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Sasuke was definitely drunk. Drunk enough to want to start fights. Drunk enough to want to start fights with his alleged childhood friends who couldn’t give a fuck about stinking up Naruto with their alpha pheromones.
“Stop glaring, we’ve all become immune to it since our senior year,” Sakura yelled in his ear over the loud music and pushed a cup into his hands.
Sasuke grumpily took a sip, humming with the strong flavor - it was mostly cheap vodka with a splash of cranberry syrup. On the sofa, Kiba was almost falling on top of Naruto with his arm thrown around the blond like he owned him. A second gulp and Sasuke’s had enough. He strode purposefully toward them, leaving Sakura behind and refusing to hear whatever she had to say.
“Oi, dobe.”
“Huh?” Naruto turned to face him, stars in his eyes, clearly high as a kite. “Heey, teme, come over.”
Naruto used his elbow to forcefully move Kiba to the side and ignored all sorts of complaints of abuse. Then he patted the tiny space he was able to open for Sasuke, smiling as if he had accomplished a great deed.
Sasuke almost harrumphed like an angry toddler but squeezed himself between the arm of the sofa and the blond who in turn had to angle his left leg just so that it was almost over Sasuke’s.
“Gosh, you’re such a knothead, taking up all the space,” Naruto yelled in his ear and Sasuke didn’t even flinch - the bass was so loud it reverberated in their bones and one couldn’t hear anything below ear-splitting screaming.
Sasuke snaked his free arm around Naruto’s tiny, tiny , waist, pulling him impossibly closer. He sent a death glare in Kiba’s direction and found out that Sakura was actually right - dog boy simply snickered and turned around to talk to Shino, completely impervious to said glare.
Knowing how to pick his battles, Sasuke turned back to Naruto, sneering at the myriad of scents. Almost mechanically, he started rubbing his wrists all over the omega, uncaring that he was splashing his drink around at the same time.
“Sasukeee, watch yourself! The fuck are you doing!” Turning around to fully face him, Naruto was now practically on his lap - a shame that he hadn’t meant to do it, really, and would probably never be caught dead doing this sober.
"Getting rid of all that funk," Sasuke yelled back.
"Uugh, don't be a party pooper," Naruto complained, showing his tongue. It was a hook to Sasuke's stomach, pulling him in- Naruto's lips were glossy afterward, pink and inviting. He pinched Naruto instead, relishing in his squeal. At last, he had all of the blond's attention to himself.
They squabbled for a long time and got hit on the head by Sakura until she finally dragged them back to Sasuke’s apartment just before daybreak, where Naruto promptly walked to the bed and dropped face first in it, starting to snore in record time.
Sasuke managed to get himself and Sakura a glass of water first, actually thank her and show her out before finally letting himself fall onto the couch, cursing Naruto for stealing his bed before he fell asleep.
The next morning, he woke up with a disgusting taste in his mouth. Stumbling almost blindly to the bathroom, Sasuke regretted his idiocy as his headache thundered. He somehow managed to swallow a pill after brushing his teeth and taking a shower.
Blinking slowly in front of the mirror, he gathered the courage to enter his own bedroom. He knew from experience that it'd be smelling like Naruto - no matter how good his scent blockers were, they'd start peeling off at some point. And Sasuke knew that the omega’s scent was his weak point.
He probably shouldn't be thinking about this, but alas here he was again. Naruto didn't really see him as a potential mate. Heck, not even a potential friend with benefits - not that Sasuke would ever agree to such a thing. But back to the point - the point was that Naruto was dead set on maintaining their friendship exactly as it's been since they met in kindergarten.
Curling his fingers into fists, Sasuke scowled at his face in the mirror. He's never been a coward, and he's frankly getting quite sick of his bullshit. Squaring his shoulders, he finally left the bedroom.
Naruto was sleeping like a log, still face down and spread out like a starfish. Sasuke let out a breathy chuckle - the room really smelled of him, and his bedsheets would probably hold it for a few days too. He walked quietly to his closet and put on black sweatpants and a white t-shirt.
Finally feeling marginally human again, he went back into the room and rudely jostled Naruto awake.
"Time for coffee, usuratonkachi."
The blonde grumbled and tried to slap Sasuke's hand away with no success. The alpha had the upper hand, and he didn't give up until Naruto was yelling "For fucks sake, teme" and banging the bathroom door closed.
Sasuke let himself take exactly one deep breath to savor Naruto's scent and then promptly went to open the window when he started sniffing the remaining scents that still clung to the blond. Cringing, he was brutally reminded that he was not the only alpha allowed to scent his best friend.
The weather was awfully nice, he could probably convince the blond to ride on his bike to the coffee shop. He distracted himself with making the bed properly and was caught a little off guard when Naruto loudly entered the room again - only he was naked with a towel around his waist.
Sasuke cursed and turned around, feeling unreasonably angry when Naruto started to snicker.
"C'mon, teme, nothing you haven't seen before," which wasn't entirely true.
"You really need to stop this shit," Sasuke clapped back.
"You're the one who brought me home!" Naruto's voice sounded distant, but no less cheeky, as he rummaged through Sasuke's closet.
"Tch. You're the one who was high as all fuck smelling like an alpha dump."
"Ugh, disgusting!" A couple more bangs and Naruto emerged, decked in an all-black ensemble of jeans, a t-shirt, and a soft, one-of-a-kind Leret Leret cashmere cardigan with a secret, inner embroidery. Sasuke’s alpha couldn't help feeling satisfied with the choice. "I can't believe I slept like that," he mumbled, pouting.
