AN: oh my gosh! oh my gosh! It's been over a year and I've picked this back up! what the heck, this feels so wonky. me posting at 1am, what am i doing (not sleeping, that's for sure)

I started watching Kaguya-Sama: Love is War today and I was attacked with motivation to write this again (not sure why a show about a bunch of heterosexuals inspired me to write something gay again, but bear with me here)

Well, anyways, I hope this chapter is good! I actually have an endgame now so I'll finish this up nice and neat. I really hope the tone/voice stays the same, cause my writing style has shifted a bit over the past long-assed-time-since-i-started-this

okay, no more chattering, I'll leave you alone now

The air was… pink. Or rather, it felt pink. Everything was a hazy pink, now that Naruto thought about it. But in a good way. His entire consciousness felt so much happier and lighter than they usually did.

Naruto looked around, blue eyes taking in his surroundings. He was in some sort of park… he thought. Everything was a little blurry, and he couldn't figure out exactly where he was or what everything around him looked like. He thought he could hear birds chirping, but it sounded like he was listening to them underwater. He also heard leaves rustling in the wind, but also like it was from under water.

"Naruto," a familiar voice said. It sounded clear… unlike everything else wherever here was.

The jinchuriki turned in the direction of the voice, and suddenly a warmth blossomed in his chest. It was Sasuke! He was completely clear, not hazy in any way. His onyx hair swayed in the breeze, and those midnight eyes sparkled with a soft light that made Naruto's stomach flip. Sasuke was framed by the pink haze, and being the only thing in clear detail was thrown into a beautiful contrast with everything else.

And he was just that… beautiful… Naruto found himself thinking.

All of a sudden, as if time skipped forward a little bit, Naruto was closer to Sasuke. He was leaning in towards him, and their faces were getting closer inch by inch. Was it Naruto who was moving? Or was it Sasuke? Naruto couldn't tell… but then again his entire ability to think was rendered useless.

He was lost in those ebony eyes, and though his brain was nothing but mush he couldn't stop thinking about Sasuke, and how incredibly happy he got because the other boy was here.

"Sasuke, I like you," Naruto mumbled as he placed his hand on the raven's cheek, the two still getting ever closer.

Wait what? Naruto thought. It was like his conscious mind was watching from a distance.

"I like you too," Sasuke said back… and for some reason Naruto's face got all red, both the Naruto with Sasuke and the one watching from a distance. His chest got super warm, and he felt like dancing for joy.

What's all this about? Naruto thought to himself, thoughts stumbling over themselves.

Naruto watched as the Naruto with Sasuke shut his eyes, and the Uchiha shut his too. All of a sudden, the two Naruto's merged, and Naruto was completely and fully experiencing what he had just been watching from a distance. The haze was gone, and he was fully conscious… except he was moving on autopilot.

The blonde and the raven kept leaning forward until their lips met in the middle, and Naruto jerked awake.

Gasping for air as if he had just been drowning, Naruto flung the blankets off of himself and sat with his free hand clutched against his chest. His chest that was bare, because he had been unable to summon a shadow clone for getting a new shirt on, so himself and Sasuke had just slept in their boxers from the night before.

Naruto frantically whipped his head around, confused because why wasn't everything hazy and pink and why weren't him and Sasuke–

"Holy shit!" Naruto yelled, and then immediately slapped his free hand over his mouth.

He glanced over at Sasuke… who stirred in his sleep. Naruto's heart was beating so fast that it shook his entire body with each thump, and his eyes were wide and unblinking. He was sweating like crazy, and intense waves of adrenaline rocked his body.

Sasuke sighed, and drifted back off.

Naruto deflated like a balloon.

"Oh thank god," he mumbled to himself… "Oh my GOD!" he found himself squealing, and it was pure luck that Sasuke didn't wake up this time.

What was that DREAM!?

What the hell! What the hell! wHAT THE HeLL?!

wHAT Do I–

Naruto glanced down at Sasuke, and his face turned bright red. The blush spread down his neck and up to the tips of his ears. Looking at that sleeping face… seeing those slackened features… that pale skin almost blending in with the white pillow case…

And the residue of that dream just now.

It was undisputable.

I have a crush on Sasuke.

Naruto's face contorted into one of horror. Horror mixed with fear.

I have a crush on Sasuke!

