"You've got a pretty big heart." Naruto said.

Sasuke snorted. He couldn't tell if that was genuine, or some form of making him feel better after Sasuke screwed up their date. But it was flattering nonetheless. Naruto was known for his cheesy lines, and they typically included some form of compliment. He had been on the receiving end of them many times, and Sasuke's 'big heart' was one of Naruto's most common phrases.

He wondered what he did this time to deserve Naruto's praise.

"That's so cheesy." He said. Naruto smiled. They sat together working on individual projects. Naruto on fuinjutsu—and he was well on his way of mastering the more advanced forms—and Sasuke read up on the rinnegan for the millionth time.

He already knew everything there was to know about his left eye, and had memorized every book on it, but he enjoyed looking back on the words that validated his prowess despite everyone treating him like garbage.

"It's true. Most dates I go on are diners at fancy restaurants. You actually thought of what I would like. It was nice."

Sasuke leaned his hand on his cheek and smirked. Naruto had dropped his studies in favor of sitting cross legged and facing Sasuke. Probably got tired of reading. Sasuke had only lost Naruto for a moment on their date. But afterwards, they talked for hours. Naruto showed no signs of wanting to run, and everything felt as if Sasuke's life was getting put together. He had no idea if Naruto felt the same way. They acted like friends on the date, but they both knew it was more than that.

He wished there were an easy way to gauge Naruto's interest level. He treated Sasuke the same, said the same phrases, and sometimes stared at him when he thought Sasuke wasn't looking.

Did that mean he was considering taking Sasuke as a boyfriend? Hell if he knew. He enjoyed fantasizing about it. And his dreams were some of the most pleasurable he'd had in a while. But every time he woke up, he saw that Naruto and he were not in the positions they had in the dream. Fantasy had a way of making reality disappointing, but at least Sasuke's confession hadn't scared Naruto away.

"Are you in love with me yet?" Sasuke said. Naruto's smile broke to his ears, teeth shining in the afternoon sun. He meant it as a joke, and Naruto understood that. But some part of him truly wanted an answer. Yes or no? Should he give up this pursuit or keep going? There wasn't any point in pestering Naruto to suddenly grow feelings that were never there. But if there was a possibility that their friendship could dive deeper, he wanted to take every chance he got.

"I wouldn't say I've gotten that far just yet, but between having a lot of time to think about it and that pretty cool date, I'd say I like you-like you."

And that was far more than Sasuke had been anticipating. 'Like you-like you,' while being a child's way of saying they had a crush, was as close to love as he'd gotten so far.

"That is such a twelve year old thing to say."

"I know, right?"

"You know, in twelve year old language, like you-like you means you're in love."

"And in adult language, it means I'm getting there."

It could take a while for Naruto to get there. If he got there at all. Naruto wasn't one to toy with other people's feeling. But back when he dated Hinata, Naruto had fallen in love quickly. Too quickly, for Sasuke's liking, and the way Naruto reciprocated Hinata's feelings looked more like a performance than an act of love. There were flowers and diners and walks. They talked about life like any ordinary couple. But despite dating her for a year, Naruto always dreaded when he had to see her.

And Sasuke would know, because Naruto told him everything. Hinata would put her hand on his leg and Naruto would shudder, but never pull away because they were in love and he was supposed to enjoy being touched. They talked about marriage, and Naruto would toy with the idea, even like the idea, but when Hinata proposed, he ran out of there faster than Sasuke ran from Ino when he was twelve.

They broke up shortly after that.

To this day, Sasuke wondered if Naruto ever loved Hinata that way. Naruto said he did, and he might have even convinced himself he was in love, but Sasuke saw that relationship from an outside lens, and it seemed more like Naruto felt obligated to love her and so put up an act that even convinced himself he was in love.

He might be doing that now, and he might not. Neither of them would know until it was too late.

"And how much longer do I have until you are there?" Sasuke said.

It only took a week for Naruto to fall for Hinata. Two until she was asking him if she could move in. They had moved rather quickly. Or rather, Naruto did. Hinata has been crushing on him since childhood, so it was no wonder she wanted the relationship to progress as quick as it did.

"Oh, probably a couple days. Maybe a week. I fall in love really easily. Besides, it doesn't feel as weird as it did before."

"How's that?"

"Things have changed. I've changed. You've changed. It's not that surprising that our relationship might change too."

Sasuke furrowed his brows. "So you're not forcing yourself to do this?"

Naruto shook his head. "Not anymore. I would've cancelled your pursuit if I felt pressured into this."

And maybe Hinata was a warning sign to Naruto. He knew he'd fallen quickly, and on some subconscious level, Naruto had known he wasn't truly in love with Hinata. But now, after that experience, he might be able to gauge his own feelings better. Maybe with Sasuke, Naruto truly could fall for him without any delusions of what he should do to prove he was in love.

Or maybe that was wishful thinking.

"That's good. When can I kiss you again?"

Naruto's mouth dropped open. His eyes, once slim and curved ever so slightly, widened until the whites overwhelmed the blue. A blush formed on his cheeks. Nothing too red. Only a tint of pink where tanned skin used to be.

"No idea." Naruto said.

"Well." Sasuke said, "I would like to do more than kiss you, but we've gotta start somewhere. Any estimate on when?"

