Carpe Diem (Fall in Love With Me)
Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.
…
It was almost ten o'clock in the evening when Sasuke opened the main doors of his apartment building and stepped inside. As usual, the young freckled porter greeted his arrival and he, out of courtesy, returned the greeting before moving into the tenant's lift.
It was exactly ten o'clock when he finished entering his security code and lift started moving upwards to his floor. The latest he had arrived back from the Morino Detective Agency was nine o'clock but not today.
Hours earlier, around three in the afternoon, he had woken up to a dull annoying and nagging headache and a very foul bitter taste in his mouth and the only one to blame for that was him. He had gone out to Pirates and smashed his self shitless, a little celebration and rebellion on his part. His personal party was all good until it got to the part where he was outside and Naruto had seen him very intoxicated and talking very loose and funny. He was ashamed to remember it, more ashamed that he had acted as such in front of Naruto, no less! Just great.
But he was more embarrassed with what happened afterwards. He really wanted to hide from the world and never go out again. He wanted to erase all those moments but life wasn't easy like that. What he could do was put the memory into the back burner and move forward. Then again, life wasn't easy as that. Try as he might, the night just kept on replaying on his mind the rest of the day which was the reason he was coming home late and he hadn't even finished his job. He still had half of the list of files to be pulled out. He would have finished by midnight at the rate he was going and he would have done exactly that had Ibiki not interfered and ordered him to go home. 'It was late,' Ibiki had said to him, already dressed in his night shirt and night cap. In his whole life, he didn't want to see ever again the unfamiliar get-up of his boss. The memory was still fresh on his mind and it was truly a disturbing sight to remember.
Tonight, his mind was full of moments he didn't want to savour but they all kept coming back after a short while, tormenting him with mortification and regret. He wished that at least he wouldn't dream of those. That would be really troublesome.
Ding! The elevator doors opened to fifth floor, he got off.
At least earlier, when he awakened, he was saved from embarrassment and was all alone in the apartment. Apparently from the message on his electronic blackboard, Eric had gone back to his hotel and moved back to Rockbourne. Sasuke had wanted to question the man about what transpired last night that ended up with Naruto fetching him. But he couldn't do that, because he didn't know the astronomer's number, not yet.
And Naruto… he hadn't left a message which Sasuke completely understood. Naruto must be repulsed or at least annoyed by last night's events and wasn't in the right state of mind to at least inform him that he had left. He seldom left him messages anyway.
Sasuke slid in his key onto the keyhole and unlocked his door and went inside the entryway. He toed off his shoes before picking both up and putting it inside the shoe cabinet. He almost blinked when he caught sight of a pair of shoes he certainly didn't own. He grabbed one and inspected it. It was sized eleven. Eleven? Who had a pair of size eleven? And what was that noise? Is that the telly?
He didn't think more of the shoe and focused entirely on the thought that someone else was inside his apartment and was watching with his television. Curious and wary, he quietly slid the entryway doors open and moved into his dim lighted sitting room. The television was on and the volume was relatively loud but there wasn't anybody watching. He moved to turn it off but was halted by the sound of metal. He swiftly turned his head towards his kitchen.
Lo and behold! His cooktop was turned on and a steaming pot was sitting on the blue flames. Just who was ransacking his house? He moved to his kitchen, halting by the mini L-shaped island that holds his cooking equipment when he saw movement on the other side of it. He quickly moved to accost the unwanted and pompous moocher.
"Naruto," he said as he looked down to the crouched man picking up the fallen casseroles and long handled spoon off the floor. "What are – "
Startled, Naruto looked up. "Sasuke," he breathed out, tremendously relieved to see him. "Welcome home."
Stunned by the greeting, Sasuke stayed there looking down to his metallic blue eyed childhood friend. 'Welcome home,' those two words that he had longed to hear from those lips were now said to him, almost a year too late. But still, 'welcome home', those two words held a deeper meaning to him and the immense power of that meaning melted his steeled resolve about the blond. "I'm home," he thickly whispered the delayed greeting.
