Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

Chasing Naruto	By : megladon129 Category: Naruto AU/AR > General Views: 3376 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 16
- 17
- 18
Author�s note: Sorry
this chapter was a little late. I�ve been really busy...anywho. The school year�s starting, and the laziness
has set in. I�ll do my best to stay consistent with my updates, but...I can�t
promise. I won�t have a lot of free time.

Long chapter up
ahead. Enjoy!

* * *

Sasuke paused as he was about to open his door, suppressing
a smirk as he glanced over his shoulder at Naruto. The blonde had a very
persistent frown on his face as he stared at his own door, his key unturned in
the lock. The frown growing, a worry line appeared between the blonde�s
eyebrows.

�Kiba�ll be back in a few hours,�
Sasuke heard the blonde murmur. The key remained unturned. �A few hours, tops.
So stop being a wuss!�

Shaking his head, Sasuke turned to face Naruto and leaned
back against the wall beside his door.

�You know, if you�re that
uneasy about waiting for your roommate, maybe you should have protested
earlier.�

Glancing up, Naruto gave him a sour look. �Did you see how happy Dog Boy was when she offered to
make him a late dinner? Like hell I�d break that up.� His shoulders heaved
lightly as the blonde visibly grit his teeth and glared at the door handle.
�I�m fine.�

After a long moment of watching Naruto�s continued inner
struggle, Sasuke stuffed his hands into his pockets.

��You could just spend the night with me.�

It took everything Sasuke had not to burst out laughing at
the look he received for that one.
Naruto had frozen for a good three seconds, then
slowly pivoted his head to stare blankly at the Uchiha. Lips twitching at the
continued stare, Sasuke tried to look innocent.

Eventually, Naruto managed to reply, ��What?�

�I said, come
spend the night with me.� He lost the battle with his mouth, an amused smirk
crossing his elegant face. �I�ll even let you keep the lights on.�

�Damn, that sounded
suggestive. His lips twitched again. Not
that it�d be a bad thing if
something�nice happened tonight.

When Naruto�s eyes suddenly narrowed, Sasuke began hoping
that his thoughts hadn�t appeared on his face. To cover it up, he shifted his smirk
into a challenging one.

�What�s the matter, Uzumaki? You�re not afraid of me, too, are you?�

Instant scowl. �In your dreams, Uchiha.�

Sasuke tipped his head to the side as the blonde continued
to hesitate. �Then what�s your problem? At the very least, I can try to get your mind off that movie.�

That may not have been
the best thing to say. Sasuke mentally smacked himself upside the head when
Naruto gave him the �Are you sure
you�re not a child molester?� look again. The Uchiha stifled a sigh.

�Seriously, Naruto�I�d prefer being forced to stay up a few
more hours to having you stare at the ceiling or have nightmares all night.�

Lips shifting into a pout�which made Sasuke want to rush up
and nip at that bottom lip, since it was being offered�Naruto finally removed
his key from his still locked door and shoved it in his pocket. �How�d you know
I get nightmares?�

Sasuke shrugged, straightening away from the wall. �It
wasn�t a difficult guess, Naruto. Now get your ass over here.�

Grumbling under his breath, Naruto complied and followed the
Uchiha into his room. He passed the shorter boy as Sasuke turned to shut the
door, murmuring something that sounded suspiciously like, �Promise not to
bite?� One of Sasuke�s eyebrows shot up.

Pondering the implications of those words, Sasuke threw the
lock, turned, and decided to sit next to where the blonde had collapsed onto
his bed. After a moment of silence, he gave Naruto a curious look.

�Why are you
afraid of scary movies, anyway?� He narrowed his eyes slightly when Naruto gave
him an offended scowl. �Considering why you�re here right now, Uzumaki, I think
it�s a valid question.�

The other boy gave him a long, cold stare, but since Sasuke was more practiced at it than he was, he
gave up and sighed.

�Well�alright. I saw Beetlejuice
when I was a bit too young for it,
and it gave me nightmares for weeks.� Lying back on the bed, he folded an arm
over his eyes. �I avoided scary movies for years, but every time I watch one, without fail, I have nightmares about it.�

Sasuke regarded the larger boy in silence. After a moment,
Naruto lowered his arm and glared.

�You do realize that it you tell anyone about this��

The Uchiha smirked, lifting a hand dismissively. �Don�t
worry, your secret�s safe with me.�

Grunting, Naruto rose up onto his elbows. �Well then,
Smartass, what are you going to do to get my mind off that movie?�

Oh, I can think of a
few things� Putting a clamp on his thoughts, Sasuke looked around his room.
When his eyes alighted upon an object on his dresser, the Uchiha hesitated, then mentally shrugged. Oh,
what the hell.

Naruto blinked at him as Sasuke rose, snagged a box of
cards, and returned, sitting next to the blonde with one leg tucked underneath
him. Taking the cards out, the Uchiha shuffled them and smirked.

