Warnings: excessive use of commas, the words 'and', 'because' and the use of italics, some swearing and a somewhat vague sex scene close to the end. Possible OOC-ness. Also, my sexy generous beta did her hardest to fix my piece of crap and turn it into something less… crappy (Thanks, sweetie~). Any mistakes are my own, if you find any please tell me and I'll gladly fix them.
This story takes place in an Alternative Universe, so no spoilers! If there are, please point them out so I can add them to the warnings.
Summary: Sasuke pretends it never happened, Naruto tries to. Sasuke ignores the ache in his chest, Naruto can't. Sasuke denies everything, Naruto's getting tired. There are some things that just can't be bottled up.
Word Count: 8,579
I own nothing, zero, nada.
Enjoy!
-Those Friday Nights-
It was Friday and the clichéd relief was almost palpable. The tension suffocating even though it was still half an hour too early for that final bell that would signal temporary freedom.
It was only expected for there to be a few students who decided that waiting that much was just not worth it. Knowing that the hackneyed teachers wouldn't bother to call them out at this point of the week only encouraged skipping class.
"Please, you have to help me, Sasuke!"
The beseeching cry echoed throughout the empty hallway full of beat up lockers.
The only people who decided to skip on this particular Friday were only two young juniors. A blond boy on his knees, hands clasped tightly together in a begging manner and a pleading puppy-eyed expression as the icing on the cake. The other boy, same age, dark haired and pale skinned, gazed down superiorly at the boy in front of him. An indignant, incredulous look interrupting his previously impassive one. He didn't have to do anything for anyone. Especially this idiot.
Seeing the reaction his loud words had on his 'friend', which threatened to worsen the already bad situation he was in and make his voice going almost horse from begging so much all in vain, the boy on his knees quickly retracted his aforementioned words.
"I-I mean… Sasuke, hey, my BFF, friend for live, the most awesomest guy ever…. please? I really need your help with this! If I fail the test, I'm screwed!"
"I still don't understand why you need my help, ask someone else." Sasuke grumbled, thoroughly irritated with his idiotically persistent friend. Naruto was known to never give up, even if it meant making a fool out of himself and putting himself in possible danger by annoying Sasuke, who was known for being an asshole with a sadistic sense of humor.
"I can't! Kiba is just as stupid as I am, Shikamaru is too lazy to help, Sakura keeps hitting me, and Gaara... Well, Gaara is Gaara! Plus, you're the best in the class and you're super smart!"
Naruto moved closer to Sasuke, sliding his knees across the floor and making a sound that was dangerously close to being a whimper.
"... Complimenting me is not going to make me change my mind, Naruto."
"Please, Sasuke! I'll do anything! I'll even stop bothering y-"
Sasuke's back straightened, his eyes widened and his mouth unconsciously opened to agree automatically-
"-No, I can't do that, but I'll do other stuff. Anything you want!"
Sasuke's whole body deflated, suddenly feeling very tired.
Summoning his best puppy-eyes, Naruto let out one more vehement plead. The final hit.
"Please!"
"... Fine, just shut up."
"Yes!" Naruto jumped up from his kneeling position and started doing a little victory dance.
"Keep doing that and I won't help you anymore."
Naruto's little pelvis-shaking dance stopped abruptly. He scratched the back of his head and let out a nervous laugh.
"... Sorry. So, when do you want me over?"
"Around six is fine."
"Okay! I'll see you then, bastar-... Ahem, Sasuke."
Insulting Sasuke, no matter how true it was, probably wasn't the smartest thing to do. He desperately needed to get a good grade on his Biology test or he would fail the semester, and something told him Iruka wouldn't be too happy with him.
A grunt and the marginal narrowing of eyes was the only response Naruto got. They both parted ways, going on opposite directions. Naruto suddenly stopped and turned around. He cupped his hands in front of his mouth and shouted:
"Thanks, bastard!"
... Oops.
Sasuke, on the other hand, let out a quiet sigh and kept walking, completely ignoring Naruto.
Ding Dong!
Sasuke glanced up from doing his homework. Sitting on the kitchen table, Sasuke wondered if he had heard right.
Ding Dong!
Right, Naruto was supposed to come over to study. Sasuke tuned to the clock that hung on the wall, it was well over six-thirty. Half an hour late. Typical Naruto. With a sigh (how Naruto succeeded in annoying Sasuke without being there was a skill only a few had), Sasuke stood up and went over to open the door.
"Hey, bastard! Sorry I'm late, but there was this really old lady-"
"Save it, moron. You're starting to sound like Kakashi." Sasuke stepped aside to let Naruto in.
"Hey! At least I'm giving an excuse. That should give me some points."
Like always, Sasuke's sour mood didn't affect Naruto in the least. With his grin in place, Naruto waltzed into Sasuke's house. He had stayed over so many times that he felt it was his own.
"Whatever, are we gonna study or not? Stop wasting my time." Sasuke's cold voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He chuckled at Sasuke's prissiness and waved his hand in the air dismissively.
"Yeah, yeah."
Naruto's reply only served to irritate Sasuke further, but with a tired sigh he started leading the way to his room. Halfway up the stairs, his mother popped out from seemingly nowhere.
"Honey! You never told me Naruto was coming over, I didn't make enough food."
There was a little exasperation in his mom's voice, but no real threat. He knew she loved to cook, and loved it even more when Naruto came over. Before he could respond with an "I'm sorry" Naruto beat him to it.
