The ferry ride back to Manhattan involved a lot more joking around and easy conversation between the two of them. They were walking along Broad Street, in no hurry on their way to the bridge now that Naruto had decided to switch shifts with his co-worker. He was thinking it was lucky the weather was so nice tonight. When they were about a block away from a Duane Reade, Naruto dragged Sasuke inside with him, so that he could find something to eat while on their walk. They split up, with Sasuke going up on the escalator, and Naruto headed toward the junk food aisle. He didn't usually indulge in snacks, but he just wanted something quick and easy. He picked up a couple of things, including a pack of gum. Sasuke might appreciate that for later.

By the time Naruto had checked out with his stuff, Sasuke was coming down the escalator, so maybe he hadn't found what he'd been looking for. He was also checking out something on his phone, but as he stepped off, he glanced up at Naruto and smiled.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Sasuke asked.

"I found a few things. Probably won't eat any of it, but it's there if I need it. My blood sugar was feelin' kinda low maybe."

"Is that so?" Sasuke asked, looking concerned. "Are you feeling alright?"

"No, yeah. I am. I didn't eat much the last two days is all. If it gets busy at the hospital, hard to grab some time to eat anything substantial, or I'm stuck goin' to the cafeteria."

"Hm. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea I denied you a nice dinner," Sasuke remarked.

"Nah. But," Naruto dug into his bag, "I did get this." He shook his pack of gum at Sasuke. "So you don't have to taste shawarma all night."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "That's rather presumptuous of you."

Naruto laughed as he unwrapped the packaging and pulled out a piece. "Did you want some?"

"Yes, because I hope to make out with you some more tonight." He reached ot for it, even making a "gimme" hand, which had Naruto chuckling again.

"There you go." He dropped it into Sasuke's hand and smiled widely. "So, shall we continue on our journey then?"

"Let's."

They walked out of the store, continuing along their way, Naruto occasionally blowing a bubble until it popped. The traffic rushed past them. It was nice to be doing something like this because he hardly ever walked around the city with no real plan or set destination. Now that he didn't have to work tomorrow - ah, strike that because it was after midnight now - he felt even less concerned about where the night would lead. Sasuke also seemed content and without worry.

"You really don't have to go in tomorrow?" Naruto asked. "Or, should I say today, I guess? It's a quarter after midnight. I dunno where the time went."

"Time flies when you're having fun," Sasuke muttered. "I noticed the time in the store. No, I took today off, which is why I texted you that Thursday night worked for me."

"Ah, okay." He swung his bag at his side, thinking Sasuke sounded slightly terse, but it could've been his imagination. "It's unusual to have a Friday off, so I was just wonderin'."

"I can work at home from time to time," Sasuke replied, "But, I usually don't. I don't take a day off very often, so in that regard, it's a little unusual for me."

"Any particular reason you took it off then?" He asked.

"Is it really so important?"

Ah, so it wasn't his imagination.

"No," Naruto replied carefully. "Sorry I asked."

When Sasuke abruptly stopped, Naruto paused a few feet ahead of him and turned around.

"Sorry," Sasuke said, staring at the ground. "It's not a particularly important reason. I got an annoying text while we were in the store, so my mind was elsewhere for a few minutes."

Naruto walked over to him. "Oh? Everything okay?"

Sasuke raised his eyes. "Everything's fine." He snatched the bag out of Naruto's hand. "I'll carry this for you."

Naruto smiled. "Aren't you the gentleman? Makin' it up to me, eh?"

"If I can," Sasuke answered. "Tell me some stuff. Take my mind off of things."

"Alright. What would you like to know? Do you wanna hear some disgusting stories about my job? That's usually what people ask about."

"Not unless you really want to tell me," Sasuke replied, as the two of them began walking again, side by side and at an easy pace.

"Well, there was this one time we were startin' to cut open a cadaver in school, and it turned out the guy wasn't actually dead."

"You're lying," said Sasuke, sending him a glare.

Naruto laughed. "I am. That didn't happen to me, but I did hear of someone once who worked in the morgue and when they went to unzip the body bag, the guy was completely awake."

"Thanks for that," Sasuke told him, looking uncomfortable. "Something to look forward to as we get older, I suppose."

"Dying or wakin' up in the morgue?" He asked.

"Both. Either."

Naruto glanced at him to see if he were kidding, but it was hard to say based solely off his expression. If they'd known each other well, he might've stopped and hugged him or even grabbed for his hand, but he was under the impression Sasuke didn't like to be pitied or babied in any way, so Naruto let it go for now and opted to change the subject.

