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He remembers the day he met Sasuke. It had been raining outside plastering Naruto’s blond hair to his forehead. The wind caused the rain to hit his face, eyes squinting to try and prevent water from getting in them. The umbrella he had brought had failed long ago, the wind taking it within moments and turning it inside out. The rain jacket was stinking to him in the hot weather but if he didn’t wear it, he would be soaked to the bone.
He was already late for work and now he was going to be wet for hours. Of course, it didn’t matter how wet he was, it mattered that he got to work soon. He’d already missed a few days for finals and he was supposed to start his normal summer shifts today. The problem was that he started work the day after his last final and didn’t give himself nearly enough time to catch up on the sleep he lost studying and finishing up papers.
“I’m sorry I’m late!” Naruto calls, hurrying in the front door. He’s dripping wet and he takes a moment to run his fingers through his hair to shake out a bit of water while he’s on the extra mat put out for the rain. “Apparently finals wore me down more than I thought.” After he has shaken off a sufficient amount of water, he heads to the register, a smile pulling up his lips.
“You should have at least called to let me know you’d be late,” Sakura scowls, eyes only glancing at him for a second so she can check out a customer. Naruto shoots her a cheeky smile before heading out back to hang his coat up and change into the bright orange converses in his bag.
Once he’s done, he joins Sakura behind the counter, elbows resting against the glass counter as he glances around. There are a good amount of customers for it being so early -if 11 AM can be considered early.
A guy in the back catches his attention, styled dark hair and clothes that don’t really fit into the theme of the store. Blond eyebrows furry as he watches the other assess a rank of t-shirts but his attention is pulled away when Sakura elbows him. “You’re in charge of checking our stock today,” she tells him, gaze shifting to see what Naruto was looking at.
There’s a sigh that leaves Naruto’s lips, shoulders sagging. He didn’t want to go in the back just yet. It was boring doing stock check and he had no interest doing that first thing in the morning. “I’ll do it later,” he whines, fingers running through still wet hair so it isn’t sticking to his forehead. Sakura eyes him but doesn’t push the point.
It’s quiet at the register for a few minutes, the few customers busy looking around. Sakura excuses herself to get a drink of water and Naruto pushes over to stand in front of the register she was previously working.
Elbow digging into glass, Naruto finds himself nearly falling asleep as he watches the customers. The music in the back ground isn’t doing anything to help the matter.
Blue eyes are about to slip closed when someone slams something rather unnecessarily in front of him. Naruto jumps, blue eyes soothing up to find the guy he had been checking out earlier - because he had been checking him out- now standing in front of him. There’s a scowl on his lips, the look not too friendly at all. Naruto shoots him a smile and a friendly good morning but only receives a glare and a grunt in reply.
There are only a few things that Naruto puts through the register, making sure everything is correct before he tells the other the total. Money is exchanged and Naruto wishes the other a good day as he hands the bag over. He doesn’t get a reply.
He’s surprised when the other shows up a few days later; looking through the same rank he had been before. Naruto takes the opportunity to admire the other.
Naruto hadn’t expected anything to come out of his constant admiring. The other came in the store a few too many times to be considered normal and each time a few more words were exchanged. It wasn’t until the end of the summer the other had glared at him and demanded a date. It wasn’t what Naruto was expecting but they had amounted to flirting a while ago. Naruto would have asked the other but he wasn’t sure how to do such a thing because Sasuke - he had learned his name a month into the visits because he needed to know- was a customer.
Naruto hadn’t refrained from saying yes.
The first few dates had been a disaster. Naruto has come to realize Sasuke was a real snot and completely loaded at that. He thought he was better than everyone and Naruto didn’t think it would work out at all. They were complete opposites. Naruto’s bright orange clothes and piercings looked odd when compared to Sasuke’s clean look and snippy attitude.
Naruto had considered saying they shouldn’t meet again but Sasuke had showed up obviously upset and he had finally let Naruto in. The normal snipping remarks and cold attitude taking a turn for the better.
It had taken a few months for them to click but they had and Naruto couldn’t help the new rush of excitement he felt every time he saw the other. Sasuke hadn’t even blinked an eyelash at the odd looks Naruto got - that they got for being together. It always has a smile pulling up his lips and blue eyes watching Sasuke brightly.
The relationship had only grown since their break through and Naruto had ended up at spending Christmas with Sasuke and his family who didn’t seem to have a problem with Naruto at all.
New Year’s Sasuke reluctantly agreed to go to the party Naruto’s friend was throwing. Naruto had introduced Sasuke to his friends and they found themselves a spot in the corner and have been talking and kissing and flirting for hours.
The countdown blares through the speakers, but Naruto is much too immersed in Sasuke to care what number they’re saying or that New Year’s will be in only a few seconds. The only thought running through his mind is how good of a year it’s been. He doesn’t want it to be over, but at the same time, he wants to start a new year with Sasuke. He wants to experience new things with Sasuke.
The kisses are soft and sweet and loving and Naruto doesn’t even realized they have reached zero until Kiba pats him on back and wishes him a happy new year. Naruto calls out a reply over his shoulder, keeping his full attention on Sasuke.
"Happy New Year," he tells the other, smile on his lips and eyes shining bright. Sasuke returns the smile with a rare one of his own, fingers still in Naruto’s hair and lips swollen from kissing.
"Happy New Year, idiot."
And Naruto kisses him again, arms wrapping around a slim waist and lips moving hungrily against Sasuke’s.
This was going to be a good year.