Rivals Or More? A SasuNaru Story

Chapter 15: The Confession

Naruto's POV

Why does Sasuke have to be So. Frigging. COLD?! It just gets on my nerves. No, he gets on my nerves! He is a mean ducky. For the past few days, Sasuke has suddenly been detached. And that too when I finally thought that he was warming up to me.

I still remember how he placed his arm over my shoulder when he would have never in his life done that before because he doesn't do that touchy feely thing. Sometimes I get to see a side of him that seems so genuine, warm, open and magnetic that I wish he would always stay like that instead of his ice cold meany self! I have to do something to bring my favourite Sasuke version back.

I think about how to deal with the stubborn ass teme while I make my way into the classroom. I'm five minutes late today. Nothing new, I think as I make my way towards the sulky Uchiha sitting on the last bench, all the while tuning out Iruka Sensei's reprimanding for being late as always. My focus is on only Sasuke as I take purposeful strides, not once taking my gaze away from him.

The raven knows I'm here but stubbornly looks out of the window, his chin placed on his turned over hands which are linked as his elbows rest on the desk. This is his favourite position that seems as if he is saying I-don't-want-to-be-around-these-people-because-I'm-just-too-good-for-them. This teme! How arrogant of him. If a silent person could be dramatic, that would be him!

I too make a show of sitting with great laziness, making sure to make a thumping noise when I sit and a banging noise on the desk with my hands. Then I slowly snake my left arm around the Sulky One. Once I have covered my arm fully around him, I suddenly yank him toward me and hug him tight to my side, making sure to squeeze in my anger at being ignored by him too.

Sasuke gasps and looks at me with wide eyes. Soon to follow is a frown of disbelief. Before he can open his opposite-of-sweet mouth, I cover it with my other hand, glad that no one noticed since we are in the very back of the class.

Sasuke looks ready to bite me, and of course, I don't want that. So I immediately do what I had thought of. I place my mouth next to his ear. "You know, Sasuke, I think that since you can't seem to hear me nowadays because of your new quality - your deafness, I should say whatever I want to say right in your ear from now onwards to make sure you hear me." I say, leaving him at least stunned enough to not bite me. I hold back a sigh of relief at that.

He tries to struggle out of my grip, but it feels weak and halfhearted. Maybe because he doesn't want to attract any attention to us. I know by now how much he hates being the centre of attraction. Good. That works in my favour!

I feel his lips move against my hand and almost remove my hand due to the tickling sensation and also the fear that he will lick it like he licked my finger recently. It was so gross, I still remember it vividly.

I hold back a shiver and continue, "So, now that I have your undivided attention, can you please tell me what your frigging ducky problems are? Tell me what you have been holding back. The reason why you are being so cold toward me ever since I started training separately. You should be fine that I train separately because you don't care about such trivial things, right? I even did what you said and didn't ditch our routine of going home together. I mean, at least till the training grounds. So, almost home. But anyways, you get my point, right?" I try to understand his way of thinking and place out all the possibilities in my breathless rant.

Sasuke looks blank, or at least without an expression on his face. I urge him. "Come on, Sasuke, enough with the avoidance; because I can't take it anymore. Please, just spill it!" I hate how my voice sounds whiny.

Finally, he relents when his expressionless mask falls and his face becomes open, again showing all emotions. I can't imagine the effort it would take to control the emotions from showing on the face. He is seriously a stubborn guy, I think, smiling at him as I remove my hand slowly so that he can speak, gauging his reaction carefully while I do so. He looks uneasy and nervous, if the delicate frown between his brows and the purse of his lips is any indication.