When Sasuke finally slid into bed that night, it was well past two. He gazed at Naruto, asleep beside him with a troubled look on his face, watched the way the moonlit shadows made his eyelashes look like they were shimmering. Naruto's face turned towards him even more, and he felt himself drifting off into sleep. Right when he was about to his unconscious, he heard Naruto's sleepy voice.
"You were out so late." He said, monotonously, not yet opening cerulean eyes. "What were you and Neji doing?"
Sasuke could hear the jealously and it almost gave him a sense of pride, that he could make Naruto jealous.
"You'll find out really soon." Sasuke said, sitting up, his sleepiness fading as he felt Naruto coming closer and closer to him. "I missed you." Naruto said, his face suddenly landing on Sasuke's chest. "It get's so lonely when you're not here."
Sasuke smiled and ruffled Naruto's hair. "Sap." He teased, not being able to resist a couple golden locks. Anyone who looked at him would tell him he was hopelessly in love if they saw the way he was gazing at Naruto, but luckily, Sasuke had learnt to hide his feelings very well…even from himself.
"I'm sorry." He said sincerely, even though he really had done nothing wrong. "You won't be lonely anymore if I can help it."
Naruto played with the material of his shirt, and Sasuke suddenly felt that their closeness was a bit too….close, as a well-known heat began to travel up his groin.
"Umm…" he stalled, trying to think of something to say to get away from the awkward position he was in, with Naruto's head against his chest, Naruto almost on top of him. "I need to use the bathroom." He made a move as if to get up, but Naruto clung to his arm. "Please." he said, in a voice unlike that of his usual. "Please Sasuke, don't leave me again for tonight."
Sasuke felt his body stiffen, and even if it still wanted to move, his heart would never let it. Naruto didn't have to ask twice. Immediately he felt Sasuke's arms wrap around his, felt Sasuke pull him up till they were face to face. Sasuke brought his head down, to rest on a sturdy shoulder. "I won't leave you." Sasuke whispered. 'You need me now more that any other time…'
Naruto fell limp and asleep suddenly, as if he'd been waiting for Sasuke all along…
"Sensei I really don't understand how I could've gotten an 83." Sasuke said, pointing to the math paper he'd been given at the start of class. "I understood everything and did it all perfectly!"
Sasuke and 80's did not mix.
Kakashi blinked boredly and then turned the paper over. "But you missed a question," He said pointing. "At the back."
Sasuke stared and grimaced. "Hn." He snapped, angry at himself.
"Next time you should check." Kakashi said sounding vaguely amused, as if he had put the question at the back knowing that Sasuke wouldn't have turned it over.
As Sasuke gathered his books to go to his next class, he watched Iruka come into the room out of the corner of his eye. "S-sensei." He said, eyes averted, cheeks flushed.
"My printer seems to have stopped working again. Can I use yours…again."
Kakashi put his feet up unto his desk.
"Sure." He said, pointing to the corner of the room. "Over there."
Iruka nodded, biting on his lip as he walked past Kakashi, looking at him as if the man took his breath away.
"I-It's off." Iruka said softly, as if lowering his voice would make him less of nuisance.
Kakashi got up, sighing and came up behind Iruka. Inside if walking around him, he simply stepped behind the smaller man, pressing him against the printer to press the button.
Iruka's eyes were shut, and he looked like he really couldn't breathe. "You suck with electronics." Kakashi said, shaking his head.
Iruka swallowed, looking unsteady. "T-Th…" he tried saying, not being able to speak with Kakashi behind him.
Sasuke felt a smile spread across his own face. 'Who said I'm only allowed to pair up one couple at a time?' he thought. 'Or two for that matter.'
Continuing to watch the two men, one painfully oblivious to the other one's strong crush, Sasuke thought about the fact that he still had to get Neji and Gaara together. And Naruto and what's his name. But what harm could come from adding one more to the mix?
Step one of his 3 step plan to get Neji and Gaara together was to make sure that there were no lingering feelings for him on Neji's part.
