On Saturday morning, Sasuke woke up early and decided to drive to the gym. His parents invited him to breakfast, but he was in the mood to work out. In fact, he'd been doing a lot of that lately. One good thing about this past month was that it had given him a fair amount of time to think. He'd stopped to consider his relationship with Naruto as a whole: what he wanted versus what he could have, and what Naruto was trying do by laying down ground rules.
A month ago, he realized how much he'd fucked up by sleeping with that DJ. The worst part was how he'd treated Naruto afterward even though what happened between them ended up being the subject of many wet dreams since. It was just that he hadn't been used to sharing his attention, and after two girlfriends, it left him more frustrated than he'd realized. Naruto was easily the closest friend he'd ever had, and from the beginning, he'd always told Sasuke that he wanted them to be honest with one another. Part of him understood that if he came out to his parents right now - Naruto might look at him differently, even if for only a second.
Until he could do that, or be the person Naruto imagined him to be, there was no point in hoping for something more. He'd seen the changes in Naruto over the time they'd known one another, too. When they first met, Naruto was still in the grieving stage after losing his mother, but now his temper had improved, he hardly got into trouble at school, and he'd become one of the most popular kids in their class. Perhaps they were beginning to move in different directions, and that should be okay, right? Naruto remained by his side, but this way Sasuke wouldn't hurt him. If Naruto could say he was okay with him and Yahiko hooking up again, then maybe he really was serious about the two of them becoming "normal" friends. Even though he continued to detect an attraction between them, if this is what Naruto needed or what would be best for him, then Sasuke had no choice but to respect his decision.
However, it was pretty fucking unfortunate that idiotic cheerleader had to run her mouth about their sex life. Didn't being discreet mean anything to teenage girls these days? If he hadn't learned to just let it go, he'd be angry all of the time. So, he chose to put that energy into studying, working out, music, and a lot of jerking off. Between staying in the same house as Yahiko and thinking about all the amazing things Naruto really could do with his mouth, he needed to burn some of this pent up sexual frustration or he'd do something stupid tonight. He was glad Naruto was coming because that meant zero chance of his hormones getting the best of him. Last night, if he'd gone out with everyone, he might've ended up jumping Yahiko.
After a 10-minute drive, Sasuke pulled into the gym parking lot and turned off the engine in the middle of Fitz and the Tantrums' "The Walker". He grabbed his stuff and headed inside the gym, where he greeted the young woman at the desk. There were only a few people around, so he could lift weights in peace while listening to some he pushed the door open to the men's locker room, he considered how much things had changed since they met. Not that he'd admit it to Naruto, but he couldn't imagine what life would be like without that idiotic blond and his ridiculous blue eyes and sexy bedroom voice that always came out whenever he was tired. One day these feelings might go away - if Naruto did move away to for college, found some girlfriend, got married, and had a couple of kids. Or, maybe like with Yahiko, there'd always be a part of him that wished things could've turned out differently.
After Naruto got up, made Sai breakfast, and walked him to the closest bus stop, it was already half past noon. If it would've been warmer, he would've gone for a run. He supposed dancing last night was a decent enough workout, especially when the muscles of his thighs, back, and calves were still burning like crazy. He took his phone out of his coat pocket and decided to call Sasuke to see what the plans were for tonight. The phone rang until he connected to Sasuke's voicemail.
"Hey, Sai just left, so I thought I'd see what time you want me to come over. M'gonna head back to the apartment to get my shit together and make my way over to your house. Call me if you want me to come later 'cause once I'm on the bus it'll be too late. See ya later, dick. Hope you're not blowin' your boyfriend Yahiko in your brother's bathroom again."
He hung up and shoved the phone into his pocket. Even though he'd been somewhat drunk last night, he remembered their conversation clearly. Usually bringing up Yahiko's name was taboo, so he was glad they were able to talk about it openly. He figured Sasuke still had some kind of feelings for the guy. It was his first time, after all. He'd seen enough pictures of Yahiko to know that he was good looking. If he went to Stanford, that meant he was smart, too, and he was into music. He just hoped Sasuke would be careful about what he chose to do, especially if Yahiko was seeing someone. Then again, maybe that wouldn't matter to Sasuke, and Naruto had grown tired of being so self-righteous all the time. He'd support him in whatever he wanted to do as long as it didn't get anyone killed or maimed, or even if he felt that tiny pang of fear at being left behind. When Sasuke hid stuff from him, it made him feel like he was being lied to. It was possible Sasuke didn't feel comfortable opening up to him about these things, and that's not what he wanted to happen between them.
He stepped onto the elevator, humming a song he had stuck in his head thanks to last night's club hopping. By the time he finished cleaning and putting away the dishes, he was ready to begin packing his overnight bag. Still no word from Sasuke, so he took that as all things are go. It would be good to see Itachi and the other guys. He'd be polite to Yahiko, too. If he was a good friend of Itachi's, he couldn't be that bad of a guy, other than that whole pedophilia thing he had going on. Once Naruto finished packing, he turned the heat down and all of the lights off. He made sure the door to the apartment was locked, and, finally, was on his way to Sasuke's house in the suburbs.
Sasuke was downstairs playing Dark Souls with Itachi when his mother yelled down that Naruto was here. Yahiko was lying on the couch, humoring them by watching them play and listening to their bickering. No one had much energy it seemed. They'd been hanging out in the basement most of the afternoon.
"Tell him not to dawdle, Sasuke," said his brother. "Have him put his stuff away and then send him down here immediately."
