A/N: I don't have a Beta so read at your own risk. So my results were good, not TOO good but good enough to make me post two chapters at once without a full-week break. No please, No claps. Okay maybe a little. Thank you for reading. Review if you like. [Credits to original creator for cover image art.]

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any relative characters. They're property of Masashi Kishimoto.

Warning: Slash. Much Fun. You no Like, You No Read!

Chapter 3 ~ Equinox.

It was Friday night, today was the day Sasuke had agreed to watch the new thriller with him. Naruto had been excited all week for this movie. It was the best post-apocalyptic action movie he'd ever see. It had gotten great reviews, he knew from the extra hours he spent researching for a good movie. The blond shut his laptop, and proceeded for his movie date. Sasuke never agreed for movies, especially any that involved romance even so this was approved and accepted quite easily. He was still floating in the afterglow from that approval as he put on his denims and laced his shoes reaching for the front door.

Naruto paused and shrugged on his jacket from the hooks behind the door. It was the snug kind and best of all, it was orange in colour. 'Maybe Sasuke won't complain this time. Hmph, prissy bastard.' He pouted musing to himself as he locked his door stepping outside. The chill of the autumn air was quick in settling in his bones. He pulled the jacket around him tighter and zipped it up further, covering the lower half of his face and lightly jogged to the neighbourhood theater.

Normally, he would cycle his way there, but he was in a mood for idle walking so he had planned on leaving his house early. It was a 30-minute walk, couldn't be that far. He walked along the streets, white converse hitting the pavement, hands shoved inside his pockets. He exhaled softly humming a tune under his breath. Winter was just around the corner. He silently wished that it snowed this year. Winter meant starry skies and snowball fights, snuggling close to Sasuke in blankets and breathing the same air, sipping hot coco. He paused as he realised the increased probability of him convincing Sasuke to go ice skating in the newly opened rink. He rubbed his hands, generating warmth and skipped a step before he saw a couple of passer-by's staring at him. He smiled sheepishly ducking his head down, hiding it further in his upturned jacket collar.

The next turn he took brought him to the movie theater that was all the rage. He felt giddy and stared at his hands, clenching and unclenching them to remind him the feel of when Sasuke was holding hands with him. He joked every time how cold the Uchiha's hands were but found it a good thing since he could always warm them up with his own. The couple on the previous street was also holding hands; he wondered why Sasuke had stopped holding hands with him in public so much. 'Did it really hurt his Ego that much?' Naruto snorted at that thought. Well, he would make him come around, eventually, like he always does. He relaxed his shoulders as he stepped into the parking lot of the building.

He stood between an empty parking spot and an SUV; on his toes he scanned the area for a head of raven hair. He jumped once thinking he found Sasuke when he saw a shock of black hair but it was someone else. He checked his phone, Sasuke hadn't replied to his previous texts. In his mind, he knew there was a high probability that Sasuke was driving so he wouldn't notice or maybe he left his phone at home. It wasn't a new thing; the silly raven forgot it quite often. He could count on his hands the few times when he couldn't get a signal so he wanted to borrow Sasuke's phone but he always forgot it at home. So much for being a genius, Naruto shook his head, digging his heels grinning with a lopsided smile.

He looked up and caught sight of the Uchiha emerging from behind a couple of cars across the parking lot. He brushed off invisible dust from his jeans and raised one hand to wave. "SA—"

His voice was stuck in his throat when two steps closer revealed a less familiar head of hair. She was a strawberry blond with pink highlights in her hair, currently, she was dragging an annoyed raven behind her. Her hand was strung across his arm, pulling him close behind to see, according to her pointing finger, a recently released rom-com. "Wh…" Naruto's mouth was agape; he closed and opened it in silent shock. The raven haired person whipped his head to where he stood and the blond ducked behind a minivan, avoiding his sight. A thousand thoughts were bellowing a storm in his head but one spoke louder than the rest as his voice of reason. 'Please don't see me, whoever you are.' He was still whispering to himself when noisy chatter from a close distance broke his focus. He looked sideways to find two kids hiding behind the legs of their mother. They were pointing at him and making weird faces.

