AN: Heh, my computer doesn't recognise the word noob. Lolwhut? Anyways, apologies for how insanely late this is. As I previously explained somewhere…maybe my profile, I lost my job and had to find a new one. The new job is pretty gruelling compared to my old one and I mostly spend my free time sleeping which is lame but sadly necessary until I get used to things.

I'm aiming to get the next chapter out within the usual 2 week update schedule so I can ease myself back into regular updating. Any questions, just PM me or leave a review.

10: Naruto

If Neji decides to fire me tomorrow for being unprofessional or whatever, I totally feel like it was worth it just to make Sasuke laugh. Who knew the asshole could have the same sense of humour as me? Honestly, I kind of thought that he'd be the type to appreciate darker humour, like puppies getting kicked or whatever it is morbid people laugh about, rather than appreciating something so stupid. I guess looks really can be deceiving.

This time, the silence that falls over us is companionable, only there while we both catch our breath and I straighten, rubbing the kinks out of my back and neck from where I nodded off on the table back at the Shushuya. Throwing a look at Sasuke who is still doubled over, I feel my lips curl. I'm about to make a derogatory comment about his stamina being vastly inferior to mine but as I open my mouth, my stomach gives out a loud growl and constricts in pain.

I wince instead of speaking and clutch at it.

Sasuke's eyes are slate grey as he straightens, smirking at me in a way that I'm beginning to associate with a true smile. My own expression widens into an apologetic grin.

"Heh, guess terrorising Neji made me hungry," I tell him, torn now between the desire to get something to eat and the desire to go home and drop into bed for a few hours. The walk home is going to be a little gruelling – the Shushuya being about 2 miles from the house but at least it looks like I'll have company.

"You want to get something to eat?" Sasuke offers off-handedly and I'm left gawping at him again. It's a little hard to predict the actions of 'nice guy Sasuke'. I don't know whether I'm expecting him to proverbially hit me upside the head or hug me every time we try and converse. I wonder if he's not a little bipolar. Maybe I should start taking him on a day to day basis.

"Nah, it's cool, I don't really have the kind of cash to eat out and I think if I stay awake for much longer, I might just keel over," I explain starting to walk along the street in the direction of home.

I let my mind wander for a moment to making a plan of action, intending to nap when I get in and then think about food, so it takes me a little while to realise that Sasuke hasn't caught me up. I turn back curiously to see him still standing under the street lamp we stopped under, his face deeply pensive. His hair, as dark as it is, seems to absorb the light, highlights of the deepest blue flecking the shorter strands as they defy the rest of his style and stick up. For a moment, I'm fascinated by this detail and stare openly, forgetting for a moment who I'm with.

"Hey loser, what are you staring at?"

It feels like my brain has just re-booted. With an uncomfortable jolt, I'm suddenly aware of myself again, pulling a face when I comprehend why Sasuke might be a little irked now. I put my hands up defensively.

"Sorry, I'm over-tired. I totally spaced out and got stuck looking at your hair."

Sasuke's eyes widen slightly in surprise and travel up towards his hair-line. Lifting a slender hand, he allows his fingers to glide through the black tresses, examining the ends in proper critical scrutiny. The sight makes me chuckle. I just knew he had a thing about his hair being perfect.

"I don't know what's so interesting about it," Sasuke comments after a while. "If anything, I should be staring at yours. You've got an impressive smear of tomato sauce on the back of your head you know."

I scowl recalling the accidental swipe of sauce in my hair after clearing away the plates at the Shushuya and sigh, touching the now crusty locks and looking mournful.

"I forgot about that. Guess a shower is first thing on the agenda when we get home then. I dunno if my stomach will be able to take the wait."

I place my hand tenderly on my concave stomach and throw an overly-exaggerated look of despair at Sasuke, sucking my cheeks in to try and appear malnourished. The corner of his lip twitches in vague amusement and I'm triumphant once more.

"Hn. We should probably get a taxi back then; I wouldn't want to have to carry your sorry ass if you were to collapse on the way walking."

The look of over-exaggerated despair on my face drops into a glower.

"Dude, I don't have the money for that sort of thing. We don't all live the high life like you pampered pretty boys," I grumble.

