The next day, as promised, Kiba and Chouji collected Naruto to make the introductions downstairs. Kiba had explained how pretty Sakura and Ino were. Naruto was even more excited to meet them and Sakura sounded like someone he would get along with really well. Naruto hadn't had a girlfriend before. He'd kissed a few girls in college, but that was about as far as he had gone. He had been waiting for so long for an opportunity like this. While his roommate hadn't been all that he had expected and it was obvious they weren't ever going to become close friends, Naruto had already made the friends he had been hoping for. His bond was quickly growing with Kiba and Sakura and her long candy-pink hair sounded outgoing and exciting.
Naruto invited them in to his communal space. Kiba blinked.
"Weird, man. All our dorms are identical. It's creepy." He said, taking in the surroundings.
Naruto nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, but unfortunately I've got something yours hasn't." he said, in mock woe, rolling his eyes and inclining his head towards Sasuke's door. The door remained locked and silent, as usual. The whole vicinity of Sasuke's room had a 'trespassers will be shot' aura. Kiba snorted with laughter.
"Thank fuck for that!" he exclaimed loudly.
The noise drew the beast from hiding and Sasuke threw his door open, glowering at the two boys in his living space. Chouji was in the kitchen, rummaging for something to eat, already making himself at home. Sasuke took them in; almost identical, idiotic grins. Though starkly different in colour, their hair both had the same spiky, unruly quality.
"Great. Now there's two of you." He surmised, irritated, before rudely slamming his door in their faces.
This had Naruto and Kiba bursting into loud laughter. Sasuke heard it through the thin walls and it made him seethe with repressed rage. One idiot, he could deal with. But two? His patience was already thin. How was he supposed to study with those two cackling away day and night? He wondered if it were too late for a room transfer. Anything had to be better than this, and just something about Naruto irked him to no end.
"Someone didn't get their beauty sleep!" the comment travelled through Sasuke's door and he grit his teeth. Between the muffling of the door and Kiba and Naruto's similar mannerisms, he couldn't tell which one had shouted. He then heard more noise as something, probably mundane, made the pair burst out laughing again.
"Are you truly planning on living off…this?" Chouji asked, gesturing to the cupboard full of instant ramen.
Naruto smiled as he remembered Iruka's concerned warnings that he wouldn't live until his thirties if he kept consuming the same amount of instant noodles.
"Is this in Japanese? What is this?"
Sasuke's interest was piqued and he continued to listen to their conversation through the paper-thin walls.
"Ah, yeah!" came Naruto's loud reply. "I'm from Konoha."
Naruto elaborated as Kiba and Chouji's showed no recognition.
"Japan! This is ramen. The best food you'll ever taste!" he said.
Sasuke rolled his eyes as Naruto went off on a tangent, talking loudly and animatedly about ramen. All the different kinds, and his favourite place to eat back home, and how the instant kind didn't do it any justice. Sasuke processed this information slowly. It was strange that Naruto was, too, from Japan. Sasuke hadn't grown up there, but he did have Japanese ancestry. Sasuke hadn't detected it before which he supposed he should have, from Naruto's surname. The shocking blonde hair and impossibly blue eyes had thrown Sasuke off, however.
They moved away from the door and Sasuke could only hear mumbles of conversation and could no longer make out the words. Bored, Sasuke moved away and sat back at his desk, picking up a book and diving in.
"Shit, we should get going!" Kiba exclaimed.
Naruto nodded in agreement.
"Let me grab my keys," he said, shuffling over and grabbing them from the table. Something on the table grabbed Naruto's eye. His roommate's student card. He picked it up. The bastard was looking as surly as ever in the photo. He read the card, and for the first time, could put a name to the bastard face.
"Sasuke, eh?" he breathed.
Kiba called from the corridor. Naruto dropped the card, pocketed his keys, and ran to catch up with Kiba and Chouji. He made sure to slam the door as loudly as possible. That would annoy Sasuke for sure.
The introductions had gone well and Naruto felt warmed by the fact that he was beginning many friendships already. Naruto had been one of the later arrivals to the block and hadn't had the previous week to meet and bond with all the other students, but Kiba and Chouji had made sure Naruto had been introduced to everyone they had met so far. Naruto wasn't surprised Kiba had made so many fast friends; he was very outgoing, funny, and likeable.
The term started tomorrow, and there would be less free time for socialising, so Naruto felt it was important he met people now where there was time. Sakura had been even more beautiful than Kiba had described. Her pink hair was long and soft-looking, showing she was not only pretty, but edgy, too. They'd made eye contact, and Naruto had smiled. She had smiled back, and Naruto vowed the next time he would screw up the courage and go over and talk to her. Information gleaned from Kiba, Naruto knew that Sakura was studying medicine. Naruto found it hard to believe someone could be so smart and so beautiful at the same time.
Naruto jumped from his thoughts as he heard muffled shouting from Sasuke's room. Warily, he cracked open his door, staring at Sasuke's door opposite. The door was shut as usual.
Was he having a fight in there with someone? Did he need to call the campus police or something? Did he need to call the actual police?
Naruto remembered reading the number for the campus security in the handbook. Now he wished he'd paid closer attention. Sasuke's voice sounded again, angry and cold. Naruto chewed his lip nervously, shifting his weight from foot to foot, trying to decide what to do. He heard Sasuke speak again and came to a realisation.
He's on the phone!
