Archive of Our Own

Naruto wasn’t good at being alone. 

He was getting better at it, definitely. Or maybe he’d just started being more calm about having social contact. He didn’t bother his friends anymore, at least he didn’t think so. He didn’t come over without asking, and he didn’t feel like he needed to be around people just to feel like he existed. 

It wasn’t like he hadn’t been aware of these things, he just hadn’t known what to do to stop it. Not seeing his friends for a few days sometimes made him wake up in blind panic. At night he often woke up feeling like he’d never see his friends again, or like they’d been imaginary from the start. Nightmares hauled him awake almost every night. 

Having roommates helped, apparently. He eased into his friendships with them. There was rarely a day where he didn’t play games with Kiba, or where he didn’t chat with Shikamaru while eating instant ramen on the dinner table. They often ate together, too, because Shikamaru’s best friend liked cooking for other people. His nerves about being lonely eased a bit. 

He didn’t think about it that much anymore. 

Which is why he hated the fact that his roommates had walked into his room, saying: ‘I’m going back to my parent’s place.’ It had been a little more than a week since all their classes got cancelled. A week that had felt more like a vacation than a fucking pandemic. He enjoyed seeing his teachers and classmates in real life more than online, but he hadn’t exactly minded eating snacks while playing Mario Kart with Kiba all day. He should have known better. His roommates left, one after another, because they were wanted at home during the lock-down. At home they didn’t have to worry about grocery shopping, or about their family at that. My mum wants it, so that’s that, Shikamaru had said. So that was that. Kiba and Shikamaru left. He had expected his other two roommates, with whom he hung out a lot less, to still be around, but when he walked into the kitchen the next morning the entire house was quiet. 

It was never that quiet. 

Suigetsu barely went a day without listening to loud techno. It was around ten now, which was the perfect time to start blasting music, to Suigetsu. Nothing. It was quiet. He lifted himself onto the table in their shared kitchen, and got out his phone. The last days had been awfully quiet as well, but it really hit him now. He was alone. 

Is anyone still home? He texted in their group chat. 

With that he stood up, getting himself some coffee. 

It was so, so fucking quiet. He hated it. He could feel himself getting more nervous with the second. That’s what you get when you don’t have any fucking parents to go to, he guessed. He felt like the hours were ticking as if they were days. He hoped this fucking lock-down wouldn’t take too long. 

Probably months, the news had said, though. That would feel like a lifetime. 

He sighed and placed his cup underneath the coffee machine. The machine started sputtering as it spit out his coffee. They really ought to get a new machine. At least it was some noise, he didn’t exactly mind the bit of life it brought. 

His phone lit up with a message from Suigetsu. A simple: Nope. 

Shikamaru and Kiba followed with their own ‘ Nope ’, though he knew that already. “Fucking hell,” he mumbled. He sat down on the kitchen table, scrolled through his phone for a while. A lot of news, little people actually posting fun stuff. He texted Sakura to ask her if she was staying in town.

I’m going back to our hometown, why? 

They’re been in elementary school together. The place didn’t feel like his hometown though.

He didn’t exactly have a house there either. He’d had a few foster homes there, but none were nice enough to make him want to stay after he was eighteen. He’d been lucky if the households weren’t fucking terrible. 

This place definitely felt more like a home than any of those places. 

That didn’t mean it didn’t feel shitty as hell to see all of his friends going home to a family that loved them. He felt like shit. 

Maybe everything would feel a bit better if it wasn’t this fucking quiet. 

Naruto stood up and walked towards his room. His room was the smallest room in their old house. He paid the least rent, so that was far. He had a bed, a closet, a desk and a small television. He had placed posters from his favourite artists and shows all over his wall. Every free spot was filled by schoolbooks, graphic novels, plants. It was his room more than any room had ever been. 

It was still a small room, especially if he compared it to the other rooms in their house, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. 

He got his favourite hoodie and his bluetooth speaker before walking back into the kitchen. 

If everyone was gone, he might as well make the fucking best of it. He put on some Masego, turned the speaker up, and moved towards the kitchen while swaying his hips. 

Right, being alone meant that he couldn’t bother anyone either. 

They couldn’t complain about his fucking mess, or about how noisy he was. He had the palace to himself. He could sing while making ramen. He could play games on full volume. He could leave his dirty socks underneath the dinner table, no problem. 

Huh, maybe this wasn’t so bad after all. 

He turned the music up a little more, sang the lyrics as he got out a pack of ramen and put a pan full of water on the stove. “ I keep doing myself– I do everything– Don’t need no help–” he sang as he let the ramen fall into the water. He danced towards the trash can and back. He was going to be fine, he told himself. “Ain’t nobody really dope as me–”

He stirred through his ramen with a fork. “ Forget all this fake talk–” He mumbled along. The water started boiling. He dramatically smelled the still tasteless ramen, kind of wanted to laugh at himself. “ I’m your lady’s fantasy– and your–”

“ Idiot” ’ 

Naruto had never snapped his head back that quickly. That voice. Fucking hell, so Sasuke was fucking home. “Fuck! Where did you come from?”

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at him, humourlessly. “We’re in a lockdown.”

Naruto gaped at Sasuke. He felt like he hadn’t seen him in days . The guy didn’t make much noise to begin with, but only now he realized how freaky Sasuke’s silence was. It was almost creepy. How had he not noticed the other for that long?

“And you didn’t care to move or make some noise?” he asked. 

Sasuke snorted. “We can’t all give a performance in our underwear. I’ll leave that to you, thank you very much.”

Naruto stared at the other, wanting to bite back but also– also wanting to talk for a bit longer. He had actually gotten to the point where he missed Suigetsu’s fucking Techno music in the morning. That was saying something. “When are you leaving?”

Sasuke placed his favourite cup, a thick one from glass, underneath the coffee machine. “Turn the music down.” He said. Right , Sasuke hated noise. That’s why Sasuke thought he was annoying too. “Want me gone that bad?”

Naruto sat back on top of the kitchen table, watched as Sasuke made his coffee. He shrugged. “Everyone left for their parent’s house.” 

He had thought Sasuke had been gone for a few days already. He figured that Sasuke, who always complained about their house and about their housemates (including Naruto, well, mainly about Naruto), would have been the first one to leave. He seemed like the kind of guy who had his own bathroom at his parents house, who’d get spoiled by his mum all the time.

Sasuke sighed and took his cup from the machine. “I live here.” 

Naruto bit his lip. He didn’t know if he wanted to smile about that answer or not. He hadn’t known Sasuke felt at home in their house. “Did you not want to go to your parents?”

Naruto didn’t know why, but that earned him the glare of a lifetime. It sent shivers right down his spine. “I don’t see how that’s your business.”

“Guess it’s not.” Naruto shifted a little. “But since I’m here as well– I was just curious–”

“Stop it right there.” Sasuke straightened up, his coffee stil in his hand. “That first part was fine. You should have stopped there; it’s none of your business.” With that Sasuke turned heel towards his room. He mumbled something that sounded a bit like ‘bye,’ before walking into the hallway, into his room. 

Naruto could only stare at the closed door for a while. Okay. Okay. So he wasn’t home alone. He didn’t know what was better anymore. He changed the playlist he was listening to to a Lofi playlist, a bit hesitant. It wouldn’t be the first time Sasuke would complain about him and he– he really didn’t want to bother Sasuke. Sasuke was right when he called him noisy (or nosy). When in Sasuke’s presence, he felt like he wasn’t any calmer than he’d been years ago. 

He was, he had to tell himself. He was doing good.  

When getting off the table to get himself some bread, he glanced at Sasuke’s door again. Someone was there, working, living, listening to music, whatever. He was not alone, and he did feel better knowing that. When sitting down in their shared space, he felt calm. He opened his laptop  and put on the documentary they had to watch for his next class. 

He’d survive. He’d take Sasuke’s complaints over being alone any day. It totally belonged to the whole ‘feeling at home’ thing. 

