Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Naruto’s new apartment is far from the center of Konoha where the Hokage's office is located. In fact, Sasuke notes absently, it’s so far from the central district that it has ended up being quite close to the Uchiha compound where he technically still lives, not that he’s spent much time there in the past decade.

Carefully keeping his chakra masked, he watches the nondescript apartment from the shadow of nearby trees. Some habits are hard to break, and Sasuke is feeling particularly paranoid because Naruto’s windows are not only locked, but also chakra-sealed.

Once upon a time, post-war, and pre-marriage, Sasuke used to warn Naruto constantly about sealing the windows to his apartment. Indeed, he’d developed a habit of emphasizing the point by sneaking in from said windows and catching the other man off-guard; on a few memorable occasions, even waking him up with a Kunai to the throat.

Still, Naruto always cheerfully ignored his warnings under nonsense reasons like if he wasn’t safe in Konoha, he wasn’t safe anywhere, and also that he was Naruto Uzumaki, and therefore practically immune to assassinations, which granted was at least partially true, but Sasuke didn’t believe that was any reason for him to tempt fate.

Like many other things, they'd never reached an agreement on the matter, and Sasuke stopped going through his window after Naruto got married. He stopped going over to his house much at all. So he thinks it’s technically possible that at some point in those years Naruto finally developed a taste for basic safety. Despite this, something about the seal unsettles Sasuke.

You’re the only who uses the window. Naruto had told him once, his eyes heavy-lidded and his voice still filled with sleep, despite the sharp edge of the knife Sasuke held pressed to his throat. Are you planning to assassinate me? He’d murmured, closing his eyes, and falling immediately back to sleep, never even bothering to push Sasuke’s Kunai away.

Sasuke remembers that it had been a full moon. He remembers the way moonlight had softened the sleeping boy’s face and glinted off the knife in his hand.

There is something seriously wrong with you. Sasuke told him the next day over dinner, because who fell asleep while another held a knife to their throat?

Naruto snorted.

Sasuke remembers that it was late and they’d both been a little tipsy by then.

Don’t you have the slightest instinct for self-preservation? Sasuke asked, genuinely perturbed. Had Naruto always been this way and he’d just never noticed it when they were children? How had the other boy survived to see adulthood?

You, of all people, should know the answer to that. Naruto had said.

Sasuke frowns, trying to remember the rest of the conversation, but it’s lost somewhere to the haze of time and alcohol. He shakes his head, annoyed at his own mind for conjuring up the past in the first place, but what else is new? His ghosts are his most steadfast companions.

He recuperates and considers his options. He can go to the door and knock; sensible. Or he can go through the window, breaking the chakra seal. There is, of course, no real reason to do this.

Sasuke jumps to the window, perching precariously on the small ledge. Then, on a whim, instead of breaking in immediately, he unmasks his chakra.

It takes barely a moment.

“Is it really you?” Naruto’s voice carries from somewhere inside the apartment, moving quickly closer “You’re not supposed to be back for weeks.”

“Sorry to disappoint” Sasuke frowns at the still-closed blinds and still-intact seal.

“Please” Naruto says, “Like you don’t know I’m ecstatic.”

“That’s a big word for you” Sasuke says absently. It’s hard not to feel ridiculous when one has a conversation with curtains.

“Yeah, it’s definitely you” Naruto confirms “Why are you back early though? Is everything okay?”

“You tell me.” Sasuke mutters.

Sasuke is fairly certain Naruto is now standing right on the other side of the window, and still he’s made no move to even open the curtains, let alone remove the seal.

“What do you mean?” Naruto asks.

“Naruto” Sasuke warns.

“Sasuke” Naruto returns, though Sasuke hears the note of desperation in his voice. He clearly understands what Sasuke’s getting at.

“I’m coming in whether you remove this seal or not.”

“No!” Naruto says, dropping all pretense at normalcy “You can’t come in. Not right now.”

“What’s the matter with you?” Sasuke snaps.

“Nothing’s the matter with me. Now’s just not the best time.”

Sasuke quickly scans the seal with his Sharingan.

“Stop that!” Naruto says, his voice rising in pitch “Don’t come in. I’m…I’m naked.”

Sasuke pauses for a moment, raising his eyebrows. Then he dispels the seal and opens the window in one move. Holding the top of the frame with one hand, he smoothly slides his body inside...

... and almost runs smack into Naruto, who despite having ample warning, has not moved to give him the space to enter. Sasuke ends up awkwardly pushing Naruto’s body away before they can fully collide, and then watches the blonde as he stumbles back and struggles to get his balance.

It’s been seven months since they last saw each other but despite looking a little pale and more tired than usual, Naruto is unchanged; Not injured in any way that Sasuke can tell. He is also decidedly not naked. Instead, he’s wearing an oversized pajama shirt that looks like it has seen better days, orange boxers, which Sasuke wishes were more of a surprise to him, and for some incompressible reason, he’s wrapped a towel around his hair, covering it completely.

Having finally regained his balance, Naruto is returning Sasuke’s examination in kind, scanning him from head to toe and back up. When Naruto’s eyes finally land on his face, Sauske raises an eyebrow and a small grin flashes on the other man’s face.

“God, it’s good to see you, Sasuke. You look good.”

Sasuke raises his eyebrow even higher.

“As in, you don’t look like you’ve been hurt.” Naruto clarifies quickly. Then, his grin morphs into an expression of outrage “What the hell’s wrong with you? You can’t just force your way inside someone’s house.”

“I just did” Sasuke says distractedly. Frowning, he activates the Sharingan again, scanning the other man from head to toe once more. No matter what his eyes tell him, he knows something’s wrong. There is a sense of unease in the air.

“Will you stop that.” Naruto says, waving his hands in front of his body as if that can stop Sasuke’s eyes.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“What, your fancy eyes can’t give you the answer?” Naruto shoots back half-heartedly.

“No” Sasuke says, deactivating the eye “I can’t see any problems”

Naruto snorts “When have you ever?”

“Excuse me?”

Naruto sighs “Look, I’m fine alright? You checked. Now you can go.” Before Sasuke has a chance to respond, Naruto continues, looking a little guilty “You must be exhausted anyway.”

He raises one hand and looks like he is about to scratch behind his head when he realizes he is still wearing that ridiculous towel. Sasuke follows the movement closely before meeting the other’s gaze again. Naruto clears his throat.

“Why aren’t you at work?” Sasuke asks.

“I can’t take a break?” Naruto shoots back, but it’s a weak attempt.

“You don’t.”

“I’ve changed.” Naruto says, “I’m looking to improve my work life balance.”

“What life?” Sasuke says. Immediately he clamps his mouth shut. Damn it.

Instead of getting mad though, Naruto lets out a burst of harsh laughter “So you noticed?” He says, wiping his hand over his eyes in a tired gesture “Who gave you the address anyway, Shikamaru?”

“No,” Sasuke presses his lips together “I went to your old house first.”

That seems to infuse a little energy into Naruto “You didn’t!”

Sasuke doesn’t say anything in response.

Naruto looks pensive for a moment. “It’s a grim life” He looks up at Sasuke with a half-smile “Your best friend doesn’t even know where you live.”

“Right.” Sasuke clears his throat “That’s the grim part, not the divorce.”

Naruto raises his eyebrows and shoots him a decidedly fed-up look for no reason at all. Then he sighs and shakes his head in response to some internal monologue.

Feeling suddenly uncomfortable with the current line of conversation, Sasuke asks “What’s with the towel?”

To his surprise, the question completely snaps Naruto out of his reverie “Nothing.”

Sasuke narrows his eyes.

“It’s none of your business.” Naruto says, his voice taking on a deranged quality.

“Naruto.” Sasuke says, taking a step forward “Remove the towel.”

“No.”

Sasuke pauses and thinks the situation through.

“Alright.” He says after a moment.

Naruto gives him a suspicious look, holding onto the towel with one hand as if he’s guarding his virtue in some bygone era.

“We both know I can take it by force.” Sasuke says.

Naruto huffs, "You can try.”

“Exactly” Sasuke says  “and you can try to stop me…”

Naruto gives him a distrustful work, clearly waiting for the rest of the sentence. Sasuke feels an odd surge of pride. The loser has really improved when it comes to strategy. Or maybe, he just knows Sasuke well enough to know there must be more.

Sasuke allows himself a very small smile  “I trust the ensuing destruction won’t cause too much of a headache for the Hokage, it’s only a small neighborhood after all”

Naruto stares at him “ You wouldn’t.”

“I don’t want to.” Sasuke replies sincerely.

Naruto looks like he’s considering his options. He may, or may not be able to stop Sasuke from taking the towel, but can he do it without the both of them causing an insane amount of destruction? Sasuke’s pretty sure training area number five is still unusable after the last time they’d had a friendly match.

Naruto stares at Sasuke, looking a little pale, and narrows his eyes. Sasuke, despite himself, feels his lips curl into a smirk.

“Alright” Naruto says, clearly fuming, but underneath that, there is some other emotion Sasuke can’t quite identify.

Fear? Desperation?

No, Naruto sounds a little like he did when they were children. Thinly disguised vulnerability.

Sasuke feels the smile drop from his lips. “Naruto?”

He isn’t sure what he wants to say, and he doesn’t find out, because Naruto takes a deep breath, and then with no preamble, begins to cry.

Sasuke is not the type to panic. He’s spoken with deities. He’s fought aliens. He’s seen the dead come back to life, and then leave him once again. Sasuke has been betrayed, trapped, stabbed, burnet, and tricked, and he has survived.

Sasuke panics, just a little. He’s seen Naruto cry plenty of times. He’s made Naruto cry just as often. But there is something about the suddenness of the tears that catches him off-balance.

Or maybe it’s not the suddenness. Maybe it’s the dark room in the middle of the day, the sealed window, the dark circles under Naruto’s eyes, the pajamas, and the empty food wrappers strewn about the room. Maybe it’s the fact that looking around, Naruto doesn’t look like he owns any furniture. His bed is a mattress on the ground.

Silent and unsure of what he plans to do, Sasuke takes a few long steps towards Naruto who in the midst of crying takes as many steps back from him.

“Stop.” Sasuke orders, though whether he’s ordering him to stop crying or stop moving, he isn’t sure. It doesn’t seem to have any impact on Naruto either way.

Sasuke tries to smoothen his voice. Not having any other point of comparison, he thinks suddenly of his mother trying to soothe him after he’d been left behind by Itachi for the thousandth time “Naruto” He says, not sure if he notices any change in his own voice “You need to tell me what’s wrong.”

Naruto seems to start hiccuping in the middle of his sobs. No, Sasuke realizes, he’s laughing.

“Alright” he says, his voice barely comprehensible. Then he takes a deep breath and speaks again “I have lice.”

Sasuke blinks.

Naruto continues to cry for a few more moments, then the barrage of tears dies down as suddenly as they’d arrive. Naruto cries like he only has so much time to get out as much grief as he can before he has to get it together again. Like torrential rain, Sasuke thinks uncharacteristically.

“What?” Sasuke asks after a few moments of silence have passed.

Naruto brushes the back of his hand against his eyes, drying the rest of the tears “Yeah. I’m infested”

“Naruto” Sasuke snaps, even though he didn’t want to “You were crying.”

“Excuse me for having an emotional reaction” Naruto says weakly, rubbing his palm over his face “It’s just, I’m 26.”

“I don’t follow.” Sasuke says, watching Naruto’s every move carefully.

“Stop that.” Naruto snaps at him and takes a deep breath “I’m not going to explode.”

Sasuke raises an eyebrow “I’ll be the judge of that.”

Naruto gives him a halfhearted glare. Then he takes a look around his own room like he isn’t familiar with the layout before sitting on the mattress.

Sasuke pauses for a moment but it feels odd to just stand over him, so he moves a few careful steps forward and sits on the ground in front of Naruto.

“You sure you want to do that?” Naruto says “I’m contagious.”

Sasuke feels a muscle in his forehead twitch “It’s not a deadly disease.”

“Yeah well.” Naruto gives him a quick, surprised glance before looking back at his hands again “I just think, it’s ridiculous right? I made it to 26, being an orphan, then a soldier, not the most hygienic of professions, and I never got lice.”

He takes a breath, and Sasuke waits, sensing there is more to come. Naruto looks up to meet his gaze “So, when I figured out what was going on, I just realized I have no idea what to do. I don’t know what to do”

“About the lice.” Sasuke feels the need to clarify.

Naruto pauses for a moment as if he is about to say something, but then he swallows his words. They sit in silence for a moment.

“Alright.” Sasuke says, “That’s fine.”

Naruto frowns “I know it’s not deadly, Sasuke, Jesus, I just…”

“No” Sasuke interrupts “I meant, it’s fine. I know what to do.”

When Naruto just keeps looking at him, Sasuke clarifies “I can help you.”

“Oh” Naruto says, then for whatever reason, his eyes begin to flit all around Sasuke’s face without landing on it. It almost looks like he might start crying again. It takes all of Sasuke’s training to sit still and not begin to fidget in discomfort. 

Eventually though Naruto just swallows audibly and then seems to put on a smile. Sasuke thinks putting on a smile and smiling are fundamentally different.

“What is it?” Sasuke asks.

“Nothing, just…it’s you, so.” Naruto takes a breath, “Uchiha Sasuke’s going to help me get rid of head lice.” He says like he’s making an official Hokage announcement. He does a good of job it too, for someone who’s just been crying uncontrollably a minute before.

“Thank you for bringing my family name into this.” Sasuke says dryly.

“Of course.” Naruto says, looking more comfortable now that they’re back in familiar territory. Sasuke can relate “It’s a big honor. You know how many people would love to be in your place.”

“Countless.” Sasuke replies instantly.

Naruto’s smile grows a little more natural “Exactly. This is the Hokage’s head after all.”

“If only there was some huge stone monument to make sure people recognized it.”

Naruto’s face finally settles into a real smile, and he just looks at Sasuke with that idiotic expression of fondness for a few more moments before Sasuke can’t take it anymore.

“Let’s see it.”

“It?” Naruto asks, seeming genuinely confused.

“Them?”

“Huh?”

“The lice! Naruto. Take off that ridiculous towel. What were you trying to do with that anyway? Suffocate them?”

“…yeah.”

“Oh” Sasuke says, and despite himself, feels the corner of his lips twitch up.

When Naruto just keeps staring at him, Sasuke loses his patience and extends his hand towards his head.

Naruto leans back immediately “What are you doing?”

“Naruto!” Sasuke says, genuinely exasperated in a way only Naruto can achieve.

Naruto stills at his tone, and then sighs “It’s just not my most flattering moment.”

“Who are you trying to flatter here?” Sasuke asks.

“No-one.” Naruto snaps, then seems to deflate “It is kind of disgusting, though, isn’t it?” There is an unexpected weight to the way he says it. It makes Sasuke wonder.

“They’re just insects.”

