Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Underneath it All ❯ The Date ( Chapter 4 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

This is one of the longer chapters but I’ve held you up long enough so read, enjoy, review (please). Explanations and excuses on the endnote…

Disclaimer: do. not. own…

Warning(s): MV (Mild Violence), fluff alert!


Sasuke arrived home feeling beyond lethargic. Football really took it out of him and hanging out at Shisui’s wasn’t bad except that he always got home a little past eleven o’clock in the evening ready to pass out from exhaustion. When he found his father waiting for him in his room he threw that idea out the window. He knew what this was about and knowing it was better to get it over with sooner rather than later the second-born Uchiha walked in and took a seat at the edge of his bed. He stared at the man that had become a stranger in his eyes many years ago. They barely bore any physical resemblance. When still a child, Sasuke had been upset about this. He’d been jealous of his brother who looked a lot more like his father than he did with his narrow eyes and his same squared jaw. It wasn’t until his mother had told him that his and his father’s similarities were skin deep that he had been proud to be his father‘s son. But that pride was no more.

His thoughts were roughly put on hold when the back of his father’s hand descended hard on his cheek snapping his head to side. Searing pain spread through the area immediately his ear deafening with a buzz and still Sasuke refrained from holding it. He wouldn’t seem weak in front of his father. He would not seem weak.
“Didn’t I tell you to be here for the pharmaceutics conference today at six?” the man asked making dark defiant eyes raise up to his.
“Yes father,” Sasuke’s tone was hollow and sarcastic.
“Don’t mock me Sasuke. I am not in the mood for your insolence and your immaturity,” Fugaku said warningly. “They’ll hold another conference on Tuesday and I expect you to be there. Ibiki will let me know whether you made it or not,” with that the man whirled around and exited the room as prompt and quiet as he always did. Sasuke wrinkled and stretched his face a little to ease what pain was left. He then made his way to the mirror in his bathroom in order to asses the damage done. His pale skin was red from the impact and his eye was starting to half-lid from the swelling building up. He reached to palpate the area softly at the same time feeling anger and hatred shooting through his entire being making him shake from trying to hold it all in. He had lost his father to ambition a long time ago and this pathetic coward was what was left of him.

As he re-entered his room he heard muffled angry voices coming from the room next to his. If it had been the first time he‘d heard those he would’ve slid to the floor and hold is knees against his chest in fear while he waited for his brother to come talk to him and divert his attention from the ongoing fight between their parents.

But it wasn’t the first time.

His parents arguing was something he was used to every night. On automatic mode he reached his bed, took off his sneakers and laid down his chest facing the ceiling. His eyes trailed the many cracks on the surface above him. At the same time he wondered when it was going to end this time. A part of him thought Itachi had done the right thing dropping out of school while he was just a freshman and running away from home while he-Sasuke had been a fool not to fall into the same steps.

He closed his eyes to try and drift off to sleep despite the noise but opened them again realizing light was filtering through one of the windows of his usually pitch dark room. His curiosity piqued when he realized it wasn’t moonlight. Standing from his bed he did something he’d never done in his life: he peeked out the window like a nosy neighbor looking for juicy gossip. The sight that greeted him was enchanting.

Naruto.

Naruto was studying late on a Friday night. His tanned fingers were entangled in soft sunshine spikes of hair while he tapped the eraser part of his pencil against his desk at the same time attempting to read. The noise in the room next to Sasuke’s subsided, not because it was over, but because he was trapped inside the optical illusion only Naruto could create for him where nothing mattered or existed but Naruto and him, where time seemed to stop, where awareness seemed distant and hard to grasp. He climbed on the spacious windowsill of his room and rest his back against the window frame intent on watching Naruto all night if he had to. Anything to block his parents’ hurtful verbal spats. Anything to take him away from this vicious pitiful reality…

Her lips were velvety and warm moving with chaste daringness and sweet love for him. Her smell of jade blossoms was arousing and Kiba wanted her more each second. He roamed her insides with his tongue, careful not to break her, as if she were a very fragile thing. Hinata let herself be taken by the moment, not because she was weak minded, but because only Kiba made her forget about the world like this, only Kiba made her feel the way she did. She was a princess in his eyes and Kiba was her brave knight willing to do anything for her…even break bonds of friendship forged a long time ago for her ongoing love for him.

She didn’t want it to be like this.

Neither did he.