Naruto smiled before he bowed his head and retrieved the fallen items. "Sasuke, you shouldn't work this hard. It's already ten," he said before confiding, "I kind of panicked earlier but Neji reassured me that you were just working. Do you always work this late?"
"Sometimes," Sasuke answered and collected himself. He even cleared his throat. "Doesn't your restaurant close at ten? Why are you here?"
"I didn't work today. But I got called during rush hour when Ayame and Haku suddenly got sick. Then when the flow of customers slowed Sakura came by…," Naruto continued to ramble as he moved to deposit the fallen utensils to one of the corner sinks.
But Sasuke's ears became deaf as soon as he heard the name 'Sakura'. He never did like the name Sakura coming out of Naruto's lips. No, that woman, that name wasn't even supposed to be in the same sentence with Naruto. 'Sakura,' he thought irately. Instead of a famous brunette fashion model, it was a pink haired paramedic who was a patron of Chōji's. All this time, she was still in Naruto's life. That woman, the annoying little cockroach.
"Sasuke, are you alright?" Naruto asked upon noticing the lack of response. "Sasuke?"
"I'm just tired from work," Sasuke reasoned, trying to control his self.
"That's why you shouldn't work hard. Your previous schedule was fine enough, wasn't it? So, better just stick with it, okay?" Naruto advised as he turned the fire to a low. "Hey, I already made supper, spicy coconut chicken curry. Do you want to eat now or wash up first?"
"Yes, I can see that," Sasuke said as he stared onto the transparent lid. "Earlier, I was planning to strangle the unknown moocher that invited himself in."
"Uh , I – " Naruto chuckled sheepishly. "Well, I was waiting for you."
"I wasn't expecting someone waiting for me." Though unintended, Sasuke's words carried more than one meaning. And like a cold splash of water, a forceful shift of awkwardness descended them.
'I was waiting for you all this time. I have been waiting for you all these years,' was what Naruto would like to say but would his words be enough? Would it be taken as truth? Would Sasuke even believe him?
"Well," Naruto started nervously, treading carefully as he could. "It has been sometime. So…"
"I'll wash up first," Sasuke decided, wanting to escape and inadvertently dismissing the sudden awkwardness he brought and moved to open the kitchen door leading to the hallway.
Had he not gripping the counter hard enough, Naruto would have slumped on the floor at the sudden relief. He had, for a second, thought Sasuke would throw him out or worse, throw the curry at him. As Sasuke was about to leave, Naruto couldn't help commenting, "Sasuke, you go to work in jeans now?" It was his attempt to relive the casual atmosphere.
Without turning or halting in his steps, Sasuke replied, "Some days." And the door swung shut behind him.
#
Sasuke sat down on his bed and rested his chin upon his folded hands. In barely a day and just barely even five minutes with Naruto, Sasuke's steeled determination of a new life, a new relationship melted and was in an upheaval. And all of it was just because Naruto was in his kitchen, in his apartment. How was he going to last? The sealing of his long running delusion was fresh and still healing. He didn't need this encounter to rip it open.
But he couldn't just throw Naruto out. Sasuke promised himself he was going to be a proper childhood friend. What proper friend throws one out? Nonetheless, he couldn't help himself from reacting too emotionally about just everything. Like that paramedic brandishing a shock of horrible pink as hair.
'Sakura,' Sasuke gritted his teeth upon that name. He couldn't even stop himself from being hostile as he imagined numerous ways how to dispose of her just because of that single event that made him green with utmost jealousy.
Ever since that rainy November night Naruto had told him that he was moving out, things had gradually changed between the two of them. Sasuke had tried to act normal and nonchalant as best he could but Naruto kept on turning away from him even as far as suddenly running out of the room. He didn't even invite him at the house warming party.