So in between English and Chemistry, in the 15 minutes that everyone used to talk, Sasuke caught Neji in the locker rooms, coming from gym. He smelt particularly good after showering and his hair smelt like lavender. Sasuke couldn't wait till Gaara had the chance to run his fingers through that hair.
"Neji," Sasuke said seriously. "I want you to kiss me."
"Don't play with me Sasuke." Neji said, brushing his hair and looking around to make sure no one else was there. "What are you trying to do?"
"I want you to kiss me. I don't believe that you really don't love me anymore. So kiss me to prove it." Sasuke said, crossing his arms.
Neji stopped mid-brush. "Just believe me, there's nothing there."
"Then kiss me." Sasuke said. "That shouldn't be a problem, should it?"
"Friends don't usually go around kissing each other." Neji tried to sound sensible, though Sasuke could hear nervousness peeping through.
'They don't?' Sasuke thought, thinking about the many times he'd kissed Naruto. 'Oops.'
"Please, I just want to make sure." He said. "One time only, promise."
"Whatever." Neji said, putting his brush down and walking towards Sasuke. Awkwardly putting his hands on Sasuke's shoulder, he leaned in closer. "You-You're lips?"
"No shit Sherlock." Sasuke said, rolling his eyes. He tapped his fingers against Neji's waist, waiting.
"Ok…" Neji said, and Sasuke tugged a little, growing impatient. He felt soft, well-practiced lips press against his, and it felt nothing like Naruto's. Though Naruto had had many boyfriends, he still kissed like it was his first time, tentively and shyly. Neji kissed like it was his job, a job that he was really, really good at.
Sasuke stood still, checking for an increase in Neji's body temperature, any trembling as Neji's hands came to clasp him around the neck. Nothing. He smiled.
"There." Neji said, pulling back. "It felt really good, but nothing…nothing loving."
"Good." Sasuke said.
Neji smiled wirily. "I finally get that kiss I've been waiting for all my life…and I don't even want it."
"It wasn't me you were waiting for." Sasuke shrugged. He went towards the door, feeling relieved till he saw a shadow being cast from behind the door. Within a second it had disappeared, and Sasuke heard footsteps running away. He followed. The swinging gym doors burst open and then closed, but not before Sasuke had gotten a chance to glimpse a bit of spiky blond hair.
'Naruto.'
"Stop!" Sasuke screamed, chasing Naruto down the hall. "Naruto!"
Upon hearing his name, Naruto stopped, blinking as if he didn't know why he'd been running. "Were you watching that?" Sasuke said.
Naruto shrugged. "The kiss? Yeah…I saw it."
"You know…that wasn't…"
Naruto held up a hand, back still turned to Sasuke. "I really don't need an explanation." He said. "I just didn't think…you and Neji...I mean, you knew Gaara loved him…"
"I do know!" Sasuke said, not wanting Naruto to think badly of him for even a second. "That's why I told him to kiss me! I just…wanted to make sure he didn't care for me anymore."
Naruto smiled. "Oh." He said. "So we can go to phase two now?"
"Yeah…" Sasuke said, his voice dropping a notch. Lowering his eyes, he suddenly felt bad. Without realizing it, he'd been hoping that Naruto was upset, and that was why he'd been running, that Naruto was jealous, and when he caught up, Naruto would be crying and ready to confess how much he truly loved Sasuke. Sasuke laughed to himself.
"See you after Chemistry." Naruto said, walking off, still not looking at Sasuke.
Sasuke cocked his head to the side. As Naruto had left, a tear streak had been glistening on his cheek…
"This better work Neji, or you're dead." Sasuke said, clenching his fist. "If this…this kid hurts Naruto…"
"But that's just the thing. He's an uke. He's used to being hurt, just like Naru, so there's no chance of Naruto getting hurt this time." Neji said, standing attentively at the door.
"I'm still worried…" Sasuke said. "What if he doesn't come?"
