Green Tea
Summary: In which Naruto thinks too much and buys Sasuke a new mirror. Drabble, no pairings
Disclaimer: I own Kishimoto, didn't you know?
The sky is blue and the air is hot, sizzling on dampened skin and heating up the ash-grey pavement he walks on. His companion sits by his side silently, looking slightly out of place, like the single black gosling among a litter of baby snow-white geese (1). Sasuke blends in well with the shadows. For him, Naruto thinks the day must seem too bright.
Today they've gone out for ramen. Naruto orders for them both. Miso ramen. His favorite since before he could remember. He doubts that Sasuke cares what flavor. He won't eat it anyway.
They sit side by side, close but never touching. It doesn't matter that they've come here together often, like friends the village women whisper. There is always that distance between them, making him wish they could sit together, when in reality they are together but not really.
Sasuke is next to him, body rigid, fingers lingering over a cup of green tea. He stares straight ahead, eyes smoky and steady, with no expression. There are bandages on his fist that were not there yesterday. Naruto wonders, but does not ask.
A week later, Naruto is calling for him, waiting outside a beige rice paper door (2). It slides open, and Sasuke is there, waiting for him to explain himself. If Sasuke is annoyed at Naruto's visit, he does not show it. His face is, like always, blank. They stare at each other for a moment, and then Naruto asks if he can come in.
Sasuke does not move, but before he can bring himself to say no, he remembers the manners his mother taught him and steps aside. As Naruto follows him in, removing his shoes at Sasuke's assertion, he notices the distinct plainness on the walls, so much the same and yet so different from his own apartment.
The floors and surfaces are clean, and Naruto wonders how much time Sasuke spends on keeping his house this way. They make their way to the kitchen and Naruto is offered green tea. He declines, but as they reach the kitchen Sasuke puts water on the stove to be heated anyway.
They sit down by the table, Naruto crossed-legged and Sasuke kneeling. He guesses it is time he explains his visit, but he doesn't have a reason. He tells Sasuke that he was bored. He doesn't tell him it's also because they haven't seen each other since last week at the ramen stand.
Naruto recognizes his own fear. He isn't really sure why it's even there, but he does know that Sasuke is the source. Don't leave me again, his mind pleads. At least once every week, Naruto checks up on Sasuke, never neglects to see him. Every time Sasuke opens the door at Naruto's beckon, and is still there a soft feeling falls upon him, his senses gently overcome with relief. He hasn't been left behind.
The tea kettle whistles, and Sasuke stands up to get it. Naruto gets up to go the bathroom, and Sasuke directs him down the hall, to the left. The way there, through somewhat narrow halls, is dark, but the dank smell Naruto might have excepted is no where to be found. He trails one hand over the walls as he makes his way, his fingers brushing over smooth walls absent of any pictures.
As he enters the bathroom, the first thing Naruto notices the mirror. It is smashed, with cracks and fractures stemming from the middle. It looks vaguely like a spider's web, and it morphs his reflection. As he leaves the room, he goes back to Sasuke, who is kneeling again, sipping at his green tea. Naruto sits down across from him and is about to speak, but it is Sasuke who speaks first. He says that Naruto must think Sasuke should get his mirror fixed. Naruto realizes he must have been sporting a confused expression, because Sasuke shouldn't have known what he was about to say.
With his intended line already taken, Naruto is unsure how to answer, but then he notices healing scars on the knuckles of Sasuke's right hand. The mysterious bandages from a week ago are gone. Frowning, Naruto wonders how he didn't notice before. Pretending that he wasn't just staring, Naruto then comments that if Sasuke wants to be able to see his own ugly face again, then yes, he should get it fixed. Though, the mirror's current condition would probably make an improvement on his appearance, if anything, Naruto adds.
Sasuke doesn't say anything, and Naruto frowns again at his friend's lack of response. Sasuke-chan, Naruto calls him mockingly, you drink tea like a girl, all dainty-like! This time he gets a tiny sigh, but Sasuke still doesn't give much of a response to Naruto's taunts. Naruto then really starts to think something is up.
Getting up from the low table, he says that he has to go, walking away from Sasuke's blank expression. He lifts a hand as he walks away in parting, saying he'll be back tomorrow. He'll bring a smile to that face.
The next day Sasuke is waiting, and this time when Naruto yells from the outside of Sasuke's door he doesn't have to linger for more than a moment. Of course, Naruto doesn't need to know this.
Naruto, not excepting a greeting, tells Sasuke to get his shoes on before he can say anything. Not that Sasuke was planning to speak, anyways.
Sasuke doesn't move, but instead asks why. Naruto crosses his arms and leans to one side, replying that they were going out (3), of course. He gets another frown in response, and a reply asking him why Naruto thought they were going to do such a thing, and why he'd think that Sasuke would agree in the first place.
Naruto is prepared for this. He is quick to retort that Sasuke owed him a meal. Naruto ignores Sasuke's protest that such a meal didn't exist, and grips Sasuke's hand, pulling him through the door.
Sasuke doesn't stop Naruto from taking him with him.
They are in Sasuke's bathroom. The mirror is pristine and not-cracked, the previous one replaced, due to Naruto's efforts during their shopping excursion (4). Their reflections stare back at them, one grinning like a Cheshire cat, the other sporting an indifferent mask. Naruto gives a sharp smile and his eyes are sincerely happy. He tells Sasuke through the mirror that it would be a shame not to be able to see his own ugly face.
It is silent for a moment...and then there is something at the corner of Sasuke's lips. Not a smile, but Naruto knows it's there and knows about the tentative thought behind it. Naruto replaces with large grin with a pleased smile.
"Dobe."
They are once again in Sasuke's rather unremarkable kitchen, and they are sitting together. Not talking, but together in a remotely peaceful silence. For now. Naruto is busy blowing ridiculously on his hot chocolate. Sasuke does not expect it to last long.
Soon, he finds himself, though not entirely pleased with the fact, not really minding. Instead he feels something he can't quite describe. A comradeship of sorts. And he is merely glad to have the boy around.
Sasuke watches him, a soft twitch of the lips making its place on his face. Naruto does not notice. Sasuke brings his cup up to his mouth and he sips at green tea, his eyes smiling at the boy across the table.
~End~
Alright, this is completely random and doesn't really have a plot, but by now I've realized something: I can't do plots. Yes, Naruto is very…quiet, and somewhat OC, but lets just pretend they talked more than what's written, kay? Oh, and, this isn't supposed to be a Naruto/Sasuke fic. It's mostly about their friendship, and the reluctant brotherly love (don't kill me, I know that phrase sounds stupendously cheesy, but I couldn't find a better way to describe it) between them.
(1) Gosling is a baby goose, right? Heh, I have no idea where this came from. Maybe I should have stuck with ducklings (spawn of the more traditional bird Sasuke is often compared to).
(2) So, I noticed that Sasuke's family house has sliding, rice paper doors. So, because I'm mean, he can live there all by his lonesome in this fanfic, not in an apartment which actually has a wooden door.
(3) Going out as in going somewhere. Not dating.
(4) I have no idea where they'd get a mirror. Just work with me here :)
If you agree with me that Green Tea is really good, review :3