Naruto shivers “On my scalp.”

“This attitude is very discriminatory towards the Aburame clan.”

Naruto lets out a weak snort, and then raises his hand as if to run it through his hair, before once again realizing the towel is there. Sasuke, taking advantage of his moment of confusion, leans forward, and pulls the towel off in one smooth motion.

Naruto looks like he’s going to jump back, so Sasuke immediately grabs hold of his forehead in both hands and leans as closely over him as he can.

“I told you it’s contagious!” Naruto says, half-heartedly trying to pull away.

“Aha” Sasuke says, spotting the flash of a movement among the blond strands “Yes, that’s definitely lice.”

Naruto smacks his hands away, hard. Sasuke looks down from his scalp to his face in ready to snap at him in annoyance. But Naruto is looking to the side and something about his expression gives Sasuke pause. It’s the same strange look of vulnerability again. But what is it about this, admittedly, unusual problem that’s brought this on?

It comes to Sasuke suddenly. Naruto isn’t unfamiliar with being treated as contagious even without carrying an infestation. What does it mean for him to imagine people shying away from touching him?

Sasuke presses his lips together. He stands up “Come on, we need to do this in the bathroom.”

Then, leaning forward, he grabs hold of Naruto’s wrist. Naruto freezes at the touch, his eyes snapping up immediately. Their gazes meet and hold for a few moments too long. Then Sasuke pulls Naruto up to his feet and leads the way to where he imagines the bathroom to be.

“Alright” Sasuke says, then putting his hands on Naruto’s shoulder, gives him a push towards the little stool he’d brought from the kitchen. Naruto stumbles a little and sends him a surprised glance from above his shoulders.

“Since when are you so touchy” He mutters under his breath, but takes the sit as directed. Small miracles.

“Here’s what we need to do” Sasuke says, narrowing his eyes and thinking back to vague memories from his childhood.

Naruto gives him a dubious look when his silence drags on “Yes?”

Sasuke gathers Naruto’s shampoo bottle - from the ground because Naruto doesn’t have shelves, or shower curtains for that matter - and a comb, from the little cabinet above the sink.

“Hey.” Naruto protests weakly when he opens it “I could be keeping, I don’t know, condoms or lube or something over there.” Sasuke ignores him.

Armed with Shampoo and comb, he looks back at Naruto.

“Take off your shirt.”

Naruto looks at him, and for some indiscernible reason, starts to laugh.

“What?” Sasuke snaps. He is coming to realize that he is not a fan of Naruto’s new laugh. It sounds decidedly not happy.  

“Sorry.” Naruto says. “Just you know, maybe buy a man dinner first and all that.”

“Funny” Sasuke says dryly.

“I thought so too.” Naruto says as he takes off the pajama shirt, balling it and throwing it out of the open bathroom door. Sasuke gives a cursory glance to Naruto’s exposed torso, his eyes drawn for a moment to Kyobi’s mark on his stomach. He looks up and sees Naruto watching him but Sasuke can't quite read the other's man's expression and isn't sure he wants to. 

Instead, standing in front of Naruto, he leans over and turns on the shower, holding his hand under the stream to check the temperature. From the corner of his eyes, he notices Naruto continuing to watch him quietly.

So deciding the temperature is just fine, Sasuke picks up the shower head, and in one quick move, holds it over Naruto’s head.

Sasuke would have thought it obvious where his previous chain of actions were leading to, but Naruto yelps like he is caught completely by surprise. Sasuke automatically grabs his head with one hand to stop him from moving away and begins to run his fingers through the blond strands.

Naruto stills immediately, his spine jostling straight. “What are you doing?”

Sasuke doesn’t respond. Naruto’s being ridiculous, acting like Sasuke’s fingers carry electricity. Of course, they do at times, but obviously not now, and though he might not the touchiest person, he thinks given the context, Naruto should just shut up and trust him. So instead of answering, he methodically runs his fingers through Naruto’s hair a few more times. It only takes another minute for his entire head as well as a good portion of Sasuke’s shirt to be soaked through.

Naruto is oddly quiet as Sasuke tuns the water off and moves to stand behind him. Without seeing his expression, Sasuke has no idea what he is thinking. Still the silence only lasts for a moment. “Do you really know what you’re doing?” Naruto asks skeptically when Sasuke pauses behind him for a moment. In response, Sasuke pours a large amount of shampoo on his head. Naruto jolts again.

“Jesus, how about a warning?”

“What are you, a child?” Sasuke asks, and then takes a breath as he examines the bright blonde strands laid out in front of him.

“I feel like one right now.” Naruto mutters.

Sasuke briefly thinks that child him would never be doing this for child Naruto. Then slowly, he holds the topmost strands of Naruto’s hair and pulls the comb through them.

Naruto makes a sputtering sound. Sasuke repeats the motion, hoping that the comb is getting the job done. In his memories, his aunt used something else, some sort of special comb. If this doesn’t work, Sasuke figures he can always go and buy one of those.

“Are you brushing my hair?”

Sasuke snorts “Why? Do you like it?” He hadn’t planned to say it, but this is a ridiculous scenario regardless of the conversation, so he isn't too beat up over it. 

Instead of responding in kind though Naruto goes quiet. Sasuke continues to work through the strands section by section. Naruto’s hair is considerably longer than the last time he’d seen him, and Sasuke wonders if his ridiculous chakra reserves make his hair grow more quickly.

“It is weirdly relaxing.” Naruto says suddenly.

Sasuke’s hands pause for a second, and then he continues, hoping Naruto hasn’t noticed.

“How did you know about this?” Naruto asks, seeming to warm up to the chatter suddenly “Don’t tell me perfect little Sasuke had head lice?”

Sasuke shakes his head “Would it make you feel better if I said I did?”

“Do you care about making me feel better?” Naruto asks immediately, and although Sasuke can’t see his face, he has a feeling that the question had slipped out unintentionally.

“It was two of my cousins, I think. I remember my aunt brought them over and my mum helped her go through their hair like this.”

“I see” Naruto says thoughtfully “You don’t mention her often.”

“What do you expect?” Sasuke asks, and there is a hint of real curiosity there. How much do Naruto and him really talk? Somethings can’t be communicated with their usual method of silent understanding.

Naruto shrugs, seeming to think for a moment. “She was friends with my mum, right? It’s weird to think we could have grown up playing together in a different life.”

“I suppose.”

“You don’t think so?” Naruto seems like he is about to turn to look at him, so Sasuke presses his palm briefly to his head to keep him in place.

“I would have been too cool to play with you.” Sasuke says with a smirk.

Naruto snorts “I would have been the Hokage’s son. Maybe I would have been too cool to play with you.”

“Impossible.” Sasuke says easily.

“Yeah, you’re probably right” Naruto agrees with a sigh, and Sasuke can hear the smile in his voice. He feels unsure of what to say in response, so he just continues quietly combing through Naruto’s hair. He’s almost done with the topmost section. Naruto has a lot of hair though, and in a moment of insanity, Sasuke thinks that he can understand why the lice have chosen this particular head to make into a home.

“I could fall asleep right now.” Naruto breaks the silence again, sounding very content.

“Do your moods usually change this quickly?”

“What about this situation is usual?” Naruto responds, and Sasuke thinks he makes a surprisingly good point.

“Well don’t get used to it.” Sasuke says. Almost immediately he thinks about how the process will probably have to be repeated quite a few times. Naruto can probably do that himself though.

Which makes Sasuke realize that maybe he could have just told Naruto what to do from the beginning and then supervised him from a safe distance. Funny that that hadn’t occurred to him. Though, He supposes now he’s conclusively proven to Naruto that touching him is not objectionable. 

“Sasuke” Naruto says suddenly “You didn’t need to do this.”

Sasuke stills, wondering for a bizarre moment if Naruto had read his mind before realizing that he means the comment more generally.

“It’s fine.” He says stiffly.

“No, it’s really…I really appreciate it.” Naruto says quietly.

“Don’t start crying again.” Sasuke means to say it dryly, but a genuine note of fear sneaks into his tone, which unfortunately Naruto seems to recognize.

He snorts “Aww has poor little Sasuke been traumatized?”

“Yes.” Sasuke says, his voice tight.

“I’ll make it up to you.” Naruto says brightly, “What would you like?”

“Nothing.” Sasuke responds immediately.

“Oh, come on Sasuke, there has to be something you want from me.”

“I don’t want anything from you.” Sasuke replies.

He realizes what he’d said when Naruto goes suddenly quiet. Sasuke flinches, accidentally tugging on Naruto’s strands a little too much. “Sorry.” He blurts out.

“It’s fine” Naruto says, “it didn’t hurt that much.”

“Right.” Sasuke says, not sure what else to say to dispel the awkwardness “I’m almost done.”

“Okay” Naruto says “Thanks”

Sasuke shrugs, then realizes Naruto can’t actually see him.

He finishes combing through the last section of Naruto’s hair, right above the nape of his neck and he thinks he feels the other man shiver a little which he decidedly chooses to ignore. Then setting the comb down in the sink, he runs his fingers through Naruto’s hair a few times, going from his forehead back to his neck, making sure he hasn’t missed any part. This time Naruto’s shiver is unmistakable.  

Sasuke clears his through and withdraws his hand “Alright. I think you can wash it now, and then we’ll see if that helped.”

Naruto nods, not turning to look at Sasuke even though he is now free to do so.

“Okay” Sasuke says and moves from behind Naruto to his side so he can wash his hands in the sink. Most of the front of his shirt is now soaked through with a combination of water and shampoo, sticking uncomfortably to his body. 

“Sasuke…”

Sasuke turns to look at Naruto, and then stills at the expression on the other man’s face. There is sadness there, but it’s a particular brand of sadness, similar to how Naruto used to look at him once upon a time, when they would face each other over battlefields of Sasuke’s creation and Naruto’s longing to close the distance had been clear for all the world to see.

Sasuke wants to look away immediately but doesn’t seem able to break his gaze away.

What right does Naruto have to give him that look now?

“…What?” He snaps, his voice coming out rough and hoarse.

It seems to snap Naruto out of his thoughts and he immediately wipes the expression of his face, replacing it with a combination of fake cheer and sympathy as he glances at Sasuke’s shirt “Borrow something of mine, okay? I’ll wash up quickly.”

Sasuke nods, and without another word, turns off the tap and leaves the bathroom.

Why don’t you ever stay? Naruto had asked.

The question would become a refrain in their relationships for years afterward. But back then, only a little over a year after the war, it was still raw with hope and expectation.

Sasuke doesn’t remember what they had gone out to celebrate, but their whole group of genins were there and Naruto had somehow convinced Sasuke to join them, despite both him, and he suspected a great many of the others, preferring it otherwise. The night had dragged on and alcohol had loosened tongues. Sasuke had become aware of how closely Naruto was sitting to him when the blond turned to him and asked the question.

Someone has to do these missions. Sasuke muttered.

It doesn’t have to be you. Naruto snapped, too loud, too adamant. Sasuke saw a few of the others glance their way through the corners of his eyes. He didn’t care, but he thought Naruto would have, under other circumstances.

Who else? Sasuke asked.

I don’t know. Naruto asked bitterly. But haven’t we given enough?

Sasuke felt arrested. That was something he’d never thought he’d hear out of Naruto’s mouth. Naruto, who gave and gave and gave like his love and devotion were unending resources. 

That’s unlike you. Sasuke said. Wouldn’t you sacrifice everything for this village?

Not everything. Naruto said, leaning even closer somehow, his gaze serious despite the cloud of alcohol. You know it was never everything. Don’t pretend…

Someone had distracted them then. Naruto had moved away, and Sasuke had pushed the memory somewhere at the back of his mind where he shoved all the maybes. The next time he’d come back to the village had been a few months later. Naruto had already started seeing Hinata.

Sasuke makes his way back to Naruo’s bedroom where thankfully there is a build-in closet. He thinks that without it, Naruto would have probably kept his clothes in plastic bags at the corner of his room.

He rummages around the other man’s clothes, trying to find anything that’s not a ridiculous color. Eventually, he spots a dark grey t-shirt and decides it’s his best option. At least him and Naruto are roughly the same size.

True to his word, Naruto waltzes in only a couple of minutes later, naked other than for a towel wrapped around wait.

“Sasuke” He calls unnecessarily, seeming like he wants to say something when his eyes settle on Sasuke’s chest. He stills, and then immediately looks away.

Sasuke frowns “Is there a problem?” 

“What?” Naruto asks, startled.

“This shirt? Are you particularly attached to it?”

When Naruto continues to blink silently in response, Sasuke has to stop himself from growling at him like an animal “You said to borrow something.”

“Oh” Naruto says “No of course it’s fine. It’s all yours. I mean, you can take it if you want…”

It’s Sasuke’s turn to stare at him in confusion. He looks down at the giant Uzumaki crest adorning his chest, then back up at Naruto “Why would I take it?”

“No reason.” Naruto says cheerfully.

“Did you hit your head in the shower?”

Naruto snorts.

“That wasn’t an answer.” Sasuke says under his breath “How are you feeling?”

“What, emotionally?” Naruto asks confused.

Sasuke has a strong desire to rub the space between his eyebrows where a headache is developing “Your scalp! Does it feel any better?”

“Oh yeah” Naruto says, pushing his fingers through his hair “It’s unbelievable actually, it feels all cool and light, barely even itches anymore; I haven’t felt this good in ages.”

“You had it for ages?” Sasuke asks alarmed.

Naruto shrugs “Don’t know exactly. I didn’t know what was going on until yesterday, I just thought it was a stress response or something.”

“Jesus” Sasuke says.  

“Yeah” Naruto nods, the movement sending droplets of water running down his torso. Sasuke follows them distractedly with his eyes.

Naruto looks down suddenly “I’m naked.”

“I hadn’t noticed” Sasuke says dryly.

Naruto’s gaze snaps to his, one corner of his lips inching up “That’s a shame.” He says, the other corner joining the first until he is fully smiling “It was meant to be my way of saying thank you.”

Despite himself, Sasuke snorts. Naruto’s eyes lit up at managing to get the reaction from him, so Sasuke immediately wills it away.

“It’s nothing I haven’t seen before.” He says. Between missions, fights, hot springs, and the sharing of tents, that’s true a hundred times over. Granted, it's been a while but the point still stands. Besides, Sasuke has never been particularly affected by nakedness.

Naruto huffs “My majesty’s wasted on you.”

He moves to the closet, and Sasuke moves aside to let him pick out some clothes.

“I was voted the sexiest man in Konoha just last year you know.” Naruto tells him, his voice muffled since he’s now put his entire upper body inside the closet.

Sasuke allows himself an amused smile since Naruto can’t see it anyway “I guess shadow closes are useful for voting.”

Naruto gasps, emerging from the closet with his clothes in hand “That is a serious allegation.”

Sasuke simply raises an eyebrow.

