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There were two types of people at any party. Social butterflies, unapologetically enthusiastic about everything, trying to make new connections, catch up with every friendly face they might find, eat as much as they can for free, dance around, joke around, and practically become the life of the party. And then there were introverted wolf loners who joined parties out of necessity, always trying to be somewhere less crowded, to not draw much attention to their absence, while they smoke or just take the fresh air in the backyard, waiting for a socially appropriate time to go home.
No doubts, Naruto always belonged in the first category. Even though he wasn't a popular guy by any means, he tried his best to be one. He was always in the first row for something stupid, one thing he knew that had never failed him — making a clown out of himself. Making people laugh is a key to making people grow on you, teacher Iruka once said, and Naruto lived by that. Despite not really having good friends at school, they always invited him to some parties and stuff, so it at least must have been working, right?
The feeling of belonging was something Naruto missed all the way, so every time people laughed with him, his heart melted; it was like a pure addiction. One time, he showed up in class, dressed up as principal Tsunade. Like, recreating every part of her beautiful appearance. Everybody burst into tears of laughter as he started acting out in her character; things became hysterical when Tsunade spotted him doing that. After being chased, shouted on and lectured, he spent the rest of the day in detention, but that was okay. No one waited for him at home anyway, and teacher Iruka softened up by the end of the day and took him for a ramen afterwards.
That's the length he would have gone to be liked by others. And it made him furious that there were people who would rather be caught dead trying to impress someone, and they still were the center of attention everywhere they went. And by saying people, Naruto actually had only one name on his mind.
Sasuke Uchiha.
The apple of the eye for the entire school, hell, maybe even their entire village, and the freaking thorn in Naruto's side. One could say they came from the same place, both being orphans at a very young age, but they were complete opposites of each other. Sasuke had this aristocratic charm to him, always patient, and cool-headed, sarcastic, good with words in those rare moments when he does actually speak, a smart cookie, never throwing himself at people, and, as much as Naruto didn't want to admit it, Sasuke was handsome. Much more handsome and confident about it than Naruto ever considered himself. Not that Naruto didn't like himself, but... Sasuke was someone who others would describe as good-looking. And Naruto just... looked good. And that was quite a difference.
Of course, Sasuke was the second type. Yet, if people in this category mostly enjoyed watching parties from aside and didn't mind some private attention from a person or two once in a while, the most infuriating thing about Sasuke's behavior was that he acted like he needed no one.
"Well, that's just bullshit," Naruto thought to himself, this time glaring at Sasuke, who was sipping on his drink right across the room. "How come anyone intentionally wants to be lonely? And if so, why come to events like this, huh? Bastard just tries to act like he's a top-notch bad-boy-with-an-attitude premium player to put a higher price tag on his royal-ish ass. What a jerk."
However, the next second their eyes met, Naruto shivered. Frankly speaking, whenever it happened, he always shivered. He did not know why, he just couldn't control his body, as the haughty stare of narrowed coal eyes was piercing him down. Especially with this little shitty Uchiha smirk. It was better, when he saw it from a distance, and completely destructive, when he was close to him. And they were in close and semi-close situations often. They fought, and they competed more than with anyone else.
Naruto had his wins, and they were not just an accidental success, but he still hated to lose, 'cause Sasuke made him feel like those wins weren't enough. Like his struggles and eagerness weren't enough. Like he himself wasn't enough for Sasuke to accept him as his first and biggest rival. "Get a life". "Grow up". "Stop clowning around". "Why is it that when I end up being in trouble it always has something to do with you and your childish vagaries?". And other things said by him with this smirk. This freaking belittling smirk of his. And people around them were always taking his side.
"So! Who wants to play a little..." Ino, the hostess of the party, slicked her hand in the little bag with different party activities titles. It was a kind of silent agreement between teens around the village: to avoid any fighting over what to do and not to do at the parties, they preferred Lady Chance's choice. "...Oh-la-la, Truth or Dare!"
Little gasps of approval flooded the room, and soon enough, almost all guests gathered around on the floor, forming a big circle with a bottle in the center.
"Hey, Sasuke! Come here, I saved a place for you!" Sakura waved at the empty spot beside her.
"Tough luck!" Ino exclaimed and pushed people beside her fiercely, making them all shift to Sakura's side and freeing the space for Uchiha. "Sasuke would want to sit next to the party's hostess, am I right, Sasuke?"
Sakura's face got so furiously red, it looked like her hair was about to catch fire from it. She pushed the poor people back to Yamanaka. "As if anybody ever would want to sit close to your stupid pig face!"
