Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Or Sasuke. But think of all the cool things that would happen if I did!
Sasuke watched Naruto's fingers slowly curl into tight fists in an attempt to ignore his constant insults. The sat in neighboring desks, surrounded by other students watching the spectacle with eager eyes. Naruto's hands clenched with such force a small drop of blood squeezed out from the indents made by his short fingernails. Several snickers escaped from the crowd gathered around the two rivals. A peculiar pleasure gripped Sasuke as he saw every muscle in Naruto's body tense. The air nearly shimmered in anger around the fuming blonde. Sasuke drew in a quick, excited breath. He was so close to pushing Naruto past his breaking point!
"Hey dobe, doesn't frowning like that give you wrinkles?" drawled Sasuke in his perfect monotone. He was careful to keep his obscene excitement to himself. A grin nearly broke out over his face as he saw a muscle in Naruto's cheek twitch violently. "It can't be good for you to keep your anger bottled up like tha--"
The shrill scrape of chair against floor cut off the end of his sentence. His shirtfront pulled him up and out of his desk as a strong pair of hands grabbed it. Exhilaration flooded through Sasuke as Naruto dragged him up to meet his eyes. Raging blue storm collided with carefully passive onyx as they glared at each other. A spark of anticipation jumped in Sasuke's chest as the two fought for dominance. An obscure guttural growl escaped from deep in Naruto's throat.
"SHUT. THE HELL. UP," he whispered in a deadly serious voice. Anyone other that Sasuke would have been terrified, but he knew the blonde too well for this threat to work anymore.
"Tch. We both know you couldn't hurt me," continued Sasuke, rolling his eyes. "I mean, not only are you a chicken, but you're so obviously GAY I doubt you could even bring yourself to punch my attractive face!"
CRACK!
Stars erupted in front of his vision as he found himself staring at the ceiling. Something warm began to trickle slowly over his face. He brought a hand to his nose and felt half his face covered in gooey, sticky liquid. He lifted the hand in front of his eyes. The tips of his fingers were stained red by the blood rushing out of his now-aching nose.
Blinking, he feebly pulled himself up into a sitting position, propped up by his arms. The pounding in his head increased as he heard the worried shouts and screams from his classmates. He looked up at Naruto still standing with his arm extended, his hand balled into a tight fist. The blonde's breathing was erratic and his eyes wide open, pupils dilated in anger.
"WHAT THE HELL, MORON?" Sasuke yelled, covering his nose with his bloody hand in an attempt to stem the flow. Naruto blinked in response, looking very much like he had no idea what was going on. His breathing slowed and his eyes returned to their normal calming feel. Puzzled, he lowered his arm, looking down with concern at the bloody and furious Sasuke.
"Sasuke?" he asked in a worried voice. Someone let out a snort as another person whispered "Moron,"
"Oh god, did… did I just hit you?" Naruto asked with eyes full of fear.
"You… me… wha… hah…" Sasuke nearly saw red as his anger consumed him. Sure, he had gotten Naruto riled up before, but never had Naruto punched him! In the face, no less! And he FORGOT?! Blood seeped out from between Sasuke's fingers, making his hand a grotesque mess.
"Oh my god, I'm sorry! I can't believe I actually punched you! I was just so angry… and then I blacked out… and the next thing I knew you were here on the floor!"
Sasuke almost laughed at how ridiculous Naruto sounded. How could anyone forget punching someone in the face like that?
He blinked as Naruto shoved a hand in his face.
"Come on. Get up. You look stupid," said Naruto, offering his hand to Sasuke.
"I look stupid? Heh, I wonder whose fault that would be!" Sasuke hissed through his teeth. Naruto's cheeks colored slightly. Inexplicable warmth blossomed deep inside Sasuke's chest.
What was Naruto doing to him? Frustration spread through his head like wildfire. Fueled by anger he grabbed Naruto's hand, pulled himself up, and in an instant punched the blonde straight across the face.
His world spun slightly from standing up quickly, but he still managed to see Naruto's stunned expression as he lifted his fingertips up to his newly split lip. Sasuke smiled in triumph. He had bested the idiot!
Why, then, did his chest feel hollow as he watched blood rush to the fresh bruise rising on Naruto's cheek?
The blonde's eyes snapped up to meet his own. All the air left Sasuke's lungs suddenly as if Naruto had punched him in the stomach. The peaceful blue eyes were shrouded in a mask of betrayal, hurt, disbelief, and even pain. He was trapped, unable to look away from the agony shown in those eyes. Had he caused that suffering?
Logic and reason were swept away as a side of himself he had not known yearned to reach out to Naruto and take away his pain. The pain that he, Sasuke, caused on purpose. The pain that caused Naruto's face to twist into that agonized look.
Thankfully before his body reacted on this ridiculous notion his brain kicked back into gear, screaming obscenities at him. Sasuke blinked rapidly, clearing the obtrusive thoughts from his mind. He lowered his fist, determined to keep his cool while the class watched. Most of the spectators looked on with bright eyes, hoping for more blood. He dragged his eyes away from Naruto's, avoiding any contact, scared of his previous reaction to the blonde.
