An hour later, in Naruto's bedroom Sai was lying draped half over Naruto, trailing a finger over Naruto's chest, and Naruto was almost drifting off. The low, steady rhythm of Sai's breathing wasn't helping the situation and Naruto's eyes slowly closed. Sai's fingertips circled Naruto's stomach, tickling him. He brushed his lips over Naruto's shoulder.

'You were going to tell me something back there.' Naruto's fingers were stroking through Sai's hair.

'I just wanted to ask if you wanted to come on a research session,' Sai said. 'I want to do some practical observation for a study, now that I've finished with theory for my body language module.'

'Body language,' Naruto mumbled, cursing that his brain wasn't cooperating. 'You mean the feet thing?'

Sai smiled against Naruto's chest and repositioned himself into a more comfortable spot. 'Yes, the "feet thing". Can I use your shower?'

Naruto nodded, barely comprehending what Sai was saying. Sai kissed Naruto's chest and got up, leaving Naruto a lot colder than he was a second ago. Naruto drifted off, waking only when Sai re-entered and laid down beside him smelling like Sasuke's body wash. Oh shit … he touched … that was one of the rules, one of the iron-clad, non-negotiable rules. No one touches Sasuke's products, especially not Naruto's guests. He was going to flip. Naruto blinked and absently stroked Sai's back. He could smell Sasuke all over Sai.

'I can pick you up. The club isn't in the campus district. So, I can come get you and bring you home when we're done? If you like?' Sai said.

Club? 'Are you asking me out? Because I think we're a bit beyond that at this point.'

Sai laughed; it made Naruto smile. 'No. I've been researching locations for observation, and according to theory, the best places to observe body language is in clubs, and other places where inhibitions are cast aside.'

'What's an "inhibition"?'

'They are the things that keep you from embarrassing yourself when you are in public,' Sai explained seriously.

'Like when Sasuke's singing in the shower?' Naruto laughed. Sasuke really couldn't sing. Like really.

'I wouldn't know, Naruto.'

'I'm hungry,' Naruto said, stretching the crick out of his neck. 'Do you want anything?'

'I am a little hungry,' Sai said.

Naruto jumped up. 'Great,' he said and grinned. 'Back in a minute.'

His legs were a bit stiff as he headed into the kitchen. In fact, a bit more than stiff; he'd given Sai a bit more than a workout than usual and now he was paying for it. He rubbed at his sore thighs, massaging them, and kicked out the cramp. He looked in the cupboards and fridge for inspiration. Sai was a health freak, but nowhere near on the same level as Sasuke. One of those weird omelettes would probably be good, but unlike Sasuke's, Naruto would add some cheese and maybe some chives? Naruto pulled out the ingredients and grabbed a pan, whistling to himself as he went to work. He cracked the eggs, separating the yolks and the whites and turned to toss the egg shells in the trash.

He swivelled back and froze, choking on his whistle. 'Sasuke,' his voice was a high squeak as his throat constricted. 'Thought you had finals all day?'

'Why are you naked?' Sasuke asked, pulling his bag from his shoulder and putting it on the little dining table by the window. Naruto didn't miss the annoyed twitch of his lip as he went to the fridge and pulled out one of those peach teas. He sat down at the bench and propped his head in his palm. 'While you're there, can I have one too? I haven't really eaten anything.'

Naruto nodded, of two minds whether to play it cool and continue cooking or, skip out for a second and come back with pants on. He decided on the latter and suavely covered his junk and skipped out of the room, trying to ignore Sasuke's cocked eyebrow.

Sai was staring up at the ceiling, lost in his own thoughts. Naruto landed a smooch on his face and grabbed a pair of slacks, dragging them on. 'We have company,' he said quickly.

'Your "petal roommate"?'

Naruto grinned. That sounded so weird coming from Sai. 'Yeah.' He headed back out into the kitchen. Sasuke was removing the pan from the stovetop.

'It was burning,' he said and took his place back opposite Naruto who busied himself whisking the whites and adding the ingredients. Before Sasuke could say anything, Naruto got out another two eggs and whisked the whites in a separate bowl, nothing added. He wiggled his eyebrows at Sasuke who rolled his eyes.

'See, I look after you,' Naruto said and grinned.

'We're going out to celebrate the end of finals for the semester,' Sasuke said, and sipped at his peach tea.

'Who's "we"?' Naruto asked, flipping Sasuke's omelette onto a plate and sliding it toward him. Sasuke sprinkled salt and pepper on the omelette. Naruto handed him a knife and fork and Sasuke proceeded to demolish the omelette in the slowest controlled way possible.

'A few from my graduate class. Sakura's bringing some extra people too. And Kakashi.'

Naruto flipped over Sai's omelette. 'When?'

'Saturday. We're just going to MoMo, and then having a few drinks afterwards, nothing too socially hectic, Naruto. You'll be fine.'