For a moment, I think that maybe I've succeeded in ticking Sasuke off again, his eyes stay on mine and his expression doesn't move an inch. When he spins around, turning his back on me, I feel an unpleasant squirm of disappointment in my gut because when you get past the unpleasant exterior, Sasuke's actually alright. I was enjoying hanging out with him…

"Uzumaki," the flint-like edge in his voice makes me wince and I wisely decide not to verbally respond to him.

"I am getting a taxi home. If you would like to join me, I don't mind covering the fare for something I was going to do anyway. If you're too much of a stubborn dead last, you can walk for all I care."

I gawp at him, my eyes bugging out slightly as I try to translate 'Sasuke-bastard' speak into regular English.

He's actually offering to give me a lift home.

This day just keeps getting weirder and weirder.

But hell, considering the ludicrousness of the last couple of days: moving house after only living with Sakura for 2 weeks, drunk Sasuke, walking in on the bastard in the shower, drunk Sasuke, that Goddamn kiss, becoming almost friends with Kiba and Neji and drunk Sasuke, I'm totally game for this weirdness.

Bring on generous 'offer-to-give-me-a-lift' Sasuke, and after that, why not try for that zombie Apocalypse? It's not like I'm gonna be surprised.

When I walk back to stand beside him, he grunts to acknowledge my decision to get a taxi with him and the two of us start drifting towards the high street. With Halloween just over a week away, the shops in the main part of the high street have been decorated with various cheap plastic bats, ghouls and the like and I find myself smiling smugly at a mannequin dressed like a particularly broody Dracula adorning the front of the contraband sweet shop because it reminds me of Count Grumpula.

I start to make a move after a while but pause when something else catches my eye in the window. A crude idea begins to form in the recesses of my mind and I end up leering evilly.

"Oi Sasuke, hold up a minute!" I call out, waving for Sasuke to halt while I dart inside, picking up a box of Sour Toxic Candy and dropping money into the hand of a virtually silent shop-keeper. By the time I've made it outside again, Sasuke is leaning up against the building pulling exactly the same expression as the Dracula dummy in the window so without much pause for thought, I whip out my phone and take a picture.

"Hey!" Sasuke barks, irritated but I just laugh dismissively at him.

"Don't hey me, I need a picture to go with the number you're gonna give me," I tell him, not so secretly enjoying the idea of having blackmail material to hold over his head. If he ever pisses me off again, all I have to do is e-mail this picture to Sakura and Ino. They'll have a field day.

The agitation marring Sasuke's features falls away completely after that comment, replaced with this totally goofy dumbstruck expression. Well…it's not really goofy but considering Sasuke is usually either emotionless or irate, it still looks goofy when he's surprised, you know? He blinks slowly, brushing at a bang framing the edge of his face and faster than I can follow, his expression drops into a scowl again.

"Why the hell would I give you my number idiot? I don't want to be bombarded with pointless text messages 24/7."

Oh right, people don't usually want to take the numbers of assholes, that's why he's surprised.

I shrug indifferently.

"I need the contact details of someone that lives in that house and seeing as I keep running into you, you seem like the best choice. Besides, even though I met Suigetsu first, after all the shit that we've been through already, I kind of feel like I know you better."

It's the truth, plain and simple.

I do know Sasuke better.

Hell at this point, I probably know him better than Sakura.

…Although his actions today have subverted all preconceived expectations so I dunno how true that statement is…

Sasuke stares at me with wide black eyes and I'm struck by how perfectly symmetrical his face is, how, unlike mine, it has kind of an oval quality about it, dipping down into a pointed chin whereas mine is broader. I guess I must have zoned out again and unnerved him because he tilts his head down until his hair falls forward and his face is momentarily obscured.

"Tch, fine," he says, digging around in the back pocket of his black jeans and bringing out his phone, staring at it for a couple of seconds before thrusting it under my nose, the digits of his phone number standing out against the shadowed background. I beam at him.

"You know you won't regret this, I'm a comic genius when it comes to text messages," I tease him, enjoying the flash of horror that runs across his face as I copy the number and save it to my memory bank. "Want a candy?" I ask, all blasé, focussing on the screen of my phone as I hold out the dispenser with my hand covering the writing on the packaging.