They cared deeply for Neji and were aware of the fact that the longer they saw each other behind his back the more it would hurt him when he eventually found out. But Kiba had become so much to her and Hinata had become so much to him. Two years they had been hiding from him, from everyone, just to be able to see each other free of influences and preconceptions. Nobody knew and they had kept it that way waiting for the appropriate moment, for the appropriate time, but it never seemed to come. They wanted Neji to be the first to know but Kiba had embarrassed himself enough times getting him one on one only to choke and get nothing out. Hinata had tried talking to him at their monthly family gatherings but she too could not do it.

So they continued to see each other like this. They continued taking advantage of the little moments they had to themselves when the clique gathered at one of the houses to study, play video games and watch movies like they did on Sundays and everybody but the two of them had left the room whether for a bathroom break, munchies gathering, or, knowing Neji, random corner make-out session with Gaara.
“Someone’s coming,” Hinata whispered urgently and they pulled away quickly Kiba jumping off the bed and settling on the floor in front of the T.V un-pausing the video game he had paused in order to makeout with Hinata while Hinata curled up in the farthest corner of the sofa within the big Hyuga living room and picked up the book she had settled at the end table opening it exactly where the bookmark had pinned.
“I’m just saying,” Temari’s voice rang from the hallway and two seconds after the curly-haired blonde entered her arm entangled wedding-style in a pouting Shikamaru’s who had the same hand buried in his pants’ pocket.
“What are you talking about?” Hinata asked in her small and timid voice putting the book she wasn’t reading anyway down on her lap now. Temari sat beside her forcing Shikamaru to sit beside her despite him not wanting to.
“Why the bet of course. Sasuke’s so failing this one,” she assured with an evil grin. Hinata looked away wanting to hide her saddened expression. She had liked Naruto the moment she had met him, not just his looks but his bright and lively personality as well. She was a quiet girl, she was sure everybody knew that and consequently she was grateful. The fact that she was as observant as she really was had never crossed their minds.

She had seen the sparks fly between Naruto and Sasuke the second they had looked at each other in the cafeteria the other day.

Reason why she wanted the bet that went on every year not to go on this year was not just for one of them but for the both of them. She had known Sasuke since childhood since the Uchiha Pharmaceuticals worked closely together with the Hyuga branch. Sasuke hadn’t been the brightest crayon in the box and she didn’t mean that as ways to insult his intelligence but to describe his personality. It would take someone like Naruto for him to brighten up, no more, no less. Naruto was the kind to have a positive effect on people by bringing out the best in them and Sasuke could use someone like that in his life.
“I don’t think Sasuke should go on with the bet this year,” Kiba said shaking his Wii white and long controller up and down as fast as he could. You’d never think shaking a soda can to see whose soda spurted up higher when you flicked the can open was worthy of homework procrastination. Until you played said activity on a Wii system, that is. “I kinda like Naruto. He‘s a sweet kid,” he added and Hinata hid the smile that graced her lips behind her book. She liked the fact that Kiba and her could communicate telepathically like this. Because they were so tuned with their emotions it seemed even their thoughts were connected. The Hyuga mistress also felt a wave of gratitude towards her shaggy-haired man for standing up for their newest friend. It showed her that doing the right thing came above everything else for him much like it did for her and she felt the smallest bit of hope sparkle within her, telling her she did have a chance to escape this life she loathed putting up with so much by finding a man that shared her same ideals. It had been long since a Hyuga had married for love.
“Me too,” said Shikamaru downcast. As he had gotten to know Naruto guilt had started to build up within him. He was the one that had chosen Naruto for the bet after all, the very first day of class. Right now he was starting to regret it. Temari rolled her eyes.
“Like that’s gonna matter to Sasuke. He’s not choosing Naruto over his pride.”
“Why not?” Neji entered the scene as if walking down the red carpet followed closely by Gaara.
“You know how he is,” Shikamaru said shaking his head at the newly appeared suction-induced red marks on the redhead’s pale neck which only he seemed to have noticed. The couple flopped down beside Kiba on the floor, Gaara with his back against the bed while Neiji settled in between his legs ready to use the second controller, the one that would control Kiba‘s opponent in the game.
“Where is Sasuke anyway?” the redhead asked casually. “Shouldn’t he be here by now?” Silence settled inside the huge room. Kiba paused the game again and they all exchanged looks with one another surprise growing by the second as they realized nobody knew where he was, what was worse, nobody knew why he wasn’t here.
“So troublesome,” Shikamaru’s words summarized everybody’s thoughts.
“Sooner or later Naruto’s gonna have to know about the bet,” Neji said and Sasuke‘s whereabouts were momentarily forgotten.
“Naruto will be upset,” Hinata said quickly.
“Perhaps,” Neji confirmed. “But it’s best we tell him before somebody else does.”
“Why not leave it to Sasuke?” Kiba asked and Neji shook his head.
“Because Sasuke won’t tell him,” a smug smile crossed his lips. “He, my friends, is falling hard for Naruto…”

