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Chapter Text

~~~

Sasuke Uchiha hated unnecessary noise.

Which, unfortunately, meant he hated Naruto Uzumaki.

The raven-head leaned back in the dark interior of the band van, earphones in, eyes closed….not to sleep, but to block out the chaos that followed the blonde’s latest viral performance.

Their manager, Karin, had her phone tilted toward Suigetsu in the front passenger seat, both watching with interest. The video was of Naruto jumping off a stage into a screaming crowd mid-song, mic still in hand, grin splitting his face like he didn’t care if he broke a rib. His voice rang raw and alive, vibrant and annoyingly captivating.

“He’s good,” Suigetsu admitted, chuckling. “Insane, but good.”

“Of course he is,” Karin said, scrolling through the comments. “Even I like his stuff. He writes his own lyrics, can dance insanely well and knows how to work a crowd. He reminds me a little of us when we started out.”

Sasuke scoffed under his breath.

“That’s cute,” he muttered. “You mean when we had to claw our way out of basements and ramen gigs? Meanwhile he jumps straight to sold-out domes after two years.”

Jugo, quiet as always, offered a gentle remark, “He seems passionate about music, though. Just… came up differently.”

The Uchiha opened one eye. “Differently doesn’t mean better.”

Their manager raised a brow. “No one said it did. But maybe your ego’s showing.”

He didn’t respond. He didn’t have to. Naruto Uzumaki was everywhere lately: top charts, magazine covers, interviews with tearjerker backstories about being raised by a single caretaker and chasing dreams with nothing but his voice and a half-broken keyboard. Fans ate it up. Labels fought to sign him. The internet painted him as the perfect mix of reckless and heartfelt.

Sasuke didn’t believe in “perfect.” Especially when it was this loud.

Still, the murmurs had started. Whispers of a merger. New label heads. Restructuring. Hebi’s contract wasn’t up, but the ground was shifting beneath them, and the raven-head didn’t like where it was heading.

He especially didn’t like it when, two weeks later, the rumors proved true.

~~~

The new company’s name: Shinsei Entertainment, shone in sterile chrome across the glass building, too polished for Sasuke’s taste.

Inside the conference room, the air buzzed with tension and excitement that wasn’t his.

“Man, this is kinda exciting,” Suigetsu said, flipping a branded water bottle in his hands. “Imagine what we could do with Naruto on the hook. He’s got that clean tone that’d cut through your vocals like silk.”

“I’d rather eat glass,” Sasuke muttered.

Jugo smiled lightly. “It could reach new audiences. Heal some of the fighting between the fans.”

“Exactly,” Karin chimed in. “You saw how bad it got just last year. That fanwar over the ‘Album of the year’ award? It was trending for three weeks.”

“And we didn’t even win,” Suigetsu laughed.

Sasuke’s jaw clenched.

Then, the door opened….and he walked in.

Naruto Uzumaki looked even more like trouble in person.

Messy blond hair, bright cerulean eyes scanning the room with too much energy, and that same easy swagger Sasuke had seen on screen. He wore an oversized orange hoodie with sweatpants-shorts and high-tops, like he’d come from a skatepark, not a high-level business meeting. A lollipop twirled between his fingers.

And then, that smile.

Too sharp to be innocent. Too casual to be fake.

“Yo,” the blonde greeted, sliding into a seat directly across from Sasuke. “Nice to finally meet the famous Hebi in the flesh.”

Karin returned the smile instantly. “Naruto, good to have you here.”

“Good to be here,” Naruto replied, tossing a grin toward Suigetsu and Jugo. “Love your live sets, by the way. That last album? ‘Dead Veins’? Sick bass lines.”

Suigetsu beamed. “You listen to us?”

“Of course,” Naruto said, spinning the lollipop before popping it into his mouth. “I’m a fan of real music.”

His eyes flicked to Sasuke. “Even if the frontman’s a little stiff.”

Sasuke didn’t blink. “At least I don’t fake emotion for likes.”

The air chilled.

Suigetsu coughed. “Oookay, so that’s our intro phase.”

The infamous CEO, Tsunade, cleared her throat and stepped forward with a forced smile. “Thank you all for coming. As you know, Shinsei Entertainment is committed to reshaping the industry by combining the strengths of its artists. Hebi, a proven rock staple. Naruto, the rising solo icon. Together, you’d be unstoppable.”

Sasuke crossed his arms. “We don’t need help being unstoppable.”

Naruto’s smile turned smug. “Yeah, but a little boost couldn’t hurt.”

“I don’t want a boost.”

“Good,” Naruto said. “Because I wasn’t offering.”

Tsunade clapped once, pointedly ignoring them. “We’ll start with a collaborative single. You’ll co-write it. Rehearsals begin next week. It’ll end in a live stage, streamed worldwide.”

Karin leaned in, whispering like it would help, “Try to look like you don’t hate each other. Just for optics.”

Naruto smirked. “I don’t hate him. He’s kinda cute when he’s brooding.”

The raven-head stood up so fast his chair groaned against the floor.

“Keep him out of my studio.”

“You’ll be sharing one,” the CEO said sweetly. “Welcome to the new era.”

Sasuke stormed out.

Naruto bit into his lollipop with a crack, smiling to himself.

“Nice to meet you, too, Sasuke Uchiha.”

~~~

Sasuke couldn’t sleep.

He lay in Hebi’s high-rise apartment, staring at the ceiling while the city buzzed far below. The room was dark, silent….exactly how he liked it. But tonight, his thoughts refused to shut up.

Naruto Uzumaki.

The name burned like static in his head.

He hated the way the guy walked into the room like it belonged to him. Hated his fake-smile confidence, his instant chemistry with everyone, the way he didn’t hesitate to talk back. And most of all, Sasuke hated how quickly the rest of Hebi had warmed up to him.

Suigetsu called him “fun.” Karin thought he was “smart, in a chaotic way.” Even Jugo said Naruto “had good instincts.”

And maybe they were right.

Maybe that was what made Sasuke angrier.

Because underneath all the showboating and sugar-coated charm, Naruto wasn’t talentless. That raw, husky voice. His ear for melody. That unshakable stage presence. It was all real. Unpolished…..but real.

Sasuke hated real. Because real got under your skin. Real forced you to look.

And he didn’t want to look.

~~~

Naruto bounced on the balls of his feet as he stood outside the rehearsal studio, coffee in one hand, lyrics sheet in the other. His manager, Shikamaru, had texted him six times that morning to "be respectful," "dress appropriately," and “please don’t flirt with anyone, especially Sasuke.”

Naturally, that made him want to flirt more.

But deep down, Naruto wasn’t just here to stir the pot. He was here to make music. No matter how cold Sasuke’s stare was, or how annoyingly beautiful the guy looked doing it. Naruto wasn’t going to mess this up.

This was his chance to write something powerful. Maybe even legendary.

He opened the door with a wide grin.

“Morning, rockstars.”

~~~

[Rehearsal Room, 9:07 A.M.]

He was already seated, guitar in hand, fingers mindlessly strumming a clean progression when the blonde entered like a sunbeam wrapped in sneakers and caffeine.

Suigetsu lit up. “Yo! You made it.”

“Of course,” Naruto grinned, holding up his drink. “Didn’t wanna miss the awkward silence and death glares.”

He looked straight at Sasuke.

Sasuke didn’t respond.

Karin gave Naruto a wave. “We were just getting started. You got the draft?”

Naruto held up a folded sheet of lyrics. “Yep. I scribbled some chorus ideas too, if we’re open to them.”

“We’re open,” Jugo said.

“I’m not,” Sasuke muttered.

“Oh, come on,” Suigetsu grinned. “Let’s at least hear him out. His fanbase might finally stop trying to murder ours.”

Naruto sauntered to the mic stand like he’d done it a thousand times…which he had, and unfolded his sheet.

“Okay. I figured the first verse stays gritty. Keep that signature Hebi edge. Then soften slightly on the chorus. Something people can scream and cry to.”

He sang a line, half-humming, low and raspy.

"If I'm the flame, you're the fuel—
Burn me down, but make it cruel…"

The room stilled.

Even Sasuke had to admit, it sounded…good.

The kind of line that stuck to your ribs.

Karin blinked. “Damn. That’s actually—”

“Too soft,” Sasuke interrupted.

Naruto shrugged. “I can scream it if it’ll make you feel better.”

Suigetsu laughed. “Please do.”

Jugo added, “The contrast works. That kind of tension between vocals and instrumentation can be powerful.”

Naruto gave Sasuke a sideways glance. “You know, if we both sing the chorus, it’d sound like two sides of the same fight.”

“Or a mess,” Sasuke said flatly.

“Or a masterpiece,” Naruto shot back, flashing a quick grin. “Guess we’ll find out.”

~~~

Naruto could feel the tension in the room whenever Sasuke was quiet….which was, like, always.

But he was getting used to it.

The rest of Hebi? Solid. Suigetsu was quick with jokes, and when Naruto complimented his drumming during a break, the guy practically adopted him. Karin was all business during rehearsals but had a wicked sense of humor outside them. Jugo was gentle and precise, and surprisingly supportive when Naruto asked about key changes.

The raven-head, meanwhile, barely spoke unless he was disagreeing.

Still, Naruto could feel something simmering under the cold. A spark in how Sasuke played: fierce and deliberate. When their voices clashed during a trial chorus take, it wasn’t disharmony.

It was fire meeting gasoline.

Naruto stepped closer to the mic.

“I say we try it. One pass. If it sucks, we scrap it.”

Sasuke met his eyes, dark and unreadable.

“One take,” he said. “Then I’m done for today.”

~~~

He didn’t know what annoyed him more.

Naruto’s persistence.

Or the fact that it worked.

When they started the take, something shifted. Naruto’s voice: warm and sharp….slid over Sasuke’s like oil on steel. They were opposites, but not in a way that clashed. In a way that cut deeper.

The harmonies weren’t perfect. Not yet. But the energy? It was electric.

By the end of the chorus, even Sasuke had forgotten to glare.

Suigetsu gave a low whistle. “Okay. That gave me goosebumps.”

Karin nodded. “We keep that. Build from it.”

Naruto raised a brow at Sasuke. “Still think I’m faking it?”

Sasuke looked away.

“Doesn’t mean you’re not still annoying.”

Naruto smirked. “I’ll take that as progress.”

Chapter Text

[Later That Day – Outside the Studio]

Naruto leaned against the side of the building, still nursing the last of his now-cold coffee. The sun was dipping behind the rooftops, casting gold against the glass windows. Rehearsal was over, the others had cleared out, but he waited.

He had one last thing to do today.

The studio door finally opened, and Sasuke walked out, hoodie pulled up, backpack slung lazily over one shoulder like he hadn’t just spent three hours being lowkey brilliant and highkey difficult.

Naruto straightened. “Hey.”

The raven-head paused, glanced at him, then kept walking.

The blonde pushed off the wall and caught up. “Got a sec?”

“No.”

“Karin said you are always like this. Jugo thinks it’s because you’re shy. Suigetsu thinks you secretly enjoy my voice and just hate that you do.”

“Suigetsu talks too much.”

Naruto grinned. “So do I. But I still got something to say.”

Sasuke sighed, stopping beside a parked motorcycle. He turned to face the other, arms crossed, expression blank….but his eyes didn’t look tired. They looked wary. Like he was waiting to be disappointed.

Naruto scratched the back of his neck, suddenly less cocky than usual. “Look, I know we’re different. You’re…precision and sharp edges. I’m chaos in bright orange. I get that. But this song could actually be something.”

Sasuke said nothing.

“And I’m not trying to steal your spotlight. I’m just… trying to build something cool with you. Something people feel.”

Still nothing.

Naruto let out a breath, his voice quieter now. “You don’t have to like me, Sasuke. But don’t push me away just because I came up fast. That’s not my fault. And it doesn’t mean I don’t respect what you’ve built.”

For a second, Sasuke didn’t move. Didn’t speak.

Then:

“Don’t expect me to make this easy.”

The blonde blinked. “Wasn’t expecting a cakewalk, believe me.”

Sasuke’s voice dropped, eyes locked on his. “If you’re just here to ride momentum, say something flashy, make headlines, flirt for clicks….I’ll walk. I’ve seen too many fakes already.”

Naruto frowned, all humor gone. “Then watch me prove I’m not one of them.”

They stared at each other for a beat too long. Neither moved. Neither backed down.

Then Sasuke turned without a word, stepped onto his bike, and rode off.

Naruto let out a low whistle, watching the taillight vanish around the corner.

“Cool,” he muttered. “Ice prince it is.”

~~~

[Online – The Next Morning]

The internet, of course, had no chill.

By sunrise, the hashtag #NaruSasuCollab was already trending.

> 🎤 @musixweekly: Two of Japan’s biggest acts—Hebi and Naruto Uzumaki—are now under the same label?! A collab is CONFIRMED?! 👀🔥

> 🎸 @hebiblooded: I don’t care if Naruto’s famous…he better not change Hebi’s sound or I will personally set something on fire.

> 💥 @sunshine_blitz: Naruto’s voice paired with Sasuke’s??? That’s enemies-to-lovers fanfic waiting to happen. Don’t lie to me 😩

> 🐍 @karinluvbot: Naruto called Sasuke ‘cute’ in a live interview once. I repeat: HE SAID CUTE.

> 🧃 @sui\_simp: I just want Suigetsu and Naruto to start a chaotic podcast together.

> 🔥 @uchiha_core: You think Sasuke agreed to this because he wanted to? 😂 Man’s doing it for the band. Don’t get too excited.

Fan edits popped up like wildfire: grainy rehearsal clips spliced together, imagined harmonies layered over old tracks. Someone slowed down a behind-the-scenes photo of Naruto smiling toward Sasuke from an Award show, with ethereal music and the caption: “That’s the moment he knew.”

Naruto scrolled through the chaos while chewing on toast in his kitchen.

He shook his head with a laugh.

“Internet’s already writing our love story, teme.”

He didn’t know if Sasuke was even online to see it.

But something told him that when he did, he’d hate it.

And that made Naruto grin even wider.

~~~

[Hebi Residence, 8:17 AM]

Sasuke hated mornings.
He hated them more when his phone buzzed against his nightstand with hundreds of unread messages and a trending tag involving his name… and someone else’s.

#HebixUzumaki
#TheCollabisComing
#EnemiesorMore
#NaruSasuReal

He scrolled, eyes narrowing.

The announcement of the Shinsei Entertainment merger had only gone public a few days now, and already the internet had built fanfiction out of it.

They didn't even know each other.

He and Naruto Uzumaki had crossed paths twice: once at a music awards ceremony where Naruto presented onstage shirtless with gold paint across his chest, and again backstage at the same event where Sasuke had to side-step him mid-sprint. Not a word had passed between them. No eye contact. No handshake. Nothing.

Now the internet was acting like they were married.

The Uchiha closed the app with a sharp swipe just as his phone rang again.

Itachi.

Sasuke stared at the screen a moment, then picked up.

“What.”

“You’re trending,” his brother said in that aggravatingly smooth tone only a film star could pull off.

“I’m aware.”

“’#NaruSasu’ is my favorite,” his brother went on. “Very cinematic.”

“There’s nothing cinematic about it. We've barely spoken, and that was mostly him saying 'Yo' like we were childhood friends.”

“I like him already,” Itachi mused. “What’s he like off-camera?”

The raven-head leaned back into his couch. “Loud. Overly familiar. Too comfortable.”

“So… the opposite of you.”

“Exactly.”

Itachi chuckled. “Still, it’s good for Hebi. You need something to shake things up.”

Sasuke’s voice turned flat. “We’re musicians. Not the basic boy band.”

“Well, tell that to the internet,” Itachi said. “They’ve already decided you’re rivals or soulmates.”

“I’m hanging up.”

“Try not to bite him on camera,” his brother called before the line cut.

~~~

[Shinsei Studios – Rehearsal Room B, 1:42 PM]

Naruto was already there when Hebi arrived. He was crouched beside the mirrored wall, messing with the Bluetooth speaker and beatboxing under his breath, hoodie sleeves rolled to his elbows.

He looked up when the band walked in.

“Yo!” he called. “You’re late. I almost started without you.”

Suigetsu waved. “Blame Karin. She stopped for coffee. Again.”

“Worth it,” Karin said, holding up an iced triple shot.

Jugo offered Naruto a quiet smile. “Good to see you again.”

Naruto grinned. “You too, big guy.”

Sasuke, meanwhile, walked in with arms crossed and his jaw locked. He said nothing.

The blonde tossed a casual glance his way. “Hey, Uchiha.”

“…Naruto.”

“Oh wow,” Naruto said with exaggerated surprise. “He speaks.”

Karin tried (and failed) to hide a laugh.

The Uzumaki clapped his hands. “Okay, listen up. I spoke to Tsunade this morning—”

“You what?” The raven-head cut in.

“—and she approved a new idea for the chorus.” Naruto looked unfazed. “Dance segment. Just a short one. Bit of flair. Builds momentum before the bridge.”

Suigetsu blinked. “Wait, we’re dancing?”

The blonde nodded. “Yup. It’s optional for the band, but it’d be killer if all of you joined. We don’t need anything crazy. Just movement, rhythm, presence. And you guys already have that.”

Karin looked intrigued. “Marketing would love it.”

“I think it’d be fun,” Jugo said honestly.

Suigetsu was already looking up street choreo on his phone. “Okay yeah. Could be sick.”

All eyes shifted to Sasuke.

Who looked, plainly, like he’d rather throw himself through the window.

“No.”

Naruto blinked. “No?”

“I’m not dancing.”

The blonde smiled a little, unbothered. “Not even a head nod?”

“I’m not a backup dancer.”

“You wouldn’t be,” Naruto said easily. “You’d be front and center.”

Sasuke’s glare was immediate. “Is this a joke to you?”

Uzumaki tilted his head. “Nope. Music’s supposed to be fun. Maybe you’ve forgotten that.”

The air in the room shifted.

The manager cleared her throat. “Okay, let’s focus on vocals today. We’ll table the movement segment for next week.”

Naruto held Sasuke’s gaze a second longer before flashing a grin. “Looking forward to it.”

The raven-head didn’t reply.

~~~

[PR Wing – Joint Interview Room, 4:25 PM]

Their first official public appearance together was meant to be light and promotional: a harmless, friendly sit-down interview to tease the upcoming collaboration and pacify the increasingly chaotic fan bases.

Instead, it looked like the beginning of a war.

Sasuke sat at one end of the curved sofa, arms crossed, legs angled away from Naruto. Naruto, of course, sat right beside him, casual as hell with one arm draped along the back of the couch, his other hand twirling a mic between his fingers like it was a toy.

Suigetsu and Karin sat to Naruto’s right. Jugo was between Karin and Sasuke, the calmest-looking person in the room.

The interviewer, Moegi: young, fashionable, and not remotely oblivious to the chaotic potential of the group before her, smiled as the camera crew gave the go-ahead.

“All right!” she chirped. “Let’s get started. This is for both Adder and the Narutomaki fandom across the globe: these are just some easy, fun questions to let them get to know you as a team.”

Naruto threw a wink at the camera. “Let’s do it.”

Sasuke didn’t even blink.

Moegi: “So! Is this really the first time you’ve all met each other?”

Naruto: “Yup. We’ve seen each other around. Award shows. Press events. Never really talked.”

Sasuke: “There was nothing to talk about.”

Naruto (grinning): “Sure there was. You just weren’t listening.”

Moegi: “Ooh. Some tension already. I like it.”
She turned to the others. “Hebi, what were your first thoughts when you found out about the collab?”

Karin (laughing): “Honestly? I thought Tsunade was messing with the band.”

Suigetsu: “Same. I didn’t believe it until Naruto walked into the studio like he owned the place.”

Naruto: “I do give off that vibe.”

Jugo (quiet smile): “I thought it could be good for all of us. New sound, new energy.”

Moegi: “And now that you’ve met and started working together?”

Suigetsu (mock serious): “Well, Naruto hasn’t made anyone cry yet. That’s a win.”

Naruto: “Yet?”

Karin: “They’ve only had two rehearsals.”

Moegi: “Sasuke, how’s it been for you?”

Sasuke (monotone): “Loud.”

Naruto: “Still with the ‘loud’ huh? You gotta update your adjectives, man.”

Moegi: “Describe each other in a few words. Let’s go around the couch. Start with Naruto.”

Naruto (grinning wide): “All right. Sasuke: cool, mysterious and broody. Suigetsu is literally chaos with legs. Karin is terrifyingly smart and Jugo is calm in human form.”

Moegi: “Sasuke, your turn.”

Sasuke (flatly): “Naruto: loud, reckless, persistent. Suigetsu: irritating. Karin: terrifying. Jugo: tolerable.”

Suigetsu: “Wow. I’m honored.”

Naruto: “Persistent, huh? I’ll take it.”

Moegi (laughing): “Karin?”

Karin: “Naruto is surprising. Not as much of a disaster as I expected. Suigetsu: disaster, confirmed. Sasuke is the personification of being emotionally constipated. Jugo: the only adult here. Being Hebi’s manager is both a pleasure and a nightmare.”

Suigetsu: “I’m sensing a theme…”

Moegi: “Okay, okay….serious question time. What's the biggest challenge working together?”

Suigetsu: “Getting Sasuke to do anything fun.”

Naruto: “Or speak more than five words.”

Sasuke: “Or stop you from saying fifty.”

Karin: “Honestly, the biggest challenge is blending styles. Hebi and Naruto are from different worlds musically, so we’ve had to compromise a lot.”

Jugo: “But it’s working. Slowly.”

Moegi: “What’s the vibe of the song so far?”

Naruto: “Dark pop. Heavy bass. Sultry, layered vocals. Big chorus.”

Karin: “Think elegance meets sex and dark pop.”

Suigetsu: “Sexy, but deadly.”

Moegi (smirking): “So like you guys, then?”

Naruto (chuckling): “Exactly.”

Moegi: “And I heard a little rumor about a possible dance segment?”

Naruto: “Guilty.”
He raised his hand in mock surrender. “I asked our CEO, Tsunade for approval. Got the green light. Not too much choreography, just movement with purpose.”

Moegi: “And everyone’s onboard?”

Suigetsu: “I live for this kind of thing.”

Jugo: “It’ll be a new challenge.”

Sasuke: “No comment.”

Moegi (laughs): “We’ll take that as a yes.”

Naruto: “It’s gonna be great. He’ll love it once he loosens up.”

Sasuke: “I’m not a show pony.”

Naruto: “Don’t need to be. Just follow my lead.”

Karin (under her breath to Suigetsu) “I give them two weeks before they either kill each other or kiss.”

Suigetsu: “Can it be both?”

~~

By the time the camera cut, Moegi was glowing with satisfaction.

“Perfect,” she said. “Fans are going to eat this up.”

Karin leaned into Naruto. “You're good at this.”

Naruto shot a wink. “You think this is good? Wait till they see the live performance.”

Sasuke stood without a word and walked straight out of frame.

Suigetsu bursts out laughing.

~~~

📱Later That Night – Social Media

> @UchihaProtectionSquad: SASUKE’S SILENT STARES ARE STRAIGHT-UP VIOLENCE AND I’M LIVING FOR IT 😂
#NaruSasuJointInterview #HebiAndNaruto #SilentTensionIsHot

> @NarutomakiNation🍥: THE FACT THAT NARUTO CALLED HIM ‘BROODY’ AND SMILED LIKE IT WAS A COMPLIMENT??? I’M SCREAMING
#NaruSasu
#EnemiesToWhatExactly
#SasukeBlinkTwiceIfYoureInLove

> @KarinIsQueen👑: Not Karin calling him emotionally constipated on camera. I want to tattoo this interview on my soul.

