The principal of their school was not a man Sasuke particularly liked because he wasn't always the most rationally-minded adult he'd ever encountered. In fact, like Kakashi, the older man was eccentric, sarcastic, and occasionally abrasive. He often got the impression the principal was not very fond of him either, but when it came down to it, he was usually fair.
As soon as Sasuke entered the office, he saw Dosu and Zaku sitting in the chairs near the secretary's desk. Now that he was able to see them in the bright fluorescent lighting, it was clear Naruto wasn't the only one with injuries. They glared, but didn't say anything. He assumed they'd already spoken with the principal. Apparently, the secretary had been expecting him, so she waved at him to go ahead. He thanked her and, even though he'd received permission, knocked on the door. There was a gruff, indecipherable response, which he took as an acknowledgement, so Sasuke opened the door and walked inside. The principal, his wild white hair falling over both shoulders, seemed preoccupied with the paper airplane he was folding.
"Don't just stand there," said the principal. "Take a seat. I hear you were involved in preventing another fight. Unfortunately, we've run out of Good Samaritan medals so you'll have to settle for a pat on the back. Not from me, of course, so use your imagination."
Sasuke didn't reply. He kept watching the way the older man smoothed out each fold of the paper, his stark white bushy eyebrows drawn together in his preoccupation. The glasses he wore had slipped down near to the tip of his nose.
"So, tell me what happened then. It was hard to decipher what the hell those other two dimwits were sayin', and given their permanent record, I doubt I can trust anything they have to say. They told me the new boy was responsible for starting the fight."
"Sir," said Sasuke.
"I told you not to call me 'sir'. It makes me feel old."
Sasuke raised an eyebrow.
"I can feel you raising your eyebrow," the principal glanced up from his plane and narrowed his eyes. "Where is that brat anyway? He didn't run away, did he?"
"No," he answered. "I told him to go see the nurse since he was bleeding."
"Bleeding, eh? I would've pegged that kid for a scrapper. Not that the other kid looked in great shape. Unfortunately, I'm sure we'll be hearing from his father." The older man let out a sigh. He picked up the plane and showed it to Sasuke. "What do you think?"
Sasuke offered a pointed look. "About Naruto. From what I gathered, it was Dosu and Zaku that instigated the fight. Sai said he was pushed first, and then Naruto proceeded to defend both Sai and himself."
"I'm sure that's exactly how it happened. But, you and I both know this school has a zero tolerance policy for violence on the premises."
"I think in this case," said Sasuke. "You should make an exception. Being new, Naruto may not have understood all of our rules yet, and given Dosu and Zaku's record of causing trouble and harassing other students, I think you'd take all that into consideration. As I see it, Naruto was simply defending a friend from further physical harm."
"I have a question," said the older man. He removed his glasses, rubbing the lenses with the front of his shirt. "Why are you so interested in whether I punish this boy? It's rare for you to speak out on anyone else's behalf."
"I don't see how that's relevant."
"Really? I took you for a smart kid. A mouthy, know-it-all, but smart nonetheless."
Sasuke felt his eyebrow twitch. "I'm afraid I don't understand."
"What do you get out of this? By defending him? Depending on how you answer, you may sway my decision." The principal, with an oddly gleeful smile, steepled his fingers together after resting his elbows on top of the desk.
It might've taken some time, but Sasuke, figuring this might be the only chance to save Naruto from being expelled, decided to go with the truth.
"Because I like Naruto," he answered in an even voice.
The principal nodded. "He is a very likable fellow. To tell you the truth, I'd hate to see him go. I know what he's been through in recent months. His record from his previous school... well, let's just say I figured he wouldn't become a star student. But, after meeting with him and his father and speaking with some of my staff, we all agreed to give him a chance."
"If you understand the situation," said Sasuke. "Then what is there to consider?"
"Let's be realistic. Boys throwing punches at each other. Hell, it's normal. I did it at your age. But, this is a school with a reputation to uphold, and it's true that Dosu's father is a board member and very influential."
"Fine. Then I'll go to the newspapers and tell them that this school allows harassment of its homosexual students."
"Are you threatening me?" The principal asked, and all humor disappeared from his face.
"I wouldn't go so far as to call it a threat."
"What would you have me do then?"
Sasuke didn't have to answer because there was a sudden knock on the door, and then Naruto walked inside the office. Seeing Sasuke, he stopped, shut the door, and approached the principal's desk.
"Naruto," said the older man. "We had a pool running on how long you could last before getting yourself into trouble. I thought you'd hold out for at least a week."
"What's up with you and your staff gamblin' all the time?" Naruto asked, picking up a snowglobe from off of the desk and shaking it. "You should hear Tsunade talk about her trips to the horse track. It makes me uneasy bein' around so many unstable adults. How's a guy supposed to learn anything?"
Sasuke's jaw nearly hit the floor. So much for his plan of keeping Naruto in school.
However, instead of getting angry, the older man began to laugh.
"That woman has the worst luck, but no matter how many times I tell her to quit, she can't seem to help herself. She could've been an amazing doctor, but she said it would interfere with her gambling."
"Yeah, well," said Naruto. "She says you've got your own extracurricular activities you indulge in, eh?"
"Sh-she told you about that?"
"Sure. She always refers to you as "the pervert" instead of your real name. Heh."
The principal cleared his throat. "My name is not the pervert, it's Jiraiya. Principal Jiraiya to you, squirt."
"Tch. Touchy. So, what are you gonna do about me punchin' that jerk out there? I thought he'd look a lot worse, but there's hope the lump on his cheek might swell a lot more by tomorrow."
Sasuke sighed. "What was the point of me even doing this?"
Naruto turned to look at him as if he'd forgotten he was there. "I told you not to worry about it."
"Yes, because you said you didn't care whether you got expelled."
The other boy shrugged. "I care, but it also wasn't worth draggin' you and Sai into this."
"Naruto," said Jiraiya, his voice firm and gruff, "Sasuke was here pleading on yourbehalf. He even threatened me." He laughed. "Imagine that? Ah, kids these days."
Sasuke and Naruto shared a look. There was a flash of something in Naruto's eyes that he couldn't quite interpret, and then the boy lowered his head. Still, Sasuke could see that he was smiling about something.
"Here's the deal," said Jiraiya. "You can't get away with punching another student. I could suspend you for a week, which could coincide with spring break. However, considering everything Sasuke brought to my attention and the fact that someone like him is speaking in your defense, I'll just issue you a detention for after school today. Of course, you'll have to share it with Dosu and Zaku. I'm hoping you'll be able to restrain yourself from getting into another fight. In that case, I will suspend you."
