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Naruto is not a coffee person. The bitter taste it leaves on his tongue, like an old stain that refuses to be washed off, is just a small part of the reason why. Customizing it to be just sweet enough that it doesn’t taste like hot bitter water is difficult enough, but its negative effect on his poor bowels is the real cherry on top. Only an hour after consumption he always finds himself rushing to the nearest restroom for relief.

He's lucky to stay in the stall for half an hour.

His friends say it’s because he has an immature stomach that can only survive on sugar and fats, but whatever the reason, it doesn’t stop him from complaining about the bitter drink.

Still, he can’t explain why he purposely walked into this small corner coffee shop today. Something beckoned him inside. Likely the frosty weather threatening to freeze him solid if a warm drink isn’t soon inside him. Preferably warm hot cocoa with extra whipped cream, please. The perfect drink of choice for an unreasonably cold day, such as today. It helped that his alarm clock chose to work today and woke him up on time, leaving him with an extra half an hour before work.

So, this mixture of coincidence and fate has him in a short line to order the sweetest thing on the menu. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked pastries has the blond eagerly swaying back and forth, wondering if he should also consider ordering a chocolate croissant. A group of four teenage girls sit nearby in a booth and share a piece of apple pie that also catches his attention. The crust is flaky, and the filling appears to ooze out the sides like a delightful golden apple volcano.

Sakura would kill him for consuming more than a single pastry on a day that isn’t even his cheat day, so the decision is tough.

He decides within moments that what Sakura doesn’t know, can’t hurt her. Or him, in this case.

The couple ahead of him finally finishes ordering whatever unsweetened beverage, which brings Naruto face-to-face with the only thing that should be on the menu. Dark stoic eyes stare into him in silence, and that enough has the blond’s mouth running painfully dry. Every thought before this moment is gone, and he feels like a child unable to express themselves verbally. His eyes glance down toward the name tag reading Sasuke, and even that is attractive to him.

The barista, Sasuke, holds a blank notepad in one slender hand, and a goofy pen with a tomato on the end in the other hand. His posture is relaxed, but somehow still seems professional. A simple chain necklace wraps around his pale neck, dangling below his collarbone. His brown apron has a small stain near the waist, but it appears natural on him as if it belongs there. The raven hair tied up in a loose bun is what really brings everything together – a casual but attractive appearance from head to toe. Head to waist, considering the blond can’t see below the counter.

His throat runs dry.

When those stoic eyes shine with annoyance Naruto realizes just how long he’s been standing in complete silence. He clears his throat, making an awful sound that makes him cringe inwardly, before finally opening his mouth. The only thought in his mind is pleasing the handsome barista.

“Hey, good morning,” he ignores the uncomfortable crack in his voice, “how are ya’?”

That doesn’t appear to be what Sasuke wants to hear because he scoffs, clearly straining to maintain a somewhat pleasant tone before responding, “Jolly,” oh the sarcasm is thick, “are you ready to order?”

Naruto bites his tongue, chancing a nervous glance behind him and noticing nobody there. He is the only person in line, and still, the raven is very clearly rushing him. Maybe he can try a different approach. He smiles gently before scratching behind his neck, a nervous tick he picked up from his mother, “That’s good to hear, my morning was pretty good until I stepped outside – feels less like sweater weather and more like winter jacket weather, right?”

Not even a chuckle. A fake smile. Nothing. Sasuke merely blinked. Tough crowd.

“Uh – what do you suggest?” Naruto can feel his hands sweat profusely and thinks it’s best to just hurry up. Mission failed.

The barista quirks an eyebrow, “You want my suggestion?” his tone is almost shocked, which makes Naruto wonder if anyone ever asks for suggestions here. It seems like a pretty fancy place, so most customers probably have their specific drinks memorized.

“I guess, yeah – I’m not very good at ordering for myself.” The blond only realizes how lame he sounds when the words are already out of his mouth. Only kids need help ordering for themselves. Seriously, he needs to start taking notes from Sakura. She would never let him live this down.

Sasuke smiles at that. A really tiny smile that nobody would notice without very intensely staring at his lips – but a win is a win in Naruto’s book. The corners of his mouth shift up, and that technically is a smile. “Well, our coffee beans are freshly ground every morning, so I really just enjoy our dark roast best.”

Why does this guy look so cute talking about coffee beans? Seriously, it seems like such a boring topic, but that sentence had the blond’s full attention. He did not understand a single thing – the difference between freshly ground coffee and instant coffee is beyond him – but he definitely will not let that show. Instead, he nods his head pensively, pretending to really soak in that information with very little real meaning to him.

“That’s great – I love freshly ground coffee,” he does not, but smiles as if he does anyway, “I’ll take your suggestion then; a small dark roast and a plain toasted bagel.”

Why he added the bagel was a mystery. Plain, too? Yuck.

Still, the look of amusement that shone in those dark eyes is worth it. Sasuke gave a cheeky smile, scoffing while jotting down the order. “One dark roast with a plain toasted bagel, for..?”

“Naruto! You can call me Naruto.”

The raven hummed, then turned to quickly start on his order.

Blue orbs follow Sasuke’s every movement from behind the counter. His perfectly rolled-up white sleeves reveal slender, soft forearms, and the muscles beneath his pale skin flex slightly with each small action he makes. Naruto is truly mesmerized by this man. He makes pouring a cup of coffee seem elegant and grandiose – if the blond attempted it, he would likely find a way to trip and fall on his face. Even with no obstacles in his way, he somehow always causes chaos. The barista is the entire opposite. Others move around him, blocking his path, yet he still glides with grace around their movement.

Almost too quickly his order is prepared.

A gracious tip is left in the jar decorated with pleasant holiday stickers, and Naruto is out the door and, in the cold, again. He wonders if staying was even an option – he could easily spend his day staring at the barista – but a glance at his watch tells him his time is up. His shift starts in only fifteen minutes, and the walk alone is ten, so he allows himself only a single glance back at the coffee shop before rushing to work. The bookstore opened early during the holiday season to welcome gift shoppers and hopefully collect some extra profit. Still, his feet walk slower than usual, his mind distracted by dark eyes and matching messy hair.

The coffee tastes like shit, but he drinks it all before arriving at work.

His old pervy boss gives him an earful for being late, but the lecture is quickly forgotten.

Naruto feels his shift go by in the blink of an eye; he restocks shelves, designs new displays, and helps customers find certain titles – yet everything moves on autopilot. He still jokes and smiles as brightly as ever, nobody notices his distraction, but his mind roams elsewhere. He’s tempted to return to the coffee shop during his lunch break but thinks better of it. Lee, his coworker, invites him to eat at a nearby sandwich shop that just recently opened up, so at least that distracts him for a while.

He feels like a genuine creep.

This guy he’s been thinking about all day likely already forgot his name, let alone his face. To him, he was just another customer. Probably an annoying one, too. The sooner he forgot the better. It stings a little to think that way, especially considering the blond is a natural optimist, but it was the most realistic outcome. He isn’t delusional. Well, maybe a little.

He did kind of make him smile. Half smile.

These thoughts plague him for the remainder of his day, on his bus ride back, and on his walk to his apartment. He jiggles his key in, cursing when it fails to turn and continues struggling until he finally feels the door push open. Fixing that lock has been on his list of boring chores for a while, but it always falls short of other chores, like restocking his instant ramen or laundry. It might just be a priority now that the weather has drastically changed. Freezing his butt off is not a feeling he enjoys.

Right as his door opens and warmth engulfs him from inside, a pair of paws jump on his thighs, pushing him back a bit. Naruto laughs, his eyes filling with adoration as he stares down at Kurama, his Shiba Inu. The dog barks eagerly awaiting praise for remaining well-behaved while their owner leaves for work. The blond easily gives in and pats the fur child on his head, cooing like a mother who hasn’t seen their son all day. “Who’s the best boy? Who deserves a treat?”

“Well, it’s about time – we were starting to think you got lost.” A soft voice speaks from inside his living room. Naruto instantly recognizes it as Sakura, his best friend, and roommate. He walks in, calling for Kurama to follow, and shuts the door behind him, sealing the warmth inside.

“I thought you worked a double shift today,” he asks while walking around the sofa, “don’t tell me you actually found someone to cover it!”

Sakura has worked as a nurse for years now, and the number of double shifts she’s had to cover is impossible to count. She usually doesn’t complain much about it because she genuinely enjoys her job, but that never stops the ache in her feet or neck. Work is work, and it is exhausting. Still, the two friends constantly joke about how Sakura could practically own the hospital with the amount of work they give her. Although the blond worries about her sometimes, she still manages to have quite a good work-life balance. The stress hardly shows.

It makes Naruto wonder if she’s secretly a masochist.

He sits beside her and feels her comfortably rest her head on his shoulder, sighing before responding with a soft hum. “Hinata covered me. Angels do exist, Naru. I work with one.”

Naruto laughs, shifting beside her to more comfortably let her lean on him. His eyes briefly watch the screen playing some reality TV show rerun from last week. He recognizes it because Sakura whined about not being able to watch the premier due to work. That’s about the only time she ever complains about work – to watch some dramatic show about unrealistic romance. Considering how his day went he really has no room to judge.

At least all her unrealistic romance plays out on TV.

“She is so sweet, honestly you should ask her out.”

He feels a punch against his thigh.

“You asshole, you do realize she’s had a thing for you for a while, right?”

The question completely catches him off guard. It feels like a bucket of freezing water is poured on him, and he pauses, eyeing her with squinting eyes, “Shut up, no she does not.”

Sakura pushes herself off him, turning to fully face him. Her eyes are wide, and Naruto regrets his words immediately. “I feel bad for anyone that has ever had feelings for you.”

“That’s just rude; I’m a nice guy.”

“Ew!” She pretends to gag, pushing the blond further away from her, “Nice guys never call themselves “nice guys”!”

Naruto rolls his eyes, sitting up on his elbows, “I was just defending myself – I honestly had no clue she was interested in me.”

Sakura huffs, shaking her head with disapproval and shifts to lie against him again. The two bicker like this often. One usually starts an argument – more often than not, Naruto – and the other bites the bait. They know exactly how to push each other’s buttons, and when to stop.

“Yeah, well; she’s too good for you anyway.”

He doesn’t doubt that for an instant.

Hinata is the kind of friend that everyone feels comfortable around. She always brings food when invited over; homemade food – never store-bought. She always does really small, selfless things, like washing the plates after a meal or holding the door open for someone behind her. Stuff that Naruto forgets to do all the time (especially the dishes). Not to mention how often she gives Sakura a hand at work – something his best friend is always trying to repay her for. Hinata is an absolute catch in anyone’s eyes. Yet here he is. Not interested in the slightest.

Naruto holds a lot of respect and adoration for the shy brunette, but nothing that goes beyond the realm of friendship, unfortunately. He views her as a younger sister. Her kindness is endearing, and he honestly wishes for her to find someone to give her the love and appreciation she deserves in a partner. That someone is not him.

Of course, it would be much less complicated for him to give her a chance.

She is beautiful. He recognizes that much. Plus, he doesn’t necessarily have a preference for men or women; so, that isn’t an issue. Hinata has always been especially kind to him if he thinks about it. She regularly offers him ramen – his favorite meal. Almost every time they meet, she compliments him often, never failing to mention how warm his smile is. She never pokes fun at him for being messy or clumsy and is always patient with him.

Yet Naruto still isn’t convinced. He prefers complicated.

Nothing about Hinata is unattractive in his eyes, but everything about a certain raven pulls him in.