#ShinseiInterview
#HebiCollab
#TheEnergyIsChaotic
#OppositesCollide
#TheInternetIsNotOkay

> @AdderUnite🐍: SHINSEI DROPPED THE INTERVIEW AND SASUKE LOOKS LIKE HE WANTS TO RUN

>@NarutoUzumakiUpdates:
THE WAY HE CALLED SASUKE “COOL” WHILE SASUKE LOOKED READY TO FILE A RESTRAINING ORDER 😭😭😭

~~~

Chapter Text

[One Week Later – Shinsei Dance Studio B, 11:42 AM]

It was only rehearsal, but the studio was lit like a concert stage: mirrored walls gleaming, speakers booming, sweat already misting the air. A deep synth pulse filled the room, the intro to their yet-unreleased song rumbling through the floorboards like something alive.

Naruto stood dead center, black joggers hanging low on his hips, tank clinging to his body like a second skin. He stretched lazily, arms overhead, revealing a toned waist and the sinfully relaxed attitude of someone who knew he looked good.

Sasuke, in contrast, wore a black long-sleeve top with some sweatpants, and a permanent scowl. His hair was still damp from the warm-up, jaw locked tight as he stared at his reflection like it had personally offended him.

"All right!" the choreographer, Gai-sensei—yes, that Gai, living legend of movement, clapped his hands sharply. “This chorus is the heart of the performance. The vocals are a back-and-forth fight, yes? So we need tension. Heat. Friction.”

Naruto grinned.

Sasuke’s eye twitched.

Hebi: Suigetsu, and Jugo, were already in formation on the sides, like shadows circling the main stage. Their choreography framed the energy between Naruto and Sasuke, amplifying it. Jugo brought power. Suigetsu, naturally, brought chaos. Karin observed from the sidelines in full interest.

The blonde walked up beside Sasuke as Gai cued the track again. "You ready, princess?"

Sasuke didn’t answer. He just took position.

The chorus hit like a spark: dark, layered beats, the lyrics a lyrical argument, all biting lines and strained desire.

“You want control—”
“Then stop giving it up.”
“Pour the poison, then drink from the cup."

Their bodies collided in steps, Naruto crowding into the raven-head’s space, one arm sliding across his chest as he spun him around. It was part of the routine. Precise. Sensual.

But Sasuke flinched….just a little.

Naruto’s hand was firm, fingers splayed against his ribs. Sasuke’s shirt rode up with the twist, and for a brief, flickering second, he felt it: a heat under his skin that had nothing to do with dancing.

The blonde didn’t seem to notice, or maybe he did, but he played it off with a cocky smile and a step backward.

Sasuke grit his teeth and kept going. He could do this. He would do this. Even if Uzumaki’s hands were too rough and warm. Even if his voice slid down Sasuke’s spine like velvet and fire.

The next pass was worse.

Naruto grabbed his hip…tight, commanding, and pulled him flush for a beat. Their chests barely brushed, breath catching between them. Their faces were close. Too close. Sasuke could smell citrus and sweat, and the worst part? His legs didn’t move back.

Karin whispered to Suigetsu on the sidelines, "I swear if they don’t fuck soon, I’m gonna implode."

Suigetsu whispered back, "This is foreplay and Sasuke doesn’t even know it."

Jugo, ever neutral, muttered, “Naruto’s definitely enjoying himself.”

And he was.

Naruto was glowing: skin damp, eyes wild, the heat of performance making him magnetic. Every time he touched the Uchiha, he smirked like he could feel him tightening, resisting. And the blonde, of course, thrived on resistance.

Gai clapped again as the music cut. “YES! Excellent energy! Sasuke, Naruto—you two are... radiating!”

Sasuke stepped back instantly, glaring at the floor like it had personally seduced him.

Naruto wiped sweat from his neck with the hem of his shirt. “Told you it’d be fun.”

The raven-head didn’t respond. Couldn’t. His body was betraying him in subtle, traitorous ways: an accelerated heartbeat, a burn at the base of his throat, a mental loop of his hands, his voice, his hands—

“Again from the top!” Gai beamed.

Karin glanced at Sasuke, then moved to Naruto. “How long do you think before he either punches you or kisses you?”

The blonde stretched again, shirt rising up like it was flirting with the whole room. “Depends. Which one do you think he wants more?”

~~~

📱Later That Day – Group Chat: [Hebi + Naruto]

Karin: sasuke.exe has stopped responding to basic motor functions

Suigetsu: i’m not saying that was sexual tension but if i have to third-wheel this much again i want compensation

Jugo: Gai-sensei says we’re doing a great job

Naruto: 😏 i am doing a great job, thank you

Karin: don’t forget to hydrate. and also maybe tone it down unless you want him to combust

Naruto: combust how tho 😈

Suigetsu: GET OUT 😂

~~~

[Hebi’s Apartment — 9:13 PM]

The place smelled like takeout, someone’s cologne, and fabric softener.

Naruto toed off his shoes at the door, looking around the open-concept apartment like he'd stepped into a forbidden realm. It wasn’t just lavish: it was clean but lived-in, warm in a way celebrity homes usually weren’t. Hoodies slung over the back of chairs. Vinyl records stacked crookedly beside the massive TV. A half-dead plant thriving against the odds in the kitchen window.

Jugo smiled softly from the stove where he was mixing some fruit punch into a big glass pitcher. “Make yourself at home.”

“Don’t say that to him,” Sasuke muttered, already regretting agreeing to let this happen. “He’ll never leave.”

Naruto grinned. “Too late.”

He flopped onto the couch between Karin and Suigetsu like he belonged there. He laughed easily, elbowed Suigetsu when he made a bad joke, reached across Karin to grab a handful of chips without hesitation. Hebi, to Sasuke’s horror, loved him.

The Uchiha stood for a long minute by the hallway, watching the way Naruto’s smile made Suigetsu snort with laughter, how Jugo poured him a drink with the care of someone who didn’t mind looking out for him. Karin leaned into his space like they’d been friends for years.

“You can sit, y’know,” the blonde teased, patting the seat beside him. “I won’t bite.”

Sasuke sat across the room.

~~~

[After Dinner—10:41 PM]

Empty takeout containers were pushed to the side. Someone had queued up a chill playlist. The lights were dimmer, mood softer, but the energy had only gotten louder.

“Alright, truth or dare,” Suigetsu announced, flopping dramatically onto the floor with a full glass in hand. “I’m bored and this is the only way to get Sasuke to interact with us like a real person.”

“I interact just fine,” Sasuke said without looking up from his phone.

Karin stole it from him mid-sentence and tossed it across the room to Jugo.

“He’s in,” she said, triumphant.

The raven-head glared murder at her, but Suigetsu clapped like someone had just announced a prize fight. “YES. Now it’s a party.”

~~~

"Jugo," Karin started, “Truth or dare?”

“Truth,” he said calmly.

She smirked. “Have you ever walked in on one of the boys masturbating… in private?”

A pause. “Yes.”

All heads turned.

“Who?” Naruto asked, leaning forward, way too amused.

Jugo sipped his drink and looked at the ceiling. “That’s not part of the question.”

Suigetsu groaned, “It was me, wasn’t it—ugh, that was one time!”

Karin corrected: “Three times.”

Laughter erupted. Even Sasuke cracked a reluctant smirk behind his glass.

~~~

“Naruto,” Karin drawled, eyes gleaming. “Truth or dare?”

He grinned. “Hit me with a dare.”

Suigetsu perked up. “Oh, I’ve got one.”

The manager held up a hand. “No. We want him to come back, not die.”

She turned to Naruto. “I dare you to kiss someone in this room.”

The room went still.

Naruto blinked. “...That’s it?”

“On the mouth,” she added with a wicked grin. “No duck kisses. Five seconds.”

Naruto laughed like this was nothing, then turned slowly. His eyes flicked from Jugo (polite shake of the head), to Suigetsu (pretending to stretch away), to Karin (winking and nodding her head towards the Uchiha).

But then his gaze landed on Sasuke.

Sasuke raised a brow. “Don’t.”

Naruto smiled. “You sure?”

“Try it and you’ll lose a tooth.”

“See,” Naruto said, shifting his body toward him, “That just makes me more curious.”

Karin groaned, “Oh my god, just kiss and get over with it!”

But Naruto held Sasuke’s gaze for a breath too long before finally leaning over the raven-head, placing his hands on the Uchiha’s knees and he plant a surprisingly soft kiss on Suigetsu’s stunned mouth.

One Mississippi. Two Mississippi. Three—

“Okay wow,” Suigetsu wheezed when Naruto pulled away. “You’re definitely not straight.”

“Never said I was,” Naruto said casually, licking over his lips and winking flirtatiously.

Sasuke’s expression was unreadable, he finally let out a breath when the blonde pulled back from being over him….but his jaw was locked, and that’s when he downed himself in his fruit punch.

~~~

“Alright,” Naruto said. “My turn. Sasuke.”

“No.”

“Truth or dare.”

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. The room waited.

"...Truth," he said finally.

Naruto leaned forward, elbows on his knees, expression surprisingly unreadable.

“Have you ever thought about kissing a guy?”

Silence.

Karin’s eyebrows went up. Jugo blinked slowly. Suigetsu coughed, hard.

Sasuke didn’t blink.

“I think about a lot of things,” he said flatly. “Doesn’t mean I act on them.”

Naruto’s smile didn’t fade. “That’s not a no.”

“You’re really enjoying this, huh.”

“You’re fun when you’re cornered.”

Sasuke held his stare. “Careful. I corner back.”

And for a moment, something crackled in the air: hotter than teasing, sharper than banter. Even Hebi went quiet.

Jugo finally stood, stretching. “Game’s over.”

“Yeah,” Karin agreed quickly. “We’ll save round two for another time.”

Naruto didn’t press. He just sat back, satisfied. And Sasuke didn’t move at all, eyes trained on nothing in particular as the warmth under his skin refused to cool.

~~~

📱Later That Night after Naruto returns to his place – Private Chat: [Karin → Naruto]

Karin: he’s gonna kill you
Naruto: not if he kisses me first 😈
Karin: STOP😭
Naruto: he’s thinking about it, tho
Karin: …i’m not saying you’re wrong but also: don’t die!

~~~

Chapter Text

[Shinsei Building – Lobby, 10:23 AM]

Naruto sat with one leg slung over the other, lazily scrolling through his phone, sunglasses half-slipping off his nose. The elevator dinged.

Finally.

Out stepped a familiar figure with a lazy posture and a suitcase rolling behind him.

“Shikamaru!” Naruto grinned as he stood, stretching his arms wide.

His manager offered a slow wave. “You know, for a mega-label with twenty floors, you'd think they’d have a faster check-in process.”

“Don’t blame Shinsei because you operate on ‘sloth speed,’” Naruto said, pulling him into a solid hug. “Missed your complaining.”

“Chouji and I were finalizing the InoSkin deal,” Shikamaru mumbled into his shoulder. “Tsunade had me chained to that contract until this morning.”

Naruto didn’t let go just yet. “Glad you’re here, man. I needed a familiar face.”

Shikamaru pulled back and glanced around. “So? How’s your collab band?”

“Honestly?” Naruto chuckled. “They’re cool. Suigetsu’s chaotic, Karin’s sharp as hell, and Jugo’s maybe the calmest person I’ve ever met.”

“And the infamous Uchiha?”

Naruto scratched the back of his head. “He’s… blunt. Moody. But kinda fun to mess with. I dunno—he’s got layers, I can tell. Just waiting for the right moment to crack one open.”

Shikamaru smirked. “You’re either bored or intrigued.”

“Intrigued. Definitely Intrigued.”

~~~

[Shinsei Rooftop Garden – 12:41 PM]

Naruto stepped out into the rooftop terrace, iced tea in hand. The rooftop garden has become one of his favorite parts of Shinsei HQ: lush greenery, a gentle breeze, and no paparazzi in sight.

Soon, the glass door opened behind him.

“You couldn’t meet us in the lobby like a normal person?” came a girl’s voice.

“Sakura! Hey….you know I like being in high places” Naruto said, turning toward her.

She walked up with a mock glare, dressed in a sleek pale pink jacket, hair tied up high. Naruto kissed her cheek with a grin.

“Missed you.”

“Same, idiot,” she replied, returning the kiss on his cheek.

His next friend followed, expression unreadable as always. Naruto lit up at the sight of him and stepped forward, also greeting him with a kiss to the cheek. His friend leaned in to return it without hesitation.

“Gaara, looking cute as ever” Gaara smiled

Behind them came Chouji, carrying two full bags of snacks, and Shikamaru, who had rejoined them after getting his security clearance approved.

Naruto greeted Chouji with a tight hug. “Tell me you brought the good stuff.”

“Do I ever disappoint?” His other friend replied, patting Naruto’s back with a grin.

Naruto turned to Shikamaru, already opening his arms again.

“I just hugged you twenty minutes ago,” Shikamaru said flatly, but allowed it anyway.

They all gathered around the small lounge table tucked into the garden space, the city skyline stretching behind them.

“It’s insane how big this place is,” Sakura said, pulling a bottle of water from her purse. “Twenty floors, 70 recording studios, and a damn koi pond in the lobby?”

“Hebi’s suite has an indoor sauna,” Naruto added.

“Of course they do,” Shikamaru muttered. “Rockstars.”

~~~

[Garden Table – 12:55 PM]

“So, how’s the project?” Sakura asked, sipping her water. “We’ve only seen snippets online.”

“It’s going,” Naruto responded, leaning back. “We’ve got a full track, and the choreography’s intense. The concept’s really tight though. I actually like working with them.”

Gaara tilted his head slightly. “Even Uchiha?”

Naruto laughed and leans in, nuzzling his friend’s cheek with his. “He’s a challenge, sure. But he’s honest: says what he means, no fake smiles. I respect that.”

“You always liked the grumpy ones,” Sakura teased.

“He keeps me on my toes,” the blonde stated with a smile. “I kinda want to see what happens when he relaxes.”

“Probably short-circuits,” Chouji said around a bite of a rice ball.

Shikamaru raised a brow. “You’ve been smiling a lot for someone working twelve-hour rehearsals.”

Naruto shrugged. “It’s been hard, yeah. But Hebi’s easy to be around. I thought they'd treat me like the outsider, but they didn’t. They're cool.”

Gaara glanced at him from under his lashes. “You sure you're not catching feelings for your bandmate?”

Naruto gave him a flat look. “Gaara.”

“What? I’m just asking.”

~~~

[Practice Room – Later That Day]

Karin leaned against the wall near the mirrored dance studio, sipping from her bottle of lemon water. She watched through the glass as Naruto and his friends exited the rooftop and headed for the elevators.

“They seem close,” she said aloud.

Jugo nodded. “You can tell they’ve known each other a long time.”

“They’re good for him,” she added, almost absently.

Suigetsu walked past with a snack bar in his mouth. “Think we’ll get invited next hangout?”

“I wouldn’t mind,” Jugo said. “Naruto’s got good energy.”

Sasuke remained seated, towel draped around his neck, face unreadable as ever.

Karin raised a brow. “You alright, Sasuke?”

He glanced at her, then away. “Fine.”

“Just checking,” she said innocently.

~~~

[📱 Group Chat – Late Evening]

Naruto 🍥: still full from chojis snack bag
Sakura 🌸: worth it tho
Gaara 🏜️: you owe me cardio
Naruto 🍥: fuck cardio
Chouji 🍜: we need to do it again soon
Shikamaru 🧠: ^
Naruto 🍥: bet. next rooftop lunch on me
Sakura 🌸: someone remind me to actually wear sunscreen next time
Naruto 🍥: you say that every time
Gaara 🏜️: and burns every time
Sakura 🌸: I hate this group chat
Naruto 🍥: love you too

~~~

[Sasuke’s POV – Studio Hallway, 12:45 AM]

He hadn’t seen them.

But he’d heard them….voices drifting down through the open stairwell from the rooftop.

Laughter. Someone shouting playfully. Something that sounded like Naruto singing off-key on purpose while the others heckled him for it.

Sasuke had paused at the bottom of the stairwell, listening just long enough to recognize at least four different voices before he scoffed and moved on.

Naruto’s circle.

The kind of people called each other by nicknames, and made the world feel like it never changed.

He wasn’t jealous.

He just found it… loud.

That’s all.

~~~

[NEXT DAY]
[Studio B – 11:32 AM, Rehearsal Room]

“YOUTHFUL INTENSITY, BOYS!” Gai bellowed, arms swinging like windmills. “Remember! The CHORUS is a conversation….not just with your mouths, but with your entire bodies!”

“Y’know, I’m starting to think you want us to make out,” Suigetsu muttered under his breath, stretching his shoulders.

“I HEARD THAT, SUIGETSU!” Gai boomed. “AND IF THE ART CALLS FOR IT—SO BE IT!”

Karin snorted from her perch on the folding chair near the monitors. “He’s not wrong.”

Naruto grinned as he tugged his hoodie over his head, revealing the clinging black tank beneath. “Guess we better bring our A-game, Sasuke.”

The Uchiha didn’t reply. He adjusted his earpiece and stepped onto the floor, blank-faced as always, but hyperaware of how close Naruto stood when they took their places.

Shikamaru, leaning against the back wall with a half-full coffee and zero interest in joining the chaos, raised a brow. “Try not to combust.”

“Positions!” Gai called.

The music dropped.

The choreography kicked in hard…..sharp, breathless, fast.

Naruto led the vocals into the chorus, voice low and edged with tension:

“You want control—so stop giving it up.”

Sasuke spun into his line with practiced precision:

“Say it’s just a game—But you play like it’s real.”

They circled each other, dancing in the tightly choreographed spiral that was still far too close for Sasuke’s liking. Not because he couldn’t handle it, he could handle anything….but because every time Naruto’s hand brushed his hip or grazed his side, something electric zinged beneath his skin.

It was stupid.

They broke apart and snapped back together again. The next pass brought Naruto behind him, palm sliding along the dip of Sasuke’s spine before gripping his wrist and pulling him forward into the beat.

He should’ve been annoyed.

He wasn’t.

He was… overheated. Slightly breathless. Tense in a way that wasn’t entirely choreographic.

The blonde grinned as they passed each other again, sweat shining on his collarbones. “Still with me, Princess?”

Sasuke’s heart did something traitorous, but his voice came out even. “Focus on the damn choreo.”

“I am,” Naruto said, and winked.

---

[Break Room – 1:14 PM]

“Alright!” Karin shouted. “Thirty-minute break!”

Suigetsu flopped over Jugo’s lap dramatically. “Why are we dancing like this isn’t for just one song?”

“Because it’s not just a song,” Karin replied. “It’s branding. It’s tension. It’s marketing chemistry.”

“I hate when she’s right,” Suigetsu mumbled into Jugo’s hoodie.

Shikamaru was sitting on the floor now, sipping his second coffee. “So dramatic.”

Naruto plopped down next to him, face flushed and eyes bright. “This choreography is fire.”

“I think my calves exploded halfway through,” Suigetsu said.

“Great!” Gai barked from the hallway, walking by with a fresh smoothie. “Means you’re doing it right!”

Sasuke stood at the far end, sipping water slowly, trying not to watch Naruto laugh, stretch, and joke like he’d lived in this studio his whole life.

His fingers still remembered the pressure of Naruto’s hand on his waist.

He shut his eyes briefly, pretending he wasn’t thinking about it.

~~~

Chapter Text

[Earlier That Week, During Group Rehearsal]

“You’ve nailed the steps, Sasuke,” Gai declared, arms folded as he paced in front of the full-length mirrors like a disappointed drill sergeant. “Sharp lines. Good transitions. But…”

Sasuke exhaled sharply through his nose. He knew a “but” was coming.

The choreographer paused dramatically. “You’re dancing with all the emotional complexity of a stiff rice cracker.”

Naruto barked a laugh from the other side of the studio. The Uchiha turned his head slowly. “You think it’s funny?”

“I think Gai’s not wrong,” Naruto said, slinging his towel around his neck. “The duet’s supposed to be intense. It’s not just about hitting marks, it’s about feeling something.”

“I do feel something,” Sasuke said blandly. “Annoyed.”

“See?” Naruto said brightly. “That’s a start.”

Gai clapped his hands. “Excellent! Naruto, you’ll work with Sasuke privately. Help him unlock his inner longing.”

“I’m not interested in pity choreography,” Sasuke muttered, glaring at Gai.

Naruto grinned. “It’s not pity. I just think you’re capable of more. And I want to see it.”

Sasuke bristled. That grin. That voice. That challenge.

“Fine,” he said coolly. “Let’s see if you can keep up.”

---

[Present – Studio C, 11:50 PM]

The night air outside was still, but Studio C pulsed with the low hum of speakers warming up and the quiet creak of sneakers on polished floors. It was just the two of them now. No Gai. No Hebi. No distractions.

Naruto adjusted the music level as he bounced on his heels, full of restless energy. “Alright, you ready?”

“I’ve been ready,” Sasuke replied, stretching out his arms.

They ran the routine again. Sasuke moved precisely: every motion exactly where it should be. But as before, it was technical. Clean. Soulless.

The soloist stopped the music and walked toward him, shaking his head.

“You’re still holding back,” he said. “You look like you’re memorizing geometry, not trying to keep me from walking out of your life.”

Sasuke folded his arms. “That’s because I’m not trying to keep you.”

Naruto didn’t rise to it. He just stepped forward into Sasuke’s personal space, eyes calm. “Then let me show you what it should feel like.”

The blonde took Sasuke’s position and motioned for him to stand opposite. “This part—where the lyrics hit, where the choreography goes sharp? You’re supposed to want me but act like you don’t. Like you can’t.”

He moved through the steps slowly, with control….but the emotions radiated through him. A restrained hand brushing past the raven-head’s shoulder. A tense step in and pull away. Eyes locked like a fight, or a plea.

He finished with a final lean-in, too close for comfort, and stared.

Sasuke’s jaw clenched.

“I could do that better,” he said.

Naruto raised a brow. “Then prove it.”

Sasuke stepped in. His body mimicked the choreography perfectly…but this time, something was different.

Because now he had something to prove.

He moved with heat and precision, pushing his body to match Naruto’s energy: his gaze intense, movements more fluid, tension thrumming just beneath the surface. His hand grazed Naruto’s side too naturally. His breath hitched at the final pivot, and their faces ended inches apart.

Naruto’s eyes widened slightly…not in mockery this time, but in genuine surprise.

“You were watching closely, huh?” he said, voice softer.

“I just don’t like being shown up,” The Uchiha muttered.

The blonde let out a low laugh, stepping back. “No kidding. That was good.”

Sasuke turned away to grab his water bottle. His heart was racing, and he blamed it on the rehearsal.

It was definitely not because of the soloist.
Definitely not.

---

[Water Break—12:27 AM]

They sat on the floor of the empty studio, catching their breath. The speaker buzzed softly in the background, and the only other sound was their synchronized breathing.

“Damn,” Naruto said, tugging at his soaked shirt. “Studio’s boiling.”

Without warning, he pulled it over his head and tossed it aside. Sweat clung to his tanned skin, muscles shifting under golden light. But Sasuke’s gaze snagged on the black swirl tattoo curled around Naruto’s navel, inked like fire mid-motion and oh—

He had a navel piercing….

The raven-head looked away instantly.

But it was too late.

Naruto caught on.

“Like what you see?” he teased, voice laced with smug amusement.

“I don’t.”

“You were staring.”

“It’s hard not to when someone strips in the middle of rehearsal,” Sasuke muttered.

The blonde stretched lazily, arms overhead, abs flexing. “I’m just staying cool. You’re the one acting like you saw something scandalous.”

“It’s not scandalous,” Sasuke said, trying not to look again.

Naruto leaned in, still grinning. “But you’re definitely curious.”

The raven-head stood abruptly. “Break’s over.”

Uzumaki chuckle echoed behind him. “Whatever you say, Princess.”

