Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
Note: This story is an Alternate Timeline where Sasuke never left the village.
"Sasuke!"
Sasuke groaned when his name was being called. He'd hoped to have escaped this but no luck for him, it seemed. Ignoring the sound of nearing footsteps he continued walking down the street. He had to get some of his groceries into his refrigerator before they'd go to waste.
"Sasuke, wait up!" Suddenly there was someone latched onto his arm.
Sasuke scowled and he looked to his left, where a grinning Sakura was holding onto him. "Sakura, let me go."
"Aww, Sasuke, that's cruel." Sakura pouted. "Today is special!"
Sasuke wanted to snort. Special my ass, he thought. "No, it isn't." Sasuke glared at the pink-haired girl still holding his arm and pulled it out of her grip.
Sakura seemed taken aback by Sasuke's slightly harsh words and actions. But that lasted only for a few seconds. "But it's Valentine's Day today, Sasuke! That's special. We should celebrate."
Sasuke sighed. He [i]knew[/i] it was Valentine's Day. There had been at least four others before Sakura to remind him of that. "So find yourself a nice boy to celebrate with."
Sakura pouted. "You're a boy."
Turning his eyes to Sakura, Sasuke coldly said: "I already told you. I'm gay."
Sakura giggled and swatted Sasuke playfully on his arm. "No, I already told you, you're just confused."
Sasuke scowled in annoyance and with the gates of the Uchiha compound in view he was glad that this would be over soon. "Sakura, for the last time, I'm gay. That's not going to change so give up already."
"But... I mean, you don't have a boyfriend so you can't be sure, right?" Sakura tried weakly, mustering a small smile onto her lips. Even she knew, though, she'd be rejected again just like always.
Standing in front of the main entrance of the Uchiha compound, Sasuke turned to watch the pink-haired girl with a smirk. "I can assure you that me not having a boyfriend has nothing to do with me not being into women."
Sakura blushed slightly at those words and then hesitantly asked: "Can I still give you the chocolate I bought?"
If only she hadn't tried so many times to turn him straight. Then, maybe he would've felt bad for her. But Sakura had – like most of his admirers – only selfish intentions when it came to him. He hated that.
"No." He simply said and opened the gate. "I hate sweets." He said and let the gate fall shut in Sakura's face.
Walking up to the entrance to the main building of the compound – the building where he lived in – Sasuke halted in his steps.
There was something lying on his porch. Something red.
He scowled at it, hating the object without needing to know what it was. Today was Valentine's Day and there was a red object waiting for him, he didn't need to know more. All he now needed to know was who had had the guts to tread onto his ground to put the gift where it was.
The closer he got to his front-door – and thus the offending gift waiting for him – the bigger his frown became. When he stood right in front of his porch he stopped to look at the gift in surprise.
It was red, yes, but it was not a box of chocolates. Not in the least.
Instead, it was a simple, reed basket with a red bow tied around it. And to his surprise, it was filled with tomatoes. Big tomatoes, without so much as a dent or scratch on them as you would usually find them.
He softly bit his lip and glanced around the yard. No-one knew he loved tomatoes.
He sighed softly as not a single soul was to be seen. Of course, whoever left him the tomatoes wouldn't be waiting for him now, he chided himself.
When he was inside and he had put his groceries away, Sasuke turned to the basket of tomatoes. He again bit his lip softly for a moment before reaching out and taking one. After quickly washing it he sat down on one of the bistro-style chairs standing at his breakfast-bar and took a bite.
To his surprise, it tasted great. Good quality, too. These were not just the normal tomatoes you could buy at the market that got picked from a random farmer's land. No, these were good, firm tomatoes with a great taste.
Pushing himself up a bit he leaned over to glance into the basket, intending to see how many tomatoes he'd gotten. However, he spotted a small piece of paper stick out from under a few of them. With a small frown he pulled it out of the basket.
It was an envelope.
Swallowing, he opened it and got the letter out of the envelope. He felt nervous suddenly, his mouth dry and his heart beating a bit faster than it usually did.
This was a letter from the person that had given him the basket. Someone that knew him well enough to give him a basket with his favorite snack on Valentine's Day. And while he couldn't care less about Sakura or Ino or any other girl giving him a box of chocolates he felt nervous about who gave him the tomatoes.
Tomatoes were his secret pleasure and he had never told anyone that he loved them as much as he did. So whoever gave him these had to know him well and had to care a lot to go through the trouble of buying them and delivering them to his doorstep.
Licking his suddenly dry lips he opened the folded letter and read:
"Dear Sasuke,
On a day like this, with fangirls swarming you with chocolate even though you hate sweets and it is a well-known fact that you are gay, anyone could use a considerate gift.