�Up for a round of cards, dobe?�

The blonde thought for a moment, then sat up and mimicked
the brunette�s smirk. �Don�t be surprised if I wipe the floor with you,
Uchiha.�

Sasuke snorted. �This from the guy who wears his heart on
his sleeve.� Lifting his head, he gave Naruto a challenging glare. �Please,
Uzumaki, surprise me.�

�What are we betting, anyway?�

The Uchiha paused. �I�m not sure.� He watched as the blonde
pursed his lips in thought, and he began questioning his intelligence at
inviting the boy over as his eyes zeroed in on Naruto�s mouth. As the blonde
continued to ponder, Sasuke idly considered suggesting strip poker.

�Got it.� Sasuke mentally shook himself as Naruto grinned
and leaned forward. �We�ll bet favors. Something the loser has to do without
complaint. One piece of paper counts as one favor.� His grin growing, Naruto
rose, snagged a sheet of computer paper from Sasuke�s printer, and began
tearing it as he returned.

Blinking up at him, Sasuke processed this new information. Something Naruto would have to do without
complaint? He didn�t bother suppressing the determined smirk that settled
on his face.

�Get ready to lose, Uzumaki.� There�s no way I�m passing
up on an opportunity like this.

The blonde rolled his eyes. �Just deal already.�

As he complied, the Uchiha couldn�t help but wonder if he
should put any meaning behind the evil smirk that came and disappeared on the
blonde�s tanned face.

* * *

Sooo close� God, I�m so CLOSE� Just a little
longer� YES!!

Grinning in victory, Naruto slammed his cards down on the
bed.

�Eat that, Uchiha! Four of a kind, baby!�

A very specific part of Naruto�s anatomy should have
shriveled up and died at the venomous glare Sasuke gave him. Scowling, the
brunette tossed his cards�a full house, so no wonder he was pissed. He kept
losing by one level�on the bed. His expression grew darker as he took in the
tower of papers in front of the blonde and the dwindling pile in front of
himself.

�Aww, don�t make that face,
Sasuke-kun. I�m sure you�ll win the next round,� he reassured as he collected
his small mountain of favors. Licking a finger, he thumbed through them. �Just
because you�ll be utterly beholden to me for�oh�the next four years doesn�t
mean you can�t still get a few menial chores out of me.�

Grumbling under his breath, the Uchiha gathered the cards
and roughly handed them over to the blonde. Naruto grinned.

�What was that, Sasuke-kun?�

�I said, how can anyone win with a poker face like that, dammit!� He gave a frustrated glare at the pile of favors
sitting in front of the blonde. Naruto blinked innocently.

�Poker face? I have a poker face?�

Sasuke�s scowl darkened. �If you can call that clueless
expression a poker face.� Folding his arms over his chest, the Uchiha shifted
to lean his back against the wall beside his bed. �It doesn�t even matter if
you�re winning or losing, you just look more confused as the game goes on.�

Because he knew it
would irritate the brunette, Naruto put a lost expression on his face and scratched
the back of his head.

�I don�t have a clue what you�re talking about, Sasuke�� A
quick growl came from the boy next to him, ��but do you want to keep playing or
call it a night?� He heaved a yawn and stretched his arms up over his head to
emphasize his point. �I�m getting kinda tired.�

Naruto swore he heard Sasuke�s teeth grinding before he
finally gave a grunt of agreement and put the cards back in the box. Grinning,
the taller boy scooted over to the side of the bed against the wall and fell
back, flopping his legs upon the Uchiha�s lap. Sasuke
gave him an exasperated look.

�Did you have to
do that?� he questioned irritably, shoving the blonde�s legs off him and
sliding to the edge of the bed. A frown on his lips, Sasuke cleared Naruto and
his piles onto the floor, set the deck of cards next to them, and grumpily lay
down next to him. Folding his arms behind his head, Naruto stared up at the
ceiling.

�Say�Sasuke?�

�What?�

�Do you think I�m sexy?�

Through the corner of his eye, Naruto could see the bottom
drop out of Sasuke�s thoughts. The brunette stared at him for a good ten
seconds before he turned lightly red and scowled.

�What the hell kind of question is that, Uzumaki??�

�An honest one. Do you think I�m sexy?� Turning his head
towards the Uchiha, Naruto grinned cheekily at the �embarrassed and struggling
with it� expression on the other boy�s face. �Well?�

Visibly gathering his composure, Sasuke gave him a flat
look. �I would think you�re narcissistic enough to not need to fish for compliments,
Naruto.�

�Just because I
think I�m gorgeous doesn�t mean I don�t need to hear confirmation from someone
else.� He paused for a second, then let his
mischievous grin return. �And you still haven�t answered my question, Sasuke.�

The pale boy let out something akin to a snort and looked
away. �You�re impossible.�

��So, is that a yes?�

�What??�

�You never said, �No, I don�t think you�re sexy.� So is that
a yes?� Oh, I am evil, aren�t I? He
chuckled when Sasuke�s face turned a few shades redder.

�I never said anything about thinking you were sexy,
Uzumaki,� he stated calmly. Naruto�s grin widened.

�But you�re still not saying no.� He let out a laugh at the
murderous glare he received. �C�mon, Sasuke, just admit it. You think I�m hot,
sexy, and steamy, don�t you?�

At the rate Sasuke was grinding those teeth,
he wasn�t going to have anything left by morning.

