Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Sweetest Victory ❯ No Losers Here ( Chapter 7 )

A/N: Thanks to beachlass, yira_heerai, and wildwesternwind for the beta! Epilogue soon to follow.

Warnings: teenage delinquency, stupid humor, and dealing with issues the maladjusted ninja way lol

Disclaimer: Naruto is the property of Masashi Kishimoto; I just like to play in his sandbox from time to time.

 

 

The Sweetest Victory

Chapter 7: No Losers Here

 

 

“Maybe you wouldn't be so damned uptight if you jerked off more. Hell, I'd do it for you if I knew it would help.”

 

Sasuke only raised an eyebrow in response - this was Naruto, after all. Stupid comments like that were inevitable.

 

“So would it?”

 

“What?!”

 

Slowly and emphasizing each word, Naruto asked, “Would it help?”

 

“I heard you the first time, Dead Last.”

 

“And?”

 

Sasuke snorted and kept walking. “And you want to know if you jerking me off will make me happy? I'm not even going to dignify that with an answer.”

 

“Not happy, just… less irritable. Although, if I knew it would make you happy, I'd totally suck you off just to see how weird a smiling Sasuke looked.” He grinned again, huge and stupid, eyes alight with that same devious sense of humor he'd always had even if it came out a little more raunchy now that he was older.

 

Sasuke rolled his eyes and smothered a chuckle. “You are so full of shit.” As soon as he said it, though, the air around them changed, charged with a sudden predatory sense that made the hairs on his neck stand on end. A half second later, his back hit the building next to him.

 

“Am I?” Naruto made a grab for his shorts and amidst the confusion was somehow able to get a hand down his pants and give his flaccid cock a squeeze.

 

That quickly broke Sasuke out of his stupor. “What the hell?”

 

“Come on, man. Let me do this for you.” The mumbled words were hot against his neck as the hand between his legs squeezed. And when the blond pulled back just far enough to look him in the eye, his expression was imploring, not calculating.

 

Sasuke blinked, dumbfounded. 'He really wants to do this.' Much to his horror, he felt himself respond a little to that conclusion. “I can do it just fine myself, you idiot.” But he didn't push him off. Why the fuck didn't he push him away and put an end to it?

 

“Yeah, but you won't. That's the problem.” Naruto gave him a couple of quick strokes, and Sasuke quickly hardened in his teammate's hand.

 

Tipping his head back against the bricks with eyes scrunched shut, he surprised himself by groaning, “Just... make it quick.”

 

The smell of burning food startled Sasuke's consciousness back to the present. He scowled and brought his fist down on the counter hard enough to rattle the lone bowl and spoon in the sink. The scene had been replaying over and over in his mind like a bad movie he just couldn't stop watching for the better part of the day. Never had he wanted to go back in time and kick his own ass so badly.

 

Forcing those thoughts from his mind, he transferred his food from the wok to a plate and carried it over to the small, two-person table.

 

With a near-contented sigh, Sasuke sat down, eagerly eying the hot, steamy spread before him. He'd definitely earned it. His morning had consisted of training beyond exhaustion only to come home and clean his apartment to the point where one could eat off his bathroom floor.

 

If one were so inclined, that is. Only hapless buffoons like Naruto probably did shit like that, after all.

 

Immediately, he killed that train of thought - he wasn't particularly in the mood to lose his appetite again - picked up his chopsticks and snatched up a piece of sautéed eggplant. It was mere millimeters from his lips when a knock at the door made his blood run cold.

 

He didn't receive many visitors being the less than shining socialite he was. The majority of the villagers were only just now beginning to accept him after his quest for vengeance, but that didn't extend to friendly house calls. The few visitors he did receive were usually there for a specific purpose, Naruto and Sakura being the only ones who showed up just because they felt like it. Pushing himself out of his chair, he found himself hoping it was another one of Ibiki's surprise evaluations instead.

 

When opening the door revealed the two smiling faces of his teammates, though, Sasuke felt his stomach sink.

