Of Curry, Fevers, and Kits

Naruto tossed and turned for the greater part of the evening. After dinner he had started to feel tired and a bit woozy and in that instant, Granny Tsunade had demanded an early bed time for him. It was ridiculous! He had just needed a little rest! He was just fine now. He glanced at the clock, 9:53pm flashing back at him in bright glowing blue on the digital clock’s face. Still early, all things considered.

He sighed and rolled onto his back. His mind wouldn’t stop thinking. About meeting up with Sai that afternoon, the way the pale anbu teen had tried to hard to get in his good graces again. The way he drew him, Naruto blushed. He had no idea that anyone saw him like that, but to Sai, there was no other way to look at him. Is that really how the other nin felt? His heart just fluttered thinking about it.

Sai was about to tell him something before he got sick. Something important, he was sure of it. And his heart had been beating quickly by the beauty Sai saw him as in his drawing. And he had been leaning closer. He had really been ready to just… give himself to Sai then and there. To let Sai be the one that finalized the bond with him. Sai saw him as an equal, had told Naruto that he was free to choose who he wanted to be with. Sai who saw through to him so deeply without even fully understanding, Sai would cherish him, he was sure of that. What had Sai been about to say?

And then… then Sasuke-teme at the dango shop! Bastard! He touched his lips, still a little puffy from being ravaged so completely, feeling a small, pleasurable tremor run through him and squashing it down.

He had been such a jerk! He had insulted Sai, he hadn’t apologized for taking advantage of him, he still seemed to think that Naruto belonged to him and that was the end of it! He didn’t care how he felt about it at all! He was sure that he would just swoon at his feet and give in… Well he could go fuck himself!

But even as he thought of that, a deeper, baser part of his mind thought that Sasuke had the right idea all along. He wouldn’t admit it to himself, but he wanted to be claimed, to belong to someone. Someone who would always care for him, it made him shiver in all the right places.

But that was stupid! He didn’t want to be owned! He didn’t want to be someone’s little fuck slave! But… Sasuke wouldn’t see him as just a sex slave, would he? Sasuke… Sasuke was his rival, his equal. Surely the raven saw him the same way, right? Yeah! He had said so all those years ago… hadn’t he? He had acknowledged that they were equals by wanting to fight him in the chuunin exams… but everything he did after proved that he didn’t really believe that. That he saw Naruto as someone beneath him. He wanted to dominate Naruto to prove that he was surperior!

Bastard!

…

But would being dominated really be so bad..?

…

Would it…?

…

Of course it would! Stupid animal instincts! Stupid Sasuke! Sasuke-teme! Jerk! Asshole!

…

Sasuke was waiting for him, wasn’t he? He had said he wanted Naruto to see him tonight.

Would he go? … No! He had no obligation to go, and if he went Sasuke would just see it as having the blond under his thumb! He wouldn’t give him the satisfaction!

He glanced at his clock again. 10:05pm blinked back at him. He swallowed thickly, laying on his back again and staring up at his ceiling.

Time seemed be inching by…

‘Dammit!’ Naruto mentally cursed as he got out of bed, not even bother to dress as he opened the window to his room. He gave a quick look around, making sure there was no one around as he snuck out, climbing onto the roof with ease, then pinpointed Sasuke’s apartment from the hokage’s house. There! Jumping from roof to roof he made his way to the teme’s apartment.

~

Sasuke sensed the blonde’s approach instantly, smirking. He knew he would come. He had left the window to his room open just in case, leaning back against the wall on his bed, looking completely disinterested. He heard the soft tap of the blond shinobi landing on his balcony railing.

“I’m glad you came.”

“Tch… I almost didn’t,” came Naruto’s quick response, making Sasuke smirk to hear the indignant tone.

“But you did.”

“What do you want, teme?” Naruto ignored the jibe.

“What do I want? You’re the one who came here.” Sasuke stood up from his bed and walked over to the still blond.

Naruto looked away, “… I was curious about why you wanted me to come.”