Sasuke let out a snort. "Alright, let's go, I need breakfast." It was technically almost lunch, but it’s not like either of them cared.
"Cup ramen?" Naruto looked up hopefully.
"In your dreams. Get your helmet, we're going to that new coffee shop on H Street."
-
After stuffing his face with half the menu - Sasuke was paying and he wasn't one to miss an opportunity - Naruto finally relaxed in his chair and looked around them. He felt comfortable; the clothes he borrowed from Sasuke were the softest they could possibly be. And they smelled like him too, which was a bonus since Sasuke's was the only alpha scent that didn't bother Naruto.
Naruto cocked his head to the side, puzzled, when he noticed Sasuke's expression.
"You just had two cups of your disgusting coffee, what's got you pissed?"
Sasuke brought the water bottle to his lips to disguise his grumbling. He then pointed with his head to the right and Naruto turned a little to look at what was behind the alpha. Naruto's vision focused on the group of people, noticing their surreptitious movements and hushed whispers. He felt a pang of annoyance and protectiveness, his face also turning into a frown.
The noise of the coffee shop seemed to fade away as he listened intently to the group's whispers. He could hear snippets of their conversation, which only served to fuel his annoyance.
"Did you see his jacket?"
"It’s Comme des Garçons!"
“Must have cost so much money-”
"Someone go pass by for a better shot."
Baffled, he turned to Sasuke, seeing the furrow in his brow and the tension in his shoulders. Naruto had begrudgingly understood at some point in High School that Sasuke actually hated being the center of attention, so naturally, Naruto started becoming a little protective.
Naruto's eyes widened in surprise when Sasuke suddenly grabbed his hand, but he quickly composed himself and looked back with a questioning expression.
"Just play along," Sasuke gave him a small smirk, his grip on Naruto's hand tightening slightly.
Naruto raised an eyebrow but decided to go along with it. He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "Okay, but you owe me one," he said, giving Sasuke a playful smile.
Just then, a pretty girl started approaching them. She wasn’t holding a phone but what seemed like a letter instead. Naruto almost snickered - who even gave letter confessions these days?
The alpha didn’t even change his neutral expression, barely even moved when the girl finally stood beside him - an omega, as it became blatantly obvious by her sweet floral scent.
Naruto wanted to puke - it definitely clashed with Sasuke’s scent.
"Hello," she said, tone polite and shy. She really looked the part of the perfect omega - all petite and soft, with hair falling in long, perfect waves on her back.
"Can I help you?" Sasuke didn’t even bother to face her.
The girl blushed and put both hands in front of her face, the letter hiding her mouth. She zeroed in on their joint hands. "Uh, yes, I- I just wanted to give you…"
Sasuke slid his hand over Naruto’s wrist, fingers coaxing it to turn around so that he could caress the scent gland there. The omega shivered, a sudden sense of alarm taking over him as he watched Sasuke wide-eyed.
"Um, never mind, sorry for interrupting."
The poor girl scurried off like a little mouse caught in the pantry.
Sasuke turned back to Naruto with a small smile. "See? That wasn't so bad, was it?"
"You definitely owe me for that," Naruto rolled his eyes playfully, hoping that his expression didn’t give him away.
And for that, he actually meant the intimate scenting that arose an entire flock of angry piranhas in Naruto's stomach. But Sasuke couldn't ever know that particular detail, could he?
In front of him, the alpha retrieved his hand and shrugged. It was probably worth it for him, not to deal with his bizarre fans for a change. Naruto would just have to make sure that Sasuke thoroughly compensated him for this little stunt.
-
“I can’t believe you, you jerk !” Sakura opened his front door so loudly that Sasuke worried about the wall.
Sasuke paused his series to face her, making sure his expression gave unbothered. This was the only break he would get before his next batch of clinical rotations began, so he had plans to start and finish a goddamn series for once.
“You and Naruto dating? Rings any bell?”
Oh, that. The - whatever it was - that he roped Naruto into yesterday.
Sasuke shrugged nonchalantly. "We were just having some fun," he replied casually. "It wasn't serious."
It actually was a little serious - Sasuke has never done anything so bold as rubbing their scent glands together like this. He knew it was a jerk move, to take advantage of Naruto like that. He had to swallow the lump in his throat, loathing that deep inside, he’d take up any chance to do it again.
Sakura rolled her eyes before shoving her phone into his hands. “Then how about this?”
Squinting at the screen, Sasuke finally understood what the hell she was on about. The biggest gossip Tiktok from their university made a video with a shitty photo collage of them in the coffee shop, paired with sensationalist texts about them being together.
“He was literally helping me get rid of one of those fans,” he gritted through his teeth.
Sakura huffed, going a little soft for the answer. She began as a fan herself when they were just kids. She’s known for quite some time now how intrusive and creepy it felt from Sasuke’s perspective.
"Still… You know how Naruto is, right? People will talk. He's your friend and he trusts you. You can't just mess with his feelings like that."
Sasuke sighed. He knew Sakura was right. He had been reckless with Naruto's trust and he regretted it. People were generally shitty and would probably come for him. He handed Sakura her phone back, pointedly not reading the comments.
"I didn't mean to hurt him," he said quietly. "I just…”
Sakura sighed. "You two are hopeless," she said, shaking her head. "You've been friends since forever, and you can't even be honest with each other."