"OY," Naruto's face appeared scarcely three inches from his. Sasuke's brain vaguely registered the warm, pleasantly minty breath washing over his face before he found his own eyes trapped by Naruto's, seeing nothing aside from the blue that held so many secrets yet truths at the same time. Why wasn't he breathing anymore? His brain needed oxygen!
"Sasuke, I asked if you were ok! Hello?" Naruto's eyebrows pulled up in anxiety as he looked into passive black eyes. Sasuke barely heard Naruto's question, focusing instead on the way the dobe's lips moved while talking. They were so graceful, saying each word with deliberation. He found his hand reaching up to touch the pink lips but caught himself at the last moment, reaching for his own head instead. Breath failed him, and his vision flickered dangerously.
"Sasuke! You look really bad! You should go see the nurse!" Naruto was genuinely concerned now as he saw the black eyes become glazed over and unfocused. Sasuke mumbled something he hoped sounded like "I'm fine". The world spun and his sense of which direction the floor was vanished. He couldn't think straight- and why was there a sudden breeze in the classroom?
Sasuke didn't realize he was falling until a pair of wonderfully strong arms caught him. He heard several people scream far off in the distance but the only voice he truly heard was coming from the owner of the arms that supported him.
"SASUKEEE! HANG ON! You'll be okay! I'll take care of you! Don't worry; I'll take you to the nurse! You'll be fi……" Naruto's voice faded along with the feeling of his arms as Sasuke slipped into the black nothing of unconsciousness.
Cool hands on his forehead…
Whispers of a voice that instantly calmed him…
A smell similar to pine trees mixed with ramen that strangely brought peace to his anxious mind…
Sasuke's eyelids felt too heavy to open when he regained consciousness. Cool sheets surrounded him and the smell of disinfectant hung heavy in the air. The nurse's office was peaceful and not a single sound was to be heard.
SNORE.
The loud sound broke the silence and Sasuke noticed the gentle breathing, rhythmic and peaceful. The sound came from somewhere close to his head… but why? Slowly he turned his head towards it. His eyes cracked open only to be blinded by the obnoxiously bright fluorescent lights. Automatically his eyelids blinked, attempting to adjust to the stark contrast from the black that had been there seconds earlier.
The first thing to come into focus was tanned skin. Naruto's eyes were closed. He sat in a chair, his head resting on a table next to the bed Sasuke laid in. His lips were parted slightly; warm breath escaping in short puffs as he snored. Blonde hair stuck out every which way and an elbow acted as a cushion between his head and the hard table. His face was scarcely a few inches from Sasuke's own.
Why is he here with me? Sasuke wondered, his thoughts muddled by a pounding headache. However, as he lay on the bed staring at Naruto sleeping he found there was no one else he would rather have here with him right now. A painful throb echoed through his head. There's no way I could have fainted… right?
A memory of incredibly strong arms holding him tight flashed through his mind like a bolt of white-hot lightning. Sasuke nearly groaned at the thought of fainting in front of his entire class, especially Naruto. He closed his eyes, suddenly finding the light too painful to deal with.
Why had he acted like such an idiot after Naruto had punched him? Sure, he had been harassing Naruto, but what had happened after that? Had Naruto's punch messed with his brain? Surely he was becoming delusional, that was the only explanation for the strange sensations he had felt earlier while confronting Naruto. For a moment, he had even wanted to comfort the blonde dobe! Obviously something was wrong with him.
His ears perked and his senses detected a change in the surroundings. Something was missing. Naruto wasn't snoring anymore.
Maybe the dobe had choked on his spit and died in his sleep! Sasuke expected to feel amused as this possibility surfaced in his mind but for some reason anxiety crept over him and settled in his stomach like a rock. Maybe he should check, just in case…
He cracked open his eyes once again, looking at Naruto's chest. It moved up and down slowly just as it had been earlier. Why had he even bothered checking? Sasuke flicked his eyes back up to Naruto's face casually.
His breathing ceased as his heart took off at a million beats per minute. Deep blue eyes locked onto his own.
He was… he was watching me? Sasuke's mind barely squeezed the thought out. All his systems were shutting down as the incredibly blue eyes bored straight through Sasuke's soul. Heat seeped up his neck and across the bridge of his nose. He could tell his face was becoming a vibrant shade of red that could make a freshly steamed lobster turn green in jealousy.
"You feeling better, teme?" Naruto asked quietly, still resting his head on the table. Sasuke kept his mouth shut tight—who knows what he would say if he talked to Naruto right now! "Your face is really red, do you feel warm?"
Blissfully cold fingers covered his forehead. Their touch was soft and cautious, just enough to feel the heat radiating off Sasuke's face. He found his head leaning into the hand, savoring the feel of Naruto's fingers on his brow. The skin was pleasantly rough yet smooth at the same time. A vague thought of stiffened silk floated through his mind. The edges of his lips curled into a slight smile.
