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The apartment was dark, footsteps echoing on the cold floor. The only light came from the half-open window, the full moon peering into the home as if it had been invited.
Sasuke shuddered, breathing deeply as he felt the twinge of pain in his abdomen. He must have aggravated his injury while trying to sneak in quietly. He knew his efforts were futile, Naruto would soon realize he had arrived, but he didn't want to give up trying. He didn't want to worry the blond.
They both knew their profession was dangerous, injuries were to be expected. Even though they were elite ninjas, it was still possible to take them by surprise, especially when it came to unexpected kekkei genkais.
He had won the fight and completed his mission, that was what mattered most. Despite his body complaining, Sasuke was satisfied with his performance. Sakura would roll her eyes and say that he hadn't treated the wound as a form of self-punishment for letting himself get hit in the first place, but she wasn't there at the moment and wouldn't know about it if it were up to him.
Balancing his weight on the soles of his feet in order to make as little noise as possible, he moved fluidly through the dark room, following his instincts like a nocturnal predator. He knew where every piece of furniture and every decoration was, every tiny detail was etched in his mind with perfect clarity.
His chest was struggling to fill completely, his lungs seemed unable to hold air. He controlled his breathing, making sure he would stay upright long enough to reach the bathroom.
With any luck, Naruto would already be asleep and he could slip under the covers next to him, snuggling into the blond's natural warmth and postponing the lecture he would have to endure in a few hours. The silence that permeated the room seemed to be an indicator of that fact. Naruto was never completely quiet, even when alone. It was as if he had to have a verifiable reminder or physical proof of his existence, that he occupied space in the world.
The white light assaulted his tired eyes, causing him to blink a few times to regain his vision. Sasuke came face to face with his reflection in the mirror above the sink and couldn't help but grunt. He looked terrible, his hair disheveled and deep circles under his eyes marking his pale skin. His shirt was stained with blood, the dark mark immediately catching the eye amid the black clothes. The smell was strong too, enough for the metallic taste to stick in the back of his throat.
He brought his stained hand to the wall cabinet to support himself, gathering his remaining strength to open it and grab the first aid kit. He chuckled cynically, thinking about how he had already passed the point of “first” at this rate.
Supporting his own weight while carrying the white box seemed like a Herculean task, and he wondered if he would make it to the other side of the bathroom without collapsing along the way. It was the thought that if he made too much noise he would wake Naruto that motivated him to keep going.
He sat down in the bathtub, slowly lowering himself until he felt the cold porcelain against his feverish skin. He settled himself amid sighs of irritation, feeling the wound stretch and contract with his movements. Once he was in a comfortable enough position and had the necessary items within reach, he grimaced. He would have to face the inevitable.
Biting the corner of his cheek, Sasuke ran his fingers along the edge of his shirt. His jacket had been torn beyond repair, so he hadn't even bothered to drag it back with him. At least it had served to withstand the worst of the attack, his wound could have been much deeper if it weren't for it.
Taking a deep breath and holding the air in his lungs, Sasuke quickly lifted his shirt. The fabric was stuck to him due to the blood, having to be pulled off with a tug. He felt a shock of pain shoot through his torso, forcing him to exhale as if he had been punched, causing a chill to run down his spine.
At some point he had closed his eyes tightly, tears getting stuck on his eyelashes, unable to fall. He felt that he had torn his lip with the force with which he bit it, so he forced himself to relax his jaw. Sasuke unstuck his eyelids, feeling a slight dizziness that soon disappeared. The scene he found was as expected, a long open scratch covered in dried and fresh blood mixed together. The skin surrounding the area had shades of purple and green that could be considered beautiful under other circumstances.
Sasuke began to work, remembering what Sakura had taught him about healing. He wasn't going to risk using his chakra at the moment, he didn't want to faint in this situation and cause his boyfriend to have a heart attack later. He cleaned the wound, trying to be as quiet as possible, limiting himself to grunts of pain and mumbled prayers.
