When morning arrives, I wake up first. Sasuke is still out cold. I don't bother shaking him into consciousness. When I go downstairs, my parents are sitting in the kitchen.

"What time did you guys get home last night?" I ask them.

"Around midnight," Dad says.

"You were already fast asleep," Mom adds.

"Yeah," I nod. "Sasuke stayed the night. Sakura brought him over."

"We know," Mom admits. "We saw him when we went to check on you. Is everything all right?"

"I think so," I murmur. "But it was a pretty strange night..."

"What happened?" Dad pries.

"A lot of arguing between Sasuke and Sakura and some arguing between Sasuke and me," I tell them, shaking my head as I recall the previous night's events. "There was crying, fighting... lots of anger. It was pretty stupid."

"You and Sakura are okay?" he asks.

I nod. "I'm over it... and I think she's learned a lot this year. At least, it seems like she has. She's more reasonable."

"Well, that's good," Mom adds.

I nod again, grabbing a banana eating it quickly. My parents don't ask any more questions and for that, I'm kind of thankful. Shortly after, I go back upstairs. By now, Sasuke is awake.

"Hey," I greet him.

"Mm," he murmurs in response, sitting up.

"How do you feel?" I ask.

"Fine," he answers carelessly.

"Are you hungry?"

He shakes his head. "Sorry about last night," he murmurs. "I egged you on... I was being stupid."

"It's okay," I promise. "I'm the one who couldn't keep my mouth shut. Sorry about that."

He shrugs, mumbling, "I know you can't keep secrets for shit. I said some shit, too. S'fine."

It's not, but I won't bring it up again unless he wants to yell at me for it later. Instead, I offhandedly add, "Sakura thinks you're a dildo."

"I don't care what she thinks," he says.

"I think you do," I say. The tears on his face last night made it obvious that he cares at least a little bit. "I think you care about a lot of things you're not willing to admit to."

"Whatever," he murmurs.

I just shrug. "I tried telling her that you were just being a dick on purpose, trying to get a rise out of me... but she didn't really believe me. You've tarnished your reputation in her eyes."

"No big loss," he snorts. "At least not she'll stop chasing me."

"You should try to befriend her," I suggest.

He laughs in disbelief. "Not going to happen, Naruto. Your friends don't like me. Kiba especially."

"Kiba doesn't not like you," I tell him honestly. "I think he mostly pities you. I know you don't want to hear that, but it's true. Plus, Kiba has a pretty big mouth. He can't censor himself. He says mean things sometimes, but he doesn't mean much harm by it."

"Lovely," Sasuke mutters before dismissing the comment. "But oh well. I can be insensitive as well. I was kind of like that last night... I just said and did whatever I wanted. I was impulsive."

"Well... you were high," I reason.

"Still..." he sighs. "That shouldn't be an excuse, should it?"

"I guess not," I say. "Kiba has a bit of a softer spot for you these days..." I add. "Plus, I think he has a secret boner for you. He thinks you're hot." It's pretty obvious to me since I'm the only one who spends time with the both of them at the same time.

"Oh?" This catches Sasuke's attention big time. "Well, perhaps I should go to him next time I'm horny. I bet I could convince him to cheat on his cute girlfriend."

I pale slightly. "Don't," I warn, hoping he won't ever stoop that low.

"Just kidding," he says with a weary smile before adding, "I'm a bad person... but I wouldn't do that. I don't think Kiba would either. Hinata is nice. We're not friends, but she is kind to me..."

"She understands people," I say. "She's patient and kind because she understands that there's reasons for why people act the way they do. It's not an excuse for bad behaviour, just a fact. Or, rather, insight. She understands that some people have shitty lives and she understands what kind of affect it can have."

"It can turn them into bad people," Sasuke says flatly. "That's what you're getting at, right?"

"You're not a bad person..." I insist.

"Sakura said I was a bad person," he reminds me sourly.

"She didn't say that. You're twisting her words around."

He scoffs at me. "She said I'm mean. She said you deserve better than me. It's the same damn thing, Naruto... and she's right. I'm not a good person."

