With the lights off and blinds drawn, Sasuke lay in his bed, underneath the blankets because Naruto had insisted that he do so or else he wouldn't stop bugging him. When Sasuke complied with all of his wishes, Naruto left him to have lunch with his family. The other boy seemed to think it would discourage his parents from coming in and asking too many questions. Under different circumstances, he would've argued that he didn't need Naruto's protection, but he also knew how very persistent the blond could be. It seemed easier to just keep his mouth shut.

Having apparently heard that he wasn't feeling well, his mom peeked her head in, but he'd pretended to be asleep. It was hard not to be able to talk to her because more often than not, he did feel like he could be open with her - but not about this.

Though he shut his eyes, he couldn't really fall asleep. His mind kept racing. He thought a lot about his father, and he thought a lot about Naruto.

It would be difficult to pretend now that Naruto didn't know his feelings. But, Naruto had never said anything regarding how he felt. Sasuke thought that he cared, but it was hard to separate that from the part of Naruto's personality that simply desired to protect people when they were in a position to get hurt.

Maybe an hour passed before Naruto returned. Perhaps he thought Sasuke was asleep because he was trying to be quiet. He was carrying a bowl and a mug. Naruto came closer to the bed.

"You asleep?" he whispered.

"No."

"That's too bad. Okay, well I brought you some ramen. Your mom left it in the pot so that it would stay warm."

Sasuke shifted over to move stuff off of the nightstand so Naruto had a place to put it all.

"Thanks," said Naruto, and he set everything on the table, including a small ceramic soup spoon and a pair of chopsticks rolled up in a napkin. In the mug was some hot green tea.

Naruto, dressed now in a pair of jeans and a gray short-sleeved t-shirt, took a seat on the edge of the bed.

Picking up the mug, Sasuke leaned against the headboard.

"Well," he said. "How was lunch with my family?"

Naruto was looking down into his lap, where his hands lay clasped. "It was okay. I was pretty mad at first, but I knew you didn't want me to bring anything up, so I did what I'm good at and pretended everything was just wonderful." He lifted his head and glanced over at Sasuke.

Sasuke didn't really know what to say. Well, except one thing. "Thank you."

"I hope you like the ramen," Naruto said, apparently thinking he only meant for bringing the food, "Since I had a hand in making it."

Sasuke attempted a smile. "Did you like it? I wish I could've been there for your first time."

Naruto cleared his throat.

He rolled his eyes. "I meant eating ramen, idiot."

"You never did tell me," said Naruto, and he actually crawled over Sasuke to get to the other side of the bed, "Who your first time was with."

"Like I said. It's none of your business." Setting down the mug, he picked up the bowl of soup and, after blowing on it, sipped some broth out of the spoon. "It's good."

Naruto laughed. "Isn't it? Guess it was worth wearin' that apron, after all."

"Hn. It did look good on you."

Suddenly, Naruto scooted a little closer to him, but he lay on his side, his head resting on the pillow. Sasuke had the impulse to run his fingers through the boy's hair. But, after thinking it over, he decided it was best to stop acting on those impulses, even if Naruto initiated the contact.

"Your mother was really worried about you," Naruto said quietly. "I told her it was just 'cause you hadn't eaten much and then we went runnin' for so long without having brought any water."

"I'm sure that had some part in it."

"Maybe." Naruto nestled closer, to where his head rested very near to Sasuke's hip. He moved his hands, too, so that they touched the side of Sasuke's leg, even though the comforter separated them.

Sasuke didn't say anything about it and continued to eat his soup.

"Itachi tried to teach me how to use chopsticks," Naruto went on. "I don't think I'm very good at it, though."

"It takes practice," he murmured, picking up the fishcake in his own chopsticks.

"Those are the things that your mom says you liked when you were little, huh?"

Sasuke glanced at him. "I still do." He ate it and smiled down at Naruto. "Maybe you really will make a good wife some day."

"Men can cook," Naruto argued. "I can be someone's husband."

"If you can find anyone willing to marry an idiot."

"Shut up," Naruto grumbled, tucking in even closer.

"Are you an octopus?" Sasuke asked him.

Naruto's eyes were closed. "Just wanna be close to you for a while."