"Really?" Naruto asked.
"Really. Those kids get away with too much as it is. Be sure to thank your friend here. I have a feelin' that if I'd punished you more than that, he would've made the next few weeks... very difficult for me."
"Ha ha, yeah. Then you wouldn't be able to fold your paper airplanes in peace." He snatched up the principal's plane and scrutinized it before throwing it Sasuke's way. It landed in his lap.
"Brat," Jiraiya grumbled. "Make sure next time you get in a fight, not to let the other guy land a punch."
"Hey, it wasn't my fault. Someone got a hold of my arm, and that bastard hit me while I was distracted."
"Sure. And, we will have to notify your dad."
"What?" Naruto's grin faltered. "Don't do that. He'll kill me! Or," he gave a desperate glance at Sasuke, "At least wait until after the weekend to tell him!"
"Why would I wait until after the weekend?"
"Because... he might ground me? And I...uh." He fidgeted. "Have plans."
Jiraiya raised an eyebrow as he leaned back in his chair. "A date, eh? Anyone I know?"
"Tch." Naruto's cheeks turned a shade of red. "I didn't say it was a date. You old pervert."
"Well. I suppose if it's only a detention, we don't have to contact your father. Considering the stress he's already under bein' the parent of a boy like you, I imagine we can call this a warning. Just this one time."
"I owe you one, old man." Naruto beamed and, walking over, picked the plane right out of Sasuke's lap, causing parts of his brain to sound warning alarms. The other boy brought the plane back to the principal, holding it out for him.
Jiraiya took it. "Now, get out of here, and don't cause me any more trouble. Also, tell your friend there to lighten up. Takes everything so damn seriously."
"Sasuke doesn't need to lighten up," Naruto argued with a pout. "He's just really loyal and smart and has his own sense of justice!"
"Naruto," said Sasuke. "You're embarrassing yourself, and I don't need you to speak for me."
"He's also lousy about compliments," Naruto murmured.
"Great," said Jiraiya, "Then you two are perfect for each other. Now, get out of my office, and don't forget to report to Kakashi after school for your detention. I'm sure he'll find something interesting for you to do." He got up from behind his desk and began shooing them out. Sasuke stood from his chair and followed Naruto through the door.
While Jiraiya remained in the doorway, he noticed Zaku and Dosu still sitting there. "You two," he snapped. "Detention after school."
"What?" They both exclaimed. "He - "
"Naruto will be there, too, even though the two of you probably deserved it. If I see you in this office one more time, I'm kickin' your spoiled butts out of this school! Now GET OUT!"
The two boys scrambled out of the office. Naruto and Sasuke left together.
"Where's Sai?" Sasuke questioned as they began walking side by side. Naruto's sneakers squeaked on the linoleum.
"Told him to go back to class and that I'd talk to him later. Uh, by the way, thanks for back there. I didn't really want you to get involved, but I appreciate it. I guess I'm not used to people goin' out of their way for me."
Sasuke studied him curiously before replying, "No problem."
"I'll be sure to ask my dad about this weekend. If we, uh, head to my locker, maybe I can get your number? So that when I find out for sure, maybe I could text you?"
"Why don't you just give me a call."
"It might be late," Naruto replied.
"I don't mind. I'm usually up pretty late." Not quite the truth. Typically, he liked to be in bed by about 10 p.m. if possible.
"Okay, cool. I'd offer to, like, buy you a drink or ice cream after school, but the whole detention thing kinda makes that difficult."
They turned through the double doors and headed up the stairs to the second floor.
"You're gonna have to show me that move you used. Where I practically lost all feeling in my arms?"
Sasuke cleared his throat. The act of willingly putting his arms around Naruto and their bodies being in such close proximity... could prove to be a very bad idea, so he just replied with a noncommittal, "Maybe."
He followed Naruto to his locker (which was, indeed, very close to the girls' locker room). While he waited, Naruto fished out his mobile phone from his backpack. Sasuke took it from him and entered his cell number.
"You didn't give me a fake number, did you?" Naruto asked, smirking at him as he put his phone back.
"I guess you'll find out when you call," he responded placidly, shoving his hands into his pockets.
"So, um. In case I can still spend the night at your place, should I bring my stuff with me to school tomorrow and we go together? Or should I have my dad drop me off?"
"That's up to you," he said. "Of course, we can have Itachi take us home after school, or... we can do some things around the city first, and then take the bus to my house. I live a ways out of the city. Maybe a half hour."
"Hmm. I'll leave it to you. We can talk about it later, too. Whatever you decide is fine with me." He smiled widely at Sasuke.
"You're very agreeable, aren't you."
"I like to go with the flow is all. Plus, I imagine someone like you knows some pretty cool places to go, but it's not like we can't do that some other time."
"True. Now that we know you aren't going anywhere." Before he could stop himself, he reached for a piece of Naruto's hair and tugged it. Although, the instant he realized what he was doing, he quickly withdrew his hand. "Uh, sorry."
Naruto shook his head. "No big deal. I don't mind. I think I'll try to make it to what's left of sixth period. Then I'll give you a call later tonight."
"Okay." Sasuke started to bite his lip.
"You still want me to come, right?"
He smirked. "Did you really have to phrase it that way?"
"You noticed?" Naruto grinned and gave him a nudge in the arm. "I like givin' you a hard time. Ah wait, I did it again!"
"Idiot."
"So, I'll talk to you later. I gotta go this way," he hoiked a thumb over his shoulder.
"And I have to go this way." Sasuke pointed in the opposite direction.
Naruto lingered a little longer.
"What?" he asked. "I thought you were going."
Naruto frowned. "I'm goin'. Don't rush me."
"Do you have something to say?"
"It's... nothin." He gave a wave, turned on his heel, and walked away at a fast pace down the hallway.
Blinking, Sasuke watched him go. What the hell was that all about?
Thinking about it, he didn't understand exactly how Naruto and Jiraiya had already formed the sort of bond that allowed Naruto such lenience. Nonetheless, he did feel very grateful for it. The idea of Naruto leaving after being here only a few days, especially when the cause involved defending a gay kid from being harassed - it didn't sit right with him. Not just because of his own feelings for Naruto, but as the other boy mentioned, maybe Sasuke did have his own sense of justice.
He only hoped that Naruto wouldn't cause another fight during detention. Not that he was a betting man, but he figured the odds were something close to 50/50.
xxx
It was around 9.50 that night when his cell phone finally rang. He'd already been nodding off, so when he answered, his voice was gruff and agitated.