“Well isn’t it obvious?”

Naruto rolled his eyes, “Obviously not.”

Sasuke sighed in irritation. “I wanted you here to settle this once and for all. I’m sorry that what happened upset you, but I’m not sorry that it happened. It could have happened under better circumstances, I’ll admit that, but we can’t change that now. But I’ve apologized now, so drop the little pissy girl act.”

Naruto just stared at him incredulously, feeling his irritation rise with every word. “That’s how you apologize?! You stupid bastard! Why should I forgive you?!”

“Naruto… just stop…” a pale hand reached out to touch Naruto’s cheek, but the blond pulled back and dark, storm colored eyes narrowed dangerously. “Naruto…”

“No!” Naruto pulled back again. “I wondered what you could possibly have to say to me, wondering if it would be worth coming here to hear, but obviously I was wrong. You just don’t get it!”

“I don’t get it?” Sasuke repeated back, voice clipped. “I think I get it perfectly. You’re upset right now, but we both know the truth, Naruto… our fates.. our destinies have always been entwined. Nothing anyone can do can change that.”

“Gods know you tried the best you could to change it,” Naruto spat angrily.

Sasuke flinched at the low blow, but he supposed he had that coming. “And I couldn’t. I realized that now. No matter how hard I tried I couldn’t forget you. And I know you couldn’t forget me. Naruto, what’s the point of continuing this game? I know you feel it, too, this strong pull to just be by each other’s side. We’ve fought it all our lives, but I don’t want to fight it anymore.” He saw the hesitation in Naruto’s eyes, and stepped closer again, reaching out to cup his cheek again, smirking a little when the blond didn’t pull back this time. “I don’t want to run from you anymore. I came home just for you.”

“S-sasuke…”

The Uchiha felt a surge of triumph to hear the little quiver in that voice, how bright those eyes looked under the moonlight. He tilted that face up a little higher as he leaned down to claim those delectable lips. Heaven. Soft and warm, pliable under his own lips, the adorable little sounds Naruto would make. Just why had he denied himself for so long? For the life of him he couldn’t think of a single reason at the moment.

Naruto gave a little whimper and suddenly pressed closer, throwing his arms around Sasuke’s shoulders. Heh, it was cute how the dobe could give himself over to his emotions so easily, and his body fit so nicely against his own. When had Naruto’s skin become so soft? And his hair as well. Those soft lips were parting for him now and he only too gladly plundered the warm, sweet depths. It was addictive, and Naruto was making such cute little sounds.

But even through the submissive veil his rival laid in wait. That pink little tongue suddenly attacked his own, seeking out dominance. Sasuke wouldn’t give it that easily, smirking into the kiss as their tongues warred against one another, moaning when the little fox suckled hungrily on the slick muscle, making him pull the blond tighter against his own body.

“Mine.”

Naruto felt a thrill go through him, heating thrumming in the put of his stomach and quickly spreading outward, concentrating between his legs, moaning and pressing more desperately against the other teen, trying to merge their bodies together in sudden desperation. The outright claim had sent such a thrill of arousal through him. His… Sasuke’s… Sasuke was claiming him. Sasuke wanted him, wanted him to be his.

Sasuke guided the blond to his bed without breaking the kiss, feeling his urgency and desperation. He had won the little battle for Naruto’s heart and body. It had been no contest, really, he knew from the star that Naruto was his, but the official victory made it all the sweeter. Laying out the blond on his bed now, feeling the warm, soft skin under his clothes, causing him to emit this cute little gasps and whines as he teased his dusky little nipples to full hardness, pinching the nubs and eliciting a sweet cry. Naruto was his.