"I'm glad to get to know another person living in Brooklyn," he commented breezily. "I have to admit I don't hang out there as often as I do Queens or the Bronx."

"No? Yet you were apparently down there on your birthday."

"Yeah, well." Naruto scratched at his cheek. "My friends were draggin' me all around the city that night, and we happened to end up there. We definitely started out way uptown."

"Lucky me," Sasuke replied.

"Heh. I'm flattered you think so."

Looking ahead, they were only a block away from the start of the bridge.

"It was probably a relief for you back then," he said. "But sorry for takin' off right after."

Sasuke snorted. "Strange thing to apologize for after giving a guy a blowjob."

"That's what I meant by relief," he replied, flashing a smirk. "We went to one more bar before I passed out. They had to throw me in the back of a cab. My friends are the type to think they're pretty funny, too, so when I woke up, I had marker designs all over my body. Not all of 'em came off either, so I had patients and supervisors who looked at me funny the next day."

"Sounds like fun," said Sasuke.

"What did you do afterward?" Naruto asked. "Anything?"

"Went home, I'm sure, and wrote about the whole experience on my blog. It's not very often I'm accosted by a hot blond man in an alleyway and then thrown away like I'm a piece of meat."

For a fraction of a second, Naruto almost thought he was serious until he saw him smirking.

"You're so damn sarcastic, you know that?" Naruto complained.

"You're not wrong," Sasuke replied. "I'm drier than the Sahara, or so I'm told."

"Hmph."

He pouted a while, at least until they were on the walkway headed for the bridge. The path split so people walking from the other end had their own space. They also had to share the route with bike riders. Since it wasn't late, there weren't a whole lot of people, but there were tourists who kept stopping every few feet to take a selfie. They moved more to the right to stay out of the way. It was kind of cool, doing something he hadn't done before. With Sasuke.

"What are you grinning about?" Sasuke asked.

"Nothin'," he replied cheerfully.

Sasuke leaned in close enough to bump his arm. "Liar."

"Heh." He chuckled. "Just thinkin' this is kinda romantic in its own way. Doin' somethin' I haven't before with you, and that it was your suggestion."

"Romantic?" Sasuke made a face.

"I meant in a general kind of way," he explained, not especially encouraged by Sasuke's continued aversion to romance. "The idea of doin' somethin' new with a stranger is… nice."

"Ah, I see."

"Why are you so opposed to romance anyway?" Naruto asked curiously. "Didn't get a lot of valentines from the kids in your class?"

"No. I'd say the opposite." Sasuke frowned.

"I get it. You were pretty popular, eh?"

"With girls."

Naruto laughed. "I see your dilemma. Were you out in high school, or no?"

"I wasn't. I mean, not really. I didn't go out of my way to hide it," Sasuke answered. "But, I've never had a particular interest in flaunting my private life either."

"I can see that about you. I have to admit, though. If we're still talkin' generally. I don't mind a bit of romance from time to time, but when I think about it, I'm not sure what I consider romantic? Cliche, sweeping gestures aren't what I'd want. What do you think?"

"I think it's already difficult to find someone you can stand," replied Sasuke, "I wouldn't want to push my luck expecting it to be a smooth ride all the time. I guess I don't see love and romance in a way that includes fireworks going off every second."

"It could also be you haven't found the right person," Naruto offered thoughtfully. "I feel the same, but only 'cause no one's ever swept me off my feet."

"No. Not even your last boyfriend?"

"Obviously not if he's an ex. Feels rude to bring up on a date or whatever this is, and I liked him enough that I wouldn't speak too ill of him."

"That's admirable."

"I know. I try to remain humble when possible," Naruto said and, after sharing a look, they both laughed. "So, since the ferry ride was somethin' I hadn't done before. And, really, this isn't somethin' I've done before either. Maybe next we should do somethin' you've never done?"

"I wonder what that might be." Sasuke stared off to the right, looking out onto the East River and beyond. "I love seeing all the planes in the sky."

Naruto glanced up at the sky, to where Sasuke was watching. He could see four or five coming in from different directions.

"I really like flyin' into LaGuardia because you get the best view of the skyline, but it always seems like every landing I've had there is hella bumpy."

"Mm? Are you not a fan of flying?" Sasuke asked, and, switching the bag to his other hand, suddenly grabbed for Naruto's.

It was such a surprise that he momentarily lost track of what they'd been talking about.

"What?" He asked.

Sasuke chuckled. "Flying. Do you not like it?"

