A/N:I feel the need to reinforce that, no matter what happens in 'Naruto The Last Movie' this fic will ONLY follow the events we see in the manga. I don't care about the movie; that romance pulled out of Kishi's ass means nothing to me. So, no matter what, even if this story isn't finished by the time the movie is released, do not let the movie influence your vision on this. MANGA ONLY.
Not beated for the time being.
From Which We'll Rise
Part III: Endless Winter I
"Nee, Sasuke," Naruto mumbled, with his arms behind his head, looking at his travelling companion from the corner of his eye as they walked side by side on that grey afternoon. "How long will we be away?"
"We've only been gone for two days, and you're already wanting to get back?" Sasuke inquired, frowning at him. "You might as well have stayed there."
Arms dropping to his sides, Naruto felt himself fuming almost instantly. "I don't want to go back, damn it, it was just a question!" he replied, his voice so loud it made a few birds fly from their perches atop of the trees in fright. "I was just making conversation since I'm the only who's even bothering to talk around here!"
"Well, yeah, sorry for not thinking my input would be appreciated since you talk enough for the both of us," Sasuke offered, dryly.
"That's not true!" Naruto defended. "I only talk a lot because you don't and it becomes boring when all we're doing is walking and running!"
"Whatever."
With a huff, Naruto crossed his arms over his chest and pouted.
They had been on the road for two days, apparently simply heading towards wherever, and they had barely had a decent conversation. Firstly, because Sasuke had been bent on putting as much distance between them and Konoha as he possibly could on the first day, so they had practically spent it running until they could barely feel their legs. They had set camp to spend the night, and while Naruto had fallen asleep at some point, Sasuke had kept watch until morning.
There were many things Naruto wanted to tell Sasuke, and many things he wanted to ask him. There wasn't much to say about those two years and a few months that had passed since the war that Sasuke didn't know about, and yet, he felt like he wanted to talk to him, so he did, even if he had nothing very insightful to say. At least he was making an effort.
More than talking, Naruto wanted Sasuke to tell him things, like what he had been up to during his travels, what he had seen, about people he had met…
But his friend often kept to himself, his conversations polite enough when they weren't bickering. Sometimes, Sasuke told him small facts. Like on the first night they spend together and Sasuke managed to do a small fire jutsu with just one hand, and in a few seconds, they had a good bonfire ready.
Naruto, of course, had been surprised at his ability because most seals were made with two hands and Sasuke, only having one, was obviously at a disadvantage. However, as Sasuke had shortly explained, he had spent a lot of time studying different sources of energy and how to make his chakra respond to certain single-handed seals to summon the type of energy he needed, so while the effect wasn't exactly the same, he had realized that he could still pull off a good number of jutsu just as efficiently as before, only differently.
In spite of knowing how talented and smart Sasuke naturally was and always trusting his abysmal strength, Naruto had to admit that he was fairly impressed and pleased.
"I don't know how long we'll be away," Sasuke ended up saying after heaving a sigh, a clear sign of defeat and willingness to give in to his friend's whining. "I don't really leave thinking about when I'll get back. It could be weeks, or months. We'll see."
At Sasuke's softer tone, Naruto relaxed. "It's not like I'm eager to get back or anything," he felt the need to explain, with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders. "I'm kind of excited about this, to be honest."
A thunder echoed in the air and they both looked up to see the sky darkening. "I think it's going to rain," Sasuke observed absently. Considering how the weather had been threatening them since they left the village, Naruto couldn't help but agree.
"Travelling during the winter," he said, smiling at his friend. "You really are crazy."
To his surprise, Sasuke returned the action with a small, soft smirk that made Naruto's throat run dry – he still hadn't been able to get used to those rare, genuine smiles, small as they were. "It's during the hardest times that we give value to small things. I find the winter to be my favorite season for travelling and learning."
With his eyebrows quirked upwards, Naruto watched as Sasuke pursed his lips together and turned his face away from him, focusing on the path ahead of them. He couldn't find the words to respond to that, for some reason, so he just kept staring at the other – who chose to ignore him – not able to understand why he was feeling such a sense of understanding all of a sudden.
000
"So, they finally left together..." Sakura said casually, stirring her hot chocolate with a spoon to cool it down.
"It seems that way," Hinata muttered with a small nod, both hands cradling her mug of tea. "I'm surprised it took that long, to be very honest."
It was raining outside the small coffee shop. The two had been spending the afternoon together, shopping and talking about mundane things when the weather had suddenly taken a turn for the worse. It was terribly cold all of a sudden, too, and Sakura regretted not having brought a thicker jacket.
The Hyuuga heiress was looking down at her hands, her beautiful face thoughtful and her clear eyes morose – something Sakura hadn't seen in her in a long time. She hadn't even touched her tea yet.
"You look sad, Hinata-chan," Sakura observed gently, making the other girl look up at her. "What's wrong?"
Hinata gave her a small, elegant shrug. "I just miss him, that's all," she mumbled, and Sakura didn't need to ask to know who she was referring to. "I know it's only been a couple of days, but still..."
"Yeah, I miss them, too," Sakura said, smiling a bit. "Well, Sasuke-kun is never around, anyway, so I guess I've kind of gotten used to the feeling of his absence."