Naruto slipped Sai's omelette onto a plate and proceeded with the third omelette for himself adding as much cheese and junk as he liked. Naruto walked over to the door.

'Yo, Sai!' he called. 'When's that study thing?'

'Saturday,' Sai called back.

Naruto flipped his omelette. 'Where were you planning on having drinks? Because I'm heading out with Sai, it's a nice club apparently; you guys will fit right in.'

Naruto didn't miss the sharp intake of breath. 'Naruto …'

'I'm going with Sai.' Naruto was surprised that he was snapping. He didn't know why he was so angry all of a sudden. Sai wandered into the kitchen and smiled at Sasuke who eyed him.

'Sai, Sasuke,' Naruto said, flipping his omelette again. The guys exchanged pleasantries and Sai eyed the plate with the cooked omelette on it. 'That's yours,' Naruto said and handed him a knife and fork. 'We have all the usual condiments around here, salt, pepper.' Naruto shrugged. 'Go for it.'

'Naruto, if you want to go out with Sasuke, we can postpone,' Sai said and took a bite of the omelette. 'It's no trouble. This is really good,' he said, looking down at his plate. Sai sat down next to Sasuke, who promptly stood up, going to the fridge. He placed a can of peach tea in front of Sai who smiled at Sasuke. 'Thank you, Sasuke.'

Naruto eyed both of them. Oh boy. Sai was sitting real close to Sasuke. There was no way he wouldn't notice he had used his bath foam. Sasuke was so particular, and possessive, about his stuff. Sasuke wouldn't blow up at Sai. No. He would take it out on him. Yeah, better for Sasuke to start arguing with him and leave Sai out of it. It was his fault, he hadn't explained about Sasuke's stuff and how he popped a vein when something was touched. Hopefully, Sasuke would wait until Sai left. Or, maybe he'd make a scene? Make sure he got the point across and make sure Sai felt like dirt? He wouldn't. Would he?

'Naruto, are you alright?' Sai asked. Naruto had gagged slightly on his omelette as he sort of hyperventilated a little bit from his thoughts.

'I told you to chew, moron,' Sasuke said and sliced another piece from his omelette. Naruto slapped on his chest and coughed, bringing the chunk back up.

'I'm good,' he spluttered. And then, the weirdest thing happened. Sasuke and Sai both offered their tea at the same time. Naruto looked from each of the cans, panicking, but then Sasuke took a sip from his can and lowered it to the counter.

Naruto grabbed Sai's tea and gulped it, washing the rest of the chunk down his throat. 'Thanks,' he gagged, recovering slightly. Sai smiled and sipped his tea. 'I need to go,' Sai said. 'Thank you for the omelette.' He made his way over to Naruto, resting his hands on his hips and kissed him. Oh man. Sasuke was going to freak. Sasuke rolled his eyes and looked down at his omelette.

'I'll see you later,' Sai said and turned to Sasuke. 'It was really nice to finally meet you, Sasuke.' Sasuke stood and walked Sai to the door, while Naruto was busy with his omelette. Sasuke sat back down a minute later and sipped at his tea.

'Why don't you want to come with us?' Sasuke asked. 'Sakura will be there. She misses you, and though it would be great to catch up. So, what's your problem?' This was his game. Start an argument about something irrelevant, and then really twist Naruto's balls about his real beef. Aka, Sai using his stuff. Well, Naruto wasn't going to bite.

'I just don't want to, okay,' Naruto said, trying to keep it calm. It was the truth, but truth was he didn't know exactly why he didn't want to go, but all he knew was he didn't. 'Just drop it.'

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. He grabbed his tea, swivelling off the stool and stormed into the lounge, leaving Naruto to set about cleaning up the mess he'd made. When he was done, he headed into the lounge too. Sasuke moved his legs, making room for him on the couch, but Naruto kept going into the bathroom. He had a shower and brushed his teeth before going into his room and flopping face first on the bed.

Naruto's phone, for the second time in two days, woke him up. It vibrated twice and then shut up. Naruto almost ignored it, but in the end his curiosity got the better of him.

'See you tonight. Smiley face.' Sakura's number. Naruto stared at the message for a second, realising it was Saturday. 'I'm not going,' he hissed, still not understanding why he was so against the idea. It's not like he hadn't hung out with Sasuke's weird group before. He couldn't say he enjoyed it very much. They'd made fun of him and called him stupid and idiotic. Oncem Naruto even heard one of them whisper in Sasuke's ear "why do you hang out with him? Isn't his stupidity insulting?" Naruto remembered how that had felt. He'd brushed it off, just like always, but it had stuck. The real clincher was when Sasuke hadn't said anything. Sasuke was always calling him stupid and dumb and a moron; Naruto didn't really care though, he basically called everyone an idiot, but somewhere in the back of Naruto's mind, he wondered if Sasuke actually saw him like that.

