AN: Thank you so much for being patient! At last, here is chapter 12! It was originally double this length, but I've had to split it in to two parts. Please enjoy and let me know if you do!
"Good morning..." The warm man mumbled next to him, partially muffled against the bare skin of Sasuke's upper arm. Sasuke responded by running his other hand gently through the messy blonde hair, turning his head and smiling down at him fondly as his gaze momentarily caught the slim ring (which he hadn't taken off once in the two days since Naruto gave it him), sitting on a finger now interwoven in Naruto's hair.
Sasuke had lost count of how many mornings they had spent together like this, by now. The cold winter mornings were spent wrapped up in each other in his warm bed, within his top floor apartment, elevated above the rest of the world and nesting in their own little, blissful bubble. He knew it had to end, he and Naruto would have to return to work... Perhaps Naruto's neighbour Iruka, or the inseparable Kotetsu and Izumo, were missing him. Sasuke unconsciously tightened his hold at the thought, prompting Naruto to finally open his eyes.
"You okay?" Naruto croaked, voice still thick with sleep.
"Yeah, I'm good."
"Me too." He smiled. "Hmmm... You know what I wanna do?"
"Mmm?" Sasuke hummed, colour rising in his cheeks as Naruto traced light patterns up and down his arm, his heart racing. The feeling was intoxicating.
"I want us to both check our emails." Naruto grinned up at him, and Sasuke wondered if he even realised how much of a tease he was being. "The audition results were meant to have been announced this morning, so we'll see that we both got the parts in Gutsy Ninja, and then..." Naruto trailed off, placing a soft kiss to the nearest patch of pale skin. 'Yep, he knows exactly how much of a tease he's being' Sasuke thought to himself. "We can have a celebratory make out session." Naruto waggled his eyebrows, and lightly dragged the tips of his fingers over where he had quickly learned was Sasuke's sensitive spot, just below his navel.
"Idiot, how do you know it won't be a commiserations make out session." He refuted, squirming under Naruto's touch, and holding back the degrading giggling that threatened to escape.
"Why do you have to be so negative all the time." Naruto placed his hands on Sasuke's shoulders, and pushed him down in to the mattress as he straddled him, knees resting comfortably either side of Sasuke's hips. "Either way, you get my irresistible lips." He pouted, and made kissy sounds with said lips. Sasuke struggled beneath him, and Naruto tightened his hold in response.
"You're so embarrassing." Sasuke started to laugh despite himself, as Naruto leaned forwards to try and kiss him - which Sasuke continued to dodge by twisting his head.
"Aww come on baby, let me give you a big wet kiss." He laughed, managing to plant one on Sasuke's cheek.
"Disgusting!" Sasuke cried out, trying to free one of his hands - currently trapped by Naruto's legs - so he could wipe the saliva off his cheek, and failing. "You're so disgusting!" He attempted to wipe his cheek against his pillow instead, managing to get rid of most of it.
"You can always tell me to leaaaaave." Naruto teased, finally loosening his grip. "But I know you'd miss me, I might as well do you a favour and just move in."
Sasuke momentarily froze, his blood running both hot and cold. "And how exactly is that a favour?" He asked, trying to keep his previous light-hearted tone.
"I can keep you from being lonely up here." Naruto grinned that warm, comforting grin that Sasuke was quickly becoming attached to, and he visibly relaxed.
"Who says I'm lonely here?" He asked, but knew that they both knew Naruto was right. He also knew Naruto was lonely at his place, too, despite being surrounded by friendly neighbours. "Anyway, let's check those emails then." He said, changing the subject to something more comfortable.
It turned out that they had both got the parts of the rival ninjas, and they celebrated just the way Naruto wanted; tangling up in the sheets and each other, becoming lost to the world once more.
As their mouths and tongues melded together, Naruto shifted in his spot above Sasuke, trying to get closer even though they lay chest to chest. His hand slowly ran up Sasuke's arm, as Sasuke's legs moved just slightly to allow Naruto to nestle between them as they continued kissing, eyes closed. Quiet moans escaped from both their lips as little humming noises, mixing with the gentle wet sounds of their lips and tongues moving in unison.