The blond nin’s heart was beating a mile a minute. Sasuke’s… he was Sasuke’s! It just sounded so right in his mind. And Sasuke was laying his claim on him again. He couldn’t help but arch and writhe under the touch of his sure fingers, calloused from wielding a blade for years. It felt like exquisite torture against is sensitive skin. Every touch was making his body sing with pleasure. He sighed in contentment. He belonged, he was claimed… owned…

But... that wasn’t right. He didn’t want to be owned, did he…? No..! He didn’t! Dammit! He was giving into those stupid fox’s instincts again! He wasn’t a simpering bitch in heat to be owned! He wanted… he wanted Sasuke to say he belonged to him, too. He broke the kiss with a soft pant, “S-sasuke…”

Sasuke wasn’t the least bit put off with the intoxicating kiss was cut short, turning his attentions to Naruto’s delectable throat instead, licking the salty sweet skin, and sucking on the juncture over his pulse, leaving little red marks that left Naruto keening softly.

Naruto tried hard to keep a hold of his right mind, but he was ready to give in. He just wanted to hear it, to hear the raven to say it “S-sasuke…gods, Sasuke… a-are you mine, too? Do you belong to me..?”

That did give Sasuke pause, the pale shinobi pulling back, his brows furrowed with a light frown. Naruto could only look at him hopefully. “You said I belonged to you… do you belong to me..?”

No answer was forthcoming at first, and the silence seemed to go on forever. Then Sasuke shook his head, frowning at the very idea. “Uchiha’s belong to no one.”

Naruto felt a stab in his heart, all arousal disappearing in that moment. No equality. It was just like he had feared, Sasuke wanted to own him as proof of his superiority over him. He furiously blinked back tears, refusing to give into his damn hormones. He pushed the taller teen off of him, glaring at him angrily. Sasuke wasn’t so easy to budge, and the former avenger just tightened his hold on his. “Let go, Sasuke.” Naruto gritted out, trying to keep his temper in check.

“No. You’re mine, I’m not letting you go again.”

Naruto started to struggle, “Gods dammit, teme! Let me go!”

“No.” Storm colored eyes looked evenly down on him. “I understand that you’re in a delicate situation right now, but I’m not going to let your mood swings rule over my life. Learn to control yourself.”

Oh that just did it. With a snarl Naruto bashed his head into Sasuke’s, glad for the harder skull as the taller teen stumbled back, dazed by the blow. He got to his feet, grabbing his shirt and ran back to the window. “Get this you asshole: I don’t belong to you, teme! I’m not an object for you to claim!” He disappeared from view the next second, though at a distance his form could just be made out in the darkness rushing away, leaving Sasuke to curse under his breath, rubbing the forming lump on his head.

~

“Well everything appears to be progressing smoothly,” Tsunade said as he looked over the test results, leaning back in the chair in her home office.

“Really..?” Naruto looked up from where he was laying across her couch, trying his hardest not to think about last night. He had more important things to worry about right now than that asshole, he thought, sitting up. He hated having to go through all these tests every single day. It was so annoying! But Granny Tsunade had insisted that his day to day condition had to be documented. It was unheard of and any little thing could go wrong at any time. That part especially had really comforted him.

“Yes, your body’s adjustments to allow for the safe growth for a child are almost complete. Do your hips still hurt?”

Naruto blushed darkly, but shook his head. That’s right. They had been aching him a bit before, it had been bothering him, but he had almost forgotten about it. “It’s fine.”

Tsunade nodded, looking the x-rays she had taken. It was amazing how quickly Naruto’s body could change and adapt. It was the kyuubi’s doing, she knew it, the changes as well as the rapid healing and adjustments. It was just another thing that she had to worry about. Such unnatural changes and so quickly, if it had been anyone else other than Naruto… no, she wouldn’t worry about unimportant details. The fact of the matter was that it was happening to Naruto, and Naruto was under her direct care. If anything should happen she’d be there to help him through it. So far… everything was fine, though, and her main worry was whether or not these changes would become permanent.

She placed the x-ray on a lit board, illuminating the white areas of his bones even better, “The shape and width of your hips have changed. Not dramatically so, but enough that you might feel differences in the way you move. Your hips are a few inches wider now as well. Still nothing too dramatic, most people wouldn’t notice the difference over your clothes.”

