—Sasuke, he’s in the forest.
A silver-haired man watched intently as the small Uchiha sat on the hospital bed, still recovering from the Chunin exams and the painful bite he received.
On his pale shoulder, a curse mark shone; the scar was so fresh that the black ink could still be seen on it.
—They won’t let me out —Sasuke spoke as he shifted on the bed.
He wanted to leave this damn place; the bland smell and white color were making him feel more dizzy than the curse itself. The same nurse kept coming in, only checking his vitals and then leaving.
—I’ll distract them —Kakashi said, standing up to go find the nurse who would be entering the room in a few minutes.
Sasuke put on his jacket and sandals. Just as he was about to jump out of the window, Kakashi spoke again:
—He thinks you’ll let him go.
Sasuke clenched his hand and jumped, moving from roof to roof. He had to see him; he had to feel his presence, his vitality.
He veered toward the forest, easily jumping over the fence and walking for a few minutes until he found him.
He was leaning against the roots of a tree, eyes closed, his chest rising and falling with each breath; he was deeply asleep.
Sasuke approached quietly, not intending to wake him. He sat down beside him and watched. Naruto's eyelashes brushed against his tanned cheeks, and the little freckles on each cheek gave him a cute touch. But what stood out without a doubt were his bright blue eyes, now hidden from the world—better that way.
Sasuke knew and believed that the world did not deserve to see Naruto’s eyes; the village and its inhabitants didn’t deserve him. They would never deserve the blonde with blue eyes.
And sometimes he thought he didn’t deserve Naruto’s attention and affection either, but there must have been something good he did in his past life to be rewarded with this boy overflowing with energy.
He reached out his hand to gently caress the younger boy's face, who stirred a few seconds later and opened his precious eyes.
—Sasuke —he called sleepily, rubbing his eyes to see better.
—Yes, Naruto, it’s me —he replied.
—I thought they wouldn’t let you out yet —the blonde adjusted himself until he was sitting against the tree—. Don’t tell me you escaped. Did you?
Sasuke smiled; there was his Naruto—the Naruto who knew him like the back of his hand, who recognized every gesture, word, and look from him. The one who understood him and saw beyond his fame as the last Uchiha.
The blue-eyed boy sighed at receiving Sasuke’s response and shook his head in exasperation. Sasuke scolded him for being reckless, and he wasn’t exactly a good example either.
—Kakashi is also to blame; he helped me.
—Of course it had to be Kakashi-sensei.
After that, they stayed in silence for a few minutes until Naruto spoke again:
—Shikamaru told me you were leaving and that I had to face it.
Sasuke frowned at just thinking about abandoning Naruto; it tightened his chest. The Uzumaki was all his happiness.
He reached for Naruto’s hand and intertwined their fingers, giving a small squeeze.
—I won’t leave you, Naruto.
Naruto let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding as they moved closer until their sides touched. He rested his head on Sasuke's shoulder.
—I was scared, Sasuke, of losing you, of never seeing you again —Naruto whispered as he turned his face to look at Sasuke.
Naruto, you are my everything: my friend, my life, my happiness—you are my whole world he lifted his other hand to caress Naruto's tanned cheek. I would rather die than abandon you; you mean everything to me. Do you understand?
As they brought their foreheads together, Sasuke reveled in those crystal blue eyes looking at him with love and adoration. In that moment, it felt like his heart might burst; his breath became shaky.
“I believe you, Sasuke, you are everything to me,” whispered Naruto, before placing a small kiss on his lips.
As they separated, the blue-eyed one gifted him a beautiful smile that warmed his icy heart. Naruto leaned back against his shoulder and closed his eyes.
He still remembers the moment when Naruto rescued him, the night when his clan fell at the hands of his brother. Everything was red; he ran and ran until he reached the forest.
From one of the bushes, a boy with golden hair jumped out, shining in the moonlight, and there he realized he had been saved by those beautiful blue eyes.
They learned to live together; Sasuke took him in to live with him. They had arguments, but they always made up because they only had each other. It was them together against the world.
How could Naruto even think that he would leave him? That he would abandon the only happiness in his life?
He would rather take his own life than leave his boy. The Uzumaki had become his only purpose; Itachi could wait, but Naruto could not. He would always be first in everything, his essential priority.
Naruto Uzumaki was his light, the sun in his life of darkness, and he would always be the shadow, protecting and adoring the sun with his life.
They were the sun and its shadow.