He got up from the floor. "Why don't you just pause the game and greet him yourself?"
"I would if I thought I could trust you not to let my character die here."
"The whole point of the game is that your character is going to die. Over and over."
"Could you just go get Naruto?" Itachi blindly tried to swipe at him. "I'm your older brother. Do as I say."
"Should I go with you?" Yahiko asked. He sat up, but Sasuke waved away his offer.
"I'll bring him down," he replied. "He'll be mad you're playing this without him, Itachi."
"Then he should've come sooner. I've missed my little texting buddy."
"There's something wrong with you," Sasuke mumbled before taking the steps up two at a time to greet his guest.
He found Naruto in the kitchen flirting with his mother as usual. Sasuke never saw her laugh so much as when she was talking to him.
"Hey," he said while standing in the doorway.
"Hey," Naruto said back, immediately bursting into a grin. "Happy Thanksgiving."
Sasuke smirked. "Thanks. Where's my gift?"
"Can't you see? I'm standing right here?" He thought he was so hilarious.
Mikoto laughed again. "You really are adorable, Naruto. Can I get you anything to drink?"
"Nah, don't worry about me. Where's Itachi?"
"He's downstairs," Sasuke told him. "He insists you go down there immediately. He's playing Dark Souls with Yahiko."
For a second, the expression on Naruto's face changed, but it didn't last long enough for anyone but him to notice.
"You haven't met Yahiko yet, have you?" Mikoto asked. "He's been one of Itachi's best friends since they met at college. Sasuke's fond of him, too. He's a very nice young man."
"I've heard a lot about him," Naruto answered her politely. "I like all of Itachi's friends."
"Even Hidan?" Sasuke asked. He'd have to congratulate Naruto on his acting skills.
"I do. He let me ride his motorcycle once."
"Does your father know about that?" Mikoto asked, holding her hand to her cheek. "I hope you wore a helmet."
"I did, don't worry." Naruto gave his mom a big smile. "It wasn't my first time on one."
"Well, okay then. Itachi's friends can play rough, so I wouldn't want you to get hurt, dear."
"Are you going to keep my brother waiting?" Sasuke asked, walking over to him and taking his backpack from off of his shoulder. "I'll put this in my room, so you can head down there."
"You sure?"
"I'll be down in a minute," he said, able to tell he was asking whether it was alright to meet Yahiko on his own. Frankly, Sasuke trusted Naruto to behave, so he wasn't worried. Plus, Itachi would be there to keep Naruto from breaking anyone's kneecaps.
"Alright then. I'll be downstairs if you need me." Naruto gave him one last questioning glance before heading to the basement.
Sasuke watched him go and then looked at his mother. "What are we doing for dinner?"
"Whatever you and Itachi want. We can order pizza if you'd like. Do you know how many are going to be here tonight?"
"I don't think they'll show up until later, so it'll probably just be me, Naruto, Yahiko, Itachi, you and father for a while."
"Your father's lying down. He wasn't feeling well this morning."
Sasuke's eyebrow lifted. "Is he alright?"
"Upset stomach, I think. No need to worry." She set her hand on Sasuke's head and ruffled his hair. "Naruto hasn't stayed the night in a while, has he?"
"We've both been busy. Minato's stayed home the past couple of weekends, so Naruto wanted to spend some time with him."
"That's good to hear. I was starting to worry about him always being alone in that apartment. He doesn't have a girlfriend, does he?"
Sasuke slid a hand into one of his back jean pockets. "No. Not right now. He did before, though. They broke up."
"I wonder what she was like, hm? I'm sure Naruto only likes nice girls. Do you think?"
"It's hard to say what Naruto likes," he replied. "Pizza's fine. I'm going to put his bag away."
"Alright, sweetie. I'll order the pizza whenever you want. Maybe you guys can go pick it up and save your mother the trip."
"Of course," he said.
"Sasuke," she called to him as he started to walk out of the kitchen.
He paused in the doorway and waited. She walked over, leaned down, and kissed him on the forehead. Sasuke felt embarrassed, but he didn't say anything.
"That's for being the kind of young man I'm very proud to call my son. Go on then, go hang out with the other boys and leave your mother behind."
He stared at her for a moment. "Mother?"
"Yes?"
Sasuke shook his head. "Nothing. Let me know if I need to run to the store to get father anything."
"I will. Have fun, Sasuke."
He left her alone and headed downstairs to find Naruto sitting on the floor beside Itachi while Yahiko sat on his brother's other side.
"Did I miss the introductions?" Sasuke asked as he took his seat on the couch.
"You did," said Yahiko. "I'll have to get to know Naruto once your brother's finished with this game. He won't let us talk while he's playing."
"This is a very serious part," Itachi responded. "It requires my full concentration."
"Mother says she's willing to pay for pizza for all of us. Did she... seem strange to you today?" He asked his brother.
"Huh?" Naruto turned around. "I didn't think she was actin' strange."
"Yes, but your ability to read people is about as good as Helen Keller's," Sasuke said dryly.
"How can you make fun of a poor dead blind lady like that?" Naruto asked, feigning outrage.
Itachi threw an arm around Naruto's shoulders. "I missed this. You always bring out the political incorrectness in my brother that so amuses me."
"You could get away with it at Stanford," said Yahiko. "You should see the looks I get from the rich frat boys when I use the school's gym. They never believe I'm a student because of all my tattoos and piercings. I s'pose there are some things I miss about Berkeley."