"I don't think you're a bad person, though," I tell him. I knew he cared about what she said. Nonetheless, I won't say I told him so.

He rolls his eyes. "That's because you love me. You're opinion doesn't count."

"I know you," I reiterate. "Sakura doesn't. She thinks she does, but she doesn't. She's only seen the bad sides of you. Those aren't even real. You just put walls up."

"Whatever," he mumbles. "Let's stop talking about this."

I shrug, relenting. He gets out of bed a moment later and puts his jeans back on. "What now?" I ask.

"I don't know," he says.

"What do you want?" I ask. "What do you feel?"

"I feel upset," he admits, "and I don't know why."

"Because you don't want to be a bad person," I answer.

"Hm," he muses. "Funny... it never really mattered to me before."

"Things change," I shrug. "So do people."

"Yeah," he agrees quietly. He sits at the edge of my mattress and I sit down next to him. "Everything she said last night was true," he adds.

"Everything?" I ask.

"Yeah," he whispers, closing his eyes. "That's why I got so angry... She doesn't know me, yet she analyzed me so easily. I hated that."

"She has a talent for it," I say. "So... does this mean..." I trail off, almost afraid to put it into words.

He lets out a long sigh, still not opening his eyes. "I don't know."

"I want to hear you say it," I tell him.

"I can't..."

"Yes, you can," I insist, shifting. His eyes are still clamped shut. I take a hand and press it to his chest, pushing him back onto my bed. He finally opens his eyes and stares up at me as I hover over him. He's flushed. He looks embarrassed and sad at the same time. He reaches up and locks his hands around my neck, pulling me down. He touches his lips to mine before drawing back and staring up at me again.

I move away and relent. He's not going to say it. I suppose I can't make him. I wouldn't want to make him. I want him to say it when he's ready to say it.

A moment later he gets up, turning to me and saying, "I'm going."

Before I can answer, he's running. I don't bother chasing.

||XxXx||

In the early evening, Sakura drops by out of the blue. I'm not sure why. Nonetheless, I put on a friendly smile and greet her. "Hey."

"Hey," she smiles in return. She sits at my desk chair and says, "So..."

"So...?" I question.

She sighs. "I feel like I've said and asked all I wanted, but it doesn't feel quite finished..."

"What do you mean?" I frown, raising an eyebrow. "Are you sure you're not pissed?"

"I'm not," she insists. "It was stupid of me... I said a lot of crap last night. I don't know where it was coming from. I guess I just felt disappointed. I was disappointed by Sasuke... but that's not really fair of me, is it? I shouldn't be affected so deeply by the things he says and does. It has nothing to do with me, right?"

"You wanted him to be something he's not," I say. "Now you know he never will be."

"Yeah," she sighs.

"Hey," I murmur, "are you sure you don't still feel something for him?" It sounds too sudden. I'm sure she still feels things for him. It'd be hard to just stop feeling something you've felt for so long just like that.

She wrinkles her nose. "I'm not sure," she admits. "Fuck, I'm trying hard not to. I think I might've overdone it last night. I'll apologize to him later, maybe. I mean... I've felt something for him since I was young and then suddenly I find out that what I thought I loved doesn't exist. It's a strange feeling. He's not at all what I thought."

"What did you imagine him as?" I can't help but ask.

"Quiet and mysterious," she laughs somewhat bitterly. "I guess I imagined he would have a kindness, but it wouldn't be something he showed off. I knew he was hurt, I just didn't know how. I knew that it probably affected him and it's why he was so closed off. I guess, bad as it sounds, that drew me in. I wanted to know about him. I wanted to know everything about him, but he wasn't ever one for sharing. When I was younger, I'd imagine what it would be like to be with him... what kind of lover he'd be. Funny, I'm not the one who got a taste. You are."

"Hm," I muse. It is pretty unbelievable when it's put into perspective.

"Rude as it sounds... I just can't help but think it's such a waste," she laughs bitterly. "I mean, why do awful people get to look so damn good?"

"Heh... yeah, that's a pretty bad thing to say," I agree. "But, like I said last night, you don't know him like I do. He can be really fucking sincere. He's not an awful person."

