give me a week
He was leaving Konoha.
Again.
Naruto and Sasuke stood at the gates to the Hidden Leaf, the former clad in a casual white tee and his usual orange pants, while the latter was wrapped in a dark cloak, gently blowing in the soft breeze.
“Why are you leaving? You just got out of prison! Don’t you want to, I don’t know, see what’s changed about the Leaf since you’ve been gone??” Naruto was angry, he had just gotten Sasuke back, and had one out of two arms left to show for it.
“I already told you, I need to atone for my sins. I’ve spent so much of my life consumed by darkness, and I need to go see the world through clear eyes.” Sasuke replied, keeping his irritation out of his voice. Trying to, atleast. Naruto could see, with aching familiarity, the way Sasuke’s eyebrow twitched. He knew it was what he did when he was trying to control the annoyance in his tone. After all these years, and Naruto still knew when Sasuke was bullshitting him.
“Sasuke, come on. You’re being really dramatic and philosophical, just come home. You can see Ichiraku’s perfectly fine with those eyes of yours.” Naruto jokes, getting desperate. Sasuke’s hair ruffled in the breeze, moving out of the way of his sharp eyes. Eyes that seemed to pierce Naruto in half, analyzing everything he did. More potent now than when they were kids, now that Sasuke had his Rinnegan.
"I've already talked to Kakashi about this. I'll be reporting back to him every 2 weeks, I'll still be a leaf ninja reporting back to his Hokage. I'm not a rogue ninja anymore. You can't stop me." Sasuke turned to leave, looking back at Naruto. Naruto could have sworn there was something in Sasuke's expression. A small flicker of indecision, a subtle hint of doubt that maybe he wasn't actually making the right decision.
Impulsively, Naruto's (remaining) arm shot out, grabbing Sasuke's (also remaining) arm. The contact felt strange, as it was probably the first contact they had shared that wasn't made with the intent of violence. Almost all of their interactions, even as younger genin, out of violence. Sasuke's elbow would jab Naruto's ribs if he sat too close. Naruto would stamp Sasuke's foot during training, earning a scolding from Sakura. Violence, the most common language of man, lacing every interaction.
But Naruto's hand grasping Sasuke's arm was not meant to hurt. It was a lifeline.
"Let me come with you." Naruto blurted out. It was on his mind, for sure, since Sasuke first said he was leaving. But to actually ask it? To leave his precious village behind? He looked at Sasuke, the weight of his past clearly weighing down on him. Naruto knew how it felt, to feel something so heavy and debilitating, and have anyone to shoulder the weight with. He didn't want that for Sasuke, not after everything he went through to get Sasuke back.
Sasuke looked at their connected limbs, obviously taken aback. "No."
"Please. I just--" Naruto paused, frustrated. His emotions were making his tongue lead in his mouth, and he usually didn't have a problem speaking his mind to anyone. But this was Sasuke. His best friend, who has tried to kill him more times than he had fingers left, and had almost led to the destruction of the Ninja world. He knew, on some level, Sasuke didn't deserve his unwavering loyalty.
But he had it regardless. No matter what, he would always have Sasuke's back. It was what friends did, right?
"I just got you back. I don't... want to lose you again."
Sasuke faltered at Naruto's words, and then steeled his glare. "You seemed to be just fine without me for this long. You can last a bit more time. Stop being so pathetic," Sasuke snapped, shrugging off Naruto's hand.
"Then give me one week," Naruto declared, demanding more than asking. His blue eyes seemed to burn with determination. "Give me one week to travel with you. If I don't change your mind by then, I'll come back to Konoha. If I do, well, we'll be coming back here together." He reached out his hand, another peace offering. Why do I keep touching him?
He stared at Naruto's outstretched hand. Naruto hoped Sasuke didn't notice how much he was shaking. He didn't realize it until now, but Sasuke leaving again would tear open every wound he had been trying to heal, all of them forming a "Sasuke Uchiha" shaped hole in his heart. Woah, where did that thought come from?
Sasuke sighed, at last taking Naruto's hand. "Fine. One week. Once the week is up, you're not seeing my face again."
Naruto's heart lept, the relief nearly bringing him to his knees. "I need to tell Kakashi-sensei, and then we're out of here. You'll have to wait for me here so I can, y'know, go do that." He let go of Sasuke's hand, noticing with an uncomfortable level of awareness, that Sasuke's hands were colder than he was expecting.
His new travel companion instantly frowned, the delay of his journey making him reconsider his decision. Naruto spun around, running at full speed back into the village, high-tailing it for the Hokage's office.
Naruto didn't know it, but as Sasuke watched him leave in a trail of dust, a small ghost of a smile traced his lips.