Naruto shakes his head at him “I thought you’d say I should thank you.”

“What for?”

Naruto rolls his eyes “For staying out of the village long enough to give me a chance to win.” Then he lets the clothes drop to the ground next to him, and without any preamble takes off his towel and puts it around his shoulders.

Sasuke doesn’t look away. He doesn’t really think that this is some odd challenge on Naruto’s part, but looking away still feels like he is conceding something. He watches Naruto pull on a pair of shorts and a forest green t-shirt, before looking over at Sasuke again. He doesn’t show any hint of surprise at finding him already looking back.

Then they just stand there.

Sasuke breaks the silence eventually “I’ll be going then.”

“Oh” Naruto says, frowning “Where?”

Sasuke raises his eyebrows at him “To my house, where I reside.”

Naruto snorts “I think you need to check the dictionary definition of reside.”

“Clearly you’re feeling better if we’re back to this already.”

The topic of Sasuke’s long absences from the village is worn-out and soft around the edges by now.

“How about you stay instead?” Naruto says. Sasuke opens his mouth, but Naruto clarifies before he has a chance to say something “Right now I mean. For lunch.”

“Do you have any food?” Sasuke asks, genuinely surprised.

“Hey!” Naruto protests. Then looks around the empty room and pushes a hand through his hair “I haven’t had time to settle in.”

“How long has it been?” Sasuke asks.

Naruto looks at him, then immediately away.

“Has it been a month?”

Naruto sighs “Six.”

Six fucking months in this hellhole?

“Well.” Sasuke says “That’s depressing.”

Naruto shrugs.

“I was surprised.” Sasuke says carefully “When Hinata told me. I went to the house expecting you to still be there.” 

Naruto gives him a pointed look “I told you I couldn’t do it anymore.”

Sasuke frowns, thinking back seven months to the night before his last mission. 

“You were drunk” Sasuke says, then wonders why this seems to be true for so many of their most honest conversations, “I didn’t even think you’d remember the conversation the next day.”

Naruto snorts “Well that explains things.”

Sasuke refuses to look away. Ah, So Naruto’s going to go there, is he?

“Thinking about it, maybe it’s only right that you helped me with this whole situation.” Naruto says, a smile tugging at his lips as he pulls on some of his blond strands to illustrate the point “It’s at least partly your fault after all.”

Excuse me if I don’t trust your current judgement. Sasuke had said to a drunk Naruto after he’s shared his plans of leaving his marriage. Sasuke hadn’t been drinking, knowing he’d have to leave early the next day.

I make great decisions. Naruto sputtered, a little too loudly, but there had barely been anyone in the bar besides the two of them.

What? Like the decision to shave your head? Sasuke snorted.

You don’t like it? Naruto asked, suddenly serious, and drew a hand over his scalp.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. What does it matter if I like it?

Why do you have to be such a bastard? Naruto muttered, clearly drunk, and despite himself Sasuke laughed at the familiar question.

Let’s just say your father gave you the blueprint for what looks good, and somehow you still messed it up.

Huh! Naruto said much too loudly and pointed an accusing finger at him You think my dad was super hot.

Sasuke simply shook his head over his glass of water, wondering why he hadn’t cut the blond off or escorted him home hours before he’d reached this level of inebriation.

I LOOK JUST LIKE HIM. Naruto yelled into his face as if making a winning point in an argument.

Alright. Sasuke stood up. It’s time to get you home.

Don’t go tomorrow. Naruto told him later, one arm strung across Sasuke’s shoulder who was carrying most of his weight as they walked to Naruto’s house.

What if you don’t go?

Just this once?

What if you stay, for me?

Alright. Sasuke had told a drunk Naruto, certain that he was barely conscious by that point. Alright. I'll stay.  

“If you grew your hair out because of one drunken conversation, that’s really on you.” Sasuke says now.

“Yeah.” Naruto agrees easily. “That’s on me.”

Sasuke gives him a suspicious look.

“How about you breaking your word? Is that also on me?” Naruto says with an easy smile. The lack of sharpness is more cutting.

Sasuke sighs, then he informs Naruto “You didn’t really think I wouldn’t go on the mission.”

He hadn’t. He couldn’t have. What was Sasuke’s word worth anyway?

“Oh no I did.” Naruto emphasizes. “Some might say I was crushed to realize you’d left.”

Sasuke looks away.

Naruto continues “And actually, I’m almost certain that by telling the Hokage you wouldn’t go, you’d officially withdrawn yourself from the mission right then and there. So, you also broke protocol by going.”

“Well, the Hokage couldn’t carry his own weight at that particular moment, so forgive me for not thinking it was an official meeting.” Sasuke snaps, and then sighs immediately “This is stupid. I’m…” he takes a breath. This is never easy for him, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that when I knew I’d be leaving, no matter how drunk you were.”

Naruto nods, and then takes the towel from around his shoulders and starts drying his hair with it. Sasuke has the oddest urge to go over, take the towel, and do it himself. Apparently, you spend an hour brushing someone’s hair and suddenly you start feeling a sense of ownership over it. He wonders briefly how Naruto would react if he were to do it, the thought amusing him in a bitter sort of way.

“Why did you?” Naruto says in an easy, curious tone.

Sasuke snaps out of his thoughts “Did what?”

“Why did you say you’d stay.” Naruto says, “It’s unlike you.”

Why had he?

“I didn’t think you’d remember” Sasuke says. 

Naruto throws the towel on his mattress and sends him a look “That doesn’t answer the question though. Does it?”

Sasuke shakes his head.

Why had he?

Maybe he’d wanted to pretend that he could give Naruto something that he asked for, just once.

Maybe he’d been tired, and Naruto had been drunk and sad, so lying had been easier.

Maybe he’d wanted to imagine a version of his life when he could just decide to stay in the village. Stay for him.

It’s all a little pathetic really.

When his silence drags on, Naruto sighs “Whatever. It’s not a big deal.”

It isn’t and it is, but Sasuke isn’t going to say more on the matter.

“How about this time, how long …” Naruto pauses, and then seems to change his mind. He looks so tired suddenly, the dark circles under his eyes standing out in the light of his uncharacteristic hesitation “You know what, let’s just eat for now.”

Somethings never change. Sasuke thinks as he mixes the noodles in his cup. Naruto, after a few years of married life, is here once again, with his family-sized box of instant noodles in the cupboard.

“What? No snide comment about my palate?” Naruto says after they’d been eating their noodles in silence for a while.

“It’s nostalgic.” Sasuke says automatically.

Naruto’s mouth makes a perfect O "Who are you and what have you done with Sasuke?”

“Flayed him alive, and then sew myself into his skin.”

“You’re sick” Naruto says, “I miss the days when you had no sense of humor.”

“I miss the days when you weren’t infested.”

“Hey!” Naruto protests “Too soon!”

“Was it?” Sasuke says, “How did you get lice anyway?”

Naruto sighs “I don’t know. I do a lot of academy visits.”

“Those filthy kids.” Sasuke says.

Naruto snorts “I know right? To think we were just like them once.”

“I was never like them.” Sasuke says with complete confidence.

Naruto rolls his eyes “Of course not. How dare I suggest The Uchiha Sasuke was ever a regular child.”

“Neither of us were regular children.” Sasuke says.

“Huh, can’t argue with that.” Naruto says, and suddenly gives Sasuke a fond smile “God Sasuke…”

“Just Sasuke’s fine.”

Naruto pauses for a moment, and then starts laughing.

Sasuke watches him for a few moments and when he shows no sign of stopping, he sighs “It wasn’t that funny.”

Naruto ignores him, wiping tears from the corner of his eyes “I was just going to say bastard, it’s really good to have you here. It’s always good.”

Sasuke looks down at his noodles. He hesitates, but he is 26 too, he can break a few habits from time to time “Yeah, it’s good to see you too.”

He looks up just in time to see the biggest grin come over Naruto’s face. The first of its kind since he’d come. It makes Sasuke’s stomach twist together. It takes so little to make Naruto so happy, and yet he chooses to withhold it from him all the time.

Why? Is he worried that affection once freely given becomes ordinary? Does he still believe that Naruto cares for him because he is untouchable, like a child wanting a toy they can’t have?

And how did it make sense on Naruto’s side? Someone starved for affection choosing to care for someone who doles it out like it’s in short supply. It makes Sasuke want to grab Naruto’s shoulder and shake him until he sees sense. Why care for me? Why?

Then again, what would be the point? Had they not been here before? Had they not done this already? Time and time again, over blood and bones, and still, all these years later, Sasuke cannot accept his answer, not really.

Because you’re my friend.

But why. What does that mean to you really?

I understand. Sasuke had said.

You understand? Naruto asked. What does that mean?

It makes sense that you’d marry Hinata. Sasuke said honestly.

They’d been in the Hokage’s office, Kakashi’s back then. Sasuke had come to keep Naruto company while he worked late.

They hadn’t seen each other much since Sasuke had come back from his mission a few days before. Naruto had still made an effort to make it work, he always did, but there was only so much of his time to be spared given he’d been in the midst of moving into his new house. A house that was big enough to hold a family one day.

One day soon, Sasuke realized, as Naruto, looking at the papers on his desk, told him that he was getting married. They were 19. 

Most people say congratulations. Naruto said, looking out the window. Sasuke followed his gaze to where underneath the shroud of darkness Konoha was spread out. Despite the entire village being right there in sight, the world felt so quiet and empty.

Congratulations. Sasuke said. I wish you all the happiness. And for once he’d hoped that he sounded sincere because he was, in all the ways that counted.

Thanks. Naruto said but he'd been frowning, looking down at his desk. Why did you say it makes sense?

I didn’t mean anything bad by it. Sasuke had said. For how he was at 19, all spikes and sharp deflections, he’d chosen to be surprisingly honest that night. Naruto’s news that had temporarily taken down his guards; the constant push and pull inside his mind rendered meaningless.

I still want to know what you meant. Naruto insisted, finally looking at him.

Sasuke had met his gaze. Just that Hinata seems very loving. It makes sense for you to want someone who gives affection freely.

Naruto kept on staring at him. Sasuke remembers his expression well, precisely because it had puzzled him.

Naruto looked angry, and Sasuke figured that despite his best intentions he’d still ended up insulting the other boy somehow.

I see. Naruto said eventually, looking down at his hands for a moment. When he’d looked back up, the anger was gone, replaced with good cheer.

Well, if my best friend gives his stamp of approval, what can possibly go wrong?

It was Sasuke’s turn to look away.

I’m hardly an expert in the matters of the heart. He’d said bitterly.

“Sasuke? Hey, are you okay?”

Sasuke blinks back to the present moment, where a much older Naruto is looking at him with a concerned look on his face.

 “I’m fine” Sasuke says, steeling himself “Shouldn’t I be the one asking that question?”

Naruto, who’d leaned over the table, settles back in his chair “What do you mean?”

“Naruto, come on.”

Naruto just keeps on looking at him.

“You don’t have furniture.”

“Says the man who spends most of his nights sleeping in a tent somewhere.”

“You don’t have food.”

“What did we just eat then?” Sasuke sighs and decides not to go into the ‘real food’ argument, it wouldn’t lead anywhere.

“And before you talk about the lice problem, that can happen to anyone.”

“It can.” Sasuke agrees, though he thinks that not everyone would cry over it or barricade themselves in their house and decide not to go to work for the first time in years because of how overwhelmed they were by it. But he doesn’t think that’s a lucrative line of conversation either.

“It can?” Naruto asks, clearly not having expected the agreement.

Sasuke rolls his eyes “Of course idiot, what, did you think they chose you specially?”

Naruto shrugs “I don’t know. I thought you’d tell me I should have showered more or changed my sheets more often, or…”

What did Naruto take him for? Sasuke sighs “I’m fairly certain that none of that plays any part into it. But you probably do need to change your sheets now.”

Naruto salutes in response, and Sasuke tries to get the conversation back on track.

“Are you actually doing fine Naruto?” Sasuke manages to ask. It’s not even that hard, or well, it’s not impossible.

“Why do you keep insisting I’m not?” Naruto says.

“Because” Sasuke says “You don’t seem fine. That’s all. It’s not the lice, or the lack of furniture or food. It’s just you. You don’t…”

Naruto seems taken aback, the forced cheer fading from his face and leaving him pale.

When he doesn’t say anything for several moments, Sasuke tries “I don’t doubt that leaving a marriage is very hard.”

Naruto snorts suddenly “Really? You? I didn’t think leaving anything would seem hard to you.” Sasuke thinks that maybe he deserves that comment, but Naruto immediately looks stricken “Jesus, Sasuke. That wasn’t…”

“It’s fine.”

“It’s not.” Naruto takes a breath “The truth is, it wasn’t that hard to leave. Making the decision was hard. It was hard thinking about what people would say, or how Hinata would feel. It was hard to accept I’d failed. But the actual leaving? That wasn’t hard."

Sasuke nods, not sure what to say. He’d started the conversation, but that doesn’t mean he suddenly knows how to offer comfort. There is only so much you can dig out from decades-old memories of your mother and there hasn’t been much comfort given in Sasuke’s life outside of that.

“What kind of person does that make me?” Naruto asks, “That I can end my marriage and feel relief?”

“An honest one, I suppose.” Sasuke says.

Naruto looks at him, seeming stumped by the response. Though whether it was the words themselves or the fact that they were coming from him, Sasuke isn’t sure.

“But Naruto, if you feel relieved, then why?”

Why the bitter laughs, and bursts of tears, why the dark empty rooms and the un-emptied trash and forced cheer?

“Do you have to be so fucking perceptive?” Naruto tells him with a smile, small but genuine.

“Don’t take this the wrong way.” Sasuke says, “But this is just me not being blind.”

Naruto snorts “Yeah well you’d be surprised.”

Sasuke knows Naruto has other friends, friends who would worry about him, who’d come and make sure he took out the trash and opened the windows once in a while. So why…?

You’re the one he’d let see him if something’s actually wrong.

Was that what Shikamaru had said?

Coming back from his mission, Sasuke had gone to the Hokage office first, surprised not to find Naruto there as he always seemed to be in recent years.

What do you mean he hasn’t come in for a week? Sasuke had snapped at the advisor. It’s peacetime and you couldn’t spare a single shinobi to go check on the Hokage?

He won’t see anyone.

Shikamaru had said, too swamped with work and worry to bother with his usual veneer of hostility towards Sasuke.

You’re the one he’d let see him if something’s actually wrong, and you only just graced us with your presence.

That wasn’t true, was it? It can’t be. Even geniuses are wrong sometimes. Sasuke knows that better than most.

Naruto is silent for a good long while. Sasuke is okay with silence. They just sit there, facing each other over two cups of cold noodles.

“Won’t you tell me?” Sasuke asks eventually.

Naruto sighs “I don’t think it’s something that you can understand”

Sasuke smiles “Wasn’t that always my line?”

