"So, how was it?" Sakura wondered, smirking at her flushed best friend. They were on their way to school again in the blistering cold.
"How was what?"
"Your little stroll with Mr. Bad Boy," she clarified. "I saw you two yesterday through my window. There were a lotta smiles between you two."
"You mean Sasuke?" Naruto swallowed nervously and pulled at his puffy jacket collar. "W-We became friends."
"Hm. Just friends?" Sakura couldn't hold back the vicious smile on her lips. "Are you sure that's all you guys are? Cuz I don't turn that red with any of my friends."
"Yes, Sakura. Just friends."
"You become friends within one day of meeting in each other. I wonder what'll happen after a week." She snickered. "Maybe you could even invite him to Lee's party."
"I'm not going to Lee's party." Naruto shook his head and scrunched his face up. "There's nothing I hate more than horny teenagers, loud music, and booze. Plus, I have to train for the baseball tryouts in a few weeks."
"What?! You have to be there! You're like my best friend!" Sakura whined, grabbing on his puffy sleeve. "Someone has to tell me to not sleep with Lee! I won't have any self restraint without you there! I'm trying to maintain my innocence, you know!"
"Dude, if you wanna sleep with Lee, go ahead. I'm not your babysitter."
"B-But..." Sakura huffed. "Well if you won't go for me maybe you can go for yourself. This is your last year as a high schooler. After this, we'll be adults with taxes and whatever the fuck else. Live a little! You won't be a teenager forever."
"I am living. I'm trying to be a baseball player on our school team. What's more teenager than that?"
"Getting wasted and making out with your crush."
Naruto rolled his eyes. "You're beyond help."
"Just think about it! Please! For me?" She stuck out a pink glossed bottom lip.
"I'll think about it if you stop nagging me." He huffed.
"Deal! But if you do go, you have to let me dress you. This is just the occasion to look a little slutty."
Naruto's grimace weighed him down. He could imagine it— a low cut dress with a cleavage dip at the chest. Stockings, heels and... makeup. Ugh. He wanted to vomit. Sakura's idea of slutty was exactly the image he didn't want to push. Nobody was going to believe that he was a man by wearing a small dress that exposed his 'feminine curves.'
"That's not me..." Naruto groaned.
Sakura was about to interject when the revving of a motorcycle caught the pair's attention. Speeding in from the left, leaving a bog of smoke behind him, was the composed Uchiha. He halted to a stop in front of them and anchored his heel on the sidewalk. Sakura looked over at her best friend and almost squealed at his embarrassed face.
Sasuke took off his helmet and drove a hand through his hair, tossing his bang to the side. He smirked and greeted Naruto, a white puff escaping his mouth, "Hey, blondie."
Naruto couldn't even respond. He was frozen stiff. You could tap his shoulder and watch him fall like a wooden plank, if you wanted to. If his face got any hotter and pinker, steam would've started to seep from his forehead.
An idea popped into Sakura's head and she couldn't wipe the nasty grin off her face. She clapped her hands together and batted her emerald eyes. "So, Sasuke, do you like parties?"
"Parties?" the raven repeated, tilting his head. "Depends on the type."
She glanced at Naruto. "My boyfriend, Lee— Captain of the football team, loaded as fuck— is hosting a party at his house this weekend. Me and Naruko will be going along with like, half the school."
"I-I never said—" Naruto started but was promptly interrupted.
"I was wondering if you wanted to come too. There will be so many people. It will be a great opportunity to meet someone new! I'm aiming to find someone to hook-up with Naruko if you know what I mean." She giggled.
"Sakura—?!" the blond blurted. His best friend pulled his jacket hoodie over his face to muffle his words.
"So... whaddya think? Wanna come?" Sakura hoped that her white lie would motivate raven. If there were feelings there already, surely he would want to come with the pair to make sure nothing happens with Naruto and a certain boy.
"Well, social parties aren't really my thing, but..." Sasuke watched Naruto squirm out of his fluffy jacket hood and cover his red face with his gloved hands. He felt a small tug on his heart from the endearing motion. "...I'd be willing to go if blondie over here wants me to."
He nudged his head in the direction of Naruto, who just blushed harder at the sudden attention shift. Naruto put his hands down and clasped them to his chest. "I-It's your choice, S-Sasuke..."
