Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

     Naruto couldn't help but watch out of the corner of his eye.

     He did his job well, no one could say he wasn't doing it. Not that it took any brains in particular to check ID's and unclip a rope all night long- being a bouncer was pretty fucking boring most of the time, as it turned out. He often found himself wanting someone to start a fight just so he could get a little excitement in his life. Then again, he wouldn't want anything to ruin Nightshade's performance. It was less about not breaking their concentration- the guy was unflappable- and far more about keeping them from joining in a throwdown. Nightshade may look classy in their heels and corset, but deep down, they were the same street fighter Naruto was. 

     It was a slow night. Nightshade worked the pole for a group of visiting businessmen. They were in their element. Sweat made their skin shine, their muscles lean but defined, and god were they flexible. They climbed to the top of the pole with an elegance Naruto could only dream of and dropped back down in a series of slow, graceful spins using only their legs, their spine arched all the way back, their hair falling backward and revealing the entirety of their face. They made the raunchy sport of pole dancing seem like art. They were art. Naruto hated having to turn his attention back to the door as a stampede of barely-legal kids came in for a reserved birthday party. He just wanted to watch Nightshade forever.

     He checked their ID's. He knew at least two of them were fake. Rather than throw them out, he gave them a stern look and drew X's in Sharpie on the backs of their hands. They pouted miserably, but didn't give him a hard time. If you want drinks, have your friends sneak 'em to you like we did growing up. Earn some skills. He followed the group as they passed Nightshade's station. All of them turned their heads to look, but one in particular paused a moment to stare in awe. Naruto couldn't help but smile. Yep, they're one of a kind. 

     The whole place was, really. The Lime was the only "co-ed" strip club in the entire city. Also unique to their establishment was the fact that they mainly catered to the LGBTQ+ crowd. The dancers ranged from typical hunky guys in underwear to drag queens to stone butches to high femmes and everyone in between. Nightshade filled a niche no one else could, and pulled in a more varied crowd than anyone else. They were dark and elegant, effortlessly sophisticated, and they blended the masculine and feminine with a fluidity so smooth that no one at work knew their actual gender. Their customers certainly didn't; it was the fantasy of imagining what they could be that kept them coming. Nightshade was an enigma to everyone except Naruto. Naruto knew Nightshade better than anyone. At the end of the night, they abandoned their stage name for Naruto alone. They left their persona at the door as they fell into his arms, and his only. Naruto couldn't help but feel a little possessiveness over them and their true identity.

     Nightshade exiting the stage was Naruto's cue to go. It was Kiba's turn to lock up, so he followed them to the back rooms. No one was bothered by his presence; the other dancers knew he only had eyes for Nightshade, and he had never been anything but respectful toward each and every one of them. In fact, he'd saved several of their asses on more than one occasion. If anything, they all probably felt safer with him around. Nobody ever tried to kick him out, at least.

     Nightshade always took the back left corner, so that's where Naruto went. They were wiping makeup off their face; they'd been too far away for Naruto to even notice they were wearing it earlier. They couldn't get it all off, streaks of glittery black still under their eyes, but it would surely come off in the shower when they got home. They greeted Naruto with a little hum as he appeared in the mirror over their shoulder.

     "Good night tonight?" he asked. Nightshade shrugged, running a brush through their hair.

     "Decent for a slow one." A few resentful looks were sent their way. Nightshade was the only one who'd been busy all night, breaks few and far between. Even on their slowest nights, Nightshade made a killing. Naruto understood why it sometimes drew the ire of the others, but he also understood that Nightshade wasn't in this for the money. They genuinely enjoyed their work. The hated having any downtime at all. They thrived on busy nights. They thrived on constant performance. Naruto knew all about stamina, but there was nothing quite like Nightshade on a good night. Their favorite nights were the nights their legs felt too jelly-like to go home in heels, the nights where they were so tired they couldn't even stand up on their own to shower, the nights where they were so exhausted they passed out the moment their head hit the pillow. Nightshade wanted to work, wanted to give their all. Anything less than that simply wasn't enough. It was just the way of things.

     "You'll pick up more on Friday," Naruto assured quietly, careful not to attract more negative attention. Nightshade simply hummed again, exchanging their ear-cuffs with dangly chains for their usual plain black studs. 

     They somehow wiggled into a pair of sweats without having to take off their heels- a feat Naruto still could not comprehend- and tossed a heavy black jacket over the corset. Nightshade always came to work dressed beneath regular clothes so they wouldn't have to fully change, so they could keep up the intrigue. And, Naruto knew, maintain their privacy. Nightshade was a professional through and through: none of their colleagues knew their legal name, none of them knew what was in their pants, and none of them knew much of anything about them aside from the fact that when they went home, they went with Naruto. He led them out with a palm between their shoulder blades, their heels clacking along the tile floors leading to the back door. 

     The air was cool, but reeking of cigarettes and weed. They ignored it easily- they grew up in apartments that stank of the same or much worse, after all- and Naruto located the car with a press of a button on his keys. Nightshade navigated gravel and crumbling asphalt as if they'd lived their entire life in heels this high. They never once hung their head or averted their gaze. They always walked as if they were in the middle of an extremely important task, focus unwavering, eyes sharp and alert. Naruto loved their intensity. He loved the way they glowed cold under street lamps. He loved the set of their shoulders and the angle of their jaw. He loved them so much.

    The pair spent the ride home in companionable silence. Nightshade needed time to slip out of their persona, process the shift, decompress. Naruto could respect that. It had taken a long time for him to learn to be quiet for a while, but now that he could, he found it rather relaxing. Being the one in the driver's seat helped. Except when it began to rain and suddenly other people forgot how to drive. He honked his horn loudly as someone cut him off in a big black truck.

     "Fucking jackass! I got precious cargo in here!" Nightshade smirked. Naruto fumed, turning to yell at them when he realized what he'd said. Instead he ended up laughing. "Well, it's true." They snickered, and Naruto could see the persona slipping away, revealing the real person underneath. Sasuke.

     "I'd hardly consider myself precious cargo. More like damaged goods, really."

     "Damaged, are you nuts? Like, seriously, have you seen yourself in a mirror literally ever?"

    Sasuke shifted in his seat, propping his foot up on the inside of the car door with a little snort in lieu of a real answer. The rest of the ride was as quiet as it had begun, and just as comfortable. Sasuke seemed a little more relaxed, if not a bit tired. Naruto stole glances at his foot in the door a red lights, admiring the curve of his calf in heels, fantasizing about what they could do in the privacy of their own home.

     Naruto knew when they got into the apartment that Sasuke would want to head straight for the shower. He was already stepping out of his sweatpants, and about to bend down and unstrap his heels. Naruto stopped him with a firm grasp on his elbow. His eyes were hungry, and Sasuke knew exactly what that look meant. He smirked, tilting Naruto's chin up and slowly closing in for a kiss. Naruto purred, wrapping his arms around Sasuke's waist. His fingers traced the boning of the corset, loving the feeling of lace against his skin, and one hand quickly found its way to Sasuke's ass. He nibbled Naruto's lip as he pulled away.

     "How do you wanna do this?" he asked, his breath fluttering hot against Naruto's ear as he ran his teeth along the edge of his lobe.

     "Fuck, S-Sasuke... Wanna be inside you..." He smirked.

     "Well? What are we waiting for?"

     In an instant they were in the bedroom, lips locked together. Sasuke's hands pushed up beneath Naruto's shirt. He broke the kiss to toss it over his head. Sasuke purred, hands roving appreciatively over Naruto's pecs. He couldn't help himself; Naruto kissed the corner of his mouth, down his jaw, his throat, pulling a light moan from somewhere deep in Sasuke's chest.

     "So beautiful," he breathed, raking his hands through Sasuke's hair, his back, over his ass. Sasuke smirked, leaning down to return Naruto's affections with kisses all over his face and love-bites along his neck.

     "Bed?"

     Naruto nodded, letting Sasuke lead him toward the bed through their kisses. The backs of Naruto's knees hit the edge of the mattress, and he sank down on it, gazing up at Sasuke with unconcealed adoration. 

     "You're dressed to kill," he noted. Sasuke snorted.

     "You say that every time."

     "Do I? Must be true, then."

     Sasuke shook his head, feigning an annoyance his fond smirk betrayed, settling into Naruto's lap as if it were made to seat him. They kissed deeply, tongues brushing. Naruto ran his hands up the length of Sasuke's thighs, calloused fingers catching softly on sheer black thigh-high socks. His thumb traced a line beneath the hem of skimpy booty shorts, leathery on the outside but soft fabric inside. They parted to breathe, foreheads pressed together. Naruto's eyes asked permission before his mouth could. Sasuke nodded to the unspoken question. A feral smirk bloomed on Naruto's lips.

    He swung Sasuke around and pinned him down on the bed. He tasted every inch of his neck and shoulders, careful not to leave marks. Sasuke panted softly beneath him, clearly worked up but trying to hide it, and Naruto couldn't suppress a smirk. I'll have him begging for me soon... He felt his way down Sasuke's corseted torso, over the shorts, down strong legs, and finally, finally, to the heels he loved so much. He picked up Sasuke's left foot first, cradling the back of his ankle in one hand and tracing the straps criss-crossing the top of his foot with the other.

    "So gorgeous for me..." He drew his tongue over the straps, holding Sasuke's foot still by the sharp column of the stiletto. Naruto knew he was making obscene noises, but he didn't care. He loved these fucking shoes, he loved them on Sasuke, he loved Sasuke. 

     He mouthed a path all the way up Sasuke's leg, stopping just shy of his crotch. He nosed the fabric at his hip teasingly, switching to crawl down his other leg. Sasuke's fingers dug into the mattress, trying to suppress the fact that he was shaking with anticipation. Naruto gazed at him from beneath his eyelashes, taking the right foot and licking the straps of that shoe, too. The feeling of warm leather on his tongue, the way the stiletto cut just a little into his palm with his hard grip, the knowledge that if Sasuke wanted he could kick the ever-loving shit out of him with those heels... It was too much. I can hold back anymore...! 

     "Sasuke," he called huskily. Obsidian eyes turned downward, fixed intensely on Naruto's face through the veneer of lust. "I want you."
     "I'm yours to take."

      His response was instant. No hesitation, no doubt. Nothing but trust. 

      Naruto pulled Sasuke into his arms as he stood. Sasuke's hands were needy in his hair, his demand loud without words as their lips met with bruising force: fuck me. Naruto worked his fingers through the laces in the back of Sasuke's corset, the knots coming loose and freeing Sasuke's torso. Bare skin, hot to the touch, soft with hours of sweat. Naruto didn't mind, laying Sasuke back on the bed to pull down his shorts. Sasuke helped him maneuver them around the heels, keeping them on as the shorts drifted to the floor. When Sasuke had gotten a bottle of lube, Naruto had no idea, but he poured it over his own fingers with a smolder in his eyes. Naruto groaned as he watched Sasuke's slick fingers work himself open, his face flushing a shade of red so deep Naruto would have worried if he didn't know better. He kissed his way around Sasuke's foot, his cock growing so hard it ached. 

      "Alright, enough of that," Naruto said, finally grabbing Sasuke's wrist. He raised a brow, but rubbed the slick over Naruto's cock without hesitation, making full eye-contact. Naruto shuddered.

      Sasuke was ready for him. He slid in easily, earning a loud moan from Sasuke as he bottomed out.

     "F-fuck... Naruto...!" Sasuke hooked his ankles behind Naruto's back. The stilettos scraped across his lower back, pulling a loud moan out of him. He leaned forward, latching onto Sasuke's throat in an effort to quiet himself as he started thrusting in and out. His body was warmer than warm, a pulsing tunnel of heat. Naruto couldn't get enough, wanted to taste and touch and fuck, but he was too impatient. Sasuke couldn't last that long, either. His breaths were labored. His blush had crept all the way down his neck and bloomed across his chest. His hands curled into fists near his head, tossing it to the side as he moaned again, his hair splayed out over the sheets. It spurred Naruto on, making him thrust faster. "Naruto...!" He released Sasuke's throat and pushed forward, folding him nearly in half, and the stilettos ended up beside Naruto's ears. He rubbed his face against the side of Sasuke's foot, gazing upon the dark bruise he created. Oh well. That's what makeup's for... Sasuke's nails dug hard into the mattress, his head craned back as he moaned. "Naruto... Naruto...!"

      "Sasuke...!"

      Naruto's vision swam, pleasure coiling hot and tight inside him. Sasuke's body clenched, and he didn't moan so much as gasp. The noise sent Naruto spiraling into ecstasy, spilling himself deep inside him. He didn't consciously bring his hands back to Sasuke's feet, but he found himself gripping Sasuke's ankles, his thumbs hooked under the straps. He gave each ankle one last, sloppy kiss before he pulled out. Sasuke groaned as he stretched his legs behind him, rolled his hips forward, arched his back. Naruto cringed at the way his joints cracked in quick succession.

     "Why the fuck do you sound like a bowl of Rice Krispies?" Sasuke snorted to cover a laugh.

     "I just worked a pole for six hours and got bent in half, bitch. I'll snap, crackle, pop as much as I want."

      Naruto chuckled, settling on the bed beside Sasuke. He brushed his fingertips over the bruise on his throat.

      "I'm gonna get you back for that." Naruto grinned wickedly.

      "Promise?"

     He laughed as Sasuke swatted at his head, clearly too tired to do much more than that. He shivered a little.

    "Cold?" Naruto asked.
    "Leaking."
    "Ah. Shower?" Sasuke eyed him suspiciously.

    "No funny business." Naruto made a cross over his heart.

    "No funny business," he agreed. Sasuke smiled, rolling onto his side just long enough to press a chaste kiss to his lips.

    "Love you, moron."
    "Love you, bastard."

Chapter Text

     The Lime's current management was fond of themed nights. At least once every two weeks, sometimes more, the club would become a different place, with new decor and everyone in costumes. Tonight was Retro Night. Many of the dancers walked around in sailor suits and rockabilly dresses, hair in pin-up curls and shoulders adorned with tied sweaters. Nightshade, as usual, had donned a strange blend of fashions. Their hair was done up like a greaser, slicked back with gel, along with a black leather jacket and wife-beater, all vintage machismo. Their lower half, though, was clad in a mini skirt and polka dot heels, exuding a peppy feminine appeal. Naruto stared at the shoes from a distance, fascinated by the contrast of black and white on top and the vivid red soles on the bottom.

     It was a busy night. Nightshade was definitely getting tired, but they didn't show it in a way anyone but Naruto would notice. He watched them restart their routine for a new table- probably the last of the night, considering it was a large group and a few would probably want lap dances. Naruto was only half-paying attention to the customers that drifted in, most already drunk. He saw, out of the corner of his eye, Nightshade's jacket go flying behind them onto the stage. The small crowd they'd attracted roared, wolf-whistles piercing the air. Naruto smirked as he marked an X on yet another underaged hand. They're having a great night. Just look at all the bills they're chuckin' at 'em... Naruto was proud of Nightshade not just as a performer, but also as his partner. They were good at their job and watching them do it was a delight. It never got old. The money didn't hurt either, of course. They'd grown up accustomed to scarcity, clawing their way through daily life. Their wages now kept them comfortable, something Naruto still wasn't entirely used to, and the idea of disposable income sometimes made his head spin. Watching the dollars flutter around them made Naruto's heart pound in a weird way. I bet we could go on a nice date with all that tip money. We haven't been out in a while. Is it my turn to pick? I think it is... 

      Naruto was daydreaming about a trip to the mall and holding hands under the table at Ichiraku's when Hinata approached.

     "Naruto?" she called. He smiled at her, straightening up a bit.

     "Hinata! You heading home?"
     "Yes. I was w-wondering if-"
     "I can walk you to the car? Of course!" She blushed something fierce, smiling behind her hands. 

     "Thank you, Naruto." 

     "Oh, no problem at all! Tenten!" She perked up from a few tables down, holding a rough-houser by the scruff of his neck. "Can you watch the front?"

     "Only if you dump this one out the side."

     "Deal!"

     She shoved the hooligan at him, and Naruto recognized him as a regular. He caught the guy with one arm and linked his other arm with Hinata's.

     "Alright buddy, out we go. You know the rules."
     "But Naruto-"
     "No buts, Gennai. You know the rules," he repeated. "You keep getting rough with our dancers and you're gonna get banned. We'd hate to do that, but what choice will we have?"

     "You're right, you're right," he slurred, finally managing to get his feet under him well enough to stumble alongside him. Naruto opened the side door and unceremoniously tossed him out. 

     "Go home and get a good rest, bud. And maybe don't drink so much next time, huh?"
     "Y'got it, boss. See ya next week."

     Naruto shut the door and continued toward the back with Hinata. He led her through the same door he led Nightshade every night, escorting her through the dark parking lot. Naruto realized quickly why she was particularly frightened of going alone today; her car was parked under a broken light, and only a few rows down, a bunch of people were sitting in the back of a van and on the hood of a pickup truck talking and drinking raucously. Naruto tutted, shaking his head at the sight. 

     "Those morons again..." Hinata tucked her hair behind her ear.

     "They were making me n-nervous," she admitted. "I wasn't sure if they're allowed to be there."
     "They're not. Thanks for letting me know. I'll deal with it." Naruto leaned against her car as she got in, watching the partiers closely. It was only once the engine started and her lights turned on that Naruto pushed off of it, patting the top. "Get home safe, Hina. You'll text me?"
     "Of course. Thank you again, Naruto."

     "Anytime, sweetheart. Good night!"

     "Good night."

      Naruto listened to her pull away as he walked up to the tailgaters. They seemed young, perhaps not even legal drinking age. I'll only call the cops if I have to, though. I hate getting kids in trouble... 

     "Hey!" he barked in his most authoritative tone. Several of them froze. "Either go inside and party there, or find someplace else. Our parking lot ain't it."
     "And what'll you do about it? You're not a cop," one sneered, despite the warnings of a girl holding onto his arm. Naruto pinned them with a glare.

     "The precinct is down the street, and I happen to be well acquainted with them. They'd be here before you even put on your seatbelt." He raked his gaze over the lot of them. "I don't care where ya go, but it can't be here. Get inside or get lost. Got it?"
     "... Yessir."

     In a frenzy of movement, they packed up the vehicles and shoved the sober ones into the drivers' seats. Naruto nodded approvingly, only moving far enough out of the way that they couldn't accidentally hit him. He didn't head back toward the building until their headlights turned onto the street behind the lot. He nodded to himself, satisfied. Only a little while longer. All in all, it's been a pretty quiet night. No major fights, no issues at the door, no dancers harmed... He resumed his post at the door, fist-bumping Tenten as she went back to her usual spot near the bar. He knew Kiba was stationed downstairs, making sure the dance floor didn't get too chaotic. The second floor bar was definitely crazier than the third, and Naruto didn't envy him at all for having to be down there today. At least he gets to see his girl, he thought teasingly. A train of thought was meant to follow that, but it was derailed at the sight of Nightshade descending the steps from the stage. They were beckoned to a guest of honor- Naruto guessed a bride-to-be by the sash- and Naruto couldn't help but ogle them as they stepped up onto the arms of their patron's chair. The crowd wooed and whistled again as they began to dance, balanced dangerously on the chair, risking themself and their patron. They didn't seem worried at all about falling. Naruto was always awed by their cat-like balance, their grace. So beautiful. Always so fucking sexy... 

     He distractedly turned away new guests, saying the club would be closed soon. They disappointedly went back out. Naruto flicked on the speaker beside him and made the announcement to the whole floor.

     "Last call fifteen minutes. Finish your drinks and arrange your rides home." Nightshade managed to turn their head long enough to raise a brow at Naruto across the room, descending from the perilous edges of the chair to dance in front of their patron instead. Naruto watched dollar bills slide into the waistband of their skirt, into the tight collar of their tank-top. Naruto swallowed. Can't wait to get my hands under that skirt and my mouth around those heels. I know they think it's gross, but I wanna so bad...

      Nightshade was with a different customer now, from the same group. They were working their magic with their hips, the skirt fluttering just shy of revealing their underwear, teasing. The customer was trying to hide how hot and bothered he was, blushing behind his hand. Naruto smirked. They could break down just about anybody's composure... Nightshade finished their lap routine, climbing the steps up to the stage for one last pole dance at the group's request. Naruto leaned against the wall and admired from afar, staring shamelessly at his partner as they swung around the pole, all long legs and lean muscles. Can't wait to have you home... 

      It took an extra twenty minutes after closing to clear out the patrons on the floor, plus another fifteen or so to escort the dancers out and lock up. The party was still raging on the floor below, and would be for a while. Again, Naruto didn't envy Kiba. He got to come in later than Naruto and Tenten today, but at the cost of staying until four or five in the morning to get everyone out and lock up. I much prefer going home with Nightshade, he thought as he slid into the driver's seat. Naruto kept his hand on the gearshift, and Nightshade placed theirs softly on top. Naruto smiled with a wink. They blew him a kiss that made him feel giddy. They shifted out of work mode and back to their normal self. Sasuke, looking tired but satisfied. I can make you feel another kind of satisfied... 

     He watched Sasuke wander into the kitchen once they got home, bending at the waist to peer into the fridge. The skirt just barely covered his ass like this. He's totally doing that on purpose... He emerged with two cans in his hand- a seltzer for him, and a beer he offered to Naruto. Naruto took it gratefully, popping the top and leaning against the table as Sasuke went back in for something to eat. He grunted, shutting the fridge and searching through the cabinets instead. His heels clacked along the tiles. I could fuck him right against the counters. Or bend him over the table. Or have him ride my lap in a chair. Actually, maybe not, these things aren't the sturdiest. I gotta tighten a few of these... 

     Naruto recognized that Sasuke said words, but didn't hear what he said. 

     "Huh?"
     "I said whattya want in your ramen?" God he's so fuckin' perfect. Works a pole, rocks a pair of heels, makes me ramen- Naruto blinked at Sasuke's fingers snapping in his face. "Wake up, usuratonkachi!"
     "I'm awake, bastard!"

     "Then answer me or all you're getting is a bowl of hot water!"

     "Fine! Egg! I want an egg!"
     "Finally!"

     Naruto was torn between irritation and attraction as Sasuke bent in front of the fridge again and dug out the container of hardboiled eggs. 
     "Scallions?" came his muffled voice from inside.

     "Sure. We got any meat?"

     "Hm..." Sasuke's underwear was starting to peek out from under his skirt. Naruto swallowed, looking away, returning to his beer. Attraction was definitely winning out over irritation. He'll kill me if I come onto him before we eat. He gets grumpy when he's hungry... Sasuke re-emerged with a container of leftover chicken. "Toss this in it?"

     "Yeah that works."  

      Sasuke nodded, tying an apron over his clothes as he set a pot of water to boil. Naruto watched, a little slack-jawed, as Sasuke raised himself on tip-toes to reach a new bottle of vinegar on the top shelf of the cabinet. Over six feet tall in heels and still can't reach... Naruto might have made fun of Sasuke for being short- even though Naruto himself was about an inch shorter than Sasuke's actual height- but today he didn't feel like teasing. He was just appreciating the sight of him. He looked like a sexy housewife in that retro skirt and apron, and those polka dot heels were driving Naruto crazy. He knew Sasuke had picked up on it, that's the only reason he'd still be wearing them in the house, but Naruto couldn't help himself from commenting anyway. 
     "Really got into the role today, huh?" Sasuke snorted, stirring in the spices. 
     "I'm just too hungry to change."

     "So you're not being domestic in your retro gear for any particular reason?" Naruto knew without being able to see his face that Sasuke was smirking, maybe rolling his eyes, too. 
      "Don't flatter yourself, idiot. This isn't for you." Naruto purred, wrapping his arms around Sasuke from behind. 
      "Well that just makes me want it more." 

      Sasuke definitely rolled his eyes this time, but leaned back against Naruto nonetheless. 
      "You can have whatever you want after we eat."

      "Whatever I want?" Sasuke pinched his cheek. 
      "Don't get saucy." Naruto laughed, letting him go so he could move around better. Naruto took up his usual post chopping the scallions and slicing the eggs as Sasuke added the vinegar, sesame oil, and soy sauce to the pot. 
      "Nah, that's your job Sauce-kay."

      Sasuke groaned at the terrible pun, focusing on the contents of the pot so he wouldn't inadvertently encourage Naruto to keep going. He could roll for a while on a good pun train if Sasuke didn't swiftly kill it before it began. Naruto snickered a bit, choosing to set the jokes aside in favor of peacefully cooking side by side. Sasuke plopped the leftover chicken and ramen blocks in. Naruto scooped up the chopped scallions and tossed those in shortly thereafter. The eggs would have to wait until they'd scooped their portions into bowls. Naruto did Sasuke the favor of getting out said bowls, along with chopsticks and spoons for each of them. He said thank you with a tilt of his chin. Naruto said you're welcome with a grin. 

      Soon the ramen was ready and dropping into their bowls, portions exactly equal, and Naruto watched as Sasuke laid the eggs on top with care. 
      "Too bad we don't have narutomaki," Naruto said, predictably. Sasuke snorted as he walked the bowls over, setting one down in front of Naruto and carrying his own to the seat across from him.

      "We'd buy it if I could find it."

      "You couldn't learn to make it?"

      "You couldn't?"
      "Touché."

      For a while they just ate in amiable silence, sending each other winks and smirks around their noodles. Sasuke always made great ramen. Way better and fancier than Naruto's go-to method of dumping the flavor packet in a bowl of water and noodles and nuking it in the microwave. Naruto ate quickly, and Sasuke took that as a compliment, a half-smile half-hidden beneath his hair. Naruto sat back with a sigh when he was finished, much too soon.

     "Satisfied?" Sasuke asked as he slurped more of his own noodles. Naruto licked his lips. One hunger was satisfied, but another flared to life in its place even stronger than ever.

     "Well... I guess," he answered at last. Sasuke paused, glaring up at him, ready to be pissed.

     "You guess?" he repeated in a near-hiss that Naruto knew meant tread carefully. 

     "Oh, you meant the meal? Yeah, absolutely. Super good." Sasuke relaxed a little, nodding and returning momentarily to his own noodles. "But there's something else I want."

     Sasuke's eyes flashed.

     Next thing he knew, Naruto was pushed against the wall, Sasuke's lips locked with his. He moaned into the kiss, Sasuke's tongue heavy in his mouth, making his knees feel weak. They pulled apart with a wet smack, hands roving. Naruto's shirt was launched into the stratosphere. He reached up Sasuke's skirt, rubbing his thumb against the front of his underwear. He moaned loudly, grinding into Naruto's hand.

     "You're excited already, aren't you, Sasuke?" Naruto didn't miss the shiver that passed through his body, or the way his breath puffed hot on Naruto's skin before he bit down hard on his collarbone. Naruto groaned- that bite fucking hurt- but gave a sigh of relief as Sasuke soothed the wound with his tongue.

    "Told you I'd get you back."

    "Fair enough."

     Naruto swung Sasuke around and slammed him against the table, ass-up, feeling the taut muscle of his thigh.

     "What the fuck?!"

     "You said I could have whatever I wanted after we ate," Naruto purred, nipping Sasuke's earlobe. "And what I want is to fuck you."

     "Well? What are you waiting for?"

     Naruto scanned the room quickly, his vision zeroing in on the sesame oil left out on the counter. He grabbed it and set it down on the table, within Sasuke's peripheral vision. 

    "Oh what, you want me to taste like ramen, too?" he scoffed. Naruto chuckled as he pulled down Sasuke's underwear, letting them fall to his ankles.

    "Now there's an idea..."

     Sasuke cursed as Naruto's slicked finger entered him from behind, the same thumb he'd just used to rub his crotch. He knelt down as Sasuke kicked off the underwear, pressing his thumb in further and hooking it to keep Sasuke open as he placed his mouth over his hole. Sasuke moaned. Naruto dipped his tongue inside him, tasting of musk and sesame, then back out, swirling around his rim before dipping back in. Sasuke's nails gauged audibly into the table, his breath hitching. Naruto reached for his crotch with his other hand, teasing, asking for permission.

     "Just do it!" he snapped, hips twitching as he sought more contact. Naruto gave his own moan as those fingers slid easily inside Sasuke's other hole. He focused on his right hand at the front, his left hand merely cupping Sasuke's ass now. Fingered from the front, eaten out from the back. It had Sasuke's chest heaving in no time, sweat rolling down his skin, their kitchen filled with panting and moaning. Naruto pressed his fingers and tongue in deeper, stroking a spot along Sasuke's walls that had him keening. "Naruto!" He kept rubbing that spot with his fingers while his tongue worked between his cheeks, everything wet and warm and quivering with desire. "Naruto!" he said again, this time a warning. Naruto raised his head just long enough to snatch a breath of fresh air.

    "Come, Sasuke."

     He did, instantaneously. Naruto's hand became wetter. Sasuke had placed all of his weight on the table by now; it creaked as Naruto stood, still working him through his orgasm.

     "Fuck..." Naruto leaned down on top of him, his chest flush to Sasuke's back.

     "At your limit already?" Sasuke huffed in annoyance, trying to lift himself off the table with arms like jelly. He settled for a glare over his shoulder.

     "I'm just warming up." Naruto hiked up Sasuke's hips, the skirt flipping up and brushing his back instead of his thighs. Naruto couldn't help but bite his lip at the sight, spreading oil over himself now.

     "That's what I was hoping you'd say."

     Naruto's cock pressed slowly into Sasuke from behind, stealing his breath. Naruto took his sweet time, savoring the sensation of Sasuke's hole clenching around him. By the time he was fully sheathed inside him, Sasuke was shaking with anticipation.

     "Hold onto the edge," Naruto instructed. Sasuke obeyed mindlessly, reaching for the furthest edge of the table and, to Naruto's surprise, bringing one leg up with him. Naruto admired the brilliant red coloring the sole of Sasuke's shoe. Almost as pretty as the red his face gets... Sasuke was beyond blushing. His cheeks were ruddy, his ears nearly glowed, and even the back of his neck was cycling through shades of pink on its way to red. Naruto loved the way it contrasted with dark hair and pale skin. "So beautiful..." he muttered, slowly pulling out almost all the way before slamming back in. Sasuke's back snapped into an arch, a wanton moan searing the air, and Naruto lost himself in the feeling of Sasuke's body. He thrusted hard and fast. Sasuke's ass slapped against Naruto's legs. Naruto's fingers dug into his hips and Sasuke's fingers dug into the edge of the table. He rolled his hips to meet Naruto's, matching his desire. Words spilled from their mouths, but neither really knew what they were saying, just endless litanies of "yes" and "harder" and every swear word in the book. Naruto panted heavily as he reached between Sasuke's legs, not pushing into the front this time but playing a little further up. Sasuke cried out, eyes squeezed shut. 

     "Yes, Naruto, yes, yes-!" He moaned wordlessly as Naruto rubbed the part Sasuke affectionately referred to as "that stupid thing". Stupid as it may be, it definitely did the job of making him feel good. He squirmed beneath Naruto, shuddering, keening as he veered into overstimulation. Sasuke... So good...! "Naruto, I-!"

       He was cut off by Naruto's own loud moan as he came, burying himself deep inside Sasuke. His vision pulsed to the same beat as his cock, and he choked as Sasuke tightened around him, wringing out a second wave of pleasure. He collapsed blindly on top of him, his own heartbeat nearly drowning out Sasuke's lingering moans as he rode out the rest of his climax.

      Naruto wasn't sure how long they laid on the table, but when he finally slid out of Sasuke he felt boneless and tired in a good way. Sasuke attempted to get up, too, but his ankles wobbled and he melted straight to the floor. Naruto just barely managed to catch him, hardly able to hold him up.

     "You good?"

     "Fuckin' shoes..." Sasuke tore at the straps and tossed them away, pushing himself up with one hand on Naruto's shoulder and the other on the table. Together, they tottered to the bathroom and removed what was left of their clothes. The shower was warm and their hands were gentle on each other's skin as they washed one another. Naruto watched, mesmerized, as Sasuke scrubbed the gel out of his hair, water and shampoo cascading down his back. Naruto wrapped his arms around him from behind, leaving a kiss in the juncture between Sasuke's neck and shoulder. Sasuke leaned back against him with a sigh.

     "You're beautiful," he praised. He could feel more than see Sasuke's smile.

     "You're not too bad yourself."
     "You're an amazing lay."
     "You're incredible."

     "I fucking love you so goddamn much."

     "I love you too, stupid. Now let me go so we can go to bed."

     Naruto smiled, turning Sasuke around so they could share a deep kiss under the spray. Sasuke trailed after him when they parted, eyes closed.

     "Gimme a few more," he breathed. And so they kissed, over and over and over, until the water started getting cold and they had no choice but to get out and dry off. They simply resumed the kissing in bed, naked, tangled up in each other and the sheets. Naruto felt warm from the inside out. Warm and happy. 

     "I love you," Naruto said again.

     "I love you, too."

     They fell asleep with their foreheads pressed together and fingers intertwined.

Chapter Text

      Sasuke presented himself very different in his daily life compared to on the stage. He wore masculinity as easy as his skin. It was his default setting, always had been. The same lean muscles that kept him steady on the pole rippled beneath cuffed sleeves, the same sharp collarbones that framed corsets and tanks peeked out seductively from under an unbuttoned collar, and the same ears that wore sparkly, dangly earrings by night looked just as biteable with plain black studs during the day. He was only comfortable with femininity as a costume, a persona he could take on and off at will. If someone called him "she" on the street, he'd deck them in the mouth without hesitation, whereas on the stage he wouldn't bat an eye. Not that that would ever happen; Sasuke could walk this city virtually unrecognized despite the fact that he danced at one of the most popular clubs in the whole region. He'd almost been recognized in public a few times, but no one was ever able to place him back into context fast enough. Anonymity despite his local fame. The duality of Sasuke amazed Naruto. It was incredible, and confusing, and alluring.

      Just another thing Naruto loved about him.

     Right now, Sasuke was in nothing but a pair of boxer briefs, kneeling on the floor over his big bin of work clothes, deliberating. Naruto was perched on the bed, cross-legged, peering down passively into it with him.

      "Blue?" he suggested, probably unhelpfully.

      "I just wore that last week." 
      "Hmm... what about this one?" he asked, dipping down and picking up a black lacy thing.

      "That one's ripped," he said, plucking it from Naruto's fingers and showing him. Sure enough, there was a tear in the backside. Naruto snickered.

      "Your fat ass bust through it?" Sasuke snorted, tossing it aside into a basket of sewing supplies for later.

      "Snagged on the doorknob in the bathroom."

      "Again? That's it, I'm changing it."

      Sasuke shrugged. He couldn't give less of a shit what Naruto did to their place, as long as it wasn't ugly or dirty. Naruto wrote a reminder in his phone to go to the hardware store on his next day off, adding the new doorknob to the growing list of other things they needed. Next paycheck's gonna disappear mad fast... So it goes.

      Naruto's eye was caught by a particularly garish color.

      "Wait, what's that one?"

      "Which one?" Naruto leaned over and pulled it from a tangle of other clothes. It was a hot pink body harness.

      "Where'd you get this? I've never seen it before." 
      "Oh, that. It was a gift." Naruto raised a brow. "Karin."

      "Ah."

      Karin gave Sasuke all her hand-me-downs when she left her job as a dancer at The Lime to pursue a career in security at some fancy office building downtown. He used a lot of them- Naruto still didn't understand how they were the same size, they were two totally different builds, but whatever- but never once had he touched this one.

      "Why haven't you worn this before?"

      "I'm not sure if you've noticed, but there are two colors I never ever wear. Pink is one of them." Naruto pursed his lips.

      "It would look so cute on you, though." Sasuke shrugged, rubbing absently at the scars on his chest.

      "I don't have anything to go with it. The best I could do is layer it over a black outfit." Naruto drummed his fingers against his thigh. Maybe I'm just thinking with my dick, but it seems like such a waste to not wear it just 'cause he doesn't have anything to match. We could fix that pretty easily... 

      "Did you save money for it?"

      "Yeah. Just didn't get around to shopping." Naruto nodded with a note of finality. 
      "Alright, it's settled then. We're going out." 

      Sasuke's head snapped up, brow raised.

      "Settled?"

      "I wanna see you in that harness. You have the money and we've both got the time, so let's do it!" Sasuke stretched, joints popping. 

      "Alright, but I'm taking a nap before work."

      "You and your naps."

      "Don't start, Uzumaki," he warned. Naruto rolled his eyes with a grin. 
      "I won't, I won't."

      Sasuke drove this time. For a while they listened to the radio in silence, pretending the afternoon traffic wasn't making them just a bit irate.
      "So what exactly are you looking for to go with this?" Naruto asked, pulling the harness out of his pocket. 
      "Put that away, usuratonkachi!" he cried, swatting at him. Naruto rolled his eyes, but folded it up and pocketed it all the same. Always so prudish when he's off-duty... Naruto realized he'd left a drink in the car, and started sucking on the straw, heedless of the fact that the ice had melted and it was merely more than diluted sugar at this point. "Anyway, I was thinking shoes."

       Naruto choked. How can he say the best answer so casually?! 
      "Get a hold of yourself, dobe. It's just a pair of shoes." Naruto glowered, coughing into his sleeve. Sasuke's smirk just made him glower harder. "You and your shoe fetish."

      "Oh shut it, Uchiha!" Sasuke chuckled as he pulled into a metered spot on the street. He opened the center console and dug out some change.

      "Keep your mind outta the gutter while we're in here, will you?" he said, flashing Naruto a smirk and a wink.

      "You bastard!" 

      Sasuke hopped out of the car before Naruto could punch him in the arm. He grumbled, waiting until a parade of cars passed before he opened his door and followed Sasuke out onto the sidewalk. He was already placing their meter ticket on the dashboard of their car when Naruto stepped onto the concrete. They walked together with their hands stuffed into their pockets, Naruto holding the door for Sasuke.

       The place smelled like any other shoe store, leather and rubber and the scent of Orange Glo on the floors. The biggest difference was the fact that mannequins in lingerie were scattered everywhere. A man with wild silver hair sat behind the counter, eyes crinkling with a smile as he recognized them. 
       "Well, well, well. My favorite customers return! I was starting to think you two didn't love me anymore."

       "Tch. Dramatic," Sasuke sniped. Naruto jabbed him in the ribs with his elbow. 
       "Of course we still love you, Kakashi! You could stand to come down to the club once in a while if you missed us that much, though." Kakashi flipped a dismissive wrist. 
       "I'm a married old man. What business do I have hanging around a club with all you single youngins?" Sasuke rolled his eyes, walking away so Naruto couldn't get another jab in. 
       "We get couples in all the time!" Naruto said, sauntering up to the counter and leaning against it. He elected to ignore the fact that Kakashi was reading a clearly not-safe-for-work book right in front of him. "And as for old... Well, you're hardly old, Kakashi! You're barely forty!" Naruto had known him long enough to know when he was wrinkling his nose under his mask. 

       "Forty is old enough."

       "Nah! Sasuke, didn't you just dance for an old lady on her one-hundredth birthday? She came in with her great-grandkids- GREAT-GRANDKIDS, KAKASHI!- and got a lapdance. Can you imagine that?"

      Kakashi was the one person on earth aside from Naruto who knew about Sasuke's double life. This was the one place they could talk about it freely. 
      "Was it gross?" Kakashi asked. 
      "I don't speak ill of my patrons," Sasuke said placidly, which they both knew meant yeah but they paid well. Naruto and Kakashi shared a chuckle at Sasuke's expense. He didn't seem to notice; he was busy scrutinizing a pair of lacy knee-high boots. Kakashi stretched with a deep groan. 
      "I guess I oughta get up and do my job, huh?" He winked at Naruto as he got up from his stool, stuffing his hands in his pockets and weaving between the aisles to reach Sasuke, who was currently on the run with his vision zeroed in on a different pair of boots. Naruto trailed leisurely after them. "Eleven-and-a-half women's, Sasuke?" 

       He nodded. 
       "Looking for anything in particular today?"

       "Pink," Sasuke answered distractedly. Kakashi turned to Naruto for further guidance; he produced the harness from his pocket. 
       "Something to match this," he clarified, handing it off to Kakashi. The man nodded. 
       "I've got a few things. That ain't it, though, Sasuke. Doesn't come in pink."

       "Hn."

       "You seem drawn to boots. You clearly have a look in mind."

       "Hn," he mumbled again, touching the toe of a snakeskin boot as they passed. He sneered at the texture; clearly just a faux print. That's right, he's always liked snakeskin. The real stuff is crazy expensive, though. Maybe someday, if one of us gets rich and famous, I'll be able to get him a pair of snakeskin boots. Maybe even a cute little mini-skirt to match.... 

       Naruto started at a sharp pain in his ribs. Sasuke's elbow, connecting to an arm that inevitably led to a disgruntled expression.

       "Quit daydreaming in public, dobe," he hissed under his breath. Naruto pouted.

       "Kakashi is hardly 'the public', bastard."

       "Shut up or I'll shove this ratty old sneaker right up your-"

       "Alright, so I think what this'll come down to is texture," Kakashi interrupted. A bit too loudly. They both winced, blushing a bit. Kakashi knew Sasuke needed a decent number of shoes for work, but they didn't necessarily need him to know what they did with them off-duty. Though being the perv he is, he definitely already figured it out... "If you want it all to match, then this pair is probably the closest you'll get in both color and texture." The display was black. Sleek, shiny latex. One of Naruto's favorite looks on Sasuke, personally, but this was his purchase, so Naruto kept his mouth shut. He did have to physically look away as Kakashi opened a box containing the pink version, though. Something about the color and texture combined made him immediately salivate. Sasuke's nose wrinkled just slightly.

       "Anything less harsh?"
       "In color or luster?"
       "Luster. This is..." He blinked as if just looking at it were making him see stars. "Too much," he finished at last. Kakashi nodded.

      "Well, I'll be honest with you, Sasuke, if you take something with the exact same luster as the harness, it'll just look like a rain boot. So what we need to do is change up the textures..."

      Kakashi thought for a moment, then bee-lined for a pair of boots on the other end of the aisle. Naruto and Sasuke followed like lost puppies.

      "These, I think, are gonna be right up your alley. This velvet number comes in the correct color, but isn't nearly as harsh on the eyes with regard to the luster." He showed Sasuke a velvet boot, about knee-high, standing on the display. It was a simple brown color that otherwise wouldn't have interested either of them in the slightest. Sasuke felt it as Kakashi crouched to search for a pink pair.

      "How durable are these?" he asked.

      "Oh, velvet holds up great. Just don't expose it to extreme heat, like cigarette butts. This is a rayon velvet, so water beads right off. You could wear it in the rain with no real problem. It does tend to get linty, though, so you might need to brush them once in a while." Sasuke nodded, continuing to feel the boot on the display. He's gonna walk out with this pair. Naruto always knew when Sasuke was smitten. Sometimes it took an hour, sometimes it was the first pair he picked up. Today, it was the velvet boots. They only confirmed it when Kakashi opened the box to show him the pink option: exactly the same pink as the harness, but immensely easier on the eye than the latex pair they'd just seen. Even Naruto, who up until that moment was thinking about buying the latex ones for his own enjoyment anyway, could admit that this pair was a much better choice. He reached behind Sasuke's head and felt the display boot while Sasuke tried on the one in the box. Oh fuck yeah, that feels nice . He looked down at Sasuke's leg. He'd rolled his pants up as far as he could and tried on one.

      "How's the fit?" Kakashi asked.

      "Perfect."
      "Comfortable?"
      "Very."

      Naruto felt his stomach twisting into knots as he tried to contain himself. God he's so hot, he thought, hoping he didn't look as warm as he felt. His legs look so good in those. The color is perfect. Barbie pink is definitely a good one for him. And fuck, look at the way they hug his calves! I hope he tries on the outfit he has in mind as soon as we get home. I'm sure he'll be snarky about it and make me beg for it but-

      "Thank you, Kakashi."

       Naruto blinked. He had clearly missed something important- Sasuke only thanked Kakashi before they left the store if he did them a huge favor- but the two were clearly having a moment, Kakashi smiling with his eyes and Sasuke looking... well, not necessarily emotional by any human standard, but by Sasuke standards he looked absolutely touched. Not moved to tears, not even really looking much different than usual, but it was something in the expression around his eyes. Naruto couldn't quite name it, especially out of context, but he knew he'd seen it before despite its rarity.

     He followed the other two men to the counter, where Kakashi rang Sasuke up and bagged the shoes. Naruto almost hated to see them go away, but he knew they'd make an appearance again soon enough. He waited until they were out the door and in the car to say anything.

    "Okay, so what just happened in there?" Whatever it was, Sasuke was clearly over it- he was wearing the same resting bitch face as usual- but Naruto noticed how his fist tightened a little around the steering wheel.

     "Kakashi gave me a very good deal, that's all."
     "That's it?"

     "That's it."

      The rest of the ride was rather quiet. Naruto kept glancing back at their purchase in the backseat, and he hoped his hand didn't tighten on top of Sasuke's too much on the gearshift. Sasuke's smirk said otherwise. He's definitely gonna make me beg for it, that smug motherfucker... 

      The tires crunched on gravel as they rolled into their driveway, Sasuke cutting the engine and snatching the bag before Naruto got the chance. Naruto stuck his tongue out at him, earning a snicker.

      "You're a real dick."

      "I wish I had a real dick."

     "Don't you dare play that card, Sasuke."

     "Hn, you're right. If I had a real dick it'd put yours to shame."

     "What?!" he shrieked, moving to tackle him but instead barreling straight through their open doorway. Naruto just barely caught his balance, inches away from face-planting on the hallway rug as it slipped out from under him. "You absolute shit stick-!"

      Sasuke laughed as the front door shut and Naruto righted himself, pouting and glaring with all the menace he could muster. Sasuke was thoroughly unfazed, still laughing as he brushed right past Naruto and into the bedroom. Naruto followed, but only to start an argument, not because he'd been thinking horny thoughts since before they even got to the shoe store. No siree, not that at all.

      "I could have cracked my head open and died, y'know! How could you, Sasuke, I-!"

      He stopped short. Sasuke had gotten naked incredibly quickly.

      "W-what the hell are you doing?!" Naruto screeched. Sasuke glanced back at him over his shoulder, brow raised as if it were the stupidest question in the world.

      "What's it look like I'm doing? Gotta try on the outfit before I wear it to work." 

      And now Naruto was more turned on than earlier, his goal of causing problems on purpose forgotten. Naruto watched Sasuke don a mesh crop-top and his leathery little booty shorts. The top was completely see-through, making Naruto swallow as his eyes flitted all over his body, trying to avoid staring at any one part for too long. Sasuke always covered his nipples and scars for work, but at home there was no need. Naruto already knew what he looked like, after all. Still, seeing him dressed sexy without tape or pasties had Naruto's heart thumping a little harder. He watched Sasuke pull the harness over his head, securing a few of the straps over his body. He nodded at the fact that the straps across his chest covered the surgical scars. Last but certainly not fucking least, Sasuke opened the shoebox on the bed and pulled on the boots. His height increased by four inches. Naruto watched with wide, unblinking eyes as Sasuke walked up to their closet, the doors of which were made of mirrors. He checked himself out, bending, stretching, pacing the strip of hardwood floor between the doors and the bed. Sasuke glanced to the side, catching Naruto staring. He smirked.

      "You can close your mouth, idiot." Naruto did- when did my jaw fall open?!- but sauntered in and closed the door behind himself as if he were the epitome of cool swagger anyway. Sasuke continued to watch himself in the mirror even as Naruto came up behind him, slipping his arms around his waist. Sasuke leaned back into the embrace a bit, a patented Uchiha smirk on his face. "Like what you see?"

      "More than you can imagine," he answered, mouthing the juncture of his neck and shoulder. A little shiver raced up Sasuke's spine.

      "Gimme an idea."

      Naruto spun and pushed Sasuke up against the wall, planting his knee firmly between his legs.

      "You've been driving me crazy all afternoon," he said in a seductive purr. "I haven't stopped thinking about you since you said you wanted shoes." Sasuke chuckled a little, grinding his ass against Naruto's crotch and pulling a moan from him.

      "Oh yeah?" he goaded.

      "Yes," Naruto hissed, head falling back. "Fuck yes, Sasuke. It took all of my self-control not to jump you in the store." He drew his tongue along the shell of Sasuke's quickly-reddening ear. He bit back a lewd noise. "Those boots are so fucking sexy. And the way you looked at them..." He pressed even closer, their bodies grinding hard, Naruto's clothed erection already stiff and needy. "For just a second, it looked like all your dreams had come true." His palms trailed all the way up Sasuke's sides until at last they reached his wrists, pinning them to the wall. "Now that they're yours, we can make my dreams come true, too." Sasuke moaned a little, spreading his legs out to the sides.

     "I think this'll be better than your imagination," he breathed. "I've got a surprise for you." Naruto raised a brow.

     "Oh? What kind?" Sasuke chuckled darkly, gyrating his hips in a way that made Naruto moan even louder.

     "Find out for yourself, Naruto."

     With the invitation made, Naruto no longer felt the need to hold back. The harness was unstrapped and falling to the floor within seconds, the loose mesh top fluttering to the floor somewhere behind them. Naruto ran his palms up and down his torso, tweaked his nipples and scraped his nails down his sides, leaving soft love-bites along Sasuke's shoulders. He hooked his thumbs in the waistband of his booty shorts, tugging them down to-

     His pupils blew so wide, they must have covered up the blue of his iris entirely. Right in front of him was Sasuke's perfect ass, and buried within it was the biggest butt plug they owned.

    "Have you been wearing this the whole time?" he asked, nearly breathless. 

    "Yes," he admitted easily. Naruto resisted the urge to sink to his knees and cry at how perfect this man was.

    "You drove like that."

    "Sure did." 

    "How? How did you walk around like this and not even show it?" Sasuke smirked.

    "I have one helluva pokerface." Naruto shook his head, leaning down and sucking a bruise onto his left asscheek.

    "One of these days I'm takin' you to Vegas."

    "Mm, why? So you can fuck me against the slot machines?" Sasuke moaned as Naruto sucked an even darker mark on his right cheek.

    "Now there's an idea..."

     Naruto had half a mind to rip the butt plug out and smash Sasuke into a million pieces, but he knew better than that. Instead he grabbed a bottle of lube out of their nearby dresser- one of many bottles stashed in key locations throughout the house- and started stroking himself as he slowly edged the toy out of Sasuke. He arched, his facade starting to crack, and just as he anticipated the sweet relief of the plug pulling out, Naruto thrust it back in. Sasuke gasped, nails scraping against the wall with a sound that made Naruto's teeth hurt.

    "Fuck, Naruto!"

    "You like that, Sasuke?" he asked, redundantly. He already knew the answer was a resounding yes. Before Sasuke had a chance to respond, Naruto was slowly pulling it again, watching the shape of the toy begin to emerge. Three stacked beads with the largest on the bottom and the smallest at the tip, with a flared base attached to the largest bead. Simple, but so very effective. Naruto pulled it out almost all the way, spreading the warm lube from his hand over it while Sasuke surely thought he'd pull it out, then slid it sharply back in. Sasuke's forehead hit the wall as he moaned. Naruto's turn to chuckle darkly. "No concussions," he warned.

     "Then hurry the fuck up." Naruto tsked.

     "So impatient. I guess this got you more riled up than you let on." Sasuke's growl morphed into a whine as Naruto started pumping the toy in and out of him at leisurely pace.

     "Naruto! Stop- ngh!- fucking around!"

     "But Sasuke, this is all about fucking around." He did pick up the pace a bit, though, Sasuke's breaths starting to come in shallow pants.

     "Y-you know what I- ha, ah!- mean!"

     "I don't think I do, Sasuke," he teased. "Why don't you tell me exactly what it is you want?"

     Sasuke growled again, but nothing could wipe the smug grin off Naruto's face. Sasuke had fully anticipated on making Naruto beg for it at the beginning, but now he was begging Naruto. It wasn't often Sasuke got played by his own game, and he'd surely make Naruto pay for it later. I don't care though, I'm milking this for all it's worth... Sasuke gave a strangled moan, and Naruto slowed just a bit to allow him to collect himself.

     "Fine, fine! I want your cock, okay?" Naruto bit his lower lip.

     "How bad?"

     "So bad," Sasuke said. Naruto pursed his lips.

     "I don't know if I buy that. You don't sound desperate enough..."

