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“Karin and Jugo should be back with the supplies in a couple days.”“Mm.”Sasuke doesn’t even look up as Suigetsu lands on top of the boulder he’s leaning against.“Fine, sorry for chasing that fucking bird around for an hour to get their message, I guess,” Suigetsu mutters under his breath, fanning himself with one hand. Even without his cloak he’s suffering in the heat: he refilled his water bottles in a stream on the way back, but they’re already almost empty again. The rock is in full sun and he shifts uncomfortably, his pants doing nothing to block the heat. Even the wind is hot, and dry enough to sting his lungs. Suigetsu's skin doesn't burn, technically, but his bare arms sting until he uses his powers to rejuvenate the cells he can feel sizzling off.Sasuke still has his cloak on, because of course he does. What’s a little weather when you have brothers to kill? Wait, they already did that one. What is it now?Right. Destroying Konoha. For…some reason. Suigetsu was not really keeping up when Sasuke announced their next goal, mainly because he was busy trying to grasp why the fuck they would do that.Especially in August.Not that Suigetsu could ever be called Konoha’s biggest fan, but it is an entire city, with an entire city’s fuckload of ninja, and there are, last time he counted up Team Taka, four of them. Even if one of that four is Sasuke, it's not exactly an overwhelming force.Once again Suigetsu asks himself why he’s still following Sasuke. It’s not like Sasuke is ever going to care, no matter how much Suigetsu goes through for him and his plans. All that matters to Sasuke is his objective, and everyone he travels with is little more than a tool. And it’s not like Suigetsu wants that to change. He’s not about to start pointlessly fawning over him like Karin does, just because he happened to be Orochimaru’s favorite pet. Him and his stupid pretty hair and his Sharingan can go to hell, as far as Suigetsu is concerned.Still, without Sasuke deciding to let him out…With Orochimaru gone and the rest of the facility abandoned, the electricity would have gone out on the lab floor eventually. The filter oxygenating his tank would have failed a few days after that, and Suigetsu would have suffocated slowly, unable to solidify enough to break out.Even if it was only because Sasuke thought he was useful, Suigetsu can’t deny his current situation is an improvement. Not that he’s ever going to let Sasuke get the impression he’s grateful or anything. He just…doesn’t have anything better to do.Following Sasuke is as convenient for Suigetsu's own goals as Suigetsu is for Sasuke, so he’s still around despite all Sasuke’s constant orders and complete lack of anything resembling appreciation.That's all.“Suigetsu.”Suigetsu sits up, instantly alert at the one quiet word. “Yes?”Sasuke doesn’t look up: he’s still staring distantly out over the plain. Then he rouses a little, as if he hadn’t realized he called Suigetsu’s name out loud. “Nothing…no, we need to…I need…” He moves for the first time, pressing one hand over his eyes. Then, as Suigetsu sits in startled confusion, Sasuke slowly slumps to the side, landing crumpled in a heap under the heavy dark cloak.For a moment, Suigetsu only sits there and stares, while the hot wind ruffles the soft spikes of Sasuke’s hair and pulls at the edges of his cloak.Sasuke always gets up, whatever happens, but this time he doesn’t stir.“Sasuke?” Suigetsu finally realizes he can't wait for anyone else to do something, since he's the only anyone else for miles around. He jumps down from the rock, then takes a few hesitant steps closer, in case this is a trick or a test or something. But as he stares down at Sasuke’s flushed face, he quickly decides that this is very real, and something is very wrong.The question is what to do about it.He could just fuck off, he thinks. In this state Sasuke wouldn’t be able to come after him for hours, and he might not even bother at all. Destroying Konoha isn't going to do anything to help Suigetsu achieve his own goals. Then he sighs and crouches down next to Sasuke. “Who am I kidding,” he mutters. “Of course I’m not leaving.”If he left, he would be alone again. No matter how much of a pain