It was a ritual that calmed him. Prayer was one of the only things he could clearly remember about his clan's culture, and he refused to let it die like so many other aspects he never learned and were now destined to be forgotten. He remembered his mother teaching him the verses, her soft voice correcting him from time to time. He remembered his father's deep voice emphasizing the importance of thanking the Gods. He remembered his brother teaching him the positioning of his hands, the intertwining of his fingers. Even before he possessed the sharingan, these memories were stored in the safest corners of his mind.
He didn't believe in the Gods. If they really existed, why did they let such a tragedy befall his people? His prayer contained the usual words, but they were directed at his family. When his lips curved into the shape of their names, his mind reproduced a chorus of Fugaku - Mikoto - Itachi.
Would they be proud of the ninja he had become? More than that, would they be proud of the person he had become?
He was trying to change the world, or rather, the system that allowed entire clans to be exterminated overnight. The system that forces children to kill their own parents, that forces children to become disposable weapons. He fought for the freedom that his people would never enjoy. He hoped his family was with him, if not in body then in spirit.
It was a lonely existence, being The Last Uchiha. Being defined not by himself, but by the absence of a part of himself. No matter where he went, everyone thought they knew him, that they had some right to his attention. They reduced him to Uchiha and nothing more. But most of the time, Sasuke felt anything but that. He didn't know the rituals his grandparents practiced, he didn't know the jutsus passed down from generation to generation, he didn't remember the recipes his mother and her mother and her mother made. In addition to blood, being an Uchiha used to mean something; possessing a culture, a tradition, being part of something bigger than oneself. Now, it was as if Sasuke had distorted the image of his clan, as if his existence tarnished the legacy of generations of Uchihas by reducing them to the Sharingan and a fan symbol on their backs.
Naruto was the only one who understood him, ever since they were children. His clan had also been wiped out while those who claimed to be allies just stood by and watched, and he also didn't know the culture and tradition of the Uzumaki. He also missed the human warmth and affection that only a family can provide, people who love you unconditionally. He also felt the weight of carrying a name that goes far beyond himself and the feeling of inadequacy that this brings.
Then Karin appeared, and the weight was divided in two. He was happy for his friends, for having found each other, however unlikely it was. Karin knew more about the clan, the jutsus and its history. Being an Uzumaki was no longer an isolated burden, but something to be shared and celebrated by both of them.
Sasuke had never felt so alone.
He only had his cause. He clung to it with all his strength, desperately, a man searching for the meaning of his existence. Why was he the only one who had survived? Why was he the only one who had to endure such agonizing pain? There had to be a reason, otherwise all his suffering would be for nothing.
Sasuke turned his pain into anger and his anger into motivation. He had survived to seek justice for his clan, and that justice would only exist when the system that allowed and facilitated the eradication of his and so many other clans was dismantled.
He threw himself into mission after mission, seeking to make a difference in the world. He did not limit himself or value his health, there was no one who would miss him, not in the same desperate way he missed his family.
One man alone is not enough to change the world, but he would try.
In the two years that followed the war, his life was reduced to a blur of villages, tragedies, and struggles. He never stayed in one place for long, there was always someone who needed help. From Rain Village to Mist Village, in small towns and capitals.
With Naruto being the only remaining Jinchuuriki after the Fourth Shinobi World War, the Leaf Village began to exert greater influence over other villages, even those of Lightning and Stone, once so powerful but left shaken by the losses they suffered in the conflict. He cleared Sasuke's name from the registry, allowing him to move about without worries and without affiliations. He encouraged a change in the shinobi system, bringing leaders from across the continent together to improve the lives of those who survived. After all, no one would dare to go against the will of the Nine-Tails.
The changes in leadership in the great ninja villages brought with them a more open mindset. Everyone still had the war fresh in their memory, the consequences of the system in which they lived. To avoid repetition, something would have to be radically different.
The separation between villages, the “us” versus “them,” made the process difficult, years of intrigue difficult to forget. That's why Sasuke, a wandering shinobi, offered to help, keeping Naruto updated on his adventures when he had time to breathe. He couldn't stand still, he couldn't let someone else carry his revolution, he had to see the change being made with his own eyes.
The routine was as exhausting as it was rewarding. Sasuke was a candle burning fast, a destructive and brief blaze. He had the motivation, but his body couldn't take such exhaustion. He was willing to work until he collapsed, without any concern for his own life.
