Archive of Our Own

Nobody really likes Sasuke. Nobody aside from Naruto, that is.

It kind of makes sense. Sasuke did try to destroy the village and kill them all or whatever. He had a change of heart there at the end, but people tend to focus on the negative before the positive for some reason. Sasuke likes to think he's undergone some healthy character development, even if nobody else does. 

Sakura avoids him, which is fine by him. Kakashi is busy being Hokage and staring at him disappointedly, which is also fine by him. The rest of their former academy classmates look at him like he's got some disease, which is also also fine by him. 

None of that really matters to Sasuke. It never did, and he doesn't see that changing anytime soon. He has better things to concern himself with. 

It all whittles down to one thing, an important, central part of Sasuke's time in Konoha. The thing that keeps him tethered here, stops him from running off to travel the world and make amends for his crimes. The one who suffered most. The one Sasuke owes the most.

Naruto. Naruto, who spent years and years chasing him. Who risked his life to get him back on the right path. Who looked him in the eyes and never once gave up on him. Naruto had been through hell and high water to bring him home, and Sasuke--

Sasuke wants to say he doesn't care, but he knows a better part of him does. He can't leave. He can't do that to him again. Not now. Not so soon.

There's a strange feeling in his chest. It feels like a balloon has been blown up inside him, wedged up between his ribs. He feels full of an emotion he can't identify. His days are spent by Naruto's side, watching him laugh and help rebuild their village, and there's something in him that feels like glitter with the way it swirls around.

The light hits Naruto's face, highlighting the planes of it. Sasuke squints at him, trying to place what about him seems so different now. He's not sure what changed, but he's certain something has.

"Hey, Sasuke." Naruto turned towards him, head tilted. Sasuke stared at him harder. "Why're you staring at me like that? Do I have dirt on my face?" 

Something. 

"You look like an idiot." Sasuke concluded. Naruto's expression immediately dropped. He was on his feet in seconds, making to tackle him. Sasuke was already out of his seat, practically a blur as he leapt away. He kept his eyes on Naruto, Sharingan memorizing him and the way he shook an angry fist his way, already shouting profanities. 

Sasuke spends all his time with Naruto. Stranger still, he wants to spend all his time with Naruto. It's an odd thing to grow accustomed to. Like a moth to a flame, it feels impossible to do anything but draw nearer. 

He'd spent so much time away from him. Looking back through the eyes he has now, he has no idea how he managed. How he could possibly stand to be that far for so long. He tries to put himself back in that old mindset if only to see, but he can't. He doesn't remember what he felt. He doesn't remember what enabled him to keep such distance. 

Something. Something, something, something.

Sasuke's determined to figure out what.

The decision to move into Naruto's apartment isn't one that Sasuke really makes. It just sort of happens, this gradual, natural transition. There's not a single day where Sasuke wakes up and decides to bring all his stuff over. There's not a single day where he stands there and decides he's not going to leave.

It's a transition. Easy as breathing. The soft patter of rainfall into a steady downpour. It builds up and up, so much so that really, nothing seems all that different at all by the time it officially happens. 

"Oi. Why're you bringing all your shit over to my house all of a sudden?" Naruto asks, watching with narrowed eyes as Sasuke brought in yet another box. There weren't many-- he'd been out of the village so long that he honestly didn't own much of value at this point. "Did your place burn down, or did you just wake up today and decide you're gonna move in?"   

Of course not. That's preposterous. Again, this is a very natural process. Inevitable, you could say. They're a pair of stars in orbit of one another, bound to collide as they draw nearer and nearer. Fate literally tied them together. They're as close to soulmates as any two people can get.

"I'm living here now." Sasuke declared. He has to be frank or Naruto won't understand him, his brain's so small. "I spend all my time here anyway."

For some reason, Naruto seemed skeptical. Sasuke's got absolutely no idea why. What about this doesn't make sense? It makes perfect sense to Sasuke. 

"Um. No you don't. I can count on one hand the amount of times you've been inside my apartment, believe it." Naruto's nose scrunched up. Sasuke ignored him. Naruto is an idiot who has no idea what he's talking about-- Sasuke hangs out here all the time. Usually on the roof. Or outside. And in the middle of the night. "Man. Where are you even going to sleep?"

Sasuke paused, frowning. Where is he going to sleep? Normally he naps in the tree outside the window, but obviously that's not going to stand anymore. It's getting colder as winter approaches, and Sasuke's an official resident now. He frowned. 

Naruto's couch is a lumpy mess. The floor probably needs to be deep cleaned. Naruto is surprisingly capable when it comes to housework, but Sasuke still doesn't trust it. It's a good thing Sasuke is here now. To help out and all that. 

Sasuke's eyes trace the area. Naruto's better off now than he was when they were genin, but this apartment still isn't much bigger than the one he had then. The only difference is that the bedroom is actually separate from the rest of the place, with a real door closing it off.

He stares at said door, which is currently sitting wide open. An unspoken invitation if Sasuke has ever seen one. Naruto wasn't nearly as subtle as he thought he was. He even had his bed sitting right there in view. 

"We'll share." Sasuke declared. Naruto blinked at him slowly. Right, clarification. "The bed."

He nodded towards it for better emphasis. Naruto blinked at him some more.

"Yeah, no. I got that." Naruto frowned at him, observing him. He looked strangely cautious. "...Are you okay? Do you have cancer or something? Your brother was like, dying from some lung disease, right? Is that genetic?" 

Sasuke opens his mouth to ask what that has to do with anything but pauses, hesitating. Is that disease genetic? Should he get that checked out? That would mean confronting Sakura, whom he still hasn't made amends with. May be better to just let it take him out. 

That aside, he has no idea how this relates to him and Naruto sharing a bed. Naruto knows that genetic doesn't equate to contagious, right? Is he afraid Sasuke's going to start coughing up blood on his pillows? If Sasuke does have the disease, he's not that far along yet.