Sasuke's glare only makes me happier because I've totally got his number and know what's going down when he give me that look now.

Heh, got his number…See? Comic genius.

"What are you, 5? I don't like sweet things."

"These aren't all that sweet actually," I tell him semi-truthfully. "They're contraband candy so they're actually more tangy than sweet. Try one; seriously, it'll change your life."

He looks at me doubtfully but when I don't pull my hand away, he grudgingly lets his own hand outstretch below mine and I drop one of the little sour balls into his waiting palm. The darkness hides the outrageous green colour of the offensive sweet well and I have a really tough time keeping my face straight as he sniffs it warily and pops it straight into his mouth.

I manage to remain straight faced for about 3 more seconds before I crack up. At exactly the same time, the flavour of the candy obviously works it's magic and Sasuke pulls the most amazing face, his eyes blinking and then squeezing themselves shut while his mouth draws in like he's just sucked directly on a bitter lemon. His eyebrows are pulled down in a serious frown of dismay and even the dark strands of hair that have fallen forward seem somehow pricklier.

Taking in all this, I can't help the mighty guffaw that explodes outwards from somewhere deep in my gut, echoing out over the high street. I think Sasuke is trying his hardest to form a death glare but with his eyes watering like that and his lips continuing to shrink, it just makes me laugh so hard that I have to double over because my abs are convulsing so violently. I end up having to hold my belly, wiping at a few stray tears of joy pricking at the corners of my eyes as Sasuke spits out the candy and splutters in an undignified manner. His black eyes flash dangerously when he's finally able to turn the full force of a finely tuned death glare on me.

"What the hell kind of candy is that?"

Of course, that response just rekindles the dying mirth in my gut and I clutch at the wall for support, devolving into more manic cackling. Rendered unintelligible by my own amusement, I have to hold out the dispenser for him to take with the label turned up so he can see what he's just tasted, thoroughly enjoying the anger in his expression as he scrutinises the offending object.

"You think this is funny?" he asks me in an ominous voice.

I beam at him, feeling at peace with the world after laughing so much at Sasuke's expense.

"Sure do," I confirm proudly, "I enjoy seeing an expression on your face that isn't stoic or angry."

Sasuke's lip twitches into a barely perceptible pout and he crosses his arms over his chest grumpily. His eyes flick back to the sweet shop and fix on something there, obviously not able to hold my gaze when he's feeling petulant.

"I've shown you other expressions…" he mutters defensively and I immediately open my mouth to argue. Before the first syllable has even formed on my tongue, I pause, suddenly struck by a barrage of memories pertaining to Sasuke's stunted emotional displays over the last couple of days. True, the most common demonstration of Sasuke's feelings has been anger or stoicism but today especially, there have been hints of humour, gratitude, maybe even vague affection…although that last one might be imagined.

Allowing my face to take on a thoughtful look, I change my vehement argument into something of a compromise.

"I guess today you have."

Sasuke gives me a weird look as we start walking off again towards the taxi hot spot by the station, the sort of look that relates to some sort of inner conflict. I can't imagine he's very keen to admit to breaking his usually stoic façade, to admit that he's not an anal robot but a mere mortal like the rest of us.

"So," I say, breaking the silence and wiggling my eyebrows knowingly. "Did it change your life?"

Sasuke stares at me for a moment before smirking with a barely audible 'hn', his troubled face easing substantially which is a win for me.

"You're a menace to society," he decides shortly.

I put on my best affronted face and gesture rudely at him like I've been truly insulted.

"Is that your final verdict Supreme Judge Sasuke?"

"Yes," Sasuke says with feeling. I regard him out of wary eyes as we turn the corner together and stop beside the taxi parking bay.

"And what's my punishment?" I ask, purposefully lowering my voice and making sure there is a husky thrum running through it. He's not the only one that can play games of sexual chicken.

To my never-ending delight, he freezes for a moment, the black of is eyes changing almost imperceptibly to reflect brief flashes of light under the surface. It reminds me of the day I moved in, when I decided that it was like watching a bio-luminescent fish struggling for life in the deepest trenches of the ocean. I can see his thoughts turn inward for a moment, probably trying to combat disturbing mental images tee hee, before he comes back to himself and holds up an arm to hail the next taxi that's appeared up the road.