It was after he made a silly mistake, caused by fatigue, that almost cost him his life, that Naruto put an end to it.
Sasuke was in a small village, located in a remote area of the Land of Iron, alone and far from any civilization. The only thing on his mind was that he needed to talk to Naruto one last time, if this was to be his final act. He summoned Garuda, his hawk, and wrote a short, shaky letter, visualizing the blond's smile. After that, he passed out.
When he woke up, which was a shock in itself, he found himself surrounded by the familiar walls of a hospital. He was bandaged and in pain, but miraculously alive. It was as if the Shinigami had fled from him. He felt a weight on his legs, and after managing to open his eyes and move, he saw Naruto lying with his head resting on him, one hand clutching Sasuke's as if he would disappear if he let go.
What followed that moment was a long period of recovery and tense conversations. Naruto didn't want to tie him to the Leaf Village, but he couldn't bear it if Sasuke continued to live without attachment to life and disappeared alone, in some corner of the world abandoned by the Gods. Sasuke couldn't bear to swear allegiance to a military complex that took him away from his family, even though he recognized that his body would give way under the pressure of his previous routine.
After much discussion, they finally reached an agreement. Sasuke would not join nor swear allegiance to Konoha, but rather to Naruto. He would be free to continue his missions as before, but he would have a place to call home, to return to and rest.
It was a difficult decision to return to the place that felt more like a prison. But the village was different, having changed as much as he had over the years and under Kakashi's leadership. His old sensei was happy to have him back, even though they had a complicated relationship. Sakura didn't know how to act around him, a palpable tension hung in the air in all their interactions. The others looked at him as if he were an alien or perhaps a ghost. All the streets carried negative memories. It was an uncomfortable ordeal.
Initially, he intended to live in the Uchiha Complex, as he always had. He had mixed feelings about the house he grew up in, the same house where his parents were murdered. It was the only place he felt he truly belonged, which still carried good memories along with shadows that never left the walls, the spilled blood staining the tatami mats.
However, the choice was not made by him. During Pain's attack, the complex was destroyed. In its place, a monument was raised in honor of the Uchiha clan, commissioned by Kakashi. It was as if the emptiness in Sasuke's chest had turned into a black hole. He would not have the chance to learn his own culture, he would not have access to his people's artifacts, he would not even have the strange comfort of being able to visit the place where his parents were buried.
Because of this situation, Naruto suggested that they live together. It would be more practical, he argued, especially since Sasuke would not always be there to take care of the house. That way, he could arrive at a lived-in and well-maintained place and focus on resting, both body and mind. The truth was that Naruto wanted to be able to keep an eye on him in case he needed anything and Sasuke wouldn't feel safe anywhere else. So he accepted and, on the same day, he moved with his few personal belongings to Naruto's apartment.
It wasn't very spacious, but Sasuke wasn't picky. It would just be a place to stay between missions, he wouldn't be there for long. That's what he thought, at first. He was wrong once again. Fate could be as unpredictable as Naruto Uzumaki.
Between recoveries and idle moments, the two grew even closer. The connection they had felt since childhood grew at the same pace as they did, amplified by the closeness and domesticity they shared. With no imminent dangers on the horizon, they discovered that they got along very well together, their personalities blending in a unique way. Without even realizing it, Sasuke began to think of the small, messy apartment as his home. He found himself eager to finish his missions and tell Naruto about them while they ate a home-cooked dinner, sitting in their usual spots on the stained couch, listening to the blond's nonsensical comments.
They created a routine, a rhythm of their own. Sometimes they went out, since Naruto insisted that Sasuke would fit in with his group of friends. Karin, who was living nearby, also saw him frequently. He kept in touch with Suigetsu through occasional letters, keeping each other updated on their lives. He had uncomfortable but necessary conversations with Kakashi and Sakura, resolving old issues that needed to be healed so that they could have any kind of relationship. He met Sai and, by giving his “replacement” a chance, formed a true friendship. He became close to Neji and Shino, even agreeing to train with them. Over time, the rest of the village got used to seeing him wandering the streets, welcoming his presence again.
