As all authors tell their fans, I do apologize for the long delay of this chapter. Officially married and very happy.
And this is 17 pages. Longest chapter yet.
If it makes anyone feel better, I have started Chapter 7 and posted several other things that kept me distracted. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Nothing
-=Chapter 6 – The Second Act=-
Again, just like that, the date began with a question.
Naruto's curiosity encouraged him to ask, ''so what is this festival about then?''
Sasuke was thankful that Naruto was always so talkative and laid back. The momentary tension had dispersed within seconds thanks to the casual demeanor of his best friend. One of the many reasons that Sasuke was drawn to Naruto's side. He felt at ease with him. Everything he lacked was overflowing in abundance from Naruto. It did not take him long to understand that they were opposites that still complemented one another's best features. Their beginnings were rough though, they tormented one another until their destinies drew them apart for their childhoods. Yet, they had been through almost everything together thus far; from fighting each other, to fighting over a woman, until finally setting aside their differences and becoming real best friends through their rivalry.
''It's a showcase of the local cuisine with various shows, games, and a light show.'' Sasuke replied, as he produced the tickets from his wallet.
They read "Special Admittance" across them.
The price made Naruto comment, ''glad I'm not paying.''
''It's because it's all inclusive. We show our bracelets and everything is free to us.''
''Damn. Say thanks to mom and dad then, I am going to eat until I am stuffed!''
They began to walk over to the door but before they rejoined the last of their classmates, still lingering in school after the last bell, Sasuke asked Naruto simply, ''are we okay then?''
For all the times he was called stupid or slow-witted, Naruto understood exactly what Sasuke meant. ''Yea. We're good.''
It did not take them long to leave the school and find their patiently waiting ride parked outside. No sooner did the door open and both friends get inside, did Hidan smile wickedly at them and tease, ''couldn't find a date, Sasuke?'' His jest earned him a glare from Sasuke but Naruto simply laughed, ''we're going to go meet the ladies there!''
He declared that he was the Uchiha's new wingman and the awkward comment was long forgotten in the joke. The fact that they were best friends served as the perfect guise for their actual intent. The festival was, he explained, the perfect hunting ground for the courageous of men, searching for the groups of young female friends that were also enjoying themselves. Sasuke appreciated Naruto's humor during the ride; it took over an hour to arrive and Hidan was talkative.
''I'm starving.'' Naruto complained, until they arrived but once there, it did not take them long to exchange their tickets for golden bracelets, at which point they were granted entrance to the festival.
''Let's eat!''
There were almost too many food vendors to visit. The festival was spread out throughout the whole park and lines were already forming in front of many booths. Naruto picked first; they tried various foreign meats and delicacies with chopsticks and relished in the various savory flavor blends. Sasuke's choice was simple; the next vendor in line. ''We should try them all.'' Naruto then decided and they stopped at every one in succession.
Although ambitious, they came across several things they could not or would not eat. Sasuke despised nattõ; yet, Naruto insisted he would bravely try the dish. His face was utterly priceless to Sasuke, hilarious even, as the blonde quickly spat the mouthful back into the small plate no sooner did it enter. He visibly cringed, desperate for water or a change of tastes for his pallet and Sasuke utterly laughed at him. The red bean soup they sampled next was incredible to Naruto and he requested seconds. Sasuke only overindulged in the onigri, Naruto noticed and so he asked for another dozen of them, since everything was free to them. Even take away.
As they waited for the large order, Sasuke asked him why, to which Naruto replied, ''leftovers for lunch tomorrow.''
The Uchiha could not help but wonder if that was a subtle invitation to eat with his rival.
Their last stop was at the barbecued skewers stand. Naruto was disappointed that his had more vegetables than shrimp and so Sasuke offered him a tiny crustacean in exchange for a grilled tomato. It was almost like feeding each other as they ate from one another's skewer. Both of them tried to hide their flushed cheeks by awkwardly diverting their gazes.
By the time they reached the dessert section, they had several bags of their favorite samples. The vendors were more than happy to fill containers for them. They tried several pastries next; Sasuke even stopped for dango for his brother. Naruto claimed they were delicious but Sasuke declined to try anymore sweets.
''You never want dessert.'' Naruto stated, as he continued to devour the last of his dango.
''I much prefer chocolate.''
This was something new. Naruto did not know that his date secretly indulged in the dark creaminess of chocolate. ''Like chocolate bars, or pure chocolate?''
''Just chocolate.''
In the end, after all that food, they both felt like gluttons and laughed about it. There were rows of tables set out and so they sat down lazily to digest. The festival attracted a large gathering of people; several shows were beginning just by the sound of traditional music that started serenading the crowds.
''That was delicious. Other than that nattõ – I couldn't do the texture. Yuck.'' The memory alone made Naruto shudder.
''My father eats that for breakfast, almost once a week. It smells horrible.''
