Naruto x Sasuke back together

Chapter 23

Sasuke's stomach rumbled softly, breaking the silence. Naruto raised an eyebrow, amused, as Sasuke shifted a little awkwardly beside him.

Then, without warning, Sasuke muttered, "I want strawberries."

Naruto blinked, surprised. "Strawberries? Now?" He couldn't help but grin at the unexpected request. "I don't even know if they're in season!"

Sasuke looked away, a little embarrassed but stubborn as ever. "You asked me to relax. Strawberries would help."

Naruto chuckled, sitting up. "Alright, fine. I'll get you your strawberries." He winked, standing up and forming a familiar hand sign. "Good thing you're with a ninja who's got some unique ways of hunting down things."

In a flash, Naruto transformed into his fox form, his eyes glowing with determination. His tails swished behind him, brimming with Kurama's energy as he sniffed the air, already picking up on faint scents from the nearby woods.

"Stay right here. I'll be back before you know it!" he said with a playful grin, his voice carrying a hint of a growl from the fox transformation.

Sasuke, watching this sudden burst of energy, just shook his head, though his lips curled into a small smile. "Idiot," he muttered under his breath, secretly charmed.

Naruto bounded off into the forest, moving swiftly through the trees with fox-like agility. The cold morning air nipped at him, but his determination didn't waver. He knew the task was silly, but he didn't care. If Sasuke wanted strawberries, he'd get him the best he could find.

Finally, after a bit of searching, he spotted a small patch of wild strawberries hidden beneath the frost-covered leaves. He sniffed them, delighted to find they were still ripe and sweet despite the season. Carefully, he gathered a few in his mouth, keeping his movements gentle so they wouldn't be crushed, then sprinted back to Sasuke.

Back at the camp, Sasuke looked up as Naruto reappeared, the faintest surprise crossing his face as he saw the tiny bundle of bright red strawberries hanging from Naruto's mouth. Naruto shifted back into his human form, grinning as he held the small bunch out to Sasuke.

"Here you go, fresh from the forest!" he said proudly, holding the berries up like a trophy.

Sasuke blinked, a bit speechless. For a moment, he just looked at Naruto, surprised by the lengths he'd gone to for something so small. His usual stoic expression softened as he reached out to take a berry, his fingers brushing Naruto's hand.

Naruto watched as Sasuke brought the strawberry to his lips, taking a small bite. Sasuke's eyes closed as he savored the taste, and a soft smile graced his face. "They're... perfect," he murmured, looking at Naruto with a warmth that went beyond words.

Naruto's cheeks flushed slightly, feeling an unexpected rush of pride. "See? Told you I'd find 'em," he said with a grin, scratching the back of his head.

Sasuke just shook his head, his smile lingering. "Only you would go running around the forest at dawn to find strawberries in winter."

Naruto leaned closer, nudging Sasuke's shoulder playfully. "Anything for you, you know that." His voice softened, the words carrying more weight than he intended.

Sasuke's gaze dropped, his cheeks tinged with pink as he looked down at the small bundle of berries. "Thank you... really."

Naruto just shrugged, a warm grin on his face. "Anything to see you smile like that." He reached out, grabbing a strawberry and popping it into his mouth, savoring the sweetness with a satisfied hum.

Naruto watched Sasuke eat the strawberries, a playful glint in his eyes. After a moment, he leaned closer, his gaze flicking to Sasuke's lips.

"Hey," Naruto murmured, voice soft and teasing. "Can I get a taste?"

Before Sasuke could react, Naruto leaned in, closing the small distance between them and pressing his lips gently to Sasuke's. The kiss was sweet and unexpected, the lingering taste of strawberries mixing between them. Sasuke's eyes widened in surprise, his body going still as Naruto's warm hand gently cupped his cheek.

It took Sasuke a moment to process what was happening, his heartbeat racing as Naruto pulled back just slightly, his face close enough that their noses brushed. Naruto's grin softened into something warm, his voice a quiet whisper. "Sweet... just like I thought."

Sasuke's cheeks flushed a deep pink, a rare look of vulnerability crossing his face. "You... you idiot," he stammered, barely able to meet Naruto's gaze as he tried to compose himself. But despite his flustered response, he didn't pull away, his hand instinctively reaching out to grip Naruto's shirt, holding him close.

Naruto chuckled, his own cheeks tinged with color. "You didn't seem to mind, though," he teased, his thumb brushing lightly over Sasuke's cheek.

Sasuke huffed, looking away, though his grip on Naruto's shirt tightened. "Just... don't make a habit of surprising me like that," he muttered, his voice barely more than a whisper.

Naruto's smile softened, and he nodded, his eyes filled with a quiet warmth as he leaned close again, his forehead resting against Sasuke's. "Then I'll just make it a habit of kissing you," he murmured, his voice full of affection.