Chapter Text
Morning light peeked in through the curtains, illuminating the room in a soft light, bright enough to wake up pleasantly to yet still dark enough to fall back asleep.
Naruto’s eyes slowly opened, and he drew in a deep breath, reaching up a hand to rub the crust out of his eyes. When his vision cleared he looked around the room, noticing the sun had risen.
A soft sigh made him turn his head to the side, and he smiled when he looked upon the sleeping face of his boyfriend. He always looked so peaceful when he slept, and was much less irritating. Secretly Naruto would sometimes wake up a little earlier than Sasuke, just to watch him sleep. And yes, Naruto knew how truly girly that sounded, but that was why he didn’t tell anyone.
Naruto rested a hand on Sasuke’s lower back, gently rubbing it, while the other tenderly ran his fingers through the raven hair that was soft to the touch.
An intake of breath was heard, which was exhaled with a sigh. He looked down to see Sasuke’s eyes fluttering open, as he lifted his head up off Naruto’s chest to look at him blearily, still half-asleep. The sweet action caused Naruto to smile down at his lover, as he held him in his arms.
“Good morning.”
Sasuke retracted his arm from around Naruto’s waist and rubbed his eyes, stifling a yawn on the back of his hand.
“What time is it?”
Squinting at the digital letters of the bedside clock, Naruto noted the time and stated it, loudly and happily so.
“6:48. Rise and shine!”
The bright smile Naruto was sporting was apparently too bright for Sasuke, who eyes hadn’t adjusted to the morning light yet. He rolled off Naruto and onto his other side, pulled the covers back over himself. Mumbling was heard as he buried his face in his pillow.
“Why do you always wake up so early for?”
At this Naruto rolled his eyes and moved closer to his boyfriend, wrapping an arm around his waist and hugging him from behind.
“Teme, you know the best parts of the day are when the sun rises and the sun sets. I gotta be awake to see them both.”
A sigh escaped the raven’s lips and he still didn’t raise his head from the pillow when he spoke, his reply sounding muffled and completely drained of energy. Sasuke really was terrible at waking up early in the mornings. Even when he had to, it still wasn’t easy for him. So when he was not required to he would often sleep late, or as late as Naruto would let him.
“I don’t know how you can have so much energy at a time like this.”
Nuzzling into Sasuke’s cheek, Naruto smiled and kissed it before he started poking him in his ribs, his voice full of cheeriness and joy and all the things a person shouldn’t rightly have so early in the morning.
“Teme, stop being a grumpy bastard and get up to greet the day! The sun is out, the birds are singing–”
“–Like I care.”
The smile on Naruto’s face grew in cheekiness, and he squeezed Sasuke tighter around the waist, nestling into his shoulder. The hair on the nape of Sasuke’s neck tickled his cheeks, but it was so pleasantly soft it didn’t bother him.
He heard Sasuke emit another drawn-out sigh, and he lifted his head from the pillow slightly to speak clearly.
“I just want a few more peaceful minutes of sleep, is that too much to ask?”
“Yes! And it’s your own fault if you’re tired! You shouldn’t have stayed up so late last night.”
He heard Sasuke scoff and he finally turned over, still in Naruto’s hold, just to give him a condescending glare. Naruto blinked a few times, his hand now resting innocently on his lover’s hip as he waited for him to speak.
“And whose fault is that? I wouldn’t be so tired if someone hadn’t been so persistent and wasn’t satisfied until one o’clock in the morning.”
This made Naruto blush and he averted his eyes away from Sasuke’s guiltily. Last night they had been very…active, more so than usual. But it was only because Naruto had been gone for a week on a water-skiing trip with Kiba, Lee and Sakura.
The trip was amazing, and it was great to spend some time with his best bro and Lee and Sakura as well. They had all been friends since high school, and Naruto had even helped Lee and Sakura get together. After graduation, they all made the effort to keep in touch.
But he did miss Sasuke, and called him every single day at least once. Naruto knew that he sounded like a pathetic teenage girl who was away from her boyfriend for the first time, but he couldn’t help it. Whenever he was away from Sasuke he always felt a little lonely.
