Chapter Five

Blind Date

Naruto starred at himself subconciously in the mirror in his overly messy room. With some help from Sakura he had picked out a casual wear outfit and gotten himself fixed up as best as he could in his house on his own. He was supposed to be walking over to pick Sasuke up and bring him to the returant soon and those butterflies had returned to his stomach with full force. The blonde haired boy swallowed and ran his fingers nervously through his hair as he starred at his reflection. Which looked slightly pale from the nervousness.

"Come on Naruto! You're a sexy man and you have no need to worry about this at all! Of course Sasuke can't even see what you look like anyways so it doesn't really matter. All you have to do is be polite and make sure that Sasuke has a good time! That can't be to hard, can it?" Naruto talked to his reflection. Trying to reassure himself that it was all going to work out in the end and that Sasuke was going to have the time of his life and that so was he. Naruto fiddled with the bright orange tie around his neck absently as he took in a great breath of air, and exhaled it all slowly.

"Alright! Sasuke, be prepared for the time of your life!" Naruto said determindly into the mirror. He then navigated the mess on his floor, through his house and out the door. He made sure to lock the door on his way out and trotted off down the street after Sasuke. He had even taken the time to shower and put on some nice smelling cologne. He wondered if the Uchiha was going to put any effort into what he was wearing, or even if he could do so, since he was blind after all. Naruto wondered if blind people cared what they looked like as much as people who could see. But decided it was a question that was best left unanswered as he knocked on the door at Sasuke's house and straightened himself out. There was a long pause were Naruto got a gnawing feeling on the inside of his stomach, he could not help but feel nautious. Had Sasuke forgotten? What if he was just making an idiot out of him and he was going to tell the whole world that Naruto was gay? The blonde was thinking he was going to throw up all over the place when finally the door openned up and there stood Sasuke. Dressed in casual dress clothes. Naruto could have drooled at the way Sasuke looked.

One hand was in the Uchiha's pocket, and the other was resting on his hip, Sasuke's hair looked like it was freshly cleaned and the pants he was wearing were still stiff with newness. The shirt was a light grey colour with the Uchiha clan symbol on the front pocket. Overtop of that he was wearing a nice long black coat with a pocket watch chain connecting to a loop on his pants. "Lets get this over with Naruto," Sasuke said dryly.

Naruto tried not to sound offended as he brushed off that comment. "You look like you're dressed up for a funeral," Naruto teased cheerily. He knew no other way to break the tension between them save to joke and tease, besides. He loved getting a rise out of the Uchiha. Sasuke snorted and started foreward. But Naruto was not going to allow Sasuke to do so on his own. They were on a date after all, and Naruto was taking the roll of the gentleman. The blonde looped his arm around Sasuke's and the two began walking together. Sasuke glared at the ground, but was forced to rely on Naruto for support. Dressed up in their casual dress clothing and walking down the streets arm in arm it was clear to any onlooks exactly what was going on.

"Is this really neccassary?" Sasuke asked coldly. But Naruto thought he sensed a hint of shyness. And he swore that there was a bit of pink on those pale cheeks. This made Naruto happy, and he began to feel a little more adventerous then before.

"Of course it is. It's better this way. Besides if I let you go you'll go over to the wall," Naruto responded cheerily as he lead the uncertian Uchiha along the way, grinning like a mad man the entire time while Sasuke attempted vienly to hide behind his curtian of black hair. "So how was your morning?" Naruto asked happily.

"Crappy." Sasuke said bluntly, looking like he was getting more and more annoyed as the time went by that they were together and yet it was purely because he was struggling to surpress to growing blush across his cheeks as Naruto tossed that arm around the Uchiha's shoulders bravely.

"Why is that? What happened?" Naruto asked, sounding geniunely concerned for the Uchiha's well being. Naruto was clearly enjoying his ability to express himself to the Uchiha without having to do it a round about way such as he had been doing for a long time now. But before Sasuke could answer his blonde haired date, they arrived in the sushi bar. Naruto making sure that Sasuke knew that there was a step up into the diner and the two were taking to a table together in a fairly dark corner for Sasuke's sake. Even though he was blind the Uchiha still seemed to cling to the darker, quieter areas like he knew where they were so he was not going to take that completely away from his beloved raven haired friend.

