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Springtide -
- noun. A term for springtime.
- noun. When the sun, moon, and Earth line up and the gravitational pull creates high tidal waves. If the spring tide coincides with the spring equinox, the sun and the moon reinforce each other, and the tides on Earth are at their greatest.
My sleep is rough with night terrors. I dream of a bloodied sun and moon and of a giant snake that swallows them whole; the snake has a sharingan and blood spills from its mouth.
But of course that's absurd. There is no sharingan left in this world. None but my own.
A steady thought cuts through my gloom, of how the sun and moon follow the same path every day, and for a moment share the sky.
It's often Naruto who wakes me from these dreams during missions. He places a quiet hand on my back. I feel the comforting touch through my sweat-soaked shirt. I rouse to the snuffed campfire, bright stars above, and the rest of the team pretending to be asleep.
They never say anything. They all have bad nights, too.
After traveling for a week, the remote town is a welcome sight. The tantalizing smell of food teases the air. We hear laughter and music long before the small village appears.
We enter the gates, which is nothing more than an archway with a crooked sign. The dirt road meanders between shops and food stalls. Faded, colorful streamers sway in the breeze.
“Cherry blossoms,” Sakura says. She stops to admire her namesake and stares at the trees heavy with white and pink blooms.
Naruto scratches his cheek, as petals drift to his shoulders, kissing the tanned skin there. “I guess it's already spring?”
It’s easy to lose track of time when traveling. I notice the villagers setting up booths, the type for games and festivals. “It’s the spring equinox,” I say.
When I traveled with Orochimaru, the outskirts of Fire country seemed like a dismal place, but then again, he had the ability to make every place seem dismal.
I don't remember much else from those days.
Perhaps glimmers of life can show up even out here.
Sakura closes her eyes, lifting her face to the warm sun. “Equinox means ‘equal night’... a perfect balance of light and dark hours. Did you know that?”
Naruto wrinkles his nose. “So nerdy. Only you would know something like that, Sakura.”
“It’s not that nerdy,” I murmur to Naruto. “That’s how seasons work.”
Still, I appreciate Sakura for her trivia. She elevates the genius of the group.
In quiet moments, she drops a factoid here and there as stray things remind her of something she read in a textbook some time ago. She embodies a walking encyclopedia.
I realize that I’m not the only one watching her. Kakashi, who had been quietly reading his own book, takes interest. He lingers on Sakura’s smile.
Naruto props his hands behind his head. “Hey, old man, can we stay here for the night? There’s some festival going on.”
Kakashi shakes his head and glances heavenward as if seeking patience. “Don’t call me that.”
“They have food and games and… whoa, what’s that smell?” Naruto suddenly makes a face, sniffing the air, then beneath his armpit. “Oh, it’s me. I could use a bath.”
At this, Sakura nods with enthusiasm. “Yes, can we please make Naruto take a bath here. He’s been stinking up the whole road. I swear that farmer and her ox fainted yesterday when we walked by.”
“They only fainted at my good looks,” Naruto grins.
“Idiot,” I sigh.
Kakashi lowers his book and looks around, running some calculation in his head that we cannot see. “Alright,” he says. “One night, then we head out in the morning.”
“Yes!” Sakura cheers, punching the air in victory. “Oh, I’m going to eat so many sweets and take a long, hot bath.”
“Where does all that sweetness go?” Kakashi wonders.
At this, Sakura punches his arm.
Kakashi blocks the hit before she makes contact, one hand wrapped around her fist. “Hey.”
“I’m perfectly sweet enough, thank you,” Sakura declares.
“I never said you weren’t.”
Sakura is more fearsome than sweet these days, but I keep my mouth close. It’s not worth the trouble and smart people don't rile up Sakura when she’s already mad.
The public baths are near the edge of the village. A picturesque waterfall tumbles off the cliffside. The place appears to be a natural hot spring.
An old woman accepts our payment, holding Kakashi’s hand a little too long and with too much enthusiasm as he transfers the coin.
“You can leave your clothes at the lockers.” She flashes a toothless smile and her eyes sparkle bright at the thought.
Sakura disappears down the female corridor, taking a towel and basket of toiletries. She flutters her fingers in a wave goodbye. “Toodaloo, boys,” then she fixes a firm glare on us, jabbing a finger. “Make sure Naruto uses soap this time.”
“Soap is for the weak,” Naruto murmurs under his breath.
I follow Kakashi and Naruto down the male corridor, feeling the steam and muggy heat. In fact, it becomes absurdly steamy.
…to the point that we can no longer see Kakashi when he unclothes. His face remains hidden in a steam cloud. We hear him walk to the far end of the shower room.
Naruto grumbles at this unfortunate turn of events. He dumps a bucket of water over his head.
Per Sakura's instructions, I make sure he uses soap.
“Don't drop it,” I counsel, while handing over the slick bar.
“I don't need your help!” Naruto groans, but he accepts the bar from my hand anyway.
He scrubs up then splashes water over his head.
I can’t help but follow the water as it cuts a trail through sudsy bubbles, revealing sun-kissed skin and freckles.
I turn my focus back to my own activities, scrubbing the dirt from my arms and legs.
“What does he have to hide?” Naruto murmurs, not for the first time. At the baths we often speculate over Kakashi’s face.
“He does it to annoy us,” I say.
Despite the team being tight-knit, there is one distance that remains: the enigmatic wall around Kakashi. He lets no one close. Although Sakura is perhaps the closest to breaching it.
Not that I care.
The hot spring outside is a decent size. The water is thick with minerals.
Naruto hovers too long by the bamboo fencing that separates the male and female sections.
Kakashi places a firm hand atop Naruto’s head, digging his fingers into the golden locks. “The hot spring is this way,” he says.
Naruto gives a nervous chuckle. He manages to look somewhat apologetic. “Huh? Oh, right… my bad.” He rubs the back of his neck.
“Seriously, don’t spy on Sakura. She’ll kill you,” Kakashi says.
“Right…” Naruto trails off. He suddenly looks anxious at the thought.
They both enter the water. Again, the steam rises to an absurd level, enough to cover the lower half of Kakashi’s face.
Naruto stares in disbelief. “How is this happening?” he cries, waving and shooing at the steam.
He creates a ruckus, splashing the clouds and steam away.
Kakashi settles at the far end, hanging his arms over the ledge in a lazy fashion. “What's wrong…?”