When Naruto arrived back yesterday evening, Sasuke barely had enough time to welcome him home before Naruto had literally thrown himself into Sasuke’s arms, attacking him with kisses anywhere his lips could touch. Naruto hadn’t had him for a whole week, and it took quite a while to satisfy the need inside him. And although Sasuke was saying he had demanded him to keep going, Sasuke hadn’t hesitated in his actions, not even once.
But now that Naruto was back, Sasuke was already reverting back to his former ass-holish self. And it wasn’t even midday yet. Naruto shoved him slightly and removed his hand from his boyfriend’s hip, huffing as he sat up against the backboard of their bed, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Stupid Teme! Don’t say such perverted things so early!”
A rather smug look found its way onto Sasuke’s face, and coming to a sitting position as well, he moved closer to Naruto, easily catching his gaze with his penetrative obsidian orbs.
“Why? Are you envisioning it?”
“N-No!” Naruto said, a little too quickly and a little too loudly, a common sign that he was deftly denying whatever someone was accusing him of.
Sasuke rolled his eyes and then he caught the blush Naruto was trying to hide and reached up a hand to flick him in the forehead.
“Che, you’re such a liar Dobe. I can practically see it all over your face.”
Narrowing those cerulean spheres, Naruto pulled an angry pout onto his face and aimed it straight at Sasuke.
“You know I liked you better when you were asleep, bastard!”
Quicker than Naruto’s eyes could see Sasuke had moved on top of him. His legs were straddling Naruto’s thighs and his hands on either side of the backboard of their bed. Naruto blinked back at him rapidly, staring into his eyes, which was a bad idea because they could always trap Naruto and make him do whatever their owner requested.
“Really? Are you sure of that?”
Naruto glared at him, and then began trying to push his boyfriend off, raising his hands in protest, but Sasuke quickly pinned them to the backboard, smirking at his successful capture. That just infuriated Naruto and made him struggle more, which was pointless seeing as how he was still trapped between Sasuke’s legs.
“Teme! Get off me!”
The bastard just kept smirking at him, which made Naruto’s eyes narrow crossly. Sasuke leant closer to his face, and the two were directly staring at each other.
The angry and irritated front Naruto was pulling was beginning to weaken when he could feel Sasuke’s breath on his face. The breath in Naruto’s throat hitched when Sasuke leant even closer, so close he was speaking softly into Naruto’s ear.
“You woke me up, so now you have to deal with the consequences.”
Despite feeling pissed at the bastard, he also felt incredibly turned on right now. Sasuke was looking at him with such intensity, it was making Naruto feel a little giddy. That thought made him want to slap himself. Really, he behaved like such a horny teenager around Sasuke, when both men were 22 years old and well past their adolescence. But Naruto couldn’t avoid the feeling of youth Sasuke gave him. That thought made Naruto’s nose crinkle in distaste. Great now I sound like Lee. What’s wrong with me?
His thoughts came to a grinding halt when he heard Sasuke’s voice drift by his ear, dropping in volume and increasing in sexiness.
“What are you thinking about?”
Now, Naruto’s thoughts were over clouded by lust and he was pretty much out of his mind, what with Sasuke pressed down on top of him so closely. And it was by a mere slip of the tongue that he let forth the name of the last person that was on his mind.
“Lee.”
At this, he saw Sasuke stop and pull away a bit, quirking an eyebrow at his boyfriend’s questionable response, a slightly worried and confused look on his face. He sighed deeply, pulling away from Naruto, but still sitting on top of him, and shook his head.
“You sure know how to ruin the mood, don’t you Dobe?”
Coming out of his daze and realising his mistake Naruto’s eyes widened comically and he blushed faintly. He then waved his hands in front of himself, as if to dispel any bad thoughts.
“I-It was an accident! I-I was thinking about you always make me feel horny, b-but I didn’t mind because you make me feel so young, and then I thought about Lee in span–”
Before Naruto could finish the sentence, Sasuke had raised a hand and covered it over his mouth, his brow crinkling in irritation.
