Bruises & Bitemarks (SasuNaru)

107.

"Have you seen the way he moves? I nearly came when he kissed me. He's that seductive."

Shiroi nods, leading Takeshi to the couch so they can sit down. "I definitely remember that about him. I'm just surprised you took him up on the offer considering how much he fucked up your year, and how much you frowned upon his morals."

"I didn't think there was anything wrong with some playing around," I say. "It's just that he made it sound like relationships were nothing to him, and he slept with anyone he could get into bed with."

"You coulda gotten into bed with tons of better people than Blue," Takeshi retorts. "Just 'cause he asked you doesn't mean he's the best choice."

"I never got into bed with him, I told you already."

"That's not the point! You were going to, and—"

"Guys," says Shiroi in a raised, calm voice, "let's not argue about it. Takeshi, it's already happened and no harm came of it, so don't worry so much. Naruto, it sounds like you acted responsibly enough, but it does seem like you went against your own ideals last night. I have to admit you are coming off as a bit hypocritical."

I frown and stuff my hands in my pockets. Shiroi's right, but I still stand by what I did. Maybe it wasn't the best, safest, most righteous course, but I enjoyed it, and like Shiroi said, nothing bad happened. But Takeshi keeps making a big deal out of it. He's leaning against Shiroi now, still looking angry.

Shiroi sighs and ruffles Takeshi's hair. "Come on, you two. Let's go to the market or something, alright?"

—

It's a beautiful day, and with Shiroi's help we manage to more or less forget the argument. At least neither of us is willing to bring it up again. Shiroi pits us against each other at the Dance Dance Revolution machine, making us interact in a competitive way and ultimately burning off our excess resentment. By the end we're laughing and sharing high fives and mocking each other for the steps we've missed, but all in jest. I'm glad, because being in a state of argument with Takeshi just doesn't seem right. I can handle a good debate with him, but now that it's gotten personal it has nothing to do with the topic and everything to do with my feelings, and I'm unable to erase any bias I might have.

The name twins have always been masters of distraction, but once we've been around town and come back home and made dinner together and watched a hilarious movie and finally settled down to sleep at some ungodly hour in the morning, my mind returns to the issue at hand. I know it shouldn't really be an issue, really. I know I don't regret what I did, and I know there were no negative outcomes, but I still can't help dwelling on it. Maybe it's just because Takeshi made it seem like it was an issue. Though he may goof off, I do trust his judgement, and it's making me rethink my own convictions. And that bothers me. Because the only thing that's stopping me from folding over with guilt is the fact that I keep telling myself that I thought it all through – which I did – and that there's nothing wrong with having a little fun once in my lifetime. It's not like I'm about to go do that with everyone I see, and, like or hate, I've known Blue long enough to know things about him. So maybe the things I know aren't very good things, but it prepared me, didn't it?

"Go to sleep, kit," grumbles Kyuubi. When I don't react, he says, "You're having doubts, aren't you?"

"No," I reply quietly so as not to disturb the name twins, who are already asleep together in a futon on the floor, having given me Takeshi's bed.

"You asked me whether you should go and I said no, but you went and did it anyway. You've got no one to blame but yourself."

"I'm not trying to blame anyone else."