"Hello, Mrs. Uchiha! I'm real sorry to be such a trouble-"
"Oh, don't be silly, Naruto! You know you are always welcomed here at any time. Why don't you boys go upstairs and I'll call you when diner's ready."
Naruto gave a cheeky grin and scratched the back of his head.
"Gee, thanks Mrs. Uchiha!"
"Oh! None of that "Mrs. Uchiha", call me Mikoto. It makes me feel younger."
Sasuke mentally rolled his eyes and before Naruto could respond with something cheesy about his mom already being young, Sasuke interrupted their little conversation.
"We'll be at my room, Mother."
Sasuke was already moving up the stairs again, dragging Naruto by the wrist with him. As soon as they entered his room Sasuke closed the door. He turned to Naruto and saw him taking out a few text books and notebooks from his backpack, which Sasuke only now noticed.
Naruto went over to sit at Sasuke's bed, cross-legged and back against the headboard. He spread out his books and notes in front of him, cracking his fingers and rolling his shoulder. Sasuke rolled his eyes at Naruto's antics before sitting directly in front of him and flipping through the disorganized notes, scoffing at the wrinkles and ink splashes.
"What don't you understand?"
"Hmm, well, let's see... everything." Sasuke let out a long suffering sigh. This was going to be long night.
"We'll start from the basics then. I'll try to dumb it down to your level."
Naruto nodded, his expression determined before apprehension took its time to dawn on him.
"Hey!" Was his late reaction, he huffed and crossed his arms in front of his chest. Naruto knew he wasn't the brightest crayon in the box, but there was no reason for Sasuke to insult him.
"The first thing you need to know is that..."
It took only a few seconds before everything that Sasuke was saying turned into gibberish for Naruto. His brain shut down and inevitably his mind started wandering. It was exactly what happened when he was in class, and possibly the main reason why he was failing.
After a while, his mind wandered to Sasuke. His best friend and worst enemy, the biggest asshole he ever met and the best friend he could ever ask for. The guy who kicks him down only to pick him right up, the person who insults him and claims to hate him only to then help him study for a test. All in all, Sasuke was the person Naruto could most rely on, but hated to.
Sasuke, with his ridiculously soft looking, dark hair and even darker eyes. Ghostly pale skin, even softer looking than his hair, and thin, pinkish lips that haunt Naruto. Long, elegant neck that follows a slender body and wonderfully long legs.
Sasuke, the complete opposite of Naruto, from looks to personality. And yet, they seemed perfect together, perfect for each other. There were times were Naruto couldn't stop thinking about how they clashed so beautifully. They balanced each other down, Naruto making Sasuke warmer and Sasuke cooling down Naruto. They were the perfect combination.
Naruto knew his mind was taking on a dangerous route, but he couldn't stop himself. He didn't know exactly when he started having romantic thoughts about Sasuke, but it all seemed logical. They've been best friends and worst rivals since kindergarten, and have been inseparable since then. Seeing and thinking of Sasuke romantically had scared Naruto at first, he had been jumpy and nervous around everyone because he thought that maybe he was being too obvious or that somehow everyone knew and Sasuke would hate him forever and he would have his heart broken in the cruelest way and no one would be his friend anymore and he would be so alone. Saying he had been jumpy was a vast understatement.
After a while he became accustomed, but not entirely comfortable, the thought of Sasuke discovering his feelings kept him stuttering and blushing and constantly on edge.
Right now, though, being careful was not the first thing on Naruto's mind. He hadn't even realized he was staring, too submerged in his thoughts.
Sasuke, on the other hand, was starting to get uncomfortable under Naruto's gaze. He knew Naruto wasn't paying attention to a single word he was saying but it's not like Sasuke had actually expected him to in the first place.
He could feel Naruto staring at him, so intently it made his fingers twitch and almost made him stumble in his "lesson". He wanted to tell him that a picture would last longer or to just simply stop fucking staring... but something was holding that back. Something was making him act as if he didn't notice the staring. And that same something was making his heart beat faster, his hands to get clammy and his mouth to dry. He didn't know what that something was, but he hated it. And Naruto was still staring!
"Stop that!"
The words escaped his mouth before he could stop them, and when he peeked up to face Naruto, to see if he even heard him, he caught Naruto watching him with a glazed over expression. A look vaguely familiar, but Sasuke couldn't quite determine why it was so.
"Huh?"
Naruto was too busy wondering how it would feel like to kiss Sasuke to come up with an intelligent answer, or an answer at all.
"Stop staring." And again, the words escaped Sasuke without his permission, though this time they were barely above a whisper. Hushed words that slyly crept around the uncomfortable silence that had wrapped itself around them like a scratchy blanket.
He hated that he was getting this affected over something as trivial as someone staring at him. He was used to being stared at, watched even, being an Uchiha put him in a lot of situations where he was forced to take the spotlight. But this was Naruto, and for some reason that changed things.
"Oh, s-sorry."
Naruto blushed and looked down at his hands. Sasuke had caught him staring and now... maybe he knew now. Did he hear how hard and fast his heart was beating? Did he notice how his hands were shaking, how much trouble he had breathing?
"Just... pay attention."
The uncomfortable silence settled more deeply between them, and Sasuke honestly had no idea what to do. Never before had he felt uncomfortable with Naruto, never. It had always felt strangely natural when it came to Naruto, whether it was fighting, arguing, backing each other up or having one of those rare "moments".