“Don’t even finish that sentence.”
As Sasuke removed his hand, Naruto started chuckling nervously, reaching up a hand and rubbed the back of his head, another quirk that revealed his emotions, the current being embarrassment.
“Aha, I-I’m sorry, Sasuke. I didn’t mean to say it. I never want to imagine that…Oh gross! I just did!”
Naruto then covered his eyes, determined to rid his mind of the horrid image that was Lee in dark green spandex. Sasuke merely shook his head again and sighed exasperatedly at his boyfriend’s overimaginative thought process.
“You’re an idiot.”
“Argh! I can’t get it out of my head! Quick, kiss me!” Naruto’s bright blue eyes snapped open and quickly found the bored black ones he was searching for.
“What are y–”
But Sasuke’s words were cut off when a pair of lips crashed down over his own. And just like that Naruto forgot all about Lee in spandex. He grabbed the front of Sasuke’s shirt and pulled him in closer, starting to actually kiss him. Sasuke jerked forward, but quickly balanced his hands either side of the backboard, so as not to fall.
All too soon Sasuke pulled his lips away from Naruto, who of course tried to chase after him to no avail. A pout appeared on the blonde’s face, and he saw Sasuke smile faintly. That made his annoyance fade, even more so when Sasuke’s warm hands slid down from the backboard around his neck to rest behind his ears, both his thumbs ghosting over Naruto’s jawline.
“I missed you.” Sasuke murmured quietly, his eyes roaming all over Naruto’s face, as if taking him in for the first time. The look Sasuke had on his face along with his choice of words had Naruto blushing again and he heard his heart beat clearly and loudly in his ears.
Sasuke hardly ever said things like that to him. Even though Naruto always knew Sasuke was glad to have Naruto back after he had been gone, he had never said those sort of words to him. It was the longest they had been apart from each other in all the years they had known each other, and it must have affected Sasuke as much as it did him.
Naruto felt that familiar ache in his chest he had been feeling for months, but it was not a painful one. Rather, it was one of restrained lust and love, holding back all he felt. If Naruto spoke right now, he wouldn’t trust his voice to say what he wanted it to. Naruto knew what was in his heart would speak first, and he didn’t want to push the question onto Sasuke. At least not yet. Naruto himself was still unsure how to exactly go about it.
Reaching up a hand to Sasuke’s face, Naruto took one of his raven bangs in his fingers, and then tucked it behind his ear, giving him a small smile and saying instead, “Yeah, me too, bastard.”
Leaning forward once more, Sasuke gently turned Naruto’s head to the side and kissed him softly. Throwing his arms around Sasuke’s neck, Naruto’s hands found their way to the raven hair once more, running it through his fingers again. Sasuke’s arms moved to wrap around Naruto’s back, pulling him closer into the embrace.
For so long Naruto had loved Sasuke. It came as a great shock to him that when he confessed his true feelings the last day of their senior year. Sasuke had merely smiled, not smirked, but truly smiled at Naruto and had called him an idiot before kissing him.
That was the single most shocking and amazing thing that had ever happened to Naruto. After they got together, Sasuke told him he had had feelings for Naruto ever since 9th grade. That was even more surprising because that was the same year he started thinking about Sasuke differently as well. They had had these feelings for each other that way for so long and they didn’t even realise it, and since they found out they had made the most of it.
As Sasuke turned his head, he began kissing behind Naruto’s ear, which made the blond stiffen a little and then blush from the contact. He wrapped a hand behind Sasuke’s neck, pulling him in closer and closing his eyes once more. He let out a sigh of pleasure, and turned his head upwards to allow Sasuke more room.
That spot was kind of…sensitive, and the two had accidentally figured that out one day during a steamy make out session. After eliciting an interesting sound from Naruto when he began kissing there, Sasuke had discovered something new and now always used it against him. Not that Naruto minded, except when he didn’t feel like surrendering. But that was far from his mind right now.