Sasuke looked down, refusing the feeling of shame that threatened to rise. He knew Sakura was right. He had been so afraid of losing Naruto's friendship that he had never been brave enough to tell him the truth. He knew he eventually would have to be honest with Naruto.
At some point. In the future.
Ugh.
He threw himself on the sofa, contemplating the ceiling unhappily.
“Oh, for fucks sake, don’t even start with the moping.”
Sasuke side-eyed her.
“What were you watching, anyway? We gotta do it before rotations.”
-
Naruto loudly slammed his locker closed and banged on it with his closed fist for good measure, making as much noise as he possibly could. He was quick with his shower and dressing, finishing just as the room started to stink of alpha pheromones. Without waiting, he quickly pulled on his cardigan and left.
Technically, it was Sasuke’s cardigan - the incredibly soft one that Naruto wore last weekend. The last bits of the alpha's scent still clung to it and Naruto wasn't ready to let go of it yet.
When he was finally able to breathe properly he found a spot to wait for his friends. Despite it being almost past 7 pm, the campus bustled with students milling about, basking in the afterglow of their team's victory in the first game of the season. A few revelers still clutched onto their drinks, chatting loudly.
Many of them waved to Naruto, giving him a thumbs up or a cheer and the omega waved back just as enthusiastically. He couldn't help it, he would never get tired of the feeling of winning a match and being cheered on by a grandstand full of people. His little time under the spotlight came to a sudden end when he was tackled from the back.
"Oy, princess! Couldn't wait for us?" Kiba laughed as he caught up to Naruto, sliding his arm around the blond’s shoulders and shaking him a little.
"Ugh, you guys smell so shitty!"
They did. Normally, he wouldn't really mind it but this time it made Naruto queasy.
"Aw c'mon, just a little adrenaline-induced pheromones."
Naruto stuck his tongue out childishly.
"You wouldn't be saying that if I was the one doing it."
"Aah, but we can't have that, can we? Uchiha would fucking murder us," Kiba snickered.
Naruto coked his head, confused.
"Especially now that you're dating," Shikamaru drawled, joining them at a leisurely pace with Chouji on his side.
Naruto's heart skipped a beat. He should have known that there might have been some rumors, but he didn't expect to hear it from his friends.
"It's not true," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. "We were just hanging out."
Kiba grinned. "Sure, sure," he said, winking. "Don't be shy, man. We all know you've had a thing for Sasuke for years."
Naruto felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment. It was true that he had feelings for Sasuke for a long time, but he knew that it could never be more than friendship.
"Guys, it's not like that," he protested weakly.
Chouji chuckled. "Don't be so shy, Naruto," he said. "We're all happy for you."
Shikamaru raised a single eyebrow, his nonchalant expression that actually meant that he was waiting for an explanation.
Naruto scratched his neck, nervous. "Actually we… It was just a stunt we pulled so that Sasuke could be left alone."
His friends looked at him in surprise.
"What do you mean?" Chouji asked.
Naruto took a deep breath. "Sasuke was getting hounded by his fans, and I wanted to help him out," he explained. "So we kind of pretended to be together, so that they would leave him alone."
There was a moment of silence as his friends absorbed the news.
"Wow, Naruto," Kiba said, clearly speechless.
"You are such a fucking idiot." Shikamaru completed, frowning.
"Yeah, well, don't get any ideas," he said, smiling weakly. "Sasuke and I are just friends."
His friends nodded, and the teasing stopped. Naruto felt relief, but he also felt… a little unhappy. If even his friends knew about his feelings, then it was logical to assume that Sasuke did, too, right? And that he has never acted on it, so...
“Well, are we getting dinner or what?” Kiba finally asked, albeit a little awkwardly.
“Let’s go, we can continue to talk about Naruto's terrible life choices over karaage don," Chouji said and led the way.
Naruto mumbled incoherent complaints but followed them anyway.
-
Sasuke and Sakura met at the hospital's staff entrance after their grueling emergency clinical rotation shift, ready to go.
“I can’t believe we missed all the games for this.”
Sasuke raised a single eyebrow. “Speak for yourself.”
“ I didn't get to stitch up three people like you did today."
Sasuke couldn't help but smirk at her remark. He knew he had just been lucky, but he enjoyed getting under her skin.
Almost five years ago, when they both entered the medical course, their relationship was still somewhat awkward. Over time, they started growing more comfortable in each other's company. Sakura had surprised him with her depth of knowledge and sheer bullheadedness, and he had come to appreciate her as a friend.
It was a far cry from the image he had of Sakura in high school, a somewhat silly girl with decent grades. 16-year-old Sasuke would have found it unthinkable to willingly spend so much time with her, let alone bickering and gossiping like two old ladies. Yet, after countless hours spent studying and working together, sometimes hands deep in actual dead bodies, they had developed a close bond.
Their conversation lulled into a comfortable silence as they got closer to the ramen restaurant that Naruto loved. Before they even entered the place, they were hit with the familiar heady scent of Teuchi’s cooking, as well as Naruto’s animated voice.
They entered to find the omega chatting on the counter, one leg up on the stool and the other lazily dangling down. Fridays were the only day that Teuchi opened for lunch, so the place was packed with students and salarymen.
Naruto’s eyes lit up when he saw his friends. “Hey, Sasuke! Hey, Sakura-chan! You guys look beat!”