Hinata's attention perked up at that, and she seemed genuinely surprised. "You two really are together, then?" she asked, before smiling. "Congratulations! I'm very happy for you."
Internally, Sakura cringed.
"Thank you, but we're just... trying at this point," she replied, with a nervous chuckle. Well, trying really was the key word. "A man like him loves deeply, but... I guess he just needs to learn how to love in a simpler way. I'm sure I can teach him that… if he allows it."
In spite of her efforts to look jovial, somehow, the façade must've been obvious to Hinata because her smile disappeared, to be replaced by sympathy.
Sakura sighed and took a sip on her hot chocolate. Yes, everybody thought that she and Sasuke were 'together', and in a way, she felt happy that the village had this impression, even though he had been a missing-nin. After all, she had chased after him for years, constantly rejecting other men's confessions, even when others told her that she was being futile and that her devotion was fruitless. At least, this way, she didn't seem like a fool.
It didn't mean she didn't feel like one, though.
It wasn't as though she didn't still love him. Sasuke had been the love of her life since she was a little girl, and no matter how much she had grown, a part of her still clung to that image of the cool, reliable kid that had been her and Naruto's teammate. She knew Sasuke had done a lot of wrong things she couldn't even begin to understand the reason of. She knew she had no ground to speak of 'love' in front of the person that he was now – someone she didn't know at all.
But, in spite of how, for a while, she had actually embraced the possibility that she had moved on and began to love somebody else (she felt guilty thinking about it with Hinata right there), truth was, in the end…
When Sasuke had smiled at her – the first, genuine smile she had ever seen coming from him directed at her – she had fallen all over again.
She hated herself for it. She hated that she had the chance for something better – someone better – and yet, she had given that someone to someone else while keeping her hopes up that something good might come her way.
Because she knew that Sasuke wasn't a bad person. Naruto had seen it from the very beginning, and after everything he had done for the other, that had to mean something, didn't it?
That was why Naruto was on a whole different league from everyone else in Sasuke's eyes, and she was only able to understand it when she had seen how badly the two had injured each other during their fight, going as far as losing their arms together.
She didn't' like to delve on it but… there were things she was only beginning to understand about those two – things she was learning to accept.
Still, after Naruto and Hinata had gotten together, she had confessed to Sasuke, yet again, and he had agreed that she deserved a chance for all the shit she had gone through because of him.
She had only been happy for three seconds before he started talking and naming his conditions. They weren't exactly the best, but she had agreed to it. After all, Sakura had high hopes that they could both work everything out, at some point, and that, somewhere down the road, they could find something that was good enough for the both of them.
Sasuke wasn't even her boyfriend, yet. In fact, compared to Naruto, he seriously lacked 'boyfriend' material, but Sakura hoped that, with time, she could change that about him.
That was, if he spent enough time in the village for her to achieve it.
Sakura sighed again and focused on her female friend once more. Hinata was looking down at her mug again, a deep blush painting her cheeks, her perfect teeth biting on her own lower lip.
"What is it?" Sakura asked worriedly, noticing how the girl seemed to tense up.
"Naruto won't... do it... with me..." Hinata whispered, her voice so low Sakura had to lean closer across the table to hear her properly. "We've done a few things, and I've hinted several times that it's okay, but he just pretends he doesn't get it. I know he does it on purpose. I mean, how oblivious can he be?"
For one thing, Sakura was shocked that Hinata would actually talk to her about something like that, but at the same time, knowing that her teammate was holding back on sex gave her a sinking feeling – a feeling that wasn't unfamiliar to her.
"Maybe he's just not ready yet," she said carefully, reaching out a hand to place it over Hinata's hand in a reassuring manner. "After all, you're his first girlfriend. Or maybe he's planning something with more meaning?" Hinata's eyes were filled with hope at her words, and Sakura forced her mouth to form a steady, encouraging smile. "He looks like someone who would do that for you."
Hinata nodded, relaxing a bit. "Well… probably…"
Relieved, Sakura, caressed Hinata's wrist a few times before letting go. She couldn't feel bad for lying, could she? After all, Hinata wasn't to blame for Naruto's own issues that, in the end, had nothing to do with her or how he felt for her.
"Sakura-san..." Hinata started softly, turning her face towards the show window next to them. "Doesn't it scare you? Love, I mean." At Sakura's stunned lack of response, she smiled, still not looking at her. "I'm not stupid as to not understand that I'm no match for Sasuke-san when it comes to Naruto's heart."
Sakura swallowed hard. So, Hinata understood it, too.
"Naruto likes you very much, don't doubt that," she whispered hotly, empathy for Hinata filling her.
"I don't," Hinata admitted. "But I can't help but wonder, sometimes..."
Pearly eyes were lost on the streets outside for a while, contemplatively, and Sakura could only look at her in slight dismay. She felt strangely happy all of a sudden, for knowing that she wasn't alone in the middle of Naruto and Sasuke's relationship. Hinata wasn't stupid at all, she knew her place and still, just like Sakura, she was bent on prevailing. While Sakura had always liked her, now she felt like they shared something very personal that no-one should ever know, and for that, they had each other's backs.
With a smile, Sakura took another sip on her beverage. Then, she lowered the cup and adjusted herself on her stool so she was very straight, feeling confident. "Listen, Hinata-chan... men aren't like us," she started, firmly, her tone catching the other girl's attention once more. "Us, women, are selfish when it comes to love. We want affection, love, and devotion. We want to be the center of our partner's universe. Men are devoted to the person they love, more than women, I believe."
