Welcome to the FINAL chapter of this fic. It wasn't meant to be this long, I swear! I just get caught up in what's going on...and... so here we are.

Note:
If you thought Naruto was as dense as all hell… Just you wait.

Saturday February 15th

Also known as the day Naruto's co-workers got tired of his shit.

A quick glance at the clock told Sasuke that it was one pm. He frowned to himself, sitting up and rubbing his head, which wasn't feeling too healthy. A slight hang over. Great. That explained why he'd slept so late. He frowned, looking over to the other side of his bed and blinking in confusion. Where was Naruto? Last night…it had happened, right?

He was assured that it hadn't all be a dream from the way that he could still smell Naruto on the blankets…but since the rest of the bed was cold, he concluded that he'd gotten up some time ago.

That was unusual; Naruto never got up before him.

He kicked off the blankets and dragged on a pair of pants for modesty's sake as he headed to the living room to look for the blonde.

The television was off, and the radio hadn't been touched. The living room was empty, and there was no sound coming from the kitchen. Or the bathroom. Sasuke ran a hand back through his hair as he stared at his empty apartment. Naruto wasn't there.

"Fuck…" he cursed to himself, toppling onto his couch and clutching his face in both hands melodramatically. The TV remote hadn't been touched, and as he pulled himself together, he discovered that there weren't any dishes on the table or in the sink –and Naruto never cleaned up after his meals. He hadn't had breakfast. Upon checking the bathroom, he discovered that the shower hadn't been used either.

Fuck. Fuck.

"Fuck," he repeated; finding no other word fitting enough to describe this situation. God, he was an idiot. Why hadn't he been able to control himself? Why had he given in? Fuck. He and Naruto had been drunk; at least to some extent…what he must think of him…

Shit. This could ruin fucking everything. One lapse in judgement and his friendship with Naruto could be just…

He debated about calling him, but then thought better of it. If Naruto had chosen to sneak out like some shameful one-night stand, then that was his choice and he had to have a reason. He was going to have to see him at work later anyway.

Sasuke was dragged from his self-loathing by the sound of someone knocking sharply on the door. Groaning, he stalked over and yanked the door open. Deidara was standing there looking rather worse-for-wear; exhausted, with a hand supporting his lower back.

"Hey?" he greeted suspiciously. It wasn't like Deidara to come knocking.

"Hi," the blonde greeted flatly; bags under his eyes. "Good night?"

"…Fine," Sasuke replied in a similar voice.

"…Anything unexpected happen, yeah?" Deidara inquired.

"…That's none of your business," the raven informed him shortly.

"Come off it, Sasuke," he snorted, "I saw Naruto leaving."

"So?" Sasuke scoffed, folding his arms defensively, "He stays here sometimes."

"I know that, yeah," Deidara replied, "But never before with hickeys. And trust me when I say that I know exactly what an 'I took it up the ass last night' limp looks like, yeah."

"I don't –"

"Seriously, Sasuke? You're jumping on the fucking denial train?" he snorted, rolling his eyes, "What happened?"

"…How did he look?" Sasuke inquired, trying to keep his voice devoid of emotion. Deidara winced sympathetically.

"He snuck out?" he exclaimed quietly, "Fuck...What'd you –"

"It was consensual," the raven snapped, averting his eyes.

"Oh so you did fuck him," Deidara commented dryly; earning himself a dark glare from Sasuke. "He looked…Normal."

"Normal?"

"Yeah," he shrugged, "Tired, a mess and limping like a bitch but he seemed fine. Frowning a bit; looked a little lost…but no tears or anything, yeah. I was too…occupied…" he coughed sheepishly, " –To ask him, yeah." Sasuke rolled his eyes at the implication that Hidan had been involved. "…You okay?"

"Fine," Sasuke snorted irritably. Deidara looked as though he didn't believe a word of it, but accepted that Sasuke didn't particularly want to talk about it, so let him have his privacy.

It had been raining all morning.

Naruto had been wandering the streets for a few hours now; dragging his feet and cringing with every second step. His clothes were drenched, but that didn't bother him. It helped conceal the fact that he was sweaty and dirty.

For the moment, he was sitting in the park; just watching the rain falling around. A few people had offered him and umbrella, or money for a bus, but he had just shook his head with a small smile. Right now, he kind of just wanted to sit alone in the rain and think.

He'd woken up earlier, and found himself lying peacefully in the arms of his best friend. They were both completely naked, and as he'd shifted, his lower back had burst into pain. It was painfully obvious what had happened –under the influence of alcohol, if his aching head and queasy stomach was anything to go by.

For a moment, Naruto had just laid there with Sasuke's pale arms around him; listening to his quiet breathing and the sound of his heart fluttering gently. He…he'd never woken up like this with him before; never even close to like this, but somehow, it just felt familiar.

Sasuke's scent; the feel of his body; the bed, the surroundings –they were all so recognisable. The only foreign parts of the situation were the fact that they were naked, and the fact that they'd had sex.

And even that didn't seem weird.

The fact that it hadn't been weird was what had made Naruto crawl from Sasuke's arms; dress in his clothes and leave without waking him. Shouldn't it feel awkward? Shouldn't he have woken with a feeling of regret or the phrase 'holy shit, I slept with my friend' running through his head?