Naruto brought his other hand up to stroke Sasuke's cheek, moving it down slowly to the nape of his neck and burrowing his fingers in the dark hair, giving it a very gentle tug as he absently massaged his scalp.
"Naruto..." Sasuke breathed in to the kiss, tilting his head to the side in an attempt to get closer.
"Hmmm, Sasuke..." Naruto smiled against his lips, and pulled back slightly. "Does that feel nice?" Naruto practically cooed, and Sasuke silently nodded his confirmation as he brought their lips back together.
"Yeah... S'nice..." He said, closing his eyes and losing himself to the sensation, the way his skin burned in the most delicious way wherever their bodies connected, the way his chest felt like it was glowing, how he felt like he was losing all control. He hoped the man above him was similarly affected.
Naruto continued running his hand through Sasuke's hair, bringing his other hand up from Sasuke's shoulder to join in the massaging of his boyfriend's sensitive scalp. From somewhere in the back of Sasuke's mind, a voice was telling him to stop lying motionless like a dead fish - and so in response, he defiantly brought his own hands up around Naruto's back, feeling the sheets shifting around them at the motion.
With his fingertips barely grazing tanned skin, he slowly dragged his hands up and down Naruto's back, swallowing the humming and soft laughter that it elicited from the other man, vibrating against his cheek.
"That's so good, Sasuke..." Naruto breathed, voicing his approval as he broke the kiss.
"Do you ever shut up?" Sasuke asked quietly, amused but terrified of breaking the atmosphere with his careless words.
"This parts all about communication, too." Naruto smiled, kissing Sasuke gently on the cheek. "How else will I know what you like, and how will you know what I like?" He laughed, blushing as he bent down to gently nibble Sasuke's earlobe.
"Well, I don't like that..." Sasuke mumbled sarcastically, his breath hitching and his voice husky.
"Mmmhmm, sure Sasuke." Naruto continued, able to read Sasuke's sarcasm for once and Sasuke hummed appreciatively, non-verbally giving Naruto the green light. After a few more minutes of this, Naruto's hips started to roll against Sasuke's, and the green light very quickly became red.
"W-what are you doing?" Sasuke asked, stuttering slightly and cursing inwardly.
"Sasuke?" Naruto looked confused.
"You were rubbing against me... Down there..." He suddenly felt very vulnerable and a little embarrassed, as he blushed and looked away.
"Oh... I'm sorry, I was just caught up in the mood... I'm so sorry, Sasuke..." Naruto apologised, gently rolling off his perch on top of Sasuke and lying next to him.
"Don't apologise." Sasuke smiled somewhat apologetically too, turning to face Naruto. "I just don't think I'm ready for that kind of stuff yet- ah, I know that sounds odd because we've been sleeping in the same bed for the past week, but..." He almost stuttered, trying to explain himself as he became a little flustered. "I'd just... Like to take some aspects of this relationship more slowly... Sorry..."
"If I can't apologise then you can't either." Naruto smiled, eyes softening as he looked lovingly at his partner. "I suppose I just never really thought about it - I go with the flow, you know me by now." He laughed softly, and smiled at Sasuke who laughed and smiled back. Naruto placed a hand on Sasuke's cheeks, soaking up the rare sight.
"Yeah, you don't really think about much, do you?" Sasuke teased, and Naruto laughed harder.
"I should be offended!" He said between giggles, and Sasuke swatted his hand away playfully. "Anyway..." He began, sounding more serious again. "You know you can always tell me if you're uncomfortable - I told you before, if you need time then you got it." He said, and Sasuke smiled softly at him before kissing him on the nose in a silent 'thank you' before getting out of bed to get dressed. Naruto whined about it for a while, but eventually followed suit as they both got ready for the day.
"Something has changed within me... Something is not the same. I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game!"
The show was reaching it's first climax, and Naruto and Sasuke watched transfixed from the audience as the two actresses on stage played out the pivotal, famous moment in the musical Wicked.
"I hope you're happy, now that you're choosing this..."