Blinking a few times, Hinata nodded, looking very serious.
"Now, I don't really understand what's going on between those two, but... there's no doubt in my mind that they love each other in ways we can only ever dream of being loved," Sakura proceeded, as if it was the most natural thing to say in the world and, in a way, it felt that way because she knew it was completely true. "This is why we are lucky. Because it's so unconditional that they become completely selfless. They will never demand a single thing from the other, and they will do whatever is in their reach to make sure the other is happy and fulfilled. Do you understand?"
Hinata was silent, taking the information in. Then, she wet her lips, her big eyes becoming strangely calm, making Sakura smile wider. "I... I think so."
"We have nothing to worry about," Sakura said, her tone becoming jovial. "Naruto's love for you is different from that, but it exists all the same, so it's okay. It's because it's so distinct that your place is exclusive."
Which was also true. Hinata had from Naruto what she could only pray in order to have with Sasuke. In spite of everything, she knew the blond cherished his girlfriend and that, in his eyes, she was what no woman would ever be able to be. There was no doubt in Sakura's mind that he loved her. They were good together and balanced each other well.
The thought brought a bitter taste to her mouth, though.
"I see..." Hinata mumbled, a shy, but pleased smile forming in her pretty lips.
"He'll be a changed man when he returns, trust me," Sakura pressed on, certain of herself. "Hopefully I'll be just as lucky. I can't help it that my love is selfish..."
Hinata's smile grew, and it was so sweet and friendly that Sakura couldn't help but feel bad for ever feeling jealous of her. "Selfish or selfless..." Hinata said, with an encouraging tone in her voice. "Love is still love, no? So there's no wrong in it as long as your feelings are sincere."
"Yeah..." the pink-haired one mumbled, with a small chuckle. "I wonder if that's true..."
Because, no matter what, she loved Sasuke, but knew she still had lingering feelings for Naruto, who had become the better man, growing up to be a hero, strong, reliable and handsome. But Sasuke had returned to her far too soon, and she had realized her feelings of longing for Naruto far too late.
Truth was… if given a say on the matter…
She wished she didn't have to choose. If the universe was, in any way, kind to her – kind to her two boys…
It was only right that the three of them became a family. That way, they would all have what they needed and the balance in team 7 would achieve perfection.
Or, at least, perfection for her.
But, as it was, the puzzle was incomplete, and there would forever be pieces missing no matter what. Especially in Naruto's and Sasuke's lives, and this would, obviously, have repercussions in their lives with Sakura and Hinata, sooner or later.
All they could do now, Sakura thought, was wait and hope that her own words about their bond were true.
000
They were running as fast as they could through the woods, the pouring rain soaking both their clothes and chilling them to the bone.
Sasuke ran ahead of him and Naruto knew he had both his sharingan and rinnegan activated so he could see their path properly. It was hard for Naruto to see with the incessant water falling over his eyes, so he relied on his senses alone, focusing his hearing on the sound of Sasuke's breathing and his quick footsteps so he could follow their direction. Night was falling quickly, so it wouldn't take long before they stopped having light altogether.
Under different circumstances, they would've stopped already to make camp for the night, but Sasuke had insisted that there was an abandoned cottage nearby where they could stay for a few days if the apparent storm approaching lingered for too long.
"I can see it!" he heard Sasuke shout over the noise of rain and thunder and Naruto thanked the heavens because things were about to get really ugly out there.
After what felt like far too long, Sasuke came to a halt that made him stop, as well. He could barely see, but there was no doubt that they were now standing in front of a small, old and asymmetric house made of stone.
"Help me out!" Sasuke shouted, and Naruto could make out his gesture towards the heavy wooden door. The two proceeded to push the door together, but it was very thick and heavy, and its surface was far too slippery from the rain so the process was difficult. He understood why Sasuke didn't want to use chakra to help them open it since it would most likely destroy the rusty hinges with the force.
They managed to open it enough to create a gap they could slip through, so, following Sasuke's lead, Naruto threw his bag inside first, accepting Sasuke's as well and doing the same before squeezing his way in. Sasuke managed to get inside as well behind him, and together they pushed the door closed again.
The two turned and leaned their backs on it, panting heavily from hours of travelling and the exertion of getting to the cottage as soon as possible with their clothes and possessions – little as they were – weighing them down.
Breathing hard, Naruto wiped the excess of water from his eyes and managed to focus his vision. He looked to the side and found Sasuke with his head leaning back against the door, eyes closed and lips parting as he tried to steady his breath.
"Shitty weather, huh?" Naruto joked, making Sasuke look back at him, mismatched eyes heavy with fatigue. "You look like a drowned cat, by the way," he couldn't help but point out, finding it extremely hilarious that Sasuke's usually rebel hair was now stuck to his face and neck.
"Should I point out what you look like right now?" Sasuke retorted, managing a small but rather nasty smirk that wiped Naruto's grin out.
