"What are you doing?" Kiba said, already leaning over Naruto's shoulder to see for himself.

Naruto was not proud of this, but he startled so hard that he lost his hold on his phone. Kiba managed to crouch and caught it before it dropped on the floor.

"Where did you come from?" Naruto asked, his heart still racing.

"I live here!" Kiba said, then they both looked down at the phone in Kiba's hand.

There was a pause.

Naruto looked up sheepishly to meet Kiba's half amused, half incredulous look.

"Seriously man?" Kiba snorted, standing up again "I'm assuming this is the famous Sasuke?"

He raised the phone closer to his face where Sasuke's Instagram page was already open.

"Hey!" Naruto protested half-heartedly standing up from where he'd been sprawled on the coach and tried to swipe the phone back, but Kiba held on tight to it as he examined the photo.

Naruto had been looking at one of the rare photos that Sasuke had posted of himself, except he looked to be a few years younger. His hair was much shorter and styled with more spikes. He was sitting behind a desk, in front of his laptop but it seemed like the photo was taken right as someone had opened the door to the room he was in - his childhood bedroom? - because he half turned towards the camera, one hand mid-way to his huge pair of headphones as if to take them off.

It was a cool photo, but it was Sasuke's expression that had captured Naruto's attention. His eyebrows were farrowed like he had expected to be annoyed at the interruption, but at the same time his eyes were lit up, a small smile already making its way on his face. Naruto really wished he could know who had taken the photo.

"This is from 6 years ago." Kiba pointed out. "Man, at least tell me he's one of those people who posts like once a year?"

Naruto scratched the back of his head "Uh, not exactly."

Kiba shook his head, went back from the photo to Sasuke's feed and started scrolling up…, and up…and up.

He snorted "Bro, I thought maybe Shikamaru was exaggerating, but now I wonder if he was actually playing it down. Have you been on his feed for a few hours or what?"

"It hasn't been hours!" Naruto protested "And he takes cool artsy photos, I was just looking at the art."

"Is that what you call him?"

Naruto snorted "That was actually kind of clever Kiba." Then he made a grab for his phone, and this time Kiba let him take it back.

"Of course, it was. Because I'm actually very intelligent, too intelligent for your comprehension."

Naruto carefully locked his phone and slid it into his pocket.

"For example, I'm clever enough to see that you should clearly ask this dude out."

Naruto swallowed, and then slowly sat back down on the sofa.

"It's not that simple."

"Isn't it?" Kiba asked and then added "Scooch" and pushed Naruto aside to make room for himself, picking up the remote.

When Naruto stayed quiet, Kiba shot him a surprised look "You're not acting like yourself, it's creepy."

"Creepy's a strong word" Naruto murmured.

"I don't get what the problem is." Kiba said, dropping the hand with the remote on his leg without turning the tv on, which is how Naruto knew he meant business.

"From what I've heard you clearly get along with him. He is a good-looking dude, and from the way you were looking at your phone, you clearly more than agree with the statement."

Naruto looked away from Kiba.

"Do you really care so much about being straight?" Kiba asked curiously.

"No!" Naruto said. "No, that's not it."

Kiba gave him a confused look "What is it then?"

Naruto shrugged, then let out a sigh, then shrugged again.

When he still didn't speak Kiba gave him an alarmed look "Seriously, are you an imposter? What is going on with you?"

"Maybe if you'd met him, you'd understand." Naruto murmured under his breath, but Kiba had ridiculously good hearing.

"What do you mean?"

Naruto shifted a little in his seat "Look, he is just…it's like you said, he is clearly good-looking, but he is also just very cool. Super talented, smart. I just don't think…" Naruto trailed off, wondering how he could phrase the next part without coming off as pathetic "Honestly, even if it wasn't just my lack of…relevant experience, I still think he'd be out of my league, that's all."

Kiba stared at him like he'd grown another head.

"Are you really so insecure?" He asked bluntly.

"Whatever. We don't need to talk about this" Naruto muttered and made an attempt to grab the remote out of Kiba's hand.

Kiba immediately shoved it behind him "Oh I think we do need to talk about this because you're pissing me off now."

"Why do you care?" Naruto groaned.

"Because you're my friend asshole, and it pisses me off that you think this dude is so far above you."

Naruto looked away "…I didn't say that."

"It's what I heard." Kiba said "so I'm going to tell you something Naruto, and then we won't talk about it again, alright?"

"…Alright?" Naruto said dubiously "Do I have a choice?"

