Title: "Ice Cream Man"
Author: Yukari Rin
Series: Naruto
Character(s)/Pairing(s): SasuNaru
Rating: K+
Notes: Gloomygloo on lj took request for OTP banners, and since my OTP request is one that she isn't too keen on, I offered to write her a drabble as a thank you. This ended being AU because of the words she gave me to work with. Slight shounen-ai warning
Disclaimer: Naruto and related properties belong to Masashi Kishimoto and related parties.
I hope you like this, Gloomygloo, and thanks again for making the banner
"Ice Cream Man"
It was one of the hottest summers ever recorded in Konoha, no doubt thanks to the global warming the environmentalists in the capital of Fire were always worried about. Sasuke kicked at a pebble boredly and sighed. "Like global warming is going to affect international relations."
"Oi, bastard! What're you doing standing around for?" Naruto was sauntering over to him with a large thermal cup in his hands. The blonde was happily slurping as he walked, oblivious to the stares he was receiving for his choice of food.
"You know it's rude to walk, talk, and eat at the same time, don't you?" Sasuke scolded as he pushed himself away from the warm concrete of the bookstore down the street from Naruto's favorite restaurant.
"Yeah, but I've got to eat this before it gets warm," Naruto cheerily replied as he showed his sullen teammate his meal of choice.
"You're eating instant ramen cooled?"
"Well, yeah. It's the summer," Naruto looked at his friend quizzically.
"Ramen's supposed to be eaten warm."
"Who says it can't be eaten chilled? Besides, eating hot soup on the hottest day of the year is kind of stupid, don't you think?"
"Hn," Sasuke could feel a headache coming on already, and they hadn't even left yet. He knew Naruto was devoted to ramen, but his behavior was more than obsessive, it was like a junkie needing a fix. "Why don't you eat normal summer foods?"
"Huh?" Naruto glanced up at him, blue eyes large and inquisitive, ramen noodles halfway eaten and dangling from his mouth before he sucked them in. A bit of broth was dripping down his chin and Sasuke offered him his handkerchief since he knew Naruto's was dirty. It always was. Sasuke sometimes thought the blonde never washed it intentionally.
"You know, barbecued foods, popsicles, ice cream."
"Well, I've only had one popsicle stick, Jiraiya bought it for me when I was learning the Rasengan. And grilled foods were always a pain to make since I never learned how to cook. If I didn't let it cook long enough the Kyuubi would start getting antsy," Naruto shrugged and the two started walking nowhere in particular.
"So what about ice cream?" Sasuke glanced at his companion and noticed the empty cup. He rolled his eyes and thought back to the summer days when he was younger and still had a family. Itachi would buy Sasuke the biggest vanilla cone possible whenever their mother, who made the best home-made ice cream in Konoha, was out on a mission. Sasuke was never able to finish it, and would hand it to Itachi who'd lick the cone clean before tossing it to the nearest birds as he carried Sasuke through the town on his back. Sasuke never had a high tolerance to so much sugar, and would always fall asleep soon after he had his fill. Ever since the massacre Sasuke refused to eat ice cream. it made him think too much about other possibilities.
"Hey, Sasuke! Heelllloooo!" Naruto was waving a hand in front of the Uchiha's face rather obnoxiously. "You okay?"
"Hn," Sasuke shook his head clear of the memories and looked up at the clear blue sky above, squinting at the noon-hour sun.
Naruto growled softly. "You ask me a question and you don't even bother to listen."
"So tell me again," Sasuke responded tersely.
"I said I've never had ice cream. I hear the mind freeze isn't too pleasant," Naruto laughed and scratched the back of his head.
"You only get that when you eat it too quickly. Everybody knows that."
"Oh, really? Well excuse me for not being 'everybody'."
"Do you want to try it?"
Naruto stopped and stared at his dark-haired friend. Was Uchiha Sasuke inviting him to eat ice cream with him? Hell had officially frozen over. "You buying?"
Sasuke grunted and nodded.
'Is this a... date?' Naruto wondered to himself. He knew Sasuke still refused to date Sakura after all these year, much less any other girl that threw herself at him. And he had been with Orochimaru for a couple of years... why hadn't he noticed earlier? The Kyuubi had stirred at the mention of raw foods and now decided to comment on the situation. Naruto muttered harshly under his breath as Sasuke looked on. Naruto continued to talk to himself in hushed tones, sometimes louder and more forcefully, and the vendors and pedestrians near them were gawking at the free roadshow entertainment Naruto was providing.
Sasuke rolled his eyes and called out, "It wasn't that hard of a question, idiot."
Naruto snapped his head up, saw the looks he was receiving and jogged to catch up with Sasuke who had continued walking.
"Sure. I bet I can eat more ice cream than you can," he replied challengingly. Sasuke smirked and lead the way to the ice cream parlor Itachi always took him to.
Three hours later Sasuke was carrying a passed-out Naruto on his back to the blonde's apartment. His brain was going numb and his stomach was threatening to rid itself of the concoctions he had ingested over the past several hours. Sasuke groaned as he started up the steps.
"Oi, Sasuke, gimme a little piece of that Kit-kat bar!"
"Why?"
Naruto rolled his eyes. "Because I want to try making a new flavour!"
He should never have indulged that idiot. They were both paying for it now. Sasuke hoped Naruto had stomach medicine because he didn't know if the Kyuubi's healing powers extended to upset stomachs, and besides, he knew he was going to need it for himself. Naruto wasn't getting any lighter and Sasuke was slowly reaching the top of the stairs. He didn't know ice cream could fatten a person so quickly. But then again, the last time Sasuke had to carry Naruto was when they were both twelve - after the fight with Gaara when he transformed into Shuukaku. And both had certainly grown since then.
Upon reaching Naruto's apartment he was surprised to find the door locked. Sasuke carefully slid Naruto down to the ground and rummaged through his jacket pockets for the key. When he didn't find it he sighed and reached his hand into on of Naruto's pants pockets, praying that the normally hyperactive ninja would remain asleep for a little while longer.
But karma was not so kind.
"Uh, Sasuke?" The young man in question froze as he slowly turned to look at his sleepy-eyed friend, who's pants he had his hand in. "That isn't the key."