"You make it sound like you're bragging." Itachi smirked at his friend. "I think we all know what kind of reactions men at the gym have when they see you."
Yahiko let out a gruff laugh. "That's not what I meant."
Naruto shot Sasuke a look, which he ignored.
"Sasuke went to the gym this morning," said Itachi. "It must be nice to be young and have that kind of energy."
"Wow, you went to the gym this morning even after I woke you up last night?" Naruto asked.
"We didn't talk for very long," replied Sasuke, "I was fine."
"True. You only sleep, like, four or five hours a night max."
"You sound like you know Sasuke very well," said Yahiko. "I heard a lot about you from our friends, Naruto. I hope we'll have a chance to talk later as I hear we have similar interests."
"We do?" Naruto asked, and Sasuke could hear disbelief in his voice, though only he would've noticed it.
"I told Yahiko about your interest in cars and motorcycles," Itachi clarified. "His uncle has a whole garage full of classic cars, doesn't he? Yahiko helps him out in the summer to restore them. He's very skilled with his hands."
Naruto suddenly snorted.
"What's so funny?" Itachi asked. "Do you want to play?"
"Nah." Naruto leaned back on his arms and spread his legs out in front of him. "I'm good. I was just tellin' Mikoto about the time Hidan let me ride on his motorcycle with him."
"Yeah, Hidan's got a great bike," Yahiko agreed. "I love Harleys. Grew up around guys who liked to rebuild 'em and ride 'em hard."
"You definitely grew up in an interesting way considering who your parents were," Itachi remarked. "How is father feeling, by the way, Sasuke? Did mother mention anything?"
"I didn't even know he wasn't feeling well," replied Sasuke. "He seemed okay this morning when they went to breakfast."
"I'm sure he'll feel better after he gets some rest," said Yahiko. "His job must be pretty stressful."
"Well, then." Itachi turned off the game. "Shall we go to a movie, binge watch Lost on Netflix, or is there something else the three of you would like to do?"
"Don't mind," said Naruto.
"If we're that bored, we might as well go ice skating at that new rink," Sasuke suggested.
"Sounds good to me." Naruto was already on his feet. "Although I wonder if my ankles will hold out. I'm sore from bein' dragged to every club in Capitol Hill last night."
"Gay clubs?" Itachi asked. "Who were you with?"
"Oh, my friend Sai. Not sure if you've met him."
"I see. So, you're not only cheating on me, you're cheating on my brother, are you?" Itachi teased.
Sasuke immediately thought of that moment he'd confessed to 'cheating'. He watched Naruto for his reaction, but all he did was chuckle and rub the back of his head before their gazes finally met.
"Well," Naruto said, not giving much away, "It seemed like a good idea to let the two of you catch up, and all of your friends were here, so..."
"You know you're always welcome to hang out with us. Everyone was disappointed you weren't here, and then Sasuke wouldn't go out with us either. But, now I understand why. He didn't want to miss your phone date. I assume it was to check in on you and make sure you hadn't been arrested."
"Heh. It was more like I was a little drunk and started texting him after I got home."
"Drunk texting, eh?" Itachi nodded thoughtfully. "I'm disappointed you didn't text me then."
"Sorry." Naruto pat his brother on the arm. "Next time I'll text you. Promise. So, are we gonna skate or what? I wanna race Sasuke around the rink and see who's faster."
"Idiot," said Sasuke. "I used to play little league hockey."
"Uh, yeah, me too, and I'm from Chicago. We have a much better hockey team than Seattle."
"I can't argue with that," said Itachi.
"Whatever." Sasuke went up to Naruto and thwacked him on the back of the head just because.
"What was that for?" Naruto's nose wrinkled and as he was about to punch Sasuke in the arm, he was able to grab him by the elbow, spin him around, and put him in a choke hold.
"Very impressive," said Itachi. "You've been practicing judo, haven't you?"
"Tch. No. He's just a wimp." Sasuke tightened his hold when Naruto struggled.
"If you wanted an excuse to touch me, you should've said so," Naruto mumbled. "Jackass."
Surprising him, Yahiko started to laugh. "It's exactly like you said."
He was talking to Itachi, but Sasuke wasn't sure what he meant.
"I told you," replied Itachi.
"Wait, what did you say to him?" Naruto asked, and Sasuke let him go, although not before receiving a hard push as retribution.
"Ignore him," said Sasuke. "Who knows what kind of warped things enter my brother's mind. It's only unfortunate that he's repeating those things to other people."
"Ah, Sasuke." Yahiko came up next to him and placed an arm around his shoulders. "He only said you had a best friend now. One that makes you laugh and act your age finally."
He couldn't help but have a reaction to the closeness of the other man's body. "...What's that supposed to mean?"
"You were always so serious," said Yahiko. "It's good to hear you laugh."
"Sorry for being serious," he mumbled, feeling goosebumps on his skin as Yahiko's fingers squeezed his upper arm.
"Maybe on the way back we can order pizza and pick it up so mother doesn't have to," Itachi suggested.
"It'll be nice to take it easy," said Yahiko. "Last night ended up being just as crazy as when you and I go out together at school." He left Sasuke's side and followed Itachi up the stairs.
Sasuke remained standing there until he heard Naruto clear his throat behind him.
"Very smooth," he said.
Sasuke turned to him. Naruto had his arms crossed, but his expression wasn't exactly readable. Was he amused or annoyed?