Sasuke scanned Naruto's tense body, his black stare falling down his puffy jacket shoulders and baggy uniform sweatpants. He flicked his sight back up and made contact with Naruto's trembling blue eyes.
He scoffed. "Sure. I'm down."
• • •
The obnoxiously loud period bell rang throughout the school and teens started flooding the hallway. Among the crowd was a groaning blond next to his hyperactive best friend.
"I can't believe you invited him!"
"What do you mean? This is great! You can spend more time with him now! A party is the best environment to cross boundaries with people you like." Sakura nodded.
"I don't want to... c-cross boundaries with him..." Naruto mumbled, looking down at their feet as they walked through the busy hallway.
"Well, I mean, you do like him, right?" Sakura pursed her glossy pink lips. "And he obviously likes you so—"
"No he doesn't!" Naruto shot his head up and refuted with a red blush.
"Don't you remember how he was when we met him yesterday? Cold, mean, and scary. Now, after literally one day, he's smiling at you," Sakura explained, "He clearly likes you."
"We're just friends! Nobody starts liking someone after just a day!"
"That might be true for some but you're Naruko Umino. Everybody likes you. How many confessions have you had from literal strangers? People who've never spoken to you like you, Naruko."
"I..." Naruto didn't know how to respond. Sakura was right, as weird as it was for him to admit it. A lot of people at their school confessed to him— people he's never spoken to ever. Sometimes, Naruto even received confessions from people outside of school when he visited a store or sat down at a restaurant.
The reality was that he was an attractive person. But it made him unnerved that Sasuke, someone who seemed different from the others, could also fall for him like a mindless puppy. He couldn't believe it. Sasuke knew him as boy with short hair and a jumpy attitude. What was there to like? At least before, when he leaned into gender roles, people saw a long haired girl with a lot of energy.
Could Sasuke really like him for the boy he was? He still couldn't believe it: the fact that Sasuke used the right pronouns without hesitation and treated him like he would any other teenage boy. Maybe that's all Naruto liked about him. Did he know anything personal about Sasuke that would merit feelings more strong?
In fact, all Naruto really knew about the raven was that he was incredibly fit and covered in bruises. He has an older brother who's into literature and he comes from a rich family. That's about it.
But, oddly enough, knowing that much information about a person you've met the day prior was unique enough to raise even more questions.
Sakura was still rambling on about Sasuke and Lee's party when Naruto lost his dazed state. Her nagging voice tuned into his ears, filling it with the dialect of a gossip girl. They were both heading to their gym period, where the pair were meant to part ways as Naruto was enrolled in a special physical education for his softball career.
Before they could reach the gymnasium, Sakura made plans to meet after school to talk about outfits for Lee's party. Naruto dreaded their hang out but he didn't have the heart to turn her passionate request down.
Finally, the separation of the hall cut Sakura's speech to a close and both shuffled in the opposite direction. Naruto entered the locker room hallway and grimly entered the girl's section. One day, he told himself, would he gather the courage to wander into the men's locker room.
The heavy door swung open and a waft of perfume and female hygienic products spammed his nostrils. He strolled over to his locker and kept his head down, avoiding the eyes of the half naked girls. He didn't enjoy being surrounded by them, especially when he knew his body was under the scrutiny of the female gaze. They would leer at his chest and compare their own; scope out the size of his waist and suck in their tummies to match. Nothing could filter the way these girls acted around him and their unspoken thoughts scared him the most.
Naruto laid his large duffel bag on the floor and quickly put in his combination. When the metal door clicked open, Naruto heard another person approaching his left side. His teammate and friend, Hinata, smiled brightly at the blond and tossed her purple duffel bag next to Naruto's.
"Good afternoon, Naruko!" she chirped, the corners of her lips standing up unnaturally.
"Good afternoon, Hinata..." Naruto sighed and crouched onto the floor brush through his duffel bag. Hinata tilted her head down and stared at the hurried blond as he scrambled for his clothing. She bit her lip upon seeing a practice ball roll out of his bag. Hinata cradled a piece of hair behind her ear and picked up the ball, analyzing its scratched up surface.