"I told you," he said. "I don't need to be protected."

"I know that."

"Maybe you need to think about keeping your distance."

Naruto's eyes cracked open. He leaned up on his elbow. "What do you mean?"

"Just, you know," he picked at his noodles, "Maybe stuff like this would give someone the wrong impression."

"We're not even doing anything, Sasuke."

Chewing his lip, Sasuke set his chopsticks across the bowl. "I guess I need to be as straightforward as possible with someone like you."

"Someone like me?" Naruto asked.

"Someone as oblivious as you," he clarified. "I'm gay. Maybe I can't come out to my parents, but it's still who I am. I accept it."

"I told you I don't have a problem with it," said Naruto, sitting up now so that he could cross his legs underneath him.

"Well, I have a problem." Sasuke set the bowl aside, and, taking in a deep breath, looked at Naruto seriously. "What I wanted to tell you this morning was that..." He stopped. It was hard to tell him because not only did it seem like something a weak person would say, but he was also afraid of Naruto rejecting him completely if he admitted to it.

"Just say it," said Naruto. "I might not know what the problem is until you tell me 'cause like you've said over and over again, I'm an idiot. So, spell it out."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Why are you getting angry? I'm only trying to be honest."

"Right. Because honestly is clearly your specialty."

He pulled the blanket off of him and glared. "What exactly are you implying?"

"Nothing. Forget it."

"I'm not a mind reader," he said snidely.

"Yeah, well neither am I," snapped Naruto. "I told you I wanted to talk, but you kept putting it off! Don't put this all on me like I just don't understand when you won't even talk to me."

Both of them were upset; all they could do was glare at each other. Sasuke didn't understand why Naruto was so angry, though. Eventually, the other boy glanced away with a frustrated huff. He was at a loss for words. What did Naruto want to hear? Did he have to humiliate himself by admitting his feelings right here and right now?

"Naruto," he said. "When you asked me before about what it is I wanted..."

Naruto looked over at him. "Yeah."

"What do you want?" He dug his teeth into his lip. "From me."

"For starters, I want you to be honest with me. I want you to trust me."

"It's not personal," Sasuke said, somewhat defensively, "I don't... trust a lot of people."

"I don't get it," said Naruto. "I dunno how you can live like that."

"Easily. It means I'm less likely to get hurt by other people."

"Maybe." Naruto shook his head. "But it also means you can't get close to people either."

"So?"

Naruto snorted. "So, asshole, I want to get close to you. If you haven't fuckin' noticed, I've had a pretty shitty last few months, and this is the first week I've started to feel normal, and it's only because I met you. And just when I think we're getting closer, you push me away."

"Think about it, Naruto," he growled. "What do you think it means when you get close to someone like me?"

"Is this because you're gay?" Naruto asked. "Do you think I care what people will think if I hang out with you and they find out you like guys?"

Sasuke blinked at him. "Are you serious?"

"That's not it?"

"I'm going to kill you," he said. Beside himself, Sasuke rolled over onto his side, back to Naruto, and pulled a pillow over his head.

Naruto tried to yank the pillow off of him, but Sasuke refused to let him have it.

"You're acting like a child, Sasuke. C'mon."

"Like I want to hear that coming from you."

"You're such a dick," Naruto said, finally ripping the pillow away from his grasp. He put a hand on Sasuke's arm.

"Don't touch me," Sasuke grumbled.

"Shut up. I'm so tired of listenin' to you bitch and whine."

Incredulous, Sasuke was about to turn over, but Naruto stopped him and, sliding up against his back, wrapped an arm around his waist. Sasuke started to struggle. When he did, Naruto settled his chin on his shoulder.

"Stop," he said to Sasuke.

He didn't know why, but he did stop.

"It's unfair," Sasuke told him.

"What's unfair?" Naruto asked, nudging his nose against the back of Sasuke's neck.

"You're too cruel."

"How am I cruel?" Naruto's voice was quiet and gentle.

"This, you doing things like this... it confuses me," he admitted. "Your fucking mixed signals."

Naruto squeezed him and let out a sigh. "You're one to talk."

Sasuke stiffened.

