AN: I originally posted this 4 years ago, (the previous leap year) but never finished it, so I decided to complete and compact it, turning it into a one-shot instead of splitting.

Sasu/Naru

Every 1st person thought is Naruto's

February 29th, it only comes during a leap year, so that's every four years, so doesn't happen that often. They say that everything gets turned upside-down on that day, the day when change is inevitable, it's also traditionally the 'only' day when a woman can propose.

Now I am no woman, I am all man, I'm strong and sexy and well, I'm a manly man, believe it! There is nothing womanly about me what so ever, I'm 100% man. Except Sasuke who says I look like a girl, and get over emotional, plus the fact that I bottom, so he says that makes me a girl...well actually a lot of people call me a girl, but that still doesn't mean I am one. But due to this Sasuke claims that I can only propose to him on this 29th of February. Sorry, I bet you want to know who he is, well Sasuke, he's been there my entire life, rivals turned best friends, then during university, best friends turned lovers, and we're still going strong. And I know regardless of what happens we're going to stay together forever. Yes we have our arguments and often a few bruises, after all we were once rivals, but we love each other. Though Sasuke is a stoic bastard, I know he does love me, he has told me, but he often does it without words, but you see I randomly out of the blue one day said.

"Hey Sasuke, I think we should get married"

Yeah I know, properly not the best way for me to say it, but it's what I felt, we'll always be together, so why not make it official, so we show everyone else that we want to spend the rest of our lives together, I see no harm in that. But Sasuke wasn't too keen on the idea; not that he refused or anything, he just called me an idiot, and told me that I couldn't propose to him, but when I asked him why the hell not he told me what I've just told you. Of course that made me angry about the whole girl thing, but have you ever heard anything as stupid as that. It's even stupider about that law where you can shoot a Welsh person with a crossbow within the city walls in Chester, Okay maybe not as crazy as that that is a pretty wacked out law but you get the point.

But that was last November, so I decided I'd play his little game and come the 29th of February I'd ask him to marry me, and if he says no I'll ask him again, and again till he gets so annoyed he'll say yes just to shut me up…or he'll beat the hell out of me. Personally I hope it's the first, but until then I'll have to spend a whole lot of time showing him how much I love him so he'll be persuaded to accept my proposal, since there's no way he'll propose to me. I thought of many things I could do, how I could propose, from the most clichéd ways to original, but I don't know if any of them will work. I made sure to shower him with affection and surprise encounters of erm, another kind till February; Christmas, New Year and Valentines, even Pancake Day. I totally worked my ass off trying to find the best presents and card and cooking him dinner and giving him lofts of fun occasions, trying to prove to him how great we are and how wonderful a husband I would be, or wife as he'd say.

But the 29th got closer and closer, I think Sasuke got a little bit annoyed at my behaviour, he went weird for a while and actually blocked me out for a few days, he only talked to Sakura she's one of our best friends. They spent a lot of time together that weekend, shopping and going to lunch they were really secretive, and if it wasn't for the fact that Sasuke was gay I might have thought they were up to something. But after that weekend he was alright with me again, and he made up for the distance that had been between us and making no distance between us. Yeah that was fun, but still even though it's been amazing these past few months I need to win him over completely, make him mine forever. So I need to do whatever it takes to get him to marry me, and prove I am not a girl.

I'm sleepy but the clock hits midnight on the 29th of February causing the alarm to go off and wake me up, I'm going to need as much time as I can to propose to Sasuke. I wipe the sleep out of my eyes and start to shake Sasuke, who slowly begins to open his eyes. Plan 1, ask him when he's just woken up, so maybe he'll be too disorientated and say yes.

"What do you want?"

He's so cute when he's sleepy "Morning bastard, it's the 29th of February, will you marry me?" Okay so maybe not so romantic, but it was worth a try.