     Sasuke preemptively shuddered. He knew exactly what that meant; Naruto had stolen his own words, after all.

     "I'm gonna punish you like you wouldn't believe," he threatened.

     "Is it really punishment if I love every second of it?"

     "Go fuck your- oh shit!"

      Naruto had ripped the toy out and quickly replaced it with four of his lube-slicked fingers. Sasuke's whole body shuddered.

      "Not feeling so feisty now, huh?" Naruto teased, words dripping desire. All Sasuke could do was moan as Naruto pushed more of his hand inside, his free hand dragging up and down his left boot as he knelt. Naruto's cock jumped at the sight of Sasuke at this angle, at the sensations. Hot and wet around his right hand, cool and soft against his left. His right hand slipped in until only his thumb remained free, his fingers rubbing Sasuke's walls and making him moan senselessly. 

      "Naruto, please!" he gasped.

      "Please what, Sasuke?"

      "Do something!"

      "Oh? You mean like this-"

      Sasuke's moan went wanton as Naruto mouthed his way up the back of his thigh and began languidly thrusting his hand in and out of his ass, just like he'd done with the toy. Sasuke would have writhed if he had anywhere to move, but pressed so tightly to the wall all he could do was lean back into Naruto's touch. Naruto bit into Sasuke's asscheek, making him cry out in mixed pleasure and pain. Each inhale was a gasp and each exhale was some broken variant of Naruto's name. Sasuke trembled, and Naruto knew he was already nearing the brink.

     "Naruto, please!" he cried again, and now his tone was so desperate it made Naruto's groin ache.

     "Please what, Sasuke?" he repeated.

     "P-please, Naruto, fuck me! I want-fuck!- I need it, please-!"

     Naruto slowed his ministrations, leaving Sasuke twitching and sensitive. He rose slowly, his fingers dragging up the left side of Sasuke's body from ankle all the way up to his shoulder, from soft velvet to supple flesh.

     "Now was that so hard to say?" he cooed. Once more, Sasuke didn't get a chance to answer. He only moaned as Naruto's cock entered him at last. His legs drew up along the wall, and Naruto grabbed them to pin him there, Naruto's upper body flush to his back. Naruto moaned right in Sasuke's ear, making goosebumps stand proud along his arms. "Sasuke," he murmured as his hole enveloped him. It was looser than usual, but no less pleasurable. In fact, Naruto reveled in the slap of their flesh, in the wet sounds of their sex and the sizzle of their skin. He breathed down the back of Sasuke's neck as he pounded into him. Sasuke's high, breathy moans were nearly drowned out by his own rapid pulse. He twisted his hands just to feel the velvet against them, licked paths to nowhere across Sasuke's skin just to taste him.

      "Naruto, Naruto, Naruto, Naruto-!" It was the mantra of someone who'd forgotten everything else. Sasuke's world had shrunk down to this moment, this one spot on the wall where Naruto fucked him stupid, and Naruto's world was quickly narrowing to that same point. Sasuke was at the edge and it would take so very little to push him over it. Naruto wanted to see him undone. The mere concept had Naruto moving faster and faster, pleasure coiling so tight in his stomach it hurt, vision blurring.

      "Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke-!"

      Sasuke clenched around him at the same time Naruto gave a particularly hard thrust, and the coil snapped.

      Naruto's system flooded with boiling heat, Sasuke's name ripping raw from his throat. Ecstasy and Sasuke's heady scent had his head spinning. Naruto leaned heavily against Sasuke's body, pressing him flat to the wall, his cock pulsing deep inside him. Sasuke's orgasm rippled through him in waves, making his whole body quake. Naruto wrapped his arms around Sasuke's middle, holding him close as Naruto came down from his own climax. Gradually, Sasuke came down, too, oversensitive and nearing hyperventilation. 
     "Calm down," Naruto soothed, pressing his lips to Sasuke's shoulder. 
     "T-too much," he panted, strained, and Naruto knew what that meant. He gently pulled out and slumped to the floor with Sasuke still in his arms, still held close to Naruto's chest. He didn't comment on the fact that Sasuke's palms and forehead were still pressed to the wall, that Sasuke's breathing was still too erratic and that a few of those exhales were punctuated with what sounded like very restrained sobs. Sex so good it sends him into sensory overload, Naruto thought with a perhaps undeserved feeling of victory, rubbing his palm firmly over Sasuke's heart.

     It didn't take long for Sasuke to gather himself again and lean back, tracing his fingers idly over Naruto's bare thighs. 

     "You good?" Sasuke nodded, squirming until he was comfortable. "Not getting a migraine, right?"

     "No. Just... a lot." Naruto nodded, pulling Sasuke's hair back from his forehead to cool down.

     "Coffee and a shower?" he asked.

     "More like washcloth and a nap." Naruto snorted, nosing the spot behind Sasuke's ear and leaving a little kiss there.

     "Like a little baby. All you want is to be cleaned and put to bed."

     "Naruto," he warned.
     "Should I warm you some milk while I'm at it?"

     "Shut up, Naruto."

     "I could read you a bedtime story."
     "I won't go easy on you."

     "Sing you a lullaby?"

     "Shut up."

     "Want a stuffed animal to cuddle, too?"

     "Naruto, I swear to god, if you don't shut the fuck-"

     "I bet you have a onesie hiding somewhere, don't you-?"

      Pain shot through his nose and straight into his brain, sending him flying backward. Naruto had not been expecting such swift retaliation. Usually Sasuke's reflexes were way too slow for that after the kind of sex they just had.

      "Did you just fucking headbutt me?"

      "Told you to shut up," Sasuke sniffed, getting up and walking right out the door.

      "Sasuke, that hurt!" he whined. Naruto couldn't help but smirk triumphantly at the little wobble in Sasuke's steps, even though he was the one laid out with a potentially broken nose. 

      "Cry about it," he replied coldly, vacating the room entirely. Naruto snickered. Nothing better than annoying him.

      "Worth it," he muttered to himself, getting up and chasing after Sasuke, fully intending to continue antagonizing him anyway.

Chapter Text

      It had been about a week since Sasuke's barbie pink debut, and he had yet to follow through on his promise to punish Naruto. The blonde pretended not to be disappointed. He probably forgot he even said that, he reasoned, flipping idly through a home improvement magazine. It's not like I'm gonna remind him, either. I suppose I should-

      "Well, I'm off."

      "Okay, babe, have-"

      To say Naruto's eyes nearly bulged out of his head was an understatement. No, Sasuke clearly had not forgotten about his promise. Just the boots would have been enough of a signal, but he'd decided to go seven steps further and put on the whole get-up. Tall black platform boots with buckles up the sides, fishnets covering otherwise bare thighs, a sleeveless leather bodysuit with studs on the shoulders that Sasuke only kept half-zippered up, a black collar with a silver O-ring. He layered a big black trench coat over the whole ensemble, cinching the belt tight around his waist. Sasuke finally turned to acknowledge Naruto, brow raised in interest and amusement.

      "What's wrong, dobe? Cat got your tongue?"
      "You have no business going out looking that sexy. I'm sorry, but I'm gonna have to hold you hostage." 

      Sasuke snorted, winding a scarf around his throat to cover the collar and protect himself from the cold. The brutal winter resisted giving way to spring even this late into March. This sudden cold snap was hopefully its last hurrah. 

      "This isn't for you. I was reserved for a party, remember? This is the kind of look that'll impress them."

      "Ah, I see. So you're gonna LARP as a dominatrix for a bunch of grody businessmen, right?"

      Sasuke's jaw ticked, which meant Naruto's guess was spot-on. 

     "You could have refused to do it, y'know," Naruto pointed out calmly, returning to the magazine in his hands.

     "I don't refuse work."

     "Didn't you take this job specifically to avoid corporate types?" Sasuke set a glare on him that would have torn holes through anyone else. Naruto just blinked. Riling him up is so easy with these types of gigs... "I'm just saying, if you wanted to entertain a bunch of suits all day you could have done literally anything else with your life. You chose to be a dancer at The Lime for a reason."

      "I haven't forgotten," Sasuke muttered, pulling on a pair of gloves. "But refusing a job could tarnish The Lime's reputation. Could cost them partnerships and investors."

      "Well that's a bit dramatic-"

      "I overheard Shikamaru and Neji."

      Naruto's eyes widened a fraction.

     "What?"

     "I was standing right there, but they didn't notice me. I heard them say these were investors and that they needed to be impressed. They needed to see The Lime as a legitimate business, and our dancers as professionals. Shikamaru knows one of the guys personally, he's into the BDSM scene. So they chose me." Naruto nodded at the unspoken part: Sasuke was the most professional dancer The Lime had, and he was the best at capturing the aesthetic these particular clients would like. Shikamaru and Neji would have to be idiots not to choose Sasuke for this particular task. Naruto smiled, pride swelling in his chest. Sasuke wouldn't gloat about it, but Naruto knew he was proud of himself, too.

     "Well, they made the right choice with you."

      Sasuke grinned, making his way to the front door.

      "I'll be back in a couple hours. Be ready for me to vent my frustrations on you." Naruto's cock twitched.

      "I'm looking forward to it."

_

      Sasuke was gone exactly two and a half hours, and he sure did look frustrated.

      Naruto had busied himself the whole time Sasuke was gone. He'd replaced the bathroom door knob, fixed the leaky kitchen faucet, dusted the shelves, vacuumed the carpets, and watered all the plants. He even showered after all that just to kill some time. Despite the many distractions he made for himself, though, Naruto couldn't get his mind off Sasuke. He kept me waiting a lot longer than usual for my punishment. I wonder if it will be more intense than usual? His toes curled at the thought. I sure hope it is. He's so good at being a dom... No sooner had Naruto finished that thought than the front door slammed open and shut, rattling the pictures hanging up in the hall. Sasuke stood menacingly in the doorway, staring wordlessly, and Naruto felt his body tense with danger and desire.

      "Welcome home."

      "Shut the fuck up." Oh he's deadly serious about this today. It's been so long since we've had a real BDSM sesh. C'mon Sasuke, gimme what you got. Fuck me right here-

     Sasuke ripped the collar free and tightened it around Naruto's throat instead. He shivered.

     "You weren't kidding when you said be ready," Naruto breathed. Sasuke huffed, shoving his finger beneath the collar and using it to tow Naruto toward the bedroom.

      Naruto was tossed unceremoniously into the mattress. For a moment he laid still, unsure whether Sasuke would jump him immediately or take his time. He listened to him stomp around the room, grabbing items, and took that as an okay to sit up. He preemptively removed his shirt, licking his lips as his gaze trailed all over Sasuke's lithe form.

      "Face the wall," Sasuke commanded, and Naruto turned around to do exactly that. Handcuffs clinked around his wrists.

      "Mm, kinky." 

      "Don't talk. Sex noises only."

      "What, you don't think my voice is sex-?"

      The question died in his throat as Sasuke pressed in a pair of earplugs. They were followed suit by a blindfold and a pair of noise-canceling headphones. All Naruto could hear now was his own rapid pulse. He couldn't even hear himself breathe, just feel the rush of air in and out of his lungs as his chest rose and fell. Blinded like this, he had no way of knowing what Sasuke would do next. He shook with anticipation already, unable to stop the smile that spread over his face. Sasuke's gonna fuck me so hard-

      He inhaled sharply as teeth slid from beneath his ear all the way down his neck and over his shoulder. Goosebumps rose all over Naruto's body. Sasuke moved to the other side, teeth tracing the same path there, making Naruto shiver again. He always made sure things happened equally to both sides of his body. Naruto arched back as those teeth sank into his flesh, undoubtedly leaving a nasty purple mark. Sasuke bit his way up the shoulder, the neck, behind Naruto's ear. Naruto thought maybe he was making noises, but he couldn't be sure. All he knew was that Sasuke's mouth was made of magic, and it hurt so good as he returned to the first side and bruised a trail there, too. Sasuke's body pressed tight to Naruto's back, nails digging into his hips as something wet and hard slid against Naruto's lower back. He gasped at the realization of what it was, his cock straining against his jeans. Sasuke's gonna fuck me so, so hard... 

     He was pushed down onto his stomach. Nimble fingers reached under him to unbutton and unzipper his pants, pulling them and his underwear off in one clean swoop. He knew he moaned this time as Sasuke's hands ran from his ankles all the way up to the tops of his thighs, twitching as he brushed his fingers over the most sensitive parts. His fingers were followed by his lips, licking and sucking from ankle to knee, then switching to hard sucks and bites from the knee upward. Naruto rutted against the mattress, pushing back to let Sasuke know he liked it. Sasuke bit into his asscheek, hard, so hard Naruto wondered if it drew blood, and the thought made his stomach drop. Bite after bite after bite, until his ass was so covered in bruises he knew sitting would be a problem later, and that only had his pleasure building higher as he humped the bed, desperate for friction, relief, anything. Instead, he felt something wet and hot against his hole, sliding thickly, making him gasp. Sasuke's... eating my ass... 

      Naruto had never come from rimming alone, they both knew that. Rutting against the bed helped a little, but it wouldn't get him off. He needed Sasuke to touch him, since he couldn't touch himself. But he wouldn't. Not yet. This was the punishment, bringing Naruto as close to the edge as possible and leaving him there. He loved it and hated it. He squirmed. Sasuke grabbed his hips and hauled them up from the bed. A reprimand for moving, Naruto knew. His whine morphed into a moan as Sasuke's tongue traced his hole, swiped down his crack, pushed its way inside him. His breathing was getting labored already, extra sensitive without sight or sound. Sasuke's hands slid up to knead Naruto's asscheeks, making his back arch. Thumbs spread him open, allowing Sasuke's tongue to get just a bit further inside. Heat rose beneath his skin. I might come just from this, for the first time ever... 

     He gasped as he was jerked backward, spun, and tossed onto his back. He resisted the urge to curl in on himself and hide, protect himself. Sasuke would never hurt him unless Naruto wanted it. Punishment did not equal pain. Sasuke much preferred the psychological component. Right now, the only thing that hurt was the fact that his hands were still cuffed and they were digging into his back. Sasuke reached beneath him, unlatched one of them, and repositioned his hands before he clicked it back on. Now his arms were raised above his head, back flat against the mattress, and that felt a lot better. The air was cool against his cock, hard and hot and needy, and he felt his nipples harden. Did Sasuke open a window? He better not have, the whole neighborhood will hear us... He shuddered, and not from the chill in the air. The potential humiliation made his cheeks sting. This was all part of the punishment, too. The what-ifs, the insecurity of being unable to gauge how loud he was being or what he might look like or who might be able to hear. But he loved that, too, because it meant he didn't have to worry about any of those things. If Sasuke didn't like the noises, he could gag him. If Sasuke didn't like the faces, he could cover his face or flip him over. If he didn't like the way Naruto moved, he could tie him in place. But he didn't. And that meant Sasuke liked it, and that had Naruto's cock stiffening further, dripping pre-cum.

      The bed jostled, and a familiar weight settled on his chest. Sasuke's boot. Naruto's jerked his hands forward on instinct alone, but he didn't try to touch yet. Not like he really could with them bound like this. The weight started to lift, allowing Naruto to sit up with it. Sasuke grabbed the cuffs, hand radiating warmth, and pulled Naruto forward. He followed the movement off the bed. Something nudged the back of his legs, and he knelt on the floor. A downward tug on the cuffs had him prostrate, hands in front of him like an offering. He felt a piece of leather scrape his lips as the boot landed heavily between his face and hands, within the ring of his arms. Sasuke had stepped heavily on purpose, so Naruto could feel it. He pulled his arms in until his wrists were pressed to Sasuke's boot. He leaned forward until his lips found leather again. The toe of Sasuke's boot. No way is he letting this happen right now... Naruto hesitantly licked at the leather, expecting quick retribution. Nothing. He trembled, excited, licking at it again. Still nothing. 

      "Fuck yes!"

      He knew he said it aloud, he felt the breath puff between his own lips and Sasuke's boot. Desperation. He licked and sucked his way up Sasuke's leg, tracing the straps and mouthing the cold metal buckles. Pleasure was a tight twist in his stomach. It burned in his face like a fever, made him shake. He leaked onto the floor, might have drooled, but he didn't care. All he wanted was release. Please, Sasuke, let me come, he thought desperately, nearly to the top of the boot now. Please, Sasuke, I need you, please-!

      Sasuke's leg tugged upward, and Naruto let go. He was pulled up roughly by the arms and slung back onto the bed. He bounced, scrambling to right himself. He was panting harshly. For a few moments, all was still and quiet save for his own shaking, his own pulse. Then the bed dipped on either side of him, and he felt Sasuke hovering over him. The headphones slid off. Sasuke's fingers slid under the blindfold and removed the earplugs.

     "Listen," he whispered. Naruto held his breath. Something dropped onto the bed beside him. He jumped as it began to play sound, trying to roll away from how loud it was. "Shh," Sasuke soothed, and Naruto heard a button clicking and the sound got softer, easier on his ears. It took Naruto a moment to understand what he was hearing, but his mouth fell open when he did. Loud, raunchy moaning. Wet gasps. A broken voice crying, "Sasuke, Sasuke, please!" And Naruto realized it was himself. That was his voice. He sounded as desperate as he'd felt, as he still kind of felt. 

     "You recorded me," he said, shocked, jarred a bit by the sound of his own voice in his head and the air at the same time.

     "I wanted you to hear what a whore you are."

     Naruto shuddered. Sasuke didn't often break out words like that- something about repeated degradation being damaging to the psyche or some shit- but when he did, it made Naruto's hairs stand on end. He cringed at a particularly loud cry emanating from the phone beside him.

     "Turn it off."

     "Not a chance in hell." Sasuke leaned forward, tongue caressing the shell of Naruto's ear. "I want you to come listening to yourself."

      Naruto stiffened as he heard a click above his head. Sasuke had cuffed him to the headboard in his distraction. The headphones made a return, but this time they played the sounds, even clearer than they'd been before.

     "Sasuke, please, fuck!" he heard himself say. His body reacted as if it were another person; his breath started to sync with the breaths he heard in the recording, and he felt little whimpers escaping in response to his own recorded moans and Sasuke's fingers tweaking his nipples on their way down his own body. It made his head spin. And, of course, Sasuke had to make it even worse; something prodded at Naruto's entrance, making him jump in surprise. Sasuke's thumbs rubbed circles into his thighs, trying to get him to relax. It was hard with his own loud moaning in his ears. Slowly, Sasuke's strap-on pressed forward, moving further and further inside Naruto, far past the point that Sasuke's tongue could reach. He could hear himself licking Sasuke's boot. Obscene slurping, lewd sucking, the soft tinkle of belt buckles shifting. He could still taste the leather in his mouth, and he swore if Sasuke wasn't filling him his stomach would have fallen out. He felt fingers dig into his hips. Another hooked beneath the blindfold and pulled it up so Naruto could see. He squinted even in the dim light of their bedroom. Sasuke looked like a goddess, washed in a soft golden glow from the lamp way in the back of the room. He was naked save for the harness holding his strap-on in place. He smirked down at Naruto as he began to move.

      Sasuke always based the rhythm on Naruto's breathing. Meaning right now, he was going hard and fast. Naruto couldn't tell if the recording had looped back to the beginning or if he was hearing himself as this was happening now. It confused him, and he couldn't bother with thinking when he was overwhelmed with the feeling of Sasuke pounding into him. His chest hurt with how hard he was breathing, his nails cutting into the wooden slats of their headboard. It was all so much. Tears pricked the corners of his eyes, and Sasuke tossed his hair back above him, and his arms flexed as he held Naruto's hips down, and-

      He snapped into a deep arch as he came, eyes open but seeing nothing. He clenched around Sasuke. His cock throbbed, pumping cum hot and sticky onto his stomach. A few of his nails broke with how hard he gripped the headboard, but the pain only intensified the pleasure into one blurry mess. He didn't know when Sasuke ripped the headphones off, when he flung the blindfold away, when his mouth latched onto Naruto's neck to suck a bruise everyone would be able to see, but Naruto felt it all beneath the drum of ecstasy beating in his whole body. He lost his senses for just a moment too long. Disoriented, floating and sinking all at once, and he felt hands like paddles on his chest, shocking him back into the present. His chest opened and he sucked in a deep breath, vision clearing. Sasuke was still on top of him, sweat dripping down onto Naruto's face from his hairline.

     "Naruto," he said slowly. "Are. You. Okay." Naruto nodded dumbly, eyes wide and unblinking. "You need to blink, stupid." He did. "Can you speak?"

     "Think so," he breathed. Sasuke nodded, lifting up off him and uncuffing his hands. He helped Naruto sit up, arranged the pillows so he could lean back against the headboard. He watched Sasuke rub the marks on his wrists. "Am I, like... still in my body?" he asked dazedly. Sasuke snorted.

      "Usuratonkachi, what kinda question is that? Of course you are." Sasuke reached out and tilted his chin, gazing deeply into his eyes as if he could see the inner machinations of Naruto's mind through them. It was chilling and thrilling and holy shit was he far gone, or what? "We're not doing that again if it's gonna make you dissociate," he decided.

      "No!" Naruto cried. Sasuke's brows shot upward. "I-I mean... I definitely wanna do something like that again. Just... not any time soon, maybe. I need to... process all this." Sasuke nodded a few times, still holding Naruto's hands between his. He seemed to notice he was doing that at the same time Naruto did, pressing his lips in a chaste kiss to Naruto's hands.

      "Stay here. I'll get you water."

      "No, you stay," Naruto demanded, latching onto Sasuke. He rolled his eyes, but settled against his chest all the same, tucking his head beneath Naruto's chin.

      "You really can't wait three minutes to cuddle?"

      "No. Cuddles now."

      "Fucking demanding."

     "Don't complain, you love it."

     "Ah, yes. Everyone knows how much I enjoy-" Sasuke checked his palm as if reading from an imaginary notebook. "-being confined and touching other people," he finished with a deadpan tone. Naruto laughed, still feeling weirdly giddy.

     "I don't count as people and you know it. And you're not confined, my arms are like jelly. You could get out easily if you wanted to."

     "Hmph..."

     Sasuke did not, in fact, try to get out. Quite the opposite, actually; he wriggled around until he was comfortable and nuzzled against Naruto with a deep sigh. He couldn't help but smile, closing his eyes and sniffing Sasuke's hair. What a crazy life I live. Punishment days are some of my favorite days... 

Chapter Text

     Technically neither of them were supposed to be working today, but they picked up the next two day shifts in exchange for Thursday night free. They parted on the stairs, Naruto going to the second floor bar while Sasuke went up to the third. I'm not used to the day shift, he thought, nodding to the bartender and waitress. I literally don't even know these people. Eh, whatever. It'll just be a long, boring shift, then... 

     "Hey."

     He blinked, nodding again to the bartender.

     "I've never seen you before. You new?" he asked, chewing on a toothpick. Naruto snorted.

     "Hardly. I'm usually on night shift."

     "Ah. You're gonna be real disappointed, then. No action on a Tuesday afternoon." Naruto shrugged. "Want a drink?" Naruto raised a brow.

     "I... don't drink on the job." The guy snorted, mixing a drink anyway.

     "Now's the time to start. You'll just stand here bored out of your skull the next six hours." His lips pursed and eyes narrowed. "You look like a Blue Hawaii kinda guy." Naruto's brows shot into his hairline.

     "How'd you know that?" It was, in fact, Naruto's favorite drink, though he didn't order it often. The guy shrugged, the crow's feet around his eyes crinkling a little more.

     "Been in this business a long time, kid. You get a feel for people after a while." He gestured for Naruto to sit at the end of the bar, where he could still look out over the rest of the floor. Just the waitress- a mature, elegant woman with voluminous dark hair- and the two tables she was serving. "I bet a lover picked you up once by buying you this drink," the man continued. "Said it matched your eyes."

      Naruto felt heat prickle in his face as he nodded. It's how Sasuke asked me out. He was so smooth... 

      "Ah, I knew it. Tell me about it."

      "Tell me your name first?" The bartender laughed.

      "Right, right. Shiranui Genma. You?"
      "Uzumaki Naruto."

_

      Six years ago. Naruto slumped against a corner booth at The Lime, waiting for Sasuke to arrive. He'd already scarfed down a burger and fries, and was debating ordering more food. Sasuke will definitely yell at me for stress eating, but I can't help it. Just lost my job and my boyfriend... He groaned, letting his forehead smack against the table. He didn't want to think about Gaara. At all. They were bad for each other, he knew they were bad for each other, but if there was one thing Naruto hated more than being mistreated, it was being alone. He already knew exactly what Sasuke would say: Gaara's too aggressive, he takes his traumas out on Naruto, he's possessive and suffocating, good fucking riddance. Naruto sighed. He'd known all that for the last two years. Yet what did he do? Sat there and wasted his time anyway. He could have broken this relationship off at the six month mark, but instead he let it go on for two fucking years. It was hard. Gaara was dangerous, and the danger scared him, but it also turned him on. What I really need is someone otherwise safe with a dark side. Someone who will love and nurture me, but when needed will whip my ass into shape. Someone with clear boundaries and strict rules and an actual moral compass-

      Sasuke sank into the booth opposite him, holding two drinks. He placed a Tom Collins in front of himself (probably unsweetened knowing him) and shoved a funky blue drink Naruto's way. The relief was palpable. Sasuke, his childhood friend, the one person he could always rely on. And definitely the best person to get smashed with. Just seeing his face made Naruto feel a bit better.

     "The hell is this?"
     "Blue Hawaii."

     "What the fuck is a Blue Hawaii?"
     "Just drink it. You'll like it."

     Naruto narrowed his eyes suspiciously, but leaned down and took a sip nonetheless. Pineapple, the orange tang of blue curaçao, sweet and sour and definitely highly alcoholic but not tasting like it at all.

    "Oh, I can't have any more of these," Naruto said.

    "Why not? Don't you like it?"
    "That's the problem, I like it a lot. I'll suck down four of these faster than you can say 'quesadilla'."

    "Is that your weird way of telling me you want a quesadilla?"
    "Maybe."

     Sasuke signaled for the nearest waitress. Naruto raised a brow. 

    "Your life sucks, treat yourself. You wanna eat yourself sick, go ahead. I'm hungry anyway." Naruto snorted.

    "Well maybe if you actually ate once in a while you wouldn't be so hungry all the time."
    "It's not like I intentionally starve myself, idiot. I just forget to eat."
    "How can you forget to eat? Food is the best."
    "No, sleep. Sleep is the best." Sasuke sighed. "I miss my bed."

    "Oh, no, don't you dare. It's my turn to be sad, we can't both be drunk and sad."
    "I'm not sad, I'm just tired." He rubbed his face with both hands. "Fucking exhausted, actually."

    "I still don't know why you're double-majoring. You don't even wanna be a doctor, there's no reason for you to be studying Biology."
    "It's the only way I can keep my scholarship and still do what I want." Naruto shook his head.

    "It should be illegal to do Biology and Dance at the same time. You're gonna work yourself to death."

    "A fitting end."

     The waitress came then, and Sasuke placed both their orders. They only continued once she was out of earshot.

     "Anyway, go ahead. Dump your emotions. I'm a willing vessel," Sasuke offered, wafting toward himself. Naruto rolled his eyes.

     "I honestly don't wanna talk about it. I just wanna eat shit food, get fucking wasted, and sleep for the next three days." Sasuke lifted his drink.

     "Cheers, bitch. I'll drink to that."

      So that's exactly what they did. Sasuke ate his artichoke dip and Naruto inhaled his quesadilla and another plate of fries, and they ordered drink after drink after drink. Sasuke switched to straight gin at some point, and Naruto occasionally chased a shot of vodka with his Blue Hawaiis, which he was growing very, very fond of.

     "-and do you see this?!" Naruto cried, pulling up his sleeve to show a bite mark on his forearm. "Who the fuck does that?!"

     "Fuckin' sicko, that's who," Sasuke slurred, face wrinkled with disgust. "You deserve way better than that."
     "I know! I put up with this shit for two years and what do I get?! DUMPED! I got fuckin' DUMPED, Sasuke!" He let his forehead slam against the table again, holding back tears. The table bumped as Sasuke crawled under it, wedging himself between Naruto and the wall and enfolding Naruto in a full-body hug, arms and legs wrapped around him.

     "Listen to me, listen," he said, petting Naruto's hair. "Gaara ain't shit. He's a nasty raccoon-lookin' ass hoe and you deserve way, way better." Naruto nodded, lower lip wobbling, and his face stung hot with embarrassment. He didn't want to be crying. He wanted to be on the dancefloor having fun. But Gaara had taken that from him, too, and deep inside he seethed with rage. He tossed back the remains of his drink, and the liquor lit the rage ablaze.

     "Y'know what I need, Sasuke?"
     "What, hon?"

     "Revenge."

     Sasuke's lips curled into a wicked smile.

     "Fuck yeah you do."

      There was only one thing Gaara actually loved, and it was his car. He parked it in a quiet lot a block from his house to make sure nothing happened to it. Unfortunately, that lot happened to be only six measly blocks from The Lime, and only two blocks away from a convenience store. Naruto and Sasuke stumbled their way to the convenience store. 

     "Okay, okay. Imma pretend to be sober," Sasuke said, "wait here." Naruto nodded, leaning against the building and rifling through his pockets. One loose cigarette, and a lighter. An awful habit, he knew, but he always wanted a smoke when he was drunk, and now was as good a time as any to indulge. He took a puff, watching the smoke swirl in the air, and he relaxed against the bricks. It wasn't long before Sasuke emerged, his backpack full of goodies. He grimaced at the cigarette in Naruto's mouth. "No wonder Gaara dumped your ass. Probably taste like an ashtray."
      "He's a pack-a-day smoker, he wouldn't notice."

      They wandered to the lot, immediately spotting Gaara's car. A black Hummer, because of course it was. Naruto hadn't much cared about the car before, but now he loathed it. It represented all of Gaara's worst traits.

      "Rich cocky douchebag son a bitch-"

      "Yeah, that's it, Naruto, get fuckin' angry," Sasuke encouraged, producing two black bandanas from his jacket pockets. He tied one around his face and gestured for Naruto to do the same. He tossed a black beanie at him, too. Naruto didn't even question it; he knew he had to hide his hair, it was way too noticeable on camera. And rule number one of the streets was always assume there are cameras.

      "Privileged motherfucker has no idea who he's messing with," Naruto growled.

      "Sure fuckin' doesn't. Here-" he said, handing Naruto a carton of eggs. "We'll start with these."

      "Eggs? What are we, ten?"
      "Tell me egging this prick's car won't be cathartic, Naruto. Look me in the eyes and tell me it won't make you feel better." Naruto huffed.

      "Yeah, you're right. It would."

      They opened the carton, making sure they were hidden in the dark. Naruto picked one up and chucked it with all his might. It splattered across the driver's side window, and Naruto felt his heart thump crazily. Oh yeah. That feels good... He picked up another egg, and another. They splattered across the whole side of the car, moved the mirror, and he even lobbed a few to land on the hood and windshield. Soon, the whole carton was empty, and Naruto was panting with excitement. It's not enough. Eggs are easy enough to wash off. I want real damage...

      "Talk to me," Sasuke said, casually inspecting his nails.

      "I wanna break it." Sasuke nodded.

      "Thought you might say that. What're you thinking?"

      "You still carry around firecrackers?" he asked, voice strangely calm. Sasuke snorted.
      "Does a bear shit in the woods? You know I do." Naruto nodded a few times.

      "Still got that clothes hanger?"

      "Of course." Sasuke tilted his head to the side, eyes calculating, piecing it all together lightning fast, grinning beneath the bandana. "Tell me what you want, Naruto."
      "I wanna blow this bitch to smithereens."

      Sasuke gave a sharp laugh.

     "Cover me."

     Sasuke didn't need Naruto to cover him. He knew exactly what he was doing. He darted between shadows, wove through alleys and crossed the street so fast Naruto would have missed it if he'd blinked. He played lookout anyway, looking for eyes peeking through blinds or headlights coming down the street. Nothing. Adrenaline coursed through Naruto's veins anyway, making him shake. All he could see was a spark, and he heard the hard slap of Sasuke's footsteps as he rocketed across the street. He grabbed Naruto's arm and tugged him into an alleyway, angling themselves to see the carnage about to happen.

     The explosion made the street rumble. They nearly fell over. They clung to one another, watching with bated breath as the fireworks made rainbow flames inside the car, until the flames engulfed it from the inside out with another terrible rumble.

     "Naruto?" he whispered. 

     "Yeah, Sasuke?"
     "Those might have been a bit stronger than firecrackers." Naruto nodded, wide-eyed, watching the car burn.

     "They're perfect."

     He finally turned his head to look at Sasuke. He was perfect. The fire cast half his face in a warm glow and the other half in shadow, and that's when Naruto realized: a person otherwise safe with a dark side. Someone who would nurture and love him most of the time, but whip him into shape when needed.

     "You," he whispered. Sasuke furrowed his brows.

     "What?"

     Naruto pulled their bandanas down and crashed their lips together. He felt Sasuke's sharp inhale, and then the way his body melted against Naruto's. He smelled vaguely of gunpowder and tasted like gin. It was Sasuke who broke the kiss, pulling apart dazedly, blinking a few times as if he wasn't sure Naruto was actually standing in front of him.

    "You... I..." He shook his head, taking a step back. "Why?"

    "'Cause I'm an idiot. You're the person I've been looking for. You're the person..." He pulled Sasuke in by the front of his shirt, and this time he didn't break the kiss. Instead, Sasuke pushed forward, hungry, tongue swiping Naruto's lip in a silent plea. He opened his mouth, their tongues brushing and sending hot shivers through their bodies. They only parted when the need to breathe overwhelmed them, panting as the carnage glowed brighter. "Take me home, Sasuke." He nodded a few times, licking his lips as if he couldn't get enough of Naruto's taste.

     "Yeah. Yeah, let's go."

      Naruto didn't remember the taxi ride home so much, just the feeling of Sasuke's hand interlaced with his. They tumbled into Naruto's apartment together, diving for another kiss as soon the door shut and locked behind them. Naruto pinned Sasuke to the door. Their teeth clashed, and Sasuke's hands sank into the lapels of Naruto's leather jacket as his legs wrapped around his waist. Naruto growled, squeezing his hips.

     "Naruto, wait, wait," Sasuke panted. "We're drunk, you just broke up, you're vulnerable, we shouldn't-"

     "Sasuke, do you love me?" He paused.

     "What?"

     "Do you love me?" Sasuke looked pained, as if just hearing that question hurt.

     "Of course I love you."

     "How? How do you love me?"

     Sasuke gripped the lapels of Naruto's jacket harder, eyes wide, searching Naruto's expression. He swore he could see the glassy sheen of tears forming.

     "I love you like the moon loves the sun." Naruto forgot how to breathe. "Without the sun's light, the moon disappears into the darkness of an endless sky. But with you, I shine. And sometimes... sometimes I even get to share the sky with you in the daytime." Naruto nodded.

     "That's the way I want to be loved." Sasuke laughed wetly.

     "I've always loved you, I just, I thought-"

     "Let me love you back." Sasuke shook his head, laughing again.

     "There's no way this is fucking real," he said, letting his head fall back against the door. "This is not real, it's not-"

     "Sasuke, if you don't want this, say something right now." 

     "I do, I just..."

      He swallowed, and Naruto watched his throat bob.

     "I believe what I'm experiencing now is commonly referred to as feelings and I'm not entirely used to it." Naruto smiled, leaning forward to press a kiss to the smooth line of Sasuke's jaw.

     "Then let's sort you out." Sasuke took a shaky breath.

     "Okay. Okay..."

     "Do you want me to kiss you like this?" Naruto asked. 

     "Yes."

     "Do you want me to touch you?"

     "Yes."

     "Do you want me... inside you?" Sasuke's grip tightened, knuckles turning white.

     "Yes." 

     "Then let's do that."

      Naruto went to move in again, but Sasuke stopped him.

     "Wait, wait, wait. Safeword?" he asked. Naruto snorted.

     "Oh yeah, make the drunk dyslexic guy remember a random word under pressure. Sounds great." Sasuke chuckled a little. "If you want me to stop, just say stop. I will stop. If I don't get the message, just knock my teeth in." Sasuke gave a sharp laugh.

     "Same here. You say stop, it stops." They nodded together.

     "Good. Now where was I...?"

      He felt Sasuke smirk into the next kiss. Naruto chewed his lower lip, making him moan. He kissed Sasuke's jaw again, his throat, feeling his heartbeat racing there.

     "Naruto..." he breathed. Every hair on his body stood on end. He sucked bruises onto Sasuke's neck, making his hips roll and creating a friction that had Naruto hissing with pleasure. 
      "God, Sasuke, I need you..."

      "I'm here. I'm here..."

      He was lighter than Naruto expected as he carried him to the bedroom, never once separating from one another. 
      "You need to eat more," Naruto mumbled against his lips. 
       "I know something I could eat," he purred, taking Naruto's earlobe between his teeth as he pushed his jacket down his arms. He moaned, tipping forward until Sasuke's back rested against the mattress. He straightened only enough to throw off his shirt, Sasuke shedding his sweatshirt and shirt at the same time beneath him.

       Naruto felt his pupils dilate at the sight of Sasuke's binder. He traced his fingers reverently over the fabric, teasing the hem around his ribs. Sasuke never let anyone see beneath his shirt. Now, though, he didn't stop Naruto. He just panted beneath him, cheeks dusted pink, arms above his head and hair splayed against the sheets. 
       "So beautiful," Naruto murmured, trailing his fingers over Sasuke's stomach, feeling the ridges of his abs. Sasuke gave a shaky breath, reaching up to cup Naruto's cheek in his palm. His thumb stroked Naruto's cheekbone, and his eyes shone with an adoration Naruto didn't think was possible. He choked under that gaze. No one's ever looked at me like that... "I love you, Sasuke." He smiled up at him.

       "I love you, Naruto."

        They fell into another kiss, another embrace, fingers working each other's pants open. Naruto sighed as his cock was finally freed, kicking off his shoes and tossing everything else to the floor. Sasuke's eyes widened a fraction at the sight of Naruto bare before him, lips parting for his tongue to wet them, slow and seductive. Naruto shivered, kneeling to untie Sasuke's shoes. He propped himself up on his forearms, watching Naruto with a steady gaze. It prickled along Naruto's skin, making his face heat up. The laces were dirty, the sneakers beaten to hell and back, Reeboks so old and well-worn they almost conformed to the shape of his foot. Naruto set them gently on the ground, glanced up at Sasuke for permission to get rid of his clothes. He nodded. Skinny jeans and boxer briefs slid down pale, toned legs, taking his socks with them on their way to the floor. Sasuke sat up, rolling his shoulders and pulling his binder off from the back.

       This wasn't the first time either of them had seen each other naked, but it was the first time it'd been like this. Facing each other with fire in their eyes.

       "Tell me what to do," Naruto whispered, placing his hands on Sasuke's knees.

       "Whatever you want," he answered without hesitation. Naruto swallowed, suddenly nervous, butterfly wings flapping harsh in his stomach.

       "I don't wanna make you uncomfortable."

       "I've never been uncomfortable with you."

        Naruto gave a breathy laugh, on the verge of tears. He wrapped his arms around Sasuke's waist and buried his face in his stomach to hide it. Sasuke's hands were gentle in Naruto's hair. For a few moments they stayed like that. It was only once his breathing evened out that Sasuke took Naruto's hands in his, lifting them and holding them to his breasts.

        "This is my chest," he said. He slid Naruto's hands down his body, until his palms rested at the very tops of his thighs. "And this is... my entrance. Opening. Hole. Touch everything as little or as much as you want." Naruto nodded with dawning understanding. The terminology Sasuke wanted to use and the invitation to touch, setting Naruto at ease. Sasuke raised one hand, thumb pressing to Naruto's chin and tilting it upward. He smiled. Soft and radiant and so loving, Naruto thought he might die. "Take your time. It's okay." Naruto swallowed more tears.

        "I don't wanna wait. I need you."

        "I'm here."

        Their kiss was sweet. Sasuke shifted up the bed as Naruto crawled onto it. Legs and arms wrapped loose around his body, Sasuke's lips on his cheeks, his jaw, his ears, his throat. Naruto reached under the mattress, groping around until he found a condom. He broke it open with his teeth and rolled it on with one hand, the other anchored in Sasuke's hair. I need you, he thought, over and over. I need you, I need you, I need you-

      They both gasped as Naruto prodded at Sasuke's opening.

      "Good?"

      "Good." Naruto bent, marking a path of hot, open-mouthed kisses down Sasuke's chest, taking a nipple into his mouth. Sasuke's nails dragged blunt down Naruto's back, locking his ankles tighter, pulling Naruto down onto his body until every inch of them was touching. Naruto released him with a lewd pop, mouths meeting again as Naruto pushed in a bit further. Slow, giving Sasuke time to stop him, but the words never came. All Sasuke did was dig his heels into the small of Naruto's back. "More," he whispered. He gave it to him, just enough to make him arch against Naruto, needy. One of Sasuke's hands wove into Naruto's hair, pulled his head back to leave bruises along his throat, too. "More." Naruto gave it to him, gradual, until he was bottoming out and Sasuke was giving a pleasured groan. 
      "Good?" Naruto checked again, panting. 
      "So good." Sasuke rolled his hips. "Move."

       Naruto did, a moan floating free from his chest. Sasuke was hot and tight around him, so wet it made noise, and they both blushed at that but Naruto shifted and ecstasy rippled through both of them. Suddenly the noises didn't matter. 
       "Sasuke... Sasuke, so good..." Naruto inhaled deeply against Sasuke's throat and shuddered. The world was beginning to fall away, replaced with the drug of Sasuke's scent and the heat between them, sweat forming slick on Naruto's back. He felt as if he was on fire, tears stinging behind his eyes.
         "Naruto... you okay?"

         "Hot..." Sasuke nudged his shoulder, trying to move him without separating. 
         "Lemme fix it..."

        Naruto let Sasuke roll him to the side. Now he was the one lying on his back, head vaguely spinning, and Sasuke was on top. One palm planted on Naruto's chest for balance, the other arm slung across his chest to keep it from bouncing as he began to ride Naruto's cock. He moaned, fingers twisting into the sheets. Sasuke was so beautiful. Powerful yet gentle, cold in the moonlight but so warm around him. Naruto couldn't catch his breath, his pulse strong in his wrists, his throat, his ears, his cock. 
        "Sasuke... Sasuke...!" He tightened around Naruto with a deep moan. 
        "Naruto...!"

       
        Naruto's fingers dug into Sasuke's hips, and he thrusted up into his movements. Their bodies slapped, making Naruto breathe harder. 
        "Sasuke...!" he called, urgent. "Sasuke...!" He moaned above Naruto, tossing his hair back, exposing the bruises on his throat, sweat rolling down his heaving chest-

        Naruto came hard, quaking, and he knew he shouted but he wasn't sure what. It was probably Sasuke's name. He was all that mattered, all Naruto could remember or think about. He felt Sasuke tremble, heard him say something and felt him clench around Naruto's cock, wringing another moan from him. He felt Sasuke's forehead against his, their panting breaths intermingling. 
        "Holy shit..."

        Sasuke chuckled a little, sliding Naruto out and removing the condom. Naruto's body felt leaden, magma coursing through his veins. He couldn't even open his eyes. Right. I'm super drunk and now the room's spinning... 

        Sasuke moved Naruto with a grunt, resting his head on a pillow. Naruto rolled onto his side, lifting his arm for Sasuke to get under it. His sweaty chest pressed to Sasuke's sweaty back. 
        "We're disgusting," Sasuke mumbled. 
        "Fix it later," Naruto mumbled back. Sasuke yawned.

       "M'kay. G'night..."

        "Night..."

-

     "Na. Ru. To."

     He blinked. He was sitting at the bar, another Blue Hawaii in his hand, and Genma was starting to look annoyed.
     "Hm?" Naruto hummed, unsure how long he was caught up in those memories.
     "You stopped talking after your first kiss with the exploding car."

     "Did I? Sorry," he said, scratching his neck with a nervous smile. "Just got lost in thought." Genma smirked.
     "Good thoughts, I hope."

     "Very."

     "So tell me, how did the Blue Hawaiis factor in?"

     "Oh! He told me later that he bought me Blue Hawaii's 'cause he wanted to ask me out that way, but he chickened out. He was gonna say they matched my eyes." Genma snorted.

     "No offense, but you both sound like simpletons." Naruto laughed boisterously, making the few customers turn their heads.

     "Maybe a little."

       Naruto made idle conversation with Genma for a while, chatting about his past, too, but Naruto's thoughts all circled back to Sasuke. Come to think of it, our anniversary is coming up. I'll have to do something special for him... He spent the rest of the shift sipping cocktails and thinking of him, wondering what he could do to make their day special in just two months' time.

Chapter Text

       Sasuke had taken this perhaps a step too far.

       It was Safari Night at The Lime. The dancers had collectively decided to have a little competition. An informal contest to see who would have the best costume. Though Sasuke had calmed down immensely over the years, he had never truly shed his competitive nature. Naruto personally enjoyed Sasuke's competitive side, but seeing it flare to life in public was something that hadn't happened in a while.

       Tonight's Nightshade ensemble was homemade. They'd gotten some advice from Hinata on how to make it, but they'd designed it and put it together themself. It had taken every moment of their spare time for the last week to get it right. They had decided to take the term "peacocking" to an entirely different level. They wore a vibrant blue bodysuit with a metallic purple sheen, sleeveless and legless with a high collar. It was made from two layers of fabric. A belt was woven between the layers, invisible from the front but exposed in the back. Nightshade had attached approximately half a million fucking peacock feathers to the exposed part in the back. Naruto still didn't understand why they couldn't just glue them straight onto the suit and save themself some trouble, but they insisted on doing it this way instead. Naruto could admit the feathers had fastened on well; not one looked in danger of falling off. Not that it would be a travesty if they did, they were fake feathers bought in bulk from a craft store, but Nightshade clearly took a certain amount of pride in this outfit and didn't want it to fall apart. Naruto had watched them do their makeup; a deep purple lip, sharp black eyeliner made to pop with white eyeshadow toward the outsides of their eyes and cobalt blue on the insides.

        And the shoes. Oh Lord, those shoes. Naruto had nearly drooled over them, nearly driven them straight off the road staring at them. Glittery green stilettos so high that all the muscles in Nightshade's legs were emphasized to an unholy degree. Naruto was actually glad that he was "the patroller" tonight, the one who walked around the third floor and made sure no one was harassing the dancers. If he was at the front door, he'd be too close to Nightshade's station. Something about this peacock costume was way more distracting than it should have been. Must be the colors. They look so good in jewel tones... Tenten was at the door checking ID's, looking a bit unhappy about it. She grimaced in response to his smile as he passed. She hated being tied down to the podium all night, much preferring to prowl the floor, but they didn't control their assignments so they sort of just had to deal with it. They did notice, though, that Kiba was stationed downstairs much more frequently than usual lately. Naruto and Tenten theorized that Ino had requested him down there, but they couldn't be sure. 

       From what Naruto saw, Nightshade definitely deserved to win the contest. That wasn't even him being biased, almost everyone else's outfits just sucked. Jinks-AKA Sai- was the only one who might give Sasuke a run for his money, but only because he was damn-near naked. He'd painted black stripes on himself like a zebra, his only clothing being a tiny pair of zebra-print shorts. He looked great, sure, but it was low-effort, low-creativity, and frankly, completely lacking in pizzazz. Naruto wasn't seeing it. Cherry Balm-Sakura- looked cute as a little black cat, but it was clearly store-bought and again, not very creative. Rock Lee (no stage name, he was just given a stripper name at birth apparently) was straight-up dressed as a safari tour guide, though the pieces of his costume were quickly disappearing as he stripped. And last but not least, Ana Konda -Anko- had broken out her faux snakeskin body suit again. Naruto would have recognized it anywhere. Sexy, sure, but not creative in the slightest. Yeah, Nightshade definitely took the competition a little far, but they look fantastic. And look, their little crowd is loving it... They were getting bills tossed at them left and right, and those watching them were completely enthralled. Naruto shot Nightshade a smile as he passed again. They winked back, and the crowd they'd amassed clearly thought it was meant for them and accordingly went wild. Where Sasuke would have tried to shrug off the noise, Nightshade reveled in it, using the crowd's energy to fuel their routine.

        A screech sounded from the other side of the room, and Naruto ran without even thinking. It was Cherry Balm's voice. She was on the ground, holding her ankle and swatting at a couple of guys trying to grab her. Naruto darted forward, arms spread to block them. 

       "The hell is going on here?!" he barked. 

       "She fell, I was trying to help her up!"
       "I fell because you grabbed me, you cretin!" Anger blazed hot behind her eyes. "Naruto, get them outta here!" He nodded.

       "Alright, out, let's go!"

       "What?! We didn't touch her!"

       "You fucking grabbed me!"

       "She says you grabbed her. You're out!"

       "No! Get me a manager or I'm-!"

       "He said leave."

       They all whipped toward the sound of a new voice. Oh fuck yeah, Neji's here! The loud-mouthed one laughed.

       "The hell are you?"
       "The owner of this establishment." His eyes widened. Neji held up his phone and blatantly snapped a picture, flash blinding. "You're banned. Please see yourselves out or Naruto here will escort you. Your choice." The loud-mouth grumbled, but the quiet one smartly left some bills on the table to cover their tab, flashed Sakura an apologetic glance, and shepherded the loud one out. Naruto hopped up on the stage as a waitress came over to usher the rest of the people who'd been watching Sakura to different tables.

       "Hey, Sakura, you okay?"
       "My ankle's fuckin' busted!" she cried.

       "Alright, lemme get you down and put your foot up, okay?"

        She hooked her arm around his neck and he lifted her up, hopping down from the stage and setting her back down in a chair. He held her foot up for her as he pulled a second chair closer, propping it up.

        "Do you need a doctor, Sakura?" Neji asked, placing his hand on her shoulder. She nodded, pouting.

        "Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's broken." 

        "I can take her," Naruto offered immediately. Neji shook his head.

        "You're needed here for security. We're still short-staffed." Naruto nodded. Neji didn't leave room for argument. Not that Naruto wanted to argue with him; Neji was way smarter, he'd definitely win. "Sakura, if you don't mind, I'd like to drive you. It'll be faster than an ambulance."

       "Not to mention free," she joked, wincing as she tried to move her foot. Neji bent and helped her up.

       "Alright, slow now."'

       "I know what I'm doing, Nej. I went to nursing school, remember." He chuckled a little.

       "Yes, yes, I haven't forgotten. Consider this even for when..."
 

       Their conversation disappeared under the music and patrons' voices, and Naruto just shook his head. Didn't realize they were so close. When did that happen? Eh, whatever... 

       That incident set the tone for the rest of the shift. It was a busy, rowdy night. Naruto had to step in and stop a fight near the bar. He had to stop five more clients from touching the dancers, kicking out three of them. He was keeping a closer eye than ever on Nightshade. If anyone touches them I might lose it. Like, for real lose it. Alright, Uzuamki, chill out, chill out... He passed by Lee again, almost naked at the end of his routine. He tried not to physically cringe. Ana Konda, who was currently doing some freaky shit in a patrons lap that Naruto wanted no part of. And Nightshade. Up toward the top of the pole, safe from clients' grubby hands. They were so graceful. They were pulling heavily from their ballet repertoire today, trying to embody the grace of a bird, almost floating. It put Naruto at ease again. The people watching them were too enraptured to even try touching, unwilling or perhaps unable to break the spell their performance put them under. It's silly to fret about them anyway, Naruto assured himself as he continued on his route, checking on the waitresses as he passed a cluster of tables. Nightshade is more than capable of defending themself. They grew up the same way I did. I'm sure they could knock anyone's ass out, heels or no. Naruto snorted a little. They'd probably use their heels as a weapon. Imagine gettin' kicked in the face with them shits? Fuck that.

       Soon enough, Tenten's voice came over the intercom announcing last call. Naruto settled by the back door, making sure none of the dancers were harassed on their way off the stage and toward the dressing rooms (which was what actually laid behind the back door). Nightshade, predictably, was last out, leaving their adoring public behind to take shelter in anonymity again. Naruto followed, bracing himself against the inside of the door so no one could force their way in. 

      "Naruto, what happened to Sakura?" Lee asked, concerned.

      "She got hurt. Don't worry though, she's seeing a doctor."