�Naruto, you are not going to get me to say that.�

�Why not?� Naruto lowered his eyes to half-mast and smirked.
�I think you�re sexy.�

Sasuke sputtered, then scowled.
�You�re only saying that to tease me, you asshole.�

So if you said it, you
wouldn�t be teasing? �Who said I was teasing? I honestly think you�re
gorgeous.�

That earned him a long, assessing stare. �You�do?�

�Would I say it if I didn�t?� Shifting against the pillows
on the boy�s bed, Naruto resumed his contemplation of the ceiling. �I don�t
have a problem admitting that my best friend is a babe, so I don�t see what your problem is.�

Sasuke flushed at the �babe� comment, but Naruto couldn�t be
sure if it was because he was embarrassed�or ready to kill him.

�So�you�re admitting that you�re attracted to me, Naruto?�

The blonde looked over at that, pursing his lips. �Yeah, I
guess you could say that.�

From the frozen look on Sasuke�s face, Naruto guessed that
the Uchiha hadn�t expected that response. The blonde shrugged mentally. Well, it�s the truth, isn�t it? Before
Sasuke could formulate a reply, Naruto resumed his attack.

�Still, this isn�t about me, it�s about you. Why won�t you
admit that you think I�m hot?�

Scowling, the brunette looked away and muttered, �Why
bother? I�m sure Neji and Gaara tell you often enough.�

Naruto blinked, a furrow appearing between his eyebrows.
�What was that? What do Neji and Gaara have to do with this?�

Sasuke gave him a cold look. �Oh, nothing,� he replied
sarcastically. �Nothing at all.�

Frowning, Naruto rose up onto his elbows. �Why the hell do
those two bother you so much? Because they like me?�

The Uchiha scowled. ��Why wouldn�t they bother me? Every time I see you with one of them,
they�re all over you!�

�Well, why does that
bother you? It�s my business, isn�t
it?� His own temper rising, Naruto glared at the boy next to him. �Don�t tell
me you�re jealous of them, Uchiha.�

Sasuke opened his mouth to deny the comment, then clicked it shut and looked away. Naruto�s eyebrows
rose.

��Sasuke?�

�You just don�t get it, do you?� the brunette snapped,
looking back at the blonde with anger simmering in his eyes. �If I had a bunch
of guys chasing after me, how would
you feel??�

Not expecting that, Naruto blinked. �I�I don�t know,
Sasuke,� he replied, exasperated. �And how the hell is this about me again?
Jesus, man, why does it take an interrogation and a pair of pliers to get
anything out of you?! Would it kill
you to actually say what you�re
thinking for once in your fucking li��

Sasuke abruptly leapt on the blonde, shoving the bigger
boy�s shoulders to the mattress while he straddled him, fury in his obsidian
eyes. Naruto�s voice cut off with a squawk. What
the hell�?

�FINE, Uzumaki! You want me to say what I�m thinking?? YES!
I�M FUCKING JEALOUS! You happy now??� He didn�t give the shocked blonde a
chance to reply before he continued. �How can I not be jealous when every fucking time I want to spend time with
you, one of them comes up?!�

�H-Hey, you�re the
one who brought up��

�I DON�T CARE!� Sasuke�s grip on Naruto�s shoulders
tightened, and he leaned down, placing his face inches away from the blonde�s.
�It doesn�t matter how, they come up! And, dammit, you�d be jealous, too, if
you were in my place. How am I supposed
to feel with those two trying to take
advantage of the guy I��

Naruto�s eyes grew saucer wide as he stared up at the pale
boy above him. The blood draining out of Sasuke�s face, the boy audibly
swallowed and sat up. Immediately rising up onto his elbows, Naruto locked the
Uchiha with an earnest gaze.

�The guy you what,
Sasuke?� he questioned, his voice low. Swallowing again, the brunette looked
away.

�N-nothing. Just forget it.� Sasuke tried to get off him,
but Naruto�s hands shot out and gripped the boy�s hips, keeping him in place.
Ignoring the blushes that rose on both their faces at the movement, Naruto
pressed the issue.

�Sasuke. What were you going to say?� Please, just say it this
time! �I�m the guy you�what?�

The Uchiha said nothing for a long moment, refusing to meet
Naruto�s gaze. While he waited, Naruto�s thumbs began absentmindedly stroking
Sasuke�s hip bone. Taking a shaky breath, Sasuke squared his shoulders.

�You�re�my best friend, Naruto.� He�s hedging. �I�care about you.�

The blonde frowned. �Being my best friend and getting that jealous don�t usually go hand in
hand, you know.�

Sasuke made an annoyed noise, still refusing to look Naruto
in the eye. �Just drop it, Naruto,� he requested, his
voice suddenly soft. Naruto hesitated, then released
his grip on the other boy.

An awkward silence settled between them as Sasuke climbed
off the bed and hesitated in front of his dresser. After a moment, the brunette
opened a drawer, pulled out a pair of black lounge pants and shirt, and changed
quicker than Naruto would have given him credit for. A light frown on his face,
Naruto let his eyes roam the expanse of skin that briefly flashed before his
eyes. His gaze latching onto the boy�s blue boxers�Naruto idly wondered if he�d
bought them before or after the laundry incident�the blonde missed the slow
smile that was working its way onto his face.