He annoyed Sasuke because it was fun getting any sort of reaction out of him. Pushing his buttons was Naruto's favourite past time, and if you can't pick on your friends, who can you pick on? But, Sasuke's insults were starting to hurt a bit. They were bringing Naruto down a bit, not that he would ever tell Sasuke, but someone else calling him stupid and dumb? Naruto didn't really like it. Not that he'd ever tell Sasuke. Naruto decided he just wasn't in the mood for the dirty looks and curled lips from people he didn't know very well, and Sasuke should respect that. Not that he'd actually told Sasuke this, and he didn't think he would either.

His door opened and Sasuke came in. He threw a paper bag at Naruto and left again. Naruto opened the bag. Chocolate Danish. Fuck yes. Just what he needed right now. How the fuck did Sasuke always do that? He did spend exactly two seconds commended Sasuke on even touching the 'evil shit', before devouring one of the pastries in two bites. He picked up the other one and it was gone just as quickly. Sasuke wasn't going to get his way though, buttering Naruto up with his favourite pastry, Naruto was determined. He wouldn't go tonight. Nope. No chance.

Naruto's phone buzzed again; Sai.

'I'm sick. I can't go to the club tonight.'

'Ur shitin me?'

There was a two second pause. 'What's "shitin"?'

'It means you are joking. Geez lern proper eng.'

'You misspelled "learn", Naruto.'

'Dn car.'

Another pause. 'I can't come tonight.'

'It's ur thing.'

'But I'm sick.'

'ur jst playin so u can blow me off.'

Another pause. Longer than the last ones. So long, Naruto dropped his phone to the side. It buzzed a second later. Upon seeing the message, Naruto burst out in fits of laughter. Nice one.

'I would like that.' Another vibration. 'How do you do those pictures of smiles?'

'I showd u the other day how to DO IT remember?'

Another pause. Naruto grinned.

'I don't remember.'

'Ooooouuuuucccchhhhhh'

'What do you mean?'

'Lol nuttin' jst shitting u ull get it'

'I don't think half those words were English, Naruto.'

'Probs not'

Another pause. Really long. Naruto went to the bathroom. The little red light was flashing when he got back.

'Can I see you?'

'Thought u wer sick?'

Another pause. 'I'm not.'

Naruto pointed an accusing finger at his phone. Hah.

'I just thought if we didn't go and do my research, then you would go with Sasuke. He seemed disappointed that you didn't want to go with him.'

'I dnt care if hes disappointed'

'That's not very nice. He's your friend.'

'Can we NOT tlk abt this?'

'Fine. But, you should go and celebrate with him.'

'I jst sd can we NOT talk about it? Geez …'

'I'll come with you.'

Naruto stared at his phone. He got up again and had the sudden urge to go and make a drink or something. He did and went back to his phone.

'U want to go right?'

'I thought it sounded fun, and I can do some research anyway, I can watch your friends.'

'That snded rel creepy'

'But, you know what I meant.'

Sasuke had brought him his Danish. 'Fine. Cya tonight'

Another pause.

':)'

Naruto threw his cup in the sink and sprawled on the couch. It wouldn't really be that bad, would it? Sai would be there, he could distract Naruto from Sasuke's stupid classmates. And getting Sakura drunk was always fun. Naruto grinned. He'd just ignore the stupid comments, what did they know anyway?

Naruto groaned and turned over on his back, staring at the ceiling. Sasuke came into his field of vision.

'Don't touch the cake in the fridge. It's for tonight.'

'You don't eat cake.'

'Just don't touch it.' Sasuke disappeared out of Naruto's view and Naruto felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.

'Sasuke's phone's off. Tell him I'm bringing someone else as well.' It was Sakura's number. Naruto's phone buzzed again. 'Thanks BTW.'

What was he? There fucking message boy? He huffed and knocked on Sasuke's door. No answer. He couldn't have slipped out the front door, Naruto would have heard. Bathroom? Naruto strained to hear; the shower wasn't going, but the door was open a crack.

'Yo, Sasuke,' Naruto said and pushed the door open. Sasuke was in front of the mirror brushing his teeth. He was dripping wet but wearing grey slacks. Only grey slacks. He raised an annoyed eyebrow at Naruto in the mirror. He leaned on the sink and spat the paste into the basin.

'What?' he said and straightened, turning to face Naruto. That was weird; usually he would scream at him for bursting in on him like that. Usually he'd probably punch him or something for being so rude. Usually he'd shove him back out the door and usually he'd slam the door in Naruto's face. Usually. 'Are you going to spit it out?'

'That's what they all say,' Naruto said and grinned, before remembering that it probably wasn't the best time for jokes, because he was meant to be mad at Sasuke for no reason and that he wasn't meant to be making jokes with him anyway.

