Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Sasuke unlocked the front door of the empty bar and let himself in. The sun was setting and the bar would soon open. It was a hotspot; being right at the edge of the university helped bring in a ton of business. The bar was owned by his brother and his husband, Deidara, but the blonde was the one who held the reigns. Itachi liked to joke that he just signed the checks and checked him out. Sasuke found that second part gross.

Deidara was busy behind the bar, shuffling around empty beer boxes after putting them in the fridge. He noticed Sasuke walking towards him and grinned.

“Hey,” Sasuke threw the keys on the bar top and took a seat on a stool, “What are you doing?” He saw Deidara move other new boxes to the side.

Deidara wiped the sweat off his brow, “I have a big beer order for a party.”

The omega raised an eyebrow, “Bars don’t usually provide that?” Not that he really knew what was needed to run a bar. He usually just came to hang out and get free drinks. He would occasionally fill in if they needed extra hands.

Deidara nodded, “Yeah but I made an exception. I owed them a favor.”

“Ah,” Sasuke nodded in understanding, “Need help?” The bartenders were supposed to arrive in an hour but probably wouldn’t accompany him to the party.

“Can you help me take it?”

Despite being a fellow omega, Deidara was more than capable of taking care of himself. Still, ever since his nephew was born seven months ago, Deidara was now more cautious of his safety.

He shrugged, “Sure, I have no other plans.” He had planned on hanging out here for the rest of the night unless it got too crowded.

“That’s because you’re a loner,” Deidara snickered. Despite being heavily tattooed, Sasuke was still extremely popular on campus. Sasuke thought that the tattoos would scare people away but it didn’t seem to sway them at all. Deidara always poked fun at him about it, telling him about all the girls that would sit at the bar, hoping for him to show up.

Sasuke couldn’t deny that he was a loner. He wasn’t a social person. He had a close group of friends and a large family. If he ever felt lonely or needed company, all he needed to do was message them. He’d never particularly cared about being in relationships. He wasn’t a fuckboy like his best friend, but he’d had a few one-night stands. Spending heats with others was entirely out of the question. He didn’t want to spend a vulnerable time with someone he barely knew. The university had a specific building to help omegas in heat, and he preferred to go there.

He walked around the bar and helped Deidara carry some beer boxes to the back of his Land Rover. He was glad he had stopped by when he suddenly saw Deidara was about to load a heavy keg. Deidara had just had a baby a few months ago. It didn’t take a genius to figure out it probably wouldn’t be a good idea for him to load that.

They pulled up outside of the frat house, where Sasuke insisted that they should tell the frat guys to pick up the damn beer. It was the least they could do. He followed Deidara in, helping the blond look for his friend. Eventually, they finished unloading everything and instead of leaving, Deidara decided to catch up for a bit with his friend, leaving Sasuke standing in the corner, not knowing what else to do.

He glanced around the room, scowling at the noise, the hot, stale air, the smell of sweaty alphas, and weed. He hated frat parties with a passion. Actually, he hated frats and alphas in general. It brought out alpha's inner beasts and made them extra rowdy. The need to one-up each other and show off to other omegas.

Yet here he was, annoyed as hell and surrounded by drunk, smelly idiots. It was everything he despised. He promised himself next time, he’ll make Itachi or another bartender help. He just wanted to go back to the bar and have a drink with his brother, go home, shower the smell of beer and smoke away, and sleep. Maybe read a crime novel before bed.

Sasuke spotted one of his relentless pursuers across the room, jade eyes widening when she saw he was there. She handed her drink to her friend and started to push people aside. Deidara stood behind her, which meant he'd have to walk past her if he wanted to tell Deidara he wanted to leave. And this girl was fucking crazy. He had once caught her smelling a sweater he had accidentally left behind one day. He’d already rejected her multiple times, and it only made her more persistent.

He quickly turned and walked down the hall, darting between people, and headed towards the back, looking for some sort of room, closet, or empty bathroom where he could hide.

He opened the first room he found at the back and snuck in, taking a deep breath. He leaned against the door, hoping that Sakura didn’t find him. The room was dimly lit with twinkling lights, light blue paint, an LED orange light with Naruto in beautiful cursive, and the most soothing scent he’d ever smelled in his life. It screamed alpha but it wasn’t disgusting compared to any other he had smelled.

