Sasuke wakes up to the smell of coffee next to the bed. The pale blue mug stands defiantly just out of reach of his hands – no doubt Naruto's way of saying he had to get out of bed soon. He lays sprawled out in the king-sized bed, legs tangled in the sheets still, watching the steam rising up in wispy curls to the ceiling in between the motes of soft light finding their way through gaps in the curtains.
The space beside him is cooling quickly, the dent in the pillow where Naruto's head should be slowly filling again.
He half-rolls, half-slides out of bed, stretching cat-like and reaches blindly for the coffee. It's warm as it floods his tongue and tastes exactly the way he likes it. Around his room, are scattered bits and pieces, knickknacks from ages ago, stuff he won't need to take with him. He'd packed his bags last night, a messenger bag for his laptop and travel documents and one carry-on sized case for clothes and other essentials he'd need before the movers arrived with his boxes at the new apartment.
It's a little sad, he supposes, taking in his childhood room as he slips on his clothes for the day. The three of them spent so much time here, laughing and fighting and crying, as they grew up – they'd plotted out pranks under Naruto's direction here, come up with just about a billion different revenge plots for Sakura's exes, even discussed buying three houses right next to each other when they 'were grown-ups'. And now, two of them are gone or going, and one left behind.
The plan has always been for Sasuke to leave this town someday – everyone knows this.
He hefts his luggage to the front door and makes his way to the kitchen.
Naruto's back is towards him, facing the stove where a few eggs are frying in a pan. He looks a little odd, his faded t-shirt a sunset orange, still stark against the white tiles and stainless surfaces. On the table are two plates of toast and a pot of coffee untouched. His best friend himself is posed over the pan, one hand holding a spatula poised above the eggs but makes no move to flip them, staring off out the window. There's a lack of his usual tuneless humming or random fidgeting and it sends a little prickle up his spine at how quiet Naruto – a self-confessed morning person.
One of the birds outside lets out a loud chirping chatter, somewhere in the trees beyond his house and Naruto startles, a small twitch in his jaw and a raise in his shoulders.
There's something unusual wild about him, usually. The way he constantly moves, body always seemingly one step ahead of his mind, with reflexes second to none. As a child, gossips had always called him unruly or misbehaving, hyperactive, but as he'd grown they had begun to say lively, determined, strong. And suddenly instead of an excitable little kid, he'd become a man whose very body thrummed with life and determination.
Today though, Naruto was quiet and stiller than Sasuke had ever seen him.
"…oh, didn't see you there…" Naruto's lips moved to shape a smile.
Sasuke shrugged and made his way to his seat.
Naruto drives him to the airport, luggage thrown haphazardly into the back of his shitty scrapheap of a car and natters on next to him whilst swerving around the slower cars on the freeway – a speed demon like usual. Whatever had plagued him at breakfast seemed to have disappeared Sasuke closes his eyes and basks in the feeling of his best friend beside him, the hum of his voice, the sun in his laugh and the smell of lemongrass and wildfire.
"…regret not joining us in the city?" He says as he peers over at him, dark eyes meeting sky blue, and watches. Sasuke is always and has always been sure what he wanted out of life, but right now something in his chest aches like something has a vice around his heart.
Naruto watches him back, his chatter abruptly cutting to silence, his energy seemingly cut. The Uchiha can see himself reflected back in the azure blues of his eyes, and wonders what Naruto is thinking. The blonde's gaze softens, "You know I wouldn't belong there."
"Please," He snorts, "You could fit in anywhere, you're so goddamn noisy."
Naruto rolls his eyes and Sasuke's chest tightens. "Nah," He says chuckling, pulling his eyes back to the road, "A nice clean place like the city? Not me, besides I promised Iruka I'd help out at the Academy, he's gotten me a job on the grounds starting next week."
His fists clench. He didn't know Naruto was still in contact with Iruka, let alone gotten a job from him. Is this going to become the norm when he boards that flight? It occurs to him then and there that he's going to miss this.
"Besides, you know how busy Sakura is at the university, and you'll have your hands full with the company and those stupid board of directors, I'll be so bored!" The blonde nudges him playfully, knocking his elbow with his own.
"Hn," He closes his eyes once more. "A bored Naruto is never a good one."
"What? HEY!" He squawks and then huffs, and even with his eyes closed Sasuke can tell Naruto's cheeks are probably puffed out like a hamster and pouting like a kindergartener. "At least, make sure you don't become too glued to your desk, you crazy workaholic!"