"Well for a start," he tells me, slipping the candy dispenser he's still holding into the recesses of his jacket. "I'm confiscating these."

The car ride from the station to the house only lasts about half an hour but that still seems to be more than enough time for me to pass out cold. One minute, I'm staring out the window at the rows of rush hour traffic in the dark and the next I'm laying across the back seat of the taxi with something soft brushing rhythmically through the locks of hair situated just above my face. I blink in complete incomprehension and make to move away from the sensation but it feels amazing, so relaxing that I start to drift off again before I can fully engage my muscles to try and move.

Sleepily, I turn my head until I'm looking above me, to see who is putting me into this trance and I find myself blinking blearily up at Sasuke who looks for all the world like he might actually be…relaxed. He flinches when he feels my movement beneath his fingers and meets my eyes so I can study his expression which is actually kind of intense. His eyes are dark and focussed, his lips are parted slightly and my eyes trail to follow the loose strands of dark hair falling over his face as he leans forward.

Suddenly, 3 things strike me at once:

One is that Sasuke's hand has stopped moving in my hair.

Two is that I actually kind of miss it now it's not there.

Three is that for me to be looking up at Sasuke like this right now, my head must be resting in his lap.

Crap.

Out of the corner of my eye, I can just see the stretch of his jeans in the dark and now that I think about it, I can feel the warmth of his legs seeping through the fabric beneath my head.

Oh God.

"Geez Sasuke, I'm sorry," I start frantically, pushing to heave myself up though my body protests the loss of comforting warmth. As I'm about half way up, remarkably, I can feel a firm hand on my shoulder tugging me back down so my head is once again nestled in Sasuke's lap. My eyes grow wide and I toss a questioning look at him over my shoulder, watching in complete surprise as he lifts his hand and starts running his fingers through the unruly mess of my hair again, careful to avoid the crusting tomato.

"Go back to sleep idiot," Sasuke says softly. "If you sleep now, maybe you won't crack your head in the shower when we get in."

There are a million things I want to respond with, a million questions that I want to ask. Why he's being so intimate with me right now is at the top of the list but his hand in my hair is slow and sure and it's lulling me into the kind of stupor that makes my mouth run on auto-pilot so I simply decide to ask:

"Are we nearly there?"

Sasuke glances outside briefly and my eyes catch on the column of his throat, so white that it almost glows in the passing street lights.

"You've got another 10 minutes or so," he affirms after a while and as the sensation of his hand in my hair calms me again, I let out a huge yawn, feeling myself gradually losing awareness. Just before I'm about to slip back under, I make a go of professing something that seemed awfully important to get across a moment ago. It comes out as an unintelligible slur:

"Thanks S'ke, 'm sorry 'm too tired…"

In my half asleep state, I almost miss his response though it carries through the haze of exhaustion somehow and the fond tone of it encourages a spark of internal warmth to carry me fully into the blissful dark.

"Idiot."

When Sasuke wakes me again, I feel like I have to dredge myself up out of a deep dark place and it takes me a while to regain full consciousness. Yawning, I sit up, mourning the loss of Sasuke's warmth beneath my head and watching as he slides out of the passenger side to pay the driver. I scramble after him but even when the cold air hits my face, I have trouble waking up fully, still groggy as the two of us walk towards the house and Sasuke fishes in his pockets for his house keys.

"Okay, I admit it, the taxi was an awesome idea," I concede, stumbling inside and moving half way up the stairs towards my bedroom, intent on washing the crusting tomato out of my hair as soon as possible. "I'm sorry I fell asleep."

Sasuke says nothing and I turn back to catch him giving me a meaningful look before disappearing into the living room. I'm a little baffled by this behaviour because I was fully expecting him to take advantage of the blackmail material available and tease me for falling asleep in his lap mercilessly. I guess he prefers it when we're on even ground rather than just taking the opportunity to belittle me when I can't really argue with him.

Sasuke's just full of surprises.

Trudging up to my bedroom, I root around in my drawer for some clean clothes and grab the towel hanging on the back of the door. As I'm about to shift into the bathroom, my eyes rove to the crumpled covers on my bed and I end up sighing wistfully, the sound mingling with the continued complaints of my stomach. Being bombarded by an array of different human needs when you can't fulfil them all at once is totally the worst.