��Is that why you have a picture of me on your desk?� he
asked suddenly.

The Uchiha froze, his shirt tugged halfway down his torso.
Turning slowly, he blinked at the blonde. �What?�

Not bothering to tear his eyes off Sasuke�s exposed stomach, Naruto lifted a hand and gestured at the small
picture frame hiding behind Sasuke�s computer monitor.

�I meant to ask before�I saw it when I came in here to write
the report.� He lifted his gaze to Sasuke�s, not entirely surprised to see a
deer-caught-in-the-headlights expression on his face. �I remember when you took
it, but I never expected you to actually keep
it.�

Sasuke finally resumed pulling his shirt down, his face
suddenly blank.

�It�s a good picture. Besides, you have pictures of me in your room.�

�True�� Taking in the rigid line of Sasuke�s shoulders,
Naruto decided not to point out that he had pictures of all of his friends somewhere in his room. Sasuke, however, had only
deigned to place Naruto�s likeness in his. Maybe
I should just let that speak for itself� Shaking
his head, he, too, slid to the end of the bed. �Whatever, man. I�ll let it
drop.�

Standing, Naruto simply shrugged out of his shirt and pants
and crawled back to his place on the bed, ignoring the surprised stare burning
into his side.

�You�re going to sleep in your boxers?� Was it just him, or
did Sasuke�s voice sound awfully strained?

His face buried in a pillow, Naruto didn�t bother to look
up. �Is there a problem with that? I don�t feel like going home to rummage for
a pair of PJ�s.� When Sasuke remained silent, Naruto
lifted his head and glanced over at him.

The boy�s cheeks were bright red, and if his expression were
any indication, his thoughts were far from clean at the moment. Grinning,
Naruto rolled onto his back and slooooooowly
stretched his arms up over his head, showing off his muscles as he did so. He
chuckled low in his chest when Sasuke�s face turned another shade redder and
the boy placed a hand beneath his nose.

�See? I knew you
thought I was sexy.�

Sasuke�s eyes abruptly snapped up to meet Naruto�s.
Muttering something under his breath, the boy went to turn off the lights.

�What was that, Sasuke-kun?�

�Just go to sleep, dobe.�

Laughing lightly, Naruto slid under the covers and rolled to
face the Uchiha as the brunette climbed into bed beside him. Despite being
immediately presented with Sasuke�s back and ignored, Naruto watched him for a
few minutes.

�Hey�Sasuke?�

�What now,
Naruto?�

��Thanks for letting me spend the night.�

The room was silent for so long that Naruto decided that he
wasn�t going to get a response. Rolling onto his back, he shut his eyes and
began to fall asleep.

��Anytime, Naruto.�

* * *

A sudden weight upon Naruto�s waist dragged him rather
inconsiderately from his quiet little dream world. More than a little annoyed,
Naruto peeled his eyes open.

�What the hell�� He trailed off, blinking himself awake. The
boy above him stared down with unreadable dark eyes.

��Sasuke?�

Smirking, the Uchiha ran his hands up Naruto�s chest and
leaned down, his bangs framing his face. Swallowing hard, Naruto took in the other
boy�s surprising lack of clothing, aside from his dark blue boxers.

��Um, Sasuke? What are you doing?�

The Uchiha snorted, leaning back slightly. �The question is,
Uzumaki, what could you be �doing�?�

Naruto felt his cheeks begin to heat at that. Above him,
moonlight and shadows played over the brunette�s features, giving him an air of
mystery. Swallowing again, Naruto turned his face away.

�Look, Sasuke, I really don�t think��

�Usuratonkachi. Why do you need me to say what you already
know is true?�

Naruto�s breath caught at the hushed tone of Sasuke�s voice.
Looking up, the blonde locked eyes with the Uchiha and stopped breathing
altogether. The Uchiha�s eyes shone with emotion despite his stoic expression,
and everything Naruto had wanted to see, everything he had hoped against hope
to see in those eyes�was there. Lips parting, he placed a lightly trembling
hand upon the boy�s pale cheek, then inhaled sharply
as Sasuke closed his eyes and leaned into the touch. Lifting a hand to cover
Naruto�s, Sasuke opened his eyes again.

The blonde�s heart thumped
sharply in his chest as he locked gazes with the boy above him. As though
mesmerized, he lifted his other hand and placed it just below the boy�s jaw,
gently caressing the outline of Sasuke�s deceptively delicate-looking features
with his thumb.

�You�re an enigma, Naruto,� Sasuke suddenly stated quietly.
�I don�t know what you want from me. You keep sending mixed signals.�

�I�m sorry.� Naruto�s voice emerged just as quietly.

�Do you even know what you want, Naruto? What are you really
trying to gain?�

Blinking, Naruto considered the boy above him. Sasuke was
watching him with oddly intense eyes, as though he was expecting something very specific as a reply. Naruto�s
eyebrows furrowed, suddenly aware that he was being placed in the Uchiha�s
shoes. Is this how I looked at him? Like
I was screaming for an answer that he couldn�t possibly understand?

Naruto shifted his grip on the brunette�s face, framing his
cheeks with his hands. What�s your
answer, Sasuke? What are you looking for?

