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Published:
2024-12-24
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Threads of Comfort

Summary:

Naruto, however, couldn’t keep quiet. “Whoa, Sakura-chan, you look like you’re drowning in that! Hey, Sasuke, are you trying to start a new fashion trend or something?”

“Idiot,” Sasuke muttered, shooting Naruto a glare.

Kakashi, who had been quietly observing the entire exchange, chuckled. “Well, that’s very considerate of you, Sasuke. Maybe I should add ‘team wardrobe management’ to your duties.”

Notes:

Fuck I'm in a writing flow currently heheeee. I've got so many One-Shots ideas that I'm probably going to publish them in the year 2025... holy shit how fast time flew. Tbh 2024 was a shitty year for me. I currently have winter break so I have lots of free time to write and I'm bored out of my mind. All I do is literally read books and FF and write some outlines or drafts for my stories XD. My cat has been supportive well he was just lying next to me or sitting on my lap but regardless a good support. I won't publish before the new year again so Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year everyone!

- Lumi

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

The sun was beginning to dip behind the trees, casting long shadows across the forest path. Team 7 was making their way back to Konoha after a grueling mission. The aftermath of the Chunin Exams still weighed heavily on them, and the ambush by rogue shinobi had only added to their exhaustion. Kakashi led the way with his usual casual stride, seemingly unfazed, while Naruto trudged beside him, grumbling about ramen and sleep.

 

Sasuke walked behind them, his senses still on high alert despite the calm. His gaze drifted to Sakura, who was uncharacteristically quiet. She was walking with her arms crossed tightly over her chest, her head down. The rogue shinobi’s kunai had slashed across her shirt during the fight, leaving a jagged tear that exposed her chest and upper ribs. The sight of her struggling to hold the fabric together hadn’t escaped him.

 

At first, he hadn’t thought much of it—shinobi didn’t have the luxury of modesty on the battlefield. But as the hours dragged on, her discomfort became more and more apparent. She kept her arms wrapped around herself, her movements awkward and her face flushed with embarrassment. Naruto, oblivious as always, hadn’t noticed, but Sasuke had.

 

When they reached a small clearing, Kakashi stopped. “We’ll rest here for a bit,” he said, leaning against a tree and pulling out his book.

 

“Finally!” Naruto groaned, flopping onto the grass. “I’m starving! Kakashi-sensei, you got any food?”

 

“Didn’t I tell you to pack your own snacks, Naruto?” Kakashi replied without looking up from his book.

 

Naruto began rummaging through his pack, still grumbling, while Sasuke’s gaze shifted back to Sakura. She had moved to sit near the edge of the clearing, her back to the group. Her hands were still clutching the torn edges of her shirt, her shoulders hunched in a way that made her seem smaller than usual.

 

Sasuke frowned. Her discomfort was bothering him more than he cared to admit.

 

“Sakura-chan, what’s wrong?” Naruto called out suddenly, his voice cutting through the quiet. “You’ve been acting weird since the fight!”

 

Sakura stiffened but didn’t turn around. “It’s nothing,” she said quickly, her voice tight.

 

Naruto sat up, tilting his head. “Wait, is your shirt—”

 

“Don’t,” Sasuke cut in sharply, his tone cold enough to make Naruto pause. The last thing she needed was Naruto’s loud, tactless comments making things worse.

 

He stood and walked over to her, pulling off his shirt in one smooth motion. Her head snapped up, her green eyes wide in surprise.

 

“Sasuke-kun, what are you doing?”

 

“Take it,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

 

Her cheeks flushed a deep red, and she shook her head. “I can’t—what about you?”

 

“I have a spare,” he lied. In truth, he didn’t—but the thought of her walking around like this, clearly uncomfortable, was more than he could ignore. “Just put it on.”

 

She hesitated, her fingers hovering near the shirt. “But—”

 

“Do you want Naruto to keep staring?” he asked bluntly, his dark eyes meeting hers.

 

Her cheeks flushed a deep red, and she hesitated for a moment before finally reaching out to take it. “Thank you,” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

 

He turned his back to give her privacy as she slipped the shirt over her head. It was far too big for her, the hem hanging down to her thighs and the sleeves reaching past her shoulders. When he turned back, she was tugging at the fabric nervously, avoiding his gaze.

 

“It’s fine,” he said, brushing past her and sitting back down on a nearby rock. “It’s not like I care.”

 

Naruto, however, couldn’t keep quiet. “Whoa, Sakura-chan, you look like you’re drowning in that! Hey, Sasuke, are you trying to start a new fashion trend or something?”

 

“Idiot,” Sasuke muttered, shooting Naruto a glare.

 

Kakashi, who had been quietly observing the entire exchange, chuckled. “Well, that’s very considerate of you, Sasuke. Maybe I should add ‘team wardrobe management’ to your duties.”

 

“Tch,” Sasuke muttered, leaning against a tree with his arms crossed.

 

Sakura, meanwhile, had finally sat down, pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping Sasuke’s oversized shirt around herself like a blanket. She glanced at him briefly, her lips twitching into a small, grateful smile before she looked away again.

 

For the rest of the evening, she was quieter than usual, but Sasuke couldn’t help noticing the way her shoulders seemed to relax now that she wasn’t preoccupied with her torn clothes.

 

 

The group stayed in the clearing for a while longer in the morning, Naruto’s endless complaints filling the silence while Kakashi pretended to read. Sasuke didn’t say much, his eyes occasionally flicking toward Sakura. She seemed more relaxed now, though she still fidgeted with the sleeves of his shirt.

 

When they finally resumed their journey, Sakura walked beside him, her usual confidence slowly returning. She didn’t say anything, but every so often, she’d glance at him out of the corner of her eye. Sasuke noticed, of course, but he didn’t comment.

 

As the gates of Konoha came into view, Naruto rushed ahead, shouting about how he was going to eat five bowls of ramen. Kakashi followed at a more leisurely pace, leaving Sasuke and Sakura behind.

 

Sakura finally broke the silence. “You didn’t really have a spare shirt, did you?”

 

He glanced at her, his expression unreadable. “Does it matter?”

 

Her cheeks flushed, but she smiled softly. “Thank you, Sasuke-kun.”

 

He looked away, shoving his hands into his pockets and hoping that nobody would notice how flushed his face was. “It’s nothing.”

 

But as they entered the village, he couldn’t help the faint sense of satisfaction that lingered in his chest. Seeing her more comfortable—and knowing he was the reason—made the loss of his shirt feel insignificant.

 

And though he would never admit it, seeing her in his shirt—with the Uchiha crest displayed boldly on her back, a tangible mark of his presence and protection—stirred something warm and unfamiliar in his chest.

 

Notes:

If you guys have any One-Shot ideas for me to write feel free to share! Btw if you find any mistakes do tell. It's actually 03:31 am currently so I may have accidentally skipped lines or so lol. Reviews are appreciated!!