Sasuke glanced over at Naruto a few times as he drove. Naruto was undeniably attractive, from a purely objective standpoint. The tee shirt he wore (orange, again) clung around his arms and chest, showing off the clearly defined muscles. It looked as if he worked out regularly, but not obsessively. His waist was thicker than Sasuke's own, but still trim. His navy blue track pants revealed a firm posterior, too; Sasuke had taken note of the fact when Naruto had first walked into Tomoe.
His skin glowed, tan with pink undertones, and his blond hair gleamed. He was the picture of radiant health from head to toe. Sasuke was most transfixed by Naruto's eyes.
They were a shade of blue he'd never seen before, incomparably bright. They were almond shaped and wide set, and huge, giving him a wild, but innocent look. Sasuke laughed internally at the thought of Naruto as a feral child.
His discussion with Kurenai had awakened his curiosity. He had never given in to attraction. He'd only consciously felt it for one person, one person whom he never could have had. He knew Kurenai had hoped for him to explore this emotion, but he'd felt his blood run cold when he saw Naruto walk through his door. He had wanted to hide, and for a few moments, he'd given himself that luxury.
The idea of being bested by a neurochemical dance did not sit well with him, though, so he ventured out, first to fill his eyes with the man who had been tormenting him unawares for almost a week, and then to actually talk to him. Naruto had blushed when Sasuke started talking to him. In the past, Sasuke would have filed this away for future reference.
With Naruto in front of him, though, his eyes wide and blue and his face flushing, Sasuke was nothing but charmed. And, if he were to be completely honest, gratified. There was something alluring about having the ability to affect Naruto when Naruto had affected him so strongly.
He'd enjoyed showing Naruto his private training room, too, a place he hadn't even shown Sakara or Sarada. He wondered if Naruto practiced any martial arts, then wondered what it would be like to train with him. He enjoyed volleying insults back and forth with Naruto, a habit he'd never picked up with anyone else. Maybe physically fighting with him would be enjoyable, too. Sasuke hadn't had a worthy opponent to train with in years. The idea of training with Naruto seemed thrilling.
He was looking out the window, smiling to himself, with his face propped against his hand when Sasuke interrupted the silence; the sunlight played so beautifully in his hair. Sasuke had never realized that there were so many shades of blond.
"That song you were trying to sing the other night..." Sasuke started.
"Oh, remind me of my drunken escapades again, why don't you?" Naruto laughed.
"It's the Smiths."
"Yeah, duh. I know the song, obviously."
"It really wasn't obvious from the way you were butchering it."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, congratulations on not looking like a bat today, Goth Father."
"Goth Father. Says the man who listens to the Smiths."
"The Smiths aren't goth, jerk. Get it right."
It was a stupid, childish argument. It was silly and meaningless, and Sasuke hated meaninglessness and small talk, generally. Still, it felt comforting. He wondered if this was what it felt like to be a kid. He had never had these kinds of interactions when he actually was one.
"My friend likes the Smiths. But I'd never heard that song before."
"Yeah? Your friend has good taste," Naruto replied. "That's a great song, by the way."
"It's not bad," Sasuke allowed. He had listened to it at least a dozen times since his session with Kurenai, at first academically, as if it would give him a clue into who Naruto was, and then because it reminded him of Naruto, and finally, he had conceded that he liked it, too.
"What music do you like?" Naruto's question stunned him. He'd never really considered it. He'd always just absorbed or tuned out whatever was around him.
"I don't really listen to music much," Sasuke admitted.
"What?" Naruto seemed genuinely surprised. "How can you not? I mean, you work out, don't you? What do you listen to, then?"
Sasuke felt warm inside. Naruto had noticed that he worked out. "I don't. I listen to the news or I just think."
"What about your kid? Your kid has to listen to something, right?"
Sasuke sighed in frustration. His light mood dissipated with the innocent question. "I don't really know," he answered.
"Yeah, I guess most kids keep their earphones in, so how would you know? I know what my son listens to because he likes to broadcast it when I have to work at home. Or, you know, when I used to work at home..."
Naruto trailed off, and Sasuke realized that the subject of offspring was difficult for both of them. Naruto had admitted this much to him over breakfast on Tuesday morning.