Naruto snorts “God that’s true, you were such a pain in the ass.”

“Given how much time you spent chasing me, what does that make you?”

“Someone with the patience of a saint?” Naruto asks.

“A masochist.” Sasuke says.

Naruto smiles an odd kind of smile “Well, that’s something we’ve always had in common”

Sasuke looks away. Sometimes, like when Naruto is too openly affectionate towards him, Sasuke wonders how much the other man really knows him. Then there are times like this when he wonders if he actually knows him too well.

“Alright” Naruto says, “I guess I’ll tell you, since you evoked the power of nostalgia.”

Sasuke raises an eyebrow and waits.

Naruto sighs “I don’t know Sasuke; I think I’m lonely.”

“Oh”

“You probably think that’s pathetic.” Naruto rolls his eyes.

“No” Sasuke says, “Not necessarily.” He ignores Naruto’s snort at that as he continues “I think it’s probably to be expected, going from living with someone to living alone.”

“No.” Naruto interrupts him “It’s been building for a long time, way before that.” Naruto sighs. “I think I just had a different image of things in my mind.”

“What do you mean?”

“You know when we were growing up, it all seemed so clear. Becoming Hokage, bringing you back to the village, they were concrete goals, and I thought things would just make sense afterwards.”

“And they didn’t?” Sasuke asks.

“Not in the way I thought” Naruto says “You were home, but you weren’t really. I was married but I still felt so alone. I became the Hokage, but I still couldn’t change things the way I wanted, and I kept thinking, I don’t really know how to do this. Everyone else just knows. They just know how to do their jobs and their lives, and then here I am, feeling like more of a child at 26 than I did at 17, and the consequences of every choice I have to make now feel so much more monumental.”

“I see.” Sasuke says.

Naruto sighs “I think, that can all be fine though, you can feel that way and do it all anyway. I know that. But I still can’t help but feel like there is something missing.”

Sasuke is quiet. He wonders what it is that Naruto might be missing, but no easy response comes to mind. Naruto goes quiet too stares into the air for a few moments. He sneaks a glance at Sasuke, then away again, then back.

“It wasn’t meant to all come out like that.”

Sasuke nods.

They’re silent for a few minutes.

“What should I do?” Naruto asks.

“I don’t know.” Sasuke says honestly.

Naruto nods.

 “Let me stay a while.” Sasuke offers, it’s an impulsive decision for him, but he isn’t altogether surprised to hear it come out of his mouth.

“Let you?” Naruto frowns “Haven’t I always wanted you in the village?”

“No, I meant, let me stay here, for a bit. I’ll help you clean up, maybe get some furniture.”

Naruto stares at him like he is a stranger.

Sasuke wonders if he needs to make his case more strongly “I’ll help you kill the rest of the lice.”

That seems to finally snap Naruto out of his haze, a smile begins to appear on his face “Oh well, if you’ll do that, how can I say no?”

Sasuke rolls his eyes.  

“Maybe add in a head message too?” Naruto adds helpfully.

Sasuke hides his relief at seeing that despite still looking worn, amusement is creeping back into Naruto’s face.

“Of course.” He says dryly “I have to work for my rent after all”

“And for your food!”

Sasuke snorts “Please, I’ll be making the food.”

“You’ll be living with me, cleaning up, and making me food?” Naruto stares at him for a moment “Like a house husband?”

Sasuke rolls his eyes “I’ll be helping you clean and making myself food. You can have the leftovers.”

“Did this all come about because you saw me naked earlier?” Naruto ponders. “I always thought my sexy no jutsu didn’t work on you.”

“It doesn’t” Sasuke, says and starts picking up the food wrappers from the floor “That wasn’t a jutsu, it was just you.”

“So, all along, all I had to do was take off my clothes.” Naruto says and joins him in picking up some of the trash from the other side of the room.

“Really Naruto” Sasuke says, “All those years of chasing me around, and you never figured it out.”

Naruto snorts “Could’ve saved so much time.”

“Years.”

“So, what happens now that I’ve figured it out?”

“Isn’t it clear?” Sasuke straightens up with a pile of trash in his hands “I’m yours.”

Naruto doesn’t laugh. Mirroring Sasuke, he straightens up too, and then just stands there and watches him from the other side of the room, until the silence has gone on for too long.

“You shouldn’t say that.” He says quietly “I’ve never been good at letting you go.”

Sasuke smirks on reflex “I’m here now.”

“For a bit.” Naruto adds.

“For a bit.” Sasuke says, “So let’s take out the trash because I have higher living standards than this.”

Naruto smiles “No doubt. This is no tent in the middle of some wild forest after all.”

“No” Sasuke agreed “But it’ll do for now.” And he is rewarded by seeing Naruto’s smile grow almost to a grin.

While Naruto changes the sheets and does a load of laundry, Sasuke cleans up the piles of trash in the apartment, opens all the windows, and washes the few dishes that have been in the sink for an unknown length of time. When Naruto comes back, he is in the midst of mopping the kitchen floor.

“You don’t need to do that.” Naruto tells him.

Sasuke doesn’t respond.

Scratching behind his head Naruto adds “I should have just had shadow clones do all of it ages ago. I don’t know why I didn’t.”

Sasuke snorts “Nothing like a chakra-draining jutsu to help when everything feels hard.”

Naruto watches him finish up from the doorway. It’s a little unnerving, but Sasuke’s almost done anyway.

“You’re very empathetic.” Naruto observes.

Sasuke snorts “Yeah. That’s how I’m described all the time.”

Naruto frowns. “I’m describing you that way.”

“Yeah well, forgive me if I don’t put too much weight into that.”

Sasuke ignores Naruto’s silent brooding at that. Putting the mop to the side, he takes a moment to enjoy the gleaming tiles. Then he picks up his cloak from where he’d laid it on one of the stools “I’m going to get some groceries. Do you want to come?”

Naruto, his previous displeasure momentarily forgotten, looks disproportionately torn at such a small decision.

Sasuke thinks of one of the first times they’d gone out together after Naruto had become Hokage. Hokage-sama, have you had a chance to look over my application for…Can we have a picture?….I’ve been trying to get a meeting with…I don’t understand why these new regulations are necessary…. Sasuke had been exhausted by it within a few minutes, but he’d always thought Naruto was the type to draw energy from the interactions.

“You can use a henge.” Sasuke suggests.

Naruto looks up at him in surprise. “Why would I do that?”

Sasuke shrugs “ The constant interruptions make me crazy.”

Naruto gives him a suspicious look, as if sensing there is more to the request. Sasuke keeps his expression neutral. Then Naruto shrugs and disappears in a puff of smoke, replaced by a tall girl with shoulder-length red hair and grey eyes. Sasuke looks at him silently, noticing the similarities to Kushina, but doesn’t say anything about it.

“Why a girl?”

Naruto shrugs “People will just think you’re dating someone.”

It doesn’t make much sense, but it also makes no difference to Sasuke, so they leave the house side by side.

Naruto seems hesitant as they slowly make their way into busier streets. It’s evening now, and Konoha is bustling with people going home from work. At first, Naruto looks at the crowd with wide eyes, as if preparing for an attack. However, no one spares the two of them a glance, and slowly the other seems to relax. Then, just as slowly a smile comes over his - her- face.

After ten minutes of this, Naruto suddenly grabs onto Sasuke’s elbow with both hands and leans towards him to whisper “This is so much fun. I feel like a real delinquent”

Sasuke snorts “Times really have changed if this is delinquency to you now.”

“You have a point.” Naruto nods thoughtfully “Maybe we should go deface the Hokages after this, for old times’ sake.”

“As long as I get to do you.” Sasuke says distractedly, trying to recall where the closest grocery store would be in this neighborhood.

Naruto snorts, then leaning in more into Sasuke’s space, he puts on an exaggerated girly voice “Sasuke-kun, that’s no way to speak in public.”

Sasuke shoots him a look. “Never do that again.”

Something shines in Naruto’s eyes, and even though they’re a different shape and colour now, Sasuke sadly recognizes the spark all too well as a hint of some imaginary challenge Nartuo has taken upon himself to win against him.

He loops his arm around Sasuke’s elbows immediately, holding on tight “But Sasuke this is all a part of the story. We’re a young couple who just moved in together, so we’re still so excited about doing mundane things like grocery shopping together.” Naruto wipes an imaginary tear from the corner of his eye.

Sasuke sighs. He knows from experience that protesting is more likely to only strengthen Naruto’s resolve. Besides, what does it matter? If Naruto wants to play pretend, let him. Sasuke wouldn’t have cared even if Naruto had decided to do this without the henge. Between the two of them, Naruto has always been the one who is concerned with what others think of him. 

Still, the funny thing about Henges is, they stand up under cursory touches, but they reveal themselves with prolonged contact, so looking to his side, Sasuke sees Naruto holding onto his elbow. Granted, he is shrouded in the transparent outline of the girl others see him as, but still. It’s odd. No bad necessarily, just odd.

When he doesn’t meet the expected resistance, Naruto shoots him a sideways glance. Sasuke expects him to pout and let go once he realizes Sasuke refuses to protest. But he keeps their arms linked and they walk side by side towards the store Sasuke had finally located.

“I will pick the groceries” Sasuke tells him firmly as they go inside. “You won’t touch anything.”

“Do you see how he treats me ojisan?”Naruto asks the older man behind the counter.

The man smiles at the pouting young woman in front of him “Should I have a stern word with him?”

“He is the only one who can actually cook though.” Naruto sighs dramatically “Perhaps I can forgive him?”

“That depends” A voice says from behind them, and they both turn to see an older woman stacking the shelves “How does he treat you otherwise?” She asks, stopping the activity and putting her hands on her waist.

Sasuke sighs. All he wanted was to grab some vegetables.

“Ah, he can be really cold sometimes. He doesn’t communicate well so it’s hard to know what he’s thinking.” Naruto says thoughtfully “He leaves the village for long periods of times, and barely writes.”

The woman frowns at Sasuke “Is that true young man?”

Sasuke realizing belatedly that he shouldn’t have let Naruto start this game, can’t think of much else to do but nod.

The old lady frowns and seems like she has something to say to him, but Naruto continues, now starting to count on his fingers “He is stubborn, very proud, very violent, doesn’t apologize easily, doesn’t like being vulnerable. Doesn’t take compliments.”

Sasuke can’t help but notice the worried looks that comes over the woman’s face at hearing him described as violent and thinks that he will indeed punch the other man in the stomach as soon as they’re somewhere private.

Naruto, meanwhile, seems like he is having a great time and he leans into his space once more. “He is really smart, surprisingly witty. He can be very thoughtful, and a good listener. He’s loyal. He doesn’t like a lot of people, so when he spends time with you, you know it’s because he wants to.” Naruto says giving him a fond look like the doting girlfriend he is pretending to be “And I guess he isn’t too bad to look at.”

Sasuke looks away, not amused with the game at all anymore.

“It seems there isn’t much I can do for you then” The lady says in a stern tone, though when Sasuke looks at her, she is smiling. “Sounds like you’re in love.”

“Oh no.” Naruto looks back at her “We’re best friends.”

Sasuke’s eyes snap to him, and at least, he is vindicated when he notices both the man and the woman are giving Naruto equally incredulous looks.

The old man looks at the two of them like they’d personally betrayed him, while the lady gives them a skeptical look and goes back to stocking the shelves. Sasuke sees her shake her head at herself and muttering something about confused young people.

Naruto meanwhile grins at Sasuke “Wasn’t that funny?” and before Sasuke can respond, is pulling him towards the snacks isle.  

Sasuke gives Naruto a sideways look as they walk into the kitchen with the shopping bags, and he dispels his Henge. He briefly ponders asking Naruto to explain his actions, but decides against it, largely because he is sure there will be no comprehensible explanation. The workings of Naruto’s mind are at times lawless and better left alone.

Naruto for his part, seems to be in significantly better spirits that before. He hums as they put away the groceries together, and Sasuke finds himself relaxing into the easy domesticity of the moment.

How do you cook so well when most of the time you don’t even have access to a stove? Naruto had complained at the same time as he’d stuffed his mouth with food.

Sasuke didn’t remember the circumstances exactly. It had been dinner time though, and Sasuke had the impression that Naruto had just showed up uninvited to his house.

Let me help. Aw fine bastard, no need to get so violent. Let me watch then. I can still cut some vegetables, come on Sasuke. Let’s have dinner together.

Sasuke had sat him down behind the kitchen island with some spring onions and Naruto had chatted away happily as Sasuke moved around preparing the food. Sasuke had waited, and waited, and waited. Still, despite all the inane chatter, Naruto had never brought up the news. The omission had begun to grate on Sasuke’s nerve throughout the meal, slowly wearing out his patience.

Cooking’s an incredibly easy skill. Sasuke had snapped in response to Naruto’s effusive compliments and complaints, Even imbeciles like you can manage it.

Huh joke’s on you. Naruto said, because actually, I can’t manage it at all.

Sasuke didn’t bother to reply.

Maybe you should come back permanently, then you can cook for me more often.

Naruto joked, never missing out on a chance to bring it up.

Or maybe you can ask Hinata to cook for you, Sasuke said before he could think better of it.

Naruto looked surprised for a moment before he looked away, pushing his hand inside his hair.

So, you heard.

I’m surprised you didn’t bring it up yourself the moment you had the opportunity. Sasuke said. I thought you’d want to tell everyone as soon as someone agreed to date you.

Naruto didn’t reply, instead sitting there and watching Sasuke quietly as the rest of his food went cold.

I was going to. He said eventually. Tell you, that is.

Good. Sasuke said, With someone else to occupy your time, maybe you can stop begging for my attention.

Seriously? Naruto snapped We’re back to this?

Sasuke sat quietly, not bothering to respond.

I just wanted to have dinner with you. Naruto muttered to himself as if that was the saddest part of it all.

“I have a sleeping bag somewhere.” Naruto says. Given how late their lunch was, neither felt much like having dinner, so they had tea together in companionable silence which Sasuke’s continued to fill with old memories. “But we can also just share the mattress.”

“I’m used to sleeping on the floor.”

Naruto rolls his eyes “The point is you don’t have to.”

Sasuke considers reminding Naruto that there is a good chance he is still contagious. Then he looks at how the other man is watching him expectantly. “Fine.”

As they lay down that night, Sasuke feels comforted by the fact that the house is already significantly cleaner than it was this afternoon. The air smells vaguely of cleaning liquid, and the kitchen is now filled with groceries.

The mattress is comfortable, and big enough that they are each sleeping on their backs with a good amount of distance between them. Still. “Tomorrow, we’ll get you some furniture.”

From the corner of his eyes, Sasuke sees Naruto smile a little. “Since when do you care about this stuff?”

“Basic living necessities?”

“Do I need to bring up your usual living situation again?”

Sasuke sighs “I thought you’d give up on this conversation years ago.”

“Do you even know me?”