 

“What?”

 

With a smile, Naruto asked, “Ready to go?”

 

Not being in the habit of forgetting engagements, he blinked. “… Where?”

 

“Out. With us,” Sakura supplied.

 

“No.” He gave the door a good shove, but Naruto's hand stopped it just before it could slam in their creepy, cheerful faces.

 

“We're not asking you to come. We asked if you were ready. Sakura-chan's fully prepared to kick your ass if you don't cooperate.” He glanced down at her, and she quickly nodded an affirmation.

 

Sasuke stared a few moments wondering what the hell it was they really wanted, how much of it was bluff, and whether or not it'd just be easier to commit seppuku right there.

 

Instead he huffed and, turning his back on them, left the door open as he walked back into the living room. He heard the two follow him inside and shut the door behind them. “I was about to eat.” You are interrupting and unwelcome, his tone added.

 

Sakura glanced toward the table, her expression apologetic. Naruto didn't bother. He simply said, “We'll wait.”

 

Sasuke bit back a curse and studied his teammate for a moment. The blond never broke eye contact and stood perfectly still, expression soft. It made Sasuke even more skeptical. If the idiot wasn't lying, then what was the catch? “Why?”

 

“Because,” Naruto began with a grin. “It's no fun without our favorite prickly bastard.”

 

Sasuke snorted. “I doubt that.” He noticed his teammates share a quick look that he couldn't decipher.

 

“What? That you're fun? Yeah, you got a point. Sometimes you're a real pain in the ass.” Naruto's grin faltered a moment, his expression turned sheepish. “Well, you know what I mean,” he chuckled awkwardly.

 

Staring blankly, Sasuke ran Naruto's words through his head. It took a moment before he caught on and sneered in disgust. “Hilarious. I'm going to eat now. Let yourself out.”

 

Stubborn as ever, though, Naruto didn't appear to leaving any time soon. “Look, man. No one cares if you're gay, bi, whatever. I always thought Sakura-chan and Ino's feelings were a little too deep to be friendly if ya know what I mean.” He waggled his eyebrows a couple of times but quickly stopped at the warning growl and knuckle crack from Sakura.

 

“I don't need your reassurances, Dead Last.” Physically tossing the moron out the door was looking better by the minute.

 

“Yeah, yeah. I know. You're Mr. Fucking Cool `n all that. All I'm saying is that it doesn't change anything, alright? I still wanna kick your ass, and she still wants in your pants.”

 

Sakura didn't hold back that time and brought her fist down on the top of his head hard.

 

Sasuke didn't bother hiding his smirk; the moron deserved that one.

 

“Damn it, Sakura-chan! Is this how you treat all of your dates?”

 

“Not helping,” she growled then sent another apologetic expression Sasuke's direction.

 

Naruto pouted a moment, rubbing the quickly forming bump before going back to his previous argument. “Anyway, we're cool now, right?” he asked as he began shooing Sasuke toward the kitchen. “You can go eat your shit real quick, then we can leave.”

 

Avoiding the unwelcome invasion to his personal space, Sasuke resisted the urge to punch some sense right up his dense teammate's nose. “No, everything's not cool now. You know what happened, don't you?”

 

“More or less,” he shrugged. His expression then turned downright demented. “Wanna know what happened in mine? It was some freaky shit!”

 

Sasuke blanched.

 

“Nah, man. I'm just fuckin' with ya. I mean, it was still kinda gay 'n all, so we're basically even, but it doesn't matter.”

 

He blinked and stared at his teammate. “It doesn't matter,” he echoed indignantly then turned to Sakura, his tone a little more insistent. “It doesn't matter?”

 

She shook her head and repeated, “It doesn't matter.”

 

They were insane; there was no other explanation. “Bullshit. It fucking matters to me, so don't sit there and act like this doesn't upset you!”

 

There! He felt a tiny sliver of his dignity return when her eyes burned with something other than that stupid hopeful look they'd had since they got there.