      "So that's why I made way more tips than usual! I was the only lady dancing!" Anko said, and it sort of sounded like gloating. Nightshade quirked a brow at that, but declined to join the conversation.

      "We need more ladies," Sai lamented. "We're gonna lose all the lesbians."

      "Shikamaru's tried to recruit some new girls, but they haven't worked out." Sai shook his head, tsking. Anko smirked. "I heard they'll be trying out someone new next week, though."

       "Got a name?"
       "I'm sure she does, but I don't know it yet."
       "I thought you knew everything, Anko," Nightshade finally chimed in.

       "I know most things. And I guarantee I'll be the first of this group to find out who she is."

       "That's because you're always fucking here. You need a life," Sai said, all brazen tactlessness as usual. She laughed.

       "Nah, I get into trouble anywhere else."

       "You get into trouble here, too."
       "Less trouble here than anywhere else," she corrected. Nightshade rose from their table, the more complex pieces of their costume already taken apart and stuffed in a plastic bag. The rest was covered under their usual black trench coat. 

       "Take me home?" Naruto smiled.

       "Of course, doll."

       Naruto stepped out with Nightshade. Tenten had already cleared the floor and started locking up; she'd surely escort everyone to their cars as well. Naruto shot her a smile on his way out, and she stuck out her tongue. She hated locking up.

       Rain poured down on the asphalt. Sasuke hustled ahead, cursing under his breath. Naruto licked his lips at the sight of his coat brushing damp calves, jogging to catch up and hooking their arms together in case Sasuke slipped.

       They couldn't have gotten into the car faster. Sasuke frustratedly dug makeup wipes out of his pocket and tsked at his reflection in the mirror attached to the sun visor, scrubbing at the makeup streaking down his face. Naruto bit his lip and grinned, leaning over and shaking his hair out like a dog.

        "Usuratonkachi!" he cried, shoving Naruto back into his own seat. He laughed, putting the car in reverse and speeding off. 

        Naruto tried to ignore Sasuke's foot propped up on the inside of the door, ignored the way his face emerged from beneath the makeup, ruddy and beautiful. The ride felt long.

        Sasuke shivered as they tumbled in the front door, wet and cold. Naruto wrapped his arms around him.

        "Dobe, this isn't helping! You're wet, too!" Sasuke snapped, trying to bend down and take off his shoes.

        "We can take a hot shower if you promise to put those back on after," Naruto purred, gnawing on his earlobe. Sasuke covered an aroused noise with a groan of exasperation. 

        "I knew you were getting yourself worked up over these."

        "Of course I was! They're so pretty!"

        Sasuke snorted as Naruto finally let him go, shedding his wet clothes right there at the door. Sasuke chucked his shoes through the open bedroom door, following Naruto's lead and stripping everything off into a damp pile. Naruto went ahead of him, setting the shower water as warm as he could without burning themselves. He felt more than heard Sasuke join him. He brushed past, stepping right into the shower and sighing in relief. Naruto followed, catching him around the waist and nibbling beneath his ear.

        "You looked so sexy tonight," he whispered. Sasuke purred, reaching for the shampoo to start washing Naruto's hair.

        "Yeah?"

        "Yeah. Especially those fuckin' shoes..."

        Sasuke dropped the bottle as Naruto dragged his teeth down his jawline.

        "Shit! Wait, I thought-"

        "Fuck first, clean later," he said, pressing Sasuke up against the wall. He let it happen, wrapping his arms and legs around Naruto's body.

        "Don't slip," he warned.

        "I won't."

        "Don't drop me." Naruto snorted, tugging his earlobe between his teeth.

        "You'd survive. But I won't."

        Sasuke arched as Naruto tucked his hands beneath him, squeezing his ass. Soft and firm, mostly muscle, just like Naruto liked it.

        "So fucking sexy, Sasuke..." His response was to plunge his tongue deep into Naruto's mouth with a growl, hands bunched in his hair. Naruto mouthed his way down Sasuke's shoulder. "Lemme leave marks, Sasuke. Please," he begged, hips grinding insistently

        "Fuck yeah," he agreed, breathless. "Want it rough, Naruto..." 

         Naruto's growl rumbled in both their chests. The water rinsed sweat down Sasuke's skin. Naruto sucked a bruise to his throat, dark and salty. Sasuke's nails were sharp on his scalp, sharp as the breaths he took while Naruto littered marks all over. 

         "Naruto... your turn..." His thighs squeezed against Naruto's sides. He wrenched Naruto up by the hair and bit his way from Naruto's ear all the way down to his bicep. Naruto closed his eyes and moaned, hips rolling so hard against Sasuke's he could feel their bones clashing. "Got two rounds in you...?" Naruto gave a deep moan. Sasuke's voice had gone rough with want.

         "Keep talkin' like that and you can have as many as you want."

         Sasuke's laugh filled his head like smoke, one of his hands dipping down to guide Naruto inside him.

         "You like my bedroom voice, Naruto?"

         "You know I like it."

         "I wanna hear you say it," he insisted, moaning into Naruto's other ear as his teeth closed on the lobe and Naruto gave a shallow thrust into him. His hands settled at Sasuke's hips so he could thrust harder.

         "I like- no, fuck- I love your bedroom voice," he said. He shuddered as Sasuke's tongue lapped at his throat, just beneath his jaw, tasting his heartbeat.

         "What do you want me to say, Naruto?"

         He shook his head, screwing his eyes shut to concentrate. Sasuke's tight heat was overwhelming, stealing his breath and his senses and surely the few shreds of sanity he happened to possess. 

        "Tell me... tell me what you want... when we get to the bedroom," he managed between panting breaths. Sasuke chuckled a little, running gentler hands through Naruto's hair now, helping him focus. He started to move again, fast and shallow. 

       "Mm... what I want...?" His breath ghosted Naruto's throat. "I want you to mark me everywhere." Naruto shivered, moaning, each thrust deeper than the last. "Ah, Naruto...! Want you to leave hickeys up my thighs and smack my ass..." Naruto panted against the shower wall, pressing his forehead to the tiles. "Want you to watch me work myself open while you worship those heels... Want you t-to... mm, Naruto... want you to fuck me slow and hard..." 

        Sasuke's breath was going erratic now, too, nails leaving burning lines down Naruto's back.

        "Oh god, Sasuke... Sasuke...!"

        "Naruto...! N-Naruto...!"

         He kept thrusting even as his orgasm crashed through him, knees nearly giving out beneath him, until Sasuke was coming with a loud moan in his ear, squeezing Naruto tightly from the inside out. For a few moments they just panted into each other's ears. Naruto sank slowly to his knees. Cum dribbled hot and sticky over Naruto's lap as pulled out, making Sasuke's head drop back with a shudder and a sigh. They stayed on the floor to wash each other, tongues brushing and teeth scraping as soap slid slick over their skin. They only separated to wash each other's hair, and even then, they spent as much time as they could gazing into each other's eyes.

         They dried sloppily, still a bit damp as they joined hands and lured each other to the bedroom with kisses sweet and promising. Naruto knelt to help Sasuke back into his heels. They glittered like emeralds in the moonlight filtering through the window, and Naruto gave an appreciative kiss to the toe of each.

         "I'm gonna give you everything you asked for and then some," he promised, eyes bright with eagerness. Sasuke's teeth glinted in a smirk.

         "Well? I'm waiting."

         Finally, finally, he got the chance to gnaw on Sasuke's calf, feeling the taut muscles beneath his teeth. Sasuke's knees wobbled, but he stayed upright, holding back a groan with his lower lip caught between his own teeth.

         "Make some noise for me, baby...?" Sasuke released a breath he probably didn't mean to be holding, moaning as Naruto dug his nails into his asscheeks and sucked bruises up the insides of his thighs, skirting teasingly around his crotch. "Mm- ah, Naruto!- g-god...!" He gave another moan as Naruto's teeth sank into the opposite calf. Naruto reached up and steadied him with a hand to his lower back, chewing his way down to the strap at his ankle. "Naruto..." He licked the strap and pulled back, peering up at Sasuke. He'd bitten his own lip red and swollen, still subconsciously trying to keep in his sounds. Still can't break that habit. Guess I'll just have to fuck him so hard he stops caring if he's making noise... 

        Naruto rose, caressing Sasuke's face and running his tongue along that abused lip. His breath stuttered, cheeks and ears red.

        "Get on the bed," he directed. Sasuke nodded, and Naruto smacked his ass as he turned.

        "Ah! Fuck, okay, okay..." He rolled onto the bed, rummaging through the nighttable drawer with shaky fingers. He took out a bottle of lube and slathered it over his fingers, turning onto his side. The lubed left hand pressed a finger into his ass from behind while the right dipped between his legs at the front. Naruto was mesmerized, watching his blush grow more vivid as he rubbed his crotch and worked his asshole open with two fingers now. Naruto gave himself a few much-needed strokes. "Usuratonkachi... if you're not gonna touch the shoes then I'm taking them off..."

       "I'm gettin' to it, bastard..."

        Naruto lifted Sasuke's leg up, wasting no time in wrapping his lips around the heel of his stiletto.

        "Ugh... you're not kissing me with that mouth..." He laughed, pulling off and licking his lips.

        "I won't kiss you 'til after I brush my teeth, I promise. For now..." Naruto moaned as he took the heel deeper into his mouth, swirling his tongue around it. Sasuke made pleasured noises beneath him as he added another finger to his ass and sped up playing with his front. Naruto's hands were all over the shoe, rough palms scraping over them, glitter falling onto the sheets. He pulled off the heel to lick the rest of the sole, cock aching between his legs. "Fuck, Sasuke... need you now..."

        "I'm ready..."

        Sasuke wiped his hands down with nearby tissues, rolling onto his back. Naruto hitched Sasuke's legs over his thighs, heels knocking against Naruto's ass. Sasuke looked so good spread out beneath him like this, covered in bruises and bite-marks.

        "You're so fucking pretty." Sasuke smirked with hooded, lusty eyes.

        "You're not too bad yourself." Naruto snickered a little, thumbs running up the length Sasuke's thighs, making him arch beneath him. "Ah... fuck me, Naruto..." He lined himself up.

        "Don't have to tell me twice..."

        They both moaned as Naruto's cock entered him, slow and steady. Sasuke sucked in a breath through his teeth, arms hooking around the pillow beneath his head. 

        "Fuck yes, Naruto..." he hissed. Naruto pushed forward until he was buried to the hilt inside him, his ass clenching tight and hot around him. 

        "Sasuke... so fucking good for me..." He pulled back, then fucked back into him with his whole body. Sasuke moaned loud and unrestrained.

        "Naruto, f-fuck, yes! Again, please...!" Naruto smirked through the haze of building pleasure, pulling out again.

        "So polite... Keep talkin' sweet to me, Sasuke..." They both moaned as Naruto thrusted in hard.

        "Oh, Naruto...!" he cried, eyes shutting. "F-fuck, Naruto, please more, you fuck me so- ah...!" Naruto's head tipped back as he found a good rhythm. Sasuke's breath came in heavy pants staggered with Naruto's own. "Naruto... Naruto, please...!" He picked Sasuke's legs up, arms hooked under his knees, letting him get a bit deeper. Sasuke moaned. "Ah, yes, Naruto, just like that! J-just like... ha-ah....!" Naruto was so close, he wanted to cry. Sasuke seemed in a similar state, blushing all the way down his chest, tossing his head to the side with a moan. "Naruto... Naruto, please... make me come...!" Naruto shifted his angle just a little bit, the hard patter of the rain syncopated with the slapping of flesh, and he felt his lower back tighten as pleasure coiled so tight in his stomach he thought he might implode.

         "Sasuke...!" he choked out, voice warped with ecstasy. "Sasuke, yes, Sasuke...!"

         He came with a shudder that wracked his whole body, every noise in the room disappearing beneath his own pulse and the moan that escaped from his core. His arms and legs and head buzzed, aftershocks racing icy-hot over his scalp. Sasuke was trembling beneath him when he finally managed opened his eyes again, teetering on the edge, giving a needy whimper. Shit... I really don't have more in me... He pulled out. Sasuke opened his eyes, chest heaving. 

        "Naruto, please..." His voice was almost broken. Naruto reached quickly for the lube and poured it over his hands.

        "Don't worry, baby. I got you, I got you..." 

       Sasuke arched into Naruto's hand as he slid three fingers in right off the bat, scissoring and thrusting inside him. His other hand settled between Sasuke's legs, teasing his entrance and circling the nub that had his voice pitching upward.

      "Holy sh-shit, Naruto!" he cried. Naruto slipped a fourth finger in Sasuke's ass. "F-fuck, Naruto, yes...!" His face twisted with pleasure, so close Naruto could feel it. "Talk," he begged. "Talk please, Naruto, call me baby again..." His breaths were getting more erratic. Naruto shivered. He only gets like this when it's really good... He's coming undone, falling apart in my hands... 

      "Oh, baby, you're so sexy," he praised, licking up his inner thigh. "You're doing such a good job, baby, just bear with me another second."

      "Naruto!" he called, and he didn't so much speak his name as breathe it. Naruto moved just a little faster, arms burning. Sasuke's breath hitched.

      "Yes, baby, that's it. Come for me, baby. Come for me-"

      Sasuke's mouth opened but nothing came out, eyes rolling back as he arched. Naruto watched with pupils blown. He could see the muscles in his abdomen contracting rapidly, see the way his legs quaked, the wetness seep out between them to soak Naruto's hands. Naruto worked him through it, gradually slowing his pace. He only stopped when Sasuke was a twitching, breathless mess beneath him. Naruto swallowed at how wet his hands were, at the damp spot on the bed. Gonna have to change the sheets... He used almost half the box of tissues wiping down his hands and dabbing at the spot on the mattress while Sasuke regained his bearings. He pulled out a couple more to wipe the tears and sweat from Sasuke's face.

      "Holy shit..." he whispered. Naruto laughed a little.

      "Welcome back. Have a good trip?" He blinked sluggishly.

      "... holy shit..."

      Naruto laughed again, leaning forward for a kiss when Sasuke's hand stopped him.

      "You promised you'd brushed your teeth." The words were slurred with exhaustion, but sure enough, he remembered.

      "Really grosses you out that much, huh?" His nose wrinkled with disgust.

      "S'like licking the floor."

      "Doesn't taste bad. You should try it." Sasuke slapped his arm with a weak, mostly limp hand.

      "Go."

      Naruto laughed all the way back to the bathroom, not only brushing his teeth but also swishing around some mouthwash, even though he hated it. When he returned Sasuke was on the floor, naked and barefoot, stripping the bed down.

      "I can take care of that."
      "I made the mess, I should clean it up." He sounded half-asleep already. Naruto snorted.

      "I'm the one who made you make the mess. I should clean it up." Sasuke snorted back. Stalemate. Naruto got a fresh sheet set out of the closet, bundling the old ones into the hamper the best he could. Sasuke helped Naruto put the fitted sheet on, but after that Naruto pushed him away, pointing toward the bathroom. Sasuke shuffled out the door, and Naruto could faintly hear the sounds of him brushing his teeth a few seconds later. By the time he returned, Naruto had finished and was lying there waiting for him. Sasuke practically dove head-first into bed, pressing himself tight to Naruto's chest. Naruto smiled, petting his hair. "Was it good, Sasuke?" Naruto expected a sarcastic answer, but instead he got a nod and a muffled "mm-hm". He smiled even wider. "You tired, baby?"
       "Mm-hm." He pressed a kiss to the top of his head.

       "Go to sleep, then." He mumbled something back that Naruto didn't catch. He shifted, tilting Sasuke's face toward him. "Say what?"

       "I said I would if you'd shut the fuck up."

       Naruto cackled, making Sasuke squint grumpily.

       "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Just struck me funny." Sasuke's eyes narrowed to itty bitty slits.

       "You're weird," he muttered, leaning forward to give him a kiss anyway. "Good night. Don't wake me up."

       "Alright, I won't. Love you, baby."

       "Love you, too."

Chapter Text

       Sasuke drove to work that day, because Naruto was far too distracted to do it himself.

       He really couldn't be blamed. Sasuke was wearing his absolute favorite outfit. Black catsuit with thigh-high boots. All latex, all shiny and form-fitting, showing off every curve and angle of his body without showing any skin at all. He'd drawn dramatic eyeliner reminiscent of a cheetah, trailing partway down his nose on the inside and flaring into a sharp wing on the outside. He hadn't painted his lips yet, but Naruto knew they'd be a matte black. Black rose earrings with silver chains dangled from his lobes. 

       They arrived significantly early, even earlier than usual. Naruto needed to run up to the fourth floor offices. He told Sasuke it was a payroll issue, but that was a lie. He kissed Sasuke goodbye as they parted on the second floor. Sasuke walked in, intent on dinner and a drink before he went up to the third floor. Naruto smiled all the way up the stairs, knocking on the door to Shikamaru's office.

       "Come in!"

       "Shikamaru! Wassup, man?" Shikamaru held up a fist for Naruto to bump before he sank into the chair across from him.

       "Not much. Beating my head against the wall crunching numbers. You?" Naruto shrugged, still smiling way too wide.

       "Same old, same old. Listen, I know Nightshade doesn't get vacation days, but our anniversary is coming up and I wanna take a few days off with them for a trip. Can you arrange coverage?" 

       "How soon?"

       "It's next month. I was thinkin' the twenty-fifth through the twenty-ninth?"

       Shikamaru nodded, clicking around on his computer.

      "Assuming the new staff we're bringing on board work out, yes, I can have both of you covered."

      "Yes!" Naruto cried, much too enthusiastically, he knew. Shikamaru shook his head, though his lips twitched into a smile.

      "Where are you going?"
      "Oh no, no way. It's a surprise. Nightshade doesn't even know yet."
      "Aw, that's cute. And disgusting. Actually, get outta my sight." He waved Naruto away, and Naruto cackled.

      "You're just jealous." Shikamaru smirked.

      "Hm. Relationships are troublesome." He waved Naruto away again. "For real, though, I'm working on something and have to concentrate. Unless you have something else for me?"

      "Nope, we're good! Thanks, Shika!"

      "No worries, Naruto. You're both good employees, you deserve some time off."

      "Thanks, we do our best! See ya later!"
      "See ya."

      Naruto all but bounced down the stairs, stopping confusedly on the third floor landing as Sasuke came up from the second floor.

     "Don't move," he growled. Naruto raised a brow.

     "What's wrong? Why are you so mad?"
     "Just stay there!" Naruto debated whether he wanted to listen or not. I might miss something juicy if I stay, though. Sasuke usually has a pretty good grip on his rage, so it's gotta be good if he's this riled up, especially at work. I'm going in.

       He followed Sasuke, and immediately realized why that was a bad decision. Anko was showing around two new employees. Naruto recognized them both immediately. Unfortunately Sasuke did, too.
      "Okay. Okay, shit, okay. Um, Sasuke, don't-"

       Too late. Their heads turned as Anko pointed to something in their direction, and all eyes widened.

       "Sasu- I mean, Night-"

       "What the hell do you think you're doing here?!" he demanded, stomping up to them, not even hearing Naruto speak. Naruto trailed hot on his heels, even as his stomach twisted with dread the closer he got.

       "Hey, be nice! These are your new colleagues!" Anko admonished. Sasuke wheeled on her.

       "Stay out of it!" he snarled, whipping back toward the other two as one reached a hand toward Naruto. "I dare you to fucking touch him. Just fucking try."

       "Nightshade-" Naruto shook his head and waved his hands, and Anko was smart enough to know when to step down. She was definitely unhappy about it, though. "I don't get paid nearly enough for this shit. Where are the fuck are the managers?"

        Sasuke, meanwhile, was staring down the two of them entirely on his own. The blonde one (the much bigger of the two) cocked her hip to the side and folded her arms over her chest. She was built like a brick house, making Sasuke seem scrawny in comparison. Naruto was scared for her. He'll rip her to shreds. I can't handle batshit Sasuke right now. Please don't pick a fight, please don't pick a fight-

        "Listen, kid, we don't want any trouble. We just want jobs like anybody-"
        "I don't give a damn about you!" he spat. The blonde one clamped her mouth shut, looking pissed. "It's you I want answers from," he continued, pointing to the shorter of the two. The redhead with icy blue eyes Naruto would know absolutely anywhere. He felt his breath coming harsher, head spinning, and he took a subconscious step back just to create some distance. Sasuke slid into place between them, shielding Naruto.

        "I didn't know either of you worked here," they replied evenly, voice in a much higher register than Naruto remembered but still using the same inflection, the same meter and cadence. "I just need a job-"
        "Then you can go somewhere else," Sasuke hissed.

        "Hey, there's no need to be so hostile-"

        "Who the fuck even are you?" he demanded, turning back to the blonde. Her lip peeled back in the beginnings of a snarl.

        "I'm her big sister. Now back the fuck down before I make you."

        "I'm not fucking scared of you. This is our turf. She's not welcome here." 
        "And why the fuck is that?"

        "Because she hurt my boyfriend." The redhead looked to Naruto now, eyes pleading.

        "I'm so sorry," she said. "I've changed since then. Please let me make it up to-"

        "Oh, I think the fuck not you narcissistic bitch," Sasuke cut in, and Naruto couldn't see his eyes but he knew they were ablaze with fury. 
        "Sasuke-"
        "Don't use my government name here!" he snapped. "And don't you dare try to weasel your way back into Naruto's life. You so much as breathe too close to him and I'll rend you limb from limb. Understood?"

        "Jesus, Gaara, what the hell did you do?" the sister asked. Gaara sighed.

        "It's a long story-"

        "No, actually, it's very short," Sasuke interrupted again. "Once upon a time, Naruto and Gaara dated. And for two full years, Naruto cried on my shoulder about the absolute fuck-shit Gaara put him through. I promised him I'd keep him safe, that I'd never let him hurt like that again." His gaze flickered back to Gaara. "And I fully intend to keep that promise."

         Gaara raised her hands in surrender.

         "I have no desire to make things worse. I just need a job."

         It was at that moment Shikamaru arrived on the scene, immediately separating everyone. 

         "Alright, alright, none of that. What's going on?" Naruto wrapped an arm around Sasuke and pulled him back. He was so angry, Naruto could feel it vibrating beneath his skin.

         "You need to calm down," he whispered. Sasuke shrugged him off.

         "I'll calm down when I get some assurance that this abusive piece of shit is gonna keep her distance."

         He said it loud enough that everyone could hear, including Gaara. She flinched, as if the words physically pained her, and Naruto found himself pitying her despite the pain that bloomed in his chest over and over as he remembered the things she'd done. I thought I was over all this. Why am I feeling so mixed up now? Who... who is this person? She doesn't seem anything like the Gaara who dumped me all those years ago. That Gaara would never have flinched like that, would never have raised hands in surrender, would never have... worked as a stripper, either. What's going on here...?

         "Okay," Shikamaru said, and Naruto could tell just by his tone he was in Solve the Problem mode, "Nightshade, you stay at your usual station. Ruby West, you'll be at the open station on the other side of the room." Sasuke snorted at her choice of name. Well, she's never exactly been the creative type... "You won't even be within each other's line of sight. Naruto, you'll be at the door indefinitely. Temari, you'll be on the move on this floor so you can keep an eye on everyone. Tenten will patrol downstairs with Kiba. Sound good?" It did not, in fact, sound good, but it was the best they could get in this situation. "Alright. Now go get ready for your shifts." Shikamaru carefully backed out, still keeping an eye on them as he edged toward the door.

          For a moment, the four of them lingered, eying one another. Tension hung heavy in the air, and Sasuke still radiated a murderous aura that had Naruto's voice caught in his throat. Temari was the one who broke it all, snorting.

          "Well, I'm off. Don't skin each other." With that, she brushed past, heading for the bar. Naruto tugged on Sasuke's wrist, practically dragging him away.

          "How are you not angry?!" he hissed once they made it to the security podium, boxing Naruto in against the wall. 

          "I... I don't know, okay. I just wanna get through shift and go home." Sasuke glared, unconvinced. "I dunno. She seems sincere-"
          "She doesn't deserve your forgiveness or your pity. She hurt you, Naruto. Bad. And if the world worked the way I wished it did, she'd be dead already." Naruto's throat twisted into a knot.

         "B-but, what if she's changed? What if she-"

         "People don't fucking change." His voice was an angry snarl, but his eyes held only hurt. "They don't change. They either learn to live with their demons, or they become them. Those are the only options." Naruto swallowed. This was a sore subject for them, and not one they should be discussing in any kind of public setting. His lowered his voice drastically, hoping Sasuke would follow suit.

         "You changed." He bared his teeth and ground them so hard Naruto's own jaw ached.

         "I didn't change, Naruto," he replied in the same low tone. "I just learned to deal with it. I learned to hide it. If I'd really changed, would I still have so much rage?" Naruto swallowed again. He didn't know what to say. Sasuke forced a ragged breath. "Deep down, I'm still just an angry child who wants to watch the world burn. I'm still the same person you've always known, just quieter about it as I get older." He turned toward Naruto, and now his face was made of stone. "Wake up, Naruto. Drop the rose-colored glasses and take a fucking look. I can't be with someone who refuses to acknowledge reality."

         Naruto wanted to tell him he was wrong. He wanted to say that Sasuke had healed and changed and that he was making such good progress, this was just reopening an old wound, that they could stitch it back together again. He wanted to remind Sasuke that he had watched Naruto grow all those years and that he had changed, too, but his throat just twisted again and this time he couldn't choke the words out. Doubt formed a double helix and pulled so tight, Naruto could feel the cords in his neck freeze. 

        Because what if?

        What if Sasuke was right? What if no one changed after all? What if Naruto had merely constructed a world around himself where he didn't need to face his demons head-on anymore? What if he had used Sasuke and his job and his friends as cushions to ease the force of his own inadequacies? Left to his own devices, would Naruto revert back to the way he was as a child? Would he become touch-starved and lonely? Would his fear of abandonment flash back up to the surface to burn his skin from the inside out? 

        His stomach flipped at the mere sight of Sasuke walking away. It felt too much like he was leaving, and sure as shit, his heart was seized by the horrifying realization that if Sasuke left he would fall the fuck apart. That would be it. He would never really recover, even if he did manage to build a stronger mask with a bigger smile to hide behind. It scared him. It scared him so much that he ran and took hold of Sasuke's wrist, spinning him around and capturing his lips in a kiss so desperate he could feel the heat of tears prickling under his skin, threatening to fall. 

       Sasuke didn't pull away. He leaned into Naruto, running a hand through his hair, grabbing his wrist back. 

       "C'mon," he whispered, tugging Naruto's hand.

       He wasn't even paying attention to where they were going. Next thing he knew, Sasuke was shutting a door behind them and they were plunged into a darkness so thick he couldn't even see his hand in front of his face. He always prefers to speak in the dark, so he doesn't have to see the way my face changes... 

       "I love you. You know I love you, don't you?" he asked urgently, his grip on Naruto's wrist tightening as his back hit the wall.

       "Yes," he replied, because that's right, Sasuke did love him, he knew that, of course he did-

       "Do you understand what I meant when I said that to you?" He nodded, and then he realized that Sasuke probably couldn't see either so he choked out another, "yes." He felt Sasuke's arms circle his shoulders. "I'm not leaving you. I need you to understand that."

       "Yeah," he breathed, embracing him back. "Yeah, I know. I... You made your point."

       "That wasn't how I wanted to make it. I didn't realize what that must have looked like to you."

        Naruto was going to answer, but then their bodies were pressed together and Sasuke was the one initiating a desperate kiss, and he forgot any words he might have wanted to say.

       "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

       "I know." Tears fell anyway, and Sasuke knew without Naruto even making a sound. Sasuke wiped them away with his thumbs.

       "I'm sorry," and he pressed a kiss to Naruto's jaw. "I'm sorry," and this was said into the tender skin of his throat. Sasuke stopped saying the words, but Naruto felt it in the ways he kissed down his body, in the gentle caresses of his hands: I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. He knew exactly what Sasuke intended to do, and he had no intention of stopping him. They always spoke better in actions than words, always responded better to physical than verbal assurances. Naruto wasn't surprised when his fly came down, but he gasped a little when Sasuke cupped his genitals in his hands as if they were a sip of fresh water in a desert. There was only one thing he wanted before the inevitable. 

       "Sasuke," he called softly. 

       "Yes, love."

       "I wanna see you." A brief pause.

       "Where's your phone?"

       Naruto couldn't honestly remember, but Sasuke didn't wait for him to answer anyway, his fingers poking into all of his pockets until he found it in Naruto's jacket, which he still hadn't taken off. Sasuke resolved that as well, letting it drop to the floor. The flashlight on Naruto's phone turned on, blinding them both momentarily, until Sasuke managed to find a shelf to set it on. They were in a sizable supply closet, the one Naruto knew held supplies only the morning crews used. No chance of anyone finding them. Even so, Naruto noticed Sasuke had wedged a broom in the door handle.

       His eyes wandered back down to Sasuke as he shifted on his knees, once more taking hold of Naruto in his hands. He looked otherworldly, latex rippling oily in the light. His tongue glistened as it swiped over the head of his cock, his eyes like shards of obsidian as they drifted up to Naruto's face. He whimpered as Sasuke took his cock in his mouth, slow and soft. He couldn't take his eyes off Sasuke. He reached down and threaded his fingers through his hair if only to remind himself he was real. He's real, he's here, it's okay... 

       He moaned as Sasuke sucked and swirled his tongue, and Sasuke moaned back, the vibration traveling all the way up his spine.

       "Sasuke..." He gazed up at Naruto from beneath his lashes in a way he knew made Naruto's toes curl, and another moan escaped him.

       "Usuratonkachi... we'll get caught if you don't shut up..." A shiver skittered across his skin. Suddenly Sasuke's habit of biting his lip became Naruto's, a whimper still pushing past it as Sasuke took him in deeper. Sasuke hummed around him, making his knees go weak. Naruto's nails bit into his scalp. It did nothing to discourage him; if anything, it encouraged him, head bobbing along Naruto's cock. Naruto squirmed.

       "Sasu... mmph...ah!"

       Naruto's breaths came harsher. The sounds of Sasuke giving head made a violent blush bloom across his cheeks. His fingers flexed against an abused scalp and hair like the finest silk. Sasuke's gaze was hot, lingering heavily on Naruto's face, and he felt himself spiraling downward into the twin voids of Sasuke's eyes.

       His final moan was deep, rumbling through both their bodies. Sasuke drank him in like a nepenthe. Naruto inhaled the obscene slurping noise of Sasuke's lips popping free and exhaled it as a whimper, undignified, needier than any sound he'd made before his climax. He all but crumpled to the ground, right into Sasuke's waiting arms. He tucked Naruto back into his pants and hung his jacket back on his shoulders before he hugged Naruto hard and strong. Naruto, who was crying again for reasons he didn't fully understand but Sasuke knew exactly how to console.

      "I'll protect you," he said, cradling Naruto's head against his chest. "I'm here, Naruto." And Naruto nodded, clinging to Sasuke until he could breathe again.

      Sasuke covered swollen lips with black lipstick and Naruto dulled the swelling of his eyes with water so ice-cold it made his teeth chatter on contact. They left the bathroom they'd taken refuge in after they left the supply closet looking better than they'd arrived. Naruto took up his post right on time, and Sasuke hopped easily onto his station to begin his first routine of the night as Naruto started letting patrons in. Naruto was still shaken, and he knew Sasuke would want to talk more when they got home. For now, though, he was comforted in the truth of Sasuke's devotion. He won't leave me. He never has and never will. Sasuke confirmed it with every smirk, wink, and hair-flip sent his way. I always have Sasuke. We'll get through this...

Chapter Text

       Sasuke had often been called "Ice Princess" in high school. Naruto had never understood it. Sasuke was one of the most emotionally intense people he knew. He was less icy, and more armored. It was meant to protect himself and others from the volatile rage that threatened to spill out. That veneer of coldness that could turn bone to ice was not so much directed at other people as inward, trying to smother the flames inside him. Another duality, but this time an unpleasant one, as that cold gaze was now directed straight at Naruto.

      He was pacing around the kitchen on one side of the table. Sasuke was on the other, leaning with his back against the counter and arms folded. Naruto felt like he was trying to glare a hole in his forehead. As it turned out, putting off talking until the day after did not make things better; if anything, it had given them both more time to simmer in unhappy feelings. Especially when they both woke up to Naruto's phone pinging with a message from Gaara herself, the very subject of their current ire.

     "I don't see why you're so upset," Naruto said, scratching at the back of his head. "It would just be to talk."

     "What do you have to talk about? She hurt you, the damage is done, the end."

     "I wanna hear her out, bastard!"
     "She hasn't changed," he continued in an aggravatingly unaffected tone, as if Naruto hadn't spoken at all, and that stoked the rage starting to build in him. It took a lot to make Naruto angry, but Sasuke knew all the right buttons to push. "She's just gotten better at dealing with it. Do you really need a person like that?"

     "Of course not!" he snapped. "This isn't about needing her or not needing her! This about me getting closure!"

     "You got closure the day she dumped you."

     "No, I didn't!" he barked, scratching at his head even harder. "I didn't get any fucking answers, Sasuke! Why? Why me? Why us? I have a right to know!"

     "Because life isn't fair. Move on." 

      Naruto's hands formed fists. He wanted to knock the teeth right out of that stony expression. 

      "You don't get to tell me to move on. You, of all people, don't get to do that," he hissed. Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

      "This isn't about me," he said, and for just a moment Naruto thought he heard a twinge of emotion, but it died instantly. Killed. "I'm trying to help you avoid the mistakes I made. Let it go. Move on."

      "No! I want closure! I want answers! Who are you to deny me that?"

      "Someone who actually fucking cares about you."

       Naruto definitely didn't imagine the way he growled out those words.

       "Don't do that. Don't you dare fucking do that!"

       "Do what?" he demanded through gritted teeth.

       "Don't act like you're the only person who cares about me!"

       "Well, she certainly doesn't!" he snapped, fire in his eyes for just a moment. He took a breath to steady himself. "She's not doing this for you. It's for her. She's selfish. She will always be selfish. Why do you think she's doing this?"

       "Because she's changed and she wants to apologize."

       "To make you feel better, or to make herself feel better?" Naruto faltered.

       "There's no way for me to know that!"

       "You know her. What do you think?"

        Naruto faltered a second time. The gnawing feeling in his belly told him he knew the answer- for her- but he refused to do anything but give her the benefit of the doubt. Everyone deserves a chance to get things right... 

        "It doesn't matter if it's for her or for me. Even if it is for her, doesn't that mean she feels bad about it? The Gaara we knew didn't feel things like remorse or guilt, so if she feels them now that must mean something, right?" Sasuke's eyes narrowed dangerously.

        "Tch. Fuck this." He sat up from the counter.

        "Hey!" Naruto squawked. "Where are you going?"
        "Outside. Am I allowed to sit outside?" he snapped, grabbing his jacket.

        "See, you always do this! Why are you running away from this?!" He set a glare fit to kill on Naruto, but he refused to back down.

        "I'm not running away," he snarled. "You've already made your decision. You're gonna do whatever the hell you want no matter what I say, so why bother talking? Go. Go have your stupid little talk and get your heart broken. I'll be here to pick up the pieces, like I always am, because that's all I'm good for to you, isn't it?"

        Naruto's mouth fell open.

       "Excuse me?!" Sasuke's hand paused on the handle to the back door, turning back toward Naruto.

       "Did I fucking stutter?"
       "Sasuke, you keep your ass inside and fucking talk to me!" Naruto demanded.

       "Why? I'm not the one you want right now. Go. Go talk to her." He spit the word like venom. Naruto bristled, anger washing hot through his body.

       "What the fuck are you implying?" He paused again, halfway out the door.

       "What the fuck would I be implying, Naruto?"

       "I dunno, that's why I fucking asked, genius!"

        Sasuke slammed the door shut and leaned back against it.

       "I'm not implying anything," he growled. "You wanna talk to her, go talk to her. Try to get whatever it is you think she can give you. And when you're done, I'll be here. Like I always am, like I've always been. And I will stitch your wounds and knead your scars and bandage all your broken emotions, and I won't even say I told you so. Because I care about you. Go ahead, act like it's none of my business that you wanna waste time with people who couldn't give two shits about you only to turn around and expect me to clean up the mess. That's really why you chose me instead of Gaara, isn't it? I clean up more messes than I cause." Naruto's throat twisted.

       "Is that really what you think? That I only keep you around to run damage control?" Sasuke blinked with a false impassiveness that made Naruto want to claw his own face off.

       "Isn't that what I always end up doing? I see no other use for me."

       "Have you considered the fact that I care about you, too?!" he screeched. "What about all the times I stitched your wounds and kneaded your scars and bandaged up your broken emotions, huh?"

       "I never asked you to do that!" His voice rang loud against the walls. "I never came crawling to you with tears in my eyes and begged for your help! But every time you fuck up, you come to me groveling! That's the difference between us!"

       "Are you saying I'm weak?!" Naruto laughed mirthlessly. "It sure as hell sounds like you're saying I'm weak. At least I don't pretend I don't have feelings! At least I don't hide everything behind anger or coldness!" Sasuke merely blinked, and it felt so mocking, Naruto's vision nearly blacked out. "At least I'm not an Ice Princess like you!"

       Sasuke went rigid, and Naruto knew immediately he fucked up big. The silence was sharp as his eyes. Naruto stammered, knowing he should rectify this but also more than aware it was far too late. The words were said, and he couldn't take them back. Sasuke's mouth finally opened.

       "That's Ice Queen to you, motherfucker."

       He punctuated this with the metallic slap of the screen door and the back door slamming shut so hard, the whole house seemed to rattle.

-

      Naruto knew, deep down, that Sasuke was right and this was a bad idea, but he had to do it. For himself, if nothing else. He had to know.

       He was waiting in a café midway between their apartments. Neither of them knew where the other lived, just the general neighborhood. He didn't normally drink coffee, but caffeine always had a strange way of calming his nerves rather than winding them up further, so he today he drank it. He was so nervous, he'd gotten there even earlier than he intended. The waitress seemed to be under the impression he was getting stood up for a date. He didn't care enough to tell her otherwise, just let her refill his cup and ordered some toast. Maybe that would settle his stomach, which seemed just as upset about him doing this as his heart, which hadn't stopped pounding since he woke up at the ass crack of dawn this morning. His hand itched to grab his phone and text Sasuke, but he was still mad. Besides, there was nothing to text him about. Nothing had even happened yet.

       The bell above the door chimed. A petite redhead walked in, pale blue eyes finding his across the café. He swallowed. She still walked the same, like a predator about to strike, and seeing her coming his way like this made him want to bolt. He held his ground, though, nodding to her in greeting. She nodded back, hesitating as she went to sit down.

       "May I?" He didn't know Gaara to hesitate ever, but now she'd hesitated both times he'd seen her. She's... very different from the person I remember... He nodded, and she sank gratefully into her seat, clasping her hands on the table. "Thank you for agreeing to meet with me. It means a lot." He swallowed again, looking down at his coffee as he brought the mug up to his lips, feeling as if he were moving in slow-motion.

       "Well, you know me. Everyone deserves a chance, right?" She smiled. He remembered that smile well. The chance to see it was one of the few things that had kept him around so long, back when they were dating. It was disarming and cute, and a little nervous. But his feelings didn't rise in response. There was... nothing. My feelings toward her are entirely dead, he realized slowly as she ordered her own coffee. It's so different from how I felt the other night. I don't... feel threatened at all. She's just... a person... 

       "So, Naruto... how would you like this to go?" she asked, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. He shifted in his seat.

       "You said you've changed. A lot must have happened in the last six years." It wasn't a direct answer, but the Gaara he knew rarely spoke directly. It was always the things not said that had to be listened to most. Evidently that was something that hadn't changed; she picked up on it immediately.

       "Wow. Six years already." 

       "Nearly seven," he added, remembering that his and Sasuke's anniversary was coming up. Assuming Sasuke and I make it to that anniversary... She nodded, thanking the waitress softly as she dropped her coffee.

       "Nearly seven," she agreed. "Well... I've been up to a lot."
       "New job." She chuckled a little.

       "Yes, well... I thought it might be good for me to work for once. I need... real-world experience." Naruto nodded. I wonder if working for her father didn't work out as she'd hoped... "What else... I got sober. It's been... five years now, I think."

       He nodded. Suspected as much. She doesn't seem... like she was then, to say the least.

       "Congratulations." He wasn't sure if he actually meant it or not.

       "And... well... this," she said, gesturing vaguely to her body. Naruto nodded.

       "You're still recognizable." 

       "Well, I'm still me. Just... expressed in a different way." Naruto nodded his agreement again.

       "It suits you." Her cheeks turned the very slightest bit pink. 

       "Thank you. You look well yourself." He nodded, finishing his coffee.

       "I've been treated well these last few years."

        Her expression darkened. She knew what that meant, too.

        "Listen, Naruto... there's no excuse for the way I treated you. Nothing will ever make up for that. I don't expect your forgiveness, I'm not entitled to it. I just... want you to know I'm a different person now. I won't hurt you again, and I won't interfere with you and Sasuke." He nodded a few times. There was no way of knowing whether she was lying or not- she'd always been good at it and Naruto had never learned her tells (if she even had any)- but... in this moment, she seemed sincere. "I'm... I'm sorry, Naruto. You didn't deserve anything I put you through." He nodded, mostly because he didn't know how else to respond. Sasuke was the one who reassured him he didn't deserve it all these years, that he wasn't a bad person for being abused, but to hear it from the person who hurt him was... different. That acknowledgement alone made something inside him feel just a little bit lighter.

        "Thank you, Gaara. That means a lot."

        A few moments passed in silence. They weren't comfortable, but they weren't horrible either. Naruto spent the whole time staring into his empty mug.

       "There's something I want to know," he said at last. Gaara nodded.

       "Of course. Anything."

       "Why?" She took a deep breath.

       "The truth?" He nodded, steeling himself. "Because you were vulnerable."

       It stung. It was one thing to think it and another thing to know it. I suppose Sasuke was right all this time... She sipped her coffee- black, the same way Sasuke took his- and set her mug back down.

      "You were starved for love. You'd take whatever scraps of affection I gave you, and you were so afraid of being abandoned that no matter how poorly I treated you in between, I knew you wouldn't leave." She swallowed, hard. "It was easy to vent my frustrations on you because I knew you'd let me. There wouldn't be a fight. It made me feel good to hurt you." She scrunched her eyes shut in a way Naruto knew meant she was holding back tears. He waited for her to get control over herself again. "I... I hated myself so much, and I didn't know how to deal with it. The only thing I knew how to do was make someone else feel the pain I felt." She took another deep breath. "It's a reason, not an excuse. What I did was wrong. I'm sorry."

       He nodded. It's all as I suspected. I just needed to know for sure... 

       "Thank you, Gaara. I... I needed to hear that." She nodded back. Naruto had nothing left to say, so he dug his wallet out of his pocket and set enough money down on the table to cover both of them plus the tip. 

       "Oh, Naruto, you don't have to-"

       "You just started working, you haven't gotten paid yet. I got it." She pursed her lips and nodded.

       "Thanks," she said softly. He nodded back, rising from the table.

       Walking out of that café left a part of his past behind him he never anticipated getting closure on. It was good, but it hurt, too. It hurt so much he could hardly bear it. Knowing that all he was to her then was a walking target, a pincushion for her to shove needle after needle inside of, made him want to scream. But at least he knew for sure now. Just a reopening of wounds, he reminded himself. It'll take time, sure, but they can be stitched back together and healed again- Still, the second he got into his car, he started to cry. He folded his arms on the steering wheel, hung his head, and bawled like an infant. It was the final step for Naruto in letting go. Once he cried about it, he'd be fine. I got what I needed. I know now, and I can put it all behind me. It only hurts for a second... 

       As soon as he was done, he drove straight to work. He wasn't sure how Sasuke would get there, but he was sure he'd find a way. He knew going back home right now would just make for an explosive car ride, and he wasn't emotionally up for that at the moment. I know I'm the one who fucked up there, calling him that name, but ... Naruto stomped up the stairs, pausing in the doorway to the third floor. Sasuke was already there, idly scrolling on his phone at the bar. Naruto's eyes widened. Oh no... 

       Sasuke was dressed all in white. White leotard, slitted white skirt, sheer white tights, white heels. A sheer cape hung from his shoulders, blue and silver and purple. He had painted his face white, lips a deathly blue. His eyes shifted toward Naruto as he approached, and Naruto realized he was wearing blue contacts. He'd even dusted silver glitter in his hair.

      "Y-Your Majesty," Naruto teased nervously. Sasuke rolled his eyes, sipping at his drink. "May I have a private audience with the Queen?"
      "I'd sooner behead you." Naruto swallowed.

      "Ah..."

      "Don't you have a redheaded wench to tend?" he asked coldly. Naruto swallowed again. I'm so dead... 

      "We already met." He raised a brow.

      "Oh?" he asked with mild interest, swirling his drink in his hand.

      "Yeah."

       Naruto slowly sat in the stool next to Sasuke. He didn't so much as bat an eye. I'm playing a dangerous game right now... 

       "It went well," he continued. Sasuke sniffed. "She really did seem sorry. I... I'm not sure I forgive her yet, but I got the answers I needed. Now I can-"

       "Are you quite finished?" he asked abruptly. Naruto swallowed again.

       "Ah... don't you wanna, um... talk?"

       It was odd being met with irises so pale they almost appeared white, but it was especially odd given they were set inside Sasuke's face. It was throwing Naruto off.

       "Not particularly."
       "Oh. Um... when we get home, then?" Sasuke didn't answer, just finished his drink. "Anyway, uh... what's with the get-up?" Sasuke's gaze could have cut glass. 

       "How soon we forget." He gestured to the bartender for another drink.

       "Should you really be doing that before a shift?"

       "Mind your own business." Another swallow. He said the words as casually as someone else might comment on the weather, but Naruto could sense the hostility. 

       "Uh-"

       "You're boring me." He waved Naruto away. "Begone, thot."

       His eyes snapped open so wide and so fast, it might have actually made a noise.

       "Excuse me?!" he squeaked. Sasuke's gaze, chilly and impassive, settled on his face, unwavering.

       "The Ice Queen tires of your presence. Be. Gone." Oh, so that's what this is all about-

       "Where's your crown, then?"
       "Crowns are tacky. Much like orange tracksuits." Naruto pretended not to wince at that.

       "That's a bit of a low blow."

       "And saying what you said wasn't?"

        Naruto opened his mouth to protest, but Sasuke downed his drink, slapped money on the counter, and promptly walked away before he could. I'm in so much fucking trouble... 

        He was tense the whole shift. He hardly spoke to anyone despite being the patroller. He avoided eye contact with Nightshade and Ruby West, and for good measure did little more than flash skittish smiles at the other dancers. It was thankfully a quiet night, little work for him, nothing to get his anxiety soaring higher. Naruto froze as Nightshade approached at the end of the night, their expression thoroughly inscrutable.

        "Drive me home," they commanded in a low voice as they passed, making Naruto shiver. Was that supposed to be sexy or threatening? He decided not to dwell on it, locking up and leaving with Nightshade. 

        The car ride home was unnervingly quiet. When they got in, Sasuke went straight for the bathroom. Naruto crept down the hall, peeking in. He was wiping the makeup off his face as calmly as ever, but Naruto could tell by the shade of red his skin was turning underneath that he was scrubbing unnecessarily hard. Sasuke shot him a stink eye, but otherwise continued going about his task.

       "Can we talk now?" Naruto asked tentatively. Another withering look.

       "What's there to talk about?" he sniffed. Naruto deflated.

       "I'm sorry. I fucked up. I should never have called you that name, I know how much you hate it-"

       He was cut off by a laugh that sliced the air. Sasuke smiled, but there was nothing in his face.

       "Do you, now? You really know how much I hate it? I would have thought you didn't considering how easily it came out."

       "Sasuke, please don't be like this-"

       "Like what, Naruto?" he demanded. "Angry? Tch. I've been angry since I was seven years old. Good luck changing that."

       "Sasuke, I'm sorry. I really am. I know I fucked up."

       The seconds between them ticked by. Maybe he's going to be merciful. Please, Sasuke, let's not drag this out-

       "So what happened at your date?" Damn it... Naruto didn't take the bait.

       "I told you, it went well. I got the answers I needed. I have closure."

       "So you won't be seeing her anymore?"
       "Why are you phrasing it like I'm cheating on you?" His brows knit together, and some intense emotion flashed through his eyes too quickly for Naruto to read it.

       "I'm not." He finally turned to face Naruto. "Is there something I should know?"
       "No!" he cried. "No. Nothing happened. I asked questions, I got answers, I cried in the car. The end."

       Sasuke softened a little, returning to the mirror to wipe more makeup off his neck. 

       "I'm not giving her another chance, Sasuke," he said, and it came out so soft he wasn't sure if he'd be able to hear it. He twitched, though, and Naruto knew he had. "That's what you're afraid of, right? That I'd betray you to give her another chance?" Sasuke's jaw tightened in a way Naruto recognized immediately. He stepped into the bathroom at last. "It's not happening. Ever. She's never getting another shot. No one will ever get a shot with me. So if that's what you've been worried about this whole time..."

       Naruto caught the tears as they started to fall from Sasuke's eyes. He closed them and started to move toward the shower, but Naruto stopped him with a hand on his wrist.

       "Don't turn away," he chided. Sasuke sniffed and his lower lip wobbled. "Oh, honey..." He wrapped Sasuke in a tight embrace, and he kicked off his heels so he could rest his head on Naruto's shoulder. Sasuke was never loud about it, never, but it was almost worse that way. Naruto was sensitive to every little shudder, every tiny sniff, every sob that got quashed with a swallow before it could leave his mouth. The only thing obvious about Sasuke when he cried was the way his face twisted in agony, and that was why he hid on Naruto's shoulder or in the crook of his neck. "You're the only one for me, Sasuke, you know that. You never have to worry about me betraying you. I never will." A small noise finally escaped him, and he all but sagged into Naruto, gripping hard at the back of his shirt. 

       It couldn't have been long that they stood that way. Sasuke always roped himself in rather quickly. He immediately rubbed cold water on his face. Naruto picked up a towel and dried it. Sasuke allowed him to. Naruto unclasped his cape from his shoulders, and Sasuke didn't stop him then either, understanding transferred in gentle touches and soft gazes. Naruto got them both undressed and herded Sasuke into the shower. They washed separately save for their hair, washing each other's and kissing in between lathers. They were silent now not as a punishment, but as a reconciliation. 

        They left the light off in the bedroom. Sasuke laid beneath Naruto as if they'd discussed this beforehand, and Naruto could tell by the way he looked at him he knew exactly what was coming next, but there was a hesitancy in the pressed line of his mouth. Naruto quirked his head to the side.

        "I'm sorry," Sasuke whispered, voice still raw from crying. Naruto blinked, surprised.

        "Why are you sorry?" He reached up and cupped Naruto's face, training his focus on his fingertips along Naruto's cheek so he wouldn't have to look him in the eye.

        "I shouldn't have discouraged you from talking to her. That was my fear talking. It's not right to keep you from something you clearly needed." Naruto sat back, considering his words.

        "I understand why, though. You were trying to protect me. And us." He drew invisible shapes on Sasuke's chest. "I'm sorry I called you that name. I'm sorry I got combative instead of trying to understand where you were coming from." Sasuke smiled fondly.

       "We're both idiots," he sighed. Naruto laughed.

       "It's unfortunate, but it can't be helped."

       They melted into a kiss, arms wrapping around one another. Sasuke leaned, and Naruto followed. They laid on their sides, facing one another, and Sasuke slung one leg over Naruto's hip while reaching back in the opposite direction to rummage through the nighttable drawer.

       "How are you so fucking flexible?" he asked, pressing a kiss to his chest.

       "It's a gift." Naruto laughed, and Sasuke gave an amused snort. He purred a little, though, as Sasuke rolled a condom over him. He looked at Naruto with hooded eyes as he guided him inside, toes curling at the slow entry. Naruto couldn't get the entire thing in at this angle, but it was more than enough to make them both shiver. Their mouths fitted together in another kiss, tongues swirling, and their fingers wove into each other's hair. Naruto kept a slow, sweet pace, and Sasuke moved his hips to meet his thrusts. Each touch was an apology and acceptance. Naruto moaned as Sasuke tugged the hairs at the back of his neck. Sasuke moaned back as Naruto nibbled his ear.

       "Sasuke..."

       "Naruto..."