''That man must have a stomach of steel.'' Naruto said, as his own gastric system forced a loud burp from his gullet.
But it was the worst possible moment to belch so abruptly; either of them had noticed the two young children slowly approaching their table. They were twin boys, from the looks of it, and both of them laughed at the gross noisy sound from Naruto.
''Nice one.'' The first child said and his tiny voice drew their attention instantly.
There was a moment of silence, as all four males stared at one another.
''A-are you guys…Na-Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke U-Uchiha…'' The second brother asked; he was shy and hesitant, unlike his awe-struck brother.
Either teenager could believe that these young boys recognized them so easily. Naruto slowly nodded to them, ''and who are you guys?'' he asked.
''We're twins! Our daddy loves kendo a lot and we watched you both fight on tv lots of times now! And we have tickets to the next tournament!'' The first brother was clearly excited now. He was almost jumping up and down as he spoke. His eyes were filled with wonder as he cheered. These were celebrities to the children – the teenagers they aspired to become one day.
Their father finally noticed that his sons had escaped the lineup for food and wandered away from him. He saw them over at the tables, not too far away, and as he approached in exasperation, they kids greeted him with, ''Look, look, daddy! It's them, it's them!''
Thankfully, their outburst did not draw too much attention. No one else came to ask for their autographs. Only these little boys recognized them and so did their father. He was extremely apologetic though, despite being extremely amused by his offspring.
''Oh wow, I'm sorry. I feel terrible about them just coming over here and disturbing both of you. You're both famous in our household because of my love for the sport.''
''Oh no, not at all. If you guys tell me your names, we can definitely sign autographs for you. Sasuke and I were taking a break from all of our training to eat some great food tonight.''
Naruto always had that approachable and composed attitude about him; even now, he knew exactly what to say to these young children to make them smile and laugh. That effect worked on Sasuke as well now, almost every time.
''If you really love kendo like we do, then train hard and come fight us someday.'' Sasuke told the twins, as he handed them his signature. It was not the first time this had happened to either of them. Even at school, sometimes their peers would ask for their autographs or pictures and claim it was for their younger siblings who were fans.
The father thanked them profusely for talking with his boys and Naruto's maturity immediately faded into his own self-indulgence as soon as they departed. He secretly loved the attention of his fans though. He had been stopped at the grocery market once and he knew that Sasuke was recognized by his driving instructor. They shared these stories in the mornings, when they trained before class.
''I'm so happy they came over, so adorable. And so brave too. See, we are stars.'' Naruto was gushing about himself again. Sasuke merely rolled his eyes. All this proved to him was that their rivalry and the upcoming championship was still a popular trend and they were recognizable. Their school had already gained such prestige from the last year of competitions. Each of them won a title and that meant that each of them had bested the other. The championship tournament would put them on an even playing level again and give them the chance to finally settle their score. The local news, press, and sports reporters loved it when these two fought. They guaranteed an exhilarating match.
Sasuke pushed aside his thoughts of their upcoming battle and suggested they walk around to see the various sights. A parade of musicians strolled through the crowds, along the pathways, followed by a procession of glowing lanterns. They, amongst the throngs of people, stood side by side as watched the show dance by them. Sasuke deliberately brushed his fingers against Naruto's and that earned him a smirk and a glance from a pair of soft blue eyes. Even if Naruto wanted to, he realized that they would not be able to hold hands, as other people were doing all around them.
As the band continued down the laneways, the teenagers began to wander through the crowds. There was an information section. There was also a small stretch of vendors selling charms and jewelry. Naruto assumed that they should head straight down into the next section but Sasuke insisted they stop and read the sign.
Naruto was browsing the tiny shop when Sasuke pulled him towards the park up ahead. They walked through it and towards the games area. Several larger stalls were lined up with walls of prizes. There was a fortune teller they both snickered at, as she tried to sway the young men with her alluring promises of the future. Her words were empty echoes, falling on their deaf ears. They both had questions they sought answers to but were willing to patiently wait for their destinies to unravel themselves.
''Shall we play some games then?'' Naruto prompted; he knew that even on a date, their competitive natures would undoubtedly surface.
The shooting gallery first enticed them. It was not the same as their video games though. Naruto was terrible at aiming without a scope and missed the first three shots. Sasuke complained that his trigger was stiff and that delayed his shots, therefore lowering his accuracy. The vendor laughed every time they missed a target and spouted a new excuse to each other. On their last shot, Sasuke finally hit the bull's-eye and he was declared the winner.
Naruto sulked the entire way to the next game, ring toss.
''This game is pure luck.'' Sasuke said but they tried a round nonetheless.
The Uchiha missed his first throw and Naruto's frown disappeared into mirthful laughter. Not only did Sasuke miss, the plastic ring bounced off the back wall of the stall and back to their feet.
''Not so hard, you have to throw lightly,'' Naruto explained, as he tried to demonstrate a perfect throw.
He missed.