These tomatoes are hand-picked for you, your favorite albeit secret snack. But in a village of ninja nothing will stay secret forever. The information, though, will not be brutally shared like your sexual preference was so you needn't worry.
Instead, there is more were these came from. If you come to the clearing behind Training Ground 7 tonight at eight, you will find out exactly how many more there are. And maybe, if you see something you like, you won't be alone anymore…"
Sasuke lowered the letter to the top of the bar with a small frown on his face. He didn't like receiving love-letters and this one was no exception. Even though it could almost be seen as modest love-letter-wise he still didn't like it all that much.
He'd always thought that love-letters were a weak way of professing your love for someone. Even more so when the letter wasn't signed, like his. Only a coward would leave such a letter like this rather than talk to him face to face, he thought with a huff.
Then he stood up and moved to throw the letter away. But when the bin was opened he was suddenly overcome with a feeling of doubt.
It [i]was[/i] a love-letter and even though he wasn't charmed by those, this one seemed different somehow now. Next to feeling flattered by the letter and the sort-of confession it had contained, the letter had also made him curious.
It was obvious the letter was written by a man. Not only because it was acknowledged that he was gay [i]in[/i] the letter but also because the style and handwriting could never belong to a girl.
And the idea of a man giving him a Valentine's Day present, however sappy and commercial it was, already made it feel better than getting it from a girl.
Feeling slightly flustered he glanced at the basket of tomatoes standing in his kitchen. Someone [i]had[/i] gone through the trouble of finding out he liked tomatoes which had probably not been an easy task. And that person cared about what he really liked rather than what everyone thought he liked. That much was obvious.
Besides that, the style of the letter itself felt almost comfortable and the way his present was gifted to him was quite discreet. It was exactly how he liked things. In the letter, the entire gift, there were no fake yet beautiful words in an attempt to win him over. Just a few words of appreciation and a simple message.
After worrying his lip for a few seconds, he closed the bin and moved to sit at the breakfast-bar again, letter placed next to the basket. With a soft sigh he grabbed another tomato. They really were delicious…
Taking a bite he couldn't help but glance at the letter and wonder who his admirer was.
There were a few people he thought it wouldn't be and a few people he didn't want it to be but there was no-one he had a feeling it would be. This didn't mean, though, that there weren't some people that he hoped it would be. Neji Hyuuga and his teacher Hatake Kakashi amongst those but he had an inkling of a feeling that it would be neither of the two. Neji was taken and Kakashi was… Kakashi.
Whoever it was though, he had spiked Sasuke's curiosity enough to make the Uchiha decide he would give his admirer a visit. He caught a bit of tomato-juice before it slipped down his chin with his tongue. For some reason, he was looking forward to meeting the person that had written him the letter.
Pondering over his current situation Sasuke glanced down at himself with a small frown. It was already six so he'd be meeting his admirer in two hours. Maybe he should take a shower? After all, he [i]had[/i] walked around in these clothes the entire day and he'd even done some practice this morning.
"What!" He cried out in surprise at his own thoughts and a red flush settled over his cheeks. He lowered his head in embarrassment and stared at the counter-top for a few moments. What was he thinking? Sheesh, was he turning into a girl or something?
Shaking his head in annoyance, both at his thoughts and the blush on his cheeks, Sasuke stood up and stomped off to his bedroom. Date or no date, he felt sweaty so he needed to shower.
Standing in the shower, the hot spray hitting his head and back, Sasuke closed his eyes with a sigh. He hadn't been able to get his date tonight off of his mind even though he wanted to. He didn't want to be worrying like this. About who it would be and if he'd end up liking the person. It wasn't important and he'd never cared about it before.
But it [i]was[/i] important now.
It had been so long since he'd felt loved that now that an opportunity came by he was only all to willing to grab it tightly with both hands.
He hadn't been in a relationship yet and while he both claimed and thought it wasn't important deep down he knew he was fooling himself. Because while he didn't necessarily want a boyfriend he did want someone to love. And be loved in return. Mere human emotions – human needs – that even he felt. But without a family and little friends the need for affection remained unfulfilled.
So now, with an outlook on something that could become what he secretly wished for he couldn't help but feel slightly nervous. It wasn't like him to have these feelings, to be flustered about something like this and to feel excited at the prospect of meeting his secret admirer.
Grabbing his soap, Sasuke started washing himself with his mind still on his secret admirer.
Now that the moment of the date was nearing he started wondering who it could be. Would it be someone he knew? Someone nice? Someone… attractive?
While he stroked a soap-covered hand down his chest in order to clean it, the fleeting thought if his admirer would touch him this way crossed his mind. Right away his eyes widened and a gasp passed his lips, a dark flush settling over his cheeks.
What was he thinking?
He swallowed and with a small frown continued washing himself. But even though he felt embarrassed by his own thoughts, that didn't stop his mind from wandering. How his admirer would touch him. How [i]anyone[/i] would touch him.