Sasuke can be, Suigetsu needs him more than he’ll ever admit while he’s conscious.Sasuke’s eyes are squeezed tightly shut, as if he’s trying to block out pain—maybe the Sharingan itself is burning him. A problem for later, Suigetsu decides.Sasuke’s long lashes flicker when Suigetsu puts a hand cautiously against his cheek, not too close to his eyes since he's learned Uchiha are touchy about that. He snatches it back quickly at the surprising heat. “Damn, how long have you been sick?”Sasuke, predictably, does not reply.Now that he thinks about it, while Sasuke never talks all that much, he stopped speaking almost entirely since the day before. And he'd barely moved from his spot by the rock since before Suigetsu woke up that morning. Maybe he was trying to hide how ill he felt, until he couldn’t any longer. Living in Orochimaru’s domain you learned fast not to show weakness: maybe that was true for the favorite most of all. Suigetsu brushes a hand through Sasuke’s hair, feeling even more concerned when he doesn’t make any attempt to stop him. “Could have said something…you’ll use me but you won’t trust me, huh.”Sasuke makes an annoyed noise and bats at Suigetsu’s hand as he reaches for the collar of the cloak, neither of which is very helpful. Suigetsu pushes his hand down against the hot packed earth underneath them, feeling Sasuke’s pulse ripple under his fingers as he unlatches the catch of the cloak with his other hand.Once the cloak falls loose, Suigetsu can almost feel the fever heat radiating off Sasuke as he leans over him—his breathing is ragged, his chest heaving as he tugs at the collar of his shirt with his free hand. Sasuke's fingers brush across the pull of the zipper, but he doesn’t seem to have the coordination to get a grip on it.“Shit,” Suigetsu mutters. Mist’s Ninja Academy put way more emphasis on the horrible violence side of things, but due to the number of water-type clans they also had a thorough first aid unit covering dehydration and fevers. This wasn't because they actually cared if any of their shinobi lived or died, but it was more efficient for the amount of horrible violence they could do if they died from other things than heat stroke. Even though he never paid too much attention to those sessions (he was too busy making doodles of swords in his textbooks), Suigetsu can tell this looks bad.Sasuke is always so—in control. Or tries to be, or tries to look like it. Suigetsu’s never seen him fall apart like this, even when injured. It feels wrong. He has to fix this.He grabs one of his water bottles and pours some onto Sasuke’s hair, then his neck, watching the droplets trail down to pool in the hollow of his throat.“Can you get up? Come on, Sasuke, the guy who’s going to destroy Konoha isn’t letting a little heat take him out, is he?”Sasuke leans in a little when Suigetsu pats his face, but it feels more like instinct since Suigetsu’s hands are cold than any conscious impulse. Still, it’s something, so Suigetsu slowly slides his hand under Sasuke’s hair and rests it on his forehead.Sasuke hardly lets anyone touch him when he’s awake, but now he presses into Suigetsu’s touch, a little of the pulsing strain fading from around his eyes. It’s…nice, almost, Suigetsu thinks, sitting next to him like this. He’s never had much experience doing things that are not categorized under horrible violence—never bothered, why would he—but somehow sitting here with his hand pressed gently against Sasuke’s cheek feels strangely right. After another couple minutes, he takes Sasuke’s wrist in his other hand to feel his pulse, sliding his fingers just under the armguards. Though it’s slowed down a little, it’s still far too high, and his breath feels hot when Suigetsu hovers his hand over his mouth.