Chapter Text
The funny thing was that Sasuke didn’t regret it at first. For all the times he’d tried to be the bigger person, to stay calm — c’mon you’re an Uchiha for fuck’s sake — he didn’t regret it one bit when he actually punched Naruto. He enjoyed it, even. Okay, so he was not the bigger person for once, so what. Who cared?
He felt young, fighting Naruto. Like a teenager. A normal and angry one.
Which was stupid. He was sixteen; he was young.
He was angry too.
He was young and angry and Naruto had challenged him stupidly and endlessly for weeks on weeks, months on months, and Sasuke had swung. Finally.
He’d swung and felt delighted when Naruto swung back, kicked him in the fucking ribs and pushes him onto the floor. Looking back now, they both needed an outlet. They needed to connect. They needed something, whatever it was. Anything, really.
A hug might have worked too.
But no one ever hugged them and they were even less likely to hug each other so they fought like teenagers do. Like they had nothing to lose but their pride. Like they didn’t feel any pain and they’d heal a broken bone in the blink of an eye.
Sasuke had been horrified when he realised Naruto might have won that fight, had the teachers let them go on. He wished they would have, later on. Naruto might have knocked him out, or they might have passed out at the same time and woken up in the nurse's office next to each other.
They might have become friends, mumbling complaints and curses back and forth until one of them talked about anything real; feeling lonely, their dead parents, the future, the way other people looked at them.
What happened instead, was that Naruto was pulled off him by two janitors and dragged towards the teacher’s room. Biting and screaming out that Sasuke had thrown the first punch.
And he had.
He had and it felt like he’d changed by doing so.
Their math teacher, a young and polite woman, pulled him up and brushed the dirt from his sweater. She’d asked if he was okay as Sasuke watched Naruto spit on one of the janitor's shoes. He couldn’t help but feel that they deserved that.
The teacher who was talking to him deserved it too; talking to him as if he hadn’t fought. Sasuke didn’t think he had it in him, though. To spit on her. So he didn’t.
“They’re taking him to the principal. Don’t worry.”
Sasuke looked at her. “I threw the first punch,” he said. To prove something, maybe. Or because he was more honest than he was proud.
She didn’t answer him. Instead, she took a tissue from her purse and held it to his nose. Within seconds, a bright red filled the white fabric.
“You should go to the nurse's office,” She said.
“I’m okay.” Sasuke mumbled. “I fought back.”
She hummed, nodded. “Ah, yes. Of course.”
*
Naruto did not come back to school.
Sasuke found being angry to be a lot easier, after that. Sasuke did not ask, fuck that, but he listened. They’d sent Naruto to a school specialised in problem children. The so manieth time he’d acted out, he heard them say. He heard them refer to himself as an honour child. To Naruto as a problem child. He, though, had never felt as equal to anyone as he’d felt to Naruto in that fight.
Sasuke didn’t ask where he could find Naruto, but something inside of him had shifted. He got why Naruto had spit on someone’s shoes now. He got why he’d cussed him out for being the honour child. He got why he’d skipped classes and walked out of classes and held up middle fingers to teachers.
Sasuke found his own way to do the same.
He was smarter than half of their teachers, he let them know.
He rolled his eyes and ignored and listened to loud music just so he didn’t have to hear them. He reloaded Naruto’s almost empty instagram page to see if there was any update. When fights broke out in the city, he didn’t walk the other way but curiously glanced up to see if it could be him. It never was.
Sasuke fought again, from time to time. Teachers turned a blind eye or talked to him about how hard it must be, being an orphan. He fought but nothing inside of him shifted the way it had. Back to ignoring. He was about to graduate anyway. He would never come back here.
He ignored and listened and heard Sakura say that she’d seen Naruto recently and that he’d been the same idiot but— grown taller, I mean I’d never look at Naruto twice but yeah, he looked good. Isn’t that weird?
Naruto looked good, apparently.
Maybe he was doing good too.
Sasuke looked up his name, instead of reloading his old instagram page. Found an account that was private but had a small profile picture of a boy who’d punched him in the nose looking— tan skin, big grin, a blue stone around his neck matching his eyes.