Naruto quickly settled for calling his friends on the phone almost every day. Sakura always had new things to tell him; family drama, internet drama, worries about the virus that he didn’t exactly understand (they talked about it in her class, he didn’t have to understand). Shikamaru had told him not to call again, but they did play Mario Kart online on their Switch, so that was fine. Shikamaru’s family was still meeting up with Choji’s family, the way they always had, as if they were one family. Naruto almost felt jealous– well, no, he felt jealous. He didn’t fucking want to be alone.  

He called his other friends for short chats. He knew some of them wouldn’t want him calling more often, so he scratched them off his list. He didn’t want to annoy anyone. 

The fear of losing all his friends because of lock-down wasn’t fucking rational. They wouldn’t forget about him. And they wouldn’t disappear either.

More music. 

More chatting with people online. 

More walking through the house nervously. 

And then, the weird calm when Sasuke walked by to get his cup of coffee. He stared at Sasuke as he walked past the dinner table on which Naruto was doing his homework. He had some Lofi playing out loud. 

“Hi,” he mumbled. 

Sasuke leaned against the counter. “What are you doing here?” 

Naruto glanced at his working spot. He had his own desk in his room, it wasn’t necessarily a weird question. He didn’t exactly want to tell Sasuke that their shared space calmed him. And he definitely couldn’t say that he hoped he would run into Sasuke, just so he knew he wasn’t alone. “Oh, I’m just working on school stuff.”

“I can see that, genius.” Sasuke took his coffee from the machine, but didn’t leave. That was good. “You’re loud, by the way.”

Oh, so that was what this was about. Sasuke was getting annoyed with the endless music and calls and games and footsteps and– everything that kept Naruto a little bit sane. “Oh, eh– I– I’m sorry.”

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, surprised by the fact Naruto wasn’t trying to fight him. They did that a lot; fighting about noise, about the dishes, about opening the windows or not, about almost anything. They usually needed their other three roommates just so that they didn’t punch each other in the eye. 

And after a fight Naruto would always feel– stupid, alive, just...  a lot . It was no lie he’d really wanted Sasuke to like him when he just moved in, but he figured out that they were just a bad match in the few months they’d started living here. Still he wanted Sasuke to notice him. He wanted to feel like they were equally bothered by each other, at least. But now he just–

“I don’t want to be a bother.” Naruto breathed in. He felt so tired, suddenly. “I’m not very good at being alone.”

Sasuke snorted. “You can say that again.” When Naruto didn’t laugh, he finally looked at Naruto properly. Something changed in his eyes, he finally seemed to realize Naruto meant what he said. That it wasn’t just ‘ I’m such an extravert haha lol.’ to Naruto. “Oh,” Sasuke gaped a little. 

“Yeah.. Uhm, more like really bad at it– well, sorry for the noise I can–”

“Why don’t you go to your parents, then?”

Naruto snorted sarcastically. “None of your business, right?”

“You are. You don’t have to tell me.”

Naruto fidgeted, scratching the skin near his nail. He’d been doing that a lot; he had to stop it. “Just kidding.” He said humorously. He shrugged, breathed in, shrugged again. “I grew up in the foster system, don't really have a place to go back to.”

Sasuke didn’t answer. For a while he just stared at Naruto, and eventually he just started nodding. “That explains a lot.” He said it so lightly.  

“Shut up.”

“What? It does.” Sasuke snorted to himself.

Naruto stood up. “What the fuck is your problem?” 

Sasuke placed his coffee cup on the table calmly. “Nothing,” he said calmly. “ I don’t have a problem.” With that he walked towards his room again.

Naruto watched him go. Maybe the asshole hadn’t realized it, but he didn’t tell everyone his life story. Now he just fucking walked away after Naruto had told him. Anger burned up in Naruto’s chest. He tried to think of ways to tell Sasuke that this wasn’t okay without fucking up his home and– 

Sasuke walked back in. He was holding a laptop, pens and some books in his arms. He didn’t look at Naruto as he walked back to the table, where he placed all of his stuff on the opposite side from where Naruto was sitting. Neatly; Naruto could swear Sasuke kept an exactly even space in between all of his pens and his notebook. 

It was definitely worth laughing at but Naruto was just too… confused, surprised, in absolute awe. 

And then Sasuke sat down. 

And Naruto could swear he felt his own heart skip a beat. 

What the hell was happening. 

“I usually work with my earphones in.” Sasuke said, holding up his fancy apple earphones as if Naruto couldn’t understand the words without a demonstration. Maybe Naruto couldn’t; he felt like he had just lost most of his brain cells just because Sasuke was being nice. 

Sasuke placed one earphone inside of his ear, probably waiting for Naruto to answer. Then, he took a sip of his coffee. Completely unbothered. 

“Oh, yeah, no problem.” 

Sasuke nodded, put his other earphone inside of his ear as well, and then started typing away again. His face turned more serious within seconds. Sasuke had a crazy focus, quite opposite from him. 

Naruto couldn’t help but stare at him for a bit long. Was Sasuke… trying to help him?

Oh. 

Oh. 

He did feel calmer. 

Surprised, that too, but calmer. 

Sasuke, against his nature, lingered. 

When the evening came and Sasuke started cooking something that looked a little too healthy, he didn’t put in his earphones. Naruto, naturally, started chatting. 

“Do you still have a lot of classes?”

“Most of them,” Sasuke said, looking at his dish. Sasuke was a law major, Naruto knew that much. Sasuke always spent hours and hours on studying. Most of his classes would probably be the same online. “Got eight hours of lectures on zoom tomorrow.” 

Naruto sighed dramatically. “I can’t even fucking concentrate on my three hour lecture. Well, I can’t concentrate on anything when I’m looking at a computer screen, to be honest.”

Sasuke nodded, turned to his pasta and stirred. “I don’t mind it that much.”

Naruto told Sasuke about his class. That he liked working with people, and that the theories to psychology had never been his favourite part. It was interesting, really, but just slamming information into his brain and hoping it would stick had never worked for him. It wouldn’t start working now. He learned by talking to people, by doing, and he wasn’t able to do that now. “Or I’m just stupid,” Naruto added with a shrug. He hoped it sounded lighthearted enough. 

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at him. “Of course not.”

Naruto stared at Sasuke for a few seconds. Had he heard that right? “ You’re the one who always calls me an idiot.” He shot back.

Sasuke poured tomato sauce onto his pasta, didn’t look at Naruto. His voice was firm though. “Yeah, like, you’re a ‘loud, awkward and clumsy’ kind of idiot.’ He poured the pasta, now red with tomato, onto a plate. “Not a ‘dumb’ kind of idiot.”

Naruto stared at his housemate as if he was telling him the world was flat. He couldn’t fucking imagine that Sasuke actually thought of him as someone smart.

“Obviously,” Sasuke added, then. As if Naruto fucking knew Sasuke didn’t see him as someone stupid. Obviously he didn’t. Sasuke hadn’t exactly hinted about it either. 

“ Oh,” Naruto bit his lip, looked away from Sasuke. “I– well–”

Sasuke put a lid onto the pot he’d been using. “Feel free to finish this pasta. I’m going to my room.” With that, Sasuke fetched his laptop, walked back into his room, and closed the door.

The next morning he laid in his bed for a little too long, at first he studied his ceiling for a while. There was still a yellow spot next to his lamp. His lamp was still hanging slightly slanted. He was still sleeping in the same room. 

It took long enough for that to settle in.

He decided against going on social media. He didn’t want to read more news about people dying. He knew already, and he hated not being able to do anything about it. He wished he was like Sakura, learning how to help, but he couldn’t do anything. And so he left his phone on his nightstand, avoiding the thing. 

Sleepily, he took his orange hoodie from his chair and pulled it on. He let himself drown in his hoodie, putting his hood up, getting cozy. Like that, he walked towards the kitchen. Somewhere in the distance he heard a serious voice. Sasuke’s, he realized. Curiously, he walked a little further. 

