Bruises & Bitemarks (SasuNaru)

93.

Kiba and I talk a lot as we walk to the cafeteria, then eat. Since we don't hang out every day now, there's tons to talk about, but it's all trivial stuff – nothing nearly as trying as our previous conversation sitting in the grass. We part in the dorm building's stairwell; I get off at the second floor to go to Sasuke's room, while Kiba continues up to his room on the third floor.

"Hey, Naru-chan," says Takeshi when I enter the room. "How was your date?"

I raise an eyebrow at him and slide onto Sasuke's bed next to him. Sasuke slips his arms around my waist, holds me close, takes a deep breath, then frowns. "You smell like Kiba."

"Do I? Sorry."

"What did you do, roll around in the grass with him?" Shiroi asks, sniggering.

"There was a brief hug. Am I not entitled to hug my friends?"

"I never said that, but hugs are pretty gay."

"Mm," Sasuke agrees, pulling me closer. I chuckle and kiss him. He rolls over a little and pulls me on top of him, shifting his hips in the process. I hold my breath as a brief surge of adrenaline rushes into my bloodstream.

"Man, can't you guys even wait until you're alone before getting down 'n' dirty?" Takeshi says mockingly. "As if you guys don't already screw like bunnies to begin with."

"Not anymore," I say. "There aren't enough opportunities."

"I bet there are opportunities all over the school. Has Sasuke fulfilled his fantasy of doing you on a teacher's desk yet?"

"W-what?" I turn quickly to Sasuke, who's smirking. He nips at my pulse. "Sasuke, when'd you tell them that?"

"They pried it out of me. Sorry, Naru." He doesn't sound sorry at all, nor does it sound like he struggled very much.

"But – you haven't even told me that!"

"I know." He smiles. "So, jokes aside, how was your day?"

I snuggle closer. "It was great. I'd forgotten how much I missed hanging out with Kiba." I tell him all about our day, except for the part where we pointed out hot guys and girls. Instead I talk about his enthusiasm in chatting with Araragi-san. It kind of makes Kiba seem gay, but that's not much of a deal for this crowd.

"Kiba's straight, right?" says Shiroi. "He doesn't seem all that gay."

"Not so sure," says Takeshi. "My gaydar's getting mixed signals."

"Your... gaydar?" I repeat sceptically.

"Yeah! Don't you have one? It's like a sixth sense." Takeshi wiggles his fingers as though indicating a supernatural power. "Most gays and some perceptive straights can tell if someone is gay. Naruto, you have an extra sense because of Kyuubi, right? You'd definitely have a gaydar."

I frown. "Maybe it's thrown off by the fact that I've known Kiba since before I was gay."

"Trust my gaydar, man. I've never been wrong."

"So is he gay or straight?"

He shrugs. "Both, probably. Bi."

"Bi, huh?" I consider. "I slipped his phone number into Araragi-san's pocket. It'll be fun to see what happens."

—

The sky dumps a mountain's worth of snow on us the next day, to many people's simultaneous delight and despair. On one hand, we never get this much snow – nearly a foot – and it's great fun to play in. On the other hand, it's freezing cold and we have to trudge through it between the dorms, the cafeteria, and the school. Eventually the paths are cleared off enough to allow easier travel. After breakfast on the first day, Takeshi and Takeshi convince me and Sasuke to join them in a snowball fight. Rather, they throw a snowball at Sasuke, who ducks, making it hit me instead and, pardon the pun, it snowballs from there. We're sore and tired and hot when I hear Sai call out my name.