto cried, as soon as they got home. Crumbled on the floor in the entryway, trembling hard and whimpering into his palms. Sasuke sinks to the floor and draws his husband close, murmuring sweet nothings and reassurances close to his ear. Slightly out of character for him but Sasuke knows it soothed Naruto.
“Even if you do, you’ll never be without me,” Sasuke promises, ignoring the burn in his eyes and the ache in his heart.
Sasuke started planning this trip that night. Seeing how devastated and scared Naruto was, knowing that the road ahead would be full of challenges and tears, Sasuke wanted to have something for them to look forward to together. Their whole life together had been one adventure after another; Sasuke didn’t want Naruto to think his diagnosis changed that.
Now, sitting under the stars with his beloved husband curled tightly into his side, Sasuke is content down to his old bones. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t also crushed by the diagnosis. It’s no secret that the couple are up there in years, having celebrated their 80th birthdays together in recent months, but Sasuke wishes they could hide from the inevitable. Wishes they could stay together like this forever, never forgetting or fading or dying.
“Whatcha thinking about so hard?” Naruto asks in a quiet grumble, sounding sleepy. Sasuke grins against his hair, pressing an affectionate kiss to Naruto’s temple. Naruto has always been able to tell when Sasuke starts to get swallowed by his thoughts. Even with scattered thoughts and fading memories, Naruto remains attuned to Sasuke. Always.
Instead of answering, Sasuke kisses Naruto lovingly on the lips. Naruto hums, surprised and appreciative, as he presses back into the kiss. Feeling a little bit drunk and a little bit frisky, Naruto sets his glass aside so he can run his hands over Sasuke’s chest and down his stomach, intentions clear. Sasuke chuckles against his lips, pulling away to kiss along a wrinkled cheek to the joint of Naruto’s jaw, close to his ear.
“Let's go back to our room,” Sasuke suggests in a low whisper, one hand resting on Naruto’s thigh with a thumb rubbing in slow circles. Naruto nods quickly, blue eyes starry and cheeks flushed. The shorter man shuffles to stand, reaching for his cane with one hand and glass with the other. Sasuke scoops up the glass before Naruto can, smiling innocently at Naruto’s pointed glare.
“You know I can carry it myself, bastard,” Naruto huffs, putting his free hand on his hip sassily with a sharp, annoyed tap of his cane. Sasuke bites back laughter, knowing that his adorable husband will only get more upset if Sasuke mentions how cute he looks right now, pouting and puffing out his saggy cheeks.
“Am I wrong for helping my husband? Most people would say ‘thank you’,” Sasuke retorts. Naruto scoffs and rolls his eyes. Snatching their blanket before Sasuke tries to grab that too, Naruto turns on his heel and starts to shuffle to their cabin. Sasuke chuckles quietly when he’s sure Naruto won’t hear and moves to catch up with his beloved. When they’re walking side by side, Sasuke kisses Naruto’s cheek and annoyed blue eyes melt fondly.
“I forgot to ask, where are we going?” Naruto asks once they cross the threshold into their room. Sasuke flinches and freezes, hands hovering over the table to set down their drinks. Dark eyes slide closed and Sasuke takes a deep, calming breath to fight back the tears stinging his eyes. This wasn’t the first time, this wouldn’t be the last. It never stopped hurting though. Sasuke sets their glasses down with slightly trembling hands.
When he turns to Naruto, he’s smiling gently and his eyes are sad, but dry.
---
“Do you want to take a rest?” Sasuke asks softly, watching sympathetically as Naruto huffs and puffs for air. A calloused hand runs over Naruto’s back soothingly, patting between his shoulders down and then. Naruto shakes his head, thin grey hair sticking to his sweaty forehead.
“Water!” Naruto croaks, holding out a hand to take the bottle from Sasuke. After a deep drink and a deeper breath, Naruto straightens from his hunch. Sapphire eyes burn with determination and wrinkled lips stretch into a confident smile.
