Hiraeth

Sasuke smiled, embrace on Gaara tightening slightly. He closed his eyes and sighed contentedly. This was nice. This was how it was supposed to be. Gaara in his arms, safe and sound. Now all he had to do was wait for Gaara to come back to earth and they could talk.

God, it felt nice to hold him. They had never met in person before this year but he had helped calm Gaara down plenty of times before over video call or chat.

He allowed the anger he felt when he saw Lee and Gaara alone together on the roof wash away. Obviously Lee had said something to set Gaara off and hadn’t been able to help. Typical.

He was right, he knew he was. He was the only one who could handle Gaara, the only who could understand him. Gaara needed him, and he took solace in that, and soon all aforementioned anger was gone.

He absentmindedly played with a lock of Gaara’s hair, twirling the strands between his fingers and marveling at how soft they were. Just like he had imagined.

He let his hand rest softly on Gaara’s head, rubbing it comfortingly as he felt the boy stir, plastering a peacefully neutral expression on his face.

He heard him exhale shakily before tensing, evidently just realizing someone was holding him. He peered up, eyes blown wide as he realized it was Sasuke.

“Sasuke? What-”

Sasuke shushed him, subtly bringing the boy closer into his warmth and lightly resting their foreheads together.

“Hey, Mr. Subaku man.” He whispered, making sure to speak in the soft tones he always did when they were kids, knowing it would make Gaara calm.

Make Gaara see reason and come back to him.

Gaara didn’t speak, eyes softening at the tone and the nickname. “Sasuke...Ughiha,” he mumbled, eyes casting downwards. Sasuke grinned, and he knew in that moment he had him. “Where’s... where’s Lee?”

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed, good mood ruined. Right as he was about to say something he’s regret a light went off in his head and he sighed in fake disappointment. “He left.”

Gaara’s eyes snapped back up to him, mouth opening before Sasuke continued.

“He was leaving as I came up on the roof. Knocked into my shoulder too. He told me he couldn’t deal with it.” Sasuke shook his head in disgust. “Didn’t want to watch you ‘freak out.’”

Gaara let out a small strangled noise, something in his eyes breaking as a single tear built up in his eye. Sasuke shushed him again, wiping the tear away and pulling the boy closer to his chest. “It was disgusting.” He took a moment, pretending to think about something. “Guess I was right after all when I told you he was just using you, huh?”

Gaara didn’t say anything, but let his hands curl around Sasuke’s shirt. Sasuke raised an eyebrow, placing a hand under Gaara’s chin and tilting his head up so their eyes could meet. “He didn’t care about you. You know I was right, don’t you? You know I’m the only one who can handle you. I understand you, Gaara. You know that, right?”

Gaara didn’t break the eye contact, gulping slightly before nodding.

Sasuke smiled, cocking his head to the side and nodding back at him. “Good.”

And then, smile widening, he kissed Gaara sweetly. The boy didn’t reciprocate the kiss but he didn’t pull back, and Sasuke considered that a victory. It wasn’t exactly what he hoped their first kiss would be like, but it was a start.