Disclaimer: I. Own. NOTHING!
Summary: There's a fine line between Rival and Friend and an even finer line between Friend and Lover. Sasuke refuses to cross any of these lines with Naruto, but fate seems to have it in for him. School fic SasuNaruSasu
Warnings: Slash/Shounen Ai/Yaoi, occasional swearing and knowing me some eventual angst. I promise I'll try to make this my first humour fic! WISH ME LUCK!
(Unbetad)
IT'S TIME TO CELEBRATE!
This is my semi-delayed 50 review interlude! I decided to place it here (after chapter 7 rather than before) because it worked so much better with the plot! I'd like to thank everyone who has read and stuck with this story thus far whether or not you've reviewed, although I really must thank the reviewers.
This chapter is going to be from Shikamaru's perspective. The chapter will remain in first person present tense. I hope you like it!
Crossing the Line
Interlude: Shikamaru's POV
I log onto my computer, ignoring the telltale crinkle of a chip bag being opened as Chouji digs into his crunchy snack ravenously.
"Naruto's on…" I muse aloud, my eyes flicking to Chouji as we share a twin look of bemusement.
"Wasn't he doing something with Sasuke though?" Chouji questions around a mouthful of chips as he walks over to my side to stare at the monitor curiously.
"I was under that impression as well." I concede, opening up a chat window with Naruto.
Lazy Dreamer says:
Naruto?
"I wonder if something happened…" I venture as the screen begins flashing, alerting me that Naruto has responded. Chouji shrugs and urges me to reopen the window. I do.
Naruto "Consumed By The Chill Of Solitary" says:
hey shika
Lazy Dreamer says:
What's with the name?
I glance at Chouji, "I'm pretty sure something stupid happened." I conclude, noting Naruto's somewhat depressing screen name.
"He was with Sasuke, they always fight." Chouji reasons as Naruto replies.
Naruto "Consumed By The Chill Of Solitary" says:
its a song lyric…
Lazy Dreamer says:
It's kind of depressing, don't you think?
Naruto "Consumed By The Chill Of Solitary" says:
meh
"Since when has Naruto been the meh kind of person?" I ask, turning to Chouji with a dubious expression.
"Since him and Sasuke started going out?" Chouji attempts, popping a hand full of chips into his mouth.
Lazy Dreamer says:
Did something happen between you and Sasuke?
"You could have just asked that at the beginning." Chouji informs me with a smirk, staring at Naruto's response.
Naruto "Consumed By The Chill Of Solitary" says:
it wuz my falt…
I cringe at his version of the word 'fault' and spin in my chair to face Chouji.
"I'm gonna invite him over for the weekend, you don't mind?" I ask, already knowing the answer.
It's not odd for Naruto to spend weekends at my house. I guess my family took pity on him and decided that he shouldn't have to be alone all the time at home. However, I will admit that it can be rather troublesome on occasion…
"Of course not." Chouji responds with a bright grin. He likes Naruto's company, as do many other people, contrary to what the blonde believes.
Lazy Dreamer says:
Wanna come over for the weekend? Chouji's here.
Naruto "Consumed By The Chill Of Solitary" says:
R U SERIOUS?
I raise an eyebrow and type out my answer.
Lazy Dreamer says:
No, I'm just being an asshole…
"Sarcasm usually doesn't read over the internet." Chouji comments with an amused smile. I grin back lazily.
Naruto "Spending The Weekend With Shika!" says:
whatever! just let me pak some stuff and ill be over in like five k?
I smirk at his sudden change in name.
Lazy Dreamer says:
Hurry before we eat all the food
Naruto "Spending The Weekend With Shika!" has signed out
"Well I think his mood has improved…" I reflect, switching off the computer and rising from my chair, addressing Chouji, "I suppose we should wait in the living room for him."
OoOoO
Four minutes, thirty seconds and ten doorbell rings later, I open the door to reveal a rather flustered Naruto.
"Hey guys." He greets, entering the door and slipping out of his shoes, not bothering to line them up nicely beside the other pairs of footwear.
"Hey," Chouji offers while I merely welcome him with a tip of my head. Sleepovers are so troublesome…
"Thanks a lot for letting me come over Shikamaru!" Naruto exclaims, drawing me into a sloppy hug. I return the gesture, awkwardly wrapping my arms around him, imagining all the ways Sasuke could kill me if he had seen this hesitant display of affection.
"It's no problem." I say and disengage myself from Naruto with a nonchalant shrug.
