Chapter 3
"Sasuke would you mind staying back for a little?" Iruka asked uncertainly, as the final bell rang.
The Uchiha politely stopped in front of the desk. Naruto also lingered near the doorway.
"I'll see you at the Hokage's Tower for dinner," he offered, making her nod uncomfortably before she fled. Sasuke turned to look at the equally-uncomfortable Iruka, who looked like he was contemplating fleeing right now.
"Ahem, Sasuke, I wanted to speak to you," the Chuunin stood up straight, "You know that, as well as being your sensei, I can also be a confidante, right? That you can come to me with any problems you might have and that I'd do my best to help you with them?"
"Yes." He knew. He didn't care but he did know.
"So, is there anything you would like to talk to me about?" Iruka prodded.
Sasuke nodded. "Will you be my groomsman?"
Iruka's eyes bugged out. "I'm sorry?"
"My groomsman," the dark-haired boy clarified, "For when Naruto and I get married."
His brother would make a good best man and Kakashi could be another groomsman. Since Gaara and Naruto were so close, he should probably make the Kazekage a groomsman too. If Iruka agreed, then that would bring the number up to three and he would only need to find one more.
'Maybe a miniaturized Kyuubi clone in a bow tie…?'
"For when you get married," Iruka repeated faintly, "To Naruto?"
"I admire her greatly," the Uchiha informed him.
"I- uh, see," Iruka struggled to regain his composure, "To be honest, I didn't get that… err, impression from your fi-interactions before."
"I didn't know how to express my feelings to her," Sasuke confessed. That, at least, was true.
"I'll say," the brunette Chuunin muttered under his breath. "Err, so where did these feelings come about then- if you don't mind my asking!"
A bolt of inspiration struck the Uchiha. "My mother."
"Your mother?" If Iruka Umino could have picked any number of reasons for his most antisocial student's apparent and sudden crush on his favorite one, then Mikoto Uchiha wouldn't have been it.
"My mother, Mikoto, was best friends with Naruto's mom, Kushina," Sasuke explained, "Growing up, I know that a lot of parents didn't like Naruto, but my parents weren't like them. My mom would talk about how cheerful and cute the Uzumaki girl was and how her mom was the same. Strangely enough though, we weren't allowed to talk to her."
'Because they were Uchiha and Naruto was the Kyuubi's jailor,' Iruka realized nervously.
"I guess one of the factors that drew my attention was knowing that my Mom would have approved of her," Sasuke mused. He hadn't known about the connection until after they were married though. "Then it was her determination and ambition that kept my eyes there. She'll be a great ninja, don't you think?"
"Yes Sasuke, I do," Iruka looked pleasantly surprised. A warm smile crossed his face at how warm and heartwarming his student's message was. To have developed a crush because he knew his mother had approved of her…
"I also saw a picture of Kushina Uzumaki in a bathing suit and it looks a lot like Naruto's Orioke no jutsu," the Uchiha added bluntly, "So there's that to look forward to."
'Sasuke Uchiha has hit puberty. Oh, dear…' Iruka would have pressed more but his time ran out.
"I'm sorry, sensei," his student said hurriedly, checking the clock, "I've enjoyed our talk, but Naruto would be upset if I don't leave soon. I don't want to be late for our first date!"
He sprinted out the door, leaving a stunned Iruka silently mouthing 'date' behind.
x
"But Ojiisan, he's mocking me!"
"I understand that you're upset, Naruto-chan," the Sandaime coughed to try and hide his smile, "But I simply cannot punish a student for a love confession."
"He's just doing it to get his fangirls mad at me," the Uzumaki insisted, not hearing the door open, "It's not a real love confession."
"Perhaps you should discuss this with him?" The Hokage suggested mildly. "Hello Sasuke-kun."
"Good evening Hokage-sama," Sasuke answered respectfully as the blonde whirled around. He had managed a quick shower and change of dress before arriving at the Tower.
"What are you holding?" Naruto's eyes widened, "What are you wearing?"
"I brought you flowers." He offered the bouquet. Future knowledge had come in handy here since he already knew what her favorite flowers would be. "Sunflowers for how cheerful you are and forget-me-nots that are almost as beautiful as your eyes."
Naruto gaped at him. Was that last line too much?
She soundlessly accepted the bouquet and then looked at his outfit. Frowning, the Uchiha checked it over too. It was a simple blue short-sleeve shirt and black trousers, only a little fancier than what he normally wore.
"Too much?" He inquired.
"This is not a date teme." Despite her words, she handled the flowers gently as she handed them over to the amused Hokage. "We are going to Ichiraku's where you will be paying for my dinner."
"Yes, about that," the Sandaime's eyes twinkled, "Today is a school night. I hope you plan to have her home at an acceptable hour Sasuke-kun."
"Yes, sir," he nodded seriously, "I promise to escort her home before her curfew."