Naruto quickly got up, realising how suspicious he must be looking, crouching low next to their car. He was still smiling and apologising nervously as they drove away. He released a breath he didn't know he was holding. "That was a close shave."

Now that the temporary problem was resolved, his previous thoughts flooded through his mind. He dug his hands inside his pockets pulling out his phone. He turned back, unconsciously walking back to his house. He stopped, momentarily, realising what had just happened. Was he going to confront his thoughts right now? 'Probably not.' Was he going to wait out for him to exit to clear all doubts and confront him then? 'Uhm, No.'

He walked with slow steps, counting each one to avoid losing his control that was slipping through his fingers. He had yet to swallow the fact that it was not Sasuke. He was halfway home when he broke into a run. The same couple strolling earlier watched a somewhat familiar blond rushing past and they paid no mind. Everyone was too absorbed in their own lives.

…

Naruto shut the door behind him and leaned his back against it. The loud slam of the door resounded in the emptiness of the apartment. His eyes were wide and he felt like he was about to tear up. He swallowed the lump in his throat and let out a hopeless laugh, rubbing the minimal moisture from his eyes. 'No way was that Sasuke…' He blinked weirdly; his contacts came off because of the insistent rubbing. He was hoping to show off to Sasuke that he could wear contacts, normally he avoided them. He sat there for two seconds before shedding his jacket on the floor and went to remove his contacts properly.

Naruto sat on the couch with his knees against his chest and laptop opened nearby. He glanced at his phone set aside on the table; there were no replies from Sasuke. He sighed and pushed back his glasses to rest comfortably on his nose. He couldn't act foolish here, regardless of who it really was. Although, in his heart, he knew those eyes were Sasuke's alone, he was reluctant. He rested his cheek against one knee and stared at the wall, thinking it over. The scene replayed in his head.

Let's say it was Sasuke, but that wasn't a date? It couldn't be. He didn't even like girls. The girl, he recalled, was Sakura. She was top of her class in Biology. Naruto thought she was pretty but her laugh wasn't natural at all to him. She was also a part of the council so he assumed it must be something related to that. It didn't necessarily have to be a date. Sasuke didn't even like Girls; why would he even go out with her? Besides, he had nothing else than a simple glance to base his theory on. He ignored his pounding heart telling him otherwise.

'Weren't we together recently?' He was sure that Sasuke would never go out with anyone else. Unless, he was the other one…the thought of Sasuke treating their relationship as casual was so absurd to the blond that he rebuked all thoughts supporting it. He shook that train of thoughts, it didn't matter anyway. He was being too pessimistic. He could watch the next screening of the movie, with or without the bastard. If he really was being dragged along forcibly, the blond felt angry that Sasuke didn't think better of him to be informed about it. He didn't mind a friends thing if it helped the social and mental balance of the Uchiha.

Naruto got off the couch and retired to bed. His phone buzzed but to his dismay it was a text from Kiba. "Hmm," He could see the movie with him too. He yawned, stretching his limbs and retired for the night. He would deal with this later.

…

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the poster of the movie Sakura was pointing at. She had tricked him, somehow. She said it was an outing for a bunch of seniors and juniors from the council. He had scoffed at the idea of disciplined individuals frolicking in the evening or night. However, she kept bugging him all day through all his shared classes and he grew annoyed.

And what was with the indirect threats to his position and her unbelievable reach and contacts within the student body? It didn't sit right with him. But, he decided that one movie wouldn't spoil much so he grunted an approval. His eye twitched as she led him quite forcibly across the parking lot of the damned cinema complex. He patted his pocket, feeling for his car keys but found his phone missing. Did he leave it in the car? It was strange because he never left without his phone and seldom left it around carelessly.