The egg colored ball reminded the girl of her encounter with the new kid yesterday. What did he say his name was again? It didn't really matter. He liked Naruto and that made him her romantic opponent. She was not going to let some random punk teen ruin all the development she made over the years with Naruto. Joining the softball team was her way of getting closer to Naruto; this was her resolve and it couldn't have been stronger than some random nobody.
Naruto rose from the floor and scanned the surrounding area. They were in the corner of the locker room, two large locker sections closing them in from the rest of the locker room. Once the coast was clear, the blond hooked his fingers underneath his vest and tore it off his head. Luckily, it wasn't stained from yesterday's incident with chocolate milk.
He tore the ribbon from his white button up and began twiddling with the top buttons, slowly revealing his tan chest. Hinata tried to make it seem like she wasn't watching him change but— it was hard for her not to stare. Naruto was taller than her and, despite how the baggy clothes present, he was actually very fit under his clothes. Nothing drastic but his shoulders were broad and arms were cut; his collarbone stuck out slightly which led symmetrically to his chest.
Hinata was hypnotized by his chest. The girl herself had a generous rack that made it hard to exercise. She envied and ironically loved Naruto for having a smaller pair, as it fit the narrow frame he had. Countless times she found herself dreaming about brushing her hands down his chest and hugging his small waist. She wanted to press her face against his abdomen and stay stuck there for days on end. There were other thoughts about Naruto's body that plagued her mind. Even dirtier thoughts. Like whether the curtains matched the drapes. That's how deep her infatuation went.
Naruto finally unbuttoned his top and threw it off, the stray fabric falling on the bench. Hinata resisted the urge to swipe it and stash it where she just hid Naruto's practice ball. She flicked her eyes back at Naruto, who wore nothing but a small black bra and baggy sweatpants. Hinata turned bright red and turned away from her crush, covering her steaming face with her hands.
"Hinata?" Naruto questioned, slipping off his sweatpants and adjusting his gray boxers. "Are you not gonna get ready?"
"Y-Yeah! Yeah! I'm just... cold, is all," she fumbled out an excuse.
"Really?" Naruto bent back down and took out a brown zip sweater. He handed it to Hinata from behind her back. "Here. You can borrow my sweater. I'm sure coach won't mind."
Hinata's eyes widened at the sight of Naruto's sweater. It was his sweater. It probably had his sweat and smell all over it, especially shoved inside the depths of his duffel bag. The girl's fingers shook as she gratefully accepted the sweater and held it close to her chest. She mumbled out a meek thank you.
"No problem. I know it's hard to practice during winter time," Naruto casually said, tying the shoelaces of his cleats.
Hinata swallowed harshly and her fingernails dug into the sweater. "You're so thoughtful, c-captain..."
"Nah. It's what I do. Captains are supposed to look out for their teammates." The blond grunted as he stood up from the bench and stood behind Hinata, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Do you need help putting on your catcher's gear?"
Her heart almost bursted out of her chest from how close Naruto was. She turned her head and their faces were mere inches apart. Hinata shuddered at the thought of locking lips with the blond. His lips looked so plump and smooth. He never wore makeup, yet his skin was flawless. Naruto really was her... dream girl.
She shook her head and Naruto nodded. "Got it. I'll see you out there, okay?"
"O-Okay..."
Naruto retracted with his helmet by his hip and his bat thrown over his shoulder. He waved at Hinata with a gloved hand and turned the corner to the outside field. The moment the door slammed shut, Hinata sunk to the floor and shoved the sweater to her face. She hugged it with all her might, imagining an actual body in between the brown fabric. She took a deep breath and smiled underneath the sweater, chills rolling down her body.
Two girls passed by the spectacle on their way out and flashed Hinata judging looks. The timid girl put the sweater on her lap and frowned. "The fuck are you looking at?"
The two girls rolled their eyes and continued their path to the exit. Perhaps the constant homophobia directed towards Hinata is not entirely rooted in ignorance, but a genuine unease with the girl's behavior.
After five minutes of indulgence, Hinata neatly folded the sweater and placed it next to Naruto's discarded shirt. She stripped herself completely and put on her softball uniform. Putting on the catcher's gear took five minutes and then she was out the door, following Naruto's snowy footprints to the vacuumed field. There stood about 9 girls huddled in the middle of the field and Naruto standing above them all with a stoic look on his face.