"Don't act like you dunno what I mean," Naruto said near his ear. "You kissed me, and then acted like it didn't mean anything. You're hot and cold. Half the time I can't tell if you're teasin' me because you think I'm an idiot, or if you're actually flirting with me. Even when I ask you directly, you blow me off. I asked if you were attracted to me, and you only fed me crap about how Sai and that girl in our class showed interest. But then when you look at me sometimes, I think, okay... maybe there's somethin' else. I have no fuckin' clue how this works, but I care about you. Ilike you. I'm doin' stuff like this and what went on before I ate lunch with your family, and you think I've ever imagined something like this to happen?"

He was too taken off guard to say anything, to even get his thoughts in order.

"I told you I've never believed in high school romances," said Naruto, "and I don't. I've never had a real relationship, and... obviously your home life is very complicated. So is mine."

"Naruto..." He closed his eyes. His chest hurt.

"You said you want what you can't have. Well, that's the difference between us then, 'cause I'm willin' to fight for what I want."

"I can't do that right now," he replied hoarsely.

"I know." Naruto's hand moved up to cover his heart.

"You're disappointed in me."

"No."

Sasuke sneered. "Liar."

"Stop assumin' shit, Sasuke. You're so paranoid. I am happy to accept you the way you are. I just wish you'd accept yourself."

"Fuck you. You don't know what it's like."

"I don't even mean you bein' gay, you dipshit. I just mean you. I don't know how to convince you how great of a person you are. It's, for lack of a better word, why I was attracted to you from the first day we met. Not like that, but... in a way, yeah. Who you are, your personality. You're a natural leader. You're smart, you're funny. You always talk down about yourself when it comes to people, but I've never seen you as anything but kind and willing to go out of your way for others. Look what you did in the locker room, what you did when you went to talk to the principal on my behalf..." Naruto sighed. "You're a good person, Sasuke. It's why I wanted to get to know you better. It's why I fuckin' hate your situation and why I'm angry as hell right now. You deserve... so much more."

Sasuke's eyes started to sting. "Stop it."

"No."

Naruto shifted, and, taking hold of Sasuke's arm, rolled him over so that he was on his back. Naruto's expression was more serious than he'd ever seen it before. Almost dark and imposing. Determined.

"Do you like me?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke's lips parted, but he didn't say anything.

Naruto leaned in closer. "It's a simple question. Do you like me?"

"...Yes."

"What are you afraid of?" Naruto touched a hand to the side of his face.

"A lot of things," he answered. "Rejection, for one."

"If you expect me to tell you that I don't like you, it's not gonna happen."

"What?"

Naruto brushed his bangs out of his eyes for him. "I'm having feelings for you I haven't had before... not for anyone, but I don't know what they are or what that means."

Sasuke reached for the front of Naruto's shirt and clutched it.

"Do you feel the same?" Naruto asked him.

Sasuke nodded.

"Why was that so hard for you?" Naruto smiled down at him.

"I don't know."

With another heavy sigh, Naruto lay beside him, his head resting on Sasuke's shoulder. Turning toward him, Sasuke placed a kiss to his temple. He didn't know what had just happened, or what was going on inside his head, but... it was all just too much to process.

Naruto suddenly chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Sasuke asked him.

"Nothin'."

"Naruto."

"What's the possibility it's just, y'know, sexual tension?"

Sasuke smirked. "Well, why don't we screw and see if we feel better afterward?"

"Yeah, maybe we just gotta get it out of our system. I don't think that's it, though."

"No?" He started to play with Naruto's hair.

"Not if part of me is worried that if..." He cleared his throat. "Somethin' did happen between us... what if shit got awkward? I... want to be your friend. I want to hang out with you."

"I guess we'd just have to consider doing it more than once."

Naruto laughed darkly. "I can't see myself dating a boy."

"Sometimes neither can I," Sasuke replied. "Just because I find you attractive doesn't mean I want to date you, Naruto."

"Ah, so at least you admit you find me attractive."

"I've always found you to be very attractive," he confessed.

"Really?" Naruto lifted his head.

"I'm not repeating myself."

"Hm."

"Have you ever..." Sasuke licked his lips. "Felt attracted to me in any way?"