Sasuke had never been obsessive with his looks or with the way he dressed past the point of looking presentable, such behavior was vain to him and he therefore spent little to no time feeding it. Today, however, he was sure he was starting to border narcissism and it was, in a word, maddening. His blackened eye--the result of his father’s anger yesterday--was making him more self-conscious than ever. That, and well, as embarrassing as it was to admit to an Uchiha…he was nervous. He wanted to impress Naruto but something told him the sun kissed blonde wasn’t lured with luxuries and such. Usually everything he owned got the deed done yet with Naruto he was almost certain that wouldn‘t be the case.

Sasuke reached his neighbor boy’s doorstep and did yet another look-over of himself assuring his sandy gray long sleeved button-down shirt looked right on top of his white cotton shirt and fit appropriately with his dark blue jeans.
“Stupid,” he muttered to himself once done letting out a breath meant to calm his infuriatingly raging nerves. When did he turn into a girl? And why were his hands clammy?

Naruto’s dress code had always been easygoing; he wore whatever he could put together in his head from his closet that would look halfway decent and left his room without even looking in the mirror. In light of this new set of events he was sort of freaking out. He hadn’t gone on too many dates before…fine, he‘d never gone on a date before. Few pranks had been played on him where girls or guys invited him to a place only to throw eggs at him or flour, mostly both before he even made it there--whatever they saw fit to cause a rift of uncontrollable and humiliating laughter that still echoed in his head to this day. Naruto remembered running. Naruto remembered hiding, hiding from his godparents by returning home through the backdoor to avoid the otherwise unavoidable question: how did it go? And of course he remembered crying. Going on a date with Sasuke all of the sudden seemed questionable.

Would it be the same with him?

In the end Naruto settled for a black ‘mock-neck’ sweater its zipper halfway open the cerulean blue shirt he wore underneath visible through the slit. He combined with a pair of faded blue jeans, really low on his hips, just the way he liked them. Then he moved to stand in front of the mirror and stared at his reflection his eyes quickly landing on his scars. His scars, why had Sasuke never asked about them? It was the first thing people usually noticed, many conversations started out with a question on them, yet with Sasuke he even forgot he had them. Sasuke had never mentioned them to him.

The doorbell rang and Naruto stretched out his arm so the sleeve of his sweater would roll up and he could take a look at his watch. 6:45. That had to be the bastard. But why was he 15 minutes early? Putting on the necklace his godmother had given him when he was still a child, its pendant long in a dark shade of turquoise, he rushed out of his room ready to meet him. He heard distant voices coming out from the main living room on the way and stopped just a few steps away.
“…work is killing me. I have double the load I used to have in Leaf,” it was Tsunade’s very tired voice.
“You’ll get used to it soon,” Jiraiya said reassuringly and Naruto peeked inside just in time to see them share a quick peck. Now he understood why the old man had been so blue the past few days. He missed her and Naruto missed her too. She had three days off during the week but she had used them all in order to catch up with the system hence the reason they rarely ever saw her. The doorbell rang again reminding Naruto of his visitor and he took off again this time without further stops.