Like a vortex – or black hole – the blond can’t seem to stop himself from reaching for the unlikely. He saw the barista and felt an instant attraction. His subtle smirk spread butterflies inside his chest. A nest of colorful wings overtook his airways, physically stealing his breath, and leaving him speechless. His hands were clammy, and even now, he struggles to think about how clueless he acted around the stoic man. That feeling of being pushed back into the body of an awkward teenager who can’t form proper sentences in front of their crush – that is what the blond craves.

The two friends lay in silence for about half an hour. Naruto only half pays attention to the show. He laughs at whatever dumb drama is playing out on screen, eyes glazed over. Sakura seems to notice his distraction and grabs the remote to lower the volume. She gives the screen one last glance before turning to nudge him.

“You’re a nice guy; stop sulking.”

Naruto snorts, “I am not sulking.”

Kurama sits by his feet, looking up suddenly as if to mock him. Sakura laughs.

“Fine, but something is definitely on your mind; your forehead is all squiggly.” She presses her thumb against his forehead, roughly massaging the area as if to prove her point. The spot is scrunched up.

“Squiggly? What does that even mean?”

“It means you’re thinking, so shut up and tell me what’s on your mind already!” Sakura moves to yank his hair, but the blond quickly dodges the hand. His training has served him well.

He wants to avoid the question but can’t find an excuse valid enough to work on his best friend. She can read him with her eyes shut. They’ve known each other since primary school, and although they didn’t start as friends – Sakura had a nasty attitude, and Naruto was just too stubborn – the two are practically inseparable now. Sakura has always supported him with all his goals and has always been brutally honest when necessary. Every bit of advice she gives him is in his best interest, and he knows that, but it somehow makes him more hesitant. He’s afraid she might be too honest.

“I… met a guy.”

That earns him a loud squeal, “No way! Is he hot? Is he rich? Is he even interested in guys?”

That sentence might have been a little misleading. He did technically meet a guy. Not properly, but technically. The guy made him a coffee, so they met. That’s about as far as the meeting goes. He digresses.

“He is painfully hot, but not so rich; at least I think baristas aren’t raking in cash.”

He carefully avoided that last question. He doesn’t want to make any assumptions, of course. Naruto has an almost criminal history of crushing on straight guys. That’s a long story for another time.

“Barista?” It was obvious how disappointed his best friend was by the revelation. Her shoulders slumped down and she rolled her eyes, “Please don’t tell me you’re crushing on a barista you just met, Naru.”

He silently turns away from her, focusing back on the screen.

“Don’t ignore me!”

“You told me not to tell you – you even said please!” That earns him a pinch to the arm, well deserved at that. It still stings enough to make his eyes water.

“You are so dumb – the dumbest person I know, Naru!” Sakura continues to whine and pinch until her frustration is properly expressed, and Naruto takes it all without protest. She is absolutely right. It could have been said in kinder words… but her harsh honesty is what made them such good friends, to begin with. Moments later, once Sakura realizes the blond is eerily silent in response to her words, she pauses her pinching and sighs heavily. “Stupid.”

“I know.”

Now Sakura is giving him those pouty eyes; the ones that mean she feels guilty but isn’t wrong so she can’t take back her words. He laughs, softly shaking his head, then reaches over to pinch her cheek with no real force at all. “It’s just a dumb crush, I’ll get over it by next week, probably.”

His friend knew better than to push the subject. She also knew his words were only meant to comfort her, which only made her more concerned. Despite the gnawing feeling in her chest telling her to pressure the blond into sharing more, the two sat comfortably together for the remainder of the night and silently binged the worst shows imaginable. That was enough to distract them at least momentarily from Naruto’s idiotic heart.

The following morning Naruto instantly felt regret for sleeping on the sofa instead of walking to his bedroom and changing out of his work clothes.

A bath before bed would have been nice too. Soaking in some warm water, maybe even some bubbles, sounds like an ideal way to head to bed. Unfortunately, the emotional toll of their conversation last night left him tired and lazy, unwilling to walk the short distance to his bedroom, or even leave the warmth of Sakura’s comforting embrace. It sucks that his back is paying the price.

After rubbing the blur out of his eyes, the blond notices a neatly written note on the coffee table. He instantly recognizes Sakura’s handwriting and smiles fondly at the short message:

Early brunch bitch session with Ino; try to spend your day off not sleeping!!! Love you~

An adorable dog that looks shockingly similar to Kurama is doodled on the bottom of the pink sticky note. Naruto forces himself to get up and off the sofa, pushing the desire to fall back asleep down. Most of his days off are regrettably spent in bed or on the sofa binging anime that Gaara recommends. He personally doesn’t see a problem with resting and staying in on those days, however, his friends – especially Sakura, shocker – have informed him that it might be unhealthy to never go out.

He blames Gaara for fueling his introverted tendencies with limitless anime.

One scorching shower later the blond is texting Gaara to meet up and catch up. The two have been close friends since middle school when the redhead was going through some heavy emotional stuff and shaved his eyebrows off, effectively scaring the school counselor. Naruto thought it added character. The two got along quite well after that.

Luckily the blond knew just the place to meet up at. A cozy coffee shop.

His insomniac friend, unlike himself, is a coffee fanatic and will take any opportunity to enjoy the bitter beverage. Naruto receives an eager reply only minutes later. He spits out the remainder of the toothpaste in his mouth and rinses, giving himself a knowing look in the mirror. His hair is haphazardly styled, seeming almost effortlessly messy. Sakura says it looks like he crawled out of bed in a rush, but he disagrees; people love the natural and wild look. At least he hopes they do.

He really only needs a single person to agree with him.

After texting the redhead their randevu address, Naruto yanks his closet open to find the cleanest and least wrinkled outfit at his disposal. Thankfully, that happens to be an oversized white t-shirt with a pair of distressed black jeans. He completes the look with a simple orange crossbody bag – a birthday gift from Sakura. She always nags him to wear the only fashionable orange thing in his closet.

He throws on a pair of white platform Converse and smiles at himself in the mirror by the entrance. He looks damn good when he wants to. With a playful wink and giggle, he rushes out of the apartment and to the coffee shop.

Gaara is early, per usual.

Already seated in a booth with a large cup of burning coffee. He eyes the blond with curiosity as he walks by the booth and toward the front counter. The redhead isn’t the only person eyeing him, but all Naruto can focus on is the fact that Sasuke is not there. His cerulean eyes search for a glimpse of raven hair or even a pair of dark glaring eyes, but the only person across the counter from him is a girl with a kind smile and chocolate brown hair pulled up in two buns.

As rude as it may seem, disappointment settles in his heart. He orders a dark roast for some unexplainable reason, gives his name, and then slumps into the booth across from Gaara.

“Aren’t you a ray of sunshine.”

Naruto is not amused. He scoffs, rolls his eyes, then pouts subconsciously.

His friend hums and takes a long sip from his drink, then continues scrolling through his phone. It irritates the blond enough to glare at the man from behind his own drink. Gaara is not the most emotionally sensitive person – he knows this – but his lackluster reaction is kind of ticking him off. At least Sakura is interested in his lame drama.

Naruto groans dramatically, earning an odd look from the table beside them, but nothing from Gaara but a raised hairless brow.

A few more minutes pass with intentionally loud groans and huffs until finally the redhead gets the hint and places his phone face-down on the table, giving his full attention to the blond.

“Is there something on your mind, Naruto?”

Naruto practically jumps across the table, more than eager to express his complaints to his friend. “Yes, actually. Thanks for asking.”

“Is it about your crush?”

Sakura really does work fast. Impossibly fast. Not even a day later, their friend group has been properly informed about his romantic failures. She really just could not help herself.

“How do you even-“

“You look really good, by the way; I forgot to mention that.”

The blond smiles bashfully at the honest words. He did put in a little extra effort, apparently for nothing. At least Gaara can appreciate it. “Thanks. I gotta do laundry soon, but at least I had some decent clothes left.”

Naruto might as well enjoy his time with his friend instead of pouting about the guy he just met a day ago. Sasuke has a life outside of this place; probably even has a partner because he’s attractive and young. The likelihood of him actually even caring about the blond’s existence is below zero. The thought stings but helps ground him.

“At least now you know you have the same day off,” Gaara spoke suddenly, pushing aside his empty cup and licking his bottom lip clean of coffee residue, “that’s rather nice.”

An unfortunate coincidence at the moment, but his friend makes a good point. Better to look on the bright side. He smiles brightly, already looking forward to his next day off. “Good point.”

Naruto eventually slides his cup across the table, offering the dark drink to his friend. Gaara happily accepts it, drinking it almost too quickly. They catch each other up on life, Naruto doing most of the talking, which is nothing new. He tells the redhead about the lock he’s too lazy to replace, and the bathroom he promised Sakura would be clean by tonight. He tells him about how scared the shop customers are of Lee, despite his overbearingly affable personality. He also tells him about the new part-time hire, Konohamaru, a teenager who keeps getting the online orders wrong but seems like a pretty funny kid.

Gaara also mentions a few things, although most of it is anime-related. The guy is obsessed with reading fanfictions and cosplaying, and Naruto doesn’t mind hearing him geek out about it sometimes. He rambles about a new cosplay he’s working on – the accessories alone took him about ten hours! Then he mentions a really angsty fanfiction he read that kept him up all night. It’s kind of jarring seeing him so talkative though since he is usually such a quiet person. Naruto just soaks it all in, though. Enjoying it while it lasts. Until Gaara mentions the last bit of information, mumbling it out like something unimportant.

“Oh, right, Temari and Shikamaru are finally getting married.” The redhead speaks with the least amount of interest possible.

Naruto almost doesn’t process the information, smiling it off like the rest of his rant, but suddenly replays it in his mind and does a double take. His friend doesn’t seem to understand the shock.

“Did you just say Shika is getting married!?”

Gaara nods.

“Wait – when did that happen? There is no way Shika proposed!”

“Temari did, actually. The wedding is three months away.”

Naruto really did throw himself across the table now, grabbing his friend by the shoulders, “Why is this the last thing you tell me? We’ve been talking about angst and smut for almost half an hour!”

Gaara shrugs, “I guess it wasn’t really on my mind.”

Apparently, the proposal happened quite some time ago. Two months ago, to be exact. Naruto knew his friends were recluses – especially the lazy genius – but this was ridiculous. Not even a phone call or text. Any heads-up would have been nice. According to Gaara, Shikamaru didn’t want a celebratory party, and thus left most of his friends in the dark, excluding Ino and Choji of course. Rude. Naruto could have respected that. Probably. They would never know, now.

Naruto made a mental note to call the jerk. Just ‘cause he moved away to live with his girlfriend (fiancé now!) doesn’t give him the right to belittle their friendship. Suna was not far enough to not visit more often!

“I’ve actually been avoiding thinking about the wedding altogether because Temari is trying to fix me with one of her obnoxious friends.” Gaara draws invisible circles on the table with his index finger, a heavy frown in place.

That definitely piques the blond’s interest. He grins widely, “What? Like a plus one?”

“I guess,” he huffs, “she thinks my obsession with fictional couples is because of my lack of a real relationship.”

Naruto did not want to comment on that. He was just as painfully single as Gaara; except Gaara seemed content. His friend has always enjoyed solitude over company, so seeing the sour look on his face wasn’t very shocking. Temari was likely only worried because she was getting married now and would have less time to spend with her baby brother. What she doesn’t know is that even if Gaara did find someone to share his time with, a partner or significant other, he would be just as obsessed with fanfiction as he is now. Maybe even more so. Then he would have the experience to fuel his obsession.