Naruto stared at the x-ray, then down at his ups, paling slowly but surely. “N-no way! I don’t want girly hips, granny! How do I make it stop?!”

Tsunade sighed. “You can’t just make it stop, Naruto. It’s happening and really it’s for the best if we want the baby to grow healthily.”

“But…” the blond whined, “I don’t want girly hips!” It was bad enough that Kyuubi referred to him as a bitch now, did he have to start looking like one now?! And it wasn’t just his hips, his whole body was starting to feel different. His skin was feeling softer and so was his hair, and now the widening hips, he was turning into a woman! Tsunade had assured him that the changes in his body were due to hormones and were perfectly normal. He still didn’t like it! And the morning sickness was the worst!

“Naruto, stop whining! There’s nothing we can do to stop these changes… Short of…” she didn’t finish her sentence, but Naruto understood.

“NO! Stay the fuck away from my baby!” Naruto hissed, suddenly protective, his hands over his flat, but softening belly, his eyes flashing red, accompanied by a surge of angry chakra.

Tsunade was left stunned by the sudden, fierce change. He knew Naruto was actually looking forward to parenthood, since it would be a family he never had before, but this strong reaction was surprising. “Naruto… of course I would never harm your baby,” she tried to placate the angrily growling blond, “But you have to accept the changes your body goes through along with having your baby. The male body wasn’t made to carry a child and so your body is going through the necessary changes to help with that. You have to accept it as just the way it is.”

The angry chakra receded, the red of his eyes fading back to blue, and in the end his scowl faded into a pout, “That doesn’t mean I have to like it…”

Tsunade smiled, reaching over to ruffle the younger blonde’s hair. “I suppose you don’t, but stop whining about it. Your tests are over for today. You should go out. Get some fresh air after being stuck is stuffy medical rooms all day.”

Naruto returned the smile, nodding and getting up. “Hai, I’d like that. And I promised Sai I’d hang out with him again today.”

“I’m glad you’re able to forgive him. He really seems to be making the effort, doesn’t he? I’m surprised, actually.”

Naruto shook his head, “I’m not surprised at all. Sai is… confused, he doesn’t fully understand… but… he wants to, and that’s a good enough start for me.”

“Do you want him to be the father..?” Tsunade steeped her fingers together, looking at Naruto intently.

“I…” Naruto blushed, and then shook his head. “I don’t know.”

Tsunade sighed softly, but understood, “What about Sasuke?”

The name made Naruto flinch, his vision to haze red in anger, and for his heart to ache with an emotional stab, but despite all that… he could see himself forgiving Sasuke if the idiot would just apologize properly. He had forgiven him for worse, hadn’t he? “I… I don’t… know… Besides, it doesn’t matter if I wanted any of them to be the father. Just because I wanted it wouldn’t guarantee that the baby would be theirs. The only truth I know for sure is that it’s my baby. That’s all that really matters to me. Even if… if I don’t pick any of them… Is that bad..? ” he peeked up at the older woman, seeking assurance.

Tsunade was surprised by that. “No… No it’s not wrong, Naruto. That was… actually very mature of you.”

Naruto flushed and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, “Thanks. I guess I better go now. I’ll be home in time for dinner.” Home… it was funny, he thought with a smile, but this place was home now.

“Be sure that you do. And try to eat something more sustaining than ramen, ne?”

Naruto pouted, but nodded all the same. “Hai hai…”

~

He was with the cheap imitation again. What did he see in him? Sai had the personality of striped wall-paper, and yet there he was with Naruto in that teriyaki restaurant, they had finished eating long ago, but they were laughing it up. Naruto was laughing and joking with the cheap imitation. Sai told him something and now Naruto was blushing. What were they talking about? What could Sai possibly have to say to Naruto to keep the blond so entertained?

It was Naruto was just doing it to spite him. Well he could try, but Sasuke didn’t care. Naruto could sit himself on Sai’s lap and give him a special dance and Sasuke wouldn’t care, because he knew Naruto was his.

