"Mmm... I don't want to go to bed..." Naruto hummed, snuggling closer to Sasuke's surprisingly warm body beneath the covers, bathed in a glowing light from the TV in front of them (all other lights in the apartment turned off) as the sheets made a soft crinkling noise when he moved. It was 2am, and the remains of their take-out chinese food were still on the table in front of them, the episode they were watching on Amazon Prime almost finished. Naruto had said they should go to sleep after this one ("Just one more..." He had said, conveniently forgetting that he'd said that for the last three episodes). When they had got back from the theatre and entered Sasuke's apartment, Naruto had made a beeline straight for Sasuke's bedroom, and quickly returned with the dark blue comforter they now had covering them.
"Hmm..." Sasuke hummed in response, not knowing how to answer that, and just ran his free hand gently up and down Naruto's arm. They had a lot to talk about, and there were many unspoken words between them, many questions unanswered; why did this feel so familiar, like they'd done it a thousand times before? When had these feelings first developed? Why did this feel as easy and as natural as breathing? Sasuke felt as though the second he had let that last protective wall crumble, it was like he had been holding back a flood and now he was drowning. But instead of that clawing, desperate, absolutely terrifying loss of breath and life that he had expected, it felt like euphoria... like he had been immersed and drenched in something sweet and warm and wonderful. Yes, so many things to say, so many words that needed to fall from both of their lips... but right now, all he wanted to do was enjoy the warmth radiating from the man next to him, pressed against his side and nestled in his arms.
As they continued watching the TV show - Mr Robot - Sasuke's mind began to wander. He thought back to the first time he remembered meeting the man currently curled up against him; it was at an audition at the theatre. Sasuke never told him this and, as far as the blonde was concerned, their first meeting had been in the props cupboard. But Sasuke had actually attended an audition as an observer, when he was still testing the waters to see if he wanted to join. When Naruto had walked up to the stage he was transfixed, and couldn't take his eyes off him. The way the loud, energetic man suddenly went from that to cold, cruel and calculated in the blink of an eye; he'd never seen anything like it.
Sasuke would never say love at first sight, but Naruto had definitely caught his eye. When Sasuke later joined the theatre, he had a hard time holding in his surprise upon learning from Sakura (who had instantly taken a liking to him) that Naruto hadn't got the part that day - in fact, he had been trying for parts for a long time and never had any success, always being seen as the props guy. Sasuke thought that anyone with eyes could see Naruto was clearly talented, and he questioned the integrity of the place; especially when he noticed that it was always the 'regulars' who got parts.
Naturally, Sasuke had just relentlessly called him out for constantly being put back in his place as the props man, silently hoping that his goading and teasing would push Naruto to grow a pair and not constantly make excuses for the place. It worked, and he had inwardly celebrated the victory as he watched Naruto quit as head of props, watched as the rest of the regular backstage team fell over themselves trying to figure something out. Served them right, taking Naruto for granted.
He had silently dubbed the place Backscratch Theatre, for the sheer amount of mutual back scratching and ego stroking that went on in the place. But, for all that, he still enjoyed going there - telling himself he only went back again and again to watch Naruto keep trying and failing and eventually succeeding. If he really thought about it, he supposed he'd been attracted to him since that moment that he first laid eyes on him - but he had long since buried that part of him that he barely even noticed it was happening, until he could no longer ignore it that night when they had kissed in this very room. Sasuke tore his eyes away from the TV to look at the window, and smiled at the memory.
"Oh my God!" Naruto shouted at the TV, bringing Sasuke's attention back.
"What, what?" He said, his head snapping back around, and he frowned when he heard the slight panic in his voice. Naruto paused the TV, and just pointed at it. Sasuke followed his finger, and looked at the actor - Rami Malek - stood in a graveyard looking devastated, confused, broken and ruined all at once, in just one freezeframe - the guy was clearly a talented actor. "What?" Sasuke repeated again, more composed this time. Naruto said nothing, and just rewound the program a minute or two. They watched together, as the big secret about Mr Robot was revealed.
"Oh my God." Sasuke repeated quietly, and they finished watching the episode in silence.
"Aaah." Naruto leaned back and stretched, as the titles rolled up on the TV.
"Wow..." Sasuke said, biting his tongue to keep himself from suggesting they watch the next one - it was really late (or early?) and they really should get going to bed. The guest bed was still made up from when Itachi had visited, even though he'd left a week ago, but they both already silently knew they'd be sharing Sasuke's king size bed.
