Naruto used all his willpower to stop himself from throwing his controller at the wall.

He took a deep breath before glancing at Sasuke from the corner of his eyes. The other boy, of course, looked incredibly amused.

"Don't even say it." Naruto warned.

"How about you put the controller down, gently now."

Naruto groaned and then deciding that it was probably a good idea not to break someone else's property, he did as he was told.

Then he glared at Sasuke. The other boy looked back innocently, though Naruto could see the clear look of amusement in his eyes. They'd started sprawled on the opposite ends of the coach, but as the competition had heated up between them, Naruto had moved to sit on the ground, and now his back was leaning against the couch close to where Sasuke's legs were.

For the oddest moment, Naruto had the urge to bite the boy's shin like a feral dog. His intrusive thoughts had really leveled up recently. As if he could hear Naruto's thoughts and was tempting him to try it, Sasuke nudged him with his leg.

"I thought you liked that I was good at everything."

Naruto muttered a few choice words under his breath. Sasuke had gotten better stats at call of duty, beaten him nine times out of ten at Tekken, and then kept on beating him at Mario cart, no matter what characters they chose. It was ridiculous.

Sasuke nudged his side with his leg again.

Before he knew he was doing it, Naruto's grabbed the other boy's shin. Maybe he planned to push his leg away or squeeze it in warning, but he ended up just holding onto it as he looked up at Sasuke. He had opened his mouth to say something before, but when their eyes met, his brain went oddly empty.

Sasuke simply raised an eyebrow at him. He looked more relaxed than Naruto had seen him before, leaning back against the coach and looking down at Naruto with a pleased expression.

Naruto cleared his throat and let go of his leg.

What had they been talking about?

Right.

"I thought I liked it too, but turns out, it gets annoying really quickly." Naruto told him threateningly, "Like no wonder you don't have other friends, their self-esteems probably can't take being around you for that long."

"I see." Sasuke said thoughtfully, "Then maybe we should play again, and I'll let you win this time? Since you're my one and only friend, I must protect your self-esteem." He told him smirking.

Naruto turned around, picked up one of the sofa cushions they'd thrown on the ground and squeezed it against his own face

"I hate you." He growled into the pillow.

Sasuke laughed from behind him. Despite himself, Naruto snapped his head back to catch the sight but by then Sasuke's face had once again settled into his signature mildly-entertained look.

"As amusing as this is Naruto, I grew up playing video games. It's not a big deal that I can beat you."

Naruto grunted "You'd think it was a big deal if you were the one who kept losing."

"Probably" Sasuke said easily, and then smiled down at Naruto.

Naruto stared at him for so long that Sasuke raised his eyebrows again "What?"

"I didn't know you could smile."

"Excuse me?"

"I thought maybe it was a disorder or something, and that I should politely not mention it."

"A disorder." Sasuke repeated.

"A smirking disorder." Naruto explained seriously.

Sasuke shook his head at him "Maybe the real question should be whether you have any friends?"

"I'm very popular, I'll have you know" Naruto huffed.

"Aha" Sasuke said skeptically.

"I definitely have more friends than you."

"Right"

"Because I'm actually a nice person."

"You're not the worst company." Sasuke told him, smirking.

"Hmm" Naruto looked up at him suspiciously, and when he didn't follow it up with a joke, Naruto said "Winning really puts you in a good mood."

"…It's mostly because of your reaction to it."

Naruto jumped up on the couch, landing right next to Sasuke "You sadistic bastard! You like seeing my all hot and bothered."

Sasuke gave him one of his unreadable looks. Naruto for some reason, started feeling a little hot in the face, but before he had a chance to think about it, Sasuke shook his head and suddenly stood up to gather the pizza boxes and empty beer cans they'd scattered all around them.

Naruto felt a weird surge of disappointment, which he violently trampled down "Let me help."

"There's nothing to help with, you just sit there, and I'll be right back." Sasuke said as he walked into the kitchen with the trash.

Naruto lay back into the coach. He wasn't thinking of anything in particular but he somehow felt both relaxed and a little on-edge. It occurred to him that Sasuke had talked about playing video games growing up, but he'd also said he'd moved around a lot as a kid. Naruto wondered who he'd played with. Could you get so good just by playing against the program?

Something vibrated on the coach, and Naruto automatically looked down thinking it was his phone. But his phone was somewhere on the ground. Sasuke's phone must have slipped from his pocket onto the coach when he was sitting there.