But Sasuke didn’t respond…because yes, his pride had driven him to match Naruto’s emotional performance…

…but it wasn’t pride making his stomach twist when the blonde looked like that.

~~~

[Next Morning – Shinsei Entertainment HQ, 9:14 AM]

“Day off, boys,” Karin announced with a clap of her hands as the group wandered into the lobby, yawning. “Tsunade says you’ve earned it. No rehearsals today.”

Suigetsu raised his arms in celebration. “Bless.”

Jugo nodded in quiet approval. Even Naruto looked relieved, still stretching out his arms from last night’s grueling choreography session.

Sasuke didn’t react, just checked his phone and turned on his heel.

Karin raised a brow. “No gratitude as ever. Rude.”

He was already walking out the doors.

---

[Uchiha Estate – 10:37 AM]

The gates of the Uchiha property opened with a smooth whir, revealing one of the most private and guarded homes in the country: a modern, black-stone mansion perched on a green hillside overlooking the city. It wasn’t just a house. It was a fortress.

Everyone knew the name Uchihas. The family had its fingers in nearly every corner of entertainment: a top-tier modeling agency in Paris, an acting school in Tokyo, chains of luxury hotels in New York, Rome, Bangkok and Seoul, restaurants with Michelin stars, and an entire brand empire rivaling conglomerates twice their size.

And Sasuke was the only one who’d dared to step outside the family’s polished image of legendary actors and modeling: to sing.

He stepped inside.

The silence was immediate.

Then—

“Sasuke.”

The voice was unmistakable: cold, deep, and sharp like an old sword.

Fugaku Uchiha sat in the open-concept lounge, reading a script book with the morning’s news broadcast playing at low volume behind him. Even in weekend clothes: a pressed black turtleneck and slacks…he looked ready to walk onto a film set.

The raven-head said nothing as he slipped off his shoes.

“You're behind schedule. I thought you’d arrive earlier,” Fugaku continued, eyes still on the paper.

“I didn’t realize I was on a schedule,” Sasuke muttered.

“You're always on a schedule. This family doesn’t tolerate mediocrity.”

“Neither do I.”

“Then stop acting like a backup dancer.”

Before Sasuke could retaliate, a second voice floated in from the hallway: warm and smooth, a practiced melody trained by years in the fashion world.

“Fugaku,” Mikoto said sweetly, “it’s early. Don’t ruin our boy’s entire day just yet.”

Sasuke turned toward the familiar sight of his mother, radiant even in a robe, sipping tea. Though once one of the world’s most in-demand runway models, Mikoto had gracefully transitioned into business, running Uchiha Modél, a luxury agency responsible for launching several global faces.

She moved with the effortless elegance of someone who knew everyone was watching—even in the confinements of her home.

“I didn’t realize my return required a debrief,” Sasuke said, brushing past them toward the kitchen.

“We missed you, darling,” Mikoto replied lightly. “Even your father. Though he’s never been good at showing it.”

“I don’t need him to show it,” Sasuke said, grabbing a bottle of water. “I need him to stop talking down to what I do.”

“It’s not personal,” Fugaku said flatly.

“No,” the raven-head deadpanned, “it’s just my career.”

~~~

[Uchiha Estate – Upstairs Lounge, Late Morning]

The sound of a door opening echoed across the hallway.

“Is the prodigal rockstar home?”

Sasuke turned just in time to see Itachi, perfectly composed even in soft gray loungewear, stepping out from one of the side suites. His older brother was a household name: praised for intense film roles, known for always stealing the camera’s affection, and effortlessly cool in every interview he graced.

And, of course, irritatingly smug.

“I thought you’d be off charming the nation with that blonde soloist,” Itachi said as he strolled in with a mug of coffee.

Sasuke took out his phone. He dropped onto the edge of the suede couch and muttered, “Day off.”

“Huh. That explains the excess brooding.”

The older Uchiha took a slow sip from his mug, then added, far too casually, “So? Is it true? You two actually hate each other?”

“We don’t hate each other,” Sasuke rolled his eyes still not looking up from his phone.

“Hm. So you like him.”

Sasuke paused. “…I didn’t say that either.”

“Oh?”

The raven-head gave him a flat look.

“Interesting,” Itachi said, a knowing smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Considering the last time we spoke, you were annoyed about all the shipping between you two.”

“I still am,” Sasuke said tightly.

“But you don’t mind being in the same room as him anymore right?” Itachi teased. “You’re growing.”

Before Sasuke could snap back, a melodic voice drifted from downstairs:

“Let him breathe, Itachi,” Mikoto called up. “If he wants to talk about his adorable tension with Naruto Uzumaki, he will.”

“Mother,” the youngest Uchiha groaned, head dropping back onto the couch dramatically.

Footsteps clicked against the marble as Mikoto ascended the stairs. “What? I’m just saying what everyone else is already thinking.”

Itachi folded his arms and leaned against the wall, amused. “To be fair, the rumors aren’t subtle. The shipping is getting ridiculous.”

“They make good edits,” Mikoto offered with a smile.

Sasuke stood abruptly, the tips of his ears pink. “I’m going to the studio.”

“Tell Naruto we said hello!” Mikoto called sweetly as he stalked off down the stairs.

Itachi chuckled into his coffee. “Too easy.”

~~~

Chapter Text

[Uzumaki Residence – Outskirts of the City, Late Morning]

Naruto kicked off his sneakers at the door and let out a long sigh as he stepped into the familiar warmth of his childhood home. The scent of wood polish and old books clung to the air, comforting in a way no luxury apartment ever could be.

The house wasn’t flashy, not like Hebi’s city-view apartment or Shinsei’s sleek rehearsal halls…but it was home. A single-story cottage tucked into the greener edge of Tokyo, filled with mismatched furniture, faded paint, and years of laughter buried in the walls.

"You're home early," came a familiar voice from the kitchen.

Naruto grinned faintly. “Day off. Gai-sensei finally took pity.”

“Or you finally wore him out. That man never shuts up or stops dancing”

Jiraiya poked his head out from around the corner, white hair still wild and eyes crinkled from decades of mischief. He wore a t-shirt that read "Retired But Dangerous", an old joke from his screenwriting days.

Naruto just chuckled and made his way toward the back of the house.

His room hadn’t changed much over the years. A few things had been updated: the record player now sat beside a wireless speaker, and some of the childish posters had been swapped for music plaques, but the heart of it remained the same. A soft blue comforter, an overflowing shelf of manga, and the photo frame that always sat on his desk.

He walked over to it quietly and picked it up.

A photo of him, age seven, nestled between his smiling parents. Kushina’s hair was wild and red and brilliant. Minato’s grin mirrored Naruto’s: open, bright, reckless. They looked alive in the picture, holding him like the whole world started and ended in his laugh.

The blonde sat down on the edge of the bed, thumb brushing over the glass.

He could still remember the day of the crash. The way rain blurred the windshield. How Minato was humming something low under his breath in the front seat. Kushina had turned around, laughing at something Naruto said, and then—

Everything after that was noise.

He remembered the pressure of her arms around him. The heat. The sound of metal folding like paper. And when he came to, her arms were still around him….keeping him safe, even in death.

He didn’t cry anymore, not really. But his chest still ached in the silence.

The bed dipped as Jiraiya sat beside him.

Neither of them said anything for a moment.

“She’d be proud, you know,” his caretaker finally said, voice rough. “Both of them would be. Look at you. You’re already doing stadium tours and recently getting into trouble with the most talked-about band in the world.”

Naruto smiled softly, resting the photo frame back on the desk.

“They were always proud,” he said. “Even when I couldn’t sing on-key to save my life.”

Jiraiya bumped his shoulder. “Took after your mom. Loud, stubborn, and way too charming for your own good.”

Naruto huffed out a laugh, finally looking over. “You forgot ‘devastatingly handsome.’”

The older man raised a brow. “That’s all me.”

They laughed, the tension bleeding from the room.

“So,” Jiraiya continued, standing with a stretch, “how’s the collab going with Hebi?“

The blonde tilted his head back with a groan. “I’m trying to get Sasuke to be a normal human being for longer than five seconds. I swear he was built in a lab for brooding.”

Jiraiya smirked. “Sounds like you like the challenge.”

Naruto smiled to himself, softer this time. “He’s… interesting. Honest, even if he’s kind of a jerk about it. The band’s great, though. They’re fun. Jugo’s a giant teddy bear, Suigetsu never shuts up, and Karin is super cool.”

“They like you.”

“Yeah,” Naruto admitted. “I like them too.”

Jiraiya crossed his arms and nodded like a proud parent. “Well, don’t scare ‘em off.”

“No promises,” Naruto grinned.

The sunlight through the window warmed the room, casting a glow on the old photo frame.

~~~

[Shinsei HQ – Recording Studio 3A, 9:10 AM]

The polished glass door slid shut behind them, and the hum of morning bustle faded into a focused buzz. This wasn’t another rehearsal…it was the real thing. Back in the company after their day break, they were ready as they could be.

Microphones with golden pop filters stood ready, and the control room flashed with lit‑up soundboards. Engineers in headsets checked levels, scribbling notes on clipboards. Hebi’s four lounged casually in plush chairs, each adjusting their gear. Suigetsu sipped coffee, flicking through the lyric sheets; Jugo quietly flipped a page; Karin checked timing cues; Sasuke, jaw slightly clenched….studied the mic’s positioning as if it were a chessboard.

Naruto stretched nonchalantly, smoothing his hoodie and tilting his head, catching Sasuke’s glance with a grin. Shikamaru leaned against the doorframe, coffee in one hand, scanning the room with an expert eye.

“Alright, everyone,” Karin called, voice crisp yet warm. “Let’s start with the chorus. It’s the emotional spine of the song….no filters, no fluff. Lay it bare.”

Suigetsu nudged Jugo teasingly: “Time to show how emotional this rock-pop thing can get.” Jugo just chuckled.

Sasuke’s lips pressed into a straight line. Lay it bare, he heard himself think.

Naruto slid through the crowd, reaching out to hand Sasuke a fresh bottle of water. “Don’t choke on the feels, Princess.”

The raven-head just nodded, too focused to comment, his fingers curling around the bottle.

From the booth came Karin’s precise voice: “Mic check. Let’s keep eyes up and hearts open. Cue track… now.”

The soft intro played. Sasuke leaned into the pop filter. Naruto stood just across, heartbeat syncing with the first beats of the chorus.

> Naruto: "If I'm the flame, you're the fuel—
Burn me down, but make it cruel…"
> Sasuke: “Kiss me once and call it fate, then leave me smoking in your wake."
>Naruto: “You want control—then stop giving it up”
>Sasuke: “Pour the poison, then drink from the cup.”
>Together: “Pulled by the fire, but afraid to feel,
So tell me, is this love, or just another deal?”

Their voices wove together, sharp as tension itself. Sasuke felt Naruto’s warmth on his side, not quite heat, not yet. But enough.

When the track ended, the studio was silent for a breath.

Shikamaru blinked. “Yeah. That was... powerful.”

Naruto cracked a grin. Sasuke said nothing, but his quiet stance spoke volumes.

Karin gestured toward the staircase. “Great energy. Now….photo shoot. Go upstairs and freshen up. You’ve got twenty minutes.”

~~~

[Shinsei HQ – Editorial Suite, 11:35 AM]

The elevator dinged open into a flurry of activity: bright lights, buzzing fans for gear, steamers hissing at wrinkled shirts, and racks of wardrobe waiting to be worn.

In this space, Hebi, and Naruto, transformed. Suigetsu leaned into a stylist’s comb, hair glowing silver. Jugo practiced calm poses. Karin adjusted lighting angles on her tablet. The blonde stepped confidently into deep reds and layered fabrics that clashed beautifully with the raven-head’s monocrome look.

Sasuke appeared next: crisp charcoal blazer, shirt unbuttoned just one notch at the collar. His expression was neutral, measured. But when the stylist added a finger‑snap curl to his hair, his dark eyes softened imperceptibly.

The photographer, a seasoned pro…arranged them in a staggered line: Sasuke and Naruto in the center, the rest of Hebi fanning out like supportive co-stars.

“Okay, guys….channel fire and ice,” he said. Sasuke took Naruto’s wrist in one shot, fingers barely brushing. The camera clicked. Naruto met Sasuke’s gaze without breaking eye contact; Sasuke responded with a defiant tilt.

Every shot sent subtle electric current through the room. The edits later would catch it…but in person, it left Hebi and the crew slightly breathless.

During a break, Karin and Shikamaru watched from behind the monitor wall.

Karin leaned in, voice quiet but fierce: “If this doesn’t break the internet, I’m changing careers.”

Shikamaru sipped from his cup. “The algorithm’s going to melt.”

Naruto rejoined them, face flushed with excitement. “We’re either going viral or getting canonized today.” He winked at Sasuke, who offered a controlled but an actual amused scoff in response.

~~~

After the final take, the lights dimmed and the camera crew exhaled. Hebi stretched out across plush sofas; Naruto and Sasuke found themselves seated not too far apart.

Suigetsu had balled his hands into fists of triumph. Jugo just sat, quietly satisfied. Karin held two bottles of sparkling water like a proud general. Shikamaru already looked half-asleep, lounging with his head against the wall.

Naruto leaned over toward Sasuke, voice pitched low so only he could hear. “So… did I annoy you a little less today?”

Sasuke didn’t immediately answer. He tilted his head back against the couch, arms crossed, thinking for a beat.

“…You were tolerable,” he said finally.

Naruto let out a quiet snort, clearly amused. “Wow. Glowing praise from you.”

Sasuke glanced at him sideways. “Don’t get used to it.”

Naruto grinned. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

They sat like that for a moment…shoulders almost brushing, silence settling easy.

For once, it didn’t feel like a war zone between them.

Just… a pause. And the hum of something slowly shifting underneath.

~~~

Chapter Text

A week passed in a blur of bright lights, vocal warmups, and aching muscles.

Between the final recording sessions and back-to-back rehearsals, neither Hebi nor Naruto had a moment to themselves. From morning until well past dusk, their lives were consumed by perfecting every beat of the song, every breath, every drop of sweat that hit the floor of the dance studio.

Naruto had never been part of such a tightly structured group process before. As a soloist, he was used to setting his own rhythm. But now, surrounded by three very different personalities, plus Karin’s fierce scheduling…he found himself adjusting, molding, and learning.

Not that he minded.

Suigetsu kept things entertaining, throwing in impromptu beatboxing during breaks and getting on everyone’s nerves. Jugo was the quiet motivator, always the first to help someone rework a step or redo a harmony. Karin somehow juggled production notes, hydration levels, and sass with the grace of a veteran battlefield commander.

And then there was Sasuke.

Focused. Intense. Predictably blunt.

But Naruto had started to recognize the subtle shifts: how Sasuke no longer looked away immediately when they made eye contact, how his nods had grown less reluctant, and how….when he thought no one was looking, he sometimes mirrored the blonde’s movements during warmups, eyes narrowed in silent study.

Their dynamic hadn’t exactly softened, but it had grown… aware.

On the third night of finalizing choreography, Gai clapped his hands with theatrical flair. “Glorious! The fire in your steps tonight….it could melt glaciers!”

Shikamaru, perched lazily on a folding chair by the studio mirror, muttered, “It better. We’ve been here for eight hours.”

“Progress takes time!” Gai beamed. “And now that your bodies and expressions are in sync, it’s time to plan the music video!”

Naruto raised a brow. “Already?”

Karin, scrolling on her tablet, nodded. “Everything’s been cleared. Location, crew, styling. We’re looking at shooting this weekend.”

“Costumes?” Suigetsu asked, perking up.

“You’ll find out during the fitting,” she said smoothly.

Gai turned to the group, voice swelling. “This video must tell the story your song already sings: power, tension, desire, restraint. The push and pull of clashing worlds!”

Naruto snorted. “That’s a fancy way to say Sasuke and I gotta pretend we’re in a love-hate spiral for three and a half minutes.”

Sasuke didn’t bother denying it. He simply rolled a water bottle between his palms and said, “Pretend?”

Naruto blinked.

But the raven-head stood and walked off toward the showers before he could answer.

Karin watched him go and sighed through her nose. “He’s warming up. Slowly. Like a toaster set to ‘low.’”

Naruto grinned as he wiped his brow with a towel. “Good thing I like toast.”

Shikamaru groaned softly from his chair. “You’re both exhausting.”

~~~

If there was one thing hotter than the teaser clips Hebi and Naruto had released so far: it was their fans.

Every behind-the-scenes snippet, every grainy photo of Naruto and Sasuke walking out of a studio together, of the band posts on social media, every freeze-frame of a choreography moment where they got too close sent both fandoms into complete chaos.

#HebiXNaruto
#NaruSasu
#AdderVsNarutomaki
#AddermakiUnite
#PleaseLetThemFightOnStage

It was everywhere.

Naruto’s solo fandom, Narutomaki, had always been loud and passionate, built on the two years of watching their idol break records with a smile, unbothered by the industry politics. Hebi’s base, Adder, had been around even longer: tighter, more protective, and prone to territorial spats on social media whenever another artist got “too close” to their boys and girl.

So a forced collaboration between them? Already enough to light the fuse.

But what truly set the whole thing ablaze… was the chemistry.

~~~

The company had posted a 30-second teaser from rehearsal. In it, Naruto and Sasuke faced off in a tense part of the choreography: eyes locked, breath heavy, bodies almost touching.

It ended with a cut just before they collided in the next step.

The frame froze there.

Fans lost their minds.

@lovelynaru (Narutomaki): “Tell me why this looks like foreplay."

@venomoushype (Adder): “Naruto looks like he's two seconds from devouring him."

@addermakifan1 (Dual fan): “If they don’t kiss in this MV I’m suing."

~~~

Karin had posted a blurry story on her account (which of course had been screenshotted in under a minute) showing Suigetsu and Naruto joking around during a break. Naruto had the white-head’s man ascended in the air on the blonde’s shoulder as they laughed about something.

Sasuke was in the background. Watching.

No smile. Just watching.

And if you zoomed in enough….you could almost see the slight twitch in his brow.

> @milkyeclipse: “SASUKE LOOKING AT NARUTO LIKE A CAT ABOUT TO POUNCE. HELP😳”

> @sasukeswifepls: “Adder, stay calm. He’s just… observing. Not catching feelings. Not at all. Nope 😬”

> @tomatoesno1: “I thought I shipped Sasuke x solitude but I was wrong.”

~~~

Company Neutrality, Fan Frenzy

Officially, the company released polite captions:
“Look forward to the explosive collaboration between Hebi and Naruto!”
“Sparks fly in the studio so don’t miss this dynamic pair and collab!”

And no one missed the undertone.

Especially not with Shikamaru and Karin in a few of the clips, exchanging knowing glances as their artists rehearsed a little too closely. Or that one accidental snap of Naruto casually tugging Sasuke’s hoodie forward while showing him a move.

> @naruismysun: “That hoodie pull is boyfriend behavior. I don’t make the rules.”

> @adderstorm: “Karin looked straight at the camera like she knew what she was doing.”

~~~

At first, Adder and Narutomaki went to war.

Accusations of riding coattails. Claims that one artist would “ruin the brand” of the other. Compilations titled “All the times Sasuke looked like he wanted to disappear near Naruto” vs “Naruto making Sasuke’s cold heart melt: proof in 5 clips.”

But slowly, something shifted.

Dual-shippers emerged tremendously. Accounts once dedicated to solo stanning began retweeting each other. Fanart bloomed: some cute, some spicy, all heavily watermarked.

And somewhere under a compilation tweet of slow glances and breathless choreography moments:

> @crimsonuke: “Guys. What if they’re both falling and too stubborn to admit it😉?”

For once, both sides paused.
And no one argued.

~~~

Naruto had seen a few of the tweets. He liked the memes but never commented.

Sasuke hadn’t checked a tag in days, but Karin had mentioned the uptick in followers. Especially shippers.

He’d only grunted. But Naruto had caught the faintest smirk tugging at his lips after Suigetsu yelled, “We’re trending again!” and waved a fan edit around of Sasuke grabbing Naruto’s wrist during dance practice.

Neither of them said anything about it out loud.

But when Sasuke had passed Naruto later that night in the studio hallway, their shoulders brushed: casual, but intentional. And the blonde had grinned at him with something between mischief and challenge.

The fans weren’t wrong.

Something was absolutely happening.

~~~

Chapter Text

The company’s conference room buzzed with creative tension.

Screens displayed mood boards: smoke-drenched neon streets, gloved hands brushing in the dark, mirror shards catching flashes of red and gold. Gai stood at the front like a general readying his troops for war, sleeves rolled up and eyes practically on fire with enthusiasm.

Karin was seated calmly at one end of the long table, flipping through the production breakdown. Shikamaru slouched next to her, spinning a pen between his fingers, looking as if he was ten seconds from napping but catching every word regardless.

Naruto leaned back in his chair, swinging one leg over the other, lips curled into a grin. “So basically,” he said, eyes on the storyboard, “this is a full-on drama MV with explosions of feeling and a hint of chaos?”

Karin nodded. “Welcome to Hebi’s brand.”

Suigetsu laughed from across the table. “And now you’re in it.”

Sasuke didn’t say much, as usual. He only skimmed the visual notes, taking in the intense stares and choreographed fights, the symbolic red string between two figures… one with black hair, one with gold.

His own face. Naruto’s. In every concept slide.

He didn’t speak, but he didn’t look away either.

———

Day One: Smoke and Steel

Filming started in a massive industrial warehouse turned studio. The set was soaked in cold greys and chrome, low lights casting long shadows. Smoke machines hissed faintly in the background. Camera cranes loomed above like giant birds waiting to pounce.

Hebi’s band scenes came first: Suigetsu on a raised platform pretending to shred a black guitar that would later be synced with the track. Jugo stood against steel beams, looming and silent, every bit the quiet force he was in real life.

Sasuke took center, as always, mic in hand, movements sharp and precise. His eyes stayed shadowed by low lighting, giving him the perfect edge of cool detachment.

Naruto’s solo shots were next. He danced alone on a wet concrete floor, spotlighted by a single red beam. His moves were looser, sharp but fluid, adding something raw and untamed to the composition.

He didn’t blend into Hebi’s aesthetic.

He twisted it.

Broke it open.

And made it shine.

Gai nearly wept.

~~~

Day Two: Collision Scene

The centerpiece of the MV was filmed on the second day: Naruto and Sasuke’s confrontation in a narrow alley lit with flickering signs and graffiti-covered walls.

They stood on opposite ends of the alley, facing off like rivals at the edge of a storm. The camera panned in slow motion as they moved toward each other, step by step, synced perfectly to the chorus.

On cue, their arms reached out….grabbing, pulling.

A choreographed clash of hands, torsos close, breath mixing, chests rising with the tension of the song.

It wasn’t a fight.

But it wasn’t tender either.

It was fire meeting fire.

And it looked like it meant everything.

Cut. Reset. Film again.

Each take got sharper.

More intense.

On the fourth try, Naruto didn’t let go as quickly. Sasuke didn’t step back as fast. Their eyes lingered. And when the director called cut again, neither of them moved for a second longer than needed.

Naruto broke into a grin, a little breathless. “We’re gonna blow up the fandom with that one.”

Sasuke only rolled his eyes. But the flush on his neck didn’t lie.

~~~

Final Scene: Together

The last segment was shot at night on a rooftop under simulated rain. Everyone was soaked, the wind machines on full blast, the city lights blinking in the backdrop.

Sasuke and Naruto stood center stage, back-to-back.

As the bridge played, they slowly turned toward each other, shoulder to shoulder, and then face to face.

The choreography was simple.

Just a nod.

A reach.

Fingers clasping for half a beat before the final note dropped.

The director called the last cut.

Everyone exhaled.

Gai clapped so hard his hands turned red. Karin looked smug. Shikamaru muttered, “Troublesome perfection.”

And Suigetsu? “Someone better prepare the fandom’s funeral.”

Sasuke peeled off his soaked jacket. Naruto pushed his wet hair out of his face and gave Sasuke a light punch on the arm.

“You didn’t suck,” he said, grinning.

Sasuke gave him a long look, something unreadable flickering behind his eyes. “…You weren’t terrible either.”

Naruto laughed. “We’re basically best friends now.”

Sasuke scoffed. “Delusional.”