"Sasuke?"
"Speaking," he replied.
"Did I wake you? I thought you said you stayed up late."
He sat up in bed, against the headboard. "No, it's fine... I was just resting my eyes."
"Hm. Alright."
"So, how did detention go? Did you put anyone into a coma?"
Naruto chuckled on the other end, a sound that was oddly pleasing to him.
"No," said Naruto. "I figured after all the trouble you went to, I could at least do you the favor of behaving myself."
"You? Behave? Is that even possible?"
"When you say it like that, it sounds all sexual."
Sasuke let that slide. "What did your dad say?"
"About my detention?"
He nearly slapped his forehead. "No, about you spending the weekend with me."
"Um, well. That's kinda complicated, but in the end, he eventually agreed. He'll probably be happy to get me out of his hair for the weekend."
Sasuke remembered what Naruto said about not having spoken to his father last night. Now he had to wonder. "Are you and your father fighting?"
"Er. Not right now?" He sighed. "But, yeah. We've been fightin' a lot over the past few months."
"I see. I suppose it's a good thing Jiraiya didn't contact him."
"I told him," said Naruto. "I didn't feel like lyin' about the detention. He was pissed and wanted to ground me, but then he apparently felt guilty about keepin' me from hangin' out with my new friend."
"New friend?" He smirked. "Who might that be?"
"Sai, of course. Didn't I tell you that I'm ditchin' you for him?"
"Which one of you shall I exact my revenge upon first then I wonder?"
Naruto laughed again, and Sasuke felt his heart skip a beat.
"You're very possessive," Naruto pointed out. "I think I can be friends with you andSai."
"You're assuming Sai only wants to be friends. I imagine he may want more."
"Why? Do all gay guys lust after every boy they come across?"
"Only the attractive, self-righteous kind that enjoy going around punching other people like a savage."
"Wait. Are you flirtin' with me or insultin' me because I'm not sure right now."
"Maybe both," he answered, sliding his fingers across his lips.
There was a slight gap of silence on Naruto's side.
He cleared his throat. "Did you decide what you wanted to do tomorrow? Shall I give you my own tour, or do you want to come directly here?"
Naruto gave a yawn. "Dunno. What do you wanna do?"
Kiss you. Hold your hand. Share the same bed with you and hear your voice, all gruff and low like now, in person.
"Bring your stuff. I'll show you a few places, maybe we'll get pizza, and then we can take the bus to my house."
"Sounds good," said Naruto.
"By the way, how's your nose?"
"Heh. Fine. Thanks for askin'. Were you impressed with my fightin' skills?"
"Why, did you orchestrate the whole thing in order to impress me with your manliness?"
"Yeah right."
"A boy can dream," he said dryly.
"You're totally gonna grope me when we share a bed, aren't you?"
Sasuke sniggered. "Who says we're sharing a bed? We do have an extra room, although we use it for an office, so there's just a futon. I suppose there's the downstairs couch, as well. Or, you could sleep with Itachi."
"Itachi is pretty hot."
"Blasphemous," said Sasuke. "I hate to tell you this, but he's definitely into women no matter how charmed by you he may be."
"Itachi thinks I'm charming?"
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "You sound a little too pleased by that."
"See," said Naruto. "Possessive."
"Whatever. Why don't you go to bed. You're awfully full of yourself tonight."
"Again, interesting phrasing," said Naruto. "Maybe I'm just sexually frustrated. I suppose there's still time to jerk off before bed."
"Will this be happening before or after you get off the phone with me?"
"Pervert. I'll be sure to send you a picture if I do."
"If that's a threat, it's a terribly good one that I am very open to."
Naruto chuckled. "I'm gonna bring my chastity belt tomorrow."
"Typically chastity belts are worn by those who still maintain their chastity."
"Then maybe you should wear yours, eh?"
Sasuke bit his lip first before replying, "You're assuming I have any to guard."
There was a slight pause before Naruto asked: "Really? Wait. Did you have sex with one of those girls you dated? Hm. But, you're gay, right? How does that work?"
"Well, if I'm gay, it typically means I'm sexually interested in other men."
"But... who? Someone at our school? Is that why you don't like Sai? You two got it on, didn't you? That explains a lot."
Sasuke sucked on his teeth. "No, you moron. Just because we're both gay and go to the same school doesn't mean we want to bone each other. Sai's hardly my type."
"You don't have to bite my head off. I was just curious. You're gonna have to tell me tomorrow. I really can't think of anyone, but now I'm curious to know what kind of guy you'd be interested in."
"It's a little weird for you to be so curious about my first sexual encounter."
"It's not weird," Naruto defended with a huff. "I just wanna make sure he's a guy I deem worthy of you."
"Uh huh." He began to smile.
"Shut up. I'm goin' to bed."
"Not going to have that wank, after all?"
"Yes! I'm gonna have many, many wanks, and I won't even be thinkin' about your first time or who it was with and how they probably weren't good enough for you!"
"Sure. Whatever you say, Naruto."
Naruto let out an angry noise of frustration, and Sasuke had to pull the phone away because he kept laughing.
"Goodnight," he said to Naruto.
"Night, bastard," Naruto growled and hung up on him.
Amused, Sasuke put his phone on the nightstand after making sure his alarm was set. He lay down in bed and placed his hand on top of his chest, just thinking. Of course, then he couldn't help but start imagining if Naruto really was going to jerk off after talking with him. He rolled over onto his side. It kind of felt wrong to think about it when he really did want to be Naruto's friend. Maybe he should make some attempt at controlling this physical attraction he couldn't seem to shake.
It was possible, though. That if Naruto was to get off right now, Sasuke might be able to imagine himself entering into the other teenager's thoughts at least once or twice. Maybe not at the beginning or end, but, perhaps, somewhere in the middle?
Great. Now he couldn't get his mind off of it, and, only being 16, it didn't take very long for his body to begin reacting to the image - first of Naruto jerking himself off, and then... the idea of Naruto allowing him to do it for him.
"Dammit, Naruto," he murmured, and reaching for the side table drawer made sure he had a couple of Kleenex on hand for what he was about to do.
Who knew that being a part of a locker room brawl could cause someone's popularity to skyrocket exponentially? For most of Friday, Sasuke wasn't able to get Naruto alone at all thanks to his new-found groupies. Girls were constantly surrounding him, and during P.E., all the boys - especially the varsity baseball players - wanted to ask Naruto to repeat the story of what had happened yesterday. The stories sometimes differentiated, but after hearing it for the 20th time, even Sasuke was getting irritated.
