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Bright green leaves rustled in the breeze overhead, and sunlight filtered through the canopy to create a dappled light on the forest floor. Team Seven was returning from a mission, leaping from branch to branch.
"I'll race you to that giant boulder up there, Sasuke!" Naruto yelled, pointing to a small mountain in the distance.
Sasuke groaned in annoyance. "Not everyone has as much energy as you, dobe,"
"Hah, that just means I'm better than you!" Naruto sped forward, only turning around briefly to stick his tongue out at Sasuke.
As much as Sasuke hated to admit it, Naruto always knew the right thing to say to spur him on, and before he knew it, he was speeding up until he was head to head with Naruto.
"Wait, Sasuke!" Sakura called out. "Weren't you injured before? You shouldn't be straining yourself—"
“I'm fine!" Sasuke didn't even spare her a glance.
The race continued, with both of them pushing and shoving each other out of their way in an attempt to knock the other off balance and get ahead.
"They are both so stupid," Sakura muttered under her breath, while Kakashi just sighed in exasperation.
When Sakura and Kakashi finally caught up to the two boys, they were sitting against the rock face, panting for air, and evidently had just been arguing over who won the race.
“It was me! I got here first!" Naruto was yelling.
“Shut up, I was a whole step ahead of you," Sasuke said, “just accept your defeat,"
"Was not!"
Bickering the whole time as they continued traveling, the sun eventually began to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows in the forest. The sound of crickets filled the warm air, and stars could be seen in the sky above.
“We're still half a day's journey from the village, so we’ll camp here for the night," Kakashi stopped by a mossy clearing in the trees and set his pack down by a fallen log.
The other three stopped as well, pulling out tents, and began to set up for the night. Naruto, however, was rifling through his pack desperately.
“Wait," Naruto was eyeing the other two, “I can't find my tent, I could've sworn I brought it with me but I was leaving so fast!"
Sasuke rolled his eyes and Sakura scoffed.
“And yet you were still late meeting us before the mission," Sasuke said dryly.
“Hey! Kakashi-sensei was late as well, it wasn't just me!" Naruto scowled. “Whatever, but now where am I gonna sleep?"
"The ground," Sasuke muttered.
"Hey!"
“Just share Sasuke's tent," Kakashi said lightly. “I'm sure he won't mind, right Sasuke?" Kakashi looked pointedly towards him.
“What! Absolutely no way, I didn't agree to that, why does it have to be mine?" Sasuke crossed his arms, glaring at Kakashi.
“Well, for one thing, it would be weird for him to share Sakura's, and even weirder for him to share mine." Kakashi offered. “Anyway, why don't you two go down to the river to wash up, and catch us some fish for dinner? I'm getting tired of rations and food pills,"
Grumbling about teachers being too lazy to catch their own damn fish, the two boys trudged towards the foreboding trees in the direction of the sound of flowing water. Undergrowth rustled as they passed by, and the air smelled of damp moss and wood.
“I can't believe I have to share a tent with you, of all people," Naruto complained.
“It’s all your fault for forgetting your tent, usuratonkachi,"
“Hey! It's not my fault that happened, it was an accident,"
Sasuke mumbled something under his breath, most likely an insult, before speeding up to get ahead.
“What did you just say!" Naruto ran to catch up, shoving against Sasuke angrily as he passed.
Naruto almost missed it because it was such a slight reaction, but he thought he saw Sasuke give a wince of pain before his face returned quickly back to a neutral expression.
Naruto squinted at him curiously for a moment, wondering if he was just imagining things.
“Are you hurt? You were banged up a bit during the mission now that I think of it, but you said—"
“I'm fine!" Sasuke snapped in annoyance, turning away from Naruto.
“Not with that reaction you're not! Let me take a look!"
“I told you already, I'm fine — hey! Get off of me!"
Naruto had lunged towards him, trying to examine his body for injuries.
After a few minutes of struggling and bickering, Naruto was finally able to rip Sasuke's shirt above his head, revealing a nasty-looking injury on his upper back. Naruto gasped at the sight and immediately ran for the river — which was now in sight — to soak a cloth so he could clean it.
“I'm fine, really. It's not as bad as it looks, and I can deal with it myself. I don't need your help, you're so dramatic!" Sasuke snapped. “Hey, what are you doing, idiot!"
Naruto had run back, and ignoring Sasuke's words, struggled with him to reach the cut with the soaked cloth.
“How were you planning on cleaning and bandaging this up, teme? You should've said something sooner! It's a difficult spot to reach on your own, just sit down and let me do it," Naruto huffed.
After some grumbling and protesting, Sasuke finally relented and sat down on a nearby log, letting Naruto set to work cleaning the blood and dirt from the wound from behind him. It actually wasn't nearly as deep as it looked — like Sasuke said — but Naruto still pulled out the small first aid kit he kept with him at all times.
“This is gonna sting a little," he warned, pausing for a moment before applying some antibacterial ointment all over the cut, gently rubbing it on his skin.
Sasuke’s heart fluttered as Naruto's hands glided softly down his back, and he was glad to be facing away from him so the blush on his face would go unnoticed. Naruto was so close he could even feel his warm breath against his skin, and Sasuke could think of nothing other than the feeling of Naruto's calloused hands on him.