He took a couple of steps forward until he stood in front of Naruto.
"What?" Naruto asked. "I'm not gonna say anything. You're an adult."
"It's not as if I can help it. My body's reacting on its own."
Naruto's eyes narrowed at him the slightest bit. "I know how it works. No need to explain."
"Not like you'd understand," he said. "Since you had the opportunity to jerk off last night."
"Oh, do you know that for sure, or was that just a thing I said to get you off the phone?"
"I don't know, Naruto." Sasuke, smiling crookedly, reached for a piece of his hair and gave it a gentle tug without Naruto moving to stop him. "Did you... get off?"
"As if I'd tell. Why don't you go worry about your older boyfriend, hm?"
Even after a month of nothing happening, that desire to lean in and kiss him when they argued or Naruto acted jealous or overprotective hadn't gone away.
"What's with that look?" Naruto asked suspiciously and put a hand to Sasuke's chest to push him backward a step or two.
"Only admiring the blue of your eyes," he replied, knowing it would annoy Naruto further.
"Shut up, bastard. Stop tryin' to rile me up. I'm gonna beat your ass once we're on the rink."
"Maybe we should make a wager then," he replied.
"Oh yeah? What are the stakes?"
"Loser has to do whatever the winner says."
"Huh? What kinda wager is that?"
"You won't have to worry about it so long as you win," Sasuke replied, turning his back on him. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Naruto. I won't ask for anything sexual. Obviously."
Naruto ran up behind him and gave him a push to get him going up the stairs. "Wasn't even thinkin' of that. You're the one with their mind in the gutter."
"Are you sure I didn't cross your mind at least once during your shower last night?"
"Tch. Maybe if you beat me, I'll give you an answer to that."
He smirked. "I look forward to kicking your ass then."
When they were upstairs, they found Yahiko and Itachi in their jackets and shoes, ready to go.
"Took you two long enough," Itachi said. "We'll wait for you in the car."
Sasuke went to the closet to retrieve their coats while Naruto put his sneakers on and set Sasuke's shoes out for him.
"Thanks," Naruto said as he took his coat from him.
Sasuke slipped on his shoes and held the door open for him. "After you."
Naruto was taking a break to grab a cup of hot chocolate from the concession stand. The rink had been built as an addition to the old convention center. There was a pretty good crowd, mostly younger kids and then people their age. Last he saw, Itachi and Sasuke were trying to prove who could be the next Brian Boitano. Okay, well, no. They weren't trying any triple sow cows, but they'd spent the last 20 minutes racing. Itachi won most of the time, of course. Sasuke won twice, but he was pretty sure his brother pretended to lose out of pity. He didn't feel like making small talk with Yahiko, so it felt like a good time to step off the ice.
While he was sitting on one of the benches, he pulled his phone out to check his messages. There were the usual texts from some of the girls he knew and a few guys on the baseball team. Sai sent him a photo from last night that Naruto didn't even know he'd taken. Best not to show that one to Sasuke.
"What are you grinning about, idiot?"
Naruto looked up and found Sasuke standing there. "Oh, did you finally decide who had the bigger penis between you and your brother?"
"I bet you'd like to know the answer to that, wouldn't you?"
He gave the bench a pat. "I already know it's Itachi even without seeing it."
"I'm going back." Sasuke promptly turned around, but Naruto, laughing, got up quick to grab him by his jacket.
"Come on. Sit. I'll share my hot cocoa with you."
Sasuke turned slowly to regard him. His cheeks were pink from the cold, and he looked -
"What?" Sasuke asked. "You're staring."
He bit his lip. "Are you gonna sit and keep me company or what?"
"Fine, but only if you tell me what you were looking at that made you so happy."
Naruto sat back down and Sasuke took a seat next to him. He stole the styrofoam cup from his hand and sipped.
"Nothin'. A picture from last night that Sai texted."
"Oh? Let me see then." He started to reach for the phone, but Naruto held it away from him. "Didn't you tell me last night that we should be more open with one another?"
"Did I say that?"
"Even if you were drunk, it still stands." Sasuke handed the cup back to him, their fingers overlapping briefly.
"I wasn't that drunk," he mumbled.
"Naruto."
"Fine, man. You're so nosy, bastard." He handed over the phone.
Sasuke pulled up the photo. "Oh."
"I tried to warn you."
"Who are all of these men, and why are they touching you like that?" He gave Naruto a long look, a single eyebrow lifted.
"Sai's friends." He shrugged. "We were just dancing."
Sasuke hummed before handing him the phone. "I didn't realize you were so easy."
"Tch. Shut up. They think it's funny that I go out with them and I'm straight."
Sasuke didn't say anything; instead, he glanced off toward the rink, where they could see the other skaters through the clear partition. With a sigh, Naruto gave him a nudge.
"Tell me what you're thinking," he said. "But, I promise. It's all good fun."
"You don't have to explain yourself to me. I guess I never thought about what you got up to when you're out with him."
"Sai's been my good friend as long as you have."
Sasuke turned, meeting his gaze. "What do you think of Yahiko?"
The question caught him off guard.
"Um. He seems nice."
"Were you expecting him not to be?"
Naruto sipped from his cup. "I hadn't thought about it. You don't talk about him much. I only know him from some photos and a few things Itachi's mentioned. I thought he'd be more like the other guys - but he's not."
"No? How so?"