Sasuke chortled derisively as Naruto glared daggers at the offending ring. The blonde had noticed that there were girls now standing beside them; they had wandered up and watched the young men play. Were they waiting for their turn? He only looked briefly, from the corner of his eye, as he heard them whispering. It drew his attention because they were staring at them and not the game. His momentary distraction earned him a jab to his ribs and he instinctively stuck his tongue out at Sasuke for the gesture.
Either of them was expecting his next ring to land directly on its target and there was a moment of silence and stunned awe before Naruto finally burst into loud cheering. He held his hand up for a high five but Sasuke only glared.
''Wow, that was amazing,'' came the compliment from beside them.
The Uchiha made note of both females, as they slowly approached the booth but decisively ignored them by throwing his second ring. He also knew that Naruto was side glancing at them; he felt annoyed by his best friend but could not say anything. In these situations, Sasuke always opted to avoid nuisances such as them. Naruto was inevitably his opposite.
''Thanks,'' The blonde replied and just then the vendor interrupted the moment by offering the winner a prize of his choosing.
Naruto finally decided on a giant dog plush for his uncle Kakashi and yet again, the teenage girls praised his selection.
''It's so cute, I wish someone like you would win me an adorable puppy dog like that.''
Sasuke groaned inwardly. He knew exactly where this conversation was headed; the airheads would inevitably begin to flirt with them. Their prattle made them sound like mindless twits to him. This was why the opposite gender no longer attracted him. He longed for self-confidence, an assertive personality, and a dignified demeanor. They were bold at first but now they stood their twirling their hair between their fingers, both coyly blushing, and batting their blackened eyelashes incessantly, as if it made them prettier.
Naruto, however, had no intention of encouraging the conversation; he simply did not want to be rude. He realized that these females probably found them attractive and seemingly available, as they were alone at the game stand. Was that not their cover story? Several days ago, this situation would have been ideal for him and perhaps a hundred percent different.
''Sorry ladies, this puppy is going to my girlfriend.'' The blonde finally replied, in hopes of deterring them.
His response earned him a frown from one female and a heavy sigh from the other. ''Lucky girl,'' came their muttered retort and they walked away sulking from the duo.
''I got rid of them.'' Naruto stated obviously and Sasuke merely rolled his eyes. He was right though; they did not see either girl for the rest of the evening.
Sasuke could not admit to himself that he felt relieved.
Amongst all the games, there were artists and vendors strewn about, selling a variety of items, from paintings, to teas and spices, even fresh local fruits and vegetables were available. In one stall, the back wall was decorated with traditional masks for sale. They had originally wandered in, fascinated with the weaponry, like switch blades and kunai, but the porcelain masks captivated them the most. Each one was white, designed with black or red lines. The craftsmanship was impeccable. Some masks were humanoid, or slightly grotesque, while others represented animals.
Naruto chose the fox mask and tried it on. ''What do you think?''
''Suits you,'' Sasuke replied, as he brought the eagle mask to his own countenance. ''And?''
''Foxes eat birds for dinner, Sasuke.'' Came the laugh from behind the ceramic layer.
They spoiled themselves, as Naruto said, and purchased the masks from the vendor.
''We should have bought throwing stars too and we would look like real ninjas.'' The blonde joked and they headed towards the stage area with their extra bags, where another large throng of individuals was forming.
A soft music played in the background for all guests to hear, as the actors appeared and took their places on stage. The teenagers found seats near the back and sat down for the show. They stuffed the oversized plush animal under the bench, in order to make room for another person to sit down. The performance debuted with a song and dance from the chorus; a samurai and a king next appeared and their dialogue began. Although Naruto tried to pay attention, he found his thoughts and eyes wandering from the show almost immediately.
There was a couple in front of them; the younger male casually snaked his arm around the female and she accepted the embrace by leaning her head upon his shoulder. A pang of envy echoed in his ribcage as he tried to focus on the play again. His efforts were futile though. He looked upon the entire crowd and observed how natural they all seemed. Families were seated all together; the mothers were with their children, shushing them into silence, as they excitedly cheered when the pretend sword battle commenced.
The ambiance was overwhelming. Even though they blended in, Naruto felt as if he stood apart. He did not fully understand his covetous feelings either. What would people think if they caught both of them holding hands or cuddling like that happy couple? How would their friends react? No matter how many times those questions darted in and out of his thoughts, their unresolved state left a seed of doubt in the back of his mind. Was he envious of the notion of being in a couple or that he himself could never make things work with the opposite sex?
That tiny spec of doubt was consumed by the memories of his uncle Iruka, when he first openly told Naruto about his relationship with Kakashi.
Some people will be accepting and supportive, while others will shun and practice avoidance; the people that stay by your side are the ones that will always be worth your time and love.
That was almost ten years ago. And right now, he had Sasuke beside him. They would always support one another, no matter what. Even just as friends. That was what he truly wanted to believe.
