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It was the small things he noticed first.
Sasuke had never been the touchy type, but after their fight, after everything, he was the first to wake up in the infirmary, and he didn’t leave Naruto’s side for the three weeks it took him to open his eyes. When Naruto finally woke up, Sasuke was the first thing he saw. His hand was already resting on Naruto’s, warm and trembling slightly, tightening the moment their eyes met, like he couldn’t bear to let go.
A few weeks later, they ended up living together. Not that Sasuke really had a choice. It was either Naruto’s creaky one-room apartment or the streets. The village still hadn’t fully recovered from the war, and there weren’t many places left to stay. Naruto once brought up the Uchiha compound, untouched for years, but the moment the words left his mouth, he saw Sasuke’s face twist with something like pain. Naruto never mentioned it again. Instead, he just made sure Sasuke felt as comfortable as possible, letting him take up whatever space he needed in their tiny home.
After about a month, they settled into a quiet, domestic routine. Sasuke would always wake up first and make breakfast for the both of them. Then he’d fold up his futon laid out side by side with Naruto’s and tidy up a little while the apartment was still silent. About an hour later, Naruto would finally wake and eat the now room-temperature breakfast waiting on the table. Around that time, Sasuke would start getting ready to head out for his morning exercise, always pausing just long enough to let Naruto see him off.
It was something they never talked about but silently agreed on, especially after that one morning when Sasuke slipped out early to buy groceries without saying a word. Naruto had woken up alone and spiraled into a panic, and when Sasuke returned, he found him collapsed on the floor, barely conscious. Naruto didn’t need to explain. Sasuke just understood. And from that point on, he always made sure Naruto saw him leave.
After Sasuke left, Naruto would take care of the rest of the apartment, cleaning up, doing the dishes, and then heading out to the Hokage Tower to train with Kakashi. It was… fulfilling, in a quiet way. Kakashi was helping prepare him for the Chunin Exams. As his old teacher had said, “If you want to be Hokage, you’ve got to rise through the ranks like everybody else.”
Naruto didn’t really mind. He wasn’t in a rush to become Hokage, not right now at least. For the first time in a long while, he wanted to take things slow. He wanted to understand his own strength better, to explore his abilities without the weight of the world on his shoulders. And with Sasuke back in the village back with him and the people finally appreciating him, Naruto had found something that felt a lot like peace. A calm after the storm.
As for Sasuke, he ended up under Tsunade’s wing, an unexpected duo if there ever was one. Sasuke had approached her himself, asking to learn medical ninjutsu. Tsunade had rejected him outright at first, and not gently either. But Sasuke could be surprisingly persuasive when he wanted something. And he wanted this. When Naruto asked him why, Sasuke simply said it was his way of atoning. That healing people would help him more than fighting ever could. And somehow, that made sense. They had both found a kind of quiet peace in their new paths, each with a goal that didn’t revolve around destruction or proving something—just building, slowly, toward something better.
At the end of the day, Sasuke would pass by the Hokage Tower to pick Naruto up, usually with some take-out in hand. Most of the time, it was ramen. Sasuke always grumbled about how Naruto could eat it every single day, yet without fail, he’d show up with two steaming bowls. Naruto never called him out on it—just smiled.
They’d walk home in comfortable silence, their bodies tired from training, steps falling in sync. Then they’d settle at their small dining table, crack open their take-out, and talk about their day.
Naruto would usually go first, grumbling about how Kakashi was making him study scrolls and books like a proper shinobi now. Sasuke would smirk and tease, saying he didn’t even think Naruto could read. Naruto would glare and mutter, “You’re such an asshole.” And Sasuke would let out a quiet, quick chuckle, the kind of sound Naruto still wasn’t used to hearing from him but always welcomed.
Then Sasuke would talk about his own training, how Sakura had been helping him a lot lately. They’d been getting along well, and Sasuke admitted he appreciated spending time with her again. It surprised Naruto sometimes how open Sasuke was these days. Not just in his words, but in his presence. It felt like the walls between them were no longer built of stone, but something softer, easier to lean on.
After dinner, they’d clean up together. An unspoken rhythm forming between them. Naruto would hop into the shower first while Sasuke closed up for the night, putting away dishes and wiping down the table. Then they’d switch, Sasuke heading to the bathroom while Naruto rolled out their futons side by side on the floor.
When the lights went out, Naruto would lie on his back and be out in seconds. It never failed to amaze Sasuke how someone who had gone through so much could still sleep so soundly, so openly. So… defenseless.