"I have a crush on–" Naruto slapped himself in the head.

Don't say that out loud, idiot! What if he hears you!?

The tan boy glanced back over at Sasuke, who was still sleeping. He must have hell of a hangover right about now… he drank that entire bottle of sake with no tolerance whatsoever. It had been so cool. Sasuke was so cool! And he was really pretty…

Naruto shook his head like a dog and forced himself to look out the window instead. He had his free hand crushed against his mouth to keep himself from accidentally saying (or more accurately, yelling) anything else. His tan face was still red as Sakura's favorite dress, and emotions swirled in his chest.

"Since when am I gay?" Naruto murmured against his palm.

Identity crisis?

Oh yes.

Sasuke did not wake up peacefully like he had for the past few days. No, he was awoken by pain. A searing pain in his head. He grumbled and cracked his eyes open, his eyelids sticking together and his eyes feeling annoyingly dry. His eyes hurt like he was sleep deprived, but his head was just in a constant state of pain like he had a concussion.

So this is a hangover?

I don't think I'll be drinking ever again if THIS is the result…

Hell, I can't even remember anything at all after I drank that sake.

It's a complete blank.

Naruto must have carried me home last night–

Naruto, ah yes, he existed, didn't he? And he was making his existence quite known at the moment. The second Sasuke opened his eyes, he had met familiar eyes of blue. Those blue eyes then blew wide as saucers, and with a panicked squeal Naruto leapt from the bed. Sasuke was hauled along after him because of the glue, and the blonde was pressed up against the foot of the raven's bed in a frantic state.

His golden hair was sticking out in all directions, and his face was red as a tomato.

What on earth?

Usually it's me who does all the squeaking in the morning…

And what happened to him being so calm yesterday when we woke up?

And is he shirtless–

Oh yes he was.

Sasuke jerked his eyes back up to Naruto's, eyes that had definitely not been taking in a muscular tan belly.

"What's with you?" Sasuke grunted, fighting through his blush. He's already had 24 hours of constantly fighting his blushing while in Naruto's presence, so this was nothing.

"Uh, nothing's with me!" the blonde answered in a rush, face still flaming.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, Naruto was acting really weird.

The tan fidgeted under the Uchiha's scrutinizing eyes, and relaxed from where he had been pressed against the edge of the bed. With the tension released from their joined hands, the two boys' arms relaxed against the tousled blankets, tying them together like a thread of fate.

"Uhhhh, I bet your head hurts a whole ton, come on let's go get breakfast ready, I'll make it!" the blonde said, once again in a rush.

Sasuke frowned as he was tugged up and off the bed by this suddenly hyperactive boy. Usually he was sluggish in the mornings, but today he was a fidgeting mess for some reason. Sasuke's bare feet hit the cold hardwood floor of his bedroom, and he found himself tipping over as he lost his balance. His head was spinning like crazy, and oh fuck he was gonna fall–

Naruto was there in an instant.

He caught Sasuke with his free hand, his strong arms holding the raven upright. Sasuke looked up from where he was clumsily hunched over. He wasn't used to looking up at Naruto, he usually looked down…

His breath hitched, seeing him from this different angle was really throwing him through a loop… not to mention Sasuke was gay as hell and Naruto was suddenly looking a whole lot more attractive than usual.

His hair looks better when it's free and floppy rather than confined by the headband…

Sasuke's eyes widened when he met Naruto's gaze, finding that the tan boy was blushing even more now, if that was even possible. Sasuke's cheeks began to gain heat as well, the Uchiha suddenly feeling a lot more flustered now that he knew Naruto was being flustered when usually it was just him and Naruto was cool as a cucumber–

"Er, careful Sasuke! We wouldn't want you getting hurt," Naruto said, his voice cracking as he averted his gaze and turned in the other direction. He walked towards the kitchen, slower this time, and with Sasuke's free hand still clutched in his own.

The raven found his eyes being drawn towards their joined hands. Not the glued ones for once, but the free ones. The sight of their two skin tones sitting flush against the other made Sasuke feel all warm and fluffy inside…

I am literally the gayest person alive.

"So, uh," Naruto said when they reached the kitchen. He was so awkward today, why was that? "Does your head really hurt?"