 

A few seconds later, though, her anger seemed to turn to resignation. “I don't want to fight with you, Sasuke. I accepted that you weren't interested in me some time ago, so don't expect me to sit here and sob about it. I don't care if you're gay.”

 

“But.” He tried to interrupt, but she forged on even louder.

 

“I'm not done yet. I don't care if Naruto was just convenient. I don't care if you're confused or curious or whatever reason you probably won't give me; it doesn't matter. I just want my teammates back.”

 

He watched her a moment before glancing over at Naruto. He grinned and seemed to agree with her, apparently hellbent on pretending nothing had happened. Stupid, stubborn idiots, both of them.

 

With a sigh, he replied with the only thing he could think to say at that point.

 

“It's not shit.” It was hard not to laugh at Naruto's look of utter confusion. “My food,” he clarified.

 

Naruto snickered. “Yeah, okay, man. Go eat your damn high-class, delectable shit so we can go already.”

 

“...I really hate you sometimes.”

 

“Yeah, I know.”

 

Naruto had waved him off, so he glanced back at Sakura. She seemed more relaxed now and only smiled from in front of the sofa.

 

Sasuke shook his head as he sat down and picked up his chopsticks once again. Just as expected, his food was cold, but it didn't hurt his appetite any, he found. Across the room, he could hear his teammates discussing where to go. As usual, they couldn't come to an agreement. Alright, he decided. He'd go along with their little charade; he only wondered how long it would last.

 

~*~

 

Ten minutes later found Sasuke wandering aimlessly around Konoha's business district with his teammates. The sun had set, leaving only orange and purple streaked remnants in the sky. Street lights were beginning to flicker on, but most of the light was coming from the windows of the stores and establishments that lined the street.

 

“Where are we going?” he asked after Naruto peeked inside the third building - this one a bowling alley - before frowning and continuing to the next.

 

“Haven't decided yet.”

 

“Obviously.” It was going to be a long night, he could already tell. The number of pedestrians was increasing. It wouldn't be long before they'd be able to hear music coming from the pub.

 

“Why? You got somewhere else to be?” Naruto grinned.

 

“Home would be nice.”

 

That earned him a pinch on the arm from Sakura. He scowled and suddenly missed the days when she used to defend him from their teammate.

 

“What's the point of dragging me out if you don't even know where we're going?” It was just like every other time the three of them had gone out together. As was Naruto's reply.

“It beats starin' at the same four walls, doesn't it?”

 

Sasuke snorted. “I'm not too sure actually.”

 

A sly smile spread across his teammate's face as he seemingly flippantly suggested, “We could check out that karaoke place we just passed.”

 

Sasuke's face fell. Yes, this was as annoyingly normal as they got. “There's not enough liquor in the village.”

 

Sakura giggled. “Oh, I don't know. Everyone has a price, right?”

 

'... the hell?' Sasuke stared a moment, unsure what to make of the quick quirk of the eyebrows that had accompanied that comment.

 

He seemed to be the only one who noticed, though, as one glance at Naruto proved the blond was too consumed with whatever it was his convoluted mind was thinking about as he rubbed his chin and glanced down the street. Suddenly, he turned back toward them grinning so wide it looked as if his face might crack. “Okay, okay. If you're just gonna bitch the whole time... Wait here a sec.” He ducked into the nearby corner store before either could object.

 

Sasuke tried to ignore the slight sense of dread settled deep in his gut. He glanced at Sakura for some sort of explanation, but she only shrugged. Why he put up with this shit was beyond him.

 

A few minutes later, Naruto exited the store with a paper bag tucked under one arm. He couldn't tell what all was in there, but Sasuke could easily see the package of toilet paper sticking out of top.

 

Naruto didn't even acknowledge their inquiring looks and instead launched into a question of sorts that lacked pretty much all the details. “You've got three choices: Kakashi's apartment, the old hag's office, or Kiba's place.” Sasuke didn't miss “the shit” mumbled along with that last choice.