“Nothing besides the usual stupidity,” I reply, watching Naruto with displeasure. I notice how his muscles move along his body. For a moment, the sun hits just right, creating a rainbow around his golden hair.
The water droplets even sparkle.
I release a heavy sigh, closing my eyes; annoyed to notice those things. I sink back into the water, letting the heat dissolve the tension from my muscles. After traveling so long it feels nice to relax. The waterfall cascades in the background, clearing my thoughts.
Just then… I hear a soft moan faded against the waterfall. Almost like it’s not there at all.
My eyes flicker open. For some reason I glance over to Kakashi for his reaction. His relaxed demeanor says nothing, but he catches my gaze then looks away.
He hears it, too.
Again... another quiet moan. Sakura must enjoy the privacy of the ladies section very much. In some ways I envy her. On long missions it’s hard to get away from the team.
Naruto is too obtuse to notice anything. He continues splashing with abandon, urging the steam away.
“You can't wave the steam away,” I tell him, finally. “It’s a hot spring.”
I can’t believe I have to explain this.
Naruto settles down with a grumble, upset at the bizarre, unending series of circumstances that won’t allow us to see Kakashi's face.
Kakashi and I are bothered for an entirely different reason: our naked and oblivious teammates... but if Naruto wants to splash around nude, and if Sakura wants to enjoy her time alone, so be it.
It's funny how murdering your brother and being on probation for major war crimes can change your perspective on life.
Other issues become mundane. Problems aren't such a problem anymore.
“We should go.” I stand up, done with the hot spring and life in general.
“Yeah, I had enough...” Kakashi climbs out of the hot spring without further explanation. He strolls to the building to dry off and change.
“What? We only got here,” Naruto says.
“Come on. There are more interesting things to do.” I extend a hand to pull him up.
Naruto glances at me with suspicion, then accepts the help. For a moment, his warm hand is in mine. I’m reminded of the time we killed a god.
To think that was only a few years ago when we battled Kaguya. Now we take baths together and attend festivals in remote, bumpkin villages.
I smile at the irony. Naruto must see my expression, because he smiles, too. His blue eyes glimmer.
“Alright, bastard. Let’s see who can knock down the most milk bottles. I saw a game booth back there.”
“So childish,” I say, but am secretly happy.
The moon does not create light, but reflects the sun’s glow. I feel that now as Naruto’s contentment sinks into me. I reflect his glow.
Kakashi waits outside by the road, fully dressed, hands in his pockets. For once his book is tucked away. Sometimes the man gets lost in thought and ponders other things.
He sniffs the air. “Naruto, you don’t smell like socks anymore. That’s an improvement.”
Naruto rubs the back of his neck. “Yeah, well. It's been a while since our last mission. I haven’t seen a bathhouse in a while.”
“Please tell me you shower between missions,” Kakashi pleads.
Naruto’s long silence is fairly damning.
I sigh. Why do I love this person? Does fate enjoy tormenting people?
Is it possible to turn off feelings you don't want to feel?
Sakura joins us at that moment, her pink hair is damp from the bath. A rosy glow touches her cheeks.
“What did I miss?” she asks.
“Nothing besides the usual stupidity,” I say.
Sakura sniffs the air. “Oh, good. Naruto doesn’t smell like socks anymore.”
“I don’t smell like socks. I don’t even own socks,” Naruto declares. He wiggles his toes freely from his sandals.
Sakura sighs. “That makes it so much worse.”
Kakashi is silent. He ponders the dirt with his ears flushed pink. The man is so troubled by the female aspect of his teammate, he can’t even look at her right now.
Sakura and Naruto lead the way back to the food stalls. They eagerly buy one of everything they see. Dango, candied fruit, and other sweets.
I split a steaming pork bun and share the other half with Naruto. He accepts it, then crams the whole thing into his mouth, grinning from ear to ear.
We don’t see Kakashi eat, and yet an empty kabob or mochi stick mysteriously appears in his hand from time to time, followed by the stares of blushing vendors. He has this magical effect on people, both men and women alike.
“Here, please take more!” the takoyaki vendor says. The woman, who looks perhaps middle-aged, holds out another plateful, gazing at Kakashi in delight.
Naruto intervenes, accepting the plate from the woman’s outstretched hands. “Geez. Thanks, lady!” She appears too dazzled to notice.
“The people here are so friendly,” Sakura comments. She licks her fingers free of syrup. A little bit trails down her arm.
Sakura catches the drop with her tongue, gently licking her forearm. She makes a small noise of satisfaction. As promised, she wants all the sweets she can find.
Kakashi turns away from Sakura doing this, as if this action is somehow more graphic than the sounds we heard earlier. He’s not adjusting well.
Not my problem… After all, Naruto wants to check out those festival games.
“Let’s dunk that man in water,” I say, and guide Naruto down the road, feeling Kakashi’s despair as we leave them behind.
A man sits upon a chair and barrel mechanism. Hitting the target with a ball dumps him into water.
The man is older with balding hair and a soft paunch of a belly. “Is that the best you can do, Haruka? Your arm must be a limp noodle.” He crosses his arms and sits upon his dinky wooden seat like a throne.
The line is short, with two village kids and a woman who must be their mother. She looks rather flustered as her two small girls watch on.
“Shut up, Hiroshi! Save your last breath,” the woman grouses, dark hair falling into her eyes. There is clearly some deeper grudge here.
“Ha, mommy said shut up!” The two girls snicker with glee. They look identical with bright brown eyes and are the same height. They must be twins.
“Don’t say shut up,” she sighs. “Damn it… to think I waited all year to drench that old man.”
The girls snicker again. “Mommy said damn it,” they whisper to each other.
“I got this,” Naruto grins. He holds his hand out for the ball. The woman’s eyebrows rise upwards.
Finally she shrugs, tired from her efforts. She hands over the ball. “Knock yourself out.”
Naruto stares at the target with too much intensity. I feel the heat radiate off his body.
When he throws, an almighty wind thrusts the ball forward, smashing the target and booth behind it.
The barrel implodes with a splash. With a soft cry, the man falls atop the wreckage of dripping water and broken boards. I wince, only a little bit.
“Ha!” Naruto says.
The woman clutches her daughters back, mouth agape in alarm. The girls only look amazed with open wonder. They weren’t expecting ninjas at the festival this year, it seems.
I yank Naruto away, not bothering to point out the trail of smoke and small flames in the grass after that throw.