In hindsight, he knew that asking was inappropriate. Naruto would touch him when—if—he felt comfortable. But with the dreams of Naruto rolling against him, Sasuke had been walking around more horny than he'd been in a while, and his dick was fed up with his hand as it's only attention.

He'd been horny for months. On their walks. Whenever Sasuke walked behind Naruto. Every time the thought of Naruto brushed his mind. But now that he had a chance, however small it might be, he was desperate for some form of release besides the ones he gave himself. The dreams were more vivid now, and the sounds Naruto made as Sasuke thrust himself deeper inside—

But it was a dream, not a reality.

"You're pushing this, Sasuke."

He sighed. Of course Naruto would say that. Sasuke had been the one to think about him in such a sexual way. Naruto had only come to the idea of dating a little over a week ago. Expecting a response besides the one given was completely unrealistic.

"Sorry." He said, "I might be a tad desperate."

Naruto laughed, punching his shoulder lightly. "Dude," He said, "never admit that. It's not a good thing."

"You can't date him." Sasuke blinked. He'd been called into the Hokage's office while chatting with Naruto, and hadn't expected anything good to come from it. Tsunade was determined to keep Sasuke as far from Naruto as possible. He wasn't quite sure what that entailed. Naruto chose to stand by Sasuke. He chose to go on that date. Yes. It might have been influenced by the fear of Sasuke leaving, but he hoped to God Naruto had relinquished that fear by now. Or would relinquish it soon enough.

It was Kiba that spoke the words. He and Tsunade, along with everyone he'd wronged by leaving—Ino, Hinata, Chouji, Shikamaru— they were all there. The people he'd gone to school with. The people he'd taken the Chuunin exams with. They all gathered together to form a band against him.

All except Sakura and Sai.

"What are you gonna do? Forbid him from seeing me?" Sasuke said. "Have you even asked him what he wants?"

Tsunade snarled as she crossed her arms. She wasn't sitting at her desk. No. Sasuke had gone too far in her eyes. Daring to go on a date with Naruto. That seemed to cross the line of where their relationship was allowed to go. Everyone appeared to think so.

Naruto would not be happy about that.

She took a step forward, heading straight into his personal space. Sasuke glowered at her, matching her challenge by stepping forward. They wouldn't get the best of him. He had every right to date Naruto, and Naruto had every right to choose this. They thought they were protecting him. But how was limiting a persons choices going to help anyone?

"I don't need to ask him to know what's best for him. And if forbidding him from seeing you is what it takes, then that's what I'll do." Tsunade said. "Everyone agrees that Naruto should never date a criminal. Let alone someone who hurt him as bad as you."

Sasuke flinched. He had hurt Naruto. Years ago. And they refused to talk about it. Or rather, Naruto wasn't ready to talk about it. Sasuke tried at the worst time, and it hadn't ended well. If it weren't for Naruto's ability to recuperate and forgive, Sasuke might have ruined any chance he had that night on the monument.

Unless it had destroyed his chances. If he even had a chance. Naruto was as confusing as he was simple-minded. There was no telling whether his feelings for others was a projection of societies expectations, or a true act of him loving someone.

Most times it was the latter.

Sometimes, or in one case—Hinata's case— it was the former.

Naruto always has a problem with wanting to be liked by everyone. Having Hinata, a nice girl from a prestigious clan, seemed the perfect way to gain the love he craved.

Then again, the love Naruto craved wasn't a love popularity could provide. In fact, popularity had a way of giving the illusion of being loved, but never satiating the hunger loneliness struck you with.

Sasuke remembered what that was like.

Sometimes he thought his new position as an outcast was a blessing.

This was not one of those times.

"You're not a good influence." Shikamaru said. Sasuke clenched his teeth. Of all the people to join a band of people who wanted to limit Naruto's freedom, it had to be one of Naruto's closest friends. He couldn't even imagine how that would hurt Naruto. Shikamaru was someone who knew Naruto's thoughts and feelings before anyone else—Naruto included—and having him agree with the rest of them… it wasn't fair. Not to Sasuke. Not to Naruto.

Naruto would be devastated if he saw how much they wanted to control him.

"But I don't understand why we should stop Naruto if he's choosing this. It's not like he's taken a dangerous mission without permission. He's just… trying something new. It'll probably pass soon enough." Shikamaru said.

Like it did with Hinata.

That could happen. Sasuke could be tossed aside and thrown out the moment any real commitment arose. It might be a phase. It could be Naruto trying to gain more approval than he already had—

No. Dating Sasuke was a sure way to gain disapproval. Naruto knew that. Sasuke had told him over and over of his status as the outcast. They'd joked about how their roles had been reversed. Naruto was now worshipped, and Sasuke cast aside. There was no way Naruto would do this as an unconscious way to be loved.

"I don't care if it's a phase." Kiba said, "Sasuke's a threat to Naruto right now. We can't let him get away with this."

"I haven't done anything to him." Sasuke said.

And I never will.

Akamaru barked at Sasuke as Kiba glared, and he felt his throat clog up.

These were Naruto's friends, and they wanted to control his relationships, his choices, his freedom.

Just like they would a Jinchuriki.

He couldn't let Naruto know about this.

It would kill him.

Well, this took forever to write. Sorry about that.

Constructive criticism is always welcome.

Also, I got a tumblr account under the same name if you want to check it out.

Hope you enjoyed.