But he didn’t move away.

~~~

The countdown had been scheduled for midnight sharp.

The company’s official YouTube channel had released teasers all week: aesthetic stills, behind-the-scenes clips, a half-second glimpse of Naruto and Sasuke locked in a visual standoff that already had fans setting alarms, canceling plans, and preparing to lose sleep.

And when the clock struck 12:00, it hit.

The screen opened on Hebi’s signature cold aesthetic: smoke, steel, neon lights. Naruto entered in the first beat, all loose edges and fire, pulling the atmosphere into chaos in the best way.

Then Sasuke.

The two met, collided, moved like polar forces, always close enough to spark, never close enough to touch.

And yet when they finally did,
That rooftop scene.
The rainfall.
The back-to-back stance, the reach, the fingers grazing…
It changed the game.

---

In Under Two Hours:

#NaruSasu trended in 59 countries.
#HebixUzumaki trended in 80 countries
The video surpassed 7.5 million views, in just sixty minutes.
Memes, edits, reaction videos, fancams exploded across Twitter, TikTok, Instagram.

> @NarutomakiQueen: THEY HELD HANDS. THEY HELD HANDS. THEY HELD HAN—

> @AddersBite: Sasuke did NOT just look at Naruto like that and expect me to survive.

> @UchiFanGirl17: Hebi’s aesthetic with Naruto’s fire?? I’ve never been this fed in my life.

> @NarutoZGold: The chemistry. The tension. The storm. The slow burn. I’m going FERAL.

Even verified celebrities chimed in.
Other idols. Models. Influencers.
People who had never publicly commented on music before were suddenly tagging the video.

And somewhere in all that digital chaos, the company’s official statement dropped:

“Thank you for the overwhelming support. Due to the historic reception of the collaboration between Hebi and Naruto, we’re excited to announce a joint stadium fan event and live performance, details to follow shortly.”*

~~~

Which led to—

The Return of Tsunade.

The legendary CEO.
The woman whose red bottoms heels alone could make a room stand still.
Whose name struck terror into lazy interns and soft-spined producers.
She arrived back at HQ by noon in a black coat and sunglasses, surrounded by nervous assistants with clipboards.

Inside the Hebi conference room, Naruto was kicked back on the couch with a lollipop in his mouth. Sasuke sat beside him, arms crossed, eyes on the large screen still playing highlights of their video.

Suigetsu, Jugo, and Karin stood like students awaiting punishment.
Shikamaru was barely keeping his eyes open at the corner of the table.

Tsunade’s voice cracked like a whip.
“You’ve broken the damn internet.”

No one moved.

“And now, you’re going to perform it live in front of eighty thousand screaming fans.”

Naruto blinked. “...eighty thousand?”

She leveled a stare at him. “And that’s just the presale. You’ll perform the song live: choreo and all, then we’ll go into a fan meeting segment. Talk show-style. Interactive games. Fan questions. Give ‘em what they want.”

“Which is?” Karin asked dryly.

Tsunade smirked. “More tension. More chemistry. More of this.” She pointed to the paused frame of Naruto and Sasuke on screen, bodies close, expressions unreadable.

Naruto snorted. “So basically…us breathing in the same room.”

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

“Exactly,” Tsunade said.

Shikamaru sighed and muttered under his breath, “what a drag…”

“But worth it,” the CEO finished. “If you thought this collab was big, wait until that stadium lights up. Make sure you’re ready.”

And with that, she swept out of the room.

---

Later that night...

Naruto posted a selfie holding a limited-edition vinyl of the song’s artwork.
The caption read:

“Who’s coming to the fan meet? 👀🔥”

The comment section exploded.
And somewhere buried in the chaos, one comment stood out.

> @SasukeUOfficial liked this post.

The fans?
They noticed.

They always noticed.

~~~

Chapter Text

Hebi’s studio had never been this quiet in a while.

The scent of fresh food filled the air: bento boxes stacked neatly on the glass table, homemade side dishes lined in insulated containers. Suigetsu had already snuck one open. Jugo sat politely with his hands on his knees, clearly holding back from doing the same. Karin adjusted her glasses, her manager-mode momentarily short-circuited by the sudden familial warmth that had entered the room.

Because this wasn’t just any visit.
This was tradition.

And, as always, Mikoto and Itachi Uchiha came prepared.

Sasuke stood a few feet away, arms crossed, watching as his elegant mother laid out plates and instructed Suigetsu to use tongs “like a civilized human being, dear.” She wore her usual quiet glamour: designer coat draped over a crisp blouse, hair pinned delicately, smile as sharp as it was warm.

Itachi, as usual, was relaxed. He wore a subtle designer blouse and pants. He had one hand in his pocket and the other already patting Jugo’s shoulder in greeting.

“Did Suigetsu finally grow taller?” he asked the younger man with a raised brow.

“Barely,” Jugo said, amused.

“Still counts,” Itachi said with a wink.

Sasuke shook his head, resigned. This was their usual. They did it after every comeback: Mikoto and Itachi would show up, bring food, sit with the band like it was a family dinner instead of a high-profile music drop. The world could be on fire, and Mikoto Uchiha would still cut fruit in a perfect spiral and ask if they were sleeping enough.

It never fazed Hebi.

In fact, Hebi loved it.

Suigetsu practically called Itachi his brother. Jugo once told Mikoto she reminded him of his aunt….and Karin, who was rarely impressed, had asked Mikoto for her skincare routine the first time she visited.

But today was different.

Today, Naruto was here.

He arrived late, hair a bit mussed, dress in an outfit from some promotional shoot he’d been whisked off to that morning. He jogged into the room with a sheepish smile, tossing his bag onto a spare chair.

“Sorry, sorry, I know I’m late—wait, is that sukiyaki?” he blinked at the table.

And then he froze, just for a moment….when he saw Mikoto and Itachi.

“Oh,” he said. “I didn’t mean to crash—”

“Naruto, it’s so nice to finally meet you,” Mikoto said warmly, already walking over.

Naruto blinked. “Y-Yeah?”

“I’m Mikoto. Sasuke’s mother.”

Before he could even bow properly, she pulled him into a hug.

“Welcome, dear. We’ve heard so much about you.”

The blonde’s eyes widened as she pulled back. “You have?”

“Sasuke doesn’t say much, but he scowls more when your name comes up,” Itachi offered, stepping forward.

Naruto chuckled nervously. “That…sounds about right.”

“I’m Itachi,” he added. “The older, more charming brother.”

Sasuke made a sound of muted protest in the background.

Naruto gave a polite bow. “Nice to meet you both. I’ve heard about you too. Like…a lot.”

“Oh?” Mikoto tilted her head. “All good things, I hope?”

“Mostly. You know, the usual. Perfect brother. Elegant mom. International acting fame. Devastating beauty.”

Suigetsu let out a laugh.

“You’re already my favorite,” Mikoto grinned.

Sasuke muttered something under his breath and picked up a bottle of water like he was reconsidering all his life choices.

“Sit, Naruto,” Itachi said. “Join us. You’re basically one of us now.”

“I—I am?”

Mikoto smiled sweetly. “Of course. Anyone who can keep up with my youngest and make him dance like he actually has feelings is a miracle worker.”

Naruto blinked. “Oh. Wow. I mean—thanks?”

Hebi was living for it.

Suigetsu looked like he was watching the best sitcom of the year. Karin leaned toward Jugo and whispered, “Called it. Sasuke’s doomed.”

Jugo smiled. “He doesn’t even look mad about it.”

And he didn’t.

The youngest Uchiha sat back in his seat, quiet as always, but not irritated. Not even annoyed. Just a bit stunned. Watching Naruto, watching his family so easily embrace him. It was… surreal. The way Naruto fit so quickly, like a missing piece had quietly clicked into place without anyone noticing until now.

Later, after the food had been eaten and laughter had spilled over too many times, Mikoto stood up to leave, smoothing out her coat and bidding the band farewell with warm hugs.

“Don’t work too hard,” she said, planting a kiss on Sasuke’s cheek. Then she turned to Naruto, looping her arm around his. “You’ll come by the house sometime, won’t you? We’ll have dinner. Something cozy. Just us.”

Naruto blinked, wide-eyed. “Uh—yeah. I’d love that.”

Sasuke watched them go, a strange mix of warmth and bewilderment blooming in his chest. When the door finally shut, he looked around and caught Suigetsu smirking at him.

“What?”

Suigetsu just shrugged. “Nothing. Just wondering how it feels being the second favorite now.”

The raven-head rolled his eyes.

~~~

The stadium was still empty: an echo chamber of steel scaffolding, rows of seats like a sleeping beast waiting to wake. But even in its silence, the place buzzed. Lighting crews moved in and out with massive rigs. Audio techs were running decibel checks and calibrating stage monitors. Behind the scenes, a planning team huddled in front of holographic stage blueprints, arguing over timing, camera angles, fan interaction blocks, pyrotechnics.

The fan event had exploded into something bigger than anyone originally imagined.

And Tsunade had made it clear: it had to be perfect.

Hebi and Naruto were everywhere.

Karin, clipboard in hand and eyes fierce behind her red frames, was barking directions into a comm device, rallying both Hebi’s and Naruto’s teams together. Shikamaru, in contrast, leaned back on a flight case nearby, lazily chewing on a toothpick, offering a rare “troublesome” here or a perfectly timed suggestion there….somehow keeping things efficient just by existing.

Suigetsu and Jugo were already on stage, getting their in-ears tested. Sasuke sat off to the side with his water bottle, glancing at the planners half-listening to the run-through, and Naruto—

Naruto was crouched by one of the behind-the-scenes cameras, phone held high and turned toward himself, bright-eyed and grinning into the lens.

~~~

“Heeeey, guys! It’s me again: your favorite blonde sunshine,” he said, winking at the camera.
Behind him, chaos. Literally. A light rig collapsed in the background and someone screamed. Naruto didn’t even flinch.

“So today’s vlog is all about the chaos that is planning this insane fan event with Hebi. We’ve got a full concert stage, group games, a Q\&A segment, and… something I’m probably forgetting.”

He tilted the phone to catch Suigetsu in the shot, who threw up a peace sign.

“Say hi to the vlog, Sui!”

“I’m being exploited,” Suigetsu said flatly. “Send help.”

“Hi, vlog,” Jugo added calmly as he passed by with a mic check card.

Naruto grinned and followed the camera’s motion until it rested on Sasuke, sitting on the edge of the main stage.

Sasuke looked up.

Naruto zoomed in slowly. “And there’s our princess of eternal moodiness.”

Sasuke glared. “Stop filming me.”

“You love it.”

“I don’t.”

“Smile for the fans, Sasuke.”

“No.”

Naruto laughed and ended the clip.

~~~

Over the past few weeks, things had shifted. Not dramatically….no overnight confessions or world-shattering drama. But gradually. Naturally. Like waves shaping rock.

Naruto had wormed his way into Hebi’s daily rhythm like he’d always been there.

He and Suigetsu shared a mutual love for dumb memes and soda-flavored candy. With Jugo, it was quiet morning stretches and long, peaceful silences Naruto didn’t even need to fill. Karin, she had taken to giving Naruto skincare samples and calling him “idiot sunshine” with a tone that sounded amused and fond.

And with Sasuke, it was…

Complicated. Constant. Alive.

~~~

Later in the day, the group was in the dressing room reviewing the rundown. Naruto slid onto the couch beside Sasuke, closer than necessary.

“Wanna practice the game questions together later?” he asked, casually tossing his arm across the couch back. It hovered behind Sasuke’s neck. Not touching. But close.

The raven-head didn’t even glance at him. “We’ve already seen the cue cards.”

“Yeah, but we should plan how to win. Teamwork. Camaraderie.”

“Cheating,” Sasuke corrected.

“Tomato, tomahto,” Naruto grinned. “Come on. You wanna beat Suigetsu, don’t you?”

“…I always want to beat Suigetsu.”

“Then let’s plan.”

The blonde shifted a little closer, thighs nearly touching. Sasuke didn’t move. His shoulders stayed stiff, his jaw clenched slightly. But he didn’t lean away. Instead, he answered—

“Fine. Fifteen minutes. That’s all.”

Naruto beamed, satisfied.

Suigetsu walked by just then and caught the scene. “Are you two flirting again?”

Naruto wiggled a brow with a teasing smile. “Maybe~”

Sasuke muttered, “Shut up, Suigetsu,” and reached for his drink to hide the color crawling into his ears.

~~~

That night, Naruto’s vlog uploaded. It featured clips of the crew at work, the planning chaos, Hebi being Hebi. and at the very end, a snapshot of him and Sasuke reviewing cue cards together, sitting close, heads nearly touching, Naruto grinning while Sasuke gave him a pointed look that wasn’t quite a glare.

The comments section exploded.

> sui_user2093: THE CHEMISTRY. I’m choking 🥹
> NaruSasuTruthers: Are they dating or are we just victims again 🧐
> AdderVenom: Sasuke would never tolerate someone that close unless he was in love. That’s science.
> Narutomaki_High: Can we get a two-hour documentary on this group and Naruto. Please.
> JUGOSLEFTHOOK: *naruto flirting* sasuke: 🧍🏻‍♂️💥😳📉📈🧍🏻‍♂️

The stage was set.

The fans were frothing.

And the show hadn't even started yet.

Chapter Text

The stadium was packed. A sea of glowing Narutomaki-orange and Adder-deep purple lightsticks lit up the night like stars caught in motion. The air buzzed with chants, screams, and emotional static. Over eighty thousand fans had filled every seat and square of floor space, while millions more watched the live stream from across the globe.

When the lights dimmed and the first beat of the intro hit, the world seemed to hold its breath.

---

[The First Live Performance]

The crowd exploded as the stage lit up in perfect synchrony: light arcs dancing across the LED screen behind them, shaping flames and snake scales, a design mirroring the fiery sound and Hebi's band name.

Naruto and Sasuke stood center stage.

Sasuke in sleek black with silver trim and rings climbing one hand like armor. Naruto in bright orange with golden accessories and loose streetwear that shimmered under the lights. The tension was sharp even in their poses, backs to each other as the music began.

Suigetsu and Jugo entered from opposite sides, instruments slung and ready.

The live version had extra bite. Suigetsu’s drums thundered under the melody, and Jugo’s bass grounded everything. Sasuke’s voice came in low and cold—

> "I don’t need your fire—"

And then Naruto’s reply, light and cutting through like a blade of sunlight:

> "—but you keep stepping into my storm."

The harmony between them was electric. Their chemistry: undeniable.

Sasuke turned to Naruto halfway through the second chorus, and Naruto met his eyes on cue. Their hands brushed during the transition. The lights flared behind them.

The ending had Naruto stepping forward and holding a note while Sasuke harmonized behind him—closer now, their faces close, noses almost touching.

The final chord hit.

The entire stadium was silent for half a second, then roared.

---

[Q\&A Section]

Karin stepped out on stage, mic in hand and gleaming in a purple power suit. The crowd screamed again.

“Welcome to the chaos,” she smirked, “also known as our first-ever joint fan meet. You survived the performance. Barely. Let’s see how you do with questions.”

Cheers.

She gestured toward four chairs set up across the stage. Hebi and Naruto sat—Sasuke between Naruto and Karin, because fate (and Karin) had a sense of humor.

Fans had submitted millions of questions, but Karin had narrowed them down to just a few: some fun, some chaotic, some deeply sincere.

{Fan Question 1 (for Suigetsu):}
“Suigetsu, is it true you once used coffee and honey to dye a streak of your hair?”

Suigetsu leaned forward. “It’s a trade secret. But yes. And it works.”

Naruto choked laughing. Jugo nodded like it was normal.

{Fan Question 2 (for Karin):}
“Karin, what’s it like managing Hebi and now Naruto?”

Karin grinned. “It’s like babysitting firecrackers. Except the firecrackers sometimes flirt with each other and have fan wars.”

Sasuke sighed. Naruto gave a mock bow.

{Fan Question 3 (for Jugo):}
“What’s something we don’t know about you?”

Jugo blinked. “I play classical piano when I’m stressed….with Sasuke.”

The stadium lost it. Sasuke rubbed his temple.

{Fan Question 4 (for Naruto):}
“What surprised you most about working with Hebi?”

Naruto grinned. “That they let me in.”

“No, seriously,” Karin said.

“Fine,” he said. “That Sasuke is way better than I initially thought.”

Sasuke side-eyed him. “You didn’t think I’d be?”

“No,” Naruto said sweetly, “I just thought you were all attitude and eyeliner.”

“Not eyeliner,” the Uchiha replied dryly, “it’s genetics.”

{Fan Question 5 (for Sasuke):}
“Do you hate Naruto less now?”

Sasuke paused. The crowd waited.

He leaned toward the mic, deadpan. “No comment.”

The stadium howled.

Naruto laughed loud enough to bend forward. “That’s not a no!”

~~~

[The Games]

After the Q&A, Karin clapped her hands. “Now the real test. We’re playing a few games: band vs. band. Or rather... duo vs. duo.”

“Team Narusasu,” Suigetsu muttered behind his mic. “Unfair advantage.”

The first game was Guess That Song: a chaotic mess of humming, wild gestures, and Naruto screaming, “It’s your own song, Sasuke!” while Sasuke calmly guessed it wrong on purpose.

Jugo and Suigetsu actually worked like a well-oiled machine, but it didn’t matter.

Since the blonde and raven-head kept winning.

The second game was a “Trust Fall + Pop Quiz” hybrid where one teammate had to answer trivia while the other prepared to catch them if they got it wrong. Sasuke had to fall backward while Naruto answered personal questions like “What’s Sasuke’s favorite color?” (“Black,” Naruto answered. “Obviously.”)

When he caught Sasuke with ease, the crowd screamed.

Sasuke muttered, “How do you even know the answers to those questions?”

Naruto replied, “I like learning about you.”

The two just stared at each other.

The entire stadium spiraled into another screaming fit.

Suigetsu could be heard muttering, “We’ve lost them. They’re gone.”

~~~

The fan meeting wound down with everyone standing center stage, waving at fans with handheld mics.

Karin offered the final message: “Thank you all for believing in this insane project. Hebi and Naruto weren’t always meant to share a stage: but now that they do, I can’t imagine it any other way.”

Cheers.

The blonde soloist took a step forward. “We’ve seen the comments, the edits, the support, the jokes…and yeah, even the chaos. So… thank you. For trusting us. For staying loud. And for loving music loud enough to fill a place like this.”

He turned to Sasuke.

“And for giving me these guys. Especially this one.”

Sasuke looked at him, quiet. But he nodded. Just once.

~~~

As the final lights dimmed and the crowd roared one last time, it was clear:

This was no longer just a collab.

It was history.

~~~

By the next morning, the internet had melted.

The fan meeting event was all anyone could talk about. On social media, millions of edits, memes, fan art, fancams, and clips from the livestream flooded every feed, trending worldwide under multiple hashtags:

NarusasuStage, #AdderXNarutomaki, #TrustFall2025, and the ever-chaotic
#aretheydatingor

> @jpoploonie69: “THEY CAUGHT EACH OTHER’S FALL AND OUR HEARTS 😭😭”

> @addersnakes4life: “Naruto was BORN to perform. Sasuke was born to brood. But when they sing together?? They BREATHE fire.”

> @narusasu_worship: “I think I blacked out when Naruto said ‘I like learning about you’ and they just went in their own world after?? Are we okay??”

> @sweetchaosK: “Suigetsu deserves an award for being the unofficial NaruSasu ship captain.”

Even professional music critics were caught off guard by the sheer chemistry between the two….particularly during the live performance. Publications called it one of the most “charismatically synchronized dual debuts” in recent history.

And the fans?

They were feral.

---

[📱 Group Chat – Mid Evening]

[Naruto 🍥:]
> ok so
> i think i like sasuke
>…
> like for real
>…
> like not just “i admire your brooding personality” like…
> i wanna text him stupid things at 3am and maybe hold his hand kind of like
> im dying lol bye 😭🔫

[Shikamaru🧠:]

> Took you long enough.
> You talk about him every five seconds.

[Sakura 🌸:]

> OH MY GOD FINALLY???!
> I was gonna say something after everything I saw on social media recently but I didn’t want to jinx it!!

[Choji 🍜:]

> bro
> literally everyone sees it
> even my mom asked me if you’re dating

[Gaara🏜️:]

> He’s good for you.
> Also… you sparkle around him and smile like a 2006 drama love interest.
> Just saying.

[Naruto 🍥:]

> OK RUDE
> BUT TRUE
>…
> what do i do?!?
> i think i wanna ask him to hang out
> but what if he says no???
> I’ll forget to exist if he does 🥹

[Sakura 🌸:]

> You’re Naruto Uzumaki. You’ll flirt your way out of a panic attack.

[Shikamaru 🧠:]

> Just keep it casual.
> Don't overthink it.

[Gaara 🏜️:]

> Or do. Either way, he’ll like you.

~~~

Naruto had paced the hallway of the company lounge for a full thirty minutes before actually messaging Sasuke. His thumb hovered over the send button until his screen dimmed twice.

He finally sent:

[📱 Private Chat- Naruto → Sasuke]

[Naruto 🍥:]

> hey
>…
> random thought
>…
> would you wanna hang out sometime?
> like…not like a big thing.
> like a regular thing.
> unless you hate those.
> then this is a prank lol 😆

It took a minute.

Then another.

Then—

[Sasuke 💜:]

> ….
>Sure. When?

Naruto stared. Blinked. Stared again.

Then typed way too fast:

[Naruto 🍥:]

> wait really
> like for real???
> then it’s a date
>….
> I MEAN
> not a date-date
> just a hang out
> like
> a friend date
>…
> I’ll just stop typing now 🙂‍↕️

[Sasuke 💜:]

> …
> You're spiraling.

[Naruto 🍥:]

> i KNOW

There was a pause.

And then—three dots.

Then—

[Sasuke 💜:]

> You’re lucky you’re amusing.

[Naruto 🍥:]

> you called me amusing. i win

And before Naruto could spiral again, his phone buzzed with a voice message.

He tapped it, expecting something dry or sarcastic.

Instead—

Sasuke’s scoff followed by a small laugh. Low. Soft. Real.

The blonde froze.

He stood there, in the hallway of the lounge, staring at nothing and listening to it twice. Three times. Okay…more than a dozen times.

He grinned so wide it hurt. Hand to his chest. Breath light.

“Holy shit,” he whispered to himself.

Chapter Text

The garden was hidden from the city like a secret the skyline didn’t deserve.

A private retreat nestled in the hills, with narrow stone paths lined by flowering trees and koi ponds too calm for gossip or noise. The only things that moved were the petals drifting from high branches and the wind nudging them gently.

Naruto had brought them here.

It was one of the few places paparazzi couldn’t enter: not just because of security, but because Jiraiya knew the staff personally, and they'd been guarding Naruto’s privacy since the beginning of his career. This place was his childhood. Sasuke knew the moment they stepped past the quiet gates that this was not a casual pick.

Even if Naruto was doing his best to pretend it was.

“Okay, I know it’s not a date,” the blonde said as they reached a small bench shaded by a wisteria tree. “But if it were, this place would totally win points.”

Sasuke gave a noncommittal hum, hands in his pockets, gaze following the floating petals. “Points for what?”

Naruto blinked. “Theoretically? Charm.”

The raven-head sat first, one ankle over his knee. “You don’t need to try this hard.”

“I’m not!” Naruto sat beside him. “Okay, maybe I am. A little.”

Sasuke didn’t respond, but there was a trace of something like amusement in his expression. The blonde grinned. The silence stretched….not awkward, but oddly thoughtful. And it held, while the wind picked up slightly, rustling the grass at their feet.

Naruto exhaled slowly, eyes watching the koi pond just across the path.

“You know,” he said, quieter this time, “I used to come here with my parents and my godfather, Jiraiya when I was younger. Jiraiya brought me every birthday until I turned eighteen.”

Sasuke turned his head slightly, just enough to let the other know he was listening.

“I always asked to come here. I think part of me thought I could see them again, if I stared into the water long enough.”

The raven-head didn’t ask. He waited.

The soloist’s voice stayed soft. “My parents. They died in a car crash when I was seven.”

There it was: unfolded like something rehearsed but still raw.

“We were all in the car. My mom sat in the back with me. When it happened, she threw her arms around me before it hit.”

Sasuke’s brow furrowed slightly, but he didn’t interrupt.

“I remember glass,” Naruto said. “And the sound of metal folding. I remember my mom whispering something. Then everything went quiet. When I woke up, Jiraiya was the one holding my hand.”

He smiled faintly. “He took me in, no questions asked. Raised me like I was his own. He used to joke that I was more trouble than a litter of wild cats, but he still kept me anyway.”

Sasuke’s voice, when it came, was low. “You talk about him like family.”

“He is family.”

Naruto looked over then. Really looked at Sasuke.

“It’s just been him and me since then. He never made me feel like I was missing anything. But some days, like lately… I think about what they’d say if they saw me now.”

Sasuke’s eyes didn’t leave his.

“They’d say you’re still standing. Still bright,” he said quietly. “That’s enough.”

The blonde blinked, startled by the clarity and gentleness of the words. There was no pity in the other’s tone. No awkward apology. Just truth. Plain and steady.

“…Thanks,” Naruto said after a moment, voice cracking just slightly. “That means more than you think.”

They let the silence settle again, easier this time. Warm. They got up after a while, walking back toward the edge of the garden where a narrow incline led toward the gate.

And that’s when Naruto’s foot caught on an uneven patch of stone.

“Whoa—!”

He stumbled. Sasuke caught him instinctively by the wrist…but Naruto’s forward momentum was too strong, and they both tipped off balance—

Down they went, landing in a soft patch of grass.

Sasuke landed with one knee on either side of Naruto, hands braced against the ground. Naruto blinked up at him, stunned for a half second before….

He bursts out laughing.

Loud, unfiltered, radiant laughter that echoed around them like sunlight.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes like he wanted to be annoyed….but then something cracked at the edge of his expression. A breathy, surprised chuckle escaped him. And then….

He laughed.

Not cold or sharp: but soft and real, like it caught him off guard.

The blonde froze. His smile softened, eyes locked on the raven-head’s face.

“You should laugh more,” Naruto said, voice full of wonder. “You have a beautiful laugh.”

Sasuke’s amusement lingered even as the laughter faded. His weight shifted, but neither of them moved to get up. They were too close. Something settled in the air: intimate and still.

Sasuke leaned in just slightly. Naruto tilted up to meet him.

Their noses nearly brushed.

Then….

*Bzzzzzzzt!*

The raven-head groaned. The buzzing kept going.

“Seriously,” Naruto muttered, “this better not be—”

Sasuke stood up and pulled out his phone. “It’s Itachi.”

The soloist flopped onto the grass, half-annoyed about the interruption.

As the Uchiha answered, Naruto stared up at the sky again, heart hammering.

If that wasn’t a date…

He didn’t know what was.