He'd had one night stands before –admittedly always with women; and every time there was just something…off about waking up next to them. Even women he'd dated for a while, there was a slight feeling of discomfort, or 'was this a good idea' or 'what now?' But this morning…

The only way to put it was to say that it had felt natural.

In those moments as he just lay there, listening to Sasuke sleeping; looking up and seeing the content look on his face –he could easily imagine himself just staying there in an early morning state of dozing. In his mind's eye, he could see the morning running much how it always did. He might hear Sasuke getting up; maybe he would say something, maybe he would leave him to sleep. But when he finally got out of bed, the Uchiha would be making breakfast, or watching television. Naruto would complain about the bran and Sasuke would tell him to be grateful he was getting fed. Absolutely nothing would be different.

Should it be so natural to wake up to a friend like that after accidentally sleeping with them?

And on the topic of sleeping with friends…he wasn't sure what had come over him last night. Sure, these days he was beginning to have strange thoughts about Sasuke, but he'd never thought that would escalate into sex.

He touched his cold lips agitatedly. What was wrong with him? He knew from the touch of his fingers that they were cold, but they felt like they were on fire.

Sighing heavily, he got up and began wandering back in the direction of the print shop. Searching for purpose, he'd dropped into work and found the camera that had been circulating the previous night; hoping to get some pictures printed off to showcase in the bar. They should be done by now.

After collecting the pictures, he headed back to his own apartment and had a long shower, hoping that it would help to clear his thoughts.

It didn't. It just made him think even more; about the way Sasuke kissed; about the way he touched him; about how it felt when he moved inside him. Confused and sore, but at least clean, he settled down to have a look at some of the pictures he'd gotten printed off.

He smiled as he looked at the first one. It was of Neji and Gaara talking at the bar –before they'd started sucking face. They were leaning in close; obviously deep in conversation; but their eyes were settled on each other; a light, playful gaze that made Naruto's heart soar just to see.

Karin and Suigetsu were much the same. Although Karin had her arms folded and looked like she was scolding him, there was a smile in her eyes; something kind of tender, even –that he'd never seen in his cousin's face before. With a small grin, he placed that photo over with the one of Neji and Gaara; those looks were so similar.

The next one he saw was of Itachi polishing a glass and gazing off into the distance. From the angle, Naruto knew that he was looking at Kisame. The haughty glare was much the same as always, except when Itachi looked at Kisame; there was an intensity that wasn't present in any of the other pictures.

He found a few more pictures that he liked the look of; that just at a quick glance, he could tell that the people in them were invested in each other –whether they knew it or not. And then he paused in his search. That photo made him stop; the expression on his face one of confusion and denial.

That look. It was that look again.

"I had just the best time last night," Sakura was cheerfully commenting to Suigetsu and Deidara as they got the bar ready for opening later that evening, "Sai was really great; I mean, he didn't get my jokes and seemed a little socially awkward…but the sex…" She let out a puff of hot air and beamed at them as Itachi slunk past them towards the kitchen; in visible pain.

" –New pack of aspirin on the bench!" She hollered, "Share with Deidara though!"

"I don't need this from you, Sakura!" Itachi growled back in irritation.

"Oh you do," she called back brightly, "You very definitely do. Dei's told me all about what happened last night!"

"…I was firing him, if I recall…" Itachi grumbled, emerging from the kitchen with a handful of painkillers and a glass of water.

"Was the sex good, yeah?" Deidara inquired cheekily; flinging his boss a sideways glance. Itachi swallowed a painkiller and tugged on his turtleneck for a moment.

"…Very much so," he replied quietly.

"Did you suck his dick?" Suigetsu inquired curiously.

" –Was it big?" Deidara added impishly.

"How many times did you do it?" Sakura asked; wide-eyed.

"I am not answering any of your questions," he sniffed hotly.

" –Are you seeing him again?"

"Did he make you breakfast?"

"But seriously, yeah, how many times did he fuck you?"

"Shut it, all of you!" Itachi growled, "Do none of you have any sense of privacy?"

"…Shouldn't you be in a good mood if you got laid?"

"Fine! Fine!" Itachi snapped, "What do you want to know? Yes, I sucked his dick; yes, I am seeing and definitely having sex with him again. He made me breakfast; and lunch too, actually. And for the record, his cock is so huge that it nearly tore me in half –and he fucked me raw with it against and on every surface and every item of furniture in my apartment all night, after one of my good-for-nothing employees blackmailed me into making out with him. So excuse me if I am sore, and tired and not in a good mood!"

His three employees all exchanged surprised looks; not used to such outbursts from their boss.

"All night, Itachi?" Deidara teased, at the same time Sakura inquired, "…So exactly how big?" The three of them simultaneously burst out laughing; Itachi unwillingly joining in with them despite himself. A small smile graced his elegant features; but not before he savagely whipped Deidara's poor, abused ass with his tea towel. The blonde actually made a slightly aroused noise and they stared at him; Sakura sniggering in disbelief as he clamped a hand over his mouth.

"Oh, so you like that?" Itachi commented mockingly, "We must remember to mention that to Hidan –" Deidara's eyes widened in horror.

"Now, now, Itachi," Kisame hollered from the doorway as Naruto stumbled in, dragging a drenched umbrella along behind him, "I seem to recall that a certain someone quite enjoyed a good span–"

"Shut up, shut up!" Itachi snapped at him childishly, "Go stand in the rain! This brat has been mocking me for weeks now. Let me have this!"

