ReWrite The Stars (NaruSasu)

Mutual Protection

[3308 words]

Team 7 and Tazuna row on a boat heading over to the land of waves. While Kakashi, Sakura and Tazuna talk about the mission and about how dire the situation truly is, Naruto and Sasuke are sitting towards the back of the boat. Sasuke stares at Naruto up and down, lost in his thoughts. He can't understand why Naruto has this healing ability. The more he tries to comprehend how he got it or where it came from he wonders if Naruto even knows himself that he has this uncanny ability.

Naruto notices Sasuke staring at him and kinda gives him a dirty look. Naruto still has sassiness and pettiness towards Sasuke that he can't get rid of because of the way he pushed him away again.

"What you staring at?"

Sasuke just looks away pouting and blushing trying his hardest to look for an excuse.

"Oh shut up. I was just thinking that's all."

Naruto looks at Sasuke a little confused but also curious.  He tried to ignore it because he doesn't even want to speak to Sasuke in the first place, but it was already too late for that since his curiosity got the best of him.

"What were you thinking bout?"

Sasuke shoots his head back over to look at Naruto. He's kinda shocked that Naruto actually wants to have a conversation. He can't tell him, or at least he doesn't think he can, especially not right now. He feels a conversation like that should be saved for another time. Since they're on a very dangerous mission all he wants to do is stay focused to protect himself and Naruto.

"It's none of your business dobe."

Naruto glares at Sasuke all in his face growling then putting his fist up at him. As he says his next words he feels tempted to yell but doesn't. He hears the others having a conversation and he doesn't want them getting interrupted by his yelling. In reality, Naruto would rather keep whatever him and Sasuke are talking about to be between them.

"If it's none of my business then why the hell were you staring at me while thinking it huh?!"

Sasuke smirks finding the perfect way to revert Naruto in the other direction of this conversation. As he leans in he tries to make him forget all about what he was thinking.

"Why are YOU whispering huh?"

Naruto shyly backs up a little but Sasuke's face is still inches away looking deeply into his eyes. Naruto looks down at Sasuke's mouth seeing his smirk causing his eyes to jump back up to Sasuke's onyx ones.

"Oh I get it, you want to keep what we're talking about just between us huh? like our.. little.. secret."

This automatically causes Naruto to slightly blush and softly push Sasuke's face away from his.

"Ugh just forget it, a jerk that doesn't understand personal space would never tell me anyways."

Sasuke just chuckles seeing Naruto get all flustered, he never gets enough at making Naruto be all embarrassed because of him.

A few 10-15 minutes pass by in silence between them once again, with Sasuke still deep in thought. In the end, the little interactions between them both from here on out, are only drops of happiness for him. He still completely refuses to let himself get close to Naruto.

The thing is, Now he's starting to realize that it could be more than because he doesn't want to sacrifice him for power, but also because Naruto could be a great weakness to him that he just can not afford.

In the goal he needs to achieve, he can not have any weaknesses whatsoever. So if having small little interactions with Naruto while keeping him at a distance is what he needs to do to get stronger, then he'll do it, he'll do whatever needs to be done. Maybe even give his own life if need be.