This felt... wrong. Sasuke decided he hated having uncomfortable moments with Naruto. So he did what any other intelligent, conscious person would do:
He went on explaining and acted like nothing had happened. Nothing at all. Because that is exactly what happened, nothing. Nothing.
He stared down at the book he was holding, because he couldn't look at Naruto in the eye anymore. And even though he kept on talking, it was still awkward.
A few minutes passed before he felt Naruto's stare again, as intense as before and twice as hard to ignore. He felt irritation mixed with something else Sasuke wouldn't admit to simmer inside of him. This time, though, instead of yelling out or whispering (because he did not mumble, Sasuke Uchiha does not mumble), he calmly told Naruto to pay attention.
Of course, Naruto being too focused on staring at Sasuke like a complete idiot, he didn't hear him. Still not averting his gaze, Naruto's only response was a terribly idiotic "Huh?" again, fuck.
Naruto was still making Sasuke incredibly uncomfortable and Sasuke was not used to feeling weird fluttering sensations in his stomach or not being able to stop his fingers from twitching or looking everywhere except at Naruto. Despite being somewhat overwhelmed he was still Sasuke Uchiha and that meant ignoring the strange feelings cursing through him and demanding Naruto to cut it out.
"I said, pay attention, moron. If you're not serious about studying then leave. I already told you not to waste m-"
But, before he could finish, he noticed the space between him and Naruto decreasing alarmingly fast. Sasuke unconsciously leaned back, half-lying on the bed, propped up on his elbows with his knees bent. Trying and failing to get some of his personal space back.
"W-what are you doing? Get off!"
Sasuke did his best to ignore the fact that he had just stuttered (God damn it, Uchihas weren't supposed to mumble and they were most certainly not supposed to stutter, shit shit shit).
Something was seriously wrong with him. Why was Naruto affecting him like this? Why was Naruto acting so strange? Playing a fucked up game of gay chicken just to get to him? Would Naruto really do that just for a one-up in their rivalry? Too many questions, not one single answer, and Sasuke's head was starting to hurt.
Naruto wasn't sure of what he was doing but he didn't quite care. His vision had blurred and everything seemed to be in slow motion. Senses so drowned by his thoughts he didn't notice what he was doing until he was hovering over a blushing Sasuke. No, no it wasn't possible, wasn't real. Surely he was going insane, because losing a few screws was a whole lot more possible than a school-girl-blushing Sasuke. Resisting the urge to rub his eyes like in every cartoon, Naruto took in his current situation haltingly. His hands were trapping Sasuke on both sides of head, but his body was fitted snuggly in between Sasuke's parted legs. His face was dangerously close to Sasuke's.
Naruto's breath hitched in surprise, his heart stammered, and a blush of his own made its appearance but he didn't move. Instead, he moved closer, so close that his elbows had to bend and their noses were touching and his eyes crossed a little, but Naruto still saw how Sasuke tensed and fists clenched and lips thinned into a white line. So Naruto moved to the side instead of forward like he wanted to, resting his head against the side of Sasuke's (and maybe having his lips touching Sasuke's ear and having his nose strangely comfortably buried in Sasuke's hair wasn't all that better, but, hey, it's something), because Naruto knew Sasuke was freaking out, if only a little. He knew Sasuke was uncomfortable, if the clenched fists, tense shoulders, weak glare and thinned lips weren't evidence enough, Sasuke had this little hidden frown tugging at the left-side corner of his lips (which was a warning sign in itself, Sasuke never tried to hide his displeasure) and a slender downward quirk to his eyebrows, jaws clenching and unclenching. That only happened in extreme situations, Itachi-unexpectedly-dropping-by extreme situations. Naruto wasn't sure he was happy with that incredibly uncomfortable expression in this kind of situation, but to be honest, anything else would've concerned Naruto.
He didn't want to break what he had with Sasuke, this kind-of-best-friends-plus-rivals-on-the-side relationship. Even though they fought constantly, he couldn't think of a person who knew him better and who he knew better than Sasuke.
He didn't want to destroy that, but it seemed that he couldn't hold it in anymore, couldn't hold back anymore, and couldn't ignore the wanting bubbling inside him. Everything he had kept bottled inside was deliberately leaking out, overwhelming him completely. And it scared the shit out of him, because he knew he wouldn't be able to stop if he started. He knew it wouldn't just wreck their fragile friendship but him, too.
He leaned closer absentmindedly, further burying his face in Sasuke's hair and inhaled. His eyes widened and all his senses flared. He had never smelled Sasuke, as strange as that sounded, but he had wondered. He just never imagines it to be like this minty and fresh, but still warm to the senses, a contradiction in itself, a musk fit for Sasuke. And with that he snapped.
With a quick 'Oh, what the hell!' Naruto decided he didn't care anymore. He didn't care if he was taking things too far anymore, he didn't care if Sasuke hated him after this. He was enjoying too much the 'now' to care about the 'later'. Though he was sure that later, when he was busy cleaning up the ruins of their friendship, he will care.
Naruto brought his face in front of Sasuke's, noses touching, breaths mixing and heart beating erratically. Just as he was about to lean forward something stopped him, begged him to think this over clearly, to get out and save what was left of this.
Then Sasuke licked his lower lip, a pink tongue darting out, swiping over the chapped lip before retreating and leaving it moist. Naruto didn't think twice about diving in and kissing him after that, claiming and bruising the lips that have just led him to his very own hell. A hell where Sasuke hated him, where there was no Sasuke.