Sasuke had kept his bedroom door open. 

He heard the other discussing something, it almost sounded angry. He glanced into Sasuke’s room while walking to the kitchen. Sasuke, who was sitting at his desk with his work piled around him, glanced at him with a kind look in his eyes, and then turned back to his Zoom meeting with a frown. ‘No, stop, you don’t understand what I’m saying–’ he went on. Naruto almost wanted to laugh; he definitely wouldn’t want to be having a discussion with Sasuke right now. Sasuke was incredibly sharp. He was sharp, witty and smart. He almost felt bad for the person who was trying. 

He also felt amazed by Sasuke’s passion early in the morning. 

And even more than that he felt amazed by the fact Sasuke was trying to make some fucking noise, bringing some live into the house, just because he had said he’d needed it. 

That was the craziest thing.

With Sasuke’s voice in the distance, Naruto started on his breakfast. He poured some yogurt and cornflakes into a bowl. Then he put another pod in their machine. He clicked the big button of the machine, watched as it flickered until the two buttons on the side started burning as well. The left one with one cup on it. The right one with two cups on it. He stared at the buttons for a little while, trying to get his brain to work. Then, he decided on placing another pod into the machine, got another cup from the cabinet (his own, a green one with a frog on it), and clicked on the button for two cups. 

He breathed out. This was normal. He felt thankful to Sasuke, so he was returning something. Sasuke wouldn’t hate him for it. 

He placed his own breakfast on the table, together with a graphic novel he was reading. Then he got Sasuke’s cup and  repeated in his mind: Sasuke doesn’t hate me, Sasuke doesn’t hate me, Sasuke doesn’t hate me. 

Still a bit nervous, he walked towards Sasuke’s open door. Sasuke glanced at him when he walked in, a confused frown on his face. 

Naruto grinned as bright as he could manage, then he slid the cup of coffee onto Sasuke’s desk. “Good luck,” he mouthed. He doubted Sasuke understood, with the lecture he was listening to through his earphones as well. But then Sasuke smiled a softer smile than Naruto had even seen on the man. He placed his hands around the cup, sat back a little, and then focussed on his meeting again. 

Naruto realized right there that he’d never seen Sasuke look so calm, and so, so much like he was at home. 

They ended up eating together because either one always had too much food. After a while Naruto just assumed that one of them would cook for the both of them. On some evenings, Naruto would just walk into Sasuke’s room (he still kept the door open) and he’d say something like: “You want to order together, it’ll save us some delivery costs.” They wouldn’t always talk to each other, something they’d just sit while doing their own things. After a few awkward dinners, though, Naruto realized how hard it was not to talk to Sasuke. Sasuke was funny and witty and Naruto got filled with absolute delight if he chuckled about something stupid Naruto had said. The first time Sasuke had really Iaughed Naruto might as well have died inside. He wanted to get more reactions from Sasuke, now that he’d tasted something else than just his anger. The anger had been, well something, something more than the polished boy had given most people. 

His laugh was, well, really something else. 

It was fucking gorgous. 

It grew on him. 

“Did you order ramen again?” Sasuke was walking into the kitchen with two bags of food in his hands. He sounded a little done. 

Naruto just laughed, looking up from his laptop. He hadn’t heard the delivery man at the door.  “I got you tomato egg drop soup though.” 

Sasuke stared at the two bags in his hands. “You ordered for me?” Without asking. Yeah. 

“Yeah, sorry. You were working so I didn’t want to bother you but I was hungry so–” 

“Thanks.” He walked towards the dining table, put the two bags on top of it. 

Naruto got up to get two bowls; Sasuke hated eating out of the plastic containers, which was kind of fair. He placed the bowls on top of the table as he watched Sasuke untie the bags. He poured the soup into the bowls in front of him, then shoved one to the other side of the table. 

“Thanks!” Naruto pulled the bowl even closer to him, got out the chopsticks, and started shoving noodles into his mouth excitedly.

Sasuke waited. 

Naruto looked up at him, the ramen hanging from his mouth a little. He swallowed it quickly.
Sasuke still didn’t move to eat. 

“I do have parents,” he said after a while. 

Okay, that was not what Naruto had expected. He nodded cautiously, wanting Sasuke to continue. 

“I don’t… their home is not my home. They don’t treat me like.. I am worth being their son. My mum tried, I text her sometimes, but I don’t want to see my father anymore.” 

“Oh,” Naruto mumbled. He sounded stupid. He didn’t know what to say. He hated that Sasuke felt that he was not worth being proud of. Somewhere, he had thought that Sasuke was studying law to make his rich parents proud. He’d always given off that vibe. “I thought that wasn’t my business.” That wasn’t what he wanted to say. 

He didn’t want to piss Sasuke off. He just didn’t want to appear as if he fucking pitied Sasuke. That was always the worst; he knew that too. 

Luckily, Sasuke just smiled softly. “It wasn’t. ” 

Naruto grinned. “But not anymore?” 

Sasuke just shrugged. He looked satisfied. He started eating his soup calmly, as if he had said what he wanted to say and he was done now. Maybe he was. Naruto hoped he felt better now that he had said that. 

But Naruto’s brain was crashing. 

How the fuck could you not be proud of someone like Sasuke?

In Naruto’s eyes he had always been the perfect student, the perfect son. So much that Naruto couldn’t help but reflect on his own actions until he was ashamed of them. Sasuke held calm, he was smart and often polite. 

So how the hell?

“Why?” Shit.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at him, putting his spoon back into his bowl. 

“Sorry, but why the fuck do they make you feel like you’re not worth being their son? Have you fucking seen yourself, Sasuke?” Sasuke was so going to use this against him. “You’re so polite and handsome and the perfect fucking student– what the fuck have you done wrong? I’m just confused–” 

“I’m gay.” 

Naruto stopped talking at the interruption. “Okay..” Wait– oh– oh fuck– ” And they what?! Fucking kicked you out because of that?!”

Sasuke shrugged, apparently not fazed by his outburst. “Not in so many words.” 

“What the fuck? So they just let you feel unwanted until you left yourself?” 

Sasuke nodded. 

“I fucking– What the hell–” 

“It’s fine.” 

Naruto stood up in his anger. “It’s not fucking fine!” 

“Naruto–” Sasuke’s voice was like a warning. “I’m here now, aren’t I? I’m fine.” 

Naruto looked at Sasuke. Maybe that was right. Maybe that was a feeling they shared; they had their own place now, right? They would be fine. Getting onto each other’s nerves about noise and dishes was definitely not the worst the both of them had gone through. 

He sat back down. “Okay.” 

“Okay. Eat your damn ramen now.” 

Naruto nodded slowly, turning back to his bowl. 

Sasuke piped up again, a smirk on his lips. “And don’t think I’m not going to use you calling me ‘perfect’ against you.” 

Naruto almost fucking choked on a noodle. Perfect or not, Sasuke was fucking evil.

They stayed like that until later that evening. They talked about a lot of nothing, but also about personal stuff. Sasuke told him about his brother, how he was someone Sasuke held onto. Then they talked about feeling lonely, and Sasuke seemed to understand like he’d never had anyone understand it. Sasuke had taken to being alone instead of searching for contact all day. That didn’t mean they didn’t fear the same things. Bits and pieces of that realization slipped through joking and teasing, until he couldn’t see Sasuke as anyone but someone he cared about. 

Naruto had lost track of time when his phone rang. He felt kind of sad that that sound meant he had to get away from the conversation he was having with Sasuke. “It’s Kiba,” he said, glancing at his screen. 

Sasuke nodded lazily, getting out his own phone too. 

Naruto picked up, still watching Sasuke. “Hey Kibs.” 

“Hey bro!” He’d almost forgotten how loud Kiba could be. Maybe he was getting used to Sasuke’s soft, controlled voice. “Guess what?” 