He closed the page. Figured that their fight had changed one of them for the better, at least.
*
He knew life works in funny ways.
He had felt lost; just dropped out of the police academy. It didn’t fit him at all, but god, no child wants to please their parents like a child that no longer has any. Please the idea of having someone that could have been proud. Live for that. He, apparently, couldn’t do it.
He dropped out, let Suigetsu rent the empty room of his apartment to share some costs. Lived day to day, for a while.
In that moment, his life seemed full of endless possibilities and they all took the shape of an endless pit he was about to fall into. He felt grateful for his friends hanging around. For the drinks they kept shoving into his hands and for the loud music no one was listening to but that was just loud enough to never hear each other properly.
It was hard to recognise it as his lowest point; he didn’t belong at his stupid academy or his high school either. He was lost, though.
So it felt like a sick coincidence when Karin told her story — just loud enough for it to be heard over the music.
She said she had found a long lost family member— an orphan as well. She laughed. “We decided to get a drink, you know. Isn’t that fucked up?”
Jūgo sipped his tea, then asked: “Why is it fucked up?”
She’d been looking at the ceiling before, now she sat up straight. “I don’t know. Maybe we could have been less alone. If we’d known.”
“Ah—” Jūgo mumbled. “I get that.”
Karin glanced at him, took a swing of her beer. “He was in Sasuke’s old school, you know. Just for a while, though. Switched schools twice.”
Suigetsu snorted. “Sounds like a great guy.”
Sasuke felt himself glare at him as he spoke; his heart beating through his ribs, his throat a little dry. “What’s his name?”
Now all three of them looked at him. “Thought you had no friends in high school,” Karin noted.
“I didn’t.”
“So?”
“So tell me.”
“Jesus,” Karin jokingly said. “Don’t get your panties in a twist.”
“Karin.”
“ Okay, Jeez. His name is Naruto. What, you want to join?”
Sasuke watched her carefully, letting that sink in. It made sense. This city was so big, though. And Karin looked nothing like him.
Life works in funny ways, he guessed.
And there was one thing in life that could smack him square in the face.
“Sas? We were just fucking ar—”
“Is he okay?” He asked.
“Hm?”
Suigetsu laughed. “Oh god, he did have a friend.”
“Suigetsu, shut the fuck up.” Karin threw a pillow at his head. “He’s—I mean, he seems fine to me. Don’t know what he was like before, but I was surprised to hear he’d been such a problem child, back then. He’s a proper golden boy, you know?”
Oh, he knew.
He’d known that.
*
They met up in a cafe close to Naruto’s work, a bit further from the city centre. Sasuke felt stupid for initiating. They had nothing in common anymore. They had not even been friends, not in the slightest. The opposite, maybe.
Remembering Karin’s words though — I don’t know what kind of friendship the two of you had, but he lit up when I said your name — made him want to do this right.
The cafe was simple. They sold smoothies, grilled cheese and basic coffee.
Even though it was a little too cold, the early spring sun made him want to sit outside. He kept his coat on and sat in the slightest bit of sun. After a minute or five Naruto came walking up to the cafe. Late and bright.
Golden boy.
That’s what Karin had called him.
It was a grand understatement. Naruto had grown tall and he carried his body with pride — a straight back, chin up, a smile on his face. He was wearing a knitted orange sweater, wide jeans and he’d pierced his ears.
Maybe those piercings were the only thing that gave away his once problem child reputation. Sasuke felt glad there was at least something to remember that child by.
“Sasuke!” Naruto walked up to him and opened his arms. Before he knew it, he was pulled into the warmest hug he’d ever gotten. Naruto squeezed hims slightly, excitedly mumbling: “God, it’s been so fucking long.” Once he let go of him, he stepped back and took him in. He rubbed his neck sheepishly, shyly. “Sorry,” he mumbled, “got excited.”
Sasuke rubbed his hands on his jacket awkwardly and sat back down. “It’s okay.”
Naruto followed, sitting down as well. “I felt so surprised when Karin mentioned you! I’m glad to see you doing well. I always hoped we’d get to meet again, y’know.”