~~~

Something changed after the not-a-date-date-day.

It didn’t start loud. No sudden declarations, no new public statements. But the way Naruto and Sasuke moved around each other: stood near each other….spoke volumes.

Like orbiting stars, their paths now moved closer, naturally, drawn together by a force they weren’t fully acknowledging.

Even in rehearsals, the difference was there.

Suigetsu clocked it first. He was mid-sip of an energy drink when Naruto handed Sasuke a towel during a break. Sasuke took it with a quiet “thanks” instead of his usual dismissive grunt. The white-head blinked once. Then again.

“Did anyone else feel the Earth tilt just now?” he muttered.

Jugo hummed. “Their timing’s been more fluid lately. Cleaner sync.”

“That’s not timing, that’s tension,” Suigetsu hissed. “There’s something going on.”

Karin rolled her eyes from where she stood by the monitor, but she didn’t disagree. Not when Sasuke casually handed Naruto his water bottle later, or when Naruto leaned in….close, way too close, to whisper something during a run-through. And Sasuke didn’t flinch. He listened.

By the third day of practice that week, the change was undeniable.

They weren’t hiding anything…but they weren’t putting anything on display, either. Still, with the raven-head suddenly more attuned to the blonde’s presence and Naruto dialed down from teasing to something more genuine, it was impossible to miss.

Shikamaru, narrowed his eyes as he updated the schedule board. “He’s smiling more.”

“Who, Sasuke?” Jugo asked.

“Yeah. It’s weirding me out.”

“I think it’s cute,” Suigetsu chirped. “Like watching an emotionally constipated cat finally warm up to a golden retriever.”

Karin snorted. “Your metaphors are a cry for help.”

“I stand by them.”

The day of their radio interview came, and fans noticed too.

Photos circulated within minutes: Naruto standing beside Sasuke at the mic, one hand brushing Sasuke’s lower back as they hummed at something a host said. The Uchiha didn’t move away. He leaned in to correct something Naruto said, voice quiet, barely caught on camera.

#NaruSasu trended #1 on Twitter within ten minutes.

[📱Fan Comments:]

“THEIR BODY LANGUAGE.”

“Sasuke looked at Naruto like he hung the damn moon.”

“Hebi’s whole vibe watching them was ‘fucking finally.’”

The fancams were ruthless. So were the fan edits. Even when the hosts tried to steer attention to Suigetsu and Jugo, the audience wanted more of them.

And Sasuke noticed.

Not the fans: he could tune them out. But Naruto?

Naruto had stopped pretending there was nothing between them. Not pushing, not forcing....just showing up. Quietly, steadily, like he belonged.

And somehow… Sasuke was letting him.

~~~

Later that week, as practice wrapped and the group shuffled out of the studio for the night, Sasuke lingered behind with the soloist. The others gave them space, pretending to be absorbed in group chat updates and fast food menus.

Naruto nudged him with an elbow. “Your group’s either pretending not to watch us, or plotting our wedding.”

“They’re annoying,” Sasuke muttered.

“But you love them,” Naruto sing-songed.

Sasuke didn’t answer. But he didn’t deny it either.

Naruto’s smile softened. “Hey, uh… random question.”

Sasuke glanced sideways. “What.”

“Your mom. When I met her… she asked if I’d ever come over for dinner. Was that real? Or was that just, y’know, polite celebrity-speak?”

Sasuke was quiet for a beat.

Then,

“She wasn’t joking.”

Naruto blinked. “Oh.”

Another pause.

“…She.... actually wants you to come over soon. Saturday.”

Naruto straightened a little. “This Saturday?”

The raven-head gave a small nod. “She already asked what you like to eat.”

Naruto stared at him. “So you’re inviting me to your family’s house. For dinner.”

“Yes,” Sasuke said flatly, already regretting how warm his ears felt.

The blonde grinned. “Then I guess I better dress nice.”

Sasuke rolled his eyes and turned away.

But Naruto caught the ghost of a smile just before he did.

Chapter Text

Naruto had been on plenty of sets, red carpets, and cramped backstage dressing rooms in his life. But standing outside the gates of the Uchiha residence, hands stuffed in his jacket pockets, he felt strangely… nervous.

He wasn’t sure what he expected, but the place looked exactly how Sasuke acted: elegant, quiet, expensive, and intimidating in a way that didn’t try to be. The lights spilling from tall, paneled windows made everything feel soft around the edges, but he still hesitated at the front door.

Before he could knock, it opened.

“You’re late,” Sasuke said dryly, stepping aside.

“I’m literally five minutes early,” Naruto blinked.

“Hn.”

The raven-head turned and walked in without looking back. Naruto grinned to himself and followed.

Inside of the Uchiha home was warm, lined with dark wood, shelves of books, quiet art, and the scent of something spicy and homemade drifting from the kitchen. Sasuke moved ahead with effortless familiarity, his shoulders relaxed for once in his own home.

Naruto tugged off his shoes, trying not to be weird about it, and then—

“Oh my god, Naruto!”

Mikoto’s voice floated in before she appeared, radiant in a deep plum sweater, her smile wide and genuine.

“I was just about to come scold Sasuke for not telling me you’d arrived....come in, come in!”

Before Naruto could bow or say anything polite, Mikoto had wrapped him in a tight hug like she'd done previously. She smelled like cinnamon and something floral, and Naruto melted into it like it had always been normal for someone’s mom to hug him like that.

“Hi, Mikoto-san,” he mumbled. “Thanks for having me.”

She pulled back just enough to beam at him. “I’ve already made of your favorites—Sasuke told me ramen and curry’s the way to your heart.”

“You’re not wrong,” Naruto said with a grin.

“Mom,” Sasuke muttered, lingering behind them, already dreading the chaos.

And then—

“Hey.”

Itachi walked in casually from the side hall, dressed in a loose button-up and dark slacks. He looked every bit the genius older brother, cool and unreadable, except for the unmistakable smirk when he saw Naruto.

“Well, if it isn’t our new favorite,” Itachi said.

Naruto laughed, a little sheepish.

“You’re both gonna scare him off if you keep that up.” Sasuke mutters

“We’re testing to see if he scares easy,” Mikoto said lightly, steering Naruto by the arm toward the living room. “So far, you’re passing.”

Sasuke grumbled something under his breath and trailed behind.

The living room was understated but refined, clearly lived-in. Family photos lined the mantle: one of Sasuke as a small child, standing cutely next to Itachi, both of them in school uniforms. Naruto smiled at it, eyes soft.

Then a shadow passed by the hallway. He felt it before he saw him.

Fugaku Uchiha.

Legendary actor. Stoic. Commanding. And entirely unimpressed.

He entered with a quiet dignity, eyes sharp even before they landed on Naruto.

“This is Uzumaki Naruto,” Mikoto said with gentle pride, walking over to her husband. “Sasuke’s…collaborator. From the project.”

Fugaku looked Naruto over with the weight of a casting director, and not the friendly kind. His arms crossed, and the lines around his mouth deepened.

“So you’re the one keeping him longer in that studio nonsense,” he said.

The air dipped.

The blonde blinked, unsure if he was being challenged or insulted. “I mean… I guess I’m part of the nonsense, yeah,” he said, keeping it light. “But I think we’re doing something pretty great.”

Sasuke stood still, unreadable.

Fugaku stared at Naruto a second longer, then turned to his son. “You have more potential than this.”

“Dad,” Itachi said quietly, warning in his voice.

Mikoto reached out and gently touched her husband’s arm. “Let’s sit,” she said with a smile that could disarm a war. “Naruto didn’t come here for a lecture.”

There was something in the way she spoke: affectionate, but firm, that softened Fugaku’s stance. Slowly, he uncrossed his arms and gave Naruto a polite nod, as if allowing him the benefit of the doubt… for now.

Dinner was served not long after.

To Naruto’s surprise, the table was full of homestyle dishes. Mikoto had gone all out: homemade ramen, curry with potatoes and pork cutlets, rolled omelets, a light miso soup, and grilled fish that smelled almost exactly like the street stalls from Naruto’s childhood.

He lit up like a kid.

“You made all this?” he said, amazed.

“Well, I had help,” Mikoto smiled, glancing at Itachi.

“I taste-tested,” Itachi deadpanned.

Sasuke just sat quietly at the end of the table, watching them with a mix of resignation and mild amusement. Naruto, for his part, slipped easily into conversation, mostly with Mikoto and Itachi, though he snuck in small comments toward Sasuke here and there.

Fugaku remained relatively quiet, but Naruto noticed the way his expression softened once or twice....especially when Mikoto laughed at something Naruto said. He was still stiff, but not hostile.

By the end of the meal, even Fugaku offered a quiet, almost reluctant, “You speak well.”

“I’ve had to,” Naruto replied honestly. “Sometimes it’s the only way people listen.”

That earned him a second look. Not friendly, but thoughtful.

As they stood to help clear the table, Mikoto looped her arm through Naruto’s. “You’re coming again, right?” she asked sweetly. “Next time I’ll make your favorite dessert.”

Naruto grinned. “I’d be honored, Mikoto-san.”

“You’ll just call me Mom eventually.”

Sasuke choked.

Naruto’s eyes widened. “I—uh—”

Mikoto winked. “I’m just preparing you.”

As she walked off humming, Naruto looked at Sasuke, stunned.

“She’s joking,” Sasuke said, not convincingly.

Itachi appeared beside him. “No, she’s not.”

Naruto burst out laughing.

Sasuke didn’t say anything, but he was watching Naruto with a quiet, unreadable softness.

~~~

The quiet evening air felt a little cooler as they stepped outside the Uchiha residence. The warm yellow light from inside still spilled faintly out the door, casting soft shadows behind them.

Sasuke walked Naruto toward where his car was parked, hands buried in his jacket pockets. They didn’t speak at first, not out of discomfort, but because the silence felt like something earned.

Naruto, who had barely stopped smiling all evening, let out a long breath.

“That was…” He paused, glancing back at the mansion. “Really nice.”

Sasuke looked at him sideways, his face unreadable. “They liked you.”

The blonde chuckled. “Yeah, I got that. Your mom’s already planning the wedding.”

The raven-head's eye twitched. “Don’t make me regret bringing you.”

Naruto snorted. “You don’t. You liked seeing me there. Admit it.”

Sasuke didn’t answer immediately. Then, softer than before: “...It wasn’t bad.”

They reached the car. The soloist leaned back against the door, gaze lifted toward the sky for a second, as if trying to hold the moment still.

“Being around your family…” he said after a beat, quieter now, “it felt… warm. I haven’t felt that in a while.”

Sasuke looked over at him, his posture shifting slightly. Naruto didn’t look at him...just stared ahead, still smiling, but there was a faint sadness in it.

“After my parents died,” Naruto continued, voice gentler now, “it was just me. Jiraiya took me in and he’s great...like, really...but… I guess I forgot what it felt like to be in a house full of people who just… loved each other.”

The Uchiha was silent for a moment, the cool breeze rustling faintly between them.

Then—

“You can come over again.”

Naruto blinked, turning to him. “Huh?”

“Whenever,” Sasuke said, his voice quieter now but steady. “My mom already considers you family. You might as well act like it.”

Naruto’s expression softened into something fragile but beaming. “You’re seriously gonna regret saying that.”

“Probably.”

“But I’m gonna hold you to it.”

A silence passed. It wasn’t awkward, just full. Full of the kind of closeness that made the blonde's chest tighten a little.

He cleared his throat. “Anyway, um...about that… I was wondering...”

Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

“Would you maybe wanna… hang out again?” Naruto asked. “Not, like, a date date—unless it is a date, but like maybe not that word yet, unless you want it to be, and I’m totally okay if it’s just like, a casual hang-out thing—”

The raven-head stepped forward, closing the gap between them, and before Naruto could spiral further, he leaned in and kissed him.

It was soft. Barely there. Not a bold, fiery kiss....just a gentle, sweet, press of lips that stilled Naruto mid-word and left the world silent for a good few seconds.

When the Uchiha pulled back, his voice was quiet but certain.

“It’s a date.”

And with that, he turned on his heel and walked back toward the mansion without another word.

Naruto stood there, stunned, lips parted in a dazed kind of silence.

He touched his fingers gently to his mouth, heart pounding.

“…What the hell just happened?” he muttered to himself...and then smiled, wide and helpless.

The car sat waiting behind him, but Naruto didn’t move for a moment longer, soaking in the fact that he, Naruto Uzumaki, just got kissed by Sasuke Uchiha....and that he agreed to go on a date with him....an actual date.

Chapter Text

It was late afternoon when Naruto burst through the doors of their usual private hideout: a cozy, tucked-away studio space Gaara had rented months ago to avoid crowds and cameras. No fans. No reporters. Just couches, snacks, and the shared chaos of friendship.

Shikamaru was sprawled across one couch, sipping iced coffee. Choji had already opened a giant snack box and was halfway through a bag of chips. Sakura sat cross-legged on the floor with her tablet, going over an event schedule. Gaara leaned by the window in usual silence, sipping tea.

The second Naruto entered, the room stilled.

He stood there, wild-eyed, cheeks flushed, and practically vibrating.

“I’m dying,” he announced. “Dead. I am a ghost.”

“...It finally happened?” Shikamaru asked dryly without looking up.

“What happened?” Sakura blinked, setting her tablet down. “Naruto?”

“HE KISSED ME,” Naruto shouted, flinging himself face-first onto the nearest couch cushion.

Choji choked on his chip.

“Who kissed you?” Sakura gasped.

“Take a wild guess!” Naruto’s voice was muffled into the couch.

Gaara didn’t move, but one brow lifted slightly. “Uchiha.”

“He kissed me,” Naruto rolled over onto his back, staring at the ceiling like it had answers. “And said ‘it’s a date’ and just walked away like that was a normal thing people say after casually blowing someone’s brain up with their mouth.”

Shikamaru snorted. “You’ve been waiting for this for since you admitted you liked him.”

“Yes! But now that he did it I don’t know how to function!” the blonde sat up, clutching his hair. “What if I do something stupid on the actual date? What if I spill food on him?”

Choji grinned. “You’re spiraling. It’s adorable.”

“I’m not adorable! I’m an emotionally overwhelmed adult with a huge crush!”

Gaara, ever calm, offered, “Just be yourself.”

“Yeah,” Shikamaru added. “He likes you for who you are. Loud, weird, bright.”

Naruto dropped back into the couch with a groan but smiled anyway.

“...He really kissed me,” he mumbled.

Sakura beamed. “You’re in so deep, babe.”

“Drowning,” Naruto sighed.

~~~

Meanwhile, across the city, Sasuke had just returned to Hebi’s shared apartment.

He walked in quietly. Suigetsu was sprawled across the living room floor with Jugo and their dog-eared lyric notebooks. Karin was on the couch, scrolling her tablet, half-listening to music.

Sasuke entered like it was any other day.

They looked up. Suigetsu blinked. “You’re home late.”

Sasuke took a breath.
.
.
.
.
.
“I kissed Naruto.”

Three seconds passed.

Then—

“YOU WHAT?!” Suigetsu nearly screamed, flipping his notebook in the air.

Karin dropped her tablet. “No way.”

Jugo actually sat up straight, blinking slowly. “You kissed him?”

Sasuke scratched the back of his neck, clearly regretting speaking. “...And I agreed to go on a date.”

The apartment exploded.

Suigetsu threw a pillow into the air. “MY BOY! SASUKE ACTUALLY MADE A MOVE!”

Karin clutched her chest. “I feel like a proud mom watching her emotionally constipated son take his first step.”

Jugo gave a rare soft smile. “I’m happy for you.”

Sasuke huffed. “It’s just a date.”

“Oh, no, no, no,” Karin grinned, grabbing her phone. “You don’t get to act like this isn’t a monumental shift in the Uchiha emotional timeline. We’re celebrating.”

Suigetsu had already broken out drinks and snacks from the kitchen.

“You’re all ridiculous,” Sasuke muttered, but he didn’t stop them. He just allowed himself to be pulled into the rare chaos.

Karin leaned her head on his shoulder with a knowing smirk. “He’s good for you.”

Sasuke didn’t answer...but the faintest of smiles betrayed him.

And Hebi, for all their noise and sarcasm, quietly surrounded him in that moment: messy, loud, loyal...and completely thrilled for the boy they’d watched try so hard not to fall.

~~~

Chapter Text

Naruto had always thought he was pretty good at keeping things cool.

That belief completely shattered the second he realized Sasuke Uchiha was going to be standing in his apartment. Alone. With him. On their first official not-a-hangout, totally-a-date… date.

He’d woken up three hours early. He’d remade the salmon twice. He’d ironed the same shirt three times before deciding it looked too ironed and swapped it for a more relaxed one. And then there were the roses.

“They're probably dumb,” he muttered, staring at the bouquet like it might explode. “Who even gives roses on a first date?”

But still, he kept them ready by the door.

~~~

When Sasuke finally arrived, dressed in black jeans and a loose dark-gray shirt that framed him a little too well, Naruto forgot how to speak for a second.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. “You okay?”

The blonde blinked. “Yeah. Yes. I mean—welcome. Hi.”

The Uchiha looked vaguely amused. “Hi.”

The door closed behind them, and Naruto cleared his throat before thrusting the bouquet out awkwardly.

“These are for you. Unless you have allergies. Then… pretend they’re fake.”

Sasuke paused, staring at the roses. Then, to Naruto’s utter relief, he accepted them with the smallest, most genuine smile Naruto had ever seen. “Thanks.”

The other grinned and turned to gesture toward the living room. “Shoes off, chill vibe only. You hungry?”

“I could eat.”

Naruto smirked. “Good. Because I made enough to feed a small army.”

~~~

The apartment, much like the owner himself, was loud in spirit but warm at heart. Clean but lived-in. Awards and old photos lined one shelf; band posters were framed above the couch. In the kitchen, the table was actually set with candles, folded napkins, and plated starters waiting like it was a magazine spread.

Sasuke took it all in quietly before sitting down, watching Naruto bustle around and bring over the main dishes.

“You seriously made all of this?”

“Handmade. No assistants. Just me, a lot of music, and mild stress cooking,” he said proudly. “Tonight’s special: spicy glazed salmon, garlic butter veggies, and a surprise dessert. No allergies, right?”

The raven-head shook his head. “You’re full of surprises.”

Naruto sat across from him, grin faltering just a little. “Just wanted to make this night… mean something.”

And it did.

The food was actually phenomenal: seasoned perfectly, balanced flavors, the kind of meal you’d remember for years. Sasuke, known for being composed and difficult to impress, stared at his plate like he couldn’t believe what he was eating.

“You’re joking,” he muttered after a few bites. “You really made this?”

Naruto grinned. “Told you. I cook when I’m nervous.”

“You should be nervous more often.”

They laughed, and the tension between them melted further…warm and unspoken.

~~~

After dinner, they moved to the couch. The city lights glowed through the window. Their wine glasses were half full. The playlist had shifted to mellow acoustics.

It felt easy. Natural.

Naruto curled his legs beneath him and leaned against the armrest, eyes flicking toward Sasuke. “Can I tell you something kind of personal?”

Sasuke nodded without hesitation. “Yeah.”

There was a pause before Naruto said, “I don’t… usually have dinners like this. With people. At home.”

Sasuke tilted his head slightly. “Why not?”

Naruto toyed with the rim of his glass. “I used to think it was just because I was busy. But maybe it’s because I haven’t really had… home. Don't get me wrong Jiraiya did his best and all but you know..."

There was a stretch of silence…not awkward, just meaningful.

“I’m glad I’m here,” Sasuke said quietly.

Naruto looked at him. “Yeah. Me too.”

Their eyes lingered.

This time, the kiss wasn’t tentative. It wasn’t accidental. It wasn’t chaotic or too fast.

It was slow, purposeful. Soft.

Naruto leaned in first…barely, and Sasuke met him halfway. Their lips touched like a quiet agreement, something unspoken and long overdue.

And then—

Bzzzzt bzzzzt.

The blonde’s phone, left on the counter, buzzed to life.

He didn’t move at first. Sasuke pulled back, brow creasing slightly.

“It might be Jiraiya,” Naruto mumbled, already getting up.

He padded to the counter and glanced at the screen. His blood chilled.

Jiraiya (Old Toad 🐸)

He picked it up, smiling faintly. “Hey, old man, you calling to make sure I don’t burn—”

“Hello? Is this Naruto Uzumaki?”

Naruto froze. The voice wasn’t Jiraiya’s.

“Yes?” he said, slower this time.

“This is nurse Hanaka from Musashi General. Mr. Jiraiya collapsed earlier this evening during a neighborhood walk. It appears he suffered a heart attack. He’s stable, but unconscious. You were listed as his emergency contact.”

Naruto’s vision tunneled. The wine glass trembled in his grip.

He whispered, “No… no, no, no…”

He dropped the phone.

Sasuke stood immediately, immediately concerned. “What happened?”

The blonde turned to him, barely able to speak. “Jiraiya. He’s in the hospital. Heart attack.”

For a split second, Naruto felt like he was a little boy again: small, helpless, scared of being alone in the world.

But then Sasuke was there.

“Get your coat,” he said, voice steady, already grabbing the keys from the table. “I’ll drive.”

~~~

They didn’t speak much on the drive. Naruto stared out the window, jaw clenched. Sasuke reached over once and squeezed his hand….and didn’t let go.

