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: AH! I am so sorry this is so late! The original plan was to post it as soon as I was out of surgery, but I completely passed out afterwards and keeping my focus has just been such a struggle ;_; Thank you all SO much for all of your support; I won't make you wait any longer!
Enter Naruto
Chapter 12: Naruto's Tenth Birthday
Sasuke was standing in front of the corkboard when Naruto came back—he had just been debating if Naruto would mind if he started to look through it.
"Oh yeah," the blonde put the glasses down on the bedside table, "I forgot to show you this."
"Show me it now." Sasuke turned back to the board, eyeing the way that young Naruto smiled at the girl with familiar pink hair. "Is this Sakura?"
"Yeah!" Naruto shuffled right up to him. "This was…I think it was the first week of high school."
"She looks…"
"Really pissed off." Naruto laughed. "She was. You have no idea—I asked her out about a thousand times."
Sasuke raised an eyebrow.
"Don't look at me like that!" Naruto grinned at him. "I like guys and girls. I just only knew half of that then."
"Did you ever actually date?"
"We did," Sasuke looked at him in surprise, "for all of three hours."
Sasuke snorted.
"It was a very efficient date, though. We both figured out we had zero interest in each other."
"Had she been turning you down that whole time? It sounds like she already knew."
Naruto laughed. "No, it was like—after we became friends. And I stopped asking her out every five minutes."
Sasuke eyed him incredulously.
"Okay, it wasn't that bad. At least, I don't think it was. She probably remembers better than me, though."
"Why?"
"Why what? Why was I so obsessed with her?"
Sasuke nodded.
"Honestly?" Naruto ducked his head a little. "I think—on some level—I was starting to realize that I was into guys. Like I didn't totally know that at the time—and it's not like Sakura wasn't pretty and cool and stuff, but…it was more like," Naruto let out a breath, running a hand through his hair, "if I could just focus on her…I could—I dunno, like—ignore everything else, I guess? Like—convince myself that I was only into her. It didn't really work, in the end, but…yeah."
Sasuke let out a small breath.
"…And then?"
"Oh, uh, that part's a bit more complicated." Naruto scratched his chin, eyes flickering to Sasuke and then back to the photo again. "Promise you won't tell?"
"Depends on what it is."
"It's about Sakura. It's not really mine to tell, but I can't really explain what happened without telling you…"
"I won't tell anyone. Who would I even tell?"
Naruto laughed. "True. Okay. Sakura's a lesbian. She hasn't really come out yet—I mean, some of us know, but most people don't. Like Ino and her parents and stuff—she hasn't told anyone like that yet...but yeah. That's why she was so persistent in turning me down." He gave Sasuke an exaggerated wink, and Sasuke rolled his eyes.
"She kind of knew before she said yes to me. It was like a…last chance kind of thing. For both of us, really."
"Last chance to be straight?"
Naruto nodded.
"Hm." Sasuke eyed the picture thoughtfully.
"Anyways," Naruto threw the photo a fond, soft smile, "I love that picture. We're such dorks."
Sasuke snorted.
"What about this?" He motioned to the plastic bag that hung from a few pins stuck through it.
"Oh!" Naruto smiled, grabbing the bag and spreading its contents out on the floor. "These are all the birthday cards Iruka gave me over the years. And a few from Kakashi, too, after I met him."
They were all homemade, Sasuke noticed as he knelt down. They were very nice.
"Iruka's really awesome with crafts," Naruto smiled, pressing his thumb to a piece of the card where the glue seemed to be coming unstuck, "comes from being a teacher for kids, I guess."
Sasuke opened one of the cards and Naruto made a noise, shifting from his cross-legged pose to up on his knees.
"Oh—um, you can read them, if you want, but you might find them kinda depressing. After the first few, I mean."
"Why would I find them depressing?"
"Well—um, 'cause my birth parents died on my birthday. So it's always kind of been a...uh, weird day for me."
"Oh." Sasuke looked down at the card in his hands. He didn't know how to respond to that.
"…When is your birthday?"
"It was in October. The tenth."