He wasn't too bothered about not being able to talk to Naruto. In fact, he was happy to be running around the track by himself. Every time Naruto caught up to him, he brought along all of his followers, so Sasuke sped up to get away from them all.
It wasn't until they'd returned to the locker room that, as he was getting dressed, Naruto cowered at his feet, mumbling something about needing a place to hide.
"I'm not your bodyguard," Sasuke told him while pulling on his undershirt. Naruto watched him as he applied some more deodorant.
"It's been non-stop today. If I'd have known it was gonna be this big of a deal, I might not have punched the guy so many times."
"Well, at least the mob is on your side."
"I know." Naruto sighed. "To be honest, I'm lookin' forward to goin' out with you tonight. Just the two of us. I want my personal space back."
Sasuke began buttoning his other shirt, but he gave Naruto a long look. He had his knees drawn to his chest and arms wrapped around his legs.
"Wasn't it you that criticized me for being unhappy even when I'm so 'popular', as you put it?"
Naruto scowled. "Well, that was before I knew that bein' popular was so much responsibility!"
"You're ridiculous," he said, opening one of the longer lockers to pull out his blazer.
"So, when are y'gonna tell me who it is, huh? If I guess, will you tell me? It's that one kid in homeroom, right? In the back corner. He's got longer hair and hardly ever says anything, but he's got a really pretty face?"
"I don't even know who you're talking about," he replied.
"I'm gonna get it out of you by the time this weekend is over."
"Are you going to wear your P.E. uniform all day?"
"Maybe," Naruto said sarcastically. "Maybe I'll just hide here for the rest of my life."
Sasuke crouched in front of him. "If you go to your classes, I'll reward you later."
Naruto slowly started to grin in that goofy way he did sometimes. "Yeah? Promise?"
"I promise," he said sweetly, and then, dropping his smile, hit Naruto on the side of the head. "Now get your ass dressed and go to class."
"Ow!" cried Naruto. "That's domestic abuse!"
"Hn. Hardly. We aren't in a domestic partnership."
"Yeah, but I bet you wish we were."
Sasuke glared.
"What? I was just kiddin'." Naruto rubbed at the spot where Sasuke hit him.
"Yes, that's the problem."
Naruto gave him a funny look. "You're crabby today. I can tell."
"I am not crabby."
"You are."
Sasuke stood up. "After seventh period, I'll meet you at your locker, and we'll go from there."
"Mmkay." Naruto pulled himself up, too. He leaned against the lockers, staring at Sasuke as if he had something to say.
Sasuke lifted an eyebrow. "What?"
"I like your hair that way." He seemed to be studying it, and when he tried to touch it, Sasuke smacked his hand. "God, you're so violent today!"
"You're annoying."
"Show me how to do it later. I want mine to stick up all spiky like that, too."
Sasuke shook his head. "Be less annoying by the time I see you next."
"You ask the impossible!" Naruto shouted as he began walking away.
After seventh period, Sasuke got detained by the teacher, so by the time he arrived at Naruto's locker, the other boy had his overstuffed backpack on his shoulder and was leaning there casually. As soon as he spotted Sasuke, he smiled.
"Yo," he held up a hand. "You're late."
"Sorry, I got held up."
"Sure, whatever," Naruto said, feigning that he was offended. Sasuke thought he looked kind of adorable when he pouted.
"Are you ready? We'll have to take the bus. I hope you didn't pack too much stuff. It's going to be a pain if it's heavy."
"I'm fine," said Naruto. "But thanks for worryin' about me."
"I wasn't that worried," Sasuke muttered. He grabbed for Naruto's elbow. "Come along then."
Naruto followed and they fell into an easy conversation. Naruto, as usual, did most of the talking, but Sasuke slid in a few comments here and there. Several of their classmates asked where they were going - apparently still finding it odd that they were hanging out together - and Naruto did a lot of the answering for them. One or two girls asked if they could join, but Naruto, very politely, told them they had an appointment to get to but they could all do something next week. When they made it to the bus stop, Sasuke was eyeing Naruto closely.
Naruto caught him in the act. "What?"
"Nothing."
"I doubt it's 'nothing'."
"You've become very popular in your first week here."
"And you said hangin' out with you wouldn't cause my popularity to soar." Naruto smirked at him.
Sasuke smirked back. "I'm fairly sure it had nothing to do with me. You're a bit of a novelty."
"How do you mean?"
"A lot of the students that go to our school are very affluent. They're not used to someone like you, who stands up for others and isn't afraid to get violent."
"Hm. When you put it that way, kinda makes me seem like a circus freak."
"Freak, maybe," replied Sasuke. "But I doubt even the circus would take you."
"Harsh." Naruto frowned, and Sasuke sensed maybe he'd teased a little too much.
He watched Naruto sulk for a while before he slid over and ruffled the hair at the back of his head. "Still want me to teach you how to style your hair so that the girls will fall all over you?"
Naruto sent him a side-long glare. Sasuke fought the urge to grab hold of his face and kiss away his frown.
"Where are we goin'?" asked Naruto.
"A record store. I have something I want to get, and they have booths where you can listen to stuff. A lot of it's the old, original vinyls."
"You really like music, huh?"
"I do."
"Maybe you should do somethin' with that."
"Maybe I will." Sasuke tilted his head and smiled at him.
The 11 bus toward downtown arrived, and Sasuke bought their tickets. They made their way to the back and sat down. It wasn't too packed. Maybe only 10 other people were riding with them.
"You didn't have to buy mine."
"You can buy the next ones," said Sasuke. "I imagine it would've taken a while for you to dig through your bag to find your wallet."
"True," Naruto agreed.
Having let Naruto take the window seat, the blond boy spent a lot of time staring out the window at the passing scenery. Occasionally, he asked Sasuke a question about this or that building, which he, very patiently, gave an answer to all of them. They weren't headed very far, just a little under four miles. When they were almost to their stop, Sasuke pushed the button and tugged at Naruto's blazer. "This is ours," he said.
Naruto nodded and, when the bus came to a stop, followed after him. The record store was only a few blocks away. When they arrived and opened the door, a bell jingled above their heads. Since he knew what he was looking for, he went his own way.
"Feel free to have a look around," he said to Naruto. "I've got to speak with the owner."
"Sure." Naruto waved him off and started browsing through all of the records.
The shop, which had been in this neighborhood for over 20 years, was run by an older woman. She was probably in her late 60s by now, and he'd been coming here since he was little, thanks to Itachi. Often, she would sit behind the counter, smoking a pipe. The occasional cat wandered around the store since the older woman had many. There was the distinct smell of incense, among other things, wafting through the air. Posters and handbills from old concerts hung on the wall, and music continuously piped through the speakers. Fugazi's "Waiting Room" was playing. There were lots of people browsing since it was a pretty popular place to be for the hardcore punk and rock crowd.