Dark eyes met surprised blues, who was most likely the room's owner. He was in bed, tucked under the thick covers with matching grey pajama pants and shirt, blonde hair pulled in a messy bun at the top of his head, and thick black-rimmed glasses. He lowered his noise-cancelling headphones to his neck, looking at him warily. He didn’t look hostile, only very confused.

Sasuke cleared his throat, “Uh – sorry.”

The doorknob rattled, a shrill voice asking for Sasuke in excitement.

The blonde quickly nodded in understanding, crawling from under the covers, “You can hide in the bathroom if you want. I’ll open the door.” Sasuke took a second to notice how the blonde spoke kindly despite his towering height and muscled chest. His voice was deep but also gentle. It was a very odd combination.

Sasuke turned, ducking into the bathroom while Naruto opened the door. It was too dark to make out the details in the bathroom, but it smelled incredible. The scent wasn’t like the manufactured masculine scents that were sold in stores that would make ‘omegas go crazy’. It smelled like amber and vanilla. He could vaguely see that the shower had more products than just the typical 3-in-1 shampoo and tiny bar of soap.

He heard the alpha’s voice, “Hi?”

Sakura drunkenly asked for Sasuke, and Naruto told her that he didn’t know anyone by that name. She kept asking for him, insisting he was in there and trying to peek past him, but Naruto insisted that he had no idea who that was. She eventually left with an annoyed huff, going to other rooms to look for him, and Naruto shut the door.

“You can come out now.”

Sasuke came out of the bathroom with a sigh of relief, “Thank you. I’m Sasuke.” He pointed to the LED sign, “Naruto, I’m guessing?”  

He smiled, “Yeah it was a gift.”

He crawled under the covers and tucked himself back into the bed, leaning against the cream-colored headboard. Sasuke had imagined as a guy living in a frat house, he would have his mattress on the floor, a shitty single dirty bedsheet, and clothes thrown everywhere. It was not like that at all. It was clean and organized. There weren’t any dirty plates or snacks everywhere. He had healthy plants on hanging shelves, a comfortable emerald green rug, and a tank with a turtle. Even his desk was clean and not covered in crumbs.

He picked up the very book Sasuke had been looking forward to reading later that night when he got home, “You like crime novels?” Sasuke asked, surprised.

He knew true crime had risen in popularity, but he mainly heard of people hearing podcasts or watching videos. He tended to stay away from them. Most of the people spoke too dryly about the case, and he found it distasteful when people said they had a favorite case or that a case wasn’t gruesome enough. These were real cases with real victims and families. He found that only a specific niche read true crime novels.

Naruto nodded, “I have a whole bookshelf.” He pointed to the bookshelf on the other side of the wall, brimming with books.

“That’s really cool.” He could see that they owned some of the same books.

Sasuke asked curiously, “Why aren’t you at the party?” He usually wasn’t one to ask questions to strangers, much less try to carry on a conversation but the blonde was… interesting. He wasn’t like other alphas he’d had the displeasure of meeting.

“It’s not really for me. Loud noises give me migraines, so I just put on my headphones and read or sleep,” Naruto scratched the back of his head. Sasuke quickly glanced at the flexed bicep.

“Oh.” Yet Sasuke found it intriguing that someone lived in a frat house that didn’t fit the stereotype. The mix of Naruto’s scent and the bedroom felt like it was hugging his shoulders, almost soothing. It made him briefly imagine what it would be like to feel those strong arms around him.

“Do you want a beer?” Sasuke offered. He felt like he owed the blonde something for helping him with Sakura. He’d just barged into his bedroom and interrupted his night.

Naruto shook his head, “I don’t drink.” He sent Sasuke a soft kind smile, “Thank you though.”

Sasuke felt he’d overstayed his welcome, yet he dreaded going back to the party. It wasn’t necessarily the noise or the people; it’s that he wanted to be more in Naruto’s presence. Yet he knew there wasn’t much he could say that would excuse him staying. Deidara would probably be looking for him any minute.

Naruto noticed Sasuke glancing at the door, “You can leave from my patio if you’d like. You wouldn’t have to go through the party.”

“Oh. Yeah, thanks.” He asked curiously, “Did you get the best room?”

