Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, or any of its associated characters!

Summary: COMPLETE (new chapter up everyday - total of 35 chapters!). Sasuke's a writer whose been writing the same words for years. He's tired, he's annoyed, and his money situation is...pretty messed up, even by student standards. Enter Naruto. Modern AU (College/University), Sasunaru/Narusasu. Posted for Sasuke's birthday!

A/N: Wow! You guys! The amount of support I got yesterday was so incredible; thank you all so, so much! I'm so happy you're all responding so much to this story!


Enter Naruto

Chapter 11: Moody

"And this is my room!" Naruto spun around, arms spread out. "It's way cleaner than it used to be. There's a lot less stuff 'cause I moved it all over to my new place."

It was every bit as warm as Sasuke had expected. Every bit as...full of life. Messy and cluttered, full of trinkets and photographs and toys and figures...even the walls—blue, like the sky, and Naruto's eyes—weren't simple—

"These glow in the dark. See?" Naruto turned off the lights, and the white figures (frogs, now, he could tell—a few foxes, too) came to life along the walls. The ceiling glowed too, but not with animals.

"Iruka helped me with the stars." Naruto stretched his arm up to point at them. "We did it together, when I was younger. It's a bunch of constellations. Here," he turned the lights back on, "see? You can still see how we planned them all out."

Sasuke smiled. With the lights on, the pencil on the ceiling was clearly visible.

"Do you actually remember any of them?"

Naruto laughed.

"Uh, not all of them. Some of them maybe—like Orion's Belt is easy, and I remember the Little Dipper, too…"


"I'm home!" The voice rang out from downstairs—

Naruto jumped to his feet, face lighting up.

"That's Iruka!" Naruto bounded over to the door. "Do you wanna meet him?"

Sasuke fought a smile as he nodded, but he couldn't help but pause. They hadn't even gotten to the corkboard, making up nearly half of Naruto's wall, with pictures and notes and cards and colours just bursting from every inch of it—he had wanted to spend more time exploring Naruto's room, but…

"I'll show you that all later. Come on." Naruto jerked his head towards the entrance, holding the door open with his back.

"Okay."


Iruka was—well—nearly as cheerful as Naruto, it seemed. He gave Naruto a tight hug before turning to Sasuke—who suddenly felt very nervous—

"You must be Sasuke!" He held out a hand to shake, and Sasuke took it, relieved that Iruka hadn't hugged him, too; he had seemed to be considering it for a moment. Not that there was anything wrong with Iruka, but Sasuke hated when people touched him out of the blue—

"He's as grumpy as he looks." Naruto grinned, nudging Sasuke with his elbow.

Ah, well—he hated it when anyone other than Naruto touched him out of the blue.

Iruka laughed, giving Sasuke a warm, "it's nice to meet you."

Sasuke replied in kind.

"Did you two eat yet?"

"Yup! Sasuke took me for ramen." Naruto grinned.

Iruka's eyebrows raised. "Did he?"

"He ate three bowls," Sasuke muttered, still unsure as to how the blonde had managed it.

"Only three? It must have been an off day for you," Iruka teased. Naruto laughed.

"You should have seen him the first time we took him for ramen. I think he was trying to clear out the restaurant." Iruka laughed. "He kept saying he was fine, and that it was delicious and amazing and he simply had to keep eating, and then, midway through another one, he just—fell right over. Collapsed right into the bowl."

Sasuke really enjoyed how red Naruto's face could get.

"I think his stomach finally communicated with his brain," Kakashi said, wandering in just as Iruka said, "nearly gave me a heart attack, I tell you."

"Do you want a full tour of the house, Sasuke? I assume Naruto didn't give you one," Iruka asked as he finished hanging up his jacket.

"Sure."


As much as Naruto had said it was technically his parents' house and he didn't live there anymore, the house practically oozed with his presence. Photos littered the walls—all of them with at least one blonde head of hair—little toys and trinkets, like ramen keychains and frog statues, were laid out across tables, hanging from doorknobs, draped over chairs—the entire house was just so…Naruto.

Sasuke found himself wandering, tuning out the conversation, as he scanned through the rooms. Growing up, his own house had always been very…clean. A few pictures here and there were the only indication that anyone actually lived there. But this—it wasn't dirty, not by any means, but it felt like…a home.

Like a family really lived here.

He brushed a picture frame with his hand—it was made out of popsicle sticks and pompoms. Messy letters spelled out "Happy Birthday, Iruka"—all uneven and different sizes. Different colours, too, he thought with a snort.

"He made me that when he was six." A voice came from beside him, and Sasuke jerked in surprise. He hadn't realized Iruka was so close to him. "It was my first year volunteering in the network."

Iruka seemed to falter and pull himself back a little. "Ah—that was—that was something you already knew about, right?"

"The foster homes?"

"Yes."

