A Slight Issue

Chapter 3

Third person pov

Did Sasuke spend an unhealthy amount of time staring at the flower Lennox had gifted him the next morning? Yeah, he did, and he was blushing like a schoolgirl the entire time too. He's man enough to admit it. He hasn't stopped grinning since his eyes popped open this morning. Nothing could rain on his parade right now. Itachi himself could show up and Sasuke would not be perturbed in the slightest. What can he say? He's young, in love, and possibly a little insane. Again, clan genocide trauma. Covers tons of bases.

He'd placed his flower carefully in water. It was okay for now, but he'd be buying a frame today so he could press it to preserve its natural colors and hang it in his room. He really didn't like the idea of killing something Lennox had given him, but watching it wilt and break apart would absolutely murder him on the inside. It was like a does he love me or does he not situation, except the love dies before Sasuke can find out. A Beauty and the Beast moment. He's literally not going through that kind of mental and emotional upheaval right now, okay? He would really and truly lose it for good, thank you very much.

Besides, in the future when they were married, happy, living together, head over heels in love with each other, they could look back at the flower and smile! It would be great! 

With his newly budding friendship with his soulmate in mind, Sasuke got ready for the day with a light and airy feeling around him. Everything was going his way and God was clearly real. Nothing was wrong with the world. His family dead? Menial. Itachi existing? A good thing! Clan restoration was on the horizon and because Itachi had killed them, he could bring them back himself, and Sasuke could be unfathomably gay just as things were always meant to be. If Sasuke had to rate this experience out of five stars, he'd honestly give it six.

Okay, okay, okay. Team meeting everyone. Let's touch base. So Sasuke had gotten up extra early to go see Lennox sooner, right? Because yesterday's conversation was literally everything to him and though blissful, it had been too short. So he'd wanted to get there before his regular arrival. Only that wasn't going to happen, because he'd ended up leaving his apartment at the exact same goddamn time he always did. Now I know you must be wondering what held him up. The answer: his daydreams. He'd been so caught up in the mental image of him and Lennox living in a quaint little (super gay) cottage that he'd lost track of time! If temptation was a sin, Sasuke would save Itachi a seat in hell. Cheers to that.

But alas, Sasuke is a runner. He's a track star. He is not top of the academy for nothing. His stamina is nothing to laugh at, and when he says he sprinted like hell was on his heels, he means in. But like, not too hard. Because if he showed up sweaty and disgusting he'd never forgive himself. What if Lennox thought he was gross? Not an option. Sasuke luckily has boundless talent and manages to keep every single one of his hairs in place and still manages to smell like a cologne palace touched by a real life angel, so it all works out. No wonder he has fangirls. This is an honest to god skill. If he weren't already slated to become a ninja he'd totally add this to his resume. Maybe he still would in case the ninja part didn't pan out. After all, what if Lennox wasn't into that?

Sasuke's world realigned as soon as Lennox's house came into view. He slowed his pace from a run to a leisurely walk, the absolute epitome of casual. He fixed his shirt, made sure his hair was still perfect-- it was, obviously, what do you take him for?-- before he allowed himself to fall into his crush's general light of sight. He had to be beyond presentable here. Perfect to the human eye in every conceivable way. 

Well, as perfect as he could get anyway. Sasuke knew he wasn't a bad looking guy by any means, but there was no telling what he looked like through Lennox's gorgeous, perfect, beautiful, stunning, shining, glimmering, flawless eyes! Either way, Sasuke would need to pull out all the stops and use his looks to his advantage. Or try to. Look, this is his first rodeo and it'll be his only rodeo if all goes well! You can't blame him for having no goddamn clue what he's doing! No amount of romance novel reading could've prepared him for the real thing.