Push. "As if anybody ever would want to check their reflection on your enormous forehead!"
Push. "As if anybody ever would want to go deaf from your raucous horse laughter!"
Push. "As if anybody ever would want to listen to your never-ending talking!"
Push. "As if anybody-"
"I'll pass. I hate this game." Sasuke said sharply, not moving from his spot, not even fixing his pose.
"HUH?!" Both girls squealed.
"His loss! Forget about him, Sakura, I'll gladly sit with you!" Naruto didn't think twice, when he saw that the final free space to sit was beside Haruno. Sakura tensed and cursed under her breath, burying her face into the knees, as Yamanaka giggled loudly. Naruto was happy enough already from the thought that Rock Lee couldn't get to this place before him.
And so the game started. Ino was the first to spin the bottle (for obvious reasons that she never stopped bringing up), it landed on Neji, from Neji to Shikamaru, from Shikamaru back to Ino again, from Ino to Rock Lee, that was the only brave one to pick dare instead of truth first (nothing good turned out of it anyway), then Hinata, and Sakura, and Shikamaru once again... Time was ticking away, everybody had their moments of laughter and embarrassment, and Naruto was nervous he would never get his turn, as he wanted to show them all how much of a cool guy he is.
"Aaand... Kiba!" The bottle, spun by Shikamaru, chose another guest who wasn't Naruto. Uzumaki's teeth clenched, forcing the groan back from where it wanted to break. Maybe it's just not his day. Or maybe he should just stop waiting on the bottle to land on him that much, and in the next few rounds, it would finally point at him.
"Truth!" Kiba barked enthusiastically.
Wait a minute , Naruto thought, and couldn't keep a vicious smile from forming its way on his lips. It didn't really matter whether the bottle would lend on him, as long as he put himself in a center position. For example (Uzumaki glanced at Kiba), if he knew the way to make questions more interesting and personal, to spill the freaking tea and spice everyone's interest.
"He-he, ask him about what happened at the last party at his place. A morning after, to be specific," Naruto said, while Shikamaru was still thinking what to ask. Kiba's face painted red as he shouted "NARUTO!" and Uzumaki just giggled victoriously like a villain.
"Huh? What happened the morning after that party?" Shikamaru didn't sound interested; he was glad he didn't have to think more about questions, though. Everybody else stared right at Kiba. At this point, he had a giant tomato instead of the face already.
"Nothing happened! Really, it's not interesting at all!"
"But you chose the truth~," Ino said.
"Yeah, if it's not interesting, then it won't be a problem to tell us~," Sakura insisted.
"Ughhh-", Kiba shot another evil glance at the smiling Naruto. "Well, when the party was over and I thought everyone went home, I was so tired, I barely could walk to my bedroom, so — my parents were out of the village that weekend — and I went to my parents' bedroom and fell asleep there."
"And it turns out..." Naruto helped, when Kiba felt silent for a moment.
" And it turns out," Kiba stressed after him, "Shino didn't feel well that night, he... just wanted to rest for a bit and... and he accidentally fell asleep in... my parents' bedroom... too."
"They woke up in each other's arms!"
The collective "Whaaat" and laughter filled the room, as Kiba was slowly dying from embarrassment.
"Wait, and how do you know that, Naruto?"
"Oh, I fell asleep in Kiba's bathtub. I stumbled upon this magnificent scene in the morning. I regret not taking any pictures 'till this day!"
"Just wait when I tell Shino you blabbed that out to everyone, idiot!" Kiba reached out and punched him in the shoulder slightly.
"Technically, it was you who told the story!"
Kiba thought about it just for a second, growled and spun the bottle aggressively; it took it quite a while to stop spinning, and this time, for the first time, it finally landed on Naruto. He even hoorayed himself shortly, before peeking a glance at the devilish smile Kiba had on his face. Uzumaki gulped nervously, but that wasn't that bad! He still had an option; he could choose the truth, and Kiba knows nothing compromising about him.
"Pick a dare," Kiba said.
"H-huh?"
"Pick a dare, if you're not a fucking coward. I dare you."
Now everybody looked at Naruto, and what was worse than that, he heard Sasuke behind him scoffing humorously at this whole situation. What the hell was he laughing at, this little piece of-
"Dare", Naruto said with overacted confidence, crossing arms on his chest. He had no other choice. He couldn't be a coward. Not in front of almost everyone he talks to every damn day at school. Not in front of Sasuke Uchiha. He wasn't the type to back out of trouble, and after all, how difficult and embarrassing Kiba's dare could be?