“Fine, here goes,” Suigetsu says under his breath. He shifts around so he’s not blocked in between Sasuke and the rock, in case he has to dodge a Chidori in a hurry. Sasuke makes a soft noise when Suigetsu stands, his fingers catching weakly on Suigetsu’s ankle. “I’m still right here,” Suigetsu says as he pulls free to take another step. “Not going anywhere…”Sasuke’s eyes flicker open when Suigetsu crouches next to him on the other side. He seems to recognize Suigetsu’s face for the first time, though his eyes are still hazily unfocused, unlike his usual intense stare. He frowns, the expression emphasizing the soft fullness of his mouth, and a crease forms between his brows, a few droplets of water clinging there.He doesn't look like he's going to try getting up, or lash out with the Sharingan, so Suigetsu reaches out again, bringing his fingers just this side of dissolving so his hand will be colder against Sasuke's face. Sasuke's eyes go wide for a moment as he turns his head towards the light touch, but with his powers activated Suigetsu can barely feel his skin apart from how hot it is. He almost regrets it.“Sasuke, listen, do you think you can drink some—”Sasuke sighs softly and his eyes slip shut again, the tension of consciousness fading from his body.Suigetsu decides this is a no. “Plan A it is.”Suigetsu lifts Sasuke into a sitting position with one hand wrapped under his shoulders. Sasuke's head rolls a little, his damp hair tickling Suigetsu's arm, and Suigetsu reaches up to brush his bangs away from his face so they'll be less in the way. Sasuke's breathing is still rapid and labored, his back arching as Suigetsu tries to hold him still He grabs for his water bottle with the other hand and takes a long drink, then cups Sasuke's chin.Just as their lips make contact, Suigetsu realizes this is technically his first kiss. (He spent a lot of his formative years doing horrible violence and the rest of them in a tank, okay, he had other shit going on.)Sasuke's eyes snap open as Suigetsu presses his tongue between his lips, and Suigetsu feels the red swirls of the Sharingan blaze into his eyes from only inches away. He braces for tearing agony, but somehow breaking off the kiss doesn't occur to him.Sasuke goes tense again, this time alert enough to press his hands against Suigetsu’s bare biceps: not quite shoving him off but not quite encouraging, either. Suigetsu isn't even sure he could move if he wanted to, with the Sharingan digging in like this.Then Sasuke swallows for the first time. He blinks slowly, a little shiver running through him, and his too-warm fingers dig into Suigetsu's arms to pull him closer. They almost overbalance as Sasuke catches one hand in Suigetsu's shirt front and tugs, and Suigetsu releases his hold on Sasuke's face, bracing his hand against the rock behind him.The Sharingan stays lit, but some of the sharp taut energy Suigetsu could feel pulsing through Sasuke eases as he relaxes into the arm supporting him. He opens his mouth further, pursuing the water in Suigetsu's mouth with his tongue.Suigetsu, startled at the reaction, pushes back in return. Sasuke’s face was warm, but the inside of his mouth is shockingly hot behind the cool water. Sasuke’s tongue catches on Suigetsu’s sharp teeth and he makes a soft surprised noise in the back of his throat. Suigetsu’s heart starts to beat faster: probably, he thinks as he lets his teeth drag slowly along Sasuke’s lower lip, they’ve sort of left first aid territory, but he can’t make himself care. The intense pull of the Sharingan makes it difficult to think of anything besides the sparks of this connection to Sasuke.Sasuke finally pulls back, well after the last of the water is gone. Suigetsu tries to catch his breath. “You, uh, you passed out,” he explains quickly, pressing the almost-empty water bottle into Sasuke's hands and hoping he'll stay conscious longer this time.“I see.”Now that Suigetsu knows to be listening for it, Sasuke does sound hoarse, with a rough undertone like he's trying to hold back coughs.Suigetsu stands, and starts to take a step back when he sees Sasuke covered by his shadow. He stays where he is and thinks about their next steps as Sasuke leans back against the rock. His breathing is still hot and rapid, but a little easier than the desperate gasping when he first collapsed.Sasuke releases the Sharingan, staring up at Suigetsu with tired dark eyes as he takes another drink of water.Suigetsu swallows and tries not to think about kissing Sasuke again. “I can't go too much longer without water, and I can't leave you in the sun,” he explains quickly. “I passed a stream on the way here, just inside the forest. We can camp there and wait for Karin to get back.”Sasuke reaches up to run a hand through his hair, looking a little confused when it comes back damp, then shrugs. “Sure.”