“No, we’re almost there. I can do it,” he says firmly, squaring his shoulders and continuing up the trail. Sasuke is frozen for a moment, marveling at Naruto’s strength. A resilience that’s surprised and astonished him for their whole lives. His husband has never let anything slow him down, not even age and disease. Smiling a small and warm smile, Sasuke catches up to his husband and takes his empty hand tightly.
After another ten minutes at a slow pace while chatting idly, the trees in front of the couple start to thin. Muted sunlight filters through the gaps in the branches and the spaces between the leaves, speckling the ground with dots of light.
Stepping through the foliage, the couple gasps in unison. The trail hadn’t taken them very high in elevation, only gaining them about seven hundred feet in height. It’s enough to give them a gorgeous view of a small valley. A creek cuts a line through the land, a stripe of blue among the deep layers of greens, yellows, and oranges. Mountains stand, tall and proud and cut from purple stone, in the distant edges of the horizon. Capped while with snow.
“Oh wow,” Naruto whispers, blown away by the view before him. Shuffling forward, Naruto can’t help but laugh. “Can you believe this, Sasuke?” He stops when he reaches the safety railing at the edge of the little cliff the trail ends at, resting his cane against a moss covered post.
Sasuke doesn’t answer. Adjusting his glasses, he tries to memorize Naruto at this moment. Glowing in the morning sunlight, wide eyes sparkling with joy and sagging face free of pain or confusion. Emotions that so often twist Naruto’s features recently. Sasuke is reminded of when they were young, carefree, ready to take on the world.
“Bastard, did you hear me? Hurry up and come see!” Naruto says impatiently, turning to Sasuke with a wide smile. The kind of smile that punches Sasuke, steals the breath from his lungs and the words from his lips. The smile Sasuke fell in love with, the smile Sasuke is constantly falling in love with.
“Hey, earth to bastard, are you in there?” Naruto teases with a giggle, retrieving his cane to hobble back toward his husband. Sasuke watches his approach, still awestruck at the sparkling in those ocean eyes, until Naruto is directly in front of him.
Before Naruto can tease anymore, Sasuke pulls him in for a tight hug. The kind of clinging hug that heals as much as it hurts. Long, thin fingers dig into Naruto’s wrinkles and creases hard enough to bruise. Desperate and loving and tender despite the grip. Naruto folds into the embrace, not caring when his cane falls to the ground or that Sasuke is pinching him slightly.
“Hey,” Naruto murmurs against Sasuke’s chest, feeling his husband’s heart hammer hard against his cheek. “What’s up?” His hands smooth over Sasuke’s back, rubbing in soothing circles. Sasuke’s breath stutters out of him as a sigh; it tickles Naruto’s neck.
“I just want to remember this,” Sasuke admits in a whisper, kissing Naruto’s ear before easing away. Naruto lets go easily, chin tipped up and blue eyes searching Sasuke’s face intently. The Uchiha shifts to cradle Naruto’s face delicately, as if he’s precious and fragile. Dark eyes meet sapphire blue and Naruto’s breath hitches in his throat. Deep, unfathomable seas of love and despair stare back at him, threatening to swallow them both whole.
“Sasuke,” Naruto whispers sweetly, face melting into a fond patience and age old love. “Everything’s okay, bastard. It’s okay.” Leaning up, he kisses his husband’s cheeks. Raising a hand, he caresses Sasuke’s cheek with a thumb and smiles comfortingly.
Sasuke doesn’t respond, caught up in the conflicting waves of happiness and hopelessness. He searches blue eyes, finding solace in Naruto’s unwavering love and warmth. The solace he’s always found in Naruto, it’s essence etched into Sasuke’s heart and sunken in his creaking bones. Slowly, he nods against the hand on his cheek. Thin lips pull into a small grin, one that grows a little bit more when Naruto beams at him.