"The tenth?" Sasuke's eyes flickered up to his. "We missed it." He felt...oddly disappointed.
"That's okay! I don't actually really celebrate it. Well—I mean, Kakashi and Iruka do kinda pamper me more than usual," Naruto laughed, "but I don't have a party or anything."
Sasuke frowned and looked back at the cards in his hands. He opened one (sparing Naruto a quick glance to make sure he didn't mind); the outside had grown dull and faded, but the inside still kept the colour as if it was newly made. It was—
'Naruto,
Today marks four years that you've been in my life…'
—for Naruto's tenth birthday.
'…I wanted to write a card to thank you…'
It was carefully written, but heartwarming all the same. Sasuke hadn't quite expected it to be so…emotional—although maybe he should have. Iruka certainly had a way with words.
'…I can only hope to bring the same happiness that you bring to everyone around you back to you…'
Sasuke's throat grew thicker.
'…I know today isn't a happy day—but it isn't a sad day, either…'
It was as if Naruto's presence in his life was something to celebrate—something to be thankful for—as if it was something Iruka would be devastated if he lost.
'…after all, today is the day you were born—and that means today is the reason I was able to meet you…'
He was sure he'd find similar love within the rest of the cards.
'…from one prankster to the next…'
He closed it and put it back. Naruto was right—he did find it depressing, but not for the reasons that Naruto thought he would.
"You're lucky."
Naruto glanced up at the sound of Sasuke's voice—it was barely over a whisper.
Sasuke swallowed several times before he continued, still not looking up, "to have someone who cares for you so much."
Naruto breathed in—a sharp, barely audible breath—feeling something sharp and painful twist in his chest—
"Sasuke, people care about you."
Sasuke looked Naruto in the eye for barely a moment before he looked away. His mouth was set in a firm line.
"Sasuke—no, come on," Naruto moved forward—moved closer, "your brother obviously cares about you—"
"I'm an obligation."
"No, you're not," Naruto shoved the cards out of his way to get to Sasuke, "Sasuke, no—come on, there's no way he thinks of you like that," his knees bumped against Sasuke's, "you know he loves you—you're his brother—"
But Sasuke only shook his head, only turned away, eyes still not meeting Naruto's—
"Okay—what about your mom, then? She reached out to you—that has to mean something. She cares about you." Naruto ducked down, trying to catch Sasuke's eye. "It's proof that she's thinking of you—that she's missing you, at the very least—and I bet your dad misses you too—"
Sasuke's eyes finally met his, but they only made Naruto's chest twist tighter—they were so full of anger—so full of hurt—
"Sasuke," Naruto called—just as Sasuke turned away again, just as he swallowed, with the corners of his lips quivering, and Naruto felt every ounce of his restraint shudder under the weight of Sasuke's pain—
"Sasuke, just—just look at me." He grabbed Sasuke's wrists—and when that didn't work, he moved up, moved closer, grabbing him by the shoulders instead—
"Look at me," he said, much more firmly, this time—and Sasuke finally seemed to relent, looking up at Naruto with his eyes a little less hard, and with lips a little less tight—
"You don't want to believe it about anyone else? Fine," Naruto nodded, "you're wrong, but fine. But you have to believe me."
He squeezed Sasuke's shoulders, willing him to listen—
"I care about you."
He heard the small intake of breath—felt Sasuke tense, underneath his grip, and he knew this was dangerously close to a confession, but he needed Sasuke to know. Naruto was very familiar with the feeling of no one needing you—no one caring for you—and the thought of Sasuke feeling that way—
"I mean it," he swallowed, "I really care about you, Sasuke."
It was quieter, this time—and yet, it felt so much louder in the piercing silence of the room. Something changed in Sasuke's eyes and Naruto was suddenly intensely aware of how close they were—how quiet Sasuke was, still—how he might have just said far too much—he sucked in a breath and pulled away—
Sasuke pushed forwards.
Naruto froze.
It was only the feeling of Sasuke's lips leaving his (only the feeling of him tearing himself out from under Naruto's hands—only the sound of the whispered, frantic apology), that brought Naruto's mind back to reality—
"Uh," was all Naruto got out before he was alone.