Sasuke, on the other hand, still struggled. Some nights, sleep came slowly. Other nights, not at all. The darkness brought back memories he didn’t ask for, like shadows of the past that liked to linger. On those nights, he’d lie on his futon next to Naruto’s and listen. The quiet, steady sound of Naruto’s breathing, occasionally broken by soft snores, would ground him.
Some nights it helped. Some nights it didn’t. But he always listened because somehow, it made the dark feel a little less heavy.
And eventually, he’d close his eyes… and let the quiet swallow him whole.
“So, how is he these days?” Sakura asked casually, swirling her drink.
It was a typical Friday night out with the gang just winding down after a long week. Kiba, Shikamaru, Ino, Choji, and Sakura sat around a table at their usual spot, sharing drinks and laughs. Sasuke had, of course, refused to join them. “I don’t want to ruin the mood,” he had said, like always.
Naruto had protested, like always. “You wouldn’t ruin anything!” he’d argued. But as always, he lost that round. Still, he invited Sasuke every single time, even knowing the answer.
Naruto took a long gulp of his beer before answering. “He’s fine. Same as always.” He paused, then looked over at Sakura with a raised brow. “But don’t you two spend more time together these days?”
Sakura smiled into her glass. “Yeah, we do. But, you know, Sasuke's a man of very few words.” She let out a small laugh. “He’s been great, though. Really. He struggled a lot at the beginning, which makes sense. Medical ninjutsu isn’t exactly easy to get into, especially for someone with zero patience.”
The group chuckled softly, the mood light. Naruto smiled, but he felt a quiet warmth stir in his chest, not from the alcohol, but from the thought of Sasuke slowly, steadily rebuilding something of a life.
“Living with Naruto probably forced him to evolve his patience!” Kiba snorted. “I’ve seen your apartment, Naruto. It’s always a pigsty!”
Naruto shot him a glare, cheeks puffed out in an exaggerated pout. “ For your information, we’re doing just fine in my apartment! I clean up a lot! Ask Sasuke!”
“Of course you do,” Ino chimed in, smirking over the rim of her glass. “He’d probably kill you if you didn’t.”
That got everyone laughing again.
Naruto huffed, but a grin tugged at the corners of his lips. He wasn’t about to admit it, but yeah… Sasuke did have pretty high standards when it came to neatness. And Naruto had honestly started enjoying tidying up more. It felt good, turning a once-empty apartment into something that felt like home with someone.
“Hmmm, that cutesy smile on your face is telling us something’s going on,” Kiba said, leaning in with a grin.
Naruto’s eyes went wide, his face heating up instantly. “W-What?!”
“Come on! It’s kind of obvious. And honestly, it makes sense,” Ino added, flicking her hair as Sakura and Choji nodded in agreement.
Naruto blinked, flustered. “What do you mean it makes sense?!”
“I mean,” Ino said with a shrug, “it was bound to happen. You two, after everything, you’re together, right?”
“Wait, wait, wait! ” Naruto stood up abruptly, palms flat on the table. “What do you guys think our relationship is?!”
A silence fell over the group. They looked at each other, then back at him.
“You’re dating… aren’t you?” Sakura asked cautiously.
“ WHAT?! W-WHO—WHO GAVE YOU THAT IDEA?! ”
Now they all looked confused.
Shikamaru finally spoke up, brow furrowed as he began ticking points off on his fingers. “You’ve been living together. Sleeping in the same bed—”
“We have separate futons! ” Naruto interrupted, flailing slightly.
Shikamaru didn’t even blink. “He makes you breakfast. Prepares you a bath. Picks you up from work…” another beat as Shikamaru threw him a judging look.
“…and yet you’re telling us you’re just—what? Roommates? ” he finished, deadpan.
The table went quiet. Shikamaru’s words just… lingered. Naruto slowly sat back down, his face burning. Now that someone had actually said it out loud … yeah. It did sound kind of weird. “Come on, guys! You’re going to scare him off,” Sakura said, gently placing a hand on Naruto’s shoulder. Her smile was sweet, but also a little awkward. “They’re both idiots, remember? Just… let them be.”
“ How can I let it be now?! ” Naruto practically wailed. “ Now that all of you pointed it out?! ”
The table erupted into laughter again, while Naruto buried his face in his hands, muttering something about moving out and never speaking to anyone again.
He looked up again, trying to collect himself, and turned to Sakura with wide, confused eyes. “Are we… like… dating? Is that what’s happening? Why didn’t Sasuke tell me?! That bastard!”