        Their orgasm rolled through them in waves. They breathed each other's air and dug nails into each other's backs, moans intermingled. Naruto pressed kisses to Sasuke's damp skin, and Sasuke massaged circles into Naruto's back in return. They came to rest with their foreheads pressed together, nuzzling noses.

        "I love you," Sasuke breathed. Naruto smiled against his lips.

        "I love you, too."

Chapter Text

       They had made up, but they were both still a bit unsettled.

       Naruto was still processing his feelings a little, not really sure what he felt. Sasuke was still mad, clearly, but not at Naruto. Sasuke’s restless sleep had woken Naruto several times, leaving them both tired. Naruto became despondent, Sasuke snappish, and they spent far more of their waking hours that day away from each other than Naruto would have liked. He managed to catch a nap on the couch for a while, but it was interrupted by a stream of curses from the bathroom as Sasuke wiped off all his makeup and stomped back out to the bedroom, changing his entire outfit not once, not even twice, but three times before he was something resembling satisfied. I hope Gaara doesn’t start any shit with him today. If there’s a time for him to snap, it’s now, Naruto thought over the alternative rock blaring soft between them in the car. Sasuke seemed lost in his own thoughts, brow creased and chin propped on a fish-netted hand as he stared out the window. 

       Sasuke was first to the dressing room, as usual. He’d come bare-faced. Naruto watched him slip into the Nightshade persona as he stared at himself in the mirror, forcing the look to come together. A smoky eye and a bold pink lip, the only pop of color in the entire ensemble. Black fishnet top with thumholes in the sleeves, black body harness holding up a black mini skirt, the black latex thigh-high boots that on any other day would drive Naruto straight up the wall with desire. Too tired. And something about Sasuke is just… too tense still. He’d probably rip my head off if I came onto him today… He swallowed, taking one last, longing look at the sliver of fish-netted thigh between the hem of his skirt and top of his boot.

       Sasuke only truly became Nightshade when the others started to filter in, taking their seats at their own vanity tables. The mask slid up, all calm, cool, collected professionalism. If the others could sense that something was off with him, they didn’t give it away. Naruto knew, though. It’s like when we were teenagers. The tension of a ticking clock. That feeling that if just one thing goes wrong, he’ll go off like a bomb…. 

       Gaara was last to arrive today, hurriedly greeting the others. Nightshade’s lips twitched just slightly in a frown, their eyes flickered just a nanosecond in warning. And here’s the person most likely to set the bomb off. Please don’t pull any shit today, Gaara, please don’t piss Sasuke off… 

       “Rough commute?” Anko asked casually.

       “Fucking car broke down. Had to catch the bus,” she replied as she pulled up her divider to get dressed. Naruto watched Nightshade’s jaw tic, but they kept their focus on switching out earrings.

        “Again?”

        “I could give you a ride, Gaara,” Lee offered. “I live nearby, it’s no problem.”
        “Yeah, that’s nice, Lee, but I’m not inconveniencing you like that.” Gaara swore, and her head popped up over the mirrors. “You still carry a sewing kit in your bag, Sasuke?”

        All heads turned and eyes widened at the utterance of the Forbidden Name. Nightshade set their earring down with an air of serenity that had Naruto’s heart freezing in his chest. Angry Sasuke was much like a wild animal; every muscle in Naruto’s body tightened, ready to grab him if he lunged.

       “What did you just call me?” he said, soft to the untrained ear but low and dangerous to experts like Naruto. 

       “Nightshade-” Anko snorted, cutting Naruto’s warning short.

       “Well, it’s about fuckin’ time we got a real name! Turns out Nightshade is an actual human person after all!” she announced despite Naruto’s waving and mouthing “NO!”

       “It’s a nice name,” Sai agreed.

       “Forget it,” he snipped. “You didn’t hear it.”

       “I don’t see what the big deal is. Everybody’s got a name,” Anko continued, resuming her previous task of gluing on fake nails.

       “I have a stage name for a reason ,” they ground out, turning toward Gaara. “You, of all people, should know better.”

       “It was an honest mistake. I’m sorry.” Nightshade rolled their eyes.

       “Yeah, I’m sure it was.” Naruto shut his eyes. Maybe if I wish hard enough, this will stop happening-

       “Are you accusing me of purposely outing you?” she said, pronouncing each word slowly, as if she were speaking to a child, or an idiot. The same way she used to talk to Naruto when she boxed him into a verbal corner. His heart started to pound. This is bad. How do I stop it? I could never stop her before, what do I do, what do I do-?!

       The Nightshade persona unraveled. The sardonic smirk that crossed their face was pure, unadulterated Sasuke.

      “I wouldn’t put it past a person like you.”

      “And just what do you mean by that, Uchiha?” His eyes flashed again with a barely-contained rage. And now his whole legal name is out there. Fuck fuck fuck-! He regained his mental footing, his smirk becoming a sneer.

      “Wasn’t aware that estrogen killed braincells. Guess I’ll just have to spell it out for you: you’re an abusive, selfish, manipulative fuck.” He placed his palms on the vanity as he spoke, leaning over the mirrors to invade her personal space, opening himself for attack specifically to provoke her into throwing the first punch.

       “Sasuke-”

       “I don’t like you,” he continued, right over Naruto, “I don’t trust you, and I see straight through your bullshit act.” He shot her a shit-eating grin. “And personally, I can’t wait for the day your karma catches up to you.”

       It happened so fast, Naruto didn’t even register what he was doing until after he’d done it. There was the crack of Gaara’s fist against Sasuke’s jaw, the glint of his teeth as he smiled, the swing of his arms as he tossed her over the mirrors and pinned her to the ground. Naruto dove at Sasuke, but he multitasked better, swiping Naruto away as he rained a hail of blows on her. Lee and Sai jumped into the fray, a tangle of limbs as three people now separated them, Lee stepping in front of Gaara as he hauled her to her feet while Naruto and Sai held Sasuke back. To Naruto’s horror, Sasuke didn’t struggle with feral rage. He laughed.

       “Is that all you got? C’mon, Gaara, show me what you can do!” he taunted. Gaara growled from her spot behind Lee, wiping blood from her mouth.

       “I’m not that person anymore.”

       “Then why’d you throw the first punch, huh?” Her lips peeled back in a snarl.

       “Stop making this harder than it needs to be!” Sasuke’s eyes glinted with manic challenge.

       “Make me.”

       Lee had to physically restraint Gaara from lunging at him. Sasuke just laughed as Naruto and Sai’s grips loosened, slowly realizing that Sasuke had no intention of actually fighting her again. He’d already won. 

       Temari burst into the room then, Anko on her heels, and without a word she swept Gaara out, shooting Naruto and Sasuke a dirty look over her shoulder. 

       “I’ll get you back for this,” Gaara hissed. The door shut with a bang, like a gavel at a court hearing, giving the final verdict that this was over. Silence dragged on. Sai went back to his table, shaking his head, and Naruto edged just far enough away that Sasuke could turn and examine the forming bruise on his face in the mirror.

       “Well that was unnecessary,” Sai stated tactlessly. Sasuke simply smirked, covering the injury with makeup. 

       “Ya’ll are wild wild,” Anko agreed. “I haven’t seen drama like this since I was your age!” Sasuke’s smirk widened.

       “You haven’t seen anything yet.”

       “You’re crazy if you think I’m gonna let you two have a repeat performance,” Naruto grumbled. Sasuke hummed nonchalantly.

       “Bold of you to assume we need permission to act up.”

       “I swear to god, if you start with her-”
      “I won’t start,” he interrupted, gaze cutting to Naruto in the mirror. “But if she starts with me , I’m sure as hell gonna finish it.” Anko grinned on the other side of the room.

       “I haven’t been this entertained in nearly a decade. Kick her ass, Sasuke!” He rolled his eyes. 

       “No use enforcing ‘Nightshade’ now, huh?”
      “The novelty will wear off,” Sai dismissed. “Nightshade suits you better.” Sasuke’s mouth quirked into a lopsided smile for just a moment. 

       “Thanks. Well, I’m off.”

       Naruto followed Nightshade out, leaving Sasuke behind in the dressing room, professional mask tugging back into place.

       “I mean it, babe. Don’t start,” he whispered.

       “I won’t,” they assured, reaching back to brush their hand against his. Their gaze read sincerity even beneath the cool facade. Thank god… 

        Naruto prowled the room while the other dancers came out and took their stations. Gaara was nowhere to be seen for the first half hour. When she returned, it was with a scowl and Shikamaru on her heels. Naruto didn’t make it all the way around the room in time to hear what Shikamaru said to Nightshade, but they disappeared together for a far longer amount of time than Naruto was comfortable with. These stupid bitches better not have gotten themselves fired, I swear to god I’ll kill them-

       Nightshade’s return interrupted the thought before he could finish it, climbing easily up onto their stage and picking their routine back up as if they hadn’t left to begin with. They re-amassed a crowd easily enough, and when Naruto passed them they were still wearing a mask of professionalism, not a single crack in the veneer. Their injury wasn’t visible, a cosmetic trickery layered with distorting lights, but Naruto knew it was swelling by now.

       Everyone was more tense than usual when they returned to the dressing room. Lee seemed nervous, Nightshade and Gaara exuded a threat of violence that was nearly palpable, and Anko seemed to be waiting in anticipation, ready to cheer Nightshade on. Sai was as unaffected as usual. Nightshade didn’t bother sitting down to start taking their look apart like they usually did, just picked up their stuff and left. Gaara pegged them with a glare like a blowdart. Naruto intercepted before Nightshade could turn around and catch it, sending her his own pointed, warning glare. Back off. Now. Gaara snapped her head away before Nightshade turned theirs, giving Naruto a questioning glance when he didn’t follow them through the door. Naruto shook his head, leading them out. Temari was stationed nearby, glowering at both of them but clearly unwilling to start something. She’s always been the more sensible of the two…  

       Naruto heaved a breath of relief once they were locked in the car. Sasuke cast him a searching glance, but Naruto didn’t answer it, focusing on backing out and getting home as quickly as possible. 

       “You’re mad at me.”

       It wasn’t a question, and Sasuke didn’t seem upset by it. Naruto sighed harshly.

       “No, not really.” They rolled to a stop at a sign and, seeing no one was behind them, Naruto let the car linger there for a moment.

       “Who, then?” Sasuke asked patiently.

       “No one. Just a shitty situation.” He let the car roll forward again, focusing on weaving through side streets. 

       “You know I had to stand my ground. Otherwise-”
      “- you would have become her bitch,” Naruto finished. “I know.” Sasuke nodded. “What did Shikamaru say to you?” Sasuke hummed, resting his hand on his chin.

       “Get along or get lost, basically.”

       “And?”
      “I returned to my station, didn’t I?” Naruto nodded. “I won’t start with her,” he promised again. “But I can’t just lie down and take it if she decides to start up with me again.” Naruto drew in a long breath.

       “I know.”

       And he did know. He’d made the mistake of yielding to her for years. Naruto was still a bit afraid of confrontation with her. But Sasuke wasn’t. Sasuke never shied away from confrontation, never tried to be a people-pleaser just to avoid a clash. I just don’t wanna see him suffer the consequences for her bad behavior… 

       Naruto didn’t realize he’d turned away from home until it was too late. 

       “Fuck, shit-!” Sasuke soothed him with a hand over his on the gearshift.

       “Let’s go.” Naruto’s brows knit together. 

       “But... Sasuke, aren’t you tired?” 

       “No."

       Naruto didn’t need more encouragement than that.

       The bluffs were exactly as he remembered them. He drove onto the near-abandoned beach and the car scaled the incline with only a little bit of a struggle. He parked on an upper lot that didn’t even have a gate anymore; it had rusted straight off the hinges. The view was incredible. Nothing but a seemingly endless sea.

       “We haven’t come here in a long time,” Sasuke murmured. Naruto nodded.

       “Not since college.” He swallowed. “I’m not even sure why we’re here now.”

       “You need it.” 

       Evidently the answer was that simple. 

       Naruto nodded, looking out over the water. High tide crashed along the shore far below them; it became audible as he lowered the windows, letting the cool night air circulate around them. He closed his eyes, taking slow, even breaths. Exhaustion stung at the backs of his eyes. The salty air singed his nose. “ You need it… “ He turned Sasuke’s words over in his head a few times. I always used to come here to calm down. I haven’t needed to in so long, so why now…? The answer came in the familiar roll of Sasuke’s thumb over his knuckles and the reflection of dark tides in equally dark eyes. The same medicine for the same wounds… 

       This place was how they’d met. Sasuke used to sit on a dock just a little further down the beach. It was gone now, destroyed in a hurricane a few years back, but Sasuke didn’t need it anymore now that they could sit in the car together. Naruto always preferred being up on the bluffs; he looked to the left, where another incline led to a ridge most wouldn’t even bother trying to climb. Naruto spent many days watching Sasuke’s figure sit stock-still on the dock from that vantage point, looking out over the same waves. Naruto had felt connected with him even though they hadn’t known each other yet. The bond of children searching desperately for a place in the world, for answers. How funny that they both should turn to something as ever-changing as the sea for stability.

        It was Naruto who’d taken the initiative to go all the way down there and talk to Sasuke for the first time.

“This seat taken?” he’d teased. Sasuke had looked at him with only a quirk of his brow, otherwise stone-faced and serious. He’d looked back out over the waves. Naruto had interpreted that as a silent affirmative and sat down right next to him, legs dangling over the edge. “I come here every day, y’know.” Sasuke had nodded almost imperceptibly. “I can see you from my usual spot. I always wondered what you looked like up close.” Sasuke’s eyes had shifted so quickly Naruto almost didn’t catch the questioning sidelong glance before his gaze pulled back to the water. He could tell Sasuke was paying him some kind of attention, and that if he just pressed the right buttons he could probably get him talking. Naruto’s lips curled in an impish grin. He was good at pushing buttons. “You’re ugly as hell.” Sasuke’s head had jerked up with an indignant scoff.

        “If I’m ugly, what’s that make you?

       The rest, as they say, was history. The memory pulled a bittersweet smile to his lips. We were such messed-up kids. Why wasn’t anyone watching us? How were we failed at every turn like that…?

       “What are you thinking about?”

       Naruto blinked. Sasuke was still staring out over the water, but somehow read Naruto’s expression out of the corner of his eye. Naruto turned his own attention back to the waves.

       “I was remembering when we first met.” Sasuke smiled a little, also bittersweet.

       “I was remembering our escape plan.” Naruto shook his head. Sasuke’s gaze cut toward him with just a hint of mischief. “It’s not too late to steal a boat and sail away to Japan,” he teased. Naruto laughed.

       “Sometimes I wish we could…” 

        Silence settled between them, but outside, the waves roared thunderously. Sasuke’s hand shifted on top of Naruto’s as he turned in his seat, pulling one foot up to cross his ankle over his thigh.

        “Do you think we’ll ever make it across the sea?”

       The question surprised Naruto. His eyes met Sasuke’s. His lips tugged in another slightly-mischievous grin, and Naruto couldn’t help but smile back. Nothing wrong with entertaining an old conversation to soothe old wounds, right…? 

       “I think we will.” An answer he’d given countless times before.

       “Yeah?” He smiled wider, gaze dipping to their joined hands on the gearshift. The same response, every time, an echo of the past in the present.
      “Yeah.”

       “And what’ll we do once we get there?” Naruto finally cut the engine and turned in his seat to face him. He gazed at Sasuke from under his lashes, taking his hand between both of Naruto’s. 

      “Whatever the hell we want.”

      They smiled into the kiss, leaning over the center console. Hands threaded through hair as tongues swiped across each other, sending shivers skittering down their spines. Naruto sighed into Sasuke’s mouth, a teenage coil of nerves in his stomach. The sound was almost lost beneath the sound of the waves crashing. Naruto crawled into Sasuke’s seat. It took only a moment of struggling to switch positions , Sasuke settling easily in Naruto’s lap, never once disconnecting the kiss. Just like when we were younger… The air was cool, but a fever was breaking over Naruto’s skin, crawling from the inside out. Haven’t fucked in the car since college. I still feel the same way. So giddy… Sasuke reached down, and Naruto’s heart throbbed in his throat at the familiar action he hadn’t seen in years.

      “Lean back.”

      Naruto obeyed, and the seat shoved down and back with a few juddering clacks, leaving him reclined beneath Sasuke.

      “For just a minute,” Sasuke said, voice low and sultry, eyes hooded, “let’s pretend we already made it there… and do whatever we want….” Naruto shuddered, fisting Sasuke’s hair in one hand and grabbing his hip hard with the other, forcing him down to seal their mouths in a rough kiss. Sasuke growled into him, grinding his hips hard. That was all the permission Naruto needed; he reached between them and wriggled out of his clothes only enough to expose his cock, hot and needy already. Sasuke leaned down to pull on Naruto’s shirt. The collar tore unexpectedly. Sasuke took advantage of it, biting down on the suddenly exposed shoulder. Naruto moaned, reaching under Sasuke to tug his underwear aside, fingers probing his entrance. He was already slick, velvet folds parting to allow Naruto’s fingers in. Sasuke’s silent moan ghosted across the fresh bruise, his hand slipping between them to take Naruto. He steadied himself on the seatbelt with his other hand, jerking on it until it made the tell-tale clunk that meant it had locked in place. He sat back up as far as he could, hand working quickly over Naruto’s shaft, bringing him to full hardness in seconds. Fuck, fuck, fuck… He pulled his fingers back, rubbing the nub just above Sasuke’s entrance. He tossed his head back with a moan. “Naruto-”

       “-yeah, yeah,” he agreed to the unfinished request.

       Another quick shift, and Sasuke was enveloping Naruto in a tight, wet heat that had him seeing stars. God, I’m not gonna last long, am I…

      “Fucking relax , usuratonkachi,” he snapped. Naruto released the breath he wasn’t aware he was holding, forcing rigid muscles to loosen. Satisfied, Sasuke started to rock back and forth, making Naruto’s fevered desire spike another degree. 

       “Sasuke, god… d-damn it…”

       He swung down to leave more bites along either side of Naruto’s throat, nipping the pulse-point beneath his jaw. One hand slid under Sasuke’s skirt to grab his ass, the other gripping tightly around the latex of his boot. Naruto’s hips slammed upward to meet Sasuke’s downward strikes, bones clashing. His nails bit into the supple flesh of Sasuke’s ass. For just a moment, they were twenty years old again, fresh in love. And they were fifteen, angry at the world and acting out to make it pay. And they were ten, daydreaming about escaping to different lives in a different place. I don’t care where we end up, Sasuke. Just stay by my side and I’ll be happy… 

        They snapped against each other, pleasure rushing their systems, their moans coinciding with the crash of waves against the bluffs. Sasuke lost his grip on the seatbelt, but Naruto caught him, holding him close. Sasuke’s skin was salty in his mouth as the air was in his nose, suckling at the artery in his throat, pulse thrumming beneath his lips. Sasuke titled his head to nudge their mouths together, less a kiss and more a sharing of breath. Naruto rocked gently into him, a low tide to follow the violent crest of their climax. Sasuke rolled his hips softly into it, establishing a slow rhythm that had Naruto moaning from somewhere deep in his chest. Sasuke drank it in, tongue slipping back into Naruto’s mouth at last. They followed a familiar dance, wet and warm, soothing nerves better than a hot bath. Their bodies pressed tightly together, leaving no space between them, only the caress of skin and chafe of clothes. Naruto swelled inside Sasuke. His walls flexed to accommodate it. They didn’t so much as pause.

       Sasuke moved first. His tongue stroked the shell of Naruto’s ear, pulling another deep moan that rung in the air instead of inside them. His teeth nipped the lobe, pinched down the side of Naruto’s throat. Naruto’s nails scratched red lines into Sasuke’s back beneath the fishnet top.

      “Naruto…”
      “Sasuke…”

       This orgasm was different. Long and steady, pulsing between them in a joint heartbeat. They drew it out with the continuous roll of their hips, mirroring the endless tide. They only stopped when they were both too breathless to continue, panting against each other. Sasuke’s breath was almost insufferably hot against Naruto’s clavicle, but then again, his couldn’t have been comfortable, either. Each puff against Sasuke’s forehead made more sweat bead there.

       They didn’t leave the bluffs until the sky turned the pastel colors of dawn.

Chapter Text

       Opposite Day at The Lime was being taken much too literally in this household, Naruto decided.

       It was impulsive and foolish and more than a little possessive, but watching Gaara and Sasuke fight had triggered something deeply protective in Naruto, so much so that he couldn't sleep that night. He ended up rolling out of bed while Sasuke was still snoring (which Naruto found oddly cute but Sasuke would forever be in denial about doing) and texting a number he didn't want to still have memorized.

      They met at an empty park, all the way in the back by the handball courts. It was a foggy, eerie morning, the vapors licking Naruto's skin, leaving beads of moisture at the ends of his stood-up hairs. His heart thudded at the inside of his ribs, one scare away from bursting free altogether. He watched her figure emerge from the smoky backdrop, eyes like ice. Late as always... 

      "So. To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?" she asked. Her split lip was still visible. Straight to the point as usual. Naruto tossed a small notebook at her.

      "Those are job listings with contacts in the area. Get the fuck out of The Lime." She glanced back up at him.

      "I thought you were okay with me working there as long as I don't interfere." Naruto narrowed his eyes.

      "Outing Sasuke and punching him in the jaw sounds a lot like interfering."
      "He provoked me!"
      "I don't care!" he barked, fists clenched at his sides. A pair of birds in a nearby tree took flight in alarm. He drew a breath as he watched them, forcing his hands to unfurl. "You're supposed to be better than that now. If you two are gonna fight, then you need to go. The Lime is temporary for you. It's our careers." Naruto let his gaze hold all the anger he'd never expressed, all the resentment and pain. "Just get out of our lives and stay out. Before something happens that none of us can take back." Gaara's mouth twisted into a wry smile, familiar and gutting.

      "Is that a threat, Uzumaki?" Blue on blue, Naruto's burning bright sapphire against Gaara's falsely cool cyan.

      "It's a promise."

      Gaara tilted her head to the side, just enough that her hair came loose from behind her ear, spilling down the front of her shirt like blood.

      "You love him." Naruto's brows furrowed.

      "Of course I love him," he scoffed.

      "How do you know?"

      "I..." He closed his eyes, drew in a slow breath. How do I even put it into words...? He couldn't help but think of the night they got together, the night Gaara dumped him, the night his old life fell apart and his new one began. "I'm the sun to his moon. I stand behind him so he can glow bright and beautiful. And sometimes we share the sky together, and those moments are so precious. It's a selfless kind of feeling. All you want is for them to be happy, and when they hurt, you hurt, too." He shook his head. "I don't know if you could understand, Gaara. Have you ever felt like that toward someone? Or have you always wanted to control and possess them?"

       She didn't answer. She simply tucked the notebook into her purse.

       "You're lucky I was looking for another job anyway. Consider me gone."

      Naruto waited until long after her back had turned and her figure had disappeared into the grey before he turned back toward home.

      By the time Naruto got home, it was nearly time to go back to work again. They had agreed to go in earlier than usual to cover a security officer and waitress who had to take half-shifts that day. He walked in to the scent of cinnamon and coffee, the kitchen sink running and dishes clattering softly. He kicked off his shoes and stood in the entryway to the kitchen. On the table sat two cups of coffee and a bowl with the remnants of Sasuke's cereal in it. Sasuke stood at the sink washing dishes, humming to himself, seemingly unaware of Naruto's presence. He was wearing an orange and black jacket with a red swirl design on the back. Naruto felt his throat tie in a knot.

     "Sasuke?" He glanced back over his shoulder, offering Naruto a soft smile.

     "Hi."

     "Where... where did you get my old jacket?"

      He abandoned the rest of the dishes in the sink, turning and leaning back against the counter while he dried his hands. Sasuke had left it open, revealing only an orange bandeau underneath.

     "Oh, this? You left it in my dorm once and I just... never gave it back, I guess." A blush raised on his cheeks as he looked away, occupying himself with putting the towel back on the stove handle. Naruto's heart started to pound a different way now, something simmering just beneath his skin.

     "Why'd you keep it?" Sasuke's blush deepened.

     "I liked to wear it... when I was..." He coughed out a laugh. "Um, feeling-stupid-in-love-with-you," he finished quickly, head ducked, not even attempting to meet Naruto's eyes. The something simmering roared to a full boil. He rounded the table with a smile, hitching Sasuke up on the counter and wrapping him up tight in his arms with a kiss. Sasuke smirked into it, pulling back only enough to speak. "You like that, dobe?"

     "I do. I like you wearing my jacket," he replied, leaving a wet kiss to Sasuke's pulse-point, hands gripping the muscles of his back.

     "Mm, I'll wear it more often then." Sasuke nudged their mouths together in a deep kiss. "Where'd you run off to?" he asked, nearly breathless as Naruto dove back in, sucking his tongue, finally pulling a little moan from Sasuke. 

     "Just had to take care of something."

     He didn't leave room for more questions, nails digging into Sasuke's hip and shoulder, every part of their bodies touching now.

     "Naruto," Sasuke breathed, pressing a hand to his chest, trying to push him back enough to look into his eyes. "Tell me what happened." Naruto pursed his lips, drawing back enough for Sasuke to see. He raised the same hand he'd used to push Naruto away to cup his cheek, thumb tracing the bag beneath one tired eye. He must have seen whatever he'd sensed reflected in Naruto's gaze. "Tell me," he requested again, soft. Naruto drew a slow breath, head lowering.

      "I told Gaara to fuck off. Permanently." Sasuke nodded a few times.

      "And how do you feel about that?"

      "I..." He bit his lower lip. "Angry."

      "Why?"

      "Because I wanted to believe she'd changed enough that we could be in the same place without the three of us tearing each other apart. I wanted to believe... that I was over it all." Sasuke nodded, waiting for the rest. Naruto allowed himself a few breaths. "I... I feel really... protective of you. I... It's almost... possessive. And it... it scares me." His breath started to come a little faster, panic bubbling up from his core. "I don't wanna be like her, Sasuke. I don't wanna-"
      "Hey, hey. Calm down," Sasuke soothed, reeling Naruto back into an embrace, breathing deep and slow to model for him. Naruto clung to him as if he were afraid he'd float away. "What you're feeling toward me right now is a natural response to someone threatening our relationship, and me specifically. That's normal, Naruto. You're allowed to feel like that. What you're not allowed to do is try to control me because of those feelings. Do you understand?" Naruto nodded, whimpering into the crook of Sasuke's neck. "Don't cry," he said, petting Naruto's hair. How he could tell Naruto was about to was beyond him; Naruto himself was too preoccupied with figuring out how to breathe again to even realize he was on the verge of tears. "You're not like her. You're nothing like her. You don't have to worry about that, okay?" Naruto nodded, drawing breaths in sync with Sasuke. 

      He didn't know how long they stayed like that. Naruto only pulled away once he was feeling better, rubbing his face in a desperate attempt to break up the warmth of impending tears. I don't wanna cry. The two of us have cried plenty lately...  

      "We're not going to work today," Sasuke decided, pulling his phone out of the pocket of his sweatpants and tapping out a message.

      "Don't be stupid. We promised to cover that shift and a half."

      "Well, now you're too sick and I have to take you to the doctor." Sasuke's phone pinged. "And now Kiba and Anko will be covering instead. You're welcome." 

      He hopped down from the counter, taking Naruto's hand and tugging him to the bedroom. Naruto didn't resist.

      Sasuke went immediately for one of their drawers, rifling through it. 

      "What are you doing?" he asked. I know some kind of sex is about to happen, but what is he planning...? 

      "You look like hell. You're not doing any kind of work today." He held up his harness and strap-on dildo for emphasis. Naruto swallowed a little. I'll definitely cry- "You're afraid of controlling me, right? Getting too possessive?" Naruto nodded. "But you're not afraid of me getting too possessive and controlling, right?" Naruto nodded again. Sasuke turned toward him at last, strap-on held in one hand, handcuffs in the other. "Then I'll be the one in control."

       Naruto drew in a sharp breath. He knew what else Sasuke was offering, too: an outlet for Naruto's tumultuous emotions instead of bottling them up. He knows me so well. Thank god for you, Sasuke... 

       "Okay, yeah. Yeah, I like that." Sasuke grinned, stalking closer. "Before we start, though..." Sasuke stopped dead in his tracks, waiting. Naruto swallowed thickly. "Can I, uh... see what shoes you were gonna wear to work?" Sasuke snorted and rolled his eyes, tossing the cuffs at him.

       "I intentionally chose the ugliest shoes I could find," he warned, opening the closet and bending down to pull out the pair in question. Even Naruto could admit they were hideous: bright orange Converse sneakers, with the thickest platform soles he'd ever seen in his life.

      "Well... I like the color?" he offered. Sasuke scoffed. 

      "Of course you would," he said with an eye-roll, tossing them back in the closet. "I'm actually glad I don't have to wear them."

      "I'm sure there'll be another Opposite Day," Naruto teased. Sasuke just rolled his eyes again, shedding his clothes and stepping into the harness. To Naruto's delight, he put the jacket back on once it was secured. It should probably be weird to see him in just an old tracksuit jacket and strap-on, but... it's so fucking hot... Sasuke motioned for Naruto to strip, too. He did it dutifully while Sasuke grabbed the lube and tissues.

      The cuffs found their way around Naruto's wrists as Sasuke climbed onto the bed with him. 

      "One rule today, Naruto," he purred, tilting Naruto's chin up with his thumb. His smirk matched the smolder in his eyes. "Don't come until I tell you to. Sound good?" He nodded vigorously, eyes wide.

      "Yes." Sasuke smiled.

      "So good for me. C'mere."

      Sasuke repositioned them, having Naruto lie on his stomach with a pillow propping his hips up. He kept his arms extended over his head so he could rest his cheek against the mattress, gazing at Sasuke over his shoulder.

      "Relax," he instructed in a low rumble, breath fanning Naruto's ear. His lips traced slowly down Naruto's back as he lubed his hand. One finger swirled around Naruto's hole, teasing. So it's gonna be long and slow, huh...? His finger went in only to the first knuckle. He slid only that much in and out. A warmth so intense spread across Naruto's body, he couldn't help but heave a low moan. He loved the feeling of just barely being breached, and Sasuke knew it. He added a second finger, again only up to that first knuckle, stretching Naruto's rim. Gradually, Sasuke pushed his fingers in further, to the second knuckle. Naruto was panting already, Sasuke's deliberate scissoring motions striking a fire inside him.

       "Can't you go any faster?" he snapped. Sasuke leaned down and smiled against his back.

       "Sorry. No can do." He pressed a soft bite to the taut column of muscle guarding Naruto's spine.

       "Ha-ah, Sasuke...!" 

       He did do Naruto the favor of fully inserting them now, though, stretching him with slow, wide separations of his fingers. He tossed himself back with a growl. Sasuke's free hand flew to his hip, nails biting into Naruto's flesh in warning.

      "Impatient," he admonished, forcing Naruto down.

      "I'm ready, just do it!"
      "We go at my pace."

      Naruto shivered. His voice held just a hint of danger, a reminder that if he wanted to, Sasuke could make his life a living hell. But he wouldn't. Instead, he curled his fingers, brushing against the spot inside him that had Naruto keening with pleasure.

      "Such cute noises you make," Sasuke purred. "Think I'll milk this for a while. Would you like that, Naruto?" He couldn't give a coherent response, not with Sasuke's fingers stroking his prostate like that. "Talk to me, baby," he insisted.

      "Ngh... yeah, I- oh fuck!- yes, Sasuke, more...!"

      Naruto ground down against the pillow, searching for relief. Sasuke tutted, bracing his forearm across Naruto's lower back and leaning almost all of his weight into it, forcing Naruto to stay still.

      "You're being such a bossy, impatient little brat today." He clenched his teeth, ignoring Sasuke's inflammatory words and focusing instead on breathing. His head spun with the fierce heat in his face. I just wanna come, you bastard...! "Lucky for you, I find it cute." Sasuke almost chuckled his own words, rubbing Naruto's walls, trying to coax more noise from him. He clamped his jaw shut. He could hear the frown in Sasuke's voice. "What, not talking now? Did I piss you off? C'mon, get angry with me, Naruto. Maybe you'll convince me to do what you want." 

      He punctuated that sentence with a rough fingertip raking across Naruto's prostate. His body snapped into an arch, a blinding pleasure building inside him. Sweat rolled down his skin. His untouched cock dripped on the pillow. He gritted his teeth to cut off the loud moan Sasuke had drawn from him, blood boiling.

     "Just fuck me already!" he growled. Sasuke yanked him back by the hair, making him hiss. 

     "Why should I?" he demanded, breath hot against the shell of Naruto's ear. "I'm having so much fun making you squirm."

     "Sasuke!" What was supposed to be a reprimand warped into a whine. 

     "Is that really all you got? I'm disappointed. At this rate, I'll never let you come."

     Naruto cried out as Sasuke bit down hard on his earlobe. He sucked it to seal the mark, eased the pressure and licked it to tame the flare of pain into pleasure. And still, his fingers worked slow and deep inside him, making his chest heave and muscles shake.

     "Let's face it, Naruto," Sasuke said, finally releasing his hold on Naruto's hair only to climb on top of him, pressing his upper body down flat. "Your fear is irrational. You can't control me. Never could, never will. You are, quite literally, wrapped around my finger." Another punishing stroke across Naruto's prostate, losing his breath in a gasp. "But I will never use that against you, except to make you feel good. Do you understand me?"

    "Ahn..."

     Sasuke interpreted that, correctly, as an affirmative. Naruto complained loudly as Sasuke's fingers slid out with a wet squelch, leaving him feeling hollow. Soon both of Sasuke's hands were on his hips, pulling him into his body as he thrust his cock inside. Naruto moaned into the mattress, trying to muffle the sound.

     "Show me how much you like it," Sasuke encouraged, slowly pulling out, then fucking harshly back in. Naruto moaned unabashedly now, propping himself up on his arms and presenting Sasuke with his ass, a silent plea for more. "Use your words, Naruto."

      "Goddamn it, you- aah, fuck!- oh god, Sasuke, oh fuck-!" He gave a desperate wail.

      "Words," he insisted, dragging Naruto's hips back to meet his next thrust. He may as well have asked Naruto to solve a Rubik's cube; words were simply impossible to piece together right then, like so many colored squares he just couldn't get in the right place.

      "Mo- ah-hah! Ngh...!- More, Sasuke!" he managed at last. 

      "Specify."

      "Go fuck yourself, you- aahh, Sasuke, Sasu-!"

      Sasuke adjusted his angle just slightly, colors exploding across Naruto's vision as he pounded harder into him, setting a firm, steady pace.

      "You really wanna tell me to go fuck myself right now, Naruto? I could stop right now and make you watch, y'know." Naruto screwed his eyes shut, a moan shuddering out from somewhere deep in his chest. "I could keep this up all day, Naruto. I could bring you to the brink and leave you there over and over again. You've given me that power." His arms snaked around Naruto's body, one thumb pressing hard on the pulse-point beneath Naruto's jaw, making his heart beat even harder against his ribs. "But I love you too much to torture you."

      He adjusted his grip, pulling Naruto backward into his lap. He fucked up into Naruto, making him cry out at the new angle. He spread his legs and rode him fervently, desperate for release. Sasuke's left hand drifted down Naruto's body, leaving a trail of flames licking at his skin, until finally he grasped Naruto's neglected cock and began to pump it in time. He threw his head back with the loudest moan yet, feeling himself come undone with Sasuke's breath in his ear.

     "Come for me, Naruto."

     It ripped through him like claws through paper. He might have screamed as he painted himself white, he couldn't be sure. All he was sure of was that Sasuke was there, holding him, easing him through it with a few slow pumps. Naruto was drenched in sweat and cum and, yes, even tears, but too boneless to do anything about it. Sasuke wiped him down in the same meticulous manner he cleaned everything else. He somehow shimmied out of the harness without moving Naruto, unfolding his legs and wrapping them loosely around him. Naruto sank against Sasuke's chest, just barely able to turn his head to the side enough that he could leave a wet, sloppy kiss against his collarbone. Sasuke kissed the top of his head in return, threading his fingers through it.

     "Feeling better about things now?"

     Naruto nodded. He felt lighter inside, like a huge clot had finally broken up and his blood could run free though his veins again. The icy panic that had solidified around his heart melted away, leaving only the warmth of their bond behind. He raised a shaking hand to wipe away a fresh flood of tears. Sasuke kissed the droplets on the back of his hand.

     "We're okay now," he whispered. "You're so strong."

     For perhaps the first time, Naruto believed him.

Chapter Text

       Naruto suppressed a giggle. Well this is new... 

       "Uh... howdy, partner?" he offered.

        Sasuke scowled, and Naruto laughed aloud.

       "Usuratonkachi," Sasuke grumbled, brushing past him into the bathroom.

       "Aw, don't be like that, Sasu-gay," he teased, following him and wrapping him in a hug from behind. Sasuke scoffed and struggled, but he was smiling at the return of that childhood nickname. Naruto kissed his neck, gazing at their reflections in the mirror. "Goddamn, we're hot, aren't we?"

       "Keep it in your pants, Uzumaki. You have me for the next week, remember?" Naruto's grin widened.

       "How could I forget?" he purred, giving Sasuke's ass a smack and bolting out before he could smack back even harder.

       "You're lucky I have to get ready for work!" Sasuke called after him.

       Naruto snickered, moving back into the bedroom to continue packing. This time tomorrow, he'd be driving Sasuke to their anniversary destination. It was still a total surprise; Sasuke wasn't even allowed to pack his own bags in case he figured it out. I hope he likes it, he thought, folding shirts smaller to make room. I know it's not exactly the same as we've talked about, but I think the sentiment's what matters more. I hope... The sound of Sasuke's heels on the hardwood shook Naruto from his thoughts. Sasuke cocked his hip in the doorway, smiling fondly at Naruto.

       "About ready?"

       "Yeah. I can finish this later." Naruto studied him a moment. His lips spread in a grin. "You look good, baby."

       Sasuke smirked, equal parts arrogant and bashful. Naruto wasn't aware "goth cowboy" was an aesthetic one could capture, but Sasuke had done it perfectly. A black cowboy hat with studs on the band framed smoky eyes and a black bandana tied around his neck. He wore a black jacket with a fringe on the sleeves and black-and-white patches on the shoulders that looked like a cow. It was cropped to reveal his midriff, buttoned all the way up for now, and he'd paired it with his go-to black booty-shorts, this time with a chunky belt. The buckle was huge, silver with a bull skull engraved on it. Rather than typical cowboy boots, though, Sasuke was wearing a pair of stilettos like usual: black with a silver sole and heel. The heels were shaped like pistols. Naruto raised an intrigued brow. Those are new... "Where the hell did you find shoes like that?"

       "They were like, forty dollars at some novelty shop online. Happened to have 'em left in my size." Sasuke shrugged. Naruto nodded. They were certainly unusual, but also really, really cool. Kinda want him to step on me in those... He swallowed, clearing his throat and hoping the motion traveled up into his brain, too. Focus. We get to be with each other for the next week... 

       "Cool. Let's go, don't wanna be late for being early." Sasuke rolled his eyes with a snort.

       "Alright, dobe."

       Naruto stared at his ass as he walked out, sighing to himself. It's gonna be a long night... 

       It was a long night, but not for the reason Naruto had initially anticipated. The Old West theme evidently came with a mechanical bull that Naruto was put in charge of. "Don't let anybody get maimed or dead," Shikamaru had unhelpfully instructed. "I'm fuckin' outta here." Trying to keep a bunch of reckless drunks from crowding the area or getting hurt trying to exit the padded arena once the bull flung them off was a three man job, but he managed to do it all on his own. He didn't have time to be horny for Nightshade's look of the night. And from what he could gather with random, fleeting glances out of the corner of his eye, Nightshade wouldn't have had the concentration to spare teasing him; they were totally engrossed in performance after performance. Naruto was pretty sure they hadn't taken so much as a water break the whole night, dancing non-stop. And, of course, Naruto was also put in charge of locking up, which meant they both ended up staying even later.

       They fell into their seats when they reached the car. Naruto rubbed at bruises on his arms from a few rough patrons. Sasuke shucked off his shoes and rubbed his feet, hissing.  

       "Got what you paid for, huh?" Naruto drawled. Sasuke shot him an irritated glance.

       "I made a grand in tips tonight in no small part thanks to these fuckers. It's worth the pain."

       "Goddamn, a grand? Shoulda made you pay for the trip," he teased. Sasuke frowned at him.

       "Don't you have a car to drive." Naruto laughed, heading toward home. They bickered until a water bottle rolled out from under Sasuke's seat, at which point he impulsively picked it up and chugged half of it before gagging. Evidently it had been there a very long time and considering it was now getting warm outside, it had gotten very hot sitting inside the car. "Disgusting," he groused as he dumped the rest of the water out the window and tossed the empty bottle into the backseat. Naruto could only laugh under his breath.

       They both dropped all their clothes the second the front door closed. They hadn't talked about it, but they were both sore and eager for a hot shower. And we have the whole week to recover, hell yeah... 

       "Fucking-!" 

       Naruto darted forward and caught him before he even knew what was happening.

       "The hell, Sasuke! You okay?"
       "Fucking charley horse!" he hissed, gripping his leg and digging the pads of his fingers into the muscle.

       "Alright, alright. C'mere."

       Naruto hefted him easily in his arms, carrying him into the bathroom and drawing the hot water while he continued to nurse his leg. He hissed again as he forced his leg to straighten. Naruto tested the water; deeming it warm enough, he put the stopper in and turned his attention back to Sasuke.

      "Good thing we were going for a shower anyway, right?" he said, trying to distract him from the pain. It wasn't often Sasuke got muscle cramps like this, but when he did they were always a bitch to deal with.

      "Yeah, yeah. Grab me some water?" Naruto sprinted into the kitchen and grabbed a cold bottle from the fridge, sprinting back. Sasuke was trying to work his calf muscle, but he couldn't find a good angle. He chugged half of the bottle, then let Naruto help him hobble to the tub, letting him lay down before Naruto crouched at the end. He started at his foot- the probable origin of the cramp- with a deep massage. Sasuke squirmed, water sloshing dangerously up the side of the tub.

      "Stay still," he soothed, pressing his thumb to the arch of Sasuke's foot. He hissed and jerked involuntarily, but Naruto's grip was firm enough to keep him in place. "Relax."

      "Shut up."

      Sasuke didn't kick at him, though, didn't do anything to discourage Naruto from continuing. He made little hissing noises here and there as Naruto's right hand crept up his leg, his left still manipulating his foot. Sasuke jerked again at another painful spot, but schooled himself quickly. Naruto nodded. Between the hot water and the massage, it's starting to loosen up... Two more passes up and down his leg provoked not a single sound from him; he wasn't gritting his teeth or holding his breath anymore, either. I wonder if he knows he does that. Always trying so hard to be quiet, no matter what it is he's feeling. Why, Sasuke? It's one of the few things about you I still don't understand. Always so quiet... 

      "You can stop now."

      It was not a command, or even a request. Just a gentle reminder. Naruto glanced up at him; he'd allowed himself to sink into the water a little, arms resting on the edges of the tub, head tilted back just slightly. Naruto's lips spread in a soft smile. 

      "Well, your feet hurt before too, right? And since we're officially on vacation now, why not treat yourself to a massage?" Sasuke attempted a snort, but it came out as just an exhale.

      "Let's make a deal, then: you do my feet, I do your shoulders." Naruto raised a brow.

      "But my shoulders don't hurt."

      "They will tomorrow if you keep holding them like that." Naruto couldn't help but laugh at that. 

      "Yeah, you're probably right," he agreed. "Deal, then. Is this feeling better?" Sasuke nodded. Naruto smiled. "Good. Now the other one, yeah?"

      "Mm-hm."

      Naruto grabbed Sasuke's left foot now, rolling his thumbs up and down the arch of his foot. Sasuke twitched here and there, but nothing drastic like the other one. Naruto's gaze kept straying back up to his face. He liked watching Sasuke relax, especially during times like this, when his guard was down and he wasn't fighting it. I don't think he means to fight it. It's just leftover from when we were younger, and he always had to be on guard. It's... it's so nice that he can relax with me... He drew in a sharp breath through his nose as Naruto's hands moved up his calf.

      "Does that hurt?"
      "It's a good hurt." He nodded, trying to find that spot again. "Mmph...!" The noise was barely perceptible, but Naruto heard it. He focused his attention on the tendon that ran down into the back of his ankle, paying particular mind to the sore spot. "You're unreasonably good at this."

      A shiver ran down Naruto's back. Sasuke had clearly meant to tease him, but his voice came out husky and undeniably sexy. Naruto couldn't resist the opening he'd left with that statement, either.

     "There's a few things I'm unreasonably good at." Sasuke snorted, nose wrinkled but a smile on his lips, and if he were at all inclined to move he might have swatted at Naruto's head.

     "Yeah? I haven't seen it yet." Naruto batted at his knee, leaning back to grab soap.

     "I like to think I've impressed you a few times," he argued. Sasuke grinned, letting his eyes slip shut as Naruto began to wash his feet.

     "Once or twice," he relented. Naruto shook his head.

     "So mean to me. Dunno why I put up with your sour ass." Sasuke grin widened.

     "Because you love my ass."
     "You love my ass, too."

     "Mm-hm..."

      Sasuke let Naruto wash him all the way to his shoulders. It was only once he finished that Sasuke took the soap from him and gestured for him to turn around. It took a little finagling, but with Sasuke's left foot up on the corner of the tub and Naruto's knees bent, they managed to arrange themselves with Naruto between Sasuke's legs, facing away. 

      "Your turn."

      Naruto suppressed another shiver at the way Sasuke's voice curled around his eardrum, nestling in a tight, sultry coil he could still faintly hear even once his mouth had closed. He wasn't sure if the shoulder massage was meant to provoke him, but with Sasuke's breath in his ear and the firm rub of his hands passing over sensitive, oft-bitten spots, Naruto couldn't help the arousal pooling low and hot in his stomach. By the time Sasuke stopped massaging and switched to washing down Naruto's arms, his breath was getting irregular and the flush on his face had traveled into his ears.

      "What's wrong, Naruto?" Sasuke crooned, his hands gliding down the rigid planes of his chest and abdomen. "Are you getting turned on?"

      "So what if I am?" He groaned behind his teeth as Sasuke palmed his shaft.

      "So what if you are?" Sasuke's other hand drifted lower under the guise of washing his thighs, but it quickly became groping his balls.  He groaned again, hips twitching. Fuck, Sasuke... "Would you want me to do something about it?"

      "Why? Would you?"

      Sasuke laughed breathily, lips just barely brushing Naruto's burning ear. 

      "Maybe." His hands began to move, but not the way Naruto wanted them to; they were trailing down his legs now, guiding one up and out of the water so he could wash it. "But I'm awfully tired from work. Maybe I'll just get you washed up and go to bed." Naruto offered an irritated grunt.

      "It'd be awfully cruel to rile up your boyfriend like that, then leave him high and dry." Naruto could hear his smirk.

      "So you admit you're riled up, then?" Naruto shook his head. I'm not having a verbal sparring match... 

      "And what about it? You gonna do something about it or not?" he snapped. Sasuke gave a low whistle.

      "Getting aggressive, are you?" Naruto snorted.

      "You call this aggressive?"

      "Maybe. Why don't you remind me what real aggression is?" Naruto's turn to smirk, taking the soap and setting it aside, twisting to reposition himself facing Sasuke. As Naruto expected, he was smirking arrogantly and- goddamn it- very sexily.

      "You could just say you want it rough, y'know."

      "But I like teasing you."

      That sentence petered off into Naruto's mouth, drinking in Sasuke's voice, his smirk, the heady taste of him. Sasuke rose just enough for Naruto to slip an arm beneath him, his other hand settling on his throat in a gentle caress. They shared another deep kiss. Naruto's mouth trailed down Sasuke's neck, to his collarbones, down his chest to lick stripes along the scars. Sasuke's legs wrapped around him, crossing at the ankles, pulling their bodies as close together as possible. Naruto adjusted, grabbing the edge of the tub with one hand and keeping the other wrapped around Sasuke's back. His eyes caught the light just right, turning to shiny hematite. Naruto couldn't look away.

     "You're so fucking gorgeous," he breathed, losing all the air in his lungs. Sasuke tilted his head a little, reaching up to cup Naruto's cheek in his hand, a far-too-soft caress in contrast to the kind of sex he seemed to want.

     "Have you seen yourself lately?" he breathed back, feeding his exhale to Naruto as he leaned in close. "You're the most beautiful person I've ever seen."

     Naruto's mouth plowed into Sasuke's, polar opposite to the tender exchange of breath they'd just shared. He groped whatever part of Sasuke he could get ahold of: ass, shoulder, side, thigh. Sasuke's nails raked up and down Naruto's back and teeth cut into his lower lip. Naruto moaned loudly, thrusting involuntarily against Sasuke, and he arched with a hiss as the head of Naruto's cock brushed his nub.

     "Had enough teasing yet?" Sasuke chuckled at that.

     "I could do with a little more, but you seem impatient-"
     "Eager," Naruto corrected, thrusting against Sasuke again, drawing the same reaction.

     "Fuck, okay, whatever," he agreed quickly. Naruto laughed against Sasuke's throat, pinching a sensitive spot between his teeth. 

     "Still want it rough, Sasuke?"
     "I want whatever you're willing to give."

     "In that case I'll just fuck you all night."
     "'Til I get another charley horse."
     "Please don't." Sasuke snorted.

     "Not sure I'll have much of a choice, but okay."

      Their lips sealed together, and Naruto finally aligned himself properly, the head of his cock just barely pushing through Sasuke's opening. Sasuke's breath hitched, and he drove forward, all the way to the base. Sasuke moaned, long and low, making shivers race across Naruto's skin. Naruto closed his eyes and returned the noise.

      "Fuck, Sasuke... so good..."

      The water sloshed around them as Naruto set a brutal pace, hard and fast, making Sasuke's toes curl behind him. Naruto knew he was talking, but he had no idea what he was saying. Sasuke felt so good, and the massage had felt good, and the warm bath felt good, and all he wanted now was to feel the orgasm he knew was coming, that he knew would be better than any of those things combined. Sasuke writhed beneath him, lost in the throes of ecstasy, for once not trying to keep it quiet.

      "Ngh, Naruto! Ah-hah, Naruto, yes-!" Sasuke's arms hooked under Naruto's, nails tearing at his shoulder blades. "Naruto... Naruto...!"

      Naruto might have screamed, or maybe he just lost his breath in a huge whoosh of air. His vision blanked. Oh fuck...! His whole body snapped, pleasure flooding him. His climax was nothing short of earth-shattering. And he hadn't expected it to hit so soon. Shit... there's no way Sasuke's close enough yet...

     "-stop, don't stop, please-!"

      He opened his eyes. Sasuke panted against the end of the tub, red-faced and twitchy, breaths high and quick. Oh, nevermind. He's very close... He was still rocking into Sasuke, just hard enough to keep him on the edge. The words finally registered. Oh, shit! Okay, okay....!

     "Sorry," he grunted, picking the pace back up, hoping he stayed hard enough to get Sasuke across the finish line. He didn't answer with words, and he didn't need to; his whole body was tightening up, from his curling toes all the way up to his scrunched face.

     "Na-ha-AH-!"

     Naruto's eyes widened. The sight of Sasuke's orgasm always filled him with awe. He made that happen. He made Sasuke feel that good. He relished the way Sasuke called his name, the jolts of pleasure that shot through him, the way he relaxed as he came down from it all, the soft blinks of his eyes as he finally opened them again to gaze at Naruto. The moon to my sun. So beautiful... He brushed Sasuke's hair from his face, tracing his temple all the way down to his jaw. Sasuke tilted his head and kissed Naruto's thumb. He smiled.

     "I love you so much, Sasuke." He grinned back, leaning up to kiss the tip of Naruto's nose.

     "I love you, too."

     They shared a long, long kiss.

Chapter Text

      Four in the afternoon. They were well past the city limits as they drove inland, far from the sea and into a vast desert. The air here was dry, almost crackling in their lungs as it whipped through the car, and the heat rose from the asphalt in waves. Sasuke had taken off his shoes an hour ago, bare feet resting on the dashboard, seat reclined and arms folded behind his head.

      "I think I know where we're going," he said. Naruto raised a brow, focusing on the endless stretch of road ahead of them. 