“You’re 15 minutes early bastard!” a frowning Naruto came behind the house’s entry door and Sasuke arched a brow at the greeting. That had cooled, no killed, his nerves down. “What happened to your eye?” the blonde went from mad to worried in a second.
“Practice,” Sasuke brushed the incident off unsure of whether it was a good idea to let Naruto know about his fucked up relationship with his father. “You wanted me to be late?” he changed topics feigning annoyance and Naruto thought about the idea for a second before he grinned wide.
“Early’s ok,” he replied and Sasuke’s visage softened for a second not only because Naruto’s beauty only seemed to peak when he smiled like that but because he was questioned no further about his bruised eye and cheekbone. The door spread wider behind Naruto and a tall voluptuous woman came to view, one Naruto turned to right away and one whose threatening and belittling look settled on Sasuke.
“So this is Uchiha?” Tsunade asked. When Naruto had said he was going on a date she hadn’t been ecstatic about it. Despite Naruto hiding well after his disastrous so-called ‘dates’ back in Leaf there was no way he could fool her. She’d find his dirty clothes smelling of rotten eggs and some type of powder hard to identify mixed with the gooey internal fluids of the egg in the trash a couple of days later enough times which was reason enough for her to want to protect him at all costs when it came to this sort of stuff. Naruto was one of her most important persons and she vowed to the promise that whoever hurt him would have to deal with her too. “I expect you to bring him back before curfew,” she started and Naruto reddened at how overprotective his godmother had just sounded in front of Sasuke.
“Ne, Obaa-chan. It’s ok, really--”
“I will,” Sasuke interrupted sternly. Instinct told him the woman didn’t trust him right off the bat. He could even go as far as saying she suspected him.
“And in one piece,” which she did, apparently. “I will personally hunt you down if you don’t.” Sasuke frowned. What did this woman think he was capable of doing to Naruto? Didn’t coming here formally dressed to pick up the blonde for a serious date explain his intentions for him? He wouldn’t have cared otherwise. Naruto looked between the two nervously. The tension could be cut with a knife.
“We’re leaving,” the blonde said snapping both from their angry stupors. “I’ll be back around 10. Don’t wait up.” Sasuke and Tsunade ‘hmphed’ at each other as ways of saying goodbye.

When the pair reached the sidewalk where Sasuke’s car was supposed to be parked Naruto was quick to notice the obvious. Sasuke’s silver Audi was nowhere to be found and there was a beige brand-new looking Cadillac Escalade SUV in its stead. He made the connection and his conclusion was proven correct when Sasuke held his keychain up and the SUV’s lights blinked while the sound of locks unlocking rang.
“T-This is your car?” Naruto asked his ocean blue eyes widened in awe. He knew very little of cars in general but Cadillac Escalades were was positively notorious all around the world. Sasuke blinked grimly.
“It was a gift from my father,” he opened the passenger side door for the blonde. “Might as well use it.” Naruto noticed Sasuke’s distant look but decided not to question it and instead jumped in. Sasuke hadn’t asked about his scars. It was only fair that he left the issue with his father alone, whatever it was…for now.

Naruto never thought Cadillac’s official slogan, the one that stated if you bought an Escalade you would feel like you were riding on top of the world, could be true but now he knew it was. He literally felt like he was seated six feet above the ground.

Sasuke joined him a few seconds later. When he turned on the engine a plethora of blue and red buttons came alive and Naruto was quickly reminded of airplane control rooms. The instrument panel, center storage console and door trim were all covered in leather with wood inlays and aluminum trim. Aniline leather covered the first and second row seats while contrasting stitching and Cadillac wreath and crest insignias were found on the seatbacks. Platinum-issue door sills and floor mats distinguished the SUV with a heated steering wheel, heated and cooled cup holders and a power liftgate.
“Cool,” Naruto eyed everything inquisitively and Sasuke was relieved to see that just as he had predicted, though impressed, Naruto wasn’t fooled. Instead of asking him to take him everywhere he could think of in his Escalade so that he-Naruto could show people who he was riding with and in what car no less, like Sasuke so naturally expected as it had happened before though he‘d always declined, Naruto had fastened his seatbelt across his body and was awaiting for take off any moment now.
“You didn’t bring eggs with you, did you?” the blonde suddenly asked and a dark brow arched when he searched the back part of the car with wary sapphire eyes.
“Would I?” Sasuke asked bemused making the other blush as he chose to keep the embarrassing explanation to his question to himself.

The insides of the car suddenly became as quiet as a cemetery. Naruto’s heart was pounding hard against his ribcage. He had made sure to keep conversation going because silence made him uneasy. For one who generally had his head full of thoughts, when in distress, he could only focus on the situation at hand and his mind only entertained by speculating about the very near future. Sasuke would probably take him to a nice place to eat and maybe they’d go somewhere else afterwards, like the beach or a park, somewhere hidden and laid-back where they could makeout all night. Yes, that would be nice…maybe…they could…makeout right now?

Blue azures glistened with boldness and met suggestive obsidian orbs as if on cue.