Naruto tried his best to comfort his friend, even buying him a slice of coffee cake to go. The two finally leave the now overcrowded coffee shop, freeing a booth for a group of artsy-looking university students. Gaara makes an offhanded comment about one of them wearing too much bronzer while stuffing a bite of cake into his mouth and Naruto can’t help but laugh. He rushes the man out of the shop before anyone can get offended.

After walking the cake off for a bit in the cool December breeze, the two promise to meet up again soon and part ways. Naruto waits for Gaara’s ride to arrive and waves him off with a warm smile. Minutes after the car is out of view, he stands with his hands stuffed in his pockets, wondering why he hadn’t at least brought a scarf to protect himself from the harsh winter air.

The morning had been surprisingly warm, with the sun shining down and engulfing everything in heat. The clouds were out now, and any remnants of warmth were long gone. Overtaken by skin-biting wind and clouded skies. Naruto huffs out a breath, laughing at the puff of white that leaves his mouth.

With a quick text to Sakura letting her know he would pick up food on his way home, the blond ran to the nearest bus stop in hopes of getting out of this weather soon. He knew the closest bus would arrive in minutes and couldn’t risk missing it.

Later that night Naruto lays in his bed, thick orange covers wrapping him like a burrito, mind wandering back to the same issue he’s been actively avoiding all day. Sasuke. After eating a warm bowl of his favorite ramen with Sakura and taking a long bath before throwing on a pair of froggy pajamas, the blond felt his mind clear. A little R&R really does help the mind think calmly.

The raven really had left an impression on the blond. Only a few minutes of interaction and Naruto was daydreaming about smooth alabaster skin against his own, rough, bronzed skin.

The man was undoubtedly attractive – that was without question – however, Naruto realizes that something else draws him closer. Something… unexplainable. Like the opposite end of two magnets fighting to find each other. Maybe all the fanfiction Gaara shares with him is finally getting to him. He sounds like some hopeless romantic in a Soulmates AU fanfiction. He shivers at the thought.

All he can do is push the thoughts aside.

With the memory of dark eyes and raven hair, Naruto smiled softly in his bed, finally drifting off into a comfortable and silent slumber.

The following days went by in a blur for the blond. He discreetly set his alarm an hour earlier than usual, taking advantage of the extra time to indulge in his new interest. Coffee. He woke up, dragged himself out of bed with mumbled curses, and jumped into a cold shower to wake himself up. Nothing like needles of freezing water to really put a pep in his step. Then, like clockwork, he ends up in that same cozy coffee shop, bright and early. Every. Day. That. Week.

Naruto wonders what goddess he pleased in his past life for him to see that grumpy raven each morning across the dark mahogany counter.

Their second meeting was about as eventful as their first, which is to say, not at all. He ordered his coffee, all smiley and charming, sat down to (begrudgingly) drink it, then skipped all the way to work. He still remembers the odd stares his coworkers gave him as he whistled wistfully all shift long. It wasn’t until Konohamaru mocked him for having an obvious crush that he snapped out of his daze and barked at the teen to go finish restocking the holiday display. Kids are so nosy nowadays, he frowns.

Each day he rinsed and repeated the same actions. Cold shower. Coffee. Daydreaming. The occasional obnoxious coworker comment. Nearing the end of the week, Sasuke knew him by name and face, pouring him his bitter drink before the blond could even approach the counter. Naruto felt butterflies swarm his stomach, despite logically knowing this was also just part of Sasuke’s job. He memorized customers and drinks; nothing special. Still, the small smirk he sent his way told him otherwise.

Curse Gaara for infecting him with unreasonable expectations for romance.

The weekend rolled around again, and with it, his day off. Knowing Sasuke would likely not be working a shift either, going for his daily cup of torture was off his list of things to do. Thankfully. Instead, he lazed around in bed with Kurama for far too long. He read a few oneshot fanfictions Gaara had sent him last weekend, sent a few text replies to his coworkers asking dumb questions about stuff they should already know, and even reached level one hundred in Ramen Rush (finally)! Feeling satisfied with his waste of time, the blond finally rolled out of bed with a sigh.

The mirror across his room mocked his tussled hair, reflecting it back in all its matted glory.

Naruto pulled open his closet door with a shrug, not really having the energy to care about his appearance today. First on his list of chores was walking Kurama; the poor canine was extremely patient with his owner, sitting obediently by the bedroom door.

Pulling on his favorite, and most worn, pair of orange joggers with their matching sweatshirt, Naruto decided today would be a perfect day for a visit to the laundromat. Most of his presentable work clothes were suffocating under a pile of underwear and mismatched socks. The blond knew the chore was long overdue, but he could thank past Naruto for that.

Sakura had another double shift today, otherwise, he would have dragged her along with him.

Instead of wasting more of his time complaining, the blond tied on a pair of worn-out sneakers, layered a black puffer vest over his sweatshirt and haphazardly threw his dirty laundry into a linen bag. After a brief glance around his bedroom to confirm his laundry was all packed away, he tied Kurama’s leash in place, smiling down at the way he wagged his tail eagerly. At least the blond has his loyal pet to accompany him on his long trip of boring adult chores.

The two were out the door no later than half past ten. Naruto is actually proud he’s leaving the house before midday, which is his usual departure time on days off. Sakura would pat his back if she were here.

An hour into their jog the blond was already feeling refreshed. Kurama kept a steady pace in front of him, slowing down when passing another person or getting distracted by an animal. Carrying the moderately heavy laundry bag added an extra challenge to his usual brisk workout, something Naruto could appreciate. He doesn’t mind breaking a sweat. Eventually, the two slowed down to a light walk, finally reaching their bus stop destination.

The bus arrived not even ten minutes after their arrival. Thankfully, bringing Kurama on board wasn’t an issue as long as he was leashed and remained seated on the floor. Naruto greeted the driver with a kind smile and wave, walking by and sitting in the nearest available spot. His chest was still heaving slightly from the mixture of exercise and cold weather. The warmth of the heater was quickly relaxing him, and the redness of his cheeks and ears was mellowing out.

Just as the blond was pulling out a pair of earbuds from his pocket, his eyes caught a familiar glimpse of raven hair across from him. His hands froze.

Like some cosmic joke, or a really weird fanfiction coincidence, sat across from him is the guy he’s been thinking of for the past week. Not only that, but he looks… breathtaking. Gone were his work clothes and that stained coffee shop apron. Gone was his forced smile and sarcastic customer service smirk. That head of raven hair is braided on either side of his head and pulled into a comfortable ponytail. Naruto couldn’t help but think of the word… cute.

Sasuke sat focused, unaware of the blue eyes drinking him in. His hands worked swiftly, one holding what Naruto believed to be a silver crochet hook, the other supplying a steady flow of brown yarn. His ears were covered by a set of bulky black headphones, likely blocking out any surrounding noise with whatever playlist the raven is listening to.

Sasuke wore a distressed white crochet crop top, layered tastefully over a simple black tank. His long legs are nearly completely covered by a ruffled midnight blue gingham skirt, reaching just above his pale ankles. An oversized black leather jacket covers his shoulders, matching well with his chunky black loafers. From afar, anyone would mistake the raven for a model, Naruto thought. He sighed pathetically, not even realizing the breath he had been holding.

A sudden discomfort overcame the blond as he glanced down at his attire.

The one day he wasn’t expecting to see the other man, he appeared out of thin air. On laundry day of all days. Naruto doesn’t look awful, but it’s almost painfully clear he rolled out of bed and threw on the first thing he could find without a stain. Just his luck.

He tries shifting away a little, praying to whatever heavenly goddess that may exist to not allow the beautiful man across from him to notice him. To not recognize him, at least. That hope was swiftly crushed when midnight eyes clashed against his own, a flash of recognition shining in them. A single, perfect, dark eyebrow rose curiously. So much for being a man of faith, Naruto huffed.

He gave an uncharacteristic meek smile and suddenly felt movement beside him. Before he could even register what happened, Kurama was across the bus, jumping on the unsuspecting raven and effectively destroying any chances of his owner making a good impression.

Sasuke cries out in surprise, dropping his crochet hook and yarn, frozen in his seat as a lap full of Shiba Inu landed on him. Naruto dashed forward, uselessly grabbing onto the leash and pulling back. He was mortified to see Kurama start licking the raven’s face.

“Kurama! Down, boy! I’m so sorry, he doesn’t usually do this,” trying to somehow salvage the situation, the blond let out a nervous laugh, “Maybe he thought your crochet hook was a stick?” He almost facepalmed at how ridiculous he sounded. If only the ground could eat him whole.

Sasuke must have been in a good mood or something because he actually chuckled. Instead of being furious at being ambushed by the hairy hound, he gave Kurama a gentle smile and scratched behind his ear – which happened to be his favorite spot. Naruto nearly melted at the sight.

Dark eyes glanced back at him, less kind and much sharper, “You know they say a dog behaves like their owner, right?”

“Uh – what?” Naruto felt very dumb. He bit his bottom lip, unsure how to respond.

The raven ignored his ignorant response, choosing instead to roll his eyes and continue petting the eager dog still on top of him. “I felt you staring at me, do you need something?”

Like a deer in headlights, Naruto faltered. He was being pretty obvious – but the other had been so engrossed in whatever he was doing – apparently, the blond hadn’t been the only one paying attention. He should probably apologize… say that he was just surprised to recognize the barista. That would make the most sense and sound the least creepy. Making the raven uncomfortable was the last thing he wanted, really. He clears his throat, trying to find the right words.

“I – I uh…” His mother is certainly rolling in her grave right now. Shutting his mouth would be better than sounding like the idiot he definitely sounds like. “Sorry.”

Sasuke almost hid his smile, “Are you an idiot?”

Naruto was certainly starting to think so. Now that he stands closer to the raven, he can really appreciate how attractive he is. His eyes are framed by steady black eyeliner. It really brings attention to the slender shape of his eyes (not that he needs it). He has a set of sun and crescent moon earrings that dangle down to his chin. A seriously cool-looking silver snake cuff hugs his left ear. If that weren’t enough, a midnight blue choker (that appears to be crocheted) hung snugly against his neck.

“No – I just uh… you’re the barista, aren’t you?” As if he really had to ask; he hopes his tone sounds believable enough.

Either Sasuke doesn’t notice, or he doesn’t care enough to call him out, “I am, and you are the guy that can’t order for himself.”

Of course, that would come back to haunt him. The blond huffs, unusually silent in response to the jab. Sasuke must take pity on him because he merely smiles knowingly before shaking his head. “Idiot.”

The playful tone fills Naruto with confidence, “I am not an idiot, asshole!” His voice might have been a tad louder than intended. The old lady beside him frowns heavily – whether his tone of voice or foul language is the cause, he isn’t sure – she scoots further away.

The raven must be immune to name-calling because his smile only widens slightly at the childish display. Kurama seems to finally settle down on his lap, eyes shut and relaxed. “That is yet to be proven true.”

Again, at a loss for words, Naruto feels his cheeks warm considerably. He blames the sensation on the amazing bus heaters. Watching the other man pet Kurama with gentle hands forces a pout on his lips. What he would give to be a dog right about now. The urge had never been this strong before. All he can do now is get his shit together and seize the moment. Running into the raven on his day off was a sign he couldn’t ignore.

Surprisingly, Sasuke is the one to break the silence again, his eyes landing on the large bag beside Naruto, “That explains your outfit. Laundry day.”

The blond squawks indignantly, “Laundry day has nothing to do with my very tasteful outfit, jerk!” It was a blatant lie, but the message was the same: orange joggers are cool as fuck.