Naruto nodded with a small grin, “Since I don’t really join parties or anything, I guess they decided to make it up to me. They’re really nice. Even if they get a little crazy sometimes.”

“Ah, I see. I’ll get going now.” Sasuke headed towards the back, giving the blonde a small wave. “Goodnight, Naruto.”

He went back to the bar with Deidara, and instead of staying at the bar, he decided to go home. By the time Sasuke got home, and in bed, he regretted not getting Naruto’s number. He felt slightly ridiculous that a brief interaction had him already rethinking his dislike for all alphas. He wondered if maybe Naruto was just the exception.

You can always message me here!

Chapter Text

Sasuke kept an eye out for the blonde around campus, but he couldn’t find a trace of him in the buildings he looked at or in the library. He wondered if their class schedules were drastically different or if he just wasn’t looking in the right places. There were various buildings to search through and after two weeks, he started to realize he might have to go to another frat party, to his dismay, just to see him. He’d hoped to run into him and casually ask for his number. He wasn’t even sure if the alpha would give it to him, but his desire to know more about the alpha convinced him to at least try.

Deidara going to the frat house was just a one-time thing, and since it was a favor, he couldn’t ask him to go again. Naruto didn’t drink, so he probably wouldn’t see him at a bar. He didn’t want to ask his best friend and party slut, Suigetsu, because he knew the man would be annoying about it. He had stopped trying to get Sasuke to hook up with alphas when Sasuke kept expressing his disdain for them. Now Suigetsu just tried to get him to hook up with betas or other omegas. Sasuke kept telling Suigetsu he didn’t need help in getting laid.

He had to feign annoyance when Suigetsu asked him to go to a party. He made sure to ask, with his best glare and monotone voice, what frat club. When he said it was the one where the blonde lived, he shrugged. Inside though, he was ecstatic. He needed to make sure he looked good and didn’t forget to ask for Naruto’s number. He needed to keep his head on straight and try not to get flustered, which was an insane thought because he never got flustered.

He put on his favorite beaten-up leather jacket and Doc Marten’s, then headed out. He lived in an apartment off-campus, but it was close enough to campus that he could easily walk where he needed to. He twisted his rings in anticipation, wondering how the night would go. Would Naruto be home? Would he already be asleep? Would he even want to talk to him? Sasuke still didn’t understand why he wanted to talk to the alpha. What was it about that one interaction that made Sasuke want to seek him out?

He met Suigetsu outside of the frat house, who looked at him with a wide grin. Sasuke crinkled his nose when he smelled Suigetsu’s cologne.

“You actually showed up!”

Sasuke rolled his eyes and shoved Suigetsu’s face away. “Let’s get this over with.”

The frat house was filled to the brim again and instead of going towards the back, he waited until Suigetsu got pulled away by another omega. The alpha was extremely popular and he threw an apologetic smile at Sasuke as he was pulled away. Sasuke waved him off, used to it. He waited a couple of minutes before going around the back and knocking on Naruto’s patio door. He wasn’t sure if it would be heard through the loud music. It was already a little past midnight but to his surprise, the door cracked open.

Curious sapphire blue eyes peeked through and fell on Sasuke. His eyes widened, “Sasuke.”

Sasuke smiled, trying to reign in his awkwardness, “Hey.”

The blonde smiled back, “Did you want to come in?”

“Yeah – sure.” Sasuke cringed internally. He sounded like such an idiot. He was usually more confident and composed than this.

He closed the door behind him, and the scent of the alpha punched him in the face. He had forgotten just how damn comforting it was. It made Sasuke’s shoulders relax, as if the entire weight of the world had just been lifted from his shoulders. Naruto moved the black and white desk chair closer to the bed, making room for Sasuke to sit. He crawled back into bed and smiled at Sasuke. His hair was in a bun again, some pieces falling near his eyes. He wasn’t wearing his thick glasses, letting Sasuke see just how beautiful his eyes were. He was wearing another matching pair of pajamas, this time black with orange lining.

Sasuke took off his jacket, showing Naruto the crime book he had brought with him.

“Oh! That’s such a good book.”

He nodded in agreement, “I think so too.” He pointed to the blonde’s bookshelf, “I saw that you had it, so I wanted to bring it. We have a lot of the same books.”

The alpha grinned, “That’s so cool. It gives an interesting view of the killer’s mind without romanticizing it. I’m sure you know how it can get.”