“At this point, if I ever come back more permanently,” Sasuke says, and pretend to ignore the sharp intake of breath on Naruto’s side. The idiot, “What would we even have to talk about?”

Naruto rolls onto his side to face him “I promise you; I will think of something.”

Sasuke rolls his eyes.

“Are you really happy with how things are?”

Sasuke doesn’t often consider his happiness as much of a relevant factor to anything, but he has a feeling that answer would not be satisfactory to Naruto.

“I’m happy enough.” He says eventually. Still Naruto makes a disgruntled kind of sound.

 Just as Sasuke’s eyelids are getting heavier, Naruto asks. “You don’t need anyone?”

“…define need.”

“Argh” Naruto says, even though Sasuke had been asking genuinely “Whatever, let’s just sleep.”

Sasuke wakes up sometime near dawn and immediately stills at the unfamiliar weight over him. His hand is halfway to his kunai before he finally opens his eyes and realizes the weight is indeed just Naruto’s arm, slung casually over him.

“Naruto.” He hisses. “Wake up. Now.”

Naruto grunts and opens one eye. The eye settles on Sasuke’s face, which is very close to his own, but instead of alarm, he looks vaguely confused. “… Sasuke?”

Sasuke narrows his eyes, still lying stiff, and glares.

“Oh” Naruto’s eyes move downward and seem to notice his own arms slung over Sasuke’s middle. “Oops.”

“Remove your hand.”

“Right!” Naruto says and laughing awkwardly finally withdraws his arm. “Sorry.”

Sasuke turns so that his back is now to Naruto. He realizes that this must be a leftover instinct from years of married life, casual contact, easy intimacy. It puts him in a terrible mood.

“Hey Sasuke” Naruto says, “I was unconscious so…”

“Don’t talk about it.”

“…alright.” Naruto says “Sorry.”

When Sasuke goes to sleep again, he is close enough to the edge of the mattress that he wonders if he might not just roll down the side as he is asleep. At least, that’s one good thing about there not being a proper bed, there isn't so far to fall. 

Naruto crawls into the kitchen when Sasuke is almost done with his breakfast.

“You didn’t wait for me?” He asks pouting. At least, it’s clear he’s already washed his face

Sasuke doesn’t respond as the answer is self-evident.

Naruto walks to the stove and eyes the omelet left untouched in the pan. “Is this for me?” When Sasuke doesn’t respond, Naruto grins “You made an extra one for me?”

Still no response.

Naruto keeps watching him as he eats, and Sasuke calmly drinks his coffee.

“Are you mad at me?”

Silence.

“Is this because of last night?”

Sasuke raises an eyebrow at him.

“You know, when it seemed like I tried to cuddl…”

“Naruto.” Sasuke snaps “Are you done?”

“Huh?” Naruto blinks. Then looks down at his already empty plate.

“If you’re done, we should go get you some furniture.”

Sasuke frowns at the sign. Why does the name sound so familiar?

Naruto had insisted that despite it being the weekend, he didn’t need a Henge for where they were going, and indeed, not only were they in one of the quietest parts of town, Sasuke had found that his glares were still enough to keep the few people who might have approached the Hokage away.

Now as Sauske looks at the sign for the woodshop again, it comes to him suddenly.

“You’re kidding?” He looks sideways at Naruto.

“Ah, so you recognize the name?” Naruto grins. He looks much better today. Some of the colour is back in his face, and his hair looks characteristically wild and bright. “Yamato-captain is pretty much of out of active duty now, but it doesn’t mean he can’t still put his wood style to good use.”

“Hn” Sasuke makes a barely audible sound, but Naruto turns to look at him immediately.

“What’s the problem?”

Sasuke shakes his head.

“What is it?”

“…I don’t like the guy.”

Sasuke doesn’t care for people as a whole, but he also typically can’t be bothered to like or dislike many individuals in particular. However, he still associates this man with Naruto in wooden cages, quiet complicity, and the very worst of village elders, which are three of his least favorite things.

“Ah, this takes me back to the old days.” Naruto says, though what days he means exactly, Sasuke isn’t sure, since they’d never talked about this man before, "Come on, Yamato’s alright, and he makes the best furniture, trust me.”

Sasuke shrugs, figures that this is for Naruto’s house anyway, and follows the other inside.

Immediately, he puts an arm out, grabs Naruto and drags him back as he spins both of them to face the threat to their side….

….Where a familiar man is standing alone, holding a torch light underneath his face to give him a ghastly appearance.

Sasuke pauses for a second as he takes in the scene. Then he slowly lets go of both Naruto and the Kunai in his other hand. Naruto sends him a sideways glance and Sasuke clears his throat. The man turns off the light with an audible click and slowly lowers his hand to his side, his face now revealing a normal aging man. 

“Yamato-captain!” Naruto says happily “Sorry, Sasuke can be a little paranoid.”

“I can see that.” Yamato says neutrally “Good to see the Hokage is now adequately protected against pranks.”

Naruto snorts. “I know right? I can dismiss the ANBU.”

“This is finally a permanent arrangement then?” The man asks, not looking at Sasuke.

Naruto pauses “No.” he says eventually, then attempts a laugh “You make a good point captain, I shouldn’t be too hasty in letting people go.”

“Hmm.” The man makes a thoughtful sound “The opposite is usually the concern with you.”

“Huh.” Naruto makes a vaguely amused sound and glances at Sasuke who’s managed to successfully fade into the shadows.

“How can I help you today? And please stop calling me captain, Hokage-sama.”

Naruto waves a dismissive hand and the man sighs in a way that despite himself Sasuke feels vaguely sympathetic towards.

“We’re looking for some furniture.” Naruto says, “Sasuke says we can’t just keep sleeping on a mattress on the floor.”

Sasuke lets out a breath. Sometimes, he wonders if Naruto can truly not hear the things that come out his mouth.

Yamato looks between the two of them carefully “I see.” He says eventually “I can’t say this is an entirely unexpected development.”

“No?” Naruto says, distracted by looking at a very detailed statue of a flamingo “I guess not, he’s always been a bit of a prissy bastard.”

“I see why you came to me with this.” Yamato says.

“Of course, you’re the very best after all.”

“Right,” Yamato says “and you can also count on my complete discretion. Assuming that’s necessary?”

Naruto who’s moved on to looking at a widely impractical set of tiny decorative chairs seems to frown “Ah I guess so.” He picks up one of the chairs, looking carefully at the carvings on the side “I don’t really care but Sasuke suggests I use henges when we’re outside.”

Yamato sends Sasuke a glance. Sasuke can’t quite tell if the man seems upset or vindicated by the current topic of the conversation. He briefly wonders if he should clarify things, but in all honesty, he is somewhat curious to see how long this can go on for.

“What do you think Yamato-captain? Do you think so much subterfuge is necessary?”

“Ah” Yamato says “I’m not sure I’m the right person to ask. Perhaps your advisors might weigh in on the matter?”

“My advisors?” Naruto frowns, setting the chair down finally “I guess you have a point; I do want to talk to them about having more of a work life balance. ”

 “Right.” Yamato says, looking between him and Sasuke again. “I’m glad to hear your life is moving in desired directions Hokage-Sama.”

“Thanks Yamato-captain.” Naruto says distractedly, then excitedly waves Sasuke over “Sasuke, come see this one.”

Sasuke pauses for a moment, wondering if now might be the time to clarify things.

“This bedframe is so strong, I bet you’ll like it Sasuke, it looks unbreakable.” Naruto calls out.

Sasuke despite himself can’t help but throw a glance at Yamato who looks back at him at the same time with such an uncomfortable expression that Sasuke has the sudden urge to laugh.  He supposes clarifying things right now isn’t that important anyway. One day, Naruto will realize and correct the misunderstanding with his old sensei himself.

A few minutes later, Yamato has disappeared somewhere in the back as Naruto insists they walk around the huge workshop and look at every single piece of furniture.

No, Sasuke doesn’t think he should buy a life-sized wooden flamingo. Nor tiny impractical chairs. No Sasuke doesn’t care about being any fun. Eventually though, Naruto badgers him enough that he admits he does like the bedframe Naruto pointed out first, with the bamboo carvings all over the bedframe and the hidden compartments for weapons to the sides.

“I KNEW IT.” Naruto says triumphantly.

Sasuke sighs “What does it matter that I like it?”

Naruto ignores the question and instead drags him towards the living room section where coaches and chairs of all varieties are laid out.

“This one.” Naruto says immediately about a huge orange monstrosity.

“Absolutely not.” Sasuke says before he can stop himself. He realizes immediately that his opinion should play no part in how Naruto chooses to decorate his own apartment, however, instead of pointing out this simple fact, Naruto chooses to pout.

“Come on. This is going to look so bright and inviting.”

“Think about it Naruto.” Sasuke says, “With your wardrobe, you’re going to camouflage into this most of the time.”

“Exactly” Naruto says “That’s a great feature for a ninja’s house. Wouldn’t you say?”

Sasuke sighs.

“Fine, what do you like?”

Sasuke raises an eyebrow at him and ponders again if he should point out to Naruto that his opinion should not matter. Instead, he points to a dark blue coach with sides of sturdy natural wood and comfortable-looking cushioning.

Naruto looks at it thoughtfully, then throws himself on the seat “You should come try this out Sasuke, it’s so soft.”

Sasuke just raises his eyebrows and decides that that’s where he draws the line. 

“Fine” Naruto says after bouncing on the coach a few more times “This is actually very nice. As long as I can get some bright cushions for it.”

“Fine.” Sasuke says, though he knows by ‘bright’ Naruto certainly means orange. Then he realizes he is compromising on someone else’s furniture and decides it’s a pretty good deal given that fact.  

While Naruto continues to wander around the workshop, Sasuke finds himself drawn to the various kunai and shuriken displays. He realizes he hasn’t even been back to his house yet since coming back to Konoha the previous morning. He wonders briefly if he needs to buy something like this though he supposes he isn’t back often enough for it to matter.

Naruto materializes beside him “Oh these are nice. Do you think we should get one?”

Sasuke raises an eyebrow at him. “You should get one if you want.”

If Naruto notices the pointed correction, he shows no sign of it, instead happily taking the display’s sticker to add to his growing pile. Yamato appears as they approach the front of the shop again and takes all the stickers from them, promising that everything should be delivered to them the next day. Sasuke doesn’t even say anything.  

Naruto is so obviously happy on the way back that Sasuke finds his own mood lightening too. The other man chatters insistently about everything they’d seen in the store, listing what he’d liked what he didn’t, and he doesn’t even notice how many people Sasuke scares away from approaching them using various threatening expressions.

“I’m surprised you didn’t do this before when you enjoy it this much.” He says distractedly when Naruto has exclaimed for the third time how much he loved furnishing the house.

Naruto sends him a sideways glance and seems to be searching for something on his face for a few moments. Eventually he snorts “For such a smart guy, you sure can be so oblivious sometimes” Sasuke thinks about Naruto’s comments in the shop and wonders at the irony of him calling Sasuke oblivious.

Sasuke wakes up with Naruto’s arm strung over him again. This time, he is already turned the other way, so he can’t see Naruto’s face. Still, he lays still for a few moments and glares down at the offending limb.

“Naruto”

“…Sorry.” The other man mumbles sleepily.

“Are you going to take it off me?”

“Yeah.” Naruto says, a little too casually in Sasuke’s opinion, but his arm finally leaves his space and Sasuke feels his weight shift back on the bed a little too.

They both lay silently but Sasuke knows Naruto’s not asleep yet. He isn’t this quiet when he’s asleep.

“Remember when you used to sneak through my bedroom window all the time?” Naruto says suddenly, presumably having just glanced at the window, though who really knows how this man’s brain work.

“You mean when I used to wake you up with a knife to the throat?” Sasuke clarifies.

“Yeah” Naruto sighs contently. The incomprehensible idiot.

“It wasn’t all the time.”

“It was a lot of times.”

“If you say so.”

“I missed it, after.” Naruto says, seeming a little more awake now. He sounds melancholic. But with Sasuke’s back to him, he can’t be quite sure.

“Yeah well.” Sasuke says, “No matter what you think of me, I wasn’t going to sneak into the bedroom you shared with your wife.”

“I knew that, obviously.” Naruto says, “But I kept expecting you anyway.”

Sasuke feels a flash of anger. He tries to quiet it down. “Idiot.”

“I know.” Naruto says, “You sound mad.”

“I’m not mad.” Sasuke says.

“You can be mad.”

“Thanks for the permission.” Sasuke says dryly, staring at the empty wall “Why would I be mad?”

“Because I…” Naruto says “There was a time when it was… when I thought…”

“Spit it out.” Sasuke snaps.

Naruto sighs “Nothing.”

“Fine.” Sasuke snaps again, even more annoyed now.

“It was just unfair of me, I guess. To still look out for you even after. It was unfair to Hinata too.”

Sasuke snorts “ I doubt she would have cared.” Why would she have cared about Naruto’s attachment issues with a friend? She’d been married to him.

“Oh, she cared, trust me.” Naruto says, “She is so lovely, you know, or I guess you don’t know, you never spent much time together. But even she had a limit.”

“What do you mean?” Sasuke asks.

“Do you really not know?”

"No.” Sasuke pauses, “What was there for her to be jealous of?”

There is a tense moment of silence. What makes it tense, Sasuke can’t tell, but he knows he’s clenched his muscles like he is preparing to jump up, or away.

"Nothing” Naruto says, laughing suddenly “But you can’t control that kind of thing.”

“I guess not.” Sasuke says. He knows you can’t. You can, however, bury things deep enough that it’s almost as if they don’t exist.

They don’t say anything else after that, and at some point, Sasuke drifts to an uneasy sleep.

They do deliver the furniture the next day, even though it’s a Sunday. Sasuke strongly suspects it’s a Hokage kind of privilege but decides not to mention it to Naruto, in case it diminishes the new joy on his face. Then again, as he watches Naruto excitedly flit between the packages, not able to stand still for long enough to open one, he also wonders if it might not just be a Naruto kind of privilege. When people stop long enough to see him, they want to do what they can to preserve his light, to add to it, if they can,

Well, normal people do. Sasuke after all, has always been somewhat of an exception.

“How can you just stand there?” Naruto calls out to him “Aren’t you excited?”

Sasuke sighs.

"Come over here and help me bastard.”

Sasuke sets down his cup and the scroll he was reading on the kitchen counter, and strides over. At least he thinks, it’ll be nice to have something other than the dammed stools to sit on.

“Are you crazy?” Naruto asks him “You can’t place a couch just hanging in the middle of a room. It must have its back to the wall.”

"It’s not the middle of the room.” Sasuke says “Besides, if you put it there, it’ll cover half the window. You need light.”

“But then it’ll be such a nice spot to read, with the light coming in and the view out the window”

“You don’t read.” Sasuke reminds him “So why is that a consideration?”

Naruto mumbles something.