…

But if he gave that idiot a lap dance he’d haul him off, drape him over his own lap and give him a firm spanking!

…

That actually sounded like fun. Once Naruto stopped sulking and came to his sense he’d have to see if he was possibly into those things. Sasuke’s own pants were starting to fit a little tighter just thinking about it.

No! He couldn’t afford to get distracted right now. He was… he was watching the two of them. Gods, this was stupid. He probably had about a million better things to do with his time. But even with that thought in mind he didn’t think to leave his current perch hidden just from the view of the other two.

“So have they kissed yet?”

“No, not yet, thank god.” Sasuke tensed after the fact, whirling around to stare at shock at the pink-haired kunoichi standing beside him, “Sakura?!”

“Hey!” Sakura smiled cheerfully. Why had she gotten so good at sneaking up on him undetected? How long had she been using such an ability, because clearly it was a great increase in her skill, and not distraction on his part at all.

“What are you doing here?”

Blue green eyes blinked curiously at him, “The same as you, really. Just spying on Naruto and making sure he’s okay.”

“I’m not spying on Naruto.”

“Right, and my hair isn’t pink. Are we done lying badly to each other?” the kunoichi teased.

Sasuke really missed the days when Sakura had a crush on him. She never talked back to him like this. “I’m just making sure that Sai doesn’t do anything foolish.”

“Like steal Naruto from right under your nose?”
A very light flush dusted the Uchiha’s cheeks just to hear it out loud, especially from a third party. “He could try.”

“He looks like he’s doing a pretty good job, actually Sasuke-kun. To be honest I never thought it’d be Sai. You’ve really lost your touch.” Sakura tsked softly.

Sasuke bristled, “What is that supposed to mean?”

“It means that even a month ago all you had to do was smile kindly at Naruto and he would have been all yours. No one would have questioned it,” had they really been that obvious, Sasuke wondered, “but now Sai, oblivious Sai is winning Naruto’s heart with his emotional awkwardness. At least he’s trying. I was rooting for you, Sasuke-kun, but Sai and Naruto are cute together, too.”

Ugh, he hated fangirls, “Sai doesn’t stand a chance, and just why are you so interested in who wins Naruto anyways?”

Sakura frowned at that, “Because Naruto is my friend, Sasuke. All his life he’s gone out of his way to make sure we’re happy, now I want the same for him. Maybe you don’t realize how upset Naruto was, Sasuke, but I was there. For days all he did was mope. It was depressing to watch. Naruto doesn’t mope, but this whole thing with you, Sai, and Gaara… it really had him depressed. You three broke his heart and even he doesn’t fully understand it. Even now… he’s hurting but he’s putting on his bravest face for the rest of us. All this… it has to be hard for him. He needs someone who can make him smile, someone who will help him through these hard times.” Sakura’s expression became somber just remembering the first few days helping Tsunade run all those tests on Naruto. It had been painful to actually see Naruto’s raw expression, and she realized for the first time how much Naruto hid his emotions behind a smile. She hadn’t seen the true depth of someone she thought of as a close friend until that moment.

She sighed, “Everyday he faces more, and I can’t imagine that it’s easy for him. And he takes it all with a smile, but I know it isn’t real. Seeing him there, seeing him laughing with Sai. It makes me happy; he really does look like he’s having a good time. Sai is giving him what he needs right now. Someone to be there for him.” Blue green eyes turned to meet thoughtful storm ones.

Naruto needed someone to comfort him, to make him smile during this complicated time in his life. He could do that. He frowned, sighing and looking back at the blond at a distance. “I talked to him yesterday, you know.”

Sakura looked surprised at that, “You did?”

“Yeah… I asked him to come to my place last night and he did.”

Sakura’s eyes widened in shock and just a touch of excitement, giggling, “Sasuke! You hentai! How did it go?”

Sasuke scrunched his nose in irritation to be called a pervert, but he ignored it. “I told him the truth, that he was mine and that we both knew it. I told him that the games were cute, but he had to mature and accept the truth now.”