"No, I do." Naruto smiled. "Not that I fly that often. Hard to get time off from work, and usually I spend my vacations catchin' up on sleep."

"That's too bad," said Sasuke. "I think at least once a month I like to fly somewhere, even if it's not far away. I have an acquaintance who has a pilot's license, so I go with him sometimes."

"Wow, really? Only an acquaintance, and you trust him with your life like that?"

"It's fairly safe." Sasuke frowned. "I suppose he's a friend. Older than me."

"Oh?" Naruto felt the tiniest pang of jealousy for some reason.

"It's not like that." Sasuke squeezed his hand. "He's more of a mentor. If you can even call him that. He's eccentric most of the time, but when he's flying, he's very focused. So, yes, I feel safe, Naruto."

"I hope you didn't take offense," Naruto said. "That would be cool to be able to take off whenever you wanted. I wonder what that's like?"

"Maybe you should've become a doctor," Sasuke suggested, his tone playful. "They seem to take vacations all the time."

"They do," Naruto grumbled. "It's irritating, but I guess when you go through that much schoolin' and make that much money and can leave a lot of the hard work to the nurses, it's no big deal to spend a week golfing in Florida or Hawaii or wherever."

"Never considered being a doctor?"

He shrugged. "Eh. Medical school wouldn't have suited me. I like what I do. I like bein' with the patients, and I like workin' with the other nurses. I could always get my MSN later if I want."

"I like a man who has aspirations," Sasuke said.

Naruto stopped abruptly and pushed him toward the edge of the walkway, close to the rail. Tilting his head, Sasuke stared inquisitively, and, without touching him, Naruto leaned in to place a chaste kiss to his lips. Afterward, he searched Sasuke's face.

"What was that?" Sasuke asked.

"Nothin'." He started walking again. "Just felt like it."

It took a few seconds for the other man to catch up to his side, and Naruto could tell Sasuke kept shooting him glances. Really, all he wanted to do was reward him for saying something good. Whether Sasuke would admit to it or not, he did know how to be charming, which Naruto could almost categorize as a romantic quality.

"Is that what happened the night at the club?" Sasuke asked. "'Just felt like it'?"

Ah, well. That ruined it just a little. Naruto glared at him.

"Really?" He asked.

"I didn't mean it in a negative way," Sasuke explained. "I should've phrased it differently. What I meant to say was: You can be a pretty impulsive kind of person, can't you?"

"When the mood arises, yeah. It's like I'm gettin' in touch with my old self. Maybe datin' a med student made me too serious? I wonder. He used to make fun of me when I did things like that. I guess he did call me a romantic, but I don't think he meant it in a complimentary way."

"I'm sure he had his reasons," said Sasuke. "But, then again. You two aren't together anymore, so clearly there were issues with compatibility. Also, you shouldn't date someone who won't let you be yourself."

"Those are very wise words," he murmured, and left to think about his last relationship, he became quiet without realizing it.

They walked along the bridge, neither of them saying anything. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence by any means. Sasuke walked close by his side, and, once or twice, looked Naruto's way until Naruto finally glanced back at him and smiled.

"I was just thinking is all," he said.

"I figured."

"You're really easygoing, aren't you?"

"When I want to be," Sasuke answered. "There's no reason to be intense right now? We're only taking a relaxing walk. It's normal to be reflective at a time like this, right? Plus, I'm sure you're tired. I can get lost in my work, but a 12-hour shift would be rare even for me."

"Well, usually it's 12 hours on and then you're off, but we've been short-handed. I don't mind."

"It's good that you enjoy your job at such a young age."

"Ha, you make it sound like you're an old man!"

Sasuke cringed. "I'm not an old man."

"Well, I know that. I didn't mean literally."

"You get what I mean, though?"

"Yeah. Like how people our age tend to change up jobs every few years. Like you said, you wanna try somethin' different. I know I'm lucky in that regard, but I also see the benefit to bein' flexible enough to change jobs. If it's not what's right for you anyway. If you could do anything you want as a career, what do you think you'd do?"

Sasuke hummed. "Anything I want?"

"Anything." Naruto nodded.

"I hate to say it because it sounds cliche, but acting maybe."

"Holy shit, for real?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Is that strange?"

"No. I mean. You work in the entertainment industry, right? I dunno exactly what you do, but I guess acting would be in that wheelhouse or whatever. You certainly have the looks for it."

Sasuke tucked his hands into his pockets. "I'd like to think it takes more than looks."

