Chapter Text
The first thing Sasuke does when he wakes up is check to make sure the bond is intact.
He should know better. It’s not as if it’s going to vanish overnight unless Naruto chooses to break it, and Naruto wouldn’t, so there’s no reason for Sasuke to worry.
And yet he checks. And yet he worries.
It’s hard not to when his soulmate is on the other side of the world.
It’s hard not to when he doesn’t know how Naruto’s doing from day to day, not really. He always says he’s fine, even when Sasuke knows it isn’t true, and Sasuke…
Worries.
Worries about the lies, about how deep they go, about the distance.
About what happens if he wakes up one morning and can’t feel that invisible tether tying him to the person he loves most half a world away.
About who Sasuke is if he doesn’t have Naruto holding him down – if he’ll come loose and float until he pops, unmoored and purposeless and –
This isn’t helpful. Sasuke groans and rubs at his eyes, sitting up slowly before checking his phone.
One text. From Naruto. A good night followed by a heart.
So he’s safe, then.
He’s safe.
Sasuke counts out his breaths to ten before he braves the day.
It doesn’t help.
He texts Naruto a couple of times throughout his day, like Naruto always tries to do with him. They’re all nonsense, ridiculous things about what the job looks like today, what progress they’ve made, how Itachi pissed him off.
It’s all there. Tiny little pieces of Sasuke’s life that are stretched thin and feel meaningless in face of the void of his best friend, and still, he tries, because it was supposed to be okay, but –
It isn’t.
Sasuke doesn’t know what to do.
His family needs him here. Sasuke’s agreed to it – Naruto’s agreed to it, and yet.
Sasuke knows things aren’t right. He knows Naruto’s overworking himself. He knows he’s pushing too hard and not eating or sleeping enough and that when he does eat, he doesn’t eat right because he never eats right if Sasuke’s not there, and –
And if he is, if he’s really okay, then he doesn’t need Sasuke at all.
And Sasuke knows that’s fucked up. He does. He understands that they are – that they’ve always been dangerously codependent, but knowing it is one thing and changing it is another.
He thought when he left that leaving would change it, but instead, Sasuke wakes up with panic in his chest and fear in his heart, and the texts barely soothe it at all.
The phone rings and he answers it without thinking because he should hear from Naruto, soon, if he’s lucky – “Hello?”
“Little brother,” Itachi says in that tone that says I know, and Sasuke’s heart breaks.
He doesn’t hear himself cry so much as he feels it, the wetness on his face and the shaking of his shoulders, and Itachi saying, “Sasuke,” in that same tone until the words pour from him like a dam’s been broken.
“I can’t do this,” he tells his brother. “I can’t be what you and father want me to be, and I can’t be what Naruto needs, and I –”
“Sasuke, the only thing you need to be is what you need,” Itachi says. “I’ll handle father. You only ever need to be my little brother for me. And Naruto just wants you to be happy.”
“Pretty sure he doesn’t want me in a twelve-hour-different time zone,” Sasuke points out, rubbing at his eyes. “What do you mean, you’ll handle father?”
“I mean that I’m booking you a plane ticket. Go home. See your soulmate. Get your head on straight. Then call me. And we will go from there.”
“Itachi –”
“Are you really going to argue with me right now?”
Sasuke’s shoulders sag. “…No.”
“Good decision given that you would have lost. I’ll be over in an hour to take you to the airport, Sasuke.”
“Okay.” Sasuke pinches the bridge of his nose, trying to ground himself. “I’m sorry.”
“Your apology will only be necessary if you do not use this trip to work it out, little brother. See you soon.”
The call disconnects, and Sasuke takes ten seconds to stare at the phone and breathe before he starts throwing his things into a suitcase. It’s the worst packing job he’s ever done, but he doesn’t care. He’s going home. He gets to see –
Naruto.
Sasuke fumbles for his phone again and dials. He knows it’s early, so early that Naruto won’t be up, but he can’t just – he can’t just rely on Naruto always wanting to see him, soulmate or not, so –
Naruto’s voice picks up with a sleepy grumble that’s more noise than words, and Sasuke’s heartbeat eases. “Naruto,” he murmurs. “I’m sorry to wake you.”
“Wh – time? Sas – you –” There’s a rustle and a shift on the line. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?”
“No, but…” Sasuke steels himself. “I’m coming home. Is that okay?”
“Sasuke,” Naruto whispers. “You’re – really? When?”
Sasuke’s stomach ties itself in knots at the non-answer. “My flight leaves tonight.”
“To – today?! Of course it’s fucking okay, you idiot – it’s always okay! I have to – shit I have so much to do, Sasuke –”
Sasuke laughs out of sheer relief. “Like what? I thought you were keeping the apartment clean?”
Silence. Then, “Uh –”
“Don’t bother,” Sasuke tells him. “Cleaning, I mean, or making excuses. I don’t care, Naruto. I just – I want to be home. With you.”
There’s a pause, and Sasuke’s whole body aches.
“I want that too,” Naruto says eventually. “But – Sasuke – we gotta talk about this when you get back, okay? You – you have to be able to live your life, and I gotta be able to live mine, too, so – we’re gonna have to figure out a way to be happy and apart sometimes.”
He knows. “I know.”
“But I think – I mean, for now, anyways – stay safe? And uh – text me your fight info so I can come get you, yeah?”
Sasuke smiles. “Yeah. I can do that.”
“Oh, and don’t forget, asshole – I love you.”
Sasuke feels tension he didn’t realize he was carrying leave his shoulders. “I love you too.”
Naruto quickly redirects the conversation, pulls them into safer water, until Itachi knocks on the door and Sasuke reluctantly hangs up.
The first thing his older brother says is, “Be careful,” and Sasuke wishes he didn’t understand.
“Soulmates are tricky,” Itachi reminds him, “and rare. And dangerous. I know you love him. I know he loves you. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have to be extremely careful.”
“I know. I’m working on it.”
“Good enough for now.”
It isn’t, but Sasuke gets on the plane anyways.
Soulmates are tricky because anyone who has one can’t love anyone else. It’s the one and only shot at love, and Sasuke’s terrified to screw it up – more for Naruto than himself.
And yet.
Giving it up has never been an option.
He gets on the plane, flies home, and gets ready to figure it out.