“That orange is bright enough to burn my retinas, but I don’t completely hate the puffer vest.” An appreciative smirk forces Naruto to look away. He doesn’t trust his mouth enough to not say something embarrassing in response. Despite being very clearly mocked, the banter felt lighthearted. Playful, even. If he really pushed it, the blond might even consider this… flirting. In a weird, rude way.

The thought of someone as attractive as the raven being interested in him did weird things to his stomach. Naruto rarely felt insecure; he considers himself a relatively attractive, young, charming guy. He is just below six feet, reaching a comfortable height of 5’11”. He works out regularly, or whenever his schedule allows him to, giving him a decently muscular build. He inherited his father’s broad shoulders, and his mother’s round, wide eyes. Overall, he believes he has several attractive qualities. His past partners always made it abundantly clear to him how inviting his appearance made him.

Still, his own moderately attractive qualities paled in comparison to the man before him.

Sasuke stood only a couple of inches taller than the blond, at around 6’1’’. His features were sharp, with thin, long eyes, as opposed to Naruto’s own rounded ones. His almond-shaped face sits perfectly above his slim shoulders. Although he is noticeably less built than the blond, it doesn’t make him any less toned, as shown by his exposed collarbone. Not to mention his impeccable sense of style; even the simplest outfit would stand out on him. That level of attractiveness felt… out of his league. It’s something Naruto hardly ever admitted to himself.

"Figures the only black piece of clothing I own is your favorite, boring bastard.” He pushes aside the urge to blush, opting for a joke to fill the silence.

A curious eyebrow is raised, “you’re joking, right?” He almost sounds concerned. Naruto can barely hold in his laughter, choosing instead to just let it out in spite of the old lady growing more annoyed by the minute.

“Maybe… but it isn’t too inaccurate,” the blond admits sheepishly, “I’d say at least half my wardrobe is the same eye-burning orange.” He watched as the already pale raven paled at his revelation, his hand momentarily freezing above Kurama’s head.

Naruto isn’t sure what convinced him to share something so out of pocket about himself, but he didn’t regret it. Admittedly, it was slightly embarrassing considering even his close friends complained loudly about his apparent horrid taste in clothing. He was never ashamed of it, though. He could, and often would, defend his choice of attire repeatedly. Although the raven undoubtedly has a good sense of style, it didn’t make the blond any less proud of his own.

If Sasuke found the revelation unappealing, he showed no signs of his distaste.

“I suppose some individuals can pull it off.” Whether Naruto was one of those individuals remains unsaid. He wonders if the raven is always this stingy with compliments.

Undeterred by the lackluster response, Naruto changed topics before the other could lose interest, “How’s your day going? Any boring chores on your to-do list?”

A flash of annoyance was hidden behind indifference almost too quickly, “It’s fine. Just deciding what I should have for lunch.”

It’s now or never. The opportunity is right here, begging to be taken. Naruto ignored his sweating palms, rubbing them furiously on his joggers. “Well, if you haven’t made any plans – looks like I’ve got some time on my hands – if you don’t mind waiting till I put my load to wash, I could invite you to some lunch.” The offer was out in the open now. No taking it back. If the raven is interested, he’ll accept. If not, the embarrassment shouldn’t be too bad. Especially with how casual it sounded.

That didn’t make the silence any more nerve-racking.

Still, Sasuke seems to be considering the invitation, to Naruto’s surprise. The bus makes a slow stop just as dark eyes look up to stare at him. This is his stop, so the blond stands awkwardly, unsure if he should just call the whole thing off and run out of the bus.  

“Are you asking me out?”

The question is so blunt Naruto can’t stop the blush that spreads across his neck and reaches up to his ears. The old woman beside him chuckles at the obvious display of embarrassment.

“Uh well – when you put it that way…” He looks away, his eyes darting across the bus in search of some invisible answer, until finally landing back on the eyes across from him, “Just something casual, a friendly lunch date – if you’re okay with that – if not I get it, we did just meet…”

Naruto watched with confusion as the raven stood up, gathered his things, and began walking off the bus with Kurama’s leash in hand. He didn’t turn back to look at him once. He gave the bus driver a simple wave and stepped out of the vehicle wordlessly. It wasn’t until the old woman beside him gave him a slight push that he understood what just happened.

“You better hurry off if you don’t want that nice young man to leave you behind, sweetheart.”

That is exactly what he did. Without wasting another moment, Naruto picked up his laundry bag and rushed off the bus, nearly tripping on his way out. The driver did not seem pleased by his childish behavior but simply shut the door behind him before driving off to the next stop. Sasuke stood, leash in one hand and tote bag slung across his torso. The bag read: Fresh and Organic. The image of a doodled set of tomatoes on a vine accompanied the phrase.

“You could warn me next time you decide to kidnap my dog, ya know?”

With an eye roll, Sasuke crossed his arms childishly, “It’s technically dognap.”

Instead of snapping back with a reply, the blond simply shook his head with a laugh. He began walking down the path, expecting the other to follow close behind. He wasn’t sure if Sasuke was pretentious, or just seriously out of touch. Either way, he likes it. A little too much, actually. Sakura would accuse him of being a masochist if she were here now.

For the remainder of their walk to his preferred laundromat, Sasuke held Kurama’s leash without signs of wanting to return it to the blond any time soon. Kurama would occasionally try running off the path and toward a loud sound or small animal, but the raven was surprisingly good at handling him. He would lightly pull the leash back and redirect his attention forward. Sometimes all it took was a stern look and the canine would correct himself without further action. Naruto would be lying if he said he wasn’t thoroughly impressed. Not just anybody could tame his best buddy. It even took Sakura a good while to get him to start warming up to her. Perhaps this was Kurama’s way of making up for the bus incident.

Just as the duo came to a stop before the clear glass windows of the laundromat, the blond felt the urge to mention his observation, “What are ya, the dog whisperer? I’ve never seen Kurama act so well-behaved before,” he crouched down to give his loyal pal a pat on the head, “It’s honestly freakin’ me out a bit… so outta character for him.”

Thankfully the raven took it as a compliment if the smirk is anything to go by, “My brother owns a Doberman. This guy is an angel in comparison.”

Naruto could hardly hold back the smile on his face. Sasuke is sharing a piece of his life outside of being a barista. Now he knows the raven has a brother and is well acquainted with a misbehaving Doberman. Something to jot down in his long list of details regarding the handsome man. He refuses to make a big deal over it for fear of scaring him off but enjoys the bit of information anyway. He still isn’t sure how comfortable the raven is with the current situation. For all he knows, the guy could just want a free meal, which is perfectly valid.

He wonders if this is how it must feel to be absolutely smitten with an individual.

Naruto believes firmly that he would buy the raven a limitless number of meals if it meant spending more time together, regardless of attraction. He is sure the sentiment is not reciprocated but oddly doesn’t feel bad about that.

Sasuke agrees to wait outside with Kurama despite Naruto’s insistence to join him inside. The weather would undoubtedly get harsher soon, he could feel it in the wind blowing across his prickled skin. Still, the raven hurried him inside, claiming to already be starving for food. That only added to the guilt the blond was feeling. He could just as well tie Kurama’s leash on a poll while he loads his laundry. That was what he usually did anyway.

While shoving all of his brightly colored garments inside an unused washing machine covered in cartoonish stickers, another machine caught his eye. He paused his sporadic movement and turned to face the vending machine just across from him. It must be a new addition to the place, as surely the blond would have spent countless dollars on the thing during his previous visits if he had known of its existence. The glass displayed a fully stocked interior of popular candies, fried potato chips, and even a few interesting pastries.

What really caught his attention was the brightly colored bag of tomato-flavored chips. The plastic container was a shockingly vibrant shade of red, practically begging to be bought. A detailed image of tomatoes hanging off a vine is plastered on the front, advertising a strong flavor of the plump vegetable. Fruit. Whatever people classified them as.

He was not surprised to find himself walking out of the empty laundromat with a bag in hand.

He says he’s hungry, he reasons with himself, what kind of jerk would I be for ignoring that?

Sasuke wastes no time on mentioning it, “What is that?” It almost sounds like an accusation with the tone of his voice. Naruto is not deterred. He lifts up the bag, offering it proudly.

“Little snack to hold off the hunger while we figure out where to eat.”

Sasuke is… suspicious. He eyes the bag with uncertainty, maintaining his firm grip on the leash. He makes no move to reach out and accept the offering, which slightly unsettles the blond. A flash of regret fills his chest, and he begins to wonder if maybe he is making the man uncomfortable. Maybe he’s acting too childishly. Just when he considers brushing the situation off as a joke, the raven speaks.

“…why tomato?”

The change of tone gives Naruto whiplash. A moment ago, he seemed skeptical and uneasy, but now he seems… awkward. A bit self-conscious even. Naruto feels his eyes gravitate toward the doodled tomato tote bag hanging off of the man’s torso. “Lucky guess,” he admits sheepishly, “you’re not allergic or somethin’, right?”

Sasuke must have realized which bag he carried as his face was suddenly beet red. Naruto bit back a laugh.

“No… thanks, I guess.” Soft pale skin brushed against his calloused hand, finally accepting the bag. A jolt of nerves was sent straight up Naruto’s spine at the brief contact. So soft. He couldn’t stop the thought even if he tried, which he never did. Shaking off the strange interaction was more difficult than he wanted to admit, but the two eventually began their walk to a nearby soup spot the raven claimed to serve the best-tasting soup he had ever tried.

Keep it cool, Naruto, you can’t blow this. He glanced beside him, sending the raven a curious look as he finally opened the bag of oddly flavored chips. A strong scent of… something caught in the wind, reaching even his nose. The odor was difficult to describe. Maybe like stale ketchup. Not the best first impression. The crinkle in Sasuke’s nose tells him he agrees with that assessment. Hopefully, the flavor makes up for the smell.

“This better not poison me…” Sasuke mumbled before going for the brightest colored chip they had ever seen. That looks radioactive, Naruto thinks with unease. The sound of crisp munching tells him that at least the chips aren’t stale.

When the raven says nothing for a while, Naruto decides to take the bait.

“So? What’s the verdict?” He sounds perhaps a bit too invested in the answer.

Sasuke teases him a bit longer, eyeing him silently with a knowing look like he knows how impatient the blond is but enjoys seeing him squirm with anticipation. Except he only just met Naruto recently, so he couldn’t possibly know that. Still, the thought gave him goosebumps. Sasuke teasing him so playfully… almost like a boyfriend would. Yeah, he needs to dial it back a notch.

In the most deadpan tone ever used, “These are awful.”

Naruto isn’t sure if he should feel surprised by the fact, but he doesn’t. Instead, he reaches out to try and snatch a chip, which fails horribly when the bag is lifted further away almost too quickly. He squawks indignantly before attempting again, only for it to fail… again. “Hey, lemme’ try!”

“Idiot, you can’t have any without asking first.” To emphasize his point, he reaches for a handful and shoves them all into his mouth at once, munching loudly. Obnoxiously. If he weren’t so cute…

Naruto huffs, rolls his eyes, then grumbles out “May I please have some?”

The jerk smirks, “No, you may not. But thank you for asking.”

“Hey!” Feeling unreasonably offended by the playful situation, the blond throws manners right out the window as he aggressively reaches for the bag again – this time aiming to steal the whole thing. Damn being polite or trying to impress this infuriatingly attractive man. His politeness was wasted on him anyway, the guy clearly enjoys poking fun at him.