It was about a fortnight since Naruto had moved out and four days after the house warming party that Sasuke finally decided he couldn't take it anymore and drove towards the two storey pale blue house. He couldn't remember how long was he standing there, banging the door and ringing the doorbell. He knew Naruto was at home; there were lights inside. And just when he was about to leave, the door opened.
"Sasuke?" Naruto asked croakily with his nose reddened and dripping. He coughed before wiping the running clear liquid with his sleeve. "What are you doing here?"
"You're sick," Sasuke stated as he sauntered inside, grabbing the sickly blond with an obvious intent to lay him down. "You move out and now you're sick. And you rarely get sick," he fussed. "Where's your bedroom? You're quite warm. You shouldn't even be out of bed."
"Uhm, upstairs and you were banging on my door."
"Come on," Sasuke said as they trekked upstairs, ignoring the point that he indeed was banging on the door. After plumping the pillows, he made Naruto lay down without resistance and tucked him inside the covers and turning the room temperature to cool. "Since when were you sick?" Sasuke asked as he glanced around for any medication. "Never mind that, where are your medicine?"
"Medicine?" Naruto repeated, closing his eyes.
"Yeah, medicine. Drugs to alleviate your runny nose and fever and that sore throat. Ah, wait don't sleep yet. Where is your house key?"
"Drawer," Naruto mumbled tiredly.
"What's your house code?" Sasuke asked as he took the set of keys. "Same."
"I'll be back shortly." Sasuke he pocketed the key and inspected the fridge before going out to the nearest convenience store. When he came back, he quickly made thickened soup with bite sized chicken chunks.
"Naruto," he said as he shook the blond man. "Wake up for a bit."
"Naw," Naruto mumbled sleepily.
"Naruto, come on," Sasuke insisted as he forcefully hoisted Naruto into a sitting position then positioned the pillow upright. He unpacked the newly bought aural thermometer and placed it in the ear canal. After a moment, the beep sounded with a reading of thirty-eight point six degree Celsius. "Here, soup," he informed as he gave Naruto the spoon and placed the bed tray in front of the sick man.
"I want to sleep," Naruto grumbled as he started to scoop out the soup.
Sasuke placed a new box of tissue on the bedside table before turning to him. "When was the last time you even ate, huh? Last night? Breakfast? Just eat so you could take your medicine then you could back to sleep."
"What this?" Naruto asked as he held the cup.
"Juice. It has kiwi, tomato, grape, apple, orange, pineapple and… green tea and broccoli."
"Wh - what?" Naruto stuttered at the two last ingredients.
"Don't you like it? You need vitamins and minerals. Or do you rather take them in capsules?"
Gingerly, Naruto took a sip and tasted it. "I do like it," he answered as he looked interestingly at the green liquid on his cup. "It's sweet and tangy."
"Good, then finish up. Here's the paracetamol," Sasuke said as he placed a tablet on the tray. "Is your nose still bothering you? I have antihistamine here. This should help you to sleep also." Naruto barely nodded as he finished the soup and dutifully took the two tablets. When the cup and bowl were cleaned, Sasuke took the bed tray and Naruto slid down, grabbing the pillow with him and tucking himself with the cover.
"I'll wake you from time to time, okay? Lie on you right for now, you have just eaten," Sasuke said before turning off the lights and moving downstairs again to wash the dishes. He explored every inch of the house then stayed on the couch. The following day, Wednesday, he busied himself with cleaning the house, doing the laundry, buying groceries and waking up the sick owner every four hours or so. By the end of the day, Naruto's fever had gone down and was able to move about before taking long naps again. So sensibly, the next morning he left the able man and went to work. But due to nagging worry, he came back later in the afternoon using his own copy of Naruto's house key.
He stood there silently for almost a minute just staring and staring at the two nude bodies upon the bed with the bedroom door wide open. He had a very hard time averting his eyes and when he finally did, as silently as he came, he quickly left.