"…He'll let you have it all right…" Suigetsu and Sakura snickered as Deidara growled, "Hey, who're you calling 'brat'?" Itachi was glaring sharply over at the bouncer with mutinous eyes.

"…Please don't stand like that, Itachi," Sakura begged; helpless with laughter, "It just makes it far too easy to imagine you being spank –" Itachi immediately straightened up; one of his legs collapsing slightly; much to their amusement. Fortunately, he managed to catch himself on time and settled with a dignified limp to the other end of the bar.

"Yo, Naruto," Suigetsu greeted cheerfully as the blonde drew up; limping a little, "How'd your night turn out? You weren't looking too…stable…when Sasuke carried you off in a taxi?" Instead of answering, Naruto just tossed an envelope down on the bar and nodded at it. Sakura raised an eyebrow and opened it, looking through the pictures and nodding approvingly.

"Oh, Suigetsu; you and Karin look so cute!" she crooned teasingly and he flicked his middle finger at her for calling him 'cute'. "Did you go get these printed, Naruto?" He nodded and frowned in annoyance, "What's up?"

" –They all have the same look," he commented flatly. Suigetsu and Deidara looked down in interest as Sakura spread the photos out. Deidara cringed and picked one up.

"God, why'd you bring this in, yeah?" he complained, snatching it away from Suigetsu, "…We look so fucking sappy…" Sakura gave him a scathing look and the blonde unhanded the picture with a heavy sigh; averting his eyes in embarrassment.

"…God you're cute, Deidara," Suigetsu simpered; pulling on his cheek playfully and earning a vicious glare from the blonde. "Well yeah, they all look pretty happy?"

"It's more than that," Naruto insisted, "What's that look?" Sakura just giggled to herself; giving Deidara and Suigetsu a cheeky look. "You know; the way they look at each other –what's so funny?"

"Oh…just because…for someone who preaches about love so much; you sure don't know what it looks like," she chuckled helplessly, and then saw that he was frowning slightly. "…What's…Naruto, what's wrong?"

"…I was hoping you wouldn't say that," he commented quietly; his blue eyes strained as he blurted out, "I had sex with Sasuke last night." He looked up nervously; wondering how they were going to take this information. To his surprise, Sakura's eyes lit up as Deidara simply remarked, "I'll go get the aspirin…"

"That's great!" Sakura exclaimed; beaming –until she saw his startled expression, "…Unless you're not great with it…"

" –Am I the only straight guy who works here?" Suigetsu sighed heavily.

" –I had a one night stand –it doesn't change my sexuality!" Naruto snorted hotly.

"Suigetsu, your sexuality is constantly in question; go away you insensitive jackass," Sakura snapped crossly; pushing him away to the kitchen with Deidara and leaving her alone with Naruto. "Naruto, are you okay? Tell me what happened. Did he hurt you?"

"No, no," he assured her quickly –he didn't want her to get the wrong idea, "…We were drinking last night, and he took me back to his place because I was drunk. We were just having a pillow fight…and then we ended up…I ended up kissing him." He swallowed nervously; looking down as he folded his hands on the bar. "And it just kinda…" Not having the words to equate just how much it had spiralled out of control, he just sighed heavily and let Sakura's imagination do the rest. She gripped his hands reassuringly, and when he looked up, he saw that her eyes were full of concern.

" –So…how do you feel now?" she inquired.

"Confused," he admitted, "But also not. I mean, I woke up today, and it just felt like any other day. It just felt so normal to be waking up with him like that…but that freaked me out that it wasn't weird, you know?" Sakura nodded; understanding. "…So I…I just left and…"

"You just left?" she gasped, "Without talking to him?"

" –What was I meant to say?" he grumbled and fell silent for a moment. "He might've found it weird! Why'd I go and do something stupid like that, Sakura?" Her green eyes softened and looked him dead in the eyes. It was time.

"I think you know," she murmured quietly. Naruto's expression became pained and his hands clenched into fists.

"No, I don't!" he exclaimed in frustration, "It's all I've been able to think about all day! At the time, I just…I didn't want to be lonely on Valentine's Day, and whenever I'm with Sasuke, I just, I don't feel lonely; so I…wanted to be close to him."

"…Well, I know people who've slept with people for worse reasons," Sakura admitted with a sigh, "…I'm looking at you, Deidara; piss off!" She returned her attention to Naruto as the kitchen door swung shut again as the blonde was yanked back into the kitchen by his hair by Itachi, who was deciding to respect the conversation. "So, what's the 'but'?"

"The 'but'?"

"…You said 'at the time'," she pointed out, "What do you think now?" He just sighed again; digging around in his pockets and fishing out the contents.

" –I was convinced it was just that; just a drunken…thing," he shrugged, "Spurred on by, I don't know…the way I get around Valentine's Day. But then I saw these." He tossed a handful of photographs onto the bench and watched Sakura expectantly as she sifting through them.

"Oh," she breathed; her eyes softening.

These photos were all of Naruto and Sasuke from the previous night; just drinking together and arguing, like they always did. Their faces, though often scowling or scolding, were full of the kind of affection and adoration that people could look at in the street and be jealous of. There was light in Sasuke's eyes; a kind of devotion that was reflected in the joyful blue eyes of Naruto.

"Have I always looked at him like that?" he inquired quietly.

"…Not always…but for a long time, yes," she replied; placing the photos down in front of him.

