It's late and the light from the lamppost outside filters in through the curtains.
It's late, and despite it being so, Sasuke can hear a few kids running around, splashing in the chlorine water of the pool downstairs. Naruto falls asleep at some point, but Sasuke remains awake, blond in arms.
'It's late,' Sasuke thinks, and his eyes glance over to where the phone screen lights up. He wonders when it had gotten all the way over there, but figures he must've thrown it aside the moment he realized Naruto was crying.
He knows it's Itachi. It's Konan's phone, but he knows Konan would've just texted instead of called.
He wonders if they'll be bringing his phone with them. He makes a mental note to remove and block all other contacts from his phone except Itachi, Pein, and Konan's. There's no reason to continue having ties with those he left behind anymore. He doesn't want any questions. Figures his friends would end up asking his parents and from whatever their answer might be, he hopes they'll understand. That, or just be deeply concerned. Either way, Sasuke feels he has no reason to care anymore.
A few more hours pass and he wonders just how late—or rather, how early in the morning it is. He can no longer hear the kids from late last night splashing around in the pool, but he does hear the sound of birds chirping.
Along with that sound, a buzzing sound. He wonders if he's just imagining it, but soon realizes it's his phone ringing and he doesn't make a move to reach out and get it. He doesn't want to move and startle Naruto, he doesn't want to move at all. His chest and part of his shoulder feels numb from where Naruto's head is, but he just doesn't feel like doing anything.
It isn't until he hears mumbling outside the hotel door does he realize what's going on and that it's okay if he doesn't answer his phone because he had sent Konan his exact location and at this point, Itachi and her must have finally made it here.
Three, four knocks on the door followed by an all too familiar laugh is what Sasuke hears and is startled more by the fact that Naruto was alerted and woken up, lifting his head at the sound of the loud knocking.
"It's Itachi," Sasuke calmly, tiredly says, yawning and Naruto can tell he hasn't slept at all. Sasuke, now that Naruto's off of him and startled awake, gets up to open the door. He's greeted by Pein and Konan first as Itachi walked away thinking they probably had the wrong door before realizing they were right all along.
"Why didn't you answer my call?" Itachi asked, clearly tired and worried. It was obvious he hadn't slept either, but Sasuke's dark eye-bags weren't as bad as the oldest Uchiha's.
"I was asleep," Sasuke lies and steps aside, inviting them in.
It's still early in the morning, around seven, and Itachi states that they won't be leaving just yet. Clearly, they're all tired—Itachi, more than others—and while Sasuke claimed to have gotten enough sleep, Itachi eventually catches on to his brother's constant yawning and tells him to sleep a bit.
Nothing much happens after that. Pein goes out while Sasuke and Itachi fall asleep, Itachi taking the unused bed while Konan and Naruto stay awake and pass the time either making small talk or eventually, taking a nap along with the brothers.
***
"Are you completely sure?" Itachi asks. It's been a few hours and now it's some time around three in the afternoon. All five of them are standing outside the hotel parking lot gathered around the two cars belonging to the Uchiha brothers. Pein and Konan stop their chore of gathering their things out of Sasuke's car while Sasuke tries to convince his older brother that maybe it's best if he keep the car.
"I'll be getting you into a lot of trouble if dad finds out you came all this way to bring me my car," Sasuke says. Currently, Fugaku doesn't know why Itachi went out and has no idea that he even knows where the young Uchiha is. It'd be rather clear why Itachi went out if he returns home with the car Sasuke took, and Sasuke didn't want his brother getting in trouble because of him. He didn't want to cause a fight. "Keep it; you've always liked it better, anyways." And to this, Itachi lets out a sigh and nods.
"Babe," Konan interjects. "Your dad reported your car as stolen," She points out and Sasuke is surprised by this. "-from this point on, the authorities are going to be looking for your car."
Itachi nods, eyes wide as though he forgot this piece of information. "That's right. You'll be followed and gather suspicion if— what are you doing?" He watches as his little brother pulls open the trunk and finds his dad's toolbox. He pulls out a screwdriver and looks around, pointing to the closest car.
"I'll just switch plates," He says, and Itachi just shakes his head.
"It'll be easier if I just take the car back myself. If I get pulled over, they'll see it's me and I'll be able to prove it's my car. I'll just say it was a mistake."
"And then you'll arrive home and get yelled at by dad, nah." Sasuke shakes his head.
"You'll be in a lot more trouble if some random cop realizes the plates don't belong to the car."
"Hey man, as long as he doesn't bring attention to himself, he'll be fine," Pein says, helping Sasuke remove the license plate from the other car and switching them. The cars look similar, so he thinks they won't even notice. Observing this, Itachi sighs and decides to be excluded from whatever they're doing and instead, looks over to where his girlfriend is.
Konan is leaning against the car where Naruto is currently waiting in. He's in the passenger seat hugging his knees as they wait.
"How are you feeling?" He walks over and asks. The boy gives no answer, just a shrug of the shoulders. "You know, your parents are... they're worried about yo—"
"I doubt that," Naruto spoke, tilting his solemn face towards Itachi.
And for the first time, Itachi is able to study Naruto's face up close and in a brighter setting. "What's this?" He asks, referring to the bruise on the boy's lip. "Did you guys fight?"
Naruto buries his face atop his knees. Itachi makes an expression of confusion and Konan only chuckles a little before looking away, shrugging as if she knew nothing when Itachi looks at her for answers.
"We're done," Sasuke interrupts, hand over Itachi's shoulder before making his way on over to the driver's seat.
"Wha- wait! Here," Itachi hurries to the other car to look through his bookbag and pulls out a ziploc bag with some amount of money in it. "It's from my savings account and before you say anything, I've already made up my mind. Take it."
"No," Sasuke pushed the bag back onto his brother's chest. "Keep your money, I have my card with me."
"Your card has been cancelled since this morning. Take the money," Itachi insists, this time handing the bag to Naruto and the boy knows to do as told. "Make sure he doesn't spend it all," He adds and Naruto nods. With that, Itachi hands Sasuke his phone, exchanging it for Konan's. "Be safe and call me when you get there."
'There' referred to a location both Itachi and Pein kept secret. It was a small house somewhere near the desert; it had been bought from a friend and needed a lot of work, but it was suitable and thankfully nobody, not even their parents, knew about it.
Nodding, Sasuke thanked him, exchanging a few goodbyes before finally pulling out of the parking lot.
"It's a long way from here," Sasuke says, and they're barely half an hour into the drive. "Want to stop somewhere along the way?"
Naruto, at first silent and looking out the window, turns to look at him. "Anywhere?"
"I'm not in a hurry," Sasuke shrugs, hand finding Naruto's and giving it a tight squeeze.
Naruto thinks for a moment. Then: "I want to look at the stars."
Sasuke smiles, recalling their childhood years and staying up a few times to hang out in the yard and pretend to camp and look at the stars. They would do this often and while their parents wouldn't let them, they soon learned that the two boys were cowards and wouldn't last a whole hour outside at night—they'd grow paranoid and scare themselves at the sound of a squirrel scurrying about and soon they'd come running inside where they would pretend-camp in the living room instead.
Sasuke laughs a bit, bringing up Naruto's hand to kiss it.
"Under the stars it is."