"Shut up," he mumbled, running his hand self-consciously over his dripping hair. He looked around the place, noticing that it was, indeed, very small – there was only one division. On the wall in front of him stood a large fireplace that also seemed to serve as a stove, since there was an old pot in the middle of the ashes there. There was a huge chest on the wall to the left, underneath the small window, and on the right, one could see a robust wooden closet with a metallic bucket next to it. The floor was made of stone, and even if everything was a bit dusty and dirty, it was obvious the place had been well kept. "How did you even know about this place?"
"I came across it during my first journey," Sasuke explained, looking up at the ceiling filled with cobwebs. "An old lady lived here back then, and I had been lost on the road for days and ended up coming down with a fever. This was like heaven to me. She nursed me back to health, gave me shelter and food in exchange of me helping her out for a while. She was really old and lonely, could barely see or hear properly." Sasuke closed his eyes again. There was no expression on his features, but Naruto could feel that his friend felt thankful to her. "Last year I came by and found her dead. Had been for a long time, I think. So, I buried her. But the place was still alright, so I thought we could come here."
In spite of himself, Naruto found his heart warming at the story and couldn't help but smile. "It's a pretty cool place," he said. "Too bad she isn't here anymore."
Sasuke re-opened his eyes, and they were back to their dark grey color. Then, he sneezed a couple of times. "We should probably start a fire or something." He sniffed, wiping his nose on his sleeve. "I think I left enough wood in the trunk. And we should probably take off our clothes or we'll catch pneumonia."
Absently, Naruto watched as Sasuke leaned away from the door and removed his black cloak. There was a wide hanger on the wall next to the door where Sasuke hung it, motioning with his head for Naruto to do the same, which he did.
It wasn't particularly cold inside the cottage, but with his body cooling down after the run, he knew it wouldn't be long before he and Sasuke started freezing.
Sasuke gave him a few quick instructions and together, the two hurriedly moved about to get things done. Sasuke took care of the fireplace, efficiently starting a fire, while Naruto rummaged the huge closet where we found several thick blankets – they kind of smelled funny, like dust and smelly feet, but it would have to do – and a few worn out cloths. As Naruto stretched the fluffiest blanket out on the floor, a placed another one on top of it, Sasuke seemed to be busy removing his clothes and hanging them next to their cloaks, so Naruto grabbed for some of the old cloths and moved over to him, handing a few to Sasuke once he was only on his boxers, which he accepted with a silent nod of gratitude.
Naruto also removed his clothes and hung them next to his friend's, actually feeling less cold without them off, and took a few seconds to thoroughly dry himself, trying not to stare too much at the remains of Sasuke's left upper arm that were neatly wrapped up in white bandages.
While he dried his hair, his eyes followed Sasuke's movements as he went to the fireplace, taking off his sandals and putting them to the side before crouching down in front of it to warm himself up in front of the fire. Naruto, for his part, also removed his sandals and headed for the blanket. He sat down, the heat in front of him comforting. He threw the other wide blanket over his shoulders.
"Hey, Sasuke," he called out, making the other look over his shoulder. The way his hair was tousled from the friction of the drying, making him look strangely young. "Come here."
Naruto stretched out his legs and spread them to the sides a bit as he lifted up the blanket a bit and motioned the other male closer. Sasuke didn't reply, looking at him as if considering whether even being that close to Naruto was something he should do (or wanted to do), making the blond roll his eyes. "I'm not going to eat you, for fuck's sake."
In spite of the words, Sasuke still considered it before carefully straightening up and going to him, rapt eyes unblinking. Demandingly, Naruto lifted his chin up as if daring his friend to say something, but Sasuke didn't open his mouth, simply sitting down between his legs with his back to him and leaning back a bit so that his chilly skin was in contact with Naruto's also naked chest. He pulled his knees to his chest, and smiling a bit, Naruto surrounded Sasuke's shoulders with both his arms, efficiently wrapping the blanket around him as well.
They were silent for a while, both contemplating the fire. Gradually, as his body heated up, Sasuke relaxed in Naruto's embrace, releasing a tiny sigh of exhaustion. Naruto felt like he was comfortable enough, and feeling happy that he had been able to provide that feeling, he allowed the thumb of his right hand to brush over Sasuke's collarbone, resenting a bit that his bandaged hand couldn't feel the skin there.
"Why do you have your whole arm bandaged?" Sasuke asked casually, lifting his hand to touch said arm, fingers absently brushing over the rough texture of the bandages.
The question took Naruto by surprise, but he found that he had no problem in answering it. "I guess it's a lot of things," he replied easily. "Baa-chan tried to make a mirror copy of my left arm, but the skin tone is still darker than mine. Also, I kind of feel self-conscious about not having it bandaged."
"How so?"
Naruto wet his lips. "Because I lost that arm because of you," he said softly. "I got my arm back but you didn't. I can't just pretend that it didn't happen and flaunt my new arm around. People will forget that I didn't have it for a while. They can't. I can't. I want to always be remembered of it."
Sasuke fidgeted a bit, his hand now grabbing Naruto's forearm. "You can't think about it like that," he muttered, gravely. "What happened may have been meaningful, but life goes on and things change. My decision of not having my arm back is my own. You have yours, and that's how it was supposed to be."
"No," Naruto retorted stubbornly, tightening his arms around his friend, his left hand with fingers sprawled over Sasuke's chest. "If I had known you weren't going to get your arm back, I would've never have allowed Baa-chan to get me a new one."
