"Ugh!" Shikamaru groaned and threw his book down on the floor after scribbling who knows what all over it. "I bet Sensei doesn't even know this shit himself! Why do we have to learn it? It's not like we're gonna use it in the future!" He fell back onto my bed and buried his head under my pillow, grunting in frustration.
"Shikamaru," Sasuke laughed, "Konoha high is one of the most prestigious schools around for miles. You got admitted into it because you're smart. Smarter than me, that's for sure."
Shikamaru scoffed and laughed unamusingly, "Oh, please. Kiba goes to our school, remind me again how pristine it is?" The three of us couldn't hold back our laughs this time. I could imagine Kiba sitting right here next to us, gritting his teeth in anger and lunging at Shikamaru for his snarky remarks.
"Whatever," Shikamaru shrugged, "might as well get this bullshit over with. Sasuke, why don't ya' just check that for me?" A grin spread to Shikamaru's face as he pointed to the book that was at my feet from when he'd thrown it during his mini meltdown.
Sasuke scooted right up next to me, taking the book in his hands and flipping it open to the corresponding page. He blinked rapidly, looked up at Shikamaru, sighed, and then looked over at me.
"What?" I asked Sasuke. Shikamaru is smart, smarter than me anyway, (he's just too lazy to do anything) no way he his answers were that absurd.
I leaned into Sasuke's shoulder. Shit. I'm so close to him, I can smell the shampoo in his hair: minty, his hair smelled like peppermint. I smiled at this surprising yet sweet discovery and set my head on Sasuke's shoulder, he relaxed into me until he was leaning against my body. Eventually I just focused my attention to whatever disappointed Sasuke.
I gasped in shock and glared at the lazy boy, who was howling in laughter as he wiped tears from his eyes.
"Oh - oh, shit! You shoulda' seen your reaction, Naruto!" He snorted, and I couldn't help but smile. "Fuck, the look on your face was priceless!"
Dead in the center of Shikamaru's math page, open for the world to see was a large drawing of a.. well.. something too inappropriate to really put into words.
"You're so immature, honestly." I felt like I was talking to a brick wall with the way Shikamaru was wheezing and gasping for air, completely ignoring the words coming out of my mouth.
Sasuke sighed and closed the book, an uncomfortable smiling plastered on his face. I only now realized I was still leaning against his shoulder. While Shika was still hooting with laughter, Sasuke slowly and inconspicuously slipped his arm through mine.
"It's time for you to go now..." I shook myself off Sasuke and stood up, dragging Shikamaru (who was now recovering from his laugh attack) out of my bed. He grabbed his textbook and bag and waved me off before I could through him out of my room. He trudged downstairs, snickering to himself all the way.
I looked back to see Sasuke still sitting on the floor smiling to himself awkwardly.
His question took me by surprise.
"Should I - uh - leave?" He stiffened, reaching for his book bag.
Is he uncomfortable now? I feel like we're finally starting to get along. I don't want him to leave. As much as I hate to admit it, I kind of like hanging out with him.
I slowly walked over to the door - meeting his gaze the whole time - and locked it with a quick click. His eyes widened and his lips parted ever so slightly before he swallowed and stood up.
"Naruto?" As if on cue, he slowly started taking his cardigan off and letting it fall to the floor.
"Revenge, raven. Revenge." Was all I said before making my way towards him.
I gripped Sasuke by the waist and - in a moment of surprise - his hands flew up to lock around my shoulders. He gasped at my sudden touchiness before I stroked his cheek with my thumb, repeating his action from hours earlier. I, of course, did it better. I could tell he thought so too by how red his face was.
"What do you .. what do you mean 'revenge'?" Sasuke asked, slowly gaining his confidence back. He cocked an eyebrow and smirked at me, intertwining his fingers around my neck.
If I'm about to make out with him, I might as well make it good, otherwise he'll tease me for being a bad kisser later.
"You should've told me you felt this way, Naru, I would've pulled you into a private room so much earlier. Just for the two of us." He whispered huskily into my ear and backed me into the wall.
A shiver went down my spine, but I sure as hell wasn't cold with the warmth of his body pressed flush against mine.
"Don't do something you'll regret, Uchiha." I peppered light kisses on his neck.
He chuckled and put a leg between mine. "I don't think either of us will regret this... not for a long time, my darling boy."
"Are you two alright? Did you get into another fight?" My mother frowned, tucking a lock of her red hair behind her ear as she set our food down on the table.
"Oh, no, everything's alright, Mrs. Uzumaki. Thank you for caring." Sasuke lied smoothly.
I took a breath and started eating my food, still trying to compose myself.
Replaying the events from half an hour earlier, my face flushes each time I do so. I can't even look Sasuke in the eyes right now, and I know he loves how embarrassed I am.