Sasuke and Sakura both pouted and grumbled as took their seats next to Naruto. Teuchi greeted them with a smile and a nod, already knowing their usual orders, which made them perk up a little.
As they waited for their food to arrive, Naruto chattered on over his beer, “I scored six goals total! And I had a few assists too.”
Sakura bumped him, “Getting cocky, already, aren’t we?”
Naruto grinned, “What can I say? I’m just that good!”
“You got lucky. We’ll see how you do next game,” Sasuke rolled his eyes.
“Bring it on, teme.”
They got into each others’ faces before they even realized it, bursting into laughter once Teuchi cleared his throat, bringing over their food. They all happily dug in, savoring the delicious flavors.
Naruto leaned back on his stool, rubbing his belly contentedly.
“This hits the spot, as usual,” he said. “I need ten minutes before the next one.”
Sasuke rolled his eyes, restarting their usual quarreling with a “Don’t get too comfortable, usuratonkachi.”
This time, Sasuke couldn't solely focus on Naruto as some of their university peers started catching his attention with dirty looks. Sakura snickered, but it wasn’t at Naruto - it was her evil snicker, the one she used exclusively for when Sasuke was in a tight spot. He swallowed, catching her gaze and being bullied by her knowing grin.
“Say, Naruto-kun,” she interrupted the conversation with a sweet voice, “How does it feel, dating the great Uchiha Sasuke?”
Naruto looked like he wanted to scream, face turning pink, but quickly realized they were being observed and composed himself.
“The hell, Sakura,” Sasuke spoke through gritted teeth.
Sakura giggled, “Oh come on. You know exactly what I’m talking about.”
“W-what? We’re not--” Naruto sputtered.
Sasuke cut him off, “Ignore her, Naruto. She’s just trying to rile us up.”
But Sasuke couldn’t help but feel a sense of panic rising in him. He was really going to pay for his stupid decision, he just didn’t expect it to be like this.
Naruto noticed his unease and seemed to bask in it - the blond quickly recovered and joined Sakura with an ominous smile.
“Wah. Sasukeeeh, you’re really gonna be like this just cause we’re in public?” He complained, acting like an omega scorned without an ounce of shame. The restaurant fell silent, and the alpha shuddered, feeling as if he were being watched by a thousand murderous gazes.
Sasuke might have been the one with the fan club of obsessed stalkers, but Naruto was the one with the army of devoted admirers.
“Shush,” Sasuke said, grabbing Naruto’s sleeve, “Why don’t you get your ramen so we can be finished, huh? Sakura and I have a lecture in an hour,” Sasuke spoke in a low voice, trying to diffuse the tension.
Naruto turned to order another round of ramen, a self-satisfied smile on his face.
“On his tab, please, and thank you!”
Sasuke was fucked.
-
Naruto couldn’t pinpoint when things had spiraled out of control, but on one day, he was vehemently denying having anything remotely romantic with Sasuke, and then on the other, the whole campus regarded their every interaction with bated breath, waiting for some juicy new gossip.
So the rumors kept spreading and people kept scrutinizing their every move, whether they liked it or not. It's not like Naruto would be the one giving people the bad news, no way. He had to learn some self-preservation skills and he knew firsthand how creepy Sasuke's fans were. One simply did not put themselves against that fan club, not without good reason.
Sasuke probably didn’t plan for this to go so far, but then, the alpha’s head was more preoccupied with neurosciences and geratology (whatever that was). And while Naruto didn’t have to worry about literally saving people’s lives, he did have to not fail his statistical analysis so he could finally get his BBA, as well as not failing his soccer performance in the Nationals so he could finally get his gold medal.
And on top of it, he had to worry about not failing being Sasuke’s boyfriend . A fake one to boot!
You see, Naruto had a lot on his plate! His parents were also nagging him to graduate before time so that he could start working on their business. The old hag kept pestering him about going to visit her and even his godfather popped outta nowhere to make sure Naruto’s life was stressful enough.
So you see, when he finally found the time in their busy calendars to go to the movies with Sasuke, Naruto wasn’t really in the mood for some healthy dialectics.
"Let's watch this one, I heard that it’s actually scary," Sasuke said matter-of-factly like he was sure his decision was final.
The bastard.
Naruto grimaced. "But Fast and Furious X is just out!"
Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Come on, Naruto. There’s been what, ten of those? Let’s do something different."
Naruto furrowed his eyebrows, "Different doesn't necessarily mean better.."
Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "What are you, a scaredy cat?"
Naruto scoffed. "Of course not,"
"You're such a wimp. I bet you can't even handle a jump scare," Sasuke smirked.
Uncaring that they were surrounded by quite the crowd, Naruto crossed his arms and stomped his foot, slanting his eyes angrily at Sasuke.
"Aren't I your treasured omega? What's with this attitude?"
Sasuke's eyes widened and an angry blush started to take up his face.
Oh.
Oooh.
Now that was something that Naruto wasn’t expecting. He had to make a major effort to contain his grin. Instead, he pouted dramatically and rounded his eyes in order to look as pitiful as possible.
Take that, stupid alpha!
“ Fine ,” Sasuke said through gritted teeth. “Fucking Fast and Furious it is.” And he stomped away, probably not even realizing that he paid for both of them - popcorn included!
-
Sasuke was on his third cup of vodka cranberry - this time, filled with the nice, smooth vodka that Naruto and Sakura bought for his surprise birthday party. He felt good and, even though he’ll stir up hell before he admitted it, he also felt cherished. His two best friends managed to organize everything so that Sasuke could have a great evening.