He had to admit that he'd often wondered what it would be like to be with someone. Mostly when he was touching himself.
He bit his lip softly and, instead of washing himself, he trailed his hand down his chest. He traced his skin lightly and it send tingles through him, making him gasp softly. When someone else touched him, would it feel like this too?
Swallowing, he closed his eyes and pinched a nipple, his body shuddering at the feeling. Would his admirer touch him like this, or maybe rougher or gentler? Would the man stroke his hand down Sasuke's chest the same way the Uchiha was doing to himself now? Sasuke couldn't help but wonder, the teasing touches he bestowed upon himself feeling different than usual. More intense.
When he caressed a sensitive patch of skin a soft gasp passed his lip and a light buzz of excitement shot through him, settling in his groin urged on by the thoughts someone else was doing this to him.
With his heart beating wildly in his chest, Sasuke's hands found their way down his stomach, awakening a small fire within him in their wake. If imagining another person doing this to him already had such a strong effect on him, how would it truly feel? He wondered and a soft moan passed his lips, unbidden.
He lowered his hand even further, urged on by an eagerness he'd never felt quite like this before. He stroked a lone finger down his half-hard length in a teasing manner, a shuddering breath passing his lips while he resisted the urge to buck into his own touch.
Then his eyes shot open as realization of exactly [i]what[/i] he was doing seeped in. He turned around quickly and with an angry expression turned off the hot water.
When ice-cold water cascaded down his back he hissed softly and turned around to slump against the shower-wall. He dragged a hand down his face and could only wonder: what the hell was happening to him?
Sasuke's steps were nervous and yet at the same time his heart was beating loudly in his chest in excitement.
Back home, after his shower, he had successfully stopped himself from dressing up in anything but his usual clothing. Having taken a shower felt embarrassing enough – especially when you included his actions in that – so putting on any unusual clothing was definitely crossing a line. Besides, his admirer wouldn't care either way, he thought. Not if the person was anything like he'd imagined.
Nearing the clearing his steps slowed down. What if it was someone he didn't like? And… what if this was a joke? What if someone decided to play a prank on him by hurting his feelings?
Swallowing, Sasuke shook his head in an attempt to shake the thought off. It was probably just nerves that made him wonder those things.
Passing the last few trees that blocked his view of the clearing Sasuke froze in his steps, watching the scene in front of him.
A plaid was laid out in the middle of the clearing with various foods and drinks on top of it. But instead of meeting with his secret admirer Sasuke had walked in on what looked like a Valentine's date between Neji and Shikamaru.
Sasuke swallowed and tried not to feel disappointed. It seemed his admirer had made a mistake in thinking they could be alone together here. His eyes were still on the happy couple in front of him, whispering to each other with tender expressions like any couple that had been together for the time Neji and Shikamaru had been. Sasuke had to admit it was something he was slightly jealous of.
He was about to turn around and go home to mope about his ruined date when suddenly his name was called out.
He swallowed, being caught a bit unaware. It almost felt like he'd been spying on the two.
Looking at the couple he wasn't sure what to say. He could hardly tell them the truth but he didn't have a good lie available either.
He didn't need to reply, though, because Neji smirked and said: "Good to see you came."
Sasuke blinked, rooted to the forest ground and he feeling a stone had been thrown into the pit of his stomach. He felt betrayed, fooled. Neji and Shikamaru had been together for almost a year now and he respected both man a great deal. But he hadn't expected that they would be the kind to fool around like this. To make him happy and excited only to have their happily-ever-after rubbed into his face.
He angrily clenched his hands into fists and narrowed his eyes. "I'd never have expected [i]you[/i] to do this sort of thing."
A slightly pained expression crossed Neji's face for a second and then he leaned his head to the side, inquiring: "What sort of thing?"
Sasuke seethed in anger. They expected him to admit he'd been fooled and hurt? Fine, he'd show them what they had done and then he would make them regret it. "To joke around like this, with this sort of thing. I really respected the two of you before, but now…"
Next to Neji, Shikamaru snorted softy.
Sasuke glared at the lazy nin, wondering what exactly was so ridiculous about his words. He was right to be hurt.
"Troublesome," Shikamaru shook his head and turned to look at Sasuke with an expression that was a combination of amusement and tenderness. He leaned forward from his sitting position on the plaid to lift a cloth from a basket. "If we'd been joking we wouldn't have gone through the trouble to get you these."
When he saw the basked filled with tomatoes – the same look and size as the one's he'd gotten earlier that day – Sasuke's eyes widened slightly.
What? He thought, stunned, as he looked first at Shikamaru and then at Neji. He bit his lip and looked at the tomatoes with a frown. They were his secret admirer? Neji and Shikamaru wanted him? He felt his heart flutter in excitement but his head was drowning in confusion.