Hinata almost skipped over to the group and joined her teammates, filing in between Ino, a curt young woman, and TenTen, a girl with a vanilla personality. They all looked up at their captain with respect since he proved time and time again to be the most reliable person on this team. That was one of the reasons why he was selected captain two years ago.
Naruto was outlining the method of practice for today when a girl politely interjected with a question. "I'm sorry Captain, but when are the auditions for school teams opening up? I have a friend looking to join."
"Ah, that's a good question. I spoke with some other team captains and we agreed to hold try-outs in two weeks. We were going to start hanging flyers soon," Naruto explained. "The coaches gave us team captains full authority this year, since many of us are going to high league colleges next year. I'll be overseeing the try-outs."
Another girl proposed a question, "Will you also be nominating the captain for next year too?"
"Yup." Naruto smiled, which made Hinata's stomach flutter with butterflies. "So never let your guard down. You never know if I'll pick you."
Pink hearts popped out of Hinata's eyes and she clasped her hands to her chest, rosy cheeks extending to both sides of her pale face. She let out a happy sigh and the cold winter air morphed it into a cloud of white smoke.
"Okay. Any more questions?"
Naruto sent each girl to their respective station after no further questions and oversaw them from distance. Now and then, would he intervene to correct their form or praise their performance. Although he felt out of place aiding these girls in a sport primarily for
women, there was that sense of pride of helping out others. He rather be team captain than a regular teammate, that's for sure.
Midway through practice, Naruto heard the crunch of snow on the icy soil. He turned his head towards the noise and chuckled at the sight.
"Sasuke Uchiha in the flesh," he hooted, cupping his palm around the base of his bat. "What brings you here?"
"Nah. Nothing much. Just skipping Calculus. What about you?" Sasuke burrowed his hands in his leather pocket to keep them warm.
"Well, as you can see..." He gestured with his bat, waving around at the field of girls behind him. "...I'm overseeing my team's practice. They're gonna have to work hard if they want to stay on my team come try-outs."
"Hmm." The raven stroked his chin in a comical manner, as if he had a long wise beard. "Try-outs, huh? Aren't you going to try-out for baseball though?"
"Ack!" Naruto stumbled over to the raven and slammed a hand against his mouth. "Shh! Nobody is supposed to know."
Sasuke glanced down at Naruto and the gaze made the blond turn red. He could feel his hot breath gracing his palm, even through the gloves. Sasuke took his hand away and held his wrist, his fingers gliding along the rough texture. "Ah, but how will you audition when you're supposed to be softball captain?"
"I-I'll figure it out..." he stuttered, "or I'll n-nominate a new captain to t-take my place..."
"Are you sure anybody can take your place? You seem very efficient in your position." Sasuke glanced back at his teammates who were staying on task despite their captain's back turned to them. He made eye contact with a familiar looking girl with long dark hair brought together in a lose ponytail. The girl wore a red helmet, matching the school colors, and held a white bat through gloved fingers.
Hinata squinted into the distance and saw her captain talking with someone noticeably taller than him. Upon further inspection, the ragged clothes and black leather painted a perfect picture in her head. It was him. Sasuke-Homewrecker-Uchiha. Why was he here? And... were they holding hands?!
A ball flew past Hinata and slammed into the catcher's mitt behind her. The pitcher, Ten Ten, frowned at Hinata's lack of focus and adjusted her hat.
"Pay attention, Hinata! You didn't even swing!" Ino, the catcher, berated.
Hinata nibbled on her lip and kept glaring into the Uchiha's eyes. Sasuke noticed her unease and a small smirk rose up on his cynical face. He continued to converse with the blond but subtly changed his demeanor to morph their interaction in Hinata's eyes. What was a normal conversation about softball suddenly appeared to look more intimate and serious with Sasuke's change in expression and posture. He didn't release Naruto's hand and, in fact, squeezed it harder, lacing his fingers in between the blond's.
"Sasuke w-what are you—" Naruto could feel his face heating up from the sight of their hands interlocked. He wished his gloves were off so he could feel the rough blisters on Sasuke's discolored palm. Something about it fascinated him.
"I was wondering..." Sasuke tore his sight away from the seething girl. "You never told me where or when this party is. Is it for a special occasion? Do I have to dress formally?"