At first, he wasn't planning to celebrate his birthday, content with a long phone call with his family and messages from his friends. Sasuke was too busy worried about studying and excelling in said studying and dating (but not dating) Naruto.
Sasuke took another sip of his drink, feeling a little buzzed. He looked around the room and noticed how everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. It was nice to see his friends together like this, especially since they were all going their separate ways soon. Sasuke and Sakura never talked about this, but they will soon find themselves with none of their friends on campus as they were all finishing their four to five-year-long programs.
He gulped his drink down until he finished it, making a small noise at the burn. He scanned the room, looking for the familiar blond head, and found the omega on the balcony. Infuriatingly being held close, once again, by one Inuzuka Kiba. They were both gesticulating wildly, telling Suigetsu and Juugo something funny.
Clutching his cup, Sasuke abstained from stalking over. He had absolutely no claim to Naruto, other than his best friend title. He needed to quit acting like a jerk, or worse, a possessive alpha. So he sighed and refilled his cup, contemplating his feelings for Naruto. They were becoming increasingly difficult to ignore, what with the blond pulling the cute omega act on him.
Naruto kept doing these - small, maddening things that threatened to send Sasuke into sudden cardiac arrest. He stopped wearing scent blockers when they went out, and even sometimes encouraged Sasuke to hold hands, rubbing their wrist glands together and leaving Sasuke in a daze. Resting his head on Sasuke's shoulder or brushing his fingers against Sasuke's cheek so lightly, so softly, under the pretense of cleaning an eyelash.
Tricking Sasuke into giving in to his every demand.
Sasuke knew he couldn't blame Naruto for his feelings, but hell if the omega was making it particularly challenging. He didn't know if Naruto felt the same way, but he couldn't keep pretending that he was fine with just being friends. That he was fine with other alphas stinking him up at every opportunity.
Sasuke could admit to being a jealous man.
He took another sip of his drink, trying to push those thoughts away. He still felt that he could ruin their relationship by confessing his feelings and making things awkward between them. But as he watched Naruto laugh and joke with his friends, Sasuke couldn't help but wonder if there was a chance for something more between them.
He finished his drink and stood up, deciding that he needed some fresh air. He made his way to the balcony, heart pounding in his chest. Naruto's face lit up in a smile and Kiba jumped away from him like he’s been burned, making some excuse to go back inside.
"Sasuke! You finally joined us," he exclaimed, pulling Sasuke into a bear hug.
Sasuke felt his face heat up at the contact and hugged Naruto back, enjoying the warmth of his body. When he let go, Sui was watching him knowingly, shark grin taking up most of his face.
"Having fun?"
Sasuke nodded, glaring. "Yeah, it's been a good party.”
“Thank you, my beloved Naruto, for organizing this surprise party for my rude little ass,” Naruto mocked, making Sasuke want to roll his eyes in derision.
“Thank you Naruto for following Sakura’s instructions to make this party happen,” he answered cheekily, leaning back on the railing, close enough to feel Naruto’s agitation.
“Why, you jerk! Who do you think bought you your favorite Polish vodka, huh?”
And just like that, they started quarreling again, both getting even more riled up by Suigetsu and, funny enough, Juugo. Sasuke was chuckling in the end, enjoying the banter between them.
"Alright, alright, you got me there. Thank you, Naruto."
Naruto grinned and leaned against the railing next to him.
“You’re welcome, teme.”
They faced each other and Naruto’s eyes were sparkling with amusement. Sasuke felt his heart skip a beat, and he couldn't help but feel drawn to Naruto's playful energy. He noticed the way Naruto's hair caught the light and the freckles on his nose
"So, did you make any birthday wishes?" Naruto asked, breaking the comfortable silence that had fallen between them.
"I don’t recall blowing any candles yet." Sasuke shrugged, not wanting to reveal his true wish, which was to have Naruto all to himself.
“Oh, boy.”
A snicker and a huff of laughter called Sasuke’s attention back to reality.
“I guess we’ll leave the two lovebirds alone.”
Fucking Suigetsu.
Still, Sasuke couldn’t say he wasn’t happy. As the night wore on, he found himself getting more and more drinks - Ino was a beast at mixing cocktails - his inhibitions fading away. He remembered finally crashing on the sofa, sandwiched between Naruto and Sakura, feeling happy and loved.
It was only when he woke up the next morning, his head pounding, that he realized there was a chunk of his party that he absolutely could not remember.
-
It’s not something Naruto would be particularly proud of, but he started avoiding Sasuke after his birthday party. Just til… just til he could get his shit together.
That’s what he told himself, at least. And Sakura-chan, when she realized what he was doing, rudely cornered Naruto in his own kitchen, at 8 in the morning on a Wednesday, arms crossed and a stern look on her face.
“Weren’t you supposed to be in the library!”
“I was supposed to, correct. And if I fail this exam because of your stupid ass, you’re toast!” Naruto had to fight the urge to run far, far away. Sakura-chan looked like a vengeful storm ready to pour down on him.
“Ugh, what have I done this time?”
She narrowed her eyes at him, hand turning dangerously into a fist. “What the fuck happened at the party that had you avoiding Sasuke-kun?”
Naruto shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, guilt, hurt, and shame rising up his chest. “I, uh, I just need some time to sort things out, you know?”