The show finished and Naruto realized that his brain had not absorbed any of it.
''Daydreaming, much?'' The Uchiha said; it was enough to snap Naruto out of his reverie.
The show had finished and the rows of benches were clearing out.
''Sorry, I got distracted by my brain.'' Naruto said apologetically. ''I was thinking about…us.''
Sasuke was taken aback by how serious his best friend sounded. He did not know how to answer but definitely felt confused and hesitant again. His first statement was cutting; he was annoyed that Naruto had not been paying attention.
''If you want to talk, we can go somewhere else…'' These were the only words he could muster that made sense, even if he dreaded their implication.
Had something changed in the last half hour?
The question was met with an infamous smile instead of an immediate reply; Naruto had to stop doing that to Sasuke. His face was stern one moment and sheepish the next. He knew that the blonde did this too often. Was he repressing his thoughts and replacing them with a comforting grin, so as not to worry the Uchiha? He had to find out…or it would bother him incessantly, until he did.
''I definitely want to talk, but first, I was thinking that we should split up. I saw something that I wanted to get you…you know…like win you a prize.''
There would never be a way to predict what Naruto would say next, Sasuke realized. The ideas that left his mouth sometimes stumped the Uchiha; this particular request took him by complete surprise. He was not expecting such a…romantic gesture. His cheeks were slowly filling with color, even as he fought hard against the blush.
''Sure.'' Sasuke replied; he kept his answer simple, knowing that his best friends would surely elaborate his statement.
''Okay, so how about we meet back here in fifteen minutes. That will be enough time.''
He winked a blue eye at Sasuke and instantly vanished into the festival again. The Uchiha stood there and observed him for a moment, trying to figure out what the gift should be but Naruto looked ridiculous with the large stuffed animal bouncing away on his back, from every step that it made him chuckle at the absurdity.
Sasuke realized that his decision would have to be quick, or he would risk running into Naruto somewhere and ruin this notion of a surprise. He remembered that there was a dart game near the shooting range they started at but he found nothing of interest hanging from the walls of that booth. His eyes continuously scanned the rows of toys, jeweler, stuffed animals, and pictures that were lined up. Nothing stood out. He found cats and dogs but no fox plushies.
What would Naruto want, he kept asking himself.
They had briefly known each other as children. Sasuke tried to recall those memories and yet all he had vividly held onto was the sight of those big blue eyes and blonde hair that he now saw every day. As kids, they would often run into each other at the park. Lots of other boys and girls were there and yet they were always drawn to each other immediately. The rest of their classmates always joined them in the end and they would all play dodgeball together. They had momentary scuffles but never really tried to really fight.
The memory was a touch hazy but Sasuke could remember this one time, when they walked home from school together with Naruto's father. That man was tall from his tiny perspective and he knew that Naruto took most of his features from his dad just by looking at them side by side. He also looked like his brother and father though, so he knew how that felt.
There was a frog keychain on his backpack that day; Sasuke recollected that he had commented on it and Naruto was excited that he noticed. It had been a gift from his grandfather's latest travels. In the end, it was not a keychain, but a coin purse that had been filled with foreign money. He was slightly envious because only his mother ever gifted him with small tokens of appreciation like that.
It was decided, he knew now to look for a frog or something similar. Or was it a toad? Did it even matter?
Although he was certain of his idea, finding this particular item would prove to be equally frustrating and confounding. He visited six different stalls before discovering what he thought resembled a frog but the vendor insisted that the blue amphibian was actually a puffer fish, not a fat and squishy looking toad. His efforts were rewarded though, immediately after, when he stepped up to a water balloon game. It required an adversary to play though. The more people that played, the bigger the prize. Sasuke did not care; he only needed one challenger to qualify for the basic prize, a frog stuffed animal. It was bright green with orange spots and all of its limbs dangled from the soft round body, hanging from a hook on the back wall.
As the Uchiha observed the booth, he noticed a few other people step forward, drawn in by the announcer's taunts and cheers. This was his opportunity. There were three guys and two girls in the group; they decided to play even before the Uchiha took out his money to join. They all glanced in his direction, as he sat down on the end stool; this was a water pistol game and the goal was to pop the balloon. Yet another game that simply required aim and a steady hand.
The announcer was slow to prepare the game; he even read them the instructions. Sasuke was only focused on the word "go" and as soon as they were granted permission to begin, he squeezed his finger on the trigger and aimed for the center target. None of the others stood a chance; he beat the entire group of friends and the boys were groaning in defeat as a chorus. They were already being dragged off to another game before long.
''So what do you want, you can have anything in this booth.''
''I want that frog.'' Sasuke replied and pointed to his selection.
''We have that one and another, this little guy too.'' The announcer laid his options before the Uchiha; there was the green frog and this other frog, a smaller one that was shaped differently.
''What is this one?'' Sasuke picked up the second option to examine it, only to realize, as the words echoed in his ears, that it was absolutely perfect.