Smiling, Sasuke shook his head and gently clasped Naruto�s
hands within his own.

�Dobe. It�s not my
answer. It�s yours.�

Frowning, Naruto opened his mouth to reply�

�And Sasuke�s eyes abruptly retreated into his head, his
face melting into a grotesque mask. Blood welled up from beneath Naruto�s hands
and began trailing down the panicking blonde�s arms. Sasuke�s hands tightened
about Naruto�s, and a rough, demonic voice emerged from his throat.

�KETCH �EM. KILL �EM.�

�GAH!!�

Chest heaving, Naruto sat straight up in bed. Swiping at the
sweat beading on his brow, he glanced wildly around�but his demonic Sasuke was
nowhere to be found. The real one slept peacefully beside him, fully clothed,
his palms resting open beside his face as he breathed softly through parted
lips.

Naruto took a deep breath, shaking his head to clear the
horrific vision from his head. Jeez�THIS
is why I hate scary movies!! Closing his eyes, he placed a hand over his
racing heart to calm himself down.

It was just a dream�
It was just a dream. You can relax now. Sighing, he lay back down and stared
at the ceiling. Sasuke just haaaad to pick a scary movie, didn�t he?

After a long moment of silence�and waiting for the shadows
to stop staring at him�Naruto rolled onto his side and contemplated his
sleeping bedmate. Sasuke looked so peaceful beside him, his fingers curling
gently as he slept. Smiling gently, Naruto lifted a hand and gingerly brushed
the boy�s raven hair out of his face.

Sasuke� For some
reason, the longer Naruto contemplated his friend, the faster his heart began
to beat. Memories of the last few weeks floated through his mind: the fights,
the quiet moments, the banter, the flirting, the irritation� The blonde found himself grinning when
he remembered just how cuddly the normally prickly Uchiha was when he was
asleep or caught off guard. Briefly, he wondered what would happen if he pulled
the brunette into his arms right now. Would he pull away, or would he snuggle
up against him?

�How am I supposed to feel with those two trying to take advantage of
the guy I��

Unbidden, Naruto�s heart sped up at the remembered words. What was he going to say? The guy I like?
The guy I love? Or just the guy I want to be with? He sighed lightly in
frustration. Why won�t he just tell me?

��What are you really
trying to gain?�

Naruto frowned at that. Why was Sasuke�s confession so important to him? Yeah, he wanted to
make sure that he wasn�t just a fling, but�why did that answer suddenly
feel�incomplete? Why did it seem deathly important that he hear Sasuke say, �I
like you�?

And, while he was on it, why the hell wouldn�t his heart stop
pounding?

During his musings, Naruto missed the fact that he was
absentmindedly caressing Sasuke�s cheek with his right hand. Making a soft
noise, the brunette turned slightly into the touch.

��Naruto��

The blonde held his breath, removing his hand from Sasuke�s
cheek. The boy immediately frowned, turning his head as if searching for the
contact.

�Naruto�� he repeated, his eyebrows furrowing. �Why won�t
you��

Intrigued, Naruto shifted closer. �Why won�t I what,
Sasuke?� he whispered. The sleeping boy was silent for a long moment, leaving
Naruto to wonder if that was the end of their little �conversation.�

��Why won�t you�kiss me?�

At those words, Naruto�s heart took off like a rocket,
thundering so loudly in his chest that he was surprised it didn�t immediately
wake the Uchiha. Taking a shaky breath, he smiled down at the boy. The hand he
had used to touch Sasuke�s cheek wandered over to the Uchiha�s hand, gently
interlacing the fingers. Shifting so that he was hovering over the other boy,
he leaned down.

�You only had to ask,� he whispered, and the blonde gently
placed his lips upon Sasuke�s.

Naruto closed his eyes at the contact, his heart squeezing
as Sasuke�s fingers tightened on his own. After a moment, he eased back,
staring down at the Uchiha with heavy-lidded eyes.

Why isn�t my heart
slowing down? Taking another calming breath, Naruto untangled his fingers
from Sasuke�s, lest he should wake the other boy. He lay back down, blue eyes
fixed on his best friend. The Uchiha took a sudden breath, eyes fluttering open
as he gave the ceiling a blank, sleepy stare. He turned his head, making a low
noise in his throat as he spotted the blue-eyed gaze aimed at him.

� �N. You�re awake?� His voice
emerged as a low mumble, his words slurring together. Naruto smiled softly in
response.

�Just a nightmare.�

Sasuke gave a dissatisfied grunt.
�Thought y�came here�to �void that.�

Watching the Uchiha lose his battle to stay �awake,� Naruto
gave him a reassuring smile.

�It�s okay, Sasuke. Just go back to
sleep.�

A light frown crossed the boy�s face as he let his eyes
drift shut. �D�n tell me
what to do�usura�tonkachi.�

The blonde chuckled lightly, watching sleep recapture the
brunette.

�Say, Sasuke?�

�� N?�

��Can I hold you?�

A corner of the Uchiha�s lips lifted into a sleepy smile.
��Sure��

Needing no further excuse, Naruto gently pulled Sasuke into
his arms. The smaller boy wrapped an arm about the blonde�s waist, shifting
until his head rested upon a comfortable spot on the blonde�s chest. Feeling
his heart slowly calm itself, Naruto closed his eyes, buried his face in
Sasuke�s hair, and inhaled sharply.