"Are we bein' honest right now?" Naruto asked.

"Preferably." He went back to running his fingers through the other boy's hair.

"Then maybe. I don't know if I'm ready to admit I'm bisexual, but... once or twice I've definitely questioned my preferences while hangin' out with you."

Sasuke's fingers stopped moving. "I think... I need to pretend you didn't just say that."

"No. I don't wanna pretend anything," Naruto argued.

"Fine, then pull down your pants and let me suck you off."

Naruto suddenly lifted half way up. "What?!"

"You said you wanted us to be honest."

"Yeah, well. I wanna be there for you and... er." Naruto scratched at his cheek, which had already turned a very brilliant shade of red. "I'm not sure I'm ready or... um."

Sasuke sniggered. "You heterosexuals," he said. "You're all so damn gullible."

"Tch." Naruto rolled onto his back, but his hand lay close to Sasuke's. "We're still gonna have that bonfire, right? I think we both need to have some fun, don't you?"

"If by fun you mean get out of this house, then yes."

"Yeah, kinda."

"What should we do until then?" Sasuke asked him.

"Heh."

"I thought you said you weren't ready."

"What made you jump to that?" Naruto was looking at him, his smile wide and mischievous.

"Because sometimes it's all I think about when I'm around you."

"Pervert," he said.

"Who are you," asked Sasuke, with a smirk. "My father?"

Naruto actually laughed. "Too soon."

"Yeah, I think so, too."

Naruto grabbed for his hand and held it. "Life's too short to give a shit about what people think."

"Perhaps."

"Well, in the end, I'll at least be there for you. As a friend, or whatever."

"'Whatever' may seem a good alternative in future." He smiled warmly at Naruto.

Naruto smiled back, though it was crooked. "How would someone like you ever benefit from getting involved with someone like me?"

Sasuke lifted their hands off of the bed once or twice. "Are you kidding?"

He shook his head. "Not really. I mean, maybe the dating pool is small for you now 'cause we're in high school, but what about when you go to college?"

Somehow, that hurt. He let their joined hands come to a rest on top of the blanket. "Are you rejecting me already?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "What is there to reject? You said you weren't interested in datin' me! See, this is what I meant by mixed signals."

"You don't want to date a boy."

"It's weird to think about, I have to admit that. I don't know the first thing about bein' in a relationship, Sasuke, which is why I think you could do way better. Not that you're even considerin' me that way apparently. So, what about this guy you slept with? Maybe there's something there."

Sasuke scowled. "I don't think so. He's dating someone else. A woman. And when he and I got together, he'd only been with a few guys. He's bisexual, but I think he's far more interested in breasts."

"If he wasn't datin' some chick, would you wanna be with him?"

Sasuke took in a deep breath, thinking it over. Naruto rolled onto his side, waiting for his answer.

"That seems impossible," he answered.

"No?"

"It was just sex, Naruto."

"Okay." Naruto let go of his hand, which was disappointing, and placed it on his own thigh.

Sasuke regarded him for a moment. "It would be hypocritical of you to judge me for saying that. Your first time wasn't exactly about romance either."

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "That's hittin' below the belt. I didn't even say anything."

"You didn't have to," he said.

"Even if I didn't call her, it's not like the sex was just about me. I wanted her to feel good, too. It's not like we did it once, and we went our separate ways. I stayed with her all night, and when I woke up in the morning, I... needed to go. Yeah, maybe I didn't handle it well, but I never once thought that I was just usin' her."

"You stayed with her all night?"

"Yes."

Sasuke nodded and bit his lip, moving his hand to his stomach. "Good for you. Sounds like you were quite the gentleman."

"...Was it not like that for you?" Naruto placed his hand where Sasuke's had just been.

"I never wanted it to be," he answered. "There was an opportunity for it, and I took it."

"And he had experience bein' with guys?"

"He did, which is why I thought he'd be a safe bet. We'd been drinking. I'd always been attracted to him. He wandered into the room where I was, and I kissed him." He glanced calmly at Naruto, who looked both curious and thoughtful. "Then I pulled him down on top of me. He didn't resist too much, and then we went into the bathroom together. I got what I wanted out of it, and that was good enough for me. I can't imagine he didn't enjoy it."

