26: The Feelings He Won't Name (Naruto's POV)

Naruto's heart was unclear, he never really thought much about feelings.

Not like that, anyway.

Love? Romance? That stuff was always somewhere in the background—something other people dealt with. Something he figured would just happen when the time was right.

And yet—

Lately, when he looked at Sasuke…

Something felt off.

Not in the bad way. Not in the we-might-have-to-fight-to-the-death-again way.

Just… off.

Like there was something there, just outside his reach. Something in the way Sasuke's gaze lingered a little too long. Something in the way he stood closer than necessary, always just within arm's reach.

Something in the way he looked at him—

Like Naruto was the only thing that mattered.

And it wasn't just now. When Naruto really thought about it, it had always been there—hidden beneath insults, buried under years of rivalry, mixed in with all the times Sasuke chose him, over and over again, even when he had no reason to.

Even back when they were kids.

Even after everything.

"Tch. Worth it."

Naruto had said it without thinking. Without hesitation.

Giving up his place in the world, his family, his legacy—it should have been devastating. But Sasuke had been standing there, real and solid and alive, and that had been enough.

And Sasuke… Sasuke had looked at him like—

Like Naruto was a fool. Like Naruto was everything.

And now, Naruto didn't know what to do with that.

He wasn't dumb. He wasn't oblivious.

He just didn't know what it meant.

Did Sasuke…? No. That couldn't be it. Right?

Sasuke wasn't like that. Was he?

Naruto wasn't sure what he was supposed to feel about it.

So, for now, he did what he always did.

He ignored it.

Pushed it aside.

Buried it under the usual grin, the teasing, the normal.

But even so—

Even when he wasn't looking—

He could still feel Sasuke watching him.

Like a presence he would never be able to shake.

Like a shadow that would follow him to the ends of the earth.

And Naruto wasn't sure if he wanted to outrun it—

Or let it catch him.

Naruto had been restless all night.

He lay on the roof of the abandoned Uchiha compound, arms behind his head, staring up at the sky.

The stars flickered, distant and untouchable, and he thought about how time had stolen him away from everything he once knew.

The village no longer remembered him. His family, his friends, the life he'd built—gone.

But Sasuke was here.

And somehow, that was enough to keep him from completely falling apart.

Which… was weird, right?

Naruto exhaled sharply and rubbed at his face.

Everything felt different now.

Not just because of the time mess. Not just because they were stuck in this weird limbo between existence and erasure.

It was Sasuke.

The way he acted. The way he looked at him.

It was subtle—Sasuke was a master at keeping things locked away—but Naruto wasn't stupid.

He wasn't the same idiot kid who needed things spelled out for him anymore. He'd seen things, lived through enough betrayals and losses to recognize when someone was holding something back.

And Sasuke was definitely holding something back.

Naruto turned his head slightly.

Sasuke was a few feet away, sitting cross-legged on the roof, his sword resting against his shoulder. He wasn't watching the sky. He wasn't looking at the village.

He was looking at him.

Not in the usual way. Not like before.

This was different.

A quiet kind of watching. Unreadable, steady, like Sasuke was trying to commit every part of him to memory.

And maybe he was.

Maybe Sasuke still didn't trust that Naruto wouldn't disappear on him again.

Or maybe—

Naruto swallowed, suddenly uneasy.

Maybe it was something else.

He turned back toward the sky.

His stomach felt… weird.

Not bad. Just unfamiliar.

Like something was shifting inside him, something he wasn't ready to name.

And if he wasn't ready—

Then it didn't exist.

Simple as that.

"Oi." Naruto forced his voice to sound normal. "You ever gonna say whatever's on your mind, or you just gonna stare at me all night?"

Sasuke didn't look away.

"Hn. You'd just be too dumb to understand."

Naruto scowled and sat up, his earlier unease shoved aside by irritation. "Oh, screw you, bastard. I can understand just fine."

"Then figure it out yourself."

Naruto's mouth opened—then closed.

Because for once, Sasuke wasn't saying it to be a smug asshole.

He was challenging him.

Like he wanted Naruto to see.

Like he was waiting.

Naruto's chest felt tight.

He looked away, scratching the back of his head.

"Tch. Whatever."

Sasuke let out a quiet breath. Not quite a sigh, but close.

But he didn't push. He never did.

Naruto should've been relieved.

So why did he feel like he'd just run away from something..?

Naruto hadn't meant to fall asleep.

The night air was cool against his skin, the roof beneath him solid and familiar, and somewhere in the distance, Sasuke's quiet breathing reminded him that he wasn't alone.

He let himself relax.

Let himself drift.

And then—

He dreamed.

It started as a memory.

The Valley of the End.

Sasuke stood across from him, rain pouring between them, thunder shaking the heavens.

"This is my path, Naruto. You can't stop me."

Naruto had heard those words before. But this time—this time, he didn't answer with a defiant roar.

This time, Sasuke stepped forward.

The rain blurred the edges of his face, his eyes sharp, unreadable.

"Why do you chase me?"

Naruto swallowed. His heartbeat was loud in his ears.

"You already know why."

Sasuke studied him. Then, slowly, he reached out—fingers brushing against Naruto's cheek, tracing the scars there.

Naruto's breath caught.

This wasn't right. This wasn't—

But his body didn't listen.

Heat crawled up his spine. His pulse thrummed. The rain should have been cold, but Sasuke's touch burned.

"You never stop looking at me like that." Sasuke's voice was low, rough. "Like you still want me to stay."

Naruto clenched his fists.

"I—"

But Sasuke didn't let him finish.

The space between them disappeared.

And then—

Their lips met.

Naruto's world shattered.

The dream twisted. The battlefield blurred into something else—something darker, something warmer.

Fingers in his hair. A body pressing him down. Lips moving against his, firm, insistent.

Naruto gasped against Sasuke's mouth, heat pooling low in his stomach, his hands gripping at something, someone—

And then—

He woke up.

Hard.

Panting.

Sasuke was still nearby, completely unaware, the faint glow of dawn casting shadows across his face.

Naruto wanted to scream.

Instead, he slapped a hand over his face and cursed into his palm.

What the hell was that?!

Why the hell did it feel real?!

Naruto squeezed his eyes shut, willing his heart to stop trying to punch its way out of his chest.

"No. Nope. Not happening. Never happened."

He was not thinking about this.

He was not letting some stupid dream mess with his head.

And he was definitely not looking at Sasuke's sleeping face and wondering—

Naruto groaned and rolled onto his stomach, shoving his face into his arms.

This was Sasuke.

His rival. His best friend.

It didn't mean anything.

It couldn't.

Right?