Hello again :) More cute-Sasuke. Trying to show how Sasuke is with Naruto, compared to everyone else. Does anyone notice a pattern in the beginning of the chapters? It's a minor thing you might take more notice to after the winter in the story. But, oh well, let me know if you see it. Check out my blog, link's on my profile, and make sure to review! Pleaseee review. Thank you! :D
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Naruto really got tired of how quickly Sasuke walked. It was like he was always five steps behind him, "Sasuke, would it kill you to slow down?"
"Do your legs not move faster?" Sasuke enjoyed having the blonde follow his every move. It was something he now expected and enjoyed, watching the blonde get flustered as he strived to keep up with his taller, slightly older, more confident friend. Sasuke liked being in control rather than being told what to do.
"They might fall off if I keep them moving at the same rate as you!" Naruto grumbled, walking beside the briskly paced Sasuke.
"You're out of shape," Sasuke grinned at Naruto's unamused expression, "Don't you want to go to the Halloween dance or whatever? I figured you'd be eager to go, after so feverishly insisting I accompany you."
"You make it sound like I begged," Naruto rolled his eyes, "And, I don't know. I didn't have time to get a costume-"
Sasuke grinned at the blonde as he turned the key in their room, "I know. I figured you wouldn't have the hours to search for a ramen costume, so I ordered you one."
"You-"
"Don't thank me. When people laugh at you dressed as a bowl of ramen, I'll get enough enjoyment from that to cover what I spent on it."
Naruto looked at the costume Sasuke put on his bed. He looked from Sasuke, to the garment, to Sasuke, surprised. Sasuke always seemed to be nice to Naruto, but buying him costumes and what not seemed a little much, didn't it? He mumbled out a, "Thank you," Before running his fingers over the nicely made costume. He sensed it wasn't a cheaply made one, and wondered how much Sasuke had paid for it. He could never pay him back for it, and he felt like he should even if he said not to. Naruto would just make up for it some other way.
Sasuke undid his button down uniform shirt and placed it in his clothes hamper, slipping on a dark t-shirt and then the cloak he got. He put on red contacts and prosthetic fangs, grinning at how vampire-esque he looked. Naruto, who was half way into his ramen costume, jumped when Sasuke appeared behind him, breathing on his neck when he whispered, "Cool and dark enough?"
"Creepy, definitely," Naruto breathed a sigh of relief, running his hand over his neck and quickly tugging on the ramen costume. Looking at Sasuke full on, he looked simple and laid back but dark and mysterious. With a grin Naruto smirked, "If you chased skirts I'd tell you to dress like this more often – it enhances the whole 'dark and dangerous' thing you've got going on."
"And if you didn't chase skirts, I'd say to dress like that more often. You're a giant noodle on the inside, why not match it on the outside?" Sasuke grinned despite the fact that he too would be humiliated by attending the Halloween dance with his giant noodle of a best friend. He didn't mind.
Arriving, A few people chuckled when Naruto walked in dressed as his ramen self. Sakura walked over with Ino and commented on the originality, "Naruto, your outfit is fantastic. You'll win best costume for sure!" When she noticed Sasuke, her eyes widened slight and she blushed a deep blush, "You look so cool, Sasuke. Like a really awesome vampire prince. You're so convincing, heh, I'd let you bite me-"
"Sakura, you large foreheaded slut, stop hitting on Sasuke."
"Shut up Ino-pig!" Sakura glared, being pulled off by her blonde friend. They were shamelessly dressed as geisha girls. The slutty kind.
"Sasuke, you're stealing all my girls without even saying anything to them," Naruto pouted.
"You can have Sakura AND Ino if you want," Sasuke's nose crinkled at the thought, "I have no interest in them."
"Yeah, that's what pisses me off!" Naruto argued, "It's not fair that the one guy who's too busy for a girlfriend gets all the-"
"Naruto, I think your costume is the best thing I've ever seen!" Kiba was laughing as he walked over with Shikamaru and Shino in toe. Kiba was a werewolf, Shikamaru a zombie, and Shino some type of secret agent, or something.
"It's pretty awesome," Shikamaru nodded, "My bet's on you to win tonight."
"And Shikamaru never bets," Kiba added, as if Naruto wasn't aware of this, "If you don't win with your huge cup of ramen, I'll run around the room naked."
"I should tell the girls to vote for me just to see your face when you realize you have to follow through with it," Sasuke spoke up, fanged grin spreading on his lips. Kiba seemed surprised to hear the Uchiha speak.
"Hey, don't use your vampire charm to cheat me out of it!" Naruto glared, "I shouldn't get my hopes up though. She only said she was going to vote for me before she saw you behind me."
"Yeah, if Sasuke's here, I might eat my words," Kiba grimaced, "I'd really rather not run around the room naked, if you don't mind, Naruto."
"We don't want to see that anyway," Naruto grinned. Kiba glared at Naruto with some humor, turning to Shikamaru and asking, "We should go scare the girls."
"Why? It's no fun when they beat you afterwards… only troublesome.."
"You're just mad because you don't like getting hit anymore. Last year you enjoyed it."
"Who would enjoy getting hit?" Everyone met Sasuke's curious gaze. Apparently, he was feeling rather vocal tonight.
