Chapter 8
Naruto's neck is in agony from the numerous attempts at craning his head to the side to peep at Sasuke's text messages.
Naruto squints to get a better read of the digital message and is immediately disappointed and relieved when he realizes Sasuke is only replying to a message from his sketchy friend, Suigetsu. Sasuke presses a button on the right side of the phone to shut the screen off.
Sasuke shifts against the concrete wall, so that he's pointedly staring at Naruto. Eyebrows raised, he angrily demands, "quit the fucking rubber necking. If you want to know something, just ask."
"New phone?" Naruto points to the slightly out-dated mobile device that's now being tucked into his friend's jacket pocket.
Sasuke responds flatly, "substitute, until I get a new one." Sasuke doesn't offer any more information or admit that he voluntarily gifted his very expensive phone to Hinata.
The doors to the lecture hall are opened by a young, male proctor. Together with their classmates, Naruto and Sasuke shuffle in, making their way to the back of the hall.
Sitting a chair away from each other, Naruto spots Sasuke reaching into his knapsack for a pencil, pen and eraser. Without asking, he hands Naruto an extra pencil and pen. Naruto nods his head in appreciation
Naruto thinks that this is the perfect opportunity to be straightforward, and simply open his mouth to ask Sasuke about his dealings and intentions with Hinata. But pride gets the best of Naruto, and he can't subject himself to acknowledge that Sasuke may have once again bested him in the art of seduction.
The announcement by the proctor that the exam is about to begin, momentarily halts Naruto's curiosity.
After having his ass whooped by Financial Economics, Naruto is relieved that it's the final exam for the semester and year. At the exit of the building, he zips up his coat and slips on a pair of gloves. He braces himself for the balmy winter breeze before he pushes the heavy metal door open.
Stepping outside, he frowns at the dreariness of winter days. If he had it his way, it would be sunshine and heat until the dead of night. He decides he really needs a drink to get over everything that's transpired since last night. But unfortunately, his budget is stretched taut from his binge drinking with Sakura. Maybe he has a few cans of beer from the last time the boys were at his home.
"Think you passed?" Sasuke asks from a wooden bench outside the Shinzo Hall.
Naruto hadn't noticed him until he spoke. He takes a seat next to his friend. "Meh, tried my best. C+ if I'm lucky."
"I need at least an A- to graduate with distinction."
Naruto hums. "Still trying to please daddy, huh?"
Sasuke purses his lips, "or maybe I actually care about my future and getting ahead in life. Probably something too far-fetched for your dumbass to comprehend."
All the anger he felt from earlier when he spotted Hinata with Sasuke came back ten-fold. The man next to him was once his best friend, and is still one of his dearest people, but he really hates his fucking smart mouth.
"Back to insulting my intelligence, Uchiha. Last time I checked, we are both attending the same University." Naruto sneers, fingers tingling to grab Sasuke by the lapel of his designer coat.
"Stop pretending you know shit about me and my family, Naruto." Naruto knew he was touching on a sensitive topic. Everything to do with Sasuke and Fugaku was contentious. He shouldn't have started this squabble, especially for something as simple as a discussion on grades. But Sasuke was perfect in all facets of life and this was the only real way to get under his skin. He should stop now, but he really doesn't want to. What he really wants is Sasuke's blue blood staining his knuckles.
"Yo, look, look. I think they are ready to throw down. I got my bet on the blonde." An irritating and vaguely familiar voice interjects.
"Suigetsu. No faith in me, huh?" Sasuke's eyes are still peeled on Naruto; chilly and calculative of the next move.
"Nah, your boy looks like he knows how to take a punch or two. You on the other hand look like you're gonna cry if you get a scratch on that pretty boy face," the snaggle tooth idiot surmises.
A tree trunk of a man gently squeezes Sasuke on the shoulder. Like a bomb being defused, Sasuke's entire body visibly relaxes. "Jugo."
Without having to voice it, Naruto knows Sasuke is no longer interested in their petty feud.
"Ready?" The ginger giant asks with a surprisingly delicate voice for a person of that massive stature.
Sasuke nods his head and begins walking away.
There is a part of Naruto that's happy that Sasuke has someone in his new friend group that can easily disarm his rage. But there is also another side of him that's jealous and selfish, and wants his friend's attention always focused on him.
As he watches Sasuke, the giant and buffoon walk away, that childhood insecurity of never being chosen as a playmate crashes into Naruto, flooding his mind with acidity and loneliness.
Even with all their ups and downs, Naruto values his friendship with Sasuke. He holds it dear to his heart. Sasuke is still the person he knows like the back of his hand, and who knows him inside and out.
As if sensing Naruto's unhappiness, Sasuke turns around. Visage now relaxed, he asks, "plans for tonight?"
Naruto shakes his head.
"Suigetsu's friend is having a lil something at his dorm in Building C."
Feeling like a hungry dog being offered a bone, Naruto tries his best to react in a manner that hides his desperation and fear of being left alone with his thoughts tonight.
Naruto doesn't want to think about how fickle and shallow some of the people in his life are. A prime example is Sakura; she switches from hot to cold in an instant - either when other people are around, or when she's obtained whatever, it was that she wanted from him.
Most of all, he doesn't want to think about his gentle, shy and incredibly attractive friend. Who has been nothing but kind to him at every step of their friendship. The thought of her being whisked away by his highly sought-after friend leaves him gutted.
But even as much as he wants to rid his mind of these persistent thoughts, he also needs answers. He needs to know if Sasuke is a rival for Hinata's affections. Before today, there was no doubt that Hinata only had eyes for him. While he believes her affections aren't easily swayed, he also has never met a female peer who was completely immune to Sasuke's charms.
To put his mind at ease, he responds nonchalantly, "text me the dorm room number. Gotta shower and change." He hoped he didn't still smell like Sakura's juices.