Naruto settled down, still feeling more then a little nervous as an akward silence settled over the two and the blonde realized this was generally where idle conversation would be made over the dinner. But Sasuke and he had never really been good at idle conversation as it usually turned to some stupid arguement or another. Determind to not let that happen this time Naruto decided to see what was wrong with Sasuke, as he had never gotten an answer out of him before they had arrived. "So what was that, that made today bad so far?" Naruto prompted to the brooding Uchiha. Whom was still trying to hide beneath his hair from the curious glances of the other couples in the homely sushi bar.

Sasuke shifted in his seat for a moment before looking up Naruto, he seemed to have schooled that blush from his face and had returned to looking stoic and depressed. "It just wasn't a good start to my day. Suffice it to say that. I'd rather not talk about," Sasuke responded, wincing at the memory. Naruto sighed and shrugged before he leaned absently on the table and began fiddling with a fork absently.

"Why do you act like you hate me so much?" Naruto finally asked after a long moment of silence between them and constant glaring in his general direction from the Uchiha. If looks could kill, Naruto would have been dead a long time ago, and probably several times over. This date was going to get no where if Sasuke was so determind to ruin it for him. But then, he supposed it had been very much based on competion when it had begun, and now that they had gotten this far it was only natural that Sasuke was going to try and ruin it. He was going to make Naruto prove himself he supposed.

Silence reigned on the raven haired boy for several long moments. Just as Naruto had suspected, even the Uchiha wasn't so sure why he always treated Naruto so horribley. It was just the way he was. He treated everyone like dirt and that was it, end of story. "It's just the way I am Uzumaki," Sasuke responded in bone chilling tones. Naruto pouted for several long moments before he realized that Sasuke could see it, nor would he have cared anyways.

Naruto looked down at his lap a moment. Sasuke had changed so much, he was still cold but he was even colder then before. Naruto was beginning to wonder if his soul had shriveled up and died, because this was not the Uchiha Sasuke he remembered. The old one could at least be nice on occasion. He wanted the old Sasuke back, the Sasuke he knew he loved. He reminded himself forcefully that this was the only way to do it. That perhaps this was the only way to save his beloved. "Well stop being such an ass hole. I am trying to cheer you up here! So you can you at least try and have fun?" Naruto asked hopefully, his giant blue eyes starring into Sasuke's.

The Uchiha's lips thinned but at length he nodded. "Fine... And I wanted to know. Did you have more in mind then this dinner or can I go home when we're done eatting?" The hope that the dinner was all in the Uchiha's voice practically shattered Naruto's cheery mentality. It was amazing how Sasuke could do it so easily. But Naruto would not let him win. No he definatly would not.

"Of course not 'Uchiha' we are doing more then just this," Naruto reponded, and at that moment the two boys were served their drinks and their orders were taken before the waitress left again. Naruto took a deep drink on his to have an excuse to say no more then he had, and to try and make Sasuke start the conversation.

"Look Naruto. I know what you're trying to do. And I am telling you now it's not going to work," Sasuke said softly, his eyes down on the table, starring sightlessly at nothing. His slender pale fingers playing across the wood grains as a look of sorrow came onto the Uchiha's face that could break his heart.

"Do you? I am trying to make you happy again. And show you that you can still do things. I am trying to show you how much I care about you Sasuke. Is that what you think? Or was it something else?" Naruto replied, his tone slightly snappy. He was getting sick of this treatment he was receiving from Sasuke. He was being treated like he was lower then dirt and he couldn't stand it. Sakura had been wrong, and so had Ayame. Sasuke did not like Naruto at all, Sasuke must surely hate him because there was no getting this bastard of a ninja to relax. No getting him to smile and no getting him to quit his brooding and skulking.