“What?”

“NOTHING.” Naruto yells at him, unreasonably exasperated suddenly. “I compromised on which coach to buy, so now you will agree that it goes where I say.”

“There is no need for me to…”

“Sasuke.” Naruto growls.

“…alright.”

Later, when they take a break, Sasuke brings the scroll and a new cup of tea to the coach, and he admits to himself quietly, that it is indeed a very nice reading spot. Not that he’ll ever let Naruto know. Still, he lifts his head once to see Naruto smiling at him from the doorway to the kitchen, and thinks the other man knows anyway.

Sasuke stands there admiring the bed when Naruto walks in. He immediately grins.

“You love it!”

Sasuke sighs.

“It’s clear as day. Just admit it.”

Sasuke rolls his eyes “The weapon compartments are a nice touch.”

“That’s basically a declaration of love coming from you.”

"Basically.”

Naruto’s grin widens “You’d have that bed’s babies if you could.”

“You’re a child.” Sasuke says, and then immediately stiffens, thinking back to what Naruto had said just two days before about feeling like a child. As if sensing his silent self-admonishment, Naruto throws him a look filled with so much compassion that Sasuke doesn’t think he deserves it.

“Being a child doesn’t feel like such a bad thing right now.” Naruto tells him, letting him off the hook, “It clearly amuses you.”

Sasuke rolls his eyes. He doesn’t bother denying it.

“I’ll say this,” Sasuke says instead, “It’s definitely the nicest thing you own.”

“Oh yeah?” Naruto says easily.

“It might be a little too nice for you actually.” Sasuke throws him a smirk “I’m not sure you deserve this bed.”

Something changes subtly in Naruto’s face, though he still looks amused, his previous ease is changed into a hint of a challenge. “And what can you do about that?”

 Sasuke raises an eyebrow “My place isn’t too far you know. I can just take it.”

 “Will you never learn to share?” Naruto says, staring at him with that same amused look on his face.

Sasuke pauses. Considers not responding. Considers snorting. “Will you learn to keep to your own side?”

“Touché.” Naruto says easily, and Sasuke thinks, there it is. That familiar joy slowly creeping back into his eyes. This Naruto is closer to the one he knows than to the one he came back to only two days before.

There are other things Naruto needs, Sasuke thinks that night, after they’d finished moving everything to its desired space. Nicer curtains perhaps, rugs, a throw for the coach, and whatever knick-knacks he wants to decorate with.

But he now has a bed with bedside tables, a coach, comfortable high-backed seats for the kitchen counter, a large weapon display, and a small bookshelf – why he decided to buy that, Sasuke doesn’t know –  So as Sasuke cooks that night, he feels that the place finally feels like somewhere where someone lives, and he feels a sense of satisfaction come over him.

Naruto is sat on one of new chairs behind the kitchen island, watching him cook with his head in one hand, in a way that has already started to feel very familiar. What he finds so interesting about the routine tasks of cooking, Sasuke doesn’t know, but he doesn’t mind the mix of his usual inane chatter with his new quiet introspective moments as he sits there and keeps him company.

“What will you do tomorrow?” Sasuke asks, breaking one of the silences. “It’s Monday.”

“Right.” Naruto says and Sasuke throws a glance over his shoulder at him when he can’t read his tone. Naruto catches his gaze and gives him a smile.

“I can go and let Shikamaru know you want the week off.”

“It’s already been a week.” Naruto says, though he sounds like he is talking it through, not protesting.

“Have you ever taken time off before?”

“…For my wedding?”

“You weren’t even officially Hokage then.”

“Then I guess….” Naruto seems to give it some thought “Hmm probably some days here and there, if I was really sick.”

“You don’t get sick.” Sasuke reminds him.

“Didn’t I tell you to stop being so perceptive?” Naruto says, his tone light.

“You think you can order me around like I’m one of your subjects?” Sasuke returns easily, though he wonders if the effect was spoiled by his waving of the cooking chopsticks in the air. One look at the amusement in Naruto’s eyes tells him it was. 

“You are one of my subjects.”

Sasuke waves a hand “That’s a technicality.”

“And that’s treason.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time.”

Naruto snorts. “Glad we can joke about it now.”

Sasuke turns the heat off, and Naruto jumps up to help him plate the food.

When they sit down together to eat, Sasuke is still thinking about their previous conversation. “Why did you never take time off?”

Naruto shrugs.

“Do you remember those long holidays the third used to take?”

“He was old.”

Sasuke raises an eyebrow “So you’ll take a break when you’re in your 60’s?”

“What is this? An intervention?” Naruto says easily.           

“Are you deflecting?”

“Are you mad that I’ve stolen your favorite activity?”

Sasuke huffs “I don’t deflect.”

“Are you kidding me?”

Sasuke gives him a silent look.

“Fine, since you don’t deflect. Tell me.” Naruto says, “How long will you stay with me?”

There is a sudden silence around the table, but it’s not just Sasuke who’s taken aback by it, Naruto himself looks suddenly pale.

How long can he stay? How long is he willing to stay?

 “How long do you need me for?” Sasuke asks.

Naruto gives him a strange smile. “Don’t pretend you don’t know the answer to that.”

Sasuke meets his gaze for a moment, and then looks to the side. “You’re not even thinking about this.”

When Naruto doesn’t say anything, Sasuke adds “You don’t want to live with me. This is temporary.”

“Sure Sasuke, you always know what I want better than I do.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Sasuke snaps.

“Nothing” Naruto snaps back.

“Fine.”

“Fine.”

They sit in simmering tension for a while, and then Sasuke sighs. What are they, children?

“It’s your decision Naruto.” Sasuke says once they’re both done with their meal, “Whatever you want to do tomorrow. Go to work or not. It’s your life.”

“I know.” Naruto says, also sounding tired, “I think, I want to go, but.”

“Yeah?”

“Will you come with me?”

“Yes”

“Thank you.” Naruto says, and smiles at him from across the kitchen island.

As they get into bed that night, Sasuke watches Naruto roll around as much as his half of the bed allows, his limbs grazing Sasuke’s in turn as he wiggles.

“You realise it’s the same mattress?”

“I know but,” Naruto says “It feels different in a frame. It’s bouncier.”

Sasuke raises an eyebrow “If you say so.”

“What are you doing?” Naruto asks him suddenly.

Sassuke pauses in the midst of putting some of his spare Shurikens in the weapon compartment on his side. “Sorry.” He says automatically “I should have asked.”

“Sasuke!” Naruto calls him sounding exasperated.

Sasuke turns to face him, weapons still in hand “Hmm?”

Naruto is smiling a wide bright smile “You can leave whatever the hell you want here, okay? Leave a hundred shurikens in the bed if you want. A thousand. Stab a few into the bedframe and leave them hanging there for easy access.”

“Well,” Sasuke is quiet for a moment. “That seems excessive.” But then turns away again and continues to fill in the compartment. He even adds a few Kunais.

He really does like this bed.

Sasuke wakes up in the middle of the night, and for once, Naruto’s arm is not slung over him. His leg, however, has traversed the length of the bed to rest over his at the end, ankle on ankle. Sasuke sighs. He decides to let it go. Just this once. Naruto, he thinks before drifting back to asleep, is a little like a starfish, Sticky, long-limbed and vibrant.

Sasuke wakes up again near dawn, to find the bed empty. He is on his feet before his brain processes Naruto’s chakra signature from the living room. He pauses for a moment and considers leaving it alone, but it’s much too early for Naruto to have woken up deliberately. The other nights he’d slept like the dead, not even moving when Sasuke had woken up and left the bed before him in the mornings.

Quietly he makes his way to the living room. The lights are off, but Sasuke has exceptional night vision, and has no trouble spotting Naruto. He is sitting on the coach, staring into nothing.

“Naruto” Sasuke calls.

Naruto doesn’t startle, likely having noticed Sasuke’s chakra, but from the way he narrows his eyes, he is having more trouble spotting him in the dark.

“Sorry, did I wake you?” He whispers, though given it’s just the two of them in the house, there is no reason to do so. “Go back to sleep.”

“You didn’t wake me.” Sasuke lies “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong.” Naruto says, looking vaguely in Sasuke’s direction. It’s an odd feeling, being able to see him without being seen. He would have thought he’d like it more. He wonders briefly if this is how he makes Naruto feel.

“I just woke up and couldn’t go back to asleep.” Naruto smiles “I listened to you talk for a bit.”

“I don’t talk in my sleep.”

“I was surprised too.” Naruto says, “You kept going on about starfish?”

Sasuke is suddenly grateful Naruto can’t see him.

“I didn’t know you were so interested in sea life.” Naruto muses “Maybe we should build an aquarium for Konoha, if I can find the funds…”

“I don’t think you should be dividing public funds based on my interests.” Sasuke says. 

“No?” Naruto smiles “I guess not.” He seems to get lost in his thoughts again.

Sasuke clears his throat “Were you thinking about going back to the office tomorrow?”   

As he talks, he ends up taking a step closer.

Naruto immediately looks his way, narrowing his eyes.

“I still can’t see you.” He mutters after a moment.  

“You don’t have my superior genetics.”

Naruto snorts “I’m surprised you could handle so many days of not wearing the Uchiha crest.”    

Sassuke has been borrowing more of Naruto’s clothes, and he has almost reached the limit before he’d be left with only truly hideous colours. Tomorrow, he should go home at some point.

“To answer your question,” Naruto says, still whispering for whatever reason “Yeah, I was thinking about tomorrow, among other things.”

“What things?”

“Just, what I’ve done as the Hokage so far, what I haven’t done, what I want to do with my life.”

“Seems like a lot for 4 am.” Sasuke says, “Any conclusions?”

“Not really.” Naruto sighs.

“I see.” Sasuke says. Then hovers there, unsure of what to do.

“I’m really fine.” Naruto says, attempting once more to spot him in the dark “Go back to bed.”

“Come with me.” Sasuke says, and through sheer force of will stops himself from flinching.

Naruto’s eyes widen. He seems to attempt a smirk, then gives up half-way and just smiles “Have you gotten used to me this quickly?”

Sasuke glares, knowing that the effect is lost in the darkness. But Naruto must sense it anyway, because his smile only widens as he finally stands up and walks towards him. Sasuke knows the exact moment when Naruto can finally see him, because his eyes find his own and aim the smile right at him like it’s target practice. As soon as he is within reach, he reaches over and puts a hand on Sasuke’s shoulder. “Thanks for coming to get me.”

Sasuke turns towards the bedroom, neatly stepping out of his grip and ignored Naruto’s quiet chuckle as they both walk back to the bedroom. 

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Sasuke asks the next day as they’re about to live the house.

“What?...” Naruto turns around just in time to catch his hat as it comes flying at him.

Sasuke laughs. 

Then stops when he notices Naruto staring.

“Idiot.” Sasuke says. “Isn’t that your only piece of uniform?”

Naruto just shakes his head holding the hat under his arm and looking at Sasuke in silence. It goes on for so long that eventually Sasuke just turns and leaves the house without him, listening to the sound of hims scrambling to catch up. 

“Naruto!”

Sasuke steps back into the shadows just as Shikamaru walks in to find Naruto already behind his desk and pauses to gape.

"Hey Shika. Long time no see huh?” Naruto says with a smile which almost immediately turns into a grimace “I’m so sorry about last week man, I understand if you’re mad at me, way to leave you hanging with all the work, right?”

“Will you stop talking about the work for a second?” Shikamaru says, then walks quickly to the desk and looks almost as if he is about to grab Naruto’s shoulders. “Everyone was so worried about you. Hell. I was worried.”

“Oh” Naruto says “Um, sorry about that.”

Shikamaru looks like he is about to say more before spotting Sasuke in the shadow. He raises his eyebrows. “So, you let Sasuke in to see you. Did you?”

“Uh” Naruto says “About that…”

"Yeah, about that, Sakura is going to go berserk on you for turning us both away.”

“Hey!” Naruto protests weakly “He forced his way in.”

“Right.” Shikamaru gives Naruto a look. “Is he just going to stay in the corner silently the whole day?”

“Well.” Naruto turns sideways to throw a questioning look at Sasuke. Sasuke keeps his expression neutral, not giving him any signs either way “Sasuke can do whatever Sasuke wants.” Naruto proclaims eventually.

“What else is new.” Shikamaru mutters.

Naruto pointedly ignores the comment, though Sasuke thinks it’s actually amusing.

“So” Naruto grimaces “Lay it on me. What do we have to do today.”

Two hours later, as Sasuke is looking over the budget for the new constructions on Konaha’s west-side, he begins to truly understand Naruto’s reticence to make decisions.

“We have to pull the plug on one of them” Shikamaru says.

“No.”

“There just isn’t enough man-power, or enough…”

“You want me to choose between finally finishing construction on the orphanage, or the new public hospital?” Naruto says unnecessarily. His face is already losing some of the glow it had gained across the weekend.

“I don’t want you to.” Shikamaru says with a sigh “You have to.”

Naruto goes quiet, seeming to think for a few more moments before turning to the side “What do you think Sasuke?’    

Shikamaru sighs but doesn’t bother pointing out once more that Sasuke has no authority here.

“Are you asking if I care more about orphans or the terminally ill?” Sasuke says dryly.

Naruto pulls something between a grimace and a snort.

“I'd choose the sea life.” Sasuke says seriously and Naruto laughs much harder than the comment warrants. He’s always loved having inside jokes. Sasuke thinks it’s a trait shared by anyone who’s ever been an outsider.

Shikamaru looks between the two of them in exasperation, though Sasuke notices that he too seems to look relieved at seeing Naruto’s face lose some of its tightness.

Sasuke meanwhile leans over to Naruto’s side and takes the reports on the two projects from his hands, looking them over.

“Confidential” Shikamaru sighs.

Sasuke frowns as he reads, thinking hard “Do you have any dealings with the waterfall village?”

Naruto and Shikamaru send him equally confused looks.

“You know they’ve recently gone through an economic boom?”

From their faces, the answer seems to be a resounding no. Sasuke knows he is mentioned it somewhere in his last mission report, but it was peripheral information, so he isn’t surprised it hasn’t been picked up as important.

“Well, they have a lot of money now, but since they’ve been so isolated for so long, they lack an expert work force. They might be willing to trade some money and manpower to help build the hospital if you agree to train some of their doctors there. That way you can use your resources on the orphanage.”

Both Naruto and Shikamaru are staring at him now. Shikamaru looks thoughtful but Naruto’s look is harder to decipher, there is hope there, admiration perhaps, but something else too, something almost like pain. Longing. Sasuke’s brain supplies helpfully. Sasuke dismisses it with a vengeance.

“I’ll have to look into the logistics.” Shikamaru says eventually “But it’s not a bad idea.”

“Let me hug you.” Naruto tells Sasuke.                            

“Hands to yourself Naruto”

"Ah” Naruto says, “You sound exactly like you do every night.”

