So this fanfic was inspired by Death Cab for Cutie's "Brothers on a Hotel Bed," which I do not own. I highly recommend listening to it as you read this, though, because this story was heavily influenced by the lyrics. Oh, I don't own Naruto, either, because Sasuke wouldn't have been such a jerk if I had...
Brothers on a Hotel Bed
.o
"Sashiburi."
It was one of the few times Sasuke had seen his teammate's smile fading away, slowly, like the sunset before a long winter night, revealing a face that was truly aged—waxen eyelids, a drawn mouth, traces of grey in that mop of blond hair. Naruto's smile was the only thing that kept his appearance young, and to see it disappear was an affirmation of the wearing past years.
He tried to reply lightly, but a rattling cough stole the words from him, forcing him to double over from a racking pain in his sides. Naruto rushed to him and pressed a glass of water to his lips. Sasuke drank gratefully. "Gomen," he sighed when Naruto pulled it away. He then leisurely repositioned himself on his pillow and turned his eyes toward his old teammate. "You came a long way to see me, Naruto. What's the occasion?"
Naruto pulled his chin towards his chest, directing his eyes towards the floor. "Don't act like this," he whispered. "You know what's going to happen."
"Yes, any day now." The man focused on a piece of lint resting near his hand on his thin sheet. "But this is what life is about, isn't it?"
"Don't say that!" Naruto snapped, grabbing the man's t-shirt gruffly. "We live so we can make a difference! Sasuke!" His last word came out almost as a plea, and he loosened his grip on the man's chest, allowing him to drop back on the bed. "Sasuke," he repeated, his blue eyes rippling with sorrow. "Why did you have to do this?"
The man smiled weakly. "You and I always had a different path to follow. I took mine, Naruto, and this is how it ends."
Naruto's smile had yet to return, and it was distracting enough to bother Sasuke. He couldn't bring himself to look at his teammate anymore, so he turned on his side and busied himself with a loose string on the edge of his pillowcase. "I came to bring you back, Sasuke," Naruto finally said. "I'm not leaving without you."
He chuckled weakly without turning. "I've heard that one before."
"Don't you understand? I made a promise to her, to myself, to everyone in Konoha. I've come to bring you home before—"
"Before it's too late, right?" Naruto fell silent as Sasuke peered at him through heavily-lidded eyes. He studied him like this for a few moments before suddenly saying, "You never became Hokage, did you?" His words crackled through the stale air with malice. The blond involuntarily flinched, as if struck, but Sasuke's face remained impassive. "You're over forty, but you still have the same silly dream, the same moronic motto. I never wanted to go back with you because you will never change, Naruto. What makes you think I'd go back now?" It was a low blow, and Sasuke knew it when he saw Naruto's eyes flash in anger and pain. But then he did something Sasuke had never expected.
He knelt at the edge of the bed and cried.
.i
He was back the next day with a messily-wrapped bento box and a couple of magazines.
Sasuke ignored him until he left.
Naruto brought a go board the day after, which Sasuke refused to play. "Come on, just one round," Naruto begged. "I'm sure you'll beat me."
"What makes you think I care?"
"Because you're talking to me," the blond said plainly.
Sasuke refused to say another word the rest of their time together, and Naruto left a few hours later, although he didn't take the board with him. In a fit of rage, Sasuke broke it on the nightstand and immediately felt ridiculous.
The next day, he agreed to leave peaceably.
"Do you have everything you need?" Naruto was leaning on the doorjamb, his arms crossed casually as he waited for him to finish packing. Sasuke was still annoyed and said nothing as he fished through his dresser drawers. Naruto pouted.
"You're mean," he muttered with a hint of playfulness.
"You're an idiot," Sasuke snapped back.
The blond laughed aloud at this, his wide smile reverting back to the easy reassurance he'd always possessed. "Ah, that's the teammate I knew once."
"Oh, shut up." Sasuke stuffed another shirt into his pack. He began to reach for the next drawer, but before he could, another coughing fit seized him. His fingers wrapped themselves around the edge of the nightstand, and he clutched it for support while the fit took hold of his body. He was still trembling when it finally passed, and he raised his shaking hand to his forehead. "Shimatta."
"Daijoubu ka?" Naruto asked softly, taking a step closer.
"Hai, hai." Sasuke waved him away. "I'm almost finished."
"Good. I'll wait for you outside."
The sick man seated himself on the bed weakly. "That's fine," he sighed, closing his eyes to focus on his breathing. Naruto began to step away but then he paused.