I shuffle into the shower and turn on the hot water, stripping down and ducking under the hot stream. The scalding water eases the ache in my muscles and I'm left to ponder on my various dinner options, purposefully not thinking about Sasuke and how different he's being today. I'm too tired to draw any proper conclusions about it now.

My shower lasts a little too long and by the time I exit the bathroom, clad in clean lounge clothes, my finger tips are like dried out raisins, all wrinkly and soft. I smirk as I descend the staircase once more; thinking about how much fun it's going to be rubbing the puckered skin over the smooth contours of Sasuke's face. He'll just love that. Heh.

Stray voices interrupt my thoughts as I swing round into the living room to find the place full of people. I gawp openly at Sasuke who's sitting neatly in one of the dining room chairs, a text book propped open on the table, Suigetsu who's sitting on the sofa holding an X Box controller and another guy who's also holding a controller, grinning inanely at me. My eyes drift across to the TV where the colourful fighters of Tekken are engaged in a battle to the death before falling back on the new face.

Nerves automatically gather in my stomach.

"Oh hey Naruto, this is Tobi, our other housemate," Suigetsu tells me, motioning to the guy beside him.

I wave awkwardly, taking in the mess of dark brown hair, the odd coloured eyes, the mis-matching clothes and the wide grin all at once, trying to create a first impression. Even sitting slouched on the couch; I can tell he's tall which makes me the shortest guy in this household, much to my chagrin. His face is the same shape as Sasuke's but his chin in sturdier, like mine. He has large hands. The weirdest thing about this guy, apart from the fact that I can see a Hello Kitty pattern on one of his socks, is the air of offness he has surrounding him. Despite the fact that he looks pretty hyper, the emotion seems a little too superficial…or maybe too real, it's hard to tell. Either way, his aura is completely non-descript and the affect of this is to make this guy seem kind of…dangerous. It makes me feel wary which is stupid.

"Hi, I've been wanting to meet you for ages," Tobi says amiably, getting off of the couch and practically lunging at me, grabbing my hand and shaking it vigorously. I resist slightly but only because I don't want to get whip lash or have my arm yanked off.

"I've been busy with my final year project so I haven't been around. How do you like your room? And are you straight, gay or bisexual?"

The last question makes me splutter uselessly, my face suddenly burning crimson. Where the hell did that come from?

Suigetsu immediately falls about the couch laughing his ass off but Sasuke looks like he wants to murder Tobi in cold blood. His eyes are almost pitch black as he addresses his older housemate.

"Tobi, do you really have to be yourself immediately when meeting new people? You could at least try to be normal for 5 minutes before alienating them entirely."

"Huh?" Tobi asks, his voice light and innocent. He shrugs, scooting back onto the sofa next to Suigetsu and picking up his controller so they can resume battle. "Is that not a normal question to ask someone?"

"Not really," Sasuke says darkly. When he turns his attention to me, his eyes are frosty and I recoil automatically, giving him my best disarming grin. He continues to stare pointedly at me, his eyes boring a hole in my gut and my voice catches as I respond.

"Uh…I don't really mind so…I guess I'm bi?" I shrug. This sort of thing doesn't really matter to me. Sure I've thought about people in a sexual way before, both guys and girls, but it's a little hard to focus on that when I have trouble making friends in the first place.

Tobi beams at me and nods his approval which makes me wonder if there was a right answer to that question. Interestingly, Suigetsu smirks and turns sly eyes on Sasuke who keeps his eyes on me, not rising to the bait. Hm…does that look mean that Sasuke's bi too or is Suigetsu just messing with him? The guy does have girls like Sakura and Ino following after him like love struck teenagers and doesn't even bat an eyelash…

"Are you hungry Naruto?"

For a moment, I think Sasuke might have employed the age old 'change the subject because I'm uncomfortable now' tactic but then I realise my stomach is starting to sound a bit like a screamer in a metal band and rub it absent-mindedly.

