Sasuke's eyes fluttered open as Naruto finally returned to the bedroom. Apparently more tired than he realized, his body felt unusually heavy as he lay on his side, facing the bookshelf.
"Sasuke, you awake?" Naruto slipped under the covers and, surprising him, molded himself to his back while casually slinging an arm over his waist.
"What are you doing?" He asked when Naruto pulled him even closer. "I thought that you wanted boundaries."
"Boundaries?" Naruto's laughter was husky and low. He sounded mature, older. "Is it unusual for me to cuddle you like this? I'm cold after my shower."
Sasuke let out a sigh. "I almost fell asleep, I think."
"I'm sure you're tired," Naruto whispered and placed a kiss to the shell of his ear.
Had the conversation from before made Naruto bolder about showing affection? It's not like he had any complaints. If anything, the warmth from this kind of intimacy started as a tiny spiral inside his stomach and kept growing until his whole upper body felt hot.
"Would you... say it again?" He asked.
Sasuke shivered as Naruto's hand traced up to his chest and down again, skirting the waistband of his pajama bottoms.
"Say what?"
"How you feel... about me. I want to hear you say it again."
There was another husky laugh that raised even more goosebumps all across his skin.
"Are you feeling insecure tonight, hm?" Naruto asked.
"Insecure? Hardly," he replied defensively. Naruto made him sound like he was needy.
"It's okay. I don't mind telling you, Sasuke."
Naruto dragged a hand up his body until it lay flat over his heart.
"I love you, Sasuke. I love everything about you. I love how talented you are, how smart, how funny, even how competitive you are. I feel lucky that you're with me right now, and I love that you make me want to be a better person."
He shivered again as Naruto kissed the back of his neck and along his bare shoulder.
"I make you want to be a better person?" He asked. "That should be my line."
"Mm." Suddenly, Naruto - confidently and more assuredly than he ever remembered him being - slid a hand inside Sasuke's pants and took hold of him.
It had been so long since they'd done anything, even kiss, that Sasuke couldn't protest even if he wanted to. Not that he had any reservations other than he thought Naruto wanted to talk first. The grip Naruto had on him felt more possessive than usual, too, and he stroked Sasuke with a practiced ease that had him fully hard in less than a couple of minutes.
"Sasuke, Sasuke," Naruto said his name tauntingly, "Are you not gonna let me draw this out? You act like it's been months."
"It's been long enough," he gasped when Naruto bit at a spot between his shoulder and neck. "What have you been doing to get so good at this?"
"What do you mean? I've had a lot of experience jerking you off... of course, I have my own experience I've built up jerking myself off - "
"Naruto," he moaned, unable to control it.
"That's it. Let me hear you. Say my name, Sasuke. Say it, and I'll make you come hard."
Sasuke, overwhelmed with this new side of Naruto, felt the climax building already. Naruto's mouth, his hand, his voice, the warmth and firmness of his body as he held Sasuke in place -
"Naruto."
He was almost there, just a little more -
Naruto laughed again, but, this time, it wasn't husky - it was mocking and youthful. He was about to snap at him for being so cocky when his whole body began to shake.
"Sasuke."
Naruto's voice and laughter… but it sounded so far away.
"Sasuke. Wake up."
He cracked open his eyes, his breaths coming out shallow and quick. Naruto had a grip on his arm, apparently having been trying to wake him for a while. Sasuke lay on his back, the sheet on top of him being lifted by an ill-timed erection. Meanwhile, Naruto moved to the other side of the bed and propped his head up on his hand. He grinned mischievously at Sasuke and let out a laugh at his apparent predicament.
"Sorry to wake you," Naruto said. "I waited as long as I could, but you were startin' to get loud."
"I was... dreaming?" He covered his eyes. How? That had felt so real.
"Yeah, you fell asleep on me. Again." Naruto folded his arms under his head.
He felt disappointed for some reason. Like he'd been ripped out of another life and dropped somewhere unknown.
"I... you were taking so long in the shower I must have passed out," he said.
"Don't pin this on me. I thought we were gonna talk, too. Now it's gonna have to wait until morning."
"Talk...? Right... you." He was about to roll over when he remembered his little problem.
"You, uh, must've been having a pretty good dream," Naruto remarked, smirking at him.
"I was."
"And... what were you dreaming about... or... well... who were you dreaming about?"
Sasuke smiled at him. "Why. Worried it wasn't you?"
"N-no. Of course not," Naruto protested. "I... you can't control what you dream about."
"Hn." Sasuke lay his arm between them. Naruto followed the movement with his eyes before looking at him again. "If it's any consolation. It was you."
"Really?" Naruto perked up, his blue eyes expressive even in the near darkness. "I did think... maybe I heard you say my name. What, uh, was happening exactly?"
"You want details? What about your boundaries?"
"If you're only telling me about a dream, it shouldn't be that big of a deal."
"If you must know," Sasuke teased him, "You came back from the shower and slipped into bed with me. I was on my side, with my back to you. I couldn't see you, but you were different somehow. You sounded older, and you spoke to me like we were..."
Naruto looked at him inquisitively. "'Like we were'...?"
"Like we'd been lovers a long time," he answered, looking directly at him. "Even the way you touched me made me feel like we'd been doing it for years."
"You dreamed of a future us? Where we're together? Like, together-together?"
"It's as you said," he moved his hand again, amused at the way Naruto kept following it with his eyes, "I can't help what I dream."
"True. I did say that." Naruto, slipping one arm out from under his head, reached for Sasuke's hand. The motion was tentative at first, but then he fully grasped and held onto it. "Is this okay?"
"This is definitely okay," he replied in partial wonder, reminded of the Naruto in his dream. "But, I agree with what you said earlier. We should talk about what this means for the both of us."
"Okay." Naruto squeezed his hand.
"Have you been up this whole time, or did I wake you?" He asked him softly.
Even though he'd always had such strong feelings for Naruto, he felt different. Knowing Naruto felt the same as he did, it was just so... He kept hearing the dream version of Naruto in his ear.
You make me want to be a better person.
Did Naruto... this Naruto in front of him... feel that way, too? Was he good enough for him? The him right now?
"Nah. I was lyin' here thinkin' when you started movin' around and... breathing heavy. I thought I'd watch for a while. I even considered givin' you a hand, but I did say boundaries are still in place."
"I'm surprised I didn't end up having an accident, so you must've woken me just in time."
"That doesn't sound like a good thing," Naruto murmured, playing with Sasuke's hand until he began an impromptu game of thumb wrestling.
Sasuke let him win because he looked adorable with his messy blond mop of hair and that stupid grin on his face. He could tell Naruto was happy.
"I win," Naruto said proudly and graced him with a ridiculously roguish smile.
"You're really good looking. You know that?"
Naruto blinked at him and then, as he always did when embarrassed, let out a nervous laugh and rubbed the side of his nose. "You're embarrassin' me. You actually sound like you mean it."
"I do."
Having calmed enough to roll to his side, he reached for a strand of blond hair while his other hand remained joined with Naruto's.
"Do I deserve you?" He asked.
"Why are you askin' things like that?"
"Dream you said a lot of good things."
Naruto gave a nod. "Ah, I see. You're cheatin' on me with another me already."
"Don't be stupid," he replied, tucking the piece of hair behind the other teen's ear. "There's only one you, and this isn't a dream."
"Who knows," said Naruto. "Physicists say there could be all kinds of alternate universes out there. We may be livin' all kinds of lives we don't know about."
"I thought you didn't like that kind of thing."
"Well, I may not be as smart as you, but I do think about things like that sometimes."
"I didn't mean anything by it," he replied, giving him a smile and another squeeze to his hand. "There's not a whole lot I don't like about you, and even your flaws are... very attractive."
"You keep saying all these things I wanna hear," Naruto whispered.