"You too..."
Naruto shifted uncomfortably as the two contrasting, unlikely best friends parted ways, and without taking his eyes off the scene he reached for Sasuke's hand and held it tight, while the group chasing after the green-skinned witch Elpheba suddenly broke in, and her friend tried to hold them back.
"I'm the one you want, it's me- It's me!" Came the voice of the actress playing Elpheba, right before she was hoisted in to the air. She stayed suspended above the onlookers on the stage, her best friend, Glinda, looking on in admiration after their emotional and heartbreaking split.
"So if you care to find me, look to the western sky!"
Naruto watched in awe, feeling goosebumps quickly spreading along his arms and at the back of his neck. He briefly glanced over at Sasuke, and was momentarily overcome with an overwhelming emotion he couldn't quite put his finger on - like he was Glinda, and it was Sasuke that was leaving him. He swallowed hard, and turned his attention back to the stage as he tightened his hold on Sasuke's hand.
"And nobody, in all of Oz - no wizard that there is or was - is ever gonna bring me down."
Sasuke's eyes quickly darted towards Naruto's hand around his own and back, feeling an odd sense of familiarity at the scene that was playing out in front of them. It was quite empowering, and filled him up with a powerful feeling and an emotion that he couldn't quite understand.
"Look at her, she's wicked!"
About ten minutes later, Naruto and Sasuke found themselves in the theatre bar with a drink each; Naruto with a Kopparberg, and Sasuke with vodka and Coke.
"Well holy shit!" Naruto laughed.
"Yeah, it's amazing."
"I wish we could put on a show that good at Konoha Theatre, I'd love to do a professional musical..." Naruto sighed wistfully. "But there's only so much community theatre can do, I suppose!" He shrugged, and took a sip of his drink.
"You'll get there, one day." Sasuke said quietly against the rim of the glass, before taking a sip.
"You think so?"
"Yeah, you're an amazing actor."
"Sasuke..."
"And you're persistent and annoying, you won't just be knocking quietly on the doors of the industry, you'll be knocking them down."
"You... I'm taking that as a compliment!"
"Hn." Sasuke smirked, and just continued drinking. Naruto felt like he was glowing; he knew Sasuke thought highly of his skills as an actor, but to hear such a compliment coming directly from him was something else entirely.
"Anyway... So, what do you think - don't you think Elpheba should have stayed?" Naruto asked, referring to the scene they'd just witnessed.
"Absolutely not."
"What? Why?"
"They were holding her back from her true potential, that's what the whole song was all about."
"But her friends, Glinda..."
"Sometimes bridges have to be burned, don't they? Life doesn't always stay the same, I'm sure you know that by now - if it didn't, we wouldn't be here right now."
"Well, you're right, but... Still. Glinda could have gone with her."
"Maybe... But they both had their own paths in life, their own separate destiny."
"I still think their friendship was more important, than destiny."
"Just because they parted, doesn't mean they were no longer friends. Glinda clearly recognised what was best for them both, and still fought to protect her friend from people who thought she was evil. That's true friendship."
"Hmm..." Naruto smiled, feeling like a weight had been lifted. "Perhaps you're right."
"Of course." Sasuke smirked again.
Ping!
Naruto pulled his phone out of his pocket, and smiled as he began typing out a text.
"Selfie for Sakura!" Naruto grinned, moving to stand next to Sasuke and held up his drink to the phone.
"What?" Sasuke barely had time to process what was happening, giving the phone an awkward smile as Naruto took the photo.
"Sakura texted me to see if I had gone to Wicked with Hinata, and I told her I'd gone with you so she said 'pics or it didn't happen'." Naruto laughed, sending the photo.
"You're not sending her that."
"It's just gone..." He mumbled apologetically, and Sasuke just sighed as Naruto's phone lit up with a reply. Sasuke hadn't noticed, and Naruto checked it before he did. He blushed when he read the response, that read 'well, someones clearly having a good time', followed by a winking emoji.
'yeah, this musical is amazing!'
'And the rest! Anyway, don't forget to text me at midnight!'