"Ah, I almost forgot," he muttered, partially to himself. Sasuke turned and watched him fish a tidy brown package from his pocket. He bounced it in his hand a bit, then casually tossed it over. It landed beside the black-haired man with a muted rustle. "That's yours too. Open it now, if you like. Come get me when you're ready."
He left without waiting for a reply, whistling as he shut the door.
Sasuke clicked his tongue mockingly as he pulled the package closer. He weighed it in his palms before hesitantly untying the string, his fingers fumbling with sickness. He finally unknotted the string and pulled it away, then tore off the brown paper. A Konoha forehead protector fell into his lap. In disbelief, he held it closer to his eyes, and wistfully ran his finger over the cut that marred its otherwise polished metal.
It was his own.
A shout came from below. "Oi! Would you hurry up already?"
"Naruto no baka! I told you I'm coming!" He wiped his cheeks with his sleeve and shoved the gift into his pack before he hobbled out of the room.
.ii
They left the city through the gates, but instead of starting down the path, Naruto made a beeline to his left, towards the transportation post.
"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked, struggling to catch up.
"Did you think I'd make you walk home in this condition?" he asked honestly. "You're barely keeping up with me."
He humphed, "I'm fine," then quickened his pace to match Naruto's.
The blond just smiled.
When they arrived at the post, Naruto handed a stub over to the man behind the counter. "Please wait out front," the worker said before he disappeared into the back room.
"Hai." Naruto and Sasuke took a seat on an outdoor bench and waited in a brief silence. The man returned in a moment, pushing a small motorcycle up towards the pair. "Here you are, Naruto-san," he smiled as he handed the blond a set of keys. "Have a safe trip."
"Arigatou, niisan." He all but jumped on the bike and motioned for Sasuke to do the same.
"I am not getting on that thing," he said with a hint of disgust. "I'd rather walk."
"Come on," the man whined. "Walking there could take days! If we ride this, we'll get to Konoha in less than twenty-four hours. I'll let you drive, if you like."
"I don't care about that, baka!" Sasuke snapped, but he sighed immediately afterwards. "Fine, I'll ride with you. But you'd better not do anything stupid."
"Like I would," Naruto muttered, starting the engine with a fast kick while Sasuke climbed on behind him. "Are you ready?"
The black-haired man wrapped his arms uncomfortably around his teammate's middle. "Hai."
He gunned the engine and they started off, heading home together for the first time in thirty years.
.iii
They had been mute for a great portion of the ride. Sasuke felt that his only company was the sun, and the puttering of the engine below them. Despite his illness, however, he was beginning to undergo a change—with the sharp breeze in his hair and the landscape zipping by, he felt younger, happier.
He leaned forward a bit. "Naruto, how much longer? You drive so slow."
"Another few hours," he shouted back over the engine, laughing. "We're going to stop for lunch at the Curry of Life House. It's just around this corner."
"Curry of Life House?"
"Hai. The owner is one of Fuzzy Brow's old friends." He released his grip on the acceleration and allowed the motorcycle to coast towards the restaurant. "Trust me, if you eat some of the specialty, you'll feel great." He flipped down the kickstand and leapt off the bike, while Sasuke slowly climbed down after him. Naruto led him through the front door, and he called out, "Karashi! Ranmaru! Where are you two?"
A young man poked his head out from the back room, his purple hair tied back in a clipped pony tail. "Ah, Naruto-san! Sashiburi!" Another man stepped out, with flowing brown hair and a huge grin. "Naruto-san, welcome! Come in!"
The two were immediately seated. Sasuke began to open the menu, but Naruto slammed it shut. "Don't even bother," he said. Then, to Karashi, he called out, "Two plates of the curry of life and some sake, please!"
Sasuke rolled his eyes.
It was a few moments later when the black curry and two bottles of sake were placed in front of them. "Itadakimasu!" Naruto chimed before he dug in. His face turned an unnatural shade of red as he ate, but the only person it seemed to bother was Sasuke, who watched him eat with a hint of disgust. "You'll like it," Naruto insisted, his mouth full of food.
Sasuke crinkled his nose as he took a small spoonful. He brought it towards his mouth, where the spiciness was already causing his eyes to water. Then, with all the willpower he could muster, he forced himself to take a bite.
The effect was immediate. The flames shot up his esophagus, attacking his sinus with a vengeance. He could hardly see through his tears as he groped for the sake bottle and began chugging.
"Sasuke," he vaguely heard Naruto shout. "Sasuke, how was it?"