The three of us make our way down the hall to my bedroom, sparing glances to the photos upon the wall of my family. Memories of scraped knees, tedious days on the beach and lazy moments of cloud watching flood my mind as each photograph sparks a recollection of some distant event in my life.
Chouji and Naruto seem to be conversing, though I'm unsure of the topic of their exchange. I suppose it has nothing to do with Sasuke because Naruto is animatedly jabbering, happy.
I'm curious about how their little get together went. Despite what Sasuke and Naruto claim, I'm positive that their relationship is a fraud established as a result of a convenient situation. It's not as if they gain nothing from their connection.
Sasuke's fan girls have abated their pursuit of him as well as toned down their public displays of contempt for Naruto.
"How was your evening with Sasuke?" I interrupt, drawing away from my thoughts and cutting Chouji and Naruto's conversation short.
The small waver in Naruto's smile and the dim flicker in his eyes do not go unnoticed by Chouji and myself.
"Don't wanna talk about it." He states quietly and crosses the hall to seat himself firmly upon my bed.
"All righ-"
I cut Chouji off with a pointed look. This is one of those rare occasions where backing off is not an option, despite how troublesome it is to force something out of someone, especially Naruto.
"Naruto," I venture, seating myself beside him, "are you two even going out?"
He chokes on nothing and his eyes widen as Naruto stares at me as if I've grown another head.
"How did you know?" He demands, awed by my inhuman abilities of reading him like a book.
"Shikamaru isn't called a genius for nothing!" Chouji exclaims, though his eyes ask me why I never confided my suspicions in him.
I smile softly at Chouji's unwavering loyalty before heaving an aggravated sigh.
Confrontations are so troublesome…
"So you two aren't really dating then." I state, "What happened with Sasuke?" I press, pinning Naruto with a steadfast gaze.
If he's been socializing with Uchiha as much as I'm starting to think, I doubt the most intimidating of my looks will faze him.
"…Shikamaru…" Naruto whines, blushing like a schoolgirl.
"Naruto, we won't judge you." Chouji confides and joins us on the bed. I can feel the mattress stooping under the added weight and watch carefully as Naruto sighs and buries his face in his hands.
"I… did something I shouldn't have…" The blonde begins warily, his voice muffled by his hands.
Chouji and I remain silent and wait expectantly for Naruto to continue.
"I assumed that he likes me back." Naruto concedes and looks at us cautiously, afraid to see disgust in our eyes.
"He doesn't?" I pursue.
"Apparently not." Naruto sighs, his voice gaining volume. "How was I supposed to know he didn't?" He all but cries, standing from the bed and pacing the limited floor space of my bedroom.
"I mean, he's the one that told Sakura that we're dating! And he was…he looked like he was trying to seduce me in the hallway! And when I laid down on his stomach he started rubbing my back and talking to me!" Naruto groans and collapses in my computer chair, exhausted from his rant.
"What's to say he doesn't like you?" Chouji asks with a knowing grin on his face. I smirk. I know where Chouji is headed with this…
'Matchmaker matchmaker make me a match…find me a find…catch me a catch…'
"Well, all of a sudden he jumped up and started stuttering around not being able to stay." Naruto pauses and his expression falls, "I asked him if I would see him on Monday…" He trails away and begins worrying his bottom lip.
"Naruto," I say, feeling like Ino, a troublesome gossiping girl, "Uchiha Sasuke doesn't stutter."
Naruto shakes his head.
"But he did!" He exclaims, scared that I don't believe him.
"Exactly." Chouji indulges, "If Sasuke was stuttering that means that he liked what was happening but he was…scared…or something."
"Or something?" Naruto repeats dryly, a habit he must have acquired from Sasuke.
I feel a plan forming in my mind…
"Well you two are dating as far as public appearances go…" My smirk widens, "On Monday you're going to do something to him to verify the solidity of his attraction to you…" I decide, letting Chouji continue my sentence.
"…a PDA…"
"PDA?" Naruto asks curiously, his face a mix between hardly contained excitement and hesitance.
"Public display of affection." I clarify.
As troublesome as sleepovers are, I'm positive that the results of Monday will be worth it.
Well I hope you all like it! The next chapter should be up next week and, I must confess, that it is my favorite chapter. I'll be back to writing from Sasuke's POV in case you were wondering so look out for that. Anyways, thanks for reading and reviews are deeply appreciated.
POOF
toodles
TJ
word up.
Oh, and the little Matchmaker part in there is just a song from the musical Fiddler on the Roof entitled Matchmaker.