Hey! Welcome to my January submission for SNS 2k15 (link to info about that on my profile if you're not sure what that is!)

I really hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. SasuNaru was my first gay ship, and with the manga completed now, what better way to celebrate my OTP of OTPs than with a year of fanfic!? I'm really looking forward to getting back into writing again! If you like the story please comment, I'm trying to improve my writing and I can't do that if I don't get feedback!

And now without further ado, here's These Words! It's a bit short, but it's ridiculously fluffy so if you're into that you've come to the right place!

These Words

It wasn't planned, the first time he said it. It was impulsive. Spontaneous, much like everything else he did. Naruto himself hadn't even meant to say those words. Didn't realize what exactly was coming out of his mouth until it was too late. Until he had spilled his feelings to the one person who mattered most. The one person who might not be ready to hear something like that.

The blonde had been watching Sasuke prepare dinner, some sort of fancy dish Naruto couldn't even pronounce properly, a smile on his tanned face as the man mumbled the recipe under his breath. Naruto wasn't sure when the habit had first appeared, but he treasured the times he managed to catch his partner indulging in it. The man who always seemed tensed for an attack, who was always prepared for Naruto's 'surprise' tackles, could now lose himself to a task even with the blonde around.

The change was huge, and though Naruto wasn't sure exactly what it meant for their relationship, he knew it meant something, and he knew he liked watching Sasuke in this state. Sasuke could relax around Naruto, let his guard down. He could be. He was allowed to just exist in a room with Naruto, no pretenses. No masks. Just Naruto and Sasuke, together.

"Finely chopped, finely." Naruto heard Sasuke say under his breath, as the man positioned his knife to do just that.

Naruto smiled, he wanted this moment to last forever. He wasn't one to spend time overthinking things. He went with what he felt was right, and hardly spent time contemplating what may happen ten years from now. But as Naruto sat watching Sasuke, he started to think. About the future; and about their relationship.

He thought about coming home to Sasuke after a hard day and being able to complain and find comfort in him. He thought about living with him, and getting to wake up next to him for the rest of his life. He thought about having a family, and wondered if they'd be good parents. He thought about last names, and wedding rings.

He loved the idea of these things, loved being with Sasuke.

And suddenly it occurred to him what it was these things meant. What his feelings had grown into. He hadn't spent much time thinking about them since he'd discovered them in the first place. When they'd gotten together a little over two months ago Naruto had known Sasuke felt that same, and that was more than enough to satisfy him.

Now he had an answer, and it was so surprising—how hadn't he noticed this sooner?!—that all he could do was stare at Sasuke with wide eyes and say, "I love you."

Sasuke all but dropped his knife on in shock. He made a strange, almost strangled sounding noise in the back of his throat and spun to face Naruto.

The blonde felt just as surprised. He definitely hadn't meant to say that. He'd never said that to anyone he was dating, ever. He hadn't realized how much those words could mean. He wondered if Sasuke could tell the undertones to those words, if that was why he was so surprised.

Because when Naruto said, I love you, he also said many other things.

He said, I'm sorry for my mistakes, and I'll never let you go. He promised he would do his best to make Sasuke happy, and gave permission for the man to call him out when he did something stupid—because he probably would.

He offered his heart and soul to Sasuke, and said I would be honoured if you would accept them.

These words meant… everything.

And Naruto wasn't sure if Sasuke was ready to hear it. They'd both had tough childhoods, but Sasuke had known the love of parents, and even a sibling. The blonde didn't know if the emotional scar created by their tragic loss was healed enough for a confession such as this.

And then Sasuke kissed him, and everything was alright.

The blonde thought his chest might burst from the joy he felt. It made him wonder if he'd ever felt so full of any emotion in all his life. He wondered if Sasuke felt the same, if anyone could feel as complete, or as overwhelmingly adoring towards another person.

But then Sasuke pulled back from the kiss, and said, "Me too, idiot."

And even though that wasn't quite right, in that moment Naruto felt like he could fly from the happiness inside him.