"…Why is it Sasuke?" Naruto mumbled, "Why is it always him that I look at like that –"

"Are you really that dense?" Sakura suddenly snapped hotly, and he looked up; completely startled to see that all sympathy was gone from her eyes, "Have you really been so oblivious for all this time? You've got to be kidding me!"

"What are you –"

"Answer my questions with the first name you think of," she growled and he nodded once; actually a little scared of this Sakura. "Who do you spend the most time with?"

"…Sasuke?"

"…Who do you have the most fun with?"

" –Sasuke…"

"Who do you think you know almost better than he knows himself?"

"Well, Sasuke –"

"Who do you fight with constantly but you will always make up with; no matter what?"

"…Sasuke."

"Who do you laugh with, cry with, complain to and are almost abnormally comfortable with?" Sakura demanded to know, "Who makes you meals; whose house do you practically live at? Who constantly gets mistaken for your boyfriend? Who is always on your mind; even if just a little? The memories of which person do you treasure above all else? Who did you willingly have gay sex with? Are the answers to all of these, Sasuke Uchiha?"

Naruto just stared at her for a moment before shortly nodding his head once. She folded her arms; glaring down at him in exasperation.

"What do you think that maybe means, Naruto Uzumaki?" she sniffed. "Boys; back to the kitchen; I'm not done yelling." Again, the door slammed shut as the three men sheepishly slunk back into the kitchen; drawn by the shouting. "What do you think it means that you slept with him?"

" –We're friends!" Naruto snapped, "We're friends, and I was lonely, and he was….doing me a favour?!"

"You don't even believe that!" she growled crossly, "You just said yourself you thought that until you saw the pictures. And come on, Naruto; you're not the kind of person to just sleep with people; even just as friends. You wouldn't have sex with Suigetsu, or Gaara, so do not use that as an excuse! You know exactly what I'm talking about! Those pictures speak for themselves –"

"No!" he denied fiercely, "I can't. I just…I can't...He's my best friend!"

"Moron!" Sakura snapped; cuffing him over the back of the head from the other side of the bar. "Have you seen any romantic comedy ever!"

"What does that have to do with anything –"

"OH MY GOD!" Sakura exclaimed; tearing at her head, "How the hell Sasuke managed to deal with you being so freaking dense all this time, I do not know." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he watched her warily.

"How did you feel?" she asked finally. "…When he kissed you." Naruto paused; frowning for a moment and then smiling slightly.

"Happy," he answered truthfully, "I was…no…I can't explain it. My heart started racing, and it just felt…" Unable to utilise words, he settled with gestures –which really didn't help.

"Right?" Sakura offered with a grimace, and, after a pause, he nodded. "Naruto Uzumaki. Answer me again. First name you can think of. Who can always make you smile? When you look into the future; who do you want to stay by? Who can you never see yourself living without?"

Even before she had finished her questions, the name Sasuke Uchiha danced on his lips.

He didn't answer, but just watched as her expression changed again, to a small, sympathetic smile; nodding slightly as though he had just completed a puzzle and was free to step back and examine the bigger picture.

"…I'm in love with him, aren't I?" he murmured quietly; looking down at his hands. Even as he said that, he felt his palms begin to sweat; his heart beating fast. The words felt right. But for some reason…that realisation didn't stun him as much as he'd thought it would. Had he maybe, deep down, known all along that Sasuke was special to him?

"Well of course you are," Sakura grinned brightly; kindly brushing his hair out of his eyes like a mother would to her child.

"What do you mean 'of course you are'?" Naruto exclaimed in shock.

"Oh sweetie," Sakura sighed, "You're transparent." He looked at her weakly, and then over to where Itachi, Deidara and Suigetsu were sticking their heads out from the kitchen door. They all nodded at him with stony expressions.

"What…why –how come…why didn't I realise?" he whispered to himself; resting his head in his hands as though his life was a lie. "…All I wanted was to fall in love; and I just…"

"Well…" Sakura admitted, "…I suppose…you were just trying too hard to find someone. You can't fall in love if you're looking where you're going." She giggled slightly as their co-workers emerged from the kitchen since the apparent danger that they would be yelled at had passed. Naruto picked up one of the photos of he and Sasuke and sighed heavily.

"I just…I just need to check something," he assured Sakura with a small frown, turning towards a woman who had been sitting at a table across the bar. "Excuse me, miss; I presume you heard all of that…" She nodded; apparently a little embarrassed to admit to eavesdropping. "I was wondering…if…you would do me a favour and let me kiss you?"

His co-workers all facepalmed dramatically.

"…He's an idiot!" Suigetsu exclaimed.

"What's he doing?" Itachi groaned.

"Um…okay?" the woman replied in confusion. Naruto grinned at her encouragingly, and leaned in to press his lips against hers.

Nothing.

He felt nothing.

With a small frown, he kissed her a little harder; earning a surprised squeak from the young woman. Suddenly, the door was pushed open, and who should choose that precise moment to arrive at work, but Sasuke Uchiha.

"Oh come on," Suigetsu complained; seeing Sasuke just standing in the doorway staring at Naruto passionately kissing some random woman on the mouth. "What is this, a bad romantic comedy?"

"No…this is an excellent one," Sakura grumbled, "This is so cliché. It's even raining outside. How dramatic. Cue the storming out…" The bartenders just watched in unamusement as Naruto, hearing silence and still getting no kind of reaction from this woman, straightened up; rubbing his neck to check his pulse.