"Well, yeah," Naruto said. "But, do you have experience acting?"

"I did some plays in high school and college, but then I got into doing more of the behind the scenes stuff. I found it interesting, and it's much easier to get a technical job in the city than an acting role, right? I meet actors all the time. The lifestyle doesn't thrill me, but the prospect of the work is stimulating to me. Learning lines, becoming the role, having to be on stage every night."

"Wow. I have to admit. I'm pretty impressed. It takes a lot of guts to go out on stage and do that."

"You don't think I can handle it?" Sasuke asked.

"No, of course I think you can! Stop puttin' words in my mouth." Naruto scowled and, turning around, walked backward while facing him. "So, why not go to some auditions?"

"I haven't done any acting in a long while," Sasuke replied.

"Okay, then while you still have this job, take some acting classes, and see what happens. Or, find a sugar daddy to support you and just go for it?"

"As a nurse," said Sasuke. "Do you make enough money to be my sugar daddy?"

Naruto's face went red hot, and he stopped. But, coming along, Sasuke placed a hand to his chest and pushed, forcing him to start walking again. He had the biggest grin on his face.

"Why do you say things like that?" Naruto asked. "And then say you're not into romance?"

"Is flirting the same as romance?" Sasuke questioned, sounding genuinely curious.

Shit. Even that kind of comment got Naruto all excited.

"We can't be stoppin' every five feet so I can kiss you every time you say somethin' good."

"Why not?" Sasuke smirked, still pushing him along.

"You're gonna make sure I don't bump into anyone, right? I feel like this is a trust exercise."

"You can trust me." Sasuke smiled at him, and Naruto's heart fluttered in an unmanly fashion.

"You never said," Naruto murmured. "What's somethin' we can do that you haven't done?"

"Well," Sasuke smirked. "You, for one."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Very funny."

"It's off the table?"

"...It's," Naruto licked his lips. "Not completely off the table. So far you've been well behaved. What makes you think I'd be willin' to bottom for you anyway?"

"Hmm. Are we going to have this conversation now?" Sasuke asked.

"I'm pretty sure you're a top," he said.

"I've been known to switch."

Naruto grinned widely. "Me, too."

"Then we shouldn't have a problem working something out."

"Heh."

Feeling sheepish, he scratched the back of his neck, but as he did, he also glanced down for a brief second. In that second, Sasuke grabbed the front of his shirt. They were stopped in the middle of the walkway, people passing around them. The way Sasuke was looking at him did a good job of sobering him up.

Sasuke pulled him closer. "What a serious look you've got there, Naruto."

"Can't be helped," he said, his voice low. "I think I'm weak to this particular look of yours."

"What look?" Leaning in, his lips almost brushed Naruto's.

He couldn't find his voice to respond, but Sasuke wasn't looking for a reply. Naruto's eyelids slipped shut, and he welcomed the cool press of Sasuke's lips against his. He cupped Naruto's cheek, then moved the hand into his hair, where it slid to the back of his neck. The insistency of his kiss urged Naruto to open his mouth. Sasuke's tongue probed harder, the fingers at his neck squeezing tighter, and so Naruto let the other man's tongue inside. His mind went blank, and his knees grew increasingly weak while they kissed. Maybe Sasuke didn't believe in fireworks, but they were certainly going off all around Naruto's head right now.

When the kiss ended, he was not only a little dizzy, but also a little breathless.

"I've made you speechless," Sasuke stated, but when Naruto didn't reply, he started to appear concerned. "Naruto?"

"Heh." Naruto chuckled, wanting to scratch the back of his neck again, but Sasuke's fingers were still there. "Um." He didn't know what to say, especially when the other man's thumb started tracking back and forth just under the base of his skull. "Sorry."

"What are you apologizing for?" Sasuke asked, and when Naruto still didn't have a reply to give, the other man embraced him.

"What are you doing?" Naruto asked near his ear, caught off guard by the gesture.

"It's only a hug," said Sasuke. "Get yourself together, Naruto. It was just a kiss."

"Hmph." He almost broke free, but Sasuke held him tighter. "You're too cocky."

"I prefer self-confident, but I'm not always. You're the one making me cocky right now."

"So, you're blaming me? I'd expect someone like you to take responsibility."

Sasuke's mouth was at his ear. "How shall I take responsibility?"

"Use your imagination."

"I've already done that several times tonight," Sasuke replied smoothly and let him go.

This time, he was the one who walked away. Naruto glared at his back at first, but then his gaze dropped to Sasuke's ass again. He followed after him quickly, but he did bump into him just to show that he'd snapped out of whatever spell the man had cast on him.