Normally Sasuke would never admit such a thing. It was disgusting to show weakness! Especially towards Naruto, his rival and arch nemesis. However… now they were friends. And things had changed… and this fluffy feeling in Sasuke's chest led him to place his trust in Naruto. Something he hadn't done since Itachi had destroyed everything he held dear…

"Yeah, like hell," the Uchiha complained.

"Oh no! I'm really sorry…" Naruto said softly. He sounded… he actually sounded compassionate?! Like he cared and wished Sasuke wasn't hurting?! They really were good friends now, huh? The raven felt his cheeks heating up. It felt so nice hearing Naruto care about him like that…

"I'll make eggs! Just try to be chill until we can sit down. I'll also make tea, but don't yell at me cause I kinda suck at it."

"I thought the only thing you could make was toast?" Sasuke teased, feeling a soft smile cross his features.

"I can make eggs!" Naruto declared, immediately defending himself. It was cute. "And instant ramen! And toast! Sometimes, I even manage rice!"

"Rice? I'd like to see that."

"Are you insinuating that I can't make rice?"

"Maybe I am."

Naruto grinned that competitive grin that Sasuke loved so much, his teeth a flash of white against his darker toned skin. "I'll show you! For lunch today, I'll show off my rice making skillz! I'll even put eggs in it! Just for you."

"I'll brace my bowels for potential food poisoning," Sasuke taunted with a smirk.

Naruto frowned, but grinned all the same. "Don't give me any ideas you may regret. If you keep saying stuff like that I might just mess it up just to spite you!"

"Just make your eggs, dobe, we both know you'll never have me beat in the kitchen!" Sasuke smiled and laughed as Naruto stuck out his tongue and marched with determination towards the refrigerator.

Was that… flirting?

I was flirting!

And he was… he wasn't flirting back, was he?

Could he have been? Or was he just responding to my jabs like he always does?

There's no way he…

No. Couldn't be.

Sasuke's mind ran in circles as Naruto prepared breakfast, and continued running in circles as they ate breakfast. His mind even managed to keep running in circles as they exchanged their usual mealtime banter. The tea was horrible, as expected, and there was another good-natured bickering match over it. Although… it had more flirtatious undertones. From both parties at that!

Naruto couldn't possibly…

No. Sasuke wouldn't let himself get his hopes up! He wouldn't be thinking anything stupid! He liked Naruto… a whole lot. And the thought of Naruto returning those feelings made him feel so fluffy and warm–

But no! There was no way!

Even so… I'll keep my eyes peeled for signs.

Because if he does like me back then I…

Sasuke dismissed the thought, it made him too warm and bubbly.

Naruto laid on his back in the bed. Sasuke's hangover was a nasty one, and he was sleeping the morning away. It sure was lucky that Kakashi Sensei was away on a mission, otherwise he and Sasuke would have gotten the lecture of a lifetime…

The blonde glanced back over at Sasuke, who was sleeping like a baby. He touched his fingers to the rag across the raven's forehead, and when he found that it had gotten cold he removed it, dunked it back into the bucket of hot water, and put it back. Naruto had been doing this for the past couple of hours now.

He was pretty sure that heat would help a hangover? He wasn't sure, but it seemed to be helping Sasuke sleep so that was that.

And a sleeping Sasuke was a good Sasuke.

Waking Sasuke was too much for Naruto to handle!

Now that he had these feelings for the other boy… everything was so much more confusing. He could barely get words out sometimes, and other times he talked all playfully and stuff! It was flirting, or at least he was pretty sure it was. That was what someone who liked another person did, right?

Naruto had flirted with girls before, so he knew what it felt like and stuff. That was definitely what he was doing with Sasuke. But was it still the same thing if it was with another guy? He was pretty sure it was all the same… Kakashi flirted with anything with a pulse and a pretty face, and it was all the same whether he talked to a guy or a girl or someone in between.

It was just that…

Naruto was just confused!

He had always liked girls! Where was this coming from?!

It felt the same as whenever he liked girls, but at the same time it was different. With Sasuke, everything felt stronger, as if he had a crush on steroids. He had lost his ability to smooth talk (for the most part) and he was always blushing like crazy! Whenever he liked girls, he would never lose his ability to speak or blush so much he couldn't think straight or get stuck staring into their eyes or watch them as they slept…

Dang it! He was watching Sasuke sleep again!

