Please enjoy! Thank you for reading :)
Even though Sasuke had smiled for Naruto, something he did not expect, he didn't linger long enough for Naruto to say much more. Naruto watched after him as he walked down the hallway and disappeared into his room, closing the door softly behind him.
"That went about how I expected it go," Sakura said evenly, turning back to her sauce pan on the stove. Naruto moved toward the small dining table and sat, shaking slightly. He did not even realize he was. Naruto did not say it but he had expected a reaction of profound anger from Sasuke. Some choice expletives, maybe something thrown. The simple greeting had, if anything, made him uncomfortable.
"He'll be fine with you staying here," Sakura said, as if to reassure herself. Naruto nodded to himself. To shift the topic, Naruto guided the conversation toward Sakura and her studies. During their years apart, Sakura had not moved away from her love of journalism. In university her focus shifted to that of environmental consciousness. As she spoke animatedly about her passion for educating the public of the long-term dangers of the current reliance on fossil fuels, Naruto's mind drifted. Was it fair for him to come barging back into Sasuke's life like this? 'He's the one who left me.' His jaw tightened with the conclusion that yes Sasuke had abandoned Naruto. Out of the frustration of Naruto leaving him for a different university, Sasuke had inadvertently walked out on the very man he loved and cared for. Naruto's heart leapt at the thought. Sasuke was one of the most reserved people he knew. Admitting deep feelings for Naruto verbally had taken Sasuke a lot of time.
It had been Naruto's 18th birthday nearly three years previous. A particularly cool October morning when Naruto was woken by his ringing phone. It was a Saturday, Naruto's reserved day for sleeping in. He had not been expecting this. Groggily and frustrated, he brought the phone to his ear.
"What?" Naruto asked grumpily. He knew who was on the other end.
"Oh," Sasuke had sounded taken aback. "I was just hoping we could spend some time together for your birthday." His tone was hard and Naruto ran a hand down his face in irritation. He had not asked to deal with a moody Sasuke on his birthday. Honestly, not that he'd ever tell him, Naruto had wanted the day to be one of peace. Sasuke was surprisingly clingy. In only that he spent most of his free time with Naruto. Sasuke would never say anything that implied he needed Naruto in anyway but his actions said otherwise. Of course, Naruto cherished their time together but he acknowledged everyone needed time apart from their partner.
"Yeah, yeah, don't get mad but I was hoping to spend the day alone," Naruto had one eye open and was tensed for the snarky retort from Sasuke. A long pause passed between them, wherein Naruto thought he heard the sound of a driving car. Immediately the lights of a car passed by the window. He groaned inwardly. "You're here, aren't you?"
"Yes," said Sasuke coolly. "But I can leave if that's better for you."
"Don't be like that," Naruto scolded as he sat up. "I'll be there in a moment." He ended the call and tossed the phone on his bed as he wriggled sweatpants on up over his boxers. Ever since it became obvious the two had feelings for each other, Naruto had been more open about what he would and what he would not tolerate in a relationship. Constant complaining and a general pessimism was at the top of his list of nots. Oddly enough, both of those characteristics were integral to Sasuke's personality. He had not become an entirely new person, Naruto did not expect or want that from Sasuke. Instead, Sasuke had slightly shifted his routine negativity toward more of a neutral ground.
Naruto opened the front door and immediately wished he had put on a shirt. The coolness of the air outside assaulted his exposed chest and he instinctively shied away. Sasuke regarded him, ice in his eyes. He stepped up into the house quickly, allowing for Naruto to shut the door behind him. Sasuke carried a plastic grocery bag laden with food. Naruto had breathed in deeply. Traces of sweet scents of maple syrup, the tinge in the air of bacon, and was that a hint of orange? He wrapped his arms around Sasuke from behind and rested his chin on Sasuke's shoulder. Naruto pressed his body against Sasuke's for warmth. It was still early for Naruto and he closed his eyes before rubbing his pelvis suggestively against Sasuke, to which he sighed.
"Not now," Sasuke said with a hint of a smile.
"So, later then?" Naruto nipped at Sasuke's earlobe. He caught sight of red rising on Sasuke's neck and he slid away to ease Sasuke's tension. Naruto took advantage of Sasuke's distraction and reached around him to grab the bag from his right hand. When Naruto thought he had a hold of the bag, Sasuke tightened his grip.