Naruto rolled his eyes, a smile on his lips. “Do you really want me to guess?” 

“No.” Kiba laughed on the other side. Sasuke looked up when he heard the loud noise. “So anyway, I talked to my mum. I know that you’re probably feeling like shit and we kind of talked about that, hope you don’t mind.” 

“It’s fine.” Naruto stood up, Sasuke glancing at him. 

“You’re home alone right?” 

“Sasuke’s here as well.” He glanced at Sasuke, gave him his softest smile, then he walked into the hallway. 

“Oh shit. Is he giving you trouble? No one was killed yet?” 

Naruto chuckled. “Nope, no dead roommates to worry about.” 

“Good,” Kiba laughed. “Listen, my mum said that you can come live in our guest room, for the time being. They really liked you when you came over last time. She did say I had to make sure you’re one hundred percent healthy, but that’s not a problem right?” 

“Oh, that’s really nice of her.” 

“Right? Mum’s intense but she can be nice. It’ll be cool.” 

Naruto glanced down the hallway, at Sasuke who was staring at his phone as if he was bored. “I’m fine here though. I really appreciate it, but I think I’ll stay.” 

“Naruto, I know how bad you were doing when you first called me. Are you okay? Why aren’t you coming?” 

He started pacing, trying to breathe calmly. Kiba wouldn’t hate him because of something like this, he kept on telling himself. “I’m just doing pretty alright.” 

“Are you sure you’re not staying so that asshole isn’t alone? You don’t owe him shit, you know that right?” 

“What? No, I’m not staying for him. Kiba.” 

“Just saying.” 

“No. I’m just– I think I like being at home. I’ll be able to work better and stuff.” 

Kiba seemed to think about it for a second. Then he said: “Alright, bro, if you say so.” 

“Thanks though.” 

There was a silence for a while. “Yo, just call me when you’re having a bad time, okay? You’re welcome here.” 

Naruto swallowed. Fuck. Of course his friends weren’t going to leave him because of something stupid like this. “Thank you Kiba.” 

“Kick Sasuke’s ass for me.” 

Naruto snickered. “Even better: I’ll leave my dirty dishes.” 

Kiba laughed loudly at that. 

When he got back, Sasuke was getting his stuff to go to his room. Naruto studied his every movement, tried to think about what Sasuke had been doing then, if he had been ready to leave. “Where are you going?”

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. “To my room.” 

“Oh, what are you going to do?” 

“I don’t know, watch a movie probably.” 

Naruto slowly nodded. Sasuke nodded as well and then picked up his stuff. He walked around Naruto, not looking him in the eye. 

Naruto panicked at that. So he blurted out: “Did I do something wrong?” He cursed himself for it, right away Sasuke and he weren’t that close; Sasuke could do whatever he wanted. 

But Sasuke sighed, stopped in his tracks. “Not really.”

“But a little.” 

“No,” Sasuke sighed. “But if you’re just staying here for my sake then you might as well leave.” 

Naruto stared at Sasuke. “What’s that supposed to mean?” 

“I know you’d rather go to Kiba. You don’t need to stay here for me, I’m not fucking helpless.” 

Naruto knew it wasn’t what he meant but something inside of him snapped. “So not being able to be alone makes you helpless? Thanks a bunch, asshole.” 

Sasuke bit his lip. “No–” 

“And I’m not staying here for you. I’m staying here because of you. Because I am, apparently, helpless and I need someone who makes me feel at home.” 

Sasuke stared at him, swallowed. “Oh.” 

“I’m usually bad at being in calm places, but you being here makes me enjoy that. To be honest, I’d rather be in our own home with you than anywhere else.” He sighed. “Unless you’re planning on getting mad at me for no reason again.” 

Sasuke stared at him for a while, then he nodded. “Okay– eh no.” 

“So you’re not mad?” 

Sasuke was still standing in the middle of the hallway, laptop in his arms. He looked a little lost. “I’m not mad.” 

“Okay…” he glanced at the messy kitchen table, then back at Sasuke. “But you’re still going?” 

Sasuke shrugged. “You can join, if you want.” 

That’s how they ended up in Sasuke’s (bigger) room, on the couch with a laptop in front of them. It took Naruto a second or two to calm his heart, because holy fucking shit he was in Sasuke’s room , but when he did he felt soft. Sasuke threw his blanket at Naruto, knowing that Naruto liked warmth, and Naruto let himself slip into the comfort of Sasuke’s couch. Sasuke sat unsurprisingly straight, and Naruto chuckled at him because of it. Eventually Sasuke opened Netflix and put on a movie, one Naruto didn’t know. Naruto just stared at the screen as if he wasn’t trying his best not to look at Sasuke. He had a hard time doing so. 

What the fuck the movie was even about, he had no fucking idea. He remembered feeling soft and warm. How Sasuke eventually placed his legs onto the couch as well, and how they drifted to sit closer to each other. He remembered hearing the voices in the movie, but vague. He watched as Sasuke intensely focussed on the screen, and then switched to look at Naruto when he noticed eyes on him. A nervous thrill shot through him, but Sasuke only smiled and looked back at the screen. 

And Naruto just– couldn’t fucking stop looking. 

Eventually, with his eyes still on the screen, Sasuke asked: “What is it?” 

Naruto shrugged. “You’re just really pretty. I don’t know.” 

Sasuke didn’t pause the movie, nor did he blush or look at Naruto. Maybe he was used to getting compliments like that. “You just noticed?” Okay definitely used to being called pretty. 

“No– no I knew already, but it’s different now.” 

Now Sasuke looked at him, curiously. Their legs, placed against each other on the small couch, made Naruto nervous about it all. “How so?” 

Now it was Naruto’s time to look at the screen, not able to look Sasuke into the eyes while saying such– crazy shit. “You look like you’re feeling good.” 

Sasuke didn’t answer. He seemed to be thinking about that. Maybe he didn’t realize he was feeling good, or maybe he wondered how that made him look. Maybe he wasn’t even feeling good, and he wondered why Naruto thought he was. 

“And– eh– that makes you look a different kind of pretty. A better one.” 

At that, Sasuke did blush lightly. He looked like he didn’t know how to answer that. Maybe Naruto had gone too far with this too. For all he knew Sasuke still hated him, now here he was spouting that he thought the other was pretty (well, more like gorgeous but he doubted Sasuke would take that any better). 

“Hm,” Sasuke laid back against the couch, staring at the screen again, “I do feel good.” 

“Good,” Naruto whispered, his voice giving up on him. At that, he turned back to the screen as well, and tried to focus on the movie. Not that he had any idea what was going on; he’d missed the first half, and he doubted the second was going to keep his concentration any better. 

He woke up on Sasuke’s couch, underneath the other’s dark blue blankets. Light was shining through the window. The sky was bright, but very cloudy. He felt well rested, even though his neck was hurting. He wondered why Sasuke hadn’t woken him, just hauled his ass to his own room. When he sat up, looking around the room, Sasuke was nowhere to be seen. He wondered if Sasuke had drifted off with him, on the couch. 

Now that would really be something. 

Kiba wouldn’t believe his ears if he’d tell him. 

Whatever, he didn’t care about Kiba, he felt calm. It had been forever since he hadn’t woken up to nightmares, to the faces of his worst foster parents, to the voice of his friends saying they didn’t want him anymore. There was none of that. Just Sasuke’s dark grey couch. Just the smell of Sasuke’s blankets draped on top of him. He felt good. 

He sat up, his feet on the cold floor. His socks were laying on the floor; it was a fucking miracle Sasuke hadn’t kicked him out because of that mess. His mind honestly couldn’t keep up with all the silent caring Sasuke was doing. Because honestly; that was what Sasuke was doing. He was doing so stubbornly and silently, but Sasuke was taking care of him. 

