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Naruto’s a tactile person. Sasuke’s been making observations about this for the six months he’s been back in the village. He knows now that when Team 7 had just been formed and before Sasuke left for revenge, Naruto did not seem to understand how to interact with others. He seemed to not know what he wanted from people other than their attention. Sasuke thinks it’s because he didn’t have anyone to learn that from. But twenty year old Naruto seems to have figured out that he likes physical contact. He embraces it by hugging Iruka, Kakashi and Sakura, by throwing his arm around Shikamaru’s shoulder, by ruffling Konohamaru’s hair, by linking arms with Gaara and that’s not even half of it.
What bugs Sasuke about this is that Naruto never touches him. He’d like to think he’s just as important to Naruto as Naruto is to him but the only time Sasuke gets a taste of this exclusive touches is when they are sparring. Painful and not enough.
The thing is Sasuke’s twenty now and he’d like to think he’s grown as a person. He’s not that little kid who almost killed the most important person he has left in this world. He walked around the world and learnt how to process his emotions in a healthy way. He learnt about things he wanted other than avenging. Things he finally allowed himself to want. So he knows that he might be a little touch starved. Knows that he can work on that by allowing people to touch him. The problem with that though is that he doesn’t really want anyone to touch him. Anyone but Naruto that is. But Naruto doesn’t seem to want to do it, so that’s that. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t bug him.
—
Then Sasuke notices that it’s not that Naruto doesn’t want to touch him, it’s that he’s actively stopping himself from doing so. He walks next to Sasuke but once their shoulders brush, he pulls away to walk even further than he was before. He goes to throw an arm round Sasuke but drops it like he’s been burned. He‘s this close to hugging Sasuke but ends up putting his hands behind his head instead. Sasuke knows it could still be that Naruto just doesn’t want to touch him, but then it could also be that Naruto maybe thinks Sasuke doesn’t want to be touched. He really hopes it’s the latter as he nervously plans in his head how he’ll maybe sort of initiate contact to see how that fares.
With how Naruto’s perceptive towards touches, he knows even a brush of fingers might do the job so the next time he’s with Naruto, he brushes his knuckles along Naruto’s arm to get him to listen to him. Sasuke’s neck gets so red that he doesn’t think he’ll ever do this again but he really wants to try. He wants the little touches not to look like an accident and so he does it two more times he wants to get his attention. His knuckles feel like they’re on fire, like they’ll never forget the feel of Naruto’s soft warm skin. Like he’ll always have this phantom feeling to remind him of Naruto.
For a while he thinks Naruto hasn’t noticed, but then when Naruto gravitates closer to Sasuke, he doesn’t push himself away and Sasuke really has to fight to hide his smile. When he finally goes to bed that night though, he lets himself grin so wide that he wonders how he’d react if Naruto actually touched him.
So the following days he gets braver. When Naruto sits, he sits right next him leaving close to no space between them and lets Naruto close the distance. Which he does, their sides pressed together from arm to thighs and he goes home feeling warm all over. When they walk side by side, Sasuke walks close enough for their arms to brush against each other and Naruto doesn’t pull away. He uses his fingers to get Naruto’s attention. Either by tapping him softy, or poking his whiskered cheeks or tugging his hair a bit and Naruto smiles so brightly and stays close to him for the rest of their time together that day. It’s overwhelming and yet not enough. Naruto has yet to initiate contact and Sasuke really hopes he will.
—
They are at Naruto’s apartment when,
“Can I touch you?” Naruto sounds nervous in the silence lingering after they’ve eaten their fill of Ramen.
“W-What?” Sasuke’s heart thumps so loud he’s scared Naruto can hear it. He wants to know if he’s heard right. If this is really happening.
“Uh...” he scratches his chin “I figured out a while back that I like feeling close to people and I also know some people don’t like their personal space being invaded. Um so I usually ask if it’s okay to do so.”
“Oh,” Sasuke lets out nervously. So that’s why.
“You don’t like being touched by other people. So I just assumed you’d say no but you’ve been...,” Naruto shrugs wringing his fingers. He didn’t know that the acknowledgment of his actions would feel so nice.
“Where?” Sasuke finally lets out.
“What?” Naruto looks at him.
“Touch me where?” He clarifies.
“Uh ...everywhere.” Naruto says softly and Sasuke stops breathing.
“Yes.” He answers way too quickly but he doesn’t care. He wants to see what everywhere means to Naruto without asking for clarification.
Naruto smiles at him then slips his fingers between Sasuke’s and pulls him from the Dining table towards the couch. He plops down and proceeds to pull Sasuke on top of him.