"I don't have it." Sasuke says, even though he's not actually sure. It's not worth Naruto potentially dragging him off to see Sakura. "Your bed is plenty big enough, so don't complain."

Sasuke shuffles into the bedroom, which was sizable enough. He set down his box of clothes, nodding to himself. Naruto didn't own many clothes. Sasuke could probably consolidate some stuff, clear a drawer out for himself. Or they could share a drawer or two-- that could work. 

"Where do you get all this audacity from?" Naruto asked distantly, trailing after him. Sasuke ignored him, opening the top dresser drawer. Plenty of room for him to dump his underwear in too. "Are you even going to ask for permission? What if I don't want your dusty ass living in my apartment?"

Naruto chased him across several countries, begged him to come home, never gave up on him for even a second, and continued to believe against all odds that he would come back. Why wouldn't he want Sasuke to live in his apartment? Sasuke may have tried to kill him several times, but that was in the past. 

"I'll pay half the rent and utilities." Sasuke started unpacking clothes. Naruto sighed heavily. "I'll help clean too. This place is a mess."

Naruto looked around. There was a single dirty shirt on the ground. He'd just swept and mopped, and he'd washed his sheets and made the bed. All the dishes were done and put away. He'd wiped down every surface. He threw his hands up in exasperation.

"Fine! I'm too tired for this anyway. Kakashi-sensei said that I'm the only one who could ever understand you, but I'm starting to think even that's a pipe dream, believe it." Naruto spun around on his heel, storming out of the room. Sasuke turned to watch him go. "You owe me ramen! And if you kick in your sleep, I'll let Kurama eat you!" 

So basically, Naruto was completely okay with it and had no complaints. 

"I buy you ramen every other day anyway." Sasuke said belatedly. Naruto threw a middle finger up over his shoulder, not bothering to turn around. Sasuke stared after him, Sharingan swirling to life. Not for any particular reason. Just because. Of things. That will now be memorized for all eternity.

Sasuke waits until he hears the angry clack of pots and pans before he turns back to his task at hand, a small, self-satisfied smile coming to his face. A gradual, natural transition indeed.

Sasuke doesn't kick in his sleep, but Naruto does cuddle.

The moment he falls asleep, he turns into an octopus. He magnetizes to whatever's closest to him and wraps himself around it as tight as he can. Sasuke, who'd been on many a mission with him, knew this well enough to expect it. 

He does admit that it probably would've been smart to put a pillow decoy between them. Naruto would snap up the first solid thing that touched him, so shoving one at him probably would've worked just fine. The only thing is that...

Well. Sasuke doesn't really want to do that.

He isn't sure why. Naruto grumbles at him when Sasuke climbs in later that night, but he's tired enough from running around the village rebuilding houses all day to scoot over with little complaint. He makes Sasuke turn off the light, hogs most of the blankets, and tells him he'll evict him if he snores-- as if Naruto wouldn't sleep through a literal tornado if one came through.

Sasuke waits with bated breath for Naruto to pass out, which doesn't take long. Even with someone else in his bed, he's stupidly trusting and comfortable. It's only ten minutes before he's starting to squirm around, flipping over. His arm reaches out, blindly searching. 

Sasuke lifts his own arm up a little, scooting himself forward. Naruto's got a hand on him in an instant, dragging him forward almost violently. Sasuke lets out a grunt as the blonde's arms snake around him, leg swinging over his hip, face burrowing into the crook of his neck.

Naruto is all heat. He's always been a bit of a furnace, likely due to the nine tailed fox. He radiates like a bonfire, a hot line across Sasuke's body that presses as close as it can. He smells like tangerines and ramen spice packets, his entire body going lax as he puffs out little breaths against Sasuke's neck. 

That weird balloon in Sasuke's chest seems to expand, even more so when he hesitantly lowers his arm around Naruto. He lets his hand splay over the strong plane of his back, taking a deep breath and letting himself loosen. This is okay. Good. Close. 

Sasuke likes being close to Naruto, even if he's still not sure why. He's annoying, an idiot, and so loud that Sasuke's probably going to be deaf before he hits forty at this rate. That's if Naruto's tendency to get into as much trouble as possible doesn't get him killed sooner.

Naruto's mattress is soft. Softer than Sasuke's own. It feels like resting on a cloud, soft sheets and clean blankets draped over them. Naruto's face is hidden from how close it is, but the moonlight coming through the curtains makes the gold of his hair shine. Sasuke lets out a careful breath, eyes fluttering shut.

Sleep is usually something that eludes him. Laying here now, with Naruto breathing against him, the two of them wrapped around one another-- Sasuke is out in no time at all. 

It's the best rest he's gotten in a long, long time. It's the first time he's slept all the way through the night without being seriously injured in years. No dreams come, but no nightmares do either. It's more peace than he probably deserves. 

Moving in with Naruto was truly a great idea. He's glad Naruto was so insistent they share the bed once Sasuke suggested it. Maybe the blonde idiot was smarter than Sasuke gave him credit for.

The sun that filters through the windows is nearly picturesque. Sasuke blinks awake to Naruto's chin propped on his chest, his blue eyes half-lidded with residual sleep as he gazed at his face contemplatively. He was practically on top of him, splayed out like Sasuke was his own personal pillow.

Sasuke stared at him for a beat before activating his Sharingan again, for reasons. Naruto raised an eyebrow, rolling off him a second later. The loss of heat was devastating. Sasuke was half-tempted to roll after him. He settled for turning his head to watch him instead, blinking through the remaining dredges of exhaustion still clinging to him.

He felt refreshed. Well-rested. But also like he could stay in this bed forever if Naruto stayed here with him.

"Is this my life now? This might be my life now. Believe it." Naruto muttered, more to himself than anyone else. Sasuke propped himself up on his elbow as Naruto swung his legs over the side of the bed, vaulting to his feet. "Don't laugh. It's like having an oversized house cat invade my space! And it's my own bed, I should be able to move wherever I want on it!" 