“Come on, idiot,” I say.
“You can’t throw like that,” Naruto grins.
It’s not fair, but we dominate every festival game. We break only a few booths, although not on purpose, as we meander down the road.
By the end, Naruto has a frog keychain that oddly matches the wallet he carries around. I am content with the goldfish I scooped from the tub with a net. It darts around in a clear plastic bag.
“What will you do?” Naruto crouches down, watching the small goldfish shimmy in circles. “Konoha is like four days away.”
I shrug. “If it survives, then it will be the newest member of the Uchiha clan.”
“You’re going to carry that bag of water for four days?”
I shrug again.
Naruto shakes his head, amused. “And you call me an idiot.”
By the time we reach the end of the road, the villagers are well aware of the fact that we are ninjas.
“Oh, no, you can’t play here,” says a woman at the last booth. She stretches her arms out, placing her body between us and the stand. “I’ve watched you break every game down this alley!”
“Not all of them,” I reply, lifting my goldfish.
“Aw man, this is the milk bottle game, too.” Naruto’s blue eyes sadden, just a little.
“Here, we have money,” I say, holding up two coins.
I turn on my Uchiha charm, giving what I hope is a cool smile, and not something creepy.
It must have some effect, because the woman gives a great put-upon sigh, then accepts the coins. “Oh, what the hell. It’s just bottles.”
The bribe is good enough.
She stacks the bottles as Naruto grins. From behind us we hear a disgruntled man shout, “Hey, how come she gets money?”
“No powers,” I remind Naruto, handing him the ball.
He snorts. “I haven’t been using any. Have you?”
It shouldn’t be this satisfying watching something so dumb. Of course we knock the stacks over, as any academy student can do blindfolded.
“Five out of five. Not bad, kids.” She appears mildly impressed, perhaps not used to seeing that level of accuracy during a typical year.
The woman pulls out a box from beneath the counter, full of nothing prizes: yen sweets, wooden tops, a paddle with rubber ball and string, whistles, and hemp-woven bracelets.
I pick up a bracelet from one end. It has a wooden bead at the center with a carving of the moon.
There are bracelets with other beads. They are simple charms: flowers, trees, single words such as peace and love, and the sun.
Without asking, I reach for Naruto’s wrist and tie the moon bracelet. “Here. This is your prize.”
“A bracelet? That's so gay.” But he doesn't pull his wrist away.
“This one is mine.” I pick a bracelet with the sun.
After seeing my one-handed struggle, Naruto wordlessly takes over, tying the ends of the string. His touch is warm.
“Shouldn't the symbols be reversed?” he asks. I know what he's thinking. During the war he had the sun symbol on his palm, I had the moon.
“No, this is better. The equinox is about balance, remember? Or did you forget?”
“I'm surprised you did everything today without complaining. Maybe you finally removed that stick from your ass.”
I shrug, gazing at the inky fox on his cheek from the face painting booth. There is a smudge near his mouth. It looks so easy to wipe away.
My lips part. “Naruto…”
“What?” He gives a boyish grin, but he’s not a boy anymore.
Fine stubble covers his cheeks and jawline. Years of training filled out his frame. We are older now. Taller, stronger, and scarred.
Does he know that he looks at me with so much tenderness? He would patiently wait all night to hear me speak.
I swallow, but my mouth feels dry. “Let’s go back,” I say.
Please, before we do something we regret.
The stars are out by the time we return, and a large full moon. We find Sakura near a food stall, sitting beneath a red lantern.
She has a bottle of sake and two empty glasses at the makeshift table, which appears to be an overturned crate. The potent aroma of alcohol swirls in the air.
“Where’s Kakashi?” I ask.
Sakura jabs a thumb over her shoulder in the direction of the inns. Her cheeks are rosy and her green eyes glass over. “He’s getting rooms.”
“Cool,” Naruto says. He settles down into a seat. “Nice bear doll, what did you play?”
She picks up the pink bear, squishing the soft, plush fur. Sakura hugs the stuffed doll close under one arm.
Sakura pours him a drink. “Actually, Kakashi won this one for me. I think it was the ring toss.”
Naruto downs his shot. I take a seat while Sakura fills the same glass again. This time I take the drink from Naruto’s hands.
My lips touch the rim, still warm from Naruto’s touch. The sake burns my throat.
“I like your goldfish,” Sakura says.
“Thanks. I won it myself.”
She rolls her eyes. “Nobody likes a show off, Sasuke.” She wiggles a playful finger at the bag, letting the goldfish follow her around.
“He’s the newest member of my clan.”
“Could be a she,” Sakura speculates. She gazes at the fish thoughtfully.
For a moment the team is quiet. The laughter and chatter of the village hovers in the air. We watch the moon and cherry blossoms in the peaceful night. The petals fall, covering the ground, our clothes, and drift into our sake cups.
A calm contentment surrounds us. The Sun, Moon, and Earth are in alignment.
Naruto snorts. His blue eyes brighten with amusement. “You look like a princess.” Without asking, he plucks a petal from my hair, holding it up for me to observe.
I warm under his attention. He looks a little precious himself, with soft petals covering him like snow.
“We can all be princesses!” Sakura declares. She holds her sake cup high in triumph. A flush of pink touches her cheeks. “Even the goldfish.”
Sakura is a giddy drunk. After downing her drink, she cheerfully pours more sake to go around, splashing into the two cups with some accuracy.
“Sakura is always a princess.” Naruto grins. “Sasuke and I want to be like you.”
Sakura smiles, pleased, but after a moment of thought a dour expression crosses her face.
“It’s not fair,” Sakura suddenly moans. She smacks the table with a bang and the sake cups tremble. “Why is Sasuke always the prettiest?”
Naruto looks somewhat affronted. “You don’t think I’m the prettiest, Sakura-chan?”
Sakura shakes her head. “No way, definitely not. Look at Sasuke’s cheekbones! And that complexion! What’s your secret, Sasuke-kun? I bet you don’t even wash your face at night.”
At that, Naruto swings around and takes a serious look at me, examining my face. I feel my cheeks heat up.
He hovers close, his soft breath fans across my neck, sending a wave of tingles down my spine. I don’t react, but my heart makes a small leap.
I notice his blue eyes, glowing with interest and excitement. As a golden lock falls across his face, I notice the freckles dusting his cheeks, the stubble along his jaw, and the fragrance of sake lingering around his mouth.