“Maybe fifteen minutes,” Suigetsu says. “Easy path. Downhill even.”“I can walk,” Sasuke scoffs, reaching out to clasp Suigetsu's wrist and pull himself up.He promptly collapses against Suigetsu's chest, his eyes wide with surprise as he looks up to meet Suigetsu's. Suigetsu knows he's taller than Sasuke, but it doesn't usually feel like it means anything, since size doesn't matter much when you have the Sharingan.Right now is very different. Suigetsu can feel Sasuke shivering with the effort to stay upright, and wraps an arm around his waist to keep him from collapsing again. Some vague memory from his own childhood makes him smooth his other hand across Sasuke's forehead until his eyes slip half-shut in relief at the cold touch.“I'm going to pick you up,” Suigetsu says, though from the distant expression on Sasuke's face he isn't sure he actually hears him. “Uh…give me a minute here.”Suigetsu keeps a hand under Sasuke's arm until he's sure he's leaning securely against the rock, then climbs up to where he left the Executioner’s Blade. Then he jumps back down and grabs Sasuke's cloak, securing it around the hilt before strapping the huge sword around his back and chest.“This is going to be real fun for both of us if I trip,” he mutters under his breath while he tightens the buckles. Then he walks over to Sasuke. With the sword taking up so much space, any less intimate hold is out of the question, so he wraps one arm behind Sasuke's chest and bends to hook the other under his knees, just where his pants pull in tight around his calves.Sasuke lets out a tiny gasp as Suigetsu scoops him up, going stiff in a way that is very unhelpful, and even more hard to hold on to, as Suigetsu takes a few rapid steps backwards to stop himself from overbalancing.“Easy walk,” Suigetsu repeats, trying to shift Sasuke's weight a little further over to counter the sword on the other side. The movement jolts Sasuke against his chest—then Suigetsu tries not to topple over in surprise as Sasuke leans against him and puts one arm around his neck.“Stop talking and go,” Sasuke says, his warm breath brushing softly against Suigetsu's neck.“...right.”Sasuke relaxes further and further against Suigetsu as he walks carefully down the hill. Suigetsu presses him closer, trying to shield him from the sun at their back since he can already feel his temperature starting to rise again. By the time they reach the edge of the forest, Sasuke is either asleep or unconscious again, his cheek pressed against Suigetsu's chest and his arm draped softly around his neck.He is very warm, so Suigetsu shouldn’t be finding the close skin contact comfortable, but something about it is anyway. Maybe Sasuke feels the same at Suigetsu’s internal cold.His eyes open briefly as Suigetsu stumbles over a stray root, but while the Sharingan activates out of surprise he doesn't make any of the scornful comments Suigetsu is expecting. Instead he makes a soft tired noise and closes his eyes, lowering his head against Suigetsu's shoulder.The temperature of the surrounding air drops instantly as Suigetsu enters the forest. He sighs with relief, but even if they’re in the shade now he can feel Sasuke’s temperature still going up, so he keeps walking. He can sense the stream by now, and after another few minutes he can hear it, too.“And here we are.”The stream shimmers softly in the sunlight, rippling down a small hill, then hits a wider, slower section next to a grassy shaded clearing. Sasuke opens one eye as Suigetsu starts to crouch to set him down next to a mossy fallen log.“So I’m just going to get some more water and then—whoa!”As Suigetsu bends over, Sasuke grabs the front of his shirt and pulls. Suigetsu staggers with the sudden change of weight and drops to one knee, both arms going around Sasuke’s waist so he won’t slam into the ground. He lowers himself carefully the rest of the way to the grass, but Sasuke still doesn’t let go, so they end up with Suigetsu leaning back against the log, with Sasuke mostly sitting across his lap.Then Sasuke reaches for the zipper of Suigetsu’s shirt.