"We are never deceived; we deceive ourselves."
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
It's 7:30 AM and Sasuke is in his face. Literally.
"Naruto, get up," Sasuke says, voice loud in its closeness. Naruto's eyes open to a close-up of Sasuke's nose and his already-gelled hair pricks at his skin as Sasuke moves away. Naruto can hardly conceive to breathe, and he does not react at first, strangely, nearly enjoying the closeness, the fresh smell of Sasuke's shampoo.
And then Sasuke's gone, with a strange pang that Naruto doesn't understand.
Sliding out of bed, Naruto pulls his pants up about his hips as he wonders at this new turn of events. He tests his mouth and voice to make sure that both still work, and, satisfied at the results, makes his way to the bathroom to take a piss.
However, Sasuke is in there, brushing his teeth, and though they've slept in the same sleeping bag, under the same blanket, washed naked in the same rivers, hurled and shit and bled in each other's presence for so many years, Naruto is suddenly struck with an overwhelming sense of shyness.
Somehow he cannot make himself go through the motions—it's just too strange, as though he thinks Sasuke's watching. Already, a nervousness is running through his skin, his heartbeat thrumming through his skin, and every movement he makes, every sound he creates, is amplified by ten thousand. So, instead, he reaches for the spare toothbrush (the only one, he notes with some sense of satisfaction that has no place) he left there one of countless times before, and then over to the toothpaste.
It's too far away, and Sasuke picks it up seemingly without thinking and hands it over to Naruto, his other hand not even missing a brush. Naruto reaches out to take it, and nearly drops it when their fingers touch.
Sasuke shoots him a sideways look that Naruto easily comprehends to read, Stupid, can't even hold the toothpaste correctly? Naruto glares back, even as his face heats up in embarrassment.
But despite his seeming normality, there's a jittery feeling in his chest that wasn't there the day before, that shouldn't be there, seeing Sasuke doing something he must do everyday (at least, if his fangirls' screams about his glittering teeth are anything to go by, although, honestly, Naruto thinks, Sasuke's teeth look exactly the same as anyone else's.)
Sasuke must know that Naruto is watching him—he is a shinobi, after all—but he doesn't remark upon it. Instead, he finishes brushing his teeth, spits into the sink, washes it out with water, and then he's gone. He calls from the other room a moment later that they need to leave for practice in a minute, and Naruto looks down to realize that, in the two minutes that have passed since he's entered, he's put the toothpaste on the brush, but he has yet to put the brush in his mouth.
Kami-sama, he must need coffee really, really badly right now, if he's imagining that he actually—
He shoves the brush in his mouth and scrubs hard.
Wow, I haven't updated since October. And this is like, one page. Supa-mini-page! I will understand if you're pissed, but-- progress! :) Finally.
Plus, now I am in the mood to write this story. I was thinking of it all day, of how it should go from here. Think of it like... an amuse-bouche!
