They sat together in the grass, the morning sun filtering through the dense treetops to litter warm little patches of light on their skin. They weren’t training for once, instead choosing to spend the nice weather just enjoying each other’s company. Naruto nor Sasuke could tell you when they had done this before; sitting together peacefully. They were always busy, whether it was fighting, training, on a mission or in some other dire circumstances. They had never had this much peace in their lives and frankly, they didn’t know what to do with it.
Kakashi suggested they spend some time together, get all their feelings out, explain each other’s side of the story now that they had their chance. Sasuke hated that idea, but Naruto had managed to convince him by explaining they could get out of the village, just take a nice peaceful wander. Sasuke didn’t know how peaceful it could possibly be with the knuckleheaded ninja but any excuse to leave the village.
The wind flowed through his hair, cold from the morning dew, and he inhaled slowly. Naruto was indeed being very peaceful as he promised. He laid beside Sasuke, legs splayed out on the grass, arms tucked behind his head as he stared up at the clear blue sky peeking through the foliage.
“Hey Sas?” Naruto asked, familiar rasp softer than usual, voice calm. Sasuke still couldn’t help but think, there goes my peace and quiet…
“Have we ever hugged before?”
Sasuke blinks at the question, looking down at Naruto with a raised eyebrow. Naruto was looking up at him, expression so earnest he looked like a child.
“Have we ever hugged? ‘Cause like…I don’t think we have.”
Sasuke paused as he thought, a rapid collage of familiar scenes playing through his mind rapidly and…he also couldn’t think of a single hug. “I don’t…think so. Why?”
Naruto pushed himself up, leaning back on his hands, eyes not leaving Sasuke’s face. “I dunno, I was just thinking. Like, I’ve hugged Sakura before, and even Kakashi-sensei. Definitely hugged Iruka…but not you. Ain’t that weird?” Naruto sheepishly giggled, smile all teeth and awkward.
Sasuke tilted his head, “Why is that weird?”
“Well it’s just, I mean we’ve done everything else. We’ve punched each other, kicked, stabbed, thrown about…we’ve even kissed before a simple hug.”
Sasuke broke first and looked away from Naruto, “That wasn’t even my fault, it was yours-”
“It’ wasn’t my fault either—I’ve told you this for years now!” Naruto pouted, shifting to sit cross legged so he could face Sasuke.
“Why do you even care that we haven’t hugged?” Sasuke huffed, rolling his eyes as he plucked another blade of long grass near his legs. There was a pile of mangled grass stacked beside him and an increasing bald patch right in front.
“We’re best friends and best friends hug each other all the time, but we haven’t even once. You’ve stabbed me before you’ve hugged me, isn’t that so weird?” Naruto countered, leaning forward on his hands to push into Sasuke’s personal space. Sasuke felt himself leaning away subconsciously.
“So what? You want a hug, is that it?” Sasuke looked toward the blonde and was met with a warm smile, bright blue eyes trained on his face and seeing deep into his soul.
“Yeah! But only if you want it too.”
Sasuke rolled his eyes, shaking his head but holding his one arm open for Naruto, “Fine.”
Naruto’s smile grew and he shifted forward on his knees to hug Sasuke, wrapping both arms around his neck. Even though he sounded so excited for it, Sasuke could feel the hesitation; Naruto didn’t quite squeeze him the way he would others, didn’t really press their chests together, didn’t move as close as he could be. It was like he was getting ready to pull back at any moment. Sasuke wrapped his arm around Naruto’s waist, hand resting on his lower back.
He always knew Naruto ran hot but from this distance he could really feel the warmth radiating off him, pouring out from the high collar of his jacket, even through the tightly wrapped bandages on his replacement hand.
“…This is kinda weird,” Naruto sheepishly chuckled, voice low next to Sasuke’s ear.
“A little,” Sasuke hummed, also unmoving.