Naruto made a slight humming noise, and he appeared to be frowning a bit.

"You obviously have something to say," Sasuke remarked. His gaze slid lower, to Naruto's fingers, which were picking and pulling at the blanket. "What?"

"Nothin'."

"Naruto. If you have something to say, say it to my face."

"I just... wanted to know. Was he, y'know," Naruto averted his gaze and fidgeted a little, "...Good to you? Was he nice to you? Was he gentle?"

Surprised by the question, his lips parted as he inhaled more sharply than he meant to. He cleared his throat before answering, "He was gentle enough."

Suddenly, Naruto got on his stomach and buried his face in the pillow. He might've let out a word or two that Sasuke couldn't make out, since it just came out muffled. After a minute, he turned to look at him, but his face was still partially obscured by the pillow.

"What was that about?" Sasuke asked him quietly.

"None of your business," Naruto replied and buried his face again.

Confused, Sasuke moved toward him, sliding up against his side. He hesitated at first, but then he put his hand on Naruto's upper back. He left it there for a while until he moved it up into Naruto's hair.

"It's weird to smell that shampoo on you," he said quietly. "You smell like me."

Barely, Naruto lifted his head to look at him. "Does it hurt," he asked. "To have sex with another guy?"

Both of Sasuke's eyebrows drew up. While he collected his thoughts, he returned to rubbing Naruto's head. "Did it hurt to have sex with that girl?"

"Of course not," Naruto answered. "You know what I mean."

"You're assuming I was the one on the bottom?" He smirked, mostly to himself.

"Weren't you? You said he had the experience. Isn't that how it works?"

"I wouldn't really know, but I would imagine maybe. There were other circumstances for why it made more sense for him to... top."

"Top?" Naruto repeated. "Hm. Like what?"

"Like... I don't know that I want to tell you."

"Hm." Naruto lifted up from the pillow; Sasuke dropped his hand on to the blanket. "You're makin' me nervous."

"You realize that my first sexual experience has nothing to do with you, right?" Sasuke asked. "And that what happened between that person and myself is none of your business."

"Fine." Naruto scowled. "I was tired of hearin' about it anyway." He sat up, looking anywhere but at Sasuke, and raked a hand through his hair, only causing it to stick up even more.

Sasuke stared at him. "You're not... jealous, are you?"

"No," Naruto replied so quickly that it was suspicious.

Smirking, Sasuke drew himself onto his knees and poked Naruto in the arm.

"What?" Naruto snapped.

Sasuke actually laughed. "You are jealous."

"No," Naruto said. "I'm just concerned. I dunno who this guy was, and everything you tell me about him, and then what you won't tell me makes me feel all suspicious. Is this some weird freak you met in an online chatroom?"

Sasuke started to smile. "What if it was?"

"Then, I'mma go get Itachi, and we're gonna go find him, and then... I dunno. I'll do somethin'. Maybe I'll kick him in the shin."

"Wasn't it you that once said I was too possessive? What did you tell me? That you could be friends with me and Sai."

"I'm not bein' possessive," Naruto mumbled, pulling his knees to him and wrapping his arms around them so that he could hide his face again.

Sasuke wanted to tackle him so badly. In fact, what he really wanted was to take hold of Naruto's face and kiss him like he should've done earlier when he'd been sitting in his lap... but at that time, it hadn't felt right. Naruto was still out of his reach. Again, it was just that protective streak he seemed to have. He knew it was that, and yet, it made him feel giddy to fantasize about Naruto being jealous over him being with another man. Although, he knew if he mentioned it was one of Itachi's friends, a man five years older than him, Naruto really would've flipped out. Or, worse, would've thought less of him. Sasuke had no problem with the choice he made, but he could see others taking an issue with it, which is why he'd always kept it to himself. Besides, Naruto didn't need to know everything, just like he wasn't all that interested in hearing every detail about Naruto's first time. He was trying not to imagine that spending the night with some girl he hardly knew meant that they went at it the whole damn time. When he'd been with Yahiko, it hadn't lasted all that long, maybe 40 minutes from start to finish, and that included making out on the couch.