Arguing with the fox. That same balloon in Sasuke expanded, pressing into his lungs and chest and throat. Close to strangling, but not quite.

Sasuke wondered what would happen when it popped.

Sasuke doesn't tolerate many people. He never did, but that's especially true now. That's what makes Naruto's social nature all the more horrifying.

 The only reason Sasuke is in Konoha is for Naruto. Everything and everyone else is practically a nuisance by comparison. It makes sense that Sasuke would spend virtually all his time with Naruto because of this. Which is fine-- or would be, if Naruto wasn't spending virtually all his time with everyone else.

"Still haven't lost your stalker I see." Shikamaru drawled out as Naruto trundled into Hokage tower, ready for his next village-reconstructing assignment. The Nara eyes Sasuke in a way that isn't  particularly friendly. "Sasuke. You look well rested. Find a new tree to camp in?"

He sounds mocking. Sasuke's eyes narrow immediately. He knows Shikamaru doesn't like him, but two can play at that game. Sasuke doesn't really like him either. 

"I wouldn't call it a tree." Sasuke glances at Naruto, who's flipping through available jobs distractedly. "Naruto's bed is very comfortable." 

Ino, who'd been taking a sip of coffee, sprays the overly-sugary abomination across her desk. Choji reaches over to smack her on the back as she starts to choke. Naruto doesn't even flinch, mouthing words to himself as he reads. 

Shikamaru stares at Sasuke for a beat. And then another. The sigh he lets out is very, very tired.

"Of course it is." Shikamaru sounds defeated. He blindly stamps the paper Naruto shoves his way. "This was inevitable, wasn't it? I hope the Hokage hunts you for sport and kills you where you stand." 

Sasuke's got no idea why Kakashi would want to kill him for getting a full night's sleep. He doesn't get the chance to ask why. Naruto's grabbing his hand before he gets the chance, twining their fingers together. He shoves his mission form in his face excitedly.

Freshly stamped, it's more rubble clearing-- Naruto's favorite. It means he gets to let his chakra and clones loose and blow up a shit ton of rock and destitute buildings. Ironically, it's Sasuke's favorite too. He gets to sit in a tree and watch it happen. Sometimes Naruto gets sweaty and will take his shirt off, too.

Not that that's important or anything. Or notable. Just something that happens. Sasuke doesn't stare. Sometimes he uses his Sharingan just to check the area over, but for no reason other than that. What other reason would there be? Exactly. None. 

"Look! They're finally opening up the east side for reconstruction! And that means demolition first!" Naruto flaps the paper obnoxiously, yanking on his arm. "Let's go, Sasuke! You're buying me ramen later, believe it!" 

"I bought you ramen yesterday." Sasuke stared down at their interlocked hands. He tightened his grip slightly. This is nice. "And the day before that."

"And if you want back in my bed, you'll do it again. Believe it." Naruto gave him another yank, nearly taking his arm out of its socket. Ino broke out into another round of coughing. "You're rich anyway! Now come on, that rubble isn't going to destroy itself. There's only so much time in the day, Sasuke!" 

Sasuke likes the way his name rolls off Naruto's tongue. He has a certain way of saying it. It doesn't just sound different coming from him. It feels different too. Like Naruto actually knows who he's talking to when he says it. Like he actually knows Sasuke. 

Sasuke doesn't like the idea of being known, not unless it's by Naruto. Naruto is the only one who deserves to. And after all they've been through, Sasuke likes to think that he knows him back just as well. 

He feels Naruto's hand start to slip out of his own and abruptly tightens his grip. Naruto blinks, turning to look at him inquisitively. His eyes look even bluer in the sunlight-- blue like the sky, like the ocean. 

"It's crowded." Sasuke says, even though it's really not. "We should stay together."

Naruto's a great chakra sensor. Sasuke's possibly even better than him, with his Sharingan and Rinnegan both. Naruto grins at him anyway. 

"Good point! Man, I guess even you have those sometimes." Naruto gives his hand a squeeze. "I don't think you've ever been here, so it'd be better to show you the way! Sakura-chan's parents used to live over here, but I think they moved after the Pein attack to be more in the central part of the village. Sort of near Ino's mom's flower shop. You know the one I'm talking about? With the purple trim, and the--"

Sasuke listens to Naruto dissolve into a ramble. He walks a little faster, until he and Naruto are shoulder to shoulder. Close.

It should be enough. It would have been yesterday, or the day before that. Only now he knows what it feels like to wake up with Naruto draped on top of him. He knows what it's like to brush his teeth next to him in a too-small bathroom, and listen to him sing in the shower, and to eat breakfast across from him at a table their feet kept bumping under. 

(Sasuke should've moved in with him much, much sooner.)

Closer. Sasuke needs to find a way to get closer. Not in a weird way. There's nothing weird about this. After everything they've been through, how could anything be weird between them?

"Hey, idiot." Sasuke turned to him, cutting off his ramble. Naruto gave him an offended look. "Arm wrestling match. Loser has to piggy back the other on the way home."

Naruto lit up, beaming. He grinned even wider when he won, letting out a whoop and jumping up in victory. He practically danced the rest of the way to the area he'd signed up to clear. His happy humming as he worked didn't stop even once. When he shed his shirt, despite the growing chill, Sasuke was quick to snatch it up and throw it over his shoulder into the bushes. 

Naruto felt even warmer after a day of work, complaining about his loss of clothes as if he didn't practically do it to himself. Sasuke took off his cloak and draped it over him, hoisting him up. Naruto's arms draped over his shoulders loosely, strong legs locked around his waist. With only Sasuke's thin shirt separating them, his skin was practically scalding. 

"Today was awesome." Naruto chirped happily, chin hooked over Sasuke's shoulder. "I blew up so much stuff. And you're carrying me. Believe it."