The screen was flashing with an incoming call, and Naruto was surprised to see that whatever name it was saved as was in a foreign alphabet, maybe Chinese or Japanese?

"Sasuke" Naruto called out "Your phone's ringing"

He was considering taking the phone to him, but he appeared immediately. Without a word he walked quickly towards the coach, grabbed his phone, and walked out of the room again.

Alright.

There was no way to know if Sasuke had decided to pick up the call, as no sound carried across the house. Not that Naruto was listening on purpose, the living room was just very quiet.

It was less than ten minutes later when Sasuke walked back inside. Naruto looked at him, but he couldn't quite read the expression on the other boy's face. He could just tell that he didn't seem as relaxed as before.

"Um, is everything okay?" Naruto asked, a little hesitant.

Sasuke walked back and sat on the other end of the coach from Naruto. "Yeah, why wouldn't it be?" He asked neutrally.

Naruto shrugged but he couldn't quite shake off the feeling that something was wrong.

They sat in silence for another moment, and then Naruto unable to help himself asked "Is your phone set to another language?"

Sasuke shot him a look "What do you mean?"

"I just noticed when it rang…"

"Don't you know it's rude to look at someone else's phone?" Sasuke snapped before he could even finish the sentence.

Naruto was taken aback for a second before he frowned "I thought it was mine and I glanced down, it's not like I went looking for it."

He wasn't in the wrong here, was he?

An awkward silence settled between them, which made Naruto realize they hadn't really had any other uncomfortable silences the entire night. When it continued to drag on, Naruto picked up his phone and checked the time. It was already past 11. Maybe it was time to go anyway.

"Look, I just don't like…" Sasuke said suddenly, and then trailed off.

Naruto looked back a thin only to see that he was staring at the celling with a frown. Probably sensing his gaze, Sasuke smoothed his expression and looked back at Naruto "I'm just a private person."

Naruto wanted to snort. Yeah, no kidding.

"I understand that, but I really didn't mean to go through your phone or anything like that."

"No, I know that" Sasuke said, and then after a puse, added "… I shouldn't have snapped at you."

"It's fine." Naruto told him. Then continued to look at him "You're sure you're okay?"

Sasuke's eyes shot to his so suddenly that for a moment Naruto wondered if he was going to snap at him again, but instead the other boy just looked at him for a long moment. Naruto felt weirdly saddened by the contrast between his relaxed demeanor before and the way his expression had closed up now. Something of his feeling must have shown on his face because Sasuke blinked at him, taken aback and cleared his throat "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for asking?"

Naruto smiled at him "Is that a question?"

He was relieved when a hint of amusement came back into Sasuke's face "I'm just surprised because it seems like you weren't exaggerating before."

When Naruto gave him a questioning look, he continued "You really are a nice person. I don't often consider that a compliment, but in your case, I can see the appeal."

Naruto knew he flushed immediately, which okay, how embarrassing, but it's not like he could control it. It was mainly because of the surprise, but he tried to cover it up with bravado anyway "Well of course I am, bastard! As if that was ever a question."

Sasuke looked even more amused for a moment, then his expression changed into one of intense focus. Keeping his gaze on Naruto, he started moving closer to him on the coach, his movements deliberately slow.

Naruto blinked but couldn't look away. He felt like some sort of cornered pray as he watched Sasuke approach, which was ridiculous.

"Um, Sasuke…?" Naruto managed to get out when the boy was finally right next him. His voice came out in an odd whisper.

Still keeping the intense eye contact, Sasuke reached over and…

Patted Naruto's hair.

Like a dog.

Naruto blinked at him, as the other boy's face broke into a smirk. Without saying a word, he got off the coach and started walking towards the kitchen.

Naruto just sat there, speechless, staring after him for a moment.

Then, he jumped up.

"What the hell was that? Sasuke?" He yelled out as he followed the other boy to the kitchen.

And why the hell was his heart beating so fast?

Silently, Sasuke handed him a glass of water as soon as he entered the kitchen. Naruto took it on reflex, and then realizing how thirsty he actually was, drained it in one go. Sasuke took it from him, their fingers brushing for a moment, and refilled it before handing it back.

Naruto stared at him; his incredulity having been disarmed without him realizing it.

"You're dangerous, aren't you?" Naruto asked him suddenly.

Sasuke didn't even bat an eye "Oh, one hundred percent. You don't even know how far ahead my masterplan extends, getting you water is only the first step."