“What things, Naruto?” She asked, bearing no room for escape. He still cowered, contemplating making a run for his own room and locking himself there. “What happened?”
He had to look up with the worry in her voice, meeting her eyes. Right. He got her worried too, with his little stunt.
“Sasuke asked me to kiss him,” he started, voice small. “He was drunk out of his mind so of course, I didn’t. But…”
“But what?” Sakura prompted.
“But I’ve been… thinking about it. A lot,” Naruto admitted, feeling his face flush with embarrassment. “I can’t stop thinking about it and how I,” he stopped again, heart racing like a mad thing inside his chest. It’s not that he didn’t trust Sakura-chan, it’s more that… he was very afraid to put this shit into words.
His friend waited for him this time, pulling them both stools so they could sit at the kitchen bar. Naruto bit his lip, feeling mortified when the tears started coming.
“It’s so fucking stupid. You’ll laugh at me.” Naruto sniffed.
“I promise I’ll only laugh when you’re finally over this,” she swore seriously, making Naruto snort.
“I don’t know, Sakura-chan. I mean, he’s been my best friend for so long and I always had this idea that he wasn’t… that he wasn’t for me , ya know? That we could be friends and that I could keep him close like that.”
Placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, Sakura-chan sighed. “Naruto, you deserve to be loved too, remember?”
He nodded. “I- I know. I guess. This is why it’s so stupid! My thoughts are stupid!” The hand on his shoulder tightened and he looked up, alarmed, to Sakura-chan’s ferocious face.
People would often assumed that Sakura-chan was a beta - she wasn’t very tall and her clothes hid her physique. But the truth was that his childhood friend was one of the first in their group to present as an alpha. And she knew exactly how to use her traits - it’s what made them so impactful.
So when she started speaking, Naruto listened .
“Your thoughts are not stupid, Naruto,” she said firmly. “It’s normal to have feelings for someone, and it’s normal to want them to love you back. Sasuke-kun’s lucky to have you in his life, as a friend or more.”
Lips trembling, Naruto looked down, avoiding her gaze.
“I promised I would only laugh when this shitshow was over, right?” Naruto tittered wetly at that, nodding. “What’s on your mind?”
“He deserves someone better,” he finally said it, rushing through the words, “A pretty, dainty omega who fawns over him. Someone who doesn’t fight him, who makes demands as I do.”
Sakura-chan cringed, but soon schooled her expression. “Sasuke-kun could have chosen the most good-looking, most petite omega if he wanted to.” She paused when Naruto pursed his lips. “But he hasn’t. And he probably never will. Since when does Sasuke-kun even care about such a thing?”
She’s absolutely not wrong - Naruto knows that Sasuke couldn’t give two fucks about anyone he didn’t want near him. He paused, giving himself time to gather his thoughts.
“I feel like I won’t be enough. That I’ll fuck it all up at some point and we’ll break up and never see each other again.”
“Naruto, you’re too important to each other to not try your best to make it work. I know you won’t let this go to waste, give yourself and Sasuke-kun some credit.”
He gulped, flushing in embarrassment once again.
“And I know you have feelings for him, so what’s stopping you from telling him?”
Naruto nodded, feeling a bit more reassured. “Thanks, Sakura-chan. I needed to hear that.”
“Of course, Naruto. And if you ever need to talk or vent, I’m always here for you.” She gave him a smile and a pat on the back with way more force than necessary. “Now how exactly did Sasuke-kun ask for that kiss to make you want to vanish, hmm?”
Naruto whimpered, hiding his face in his hands. Damn Sakura-chan! And she didn’t even wait to listen, cackling like a mad woman and leaving him just like that…
He pouted, looking mournfully at his front door. It wasn’t so much the words , but-
“I can’t believe my boyfriend didn’t give me any kisses for my birthday.” Sasuke had said, his entire side glued to Naruto, hot like a furnace. He was all- cute and pliant with a dumb smile on his face.
“Your fake boyfriend’s services don’t extend to kisses, teme.” Not because Naruto didn’t want it. He especially wanted it back then, when Sasuke started pouting and releasing his scent in soothing waves, drawing Naruto into the comfort of an alpha’s embrace.
“My fake boyfriend is so stingy. If he wasn’t fake, I’d be punishing him for his avarice.”
“I can’t believe you manage words like that when you’re so drunk,” Naruto had snickered, just to try and alleviate the tension he was feeling. It was absolutely no use, not when Sasuke reached his hand out, probably not entirely sure of what he wanted to do before he swiped his thump on Naruto’s cheek. The omega exhaled - it did nothing to help his predicament. “You’re being very unfair right now.”
Sasuke cocked his head but didn’t move. The scent gland on his writs was so close that Naruto could taste his scent. He mumbled something, but Naruto only heard a slur of “ym- unfair- mmpret” before Sasuke was closing his eyes and fell forward, dead to the world.
-
It took Sasuke more time than he’d rather admit realizing that Naruto was, in fact, actively avoiding him. He’d tell anyone who dared ask that it was because he was finishing the exams for his summer courses and preparing for the next semester with only two weeks to rest.
Alas, it was only after he got radio silence on his phone for three entire days and a passing comment from Sakura that he decided that this didn’t bode well. So he gathered his materials and books, organized his bag, and sent Naruto a text.
> I’m bringing ramen, you better be home.
It would probably take the omega a long time before he saw it, if he was still in evasion mode, which gave Sasuke plenty of time. And if Naruto saw it with enough time to run, Sasuke would just have to hunt him down.