When they arrived at the hospital, Naruto moved with urgency but also like he might fall apart at any second.

The Uchiha stayed at his side.

Jiraiya’s room was dimly lit. Machines beeped in steady rhythm. His face was pale, his body still.

Naruto walked in and sat beside the bed, hands gripping Jiraiya’s tightly.

“He has to be okay,” he whispered. “He’s always okay.”

Sasuke didn’t say anything. He just sat next to him, shoulder barely touching his, silent and present.

And somehow, that was enough.

~~~

The hours passed slowly.

Naruto refused to leave Jiraiya’s side. Nurses came and went, checking monitors, adjusting IVs, whispering softly to one another. Sasuke stayed too, quietly seated in the chair next to Naruto, a grounding presence amid the growing anxiety that threatened to crack the blonde in half.

The blonde's head eventually dropped forward onto the edge of the hospital bed, his hand still wrapped around Jiraiya’s. Sasuke hadn’t said much: not because he didn’t want to, but because he knew there were no words that could fix the look in Naruto’s eyes. So he waited.

Then, finally....just before dawn, the old man stirred.

“…Naruto boy…?”

Naruto’s head snapped up. “Jiraiya?!”

The older man squinted. “Why do you look like you haven’t slept in a week? You look worse than me.”

Naruto gave a half-choked laugh, eyes already stinging with tears. “You dumb old toad, you scared the hell out of me.”

The Uchiha stood silently, watching from the side as Naruto carefully leaned over, gripping Jiraiya’s hand like it was the only thing keeping him upright.

Jiraiya gave a faint smile. “Can’t get rid of me that easily, brat.”

Moments later, the doctor entered: calm, professional, explaining that while Jiraiya was stable and awake, he would need to remain in the hospital for a few days under close observation. Tests would be run, and assuming nothing worsened, he could be discharged soon.

But then came the part that made the blonde freeze again.

“When Mr. Jiraiya is discharged, he must not live alone,” the doctor said gently. “He’ll need someone with him at all times for the foreseeable future. At least until we’re certain there’s no further risk.”

Naruto’s heart sank.

Of course he couldn’t let Jiraiya be alone. But his schedule was packed: recordings, dance rehearsals, interviews, appearances. He didn’t even trust himself to keep plants alive with how often he was gone.

He swallowed hard, already scrambling through impossible mental math. “Okay. I’ll figure it out, maybe hire a private nurse, or—or someone can stay with him at my place while I—”

“I’ll take care of it.”

Naruto turned sharply. “Huh?”

Sasuke was already pulling out his phone, fingers moving swiftly across the screen. His tone was calm, matter-of-fact, like it was the simplest thing in the world.

“I’m calling my mom.”

“What?”

Sasuke glanced at him. “You said Jiraiya’s like your family, right?”

Naruto nodded, stunned.

“Well… then I'm sure my family would welcome him.”

The soloist stared, wide-eyed and speechless as the raven-head walked a few steps away, murmuring quietly into the phone. The conversation was short.

When he returned, Sasuke gave a simple nod.

“It’s settled. He can stay with us at the Uchiha residence. My mother said she’d be more than happy to help look after him, and someone’s always home anyway. It’s quieter than your place too, and she already adores you.”

Naruto opened his mouth, closed it again. “You—wait, what? Just like that?”

Sasuke shrugged slightly. “You don’t need more things to worry about. And it’s not like you’d ask.”

The blonde was quiet, something heavy pressing in his chest...but not in a bad way. He looked at Sasuke like he was seeing him again for the first time.

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“I know,” Sasuke said simply. “But I wanted to.”

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, trying to bite back the warmth bubbling in his chest. “You’re amazing, you know that?”

The Uchiha rolled his eyes but didn’t hide the small smile tugging at his lips. “Don’t let it go to your head.”

Naruto turned back to look at Jiraiya, who had dozed off again...and gently reached to adjust the blanket around his chest.

“Thank you,” he murmured. “Really.”

Sasuke sat back down beside him, their knees brushing.

“Anytime,” he said, and he meant it.

Chapter Text

The sun was just beginning to set when Jiraiya was officially discharged from the hospital. Naruto stood beside him in the lobby, fussing like a worried son despite Jiraiya’s casual grumbles.

“I’m fine, brat. They said I could leave, didn’t they?” the old man muttered as Naruto adjusted his jacket for the fifth time.

“They said to take it slow. That doesn’t mean you get to act like you’re twenty again,” the soloist shot back, though his voice was soft with relief. “No heroic jogs around the neighborhood this time, especially in the Uchiha residence.”

Jiraiya gave a sheepish smile. “…No promises.”

Sasuke pulled up outside in a sleek, black car a few moments later. He stepped out and nodded towards them, already heading around to help with Jiraiya’s small overnight bag.

“I could’ve carried that,” Naruto said, glancing up at him.

Sasuke gave him a pointed look. “You’re already carrying the world.”

Naruto’s ears turned a little pink, and Jiraiya grunted something suspiciously like amusement.

The drive to the Uchiha residence was quiet but not uncomfortable. Jiraiya took in the city through the window, Naruto kept glancing over to check on him, and Sasuke focused on the road, one hand casually on the wheel. As they pulled into the gated estate, Jiraiya raised an eyebrow.

“Fancy place.”

“It’s peaceful,” Sasuke said, parking.

Naruto helped Jiraiya out of the car, but it was Mikoto who came rushing out first to greet them.

“Oh, Jiraiya!” she said warmly, stepping close without hesitation. “I’ve heard so much about you. I’m glad you’re well enough to come home.”

She said it like he belonged there already.

Jiraiya blinked, startled for a beat before a rare softness overtook him. “You’re Mikoto?”

She smiled. “And you’re Naruto’s stubborn but beloved guardian.”

Behind her, Itachi leaned against the doorway with a slight smile. “I hope you like tea. Mother makes it religiously.”

“I’ll take whatever she makes,” Jiraiya said, amused, allowing himself to be ushered inside.

Naruto follows, conversing with the woman he can't help but feel drawn to.

But Sasuke stayed back a second longer at the car, collecting the last of the things. Just as he shut the trunk, Jiraiya turned and lingered by the doorway, waiting.

The raven-head glanced over.

“Everything okay?”

Jiraiya studied him for a long moment. Then he stepped forward, posture straighter than expected for a man just out of the hospital.

“Thank you,” he said plainly. “For offering your home. And for… being here. With him.”

Sasuke didn’t say anything, just gave a small nod. The older man continued, eyes narrowing: not unkind, but direct.

“He’s stronger than most people know. But that boy’s been alone for a long time. Lost too much, too young. And when he loves, he doesn’t do it in halves. He gives the world.”

Sasuke’s breath caught faintly in his chest.

“So whatever this is between you two,” Jiraiya states, “whether it’s already something or becoming something...just don’t hurt him. That’s all I ask.”

There was silence for a moment....before the young Uchiha finally spoke.

“I won’t.”

It wasn’t a promise made lightly. He meant it.

The older man studied him for another second before nodding, seemingly satisfied.

“I’m glad he found someone,” he said, voice softer this time. “And I’m glad it’s you.”

Then, with a tired breath and a small smile, Jiraiya turned to walk back toward the house.

Sasuke stood still for a moment longer, letting the weight of those words settle into his bones before following.

Inside, Fugaku (forced by his wife), was politely showing Jiraiya the guest room that had been freshly prepared, courtesy of Mikoto and Itachi’s meticulous touch. The whole house hummed with quiet comfort, and Sasuke felt it....like something beginning to click into place.

Maybe not all at once.

But certainly, piece by piece.

~~~

Jiraiya fit into the Uchiha household far quicker than anyone expected.

Within a few days of settling in, he’d found a comfortable rhythm. Mikoto treated him like extended family from day one: insisting he eat her cooking, teasing him like an old friend. Itachi shared quiet moments with him over tea, and Fugaku: still a bit stiff....had even managed a gruff but sincere “You’re welcome here,” after dinner one evening.

“Not a bad retirement home,” Jiraiya quipped one morning as he leaned back in the sunroom, nursing his tea. “If you ignore how perfect everything looks.”

“It’s the Uchiha brand,” Mikoto teased from the doorway. “We do nothing halfway.”

That same mantra had quickly snapped Naruto and Sasuke back into work mode.

The collaboration wasn’t over yet: not for another month. Between interviews, magazine features, and streaming platforms scrambling to get exclusive content, the team’s schedules were packed. Tsunade was busy fielding fan meeting follow-ups and negotiating limited merch drops. Karin, as always, was running on caffeine and charisma.

Hebi and Naruto had grown seamlessly closer than even before by now: backstage banter flowed, Naruto and Suigetsu high-fived over synchronized mic cues, Jugo lent Naruto his shoulder during 5 a.m. rehearsals, and Karin had taken to calling him “our honorary chaos member.”

And then came the nomination news.

It dropped quietly, at first.

A single email marked with the seal of the Grand Aster Awards: the most prestigious music honor in the world. The collab had made history: Best Musical Collaboration of the Year and Song of the Year.

Karin screamed. Naruto dropped his protein bar. Sasuke blinked once and then let a very rare smile tug at his lips while Suigetsu and Jugo lost it entirely. Tsunade called them immediately after.

“You better be ready for cameras. The world’s going to want a piece of you, more than before....after this.”

~~~

That night, after a long day of filming a behind-the-scenes documentary feature, Sasuke offered to drop Naruto home, (the blonde's car was at the mechanic.) They didn’t talk much on the ride: too tired to be loud, too aware of the silence to be distant.

When they arrived, Naruto didn’t invite Sasuke in immediately.

Instead, he lingered beside the car, fiddling with his keys.

“I… wanted to say something,” he muttered, eyes scanning the street like he was checking for rogue reporters.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. “What?”

The other took a breath, then another. He looked like he was about to jump off a cliff.

“I think I’m in love with you.”

The words were quiet, raw, no longer dressed up in teasing or jokes.

Sasuke didn’t speak right away.

Naruto looked away, laughed nervously. “Okay, maybe that was too soon. Or weird. I don’t know....maybe I should’ve just waited or something—”

But the raven-head stepped closer before he could finish, grabbed the front of Naruto’s hoodie, and kissed him.

It wasn’t rushed or clumsy.

It was sure. Gentle. Firm. And it shut Naruto up instantly.

Sasuke pulled back just enough to breathe against his lips. “You always talk too much.”

Naruto blinked, stunned. “That’s not a no.”

“No,” Sasuke agreed, eyes softer than Naruto had ever seen. “It’s a yes.”

Then—

They kiss again.

~~~

The next morning, fans woke up to the surprise of the year.

A new post on Naruto’s main account: a mirror selfie of him and Sasuke, tangled up in hoodies and subtle smiles, standing close. Sasuke had his usual impassive face, but his hand was resting on the blonde's chest, whilst Naruto's hand held his waist tightly.

The caption?
#justgottogether #nowtaken 🍥🍅

The internet lost its collective mind.

[📱 Fans Comments:]
> “WHAT DO YOU MEAN ‘TOGETHER’?!”
> “I KNEW IT. I KNEW THE COLLAB WASN’T JUST MUSIC.”
> “Addermaki nation, we ride at dawn.”
> “They kissed didn’t they. Look at Sasuke’s smirk. That’s a man who kissed and got kissed.”

By midday, the hashtags #NaruSasuOfficial, #UzumakiUchiha, and #NarutoIsTaken #SasukeisTaken were all trending globally. Even verified artists and news outlets were reposting it with congratulations and disbelief.

Hebi’s official account simply posted:
“They finally did it.”
With a blurry pic of Suigetsu fake-crying and Karin holding a celebratory cake to the new couple.

And Sasuke?

He didn’t post anything.

But later, on Hebi’s private fan club feed, he shared a single photo: Naruto grinning with his eyes scrunched shut, lit golden by the setting sun.

No caption.

Just the image.

And somehow, that said more than anything else.

~~~

Chapter Text

Ever since the couple came out publicly about their relationship, the internet obviously exploded.

Narutomaki fans cried. Adders shrieked. Edits flooded Twitter, TikTok, Instagram,and Facebook. Comment sections exploded. Some praised the union with religious fervor, others claimed they’d known all along, citing clips and moments with timestamps.

And then came even more chaos:

Fan compilations of all their previous interactions.
Theorists dissecting their eye contact.
Slowed-down edits of their newest post of Naruto revealing their relationship.
“THE HAND TOUCH IN THE FAN MEETING MAKES SENSE NOW!” screamed a trending tweet.

Naruto didn’t care. He was laughing too hard to read most of the posts, lying sideways on the couch with his phone resting on his chest.

Sasuke sat at the other end, thumbing through his own notifications with a faint smirk.

“You’re trending worldwide,” the blonde muttered.

“So are you.”

“Do you think your fanbase will riot?”

“They’ve already formed factions,” Sasuke replied, calm as ever. “Half are planning the wedding. The other half want to fight you.”

Naruto laughed, long and warm, before sitting up and scooting closer. “I could take ’em. Probably.”

The Uchiha met his gaze. “I doubt it. Some of them are insane.”

Naruto leaned in, grin lazy and soft. “Yeah? But I’ve got the favorite prize.”

He kissed Sasuke then. No hesitation. No teasing. No slow build-up. Just heat: pressing, open-mouthed heat that tasted like relief, like want, like something they’d both waited too long to fully unleash.

His lover didn’t flinch. He leaned in with him, one hand reaching up to clutch Naruto’s hoodie. Their mouths moved in sync, fast and hungry, tongues tangling like they had something to prove. Sasuke opened for him easily, eagerly, letting out the kind of low breath that made Naruto’s blood stir deep in his gut.

Naruto’s hands found Sasuke’s waist, tugging him closer as he deepened the kiss, not bothering to pretend this was soft or delicate. It was raw. Needed.

And the raven-head matched it by gripping the front of Naruto’s shirt and sliding into his lap with a confidence that made the blonde freeze for half a second, stunned.

Sasuke....now straddling him, pulled back just enough to breathe. “Your couch is decent,” he said, voice slightly rough, “but you better not collapse on it, when I kiss you stupid.”

The blonde groaned. “You’re dangerous~”

“You started it.”

Naruto’s hands slid up Sasuke’s back, pulling him flush again. Their mouths crashed again, more forceful, more open: Sasuke gasping slightly as his lover sucked gently on his bottom lip. They tilted and tangled, their legs shifting, the couch creaking under their weight. Sasuke’s hands threaded through Naruto’s hair, tugging just enough to get a reaction...and he got one.

Naruto pressed forward, pushing Sasuke back just a little, taking control again. “You’re unreal,” he muttered between kisses, voice low, like a vow. “You kiss like it’s war.”

The raven-head smirked against his mouth. “And you kiss like you’re starving.”

“I am,” he whispered, and kissed him again, deeper.

Their bodies stayed locked, hands restless, mouths devouring. Sasuke’s shirt shifted under Naruto’s fingers, and the feel of his skin was hot, grounding. Naruto soon moved his lips down to suck a mark into the base of his throat, and Sasuke gasped softly, grabbing his shoulder.

Neither of them wanted to stop.

And they might not have, if Sasuke’s phone hadn’t buzzed with a notification violently on the table.

Both of them paused, breathing hard, lips swollen, faces flushed.

“…Don’t,” Naruto pleaded, voice hoarse.

Sasuke glanced at the his phone. “It’s Karin. If I don’t, she’ll break down the door.”

Naruto groaned and leaned his head into his lover's neck. “I hate her.”

Sasuke chuckled, still breathless. “No you don’t.”

“Fine,” Naruto muttered. “I hate timing.”

The Uchiha kissed the top of his head once....soft, unhurried. “Me too.”

They sat like that for a while longer. Quiet. Warm. Still hungry. But satisfied, somehow, that even in the madness of spotlights, edits, fan hashtags, and manager text messages… this—them—was real.

~~~

The Uchiha residence had never been loud, but lately it carried a softness that surprised even Itachi.

The front door creaked open as Sasuke stepped in, Naruto just behind him with a tote bag half-zipped and a tray of Jiraiya’s favorite chestnut snacks under one arm. His hair was wind-tousled, and he looked every bit like the sun had personally blessed him that day. Jiraiya...recovering but still the same as ever, was first to spot him.

“Bringing offerings to the sick, huh?” the older man called from the living room, already halfway through a newspaper crossword.

The blonde laughed. “More like bribery to make sure you keep resting.”

Sasuke rolled his eyes fondly and leaned against the wall as Naruto padded over to set the snacks down. Jiraiya didn’t miss the easy closeness between the two anymore. He didn’t need to.

“Glad to see you in one piece, old man,” Naruto said, crouching by him. “You good?”

“Still breathing,” Jiraiya said, a wink following his smirk. “Though if I see you two kissing all over TV again, I may have another episode.”

Sasuke coughed. Naruto flushed.

From the hallway, Mikoto appeared with two neatly folded towels in her arms. “Oh, Jiraiya, don’t tease. You’ve done far worse in your prime from the stories you shared.”

“Mikoto!” Jiraiya said, mock offended, but she only breezed by and kissed him gently on the forehead.

“Glad to have you here. Honestly,” she added, “this house has been brighter since.”

Naruto smiled shyly, bowing slightly. “Thanks again, Mikoto-san, for letting my old man stay.”

“Nonsense,” she said, waving it off and walking to the blonde to press a kiss to his cheek in greeting. “You’re family.”

It still stunned Naruto when she said and did things like that.

From the kitchen, Itachi entered with a steaming mug and smirked at the sight of his little brother and Naruto pressed shoulder to shoulder near the snack tray.

“Did you two come straight from rehearsal or from making out behind a sound booth?”

Sasuke: “We came from rehearsals.”

Naruto: “…Mostly rehearsals.”

Jiraiya chuckled behind his paper. Mikoto looked far too entertained, while Itachi merely raised his brows knowingly and sipped his tea.

Fugaku entered not long after, stoic as ever. He took in the scene: the chatter, the way Mikoto beamed and Itachi’s eyes glittered with mischief. His gaze landed on Naruto. The blonde straightened.

“Good evening, Uchiha-san,” Naruto greeted, polite but respectful.

Fugaku gave a quiet grunt of acknowledgment. That was a win. A second passed. Then, with a gruff nod, he added, “Your stage presence is less unrefined than I assumed.”

The soloist blinked. Sasuke turned sharply, mouth parting, but Mikoto just smiled serenely.

“Coming from him,” she whispered to Naruto, “that’s the highest form of praise.”

Naruto turned pink. “Th-Thank you, Uchiha-san.”

Fugaku disappeared into his study, muttering something about interviews being too flashy these days.

Itachi leaned over to whisper to Sasuke: “He likes him.”

Sasuke didn’t respond. But his hand slipped into Naruto’s, squeezing their palms together.

The rest of the evening passed in gentle waves. His mother prepared hotpot, Itachi handled the music, and Jiraiya helped Naruto and him set the table.

There was warmth in every small motion....a feeling Naruto hadn’t had in a long time.

When dinner ended and the older man retired early to his guest room with a grumble about “not being old” despite needing three pillows for his back, Sasuke and Naruto lingered just a bit longer in the backyard under the soft glow of the porch light.

“I like it here,” Naruto said, voice low.

Sasuke hummed. “You can come by any time as I've told you before.”

Naruto turned to look at him, a smile tugging his lips. “You sure you’re not gonna get sick of me?”

The Uchiha gave him a side glance. “That’s not possible.”

Naruto was quiet for a second. “You’ve changed.”

“Only for you.”

They stood like that...just looking at each other, the silence between them speaking more than either of them could say aloud. And somewhere, behind a slightly cracked window, Mikoto watched with her hand pressed to her heart, a smile on her face.

She didn’t say it out loud, but she had always known her youngest would find someone like Naruto.

And for once, Fugaku didn’t tell her to stop being nosy.

Chapter Text

The night air was thick with city lights, glittering towers, and the buzz of exclusivity as a pair of matte-black vans rolled past the velvet-lined entrance of Veritas, a secretive, members-only club known only to A-listers and their closest circles. No fans, no paparazzi...just celebrities, their guests, and whatever happened behind closed doors.

Inside, everything gleamed. Walls of smoked glass and gold accents curved around plush booths. The DJ spun a bass-heavy set that pulsed through the floors. The lighting was low and sultry, giving just enough to see and just enough to imagine.

The first to arrive was Naruto’s crew: Sakura, in a sleek red dress; Gaara, cool and aloof in his all-black ensemble; Shikamaru, already sighing at the noise; and Choji, eyes wide at the menu of gourmet finger foods. Naruto wore a loose, cream silk shirt tucked into fitted black trousers, his blonde hair styled effortlessly, and a grin that said tonight’s going to be fun.

Minutes later, Hebi stepped in together: Suigetsu waving like he owned the place, Karin already ordering drinks at the bar, Jugo offering polite nods, and Sasuke…silent, as usual, in a high-neck black top and dark pants that fit too well. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on Naruto.

His lover waved him over immediately.

“Squad, meet Hebi,” Naruto announced once they were all seated in their own VIP corner. “Hebi, meet the misfits who keep me sane.”

Introductions passed quickly, drinks flowed quicker, and surprisingly...it worked. The two groups meshed easily.

Choji and Jugo bonded over shared workout routines and favorite foods. Shikamaru and Karin, the resident managers, sat close together, talking strategy and artist schedules. Sakura, ever blunt and amused, grilled Suigetsu about the number of times he dyed his hair in a year, only to end up teasing Gaara for the way he kept sneaking glances at the same Hebi member.

Suigetsu smirked across the table. “If you’re gonna stare, Gaara, at least buy me a drink.”

“I already did,” Gaara replied smoothly, raising his whiskey glass.

Naruto nearly choked on his mojito. “Oh, that’s happening tonight.”

The group roared with laughter, the tension melting into something easy, comfortable. Drinks turned to shots, shots turned to rounds, and before long, someone...probably Naruto...suggested dancing.

“C’mon,” Naruto said, tugging Sasuke’s wrist. “You’ve been avoiding the dance floor all night.”

Sasuke blinked, clearly tipsy, cheeks faintly flushed. “I don’t dance.”

“You do with me,” Naruto challenged.

Sasuke didn’t resist. He let himself be pulled toward the center of the club, where the beat dropped and the lights swirled red and violet. Around them, bodies swayed, but all Naruto saw was him.

Their movements started slow...testing. Naruto’s hands brushed Sasuke’s waist. Sasuke’s fingers curled into Naruto’s sleeve. As the rhythm deepened, so did the heat. Naruto pulled Sasuke closer, pressing their bodies flush. The air between them vanished.

Sasuke’s hips rolled to the music, pressed tight against his lover. Naruto’s hand settled low on his back. The lights flashed, shadows flickered, and they were moving together like they’d rehearsed this moment a hundred times, like they’d been waiting for it.

The raven-head tipped his head up, lips parted, breath hitching.

The blonde dipped his mouth to his. The kiss was open, heated, intimate. Sasuke responded without hesitation, fingers threading into Naruto’s hair, tilting his head just right to deepen the contact. Tongues slid, teeth clashed softly, and the noise around them disappeared completely.

In their booth, the rest of the group definitely noticed.

“Holy shit,” Suigetsu muttered, immediately taking out his phone.

“No way am I missing this,” Sakura grinned, hitting record on hers.

Gaara leaned over to Choji. “This is either going to be the hottest or most scandalous thing that happens tonight.”

“Why not both?” Choji chuckled.

Jugo chuckled at that and Shikamaru rolled his eyes lazily

Karin just sipped her cocktail with an amused smirk. “Well, they are official now. Let them have their fun.”

Back on the dance floor, Sasuke tugged Naruto’s bottom lip between his teeth and pulled away slowly, breathless and slightly dazed. The soloist stared at him, stunned by just how wrecked he looked in the haze of red light.

“You,” Naruto said in a husky whisper, “are going to ruin me.”

Sasuke gave him the ghost of a smirk, breath warm against Naruto’s lips. “Good.”