Naruto couldn't keep his mind off their held hands. He didn't understand why Sasuke casually held his hand so suddenly, but he wasn't going to resist the touch. He tried to reply to Sasuke without sounding like he was going to explode from embarrassment.
"It's this S-Saturday... 7 to midnight, I believe. I could send you Lee's address t-too..." he forced out.
"Do you have my number?"
The blond's face darkened even more. Did he just indirectly ask for Sasuke's number?
"I-I do not... I—"
Sasuke lifted their held hands and cupped Naruto's palm, laying his phone flat in his palm. Sasuke's phone was a encased by simple, sturdy black case. It had a few scratches and a small impacts in the rounded corners. Naruto took it silently and opened the phone; it didn't have a password.
He swiped through the screen, which also had its fair share of cracks, and located the messages. His feed was completely empty except for one number: someone candidly named "older brother." For some reason, Naruto felt his heart skip a beat at the sight. Was he the only friend Sasuke had? Naruto didn't mind if he was.
He pressed the chat button and carefully typed in his number, taking short glances at the raven. Sasuke met his eyes each time with a slight eyebrow raise. Naruto finished inputting his number and sent a short text to his phone. He bit his lip and handed the phone back; the raven put it back in his pocket.
"Text me later then. I have to get back to class."
"Yeah. I'll text you." Naruto smiled up at him with a gushy face, digging a small hole in the dirt with his cleats. Sasuke put his hands in his pockets and started backing away as the blond waved happily. He didn't leave that spot until the raven was fully down the path and around the field's fence. Slowly, his hand lowered back to his side and he felt a sense of deja vu. They did the same thing yesterday.
In fact, Naruto felt the same feelings bubbling in his chest and the tingling butterflies rushing through his limbs. Yesterday, when his father asked him about Sasuke, he could barely formulate his feelings into words. Even now, it's hard for him to explain how Sasuke's presence makes him feel. It's different from when he talks to other people. He feels more aware. More awake.
More alive.
And he couldn't just sum it up to mere physical attraction or a playground crush. He had crushes before but they never felt like this. This experience was unique to the blond and it made him excited for the future.
"Captainnn!" a loud female voice roared behind him, barreling closer and closer. Naruto turned around to be greeted with his bright eyed teammate, Ino.
"Captain! We need your help. Can you please teach Hinata how to hit a ball again?" she asked, clasping her hands together.
"What? She knows how to hit a ball. She's one of the best runners on the team," Naruto replied.
"She hasn't hit a single one while we practiced. Well, if I'm being honest, I think she was distracted..."
"Distracted? Do you think there is something going on in her personal life?" the captain wondered. He knew her past and a repeat event would be catastrophic for Hinata's mental health.
"Ah, well—" Ino stopped her sentence and grinned slightly. "I shouldn't be saying this but..."
Naruto shook his head. "Then don't say it. I don't like gossip, Ino."
"Mm, it's not really gossip, I guess..." she continued, "It's just basic observation. I think she was distracted by your little visitor."
"Sasuke?"
Her grin widened even further. "Yup. Isn't he that hot new guy that rides a motorcycle?"
"He's... new. He does ride a motorcycle."
"Wait, really?! I thought that was just a rumor! So is it also true that he gets in a lot of fights?" she instigated.
"I don't know. I just met him. I guess it would explain all of the scars on his body though..." Naruto thought back to Sasuke's calloused hands and scratched up phone case. Was there a reason that his possessions and body were always in poor condition?
"Oh. So you've seen his body, huh, Captain?" Ino let out a disastrous giggle.
"Gah, you're gross, Ino." Naruto shoved his teammate playfully on the arm. "Not everyone has dirty thoughts on their mind 24/7."
"I can't be the only one wondering about his body though. He looks very built. I wonder if he's any good in bed..." she trailed off, watching Naruto's reaction like a hawk.
"Why are you thinking about that?!" he exclaimed, embarrassed by the thought of it. He couldn't forgive himself for his imagination the moment that sentence left Ino's mouth: Sasuke hovering over him, heaving and whining like a tired dog, sweat dripping down his structured muscles and soaking the bedsheets.
"I mean, aren't we all? Sakura told me she's claimed him for you." She let out another snooty laugh. "But if you don't want him, I'd be totally willing to fill that role."
