Info: This is the first story in my NaruSasu trilogy. The stories after are "This thing called dating" and "One step further" (though that one has yet to be written) The reason they aren't different chapters in the same story is that they all can be read without reading the others. But I would still recommend (and be very happy) if you did read them all ^^

Background: This is slightly AU, Sasuke never left for the Sound village when they were kids as in the anime/manga. Naruto and the rest managed to stop him. And he's since grown up in Konoha with the rest of them. Being much more peaceful, yet keeping his basic personality and relationship with the rest of the characters. He still wants to avenge his clan but it has taken a second priority next to his friends and new life. Naruto as well as the other characters also has their basic personality and relationship with one another. In this story several years has passed and Sasuke and Naruto are now both chunin and 17 years old.

Pairing: Naruto X Sasuke

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, they belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I've only borrowed them for my own amusement. No profit is being made form this.

Give me a hint

"Would you go out with me?"

That was the question the young Uchiha had gotten from his teammate a few days ago. At the time he'd only stared at the boy. First he'd thought the other was joking, making fun of him or simply relaying the question from the female member of their team. But he soon found out the boy was in fact asking for himself and was indeed very serious about his request. Sasuke stood and stared at him not knowing what to answer. He'd never in a million years thought the other boy thought that way about him. In fact, he was pretty damn sure the other hated him to the bones, but... apparently he'd been very wrong. Actually, he stood and stated at the other long enough for their conversation to be interrupted by their teacher, making both boys blush slightly and turn their heads away.

Sasuke had avoided Naruto for the remainder of the day and hurried home. And kept avoiding him for the next few days as well. Unfortunately he couldn't avoid him forever as their ninja lives required them to be on missions, and fate had put the two boys in the same team. And as for their fate for this day, Sakura had taken ill and could not participate in their mission, and Kakashi had reports to write that he'd been putting off doing to instead read the newest volume of his favorite book, so he thought it'd be a good idea to leave the mission to the two boys, or well, young men was probable a better description of the two by now, seen as they had grown up quite a bit sine the four of them had teamed up together. The three students were all now chuunin and did a lot of missions without there jonin teacher. However, he was still the one deciding on the missions and who were to go, most of the time.

Naruto kept stealing glances at Sasuke throughout the mission, which Sasuke tried his hardest not to notice, but did quite clearly do. He felt uncomfortable and nervous for more reasons than the obvious ones. And by the time the mission was over he was exhausted trying to read his friend and staying out of his way.

"Well.. see you later then" He mumbled to the blond as he began walking home. Sasuke had no intentions of sticking around the other longer than he had too, even if that did make him more rude then usual. He just didn't know how to handle the other boy right now, Normally, he would just be rude to him and call him names, since his teammate was, after all, a knucklehead, but today he'd hardly said a word to the other. Something Kakashi most certainly would have thought was a nice change, if he'd been there to see it. It was no secret that Sasuke had no eyes for any of the girls that had set an eye on him, and there was a rather big rumor going around that he was gay. He couldn't care less what others thought. But ever since Naruto confessed, knowing the rumor was there, made him now think about it more. Had he thought Sasuke might like him cause of that rumor? Was that why he'd confessed? To test if it was true? He doubted it. Naruto wasn't serious very often but when he was, everyone could tell he meant business, even Sasuke. And the look in Naruto's eyes when he'd asked him out, had most certainly not been that of a person fooling around. Yet, he couldn't help but wonder.

"Hey... erm.." Sasuke heard Naruto call after him just as he'd begun walking. "I.. erm.. about the other day..." Sasuke didn't want to hear it. It had been embarrassing enough the first time. Yet something made him stop and turn towards his teammate, though keeping his eyes away from the others gaze.

"What?" He called back, trying to figure out why in the world he was sticking around.

"I'm sorry. I made you feel uncomfortable and you obviously don't feel the same way so.. lets just forget I ever said anything ok" the blond smiled and rubbed the back of his head in a silly manner. "we can just go back to hating each other if you want, you know" he continued when he didn't get an answer from the Uchiha and only smiled brighter, making a joke out of it. "I really do like you a lot..." he began again with a more serious face "but I would rather us staying the way we were than you not talking to me at all.."

Sasuke was confused. He hadn't had time to even think over what Naruto had told him the last time and now he was taking it all back before he'd even made up his mind. That damned jerk. Who was he to decide how this played out. Yes, he'd made him very uncomfortable, confessing to him out of the blue like that. And of course he'd be confused and not knowing what to answer when they'd only ever fought with each other before. Sure, it was no where near as bad as their fights in the past had been, but there was still quite a few times when they had ended up in not so friendly fist fight. Forcing Kakashi or Sakura to step in in the middle to break it off before it got too serious. But damn it! He could at least ease him into it. Like starting with being more friendly, maybe flirting a little to give Sasuke a hint. But no, that was apparently far too much work for the knucklehead to bother himself with. Jerk, utter jerk. And now he had the nerve to say Sasuke was the uncivil one by pointing out he hadn't spoken to him all day. Well what had he been supposed to say? Act like normal? Yeah right, like that was possible. Or maybe he'd wanted him to confront him about the confession, bring it up again. Well then he thought damn wrong. It was Naruto who'd brought it up in the first place so why the hell should Sasuke bright it up now?!