"I guess it makes sense. Itachi met him in college, but he's known all these other guys since high school. He's clearly really smart, attractive, and," Naruto ran a hand through his hair, "A good guy. If he wasn't your brother's friend and didn't seem to have some kind of on-again, off-again relationship with some chick, I guess I'd say - "
He stopped when he saw Yahiko and Itachi skate by together.
"What?" Sasuke asked, leaning into him and lowering his voice, "What would you say, Naruto?"
"That someone like that... is the kind of guy I could imagine you dating."
If Sasuke had a reaction to his words, it didn't show on his face, and after this long, Naruto knew that meant he was thinking on something very deeply. He, however, wasn't sure if he wanted to ask his thoughts on the matter. Would he be alright if Sasuke dated Yahiko? It was hard to admit, but he trusted Itachi's judgment completely, so if Yahiko was his best friend, then Naruto had to admit he couldn't be a bad guy. In fact, he'd been nothing but nice to him this whole afternoon.
"Okay, well." He stood up, balancing himself on his skates, and tossed the cup into the garbage. "I'm ready for our race. Unless you're too tired from competing against your brother."
"Is the wager still on?" Sasuke asked, also getting to his feet.
"Yeah. Why? Do you already have somethin' in mind that you want?"
"I do now. You?"
He crossed his arms. "Hadn't thought about it."
"Is it because I already do everything you say?"
The way he said that made Naruto almost forget that they were in public.
"Don't flirt with me," he said, "When your boyfriend's only right behind that plastic wall."
Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "He's not my boyfriend, Naruto. No matter how many times you imply it today." He grabbed Naruto by his arm to get him moving.
"I'm only kidding, Sasuke."
Catching him off guard, Sasuke put an arm around his shoulders and when he spoke, his lips were close to Naruto's ear.
"As long as you're here, I have no interest in anything happening with him." He let go of Naruto and walked at his side.
"I didn't say anything."
Sasuke gave him one last look before they entered the rink. "You didn't have to."
Sadly, despite their best efforts, when they finished their tenth lap around the rink - with Itachi and Yahiko playing referee - the two of them ended in a tie of 5-5.
"One more," Naruto said.
"Then you'll want another if you lose," Sasuke replied, trying to catch his breath as he leaned against the wall. "That's why we went all the way up to 10 in the first place."
"But what about the wager?"
"I guess nobody wins. That, or we each do something for the other."
"If we're both losers, then no one gets anything," Naruto said so seriously that Sasuke couldn't help but smirk at his childish competitive streak.
Itachi and Yahiko skated over to them.
"You two seem evenly matched to me," said Itachi, "Something I've been saying for some time."
"You guys make me think of my best friend growing up." Yahiko leaned against the wall, next to where Sasuke stood - his elbow touching Sasuke's arm. "We used to compete over everything except girls. He was smaller than me, so when it came to athletics, I always won, but he was incredibly cunning when I think about it. He might've even given you a run for your money, Itachi."
"Is this Nagato?" Itachi asked.
"Yeah."
Sasuke knew this story, so it was Naruto who mistakenly asked:
"Are you still best friends with him? What happened?"
Yahiko spared the blond a sad smile. "He passed away our senior year. Cancer."
"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that." Naruto looked pretty stricken by this information. "My mother... had cancer, too. Her dying was kind of the reason I ended up in Seattle."
"It's a terrible thing," said Yahiko. "I like to do as many of the walks as I can. I think about him all the time. He was a shy kid, but he was a good guy. Loyal. I'm sorry to hear about your mother, Naruto. It's hard to lose someone so important when you're young."
Naruto was on his other side, so he leaned in front of Sasuke to keep talking to Yahiko.
"Yeah, it was pretty bad the first few months. My dad and I still are workin' out our relationship and all that, but... I've had Sasuke, so... he keeps me in check."
Sasuke flushed at his words. "I don't do anything..."
"Sasuke pretends to be aloof," said Yahiko, "But... it's all an act, of course. I'm sure you know this already."
"I do." Naruto grinned. "You've known him for a while, eh?"
"I have."
Naruto started to look conflicted, as if he just remembered who he was talking to. Nervously, he chuckled, and rubbed the back of his neck.
"We should swap stories," said Yahiko.
"Yeah..."
"Should we," said Itachi, "Think about dinner? It's almost 6. We could order pizza and pick it up on the way home. Unless the three of you would rather stay longer?"
"I'm ready," Naruto answered.
"You don't seem very enthusiastic about pizza," Itachi commented. "Would you prefer something else?"
"Nah. Pizza's good. I think I'm just tired."
"It's all that partying." Sasuke leaned into him, knowing full well what was on his mind. "I'll let you sleep in tomorrow."
"Are the guys comin' over tonight?" Naruto asked.
"Would you like them to?" Itachi placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Sure. It's always good to see 'em. Seems like they only come around when you're in town."
"I'm sure they'd be happy to take you out any time you want. Don't you have Deidara's number?"
"Yeah, but I don't wanna be a bother."
Sasuke knew he should say something to snap him out of his mood, but it was Yahiko who took Naruto by the elbow and led him toward the exit. He said something to Naruto that Sasuke couldn't make out. He was curious what the two of them would talk about if left alone.
"Yahiko knows what Naruto went through. At least, more than you and I could relate to," Itachi said. "I'm sure he feels bad for reminding Naruto of those things, so he'll try to cheer him up. I always thought it might be good for the two of them to talk. They're very similar, don't you think?"