He greeted the woman behind the counter.
"Ah, Sasuke. You've come to get your order, I take it?" Like usual, she was smoking a long, skinny pipe. "I had to go to a lot of trouble to find it, you know. Called three different shops. You just had to have this one, did you?"
"Thank you for going through the trouble," he said politely.
"Hmph. Well. It wasn't that much trouble." She reached under the counter for the packaged vinyl and handed it to him. "There you are, dear."
"It was $30, wasn't it?" He asked, retrieving his wallet from his back pocket.
"What's that?"
Sasuke jumped as he turned and found Naruto practically on top of him.
"Hold this." He handed the record to Naruto and paid the old woman.
"Hello," Naruto said to her. "This is a great shop you have."
"Thank you, young man." She smoked her pipe. "Sasuke's a regular here, so make sure he shows you around. Stay as long as you like."
"Thanks a lot," he said. "We will!"
After paying and putting his wallet away, Sasuke made to take the record from Naruto, but the other boy said he was fine carrying it and that he wanted to see the booths. The booths were downstairs, and they were the product of two red British phone booths welded and designed to fit together. There were four booths altogether, two on one side of the downstairs room and two on the other. Not that he was going to tell Naruto, but they were usually occupied by couples who often engaged in more activities than listening to music. Luckily, as they went down the steps, three of the booths were free. He brought Naruto into one with the intention of showing him how it works so that he could have his own, but when Sasuke was about to step out, Naruto pulled at his sleeve.
"Where are you goin'? I thought we were gonna listen to the record you got."
Sasuke blinked at him. "Don't you want your own booth? It's kind of cramped in here."
"It's not that bad. I wanna listen to the record with you."
"If you want," he replied, shutting the door and sitting down on one of the benches. "You probably haven't heard of them."
"Don't mind. I'm curious about the kinda music you like enough to pay that much money for it."
"Apparently I'm going through a 1970s English punk rock phase," Sasuke remarked and, carefully, began taking out the Buzzcocks' album, "Love Bites" from the packaging.
Naruto was busy looking at all the different handbills taped up in the booth, a lot of which were promotional items for Sex Pistols' albums, LPs, and concerts.
"This is weird for me," Naruto said suddenly. "I never would've pegged you for someone into punk music. Although, maybe the hairstyle should've given it away?" He glanced up at Sasuke, who was in the process of putting on the record. He set the needle down onto the vinyl.
"It's probably because you've only ever seen me in the school uniform."
As the first track, "Real World," began to play, Sasuke took a seat on the bench beside Naruto. Since the other boy's backpack was just sitting there, he gently placed it on the floor in the corner.
"That could be," said Naruto, pulling one of his legs up and hugging it to his chest. He was listening with his head cocked. "It's also the fact that you're very quiet and serious. Shouldn't people into punk be, y'know, burnin' shit down?"
"Probably." Sasuke looked at him and smirked.
"There is a whole other very scary side of you, isn't there? That's how you control everyone else. They're too scared not to do what you say."
"You never do what I say," he replied.
Naruto laughed. "I'm that special exception."
"You're definitely special alright." He leaned his head against the wall, smirking still. He heard Naruto sigh in what sounded to be contentment. "Having a good time?"
"Yeah, this is cool. I never got to do stuff like this back home. Is this what people do when they live in a big city?"
"You're from Chicago."
"I'm from around Chicago. There's a difference. I'm actually from a town called Joliet. It's about an hour south of the city."
"Makes sense. You aren't stuck up like a lot of city people can be."
"Thanks?" As Naruto relaxed more, he leaned into Sasuke and let their arms touch. "Do y'have a favorite song of theirs?"
"I like the next one. It's taken from a line in Guys and Dolls. It's called 'Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)'."
"Hey, Sasuke?" Naruto asked lazily. "Have you ever fallen in love with someone you shouldn't've?"
Sasuke's eyes opened, and he turned to look at the other boy. Naruto's head rested against the wall, he had his eyes shut, and his fingers were tapping over the top of his knee. His blond bangs lay scattered across his forehead, and Sasuke found himself following the line of his neck until it reached the open shirt collar.
"I wonder," he said in a quiet voice.
"I don't think I've been in love before," Naruto continued. "I've thought some girls were cute and havin' sex would be fine, but it would be interesting to have a real connection, wouldn't it? I suppose that's somethin' that happens when you get older. I don't much believe in high school romances to be honest."
Sasuke sucked in a breath, unable to decide if those words hurt somehow or gave him hope, but then he was left to think of the notion outside of himself and Naruto. Love? What did he think of love? He'd never been in love. Lust maybe. He shared Naruto's thoughts in that he'd never had expectations of romance while in high school. High school was merely a preliminary step toward college and, eventually, a job he would probably loathe. He'd understood for a while that his father was putting him on a track similar to what he'd done with Itachi. More than love - and from a philosophical perspective he understood people's attachment to the concept - companionship seemed a much more appealing aspect of a real relationship. Or, well. A companion that he could also share an intimate relationship would be even more ideal, but that, he supposed, would go hand-in-hand, wouldn't it? At what point in his life would he crave love? Or would it just be affection?
"Naruto," he said. "Is love really that important?"
"I think so? They seem to make a big deal out of it in books and movies."
"Is it a priority for you to find someone who'll love you?"
"Priority?" Naruto's eyes snapped open, and he glanced at Sasuke. "Not right now, but maybe one day. Yeah, I'd like to end up with someone I can love, who'll also love me. Preferably as I am. Girls, from what I've seen, seem to have this idea that they can change stuff about guys that they don't like. But, girls have a lotta flaws, too, but as a guy, you'd never point them out, right?"
"You're asking me for dating advice on girls?"
"Well," said Naruto. "You have dated girls apparently. I haven't even done that much except maybe this one girl in sixth grade."
"Then let me phrase it this way." He looked at Naruto very seriously. "Beyond the physical, what are qualities you'd like your partner to have?"