"Not so fast," Sasuke said before clearing his throat. "Get us some plates and utensils." Naruto followed the order without question with a large smile on his face. Sasuke set out platters of pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, and orange slices. As Naruto set down the plates his bright blue eyes were wide.
"Sasuke," Naruto's voice was thick with awe. Sasuke had been looking over the haul with a light of pride in his eyes.
"What?"
"Did you make all of this?" Naruto asked before rounding the table to approach Sasuke. Naruto was thrilled to see a small sheepish smile appear on Sasuke's face.
"Yeah, it's not that big a deal, idiot. Stop looking at me like that!" Sasuke snapped the last bit because Naruto made an expression that made him feel patronized.
"You loooove me," Naruto taunted before hugging Sasuke again. Sasuke's cheeks began to redden quickly. He tried to look elsewhere from Naruto's face but Naruto made it nearly impossible for him not to look.
"Yes," Sasuke said in a near whisper. "Yes, I do love you."
The memory of hearing Sasuke actually speak the words pained Naruto. They were likely at their best during that year. Before the mad rush of university applications and graduation from high school. There was always something about a first love that made every other relationship seem different somehow.
"How's the sauce?" Sakura asked urgently. During his distracted stumble along memory lane, Sakura had somehow given him a bowl of spaghetti without him realizing it. Naruto quickly twisted some of the pasta around his fork before bringing it to his mouth. The temperature was scalding and his eyes began to water from the pain. "And?" Her green eyes were questioning.
"T-tastes great," Naruto said as he swallowed the hot gulp. Sakura beamed. As they ate, Sakura babbled on and on as Naruto realized how tired he was. He had been up for more than twenty hours total. Out of nervousness and excitement, Naruto had risen early. His eyes were heavy and his body tired. Sakura seemed to notice because she gradually quieted and took his dishes to the kitchen. She gestured toward the sofa in the living room.
"You can sleep there until your belongings arrive," Sakura said with a smile. "It's actually quite comfortable. This is coming from someone who has passed out there multiple times."
Naruto dipped his head in thanks and walked back to his room to retrieve his backpack. He only noticed on his way back to the living room that the door to Sasuke's room was slightly ajar. His mind was too foggy to advise against it but Naruto pushed the door gently and leaned into the room.
Naruto was not sure what he expected to see in the room but what he saw surprised him. The room was full of stuff, Sasuke did not lack for the standard fare to a bedroom. A bed big enough for two, a desk complete with a laptop, a TV, a closet half-full. Nothing out of place but Naruto felt a sudden disconnect with the place. Not a poster lined the wall nor an extra bowl filled with cereal from earlier in the day. No, Sasuke's room felt less like a personal space than an office cubicle. The bed wasn't made, something Naruto knew Sasuke would not willingly allow. Sasuke sat at his desk, his head low over what he was working on.
"Hey, uh, I, uh…" Naruto lost all strength in his voice when Sasuke looked up in his direction. He wore glasses and an exhausted expression.
"What do you need?" Sasuke asked not unkindly.
"I was, um, wondering if it was okay for me to move in with you and Sakura," Naruto spoke quickly. "She said it was alright but I thought it wouldn't be right for me to move in without your go ahead." Sasuke leaned back into his chair and regarded Naruto in a way that made him embarrassed without need. Sasuke's dark eyes moved up and down Naruto's lean body. Without a word, Sasuke stood. Naruto's eyes fell to his barefeet as he walked toward him. Sasuke put a hand on the door to his room.
"I don't mind," he said flatly. "Just not too many loud parties, please." Sasuke's eyes had the slightest light of humor to them.
"Oh you know me, party animal," Naruto joked with a jovial smile.
"Haven't changed much then have you?"
"Not much at all. Same old me," Naruto regarded him warily for Sasuke's response. Sasuke had moved the door closer to Naruto, which meant he himself was closer too. Naruto was suddenly aware of how close Sasuke was to him.
Lust more than anything made him close the distance between them. The kiss was not soft or delicate. Sasuke kissed him hard, the force pressed the back of Naruto's head to the frame of the door. Naruto needed to wrap his arms around Sasuke; he needed to feel the warmth and solidness of his body. He advanced into the room and Sasuke closed the door behind him. Sasuke's mouth opened Naruto's and he pushed his tongue in to explore. When their tongues grazed each other's Naruto felt a jolt of electricity shoot from his head to his toes and he couldn't stop the moan of desire from passing from his lips. As though invigorated by Naruto's admission of pleasure, Sasuke's hand reached under the hem of Naruto's sweatshirt and pulled at it. Between aggressive kisses, Naruto slipped his sweatshirt and shirt off over his head.