 

There was a distinct moment of silence, then Naruto sighed.“Never mind. I'll pick. This'll be fun, trust me.” The blond smiled, genuinely this time.

 

Sasuke's previously tickling sense of dread suddenly became heavy as a lead weight.

 

~*~

 

The view from the roof wasn't bad. It was a taller building in one of the older districts of the village that had once been primarily residential. As time had passed, though, businesses had slowly started springing up throughout the area and with them, bolder paint choices, more street lights, and more people. It was interesting to look at if not altogether aesthetically pleasing. Leaning a little to look down over the edge, Sasuke watched a young couple walk past on the sidewalk several stories below him and thought about how, a few years ago, Naruto would've found the situation a prime opportunity for a well-placed water balloon or stink bomb. Things may have changed but only marginally, he decided as he turned his attention back to him teammates a few feet away.

 

“You can't be serious.” Sakura shook her head in disbelief at the package in her hands.

 

“Sure I can.” Naruto sat, feet splayed in front of him as he continued to rummage through the paper bag before tossing another box without looking. “Trade with him if you want.”

 

Sasuke easily caught the scented pink box and damn near dropped it upon reading the label. “What the hell are we going to do with these?”

 

“They're for you,” he snickered. “Unless you've decided to quit being a pussy already and help us.”

 

He was going to kill him!

 

Surprisingly, Sakura took it upon herself before he even had a chance.

 

“Idiot!” she shrieked while whopping their annoying teammate over the head with her fist. “I never agreed to this.”

 

“Aww, come on!” Naruto whined. His bag of supplies had spilled around his feet, and he was rubbing the top of his head where a second lump was beginning to form. Sucking it up, he flashed her another grin. “You know you wanna.” His expression only served to add to the innuendo.

 

She started to yell something back but stopped mid-breath as if suddenly unsure of what to say. Instead she frowned a moment before continuing. “There aren't even words for how stupid and ridiculous this is.”

 

“Which is exactly why the two of you are going to do it!”

 

“...I'm not listening to this.” Sasuke turned to leave. Naturally, he wasn't two steps away before Naruto was scrambling to stop him.

 

“Wait. Five minutes. That's all I ask, then you can go home and forget all about it. Both of you,” he added, glancing over at Sakura.

 

Sasuke tried not to think about the way the blond continued to press his hand against his chest as he spoke, as if touching him wasn't even the tiniest bit awkward after last night.

 

Sakura's eyebrows were drawn and lips pursed instead of the usual screaming tirade and threats of physical violence. She was already caving, Sasuke could tell. And unfortunately, so could Naruto, because the loud-mouth then turned all his attention on him.

 

“Please? I won't ask anything of you ever again.”

 

Sasuke grit his teeth. “That's a damn lie, and you know it!”

 

“I'll try my very best for like a whole month even!”

 

He was fairly certain Naruto's eyes had actually sparkled just then. Beside him, Sakura was giving him a look he recognized as let's-just-get-this-over-with-already-before-he-starts-actually-begg ing-because-you-know-he-will. Sasuke sighed. “Five minutes. Then I'm going home.”

 

He was fairly certain he'd have nightmares of the victory dance that followed for years to come.

 

~*~

 

Naruto sighed contentedly again as he pulled a hand up to rest behind his head. He'd flopped down on the grass grinning ear-to-ear as soon as they'd entered the park at full sprint. Sakura had at least made sure it was clean before joining the idiot and patting the spot between them in invitation. “That was awesome.” His stupid smile had yet to leave.

 

Sasuke snorted. “It wasn't that great.” He sat, leaning back on his hands, legs stretched out in front of him as he stared up at the clear night sky. Admittedly, he was the most relaxed he'd felt all evening.

 

“Oh, shut up. You liked it.”

 

He felt Naruto nudge his calf and didn't resist the urge to kick him. Just because the moron was right, didn't mean he had to know it.