As if reading each other’s thoughts they leaned in to share a longing kiss. Sasuke titled his head to gain better entrance into Naruto’s mouth with his tongue. This time he took all the time in the world to explore. He wasn’t desperate anymore because he had what he wanted and he had it all to himself now. There was no hurry to reach the end of this blissful torment. Slowly he roved the other’s moist and warm cavern feeling Naruto’s own tongue play with his, giving its underside long licks, arousing him with every move, inviting him to taste more of this sinfully sweet heaven and he did. His pale hand came to rest on a contrasting bronze cheek to hold Naruto’s position and penetrate deeper. Naruto complied feeling reason slipping away from him as he found himself drowning in Sasuke’s ministrations, his bittersweet essence, his dizzying body heat. Sasuke pulled his tongue out and ever slower re-entered the blonde’s mouth savoring his taste wantonly. Even seated Naruto felt his knees weaken. His stomach turned in circles while his whole body melted evenly into a pile of goo. Where had the bastard learned to kiss like that? It was as if the world was going to end tomorrow and all that mattered was today, this moment, right now and he cherished it with everything he had, everything he was, aware of its uniqueness, aware of the fact that it could never be recreated.

Sasuke had never found something so mystifying and powerful at the same time but kissing Naruto was exactly that. He was spinning out of control, flying high and crashing down, lost in what seemed like an ethereal dimension he‘d never been taken to before. His resolve to protect himself from what he couldn’t understand was beginning to shatter and the will to stop it was long gone. Naruto had stolen it from him and he couldn’t be more grateful. Right now it was all he wanted.

When they pulled away with a gentle kissing sound their eyes hesitated to open as if they knew the beautiful illusion they were able to take each other to would be destroyed the second they did. Naruto kissed Sasuke one more time.
“I wanted to do that the second I saw you on my doorway,” he confessed in a small and whispery voice. Their lips brushed with every word and Sasuke couldn’t help but smirk at the statement.
“Obviously,” he replied snidely making Naruto frown.
“Asshole,” swollen lips dropped in a childish pout and Sasuke could‘ve sworn Naruto was provoking him. “You just ruined the mood,” he mumbled pressing their foreheads together gently. Sasuke stared at his lips before he looked up his eyes darkening with desire at the sight of Naruto‘s own flickering with a similar emotion.
“I’m always willing to make it up to you,” he proposed making bronze cheeks burn.
“As much as I want to stay here and makeout with you all night there’s a date I wanna go to...and my godparents are probably spying on us through the peephole.” Meanwhile…

“An Escalade!? He‘s a spoiled brat!” Tsunade screeched and Jiraiya held his hands up to try and get her to calm down.
“It’s probably his father’s, not his. Maybe the kid wanted to impress him.” Though he too didn’t like the idea of Naruto dating, mainly because they had practically just gotten here, he felt like cutting Sasuke some slack. Naruto hadn’t been as happy as he had been when he announced he was going out on a date with the other boy in a long time. Maybe Sasuke could make him as carefree as he had once been.
“You think they kissed already?” Tsunade’s question brought him back to present time. He snorted faking absurdity at the question.
“‘Course not!” Obviously and quite a while ago too. You‘re naïve Tsunade…

Naruto’s greeting had been so effusive and far from normalcy that Sasuke had overlooked just how good the blonde looked dressed in civilian clothes something he was quick to notice as he walked around his car to meet him at the passenger side. Naruto cleared a few wrinkles on his elegant dark jacket and looked up in time to see Sasuke. Was there anything beyond beautiful? Right now, Sasuke was the very personification of that. Knowing their eyes sometimes spoke better that their mouths could in situations like these, they sent each other an honest glance.

You look good.

You look good, too.

And entered the restaurant side by side the back of their hands brushing, their fingers itching to entwine…

Naruto was blown out of the water when he saw the insides of the restaurant resembled a very expensive and exclusive restaurant in Japan. The tables were long and rectangular in fine dark wood low to the floor while the chairs required that you sat with your knees bent as was customary of his native country. The walls were decorated with delicate handcrafted panoramas of assorted cities in Japan. Rooted to the middle of such huge two-story place was a real cherry blossom tree making every corner smell of the invigorating oily scent while instrumental music played on the background, the flute and the violin predominant, adding to the rigid high-class atmosphere. Clearly dates wouldn’t be the same with Sasuke. Clearly nothing would ever be the same with Sasuke.

