Hello everyone! This story came to me while listening to the song "Can I Be Him?" by James Arthur. This story isn't canon based obviously, but I really loved the story in my head. Hope you enjoy! I do not own Naruto.
Sasuke hated social gatherings. Hated them with a passion. Since the war ended, everything was peaceful; parties were thrown in celebration of just being alive. Sasuke detested it. His way of celebrating being alive was to constantly better himself on the battlefield. This party felt like a battlefield, so maybe he was celebrating.
"SASUKEEEE." Naruto waved from across the room, arms flailing over his head. Sigh. So much for trying to blend in and stay out of everyone's way. The only reason Sasuke was even at this party was because he lost to Naruto in yesterday's sparring match. The idiot played a dirty trick and Sasuke had lost unjustly. The blonde insisted that he never said he had to play fair, he just had to win. Thus, Sasuke was at the party against his better judgement.
The Uchicha took his time making his way to his blonde best friend. Naruto was gabbing away in the female Hyuga's ear, which she seemed to be enjoying, surprisingly. "The party started an hour ago, Sasuke! Where the hell have ya been?!" Naruto shrieked. "Debating if I wanted to come or not," Sasuke grunted, scanning the crowd. He noticed Kakashi talking with Yamato, his eye crinkled in amusement at something Yamato had said. The dog guy was with the bug guy, having a heated conversation. What the hell were their names? His mind was drawing a blank. Shikamaru was with Choji, looking irritated at the overweight shinobi while he stuffed his face at the kitchen table. ?
"Are you listening to me?!" Sasuke dragged his eyes back to his best friend, who was poking his arm. "Whose house is this?" Sasuke questioned. There was a gust of air beside him, "Ah, Sasuke. I really am surprised to see you here. Welcome to my humble abode." Kakashi smiled, handing him a drink. "Sake? It's on the house. Except for Naruto, he is a glutton when it comes to anything free." Sasuke looked into the cup, disgust on his face. "No," he replied flatly. Realizing he sounded rude, he added, "no thank you." Kakashi laughed a dry laugh, "Fine then, more for me." His former sensei took Sasuke's intended glass, raising it to his lips to take a sip.
"I didn't want any of your stupid sake, anyway!" Naruto huffed, crossing his arms. "You told me on the way here that you loved sake, Naruto." Sasuke turned to see Sai, holding the hand of the Yamanaka girl. "I did not! I said that I didn't love sake!" Naruto protested. "I don't understand why you are lying?" Sai questioned, looking genuinely confused. He didn't have time for this idiotic banter. He walked to the door, ignoring Naruto's shrieks of protest. He grabbed the door handle, only to have it turn in his hand, air rushing in as it opened. There was a soft thud as Sasuke looked down to see a pink head of hair, face buried in his chest. "Oh! Sorry, Sasuke!" Her cheeks were flushed pink from the cold air outside, her hair windblown. She carried a brown paper sack, stuffed with it's contents. She wore a light brown leather jacket, black tee shirt, and black skinny jeans. His Sharingan always took in every last detail.
"Sorry!" Sakura apologized again, "I was held up at the hospital. I brought extra sake, I know Naruto is a glutton when it comes to free stuff." "I AM NOT!" She smiled, shifting the paper bag to her other hip, adjusting the strap of her crossbody bag. She stepped around Sasuke, calling out to the Yamanaka girl. "Make yourself useful pig and come take this bag!" Sasuke put his hand back on the doorknob, but was slammed into the door itself by the annoying loudmouth. "You are not going anywhere! You lost a sparring match and you made a bet!" Naruto hissed behind gritted teeth. As much as the Uchiha didn't want to be at the party, he didn't want the idiot on his ass all day tomorrow about bailing out. Sasuke shoved Naruto onto the floor, sighing. This was going to be a long night.
Sasuke wasn't the only one late to the party. Might Guy and Lee showed up after himself, gushing about the passion of youth and something about laps on one leg around the village. He had tuned their loud proclamations out. A half hour later, Neji had shown up with the weapons girl, who was babbling and had a blush on her cheeks. He didn't care enough to know more.
"Play beer bong with me." Naruto stated, staring blankly at his best friend, head in his hands. "No." Sasuke said flatly. "Why not? Damn, you are so boring!" Hn. Sasuke didn't care what he thought. He was here against his wishes, wasn't that enough for him? "Fine. Kiba, I'm challenging you to a beer pong match to the death!" Naruto challenged, leaving his seat at the table across from Sasuke.
Sasuke's eyes roamed the room. The girls had congregated together in the kitchen, giggles spilling into Sasuke's spot in the dining room. He couldn't see into the kitchen, but he was annoyed just by what he heard. He looked into the living room where all the guys were gathered, making bets on who would win the Naruto/Kiba beer pong match to the death; Kiba was winning.
He looked at the clock on the wall. It was nearing midnight and Sasuke liked to be up with the sun to train. He had fulfilled his bet with Naruto, he was leaving this time. Sasuke strode to the door, opening it quick, hoping no one would notice. "Sasuke! You're leaving already? You're gonna miss me winning!" The blonde tossed a ball into a red cup, missing by a mile. "It's midnight. I'm leaving." Naruto's face became serious, smoothing out the laughing lines that always seemed to be present. "I'm glad you came. Even if you were a bump on a log the whole time." Naruto smiled a small smile, aimed the ball again, making it directly in the red cup. The idiot exploded into a victory shriek, pumping his fists in the air. "HINATA! DID YOU SEE THAT?!" The girls had made their way from the kitchen, watching the duel. Hinata smiled kindly, nodding her head in an encouraging way." Are you leaving too, Sasuke?" Sakura had emerged from the kitchen, her bag on her shoulder. "I have an early shift at the hospital. Wanna walk home together?" Since he had returned home, he and Sakura had grown closer. She was someone he knew he could confide in, if he ever would. Anyone besides her or Naruto and maybe Kakashi, he would never walk home with. He owed them that at least. "Hn," he grunted as he walked outside.
They walked in silence for a stretch before she spoke. The street lights were bright at this hour, making Sasuke's eyes tired. He wished he could skip the niceties and run home in an instant. "Did you have fun at the party?" He glanced over at her, her arms behind her back, face turned to see him. His eyes returned to the road in front of him. "I lost a bet," he stated. He threw another sideways glance at her, her features calculating. Realization dawning on her, a small smile adorned her features. "I see. Of course, you would never come to a party otherwise." He said nothing. Approaching his apartment, he turned to her, not saying anything. "Don't worry about me, I can manage to walk myself the rest of the way. Goodnight, Sasuke," she smiled, waved a small wave and turned to go. Sasuke was in his upstairs room in a second, perched at the window as he watched pink fade into the dark of the night.