"Hm." Naruto tilted his head up and studied the ceiling. "I guess nice. Funny, but notas funny as me 'cause I wanna be the funny one." He chuckled at his own joke. "Smart, too. I think it's fair to say I'll never be a rocket scientist, so I guess I'd like her" - Sasuke cringed inwardly at the use of the gendered pronoun - "to be intelligent. Book smart, maybe. Or, like how you know all this stuff about music. I think that'd be cool. I dunno what else. Outgoing? I don't think I'd be into wallflowers. Um. Generous toward people that have less than she does. Good with kids. Maybe a bit sassy. I think I'd like someone who put me in my place. Ah, and since I don't have one, she should have a serious streak. Like, be able to get things done. Sometimes I start stuff but have a hard time finishing. Like, I wanted to learn to play guitar once, but I couldn't even sit through the first lesson. Know what I mean?"
"No, because I did take lessons and can play the guitar."
Naruto sat up straight, his foot dropping to the floor. "Really?"
"Sure."
"Can you play anything else?" Naruto asked eagerly.
"My mother had me take piano lessons, so I can play piano and keyboard, guitar, electric guitar, and a bit of bass." He frowned. "Though I'm not very good at it yet, I don't think. I'd like to learn drums, too. My brother has a friend who keeps saying he'll teach me."
"Shit. That's pretty fuckin' cool, Sasuke." Naruto nudged him with an elbow. "You realize if you were into girls, they would be all over you if they knew you could play so many instruments."
"Why wouldn't boys be into me, too?" He asked.
"Ah hah. Maybe they would be. You're right." Naruto suddenly crossed his arms. "But wait, I don't like the idea of someone who's into musicians goin' after you. That's the easy type, right? How will you find someone that's good enough for you if they only want you for your music?"
"Right," Sasuke said drolly. "As a man I would be totally opposed to other men who would willingly go to bed with me because I'm a musician."
"It can't always be about sex, can it?" Naruto asked.
"If it's not about sex," said Sasuke, "What is it about then?"
"You'd think I'd agree with you, but hearing you say it... just makes me feel sad." Again, Naruto closed his eyes. His lips were pursed, and then he rubbed them together. Every time Sasuke saw him do it, he felt an inclination to kiss him. Unfortunately, that urge was hitting him fairly frequently whenever he was in Naruto's company.
For a moment, he stopped to think about all the qualities Naruto looked for in a partner and how many applied to him. What is it Naruto imagined when he thought of someone he wanted to be with? Evidently, he was thinking of a woman. She would have to be kind. She would have to be patient in order to put up with Naruto's stupidity and juvenile manner. She would have to be somewhat flexible considering Naruto's spontaneity. Wouldn't she need to be as easy going as Naruto? Sasuke knew he was capable of going with the flow, but he also could have a temper. Then again, so could Naruto. It struck him that if they were older, maybe if they'd met in college or even after, there could've been something romantic between them.
But, they were in high school and the possibility felt very implausible and unrealistic. It hurt, and he didn't really want to think about it. He tried to forget the attraction, which in the past few days, had become more than physical for him. He was starting to like Naruto and that felt dangerous. He should close off and remember that Naruto was very straight. If he wanted to keep the other boy as a friend, he would need to be very careful not to scare him off.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Naruto's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
He'd closed his eyes at some point again, and when he opened them, they stung - though he attributed it to the odd lighting in the booth. The record was on the fifth song already (there were only 11 tracks).
"How do you feel about finding an arcade and playing some video games for a while?" Sasuke asked, his voice having grown hoarse.
"Um, I think that sounds amazing?"
"Then we can grab dinner and go home."
Naruto smiled brightly at him. "I'd like that."
"Is that a generous and kind enough offer for you?" Sasuke asked and got up to remove the record from the player.
"What do you mean?" asked Naruto.
Sasuke sighed as he slipped the whole album into its protective covering so that it wouldn't get damaged while they walked around. The arcade was about 10 blocks north of here.
"You have the memory of a goldfish," Sasuke said to him.
"Oh. I see what you did there. About what I said with the whole ideal type thing."
Ignoring the blond, Sasuke picked up his backpack for him and handed it over.
"Thanks," Naruto said absently. "This was fun."
"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."
"Are you sure there's nothin' wrong?" Naruto asked, touching the top of his arm.
Sasuke, unable to help himself, shrugged off his hand. He hadn't meant to, but his mood had definitely taken turn for the worse. Feeling unexpectedly claustrophobic, he pushed open the door and stepped out. Naruto followed him and, thankfully, didn't ask any further questions.
Once they were outside, he felt better now that he could breathe in some fresh air. He took pleasure in smelling the scent of the ocean coming from the Puget Sound. The area they were walking in was referred to as First Hill. Downtown Seattle, basically. As they continued, he tried to make up for before by pointing out a few landmarks and giving Naruto a brief history of the different parts of the city and what type of people lived where. Fremont was home to the artsy crowd, Capitol Hill had a good night life (and was quite gay-friendly). Naruto listened and was attentive, asking questions here and there. Despite what he'd thought earlier about disengaging, he couldn't fight the thought that Naruto was extremely easy to talk to. He made Sasuke laugh and occasionally made him see things from a different perspective. Naruto didn't talk a whole lot about himself, and Sasuke had never been the type to pry, but he remained curious about Naruto's hand, the trouble he'd gotten into at his old school, and this kid Gaara he'd referred to a few times. He wanted to ask things about Naruto's mom, but he also felt insecure and didn't want to upset him. He figured Naruto might open up about it in time. It was unusual, he had to say, that he'd never before wanted to learn about another person, but the more time he spent with Naruto, the more he felt he wanted to know. Likes, dislikes. Hopes, dreams, fears, deep dark secrets. And he saw it every instance when he happened to look at Naruto. Every expression he wore, whether laughing or scowling or angry - it always did strange things to his chest.
But, still. It was hopeless to get too attached, so best to keep his guard up and put distance between them, at least literally. He made sure they walked far enough apart on the sidewalk that their arms never brushed. Or, that eye contact didn't last any longer than a handful of seconds because, really, Naruto's eyes were so fucking abnormally blue.
If he were to date a boy. A boy that he liked and liked him in return. And they went on a date.
He hoped it would feel and be...just like this.
After the arcade, Sasuke was in a much better mood, mostly because Naruto was so much worse at games than him. Maybe if he went up against anyone else, he might've stood a chance, but Sasuke had been playing video games from the day he came out of the womb. When he wasn't studying or listening to music, he was downstairs on whatever newest platform had just come out. He often had part-time jobs during the summer, so he would save up and spend it on gaming. Itachi bought him a lot of games, too. Typically, his father frowned on it, but then Sasuke just had to point out it was part of their Asian heritage (his father never found this as funny as his mother and brother did).
They walked for a while along the main roads. He had a pizza place in mind, but they needed to go south again for several blocks.
"Why don't you let me carry your backpack for a while?" Sasuke offered.