The place’s hostess, a gorgeous Asian woman with long dark hair and pale flawless skin, gave them a warm smile to welcome them and took them to their two-person reserved table right away. Their spot was one of the best with a view to the beach that reflected the half moon on the sky its form wrinkly on the water with the ripples the gentle wind managed to create along with the speckles of city lights that adorned the coast’s pitch-dark surroundings strikingly. Everything felt dreamlike to Naruto who had never dined at such places let alone seen such a breathtaking sight in his life. He couldn’t remember ever feeling this touched by something someone had done for him and he gave Sasuke a smile meant to express his gratitude above anything. Sasuke nodded once thoroughly pleased with himself. He‘d never done something similar for someone and knowing that Naruto had liked it felt strangely heartwarming.

The woman placed the menus before them and announced their waiter for the night would come soon to take their order. Sasuke eyed the menu with taught indifference looking almost bored like nothing seemed to please him. Naruto, on the other hand, was having a hard time refraining from choking. The little bubble he’d lost himself in ever since he and Sasuke had started their date had popped. Ui, the restaurant’s name, didn’t have a platter on the list that cost less than $400 dollars!
“S-Sasuke,” he called softly and Sasuke looked up undeterred. “T-This is too much.” A fine dark brow furrowed.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean this,” Naruto placed the menu on the table softly. “It’s too much. A bowl of ramen doesn’t cost more than ten dollars in Japan. Here it costs $525 and--”
“I’m paying for it,” Sasuke interrupted offhandedly.
“I don’t want you to!” Naruto cut off in a hoarse angry whisper making Sasuke straighten on his seat while people looked disturbed around them at the sudden outburst. “Sorry,” Naruto was out of his seat and on his way to exit the place before Sasuke could say another word. Sasuke breathed profoundly massaging the bridge of his nose in between his thumb and index fingers. Ironic how the only person he was willing to spend all his fortune on didn’t want a cent of it…

Leaving a couple of hundreds on the table to take care of the tip Sasuke took off after the puzzling blonde his mind trying to come up with reasons as to why Naruto had refused his attempts at indulging him when it was something that he had wanted to do ever since they had arranged their date. It had been damn difficult to find a reservation within a day timeframe, moreover to such an overly frequented place. When he crossed the threshold that led outside he spotted Naruto about to disappear out the corner. It didn’t take long before he caught up to him.
“Naruto--”
“Why did you bring me here, Sasuke?” Naruto stopped suddenly turning to face him with sorrowful eyes. “What are you expecting in return? Because I can never give you something like this.”
“I’m not asking you to,” Sasuke frowned feeling utterly lost and confused.
“Then why did you bring me here?” Naruto demanded again. “You think you can buy me into giving you what you want?” Realization dawned on Sasuke’s face making him tighten his scowl. His image alone could earn people’s submittal like it had done so many times in the past and he didn’t want that, not from Naruto. Naruto had cared very little of his image from the beginning and had always asked for something very different in return: Sasuke Uchiha’s true self, without a mask and without the barriers of coldness and indifference with which he protected himself. In a way, Naruto was offering him his freedom on a silver platter, handing him the key to unlock his prison and waiting for him to start on a journey that promised unprecedented events with an unforeseen end and he found it intriguing, and he found himself eager to explore it, but most of all he found he couldn’t let that go hence the reason he‘d planned something so lavish and extravagant to win him over.
“Was that your plan asshole?” Naruto’s face contorted with anger at the lack of response. “Did I ruin it for you!?” he pushed the other away forcefully taking off again. He didn’t know where he was going or how he was getting back home but he didn’t want to be anywhere near Sasuke right now. The thought of getting hit with eggs and getting poured flour on top seemed better and better with every step he took. At least he knew it was a prank from the beginning. Sasuke had deceived him so cleverly and god! He couldn’t believe how foolish he‘d been! It was so obvious!

Sasuke tightened his jaw trying to control his rage. Finding no other way to break the sudden fit Naruto was having he pulled on his shoulder from behind and backed him up against the nearest wall, which happened to be the restaurant’s, then held his arms at his sides to prevent him from escaping his hold.
“Listen to me,” he whispered roughly their breaths battling because of the closeness of their faces. Naruto didn’t struggle though he mirrored the same murderous intent in Sasuke’s dangerous obsidian orbs. “I like you. I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t. There’d be no reason to.” Blue eyes widened in shock. Wait…

Sasuke liked him?