It was just a chaste, simple kiss, but it managed to drive Naruto wild. He didn't notice Sasuke's widening eyes or the shock clearly evident in his face when he kissed him again, this time swiping his own tongue over Sasuke's bottom lip. And if he had, it wouldn't have mattered anyways, because Naruto wouldn't have stopped. The feeling, the taste, it was just too good to pass up. He would have plenty of time to hate himself later.
Sasuke was afraid he would start hyperventilating, he was already blushing, and that was more than enough. Even though his body wouldn't move, his mind was going overboard (with questions and shock and uncertainty and what's wrong with his heart? Why can't he breathe? And was Naruto really kissing?).
He felt like his brain and heart would simultaneously explode, his arms and legs were quavering and his fingernails cut through skin at how hard he had his fists clenched (and in between all his disorganized, rambling thoughts and questions, Sasuke wondered if he would be the first person to have a panic attack in middle of a kiss). Without thinking about it, he tilted his head a little, and opened his mouth just a little. He ignored the voice telling him that he was supposed to be stopping this, not encouraging it.
Happiness, unadulterated, shaky happiness exploded inside Naruto. His insides swelled, his heart made a leap of joy and his whole body shook with a shiver. Tears were dangerously close to spilling out of his tightly closed eyes, the last thing he needed was to start crying like an idiot. Sasuke wasn't rejecting him. He wasn't getting pissed off or freaked out or calling the police (and maybe that was a little exaggerated but what would you do when your seemingly straight best friend kisses you? Huh?), he was actually returning the kiss.
Naruto settled himself between Sasuke's parted knees more comfortably, with new fervor and confidence, and accidentally brushing their hips together. They both broke the kiss to gasp, both surprised at the shocks running up their spines. Naruto gazed into Sasuke's eyes, deep into them and saw something that had his heart racing faster than before. He let out a shaky breath before kissing Sasuke again. He ground his hips, this time intentionally, relishing in the thrill that went through him. Soon, Sasuke was thrusting up at Naruto, too.
Then he heard it, it almost escaped him, but he definitely heard it. That little breathless groan that almost drove Naruto over the edge. It made an impressive amount of blood move towards a more convenient place. All he could think of now was to hear it again. He wanted to hear Sasuke scream and wanted to make him writhe under him and god he couldn't remember a time he was more turned on.
Lightheaded, Naruto moved down to Sasuke's neck, biting and sucking and licking and nibbling. Frantic hips drove together, warm lips met hotter skin, breathless moans and small whimpers warmed their ears, and everything seemed perfect, blissful.
Then, everything crumbled down, mercilessly turned into ashes. It was ruthlessly destroyed, snapping them out of their trances. Realization dawned upon them, their movements halting abruptly. And all of it was caused by three simple words-
"Boys, dinner's ready!"
They both scrambled away from each other, their minds unfortunately cleared. Naruto cleared his throat twice and then one more time, before being able to make a coherent sentence, and he opened his mouth even though he had no idea what he could possibly say. But that was just him, acting before thinking, opening his mouth before knowing what to say, kissing and molesting his best friend before thinking about the consequences (or, rather, he thought about them, but didn't care and Naruto wasn't sure which one was worse).
"I... I'll leave and... yeah, um, b-bye."
Awkwardly, he stumbled out of the room, making a quick grab for his backpack and stumbling down the stairs. He didn't wait for Sasuke to say something, because he was afraid of the words that were sure to spill out of those seemingly innocent, beautifully swollen lips. Cruel, cold, and sharp words.
The thought of it coming from Sasuke was too much to handle, to cruel to stand, and so for the first time in his young life, Naruto fled. He ran away, and as fast as he could without falling flat on his face (and ruining the expensive-looking floor of the Uchihas with the dent that his hard head would most likely cause).
"Oh, Naruto! Is Sasuke coming down, too? Dinner's going to get cold..." Mikoto Uchiha trailed off as she saw the expression Naruto was wearing. An intriguing combination of anguish, embarrassment, anxiousness and most noticeably the guilt and fear.
Quickly, it dawned on her. It had finally happened.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Uchiha, but I have to leave. I just... Bye!"
Sasuke lay sprawled on his rumpled bed, trying hard not to think about how exactly his bed became rumpled in the first place, a difficult task but not impossible for an Uchiha. He stared blankly up at his ceiling, body relaxed and laziness pouring out of him, but the trained eye could clearly see that his mind was running a marathon, and he desperately wanted it to stop, he wanted to stop thinking about it, he wanted his mind to shut off, and most of all he wanted Naruto to go to hell.
All of this was the idiot's fault. It was his fault that Sasuke got this tired. It was Naruto's fault, for sticking his stupid tongue down Sasuke's throat (of course, his willingness and lack of preventing that damned tongue from going down his throat was forgotten for the moment).
A soft knock interrupted Sasuke from his rambling thoughts, and he knew immediately who it was (there was only one person he knew who could make a knock on a door sound soft).
"Come in." He almost cringed at the sound of his voice (but he didn't, because Uchiha's don't cringe from anything, just like they don't go kissing their best male friends). What he thought would sound like normal come out as tired and almost-not-quite-but-sort-of close to tears. He didn't bother being horrified by the sound of his voice, because he was too tired and this was his mom, someone who knew just how vulnerable Sasuke truly was.
"Sasuke, dear, you're dinner's going to get cold..." Her voice was gentle and worried.
"I'm not hungry, mom." He turned to her and smiled, or at least he tried to, it probably came out crooked and twisted. Mikoto was the only person who ever saw him give one of his rare smiles, her and... Naruto.