Naruto snorts. “Like I said, you really are a princess. Sakura is right, your skin is flawless! Does it hurt to be that pretty?”
He tries to taunt me, but something in his eyes says he’s not teasing… His eyelids lower ever so slightly.
“No need to be jealous.” I gaze at his parting mouth. He is ready to fire back a retort, but his words die on his lips. He notices me gazing, and I don’t turn away.
After another beat, I push him away with a firm, one-armed shove. Naruto only grins, delighting at this embarrassing topic.
The moment breaks when Kakashi returns.
The jounin takes the last seat next to Sakura. He rummages through his vest pocket, then drops two room keys in the center of the table. “Who’s jealous of what?”
“Nothing,” I say, firmly.
Sakura passes her cup to share. As she pours him a drink, Kakashi obligingly moves to catch the wayward, splashing sake. Sakura’s accuracy has gone downhill and will only decline from here.
Kakashi looks more comfortable around Sakura now. They seem to have resolved whatever weirdness was between them. With enough time they usually do. They are too similar.
Naruto whips around. “Kakashi-sensei, who do you think is the prettiest in the team?”
Kakashi doesn’t hesitate. “Sasuke.”
“See, I told you!” Sakura crows, but then she lowers her head in groggy defeat. She is approaching her sleepy phase of inebriation.
Naruto is outraged. “You didn’t even think about your answer!”
Kakashi crosses his arms and tilts back his chair, supremely unperturbed. “Fine. Then I’m the prettiest.”
“That’s even worse,” Naruto groans.
“Sasuke has all the hallmarks of classic beauty. What’s this about anyway?”
“We’re all princesses,” Sakura mumbles into her arms now, resting her head on the table. “Why is Sasuke always the most beautiful?”
Kakashi considers Sakura for a moment. “Hm, that’s funny... I can’t imagine you as a princess.”
This makes Sakura grumble something dark and menacing.
“...because you are obviously a queen,” Kakashi recovers. He gently pats Sakura’s back in consolation. Perhaps he fears being punched again.
At that, Sakura quiets down.
I roll my eyes. “Nice save.”
“Aw. I think it’s kind of cute,” Naruto grins. “Sakura is definitely a queen. She’s so bossy!”
“Eat my fist!” Sakura growls. She punches across the table, but the movement sends her sideways on her seat.
Kakashi catches Sakura with an easy hand. After propping her upright, he turns to Naruto. “Here, this is for you.”
Kakashi slugs him on the arm.
“Ouch! No need to hit so hard, I was agreeing with you.”
“Sorry, I’m only the messenger. If you have a complaint, take it up with the queen.” Kakashi points at Sakura, who smiles sweetly. She’s too proud of her newfound title and power.
Naruto rubs his arm, discontent. “Sasuke, a little back up here!”
I shrug. “I think her royal highness is ready for bed.”
Sakura leans forward, offended by the suggestion. “Hey! If you think I’m done… you’re wrong. I can keep drinking. I can drink all night. I can drink a hundred more bottles! Besides, I’m not even t...tired.” She gives a small yawn.
“Very convincing,” I say.
Kakashi nods. “I’m convinced. Shall we order a hundred more bottles then, Sakura-sama?”
Sakura lays a hand on Kakashi’s arm in a magnanimous way. “At least you understand my feelings, Kakashi-sensei.”
Naruto grins. “If that’s what the queen wants, that’s what the queen gets!”
Naruto and Sakura share a cheerful, wobbly toast.
“Better make that a hundred and one bottles, so there’s something left for the rest of us,” Kakashi says.
In the end, Sakura’s bold proclamation of ordering a hundred more sake bottles whittles down to a more sensible number of two bottles. It doesn’t take long for Naruto’s frequent toasting to knock the team down.
“And here’s to a long life!” Naruto declares, raising his cup high.
“We already toasted to that,” Sakura complains. “Pick something else.”
“I can’t. I’m running out of ideas.”
“You don’t need to toast every time,” I say. “Just drink your sake.”
“We’re out of sake.” Kakashi tilts the empty bottle upside-down, looking forlorn. “Someone else get it. The woman at the bar slapped my ass last time.”
“I’ll get it!” Sakura volunteers, full of enthusiasm. However, the excitement is short-lived. The moment she stands up, she falls down, stumbling into the grass.
“Oi! Oi! Careful.” Naruto leans over to help Sakura back up. She stands on wobbly legs.
“Thanks,” she murmurs.
“See? You’re at your limit,” Naruto points a finger at Sakura’s shoulder. “There’s no way someone your size can drink so much.”
Sakura flashes a victory sign and smiles. “Did you forget? I’m the disciple of the great Tsu… Tsunade-sama… the greatest drinker in the land.”
“She’s filtering alcohol from her bloodstream. It’s a medic trick,” Kakashi sounds unconcerned. “Also, she’s a professional drunk.”
Sakura flashes another victory sign.
I sigh. “She needs to filter her bloodstream faster.”
We are nearing the end of the night. When even Sakura falls down, you know everyone’s had too much.
Naruto points his accusing finger at Kakashi. “Oi, and you! I haven’t seen you drink at all. You’re tossing it into the bushes, aren’t you?”
Kakashi tilts his empty cup towards Naruto, which was definitely full a moment ago. “Huh, what do you mean?”
I sense the booze lingering around the man. It is subtle, but the jounin is inebriated, too.
“He’s drunk,” I confirm, although like Naruto, I haven’t seen Kakashi pull his mask down even once.
Sakura laughs. She then leans on Kakashi, who is the nearest, and her laughter turns into a yawn. “Hey, Kakashi-sensei? Can you carry me to the room?”
Her eyelids lower as she slips in and out of groggy sleep.
Kakashi sighs. “How come no one carries me to the room?”
“You have to drink more than that,” Naruto says.
“The next time you pass out, I’ll carry you personally,” I agree. I only say this because Kakashi never gets that shit-faced drunk, and the whole team knows it.
In all fairness, I rarely cut loose either...
Kakashi scratches his cheek in thought. “Maybe it’s for the best. You would leave me in a ditch somewhere.”
It’s more like we would gaze at his face, then draw on his face with markers, but I keep that thought to myself.
Kakashi turns to his slumbering student, who is impressively both standing, sleeping, and drooling against his arm. “Alright. Upsy-daisy.”
Kakashi hauls Sakura over his shoulder with ease, like a sack of potatoes.