"Even when we were fighting earlier?"
"For us, fighting has always been like foreplay. You know that."
Sasuke laughed, and Naruto, this time, was the one to reach across and cup Sasuke's cheek. Naruto gazed into his eyes, pensive and earnest. It was such a sober look that Sasuke also adopted a more serious expression.
"What is it, Naruto?"
"I wanna show you."
"Show me?"
Biting his lip, Naruto shifted closer; the bed springs let out a squeak under his weight.
"I want to show you what I've been feeling," Naruto explained. "I want you to see that relationships aren't scary. I'm no expert, obviously, but... Sasuke."
"Mm?" He placed his hand at Naruto's waist.
Naruto leaned in, breath warming his skin as it hit the side of his neck. "Boundaries... off."
Sasuke stared, unable to move even though every part of his body screamed for him to take Naruto in his arms. Not that he needed do anything, as it was Naruto who moved in for the first kiss. His lips had barely touched Sasuke's and already his eyelids were falling shut, body succumbing to this spell that Naruto had over him. One of them made a noise of wanting into the kiss, and it was probably him. He perched a hand on Naruto's hipbone while the other teen's hand began moving up the center of his back, blunt nails scraping skin and making him moan -
They kissed, sometimes passionately and other times more tenderly. It was clear they were making up for the month of having done absolutely nothing. Naruto, after rolling him over, crawled on top of him. Being underneath him felt so good, so right.
It wasn't the first time he'd fantasized about Naruto taking him, but this time felt different. He wanted to give Naruto anything he asked for, including himself.
"Sasuke," Naruto murmured as he attached himself to Sasuke's neck and sucked on him.
Sasuke continued to hold him in his arms. The pleasure that started to re-build in his body wasn't the usual urgency to get off. Instead, it was something that hinted of being long-lasting and threatened to overwhelm him emotionally. Already, he felt like he was sinking into the mattress, barely holding onto consciousness as Naruto's lips and nimble fingers began pushing him toward the edge again. Naruto's own feelings were coming through in every gesture he bestowed Sasuke - the way he touched, kissed, and even the way he said his name.
"Naruto," he murmured. Wanting, needing, longing. "Yes."
He spoke as if Naruto had asked him a question. Then, Naruto was moving lower, down his body. Too far from his lips, so Sasuke growled his displeasure. But, when he felt Naruto begin to put his talented tongue to good use, he forgot all about being disgruntled. Naruto set him on fire as he licked up his thighs, teased him, groped him, and, finally, took Sasuke's aching cock into his mouth. He watched through a lust-filled haze as Naruto's head bobbed between his legs. This pull - what was it? It felt too good to be real. Another dream?
Just when he thought he was going to lose his mind, Naruto reached for his hand. Sasuke gripped it like it like a lifeline, using it as an anchor to keep him in the moment instead of drowning in pleasure.
Is this what Naruto wanted to show him? If so, why had he held back all this time? He was so stupid. He should've told Naruto how he felt a long time ago. What was the reason again that he'd kept silent? Ah... he couldn't remember. He only felt Naruto's mouth, the warmth of their hands, their intertwined fingers. It was new and... so overwhelming. Too overwhelming. Could he die from this much pleasure? Experiencing this with Naruto certainly made it feel very possible.
So much for waiting to talk it out like he'd intended. Being forced to watch Sasuke have a wet dream right in front of his eyes had already driven him to this point. He was a simple person and always very physical, so sex was one of the easiest ways for Naruto to show his loyalty and affection. Now that he'd confessed, now that his feelings were out there and Sasuke hadn't rejected him, he had this unbelievable desire to make him feel good.
Normally when they hooked up, it was quick, dirty, and all about getting off or just having a good time. Tonight, he wanted this to be different. Sasuke was already so out of it, too, that Naruto was getting hard just from watching him. There was something thrilling about having Sasuke's full attention, even down to the way he gripped Naruto's hand and wouldn't let it go. He closed his eyes as he took Sasuke in deeper. Who would've thought there would be a point in his life when giving a blowjob could actually excite him? Drawing this out would've been ideal, but as Sasuke's thigh muscles tensed beneath his other hand, he knew he was close. Naruto raised his eyes, meeting Sasuke's and, with only a squeeze to his hand as warning, Sasuke came while covering his mouth. Naruto swallowed everything, his weight keeping Sasuke's shaking body from arching off of the bed. He was slow to let him slip free of his mouth, but when he finally backed off, it was to gently lick up the sides of his cock and place an open-mouthed, affectionate kiss to the tip.
Looking sated, Sasuke gave him a tug and drew him up the length of the bed. Naruto lay on top of him, although he lifted up briefly to pull Sasuke's pants up, inhaling the scent of sex and sweat.
"What was that?" Sasuke's breathing was labored.
"I believe in some circles they call that a blowjob," he replied, chuckling as he showered Sasuke's throat with kisses.
"It felt different."
"Did it? I guess that's the power of love."
Sasuke cupped one of his cheeks and looked at Naruto in such a way that made it impossible for him to stop grinning.
"What is it?"
Sasuke shook his head.
"Don't be shy," Naruto told him, leaning into Sasuke's hand. "Pretty sure we can tell each other anything at this point."
"When have we not?" Sasuke's thumb moved in an arch across his cheekbone.
"Well, to be fair, you still haven't told me that you like me."
"Of course I like you," Sasuke replied. "Who kissed whom in the locker room almost as soon as we met?"
"What? That doesn't count. You were caught up in the relief of finally tellin' someone other than your brother that you were gay. I'm the one who spent the next week figurin' out if you could even tolerate bein' around me or were just bein' extremely polite. Remember when I was ready to kiss you when we were about to get on the bus? You totally rejected me!"
"I did freak out a little."
"Ah! You admit it!"
Sasuke pulled him down and, after a brief pause for a shared look, kissed him.
Forgetting what they were even talking about, Naruto kissed him harder as this new feeling swelled inside his chest. This was something he'd half-experienced while dating girls. Maybe it was this sense of belonging to someone and having them belong only to you. They hadn't quite clarified they were even taking that next step yet, but knowing they both seemed to be on the same page still made it exciting and new. Naruto wanted Sasuke to want the same thing. He wanted them to try a relationship because, for him, they'd practically been in one this entire time (ignoring that whole him dating girls and Sasuke sleeping with strangers part).
When they finished kissing, Naruto gently brushed his fingers through Sasuke's hair.
"You know," he said. "You're pretty good lookin' for a guy."
Sasuke's fingers grazed across his stomach. "Can I ask you something?"
"If it's to tell me to go brush my teeth, we may have a problem 'cause I forgot my toothbrush."
Sasuke frowned. "That wasn't what I was going to ask, but you know I always keep extras for you under the sink."
"So, we can swap body fluids, but we can't share the same toothbrush?"
"As I was saying..." He narrowed his eyes at Naruto.
Naruto went back to playing with his hair. He also had to adjust himself since - well, that whole getting Sasuke off thing had left him a little excited.
"Problems?" Sasuke smirked.
"I'm good, thanks. Ask your question."
While he waited, he placed some more kisses to the side of Sasuke's neck and even used his teeth to tug at his ear. He growled quietly when Sasuke's hand found its way to his lower back and he started to sneak his fingers underneath the waistband of Naruto's pants. He shut his eyes for a second and let his teeth graze Sasuke's throat as a warning.
"How are you attracted to me?" Sasuke asked near his ear.
"What do you mean?"
"If you're not attracted to men, but you say you have feelings for me. How does that work? Are you physically attracted to me at all? Or, is it something else?"
"Huh? How could I get hard if I wasn't physically attracted to you in some way?"
"I don't know. Maybe you get caught up in the moment. Maybe you're imagining something else in your mind?"