"No, go back to sleep. And fyi 'bastard' isn't a very endearing name, idiot " he turns around stealing a fair amount of duvet while he does so, it wasn't as if I've expected him to say yes but I can't help be disappointed, but I've got the whole day, I'll start on plan 2 in few hours, but until then I suppose I should sleep. After all I do have all of today to get him to say yes, maybe I could just trick him…or drug him, and it shouldn't be too hard.

Sasuke usually wakes up earlier before me, so I've had to wake up really early if I want to have everything done by the time he's woken up and had a shower.

Half an hour, lots of cursing and burnt food later I think I've done it; created a perfect breakfast. There's his tea and orange juice, depending on what he feels like, toast, scrambled eggs, 3 strips of bacon, 2 hash browns and plum tomatoes. And to top it all off some baked beans; a perfect fried breakfast, minus all the gross bloody things. But now I need to make it presentable, I heard Sasuke bashing about so I know he won't be long out the shower.

I sat down with my own scrambled eggs with toast and beans, I'd given the last of the bacon to Sasuke, since I ruined the rest, but sacrifices must be made. He's here, and I'm sat here like an idiot grinning, and there's a whole freaking fried breakfast in front of his seat.

"This is new, and weird. Did you cook this? Is it safe?"

I bite back a sarcastic retort and smile "Just showing how much I love you"

But he sits down anyway, eyeing it, obviously liking the presentation "Erm Naruto what is that?"

Okay so maybe it was a little weird to try and write 'will you marry me' on his toast with beans, but damn it was hard so it better be worth it "It's what it says, will you?"

He eyes me before mushing all the food together, destroying the message, "no"

Damn it!

Sasuke tried to look past Naruto's weird behavior, he did have a tendency to act unusual but he was being so much more annoying than he'd ever been; Sasuke sure as hell wasn't going to accept a proposal from Naruto anytime soon. He continued fastening the tie around his neck, pulling it up till it came to rest at the bottom of his neck; he was already running late for work, since Naruto kept on getting down on one knee every five minutes to 'propose'.

He heard a jingle behind him, and low and behold there was Naruto holding his car keys, Sasuke, gave a look of distain as Naruto smiled and began to ask the same question.

"No, now give me my keys"

Naruto groaned leaning against the door "But I didn't even ask you yet".

Sasuke plucked the keys out of Naruto's hands and kissed him on the cheek before picking up his briefcase "I'll be back later, try to have your sanity back by then"

Naruto smiled and walked Sasuke to the door, shutting it gently behind him, waiting for

"What the fuck Naruto?"

Naruto grinned, opening the door quickly "Is that yes?"

"NO!"

Sasuke sat in his office going through his papers thinking back on Naruto's behaviour, it was amusing yet kind of annoying, and he had been rather irritated that he'd tampered with his car, especially when the interns started laughing at the still very obvious splats of glue. But at least Naruto hadn't bothered him at work yet.

Just then the intercom buzzed on his desk.

"Mr Uchiha?"

"Yes?"

"You have a messenger with something for you"

"Just sign for it then, like you're supposed to do"

"It's especially for you, I can't take it"

Sasuke pinched the top of his nose in-between his eyebrows, dreading whatever was coming for him, "Send him in" he really didn't have time for this.

He was prepared to give Naruto another verbal lashing, but what entered his office left him speechless, but also gave him a huge urge to break out in laughter, which was hard to resist.

"Stop laughing, I'm going to kill him myself"

A visually angry Kiba stood in a typical green Irish dress up, ginger beard included.

Sasuke, held his laugher to ask "Why are you dressed like a leprechaun? Don't you know St Patrick's day isn't for another few weeks"

"This whole Leap Year thing was an Irish invention, you know that, and Naruto made me do this 'cause I lost a bet, now shut up and listen"

Sasuke motioned for him to continue, before settling back into his chair and watching the very embarrassed Kiba shuffle his feet before clearing his throat.

"On this special Leap Year day as ordained by St Patrick, would you Sasuke Uchiha do Naruto Uzumaki the honour of accepting his hand in marriage?"