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

'Sakura said she's got another one for tonight,' Naruto shrugged. 'That's all.'

'Who?'

'Dunno. That's all she said. Why's your phone off?'

Sasuke frowned. 'I didn't know it was.'

'That's what Sakura said.'

Naruto's phone rang. It was Sakura. 'Tell Sasuke, that if he wants me to keep him in the loop on plans, he should turn on his phone,' Sakura said in that low sweet voice she uses when she's really angry.

'He says it's on.'

'Not for the past two hours.'

'Tell him yourself,' Naruto said shoving his phone over to Sasuke. Their fingers touched as Sasuke took it from him. Naruto rubbed his fingers together. They tingled slightly from the contact.

'Yeah, hopefully Naruto can keep his hands off it until tonight.' Sasuke listened for a second, glanced at Naruto and then looked away. 'I tried. He doesn't want to.'

Naruto tapped Sasuke on the shoulder and grinned at him. 'Changed my mind, as long as Sai can come. I'm not hanging with your stuffy friends all alone.'

Sasuke squezzed Naruto's arm briefly.

'Turns out, he's coming after all. So, that makes … twenty-two?'

'Three,' Naruto chimed. 'Sai.'

'Twenty-three. That cake's big enough to feed the whole campus, so I don't think there's going to be a problem.' He listened again. 'Right. See you tonight then.'

Sasuke pressed the red button and went to hand his phone back to Naruto, but it sort of slipped out of his fingers onto the tiles at their feet. They both bent to pick it up, but Naruto got there first, inspecting to see if it was broken or anything. It was fine. Naruto stood, Sasuke seemed to lose his balance and fell against the sink.

'Fucking clutz,' Naruto said. Sasuke glared at him. His eyes were so shiny in the bright light and his pout was so … Naruto froze. A drip of water dropped from a strand of hair behind Sasuke's ear and rolled down Sasuke's shoulder, down his chest and sort of evaporated or disappeared on the way down to the hem of Sasuke's slacks.

'What are you staring at, moron?'

Naruto blinked; Sasuke's annoyed but expectant expression slapped Naruto in the face. He'd actually forgotten who he was looking at for a second. Naruto took a step forward as another drip followed the first down Sasuke's chest.

'I …' Naruto blinked again; realising somehow, he was now closer to Sasuke. In fact, one more step and he would be right in front of him. He caught the drip as it rolled down Sasuke's chest and stared for a moment at his moist fingertips.

'Naruto …'

But Naruto wasn't listening, he grabbed the sink either side of Sasuke as his heart hammered in his chest. The annoyance on Sasuke's face melted into one of surprise as Naruto leaned closer. Suddenly Sasuke's fingertips were on Naruto's forearms, pleading with him silently to stop.

Sasuke's lips parted slightly, drawing in a quick harsh breath. 'What are you doing?' he whispered; Naruto had never … never … heard that tone in Sasuke's voice before. Sasuke's fingers squeezed Naruto's arms. They were cold, rough, and delicate on his skin. The light touch sent jolts of adrenaline through Naruto's body as he helplessly leaned closer still.

'Naruto …' Sasuke's lips formed his name; Naruto stared, transfixed by the movement. He felt Sasuke physically tense and he gasped as Naruto's lips moved to within millimetres of his own. This reaction sent a fresh wave of adrenaline through Naruto's body as his heart pounded somewhere in his throat. He gulped back the apprehension that threatened to freeze him as he …

Sasuke's fingers clawed at Naruto's arms as he contorted himself over the sink, kicking his legs, shoving against Naruto's chest. A small squeal of protest strangled somewhere between them as Sasuke continued his attempts of escape. Naruto broke free. He knew he was sweating and panting, even from such a brief touch of lips. He knew he was shaking. He knew Sasuke could see it, and he knew, in the space of exactly ten seconds he'd just ruined his friendship forever with the one guy he respected most in the entire world.

Sasuke finally managed to break free completely and shoved at Naruto again. He glared at him for a second; and shoved him again.

'What. The. Fuck?'

His eyes were wide in disbelief. Shock? Hate? Naruto didn't know, but the mixture of the emotions painted on Sasuke's face as he stormed from the bathroom summed up the monumental mistake he had just made. Naruto collapsed against the sink and groaned. He ran the cold water and splashed it all over his face, scrubbing at his cheeks, eyes, and chin. He pressed his wet, cold fingers into his eyelids and stood there for a good ten minutes, willing his heart to calm down.

Fuck. Naruto snapped up suddenly and looked in the mirror. His cheeks were red, his neck was flushed. His eyes showed his panic. Fuck. He swiped at the mirror and spun away from it. Fuck. He stormed to the door and slammed it shut as forcefully as he could; the whole wall shook. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Turned out Sakura wasn't crazy.