When Sasuke Met Naruto (SasuNaru)

- Chapter 20 -

When Sasuke awoke the next morning, he momentarily forgot where he was. He knew he wasn't home – the couch he was sleeping on felt nothing like his bed – but for whatever reason he didn't recognize his whereabouts. It was as if the entire night before had been some sort of bizarre dream. Shikamaru and Kiba running around in their underwear, Akamaru peeing on Gaara, the soda fight with Naruto – he remembered it all quite clearly, but it felt strangely distant. He couldn't actually believe it had all happened just a few hours before, that he'd actually participated in something so normal.

Well, normal in some sense, I guess...

It was only when Sasuke's eyes adjusted to the dim, morning light that he began to take it all in. The faint snores coming from around the room, the couch, and his position curled up in a ball with Naruto, all told him one thing: it was no dream. The Uchiha wasn't sure what to feel at first. It was a little frightening, to think he'd spent the previous evening connecting with such a large group of people. All those bonds he'd formed, all the memories he'd carry with him from that night – there was still that lingering fear that it would all come back to haunt him. These feelings quickly vanished, however, when he considered his position once again.

He had just spent the night with his arms wrapped around the boy he loved. It was embarrassing, to think he'd been cuddling the blond like a teddy bear all night long. Did Naruto know? Maybe he'd already been asleep when Sasuke decided to embrace him, or maybe he was too tired to notice. Did it even matter? Why should he care whether his boyfriend knew about that moment of tenderness? That's what love was all about, right?

Still, Sasuke felt like he'd somehow betrayed himself. That reputation he'd earned as a cold, heartless bastard, had now been completely shattered by a night snuggling with Naruto. As humiliated as the Uchiha was, though, he knew he couldn't stay angry with himself. It was just too easy to fall back into that feeling of contentment and pull Naruto closer.

He still smells like soda...

So, there he lay, hugging Naruto to him under the blankets, their heads just poking out the top. It was nice. Yes, Sasuke could get used to that simple comfort of lying next to his boyfriend, and he would've, if a little thing called 'sex,' hadn't got in the way. The Uchiha lasted only a minute or so with his bare skin rubbing up against Naruto's before he became suddenly aware that he was practically naked. As was Naruto. Save for their underwear, they were completely nude beneath the sheets.

Just this simple realization changed Sasuke's mindset completely. The pleasures of Naruto's presence, of his gentle, peaceful aura, were brushed aside. In their place were only observations of a more physical sort. The smooth texture of Naruto's skin, the warmth from his body, his faint, morning musk, and the firmness of the blond's muscles hidden beneath the blanket. Sasuke felt his hand slowly, carefully run up and down Naruto's front, feeling every square inch of his torso from his chest down to his flat stomach. The Uchiha even paused to feel his boyfriend's stomach move up and down with each breath, and soon his own breathing had slowed to match his boyfriend's.

This is wrong ... so wrong. But why can't I stop?

Sasuke knew the answer of course: because it felt right. He wanted to have this moment of intimacy, to learn more about Naruto. They'd already covered mental part of their relationship, learning about each other in great detail. Now he needed to get closer physically, before they could advance their relationship emotionally.

The Uchiha's hands wandered a touch lower, until they found the waistband of Naruto's boxers. Not daring to move any further south, Sasuke opted to slide his fingers along this boundary, moving from the front over to the backside. There, he paused.