"No." Kiba said decisively and then turned his entire body to face Naruto's on the coach "Listen dude, you're like a fucking ball of sunshine. You make everyone's day better just by seeing you. You're one of the kindest, most empathetic people I've ever met, and I haven't seen you be in love with anyone before, but just seeing how you are to fucking strangers, I can imagine how you'd treat someone you love, and let me tell you, they'd be lucky to have you."

Naruto felt his jaw slacken as he stared at Kiba, who was looking back at him with a completely serious expression on his face.

"Kiba!" Naruto said, not sure what else he wanted to say in response. To his embarrassment, he felt his throat tighten as if he was about to cry.

Kiba tapped him on the shoulder and snorted "Besides, you're a pretty good-looking dude yourself, not on my level, of course, but definitely more than a match for that pretty boy you're so obsessed with."

Naruto choked out a laugh, trying to get his emotions under control "Sasuke's not a pretty boy."

Kiba raised an eyebrow "You don't think he is pretty?"

"Um" Naruto murmured "I mean, he's pretty masculine."

Kiba snorted "Whatever floats your boat my man." Then he turned away and reached for the remote.

"Kiba?" Naruto said "Um, thank you. That was…." He paused, then tried again "That was…"

Kiba made a vomiting sound "Please stop. I said what I meant, let's not make it weird."

Naruto grinned at the first signs of real discomfort begun to creep onto Kiba's posture. He paused and then pounced on the other boy, wrestling him down and forcibly putting his arms around him in a tight hug "You're a great fucking friend."

"I KNOW" Kiba shouted as he struggled to break Naruto's hold "BUT CAN YOU PLEASE SAVE THIS FOR SASUKE."

Let's meet up tomorrow.

Naruto texted Sasuke that night.

Almost immediately, the three dots appeared showing that he was typing.

Naruto grinned and typed quicker.

I know you have work.

The dots disappeared.

I thought maybe after you finish.

I can come meet you there and see where you work.

The dots appeared again.

Naruto sped up.

I know, I'm a great stalker.

I should be commended at the annual stalker conference.

Stalk-ference?

Anyways.

He'd never typed so fast in his life.

Do you need me for this conversation?

Sasuke finally managed to type back, Naruto grinned.

It's not my fault you're so slow.

I have ADHD.

No. fucking. way.

Naruto snorted.

Never could have guessed.

There were no signs.

Alright, alright, I get it asshole.

So tomorrow?

I'll send you the address.

Naruto smiled at his phone for a full minute before he sent.

I know this isn't the best method of convincing you that I'm not clingy by the way.

You realize that is an issue you've conceptualized entirely on your own?

I don't what those words mean.

Are you calling me dumb?

Are you fishing for compliments?

Naruto paused. Was he? He was going about this whole thing in the most round-about way, wasn't he?

Idk, I'm in need of affection in high doses.

Naruto sent eventually, feeling oddly vulnerable, even though he knew his message could be, and very likely would be, received entirely as a joke.

Instead, there was a slight pause on Sasuke's side, during which Naruto's heart rate tippled.

I will keep that in mind.

Naruto stared at the message, suddenly hating that Sasuke wasn't there right then, because what was the tone of his message? Was he joking?

As Naruto was deliberating how to respond, Sasuke sent over the directions to the bookstore/record store where he worked.

There is a cafe right across the street, you can wait there if you like.

Naruto paused again, even though there really wasn't anything more to say, even if it felt like there was so much to say.

Thanks man.

He sent, and then, for whatever reason immediately grimaced at the sentence.

Sasuke didn't waste a second.

You're welcome, man.

Naruto snorted, somehow able to hear the dry tone even over text. He deliberated for a moment, wondering if he should just say good night.

Anyways, what are you doing right now?

Working on my frat house application dude.

You think I'll get in?

Naruto shook his head, figured Sasuke wouldn't let it go easily.

I'm sure you can do anything you set your mind to Sasuke.

A pause.

That means a lot to me.

Bro.

Please stop.

Are we not bros?

No.

Naruto sent immediately and before thinking through other potential responses to find something a little more in line with Sasuke's joking tone, and a little less psychopathically direct and serious.

Sasuke, unsurprisingly, did not respond.

Naruto panicked.

You need to get accepted into the fraternity first.

Of course.

How presumptuous of me.

Naruto let out a relieved breath. That was some grade A quick thinking on his part. He would have given himself a pat on the back if he wasn't lying down.

They texted back and forth for a bit longer, and eventually Naruto put the phone aside and lied down, staring at the celling for a few minutes. He would see Sasuke tomorrow, as for the rest of it…Well, he'd figure it out, he was sure.