…Still even; still steady. His palms were dry; his breathing normal…

And then he turned, and saw Sasuke, and all of that changed.

"Sasuke –I…" he was about to say; about to blurt out an explanation for everything he'd been thinking over the day; but then he saw the anger, and the hurt…and the confusion in the Uchiha's face. And then he realised what the situation must look like. "No! I swear; it's not what it looks like! I can explain –"

Wordlessly, Sasuke turned walked straight back out the door; the door slamming shut behind him. Naruto's shoulders slumped and he tore at his hair angrily; stalking over to the bar dejectedly.

"Why didn't you tell me he was there?" he complained loudly.

"We're allowing this rom-com to follow convention, yeah," Deidara informed him flatly. Naruto groaned and clutched his hair as he slumped onto the counter.

" –You do know that this is about when you're meant to go after him, right?" Sakura deadpanned.

"Why?" Naruto grumbled crossly, "Why do I have to go after him? Saying anything to him would probably just jeopardize our friendship…and I don't want that to happen."

"Moron! That's exactly why he –" Sakura exclaimed in exasperation before flinging her hands in the air and taking a step back, "I give up; he is literally too clueless to talk to. I'm tapping out. Itachi, tag; you're it." Itachi sighed heavily and leaned forwards.

"…What makes you think saying something to him would jeopardize your friendship?" he inquired in a bored tone.

"Well…" Naruto mumbled, "He's always got women chasing after him, and I wouldn't want to make things weird –"

"I'm going to stop you right there," Itachi interrupted, "That has nothing to do with anything. He has already slept with you. How could it possibly get weirder if you say you liked it? And seriously, when have you ever seen my little brother actually enjoy the company of a woman?"

"Never, yeah," Deidara answered for him.

" –Hey, thanks," Sakura scowled.

"You don't count," Itachi scoffed, "You're more of a man than Deidara sometimes." Deidara glared at him.

"Well…I guess he doesn't have many girlfriends…" Naruto admitted with a slight shrug.

"Any," Itachi corrected forcefully, "None. He does not have girlfriends. He doesn't like dating women."

"But he had a date last night," Naruto argued.

"No he didn't," he co-workers scoffed.

"He did too!" he sniffed, "I'll admit I got suspicious because he didn't smell like perfume, but he said she wasn't wearing any –and he said it just didn't work out…"

"Bullshit," Sakura snorted, "A woman doesn't go on a date without some kind of perfume. He never has dates on Valentine's! Never. Not since high school!"

"He goes on a date every Valentine's," Naruto protested, and it was Itachi's turn to grip his bangs in exasperation and defeat.

"No he doesn't!" Itachi exclaimed, "He says he does, and then he comes here. Every year. Every year." Naruto looked at them incredulously; wondering what his initial point was and how they had ended up here.

"…I don't get what I'm meant to do," he admitted morosely, "Why do I even have to say something? Things were good how they were before, right?"

"THEY MOST CERTAINLY WERE NOT," his co-workers snapped at him aggressively and he recoiled at the force of their simultaneous squawk. He stared at them in astonishment.

"What are you waiting for?" Itachi growled crossly; gesturing at the door.

"…I'm a little…rusty on the confession speech thing!" Naruto snapped in embarrassment, "I haven't done that sort of thing since high school…" he looked at Sakura sheepishly.

" –Hmm…and it wasn't that great," she admitted dryly.

"…And I mean…what happens…if it's not reciprocated?" he demanded to know, "I mean, we slept together, but sex doesn't always equal –"

"OH MY GOD, COME ON!" They all crowed; literally tearing at their hair.

" –Naruto Uzumaki; you run out into the rain, and find my little brother, and confess your undying love to him, or I swear to god, I will!" Itachi snapped, and they all looked at him sceptically at his poor phrasing.

" –I'm open to your kinks, Itachi, but I think that's probably crossing a line," Kisame hollered from the doorway.

"You know what I meant!"

" –But he just stormed out," Naruto mumbled; looking over at the door, "…He didn't even stick around to let me explain or anything…he's probably halfway home. Why would he listen to me…"

"Okay, since you're dense, yeah," Deidara commented; stepping forwards, "I'm going to put this very, very simply. Are listening, yeah?" Naruto nodded. "Sasuke is gay." When it appeared that the cogs of Naruto's brain weren't completely functional, he added, "As in…he likes men. Specifically, a tanned, blonde, blue-eyed man…(that isn't me). And he has liked him for a substantial period of time during which, said blonde, blue-eyed man, was completely oblivious; much to the…frustration…of every person around him, yeah?"

Naruto's brain was apparently flat-lining.

"You go for a run in the rain and plan your confession speech," Sakura remarked from between gritted teeth.

"But I –"

"It was not a suggestion, Naruto."

"Okay; I'm going! Please don't yell at me again!" And with that, finally, Naruto began heading towards the door.

"…Sasuke's going to kill us," Suigetsu commented flatly in a low tone.

"Oh yeah," Deidara muttered at the same time Itachi admitted, "Definitely."

"Well if he didn't want us to say anything, then he shouldn't have slept with Naruto and got him all confused," Sakura sniffed matter-of-factly.

Naruto had been out in the rain for about two minutes and he was already soaked as he started jogging in the direction that it looked like Sasuke had been heading in when he stormed out.