 

“Ow! See if I show you a good time again. Next time it'll just be me an' Sakura-chan, since you wanna be such a prick.”

 

“That a promise?” Upon seeing Naruto's response, Sasuke made a mental note to, next chance he got, shove that god damned finger up the idiot's.... Uh, maybe he should just break it instead.

 

Next to them, Sakura cleared her throat.

 

“Oh no!” the blond argued. “Don't even try to deny it. I was watching. You had more fun than I did!”

 

The irony was that, as far as Sasuke could tell, it was true.

 

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sakura blow her bangs out of her face before rolling onto her side. With a sigh, she propped herself up on her elbow and leveled them with a look. Something about the gesture struck him as so much more mature than she had the right to be, considering current circumstances and all.

 

“Just because it wasn't the worst thing I've ever let you talk me into, doesn't mean it's something we'll be doing regularly.” She was trying to keep a stern face, he could tell, but the slight curve of her lip gave her away.

 

Naruto, on the other hand, was a different story. “Liar.” He was still flat on his back looking thoroughly satiated. Until he scrunched his eyes and scraped his tongue against his teeth again.

 

Sakura laughed. “Is that still bothering you? I thought 'bad ass shinobi' weren't bothered by little things like bad tastes.”

His reply was decidedly whiny and accusatory. “You didn't try it.”

 

“I was busy with other things,” she argued. “Besides, did you really have to put it in your mouth?”

 

“I thought we decided we were gonna blow...”

 

She cut him off. “No, you decided that. I said it would have the same effect either way.”

 

Naruto sat up then, his expression horribly patronizing. “Look, sometimes you just need to trust me, okay? I mean, you're a girl. How could you understand?”

 

Sasuke mentally groaned. They had to know how this sounded, right?

 

“I see,” she glowered. “I wouldn't understand, and yet, you're the one still complaining about the taste of condom in your mouth.”

 

Naruto's cheeks puffed up in brilliant display of poutiness, but he thankfully dropped the issue, instead turning his focus on their team leader. “Kakashi-sensei loves us too much to kill us, don'tcha think?” The idiot looked oddly amused by the fact.

 

“He hasn't killed us yet; I don't know why he'd start now,” Sakura offered.

 

“It's probably safe to say our mission pay will be docked for a while, though.”

 

Beside him, Sakura groaned. “Why do I let you talk me into these things, Naruto?”

 

“Because you love me?”

 

She threw a rock at his head and nailed him right between the eyes.

 

“Oh, sure. Perverted genjutsu are fine, but drag you into a little harmless vandalism and you get violent on me.”

 

“I wasn't any more okay with those genjutsu than you were.” She quickly shifted a guilt-ridden gaze his direction before glaring once again at Naruto.

 

Sasuke closed his eyes momentarily. And now they were back to this. Were they trying to make him miserable? “I don't think a few.... pads and inflated condoms stuck to his windows really count as vandalism.”

 

Naruto cleared his throat. “Uh, yeah, it does actually. At least The Third always thought so.”

 

He would know, Sasuke brooded.

 

Sakura's mumbled “oh god” sounded utterly horrified, and peering at them with her hands over her mouth, she moaned, “How many rolls of toilet paper did we use?”

 

“Hey! No panic attacks!” Naruto ordered. “We're having fun, remember?”

 

“Are we?” she demanded, glaring hard enough to make even the most seasoned shinobi second guess any plans to cross her.

 

Naruto was oblivious as usual. That or he was trying to piss her off. It was hard to tell sometimes. “Well, it's no wild romp on the Hokage monument, but yeah, it's fun.”

 

Sakura threw another rock at him; Sasuke was tempted to throw one as well. They'd had a dozen conversations like this one - ones that he'd even participated in! - but too much was too much.

 

“Naruto, if you're comparing a 'wild romp' to TP'ing Sensei's apartment - something I haven't done since I was 13 by the way - I think Jiraiya scarred you much, much more than you originally let on.” She threw a wink Sasuke's direction and sat back looking very pleased with herself.