Sasuke sighs. Even Naruto isn’t this oblivious. He has to be messing with Shikamaru on purpose.

The advisor, for his part, simply sighs before glancing at Sasuke’s torso “That explains the sigil.”

Sasuke looks down at the big Uzumaki crest currently adorning his chest. He suddenly remembers how Naruto had stared the first time he’d seen his shirt.

You can take it if you want.

He looks up to see Naruto beaming now, though as soon as he sees the look on Sasuke’s face, he puts up his hands in front of him like a shield.

“Hey, I’ll wear the Uchiha symbol too. Proudly. If you let me.”

Sasuke takes a deep breath and lets it out. He reminds himself that by showing a reaction he will only encourage Naruto to extend the joke. All he has to do is remain calm.

“Huh” Shikamaru says, throwing a surprisingly sympathetic look at Sasuke suddenly “I know what that kind of deep breathing means.”

“Hey!” Naruto protests “What is that supposed to mean?”

Both Sasuke and Shikamaru look back down at their respective pile of papers and do not answer the Hokage’s insistent questions.

“Naruto” Sasuke says “It’s lunchtime”

Shikamaru looks up, stretches, and send some sort of a look at Sasuke that he doesn’t care to decipher.

“We usually skip.” Naruto says distractedly.

Sasuke glares at Shikamaru who just puts up his hands in front of him like I just work here.

Sasuke gets up, moves behind Naruto’s chair, and in one quick move pulls it out. Naruto almost ends up sprawled on the floor, hanging on to the chair for dear life.

“Sasuke” He yelps. “You can’t just attack me in my office!”

“I can do what I want.” Sasuke reminds him.

Naruto send a look at Shikamaru, clearly expecting support.

Shikamaru shrugs “That is what you said.”

“Traitor” Naruto gasps.

“Your words hold power Hokage-sama” Shikamaru says wisely, then sighs “Besides, it’s not a bad idea for us to take a lunch break. I even have food in the fridge, believe it or not.”

Sasuke is already putting on his cape.

“There is too much to do.” Naruto says to his back, still sitting down. “We didn’t even bring anything to eat.”

Sasuke sighs “I’m going to Ichiraku’s.”

He doesn’t even have to look behind him to see Naruto scrambling to follow.

Naruto can’t stop grinning at him over his bowl of noodles, it’s obnoxious. Sasuke pays, even though he is pretty sure the Hokage earns more money than him. Naruto hums all the way back to the office, and Sasuke goes back to glaring at anyone who looks like they might approach them. As far as afternoons go, it’s not unpleasant.

“I’ll meet you at your house.” Sasuke says as they leave the Hokage office that evening. He had been prepared to insist they end the working day at a reasonable time, but to his surprise it was Shikamaru who had enforced a hard end-time first ‘as a way to start turning things around’.

“Hmm?” Naruto turns a questioning look on him “Why?”

Sasuke raises an eyebrow.

Naruto rolls his eyes “Come on, I’m just curious.”

Sasuke considers withholding the information to make a point, but Naruto seems to be in a good mood, and well, Sasuke supposes he doesn’t have to be withholding all the time. “I want to drop by my house first.”

“Oh” Naruto says, “Can I come?”

 “Why?”

Naruto shrugs “I like your house.”

“When was even the last time you’ve been to my house?” Sasuke asks bewildered.

Naruto scrunches his nose, thinking “Hmm, two weeks ago maybe?”

“What?” Sasuke asks.

“What?” Naruto looks at him “You said I could.”

Sasuke blinks at him.

Sasuke had always been more of a masochist, but at that moment, leaning over and whispering quietly in Naruto’s ear, he had to admit there might be a bit of sadist in him too.

Naruto

The other man shot up so quickly, if Sasuke hadn’t expected it and moved back on time, he would have collided into him hard enough to break teeth.

What the fuck Sasuke? Naruto clutched his shirt over his heart. His reactions had never been so extreme bach when Sasuke used to sneak up on him in his apartment. This is almost better. Shouldn’t my ANBU have stopped you?

Please. Sasuke said.

How old were they? Twenty or twenty-one? Had Naruto been married for one or two years?

What are you doing here? Naruto took a sit back on the sofa where he’s been asleep a few minutes ago.

What are you doing here? Sasuke returned.

I work here.

Sasuke raised his eyebrows It’s past midnight.

Naruto sighed, maybe, rubbed his eyes, refused to look at Sasuke.

Do you sleep in your office often?

What’s it to you? Naruto snapped at him. Sasuke remembers that vividly because he’d been surprised.

Nothing.  Sasuke said, getting up to go.

Naruto called after him immediately You’re always so ready to leave.

You don’t seem like you want to talk.

And you do? Naruto asked, something bitter in his tone.

Are you looking for a fight? Sasuke asked him curiously.

No. Naruto said quietly. No. Just. He sighed. You’ve caught me by surprise that’s all. Did you just come back?

Sasuke nodded.

And you’re fine?

Aren’t I always?

Naruto gave him a long look at that. A longer look that Sasuke thought the sentence warranted.

Did you have a fight with Hinata? Sasuke blurted out, because the way he had been at that age, it was easier for him to ask that, than it was to ask, ‘are you okay?’ One implied curiosity, the other implied care, and to twenty-year-old Sasuke, there was no greater crime than to hand someone evidence that you cared.

Had Naruto laughed? He doesn’t remember now. He thinks he had.

No. Naruto said. We don’t really fight.

Oh. Sasuke frowned, trying to imagine a relationship like that. If two people were honest, and unafraid, and cared, wouldn’t there always be some fighting? Then again, what did he know of relationships? How come you’re sleeping here then?

Naruto shrugged, then looked down to his hands. I don’t know. Sometimes I’m here too late to bother going home.

Sassuke frowned. He knew Naruto and he knew what he sounded like when he lied. He considered asking, but he’d already stepped outside of his comfort zone that night, lured out of it by the cover of the darkness and the quiet and the illusion that only the two of them existed in the entire world. 

And sometimes, Naruto added suddenly, I like being somewhere else. Is that bad?

How would I know? Sasuke said.

Naruto snorted.

Sasuke had looked around at the hard-looking sofa, and the Hokage’s office surrounding them. It didn’t scream comfort. It certainly didn’t scream home.  

This is a terrible place to sleep. Sasuke observed.

Don’t knock it 'till you’ve tried it. Naruto replied weakly.

Sasuke started walking towards the window, ready to finally go home and sleep off his journey.  

Stay in my house at least. It’s not like I’m using it ninety percent of the time.

He remembered how Naruto had stilled at his impulsive offer. Are you serious?

Sasuke, now at the window ledge, shrugged, What, do you need a key and an embossed invitation? and jumped out.

“You’re telling me” Sasuke says when he’s finally gathered his thoughts “You’ve been going to my house for what, the past 5 years?”

“Pretty much.” Naruto says, “Did you not realize?”

How was he meant to have realized?

Then he thinks about going home to find his weapons had been polished, or a new box of tea had appeared in his cupboard, and his new scrolls had been shelved among the rest alphabetically.

“…I thought the cleaning lady was really good at her job.”

Naruto snorts “You’re kidding.”

“I gave her a raise.” Sasuke says.

Naruto laughs this time. “I’d apologize, but you did give me permission so.”

In the midst of the discussion, they’d started walking, and now they’re not so far from Sasuke’s house.

When Sasuke doesn’t say anything, Naruto sends him a sideways look “Are you upset by it?”

Sasuke shakes his head “No, just surprised.” He had extended the invitation after all, but still, something bugs him, he pauses “Why did you go there so recently though?”

“What do you mean?” Naruto asks.

Sasuke briefly wonders if this is something he shouldn’t be bringing up, but he’s never been the most delicate person. “Before, you wanted to get away from… you wanted to get away, but you have your own apartment now, so?”

Naruto gives him a long look, shaking his head. “You can be so blind sometimes.”

“Excuse me?” Sasuke says, a little offended.

“Here is a problem for you to solve.” Naruto tells him as they reach the house “What other reason could I possibly have for wanting to go to your house when you’re away?”

Without waiting for an answer, Naruto turns to the window, opens it, and jumps inside with the ease of experience, leaving Sasuke to stare after him.

“You can use the front door.” Sasuke murmurs when he walks inside.

“You’re one to talk.”

Sasuke ponders the questions. He supposes the terrible state of Naruto’s apartment can explain why he’d choose to crash at his house from time to time. Still, something about the way Naruto phrased it bothers him. Does he really want the answer though?

Naruto meanwhile has made his way to the kitchen window and is already watering the few plants there. Sasuke can't even remember the last time he did so, and yet they're always thriving. Maybe Naruto wasn't so far off in calling him blind.

Given his clear comfort in the space, Sasuke decides it’s safe to leave Naruto on his own for the moment as he makes his way to his bedroom. The house is as clean as always, regardless of how little use Sasuke gets out of it. He supposes there is a level of comfort in being in a familiar space, even if he hasn't spent enough time there in the past decade to call it a home.

He’s already changed into his own clothes and is looking at his weapon stash, taking stock of what he needs to replenish after his latest mission, when Naruto waltzes in. Without waiting for an invitation, he makes his way to the bed and takes a sit, bouncing up and down.

“Hmm” He says considering “Nowhere near as good as the one we’ve bought.”

Sasuke ignores him.

Naruto bends to look at the side of the bed “No secret compartment.”

He throws a look at Sasuke, then leans over and rubs his hand over the bedframe “No bamboos.” He confirms sadly.

Sasuke sighs, keeping count of his remaining exploding tags in his mind.

“What are you doing?” Naruto scrambles off the bed and comes to stand beside him. He whistles at the piles of weaponry stashed inside the unassuming closet.

“You do love your Shurikens” he says.

“It’s a clan specialty.” Sasuke says distractedly.

“Hmm” Naruto says thoughtfully “It must be so lonely.”

“Excuse me?” Sasuke asks.

“I never had a clan to miss, so.” Naruto explains “It’s hard to imagine.”

Sasuke feels a surprising constriction in his chest. Naruto, looking distracted, reaches out and lightly touches the small Uchiha crest embossed on the front of Sasuke’s shoulder. Sasuke watches his face as he traces the symbol with his fingers. Then as if noticing what he is doing, his gaze snaps up to meet Sasuke’s as he drops his hand.

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine.”

Naruto takes a small step back, clearing his throat.

“You can bring some, for the weapon display.”

“I should bring some of my weapons for your display?”

Naruto pauses “Sure, why not.”

Sasuke looks at him. What are you doing Naruto? He almost asks him but changes his mind at the last second.

“I’m almost done.” He says instead.

“Alright” The other man says easily, starting to walk towards the door. “I’m kind of hungry. Let’s go home.”

Sasuke watches him leave.

“And bring some clothes!” Naruto yells out from the hallway “Unless you want to keep on wearing mine.”

Sasuke sighs.

On the way back, Naruto folds his arms behind his head and grins, occasionally humming something under his breath. 

“You said you liked my house.” Sasuke murmurs eventually “But you seem happy enough to leave.”

Naruto sends him a look “I know you’re not stupid Sasuke.”

“I wish I could say the same about you.” Sasuke returns dryly.

Naruto rolls his eyes “Say what you want. I’m not the one who can’t figure out one simple thing.”

 “And what is that?”

Naruto smiles again, looking up at the night sky stretched above them “Why would I need your house when you’re right here?”

Don’t get used to it. Sasuke wants to say, but for once, he finds himself happier to share the silence.

They settle into an easy routine. Around dawn, Sasuke wakes once to get Naruto’s offending limbs off him. In the mornings they have breakfast together. They spend the day in the Hokage’s office, where Sasuke puts his ability to say no in good use, replacing some of Naruto’s constant yeses and earning back his time for him. They take lunch breaks, joined by Shikamaru occasionally, who keeps his insinuating looks to a minimum. They walk to Naruto’s house together in the evenings. They have dinner. They train. They sleep in the same bed. A week goes by like a whisper.

On the eighth day, Sasuke wakes up with an itchy scalp.

He lays in bed and sighs, allowing himself a brief moment of self-pity.

It’s around the same time when he usually wakes up and Naruto continues to sleep, so he quietly makes his way to the bathroom and stands in front of the mirror, taking some time to wash his face and fully wake up, before he activates the Sharingan.

From Sasuke’s understanding, despite being clearly superior in every other way, the Sharingan cannot pick up the chakra signature of living creatures as exactly as the Byakugan can. However, Sasuke is proficient enough with his to at least pinpoint livings creatures on his own scalp. Slowly, as he concentrates on the insects, he calls lightning to his finger. It's different from the wild spikes of a Chidory; A different kind of challenge, to keep lightning small and contained and so very exact. Once he is satisfied, he lowly raises his hand towards his head.

"What the fuck Sasuke!”

Sasuke blinks and just manages not to accidentally electrocute himself. Staying still, he shifts his eyes until they land on a clearly half-crazed Naruto watching him from the bathroom door. Sasuke supposes the image of him moving a hand full of lightning towards his own head must have be somewhat alarming.

"Calm down idiot.” Sasuke says, “I know what I’m doing.”

Concentrating again, he touches the hand to his hair. It’s surprisingly satisfying as he watches the lightning pinpoint all the small intruders at once, killing the nest before it can get hold.

There is a choked sound from the doorway, half surprise, half laughter, and instead of looking at the source, Sasuke looks into the mirror to see his hair standing up on ends.

As he fixes the strands, Naruto comes inside, nudging him aside with his hip so he can throw some water at his own face.

“What did you just do?” Naruto asks after a few moments, sounding significantly more awake “Was that some secret Uchiha beauty ritual? Is that why you always wake up before me?”

Sasuke shakes his head and refuses to answer such stupidity.

“Seriously though? What?” 

“You can’t infer?” 

Naruto frowns for a moment and then his eyes seem to land on the comb that’s left by the sink. Where he’d been repeating the combing ritual every other day per Sasuke’s instructions. His eyes widen. 

“What? You...? But, how?”

“You said it was contagious yourself,” Sasuke reminds him “And we’ve been sleeping in the same bed.”

“I didn’t know it would be still!” Naruto watches him with his mouth hanging open “Why did you agree?!”

Sasuke shrugs. He doesn’t quite want to say because you insisted. 

“Are you crazy?" Naruto asks incredulously.

"It wasn't important" Sasuke says. "It's already dealt with."

"What, fully?" Naruto's expression melts into outrage "Then why didn’t you do that fancy Chidory thing for me?” Naruto points at his head accusingly “I’ve just been sitting here combing my hair for an hour every night for no reason?”

“I needed that time to myself.” Sasuke says with a smirk.

“Sasuke!”

Sasuke sighs “Did you really want me to come near your head with lightning?”  

Naruto watches him with such disbelief that Sasuke begins to question if he’s truly. said something odd.          

“You’re serious.” Naruto says eventually, all of his outrage suddenly replaced with sadness. 