He walked towards the kitchen slowly. Sasuke was sitting there, working on something. It made Naruto wanted to laugh; it was fucking Sunday and Sasuke was working. How the fuck had his parents been disappointed in this guy. He was everything a parent should be proud of. 

“Hey,” he said softly. 

Sasuke got out one earphone. “Hi.” 

“Eh– thanks for letting me sleep on your couch.” 

Sasuke shrugged. “I was too tired to wake you.” Okay. So Sasuke might have fallen asleep on that couch as well, at some point. He felt kind of sad he’d missed it.

“I slept really well. Anyway–” This was kind of... awkward. “Coffee?” 

Sasuke looked up at him, tired eyes, and then he nodded. 

“And after that coffee, you’re going on a walk.” 

“I’m working–” 

“You look like shit.” 

Sasuke chuckled. “No need to be rude, I’ll go on your walk.” 

Naruto grinned in victory, making two cups of coffee. “I need breakfast first, though.” 

Sasuke nodded, pulling his earphones out of his laptop so that the Lofi music he’d been listening to sounded through the kitchen. Naruto realized that it was a playlist he often listened to when they were together. 

“And proper clothes, I do hope,” Sasuke mumbled. 

Naruto just laughed. He got out some bread, made himself a quick sandwich with cheese. He placed the cups of coffee on the table. One in front of Sasuke.

Thank you.” He pushed his laptop to the side, then placed both of his hands around the cup. “Did you want to walk by the riverside? I don’t think there’ll be a lot of people there today.” 

The day had been so soft– He’d slept so well on Sasuke’s couch,  the walk had been good, he’d gotten some work done while Sasuke had made him pasta and it was all… so good– maybe that was why– maybe that was why waking up in a cold sweat was even worse than it usually was. He’d woken up from Sasuke’s voice telling him exactly what his foster parents had told him. ‘You’re just too much for us, Naruto.’ or ‘Can you be any more worthless?’ So much until it almost sounded like white noise. Him as a child– crying in front of him, then screaming and he– he woke himself up. Thank fucking god he woke himself up. He tried to calm his heart. He was in his own room, in his own house, and he wasn’t alone. 

It didn’t help. 

The voice he had heard was Sasuke’s, and he knew Sasuke had once thought things like that about him. Sasuke had thought of him as annoying and loud; he would have rather been here with someone else. His dream wasn’t even lying to him, it was just telling him that a conversation like this would come again; one with Sasuke telling him he was too much. 

That. Too fucking much. 

He’d always be too much. 

He slowly got up from his bed, shivering. He had to do something; get out of here, anything. He walked into the hallway, the door falling closed louder than he’d intended it to. The hallway was cold. He realized he was only wearing a shirt, still he couldn’t find himself to care. 

He walked towards the sink in the kitchen and got himself a glass of water. The glass was cold on his hands. He sighed. Everything felt weird. 

With the glass of water, he walked towards the window and opened it. The window, old as the house itself, creaked loudly. “Fuck,” he whispered. So much for being quiet. Luckily it was four AM and Sasuke was probably in his deep sleep. 

He leaned onto the windowpane to get the cold air against his face.

He breathed in deeply. 

He had to clear his mind. There were always people who weren’t going to tell him to fuck off– really– he had to focus on them and–

Quite suddenly, Sasuke’s door opened. Sasuke was frowning, something that looked an awful lot like a knife in his hand. “Naruto?” 

Naruto stared at Sasuke. He felt lost. 

“For fuck’s sake. I thought you were–” Sasuke stopped talking, looked at him with wide eyes. He seemed anything but sleepy, apart from the amazing bedhead he had. “What are you doing?” 

Naruto swallowed, closed his eyes. “Nothing. Go back to sleep.” 

Sasuke laid the knife down (thank god), and walked into the kitchen. “What’s wrong?” 

“I said it’s nothing.” 

“Fuck off, Naruto, it’s obviously not nothing.” 

Naruto stared at Sasuke, somehow surprised by the sudden worry, the aggression because of it. He hadn’t known the other boy to be this… caring, passionate. 

Finally he realized that Sasuke was anything but cold. He should have seen it before. 

Sasuke turned his heel into his room, staying away for less than two seconds, and coming back with his big black 1975 hoodie. He walked closer to Naruto, pushed the hoodie against his chest. “You’re going to catch a cold.” 

Naruto stared at the hoodie in his hands. Swallowed. “Sasuke.” 

Sasuke turned to him, raised an eyebrow. His hair was so– his bed head was so amazing.

“If you think I’m too much, or annoying, I want you to tell me. Right now.” 

Sasuke closed the window, loudly. Probably pissed off, or shocked. “What?” 

“Might as well get it over with.” 

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Naruto– what’s going on?”  

Naruto fidgeted. 

“And put on that hoodie before you freeze to death,” Sasuke added. 

Naruto, just so he didn’t have to talk for a second, pulled Sasuke’s hoodie over his head. It still smelled like him. He felt like he was melting into it. “I’m sorry,” he whispered then. It wasn’t fair to blame Sasuke for his fears. It wasn’t fair to confront the other with his nightmares. 

“I don’t care. Just tell me what’s up.” 

“It’s stupid. I just–” He closed his eyes. ”I had a nightmare about my foster parents and you–” No, he couldn’t tell Sasuke that. 

“And I?” 

“No– I don’t think– Let’s forget it.” 

Sasuke sighed again, but eventually nodded. “C’mon,” He grabbed Naruto’s wrist and pulled him with him. “You’re sleeping in my room. That helped last night, right?” 

It had. 

Sleeping on Sasuke’s couch had made him dream sweeter than he’d done the entire month. 

He’d sleep on Sasuke’s couch for weeks if it meant waking up with such calm. 

Surprisingly, though, Sasuke didn’t lead him to his couch. He led him to his bed. After closing the door silently, he mumbled a tired “You take the right side,” and with that he let himself fall down on the bed again. Sasuke closed his eyes, then turned his back to the right side. He whispered: “Wake me if it gets bad.” 

Naruto breathed in sharply. Sasuke had class tomorrow morning and still–  he was so amazing. “Okay…” 

He laid down next to Sasuke, still wearing his hoodie. Sasuke pulled the blanket up to his chin, sleepily. Naruto watched him do so. “Sasuke, do you mind if I lay closer?” 

If I touch you, he meant. 

If I hold you. 

“I’m gay.” Sasuke said, as if to remind him. 

“I know, it doesn't matter.” 

With that Sasuke moved a little, probably some kind of shrug. “Do whatever.” 

Naruto shuffled a bit closer to Sasuke, until their backs were centimeters from touching. He could feel Sasuke’s hair against his nose. Experimentally, he placed an arm around Sasuke’s waist. Somewhere he’d expected Sasuke to cuss at him; but he didn’t. Sasuke didn’t say, or do, anything. He just laid there, trying to fall asleep. So Naruto let himself lean into the touch a bit more. He felt Sasuke’s warmth against his chest, the pressure on his underarm, and he wished he could stay like this forever. 

He also realized that he never, never fucking wanted to go back to how it had been before. 

He couldn’t fucking lose Sasuke anymore.
And it seemed Sasuke wouldn’t let him, even if he tried. 

After that night they got into the habit of going to sleep together. Naruto didn’t dare to initiate it, but almost every evening Sasuke would drop something like “You want to go to bed yet?” or “I’ll see you in a bit.” when he wanted to go to sleep. Every single time Naruto felt his nerves leave his body. He slept like a rock when next to Sasuke. He often felt a bit giddy when sneaking into the bed next to Sasuke. Mainly because he became more and more aware of the fact he wanted to hold Sasuke. Sometimes when he laid down next to Sasuke, he wished he could press soft kisses into the other’s neck, or grab his hip just a little tighter. He held back, of course. He draped an arm around Sasuke, like he’d done that first night, and fell right asleep. 

The mornings were sometimes even better. Sasuke’s classes often started before Naruto’s. Sasuke shook Naruto awake, telling him when his class would start, and Naruto would get up. Sasuke laughed at his bed head, and that was somehow the best thing he’d ever heard. 