"Sa—Sasuke?" his stomach fluttered happily as Naruto's voice cracked. He gazed straight into the blue eyes in front of him, their calmness doing him more good than any medicine ever could.
"Mmm?" he hummed in response. His voice was stuck somewhere in his throat. His eyes lazily drifted shut, making the touch on his forehead feel stronger, every sense magnified.
"I'm really sorry, but--" why did Naruto's voice sound so nervous? It almost shook! "—but… I don't want to take my hand off your forehead!" Naruto finished his sentence in a quick rush of breath.
Sasuke's eyes snapped open. The hand on his forehead shook slightly but pressed down harder. Dusty rose brushed over Naruto's cheeks as Sasuke immediately searched the azure eyes for any hint of a joke. Instead he was met with determination, anxiety, and anticipation.
His heart beat at an almost inhuman pace. What was this dobe talking about? It would be impossible for them to sit here forever with Naruto's hand on his forehead. But as Sasuke thought about the cool fingers leaving his brow a twinge of anxiety jumped in his stomach. His hand flew up, unbidden, pressing on top of Naruto's, trapping the blonde's hand against his forehead.
"Dobe," whispered Sasuke, somehow discovering speech. "Then don't,"
Naruto's eyes grew impossibly large, his eyebrows disappearing into his messy golden hair. Sasuke's heart nearly exploded as the biggest dopey grin he had ever seen spread across the idiot's face. Suddenly the hand on his forehead grabbed his own, pulling both away. In one swift motion Naruto's head lifted from the table and over to Sasuke. A soft pair of lips pressed to his freshly exposed brow. Air rushed into Sasuke's lungs as he drew in a surprised breath. He felt Naruto smile against his skin gently.
"Strangely, my lips were jealous of my hand," whispered Naruto with a mischievous tone to his voice. Sasuke let out a small snort of laughter.
Fingers touched his lips ever so softly. He stiffened and tightened his hand in Naruto's. His beating heart sounded in his ears as his breathing ceased.
"It seems like my hand just likes to drive my lips insane with jealousy," Naruto's whisper was husky and low, causing every hair on Sasuke's body to stand on end. Even a dobe as stupid as Naruto could tell what this was leading too. And for some reason every cell in Sasuke's body screamed in anticipation as Naruto leaned forward slowly. Too slowly! That dobe needed to hurry up before—
Soft, warm lips pressed against his own, tearing all rational thoughts from his head. All that remained was the feel of the lips moving gently against his and the warm hand around his shaking fingers. Sasuke reached up with his free hand, brushing soft blonde spikes gently. The world dissolved into sheer white as elation bloomed in his chest. Sasuke breathed in deep through his nose, filling his lungs with the aroma of pine trees and ramen. Naruto was with him, kissing him, and—
Naruto lifted away suddenly, coaxing a groan of displeasure from deep in Sasuke's throat. The telltale sound of giggling reached his ears and he froze, a single thought filling his mind.
Oh my god.
"OY!" Naruto's voice nearly shook in anger. Several girls giggled louder, and Sasuke heard the soft click of a camera phone. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, SPYING ON SICK PEOPLE?" Naruto stood up and Sasuke rolled on his side in embarrassment away from the door. He heard more laughter and the sound of shoes clacking fiercely as the girls ran away down the hall.
"GET BACK HERE!" Naruto yelled, running for the door. He turned back to Sasuke and said "Stay here, teme. I'll take care of this. AND I'LL BE BACK!" he yelled as he sprinted off down the hall, no doubt running straight into a heap of trouble.
Sasuke's hand covered his lips and for the first time in years his mouth broke out in a truly genuine smile. He laughed quietly to himself as he imagined his classmates' reactions to the fairly obvious camera phone pictures. No doubt they'd never take him seriously again—seeing as how he had just called Naruto gay only to turn around and kiss the big idiot smack on the lips.
His smile didn't falter. He hardly cared about what they thought anyway. All that mattered was what Naruto thought. Why he cared about the idiot's opinion was beyond him… yet somehow he knew it was the only one that mattered anymore.
Silence surrounded him and he realized he was completely alone. His face was still warm and his lips and forehead tingled where Naruto's had been. A small knot formed in his stomach as seconds ticked by slowly. As much as he might hate to admit it, he missed the dobe. The room seemed awfully empty without the insane ball of energy that was his best friend. Sasuke sighed quietly.
AND I'LL BE BACK!
Warmth spread through his body as he remembered what Naruto had yelled as he had rushed from the room. The dobe was coming back. For him. His smile grew impossibly bigger as happiness swelled inside him like a balloon. For me. He closed his eyes as a wave of exhaustion overcame him. I wonder… did his lips get over their jealousy yet? I might have to do something about that… Sasuke's thoughts drifted off as he fell into a light sleep, waiting peacefully for the no-doubt noisy return of Naruto—his dobe.
A/N: Thanks for reading! I appreciate it… so until next time! ~artist-chan.