"What, like you wearing women's clothing?" Naruto stopped what he was doing to look at him in amusement.
"I'm only asking because I'm curious," said Sasuke. "I'm not trying to offend you. I only want to understand how a man who identifies as straight can have feelings for another man."
"If I knew anything about that, I doubt I would've kissed Yahiko. I guess, hm. Mentally, I'm really attracted to you. I've always been drawn to you. I was from the first week we met, but it's not like I had any reference for those feelings. I thought maybe I just really looked up to you and admired you, but the more we hung out, and the more physical things got between us... I dunno. It didn't make sense. That I always wanted to be with you if we were apart. That I felt lonely if I didn't talk to you on the phone at night. Or, if you weren't paying me attention, if you weren't looking at me or touching me, I felt..."
Sasuke's fingernails scraped a trail up his spine. Those dark eyes that always thrilled and excited him with their intelligence and humor showed that Sasuke knew what he meant because he'd felt the same. He swallowed hard. Naruto knew his own feelings but to think of Sasuke as having ever felt something even close to this for him… it was a little overwhelming somehow.
"What did you feel?" Sasuke asked tenderly and, taking hold of a piece of his hair, slid it into place behind his ear.
"Don't laugh, but it feels a little like knowing the sun will never rise again."
Sasuke smirked and, embarrassed, Naruto tucked his head under Sasuke's chin and lightly pounded on his chest as punishment.
"I said not to laugh," he mumbled.
"I'm not laughing."
"You are. You think I'm dumb 'cause I'm so bad at words."
"You aren't at all. It's that you're as earnest as usual. It's only embarrassing that you can be so honest."
He picked his head up to look at him. "I wanna be honest with you, though. Out of anyone in this world, I absolutely have to be honest with you."
"Why?"
"Because."
Sasuke raised an eyebrow and, reaching up, traced Naruto's lips with his thumb. He kissed it.
"I think I would blow worlds apart just for this little thumb," he said.
"For this thumb that you just wrestled and pinned so brutally with your own thumb?"
"I know you let me win." He grinned. "Even though you're usually such a sore loser."
"I suppose that's how you know I lo-" Sasuke stopped, turned red, and cleared his throat.
"What was that?" Naruto's smile broadened. "What were you gonna say?"
"Nevermind the details," replied Sasuke, conveniently redirecting his gaze to a corner of the room. But, Naruto taking hold of his chin, forced him to look his way.
"It'd be nice if you said it, but you don't have to."
Sasuke touched Naruto's chest and settled his hand there. "I wouldn't want to steal your thunder. It's very cute, looking back, how you had to work yourself up to confessing. Is this something you'd been planning?"
"Me? Plan something?"
"True. Still. How long," Sasuke bit his lip, "Have you felt the way you do? About me?"
"God, you're sexy when you get all coy on me."
Sasuke slapped him lightly on the cheek. "Stay on topic."
"Mm. Even when you're rough, that's sexy, too. Now that we might start dating, I think a whole new door just opened for us to - "
"Naruto."
"Yeah?"
Sasuke's arm dropped onto the bed. "Dating is..."
Naruto lost some of his good humor at Sasuke's tone. "Dating is...?"
"I'm going to need time. I agree that... I should talk to my parents. But, let me just figure out a plan. I guarantee you my father isn't going to just open his arms to this and invest in a rainbow pride flag when he finds out I'm gay."
"I know," he said soberly. "I'm not givin' you an ultimatum or anything. These are my feelings, and, yeah, I'd like us to go on a date, but I don't wanna do it behind your parents' backs. I don't wanna sneak around, and I don't wanna see you lie to them."
"You'd tell your dad?" Sasuke asked.
"Yeah. I would. If he doesn't know already."
"How would he know?"
"Please. Sasuke. Have I ever been very good at hidin' anything?"
"No." Sasuke sighed. "If we were to date," he made a face that Naruto tried not to be offended by, "What are your expectations?"
Naruto let out a laugh. "Like, sex-wise?"
"No, idiot." Sasuke flicked him on the shoulder. "What's the game plan?"
"Again with the plans you think I have."
"Hn. I don't know if you remember this, but you said you wanted to go to college in Illinois. Not that I'm thinking long-term. It's only an example."
"Okay. Hypothetically. Uh. I guess if, say, we were to date, and we dated up until then, there are a couple of options. You go with me to the same college or at least in the same vicinity, or, I stay here. Northwestern's a good school, and it's kinda close to Northern."
"Father might forgive me being gay if I ended up in their graduate business program. However, I'm sure he'd be disappointed I wasn't going to Stanford like Itachi."
"I'm only saying it's an option. U of I's really great, too. That's only a couple of hours away."
"I want to go to the University of Washington," Sasuke said. "You know that. I can take business classes like father wants while building my network of contacts at shows and clubs."
"I know. I'm only givin' you the options as I see 'em. Chicago has a music scene, too, you know. And... I'm not opposed to stayin' here. I was only goin' back to be with my friends."
"You?" Sasuke smirked. "Have friends?"
"You're a friend." Naruto pushed his hair back on the sides for him. "If that's not obvious."
"Only a friend?" Sasuke's hand found its way to the back of Naruto's neck and pulled him closer.
"Best friend," Naruto replied through his growing smile. "Lover?"
"Boyfriend."
Naruto's heart stopped. "What did you just say?"
"Isn't that what I'd be to you if we dated?"
"Sasuke Uchiha, my boyfriend?" Naruto scrunched his nose before letting out a laugh and burying his face in Sasuke's neck.
Sighing, Sasuke set his hand on top of his head. "Figures that you'd react like a grade schooler."
"Oh, right. When did you become so mature, huh?"
Sasuke pet his head. "I'll have to give you a nickname."
"What, like babe or honey? Babe I can live with, but honey is a little too Honeymooners."
"I'll think of something." He continued to stroke Naruto's hair. "Pet, maybe?"
"Heh. I can't see you doin' that, but it's sorta cute."
"Cute?" Sasuke repeated with some slight disgust apparent in his tone.
"Aye." Naruto, raising himself off of Sasuke, grabbed both of his wrists and pinned them to the bed. "Even you, as crabby and moody as you get sometimes, are capable of bein' cute. In as masculine a fashion as any other guy, of course."
"Now you're just being patronizing." He lifted his leg and wedged it between Naruto's, rubbing it against him.
"If you're not careful," he said, "You might release the Kraken."
"Jesus, you can't be serious even for a second."
"Jesus is my pet name now? I thought it was pet."
Sasuke, eyes closed, shook his head as he struggled against Naruto's hold.
"I know I'm a sex god, but, really, Sasuke. No need to address me so formally."
"Naruto?"
"Yes, babe?"
Sasuke's eyes snapped open and immediately narrowed at him; Naruto was grinning so wide it was starting to hurt.
"Why are you so optimistic?" Sasuke asked. "This isn't going to be as easy as you think, especially not for me."
"I know."
"How can you know? I could be disowned, and that's not even an exaggeration."
"Itachi and your mom won't let that happen," he argued. "Even if they kick you out, you can always stay with me and dad."
"You just said that it wouldn't happen!"
"It's good to have contingency plans, right?"
"You said five minutes ago that you never plan anything!"
"Why are you starting to panic?" Naruto let go of his wrists, and, grabbing hold of Sasuke's arm, rolled them both over so that he lay underneath him. "Usually you're so in control, Sasuke. It's what I like about you."
Sasuke did regain some of his usual cool composure. "Even having shared a bed with you, I still can't figure whether you're a sadist or a masochist."
"Doesn't the term switch apply to that, too?"
"What do you know about switching?" Sasuke asked, bringing his face close to Naruto's. "If we date, you're going to bottom."
"On what grounds?" Naruto smirked. "All that experience you have as a top?"