 

With a deep, calming breath, Sasuke closed his eyes and tried to ignore the fact that for once vulgar, loud-mouthed Naruto was at a loss for words. It was bad enough Sakura was joking about sex again. It wasn't something she was prone to doing, usually reserved for putting Naruto's assumptions in their rightful place. And usually, even he was able to find it amusing. But sometimes, sometimes, there was a flirtatious edge to her indignant criticism. It was.... weird.

 

It didn't take long for Naruto to recover, luckily or unluckily as that may be. He chuckled then said, “Well, I wouldn't call myself scarred, but.” He glanced over at them, index finger pointing at nothing in particular but pointing nonetheless. “I won't lie and say there aren't some things I'd wish I'd never seen.” He made a face then. “Did I ever tell you 'bout that time I walked in on Ero-sennin, a prostitute, and the biggest bowl of phallic-shaped fruit ever?”

 

“No,” Sakura answered quickly, eyes wide in alarm. “And please, for the sake of my stomach, don't.”

 

Naruto looked a little disgruntled at that but thankfully kept the details of Jiraiya's conquest to himself. “Although,” he added, much to Sasuke's horror. “I guess I can sorta see the attraction. I mean, if I were to walk in on you and a banana, I'd prolly be down for that.”

 

The fact that he looked utterly depraved was only made worse by the fact that Sasuke wasn't sure which of them he'd said it to. Maybe even both of them, he decided, watching Naruto grin like a lecher as he glanced back and forth between them. Ugh.

 

“Can you go even five minutes without talking about sex?” Before he even had time to process the thought, he was on his feet, the words already out his mouth. Sasuke grit his teeth and turned away from them. So much for going along with their little charade.

 

“But I always talk like this.” There was nothing but confusion in his tone.

 

Sasuke resisted the urge to kick something in frustration. “I know!”

 

“Er, so?”

 

“So? So?! So maybe sometimes I just want to be with my friends without the mental images of wild romps on mountains or sweaty threesomes after training or wondering if that joke really was a joke after all or what that look was supposed to mean. And... bananas? Seriously, what the hell?” His head began to pound, and the urge to hit something was unbearable. He was mad, mad at the bet, mad at them for acting like everything was perfectly normal, mad at himself for just not getting it. But mostly, he was mad at himself for blurting it all out just then. Once it started coming, though, it didn't seem to be able to stop. “Damn it!!” He kicked the ground hard enough to send a cloud of dust toward the tree line.

 

Behind him, his teammates were silent. Sasuke took a deep breath and turned to face them. Sakura was biting her lip again, and Naruto had the good sense to look a little embarrassed. Then his teammates were exchanging yet another look - those had to mean something. In his mind's eye, he could still feel Naruto pressed up against him and the pangs of arousal that shot through him when the moron had breathlessly begged, Come on, man. Let me do this for you.

 

Sasuke shook his head in defeat. “This isn't going to work.”

 

Naruto started to protest but was unable to get any further than “But.”

 

Just... make it quick.

 

He had to look away. “We can't just pretend like every thing's fine and it actually be that way. Some things you can't take back.”

 

“Who says I want to take anything back?”

 

“You have no idea what I mean, do you?”

 

Naruto was instantly on his feet and in Sasuke's face. “Oh, fuck you. I know exactly what you're saying. Look, man, what's done is done. You're the only one being an obsessive asshole. As usual.” By the time he was done, the anger had already drained out of him.

 

“Am I?” Beside them, Sakura looked like she wanted to say something, but when it didn't happen a second later, Sasuke turned to leave.

 

“Wait.” Sakura grabbed his shoulder, and it took everything in his power not to jerk out of her grasp.

 

“What?” The weariness in his voice surprised even himself.

 

“You two have to walk me home.”

 

Sasuke snorted. “I think Dead Last can handle that much at least.”

