Balcony Scene
He felt him before he saw him, surprise and the now faint, but well-known pain that he learned to associate with Sasuke filling his heart.
"Watcha doin here'ttebayo?" he asked crossing his arms and not hiding his amusement, after all, it was his wedding night, and they were sitting on the balcony stand of his nuptial chamber where his wife lay sound asleep.
Naruto waited, but Sasuke didn't respond. He brood silently, facing forward, probably seeing things Naruto couldn't see with his mismatched eyes.
"How did you find us?" this time he didn't wait for an answer that would never come, after all, Naruto was used to Sasuke's silences.
"I bet Kakashi-sensei snitched. I hope for his damn peace of mind that he didn't tell anyone else because I swear to god if I find that Konohamaru's bratty ass is following me because of him, I'll burn every single page of those stupid books of his and-"
"Shut up, dobe."
"Uhn?"
"No one else is coming."
"Are you sure?" he asked in a provoking tone.
"I am damn sure, ok?!" Sasuke snapped.
Naruto raised his brows and uncrossed his arms, and rotated his body to face Sasuke, using his folded leg support himself.
"Why are you getting your knickers in a twist for? It was you who chose to butt in my wedding night. You know what? I don't know what I'm doing talking to a jerk like you that didn't even show up to his best friend's wedding."
"Go back to you wife, then!"
"I damn well should!"
But neither moved, they just sit there, frowning brows, tight fists, staring angrily at each other, like they used to do when they were younger.
"Spit it, bastard! What the hell are you doing here?"
But surprising Naruto for a second time that night, Sasuke didn't answer with fire.
"You know what? You should go back to your…" He sighed. "To your wife. I shouldn't have come here." And he stood up, ready to jump away.
Quickly, Naruto pulled him back from the hanging empty sleeve.
"What's…" he swallowed hard "what's going on?" He paused, trying to convey meaning from Sasuke's lifeless expression. "What did you come here for?"
"I…"
What did him, really? Sasuke didn't know for sure. He didn't really expect to see Naruto that night. He had this vision of him pathetically hiding in shadows, watching, but not daring to come close. He didn't think there would be witnesses. He expected closed windows and fastened curtains blocking his vision of what he didn't want to see. Not an open window and him there, sitting on the balcony stall, as if he was waiting. But he knew better, Naruto never waited for him, always trying to reach him, to walk beside him. It was Sasuke who insisted in keeping his distance, but now the opening left by him in Naruto's life was filled by someone willing to stay.
He was arrogant, he had never been more aware than now, he thought he was irreplaceable.
"Are you… Does she…" he swallowed, never feeling more revulsive. "Are you happy, Naruto?"
Wide blue eyes stared back at him, his entire face transformed in surprise.
Sasuke wanted to leave, he wanted to leave so bad. He couldn't remember a time he felt more embarrassed and bare in his life. But, this time, maybe too late for that, he knew, he stayed.
"What?" shock written all over his face, Sasuke was getting angry again. They were friends, weren't them? Naruto had called Sasuke himself his 'best friend', why was such a big surprise that he cared? Haven't they spent all that time forcing him to do so?
"Are you?" his old neverending anger showed in his voice making it hoarse.
For a moment, he thought Naruto, stupid Naruto, the most important person of his life Naruto, would start another discussion, make that another of their fights leading to their purple bruised and exploding arms status quo.
But he didn't.
His face relaxed, then became serious, almost solemn.
"Yes."
He expect a lot of things, anger, hurt, sadness, betrayal even thought that maybe he would be able to feel numb, but he never expected the relieve he felt hearing that.
Of course it hurt, it did, but if Naruto was happy… Happiness was something, he knew, it was beyond him, it was something he could not give, not like Naruto deserved. In the end, he wasn't replaced, that place was never his at all.
So, when he said it, it was sincere.
"I'm glad."
A/N: God this is a frustrating ship. In one side you have someone with no filter, who say whatever he's thinking always, and on the other side you have someone who bottle every single of his emotions, and almost never say clearly what he really mean. Or at least that's how I see them. I had to choose an omniscient point of view, which I don't like, because I needed to show those both sides, but I'm glad with the result, and I hope you'll like this one too.
Please, as much as I want to know what you think of this ficlet, don't talk to me if you wish to bash any character.