"Are you a witch?" Naruto asked, squinting at him when they were side by side.

"I think men are usually warlocks," said Sasuke. "But, why do you ask?"

"Hmm. You are kinda pale. Like a vampire."

"Rude," said Sasuke. "So, am I a warlock or a vampire or a witch?"

"I don't know!" Naruto almost wanted to pull out his hair. "Incubus?"

"Hn." Sasuke swung the Duane Reade bag. "You're amusing."

"Shut up." Naruto gave him another push. "You know…. I think there's a store I went to once that stays open late. It'll require hoppin' onto the subway. Only a couple of stops."

"I thought you didn't know much about Brooklyn."

"Ah, but this store was memorable. You're open to somethin' new, right?"

"I suppose. What do you have in mind?"

Naruto shrugged. "Nothin' you can't handle. If you hate it, we can always walk out."

"I'm up for it," said Sasuke. "We've got nothing else planned."

"Really?" He asked, grinning slyly. "I hope you don't regret it."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "It's not a strip club, is it?"

"What? No! Why would I take you somewhere to ogle naked guys?"

"Just checking."

"Tch. No. Although, hm."

"What?"

"Nothing." Naruto shook his head. "Like I told ya, if you hate it, all we gotta do is walk right back out."

"You're kidding." Sasuke was staring at the display window of the store Naruto had brought him to, looking mildly disturbed.

Naruto thought his reaction interesting for various reasons. "If you don't wanna go in, we don't have to. It's probably not somewhere you've been before?"

"I can't say I have." Sasuke grimaced and shot him a pleading look. "Have you?"

"Yep," he said. "Not many of these places cater to guys, so I've been with friends, and…"

"Boyfriends?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto simply shrugged. "Are you against these kinda accessories?"

"If you do it right," said Sasuke. "You don't need them."

"Well, that's not really the point," Naruto argued. "It's not meant to be in place of, it's in addition to and just for fun. We can walk away right now if you're scared."

Sasuke snorted. "Scared? That's a pretty weak provocation. Even for you."

Naruto smiled, mostly because he liked the idea of Sasuke thinking after only a few hours together he could predict the kinds of things Naruto might say or do.

"Well?" He asked, finding this test very amusing. "If you see somethin' you like, I'll get it for you. You know, to commemorate the evening."

Sasuke gave another long glance at the items on display in the window and then at him. "Fine. Let's go in. It's better than us standing outside the door like this."

"If you didn't look so terrified, I'd kiss you just for bein' a good sport." He opened the door and held it for Sasuke. "After you."

Sending a glare, Sasuke bumped into him as he walked inside. There was a good looking gentleman with light brown hair and a goatee standing behind the counter. When he saw the two of them, he smiled.

"Can I help you?" He asked, glancing from Naruto (who was smiling) to Sasuke (who looked like he was ready to kill someone).

"No, we're good," Naruto replied. "We were in the area, and he said he hadn't been before. Thought I'd show him around."

"Alright, great. Let me know if you have any questions about anything," said the man.

"Sure, thanks. Do you mind if I set this here?" He took the bag from Sasuke's hand.

"That's fine with me."

Naruto set the bag on the counter and offered the man a friendly wave before placing a hand on Sasuke's lower back and ushering him further inside. The main room was small, but the whole store comprised three floors. In the basement were three rooms that could be used to watch videos. The top floor housed a collection of large pieces of furniture and equipment (mostly BDSM). He watched Sasuke take everything in, from the vast array of colored dildos, to the vibrators, clothing, incense, and so on.

"How you doin', buddy?" Naruto asked, trying not to laugh.

"You were totally flirting with him," Sasuke said under his breath.

"Uh, no. It's called bein' friendly," he replied. "Jealous much?"

Surprising him, Sasuke wandered off on his own, even picking up tubes and bottles of things that were either lubes or body paint. Since they'd been glued to the hip all night, he decided to give him some space, so he also began to peruse all the other merchandise. Sometimes he found items that either amused him or caught his curiosity. He picked up a package of stainless steel cock rings. They looked really nice actually, not that he'd ever used any before. In all of his relationships, he'd only been with one guy who was open to using toys, and that's when he was in college. Once or twice - with a one-night stand - a guy had wanted to do this or that, and Naruto was pretty open to trying anything at least once. Well, almost anything. There were lots of interesting books on one of the shelves, too. Not corny like other sex toy stores, but titles about relationships, biographies of famous LGBTQ people. He took one off the shelf and read the back, half-tempted to buy it. There were also the usual instructional books. When he finished browsing, he went in search of Sasuke, who was examining the videos.