“Now come look!” Naruto says excitedly, bouncing slightly and dropping his hand to step out of Sasuke’s space. The Uchiha leans down to retrieve his husband’s cane, handing it to the excited man with a fond roll of the eyes. Naruto accepts it with a little poke of his tongue out his lips and turns to walk back up the trail. Sasuke follows after him, perhaps a little frantically when it feels like Naruto gets too far away.
Standing at the railing, looking out over the lush valley, Sasuke sighs appreciatively. While he loves all the trips they’ve taken, the ones that bring them into nature have always been Sasuke’s favorite. The serene quiet, the solitude, the raw beauty that only nature embodies. Not to mention every little excited gasp and awestruck smile and starry eyed look Naruto gave each time. Pointing out every pretty flower and weird bug and strange fungus. In their younger years, climbing every stump and log and small cliff they happened across. Fond memories, spread out over years and years, settle the frantic hammering of Sasuke’s heart.
Naruto is right, the elderly Uchiha thinks, turning to admire Naruto’s bright eyes and wide smile. The way his dimples have disappeared among the folds and wrinkles. The way olive spots pepper his cheeks. The way he looks just as beautiful now as the day they got married, the day Sasuke finally asked him out, the day Naruto introduced himself in their first year chemistry class. So much has changed through their life together, but Naruto has always been constant. Always at Sasuke’s side, always smiling, always calling him “bastard” just like the first day they spoke.
Naruto turns then, seeming to sense Sasuke’s stare. The warm glow of the sun brightens sapphire eyes, making them shine and sparkle. His mouth is pulled into a smile, the kind that shows off the deeply carved laugh lines in the corners of his lips and edges of his eyes. Naruto looks happy, content, delighted. Sasuke feels himself fall more in love.
Before the once-blonde can speak, Sasuke leans down to kiss him. Soundly on the lips, pressing hard and wrapping tight arms around the smaller man. Naruto hums in the back of his throat, a surprised sound, but doesn’t complain. He presses back, gnarled hands sliding around Sasuke’s bony hips to squeeze tightly. One of Sasuke’s hands drifts to run through soft, thin hair and curls under Naruto’s ear. Sasuke feels Naruto’s nails dig into his jacket, clinging to the Uchiha as Naruto pushes up onto his tiptoes to kiss Sasuke more fiercely.
The couple separates with a pair of gasps. Their breath mingles between them, each panting lightly as they try to slow their galloping hearts. Naruto eases off his tip toes, blue eyes glossy and starry. A thin, grey brow raises on his forehead, a silent question for his husband. Sasuke just stares, panting, memorizing this moment. Making sure he doesn't miss any details.
“I just love you,” Sasuke blurts out, closing his eyes and ensuring he has this image trapped in his brain forever. “I love you.”
When dark eyes slide open, Naruto is red cheeked and smiling sweetly. Fat tears gather in ocean eyes and spill down Naruto’s cheeks. A shaky hand raises to Sasuke’s own wrinkled cheek. Naruto caresses it gently, running his thumb over the arch of Sasuke’s cheek affectionately.
“I love you too, bastard Sasuke.”
Sasuke chuckles, closes his eyes again to soak in this moment, and turns his head to kiss Naruto’s wrinkled palm. Naruto smiles at the gesture and pulls his hand back. With gentle insistence, he pulls Sasuke in for a hug, pressing his face to his husband's shoulder. Sasuke obliges the silent request, hugging Naruto tightly and kissing his head.
The pair stand at the trail end for a long time. As the sun rises through the sky and warms the air around them, both close their eyes and try to commit this moment to memory. A quiet, warm moment of solace together where it's only the two of them. Each thankful for this and the millions of other moments where it's just the two of them in the world.
For my bones shall always remember
The weight of you against them
My skin
The warmth of your touch
My heart
The joy of your love
And when we are strangers once more
Meeting for the first time
I shall fall in love again
And again
And
Again.