''It's a coin-purse. With a keychain.''
The raven haired teenager took his prize and like the Cheshire cat, his grin extended fully across his mouth almost devilishly. If this was a competition, he would definitely win. He could feel his pride swelling victoriously in his chest. This was it.
Sasuke arrived first at the stage and briefly looked around to see if he could find his blonde companion anywhere but to no avail. There were definitely less guests though meandering about. Another play was about to start as the same familiar music entertained a new crowd. At least during his wait, he could hide the gift in his pocket and pretend to play on his cellphone, as a distraction.
It took an extra few minutes but finally, Naruto showed up, still equipped with his earlier prize, his bag, and a small box in his hands. Sasuke was instantly curious but tried to contain his reaction beneath a calm face.
''Sorry that I made you wait.'' Naruto said upon arrival and as if his guilt compelled him, he held out his surprise first, almost instantly.
''How about we head away from the stage,'' Sasuke suggested; he knew that they would get shushed into silence by the onlookers, engrossed with the magic of the play. They were standing right behind the benches, after all.
Together, they slowly walked away from the crowd. Sasuke finally accepted his gift and opened it as they tread along. It was a black box and inside, there was a small cushion with a charm resting upon it.
Sasuke picked it up and brought it closer. It was a silver fan charm, layered with bright red and white enamel. He could not help but laugh a little.
''It reminded me of your show and tell project about our family lineages.'' Naruto proudly announced. He eagerly explained his gift, ''I saw it earlier when you stopped to read the information sign. So I didn't actually win it, I bought it, but I did win the box it came in.''
''Thank you, it's very thoughtful of you. It's our family's crest but the colors on this one are inversed, which is why I laughed.''
Naruto was still pleased with himself. He was about to start on how he won the box but Sasuke abruptly stopped walking and told Naruto to face him, with his eyes closed. It made him want to chuckle and make a perverted joke but he chose to simply indulge his best friend instead and did as he said.
''Open your eyes.'' Sasuke presented him with his offering.
Naruto was left speechless. He took a deep breath and let out a tiny, ''wow''. His blue eyes were almost watery and he bit his lip hard. A crease appeared on his brow and his eyebrows twitched.
''Naruto, are you-''
It took all of his willpower not to cry.
''I'm okay…I just…haven't seen one of these since I was a kid. I had one.''
''I know, you had it on your backpack when we were kids and I remember wanting one just like yours.''
Naruto had a sad smile on his face. It made sense, He was finally able to look at Sasuke and explain his painful sorrows, without breaking down.
''I buried the old boss toad Gamabunta with my mom. I left it in her coffin, so that she would have my favorite belonging with her forever.''
The sad realization of what his token meant was utterly heartbreaking. He could not stop himself from saying quietly, in a low mumble, ''that's deep…'' He had no clue what else to say, as tiny prickles of tears welled momentarily in his dark eyes.
The blonde sniffled once and wiped away the tragic memory, in order to focus on the positive smile stitched into his new companion.
''I love it.'' Naturo said, as he stared intensely at the frog in his hands. ''As if you even remembered…''
He popped open the clasp and began to outright laugh. There was a single dollar coin inside and even though it was not some foreign currency, it cheered him up immensely. The gift was absolutely perfect, he realized, and it made him blush an embarrassed pink hue.
As if Sasuke…
''I also remember that you and your dad look almost exactly alike.''
Naruto stuck out his tongue at Sasuke. He was able to lighten up his spirits again by being silly. ''And you look almost exactly like Itachi.''
''I know.''
''So shall we go then?'' Naruto picked up the giant stuffed animal and nodded his head towards the large signs and banners of the festival. They had made it completely across the whole event. There was a path leading out the park and out to the nearby waterfront. Paper lanterns were lined up to illuminate the way.
''I love fire lanterns, I find them beautiful.'' Sasuke said, as they walked along the trail of the flickering beauties.
There was no wind and so the flames danced perfectly upright in each lantern. Some were carved with designs and the warm light spilled out into the darkness of the evening.
''I do too.''
The cool air of the water was refreshing, as they strolled away from the last remnants of the crowd. There were lots of benches down along the peer and since they still had time left on their date, Sasuke took Naruto's hand and lead him towards a spot, dimly lit by a single faint lamppost.
''Very romantic,'' Naruto commented, as he sat down and perched the canine plushie behind him. He was still holding his new frog in his hands, playing with its arms and legs.
''So what are you going to name it?'' Sasuke asked, and Naruto gave him a curious look. The Uchiha gestured to the frog.
''Do you name all your belongings?''
''Only the things I enjoy.''
''Ahhh, I see. I name my stuff too. I think I will call him Gamakichi. That's my grandfather's nickname for me and it suits this little guy too.'' It was official; his new coin purse had its new designation.