Sasuke leaned forward in the desk chair, “It’s so uncomfortable seeing how many groupies serial killers get. Some of them could also be victims and they don’t even care. They think that they would be the exception.”  

“Yes! Some even get married. It’s so crazy to me.” Naruto moved some pillows as he got more comfortable, “Sorry, it’s a little messy.”

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, “A jacket on the floor doesn’t really count as a mess.”

Naruto laughed. His laugher was melodious and warm. It made Sasuke’s stomach flip. It’s beautiful. “Did you want something to drink? I have a mini fridge so I don’t have to go all the way to the kitchen.” Sasuke got up before Naruto, not wanting the blonde to get up from the bed, grabbing a water for himself and a Gatorade for Naruto.

Naruto took a couple of sips and asked, “So what did you think of the case?”

The book was about Hiruzen Sarutobi, a serial killer who preyed on orphaned children. He drew them in, promising a loving, kind home, then turned out to be a monster when he killed them. It took the police a long time to piece everything together because of the fact the victims were orphaned children.

“It was disgusting that he was able to get away with it for so long,” Sasuke shook his head.

Naruto’s lips curled, “It was despicable. I couldn’t believe how many times he got questioned by the police, and he was able to slip through them countless times.”

They spoke about the true crime novel for about half an hour before the conversation eventually shifted to documentaries, hobbies, and then college.

Sasuke was finally able to ask, “What is your major?”

Naruto tapped a thick textbook next to the bed, “Chemistry, and you?”

“Business. Specifically accounting and finance.”

Naruto’s eyebrows raised, “Oh wow. I didn’t picture you to be in business. I thought it would be art or law.” He sheepishly smiled, “I thought art because of the tattoos but you also look really smart, so I thought maybe law.”

He smirked, “I’m full of surprises.”

Naruto laughed, “Yeah, you definitely are.” His eyes were filled with mirth, and Sasuke loved seeing him like that. He really enjoyed their conversations. They had a lot of similar interests, and the alpha was ridiculously smart. He was so kind and genuine. Sasuke couldn’t remember when the last time was he felt so comfortable with someone he barely knew. Especially an alpha. Suigetsu had been his friend since high school and it had taken him a while to accept that they were maybe possibly kind of friends.

Sasuke’s phone kept vibrating incessantly and he pulled it out. Speaking of fucking Suigetsu.  

He rolled his eyes, “It’s my drunk friend.”

The alpha put his chin on his hand, “Is he here at the party?”

Sasuke looked at the numerous drunk messages from Suigetsu. They barely made any sense. “Yeah. He’s telling me about some girl he made out with.”

Naruto playfully asked, “So, did you come here willingly? You did bring your crime novel.”

He kept looking at his phone to avoid Naruto’s gaze, “It was completely by chance.”

Naruto laughed, “So you were going to be the ‘not like other guys’ and read at a party?”

Sasuke held back a blush and looked up, looking at Naruto’s playful smile. He was so beautiful. “Nope. It was all a coincidence.”

Naruto leaned forward, pressing a hand on his chest, “And here I thought you came because you wanted to see me.”

He shrugged, trying to play it cool. “Maybe that too.” His phone started vibrating again, Suigetsu calling now.

Naruto stared at Sasuke, his gaze soft. He found Sasuke so gorgeous and interesting. The omega had sought him out of his own volition. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to be friends, just fuck, or if he was interested in him, but Naruto was willing to take anything Sasuke wanted to give him. He liked Sasuke’s style and his intense, piercing gaze.

Naruto wasn’t necessarily popular. He was friendly and drew people’s attention, but he’d had bad experiences in middle school and high school that hurt his self-esteem, leaving him guarded. As an orphan, he was used to being alone. He’d stayed in a group home until he aged out of the system. He’d worked hard in high school to get a full-ride scholarship, and now he had a part-time job at the university to help cover his expenses. Loneliness wasn’t a feeling. It was a constant. He didn’t really know anything else. All of his crushes never really liked him back, and in college, many people just wanted quick flings. The only times he’d ever had sex in college was near his ruts when his horniness amplified.

A commotion outside drew their attention, making them turn towards the door. It sounded like people were yelling and throwing things around. Naruto frowned and got up, Sasuke following him. The air was tense, the smell of angry alphas and scared omegas thick in the air. They got into the living room, seeing two alphas in each other’s faces yelling. There was another alpha with a busted lip being held back by his friends.