"Don't get used to it." Sasuke muttered, already coming up with more things he could lose at tomorrow and the days following. "I'll make you ramen at home. You'll freeze if you try to eat at Ichiraku's shirtless." 

Naruto laughed, breath hot on his ear. Sasuke was just glad the moron couldn't see his smile from this angle.

The idea implants itself all thanks to one person: Hinata Hyuga. 

Sasuke hadn't recognized her initially. She'd been quiet in their genin days, someone who existed in the background of Naruto's life, and Sasuke had never concerned himself with her or much anyone else.  

The only reason he recognizes her now isn't because he cares, but because-- contrary to anything Shikamaru might say-- she's the stalker in this situation. If Naruto is anywhere the public can see, she's right there behind him.

It's just as annoying as it sounds. She crops up when they're eating, or shopping, or really just doing anything that's outside Naruto's apartment. Worse is that Naruto is a damn social butterfly, so he always waves wildly when he sees her. He never seems to question her convenient presence everywhere they turn, not even when Sasuke hints and prods at it.

Sasuke settles into Naruto's apartment and turns it into theirs, which makes it easier to weather everything else. He continues to wake up with Naruto half thrown on top of him every morning, and he continues to get the best sleep he's ever had in his entire life. How every night gets better and better, he has no idea.

"H-Hi, Naruto-kun." Hinata stutters out. It's one of the rare days that Sasuke has convinced Naruto to get something other than ramen, leading them to one of Konoha's more popular barbecue places. "Sasuke."

The way she says his name is flat and borderline hostile, her smile dropping for the briefest of seconds as she regards him. He glares back at her coolly, leaning back in his seat. His ankle hooks over Naruto's under the table. 

"Hey, Hinata!" Naruto beamed, flipping a piece of meat on the grill. "It's been a while! How've you been?" 

It hadn't been a while. They'd seen her three days ago, and that's only because Sasuke had accidentally failed to steer Naruto away from her and she'd cornered them like a feral cat did a meal. Sasuke shoved a piece of barbecue in his mouth, glaring harder. 

Hinata ignored him entirely, cheeks rosy and smile gentle.

"I-I've been well, Naruto-kun. I've been looking for you." Hinata pulled something out from behind her back. A scroll. "My father wanted me t-to give you this."

Her face got redder, which wasn't unusual. What was unusual was the way Naruto's smile faltered.

It was only half a second. Sasuke nearly missed it, it was such a blink and miss it moment. For the briefest of moments, his grin waned. Naruto, who had mastered the art of masking his emotions, of covering everything with a layer of boisterous joy, slipped. 

It made something slimy curl in his stomach. Sasuke's eyes narrowed, tracking the scroll as Naruto tentatively took it from the girl. His smile didn't quite reach his eyes. You'd have to know Naruto well to notice it at all, but Sasuke was somewhat of an expert in him at this point.

There was something wrong. Naruto was uncomfortable. Sasuke didn't like it when Naruto was uncomfortable.

"Thanks! I'll take a look at it later!" Naruto set it gently on the table next to him, hands twitching slightly. Hinata's flush darkened. "It was nice to see you!" 

It was as close to a dismissal as Sasuke had ever seen Naruto give. Normally, he'd go on and on for as long as he could get the other person to engage with him. It didn't matter who it was or how he knew them. He was just like that, always eager to get to know more, to talk to ear off anyone who'd let him.

Hinata seemed to know this too if her own expression shuttering was anything to go off of. She flinched slightly, mumbling something and ducking her head. A faint wave and goodbye later, and then she was gone. Rushing off with pinkened ears and a slight waver to her step.

Sasuke's eyes shot to the scroll, practically boring into it. Naruto caught his lower lip between his teeth, worrying it. Sasuke is absolutely not distracted by this at all even slightly, because there's nothing about it that's distracting at all. 

It's so not distracting that he isn't even looking at it right now. He's not even staring. Why would it be distracting? Exactly. Right. It's not distracting at all. Why would Sasuke's focus be there instead of at the issue at hand? That'd be--

"Is your Sharingan on?" Naruto asked, slice of barbecue half-raised to his face. Sasuke paused.

"No." Sasuke lied, turning it off. Naruto squinted a bit, so Sasuke jerked his head back towards the scroll, turning attention back to what was really important. "What's that?"

Naruto stilled eerily, eyes flickering down to it briefly. He acted like it was going to reach out and bite him, expression doing a funny dance between discomfort and something Sasuke couldn't name. It made his jaw clench, whatever it was. 

Seeing Naruto in any form of discomfort made him squirm. Even back when Sasuke was rogue, it had never felt quite right. It feels even less so now, like something is needling at him, urging him to fix it. Naruto not smiling is simply wrong, and a part of him knows that. 

"Right. That." Naruto laughed nervously, scooting away from the scroll slightly. His ankle was still hooked with Sasuke's. "That's a, uh... marriage proposal."

Sasuke's chopstick snapped in his hand. His eyes flew back to the scroll. Rage, akin to what he'd felt towards Konoha when he learned what they pushed Itachi into, bubbled up through him like a raging inferno. 

"A what." Sasuke says it more than asks. Naruto's face reddens. For some reason, that makes him angrier.

"The Hyuga clan want to like, form an alliance or bond or something! Because of what Neji did, and because of Hinata. I-I guess she maybe likes me, or something, I-- I don't know." Naruto scratched the back of his neck. "She's really nice! And pretty! She just- she's... um..."

Him being visibly put off by the idea was of small solace. That didn't stop Sasuke from wanting to drop the scroll into a vat of black flames, and Hinata with it. Likes Naruto. Likes Naruto how? Enough to marry him? To tie herself to him forever? To live with him, and love him?

That's not right. Sasuke has no idea what about it isn't. Hyuga just-- isn't for Naruto. Naruto doesn't need a contract marriage. He doesn't need any of that. What right does she have to try and bond them for eternity? Naruto and Sasuke already are eternity, with their intertwined destinies and resonated chakras and shared bed and everything else.