"You're foolish," Sasuke said simply. "Always such an idealist, but that's not how things work."
Naruto didn't feel like contradicting him, knowing that the topic would start a fight he didn't feel like having when they were sharing such a peaceful moment. He knew he was an idealist, but that was what made him who he was, and when it came to Sasuke, his ideals would always prevail. It ate at him that Sasuke was, more often than not, bent on simply doing things his own way without including him. It made him ecstatic that Sasuke had allowed him to tag along on this journey. Well, even if Sasuke were to tell him to go home, he would've followed him anyway until the other accepted him.
But Sasuke wanted him around, it seemed – he had said so all those months ago in Rice Country, but after so long, and after Naruto had refused the offer, one would think that he'd still be bitter about it.
Burying his face on the curve of Sasuke's neck, Naruto said, in a grumpy way "You're a bastard. You never ask for my opinion on anything." He bit on his lip. "Does not having an arm make you happy in any way?"
"It gives me peace." Sasuke didn't bother to say anything else after that, giving the topic a definite end.
Well, Naruto thought, feeling his heart being squeezed by an invisible force. At least that he could understand.
Raising his head up a bit again, Naruto looked down at the pretty curve of that neck and observed it for a while, not really thinking about anything in particular. Then, he pressed his lips to it carefully, once, enjoying the sudden jerk in the other's body who, otherwise, didn't seem to want to move.
"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked, his voice devoid of emotion.
Naruto planted another kiss over the smooth skin before speaking lowly in his ear. "Do you always have to ask questions?" he whispered, feeling Sasuke shiver slightly again. "'What are you doing, Naruto?', 'Why are you here, Naruto?', 'Why, Naruto?'… Cant' you just not ask questions?"
"It's hard when you keep doing impulsive things without a valid reason," Sasuke said, accusingly.
"Sasuke, hear me out on this," Naruto said, with a tired sigh. "I came with you for you. For us. Konoha is Konoha, and this is this. The village is there, and I am here, to be with you, to understand you, to… see what's going on between us. I don't want to mix things. I'm here with an open mind, to focus on you, and that's all there is to it. Don't ask questions I don't know the answers to, okay?"
He could feel Sasuke swallowing hard, his muscles tensing up again, and yet, his hand didn't let go of Naruto's arm. "I know that you think I'm in love with you," he said, dispassionately. "So let me say it clearly, so there're no misconceptions: I'm not in love with you."
Placing his chin over Sasuke's shoulder, Naruto smiled. "You've already said something like that," he pointed out. "But there's definitely something different, isn't there? I kissed you and you kissed back."
Sasuke made an exasperated sound with the back of his throat. "Naruto, you're in love with Hinata," he replied, shaking his head from side to side. "You like her, you want to have sex with her and be gentle to her. You look at her and you feel like she could be your wife, the mother of your kids, because she cherishes you, gives you everything you want and keeps you grounded. Am I right?"
Naruto pursed his lips together. Listening to Sasuke talking about Hinata and his relationship with her felt off, for some reason, and was embarrassing to him. "I guess…"
"The way I feel for you…" Sasuke proceeded, his words coming out slower, more careful this time. "It's different. Completely different."
"Do you know what it is?" Naruto inquired, curiously.
"Yes, but that doesn't mean I have a definition for it," Sasuke answered. "It's just… different. It's not that at all, and yet, it's more."
Naruto perked up in astonishment. "More?"
Sasuke huffed. "I know you feel it, too, but it's no use trying to explain it to you if you can't identify it. Once you understand it for yourself, you'll know. Saying that I'm 'in love' with you makes me want to punch you. Several times."
In spite of his confusion and slight shock, Naruto chuckled. "Sorry about that. I really didn't mean to offend you." He joined his temple with Sasuke's, happy at the lack of rejection. "I know that we feel the same way about each other in some things, but certain things really are a bit blurry to me. You're my best friend, someone very precious to me, and yet, I don't really understand us at all. That's why I'm not holding back on this. I'm not holding back on my feelings for you like I've been doing all these years, too afraid that you might run away or reject me. I want to know what you know, Sasuke."
Sasuke merely nodded, letting his own temple relax against Naruto's. "Alright."
Naruto knew they still had a lot to talk about, a lot to say to each other and a lot to learn about each other. But this time, Sasuke wasn't pushing him away, and they really were in this together, because they both wanted that comprehension between them.
And while finding it was something that scared him a little, it was also very exciting because he'd be with only Sasuke for weeks, something that was new to the both of them. Who knew what things they'd see and do together?
A loud growling noise coming from Naruto's stomach shook them both out of the blissful moment of peacefulness they were sharing. Sasuke twisted his body so he was looking at him with one eyebrow quirked upwards. Naruto grinned sheepishly. "I'm starving."
Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I'm going to get us something to eat," he said as he untangled himself from Naruto's hold, who pouted at the lack of contact once he got up and headed towards their bags.
Still, as soon as Sasuke turned his back on him, Naruto grinned again. It was weird how he could feel so warm inside from so little.
He found that he didn't mind the feeling at all.
000
With his elbow supporting his weight and his head resting on his hand, Naruto watched his friend intently. Sasuke was sleeping on his back, face turned slightly away from him, lips parted as he breathed in and out soundlessly, his hand resting over his chest.