She appears unaware of this new undignified position, although she rubs her face into his shirt. She smiles and mumbles something about ‘warm’ and ‘smells nice.’
“I’ll drop off her royal highness. See you in the morning.”
Kakashi strolls away, carrying Sakura in the direction of the inns. For once, her pink hair blends with her surroundings. Soft petals continue to drift through the air and along the road. Lanterns on the ground and buildings illuminate the dark night.
All around, the festival is winding down as vendors break down their stalls. Families and children abandoned the streets long ago, and now only a few happy carrousers and drunken strays wander the sleepy village.
Naruto and I sit, taking in the quiet moonlight and the warmth of each other's presence. Although we do not touch, I can feel his energy. It bleeds through the night air, sinking into my skin.
I breathe, smelling the comforting, familiar scent that is Naruto. Despite Kakashi and Sakura’s taunting, he never smells bad. There is something there, subtle and teasing to the senses.
A prickle of awareness runs down my neck. I turn to Naruto. This time he’s gazing at me. His cheeks appear flush from alcohol. A small smile turns the corner of his mouth. His blue eyes glimmer, gentle and alive.
“What?” I say.
His smile only widens.
“I’m glad you’re here. That’s all.” He closes his eyes and tilts his face to the moon, reveling in the festive atmosphere.
“Yeah… me, too.” My other words stick in my throat. To think, we battled only a few years ago in the Valley of End.
It feels like an eternity. When I try to summon those bitter feelings now, it is impossible. I was a different person then.
I am a different person now.
Such is the power of Naruto’s unyielding friendship and devotion. During that battle I clearly felt what I mean to him, and what he means to me.
Those feelings never changed. Bonds are important, and he cherishes our bond above all others.
I raise my left arm, hidden in bandages, a perfect mirror to Naruto’s right arm. They are the same limbs we lost in our battle, but replaced through Senju cells.
I place my hand over Naruto’s hand, sensing the warmth from our contact, and the quiet pulse through his body.
Naruto stills, but does not move away. For the first time, I hold his hand. The first time since the war.
Can he sense my feelings now?
Naruto frowns looking at our hands, although his eyes soften—golden lashes cover a world of blue. My attention goes to the stubble lining his jaws and that tender mouth. I wonder what those lips feel like.
I want him. I want him more than anything.
“Naruto, you are special to me.” My voice sounds quiet. “What I said before has not changed.”
“Sasuke…”
My grip tightens. We drank all night, but I am a man dying of thirst.
“For a long time, I was surrounded by darkness, a boy drowning in an ocean of despair, but then you came along. You were like an island in all that darkness. You saved me.”
Naruto whispers. “Geez, you don’t need to turn sappy now.”
“But I mean it, every word.” I run my thumb over his knuckles, adoring the rough curves. “Naruto, I would not be here without you. I owe you everything.”
Naruto’s ears flush pink, this time not from alcohol. He looks down, embarrassed.
I did not think it was possible to silence Naruto, but he sits quiet now. He thinks. A meditative action others do not associate with him, but something I know he does often.
Because I am the same way. There was ample time to sit quiet and think during the bad and lonely years. We orphans are alike that way.
Naruto gives a hesitant smile, like a beam of sun breaking through clouds. That look is enough to make the heartache worth it, and heal all the broken years.
In the darkest times, a comforting thought comes to me.
I am not alone.
Naruto turns his hand upward into mine. His thumb strokes the edge of my palm. The small motion makes my breath stop.
“Sasuke, I think you know my feelings. I chased you to the end of the world and back. I would follow you anywhere.”
He leans close. When he tilts his head, I sense what he wants. Naruto moves in... tantalizingly slow. My pulse races, knowing what will happen, but also not believing at the same time.
I fantasized of this moment before, dreamed of tasting his lips, close and intimate, then sober reality sets in. Naruto must be hokage one day. He cannot follow me everywhere like he says. He cannot give up his dream.
But then...
“You’re my first bond,” he whispers. “I owe you everything, too.”
Naruto closes the gap. He kisses me, slow and shy, then with growing boldness.
I taste the sake on his mouth, then on his tongue. The delicious fire and warmth of his touch heats my belly. My hand goes to the back of his head, digging into his locks of hair, pulling him closer.
We stay like that for a while. His hand explores my leg, bravely climbing higher. Our mouths gently taste, and stroke, and probe. Every brush of his tongue sends a quiet moan to the back of my throat, or perhaps it is him who is moaning.
After some time, we break apart, breathing too hard, too fast. Naruto smiles, wiping his mouth with the back of his sleeve, as if he tasted something really good.
He looks entirely too smug. Too satisfied.
“Not bad,” he says, appraising our kiss, as if that’s what normal teammates do after a make-out session. Perhaps it is.
“Not bad at all,” I agree. Naruto’s hair appears tousled and mussed, sticking up from the backside from where my fingers gripped him moments before.
A tremble runs through my legs from being wound up. He must feel it in his hand, which rests on my thigh. He rubs a gentle circle with his thumb.
Tasting his mouth satisfies a small part of me, but not nearly enough. I long for more.
Finally, my heart slows to a reasonable pulse, and I find my words. “It’s time to go in, don’t you think?”
Around us, the streets are almost abandoned now. The moon sits high in the sky with the twinkling stars and it is late. Far past midnight. The air has a cool bite.
Naruto finds my hand again. His smile is too mischievous. “Sasuke, come to bed with me.”
We make eye contact. There is no way to misinterpret that invitation, but I’m still in disbelief about what’s happening. I search his face for jest or hesitation. There is none.
A heat lingers between us. The desire is written on his face.
“Can you walk?” I ask.
“I’m drunk, but not that drunk.”
“Doubtful. You matched Sakura shot for shot.”
“That woman can hold her liquor,” Naruto agreed. He gave a cheerful, wobbly smile.
I sigh. “It can’t be helped. Here, I’ll carry you.”
I crouch down and offer my back so Naruto can climb aboard. He laughs, finding the situation absurd.
He may find it amusing, but I am happy to carry him.
Naruto climbs on, resting his hands on my shoulders, and pressing the front of his body to my back. I slip my hands beneath his knees and stand.
He feels warm. A comfortable weight. The stubble of his cheek grazes against my neck. I feel every lean muscle of his abs and chest press against me, and the subtle rumble of his voice as he talks and laughs, giddy from the festive night.
My steps are slow and steady under the bright moon and gentle fall of petals.