She'd come in here and just decided... what? That this belonged to her? That she somehow had a chance? Naruto is the sun. He's the very thing Icarus flew towards and fell for, and so much more. He's bright, and bold, and so good that Sasuke feels like he'll crash down to his knees if he stares too hard.

"How many times has this happened?" Sasuke realized, because Naruto hadn't opened that scroll once, and yet somehow he still knew exactly what it was. Naruto winced.

"Uh. Like, five times?" Naruto paused, eyes going glassy for a moment-- a sign the Kyuubi was surely speaking to him. His wince deepened. "Okay, so like twenty times. And I keep saying no, but they keep sending other ones! And they're talking about like, giving me money and uh... stuff. But I really don't want all that! Believe it!" 

The Uchiha fortune is worth more than the Hyuga could ever offer Naruto anyway. And if Naruto has Sasuke, why would he need their--

Wait. Naruto has Sasuke. 

"I'm not that shallow! Hinata should be with someone who can return her feelings earnestly. I know I like, saved the whole village and I'm a total badass, but she can do better!" Naruto slammed his fist into his open palm, nodding. "I mean, I'm a pretty busy guy anyway, and we really don't know each other. What would she gain from marrying me?"

The answer has been right in front of him this entire time. He's always been put off by how easily Naruto slips into the hands of others. He loves talking to other people, and being with them, and he forms connections like they're nothing. He's not like Sasuke. He can't sustain off just a single person, and that's why stealing him away from this place would never work.

Naruto needs other people to thrive, and that's what Sasuke wants for him. He wants him happy and lively as can be, but this-- this was so obvious. A way to tie him to Sasuke in a tangible way, one that others could see, that existed beyond just their otherworldly connection that extended so far past just this lifetime that others could never hope to comprehend it.

"Exactly! Nothing! I mean yeah, my dad was the fourth Hokage, and I am sort of the last of a really strong clan..." Naruto trailed off, eyes distant for a moment. His face flared red. "What! You egotistical fox, who cares if you're sealed in me? Is that supposed to add to my appeal? It's like having a live-in stalker who-- hey! I do not!" 

This would put a wall between other people and Sasuke. It would section Naruto off in a way that was impossible to ignore. No Hyuga would be able to butt in-- nobody would be. It would just be them. Sasuke was stupid for not thinking of it sooner! Naruto was too stupid to potentially reverse it too, which made it all the better.

Marriage is obviously the answer to every single one of his life's current problems. Marriage to Naruto specifically.

"That's so besides the point. The point is that I can't marry Hinata!" Naruto declared, perhaps a bit too loudly. Actually, no. Sasuke hopes the whole restaurant hears. "I can't imagine living with her anyway, or sleeping in the same bed as her. Wouldn't that be really weird?"

He already does live with Sasuke, and sleep in the same bed as him. Which is obviously a yes to the proposal Sasuke's giving right now. Naruto is definitely reading between the lines. He knows where Sasuke's head is at.

"She's probably a bad cook too." Sasuke pointed out when it became clear Naruto was waiting for an answer. Naruto nodded eagerly.

"Right! I'm also a bad cook, so we'd just starve!" Naruto wasn't the worst cook in the world, but it stood that Sasuke was even better. Another green light to go ahead and do it. Practically a yes. "Girls also love to use up all the hot water. I don't want to have freezing showers for life, Sasuke!" 

Sasuke takes a cold shower every morning, another green light. Not for any reason in particular, though. Why would there be any reason for that? Maybe he just enjoys cold showers. Actually, there's no maybe about it. Sasuke loves cold showers. That's why he takes them, and for no other reason whatsoever. 

What morning problem could he possibly have after sleeping in bed with Naruto that would require a cold shower? Exactly. Right. Not a single one. Obviously, Sasuke just--

"Let's go." Sasuke has things to do. The marriage will seem controversial to some, but it's really not. Sasuke is a man, and Naruto is a man, which means they're both men. That's all. "I have things to do."

"What? Hey, hold on!" Naruto scrambled out of his seat, shoving as much meat in his mouth as he could as Sasuke threw down more than enough money to cover their meal. He flashed his Sharingan, watching Naruto yelp and retract his hand as the marriage contract went up in a spurt of black flame before he could grab it. "Sasuke!" 

Sasuke grabbed him by the wrist, dragging him away as the scroll fizzled into a pile of ash. He was willing to bet that Hinata wouldn't pay for their meals out, either.

And the thing is-- the thing you have to remember-- is that Sasuke's not gay. He's definitely not gay. In fact, he's never been gay a day in his life. He would know, since he's him and that's how that works.

It's just more convenient this way. It makes total sense in his head. Naruto has really bright hair, really blue eyes, and he literally never stops talking. All pretty clear reasons to get married if you ask him. Not that you even need to ask him to begin with, because there's absolutely nothing questionable about this situation whatsoever. 

It just-- is the natural thing to do. Tying them together for all eternity so that they can live and die together happily, sleeping in the same bed, in the same home, for everyone to see. What's gay about that? Sasuke's got all-seeing eyes and he's not seeing anything off about that, so why would anyone else?

"I'm sorry, Uchiha-san." The woman's brow crinkles. Sasuke stares up at her. "I'm, ah... I-I'm afraid same-sex marriage has not yet been... legalized within the boundaries of the village. Though I'm sure it will be soon with how progressive everyone is being lately!" 

She punctuates with a shaky smile. Sasuke raises an unimpressed brow at her. She's completely missing the point here.

"If it were a same-sex marriage, it'd be gay." Sasuke explains blandly. The woman nods slowly. Sasuke points at the page. "But I'm not gay. And I'm marrying Naruto, which pretty much cancels that out."

For some reason, she looks like she's got no idea what he's talking about.

Sasuke doesn't have the slightest clue as to why, either. He's being pretty clear, he thinks, and it's not like he came here empty-handed. He's got all the paperwork this woman could ever need to see this through. He brought himself. The only one not here is Naruto, but that's fine.