Running his hand down from Sasuke’s neck, Naruto let it roam over his strong back, feeling the muscles beneath the soft fabric of his shirt under his touch. Letting his hand linger at the bottom of his shirt, Naruto slipped a hand underneath to run up Sasuke’s back once more. It felt warm and smooth against Naruto’s palm, and he wanted more than anything to get the annoying shirt off of his lover to feel that warm skin against his own.
The shirt began riding up as Naruto’s hand moved further up Sasuke’s back, and Naruto felt anticipation well up inside him. Screw having done it until one in the morning, he wanted it now! He was almost there, however his excitement was cut short when Sasuke finally pulled away from behind his ear and looked down at Naruto.
“You’re right. It’s time to get up. So let’s go.”
And with that, Sasuke was off Naruto as soon as he had gotten on top of him, and was now sitting on the edge of the bed. He had his arms up over his head in a stretch, which revealed a little of his skin as the shirt was lifted up. Naruto groaned loudly, falling back against the headboard with a very unhappy look on his face, similar to that of a child who had just been denied his favourite treat.
“Why do you always have to be such a goddamn tease, bastard?! I was just about to get some!”
At this Sasuke let out a dry chuckle and turned his head to look back at the pitiful face of his boyfriend.
“Sure you were. Now come on, get up or you’ll be late for work.”
Naruto huffed and crossed his arms again, not positive about the thought of getting up. He had enjoyed his time off and wasn’t eager to return to the shop just yet. He was hoping to spend some more time with Sasuke, but they both had work and wouldn’t see each other again until around 5 in the afternoon. This thought made Naruto’s shoulders droop and Sasuke seemed to sense his lack of enthusiasm. Letting out yet another sigh, he walked over to Naruto and poked him in the forehead as he so liked to do to his Dobe. Said Dobe looked up from the contact and was met with onyx eyes.
“It’s almost the end of the week. We’ll have plenty of time to waste on other things then.” Sasuke said, looking down at Naruto with a gentle look in his eyes.
Naruto looked back for a moment before nodding, standing up from the bed. Sasuke smiled at him and pressed a tender kiss to his lips, which left Naruto slightly dazed for a moment. Sasuke then pulled away and began collecting his clothes, walking to their bathroom.
Snapping out of his daze, Naruto suddenly realised Sasuke was gone and heading towards the bathroom. “Oi, who said you were going first, Teme?” Naruto asked crossly, realising Sasuke was about to snag the first shower.
“That’s what you get for zoning out.” Sasuke called out before closing the door behind him.
Naruto growled and walked over to his dresser, pulling out a long-sleeved shirt, some pants and his usual overalls. I can do without a shower this morning. Well, I guess I could join the Teme, but that probably wouldn’t end up good. Naruto could easily become distracted whenever Sasuke took a shower with him, and he really didn’t want to be late for work. He didn’t care what anyone said, Tsunade could be one hell of a monster when she was angry, and he wasn’t about to test her patience after being gone for a whole week.
XXX
Naruto didn’t know how, but somehow Sasuke had beaten him in getting ready. Maybe it was because he didn’t get distracted with things like the T.V. or his phone like Naruto did. So when Sasuke came out of the bathroom dressed in his freshly ironed work pants and business shirt, Naruto, who was still in his boxers and t-shirt scrolling through his phone, did a double take and checked his watch, swearing loudly and getting up to get dressed. Sasuke just scoffed at him and said the usual insult of “Idiot” before leaving the room and Naruto along with it.
Fifteen minutes later Naruto had stumbled out of the bedroom, his overalls in a carry bag he would put on once he got to work, lest he be victim to Sasuke’s wrath at ruining his good chairs with oil stains.
“Hey Sasuke, do you know where–ahh, what smells so damn good?” Naruto said, a dreamy expression coming over his face as he inhaled the delicious smell of fresh cooked food as he wandered into the kitchen. He was met with the image of Sasuke serving up bacon, eggs, and toast onto a plate, along with freshly squeezed orange juice already on the table. Seeing Naruto had finally come down, Sasuke turned around to face him, full plate in hand.
“Breakfast, Dobe.”