Naruto swallowed harshly. "I don't have an opinion on that. Sakura is operating independently. I have nothing to do with whatever messages she spreads. As for me and Sasuke, we're just friends."
"So... it's free game?"
"Sasuke isn't a prize to be won, ya know." Naruto shook his head and bent down to grab his bat. "Just like any other person, he deserves respect and privacy. Please don't invade it."
"Wait, so is that a no?" Ino frowned.
"I didn't say anything resembling an answer, Ino." Naruto stood back up and huffed. "How about you focus on practicing instead of boys, mkay?"
"Okay Captain..." Ino sulked. She turned herself around and marched back to the field where she watched Hinata fail to hit the ball again. Naruto was left with more questions flooding his head all at once. Was he going to have to answer these types of conversations all the time now? What if Sasuke hears about the rumors? Will this ruin their newly formed friendship?
There was too much dazed thinking time for today. Naruto decided to throw it aside, like he did with most of his problems, and block it by doing something enjoyable. He rushed back to the field and trained his girls once more. He fixed Ten Ten's pitches, patched up another teammates injury, and retaught hitting a ball to Hinata. All of it was a distraction so he didn't have to face his true doubts.
That's what softball always has been to him. An outlet. Whenever he felt dysmorphic or someone outright insulted him, softball was the activity that took his mind off all that negativity. It's also the reason why he's not constantly depressed or on the verge of a breakdown. He has something to devote himself to and that's just enough to get by.
Time will tell when that coping mechanism finally wears out and Naruto will have to confront his feelings head on.
• • •
"You have literally nothing in your closet. I taught you better than this, Naruko!" Sakura whined, throwing article after article of clothing out of Naruto's closet.
Naruto sat on his bed with his legs curled up into his chest and arms wrapped around his knees. Seeing his best friend mess up his closet in search of feminine clothing drained all the energy out of him. He wished he were practicing baseball instead while Sasuke watched him beyond the field gate. The only reason he sat through this hell was to not crush his friend's feelings.
That's ignoring the fact that Sakura ignores his feelings everyday and still calls him a woman, even going as far as to suggest traditionally feminine clothes for him. But Naruto was painfully selfless at times and prioritized his feelings over hers. Hopefully, he could avoid caving into her whims this time.
"We need to go shopping! Do you know when the mall closes today?" Sakura put her hands on her hips and tilted her head.
"I don't know..." Naruto laid his head on his knees and yawned. "And I don't care..."
"Narukooo! You told me that you'd try to cooperate!" Sakura pouted. "Get up. We're going to the mall."
Naruto threw his head back and groaned, "Do we have to?"
"Yes!" Sakura gathered her purse and yanked Naruto's arm, pulling him off the bed. They were both out of the school uniform and wearing their preferred casual clothing. Sakura wore a pink, chunky crop top sweater that matched with her blue faded jeans, all pieced together with a bedazzled brown belt. Her pink heeled boots had little tufts of white cotton on the rims, matching with the puffy earmuffs around her neck.
Naruto, on the other hand, wore an oversized stripped sweater over baggy tan cargo pants. His red converse were hidden under all the denim. He always aimed his causal outfits to be androgynous or masculine, as it improved his chances of passing as a boy in public.
Sakura forced Naruto out of his room and they strolled past the living room, where Iruka lounged on the couch with his work laptop. He lift his head up slightly to see the two teens approaching the door.
"Ah, are you girls going somewhere?" he asked.
"We're going to the mall! Naruko has like, zero sense of fashion and my boyfriend's party is this weekend!" Sakura explained.
"Party? Is Gaara throwing a party?"
"I'm not dating Gaara anymore! That was like, three boyfriends ago. Now I'm with Lee," she responded.
"Mmm. Well, don't pick out something too revealing. I don't need a pregnant daughter right now."
"Dad!" Naruto shouted.
He chuckled. "Kidding. Kidding. Please be back in time for dinner though. I'm making sushi."
Naruto crossed his arms. "That was not funny."
"Bah, you can never take a joke, Naruko." Iruka shook his hand dismissively. "Just go before I change my mind."
"Aye aye, Captain!" Sakura saluted Iruka and left the house with Naruto dragging sourly behind. She clicked her car keys and her small gray car beeped back at her. Naruto entered in through the passenger seat and Sakura took the driver's side, inserting her key in the ignition. Her dice key chain jangled as she turned on the car and pulled out of the icy driveway.