"See anything you like?" Naruto asked, sneaking up behind him.

"Funny," said Sasuke. "I can't seem to find your video anywhere."

"That is funny 'cause it should've gone straight to DVD."

"Hn." Sasuke turned to him. "It says you can watch any of these downstairs."

"You can," he said, cocking his head. "You wanna rent somethin', or are you sayin' you wanna fool around?"

"I didn't even know the latter was an option."

"There's also an upstairs." Naruto pointed to the ceiling. "But, if you're not into BDSM, you're probably not gonna like it."

"Define 'into'," Sasuke murmured.

"I could always just show you?" Naruto smirked, his tone suggestive.

"What about you?" Sasuke asked, leaning in closer. "Find anything of interest?"

"Stainless steel cock rings," he replied. "They match my apartment's appliances."

"Do you have a problem with finishing too soon? Despite making fun of my stamina all night."

"Not all night." Naruto grinned and took hold of the man's sleeve. "C'mon. I'll show you upstairs, and if you still wanna rent a video, we can."

He led them to a door in the back and opened it. They went up the stairs, which creaked under the weight of their footsteps. It was packed with various pieces of equipment. There were sex swings, benches, and things he had no idea the name of or purpose for. On a far wall, there were a lot of expensive leather accessories and hand-sewn clothing. He headed for the collection of paddles, collars, and whips. Finding a whip he liked, he pulled it off the hook.

Sasuke was a few feet away. "Is this a hint? Something you're into, perhaps?"

"Honestly, nah. I'm open to tryin' stuff out, but I haven't had a lot of experience with it beyond the usual handcuffs and spankings."

"That's an image I don't mind considering," Sasuke replied, walking toward him. He took the whip from Naruto's hand, unraveled it from the handle, and swung it.

"I take it you're no fan of these sorts of things?"

"I'm not opposed," Sasuke answered, putting the whip back where Naruto found it. "I can't say I'd have room for any of these pieces of furniture in my apartment, but sure. I like some things."

"Like what?" Naruto asked, crossing his arms.

"Hm. I like to tell a man what to do," he said, taking a step closer to him. "I sometimes like it a little rough. If we're both into it. I've been known to tie men up to the bed while I fuck them."

"Sounds like our interests are somewhat compatible," Naruto replied, voice husky.

Sasuke started backing him against the wall. "Do you have any fantasies?"

"Fantasies?" He repeated, gaze dropping to the man's mouth.

"Well, I figured since you've been here before, and you wanted to show me all of this. There's a possibility you have some fantasies you haven't yet had fulfilled."

"Oh? You think so?" He smiled crookedly. "But, where will I find a man willing to fulfill them?"

Sasuke placed a hand at his hip. "If you told me. I'd be willing to give it a try."

Pressing his body against Naruto's, Sasuke leaned in and kissed him. It was more intense than previous kisses, with Sasuke applying a lot more pressure, even nipping at his lips. He snuck his arms around the other man's waist, bringing him closer. Taking hold of Naruto's wrists, Sasuke pinned them to the wall while nudging a hard and muscled thigh between his legs. The contact caught him off guard, even making him let out a quiet gasp. Sasuke drew away just enough to kiss down the line of his throat, then back up again, where he placed a last, single kiss to his lips. He released Naruto's wrists, and it was a delayed second before Naruto realized he could drop them to his sides. His gaze was unfocused as it settled on Sasuke's face, the dark-haired man's thigh still within rubbing distance of his crotch.

Naruto grabbed for the front of his jacket. "You're gonna leave a guy hangin' like this?"

"What would you suggest I do?" Sasuke asked.

"I don't know." He tugged at the lapels of his coat. "Fuck me against the wall."

"Right now?" Sasuke smirked. "Right here?"

Naruto shrugged. "It's late, and I'm low on sleep. You should take advantage of my deliriousness." He almost added "And horniness."

"That's not as enticing as it might sound to other men," Sasuke replied. "I'd rather have you when you can be a full participant. Maybe even completely sober."

"I like the way you say 'have you'." Naruto grinned. "You're really sexy."

"You're the one who looks pretty sexy to me right now."

"I do?"

"You do."

"Hmm." Naruto ran his hand through Sasuke's hair. "What do you wanna do?"

"What are our options?" Sasuke asked.