“Mhm,” Sasuke nodded. He knew.
“I’m sorry for back then. That was not cool, all that fighting and stuff. I just really didn’t know how to act around you.” Naruto laughed.
Before he got to answer, the waiter came up to them and took their orders. Naruto ordered a smoothie, he got a black coffee himself. Then, before Naruto could change the subject, Sasuke mumbled. “I fought too.”
“Huh?”
“You’re apologizing, but you were right back then; I threw the first punch. I tried to tell everyone, but no one believed me. They thought I was taking the blame or something.”
Naruto laughed. “That’s right! You did throw the first punch.” He seemed more excited than anything else. “Ahh! I felt so proud back then. You know, I hated that you never reacted to me or anything. I was so happy when you did.”
“Mhm. I was too,” he mumbled softly.
“What!? No! For real?”
Sasuke nodded.
As the waiter came out with their drinks, Naruto was quiet for a little while. He thanked her — golden boy — and as soon as she was out of sight, he continued. A little softer, now. “Interrupt me if I’m being stupid, or, like, sentimental or something… but I feel like I needed that. I finally felt seen. I felt— hm— like— connected to you?”
“That’s not stupid.”
“Hm?”
“It’s not. Stupid. We needed that.”
“Oh— oh, yeah. It’s not, you know. Maybe it makes sense.”
It did. They needed that.
He needed that still.
*
They didn’t want to separate, so Sasuke walked with Naruto towards his job. They didn’t say it in so many words, just quietly stuck together as they started walking. Naruto explained that he worked with children, teenagers, as a project manager at a non-profit that made sure kids could sport, do arts, whatever, for free.
“Lots of kids like me, you know. Maybe not all orphans, but people with parents who can’t or won’t step up. Kids with energy and anger and no outlet.”
“Mhm.”
“They— I don’t know— they just need one person to not give up on them. They need one person who shows them, as an example or whatever, that things can work out fine. They don’t need a perfect example, that will just piss them off; they need a realistic one. Someone who understands, you know. Who means it when they say they understand. I think— sorry, I’m rambling.”
“No. It’s fine. I agree.”
“Ah, so what’s up with you? You were always so—”
“I dropped out,” Sasuke interrupted him.
Naruto looked at him. “Oh.”
“I’m not perfect or whatever everyone thought I was.”
Naruto chuckled. “I believed that for a second, maybe, no longer than that.”
“But you still hated my guts.”
Naruto stopped walking, turned to him. “On the surface, maybe. I thought that you thought you were better than me. Pissed me off.”
“I guess I did think that.”
“So I wanted to beat your ass.”
Sasuke chuckled. “You tried.”
“Asshole. I did. But I also wanted to be your friend.”
Sasuke was quiet for a little while. “You didn’t really get the chance.”
Naruto nodded, looked at Sasuke with those kind blue eyes. “I got one now.”
God, he’d grown up. Naruto’s voice had something soft as he said it. This was their chance. There was something calming to that, to Naruto, that Sasuke seemed to have lost somewhere. Maybe he had never had it to begin with.
While Sasuke was busy looking for Naruto where there was chaos and fights, he should have been looking where there was laughter. Fuck.
“This is me, by the way.” He nodded towards the building behind them. “I enjoyed seeing you again, Sasuke. If you’d like, I’d like to do this again.”
Sasuke nodded. “Yeah, okay.”
“I— uhm—” Naruto rubbed his neck, “have my day off tomorrow. Dinner, maybe?”
“Sure, yeah. Send me the address.”
*
Karin (21:46)
you’re seeing him again tomorrow hello!! WHat thne fck did I miss here? u never ask us for anythign take us out for dinner too i want to have bbq
You (22:25)
Maybe I just don’t like you guys
I’ll come if you’re paying
Karin (22:27)
🖕🖕🖕
what is it, the blue eyes??
You (22:43)
It’s not the eyes stfu
Karin (22.43)
Sorry for being curious when you get all different.
Whatever
Have fun with loverboy then
You (22:45)
Don’t call him that.