It couldn't be. What the hell was going on here? He wondered. Neji and Shikamaru were going out, had a steady relationship. They weren't joking. They'd said it with only few words but now he was convinced they weren't. But if they weren't joking then what the fuck did they want with [i]him[/i]? For as far as he knew they were happy and they couldn't be asking him to join them… could they? The idea alone was totally insane. Three men together. And that wasn't even thinking about the fact that Neji and Shikamaru were obviously in love with each other! Or maybe they wanted him to join them only in a sexual aspect? He shuddered at the thought which was slightly appealing if he were honest. But it could only go wrong, couldn't it?
Taking a breath, he tried to stop his racing mind. Whatever they had to offer wasn't important. What [i]was[/i] important, though, was how he would feel about that. About them. He wasn't sure, couldn't be sure, even. He'd ever given anything like this a thought and while Neji was attractive and Shikamaru so smart it was a challenge to talk to him sometimes he just didn't know what to think. He'd only ever regarded them as friends. Anything else hadn't mattered.
"Sasuke?" Neji suddenly called out, his voice softer and gentler than it usually was.
Sasuke turned to look at Neji, taken aback when he was met with the other's captivating opalescent eyes. He wet his lips with the tip of his tongue nervously. "Yeah?"
A flicker of relief found its way across Neji's face, the other obviously having feared he'd lash out at Shikamaru and him. He held out his hand gesturing at the plaid. "Why don't you join us."
Sasuke hesitated, not sure what joining them entailed and what he'd be promising if he sat down.
Catching the Uchiha's hesitation Shikamaru leaned his head to the side and gave the other a small smile. "Just think of this as a date, if you want. We're not asking for anything more."
Contemplating those words for a few moments, Sasuke nodded eventually. He could do that. He could date Neji and Shikamaru. There was even a small voice in the back of his mind that told him he [i]wanted[/i] to.
Sitting down onto the plaid he wasn't sure what to say or what to do, so instead he reached out to take a tomato from the basket. After taking a bite he looked up to find Shikamaru looking at him with a smirk and Neji with relieved expression and he flushed. "I… just like tomatoes." He said and then turned his head away in embarrassment, not believe he'd actually said that.
"We know," Neji nodded.
Sasuke nodded. Of course they knew, they'd given him the basket, after all. "Thanks, for the gift… they're really good."
"Good to hear." Shikamaru laughed. "It was such a hassle getting you the best of the best." He said with a sly smirk.
Sasuke blinked. "The best of the best?"
"Well, you have to if you want to get Sasuke Uchiha out on a date." Neji teased with a smirk of his own, watching as a drop of tomato-juice found its way down Sasuke's chin. He reached out a finger to wipe it off.
Sasuke gasped softly when suddenly Neji's finger was on his chin, wiping it clean. The touch felt good.
"So, would you date us?" Neji then asked.
Sasuke blinked. Date Neji and Shikamaru? "Really?" He couldn't help but ask.
"Really." Shikamaru spoke up from Sasuke's other side, an unusually determined expression on his face. "We want you to be with us, in a relationship."
Sasuke flushed at those words. Be in a relationship with Neji [i]and[/i] Shikamaru? He fumbled a bit. It did sound appealing and it wasn't like he disliked either of them. But still, to get into a relationship with them right away, he just wasn't sure… "I'm not… I mean, I don't know if that's a good idea."
Neji chuckled softly. "We're not asking you to join us permanently right away. Just… dating, to find out if you like it." He then glanced at Shikamaru who nodded at Neji with a small smile. Turning back to Sasuke Neji smiled an almost hesitant smile at the Uchiha. "Would you want that?"
Dating wouldn't be so bad. Sasuke told himself. He'd already admitted to himself that if Neji hadn't been taken he'd want him to be his secret admirer. Although that didn't necessarily mean he would also come to like Shikamaru as much as he thought he'd be able to like Neji. But, then again, they would be dating to find that out, wouldn't they?
"Well… I could give it a shot." He admitted softly, blushing brightly. He hadn't expected it to be this embarrassing.
"Good," Neji sighed in relief and reached out a hand to grasp Sasuke's gently.
Sasuke returned the gesture and intertwined their fingers, feeling strangely comfortable and warm inside.
Then suddenly there was a pair of soft lips pressed against the side of his mouth. "Thank you," Shikamaru murmured softly.
Sasuke felt his heart skip a beat at the innocent kiss and he looked at the Nara in surprise. "You're welcome." He automatically said and glanced at Neji who was watching Shikamaru and him with a grin.
Sasuke couldn't help but admit that so far, this was his best Valentine's Day he'd had so far. And maybe, he thought while looking at the couple that he was now dating, next year would be even better.
The end