      "You're blindfolded, bastard. No way you've figured out where we're going."

      "Okay. Guess you don't wanna hear my guess, then."

      "Nope, keep it to yourself."

      Naruto did want to know, actually, but he didn't want to give Sasuke the satisfaction of being right so early on. They still had a few more hours of driving to do. Sasuke inhaled deeply, settling in for the rest of the ride as if he could sense how much longer they had.

      "And you won't tell me how much time has passed, or how much farther to go?" he asked, just to be sure.

      "Nope," Naruto replied, popping his lips on the "p" with a grin. Sasuke shook his head.

      "Gotta say, dobe. You planned this well-"

      "Aw, thanks Sa-"
      "-for an absolute moron."

      Naruto pounded his chest, making Sasuke jerk in his seat.

     "Dick," he coughed, trying to recover the air that'd been knocked out of him.

     "Ass," he shot back. He turned up the radio to fill the silence and keep Sasuke from asking more questions- or somehow guessing where they were based on something stupid, like the sound the tires made on the highway or some bird call that only exists in one specific place- and Sasuke rested his hand on top of Naruto's on the gear shift, affectionately rubbing his thumb over his knuckles. Naruto grabbed his hand and raised it to his lips, kissing each of Sasuke's knuckles in return. The black blindfold made the rosy hue of his cheeks even more noticeable.

      Naruto only stopped once, for gas and to eat the lunch he'd packed for them. He'd gotten sick a few too many times to trust gas station food anymore, especially on long trips. For a while they just lingered in the parking lot, eating their sandwiches side-by-side and drinking sodas. Sasuke barely ate half of his, afraid he'd get carsick. Once they were finished, Naruto got back to driving. If Sasuke still had guesses as to where they were going, then he dutifully kept them to himself.

      The sun was setting over the horizon now, pink clouds searing against an orange sky. It looked almost as if the city were burning in the distance. Soon all the flashing lights would make it feel like day even after nightfall. Sasuke had indeed started to feel sick shortly after they ate even with the windows open, so now he was asleep in the passenger's seat, curled into a little ball with Naruto's jacket draped over him as a blanket. Naruto had switched between a few playlists he knew Sasuke could sleep through over the last few hours to entertain himself, but he was getting bored, and their destination was getting close. I hate to wake him from a sound sleep, but I think he'll want to see this. Naruto reached over and shook his shoulder.

     "Sasuke. Wake up, love."
     "Mm?" he mumbled, raising his head.

     "You can take the blindfold off now."

      He yawned, fumbling sleepily with the knot until the fabric fell off. He blinked a few times to adjust to the light, eyes widening as he took in the sign they were approaching.

      "I knew it," he smirked, turning to Naruto with a dazzle in his eye. "How the hell did you manage to get the money for this?" Naruto waved him off.

      "Don't worry about it. You're excited, right?" Sasuke nodded as they watched the "Welcome to Las Vegas" sign loom large over them, then disappear behind them in the blink of an eye. Naruto grinned. "Put your shoes on and wipe the drool from your chin. You don't wanna look like a mess at our fancy hotel, right?" Sasuke snorted, wiping at his chin even though there wasn't actually drool there at all. What he didn't know wouldn't kill him.

     "Ah yes, the extremely fancy Holiday Inn, I'm guessing?"

     "Oh c'mon, I got somethin' a little better than a Holiday Inn, I think." He has no idea. He's definitely gonna yell at me for letting him walk in underdressed-

     A few minutes later they were pulling up to a colossal building, framed by dancing rainbow lights.

     "Holy shit," Sasuke breathed. Naruto grinned again.

     "Welcome to the hotel." Sasuke squawked in surprise.

     "This is just a hotel?!"

     "No." Naruto's smile spread wider as he looked for a spot in the huge, multi-story garage on the side. "It's also a casino." Sasuke's eyes flashed.

     "There's no way you saved that much money. 'Fess up, Uzumaki. You're playing a prank on me, aren't you?" Naruto rolled his eyes.

     "Aw c'mon, S'uke, my pranking days are long behind me, you know that. Is it really so hard to believe I managed to slap a nice anniversary trip together?" Sasuke narrowed his eyes in suspicion, but went along with it anyway, getting out of the car and gathering their bags together.

     Predictably, Sasuke was pissed Naruto let him come here so underdressed from the very first moment they stepped into the lobby.

     "I'm wearing ripped jeans," he hissed, zipping Naruto's jacket around himself to cover the fact that he was also wearing a graphic tee shirt as his gaze flitted from the reflectively clean marble floors to the giant chandelier overhead.

     "Would you relax? I packed you better stuff for the rest of the trip, I promise. You would have been suspicious if I told you to dress up, right? It would have ruined the surprise." Sasuke's eyes narrowed again, but it didn't stick; he was back to taking in as many details of the space as he could.

     "I smell chlorine."
     "Yeah, there's a pool." Naruto leaned on the check-in counter. "Evening. Checking in under Uzumaki?"

     "Yes, sir. Just a moment." Sasuke did a double-take of the tuxedo-clad employee.

     "Why is he wearing a tux?" he whispered.

     "It's the uniform here. Now shush."

     "Naruto, there's no way this is the right place-"

     "Ah yes, Mr. Uzumaki. You're earlier than expected." He giggled nervously, scratching at the back of his head.

     "Hehe, sorry."
     "No problem at all, sir. Here are your key-cards."

      He shut up after that, letting Naruto get them checked in and lugging their stuff into the elevator together. It was made of glass and on the outside of the building, so they could look out and see the rest of the street shrink beneath them. This is... slightly terrifying... Sasuke seemed unbothered by the height, though, peering down with wide eyes, just barely resisting the urge to press his hands against the glass like a curious little kid. The way the lights reflected off obsidian eyes calmed Naruto, bringing a smile to his face that nearly made him forget about the way his stomach lurched.

      Naruto led them down the hall, talking up a storm while Sasuke continued to look around as if he'd never seen walls before.

      "Now Sasuke, I know it's very different than what you're used to, so it's okay to freak out, y'know?" He snorted.

      "I won't freak out." I don't believe that for even a second.

      "Yeah, you say that now, but I have a feeling you're gonna freak out." He rolled his eyes. "I'm just sayin', it's okay if you do."

      "Yeah, whatever, dobe."

      That false nonchalance lasted about as long as it took for Naruto to open the door to their room. Sasuke gasped as he walked in, jaw dropping and bags falling onto the floor. Naruto snickered behind him.

      "Whattya think, baby?" For a second his jaw just worked, no sound coming out at all.

      "N-Na, th-th... I..." Naruto chuckled, setting the rest of the bags down much more gently. He shucked off his shoes, then wrapped his arms around Sasuke, who had evidently stopped breathing altogether.

      "Don't hurt yourself, now. Remember how to inhale?" He sucked in a huge breath. Naruto really should have braced himself for it, but somehow he still didn't see it coming.

      "HOW THE FUCK DID YOU AFFORD THIS?!"

      Naruto jerked back at Sasuke's high-pitched shriek, giving him room to whip around with comically wide eyes. Naruto raised placating hands.

      "I told you, don't worry about how I made it happen. Just enjoy it while we-"
      "HELL NO!" he interrupted, pointing to the fish tank to Naruto's right. "THERE ARE FISH IN THE GODDAMN WALLS!"

      "You do like aquariums." He gestured through the open bathroom door.

      "THAT TUB COULD FIT SIX OF ME!"

      "Couldn't take you to Japan to soak in an onsen, so I figured a big tub would be nice." Sasuke continued to ignore him as he plowed further into the room, throwing his arms wide. "THIS TV IS BIGGER THAN ME!" It was wider than his total wingspan, certainly.

      "Not taller, though," Naruto continued, for his own amusement if nothing else. I can't say I reacted much differently the first time I stayed at a fancy hotel. This is a world far removed from his own experience. It's definitely a culture shock-

      "NARUTO, THERE'S A GODDAMN BALCONY AND FUCKIN'- what the hell even is this?- SUPER EXPENSIVE FUCKIN' WINE IN AN ICE BUCKET, WHAT THE FUCK?!" Naruto laughed as he read the label and promptly placed it back upon realizing just how much it was worth.

      "Okay, okay. Sasuke, please calm dow-"
      "TELL ME HOW YOU DID THIS!" He launched himself at Naruto, wild-eyed now, looking about ten seconds away from foaming at the mouth as he grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. Naruto just smiled and held his hands up in surrender.

      "I told you, don't worry about it."

      "FUCK THAT!" he yowled, making Naruto's ears ring as he shook him bodily. "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO, MORON?!"

      "Okay, okay!" he laughed. "I called in a favor!"

      Sasuke blinked.

      "A favor?" he repeated confusedly. Naruto rolled his eyes, but his smile only got wider. 

      "Man, you're such a pain. Can't even appreciate a surprise without knowing the logistics behind it all," he teased. Sasuke's grip started to relax. "Granny Tsunade recently became the new owner of this place. She's been saying for years I'm welcome to drop in on any of her establishments, on the house, but I never took her up on it 'cause her other hotels and casinos are mostly on the east coast and that shit's far, but... I mean, we've been joking about going to Vegas forever, and then she got this place here, and I thought why not, y'know? Gambling's not really my thing, but I thought it might be fun with you. And there was no way I was coming without you, y'know? And I figured now would be a perfect time 'cause you've been working so hard for so long, I thought you could use a break to just do fun stuff, and then all the shit that just went down at work was so stressful so this seemed like an even better idea by the second, so I-"

      Sasuke mercifully ended the ramble with a hard kiss. Naruto sighed into it, all too happy to have someone finally shut him up, and folded Sasuke into a tight embrace.

     "This is incredible," he said, kissing the corner of Naruto's lips. "I'm sorry I freaked out," he continued, pressing a kiss to Naruto's jaw. "I thought you did something stupid like blow your life's savings." His throat now. "Or take out a loan." Naruto shook his head as Sasuke's lips found both his ears.

     "No, never."

     "It's so fancy, I'm afraid to touch anything," Sasuke admitted, kissing each of Naruto's cheeks. He laughed.

     "You'll get over it in a day or two." He giggled as Sasuke kissed his nose and gave it the gentlest of nips.

     "The bed is bigger than my bedroom was growing up." Naruto gave a breathy laugh. That wasn't an exaggeration; the bed was a California king, and Sasuke had grown up in a shithole pretty similar to Naruto's.

     "Mm, yeah, Granny insisted on the best room she could give us." Sasuke kissed both his eyelids now.

     "We're sending your granny a thank-you present." Naruto snorted as Sasuke kissed his forehead, too.

     "She already said not to. She just wants to see us for dinner and drinks on Thursday."

     "Consider it done."

     Sasuke's lips returned home to Naruto's at last. A deep, molten desire burned between them. Naruto steered him toward the bed by the mouth, until the backs of Sasuke's knees were hitting it.

     "Whattya say we break this in?" Sasuke opened his mouth to respond, but his stomach beat him to it, giving a mighty growl. He blushed a vibrant scarlet. Naruto couldn't help but laugh even as Sasuke batted him away and slunk off in embarrassment, digging through their bags. "Okay, food first! Not that sandwich, forget about that." Sasuke glanced over with the remaining half of his sandwich from earlier in his mouth already. 

    "Hmph?" Naruto covered an amused snort behind his hand.

    "I was gonna get us room service." Sasuke raised a brow, intrigued, as Naruto found a spot on the bed and flipped through the book on the nightstand, reading the items. Sasuke scarfed down the sandwich anyway- not like some white bread and bologna is gonna ruin his appetite, after all- then washed his hands. Naruto listened to him snooping around in the bathroom. Sniffing the complementary soaps, knowing him. Wondering if we're gonna steal the little lotions and shit. We're definitely stealing them... Sasuke came back out into the room, hesitating. Naruto smiled, patting the spot beside him in invitation.

    "I feel like I should take a shower before I even think about sitting on this," he said, even as he got on and crawled to Naruto's side. He laughed, kissing Sasuke's temple.

    "Now you're just being ridiculous."

    "I'm not being ridiculous, dobe. I have no idea what to do in a place this nice." He pressed another kiss to the top of Sasuke's head.

    "Then let me show you the ropes. Start with this. All you have to do is read a menu."

    Sasuke nodded, soothed for a moment by the familiar task, but his eyes started to widen as he read the items, saw the prices, flipped pages and realized the menu was long. Naruto could only watch in adoration. So cute. I'm so glad I can do this for him. If anyone deserves to be pampered a little bit, it's him...

    "So... what do you want tonight?" Naruto prompted, hoping it would set him at ease.

    "U-um..." Instead, he watched the panic set in as Sasuke's eyes darted across the pages, the prices alone making sweat bead on his forehead. Naruto planted a kiss on his cheek.

    "Don't stress. It's on the house, remember? Granny's got us covered." Sasuke swallowed.

    "I don't wanna..." He trailed off, clamping his mouth shut the way he always did when he regretted starting a sentence. Naruto softened. He really does look stressed out... 

    "Sasuke, listen to me. Granny's wallet isn't gonna hurt for this. She owns, like, ten places just as fancy as this one." He nodded, swallowing.

    "I..." He frowned, shooting Naruto a preemptive glare. "Don't laugh at me," he warned. Which, of course, made Naruto laugh.

    "I won't, I won't. Just tell me what you want, baby." He glanced away, clearly already feeling stupid about his decision.

    "... tomato soup and grilled cheese." Naruto didn't laugh, but he did smile, scribbling it on the attached notepad.

    "And?" he prompted, knowing damn well that he was hungrier than that.

    "Um... fries?"

    "And?"

    "No 'and'."

    "Yes 'and'." He pouted.

    "No 'and'," he insisted.

    "Yes, 'and'."
    "Usuratonkachi! If I wanted a Dude Where's My Car skit, I would have just brought the DVD!"

     Naruto laughed again at that, squeezing one arm around Sasuke's shoulders.

     "God, I love you. I keep saying 'yes and' because I know you want the strawberries and cream for dessert. And I know you probably want a drink that's not that fancy wine over there 'cause you're kinda afraid of it. But you won't say it unless I make you 'cause you're worried about overstaying our welcome or asking for too much or something." Sasuke gave a sour pout, but did not deny Naruto's allegations, which meant he was right. "Now pick a drink, I already know what I want." Sasuke finally relented, and Naruto hummed victoriously to himself as he added the strawberries and cream, then started writing out his own order. Sasuke frowned in the corner of Naruto's eye.

      "How come they only show the hard stuff by the bottle? Can't I just get one gin?" Naruto smiled.

      "Nah, rich people usually buy bottles for the room. We can get a bottle. It's on Granny's dime, remember?" 

      The struggle between being a good guest like he was raised and rebelling against the system like he had since he was a kid played out in the rapid flickers of emotions in his eyes, a roulette wheel spinning too fast for Naruto to read. Yeah, I could see why this would be an issue for his moral compass. He hates rich people. But then again, he hates situations where they exploit him. He's exploited rich idiots since he was a little kid. He's damn good at it, actually. Sure, he'd probably prefer to steal her checkbook and donate a fuck-ton of cash instead of throw money around on himself, but I don't think this is that-

     "Okay. But we're not getting hammered." Naruto grinned. Yep, knew it.

     "Sure, that's what the rest of this week is for."

     Sasuke snorted and rolled his eyes, hunting for the TV remote while Naruto placed their order. By the time they found the remotes, figured out how to work them, and started flipping through channels, the food had arrived. Naruto got up and let the woman with the cart in, slipping a cash tip into the palm of her hand with a wink as she left. Sasuke's eyes widened as Naruto pushed it the rest of the way into the room, setting it at the foot of the bed where Sasuke was sitting. He handed off the remote to Naruto- Sasuke had never been a big TV person, after all- and turned his focus to the veritable feast Naruto had ordered.

     "There's no way we'll eat all this." Naruto shrugged.

     "That's what the boxes and mini-fridge are for."

     "Did you special order ramen?" Naruto smirked.

     "Don't get your panties in a twist. Granny made sure they had the ingredients in advance, I didn't ask them for anything they weren't anticipating." Sasuke snorted.

     "Spoiled," he taunted. Naruto didn't take the bait, stopping at a channel playing the movie 300. 

     "Aw, see? Rodrigo Santoro is so hot, why'd they make him shave off all his hair for this?"

     "I think the more pressing issue is why did they cast a relatively fair Brazilian dude to play a Persian king?"

     Thus the conversation diverted, with the two of them bickering about whether certain actors where hotter in-character or in real life, discussing racism in Hollywood, and waxing poetic about the inherent homoeroticism of being a Spartan soldier while they ate and drank. By the time the movie ended, Naruto was full and happy and warm with alcohol. Sasuke was pressed to his side, also radiating a delicious heat.

     The only thing that could make today more perfect was having Sasuke underneath him.

     He eyed the untouched strawberries and cream.

     "You forgot about your dessert," Naruto said. Sasuke blinked around his glass.

     "Hn? Oh, yeah. I'm too full for it now." Naruto's lips spread in a grin.

     "Do you mind if I eat them?"
     "Go for it."

     Naruto picked up a strawberry and dipped it in the cream.

     "So you were saying?" Sasuke blinked again, making eye contact. Good. Naruto deliberately made a show of licking the cream off the tip of the strawberry, swirling his tongue to make sure he got it all before pursing his lips around it. Sasuke visibly swallowed.

     "U-um..." He watched Naruto gently break the top off the fruit, sucking the juice from his own lips, swiping his tongue to catch the droplets that tried to dribble down his chin. Sasuke swallowed again, shaking his head as if to clear it. "It wasn't important." Naruto smiled. Sasuke looked awfully cute right now, his slightly messy hair and his cheek turning a shade of irresistible candy-apple red.

     "No, I was interested. Something about Plato and wrestling?"

     "Y-yeah. So 'Plato' means broad, and he was a wrestler, so Plato was definitely a bear is all I'm saying."

     "Doesn't hairy have to factor in?"
     "The ancient Greeks weren't the shaving type. Being de-bearded could result in jail time, actually."
     "Hm. Interesting."

      Naruto ate another strawberry the same way, and Sasuke reacted the same way.

      "What's wrong, Sasuke?" he teased.

      "You're doing that on purpose."
      "Sure am. Is it working?"

      "Depends on what you're trying to accomplish."

      "Getting in your pants."

      "Then yeah, it's working."

      They melded into a kiss, the same molten desire from before boiling back up to the surface.

      "I brought you a surprise, too," Sasuke whispered between them. Naruto raised a brow even as he stole another kiss.

      "Oh yeah?"

      "Yeah." He pulled the blindfold out of his pocket with a smirk. "But no peeking." Naruto grinned, letting Sasuke tie it around his head. "Obviously this surprise doesn't have shit on what you did, but I think you'll like it."

      "Of course I will," Naruto replied, listening to the sounds of rustling fabric. Oh, I think I know exactly what kind of surprise this'll be- "And just so ya know, I don't expect you to somehow pay me back for this or do something just as extravagant in return. I'm only able to do this thanks to Granny, after all."

      "I already know that, dobe. Now take off the blindfold."
      "Already?" he asked, pulling the knot and setting it down on the bed. His eyes widened. Oh hell yeah... 

      It was quick because Sasuke had probably been wearing most of the ensemble beneath his clothes. The lingeries set was all straps and sheers. He always looked good in purple, but  this wine-like shade looked particularly beautiful against flushed fair skin and midnight hair. Naruto made a grabbing gesture. The matching high heels thumped softly on the carpet as Sasuke returned to his previous spot on the bed. Naruto dragged his fingers along the thigh-high socks, snapped the elastic against Sasuke's leg.

     "You like?" he asked. Naruto nodded, his other hand tracing the halter top that made his collarbones even more defined. 

     "Very much." Sasuke smirked, leaning in to nibble on Naruto's ear.

     "Why don't you show me how much?"

     Naruto didn't need more of an excuse to pin Sasuke beneath him, mouthing his nipples through the sheer fabric. He arched, tauntingly grinding their hips together. Naruto's head fell back with a soft moan.

     "So sexy," he praised, palms gliding down Sasuke's sides, teasing the straps on his high-waisted thong. "So fucking sexy..." He leaned down and licked stripes along Sasuke's ribs, feeling his breath hitch against his lips. 

     "I have an idea," Sasuke murmured with a gasp as Naruto's nails left marks between the straps of his thong.

     "What's that?" he replied against his hip.

     "Take off your clothes and lay down."   

     "I like this idea already."

     Naruto undressed as quickly as he could and laid down while Sasuke sat up, grabbing the bowl of cream off the cart. Naruto cocked a brow.

     "Thought you weren't hungry." Sasuke smirked back.

     "I'll make room."

     The cream was still a little cold as Sasuke trailed it down Naruto's body. He shuddered at the deliberate way he put it on his nipples, dripped a little on his sides, and left paths on his thighs and along his cock, knocking that his mouth would be all over his body. Sasuke's eyes were boozy but hot as he set the bowl aside, swiping the spoon across Naruto's lower lip. Naruto allowed it inside, sucked the sweetness from it until all he could taste was metal. The spoon was set aside too, and Sasuke leaned in to lick the cream from Naruto's lip, pinched and pulled it between his teeth. He forced himself to stay still; he didn't want to ruin Sasuke's new lingerie by getting cream all over it, and he surely would if he bucked his hips even a little with Sasuke hovering so close to him. He closed his eyes and sighed as Sasuke sucked his way down his throat, lapping at the hollow of his clavicle. He moaned as Sasuke's tongue circled each of his nipples, and his abdomen twitched with every press of his lips. Sasuke gnawed lightly on his sides as he licked the cream from them, too, traced the V of his pelvis down to his thighs. Naruto couldn't help but draw his knees up, letting Sasuke spread his legs and lick the cream away, leaving only his cock untouched. He was panting by now, his length stiff and leaking against his stomach, pre-come mixing cream. They didn't exchange words, only heated glances as Sasuke took him into his mouth. They both moaned, Naruto twisting his fingers into the comforter in a desperate bid to control himself as Sasuke took his sweet time eating the cream off him. He could make me come with just his tongue like this. God, Sasuke...  He even licked the trails of cream that had swept around his balls, suckling them, making Naruto's hips arch straight off the mattress.

      "Sasuke... fuck, Sasu...!" he whimpered.

      "What's wrong, Naruto?" he teased, in the same exact tone of voice Naruto had taunted him with earlier.

      "You're doing this on purpose!" he accused, moaning as Sasuke sucked up the side of his shaft.

      "Sure am. Is it working?" Naruto's head was spinning with pleasure as the tip of Sasuke's tongue flicked against his slit.

      "Oh god, Sasuke, please...!"

      "Please what, Naruto?"

      "Please let me fuck you...!"

      He grinned, backing off and producing a condom from god-knows-where.

     "Only because you asked so nicely." He tossed it at Naruto, who broke the seal with his teeth and rolled it on with clumsy fingers. Sasuke went to remove his clothes, but Naruto stopped him.

    "C-can you... please keep it on?" Sasuke's eyes sparkled.

    "Of course. Any other requests?" Naruto thought about it a moment.

    "Reverse cowgirl?" he suggested, followed by a toothy grin. "Wanna see how good your ass looks." Sasuke rolled his eyes fondly.

    "Fine, fine."

    So Sasuke straddled Naruto backward, showing off how the thong curved around the round globes of his ass. He pushed the fabric aside and sank easily onto Naruto's cock, wet and ready for him. Naruto groaned, hips stuttering.

    "Sasuke... so good, baby..." He grabbed Sasuke's ankles and pulled him back a little more, traced the straps of his shoes with his thumbs. Sasuke took Naruto in to the hilt and withdrew again at an agonizingly slow pace, over and over, making the heat in Naruto's body swell, feeling as if it would boil him alive. "God... fuck...!" he choked as Sasuke's walls clenched around him. He swore he heard a snicker above him. "You're doing that... on purpose, too...!" Sasuke glanced seductively over his shoulder.

     "And what about it?" he purred, raising himself again with a tightness that nearly wrung Naruto's orgasm out by force.

     "Sasuke!" he whined, twitching and sensitive, on the verge of collapse.

     "Alright, you take the lead."

     Naruto all but growled in delight, gripping Sasuke's hips instead as he took over, pounding mercilessly up into Sasuke's body. He moaned, pushing down onto Naruto's thrusts. The sight of him bouncing on Naruto's cock had him flirting ever closer with the edge, breaths coming in wet gasps, nails digging into Sasuke's hips.

     "Sasuke...! Sasuke...!" He raked his nails down Sasuke's back, making him hiss in pleasure.

     "Fuck! Naruto...!"

     All it took was one more squeeze around him, and Naruto was coming with a long, deep moan, eyelids fluttering as his eyes rolled back. Sasuke was not far behind, walls clenching even tighter as he came, too, milking Naruto for every last drop of cum. For a long moment, only their panting breaths and the faint noise of the TV filled the room. Sasuke shakily rose off Naruto's cock and laid back, nestling in the crook of his arm.

     "This is gonna be the best vacation ever," he slurred. Naruto laughed, pressing a kiss to his damp temple.

     "Sure will, baby."

     The tub was more than big enough for them both to shower once they caught their breath. They went to bed in only their boxers; Sasuke passed out in seconds, it seemed, while Naruto stayed wide awake. His eyes were on the TV, but his mind was on the man in his arms, and the velvet box hidden within their bags. You have no idea, Sasuke. Hopefully this vacation really will be the best one you ever have... 

     He smiled, pressing a kiss to Sasuke's forehead as he turned off the TV and set the remote aside. They nuzzled closer to one another. Please say yes... 

Chapter Text

      Naruto woke up to a phone ringing. 

      He rolled over with a groan. It wasn't his. Sasuke was still dead asleep, curled around a pillow with his oversized shirt hanging lopsidedly off one shoulder. He shoved that exposed shoulder, making Sasuke wake with a snort.

      "What, what?" he mumbled.

      "Phone."

      "Ugh." His whole spine crackled as he twisted back and answered it. Naruto cringed at the sound. "Hullo? Yes, speaking..." Naruto shut his eyes, determined to go back to sleep, but he was stopped by the confusion in Sasuke's voice. "Yeah, that's right... Yes... Sorry, who-?" He blinked, pulling the phone away from his face.

      "Wazzat about?" Naruto mumbled into his pillow as he shifted onto his stomach.

      "No idea. Fuckin' weird, though."

      "Weird how?"

      "Some guy asked if this was my number, and I said yes. Then asked if the address he had on file was right, and I said yes. But he didn't say who he was or where he was calling from. When I started to ask, he just hung up."

      He set the phone down and sank back into the covers. Naruto would have thought he was getting ready to go back to sleep if it wasn't for his furrowed brows and bright eyes. He'll fixate on this the rest of the day if I don't help him shut down the paranoia now... Naruto reached out and pulled him closer. 

      "M'sure it's nothin'," he assured, nuzzling into his neck as well as he could with a pillow between. "Cuddle with me, bastard." Sasuke smiled a little, tossing the pillow out of the way so he could crush himself into a little ball against Naruto's chest.

      "Needy," he teased. Naruto kissed the top of his head as he yawned. "You're prob'ly right. Sure it's nothin'..."

       Soon they were both asleep again.

_

       They had long forgotten about the strange call. Naruto was half-convinced it was all a dream, and anyway, he had something much more urgent on his mind. All day, the only thing he could think about was the little box in his pocket. He knew what to do, he'd rehearsed it and everything, but he hadn't quite figured out how to tell when the right time would be. "Do it when you feel that love in your heart," Kakashi had suggested when Naruto last spoke with him. "And if you think it's a bad time, remember this: I proposed to Gai hungover in our kitchen. You can't possibly do worse than that."  The problem was, he felt that love in his heart constantly. He felt it when Sasuke pulled his hand toward an interesting window, marching down the Vegas Strip as if he owned it. He felt it when Sasuke almost snorted seltzer out his nose at lunch because Naruto had made a wholly inappropriate joke under his breath about an obnoxious customer nearby. He felt it when Sasuke pulled his shirt up over his head in their hotel room, changing into swim trunks, and he could see the muscles in his back ripple. He felt it when his head broke the surface of the pool and Sasuke was already there, offering a small, relaxed smile. He felt it now, watching Sasuke dry himself through the sheet of shower water while Naruto rinsed the chlorine from his hair, memorizing the graceful way his naked body moved.

      "What exactly are we doing anyway?" Sasuke asked, squeezing his hair in a towel.

      "You remember the sign we saw downstairs? Near the pool?"

      "Black and White Ball, tonight at eight?"

      "The very same."

      "It's sold out, though." Naruto grinned as he shut the water.

      "Good thing your amazing, incredible, smart, and talented boyfriend thought to buy tickets ahead of time, then."

      And he felt it again. Sasuke barely smiled, but his eyes lit up.
      "Usuratonkachi. You really did plan this well." 

      Sasuke changed in the bedroom while Naruto dried and started pulling himself together in the bathroom. He tucked the box into the inner pocket of his jacket, making sure it was buttoned shut. He tried to straighten his tie, but it just wouldn't sit right; he was sure Sasuke would get it. He felt a little awkward in a formal black suit- I think the last time I wore this was to a funeral, actually- but he knew that in just a few short minutes, he and Sasuke would be having the time of their lives. Or at least Sasuke would. Naruto just hoped he could keep up.Tonight. Gotta be tonight. Got it all planned. Sorta. I dunno exactly what moment, but I know it'll be at this Ball. Tonight. Gonna do it tonight... 

       If he thought he was nervous before, walking out and seeing how good Sasuke looked made butterflies go wild in his stomach.

       "Holy shit, babe. You're dressed to kill." Sasuke snorted. 

       "What're you so surprised for? You packed the outfit." A furious blush rose on his cheeks.

       "I know that, asshole! It just... looks really good on you."

       Sasuke grinned. He cleaned up ridiculously well in his white suit, cut slim to show off his lean, athletic frame. The three-quarter sleeves on the jacket defined his forearms, and the legs tapered to just above his ankles, accentuating his long, elegant legs. Unlike Naruto, who was wearing a simple pair of black dancing shoes, Sasuke wore his usual pair of dancing shoes: black and white Mary Janes with a thicker, shorter heel than Naruto had seen on him in quite a while. Perfect. He looked perfect. Perfectly put-together, perfectly androgynous, and most importantly, perfectly happy. He cocked his head and hip to the side, hand planted at his waist, lopsided grin making Naruto's heart do pirouettes, forget the tugging. 

       "You gonna stare at me all night, or are we going?" I even love him when he's cocky and rude as hell, this lovable bastard... 

       "Yeah, let's go!"

       The banquet hall was huge. Way bigger than Naruto anticipated. Crystal chandeliers reflected beams of golden light every which way, drenching all in attendance with rays of sun even as night fell outside. 

       "Holy shit," Sasuke breathed. Naruto could only nod his agreement, dumbstruck. Damn, Granny. You got yourself one helluva business... Neither of them had seen a dancefloor that big. Sasuke had, for a time, danced professionally, he'd grown up doing local competitions. This was nothing compared to that. Sasuke straightened his own tie, then tutted and straightened Naruto's too. 

       "This is just for fun, remember?" Naruto reminded. "Nobody's judging. Don't get so antsy."

       "Shut up, idiot." Another tug at his heart as Sasuke's cheeks pinkened around a pouty mouth. Such a bastard. I love him to pieces... He nudged Sasuke with his elbow.

       "C'mon, let's get a drink in you. You gotta loosen up." Sasuke rolled his eyes, but he let Naruto take his hand and lead him to the bar. "One dry martini for this one, and one piña colada for me, please!" he said cheerfully to the bartender. The young man smiled and wordlessly started making their drinks. Sasuke snorted. "What? You gonna talk shit about my drink?"

       "I didn't say anything," he placated, even half-assedly raising his hands in surrender. Naruto pouted.

       "It's not my fault I like drinks that actually taste good, asshole!" Sasuke chuckled.

       "I didn't say anything!" he repeated.

       They bickered playfully until the bartender passed their drinks over the counter.

       "One dry martini, one piña colada."

       "Thank you! Are you able to put it on a tab for the room?"

       "Of course, sir. Last name please?"

        In hindsight, that was the beginning of the end for them.

        Sasuke did loosen up after a few drinks. Naruto could feel the alcohol buzzing beneath his skin, keeping him warm and happy as his partner steered him to the dancefloor. They were both a little red in the face, but they didn't stumble, easily moving into position to waltz together.

        "You've been practicing," Sasuke noticed with brows raised in surprise but mouth bowed in a delighted smile. The love that had tugged at his heart all day pulled so hard it nearly ached. We've only just started dancing. I can't give in too quickly. Soon. Soon, soon... Naruto remembered the choreography Sasuke was falling into now. 

        "I could have bet money on you doing this," he taunted.

        "We could go down to the casino if you're feelin' lucky," he offered mischievously. Naruto laughed, letting Sasuke take the lead and spin him. 

        "Maybe later. I wanna enjoy the Ball," he said as Sasuke dipped him effortlessly, perfectly aware of both their limits even a little drunk.

        "Aren't you already enjoying it?" Sasuke asked as he reeled him back into his arms, cinching their foreheads together as they followed the steps they'd had memorized since their college days, when Sasuke used to use Naruto and his endless stamina to practice long after his classmates had called it quits for the day. This ballroom routine had been drilled so many times, Naruto could probably repeat the patterns in his sleep. Typical of Sasuke, he switched to let Naruto take the lead as he mixed in a little ballet. His specialty in school had been the seamless blending of different styles, and he was particularly known for constantly switching who led. Naruto had loved it: their practice sessions had kept him in shape while living off cup ramen and cafeteria pizza, and the constant changes kept him on his toes. I'm still surprised they let him graduate. Some of his teachers really hated his disregard for specific genres of dance, and some hated his complete refusal to stick with one person leading even more... 

        They paused to clap for the orchestra as they finished the piece and took a moment to re-tune. The next thing they played was faster, more upbeat, and Sasuke's eyes shone.

        "Do you remember my senior thesis?" Naruto laughed.

        "Do I remember? We did it like, two million times! The real question is how could I forget?"

        And so they began to dance again, this time adding salsa to the mix of ballet and ballroom. Naruto was aware of a small crowd forming around them to watch, and if Sasuke was, too, then he didn't show it. His eyes never once left Naruto's, tracking his every move. His expression toed the line between cool precision and reckless abandon. Naruto was struck once more by the many layers of duality he was made of, the balance within him that in turn reached out to create the balance between them. I'm so fucking in love with you, he thought at him, and wondered if Sasuke could feel it as he spun. I'm so fucking in love with you, it hurts... 

        They ended with only the tips of their fingers joined, free arms out wide to the side, panting a little, and the small crowd (which wasn't as small as Naruto remembered it being a few minutes ago) erupted with applause. Sasuke let go to dip in a bashful bow, and as Naruto bowed, too, his hand slipped into his jacket, grabbing the box. His heart thumped wildly, trying to break through his ribs just so it could be closer to Sasuke's. His palm sweated around the box as he turned and knelt. Sasuke didn't immediately notice, waving to someone in the crowd (did he see someone he recognized?) who pointed at Naruto, and Sasuke finally looked over. Time slowed as he turned, eyes widening in surprise, face red with alcohol and exertion and embarrassment and now shock. One pale hand came up to cover an O-shaped mouth. And then, with no warning at all, time sped back up, and Naruto had to scrape together something to say.

        "What are you doing?" Sasuke whispered. Naruto cracked a smile.

        "My best." He opened the box, revealing the ring inside. Sasuke's other hand rose up now, doubly securing his mouth. The crowd went shrill, but Naruto ignored them, ignored their eyes and voices, focused on Sasuke and Sasuke alone. "I love you so much. I don't wanna imagine a world without you. I need you. The moon to my sun, y'know?" He held the ring up a little higher. "Marry me?"

        Naruto expected a lot of things. Tears, maybe. Getting kicked in the face, perhaps. A flying tackle at some point, most definitely. And depending on Sasuke's emotional state, maybe even running away in terror, Naruto had prepared for that, too. But he was not prepared for laughter. Not even just a little nervous chuckle, either. Full-on boisterous laughter, the kind of belly laughing that made his knees go weak and sink to the floor with him.

        "Naruto, you're never gonna- oh fuck, oh my god-!" he wheezed, shoving his hand in his own jacket and pulling out... a white box. He flicked it open and laughed a little harder, tears gathering in the corner of his eyes. Now it was Naruto's turn to be shocked.

        "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"

        And now they were both laughing, wheezing, weepy messes on the floor, leaning on each other for support in the middle of the dancefloor.

        "Put the rings on already!" someone shouted.

        "Shut up, Derek!" Sasuke shouted back, but there was none of his usual malice. Just pure, unfettered joy.

        "Wait, Derek's here?!" Naruto cried, looking around for one of their old college buddies. Sasuke grabbed him by the chin, forcibly redirecting his attention.

        "Rings first, moron," he grinned. Naruto shook his head, slipping the ring onto Sasuke's finger. Then he let Sasuke slip the other ring onto his. They sparkled beneath the chandelier. Sasuke's was simple, a silver band with two stones laid in it: one sunstone, one moonstone. Naruto's ring, though, was clearly made of tungsten (virtually unbreakable) polished blue, with some kind of orange stones laid in it. "Was gonna give a whole spiel on how our colors contrast yet compliment each other, but..." He shrugged. "You beat me to the punch." Naruto laughed, and they helped each other up. Naruto pulled him into a hug, and he returned it with his own big squeeze.

         "Kiss, you idiots!"
         "Shut up, Derek!"

         The crowd wooed as they kissed.

_

       The rest of the night was an endless parade of congratulations and free drinks. A lot of free drinks. Like... way too many free drinks. Several were provided by none other than Derek, who was evidently working in the area and happened to be around for this. That was all Naruto remembered from the hour of catching up they did. He otherwise remembered most of the Ball. He remembered cards, and Sasuke grinning as he pulled stacks of poker chips toward him. He remembered a blinding amount of white, and some sort of bell? And kisses. Lots of kisses. Even now as they stumbled into their room they were connected at the mouth, but now there wasn't just the love, there was lust, too, dark and hot at the pit of his stomach. He could feel the possessive desire welling up inside him, but he couldn't squash it down this time. Not that it mattered; Sasuke was coaxing it out of him with the roll of his hips and the words that spilled from red, swollen lips.

      "Mark me up, Naruto, make me yours. Fuck, I want you so bad-" 

       He didn't need more encouragement, not drunk out of his mind and high on Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke. Naruto tossed him into bed, pouncing on top of him like a tiger. As soon as an expanse of skin was bared, Naruto's mouth was on it. Sasuke was somehow stuck in his sleeves, but that didn't matter; Naruto twisted the tangle of fabric and limbs in a loose approximation of bondage, pulling him roughly into his lap. Sasuke didn't resist. He was enjoying himself way too much, flushed all the way from his forehead to his chest, moaning and writhing in Naruto's lap. He growled, shimmying out of his pants, ripping Sasuke's off.

       "Tell me what you want," he demanded, and he knew he sounded almost scary like this but Sasuke wasn't frightened at all. If anything it turned him on more, his empty body clenching around nothing.

       "Ah, anything...!" Naruto chuckled at the boozy desperation in his voice, fingers slipping between his folds.

       "Anything?" he repeated, rubbing him teasingly, fingertips just barely pushing against his entrance. He offered only a wordless cry. "No, not anything. Everything."

        Sasuke was so beautiful lying beneath him, arms trapped beneath his own body, pants hanging from one ankle, pink and wet and so loud. It was music to Naruto's ears. He rolled Sasuke's nipples between his teeth and tongue, fingering him slowly, building him up gradually the way that drove him insane even sober. Naruto chewed his sides and dipped his tongue into his belly button, making him arch off the bed, stuck somewhere between ticklish and pleasured. Naruto tasted his damp thighs, letting his fingers slide in deeper, three fingers now instead of two, thumb rubbing circles around the little nub that made him feel so, so good. He sucked a path all the way down to his one bare foot, the other still wearing a Mary Jane. Sasuke pulled in a wet gasp as Naruto hitched his legs over his shoulders, fingers exiting that hole and going instead for the other, stretching the tight rings of muscle. All I want is more. So much more... He keened as Naruto leaned down to taste between his legs, lavishing him with attention from the back and the front, sucking and licking him until he was trembling, thighs pressing around Naruto's ears.

       "Naruto, please!" he sobbed, body bowing beneath the pressure of trying to keep his head in this state, hanging from a precarious thread. Naturally, Naruto made it snap with calloused fingers rough against his walls and his tongue inside him and his teeth just barely scraping that nub. He felt Sasuke come, drank it in with mouth and ears and hands, pulled away and licked his lips just to watch Sasuke ride out the tail end of it. 

       "So beautiful, so good for me," he praised, kissing the inside of his knee. "More?" Sasuke moaned at the mere concept.

       "Fuck yes."

      Naruto growled with desire, yanking Sasuke closer, sliding easily into Sasuke's wet heat, fingers still inside him, too. He wanted Sasuke filled up, to be drunk on Naruto the same way Naruto was drunk on him and they were both drunk on booze. Naruto sealed their mouths together, making Sasuke taste himself, and it made them both shudder. I could lose myself in you forever, I will lose myself in you forever, mine forever holy fuck- He threaded his fingers through Sasuke's hair as he sank onto his forearm, feeling like an animal on all fours, marking his mate with sharp teeth and his cock sheathed all the way to the hilt and three fingers knuckle- deep, fucking into him with hard, rapid thrusts. Sasuke was an animal, too, instinct making his hips roll and voice hoarse with wild pleasure. 

      "Can't believe you're mine, fuck I love you, come for me, Sasuke, yes baby-!" And he did, he came with a scream and unbearable tightness that milked Naruto for everything he was worth. He didn't pull out, just fell forward, forehead clacking audibly against Sasuke's collarbone, fingers slipping out. He was hot and sweaty and dizzy and dirty and absolutely spent, but he felt too good to care. Mine... Love Sasuke... fuck... Naruto didn't know how he managed to finally free himself from his shirt with both of their weight on top of him, but he felt Sasuke roll him over and press himself tightly to his chest, legs winding around Naruto's, and his hands cupped Naruto's face as he kissed him fiercely over and over and over again, until they were both gasping for breath. 

      "I love you," Sasuke said to the juncture of Naruto's neck and shoulder. "I love you, I love you, I love you..."

       He said it as he pressed kisses to every part of Naruto's body, soft and tender and so extremely opposite to what they had just done. The word duality rang in Naruto's head as Sasuke's lips brushed his palm. His eyes slipped closed to Sasuke's gentle gaze on his face, and he felt the words dribble from his mouth: "I love you, too. I love you, Sasuke."

Chapter Text

       Naruto woke up with a pounding headache. Ugh. I know we got drunk, but this is... ugh...

       He went to roll away from Sasuke's warmth- the thing that had woken him up to begin with, probably- but paused at a weird crinkling sound. Paper? Why the hell is there paper in the bed? He groped blindly for it, pulling it out from under him and squinting at it in the brightness of their room.

        "Marriage Certificate," he read aloud. Blinked. "Marriage certificate?"

        It took a second, but the words finally sank in.

        "Marriage certificate?!"

        Sasuke lifted his head beside him.

        "Z'a matter?" he slurred. Naruto shoved the paper in his face.

        "MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE!" he shrieked. Sasuke blinked a few times.

        "Whose?"
        "OURS!" Sasuke rubbed his eyes, blinked a few more times, then laughed.

        "So it is."
        "HOW ARE YOU NOT FREAKING OUT?!" Naruto cried, bolting up onto his knees. Sasuke laid his head back down, fully intent on going back to sleep.

        "M'still drunk."

        "No way!" Sasuke opened one (boozy, unfocused) eye. For fuck's sake...! 

        "Yes way. Now shuddup."

        Naruto read the certificate at least five more times before he noticed the extra ring on Sasuke's finger and screamed again.

        "Dobe!" he snapped.

        "SASUKE! WEDDING BANDS!" 

        "Yeah, married people wear those, moron."

        "We're wearing them!"

        "That'd be 'cause we're married. Now shut. Up."

        "I... How... What the fuck?!" Sasuke just groaned, rolling onto his other side and smothering himself with his pillow to block out Naruto's voice. He ripped the pillow away with a snarl. "Could you please take this seriously?! We gotta figure out how this happened!"

        "L'take it seriously when m'sober, us'ratonkachi." Naruto rolled his eyes.

        "Alright sleepy bastard, guess I'll figure out what happened myself."

         That was meant to be a mild guilt trip because Sasuke surely didn't think Naruto was smart enough to piece everything together himself, but he didn't react to it at all. No, Sasuke just slept, snoring loudly, while Naruto descended further into chaos. He couldn't find any receipts in his pockets. The only picture he had saved on his phone was a blurry shot of Sasuke's face, and though it was nice to see him smiling, it was clearly taken outside, so it was dark in the background and gave him no clues at all as to what had happened. Okay, but it's outside, so we left the building at some point. The chapel, what's the name again...? He typed in the name of the place.

         "That's halfway down the Strip from here!" Sasuke jerked awake.

         "Ugh, shut up," he groaned, looping his arms around his head now. Naruto smacked him with the pillow he'd taken from him earlier.

         "Get up, bastard! We gotta sober you up and figure out what happened!"

         "Sure," he yawned. "Gimme an hour."

         "No!" Naruto yowled, ripping the blankets off him. Sasuke growled, but made no move to recover them. "Get up!" Naruto cried, tugging at his arm.

         "Dislocate my shoulder, I don' care. M'not gettin' up," Sasuke mumbled into the mattress, letting himself go limp and dead-weighted. Naruto groaned in frustration, letting go of his arm and getting up to pace, rummaging through Sasuke's pockets for clues. He pulled a wad of paper of out Sasuke's jacket pocket. He carefully untangled and smoothed them out. 

         "Okay, okay. Cab receipt... two cab receipts... so that's how we got there and back..." In the other jacket pocket, Naruto found a folded envelope. He cocked his head to the side, ripping it open and pulling out the paper inside. "Holy shit. It's... it's a check!"

        Sasuke raised his head at that.

        "A check?" he repeated. The image of Sasuke pulling mounds of chips toward him flashed across Naruto's mind. Sure enough, the check was from the casino downstairs, made out to Sasuke. And for... Naruto's eyes nearly boggled out of his head.

        "THIS IS FIVE-THOUSAND DOLLARS!"

        Sasuke blinked.

        "Five... thousand?" he repeated. "You sure?"
        "Yes, I'm sure! Look!" He bounced up onto the bed, showing it to him. Sasuke blinked a few more times, shaking his head a little.

        "Don' even... 'member doin' that..." Naruto gave the check to him, anticipating him to sign it, but instead he just stared. 

        "Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit!" Naruto cried, throwing himself back. "What the hell else did we do last night?"

        "Hm..."

        Sasuke picked his phone up off the nightstand. Naruto watched in intrigued silence as he scrolled for a while.

        "Looks like... the Ball, casino... chapel... then back here..." Naruto made a grabbing motion, and Sasuke passed the phone. Naruto scrolled through the blurry pictures. There were tons of them, as if Sasuke had tried to chronicle every moment.

        "Why the hell'd you take so many pictures?" he asked. Sasuke shrugged.

        "Must've realized I wouldn't remember if I didn't." He yawned and rubbed at his eyes. "M'so fuckin' tired..."

        Naruto crawled over and flopped down next to Sasuke in utter disbelief, holding his hand over his head and staring at his rings. 

        "No one would believe this if we told them." Sasuke snorted, gazing up with him for a moment before reaching up and adding his hand, all four rings glinting in the sunlight.

        "I hardly believe it." Naruto smiled, but it was bittersweet.

        "We can get it annulled, if you want. You don't have to wear the wedding band." Sasuke flinched as if burned, taking his hand back and clutching it to his chest.

        "The fuck'd we do that for?" Naruto raised a brow.

        "Why would we get an annulment? 'Cause we got married drunk off our asses, like, six hours after we got engaged. What kinda question is that?"

        "I don't wanna get it annulled."

        Naruto blinked, propping himself up on his side to look at him directly. Sasuke was curled around his pillow, pouting.

        "You don't?" His cheeks got ruddier by the second.

        "The whole point of getting engaged is to announce your intention to get married, right?" Naruto blinked, shrugged a little.

        "Uh, yeah, I guess."

        "Well, we announced it and got married. Mission accomplished." Naruto laughed.

        "Yeah, but Sasuke... we don't even remember doing it."

        "So? It still happened."

        "None of our friends or family were there."

        "We can always have another ceremony with them."

        "If we're gonna have another ceremony anyway, then why don't we just annul it and do it over?"

        "'Cause I-!"

        Sasuke stopped, clamped his mouth shut, and turned over onto his other side before Naruto could decipher the expression in his face.

        "Hey, hey, what? Tell me," he asked, pawing at Sasuke's shoulder. He shifted further away.

        "It's nothing. You wanna get it annulled, we'll get it annulled."

        "No, don't be like that," he chided, edging closer. "Tell me what's wrong."

        "Nothing's wrong. I'm being selfish."

        Naruto paused at that.

        "Selfish?" he echoed. "How?"

        "'Cause I wanna trap you in a marriage you're not ready for!" he barked, bolting upright. "It doesn't matter what I think! If you don't wanna be married, then making you stay married is selfish!" He sucked in a breath, threw himself back down on the mattress with his back turned, and curled into a ball.

        "Whooaaa, hey. Don't put words in my mouth like that, you stupid, drunk bastard." Sasuke shot him a stink eye over his shoulder. "I didn't say I wasn't ready to be married. I wouldn't have proposed if I wasn't. And clearly you are, too, 'cause you proposed to me, too. I just assumed that this wouldn't... I dunno... count? Since we didn't plan it, don't remember, no one was there, so on and so on, y'know? But if you feel that strongly, Sasuke, we'll stay married, that's fine with me. I just would really like to have a ceremony with everybody present at some point, y'know?"

        Sasuke had hesitantly turned back around, holding the pillow close to himself, staring at it instead of Naruto. His face was red and his eyes were still a little hazy and his hair was a rat's nest, and he looked... adorable. Absolutely adorable. My husband's so fucking cute... He couldn't help but feel giddy at the thought. My husband... 

        "Just 'cause we don't remember it, doesn't mean it didn't happen. I don't wanna erase this..." His lower lip jutted out a little as he joined their fingers again. "Whether we like how it goes or not... it's still our story. We don't get to rewrite it."

       So many emotions welled up in him at once, he couldn't even parse them.

       "Goddamn it, Sasuke, I love you so much."

       Fingers and mouths slotted together as if made for one another.

       "We won't rewrite it. Two weddings is fine." Sasuke grinned, pecking Naruto's lips again.

       "One for each of us." Naruto laughed

       "Whose is this one?"
       "Whoever paid for it."
       "I couldn't find a receipt, just the certificate."

       "Bank statements exist." Naruto winced as he flicked his nose.

       "Ow! Smartass!"

       "Hn..."

       Sasuke pulled Naruto over and on top of him, arms winding around his shoulders. Naruto chuckled into another kiss.

       "We already consummated the marriage, y'know."

       "We didn't know we were married."
       "Oh, so that doesn't count? You make no sense."
       "Still drunk, don't have to."

       Sasuke ended the conversation with another kiss, reeling Naruto closer.

       "Demanding," he teased, nipping Sasuke's lower lip.

       "M'a bossy drunk."

       "Stubborn, too." Sasuke pinched Naruto's nose shut as they kissed again, forcing him to break away to breathe. "Jerk!" He only snickered, wrapping his legs around Naruto now, too. "You tryna fuck me or annoy me?"

       "Why not both?"

       "You total ass."

       He didn't mean it, though, rarely did. Naruto sucked his way down Sasuke's neck, revisiting all the bruises he'd left last night, soothing them with gentle lips and tongue. Sasuke rocked his hips slowly, eyes hooded already.

       "Was I too rough with you last night?" Naruto asked the hollow in his clavicle.

       "No, you were perfect."

       "Mm, you were." Sasuke offered a sigh as Naruto swirled his tongue around his nipple. "Glad we're still naked."

       "Mm-hm..."

       Naruto adjusted the angle of his hips, rubbing against each other without entering yet.

       "How d'you want it?" Naruto purred. Sasuke arched into him.

       "Slow and hard." Naruto grinned, nipping his earlobe. Knows what he wants when he wants it. Love that, always loved that... 

       "You got it, baby."

        He fumbled the lube out of the nighttable drawer, searching for a condom.