Only, Naruto was under a different impression. He smirked recalling the times he had to lie through his teeth to avoid any suspicion from his side. Handling relationships was really taking its toll on him. He hunched his shoulders and idly wondered what the blond would be doing right now. Suddenly, he whipped his head sideways. He thought he had spotted a speck of something orange out the corner of his eye. He blinked twice, and found no one there. 'Must be my imagination.' He shrugged the girl's hold on his arm and walked on his own pace.

…

His phone rang again and Naruto clutched the pillow tighter around his ears. "Enough…already…" He was in no mood to get out of bed but Kiba wouldn't stop calling him. He had thought he could ignore it but after it rang for the third consecutive time, he threw the pillow aside and picked it up, eye twitching in rage. "This better be important, you asshole."

"Woah, someone's cranky this bright morning." His voice was dripping glitter and it disgusted the blond to no end.

"Cut it out, and get to the point, Kiba." He spoke his name bitterly and heard him gulp nervously from the other end of the line.

"Well, I'm standing outside your apartment. Let me in, will ya?" Naruto lay back, stretching his legs on the bed and sighed heavily and showing his disapproval to his friend. He muttered a final approval, before getting up because he was in mood to listen to unnecessary pleadings.

"But you know, I was surprised you didn't show up today, I thought maybe you took your rounds earlier or took a different route but even Akamaru couldn't sniff you out."

"Yeah, it…" Naruto tried to gain balance in his steps as he walked in drowsy steps. He made it to the front door. "…happens." He trailed off noticing his appearance for the first time. He hair was a mess and he was standing in a faded tee and boxers. He shrugged and opened the door without giving it much thought.

Kiba cut the phone as he was let in and took in the bedraggled look. The blond scratched the nape of his neck, signalling him to walk inside after closing the door. He spoke mid-yawn, giving him a once-over. "You look over-dressed."

Kiba chuckled pushing him toward the bathroom. "Nope, you're the lazy bum here. Just go and get showered already. I'll be here."

Naruto rolled his eyes at the comment and decided to go get ready. However, he was in mood to go to school today. No one would convince him otherwise. Because even if he did go; he'd be distracted all day with thoughts of Sasuke. He pushed away those thoughts and entered the shower.

Naruto was almost done and stood in the hallway rubbing his head of hair with a towel. He was wearing another orange hoodie except with thin green horizontal stripes near the bottom. The rest of his outfit included a white t-shirt underneath and black jeans.

Kiba sensed his presence as he was flipping through some old tech magazine on the couch, feet propped on the table. "By the way, are you up for this movie, you know the recent thriller that—" He paused staring at Naruto who stared back with his crystal clear blue eyes.

"Huh!?" Naruto furrowed his eyebrows at the brunette's strange reaction.

Kiba realised he was gaping and closed his mouth. "Dude, just lose your glasses already. I'm telling you…" He turned away to flip through the magazine pages, something odd catching his eye. "I'm telling you, with those eyes, and blond hair…you're already a potential lady-killer."

Naruto coughed hiding his flushed cheeks. "Oh, forget it. You know there's no way I'd be someone like that." He returned from his bedroom with the glasses hiding his frown which quickly vanished as he sat across his friend. "So, about the movie…" Kiba raised eyebrows at him.

"No, let me guess. Wanna ditch school today?" He flashed him one of his primal grins.

"What are you, telepathic now?" Naruto laughed quietly, his usual smile was back on his face and Kiba mentally nodded in approval. He had noticed that Naruto hadn't smiled for once this morning. He was hoping it was something temporary. Only time would tell.

…

A/N: I'll post another chapter soon so don't worry about the weird ending. Yeah, DFTBA.

TRIVIA: Equinox: the time or date (twice each year) at which the sun crosses the celestial equator, when day and night are of equal length (about 22 September and 20 March).