Sasuke turned when he heard his name called, Suigetsu moving in between people to get to him.

“Dude! Where have you been?”

“Around. What happened?” He saw Naruto talking to another guy, a frown on his face.

“Some guy was hitting on this cute chick, and she kept rejecting him. He wouldn’t take no for an answer. Apparently, she’s the cousin of a guy who lives here. He fucking punched the creep.”

Sasuke saw the omega, her lilac eyes filled with tears and her nose red. She was yelling at what Sasuke assumed was the cousin to calm down. The girl saw Naruto and ran over, asking him something. Sasuke clenched his jaw when he saw the way she placed her hands on his chest. Despite the situation, she had a blush on her face. He felt a smug satisfaction when the alpha grabbed the girl’s wrists, smoothly removing her hands from his chest.

Suigetsu whistled, “Damn, he’s hot as fuck.”

Sasuke ignored Suigetsu’s comment and watched as Naruto tried talking to the girl’s cousin. The other guy seemed to get even angrier and suddenly tried to get in Naruto’s face. It was a bold move when Naruto was taller and bigger than the guy. Sasuke saw Naruto square his shoulders and stare the guy down. Despite all the mixtures of scents in the room, Sasuke could smell Naruto’s scent thickening. It cut through all the scents and made Sasuke’s stomach twist. It made him want to interfere and calm him down. Even with his gentle demeanor, he was intimidating. Sasuke didn’t feel scared of him, he was worried that the other guy was going to get the shit beat out of him, and then Naruto would get in trouble. Eventually, the guy turned, motioning for his friends to leave. The girl’s cousin and another guy dragged Naruto away, and Suigetsu told him it was time to leave.

Sasuke went home, annoyed that he didn’t get Naruto’s number again.

You can find me here! 

Chapter Text

“What are you thinking so deeply about?” Itachi interrupted his musings as he swirled a glass of the finest whiskey at the bar. One of those $300 bottles that Itachi kept in his office. It was now Sunday, two days after the party, and Sasuke was irritated. He didn’t want to wait until Suigetsu invited him to another party, but he didn’t want to just show up at Naruto’s house. He at least knew that the blonde had classes in the Chem building, but he found it a little embarrassing to just show up and look for him. 

“Classes.” Sasuke lied. He usually told Itachi everything, but he’d never been in a situation like this and it was kind of embarrassing. 

Itachi took a seat next to him and poured himself a glass, “I don’t think classes would make you drink from this specific bottle. It’s not even finals.” Damn Itachi. He knew him too well. He always sucked at lying at Itachi and it was futile to keep trying, but he was stubborn. 

Sasuke sighed, “It's… a guy.”

He stayed quiet, waiting for Sasuke to continue. The conversation already piqued his interest. Thankfully they were the only ones at the bar for now. He doubted Sasuke would want to talk about it if there were others around listening.

“I met this guy when I went with Deidara to that frat party to drop off the beer. He lives there and he’s… fascinating.”

Itachi asked, “Is it an alpha?” He knew how much his brother disliked alphas, and if he was this confused, there had to be more to it.

Sasuke nodded, “But he’s not like others I’ve met.” He told Itachi about Naruto’s personality. About the things he noticed while being in his room, about the blonde’s hobbies and about his interests. How Naruto made him feel and how he willingly went to a frat party just to go see him. The more he spoke the more Itachi’s eyebrows raised. He could see the excitement in his brother’s voice, his twinkling eyes, and the small smiles as he talked about their conversations.

“He sounds amazing. Have you seen him again?”

Sasuke shook his head, “I didn’t get the chance to ask for his number. Again.” He told him about the fight at the party and how Naruto was taken away after things slightly calmed down. 

Itachi rubbed his chin, “Ah. That does sound frustrating. Do you think he’s seeing someone?”

He ran his finger over the rim of the glass, “I don’t think so. He didn’t smell like he was with anyone and I didn’t see any pictures.” His room had smelled only of him the two times he had gone. If he was with Naruto, he would make sure his scent was everywhere. 

“From what you’re telling me, I think that you might have to be the one to show your intentions. He sounds really respectful, almost guarded. I don’t think he’d make any moves on you even if he was interested.”