"Anoth-"
"No. Bed." Sasuke said forcefully, not giving Naruto a chance to suggest watching the next episode. A blush quickly crept onto Naruto's cheeks, spreading on to Sasuke's as though it were contagious when he realised the implication of his words and tone. He cleared his throat. "Um, I mean. It's late, let's get some sleep..." He mumbled, reluctantly pulling back the sheet and shivering slightly at the loss of warmth.
"Awww..." Naruto whined and then yawned, stretching up and wrapping the sheet around him like a cape as he stood up. Sasuke had his back turned to him as he turned the TV off, but when he turned around to give Naruto his attention he stared; there Naruto stood with his eyes drooping from tiredness and wrapped up in his blue sheets, like a cacoon. 'Cute...' He thought to himself, his lips parting slightly. "C'mere." Naruto smiled, and held open the sheets which Sasuke happily walked up to, allowing himself to be hugged by Naruto and enveloped once again in the warm sheets, pressed up against his very warm significant other who was now kissing him, softly.
"Just think," Naruto said quietly, after he had begrudgingly pulled his lips away from Sasuke's. "right about now we'd only just be getting back in from the party... I'd say this was a better way to spend the evening."
"Yeah, I'd say you're right..." Sasuke smiled, then began to pull away from Naruto's embrace. "But as nice as it's been, we really do need to sleep now."
"Alright, fine." Naruto pouted, and Sasuke reluctantly tore himself away from the sheets again and headed towards his bedroom.
"Come on then." Sasuke called from down the hall, gesturing for Naruto to follow him. Naruto's blush remained, as he awkwardly shuffled through the apartment with the comforter still wrapped around him. Sasuke laughed at the sight when Naruto finally entered his room, and soon enough they were once again wrapped up in each other, sleeping soundly beneath the covers.
"I'd like to know more about your family, Sasuke." Naruto said softly, as they cuddled up to each other under the covers the next morning, both lazily staring out the bedroom window. Both of them were off of work for the holidays, and with the play now finished neither of them had any commitments. It felt good to have no responsibilities, for a change. "I mean... If it makes you uncomfortable, you don't have to... but I was thinking about what you said yesterday evening, about how you're all in on this, we have to prioritise each other... I agree, I want this to be a true partnership, I want to know all about you." Naruto smiled, and looked up at Sasuke from his spot on his chest. Sasuke smiled back.
"It's a bit uncomfortable to talk about, yeah..."
"O-oh."
"But I want to. You're right." He shifted slightly, and Naruto went quiet, letting him control the conversation. "Well, there's my mum and dad - Fugaku and Mikoto. And my brother Itachi, and then me, the youngest." Sasuke began, looking back out of the window and focusing on a distant rooftop of another high-rise apartment building, rising up above the low hanging snow clouds - it was like they were in their own heaven on earth. The thought comforted him, allowing him to continue. "We had a cousin, Shisui, who grew up around here too, but when I was younger he and his mother were killed in a car accident. He was Itachi's best friend, and I don't think he took it very well... neither did our mother, she lost both her younger sister and nephew. She's the only one left on her side of the family now, besides her brother-in-law…" He trailed off, and Naruto shifted slightly against him, bringing him back in to the room.
"He lost contact with us over the years, but the last I heard he's still in the city. Then there's my second cousin, Obito, who's father - my father's cousin - died of lung cancer when he was thirteen, and his mum had left when he was a child, so he was taken in by his grandfather and my dad's uncle - Madara. My dad was an only child and I never knew my grandparents, they had all died before I was born. I don't know any further than that." Sasuke shrugged, looking back at Naruto.
"I see..."
"My parents were very strong, still are. They've been through a lot."
"Yes, I can see that..." Naruto mumbled, not knowing what else to say.
"But they were never around very much. Itachi was an only child for the first six years of his life, and very mature for his age by the time I arrived. As soon as Itachi was capable of looking after me about ten years later, our parents began to become more and more absent, focusing on the family business that they had worked on together almost from the ground up. My father had taken the reins from his father and took it to new heights, expanding globally." Sasuke sighed.
"Yamato tells me I'm allowed to feel like I was neglected, but I still feel selfish about it... I was never really hugged much." He added, not sure why it felt so important to say so, but it felt very appropriate right now, as he was wrapped up in Naruto's glorious embrace. Naruto tightened his hold, and Sasuke continued. "It was hard, when they left me and Itachi here... that's when I moved into this place with my brother. I cried a lot. Itachi didn't know what to do with me..." He laughed, but it didn't reach his eyes.
"Oh, Sasuke..."