Sasuke shook his head as he chastised his self. He must stop thinking thoughts like jealousy. A good and proper friend wasn't like this. This was one of the wrong memories to recall. He should stop bothering himself with those kinds of stuff. He wasn't going to turn back. He was not going to obsess anymore. He wasn't living in a delusion anymore. He was the childhood friend. He needed to cool down and gather his wits. He walked from his bed and turned the curved faucets to full to quickly fill the tub.
It was foolish to go back and chase nothingness. He was sane and he was free. It had to be right. It was going to be alright. Their relationship was going to be alright. One step at a time, one day the Sasuke he had been would be gone forever. It was going to stay frozen as an unpleasant and learning memory.
Convinced and somehow calm, Sasuke lowered into the water, letting it pass his mouth and nose and resting just below his eyes. Now, Naruto was waiting for him. He was waiting for him for supper. He was waiting, just like those days of long ago.
#
"Don't you like it?" Naruto asked worriedly after noticing Sasuke barely ate any of the meal. "Is it too spicy?"
"I like it just fine," Sasuke assured as he properly laid his chopsticks down on its holder.
"But you're barely eating. Are you sick? Are you tired already? Do you want to sleep now?"
Sasuke shook his head and stayed silent. As much as he tried, the entire meal was awkward. The familiarity about this evening was overwhelming. It was one thing to be talking with Naruto in the hotel room, it was another thing when he was responding drunkenly but it was altogether another thing when Naruto was welcoming him, cooking for him, dining with him. It was just so much like the past. It was too similar. And that was scary in itself. It evoked what they had been, what Sasuke had been.
"Are you… uncomfortable with me?" Naruto inquired quietly as he intently studied the love of his life. Sasuke stayed his eyes on his plate and not answering. Even though in itself the evening was something he wanted, it was just consuming.
"Are you disgusted with me?" Naruto inquired apprehensively. "Is it because of what I've done? Of what I had become?
"I'm not… disgusted with you."
"Oh…" Then Naruto understood what it was. "You're ashamed and disappointed in me, aren't you? Even I with my own self, I am disappointed and ashamed. It was a stupid thing, Sasuke. And I'm… I'm really sorry about that. I regret it. I really do, Sasuke," he said as his hand slowly inched towards the other across the table. "But I can't make it - Can't you – Will you give me at least a chance?" he asked imploringly as his hand stopped an inch away from the other, hesitating if this gesture would be accepted or even needed in such a situation.
"Naruto, it's not that either," Sasuke consoled as he folded his hands together. He had noticed the other hand inching his way and the hesitation. "It's true I don't like what you did. But every human being isn't perfect. We all fuck up once in a while. But it's what you learn, what you realize that counts. And you're determination to not fall prey to it anymore." He gave a wry smile to make the situation lighter and less dismal. "I just smashed myself useless last night. The last time I went to such a place was when I was a fresher. I only lasted about ten - nine years."
'Just like that,' Naruto thought in awe. Sasuke just stated quite indifferently that he accepted Naruto no matter what he did. Who in their right mind would do that? A fresh wave of tears appeared upon Naruto's face. "Sasuke," he cried. "Why are you so kind?"
Sasuke shook his head, refuting Naruto's image of him. He lowered his eyes to his plate before he said quietly, "Don't compliment me because I am not. I just know what it feels like because I've been there. No, Naruto, I'm not being kind. You could describe it as selfishness on my part."
"Even so, you're still someone who is better than me," Naruto said as he wiped his tears with the back of his hand. "You're just awesome and I'm such a cry-baby," he commented, half chuckling at his self.
Sasuke wanted to tell him, it was the other way. That it was Naruto who was better than the two of them because he remained unashamed to tell and accept what unpleasant stuff he had done. It was him who was stronger than the two, standing right back up after falling down. But Sasuke didn't speak. He didn't want to change Naruto's view of him. He didn't want him to see him other than that, someone who was awesome and better.