To be honest, he'd never thought about it until now. Those times he wondered whether or not he had a type - after seeing the only two men he'd ever been interested in standing side by side - he could say that he did. Even so, it made him uneasy for some reason. He was aware how charming Yahiko could be. And Naruto, too. When he liked someone, he had this annoying habit of flirting without realizing it. All this time, Sasuke had naively thought that he was an exception to Naruto's heterosexual inclinations, but after his drunken confession last night about Sai, the photo he saw on his phone today, and then watching him with Yahiko… would it really be possible for Naruto to show interest in other guys besides him? He was perplexed that he felt this way, but maybe he was only being paranoid because Yahiko and Naruto were two people who could have just about anyone they wanted.
"Sasuke?" Itachi called him. "Are you worried Yahiko's going to steal him away from you?"
He gave his brother a sober look but didn't say anything.
Itachi's brow furrowed. "You're not serious?"
He only shrugged. "I'm heading in. Don't forget to call and order the pizza."
On the way to pick up their order from the pizza place, Naruto rode in the back with Yahiko. Before they got to the car they ended up talking more about his mother and Nagato. He never knew that Yahiko had gone through a similar situation of losing a loved one to cancer. Even if he hadn't forgotten the fact that he'd diddled Sasuke or that the age of consent in California was 18, it was becoming increasingly more difficult to keep holding onto his grudge.
"Your mother sounds like a very wonderful woman," Yahiko said after they'd put on their seatbelts. "I bet you're a lot like her."
"My dad says I am, at least when we're arguin'. She was pretty great, though. Wanna see a picture, or is that too creepy?"
The older man smiled. "No, not creepy. I'd love to see a photo."
He pulled out his phone and searched through some photos until he found one of her in her early 20s.
"She looks a lot like you," said Yahiko. "Look at that red hair, too. But you're so blond." He glanced at Naruto and grinned. "And here I thought it was natural."
"Heh. My dad has blond hair that's even lighter than mine. I wonder what I would look like if I'd been born with her hair color? My best friend in high school was a ginger, but it looked really good on him. I think your color looks good on you, too."
Yahiko narrowed his eyes, even though he was still smiling. "Yeah? You're not hitting on me when Sasuke's right there, are you?"
"What?" Naruto's cheeks instantly flushed. He waved his arms frantically. "I wasn't - "
"I was kidding." He pat Naruto on the knee. "That seems to be an inside joke with the gang - you and Sasuke. Did you know they refer to you as his boyfriend when you're not around?"
"They - what?" Naruto groaned. "Don't listen to them. I think they do it to mess with Sasuke."
"Ever since I've known him, it's been a pastime of Itachi's to give his brother a hard time. It can be amusing at times, but mostly I always felt bad for Sasuke."
"Wow, you're a better man than me 'cause I hardly ever feel bad for him."
Yahiko chuckled. "I know it's how he shows his affection. Isn't that right, Itachi?"
"Of course. And to my defense, lately I've only made him cry a handful of times. When he was younger, I used to make him cry daily."
Sasuke glared at his brother. "He used to torture me. Literally. While other siblings were playing tag or throwing around a football, my brother used to re-enact internment camp scenarios. I'd end up playing the part of the prisoner, and he wouldn't let me go outside and play until I revealed my government's secrets."
"This sounds... oddly detailed and sadistic, Itachi. What the heck?" Naruto cried.
"At the time, I was interested in becoming a history teacher so I'd been studying up on the military strategies involved with the World Wars, Vietnam, and the Korean Conflict. Who better to test out live-action war scenarios on than my little brother?"
"Man, Itachi," said Yahiko. "If I didn't know you so well, I'd be worried about how closely you tread the line between good and evil sometimes."
Naruto smirked. "You mean like would he ever go to the Dark Side?"
Casually, Yahiko placed an arm along the back of the seat, behind Naruto's head. "Even if he did, it would end like it did with Darth Vader. There'd be that glimmer of good left inside. Someone could save him if they tried."
"I wonder if that makes Sasuke Luke?" Naruto asked.
"I'll pass," said Sasuke. "I'd be Han Solo. You're more like Luke. You're both whiny brats."
"Hey!" Naruto pointed at him. "I would never make out with my sister."
"You might if you thought she was hot and you didn't know the two of you were related. All she'd have to do is try out for cheerleading and you'd be all over her."
"Why you - "
"Cheerleaders do it for you?" Yahiko asked. "That surprises me."
Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "Sasuke seems to think so 'cause the two girls I've dated from our school happened to be."
"The way Itachi always talked about you and Sasuke, I ended up being surprised to hear that you're straight. I wouldn't say I was ever bullied for being out as a bisexual guy, but there were a few boys in my high school who didn't want to have anything to do with me once they found out. I'm glad he's been able to find a friend like you that he can trust and talk to."
Naruto gave it some thought. "What drew me to Sasuke was that he told me upfront. I remember bein' impressed by that, but yeah, we have guys like that at our high school. Uh. I mean. Sasuke's not really out at school, which you already know, so it's not much of an issue for him."
"And it's not an issue for you," said Yahiko. "You two seem as close as brothers."
He grinned cheekily. "You and Itachi seem pretty tight."
Yahiko, smiling widely, leaned in especially close. "Jealous?"
Naruto laughed loudly. "Kinda, yeah. It's Itachi, after all."
For a second, Naruto's eyes caught Sasuke's in the mirror.
"What?" He asked. "I like your brother. Get over it."
"You like me?" Itachi asked. "Is this a confession? How unexpected. Should I pull over?"