“I think so too. And that’s not something I’m good at. I’ve never done it.”

Itachi tapped his fingers on the bar top, “That’s true. But I know you, and I know that you can do it. I think the best thing you can do is be honest with him and tell him how you feel. Don’t play any games—not that I think you would.”

Sasuke thought over Itachi’s words.

Itachi continued, “You know the building he’s usually in and where he lives. You don’t need to go with Suigetsu or anyone to see him. You don’t need to make excuses. Just be honest.”

“You’re right. I’m going to do that.” Sasuke finished his drink and nudged Itachi with his shoulder. “Thank you.”

He smirked, “You can pay me back for my amazing advice by introducing us.”

Sasuke groaned. His family would freak out. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to expose Naruto to his crazy family.

Naruto sat in his lecture, taking notes. He liked printing the PowerPoints ahead of time and writing down any extra information needed. In high school, he didn’t have a laptop and had to do his schoolwork by hand or go to the library. The group home only had one computer for everyone to share. Once he saved up enough money to get a laptop, he found that he still preferred to write down notes by hand.

He'd already read this chapter and done some of the test problems, even the ones that were optional. He found his thoughts shifting and thinking about Sasuke. He hadn’t seen Sasuke again and while he knew what building he was probably in, he didn’t feel like he should go searching for him. As much as he enjoyed talking to Sasuke, he felt like the omega would probably forget about him soon. He didn’t find himself particularly interesting like Sasuke.

Neji was sitting next to him on his phone, scrolling through social media. The lecture was almost over and Neji had already packed up. They would occasionally study together though Naruto enjoyed studying by himself.

He leaned over and showed Naruto his phone, “Shikamaru wants us to go to this bar for his birthday.”

Neji knew that Naruto probably wouldn’t go but everyone had been trying to get Naruto to go out more. They hoped that since he was close to Shikamaru, it would convince him to go. The alpha did spend time with them when they went to other places or at the house but he didn’t particularly enjoy going out to bars or clubs.

Naruto grabbed the phone and scrolled through the bar pictures. It was a really nice bar—not too high-end but not sleazy either, like some of the ones the guys liked going to. Then he saw a picture of Sasuke standing next to what he guessed was probably his brother or cousin and their mate. There were a bunch of comments under the pictures from people gushing over Sasuke. Huh. It looked like they were the owners.

Neji didn’t notice Naruto pausing to look at the picture, since the professor dismissed the class, and they got up. Naruto handed Neji back the phone, asking Neji when it was that Shikamaru wanted to go.

“Friday. He has an exam and project this week.”

Naruto hums, “I’ll think about it.”

Neji rolled his eyes and tapped Naruto's head playfully, “You need to go out more.” He was used to Naruto saying he’ll ‘think about it’, and he never shows up. The alpha was ridiculously good looking and he never understood why he wasn’t interested in getting laid. He had people going up to him to get Naruto’s number and asking for information about him. He never gave it to them but it always puzzled him. Even his cousin was infatuated with him.

Naruto grinned, “Let me finish my assignments and I’ll see how I feel.”

Neji sighed, “Fine. If you need help, let me know.” He knew Naruto would never ask, but he always threw the invitation out there. They waved their goodbyes, and Neji headed to another building.

Naruto sat in the lounge area by the entrance of the Chem building. His next class wouldn’t start for another 45 minutes, and he felt he needed a coffee. He usually just filled a thermos at home with coffee but he had rushed to class and left it in his room accidentally. He was going through his backpack when the smell of Sasuke hit his nose. He looked up and saw Sasuke smirking at him, his backpack swung over his shoulder.

“Hey handsome.” The words slipped from Sasuke’s mouth before he could stop them.

Naruto blinked, stunned at the words. “H – hey.” Sasuke looked devilishly handsome, his smirk playful.

“Can I sit?”

“Yeah of course.” Naruto moved his backpack. Sasuke took a seat and Naruto could see his creamy legs were also tattooed under the rips of his dark jeans. He felt a little guilty for checking Sasuke out, but he couldn’t help it. “Do you have a science elective here?”

Sasuke shook his head, “I was hoping to run into you.”

“Oh!” Naruto played with the strings of his favorite powder blue hoodie, “I didn’t think I’d see you again.”