"It was"—he coughed heavily and took another gulp of sake—"good." Sasuke was somewhat surprised as he said this, but found it to be true. He replaced the sake bottle on the table, his cheeks already glowing red, and began to eat with a new vigor. It was only minutes later when the two finished their meal. Sasuke leaned back slightly, a smirk playing on his lips. "Naruto, about the motorcycle…."
"Ano? What about it?"
The black-haired man wiped his mouth on a napkin and smirked. "Can I drive it?" he finally asked. Naruto's eyes widened in surprise, but then he grinned.
.iv
Naruto yawped as they raced across the countryside, riding the fine line between ground and flight. "Hayaku! Hayaku!" the blond whooped. "Come on, Sasuke! I thought you said I drove slow!"
Grinning, Sasuke urged the bike forward, feeling its roar down deep inside, overflowing into his heart. Together, they flew by people on the roadside, pack animals, trees—everything was standing still as they soared down the lane. He laughed breathlessly. It had been so long since he had felt such a simple joy, just like rushing through the treetops, utterly free.
The motorcycle began to climb a hill, rumbling furiously with the strain. The two leaned forward to take all the speed they could muster.
"Motto!" Naruto cheered, and Sasuke gunned the engine, giving the bike a burst of speed. They reached the top a moment later, and time slowed when Sasuke felt his entire body lift up towards the heavens. As if in a dream, he let his arms rise, like a bird's wings that had yet to be used, and tipped his chin towards the sky, drinking in its infinite blue. The blond gasped behind him in awe, and then there was a peace that Sasuke had never felt before—like the whole world had dropped out from underneath him, and all his troubles were burdens that he could leave behind.
But then the feeling was gone, chased away by a cry of shock, blurred scenery, and the horrible sound of twisting metal.
Had he been younger, he could have escaped easily. His body, however, could not keep up anymore. The ground was rushing closer with each second, but he couldn't react in time. His eyes squeezed shut. He then felt an impact, surprisingly gentle, that carried him outward instead of down.
Sasuke came to a sudden stop, the ground on his back, as the noise faded away. When he finally had the courage to open his eyes, he saw Naruto's worried face hovering over his. "Sasuke, daijoubu?"
"Hai," he winced, pulling himself into a sitting position.
Naruto laughed as he glanced over his shoulder at the wreck. "That was a close one." Sasuke didn't reply. He was watching the motorcycle too, misshapen irreparably from the fall. Its wheel was still turning slowly, like it was still in flight.
It struck him as the saddest thing he'd seen in a long time.
.v
"We'll have to stay here overnight," he shrugged. "The bike will be ready tomorrow. It needs a new wheel."
"Where are we staying?" Sasuke asked. His body was aching from the fall, and he could feel fatigue setting in as quickly as the sun was dropping behind the mountains.
"Let's get something to eat. We'll ask there."
The two found a small udon shop and had a quick meal. The owner told them that the only hotel nearby was owned by a man named Hideto. He pointed them in the right direction before they left.
Sasuke found it to be a run-down Western-style motel, complete with moth-eaten curtains and a bed in place of futons. Yes, one bed, Sasuke noticed as soon as he had entered the room. Naruto noticed it to, and immediately pulled the comforter and one of the pillows to the floor. "You can have the bed, Sasuke."
"Don't be an idiot, we can share the bed." His voice surprised them both, but what was more surprising was Sasuke knew he meant it.
Naruto argued weakly, but eventually replaced the pillow on the bed and the two prepared to go to sleep. They lay down beside each other, facing opposite directions from embarrassment.
"Oyasumi, Sasuke."
"Oyasumi."
They both lie motionless, watching the patterns of the moon on the ceiling. Naruto's steady breathing rustled the covers nearby. Sasuke coughed every so often. Neither so much as whispered a word.
But despite this, Sasuke felt—somehow—comforted. He closed his eyes and slept.
.vi
"I've got a surprise for you," he grinned, racing down the pathway. Even the engine rumbled with his excitement.
"Oh? What is it?"
Naruto didn't answer, but he slowed the bike down to a stop before a clump of trees. He gave a piercing whistle. "Oi, we're over here!"
Sasuke sighed. "What're you—"
Blurs of movement distracted him, and when the dust cleared, the blond said, "Surprise!"
Sasuke stared mutely at the five figures. Though they were all worn by time, he could see clearly the boys he used to know as a child. There was Shikamaru, a scar marring his neck, but his hair still kept in a messy pony tail. Neji stood beside him, his striking eyes strong, despite the creases around them. Kiba and Akamaru were together, even after all of this time. The last was Chouji, his face full of the good humor he'd had since he was a child.