He sighed before throwing a handful of glitter in the air "What do you say Uchiha?"

Sasuke composed himself before pointing at the glitter on the floor "I'm not cleaning that up. Goodbye Inuzuka. You can see yourself out."

"Yeah yeah"

The door closed behind Kiba as Sasuke leant back in his chair, '5,4,3,2,1'.

Sure enough the phone rang, and Sasuke picked it up without looking at the ID. "Hello Naruto, the answer is no and please don't pull anymore stunts, we have jobs to do remember?"

"Yes, to be honest I just wanted to make Kiba wear a stupid outfit. But the question still stands, will you marry me?"

He sighed "No Naruto." before hanging up.

Sasuke arrived late from work that night, not completely to escape from Naruto's questions, but they didn't cause him to rush home either. Though Sasuke knew he only had a few more hours to deal with whatever Naruto was going through. Surprisingly, dinner went off without any proposals, and if there was a ring hidden anywhere then he didn't find it.

However Sasuke had reason to be suspicious when Naruto suggested they played a game of scrabble, sure enough, already laid out with the tiles was 'will you marry me'.

"You know I hate this game" before scrapping the tiles back into the box, "do I really have to wait another 3 hours or whatever hours until you stop this?"

Naruto tilted his head to the side "Yep, well at least until the next leap year, then I'll do it all over again, so you may as well just say yes and get it over with." He smiled "You know, for your own well-being"

"Nice try Naru. But seriously can we have a normal evening in?"

Naruto sighed, "fine but I'm going to ask you again later".

This is it, there's ten minutes till midnight, that means if he doesn't say yes, then I'll have to wait another four years to ask him, I don't think I can wait that long. I'm so tired and my eyes want to close, after all I've literally been awake since midnight this morning, but I need to stay awake for these last minutes.

He sits there looking at me sceptically, a smirk on his face, and I suppose I may as well do it, last time properly down on one knee. The bastard is laughing, as if I haven't been on my knees enough today "Sasuke, will you marry me, please. I love you and I want to spend the rest of our lives together" he smiles and leans down and kisses me, and for a moment I think, I hope he may say yes.

"No"

But then my hopes are crushed and I know there is no chance of us getting married anytime soon, he won't accept my proposal if it's not of February 29th, and he won't be proposing to me. Something wet hits my cheek, and I don't notice till Sasuke wiped it away that it was a tear, I can't help it I love him so much. I'm in his arms and he's comforting me, small kisses on my forehead, and it's simple what he's saying, sorry he can't marry me, I guess he doesn't want to, maybe he doesn't love me enough, maybe I'm not good enough.

"Dobe"

He looks at me with his dark eyes, his gorgeous dark eyes, and I know my own must be a little red, but I see that he thinks I'm beautiful "Ask me again"

I think my heart stopped, no it's back again, did he just ask me to ask him to marry him? "I - I, will you?"

He laughs, he better not be joking me around "You've got one minute left dobe, spend it wisely"

I nod dumbly, the time seems to tick by s quickly I can hear it echoing my head "Sasuke" 30 seconds "Will- will you marry me?" I pause the seconds still passing me by "You're the only one I want in this world, to be with you always" I clutch him tight, I think my tears may still be falling but that doesn't make me a girl. "Love me and be mine always" 10 seconds left.

He looks thoughtful, and I dare hope once again that he'll accept me, after all he did ask me to propose to him, his fingers brush my cheek, a faint smile touches his lips

"No."

I can't help it now the tears fall and I don't even know why, this whole thing was thought up on a whim, but it's what I want, and it seems that by rejecting marriage he's rejecting me altogether. Even though I know it's not true it's what I feel. His arms tighten around me and I fall into them, any reassurance he still wants me I'll take, the kisses sweet but forceful and I know he knows what I think and feel.

The clock ticked past midnight, it's now the 1st of March and my chance of proposing is gone, for another four years at least. But I have him here with me, and knowing he loves me, even if we're not getting married, this is enough, plus I can always persuade him later.