His romantic relationship with Naruto happened naturally, inevitably. When they told others, they were only surprised at how long it took to get there. Not even Sasuke could say with complete certainty when the lines between close friendship and romance blurred, only that it felt right. All the challenges they had faced together up to that point had led them to that.
It was impossible for him to have his blood family back. That didn't mean he was totally alone, or that he didn't have any family at all. It took time, but Sasuke formed bonds strong enough to build his own family, with people from different clans and different moments in his life. When he lost strength and hope, they were by his side, encouraging and supporting him.
Sasuke sometimes felt like he was trapped in a genjutsu, that something so good couldn't be real. The only thing that reminded him that he was indeed living was that not everything was roses. He still had constant nightmares, he still felt angry at the world, he was still familiar with the hole in his heart that would never be filled. It seemed that if he stopped to process his feelings, he would never move again, trapped under their enormity.
He couldn't understand how someone as good as Naruto could love someone like him. He felt like a broken toy most of the time, as if he didn't exist in the right way. He tried everything to fix what was wrong with the world, but he felt that there was no way to fix what was wrong with himself.
He lived in fear of the worst. That Naruto would wake up and realize that he didn't need to be tied to Sasuke, a person who always lived between a tragic past and an idealized future, but almost never in the present. That he would be attacked as soon as he let his guard down. That he would be abandoned once again, the only one left behind, the one who remained. That all his efforts would be for nothing, that he would not change the system and would die leaving the world exactly as it was before he was born.
After experiencing a very good moment, he was always reminded of the bad ones, as if his mind would not let him get used to comfort, would not let him forget the misery. Every time he helped a village and saw the happy faces of the residents, he was reminded of the suffering he had witnessed, the abandoned children and the injured people, the emptiness in the eyes of those without hope, which he knew he had once held in his own eyes.
He was one of the strongest living ninjas in the world, so why did he still feel so powerless? Wouldn't all his power be enough to spark a revolution? If something happened to him, would society regress and all his impact be nullified? Would the destroyed villages and annihilated clans remain abandoned and forgotten, without anyone even paying them any respect?
Was his fate inevitable? A great cosmic joke, an insignificant being destined to try and fail repeatedly until he could no longer stand before so much suffering? Perhaps the Gods did exist and were unimaginably cruel. Perhaps they were enjoying themselves, watching him recite their names desperately, even without faith. Perhaps, at any moment, they would use the fire that moved him to burn him alive, the flames rebelling against their creator.
In a start, he let out a grunt of pain, relaxing his trembling hand and knocking over the pots that were leaning against his side, the noise reverberating between the four walls of the cramped bathroom. While lost in reverie and memories, he had let himself be carried away by emotion and pressed the wound harder than necessary. It was throbbing, warm blood running down his abdomen, blurring his vision and bathing it in red.
He gave a cynical, self-deprecating chuckle. He wasn't good at coming out of a simple battle unscathed, he wasn't good at cleaning his own wounds like an abandoned dog, he wasn't even good at keeping his own head in the present. If it weren't for his iron motivation, he didn't know how he would still be alive.
He snapped out of his trance with the muffled footsteps coming from the hallway, accompanied by a yawn. It was useless to try to keep Naruto resting, it was as if the blond had a sixth sense when it came to him.
He tore his eyes away from the crime scene that his bathtub had become and looked up at the door, where his boyfriend's silhouette had stopped, like an angel with messy hair and polka dot pajamas.
“Sasuke?” He muttered sleepily, rubbing his eyes as if to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Sasuke's heart skipped a beat and started beating again.
“Go to sleep, Naruto,” he replied in a low, steady tone, hoping not to wake him up even more. If he acted as if nothing was wrong, maybe he could still get Naruto to turn around and leave him to take care of his own mess. It had been his fault for taking the blow in the first place, he didn't want the other to have to worry about it.
The blond took a few more steps into the bathroom, drawn to Sasuke as if they were connected by a red thread. It was then that he noticed the scene and widened his eyes, throwing himself to the floor near the other. “What happened?” He hovered his hands near the bathtub, unsure if he could touch his boyfriend in that state, but eager to help him.