A long stretch of silence reigned as they resumed eating. It was only when they were on the sitting room watching late night news with Naruto eating desert and Sasuke holding the remote, that it was broken.
"Naruto," Sasuke said as he turned the television to very low.
"Hmm?" Naruto questioned with the spoon still in his mouth.
"Why are you here?" Sasuke finally asked the thought had been nagging at the back of his mind.
"Do you want me to leave?"
"No. Just answer the question, Naruto. Why did you come back here?"
"Oh," Naruto said, his lips lifting into a soft smile. "That's a silly question, Sasuke. You were so drunk last night I just had to come see you. I need to be here. What if you smashed yourself again? I need to be there – here," he said, explaining it as best he knew and could. But each person saw things differently and understood things differently.
"Is that so?" Sasuke remarked evenly, though inside he was very disappointed. He couldn't rebuke Naruto's reason because he knew it himself, he was a screw up. That's what everybody called him. That's what everybody saw in him. He could hear the whispers and taunts and ridicule. He could feel their disapproval and mocking glances. And the touches, those snaking touches that was full of scorn and lie. He was just a screw-up that nobody really wanted. He hated himself. He hated himself the most. He hated that he was such a royally fucked up man. He did try to make it right, to make it the way it was but he just ended fucking up things and fucking his life into a shitty mess. He doesn't ever learn and he kept on committing the same thing over and over again. He was a royally fucked up person.
If he wasn't, maybe Naruto wouldn't have bothered to come at all. Was that how Naruto saw him? He wasn't awesome and better, Naruto had lied. He was just another fucked up person to look after, to control and keep in check. Was he just another someone that needed redemption? Redemption? Was he even still in league with redemption?
"Yeah," Naruto answered as he faced his seatmate then his smile waned slowly as he took in the other's deep frown and angry expression. "Am I a bother?" When his seatmate didn't reply, he spoke louder, "Sasuke?"
"Naruto, I'm perfectly fine," Sasuke stated curtly as he stood up from the couch. "So, you don't have to worry about me. You can go home now. You know where the way out is. Please, see yourself out, now."
'Please, see yourself out now,' that sentence resounded in Naruto's mind and it hurt. Sasuke's blatant rejection hurt badly, biting like he had been shot by a gun at point blank. "You don't want me… here?"
"Just go out, Naruto." Sasuke didn't want to be reminded of things he had tried to forget and to atone. He wanted to escape from those binds but he couldn't and he still remained trapped, the shackles growing heavier and colder.
"Sasuke," Naruto cried as his eyes started to warm and his nose started to itch. "Sasuke…"
"I'm sorry. Just, please, go." Sasuke wouldn't turn and look at Naruto. His resolve was shaky right now.
"I don't understand, Sasuke," Naruto said, unmoving from his seat and tears starting to fall.
"I don't need a bloody babysitter! I'm fine on my own!" Sasuke yelled sharply, his carotid artery protruding prominently. "I was drunk, so what? I can do whatever bloody hell I want! I don't need you! So just get out! Get out!" In his anger, he threw the remote towards the seated man, striking the chest before bouncing to the floor.
Naruto stayed frozen, barely feeling the sharp pain. He had seen Sasuke like this once before, when he was caught up in the middle of a case that Naruto was on.
Sasuke had been so confused between the two shooting criminals, not knowing that the one was an undercover and was really Naruto and not a criminal. He was thrown into a war that wasn't his. Moreover, it didn't help that for the past three consecutive days he had been trying to save his own life from villains. Not knowing who to trust and eventually being tricked left and right. The first one was Karin Uzumaki or, as Sasuke had known, Rinka Nakayama his ex-lover. And due to complicated events, the last and the one who continuously lied to him was Naruto. Sasuke didn't even trust him after knowing the two names Naruto had given him were fabrications.