In the back of his mind an annoying thought nagged at him. 'You shouldn't be doing this. This should happen naturally. Not like this.' Naruto shoved the thought to the side, Sasuke had taken off his own shirt. His skin was pale and soft to the touch. As soon as Naruto's hand touched his exposed skin he pulled his mouth away from Sasuke's. He let his hand fall to his side. While the longing for Sasuke was still there, Naruto's conscious got in the way.
"Sasuke," he said in a husky tone. His eyes were closed tightly before he opened them again to look Sasuke deeply his dark irises. "I just, I want to get to know you again before we do this. I value you too much to just have meaningless sex with you on a whim." Sasuke was quiet for a number of moments. His eyes had been drifting downward and he took a deep sigh before letting out a humorless laugh.
"I should've known I couldn't count on you for a good fuck, could I?" Sasuke had backed away from Naruto before running his hands through his black hair. "You're right, though. We shouldn't do this."
Naruto waited to hear him say a, "not now" or a, "let's try again" but that was not in the cards.
"I'm sorry, Sasuke," Naruto said in a near whisper. Sasuke surprised him with a wary expression with the hint of a smile.
"It was good thinking, idiot," Sasuke said softly. "I should sleep. You too. Get out of here." This of course was not said cruelly.
"Goodnight," Naruto said before leaning over to pick up his shirt and sweatshirt. With a final glance at Sasuke, Naruto slipped out of the room.
Sakura had been waiting in the hallway with a disappointed look on her face.
"Oh, you guys are no fun anymore," She groaned.
!
Even though Sasuke and Naruto lived in the same apartment, Naruto seemed to be tactfully avoiding Sasuke. He was out of the apartment before Sasuke was up and getting ready for class. Most evenings he was gone until Sasuke had settled in for bed. And some nights he just didn't come home at all. Sasuke's mind immediately imagined Naruto on countless one-night stands. He had to continue to remind himself that he had no say in Naruto's life. Naruto was his own man. Despite the way everything had ended up, Sasuke's embarrassment and all, he was relieved they had not slept together.
The days passed without event. Sasuke had received an oddly cryptic email from his mother, which was nothing new. Naruto's stuff was delivered and Sasuke helped him move in. Sasuke and Naruto were overly polite to each other. The way strangers interacted. And Sasuke hated it. He detested the small talk, the conversational tip-toeing around their kiss.
"Get back into soccer?" Sasuke asked Naruto as he brought a box into his room. The box held a well worn soccer ball. Naruto's eyes lit up and he took the box from Sasuke.
"Yeah, I joined an intramural team at my other university," Naruto's smile faded when he met Sasuke's eye.
"Think you'll join the one here?" Sasuke asked gently. He was more than familiar with Naruto's past encounters with soccer. Picking up on the delicate tone, Naruto gave him a grateful look. Sasuke had never coddled Naruto once he learned the truth. He figured that type of relationship would make Naruto uncomfortable.
"I've been thinking about it," Naruto set the box on his bed. It was a twin mattress with no sheets on it yet. "What about you, I didn't notice a soccer ball in your room when I was in there." Naruto's face reddened slightly at the mention of the event he had been trying to avoid. 'How could you notice? We were too busy sucking face.' Sasuke wanted to say something along those lines but he kept his mouth shut about that.
"No, I haven't really been interested in that. Joseph was never really a soccer fan," Sasuke said the last bit nonchalantly.
"Why did his interests have any bearing on what you did?" Naruto asked with a hard voice. Sasuke eyed him firmly and gave a slight shake of his head. Naruto dipped his own head in apology. Naruto left the room and Sasuke followed to retrieve the last boxes for unloading. After the two had the final boxes from the truck, Naruto signed the sheet for the shippers to leave. Sasuke moved toward the apartment but Naruto stood still. Sasuke glanced back at him apprehensively.
"What's wrong," Sasuke asked.
"Nothing," Naruto paused, searching for the right words. "You know, this school has a pretty good comedy scene."
"Oh really?" Sasuke's voice was even. In the pit of his stomach he knew where this was going and he wasn't sure he wanted the conversation to go that direction.