It was nice to finally sit down, drop their bags, and relax for a bit. They were both sprawled like lazy felines there, under the moonlight, enjoying a moment of peace together.
Sasuke asked quietly and the breeze of the night time's air almost gusted over his question. ''Do you want to play a game?''
Naruto rolled his blonde head of hair over to the side in a dramatic motion as he replied, ''what kind of game?''
''Twenty questions.''
''Sure, that sounds like fun. Can I start then?''
Sasuke nodded and Naruto paused briefly to strategize his approach to the game. Should he ask the blunt, outright questions? Or ask the mundane but quirky things about his best friend? Was there anything in particular he wanted to know?
''Who was your first crush?''
The first question earned him a groan. ''Sakura.'' came the monotonous reply from Sasuke. ''You know why.''
There was an awkward laugh. Sasuke cleared his throat and continued promptly.
''What is your absolute favorite video game?''
''You're not going to ask me who my first crush is then?'' Naruto completely avoided the inquest altogether, in order to mildly grumble.
''I just figured that you'll tell me these things eventually.''
Naruto sulked in protest, as he finally began to ponder his answer. It was not easy to pick amongst many titles that had earned his respect and hours of playtime.
''Call of Duty, Modern Warfare.''
''Really good choice.''
''So, what is your absolute favorite video game?'' The blonde repeated and Sasuke rolled his eyes at Naruto for his parroting ways.
''You're going to keep asking what I ask you, right?''
''Maybe,'' Naruto chuckled playfully.
''How about we each ask nine more questions and we both have to answer each one, instead of having a random lot of twenty.''
''Deal.''
''Mine is Assassin's Creed.''
''You should do that as a cosplay.''
They asked each other their favorite colour – red and orange. Their favorite mangas – Sasuke loved reading Bleach and Naruto had read and seen every episode of One Piece.
Naruto did not have a favorite school subject other than gym and Sasuke reluctantly agreed with him. Being good at something does not necessarily make it something you enjoy doing. Gym was relaxing to both of them.
Sasuke confessed to fearing blindness and Naruto was silent for long moment before admitting that car crashes terrified him. He lost his parents in an accident like that.
The Uchiha told Naruto that he wanted a cat first, as a pet, and then perhaps a bird when he was older, but he had no interest in dogs whatsoever. Naruto agreed, although he did not much enjoy the thought of an aviary friend either.
Sasuke, after their last batch of random curiosity questions, inquired if Naruto had any thoughts on his future after school.
''Okay… I'm not exactly certain, but I want to open my own kendo training gym or academy. I can't help myself if I want to do this for a long time, I love it.''
Sasuke admired Naruto's answer; it was optimistic and fueled by one of his passions in life. His goal was admiral, whereas his own, he knew was dictated by other people's expectations for his future endeavors.
''I am most likely going to continue my education. My father wants me to work in the family business and if that means I can train for kendo competitions at the same time, while working for him, I have no objections to that.''
It was still too soon now to determine where he would apply but in the following fall school semester, serious decisions would have to be made about his future. His entire grade would face the same daunting uncertainty of their futures next year.
''I figured you would want to continue with school. It suits you, really. You're extremely intelligent, under that emo haircut of yours.''
''As if you just said that.''
The next was an innocent probe. Naruto wanted to know what his rival's worst or scariest dream was. There was a story to Sasuke's answer.
''The night my father and Itachi fought – it was worse than any I'd ever seen between them. He kept accusing Itachi of being disgusting and unfit for anything except alcoholism. So Itachi got drunk and didn't come home that night. Then another night. He only came home a week later and no one really spoke for almost a month. That first night, I dreamt that I had killed my own brother with my own hands and then the next morning… we found out that his best friend had committed suicide and that was why he stayed away from us. Even when he was there, he wasn't… I could tell. ''
''Wow, that's intense. And creepy, all at once. I don't have scary dreams like that. The only time I ever had a nightmare, I dreamt that a giant fox demon tried to eat me and instead, I ate it somehow. It tried to hunt me and now I find it in my dreams sometimes, just there, watching.''
These were things that unless asked, would never be known to each other. Naruto, however, was not expecting the following inquiry about their evening thus far.
''Naruto, what were you thinking about, when you zoned out during the play?''
''A lot of things. Everything and nothing all at the same time. I saw that I would never be able to openly show any affection with you…even something as innocent as holding hands. I always feel indecisive inside but calm on the outside. All of the fundamentals of dating that I figured out from movies and women are all out the window with you. So I wanted to do something to express how I felt and since this is the place for random carnival games, I figured I could win you something.''
Sasuke's interrogations were never expected. They always came straight from left field and caught him almost completely off guard. It amazed him at how easily Sasuke could do that to him and yet before, he never acknowledged it when it happened. Naruto sat back up beside Sasuke, from his sprawled position, so that he could actually face him for the rest of the round of inquiries. The Uchiha sat up straight as well and turned into a comfortable lean against the bench.