"So, what are we thinking? Pink or black dress?"
"Neither." Naruto looked at the window, his eyes dancing over the snow covered trees.
"Mmm. Dark green? Gray? Red?"
"I don't want to wear a dress, Sakura."
"But for just one night, Naruko! Live a little! It's not going to kill you to show off how pretty you are!"
Naruto stuck out his bottom lip. "But do I have to wear a dress to look pretty?"
"Yes! You are naturally beautiful, of course, but people rarely see you in a dress! Imagine how they would react—" Sakura gasped. "Imagine how Sasuke would react!"
The blond looked down at his lap and blushed. "H-He won't care what I'm wearing..."
"Oh, yes he will! You could make a killer impression on him. He won't even know what hit him. The tomboyish Naruko rolling into a teen party with a tight little dress? Instant reaction. I wouldn't be surprised if he just asked you out there and then."
Naruto thought it over. Would that really happen? Would Sasuke like him more if he presented more femininely? Sasuke saw him as the boy he was; would wearing a dress ruin that?
"I-I don't know, Sakura. He doesn't seem like the type to care about w-what I wear..."
"Every guy cares! And, let me tell you, you're never gonna get him to ask you out if you keep wearing all those boring clothes. I know you never really cared before about your appearance but now that you have a crush I think it's time to start."
Naruto dressed this way to make himself like his appearance. He's always been overly aware about it, arguably more than anyone else his age. He's agonized over his gender identity time and time again. Sakura really didn't understand the meticulous care that went into every 'boring' outfit of his.
But, if Sakura thinks Sasuke will like it, maybe he could
suck it up for one night...
"...I-I guess I could wear a dress this o-one time," Naruto caved. His heart was pounding like crazy and a feeling of doom filled his chest. This didn't feel right. He shouldn't agree to this. It's not him. "B-But maybe—"
Sakura cut him off, "Perfect! You will not regret this, Naruko! I'm so excited for you! You will look so so so beautiful! I'll even do your makeup for you!"
He wanted to cry. Why did he subject himself to this? Why can't he say no? "O-Okay..."
Sakura smiled cheek to cheek. She couldn't help but feel proud of herself for being Naruto out of his comfort zone. Soon, he'll become just as feminine as her and they'll be on the same level. She'll cure him of his tomboy attitude and finally lose that feeling of inferiority she has whenever she's around him.
Sakura couldn't wait much longer when they rolled into the mall's parking area. She filed into one of the spots and quickly exited the car. Acting with haste was extremely important, since she didn't want Naruto to change his mind on the way inside. Naruto joined her side as they walked inside the large mall doors, the smell of buttery pretzels and freshly brewed coffee wafting through the air.
Sakura made a beeline to her favorite fashion store and held Naruto close with their arms interlocked. Naruto glanced at each store front on their way there and his heart picked up even more. He started to pant just from the brisk walk. Something definitely wasn't right.
"Calm down, Naruko. I promise you'll look amazing. I'm almost jealous and I haven't even seen you in a dress yet!" his best friend reassured him. "We'll start with something simple. Don't worry."
Naruto nodded and they both stopped at the store in question. It had a glowing sign above the doors that had a cursive font and white mannequins lined up on the windows. All of them wore short dresses with spaghetti straps, a dip for cleavage, or a slit in the thigh area. Naruto's eyes watered and he froze. Was he going to have to wear that?
"Is this s-supposed to be simple, Sakura?"
"This is pretty simple! Unless you want to wear something with frills or a corset."
"No..."
"Okay, the let's go!"
The moment they stepped into the store, a salesperson approached the pair with the fakest grin possible. Sakura flashed her with an even faker grin.
"Hello! How are you today? Can I help you guys out?" they started.
"Ah, yes! We're actually looking for an outfit for my friend! We're going to a party this weekend!" Sakura introduced Naruto.
Naruto was hoping the salesperson would think he was a boy, but alas, his feminine face killed any chance of that. He had a cute button nose, high cheekbones, bright blue eyes, plump pink lips, and a decently tall height. It was like he was an idol from your favorite band or a model off the pages of a magazine. Why was it that he was blessed with conventionally attractive features of a girl when he wasn't one? It was a terrible curse.