And then, as the beat climbed again, they kissed once more...longer, hotter...while their friends clapped, laughed, and secretly saved the videos for a night they knew neither of them would live down.

~~~

The ride from the club to Hebi’s apartment was filled with chaotic laughter, half-mumbled jokes, and a symphony of hiccups, groans, and “whose idea was this many shots?” shouted at various intervals.

Naruto held Sasuke close in the backseat of the second van, the Uchiha comfortably leaned into his side, head on his shoulder, fingers absently playing with the hem of Naruto’s shirt. Naruto could feel the heat radiating off him: half from the drinks, half from whatever this version of Sasuke was.

Because drunk Sasuke was not normal Sasuke.

Drunk Sasuke was… dangerous. More dangerous than usual.

By the time they stumbled into Hebi’s apartment: big enough for all nine of them with its open floor plan, spare bedrooms, and multiple couches....Sasuke was glowing. Literally. His cheeks were flushed, his sleeves rolled up, and his eyes gleaming like he had plans.

The group quickly split into various states of lounging.

Suigetsu, Gaara, Sakura, and Karin occupied the massive couch with enough drinks and snacks to survive a week. Shikamaru was slouched in a bean bag chair, trying to pretend he wasn’t three shots past his limit. Choji and Jugo was already asleep under a blanket in the corner.

But Naruto’s attention was entirely on Sasuke.

Because his boyfriend had taken to lounging across his lap like he belonged there, slender fingers dancing along Naruto’s chest in soft, lazy trails.

“You’re warm,” the raven-head slurred against Naruto’s jaw, lips brushing skin in a way that was absolutely not an accident.

“and you’re drunk,” Naruto muttered, throat thick, trying to keep his eyes from wandering too long to Sasuke’s parted lips.

His lover tilted his head back just enough to meet his gaze. “I am.” His voice dipped lower, rich and languid. “But not so drunk I don’t know what I’m doing.”

Then, the Uchiha traced his fingers from Naruto’s collarbone down to the waistband of his pants.

The blonde sucked in a sharp breath, grabbing Sasuke’s hand...more for his own sanity than anything else. “Babe,” he growled under his breath, a dangerous edge creeping in. “If you keep touching me like that, we’re going to have a very different kind of night.”

Sasuke smirked, entirely too pleased. “So what you’re saying is…” He leaned in, breath grazing Naruto’s lips. “You want a different kind of night.”

The blonde stared at him, eyes burning. “You’re lucky I love you,” he gritted. “Otherwise I’d have you pinned against the nearest wall already.”

Sasuke kissed him then: slow, open-mouthed, and toe-curling.

His lover kissed him back just as deeply but pulled away with effort, panting, forehead pressed to Sasuke’s.

“You’re making this very hard,” Naruto whispered.

Sasuke licked his lips slowly. “That’s the point.”

From the couch, Gaara glanced over at the scene unfolding in Naruto’s lap and raised an unimpressed brow. “Should we just give them a room?”

“They have one,” Karin replied dryly, swirling her wine. “Naruto’s just trying to pretend he’s got self-control.”

“Ha,” Sakura barked. “That’s cute.”

Suigetsu let out a cackle. “He’s hanging on by a thread.”

Naruto groaned, flipping them all off without even looking. “Mind your business.”

Sasuke curled further into his lap, nuzzling his neck like a smug cat. “Let them watch.”

The blonde turned beet red. “I swear to god, Sasuke—”

And just when he thought he couldn’t take another second of his drunk boyfriend tempting him like a devil in designer clothes, Sasuke yawned.

A soft, sleepy yawn.

He blinked slowly, still tangled in Naruto’s arms, and mumbled, “M’gonna crash… but I wanna stay with you.”

Naruto melted. Just like that.

“Okay, okay,” he whispered, brushing Sasuke’s hair back. “Let’s get you to bed.”

He carried his boyfriend: one arm circled around his waist, the other supporting his ass... and the raven-head had his legs wrapped tightly around his lover's waist.

The blonde walked down the hallway to the their now shared room, gently laying him down and pulling the covers up. Sasuke blinked sleepily at him.

“Why are you so good to me?....” he murmured.

Naruto leaned down and kissed his forehead. “Because I’m yours.”

“Mine,” Sasuke echoed, with a satisfied smile before promptly passing out.

Naruto stood over him for a moment, staring at this beautiful, infuriating, drunken creature, and whispered to the dark room:

“…You’re gonna kill me one day, I swear.”

Chapter Text

The sun peeked through the sheer curtains of Hebi’s expansive apartment, casting soft golden beams across hardwood floors and tangled limbs. A quiet, almost sacred stillness blanketed the space….except for the low moaning and occasional groaning of the thoroughly hungover eight friends sprawled across various corners of the home.

On the oversized couch: Suigetsu was starfished like he’d won a battle, arm draped lazily over Gaara, who’d somehow fallen asleep curled into a tight ball at his side. Sakura had managed to squeeze herself into one corner of the couch, a blanket barely covering her legs, with one on the couch and the other on the coffee table.

Karin and Shikamaru were on opposite ends of the floor, using oversized throw pillows as makeshift beds…Karin’s lipstick smudged, and Shikamaru's hand loosely holding his phone.

Choji, still dead asleep, had cocooned himself in a blanket near the kitchen, an empty snack bowl beside him. The soft rise and fall of his chest made it clear he was in the best sleep of anyone there.

But in the privacy of the master bedroom: the now shared room Naruto and Sasuke stayed in when staying at Hebi’s…there was only warmth.

Naruto stirred first.

He blinked slowly at the ceiling, his brain unusually alert for the morning after a wild night. His arms were full of Sasuke, who lay curled into his chest, black hair soft against his collarbone.

Their legs were tangled beneath the blankets, warm and snug. Sasuke had kicked off half his clothing sometime during the night and now wore only his briefs. Naruto too, was shirtless, his jeans from the night before long gone, leaving him in just boxers as he shifted to get more comfortable without waking the beauty in his arms.

Except—

“Ugh... kill me,” Sasuke groaned hoarsely, voice raspy and strained.

Naruto looked down, grinning affectionately. “Mornin’, princess.”

The raven-head cracked one eye open and immediately shut it again, hand flying to his forehead. “My head… why does my brain feel like it’s cracking in half?”

“You drank, like, five cocktails, a whole shot tray, and then convinced Gaara to challenge you to a drinking contest,” Naruto reminded him with an amused snort. “I stopped you after your third win.”

Sasuke only groaned louder.

Naruto kissed his forehead and gently pried himself from his boyfriend’s hold, moving slowly so as not to jostle him too much. “Stay in bed. I’ll fix you up something.”

Sasuke mumbled something incoherent, face burrowing into the warm sheets Naruto left behind.

Throwing on some comfy clothes he padded out quietly downstairs….to the living room, stepping over limbs, empty glasses, and a discarded high heel that might have been Sakura’s. He grabbed water bottles and ibuprofen for the unconscious heap of friends, placing them gently within arm’s reach. Karin mumbled a “bless you” when he set a bottle near her and didn’t move again.

He turned to the kitchen, rolled up his sleeves, and started pulling together ingredients. A soft clatter of pans and sizzling bacon eventually filled the space as he worked. Naruto cooked for everyone: bacon and eggs, rice, fresh fruit, toast, even miso soup for those who’d need something gentle. But he made Sasuke’s portion extra loving: arranging the fruit slices into a flower, the scrambled eggs and bacon in the shape of a heart beside the toast and even the miso soup garnished with nori seaweed that spelt “my love” in kanji.

By the time everything was plated, the apartment smelled like a home rather than the aftermath of a celebrity rager.

Carrying the breakfast tray and a glass of water with painkillers, Naruto nudged open the bedroom door with his foot. Sasuke was still buried beneath the sheets, though he looked slightly more alive.

The blonde set the tray on the nightstand, leaned down, and gently brushed Sasuke’s bangs from his eyes. “Rise and shine, my dearest sleeping beauty.”

The raven-head blinked blearily at him. “Are you real?”

Naruto grinned. “Real enough to have made you breakfast and brought you meds.”

Sasuke sat up slowly, taking the water and pills gratefully, sipping before looking at the tray. His eyes softened. “You made all this? You’re so cheesy….it’s perfect.”

“Yup.” Naruto climbed onto the bed beside him, sitting cross-legged. “Because I love you. And because you tried to seduce me last night while smelling like tequila.”

Sasuke groaned, hand dragging down his face. “Don’t remind me.”

“No complaints here,” Naruto teased. “You’re really hot when you’re bold.”

Sasuke rolled his eyes but his smile was real. “You’re really annoying when you’re sweet.”

They ate together, shoulder to shoulder in the quiet of their shared room, the noise of the hungover apartment slowly stirring downstairs.

Halfway through his rice, Sasuke looked over and mumbled, “Thanks, Naruto.”

Naruto blinked. “For breakfast?”

“For this. For taking care of me. For being here. For loving me.”

Naruto leaned in and kissed his cheek. “Always.”

Sasuke flushed faintly but didn’t pull away.

And as they finished their meal, curled up together in a soft post-party haze, Sasuke thought, not for the first time, how lucky he was to have someone who could make chaos feel like home.

~~~

Chapter Text

The morning air at the private Haneda Airport was electric.

Fans lined the barricades, a sea of signs, banners, and glowing LED boards bearing the names of HEBI members, Naruto, and especially Naruto x Sasuke. Their recent announcement as an official couple...and their historic nominations at the Grand Aster Awards, had sent the global fanbase into a frenzy.

The shrieking hadn’t stopped since the band with Naruto arrived.

With Naruto’s hand tightly wrapped in Sasuke’s, the two walked across the tarmac toward the sleek black private jet that would take them....and the rest of their entourage, to London. Behind them came the rest of Hebi: Suigetsu, grinning at the attention; Jugo, calm and waving softly at fans; and Karin, already barking instructions into her earpiece as she coordinated with London-based event staff.

Shikamaru trailed behind them all, as always, half-asleep and muttering complaints about time zones and media calls.

Security was tight. Police officers, security detail, and their personal bodyguards formed a buffer between them and the masses. Yet, somehow, the energy felt more celebratory than dangerous. Fans waved, cried, and screamed well-wishes, sending their love as Naruto paused for a moment to bow deeply in gratitude, his other hand still linked with Sasuke’s.

The crowd practically exploded when Sasuke, in rare public display, turned and kissed Naruto’s cheek.

Even Naruto looked stunned for a second before he blushed and laughed, tugging Sasuke toward the jet before the scene became more chaotic.

~~~

The flight to London was smooth, the plane filled with chatter, stylists checking their kits, and wardrobe racks prepped for both the rehearsal day and the ceremony itself. Sasuke curled beside Naruto in a luxe reclining seat, both of them reviewing speech notes and pretending not to care...but very clearly caring.

“I’m not nervous,” Sasuke mumbled into Naruto’s shoulder.

“You’re literally squeezing my hand like we’re about to skydive, babe” the blonde replied, squeezing back fondly. “But same.”

~~~

The next day arrived in a flurry of bright skies and London chill.

The hotel suite they were provided was luxurious, and from early morning, it became a whirlwind of preparations: hair, makeup, custom fittings. Their stylists, flown in days ahead of time, worked with obsessive detail. For Naruto, they picked a classic all-white tailored suit with soft gold accents and chains that gleamed under light. Sasuke, sleek and devastating in a deep charcoal-black ensemble with silver embroidery at the lapel, stood beside him like the night beside the sun.

Jugo and Suigetsu coordinated in their own matching accents: Jugo in royal navy and Suigetsu in pale smoke grey, each tailored to perfection. Their glam teams and stylists buzzed around them like bees around honey.

Karin and Shikamaru gave final briefings, pacing the room, while Gaara, Sakura, and Choji sent them encouraging texts from back home.

Mikoto, Jiraiya, Itachi and even Fugaku watched from the live broadcast at home patiently.

~~~

The Royal Hall of London was packed. Crystal chandeliers sparkled above a sea of global music icons, producers, actors, and elite guests. The Grand Asters were known not only for prestige but as a visual spectacle.

The Best Collaboration of the Year award was announced halfway through the show.

“And the Grand Aster for Best Collaboration goes to…”
A pause. The camera panned across all nominees.
“Hebi x Naruto — ’Mercy in the Fire’!”

The entire hall erupted into applause.

Naruto gasped, eyes wide, and Sasuke actually smiled: a real, soft, elated grin. Suigetsu, Jugo, Karin and even Shikamaru pulled the two in a group hug before the Hebi members with Naruti made their way up the stage.

Sasuke leaned into the mic first, voice smooth. “We didn’t expect this. I didn’t expect this. But thank you. To everyone who believed in our music. To our fans, our family, and… to the person who taught me how to fall in love with sound again.”

Suigetsu added something cheeky about Naruto being “surprisingly tolerable” and everyone laughed.

Jugo also thanked the fans for their amazing support.

Naruto took the mic last, glowing. “This collab started because people thought we couldn’t work together. That we were too different. But now, we’re standing here… together. So, to all the people who thought that? I guess we proved you wrong. And to my amazing boyfriend Sasuke—thank you for letting me in.”

Applause roared.

Fans were going crazy.

Later, as the final and most coveted award of the night:Song of the Year....was announced, the room tensed again.

“And for the moment we've all been waiting for. The Grand Aster for Song of the Year goes to… ’Mercy in the Fire’ — Hebi x Naruto!”

There was a beat of silence....and then chaos.

The second win of the night. Two of the biggest awards. They’d made history.

This time, when they stood on stage, Naruto turned to Sasuke...eyes shining, and cupped his cheek.

And in front of the entire world, he kissed him.

Soft but certain. No hesitation.

The room exploded into applause, cheers, and flashing lights. A few fellow artists even stood up to clap, a few whistled, and the camera caught a teary Karin, proud and ecstatic.

Sasuke didn’t say anything...he didn’t need to. His hand was around Naruto’s neck, grounding, proud.

The couple stood beneath the glittering stage lights, hand in hand, the world at their feet.

They’d not only won awards. They’d won each other.

~~~

The day after the Grand Aster Awards felt like waking up from a dream.

The golden trophies sat polished and gleaming on the side table of their luxurious suite, basking in the quiet morning sunlight. Naruto stood by the wide glass windows, shirtless, stretching with a soft groan as the city skyline glittered below.

Sasuke, still in bed and cocooned in hotel silk sheets, watched him from under the covers: his raven hair messy, lips bruised slightly from the previous night’s afterparty kisses, and eyes impossibly warm despite the morning grogginess.

Naruto turned, catching his lover’s gaze, and smirked. “You’re staring.”

“You’re half-naked,” Sasuke mumbled, voice husky from sleep. “I’m allowed to stare.”

“Get used to it, baby,” the blonde teased, sauntering back to the bed with a little too much swagger.

The raven-head rolled his eyes, but the slight blush blooming across his cheeks betrayed him. He tugged the blankets down, inviting Naruto in, and the blonde didn’t hesitate…crawling under the covers, settling against Sasuke’s side like a magnet drawn to its match.

“You realize,” the Uchiha murmured, tracing lazy circles along Naruto’s bare chest, “this is the first time we’ve had more than a couple minutes alone...”

Naruto’s smile softened. “I know.”

They lay there in silence for a beat. Sasuke’s fingers drifting lower, brushing over the familiar spiral tattoo etched on Naruto’s abdomen. His hand lingered.

“…You’ve never told me what it means,” he whispered.

The soloist’s breath hitched. “It’s… a family thing. From before.” He looked down, eyes a little guarded. “Jiraiya said it’s from my mom’s side. I kept it as a reminder.”

Sasuke didn’t respond with words. Instead, he shifted.

He started with a kiss to his boyfriend’s muscular chest. Then down, slower, tracing every muscle with his lips and tongue. When he reached the tattoo, he paused.

Looking up at Naruto, he pressed a reverent kiss to the spiral and at the gold navel piercing.

Then another, slower.
And then… he licked.

A long, deliberate swipe of his tongue, swirling around the mark as if tasting the history behind it. Naruto’s breath left him in a sharp exhale, hand diving into Sasuke’s hair.

“Don’t… do that unless you’re ready for what comes next,” he warned, voice low and gravelly.

The raven-head’s only answer was a smirk as he nipped gently at the tattoo and piercing, teeth scraping, tongue soothing. “Then do something about it.”

That was all it took.

The blonde flipped them, hands braced on either side of his lover’s head as he hovered above him. “I’ve wanted you like this for so long.”

Sasuke arched against him, biting his lip, seductively. “What's stopping you now?”

The couple stared at each other for a long moment……before they both leaned in….urgently….devouring each other’s lips. The kiss was bruising, filled with longing and hunger….yet still passionate.

They waited too long and nothing…nothing was going to stop them today.

The Uchiha slid his hands down his lover’s sides, letting his fingers stop at the waistband of his boxers.

Then slowly…teasingly he trickled his fingers down the blonde’s crotch, feeling the outline of his bulge.

Naruto growled against his lips—in reaction, and grabbed the raven-head’s thighs, skillfully parting them and slid his own body between them.

Every touch was urgent, fueled by weeks of stolen glances, late-night texts, restrained desires, and the aching tension of holding back.

Naruto kissed him deep and hard, stealing breath after breath, and Sasuke gave as good as he got: biting, clawing, wrapping his legs around the blonde’s waist and meeting him with hungry, feisty fire.

Soon they were bare, tanned skin against pale, pressing together as if it was meant to be…..and they were in every sense.

Sasuke gasped out at the feeling, feeling his own hardness against his boyfriend’s.

The two remained like that for a moment, grinding against each other, feeling their desires coming to the surface....ready to set free.....and when it wasn’t enough, the blonde shifted, and trailed his tongue down his lover’s smooth skin: to his chest....nipping and sucking at each bud, then to his abs and then further down til he reached Sasuke’s cock—swollen hard with pre-cum.

Looking up at the raven-head, he gave a small teasing smirk before dipping again, taking a hold of the shaft and guiding it to his awaiting mouth.

Sasuke squirmed in immediate pleasure, bucking his hips up and Naruto....Naruto eyes gleamed, gripping his lover's thighs and taking him all in.

"F-fuck Naruto" the raven-head moaned, hands slipping between his legs to grab onto the blonde's hair, tugging it everytime his lover sucked certain areas on his dick.

Sasuke was overwhelmed and they were now getting started. He was in no way a virgin but for the first time, he felt like one in front of this man.....who skillfully and effortlessly worked him up.

Naruto swirled his tongue around his pink-head before parting, making the other whine from the lost of contact.

"Patience, baby~"

The blonde chuckled out and shifted to the nightstand where he had placed the lube.

Squirting a generous amount on his hand he moved back to his lover and looked at him.

"Turn around for me. All fours. Ass up" Naruto stated, the assertiveness in the shift of his tone made Sasuke felt weak. He obeyed his lover and did just that: presenting himself.

Naruto watched the sight before him, more aroused than before. How could this man be so...... fucking beautiful—was a thought that shot through his head.

The Uchiha felt it a few seconds later, one slicked digit circling his rim. His body instinctively shivered and he let out a shaky breath. After a wait longer, finally one finger was slipping into him....slowly but surely.

Although Naruto was beyond self control, there was still no way he planned to hurt his lover so he took his time with him, letting Sasuke adjust to the first finger....then the second and lastly the third.

The raven-head was dazed by the third digit added in him, fingers scissoring his hole and making him an already moaning mess.

"N-Naruto....hurry~ p-please" he begged, not able to wait much longer. He needed the blonde. Needed to feel his big cock impale him.

And who was Naruto to deny his lover?
He did just that, sliding out his fingers before coating more lubricant—this time on his heavy cock and aligned himself to Sasuke.

His tip teased his rim at first, making the Uchiha clench the bed sheets in half-annoyance, half-arousal.

"N-Naru—" before he could complete his words, his lover slipped in, slowly, carefully.

Sasuke instinctively clenched around him, his body adjusting to the bigness of the blonde. They waited for a moment before—

“Move….move please” the raven-head breathed out.

Naruto started: thrusting gently, experimentally... a couple times, making Sasuke whimper in pleasure. The Uchiha planted his face in the pillows, feeling the warmth and pain from his lover. They soon established a pace, and the thrusting became more natural, faster, purposeful.

Naruto held the raven-head’s hips plunging deeper and deeper with each thrust, and it took a mere moment before Sasuke let out a moan…so loud it shook the other into
insatiable desire.

Smirking, the blonde abused the same spot over and over again, his lover screaming, moaning his name like a prayer.

"N-Naruto more....f-fuck!" he cried out in pleasure.

The more Naruto thrusted, the more too he wanted, so he paused for a second and flipped his lover around, parting Sasuke's legs and resuming his ministrations. Their eyes met, keeping locked on each other.

Onyx met cerulean, both mixed with such hunger and desire.

They moved together, tangled in silk sheets and sunlight, their breaths ragged, whispers of names and promises passing between gasps. Sasuke soon clung to Naruto’s shoulders as if the blonde were the only anchor in the world, and Naruto worshipped him like he was.

It was intense. It was raw.

It was everything they had been waiting for.

"C-close" was all Sasuke managed to whimper before he came, squirting on his boyfriend's chest and abdomen.

Naruto followed not too long after, slowing down his pace as he did so, a soft moan escaping his lips as he filled Sasuke to the brim.

They lay tangled in sweat-slicked limbs and satisfied silence. The blonde pulling his lover in his chest, holding him tight. Sasuke hummed in satisfaction, panting from coming down from his high. The raven-head didn't speak for a while—his mind still dazed in immense bliss.

Naruto kissed Sasuke’s temple

“I love you.”

Sasuke didn’t say it back...not with words. But his hand found Naruto’s and laced their fingers together, tight. He tilted his head to meet his lover's.

He didn’t have to say it. Not yet. The look in his eyes said it all.

And that was enough for Naruto.

~~~

Chapter Text

London wore a different kind of magic that morning. The skies were uncharacteristically clear, pale blue stretching over cobbled streets and historic buildings that echoed the weight of centuries. The group had one last day to enjoy the city before heading back to Japan, and no one wanted to waste it.

Naruto woke first, stretching lazily in bed and groaning at the time. Next to him, Sasuke stirred only when the blonde peppered kisses along his jaw. “Get up,” Naruto murmured playfully, “we’re burning daylight.”

“Let it burn,” Sasuke muttered, wrapping an arm around Naruto’s waist and pulling him back down.

But ten minutes later, the couple was dressed and on their way to meet Hebi and Shikamaru in the lobby of their luxury hotel.

~~~

Suigetsu was the loudest that morning, clearly still feeding off the high from the award win. “I say we hit Camden Market. Food stalls, vintage shops, record stores. It’s weird—just like us.”

Jugo agreed with a rare chuckle. Karin groaned about walking too much in heels. And Shikamaru, tired before the day even started, muttered something about crowds being “a drag,” but still followed without much protest.

Naruto and Sasuke stayed close, fingers intertwined. Their bodyguards trailed behind, along with one black-tinted car parked nearby, always ready to whisk them away if needed. Thankfully, the crowd was manageable, and Hebi and Naruto being all together seemed to naturally draw people’s attention, not just to the couple.

They roamed through shops, tried suspiciously spicy meat pies from food trucks, and laughed too much for an international group trying to stay under the radar.

By noon, a group of fans spotted them near the entrance of a quiet bookstore.

A teenage girl with bright green nails and a trembling voice approached first. “E-Excuse me… Naruto? Sasuke? I’m sorry, I don’t mean to intrude but… could I maybe… get a picture?”

Naruto immediately grinned and nodded, “Of course you can.”

Sasuke stood beside him, more reserved but still polite, and together they posed with her, signing her phone case and taking another selfie when Suigetsu jumped in uninvited.

Soon more approached...but it wasn’t chaos. They were respectful, starstruck, and overwhelmed. Some asked for hugs from both the band and the soloist. Some cried. And when Naruto took the time to crouch to a little boy’s level and ruffle his hair, Sasuke watched with a small, private smile.

“You’re really good with them,” he murmured after the crowd cleared and they walked toward a quieter street.

Naruto shrugged bashfully. “I didn’t have people like that growing up, except Jiraiya of course. Thought maybe I’d be the kind of guy I needed.”