Naruto decides this is a great time to sing. He goes to his favorite drinking song, definitely loud and off key.
“I’ve been a ronin for many a year,
Spent all my days on fighting and tears,
But now I’m returning with a love in store,
And never will I play the ronin no more…”
“Shut up, idiot.” I tell him, but grimace at the futility. As I learned, there is only one way to quiet him, and we are not in a position to do that now.
He quiets a bit, but still sings, his voice rising and falling in the cool air.
As we approach the inn, Naruto bites my ear, taking a playful nip.
A stab of desire shoots down my torso to my groin. I almost stumble.
“Stop that,” I say.
He laughs. I threaten to drop him on his ass, but Naruto finds that to be a great joke, too.
The entryway of the inn is abandoned at this hour. I quietly creep up the dark stairs.
He nuzzles against my neck, planting a kiss at the very center. The tenderness sends a shiver down my spine.
Naruto must feel it. When he rubs his hips against me, I feel his growing arousal press against my back.
We walk down the hallway, my steps creak on the aged, wooden floors. Naruto is not the only person singing at this hour, as we pass by a door with muffled, drunken singing.
We arrive at our room.
I pull the key from my pocket. The metal feels cold in my hand. Naruto bites my ear again, harder this time.
“Oi, I warned you,” I say. I bounce him up in a threatening way.
Naruto muffles a laugh into my neck. We enter the sparse, dark room and I kick the door shut behind me with my heel.
It’s not much. Plain white walls, a small bedside table, and a single bed. Not a surprise, as small inns don’t always have multiple beds to spare.
I drop Naruto onto the mattress. For a moment he dips on the mattress, then leans back, open and vulnerable in the moonlight, golden hair still tousled. His chest moves up and down with quick breaths.
After taking a moment to savor the sight, I climb on top of him, moving between his legs until our hips are close and tight.
It’s not enough. Naruto grabs the front of my shirt and pulls me closer. Our mouths meet again, hungry and familiar.
I openly moan now. He trails kisses down my neck.
The delicious heat of his body sinks into my skin. Every brush against him feels so right.
Naruto explores my body, touching and feeling every inch. He strokes my hips and ass. When his hands reach the hem of my shirt, he tugs up, impatient. He wants it off.
I break from our kiss and sit up, yanking my shirt off. The cool air feels good against my heated skin.
I unzip Naruto’s jacket, also eager to disrobe him. He obligingly shrugs out of the jacket. His white shirt clings to his abs. I can see every chiseled muscle of his chest and stomach.
His nips are hardened from arousal and stand prominent through the white shirt. I brush a thumb over his right side, feeling the hardened pebble beneath my finger. Naruto shivers, which I feel through our tight hips.
The sensation is delicious.
Without thinking, I lower my head and press my wet mouth over his left side, gently sucking and licking against the hardened nipple there. I continue to stroke his right side with my thumb. The cotton shirt soaks beneath my tongue, but beneath that is Naruto.
Trembles rocket down his body. Without thinking, our hips buck and grind into the shivers. Naruto clings to the back of my head, digging fingers into my hair, desperate for a hold against these raw sensations. “Sasuke,” he gasps.
When I finally stop and look up, Naruto’s eyes are glazed over and vacant with lust. His mouth hangs open slightly in an unfinished moan.
I kiss him, hungry to taste him again. He’s become soft and pliant under my touch, open and helpless from arousal.
I am aware of his cock standing at attention. The tip is visible, peeking over the waistband of his pants. He feels hard, pressed against me.
I’m hard, too. My pants feel too tight.
I pause for a moment to unbutton my fly and spring my cock free. Naruto is quiet as he gazes at my arousal, his blue eyes darken with lust.
Naruto urges me back to him. We kiss, deep and heady. I worship the tanned skin along his neck and chest, admiring the freckles that dust him all over. They form a constellation on his sun-soaked body.
His muscles flutter beneath my touch. I lightly stroke his abs, feeling the soft skin there, then travel down, dipping my hand beneath his waistband. I grab his cock, which is impossibly hard, and silky, and warm. The tip is already wet from pre-cum, and I stroke my thumb over the slickness.
Naruto groans, deep and earnest.
As I touch him, he lavishes open-mouth kisses on my neck and shoulder. His hips buck as I stroke him, until he can no longer pay attention. He dips his head forward with a groan, resting his forehead against my shoulder, indulging in the pleasurable sensation of my strokes. I squeeze and go from tip to base, matching the subtle rhythm of his hips. I tip his chin up and force his mouth back to mine, and swallow his whimpers.
In some ways, Naruto’s body is already familiar. We spar, eat, bathe, and sleep next to each other. We are naturally in sync from endless missions. I follow his thoughts and he follows my subtle actions without much guidance.
Lifting his shirt halfway, I kiss a bruise near his left ribs, which caught my attention. It is nothing more than a dark, indistinct mark, but I find it more interesting than the sealing tattoo on his belly.
This is Naruto, I think.
He is panting now, harsh breaths. “Sasuke… Sasuke, you have to stop or I’m going to come.”
I smirk. “Isn’t that the point?”
“Yes… but not this fast.”
I still my movements. His cock remains in my hand, twitching with his pulse. Naruto puts his hand over mine.
“Relax. I want to taste you first.” I lower myself between his legs, wondering how he might feel in my mouth.
He laughs. “I’m definitely going to come if you do that.” But he doesn’t pull away. He places a hand over my head, as if to steady himself.
“What’s wrong, you don’t think you can keep up with me?”
“I never said that!” Naruto riles at the challenge. “Just… do what you’re going to do.”
He lifts his hips up slightly, indicating that he means that.
I smile, and leisurely appraise his erect member, testing the weight in my hand with a light squeeze. Like many things about Naruto it is impressive. He groans at the pressure.
I lower my head and take his tip into my mouth, just a little bit, tasting him with slow, gentle licks and circling my tongue. The flavor is a subtle mix of salt and tanginess. Naruto’s teasing scent hovers from his body.
Every time I lower my head, I am closer to that scent for a moment. The intoxicating mixture of pheromones and his body soap fills my head. The soap has a soft, woodsy fragrance. Like the forest.
I taste and suck. Naruto moans and bucks beneath me. “Fuck. That feels good,” he murmurs. He unconsciously pushes my head down, but I resist and go at my pace.