"Then Itachi left when I was sixteen, and... I was lost for a long time. I focused on my education, determined not to join the family business like Itachi and everyone else. They still pay for this place, and until I can afford my own I'm stuck here. I pay the utility and food bills now since I graduated, which is why I've been working in the Konoha division for the past seven months to afford it; my degree isn't really worth the paper it's written on, and I'm doing what I thought I'd never do. The theatre has been my saving grace, really. In more ways than one." Sasuke finally smiled, looking back at Naruto again.
"Thank you." Naruto breathed.
"What for?"
"For telling me all that, opening up, letting me in..."
"It's nothing..." Sasuke said dismissively, already feeling guilty and selfish for airing out his dirty laundry, when Naruto had plenty of his own to deal with. "You've got things going on right now, I don't want to make things about me."
"I asked." Naruto pointed out, poking Sasuke's side playfully. "And anyway, I don't want to think about my shit right now."
"Oh, and hearing about my misery helps you, does it?" Sasuke smirked, playing along with him.
"Absolutely!" Naruto grinned, and Sasuke playfully pushed him off, flipping them over so Sasuke was now hovering above him.
"Usuratonkachi." He laughed, as they began to play fight with each other, tangling up the covers. Naruto stopped above him, a confused look on his face as he let out a breathy laugh.
"What the hell does that mean?" He laughed.
"No idea." Sasuke laughed back.
"I paid for your car repairs." Sasuke admitted, absentmindedly shoving another handful of the greasy, salty fries into his mouth as they sat opposite each other in the busy fast food restaurant. Sasuke had never been allowed McDonald's growing up, so he had very enthusiastically agreed to it when Naruto had suggested coming here for lunch. It was fatty, greasy, mundane, normal. Sasuke secretly loved it.
"I knew it was you!" Naruto shouted out around a mouthful of cheeseburger. Sasuke winced at the sight.
"How?"
"I dunno, process of elimination?" He took another bite of his cheeseburger. "So, how'd you manage to pull that one off?" He asked, genuinely curious. Sasuke finished consciously eating a chicken nugget, contrary to the enthusiastic way he had eaten his fries moments ago, before he answered. Naruto thought it was cute.
"Well, you told me you sold it for scrap and I..." He looked away, embarrassed. "I called up all the scrap places in the city, until I found the one that had your car." He blushed lightly at the confession. "They didn't let me at first because I wasn't the previous owner, but money talks..." Sasuke cleared his throat, awkwardly. "I picked it up, got the keys, and then had it towed to a garage when it broke down again halfway there," He laughed, before continuing. "said make it like new, spare no expense." He winked at Naruto.
"Only the best for me?" He laughed.
"Of course." Sasuke said without hesitation, and Naruto sipped his coke, smiling stupidly at the confession.
"Why?"
"Why? I dunno... I thought you deserved it, and I definitely don't deserve all this money so I thought it was right to spend it on someone who did." He shrugged.
"That's sweet." Naruto said, and Sasuke smiled back.
"So..." Naruto mumbled, looking at the clock in the living room later on in the evening, when they'd finished another few episodes of Mr Robot. "maybe I should go home soon..." He said, his tone clearly indicating that he would rather do anything but.
"You don't have to." Sasuke said, after some thought.
"Hmm?" Naruto hummed, holding back his grin.
"I mean, if you want, you could stay here over the holidays...I was only going to invite you over for Christmas in a few days anyway..." Sasuke mumbled, running his hand up and down Naruto's arm absently. Naruto finally grinned.
"Okay! I'll go and get some clothes and stuff then - think they'll fit in your awesome walk-in closet?" He asked. He had been very impressed by it, when Sasuke had given him a little tour of his apartment that morning.
"My clothes don't even fill up half the space." Sasuke said, and that was all Naruto needed to hear.
"Happy Christmas, Sasuke." Naruto shuffled a bit closer to his boyfriend, mumbling sleepily.
"Good morning, Merry Christmas." Sasuke said back, kissing him on the top of his head.
"Hmmm... let's just stay in bed all day..." Naruto hummed, wrapping his arms around Sasuke's middle and nuzzling even closer, not opening his eyes.
"Then who will cook Christmas dinner?" Sasuke teased.
"You have enough money, pay a chef to do it for us and serve us in bed." Naruto smiled softly at the thought.
"Hmmm... that does sound tempting..." Sasuke mused, and laughed when Naruto looked at him in surprise. "but we're making it together, I've already planned it out." Sasuke finally concluded, and Naruto almost whined. Sasuke hadn't properly celebrated Christmas since Itachi had left, usually just getting a KFC Christmas Meal Deal and calling it a day. But since Naruto had agreed to spending Christmas with him, he'd done his research. Sasuke had reluctantly called up his mum for tips on how she did Christmas all those years ago, and came up with his own schedule for the day. He was quite meticulous with the schedule for Christmas dinner.