With his sleepy head he grabbed Sasuke’s hoodie, that he hadn’t really stopped wearing ever since Sasuke had given it to him, and walked into the kitchen. He heard Sasuke start  his zoom meeting, as he started the coffee. He got two cups, Sasuke’s favourite glass one and his own froggy mug, and he made Sasuke black coffee. 

When he walked into Sasuke’s room, Sasuke put himself on mute, and took the coffee from his hands. “Thank you.” 

Through Sasuke’s earphone he heard someone yell: “Who is that, Sasuke?!” 

Naruto chuckled, mouthed “Sorry,” as Sasuke unmuted himself. 

“None of your business, Karin.” Sasuke said, cockily. 

He rolled his eyes at that, laughing a little. Of course Sasuke couldn’t just say ‘That was my roommate,’ and leave it. He had to be an asshole about it. Naruto couldn’t hear what his classmates were saying, but from the look on Sasuke’s face it wasn’t anything good. 

Or maybe it was. 

Sasuke was smirking about it; that could mean anything. “Why, Karin? Are you jealous?” Okay, that was his que to leave and laugh somewhere else. 

He couldn’t deny that Sasuke’s classmates thinking he was Sasuke’s romantic partner did things to him. He knew that everyone was awfully invested in Sasuke's romantic life. Sasuke wasn’t that outspoken about being gay either, so most people probably didn’t know.
All the girls wanted Sasuke.
He probably didn’t have a hard time getting boys to like him either.

It kind of felt like Sasuke could get anyone but– But the idea that that could be him– 

Holyshit. 

That night, he could barely sleep. He laid next to Sasuke, his eyes wide open. He thought Sasuke had been sleeping, so when Sasuke turned around to stare at him, his heart basically took a leap. The streetlight was shining through the window, he could see the sharp lines of Sasuke’s face. Only then he realized that it was the first evening that he hadn’t tried to lay closer to Sasuke. 

He felt stupid for it. 

“Is it bad again?” Sasuke asked. And oh– of course Sasuke thought he was having nightmares again. That was the reason he was sleeping here in the first place. 

Not because Sasuke liked him. Not just to fucking snuggle. 

But here they were, and he wanted nothing more than to snuggle.
Except maybe making out. 

Or maybe telling Sasuke how fucking grateful he was until the sun was up and Sasuke was drowning in compliments. 

“No– no it’s fine.” 

“Hm..” Sasuke pulled the blanket up a little higher, kept staring at him. “But?” 

Naruto bit his lip. He kind of... wanted to be honest. Not that he wanted to fuck this up but– sleeping with Sasuke like this without telling him would be so fucked up. Sasuke needed the truth, even if that would end in him sleeping in his own room and getting only one cup of coffee in the morning. 

“Maybe I should sleep in my own room again.” 

He felt Sasuke shift nervously, a bit shocked. Okay, so Sasuke wasn’t into that idea. That was good. “If you want that,” Sasuke eventually answered. 

“Not really.” He swallowed, looked away from Sasuke. “I just– I think– ehm– I think I like you.” 

He waited for a second. Sasuke didn’t say anything. 

“Like… romantically? I feel really happy with you here and I just… I can’t imagine anything better than to– I don’t fucking know– just to kiss you and–” 

Before he realized what was happening Sasuke had his hand on his neck and he was pulling him forward. Before he could even think about holding Sasuke as well, Sasuke had pushed their lips together, and he was kissing Naruto fiercely. 

Oh. 

Holy fucking shit– 

That was the most amazing thing he had ever– he wanted nothing else– just–

As fast as he had pulled him in, Sasuke pulled back again. He held his hand against Naruto’s chest, as if Naruto had been the one to kiss him. Naruto tried to lean in again, pushing forward. He wanted to feel Sasuke again. He wanted to feel that fucking passion only Sasuke had again. Sasuke held him back.

“Stop,” Sasuke said. 

Naruto did. 

“This is a bad idea.” 

Naruto bit his lip. He tried not to sound butthurt, or childish, but– ” You kissed me.” 

“Mistake. Sorry– I just– you should go.” 

They were still laying face to face in Sasuke’s bed. Naruto’s heart was slowly sinking. Sasuke wanted him gone. He’d fucked this up. 

Of course he’s fucked this up. What had he expected?

For Sasuke fucking Uchiha to like him back? He was a damn fool.

“I’m sorry.” Naruto whispered. 

“Don’t. Just– this is stupid.” 

Naruto nodded. “Do you–” He had to know. Sasuke had kissed him. He just– he had to know. “–not like me?” 

Sasuke sat up, pulling the blanket with him. He looked into the room, anywhere but at Naruto. He wished that there was more light, just so he could see what Sasuke’s eyes were saying. 

But then, Sasuke chuckled sarcastically. “You’re not exactly unlikable. You’re… of course I like you.” 

Naruto sat up too. His heart was beating heavily. “What does that mean?” 

“That you’re… you’re you. Of course I like you. Everyone likes you.” 

He felt so– so confused. “I spent the biggest part of my life without friends or family. Sasuke–  no one likes me. People don’t like me; not as a person, especially not romantically.” 

Sasuke looked at him. Even without the light he could feel that Sasuke was burning. He was amazing. He would always find Sasuke amazing. “They’re fucking stupid.” 

Naruto swallowed. 

What the fuck. 

Sasuke liked him. 

“So you like me?” 

Sasuke’s  voice was barely hearable but there was no mistaking it. He said: “I– yeah.”

“But you pushed me away.” He was so confused. 

“We’re housemates. This is going to go wrong.” 

“Nothing’s going to change. We’re together all the time. The only difference is that we can kiss.” He couldn’t fucking believe he was trying to convince Sasuke fucking Uchiha to kiss him. But he’d had a taste, and he needed more. He was convinced that it had been the best thing he’d ever felt. 

And Sasuke liked him. 

As a person. 

That was fucking crazy. 

“It’s risky.” 

“So? Let’s do something risky. Fuck it. I think we can do it.” He grinned. “We’ll manage. I really want to kiss you again. Let me?” 

Sasuke chuckled softly. Naruto’s heart might as well have stopped. “You’re stupid.” 

“Whatever.” 

Sasuke laid back down onto the mattress, turning to Naruto’s side of the bed. 

Naruto stared at him, still sitting up. “What do you say?” 

Sasuke reached out, grabbed his collar, and then pulled him down onto the mattress again. “You wanted to kiss me?” 

Naruto fucking beamed. “Yeah!” Fuck. “ Yeah– eh– I’d really like that.” He placed his hand on Sasuke’s cheek, placed their foreheads together. His heart was beating so fucking hard. He nervously caressed Sasuke’s cheek. 

Sasuke chuckled lightly. “Calm down before you headbutt me.” 

Naruto slid his nose against Sasuke’s. He felt giddy as hell; he was going to kiss Sasuke. He might as well take over the world, stop the virus, fight some sharks.

Slowly he placed his lips against Sasuke’s. Sasuke let his hand slip into his hair, made a soft satisfied sound that sent shivers to Naruto’s crotch. He kissed Sasuke deeper, making Sasuke lean into the touch even more. He felt the other drape his legs on top of his hip. Naruto grabbed Sasuke’s leg, pulled him against him even more. Sasuke pulled away, kissed his jaw, and then his lips again. He licked Naruto’s lips open. Naruto could feel himself melt against the other’s touch. 

This was the man he felt at home with. 

He put his arms around Sasuke, holding him tightly while they were kissing. When Sasuke pulled back, shy and out of breath, Naruto kept on holding him tightly. He kissed the top of Sasuke’s head, his dark locks. “Thank you,” He mumbled with his lips still against Sasuke’s hair. “For making me feel at home.” 

Sasuke pulled back lightly. He placed his forehead against Naruto’s again, took Naruto’s hand in his. “Hm....” 