Sakura cringed a bit, leaning back against the wall they were hiding against and gave the male shinobi a wry smile, “Sasuke… sometimes I look at you now and I just think to myself, ‘Gods, did I just dodge a bullet on that one.’”

Sasuke twitched. He really, really missed the days when Sakura had a crush on him.

Sakura sighed heavily, “Sasuke-kun, you went about it all wrong! You’ll never win a girl over like that… O-or a guy for that matter!”

“Which category does Naruto fall under these days?” Sasuke asked dryly.

He was answered with a hard, resounding slap to the face, the force of it snapping his head to the side. He slowly turned back to look at the pink-haired ninja in shock. “You just slapped me…”

“Well you deserved it, you jerk!”

“Hn…” he really, really, really missed the days when Sakura had a crush on him.

Sakura sighed in exasperation, “Geez, were you always this way, Sasuke? You’re being a real ass-hole, and it’s going to cost you Naruto.”

Sasuke tensed at that, frowning darkly. “Do you really think that?”

Sakura nodded firmly, hands on her hips, “I know so. And at this point I would really think it was for the best.”

Sasuke glared at her hard, willing her to take the words back with the force of his glare alone. Sakura was having none of it. “You’re still my friend, Sasuke… and I’ve known for years how you and Naruto felt about each other, even before you two idiots even realized it. So I have some advice for you. Open your damn eyes, swallow your damn pride, and actually take a good look at what’s going on! You think you have everything figured out, you always think you have everything figured out… but you should know better than anyone else that you can’t figure Naruto out.”

Sasuke’s glare turned into a confused frown. Sakura sighed, “Just… be a little kinder, Sasuke… it’s not even that much… just a little… it can make all the difference…” She pushed off the wall and hopped off the roof to the next one. “Think about it.”

Sasuke really, really, truly missed the days when Sakura had a crush on him. But maybe she had a point. He glanced back to where Naruto was blushing in his booth in the restaurant and Sai’s hands moved animatedly as he told Naruto some strange tale. Hnn… He had some thinking to do. He could check in on Naruto later. He hopped off the roof to the next, making his way back home

~

Exiting the restaurant, Naruto’s laughter was starting to calm, but the infectious smile was still firmly in place. All Sai could do it see it and return it with one of his own.

“Thanks for treating me to lunch again, Sai” Naruto patted his belly, though he had actually finished eating hours ago. “And thanks for the good time. I really enjoyed myself,” he finished with a light blush, suddenly feeling like he had come to the end of a date and he was saying good night in hopes of a good night kiss. He shook the thoughts away. He was just being silly.

“It’s no problem, I’m just glad to have you as my friend again,” Sai nodded.

“Ah… friend… right…” why did that feel so disappointing? Was that all Sai really wanted..?

Sai saw the first sign of something wrong in this vibrant, tell-tale eyes, not knowing what he had said wrong he decided to change the subject. “So… umm… how is… umm… everything progressing..?”

Naruto looked surprised by the question, not today and not yesterday had Sai asked about that. It was a little embarrassing. “Well… I get tests done everyday, and Granny Tsunade says that so far everything seems to be fine.”

Sai smiled, “Really? Is it still too soon to see the baby?”

“Ah… well…” Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, “The Kyuubi’s chakra is still surrounding it… so they can’t really see anything, but there doesn’t seem to be any sign of stress or danger, so we can only assume it’s fine.”

Sai’s smile faded a little, his brow furrowing in worry, “That sounds strange, but if all this is the 9-tails’s doing, I guess it would be normal. So you’re getting on okay? How do you feel about all this?”

Naruto was really starting to feel uncomfortable, “Well… I’m…” he tried to think of the right words, his lips puckering a little in thought, “I’m okay as I can be, I guess… As for how I feel… well… it’s still a shock… but… what can I do..? And really… I…” he blushed, “I like the idea of having a family… someone to take care of, someone to… ah… well…” How could he say anything without sounding like a love-starved loser? He sighed heavily, but smiled softly, “It’s scary, but I’m looking forward to it now.”