The warmth of the body next to him gave Naruto�s brain a
helping hand into the realm of sleep. Relaxing, Naruto yawned and settled
himself against the pillows. I�ll figure
out what all of those emotions were tomorrow, he thought as his mind
drifted off.

He didn�t have a single nightmare for the rest of the night.

* * *

Neji was not having a pleasant morning. A light frown on his
noble face, he sat at his normal seat in the Star Caf� and glared at the air in
front of him. The waitresses had yet to approach him, slightly wary of his
current mood.

Naruto�and Uchiha?
His pale eyes narrowed slightly. The previous night, Neji had gone to Naruto�s
room to retrieve his notes, as promised, but no one had answered the door.
Uneasy, the Hyuuga had approached the open door of the blonde�s neighbor�and
had been told that Naruto had gone on a double date. With Uchiha.

The ensuing laughter had ceased instantly with a glance at
the Hyuuga�s expression.

Placing his elbows on the table, Neji tapped the tips of his
long, slender fingers together. If he
went on a date with Uchiha, especially after that weekend they spent together and that show he mentioned, does that
mean that I�m running out of time?

�Well? What do you think?�

Pausing, Neji glanced up at the girl standing beside him.
She had a hand on her hip, a pad in the other hand, and a raised eyebrow on her
face. The pair of buns atop her head clashed with the businesslike expression
on her face as she lightly tapped her foot. Lifting an eyebrow of his own, Neji gave her a cool reply.

�What do I think about what?�

A corner of her mouth twitched. �Are you going to order
something, or do you think you�re content with scaring off the air in front of
you?�

That�almost
sparked Neji�s sense of humor. �Green tea.�

That corner twitched again, but the girl never lost her
businesslike exterior. �Right away.�

As she strode off to place his order, Neji noted with mild
interest that the girl tended to march instead of walk. Returning his gaze to
the empty seat in front of him, Neji resumed frowning lightly.

Naruto still doesn�t
trust me, but...I can�t afford to sit back and wait while he takes Uchiha out
again. His eyebrows furrowed, then smoothed. I�ll just have to find my way there, make sure that I take advantage of
the opportunity�and present Uchiha with none.

He idly shifted his eyes to watch people walk past the caf�,
his heart still uneasy. I can�t help
feeling like that double date was a problem�a big one. Sighing softly, he
folded his arms on the small table. Though
I suppose there�s nothing I can do about that now.

A few minutes later, the waitress returned and set the
steaming cup in front of him.

�There you go. Maybe this will help with the ice forming on
your shoulder.�

Her statement was said so matter-of-factly that Neji had to
pause while reaching for his cup to digest what she had said. Eyebrows lifting
at her boldness, he turned to face the impertinent girl.

�That was rather rude. Do you treat all of your customers
this way?� he replied coldly.

She appeared to be unfazed by his tone. �To the ones who
scare off the other waitresses�who, by the way, are currently sitting in the
back, squealing about how gorgeous they think you are�yes, I do.�

Neji�s eye twitched. �I take it you are a woman who likes to
speak her mind.�

�You have a problem with that?� Interestingly enough, the
girl�s tone wasn�t angry or defensive; instead, she seemed torn between mild
interest in his answer and wanting to take the next table�s order. His lips
quirking slightly, he corrected his slightly imperfect posture.

�No, but I do find it interesting that you would choose to
speak your mind so heedlessly.� A smirk was tugging at his mouth. �You are,
after all, in a restaurant setting.�

�I�m not picky.� She shifted her stance. �Besides, you struck
me as a man who could take a few honest comments.�

�How could you be sure? I might be inclined to get you
fired.�

�That would be petty, and you�re too proud for that.�

�Am I now?� Amused and intrigued, Neji gave her a small
smile. �Do tell.�

She gave him a satisfied smirk. �You have a perfected glare,
you barely let your emotions show, and you sit like your back is strapped to a
wooden plank. Yes, I think you�re proud.�

Neji frowned at the �plank� comment. There�s nothing wrong with my posture. �Is there a problem with
being proud?�

�Not until you start demeaning others, but that�s a topic
for another day.� Pausing, she tilted her head to the side. �Why were you staring down the seat in front
of you?�

When Neji frowned and looked away, she shook her head.

�Alright, so that topic�s off limits.� She folded her arms
over her white uniform top, looking down at him curiously. �Do you want me to
leave you alone now? A few more minutes of your staring and I think that chair
will be good and frozen.�

Neji�s first instinct was to tell her to leave, but a part
of him was intrigued. This girl was the first to actually confront him on his
attitude, and she seemed quite intelligent. After a moment, he looked up at her
and studied her expression.

It won�t affect her
either way if I say yes or no, he noted bemusedly. Still, her comments
presented a small challenge, and they could certainly keep his mind of his
troubles with his love life. A soft smirk on his face, he gestured to the seat
in front of him.