“Wh—oh.” Suigetsu starts to push his hands away, then remembers the fever and how much Sasuke had been pressing into him before. He unbuckles the straps still holding the sword to his back and lets it fall, so it won't be in the way. Then drops his temperature another notch or two and unzips his shirt halfway. “Better?”The sigh Sasuke lets out as he leans into him is almost a moan, and Suigetsu shivers as Sasuke’s warmth flares across his skin. Sasuke presses close, one hand digging into Suigetsu’s hair, his cheek resting against his neck—Suigetsu thinks for a second he feels Sasuke’s lips against his skin.After another few breaths, Sasuke reaches for the zipper of his own shirt with a soft impatient noise, frowning as the slide sticks. “Fine, here…” Suigetsu pulls the zip the rest of the way down and helps slide the shirt back over his shoulders, then tosses it aside as Sasuke pulls at the heavy wrap around his waist. Suigetsu moves to undo that as well, fumbling at the now-damp knots in the unwieldy rope tie as Sasuke wraps his arms around his neck. "How does this even work?" he grumbles. "Why do you always wear so many layers? No wonder you got heatstroke...""Shut up," Sasuke mumbles sulkily against Suigetsu's neck.Even once half his clothes are gone, Sasuke doesn’t seem to be satisfied that he’s cold enough. He grabs the zipper edges of Suigetsu’s shirt and yanks it fully open, then leans in again. Suigetsu hesitates a moment, then puts his arms around Sasuke’s now-bare waist. Sasuke lets out a content sigh, the warm air drifting softly against Suigetsu’s skin, and relaxes into him.“Fine,” Suigetsu says. “This also works.”Sasuke makes a vague noise of agreement, and pulls a little harder at Suigetsu’s hair.As Suigetsu lets cold radiate through him and into Sasuke, he can slowly feel some of the heat fading. He experiments a little, trying to see how cold he can go without Sasuke deciding he’s had enough, though feeling Sasuke so close is distracting to the point he has a little trouble managing his powers in that much detail. Since he’s this close to going into a liquid state, he can feel Sasuke’s heartbeat vibrating through his entire body, each pulse giving him a surging little rush. Suigetsu closes his eyes and just lets himself take in the sensations; Sasuke’s breath against his skin, the steady beat of his heart, the demanding hand in his hair. He runs a hand slowly up and down Sasuke's bare spine, and the responding shiver sends tingles all the way back through Suigetsu's arm.Finally, Sasuke's temperature seems to be back in what Suigetsu thinks is a normal range. By now, Suigetsu is too thirsty to ignore it any longer, since using his powers to chill Sasuke is rapidly exhausting the little internal supply he has left. “Sorry,” he says, running the back of his fingers across Sasuke's cheek until he looks up and opens his eyes. “I have to get up. I'll be right back.”Sasuke sighs and lets go of Suigetsu’s hair, pouting a little as Suigetsu gently pushes him off his legs. Suigetsu spreads Sasuke's cloak on the grass, finds the discarded shirt and wrap behind the log and bundles the fabric under his head, and walks away.He knows, when he turns his back, that Sasuke will be fine. He's not dying, just sick. The stream is barely ten yards away, and they're the only things in this part of the forest.And even if something did manage to jump them, Sasuke has the Mangekyo Sharingan. He's not completely helpless, even if he’s letting Suigetsu help him right now.Still.Suigetsu drinks until he's sure he isn't going to dry up any time soon, fills the water bottles as quickly as he can and jogs back. One of the bottles he freezes between his hands on the way, closing his eyes and concentrating until he hears the soft crackle of the molecules changing form.Sasuke is lying with his eyes closed when Suigetsu returns. Just asleep, Suigetsu thinks, since his brows are drawn together a little bit and there's still a slight pout on his lips, not the disturbing sudden slackness like when he was fully unconscious.Hopefully that's a good sign. Suigetsu sits on the fallen log and watches him for a few minutes, timing the fall and rise of his chest. He's thinner than Suigetsu would have guessed, without the loose shirt and the bulky wrap around his hips. Suigetsu doesn't remember him eating much while