He curses his parents for inadvertently making him shorter than the raven, even by just a few inches. Those few inches made a world of a difference now. Not to mention the thick platform of height added by Sasuke’s loafers. The world truly is unfair to him. It was almost too easy for Sasuke to keep the bag out of range from his desperate hands. In a final attempt, he noticed an opportunity he couldn’t miss. Having an unexpected boost of confidence, the blond moved forward, closing the distance between them considerably. He blew a warm breath just below the raven’s ear, tickling the sensitive skin and eliciting a startled wave of goosebumps on his pale skin. The bag of chips fell right out of his grasp and into Naruto’s awaiting hand.

Was that too much? Too late to regret it now.

Naruto ignores the heat rising to his neck and ears, picking out a fairly coated potato chip to try. Up close, he could notice the crinkled texture. His favorite kind of potato chip. He throws the entire chip into his eager mouth, avoiding the burning eyes on him. The flavor took a second to really settle on his tongue since he couldn’t quite recognize it at once. It was unusual. Like dehydrated pizza sauce. The same seasonings and everything. Not terrible at all.

The raven finally snaps out of his daze, “Thief,” he accuses before snatching the bag back, “should have bought yourself a bag.”

Not at all fazed by the action, Naruto replies in kind, “Haven’t they taught you that sharing is caring?”

Sasuke seems to have anticipated the response, “What about me screams caring?”

That shut the blond up. Point proven. Although he would argue that the raven pretends not to care in order to seem more mysterious or something. He has a feeling that saying something like that would irk the man quite a bit, so he chose to remain silent. Best to stay in his good graces for now. Luckily for them, the soup shop was just in sight, their prior scuffle forgotten in favor of discussing their next activity. Soup’s On was displayed in large white cursive letters above the oak exterior of the establishment. A sizable window showcased the inside, allowing for quite a cozy view of the booths aligning the interior. Thankfully the place has an outdoor seating area to avoid leaving Kurama on his own. Now he wonders if the raven had the foresight to keep that in mind. If so, that would be an incredibly attractive and considerate thing for him to do.

As if he weren’t attractive enough.

Unaware of his inner turmoil, Sasuke ties Kurama’s leash to a nearby chair. The dog sits almost perfectly in place, perking up at the pale hand that pats his head encouragingly. Naruto suddenly understands him because any attention given by the raven feels incredibly addictive. If he were Kurama, he too would be eager to please him. Everything makes much more sense now. Sasuke was right, dogs really do resemble their owners. The thought embarrasses him a bit.

“Let’s order quick so he isn’t left alone out here for long,” Sasuke leads the way inside, holding the door open for him. Naruto hesitates for a moment before hurrying inside. He feels oddly bashful over the kind action. Of course, he’s aware it isn’t a big deal, just a considerate act. Anybody with manners would even consider it second nature. He wonders if the same applies to Sasuke.

Immediately inside the blond is hit with a wave of warmth. He didn’t realize how cold the weather had gotten until just now. The contrast shocks him a bit. A bowl of soup isn’t exactly the most romantic food, but it sure did sound appealing right about now. His cerulean eyes scanned the chalk-written menu hanging above with studious focus. It was divided into three sections that apparently cycled throughout the week. Today the first section labeled soups listed numerous interesting flavors. Cheddar bacon, garden blend, meat lovers, pizza in a bowl, and roasted cauliflower and potatoes. Then they had the classics that never cycled out of the menu, such as chicken noodles, tomato, and the seasonal pumpkin stew. Right beside the soup list was the list of extra sides available – bread, grilled cheese, salad, etc. Finally, an adequate number of drinks were listed.

The restaurant appeared quite empty, save for a few patrons sitting a good distance away from the front. Naruto glances at a man seated near the back, dressed in uniform, and absolutely going nuts on a bowl of what looks like chicken noodle soup. Okay buddy, nobody’s stealing it from ya’. He must be on break, and by the looks of it, starving. At least now the blond knows the food must be good. Just the sight makes his stomach grumble. Sasuke must notice because he smiles knowingly.

“They have a great bone broth soup that Kisame loses his mind for,” he pauses and brings out his phone, “uh, that’s my brother’s Doberman.” To somehow make his point true, he opens his photo album and tilts his phone to face the blond. His screen reveals a crisp-clear image of a dark pointed-ear dog absolutely destroying a bowl of delicious-looking soup. Just out of frame, a hand reaches out to almost hold back the canine from drowning in the liquid. A tattoo decorates the skin with the silhouette of a raven bird. Naruto quirks an inquisitive brow at the picture.

“You’re inked?” he can’t help but put his thoughts into words, hoping the question isn’t too forward. Sasuke takes it with ease as he shakes his head.

“No, that’s my brother’s arm. He’s a tattoo artist, so he keeps insisting I get a matching design with him.” The roll of his eyes alludes to his clear annoyance with the request.

A part of Naruto is intrigued by the thought. The image of Sasuke with a tattoo sort of makes him feel funny things. His pale skin would surely contrast nicely with the dark ink. He decides to keep that thought to himself and instead focus on the photo again. The dog, Kisame was his name, seemed like a handful judging by the picture alone. Yet the blond felt an urge to meet him, maybe even set up a dog playdate with Kurama. Then, perhaps, he could meet Sasuke’s brother. Assuming the raven was comfortable with such an idea.

The two men finally walk up to order when they notice the anxious look on the employee's face. She must be eager to get the interaction over with. Naruto doesn’t blame her, customer service could be such a chore sometimes. He’s certain Sasuke could agree.

The raven orders a bowl of tomato soup with a side of grilled cheese bites. To drink he recommends they both order a warm tea – it really compliments the food – that was all it took for the blond to fervently agree. Naruto then orders a bowl of the pizza-flavored soup, curious to experience the difference between it and the tomato soup. He assumes it has cheese and other… pizza-related flavors. Maybe oregano? He isn’t an expert in pizza flavors, so really it could just taste like tomatoes and he would enjoy it. As his side, he went with garlic bread. Seemed appropriate.

Sasuke made sure to add the order of bone broth soup for Kurama, which Naruto found very touching.

When it came time to pay, both men took out their wallets. Naruto cocked an eyebrow at the raven, “I asked you out to eat, it only makes sense that I pay.” He has to pay because otherwise why is Sasuke here, spending time with him, making him feel all warm and gooey? This is the least he can do as compensation for his time.

“I added the extra soup, so really I should-“

This time the blond scoffs, crossing both arms and completely ignoring the employee’s growing unease, “Oh please, the bone broth soup is for Kurama – I don’t mind paying the extra amount!”

That must have ticked the raven off because his eyes sharpened a fraction, “Well, how about you pay next time we eat out and we’ll call it even.”

That had Naruto’s mouth clamped shut so quickly that his teeth hurt. Next time. He heard him right. Sasuke wants to meet up again – he wants a next time. That means he doesn’t need to come up with some dumb excuse to see him again. He doesn’t need to keep showing up at the coffee shop every day to drink a coffee so hot and bitter it burns his esophagus. Well, he isn’t quite willing to give that up yet. Watching the raven move around in that cute apron, serving up pastries and drinks with that forced smile. It isn’t a view he would ever want to miss out on. While his thoughts and emotions jumbled up inside his head Sasuke took the opportunity to pay for their meal, finally relieving the poor girl managing the register. In only a few minutes, their food was prepared and served. The duo walked outside of the establishment and approached the table Kurama sat diligently by, protectively watching over the seats.

The canine began wagging its tail at the sight of them, almost intuitively knowing about his meal. Sasuke wasted little time in removing the lid covering the container of warm bone broth-based soup. Naruto had to admit the smell was alluring. He could see the colorful vegetables floating above the surface. Kurama was practically shaking with anticipation and Sasuke laughed. Luckily the liquid wasn’t piping hot, otherwise he would have to wait a minute for it to cool down a bit. The employee must have noticed them tie the leash outside and had the foresight to cool it down a bit. It was just at room temp. Perfect for consumption at the speed Kurama would likely dig in. The raven gave him a final pat before placing the bowl down. To Naruto’s surprise, Kurama didn’t jump at the bowl as soon as it hit the ground, instead waiting for the raven to signal him with a firm nod.

“Okay, I’m starting to think you’re tryna’ steal my dog away or somethin’,” The blond took his seat beside the raven, feeling a bit jealous of the obvious preference his dog had toward the other man, “I mean, I can’t even do what you just did.” Kurama would occasionally even tear through his dog food bag, causing a big mess at their place. It rarely happened now, much more frequent in the past, but the level of obedience he displayed today was unheard of. Sakura would lose her mind if she were here.

Sasuke appeared flattered by the accusation, “We’ll see who he follows home today.”

Naruto did not appreciate the suggestion. It’s a joke, he assures himself, although the look on Sasuke’s face does nothing to ease his nerves. A smaller part of him is thrilled to have the raven so comfortable around him. A few hours of socialization today have proven to be much more effective than the several days of visiting the coffee shop. Prior to today, Sasuke hardly looked his way. He supposes a job in customer service can do that to an individual. Not that the blond acts similarly at his job. He is an extrovert at heart after all.

Unlike Kisame, Kurama is tasteful with his eating. He doesn’t shove his entire snout into the liquid, thankfully, and takes his time enjoying the flavors. His licking does become progressively faster; however, he remains relatively calm beside the two seated men. Naruto is immensely grateful for his behavior, although has to wonder if he would act the same without the presence of a certain raven. He highly doubts it.

Refocusing on his own bowl, Naruto immediately notices the creamy consistency of his food. The top is covered by a layer of cheese and pepperoni, mimicking the likeness of a pizza. It’s kind of adorable, actually. Before digging in, like he wants to, he holds himself back and snaps a quick picture. Sakura will appreciate his efforts later. She loves food porn. He shoves the device back into his pocket, taking the spoon provided, and sinking it past the thick cheese layer. As expected, the inside is filled with delicious-smelling tomato-y herbs. Not too different from what the raven appeared to be enjoying.

“Oh damn, that’s good!” Naruto gestures a bit dramatically toward his dish, earning a chuckle from his companion, “I’m not a big soup guy, I’ll admit that – but this just hits the spot… I think I’m a changed man from today on. I’m a soup guy!” He feels giddy just saying it.

“Smart decision. Welcome to the club.”

Naruto thoroughly enjoyed scarfing down his soup and bread, sometimes dipping the toasted piece into the creamy soup. Each sip of his tea served as a cleanser for his palate, which he found sort of nice.  It didn’t take long for his bowl to be scrapped clean, nothing but crumbs left behind. Sasuke was honestly not too far behind him. His own portion was close to being finished by the time the blond pushed his container aside. To their surprise, Kurama was the last remaining eater, although his own bowl was looking skinny as well.

“Your laundry is probably about ready by now,” Sasuke broke the silence, “we should hurry back so you can put it to dry and get that over with.”

Right… laundry. Admittedly, the blond had forgotten.

Kurama barked happily, tummy full and warm, to signify the emptiness of his bowl. Naruto reached down to pick up the container and stack it on top of their own empty bowls. Just as he did that, a ping was heard from his pocket. He gave Sasuke an apologetic smile before pulling out the device and reading through a new text message. Shikamaru.

Don’t get too excited, but im in town. Wanna meet up?

Naruto scoffs at the assumption, feeling slightly offended by the implication that he was childish enough to freak out over something so simple. Still, he does feel a tingle in his chest at the news. Shikamaru rarely came to visit. Whenever he did, the moody man would crash at Choji’s place. He wouldn’t dream of intruding into Gaara’s private space, knowing his brother-in-law valued privacy and solitude above anything else. Of course, he could always crash at Naruto’s place, but with Sakura living there, Choji was the most appropriate option. The man also always brought really strongly flavored alcohol from his girlfriend's brewery. Temari makes the best drinks.

Sasuke clears his throat, “plans?”