Sakura let out a long sigh, shaking her head with a small, knowing smile. “That’s not how it works, Naruto.” She gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. “But… do you want to? Be dating him, I mean?”
Naruto blinked, stunned into silence for a second. The question sank in, heavier than he expected.
Do I want to?
What even was dating, anyway? Wasn’t it supposed to be about love? About being with someone you cared about—trusted, wanted to share your days with?
He’d had crushes before, sure. Especially on Sakura. For the longest time, he thought that’s what love was. But looking back now, he realized… he just wanted someone to care about him. A friend. A companion.
And Sasuke… Sasuke was that. His companion. His best friend. The one who waited for him to wake up. Who made him breakfast. Who showed up, every day.
He looked down at his drink, swirling the amber liquid in the glass.
“…He’s already kind of everything to me,” Naruto mumbled. Sakura’s expression softened, her voice gentle. “Then maybe it’s not about what you call it. Maybe it’s just about what you want it to be.”
There was a quiet, thoughtful pause.
“Which is to bone him every night with that Kurama chakra until you break his back, right?” Kiba chimed in, absolutely no filter as always.
A pair of chopsticks flew across the table and hit him square on the forehead.
“ KIBA!! ”
“OW—okay, okay! Damn!” Kiba rubbed his head, grinning like an idiot. “Bullseye though. I’m flattered.”
Naruto groaned and slumped forward, hiding his burning face in his arms. “I hate all of you.”
“You love us,” Ino sing-songed.
“And Sasuke,” Choji added with a mouthful of dumplings.
Naruto just groaned louder.
Shikamaru had Naruto slung over his shoulder, the blond completely unconscious and mumbling nonsense as they trudged toward his apartment. A few steps behind, Choji carried Kiba on his back, the guy totally out cold.
“What a drag…” Shikamaru muttered as the building finally came into view.
They climbed up four flights of stairs—each step heavier than the last—and eventually made it to Naruto’s front door.
“Hey, Naruto, where’s your keys?” Shikamaru asked, patting down Naruto’s pockets with minimal care. Nothing. Not even a jingle.
Naruto let out a muffled groan and vaguely pointed at the door.
“I know that’s your door,” Shikamaru sighed, already losing patience, “but we can’t get in if—”
Click.
The door opened on its own.
Standing there was Sasuke, looking half-awake in a loose yukata, dark hair tousled and sleep still lingering in his eyes. The soft lighting from the apartment framed him like some kind of effortlessly beautiful painting.
Shikamaru and Choji both blinked, momentarily stunned. They’d always known Sasuke was attractive, but usually the attitude canceled it out. Right now, though barefoot, sleepy, and vaguely annoyed, he was unfairly good-looking.
Sasuke squinted at them. “Is the dumbass drunk?”
Shikamaru blinked out of it and quickly handed Naruto over. Sasuke caught him with ease, one arm around Naruto’s waist like it was the most natural thing in the world.
“Uh… yeah,” Shikamaru said, scratching the back of his head. “Kiba and Naruto decided to have a drinking game. They forgot they’re both stupid.”
To his surprise, Sasuke let out a quiet chuckle, soft and low, like it only ever came out in the dead of night.
Naruto shifted then, nuzzling into the crook of Sasuke’s neck with a sleepy murmur that sounded suspiciously like “Mmm… 'suke smells nice…”
It was… a lot.
Too intimate. Too soft.
Shikamaru immediately looked down at his feet to give them some dignity, face blank as he tried to erase the image from his brain.
Sasuke adjusted Naruto with practiced ease and spoke, his voice a quiet rumble. “Thanks. For bringing him back safely.”
“Of course…” Shikamaru muttered, still mildly stunned.
The door closed behind them with a gentle click.
A beat passed.
Then Choji, still piggybacking a drooling Kiba, let out a low whistle. “Man… no wonder Naruto’s so whipped. Who looks that good half-asleep and gets cuddled like that?”
Shikamaru sighed. “It’s kind of rude, honestly.”
He smelled of alcohol and smoke.
He usually did after a night out, but tonight it was stronger-- sharper, heavier. Sasuke noticed it immediately. Naruto had never come home this smashed before.
With quiet effort, Sasuke carried him over to his futon, already laid out beside his own. Naruto flopped down like a starfish, limbs splayed in every direction. Sasuke stood over him for a moment, exasperated… and a little charmed.
“Idiot,” he muttered, nudging one of Naruto’s legs with his foot. “You could at least change out of your clothes.”
Naruto just let out a muffled whine and wriggled further into the blankets.