It was like they were going through the motions rather than actually hugging like good friends should. Sasuke didn’t know how to remedy that. He felt bad that he was making this probably sentimental moment for Naruto awkward as hell.
“Heh, sorry,” Naruto said, moving to pull back. The awkward, almost scared tone in his voice shot straight through Sasuke’s heart. He felt a pang of guilt, a wave of cold shame washing over him. He squeezed Naruto’s waist tighter, pulling him closer into his personal space.
“You don’t have to do that. We’re hugging, isn’t this what you wanted?”
“I-I—well yeah but, I mean…if you don’t want to—”
“Who said I don’t want to?” Sasuke replied, squeezing Naruto tighter, pressing his face into his shoulder. He could smell him now, his natural scent and detergent clinging to his clothes; warm, like a freshly washed towel hanging out in the hot sun, comforting and soothing. Sasuke relaxed in Naruto’s hold, body calming naturally and all on its own. It took Naruto a second to get it and also relax, shifting further into Sasuke’s personal space, making himself comfortable. He knelt on the grass, leaning against Sasuke more, chin resting on his shoulder. Sasuke could hear him swallow hard, brain processing this moment, no doubt cementing it in his own collection of moments between them.
“I just thought…you wouldn’t like this,” Naruto mumbled, arms shifting around Sasuke’s neck, one hand gently stroking his hair.
“You’re not really a touchy-feely guy. You rarely let anyone else touch you at all so I thought a hug would be out of the question,” Naruto answered, voice calm and steady in a way that Sasuke hadn’t really ever heard before.
“You’re the exception,” Sasuke mumbled, hand rubbing the small of Naruto’s back.
“I came back for you, didn’t I? I wouldn’t do that for anyone else, just like I wouldn’t do this for anyone else.” It was true, Naruto was the exception. The exception to everything. He meant the world to Sasuke even if he didn’t realise it.
Naruto smiled, shifting a bit in Sasuke’s hold, moving to sit in his lap. Sasuke didn’t complain so Naruto kept going until he was sat in the man’s lap, their chests pressed against each other, now locked in a true perfect hug. Naruto rested his cheek on Sasuke’s shoulder, the tip of his nose rubbing against the column of Sasuke’s neck. He could feel the slow warmth seeping through his clothes, like a heated blanket hidden under all those layers. He could smell his shampoo, clean and herbal, and the cologne Kakashi had gifted him for his birthday.
“You actually wear it,” Naruto mumbled, pressing his face further into Sasuke’s neck.
“Hm?” Sasuke replied, resting his cheek against the side of Naruto’s head.
“The cologne Kakashi got you, you actually wear it,” Naruto’s voice was low in his ear, almost slurring his words like he was falling asleep.
“Yeah…do you like it?” Naruto nodded, face rubbing against Sasuke’s exposed skin. He squeezed his arms tighter around the other man, legs wrapped around his waist doing the same. Sasuke squeezed Naruto in return, hand crawling up his spine to press against the middle of his back.
“This is nice,” Naruto weakly chuckled, in turn making Sasuke snort.
They stayed there like that for who knows how long. Neither of them cared to move, even when Sasuke couldn’t feel his legs and Naruto’s arms were falling asleep. Sasuke had never felt so calm, so relaxed in his life. He could feel Naruto relaxing in his hold, his breathing slowing and heart relaxing to steady rhythms Sasuke tried to mirror.
Sasuke dragged his hand up and down Naruto’s back, fingers trailing along his spine. Clearly it was relaxing because Naruto was out like a light. Sasuke could feel the lull of sleep tugging at his eyes, the slow consistent rhythm of Naruto’s body calming his own. He closed his eyes, hand coming to rest on Naruto’s lower back, cheek pressed into the soft but messy hair. He felt Naruto squeeze him tighter, face nuzzling against his neck as the man made himself comfortable again, a small noise making Sasuke smile. He regrets not hugging Naruto sooner. This is nice