Sasuke was silent, he could sense the hostility coming from Naruto and so he decided it was wise to keep his mouth shut. This date was turning into a disaister. The longer they were together the more it seemed that they were fighting. Nothing was breaking the ice, not even chipping at it with a pick. It just was not possible. Sasuke was beginning to wonder himself if he was capabable of anything other then putting people down. He openned his mouth to speak but the ramen waitress showed up so he promptly shut it and started eatting when she set the food before him.

Scowling at his own dish of food, Naruto began to eat his. Still being polite despite his aggitation. "Stop skulking Naruto. It doesn't suit you," Sasuke said at last. His voice so quiet and so serious that Naruto was caught slightly off guard. But that only sent him over the edge. He slammed his fists into the table, causing a metallic ring of the glasses knocking into their plates and drawing several eyes. Naruto stood up, knocking his chair backwards, so upset his eyes were watering.

"I tried to do something nice for you! I wanted to make you happy Sasuke! But all you can do is glare at me and make everything seem like it's the worst experience in your entire life. If you hated me so much you should have never agreed to this. Are you leading me on or something?" Naruto yelled angrilly. It was rare that he would loose his temper but he was not putting up with the bullshit that Sasuke was giving him. Naruto tossed down money onto the table to pay for the meals and started to storm off. Chocking back tears as the other confused couples in the sushi bar starred after Naruto incrediously.

Sasuke starred sightlessly again at the table for long moments before he stood up. "Naruto wait!" He yelled after the blonde, though his gaze stayed at the table. The blonde was already at the door and had it openned. But he stopped and starred huffily at the Uchiha. Waiting to see what Sasuke was stopping him for, and wondering if it was even worth waiting around to hear. "Naruto... I am sorry."

Naruto blinked, trying to register those words in his head. Those simple heart felt words that he swore were the most sincere thing he had ever heard. He was still angry but he had also never heard the Uchiha apologize for. "Liar. If you were sorry you wouldn't have done it in the first place," Naruto replied stubbornly. And started once more out of the bar, all eyes on the two boys.

"No. Naruto come back and finish this dinner with me," Sasuke demanded.

"Why should I?"

"Because. I want you to."

"Why the sudden change of heart?"

"Stop being so stubborn, dobe."

"You're the one who was being stubborn and acting like an ass, baka!"

"I know, and I apologized for it. So come back and finish this dinner with me. You said you wanted to try and make me happy, so here's another chance," Sasuke said. Though he knew he was pulling on a long wrong.

Naruto considered this for a moment. And at length he walked back over and sat down slowly. Sasuke also lowered back into his seat. "Why'd you want me back?" Naruto asked slowly, looking at Sasuke to catch any hint of what the Uchiha's motives were.

"Because I wasn't going to let the most important person in my life walk out on me, dobe," Sasuke replied, a tiny smirk coming onto his face as he said it. Naruto felt his heart do a flutter.

"Do you really mean that?"

"Have I ever been a joker, Uzumaki?"

Naruto grinned, knowing the question was not supposed to be answered as he took another bite of his sushi. Maybe, just maybe, he did have a chance in hell after all. This time the silence between them was peaceful and understanding as they ate their food. Sasuke blushing lightly and Naruto looking like he was incrediable pleased with himself for that confession. It wasn't quiet a confession of love, but it meant at least that he had gained Sasuke's respect in that sense. The ice had been broken.

"Hey?" Naruto called, trying to get Sasuke's attention.

"What?" Sasuke asked, his voice more casual.

"I hope you like swimming!" Naruto replied cheerily, settling back in his chair. Even eatting politely he had still inhaled his food.

"Wh - What?" Sasuke stuttered.

"Next stop is the Great Lake. I thought it would be a great place to swim and hang out. Especially since it's been such a hot day," Naruto replied to Sasuke in the same confident and cheery voice as before.

"Bu - But Naruto... I - I can't swim like this," Sasuke said, gesturing helplessly to his face, indicating his eyes and then the clothing he wore.