"Hmm" Naruto hummed, staring at him as he drank a little more. They stood together in companionable silence for a few moments.

"You should probably get going Naruto, it's gotten late." Sasuke told him after he'd grabbed his glass and put in the sink.

"What? You're kicking me out?" Even though Naruto himself had had a similar thought a few minutes before, he found himself dissatisfied with Sasuke's suggestion now.

"If you like to think of it that way, sure." Sasuke said easily.

"Where is your hospitality?" Naruto asked him, faking outrage.

"Wherever your decorum is, I imagine."

"Oh" Naruto paused "Well, That's kind of nice, like, they're hanging out."

Sasuke blinked at him "Did I tell you before that you're a strange person?"

Naruto shrugged "Can't help how you're born, can you?"

At that, a series of emotions seemed to flash across Sasuke's face in rapid succession. Naruto thought amusement was in the mix, but so was something that looked a little like bitterness? Sadness? Whatever it was, it was certainly deeper than what Naruto's off-hand statement had warranted.

Still, Sasuke only said "Indeed."

They were silent again, and Sasuke leaned back into the counter. Naruto found himself leaning against the back of the fridge, so their bodies ended up perpendicular to each other. If Naruto wanted, he could have nudged Sasuke's leg with his own. He didn't though, because that would probably be a little weird.

Knowing he was stalling, but not knowing why, Naruto found himself asking "So what are you up to tomorrow?"

When Sasuke didn't respond, Naruto couldn't help feeling a tinge of annoyance "Seriously? Are you in the witness protection program?"

It said something about Sasuke's secretiveness that Naruto had already given the option genuine thought.

"I'm surprised you know what that is."

"I watch TV, and also, that wasn't a denial."

Sasuke sighed "I was considering whether letting you believe that could make things easier in the future."

"You know what else could make things easier?" Naruto asked, "Actually telling me things."

Sasuke looked him in the eye and deadpanned "Yeah, good luck with that buddy."

Naruto knew he was just mimicking him, but it was still such an odd sentence in Sasuke's mouth, that he found himself chuckling in surprise.

"Fine, don't tell me." Naruto said, "I'll get through to you eventually."

He'd meant it lightly, but Sasuke gave him a serious look. "I'm not a project."

Naruto frowned "I didn't mean it like that."

"Alright" Sasuke said simply.

Naruto didn't have anything else to stall with after that, and eventually, not being very happy about it, he found himself checking that he had all his belongings with him, as Sasuke walked him to the door.

"Text me when you get home." Sasuke told him suddenly.

Naruto gave him a surprised look and considered making a joke about his soft side but ended up just smiling instead "Yeah, no worries."

Then they just paused there, which was weird.

Naruto shifted his weight from leg to leg, wandering why he kept hesitating, and why this almost felt like the charged silence at the end of a date.

It was almost like he was waiting for Sasuke to kiss him.

Naruto wanted to laugh at the thought. He considered making a joke about the situation aloud, but then his gaze met Sasuke's, and for whatever reason, he decided against it.

Sasuke, of course, just raised that single damned eyebrow at him. Naruto briefly considered reaching over and forcing it down with his hand, but yeah, maybe touching Sasuke's face right now wouldn't be the best way to make things feel less tense.

Eventually, not able to take the silence anymore, Naruto cleared his throat "Um, I had a really great time."

The words were barely out of his mouth, and he was already flinching. Wow, way to make it not feel like a date, great job Naruto, great job.

He risked a glance at Sasuke, and there was such clear amusement on the other boy's face that Naruto snapped out of his embarrassment "You're really enjoying this, aren't you? asshole!"

Sasuke's smirk widened "I can't help it. If you could see your own face." Then he paused, looking thoughtful "Is this all because I told you I'm gay?"

Naruto wasn't a hundred percent sure what he meant by this, but he just had to hope that he was referring to Naruto's awkwardness and not the fact that he had just been thinking about kissing him.

"I have other gay friends, you know." Naruto told him.

Sasuke's smirk almost looked like it was about to turn into a grin "Oh, I know. You were trying to set me up with them."

For some reason, even that sentence made Naruto feel weird, and not sure what to do with his hands, he looked down, absentmindedly playing with the strings of his hoodie.

"Naruto" Sasuke said, and Naruto found his gaze immediately back on the other boy. He looked a little tired, and Naruto immediately felt guilty for having dragged this out for so long.

"I had a good time too." Sasuke told him, and the sincerity in his voice did something to Naruto's insides that he preferred not to acknowledge.