Sasuke cleared his throat. "You at least were home with him," he said quietly.
Naruto looked at him inquisitively. Sasuke said nothing else until they had arrived at the restaurant.
"Here we are," he said, as he pulled up in front of the nondescript building. He watched for Naruto's expression. To his surprise, Naruto's eyes got even bigger, and he grinned excitedly. "Have you been here before?" Sasuke asked him.
"No. But this looks like the kind of place that would be really great!"
Unable to help himself, Sasuke smiled. "How do you figure?"
"Look at this place," Naruto said, gesturing to the plain storefront. "It doesn't look fancy, and it's out of the way, so you know that the people here must really love to cook and must really be good at it. Because it wouldn't survive out here if it weren't good enough for people like you to come back to, you know?"
Sasuke found this reasoning to be odd, but also oddly sound. He had been coming here ever since he had returned to Konoha, and it was one of his favorite places.
"They serve genuine Italian food, here," he told Naruto. "Nothing like Olive Garden or something like that. So you can get something fatty and salty if it suits, but that's not all that is available."
"I love Italian," Naruto said with open enthusiasm. Sasuke couldn't recall the last time he'd met an adult who was so enthusiastic about so many things, or who expressed those enthusiasms so freely.
The hostess was not surprised to see Sasuke, but her cheeks reddened when she noticed Naruto. He wondered if Naruto was aware of his magnetism. "Do you want your usual for carryout?" she asked, addressing Sasuke.
"We'll be dining in this afternoon," Sasuke answered. "The two of us." He noticed her eyes flitting from him to Naruto and back again, as if she were trying to discreetly size up their relationship.
"Do you want to sit inside or outside?" She asked politely.
"Let's sit outside, Sasuke!" Naruto said. "It's such a pretty day!"
The hostess continued to look at Sasuke questioningly. "Outside it is, then," he said dryly. It amused him to see how awed the girl was, not only by Naruto, but by the contrast of the two of them together. It felt a little heady to be out with such a handsome man.
Experimentally, Sasuke put his hand on the small of Naruto's back to guide him towards the patio as they followed the hostess. To his delight, Naruto shuddered just ever so slightly—not enough to be noticeable to anyone who didn't have their hands on him. He smiled to himself, feeling his ego swell at Naruto's response to his touch. He suppressed his own shudder when he realized how much he loved touching this part of Naruto; he could move his hand either way, should he wish to, and explore either the curve of his spine or the swell of his ass. Thoughts Sasuke had never once entertained flashed through his brain in rapid succession before they'd even arrived at their table.
"Sasuke!" Naruto cried happily. "You didn't tell me the restaurant was on the water!"
Sasuke smiled again. Such little things excited Naruto. The beach was nothing new for residents of Konoha, who lived only minutes away. Yet Naruto was shrieking like a little kid on vacation.
The hostess blushed and smiled again, and Sasuke could tell she was still calculating whether he and Naruto were a couple, or whether she might have a chance with the handsome blond man with the pretty blue eyes and the world's most beautiful smile.
Yes, he decided, this is attraction. It feels… good.
Sasuke was pleased that there weren't many people at the restaurant today. He usually took his food back home to eat in solitude, and though he liked being there with Naruto, he didn't feel like sharing their time with a crowded house. They were the only two people on the patio, and that suited Sasuke fine.
He didn't bother to open his menu, because he always ordered the same thing. Naruto, he noticed, was frowning at the menu, squinting at it and holding it away from his face.
"Should I have asked them for a picture menu?" he asked piquantly.
"Jerk," Naruto said, without a trace of offense. He fumbled in his pocket and withdrew a pair of reading glasses. "Damned impending middle age. I can't get used to my eyes fucking up."
"Get your eyes examined now. Glasses will be an adjustment, but once you've made the adjustment, it will be like seeing through new eyes," Sasuke advised.
"Easy for you to say, Mr. 20-20," Naruto grumbled.
Sasuke rolled his eyes and fixed Naruto with a withering glare. "Do they not have such things as contacts on your planet?"
"You wear contacts? No way!" Naruto leaned over the table, staring into Sasuke's eyes intently. "Your eyes are so pretty, no way you're wearing contacts!"