Sasuke sighed, brushing a loose strand of hair from his face as he turned to leave him be. But just as he shifted, he felt a hand grab his arm and before he could react, Naruto yanked him down, sending Sasuke sprawling on top of him, his nose bumping against Naruto’s chest.
“Hey—!” he hissed, annoyed but not really resisting.
“’suke… where did you go?” Naruto mumbled against his hair.
Sasuke rolled his eyes and tried to push himself up, but Naruto stupidly strong even drunk wasn’t letting go.
“I’m right here, moron. What are you babbling about?”
“I dream of you,” Naruto whispered, breath warm against Sasuke’s ear.
Sasuke froze. His heart jumped in his chest, and he couldn’t tell whether the thudding he heard was his or Naruto’s.
“What kind of dream?” he asked, his voice quieter now.
Naruto shifted slightly beneath him, eyelids barely open. “A time… when you were gone.”
Sasuke felt something sharp twist in his chest. He looked up, locking eyes with those ocean-deep eyes full of sleep and longing and a kind of vulnerability that left Sasuke raw.
“But I’m here now,” he said gently.
“And will you leave? Again?” Naruto asked, lifting his head just slightly.
Sasuke couldn’t look away. He reached up, brushing his thumb along Naruto’s cheek, breathing out the only answer he could give.
“Never again.”
Naruto let his head fall back, arms wrapping around Sasuke completely now, holding him close like he never intended to let go. Before he knew it, Sasuke was lulled to sleep by the sound of Naruto’s heartbeat and his steady, slow breathing. Wrapped in arms so warm, so familiar, so painfully safe.
There were only a few times Naruto ever woke up before Sasuke.
Usually, it was because of a nightmare like memories of the war, of Sasuke disappearing again, of his parents, and all the people he’d lost. Those nights, he’d jolt awake soaked in sweat, heart racing and on the verge of tears. Sasuke would stir a second later, always somehow attuned to him, and quietly comfort him... never saying much, just being there.
The first time it happened, Sasuke had no idea what to do and full-on panicked alongside him. Which, strangely enough, helped. Naruto remembered thinking how ridiculous Sasuke looked, wide-eyed and awkward, and the absurdity of it all had made him laugh mid-panic.
But tonight… tonight wasn’t one of those nights.
He woke up because of a dry throat and a full bladder. Mundane. Normal. And kind of annoying.
He blinked groggily, eyes adjusting slowly to the dark. When he tried to sit up, though, he was met with resistance—a heavy weight across his chest.
That’s when he smelled it.
Eucalyptus.
Naruto blinked again, squinting down.
It was Sasuke. Sprawled half on top of him, face buried in Naruto’s collarbone, breathing slow and steady.
That familiar eucalyptus scent was unmistakable—his stupid fancy shampoo that Sasuke refused to let Naruto use, claiming he’d “waste it like an animal.”
Naruto stared up at the ceiling, very still now, trying not to disturb the sleeping figure pressed against him.
He swallowed hard though not from the dry throat.
Warmth spread through his chest. Not the overwhelming kind that demanded answers or confessions. Just the quiet kind that settled in your bones when you realized something—someone—felt like home.
He didn’t move.
Not just yet.
Sasuke didn’t stir, didn’t even flinch at the subtle shift beneath him. He stayed asleep, breathing soft and even, his face pressed against Naruto’s chest, completely at peace.
And that’s when Naruto realized… this was the first time he’d ever seen Sasuke sleep peacefully.
They’d been living together for months, but it was always Naruto who fell asleep first and woke up last. He’d never really gotten the chance to see this. Sasuke so relaxed, so quiet, without the weight he usually carried around on his shoulders and brow.
Naruto smiled faintly.
He’d always been comfortable around Sasuke since the very beginning. Sleeping beside him had never felt strange. In fact, it was easy. Too easy. Like his body knew it was safe. Like the moment he laid down next to Sasuke, his heart could finally rest too.
It was… wonderful.
Is this what it’s supposed to feel like?
Love?
He thought of something Jiraiya had once said years ago, over bowls of steaming ramen and clumsy life advice.
“Love feels like longing for Ichiraku Ramen,” the old man had said with a grin.
Naruto had nearly choked on his noodles. “That’s stupid, Pervy Sage!”
But Jiraiya had just laughed. “It’s warm. Makes you full. Leaves you wanting more. It’s familiar, nostalgic… and something you’ll always crave to have. Love is ridiculous, you’re right. That’s why every man yearns for it—because they never really get it. And that keeps them on their toes.”