"I don't need experience to be able to top someone like you."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You," said Sasuke, "Want to be dominated by me."
No denying that sent a tingle to certain parts of his anatomy, but like hell he'd show any kind of reaction to Sasuke's taunting.
"You," Sasuke shifted over and spoke close to his ear, "Would be happy to beg for my attention. Wouldn't you, Naruto?"
He swallowed hard. "Would you make me beg for it, Sasuke?"
Sasuke's hot breath fanned across his neck and then he slid his tongue into Naruto's ear. Unable to help it, he moaned, but Sasuke was quick to cover his mouth. Naruto glanced sidelong at him, stirred by Sasuke's words. It wasn't necessarily that he felt some need to be dominated or put in his place, but, admittedly, Sasuke's control and coolness were extremely attractive qualities, as they were the opposite of him: impulsive, loud, and totally scattered at times.
"I wouldn't make you beg," Sasuke whispered, rubbing his thigh against Naruto's crotch again. "But I wouldn't mind taking you over the edge. I wouldn't mind hearing you whimper underneath me. I wouldn't mind showing you that receiving pleasure is as good as giving it. We've not even tried anything like that, but with everything you've said to me tonight, there is a part of me, Naruto, that," Sasuke snuck his hand into his pants and gripped his erection, "Wants to break you, control you, and make you mine."
Naruto opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out except an exhale of air.
"Speechless already?" Sasuke asked, pulling down his pants and boxers. "Maybe you didn't know what you were signing up for, hm?"
"Sasuke," he croaked and tried to find strength enough to get up onto his elbows at least.
Sasuke let him, and then it was all a blur as their mouths crashed together while he thrust his hips into Sasuke's fisted hand. He felt his body being pulled up by Sasuke, who stripped off his clothes the rest of the way and yanked him off of the bed. He shoved Naruto into the desk chair, which gave him just enough time to catch his breath before he wondered why Sasuke had stopped what they were doing to turn on his laptop.
"Naruto, if I've learned anything about you it's that you like things to be different every time we fool around." He turned around as the computer booted and dragged Naruto over to where he wanted him.
"What are you doing?" Naruto asked.
"Keeping you from getting bored."
He glanced at the computer, growing more curious when Sasuke turned on his webcam.
"Don't worry," said Sasuke as he took in Naruto's surprised expression. "It's only recording and not streaming."
"You... exhibitionist!"
After repositioning the laptop one last time, Sasuke stood in front of him without a trace of humor on his face.
"Are you serious?"
"I don't look serious?" Sasuke asked.
They were both looking at themselves on the screen. Jesus. Sasuke was this ballsy that he was going to film them doing stuff? It made him nervous, but it also really excited him.
Naruto was still watching them on the screen when Sasuke sank to his knees in front of the chair and, taking hold of Naruto's hips, dragged him forward without warning. It took less than three seconds of Sasuke's mouth on his dick to make him forget all about the webcam.
He pried Naruto's thighs apart, acutely aware of his own brazenness. But it was true that Naruto was stimulated by variety and even danger. Although, it didn't hurt knowing he'd now have a video of him getting Naruto off that he could rewatch over and over. Sasuke ran a hand down the other teen's taut thigh to his calf, then back again. Because he knew Naruto liked it, he kept eye contact while wrapping his lips around him. Naruto set a hand on the back of his head while applying some slight pressure. Taking hold of him in his hand, Sasuke slid back far enough to drag his tongue across the tip and suckle on it. It made a wet noise that got Naruto to grip the armrests.
"Don't forget to keep quiet," he murmured, giving Naruto's length another long, sensuous lick.
With Naruto's gaze trained on him, Sasuke grabbed him around his thighs and dragged him forward until Naruto's legs had no place to go but over his shoulders. Raising himself onto his knees, he took Naruto into his mouth again, loving the quiet moan he received in return for his efforts. Naruto placed both hands on Sasuke's head, simultaneously pushing on him and pulling at his hair. While Sasuke sucked him off, he let his hands trail all over Naruto's naked body - up to his chest and back down his stomach to the outside of his thighs. Every once in a while, Naruto's hands brushed along his shoulders or his back, massaging and soothing him.
He was so used to doing this to Naruto, but somewhere in the midst of it, the gravity of the things Naruto said tonight suddenly hit him. Naruto admitted having feelings for him, something he'd never thought possible, and while he knew he'd yet to return the sentiment verbally, this overwhelming sensation began to weigh on him. It started to make everything they were doing more intense. Could he treat Naruto as his now? Could he be satisfied knowing no one else could touch Naruto like this? Wasn't he the only one who could make him feel this way? The more Naruto moved underneath him, reacted to his touches, sighed, and tried to hold back his moans, the more Sasuke wanted to take this further. He kept imagining all kinds of erotic positions he could put Naruto in - how many Naruto could put him in. He didn't mean to, but he moaned low around Naruto's cock while one hand reached under to cup his balls and squeeze.
"Fuck," Naruto hissed and jerked his hips.
Sasuke was slow to lift his gaze, having been caught up in his own desire. He let Naruto fall from his lips, and, taking hold of his shaft, pumped him while they made eye contact. In that instant, Sasuke didn't think he'd ever wanted anything more other than to please the man in front of him.
Naruto swiped at the corner of his mouth with a thumb. "You're so fucking hot, Sasuke."
He licked his lips, heart racing. "What do you want?"
Naruto's eyes traveled lower as watched himself being jerked off. "Anything you want."
"Don't say 'anything'. I might not be able to stop myself tonight."
"I've got it under control." Naruto smirked, gaze drawing back to him. He curled his fingers around the back of Sasuke's neck and, meeting him halfway, Sasuke also leaned up for a kiss.
Naruto's tongue passed through his lips, touching Sasuke's. It was one of those kisses that forced just about every past fantasy he'd had of Naruto to the forefront of his mind. Without breaking their kiss, Naruto moved his legs off of Sasuke's shoulders and guided him into his lap. Naruto slipped a hand into his pants, gripped him tight, and started stroking him rough and quick.
"Get hard for me again," Naruto said next to his mouth. "I wanna make you come all night."
"I haven't even...aah...made you come yet."
"I'll come when I've gotten you off twice. Now, take these off."
Naruto pushed him off of his lap and got to his feet, tearing off Sasuke's pajama bottoms before he could so much as regain his balance. When they were both naked and standing face-to-face, Naruto suctioned his lips to Sasuke's shoulder and neck while Sasuke ran his hand over Naruto's ass, cupping underneath his cheeks and squeezing them. Teeth grazed his jaw and chin before Naruto found his mouth again, kissing him hard and with a possessiveness that Sasuke was experiencing for the first time. Is this what it felt like... to be wanted?
"You've got enough footage," Naruto informed him and, pressing a hand to Sasuke's chest, gave him a hard push toward the bed.
Sasuke stumbled back a few steps, falling on top of the sheets. Naruto, looking confident as hell, came toward him, grabbed him under the knee, and managed to flip him over onto his stomach. This was exciting. And new. He kind of liked the idea of Naruto throwing him around like a ragdoll. What would Naruto do next? He started hoping Naruto might actually give in and fuck him. That made him hard. Shit.
The bed squeaked under their weight as Naruto got on behind him and, giving Sasuke's ass a playful slap, told him to move up toward the headboard. Sasuke had just enough time to get on his hands and knees when Naruto took hold of both of his thighs and spread them far apart.
"Naruto," he said, glancing over his shoulder to see what the hell he had in mind.