That night, by the fountain when Jūgo Kaguya got the upper hand, it was Sasuke who saved Naruto. With Naruto's bullets, Jūgo got shot three times on the arm, head, and chest, before finally falling down and filling the fountain with a bright crimson shade. Jūgo was Sasuke's first kill. But instead of seeing shock, denial and guilt, Sasuke's eyes were remorseless and his voice unfeeling. He didn't even bat an eye when he directed the gun at Naruto next.
He couldn't fault Sasuke then. Sasuke had been continuously pushed and shoved to somewhere he didn't want and need. The 'Daemones' case had been their reunion after ten long years; it wasn't hugs and smiles but guns and stolen treasures.
"Sasuke, you're scaring me," Naruto whispered, oblivious not until a second after he had uttered those words.
"Scared?" Sasuke laughed very darkly. "Yes, you ought to be scared with me. I'm someone to be feared! And you don't want to mess with me. So, get out and get lost!"
"I'm not going!" Naruto huffed with equal vigour as he finally stood up, looking up and matching midnight eyes with his own. He wasn't leaving because he knew Sasuke needed him right now. "I don't want to go. Sasuke, you clearly misunderstood me - "
"Misunderstood? I understand you just fine," Sasuke gritted angrily.
"No, Sasuke!" Naruto retorted before lifting a palm and holding the snowy cheek. He saw the midnight eyes thundering with immense darkness. "You did misunderstand. I tried to tell you… but yeah, the words weren't right. I can't do it like you do," he ranted before finally saying, "Sasuke, I'm not going to babysit you. Hell, I don't ever want to be your babysitter."
"Then what?" Sasuke murmured as he stared upon those tender metallic blue eyes.
"I just care for you," Naruto answered honestly as his cheeks started to tint. He didn't mind that because he could see the thunders were fading from those midnight eyes. "I want to care for you. It's simple as that." Sasuke didn't know what to say. "Please?" Naruto insisted. "Please, let me."
A beat passed as the taller man looked down, losing the will to fight. 'Care?' he repeated to himself brokenly. Almost a year ago, he wanted Naruto to care for him even just an ounce of it and now… Naruto was asking him to let him. His lungs were constricted at the thought. "I… I don't know what to say."
Naruto chuckled a little. "Just say yes, that'll do fine." But Sasuke was a stubborn person, instead of saying 'yes' he hugged the smaller frame, murmuring warmly, "Care for me, Naruto. Care for me, won't you?"
Naruto couldn't help the misting of his eyes at the emotion he heard. He hugged the taller man, muttering, "I said yes was fine, stubborn man. Yes, I care about you." He hugged him tighter trying to convey his silent apology as his throat ran dry with raw emotion. I'm really sorry for how I had treated you, Sasuke. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean any of it. He perfectly knew it was his fault why Sasuke was acting as such.
I'm sorry, Sasuke, for everything.
When their hug broke, Sasuke wiped the tear stains on Naruto's face and apologized for his behaviour. "Well, a discussion once in a while is healthy. Thanks," Naruto said as they resumed sitting down. Naruto let a few moments pass, bending his knees and embracing it before he said, "Ne, Sasuke…"
"Yeah?"
"Can I sleep here, tonight?"
Stooping down to retrieve the fallen remote, Sasuke said, "You know the code. You have a key. And the guest – your bedroom is free again. There's nothing stopping you from sleeping here." Naruto smiled warmly at that. Instead of just saying 'yes' Sasuke had to list him reasons of why he could stay. He was truly a stubborn man. It was a good thing Naruto was also one.
#
Dressed in borrowed clothes and unable to actually sleep, Naruto slid the door quietly and went inside the large bedroom. His footsteps padded very softly as he ambled towards the bed. He sat on the floor and folded his arms together atop the bed, resting his head on it. Content, he stared at the sleeping figure. He missed doing this, staring at the resting architect.