I hold the base of his cock, keeping steady as I explore with my mouth and tongue. What Naruto likes best is when I take him deeply and suck. I cup and feel his balls, enjoying the new groans he makes.
“Oh god… Fuck.”
I continue, taking him deep. When his body tenses and picks up speed, I slow down, forcefully pulling him from the edge. This goes on for a while in a pleasurable kind of dance.
My awareness narrows to only us, together in this room, as Naruto trembles beneath my touch, and releases small moans. Again and again. Naruto lifts his hips in desperate, broken movements.
“Sasuke, I’m going to come.”
He means it this time. His body goes tense. I feel the jerk in his dick and balls. It’s the only warning before the hot, salty liquid hits the back of my throat.
I hold steady and swallow. The spasm rocks through Naruto’s body. He bucks his hip, gripping the back of my head tight, digging his fingers into my hair.
He groans. It’s a beautiful sound.
When he finally stills, I finish with slow, generous swipes of my tongue, licking his dick clean. I lift my head up.
“Fuck.” Is all Naruto can say. He goes limp and sprawls back relaxed, completely boneless. He glows with contentment. “Fuck. How are so good at that?”
I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand. “Was it good, little fox?”
“The best.”
I collapse into bed, letting my sore jaw and arms relax. Naruto pulls me into a lazy hold.
Now that the excitement is over, I’m aware of the tension in my body from getting so worked up, and yet holding so still during that performance, and that’s not the only thing...
My dick is still rock hard.
“Sasuke?”
“Hm.”
“I can feel your boner.”
I open my eyes. Naruto’s hand is over my freed cock, with all the confidence and presumption of someone who owns it. He takes a firmer grip.
When he touches me, skin to skin, the friction is so delicious. I shut my eyes and let out a low hiss.
“You’re wet,” he says, rubbing his thumb over the slick head. “Did you like sucking me that much?”
Naruto props himself up until he’s leaning over me.
He bites and suckles my neck, leaving warm, wet heat. A small part of me thinks there will be marks there tomorrow, but I don’t care. As long as he keeps stroking me like that, I don’t care about anything at all.
“Naruto, I need to have you.”
His eyelids lower. With moonlight around his golden hair, he looks other-wordly. “You already do.”
He takes me for a kiss, probing my mouth with his tongue. A noise of satisfaction rises from his chest and throat. Like a goddamn purr.
I stop his stroking hand, gripping his wrist tight. Naruto touching me there is good, but it won’t be enough.
I know exactly what I want, but it must be done now before I lose courage.
“Take your shirt off,” I beg.
Naruto looks skeptical, but his mouth curves in amusement. He strips his shirt off, revealing the smooth muscles of his abs. Now every bit of his upper half is exposed.
“Do you trust me?” I ask.
Naruto shrugs. “Sure. I put my dick in your mouth. What’s more trusting than that?”
“Great. Bend over.” I place my hand between his shoulder blades and press down. Naruto is already on his knees, so it’s easy to lean forward to his forearms. He rests his head on the mattress.
For a moment I admire his ass, pointing high in the air.
His whole body is muscled and toned, but his backside is especially nice to view. His waist is a shade paler from not seeing the sunlight. The way his body narrows above his hips is beautiful. A perfect place to grab on.
I run an admiring hand over the curve of his butt, warm and firm beneath my touch, then pull his pants and underwear all the way down to his knees.
I give his ass a playful smack.
Naruto shivers a little in the cool air and at the sudden sting. “Hey!” he protests.
“Shh.” I rub out the pink mark on his buttcheek. “Just relax. I think you’ll like this.” I grab his hips and align myself from behind. My cock hardens in anticipation.
I gently stroke his ass again, my other hand keeps a firm hold on his hip. It’s a nice view, looking down at the tan skin of his back. The moonlight reflects every plane and shadow just right. I admire the curve of his shoulder blades, and the soft glow from his golden hair.
He is beautiful. He always was.
“Um, Sasuke?” His voice is quiet. “I’ve never done this before.”
“Neither have I...”
Naruto’s confession is soft and vulnerable. I cannot help but match him.
“You make me want to try,” he says.
I caress his backside, then gently slip my thumb down the crack, and circle his tight opening. The skin is taut and firm there. Naruto groans as I graze sensitive nerve endings.
It’s not his only reaction. His cock twitches, the tip brushes against the knuckles of my hand, the one resting on his hip. I reach down and stroke him. He is hard again.
“You’re hard,” I whisper, giving him a squeeze. Naruto sucks in a breath. He likes it when I graze beneath his shaft, and tease the soft skin between his balls.
“I recover quickly,” Naruto murmurs.
“Impressive. This must be the legendary power of the bijuu.”
“We have great stamina, too.” Naruto says with a cheeky grin. He pushes his rear against my hand in emphasis.
I give a quiet laugh, but press a little harder, massaging and stroking with more force. That shuts him up. Naruto shoves his face into a pillow with another groan. He grips the corners of the pillow tight.
“Fuck. That feels good.” He flexes his hips in and out, pushing his hard cock into my hand with one movement, then pressing his ass against my thumb with the next.
My mouth falls slightly open as I watch the erotic movement of Naruto’s hips and hear his moans.
“Should we try this?” I ask.
“Yes,” he says.
That’s all I need to hear. I stop massaging. He feels softer and more pliant than before.
I line up our hips. My cock hardens with sweet anticipation. I’m slick from precum and arousal, and rubbing the head against his ass sends sparks flying into my vision. The feel of skin against skin is so delicious.
I grind against him for a few wonderful moments, imagining what it will be like when I’m inside. My grip tightens around his hips.
I spit into my hand and rub my cock for extra lubrication. I’m panting now with desire, firmly gripping Naruto’s hip with one hand while guiding my length to his opening with the other.
Naruto is quiet during this moment. He sucks in a breath and tenses.
“Relax,” I urge with a whisper. It has some effect, because Naruto’s back and shoulders visibly lower from released tension.
I slowly press the head of my cock forward, feeling the tightness and resistance of Naruto’s body. When the tip finally pushes in, we both hold our breath.
“How’s that?” I ask.
Naruto considers for a moment, holding still. “Strange... but not bad.”
I grip him hard. My fingers leave indents on his hips. It takes all my self-control not to slam into him
“God, you’re so tight…” I hiss. Together we slowly rock our hips. I pull back a little, then push in, going a little deeper each time.
The first time I roll my hips this way, Naruto moans.
“Oh, fuck,” he says. “I think I know why people like this.”