Sai read each expression that passed through the expressive face and tried to translate them all, individually and as a whole. Naruto… he could never figure him out, but… that was part of his appeal. “If you… find out who the father is… will you stay with them?”

Naruto snorted at that, “Right now I don’t know… and it’s not like I… like I need them to be there, to take care of me. I can take care of myself!” He forced the words out, almost wishing that he could believe it himself.

“Naruto…” Sai didn’t know what he was supposed to do, would it be okay to embrace his friend in comfort? Would Naruto push him away? He really looked like he could use it, “I… even if I’m not the father, even if you decide to stay with the father or you decide to stay alone… I’ll always be there for you if you need me. Okay..?”

Naruto looked up at the pale anbu teen, “Sai…” his voice was soft, awed. That smile became just a touch truer and to Sai he became all the more appealing because of it.

“I… I’d do anything for you, Naruto… anything you asked of me,” attentively he reached his arms out and placed them on Naruto’s shoulder, pulling him gently into the embrace of his arms, wrapping them around his middle, and sighing softly in relief when Naruto didn’t struggle or push him away. “I… I care for you, Naruto… more than anything…” he shivered when he felt the blonde’s breath tickle his throat and he pulled back to look at him better. Naruto was just looking up at him with wide, unreadable eyes, but… that emotion there… he couldn’t tell what it was, but… it make his own chest ache pleasantly.

Before he could think about it, he was leaning down to gently capture those awe-parted lips with his own, though kept the touch soft and sweet. He wanted to prove to Naruto that he really did care for him, that it was more than just… just sexual attraction and heat. He read that was the best way to prove your feelings for someone were true.

Naruto sighed softly, sweetly and returned the kiss, trembling just a little when Sai pulled back. He cheeks flushed a warm pink and he gently untangled himself from Sai’s arms. “S-sai… I…” he bowed his head shyly, “Thank you… I… I’ll see you again tomorrow?”

Sai blinked a few times, at first wondering if he had done something wrong, but felt relief when Naruto didn’t seem upset. He nodded, “Of course. I’ll treat you to lunch again.”

Naruto chuckled, “I can pay for lunch sometimes, too you know.”

“Okay, than you can pay for lunch tomorrow.”

“Oi! You agreed to that too easily, you sneak!” the blond teased with a laugh.

Sai smiled softly, “Yeah, I did. I’ll see you tomorrow, Naruto. Be safe.” He waved and started to make his way back home.

“Be safe…” Naruto repeated back to him softly, watching him go and gently touching his fingers to his lips, still feeling the tingle of their kiss there. Sai… Sai was making his heart beat quickly a lot lately… and Sai… Sai was being so gentle and sweet with him. It was disarming. Was it an act? Something he had read in a book?

No, it couldn’t be. Sai was terrible in acting out social scenarios read in books. But then… was this the real Sai? A side to the teen anbu he had never seen before. His heart skipped a beat and he shook his head hard. Dammit, he wasn’t a swooning school girl! But… he smiled… Sai was really trying his hardest… maybe… maybe… He hummed softly. Time to go home, take a nice long shower, get some rest and then some dinner.

He turned on his heels… and crashed straight into someone. “Ah!” But before he could stumble back, he was wrapped in strong, warm eyes. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t paying attention and… ah…” just when he thought he had his heart beat back in control he gave a loud thump and started to beat double time as he stared into aquamarine eyes. “G-gaara…”

~
To be continued.

OMG! New chapter! I know, I'm writing the next chapter of "Controlling Puppy" right now, but the bug bit me to continue with this fic! XD;;

This chapter is a bit long... and I feel it's kinda drawn out, but I still like it... It's... kind Sasuke centered... at least half of it is anyways. *shrugs* It just turned out that way

Bastard Sasuke is a bastard.

Sweet Sai is sweet.

And I've always wanted to see Sakura like that. XD;;

PLEASE REVIEW! <3