"Yeah, I'll probably make some beans on toast or something. Can't be assed to cook n-

"I made extra donburi so you can have it if you want," Sasuke cuts me off, idly picking up his text book and glancing down at the miniscule print like this isn't the second world altering thing he's done today, the first being offering me a lift home. I can't help gawping at him again before a real, easy smile creeps over my face.

"You know, as weird as new 'nice' Sasuke is, I like him. Can he stay?" I ask happily, half sprinting across the living room in the direction of the kitchen so that I can avoid obscuring the view of the TV for Tobi and Suigetsu.

This earns me a Mach 3 scowl which only makes my good mood more powerful for some reason. It's like his sour looks don't really matter anymore.

"Oi Sasuke, how come you never let me eat your left over donburi?" Suigetsu complains as Tobi's character finishes thrashing Suigetsu and he throws his controller down in a petulant sulk.

Sasuke's eyes are fiercely sharp as he turns back to Suigetsu and for once, I appreciate not being on the receiving end of one of those looks.

"Do you stay up half the night with me when I'm sick?" he asks, a semi-rhetorical question that has Suigetsu grumbling about how it's 'your own fault'. Something in my chest seems to drop as I realise that his nice guy behaviour is still left over from me staying with him last night, like he owes me something. Does that mean that when he deems us equal once again, he'll go back to being a prick to me? Wouldn't that just be especially cruel now that it seems like we've started to be friends?

"You don't have to keep doing stuff for me because you feel like you owe me you know," I tell him, rubbing the back of my head and suddenly finding immense fascination with my feet, watching my toes curl. "You know what, I'll just have beans on toast after all, don't worry about it."

Don't treat me like this if you don't genuinely want to be my friend.

I'm about to head into the kitchen to escape the prying eyes of my housemates but Sasuke's hand flashes from nowhere, latching onto my wrist with a light slap. I glower at him, not really in the mood to listen to him try and explain it to me.

"I don't feel like I owe you," he tells me sincerely, the grey in his eyes just visible under the overlay of confident darkness. "I was simply demonstrating to Suigetsu that you are a better friend than him and so in turn, I feel inspired to be nicer to you than to others."

The explanation is curt, concise and maybe a little clinical…

…but it thaws the chill over my mood immediately.

Because he called me his friend.

He actually called me his friend.

Does he really mean that? Could anybody really mean that when applying the word to me? He does realise that I'm Uzumaki Naruto right? He does know that he hates my guts right?

The expression on my face must have changed because his hand slackens on my wrist. His lips tug up into a small smirk and I know that he means what he said.

"It's teriyaki, if you're still interested."

I pull my hand away as the prickle of affection for this anal bastard runs through my system. I'm painfully aware of how his fingers feel on my skin, as though my nerves have suddenly been electrocuted. It's weird but not unpleasant and I know it means that I've managed to form something of a bond with Sasuke, a real one. It feels more secure even than the bond I had with Sakura.

The only other person I feel connected to is Iruka…

"Hm, is it home made?" I ask sceptically, like it'll make an ounce of difference to my final eating decision.

"Uchiha's don't do shop bought," Sasuke tells me with the airy smugness of the total connoisseur perfectionist.

"Then I guess I'm still interested," I say, smiling so wide I think the muscles in my face will be sore for the next couple of days.

Sasuke uncurls himself from his seated position and leads the way into the kitchen. As I follow, I just catch a glimpse of Suigetsu rolling his eyes and muttering about 'favouritism' before loading another game with Tobi, loudly proclaiming that he's going to turn the tables this time.

The kitchen floor is cold on my feet but I can smell the lingering smell of Sasuke's food and my mouth pools with saliva. The tang on the air tells me that he likes it a little spicier than I'm used to but I'm not about to complain. Stalking forward, I grab a bowl out of my cupboard and hold it out to him like a child.

"Load me up," I tell him happily, ignoring the twitch in his nose as he takes my bowl. It's the kinda twitch one might associate with a stuffy aunt who's just been subjected to the less than wholesome manners of a delinquent nephew. Of course, following that thought, I get an image of Sasuke in a stuffy aunt ensemble, floral dress and PVC hand bag to boot, and end up snorting into the food Sasuke gives me.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow at the impromptu laughter but seems to have learnt not to ask.

"Sorry if it's a little spicy. Some loser fed me the world's most vile candy before I came home so my taste tests may have been a little off."