"Well. I think it would be frowned upon if we were to make use of any of the equipment up here, plus I'm not sure we're the type of trained professionals capable of not hurting ourselves."

"Isn't hurting ourselves the point?" Sasuke smirked and, taking a step back, latched on to the front of Naruto's shirt. "C'mon. I'll buy you those cock rings you liked so much."

"What?" He laughed as he was pulled along toward the exit. "Why?"

"You said it was your birthday that night, didn't you?"

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean you need to get me somethin'. Especially a cock ring. How about you just… buy me a coffee sometime?" Naruto suggested tentatively.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Sometime… tonight?"

"Or, whenever." He shrugged. "Maybe after tonight… if you want."

"Hn."

"Oh, shut up." Naruto gave him a push that sent Sasuke stumbling toward one of the sex swings. "I'm sorry I asked. Sure, get me a cock ring. Since I'm the one with the stamina issues."

"Are we back to that?" Sasuke came up to him and, still smirking, adjusted Naruto's coat collar. "I could buy you a coffee at a diner in my neighborhood, and after that, I'll send you to bed."

"Send me to bed?" Naruto wrinkled his nose. "Whose bed?"

"Yours or mine. Mine's closer. I'll leave it up to you. I know you're tired."

"I'm not that tired. Or, are you tryin' to get rid of me?"

"Yes," Sasuke replied, brushing his knuckles across Naruto's cheek. "Can't you tell I'm having such a terrible time with you that I don't want it to end yet?"

He broke into a smile. "You don't want our so-called blind date to end?"

"No." Sasuke, cupping Naruto's cheek, moved in to kiss him but stopped just before their lips could make contact. "I don't want our date to end. Do you?"

"I'm up for somethin' more," he said, tilting his head in an attempt to brush his lips against Sasuke's. "But what is there to do around here at this hour?"

"That's a good question. There's bowling, another bar, or a rec center not too far from here that might still be open. It has a rock climbing wall. I've never done it before, but I've always wanted to."

Naruto chuckled. "I've done it a couple of times. It's fun. I have to warn ya, though. I can get pretty competitive when I want to."

"I believe it." Sasuke finally pressed their mouths together, and Naruto almost groaned because it was so fucking good.

A hand went around to the back of his head, holding him in place while they kissed. It was less rough than the last, and even became tender as it went on. In fact, it became so intimate that he had to press a hand to Sasuke's chest and push him away. His head was swimming, and he realized that although he found Sasuke attractive, easy to talk to, and an interesting person to be around - it was all moving too fast.

"Sorry," he said, trying to catch his breath.

Slowly, Naruto raised his eyes to meet Sasuke's. This was the second time he'd kissed Sasuke and started to get overwhelmed, and he wasn't sure he could attribute it to lack of sleep either.

"I don't - " He didn't know how to communicate his thoughts. "It's just that - "

"It's okay," Sasuke said, his eyes moving back and forth. "We can take it slower."

"It's not that. It's like - " Glancing away for a second, he ran fingers through the hair at the back of his head, still feeling the pressure of Sasuke's hand from only seconds earlier.

The other man waited patiently for him to finish, but he didn't know why he kept getting flustered. It had been a year since his break-up with Neji, so recently getting out of a relationship wasn't an excuse. He'd teased Sasuke about being opposed to or afraid of romance all night, but right when Naruto's feelings were starting to become a little something more than about the physical, it unexpectedly freaked him out.

"Come on," said Sasuke. "Let's go to the rec center, and you can show me your competitive side. Or, if you don't want to…?"

"I do," he immediately replied. "Don't get the wrong idea." Naruto chuckled, trying to hide his embarrassment. "I think I freaked myself out is all."

"How so?"

"It's nothin'." Naruto felt highly conscious of Sasuke's physical proximity, and even though he kind of wanted to grab the man's hand, he decided to give his arm a squeeze as he passed, instead.

Sasuke followed him down the stairs, where Naruto grabbed his bag of snacks from the man at the counter, thanked him for letting them look around, and held the door open for Sasuke as they walked outside. Ah, air. Maybe that's all he needed. If only he'd bought a water with all his stuff. Hopefully there would be a vending machine at the rec center if that's where they were going.

"You okay?" Sasuke asked, turning to him. He pressed his hand to Naruto's forehead and frowned. "You're a little warm. I'm not sure if I should be concerned?"

Naruto felt his cheeks. "I think I'm okay. It got kinda warm in there is all. I'll get some water when we go to the rec center."