�Sit down, if you will.� He arched an elegant eyebrow.
�Unless you have tables to tend to.�

She paused, thinking it over. �None that the other girls
can�t handle.� Pulling out the chair, she sat down and smiled dryly. �Maybe now
they�ll actually focus on their work
instead of you.�

�You seem to have no trouble with your focus,� he noted.

�I have money to make. Sitting back and simpering has no
appeal or purpose,� she stated calmly. Smiling, she held out a hand. �I�m
TenTen, Pre-law.�

�Hyuuga Neji, Pre-med. A pleasure, I�m sure.�

She barked out a short laugh. �We�ll see about that. I can
be very frank, and some of the more proud types don�t enjoy that.�

Amused, Neji took a sip of his tea. �Then perhaps we shall
see who irritates the other first, Miss TenTen.�

She gave him a challenging smirk. �I assume we shall.�

-End Chap 17-

Author�s note: The following
was my first draft, which I rewrote because this Sasuke was a bit too ooc, but it was a bit too funny for me to toss completely.
Enjoy.

* * *
Sasuke was fairly sure that he�d never seen Naruto twiddle
his thumbs, but the blonde looked like he was giving it serious consideration
as he stared at his closed door. Biting his lip, Naruto looked uncertainly at
his door, then glanced at Sasuke, then back at his
door. Sasuke smothered a smirk as he turned back to the blonde, one hand on his
hip.

�What�s the matter, tough guy? Afraid to be alone?�

�No.� Naruto scowled at him, but the expression faltered
before he grumpily turned back to his door and fished his key out of his
pocket. Sasuke tilted his head, intrigued by the worry line that had appeared
between Naruto�s eyebrows.

�...Oi. I�m not planning to go to bed yet, so if you
want...� he paused as Naruto turned to look at him. �Well, we could hang out
for a little while if you really want to.�

Naruto pouted, narrowing his eyes warily. �You�re not making
fun of me, are you?�

Chuckling lightly, Sasuke opened his door and let himself
in. �It�s up to you, Uzumaki.�

The Uchiha left his door open as he started milling about in
his room, and sure enough, the blonde appeared in his doorway. He glowered at
the brunette.

�Don�t read too much into this, Uchiha. I�m not here because
I want to be.�

�Yeah, yeah, �macho, macho man� routine. Flex your muscles, beat your chest and roar, if it makes you feel
better.� Sasuke smothered a laugh at the murderous look Naruto gave him.
�Relax. I�m not going to make fun of you.�

�You just did, smartass.� Grumbling under his breath, Naruto closed
the door and shoved his hands in his pockets. �And...thanks.�

Smirking, Sasuke sat on the edge of his bed and patted the
spot beside him. He folded his arms, his smirk melting into an amused smile as
the blonde gracelessly flopped his butt down next to him.

�Why do scary movies bother you so much, anyway?� He lifted
his hands at the look Naruto gave him. �It�s a valid question.�

Naruto gave him a long assessing look, then sighed and ran a
hand through his hair. Leaning back on his hands, he looked up at the ceiling.

�...I�m not sure, really. I think I watched too many of them
when I was little. You know, before I figured out that they weren�t real.�

�Which was...last year, I�m assuming?� He winced at the
rather forceful punch he received in the shoulder. �Sorry. Continue.�

Naruto hmph�d, glaring at the boy next to him. �I�m done, thank you
very much.� Letting out a sigh of frustration, he flopped backwards onto the
bed, his arms up over his head. �You know, if you�re just going to tease me,
I�ll be better off waiting for Kiba to get back.�

�I�ll be good, Naruto.� Sasuke wasn�t quite able to keep
amusement out of his tone. Can you blame
me? I haven�t held the upper hand like this in a long time. �When is he getting back?�

�How should I know? He said Hinata wanted to make him dinner
or something because he was too nervous to eat beforehand.� He sighed again, then gave a slight smirk. �Still, I think the evening went
rather well for him. Hinata nearly jumped into his lap during the movie.�

�You almost jumped into mi��

�Will you give it a REST?!�
Scowling, Naruto sat up. �That does it. I�m out of here.�

Laughing, Sasuke snagged his arm as the tall blonde stood.
�Oh come on, Naruto. You�ve dealt worse to me.�

The boy pouted. �But it�s funny when I do it.�

�Hypocrite.� Sasuke smirked at the sour look on Naruto�s
face, both fully aware that Sasuke had a point. �Now sit down.�

The blonde sat down so heavily on the bed that he nearly
bounced Sasuke right off it. Smothering a smile, the brunette slid back on the
bed, scooted over, and settled himself behind Naruto. The blonde sent him a
glare over his shoulder.

�What the hell do you think you�re doing?�

�Just lean back, dumbass.� When
Naruto hesitantly complied, Sasuke looped his arms about the boy�s chest and
drew him closer. He rested his chin on the blonde�s shoulder, fighting off a
smirk at the faint blush that crossed the bigger boy�s cheeks. �There. Feel
better now?�

�I thought you hated touching people.�

�I�ll make an exception, just this once.� He closed his
eyes, relishing the feel of Naruto�s muscled back against his chest. One hand
began to idly drift back and forth over the blonde�s chest, gently mapping out
the muscles he found there. Inhaling deeply, he shifted against the boy. God, he feels good...