Cerulean eyes lit up and he grinned widely, dropped his bag and walked over to Sasuke with his arms outstretched, prepared to envelope him in a heart-felt hug. “You made a cooked breakfast? Ah, thank you Sasuke! I love yo–”
Naruto’s declaration of love was cut off by a piece of toast Sasuke had shoved into his mouth. “Eat first, talk later. You can even hold off on the talking for a little while, since you do enough of that already.”
Naruto glared at the raven who smirked as Naruto took a hold of the piece of toast in his mouth, pulling half of it away as he chewed the other half already in his mouth. “Shuddup Shasuke!”
“Don’t speak with your mouth full, Dobe. It’s a bad habit.” Sasuke walked past Naruto and straight to the table, setting down Naruto’s plate down and heading back over to get his morning coffee ready. Sasuke wasn’t fussed if he had nothing for breakfast, but if he didn’t get his coffee he’d be crabby for the rest of the day. Naruto had learned that lesson the hard way.
Plopping down in his seat, Naruto bit back a retort, mainly because his mouth was salivating from the aroma of the food in front of him. Nothing compared to Sasuke’s cooking, except for maybe ramen. But Sasuke made a lot more of the meals since they got together, and Naruto just couldn’t say no when it always smelled and looked so damn good! He could have ramen anytime anyway.
But Naruto didn’t eat a bite, no matter how much his stomach grumbled. He never did, not unless Sasuke was sitting with him. It was just always a thing they did. If one was not at the table, they wouldn’t eat until the other was. It was one of the unspoken things in their relationship. They never questioned it, they just did it.
Two minutes later Sasuke was sitting down with him, and Naruto finally dug into his mouth-watering breakfast.
After eating his eggs and some bacon, Naruto leaned back in his chair, his eyes falling on Sasuke. He was sipping his coffee and reading the paper, as usual. But Naruto was in the mood for conversation, so he decided to break the silence.
“So how has work been? Kakashi found any more porn yet?” Naruto asked, his fingers running along the edge of his glass of orange juice.
“I find it funny how that’s what you think my work consists of.” Sasuke said without looking up from his paper, and Naruto let a smirk fall into place.
“Come on, Sasuke. You know that 90 per cent of the internet is porn as well as I do.” Naruto said, a coy tone to his voice, which made Sasuke look up.
“Is your first thought when you think computer always going to be porn?” Sasuke asked lamely, turning the page of his paper and his eyes returning down to it.
“What other thought is there?” Naruto replied, his eyes glinting in mischievousness as he caught Sasuke’s barely concealed smirk hidden behind the newspaper.
After they graduated Sasuke was accepted into many colleges and universities, everyone wanted a piece of him. He had so much potential, yet he chose to go to the local college, completing a couple of degrees before ending up in some technological computer-based company. Sasuke was always good with stuff like that, while Naruto couldn’t even figure out how to connect up the wi-fi. But even so, Naruto thought he had greater aspirations than that of a mere computer-fixing job.
One day he had questioned Sasuke about it and all he said was he wasn’t interested in big-shot businesses where he could hardly have any time to relax. And he also said that he didn’t want to leave, because everything he loved was right here.
That was the first time Sasuke had said he loved him. Well, he didn’t exactly say he loved Naruto, but he could tell Sasuke wouldn’t say it to him for nothing. Of course Sasuke would never say it to his face. It was just the way he was. But hearing Sasuke really did feel the same way he did was the best feeling Naruto had ever experienced, even more so than the feeling adrenaline bought him.
“Deny it all you want, I know you’ve watched it too. An uptight bastard like you would need some sort of idea on how to do it properly.” Naruto was being cheeky and he knew it, but he also knew that Sasuke would play along. They hardly bickered as much as they did when they were just friends, instead making it more of a playful banter when they became a couple.
Looking up from paper again, Sasuke pulled a blank look onto his face as he voiced his response. “That’s obvious. How else do you think I attained the level of sexual skill I currently have? I watched extensive YouTube videos on the subject of male-male relationships. And it made me the person I am today.” Sasuke said the words in such an emotionless and monotone voice that it had Naruto laughing, eyes sparkling as he watched Sasuke’s now clearly visible smirk.