"Hard to imagine," she murmurs. "What's he like when he's being nice?"

"He laughs... smiles," I start. "It's like he forgets to keep the wall up. When we sleep together, it feels really personal. It just feels right. I mean... I've never experienced anything like it." I quickly add, "No offence."

She snickers. "None taken... We weren't the best match."

"Hm," I muse aloud some more. "I saved his life a while ago. Not when he tried to off himself, but before that."

"Damn," she whispers.

"He's had... a really rough time of things," I explain. "I can understand why he's so damn cold... Plus, he's ill."

"Doesn't make it okay," she murmurs.

"I know," I shrug, "I just mean... I get it now. I never used to. Walk a mile in someone else's shoes and all that, right? People always have a reason for being bitter. I mean, I always knew there was something wrong with him, but then I actually started trying hard to be his friend. It was worth it, either way. Hinata always told me to stop being an ass-hat because he was likely going through some shit. I never really gave any thought to the things she said to me, but I guess, in the end, she was right. I realized it and I realized I didn't want to keep making his days worse."

Sakura forces a smile, but remains silent.

"What is it?" I ask.

"It's nothing," she insists.

"Y'know, I've missed this," I tell her.

"What?" she asks.

"You," I chuckle. "I missed talking to you..."

She softens noticeably. "I missed it, too."

||XxXx||

Sakura stays for dinner and when we're done eating, we retreat back to my room and chill on my bed. We talk some more and around 6PM, the doorbell rings. I hear my mom answer it and a minute later, Sasuke walks into my room. His hair is damp and he's wearing plaid pajama pants with a t-shirt. He probably just showered. He looks surprised to see Sakura sitting on my bed and his thin eyebrows draw together. "Hey," I greet.

"Hey," Sakura smiles at him.

He nods at the both of us before slowly sauntering into my room.

"You're dressed down," Sakura notes. She's probably never seen him look casual. He dresses impeccably at school, unless it's a practise day. Then he wears shorts.

"Hn," he replies, wrapping his arms around himself in what looks like an unconscious gesture.

"So, what's up?" I ask him.

He shakes his head. "Nothing." I feel myself soften. He's probably going to remain tight-lipped until Sakura leaves. "What were you guys doing before I got here?" he asks suddenly.

"Not much," Sakura and I say in unison.

He scoffs at that. "Lie," he calls us out. "You were talking about me, weren't you? Naruto is pretty fucking good at telling everyone all my secrets."

"I wasn't telling secrets," I murmur.

"Well, go on," he waves his hand, dismissing my weak protest. "Don't let me stop you."

I'm silent and so is Sakura.

"Fine," he mutters. "I'll leave. I can tell when I'm not wanted."

"Sasuke, wait –" I call, following him out. Sakura, fortunately, stays behind. He stops in the middle of the hallway and I force him to look at me. "Talk," I demand quietly.

"You told me to come to you," he murmurs, sounding suddenly anxious, "so I did... but she's here."

"Oh..." is all I say.

He shakes his head. "It's okay, Naruto. You're allowed to have friends. I'm just being a whiny prick."

"Don't leave," I plead. "You're not being a whiny prick... Please, don't leave."

"I won't," he says. "I'll go talk with your mom or something."

"Okay," I relent, letting him go. "For the record, I'm sorry."

He shakes his head again. "It's fine, Naruto. Enough apologies or the word sorry will lose its meaning. I'm not excusing your idiocy, I'm just forgiving it. Okay?"

"Okay," I say softly.

He softens slightly. "You have a big mouth. You've always been like that. I know it's not going to change overnight. I know you don't mean it as a betrayal. You're just so simple minded you don't really realize what you're doing. You do need to work on it, though." He shrugs and adds, "Now Sakura and Kiba both know about us... about me."

"Yeah," I whisper. Part of me is glad he's being so understanding, but the other part of me feels even worse about it.

"It's fine," he decides.

"Is it?" I wonder.

He nods, once again insisting, "It's fine. Just try not to tell anyone else."

"If you say so," I murmur.

He offers me a small smile. "Idiot."

"Bastard," I return lightly.