He had to calm himself down. Before realizing it, Sasuke had gotten himself all work up. This always happened when he was around the blond. He didn't even have to do much ether, just being near him drove him up the wall.

"What the hell are you talking about, dobe? First you confess out of the blue and then you expert me to be able to respond to that? You haven't even ever given me a hint that you might like me! Let alone in.. that way. Fucking moron" Sasuke trued to walk away. He couldn't do this!

Naruto only stood there and blinked at Sasuke. What had he just said? He was acting irrational and not at all like the calm and cool Sasuke he usually was. Did he really dislike Naruto that much? Did he really not like him at all... even a little? To be that put off by his confession and not even accept his apology? The blond felt his chest tighten. It hurt, hearing those words from Sasuke. After all they'd been through he thought that, if nothing more, they could at least be honest with each other, but, it seemed, Sasuke had no feelings for Naruto what so ever, not even that of a friend he could trust and trust to respect his wishes if he didn't feel the same.

No, he wouldn't have that! Rushing forward, Naruto grabbed Sasuke's hand and stopped him from walking away. "I said I was sorry! What the hell more do you want from me!?" he shouted, looking at Sasuke with hurt demanding eyes. "And it's not that damned easy to give you a hint either for your information. You're not that damned smart as everyone thinks you are! I have given you hints! I've tried to.. I really... you.. ah! fuck you Sasuke!" pausing for a moment Naruto locked his eyes with Sasuke's that had come to stare at him after his little outburst. "Remember the time you got stuck in hole for a week on that mission a few month ago? I stayed with you the entire time until the rescue reached us! And then that other time when we had to share a futon, I snuggled up to you, and I know you were awake that time so don't say you didn't notice!" frowning like a kid who just tried to convince you it wasn't their fault Naruto stood still and looked at Sasuke. Who was very much in shocked confusion at the moment. How was he supposed to know that was Naruto's way of flirting with him?! The time in the hole – a time his pride would preferable forget – Sasuke had just thought Naruto was being good teammate not that he... And as for the futon, it'd been cold that time. He just thought...

Blushing bright red Sasuke just realized the hard thing that had been sticking into his back all night on that futon mission had not been a kunai...

"but.. that was... I thought..." Wait.. why was he blushing? Ok, so Naruto seriously liked him. But that didn't give him himself a reason to blush, did it? Fuck he was confused. It wasn't that he dislike Naruto. There was a time, yes, that he had, but not anymore, not after all these years and all they'd been through. No. Now he like the knucklehead, though he wasn't sure why. His clumsy dumb manner that had annoyed him to death before, now seemed to amuse him more than anything. And he always did have a soft spot for his warm and open smile... Hold on right there? Warm and open smile? What the hell kind of talk was that?! No, he didn't like Naruto that way. He liked him, but not that way... right..?

"Sasuke.." Naruto began in a softer, calmer tone ones he saw the change in Sasuke's attitude and the conflict in his eyes. "Would you go out with me?" He knew this would be the second time he'd asked that and that he hadn't gotten an answer the first time. But if it was as Sasuke said that he'd just been unprepared, then maybe he would be more capable of answering this time, or so he hoped. "I get it if you don't want to. And that you didn't know how I felt" even though half of konoha already knows how I feel about you. He added mentally to himself. It was rather cure how Sasuke could be one of the smartest, most observant people he knew and yet not know the way Naruto felt about him. Smiling a little to himself he continued "But I really do like you, and I don't think you dislike me.. maybe you could give me a chance. I wont push, and we can take things as slow as you want." Naruto let go of Sasuke's wrist which he realized he was still holding in his hand and instead touched him gently on his shoulder "though not kissing you right no is killing me" he added with an innocent grin that caught Sasuke's attention and sent the blush that had begun to fade right back on his cheeks.

He knew Naruto was serious and that if he promised something, he always kept it – One of his more admirable qualities – But this was all sill so new to him. He'd never been in love and he'd never been with anyone, yet strangely the thought of being with Naruto, didn't scare him as much as he thought it would have, or as much as it had the first time he'd asked. Swallowing and looking around for a moment he finally faced Naruto with an answer.

"I can try"

The smile on Naruto's face was more than enough for Sasuke to not doubt his decision, yet there was still may things he was unsure of, and he knew he couldn't promise Naruto anything more than an honest try... But at the moment, that seemed to be enough for the knucklehead, and so, enough for Sasuke as well.

Before heading home Sasuke made Naruto swear not to tell anyone that they are now going out, since Naruto kept saying "where do you wanna go on out fist date. And the second one" "We're going out now right?" "Ah! Sakura's going to kill me when I tell her you're my boyfriend. You'll protect me right?" When he got to the boyfriend part he also earned himself a huge push in the face by the said boyfriend, who was now blushing redder then his favorite vegetable. But Naruto could see the small smile playing on Sasuke's lips and that gave him hope that despite what Sasuke might be saying, he didn't mind being Naruto's one and only.