Work Text:
"I'll keep you safe in these arms tonight"
"Hold onto me"
Sasuke and Naruto have been inseparable since they were children.
Since the day they met back in kindergarten, when Sasuke was being hounded by all the other kids to be their friend and was one step away from snapping at them all when he finally noticed the small blond sitting in the corner all alone.
He had walked up to him, ignoring all the kids around him, and asked why he was sitting by himself. When he answered that it was because no one wanted to play with him, Sasuke suddenly felt some sort of irrational anger.
After all, all the kids were bothering him to play with them, so why weren't they doing the same to the blond boy? It just wasn't fair!
So he held out his hand and asked for his name, and when Naruto took it their fate and friendship was sealed.
To this day, Sasuke still can't explain the compulsion he felt back then. He was just so drawn to Naruto.
After that day, they were rarely seen apart. They were always playing and bickering and laughing together.
One day when Sasuke's mother came to pick him up she noticed the huge smile on her son's face. When asked about it an extremely excited Sasuke began to enthusiastically tell her about his best friend. He had called Naruto over and the blond all but slammed into his side, pressing his cheek against his and wrapping his arms around him.
Mikoto was awestruck by the sight. Sasuke wasn't exactly a touchy child, always acting like he was more grown up than he actually was. But around Naruto he was different, he was much more relaxed and content around the passionate blond.
This became especially obvious once their parents met each other and started setting up playdates for the two boys. Both pairs of parents watched as their sons played and bickered with these huge, beaming smiles on their faces. Despite how different they all were, the boys and their parents, none could deny the connection their sons had.
Not that anyone bothered to tear them apart, unless you wanted an upset five-year old on your hands. Separating them and telling them it was time to go home was always the toughest part and the only consolation they could give them was the promise of seeing their best friend the next day.
It wasn't until one particular day, when Naruto and his parents were visiting Sasuke's house, that the extent of their connection was made clear for all to see.
Minato and Fukaku were outside on the deck having a beer, which left Kushina and Mikoto inside in the sitting room, sharing stories over wine. The boys were playing upstairs and after a while both mothers began to realize how quiet it had gotten. Growing mildly concerned, they went up to Sasuke's room to check on them only to gasp at the sweet sight they were met with.
There, on Sasuke's bed, was Naruto curled up in Sasuke's arms. Both were sleeping soundly and Naruto had his face buried in Sasuke's chest, tucked underneath his chin.
Both mothers awed and cooed at the sleeping pair and tiptoed out of the room after snapping a couple of pictures. After that, the boys could always be found that way, curled up in each other in a protective cocoon.
The habit has stuck with them ever since. One would think they would grow out of it once they got older, that they would claim they were too mature for the act, but no one has ever seen a bond like Sasuke and Naruto's before.
~~~
Now both boys are in high school and are much less capable of being separated than they were as children. When they started getting older they started sleeping over at each other's houses, finding every excuse imaginable to stay together a little longer.
All their friends teased them for it, calling them 'The Inseparable Duo' and always pointing out that where one is the other is surely close by. They never argued against it though because they couldn't deny how true it was.
But no one poked more fun at them for it than Sakura did.
She would isolate one of them constantly just to watch them squirm from the urgent need to go find the other, as if just five minutes apart would cause them to go through some sort of withdrawal. It made her laugh every time, mainly because she could see their bond for what it truly was, not that either of them would ever admit it.
She would always follow them with her eyes as one half of the pair sought out their other half. The look of pure relief and calm that would wash over them when they found each other would always make her roll her eyes with a smile. They were just so obvious and that they hadn't figured it out yet was actually infuriating.
Currently, both boys are sitting in Naruto's room after having finished their homework. Sasuke's reading his newest novel as Naruto's eyes are beginning to feel heavy. He lets out a loud yawn, stretching his body across his bed and starts getting comfortable.
"Sasuke, I'm gonna take a nap." He mumbles.
"Hn." Sasuke glances over at him. "Want me to wake you up before dinner?"
"Pleeease?" Naruto replies appreciatively as he curls up next to him. Sasuke chuckles at him as he resumes his reading. After a moment of quiet Naruto starts pawing at Sasuke's side. "Sasukeeee!"
He sighs through his nose. He knew this was coming. "Go to sleep."
Naruto whines, pawing at him harder. "C'mere!"
"I'm trying to read here, Naruto."
Honestly, Naruto doesn't even know why Sasuke even bothers trying to put up this front anymore. When they started reaching their adolescence Sasuke began trying to act like they were too old to cuddle anymore. Which was stupid because who the hell was ever too old for cuddling?
Nowadays, Naruto has to beg Sasuke so they can cuddle, much like he is now.
"Pleeeease? It helps me go to sleep faster." Which was true, actually. Naruto always slept the best when he was curled up in Sasuke's arms.
There were tons of reasons why; his warmth, his scent, his voice as he soothes to sleep.
One night, Naruto snuck his way over to Sasuke's house after he had a nightmare. After calling him to let him know he was on the way, he climbed his way up to his bedroom window where his best friend was waiting for him. Usually, Sasuke would be annoyed at having his sleep interrupted, but hearing the distress in Naruto's voice was enough to dispel any irritation.
After calming him down, Sasuke led Naruto to his bed where he let the upset blond curl into him and held him tight. Sasuke soothed the rattled blond gently, slowly easing him to sleep. They absolutely got in trouble for it afterwards and got scolded by their parents, but it was all worth it in the end.
Sasuke made the mistake of glancing at his best friend and sees the puppy dog eyes and pout on his face. He groans.
"Sasuke." Naruto begs again, looking at him with those eyes.
Sasuke could try all he wanted to pretend he was too good for cuddling, but Naruto knew it was all just a facade to cover up how embarrassed it made him now, not that he understood why.
Sasuke closed his book and smacked the top of Naruto's head with it. "Fine! Move over."
"Yay!" Naruto scooted back to give Sasuke some space. Sasuke laid down next to him and turned his body to face him and opened his arms up. Naruto instantly slipped into his embrace and curled around him like he always does. He took a deep breath, inhaling his best friend's relaxing scent and sighed happily.
"Thank you." He whispered.
"Hn." Sasuke was grateful Naruto couldn't see his soft smile. It wasn't long until the blonde drifted off into sleep in his arms. Sasuke dipped his nose into the thick golden locks and took a deep breath. He felt himself instantly relax as he felt the steady rise and fall of Naruto's chest against his own.
Truth was, Sasuke only fought Naruto against cuddling as much as he did because he wasn't sure how much longer he could hold himself back anymore. It was getting harder and harder everyday to hold his feelings in and cuddling and holding his other half wasn't helping matters at all.
Sasuke finally came to terms with his feelings back when Naruto snuck over after having a nightmare where Sasuke abandoned the blond and left him behind. He thought the nightmare was absurd, as if he would ever do anything like that to his best friend.
He and Naruto were two halves of a whole and without the other they would be incomplete. It would feel wrong . They would feel wrong.
Since Sasuke wasn't really tired, he just kept watch over his best friend. He played with his hair, scratched his scalp softly, and gave his back light caresses. In his sleep, Naruto slid his leg in between Sasuke's, subconsciously sinking in further to be closer to his safe space.
Because that's what they were to each other, what they always were, their safe spaces.
Sasuke pressed a soft kiss to the top of Naruto's head. "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere." He whispered as he nuzzled Naruto's forehead with the tip of his nose.
It was quiet for a moment until he heard a sleepy mumble. "Promise?"
Sasuke jolted slightly at the sound of Naruto's voice, but instantly softened as he melded himself against him.
"Promise."