"Alright," her voice made Sasuke drop his smile and close his eyes, "do you want to talk about it?"
"No... I really don't want to." He felt his bed dip a little as him mom sat down. She gently moved his dark bangs away and tenderly kissed him in the forehead. Immediately he felt his shoulders relax and a sigh escape from deep in his throat. He loved his mom, he really did.
"Okay. If you get hungry later the food will be in the refrigerator. Goodnight, Sasuke."
"'Night, mom and... thanks."
He heard the door to his room close and felt as drowsiness overwhelmed him and he drifted to sleep. Monday was two days away, he could figure out what to do then.
Naruto lay sprawled on his tucked, unused bed. He was staring at the ceiling covered in Light in the Dark stars and planets, as he viciously chewed on his already abused lower lip. He kept clenching and unclenching his fists, kept turning and tossing, kept sighing sorrowfully and growling in frustration. His anxiety was pretty obvious.
He had kissed and humped Sasuke and then ran away. It was as simple as that, but his mind (as slow as ever) couldn't fully grasp it.
-How could you? How could you have destroyed everything we had? Why did you do it? You ruined it!-
He knows he did, he screwed up badly. His guts twist and turn painfully, his head pounds and he's pretty sure it's not because it's about four in the morning and he still can't sleep even though he is beyond exhausted.
Even though his body is screaming at him to just go to sleep already and stop moving around so much, his mind is screaming at him that he's an idiot, a fucking idiot for doing what he did. His mind is louder than his body, his mind is angrier than his body, and he's pretty sure he's crying and sobbing like a broken toy but he can't help it.
Just like he couldn't help but kiss Sasuke.
Naruto realized his eyes were closing and he was on the verge of falling asleep, but it didn't matter. Because he knew his mind will find a way to keep screaming at him in his nightmares.
It was Monday morning, and Naruto couldn't remember a day he was more nervous and scared and terrified than today.
He scrambled towards his locker, his hands fisted around his back bag's straps and his knees trembling, barely able to support him. He was an idiot, a true idiot.
What was he going to do when he saw Sasuke? Was he even going to see him? Thoughts of Sasuke transferring out of the school just to get as far away as he could from Naruto filled his tortured head. Quickly, and a little frantically, he shook those thoughts away. Sasuke wouldn't do that... he would kick his ass first and then transfer out.
Once he reached his locker he slammed his forehead against it. A few people stared but not for long, a student slamming his head against a locker in despair wasn't anything new, especially on a Monday. They were probably thinking he had forgotten to do his homework or a project or maybe failed a test- The test!
Naruto laughed bitterly, great, he forgot all about his test. The test he would have studied for with Sasuke if he hadn't been an idiot and hadn't kissed him and hadn't listened to his dick instead of his brain and hadn't screwed up!
He was pretty sure he would've started crying right then and there despite the looks he'd get. He certainly would've, if it wasn't for a hand suddenly on his shoulder. It was cold and unusually soft and shivers raced down his spine. He instantly knew who it was.
Sasuke.
Shit.
He wasn't ready yet, clearly never will be, but who can? Rejections aren't something you can easily prepare for. Especially rejections from someone like Sasuke. Cold, quick and sharp, cutting into you so deeply you could almost physically feel it. Words like punches. Getting stabbed in the stomach would be less painful.
(Vaguely Naruto wondered why it would hurt so much, if it was because Sasuke was Sasuke -cold, uncaring bastard-, or because he was Naruto -happy, over-emotional moron.)
Reluctantly, he turned around and didn't even try to force out a shaky smile. It would be useless, Sasuke always knows when Naruto's smiles are fake, just like how Naruto always knows when Sasuke's glares are fake, too.
"Oh, S-Sasuke..."
Sasuke refused to acknowledge Naruto's obvious agitation, or the way his hands were trembling almost as bad as his voice, or the lack of his ever-present sunny smile. He refused to look at Naruto's eyes, afraid of what he might see. He couldn't risk looking into Naruto's eyes, not right now. And even though his voice was monotone and his face was impassive, his hands were fidgeting, too.
"You forgot your books at my house and made me carry them for you, idiot. Now you owe me one." Sasuke thrust the books at Naruto, forcing him to grab them or let them fall.
Oh, so this was it. Sasuke was going to pretend Friday had never happened.
Naruto's heart clenched painfully, and this terrible feeling of- of lose, of humiliation, and of something breaking, of him breaking all squished together - of something he wasn't sure of washed through him, quenching him to the bone. Not leaving one single spot safe of its devastation.
He had to fight back the urge to run back to his apartment and never come out. Because if anything, Naruto still had just a bit of dignity left, even if only a tiny bit (just like his books, he had left most of it back at Sasuke's house, on Sasuke's room, in Sasuke's bed) and he was still a man so he grasped the books tightly and played along as best as he could, hopefully good enough.
"Oh, thanks... bastard."
"Come one, moron, or we'll be late for class."
"Yeah..."
And so the day went on, with Sasuke making a great job at pretending and ignoring, and with Naruto making a desperate attempt to follow.
Soon the whole week had gone by and things were starting to go smoothly again, but there were still bumpy parts, still parts with some stray ragged rocks.
They don't speak about what happened that Friday night, even if thoughts constantly invade their minds. They don't mention the touches and kisses they shared in that room, even if they're guilty of thinking about them. Because it never happened, not really. It was just a mistake, a slip.
Something so small it's not even worth thinking about, just a little unintentional kiss.