Sasuke's face burned at the compliment. Naruto's face was so close to his that he could feel his breath. He fought the urge to squirm in his seat, opting instead to sit back and whip his menu up in front of his face.
"Do you know what you want?" he asked Naruto, careful to keep his voice casual and even.
"Uhm, do they have lasagna here?" Naruto asked hopefully.
"Pfft. You don't come to Villa Fiorini and order lasagna," Sasuke answered disdainfully.
Naruto smirked. "Ok, then, Mr. World Traveler, sir, what would you recommend?"
"For you? Probably the chicken nuggets and fries that come with the crayons and miniature coloring book."
"All right, asshole, I can handle something more sophisticated than chicken nuggets," Naruto bit back playfully.
Sasuke looked at Naruto. "Do you trust me?"
Naruto grinned. "I think I've demonstrated that I do."
"Do you have any food allergies or serious food aversions?"
"I refuse to eat anything that is still alive or wriggling," Naruto said, scrunching up his nose. "Other than that, I really just love food."
"Do you have a couple of hours?" Sasuke asked.
Naruto looked at him curiously. "Yeah, sure, I can spend a couple of hours."
"Give me your menu," Sasuke said. "Don't look at it, just hand it over."
Naruto looked hesitant, but he handed his menu over anyway. Sasuke raised a hand to signal to the waitress who was glancing through the door. The hostess whispered something to her and she strode out to the patio eagerly.
"Yes, sirs? Would you like to order drinks or appetizers?"
"We would like to order our entire meal," Sasuke answered smoothly. But we're going to take a lot of time. Is that alright?"
"Of course!" she answered, looking from one man to the other.
"We are going to start with a caprese salad, and with the mussel soup. One of each. We'll order the next course when we're finished," he said authoritatively.
"Yes, sir. And to drink?"
"Two glasses of house white."
The waitress walked briskly back towards the kitchen. "You said you really like food," Sasuke said. "I hope you weren't lying."
Naruto leaned back in his chair and stretched. "You have no idea, Sasuke," he said.
Sasuke felt a fluttering sensation in his stomach when Naruto said his name. "Then don't load up on the bread. You'll regret it if you do," he warned Naruto. "Same for the wine. Sip slowly. You are not going to want to be too full or too tipsy to appreciate this meal."
"I love things like this," Naruto said with a contented sigh.
"Things like what?"
"I love getting to know people through what they like, especially if what they like is food. And learning something new in a cool environment." Naruto clasped his hands, elbows on the table, and propped his chin on them. He smiled happily. It was a contrast to the weepy man Sasuke had met in the bar only a few days ago; he wondered what the difference was, weighed the possibility that it had anything to do with him. He felt a bit selfish hoping that it did.
Their wine arrived, along with a plate of bread and a saucer of olive oil. The two men sipped their wine and sampled the bread in companionable silence as the waves crashed to the shore beyond them. Sasuke felt so many alien emotions. It had been so long—longer than he could remember—since he had found enjoyment in anything other than training, cooking, or eating. Sometimes, there was a fleeting sense of camaraderie that he felt with Sakura, as if they were two soldiers sharing a mission. Life always had a way of interrupting that camaraderie, though, and Sasuke felt a moment of panic when he realized he didn't want anything to tarnish this moment with Naruto.
He didn't feel compelled to cater to Naruto, because Naruto himself was so easy to please. He didn't feel the need to reel in is irascibility or his tendency towards dry humor with Naruto, because Naruto took it in stride. And—Naruto's enjoyment and easy-going nature soothed Sasuke, who found most people's motivations suspect.
The salad arrived first, and he laughed as Naruto proclaimed about how good the cheese was. He'd never known someone who got so excited about cheese; when he told Naruto this, Naruto just protested. "But this is so much better than any mozzarella I've ever had! Seriously, Sasuke, this is so good and creamy."
The soup arrived without the requested extra bowl. Sasuke irritably raised his hand to wave down the waitress, but Naruto stopped him. "She's got extra customers inside, Sasuke. It's no big deal. We'll share."
Thus began the frustratingly enticing project of actually feeding Naruto, a feat that was all the more precarious because Naruto moaned almost orgasmically when he tasted the first mussel. Sasuke felt the color blossom in his cheeks as he lifted one spoonful of soup after another to Naruto's lips.