Karin (22:46)
🙄🤷♀️
*
Sasuke stayed up late, thinking of that smile and fuck — maybe the eyes too. Maybe it was the eyes. Not the blue of them, but the openness. Sasuke looked in the mirror and stared at himself the way he sometimes did when it was late and he started doubting if this really was his own body looking back at him, and found his eyes dark and empty.
But maybe there was something that connected them, in spite of the difference in colour. Difference in shape. Difference in expression.
They both had some kind of fire, still.
*
After eating together the next day, they stuck together. At the end of the evening, there was a short silence and then they hesitantly made their next plans. Sasuke, who had tons of time all of the sudden, walked to where Naruto was working during the day. Sometimes he’d have a coffee in the small office of their building while waiting up.
Naruto’s colleagues slowly but surely got used to him hanging around. After a week or three they did nothing but look up and give him a nod. Sometimes they asked his opinion on certain subjects— on quiet kids who appeared like they might disappear. Sasuke hadn’t realised that he had opinions on it until then.
Suigetsu, too, got used to Naruto hanging around. He was friendly in his own way; by pretend-punching Naruto in the back of his head and saying: “Hey loverboy, you going to start paying rent or what?”
Sasuke rolled his eyes. “Still my apartment, Sui. I could kick you out.”
“Ahh, so he’s your guest and I’m just some rent-paying-furniture. I see, I see. Sue me for not looking like I eat the sun for breakfast.”
Naruto perked up. “Was that a compliment?”
Suigetsu threw his hands up. “Take it for what you want. I’m going to my room.”
It was— nice.
On some days they ate take-out together and gamed. Other days they sat on the couch just talking about whatever. Naruto talked about his day, about the kids, about the sporting classes he gave, about his friends.
Some evenings, they stayed in a comfortable silence next to each other. Naruto, laying on his back and turning his head to look at Sasuke, admitted that he’d never had that.
Never had been comfortable enough to stay quiet.
Never thought he’d still be seen, heard, invited, if he was quiet.
Sasuke realised he loved him. Ignored it.
This was enough.
*
One day, Sasuke had been so overwhelmed by his life and the future and Naruto being so bright and good every single day, that he’d snapped.
Naruto had named endless options on jobs or education that fit him. Non-profits. Arts. Hobbies. Anything that could make Sasuke useful again. He hated feeling like that.
Naruto meant well, though, so Sasuke had listened silently until — “I don’t know , Naruto! Can’t you just shut the fuck up for one second? I know that you found your freaking place in life and everybody fucking loves you now, but I don’t know what I want to do.”
“That’s okay,” Naruto whispered. He said it in such a way that it was obvious he was trying to calm Sasuke down. It’s okay. It’s okay. I’m here—
Sasuke wished they were teenagers again. He wanted to put his headphones on and ignore the world again. He wanted to fight Naruto without a single regret. He wanted him and Naruto to be equal again.
Both lost.
Both lonely.
But Naruto helped people now. He made the world — or people’s lives — better. He’d found his way. They were no longer two orphans to whom nobody listened. They were grown, for fuck’s take. Or at least one of them was.
“I’m not one of your fucking kids.”
Naruto frowned. “I wasn’t thinking that. I just want to help.”
“Well, you can’t help everybody.”
“I’m not trying to! You’re my friend.”
Sasuke rolled his eyes. “You don’t have to be if I’m so fucking useless. Just fucking leave it.”
“You know that’s not what I think.”
Sasuke got up from the couch where they’d been having dinner, got out his phone and opened a random app. He knew Naruto was right. Doing something would make him feel better. Thinking about that, though, made him feel like he was sinking through the ground.
It made him dizzy.
Naruto followed him with his gaze. “Sorry. I’ll let it rest,” he softly mumbled.
Sasuke didn’t reply.
“Sas? Please don’t ignore me.”
Sasuke didn’t feel like anything he’d say could make this better, though. Silence had always been his strongest weapon. It had been the one thing that had made Naruto want to annoy him back in high school. It had been his only way to deal with the overwhelming reality.
