Name: a kiss never forgotten
Author: narutoandsauskearecanon on ao3
Length: 61,870 with use of all 20 parts
Summary (provided by author): Naruto and Sasuke both have wives and children in Konoha. One drunken reunion gets a bit out of hand, and Naruto drunkenly accepts to recreate a kiss that happened long ago. This kiss starts a chain reaction, which leads to a confession which has been held for many years.
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Work Text:
The night was cold as it usually was, Konoha's leaves rustled in the constant passing wind. Naruto sat at the edge of the bed, tired, overworked and overall depressed. His life had become stacks of paperwork, late nights, loud children and a lack of joy. He often looked back at his younger days, wondering if he could take back the time when he was free to enjoy his youth and lack of responsibilities as the new Hokage and father of two.
Naruto saw himself getting more drained as the days went by; he dreaded coming home to a noisy house full of people wanted his attention, when he himself needed attention and love. He was overall not ecstatic with his relationship with Hinata, but he never hated it either. In a way, he kind of felt dead inside, or didn't really feel much emotion, he blamed this on his constant work schedule and intense house life.
"Naruto, are you done changing? We are going to be late".
Naruto tied his shoe laces and started making his way out of the room, "coming Hinata".
He hated going to these reunions, he loved seeing his friends again, but it's never been the same since everyone got married and Naruto became Hokage. He sensed his friends becoming more formal around him, which really ticked Naruto off, he missed how chilled out everyone used to be. Deep down inside he was screaming for things to go back to the way they were, everyone making jokes and being silly around each other. "Huh", this was going to be a long dinner.
*At dinner*
Naruto stares at his salad and chicken, like his having some sort of glaring competition. Not paying an ounce of attention to the conversations around him, just twirling the lettuce with his fork, wondering when he can go home and sleep. He suddenly springs to life when he feels a tap on his shoulder.
"Ohh Sasuke I'm sorry I didn't see you standing behind me, did you need something?"
Sasuke's eyes seemed so full of love at that moment or maybe it was pity, fear or respect? Naruto wasn't too sure, but all he knew were that his eyes where quite hypnotizing, a thing he automatically believed had to do with the 'perfect Uchiha genes'.
"Naruto, I was wondering if you would like a drink? Me, Choji, Kiba and Shikamaru where going to have a few beers seeming as the girls are talking about clothes, if you would like to join us?"
"Oh, uh I do have to be up in the morning, but to be honest one beer wouldn't hurt, plus I'm kind of zoning out anyways."
Naruto let a surprising happy Sasuke lead him to the restaurant's bar area where he found the other guys chatting in a friendly manner. Naruto realized the minute they saw Naruto coming in their direction they all straighten up, and acted less loosely as they use to. He wished they could relax, Naruto knew drinking would help loosen his friends up.<
*At the Restaurants bar*
"Oh, hey Naruto, how is work?" Choji's voice sounded so formal Naruto nearly chocked whilst chugging down his beer surprising fast.
"Choji and everyone else, please stop being so formal around me, I am Hokage now, but it's okay you are my friends. No need for all these formalities, please let me buy you all another round and we shall celebrate and talk about the good old days, huh?"
Everyone slowly released a tensed breath, but overall seemed happy to admit they were acting to formal, and soon after 3 drinks Naruto was laughing and talking to all his friends like he was 18 again.