 

“No, it has to be both of you,” she insisted, this time with a lot more conviction.

 

“Why?”

 

“Because. We're all out together, and it's customary for the boys to walk the girls home.” He started to pull away, but her grip on his shirt tightened, fingers twisting into the fabric. “Please, Sasuke.”

 

He eyed her skeptically a moment, but the exhaustion settling in his bones was all the convincing he needed. Anything to be done with the both of them, really. “Fine,” he sighed and turned toward her home the second Sakura released him. They quickly caught up.

 

The trio only made it a block before she suddenly hooked her arm in Sasuke's. He froze at the contact and quickly twisted his arm around in hope of dislodging it. But Sakura was having none of that. He got the feeling that she could be dead and would still be latched onto his arm just as tightly as she was then with the same seemingly innocent smile. “What are you doing?” he demanded.

 

“Being walked home,” she answered simply and offered her other arm to Naruto who nodded cheerfully and took it. Obviously, they were in on it together, he thought. Or at the very least, Dumb Ass approved.

 

“Uh huh.” This was about as innocent as the time Orochimaru invited him to his private onsen under the pretense of 'relaxation,' but this was different in that he couldn't quite figure out their motives. They weren't out to humiliate him - he was fairly certain anyway. They seemed genuinely concerned with keeping their team together, so how did this fit in the picture?

 

He didn't have to wait long for an answer, since a few minutes later found them on Sakura's front lawn. She quickly disentangled and turned to face them. He was fairly certain the breast brushing against his arm as she did so had been no accident. He tried not to dwell on that.

 

“I had fun,” she began.

 

Sasuke kept his doubts to himself; she'd just deny it anyway.

 

“Next time will be better.” It was silent for a second while she chewed the inside of her cheek. But then she stepped forward with speed she rarely displayed outside of work, and...

 

Sasuke stiffened when her lips touched his cheek, but just as quickly, they were gone.

 

“Wha?”

 

Immediately, her finger went to his lips, silencing him. “Don't. Not now, okay? Just... let me try.”

 

Once again, memory of Naruto's words frolicked through his thoughts.Let me do this for you.

 

His eyes searched hers, but all he found was a mirror of himself it seemed. Awkward and confused, but hopeful. A moment later, the finger fell, and Sasuke watched wide-eyed as Sakura then kissed Naruto on the cheek. The blond was grinning widely - the idiot probably couldn't help it - but even he wore an expression of bewilderment as if he, too, realized what an interesting predicament they were all in.

 

This was…. To be honest, Sasuke had no words for what he thought about this. Would anything ever be normal between the three of them? Was it even possible? It definitely hadn't started out normal, and if they proceed with ....this, life was certain to only get more bizarre.

 

Sakura smiled at both of them, her cheeks almost as red as her shirt, before turning to climb the steps of her porch. “`Night guys. See you in the morning,” she called with one last glance over her shoulder upon reaching the door. Without looking, he knew Naruto was watching her as well, and Sasuke grinned despite himself.

 

What did he know of normal anyway? That was something other people experienced, ordinary people, not Uchihas and certainly not Uchihas who defect in order to kill the older brother who wiped out their clan. No, Sasuke could admit to himself he didn't have the first clue about being normal.

 

The door clicked shut, and Sasuke glanced at his other teammate. The doofus was still grinning sheepishly at the house. It was a long couple of seconds before he finally turned toward Sasuke.

 

“I'm not walking you home.”

 

Naruto chuckled a moment before he seemed to catch on. “Oi! I'm not walking you home either.” His retort lacked any real venom to it, though.

 

They fell in step as they started back the way they came. “You're both fucking nuts. You know that, right?” The fact that he thought he was equally crazy for even entertaining the idea he kept to himself.

 

Naruto chuckled and folded his arms behind his head. “Yeah, well, what's new?”

 

Sasuke shook his head and continued the rest of the trip in silence. Normal was overrated anyway.