When he looked up from his phone, Naruto had gotten up. He was standing in front of him; fire in his eyes.
Oh, it really had never been the blue of them.
“Don’t ignore me,” Naruto said again, cornering him against the wall.
Sasuke held his breath. Maybe he wanted Naruto to snap. One more time. Maybe he’d sink down to his level one more time. “What?” he spat. “Are you going to fight me again?”
Naruto frowned. “I— No.” Slowly, he pulled Sasuke in by his shirt. He placed his arms around Sasuke’s shoulders and carefully pulled him into a hug. Sasuke felt his body stiffen, Naruto’s shoulder against his nose. Something safe about him; the familiar sweater and smell. The golden hair against his cheek. “Sorry,” Naruto whispered. “Life sucks.”
Sasuke let himself lean into Naruto’s hug. Still aware of how heavy he felt, but not having to carry it for a second. His forehead on Naruto’s shoulder. He breathed out.
“Do you want me to leave?” Naruto softly asked. “I can, if you want that.”
“No. No, it’s okay.”
*
So. They were still insane about each other. Still got each other fired up. So— they could hug now instead of punching each other's face in. That was… good. It was scary too.
Naruto saw him not getting angry at his touches as a sign to keep going and Sasuke… kept on not getting angry. So they touched. On the days where they lay in silence, Naruto would sometimes turn and snuggle his nose against Sasuke’s shoulder. After a long day at work, Naruto would throw himself into Sasuke's arms and sigh as if that fixed anything.
When Sasuke was pissed off, Naruto would stroke his back softly.
It felt private, but the first time he went out drinking with Naruto’s friends, Naruto held a hand on the back of his neck the whole time. Once in a while he’d caress his hairline, sending shivers down his spine.
He had no clue what that meant. No clue if that meant anything at all, anything more than that they looked for physical contact. Stuck together more literally.
Naruto hung around his apartment on the weekend, a show nobody was watching on the tv, softly chatting with Karin about something Sasuke was barely listening to. Suigetsu was playing something on his switch, grabbing a handful of chips every time he died.
Jūgo quietly listened to whatever Naruto and Karin were talking about and Sasuke— he focussed on the touch of Naruto’s hand on his upper leg. When he got excited, Naruto pinched his skin a little. He was paying no attention to either the show, the conversation or the soft music of Suigetsu’s game.
That was until Jūgo filled an apparent silence with: “By the way, since when have you two been dating?”
Sasuke looked up, Naruto’s hand on his leg suddenly heavy. “Huh?”
Jūgo shrugged, smiling. “Well, it’s just that you two got close quite fast, right? So I was wondering when you started dating.”
Oh. Oh no. “Oh, we’re—” He started, but Naruto interrupted him with an awkward laugh. He pulled his hand back and rubbed his neck.
“I guess it seems that way! Ah, no, we’re— we’re bro’s , you know.”
Sasuke didn’t say anything. He didn’t know what they were doing. Didn’t know what they were. His feelings for Naruto were by no means shaping their relationship.
“We knew each other from high school!” Naruto added. “That’s why we got so close so fast. But no— ah— not dating. Not everyone who’s more physical is dating, you know. I’m just like that.”
He was just like that.
He hugged his other friends as well. But not— not like this.
“Right,” Sasuke mumbled. Then he got up. “I’m getting another beer.”
“Oh! Can you get me one?” Naruto asked.
Suigetsu cursed, dying again, then said: “Yeah, me too!”
*
His phone rang.
Midnight. Two AM. Who the fuck.
He hadn’t been sleeping yet. Not really. The buzz of beer in his head, a heavy beating heart in his throat. The sounds of a weekend, other drunk people, outside.
Sasuke glanced at the screen. Naruto.
Fuck. He picked up the phone without thinking about it twice. “What the fuck, idiot?”
“Oh— uh— hey.”
Sasuke frowned. “What? Are you okay?”
“I’m in front of your door.”
“You’re what? ”
“In front of your door.”
“No I got that, but why? You left like two hours ago.”
“I— uhm— Karin called me and— can’t you just let me in?”