But, Naruto wasn't looking at him and, despite himself, Sasuke flushed hard knowing that he was intently staring at his ass, now spread wide for him to see everything. There was this brief moment where their eyes met, and the look Naruto gave him was just -
With his hands on Sasuke's asscheeks, Naruto spread him wide and, using his tongue, gave Sasuke's crack a long swipe. He was so stunned that he didn't know whether to be embarrassed, shocked, or so completely turned on that he didn't give a flying fuck what Naruto did to his body. He could do anything, and Sasuke would beg for it. It felt like it wasn't real, like something he only imagined in his dirtiest fantasies. At least until he saw that mop of blond hair, and felt Naruto's tongue drag across his hole several times before he slid it in...
"Oh God," he moaned, and it was not quiet.
Sasuke grabbed the closest pillow and buried his face in it while Naruto continued to make a mess of him. He took hold of his dripping erection and started to jerk himself off. One of Naruto's hands slid between his legs, rubbing the skin between his ass and balls, which he cupped again and rolled between his fingers. Goddammit, Naruto. It was too much. It was going to hit him too hard, and he'd wanted to get Naruto off so bad, but -
"Aaagh," he came again when Naruto's licking became loud and wet, and he drove his tongue inside, "Fuck, Naruto. Yes. God. Yes."
If he hadn't been eating that fucking pillow, he would've woken everyone in the whole damn house. And even while he was cumming - hips rocking back and forth - Naruto took hold of his legs and kept him in place so that he couldn't get away. It wasn't until he reached behind and put a hand to Naruto's forehead that he was able to push him off. With a nearly desperate gasp for air, he collapsed on top of the bed, panting loudly as Naruto crawled up his body, laying kisses to his ass, back, shoulders, and arms. Naruto snuggled up against him, nuzzling the nape of his neck.
"I kinda wish we woulda filmed that," Naruto said, sounding very pleased with himself.
Sasuke was too exhausted to respond.
"Sex with you is just... so sexy. Damn. I'm glad I watched all that gay porn."
"What are you talking about, idiot?" He managed to lift up slightly order to look at him over his shoulder. "Since when do you watch gay porn?"
"How else was I gonna learn about all the things you might like?"
Sasuke turned over underneath him, trapped between Naruto's arms. He looked like a wild animal with that blond mane of hair, sharp blue eyes, and hungry expression.
"What else did you learn?" He asked in a low voice.
"Oh, you're bein' coy again."
"I'm not being coy."
"No?"
Smirking, he stretched out his legs and wrapped them around Naruto, his calves touching Naruto's ass while he flexed his toes in the air.
"What are you doing?" Naruto's eyes narrowed.
Not that he gave Sasuke a chance to answer because then they were kissing feverishly again. Had sex ever felt this good or intense? Was it just because he was with Naruto? Or, because they both had mutual feelings for one another? He nipped at Naruto's lips, wanting him to do more and forgetting how to use his words to ask for it. The blond teen's erection kept rubbing against his stomach, so Sasuke reached between them to take hold of him. His heels dug into the backs of Naruto's thighs and, lifting up, situated Naruto so that he could slide against him.
Naruto's body stiffened on top of his, and he tore himself away from Sasuke's lips. "Sasuke?"
"I don't have any resolve," he whispered. "If you want me, you can have me." Sasuke, with Naruto's cock in hand, pressed the tip right up against his entrance.
He watched the way Naruto's tongue slid across his lips as he wet them. But, since he still appeared to be hesitating, Sasuke let him go.
"You don't have to," he said, trying not to sound disappointed or offended.
He wanted it, but Naruto didn't seem to be sure, and just because Sasuke was in a hurry and horny as hell didn't mean that he should force Naruto to cross that final line if he wasn't ready.
"I want to," Naruto said almost apologetically before collapsing on top of him.
Sasuke put an arm around him. "I'll get you off. There's time for that later."
He pushed Naruto up, nudging him at the hip so that he'd lift onto his knees and give him room to get his hand in there. Sasuke gripped him tight and began stroking him roughly while they watched one another.
Biting his lip, Naruto looked only at him, and Sasuke felt wholly satisfied watching his face as it contorted in pleasure. As Naruto came, Sasuke watched that, too, embedding it into his memory as if this would be the last time they would be together like this. He placed a hand to the back of Naruto's head and, with his body shaking, pulled him in for one last kiss without being able to think anything other than This man is mine. I love him. I want him by my side. I need him. I need this. Give me more. Don't leave me. Wreck me. Break me, just don't fucking give up on me. Naruto.
When they broke apart, Naruto shook beneath his arm still, and after taking in a deep breath, kissed at Sasuke's neck some more.
"I love you, Sasuke," Naruto murmured and, with one last press of his lips to Sasuke's skin, the exhaustion and elation swallowed them both. He could only hope that, in the morning, they'd be able to take that next step toward... an actual relationship with one another.
During the early morning hours, the sound of a door slamming woke Naruto from strange dreams of being chased by faceless monsters. Next to him, Sasuke lay soundly sleeping. They had fallen asleep facing one another, the sheet barely covering the lower halves of their naked bodies. Since he had to pee, Naruto carefully got out of the bed so as not to wake Sasuke. He grabbed for the comforter and pulled it all the way up to Sasuke's shoulders. In his sleep, Sasuke looked untroubled. It gave Naruto relief for some reason. He was glad that, even after talking to Sasuke about his feelings, that nothing extraordinary had changed between them.
Finding his boxers and pants on the floor, he put them on quickly and ended up stumbling over a shoe in the darkness. Sasuke's computer was still on, which made him wonder if it had been on this entire time. In case Itachi decided to make a surprise room-check in the morning as a joke, he closed out of the program and turned off the computer. Naruto smirked at the thought of Sasuke watching it at his desk when he was all alone, or... maybe they could watch it together? It honestly amazed him how Sasuke always kept surprising him. Even though he'd felt so confident last night, the more he started to think about last night - especially the thing he did with his tongue - Naruto began to blush. He felt embarrassed, but he was also ridiculously happy.
Smiling now, he made his way out of the room and quietly shut the door. Naruto was surprised to see a light on at the end of the hallway. He heard voices talking low in the kitchen and thought it sounded like Mikoto and Itachi. They were speaking to one another in rapid Japanese. Naruto could only pick out a word or two, having been exposed to at least some basic vocabulary after hanging out here so often. It made him curious, so he decided to find out if anything was wrong.
On his way to the kitchen, he nearly ran smack into Itachi, who was looking slightly unfocused and uncharacteristically ruffled as he came around the corner.
"Everything okay?" Naruto asked.
"Just go back to bed, Naruto."
"You sure? I heard a bang earlier."
"...Is Sasuke awake?"
Naruto frowned. "No. He was still asleep when I got out of bed. I was goin' to the bathroom."
"I'd like for you to stay here. Yahiko's helping father into the car. We're taking him to the hospital."
"What?" Naruto's heart did a flip-flop. "Is he okay? What's wrong?"
"He wasn't feeling well yesterday, and mother said he's coughed up some blood. Father says he's alright to move and doesn't want an ambulance. Mother and I will be taking him to the emergency room, and then I'll give you a call and let you know what we find out, okay?"
Naruto nodded numbly. "Uh, yeah. Sure. But, shouldn't you go get Sasuke? I think he'd want to know."
"I would, but father insisted. It's unlikely to be serious. Maybe only an ulcer."
"An ulcer?" He asked. "And that's not serious?"
"Itachi," Mikoto beckoned her son from the kitchen.
She and Itachi shared another exchange in Japanese, but Naruto clearly heard his name being mentioned. Soon after, Mikoto appeared around the corner from the foyer and offered him a weak smile.
"Naruto," she said. "I'm so sorry to wake you."
"Don't worry about me," he replied anxiously. "How's Fugaku?"
"He'll be fine."
Excusing himself, Itachi rushed down the stairs to the basement while Mikoto - dressed in a nightgown and robe - walked up to him and took Naruto in her arms. Instinctively, he hugged her more tightly when she started to shake.