He smiles as I begin to smile again, though it kind of turns into a smirk as I blow my nose with his hanky, it's his fault for offering it me. I try to reach out for another kiss but he gets up and leaves the room, and suddenly I feel lost and confused. Is he totally leaving me?

Moments past and my face falls into my hands, I can't believe this is happening, I never thought he would do something like this.

"Dobe"

I've never been so thankful to see him, our kisses are hungry and needy but I need to show him how I feel "thank God you're back Sasuke, you were gone ages"

He raised his eyebrows at me and pointed to the ticking clock "I was gone 2 minutes idiot!"

The room suddenly got hot "Oh, it seemed longer, I thought you'd gone"

He chuckled "I'll never leave you dobe" but his smile was sincere, I wish we would never be apart.

"Never?"

"Never ever"

I can't say how relieved I am, I think I'm going to need another hanky, or a box of tissues, I suppose there is a reason women don't ask men to marry them, not that I'm a woman or anything.

"Dobe" he smiled down at me and kneels by my side holding out another hanky, he's so intuitive, I can't help but smile as I wipe my eyes and blow my nose once more, though something hurt. I look down and there on my lap lies a little black velvet box.

Then I suddenly realise, Sasuke is knelt down in front of me, smiling at me, and I don't know what to say, I think I must have been acting like a fish because he closed my mouth to press his lips to mine. I think the tears are coming again, you would have thought I'd cried enough tonight.

"Dobe, Erm Naruto" he picks up the box from my lap, and opens it slowly, revealing a ring inside, an engagement ring. It's beautiful and obviously expensive, a thick white gold band or whatever it is, they all look the same to me, and a beautiful blue diamond set inside. "Naruto, will you marry me?" I look up at Sasuke, and I can't say anything, and want to throw myself up into his arms screaming yes followed by lots of kisses and sofa sex, but I can't move. There's a little voice in my head that's telling me to say no, just because he kept saying no to me, so I should say no out of spite. But this is too wonderful to say no to, plus who knows if he'd ever ask me again.

I realise how long I must have spent talking to myself, Sasuke never gets nervous or scared and it's easy to tell that he is right now, his face is calm and collected but his eyes reveal the truth.

Smiling I nod, and I see all the worry leave his eyes and he smiles, God I love it when he smiles. "Yes Sasuke, I will" I start to laugh in spite of myself; I was crying just a moment ago, it's like I'm having mood swings or something. The ring slips on my finger and it's so beautiful, I'm definitely going to make some of the girls jealous, especially those who still hold a candle for my gorgeous fiancé, oh my God, I have a fiancé.

Our fingers are entwined, our eyes locked and I can tell he's happy; his kisses are soft but passionate, his hands running through my hair and holding my waist. I have a wonderful fiancé and I'm going to live happily ever after.

"Hold on a sec," I don't think that Sasuke was too pleased about me pushing him off slightly; he rather enjoys pushing me into the sofa "why didn't you accept my proposal? Any of them"

He smiled, the bastard smiled "I can't let a girl propose to me, it's the principle of the thing, plus it's a better surprise if you don't expect it."

"I'm not a girl, dammit"

"You are in this relationship, you forget which role you play, my darling"

"Fine but I'm not wearing a dress." He is really infuriating sometimes.

The bastard smirked at me and I knew I would have some trouble with him later, but for now I'll just enjoy tonight, and the girl's role I play, just as long as he knows I won't be no damn housewife. But I'll let him have his fun tonight, and give me mine.

"Are you going to stare at me all night or are we going to celebrate our new step in our relationship, there is no going back you know."

I smirk and so does he, though I have to admit I squeaked slightly when he picked me up and carried me through the house to drop me on the bed, I'm still not a girl.

Hope you enjoyed it. Take this as me getting back into writing, so get ready to hear a lot more from me *fingers crossed*