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It’s never entirely quiet in motels. Or hotels, for that matter, but mostly, they save the money. They camp when the weather allows (and sometimes when it doesn’t); they stay in motels when they just need a mattress; and they stay in hotels when their wallets let them (rarely).
Sasuke’s never been happier.
He shouldn’t be. He knows that. He grew up comfortable, content, never having to worry about a next meal. Naruto, though. Sasuke should’ve known from the moment he met him that Naruto’s very existence was going to change him completely, and in Naruto’s experience, insecurity is simply a part of life – and a very fair trade for happiness.
Sasuke still gets anxious about it sometimes. He likes security. He’s learned he doesn’t need all the comfort, but he wants to know there will be food for them and safety, and that’s a luxury Naruto hasn’t always had.
It’s a luxury Sasuke strives to give him without it tying him to one place, and so, they travel.
Their jobs let them be creative. Naruto posts videos of their visits and misadventures that get more views than Sasuke can even fathom, and Sasuke starts selling the art he’s always made on a whim. They get by. They make it work.
There’s not always extra, but there’s always enough, and they make it work.
Sasuke stares at the moon cascading through the blinds onto his skin, curls his arm tighter around Naruto, still curled sleepily on his chest, and notes the noises that trickle through the walls.
Mostly, he hears cars. This motel is uncomfortably close to the freeway, but he doesn’t mind. It’s soothing – the next best thing to waves on the beach, Naruto says, and even though Sasuke calls bullshit out loud, part of him agrees. It’s the same sort of washing rhythmic comfort, and he breathes it in.
He didn’t know this was how his life was going to be. He’d never planned it, never expected it, never even known to want it, but he can’t imagine giving it up, either.
He supposes they’ll probably have to someday. Artists don’t generally get to rely on their art for stability long-term unless they’re very lucky, and the same goes for social media. Sasuke knows this rambling journey of theirs will eventually come to an end, and while he’s not ready for it – won’t be ready for it for quite a time, he thinks – he also wonders…if maybe a home where and Naruto stay together would be just as happy.
Naruto mumbles something and shifts in his sleep, and Sasuke lifts his hand to stroke through his hair, soothing him back to calm and peaceful in his arms.
He doesn’t actually think it matters where they are as long as they have this.
The moonlight is painfully bright, and someone on the opposite side of the wall has decided that whatever true crime show they’re watching needs to be cranked up as loud as it can go, and Sasuke really doesn’t care for the way the sheets are always the wrong side of scratchy, but –
But tomorrow, his alarm will go off at an ungodly hour because there’s a kite festival Naruto is determined to attend at dawn. He wants to see how the colors contrast, and he’s legitimately so excited to film it for his followers that Sasuke could never say no to him no matter how early the alarm.
When Naruto said two in the morning, though, he’d considered it.
If only for as long as it took for those damn eyes to go wide and needy and soft, and Sasuke – Sasuke’s powerless to resist Naruto when he looks at him like that.
Sasuke can’t reach his phone, and as much as he cranes his neck, he can’t see the clock without shifting Naruto too much, so much that it would risk waking him, and so he doesn’t know how much sleep might be left to him.
Definitely not enough.
Maybe he can coax Naruto into a nap later. That is the point of this, after all – the freedom, the ability to do what they need to do, what makes them happy, without worrying about pleasing…everyone.
Not that that works particularly well for either of them, Sasuke thinks wryly. He still takes his brother’s calls daily and does what he can for him when he can; Naruto’s frantic to make sure he’s doing the right thing online and in person, and he fields more texts and calls in a day from loved ones who miss him than Sasuke does in a month.
They ask about Sasuke too, now. They worry about him, too.
Naruto walked into Sasuke’s life and brought sunlight and glory and all things beautiful, and Sasuke never stood a chance against him.
The cars shift on the highway, and Sasuke holds Naruto closer.
He can’t believe he has this ridiculous man choosing to stay by his side.
He wouldn’t trade him for the world, but that doesn’t even make sense – because Naruto gave him the world. He walked in and offered himself and then held up everything else, too, as if Sasuke could even think to ask for more, and Sasuke loves him in a way he didn’t know love could be, and now Naruto’s drooling on his chest and in his bed, and his world is made of music and art and a language Sasuke’s still learning to speak.
He closes his eyes. He should try to sleep, maybe; he should let this happiness and the warm weight of the man he loves lull him until he drifts, but the upcoming alarm lingers in the periphery of his mind, and he stays awake.
That’s okay.
They’ll go to the kite festival. Naruto will take too many videos and maybe Sasuke will find inspiration for the next thing he paints, and he’ll snap a picture for Itachi – and Kakashi, if he’s feeling really generous. He’ll reassure Sakura they’ve both eaten, make sure Naruto actually does eat a good lunch instead of the instant food they’ll grab for breakfast, and then he’ll haul them both to bed for a nap.
Sasuke smiles, tucks his chin down to brush a light kiss against Naruto’s hairline.
Tomorrow can keep.
For tonight, this is all he needs and more.