He hums back noncommittally.
"And check up on Sakura! I know medics have long hours but she's gotta have some free time!" Their mutual best friend still skypes them regularly though, at least once a weak, usually over a pint of ice cream and ranting about the stupidness of her co-workers. "And don't just eat tomatoes while you're over there!"
"Hn."
Yeah, he'll miss this, he thinks, but Sakura leaving hadn't stopped the three of them staying as close as ever and Sasuke will be damned if their little group splinters over something as trivial as distance.
The closest airport is in the next town over, and takes them a good hour but they do get there eventually. It's the only airport between a good dozen towns in the region so while it's not the size of the capital city's airport, it's a similar size. Naruto finds a parking spot a little further from the terminal than ideal, where the fare is cheaper but they have to dash across the lot to the terminal or he'll miss his flight. Sasuke has his messenger bag slung over one shoulder, and Naruto clutches the carry-on case on his shoulder and both of them sprint through the light drizzle of rain to make it to the departure terminal.
They're a little damp from the rain, as they get through the doors, tiny droplets clinging to their clothes and skin. They're both bent over and panting, but Naruto grabs his arm and steers them both towards the flight's check-in desk.
The attendant gives them wary looks but Sasuke doesn't care.
"C'mon," Naruto murmurs, as his travel papers as past back to him and they make their way down glossy halls to the security checks. And if somewhere, along the chaos of the busy airport, their hands find each other neither of them say a thing.
And if the tangle of their fingers are closer than its ever been, well, they don't talk about that either. They stop by the wall, just next to the barriers as people file pass or say goodbye to their loved ones.
Naruto looks awkward, their hands still clasped. His eyes seem to flit everywhere but Sasuke's face. "You've got just under twenty minutes to get through the checks and find your gate." He mumbles, as he passes his case back to him. "So don't stop to go to the toilet on the way or do anything crazy."
"Hn."
There's a moment of quiet. Then, suddenly, Naruto looks at him fiercely. "Don't do anything crazy out there! And look after your health! And don't just eat tomatoes! And…And-!"
He snorts, "Dobe, you already said th-"
Whumpf. Abruptly, he finds his arms full of his best friend. "Teme," He hears, "You bastard, you better…," Naruto shakily exhales in his ear, "never mind."
When he eventually lets go, Naruto is scrubs his eyes suspisciously. Sasuke nudges him in the side, knocking elbows. He doesn't understand. He's not leaving forever, he can still come and visit right? He's not giving up this friendship for the company or for anything. "Dobe, don't be stupid, I can still visit."
Naruto beams at him, but there's something off with his smile. "Of course, you bastard!" And elbows him back hard enough to nearly send him sprawling. "You and Sakura both!"
His smile dims. "Just promise me," The blonde reaches to clutch his wrist in a tight grip, "Promise, no matter what happens." Naruto's voice trembles, "Promise me, you won't hate me."
Sasuke's never thought of his best friend – but that wasn't quite right, because surely whatever they were it was more than something as shallow or frivolous as that – as fragile. But right now, Uzumaki Naruto looks like a slight breeze will break him.
As he boards the flight, Naruto's words keep coming back to him. He doesn't understand the tone, or the desperation behind them, because how could he ever hate Naruto? They might fight and snipe at each other but hate had never even entered his head, was probably in fact the furthest thing from it. As the plane leaves the runway, and the world below falls away, Sasuke decides to put it down to Naruto's usual dramatics, probably conjured by his fear of missing out on the big city and being left behind by his best friends. That must have been it.
"Promise me, you won't hate me."
Sasuke snorts, rolling his eyes, he can't imagine that'll ever be possible.
"Don't be stupid, dobe. There's no way."
A/N: Hullo again,
So i did say i was thinking of continuing Quiet Nights and here's the sequel - I know I can hardly believe i delivered on that either! I got listening to a bunch of songs on spotify (insp. Troye Sivan's "LOST BOY", "SUBURBIA" and Ed Sheeran's "Friends" which was my absolute love when writing this, even though its been out for quite some time) and suddenly I'd written just a little more. I know its not really a great length, and I don't know about you but I always much prefer if I'm reading long chapters and longer fics because that means there's more to enjoy right? But anywhoo, this happened and Sasuke decided that was all we were going to get out of him...
Anyways, please leave favourites, comments and follows! Any constructive criticism is much appreciated!
Thanks for reading! Hopefully this won't be the last you see of these boys in my writing, I don't think I'm quite done with them yet!