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“This is stupid,” Naruto grunted.
Muffled music filled the small, dark closet that the two boys had just been shoved into. Sakura’s parents were out of town and to celebrate their recent high school graduation, she’d thrown a party, complete with stereotypical party games. 7 minutes in heaven is what it was called, apparently, and their names had been drawn. The blond couldn’t be more glad that the light was off. His face radiated so much heat he wouldn’t be surprised if his best friend could feel it.
It started small. First he found himself noticing small details of Sasuke’s face. How soft his skin looked, his dark, long lashes, his perfectly shaped eyebrows. His hair that stuck up at unnatural angles made Naruto want to run his hands through it, to see if it would retain its shape, to see if it was as supple as it looked. He found himself dreaming of those dark eyes, a deep charcoal that seemed to penetrate wherever they looked, betraying the almost terrifying intelligence behind them.
By the time he’d realized what he was feeling, it was far too late. He’d never felt anything like this towards another boy, and he’d never felt anything so strongly for anyone before. It was almost magnetic.
“Yeah,” Sasuke finally agreed, startling him from his reverie. “It is stupid.”
Naruto shuffled uncomfortably in the small room, groaning.
“What are we supposed to do for 7 entire minutes?”
“It’s less than that now, idiot.”
He let out an annoyed huff. Leave it to Sasuke to be pedantic.
“Still, that’s a long time to be stuck in a closet with you.” For reasons he’d rather not get into.
“What’s the point?!”
“Think about it, usuratonkachi. 7 minutes in heaven. The point is to hook up.”
Naruto spluttered. How could Sasuke say something with such a straight face? Well, he assumed, seeing as it was pitch dark, but his voice held no shame whatsoever. The same even tone as always.
“But we’re two guys.”
A long silence fell between them. Sasuke let out a short sigh.
“Leave it to you to say something so completely idiotic, Naruto.”
Did he sound disappointed? Hurt?
“I mean, I don’t think there’s anything bad about it. I….” he trailed off, then froze. “Are you... ?”
“Am I what, idiot?”
“Are you… Do you like guys? Like that?”
Stupid. Stupid. His heart hammered in his chest and his tongue felt thick in his mouth. Sasuke said nothing for a time and he thought he may die of anticipation.
“Do you have a problem with that?”
A non answer, but a Sasuke answer. His heart jumped in his chest and he shuffled just slightly closer to the other boy, bumping into his knee in the dark.
“No. I… No. I just didn’t know.” Naruto let out a small laugh, running a hand through his blond spikes. “Uh, how much time do we have left?”
“Why would you ask me?”
He reached out a hand blindly, carefully, until he brushed Sasuke’s hair. The other boy flinched, startled, but did not recoil.
“Naruto.”
It sounded almost like a warning. Neither of them moved.
“I’ve never kissed anyone,” Naruto finally breathed, embarrassed. There was a pause before Sasuke replied.
“You don’t have to. It’s just a stupid game.”
His tone was as even as ever, but quiet, careful, and Naruto felt a hand hesitantly come to rest on his knee. His breath caught in his throat.
“I know.”
He moved even closer. He twirled a strand of dark hair around his finger. It was just as soft and sleek as he’d imagined. He opened his mouth to speak, paused, then forced himself to finish.
“But… I’d kind of like it to be you.”
The hand came off his knee. Naruto’s stomach fell, but before he could retreat in shame, he felt two strong hands cup the sides of his face.
“Sasu-”
He was cut off as Sasuke leaned forward, pressing their lips together. Heat pooled in his gut and his heart wrenched in his chest. He slipped a hand around Sasuke’s neck and cupped the back of his head, fingers entwining in that wild, dark hair. Naruto caught a short breath as Sasuke’s tongue slipped between his parted lips; a heavy shudder ran down his spine and he couldn’t hold back a low moan. Sasuke broke apart from him just for a moment.
“Shh,” he hushed, and pulled Naruto back in for another kiss. Breathless, they continued, Sasuke’s tongue hot and slick against his. When they finally broke apart again, Naruto felt the soft curl of a smile forming as he ran a thumb across his cheek.
“You’re bad at this,” Sasuke muttered, but the heat radiating to Naruto’s hand from his soft cheek and the shortness of his breath betrayed his true feelings.
“Teach me, then.”
Sasuke gave a short laugh at that. Warmth bloomed in his chest. He wished he could have seen the smile that went along with it.
“Okay.”
A loud knock at the door startled them away from each other.
“Okay boys, time’s up!” Sakura threw the door open, blinding them both. “How was your time in heaven?”
They looked at each other, then at the crowd formed around the door. Naruto could feel his face burning, but somehow, Sasuke seemed perfectly composed.
“Pointless game. Boring, really,” Sasuke said as he stood up, straightening his clothes as he exited the closet.
Naruto laughed loudly, too loudly. His heart sank like a stone in his chest.
“Yeah, really stupid. We just talked about how dumb it was the whole time.”
It was stupid. Stupid of him to think anything could ever come of it.
“You two are absolutely no fun! Whatever, it’s Kiba and Hinata’s turn now,” Ino said as she shoved the two next victims through the closet door.
“Naruto. Come outside with me?” Sasuke asked as he fished a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket.
Naruto nodded, following him out the sliding glass door to Sakura’s back yard. They sat together on a bench and Naruto waited as patiently as he could as Sasuke lit a cigarette and took a long drag. True to form, Naruto couldn’t stand the silence and words came up like a fountain.
“I know it was a stupid game, and I know it probably didn’t mean anything, but I really am glad it was you.”
Another pause as Sasuke exhaled, then took another long drag.
“And… I don’t care that you’re…” (Just say it) “gay. I don’t care. Because… I think I might be too. Or at least something like it. I mean, I still like girls, but--”
“Naruto.”
He stopped, embarrassed, and fidgeted in his seat.
“It’s okay. I like you too.”
Naruto, mouth agape, whipped his head towards Sasuke, who was looking straight forward, as calm as always.
“You… You what?”
“You heard me.”
Those dark eyes were on him and he felt like he was floating.
“So when’s our next lesson?” He breathed.
Sasuke let out a short exhale of laughter, cracking a small smile. He extinguished his cigarette on the ground and set it beside him to throw away later.
“Now.”
Naruto slipped an arm around his waist as their lips met again; the tobacco had left a spicy aftertaste in Sasuke’s mouth and despite it Naruto couldn’t get enough.