“It was nothing.” He sighed. He hated being a burden to Naruto, hated worrying him with his stupid mistakes, hated seeing the other's cheerful expression fall because of him. “Don't worry, I'm already taking care of it. I don't need help.” Sasuke felt a little like a child throwing a tantrum, but he couldn't help it. He wanted to prove, in a terribly childish way, that he was worth it, that he wouldn't be too much trouble, that he deserved to belong somewhere. The pain was making him feel nauseous, his breathing was becoming difficult.
Naruto bit his lip, clearly disagreeing, but not wanting to start a fight. His eyes couldn't stay still, scanning the bruises on Sasuke's face, the fallen pots, the blood in the bathtub, and the bruises again. “You know there's no way I can leave you here, right?”
“Stubborn,” he grunted, raising his hand with gauze to clean the affected area again. The Uchiha was shaking too much, tapping his own fingers on the edge of the cut, causing a hiss.
“Look who's talking,” Naruto retorted, not letting himself be discouraged by the insult. He took the other's wrist lightly, pulling him away from his chest. Sasuke was so weak that he allowed it, lowering his arm again. “Let me take care of you,” his boyfriend begged, his blue eyes staring at him from under light eyelashes.
“I'm not that helpless, I can manage.” He wanted to receive the other's affection, but felt he didn't deserve it. He should bear the consequences of his inadequacy, he should let suffering teach him a lesson that would make him stronger, he should survive this without depending on anyone else; it had always been that way.
“I know you can, but that doesn't mean you have to. I'm here.” Naruto said simply, his fingers intertwined with Sasuke's, even with blood sticking to his palm. He continued to stare at him, waiting for his decision before acting. It was difficult for someone as impulsive as Naruto to stay still, but he was willing to try.
Sasuke’s body relaxed in the other's presence, as if his defenses had fallen. He looked tenderly at Naruto, the kid he had watched grow up and become a man. The one who had seen war and death before his eyes, but remained optimistic and held a gigantic love for the world. The one who wanted to change things for the better. The one who stood by his side even when everyone else turned against him.
It felt like his chest was going to explode from the overwhelming affection he felt, a wave consuming him completely in that moment. He squeezed Naruto's hand tightly, closing his eyes and leaning his back against the wall. “Okay,” he whispered simply, unable to force himself to expend any more energy than that. It was as if, now that he knew he was safe, his body was trying to shut down.
Understanding the situation without words, Naruto began to work. He kissed the back of the hand he was holding, moving his lips up the entire arm. He placed light kisses on Sasuke's neck, so soft they were almost sighs, and then on his chin, his cheek, his nose. He brushed the dark hair away from his boyfriend's face, placing a tender kiss on his forehead.
Then he took clean gauze and cleaned the wound, concentrating so as not to apply pressure to the point of pain, only what was necessary. For a few seconds, only the sound of their breathing reverberated in the space, synchronized unconsciously.
Sasuke missed Naruto. They hadn't seen each other for over a month, and even though they exchanged letters, he felt the need to hear his boyfriend's voice as if his life depended on it. “Tell me how your day was,” he murmured, so softly that for a moment he thought the other wouldn't hear him.
But Naruto was always connected to Sasuke, attentive to any change. While grabbing the antiseptic, he began to speak in a cheerful tone about what he had eaten for breakfast, his afternoon training, the documents he had signed, the friends he had seen and the child he had helped.
His voice distracted Sasuke from his ministrations. The brunette could clearly imagine all the moments narrated. His mind focused on that and nothing else, dispelling his spiral of negative thoughts. It wasn't as if all his problems had disappeared overnight, but he didn't feel like he was carrying them alone, their weight easing.
Naruto was kind to him, treating him as if he were precious. He knew that Sasuke was strong, and precisely because of that, he let him be vulnerable in his presence. Sasuke didn't have to be alert or feel obligated to protect him all the time, because he knew that the blond was a ninja more than capable of defending himself. They were on the same level.
“Is that okay?” the blond asked, adjusting the bandages on his boyfriend's body. Sasuke just nodded, not even noticing the time passing. One moment he was bleeding in the bathtub, and the next he was well cared for and sleepy. It was the Naruto Effect. “Everything's ready, love. Can you get up?”