Sasuke nods and Suigetsu sends a salute.
Washing the flowery scent of Sakura off, and smelling more like a man than a woodland creature. Naruto dresses casually, then treks through the now darkened pathways to join the drinking party he was invited to.
When he arrives, he realizes it's not actually a party, just a get together with some rich college students who are probably coked-up from Suigetsu's stash.
In the living room of the relatively spacious dorm, Naruto sits on the opposite side of Sasuke on a black, fabric sofa. Suigetsu walks over with a cold beer, which he hands to Naruto. Taking a seat in the unoccupied middle seat between both friends, Suigetsu retrieves a baggie of white powder and offers it to Naruto.
"Nah, I'm good." Alcohol was enough. Weed on the very rare occasion, but anything above that was off limits. Naruto actually spent a tremendous amount of time taking care of his physique. He ate right and his only indulgence was ramen. He wasn't about to fuck that shit up with hard drugs.
Suigetsu then offers Sasuke the packet, and to Naruto's relief his friend also declines, "Nah, I'm good for a while." Sasuke points to the drink that looks like rum and coke in his left palm.
"Cool, cool. Well, gotta get a few more of these out my hand before I drive you home."
Suigetsu typically reeks of parasitism. Naruto believes the platinum blonde male, is only friends with Sasuke because of the luxurious perks that comes with knowing someone of that social standing. However, there are moments, like right now, where he thinks he may have misread the crooked man. Anyone with an inkling of sobriety, would notice that Sasuke is in no condition to drive. He's happy that Suigetsu is level-headed and thoughtful enough to pick up on that.
But Naruto's mind immediately reverts to its previous stance when he notices Suigetsu selling his contraband to students who he doubts are over the age of eighteen. Fuck him being nice enough to drive Sasuke home. Naruto would use the last of his money to call a cab for his friend.
Naruto shifts his body to face Sasuke. "This is who you are friends with? Fucking drug dealers, Sasuke? Guess this is your way of caring about your future?"
"Jugo doesn't deal," Sasuke's response is slightly slurred and his trademark smirk lopsided.
Naruto sighs in frustration. He breathes in deeply, ready to begin a lecture that would hopefully sway his friend into making better life choices.
"Sasuke, what would Itachi-" before Naruto can continue, Kankurō playfully smacks him across the head.
"Young buck!" The older college student slips onto the arm rest and Naruto shuffles toward the middle of the sofa so that Kankurō's ass isn't in his face.
"Thought you left for Suna already." Naruto remembers he had a flight booked with his brother, Gaara.
Kankurō frowns, "flight was delayed. I think we are leaving in the morning."
Pointing to the bottle of beer in Naruto's hand, Kankurō asks, "Where you get that?"
Sasuke answers for Naruto, "In the kitchen."
Kankurō hops off the arm rest and returns a short time after with a few bottles of beer and Suigetsu at his side. Both men take a seat on the opposite loveseat across the coffee table.
Suigetsu places a teaspoon of grounded weed onto the coffee table and licks a tobacco wrap. He works on filling the wrapper and meticulously rolling it shut.
Sealed and lit, he takes a puff before passing it to Kankurō. "This is some good shit." The brunette replies with a satisfied look on his face.
The joint is passed to Naruto who declines, who then hands it off to Sasuke.
"So, what happened with the sexy little elf from last night?" Suigetsu asks, taking one of the beers Kankurō brought from the kitchen. Naruto observes the familiarity between Suigetsu and Kankurō – how easily he accepts the joint from the blonde and how without asking, Suigetsu hands him a baggy of weed. Putting two and two together, Naruto realizes Suigetsu is Kankurō's dealer, and probably the one who invited him to this get together.
When Sasuke doesn't respond, Suigetsu frowns in contemplation. "What was her name Hana? Nah, that doesn't sound right, Hinata. Was it?"
If Naruto didn't know Sasuke as well as he did, he wouldn't have noticed the annoyance evident in the way his lip curled just a little to the right.
"What did you say? Hinata" Kankurō cuts in and Suigetsu nods his head. "As in Naruto's Hinata?"
A grin as wide as his face would allow, Suigetsu leans forward to address the two friends on the opposite couch, "No fucking way. You two switching bitches?"
Sasuke takes a sip of his drink, clearly ignoring the probing.
Annoyed and with distaste, Kankurō inquires, "that gold digger finally gave you a taste?"
Naruto fumbles with the bottle in his hand. Kankurō's assessment was spot on.
"Don't speak about her like that." Naruto warns. His usually friendly façade slips for a moment. He hates how disrespectful his friend is to Sakura.
Sasuke decides at that moment to join the conversation, "I'm not fucking Sakura." That didn't come as a surprise to Naruto. If he were, Sakura wouldn't have given Naruto the time of day. As dense as people claim Naruto to be, he is under no illusion as to who Sakura's heart belongs to. He just hopes she would finally wake up and see how futile her attempts were.
Naruto waits for his friend to continue; for him to also deny a relationship with Hinata. But Sasuke doesn't elaborate further.
Naruto turns his head in Sasuke's direction in disbelief. His choice of not addressing his relationship or intention with Hinata unnerves him.
With all the control he can muster, he keeps his mouth shut. It isn't his place to probe further, especially after his night with Sakura.
Likely aware of intense blue eyes boring into the side of his head, Sasuke slowly turns to face Naruto, with a look of taunting victory plastered over his pristine features.
Finally had some time to update this story. I know most readers are in this for the romantic drama, but hope you guys enjoyed the dynamics between Sasuke and Naruto. I love their unhealthy friendship so much. There is love between them them, but also a crazy amount of resentment.
As always, would love your feedback.
Next chapter is with Sakura, Ino and Sai.