       "Don't bother," Sasuke mumbled, turning onto his front again. Naruto raised a brow. "Gotta shower anyway."

       "Well, I'm certainly not complaining." Sasuke rolled his eyes as Naruto's lubed his fingers, pressing the clean hand to Sasuke's thighs to spread them. "Got such a nice ass," he praised. Sasuke smirked. 

       "Would be a shame if something happened to it." Naruto pinched his lower lip between his teeth, grin spreading wide. He knew what that meant, he knew how Sasuke's teasing worked, even hungover and tired he got it.

       "Would it?" he insisted, raising his hand.

       Naruto smacked his ass only hard enough to make noise, slipped the first finger inside him at the same time.

       "More," he groaned. The next one was hard enough to sting. Sasuke hissed, thrusting his ass back into Naruto's other hand, begging silently for a second finger. Naruto gave it to him, stretching him thoroughly with his right hand and kneading the pink flesh of his asscheek with the left. A third strike had it turning red. Sasuke moaned low in his chest. "Naruto..."

       "Wassup, babe?" Sasuke's hands clenched and unclenched around the edges of his pillow.

       "Fuck me already, idiot!"

       "Pushy bastard." Sasuke growled and glared over his shoulder. "What? Thought you wanted slow and hard."

       "All I'm getting is slow." Naruto grinned teasingly.

       "Ah, sorry, is this what you wanted?"

       He switched to thrusting his fingers in and out, deeper and harder each time. Sasuke's shoulders drew back, moaning.

       "Ah... ah, N-Naru... t-to...!" Sasuke rocked back into each push of his fingers, riding his hand, and when Naruto brushed Sasuke's hair back he could see his face was already burning bright red, eyes hooded. God, I love that face... 

       "How's that, baby? Better?" he asked, just to goad him a little more.

       "Y-yes, Naruto, f-fuck...!" He leaned over him, breath against Sasuke's ear.

       "You want my cock now?" He felt Sasuke shiver beneath and around him.

       "Fuck yeah," he huffed.

       "You fuckin' got it."

       Sasuke gave a long moan as Naruto entered him, arms wobbling.

       "It's alright, I got this." Sasuke sighed, letting his upper body drop against the pillow and holding onto it tight. Naruto straightened up on his knees. Sasuke's hips curved perfectly against his palms, and he used that grip to give it to Sasuke exactly as he wanted it, slow and hard. He whimpered and moaned into the pillow, face buried, shaking already. Naruto could make out the sound of his name even muffled like this, and it made him shudder. Sasuke was already tightening around him, and the slick heat squeezing his cock was stoking an inferno in his belly. I just need... a little more... "Sasuke... can I see your face?" he panted. Sasuke only managed to nod, and Naruto pulled out, flipped him, and re-entered as quickly as he could. Sasuke drew his legs up close to his body. Naruto held onto his bare ankles, leaning close, almost able to kiss the one arm Sasuke'd slung over his eyes. He was reduced to nothing but high moans that had Naruto's blood singing. There was a little wet spot where he'd bitten down into the pillow to shut himself up, a line of drool down his chin from when Naruto had moved him, tears slipping from under his arm and running down his cheeks. 

       "Naruto, Naruto- ha-ah! Na-oh!YES-!"

       Naruto's head whipped back, orgasm blasting through his body in one sudden whoosh, pulling a loud, surprised cry. He didn't hear Sasuke come, but he felt it, walls wringing his throbbing cock for every drop. His heart was still drumming as he blinked the spots from his eyes, thumbs pressing soothing circles into the arches of Sasuke's feet without even realizing it. Naruto pulled out slow, let Sasuke's legs down, and laid down on top of him, peeling his arm from his face. He turned away, attempting (poorly) to hide the fact that he was still crying even though he'd gone quiet now.

       "Too much?" Naruto asked, wiping the tears away with his palm. Sasuke's lower lip quivered, and he had to take a few unsteady breaths before he could answer.

       "I just love you so much..." 

        He swallowed another sob, and Naruto smiled, rearranging them. He sat with his back against the headboard and Sasuke's back held tight to his chest.

        "Let it out," he whispered, rubbing those same circles into Sasuke's chest now. Without the pressure of Naruto's eyes on him, Sasuke was able to for a while, sobbing quietly until he calmed down on his own. He swallowed thickly and cleared his throat.

        "Sorry, ah... drunk and in love..." Naruto nodded, kissing the top of his head. He didn't have to explain himself.

        "Pretty sure that's the name of a song." Sasuke snorted, and the tension in his muscles started to relax.

        "Are you thinking of 'Drunk on Love'?"

        "Close enough." 

        Sasuke snorted again, and an easy silence settled between them. He felt Sasuke's breathing start to even out.
       "Baby?" Naruto asked, if only to have his company for a little longer before he went back to sleep.

       "Hn?"

       "Can I ask you something?"

       "Mm-hm."

       "When did you decide you were gonna propose?" Sasuke hummed a thoughtful note.

       "Do you remember when we saw Kakashi to get those pink boots?"

       "Yeah?"

       "Then."
       "Huh?" Sasuke shrugged.

       "I dunno. He was ringing up the purchase and you looked so happy, and I... I just knew." Naruto blinked in surprise. Of all the moments together, that was the one that made him realize he wanted to be with me forever? It's so... mundane... 

       "So that's why you were so weird in the car." Sasuke nodded.

       "I needed some time to process it. That wasn't really the time." Naruto laughed, remembering that Sasuke had outfitted himself with a plug for that whole shopping trip.

       "Definitely not."

       "You?"

       "Me what?" Sasuke smacked his leg.

       "Don't be dense. When did you realize you wanted to propose?"

       "I have no idea," he admitted. "I... I love you. I always have, I think. And I've known I want to be by your side forever since... since we were like... little kids, y'know? As soon as I met you, I couldn't imagine a world without you. Even though I didn't understand what it was at the time, y'know? There's... there's not really one big moment where I was like 'I should propose'. It's just... everything. All of it. It just felt right, I guess." He scratched at the back of his head. "Sorry, that's probably a shitty answer, isn't it."

       "It's not," Sasuke answered, quickly and firmly, leaving no room for doubt. "It makes perfect sense." Naruto smiled, rocking him side to side in their embrace.

       "Thanks, S'uke. One more question?"

       "Mm-hm."

       "How were you gonna propose if I hadn't done it first?"

        He could feel Sasuke smile.

        "You want the whole speech?"

        "Not if you're gonna cry again, I know you hate crying more than once in a day." Sasuke snorted, and this one was almost a laugh.

        "You're worth crying twice." Naruto smiled into his hair, dropping more kisses into it.

        "C'mon, I don't got all day." Sasuke pushed his head back against his lips, a soft parody of a headbutt, like the kind cats give to show affection.

        "I was going to wait until we were somewhere a little quieter. Maybe the balcony. I was going to tell you how much I like our colors together. Bright orange brings out the richness in dark blue, dark blue brings out the vibrancy of bright orange. And I... I like how they compliment each other despite being opposites." Sasuke rested his head on Naruto's shoulder. "Blue and orange... two sides of the same coin... Just like us." Naruto hugged Sasuke just a little tighter. "And just like us, it's a constant. Blue and orange will always be complimentary opposites. Will always be there to define each other. Just like us. So... why don't we make it official, Naruto? Be the orange to my blue?"

        He buried his face in Sasuke's neck, drawing in a shaky breath, tears of his own beginning to fall.

        "Naruto? Are you-?"
        "I just love you so goddamn much," he interrupted, hiccuping on a sob. He felt Sasuke's cheek move as he smiled, twisting around to hold Naruto instead.

        "I love you, too."

        They didn't leave their room that day, simply enjoying every moment of each other's company.

Chapter Text

       "It doesn't have to be perfect, y'know."

       "You just told me on the way here that your granny's a 'judgmental bitch', now you want me to pick randomly? Make up your mind." Sasuke snorted at the end for emphasis- or maybe that was just him inhaling some pollen- and Naruto sighed.

       "I told you, she doesn't know shit about plants. As long as it's pretty she won't care."

       "Okay, so I'm gonna pick the prettiest one. Now shut up and let me concentrate." Naruto rolled his eyes, but Sasuke was ignoring it, inspecting an orchid. Naruto inspected Sasuke instead. He couldn't help it; he'd already told Sasuke what plant they should get, but he was being stubborn, and if he wasn't going to entertain Naruto's choice of flowers, then he could at least entertain Naruto's eyes. And god did he ever. Tiffany blue. Who knew that color would look so goddamn good on him... That's right, me, I did.

       He couldn't help but be proud of himself. He'd only been able to buy Sasuke one new outfit, so he decided to make it count. Sensible black slacks he could re-wear for literally any function, a white shirt layered beneath a Tiffany blue blazer, and matching penny loafers. The cut of everything is slim and flattering but still masculine, that shade of blue is Granny's favorite so she won't nitpick it, it's got the black that makes Sasuke feel most comfortable... it's perfect. It has to be. Please god, Granny, just behave yourself today, I'm begging... 

       He watched Sasuke squat down to pick up a different orchid that had struck his fancy, holding it up and turning it every which way. Naruto only had to glance at the flower to know it'd be fine and that it was in relatively good shape- though the dahlias would be perfectly fine too but no he's just gotta go for the orchids- so he busied himself with the dip of Sasuke's spine where it curved into his firm, round ass, visible now that he was only wearing the tee-shirt, blazer abandoned on Naruto's arm so he wouldn't get it dirty while perusing the plants. Naruto fidgeted with it, making sure it wouldn't fall, then fidgeted with his rings. Man, I'm not used to having anything on my hands. Kinda nice that I have something to play with though, maybe it means I'll be able to sit still for a little longer here and there...

       "This one," his husband announced decisively. Naruto couldn't help but smile. Aw, that's never gonna get old. Husband... 

       "You sure?" He nodded, looking at the purple orchid now with more fondness than scrutiny. "Alright, let's put that five grand to good use, then."

       Sasuke rolled his eyes again.

       "It's not that expensive. Don't be a baby just because we didn't go with your first choice."

       "Hey, I'm the plant guy, remember?"

       "So I should just automatically defer to your opinion, right?" Sasuke drawled, handing the cashier his card. Her eyes flitted nervously between the two of them. Naruto shot her a smile, hoping she took it as a we're fine instead of an I'm certifiably insane. Judging by the way she ducked her head, evidently the latter. Shit.

        "Don't put words in my mouth, you bastard!"

        "I'm just filling in the blanks, moron."

        "Don't call me a moron, asshole! I know more about these than you do!"

        "You know how to water some plants, I know how to do organic chemistry, what the hell is your point?" he said, just to get on Naruto's nerves a little more. He folded his arms over his chest and huffed.

        "You haven't done orgo in years, I bet you don't even remember it!"

        "Gimme a pen and a piece of paper, I'll show you who doesn't remember orgo."

        "The hell are you gonna do, write me a damn lab report?" he taunted as Sasuke took his card and receipt back and Naruto took the plant. "We good?" he asked the cashier. She nodded with eyes the size of dinner plates. He gave her a sunny smile. "Okay, thanks a bunch!"
        "Thank you," Sasuke agreed. "And no, I was going to draw you diagrams of some hydrocarbons to warm up." 

        "Pfft, 'to warm up', you know you can't draw, asshole!" 

        "I'm sure I could do better than you. I seem to recall a failing grade on your report card sophomore year. What class was it again?" Sasuke jeered even as he held the door open for Naruto. "Ah, yes. Introduction to Art. The 101 class. I remember now." He gave Naruto a smirking side-eye as they walked toward the car parked just outside the shop. "It seems I remember a lot of things, Na-ru-to."

        Naruto just huffed again, sliding into the passenger's seat and letting Sasuke take the wheel. He placed the plant between his feet, making sure it stayed steady and protected for the ride back. 

        "Fine, you win, bastard. We gotta start winding down to meet Granny."

        "You're really nervous about it, huh?"

        "Of course I am! She can be really judgmental and mean when she's in a bad mood. I don't wanna do anything to set her off on you." Sasuke snorted.

        "I think I can handle an old woman yelling at me. Stop worrying so much."

        Naruto pouted, and the conversation moved on to other things, and they got out the last of their bickering by the time they pulled back into the hotel parking lot. They took the elevator all the way up to the top, where Tsunade had taken the whole floor for herself. They were met by Shizune, who Naruto hugged so hard he thought for a second he'd snap her in half.

       "Shizu! It's been forever!" She patted his back and grinned warmly when they parted.

       "It's certainly been a while, Naruto. Lovely to see you." She turned to Sasuke with an equally lovely smile.

       "And you must be Sasuke. It's a pleasure to meet you." He dipped his head respectfully.

       "The pleasure is mine. Thank you for your hospitality." Right, Sasuke knows how to act like a rich person. That's how he used to con them. I always forget... 

       "You both are welcome any time. Please, come right this way. Lady Tsunade is waiting for us."

      They followed Shizune down several hallways. I dunno how she navigates this floor. Tsunade had it designed like a damned labyrinth. I'd need a map just to get around... Shizune stopped at a door that led straight out to a balcony stretching nearly the whole length of the floor, at the back of the building to look out over the city. Sure enough, Tsunade was waiting at a large table, glass of sake in hand.

      "Ah, my favorite brat," she said as Naruto plopped into a chair, Tonton hopping into Shizune's lap. Naruto reached over and scratched the pig under her chin. "And you brought me a new brat. Sasuke, I assume?"
      "Correct, ma'am," he answered, bowing and holding the orchid out to her. "Naruto said you didn't want presents, but I couldn't arrive empty-handed. Please accept this as a token of gratitude." She raised a brow.

      "Wow, this one's got manners. Already better than the last one." 

      "Tsunade-!"

      "Oh hush, Shizune, they know I'm joking. But not really, this one's way better in every way." She snapped her fingers, and a waiter came forth seemingly out of nowhere. "Place the flower in my quarters, on the desk facing the window."

      "Yes, ma'am."

      She eyed Sasuke as the waiter left and he finally took his own seat, taking in the carefully chosen outfit, sleek black hair, healthy complexion. The scrutiny of both a doctor and an upperclass elite. We're fuckin' doomed, aren't we... 

      "Tell me about yourself, hon," she requested, pouring herself more sake. She gestured to everyone else, but all three heads shook "no".

      "We met as children," Sasuke replied evenly. "In high school we got close, stayed close through college, and now we work together." Good job, not giving away too much, not giving away too little. 

      "I see. What did you study?"

      "Biology and Dance." He didn't break eye contact with her, not even as he picked up his ice water and drank a sip.

      "Interesting combination. Must have been difficult."
      "Yes, ma'am." Now she's feeling him out, trying to see how well he deals with pressure and strange questions.

      "Tell me, Sasuke, do you plan on going back to school?"

      "No, ma'am. Not at the moment."

      "Why not?"

       He pretended to consider the question. Naruto knew he was just choosing his words carefully.

       "I'm content with where I am now. If that changes, then I will reconsider extending my education." She grinned a little, zeroing in on the rings as Sasuke picked up his glass again, and fuck I forgot he's left-handed, I was hoping she wouldn't notice so soon, fuck fuck fuck-!

       "I see." Her gaze slid to Naruto. He recognized that look. Sweat beaded his brow even as a chill raised down his spine. She's gonna be the death of me- "Show me your hand, brat." He raised the right one. Her eyes narrowed over an insidious smile. "The other hand." And now he raised that, sweating with the effort to continue making eye contact. She huffed out a noise that might have been a laugh, knocking back the sake and setting her glass down, leaning back with an arm folded over the top of her chair and looking between the two of them. Naruto could sense Sasuke's calm even as he prepared for a confrontation; rich people rarely duked it out with blows, but he was already lining up an arsenal of cruel words and passive aggressive taunts in his head, Naruto knew it. "So. When were you gonna tell me you got hitched?"

       Heat rose to Naruto's cheeks at Shizune's gasp as she gawked at both their sets of rings.

       "Well... just about now," he answered lamely. Sasuke hid a smirk around his glass.

       "Well? Get on with it," Tsunade chided, beckoning to another server. She took his pad and started scribbling out orders herself.

       "So, uh... Sasuke and I got engaged at the Black and White Ball the other day, and then we got drunk, and next thing we knew we were waking up with rings on our fingers." Tsunade opened her mouth, probably to lecture, but Naruto interrupted before she could. "So it's not like we planned it or anything, nobody was invited, it was just a spur of the moment thing, y'know? But don't worry! We're planning to do another ceremony and-"

       Tsunade's laughter cut him off. Shizune grimaced with him, knowing full well what was coming.

       "Aw, so you take after your old gran after all!" she cackled, getting up and smacking him hard across the back. He winced. The woman still packs a helluva punch...

       "Granny!" he whined, choking as she caught himself and Sasuke in bruising "hugs" around their necks. 

       "Love ya, brat. Don't ever grow a brain."

       "Hey!" he squawked, both at the insult and the kiss she planted on his cheek. "And you, I just met you but I've already decided I like you." And she kissed Sasuke on the cheek, too. He took it well, but Naruto could tell he was uncomfortable. They both breathed a sigh of relief when she released them at last, returning to her seat and picking the notepad back up. At least she's in a good mood today... "What do you eat, new brat?"

       "Anything." Not true.

       "Hm, unlike the original brat."

       "HEY! Quit making it sound like he's gonna replace me!"

       "Keep screaming and he will," she deadpanned. Naruto stuck his tongue out at her, and Sasuke covered a smile elegantly by going to swipe his hair behind his ear. "Have you tried the kobe beef yet? It's to die for. Chef Yamagawa is incredible."

       "No ma'am, I haven't."
       "Alright, you made you first impression, enough with the 'ma'am' business," she corrected. Sasuke opened his mouth, probably to reply "yes, ma'am", but thought better of it and closed it again, nodding instead. Naruto couldn't help but smile a little. Alright, way to go, Sasuke! Gaara never got Granny's permission to stop the formalities, this is already going so well. Now just get through this dinner and we'll be in the clear- "And you haven't tried the beef, so that's what you're getting," she continued, jotting down the order.

       "Granny, what am I getting?" Naruto asked, feeling free to loosen up a bit now.
       "Ramen, you dolt! I didn't order all those ingredients for nothing."

       He grinned excitedly, grabbing Sasuke's hand under the table and giving it a big squeeze.

       "So you're really not mad about us getting married, Granny?" She inspected her nails with an air of nonchalance.

       "Well, I'll admit I'm a bit hurt, and I would have liked to meet Sasuke first, but... eh, you're young, I'll forgive it."

       "You know, boys, Lady Tsunade got herself into a similar situation when she was young," Shizune offered, voice calm but face conspiratorial. Tsunade reddened.

       "What ever could you mean, Shizune?" she grit out in a warning tone. The dark-haired woman merely smiled and shrugged.

       "Only that I vividly recall patching up Jiraiya's hand after you tried to tear the ring off his finger."

       Tsunade sighed wearily as Naruto cackled.

       "You married the old perv?!" he screeched, doubling over and banging the table with his fist, tears springing to his eyes from how hard he was laughing.

       "It was a misunderstanding!" she snapped, lunging across the table to thump Naruto across the back of the head. It didn't stop his belly-laughs, not even a little. "We had it annulled immediately, anyway!" Even Sasuke looked amused at this development. He hadn't met Jiraiya before he died, but Naruto had told him all sorts of stories about the man over the years. He was surely imagining the scenario between him and Tsunade, and what an absolute disaster it must have been. Just like the rest of their love lives. "Oi, brat! Shut the hell up!"

       Naruto quieted himself to whimpers, still wiping tears from his face as he choked back a fresh wave of laughter. Tsunade sat back in her seat with a huff, folding her arms over her chest.

       "Anyway," she derailed. "I was trying to get to know more about your new husband." Naruto waved a consenting handing, covering his mouth now. "Was your family upset, love?"

       Sasuke stiffened, and the atmosphere around them changed completely. Naruto wasn't laughing anymore, registering the topic as an icy sensation deep in the marrow of his bones. Shit-!

       "I... haven't told them yet," Sasuke said carefully, keeping his glass near his mouth, ready to buy himself time with a sip. Tsunade nodded.

       "You need help breaking the ice? I'm happy to vouch for you, I'll go along with whatever bullshit story you make up. Hell, blame me if you want! I know my reputation and I'm sure they do, too." Naruto just barely resisted rolling his eyes. You're among the most famous alcoholics in history, Granny, of course they'd believe it if we said you were the reason we got into "trouble"... 

       "While I appreciate the gesture, I'm sure that won't be necessary."

       "Ah, your folks are the chill type?" she continued, crossing her legs at the knee now and unfolding her arms to rest casually on the chair. Shit. I thought we were in the clear, but she's going for a full-on interrogation. She's too drunk to read that he's uncomfortable... 

       "I suppose you could say that." She raised an intrigued brow.

       "You suppose? What can you say for certain about them?"

       Naruto could feel Shizune watching the interaction closely, too, ready to intervene if truly necessary. Sasuke's next breath was deeper than the last, barely noticeable.

       "Regrettably, very little. My parents died when I was young."

        The air shifted again. Less tension, more sorrow. Tsunade nodded an understanding head. 

        "How?"

        "Burglary gone wrong." Naruto's throat tightened. And now he's gonna have nightmares. Fuck... Still, Sasuke gave no indication that he wanted help or an out. Naruto knew his tells, and he wasn't doing any of them. I wonder why. He's normally not okay with this topic. Is he trying to put on a brave face for her? You already earned her acceptance, Sasuke, and even if you hadn't it, it's not worth letting her upset you..

        "I'm sorry to hear that," she replied, and it was sincere. Naruto's gut twisted. Right. She lost her boyfriend pretty gruesomely when she was younger too, in Vietnam. I forget sometimes... how much she's seen... It was easy to mistake Tsunade for fifty between her natural baby face and the work she'd had done, easy to forget the things she'd experienced. Naruto couldn't even imagine surviving the horrors of war. His eyes slid to Sasuke. Or what it must have been like to witness his parents' murders... Sasuke dipped his head, gesturing questioningly toward Tsunade's sake. She poured him some in a manner Naruto could almost call reverent. There was a look in both their eyes that Naruto recognized but could never truly understand. The shared pain of watching someone you love be killed right before your eyes. I've never known that, and god willing I never will. I wasn't there when Jiraiya died... 

        "Do you have other family?" Relentless woman...

        Sasuke somehow did not choke on his sake- probably 'cause he's smart enough to see it coming, meanwhile I'm still blindsided by her last two questions- and instead focus on probing Tsunade with his eyes alone, searching for any sign that she wasn't safe to say these things to. Naruto squeezed his thigh under the table, hoping the sentiment transferred: it's okay, you're safe here, she won't hurt you, I would never let it happen.

        "Yes. A brother," he answered after what felt like much longer than it actually was. 

        "Younger?"

        "Older."

        "Hm."

        A waiter brought over another bottle of sake as she soon as she emptied out the existing one into her cup. In exchange, she handed him the notepad with all of their orders. She refilled Sasuke's glass without even asking.

       "Not in touch, I'm assuming." Sasuke dipped his head. Whether it was a show of gratitude for more alcohol or simply trying to hide his full expression, Naruto couldn't say.

       "That's correct, ma'am."

       "I told you, drop the formalities, and don't make me say it again. I hate repeating myself." She swished the alcohol around in her glass. "Why?" Sasuke thought about it a moment, swirling the drink more slowly.

       "We had a... disagreement... over something important." Naruto's heart was starting to race, sweat collecting beneath the collar of his shirt. Not good not good not good- Tsunade gestured vaguely between the pair.

       "Was it about you two? Or the gay thing in general?" Sasuke swallowed, and it was the first sure sign of nervousness Naruto had seen yet; the rest had all been speculation or well-hidden to anyone who didn't know him well. I need to stop this, how do I stop this? She's gonna push him into a panic attack at this rate-

       "Sort of. It's... complicated." He's not ready to out himself, I won't let her push it-!

       "Granny, what the hell's with the game of twenty questions?!" he demanded suddenly, popping the weird bubble of energy that had formed around them. Even Shizune jolted a little in her seat, having been transfixed by the interaction between Tsunade and Sasuke. The blonde woman scoffed, amber eyes shifting firmly onto Naruto. Crisis averted...? 

       "You bring me some brat I've only ever seen in pictures, who you've never deigned to even tell me about, then drop that you've married him, and you expect me not to ask questions?!" she snapped. Yeah, crisis, averted. Screaming match, on.

       "We can elope as many times as we want, y'know!" She snorted.

       "Are you implying that if I keep asking questions you won't let me come to your other wedding?" Yes, good, get angry, I can handle angry-

       "Nuh-uh!" he denied, shaking his head almost violently. "What I'm saying is I won't invite anyone who pushes my husband's boundaries or makes him uncomfortable. Knock it off!"

       "Who are you to speak for him? What makes you think he's uncomfortable?" 

       Sasuke's grip was sudden and strong on Naruto's knee. He read the message loud and clear: help.

       "I know him. I know him better than anyone. You're pushing it, Granny, and I love you but I won't let you put him through the wringer just 'cause you're mad you weren't there for our Vegas wedding or somethin'. There'll be another one, and as long as you behave, you'll be more than welcome to celebrate with us then." She raised a cool brow, looking toward Sasuke now.

       "Anything to add?" He looked between Naruto and Tsunade a moment, clearly trying to come up with something meaningful to say.

       "I appreciate your kindness and hospitality, and I value your eagerness to get to know me better," he said, and he seemed to relax but his grip was still tight on Naruto's leg. "Naruto's assessment is... accurate. I'm happy to oblige you in another topic of your choice until we're better acquainted."

       "And the wedding?" she insisted.

       "As Naruto said: you will be more than welcome to join us provided we can remain civil."

       "I see."

       She leaned back in her chair again, glaring coldly at both of them, hard enough that sweat was beading on the back of Sasuke's neck now, too. Then, as if something funny had happened, her face split into a wide grin and she laughed uproariously. Huh?

       "You both look so serious!" she cried. "It's adorable!" Naruto pouted.

       "We are serious! Play nice or you don't get an invite!"
       "And I'll write you straight outta my will!" she teased, leaning over the table to pinch his cheek and waggle it around. He whined loudly, and Sasuke allowed himself the barest hint of amusement on his face. "I promise, I'll behave," she said, sitting back down once more. "I wasn't retaliating for not seeing the wedding, though. I was truly just trying to get to know you, Sasuke. I'm sorry I took it too far. But oh, your reactions! I love that you're a united front. That'll come in handy for kids someday."

       "Oi, who said we're givin' you grandkids?!" Naruto squawked. 

       "Great-grandkids," Sasuke corrected. Naruto's jaw nearly dropped at the realization.

       "Oh, hell no, you're bad enough with me! I'm never givin' you great-grandkids!" Tsunade laughed, sake nearly sloshing out of her cup.

       "They'd probably be just as bad as you! On second thought, no thanks, keep your genes to yourselves!"

        The conversation got a lot better from there. Shizune chimed in occasionally, Sasuke even less frequently. They ate, they drank some fancy champagne Tsunade ordered to celebrate their marriage, and by the time they left they were full and happy. Or, Naruto was. Sasuke was... not quite himself still. "Fronting", Naruto called it. There was a small smile appropriate for the occasion on his face, but his eyes were glazed, and Naruto knew he wasn't really with them, that he'd gone somewhere- or sometime- else in his head.

        The door to their room closed behind them with a soft clink. Sasuke exhaled as if he'd been holding his breath the whole time. Naruto came up behind him, holding him by the shoulders, rubbing his arms through his blazer.

        "You okay?"
        "Yeah. I just..." He took another breath. "I'm gonna take a shower." Naruto frowned. He's pushing it all down... 

        "Okay," he said softly, letting Sasuke go. Now wasn't the time to fight him.

        He was in there for a lot longer than usual. Naruto changed and sat down cross-legged on the bed, waiting. Okay, he's definitely not okay right now, but he didn't have a full-blown panic attack at the table. That would have happened if he'd met her as a teen. He didn't have to walk away, that would have happened just a few years ago. That's good. He's progressed a lot, he can handle going to dinner with my granny, which is literally more than even I can do sometimes, so this is... better than it could be. I tried to warn him she was judgmental and invasive but god, she really doesn't know when to quit. And the worst part is that's her on her best behavior. And only because I made her promise... 

        The bathroom door opened. Footsteps padded across the carpet. The bed dipped. Naruto saw Sasuke's hand, then felt his weight as he crawled into his lap, wrapping his arms and legs fully around him. Naruto held him back, nuzzling into his damp neck, sniffing his clean hair. 

        "I'm sorry. I know that was tough."
        "It's okay. I'm glad you warned me ahead of time."
        "I would never let you go into that blind," he assured, combing the tangles from Sasuke's hair with his fingers. "I just wish she wasn't so..." He shook his head. "I just wish she didn't feel the need to play three-hundred questions with everyone she meets."

        "She can't help how she is." Naruto sighed.

        "Guess not. Still, I know that wasn't comfortable. I'm sorry. I try not to see her too often myself because of that."
        "I know."

        And Sasuke did know. He'd had to hear Naruto rant when he came home from every visit when he was younger. Still, she clearly has a soft spot for me, and-

       "She really likes you, y'know," he blurted out. He felt Sasuke raise a brow.

       "Yeah?"

       "Yeah. She's never been that interested in someone I brought home before, whether as a partner or a friend. Except Sakura, she likes her, but not nearly as much as you."

       "Hn." Naruto sighed, rubbing Sasuke's back.

       "I'm sorry. I know that doesn't make up for it, but at least I can tell you for sure she wasn't doing it because she hates you or something, y'know?"

       "I know. It's okay."

       "I won't make you see her again until the wedding. I'll ask Shizune to buffer."
       "Don't go crazy over it, Naruto. I can handle her." 

       Naruto grimaced at the unspoken I've endured worse. He stroked Sasuke's back and neck and hair, and Sasuke leaned on him more heavily. Naruto yawned. She's like an emotional vampire. Just sucks the life right outta you with all her fuckin' questions... 

       "Wanna take a nap with me?" he offered. Sasuke nodded, unwrapping his legs so Naruto could lay back without hurting him. Sasuke laid on his chest, arms still wrapped around Naruto's shoulders. Naruto laid on his back, holding him. "I love you, Sasuke. You know that, right?" Sasuke smiled against Naruto's collarbone.

       "Hn. Yeah. I-" He yawned. "I love you, too..."

_

       Naruto had no idea how long they slept, or when exactly Sasuke had managed to roll away from him. All he knew was he heard the telltale whimper and bolted upright in a cold sweat.

       "Sasuke?" he called, disoriented until he found him just out of arm's reach. He shifted with another whimper, rolling onto his back. He was drenched in sweat, breathing too fast. Fuck! Naruto shifted closer, gently shaking his shoulder. "Sasuke, wake up," he whispered. No response. He shook him a little harder. "Wake up," he repeated, louder, trying not to scare him but quickly resigning himself to the fact that he would. Sasuke whimpered again, shaking his head side to side. He must be right in the middle of it. He usually wakes up much easier than this- "Sasuke! Wake up!"

       He gasped, snapping awake, arm shooting out as if to block a blade.

       "Sasuke?" He yelped, twisting, cocking his fist back with wild eyes. He probably didn't know he was crying. "It's just me. Naruto. Your husband."

       That fist never did connect. He lowered it, blinking, confused, looking around as if this was the dream and at any moment the threat he was anticipating would pop out and get him. But nothing happened. There was nothing but their quiet room and Naruto, waiting patiently for Sasuke to understand. His eyes cleared, the tears ebbing.

       "Naruto."

       Sasuke breathed his name in a sigh of relief, and Naruto pulled him close, held him tight.

       "Yeah, it's me. I'm here." Sasuke took another deep, shaky breath against his chest, hands curling into his shirt. Naruto rubbed his back just like he had earlier. And Naruto whispered soothing words because he knew Sasuke took comfort in a voice when he was like this, any voice, but Naruto's especially, even if he wasn't in a place to understand what he was saying just yet. Slowly, so slowly, Sasuke calmed down, his breathing soft and regular, his fingers relaxing until he was just barely gripping at all. "Bad one, huh?" he murmured against Sasuke's hair.

       "Old one." 

       Naruto's heart damn-near stopped. That's never a good sign... 

       "Which?" Sasuke swallowed.

       "Same one as always, except... " He pressed himself flush to Naruto's chest. "You're in it, too..." Naruto shut his eyes, hugging Sasuke as tightly as he dared.

       "I promise you, Sasuke, I'm not going anywhere."

       "I know," he answered thickly, clearing his throat. "I know. I just... it felt so real..." He pulled away just enough to look at Naruto with shiny, wet black eyes, one wrong move away from falling apart. He cradled Naruto's face in his palm as if unsure whether he was allowed to or not, or as if he anticipated him to crumble to dust at his touch. "I don't know what I'd do without you." Naruto layered his hand over Sasuke's, leaning into it.

       "Don't even think about it. I'm here now, and I'll always be here, okay? Always. I promise you, Sasuke, I'll never leave you." Sasuke's eyes were so soft and so sad. Naruto felt himself breaking.

       "I know you'd never choose to," he whispered, thumb tracing the ridge of his cheekbone. "But everyone leaves, Naruto. You don't have to make promises you can't keep." Naruto's throat tried to knot itself, but he cleared it, forced it to stay straight long enough to speak.

       "Listen to me, you bastard: I will not leave you alone. Understand? Not by choice, not by force, not even by death. Nothing can take me away from you." Sasuke swallowed down what was surely a sob, lowering his gaze, his hand, letting his palm find its way over Naruto's heart instead.

       "You better be right. I don't think... I could live, if you-"

       "Please don't say it. I can't hear you talk like that. Please, Sasuke." He nodded, looking up again.

       "I'm sorry."

       "Don't be sorry. Just be okay." He took Sasuke's hand, squeezed it right there between their beating hearts. "Tell me what I have to do to make it okay. Show me."

       Sasuke nodded, and this time he nudged their lips together. At first it was just a faint brush, but Sasuke solidified it, deepened it. Naruto laid back and let him take the lead. If this is what you need right now, Sasuke, I'll give it you. Please, just please don't talk like that again... This was a routine, at least. Sasuke was playing out a familiar pattern. Kill the survivor's guilt with a reminder of why you're alive. Muzzle the pain of loss by indulging in the pleasures of what you have left. Every touch was soft with care but trembling with desperation. Naruto hoped Sasuke could feel his love with the dance of their tongues and his fingers tracing the ridges of every vertebrae in his spine. This time there wasn't hunger, no boiling lust or searing desire. Just the unbearably human need to feel close, bare chests bringing two hearts as close together as they could, fingers in each other's hair and holding onto their hips, lips still locked, separating only to shudder as Naruto entered Sasuke, or Sasuke accepted Naruto. He wasn't sure who had made the move to join their bodies, and he didn't care. What he cared about was the panting breath on his cheek, the crescents that Sasuke's nails left behind on his side- reminders for later that this had really happened, that they were alive and together, that I'm not going anywhere- and the moans that still almost sounded like sobs in his ear. 

       "Sasuke... I love you so much..." he whispered hoarsely, cradling the back of his head and leaving kisses along his jaw, massaging the hinge of it with his thumb. "I'm the... luckiest man in the world. I... I love you..."

        Pleasure swept Sasuke away with a sigh that Naruto could only call relief. It left him breathless, and he gazed at Naruto from under damp lashes with eyes that could hold the universe, that could reflect every star in the sky at once, but right now showed only Naruto's mirror image. For once unguarded, Naruto saw Sasuke's heart, too. Adoration overtaking fear, devotion overtaking uncertainty, and a love so fierce it could traverse continents and spear through the fabric of time itself. Naruto lost himself in those eyes, poured all of himself into them, and when he resurfaced there was nothing but the two of them wrapped so tightly in each other's arms.

Chapter Text

       Sorry for what I did when I was drunk.

       Naruto shook his head a little, tucking the note back into his pocket. It was the same printed card Tsunade sent every time she fucked up, the only "personal" touch ever being her signature. He should have been even more upset by the seeming lack of sincerity, but he knew that was just how she was; it was already a lot for her to acknowledge her mistake and apologize for it. Actually, the note should have been in Sasuke's pocket, as it'd been meant for him far more than for Naruto, but he didn't seem to care much. He was busy looking around at all the flowers, reading the plaques to find out more about the ones he'd never seen before. The tickets to the botanical gardens were apology enough for him, I guess... 

       "Dobe," he called, and Naruto trotted over with a grin, lacing their fingers together. "What's this one?"

       "That's just a petunia," Naruto laughed. "We have those in our garden." Sasuke's face reddened. Totally clueless... 

       "It's not the same color."

       "You're right about that. Ours are pink, these are purple."
       "Yeah." Naruto tugged his hand.

       "C'mon, I spotted something way more interesting over there."

       Sasuke let Naruto pull him along, pointing out blooms on the way. A tiger lily here, an iris there. Naruto stopped in front of a cluster of red flowers.

       "These are Cape primrose," he explained. "They only bloom every few years."

       "Cape like a garment or Cape like Africa?"

       "Africa. Somewhere toward the south, I'm not sure exactly where."
       "They're beautiful."
       "Mm-hm."

       "The red is really vibrant."
       "Yeah! That's my favorite thing about them. Oh, and they only grow one leaf, isn't that wild?"

       "Really?"

       They strolled in a big circle, Naruto jabbering about the plants and speculating how they were cared for while Sasuke listened, occasionally offering a question or a soft hum in response. It was so peaceful, the airy hazy with warm humidity. A fountain in the middle of the garden gave off a cool, refreshing mist. There were only a few other people around; a photographer stooping to capture a butterfly on a daffodil, an elderly couple admiring lilypads on a bench near the small pond, a young artist sketching a daffodil. It's all perfect, except...

       They passed the blocked off path again, and Naruto felt himself itching with anticipation. 

       "One more pass," Sasuke whispered, leading him down an off-shoot he knew would circle back to the original path they'd been walking up until now.

       "I'm getting impatient," Naruto whispered back. "The longer we wait, the more likely we'll get caught."
       "No, it's better to bide our time. The tech guys are still in there. They should find the cut wires soon and then we'll be able to move in."

       "I can't believe we're fuckin' doing this, y'know?" Naruto said, but he wasn't upset. Far from it. He could feel excitement buzzing beneath his skin. Sasuke rolled his eyes, but he was smiling.

       "Usuratonkachi. We've done way worse than this, calm down."

       "Yeah, but usually we were fucking over big corporations or something. This is a botanical garden."

       "And I'm telling you, they make more than enough money that replacing some wires won't kill them. Relax."

       Naruto counted out a deep breath. He's right, I know he's right. Guess I'm still just a little bit antsy from seeing Granny. Maybe this will end up helping me calm back down again. Doing something familiar... 

       "Alright, they're leaving," Sasuke whispered, casually twisting his arm around Naruto's to hold hands inside his pocket. He gave Naruto's hand a squeeze, tracing the bands on his ring finger. "Don't worry. I won't let anything bad happen." Naruto smiled, resting his head on Sasuke's shoulder as they walked. 

       "You know I love you, right?"

       "I'd hope so. You married me."

       "And you married me."
       "Because I love you." Naruto smiled wide enough to let the sunshine in him filter out between his teeth.

       "I know. I love you." Sasuke snorted, shaking his head, casually leading Naruto through a path that was clearly supposed to be employees only, clearly not meant to be found by the public, but Sasuke was good at that sort of thing. He always knew the best ways in and out of places. 

       "Great. Now we're going in circles verbally instead of around the garden." Naruto shoved him a little.

       "Aw, shut up, you bastard!"

       Sasuke snorted a laugh, gesturing for Naruto to shut up with a finger over his smiling lips. Naruto pretended to zip his mouth shut.

       Sasuke walked up so confidently, he seemed like he was meant to be there regardless of his lack of uniform, ID, or alibi. He seemed unfazed by the idea that the actual workers might turn around and catch him. Although I'm sure he has something planned in case we get caught... He grabbed the door just as it closed behind the repairmen, who continued on completely oblivious to the fact Sasuke had slipped behind them. He took a quick glance around, then tilted his chin toward Naruto as he went in. Naruto sauntered up as if he owned the place, casually opening the door that Sasuke had propped open with his heel and sealing them both inside. Naruto gasped, eyes widening.

       "Oh my god..."

       This area was a huge Japanese garden, complete with a big koi pond and a bridge over it. 

       "You got us just a bit closer to Japan with that big bathtub," Sasuke said, wrapping his arms around Naruto from behind. "Allow me to nudge us even closer, hm?" Naruto just took a deep breath, leaning back into Sasuke.

       "It's so beautiful."

       "Mm. Not as beautiful as you."

       Naruto lightly smacked his side, and Sasuke grinned, loosening his grip so they could walk around holding hands again. 

       They took their sweet time looking at absolutely everything. Sasuke balanced on the rocks in a sand garden, hopping onto them to get across, while Naruto admired the surrounding bonsai. Naruto told Sasuke about each and every flower and bush in rushed ramblings, getting excited every time he spotted something new. They walked all the way around the koi pond, Sasuke squeezing his hand the whole time. They walked up onto the bridge. Naruto cooed at the koi swimming below while Sasuke looked on with this lovely expression that made Naruto melt when he met it head-on.

       "What?" he asked, even as he smiled. Sasuke tilted his head to the side just so, just enough that his bangs shifted, and he reached out to drag his fingertips feather-light along Naruto's jaw.

       "I just love you."

       Naruto felt his cheeks and ears sting with a blush as he averted his gaze and shuffled his feet.

       "I love you, too."

       "Can you say it to my face?"

       Naruto gasped as he raised his head and found Sasuke's mouth barely an inch from his own. But then Sasuke's hand moved, massaging the nape of his neck and playing with the little hairs there, and he instantly calmed down, leaning in to close that very short distance and kiss Sasuke with all the tenderness he could.

       "I love you, too," he repeated. He felt Sasuke smile against him, nudging together again.

       "That's better."

       Naruto knew what was happening, he knew it somewhere in the back of his head, but it didn't fully register until he was boxing Sasuke in against the railing, tongues intertwined, all grinding hips and wandering hands. Fuck, Sasuke... How did you do this to me so effortlessly...?

       "We don't have a long time," he whispered fervently, nibbling Naruto's jaw. "They said they'd be back at four." Naruto glanced down at his watch, catching a 3:45 out of the corner of his eye.

       "Mm. Guess I'll have to hurry up, then."

       That was all the encouragement that was needed. Soon the flies on their pants were open and Naruto was circling Sasuke with his thumb, leaving him panting, head tipped back at the perfect angle for Naruto to leave love-bites all over his neck.

       "Naruto... I'm ready..."

       Sasuke was smooth and wet and warm, hugging Naruto with his entire body, not just his limbs. Naruto rocked into him, still rubbing Sasuke down there too, making his breaths come sharp and harsh. It still smelled faintly of the curry he ate for lunch.

      "Naruto... Naruto...!" he cried, both in pleasure and fear as he started to slide against the railing, steadily tipping backward. Naruto went to grab Sasuke's ankles so he'd feel more secure, but the mud on his boots went all the way up and he thought better of it.

      "Don't worry, baby, I gotcha," he assured, holding onto Sasuke a little tighter so he could fuck him in earnest without worrying about either of them falling into the pond. "God, Sasuke, you feel so good..."

      He moaned wordlessly in response, meeting Naruto's thrusts the best he could in such a confined position. Naruto felt heat rising beneath his skin.

      "Fuck... we haven't done this in... so long..." he huffed, giving a particularly long moan as Sasuke clenched around him. Getting close. Both getting close...  

      "Missed it," Sasuke replied, thigh quivering beneath Naruto's palm. "Fuck, fuck, Naruto-!"

      "Yes baby, yes...!"

      It's the quietest Sasuke's come in a long time, but even the breathy little moan he did manage got Naruto riled up enough to pound into him harder, working himself right to the edge until-

      Naruto pulled out and without any prompting whatsoever, Sasuke sank to his knees and took his cock into his mouth even as he jacked himself. Naruto held onto the railing for dear life with his free hand while the other continued to jerk the base and Sasuke sucked at the head and-

      He was gone with a moan so loud he had to bite his own arm to shut himself up, spilling over into Sasuke's mouth. Sasuke moaned at the sensation, at the taste of them both, and he drank every last drop. Naruto let his jaw slacken, hanging his head and panting as Sasuke tucked him away, buying him a few moments to recover. 

      "You good?" he asked as he stood back up, swiping his tongue over his lower lip to make sure he got it all. It made Naruto whimper, burying his face in Sasuke's neck.

      "So good, Sasuke..." He couldn't see it, but he just knew Sasuke was smiling as he ran his fingers absently through Naruto's hair.

      "I'm glad. But we have to go now."

      Naruto nodded, following Sasuke down the bridge and toward an exit door he would never have spotted on his own; another staff door, no doubt. He must have really studied a map of this place before we came. There's no way he just happened to see that... 

      They reached it with not a moment to spare; Sasuke was already outside when Naruto heard the door on the other end of the room open. He hurried out and closed the door, sprinting away to join Sasuke, who was already rounding a corner to conceal himself. 

      "Wait up, bastard!" he hissed, nearly slipping in the sand. 

      "Hurry up, usuratonkachi!" he hissed back, but he stopped all the same, taking Naruto's hand to help him regain his balance. 

      "You think we got caught?" Sasuke shook his head.

      "They'd be bursting out the door already.

      "There's no cameras over here?"

      "They got taken out when I snipped the wires."

      "You're so fucking smart."
      "Not smart enough to not have a record."

      "Okay, but to be fair, you were high on ecstasy you didn't know you'd taken." Sasuke snorted, taking Naruto's hand as they seamlessly re-entered through a door they're meant to use and walked down a garden path they hadn't taken the time to see earlier. The photographer was there now, too, but didn't notice them. 

      "The pigs didn't seem to care about that."

      "What else is new."

      Thus their date continued, working their way back toward the front. Naruto convinced Sasuke to buy floral stationery for their wedding from the gift shop.

      "We could get something like this way cheaper somewhere else," he muttered, even as he picked up a few boxes.

      "But I wanna support the botanical gardens, and since apparently I paid for our Vegas wedding you better put your casino winnings to good use and make this next one count." Sasuke snorted, but he was smiling again.

      "Fine, fine. Is this enough?"

      They paid and left, walking back toward the parking lot. It was hot, the sun blazing against the desert sand. Naruto was already looking forward to being in their air conditioned car again.

      "Thanks, Sasuke! Those are gonna be so pretty. Oh! I was thinking we could hit up Ino for flowers. I think her mom still has that shop-"

       He was cut off by his phone buzzing urgently in his pocket. They both furrowed their brows in confusion.

       "Who is it?" Sasuke asked. No one ever called, just texted. He brightened when he read the contact name.

       "It's Iruka!" he chirruped, picking up immediately. "Hey Iru-!"

       "YOU GOT MARRIED?!"

       Naruto paled, pausing with his hand outstretched to open the driver's side door.

       "H-How-"

       "It's all over social media! Why didn't you call me?!"

       "W... what?!"

       "Honestly, Naruto, I thought I taught you better than this,"  he continued, sounding so very disappointed. Naruto's heart sank with every word. "I understand doing something spur-of-the-moment, I doubt you planned this, and that's okay, sometimes impulsivity is a good thing, but you didn't even think to call? I would have loved to at least send you a gift or-"

       "Iruka, wait, it's not what you think!" he interrupted frantically. Sasuke waved at him from inside the car, gesturing toward the ignition and pretending he was suffocating. Naruto finally managed to move, getting in and revving the engine, turning the AC on full blast. Thank god, Sasuke mouthed. Shut up! Naruto mouthed back.

       "Well? I'm waiting."

       "U-uh, well, we definitely didn't plan it. I... we got engaged the other night, and we had way too much to drink, and next thing I knew we had a marriage certificate. We didn't tell anyone because we want to have another ceremony that we actually planned and like, invite people to, but Granny found us out, and I could have sworn I asked her to keep it quiet but it sounds like she told somebody-"

       "Somebody? Naruto, she told the entire world. She posted it on her public Facebook account." 

       Naruto didn't think it was possible for even more blood to rush out of his head, but it did at that. 

       "N-not her... personal?"
       "Nope. There were typos, she was probably drunk, but it's too late now. She took it down but there are screenshots everywhere. Nobody knew she had family, everyone and everything is talking about it!"

       "Oh my god..."

       "Yeah, 'oh my god' is right."

       "What's happening?" Sasuke whispered, eyes wide. Naruto gestured at him to hold on, and he switched ears. 

       "I... I don't even know what to say. I'm so sorry you had to find out this way-"

       "Don't apologize, Naruto, I understand. I'm glad to hear there will be another ceremony so all your loved ones can celebrate with you. But Naruto, she used your legal names. I'm worried for Sasuke, I know he's-"

       "Yeah, um... I really have to tell him what's up. I'm so sorry, Iruka, I promise I'll call back-"
       "Don't worry about it. Just let me know if you need anything, okay?"

       "Okay."
       "It's going to be alright," he assured in that fatherly tone that always calmed Naruto down in an instant. "Take care of each other. I love you."

       "I-I love you, too. Bye."

       Naruto hung up the phone, just staring blankly at the steering wheel for a moment.

       "Naruto," Sasuke called. "Snap out of it, talk to me."

        He drew in a long breath.

        "We have... a very big problem."

Chapter Text

        Sasuke drove this time.

        The sun was dipping beneath the last stretch of desert sand, highlighting everything blazing red. It turned Sasuke's hair a shade of auburn Naruto had never seen before and left shadows on his face he swore were new. He looked gaunt, wide-eyed and white-knuckled. He hadn't once touched the radio, and neither had Naruto. Hours of silence behind them, hours more ahead of them. Questions swarmed like flies in Naruto's head, buzzing obnoxiously with anxiety, but he didn't dare break the precious silence. It would only be quiet for so long, after all, before the bombs started dropping left and right. At any moment, this car could be in a chase. Their home could become a battlefield. There was a possibility that no matter how far they ran or how well they hid, they could still be found again. I'm not even sure Sasuke intends to run and hide again. He seems... different, this time.

        He turned to look at him. Sasuke's shoulders were rigid, the tension pulling along every muscle and tendon in his arms all the way into his fingers. His jaw was clenched tightly shut, moving only to allow the scrape of his tongue behind his teeth. He'd been that way since long before they'd packed up everything and left without a word to Tsunade, long before Sasuke turned off his phone and Naruto put his on vibrate as countless calls, texts, and messages came in, and long before they got in the car and started heading back home. Shizune hadn't been able to conduct damage control in time; everyone had seen the post, and though the original was down, screenshots were still circulating. It was only a matter of time before they were found by the wrong people. Naruto glanced at Sasuke again, but this time he glanced back too, eyes flickering a deep, blood red in the beam of light still burning over the horizon. 

       "What?" he demanded with more than a bit of bite.

       "Are you okay?"

       Sasuke snorted, redirecting his focus to the road.

       "Is that really the question you want to ask me right now?" he asked in lieu of any sort of answer. Naruto frowned. Okay, we're not gonna get anywhere with him in that kinda mood-

       "Stop the car."

       Sasuke flinched, blinking a few times as if he wasn't believing what was right in front of him.

       "Excuse me?" he scoffed.

       "Stop the car," Naruto repeated, as casually as if he were asking Sasuke to stop at a convenience store.

       "For what?" he snapped.

        "Because I asked you nicely. Please pull over."

        "You sound like a fucking beta pig piece of shit-"

        "Sasuke, ca-"

        "I swear to god if you tell me to calm down I'm gonna crash this car into the nearest fucking cactus!"

         The wild look in his eye said he might. Naruto felt like he was circling a predator, both waiting for an opportunity to strike, both knowing that if the other got the upper hand first, it was all over.

         "I'm not. I'm just asking you to pull over."

         "Why?" he demanded, tightening his hold on the steering wheel as if afraid Naruto would take it from him.

         "Because I wanna sit and talk for a second. We're making incredible time, we can afford a few minutes."

         Sasuke snarled an exhale, jerkily pulling the car over, purposely being a dick about how hard he punched the brake. Naruto bit the inside of his cheek and balled his hands into fists on his thighs, almost shaking with the effort to ignore it. Can't argue like that right now. He's in rough shape...

         "What?" he demanded again, tossing his seatbelt over his shoulder, turning half-way in his seat, and crossing his arms over his chest.

         "I just want to know what you're thinking."

         The bitter laugh he barked out made Naruto's chest hurt.