For a while they were silent, just feeling each other’s touch. Naruto caressed Sasuke’s hand softly. Sasuke closed his eyes and started breathing slower. He still had a smile on his face. 

“Are you falling asleep?” he whispered.

“Hm..” 

Naruto felt like the energy of all life in this world was inside of his chest. He felt like he could provide the entire city with light. “Goodnight,” he whispered, kissing Sasuke’s hair. 

Then, he laid awake. 

He didn’t mind much, he felt Sasuke’s hand against his. 

He could kiss Sasuke’s neck as much as he wanted. 

“Naruto…” Naruto turned away sleepily, pulled the blanket over his head. Who the fuck– ” I have class in half an hour– I–” Oh. Sasuke. 

He sat up quickly, pulling the blankets from his head excitedly. Sasuke’s eyes went wide. He was standing next to the bed with two cups of coffee. He looked awake, his haired was combed and he was wearing black sweatpants. 

He probably fucking brushed his teeth too. Bastard. 

“Take this.” He held out the coffee cups. Naruto took both of them, still a little too surprised to talk. Sasuke then climbed into the bed again. He sat down against Naruto, their sides warm against each other. 

They were going to do this thing. 

He couldn’t even begin to describe how glad he was that Sasuke hadn’t changed his mind overnight. He snuggled against Sasuke even more as Sasuke took the white cup from his hand. 

He’d made Naruto coffee in his own froggy mug. 

There was a spoon inside of his mug too, telling him that Sasuke had put in sugar as well. 

He almost felt surprised by how well they knew each other by now. 

Dating just felt… like a natural next step, somehow. 

He placed both of his hands around his mug, kissed Sasuke’s shoulder. “Did you sleep well?” 

“Better than you did, I’m guessing.” 

Naruto chuckled. “It wasn’t that bad. I was just really excited.” 

“Idiot.” Sasuke placed his legs against Naruto’s. He rubbed his foot against Naruto’s leg. He felt so warm because of it. “Didn’t know you were gay, to be honest.” 

Naruto shrugged. “It’s whatever,” he answered, because it just was. He had never really given it much thought. He liked girls, he didn’t feel weird about liking Sasuke. “I like you.” 

Sasuke looked away shyly. That was– that was really something new. Before he could say anything about it Sasuke started drinking his coffee, hiding his face. 

“Are we dating?” 

Sasuke quickly swallowed his coffee, looked at him, amazed. Maybe Naruto had been too direct. But then Sasuke smirked, making Naruto’s damn chest erupt. “I don’t get just anyone coffee in the morning.” 

Naruto chuckled. That was a yes, right? “We’ve been doing that for weeks.” 

Sasuke shrugged. “My point still stands.” 

He turned to Sasuke, a grin on his face. “You’re so fucking amazing.” 

“Shut up.” Sasuke placed his coffee cup, already empty, on the nightstand. 

Naruto drank the rest of his coffee at once, almost burning his tongue, then placed his mug next to the bed as well. “When does your class start?” 

“In fifteen.” 

“Let’s cuddle for five more minutes.” 

“You’re an idiot.” 

“Whatever. You brought me coffee, so you’re my boyfriend now. Let me cuddle you.” 

“Embarrassing.” 

“Shut up!” He placed his arms around Sasuke, pulled him in closer. He kissed Sasuke’s jaw softly. Sasuke snuggled his nose against his hairline. “I am embarrassing, deal with it.” 

Sasuke kissed his temple. “Don’t worry, I know .” 

You know; fuck all those people who said it was a bad idea to be in quarantaine with the one you like. Big fucking liars. This was the best thing yet. Naruto’s room was slowly becoming a place reserved for ‘a damn mess’ (and maybe some zoom meetings). They slept in Sasuke’s room almost every night. 

At first Naruto tried to get back to his own room because they wanted to take things slow. It took him around two hours of watching videos in his own bed until he knocked on Sasuke’s door, and whispered: “Hey, what’s your opinion on just… not taking things slow?”

Sasuke had basically thrown himself out of bed, pulled Naruto with him, and he’d said a hushed: “I think that’s the best idea you’ve had all month.” 

To which Naruto obviously replied with an offended: “It was my idea to start dating.” 

Which earned him another “Shut the fuck up,” a kiss, and another week full of everything being fucking amazing. 

They lived with each other, around each other, and for two people so differently, they just fit. Even things like keeping the house clean, giving each other working space, deciding what to eat, went really well. He’d never expected to match Sasuke so well. No one would believe him, but they did. 

Every day they went on a walk near the riverside. Naruto stopped checking the news, and Sasuke kept him updated when something genuinely big was happening. 

Things were soft, playful, and intens. Sasuke was a hot genius (he knew that already), which had them ending up hot and bothered in all kinds of places. One day, Sasuke just walked into the bathroom while Naruto was showering. “Mind if I join?” he’d ask, only to end up showering for three seconds before getting down on his knees and taking Naruto into his mouth.
Other times they ended up kissing on the kitchen table until they decided they really had to get to their room if they were going to take off any more clothes. Sasuke said it was about being appropriate, Naruto knew it was mainly because the kitchen table hurt Sasuke’s ass. 

It all came so natural, so easy. He’d expected Sasuke to have boundaries. He had expected to be stopped every once in a while. But Sasuke just laughed when he acted stupid when he should have been sexy. He had no problem telling Naruto exactly what they wanted. They almost had the same energy they used to have when bickering. They made fun of each other, wrestled in bed until one of them was kissing the other, searched for ways to surprise the other more and it was– it was so fucking amazing. 

At some point Shikamaru even texted him: Hey bro, haven’t heard from you in a while. And only then Naruto realized that he’d just been… fine. He hadn’t called his friends obnoxiously. He really appreciated his friends thinking about him, though. Even if he didn’t call them for a week or two; they’d think about him. 

He felt so fucking blessed. 

Sasuke was laying against his lap, typing away on some kind of essay, while Naruto texted with them. “I’m going to play some Mario Kart with Kiba and Shika.” He knew that Sasuke thought he was kind of annoying when playing games on his switch. 

“Your Switch is laying right there.” Sasuke nodded to the table in front of the couch. He’d gotten Sasuke into an indie game, and honestly it had been the cutest thing yet to see Sasuke amazed by the animation. 

“Thanks. Eh– I’ll go to my room–” 

“Stay here.” 

Naruto looked at his boyfriend, who was calmly laying against him. Sasuke reached out, handed him his Switch. Then he pulled Naruto’s arm around his shoulder, just so he could still see his laptop. “Can you play like this?” 

“I– Yeah… this is nice.” 

Sasuke nodded while Naruto turned on his Switch, turning the sound down slightly. He started typing on his essay again, sinking into their position a bit more. The game started. Naruto had never played this fucking badly. He was just– Sasuke’s head was right there and he could just… kiss him. 

It was definitely worth losing from Kiba and Shikamaru.

Though they were definitely laughing at him. 

On Saturday, Sasuke’s brother called. Sasuke seemed nervous about it, and when Naruto asked if he wanted him there for it, Sasuke had asked him to stay. Naruto sat down behind him on the bed while Sasuke opened skype to answer his brother’s call. It was crazy to Naruto that they picked a specific day and time to call, but he guessed that that was an Uchiha thing. 

“Hello Sasuke,” his brother said. 

Sasuke leaned into his chair, Naruto watched as he turned into a little brother. Something in his face changed. It was almost funny to see. Naruto turned his eyes away. “Hey,” Sasuke answered. 

“How have you been?” 

Sasuke shrugged. “I’ve been good.” 

“You never say that,” Itachi replied.

“Standards change in a pandemic.” Naruto chuckled at that. 

“You’re not alone,” Itachi noted. At that, Naruto looked up, waved. “Your roommate?” 

Sasuke signed for him to come closer. Naruto did, standing next to Sasuke. Sasuke held his hand, pulled him in slightly. “Hmh, and my boyfriend.” 