The blond jolts, feeling oddly guilty, “Huh? No I um – “ relax man, “sorry bout’ that, a friend just came into town for a visit.” It doesn’t feel like enough information. His response feels… insufficient for some inexplicable reason. “He actually got engaged recently – well, not that recently – but the news only reached me recently.”

Why he felt the need to mention that bit of information is yet to be understood by him. It does seem to soften the raven’s eyes a fraction. A good sign, he hopes.

“Well, congratulations to him.” The response seems forced a bit, but genuine enough for somebody who is completely unacquainted with Shikamaru. Naruto smiles at him. Then says something again absolutely uncalled for.

“I actually need a plus one for the wedding.”

No, he does fucking not. Well not technically. Nobody is forcing him to take a date, unlike with Gaara. The blond could very well go alone, or with Sakura. Although he has a funny feeling, she’ll have no problem finding a real date. His mind must be subconsciously trying to set him up with the raven, and he hates himself for it. He sounds desperate. Or extremely overbearing. Either way – a bad look. It could just seem like he mentioned it casually… at least that is how he hopes Sasuke decides to take it. Please please please please take it that way –

“Are you – “

Later that same day Naruto is lying face down on Choji’s worn-out sofa. Several empty beer cans crowd the short coffee table beside him. The host, Choji himself, stands a few feet away, preparing a dangerously large snack tray for them all to enjoy. Drinking on an empty stomach is bad. At least that’s the lesson Sakura drills into their heads time and time again. Shikamaru takes a long drag from his joint, half paying attention to the first-person shooter Sakura is playing on the screen. The sound of violent gunfire lulls quietly in the background. Ino walks back into the living area after her trip from the bathroom. Her face is covered in a thick layer of what must be a charcoal facial mask.

“You invited him to the wedding on your first date.”

“UGH! I knew you would take it the wrong way – “

“How else am I supposed to take it? You literally did!” Ino shrieks with little regard for Choji’s surrounding neighbors. They can soundproof their walls if it bothers them that much, nobody even tries to argue with her flawed logic. It was technically true.

Sakura does a victory yell as her screen fades to black, displaying the ridiculous number of kills she got for her team. Wow, she really carried them. Her emerald eyes turn to him for only a brief moment, “Don’t even try it, Naru is in denial.”

Shikamaru snorts at that. His blunt is brought back to his lips for a final drag before he places the rolled-up paper on a nearby platter. Choji then chooses to march into the area with his arms full of snacks. The plastic tray carries numerous bowls of potato chips, chocolate-covered pretzels, yogurt-covered raisins, and an assortment of nuts. Shikamaru steals a handful of potato chips as the man walks by, shoving the salty things straight into his mouth. Crumbs fall down his chin and onto his shirt, but he does nothing about it. Instead, he licks the salt off of his fingers.

“This is exactly why information about things like weddings should be handled with caution.”

Sakura sent the lazy man a scathing glare, “Don’t even bring that up, jerk, or your next on the chopping block.” The girl was apparently still hurt by his decision to keep that important piece of information hidden. Naruto is right there with her.

Choji must sense the tension because he offers a nervous laugh, “Come on you guys, Shikamaru already apologized and gave his reason. He was planning to tell you soon.”

“Easy for you to brush off considering he actually told you, but that’s beside the point,” Sakura pressed the continue button on her screen, allowing the game to proceed to the next match-up session, “I can forgive and forget, with time.”

Ino took a seat beneath Sakura, just between her legs on the ground. She sat cross-legged before eyeing her fellow blond with contempt. “Have you learned nothing? After everything that went down with Shion, I would have thought you’d know better by now.” That earned her a hard hit on the top of her platinum blond head. She gave Sakura a menacing look over her shoulder.

“Mentioning an ex is a low blow bitch, even for you,” Sakura kept her focus on the screen now displaying her new squad members, “besides, Naru isn’t to blame for what happened with her.” Even saying her name felt infuriating to his best friend, and Naruto appreciated her protective behavior. Although a part of him wonders if Ino might have a point. He has an unfortunate tendency to pull people in too quickly, effectively dooming relationships from the start. Nobody likes a clingy person after all, as proven by his past romantic failures.

“Shion was a cheating liar who couldn’t communicate well,” Choji spoke up in hopes of breaking up the small squabble, “let’s not generalize the situation. Some people are actually healthy and go to therapy.”

“Cheers to that!” Shikamaru laughed, raising a freshly opened can of beer.

“Cheers!” The group of four replies in kind, chugging a decent amount of their own beer. Naruto goes as far as finishing his off completely. He sighs deeply before reaching for another one. Sakura gives him a warning glance but says nothing. He knows his limits.

Ino crawls away from her position near Sakura, moving over to invade Naruto’s personal space instead. Her eyes shine bright with mischief and the mask covering her skin seems to be very close to being dry. She leans over his lap from her spot on the ground, smiling sweetly, “So what did the barista say? Did he laugh in your face? Call you pathetic? Steal your dog?”

“Leave Kurama outta’ this!” Choji protested weakly, mouth full of peanuts.

The blonde rolls her eyes, ignoring his outburst, “Come on, spill it you loser!”

“Well…” Most eyes were on him now, excluding Sakura. She already heard the story when he first arrived back home with his folded laundry. Even Shikamaru appeared curious, his expression as relaxed as always but an undeniable quirk in his brow. Choji simply continued slamming those salty peanuts down his throat – relentless as usual. “He called me an idiot and said I’m too forward.”

Instantly Ino laughed, her eyes widening with mirth at the revelation. She giggled without control until a potato chip landed on her face, stubbornly sticking to the dark substance. Her eyes glared at Sakura for the nth time that night.

“Then he told me we would have to go on at least a couple more dates before jumping to the wedding one,” Naruto finally continued, earning several looks of shock and disbelief, “I think he was slightly impressed with how… weird I am?”

“You bagged him by being a hopeless bisexual! You gotta love it!” Ino squeals while hitting him a little too aggressively on his lap. She did the silliest little dance he’d ever seen her do – really more of a wiggle – then quirked her eyebrow at him, which made him a tad bit nervous. Ino had a strange ability to make people want to spill every bit of information in them.

Much less amused, but just as impressed, Shikamaru took a swing of his can before mumbling, “It probably had more to do with his personality…”

Naruto sure hopes it did. He likes to think he’s sort of a catch. Sakura says he can be quite charming when he wants to be, and oh boy does he want to be around Sasuke. The raven sent all sorts of shivers down his body. He wonders if he could have the same effect on him. At least a fraction of it. Interrupting his aimless thoughts, a ping rings from the table side. He reaches out for the froggy-inspired case, unlocking the device to see a single unread text message. Tomato soup, aka Sasuke.

The only dog that does not resemble their owner. [attached video]

Naruto opens the clip to view at full screen, the sound of deep laughter instantly hitting his ears. A somewhat blurry recording of what appears to be Kisame chasing a rather distraught-looking Sasuke across a yard. The raven makes a valiant effort to stay a good distance away. He wears a pair of heather gray joggers with a black hoodie. The man holding the camera is awful at doing their job – the footage shakes uncontrollably, and the blowing wind makes the audio even more difficult to hear. Naruto does manage to catch a handful of words, at least.

“He just wants to play a bit, Sasuke – “ The audio is jumbled and the raven’s reply is inaudible.

At last, the Doberman reaches Sasuke with an alarmingly big jump, successfully tackling him to the dirt ground. More violent shaking of the camera ensues, and the video cuts just as they approach the raven sprawled out on the ground and furiously yelling incoherent nonsense. Naruto has a feeling the shitty cameraman is his brother. He also has a feeling the argument wasn’t as amusing to record.

Enthralled by the short twenty-second clip, Naruto rewatches again. Then again. Then one final time, just for good measure. Even in casual clothing the raven was attractive. It really is unfair. Here Naruto is, in nothing but a baggy Mitski t-shirt and orange basketball shorts, looking absolutely horrendous. Okay, the Mitski t-shirt has nothing to do with it – she always makes him feel confident – it’s more of the fact that Sasuke would look good in even a paper bag sort of feeling. Deciding not to waste another minute pouting, Naruto replies.

Here I thought you were a dog whisperer, Kurama rlly is an angel in comparison.

Still a cute dog tho

He expects the barista to take a while to reply considering his tendency to be a bit distant. To his shock, however, a ping is heard only a minute later. A part of him believes it must be another person – maybe his boss asking him to pick up an extra shift – but that same tomato image reflects across the screen. A placeholder until he has the honor of receiving a proper picture of the man. It gets the job done pretty decently. Like a little inside joke, sort of. His fingertips tingle as they slide across the screen, eager to unlock the device.

Kisame would be an awful influence on Kurama, I’m afraid.

[attached image]

At least I had just enough ingredients in my pantry to throw together a half decent dinner.

Naruto clicked on the attached image file, soaking in any bit of information offered by the raven. His eyes gaze down at what appears to be a fancy-looking olive-colored pot. The image is taken from above, so the blond is given a birds-eye view of what is simmering inside. A variety of vibrant vegetables cut up into decently portioned chunks cluster together like a steaming hot sauna. Potatoes, squash, celery, carrots, and various more from what Naruto can tell. A few thick pieces of beef also peak between the garden of ingredients. The liquid just barely covers everything in a rich dark pool. The blond can practically smell the steam lifting off of everything. Dinner sounds amazing. His last decent meal that day was the soup eaten alongside the raven.

“I say, fuck it! You already humiliated yourself by wearing that atrocious orange outfit – might as well stick with it – if that didn’t scare him off, nothing will!” Ino startles him with her penetrating tone. She stands from her spot on the carpeted floor, crawling over the sofa with no regard for Shikamaru’s sitting form, and skipping gingerly toward the bathroom to likely remove the cracking mask from her face. Naruto spares her a perturbed glance.

“Her advice isn’t totally wrong, you know?” The half-awake brunette beside him gave him a sobering look, his joint long forgotten on the tableside, “Relationship stuff… gets in your head sometimes. Truth is that it usually isn’t that deep.” His head lulls a bit back against the sofa cushion. Naruto realizes how laid back and relaxed the man looks. Even now, years after meeting, Shikamaru remains the most logical and carefree guy he knows. He doesn’t take his words lightly.

From that day on, Naruto messaged Sasuke quite often. He sent good morning texts, expecting the raven to call him out for being too overbearing, but was surprised to receive them back. Albeit without the same spark of enthusiasm as the blond but the effort was clear. Sasuke wants to text him back. He sends pictures too – more so than even Naruto – of just about anything. Never any of himself, unfortunately, but the blond made up for that. He sent images of himself holding book recommendations during his shift at the shop and interesting holiday knickknacks he passes on his way to and from work. Countless photos of Kurama – asleep, misbehaving, in the bath – he knew the raven appreciated them all, regardless of context. Sasuke proved to have a soft spot for the canine. Another reason to feel absolutely enthralled by the man.

It turns out that the barista had a sort of side hustle. Every other day off he spent crocheting numerous orders placed by his clients. Most of his clients are regular visitors to his primary job at the coffee shop. An art student asks about his tote bag, or a sweet old lady inquires about his beanie. Just curious customers that find his style endearing. He feels no shame in advertising his skills. In a single day he can finish up to ten orders depending on the size and variety. This side business keeps him considerably busy throughout the week, Naruto realizes. Unlike himself, the raven actually does productive things on his days off.

Despite this fact, two weeks after their conversation at the soup shop, Sasuke offers a dinner.  At his place. He wants Naruto to… come over and eat his cooking. A homecooked meal made by Sasuke. Yeah, there was no way of rejecting that offer even if he wanted to, which he absolutely does not.