Naruto twitched. "I don't have a curfew."
"By seven then," Sasuke offered his arm, "Maybe we could have a stroll in the park after dinner?"
"Not a date," she reiterated, grabbing his hand and dragging him out of the room.
Sasuke smiled internally as the blonde manhandled him to the ramen stand. This was rather fun. They hadn't dated much in the last timeline; jumping straight from trying to kill one another to planning a wedding after the consequences of too much make-up sex, and the middle was surprisingly nice ground. He wouldn't mind doing this right second time around.
His limited chakra sensory ability alerted him to a white-eyed blue-haired girl following them. Sasuke offered her a jaunty wave.
Ha! Guess who wasn't going on a date with Naruto Uzumaki, Hyuuga?
"Old Man Teuchi, Ayame, I'm here for dinner," Naruto announced cheerfully, as she ducked under the wooden slats. Sasuke ducked too before they could hit him. "Get those pots ready because teme here is paying for everything!"
"Naruto-chan!" The pretty brunette waitress greeted, looking at him curiously and then in mild astonishment at his clan sigil. "Uchiha-san is paying for your dinner?"
"We had a spar, and this was one of the conditions of the victor," Sasuke stated.
"Then Naruto-chan won?"
"Ah, not exactly," the blonde rubbed her head sheepishly, "Teme here said that I have to let him buy me a meal if he won."
The waitress clapped her hands together. "Oh! Like a d-"
"Not a date," Naruto interjected quickly, "This is not a date."
Sasuke picked up the menu and skimmed through it. Looks like it hadn't changed much since the last time his wife had dragged him there. "May I have the chicken ramen please?"
"So polite," Ayame approved, "And what will you have, Naruto-chan?"
"Huh? The teme isn't polite. He's a total jackass," the Uzumaki drew off when she saw the disapproving expression on the other girl's face, "Err, I'll just have my usual then."
Sasuke inwardly grinned. Who knew basic manners would be so rewarding?
Naruto stayed silent until she was done with her first bowl. Barely a fifth of the way through his, the dark-haired boy prolonged the meal by staring at his crush intermittently. He did favor Ayame with another 'thank you' when she brought out the blonde's second bowl though. She flushed in response.
"Will you stop that?" The Uzumaki asked plaintively.
"Stop what?"
"Being nice to my friends."
"Would you rather I be rude to them?" He cocked his head to the side. He had a lot of practice there then.
"No!" Naruto put down her chopsticks and rubbed her head frustrated. "I want you to go back to being the icy, no-good teme that I know. Stop saying weird things and bringing me flowers and-"
"Is it so hard to believe that I like you?" Sasuke interrupted. He had wondered about this. When the blonde rejected his confession, it had been one-part anger that it was Sasuke doing the confessing and two parts confusion that anyone would do so at all. Had she been this insecure the first time around?
'Before Orochimaru, I wouldn't have noticed any insecurity,' he admitted silently, 'And afterward, her training with the pervert instilled genuine confidence in her. Then there was the war and she was pursuing me instead…'
"It's hard to believe that you have a human heart," Naruto grumbled, not noticing the flash of hurt on the other student's face. "Look, you can still tell everyone that it's a joke tomorrow-"
"I'm not lying to them," the Uchiha insisted calmly.
She looked at him with exasperation. "Why would you like me? You would always insult me and fight with me in class! You didn't do that with any of the other girls."
"Yes, but I didn't do anything else with any of the other girls either, did I?"
She shook her head. "I don't believe you."
'You don't want to,' Sasuke thought. "I'll change your mind. I'll show you how much I lo-like you."
Naruto considered the ramifications of his many, many fangirls to that and frantically shook her head. "You don't have to."
"I want to."
"We'll be a terrible couple! We'll fight all the time!"
"I know some interesting ways to make up then."
Maybe it was because of the Orioke no Jutsu but Naruto wasn't quite so naive when she heard that. She stared at him for almost fifteen seconds before her face turned a violent shade of red.
"I- You- Teme!" Jumping off the stool, Naruto Uzumaki attained another accomplishment that Sasuke Uchiha had never thought her capable of. She abandoned a bowl of ramen- her second one even- to run out of the stall. Withholding a sigh, Sasuke took out his wallet and counted out the bills.
"Thank you for the meal, Ayame-san." He handed her the correct amount and a generous tip. Sasuke wanted to build a good relationship now since they were likely to spend a great deal of time at the Ichiraku's establishment. "Naruto didn't feel well enough to finish though."
"I can see that," she said sympathetically, looking at him with knowing eyes, "Uchiha-san, if I may speak out of turn here?"
He gestured for her to continue. "Naruto's a sweet girl. She doesn't know how to handle kindness sometimes but that doesn't mean she's not truly grateful for it."
"Thank you, Ayame-san."
"And I think you two would make a very cute couple!"