Sobering up, I fix Sasuke with the most serious expression I can manage. It's difficult because the edges of my lips keep twitching with repressed mirth.

"Sasuke, weren't you taught in school about taking candy from weird guys?" I ask, spooning in rice and teriyaki sauce, making a small noise of contentment as the flavour hits my tongue, the added spice of the sauce mingling perfectly with the wholesome rice.

Sasuke's eyes widen slightly at the noise and lighten again with a spark of what can only be pleasure, highlighting the grey hue of his iris I've become somewhat familiar with over the course of the day. I guess it doesn't matter what type of person you are; if someone likes something you've done, you're bound to feel good about it.

"Are you calling yourself a weird guy Uzumaki?" Sasuke asks coyly, perching on the edge of the counter as I shovel food into my mouth like a dying man.

I fix him with a pointed stare.

"Normphffff peoplfffff scamrrrphare mrrrfffff."

Sasuke reacts to my muffled remark and general spray of rice granules the way I'd expect anybody with an OCD problem to react, by recoiling disgustedly and averting his eyes.

"Try swallowing before you respond moron, that way I won't have to look at the half masticated mess in your mouth and can focus on what you're actually saying rather than how revolting you are."

I contemplate the pros and cons of continuing to address him with food in my mouth and decide after a moment's deliberation that it's not worth the indigestion later. I gulp down the food and fix him with the sort of smile that I know will get under his skin.

"Heh, masticated…no matter how old I get, that word is still funny."

Sasuke slowly raises his hands and massages the bridge of his nose. It would be the perfect sign of world weariness if not for the smile fighting for dominance beneath his hand, alerting me to the fact that despite my childish sense of humour, he does find me at least mildly amusing.

"Normal people scare me," I elaborate, going back to our previous conversation.

"Hn, I guess to someone as weird in the extreme as you, they would appear somewhat scary," Sasuke agrees mockingly.

"I'm not that weird," I protest, pouting into the remaining granules of rice as I set the near empty bowl down and relish in the rejuvenating feeling of fullness.

"Oh?" Sasuke asks with a sneer. "Let's review the evidence shall we? When we first met you punched me for calling you a 'moron', when you moved in you made a point of peering into my bedroom without asking permission and after only a single night here, you walked in on me in the shower like you owned the place. I think that constitutes generally weird behaviour."

I grimace at having my most recent activities listed so mercilessly as evidence pertaining to weirdness but make no move to deny my actions or what they imply because I am that weird. I don't think Sasuke quite realises that but other people must…why else would everyone hate me so much?

"Your eye's looking a lot better today by the way," I tell him, motioning to the barely perceptible mark on his face. Without the swelling, it could be mistaken for more of a birth mark than a bruise given by a guy that got a little too heated in a fight.

Sasuke gives me an odd look, almost like he's indecisive about something before his eyes steel and he opens his mouth to say something.

"Wh-

"Oi, Naruto! Stop getting frisky with Sasuke and come play Tekken so I can actually enjoy a victory at least once tonight!"

If it's actually possible with the natural tone of Sasuke's skin, he pales, his mouth falling closed on his half formed sentence, pressed into a rigid line. As he stares at me, passed me, the colour of his eyes darken and then light up with the ominous fire of barely suppressed rage. Slowly, oozing true killing intent like some kind of demon, Sasuke eases himself off of the side and stalks towards the doorway to the living room. As I follow, I have to try and reign in the chortling though it's hard, every now and then a stray hiccough will fall out of the corner of my mouth, earning me an associative glare from the devil.

Suigetsu is in yet another flurried battle with Tobi on Tekken, letting out a string of half choked out expletives as Tobi's character ground pounds him into the arena floor. Praise where praise is due, Sasuke is truly an artist when it comes to revenge. Instead of unleashing the full force of his roiling fury at a Suigetsu half distracted by an X box game, he waits until Suigetsu actually has the upper hand before reaching down and gracefully slapping the controller out of his hands.

"Hey!" Suigetsu barks as the controller skitters under the table and Tobi wins once again.

"Sasuke you sick fuck!" Suigetsu shouts, gesturing to the 'game over' screen with wildly flailing hands. "What the hell was that for?"