How was he so cool about this? In front of my mother, too? As if his lips hadn't just been attacking my neck and collarbone?
Now here he was, sitting right next to me, pretending it never happened. I felt my face heat up as tried I looking at him. How embarrassing.
"May I be excused?" I stood abruptly, surprising my parents and making Sasuke look away, hiding his smile.
My father and mother exchanged a glance before nodding and waving me off.
"Would you like Sasuke to come with you?" My father asked, confusion and worry coating his words.
"Uh, sure. We'll be back in a few minutes. I just remembered Shikamaru left his coat upstairs, he'll be in trouble tomorrow if I don't get it to him before school. I just want to notify him." I blabbered on, certain they'd stopped listening.
"Surely that can wait until after we ea -" I was already flying up the stairs, dragging Sasuke by the arm, (lacing my hand in his as soon as my parents couldn't see) and locking my door shut behind us.
I slid down against the wall, hitting the floor with a resounding thump. Sasuke followed and sat in silence, letting me process everything. I guess he had to process it too.
What's happening to me? Why do I feel this way?
I feel sick. That's all. Maybe I am sick, or paranoid, as Sensei suggested.
I could vomit right now thinking these thoughts. Why is Sasuke suddenly making me feel so flustered? Why does my face get hot when I look at him?
Why am I starting to enjoy his presence?
The bittersweet realization hit me. And as soon as it did, I felt much more relieved. I wished I'd realized this before, it would've made these past few weeks so much easier. But this isn't happening. There's no way. Sure, I never liked being bombarded by the girls, but I never considered the possibility that I was gay?
"Naruto..?" Sasuke whispered to me, rubbing the back of my hand. "Naruto, are you alright?" I nodded, and rolled my eyes at my own stupidity. Snapping out of my trance, we stared at each other in complete silence, his expression one of worry.
I never noticed the color of his eyes. Black. Pitch black. No light in them whatsoever. I would've found this feature of his slightly unsettling if he wasn't so.. perfect.
I licked my lips and swallowed, watching as his expression of worry become even more concerned. He reached out and rubbed my arm, tilting his head to the side.
"What's wrong?" He whispered, his hand now traveling upward to the back of my neck.
"Sasuke I..." I stared into his glossy obsidian eyes. "I think I'm catching feelings for you. I... I need some time alone, please.
"Catching - catching feelings? For me? But, why do you need time alone?! Naruto. Do you know how long I've waited for those words?" He tore his hand away, the cold flowing to my neck without his warm touch nestled there.
"Just - just go. Please." My voice cracked, my words barely a whisper under the raging beat of my heart.
He closed his eyes, not meeting my gaze. "Alright." He smiled his pearly white smile, which only made it hurt so much more when he started to walk away. "I'll see you later, love."
"Naruto, what happened? Why did Sasuke-Kun leave so suddenly?" My mother called through my bathroom door. I swallowed hard, hoping my crying wasn't evident.
"His mother called, it was something urgent. I'm sure everything will be fine tomorrow!" My voice surprisingly didn't crack. I watched as the soap washed out of my hair and disappeared down the drain.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, mom, I'll ask him at school tomorrow."
"Okay.. I love you."
"I love you too, mom."
Silence after that, the anxiety in my stomach made it hard to stand, made it hard to do anything for that matter. I felt nauseous thinking about being separated from Sasuke, even for a short while. I feel so attached to him, is this unhealthy? Like I said. It's been a mere few weeks.
If I hadn't distanced myself from Sasuke. Would we have ended up going out?
I laughed at my choice of wording. Now there is an 'Us', as soon as I told him I needed space.
Why do I want him so bad? This is unnatural.
It made me sick thinking about the long weeks of restless nights I know I'll have to go through now. The restless nights I'll be thinking of Sasuke. The restless nights of crying and pain.
Did I make the right choice?
Should I have told him to go?
I need him now. Whether I like it or not. Sasuke Uchiha is now a part of my life, and I don't hate it.
Of course I don't hate it. Now that I've acknowledged my feelings, now that I know I need him, I don't want to stay away, but I don't want my feelings to overcome what we already have.
My chest aches with an unbearable pain, I need him so bad it's physically hurting me.
My heart started beating faster. Too fast. It felt as though it was going to leap right out of my chest. I could scream and cry with happiness and confusion now.
Sasuke stared at me. He didn't pay the girls any mind, he focused on me. Today when he made love to me. Our conversation hours earlier about how long he's 'waited for those words.' He's been waiting for me to tell him he likes him.
Sasuke Uchiha likes me back. I'm so sure of it now. I want him. I want him more than I've ever wanted anything.