"Yes. Naruto told me you adopted him when he was twelve."

Iruka nodded, letting out a small breath in relief. "Yes, we did. Mind you, I put the paperwork much earlier. It took ages to get through the system."

Sasuke glanced at him, noticing the slight grimace on Iruka's face—

"It's all backlogged," he continued in answer to Sasuke's silent question. "It takes months—if not years—for applications to even be looked at."

"That's…"

"It's bad. I know. It's part of the reason I try to help out with everything so much."

They stood in silence for a moment, hearing Naruto laugh at something Kakashi said in the other room.

"What was Naruto like when you met him?"

"As a kid?" Iruka smiled. "Loud. Very, very loud."

Sasuke snorted. "So not much has changed?"

Iruka chuckled. "I suppose not. It was a different sort of loud, though. As if he…" He shook his head, twisting a little to the side as if unwilling to finish the thought.

Sasuke looked at him, and then back at the picture frame. "He seems like the sort of person that doesn't want to let anyone know when something bothers him."

Iruka leaned back, smiling softly. "Yes. Yes, he is that. He hates making other people sad."

Sasuke smiled, shaking his head.

"What else did Naruto tell you?" Iruka was watching him, he noticed.

"About the foster system? Or just in general?"

"Either or."

Well, the first thing that came to mind was…

"How he got his—the marks on his cheeks." Sasuke stopped himself from saying 'tattoos'. It didn't seem like the right word.

Iruka blinked several times, turning to face Sasuke with eyes that were just a little wider. "He told you about that?"

"I asked about them." Sasuke shifted a little. "He also told me how he helped Kakashi propose," he added, feeling the need to lighten the mood a little.

It worked. A brilliant smile bloomed across Iruka's face—accompanied by a blush that was just as bright.

"How did that come up?"

Sasuke shrugged. "He said something along the lines of Kakashi wanting to adopt him so he could help with the proposal."

Iruka laughed.

"Yes…well," Iruka sighed, his smile falling a little, "that was…an interesting few months."

"Was that around the same time Naruto ran away from home?"

Iruka's head snapped around so quickly, it startled Sasuke.

"Ah, sorry to bring that up—"

"No—no, it's alright." Iruka shook his head. "You just surprised me. It was just after that, actually."

"So soon?"

"Yes. We had…lots of fights before then. I assume Naruto told you?" He eyed Sasuke.

"Bits and pieces."

"Ah, well…yes. It all kind of," Iruka made a motion with his hands, "came to a head that night. It was an awful way to do so, but it forced us to work through the things we needed to."

Sasuke sighed quietly. He wondered if he would ever…

"What's your family like, Sasuke?"

Sasuke grimaced.

"…My family—"

"Sasuke! Teme, c'mere, I gotta show you this." Naruto waved him over from the other room. Kakashi watched in amusement, wandering back to where Iruka stood.

"Usuratonkachi," Sasuke muttered to himself, obediently following after him.


Kakashi moved to follow them, but felt something grab his shirt. He paused, raising an eyebrow at his husband.

"Are you sure they're not dating?" Iruka whispered, staring at the room the boys had just moved to.

Kakashi chuckled.

"Give it another week."

"A week? I'd say a night..."

Kakashi stuck out his hand to shake. "Loser has to make dinner?"

"Your cooking is terrible." Iruka gave him a look.

Kakashi held a hand over his heart. "Here—in my own house—unbelievable, this kind of treatment—"

Iruka laughed. "Loser has to do the all the bins for six weeks."

"Two."

"Four?"

"Deal."


"I didn't know you liked plants so much." Sasuke took a moment just to take it all in—it was a veritable greenhouse in here.

"I love them!" Naruto grinned and spun around. "I had to learn—y'know, 'cause a big part of taking care of my frogs was getting the right plants, and then I really got into it," he let out a soft sigh, running his hand along the wood, "but I can't take care of them like I used to. All my stuff is still here," Naruto shuffled over, squinting at a plant that didn't seem to be doing so well, "and I don't really have the space in my place for any of it. It's all connected—see?"

He tapped the wooden structure holding the plants, and the lights over top of them swayed with the motion.

"It's a shame nothing's in bloom for you," he continued, weaving through the rows, examining each plant with a soft smile. Sasuke burned the image into his memory, feeling that familiar tightness in his chest—that familiar breathlessness, where Sasuke just couldn't seem to get enough air no matter how he breathed—

"I'm not going anywhere," Sasuke offered. Naruto's eyes snapped up to his, and there was a moment where Sasuke was suddenly unsure anything outside of this room existed—

"You wanna come here again?"

He did. He really did.

"If you'll have me."

Sasuke had to tear his eyes from Naruto's resulting smile. A moment longer and he was afraid he might have kissed him.


"You're welcome to stay the night, Sasuke," Iruka said, "in case Naruto hasn't already told you."

