A/N: Εταίρος is 'partner' in Greek! I wanted to emphasize that Naruto and Sasuke met even though they were from different parts of the world. This detail becomes important later on :)
"Neji." There is still black covering most of their face, but the fabric–simple, soft, and sturdy–has fallen just enough to uncover Naruto's eyes and reveal Black Man's face. Still as serene as ever, he is able to disarm White Man–Neji, if the way his hand flexed at the name is any indication–with a kind hand on a shoulder and a black sleeve to hide the monster.
" What." The word is tight, forced, only possible at all because of a level of respect a man finds in his dog. The comparison is amusing, but Naruto is too concerned with the scent of mahogany and rainwater. They know there is no war–hasn't been for over a decade now–but the screams are so close that Naruto knows if they were to take their eyes off of Black Man, they would see bodies for miles. Black Man is their home base now. They are scared to look down, scared to find red staining home. Once was far too many.
"Calm." Naruto knows this is meant for Neji, but they close their eyes nonetheless, trying to ease the creases on their lids.
"Don't be hasty." The tension winding their body like twine releases. They hadn't even noticed its grip until it stopped suffocating.
Black Man is unstringing them from their binds, one quiet phrase at a time. Naruto is stealing kindness not meant for them, relishing in its pilfered glory. With their eyes closed, Naruto can believe Black Man is speaking to them, all caring and familiar and warm. Their long-dead skin remembers life. They are warmed and nourished and loved. They are obsessed with this. They can't get enough of the camaraderie. For the first time in their past sixteen fugitive years, they are known.
Black Man drops his hand.
Mahogany burns out and rainwater seeps away. The screams have stopped too, but it's a brutal hit to have lost the scent once again. The first time, Naruto had spent a day and a night crawling the remains of a battlefield, searching, screaming, sobbing. They'd been ready to barter with God, lay down all their meager possessions for their one precious thing. Just one more time, they would've given everything to hear that boy say–
" Εταίρος. "
The thrashing is visceral. Naruto is trying to escape something. Something is trying to escape Naruto. For all these years, they'd lived to hear that word again. And now, it will be their undoing. But, if their last memory is teasing crooked lips forming unfamiliar sounds, and the last thing they see is Black Man mouthing silenced words at Naruto's slipping consciousness–well. Naruto smiles at the crooked display.