Naruto jerked his eyes away. That was totally creepy! He needed to cut that out!

The blonde dragged his free hand down his face.

So he'd liked girls before… and it was from that like that he'd been able to label what this feeling for Sasuke was. So it was the same thing. Liking a guy and a girl was the same thing. BUT, everything he felt for Sasuke was so much stronger and more pronounced! Did that mean that liking a guy was different from liking a girl? Or that Naruto liked guys more than he liked girls? Or that he just liked Sasuke a whole lot more than he'd ever liked any of those girls?

Ahhhhhh, this was all so confusinggggggg!

Naruto pulled at his hair and groaned dramatically.

He'd been going in his head like this for hours now! He wanted nothing more than to go find Iruka Sensei and ask him about it… he'd know what to do… But he couldn't. He was glued to Sasuke, and there was NO way he was having that conversation with Sasuke right there! Not to mention Naruto couldn't just leave Sasuke here with this awful hangover all by himself. It was sort of Naruto's fault that he had it… he had dragged Sasuke to that party against his will…

Naruto found himself smiling as he remembered all the chaos from that night. It had all been so fun. Sasuke had been having fun… and seeing his smile had made Naruto so very happy. The blonde chuckled to himself as he remembered scrubbing the whisker marks off Sasuke's face as the other guys died of laughter around them. Sasuke had looked so grumpy and it had been hilarious!

He kept pushing at Naruto and telling him he could clean it off on his own… his face had been so red and…

Wait.

WaiT.

Sasuke's face had been red!

Come to think of it, Sasuke's face had been getting red a whole lot lately!

He'd also look at Naruto with this funny look in his eyes!

Naruto sat up with a start and looked down at Sasuke. The raven was smiling in his sleep. It was so adorable… Naruto's chest gave a lurch, and he found himself just wanting to squeeze Sasuke to death.

If Sasuke has been acting just like I am suddenly acting, does that mean that he likes me?!

The thought made Naruto's face get all red all over again, and he buried his face in the blankets with his free hand.

I've never felt this way about a girl before… It's never made me this excited but scared at the same time to think about a girl liking me back before…

I know I like Sasuke a whole lot, more than I've ever liked anyone ever.

But at the same time… knowing that I like guys… I still like girls too.

What does that mean?

Is that even a thing?

I thought you had to be either straight or gay… so if I'm both then what does that make me?

Naruto slammed himself back down on the bed, his head starting to hurt. He absent mindedly reached over and re-wet Sasuke's rag.

Sasuke…

If he likes me back, HYPOTHETICALLY OF COURSE, then that means he likes guys. And he's never had any interest in girls whatsoever, I mean, they've been all over him his whole life and he never bats an eye! So I guess Sasuke is gay? Sasgay, ha! No! Stop messing around! Anyways, if Sasuke is gay… then he might know what's wrong with me and why I can't pick gay or straight!

Naruto sat back up, grinning victoriously.

Sasuke was so smart! Of course he'd know! He was also super confident in who he was, so he definitely already had all this gay/straight stuff figured out. Naruto sighed and looked back over at the person who was constantly on his mind as of late. It looked like Sasuke was beating him… again. But oddly enough… he didn't feel too upset about it this time.

Maybe it was cause they were friends now, or maybe it was cause Naruto gay-liked Sasuke, but thinking about how cool and ahead Sasuke was made Naruto warm inside. It made him proud of his friend, and it also made his stomach feel all bubbly.

That's why I like Sasuke, right? Cause he's so cool?

The tan boy turned his blue eyes to that peaceful sleeping face once again.

He felt his eyes go all soft, and a sweet smile crossed his face.

No… it's a lot more than that.

Sasuke sat contentedly across from Naruto. They were eating a pretty late lunch, it was two in the afternoon already. He had really slept a lot. Sasuke was very surprised at Naruto. Both at how he had made good rice, but mostly about how chill he was being today. Sasuke would think that he would be all complaining and restless energy, but no. He spent the entire morning and afternoon laying next to Sasuke in his bed, changing the cloth on his forehead, and waiting patiently for his hangover to go away.

It made Sasuke feel all melty inside. Naruto was being so sweet… he was acting like he really cared about Sasuke.

"Neh, Sasuratonkachi?"