Sasuke’s pretty sure he’s breathing irregularly now. This is really how he’s going to die, he knows it. Sitting on Naruto’s lap with legs either side of him and trembling like a leaf. A year ago he would not have thought this possible. Heck just yesterday this would’ve been unlikely to him. In his head he’s always imagined Naruto on his lap, not the other way round. But he’s also imagined himself making a move first so he really should have known better.
He wants to ask Naruto if this is him making a move when Naruto pulls him into a hug and Sasuke just melts. A pile of goo right on Naruto’s lap, his body reacting on it’s own accord and his mind racing. Nothing can ever describe how good it feels to have Naruto touch him like this. Even his imagination couldn’t come close to recreating this ...this lovely feeling that filling him up. For the first time in a while, he relaxes and lets himself be consumed by the warm sunniness that’s Naruto.
He wraps his hand so tight around him that he’s shocked that Naruto doesn’t complain, this instead acts as an invitation for Naruto to nuzzle his neck. Sasuke loves it. Loves hugging him, Loves being on Naruto’s lap, Loves how Naruto’s hands are running down his back, Loves how Naruto asked for permission to touch him. Sasuke loves Naruto. He loves him so much it’s overwhelming. He never wants to wake up from this dream.
“I’ve always wanted to touch you Sasuke,” Naruto whispers on his neck and Sasuke just hugs tighter trying to process that this is really happening. In the back of his mind he wonders if Naruto does this with anyone else. He doesn’t know how he’d react if he hears that Naruto is cuddling Gaara on the side but he has to know so he asks,
“Do-do you touch everyone like this?” His voice sounds croaky like he’s on the verge of tears because of course this would affect him to this extent. Naruto’s hands are creeping under his shirt now. Leaving hot trails down his bare skin. Softly up his back and down to his sides again and again. Lulling Sasuke to this feeling he’ll from now identify as Safety and Comfort and Naruto.
“Just you.” Naruto mumbles.
“What does this mean then?” Sasuke finally dares to ask.
“Whatever you want it to mean.” Naruto sounds content. Like he’s okay with anything. Sasuke pushes back a little to bring them face to face.
“No. I want you to tell me what it means to you.” He’s almost glaring at him to hide how nervous he is.
“I want to touch you all the time Sasuke. I think about it every time I see you. I want to touch your hair,” he runs his fingers through Sasuke’s hair.
“Your eyes,” his fingertips leave trails on Sasuke’s lids.
“Your lips.” He runs his thumb across Sasuke’s bottom lip.
“Your cheeks,” cups Sasuke’s face softly.
“I want to hold you hand.” One of his hands slide down Sasuke’s hand and touches his palm.
“Your body. I want to touch you everywhere Sasuke.” But his hands just land back at his waist. Sasuke’s breathing heavily, close to tears because this is all he’s ever wanted. He wants all of whatever this is. He wants Naruto.
“I ...you were the reason I figured out that I like physical contact. When we were still trying to get you back to the village , you’d touch me and that’s all I would think about for days. All I would feel for days. I felt so lonely and lost and the only way I got through that was hanging onto Iruka-sensei, Kakashi-sensei and Sakura. Always hugging them and invading their personal space. They got the brunt of it until I figured out how to respect people’s personal space. Iruka-sensei helped me with that. Told me why other people might not be comfortable being touched all the time ...and that I had to ask first if they were okay with it. It made me so upset when we’d fight and all I could think about after was everywhere you touched me. I thought there was something wrong with me. Turns out I just wanted to touch you. To be touched by you.”
Sasuke thinks he’s forgotten everything he’s ever learnt so far and all that’s left in his brain is Naruto, Naruto, Naruto. Because this sounds like Naruto might ...like he might feel the same way Sasuke feels.
“I love you Sasuke,” Naruto says calmly. Soft yet clear in the quiet room. Sasuke sure his trembling is so much that Naruto can feel it. “I’m in love with you.” He adds.
Sasuke surges forward to press his lips on Naruto’s for the first time because his eyes are glistening and he’s not ready to cry right now. Not ready for Naruto to know how much this is affecting him.
Naruto kisses back happily as he goes on to tighten his grip on Sasuke again.
“I love you too Usuratonkachi,” he says after they pull away. “I love you so much Naruto. I want you to touch me everywhere. Anywhere you’d like. You’re allowed to. Always.” Sasuke gets out knowing he wants to make Naruto understand how he makes Sasuke feel. But with the way he’s still overwhelmed, he hugs Naruto instead and daringly presses his lips on Naruto’s Whiskers like he’s always wanted to.