         "What kinda fucking question is that? I'm thinking about everything! Literally everything!"

         "Do you know if he's still-"

         "Last I heard he was in Europe," Sasuke interrupted, apparently not wanting to hear that name. "Supervising one of the labs or something."

        "Okay, so he's probably not gonna be a problem, considering he's been gone all this time, he probably could have found you, but he hasn't done anything-"

         "Can we not fucking talk about it?"

         "We have to talk about it, Sasuke."

         "No, we really don't."

         "I'm not just gonna blindly follow your lead."

         "Of course not. You didn't the first time, either."

         Naruto bristled, teeth grinding words to a halt. This is not him trying to be an asshole, this is just how he gets. Don't take the bait-

         "I want this time to be different. I'm by your side, I'm not going anywhere and I'm not letting you go anywhere, either." Sasuke scoffed again, but Naruto could hear the thickness in it, could tell by the way Sasuke's nose scrunched that he was trying not to cry. Naruto shut his eyes for a moment, giving the sharp pain in his heart a moment to dull.

         "It's not gonna be different. It's gonna be exactly the same."

         "You don't know that-"

         "I DO!"

         He flinched, but immediately drew himself up to his full size to compensate for it. Sasuke's face was quickly reddening, and so were the tips of his ears.

         "You know how I know? Because people! Never! Change!"

         "They can and they do! Am I still the obnoxious little kid you met at the beach?"

         "No, you're much fucking worse. You're an obnoxious manchild I can't get rid of, you made damn sure of that!"

         "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?!"

         "You made me property!"

         Naruto started.

         "W... what?"

         "That's what all this is about, isn't it?" he seethed. "You thought making me yours would protect me. Like some damsel in fucking distress!" He picked up a discarded cup lid and chucked it at Naruto. "That's why you're not taking this seriously, isn't it! You're just like everyone else after all, you piece of fucking-!"

         "WHOA, hey, no!" Naruto barked, grabbing his wrists to keep him from doing something crazy, like speeding aimlessly into the desert and into a fucking ditch or something. "Explain, I don't get it."

         "What's there not to fucking get?!" he snapped. "He thought of me like property, you knew there was a chance your idiot granny would fuck up, so you married me on a whim to 'protect me'-" Here he rolled his eyes. "- because you think he'll see me as your property now and leave me alone. And I'm telling you you're a fucking moron if you think that'll work!"

         "That's not what happened!" he denied. "Are you fucking insane?!"

         "Yeah, of course I am! You don't go through what I went through and end up sane , Naruto!"

          The first tear fell. Sasuke wiped it away with a rough scrub of his palm, leaving a redder streak on his already flushed face. 

          "That's not why I married you," Naruto said as calmly as he could. If he tread carefully, Sasuke wouldn't go back into a rage; he'd either calm down, or have a much-needed breakdown about it. "I... I married you because I love you. I can't bear the thought of being without you. I... the thought of us not being together..." He swallowed his own thick swell of tears. "I don't want to be without you. I want everyone who meets us to know how much I love you." He swallowed again. Sasuke's other hand was still ensnared by Naruto's, but his grip was loosening as Sasuke started to soften beneath the reassuring words. Progress. This is actually progress. He's usually still all prickly until he's evaluated whether I'm lying to him or not. But he's not doing that this time. He's trusting me when I tell him how I feel... "Truthfully, Sasuke, I hadn't thought about him for a single moment until Iruka called. Maybe I should have. But that's just how far away any of those thoughts were from my mind." He shook his head. "I could never think of you as property. It's disgusting that anyone ever did. And I swear to you, Sasuke, if I ever see his face again, I'll cave it in for ya, y'know?"

            Sasuke snorted a laugh, eyes shimmery with unshed tears.

           "Usuratonkachi... bold of you to assume you'd get to him before I did." Naruto grinned, turning Sasuke's hand over and spinning his rings. "I'm sorry. I... assumed the worst-"

           "I understand," he whispered, lifting Sasuke's hand and kissing the back of it. His face flushed a different type of red. Naruto was just glad they hadn't had a screaming match. "If you weren't all twisted up over this, I'd think something really was wrong with you, y'know?"

            Sasuke snorted another laugh, but this time Naruto was there to catch it before issuing a soft laugh of his own into Sasuke's mouth. He felt fingers card through his hair, tugging a little insistently at the sensitive ones on the nape of his neck.

            "I wanna finish talking about this first," he breathed.

            "No," he replied just as breathily, swiping his tongue along Naruto's lower lip as a request for entry. Naruto denied it, pulling back a bit.

            "Sasuke, what if your brother gets back in touch? What will you do?"

            That broke them apart in an instant, Sasuke looking hurt for barely a second before pulling up the cold steel wall behind his eyes. Fuck... 

            "I'll see what he wants. Happy now?"
            "No. I can't be happy when you're this upset."

            "Well, that's life. Sometimes you'll have to settle for unhappy."

             Naruto stopped his hand as he tried to clip his seatbelt again.

             "Can we please talk about this?"
             "What else do you want me to say, Naruto? I'll hear the bastard out. But I swear to fucking god if Orochimaru shows up I'm gonna go ballistic-"

             "And I'll be right there going apeshit with you. But we need to actually talk about Itachi."

             "Why? Why now?" he snapped.

             "Because whether you like it or not, we're in this together now," he answered, raising his hand, making Sasuke confront the reality of their commitment to each other. "All I want to know is whether you plan to give him a shot or not."

             His eyes shifted away, looking anywhere but at Naruto's face. He ignored the twinge behind his ribs. Sasuke always loses eye contact when he's thinking too many words and considering his words. Again, this is progress. We still haven't had a screaming match, he's sorta willing to entertain conversation. I'm so proud of you, Sasuke-

             "I don't know."

             Naruto leaned back at the lost expression on Sasuke's face as he stared straight out the windshield, into the last dying rays of sun, turning the sky to ribbons of rusted reds and pinks, like soiled bandages. 

             "I don't know," he said again, barely a whisper. Naruto softened, pulling Sasuke into a hug as best he could. 

             "It's okay. You don't have to know yet. I'll support you no matter what, okay?"

             He felt Sasuke nod against his shoulder, burrowing his face against Naruto's neck. They stayed like that only long enough for Sasuke to take a deep breath; he separated them this time, ignition turning over as he drove again.

             "For now, let's just focus on getting home," he muttered, barely audible. He finally flicked on the radio.

       They arrived home by daybreak.

       Naruto took control of the wheel a few miles out of the city limits and Sasuke laid down in back. They prowled the neighborhood, looking out for anything unfamiliar. He didn't see any strange cars or old faces. He took a pass by their house once before looping around and coming back. No suspicious packages on their doorstep, no figures hiding in the bushes, the same lights on and off as when they'd left. Naruto locked Sasuke in the car and did a sweep through the house himself before coming back out for him and their bags. Once they were inside, they both checked every lock in the house, making sure their windows and doors hadn't been tampered with. Everything came up clear, nodding to each other in the living room to confirm, and for the first time since Iruka had called the day before, they breathed.

      "Alright. I'm... gonna make coffee," Naruto sighed, rubbing the nape of his neck. Sasuke nodded, sitting down on the couch to sort through their mail with a dazed look in his eye. The routine of setting up the pot calmed Naruto's nerves, frayed from a sleepless night spent traveling through a vast, barren landscape. He hadn't realized how bone-chilling a desert at night could be until he was keeping Sasuke awake as they drove through nowhere. All was black and still and silent outside their lone car on the highways. Anyone or anything could be out there. The thought sent shivers down his spine. He shook his head and blinked a few times to snap himself out of it. He'd laid out their mugs and spooned sugar into his own. Now he was just waiting for it to finish brewing, listening to the pot burble. 

        He brought the mugs out. The torn remains of a box laid between Sasuke's feet. He held a photo album in one hand, and a letter in the other.

        "Whatcha got there?"

        He held the album out to Naruto, fixating on the letter clutched tightly in his right hand. Naruto set down the coffee and took it, eyes widening as he opened it and realized what it was.

        "A wedding album?"

        " Our wedding album." Naruto just nodded dumbly at Sasuke's correction, delicately leafing through the pages, as if he were afraid they'd dissolve beneath the tips of his fingers. They looked happy. There were only a few pictures, but in all of them they were smiling and blushing with dreamy eyes set on one another. Even drunk as we were, our attention was on each other... There was a shot of their joined hands, all four rings gleaming beneath bright lights. There was a shot of them kissing, and another of them running down the aisle holding hands, Naruto himself holding their marriage certificate up in the air with a joyous, triumphant grin on his face. Sasuke was laughing. He still only remembered flashes here and there, but he remembered the feeling of it all too well. It made him feel like he could melt.

       "Sasuke, I-"

       "This letter was on top of it."

        Naruto blinked, a sense of unease roiling beneath his skin. Something about Sasuke's tone wasn't right. He wasn't even looking up.

        "My brother sent this."

         A sharp inhale through his nose was the only indication of shock he gave.

        "Okay. Okay-"

        "Turns out he's a big-shot detective now. Managed to find us at the chapel. Rather than interrupt, he went in after us and paid for them to make up a wedding album."

        "So he sent that before the post-"

        "And he's probably on his way here right now."

         Sasuke swallowed, and that made Naruto nervous.

        "Okay. Um, well, did he say why he wants to meet you?"

        "He says he wants to make amends." A flutter of hope roused behind Naruto's ribs.

        "That's good though, right? Don't you want to reconcile?"

        "It's not gonna happen."

        And suddenly instead of hopeful wings, there was now the searing pain of talons as dread raked through him.

        "What do you mean?"

        "How the fuck am I supposed to forgive him?" Naruto blinked a few times. "You're so stupid," he chided, sighing and tucking a lock of hair behind his ear. "My brother wants to make amends. That means he's expecting me to forgive him. And I don't know if I can."

        "That's not what making amends means."

        "It is to Itachi." There was a bitterness to Sasuke's voice that made Naruto ache. He didn't know what it was to have a brother, let alone one who abandoned you, but he knew what it was like to feel alone and unwanted. He knew what it was like to be hurt by someone he loved. So he felt Sasuke's pain as his own, and although he could never fully understand, he felt a mournful keen swelling in his chest. "He was the golden child. He's never been held accountable for a damn thing. Suits him to be a fucking pig." Naruto winced. Sasuke spat the words like blood. "And I know he's just gonna get bent outta shape when I can't brush his bullshit under the rug like everybody else does. Nothing gets better, we stay estranged, but now it's all fuckin' fresh again. And of course, I'll have to deal with it by myself , just like alwa-"

         "You won't." Sasuke finally looked up, confused. "You won't deal with it by yourself." He held up the album, used it to point to his bands. "Married now, remember? We deal with things together." He shook his head.

         "Naruto, you're such a moron. Just because we're married doesn't mean you're obligated to get between me and my-"

         "I don't feel obligated," he insisted. "I want to help. And I'm going to." He groaned when Sasuke looked like he still wanted to fight him. "Look, when you get married you get a lot of perks. You can use each other's insurance and buy or rent things together. But you also get each other's debt, or shitty credit, or baggage ." He gave Sasuke a particularly pointed look. "I'm not gonna let you deal with this alone. It went horribly last time and I'm actually able to do a bit more about it this time. You can't make me stand down."

         Sasuke considered him for a few silent moments. Please, Sasuke, this is going so well. We might actually get through this without a screaming match-

         "I see."

         That was the extent of his reaction, turning back to the letter and reading it over again with a sigh and a shake of his head.

         "Alright, sit," he ordered, but Naruto didn't point out that he was being bossy like he usually would; he just sat and took a sip of his coffee to keep himself from running his mouth. Sasuke picked up his own and set the letter down, warming his hands on the ceramic without drinking just yet. "I estimate less than five hours for him to get here. Probably more like three." Sasuke paused to finally have his coffee, eyelids fluttering shut in relief. 

         "What do I need to be prepared for?" Sasuke shrugged.

         "Holding me back, I guess."

         "You're worried he'll hurt you?"

         "No, the opposite."

         Naruto grimaced. He knew there was bad blood between them, and he knew Sasuke could be truly volatile in the wrong headspace. He seemed calm on the surface now, but underneath an inferno of emotion raged. I wonder if I could just-

         "I'm cleaning," he announced suddenly, placing his half-emptied mug back down and darting into the bedroom. Oh boy-

         "Sasuke, if he's coming to make amends then I'm sure he won't care that the place is-"

         "Either help me or shut up," he cut off, his special pair of cleaning slippers already on. There wasn't actually anything special about them, he just insisted on having something he could wear while he swept and mopped the floors. Sasuke hated gross things touching his bare feet. So fuzzy pink bootie slippers it was as he grabbed the broom and tossed a duster to Naruto. He sighed. Well, cleaning does make him feel better. And there's no way he'll get the whole house done himself, so... 

           They spent the next two and a half hours deep-cleaning the house. Naruto was tasked with the bedroom and hallways while Sasuke went full neurotic on the rest; Naruto found him sitting in the bathtub, scrubbing at the grout between the tiles on the wall with a toothbrush.

           "I'm pretty sure it's clean enough," he suggested.

           "Hn." Sasuke didn't so much as look up, eyes locked on the invisible grime. 

           "Sasuke. It's time to stop."

           "I'll stop when I'm finished," he mumbled.

           "Then you'll be at it for hours." He didn't have a response to that. It was possible he hadn't even heard Naruto. Oh boy... "Sasuke!" he called, starting to feel impatient.

           "What?" he snapped, finally making eye contact. He was sweaty and flushed and his eyes were puffy. Naruto couldn't tell if it was lack of sleep, or if he'd broken down at some point in the cleaning process before pulling himself back together and resuming before Naruto could find him like that. 

           "It's time to take a break." He pulled something from his pocket, waving it around in an attempt to sway him. "C'mon, we haven't done it in forever. It'll help you calm down."

           "Naruto, he could be here any min-"

           "And wouldn't it be nice to go into it without all this fuckin' stress?"

           Sasuke pursed his lips, weighing the pros and cons. 

           "Fine. But I'm taking a shower after."

           "How 'bout this: I'll run you a nice bath."

           "We don't have time for that."

           "You don't know that for sure, it's just speculation, y'know?" Sasuke sighed, wiping the sweat from his brow on his shoulder.

           "He... gave me a phone number. I could find out for sure when he's coming."

           "That's up to you. If you want I could call him instead?"

           "Nobody's calling him. A text is more than enough."

            He bit his lower lip this time, typing and deleting and retyping several times before he decided on what he wanted to say. The response was instant, the phone vibrating in Sasuke's hand before he'd even had a chance to pocket it.

            "He'll be here tomorrow," he read aloud.

            "See? You have way more time than you thought. C'mon."

            Sasuke didn't need any more convincing, though he did seem uneasy. Naruto led him out the back door by the hand, wiping his palm across the seats of their folding chairs before either even attempted to sit. Naruto hadn't kept track of the weather here while they were away, and the last thing either of them wanted was to sit in little puddles of rain water that might have formed on them. Thankfully they were dry, and so was the table. Naruto set out two lighters and produced another joint, handing it off to Sasuke. He took it with a sigh, lit it, and took a long drag off it. Naruto was slower about it, letting himself smell the smoke first before he placed it to his lips and took a little puff. He didn't want much, just enough to feel it, but Sasuke seemed ready to suck the whole thing down his throat if he didn't think it'd burn. Naruto smiled, taking another half-puff on his own.

            "Well?"

            "Give it a minute," Sasuke muttered, gazing up at the sky as it turned bluer and bluer. Naruto leaned back after a minute or two, assured by the slump of Sasuke's shoulders and the way his head tipped back after a while longer. "Yeah, we're good."

           He wasn't sure Sasuke meant to say that out loud, but it settled the last of Naruto's worry. He looked up at the sky too, casually leaving his free hand in the middle of the table. Sasuke placed his on top of it without even thinking. Naruto smiled at him something soft and sweet. He turned and met Naruto's gaze, red-eyed, and a little smile shifted his lips too.

          "Feeling better, huh?" Sasuke gave a little chuckle.

          "Maybe a bit."

          "Want that bath after all?"

          "Mm..." 

          He got distracted, making figure eights with his joint in the air, watching the swirls of smoke. Naruto watched him in turn, smiling softly. He couldn't help it. Sasuke was different when he was stoned, and Naruto hadn't seen this in a long time.

          "I don't want a bath yet," he answered at last. "I'm enjoying this."

          "Okay, that's fine, too."

          "I'm still anxious as fuck," he admitted, placing it between his lips again and puffing on it a few times.

          "Fair. I mean, you have a gross stalker-ish old man and an estranged brother to deal with, potentially, y'know? I'd be all nervous and upset, too."

          "Hn." Naruto studied Sasuke a moment. He was infinitely more relaxed than before, but still a bit tenser than Naruto would want for him. 

          "C'mere," he called, putting out his own joint on the ashtray. He'd probably finish it later, once Sasuke was in bed. He planned to make him sleep soon, but he clearly needed him for a bit longer first.

          "Whattya want, dobe?"
          "Come cuddle."

          Sasuke snorted, but he got up all the same, stretching as he ambled over. Naruto pulled Sasuke into his lap. He let Naruto arrange their limbs so that he was sitting cross-legged in the chair and Sasuke was cradled against him. He snorted again, squirming.

          "What am I, an infant?" he teased.

          "Well, if you're gonna insist on being a big baby about it all-"

          "Oi!" he laughed, smacking Naruto upside the head. Naruto had anticipated it, but he didn't anticipate how hard.

          "Ow! Sasuke, those rings hurt!" he whined, clutching his head.

          "Fuck, didn't mean to," he murmured, squirming again on Naruto's lap so he could reach the sore spot and give it a kiss. Naruto giggled even though it still hurt.

          "Guess now I'm the one being a big baby, huh?"

          "Hmph. Maybe so," Sasuke agreed, shifting again.

         "Oi bastard, you wanna stay still?"

          "Nope."

          He hooked his ankles around the arms of the chair as he settled at last in Naruto's lap, facing him, running his hands through his hair as he took another drag.

          "Hello," Naruto teased, "can I help you?"

          "Wanted to look at you," he mumbled distractedly, still playing with his hair. His gaze roved over Naruto's face, from his eyes to his nose to his lips to the whiskery scars on his cheeks and back to his lips to repeat the process the other way around. Naruto burned at the feeling of exposure beneath Sasuke's sharp, intelligent eyes. He didn't seem to be searching for anything, didn't seem concerned or upset. He was just looking to look, it seemed, and that calmed Naruto a little. You'd think after all this time I'd be used to it, but sometimes it just strikes me how intense he is... "What're you thinking?" he asked, knuckles of his free hand trailing down Naruto's jaw, so light it was barely a touch at all.

          "Just admiring how pretty you are." It wasn't a lie, really. He was admiring Sasuke's eyes, and now he was taking in the rest of his face too. Naruto was sure Sasuke didn't realize he'd licked his lips at that admission. 

          "Funny. I was doing the same."

          It was like falling into an old routine. The way their lips and fingers slotted together, the way their hips rolled in sync, the way they shifted so they were touching as much as possible. It was warmth and comfort. Sasuke fed him a smoky breath, and Naruto drank it in as if it would absolve them both of the situation they were in. For a little while, maybe it would.

          They shared breaths until the joint was just an extinguished nub in the ashtray. Naruto's head felt light and fuzzy, and Sasuke's body was a firm weight in his lap as they kissed and kissed and kissed, hands roving beneath each other's shirts.

          "Let's go inside," Naruto suggested, realizing that this was going to get a bit too intense for their neighbors' views. He took Sasuke's shivery gasp as he nipped his ear as acquiescence and towed him inside.

          The moment the back door closed, they were attacking each other, teeth clashing, falling over each other onto the couch when the backs of Sasuke's knees hit it a bit too hard. They laughed into each other's mouths, far from caring, just desperate for their skin to touch. 

          "Tell me what you want," Naruto asked Sasuke's damp throat. He arched back to bare more of it.

          "You. I just... need you..."

           Naruto was too happy to oblige, but he was also fucking tired. He needed to work himself up more. So his lips took their time making paths to nowhere all over Sasuke's skin until his shirt came off, tasting him and his sweat, stopping to leave marks in the places he liked best: his collarbones, his sides, inner thighs. He shuddered as Naruto bit his way down those thighs, leaving dense bruises behind. Can't believe I forgot he gets extra horny and sensitive when he's high... Sasuke's fingers were winding their way into Naruto's hair again, but he wasn't done, pulling off his slippers and placing them gently on the floor beside each other. He wasted no time getting Sasuke's pants off at last so he could nibble on his calves. The taste of him... his scent... fuck....

           "Naruto," Sasuke breathed, and he knew exactly what he meant. It was a declaration of pleasure, an "I like this", but also an urging toward something more, a "this is great, but please get to it", and Naruto relished the fact that he knew. He knew. Sasuke's body language had become as familiar to him as English- he may as well call that his native language- and spread beneath him Sasuke was an open book. Vulnerability was written all over him, in the flush of his skin and the whimpers Naruto knew were caught halfway up his throat. As Naruto sucked and kissed it, trying to coax them out. He got a few delicious quivers out of him, though, so he counted that as a win. He didn't stop Sasuke from tanging his fingers in his hair this time, rocking against him but not entering yet. He groaned at the hot wetness smearing over him. 

           "Fuck, Sasuke..."
           "I told you I needed you," he whimpered at last, clinging to Naruto's nape.

           "Sasuke... please, tell me what you want..." Naruto begged from behind Sasuke's ear, pinching the skin between his teeth. Sasuke made a noise that bordered on wanton, one that released the pooling heat of arousal low in his stomach.

           "I don't know, just... touch me..."

           Naruto shuddered. He doesn't just mean sex, he realized in a rush of clarity. He wants me to touch his heart, too. To understand his feelings. To soothe them...

           Sasuke gasped wetly as Naruto caught him in a firm, deep kiss, one hand cradling the back of his head, the other tenderly caressing his cheek. Sasuke shivered, eyelids fluttering shut. Naruto knew Sasuke could feel the message: I'm here. It'll be okay. 

           They were a tangle of limbs forming a sauna of breath between them. Sasuke opened easily for him, completely unyielding, arching his back just so their bodies could be a bit closer. Naruto held him tight, thrusting slow but deep, more rocking into him than anything. Sasuke left leg was hooked around Naruto's right, Sasuke's right leg pressed into the couch cushion and over Naruto's back, their arms shifting to let them touch each other everywhere. Sasuke mewled at a certain angle, and Naruto steadied them, fucking into him hard and tender all at once, his face blazing and eyes half-lidded. Sasuke was closer to the edge than him, crying out as Naruto rubbed the perfect spot along his walls. He managed to free a hand, touching just above where they were joined, smearing Sasuke's own slick over him with his thumb. Sasuke cried out, nails searing into Naruto's back and shoulder. He felt Sasuke pulse around him, beginning to tighten, gripping him just right. He felt his head drop back, panting hard, waves of tingling pleasure washing across his body, nearly there, nearly there-

           "Naruto!" Sasuke gasped, eyes flying wide open for just a second before he scrunched them shut and came.

           "Fuck, Sasuke-!"

           Naruto spilled over in a wash of white. He felt them both reach their climax, felt their bodies throb in tandem, and for a moment Naruto swore there was a red thread on Sasuke's chest, and when Naruto pressed his hand to his heart he felt it in his own chest. Sasuke gave a tired, satisfied smile, sweat sticking his hair to his head at wild angles.

          "Dobe, why are you crying?" he asked, half-concerned and half-teasing. Naruto sniffled, petting Sasuke's soaked hair down. He didn't care that he was sweaty, he'd been sweaty before they started anyway.

          "I just love you so much. I'd do anything for you, Sasuke. All you'd ever have to do is say the word."

         For a second they just stared at each other. Sasuke seemed at a loss for words; whether it was the haze of orgasm making him slow still or the weed still definitely in his system or general exhaustion, he couldn't be sure, but he found himself laughing at Sasuke's expression all the same. It was so strangely empty, as if his brain had shut off completely, and something about it was just hilarious.

        "Idiot! Pull out, it feels weird!" Sasuke complained, swatting at his head. Naruto managed to catch his hand, kissing him again. Sasuke shook his head, smiling but confused. "Sometimes I wonder what's going on behind that thick skull of yours." He shook his head, grin wobbling as he held back a fresh bout of giggles.

        "I'm just laughing at myself. Since when am I that serious, y'know?" 

        Sasuke snorted, carding his fingers through Naruto's equally damp hair.

        "Can I take you up on that bath now?" Naruto rubbed their noses together, plopping a little kiss on it as he rolled off the couch and stretched.

        "Of course." I'm just glad you're okay. Please just keep being okay. We can do this together, Sasuke, I promise...

Chapter Text

        Naruto woke up at five in the morning to the sound of shattering glass and a harsh swear.

        He hadn't even registered what was happening before he was bolting out of the bedroom and into the living room, searching for Sasuke with wild eyes. Did Orochimaru come after all? Did he break in? No windows broken- He heard the glass shift, and he darted into the kitchen already in a fighting stance.

        "The fuck are you doing?" Sasuke asked, kneeling on the floor with a mini broom and dustpan. Naruto blinked a few times, slowly easing out of the stance and uncurling his fists.

        "I-I thought that... I just...." He shook his head. "What happened?"
        "What does it look like, dobe? I dropped a plate."

         Relief swept through him, and he heaved a breath.

         "Need some help?"

         "No, it's fine. Go back to bed." Naruto tilted his head to the side, watching Sasuke sweep up the pieces. He's already dressed. And he's wearing his slippers... 

         "Were you cleaning?"

         There was no accusation in his tone, but Sasuke tensed all the same, ready to be on the defensive.

         "So what if I was?"

         "It's just a question, Sasuke." He sighed. The bags beneath his eyes were dark and heavy. Naruto wanted to kiss them until they disappeared, hold Sasuke in his arms while he slept.

         "He'll be here at six."

         Naruto nodded. Itachi had always been a morning person, whereas Sasuke had always been a creature of the night. That wasn't a surprising development.

         "So you got up early to stress-clean." Sasuke frowned, but didn't argue.

         "It wasn't intentional. I just... woke up." Naruto nodded, surveying the room. Sasuke always kept the place clean, but now it was practically sparkling. Naruto was sure he'd be able to see his reflection in the counters if he got close enough.

         "How long have you been up?" Sasuke shrugged, scanning the floor for more stray pieces of glass.

         "I dunno, since... ten maybe?"

         Naruto felt his eyes widen.

         "But we went to bed at eight! Are you saying you only slept, like, two hours?" Sasuke only shrugged again.

         "Guess so."

         "Baby, that's really ba-"

         "I know, okay?!" he snapped. He shook his head, wiping the sweat from his brow on his sleeve. "Sorry, it's just-"

         "I know. Go take a shower and lay down for a bit. I'll handle breakfast."

         Sasuke frowned as he stood, knees popping audibly, and walked the precarious pan of broken glass to the trash can.

         "I really don't think a nap will improve the situation," he said over the sound of it all spilling into the can. He kicked it back into the cabinet under the sink and tossed the dustpan set in there too.

         "I'm not saying you have to sleep, just lay down and like. Stop doing things, y'know?"

         "I don't see how that will improve the situation, either."

         Naruto grabbed his hand as he went to brush past. He didn't miss the way Sasuke winced. 

         "You're hurting yourself," he said, voice low and grave, running a gentle thumb over the red, chapped skin of Sasuke's knuckles. He jerked his hand back, holding it to his chest as if burned. He's gonna have a full-on meltdown at some point, he's not dealing well. Please, Sasuke, just let me help you-

         "Yeah, well... what else is new."

         Naruto didn't have a response for that. The soft tap of the bathroom door shutting felt hollow and anticlimactic. Naruto almost wished Sasuke had slammed it instead. He knew anger. He knew how to meet it head-on or de-escalate it to something more manageable. He knew the catharsis of screaming at the top of your lungs and spilling your guts and sorting through it all to untangle the knots into something everyone could understand. What he still couldn't understand was silence. He couldn't understand keeping it down, keeping it in, sorting through all your broken pieces by yourself. I wouldn't be surprised if he were having his meltdown right now. The thought stunned him. There's a good chance he's in there having a panic attack while I just stand here like a dumbass. 

          He wasn't sure what had made it click. He wasn't sure what light in his empty head finally turned on and illuminated a room full of new understandings. All he knew was it was important. He grabbed the doorknob, determined to swoop in and save his husband-

          Only to find himself falling backward.

          He stared at the door. He fucking locked it? Why-

          "Naruto, fucking Christ, you okay?" he asked, half-covered in a towel, dripping wet onto the floor, onto Naruto himself. He just kept staring, dumbfounded. Sasuke's face was pink, his hair was wet and messy, his eyes were bright with fear and concern. He looked young and tragic, he looked like the momentary relief of a cough drop on strep throat, he looked like a thread fraying at the middle, about to dissolve.

          Naruto scrambled back up to his feet and grabbed Sasuke's jaw in his hand. Sasuke inhaled sharply, flashes of fear and confusion and anger flickering like candles in his eyes. C'mon, idiot, think. Articulate.

         "Naruto. What the fuck are you doing?" he growled. He's getting upset because he's been hurt, he's in a vulnerable state, he's ready to fight me because that's what he's had to do to survive- "Naruto. Explain." The command left no room for teasing. Sasuke was going to lash out any second. This was dangerous ground. I need to do it right this time or I might fuck this up for good.

        "You can't scare me away," he blurted out. It was the right thing to say. Sasuke's eyes went wide but his stance started to relax. "You can't scare me away. I see more than you think I do, I'm not very smart so I know you think I don't get it but I do, so stop trying to hide what you think are the worst parts to protect me. You don't need to protect me from you. You can't hurt me enough to make me stop loving you."

        A long pause stretched between them. The candles in his eyes became embers in the wind, moving swift and leaving smokey afterimages behind them. Naruto watched his lips part, and he could feel the breath he took shudder in his bones through his grip on Sasuke's wrist.

        "What the fuck?" he gasped, and his eyes were as wet now as the rest of his face. "What- I..." Sasuke shook his head, took a step back, tried to wriggle out of Naruto's grip, but he hardly put any effort into it. It was like he was waiting for Naruto to come to him, but he wouldn't. Not until he made it clear what he needed. "Where did that come from?"

        "I dunno," he admitted. Sasuke shook his head again, but there was wonder in his eyes now, stars gleaming from the gold light reflecting off white tile and into pure obsidian. It was dazzling. Am I still high somehow? No, this is... this is something really important... this is really important, I just can't... "I... don't want you to hide from me. You don't deserve to spend all your life hiding. You're mine and I'll protect you. So follow me out into the sunlight, huh?"

        "I don't... need you to protect me. I'm protecting myself just fine." He was hardly even arguing. It was as if he were reciting it by memory, something he'd read and said over and over until it solidified deep inside him. The brand was glowing. 

        "I know. I want to protect you anyway."

        "You're insane."

        "So are you." Sasuke huffed out something resembling a laugh.

        "How... how do you do that?"

        "Do what?"

        "Find the thing I need you to say. I... I didn't even know I needed... you to..."

        They moved in tandem. They took a step forward to meet each other, even using their opposing feet so they could slot together perfectly. They took a breath in sync, exhaled it into a kiss. We can overcome anything. We made the right choice to get married.

        "How?" Sasuke repeated, barely a whisper against Naruto's lips.

        "I don't know. I... I guess... I know your heart, and you know mine... right, Sasuke?"

        Sasuke never had been much for words, so he did what the two of them best: let their actions speak for them. He pulled Naruto into a crushing, desperate kiss. It shattered his heart and melded all the pieces together again in an instant. Sasuke had Naruto's back to the tile wall, pressing them as tightly together as possible. Naruto shuddered. The tiles were ice cold beneath a thin mist of water, and Sasuke's body was boiling hot against his front. He always sets the shower too hot when he's upset. He cleanses his environment and himself. He literally scrubs away the feeling. Like when he says his skin crawls when he's anxious, it's an actual feeling not just an expression, it all makes sense now- Science said his brain should have been done cooking a couple of years ago, but the fireworks in his head said otherwise. So much made sense all at once and he didn't even understand how it happened, let alone how it had led to him pinned to the bathroom wall, his husband- his husband's- hips grinding against his, matching the swirl of his tongue around Naruto's. Normally Naruto would reverse their positions, pin Sasuke to the wall and let its support make him feel secure, but today he hitched Sasuke up under the legs as if he wasn't made of pure muscle. Do you get an adrenaline when your brain suddenly creates all those new paths? What was the word? Sine- sny- synapses. Sasuke told me about them once, holy shit, am I supposed to be able to feel it? I must be overexhausted and high adrenaline to get through this, it's a lot-

        "Are you fucking here, space cadet?"

       Naruto blinked and snapped back to the present, feeling a bit disoriented. 

       "Of course I'm here."

       "Put me down, you're gonna hurt yourself."

       "No."

       "No?"

       "No," he repeated, resolute, and he felt the spark of electricity between them as they gazed into each other's eyes. "If it were up to me I'd never ever put you down. I'd never let you go."

       The gravity of that statement wasn't lost on Sasuke. Naruto watched it register. He was attuned to Sasuke like a livewire. I've never felt this close to another person before. Holy fuck. I... Wow... Sasuke, I finally understand you, I think... I swear, if I don't, I will. I'm here, I'm right here, I just-

       "See, yeah, that's the kinda shit I'm talking about. How do you do that?" Naruto shook his head.

       "I'd tell you if I knew."

       "Naruto..." 

       He cocked his head to the side, watching Sasuke's eyes, watching his dewy lashes, watching his lips and thinking about biting them a little. Waiting patiently.

       "You're my husband. And I love you."

       They were simple words. They were simple and Naruto knew neither of them was particularly good at talking about feelings so they had to take everything with a grain of salt. But there wasn't room for interpretation in those two sentences. They were facts. They were as immutable as the laws of nature itself. And in Sasuke-speak, that was the highest compliment a thing could have. An inherent rightness in a world that made so little sense to him, that felt big and scary and chaotic. Naruto understood that painfully well. He'd grown up in the same kind of world, and deep down he was still afraid of it, too. He choked on a sudden twist in throat. He's been trying to tell me this all this time. He didn't know how, he might not even have been consciously trying to tell me this, but he was. He always was. He shows me how much I mean and how scary he sees the world all the time and I just didn't see it, he trusts me more than I ever could have imagined, I trust him that much, too, I hope he knows, I hope-

       "I'm sorry it took so long," he said. Sasuke filled in what he was apologizing for. He knew. He knew he knew he knew-

       "I didn't know how to say-"

       "- how to say it, right," he agreed. Sasuke's lashes fluttered, and that was the moment Naruto knew one hundred percent for certain he was also feeling this weirdly earth-shattering closeness in this otherwise mundane moment. 

       "Naruto, I-"

        They both jumped at the sound of their doorbell ringing. That thing still works? No one ever uses it... Sasuke spit a curse between his teeth.

        "That has to be him."

        "I'll stall. Wanna talk to him anyway."

        Naruto didn't care that he was still in flannel pajama pants and a ratty tee shirt. He knew he could be intimidating when he needed to be; his face settled into the "game face" Sasuke said was attractive once. He unlocked the door and swung it open.

        Itachi looked old. Far older than the seven year age gap between him and Sasuke. There were dark bags beneath his sunken eyes. He looked almost ashen. He was still tall, but more wiry than Naruto remembered. It made him seem smaller. He just barely managed to bite back a "you look like shit" and instead raised his chin a little.

        "Itachi."

        "Naruto."

        "You didn't have to rush ahead of me."

       Naruto moved to block the door better at the sound of another voice. A man with blue hair and a backpack jogged up the steps to join Itachi in front of the door.

       "Did you want your cane?" he asked. Itachi shook his head. Cane? Since when-

       "You must be Naruto, right?" the guy asked, holding out a hand. Naruto shook it confusedly. 

       "Uh, yeah, who-"

       "Kisame is my roommate," Itachi intervened flatly, leaving no room for Naruto to question their relationship. He was definitely questioning it, though. He's... older. I doubt they're just roommates. He offered a cane, maybe he's Itachi's... caregiver? Home health worker? Gotta wonder if it's more like a sugar daddy-sugar baby situation, though... The thought was a little bit disgusting if only because thinking of Itachi in any kind of... arrangement... was incredibly weird. He's never been into that kinda thing, so if he was involved it'd be outta desperation, and that's... hmph. Does not sit well...  "May we come in?"

        Naruto listened into the apartment. The bedroom door was opening, signaling Sasuke was dressed and ready.

        "I guess." He dropped his voice to a low whisper. "But if he tells you to leave, you're out. No if's, and's, or but's about it. Got it?" Kisame's face twisted in anger, about to open his mouth when Itachi simply laid a hand on his forearm. He relaxed entirely, even took a voluntary step back. Yeah, this is definitely more than a roommates situation, even if it's platonic... 

        "Understood."

        At last, Naruto stepped aside, revealing Sasuke in the hall way. He was leaning against the kitchen threshold; his eyes were cold as he gestured for them all to gather in the kitchen. Naruto watched Itachi and Kisame file in, closed the door but didn't lock it in case they needed to get the bastards out quickly. He settled with his back in the corner of the kitchen, leaning on the counters and watching. It felt strange to take Sasuke's usual role of "scary bastard with cold eyes just watching", but today Sasuke was needed in that kitchen chair opposite Itachi. Kisame hesitated, looking as if he'd station himself in the doorway to balance Naruto, but Itachi shot him a glare and he settled into the seat beside him. Naruto ignored the sting of Kisame's beady eyes on his skin, focused instead on the conversation about to unfold between his husband and estranged brother.

       "Why are you here?" Sasuke asked. His voice betrayed nothing.

       "Good morning to you, as well," Itachi responded in the same unyielding, unrevealing neutrality. Naruto wanted to study them like bugs, wanted to tear his hair out and scream, wanted to shake his head at the ungovernable forces of the Uchiha brothers clashing for the first time in years; and if things went the way Naruto envisioned, it would a long, agonizing while of parried insults and backhanded compliments and stalemating arguments before sparks flew or they at last eased off the pressure. The last time they spoke like this probably went similarly. Sasuke gets straight to the point to aggravate Itachi, Itachi pushes his buttons by insisting on all the formalities... Naruto could hear Sasuke's "tch" already, accompanied by the downward jerk of his lips, could see the glint of the light overhead on his teeth as he opened his mouth-

       Itachi sighed heavily. It disrupted the routine. Sasuke stiffened, and Naruto's eyes widened in response, ready to intervene but confused about why things were different this time than back in the day. He looks... exhausted. No... beyond that....

       "I suppose there's no use beating around the bush." Sasuke nodded warily, so stiff it was barely a few tilts of his chin. "I... have thought about how I handled things with you for a very long time," Itachi continued. "I should have come to you sooner, but I was afraid."

       Sasuke's eyebrows instantly drew together. Itachi's being sincere. I can feel it. But Sasuke doesn't trust him... 

       "I was wrong. I'm sorry. I... will never fully understand your position, but... I've learned more. I have a better idea, now." Itachi studied his younger brother for a breathless moment. "I acknowledge you, Sasuke."

         The room held its breath. Itachi has never called him by his name before.

         Sasuke was the first to breathe again.

         "Okay..." His fingers steepled in an attempt to stay still. Not like Sasuke to be antsy like that. Itachi's presence alone is stressing him out this much... "What's the catch?" Itachi blinked, looking hurt for a fraction of a second. I only saw it because I'm used to Uchiha emotional Olympics... 

         "I'm afraid I don't understand the questio-" Sasuke's snort cut him off.

         "Yeah, okay, sure, you 'acknowledge' me. Whatever the hell that's supposed to mean." His voice was an icicle dripping acid, cold and caustic all at once. "Why now? What do you want?"

         "I want... to have a family again."

         "And how's that make you feel, big guy?" Sasuke asked, turning to Kisame now. Naruto watched the man bristle, but he kept his hands on his knees beneath the table. Good, not gonna make a move to hurt Sasuke-

         "I fail to see how I matter in this equation. I can never replace his brother, after all." Sasuke's eyes narrowed, still distrusting.

         "Who are you, anyway?"

         "Kisa-"

         "Your name alone means nothing. Tell me who you are to him." Naruto's heart raced on Sasuke's behalf. I can do conflict but I hate conflict like this, how does he make it look so easy? Not mincing words, not even trying to be polite. Not trying to be nice or civil about it at all. Not trying to spare anyone's feelings, making it known exactly how hurt he is, making demands because this is his house... So different from how I deal with things... 

         "Kisame. I'm his roommate." Sasuke studied him a moment.

         "Hm." 

         Kisame looked ready to leap across the table and throttle Sasuke, but Itachi placed his palm on the table and Kisame immediately backed down. Far more than roommates. I'm a married man, I can spot a silent conversation a mile away-

         "So what?" Sasuke prompted, removing his attention from Kisame entirely to speak to Itachi again.

         "My answer hasn't changed," Itachi replied calmly, seeming to just absorb the force of Sasuke's words, as if he didn't feel their effects at all. "I'm here because I missed you. I want my family back."

         "And what about it?" Sasuke challenged, leaning back and folding his arms over his chest. "You miss me, so I'm supposed to what? Lay down and let you walk over me to get back into my life?"

         "No, I expect nothing of-"

         "Then what do you expect to happen?" 

         Naruto heard it. The tangy edge of hysteria in Sasuke's voice, the barest hint of his fracturing nerves hidden beneath the surface. Itachi surely heard it, too, because he held himself differently, allowed himself to slump a little, to lower his head as if expecting to be beaten.

         "I'm not sure. All I hoped to accomplish was talking to you. Seeing you. Perhaps it was foolish to hope for even as much as I'm getting now." He raised his gaze just enough to peer at Sasuke from beneath full lashes. "You owe me nothing. I've hurt you and you are entitled to feeling hurt. Some might say you're even entitled to hurt me, too. Please, just let me speak to you before you throw me out."

         Naruto didn't mean to be probing Sasuke so intently. To be fair, Sasuke didn't seem to notice. He was busying staring down Itachi, waiting for his older brother to yield, and he seemed tough but the way his shoulders shifted just a little gave Naruto room to breathe. Just a little, but enough. He's calming down... 

         "Spit it out, then." He didn't sound nearly as harsh as he had before. Maybe he's just tired... 

         "I'm very sick. I don't know how much time I have. It's... the same as what Grandfather had."

         Forget holding its breath, the room froze this time. Naruto swore it did. It left the image of Sasuke's face, wide-eyed, burned into Naruto's mind. 

         "So it is genetic," was all he said, hardly a murmur. Itachi nodded gravely.

         "I don't know how high the chances are you might develop it, too," Itachi said softly. "And you received secondhand exposure to... particulates that could agitate your system from my old jobs. I thought you deserved to know, if nothing else."

         "No idea how long you have?" Sasuke asked, as if it only just now sunk in. Itachi shrugged.

         "I smoked, too. I made a lot of stupid decisions. It takes us young in this family. I should have known better."

         "We don't know anything, it's still called idiopathic, for fuck's sake! Don't act like you could have known any better than the rest of us," Sasuke snapped, getting up from the table, taking a step forward as if to pace, then stopping himself, fidgeting with arms until he finally settled on one crossed over his ribs, the other elbow resting on it while he chewed his nails.

         "Stop biting."

         "You will not tell me what to do under my own goddamned roof," he growled. Itachi raised his hands in surrender. Sasuke resumed his frantic chewing. Thought we broke him of that habit. Goddamn it, Itachi, you're ruining his life all over again... 

          "I just wanted, if nothing else... to see you one last time before I go. Thank you for allowing me that. I wish it were under better circumstances."

          Now that the news had broken, Itachi allowed himself to cough. It sounded horrible. Each hack seemed to rattle his bones. Sasuke screwed his eyes shut as if he were in pain, too. He probably is. Sympathy pains... 

          "I see," he said as he opened his eyes again, after Itachi had quieted and Naruto had given him a glass of water. Kisame probably is his home health aide, then. Jesus...  Sasuke drew his own unhindered breath, turning back to the table and sitting down once more. "Where are you staying right now?"

          "Uncle's old place."

          "Hn..." 

          Sasuke glanced back at Naruto for the first time. He could see a question in his eyes, and somehow he knew what it was. Naruto nodded. Sasuke gave a slow blink at him, disbelief and "I love you" written in them, and Naruto couldn't help but smile a little, hiding it behind a hand, pretending to scratch his nose.

          "Move here," Sasuke decided, before he could lose his nerve.

          "You don't want that, Sasu-"

          "You're my brother and you're living with a stranger in Uncle's old house, it's probably fuckin' haunted and I bet nobody ever repaired the water pipes, did they? Move here."

          For perhaps the first time ever, Itachi seemed uncertain. His gaze flickered quickly to Kisame, but he only squeezed Itachi's shoulder in response.

          "Can Kisame come?" Sasuke glanced back at Naruto. He nodded again.

          "Yes. Though I'd like to get to know him a bit better." He punctuated that with a wary glare toward the older, larger man. He rolled his eyes.

          "Whatever, kid."

          "He's harmless," Itachi assured. 

          "Yeah okay," Sasuke snorted. "Next you'll tell me the sky's green."

          There was a tense pause. Naruto and Kisame stiffened. I don't get it, what's going on, why did it get so weird so suddenly, is that some kinda Uchiha code, did Sasuke just for real insult Itachi by implying he's lying about Kisame, I don't understand-

           To both Naruto and Kisame's surprise, the brothers began to laugh. Fondly, not at all raucously, but laughter all the same. Oh. It was a bit. Figures... Both of them relaxed, decompressing against the counter and the table respectively, and they even made eye contact for a second. Naruto smiled widely, and Kisame sported a tiny little grin in response.

           The conversation lapsed into chitchat about where Itachi and Kisame were staying around here, how long they'd be around, how they found Sasuke to begin with (Anko called Itachi once Sasuke's legal name came out, leading him on a wild goose chase to track him down only to find out he was on vacation in the same city they were stopped at and getting married so they thought it best not to interrupt), which prompted Sasuke to threaten Anko via text because of course he would. That made Itachi smile and Kisame laugh. Naruto made everyone tea or coffee and tried to ignore how weird the whole thing was. They still haven't directly addressed a lot of stuff, but it's like they've made a truce for the moment anyway. Will they ever really talk about it, or is it just water under the bridge now? How can he just... not have closure? Isn't he still upset?

           They left when Itachi's cough started getting worse and he visibly began to tire. They walked the other two men to the door, said their goodbyes, and watched them pull away from the house in Kisame's car.

           "You're aware they're definitely, like, boyfriends or something right?" Naruto said when the door closed at last.

           "If they wanna be discreet, so be it. But yes, I know," Sasuke replied, moving into the kitchen to- you guessed it- clean up again.

           "Sasuke, I told you to stop."

           "I don't remember agreeing to."

           "Do you really not wanna talk about anything that just happened?" he asked instead, hoping the sudden topic shift would throw him off-guard. The glare he threw over his shoulder said otherwise.

           "You're my husband, you should know me well enough by now. Do you think I wanna talk about?"

           "No, and that's why it's driving me insane! Why?"

           Sasuke shrugged, already washing the dishes he'd surreptitiously moved to the sink while they were talking. 

          "Don't see the point. Let the man die happy."

          Naruto heard Sasuke's thick swallow. He was already close, so he took the few steps needed to hug Sasuke from behind and rest his head against his shoulder. 

          "Are you okay?"

          "I dunno. Don't think it's fully registered yet."

          "That's understandable. A lot happened."

          "Yeah..."

          He turned off the faucet, sighing as he dried his hands. He turned within the small space Naruto allowed and tapped their foreheads together. Naruto wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, but it was long enough that he was starting to get uncomfortable from Sasuke's warm breath on his face. This thumbs rubbing circles into Naruto's lower back were sending warm little tingles down his legs.

         "Naruto?"

         "Yeah, Sasuke?"

         "Come to bed with me?"

         Naruto never needed to be asked twice, and especially not when the bags beneath Sasuke's eyes were this dark.

         Sasuke sat on the edge of the bed and moved his leg, but Naruto knelt and grabbed him by the ankle to stop him. Sasuke didn't retaliate, just raised a questioning brow. Naruto only smiled, keeping eye contact as he slid Sasuke's slippers off one by one and placed them neatly next to the bed. Sasuke allowed him to rise and take his shirt off for him, too, followed quickly by Naruto's own. Sasuke went to pull the strings on Naruto's sweatpants, but he batted those mischievous hands away.

         "Let me take care of you," he whispered.

         "I don't need to be cared for," Sasuke denied, but it was soft, and Naruto realized it for what it was. He doesn't want me to feel obligated, because before me everyone who was meant to care for him made him think he was a burden. An inconvenience. An ungrateful brat who should just suck it up and care for himself.

         That resonated with Naruto, always had, but he'd never really understood how deeply Sasuke carried those sentiments around with him until now. I'm learning so much about him today. I feel like I'm seeing him for the first time... 

         And yet, their bodies knew each other as if they'd been lovers for decades. Sasuke wasted no time pinning Naruto beneath him, thinking Naruto would submit to a ride, but he just rolled them over so they were both on their sides, tangled up in each other. No one yielding or submitting, no one with more or less power over the other, and Naruto could keep comforting arms wrapped around Sasuke the whole time. Well, arm. They each had an occupied hand between each other's legs, working each other to a quick but fulfilling release. Sasuke's face glowed dewy pink in the now-afternoon sun coming in through the window. Naruto sucked his lips red, Sasuke bit his ears. They came together, mouths slotted together to catch each other's breaths, and the quiet day graciously let them slip directly into sleep. We can get through this. We always get through it. Together... 

Chapter Text

   Naruto had never been more nervous to go into work. Not even when Gaara had been there, not even with Temari still working security. He and Temari didn’t have any beef with each other when Gaara wasn’t around, after all. No, he knew everyone had seen the post Granny Tsunade made, and he was ready to be assailed with questions and comments and accusations. He hadn't responded to any of the messages that had blown up his phone. Sakura, the one he’d known longest, was probably going to be the angriest of them all. She’s definitely back by now. I’m sure her ankle’s healed up…
   “Dobe.”

   Sasuke was driving this time, a fresh black lacquer on his nails.
   “Stop making that face, you look constipated.” Naruto frowned and batted at Sasuke’s elbow.
   “Don’t be a dick! I have every right to be nervous. You should be too, y’know!” He snorted, tossing his bangs back out of his eyes.
   “Why? If anybody starts shit, I just deck ‘em across the face with the rings,” he teased.
   “Not funny!” Naruto whined.
   “Not a joke,” he retorted easily, turning into the parking lot. “C’mon, dumbass, don’t get all worked up. We’ll be fine. It’s a helluva story, and people love a good story. Especially when the story ends with you handing them an invitation to the ceremony.”

   Naruto groaned.
   “Ino’s gonna have a field day, isn’t she…”
   “Kiba’s gonna torture you,” he agreed, putting the car in park and shoving Naruto’s shoulder. “Sooner we go in, sooner we get it over with.”

   Naruto whined the whole way, but he followed Sasuke out of the car and into the building all the same.

   It felt like they’d been gone ages longer than they had. Naruto had nearly forgotten the feeling of a deep bass in his chest like a second heartbeat, the noise of so many people talking, laughing, and drinking at once, the pitter-patters of waitresses scurrying about beneath it all. He’d nearly forgotten how the intense lights tinged everyone and everything in different colors. But returning felt right. It felt like home here, and Naruto’s worry began to quell itself.

   A familiar head of pink hair was at the podium on their floor, emerald eyes flashing teal in an errant blue light.
   “Oh, so the newlyweds finally decided to show up!” she scoffed, but the smile on her face betrayed how happy she was for them. Naruto grinned cheekily.
   “Couldn’t have you trying to run away with my betrothed,” he teased right back, leaning in for a hug. “Oh, so you get a chair, but when I ask for one it’s ‘don’t be a lazy goon, Naruto’, I see how it is.”
   “My ankle’s still busted, cut me some slack!” she cried, smacking his bicep. She turned to Sasuke, who looked absolutely uninterested in the whole interaction. “And you, Mr. Uchiha. I knew we knew each other, you lied!” He shrugged.
   “Not my fault you couldn’t recognize your middle school crush when you saw him.”
   “Ugh, I’m so glad I got over you!” She grinned, then. “I like you much better as Nightshade. And my friend.”