"I'm sure it'll be okay," he said, and Mikoto nodded before stepping away again.
"Please take care of Sasuke. Itachi and I will stay until we know what's happening. There's no reason for the two of you to come. Yahiko will be staying as well if you need anything."
He wanted to argue again about how Sasuke should be told, too, but he also didn't want to add to her worries. She looked tired and pale.
"Yes, ma'am," he said.
"Now go back to bed, Naruto." Mikoto smiled at him again and touched his cheek briefly. "I suppose I should go change." She left him to head upstairs.
Everything inside of him burned to help, but he knew that he'd only get in the way. Remembering why he'd come out of the bedroom in the first place, Naruto made his way to the bathroom. He relieved himself, washed his hands, and then stared into the mirror at his reflection. The panic had, for him, already started triggering flashes of his mother being at the hospital and a whole lot worse than that. He heard the garage door opening. A few more minutes passed, and Naruto ran the sink so that he could splash some water on his face. He walked out of the bathroom only to spot Yahiko coming his way.
"Don't look so worried," Yahiko advised, even offering Naruto a reassuring smile that didn't quite quell his growing anxiety. "Fugaku was making jokes as I helped him get his seatbelt on. He's just in some pain is all."
"Itachi said he thought it was an ulcer?"
"It's likely, but he was also having chest pains, so to be sure, they're taking him to the ER." The older man bit his lip and rubbed the back of his head. "This might be bad timing, but you and Sasuke - did you work things out?"
Naruto blinked several times, not entirely able to process the question at first. "Oh, yeah," he answered distractedly. "Itachi told me I shouldn't tell him, but don't you think we should? There's no way I can go back in there and just fall asleep."
"Mikoto and Fugaku didn't want to worry him."
"Of course he's gonna be worried," he replied, raising his voice. "That's his dad!"
"I won't stop you, but there's really nothing he can do. It could end up being nothing, and, in the morning, they might already be back without it having been a big deal at all."
"What?" Naruto couldn't quite grasp the logic, even though it sounded reasonable. But, not worrying about an ill parent did not compute with him.
"Do you want me to make you some tea?" Yahiko asked, putting a hand on his shoulder, which Naruto shrugged off.
Immediately, he felt guilty about it.
"Sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to do that."
"It's okay. I know you're worried. I'll leave it to you to decide about Sasuke. Come and find me if you want to talk."
He nodded and watched Yahiko as he headed back down the hall.
Biting his lip, Naruto glanced at the closed bedroom door, an overwhelming sense of foreboding making him question whether he should wake Sasuke and tell him. All he could think about was one of the first nights that, at the age of 14, his father came to his bedroom door to tell him he needed to take mom to the hospital after she fainted on the bathroom floor. What if it was worse than everyone thought? If that was the case, and he went inside the room and woke Sasuke up to tell him... and then everything would change for Sasuke from here on out. He knew in his head that it wasn't necessarily the reality of the situation, but the fear was just so... consuming. Still, he owed it to Sasuke. He would tell him calmly. If it was an emergency, they would've called for an ambulance. Decision made, Naruto opened the door and took a seat on the edge the bed. He lay a hand on Sasuke's arm.
"Sasuke," he called, gently giving him a shake. "Sasuke, wake up."
Sasuke roused, but as he wasn't fond of being woken up, swatted Naruto's hand away.
"No more," he mumbled to Naruto. "Two's my limit for tonight."
The corner of Naruto's mouth quirked, but his heart remained heavy.
"Sasuke, come on. Wake up for a second." He pulled harder at his arm until he had Sasuke's full attention.
"What is it?" Sasuke frowned up at him.
"I heard your mom and Itachi talkin' and... uh, they took your dad to the hospital a few minutes ago."
"...What?" Sasuke immediately sat up, his eyes wide. "What are you talking about?"
"You know how he wasn't feelin' well yesterday? I guess he was havin' some severe pain and," he didn't want to mention the whole coughing up blood thing, "Your mom and Itachi drove him to the hospital. They didn't wanna wake you up 'cause - "
Sasuke was off the bed instantly, nearly pushing Naruto out of his way in the process. He must have forgotten his state of undress for a second, but then he ripped the sheet from off and wrapped it around his waist before running out of the room.
Naruto chased after him, calling his name. Sasuke made it all the way to the other end of the hall before he could catch up.
"What the fuck is going on?" Sasuke snapped at Yahiko, who was sitting on the bed, checking his phone.
Naruto appeared next to Sasuke's side. "I... told him."
"So, I see," replied Yahiko. "Sasuke. Your dad's fine. He was having severe stomach pain and there was some blood coming up when he coughed."
"Blood?" Sasuke glared at him. "You didn't mention that he was coughing up blood."
Naruto could only look at him guiltily.
"Don't be angry with Naruto," said Yahiko. "Your mother asked him not to say anything, but he didn't want you to be left in the dark."
"More like, why is everyone making these decisions for me like I'm some kind of child?"
"Sasuke," Naruto scolded and in trying to grab his elbow, Sasuke jerked away from him.
"Which hospital did they go to?" Sasuke demanded to know. "I'll get dressed and drive over there."
"There's nothing you can do." Yahiko got to his feet. "If you go back to sleep, they'll return by the time you get up. If you throw a tantrum because they didn't tell you and decide to go when they've asked you not to, you'll only upset your parents more."
"What the fuck did you just say to me?" Sasuke snarled and stepped up to the older man. "How dare you. That's my father."
Naruto had never heard Sasuke talk to anyone like that and having sensed that Sasuke might turn this fight into something physical, he immediately went to step in between the two of them.
"Sasuke," he said, "Yahiko's right. It's better to do as your parents asked. They'll call if anything happens."
"You," Sasuke turned his angry gaze on him, "You should know how I feel right now. Maybe it's serious. Do you know how often my father gets sick? Never. Do you know how often he complains about pain? Never in my life, so if he went to the hospital - "
"Okay," said Naruto. "If you want to go that bad, I'll drive you."
"Naruto," Yahiko said impatiently.
"If it puts Sasuke at ease, let me drive him there. He'll see that all's fine, and we can come back," he suggested.
"I don't need either of you to decide this for me," Sasuke replied nastily, and pushing past them, grabbed the bundled up sheet around his waist and stormed out.
All Naruto could do was stare after him.
"I've never seen him like that," he said, glancing at Yahiko in surprise.
Yahiko sighed. "I'll text Itachi."
"No, let me talk to him, and I can at least convince him that he shouldn't be drivin' in this state."
"If you insist," Yahiko said uncertainly. "And here I told you he was so mature, yet now he's acting like a bratty kid. He should just do what his mother and Itachi told him to do."
Naruto turned on him. "It's not easy to consider the idea of losing a parent. Maybe you never knew your dad, but that's an indescribable feeling, to watch someone you love suffer and not be able to do anything about it."
"I may not have lost a parent," said Yahiko, "But I do know what losing a loved one feels like, Naruto. In this case, Sasuke's overreacting and, frankly, so are you by enabling his childish behavior."
"What do you know about Sasuke, huh?" Naruto asked angrily. "He chased after you for years and then you used him and threw him away for some girl. I would never do that to him. I would never let him cry or hurt him intentionally. If Sasuke wants to go to the goddam hospital to make sure his dad's not gonna die, then I'm gonna fuckin' take him to the hospital!"
He didn't know why he was so angry. It was stupid, and he knew his words hurt Yahiko, but none of this was 'not a big deal'. If it was a big deal to Sasuke, that's all that mattered. Naruto knew Yahiko had lost a close friend, but to lose a mother or father, that pain was incomparable. He rushed out of the room to follow after Sasuke and found him in the bedroom, dressed and texting on his phone.
"If you're texting Itachi, he might not even be at the hospital yet. They only left maybe 10 minutes ago."