They are still best friends, they are still rivals. They still hang out and eat dinner over at the other's house, and they still watch horror movies at Saturday nights with popcorn and soda. It used to be on Friday nights, but the date changed. Naruto had visited on Saturday instead of Friday, poorly disguised uneasiness along with him, and Sasuke had opened the door with a movie in hand telling him he was late and Naruto almost fell with the overwhelming feeling crashing into him.
They still watch each other's backs and they still make each other trip and fall flat on their face. But something was wrong, different.
Something big disguised as small by their attempts to forget and ignore. Something that always manages to creep up into their thoughts despite their fake ignorance.
They are still the same, but there are moments. Moments when there is a stifling tension in the air, moments when the silences are awkward instead of comfortable, moments when they catch each other staring. There's something. And that something is always there to remind them of their mistake. Their slip.
Before Naruto could wholly understand the situation with Sasuke and before Sasuke could regret, a whole month had gone by.
It was too much, had been too much since that Friday about a month ago. He couldn't take it anymore, he wouldn't take it anymore. Because this was all bullshit, this whole denial crap, and pretending nothing ever happened. It was bullshit, and he couldn't believe he had let Sasuke get away with it, couldn't believe he had actually played along.
Naruto had woken up to that thought. He had woken up hard, sweaty, bothered, and angry. He had woken up cursing Sasuke to hell, because that's what the bastard deserved, for being such a cold jerk and disregarding what had happened that Friday so easily.
Like it was nothing. Something that could easily be forgotten and ignored. Bullshit. Naruto wasn't going to be the idiot he was so famously known for.
For the past month he had been fighting in tears and heartbreak. He had been a pathetic mess the whole time and trying his damn hardest not to show it. Trying to cover it, hide it and hold it in. But it still showed, some still leaked out and it was still painfully obvious. And Sasuke knew. He saw it all and ignored it, did nothing about it.
But now, now Naruto was pissed. And as he showered and changed and ate breakfast and walked to school that anger grew and hardened. Turned into something deadly, something calm and cold on the surface but with clear warning and threat. It was waiting calmly, boiling and eager. Just waiting to explode.
Kiba's frown deepened further as Naruto quietly closed his locker. He had been acting strange since the morning- Well, he had been acting strange for a long time now but this was different, it felt off. Naruto was acting strangely cold and calm, something that worried Kiba. He could take loud, obvious anger, or obnoxious, contagious happiness, he could even take annoying, noisy excitement.
But he didn't understand what this was. Whatever it was, it made the hairs on his neck stand up and goose bumps to spread across his skin.
Something was wrong from the start when Naruto came to school on time, and he was damn sure that it had something to do with Uchiha. It always had something to do with Uchiha, it was a wonder how they still haven't either ripped each other's throat or screwed each other senseless. Kiba didn't want to be part of either, but he was worried and Naruto was his friend.
"Kiba."
Snapping out of his thoughts Kiba turned to Naruto. They had stopped walking and now they were standing in the middle of the hallway, students bumping into them from every angle. School had just ended and the hallways were crowded. Angry remarks to get out of the way were being thrown at them but they both easily brushed them away, completely ignoring them. Everyone was eager to leave school, and Kiba couldn't blame them for being a little rude. It was Friday after all.
Naruto had his head down, making his messy bangs cover his eyes. Kiba unconsciously shivered at how dark and dangerous Naruto was looking. Who knew happy, sunny Naruto could look so… threatening?
"Yeah...?"
Kiba wasn't sure why, but being cautious around Naruto seemed like the safest way to go. He knew that he probably had nothing to do with Naruto's whatever-it-was but Kiba always manages to get in between Naruto's and Uchiha's drama.
"Do you know where Sasuke is?"
"Uh, I think he's in the showers... Why?"
"It's nothing, I need to go. See you tomorrow."
Naruto turned towards the gym, leaving Kiba standing alone in the hallway, wondering if this would ever end.
And so Kiba left, thoroughly confused and mildly irritated. Stupid Naruto. Stupid Uchiha.
Sasuke was about to discard the towel loosely draped around his waist when he heard the door to the locker room slam open and then shut. Sasuke peaked from the rows of locker he was in. No one was supposed to be here, it was too late for any students to be still be in the school, not to mention the locker rooms and showers were closed now. He was the only one allowed here at such late hours, being an Uchiha gave him certain privileges (he didn't like taking advantage of his last name, but this one was one of the very few exceptions).
"Who's there."
It wasn't a question, it was a demand. He heard the light shuffling as someone stepped closer inside and immediately recognized the mob of blond hair.
"Oh, it's you. What do you want, moron?"
He felt his stomach churning and he fisted his hands, squashing away the annoying feelings that always came up and threatened to consume him every time he saw Naruto.
He watched as Naruto stayed there, rooted to his spot. His messy bangs were hiding most of his face and Sasuke noticed the quivering of Naruto's hands, the clenched fists, the threat emitting from him. Naruto glanced up, his eyes hard and dark with anger and Sasuke unconsciously took a step backwards. He quickly steeled himself and frowned at Naruto. He was starting to get irritated, he didn't know why but it seemed to come very easily with Naruto and most of the time he didn't need a solid reason.
"What's your problem?"
"You."
The growled answer was quick, stunning Sasuke for a second. He was taken aback, and a feeling of dread slowly washed over him. No, this wasn't happening, Naruto wasn't doing this, not again. He knew better than that, better than to ruin things again... Right?
"What?"