Sasuke got up from his bed. “Give me a second.” He pulled on black sweatpants over his underpants and pulled a black hoodie from the floor. Like that, he walked towards the door to let Naruto in. Naruto was standing in his sweatpants as well. He was wearing a sweater that was definitely not warm enough for midnight. Sasuke called for him to come inside.
As soon as he did, Sasuke grabbed onto his sleeve. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m— nothing is wrong.”
“Karin called you?” Sasuke suddenly remembered.
Naruto nodded. “Can we go to your room?”
Silently, Sasuke dragged Naruto through the house, through the living room that they always used together. In his room, they sat down on Sasuke’s bed. Naruto’s hands were cold from the icy late night wind. His cheeks were a little pink.
“So?” Sasuke mumbled impatiently.
Naruto breathed in deeply, as if to let him know that he was going to speak up. It took a while, though, before he had collected all of his words. “Am I breaking your heart?”
Sasuke’s worried brain screeched to a halt. Breaking his heart? Naruto was doing anything but that. Sasuke felt like he was no longer sinking through the floor when thinking about life; he was thinking of soft conversations and sharing dinners.
“What? ”
“Am I?” Naruto’s voice sounded softer than he’d ever heard it.
Sasuke tried to put one and one together. “Did Karin tell you that?”
Naruto looked down. “Uh— she— yeah she got mad at me. Asked me if I’m consciously trying to break your heart.”
Sasuke looked at Naruto, red cheeked and a little teary eyed. He wasn’t touching him. He wasn’t even looking at him. He was here, though. So maybe that was enough.
“I wasn’t aware,” Naruto added. “I mean, I wasn’t trying to. Why would I want to do that? You’re— You mean so much to me. Sas, I wouldn’t— I mean—”
“What did she say?”
“Huh? Oh… It was about the touching and, like, she said I acted disgusted at the implication that we were dating. Like an asshole. She told me that I could have let you down a little softer. She, uhm— I don’t know Sasuke. I just want you to know that I didn’t know. I didn’t know.”
Sasuke nodded slowly, feeling a little numb. “Okay.”
“Am I… breaking your heart?”
Sasuke shrugged. “Don’t listen to her.”
Naruto breathed in, nodded. “Are you… uhm— gay, though?”
“Yeah.”
“So that’s why.”
“Yeah.”
“And I didn’t break your heart?”
Sasuke smiled a little. “No, idiot. You didn’t break my heart.”
“Okay—” Naruto whispered. “I’m glad.”
“Okay.” Sasuke looked at them sitting on his bed in their sweatpants, their sleeping shirts. “Are you staying over?”
“If that’s okay?”
“Just don’t hog the blankets, idiot.” Sasuke scooched over to make space for Naruto in his bed. Naruto kicked off his shoes, then got rid of his sweatpants, and slipped underneath the blankets as well. Sasuke had never wanted to keep someone warm. Not like this. But he liked Naruto. He liked him reckless and knocking at his door at midnight.
He liked him as a friend. He liked him however he could have him.
He turned his world around in his twenties, as much as he’d done so as a teenager.
Sasuke pulled the blanket up to his chin and turned his back towards Naruto. His room was quiet. The only thing he heard was Naruto’s soft breathing, the sheets when he moved.
“Sasuke,” Naruto whispered softly.
“Mhm.”
“Are you? In love with me, I mean.”
Sasuke opened his eyes, looking at nothing but the blackness of his room.
Naruto stayed quiet, waiting for his answer.
Then, after a little while, he said, “Sorry, you don’t have to answer that.”
Sasuke closed his eyes again, pulled the blanket up a little higher. “I am.”
“Oh…” Naruto whispered. “Really? With me?”
Sasuke felt a smile on his lips. “Yeah, I was surprised too.”
“Asshole,” Naruto mumbled.
“Mhm, sure. Go to sleep.”
Naruto didn’t. He scooched in a little closer, his knees touching Sasuke’s legs. “Can I kiss you?”
Sasuke’s heart hammered in his chest. Naruto was warm, by now. And while he had sat and laid next to Naruto so many times; this was different. “No,” he whispered. “Later. Think about it for a while.”