The raven looked up at the other boy through midnight lashes. He gave a displeased frown. That nickname was so stupid! But still… Sasuke couldn't help but feel all bubbly that Naruto had come up with a personal nickname for him. "What is it, dobe?"

Dobe really has become a pet name, hasn't it?

I wonder if he's noticed that I've changed the context of it?

I wonder if… since I suspect he likes me… if he suspects that I like him?

"So…" Naruto began, fidgeting with his chopsticks and staring into his half finished plate of rice. "Just out of total curiosity, there's gay and there's straight, right?"

Uh–

"Yes?" Sasuke said, confused. "Why?"

"Well…" Naruto's cheeks were getting a little pink. He was embarrassed. "Uh, if you're gay you like the same gender as you, and if you're straight you like the opposite gender as you."

"Oh really? I wasn't aware," Sasuke deadpanned.

Blue eyes glared up at him. "Hey! This is not the time for joking!"

"Alright, go on," Sasuke said with a smile, unable to help himself.

"Well, well what if… is it possible to be both gay and straight at the same time? Like, you like girls and boys at the same time?"

Where's this coming from all of a sudden?

"Yeah," Sasuke said simply.

Naruto's eyes lit up, but he concealed that light before Sasuke could properly assess it.

"Really?! Er, that's an actual thing?"

"Yes. Bisexuals exist, baka."

Those blue eyes swirled with thoughts for a moment, before it all seemed to click. "WAIT, so there's gay, straight, and bi?!"

Sasuke chuckled. This was definitely not a conversation he had expected to have with Naruto! Naruto of all people, as well as the guy he was being gay over at the moment. "Yes. There's also a lot more than that."

"Wait… there's more?" Naruto asked, those victorious eyes getting confused again.

"Yup. There's all kinds of different kinds of gay. It would take way too long to try and explain it all to you, cause you're a baka, but there's a whole lot more than just gay and straight. There's also a whole lot more than just male and female too."

"Well, what else is there?! Besides bi, I mean?" Naruto asked, demanding proof.

"Well, to give an example, there's Kakashi Sensei. He's pan."

"He's a pan?" Naruto asked, confused.

Sasuke laughed out loud. "No, you total moron, he's not a frying pan! He's pansexual! It means he's attracted to literally anyone."

"Ohhh!" Naruto looked back down at his rice, this time in understanding rather than deep thought. "Interesting, thanks Sasuke!"

"Yeah, yeah. You should have known all this by now, but you're welcome. Where'd all this come from, anyways?"

Naruto suddenly got all awkward. His face flushed, and he started messing with his chopsticks again. "Uh, nowhere! I was just… curious is all."

"Sure, just 'curious,'" Sasuke teased.

Sasuke stayed awake for the rest of the day, and he and Naruto spent it messing around in the raven's house. They played cards and boardgames (as best they could with only one hand each), they watered the plants, they even went for a little walk around the Uchiha complex!

Naruto was having so much fun… Sasuke was so much fun!

He really liked Sasuke a lot, and he was starting to wonder if he'd been liking Sasuke for a super long time, and he'd just realized it now. He's spent his entire life obsessing over Sasuke! How had he never considered that he saw him as more than just a rival? As more than just a teammate? As more than just a friend?

Naruto had hated Sasuke just a few days ago… but ever since he'd gotten glued to him his views had changed. He'd gotten to know the Uchiha, and become his friend… he'd started to like him a whole lot. Naruto found himself extremely grateful that he'd gotten glued together with Sasuke. If this had never happened… then he never would have gotten close with him. He never would have realized what an amazing person he was…

Kakashi really had been completely right.

If you spend every waking minute with someone, you are bound to get to know them.

Naruto smiled to himself as he laid in bed, drifting off for the night. His belly full from the dinner he'd cooked (with Sasuke's help). The raven had even helped him get to know himself better.

Bisexual…

Yeah, that's me.

Naruto sighed happily, and scooted a little closer to Sasuke. He felt the raven's shoulder brush up against his own, and it sent sparks down Naruto's arm. His stomach felt all warm, and knowing that Sasuke was right here with him made him want to squirm and dance. Yet it also made him so calm and relaxed… he really had never slept as good as he had with Sasuke beside him.

I hope… this never ends. I don't want to be separated from Sasuke… these past few days have been so amazing…

AN: I'll post next chapter once I get it written!