"Eh, he had this senior he was crazy about, named Temari. She went off to the desert for school and hasn't contacted anybody since even though they had a whole touching moment on her graduation day. Something about the desert being where she belonged…" Kiba shrugged it off, "She always seemed like the love them and leave them type to me anyway."
"She didn't leave me," Shikamaru's fists tightened, "There's just not good service in the middle of the desert."
"We'll see," Kiba shot Naruto a look that said 'she's not coming back for him', "Well, we're going to go harass the girls. Good luck."
Naruto glanced at Sasuke with a smug smile. Sasuke raised a brow, "What?"
"Look who's being all social!" Naruto's lips pursed, "Go figure, when you look even more terrifying than usual, you get friendly."
"So I look terrifying usually?" Sasuke raised a brow, unsure if he should be insulted.
"No, I meant…" Naruto tried to think of how he could rephrase that, "Whatever it is, it's working for you."
Sasuke laughed at Naruto's lame cover, "Go find a seat. I'll get us some punch."
"Okay," Naruto smiled, searching for an open table amongst the large auditorium. Spotting Kiba's jacket, Naruto dropped down his stuff and Sasuke's things at two of the several empty seats at the table, figuring that if Sasuke was willing, he'd perhaps finally introduce Sasuke to some of his other friends. Sitting there, he was surprised when three seniors walked over together to sit at the table.
"Hey Naruto," Tenten smiled, sitting beside him, "How's your junior year been?"
"Great," Naruto grinned, "How's your last year of hell going?" The words felt weird on his tongue, since he hardly felt that way.
"It's fantastic!" Tenten laughed, "I just sent in all my applications for college the other day. From here on out, it's smooth sailing. I'm so glad."
"It must be nice. I'm still working my ass off," Naruto's nose crinkled.
"You? Working?" Tenten teased, "It'll get better in time. Once you pass the SATs, it's pretty much butter from there. Don't fret blondie."
Naruto smiled at Tenten, one of the nicer girls in school. She was the first one to really openly accept the reformed Naruto into her life when he joined the newspaper with her. There was actually a debate at the time if they should let him join. Ambition editor in chief even though she was a junior Tenten had the final say, and what she said was, "I'll kick your ass if you don't come through, but I trust you enough to give you a shot." That was all Naruto needed to do his best.
"Yet, what will he do when he tanks those SATs?" Neji smirked, staring off at the dance floor, "It won't be smooth sailing."
"Neji, the kids has better grades than y-"
"Tenten," Naruto scolded, "Let Neji think what he wants."
Tenten glanced at him with skeptical eyes, "I don't know why you hide it," She whispered, "I wouldn't know if you didn't peek my interest into me snooping in your academic file."
"Expectations," Naruto shrugged, "You know." Was that it? Naruto wasn't sure why he kept it a secret. He kind of liked the fact that there was this very private side of himself.
"Your secret is safe with me then," Tenten shrugged, "I just wish you'd let me hang it over Neji's head some."
"It's okay," Naruto smiled, "It doesn't hurt if it's not the truth."
"If someone called me a slut it would still hurt even if I'm not."
Naruto's smile faltered, "I'm okay though. Really."
"Always here if you need me, Naruto," She smiled.
"Let's go dance, Tenten." Neji said plainly, holding his hand out to her. She smiled and ruffled Naruto's hair, before grabbing Neji's hand and walking with him to the dance floor. Lee, who had been there in the beginning, took off for Sakura sometime before his conversation with Tenten was finished. Sasuke sat in the seat beside Naruto now, holding a glass of punch for Naruto.
"Thanks," Naruto smiled, "You took a while."
"I got sidetracked," Sasuke shrugged.
Later that night, the vampire and his ramen clad friend stood amongst the other high schoolers eagerly awaiting the best costume award. Of course, Sasuke already knew who won. Naruto, on the other hand, shifted nervously, "I think you've got it, Sasuke," He mumbled, "It's always a popularity contest."
"Don't be so doubtful, Naruto," Sasuke's gaze was void of emotion, "Maybe a mysterious fate played their part and showed you to be the victor."
"Doubt it," Naruto seemed to neglect Sasuke's reprimanding words earlier, "Don't feel bad if you win."
"Hn," Sasuke bit the inside of his cheek. He decided his new mental catchphrase would be 'That kid is an idiot.' Because he found himself saying it all the time, and it was so, so true.
"And the winner of best costume is," Sakura locked eyes with Sasuke, "Uzumaki, Naruto!"
It was worth flirting with Sakura when Sasuke saw the way Naruto's blue oceans lit up like the stars in the sky. He turned to his best friend with an award winning smile, "I won! I've never won, anything!"
Sasuke patted him on the shoulder and insisted he hurry up to the podium. He grinned watching Naruto accept his prize – a hundred dollars cash. As if anyone else in this school needed the money like he did anyway. Sakura flashed a grin at Sasuke when Naruto sauntered off stage and he mouthed a small 'thank you' with sincere appreciation. Something in her eyes changed and she nodded, though she seemed more sullen than before. He questioned what had happened, but not for long when his blonde bud insisted they go raid the food table in celebration, and that was the end of it.