Naruto's hands moved to Sasuke's dark hair, caressing it in a way that only made Sasuke's eyelids heavier. “Hm?” The blond waited for a response, moving one hand down to the base of Sasuke's neck and massaging it, easing the tension in his muscles. He felt incorporeal, just a confused mix of sensations and feelings, but he had already given his boyfriend too much trouble. If he had already walked all the way to their apartment, he could take a few steps to the bedroom.
He tried to get up, forcing his eyes open. Slowly, he balanced himself, one hand resting on the wall, staining it in the shape of his palm. Naruto held his waist with one hand and his arm with the other, helping him out of the bathtub and making as few sudden movements as possible.
He almost collapsed when he put his feet on the floor, his body leaning toward Naruto's immediately, knowing he would be held. He buried his face in the crook of the other's neck and shoulder, feeling a hand return to his hair and stroke it. “Are you alright?”
He just nodded, taking a moment to calm down. His breath against the blond's skin made him shiver, eliciting a small smile from Sasuke. Naruto also laughed, Sasuke could feel the vibrations in his own chest since they were so close.
“Hold on to me.” Naruto didn't even give him time to prepare and picked him up in his arms, like a princess. Sasuke let out a cry of surprise and clung to the other's neck, feeling that familiar laugh directly in his ear. He felt pathetic and safe at the same time.
They left the mess behind, a problem for later. Naruto walked down the dark hallway, being careful not to bump Sasuke's head or feet against the wall. He entered the first door and staggered to the bed, gently laying his boyfriend on the mattress. He could still feel Naruto's warmth and smell.
The blond didn't turn on the ceiling light, preferring the lamp on the bedside table, bathing the room in a soft yellow glow. He took one of his sweaters, a few years old, and put it on his boyfriend, being careful not to aggravate his injury. He took off the other's pants, replacing them with cotton pajamas and socks.
Sasuke settled into the covers, making room for Naruto to join him. “Naru...” He could feel how saccharine his voice sounded, could see it in his boyfriend's softened gaze, in his passionate smile.
“Coming, coming.” Naruto murmured, finishing cleaning his hands and snuggling up next to the other, their bodies fitting together as if they were made for it. Sometimes Sasuke thought he had been born to meet Naruto. Their legs intertwined and Naruto's hands held Sasuke's face tenderly, his thumbs caressing his cheeks. “How are you feeling?”
“Sleepy,” he whispered back, his eyes half-closed, his eyelashes casting shadows under his eyelids. He could see the gears in the blond's head turning as he watched him. “What are you thinking about?”
Naruto's smile widened, his fangs showing. “You,” he replied simply, as if it were obvious. Sasuke snorted a laugh at that.
Naruto pressed his lips together in a soft kiss, like a caress, barely applying any pressure against the other. Sasuke closed his eyes, sighing and feeling his body relax completely. His hand went to the blond's back, pulling him closer, their bodies almost merging, touching at every point.
Sometimes Sasuke wished he could live under Naruto's skin, fit into his rib cage and wrap himself around his arteries. Only then would they be as close as he wanted them to be, their souls becoming one, inseparable, not knowing where one began and the other ended.
They kissed and kissed, varying the rhythm, with heat rising from the depths of their guts. One of Naruto's hands was at the base of his neck, running through his dark hair, and the other was holding his cheek as if he couldn't bear to be separated. Sasuke's hand slid to the blond's waist, squeezing and making sure he was real.
He smiled during the kiss, causing Naruto to hum confusedly, a noise coming from the back of his throat. He let his lips descend from the mouth to the blond's chin, then to his jaw and neck, causing him to grunt and hold his hair tighter.
Sasuke looked up, meeting almost black blue eyes, the pupil so dilated that it almost swallowed his iris. It seemed that Naruto was having a revelation, looking at something divine. He blew on the junction between the collarbone and the scalene, feeling the other's rapid heartbeat and the resulting shiver.
Satisfied, he sealed his lips in a deep, deliberate, slow kiss, exploring his boyfriend's mouth. Naruto's hand had landed on his shoulders, massaging him with a firm grip, his thumb pressing into the muscle under the collar of his shirt. His nails ran lightly along his spine, a mischievous caress. Sasuke exhaled and was sure Naruto could feel the movement of his lungs under his palm.