Okay, so Deidara had been talking about him; he wasn't that much of a fool –although admittedly, he was stupid. He was a moron. How could the thought that he loved Sasuke never have crossed his mind; not even once? It made so much sense. Everything about the Uchiha was everything he'd ever wanted; everything he'd ever been searching for. It had been right there, and he had been too blindly looking out to see who had been standing beside him this whole time.

Standing beside him this whole time.

And suddenly, everything made sense.

The way Sasuke took him out for lunches; let him sleep in his bed; let him wear his clothes; let him pretty much have a drawer for his things; how he just couldn't say no to him…How he'd make him breakfast and they would go places just the two of them; and always get ramen even though Sasuke didn't like it; and people everywhere would think that they were together. Had it really been so painfully obvious? How long had he been unknowingly dating Sasuke Uchiha?

Naruto was so ashamed that he was very close to turning and hitting his face on the nearest street sign. He was a moron.

Who did Sasuke spend the most time with? Who could make Sasuke have fun? Who did Sasuke know almost better than they knew themselves? Who did Sasuke fight with, but always made up with? Who did Sasuke always turn to; who was he abnormally comfortably with? Who did he make meals for, and tolerated in his home; who constantly got mistaken as his boyfriend? Who had he slept with?

Those were Sakura's questions. And if Naruto knew Sasuke as well as he thought he did, then if the Uchiha was asked those exact same questions…he knew whose name he would utter.

"Naruto Uzumaki."

Surprised to hear his own name when he'd just been thinking it, Naruto stumbled and very nearly went tumbling into a huge puddle.

"Thank –" he began to say, but the words fell from his mouth as he discovered that the person who had caught him was Sasuke himself.

He was completely drenched as well; hair plastered to his face and his expression one of disinterest. Naruto gathered his balance and coughed awkwardly as he just stood there in the rain; looking up at Sasuke.

"About that woman –"

"She doesn't matter," Sasuke interrupted with a shrug.

"What?" Naruto exclaimed flatly, "You stormed off when you saw me kissing her! How can you say she doesn't matter now?"

"You're here, and not with her aren't you?" he remarked, averting his gaze.

"Well duh," he sniffed, "I had to try to explain! I only kissed her to see…to see if I felt anything." Sasuke didn't respond to that, but Naruto knew he was waiting for something else; an explanation for why he had woken up alone. "And I didn't! And I know that that's because...after last night...and waking up this morning, I realised that the only person that I have ever felt completely comfortable around; completely myself -is you. I woke up...and it felt just so natural to wake up with you. I couldn't see...myself...waking up with anyone else."

"...So you left me to stress out that I had completely destroyed my friendship with you?"

"I didn't think," Naruto muttered, "I thought it was my fault, really. I was the one who kissed you." He averted his eyes guiltily, and scratched his neck awkwardly. Was he really going to do this? Say this? He took a deep breath; no more words having sprung to mind except for, well, the important ones.

"Sasuke, I'm in love you," he murmured breathlessly, before clamping his eyes and mouth shut to await his reaction.

"Tch," the raven scoffed, rolling his eyes, "I know that."

"…I can't believe I was so –wait, what?" Naruto stammered in disbelief. That was not the reaction he'd been expecting, "How can you say you knew? I didn't even know!"

"I'm not a moron," Sasuke replied with a roll of his eyes.

"Did everyone apart from me, know that I was in love with you?" he exclaimed in disbelief. Sasuke nodded dryly. "Gaara? Kiba?" Sasuke nodded again. "…My parents?" Nod. "Your parents?"

"My parents told your parents." Naruto clapped his hands to his drenched face melodramatically. This was humiliating!

"Why did no one tell me!" he wailed.

"You can't hurry love," Sasuke snorted, "Or some shit like that."

"…Why'd you keep me around then?" he sulked, "If I was such a moron that put the 'hopeless' into 'hopelessly in love'?" Sasuke chuckled to himself. Suddenly, Naruto felt himself dragged close to a cold, wet body; a hand gripping his cheek.

"…Because I knew you loved me back."

And then, all of a sudden, warmth was flooding through Naruto as Sasuke leaned in and kissed him deeply; arms pulling him in possessively. Naruto felt his heart thudding almost painfully in his chest as he kissed back; finally knowing what this heat was. Kissing that woman; it had been nothing –a way to prove that he felt nothing. With Sasuke, as their lips and tongues connected, he couldn't explain the way he made him feel. But he could imagine kissing him like this forever.

After a moment, Naruto pulled back; eyes offended as Sasuke refused to let him pull away.

"…You love me too…" he muttered; already having realised that but still mulling over the idea. Sasuke nodded shortly, his eyes softening. "Did everyone know that as well?"

"Naruto; people we didn't even know, knew that," Sasuke murmured, "…Why do you think we always got mistaken for a couple?" He hadn't really thought about that before, "You've had your movie kiss in the rain; can we go inside now?"

"Hardly a movie kiss!" Naruto growled as the raven laced their fingers together and began dragging him back towards Club Akatsuki. "There was meant to be a big speech and then an apology and 'I was an idiot' and…you ruined it because you already knew what I was going to say!" Sasuke just smirked at him. "Don't look so pleased with yourself! I take it back! I don't love you. You're a bastard; you know that?" Another snigger. "No, I am not lying through my teeth!"