"I'm fine."
"You're awfully quiet. Are you being a sore loser?"
"No."
So he said, but Naruto was definitely sulking.
"Will it make you feel better if I buy you dinner?"
For a second, Naruto's eyes lit up, but then he went back to scowling. "I can't let you do that."
"It's not as if I'll be expecting anything later if I buy," he teased. "Unless you're offering."
"You really are sexually frustrated, aren't you?" Naruto asked.
Sasuke frowned. "It was just a joke."
"I know, sorry. I'm really pissed off that you're so good at everything. It's really annoying, no offense."
"How could I possibly take offense to that?"
"Oh, true. Heh."
Sasuke stopped, and when Naruto nearly stumbled trying to stop with him, he quickly snatched his backpack off of his shoulder and began carrying it for him. "Consider it my duty," he said. "As a representative of our class's student council and you being here on a baseball scholarship, you should take better care of your shoulders."
"You don't even know what position I play," said Naruto, trying to regain possession of his bag.
"Stop it," Sasuke said firmly and put his arms through the straps. "Okay, I'll bite. Are you a pitcher or catcher, Naruto?" He smirked to himself, knowing the other boy wouldn't get it, but at least it was amusing to him.
"Huh? There are more positions than that."
"I bet there are," Sasuke said under his breath.
"Anyway, but I do pitch some. Though I don't expect to be doin' that here with so many good varsity players. I play first, too, short-stop. I bet they'll stick me in right field. Assuming I won't get benched for the first year."
"It's good to be versatile."
"I think so."
Sasuke snuck a glance at Naruto. Totally clueless, but, ah, so fun.
"So, tell me about this pizza place. Y'know, there are some amazing pizza places in Chicago. Have you ever had deep dish?"
"I don't think so," he answered.
"That's too bad. Although, any kind of pizza is good."
"I know. I remember you saying so on your first day here. Pasta, pizza, and... Asian food I believe?"
"You have a good memory."
"Have you ever had traditional Japanese food?"
"Nope. I don't think I've had anything except sushi. I guess I was thinkin' Chinese or Thai. Not that I'm opposed to Japanese, there's just not a lot of restaurants near where I was."
"Hm. I don't want to push it on you, but in case you haven't noticed, I'm Japanese. My parents are traditionalists, I'd say, so my mother typically cooks Japanese meals. I'm not saying that's all we have, but if you were interested, I'm sure she could be swayed to make you something."
"Wow, really? I don't want her to go to any trouble. Your family is already lettin' me stay the weekend. I don't wanna impose too much."
"I think she'd be thrilled, honestly. She enjoys cooking. Cooking and gardening."
"That's funny. I kinda like to garden. We had one at my old house, and I used to plant stuff with Mom before she got sick. Herbs and vegetables mostly, but I kinda liked when we'd plant flowers, too. I like how bright they are."
Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you're not gay?"
Naruto laughed out loud. "You'd be the first person I'd tell."
Sasuke nearly stumbled. "Why's that?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
"No, it's not. Not to me anyway."
"I just meant that since you're gay, and if I was gay...? Then again, I'd like to think you'd have better taste than me. And you did say earlier that just 'cause the both of us are gay and go to the same school, doesn't mean we'd want to bone each other."
"Are you purposely provoking me right now?" asked Sasuke.
"Wuddaya mean?"
Sasuke sighed and rubbed at his temple. "Let's talk about pizza. What kind of toppings do you prefer? They have a variety, but I'm guessing that you might be conservative with what you like."
"I dunno about conservative, but I like sausage and pepperoni and whatever. I dunno if I like too many weird cheeses."
"Weird cheeses?"
Naruto smiled. "Sure. Anything besides cheddar and mozzarella."
"Mm. I see. Well, they have that, too. It's one of the better places in town. My brother's taken me several times."
"You and Itachi seem close."
"Do we?" he asked absently.
"I think it'd be cool to have a brother I was close to. It kinda sucks bein' an only child."
"Well, I'm not your brother, but I am taking you, so don't whine in my company."
Naruto sniffed. "I wasn't whinin'. Okay, maybe a little. It is nice. I'm glad I met you. Although, Sai did take me around, too. He really wanted me to go to the museums and stuff, but I only like them if there are dinosaurs or mummies."
"I'm pretty sure they do have dinosaurs and mummies at the city museum."
"Then I guess I'll have to go out with him again and let him take me."
The line of Sasuke's mouth thinned considerably. "Do what you want."
"Aw, are you pouting, Sasuke? Fine, I'll go with you to the museum."
"You're annoying. You make it seem like you're purposely trying to make me jealous."
"So what if I was?"
Sasuke paused mid-step. Naruto took a few more steps before he stopped and turned around.
"Are you being serious right now?" Sasuke asked.
"Not serious enough for you to have that expression."
He shook his head and began walking again. His temper was on the rise, but he didn't want to lose his cool. It wasn't worth it. But, he couldn't tell what annoyed him more - the roller coaster of emotions he kept experiencing, or the fact that he couldn't discern whether sometimes Naruto was knowingly... leading him on. Naruto caught up with him, but must have deemed it unsafe to open his mouth, which was fine with Sasuke. It wasn't a whole lot longer before they arrived at Primo. Even though it was early, it was a Friday night, so they had to wait about 10 minutes for a table. They looked over the menu - Naruto took a long while to decide - and eventually agreed to get the Sausage, Pepper, and Mushroom since it didn't contain any "weird cheeses".
While they waited, Naruto talked a little bit about his old school, including some things about Gaara.
"So, in the end, we ended up gettin' off with a warning," is how he finished his story where, apparently, Gaara stole a neighbor's motorcycle, picked up Naruto for a joyride, and then they were pulled over by the police.
"I didn't realize I was hanging out with a thug in training."
"I'm not a thug!" Naruto practically shouted.
"Yes you are. You're a school skipping thug that steals people's motorcycles and nearly gets arrested." Sasuke smirked as he stirred his straw inside his glass of water.
"Shut up. I don't wanna hear this from you."
"Someone has to tell you."
"Yes, well your honesty is so not appreciated." Naruto took a sip of his Coke while glaring at him.
"It's not on your list of partner qualifications?"
"Oh, are you still goin' on about that?"
"I can't help it. I'm amused. Personally, I would want to be with someone who's honest. Maybe not as candidly as me. I think I'd prefer someone - "
"With more tact?" Naruto finished for him.
It was Sasuke's turn to glare.
"I have tact," said Naruto. "Sometimes."
"Yes, but I can't date you because you're straight."