He chuckles as he walks down the stairs. I retreat to my room, feeling good about the fact that Sasuke, for once, came to me. Though, I feel bad I can't be with him right now. Would it be rude of me to kick Sakura out?

"What happened?" Sakura asks. "You look kind of relieved."

"I am," I admit with a laugh.

"Why's that?" she pries.

I sit back down next to her and add, "I don't really get it... but I guess sometimes he gets a certain way. Anyway, a while ago I told him to come to me instead of running... so he finally did."

"He was more soft-spoken today," she comments. "Though he somehow knew we were talking about him."

"He always knows," I mutter.

"I've been wondering something..." she starts, changing the subject. "You know how Sasuke disappeared for a while? When he returned, he was scratched up but everyone was saying he fell and was in a coma. That isn't true, is it?"

"Something happened," is all I say.

"What?" she pries.

I shake my head.

"What happened?" she pries again. I shake my head once more. I'm not going to say. I can't say it. I literally can't. I think Sakura understands this, so she simply says, "All right, you don't have to tell me. It's not really my business, huh? You've already told me more than you should and he got pissed at you for it."

"Yeah," I mutter, frowning.

"Does he take drugs a lot?" she wonders. "I never pegged him as the type... I thought he would be the kind of person who liked keeping his mind sharp. I can't see him as the type of person who would want to play around with his senses."

I snort back a laugh. "Yeah..." It sucks, because they don't mix with the drugs he is supposed to be taking. It's sad. I don't want to tell him how to live his life, but... I do wish he wouldn't do cocaine. That's just gross.

"From what I saw last night, it makes him a bit crazy," she murmurs.

"No, don't put it like that," I say.

"Tsk tsk," she clicks her tongue. "Do you want me to leave?" she offers knowingly. "It's fine if you do, Naruto. I won't be offended. I get that some things are a little more important than social hour."

"I don't know whether or not you're being sarcastic or not," I laugh nervously.

She smiles sincerely. "I'm not." She stands up and requests, "Walk me to the door?"

"Sure," I nod.

We leave my room and walk down the stairs. She slips her shoes back on and hugs me before leaving. Things seem to be going back to normal between us and I find that really comforting. Once she's gone, I turn into the kitchen and find Sasuke sitting at the table with my mom. They're chatting and drinking tea.

"Hey," I greet them.

"Hi, sweetie," Mom says, while Sasuke just smiles.

"I've come to steal him," I kid.

Sasuke stands up ad puts his empty cup in the sink. He looks at my mom and gives her a sincere, "Thank you," before following me out of the room.

"No canoodling!" she warns jokingly... or perhaps she's not joking.

I just snicker, dragging Sasuke away. We go upstairs, settling in my room. "Sorry," I apologize.

He shrugs, lying on my bed. "Don't worry." A pause. "Um, do you think you'll get back together with Sakura?"

"What?" I raise an eyebrow. "No way. Where's that coming from?"

"I don't know," he murmurs. "You just seemed... really happy with her today. Kind of like you got something back that you missed."

"In a way, I did," I admit. "But it wasn't romance. It was friendship."

"Oh," is all he says.

"Were you worried it was more than that?" I wonder.

"Maybe," he mumbles.

I won't force answers out of him. I won't try to get him to say anything he isn't ready to say. "So, was it weird chilling with my mom?" I ask, lying next to him.

"Not at all," he says. "Your mom is really nice. To be honest, I thought she'd be a little standoffish around me since she knows what we've been up to."

"Oh," I laugh. "No way. She's not like that. She was surprised, but she's over it. She thinks the world of you. So, what did you guys talk about?"

He smiles slightly. "She called me out. She said I looked upset. Weirdly, I admitted I was. Your mom is pretty easy to talk to. I guess my mom is, too... but it's different talking to your own mom."

"Yeah, I can understand that," I tell him.

"She said she was proud of me..." he murmurs. "I asked her why, because I didn't understand how she could be proud of me. My own parents aren't even proud of me."

"I'm sure they are..." I try to reason.