“You’re lucky the cut didn't go too deep, it doesn't look that serious," Naruto stated, “I'm gonna bandage it up now,"
Sasuke nodded, a little flustered and not trusting himself to speak at the moment. He felt Naruto wrapping a bandage around his body, hands brushing against his chest briefly. When Naruto was finished, he stood and tossed Sasuke's shirt back to him from where it ended up and looked around at the dark forest.
“We'd better hurry up with catching those fish, Sasuke, or Kakashi-sensei will be wondering what's taking us so long,"
With a sigh, they both made their way towards the riverbank, trying to spot something in the dark and swirling water.
• • • • • •
The team sat around the fire eating roasted fish, courtesy of Naruto and Sasuke, and when they were finished and all cleaned up, Kakashi stood.
“I'll take the first watch, so you three should get some rest tonight. We’re going full speed ahead tomorrow so we can reach the village by noon." He announced.
“Right," Sakura said, before getting up to retreat to her tent.
Naruto begrudgingly walked with Sasuke to his tent, and it was only when they were both inside that they realized how cramped it was.
“Why can't your tent be bigger," Naruto complained, “I can barely even fit my futon next to yours,"
“Stop complaining, just be glad I'm not making you sleep outside," Sasuke retorted.
“Whatever, it's not like you could! Kakashi-sensei made you let me sleep in here, you can't get rid of me that easily!"
“This is my tent, I could kick you out at any time," Sasuke rolled his eyes.
“But you won't, stupid,"
“Whatever," With a huff, they both pointedly turned away from each other, but it didn't exactly mean anything since they were still laying right beside one another.
Sasuke sighed, pulling the blanket up to his chin. “You better not snore," he mumbled.
“Like I would!"
With that, Naruto fidgeted around for a moment to get comfortable, fell asleep almost instantly after closing his eyes, and immediately began to snore.
Pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance, Sasuke let out a sigh.
• • • • • • •
Naruto's hands were trembling, dripping with blood — Sasuke's blood. It was everywhere; spattered across his face, pooling beneath Sasuke's body, and trickling onto the ground. Naruto couldn't breathe, his chest was constricted and his lungs refused to work.
No one could live after losing that much blood , he thought. Not even Sasuke.
Naruto tried calling Sasuke's name, but it died in his throat. There was no air in his lungs, and he felt cold with panic and despair and hopelessness . He kept trying to yell for Sasuke, for him to open his eyes, to just hold on for a little longer, that he would be ok.
He is going to die, and I can't do a thing to help. This is all my fault, I'm going to lose my only—
“Naruto, NARUTO!"
Naruto shot bolt upright, shivering all over and gasping for air.
“You kept calling my name and thrashing around — hey, are you alright? You look awful,"
Naruto could barely comprehend the voice that was speaking to him; all he could feel was the phantom sensation of blood dripping down his hands and the constricting darkness and walls surrounding him. He struggled for air, chest heaving as he gasped.
“Can't b-breath—" Naruto let out a strangled whisper, clutching at his throat. His surroundings swayed before him, and he felt very light-headed.
“Hey, hey. You're safe here with me, breath." Sasuke said gently, taking Naruto's trembling hands in his own and bringing them up to his chest. “Breathe with me."
Sasuke inhaled and exhaled slowly and deeply, letting Naruto feel the rise and fall of his chest.
“We’re both safe, Kakashi-sensei is out there keeping watch and he would never let any enemies hurt us,"
After a few shaky breaths, Naruto finally began to calm down enough to speak and he looked up to meet Sasuke's eyes.
"Y-you were covered in blood, Sasuke, you were bleeding out and there was nothing I could do to help, I tried calling your name but nothing came out, I was trying but I couldn’t breath —" Naruto's voice rose in panic, and he gripped Sasuke's hands tightly, almost painfully, in his own.
“I'm alright now, you don't have to worry. I won't leave you, Naruto." Sasuke said, gazing steadily in his eyes, stroking his hands soothingly with his thumbs. “I was injured before during the fight, but it wasn't that serious and you bandaged me up, remember?"
Naruto let his gaze fall to their hands, before shakily nodding.
“Yeah, you're right," he said quietly.
They stayed like that for a few minutes; Naruto slowly calmed down and his breathing evened out.
Sure that Naruto was feeling better, Sasuke tried removing his hands from Naruto's grip, only for him to quickly lean closer and clutch his shirt tightly, almost desperately.
“Wait," Naruto mumbled, “don't leave yet."
“O-oh," Sasuke said, a little surprised. “Of course, Naruto." He carefully detached a hand and wrapped his arm around Naruto's back, rubbing him comfortingly and pulling him closer.
Naruto smiled at that, before letting out a giant yawn.
“It's late," Sasuke murmured, “let's get back to sleep."
Naruto nodded in agreement, resting his head against Sasuke's chest as they both laid down on Sasuke's futon. Their legs intertwined and Naruto's breath fanned softly on the crook of Sasuke's neck as he pulled the blanket over the both of them.
Naruto felt warm and safe in Sasuke's arms, and he inhaled his scent deeply while absentmindedly running his fingers through his silky hair.
Naruto fell asleep feeling more peaceful than he had felt for a very long time, and no more nightmares bothered him that night.
Once his breathing evened out and Sasuke was sure Naruto was asleep, he pressed a soft kiss to his forehead and held him even tighter, before allowing himself to drift off to sleep as well.
End.