"Mind your own business, Naruto," Sasuke snapped without looking up from his phone.
"What the hell, Sasuke? I'm on your side. And you're upset, so you shouldn't drive. Let me take you."
Sasuke, pocketing his phone in his back jean pocket, glared at him. "Don't act like you understand. This is my father we're talking about. My family."
"How can I not understand? Why are you being such an asshole right now? I want to help you."
Sasuke closed the distance between them, stopping right in front of Naruto.
"I would die for my family. I will always put them first, even before you. Stay here with Yahiko, and try to keep your plots to yourself. I'm going to the hospital."
Sasuke, knocking into his shoulder on the way by, stopped in the doorway without looking back.
"Don't follow me."
He slammed the door behind him, leaving Naruto to wonder what the fuck had just happened. That wasn't the Sasuke he knew. His Sasuke would never say anything like that. Honestly, he was so much in shock that he didn't know what to do. Didn't even know if he should give chase or leave altogether. Not that he could go anywhere. It was still the middle of the night. He went to lay down on the bed, feeling a whole lot of absolutely...
Nothing.
When Sasuke arrived in the parking lot of the hospital, he kept trying to ring Itachi, but his brother wouldn't answer. His mind had been a blank on the way over here. Admittedly, he couldn't even remember the drive itself. The only thing he kept thinking about were worst possible scenarios, especially when Itachi wouldn't pick up his damn phone and tell him what floor they were on.
As he walked through the doors of the Emergency Room, he spotted a young nurse in light blue scrubs sitting behind a desk.
"My father and mother came in here not long ago," he told her. "I'm their son, Sasuke."
"I'm sorry, sweetie. What was the last name?"
"Uchiha," he replied, narrowing his eyes at the woman for not sensing his urgency. This is why he hated hospitals.
"Right, and you're their son?" She asked, clicking around on the keyboard. "If you want to take a seat over there, I can find out what room they've taken your dad, too. Okay?"
Sasuke's eyes stayed on her a little longer before he gave a reluctant nod and walked over to the sitting area. Just as he was about to take a seat, he received a text from Itachi letting him know they were in room 408. Without mentioning anything to the nurse, he followed the signs to the nearest elevator. When the doors opened, an old man in a wheelchair rolled out without greeting him. Sasuke stepped inside and punched the button for the fourth floor. In the back of his mind, he knew he'd taken his anger and fear out on Naruto, but his bigger concern right now was making sure his father was alright.
The sun was just beginning to rise, perking up the grayish clouds scattered in the horizon. Sasuke walked along the windowed corridor, unnerved by that sterile smell of disinfectant everywhere. When he reached room 408, he found the door partially open. He did knock first before going inside. Lying in the bed was his father, dressed in a hospital gown. His brother was in a chair by the window, while his mother was sitting on the edge of the bed near his father's feet. There were a few wires attached to his chest and an IV sticking out of his arm. A nurse was there, checking his vitals, and exchanging a few pleasantries with his mother.
"Sasuke," his father said, sounding surprised to see him, though Itachi had known he was on his way. "I thought you told him to stay home, Mikoto."
"I did, dear," replied Mikoto, looking worried as she came to him. "Sasuke, did you drive here all by yourself?"
"H-how are you, father?" He asked. Seeing his father in a hospital bed left him feeling strangely disoriented.
"Nothing to worry about," Fugaku answered. "Itachi was just going to return home. Your mother and I will be staying here for a few hours since they've decided to run an EKG."
"But... Itachi said you were coughing up blood?" Sasuke walked past his mother to stand at the side of his father's bed.
"I'm fine, Sasuke," his father repeated more sternly. "You should've stayed home as your mother asked. Make sure to take your brother with you. Did you leave Naruto by himself?"
Sasuke glanced at Itachi for a second. "...Not alone. Yahiko was there."
"I'm sure you worried him," said Mikoto, "Coming out here all alone. Why don't you let Naruto know everything's okay, hm?"
Sasuke gave no reply, only staring at the long, clear tube coming out of his father's arm.
"Sasuke," said Itachi. "Why don't we go get mother some coffee? And then we'll head home. We're only in the way here right now."
"I'd rather stay here," Sasuke told his father, almost meekly. "Just in case - "
Fugaku, reaching for Sasuke's wrist, squeezed it tight. "Sasuke. I'm fine."
Numbly, he nodded. "Yes, father."
Itachi got up from the chair, came around the bed, and took him by the arm. "Mother. Would you like anything else?"
"No," she said, smiling at the both of them. "Coffee's fine. Thank you, Itachi."
Itachi, guiding him out of the room, set his arm around Sasuke's shoulders.
"You should text Naruto. I imagine you leaving abruptly might have worried him. Yahiko mentioned in a text that the two of you had a fight before you left?"
"Figures," Sasuke muttered under his breath. "Is there no one capable of keeping their mouths shut?"
Itachi abruptly stopped them in the middle of the hall. "I've heard enough. You need to apologize to Yahiko and Naruto when we're home again. I don't understand what your problem is. The two of you were making progress last night. Why are you throwing that away?"
"Are you kidding?" He nearly shouted. "How is that more important than our father lying in a hospital bed? For all I knew, he was about to have a heart attack, and I wouldn't have been able to ever see him again. Maybe if everyone would stop trying to decide what's best for me, I wouldn't feel like I had to take matters into my own hands."
"If we weren't in public right now, I'd teach you a lesson. You will apologize to them."
"I won't," he argued. "Do you think after what just happened with father he'd be able to take hearing the fact that his son is gay? That, all along, I've been fucking around with Naruto under his nose, and now we're thinking about dating?"
"Hush, Sasuke," Itachi snapped. "Keep your voice down."
"Family comes first," he insisted. "Naruto will just have to understand that. I'm not changing my mind."
"You never had any intention of coming out, did you?" Itachi asked, narrowing his eyes. "Don't use this as an excuse to push him away."
"You don't know what you're talking about." Sasuke pulled his arm out of his brother's grasp. "I'm going back to the room."
Sasuke started to go, but Itachi grabbed him roughly again.
"Don't fuck this up," Itachi told him. "Or it might be the last thing you regret."
"I'm tired of you deciding what's right for me," Sasuke argued. "I'll decide what I want. Not you. Not Naruto."
Clicking his tongue in disgust, Itachi let him go. "Fine. Do as you please."
Itachi went one way, and Sasuke went the other.
Obviously Naruto wasn't going back to sleep. He lay across Sasuke's bed, staring up the ceiling. He'd lost track of time, but since the birds could be heard outside chirping, clearly the sun must have risen. For a while, Naruto considered getting up to apologize to Yahiko for saying what he did, but his body wouldn't move. It felt heavy and strange, and his chest hurt a lot. He was worried mostly, because he hadn't heard from Sasuke to know whether Fugaku was okay.
Some more time went by, and he thought he heard the sound of the garage door. He wondered if it was Sasuke or Itachi. Minutes later he had his answer once the bedroom door opened.
Sasuke came in without saying a word, and Naruto watched as he took off his jacket and hung it in the closet. He stood with his back to Naruto for some time.
"We should talk," Sasuke said eventually.
It took effort, but Naruto managed to drag himself up in the bed. He wrapped his arms around his knees. "First, shouldn't you let me know that your dad's okay? You could've at least texted me."
"He and mother are staying at the hospital. They might keep him overnight," Sasuke replied, finally turning around to face him.
It was a Sasuke he didn't recognize. He looked angry. But Naruto didn't know if it was directed at him or something happened at the hospital.
"You okay?" Naruto asked.
"I'm fine."
He didn't believe that for a second, but the precarious tension between them kept him from arguing.
"Okay," he said. "What did you wanna talk about?"
Sasuke didn't say anything, though. In fact, he just stood there and stared at him for so long, Naruto wondered if he'd even heard his question.