Itachi nodded. “I’m Itachi. Sasuke’s brother.” 

“Naruto Uzumaki, nice to meet you.” He grinned his best grin.

“University?” As Itachi asked him this. Sasuke whispered a soft ‘ Oh no.’

“Jup, psychology major.” 

“Hn. You know of our family?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Were you two roommates before the quarantaine?” 

“Yeah, I’m renting a room across the hall.” 

Itachi nodded again. “What do your parents do?” 

‘Itachi–” Sasuke warned. “I think the interrogation had gone on for long enough.” 

Itachi chuckled. “Whatever you say, little brother.” 

“I don’t have any parents.” Naruto said– just to get it out of the way. He wasn’t ashamed of it. 

Sasuke’s brother barely seemed fazed by that though. He smiled lightly.  “So you worked your way up to university without having help from a parent?” Itachi nodded to himself, satisfied. “That’s very admirable, much like Sasuke.” 

He saw Sasuke swallow, look away. “Are you done now?” 

“I’m done. Tell me about your studies, Sasuke.” 

Naruto waved awkwardly, his heart beating in his throat, and walked back to the bed. There he pretended to be working on something. In reality he was way too busy trying to calm his heart. He’d gotten the brother’s blessing. Someone had seen him and thought he was good enough for Sasuke. 

That evening Sasuke treated him to ramen. Apparently he’s earned even more kisses than usually; Sasuke couldn’t stay away from him. He seemed so… happy. 

That night he was laying on his side, Sasuke’s arms wrapped around him tightly, when he heard the door of their house close loudly. He looked at his phone. It was 01:00. They’d falled asleep early, after some quite heated sex, that had ended in a particularly soft cuddling session, which had turned into a very nice sleeping session. 

Sasuke woke up as well, tightening his grip on Naruto automatically. “What was that?” he asked tiredly. 

“The front door.” He turned around so that he was looking at Sasuke. “I’ll go take a look.” He kissed Sasuke’s hair. Then he quickly pulled on the 1975 hoodie, and slipped out of bed. Sasuke clicked on the light on the nightstand, watched as he walked out of the room. 

In just his underwear and Sasuke’s hoodie, he walked into the hallway.

Only to see Kiba standing at the front door– a big suitcase next to him and a stupid, surprised look on his face. “K-Kiba?” 

Kiba put his own hood down, and stared back at him. “Yeah. Who the fuck did you think it was?” 

“I don’t know– we just heard–” Shit. 

“Were you coming out of Sasuke’s room?” Kiba was looking like he was trying to figure out the secrets to the universe. 

Naruto suddenly felt very aware of the clothes he was wearing. Of his hair that probably still looked like Sasuke had run his fingers through his locks. About the fucking hickey on his neck.

“I– maybe?” 

Kiba snorted. “ Maybe? Bro, I saw you coming from his room. What the fuck were you–” It seemed as if Kiba only then took a good look at him. He fell into silence for a while, and then he said: “Really?” 

Naruto didn’t really know how to answer that. Had Kiba figured it out or– “What, really?” 

Kiba zipped open his coat, then stepped into the hallway a little further. “You know what! Look at you, bro. Did you–” He started whispering. “Did you fuck Sasuke? Quaraintaine making you two that desperate?” 

Naruto sighed, rubbed his eyes. He was too tired for Kiba’s insensitive bullshit. “Shut the fuck up, Kiba, dude.” 

Kiba excitedly shifted on his heels. Any second now and he’d probably start laughing at him. “Just calling it as I see it.”

“Is that what you see?” 

Kiba shrugged. “Yeah?” 

Naruto rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Why did you come back this late?” 

“Don’t change the subject. Why? Do you mind?  Were you enjoying the bastard's presence?” 

Naruto shrugged. That wasn’t completely wrong. 

“You were?” 

“Can we talk about this tomorrow? I just woke up.” He sighed. “Welcome back though, bro.” 

Kiba stared at him, then, in a much more serious voice he said: “Hey, dude, what’s up?” 

“Nothing, it’s okay.” 

“Is it because I joked about you fucking Sasuke? It’s just that you’re wearing his hoodie, I didn’t think you’d get upset–” 

“No. You weren’t even wrong– it’s just a little new.”

Kiba stared at him, trying his best not to look too confused. “So you…Did you–  eh…” 

Naruto felt a blush rise to his face. “We've been dating for three weeks.”  

“ Oh–  that’s–  what?” 

“ Ha, same, actually.” 

“Like– with the bastard?” 

Naruto gripped Sasuke’s hoodie, bit his lip. “He really helped me and it kind of.. just worked.”

Kiba nodded, wanting to say something more, when Sasuke’s door opened. 

Sasuke stepped outside, starting to say “Naru, are you oka–” and then stopped in his tracks. Sasuke. Gorgeous fucking Sasuke, who had hickeys all over his neck. 

Gorgeous fucking Sasuke who was wearing Naruto’s favourite orange hoodie. 

Sasuke who looked like a damn mess. 

And Kiba whispered an excited:“Oh my fucking god. Holy shit.” 

Sasuke, who seemed scared just because one of their roommates had returned. Who swallowed nervously, panicked, and said: “I had a nightmare, and Naruto–” 

“Sasuke.” Naruto stopped him. Because he knew that Sasuke had been chased away for being gay. He knew that Sasuke thought people wouldn’t accept them, like his parents didn't accept him. “I told him already,” he said.

This was the family they had chosen. There would always be people like them, like Sasuke’s brother. People whose love was immeasurable.

Kiba snorted. “Not that it’s not obvious.” 

And he sure as hell believed that Kiba was one of them. 

Still, Sasuke seemed to panic. Naruto walked towards him and pulled him in, tightly, kissing his temple. He wanted Sasuke to feel safe about it too. 

Kiba nodded, maybe a bit panicked too. “Jup, going to have to get used to that. Eh– I guess it’s better than you two bickering.” 

They both laughed softly. 

“Okay– I’ll leave you two, so you can– eh–” 

“Sleep?” Sasuke deadpanned, unhelpfully and definitely unamused. 

“Wow really thought you might stop being rude to all of us now. Well, a man can dream.” Kiba shrugged, then got his suitcases. He waved at Naruto, as if it was a promise that they’d talk about it tomorrow, and then he turned to his own room. 

Naruto yelled “Sleep tight!” Then he turned to Sasuke. “ Okay...” he whispered. 

Sasuke nodded. “Yeah…” 

Naruto snuggled his nose against the other’s hair. “He’ll get over it.” 

Sasuke chuckled, turned to Naruto and placed his lips against his. Then he whispered: “He might even forget it, with his goldfish memory.” 

Naruto grabbed onto his hips, pulled him in. “Why do you have to be so rude?” 

Sasuke laughed against his lips. “To see what you’re going to do about it.” 

How the hell was a man not supposed to get horny from that. Naruto pushed his lips against Sasuke’s, confidently deepening the kiss right away. Sasuke moaned against his lips. 

This was definitely here to stay; this happy feeling, this softness, the shivers and excitement, the fact he felt so at home. 

He was never letting it go. 

He heard a door open, they pulled back again, just in time to see Kiba’s door close again and to head a loud: “Oh my god! Go to your own fucking room!” from his room. 

Naruto laughed loudly at the friend’s reaction. This was really going to be a ride. Well, at least they had one housemate down. 

“I feel kind of bad for him.” Sasuke said, though he definitely sounded like he did not. 

“You totally don’t.” Naruto said, pulling Sasuke back into the room and kicking the door closed. 

Sasuke looked at him playfully. “I couldn’t care less.” 

“Thought as much.” He pushed Sasuke onto his back, trapping him in between his arms. Slowly, he pushed his hips down, grinding against Sasuke. “You’re a terrible housemate.” 

Sasuke smirked, his eyes hazy. “What are you doing to do about it?”