Just before they were close enough to the bar, Sasuke stopped walking, and turned to look at the sulking blonde. For someone who had, in the last twenty four hours, slept with his best friend, figured out that he was in love with his best friend and that discovered that said best friend was also in love with him –he was awfully pouty.

"What do you want me to say, Naruto?" he murmured quietly; not looking him in the eye, "…That I've loved you since high school? That it hurt every time you were off with some girl instead of with me?"

"Sasuke…"

"I needed to be around you because I loved you," he muttered in a low tone, "No one ever told you because I didn't want to risk losing you if you weren't ready to hear it. You might be a moron, but you're my moron –and I wanted to keep it that way." He looked suitably embarrassed and Naruto's expression softened.

"That's better," he sniffed, pressing a soft kiss against the corner of his mouth, "But I'm the one that chased after you in the rain. I have to do the speech." Sasuke rolled his eyes as if to say, 'If you must.' Naruto took a deep breath and just let the words roll.

"You are my best friend and tonight our friends made me finally realise that you are the person I've been looking for this whole time," he ranted, "You are everything I was ever trying to find. And you make me feel things that are too cheesy to say…And I'm sorry that it took me so long to realise what I was feeling was actually love…and you shouldn't have waited around for me…"

"You're so bad at this," Sasuke cringed, rolling his eyes and giving the blonde a smirk that he knew meant that anything he ever wanted to say, Sasuke already knew –and had known long before he, himself had known it. "And don't apologise, idiot. You know when it's right, right?"

"Is Sasuke Uchiha a closet romantic?" Naruto teased, "Or…maybe not-so-closet…"

"…Like that joke hasn't been made before," Sasuke muttered mutinously.

Upon re-entering their work, they noticed that their co-workers immediately began looking thoroughly engrossed in whatever they were doing.

"…You can stop pretending to work now," Sasuke deadpanned; unimpressed.

"Phew," Sakura admitted; pushing away the glass she had been inspecting like it was the most interesting object she'd ever seen, "How'd it go? Are we good? Can we all stop tiptoeing and change our passive-aggressive comments to outright insults?"

"Must you?" Sasuke grumbled; wringing out his hair.

"Oh yes, we must," she assured him flatly, "Payment for keeping your secret."

" –You did so well at that," he muttered.

" –I take it this means we can start openly mocking Naruto for not getting six years of hints?" Suigetsu remarked conversationally; setting up celebratory drinks for them all.

"Six years?" Naruto exclaimed in shock.

"…I did tell you it was since high school."

"Yeah, but six years sounds like a long time…"

" –Like how he didn't realise that Sasuke spent the day with him every Valentine's, yeah?" Deidara offered innocently; giving the Uchiha a wicked grin. Naruto's brow furrowed and his eyes widened in astonishment as he counted back the years and realised that each time, he had automatically ended up spending the day with Sasuke; without even noticing! Last year it had been ramen for lunch, and the fair in the afternoon…the year before it had been ramen followed by a trip to the zoo…

"Or how hilarious –yet painful –it was to see them pretending to be gay lovers on occasion," Sakura added. Naruto blushed at the memory of their most recent Strippers and Hoes party and cringed guiltily.

"…Or about how we all secretly sabotaged Naruto when he tried to get dates…" Suigetsu commented casually, and they all glared at him. "…Oh, was I not supposed to say that?"

"You all sabotaged me?" Naruto exclaimed hotly and his jaw dropped open as he rounded on Sasuke, "Is that why Tenten lied and said she had plans with Neji? Did you arrange that?"

"Is it so wrong to not want you with anyone else?"

"Possessive bastard! If you weren't going to confess, you could've at least let me date other people!" he snapped back.

"Why? You were already in love with me."

" –Yeah? Well, you could've let me date other people until I figured that out!"

"…Naruto, we literally had to intervene for you to figure it out," Sakura deadpanned.

"They sure don't seem like a couple that just confessed their love for each other," Suigetsu commented dryly as Sasuke and Naruto resumed being Sasuke and Naruto and began arguing all over again. "Hell, Naruto thought he was straight until yesterday."

" –They were already in a relationship," Itachi reminded him flatly. "…It just wasn't official. And one of them didn't know..."

Naruto heard what Suigetsu said, and smiled to himself as the six of them shared a drink; Kisame wandering over to join them. He looked up at the pictures of the pairs that were now stuck to the wall behind the bar. They'd been flung together, and had made it work…

"By the way…you do understand what that key actually means, right?" Naruto's eyes widened as he fished into the pocket of Sasuke's pants that he was wearing and pulled out the key to his apartment that he'd been giving the day before. Did that mean? The glint in the raven's eye told him that he was correct.

He and Sasuke? Nothing really needed to change between them. Except maybe now the bastard would buy something other than gross bran cereals, and they could have more of that sex…After all, what did an "I Love You" change, when their relationship had been special to both of them for so long? No wonder it had felt natural waking up in Sasuke's arms. As for his sexuality…

He liked to think that everyone had a soul mate; someone who knew them and completed them. But souls didn't have genders. The body it was in was irrelevant. As Sasuke looked at him with that look; the look that Naruto had for so long missed and misunderstood, he wondered to himself if maybe Sasuke was his soul mate?

Sasuke and Naruto joined the other bartenders on the other side of the bar; Itachi even gracing Kisame with a brief, grudging kiss before sending him back to the door.