He already signed the papers. First thing when he got up at three in the morning after Sasuke shook him awake, he'd blearily scribbled his name on every single one Sasuke shoved in front of him before falling right back asleep. Sasuke had been here at five sharp for opening, the first and only in line.

"I-I'm... sorry." The woman stutters out. Sasuke has no idea what she's apologizing for. All she has to do is stamp, notarize it with a seal of chakra, and put it in the official files. It's not that hard. Surely she's done it before. "Maybe I should get my manager a-and--"

Sasuke felt his eye twitch. He put his hand on the hilt of his sword, just because he likes to rest it there sometimes. He felt his Sharingan swirl first into three tomoe, and then into the kaleidoscope of the Mangekyo. He stared down at her, not glaring but also not... not glaring.

The woman clammed up immediately, mouth snapping shut. Sasuke blinked at her, gaze traveling down to the papers. Her gaze followed his, sweat beading her brow. Sasuke tightened his grip on his sword's handle so hard it clicked out of its hilt.

"All you have to do is sign it." Sasuke said, voice level and blank. "This is necessary, and it's not against the law. So sign it." 

She signs it immediately, shivering even though it's pretty warm in here. The chakra bonds snap into place. Sasuke feels a tug at his naval for the briefest of moments. Satisfaction curls through his gut. He loosens his grip on his sword, letting it slide fully back into place.

The woman picks up the stamp, throat working. She sends Sasuke a wary glance. Sasuke stares at her, waiting. She gulps, bringing it down with shaky finality. It glows blue for a moment, the seal official and binding. A fire could take this place by storm and that document would survive. 

He watches her staple them together, tremors in her hands. She makes a copy and slides it across to him. He reaches forward, ignoring the way she seems to flinch as he delicately rolls it up and slides it into the inner pocket of his cloak. She sure is jumpy.

A smile spreads across his face. He has no clue why the woman looks so terrified.

"I-It's done." The woman chokes out. "C-Congratulations on... on your... marriage, Uchiha-san."

"Uchiha-Uzumaki." Sasuke corrected, tapping a finger down on the file still in front of her. His Sharingan faded away, the moment of his marriage memorized. "We're hyphenating."

He was gone in the next instant, gone in barely a flicker. A marriage needs rings, after all.

Naruto is just getting up when Sasuke gets back. He blinks sleepily, a cup of instant ramen in his hand. Sasuke snatches it from him before he can get the top off.

"What? No. I'm hungry, Sasuke." Naruto whined out as Sasuke tossed it back in the cabinet. "Where were you? I got cold."

The thought of Naruto getting cold was laughable. Sasuke grunted, looping the necklace he'd gotten over the blonde idiot's head. The ring on the chain dropped just past his collarbones, disappearing into his shirt. Yawning, Naruto dipped his head to look after it, still half-asleep. 

"Wear that. Don't take it off ever." Sasuke demanded. Naruto gave a grunt as Sasuke nudged him towards the table. "Sit down. I'll make you something that isn't going to kill you by thirty."

"But ramen." Naruto murmured, though he didn't argue further. His head thumped down on his crossed arms, chin propped up and eyes drowsily following him through the kitchen. Sasuke fished eggs out of Naruto's fridge, previously barren before he'd moved in, dragging out the tomatoes with them.

Omelettes were whipped up in no time flat. Sasuke felt weirdly happy today, which was strange considering it objectively wasn't any different than any other day barring the whole marriage thing. Sasuke had always heard that marriage brought happiness. He hadn't realized it was so literal.

What else does he know about marriage? Aside from what he observed of his own parents, admittedly not much. He knows about the commitment part and the sacred vow taken to be loyal to one another, but again, that's not much different than what they had before. It's just on paper now.

Married people move out together. They get houses. Do they need a house? Sasuke frowned, turning to peer at the apartment as he settled Naruto's food in front of him. This place was awfully small. They didn't spend tons of time here, but--

It was cramped. Eventually, as things calmed down and the village was rebuilt, they'd start to lay down thicker roots. Naruto's sealing stuff would overflow from its place contained messily atop his dresser. His plant collection would grow. Sasuke's scrolls and books and sword-keeping things would start to clutter.

Naruto would probably want a cat, or maybe a dog. He seemed to like dogs. Sasuke knew how to compromise. You'd need a backyard for one of those, wouldn't you? Definitely. And they should also get a bigger bed. Comfier. And maybe a few spare rooms in case. 

Buying a house was a milestone in most people's walks of life. It's probably one in theirs too. Sasuke would take Naruto to a few showings later.

"Eat slower, idiot." Sasuke sighed as he settled down in front of Naruto. He was promptly ignored, of course, receiving only a distracted hum in response as he shoveled his food down. 

Sasuke rolled his eyes. Really, he had no idea why he tried. 

"It's just so good. Too good. Are you drugging my food?" Naruto shoved another bite in his mouth, happily swaying from side to side. "I'm not mad. God, I could kiss you, seriously. Give me yours too."

Sasuke froze, unable to defend as one of his omelets was commandeered onto Naruto's plate. He blinked rapidly a few times, brain whirring. Kissing. Kissing Naruto. Naruto kissing him?

That's... a great idea. When did Naruto get this smart?

It makes total sense when you think about it. Married people live together, they buy houses together, they share meals, they cook for one another, they sleep in the same bed. They also kiss. And because he and Naruto are married, that's another thing that can be added to the list.

Close. Close, close, close.

The balloon in his chest feels close to popping now. Naruto starts chattering about something that hardly matters at all. Sasuke smiles as he eats his halved breakfast and doesn't complain once.

"Why're we here?" Naruto asks. It's only a week after they've married. They haven't kissed yet, but Sasuke doesn't want to spook him. They'll work up to that, as well as showering together, and all the other things-- Sasuke's not in a rush, if Naruto wants to make the first move. "Do you know the guy who lives here?"