"Well I am sure you wore under clothes. And I can help you if you're so worried about drowing," Naruto scoffed. "Like I would like you drown!"

Sasuke's lips thinned. "What do you think I am Naruto? A coward?"

"I don't think you are. I know you are. After all you wouldn't let being blind get you so damn down if you weren't to afraid to try stuff still!" Naruto replied boldly. Knowing this was probably going to start a fight. But he decided he did not care. He was not going to act any differently just because he was trying to court the Uchiha.

"You don't know what you're talking about Naruto!"

"Sure I do! You've not even tried this stuff and you already condemn it and say it's not possible! But you're just being a scaredy cat cause you don't wanna get hurt," Naruto responded in a taunting tone of voice.

It was Sasuke's turn to get angry. "I am not!"

"Well then. You should prove it to me!" Naruto returned with a wicked grin.

"I will!" Sasuke responded to him, sounding defiant and determind.

"Good, then you won't have a problem swimming!"

Sasuke groaned, realizing that he had just walked completelty into that trap, and that now Naruto was going to try and get him to do a lot of things that most blind people probably would kill themselves before attempting. The meal ended on friendly terms with each other and it was paid for before Naruto dragged his raven haired date off to the Great Lake.

"CANNON BALL!" Naruto yelled as he ran off the edge of a high branch on a tree and plumetted into the water, curled up into a ball. When he surfaced he heard the Uchiha cursing loudly and looked around to see what was wrong. Sasuke had been testing the shallow water with his toes when Naruto had landed and slashed the freezing water all over. Naruto laughed, it was so funny when Sasuke got going. He liked getting Sasuke fired up, it was funny. But only to a certian extent. "Come on in Sasuke kun! The water's great!" Naruto called shrilly, intentionally trying to mock one of the Uchiha's many fan girls with the ear peircing trill.

Sasuke scowled back at Naruto's voice was such a look that Naruto burst out laughing and waded quietly closer. "Oh yes! Great! It's feezing!"

Naruto reached up to the rock Sasuke was on and grabbed onto his ankle. The Uchiha let out a frightened squawk as he was pulled into the water by Naruto. He began to flail and yell out, as it had been deeper then he had expected and the Uchiha could not reach the bottom. Naruto had a hold of him however. "Stop being such a chicken Sasuke, I've got you," Naruto said.

And so he did. His arm was around Sasuke's waist and he had the Uchiha pressed against the rock between his body and the Uchiha's. The raven haired genin stopped flailing and blushed, but it turned to a frown when he realized something. "Naruto?" He asked slowly.

"Yeah?" Naruto asked, looking into those sightless ebony eyes. He had never realized how completely sexy the Uchiha was.

"When did you get taller then me?" He asked slowly, his legs tangling with Naruto's an absent attempt to keep his full weight off of the blonde. Even if they were in the water and Sasuke was as light as a feather anyways. Naruto chuckled in response.

"After you left I had a growth spurt," the blonde explained, their bodies still pressed against each others. Sasuke let out a slow sigh. He truely was enjoying himself. "What is it?" Naruto prompted when he saw Sasuke's gaze drop. He had never done that before, but on his return the blonde had noticed the Uchiha's gaze would drop every time he was thinking and depressed.

"A lot has changed since I was gone hasn't it?" He asked slowly. He was becoming more and more comftorable with talking to Naruto. The blonde nodded in response. But he then realized that Sasuke could not see such a gesture.

"Yeah."

"I thought so..."

As Sasuke trailled off the sentance he slowly reached up to touch Naruto's face. More bold then he had been all night. His pale cheeks turned and even pinker as he did so. Running his fingers along Naruto's cheeks and up into his hair. "It's a lot longer now..."

"Huh?" Naruto asked, looking like he had misunderstood that statement.

"Your hair Naruto," the Uchiha responded, clearing up what he had said. Naruto coughed and it was his turn to blush.