The fire was crackling gently behind Naruto and since the division was already warm enough, he had kept a comfortable distance between them so the other's heat would make him feel too hot.
I'm not in love with you.
Naruto hadn't been able to sleep, thinking about their conversation. It was weird how little often they spoke, but whenever they did talk about things, Sasuke always managed to say things that made him think.
It's just… different. It's not that at all, and yet, it's more.
Naruto couldn't comprehend this. If Sasuke wasn't in love with him, then why had he responded like that when he had kissed him? There had to be some… deeper feelings that went beyond friendship, right?
But then again, Naruto himself had taken the initiative to kiss him, hadn't he? And he wasn't in love with him, was he?
He still couldn't understand what had taken over him to do something like that. It hadn't been some sort of instant attraction or lust or anything. Even if he had gotten strangely hard because of it, somehow, it felt like the response had been born more out of the intensity of the conflicting feelings he was having other than some sexual hunger.
Naruto frowned, biting his lip. No, he definitely wasn't in love with Sasuke. He was in love with Hinata, he was sure, and yet the feelings he had for his best friend were very different from what he felt for her. They came from a deeper, darker place and had been built from years and years of everything that consisted of them. He was aware that the way he felt for Sasuke had nothing to do with how he felt for, let's say, Sai, Kiba or even Shikamaru. It was stronger, definitely.
Their souls were linked. In another life, they had been brothers. Sasuke was definitely like a brother to him. They were family, dysfunctional as it was.
Raising his hand, Naruto carefully brushed an inky strand off Sasuke's closed eyelid. He felt his breath catch momentary. The bastard sure was good-looking, no doubt about it. Looking at his sleeping features like this made Naruto's chest swell with a sense of fondness and something else he couldn't quite describe.
He loved Sasuke, he knew that. But what that meant, exactly, to him, wasn't something he knew how to put into words, and it irked even him. It was love, but maybe not romantic love, or at least not on the same level as the romantic 'love' he had with Hinata. He had enjoyed kissing him, even if it had been brutal in every sense of the word, yes.
His feelings for Sasuke had always been there, loud and all over the place and he was used to them. It was what it was, and he hadn't once questioned them, or himself – he hadn't felt the need to. But Sasuke was demanding and, in a way, Naruto felt like he owed him a proper answer, especially because even he was curious about what, exactly, was the depth of what bound them to each other in a such a way.
He had told Sasuke that he had come on that journey for them, and he meant it. From the moment he came face to face with his friend, he decided to leave his life behind for as long as they were away. It was just him and Sasuke now, and everything else would be secondary in his mind. He owed them both that.
Which was why he didn't think too much about it when he dared his hand to touch Sasuke's chin lightly so he was carefully turning his face to him. As his thumb absently brushed over the soft skin of his friend's jaw, Naruto allowed his eyes to roam over the other's strong, but well-defined features, a little surprised by how peaceful he looked while asleep. Just like when he smiled, Naruto mused – it was if it turned him into a different person altogether and allowed his light to shine.
Because Sasuke also had 'light'. Maybe it wasn't perceptible to others, but it was to him. So perceptible, in fact, that he knew Sasuke willingly didn't show that light to anyone else. And the sheer fact that he was able to relax so completely around him was proof of that.
A sudden wave of pride filled him – pride for knowing that certain parts of Sasuke were exclusive to him – as well as a strange possessiveness he couldn't quite place.
Wetting his lips, he leaned down and pressed them to the ones beneath him, chastely, before pulling away. Then, he considered his friend for a few seconds before doing it again.
There was no telling what had come over him, but he found himself planting a series of small, repetitive kisses on Sasuke's mouth, feeling oddly affectionate for some reason and needing to act upon it. It wasn't as much as a physical need to express it like that other than it was just something instinctual.
Feeling almost playful, he kissed Sasuke's lower lip before gently sucking it into his mouth. He liked the way Sasuke tasted, which was a weird train of thought for him, who didn't really take notice of such trivial things.
However, he found that he was really enjoying his curious exploration. He smiled against the other's mouth before using the tip of his tongue to trace the seam of Sasuke's lower lip, then doing the same to his upper one, relishing in how surprisingly soft they felt under the wet muscle.
In the back of his mind, he knew it wasn't exactly right to risk being frisky while Sasuke was asleep, but he couldn't help it. He had no idea what he was hoping to accomplish, anyway, but at that moment, it was better than giving himself a headache. Besides, trying something like this with an awaken Sasuke would surely be almost the same as petting a hungry lion, or so he feared.
With his eyes glued to Sasuke's face, he adjusted his position so he was half hovering over the other male. Both his hands were placed on each side of Sasuke's head and yet, he wasn't touching him at all. For some reason, he wasted some time simply watching the perfect lines of Sasuke's face, his dark eyelashes, and the unbelievably pretty nose. It was almost ridiculous how clear that skin of his was. Girls had to be jealous of that, Naruto mused.
Naruto didn't hesitate this time and brushed his mouth over Sasuke's again, slowly but confidently this time, feeling his heart skip a pleasant beat.
It was so weird. He really enjoyed Sasuke's taste. He hadn't been able to properly push it to the back of his mind after they had kissed – in fact, he had thought about it over and over again, because the sensations provided by that same taste had plagued him.
