Ame-tsuchi: Heaven and earth. A Shinto myth explains that at the time of the creation, light, pure elements branched off to become heaven (ame), while heavy, turbid elements branched off to become earth (tsuchi). Ame became the home of the amatsukami or gods of heaven, while tsuchi became the home of the kunitsukami or gods of the land. The amatsukami are said to have descended from heaven to pacify and perfect this world. (the earth...and in my interpretation, pacify and perfect the kunitsukami of the land, too)
Warnings: none; SasuNaru/NaruSasu, though slightly AU, I guess, if you find Naruto and Sasuke having clandestine meetings while everyone else is battling to be AU.
ame-tsuchi: sky-blue, soil-dark
by vernajast
"SASUKE!" Naruto spat out a mouthful of dirt and jumped up off the ground to resume chasing his former teammate, tackling him from behind and bowling him over onto the grass. "I got you, teme!" He sat on Sasuke's stomach, grinning like a triumphant conqueror.
Sasuke rolled his eyes and looked away, at the tops of the trees, somewhere distant. "You got me."
"Hey, you okay?" The resigned acceptance incited frantic fingers to run over Sasuke's skull, mussing his hair and shaking a few strands into his face. "I didn't break anything did I?"
Blowing the annoying hair away from his eyes, Sasuke shoved the blond off of his stomach and rolled to his feet. How he had managed such a position after attacking him from behind... "I'm fine."
"Are ya sure?" Naruto was already pawing at him again, checking his clothes for evidence of any damage.
"Pfft." The wayward Uchiha started walking away.
"Hey, teme."
There was an uncharacteristic reserved quality to Naruto's voice that made Sasuke pause just inside the shade of the forest.
"I know you don't think so, Sasuke, but I'm not the only one who misses you. I...just miss you the most."
Sasuke could almost feel the blush on Naruto's cheeks even if he wasn't looking. "Hn."
"Dammit, asshole!" There was scuffling, more dirt flying, and Naruto crash landing atop Sasuke, again, spitting out more dark, rich earth. "We just...you know..." He shook his head. "You jerk, you're supposed to say something, not just, 'hn,' like...like...like it doesn't MATTER!"
Perfect, fragile silence. There were only sky-blue eyes looking down into their soil-dark counterparts.
"It matters," Sasuke finally whispered, and the tension was broken more by the sound of an exploding tag going off in the distance than the quiet admission.
"Be careful, bastard," Naruto mumbled, scrambling off of Sasuke, and the Uchiha nodded before disappearing into the forest.
Their teams were still fighting; a reminder that, for now, they came from two different worlds. Two different sides. One day, things would be different—Naruto was sure of it—and then, he would find Sasuke and drag him back to the village. To stay. Forever.
He took a last look at the spot where Sasuke had been—I miss you so much.—and turned in the opposite direction.
[ . end ]