Author's Note: This ficlet started out as an idea I couldn't get out of my mind unless I wrote it out (somewhat sloppily). Thanks to Em and Courtney it actually became something, they are always there to encourage my writing. This ficlet is dedicated to them. It's also thanks to Courtney you don't have to read my mistakes in the english language. ::wink::
Disclaimer: I obviously don't own Naruto (or Sasuke...) since I can't draw to save my life. I also don't own the line from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Cold Sand
Sasuke stared out at the horizon. Somehow it seemed to be taunting him. Slightly frowning he turned dark eyes downwards and shuffled the sand under him with his shoe. Some line from a film came to mind. Sand is overrated. It's just tiny, little rocks. He almost chuckled at the thought and his eyes travelled along the beach. Millions and millions of tiny, little rocks. He closed his eyes.
Actually he had no idea why he was here in the first place, who goes to the beach in December? Apparently I do. Slowly he opened his eyes again to stare at that horizon some more while pushing some strands of black hair out of his face. It had just been calling him, urging him to get there, to watch the grey skies meet the dark sea. And to stand on those millions and millions of tiny, little rocks and let the wind touch his hair. But there was nothing here - because no one goes to the beach in December. The mixed scent of ocean and winter felt strange in his nose.
Stuffing his hands in his pockets he turned to leave, and made the shocking discovery that he wasn't alone after all. A figure was coming towards him. The person was moving weirdly, almost skipping, running in a zigzag style just close to the water. Sasuke stared mesmerised when a wave rolled in and the figure was quickly leaping away from the water snapping after its feet. A pearly laughter rang through the air when the person managed to escape without getting his feet wet.
Because it was a he - and a colourful one at that, with blond unruly hair and a black and orange jacket that was hanging open. The boy's jeans were rolled up to his knees, and he wasn't wearing anything on his feet. Sasuke couldn't turn his eyes away, his hands went out of his pockets to hang limply by his sides.
The blond boy was almost twenty metres away from him when he suddenly stopped. He had realized that he wasn't alone either, and he stared at Sasuke with his mouth slightly open, obviously as shocked as Sasuke felt. While he was standing still the sea finally managed to move in over his bare feet and Sasuke was absently thinking about how cold that must be when his thoughts were interrupted by a bright smile on the other's face. One hand moved up to rub at the blond back of a head and the stranger started to move towards Sasuke again.
"Um, hi." The guy made a vague gesture over the empty beach. "I didn't think I would meet anyone here."
Sasuke's dark eyes met blue. Blue like the sky should have been when you go to the beach normally, and he quickly looked away so he wouldn't become trapped in that colour.
"The same." He said simply and turned his eyes on that stupid horizon again, while keeping the other boy in the corner of his sight.
The blond boy turned his eyes out over the sea as well, standing so that the bravest and most forward waves managed to lick his toes now and then.
"Did you come here to think?"
Sasuke glanced at the boy when he asked and a slight frown appeared on his face.
"What makes you think that?" He asked in return.
Blue eyes turned on him and a blond head was slightly tilted to the side in curiosity.
"You just look like it." He gave a small shrug and smile.
"Did you come here to think?" Sasuke asked while carefully keeping his eyes directed forward, even if his whole attention was strangely pulled towards his side.
"No." The guy gave a somewhat amused smile and laced his fingers to put both hands behind his head. "I came here to not think. I'm Naruto by the way."
"Sasuke."
Naruto dug his toes into the dark sand and Sasuke frowned at his feet, while vaguely noticing how those tiny, little rocks clung all the way up over the ankles on surprisingly tan legs.
"Why are you not wearing any shoes?"
Naruto blinked at the sudden question and then laughed while rubbing the back of his head. Sasuke noticed that he had lines on his cheeks, three on each. They reminded him of whiskers and he wondered how they got there.
"Um… I thought it might be a good idea? Besides, I like my feet to be free. Helps me breathe you know." He winked one of those hypnotizing blue eyes at Sasuke.
"It's December." Sasuke deadpanned.
Naruto laughed again and Sasuke was fascinated, not only by the sound but also how the wind played around with that golden hair - touching it in ways Sasuke could only fantasize about doing himself, not that he would fantasize about such a thing. Right?
"So? I'm not getting cold very easily. See?"
And he took Sasuke's hand. And Sasuke didn't flinch away, but he did stare somewhat surprised into those laughing blue eyes. Naruto's hand was warm, much warmer than Sasuke's own. It felt… nice. He felt… completely captivated.
"So Sasuke, want to walk back with me to get my shoes? And then we could go get coffee somewhere and you could tell me what you came here to think about."
Sasuke just nodded since his mouth seemed to be glued shut when he stared into those warm blue eyes, still sparkling with laughter.
And so they weren't alone when they walked over the otherwise deserted December-beach.
Naruto still didn't let go of his hand.
But Sasuke didn't mind.