"Tch." He crossed his arms. "Maybe if you were bein' serious."
"Hn. You did look good with those skates on, Naruto. I'm always impressed by your athletic prowess as Sasuke was never interested in sports while growing up."
"Hey," said Sasuke. "I'm on the track team, you realize?"
"Even monkeys can run, Sasuke. Don't get cocky," Itachi replied. "Yahiko, you should see Naruto play baseball. Their team did very well this summer. They put him on the varsity team when he was only a sophomore. In fact, he received a scholarship from the school to play."
"Is that so?" Yahiko asked. "You look like you're in good shape. I didn't play sports much myself. Wasn't exactly my scene." He pointed to the collection of piercings in one of his ears.
"Do you have other piercings?" He asked. "I mean besides your ears?"
"I do. Would you like to know where?"
"Don't ask," said Itachi. "He's collected some new ones over the past few months."
"Really?" He asked anyway. "Like, down there?"
Yahiko let out a surprised chuckle. "I don't think Sasuke would like me to elaborate."
Naruto looked over, but Sasuke was staring out the passenger window. "Hmm. I was only curious. Y'know, if you had one of those. Did it hurt? Does it make sex better?"
"Naruto, really?" Sasuke did turn around this time.
"What? I'm curious."
"It's okay," said Yahiko. "I can tell you that it hurt somewhat, and... as for the other. I've had some compliments, yes."
Naruto made a face. "I don't think I could do that."
"Have sex with someone who had their penis pierced?" Itachi asked. "Take note, Sasuke."
Naruto flipped him off. "I meant get my dick pierced. What did it ever do to me that I'd have someone shove a huge needle through it?"
Yahiko laughed again. "You remind me of Hidan and Kisame. They always say what they think, too. He'd fit right in with your friends from high school wouldn't you say, Itachi?"
"He already does fit in with them," replied Itachi. "I think Deidara has a crush on him if I'm not mistaken. Kimimaro, too."
"Huh..." Naruto broke into a grin. "Really? Kimimaro?"
"Look at that," Yahiko teased him. "He's actually happy. Are you sure you're straight?"
He shrugged. "Even as a straight guy, I can tell you Kimimaro's a pretty good lookin' guy."
They pulled into the parking lot of the pizza place. Itachi left the car running, and Yahiko offered to go in with him since they'd ordered salads and appetizers.
"What are you smiling at?" Sasuke asked when they were alone. "Did you receive another dirty photo from Sai?"
"I didn't realize I was smiling."
"Do you like having attention that much?"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "I'm surprised you're so interested in Yahiko's penis given that you hated his guts for the past eight months. Not to mention you're flirting with him. You do remember he's bisexual?"
He frowned. "We're only joking around. I woulda figured you'd be happy that I'm bein' nice. If you don't want me to talk to him, just say so. We can switch seats and you can sit next to him."
"You're an idiot." Sasuke turned around again and started messing with the radio.
By then, Itachi and Yahiko returned. Naruto helped them with the bags of food, setting some in his lap and placing the 2-liter of Coke on the floor in between his feet.
"That smells great," he said.
"There'll be just enough time to eat before everyone comes over," said Itachi. "How does a bonfire sound? With father not feeling well, we should try to keep everybody out of the house if possible."
"I always like when we do that," he said. "Remind me not to drink too much. Last night was pretty rough."
"Did you say you went out with your friend to a gay club?" Yahiko asked.
"Yeah, they're more fun than the other ones," Naruto admitted. "Sai's my best friend. He always shows me a good time."
"I see," said Yahiko. "So Sasuke has competition, eh?"
"It's not like that." His gaze slid to Sasuke, who was pretending not to pay attention. His comment earlier was making him all self-conscious now.
"It's not? I'd find it hard to believe that a young gay man wouldn't have any interest in you. Blond jock? That would've been the ultimate fantasy for a lot of us bi guys in high school. If I was your age, I might give those cheerleaders a run for their money."
In any other instance, Naruto figured he would've reacted differently to being hit on by an another guy (besides Sasuke), but the way Yahiko talked to him made him feel - well, attractive. He caught himself grinning and had to look away because he knew he was starting to blush. It's not like he was taking Yahiko seriously or anything, but he was a good looking guy. He was nice and didn't mind talking to Naruto even though he was five years younger and obviously not as smart as the friends he hung out with at Stanford. In a way, Yahiko reminded him of Itachi. When Itachi praised him, it felt good, so with Yahiko flattering him, it... kind of had the same effect.
"Heh." He scratched his cheek. "I'm sure your girlfriend would take issue with that."
"Girlfriend?"
"Yeah," he said. "Aren't you datin' someone... uh I think her name was Konan, right?"
"Ah. Actually..." Yahiko tilted his head, the corners of his mouth turning down into a pensive frown. "We're on a break, I guess you'd call it."
"Sorry, man. I feel like an idiot. I didn't know."
"You and Konan aren't together?" Sasuke asked, turning in his seat.
Naruto wasn't surprised it was a topic he'd take interest in. Figures.
"Didn't I tell you?" Itachi asked. "It was before we left. It's why she went to her parents' home for the holiday instead of coming here with us."
Yahiko shrugged. "These things happen. It's not the first time we've taken some time to do our own things."
"So, you'll get back together soon?" Naruto asked.
"Why? Are you worried about me?" The older man's smile was genuine.
"Just think it's sad when two people are together for so long and then... they're not."