Sasuke let go of Naruto’s arms hastily and pushed him against the wall one more time before turning around and giving him his full back. He breathed out. His chest felt constricted at the weakness, the vulnerability he had shown, no one had ever reduced him to this. He was waiting for Naruto to point a finger at him and start laughing in his face, tell him how pitiful he looked, how dumb. The shadow of his father emphasizing on the lecture he and Itachi always got when they were kids played in Sasuke’s mind like an old bitter movie: nothing pleases people more than cornering an Uchiha. His father would be ashamed of him if he learned that he had cleared the perfect shot for Naruto.

Would Naruto take it?

Naruto stared at Sasuke‘s back lost in contemplation. What was someone like Sasuke so afraid of?
“Bastard, will you at least look at me when I say I like you too?” Sasuke turned around and a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips at playful cerulean eyes staring right at him soothing him down instantly. So powerful, the rush of emotions he made him feel was so powerful. The gap between their chests shortened until their pectorals were slightly pressed together. Taking in Sasuke‘s all too familiar scent and basking in the feeling as it numbed all of his senses completely, Naruto let out a long abated breath. “I like you too,” he reached out and cupped the other’s face in between his hands his thumbs rubbing his lips gently.
“I know,” Sasuke’s breath ghosted through tanned cheeks and Naruto rolled his eyes at the confidence of the statement.
“Che, really, you do have a gift for ruining good moods.” Sasuke’s reply was a witty ‘as long as I can make up for it’ sort of look. They were about to kiss when the latter made the mistake, or rather luckily made the mistake, to look up. If there were a thousand people within the restaurant they had exited from there were that many pairs of eyes staring at them through the long windows either surprised, entranced or disgusted. Sasuke‘s smooth lips landed on a bronzed forehead instead. “Let‘s go somewhere else…”

“Pizza was good,” said Naruto leaning against Sasuke’s chest as he seated in between his legs with a grin his stomach now full and content. Sasuke watched the sky curiously something he did often as he was used to coming here. When he had thought of the date with Naruto he had thought of taking him to a nice place to eat fine food. It never crossed his mind that he would end up on the roof of his gigantic mansion with a box of pizza strewn aside. Naruto was as simple-minded as one could be, the smallest of gestures were big and more than enough for him and he-Sasuke wouldn’t have him any other way. “It’s beautiful,” Naruto murmured staring at the half-moon and the stars scattered across the dark mantle of the night that enveloped them safely.
“I come here a lot,” Sasuke said his eyes never leaving the firmament and Naruto looked over his shoulder at him knowing the reason without having to ask.
“You can trust me,” the blonde stated letting his head rest on a hard muscular shoulder. Sasuke stilled. Trust? He‘d never done something so preposterous in his life. “Even hotshots like you need to let loose once in a while,” Naruto chuckled when he heard Sasuke growl at the nickname.
“Idiot,” the dark-haired teen grumbled but perfectly understood what the other was trying to say all the same. Naruto stared at a particularly bright star on the sky. He noticed how the broad darkness around it seemed to take its shine away. Or maybe its true brightness was only visible if you stopped and looked...really looked.
“Being surrounded by them is worse than being alone, ne?” Sasuke knew that by ‘them’ he meant fans and he let his lips wander lazily on Naruto’s temple before letting out a sigh meant to signal he agreed. A single fact registered in his brain. How come Naruto knew exactly how he felt when it came to the public eye, somehow as if he had led a similar life before? “They’ll last a while, too,” Naruto continued breaking through his train of thoughts. “Even when you get old and wrinkly they’ll probably think you’re one of those sexy old men whose white hair makes him even sexier,” he pouted and Sasuke immediately knew his counterpart was losing himself in his own thoughts. He’d realized a while ago that Naruto only pouted like that when he was angry or when he was thinking hard. Lowering his lips so they traced the outer shell of his ear he smirked. His smirk only widened when he felt Naruto slightly shiver.
“You think I’m sexy?” he breathed. Naruto had to swallow to moisten his suddenly dry throat. Where was composure when he needed it? Why were coherent thoughts so desperate to leave him?
“You’re--” his response drowned in a soul-stirring kiss that vehemently promised eternity could theirs...but they had to work for it…

End of Ch.4. FYI, just so you know, this is probably the last you’ll hear about the bet until later chapters. This story will not be based on the bet, I wanted you guys to know that there was a bet, but the story has as much to do with it as with everything else. Hope all is well with you all. You’ll read from me soon!

LilyU23