"Any comedians you recommend seeing?" Naruto's question threw Sasuke off guard. He recovered quickly.
"No, I couldn't tell you,"
"Oh, in that case want to join Sakura and me this Friday? We are going to a sort of 'Last Comic Standing' type of show on campus." Naruto asked, smiling up at Sasuke. The question Sasuke had been expecting was a flat out date request but the inclusion of Sakura made all potential date activities null.
"Okay, sure," Sasuke said. He watched Naruto's smile widen and his own heart swelled at the sight.
By the time Friday arrived Sasuke had forgotten the plans he had made with Naruto. When he arrived home after a long day of classes he immediately got in the shower. The apartment had two bathrooms. One smaller, private one, for Sakura off her master bedroom, and then a larger on shared by Naruto and Sasuke. So far there had been no issues aside from finding Naruto's toothbrush ending up on Sasuke's side of the sink occasionally. He stepped out of the shower to find all his towels had disappeared. He groaned loudly, remembering he had tossed them in the washer earlier that day. Sasuke was soaking wet and there was no way he'd wet his clothes.
So he stood, stark naked, in the steamy bathroom listening for a noise. When he was sure he had not heard anything, Sasuke stepped out of the bathroom with his clothing balled up covering his crotch. The bathroom was diagonally angled from his room and Naruto's. Only four steps to get there.
And like life so often does, it messed with Sasuke. He was only a step away from his door when Naruto opened his own door and burst out. He froze and looked at Sasuke with a bit of a startled expression. His eyes moved down to Sasuke's middle and stayed there for a moment.
"Take a picture, it'll last longer," Sasuke snapped before stepping into his room and closing the door behind him swiftly. He wasn't a teen anymore. Sasuke was pretty content with his body, save some weight around his sides he was sure he had gained after Joseph broke up with him. Sasuke didn't care if people saw him naked, Sakura surely had more times than once by accident. Naruto was different. The way his eyes had widened made Sasuke think two things. Either Naruto didn't like what he saw or he did. 'What does it matter?' With a shake of his head, Sasuke found a towel and began to dry off his body.
Half an hour later, there was a soft knock on his door followed by Naruto calling out, "Decent?" Sasuke could just hear the cheeky grin his voice.
"Yes," He grumbled. Naruto peeked a head in and frowned at the sight of Sasuke on his bed in a loose pair of sweatpants and t-shirt as he scrolled through his phone. "What?" Sasuke saw Naruto's expression.
"Are you still coming to the comedy show with me tonight?" Naruto asked. His eyes looked sad, reminding Sasuke of when Naruto was a boy.
"Um, I'm really tired," Sasuke admitted with a sigh. Naruto's face softened.
"Oh," Naruto nodded. Without another word, he stepped back out into the hallway and closed the door quietly behind him. Sasuke rolled onto his back with a groan of frustration. He tried to reason with himself that what was keeping him from getting up and dressed was that he was tired. Nothing more than that. But he knew he was simply lying to himself. Sasuke wanted to kiss him again, to feel the firm warmth of his hands on his body.
Friday nights were his to have for staying in, watching a movie, maybe ordering a pizza if he felt especially lazy or lonely. Sakura was constantly out. A social woman that one.
The minutes passed by and Sasuke's guilt grew. 'What's the harm of going out?' He walked quickly to the door of his room and opened it.
"Wait! I'll be ready in a moment," He called out, hoping Naruto and Sakura were still there. Sasuke pulled off his shirt and sweats. Thankful he had not gotten his clothing from earlier wet, Sasuke slipped back into his dark jeans, simple t-shirt, sleek black parka, and shoes. Before rushing from his room, Sasuke grabbed his wallet and slid it into his back pocket and keys.
Naruto was waiting by the front door, which he held open for him. As Sasuke passed him, Naruto reached out to gently touch Sasuke's upper arm. Sasuke looked back at him.
"Thanks for deciding to come, it'll be fun," Naruto said with a wink. He closed the door and locked it. Naruto had a wry smile on his face as he walked from the door toward Sakura's car, where she was waiting. Sasuke was not a fan of that smile or even of that wink. 'Who does he think he is? It's not all about him. Maybe I just want to see some good comedy.' Sasuke watched after Naruto who was looking back at Sasuke with the warmest of smiles.
'Yeah, right. It's about him.'
Thank you again for reading. I hope you enjoyed :)