He raised an eyebrow, bewildered, “Why?”

Naruto shrugged, “I don’t know. I figured you probably would get busy with other things.”

Sasuke tugged on Naruto’s strings, making the blonde look at him. “I really wanted to see you again.”

He looked into Sasuke’s dark beautiful eyes. His eyelashes were so thick and long, “I wanted to see you too.” 

The omega pulled out his phone. “I wanted to ask for your number last time, but we got interrupted.”

Naruto laughed, “I’d love to give you my number.” He pulled out his own phone and they exchanged numbers.

Sasuke remembered Itachi’s words from the other night. He needed to make his intentions clear to Naruto.

“I’m interested in getting to know you.”

Naruto smiled, “I want to be your friend too.”

Sasuke shook his head, “I don’t only want to be friends.”

The alpha’s eyebrows raised, “You want to have sex?”

A flush spread on Sasuke's face at the blunt question, “No! Well, yes. But no, I want more than that.”

Naruto’s eyes widened, “Oh. You’d want… to date?”

Sasuke avoided his gaze, stomach twisting from the nerves that Naruto would reject him. “Yes.” He’d been prepared for the possibility of being rejected, but actually waiting for the answer was making him fidget.

Naruto stayed quiet for a moment and gently cupped Sasuke’s face, hand shaking slightly. “I would love that.”

“Really?”

The alpha murmured as he rubbed Sasuke’s cheek with his thumb, “Yeah.”

He placed his hand over Naruto’s, “Do you want to come over later?  We can order dinner and hang out.”

“Yeah! This next class is my last. Do you nearby?”

Sasuke nodded, “Yeah. I figured you could come to check out my apartment since I’ve barged into your room twice.”

Naruto laughed, “I’ll snoop around.”

“I’ll send you my address. Does 6 sound good?”

“I’ll be there.”

Sasuke stood up with a shy smile, slinging his backpack over his shoulder. “I’ll see you later.”

Naruto waved him off and looked down at his lap, a huge smile on his face. He couldn’t believe that someone he liked was interested in him too. Not just in being his friend or hooking up.

Sasuke walked out of the building with his heart hammering. Holy fuck. He couldn’t believe he did that. He called Naruto handsome and then fucking told him he was interested in dating. He rubbed his hand over his face when he remembered he also said yes to having sex too. He’d never been so upfront about his feelings.

Naruto had said yes.

You can find me here! 

Chapter Text

TW: mentions of depression and SH and s. ideation. 

I wanted to take this opportunity to deeply apologize to my readers for being away for so long. I haven't forgotten about you and I always feel so happy seeing your comments. 

My depressive episodes have taken a turn for the worst and I haven't been doing well. I had been staying afloat but have relapsed and gotten into darker thoughts. The state of the economy here has given me horrible financial troubles and it's one of my biggest triggers that can quickly throw me over the edge. 

The year and a half before I started uploading my works was my longest and darkest period of my s. ideation and around that time there was also a lot of financial troubles. Writing and having this community of readers appreciating my work had saved me during those times and the comments I still get help me in those dark moments. 

I'm not dropping any of my works, I just wanted to thank you deeply from the bottom of my heart how thankful I am for those that still come back to leave me words during this hiatus. 

I am currently reading manhwa's and that had helped slowly give me urge to write, though not for SNS. I think it will help me in a way seeing the body gestures, backgrounds, and movements. There's no big categories for manhwa fanfics so I don't think I would try writing for them to publish but maybe I will for myself. 

I still love my stories deeply and I'm proud of them and never intend of dropping them. 

Thank you for reading this long update in my life and I hope we will be able to meet soon again. I haven't forgotten about you and I hope you don't forget about me. 

With so much love, Val xx

Chapter Text

I wanted to sincerely thank everyone for your sweet comments from the bottom of my heart. 

I'm currently in treatment and reading your comments have sincerely helped me in ways you can't imagine. 

I've been writing a novel but when I'm stuck on something I keep thinking of things I want to write for SNS. I thought the fandom had slowed down but seeing all the comments made me think it's alive and well. Which also gave me inspiration to write :)

I'll be in treatment for a while but I really think you'll see me soon with new chapters if my treatment continues to go well :) 

Thank you for not giving up on me even when I gave up on myself and for your support 🩷

You can always find me here