Sasuke was barely out the door when he felt Naruto grab his arm. He didn't pull away—even though the hand felt like fire, as if its imprint was burning into his skin—but he refused to look back; his gaze was glued to the stairs, debating if he could make it to the front door fast enough—and, if so, where he could go—
This was so stupid. He was so stupid—he knew Naruto didn't feel the same, but he had been right there and so close to him and looking at him with those eyes—
Sasuke's stomach lurched as Naruto wrenched him back—it was already twisting enough, between his nerves and his heart—through the doorway, and Sasuke barely had a moment to register what was happening before his escape plan died before his eyes—
Sasuke felt his back hit the door—now shut, with him inside Naruto's room—and his heart nearly dropped out the bottom of his stomach—
"Okay," Naruto's finger poked the middle of Sasuke's chest, "okay—you need to tell me what the hell just happened, because I—"
He cut himself off in a breath—one that nearly sounded like a laugh—Naruto ducked his head and Sasuke found himself moving with it because Naruto was—it seemed like he was—
"You kissed me—right? I'm not crazy here?"
—happy.
"Right?"
Naruto looked up at him, eyes wide and glittering and hopeful—and—
"Yes," the word escaped him like a breath—
"Oh," Naruto's voice shuddered—it cracked, just a little, as he rocked back on his feet, "oh—"
The laugh breathed out of him again, and this time, Naruto followed it. Sasuke felt his hand grip his shirt—the other slide along his neck—as Naruto pressed close—pulled him closer—and then—
—and then Sasuke was in heaven.
It was gentle, it was soft, and he could feel the smile stretching against his lips—he could feel his own, matching it, because Naruto was kissing him and Sasuke's heart was swelling in his chest—
Naruto pulled back only to kiss him again—and again—and again—and with each kiss his smile grew, until he was laughing against Sasuke's lips—and Sasuke couldn't help but laugh, too, because this was just so unbelievable—the fact that Naruto—that Naruto—
"You're such an asshole," Naruto laughed the words against his lips. "I can't believe—"
Sasuke kissed the rest of his words away, too desperate to let him continue—too desperate to let this end—he let out a breath, against Naruto's mouth, but it came out as something that sounded awfully like a whimper—
And Naruto must have heard, from the way the kiss instantly deepened—from the way his hands moved up to grab fistfuls of Sasuke's hair, tugging at him as if he couldn't pull him close enough—
He hadn't even realized they had moved until he felt the back of his knees hit something soft—the bed—and Naruto was still pressed against him, still pushing closer, still grabbing every part of him as if he couldn't pick a place to rest his hands—
He fell back onto the bed and took Naruto with him.
Naruto was very obedient. He fell forwards, straddling Sasuke—barely managing to keep the distance between their hips as their lips pressed together again. Naruto was intensely aware of how easy it would be to press down, press forward—to let his hands slip underneath Sasuke's (Naruto's) shirt...the need to touch more of Sasuke—see more of Sasuke—it was nearly overwhelming. But Naruto was even more aware that this was way too fucking good to be true; the fact that Sasuke actually wanted this—that Sasuke had even initiated it—it was impossible. It was impossible—Naruto was—
"I'm dreaming," he whispered into Sasuke's mouth. "Pinch me—"
The kiss didn't pause, but he did feel it shift—felt the soft smile in Sasuke's lips, as it shifted again—as Sasuke shifted again, and the hand that had been on Naruto's back slipped, just barely, under his shirt, just above the hem of his pants—
It was the gentlest pinch Naruto had ever felt, but did it ever do the job.
In a flash, he rolled onto his side, grabbing Sasuke's hips so he would roll, too—Naruto's restraint struggled somewhere between Sasuke's smile against his lips and his hand under his shirt, and if he had stayed on top of Sasuke like that, it was likely to die completely—
This, on the other hand...
The moonlight hit Sasuke—lips parted and wet—in just the right way. Naruto felt his heart tumble and twist, as it so often did when he saw Sasuke—but this was worse—this was so much better—he didn't know how Sasuke expected him to catch his breath with him looking down at him like this—
Sasuke leaned down and kissed it away again.