"Alright. I dare you..." He paused thoughtfully, and back to the malicious smile again. "I dare you to kiss Sasuke."
"What- the- HEEEELL?!!" Naruto jumped up. "Are you out of your mind?!"
"Nope! Seems fairly embarrassing to me! Not only you both are dudes, you are always at each other's throats, it'll be a great fucking show!"
"Well, jokes on you, I'm not fucking doing it! And- And he's not even a part of the game!"
"So you are a coward?"
Naruto gulped one more time, taking a quick peek at Uchiha, who was standing in his place like this conversation didn't include him at all. How can he be this dead calm in this moment? Say something, dammit! If you oppose this crazy idea, Kiba will back down and I won't have to lose my face! Just say something, don't stand here like a freaking statue!
But Naruto's mental pleadings weren't heard. And everyone was waiting.
As he went to Sasuke, he tried not to look at his face, yet he still couldn't ignore the same smirk this bastard always saved just for him. Of course, he didn't want to say anything, 'cause he wanted Naruto to make a complete fool out of himself! He didn't even care whether it would involve him!
Naruto closed his eyes, counted to three, and then to five, and then to ten, and then finally he gave up on his pride and placed a kiss on Sasuke's cheek, quick and simple, feeding himself on the thought that this was over.
"What the heck was that? Are we ten years old or what?" Kiba exclaimed, clearly unsatisfied. "On the lips , Uzumaki."
"WHAT?! That wasn't said in the dare!"
"Because it's fucking obvious! If someone here dared anyone to kiss anybody, it would've meant ' on the lips ' between the lines!"
"Well, I don't read between your stupid lines, Kiba! If it wasn't said with words through your mouth, I'm not doing it!"
"I'm saying it right now!"
"I already completed the dare!"
"And I didn't accept it!"
"Like I fucking care!"
"Well, then, not only you are a coward, you are also a moron!"
"Hey! I'm not-"
"Oh, for God's sake!" Sasuke interrupted them abruptly and the whole room didn't make a sound, when he just turned Naruto by the arm to face him and kissed him on the lips first.
For a few solid seconds, Naruto didn't move, didn't breathe, didn't make a sound as well; he just stood there, processing a warm touch and the taste of something sweet and sour against his mouth. His arm was still in Sasuke's hand, held firmly and controlled. Naruto felt the heat creeping up his body right from the core. His legs suddenly weakened; his mind was a perfect mess of different thoughts and things, playing hide-and-seek. Naruto couldn't catch any of them. It just- felt so-
Nice .
Sasuke pulled away, his indifferent stare unbearably heavy this time, and Naruto's heart skipped a beat dangerously, as he glared in shock right in front of him, not focusing on anything specific. He just couldn't- (oh shit) This wasn't- (oh shit) He wasn't-
"Not a damn rocket science, isn't it?" Sasuke said mockingly, and people laughed. Like they always laughed at Naruto and everything Naruto ever did. And Sasuke's voice, and the way his lips curled in a fucking smirk again, as he said that...
Uzumaki heard someone calling his name, but he never reacted. He pushed Sasuke aside and stormed out of the room somewhere toward a long hall with doors. He couldn't care less whichever rooms they led to; he picked the first door he saw and banged it behind him with pure rage and the hurt that overflowed him.
He tried to save the face, even if it was just for himself, but the harder he was trying, the easier tears ran down from his eyes against his own will. It was so bad. He felt so bad. At that point, he just hated everything. This party, its hostess, Kiba, himself, and fucking Sasuke Uchiha, he blamed him more than anyone; he hated him, hated him, HATED HIM .
Naruto wiped his mouth eagerly, trying to erase that clinging taste of whatever Sasuke was drinking, but it just didn't go. How do I make it go?!
Fucking stupid.
Crying over something like that was fucking stupid.
To feel something over something like that was fucking stupid.
Having a first kiss stolen away from you as a joke by someone who despises you was fucking stupid. And it was even more stupid to realize that this groundless feeling he always had after all the bickering and fighting, calling each other names and competing, was reasoned at least partially by the flattering numbness in Naruto's chest the second Sasuke's lips landed on his.
And he didn't need to know that, even if he already knew it and just didn't admit it to himself. He didn't need evidence to accept it, because it would never happen ever again. Because all he had now was the phantom sweetness and the aching hole right in the place where his heart should've been.