When he had first met Sasuke, Naruto had deduced he didn’t have a humourous bone in his body. After time though, he had learned to interpret and understand Sasuke’s style of humour. And hey, he was a pretty funny guy when he wanted to be! It was one of the many, many things he loved about Sasuke.
Naruto really loved Sasuke. He always had and he always would. He wanted Sasuke to be the first person he saw when he woke up and the last one before he went to sleep. He wanted to be the one Sasuke could come home to, and the one which could come home to Sasuke. He wanted the both of them to be together forever, as corny as that sounded. Although Naruto supposed that this was true already, but somehow…it wasn’t enough. He wanted all of Sasuke. He didn’t want anyone else. He didn’t need any more time to think about that.
For a long time now, Naruto had wanted to ask Sasuke the question every other man was allowed to ask his girlfriend when he got to the point where he couldn’t live without her. The question he had been burning to ask for months, that was plaguing him night and day.
He wanted to ask Sasuke to marry him.
Naruto was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of movement, and noticed Sasuke had finished his coffee and was washing up his mug. Letting his gaze fall back towards the table, Naruto noticed Sasuke had cleared away his plate and glass as well, and was in the process of washing them up. Even though the gesture was small and meant to be thought nothing of, Naruto couldn’t help but feel affection pool in his stomach for the man in the kitchen. The aching feeling was back again, and Naruto was beginning to think he’d blurt out the question any moment, but at the same time couldn’t bring himself to do it.
Getting up from his seat, Naruto walked over to the kitchen where Sasuke was currently drying his coffee mug. Taking it from Sasuke’s hands, Naruto began to wipe the mug and placed it away in the cupboard. Reaching for the plate, Naruto started drying it as well.
“You don’t have to do that, idiot.” Sasuke attempted to grab the plate from Naruto, but Naruto just moved it out of his reach and gave him a smile.
“You cooked, so I clean. That’s fair, right?”
Onyx eyes narrowed and Sasuke let out a “Hn”, emptying the sink as he stopped his efforts to reclaim the plate. Naruto inwardly cheered in triumph, happy he could do something since Sasuke always did so much for him.
Actually, in all honesty, the thought of becoming joined to Sasuke in such a way, a permanent and life-long agreement, it didn’t frighten Naruto at all. He had thought about it for a long time, and gone over and over again if he was truly ready for such a commitment, and whether he and Sasuke would last.
But every time he came to the same conclusion, and there was no doubt in his mind. He wanted to marry Sasuke. He wanted to become his husband.
He was a little worried though, at the doubt that may be in Sasuke’s. Naruto may have been well and ready to settle down, but Sasuke could feel the exact opposite. He knew Sasuke did love him, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t unlove him. That thought always made Naruto cringe. To imagine a life without Sasuke was hardly a life worth imagining.
“There! All done! And we’re still early! A new record!” Naruto cheered happily as the last of the washing up was put away, checking his watch to see how long it took.
“You’re such a dork, Naruto. Now I understand why you never had a girlfriend.” Sasuke taunted, walking over to where his briefcase rested on the couch. He smirked when he heard the indignant spluttering of Naruto, turning around to meet his boyfriend’s slightly embarrassed and outraged form.
“Y-You shut up, bastard! I could get any girl I want, any time I want! I just choose not to!” Naruto puffed out his cheeks and crossed his arms over his chest, looking away from Sasuke to hide his embarrassment.
Sasuke was right. He had never had a girlfriend. No doubt he had tried when they were back in high school, but Sakura was never interested and by the time he had realised Hinata had liked him she was already crushing on Kiba. Not that Naruto really cared, because by then he had started having weird feelings about Sasuke. But still, seeing as how Sasuke had had a girlfriend or two before he got together with Naruto, it still stung his pride a bit sometimes.