Naruto stomped up to him, each heavy step echoing off in the empty locker room. Sasuke stood his ground, refusing to back down, his famous pride holding him in place. Once Naruto reached him, he pushed his way into Sasuke's personal space, noses millimeters form touching, and looked him right in the eye.
His heart picked up a few paces and all his vital organs decided to switch places when he was forced to gaze into Naruto's eyes right back. There was no caution, no hesitance, in Naruto's eyes. Something he hadn't seen for a long time now, not since the Friday a month back.
Naruto didn't give Sasuke anymore time to dwell on it. He grabbed hold of both Sasuke's shoulders and roughly slammed him against the lockers. Making sure the knob was digging painfully into his back, making sure it hurt.
"I said, you're my fucking problem," Naruto hissed into Sasuke's ear and Sasuke was too shocked to think about pulling away.
Then Naruto kissed him, smashed his lips against Sasuke's, making sure it was with enough force that even that hurt, too. He let go of Sasuke's shoulders and grabbed his wrists, efficiently stopping the punch aimed at him and pinning them against the locker they were currently pressed up against on either side of his head. He quickly positioned himself between Sasuke's legs, before he could try to kick him.
Naruto easily ignored the fact that Sasuke was still wet and bare-chested and only in a practically useless short towel. He also ignored the way Sasuke's muscles rippled and his back arched in the effort to get out of his hold. And how his short towel was riding up because his legs were spreading and more skin was showing inch by inch. Or the fact that those surprisingly soft lips were against his again, just like last time.
Suddenly, it wasn't so easy to ignore, because he was brushing against Sasuke's hipbone and the air was stifling hot and the familiar taste was intoxicating him. It wasn't very easy anymore, but his boiling anger helped making it easier.
Initial surprise was quickly replaced by anger. Sasuke felt himself burn with rage. Idiot! Just when things were starting to get back to normal, back to how it had been before that Friday, Naruto decided to screw everything up, again. He should've seen it coming, should've known Naruto was going to snap someday.
Because Naruto was never good at pretending, at denying and ignoring. He was good at charging in before thinking, he was good at screaming out what he thought and felt, not at holding it in. Not like Sasuke.
Sasuke knew how to hold it in, bottle it up and make sure the screw was on tightly, without a possibility of something leaking out. He was good at ignoring and looking the other way, he was good at pretending. Because that was who he was, who he was raised to be, cold, impassive and emotionless.
He ripped himself away from Naruto, looking away with wide eyes, appearing like the scared, fragile boy he was. He bit his lower lip, trying to get the feeling of another pair of lips on his away. His breathing was ragged and harsh, but he still couldn't seem to get enough air.
The hands on his wrists tightened and he snapped out of his thoughts, what just happened slapping him across the face. His eyes deliberately narrowed and flashed angrily, his temper flared dangerously. He glowered at Naruto and the fear he had felt was once again efficiently replaced by fresh anger.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing!"
He had meant to sound unaffected, and instead his voice shook and trembled. It was downright disappointing.
"Shut up."
Clean, sharp words cutting into Sasuke, making the burning feeling run through his veins and settle nicely in his stomach.
He started thrashing against the body trapping him against the lockers. Kicking and bucking and trying to get free of Naruto's hold.
"Let go of me! Get off!"
But Naruto just pushed against him, pushed back just like he always did.
"No."
And then Sasuke felt it, something hard against his hip. His eyes widened and his lips thinned into a hard line. He stopped his struggling and stared at Naruto in disbelieve, indignant and offended and absolutely wrathful.
"You... you-"
For the first time, words failed Sasuke. He let out an animalistic growl and tugged at his hands fiercely, making the relentless grip on his right hand loose. He didn't wait another second to punch Naruto, hurting his hand and splitting Naruto's lip.
Before Sasuke could feel any kind of triumph a hand shot out and grabbed the back of Sasuke's neck, another rough kiss planting itself on his lips. Sasuke was cut off guard, not expecting a kiss in retaliation. The hand on his neck forced Sasuke to tilt his head upward, deepening the kiss.
Sasuke fought back viciously. Biting at Naruto's already bleeding lip and hitting him anywhere he could with his free hand, trying to get out of Naruto's hold. But then a different fire started running through his veins, which made Sasuke's anger flare in protest. It was a battle between anger and lust and Sasuke was afraid to see which one would win.
Gradually, bit by bit, everything he had been denying came crashing at him, leaving him breathless and wanting more.
And bit by bit he began to loosen, to fight back a little less violently. He started returning the kiss, but he was still angry, furious. At himself for being so weak and at Naruto for making him so weak.
Sasuke broke the kiss with a wet gasp once he realized that the hold on his neck wasn't a grip anymore but merely a touch (and he refused to think about the fact that he could've stopped the kiss, could've stopped for a while now).
"You idiot."
The words came out shaky and unstable, and Sasuke was starting to worry about a sore throat. He tightened his grip on Naruto's shoulder, hoping to leave bruises. It was only then that he noticed he had grabbed Naruto's shoulders, and not only that but he had both his legs wrapped around his waist. Sasuke tried not to blush at the fact that his towel had been pushed up all the way to his upper thighs, barely covering anything and on the verge of slipping off. Or the fact that his erection was showing just as prominent as Naruto's.
Naruto gazed up at him, eyes deadly serious and voice rough and-
"I love you, Sasuke."
-And damn it!
Just like that, just like a rubber band stretched too far, he snapped, too.
"You idiot."