Naruto looked like he had something to say, but he kept quiet. Unusual for him, really.
"Does that hurt your feelings?" Sasuke asked.
"Not really. I dunno. Kinda? Is that strange? I know I like girls, but when you say it that way, I feel like I'm being rejected."
"You are full of mixed signals, you realize this, right?"
"What do you mean?" Naruto leaned forward, setting his elbows on the edge of the table.
Thankfully, he didn't have to explain because the pizza arrived. Naruto, who was apparently famished, nearly devoured his three pieces in all of about five minutes. Sasuke ate more slowly.
"Maybe you really could be in the circus," Sasuke mused. "You can be a geek."
"That's rude," said Naruto. "I'm not a geek!"
"No, moron. A geek is someone in one of those sideshows that eats all kinds of strange objects, or, you know, bites the heads off of chickens."
"Kind of like what Ozzie did with that bat?"
Sasuke blinked at him in surprise. "Yes. A lot like that. Remind me to give you a gold star when we get home."
"When you say it like that, makes us sound as if we're livin' together."
He finished his last slice and pushed his plate to the side. "Are you ready?" He checked his watch. "I think the next bus comes in about 15 minutes. We'll have to make a couple of transfers."
"Okay. I'll follow you."
He waved the waitress down and, despite Naruto's protests, Sasuke paid for the both of them. Then he picked up Naruto's backpack again and led him to the closest bus stop.
"Let me buy our bus tickets," said Naruto.
"Okay."
"Oh, good. I thought you'd keep puttin' up a fight."
"However, I do have a bus pass, you know. So, technically, you only have to pay for yourself."
"Crap. How am I supposed to pay you back then?"
"You can pay me back by not worrying about it and if you stop talking about it like it's a big deal. If we go out again, you can pay."
"Sorry," said Naruto. He scuffed the bottom of his shoe across the pavement. "I told you I'm not used to other people doin' things for me."
"Who are you," asked Sasuke, "Oliver Twist? Although, even he wasn't afraid to ask for more."
"Heh. That's about the only line I know from that book." He smiled at Sasuke.
Sasuke smiled back. "Me, too."
Naruto laughed, one of those loud, genuine laughs that caused the corner of his eyes to wrinkle. It was already dark. The streetlight next to them caused a shadow to cut across Naruto's cheek. After he was finished laughing, he shared a look with Sasuke. His gaze was clear, analytical, and intense.
"What?" Sasuke asked.
"I don't know."
"Alright."
"I haven't laughed this much in a while," said Naruto. "It feels good."
"Good. I'm glad."
"Do other people at school know that you're a good person? I know they think you're cool and that you always have the best grades, but do you show them this side, too?"
"What side?" He asked, his voice quiet.
Naruto rubbed his lips together.
"Stop it," he said.
"Stop what?" Naruto asked innocently.
"Rubbing your lips together."
"Oh." He put his fingers to his lips. "I didn't realize I was doin' it. Must be a nervous habit."
"Why? Do I make you nervous?"
Naruto took a few seconds before replying, "Sometimes."
"That's not my intention," he said quickly.
"I know. It's not anything you do. Not purposely anyway."
He raised an eyebrow, not knowing what that meant, but Naruto also didn't bother to elaborate.
"That's our bus," said Sasuke.
Naruto looked over his shoulder and then back again. "It'll be good to sit down for a while. I'm kinda tired."
"It's probably been a long week for you," Sasuke remarked.
Naruto stared at him, lips parted and eyes slightly wide.
"Why do you keep staring at me like that?" He had to ask.
Naruto shook his head. "Uh, it's nothin'. Just... Nevermind. How much am I gonna need?"
"Altogether? Probably about $13 if you show them your student ID."
"Okay. I'll, um, need to get it from my backpack."
"Okay." Sasuke turned around so that Naruto could get at the zippers.
While Naruto was unzipping things, he spoke softly, and his breath ghosted across the back of Sasuke's neck. "Are you sure you don't want me to take the bag?"
"No," he said. "You keep carrying the album."
"Alright. ...Thanks again."
"Don't mention it."
Naruto touched his shoulder and turned him around. He had another one of those odd looks on his face. He was obviously thinking something, but it was a certain something he didn't want to share, or given that it was Naruto, maybe he couldn't put it into words.
Sasuke smirked, though he felt anxious. The tension was even getting to him, so he cracked a joke. "You look like you're going to kiss me."
Naruto's eyes narrowed the slightest bit, and his gaze remained focused. "...Would that be a bad thing?"
He didn't know what to say. From the other boy's tone, he could tell he was being serious, which... threw him off considerably. Instead, since the bus had pulled up to the stop and opened its door, he walked past Naruto while muttering, "We better get on."
With his mind racing, he stepped onto the bus, barely remembering to flash the driver his pass. He did stop to make sure Naruto had the right amount of cash and asked for the same ticket that he had. Afterward, Sasuke proceeded to the back like before with Naruto following silently behind him. Again, he offered Naruto the window seat, and Sasuke sat beside him. There was another empty seat to his right, so he placed Naruto's backpack there. Naruto kept the record in his lap as he stared out the window.
Eventually, Naruto mumbled something he almost didn't catch: "I had a good time today."
Curious as to why he was being so subdued, Sasuke glanced over at him. He was still staring out the window, but Sasuke could see his reflection in the glass. Maybe it was that he was tired, but Naruto looked... conflicted? Contemplative?
"I have my iPod with me if you want it," he offered.
"I'm good," Naruto replied. "I just wanna watch out the window."
"Okay."
He turned and looked at Sasuke; Sasuke met his gaze without wavering (although it was a very difficult task). Whatever Naruto was trying to say with his eyes, he wasn't entirely sure, but he had a strong desire to grab for his hand. It was dark, too. No one would've even noticed, but he was sure that it would freak Naruto out. When Sasuke said nothing, Naruto returned to looking out the window.
"I'm tired," he mentioned, his breath fogging up a very small spot on the glass.
"Alright." I'll take care of you, is what he wanted to add. He couldn't not stare at Naruto. He wanted... so badly... to touch him. To comfort him somehow even if he didn't know what was going on inside the other boy's head.
Every once in a while, when the bus hit a bump, their legs or shoulders would knock together - until their arms stayed touching all the way to the first transfer. The contact made him feel light-headed, near to giddy, and like his skin was tingling everywhere. He knew his heart rate had sped up, and his palms had become so sweaty he kept inconspicuously having to rub his palms across his pants.
Fucking hell, he thought. If it was this bad just sitting next to each other on the bus, what was it going to be like if they slept in the same bed together?