He had planned for himself and Naruto to exchange gifts after breakfast in bed, then they were going to eat chocolate and Christmas pudding as they watched The Snowman - and other Christmas classics like Love Actually, Die Hard... Shrek The Halls. He had even picked out a few awful Hallmark holiday movies for them to watch that he hoped Naruto would appreciate. And then they would work together on dinner, like a normal couple.
"Well, I trust you, Sasuke..." Naruto finally said, yawning.
"I'm going to make us breakfast." Sasuke responded, before reluctantly leaving Naruto in his bed.
"Hurry back, it's getting cold already!" Naruto called. Sasuke just laughed, and soon returned with bacon sandwiches. The rest of the morning and afternoon played out like he had imagined; the two of them once again curled up together on the sofa. It seemed like that was all they had done over the past few days; Sasuke was surprised he had time to do the shopping and keep Naruto's Christmas gifts a secret, as they were wrapped up in each other almost 24/7. Sasuke had bumped into Sakura at the grocery store, and it had been very awkward when she eyed up the array of orange and fox-themed gifts in his basket. She didn't say anything, however, and he was silently thankful for that.
"Presents time!" Naruto cheered, when Sasuke came back to the living room from the guest room, his arms laden with carefully wrapped gifts. He smiled, Naruto's excitement rubbing off on him.
"Yep!" He said, and Naruto ran off to get his gift for Sasuke out of his suitcase.
"Wow..." Naruto said, impatiently tearing the paper off gift after gift; A DVD boxset of the Back to the Future trilogy, an orange ukelele, a fox plushie, a fox themed calendar for the new year, and a voucher for a meal for two at the city's most prestigious restaurant - The Wolcott. "Thank you so much, Sasuke!" He hugged him, and kissed his cheek.
"It's nothing..."
"Open yours!" Naruto said, excitedly. Sasuke reached for his gifts, and Naruto looked beside himself. A dark blue scarf, hat, and glove set, a calendar, a big box of expensive looking dark chocolates from Sasuke's favourite chocolatier, a copy of the original Gutsy Ninja novel, two tickets to see the musical Wicked, and-
"Naruto... you-?" Sasuke said, touched as he held up his last gift to inspect it closer; a ring that he had seen when out with Naruto a few weeks ago, but had been too nervous to buy. It was quite a feminine ring, with a moonstone set in silver flanked by two silver moons, but he liked it. He hadn't even said anything, but clearly Naruto had noticed his gaze had lingered on the item a bit too long. "I love it." Sasuke finally said, putting the ring on his index finger. Naruto sighed in relief, and hadn't realised he'd been holding his breath the whole time.
"One of them is technically a regift..." He said nervously, referring to the musical tickets he had gotten from Hinata for his birthday. He didn't want to go on his own and was just going to sell them, not wanting to lead Hinata on by inviting her with him like she was probably hoping for. But then he had a good reason for inviting Sasuke along, now they were in a relationship. Sasuke shook his head, dismissing Naruto's comment.
"Thank you." He said, and Naruto reached for the blue scarf, placing it around Sasuke's neck and using it to pull him in for a kiss.
Christmas dinner didn't go as smoothly as he had planned, with light bickering as they got used to moving around each other in the kitchen. At some point, Naruto managed to spill gravy all over the two of them, but was instantly forgiven when he stripped his shirt off. Eventually, they sat down together at his dining table, and enjoyed the fruits of their labour. All in all, Sasuke would say this was the best Christmas he had ever had, and Naruto would agree with him.
"I'm staying for New Years too, right?" Naruto asked softly, when they finally got to bed later on in the evening. "I want to start the new year with you." He added, humming and lazily drawing patterns on Sasuke's chest with his finger.
"Yeah, of course." He smiled. "I want to start it with you, too." Naruto sighed happily as he leaned up to kiss him. Sasuke breathed in deeply and wrapped his arms around him, remaining wrapped up in all that was Naruto for a long time until they both drifted off, into a comfortably deep sleep.
AN: Some fluff for ya c: more festive feels in the next chapter!
Beta'd by: Sour Queen
I made an apartment tour video for Naruto and Sasuke's apartments because I'm way too invested in this story now lol, watch it on youtube by adding /watch?v=TX8zcUqlwSE after youtube . com :D
If you want to see what Sasuke's ring looks like, go to the website Not On The Highstreet and search for 'Opal and Cubic Zirconia Moon Ring' - it's the silver one. It looks like that, but the opal is moonstone and the material is silver, and it cost Naruto about £75 (the diamonds aren't real diamonds)