Naruto, behind him, moved again. “Okay. Can I still touch you, though?”
Sasuke moved back a little so that he bumped his body against Naruto’s, Naruto’s face against his neck. “Mhm,” He whispered. “Sure.”
With that, Naruto laid his arm around Sasuke’s hip. “Okay.”
*
When Naruto had first transferred, Sasuke remembered, he’d been ruffled.
For some reason one of their teachers had told their class that Naruto was an orphan and that he’d been sent away at his last school. Naruto came in with a big scar on his face and the class had decided his friendliness dangerous right away.
Someone to stay away from.
Sasuke had watched him.
With Naruto there, people discussed that Sasuke was an orphan too, right? Sasuke hated it. He hated them talking about it. He hated that it put him and Naruto into the same fucked up little category.
When Naruto pulled a prank on said teacher, one of the girls said that he had no manners because he had no one to raise him, no one to ground him. It was the first time he’d heard someone say something like that and it had broken his heart without him noticing it.
It was not the last time that such a thing was said, though. As Naruto’s pranks grew bolder and Sasuke became one the main targets, he silently wondered if similar things were said about him.
It took eight months for Naruto to be sent away again.
It took Sasuke six years to meet him again, after that.
*
He tried not to lay in bed longer than needed.
He tried not to think about how Naruto had been lying comfortably in his bedroom, one arm hanging from the bed and one arm touching Sasuke’s bare stomach softly. Warm hands. His mouth was hanging open slightly, and Sasuke just knew he’d slept through some A-class snoring.
He felt nice, calm in spite of it all. He felt okay with the way things were, just for now.
In the kitchen, he made two cups of coffee. One with milk and some sugar for Naruto. He made them slowly, lingering on the feeling of the quiet morning together. Two cups. He wondered if he'd get to do so again. He took both cups, steaming, back to his bedroom.
There, Naruto was lying on his side, looking at his phone. His hair was messy and the black sheets pulled up to his chin. “Oh,” Naruto said, putting away his phone. “Hi.”
Sasuke slipped back into the bed. “Hi,” he replied, feeling stupid.
Naruto thanked him as he handed him his coffee, held it in two hands as if to warm himself. Sasuke held held his up to his mouth, blew into his cup just. to have something to do. They sat next to each other like that for a while, tired and thick eyed.
“Say, Sasuke.” Naruto mumbled eventually.
Sasuke nodded just as he swallowed his first sip of coffee.
“For how long do you want me to think about it?”
“Hm?”
“About kissing you.”
Sasuke took his coffee cup from his lips and looked at Naruto to see if he was joking or not. Of fucking course he was dead serious. “Naruto—," he complained.
“What? You told me to think about it. So, for how long?”
Sasuke set his cup on his bedside table. “I don’t know. Until you know if you like me.”
Naruto nodded. “Oh, great, okay!”
“No. Not okay. Until you know if you’re in love with me. Don’t just kiss me.”
“Right! Yeah, okay. You know, that makes sense.”
Sasuke nodded, moving to grab his cup of coffee again— just as Naruto moved from his side of the mattress. He pushed the blankets away and clumsily came to sit down on his knees in front of him. A grin on his face. Sasuke watched him, his stupid heart beating in unusual patterns.
He didn’t move a muscle as Naruto reached out, took his cheek in his hand and nudged his face towards him. A bright smile and a blush on his cheeks but in his eyes — fire.
Always had been.
“I think I’m done thinking.”
Sasuke chuckled, leaning in a little, letting his hand rest on Naruto's warm legs. “You idiot.”
“What? I put my brain to good work last night.”
“I know. You snored while doing it.”
Naruto laughed. “Whatever. So, can I—”
Kiss you, is what he wanted to ask. But they hadn’t changed, not really.
Naruto always got him to the point that he'd swing first — got him to kiss first.
Sasuke pulled Naruto in by the hem of his shirt impatiently and pressed their lips together, their noses bumping. Naruto kissed him back, a smile on his lips and matching his energy — always.