"…Painkillers, now, Sakura," Itachi grumbled weakly; clutching at his lower back.

" –We're going to need a constant supply, aren't we?" she remarked dryly; looking from Itachi, to Deidara, to Naruto. Itachi and Deidara glared at her, while Naruto just settled with looking rather embarrassed. "Oh come on; you can't be that sore, right?" she added as Naruto and Sasuke headed over to get a spare change of clothes since they were drenched from the rain.

"…Sakura…you are not in a position to make that call, yeah," Deidara grumbled aggressively and she just skipped away cheerfully to get the aspirin for them. Limping, he headed over to start arranging glasses. It was going to be a very painful evening.

"Suigetsu; Sasuke; since you guys haven't had dicks up your asses in the last twenty-four hours; you're gonna have to support these guys," Sakura laughed heartily.

" –There has never been a dick up my ass," Suigetsu assured her crudely, yawning as he went over to inspect the club. There were probably two people in the bar at the moment, but since it was a Saturday night, that was probably going to change pretty soon. "Sakura, looks like you're going to be getting all the numbers tonight!"

"I know, right?" she grinned, and was very much aware of Deidara's mutinous glare.

"What do you say, bastard?" Naruto commented smugly; re-emerging from the kitchen; having changed at lightning speed, "Bet I can get more numbers than you." Suddenly, Sasuke yanked him close by his hips and leaned in; his breath hot against Naruto's ear.

"…You accept any woman's number…and I might just have to take you right here, in front of them," he purred possessively, and Naruto paled.

"Uhh…guys….I think I'm in over my head!" he hollered weakly. Sakura just waved him away dismissively. "What about guy's numbers?" he added cheekily. In response, Sasuke just tugged on the top of button of the shirt Naruto was wearing (one of Sasuke's), and yanked it so that the first three buttons came undone.

Naruto immediately flushed up to his ears as Sakura and Suigetsu –who were really the only ones in any position to judge –noticed the hickeys marring his throat. Sasuke ran a hand down his neck smugly; leaning in to sensually suck at one of them. Naruto's breath hitched as he gripped Sasuke's shirt tightly.

"Oh come on," Itachi and Deidara rolled their eyes dramatically as Sasuke pulled back and kissed Naruto passionately; the blonde instantly kissing back; already addicted to his lips.

" –Itachi; you have no right to be complaining about PDA," Suigetsu sighed heavily, "…And Deidara, I'm pretty sure all of us have caught you actually having sex."

"Nah, I just caught him giving a guy a blowjob out back," Sakura corrected, before swatting both Deidara and Itachi with her tea towel, "…And play nice. Sasuke's been waiting years to be able to do that in public!" She looked over at her two old friends fondly and let out a contented sigh. They really were ridiculous sometimes. Most people, after a love confession, would maybe acting awkwardly? Maybe tiptoeing around each other for a little while, while they adjusted to the situation.

Not Naruto and Sasuke. They would always argue; hell, they'd probably started arguing again minutes after their confessions. But, no matter how much they argued, they'd always love each other; and everyone would always be able to tell. Especially now.

With a low chuckle, Sakura added to Deidara in a low voice, "…So, you think he'll actually do Naruto at the bar if I pretend that he accepted a girl's number?" He looked at her with a quirked eyebrow.

"…Only one way to find out, yeah," Deidara smirked back.

"…This place is going to be a fucking nightmare…" Itachi grumbled under his breath.

"Fucking nightmare is right," Suigetsu mocked; earning himself a cuff over the back of the head by his annoyed, and sore boss.

Naruto chuckled to himself as he pulled back from Sasuke with a last kiss; averting his eyes sheepishly. The Uchiha dropped his arms and rolled his shoulders; instantly professional.

"Oh," he added, almost as an afterthought, "Be my boyfriend." It wasn't so much a question as it was an order.

"…Wasn't I already?" Naruto sniffed, elbowing him in the gut and stalking past him with his nose in the air. He heard the raven chuckle and smiled in response. Nothing had changed…except that after work, he could go home to Sasuke's and he wouldn't be able to kick him out of their bed.

He snuck a look back over his shoulder and couldn't help but beam as he saw Sasuke welcoming a customer with his usual, disinterested look that women seemed to find fascinating. He really couldn't see himself ever being without that guy.

Love, huh?

As he looked up at the pictures on the wall, he was reminded of why he loved it; how love was so powerful and unpredictable, and so obvious to the world –like how everyone had known that Shikamaru and Temari loved each other despite being such opposites.

And, like with Neji and Gaara, it could turn cynics into believers. It gave hope to those who had been used and left hurt, like Deidara. And no one, not even Itachi Uchiha could hide from it –as much as he liked to think he could. And then there were people like himself, who had looked for it their whole lives, only to find that it had been waiting for them the whole time.

It was full of surprises. Sometimes it was instant. Sometimes it took time. Sometimes it started as something physical, and sometimes it started just as friends. Sometimes it stared you in the face and you could chase it, but sometimes, you just had to close your eyes and fall, because looking for love, and finding love, were two very different things.

Ahh, endings are hard, and endings are sad. But this one was happy, I suppose!

*sigh* It's finally finished. Sorry that it dragged out. This whole story actually turned out a whole lot different from how I'd intended it to, but I like it; hope you did too!

All my love

xx K