He let go of his bruising grip on Naruto's shoulder and brought it to his blond hair. He pulled Naruto's face closer and this time it was him who smashed their lips together.
Naruto pulled back and for the first time in that day, grinned cheekily. But despite the sunny smile, his eyes were still serious, something that unnerved and irritated Sasuke.
"And you love me, too."
Sasuke's eyes widened. His fists tightened painfully on Naruto's hair, ripping some off.
Naruto winced but still smiled and some of the sobriety left. He chuckled quietly and pressed himself harder against Sasuke, making him bite his lip to smother the surprised gasp.
"You do, you know you do and you can't hide it. Not anymore. So stop trying, Sasuke."
"Shut up."
But Sasuke knew what Naruto said was true. He was in love with stupid, silly, idiotic, dumbass Naruto. He loved Naruto, was in love with him, and he couldn't deny it any more, couldn't ignore the gnawing feeling in his chest that wouldn't leave him alone for even one second. That didn't mean he was going to tell Naruto that, at least not yet.
"And I love you, too. So no need to worry."
"… Moron."
Then they were kissing again. Soon they were grinding and panting into each other's mouths, and groaning and moaning and then Naruto was slipping inside Sasuke. Pain and pleasure tangled together harshly, until Sasuke couldn't distinguish which was one and which was the other. He didn't even bother to try, all he could hear and feel and smell and see was Naruto.
Naruto and his heart beat resounding loudly in his ears, fusing into one with his own. Both hearts finding a rhythm, beating to the tempo and time of the other. Naruto and the sounds he was making, forcing shivers and trembles to rack through Sasuke's body. Naruto and his soft hair, wrapped tightly around his fingers.
Naruto couldn't think of anything but the feeling of Sasuke. The way their sweat was mixing together and the way the whispered words danced in his ears. The way his heart seemed to try to jump through muscle and bone and skin just to get closer to Sasuke's. The way he couldn't hold back anymore, and his thrusts were turning frenzied and faster and faster and faster...
Naruto and Sasuke leisurely fell down from their high, both of them breathing heavily. Naruto nuzzled Sasuke's neck, breathing in the pleasant smell of sweat and Sasuke.
Sasuke slumped against the wall, flinching softly as his skin met the cold metal. He stared at Naruto's blond locks, he was still supporting most of his weight, with Sasuke's thighs wrapped around his hips, his towel long forgotten. Sasuke started to pull his legs away but Naruto gripped his thighs.
"Wait."
Sasuke frowned faintly. He shrugged his shoulders slightly but Naruto didn't move.
"Naruto. Let me down."
"Wait. Just a little. Let's stay like this for a little longer."
Sasuke's eyes softened, and the frown disappeared. He closed his eyes and stayed where he was, wrapped in Naruto's embrace and just enjoying the warmth. Something kept tugging at his mind, a warning, a strange panic laced with hysteria and Sasuke didn't bother trying to figure out what it was. He refused to take notice of it. Whatever it was, it didn't matter right now.
After few more minutes, Naruto let Sasuke down, and everything suddenly turned very awkward. Sasuke could no longer ignore the warning that had kept bothering him before as they cautiously washed and changed. He should've seen this coming, when wasn't having gay sex with your best friend for the first time awkward. Sure, at the time he hadn't thought about anything else other that how close Naruto was and just how incredibly good everything felt and how he had actually smiled once in between his embarrassingly girlish moans- And Sasuke was going to stop himself there because he's had enough hand-shaking and knee-trembling to last a life time.
Naruto was close to hyperventilating, very close and he didn't see any clichéd brown, paper bags anywhere. They had sex, actual gay sex, in the locker rooms pressed up against a wall in school. They just fornicated in a very public place. They had intercourse.
And Naruto wasn't able to tell when exactly he would stop emphasizing everything and stop calling sex by its different names. Because they just had sex. In school. After a long moment which consisted of gawking at the floor and fidgeting nervously, Naruto broke the silence first, like always.
"So, um-"
But before Naruto could properly start stuttering in a poor attempt at breaking the tense atmosphere, Sasuke intervened.
"It's late. Maybe you should stay over..."
Naruto's head snapped up just to see that Sasuke was staring at the floor, a faint dusky pink coloring his cheekbones.
Naruto let out a gleaming smile, not his usual goofy grin. The kind that makes dimples appear in his cheeks and crinkles form at the edges of his squinted eyes. The kind that made Sasuke heart skip a beat and a smile of his own tug at his stubborn lips.
"Sure!"
A little hesitantly, Naruto walked over to Sasuke and softly kissed him, it was chaste and simple but still cut deep into Sasuke and makes bursts of something explode inside him. Naruto gently broke apart but kept his forehead against Sasuke's, the heart-warming smile still on his face. He wrapped his hands loosely around Sasuke's waist, his cheeks starting to hurt at how ridiculously happy he was.
Sasuke blushed and looked to the side, a weak scowl on his swollen lips. But he didn't remove Naruto's hands.
"Idiot."
"Bastard."
Sasuke was in love with an idiot, and Naruto with a bastard. It was inevitable being who they were, but, hey, how bad could it be? At least it was a Friday.
Whew! That took some time. It got completely erased twice, I re-wrote everything each time. Perseverance! One of my many charms *wink*
Anyways, after a close call to a nervous break-down (I'm sensible like that) and after some encouraging words from my lovely beta, my wife, my soul mate (my savior) …! I finally got this done.
Comments and critics warm my cold, cold heart.