"Sasuke - "
"Naruto."
Sasuke set his hand on the desk chair and, for whatever reason, immediately pulled it away again. Naruto didn't know why that hurt, other than it was as if Sasuke suddenly remembered what they'd done in that chair only hours earlier.
"This," said Sasuke, gesturing at him. "You and me. It's not going to work."
"W-what are you talking about?" Naruto dropped his arms to the side and crossed his legs beneath him. "Let's at least talk about this. Where is this comin' from?"
"I told you dating would be difficult. My father's under enough stress to put a hole in his stomach, so I have no intention of telling him about my preferences."
Naruto jumped off the bed and got to his feet. "I told you that I wasn't givin' you an ultimatum of any kind."
Sasuke didn't so much as flinch despite Naruto being in his face.
"It's not up to you."
"I don't understand," said Naruto. "I'm not askin' you for anything, Sasuke."
"Think about it, Naruto. You and I... whatever's between us, it tends to bring out the worst in us. We can't be together. There's no point. I admit, the thought of you with anyone else..."
"I'm not gonna get with anyone else now that I know how I feel about you," he replied, his voice shaking because he just knew... he just knew that nothing he said right now would get through to Sasuke. He didn't even know how he knew.
"But, I can't. I can't be with you. So, I'm saying... you don't owe me anything. I can't date you. I can't - " His eyes searched Naruto's face, and there was a brief moment of conflict in his gaze before his features hardened again. "You're not even interested in men."
"I don't have to be interested in men to know how I feel about you. Why are you sayin' all this shit you don't mean to me? Yeah, havin' your dad go to the hospital is a scary thing, but you don't need to push me away - "
Sasuke's scowl deepened. "Are you trying to analyze me? Trying to tell me what I should do? That my way of thinking is wrong? I'm so tired of everyone telling me what I should be doing!"
"No." He was starting to get pissed off because Sasuke wasn't listening. "Did I say anything like that? You're the one deciding all of these things on your own. You were sayin' the exact opposite only a few hours ago. I know you care about me so stop trying to back out of it!"
"I do care." Sasuke's eyebrows lifted. "But I care more about my family. If I have to choose, I choose them."
"...Why do you have to choose?" Naruto's eyes started to sting. "Why are you - "
"I'm sorry."
"Sasuke," he said. "Don't... don't say you're sorry like it's final. You're only upset - "
"No. I can't give you what you want. Even if I could... all I do is hurt you. I might do it again, even if we were together."
"So your solution is to give up without even trying?" Naruto asked.
Sasuke shrugged, staring at him with a cold expression he didn't recognize. "If that's what you want to believe."
"I don't understand you."
"If that's true," Sasuke said to him, "All the more reason for us to put an end to this. We're attracted to each other, but... so what? It won't last. You'll go to Illinois. I'll stay here. Maybe you'll find a pretty little girlfriend who'll fawn all over you like the other girls you've dated. It'll be just what people expect of you. She won't say cruel things to you. She won't manipulate you like I can. She'll," Sasuke bit his lip, "Make you want to be a better person."
"Sasuke," he growled, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt. The first tear rolled down his cheek. "You don't mean any of that! If you want space, or time to think - "
"No," Sasuke said so calmly that it utterly broke his heart. "If you really think about it, you'll come to understand that it's for the best, too. This way you won't have to wait on me."
"So, I can't tell you what to do, but you can decide somethin' that affects me so easily? What about my feelings? Don't I have a say?"
Sasuke grabbed his wrist, trying to get him to let go. "You'll get over me. It's only an infatuation."
"Fucking say that again, and I'll punch you in the face," he growled, pulling Sasuke closer.
"If it makes you feel better. Go ahead."
"You're a fucking asshole, Sasuke!"
But Sasuke said nothing.
"Tch." Naruto pushed him away. "You're not even worth it. You're only being a coward, and I don't know why I'm surprised. I can probably catch the first bus if I take off now." He began to grab his clothes from off of the floor and stuffed them inside his backpack. "You really need to think about what the fuck you want, and then get back to me when you pull your head out of your ass."
Sasuke remained mute, even as Naruto pulled on a hooded sweatshirt and checked around to make sure he had everything. His feelings for Sasuke hadn't changed, and he sure as hell wasn't giving up, but Sasuke was in one of his fucked up moods. If Naruto stayed any longer, they were definitely going to start fighting for real. He tried to tell himself it was just the shock of his dad going to the hospital, but somewhere deep down, he knew it wasn't only that. There must've been doubts in Sasuke's mind this whole time. If it was sex, then Sasuke was all about it, but when it actually came to opening up and trusting someone - Sasuke was a fucking coward. It's not as if Naruto wasn't aware of what could happen with his family if he came out. He knew that! He wasn't trying to force Sasuke to do anything. But they could've at least figured it out together. Sasuke wouldn't even give them a chance without bailing. How was he supposed to forgive him for that?
"I hope you enjoy that fucking video," Naruto muttered as he opened the door and slammed it like Sasuke had done earlier.
He was going to leave without saying anything to anybody else, when he heard Itachi and Yahiko's voices coming from the kitchen. He wouldn't be able to make it out the door without those two noticing. Still, he went over by the front door to grab his shoes and slip them on. Naruto attempted to get his emotions under control before he said his goodbyes. He hadn't even apologized to Yahiko. Taking in a deep breath, he walked over to the kitchen doorway.
"Naruto," said Itachi, noticing his backpack. "Where are you going?"
"Home." He forced a smile. "I'm, uh, gonna catch the first bus to downtown."
"Are you... okay?" Yahiko asked.
Both men were staring at him as if he were about to break.
"Yeah, uh. Sasuke and I had a little fight, but it's all good. He's just stressed is all."
"Naruto, I'll go talk to him - " Itachi started to say.
Naruto held up a hand. "Nah. It's... fine. It's... um."
His stupid body betrayed him as the tears started streaming down his cheeks.
"Listen, Yahiko. I'm uh," he mumbled unintelligibly, "Really sorry about what I said earlier..."
Again, Itachi took a step toward him, but Naruto - his hand still up - took a step back.
"Really, I'm good. I'll talk to you later, Itachi. Tell your dad I hope he feels better. He'll be okay? Right?"
"He'll be okay," Itachi said softly, looking at him so pitiably.
Naruto felt like such a dumbass. "Okay. Bye then."
Before he really made a fool out of himself, Naruto ran out of the house as fast as he could, the front door banging shut behind him. He was so embarrassed!
He continued running down the length of the Uchihas' driveway, past the other big houses and toward the main road. After that, he'd have to walk another quarter mile before he reached the bus stop. Why had Sasuke changed so much in such a short amount of time? They'd fought before, but never had Sasuke said such intentionally cruel things. Even after what happened a month ago, Naruto could at least understand how Sasuke felt at the time. He'd manipulated Naruto, but if their positions had been reversed, if Sasuke was the one dating someone else - Naruto would be stupidly jealous and do all kinds of irrational things, too.
This, though... this was something he couldn't comprehend. Sasuke... the look on his face. It was cold and distant, like they were back to being nothing more than strangers. It was just, in his heart, he had this strange premonition things between them would never be the same. And being shut out like that... Naruto held a hand to his chest. It hurt. Like a betrayal. Like he'd lost something important that he could never get back. No amount of crying or begging or threatening would be able to change Sasuke's mind. He was stupid to have believed this would work out like all those dumb happy endings that Hollywood liked to shove down everyone's throats.
When he came to the bus stop, he took a seat on the bench and pulled up his hood since it was so fucking cold. Not to mention, he didn't want anyone to see him crying.
It was weird, this feeling. The emptiness. Just thinking that Sasuke no longer wanted to have anything to do with him made him feel so fucking, utterly alone.