"Damn, Sasuke," he said breathlessly. "That is so unbelievable." Despite the fact that this was Sasuke's favorite dish from the restaurant, he had allowed Naruto to drink all the broth from the bowl. It was completely worthwhile to have such a sensual, sated Naruto across from him, blissfully licking his lips. Sasuke blinked, somewhat dazedly. Sharing a meal had never been such an intense experience.
He called the waitress back over. "Please give us the spinach ravioli in mushroom cream sauce. One order. Two plates," he stressed. While feeding Naruto had been exciting and new, he wasn't ready to push himself any further into that territory. He needed to regain some of his composure, because having Naruto moaning and licking his lips and taking food literally from Sasuke's hand had left him feeling more than a little undone.
"Spinach?" Naruto asked. He pouted. Sasuke just smirked.
"I did ask if you had any aversions," he reminded Naruto.
"Yeah, but I couldn't remember at the time because I was so hungry!" he argued back petulantly. This made Sasuke smile deviously.
"You're going to eat it. And what's more, you're going to like it, Naruto." Sasuke noticed how Naruto's name had its own mouthfeel, like a bright wine with a spicy finish. He bit his lip. He would have to be more restrained if he didn't want to make a total fool of himself. Naruto sighed dramatically, unaware of Sasuke's inner battle.
"Ok, fine, if you insist."
"I do insist," Sasuke said shortly. "I've taken your affinity for salt and fat into consideration. In return, you will do me the courtesy of eating a dish that has a small amount of an actual vegetable in it. I don't think you ate anything other than cheese when the salad came out."
Naruto grinned, and Sasuke was again reminded of how feral and childlike he could look.
When the pasta arrived, Sasuke carefully doled out the ravioli between their plates. "This isn't the main course, Naruto, so pace yourself," he admonished.
"What? Not the main course? You mean there's more?"
"Yes, there's more. So eat slowly, ok? We would just get a few ravioli each if we were at a fine restaurant in Italy."
"You've been to Italy?"
"Yes, a long time ago."
"I really want to go."
"Hn. The best part is the food," Sasuke mumbled. He hadn't been able to enjoy a traditional Italian vacation when he'd been in Italy; the restaurants had been the one bright spot.
Mindful of the spinach, Naruto took a cautious bite of his ravioli. If the mussels had been dangerous to Sasuke's equilibrium, this was worse. Naruto threw his head back. "Oh, god, Sasuke," he groaned, "you were so right." He raised his head and looked at Sasuke through half-lidded eyes. "I will never bitch about spinach again."
Sasuke cleared his throat and straightened his back. "It's a respectable vegetable if it's prepared right. Remember what I said. Pace yourself." He called the waitress back over and whispered the last of their order to her.
It was satisfying to see Naruto attack the osso bucco Sasuke had requested. Sasuke hadn't realized, before Naruto was sitting across from him in his favorite restaurant, how much good food had meant to him. An unbidden memory of his brother, heaping one serving of shellfish after another onto his plate before a night spent under the stars, crept into his mind. Sasuke pushed it back. He couldn't handle that particular brand of sweetness, nor the bitterness that accompanied it. Not today.
Naruto heaved a great sigh and laid back, his head lolling over the back of his chair and his arms out at his sides. "I don't think I can ever eat again." He sounded so happy and carefree that it was easy enough to chase the unwelcome bitterness out of Sasuke's mind.
"Don't say that. You haven't had your dessert yet."
Naruto sat upright. "There's dessert? After all of this?" He gaped at Sasuke in disbelief.
"Close your mouth, or you'll have flies for dessert," Sasuke twitted him. "Yes, there's dessert. For you. Coffee, for me."
"Aren't you going to have any?" Naruto asked.
"I don't like sweet things."
"You should try it some time. You could stand to be a little sweeter," Naruto shot back.
"I am about as sweet as you could handle me right now," Sasuke retorted.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm about to get diabetes from spending so much time with you."
Sasuke grinned and looked down. When he looked back up, Naruto was eyeing him with lazy curiosity.
"What'd you order, 'Ske?" he asked through a yawn.