"They never say it," he whispers, "but your mom did... She said she was proud of me because, even though I've been through too much shit, I'm still moving. I almost lost it right there, so I tried to swallow... but she told me I didn't have to. So I got a little teary." Unsure of what to say, I just reach for his hand and hold it against my chest. A short moment later, he continues to talk. "She told me you loved me. I told her I knew..." his voice breaks and he lets out a breath before weakly continuing, "and I told her I loved you too. I... I told her before I told you..."

I can feel my heart palpitating. I'm sure he can feel it, too. Still, I say nothing. I'm not really sure what to say, but I'm happy. He lets out a quiet sob and apologizes after a brief silence.

"Sh," I murmur. I roll to my side and pull him close.

"I do..." he whispers wetly. "I do love you... I love you..."

I can feel him shaking against me. I wonder how long it's been since he's said those words. "I love you, too," I tell him. He rolls over in my hold and pushes his face into my chest.

For a while, we just stay like this. Soon, he stops shaking and he relaxes. It feels right, having him here like this. It feels the way it should.

"I'll try harder," he promises.

"You already are," I tell him, because I can sense it.

"I'll... I'll be better," he continues. "For me, for you... and I'll be nicer to your friends..."

"Well, don't be too nice," I joke. "I wouldn't want you to change completely." Besides, I like being the one he's nicest to. He pinches my side a second later and I ask him how he feels.

"Okay," he says.

"Okay," I echo.

After a brief pause he asks, "Why won't you sleep with me?" His voice shakes. He's really emotional tonight. "It is because of what I did? Is it because I got an infection?"

"No! You didn't do anything wrong," I say with finality. "I mean it, okay?"

He rubs his face against my shoulder. "Then why won't you sleep with me?" he asks again. "I want to sleep with you... but you don't want to sleep with me."

"I do..." I murmur, "I just... I want to give you space if you need it."

"I don't want space," he whispers, placing a hand on my abdomen. "I don't want time... I just want you."

"All right," I say quietly.

"Stop pushing me away," he pleads wetly, digging his nails into me.

"I'm not," I start, but the words are dead to his ears so I correct myself. "I mean... yeah. I'm sorry. I'll stop."

He sits up, breaking free of my hold and wiping his eyes. "Ugh," he sniffles. "Look at me... getting so fucking emotional."

"I don't mind," I tell him sincerely. I like being the one he trusts enough to see the vulnerable side of him.

He shakes his head, exhaling. "I should go home. It's a school night." He crawls over me and gets off the bed.

I follow him out of the room and to the front door. "See you tomorrow?" I ask.

"Mhm," he says. He leans forward, pressing his lips to mine quickly before drawing back. "Bye," he smiles.

"Bye," I smile in return, opening the door for him and watching him go. It's dark, but the streetlights are lit and the moon is high. I watch him for another minute before closing the door. When I turn around, I walk into the kitchen to find my mom.

"Daddy will be home shortly," she says.

"Where was he all day?" I ask. "He doesn't work Sundays."

"He went out with Fugaku," she explains. "Funny as it sounds, I think they went shopping."

I snicker at that.

"So, speaking of... How's Sasuke?" she asks.

"Like you don't know," I snort. "I heard you guys had a pretty heavy conversation."

She smiles softly. "He's a sweet boy. He just has a hard life and both his parents work, so even though they care immensely, sometimes they can't be there when he needs them to be."

I wouldn't know what that's like. My mom doesn't work. I'm pretty thankful for that, even though in my early teen years I wanted nothing more than for both of my parents to fuck off... I'm thankful now. Rebellious phases come and go. I'm glad mine was over quick. I look back on myself and still feel the need to apologize for being a little asshole to my parents.

||XxXx||

My Dad gets home within the hour and tells us about his day. "You should've seen Fugaku trying to shop for an anniversary gift," he chuckles.

Mom laughs at that. Afterward, she heats him up something to eat and the two of them continue to chat. I stick around for a while before retiring. I tell them I'm going to shower and head to bed. Then I say I love them, because I still feel like I don't tell them enough.

I feel better, though. I feel a lot better than I did yesterday and the day before that. I feel like a weight has been lifted. Sasuke is finally being honest. He's agreed to try harder and it's already holding true.