When Sasuke doesn’t say anything, Naruto pushes him aside with much more force than required, and sits on the same stool where all of this had started. Sasuke watches him unmoving.

“You promised you’d help.” Naruto reminds him.

Sasuke sighs. He knows the boundaries of his own control, so it's not like it's actually dangerous to do. He also knows Naruto well enough to know he won’t let it go, not when he clearly has a point to make.

Sasuke steps forward until he is standing right in front of him, then leans over him and waits until Naruto looks up to meet him in the eye. 

“Don’t move.” He says in a quiet voice. Naruto just stares back with an unwavering gaze.

Holding eye contact, Sasuke activates the Sharingan again, letting lightning fill his hand. Then he pauses, waiting.

Naruto's gaze changes and Sasuke can tell he is looking at his eyes. It's rare, he supposes, for anyone to see them from such a close distance without threat of death hanging over them. So he lets him look, for a while, the only sound between them the chirping of the lightning. 

Eventually, Sasuke raises an eyebrow. Naruto immediately catches the movement and sends him the briefest smile before it disappears again, leaving him unusually serious as he gives Sasuke a small nod. So Sasuke reaches over and gently touches his hand to the ends of Naruto’s strands, watching carefully, as the lightning destroys the last of the insects.

He lets both the lightning and the Sharingan fade. He is still leaning over Naruto, a hand on his shoulder for balance, and suddenly the bathroom feels dark and quiet.

Naruto, having not moved an inch, keeps staring at him like he is waiting for something. Sasuke stares back. A long moment goes by. Then just as he is about to take his hand off Naruto’s shoulder, Naruto covers it with his own fingers, holding Sasuke’s hand in place.

Sasuke watches him like he is waiting for an attack, but Naruto doesn’t do anything else for several moments. 

“Don’t be so stupid.” Naruto tells him suddenly, squeezing his hand. 

“Isn’t that my line?” Sasuke whispers back, attempting a smirk.

Naruto watches him for another moment, and it seems like he has more to say, but in the end, he just squeezes his hand once more and lets go.

And just like that, two weeks pass. Then a third. It is the longest time Sasuke had spent in Konoha in a decade.

On some nights, he doesn’t wake up enough to bother pushing back on Naruto’s attempts to intrude on his space, so he lets some of the less offensive ones pass. A hand left grazing his shoulder, a foot resting on the back of his knee, a face somehow having ended up on his pillow, a breath away from his own. One night in the third week, Sasuke wakes up in Naruto’s side of the bed, the other man having been driven to the edge by his body, and Sasuke arm pressed into his side from shoulder to wrist. He rolls back as quietly as he can.

Once, in the Hokage office, Sasuke stands behind Naruto’s chair to look over his shoulder at some report or the other, and Naruto, in his exhaustion leans back until his head rests on Sasuke’s torso, just below his chest, and lets out a contended sigh. Sasuke freezes. Shikamaru glances up from his own work, and back down immediately.

“Sorry.” Naruto whispers, his ears burning a bright bed. Sasuke doesn’t reply.

Once, Naruto gets distracted as they’re sparring, and Sasuke lands a punch straight on the right side of his face. He just manages to grab hold of his shirt at the last moment to stop him from flying away with the force. Then still holding him up by his shirt with one hand, Sasuke puts his other palm on the side of Naruto’s face, over the already spreading bruise, to cover it up, to undo it, to make it better. It only lasts a moment before Sasuke comes to his senses and pushes Naruto back.

“Idiot.” He says, “A civilian could have dodged that.”

Naruto just lies on the ground and watches him as if in a haze.

Then, on the last day of the third week, Sasuke wakes up and knows it’s time. This was always meant to be temporary.

Naruto is doing exceptionally well. He has a fully furnished house, a lice-free head, new boundaries at work, and standing Friday night drinks with his other friends. As for Sasuke, the half-touches, accidental intimacies, and too-meaningful glances are getting to be too much. It’s time to leave.

No matter how many times Naruto had offered to put him on a payroll for his work at the Hokage office, Sasuke’s answer had remained a steady no. He’d ignored the look of disappointment that came over the other man’s face, just like he’d ignored the mostly empty bookshelf, the newly available space in the closet, and the empty half of the weapon display.

As they go through their routine that day, he doesn’t think he is acting differently to usual, but Naruto keeps watching him from the side, and Sasuke wonders if he has picked up on something in his demeanor anyway. For all his supposed obliviousness, Naruto has always had an uncanny knack for observing his moods. The fact that he doesn’t downright ask Sasuke what’s wrong though is what lets him know he might already know, or suspect, what Sasuke plans on telling him that night. They’re unusually silent in the Hokage’s office, and Shikamaru keeps looking from one to the other, as if seeking an explanation.

It is after dinner when Sasuke decides to bring it up. Except, Naruto refuses to let him get a word in. He manages to fit in so much inane chatter that at one point Sasuke notices himself just quietly watching him in admiration of this unusual skill. But there is only so long this can go on for.

“Naruto” Sasuke cuts in eventually, his tone final.

Naruto takes a breath and puts down the chopsticks he’d been holding in his hand the entire time even though they’d both finished eating at least an hour before.

“It’s time for me to leave.” Sasuke says, “You don’t need me anymore.”

Unlike what Sasuke expected, there is no immediate explosive reaction. Naruto keeps staring at the table in front of him.

“Alright” He says, then slowly looks up to meet Sasuke’s gaze, and there is a sort of resolution in his gaze that Sasuke hasn’t seen since the last time they’d faced each other in the valley of the end. “But you need to listen to me.” He puts a hand up even though Sasuke hadn’t planned to interrupt “I know I can’t order you to, I know you’re your own person, I’m asking you for this.”

“Alright.” Sasuke says, though there is already a drop in his stomach. “Am I so bad at listening to you?” He lets out, a moment of weakness.

Naruto smiles “No. Nine times out of ten you hear more than I say. That’s how I know that if you’re not hearing me, it’s because you don’t want to. Just like I know you’re too smart not to understand, not to notice. So, if you don’t, it’s because you’re choosing to look away.”

“Is this a riddle?” Sasuke asks as calmly as he can, even though his body is starting to react to the moment like he is preparing for battle. 

“No” Naruto says, and he is the one who sounds calm. Then again, Naruto had always been that way; Calm as soon as he decided how he wanted to fight, and what for.

I will bear the burden of your hatred and die with you. He’d been so calm then, smiling.

He smiles now too.

“It’s the simplest thing in the world.” Naruto says.

“What?” Sasuke snaps.

“I love you.” Naruto says, “I love you.”

“So, I understand if you need to leave. I understand if you don’t want to live with me. I  understand that maybe you’ll never want to stay in the village.” Naruto takes a breath, his calm wavering for the first time before he continues “I also understand that you don’t want to know, so you look away whenever I try to show you, and I know you might think it’s selfish of me to force you to see it like this, and maybe it is selfish. But I love you Sasuke, so don’t look me in the face and say I don’t need you anymore, because I always need you.”

Sasuke sits and watches Naruto, and inexplicably waits to see him disintegrate into little pieces of paper and disappear upwards in a wave of light. He thinks dazedly I only have a minute with him. What can I tell him in a minute?

Then the minute passes, and Naruto is still sitting there, solid, alive. Not in a battleground, nor a cave, just in a quiet kitchen.

“I don’t understand.” Sasuke says.

A look of fond amusement flits over Naruto’s face “What don’t you understand?”

“What do you mean when you say you love me?”

Naruto watches him for a moment “Sasuke” he says with a note of desperation, then seems to be lost for words.

“I just” Sasuke tries to explain “I don’t know what you want from me.” He has a feeling immediately that he’s said it in the wrong way, but it’s too late to take back.

“I don’t want…”Naruto opens his mouth, and then closes it. “No that’s a lie. I do, but …”

“You’re not making sense.” Sasuke informs him.

“Jesus Sasuke” Naruto says suddenly “You’re so fucking infuriating.” Then inexplicably he laughs “I thought ‘I love you’ was a clear enough explanation.”

“I just want to understand.” Sasuke says, and thinks vaguely that they’ve always had trouble with words “Do you love me like family? Friend? Partner?”

“YES.” Naruto snaps “Like a rival, like a friend, like an enemy and then like a friend again, like an occasional visitor in my life, and a roommate who is always there, like a partner and a lover, like someone to spend a life with, like family, like home.”

“How can you say that?” Sasuke takes a breath. He feels his head spin for a moment. “Why did you marry someone else then?”

“Did you expect me to accept I was going to be alone forever at 19 years old?” Naruto snaps back.

“What?” Sasuke still doesn’t understand. Why would he have been alone? Hadn't Sasuke always been so painfully transparent, even when he hadn't wanted to be?

“I had to try. I owned it to myself to try and love someone who could love me back in the same way.” Naruto takes a breath “You can’t begrudge me that. This is irrelevant anyway.”

“It’s not irrelevant!” Sasuke snaps. “I was, I thought…”

“It’s irrelevant because it didn’t work!” Naruto snaps back  “You were still missing! Do you know what she told me when I said I had to end it? She said she’d known for a while because I was only ever looking for him. Who do you think she was talking about?”

Remember when you used to…I missed it after… I kept expecting you anyway.

“I never wanted to be alone.” Naruto says, “But I had to learn that it’s better to be alone than to be with anyone but you.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Sasuke yells.

“I tried!” Naruto yells back “I tried, all the fucking time. You were gone as soon as I turned my back”

“You didn’t try hard enough!”

“What would have changed?” Naruto asks, “Why are you so mad at me?”

“I…” Sasuke pauses, suddenly losing steam. “I’m…”

Then they just sit there in silence, both of them breathing hard and watching one another across the kitchen counter like it’s an uncrossable chasm.

But it isn’t.

So, gathering every part of himself that’s changed, every moment when he’s smiled and not snapped, stayed and not ran, and allowed himself to hope instead of looking away, Sasuke extends a hand across the counter and puts it on Naruto’s forearm where it rests on the table, the skin warn underneath his hand. 

Naruto stills, as if scared that a single movement is going to send him flying away, so Sasuke curls his fingers, holding on tighter. 

“What do you want Naruto?” Sasuke asks him seriously.  

Naruto takes a breath, looking all over the room as he talks “I want.” He pauses, and then it all comes out in a rush “I want your books in the fucking bookshelf, and your clothes in the closet, and your weapons stashed here, and it’s alright if you need to leave sometimes, but I want to know this is where you come back to.”

“Alright.” Sasuke says, “What else?”

Naruto meets his gaze now and holds it “I want to say I love you whenever I want, wherever I want.”

“Could I have stopped you?” Sasuke asks raising an eyebrow.

“I want to be with you, in every way that one person can be or has ever been with another.”

Sasuke pauses for a moment, lets the words wash over him “That seems ambitious.”

Naruto suddenly puts his other hand over Sasuke’s, pressing down and trapping it against his body, so Sasuke can't let go even if he wanted to.

“Don’t play games with me.” Naruto warns, staring him down as if there is a battle to be won. 

“Naruto” Sasuke sighs “What game? It’s always been you or no one else.”

Naruto gives him an uncomprehending look.

“There’s only you.” Sasuke says.

My one and only. What an idiot. 

“But you want to leave.” Naruto watches him “You always want to leave.”

“Not always” Sasuke tells him. His mouth has suddenly gone so dry, it’s hard to get the words out.

“What does that mean?” Naruto asks him.

Sasuke feels the peculiar sensation of them having reversed places “It’s not a riddle” He returns, a smile coming over his face.

“Sasuke!”

“You know what it means.”

Naruto stares at him like he is an illusion.

“If you want my books in the bookshelf, they’ll be there.” Sasuke says, “If you want me here, I’ll be here.”

“For now?” Naruto asks him cautiously.

“For as long as you’ll have me.”

Naruto takes an audible breath “But you realize that means…”

“Forever.” Sasuke says, “If we can manage it.”

Naruto stares at him. “It’s not like you to lack confidence.” he says eventually, a hint of challenge in his voice. But Sasuke senses the sudden uncertainty behind his words, the feeling of having reached unexpected territory and not yet being sure if it is safe. Safe to land, to make camp, or to build a home. 

“It’s not a matter of confidence.” Sasuke tells him, “It’s a matter of hope.”

At that, Naruto smiles like that’s what he’s been waiting to hear the entire time, all trace of doubt disappearing just like that. “Haven’t you heard? That’s always been my specialty.” 

And there it is, Sasuke thinks somewhat dazedly, safe land at last. 

Chapter Text

Epilogue .1.

“Should we make it official?” Naruto asks in the middle of the workday. Shikamaru sighs. Sasuke tries to at least finish the page he’s reading, but Naruto squeezes his thigh, significantly distracting him. He’s recently been back from a three-month mission, so he is allowing the other man more privileges that he normally does.

“What do you mean?” Sasuke asks, “Get married?”

Naruto gapes at him “I meant more like, let people know.”

Sasuke shrugs, but whatever he is about to say is cut off by Shikamaru’s snort. Both men turn to look at the advisor with twin expressions of surprise. He had very quickly developed a habit of disassociating whenever Sauske and Naruto’s discussions turn a little too personal, which Sasuke has to admit, is not uncommon. So, it's odd to hear a reaction from him.

“What is it?” Naruto asks.

“Who do you imagine doesn’t know?” Shikamaru asks.

Naruto gives him an incredulous look. Sasuke decides it might be better to go back to the paperwork.

“Because if you really want to find someone, you definitely have to look beyond Konoha.” He rubs his chin thoughtfully “Scratch that, beyond the big five villages. I thought the other kages would put in an official complaint after that last meeting.”

“Hey!” Naruto protests “That’s an exaggeration.”

“The break was meant to be 15 minutes.”

“So, we got a little distracted, like good friends.”

“Yeah well” Shikamaru says “Don’t go calling me your good friend anymore.”

Sasuke can’t help it, he snorts.

Epilogue .2.

Months later one night, Sasuke wakes up with his hand slung over Naruto’s waist. He looks at the blonde head tucked underneath his head, wild strands going everywhere and tickling his chin and neck.

It’s for practice, he thinks, and so quietly he murmurs “I love you.”

“I heard that.” Naruto gloats sleepily.

Sasuke takes a breath.

“Don’t take it personally.” He says after a moment, “I was talking to the lice.”

Still sluggish with sleep, Naruto attempts to free a hand, likely to elbow him in the stomach or grab a pillow to hit him with, so Sasuke tightens his hold, keeping the Hokage of the leaf village immobile.

“Well. That’s too bad for you.” Naruto huffs “They’re all dead.”

Sasuke, safe in the knowledge that he can’t be seen, smiles.

“But not forgotten.” He says, then since Naruto’s head is right there, he leans forward and presses his lips to the top of the blond strands.

“Sappy.” Naruto says, already falling back asleep, the smile lingering in his voice.