"Tactlessness," Sasuke bites out smartly, taking his previously vacated seat and picking up his text book again.

"You're such an asshole," Suigetsu decides grouchily, reaching down to retrieve the controller.

"I concur," I agree heartily, falling down onto the arm of the chair just shy of invading Suigetsu's personal space. Sasuke throws me a look that may or may not be amusement before turning his attention back to what looks like an absurdly boring book. Remind me not to ask what the bastard does for fun.

"Ha, see, Naruto agrees – that was totally uncalled for."

"I never agreed that Sasuke's actions were uncalled for, I just like to take all available opportunities to remind him that he's an asshole."

Once again, Sasuke eyes me over the top of his book and I smile innocently at him, making my expression as cherubic as possible.

"You're both idiots," Sasuke decides after a moment of quiet reflection, his voice completely devoid of the sharp edge that tells me he's serious. Somehow, the fact that his derogatory nicknames have become almost terms of endearment makes me feel…well…really good actually. Acknowledged, you know?

I guess that's pretty stupid.

Suigetsu throws me a controller and I blink at it.

Wait…was he serious about me playing? He didn't just say that to get a rise out of Sasuke?

"Oh man, don't look at it like you've never seen one of these before, it'll make my victory meaningless if you're a total noob," Suigetsu tells me exasperatedly as he loads up the character screen and picks his fighter, a heavier class that uses swords, reminding me of the motif in his bedroom.

Heh, if he thinks that I'm a noob at this game, he's got another thing coming. It's not like a guy with no friends can really spend his time out socialising as a teenager.

Without a word, I pick out a smaller character, known for tricky manoeuvres if you know how to execute the combos but a little bit hard for newer players. Suigetsu's smirk is shark-like in the half light, his eyes glinting as he picks an arena.

"Let the battle begin," he says sinisterly.

We turn in at just after midnight which is pretty early for the average student but after last night's escapades and the killer day at the Shushuya, I've pretty much lost the plot. Sasuke ends up half dragging me up the stairs, dumping me in the bathroom so I can brush my teeth and shoving me into my room afterwards. I fall face forward onto the sheets and immediately pass out. The next thing I know, my alarm is going crazy to tell me its morning and I have lectures to get to.

As has become the norm, I contemplate obliterating the blasted thing but remember my standing on domestic violence and instead tap it gently until it turns off.

Then I lay there, staring at the ceiling, remembering how, after Sasuke arrived at the Shushuya the previous day, I actually managed to spend time with people that treated me like their friend. I remember Sasuke offering me a lift home, not killing me when I pulled the prank with the candy, letting me eat the last of his donburi. I remember totally decimating Suigetsu on Tekken and then in turn, facing off against Tobi until I was too tired to keep going, all the while listening to their light hearted comments and laid back laughter.

It's the sort of thing I've always idly fantasized about, just chilling out with a group of people that don't totally despise me.

I wonder if we could do it again tonight?

The thought fills me with a swelling feeling of serious euphoria and for once, I'm able to throw off the covers and get out of bed easily. In about half the time it usually takes, I've managed to get dressed, pulling a shirt that is so outrageously yellow it's sure to get a comment from the ice prince, and have brushed my teeth.

I'm practically skipping as I descend the staircase, It's a Wonderful Life playing in my head like some sort of demented theme music for the day but as I turn the corner and set eyes on Sasuke who is sitting on the sofa with his head in his hands, the longer black tresses swept back into the rest of his hair, something foreboding grows up like a weed in my gut tainting my insanely good mood.

His eyes are unseeing and large, his lips are slightly parted as he takes slow, deep breaths. In his left hand, closest to me, he has an official looking letter clasped against his skull, the words blurring under the free strands of shadow black hair that have escaped his hold.

I can just make out the insignia of the university.

"Sasuke?" I ask, alarmed.

Sasuke jolts like he's just been poked by a tazer and turns his attention to me vacantly.

The true blank expression on his face scares me more than anything I think I've ever seen in my life.

More than the time-

More than-

"Sasuke, what's wrong?"

Dun dun duuuuun! And this cliffhanger, dear readers, is why I will be endeavouring to re-affirm my preferred update schedule.