He really didn't know what the hell he was thinking, but he felt terribly bold all of a sudden and his need to have a taste of that again overpowered him, so he pressed his mouth more to Sasuke's, going so far as to daring his tongue to sneak inside the warm cavern to touch the other's. Instantly, a pleasurable chill ran down his spine, filling him with an almost childish excitement. This wasn't anything that he could possibly say that he knew. Kissing Hinata didn't feel like this at all.
A strong, unexpected tug on the hairs at the back of his head made him grunt in pain and brace himself to break the contact.
"You don't know when to stop, do you?" Sasuke's smooth voice said. "You're always an impulsive idiot."
"Ouch, bastard, that fucking hurts!" Naruto complained, looking down at his friend's reproachful face. He hadn't even sensed Sasuke's hand moving, so lost in his own pleasure as he had been. "Do you always have to be so aggressive?"
"I'm sorry if waking up with someone's tongue shoved down my throat doesn't awaken the kitten in me," Sasuke said sarcastically, but without a single drop of amusement in his voice. If anything, the death grip on Naruto's head became more painful.
"Let go, damn it!" the blond demanded, dropping half of his weight on top of his friend, one forearm on the blanket beneath him next to Sasuke's head. He reached behind him to grab Sasuke's wrist that tug pull his hand away, almost moaning in relief when those strong fingers complied and released his hair. Looking down at the other male's frowning face, he felt himself blush. He should've had a little more restraint, it was obvious that Sasuke would wake up, and all things considered, he was lucky to have gotten away with just a hair pull. "You're not going to start asking questions again, are you?"
"No," Sasuke said, impassively. "I should, though, if I'm in danger of being molested in my sleep from now on."
Naruto's blush deepened in outrage. "I wasn't molesting you!" he yelled. "I was just trying something out."
"Of course you were," the condescending tone Sasuke used now allowed him to know that he wasn't angry, but Naruto wasn't sure what he was thinking at the moment. "Surely you had your fun, though."
Naruto pursed his lips together, moving his hold so it was grabbing for Sasuke's hand instead. Sasuke's eyed travelled to their joined hands before looking back at Naruto's blue eyes, his narrowing gaze far too knowledgeable. For a moment, Naruto thought he was going to say something, but instead, he just waited, patiently, for his next move.
And, truth be told, Naruto couldn't help but still feel brave. If he had been enjoying himself when the other was asleep, there was no doubt in his mind that it would be a lot better if Sasuke was aware and responding.
"Can we… do it for real this time?" Naruto inquired carefully, slowly intertwining their fingers together while his other hand moved to rub a few strands of Sasuke's hair between his fingers. "I'm sure it'll feel better without teeth and blood in the middle."
Sasuke's eyes seemed to gain a whole new level of expressivity and he smirked nastily. "Idiot," he said, in a whisper that was almost seductive. "At least do it properly this time."
Naruto bit on his lower lip, blue eyes taking their time scanning Sasuke's calm face and relishing in the almost studious way those beautifully intense dark ones looked back. Naruto felt strangely serene, yet, inside of him lay that strange wave of affection and anxiety that made him want to do all sorts of embarrassing things at that moment. It felt foreign to him, to want to do those things to his best friend, and he wasn't sure if those urges were being directed at Sasuke, or if he was simply feeling needy.
Leaning down, he brushed his nose over the spot under Sasuke's ear, soft strands of inky hair tickling his cheekbones. Sasuke turned his face to the side, consequentially exposing more of his neck, and Naruto, taking the invitation for what it was, planted a small, experimental kiss on the spot.
He took a second to take a whiff of Sasuke's scent and found exactly what he had been looking for – the smell of grass, rain, a bit of sweat and that something else that was very him. Sasuke's scent made him feel fuzzy inside with the familiarity of it.
Slowly, Naruto distributed several open mouthed kisses down the elegant column of the other's neck, loving the way his friend's breath caught in his throat. Smirking, Naruto used the tip of his tongue to trace the path back up, leaving a trail of saliva on the other's skin before gently blowing on it. Sasuke made a small, soft noise with the back of his throat, causing Naruto's heart to beat wildly with excitement. He found that he loved his best friend's dissimulated reactions immensely.
He took the liberty of gently nibbling on the line of Sasuke's perfect jaw, stopping at his chin, where he delivered a small peck. He watched, mesmerized, Sasuke's lips part when he sighed. Their eyes met in silent acknowledgement that this was completely mutual. Sasuke tilted his head slightly to the side in clear invitation, and that was everything Naruto needed to fill the gap between them.
Their open mouths met, carefully at first, just a small, tentative brush of lips meant to test out the dynamics of the kiss so they could find a suitable rhythm for the both of them. Then, Sasuke's tongue darted out playfully to lick at the inside of Naruto's upper lip a few times, and he let him, wanting Sasuke to enjoy himself, as well, and explore him as much as he wanted. Then, Naruto trapped that teasing tongue between his lips, sucking on it gently before conceding entrance inside his mouth. He could almost swear Sasuke had released a small laugh before their mouths were pressed together. The sound itself made adrenaline rush through his body and before he knew it, he was losing his composure and intensifying the kiss, tongue sliding hungrily over Sasuke's and immediately feeling Sasuke's equally eager response.