"Of course! You're so pretty! I'm sure we'll find something perfect for you!" the salesperson cheered, leading the pair to a rack of dresses. They flicked through a couple of options and stared at Naruto's body critically. "Hmm. You'd say you are an extra small, right?"
"Um... I don't know. I've never really worn a dress before," he admitted.
"You've never worn a dress?!"
Sakura shook her head. "Crazy, right? She doesn't even know what she has."
"Well now I definitely have to find you the perfect dress. Let's see here..." They searched through more outfits and smiled, pulling out one with clear confidence. It was a short red dress with a see through mid drift and bra padding on the chest. Sakura squealed while Naruto cringed. You would have to pay him to wear something like that.
"Okay, judging by your face, this one is a no." They put the dress back and continued their search. After showing off three different dresses with the same disgusted reaction, the salesperson stopped asking and piled up their picks in their arm for Naruto to try on. Sakura and the salesperson stubbornly forced Naruto to changing section and shoved all the clothes in his arms, closing the curtain.
"You can't come out until you try on a dress, Naruko!" Sakura proclaimed.
Naruto groaned even louder than before. There were four dresses on the bar for him to try on. The first one was tan with long sleeves and an open back. Naruto feared that it showed off his shoulders too much and dismissed it. The next dress was a glittery strapless purple one that had a descending slit at the bottom. It was too loud, Naruto thought, and the last thing he wanted to attract attention.
The blond didn't even entertain the third option. It had a crossed lace on the thighs and a huge cleavage dip that stopped before the belly button area. The final dress was the simplest of the four. It was completely black and stopped at the mid thigh. There were spaghetti straps holding the chest and it was entirely ruched.
"I guess that one isn't too bad..." He picked up the fourth dress and held it to his body in the mirror. An uncomfortable chill rolled down his body as he stripped himself of his clothes, tossing them to the side of the changing room. He bunched the dress up at the top and put it on legs first. The fabric was very smooth and velvety riding up his body.
The black fabric hugged his skinny body and scrunched up in some places for stylistic effect. The straps loosely hung on his shoulders and made his small chest pop out slightly. There was no doubt that he looked amazing, but in Naruto's mind, it was the ugliest thing he'd ever seen. The way the dress hugged his body like he was made for him was... unsettling.
"Did you try a dress on?" Sakura asked from behind the curtain.
"I did b-but..."
"Come on out and give us a spin!" the salesperson added.
Naruto didn't want to go out. He didn't want people to see him in this state. It will only reaffirm in their minds that he was a girl— and a pretty one, at that. This was the complete opposite idea he wanted to push. Yet...
"Coming..." he whispered, opening the curtain with the last inch of willpower he had. He stepped out on the cold floor with bare feet, his hands twisted together behind his back. He didn't dare lift his head up to see the reactions and kept his gaze concentrated to the white tiles below.
Sakura brought her hands to her face in shock. The salesperson had a similar reaction and their cheeks even flushed a little. All that was missing was high heels and a spot light, then people would start swarming for autographs.
"No words. No words at all." Sakura analyzed Naruto's skinny body with wide green eyes. This was insanity, she thought. Naruto constantly hid his body under baggy clothes and for what; to hide a body she tried desperately to achieve through fasting. It was so unfair. If only her friend knew how beautiful he was he would never take his body and appearance for granted.
"I think this is the one. How do you feel in it?" the salesperson questioned.
"I feel v-very strange. It doesn't look like me in the mirror. I look—"
"Like a completely different person! I get it. Wearing a dress for the first time has that effect. But trust me, it's a good thing," the salesperson told him, folding their hands.
"Is it? I d-don't know. I kinda feel..." Naruto's eyes started to fill with tears and his nose turned pink. "...wrong."
"Aww, Naruko. You look gorgeous! Absolutely stunning." Sakura rushed over to her best friend and hugged him tightly. "I promise. There's nothing to be insecure about."
Naruto sniffled on her friend's shoulder and hugged her back.
Would Sasuke like this dress? He hoped he would to make this whole affair worth it. It was strange that he did all this for some guy he just met, but Naruto couldn't help himself. If wearing a dress made him like him more, than so be it.
At least, that's how Naruto justified it in his head.
Bare with me.
- Author-chan