At the time, Naruto thought it was just Jiraiya being dramatic and half-drunk.
But now, lying there with Sasuke curled against him like it was the most natural thing in the world, he understood.
He got it.
Warm. Full. Familiar. Craved.
Ridiculous, yes. But also… real.
So Naruto didn’t move.
Not just yet.
He leaned down, burying his nose in Sasuke’s hair. Inhaled deeply.
Eucalyptus and warmth and home.
He let the boy’s scent fill him, drown out everything else—every doubt, every fear. He wanted to stay like this forever. Wanted this to be real. Not a dream. Please— let it not be—
Naruto shivered.
His full bladder reminded him that reality was, unfortunately, still a thing. He groaned quietly to himself, not wanting to move.
That was when Sasuke stirred, lifting his head slowly, disoriented and half-awake. His hair was messy, his eyes barely open.
Naruto smiled through the fog of sleep and longing. “Hey,” he said softly, voice a little shaky. “I gotta use the can. Keep sleeping.”
He pressed a light kiss to the top of Sasuke’s head without thinking, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Sasuke gave a small, sleepy nod, eyes already fluttering shut again as he shifted off of Naruto but didn’t move from the bed. He stayed curled up right where Naruto had been lying, pulling the blanket over himself like he belonged there.
Naruto stood up slowly, unable to stop the grin spreading across his face. His eyes lingered on Sasuke, drinking in every inch of him—his stupid bedhead, the little wrinkle between his brows, the way he tugged the blanket up to his chin like a gremlin.
Naruto shook his head, laughing softly to himself.
Yeah. Definitely not a dream.
He raced to the bathroom, washed up quickly, changed into a clean shirt, and downed a full glass of water before hurrying back.
The room was quiet, dimly lit by the faint moonlight slipping through the curtains.
Not wanting to disturb Sasuke’s sleep any more than he already had, Naruto slipped under the covers carefully. He scooted close, burrowing into the warmth beside him, and without a second thought, wrapped his arms around the other boy.
He knew Sasuke was awake.
His breathing was too steady, slow and deliberate in that way he always did when pretending to sleep.
“Sasuke,” Naruto whispered.
“Hn?” came the soft, muffled reply.
“This… what does it mean?”
There was a pause. Sasuke stirred and slowly turned to face him. Their eyes met in the dark, their faces barely a breath apart.
Naruto never realized before how long Sasuke’s eyelashes were, how they cast delicate shadows on his cheeks. His nose was sharp, elegant. His lips—soft, cherry red.
How is a boy this beautiful?
And more importantly—
How did I not admit this to myself sooner?
One of Sasuke’s eyes remained that endless black, but the other—still marked by the Rinnegan—was something else entirely. The contrast should have made him strange, off-putting.
But to Naruto, it just made him more.
More Sasuke. More real. More his.
“What do you want it to mean?” Sasuke finally asked, voice low, almost fragile.
Naruto swallowed, heart thudding painfully. “I… I want you.”
The silence that followed wasn’t heavy. It was full.
Then Sasuke chuckled softly, eyes crinkling just a little. “You always did say that.”
He lifted a hand to Naruto’s cheek, brushing it with a warmth Naruto wanted to feel forever.
Naruto placed his hand over Sasuke’s, grounding himself in the moment. “If I admit it and lose you,” he whispered, voice breaking at the edges, “I think I’ll die.”
Sasuke’s eyes softened. Something sad blooming in them, like regret or grief or guilt he never quite shed.
Naruto leaned forward and kissed his eyelids, gently, as if he could erase every shadow behind them.
“I’m never leaving again,” he whispered. “Where you go, I’ll follow. Only with you…”
And then he leaned in fully not wanting another second to pass, not wanting to leave one more word unspoken or one more moment unlived and kissed Sasuke.
It was soft. Tender. Sasuke’s lips were warmer than he imagined, still tinged with sleep and vulnerability. The kiss wasn’t rushed or desperate. It was full. Steady. Like it had waited years to finally happen.
It felt like a promise. Like every fight, every scar, every step that led them here was worth it—if only for this.
Naruto’s heart thudded painfully in his chest.
I love him.
He couldn’t say it yet.
But he would. Someday soon.
And when he did, he’d say it every single day. Every time he saw him. Every time he missed him. Every time he reached for his hand, craved his kiss, pulled him close just to feel him there.
He would love this man until his last breath.
Only death can pull me away from you now, he thought.
So Naruto stayed right there, lips pressed to Sasuke’s, hand cradling the side of his face, heart wide open.
He didn’t pull away.
Not just yet.