they were chasing down Itachi, and then there had been the next thing and the next thing and honestly Sasuke always seemed fine, definitely fine enough to yell at them, so Suigetsu hadn't thought about it beyond that.But on the other hand—Itachi must have seemed fine. And Itachi fought until he dropped dead.Suigetsu slides down the log to the grass, slowly running his fingers through Sasuke's hair until the tension between his brows eases a bit. Then he moves his hand back until he can lift his head up and sets the frozen bottle under his neck.Sasuke shivers a little, his fingers bunching in the fabric of the cloak, then sighs, his breathing slowing a little further. Suigetsu kneels and keeps untangling his hair as he tries to think of what he should do next.“You Uchiha are lucky you're good-looking, you know? Because you're so much goddamn work.”Sasuke rolls over with a soft sigh, one hand coming up and catching the hand Suigetsu is stroking through his hair. Suigetsu obligingly laces his fingers through Sasuke's and runs his thumb across his knuckles.It's nice to be needed.By the time Sasuke actually wakes up fully, a few hours later, Suigetsu is crouching in front of a boiling saucepan over a small fire.“What is that?”Suigetsu looks up and absolutely does not yelp in surprise when he meets the bright swirls of the Sharingan. Sasuke is bending curiously over the fire, so close they almost bump foreheads when Suigetsu jumps. His shirt is still off—Suigetsu doesn't look too hard because he already saw plenty and again, Sharingan—and his hair frames his face in soft tousled spikes. A few blades of bright green grass cling to the dark strands. He looks somehow far more human than he ever has.“Tea,” Suigetsu says. “Uh, in theory.” He isn't as familiar with the plants in this region, but if he found is what he thinks it is it's probably good for chakra depletion. And whatever is still making Sasuke's voice so rough. “Do you want to sit down?” Sasuke doesn't look like he's about to pass out, but he's still shaky, with a strained expression that makes Suigetsu think he's using the Sharingan because he's having trouble seeing straight otherwise.“I'm fine,” Sasuke says scornfully, but he does sit down.Suigetsu is not expecting him to sit down quite that close, though. He starts to shift over to give him some more space, but—“Don't move,” Sasuke orders, gripping Suigetsu's arm, and Suigetsu immediately freezes in place. His fingers are only slightly warm now, just enough to make a pleasant contrast. Suigetsu was starting to feel a little chilled in his sleeveless shirt in the shade as it was, not that he's about to tell Sasuke he enjoys having him pressed up against him with his shirt off. He has the feeling that this strange connected atmosphere between them will only last as long as neither of them mentions it openly.Sasuke rests his head on Suigetsu's shoulder and closes his eyes.“The tea is ready,” Suigetsu points out.Sasuke opens an eye far enough to reveal half a Sharingan. “Don't care,” he declares.“I am made of water and I care,” Suigetsu says.Sasuke sighs and sits up just enough that Suigetsu can lean towards the fire to scoop out tea into one of the slightly dented cups he found in the storage scroll with the pan. “You first.”And of course they’re straight back to the distrust. Though Suigetsu can’t help thinking he heard something teasing underneath.Maybe.Then he tries it, and immediately discovers Sasuke definitely had the right idea making someone else play taster.“It's, uh.” He tries to bring his face back under control. Sasuke makes a snickering noise that would have been completely inaudible if he wasn't leaning on Suigetsu’s shoulder. “It seems very effective?” He nudges the cup towards Sasuke.Sasuke looks at the cup for a moment, then back to Suigetsu's face. No Sharingan, but the scornful stare is withering enough anyway. “No.”Suigetsu considers bluffing his way through another sip. He doesn't consider it for very long, though. “Good choice, it fuckin’ sucks.”Sasuke lets out another tiny almost-laugh, then leans against Suigetsu’s shoulder, one hand running absently up and down his arm. “None of the others hear about this.”“Never.”As if Suigetsu would ever want to share what he has now.