"I might." If they move in. "Just tell me what you think about it. As if you were going to move in."

Naruto didn't even give him a weird looking, humming and turning to look at the home in a new light instead. It was nice. On the outskirts of Konoha, but not so far away that it would be a pain to commute in. Quiet and secluded enough for privacy, with enough room for the both of them to grow.

A nice place to settle. The type of home Naruto deserved. Naruto tapped his foot, hands on his hips. Sasuke eyes dropped, taking in the tilt of them. His mouth dried immediately despite the fact that Sasuke had plenty to drink today. 

"Hmmm. Well, it has a lot of windows, so that's nice! I like the fireplace too! It'd be really fun to hang out in! And, and, look at the kitchen! It's all super open, so everyone can be together even when they're in different rooms." Naruto reached back blindly, catching Sasuke's hand in his. "And look at how wide the hallway is! You can slide down it with your socks on without your arms hitting the walls, easy!" 

Sasuke wasn't sure why that was important, but clearly it had to be if Naruto was mentioning it so happily. That, or he's just a moron. It's hard to tell with him sometimes. Sasuke let himself be tugged along, watching Naruto throw closet doors open, observe bathrooms, and test faucets.

He was more thorough than Sasuke had been. He'd made the right choice bringing him along. Sasuke really didn't care where he landed as long as Naruto was there when he did, but Naruto was particular about these things. He'd had so little for so long-- now, he deserved the most.

"There's a big back yard." Sasuke directed, gentler than usual. Naruto's hand warming his softened his edges strangely, muddling the world and making it shine. "Perfect for a dog."

"Or a mini goat." Naruto beamed. That was an option? "Then you never have to mow!" 

Again, smarter than Sasuke gave him credit for. He hadn't realized just how many good ideas Naruto had until they'd moved in another. How blind he'd been. Just more proof that Sasuke had made the right move and that literally no other choice he could've made would've been the right one.

He'd felt closer than ever to Naruto lately, and it was blissful in a way he couldn't express out loud. Sasuke had never been good with words. He wagered he never would be. That's what made Naruto so great-- Sasuke didn't need words with him. Not when it mattered. 

Naruto just understood things. What Sasuke needed, and when, and why. He never asked needless questions. He just went with it, the two of them a simultaneous pair, always in motion but always in tandem when they were. Naruto, to Sasuke, was peace.

"So do you like it?" Sasuke asked. "The roof is new, but the house itself has been here for a while, so it's established. Central A/C was put in two years ago and has been serviced. No heating, but it's got a furnace in almost every room, and you could have it put in if you wanted."

"It's great! And look at the view." Naruto chirped out, waving at the glass back door. His smile went slightly wistful, another blink and miss it expression. "Whoever's family moves in here is going to be really lucky. Believe it."

Believe it. That, Sasuke certainly could. 

"Yeah." Sasuke agreed, bumping their shoulders. Naruto's hand was a perfect puzzle piece in his own. He traced up his face, taking in the way the setting sun seemed to glow across his face. He looked calm, genuine. Soft. "I'm sure they will."

Blue eyes turned and met his. Naruto's head gave that little tilt that Sasuke was growing to like so much. The kind that showed that Naruto was capable of doing more than shouting those boisterous questions of his out at the top of his lungs. 

Because for as loud as Naruto was, he could be just as quiet-- not many knew that. Sasuke felt privileged to. 

"Your Sharingan is on again." Naruto pointed out curiously. Sasuke gave him a rare smile, bumping their shoulders again. He didn't look away. Naruto's cheeks went pink. 

"Yeah." Sasuke agreed. "I know."

Sasuke's not sure what clicked in Naruto's eyes, but something seemed to, because he gave a brilliant smile back. Sasuke had never been more grateful to have a visual dojutsu before. 

It takes three weeks for it to happen. Sasuke has just closed on the house when they get the summons to come to the Hokage's office. Begrudgingly, Sasuke allows himself to be dragged there. 

Really, he's not a Konoha ninja anymore. He won't be until Naruto takes up the mantle. They tolerate him coming and going, even if he stays more often than not. He's back enough for Naruto to be content. He understands why Sasuke can't pledge his loyalty to the Leaf again, and he's content to wait for the day he can. 

Kakashi's office is freezing. Naruto doesn't seem to notice, but the chill bites down to Sasuke's bones and makes him wish they were anywhere but here. Preferably at their new house, moving things over and trying out the living room fire place. 

Naruto purses his lips, staring skeptically down at the piece of paper that Kakashi-sensei has just delicately placed down in front of him. Sasuke doesn't even bother trying to look at the page, staring off somewhere to the side uncaringly and looking bored.

Kakashi leans back slowly in his seat, staring at the pair of them with an indiscernible look in his eyes. Naruto squints at the words. He can see his name and Sasuke's name on it, and some really official looking stamp. Honestly, he's got no idea what it is. 

"Is this because he moved into my apartment?" Naruto asks after a beat. "Because I told him I wasn't adding him to the lease. Believe it."

Kakashi-sensei lets out a very long, very tired sigh. Sasuke twitches slightly but still refuses to look which is fairly telling in and of itself. Naruto squints harder, as if that's going to reveal something to him. 

Off to the side, Sakura pinches the bridge of her nose, looking utterly exhausted and like she'd rather be anywhere else. Shikamaru looks much the same, chin propped up on his fist as he tiredly watches the entire thing unfold like its some kind of real-time romcom. 

"No, Naruto. It's not because he moved into your apartment." Kakashi sounded completely done. "This is a marriage certificate."

"But it has my name on it." Naruto pointed out. Kakashi nodded. "And it also has Sasuke's name on it."

"Yes. Exactly." Kakashi agreed. "That's the problem." 

That's a problem? Why would that be a problem?