Naruto's other hand moved down from his cheek, passing over his ribs, stomach, and waist, his fingertips pressing in all the right places. It moved back up the same path, stopping at the base of Sasuke's neck, finding his warm skin. Sasuke's hand had moved inside his boyfriend's shirt, his palm stretched across the base of the other's spine.
They were trapped in their own world, nothing could reach them. Moments like this reminded Sasuke that his struggle was worth it, that he deserved to live, that there were causes worth his effort, especially if he would return home with this waiting for him. Who wouldn't want to have the sun in their bed?
Sasuke was pliable in his boyfriend's arms, all the tension of the last few stressful days melting away as they were exposed to the sun's rays. When his lips parted from Naruto's, the other leaning toward him like a hypnotized man, he sighed, a sound coming from the bottom of his heart. The brunette's shoulders slumped and his head tilted forward, sliding his body and fitting his face into the curve of the blond's sternum.
The scent hits him from all sides, from the sheets to the shirt he was wearing. A fresh, airy smell, like grass on a sunny hillside in summer. Heat and dry wind clinging to cotton and salty skin. Sasuke inhales deeply, pressing his nose into his boyfriend's collarbone, feeling his cheek warm up. He kisses the spot, gently brushing his teeth against the spot where he can feel Naruto’s heart beating in time with his own.
“Sas...” Naruto catches his attention with his hoarse, breathless voice. Sasuke wants him to repeat his name in that tone, it's music to his ears. He seals another kiss in response, waiting for the other to continue. “You need to rest.”
“I feel great.” And it was the plain and simple truth. He was exhausted and his body ached, but he felt good, with a satisfied smile on his face. He was the happiest man in the world. He felt content, delirious and loved. It was ridiculous that someone like Naruto would want someone like him, but he had no doubts about his boyfriend's affection. Even when the world had turned against him, Naruto remained by his side, willing to fight as long as it took to see him again, like a man seeking his salvation, dedicating his life and purpose to it. After all, they knew each other's hearts.
Naruto laughed in response. “You'll feel even better after a nap.” He adjusted them both, wrapping them more tightly in the blanket and turning off the lamp.
Sasuke didn't protest, feeling his body melt into the soft mattress, sinking deeper and deeper. Unconsciousness called to him, but he stubbornly insisted on keeping his eyes open, wanting to enjoy his view of Naruto for a few more seconds. He was a man who had been thirsty for a month, getting his first glimpse of water. He was very lucky to be the only one who saw Naruto in that sleepy state, it was something precious that belonged to the two of them and no one else.
In the dark room, it was difficult to identify the other beyond a silhouette, but every cell in his body recognized Naruto as if their souls were made of the same matter. He knew that the blond must have a serene expression on his face, his eyebrows relaxed, his nose moving with his breathing, his mouth half open. Sasuke felt the other begin to lose the fight against sleep.
“Good night,” he whispered against the tanned skin, adjusting his head on his boyfriend's shoulder, letting his heavy eyes finally close.
Naruto placed one last kiss on his forehead, a gesture so gentle that it made Sasuke's heart skip a beat and his chest warm as if it were trapped in the eternal flames of Amaterasu. “Sleep well, Sas.”
He lay still, refusing to turn off his brain. Naruto's breathing evened out and small sighs escaped from his half-open lips. Sasuke wanted to save the world, but at that very moment, the world boiled down to the man resting in his arms.
He squeezed the hand that held his boyfriend and pressed his face against the other's chest. It was real, it wasn't a genjutsu, it was real. He repeated these words in his mind like a mantra.
The Uchiha were a clan known for their special eyes, that was a fact, even before the massacre. Many believed they were activated by hatred, a curse running through their blood, but Sasuke knew it was nothing more than a myth. The real reason was much simpler, it was the characteristic that best defined his family.
“I love you,” he whispered in the dark room. He had activated his Sharingan for Naruto, the word was craved in the deepest parts of himself. Love.
Like a confession freeing him from the weight he carried, he finally allowed himself to rest. In moments he was unconscious, coiled like a snake around the warmth of the sun, keeping it as close as possible.
They shared the same dreams, walking together down the same road after walking in separate paths for so many years.