''That's true, you did say that you won the box and not the fan.''
''I went and paid for the fan but the lady at the booth only had these frilly bags that I started asking the people behind the different booths for a spare box. And then I found this guy at the pond game that had a bracelet box and told me that if I won at least twice at his game, he would give it to me instead of some knickknack. I had to catch a tiny fish in my paper net…it was harder than it looked, heh. Took me four times to do it!''
Sasuke took out the charm, as Naruto told him the story behind the gift. ''I really like this, thank you.''
''Thank me by letting me asking you a random question, since you watched the play. And I don't really want you to tell me what happened anyways.''
The Uhicha nodded and so his rival said, in continuation, ''would you ever tell Itachi about us?''
Naruto wanted to smile almost triumphantly because his statement was incredibly bold. He wanted to outdo a blunt statement with another. Although he respected Itachi, he did not want him to know anything.
Sasuke blinked a few times, twitched his lip, as If pensive, and finally replied, ''No.''
''So no one then.''
''I don't want anyone else, I only want you.''
His gaze could be intimidating when he was completely focused, Naruto realized, as Sasuke stared at him. He was serious.
''Your turn,'' Naruto hurried past the awkward silence and faint dusting of a blush across the bridge of his nose.
''Do you like the idea of us being a secret?''
''Hmmm, what do you mean? …does it thrill me? Or do I just like the idea of hiding this from everyone?''
''You can answer either one of those.''
It would have been too easy to pick the obvious answer, and so Naruto smirked, ''it does thrill me.''
Sasuke laughed as the blonde sat in his own mild embarrassment, even though he was clearly flirting.
''Okay, next.'' Naruto began, ''would you change anything about me?''
''That's not an easy one.'' Sasuke sat there silently for almost a full minute, before he shook his head, ''No. I accept your flaws.''
There was nothing that could be said to that. It was such a profound declaration that Naruto thought he heard his uncle speaking and not Sasuke.
''I would change the fact that you're not a morning person, but other than that, you're pretty much perfect.'' Naruto played the joker card and made a jest, as he sat in the warm feeling those words left in his chest.
''You should tell me that after you've slept over.''
Naruto instantly radiated every shade of red. There was no hiding it. He bit his lip, as he realized that his best friend was also quite audacious with his flirting techniques. There was nothing he could say but wait for the next question.
''What do you want in a relationship?''
The escalation was evident. They were both acting as if the decision was already made. Naruto tried to be as honest as possible.
''I can't exactly answer as a general question. I think every relationship has different wants. I don't need you to be my cheerleader. But with Hinata, I knew I could find that, and I knew it would make me happy. With you, I know that you have my back, even after the big event. Before you decided to tell me how you felt, if anyone had asked me who my best friend was, it would always be you. You were always there Sasuke. I knew that I could rely on you, despite our many fights. You're a real best friend. I don't know if I want that in a relationship but I don't see it as being a bad thing either. Far from it. From you, I would want you to be honest with me. You can rely on me. I would want communication and cooperation, if we choose to discover this together.'' He reminded himself that there were still more questions they needed to ask before the night ran out.
''I really love how oblivious you are to your own eloquence Naruto. You say there wonderful things to me, in the privacy of this moment and I am even more resolute with my decision. I want everything that you're going to give me in a relationship, whatever that is. I know myself well enough now to start learning more about you.''
''And here you call me poetic. That last line sounded like something from a poem.''
''I guess I should write poetry then.''
''While you're at it, can you tell me what your favorite chocolate is, whatever that may be, like type, or brand.''
''Dark chocolate. Seventy percent or above. I don't have much of a preference other than that. And you?''
''Milk chocolate and almonds. I used to get them when I was younger and could eat a whole bag.''
There were lots of treats and snacks for their lunch the next day in their own bags but no sweets such as those. Naruto reached over into one of the cardboard boxes and found a box of cupcakes that he hid in the mix. Why wait until tomorrow for them? There was a chocolate one and its opposite, vanilla; secretly, he wanted the chocolate, but when he discovered that Sasuke appreciated dark chocolate, he handed it over instead.
The Uchiha thanked him, before asking, ''Have you been keeping track of the questions? I haven't.''
Naruto shook his head 'no' between mouthfuls of the cupcake. He finally said, ''I've got one, if you want to hear it. Last one, how about that?''
Sasuke agreed to the blonde's idea; he glanced at his cellphone and the time crept by them quickly.
''What's your favorite thing about me?'' Naruto asked, as the last of his questions.
''Your smile.''
Naruto granted his wish and smiled brightly. It made his heart flutter when the Uchiha smiled back at him.
"I knew you would say that. It's not just about my smile anymore Sasuke, it's about yours. I always get to see you smile now. And you're…so handsome when you do. That's my favorite thing too about you.''