“Mm.” My mind goes blank except for the exquisite sensation of Naruto. His warm smooth skin and firm body beneath my hands. That tight heat. We move in and out, pushing deeper and deeper. Time slows. I’m halfway in... then more... then fully sheathed. We rest like that for a moment. Naruto’s firm ass grazes the front of my hip bones.
His body is so tight around me. Tight and warm, and impossibly good.
I sigh, releasing a breath I didn’t know I was holding.
He makes a pretty sight, too. Pinned down and submissive to my movements. I pull out then slowly thrust into him again, pushing him forward into the mattress. I place a hand on his lower back, guiding his motions against me.
“Sasuke,” Naruto says, “keep hitting that spot. That feels really good.”
I angle my hips and obey. Naruto grinds back, our bodies move as one.
I gently stroke his hip, then reach around to grab his erect cock, giving a squeeze. Naruto whimpers at this assault on his senses.
“Do you like that, little fox?” I place kisses on his lower spine. He shivers at the touch of my open mouth.
I stroke him more, loving the feel of his body around me, and how he reacts to my squeezing and stroking. Every shiver and tremble sends new pleasure down my cock, especially when I’m deep inside.
“You’re so tight,” I say.
“Don’t stop,” Naruto moans. He’s begging, pushing his face into the pillow, gripping so tight his knuckles are white.
We find a rhythm and I fuck him harder. Enough to fill the room with sound. It’s almost the intensity I want. Every thrust feels so good. Far better than any wet dream or fantasy.
“Naruto, you feel so good.” My eyes slide shut as those sparks of pleasure slip into my vision again. I can’t focus anymore and can only hold onto his waist.
“Sasuke… don’t stop.”
I pick up the pace. When I open my eyes again, I see the damp perspiration on his skin, feel his body warm and tight around me, and hear his little moans. He’s whispering my name, over and over again like a prayer. “Sasuke… Sasuke…”
The sight is too much. I realize my sharingan has been activated and captures the scene in surreal detail. I buck in earnest now, no longer holding back, knowing the end is near.
It’s impossible to hold out any longer. Not when it feels so good. Not when he feels so tight and keeps moaning like that.
“Fuck.” The pleasure spikes and sparks fill my vision. I pull out as my balls tighten. Not a moment too soon—hot euphoria rips through my body.
My cock twitches hard, spilling my seed over Naruto’s backside in warm, white spurts. I double over, groaning from the long orgasm, as my cock continues to twitch in my hand, spurting more white droplets over his tan skin.
I’m not the only one. Naruto whimpers, urgently stroking and pumping his cock. He is still face down, but I see his bent elbow moving as he bucks and fucks his grip. “Sasuke… Sasuke…” he squirms and begs to himself. Finally, Naruto tenses with a helpless groan. His body twitches as he comes into his hand spilling onto the mattress. I see his body tremble with spasm. His mouth open with pleasure.
He goes limp, and is quite the sight with my spilled seed on his backside, and his semen beneath him.
“You’re a mess,” I say. I kiss his shoulder, then run my hand through his golden locks, which is damp from perspiration. “I think someone had fun.”
He cracks an eye open. “You’re one to talk. Look at you… you’re all glowing. Bastard.”
I sigh and collapse next to him in bed. It feels good to lie down. All of my muscles relax, perfectly tired but content.
Naruto wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me into another cuddle. Small tremors of post-orgasm prickle and shiver through our bodies. Of course… he is a cuddler. It’s strange to sleep this close to someone, but not unwelcome.
The fragrance of Naruto’s soap washes over me. His body is warm and supple, and wonderfully relaxed.
The moonlight fills the room, and the soft sound of crickets chorus from outside. In the stillness, I realize there are cherry blossom petals on the mattress, probably fallen from our clothes.
I see the moon bracelet hanging from Naruto’s wrist. It brings me satisfaction to see this small, familiar token brand him. He is mine.
Without thinking, I reach for his hand, gently placing mine over his. Now my sun bracelet is within view, too. A perfect match. In this small way, we wordlessly claim each other.
As we drift to sleep, a glow of happiness fills my chest.
Naruto’s groggy voice reaches my ear, soft and close. “Do you think the neighbors heard us?”
“Mm. The whole world could hear you.”
In the darkness, I imagine his ears flushing pink. “It’s your fault. You’re the one who couldn’t stop sucking my dick and shoving your cock into my ass.”
I smile, feeling entirely too smug. After a moment of thought, my curiosity creeps through. “Did it feel good?” I ask quietly.
“Wait and see. Next time will be your turn.”
His words are both a threat and a promise. As we drift to sleep, I think I like the sound of that.
The next morning is unforgiving for Team 7.
We assemble outside the inn. The sun is higher than normal, indicating that we all failed our dawn alarm, which doesn’t come from a clock, but from years of honing our bodies to rise with the sun.
We are in various stages of hangover and recovery. Sakura wears sunglasses and her hair is unkempt, which is exceptional for a ninja who takes such pride in being put together.
Kakashi’s hair is also unkempt, but that’s not exceptional. His appearance is mostly the same, except he doesn’t carry his book because his head aches too much to read, and there's subtle malice radiating from his posture.
Naruto and I manage a haphazard cleaning at the inn’s washroom, enough to rub the stink of booze and sex off us, although we probably wouldn’t hold up to close scrutiny.
Naruto walks stiffly, like someone who is sore all over. His clothes are wrinkled and untidy.
I’m probably not much better, but the team is mercifully tired and distracted today.
We are subdued as we walk out of town. A pink bear plushie pokes out of Sakura’s travel pack. I remember to grab my goldfish as we head out. The plastic bag sits on the table we abandoned the night before. Fortunately, no one kidnapped the newest member of the Uchiha clan. Perhaps the villagers are also recovering from last night’s festivities, or are too terrified to steal from ninjas.
“You’re really going to carry that all the way?” Naruto asks. His voice is rough with sleep.
“All the way,” I say, simply.
Naruto grins. For once he is reticent as he turns back around, keeping his eyes to the road.
Sakura and Kakashi walk ahead, distracted and engulfed by their hangover malaise. They quietly talk about directions as the map rustles between them in the breeze. Their words are lost beneath trilling bird calls.
An earthy scent of life and flowers fills the calm spring morning. The sunlight feels warm and bright.
His hand brushes mine, a gentle touch that entangles fingers.
I smile.