There was nothing in the world Naruto could have cared about less. The way Sasuke was kissing him—god, there was no hesitation—only heat, and passion, and need—
And one of Sasuke's legs was in between Naruto's, with the other on his side—he could feel Sasuke pressing up against him just as clearly as he was sure Sasuke could feel him—he let out a trembling breath into the kiss, trying to expel some of the pleasure—this friction was driving him so wild—
But Sasuke made a small, soft sound, as if in response—as if he knew how close to the edge Naruto was, and Naruto suddenly realized that his flimsy, one-piece-of-fabric pajama pants must be doing absolutely nothing to hide the erection—
Sasuke's body shifted.
Whatever Naruto had been about to say—whatever apology, or excuse, or what—was destroyed by the moan in his throat. It took next to nothing to have the ecstasy surging through his body—next to nothing to have him rubbing himself all over Sasuke's thigh—he just couldn't help it—and, if the way he was moving was anything to go by, neither could Sasuke—
Sasuke broke the kiss, shuddering forwards. He leaned into Naruto's neck, pressing his lips to the open skin in between breaths—he kept his forearms on either side of Naruto's head as they moved—but they were shaking; it was almost as if he could barely hold himself up—his breathing was becoming faster and faster—Naruto could hear it—
All at once, Sasuke's body stiffened, letting out a strangled noise and gripping Naruto's hair so hard it hurt—had he just—oh god—Sasuke had just—
Naruto went from pleasure to ecstasy in seconds—he had just made Sasuke cum and that was definitely enough—
Naruto wrapped his arms around Sasuke's hips as tight as they would go and slammed them together, throwing his head back. Whatever noise he made was entirely out of his control—all he could feel was Sasuke's body pressing up against him, his breath against his neck, the shockwaves of pleasure echoing through every one of his nerves—
He opened his eyes, gasping. He was still clutching at Sasuke, but he couldn't seem to let go. He felt embarrassed and a little afraid, but he felt so good…
He bit his lip, but it wasn't enough to stop his smile.
"Stop laughing at me," Sasuke muttered against his neck.
"I'm not laughing at you!"
"I can hear you smiling, idiot."
"I'm smiling because I'm happy! I'm not laughing at you." Naruto grabbed at Sasuke's shoulders and pulled him up so he could see his face. Sasuke almost looked like he was pouting.
Oh, but there was that angle again…and the light…
Naruto reached up and brushed back some hair that had been sticking to Sasuke's cheek.
"You are…something else. You know that?"
Sasuke frowned. "Is that a compliment?"
Naruto gave a soft laugh, and pulled Sasuke in for a kiss.
"Yeah," he said, pressing their foreheads together. "Yeah, it is."
They cleaned themselves up in the haze of the morning light. A blushing Sasuke borrowed Naruto's (clean) underwear, but his embarrassment felt dull and faint in the face of Naruto's smile (and his fatigue). The adrenaline that had surged through him—the nerves and the fear—had left him, now, only to be replaced by the exhaustion he probably should have been feeling this whole time.
And Naruto didn't seem much better off, from the half-lidded eyes and sleepy smile he gave as he lifted the covers for Sasuke. He wasn't quite asleep, but he looked as if he was right on the edge—each blink was slower, longer, heavier...Sasuke could feel the weight in his own eyes, too, but he just wanted to be awake a little longer...just to see Naruto a little longer, because some part of him was convinced he would close his eyes and wake up to a reality that wasn't this one—
"—s'ke," Naruto's voice broke through his thoughts, "c'mere."
He made a noise—some grumbled, sighing sound—and pulled Sasuke into his arms before he could say a word.
They fell asleep, tangled together, not a minute later.
A/N: Well, I DID say I wouldn't make you wait! And yes, the last chapter title was a hint. And I know, I know, it's only chapter 12! But it is 100 pages in, and there is plenty of plot aaand relationship development to go :) I can't wait to hear what you all think!
See you tomorrow,
- Kinomi