"Yeah... I am letting it get a little longer now. I thought it looked sexy," Naruto responded, puffing his chest out a little bit.

Sasuke snorted. "As if you could be sexy."

"So I sense an attempted joke from the Ice King?" Naruto taunted back, sticking out his lower lip in a pout. Just then the Uchiha's fingers passed over Naruto's lips and he smirked slightly.

"Come on now Naruto. Don't cry," Sasuke responded. It was weird having Sasuke teasing him like that. Naruto sort of liked it for a change, though he was not expected it to be anything normal.

But this time Naruto did not respond. He leaned foreward into the Uchiha's parted lips and captured them boldly in a kiss. Sasuke stiffened in surprise and his fingers tightened in Naruto's hair, going rigid against the rock behind him as Naruto gave him a gentle taste. But he relaxed again, letting his own lips return the affection. The shy kiss broke and both boys looked down at the water, blushing lightly. "Sasuke..."

"Hmm?" The Uchiha relaxed against Naruto's body. One leg between Naruto's legs and his other off to the side a little as he floated there, supported under the little outcropping completely by Naruto's body.

"I... I love you," he whispered softly and shyly. Silence reigned between the two boys for several long moments, Naruto had been hoping desperately that Sasuke would return that without hesitation. The pause made him feel bad for saying it.

"Naruto... I can't tell you I love you yet. I don't know what I am feeling right now. This is to fast," Sasuke said slowly. Picking his words carefully. "I am not even sure if I am gay... Just right now... I am..." Sasuke paused resting a hand on Naruto's chest. It was broader then before, more muscled. "I am enjoying myself. And it's been a very long time."

Naruto seemed to understand. He nipped at the Uchiha's lower lip and received another kiss for it. This one deeper and more confident. "So Sasuke?"

"Nani?"

"Are you gay yet?"

A moment of silence passed before they both started to laugh. It was a weird thing, hearing Uchiha Sasuke, King of Ice, laugh so truely. It was weird. But it was a good kind of weird. Some how Naruto knew that it would be hard to keep the Uchiha in this state of happyness. Impossible even, to keep him permanently hear.

Naruto swooped in for another kiss, pushing Sasuke against the rock behind him a little harder, one hand on other side of his head as Sasuke's dug his fingers deeper into Naruto's hair. Apparently he liked the slightly longer hair on the blonde, even if he could not actually see it. The blonde grinded his hips into Sasuke's and the raven haired boy groaned into Naruto's mouth, trying to arche himself back into Naruto's hips but suddenly Naruto had pulled back and let the Uchiha wade in the water himself.

"Naruto..." Sasuke murmered in a slightly needy tone, sinking under the water a bit so his lips were just beneath it's surface like he was feeling embarrassed and rejected. His legs had curled in slightly. The blonde was grinning wildly.

"I thought this was too fast?" Naruto taunted the Uchiha as he pulled him over to wear his feet could touch the ground.

"Baka!" Sasuke yelled in response, sounding more then annoyed. Leave it up to Uzumaki Naruto to use his own words against him. Naruto laughed and splashed at Sasuke, who spluttered like a dog that had been thrown into the water before splashing Naruto back. "I'll get you back for that one, Uzumaki!"

"What one? Making you horny?" Naruto teased back. Sasuke blushed and splashed water at his laughing companion, making no reply.

The facts were facts. Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto may have had some disagreements earlier on that night. But now they were getting along just fine. And the date had turned out to be a good one.

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I really like the way this chapter turned out. I really do. I think in the end of it all I got them together fairly well and I really had fun writting the scene under the water. I hope you guys are enjoying this as much as I am right now.

This fanfiction is the only thing keeping me going these last few days. It took me a few days to write this chapter. It's my first time writting an angst romance and I was having some trouble with my plot bunnies. They weren't eatting the cookies I was feeding them.

But since they finally took my cookies and stopped trying to escape, it turned out good in the end. I thought I would add in some nice comic releif at the end to make up for the last 4 and a half chapters of total depression.