Naruto blushed such a dark red just then, as he murmured his secret thoughts, that Sasuke's heart stopped beating for a second; he wanted to kiss Naruto so badly right then. This was the perfect moment that he originally wanted but it was not up to him…to decide. If only he could just lean in and confidently steady those blue eyes that were completely focused on him.
''Thank you,'' he said finally, as his heartbeat settled to a calm rhythm. Naruto's confidence was sometimes absolutely breathtaking. He had to remember to keep breathing.
''You know…'' Sasuke continued with a quiet murmur, ''I really want to kiss you right now.''
Naruto sat there wordlessly in the intensity of the moment. ''I know,'' he finally replied. ''You really do know how to embarrass me.'' He could not help but say, as he looked away and sighed irresolutely. It was still a lot for him to think about and that would weigh heavily on his decision.
Sasuke could sense the sudden hesitance and so he wanted Naruto to look at him again, to quell those resurfacing anxieties of his; so he brazenly reached out and audaciously tugged at the warm earlobe between his fingers. The blonde shot back around, trying not to giggle out loud, and he caught the offending hand in his own. His face was completely abashed, as Naruto admitted, ''my ears are kinda…sensitive.''
''Nice to know,'' Sasuke retorted, only now realizing that his hand was no longer his own. Naruto was holding onto it again.
''Well Sasuke, I was going to save this trick, but I happen to know that you're…'' Naruto left Sasuke in the suspense of his answer, distracting him with a mysterious grin, as he leaned over and began to tickle his friend. He knew exactly where to touch Sasuke to make him laugh. That sound was almost music to him, a rich baritone chuckle erupting from the Uchiha's chest. His sides were completely ticklish, especially the dip right above his hips.
Naruto was laughing maniacally, having remembered that Shikamaru once told him of Sasuke's secret. He spent a lot of time thinking about his best friend now and the thought came back to him in that moment. There he was, Sasuke Uchiha, being tickled by Naruto Uzumaki, on a random park bench. It was only fair to embarrass him as well. In the scuffle, Sasuke attempted to free his hand from Naruto, but ended up being pulled closer instead. It was almost too much to contain. He surrendered by hugging Naruto against his chest and spoiling himself in the warmth. The tickling stopped.
It satisfied him that Naruto melted into the embrace and happily rested his chin on Sasuke's shoulder. All of his senses were overwhelmed by Sasuke now, from his scent to his soft fingertips resting on his back. A shiver ran down Naruto's spine; it definitely did not tickle though.
''I really like hugs too,'' Naruto murmured, as he slowly pulled away. He felt almost guilty staring at Sasuke intimately and still not reacting to him; that face was extremely kissable, pale and stained with a hot blush, surrounded by messy black hair.
He found himself reaching over and fixing the wayward raven strands.
''I like having someone play with my hair,'' That same face was teasing Naruto again with a devilish smirk that almost mirrored his earlier one.
''I'll remember that,'' Naruto said, as his fingers slid free of the fine strands. He felt the sudden urge to ask, ''do you like having your hair long?''
''I thought we were done with the questions,'' came the jesting reply instead of a real answer.
Naruto pouted at the amused expression on Sasuke's countenance. The Uchiha continued, ''we have to leave some things to the imagination, after all.''
''You're so random sometimes.''
''I guess you're rubbing off on me.''
Although Naruto's mouth opened to speak, only an awkward laugh escaped. It was better to say nothing. Instead, he stood up from the bench and began to stretch. ''No more questions then.'' he said as he watched Sasuke rise as well.
''Well, I do have one. It's not really a question though.''
''Only if you answer mine.''
''I want to see you again, just like this.''
''How about we meet for practice tomorrow morning and I'll sleep on it, so that we can talk then.''
His answer was not definitive but there was only so much Sasuke could say or do, before he pushed too hard. The Uchiha had no intention of doing that. He already felt elated and lucky even, for their night to end this positively.
''I do like keeping my hair long.'' Sasuke finally murmured as they started to slowly walk back.
''It suits you.'' Naruto said and those words were the last spoken for a while; they continued on in silence, each secretly listening to their own ecstatic heartbeats.
Naruto could feel the warmth still radiating from his cheeks, just from being in Sasuke's presence. His blush darkened when he saw that Sasuke was slyly smirking at him. That same audacious hand that tickled his ear before enveloped his own, even as they strolled through the dwindling crowds. There were fewer people now; barely anyone noticed them as the lights of the festivals slowly extinguishing around them.
The ringtone from Sasuke's phone announced that their ride was presently waiting. It was the chime that caused their fingers to disentangle themselves and for them to act casual and calm, as they had discussed prior. Naruto stopped near the entrance; he could not help himself, as he suddenly grinned and said, with a teasing voice. ''You shouldn't ever be jealous Sasuke Uchiha, it doesn't suit you. Earlier today, you worried way too much.'' This was the only chance he would have to say it sincerely. ''And you shouldn't, because you already have all of my attention.''
-=TBC=-