"Gay marriage isn't even legalized in Konoha at this time. I've got no idea how you pulled this off." Sakura sighed heavily. "Naruto, you know forgery is illegal, don't you? You can't just go around doing stuff like this because you think it's funny. This could've had serious, permanent consequences for you and Sasuke-kun both if we hadn't caught it."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed dangerously, and Kakashi visibly paused. Shikamaru did too, perking up slightly. He seemed to sit up even straighter when Naruto scratched the back of his neck, looking like he had no idea what they were talking about. 

"First of all, that's messed up. Why is gay marriage illegal? We're supposed to be like, progressive and accepting and stuff! Believe it!" Naruto puffed out his cheeks, looking upset. "Also, why're you acting like I did this? I have literally no idea what I'm looking at."

They all stared at Naruto for another beat before their gazes ever so slowly moved over to Sasuke, who raised an eyebrow at them. Shikamaru looked like he was trying not to laugh, sucking his lips inward. Sakura's face paled. Kakashi looked so, so tired.

Sasuke didn't move, staring back at them impassively. Naruto blinked at the three in front of him, seeming to realize their attention had shifted. He frowned, turning to look at Sasuke over his shoulder. 

"Sasuke..." Kakashi trailed off, sighing. Naruto's gaze dropped to the ring on Sasuke's finger, and then his chin dropped as he tried to look at his own necklace, which was tucked into his shirt.

Realization dawned on his face. Sasuke's not sure what it is he's realizing, seeing as Sasuke proposed in the barbecue place and Naruto gave a definite yes. Sasuke remembers it very vividly. He'd had his Sharingan on the whole time. The whole vision is embedded in his mind forever now.

Naruto looked back up, meeting Sasuke's eyes. He regarded Sasuke almost cautiously, searching his expression. Sasuke was content to stare back at him. Naruto's face is shockingly pleasing to stare at. Sasuke would know. He spends tons of time doing it every morning. 

"Oi. Did you move yourself into my apartment, start sleeping in my bed, and then marry me without saying anything?" Naruto asked slowly. Sakura made a strange choking noise. 

"You invited me to move in, offered the bed, and said yes when I asked. You even signed the papers." Sasuke pointed out. Naruto gave him a bewildered look. Sasuke reached forward, yanking the chain around his neck back so the ring came up and fell over the collar of his shirt. "You even took this. You haven't taken it off."

"You-- You told me not to!" Naruto squawked out defensively, face reddening in a way it so rarely did these days. Sasuke turned his Sharingan on and the flush deepened. "Stop doing that!" 

Kakashi let out a groan, dropping his head into his hands. Shikamaru broke loose into a round of hard laughter, something that he seldom did. Sakura looked like her whole life had been flipped on its head, like she was re-evaluating everything she thought she knew.

Naruto floundered. Sasuke frowned a bit at the look on his face. He seemed like he really hadn't known, but that wasn't possible. They'd been at this for so long now. This had been so inevitable. Sasuke's not great with words, but surely he's not that bad.

His hand reached out, latching onto Naruto's again. Naruto blinked wildly at him but didn't pull away, opening and closing his mouth a few times in search of words. It was rare to see him so speechless. Definitely worth memorizing.

"S-So, wait--" Sakura held a hand up, sputtering. "Sasuke did that? Sasuke, you're in love with Naruto?"

Sasuke felt himself tense up. He opens his mouth to rebut it immediately, because he's obviously not. But then that balloon in his chest gives a dangerous shutter, and Sasuke... stops. He frowns.

Love has always been a nebulous concept to Sasuke, something he knew well and yet hadn't touched in a long time. He'd had it with his family, strongly with Itachi even through his death. Loving Itachi had been hard for almost as long as he could remember. It was something he resented himself for. Something worthy of punishment.

Even thinking Itachi had killed their entire clan, Sasuke had still loved him. With every piece of him, he'd ached to have his brother back in his life. It had hurt to kill him. It had hurt even more to learn he didn't have to die. Love, to him, had always been a fight. It had always been torturous. It had always been a slow, agonizing drag.

What is love even supposed to be? He knows that the Uchiha feel it fiercely. He knows that their love is the stuff of legend, that it went down in the history books. That it exists at the center of his clan, its creation and destruction in equal rights. 

With Naruto, Sasuke is happy. He wants to spend the rest of his life waking up next to him. He wants to spend his days with him. He wants to hold him, and he does want to kiss him, and spend holidays with him, and mix their laundry, and brush their teeth side by side. If Naruto is hurt, he wants to be the first they call. If he's hurt, he wants Naruto to be the first one there.

Naruto's beautiful. He's smart in his own way, and the unwavering kindness he showers others with is impossible to ignore. His passion burns like a star, and Sasuke could stare into it until he went blind if it meant protecting him. Sasuke could be Icarus if it meant being close to him for only a moment more.

"Oh." Sasuke blinks, befuddled. So he is gay then. "I am in love with him."

Shikamaru's laughter increases. Kakashi lets out another, louder groan. Sakura's eyes bulge. 

"You did all that and you didn't KNOW?!" Sakura shrieked, but Sasuke's not looking at her. 

Naruto's eyes are wide, his face red, his lips parted. Sasuke startles initially when he sees the wetness that wells up in his eyes, but the grin that follows relaxes him-- a sign all is well. Naruto's fingers tighten around his. He's incandescent.

"Sasuke." Naruto says it with almost too much feeling to bear. "I love you too!" 

Oh. 

The balloon that's been sitting in Sasuke's chest for so long he'd forgotten when it appeared popped. Just like that. In an instant, all the pressure, all the tension seeped out of him as if it were never there to begin with. His shoulders sagged. He let out a long breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

Love. This whole time, it was love. In hindsight, he probably should've seen that coming. 

(They have their first kiss in their new house, long and slow and with Naruto laughing happily between each breath. And he's right-- chasing him back to the bedroom, Sasuke finds out you can slide down the hallway in socks without your arms hitting the sides.)