"That's why we didn't tell Naruto about him. He won't be disappointed." Neji explained. Sasuke sighed, wondering how he was going to get Gaara to come out of his shell so Neji would notice him.
The doorbell rang and Neji pulled it open before it had buzzed for a second.
"Yah!" Neji exclaimed, dragging Riku into the house. "You're right on time!"
Sasuke crossed his arms, almost mad the boy had come. He was blushing and suddenly looked way too young, even though he was the same age as Naruto.
"What's all the commotion?" Naruto said, scratching behind his ear as he came into the hallway. "Oh? Who's this?"
Riku stared at Naruto, and immediately his blush deepened to the point where heat was radiating off his face. "I didn't know…he looked that good." He mumbled.
'You think he looks good now?' Sasuke marveled. Naruto still had sleep in his eyes and a bed head, and was wearing a white tee-shirt and jeans. 'Wait till you see him when he's awake.'
"This," Neji said, putting his hands on Riku's shoulders. "Is your blind date."
Naruto blinked. "Sasuke?" he said, looking towards his best friend.
Sasuke held up his hands in defence. "You were sad." He said. "You said it yourself, you needed someone to get over Concord grape boy."
Naruto bit his lip thoughtfully, gazing at Riku and his tiny frame. "Fine." He said shrugging. "I'm pretty sure someone like this couldn't hurt me. Come in…"
Riku breathed out at not being rejected and then followed Naruto inside.
Sasuke clenched his teeth, wishing Naruto had not been the understanding sweetheart that he was. Neji was positively beaming.
"So, what's your name…and age." Naruto asked, eying Riku.
"Riku, aged 17." The boy said.
Neji tugged on Sasuke's sleeve. "Let them talk alone." He hissed. "Give them their privacy."
Grumbling, Sasuke left with Neji and watched as he put a C.D into the player.
"What's that?" he asked, in spite of himself.
"My Chemical Romance. "Neji said, in adoration. "They're not really romantic, but I don't care, it'll set the mood anyways. They're awesome!"
Sasuke rolled his eyes before shutting off the blaring screams. "That may be so." He said. "But really, screaming like that never really sets the mood for anything.
Neji pouted, and then pulled out his i-pod and began listening to that.
The doorbell rang again, and Sasuke answered it, seeing as he was the only one not busy.
"Hi." Gaara said, walking unto the threshold. Sasuke sighed.
"How many times do I have to tell you that you don't have to knock?" He said, hugging the insecure red-head.
"One more." Gaara replied, zipping down his blazer.
Sasuke eyed his shirt curiously, a tiny man that looked skeletal, with a baton in his hand, was walking across the bottom of the shirt, the words MCR printed in runny red and black in the middle.
"What does that stand for?" Sasuke asked.
"My Chemical Romance. I love them." Gaara said.
Sasuke wanted to bring Neji into the room and just mash the two boys faces' together, thus making them fall in love forever. 'YES!' he thought.
"Oh…that's nice." He said.
"Is Neji here?" Gaara said, clearing his throat.
"Yeah." Sasuke said, excitement mounting. Now if only he could get Neji to notice that Gaara could be just as 'sexy' as all the sluts he went around dating.
Gaara walking inside and Sasuke heard Neji's exclaim. 'They were so meant to be.'
Walking back into the living room, Sasuke slinted his eyes at the sight of Naruto and that…that boy laughing like they were best friends. 'I'm you're best friend.' Sasuke thought jealously. 'Don't get close to him!'
The plans were going perfectly, both of them, but the second pairing, did nothing to make Sasuke happy. And still, still he wouldn't admit to himself how deep his feelings ran for the boy who was currently flirting with someone else.
Thank you:
freexflyer (thanks for the particularly long review and the motivaiton)
nanachan87(oh no, Sasuke only has his heart set on one person and thats his Naru!!)
YaoiFanGirl (ah, the questions, They burn!! lol, thanks for caring about me)
SasukesTrueLove (I know, they should hurry up and get together, even though that's all up to me lol)
lisa (I'll make sure to finish then! )