Also, Naruto wasn't his to be jealous over, but if he was... well, that would be a different story. Although, this was all before they met, so it shouldn't much matter anyway. It did make him curious, however, about what Naruto thought of sex, what he liked or didn't like about it, what he enjoyed about being with a woman in particular... How would Naruto be as a lover? Would he be rough? Gentle? He wasn'tthat experienced, so it's not like he was an expert. But there was an ease about Naruto that intrigued him. Naruto was passionate, too. Sasuke always wanted to kiss him when he got angry, so... how would that translate during sex? If they were to do anything, would Naruto take the lead, or would he? Honestly, he'd fantasized about both ways already to some extent.

Shit. Wrong train of thoughts to be having with Naruto in his bed. As casually as he could manage, Sasuke slid lower and shifted to where he lay on his stomach. He turned his head the opposite way, so that he wouldn't have to look at Naruto.

"Oi," he heard Naruto say. "Did you fall asleep?"

"How could I fall asleep with you being so loud, idiot?"

Unexpectedly, Naruto flopped on top of him, covering the upper half of his body. Sasuke would've struggled, but he didn't want Naruto to become aware of his predicament.

"Get off," he warned.

"Or what?" Naruto asked.

"I will hurt you."

"Meh. You don't seem so tough to me." Naruto rested his head on Sasuke's shoulder and started to play with the hem of his shirt, fingers once in a while brushing along the lower part of his back.

Sasuke closed his eyes. "Naruto."

"Shh. Go to sleep."

"How can I go to sleep when you're practically humping me, you moron?"

"Oh. Is this doin' somethin' for you? Even though I'm not some online pedo guy who likes to diddle little boys?"

Sasuke let out a sigh of frustration. Naruto's warm breath was fanning across the back of his neck. Every time Naruto's fingers touched skin, it was just... too much. Naruto adjusted his position, shifting more to the other side, but that allowed Naruto's left leg to slide just over Sasuke's right one. It rubbed against the inside of his thigh and by his knee.

Embarrassing the hell out of him, it caused him to let out a strangled noise.

"Hey," Naruto got up, "Are you okay? Did I hurt you? Did I hit your elbow? Shit, I'm on top of it!" Thankfully, he scrambled off of Sasuke. "Maybe I should get you some pain killers?"

"Yes," Sasuke practically growled. "Do that, and while you're out there, go play with Itachi for a while."

Naruto was about halfway to the door when he stopped. "Huh? Why?"

"Just do as I tell you, and don't come back for another 15 to 20 minutes."

Naruto made a face. "You're bein' weird."

"If you come back before then, I'm throwing all of your stuff to make s'mores into the bonfire."

"Why would you do that?" Naruto whined. "What did I do?"

"Naruto. Itachi. Now."

"Tch, fine. No need to be such a jerk. I'm goin'. I'll be back in a while." With that, Naruto finally left the room.

Though it was uncomfortable as hell, Sasuke quickly got off the bed and locked the door. He really hoped that, as he got older, these situations would become a lot easier to control. Confident that Naruto would leave him alone and that everyone else figured he was sleeping, Sasuke went to his nightstand and opened the drawer. Finding a small bottle of lotion he buried under all the other junk, he fell on top of the bed. The cool air hit his stomach where his shirt had ridden up. For a while, he stared at the ceiling, his fingers hovering over the button of his jeans, then, quickly unsnapping it with his thumb, he unzipped them the rest of the way.

He tried not to think about Naruto as he slid his hand inside and rubbed himself. Hetried to only think that it felt good, but as he shut his eyes, he clearly saw blond hair, a sexy smile, and those blue eyes... How Naruto had looked in just that towel, the feel of his arms around Sasuke, and then when he was able to straddle him. Naruto's hands on his hips, forcibly moving him forward.

How would Naruto feel underneath him? How would it feel to have Naruto's mouth all over his body, his tongue...?

Sasuke bit his lip in order to stifle a groan. He shimmied his jeans down his hips and stroked himself roughly, thinking about anything and everything so long as it was Naruto.

Fifteen minutes?

He should've told Naruto five because it was literally only three before he came while choking down a noise that would've sounded a lot like the other boy's name.