Naruto felt suddenly disappointed. Watching Sasuke get punched around the dorm would have put him in a better mood for sure. In fact, seeing Sasuke get hit in the face probably would have made his week. Naruto had a gloomy feeling he and Sasuke would eventually come to blows. Naruto really struggled to control his temper around Sasuke. Something about his cold, impassive face really boiled Naruto's blood. He also took no responsibility for his rude and arrogant comments. Naruto wondered if an apology had ever passed Sasuke's lips. It was doubtful.
Sasuke was shouting again and Naruto frowned. What on earth could be making Sasuke shout so angrily? What, or who could manage to draw such emotion from Sasuke? He'd been cold as ice since Naruto had met him. He was intrigued to know who Sasuke had been talking to. He hadn't had any visitors since the term had started. Sasuke's door suddenly flew open and blue eyes met black.
Naruto looked like a deer in headlights, suddenly aware that Sasuke had caught him snooping. Well, not exactly snooping, per se. Sasuke looked furious. His face was slightly flushed from anger.
"Are… are you okay?" Naruto asked awkwardly.
As rude as Sasuke had been, he was still a person. Naruto was empathetic to a fault. He couldn't help but worry about Sasuke. Maybe there was a reason he was such a rude asshole. Sasuke's eyes hardened.
"Go fuck yourself." He hissed to Naruto, before retreating back into his room.
Naruto sighed. Or maybe, just maybe, Sasuke was born with a sneer.
Sasuke was stirring his green tea, half watching the smoke tendrils rise from the cup, half watching Naruto with his peripheral vision. It seemed Naruto was having some kind of mini-meltdown at the kitchen table. Papers and books were scattered everywhere. Naruto snapped his pencil in half, grabbing handfuls of blonde hair in frustration.
"The fuck," Naruto hissed.
Sasuke took a sip of the bitter tea, watching, amused. He sauntered over and picked up one of the books.
"Statistics for science?" he read aloud.
He was surprised Naruto was studying something requiring statistics. He had pegged Naruto for a media or drama student. Something useless just like the person himself. Naruto gave him a glare and snatched the book back. He flipped through some pages, not taking in any of the information.
"This doesn't make sense." He said mournfully, looking down at his broken pencil pieces.
"Serves you right for being a dumbass." Sasuke supplied childishly.
Naruto didn't seem to hear him as he rifled through the pages once more.
"I don't… this is due tomorrow. I can't fail my induction assignment. I can't fail this, they won't let me progress to the next module." He muttered to himself.
Sasuke sighed as he realised Naruto was truly stressed. He snatched up the assignment.
"Hey!" Naruto hissed.
Sasuke scanned the pages. It seemed simple enough, though Sasuke supposed he couldn't be the judge; he had always had an affinity for maths and statistics. Most Uchiha's did, especially his mother. She had been brilliant and he had always run to her first with help with his homework. If Naruto had had the qualifications to get on the course in the first place, he shouldn't be struggling with statistics.
"You didn't do this in college?" Sasuke queried.
"Obviously not." Naruto replied, trying to snatch them back, but Sasuke held them just out of reach. Naruto let his head drop to the table in misery making overdramatic groaning noises.
"You'll need help." Sasuke stated.
Naruto's head lifted, throwing Sasuke and incredulous look.
"No shit." He muttered. "I'll go see Kiba." He said, still trying to get the assignment back.
Sasuke snorted, genuinely amused. Those two idiots couldn't screw in a light bulb between them, let alone complete something moderately difficult.
"Kiba? He's a brain-dead moron. He studies art." Sasuke says distastefully.
He had no time for the arts. It didn't belong as a university subject. Colouring with crayons did not warrant a qualification. When Itachi had been young, he had expressed an interesting in going to an art school. Their Father had refused to speak to Itachi for three months.
Naruto huffed.
"Well, Shikamaru, then."
Hadn't he been studying economics? Or was it politics now? Either way, he'd looked like a smart guy. Lazy, but smart. Sasuke rolled his eyes and placed the paper down. He picked up one of the pencils that Naruto hadn't assaulted. He drew some numbers on the page.
"You do it like this," he explained, the pencil making a satisfying scratching sound against the paper.
Naruto watched Sasuke as he drew, doubtful if Sasuke were truly offering help or if it would end in a prank. Naruto realised he hadn't actually been this close to Sasuke before. His eyes really were so impossibly dark and at this distance, Naruto could swear the shiny hair framing Sasuke's face had a slight blue tinge.
"Does that make more sense?" Sasuke asked.
His voice was different when he wasn't angry or annoyed, Naruto noted. Dark eyes caught his own and it made Naruto shiver. Whose eyes were that black anyway? He stared at the paper for a few moments.
"Actually, yeah." Naruto admitted begrudgingly.
Five seconds of Sasuke's time was more valuable than two hours with that stupid book. Naruto glared at the offending book. Sasuke pushed the pencil into his hand and pointed to the next question.
"Now you do this, the same." He said.
Naruto took the pencil warily. Using Sasuke's example, stabbing at the calculator, he finished the problem.
"Is that… is that right?" he asked anxiously.
"Yes. Next one." Sasuke said, not giving Naruto a second to celebrate.
Naruto successfully completed half the questions. Sasuke walked away, leaving him to the rest. Naruto cleared his throat.
"Er…" he trailed off. "Thanks, Sasuke."
The genuine gratefulness took Sasuke by surprise. He hid the feeling well. Sasuke also realised it was the first time Naruto had used his name. He didn't recall telling it, but he decided not to question it.
"Hn."
Naruto successfully completed another question and heard Sasuke's door click. Was this progress? Were they making progress? Sasuke helped, did this mean Sasuke hated him less now for some reason? Naruto tried to push it from him mind as he realised he did have a lot of work left to do before tomorrow.