After a couple of minutes of continuous greedy staring, he felt drowsy and then daringly he crawled onto the bed. Then carefully and slowly as to not disturb the sleeping person, he lifted the cover. But as he was about to fully lay down, he froze as midnight eyes stared at him.
"I didn't mean to wake you up," Naruto murmured. A single black brow rose in return, telling him, 'You certainly failed seeing as I'm now awake.'
"Sorry. Can I sleep here?" Naruto said upon which the architect didn't respond. The situation was nice and very nostalgic of once a peaceful time when they were kids, before everything started going downhill. "I'll try not to snore, is that okay?" Naruto bargained.
"We shall see," Sasuke finally said as he moved towards the blond. "Move."
"Move?" Naruto repeated as Sasuke continued moving to the right side. "I don't want to sleep on the floor, Sasuke. Can't I just sleep beside you, here on the bed?" he pleaded before emphasising, "I will really try not to snore."
"Stop moving away or you'll really fall on the floor," Sasuke admonished as he climbed over Naruto and onto the outer other half of the right side. "Sleep on the other side."
"Oh. You should have just said that in the first place," Naruto grumbled as he obediently went to the newly vacated warm left side. "Why do you want to sleep on the right side anyway?"
"It's nearest to the door," Sasuke said as he righted the covers over them. "So, if we're attacked, they have to face me first."
"Attacked?" Naruto asked doubtfully. "We're five floors up the ground."
"You never know, Naruto."
"Sasuke, is this why you wouldn't let me sleep on the left whenever I slept over when we were kids?" Naruto asked. "Where'd you learn that anyways?"
"Papa, it's one of his rules," Sasuke replied before closing his eyes. "Night, Naruto."
"Sweet dreams, Sasuke," Naruto answered as he closed his eyes.
"You too." Ten minutes passed, before eyelids opened up and Naruto resumed staring at his bed companion. Unable to continue sleeping due to the distinct pressure of someone staring at him, Sasuke warned and ordered, "Stop it, Naruto."
Ack! "Sa – Sasuke, you're still awake?" Midnight eyes appeared with a mildly irritated glint. "Sleep, Naruto. We still have work tomorrow."
"Sasuke, can I hold your hand?" Naruto asked hesitantly. As much as he would like to deny it to anybody, he was simply afraid that Sasuke would disappear on him again. And he needed to feel the small weight of physical reassurance and reminder that Sasuke was back and still with him when his eyes couldn't anymore. Moreover, he just longed to hold those hands.
Disturbed at the sudden request, Sasuke asked, "Why?"
"I just want to, can I?"
The room's lights were off and the only one serving as a dim shine was from partly opened toilet door behind Sasuke. He titled his head as he studied the metallic blue eyes inches away from him. They were troubled. "Afraid of dark now?"
"No. It's alright if you decline," Naruto replied before trying again, "I just want to hold your hands tonight."
Sasuke bit his inner cheek as the reason descended upon him. "I'll let you hold them," he said as he shuffled against the covers, moving closer to the centre then inching both of his hands towards Naruto's side. "If you do anything funny like draw on it with a marker, I'm going to punch your nose."
Relieved and thankful, Naruto also moved towards the centre and held the offered hands. "Not even if I draw you a classic skeleton chronograph?" he joked and Sasuke glared at those twinkling metallic blue eyes. After a moment, he gave in because no matter how long he glared, Naruto was just a prankster through and through. He would know come tomorrow morning if there was a nose to be broken.
When snowy lids finally covered the midnight eyes, Naruto couldn't help inching closer and whispering mischievously, "Fine, I'll draw you a sports' watch instead."
"Are you ever going to sleep or not?" Sasuke asked, contemplating if this was a good idea at all or if he should just punch Naruto now. "Sorry," Naruto whispered before obediently sleeping, content and happy, with Sasuke's hands cradled between his own and near his heart.
…