After a long moment, Naruto sagged against him. �I knew it.
You�re a clingy guy in disguise, aren�t you?�

�...Something like that.� It was
taking all of his self control to keep from letting his hands roam to
more...interesting places. �Are you feeling better?�

�I feel like a teddy bear.� Despite his comment, Naruto
smiled. �But yeah, I�m feeling better.� Shifting his shoulders, he snuggled
into Sasuke�s hold. �You�re comfy.�

�Must be all of that refusing to work out.�

�...And what�s with all the jokes tonight?� Sitting up, he
turned around and gave Sasuke an odd look. �You�ve been in an abnormally good
mood ever since we got ready to go to the movies.�

The Uchiha lifted an eyebrow, dropping his arms from around
the blonde. �Is that not allowed?�

�It�s weird, and it�s freaking me out.� After gazing at him
for a long moment, Naruto abruptly reached forward, snagged Sasuke�s wrists,
and pushed the boy flat on his back with his arms over his head. He grinned at
the shocked look on the Uchiha�s face. �That�s better.�

Sasuke�s heart started pounding as he took in the suggestive
position Naruto had put them in. Swallowing, he pasted a smirk on his face.

�And how does this change anything?�

�Because you�re cute when you�re flustered.� Naruto chuckled
when Sasuke�s face took on a hint of pink, releasing the boy and sitting up.
�But anyway, this did help me get
over the movie.�

Sasuke didn�t get up, keeping his arms up over his head as
he watched the blonde. �Does that mean you�re leaving?�

�Into that dark, empty room? Hell no.�

Smirk widening, Sasuke narrowed his eyes. �Afraid ghosts
will come out of the walls?�

�Worse. I�m afraid you�ll go crazy, hunt me down and kill
me.�

The brunette laughed at that, missing the way Naruto�s grin
faltered for a moment. �You�re safe from me, I promise.� Hesitating, Sasuke
gave Naruto an assessing look. I may be
pushing things a bit, but... �Naruto...�

�What?�

�Do you...� Sasuke hesitated again, then
decided to take the plunge. �Do you want to stay here tonight?�

Naruto looked like Sasuke had just slapped him with a live
trout. �...What?�

Rolling his eyes, Sasuke sat up. �I didn�t mean it like that.� Well, ok...I kinda did. �I just thought I
would offer, since you can�t be sure Kiba won�t kill you in your sleep.�

�Kiba�s not as scary as you are.� Naruto considered it for a
long moment while Sasuke kept his expression as bland as he could with his
heart leaping in his chest. �Well, alright. If you�re sure I�m not going to bug
you.�

�You always bug me, Naruto.� Yes! He�s staying! Sasuke smirked dryly. �But this time, I�ll put
up with you.�

�Gee, thanks for the generosity,� he replied dryly. Sighing,
he lay back on the bed and folded his arms behind his head. �I feel like you�re
babying me.�

Chuckling, Sasuke lay down beside him. Naruto gave him a
sour look. �Don�t say it, Sasuke. I
don�t want to hear it.�

The Uchiha lifted a hand in acknowledgement, then folded it across his stomach. The two boys lay in
silence for a few minutes, both staring up at the ceiling as though it were the
single most interesting thing they�d ever seen...shy of paint drying. After a
while, Sasuke rolled his head to the side and looked at the boy next to him.

�You�re thinking about something.�

�Yeah? How can you tell?�

�I smell smoke.� He smothered a smile when the blonde stuck
his tongue out at him. �So, really...what are you thinking about?�

Naruto hesitated for a long moment, then apparently
abandoned whatever he was really considering and smirked at the brunette.

�I�m thinking about how lucky you are to have a fan club.
Girls mobbing you at every pass?� He heaved a wistful sigh. �It must be
wonderful.�

Snorting, Sasuke resumed his perusal of the ceiling. �It�d
be wonderful to you. You�d probably take the excuse to score around the clock.�

Frowning, Naruto whacked Sasuke on the chest. �Give me a
little more credit than that, man.
I�m gorgeous, but I�m not a manwhore.� He paused. �I�d only score halfway around the clock.�

The Uchiha rolled his eyes. �If you�re that narcissistic and
you don�t have the fangirl squad
trailing after you, I�d hate to see what happened if you did.�

�Probably nothing. A guy can only love himself so much.�

�In your case, I�m not so sure.� After a moment, Sasuke�s
eyebrows furrowed. �Besides,� he mumbled, �I�d think you have enough people
chasing after you as is.�

Naruto glanced over at him, eyebrows lifting. �What...you
mean Neji and Gaara?�

The Uchiha�s gaze snapped over to the blonde, his expression
darkening. �Yes, I mean Neji and
Gaara. How long did it take you to figure out that they were after you??�

The blonde furrowed his eyebrows at that, frowning. �Well, sheesh, Sasuke! It�s not like I asked for them to like me.� Sighing, he passed a hand over his
eyes. �Actually...I was just thinking about them. About what I�m going to do
with them.�

One of Sasuke�s eyebrows twitched. I see. So he�s laying here right next to ME in MY room, and he�s
thinking about my rivals. That�s just perfect.

-end chap 17.2-
- 16
- 17
- 18
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Chasing Naruto