Title: A Work in Progress
Author: mischief maker
Theme: Commitment
Rating: R for language
Author's Notes: Last one.


Sasuke sighed, resisting the urge to pace like a caged animal. While he had expected this conversation to come up eventually, he'd hoped it would be later rather than sooner. Maybe by then he could've figured out what he was supposed to say.

He watched as Sakura blinked up at Naruto in surprise before turning her gaze toward him. So she hadn't put the idiot up to it, huh? It didn't really matter, though. He had the feeling this had everything to do with her anyway and very little to do with the person currently crowding his personal space. And smiling like he's about to say something he knows will piss me off, he growled inwardly.

"It's not like we're asking you to marry us or anything," the blonde chuckled as he slapped him on the shoulder. "Just, I dunno, pretend to give a shit or something." Naruto then plopped down on the couch next to Sakura and smiled as he propped his feet up on Sasuke's coffee table.

Shaking his head in exasperation, Sasuke wondered how it was that anything his teammate said surprised him anymore. "Fucking Dead Last," he grumbled.

Naruto only laughed at that comment. "Yes, you are. Who'd have thought?" The bad joke earned him an eye roll from Sasuke, while Sakura smacked him upside the head with a pillow. His fox-like grin grew even wider, and he added with a shrug, "Hey, if you don't wanna be here, …"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. Naruto was going to make him say it one way or another, wasn't he? He hated it, hated that he needed the idiot to do it.

"You know I'm not anywhere unless I want to be."

He blinked as he noticed Sakura relax at the forced statement. He hadn't misinterpreted, Sasuke realized. She really had questioned it. For all her brains, he assumed it would've been obvious. His understanding must've shown, because her expression quickly changed from relief to guilt.

"I just didn't want to push. That's all. I guess it's silly, but I thought maybe you…"

Sasuke planted one knee on the couch next to Sakura as he leaned down and cut her off with a kiss. She squeaked in surprise before quickly melting into it as one of his hands slid behind her neck, the other braced against the back of the sofa. When he pulled away a few moments later, he gave them both a look that said the discussion was over.

And he certainly wasn't about to admit that Naruto wasn't always a complete moron.

He was an Uchiha. They weren't exactly known for being the most affectionate bunch, and he really knew next to nothing about this relationship stuff, but he would try, Sasuke decided. For them… well, for her anyway, because if Naruto kept looking at him like that, he was just going to have to kick his ass.