He hadn't, and Sasuke nodded his thanks.

"Oh, I forgot." Naruto grinned, rubbing the back of his neck. "Whoops."

Iruka only laughed.

"Alright, well, we're heading to bed."

"Already?" Naruto sat up and looked outside. It was dark.

"It's almost 10:30, Naruto." Kakashi chuckled.

Naruto groaned.

"Where does the time go? I didn't do any work today!"

Sasuke grimaced. Neither had he.

"Well, I'm sure you can both make up for it." Kakashi met Naruto's glare with a bright smile. "I have more papers for you, if you'd like."

Naruto collapsed back onto the couch in response. Sasuke snorted as Naruto's leg stretched over him.

He thought he saw Kakashi's gaze turn speculating, but before he could really tell, they were heading up the stairs.

"Don't stay up too late!" Iruka called.

"6:30 tomorrow, Naruto," Kakashi said.

"Ah, yeah, okay!" Naruto called in response, before he relaxed back, throwing an arm over his eyes. "That okay with you?"

"Sure. Did you have a lot to do today?" Sasuke asked, making a point not to move Naruto's leg from off of his lap. Frustrating as it may be, he wasn't about to throw this away over some unrequited feelings.

"I always have a lot to do," Naruto still had his forearm over his eyes, "but I did a bit in the library, I guess. And then I fell asleep."

Sasuke hid his smile behind his hand.

Naruto stretched out a bit more, sinking into the couch with a sigh.

"It's nice to be home though." He moved his hand from his eyes. "I've been—"

He suddenly noticed the way he was stretched over Sasuke and jerked his legs back as if he'd been burned.

Sasuke raised his eyebrows.

"Sorry." Naruto shifted nervously, sitting up and looking away from him.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and grabbed an ankle before Naruto could pull away further, yanking Naruto's leg back to where it had been—Naruto yelped as his entire body was unceremoniously dragged down the couch.

He blinked up at Sasuke, who was smirking and still holding his ankle.

"Ow," Naruto said, completely unhurt.

"You were being dumb."

"I was not!"

Sasuke gave him a look.

"I didn't—"

"Want to make me uncomfortable. Yes. I get that. You're not."

Naruto didn't look convinced.

Sasuke had the unbelievably strong urge to run his thumb along Naruto's ankle, and quickly let go. Naruto pulled his legs back the moment he did.

Sasuke resisted the urge to sigh.

"We'll sleep in the same bed tonight," Sasuke crossed his arms, tight, over his chest, "and I'll prove it to you."

Naruto gave a surprised laugh and shook his head. "You don't have to do that—"

"Well, too bad. It's what we're doing until you stop being an idiot."


"Ha! Now it's you borrowing my toothbrush." Naruto grinned in victory, brandishing the toothbrush at him.

"You don't have any spares in your entire bathroom?"

"My parents probably do, but I'm not about to go wake them up for this. You mind?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and took the toothbrush.


If Naruto thought Sasuke usually looked good, he was entirely unprepared for the way he looked dressed fully in Naruto's pajamas. The shirt—especially—was just loose enough to fall off his shoulder a little…Naruto's mouth had never been more dry.

Sasuke stretched, lifting his arms up into the air and tilting to one side. Naruto wrenched his eyes away from Sasuke's midriff and internally begged for mercy. This was not helping.

This is exactly what got him into this mess. He had really, really tried to get over Sasuke in the week they hadn't spoken. All it had done was make him think about him more. And then he had gone out to find him and apologized and combatted Naruto's insecurities with ease and—ugh.

Naruto wanted to scream into a pillow, but instead, here he was, about to share a bed with Sasuke.

Again.

And here was the thing: he really didn't want to make Sasuke uncomfortable. He really didn't, and it made these feelings even more stupid and awful—he desperately wanted to be close to Sasuke. As friends. He had never gotten along so well with someone, and he couldn't stand the thought of ruining that—and yet, he had woken up and consciously chosen to stay in a position that could ruin it because he was selfish and pathetic and—

"Naruto?"

Naruto opened his eyes, not realizing he had closed them.

"Are you okay?"

"Uh—yeah, sorry," Naruto smiled sheepishly, "just a headache. I'm gonna go grab some water." He took a few steps towards the door. "D'you want anything?"

"Water, too."

"Okay," Naruto called behind him. He moved down the stairs, into the kitchen, and then leaned against the counter. The cool tile felt nice against his skin, and he pressed his forehead to it, sighing softly.

He just needed to...clear his head.


A/N: Ahhh, 11 chapters doesn't seem like that many, but this story is really moving! I'm excited about tomorrow. I hope you are too! Thank you all so much again. You guys have been so, so kind and supportive and ah ;_; my heart! I really appreciate it!

See you tomorrow,

- Kinomi