"I'm sure it'll work out how it's supposed to," Yahiko told him. "It means I don't have to feel guilty about talking to good looking high school boys."
Okay, Naruto could be pretty dense, but he almost felt like Yahiko was flirting with him. He didn't known him well enough to say. Maybe he was only teasing like all the other guys did.
Only a few blocks from the house, the rest of the ride was pretty quiet except the occasional sound of his stomach growling from being able to smell all of this food. Pennywise's "Fuck Authority" was playing on Sirius as they pulled into the driveway. The four of them got out of the car and started carrying everything into the house.
Sasuke held open the front door for everyone, but Naruto caught a look from him that made him pause in the entryway.
"What?" He asked.
Sasuke simply stared. "Nothing."
"Am I gettin' too chummy with your boyfriend or something?"
He noticed the way Sasuke's eyes narrowed and figured he'd hit the nail on the head.
"Tch. I'm not gonna stop you if that's what you want. Even though you said you wouldn't be interested so long as I'm here."
"I'm not interested," Sasuke replied calmly. "You, on the other hand, I'm not so sure."
"Huh?"
"How about you bring that into the kitchen so I can close the door?" Sasuke gave him a kick to get him moving. "We can talk about it later."
He frowned. "I don't even know what we're talkin' about now."
Naruto entered the kitchen and helped set out all the food buffet-style even though he was distracted by Sasuke's words. Itachi went upstairs to let Mikoto and Fugaku know that dinner was here. He took a moment to observe Sasuke and Yahiko assist one another with getting out plates, silverware, and glasses. The two of them fell into a conversation about Sasuke's band and the recent shows he'd played. They talked so easily together that, once again, he thought that maybe they really would make a good… couple.
He decided the right thing to do was to give them some privacy.
"Uh, I'm gonna go to the bathroom," he said, "Be right back."
He ended up going into Sasuke's room, where he automatically went straight to the closet to steal a sweatshirt. Afterward, he took a seat on the corner of the bed, looking over all of Sasuke's photos taped to the wall or pinned to the board above one of the nightstands. There were several with him in them. Eventually he got up and headed into the bathroom to relieve himself and wash his hands. For a while, he stared at his face in the mirror, trying to pick out the features that resembled his mother's. He started wondering if Sasuke had made the most of his alone time with Yahiko. Now that he knew Yahiko was single, there didn't seem to be any reason to stop something from happening between those two.
There was a knock on the door.
"Just how long are you going to be in there?" Sasuke asked.
He went to open the door. "Can't a guy have a little privacy while he's doin' his business?"
"The food will get cold." Sasuke stood there, with his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "You're wearing a sweatshirt. Are you really that cold?"
He opened his mouth to speak, but then he ended up changing his mind. When Sasuke gave him a questioning look, he shook his head.
"Nevermind."
Sasuke took a couple of steps closer and gingerly reached for one of the strings on the sweatshirt. "You're being weird today. Even for you."
He watched Sasuke's fingers as they played with the string. "I'm bein' considerate is what I think you mean."
Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Considerate? What are you talking about?"
Naruto pressed his teeth into his bottom lip. "Do you really think nothin's gonna happen between you and Yahiko tonight? I mean, you seemed pretty excited by the fact he and Konan broke up."
"Even if I did care, what does it matter to you exactly?" Sasuke let go of the string to regard him carefully.
"What I said earlier… still stands. He seems like a decent guy, after all."
"What is this? Are you giving me your blessing to mess around with him tonight?"
He rubbed the back of his neck, unexpectedly nervous. "I mean, yeah. If you even needed it to begin with. I don't wanna get in your way."
Sasuke, looking up at the ceiling first, shook his head and sighed. "I'm going to go eat."
He walked out of the bathroom, but Naruto attempted to catch up to him in the hall. He managed to grab Sasuke by the arm and pull him aside.
"Are you… mad at me about something?" He wouldn't say Sasuke looked or sounded all that mad, but why did it feel like everything he said or did today was the wrong thing?
"I'm not mad," Sasuke answered neutrally. "I'm… being reflective."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"It means maybe I don't know as much about you as I thought I did."
Naruto let him go. He had no idea what Sasuke meant by that, but, in a way, it hurt his feelings. Putting some space between them, he rubbed the back of his head and glanced toward the other end of the hallway where he could see Itachi's bedroom door.
"Look, I dunno what I've done… but… there aren't a lot of people who know me as well as you do, Sasuke." He turned back to look at him and was hit with an intense urge to touch him.
"I didn't mean it in a bad way," Sasuke replied in a gentle voice. "It was me being self-deprecating. Anyway, we should get back before all the pizza's gone. Father's still not feeling well, so mother's bringing him up some tea and soup."
"Wow. He's still not feelin' well? I thought for sure he'd be up and around by now."
"Mother says he'll be fine." He pressed a hand to Naruto's lower back. "Come on. Make a plate before Itachi and Yahiko eat everything. By the way, that sweatshirt looks good on you."
Naruto snorted and broke into a grin. "It's yours. I figured you woulda recognized it since you always say it's one of your favorites."
"I know it's mine." Sasuke gave him one of those rare smiles that almost made Naruto regret being unable to kiss him. "That's why it looks good on you."
"Tch, bastard. Stop flirtin' with me," he said playfully. "That goes against our boundaries and stuff."
Sasuke lowered his voice as they approached the kitchen. "Well, I suppose I'll have to let Deidara get you drunk enough that you end up forgetting all about boundaries."