"What's this?" Sasuke asked mildly as Naruto dismounted.
"We were the original team sent out to bring you home," the blond explained, going over to join the five newcomers. "I thought it would only be fair if we all completed our mission together."
"It's good to see you again," Neji said politely.
"You caused us a lot of trouble back then, Sasuke," Shikamaru added, but his smile gave him away. "I'm glad you're back."
"You can ride on Akamaru if you get tired, Sasuke," Kiba offered. "He said it was fine."
"Thank you, Kiba," Sasuke said with a small smile, "but I think I'd like to come home on my own two feet."
.vii
The boy and girl started when they heard Naruto say his name. "Sasuke-san?" the girl said loudly. "Sasuke-san saved chichi's life once, right chichi?"
Sasuke chuckled when Naruto's face flushed. Before his teammate could say anything, though, the black-haired man took a knee and motioned for the children to come closer. In a stage-whisper, he said, "Between you and me, I saved chichi's life a lot more than that."
"Sugoi," the boy murmured.
"You can stay with us, Sasuke," Naruto interrupted with a cough, his cheeks still tinged pink. "We set up a room for you already, so it's no trouble."
Sasuke was going to argue, but stopped himself—he didn't belong at his old home anymore. So he agreed, and he walked home with Naruto and his two children. The little boy spoke up first.
"Ojisan, when we get home, we're going to play tag! Want to play too?"
He started at his title, then slowly smiled.
.viii
He stayed with Naruto's family for awhile, eating with them, playing with the children, and helping with whatever he could. Mostly, however, Sasuke watched their lives.
Naruto and Sakura had done so well without him—both were highly-appraised jounin, respected in the village and favored by the Hokage. Their three children were happy. They were leading a normal life.
He couldn't help but think about what he had sacrificed when he left. Would he have been a jounin? Would he be married, with children? Would he have kept in touch with his old teammates, and gained some new ones? It seemed like he was watching a film of what could have been. Maybe if he hadn't left, if Orochimaru hadn't intervened, if niisan hadn't killed his family, life could have been like this.
Sasuke was happy for his teammates, but deep down inside, he felt an inexplicable sense of nostalgia.
.ix
The two of them had been in the forest, trying to reach the top of the tree with chakra before the other.
Just tell me what Sakura said about chakra control, Sasuke hissed between his panting, but Naruto grinned mischievously and shook his head. He glowered at the blond for a moment, but then he closed his eyes and smirked. Fine—let's make a bet, Sasuke said suddenly, pushing himself to his feet.
A bet? Naruto echoed. What kind of bet?
We'll run up the tree this time. If I get higher, you tell me what she said. If you get higher, you don't have to tell me anything.
The blond boy narrowed his eyes. Why would I tell you the secret if you get higher? he asked suspiciously.
Sasuke scoffed. Are you scared you'll lose?
Immediately, his teammate stiffened. I'll show you! he barked, rolling up his sleeves. I'll beat you and then you'll be sorry!
We'll see, he shot back, collecting his chakra. Are you ready to lose?
That's my line! Naruto shouted, mimicking Sasuke's hand movements to collect a glowing blue at his feet.
At the same time, they charged the trees, and Sasuke felt his foot strike the bark with a decent balance of chakra. He kept running, his eyes focused on his highest point, running, reaching—
He happened to glance over and see Naruto already slipping, and he smiled to himself. That is, until he saw Naruto recollect his chakra and continue even higher, past his old mark, and then past Sasuke's own, higher than ever.
Sasuke was so busy watching his teammate, he lost his footing, and, unable to regain his balance, gravity took control, pulling him downwards . . .
Oi, are you awake?
He groaned and held his forehead in his palm. What happened? he whispered, forcing his eyes open.
You fell, Naruto shrugged, pointing to the divot high up on Sasuke's tree.
Did I beat you? he gasped as his head lolled back. His eyes were having trouble focusing on the scenery, and Naruto was watching him with a frown.
No, you didn't, he said finally. Sakura says that you need to focus, not on running up the tree, but on your own chakra.
Sasuke wasn't sure if he was hearing correctly, and he squinted at his teammate oddly. I thought you said you beat me, he voiced. Why are you telling me her advice?
Because I felt like it, he scoffed, as if the comment offended him. Now stay here. I'll get you some water. Naruto left, tromping off into the woods.
And Sasuke thought in that moment, as he lay immobile amongst the pine needles and still night air, that he had finally found what he had least expected from the blond idiot stuck on his team.
He had found a brother.
.x
Thank you for reading, and please review!