In preparation for the dinner, Naruto gets quite a bit done before their meet-up time. Starting with a long and relaxing salt bath. Thankfully Ino provided him with a bag of her favorite bath salt solution. The combination of warm water and soothing salts gave him an instant boost in mood. Most of his nerves were washed away with the bath water. Afterward, Sakura took her sweet time doing his nails and hair. She claims to not be able to sleep at night if she allows him to walk out with those claws and that bird's nest. He tries to not be offended but fails.

He does have to admit that the outcome is… worth the insults.

His finger and toe nails are all painted with a flattering coating of blue polish that matches his eyes. They pop and certainly add to his physical appeal. His usually wild head of blond hair is styled up a bit with gel. The spikes are evenly distributed across his head, and the product used smells incredibly good. Like seriously good. He reminds himself to ask her for the name later. Sakura might enjoy poking fun at him, but she knows what she’s doing. He trusts her judgment completely. Except in regards to his attire. As much as she begs him to let her pick something out for him, he is determined to dress himself up for the occasion. She even offered to go out shopping for a new outfit, but he had plenty of clean clothes folded in his dresser – there really was no reason – it would be a waste of money and time.

The truth was that he wanted to impress the raven a bit.

Sure, Sakura did his hair and nails… and make-up. That was all fine and helpful. He didn’t trust himself with that stuff anyway, so it was for the best. He does, however, rather like his style. He also noticed that Sasuke was very particular about his own taste in attire, so having him compliment the outfit he picked out would be an enjoyable experience.

He can be tasteful when he puts his mind to it.

On my way, see you soon.

The blond bit his lip anxiously as his thumb hit the send button. He slid the device into his breast pocket, too nervous to wait for a reply. He heard his phone ping only a moment later, but he kept it in his pocket certain it would simply be a confirmation text. The raven’s place was only a twenty-minute drive, and Naruto really didn’t feel comfortable taking a bus in fear somebody might drop a drink or something on him – it wouldn’t be the first time. He usually didn’t make a big fuss about it, accidents happen after all, but tonight it would certainly dampen his mood. Without further thought, he paid for a Lyft and waited a short time until the driver pulled up outside of his building.

Thankfully, the driver is polite and friendly. They offered to connect the blond’s device to their Bluetooth system for music or podcast listening, and Naruto eagerly accepted the offer. He needed a distraction. Upbeat rock music filled the car pleasantly, and he shut his eyes to calm his nerves.

Taking the bus would have saved him a decent chunk of money, but the cost was worth the comfort for tonight. He somehow has a feeling that a vehicle full of chatty holiday shoppers carrying hot beverages would only double his anxiety right now. The below-freezing temperatures outside do a fine job of that alone. He felt his hands become clammy around the neatly wrapped box in his lap. Gross. He wiped them clean on the seat beneath him, only feeling a tinge of guilt about it.

This is too much. Probably a bad idea.

Sakura assured him it was fine. More than fine even, she insisted the gesture was quite endearing. He still has his doubts. Especially now as they neared the raven’s place. They hadn’t agreed on gift-giving. Sasuke could easily take it the wrong way and feel pressured by it. Maybe it isn’t too late to jump out of the car and reschedule. He would give the driver a hefty tip and run back home on foot. Riding a bus would be far too humiliating and give him too much time to feel sorry for himself.

Of course, just as the blond felt himself reach for the door handle; the vehicle came to a smooth stop. Here already. The driver kindly wished him a good evening and drove off once Naruto shut the door behind him. Running now was out of the question. He wouldn’t risk Sasuke catching him with his tail between his legs, like a coward.

Finally, he took in his surroundings, feeling at a loss for words.

He was too engrossed in his own thoughts throughout the drive to even notice the buildings they drove by. This is a nice part of town. A really nice part of town. The street lamps were evenly distributed across the pavement and decorated quite carefully with festive garland. Each front yard had unique and interesting inflatable Christmas décor ranging from traditional nativity sets to wacky snoopy Santas. Holiday lights were perfectly aligned atop each roof, framing the houses in a glowing, comforting light. If Naruto knew any better, he would almost believe he put in the incorrect address. He has a difficult time imagining Sasuke would willingly live in such a… jolly neighborhood. The thought felt oddly offensive, so he quickly brushed it off.

Turning around fully after taking it all in the blond came face-to-face with the appropriate house. At least he thinks it is according to the silver numbers across the front entrance. A group of light-up reindeer stood across the yard, as well as several luminous candy canes aligning the walkway to the front door. The windows were each framed by garland and mistletoe. It all seemed so festive and was honestly throwing the blond for a loop.

He ignores the heavy anticipation that settles into his gut and marches directly up the cheerful walkway. One hand grips the small box and the other lifts to knock firmly against the cold surface of the front door. He expects at least a minute of waiting but is shocked to see the entrance swing open in under thirty seconds. He is further shocked when the person across from him is not Sasuke.

They smiled pleasantly at him, almost as though they anticipated his arrival.

“Oh shit – I mean, sorry this must be the wrong place,” Naruto begins to turn much too quickly, embarrassment rushing his movement, “I’ll leave now, have a good evening – “

“No, you have the correct address Naruto.” That voice is low and firm, reassuring. It stops the blond in his tracks completely. He takes a moment to really give the stranger a good look.

Now that he studies the man a bit closer, he realizes the striking resemblance he has to Sasuke. It really is almost uncanny. Their eyes are that similar slender shape and the eye color is nearly identical. The dark hair, although a shade lighter, does seem familiar. Naruto must admit that the man is quite attractive – not in the magnifying way Sasuke is – but in a more mature and elegant way. His kind smile amplifies that feeling by a lot.

Sensing his confusion, the individual takes a step forward with an outstretched hand, “Itachi, Sasuke’s elder brother, a pleasure to meet you.”

Of course, his brother is hot, this family is hogging all the good genes.

“Oh – Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke’s told me a lot about you!” He took the hand and gave a confident shake, feeling that soft palm grip his own a bit too tightly. He would almost feel threatened by the act if it weren’t for the gentle smile Itachi wore.

“Likewise, please come in, the weather is quite chilly tonight.”

Stepping aside to allow the blond entrance, Naruto could at last see the interior of the house. He took a respectable step inside, shutting the door behind himself to shut out the blowing wind. Finally, inside a wave of warmth engulfed him and the sensation began to return to his fingers and face. His red nose and ears softened to a light pink. The smell of something savory and well-seasoned hit his olfactory senses swiftly and he couldn’t stop the deep inhale he took. Itachi chuckled knowingly, leading him into what must be the living room area.

“That delightful scent is the work of Sasuke alone. I am not to be trusted with kitchen appliances or ingredients.”

Naruto tries to hide his laughter with a cough, but the unconvinced look he receives confirms his effort is wasted. “I’m sure you’re decent at it.”

“I can’t make toast.”

“Perfecting the art of toast is tricky – I burn it all the time.”

“My fried eggs stick to the pan. Their inedible.”

“Sounds like an equipment issue. I wouldn’t blame myself too much.”

“I’ve started a fire twice trying to prepare tea.”

Okay, that was impressive. Naruto gives the man a disbelieving frown, unsure if he is joking or genuinely has done something so impossible… twice. He opens his mouth to ask but the sound of pitter-patter across the hardwood ground catches his attention. He feels the weight of dark hair and pointed ears jump across his lap and lay down rather territorially. Naruto blinks once. Twice. Unsure of how to react to the sudden presence of the dog, he laughs nervously, eyeing Itachi for help.

“Ah, I wondered where Kisame ran off to. Sweet boy.”

Alright, it seems like the man is rather uncaring of how his dog acts. Not too far off what he expected based on what Sasuke told him. At least Kisame doesn’t appear especially aggressive. He is a smidge larger than Kurama, but not by too much. The weight on his lap is comforting.

Finally taking a moment to take in his surroundings, Naruto realizes Sasuke must live with his brother, or is preparing dinner at his brother’s place instead of his own. The room is littered with family pictures and small holiday knick-knacks. Very homey. A moderately sized pine tree stands at the far corner with lights and strategically placed ornaments. Tiny ceramic snowmen smile down at them from across the fireplace mantel. A particular woven crow wearing a Christmas hat caught his attention. It sits perched above the windowsill.

Itachi follows his eyes, brightening at where his attention is. “My favorite decorative piece. A little handmade gift from my artistic partner.”

“It’s real cute – they’re talented – do they accept commissions because I need a fox one.”

The older man smiles fondly at him, humming out his response in a soft tone, “They are quite selective of their clientele, but I’ll put in a good word for you because I like you.”

Those words should absolutely not fill him with warmth. Having Sasuke’s cool and elegant older brother admit to already liking him is probably not such an amazing achievement, but somehow it feels more impressive than any other accomplishment he has ever done. Sakura must be right about him having a certain charm because this is going surprisingly well. As well as it can go for a surprise dinner with Sasuke and his brother.

He could have warned me in advance.

The box in his hand suddenly felt heavier. Itachi was polite enough to ignore it at first, but the blond could feel that dark gaze shift to stare at it. He should probably bring it up, right? It would be odd not to at this point. Except now it felt even more uncomfortable. If he had known his brother would be joining them for dinner, he would’ve just forgotten the thing altogether. Now he has to awkwardly explain himself and hope the man doesn’t see the gesture as overbearing or weird. Great.

Just as he worked up the courage to mention it, a warm voice spoke up from behind him announcing the arrival of their third dinner companion.

“I hope he hasn’t been too nosey.”

Naruto jumped a bit from his seat, effectively scaring off Kisame as the canine jumped off his lap to greet the third person entering the living space. He turned his head to the side, peeking behind him, and feeling his mouth dry up any response he could have had. Unsurprisingly, yet somehow surprisingly, Sasuke is too beautiful to look away from.

He isn’t dressed up elegantly or anything of the sort. Unlike the attire he wore outside, Sasuke now is dressed much more comfortably. Well, still noticeably dressed well, yet with a touch of warmth. He appears relaxed in an oversized knit maroon sweater matched with a pair of simple black pants. What really steals his breath away, however, is the festive apron tied around his waist snugly. The fabric is decorated with the image of smiling little gingerbread men.

“I will have you know I have been nothing but welcoming to our guest, Sasuke. You wound me.”

Pushing down the tingling sensation in his chest, Naruto stands from his seat rather abruptly, startling both men. He fidgets with the box in his hands, unsure where to place it, or if he should just leave it on the chimney mantel without explanation. That would be weird, probably. Sasuke takes pity on him and addresses the issue himself.

“Uh… I just felt weird coming empty-handed, ya’ know? It felt like a nice thing to do,” the blond scratches his left cheek nervously, a habit picked up from his father, “so yeah… happy holidays I guess.” Naruto forces himself to finally lift the box, offering it to the startled man before him. He hears Itachi clear his throat behind him and wonders if he should have waited for a more private moment.

“… I didn’t get you anything.” The words sound small and almost regretful. Naruto hurries to reassure the raven.

“You made dinner – that’s plenty enough! And it smells, wow, I’m starving.” To really prove his point, his stomach made a perfectly timed grumble.

“A kind gesture, Naruto. I’m sure Sasuke appreciates it.” Itachi eases his nerves a bit with that soft smile and crinkle in his eyes.

“I do, thanks…” The man in question begins to remove the carefully wrapped red ribbon from around the small box and Naruto almost jumps to stop him. Opening it now felt… revealing for some reason. The gift is nothing special, of course, but still. He sort of wanted to be alone with the raven while he opened it – a desire that would be left behind as Sasuke almost carelessly lifted the top off the container. A brief moment of stillness followed, then Sasuke stared up at him with curious eyes.