Sasuke raised his hand and used it to push Naruto's face back "Stop grinning like that idiot. You look like I just pledged my undying love to you."

"Didn't you?" Naruto told him as he pushed his hand away. He supposed he was grinning really hard.

Hesitating for a second, he kind of thrust himself at the other boy, grabbing him in a quick hug, and then letting go before Sasuke had much of a chance to return it or not return it. Naruto on his end, only really registered a whiff of Sasuke's shampoo, which he thought must have been expensive because it did indeed smell very good.

When Naruto let him go, Sasuke didn't look mad at him for the attack, just taken aback.

"Alright then" Naruto said, and if he sounded a little too cheerful, it definitely wasn't an attempt to cover his embarrassment. "I'll see you soon Sasuke. Thanks again for the food."

"No worries, Naruto" Sasuke told him softly as he closed the door.

When Naruto got home, he remembered to text Sasuke.

I've been murdered.

Sasuke replied immediately. Idiot.

Then after a moment. Who was it?

You'll avenge me?

I want to send them flowers.

Naruto shook his head and grinned at his phone before passing out from exhaustion, which thankfully, didn't leave him much time to think about some of the more confusing moments of the day.

Naruto didn't have any plans the next day. It was too early in the semester for him to have much work to do. Still, he felt restless from the moment he woke up, and it only got worse through the day. Both Shikamaru and Kiba were out, and usually Naruto didn't mind having the house to himself every once in a while, but this time, he just found himself bouncing around all day without getting much done.

What was wrong with him?

He actually picked up his phone to text Sasuke a few times, but stopped himself. Though he did wonder frequently what the other boy was up to that day. In a slightly stalkerish move, he even looked up the performances that were on at Smith's that night and tried to figure out if any of them could be Sasuke's band, but it didn't seem that way, and anyway, it's not like Naruto could have just shown up there even if they had been.

Well, maybe not.

He wondered how Sasuke would have taken it. For all of his nonchalant threats, the other boy hadn't seemed like the type to be bothered too easily. Well, other than the whole privacy thing. Though Naruto supposed going to see his performance when he'd explicitly tried to hide where he was that night could technically fall under a breach of privacy.

Well, whatever, Sasuke wasn't playing tonight anyway, so there was no point thinking about it.

Naruto ended up managing to do his laundry and went for a walk where he ran into a friend and they chatted for a while about Naruto's birthday plans (it was coming!). He even did a little work-out in his house, but still, the weird restless energy didn't leave him, and was indeed, starting to grow more into something like anxiety.

Finally, at around 6 o'clock he picked up his phone and without thinking too much about it, found himself calling Sasuke. As the phone rang, he wondered if he would even pick up. Maybe he really did have a date? Or some sort of a hook-up at least?

Right as Naruto was about to hang up, some picked up, but weirdly, there was no greeting.

Feeling unnerved, Naruto said "Hello?"

Again, there was silence.

Naruto sat up on the coach "Hello? Sasuke? Are you there?"

"…I'm here." Sasuke said eventually.

"Hey, Are you okay?" Naruto asked. Sasuke's voice had sounded normal, but Naruto could feel the bad feeling in his stomach again.

"Yes, I'm fine Naruto…" Sasuke said, but Naruto could tell he wasn't done, so he just waited. "Could I ask you for a favor?" Sasuke asked suddenly sounding like he had to force the words out.

"Yeah, of course. What do you need?" Naruto asked, already standing up.

"You have a car, right? Could you come pick me up?"

Naruto started looking around for his wallet and keys, feeling a little calmer. Sasuke didn't sound drunk, and it was very early in the evening to be drunk anyway, but still this seemed like a normal enough situation.

"Yeah, I'll be right there. Where are you?" Naruto asked, mentally going through a list of all the bars and clubs he knew.

"I'm at the hospital."

Naruto froze, his stomach dropping so suddenly that he felt a little nauseous.

"St James Hospital" Sasuke clarified, sounding very calm and not at all like he'd just said something incredibly concerning.

"Why are you in the hospital?" Naruto asked, trying to match Sasuke's tone but he still ended up sounding frantic. He grabbed his jacket and was in such a hurry to leave that he almost tripped over a bag left on the floor. Damn its Kiba.

"It's nothing, but they won't discharge me unless someone is here to get me."

"I'm already on my way." Naruto told him as he held the phone with his shoulder and opened the door, holding his jacket, key and wallet all in his other hand, and his heart in his throat.