"Not telling. You promised to trust me."
The playful pout appeared again, and Sasuke found himself looking at Naruto's lips. They were exactly perfect—slightly pink—and his lower lip was full and plump. Sasuke had to look away quickly before his thoughts betrayed his fascination. He felt dizzy and uncertain. Being with Naruto made him feel as if he'd been drugged, as if his vital signs were going crazy from all the highs and lows. He wondered if this was why some people liked roller coasters or sleeping around. He didn't know if he liked it or not, but it was compelling.
When the waitress brought out Naruto's tiramisu, he grinned at her, and Sasuke thought she'd spontaneously combust. He knew how she felt.
"Eat this with the cappuccino. Don't put any sugar in that coffee, Naruto," he said sternly.
"If you insist," Naruto sighed with mock resignation. After his first bite, his eyes rolled back in his head. "Sasuke… this is amazing," he murmured. "I've never had tiramisu this good before."
"It's because they use the good cheese," Sasuke replied with a cough.
"This is cheese?" Naruto asked around a mouthful of the dessert.
"Yes, Naruto, it's actually cheese. Just not a savory cheese like most Americans are used to. You've had cheesecake, yes? Same concept."
"Shit. Sasuke, this is probably the best lunch I've had in my entire life," Naruto said happily. "But you're really missing out on this tiramisu. Here. Have a bite."
Before Sasuke could stop him, Naruto was thrusting a spoonful of tiramisu at his mouth.
"Naruto, no. I don't like sweets," Sasuke said irritably.
"Trust me, Sasuke, you have to taste this!" Naruto insisted. "Open up."
"No, Naruto!" Sasuke groaned. "I don't like..."
"Shut up, asshole, and try it. I tried the spinach for you."
Sasuke glared at Naruto, but complied, because the spoon was threatening to spill down Sasuke's dress shirt. He opened his mouth just wide enough for Naruto to put the end of the spoon in, then clamped his lips shut so Naruto couldn't force the entire spoon of dessert onto him. To his chagrin, Naruto grinned triumphantly as he withdrew the spoon.
Sasuke's face drew up in distaste. He took a deep drink of cappuccino to chase the sweetness from his taste buds. Naruto looked at him somewhat bashfully, his cheeks pink. Sasuke held his gaze, aggravated at having had the dessert foisted onto him.
"What are you looking at, idiot?" he mumbled.
Naruto blinked. "You have some tiramisu… right near your mouth… here..."
Before Sasuke could think, Naruto leaned over and wiped his face clean with his napkin. He had to force himself to look into Naruto's eyes, and when he did, he felt the now-familiar vertigo with the same warmth that seemed to assault his senses whenever Naruto was in his space. He lifted his head up and glared dangerously into the blue, blue eyes of his antagonist.
Naruto just smiled. "You're adorable when you pout," he said as he sat back down. Sasuke couldn't even think of a rejoinder.
It was both a relief and a disappointment when Naruto waved the waitress down for the check. Sasuke was glad to get away from the bizarre intensity of the meal they'd shared (how had lunch—even a really, really good lunch—become so very intimate?) and the way it made him feel naked and readable. He didn't really want Naruto to leave, though (because when had anything—anything at all—been as simple and enjoyable as their protracted lunch break had been?).
Naruto signed off on the check, amid Sasuke's protests. He didn't feel that Naruto owed him for the night at the bar or breakfast the next day; if anything, he felt as if Naruto had done him a favor by being there. While Sasuke's feelings for Naruto were complicated, Naruto himself was not. His directness and open demeanor made it easy to be with him.
He felt listlessness pervade his mind as he considered going about the rest of his day. As he stared out beyond their tables, a shadow came over him. When he looked up, Naruto was standing over him, holding out his hand. "Let's go walk on the beach," he said, gripping Sasuke's hand and helping him up.
"Hn." He was grateful to Naruto for giving him just a little more time to feel carefree. He wasn't going to look too excited about it, though. As he glanced in at the glass door leading back into the restaurant, he saw the hostess and their waitress peering out, whispering conspiratorially. When they noticed Sasuke looking at them, they scurried away guiltily. His amusement chased his ambivalence away, and he walked purposefully towards the beach with Naruto.