“… earrings?”

Yes, Naruto is aware that jewelry is a risky first gift. A little much, honestly, he wouldn’t blame the raven for feeling uncomfortable about it. Still, the pair of silver and black accessories caught his attention recently at an outing he had with Ino. They both had an embarrassingly long list of last-minute Christmas gifts to purchase and what better than doing it together? A small boutique they visited owned by a kind and helpful young individual with soft features displayed the pair of earrings with such care. The owner, later revealed to be named Haku, explained the eye-catching design. An eclipse, they spoke with tender words, the larger silver hoops surrounding the shadowed full moon represent a total eclipse.

Naruto thought the design was rather… romantic. It definitely reminded him of the brooding barista he met not too long ago. Something that would compliment his style of dressing, he hoped.

Feeling rather bashful and needing to explain himself, the blond almost tripped on his words, “Eh, I thought they were something you’d wear – ya’ know, since you dress so well – and I noticed how many piercings you had, so it made sense.”

“They do seem like something you would pick out for yourself, Sasuke.”

“Yes, I… I do like them.”

The statement was said quietly, almost in a whisper. If the room weren’t so silent, Naruto would have struggled to hear a word. He wonders why the raven sounds so uncharacteristically small.

Dark piercing eyes look up at him after studying the gift for a good moment, “Itachi, could you please set the table?” The words were directed at his brother, but his eyes remained on Naruto. The older man hummed an approving reply before walking by both men without a word or question. The blond moved to follow but was stopped by a firm grip on his wrist. “Could I speak with you?”

That sounds ominous. Naruto nods despite the tiny part of himself telling him to run.

Then, a fraction of a smile melts his anxiety away. Sasuke appreciatively nods before speaking again. “I originally intended dinner to be for two, not three.”

“Right.” He was going to comment about the change in plan but decided against it. He didn’t mind Itachi’s presence and actually felt happy that Sasuke trusted him enough to introduce them already. Family could be tricky.

“Then Deidara, my brother’s partner, left for a week for an art exhibit and I felt weird telling my brother to leave so we could have dinner.” Sasuke is speaking quickly, rushing the explanation out of what the blond assumes is guilt judging by the shift in his eyes. “I sent you a text before you got here, but I probably should have warned you sooner…”

Yes, he probably should have, but the blond held no resentment toward the miscommunication. He felt oddly calm about everything. Usually, he would be at least a bit annoyed, but not right now, and definitely not when Sasuke kept fidgeting. “Hey, I’m just happy to be here. I’d be eating a frozen dinner if you hadn’t invited me over.” He hopes the sincerity in his voice helps calm the raven down a bit.

“I had a feeling you were a terrible cook. No wonder Itachi likes you.”

“Rude! I can cook decently – certainly better than your brother, no offense.”

“Very offended,” A reply could be heard from inside the dining area, “I thought we were friends, Naruto.”

“We are! But you started a fire while boiling water – twice!”

The evening went really well from that point on. Sasuke served an impressive-looking salmon dinner with a side of baked vegetables and potato wedges. It was all covered in the most savory-tasting sauce gravy thing the blond had ever eaten. He offered freshly baked rolls as well, which paired with everything nicely. Then, to Naruto’s surprise, there was dessert. Sasuke admitted to not particularly having a sweet tooth, contrary to his older brother who jumped at the sight of warm cinnamon rolls bundled up inside a baking pan. They smelled heavenly.

Their desserts were enjoyed back inside the living area. Naruto made quick work of the dirty dishes, despite the brothers' insistence that he was a guest, or whatever. He wants to do his part. Not helping would feel wrong. Not to mention he is kind of trying to make a good impression on Itachi. Helping clean up is the bare minimum.

It was nearing half-past ten when Itachi finally announced his exhaustion. The trio had been comfortably seated around the lit fire, enjoying a rerun of some medical drama with far too many romantic scenes. Naruto would perk up every time the surgeons used a phrase he was familiar with thanks to the very limited knowledge Sakura shares about her own career. It could have been endearing, or annoying, but he couldn’t really fight the urge so it didn’t really matter. The older brother gave him a final thanks for visiting, encouraging the blond to come over and repeat the night sometime after their partner got back from the art exhibit, and retired for the night. The remaining two men heard the heavy footsteps drifting further away, Itachi nearing his bedroom and shutting the door gently.

The sound of hospital machines plays quietly from the television screen, but all Naruto can hear is the pounding in his chest. His heartbeat became substantially erratic at the realization that they were finally alone. He should probably leave soon. It was late and Sakura would certainly be staying up to interrogate him. Not to mention that the longer he stays, the more difficult it becomes to leave. He feels warm. Comfy. Happy.

Then… a slender hand is placed discreetly on his left thigh.

He thought his heartbeat couldn’t possibly get any faster.

The fabric is wrinkled when the hand tightens slightly. Naruto risks a glance beside him and is startled to see those intense eyes on him. The terrible acting on screen is long forgotten. A lump forms in his throat when he tries to swallow the nerves stopping him from returning the touch. He wonders if he is even allowed to return the touch. What are the rules? Are there rules? What is happening?

Sasuke’s eyes soften at the sight of his nervous fidgeting. He smiles reassuringly. Naruto decides it is a smile he wants to remember for a very long time.

“You know, for somebody stalking me at my job, you are being awfully sweet right now.”

“Stalking – I am not, I mean what are you even – “

“Shush… calm down, it’s a joke,” the blond releases a sigh of relief, “but don’t think I didn’t notice your sudden daily appearances.” That sigh of relief was then replaced with an uncomfortable huff. Of course, he noticed. Naruto has yet to meet an individual more observant than the raven. He was an idiot for thinking otherwise.

“Guilty as charged.”

“Idiot,” the insult, if one could even call it that at this point, is whispered with such tenderness it seems loving. Naruto thinks the raven must have a thing for idiots, in which case, he thanks his mother and father for raising him to be such a clueless individual. In all of his relationships thus far, nobody has ever referred to him with so much adoration. Yes, he has had pet names before. Babe, honey, sweetheart. Each with their respective amount of kindness. Never were they spoken in such a whispered tone, with such a gentle touch. Never were they meant for him.

“I – I would like to kiss you,” Sasuke stutters, he stutters, “Can I?”

Can he? Sasuke is asking him… offering to kiss him. It must be the outfit. He knew searching for half an hour for that navy cardigan would pay off. Cardigans always work.

“Yes please.”

Like static, their surroundings become nothing more than background sound. He feels the raven shift beside him, their thighs touching now, as he leans forward too slowly. The hand on his thigh remains a grounding sensation, a second hand raising to caress his right cheek. Expertly, soft lips connect with his own, and they meet for only the briefest peck. Naruto becomes very aware of forgetting to apply lip balm earlier. The moment of embarrassment only lasts a second before their mouths connect again, this time with more confidence. More meaning.

Naruto has had several kisses prior to this moment. A decent chunk of them were good, even. He’s had passionate kisses beneath the pouring rain after an argument. Soft and tender kisses on warm mornings would lead to more pleasurable activities. Even clumsy kisses fueled by tension and desire. He would not repeat them again, of course, as the people he enjoyed them with had often made the act seem impersonal. They would ask him to use more force or to stop being so childish about it. To just kiss them without thinking too deeply about it. A kiss is just a kiss they would tell him with a firm look. To an extent, they were right. Some kisses are just that, most even.

Not this one.

No, Sasuke isn’t an expert kisser or anything of that nature. He isn’t using a particularly large amount of force either, trying to mix pleasure and pain. The kiss is just exploratory. It starts soft and curious, a small peck. Not even a moment later, it returns with more enthusiasm. The hand on his thigh tightens more, adding another layer of pressure that elicits a small whine out of the blond. He wants to be embarrassed but isn’t given enough time to process the sound when eager lips move from his mouth to his cheek, then his chin, then his neck. All the way down to his collarbone. Naruto hadn’t the slightest idea when his lap was labeled a seat, but he wasn’t complaining. Not if it meant being closer to the raven. Closer, closer, closer –

“You smell really nice – “

Yeah, maybe that was far enough. Close enough. Whatever.

Naruto, using every bit of will inside him, pushes a soft hand against the sweater-covered chest he wanted very much removed. “Ha – Ah, I think maybe we should slow down.”

Sasuke raises an unimpressed brow, “We aren’t doing more than making out, idiot. My brother is only two doors down.”

“I know! I mean – what I was trying to say is that you also smell nice, and feel nice, and taste nice – “

“You’re on thin ice.”

“Fuck – what I mean is, I don’t wanna get worked up, okay?”

The smirk on that pretty face tells Naruto that Sasuke already knew that. Also, he found it quite entertaining to torture the blond. That is a conversation for another time.

The raven adjusts his hips a bit, making the blond wince slightly.

“Really? You’re into me that much?”

“You really are a jerk sometimes, ya know?” Naruto tries to move away from beneath the man but is stopped by a pair of arms circling around him protectively. The intimacy of the act forces him to falter. He risks a glance up and is met with the most adoring pair of obsidian eyes, lidded and sharp. Their focus solely and completely on him, nothing else. The blond could vaguely hear the sound of a heartbeat flatline on the screen behind the raven but paid no mind. The volume was so low it was hardly a whisper in comparison to his own beating heart.

“I’m only teasing,” Sasuke’s tone was hardly above a murmur, “I do sort of get a kick out of watching you squirm.”

That certainly is not alarming, Naruto tried to convince himself with a pout. “Kinda sadistic, don’t ya’ think?”

“You wouldn’t be the first to feel that way,” There was a glint in those dark eyes that had Naruto swallowing down a lump in his throat, “I have a type after all.”

“…idiots?”

The smile on those smooth lips told Naruto his answer was neither correct nor incorrect. He would gladly get everything wrong if it meant seeing that smile again. Still, his curiosity was piqued, and he hoped the raven would give him an honest answer. Unfortunately, that hope would be squashed rather soon he realized.

“Your words, not mine.”

The remainder of their night was spent kissing. Positions were swapped, mouths were explored, and gentle but firm hands were free to quench their desires. Hair was left well and truly disheveled by the time Naruto regained enough sense to call for a ride home. He was lucky people were still out working otherwise his only option would have been public transit. The idea of being around so many people, at this time of year, after such an eventful night felt awfully uncomfortable. Sasuke offered him a blanket and pillow to crash on the sofa, but the blond forced himself to refuse the kind gesture. He thought it best to keep things at a slow pace. This was important to him. Plus, he wasn’t sure Itachi would appreciate the sight of him snoring in the morning. Best to leave a pleasant impression.

Despite his rejection, the raven insisted on packing leftovers for him and his roommate. The offer was considerate, and again, the blond felt a warmth inside himself. The sight of Sasuke in his kitchen, overfilling Tupperware with homemade food was too domestic, even for him. He had to look away to avoid doing anything ridiculous, like wrapping his arms around the taller man and pulling him close against him.

His ride did eventually pull up, their honking loud and clear. Naruto stood at the doorway hesitantly, wondering how to properly bid his host, and boyfriend(?), farewell. One hand held the carefully packaged leftovers in a paper bag, the other gripped the door handle with a little too much force.

“See ya’ around…” Naruto wonders if his mother is ashamed of how little game her son has, or if she already accepts him for the awkward mess he is. Wishing to avoid any further humiliation, self-inflicted or otherwise, he turns to leave. The sound of his name said with such unyielding confidence froze him midway. He realizes Sasuke must have moved closer, as he feels a pair of tender lips pressed against his right ear.

“You can stop ordering that shitty coffee, by the way.”