Outside the building, Sasuke parked and stared at the wheel, trying to figure out what to say. Now that he was here, he started getting agitated - why was Naruto avoiding him? Did he actually do something at his birthday party? He let his head fall against the wheel with a thunk. No use spiraling right now .
So he finally got the courage to leave. Naruto’s apartment had a doorman who looked right out of a kung fu movie - probably a courtesy from either Naruto’s father or one of the omega’s many doting uncles. He nodded at the man, rode the elevator, and let himself in - they all knew each other’s passwords anyway, and he wasn’t going to give Naruto more chances than he already did.
“You better have brought the good stuff,” Sasuke was greeted by a grumpy blond, who quickly tried to snatch the plastic bag from his fingers.
The alpha resisted, holding the ramen hostage. “First we talk.”
Naruto looked up, his blue eyes locking onto Sasuke’s dark ones. He gulped once, twice, pursed his lips, and finally dropped his shoulders.
“Fine. Can we at least sit down.”
Sasuke nodded, taking his shoes off and following Naruto into the living room.
“What happened at my party?”
“Ugh, you're awfully blunt today, aren’t you?”
“And you continue to avoid me.”
Naruto huffed. “ Fine . I just didn’t know what to do,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t know what you want from me.”
“What do you mean, Naruto?”
“I mean- you asked me to kiss you, Sasuke,” Naruto said, his voice shaking. Sasuke clenched his jaw, unfortunately still not remembering it.
“I’m sorry, I was out of line,” he said sincerely, and almost started laughing at Naruto’s startled expression. “What? I’m not beyond recognizing when I was an ass.”
It finally broke the blond, who started with a pfft sound and then full-on laughed. Sasuke chuckled, feeling relieved.
“Well, then, apology accepted, teme.”
Since he decided to stop being a coward, Sasuke decided to dive headfirst.
“Usuratonkachi, I don’t remember what happened, but I know that I probably asked you to kiss me because that’s what wanted to do,” he said, his voice low and intense. “Because I’ve been thinking about it for a long time.”
Naruto’s eyes widened in surprise and then narrowed in anger. “Don’t mess with me like that.”
Sasuke inched closer. “I’m not messing with your head, Naruto,” he said, his voice softening. “You’re the one who’s in dire need of interpretation skills.”
“You stupid knothead! You're the one who started this bullshit and now you're teasing me?” Naruto stood up, incredibly mad. Uh, Sasuke should have foreseen that.
“Naruto,” he enunciated calmly, looking up, “I've liked you since I was six.”
“What.”
“I wanted us to mate so that our playdates never ended.”
“What!”
Sasuke huffed and rolled his eyes to disguise the weight of insecurity growing in his belly. “Yes, I was a knothead and a coward. I am done being both, it's the worst.”
Naruto gasped. “But... but what. Then why this idiotic idea to pretend we’re dating?”
Sasuke tightened his lips, mostly pissed at himself for having no excuses. He’d already apologized and admitted to being a dick, did he have to admit to this too?
But Naruto knew him too well, probably having gotten the confirmation he needed just by looking at Sasuke’s body language. Yes, it was an idiotic idea. Yes, Sasuke absolutely regretted it.
“Asshole! What if I had someone in mind, huh? What if I wanted to date someone?”
Sasuke's eyes slanted dangerously. “Who?”
“A fucking asshole, that's who!”
Sasuke gritted his teeth, almost vibrating with the need to grab Naruto and make him confess.
“He's selfish and pretends he's too good for everything. The worst! He was my first kiss too. Worst day of my life!”
Sasuke's eyes widened, heart soaring with hope and relief. He got up, finally getting eye-to-eye with Naruto. Sasuke searched his blue eyes and said softly “I told you, I'm done being a coward.”
“It really doesn't become you,” Naruto replied cheekily, but his smile was a little wobbly, a little unsure. His hands were listless on his side and Sasuke held them, bringing them up between their chests.
“I want you, I shouldn't have put you into this situation in the first place.”
Naruto shook his head and swallowed. Sasuke’s eyes followed the movement with intensity.
“Well, call it a test drive then.”
Sasuke snorted, “I never knew you'd be such a demanding boyfriend.” With relief flooding Sasuke’s body, he pulled Naruto closer, their foreheads touching.
Naruto smiled impishly, “Oh, you haven't seen the last of it.” But it didn’t take long for the cheekiness to disappear, turning into a serious mien that was unusual on the blond’s face.
Sasuke gently prodded him, pulling on his hands, and rubbing their noses together until he saw a lovely blush staining Naruto’s cheeks.
“You know me. I get insecure sometimes. I'll pester and demand your attention.”
“As long as you give me yours too, it's fine.”
“And I'll always complain when you take me on dates that are not ramen.”
Sasuke snorted. “I'll just have to bully you until you give in.”
“Well, I… Promise not to laugh, alright? Sakura-chan promised.” Sasuke seriously doubted that she’d have promised something like that, but he wasn’t about to question it.
“I promise not to laugh,” he said, “for now.”
Naruto mumbled, suddenly distracted, about fucking knotheads, all of them. Sasuke took the opportunity to sit back on the couch and coaxed Naruto into joining him. He might not have expected to get a lapful of omega - one who was as big as Sasuke himself, and who was suddenly towering over him.
(not that Sasuke would ever complain)
“So?” He nudged, now overcome with the urgency to finish this talk.