Gathering work sheets into his many folders, Sasuke placed them inside his briefcase before snapping it shut. He then straightened his collar and looked in the mirror just near the front door, checking his hair. Satisfied with his appearance, he walked back over to the still sulking Naruto, who had picked up his own work bag and was checking he had everything he needed. He jumped when he felt a hand wrap around his arm, gently turning him around to face Sasuke.
“Are your overalls in there?” Sasuke asked, his dark eyes fixed on Naruto in a light gaze.
Naruto knitted his eyebrows together, muddled at his boyfriend’s rather random question. “Uh, yeah. I’ll change when I get to work. They’re kinda dirty y’know.”
Sasuke ran his hand up Naruto’s forearm, stopping when he was just above his elbow. There he leaned closer to Naruto, another smirk forming on his face. “Keep them on when you come home. You look good covered in grease.”
A blush then bloomed over Naruto’s face, and he poked Sasuke in the chest. “Y-You’re just one big perv, you know that bastard?” Naruto stuttered, feeling more than flattered at Sasuke’s words.
“Only for you.” Sasuke said, smiling before he placed a kiss against Naruto’s cheek, while Naruto had to refrain himself from jumping on the Uchiha right then and there. Really, Sasuke had to choose all the wrong moments to be all sweet and loving.
Suddenly Naruto felt the urge again. That question was burning fiercely in his mind, begging and pleading to be answered.
Should I ask him now? I…I don’t know if I…should I? Shouldn’t I? What do I do?
Naruto’s mind short-circuited when he heard Sasuke say a good bye to him before turning to walk out the door. He was leaving before Naruto could make up his mind. He didn’t know what to do, but he didn’t want Sasuke to leave yet. Taking a few hurried steps forward, Naruto called out, a little louder than he should have.
“W-Wait! Sasuke!”
Reaching the door, Sasuke stilled his hand on the doorknob, turning when he heard his name called. He regarded Naruto with a mildly concerned look on his face, seeing as how the blonde had basically yelled at him to stop. Something was going on with Naruto lately, maybe Sasuke would finally know what it was.
“What is it?”
And just like that all of Naruto’s confidence was gone. Sasuke’s gaze was upon him, and Naruto couldn’t get a clear thought through his head. It was all a jumble of confusion, uncertainty and doubt. Now Sasuke was staring at him expectantly, Naruto had to say it. He just had to say it right. Swallowing hardly, Naruto kept looking at Sasuke as he tried to voice the thing he was so desperate and so afraid of asking to the person he loved more than anything.
“I…I just…I wanted to ask you…”
“Yes?” Sasuke prompted, awaiting Naruto’s response.
Naruto knew the moment was gone. If he asked it now it would sound too rushed and thoughtless and Sasuke would think he was messing around. Changing tactics, Naruto brought a sheepish smile onto his face, scratching at his neck.
“Do you think you could pick up some ramen for me? I-It’s just that I’m running out and don’t really have any time today to go out and get it, what with work and everything!” Naruto let a chuckle follow after he finished speaking, to sound more convincing if that possible. He knew Sasuke might not believe him, but at least he could look convincing enough to sell it.
Sasuke looked at him for a moment, as if was waiting for what Naruto’s real question was. But he accepted that the blonde wasn’t going to talk, and Sasuke wasn’t going to force him.
“Sure. What flavour this time?”
“Umm…Beef! No, no Miso! Yes! Some Miso Ramen please Sasuke!” Naruto said, flashing another grin that didn’t quite meet his eyes.
Sasuke simply nodded and pulled out a pad and pen from his pocket, scribbling down the ramen so he wouldn’t forget.
“Got it.”
Placing the pad back into his pocket, Sasuke clicked his pen and reattached it to his shirt pocket. Grasping the door handle again, Sasuke gave Naruto a one handed wave as he opened the door and headed out into the corridor.
“See you soon Dobe.”
“Yeah, see ya Sasuke.”
Naruto heard the door close and slumped down into the nearest chair at the kitchen table. He reached a hand into his pocket, pulling the ring box out and turning it over in his hands. He clasped it tightly in his grasp, and then shoved it back inside his pocket, grabbing his bag and deciding to go to work himself.