Naruto smiled and put his phone away, reminded of the fact that it was new years eve and he suddenly felt excited again. He and Sasuke didn't have any wild plans or parties to go to, and it was going to be a lot different from the new years celebrations he was used to, but he had never started the new year with somebody to kiss at midnight; with a partner to enter the new year with. He'd always watched other's do this from the sidelines, and he was excited for it to finally be his turn.
"10, 9, 8, 7..." The crowd gathered in Konoha Square chanted in unison, projected in to Sasuke's living room via the TV. "6, 5, 4..." Naruto began counting down with them, ready to unscrew the bottle that they had picked up on the way back from watching Wicked - a screw top, as Sasuke refused to let him get a bottle with a cork in ("If you pop that in my apartment and break a window, I'll break your arm", "Aww, but where's the fun in screwing it off?").
"3... 2... 1." Naruto grinned and turned to Sasuke on the sofa, only to be taken by surprise when Sasuke was the one to lean forwards and kiss him, placing a hand behind Naruto's head as Naruto opened the bottle. Sasuke pulled back and Naruto grinned, pausing for a moment before he remembered what he was doing, and poured the champagne in to the two glasses on the table in front of them.
"Happy new year!" He cheered, lifting his glass to Sasuke's before downing it. Sasuke laughed, and took a small sip of his own with an equally small smile.
"Happy new year, Naruto."
"Good evening sirs and welcome to The Wolcott, may I take your order?"
"Yes, thank you, I will have the lobster thermidor - with a side salad please, and he will have...?" Sasuke turned to Naruto opposite him, who was still scrutinising the fancy menu.
"I don't understand what any of these are..." He mumbled, before frowning up at the waiter. "Which one would I get if I wanted ramen a la pork?" He asked, and Sasuke barely held back his laughter, not knowing which was funnier; Naruto's attempt at sounding fancy, or the serious look on his face as he did it.
"Unfortunately sir, we do not serve ramen dishes. May I recommend the spaghetti carbonara instead?"
"Carburettor?" Naruto tilted his head, and this time a snicker managed to escape Sasuke's lips.
"Carbonara - it's spaghetti in a creamy sauce with little pieces of pork. I think you'll like it." Sasuke said, with an amused smirk.
"Oh! Okay, yes then in that case good sir, I will have the spaghetti carburettor, please, thank you!" He grinned at the waiter, who was doing a better job than Sasuke at holding in his laughter but still looked amused all the same. He took their menus, and disappeared in the direction of the kitchen.
"You're such an idiot." Sasuke said fondly as he shook his head, the smile never leaving his lips.
"What? What'd I do?" Naruto asked, genuinely confused. Sasuke was about to answer, when Naruto waved his hand to shut him up and fixed his gaze on a spot over Sasuke's shoulder. His expression turned a bit more serious. "Sasuke... I think someone's staring at you..." He said quietly, and Sasuke frowned as he started to turn around to see who Naruto was looking at. "No! Don't turn around and make it obvious." Naruto hissed, looking back at him. "He looks scary."
"What does he look like?"
"Umm, actually, he looks a bit like you but a lot older... Light skin, dark hair - it's very long and messy. But he looks smart too, he's wearing a suit..." He trailed off, looking back at Sasuke and seeing the strange, unreadable expression on Sasuke's face.
"Tell me when I can look around, is he still watching?" Sasuke asked, voice and face suddenly serious again. Naruto's eyes darted back to the man, who was now talking to a waitress.
"You can look around." Naruto confirmed with a nod, and Sasuke did.
"Madara..." His eyes narrowed, as they settled on the man in question. "What's he doing here, he works at the company in Dubai." He muttered, mostly to himself, and then turned back to face Naruto. "I wouldn't worry though, Naruto. That's Madara, my dad's uncle - remember me telling you about him?" He asked, and Naruto looked thoughtful for a few moments before he remembered.
"Oh yeah! Okay, that's cool - hey, does this count as me meeting your family?" Naruto grinned, and Sasuke playfully swatted his hand. Soon enough, their meal arrived and they forgot all about Madara, quietly watching them from a distance.