Naruto looked resolutely away, crossing his arms defensively, but the flush in his scarred cheeks betrayed him.
“I'll never be pretty and dainty like other omegas.”
Ugh, Sasuke was so soft for this man. He couldn’t help himself, hands flying to squeeze Naruto’s waist - his tiny, tiny waist. Sasuke didn’t know how exactly Naruto lived this long without knowing that everyone gawked at his perfect physique - Naruto was hot, no matter how you looked at it.
“Do you want me to make you feel pretty and dainty, Naruto?”
He teased, expecting the omega to act out. What he ended up getting instead was so much better - tears! pricking up his lovely blue eyes. Oh , if this is what Naruto would look like when Sasuke flirted, then he'd definitely had to do it more. Call it petty revenge all you want, he was far from above it.
Naruto’s eyes widened in shock, his mouth hanging open slightly. He seemed to be searching for words, but Sasuke didn’t give him a chance to speak. Instead, he pulled Naruto closer and captured his lips in a searing kiss.
Naruto let out a surprised gasp but then melted into the kiss, his hands moving to tangle in Sasuke’s hair. Their tongues met with a hunger that had been building for far too long.
Sasuke's hands roamed over Naruto's body, pulling him until there was no space left between them. Naruto moaned into the kiss, his hips grinding against Sasuke's, desperate.
Breaking the kiss, Sasuke trailed his lips down Naruto's jawline, nipping at his skin. Naruto let out a low growl, his hands grabbing at Sasuke's shirt, pulling him close- close, impossibly closer.
Sasuke chuckled, his hands itching to remove Naruto's shirt, to reveal his perfect, toned chest. But he refrained, for now focusing on the delectable joint between neck and shoulder where he bit down causing Naruto to arch his back and let out a loud moan. Swirling his tongue around it, he tried to take the edge of the pain off, only succeeding to make Naruto squirm.
“Fuck, teme,” the blond gasped, “We gotta- hng, we gotta go slow.”
Stopping his hands on their merry way to Naruto’s ass, it was Sasuke’s turn to whimper against the damp flesh between his lips. He snaked his arms around Naruto’s waist, squeezing him tightly till he heard an oof , then took a deep breath, savoring the omega’s scent.
“Ugh, you smell so good.”
Naruto’s breathless laugh vibrated in his ribcage, comforting and sweet. Sasuke wanted to burrow inside it, never leave.
“ You , on the other hand,” he mentioned, pulling away to look at the alpha’s - now disgruntled - face, “Don’t smell like anything.”
Sasuke rolled his eyes. He was planning on studying till the library closed, but his plans were clearly derailed. So he peeled off the blockers on his neck, letting his scent merge with Naruto’s, creating a soothing, familiar scent. It brought the omega right back into Sasuke’s embrace, almost purring with his nose buried in Sasuke’s neck.
“So,” he mouthed against the skin there, bringing shivers up Sasuke’s spine, “you wanted to mate me so we could play forever?”
Sasuke snorted. Right. He said that.
"Shut up, dobe," Sasuke muttered, but he couldn't keep the fondness out of his voice. He wrapped his arms tighter around Naruto, relishing in the feel of their bodies pressed together.
Naruto laughed again, the sound muffled against Sasuke's neck. "You know you love me," he teased.
Sasuke huffed, but he didn’t (couldn’t) deny it.
-
Naruto acted quickly before Sasuke could down the second cheap vodka cranberry all at once.
“Ei, slow down, bastard!” He yelled, getting unnecessarily close, enjoying that he could do so.
Sasuke looked at him, pouting pitifully and making Naruto laugh.
“Aww, my poor alpha! What’s gotten you in this mood?”
“You stink,” he gritted through his teeth, low against Naruto’s ear. The omega bit his lower lip, enjoying the possessive way he was being observed. The alpha’s arm slithered around his waist, pulling him even closer.
“Oh, do I? Haven’t noticed.”
But Naruto had noticed, and that was exactly the problem - he was in the middle of a party with the alpha that was finally his boyfriend, his real boyfriend, and he hasn’t been scented once .
He wasn’t gonna tell Sasuke that. It was a matter of principle.
The alpha squinted his eyes, taking his sweet time until the corners of his mouth twitched upwards in a predator smile. He made Naruto jump when Sasuke’s fingers dug into his waistline - what was the obsession with it, anyway?
“You were more demanding when we were fake dating.”
Naruto harrumphed and tilted his chin upwards, refusing to be rattled. He received a kiss to his exposed neck for his troubles, then tried to squirm away from Sasuke’s embrace when the alpha started mouthing at his scent gland.
“Oh no, you won’t,” Sasuke promised, his glare working Naruto up in a way that it definitely shouldn’t.
So he went pliant, letting Sasuke finally scent him like wanted. Naruto couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment wash over him. He was with Sasuke, and for once, everything felt right.
They stayed at the party until the early hours of the morning, dancing and laughing and enjoying each other's company. They even got hit by Sakura-chan a few times - literally hit, like a punch to the guts. When it was finally time to leave, Naruto took Sasuke's hand and led him out into the cool night air.
As they walked home, Sasuke leaned into Naruto's side, breathing in the comforting scent of his omega. Naruto wrapped his arm around Sasuke's shoulders. The alpha made them drink some water before they promptly walked to the bed and dropped face first in it, tangled in a mess of limbs and chuckles.