"We don't have to go," said Sasuke. "If you're tired or not feeling well. My apartment is four stops from here, so you're welcome to have my bed if you need to lie down."

He was torn between being overwhelmed with gratitude and irritated for being babied. He was a man and on top of that, he was a nurse. Naruto knew how to take care of himself, and was used to doing so. If a someone like Sasuke thought he needed help, it almost felt more like pity.

"Sasuke," he said. "I'm fine." Naruto removed the man's hand from his forehead. "Really."

"Okay." Sasuke pocketed the hand Naruto had rebuffed. "Then we'll go climb a wall."

"Sure." Naruto grinned. "We can see who gets to the top first. But, I have the advantage of more experience in this situation. Just sayin'."

"We'll see." Sasuke placed an arm around his waist, but kept it loose as they walked toward the closest subway station. "I'm also not much of a fan of losing."

"Even if it's your first time?" Naruto shot him a sly look. "Do you have good beginner's luck?"

"I don't need it," said Sasuke. "I'm naturally good at everything I try."

"Oh boy. You're a very humble guy, you know that?"

"You won't find a person more humble than me. I'm amazingly humble."

Naruto glanced at him, and seeing Sasuke's smirk, let out a quiet laugh.

"Sorry again about earlier," he said, biting his lip. "I didn't really have any expectations about tonight. In fact, I'm not sure I had any at all. I think it's that you're so… well, I don't know what to say here because I wouldn't wanna inflate your ego too much."

"Didn't I tell you?" Sasuke removed his arm from his waist. "The humblest man in the world."

Naruto kicked a pebble he saw on the sidewalk. "Even so, I don't think I'm ready to say it out loud, and I like what you said earlier on in the night. That we should just see what happens."

"Okay."

"But, I am gonna kick your ass when we get there. Of that I'm sure."

"Whatever you say, Naruto." Sasuke graced him with an amused, condescending look.

Naruto glared and wanted to tackle him. "You're askin' for it, Uchiha."

"Oh, we're addressing each other by our family name now. How cultural."

"Tch." Naruto knocked into him, satisfied when he sent Sasuke sideways. "Jerk."

Sasuke snickered, but came directly back to his side. "How long are you going to carry that bag around anyway? I thought you were hungry. Maybe your blood sugar is low. Don't faint on me."

"I'm not gonna faint on you, you ass. You're scrawny butt probably couldn't carry me to your apartment if I did, so I'm gonna hold it together. You're welcome."

"I appreciate your thoughtfulness," Sasuke said dryly. "There really is a good diner not far from my place. I'm not usually into sweets, but they do have some amazing pie."

"But I bought a little cupcake." Naruto shook the bag. "I'm also not usually into sweets, but I was cravin' somethin' bad for me."

Sasuke stopped on the corner and turned to face him. "Are you saying I'm bad for you?"

"I was talkin' about the cupcake." Naruto frowned. "Clearly."

"Hmm." Sasuke, leaning in, took the bag from his hand again. "Then I'll hold onto it for a while."

When they began walking across the crosswalk, Naruto folded his arms behind his head, stretching them out. He gave a loud yawn in the process.

"Can't keep up, old man?" Sasuke asked.

"Old man?" He almost kicked him. "Wait. I'm not older than you, am I?"

"Depends. How old are you, Naruto?" Sasuke hit him lightly with the bag.

"Well, I turned 23 the night you and I met."

"Then I'm older," Sasuke answered.

"By how much?" Naruto was used to dating older men, but Sasuke couldn't have been that much older than him. He certainly didn't look it.

"I'm… 24."

"That's not so bad," Naruto said. "When's your birthday anyway?"

"Why? Are you going to compare the compatibility of our horoscopes?" Sasuke smirked.

Naruto snatched the bag back from him. "You don't deserve to carry this."

"Did I hit a nerve?"

"It was a simple question," he said. "It's just a birthday. I'm not askin' for your Social Security number. Are you one of those mopey guys who doesn't like celebratin' birthdays?"

"I don't know about mopey." Sasuke frowned. "But, no. I don't think much of birthdays."

"Not even friends' or family members' birthdays?"

Naruto loved birthdays, whether it was his or his friends' or his mom's. It made him sad that Sasuke thought the day he was born wasn't worth celebrating.

"I call and wish them a happy birthday," he answered. "But I don't expect them to do the same. Though, obviously they do. My brother likes to be especially obnoxious about it."

"Heh. I think I'd like your brother," Naruto admitted cheerfully.

"Sadly," said Sasuke. "I think you would, too."

TBC