   Sasuke would deny it until the day he died, but Naruto saw the ways his ears flushed.
   “Anyway, the whole place knows who you both are and that you’re married, so you oughta have a real good excuse why none of us were allowed to be there,” she pouted, arms folded over her chest. Naruto grinned, the perfect way to tell the story popping into his head.
   “Have you ever seen the show ‘Friends’?”

   That was how he started with every single person. Comparing their drunken marriage escapade to that of the characters in the show. The people who got the reference just had a bit of an enriched experience of the story, but every single person laughed. And they all seemed genuinely touched when Naruto handed them an invitation from the little bag slung across his body.
   “Here, a drink on the house,” Ino said, sliding him a brown concoction he wasn’t sure he could trust. “I call it a ‘shotgun wedding’. Look, I made one too.” She raised her glass and clinked them together. “To idiots in love!” He laughed.
   “To idiots in love!” he agreed.

   The rest of the night went exactly as always. Some of the regulars welcomed him back, but they didn’t seem to notice the rings. Nightshade had left their rings in the dressing room- they’d talked about it before, and Naruto had agreed that they shouldn’t wear the rings while they were working, if nothing else than to help them keep their grip on the pole. Neither of them wanted Nightshade to lose tips to their wedding bands, either, not when the had the wedding itself to pay for.

   Tenten and Temari were downstairs, leaving him to wander while Sakura stayed at the entrance. It was a busy night, but not ruckus. It felt almost mundane to be walking around their floor, watching Nightshade and the other dancers. Hinata flittered here and there carrying orders, but Naruto also spotted a new waitress he’d never seen before. Her dreads were dyed a striking red color, decorated with gold beads here and there, and his first thought when he saw her was I bet she’s really cool.

   He sighed dreamily to himself every time he passed Nightshade’s station. Their ensemble tonight was one they saved for nights when they really wanted to feel sexy, one that made a burning heat quiver in Naruto’s core. Red jewels fell like blood from a clear-stringed necklace, filling the low neckline of their corset. The black lace panels on the sides only served to accentuate their waist. The black booty shorts Naruto loved so much had returned to the stage once again, clinging tightly to Nightshade’s toned thighs. And god, the heels. Black platforms with red panels on the sides, a layer of thin black fishnet over them. A black leather buckle wrapped snugly around each ankle, and from those hung silver chains that flashed in the strobe lights. Naruto wanted to devour Nightshade on the spot. The temptation of them was the only thing making his return to The Lime more difficult than it had to be.

   But he also knew that this ensemble now had another meaning for Sasuke. He’d insisted Itachi moved in right away, but Itachi had insisted on living separately. The compromise had been Itachi and Kisame renting an apartment on the corner from their house. They’d helped him and Kisame get settled, and since then, Sasuke had started spending more and more of his free time at Itachi’s. Kisame seemed conflicted about taking a backseat and letting Sasuke do more of the care when he was over, so when Naruto came along he tried to occupy Kisame, or help him stay involved a different way. Other times, Sasuke went alone to Itachi's. Naruto knew those times were times he and Itachi talked things out, because they often sent Kisame on errands on those days, too. Naruto felt strange not being a more direct part of Sasuke’s reconciliation with Itachi, but he also knew that they needed privacy to work things out. It seemed Itachi was past Sasuke’s gender and sexuality, but there were a lot of things still left unsaid as far as Naruto knew. Which, admittedly, wasn't much. What Naruto did know, though, was that it was hard on Sasuke to watch Itachi crumble. Sometimes there was blood on his shirt or under his nails when he came home. His eyes were perpetually tired. Naruto knew he wasn’t sleeping well, but he just kept saying he was fine. I can’t force him to talk about it. But the fact that his first outfit back at work was this one, in particular… he’s trying to boost his confidence and also wrestle with the reality of Itachi’s condition. Maybe… maybe this is a sign he’s ready to talk about it, then…

   He ended up meeting the new waitress- Karui- when he slipped into the kitchen before it closed. He needed a distraction, and Kiba had shown up early to pick up Ino but he had no qualms with making him prowl the floor for a bit on his behalf. Karui had only a second for them to introduce themselves before she was grabbing plates and running back out the door. He handed Chouji the invitation and told the story while he cleaned the deep friers- working fast food in his teenage years had come in handy after all! Chouji seemed grateful for the help, and he hadn’t stopped smiling since Naruto started talking.
   “I’m so happy for you two. I hope I’m not imposing, I know we’re not that close-”
   “Nah, I remember when you and Shikamaru would show up to parties with Ino in college! We’re known each other a long time, I consider us buds!” Chouji’s smile warmed.
   “In that case, I’m honored to attend. Thank you for the invitation. And… would it be okay if I asked for a favor?”
   “Sure, Chouji, what’s up?”

   He glanced toward the swinging door Karui had just entered and exited in a flash.
   “Can I bring Karui?”

   Naruto’s eyebrows shot up nearly to his hairline.
   “Are you guys dating?” Chouji’s eyes widened.
   “W-well, uh, not… not officially… not yet… or at all…” He pulled at his ponytail with a sheepish giggle. “I was, uh… kinda hoping to use your wedding as an excuse to ask her out…” Naruto’s heart swelled.
   “Oh my god, yes, absolutely! You gotta keep me updated, though, I gotta know if things work out, okay? Aww, it’s perfect, a cook and a waitress, working side by side to make sure everyone here gets fed-“

   “Yeah, exactly! But shh, I don’t wanna blow it!” he shushed, placating hands raised over the salad he'd prepared in what seemed like ten seconds flat. “Thank you, Naruto. I really appreciate this. I’ll definitely keep you in the loop.”
   “Hell yeah! You got my number, text me any time.”

   “Naruto, are you kidding me?!” Kiba yowled from outside.
   “Oops, gotta go, see ya Chouji!”

   Naruto felt bright and sunny. Unburdened. He had the love of his life forever by his side, and their wedding might be the spark for another great love story. Sakura was back, Kiba’s arm was around his shoulders while he hounded him for details of their original wedding night, and even Hinata congratulated him when they started shutting down and he finally got her invitation into her hands. He was curious about why she was the one escorting Sakura out, but he was already heading to the dressing rooms so he decided not to bother with it for now. I’ve got a hot husband to attend to, after all…

   Naruto slipped in to find Sai, of all people, asking Sasuke questions.
   “Have you been planning long?”
   “No, we started after the original marriage.”
   “Did you pick what you’re wearing?”
   “Not yet. I’m thinking about it.”
   “Is there a theme?” Sasuke snorted at that one.
   “Yeah, marriage. It’s a wedding, not junior prom.”
   “Colors?”
   “Black and white.”
   “No rainbows?” Sasuke snorted again, but this time it was an amused one as he shimmied a long-sleeved shirt over the corset. He’d taken off his jewelry, but not his makeup or his ensemble. He’s planning to let me enjoy it later, then… Naruto’s whole being ached at the possibility.
   “Bitch, did you not hear me? I said the theme is wedding, not Pride.”
   “Ooh, are you gonna break out a rainbow ‘fit for Pride again this year?” Anko chimed in. 

   Sasuke, to Naruto’s surprise, took their time answering everyone’s questions and actually conversing with his colleagues. I guess, now that everything’s outta the bag… he’s able to be more himself around them... That warmed Naruto from the inside out.

   Naruto might have been a bit pushier than usual about getting everyone out on time. And he may have locked up the third floor as fast as humanly possible just so he could get to Sasuke sooner. They held hands out to the car. Sasuke was still wearing the shoes, his sweats bunched up at the tops of them. Every thump of his heels against the pavement made Naruto’s heart beat faster.

   They didn’t talk. Naruto was fixated on getting home as fast as he could. Sasuke was clearly teasing him with that seductive foot up on the inside of the door. At a stop sign, though, he sat up a bit straighter and spoke.
   “Turn left.”

   Naruto obeyed, but his brow quirked, worry settling in his chest alongside the heat of desire.

   He didn’t need to give more directions. Naruto knew exactly where he wanted to go. He was pretty sure he parked in the same spot as last time when they reached the bluffs overlooking the sea. It was a clear, balmy night. The stars twinkled in an ink-black sky, and the waves lapped soft against the shore. Sasuke rolled down the windows, letting the salty breeze in. Naruto watched him take a deep breath.

   For a while they just sat there, Sasuke staring at the water and Naruto staring at Sasuke. The beach was empty save for the two of them.
   “Itachi and I had a fight.”

   Naruto jumped a little, not expecting Sasuke to break the silence, nor to break in such a clear, firm way.
   “Oh, I’m… I’m sorry.” Sasuke nodded.
   “He didn’t know what I did for work. He disapproves. I disapprove of his work, too.” His expression soured. “Apparently rooting around in people’s personal lives and being a tool of the white supremacist police state is morally superior to dancing around a pole.” He shook his head with a huff. “And it’s not like I wanna be fighting with the bastard anyway, y’know? I still don’t forgive him for… my entire fucking childhood, basically, and leaving me to fend for myself and get picked up by that skeevy prick of a man-“ He cut himself off with a snarl. “But I’m trying to put all that aside and be there for him. I’m… I’m trying to… change…” He swallowed, hanging his head now. “I want to be the kind of person… that you’ve been trying to show me how to be. But _fuck_, Naruto, it’s so fucking hard! How… how do you live like this?” 

  His eyes and hands turned to the ceiling of the car, to the ceiling of the world. His fingers were half-clenched as if avoiding stabbing himself with his own claws.
   “I want my brother back, too. I always have. And I thought, when he said that he wanted me back, that he meant… all of me. I thought we were finally past all this shit and here is nitpicking my fucking job, of all things, and it just feels like we’ve taken an enormous step fucking backward again, and what if there’s not time to set it right, what if he dies right now while I’m here yelling about him to the goddamned ocean and my husband, who is capable of changing even less about this situation than me, and I-!“

   He paused for a breath at last, and his exhale brought the first flood of tears to roll down his face.
   “People really don’t fucking change, do they?” he laughed, sobbed. Naruto’s heart didn’t just break, it fucking withered. “What the hell am I supposed to do?” He turned to Naruto now, face twisted with pain but for once not hiding it from him. “What do we do?”

   His voice was small and squeaky and so fucking sad it immediately made the corners of Naruto's eyes tear, too.
   “We do this.”

   He reached out, and he took Sasuke’s hand, squeezing it tight. And he looked Sasuke in the eye, his lips wobbling but still managing to smile. 
   “Together. We get through it together. No matter what.” He ran his thumb over the peaks of Sasuke’s knuckles. “Thank you for telling me. And if you need to talk more, you do it. Whenever you need to. Okay?”

   Sasuke nodded, only able to cough up a single sob in response. Naruto leaned as far over the center console as he could and squeezed him in a hug he wished would wring the pain right out of him. But he couldn’t do that, it would hurt him. So what he did instead was reach beneath his shirt and start picking at the knot in the lacing at the back of his corset. It unraveled between Naruto’s fingers. He loosened it as much as he could without it falling off, making Sasuke crying session a bit more comfortable. All I can really do, at this point, is what I can to make him comfortable… Just like he’s trying to do for Itachi…

   Naruto shifted to start petting Sasuke’s hair instead as he began to quiet down, quickly exhausting himself.
   “Itachi has always had a… very specific way of seeing the world,” Naruto murmured. “But think about it. He’s able to accept you for who you are now. He hasn’t given you any grief about being a man or marrying once since he’s come here. That’s huge, Sasuke. He’s grown and changed so much. And the fact that you’re even trying to be the bigger person and be there for him when he needs you, even though he wasn’t there for you when you needed him… That’s proof that you’ve grown and changed, too.” He smiled against the top of Sasuke’s head, kissing it. “I’m so proud of you. I know things are hard right now, and that you’re under a lot of stress. But you’ve been dealing with it like a champ, and you’re only gonna get better at it.” 

   They separated only enough that Naruto could wipe Sasuke’s tears, not yet trying to make him look up at him.
   “I love you, Sasuke. And I’m here for you. We’ll get through all of this together, I promise.”

   Sasuke was the one who kissed Naruto. He kissed with a passion that drove straight to Naruto’s core. Thank you. I love you. I need you. Naruto drew him close again, breathing warmth and love into Sasuke. They didn’t need to talk; Sasuke threw the seat back and Naruto climbed on top of him, never once disconnecting. Naruto ran his hands up and down Sasuke’s body, and he helped him pull his sweats off when he started to wriggle with an impatient whine. 
   “I’m sorry I’ve- mmph!- b-been neglecting… you l-like this late-“
   “Don’t apologize,” Naruto mumbled to the underside of Sasuke’s jaw, sucking his way down his throat. “There’s a lot going on. It’s okay.”

   Naruto wrapped his hands around Sasuke’s ankles, grinding their hips together as he felt up the heels with just as much fervor as he’d felt up Sasuke’s body. Sasuke moaned, pulling the latex shorts aside for Naruto to invade. They met in a sloppy kiss, one of Naruto’s thumbs hooked around the strap on Sasuke’s ankle, and the other swirling around Sasuke’s nub. He mewled beneath him, his already tear-flushed face turning red with Naruto’s attentions. I’m happy to give you tears of pleasure to cry instead…
   “Naruto!” Sasuke gasped, gripping Naruto’s wrist hard enough his nails left crescents on the inside of it. “I’m gonna-“
   “Me, too,” he gritted out, moaning as Sasuke’s body began to tighten around his.  His eyes scrunched shut, thrusting harder as he felt his own climax closing in on him far too quickly. “Don’t worry… about lasting…” Sasuke had to breathe a few times before he could answer with a soft, “You, either…”

   The wind picked up, carrying theirs cries away as they came. Sasuke’s walls clamped around Naruto’s, squeezing out every last drop of pleasure in his body. Sasuke’s body, in return, squirted cum all over his fingers. Naruto sucked the taste from them, rocking softly into Sasuke until he was ready to pull out. He looked destroyed, corset having ridden up and shorts ridden down, Naruto’s cum leaking back out of him onto the upholstery. His eyes fluttered back open, watching Naruto as they panted together.
   “Thank you.” Naruto tilted his head to the side.
   “What for?”

   For a moment, Sasuke was silent, searching his face. Naruto wasn’t sure what he was looking for. His lips bowed into the softest, smallest smile he’d ever seen.
   “Everything.”

Chapter Text

   Itachi’s apartment was more spacious than Naruto thought he needed. Supposedly Kisame slept on the foldout couch in the living room and that’s why there was only one bedroom, why they needed a bit of extra space in the rest of the place, but Naruto had the feeling that was a half-truth, at best. The way they moved around each other, read each other’s needs half-way through expressing them… it was too intimate for just a caregiver and patient. But Naruto wasn’t one to out people, and he knew Sasuke saw it, too. They didn’t mention it for Itachi’s (and Kisame, I guess) comfort. Too bad Itachi’s probably gonna be real uncomfortable in a minute…

   They’d run out of time before work for Sasuke to come home, so Naruto had hurriedly gathered the pieces an ensemble together and rushed it over. Now he was just sitting at Itachi’s kitchen table, watching him work on a jigsaw puzzle while Sasuke took possession of the bathroom to get ready. It smelled like disinfectant and the only thing he could hear was the ring of silence, the occasional soft tap of a puzzle piece sliding into place or jarring hack of Itachi’s lungs the only things breaking it.
   “Naruto?”

   He flinched, not expecting Itachi to speak.
   “Uh… yeah?”
   “What made you decide to marry Sasuke?” He blinked a few times.
   “I… what? I love him. I want to be with him forever. What more do I need?” Itachi shrugged, not looking up, just focusing on the puzzle.
   “I’m not sure. That’s why I asked.” He nodded hesitantly, eying Itachi now for some sign of trickery. Now why am I convinced he’s trying to trick me-? “You’re not bothered by what Sasuke does at work?” 

   He bristled. As far as I know, they still haven’t made up about that. Sasuke’s here to take care of him ‘cause Kisame had to run out and do errands and Itachi’s not well enough to come with him. He’s not here ‘cause he wants to be, he wanted to stay home and take a nap-
   “Why would I be?” he replied, hoping he didn’t sound too defensive. “Our hearts belong to each other and each other only. What he does with his body is up to him.” Itachi’s jaw ticked. Naruto bit the inside of his cheek, forcing his tone to stabilize. “He loves dancing, and this the way he’s found to do it that makes him happy. It would be cruel to make him stop.” Itachi didn’t respond. It incensed Naruto, made him want to lash out, but instead he said, “And not for nothin', but a body that great deserves to be seen, and it makes us a helluva lot of money in the meantime. He doesn’t just love what he does, he’s fucking good at it, and people love him. He’s a staple of The Lime and they wouldn’t trade him for anything.”

   Itachi wasn’t placing pieces anymore, just staring at the image starting to take form. He nodded a few times. The expression on his face was unreadable, but something about his eyes… they looked far away like Sasuke’s did when he was lost in his own thoughts. 
   “I just…” Naruto tilted his head, waiting. Itachi’s expression hardened. “I just don’t see the point in going through all that to transition, to make people accept you as something you’re not, just to turn around and go back to acting like a woman.”

   Naruto’s stomach clenched.   

   “He’s not acting like a woman. He’s expressing himself. Not that you’d know anything about that.” Itachi’s head jerked up, taking the bait with narrowed eyes. They’re a lot alike, these two… “For such a smart guy, you really don’t understand anything, huh? Like, seriously, you don’t get it?” Itachi scowled.
   “Don’t get what?” he demanded. Naruto sighed exasperatedly, about to respond when another voice answered in his stead.
   “That femininity, or anything adjacent to it, is only comfortable when it’s a costume.”

   Heels clicked on the floor. Sasuke came up behind Naruto, hands on his shoulders. I got it from here, they said.
   “My entire life,” Sasuke continued, “being a girl felt like wearing a cheap Halloween costume, day in and day out, and I was never allowed to take it off. I felt ugly and uncomfortable and ridiculous and wrong. I was only able to finally get out of it when I decided to transition and show the world who I really am beneath all the bullshit.” Pride soothed the feral blaze in Naruto’s chest. Finally, finally, he’s saying what he’s needed to all this time… He squeezed Naruto’s shoulders a little tighter, both seeking reassurance and offering it. Naruto raised one hand, thumb hiking over the familiar hills of Sasuke’s knuckles. “In my daily life, I’m most comfortable being perceived masculinely. I’m a man, I always have been and always will be, regardless of how you or anyone else decides to think of me. But sometimes, I still want to wear a costume and be someone else for a little while. At The Lime, I have the freedom to do that however I want. I can put on a costume that doesn’t chafe, one that makes me feel powerful and beautiful and yes, fucking sexy- I’m grown now, get over it,” he added at Itachi’s cringe. He took a deep breath. “You can disapprove all you want, but this is my life, and this is how I’m choosing to live it. I’m not hurting anyone. I’m happy. And if you can’t be happy for me, that’s your loss.”

   His palms left warm imprints on Naruto’s shoulders as they came up, heels clicking as he made his way to the door. He was covered in a black kimono-like robe, light for the hot weather, only his buckled boots and a sliver of his thigh showing above them. His eyes were sharpened with eyeliner and softened with a smoky eye.
  

   “Let’s go.”

   Without another word, Naruto rose and gave Itachi a pointed look before he followed Sasuke out. 

   The moment they were in the car, though, Naruto exploded.
   “Fuck, babe, that was so badass! You did it!” Sasuke smirked, shaking his head.
   “Hardly, you dingus. I’m still shaking, look.” He held out his hand. It was shaking, but Naruto just took it and kissed it before he twisted the keys in the ignition.
   “Doesn’t matter, you still did it! Goddamn, all these years and you were finally able to explain it to him.”
   “Hn. Only because he was actually willing to listen this time…”

   Naruto frowned, glancing back at Sasuke as he drove. He had that far away pensive look, just the same as Itachi’s.
   “Hey, hey, don’t do that. Take your wins where you get ‘em, yeah?”
  

   “Yeah, it’s not that, it’s just…” His brow furrowed. “Why?”
   “Whattya mean?”
   “Usuratonkachi. I mean why is he willing to listen now? Why not ages ago? Why at all?” Sasuke scoffed, crushing himself into the back of the seat. “It’s confusing.”
   “I dunno. I mean, maybe he didn’t know enough or wasn’t ready or whatever then but he knows better or more now, or he is ready now, or… maybe he’s just willing to do whatever it takes to have his little brother be part of the rest of his life. Including trying to understand you.”

   Sasuke didn’t respond to that, but he didn’t turn away, either. He just bored holes into the dashboard with his eyes alone, thinking hard. 
   “It’s what you’ve always wanted, right? For him to understand and accept you?” Sasuke swallowed, nodding. “Well, it… seems like he’s trying, at least.”

---- 

  The week went by quickly. Itachi and Sasuke seemed on better terms, though as far as Naruto knew they hadn’t talked about anything after the last time he was there with them. Naruto and Sasuke were at The Lime now, Sasuke sitting at his usual dressing table as he put his face on. Purple clouds billowed from his eyes outward, encompassing the middle portion of his face like a masquerade mask. Silver shimmer shone like stars along the sharpest edges of his face, neck, and half-clothed collarbones, wearing that black robe again.
   “You want some glitter in your hair, Sasuke?” Lee asked. It had become common practice to use his real name now behind the scenes. He took the container from Lee, inspecting the silver sheen, before dumping some into his hand and handing it back. 
   “Too good to talk to us today?” Anko teased. Sasuke just hummed, concentrating fully on swiping the glitter through his hair, getting it just right.
   “You wouldn’t understand, Anko- Sasuke is an artiste. He needs to focus,” Sai chimed in. She snorted.
   “Oh, like you would know.”
  

   “I would. I’m an artist.”
   “Bullshit.”
   “Are you not following my Instagram?” 
   “You have an Instagram?!”

   Naruto ignored them as they exchanged info and Anko cooed over his calligraphy, immediately asking him to mock her up some snakes to get as tattoos. Sasuke was applying the same icy blue lipstick that he’d worn for his Ice Queen outfit, smacking his lips soundlessly. Naruto nibbled the inside of his own. Keep it in your pants, Uzumaki…

   Sasuke caught his eye in the mirror, reading his thoughts instantly. A sly grin pulled at the corners of his mouth. They held that eye contact as Sasuke slowly opened the robe, until the sleeves were falling down from his shoulders and draping over the tie around his waist. Naruto swallowed, watching Sasuke watch him, not even looking as he applied the same silver shimmer down his arms, into the crevice of his chest created by the purple galaxy-patterned bustier. Faux pearls lined the edges, giving it even more texture. Sasuke rose, glancing over his shoulder now.
   “Would you untie that for me?”

   The question was no more seductive than any other, but Naruto could read the look in his eye and that impish grin effortlessly. He resisted the urge to squirm, not even trusting himself to speak as he deftly untied the fabric sash belting the robe around him. The robe fluttered down onto the chair, the tie still held in Naruto’s left hand. 
   “Thanks, hubby.”

   Anko snickered and Sai rolled his eyes. Lee started ranting about the beauty of true love or something. Naruto wasn’t paying him any mind. He was watching Sasuke’s belly in the mirror, the brush swirling a galaxy of its own around his belly button. He hummed in consideration, then added a blue shimmer he hadn’t touched until now. He brought it up into his neck, collarbones, shoulders, arms, highlighting key lines. He looked as if he’d descended from the heavens itself, nebulas condensed into one being, one body. The one I’m married to... His stomach twisted at that.
   “Naruto, the hell are you doing?!”

   He jumped. Tenten had cracked open the door only enough to yell through it, her back blocking the opening so no one could see inside and she couldn’t accidentally violate anyone’s privacy.
   “We got that party of twenty coming in, remember?! Get out here!”
   “Yeah, be right there!”

   Sasuke smirked when their eyes met again.
   “I guess I’ll ask Sai to do my back.” 
   “I guess you’ll have to.” Naruto leaned in, voice lowering. “Stay after for me.”
   “You read my mind,” Sasuke whispered back. Fuck, I love you- Naruto couldn’t help but press a quick peck to his lips, fleeing the scene while the other dancers erupted with cheers and heckling in spades.

   It was a busy night, busier than Naruto had seen in a while. That’s right, Pride’s right around the corner. A lot of queer tourists are bound to be coming through, as well as business people looking to sponsor us for the parade. I wonder if any of the organizers have come through? They’ve come in for inspiration for the floats before, after-

   Everything stopped dead for one startling moment. 
   “Itachi?!”

   He looked awkward, shuffling up to the podium with his cane, but Kisame was at his shoulder, sweeping the place with his eyes, forming a solid pillar of support behind him. 
   “I… hope it’s not a problem, that I came unannounced,” he said, barely audible over the speakers. “I… decided that I wanted to see Sasuke perform for myself, before I passed any further judgment.” Naruto blinked a few times, not fully trusting that this was really happening. He glanced over. Nightshade was mid-routine, dead to the world attention-wise, focusing only on bending their body around the pole into an arc that would break Naruto’s back if he even thought about trying it. We haven’t talked about this, there was never any idea that he might come in, I-
   “I-I guess, but… but if he says you have to go, you’re out, no questions. He needs to be able to concentrate.” Itachi nodded somberly. He’s gonna kill the vibe if Sasuke notices him… “And he’s not Sasuke here. Call them ‘Nightshade’.” Itachi nodded again.
   “I understand. Thank you, Naruto.”

   He didn’t really answer, just took Itachi’s money and motioned him through. To his dismay, he didn’t stray far from the podium, just close enough to be unnerving but not so close that he was in the way so Naruto couldn’t really shoo him off. Goddamn it, Itachi, don’t ruin this- Kisame at least fit in; with a sleeveless black turtleneck, tight black jeans, and a fearsome shark tattoo on his arm, he was an attractive sight. Several heads turned as he made his way to the bar, probably noting his muscles and scars. Maybe he’ll rub off on Itachi. Looks wise he fits in fine, he’s just wearing all black too. It’s that he’s radiating awkward tension…

   To Naruto’s relief, Nightshade hadn’t seemed to notice yet, still working the pole. Their bustier and matching bottoms sure were a sight to behold, and so were those lavender boots. But more importantly, Itachi was seeing the artform of it. Nightshade’s routine today was very elegant, very ballet-inspired, their twists and gyrations mesmerizing. Naruto marked hands and took money with one eye on Itachi. And, remarkably, he watched Itachi relax. He recognized the drink Kisame had brought him as a virgin, so it couldn’t be blamed on alcohol. He had watched the shark man usher Itachi to the nearest table once it was empty. They were having a meal now, within viewing distance of Nightshade but far enough in the corner of their vision that they shouldn’t notice them. They didn’t take out their phones: no covert pictures or videos. Naruto watched them watch Nightshade take a water break, then get down to the party of twenty. They’d come in rowdy, but Nightshade had calmed them, hypnotized them, and now they all just watched with rapt attention as Nightshade danced in front of the lucky bachelor or birthday boy or business executive, never touching, only teasing. And Itachi relaxed through it all, his shoulders becoming less and less tense, his face placid instead of pinched. I don’t get this guy at all…

   Maybe an hour and a half before closing, Itachi and Kisame said their farewells, evidently wanting to see what was going on downstairs for a bit before they headed home. 
   “This was enlightening,” Itachi said cryptically. “Thank you for allowing me to attend.”
   “Uh… yeah, any time.” Naruto let them go, and it seemed that Nightshade still hadn’t noticed them. Thank god for that…

   The rest of the night went as usual. The dancers retired, Naruto and Tenten closed down the floor, and Naruto waited for everyone else to leave before he entered the dressing room.

   Warm, sticky lips pressed to his, his back hitting the door with a thud and clicking as a nimble finger flicked the lock into place. 
   “Naruto…” The sultry purr tore a moan from his chest, Sasuke’s hips grinding against his.
   “Fuck, baby, wait, I gotta-“
   “The floor’s closed, isn’t it?”
  

   “Yeah.”
   “And everyone else went home?” Sasuke asked, mouthing Naruto’s throat. 
   “Hnngh, uh, y-yeah-“
  

   “Then whatever it is can wait.”
   “But-“
   “Unless you don’t want this?”

   Sasuke parted to ask this, searching Naruto’s face intensely.
   “No, no, I want it, I want it so bad-“
   “Then it can wait,” he interrupted, decisively.
   “Sasuke-“
  

   “Don’t whine. I’m not in the mood for brat taming.”
   “But-“
   “Please?”

   Naruto collapsed, giving in to Sasuke’s sweet mouth, flipping their positions with another thud against the door. Sasuke moaned into him, legs locking, heels digging into Naruto’s ass. 
   “Fuck, Sasuke, I-“
   “Don’t talk, need-“


   They silenced each other with a bruising kiss and rolling hips, Naruto’s fingers snagging in the pearl chains hanging from Sasuke’s bottoms. He growled, shaking them free and shoving them down the waistband instead, spreading Sasuke’s cheeks as he squeezed. Sasuke arched into it, and Naruto could feel the warmth of his arousal through their clothes.
   “What’s gotten into you today, bab-?”
  

   “Feel good. Wanna feel good with you, too.” 

   He sighed as Naruto ground against him, reaching down and nimbly undoing Naruto’s pants. Naruto’s right hand came around Sasuke’s front instead, dipping his fingers into the seam of his body. 
   “Fuck baby, so wet…”
   “Do something about it, dobe.”

   Naruto’s fingers drove into Sasuke, slicking them nicely in only a few strokes.
   “So excited…”
   “Can’t help it…” Sasuke arched, a high moan escaping as Naruto thumb pressed against his nub. His walls clenched and relaxed, a sign that his orgasm was fast approaching. Naruto took his fingers back, shoved Sasuke’s bottoms down and tugged them over one of his feet to free them, and pressed those warm, slick fingers to his other hole. Sasuke jolted, nails digging into the nape of Naruto’s neck. “Nn, _fuck_…!”
   “What’s the matter? You were so eager a second ago,” Naruto teased, his fingertips circling the puckered rim of his ass.
   “Just wasn’t… e-expecting… agh…!”

   His head tipped back and bumped against the door as Naruto’s fingers breached him, stretching the tight ring bit by bit. 
   “Gonna finger your ass while my cock’s in you. Gonna take you outta here nice and fucked out, Sasuke.”
   “Yes…!” Sasuke moaned, closing his eyes and giving himself to the pleasure. Love when he’s all revved up like this…

   Naruto only moved when his two fingers were knuckle-deep, stroking Sasuke the way he liked it to distract him while Naruto lined himself up. His free hand circled his nub again, making Sasuke gasp and arch with unseeing eyes trained on the ceiling. There were go…
   “Naruto…!”
   “That’s it, baby,” he murmured against Sasuke’s throat, sucking bruises onto it as his cock inched in. He could feel the pressure of it against his fingers, feel Sasuke’s body clamp down on them and his cock at the same time.
   “Ha-ahn, nn… Naruto… f-faster…!”

 
   Naruto gladly obeyed, fucking Sasuke in earnest now as his fingers worked his ass, timing all of his strokes to give Sasuke as much pleasure as he could. In return, Sasuke’s body milked his cock, sending waves of heat and searing desire through his whole body.
   “Sasuke…!” he called, his belly pooling with that familiar curl of tension, his hips hammering just a bit harder against Sasuke’s. All he could was cling to Naruto, heels leaving marks all over his back.
   “Na-ha-ru-toh…!”

   They hit their climax together in a cacophony of moans and cries, both of their cum spilling out onto the floor beneath them. Naruto pulled his fingers out first, slow, letting Sasuke adjust. He sighed against Naruto’s shoulder, head resting limply on it. He held onto Sasuke’s hips as he pulled out with a wet squelch. More cum dribbled to the floor. 
   “Gonna have to clean that up,” he murmured. Sasuke just hummed an agreement.

   Naruto set him down on an extra chair, stealing Sai’s tissues to mop the mess up from the floor, and then a fresh set for Sasuke’s thighs. He let Naruto do the aftercare without a single complaint, eyes closed, occasionally giving a pleased hum.
   “Y’really did fuck me out,” he mumbled as Naruto finished up, guiding his other foot out of his bottoms at last.
   “I always keep my promises, Sasuke.” He grinned.
   “Hn… you sure do.”

   Naruto helped Sasuke up, watched him wobble through the task of getting redressed in his street clothes. 
   “Wanna go downstairs for a drink?” Sasuke suggested. Naruto raised a brow.
   “You’re down for that?” Sasuke shrugged.
   “Seemed like what you wanted to tell me earlier might have been important. Sorry about that.” Naruto waved a dismissive hand. “I think a drink or two would make it easier. Don’t you?”

   He nibbled his lower lip, unsure. 
   “It’s either I have a drink here, or I have a drink at home. I’m dying for a mule.” Naruto couldn’t help but snort at that.
   “Do we even have the ingredients for one at home?” Sasuke shrugged again.
   “I could improvise.” Naruto laughed at that. Sasuke’s concoctions didn’t always go well for him, but he was too stubborn and insistent on not wasting things to not drink them, even if it meant he'd suffer for it.
   “In the interest of not killing your stomach, let’s go downstairs.”

   Sasuke nodded his agreement, holding Naruto’s hand as they left the dressing room, bag of performance clothes in his other. He was still wearing all his makeup, but Naruto chose not to point it out. It was cute.

---- 

   Two Moscow Mules and a Blue Hawaii later, Naruto and Sasuke were staring at the table, both trying to figure out what Itachi was up to.
   “After he walked in, did you notice anything?”
   “He just watched you the whole time. Didn’t play on his phone or anything. Kisame watched, too, but he was also getting drinks and food and stuff.”
   “Did anything about Itachi change?”
  

   “Well, he… he seemed… relaxed by the time he left. Like he had a meal and drinks and everything.”

   Sasuke’s eyes snapped up to Naruto. There was a pink haze on his cheeks beneath all the shimmer.
   “Relaxed?”
   “Y… Yeah?” Sasuke snorted, leaning back in his seat.
   “It’s fine, then. To think you had me all worked up, don’t fucking scare me like that, usuratonkachi-!”
   “Wait, what?” Sasuke rolled his eyes as if explaining were a huge hassle.
   “Itachi was always like, stupid overprotective of me when I was a kid, remember? He was probably afraid that I was getting groped and harassed at work.”
   “Like I would ever let that-!”
   “I know you wouldn’t, you never have,” Sasuke soothed, hands up placatingly. Naruto settled reluctantly back into his seat, sucking irritably at his water. “But he doesn’t know what goes on here, or what we’re like at work. So he came to see for himself. Shocked that he decided to given his condition, but…”

   Sasuke trailed off, swirling his straw through the ice remaining in his glass. 
   “But what?” Naruto prompted. His face wavered between a smile and a frown.
   “He cared enough to come see for himself. And if he relaxed like that, then… that means he wasn’t so disgusted by my work as he thought. It’s....” Sasuke flipped his wrist, lips pressed to a thin line as words failed him. He occupied himself with drinking the diluted watery stuff at the bottom his glass. Naruto softened at the sight. An old habit, leftover from when Sasuke didn’t want to talk to the pretty people who hit on him here when they were younger.
   “Yeah, I get it. Do you think you and him will make up then?” Sasuke shrugged.
   “That’s up to him. I…” He clamped his mouth shut, and Naruto’s heart sank for a moment. Don’t tell me we’re going backward. Please, Sasuke… He took a deep breath, and his lips parted again. “I want to. Make up, that is. I… hope he wants to, too.”

   Naruto smiled, relief washing through him as he stared at Sasuke. He’s right. Itachi cared enough to come and see for himself, to take at least a little bit of an interest in what Sasuke does, and the fact that he didn’t get upset… it’s a really good sign. It seems like Itachi’s really trying to change…
   “I have a feeling he might.”

Chapter Text

   For the next six months, Naruto and Sasuke juggled life, work, and wedding planning. Pride came and went; Nightshade made their annual appearance on the float while Naruto went to the florist. Sasuke called caterers while Naruto supervised a private party at The Lime with Anko dancing. Naruto bought thank-you notes while Sasuke watched Itachi. They knew there was no way to ensure that everything would go one-hundred-percent perfectly, but given they didn't have memories of their first wedding, they wanted to do everything they could to make it special.

   Summer turned to fall. The leaves were nearly all off the trees by the time they got their shit together, a makeshift aisle leading down a gazebo on a short dock overlooking a lake. All the assembled guests were sheltered by a heated tent on the lakeside. After the ceremony, they’d be led to a second, much larger one for the reception. They’d wanted to have something outside this time, but didn’t want anyone to die of cold either. The big heated tents were a perfect solution. Now I just hope that the heaters hold out. I mean, they should be fine, people do shit like this all the time, right-?
   “You have got to relax, brat.”

   Tsunade grabbed him by both shoulders and shook him roughly, forcing him to release some tension with a nervous laugh.
   “There we go. Was starting to think you’d turn to stone or somethin’!”
   “Nah, I’m fine.”
   “Are you sure?” Iruka asked from his other side. Naruto nodded, adjusting his bow tie for the thousandth time.
   “Yeah, just… nervous, I guess.”


   “Why? You already married him once, what do you think’s gonna happen? He’ll say no?” Tsunade guffawed. Naruto’s face burned with embarrassment. 
   “Lady Tsunade! It’s perfectly okay for Naruto to be nervous!” Iruka intervened, squeezing his arm reassuringly. “It’s a very brave thing to do, getting up in front of everyone you know and love and confessing your deepest feelings for another person. It’s perfectly justified to be nervous.” Iruka always has my back. That’s why, even though he lives far away, he took a bunch of days off work to come stand in as my dad… He felt warm inside, and it glowed in his smile.
   “It’ll be fine,” Tsunade insisted, pulling another flask out of her cleavage that Shizune promptly swiped out of her hand and shoved into her own oversized purse.


   “Auntie, get a hold of yourself,” she grumbled.
   “Ugh, party pooper!”

   The signal was given, and Naruto swallowed.
   “Just relax, Naruto. One step at a time,” Iruka soothed, patting his right arm.
   “We’re right here,” Tsunade added, looping her arm through Naruto’s left. It was the closest he’d ever get to parents walking him down the aisle. It wasn’t perfect, but… 
  

   He took a deep breath, holding back tears already.
   “Okay. Let’s go!”

   The walk down the aisle was agonizingly long. Tsunade’s sage green dress swished against his ankle until he led her to her seat toward the front. He nearly took his own eye out on Iruka’s ponytail when they hugged at the altar. Iruka took his own seat on the other side of Shizune, smiling at Naruto. They opted not to have a bridal party. He was just waiting for…

   The music changed. He hadn’t noticed any was playing until that very moment, when he sensed Sasuke’s approach as much as anticipated it. The tent opened at the other end. Naruto’s finger felt too light, waiting for Sasuke to place his bands back where they belonged; he rubbed the space absently with his thumb.

   The slit in the tent folded, making way for two figures. Sasuke seemed to tower over Itachi in his heels, and his jumpsuit… God, that’s… very flattering… 

   Sasuke was intent on keeping his outfit a surprise this time. Naruto swore he was falling in love all over again at the sight of him all in white, ankles exposed once again by the cut of the legs. They left his stilettos on full display, white with a rose-gold heel of winding vines and leaves. The top portion of the jumpsuit was shaped like a blazer’s lapels in a deep V, showing off a tasteful expanse of Sasuke’s chest. A long cape emerging from the shoulders created the illusion of sleeves until one fell back for Sasuke to link his arm with Itachi’s on one side, then the other for Kakashi’s. Kakashi really helped Sasuke a lot when we were younger. He’s the reason either of us ended up at The Lime, after all. The fact that Sasuke also gets to walk with Itachi, his own flesh and blood, made up after all these years… 

   Naruto choked down more tears, but this time he wasn’t successful: they burned in his eyes until one drop fell, then two, and next thing he knew he’d lost count. Sasuke’s eyes were shiny, too, but he seemed just as intent on keeping his makeup in place as he was about Naruto not knowing what he’d look like today. Kakashi took a seat in the front, on the opposite side of the aisle as Naruto’s family. Itachi continued with Sasuke to the altar, hugging him before he gave Sasuke’s hand to Naruto. They’d talked about this moment a lot over the last few months. The brothers needed the closure of Itachi offering Sasuke’s hand, giving his final approval to their union and accepting Naruto as a member of their family, but Naruto needed the reassurance of Sasuke’s fingers lacing with his own to prove he was there because he wanted to be, that he was anchored to Naruto regardless of what else others decided to chime in with on the matter. Itachi took his seat at the front, a handkerchief held to his mouth as he tried to cough quietly. Kisame wrapped a protective arm around him. 
   “Such a crybaby,” Sasuke murmured fondly, wiping Naruto’s tears away with his thumb.
   “Like you’re not holding them back, too,” he returned, voice a bit too watery to be taken seriously. He ran a thumb along the delicate red stitching that formed a thin border around every seam of Sasuke’s jumpsuit. “I get why you wanted me to wear red accessories now. The red strings of fate, clever.” 

   Sasuke smiled. The whole ceremony and reception could go up in flames for all he cared. That smile was all he needed to be happy no matter how else the rest turned out.

   Naruto tried to pay attention to Tenten, who for reasons unknown to them was already ordained and offered to officiate in lieu of a wedding present.
  “I got a new hobby,” she’d explained vaguely. “So I’m a bit short on cash. But I could definitely do that!” So they’d let her.

   "Friends, family, and fuckers of all stripes," she began, to much amusement from the audience. "We're gathered here today to celebrate the..."

   Naruto desperately wanted pay attention to her, but between Sasuke being so beautiful and a weird noise in the background, he couldn’t concentrate on a single word. Thank fuck we practiced this beforehand so I wouldn’t make a total fool of myself- What is that noise? Is that a-?

   They all jumped at the sound of flapping and a hoarse wail. What in the hell-?!
   “Fuckin’ goose!”

   Tenten swatted at it with her binder, trying to get it to fly back out of the gazebo. A commotion in the crowd caught Naruto’s attention only long enough for him to register Akamaru coming straight for them. His response was pure instinct; he tucked Sasuke under his arm, shoved them both into one corner, and waited it out, his body shielding Sasuke's. The goose honked loudly, flying over Akamaru’s head just in time for him to barrel into Tenten. She fell, taking the altar down with her. Akamaru turned, revealing that Kiba’s chair was still tied to his leash, being dragged along behind him. Tenten just managed to get her arms up before it would have hit her in the face.
   “What the fuck?!” she cried, kicking the chair after Akamaru as he chased the goose right off the dock… and into the assembled guests. I did this to myself. I had the thought that anything could happen and I wouldn’t even care and, well… things are happening and I do in fact care about them…

   For once, there was nothing for him to do but watch. This was a pandemonium that could not be contained. Kisame was holding Itachi as if they were the newly weds, cradling him in his arms and backing all the way to the furthest edge of the tent. Kakashi and Kiba were calling Akamaru and trying to entice him with treats. Iruka was trying frantically to assuage frazzled, mud-stained Hinata and Sakura. Ino and Anko were laughing so hard Naruto was certain they’d pull something. Neji and Shikamaru looked like they’d rather be anywhere else. Lee was up chasing the goose right there with Akamaru while Gai cheered loudly from his wheelchair, complaining when Kakashi paused to move him out of the flying chairs' direct line of fire. Shizune had lost a flask to Tsunade’s quick hands and opportunistic nature, and was now squalling at nearly the same pitch as the goose trying to take it back from her. Shino and Juugo were still in their seats somehow, talking together as if nothing were happening at all. The cherry on top was Chouji bursting in- having missed the ceremony along with Karui to prep the reception food and coordinate serving with the wait staff- holding a large knife. Hinata nearly fainted on the spot. Sai captured it on camera, having offered his photography services as his wedding gift. He was having a fucking field day with all this, shutter snapping over and over, flashes of light popping to further disorient everyone.

   In short: absolute chaos.

   Tenten stumbled to her feet, waving her hand.
   “Okay, quick: I now pronounce you husband and husband, you can now… whatever you know the drill! LEE! Stop chasing it!”

   She tore off, leaving Naruto and Sasuke inside the ruined gazebo while the chaos continued to unfold. Most of the seats had been taken out already, the goose had escaped back into the water, and Kiba had gotten hold of Akamaru’s leash, digging his heels in but still not strong enough to keep his behemoth of a dog from pulling him straight into the lake. The whole assemblage gasped.
   “Fuck yeah, swim time!” Suigetsu yowled, pelting Karin in the face with his jacket, followed quickly by the rest of his suit and shoes before he plunged into the water in just an undershirt and boxer briefs. He swam after Kiba and Akamaru, steering them back toward shore now that they’d both calmed down. Karin looked ready to dive in fully dressed to wring Suigetsu’s neck, and probably would have if it weren’t for Juugo at last getting up to stop her and gather Suigetsu’s clothes. Shino was now with Hinata, leading her and Sakura out of the tent to find somewhere to clean up. Good thing the park building is still open…
   “I’m not sure what we expected,” Sasuke sighed.
   “Things to go right? How could we,” Naruto agreed. 

   Both their mouths wobbled into a smile, and then those broke to give way to pealing laughter.

----    

   Given the disaster that was the ceremony, the reception honestly couldn’t have gone better. There was plenty of food to go around, and even more booze. The music was bumping, bodies packed tightly together on the dance floor, tons of smiling faces. A smoke sesh started outside when Shikamaru ducked out for a cigarette, which somehow also ended up including weed, a pipe, Kakashi, Tenten, and Shizune. Naruto and Sasuke would be lying if they said they didn’t sneak out for a few puffs, too. The goose would live on in infamy, its reign preserved in their second wedding album, and Sakura swore she'd never forgive it for giving her dress an unwanted abstract design, but by the end of the night even she was laughing about it. 
   “We got exactly what we wanted,” Naruto mumbled in bed much later that night, hugging Sasuke’s naked back to his chest. “Everyone we love, in one place, celebrating together.”

   Sasuke snorted, patting Naruto's hand sleepily.
   “Could've done without the bird attack," he slurred, yawning. Naruto nibbled a bruise he’d left on Sasuke’s throat earlier. 
   “Passing out already?”
   “S’been a long day,” he complained, stretching. “And you just folded me in half. Twice.”
   “Can’t help it,” Naruto teased. “You just looked so beautiful in those heels…”

   He pressed closer, and Sasuke edged away, whining.
   “Put that thing away! You can appreciate them and violate me more tomorrow.”
  

   “But Sasukeee…!”
   “Usuratonkachi-!”

   The bickering was the final touch. The promise that as much as things changed, they’d also stay the same. So many conflicting sides to us, and yet… Sasuke’s eyes shone in the dark as he turned. Naruto could just make out another smile on his face before he leaned in and shut Naruto up with a kiss. And yet… we mesh together perfectly… Their rings clicked as they laced their fingers together, Sasuke rolling over to straddle his hips. Naruto had fully lost track of the faux argument, entranced.
   “I love you.”
   “I love you, too,” came the easy reply, from the same person Naruto had once categorized under “the least vulnerable person ever”. 

    He smiled, leaning in for another kiss himself this time.

Chapter Text

   Open Floor Day was perhaps the biggest money-making day on The Lime’s calendar, often neck-and-neck with Pride and Halloween. 

   Dancers from all over came to The Lime to show their skills, some seeking recognition, others a job, and some more still just for fun. The employed dancers would watch and score the competitors at their own stage. At the end of the night, they sent the best ones downstairs, where a large stage invaded half the dance floor. That handful of best dancers would compete with each other for the grand prize, and- since both Sakura and Lee had recently quit- a shot at filling their vacancies for dancers.

   The competing dancers brought in patrons from all over, too. Security was ramped up for the event, Naruto and the others playing crowd control as people filtered between floors. The first floor, usually reserved as a rental space, had been set up to accommodate another bar, food service from the second floor, and the extra people. The maintenance crew wasn’t even mad about it, not with Shikamaru offering them some fat bonus checks for this plus all their hard work throughout the rest of the year. In fact, everyone got bonuses for Open Floor Day. But still, it was quite a job.

   Naruto was lucky to be stationed on the usual floor, where Nightshade was judging Kisame, of all people, as he took the stage. He glanced at Itachi, who was watching avidly but with a carefully constructed facade of indifference on his face. Oh Itachi, will you ever stop being stubborn and admit you’ve got it bad for Kisame?

   Watching him, Naruto definitely understood Itachi's apparent infatuation. Kisame was agile for a big guy, the crowd lived for his smirk, and to Naruto’s surprise, he seemed to have a little experience under his belt. (Figuratively. Those booty shorts were too tight to even dream of holding onto a belt without snapping.)

   Much more than him, though, Naruto was watching Nightshade. It was rare nowadays to see them don a look like this. Naruto hadn’t realized how polished they’d become over the years until they did something like this, where they went back to their roots to inspire a new look. 

   Their platform boots were a striking metallic gold all the way up to their knees, and so were the skin-tight elbow sleeves. Simple ripped black denim-shorts left their ass tantalizingly close to exposure, while their black mesh tanktop hung loosely enough to occasionally reveal a nipple. They’d let Naruto decide the placement of a bunch of stickers on their face, mostly stars and skulls, after they’d placed a fake bandage over the bridge of their nose. Their hair was a wild mess, and their makeup was nothing but similarly disheveled black masses around their eyes, all smudged eyeliner and eyeshadow and intentionally clumpy mascara.  Only Nightshade. They’re the only one I know who can come out here giving glam rock, grungy punk, and flashy jock all at once…

   Naruto didn’t get to go downstairs and watch the finalists, having to stay behind and make sure everyone who was going downstairs didn’t trample each other and that those remaining on this floor didn’t cause any trouble. But on the way up, Nightshade stopped at his side, wrapping an arm across his chest so their hand rested on his opposite shoulder.

   “After clean-up,” they whispered, their hair tickling his cheek. “Meet me in the dressing room.”

   Naruto shivered as their hand dragged slowly back across his chest, the way their breath ghosted his ear. Oh wow, okay…

   A few hours later, with the Lime cleaned and employees finished celebrating their massive success, Naruto and Sasuke met in the empty dressing room, the door locked. Naruto licked his way up the metallic boot, the easy glide making him shudder. Sasuke gazed down at him heatedly, lovingly, a hand in Naruto’s hair.

   “Do you know why I wanted you alone?” Sasuke purred.

   “To get your world rocked?” Sasuke snorted.

   “Yes, but also… because we have something else to celebrate tonight.” Naruto quirked a brow, feeling his way up Sasuke’s body as he stood. He arched into his touch, grinding their hips together once Naruto was upright. 

   “What?”


  “Neji and Shikamaru are trying to get a new business partnership. Wanna expand the Lime, maybe relocate.”

   Naruto’s eyes widened, their movement momentarily halting. Sasuke’s eyes sparkled.

   “They want me to dance for them. Impress them. And if they get the deal and the expansion… I’ll be training all the new dancers.”

   He kissed Sasuke hard, hard enough to nearly bruise.

   “That’s amazing! They’re basically gonna make you head bitch!” Sasuke snorted a laugh.

   “Head dancer. Anko will always be head bitch.”

   “Still! That’s incredible!” He kissed Sasuke again, on his lips, his cheeks, his nose, even his eyelids. “I’m so proud of you. I just know you’ll impress them.”

   Sasuke blushed beneath the glitter on his face.

   “Thanks. I was wondering…” He pinched his lower lip between his teeth, gazing at Naruto through his lashes. “Wanna help me pick new shoes? I have to put together something incredible for them.”

   Naruto’s heart swelled in his chest.

   “Of course I do! We’ll go to Kakashi’s shop this week, whenever you want!” 


   Sasuke smiled, his thumb rubbing a line up the vertebrae in Naruto’s neck.

   “Things are really looking up lately,” he murmured. “But you’ll still be here if at all somehow goes to shit, right?”

   Naruto smiled, pressing his forehead to Sasuke’s. Finally, he lets me know when he needs reassurance…

   “Yes. Always.”

   He laced their fingers together, rings scraping.

   “You’re not getting rid of me any time soon.”

   Sasuke laughed into his mouth, legs hooking around Naruto’s waist as they kissed deeply.

   “Now where were we?” he mumbled, nipping Sasuke’s lip. He grinned, shifting to suck beneath Naruto’s jaw.

   “I believe I was about to ‘get my world rocked’?” 

   “Ah, right,” Naruto teased, shifting his shorts aside just enough that he could sneak inside them. “Can we get to that now, or do you have more bombshells to drop?”

   Sasuke shook his head, making Naruto moan as he slid his teeth down his throat.

   “As you were,” he encouraged, rolling his hips. Naruto sighed, holding him by those hips as they joined.

   Can't wait to do it all again when he gets promoted…