[That nudge earns the young man a huge, conspiratorial grin. Since childhood, Sasuke has rarely tolerated physical affection; for him to now return it, even in so small a gesture, lights up the darkest corridors of Naruto’s troubled mind. Though they may not be soulmates by Netherworld definition, the presence of his best friend now chases away the corrupting influence of the shadow just as effectively. For the moment, the jinchūriki can breathe without the hot press of old anger and resentment bearing down upon him like the wrath of the midday summer sun. For the moment, he can simply be himself. No, more than merely himself—with Sasuke by his side, Naruto is whole again. This is how it was always meant to be between them, he thinks. Together, in every sense of the word.

ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴇᴛ ʜᴇ ᴀʟʟᴏᴡᴇᴅ sᴀsᴜᴋᴇ ᴛᴏ ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇ—ɴᴏᴛ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴋᴏɴᴏʜᴀ, ʙᴜᴛ ɴᴀʀᴜᴛᴏ ᴛᴏᴏ. ᴛᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇʏ ʜᴀᴅ ᴀɢʀᴇᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ᴀ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ sʜɪɴᴏʙɪ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ, ᴀ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪsᴇ sᴇᴀʟᴇᴅ ɪɴ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴇᴀʀs. ɪғ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍ ᴛᴏᴏᴋ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴏɴ ᴅɪғғᴇʀᴇɴᴛ ᴘᴀᴛʜs ɪɴ ʟɪғᴇ, ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ᴡᴀs ɪᴛ? ғᴏʀ sᴀsᴜᴋᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛʀᴀᴠᴇʟ ᴀʟᴏɴᴇ, ғᴏʀ ɴᴀʀᴜᴛᴏ ᴛᴏ ᴛʀᴀɪɴ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍᴇ ʜᴏᴋᴀɢᴇ ᴀʟᴏɴᴇ... ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴡʀᴏɴɢ. ᴀʟʟ ᴡʀᴏɴɢ. ALL WRONG.

Naruto tunes out the inner voice trying to sow the seeds of chaos and strife. With a companionable squeeze in parting, he releases Sasuke’s wrist and then takes a seat on a log set before the fire. The heat generated by the crackling flames feels good on his skin, even as some of the fading bruising at his collarbones shies from the light.]

Like it…? [he echoes after a time, distracted. Something within him aggressively answers very much so, but Naruto can’t be sure what it’s in reaction to. Eventually, his gaze follows the mismatched pair to his hand.] Oh, ha! It’s good. Spicer than it looks. Want some?

[Unaware that his friend has already partook in the fruit, he offers up the remains now.]

C’monnn, try it! Betcha you’ll like it too. Or are my germs too much for ya?