The door knob moved and Uzumaki forced himself to stand, wiping tears from the corners of his eyes, fixing his breath, and getting his shit together. Whoever it was, he just needed to clench his teeth and survive this night, and forget it ever happened to him. He might. He should.
Naruto turned to the sound of the opening door and froze, looking at Sasuke. He closed the door behind him and put his hands in his pockets. "You okay?"
No.
"Yes."
"Liar."
Naruto cussed and turned slightly away from Uchiha, because he was still vulnerable and he didn't want to give this fucker any chances of hitting his soft spots. Not today. Never in the better future, but at least not today.
"You didn't have a damn right to do this to me, to- to kiss me like that. Maybe in your world, kissing people isn't much to care about, but some of us do care about it. Some of us don't want to receive their first kiss under the pressure of some stupid game as the... as some kind of... punishment."
Sasuke stood there, not smirking or scoffing anymore; he listened like he really considered that maybe it was a messed up thing to do.
"So I got your first kiss. That's why you freaked out?"
No. Not exactly.
"Yes."
"Hm", Sasuke's eyes studied Uzumaki's face. Was the boy a freaking scanner, gee? Naruto couldn't get through the long conversation with him; he tried not to diverse stares to not seem weaker, and it was torture. He just needed to go home. Run from this place, and embarrassment, and Sasuke.
"You know what, I- I'll just go. Have a nice evening," Uzumaki mumbled, but as he walked past Uchiha, he once again captured his arm, blocking his moves. Naruto tried to free it. It went unsuccessfully. "What do you want?!" He snapped.
"Sorry." Did he hear that correctly? It impressed Naruto that Sasuke actually knew this word and had it hidden somewhere in the dusty corner or his mind. "Not for what happened, though."
"... F-for what then?" Naruto asked, clearly confused, probably just like Sasuke intended. Suddenly, Uzumaki stood there with his back pressed against the cold wall, Uchiha's body blocking the way out. Heat touched Naruto's neck, cheeks and even ears, as he slowly realized what position they were in, and how daringly close was Sasuke's face to his; he could feel him breathing.
"For that."
"You... You! You- Bastard!" Naruto hissed, pushing the boy in the chest with his hands, but he was out of strength, and Sasuke only moved closer, their lips almost brushing again. Naruto held his breath, looking up slightly to meet the coal eyes. It was getting hot, standing like this, in the half-dark room. "Is it fun for you, tossing me around like that? Making a clown out of me? Are you getting high on belittling me? Why are you doing this?"
"Right now I'm trying to figure out whether you hate my guts that much or is it actually quite the opposite."
"Well, in that case, I am happy to announce to you that I hate you! You heard me, you bastard? I hate you! I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I-"
The rest of Naruto's exceptionally believable claims were muffled into another kiss. This time, it wasn't just a mere touch. Sasuke moved his lips carefully against Naruto's, leaving practically no space between them. The pressure from the leaning body felt safe and warm, and Naruto gave in, wrinkling Uchiha's shirt in his knuckles. He attempted to answer; his heart was pounding somewhere in his ears, and he melted when Sasuke's hands moved to his waist.
"Go on," Uchiha breathed to his lips, taking a short break.
"H-huh?"
"You were saying something about how much you hate me."
"Yeah, I-", Naruto took a deep breath to come back to his senses, "I'm fed up with you interrupting me mid-sentence, kissing me out of the blue, like it's just a normal Tuesday hobby for you to kiss people you seemed to don't like at all and always call 'childish' or 'idiot' or-"
He moaned, protesting against another kiss, shutting him up. Well, not much of a protest this time, as his heart trembled wildly at the softest touch. It seemed like Sasuke himself wasn't confident enough with his actions and stayed alarmed all the time, even if he tried to posture as a cool, tough guy.
"You did it again", Naruto said, a fond smile on his face as he licked his lips. Three kisses didn't seem like an accident or a mockery anymore.
"You talk too much, idiot." That stupid Uchiha smirk was back, but Naruto didn't really mind it this time. "If I was waiting for you to shut up, I still would've only been planning to kiss you."
"And for how long had you been planning to kiss me?"
"No comments", Sasuke huffed, but Naruto only smiled wider.
"Sasuke~"
"What?"
"Truth or dare?"
"Truth," he rolled his eyes at how excited Naruto looked.
"For how long had you been pla-"
Getting himself involved in the fourth kiss just during one evening, Naruto thought he might kill Sasuke for this annoying habit of interrupting him like this. Right when it gets boring.