Ah, Sasuke's taste…
Just as before, it was intoxicating, addicting. They were able to find a good, steady pace for them, mouths clashing over and over again, noisily, lips slippery, tongues battling furiously but not with the intent to overpower or dominate. It was a lewd, slow, but intense kiss that felt different from anything Naruto had ever experienced.
Naruto had the sudden urge to touch his friend everywhere, still, he was glad that his position didn't allow it and that his fingers were still so strongly linked to Sasuke's.
The feelings inside of him caused by the kiss were confusing and untamed. That mouth was sinful and he wanted to drown in it, drown in the sheer joy and completion he felt, and yet, it felt painful and he didn't know why.
He didn't know much about kissing since he had only ever kissed Hinata like that, but as far as kisses went, if the violent one they had shared had been good, this one felt…
It felt as if his entire being was spinning out of control.
Sasuke moaned softly against him, the sound low and seductive unlike anything he had ever heard, and he found himself becoming harder because of it.
While before, having an erection had felt natural because of how angry they had been and how sudden the act of kissing Sasuke had hit him, now, it was confusing. He was knowledgeable enough by now to know what kind of things brought him to hardness, but kissing his best friend wasn't on the list.
Not that he was complaining. He knew that something was definitely wrong with him. He had a girlfriend – a beautiful one at that, whom he loved deeply – and that he wasn't supposed to want to kiss someone else or feel hard for someone else.
Hinata…
No, he had promised himself that he wouldn't mix things and that he would just focus on his feelings for Sasuke. If Hinata came into play, he just knew that she would affect his judgment, and he couldn't have that.
Because Sasuke was… Sasuke. Sasuke deserved his attention – they both deserved this time they were spending together, no matter what would happen along the duration of that journey. And for some reason, he couldn't find fault in that.
Noticing he was short on oxygen, he broke the kiss, panting and letting his forehead rest against Sasuke's and feeling the other male's equally labored breath against his lips.
"Ah, I feel dizzy," Naruto muttered, keeping his eyes closed and feeling his head spinning. "I feel like I'm falling."
"Isn't that how it's supposed to feel like?" Sasuke breathed. Naruto almost smiled.
Is it, now?
Without warning, Sasuke pried his hand free from Naruto's, and next thing the blond knew, he was being suddenly rolled over and a heavy weight was being settled on his things.
Wide blue eyes looked up to see Sasuke straddling him, looking peculiarly alluring, what with him being practically naked, his bangs partially obscuring his features and yet, his gaze was blazing with life, almost predatory. Even without that fucking arm and the several scars covering the milky skin, his body was well built and aesthetically perfect, all of him flawless lines and taut, well-defined muscles. Naruto couldn't help but notice the obvious tent in the other male's grey boxers, but Sasuke didn't seem too self-conscious about it – after all, he was sitting with his ass right on top of Naruto's very prominent hard on.
When Sasuke licked at his lips, Naruto swallowed hard, unable to shake the sheer longing assaulting him with such violence he didn't know what to do with himself.
Reaching out, he placed both his palms over Sasuke's chest. "More?" he said, ignoring the fact that he sounded childish and pitifully pleading.
Inhaling deeply, Sasuke nodded once. "Yeah."
As he leaned down to lie on top of him, Naruto surrounded his neck with both arms to pull him close, his lips ready to receive the ones that wasted no time in capturing his.
There was no telling how much time they spent simply exploring each other's mouths until they hurt. Getting some oxygen into their lungs was a necessary evil that sometimes forced them apart for a few seconds during which they simply stared into each other's eyes, trying to read what the other was feeling and thinking, before resuming the almost thirsty kissing.
It wasn't right, Naruto knew, but it felt right, and the more time they spent doing it, the better it became and the righter it felt.
And Naruto felt only too powerless to do something to contradict the need inside him – a need he had no idea he had had up until this point.
Realizing that he didn't really want to fight it, anyway, wasn't nearly as shocking as it should've been.
TBC…
Guest Review Replies:
TTracee:Thank you, I'm so glad you like the story! Yeah, I wanted to show that, because I really believe that it doesn't matter what happens to their lives or who they're with: they will always 'migrate back to each other' as you so perfectly said. Their bond will always manifest itself if they spend time together. About Sasuke and Sakura, I think it was sort of explained on this chapter? Things will be clearer as the story progresses. Thank you for reading and commenting!
Burr: Thank you so much! It will have a happy ending, don't worry about it ;) But, as I said to some of the readers, there will be drama and quite a few plot twists, since it does follow canon. Thank you for reading and commenting, and I hope you liked this chapter! ;)
Guest: Thank you! I don't plan on stretching this story for too long, so I'm trying not waste too much time on useless stuff. Although, maybe this whole chapter was kinda useless, good stuff aside, no? Hehe. Thank you for reading and commenting!
Don't ask me what this chapter is about. I had a few plans for it, but these two really needed to blow off some steam, I suppose. This wasn't planned. But at least some things got out of the way. The 'Endless Winter' part should last for about two more chapters, and then we'll start gravitating towards the end of the fic with, hopefully, three or four more chapters to go. I'm hoping I can wrap this story up with ten chapters max. Let's keep our fingers crossed!
I hope you all liked part III! Thank you for the love, I am ecstatic! I had no idea this story would receive so much love, THANK YOU!
I'll be working on 'Assuming We…' next, so look forward to it!
See ya next time!
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