There's a Reason He Doesn't Sleep

A new pairing

"Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven!" Kurama and Konan both wrapped their arms around each other's torsos, riling everyone up as they counted the seconds left until the new year. Pein joined them, smiling as he looked over to Konan and just how happy she looked. "Five! Four!" Tenten, Ino, Hinata, Sai, and Lee joined Sasuke and Naruto over by the shore, waiting to light the fireworks as the time grew near. "Three! Two! One!" The time changed to midnight and the calendar on their phones marked the new year.

Pein held Konan and before any of them could cheer, the two shared a deep kiss.

Sakura and Ino hugged each other, jumping around and welcoming the new year as the other people on the beach lit fireworks. Sai and Hinata also hugged each other, wishing themselves a happy new year before Sai walked over to Ino and also shared a passionate kiss. Ten and Lee both called their friend Neji to leave him a voice mail as it was his duty to patrol around the area in case anything happened during the occasion.

Naruto received hugs from the overly enthusiastic people around him and he hugged them back with only a simple smile on his face. Sasuke had been busy lighting fireworks as Kisame walked over and hugged Naruto tightly, wishing him a happy new year before noticing the sullen smile on the blond's lips. Asking if anything was wrong, Naruto assured him everything was completely fine. He lied and said it was just because he was sleepy and Kisame bought it.

Sasuke celebrated with others, trying to make his way over to Naruto who now stood next to Konan and Pein. He was unable to get closer as a new person would hug him with every step he took. Naruto would've gladly joined walked over to help him out if Itachi hadn't walked over to stand behind him with Kyu.

Three days after Christmas, Kurama and Itachi had busted through the door piss drunk. Konan and Pein had been helping them walk over towards the couch, where the two sat next to each other and stumbled onto their seats. Sasuke and Naruto had been lounging in the kitchen at the time, and both had looked curiously over towards Konan and Pein kissing each other goodbye. Apparently, Itachi and Konan were history. Konan joked about Kyu finally stealing another boyfriend from her.

At first, Naruto thought it to be a joke. While Sasuke only awkwardly asked how it is she wasn't so shaken up about it, Naruto kept wondering if Kyu and Itachi were really going out now. He shook it off, convincing himself Konan was probably as drunk as his brother and Itachi were. However, Kyu had made it very clear that Itachi and him were definitely dating as the two had gotten up from the couch and hours later, were sober enough to be sitting on top of each other engulfed in a heated kiss.

The days before new year's had passed in relaxation. Naruto, at first worried, was finding himself completely unbothered as Kyu had Itachi out most of the day, but it still worried him. "Naruto!" Kurama pulled his brother into a hug. "Happy new years!" He planted a kiss on the blond's forehead, laughing as Naruto tried to pry his brother off of him.

Releasing his brother, Kyu shoved him over towards Itachi, smiling warmly as the Uchiha seemed to hold Naruto in a comfortable hug. "Happy new years, Naruto." Itachi smiled as he tightly held the boy.

Fireworks continued their airborne journey towards the skies as Sai and Lee lit more of them. Sparkling colored lights descended upon the water's surface, making the beach look simply magical as said lights reflected upon the waters.

"So, Naruto." Kyu started. "Mind if you help us out tomorrow?" Itachi let go of the blond, pinching his side a little as he walked off to hug his brother before the boy could even get to Naruto.

"Help?" Naruto asked, looking over towards Sasuke. "With what?"

Kyu flashed a smile as Itachi and Sasuke finally walked over, Sasuke wrapping his arm around Naruto's shoulders. "Itachi's moving in with us for a while, isn't that great?"

Naruto's eyes wandered over to Itachi's as he took his place next to Kyu. Itachi smiled down at him, saying something inaudible as the fireworks muted his voice. "He's....what?" The blond asked, slowly his vision blurring into nothing but darkness.

"Naruto? Naruto!"

"He's fine, I'm pretty sure it was from all that smoke." Naruto could hear a loud mumbling in his ear. "All that firework stink got to him." He could feel himself moving, though he wasn't walking. "Hey look, he's up."

"Mm." The Uzumaki groaned.

"How are you feeling?" Sasuke's chest felt cold to the blond. He was wearing that dumb jacket Naruto knew he hated so much but wore it as it kept him nice and warm from the inside.

"Sasuke, let me down." Naruto demanded. "I can walk myself."

"Idiot, as if. You fainted, no way am I letting you down." Sasuke said with dorky smile in place as he looked down to his cargo. "Hey, why don't I carry you often? You're very light, have you been eating?"

"Dumbass, that's the effect you had on him." Naruto turned his head over to watch as Kisame led the way, Sakura skipping along the curve as she twirled the car keys in her finger.

"He should've gained that weight back by now, haven't you seen him eat?" Sasuke smiled down at his boyfriend sadly, silently apologizing. Naruto shook his head, knowing well it wasn't just Sasuke's fault.

"Hey, let me down." Naruto once again ordered. "I don't want to go home yet." He tried to shift his face closer to Sasuke's jacket despite it being cold to the touch. Although he had said he wanted to be put down, Naruto liked the feeling of being carried.

"Too bad. Kyu went ape shit after you fainted. The only reason you're not being urgently taken to the hospital for emergencies is because Itachi stayed behind with him." Sakura laughed, unlocking the car. She threw the car keys over to Kisame and slid into the passenger seat. While Kisame turned the car on, Sasuke gently slid into the back seat, careful to not let him down not even once as he had him sit on his lap despite Kisame suggesting he could sit on his own.

Inhaling a bit, Naruto could smell the cologne Sasuke wore without showering himself in it like Kisame did. A bit of the cold January air went in, sending a refreshing sensation through his nostrils. "Sasuke?"

"Hm?"

"Hold me tighter." The two heard Sakura as she scoffed and Kisame laughed. Despite the two joking around, Sasuke did as Naruto told him and held him closer, placing his forehead on top of the blond's. His lips ghosted a little above Naruto's and he could feel a smirk as he pecked him on the lips.

"Gross, at least wait until we get home." Kisame joked, turning on the warm air and rubbing his hands together before grabbing the wheel. "Hey, so what's this about Itachi moving in??" He asked Sasuke as he looked in the rearview mirror. Naruto tensed up a little.

"No idea." Sasuke responded, raising his head to look over at him. "Kyu just dropped in out of nowhere and announced it. He's whipped." Sasuke said, adding a scoff as he remembered Kurama barging into his house and announcing the big news. "Kinda fast, right?"

Kisame nodded as he began driving over the gravel, making the ride a bit bumpy as they exited the beach parking lot. Many people were still celebrating, igniting fireworks like many others scattered around the beach were. Sasuke and Sakura talked amongst themselves while Naruto lay in Sasuke's lap quietly thinking about the horrors he could probably end up facing in his own house. 'Damn it, Kyu. Why?' He thought to himself.

Why, indeed.