Sasuke didn’t respond...he just reached for his hand and laced their fingers again together.

~~~

By late afternoon, the group went their separate ways to rest and pack. The couple slipped away, changing into more stylish casual fits, coordinated enough to look deliberate. Their bodyguards followed from a respectful distance, giving them room to breathe.

Naruto’s idea of a “date” wasn’t extravagant: he wanted warmth, memories, peace. And that’s exactly what he planned.

They took a stroll through Hyde Park, stopping to buy roasted chestnuts from a vendor. They sat on a quiet bench by a nearby body of water, watching ducks waddle toward tourists.

Then, they visited a cozy little rooftop café overlooking the Thames, lit with soft fairy lights. Their table was tucked in the corner. Soft jazz played. Sasuke ordered tea. Naruto got something sweet and fruity. And for an hour, the world melted away.

They talked about everything: childhood dreams, random memories, what life could look like years from now. Sasuke leaned in close, his elbow resting on the table, eyes only for Naruto.

“You know,” Sasuke said quietly, “this might be one of my favorite days.”

Naruto grinned, cheeks tinted pink. “Because of the tea?”

The raven-head rolled his eyes but didn’t deny the smile. “Because of you, idiot.”

After dinner, they walked the South Bank, lit golden under the setting sun. Naruto snuck a kiss or two and Sasuke let him.

They stopped at the edge of the river, hands locked, lights from the city flickering over the surface of the water. Behind them, the London Eye spun slowly. In front of them, only the horizon.

“Do we have to leave?” the blonde asked, voice quiet, wistful.

Sasuke leaned on his shoulder, cheek brushing against the collar of Naruto’s hoodie. “Yeah. But we’ll come back someday.”

Naruto nodded. “With fewer people. And no managers.”

Sasuke chuckled. “Just us.”

“Just us,” Naruto echoed.

And as they stood there: world-famous, impossibly adored, and more in love than ever—they were just two men far from home, lucky enough to have found each other.

~~~

The return to Japan was a whirlwind: flashing cameras, screaming fans, and flashing screens in every airport terminal. Their Grand Aster win had gone global. They were trending everywhere. The moment Naruto and Sasuke kissed on stage was already being called “The Kiss That Broke the Internet.”

But now… the plane had landed, the confetti had settled, and reality was back.

They were back at Shinsei Entertainment.

And the contract had officially ended.

~~~

Naruto stood in the elevator of the company building, watching the numbers light up slowly, the familiar ache already blooming in his chest. The ride up to the soloist floor had never felt so isolating before.

On the floor below, Sasuke was already walking down the long corridor toward Hebi’s studio room. Suigetsu was ranting about some new synth riff he wanted to try, and Jugo was quietly scrolling through rehearsal schedules. It was like nothing had changed.

Except everything had.

No more shared green rooms. No more excuses to sneak away together after interviews. No more spontaneous late-night harmonies and laughter echoing down soundproof halls.

~~~

The first few days were manageable. Naruto threw himself into recording a new single. Sasuke went back to writing for Hebi’s next mini-album. Messages were constant: voice notes, emojis, blurry selfies of studio desks or exhausted faces. Quick calls during late dinners.

But schedules collided like bad weather. Naruto had to shoot a commercial. Sasuke and his group had a last-minute photo spread. More rehearsals. More content planning. More rehearsals. Less time.

Soon it became:

“Sorry, baby. I fell asleep before I could call.”

or

“I miss you. I’m trying to get away this weekend.”

or worse—

“Can we reschedule? I’ve got back-to-back shoots.”

They hadn’t physically seen each other in three weeks even in the same company building.

~~~

Naruto didn’t realize how much it would hurt. He missed Sasuke like air.

Coming home to his apartment: once warm with laughter and long kisses on the couch....now felt cold and hollow. He sat in bed scrolling through pictures of them together in London. He stared at the stupid couple selfie they took by the river, where Sasuke had squinted at the sun and Naruto had kissed his cheek mid-shot.

He stared so long it started to hurt.

He buried himself in work, but even that didn’t help. Every love song he recorded now felt like a lie.

He was performing, but never really present.

~~~

Sasuke, too, was fraying.

He wasn’t sleeping well. Not without the warmth he’d grown used to. Not without Naruto curling into him at night or whining into his neck about how cold it was. Not without that steady heartbeat against his back.

His irritation became short. He snapped at Suigetsu during practice. He zoned out during meetings. Karin noticed. Everyone did.

But no one said anything, except for his mother on one of their phone calls.

“Are you okay, sweetheart? You sound… far away.”

“I’m just tired,” Sasuke said. “Work.”

But what he meant was:

I miss him.

~~~

That night, Sasuke lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling in Hebi’s apartment, the glow of his phone screen casting soft shadows across his face.

Naruto hadn’t messaged in hours.

He thumbed through their text thread, then stopped on a video: one Karin had recorded in the club. It was grainy but sweet: Naruto holding him while they swayed to the music, lips pressed to Sasuke’s temple, both of them smiling like nothing else in the world mattered.

He clicked play.

Watched.

Watched again.

Then turned his phone face-down.

~~~

Meanwhile…

Naruto stood in the kitchen, still in his stage clothes, staring blankly at a pot of boiling water he’d long forgotten to turn off.

He was tired. Physically. Mentally.

The silence in his apartment was louder than any stadium.

And both of them: famous, adored, praised...were breaking just a little more each day under the weight of missing each other.

Chapter Text

The halls of Shinsei Entertainment buzzed with usual energy: assistants with clipboards, idols drifting in and out of studios, the faint thrum of rehearsals echoing behind glass. But Naruto was silent as he walked toward Tsunade’s office. He’d been summoned without context, which usually wasn’t a good sign.

His chest was already tight. He hadn’t seen Sasuke in a month. Messages were colder now, less frequent. And he felt like he was unraveling piece by piece.

Tsunade sat behind her massive glass desk, flipping through a tablet. Her usual fierce expression was softened, but there was something unreadable in her eyes.

“Sit,” she said gently.

Naruto did, bouncing his leg. “What’s going on?”

She took a deep breath. “Your numbers have skyrocketed since the collaboration. We had pre-plans for a regional tour, but after London and the Grand Asters… your global demand is through the roof.”

Naruto stared at her.

“So,” Tsunade continued, “you’re going on a world tour. Six months. Starting next month.”

The words crashed into him like a tidal wave.

“What?” he said, voice cracking.

“Six months,” she repeated. “Europe. North America. South America. Asia. You’ll be traveling non-stop. We’ve already partnered with the biggest venues. This is the biggest opportunity of your life.”

Naruto’s eyes widened. “Six months?! Tsunade—are you kidding me? I—!”

“I’m not,” she said firmly. “You’re a global sensation now. You’ve earned this.”

“I didn’t ask for it like this,” Naruto hissed, standing so fast the chair scraped. “You want me to leave everything for half a year? My boyfriend? My life? You didn’t even ask me if I wanted this!”

Tsunade remained calm. “Naruto, you’ve always said your dream was to reach the world—”

“Yeah, but I didn’t expect to be ripped from the only person that makes me feel sane!” Naruto snapped. His hands were shaking. “I finally have someone. I finally have love. And you want me to just—just walk away from it like it won’t kill me?”

There was a quiet gasp by the door.

Sasuke.

Naruto turned, frozen.

The Uchiha had walked in just moments ago, presumably coming to ask Tsunade about a separate media shoot. But now his sharp gaze was locked onto Naruto’s trembling back. His expression unreadable, but his fists clenched.

“You’re leaving… for six months?” Sasuke’s voice was quiet. Flat.

Naruto turned fully. “Sasuke, I didn’t know. I just found out.”

Tsunade folded her arms. “It’s not forever. And this is what idols do. You two knew the risk when you got together.”

But that didn’t help the way Sasuke’s throat moved when he swallowed. Or how his eyes dropped to the floor like he was trying not to fall apart.

Naruto stepped forward, desperate now. “I didn’t ask for this, I swear. I don’t want to go if it means losing you—”

“You’re not going to lose me,” Sasuke said quietly, but the pain in his eyes betrayed the effort.

“I don’t care about the fame,” Naruto muttered, nearly broken. “None of it matters if I can’t touch you every day. If I can’t hear you laugh when you tease me. If I can’t feel your hair between my fingers when you fall asleep on me—Tsunade, please. There’s gotta be another way.”

“I can’t cancel this, Naruto,” she said gently. “Thosands of people are already involved. Venues. Sponsors. Flights. Press. You’re not the only one affected by this decision.”

Sasuke closed his eyes.

Naruto looked between them...his heart aching, his head screaming, the walls closing in.

“I need a minute,” he whispered, brushing past Sasuke and storming out of the office, down the hallway.

Sasuke turned toward Tsunade with a clenched jaw.

“He didn’t deserve to find out like that.”

“I know,” she said quietly.

Sasuke didn’t reply.

He left a moment later.

He had to find Naruto.

~~~

Naruto had made it to the rooftop of Shinsei Entertainment: his favorite escape when everything got too loud. The wind was strong up here, and the city stretched out around him like it was indifferent to his pain.

He didn’t notice the door opening behind him. But he knew it was Sasuke.

Sasuke always moved quiet, but Naruto could feel him.

He didn’t turn around right away. His hands gripped the railing tightly, knuckles white.

His lover came to stand beside him silently.

They stood there for a few moments with only the wind between them, ruffling dark and blonde hair alike.

“I know it’s not forever,” Naruto started, voice hoarse. “I know I’m being dramatic.”

Sasuke didn’t interrupt. He just waited, watching Naruto’s profile.

“But it feels like it is,” Naruto admitted. “Six months. Half a year. Without you. After spending every moment with you for this long… it feels like someone’s reaching into my chest and yanking out everything warm.”

He looked at Sasuke then, eyes shining. “I know I shouldn’t be like this. I know I should be grateful...hell, this is my dream....but I finally got something I didn’t even know I was craving this badly. Love…….You. And now it’s like I have to choose. And I hate that.”

Sasuke’s gaze softened.

“I hate that I’m already thinking about how empty my nights are gonna feel. I hate that I’m scared you’ll forget how this feels when I’m not around. I hate that I feel guilty for wanting to stay. Like I’m betraying my fans for being in love.”

Sasuke stepped closer, gently touching Naruto’s arm.

“You’re not betraying anyone,” he said softly. “You’re human, Naruto.”

Naruto looked at him, unsure, heart breaking.

“You gave them your music. Your time. Your energy. You still will. But love doesn’t make you weak. Wanting to hold onto someone doesn’t make you selfish.”

Naruto lowered his head, biting the inside of his cheek.

Sasuke reached up and cupped his face gently, thumb brushing along Naruto’s cheekbone.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Sasuke whispered. “Six months, one year, whatever. You’re not gonna lose me.”

Naruto’s breath hitched.

“I’ll call you. Every night. I’ll text you when I eat just so you remember I can be annoying too. I'll watch you everywhere you go, be on social media more often to see your updates and I’ll send you pictures of every stupid thing Suigetsu and the rest of Hebi says.”

That earned a tiny, broken laugh from Naruto.

Sasuke leaned forward, pressing their foreheads together.

“I love you,” he murmured. “You’re not going through this alone.”

The blonde closed his eyes, finally allowing himself to feel the comfort of the words. The gentleness of the hand on his cheek. The warmth that hadn’t been taken away just yet.

“I love you too,” Naruto whispered. “So damn much.”

They stood like that for a long time, forehead to forehead, breathing each other in, anchoring.

The wind kept blowing. The world kept turning.

But for now....it was just them.

Chapter Text

The weeks following the rooftop conversation passed in a blur of exhaustion and desperation: desperation not just for time, but for each other.

The couple did everything they could to spend every spare moment together.

Some nights, Naruto would sneak into Hebi’s apartment past midnight, eyes red from a packed rehearsal. Sasuke would already be waiting for him on the couch, hair messy, tea growing cold, barely awake....but still there.

Other nights, Sasuke would show up to Naruto’s apartment after an event, his makeup half-smeared and his jacket forgotten in the car, just to climb into bed and hold Naruto even if only for an hour before they had to part again.

They were exhausted. Deliriously tired. But every second felt worth it.

Even when they didn’t speak...just lying on opposite ends of the couch, bodies tangled but eyes closed...they were together, and that was enough.

Naruto counted down the days with a silent ache in his chest. And Sasuke, for all his composure, had gone quiet too. His stares lingered longer. His goodbyes took more effort.

And then….there was only one night left.

The final night before Naruto would board the plane and be gone for six months.

They didn’t waste it.

~~~

The lights in Naruto’s apartment were low, the city outside stretching in quiet golden bands through the windows, like the world itself was holding its breath for them.

Dinner sat forgotten, their bowls half-full, the warmth of the food long faded. Neither had eaten much…too full from the heaviness in their hearts.

Naruto sat cross-legged on the bed, his fingers nervously playing with the edge of Sasuke’s sleeve. The raven-head sat in front of him, close enough for their knees to touch, his dark eyes unreadable but so achingly present.

“Six months,” Naruto finally murmured, voice hoarse, “feels like a lifetime.”

Sasuke reached out slowly, brushing his fingers over the blonde's cheek, thumb tracing just beneath the edge of his eye. “Then don’t think about six months. Think about tonight.”

Naruto leaned in, letting their foreheads press together. “Tonight,” he echoed softly, “is everything.”

Their lips met in silence. No rush. No heat. Just a meeting of breath, of hearts.

Sasuke’s hand slid around his lover's neck, fingers threading into soft blond hair. Naruto held his waist gently, as if the raven-head were something fragile. Maybe he was. Maybe they both were.

Sasuke shifted forward, climbing into Naruto’s lap slowly, reverently, until their bodies aligned: warm and familiar. His arms wrapped around the soloist's shoulders and he buried his face into the curve of his neck, breathing him in.

Naruto closed his eyes, arms curling around Sasuke’s back, holding him so close their chests rose and fell together.

“I wish I could pause time,” Sasuke whispered, lips ghosting across his collarbone.

“I’d live in this moment forever if I could,” Naruto murmured, kissing his temple.

Clothes slipped off with care, fingertips brushing skin like turning pages of something sacred. Every part of Sasuke was explored: not out of lust, but out of longing, devotion. Naruto touched him like he was memorizing him.

“Every inch of you,” the blonde whispered, breath warm against his skin, “is mine to love.”

Sasuke looked down at him, his expression already wet with emotion. “Then love me, Naruto. Please… just love me.”

And Naruto did.

What followed wasn’t rushed or frantic…it was deliberate, tender. Every touch a confession. Every kiss a vow. Every thrust a promised commitment. They moved in sync, the rhythm of their bodies guided only by the strength of their feelings.

Sasuke beneath him, hands roaming Naruto’s back, breath coming in quiet gasps and moans of reverence. Naruto above him, slow and patient, lips tracing his jaw, whispering I love you between every movement.

Their fingers stayed interlaced, even as their bodies trembled, even as soft cries of devotion filled the room.

When it ended, they didn’t speak. They simply held each other, skin sticky with sweat, heartbeats pressed close as though they could sync forever if they stayed like that long enough.

Sasuke curled into Naruto’s chest, lashes damp, lips brushing faintly against the skin above Naruto’s heart.

“I don’t want to say goodbye tomorrow,” he whispered.

Naruto ran his fingers slowly through his lover’s hair. “Then don’t,” he said softly. “Say I’ll wait.”

The raven-head nodded against him. “I’ll wait.”

His lover kissed the crown of his head. “And I’ll come home to you.”

Their hands never let go, even long after they’d fallen asleep.

~~~

The black SUVs pulled up to the private wing of the airport, and the morning air buzzed with the quiet hum of excitement…and grief.

Jiraiya stood with Mikoto, Itachi, and Hebi, chatting quietly while trying not to make the moment feel heavier than it already was.

Shikamaru checked the itinerary for the third time, his brows furrowed as he quietly coordinated with the tour crew already inside.

Naruto stood at the edge of the tarmac with Sasuke.

They held hands. Neither was speaking.

“You packed the brooch?” Sasuke asked finally, not looking up.

Naruto nodded. “It’s in my carry-on. I’m not letting it out of my sight.”

It was a black pendant brooch Sasuke had given him last week. A quiet symbol. A reminder of home.

Naruto looked down at Sasuke. “Come with me.”

The raven-head exhaled shakily. “You know I can’t.”

“I know…..but I had to try.”

Sasuke finally looked up, his eyes unreadable. “Just… don’t fall in love with a city more than you love me.”

Naruto gave a small, watery laugh. “I won’t. None of them have you.”

They hugged tight. Longer than they should’ve.

Their kiss was slow, unhurried. Full of pain and love and everything in between.

When they finally pulled apart, Naruto touched Sasuke’s cheek once more.

“Wait for me.”

Sasuke nodded, eyes shining. “Always.”

Mikoto gave him a long hug and kiss. Itachi patted his back. Jiraiya saluted proudly, even though his chest ached. The rest of Hebi did their best to cheer him up and his friends pulled him in a group hug.

Then, Naruto turned.

And walked toward the plane.

Sasuke didn’t move from the tarmac. Not until the plane disappeared into the clouds.

Only then did he let his mask crack.

Only then did he whisper, to no one:

“Come back to me soon.”

Chapter Text

Naruto hadn’t known how loud loneliness could be until he stood in front of forty thousand screaming fans and still felt the echo of silence in his chest.

He was living his dream. Lights, stadiums, sold-out cities. His name in every headline. Every crowd chanting his lyrics back to him with electric devotion.

But none of them said his name the way Sasuke did.

~~~

[Week One]

The tour kicked off in New York City. The first show was a triumph: Naruto’s performance flawless, energy unstoppable. But afterward, when he collapsed backstage, sweat-soaked and smiling, his first instinct wasn’t celebration.

It was reaching for his phone.

He FaceTimed Sasuke the second he could breathe again, grinning into the camera. “Did you see the live feed Shika sent?”

Sasuke, curled up in bed, hair messy and eyes soft with tired affection, smirked. “You killed it, babe.”

Naruto laughed, breathless. “God, I miss you already.”

“Only five months and three weeks left,” Sasuke said dryly, but his expression was warm. “Call me again before you sleep.”

“Promise.”

~~~

[Week Three]

Jetlag was murder. Press was relentless. But Naruto kept going: city after city, stage after stage.

And every single night, whether it was 2 AM in Madrid or 4 PM in Seoul, he found time to call Sasuke.

Sometimes it was just a few minutes. Sometimes an hour. Sometimes they didn’t speak at all, just stayed on the line while Naruto dozed off, Sasuke’s voice the last sound he heard.

The pendant brooch next to Naruto had become more than a parting gift to remember his home. It was a promise… of who he was coming back to.

~~~

[Back in Japan…]

Sasuke tried to bury himself in work. Hebi was recording a new album, and Suigetsu was constantly dragging him to the studio, trying to keep him distracted. Jugo cooked more. Karin scheduled out his every hour. Shikamaru even sent him reminders to rest.

But nights were hardest.

Sasuke had always been a quiet soul, used to solitude…but now silence felt heavy. Cold.

He’d scroll through Instagram and see Naruto smiling with fans in Berlin. Laughing during rehearsals in Paris. And Sasuke was proud….so proud, but he still found himself sleeping on Naruto’s side of the bed, pillow hugged tight, phone screen dim with unanswered time zones.

Still, he never missed a call.

Even if he had to sneak into the studio’s soundproof booth just to hear Naruto say “I love you” before stage time.

~~~

[Week Six]

Naruto sent care packages to Japan. One for Hebi. On for his friends. One for Mikoto, Fugaku and Jiraiya. And one, hidden in bubble wrap and sealed with a handwritten note, for Sasuke.

Inside was a polaroid of Naruto blowing a kiss toward the camera, in front of a glowing stadium. And a simple chain necklace with a little charm: a gold fox wrapped around an onyx snake.

“So you’ll know I’m always thinking of you,” the note read.

Sasuke stared at it for a long time before clutching it to his chest.

He wore it under every outfit since.

~~~

[Week Nine]

A voice message arrived while Sasuke was in the studio. He stepped out, pressed play. Naruto’s voice crackled through.

“I was in Vienna today… they played our song in a little café. I almost cried. I miss your voice, your touch, your goddamn smirk. I miss falling asleep next to you. I just miss… us.”

Sasuke sat down slowly, exhaling through his nose.

He replied that night in a voice quiet, raspy. “I miss us too. But we’re still us. No matter how far.”

~~~

[Three Months In]

Naruto was exhausted. Not from performing….but from being away.

But he kept singing. Because every show brought him closer to the final one. Closer to Japan. To home.

To Sasuke.

They never broke their promise.

Even on days where the time difference left them only five minutes to spare, they made it count.

They talked about music, about food, about their futures. They joked. They cried. They fell asleep to each other’s breathing.

And somehow, in all the distance… they remained close.

Because they’d both decided:

They weren’t counting the days apart. They were counting the days until they’d be together again.

~~~

The Uchiha residence was quieter than usual.

Sasuke pushed open the front door with the softest sigh, his keys clicking into the bowl by habit. The echo of his footsteps on polished wood rang a little louder these days. Or maybe it just felt that way without Naruto’s laugh still ringing in his ears.

It had been two days since they last spoke properly…Naruto’s schedule in Brazil had been brutal, and their brief texts had felt like breadcrumbs instead of connection. Sasuke hadn’t said it aloud, but he’d needed the comfort of home. Even if it didn’t bring Naruto with it.

“Back already?” came a familiar, gruff voice from the living room.

Jiraiya looked up from his book on the couch, glasses sliding a little down his nose. He was dressed in loose sweatpants and a tank top, completely unbothered as always.

“I thought you’d be holed up in your apartment for another week.”

Sasuke just kicked off his shoes. “It was too quiet.”

Jiraiya eyed him knowingly, then slowly closed his book. “Itachi is holed up in filming for his new movie so he won’t be here for a couple months but Mikoto’s in the kitchen. She’s been baking.”

That earned a small flicker of interest in Sasuke’s eyes. He followed the scent down the hall.

Sure enough, his mother stood by the marble countertop, hair pulled into a low bun, apron dusted in flour. She turned when she heard him.

“Sasuke!” Her face lit up with that familiar warmth, the kind only a mother could give. “Sweetheart, you’re home.”

He let himself be pulled into her arms without a fight.

It was only for a moment, but in that hug, something in the youngest Uchiha’s chest cracked quietly. He didn’t cry. But he did hold on.

“I made an apple tart,” she said gently, cupping his face. “Your favorite. Sit down. You look tired.”

He didn’t say no.

While she poured tea and sliced dessert, Sasuke let his head fall to the table. He closed his eyes. “It’s stupid.”

“What is?”

“I knew he’d be gone. I knew we’d be apart. We made a plan. But every day it just… gets harder.”

Mikoto placed a gentle hand on his back, rubbing slow circles. “It’s not stupid. Loving someone never is.”

From the doorway, Jiraiya leaned against the frame, arms crossed. “You miss the idiot. Of course you do. That just means it’s real.”

Sasuke’s voice was muffled against the wood. “It feels pathetic.”

“It feels like true love,” Mikoto corrected him softly. “You two have something most people never get. That doesn’t mean it won’t hurt sometimes.”

Jiraiya nodded. “Besides, you’re not alone. We’re here. And he’ll be back. You just have to hold on a little longer.”

Unbeknownst to them all, Fugaku had been standing just beyond the hallway.

He had gone to grab a script from his study when he’d heard the conversation: his son’s voice quieter than usual, weary. Not his usual clipped control.

He didn’t step in.

Instead, Fugaku stood in silence, listening.

He wasn’t good at words. Not the soft ones. Not the ones his wife so easily weaved around their children like a blanket. But he felt it…that ache of powerlessness. Sasuke was hurting. And even if he didn’t fully understand Naruto yet, or what they had… he understood love that left you breathless.

Later that night, long after Mikoto and Jiraiya had gone to bed, Sasuke found his bedroom door cracked open.

A quiet package sat on his desk.

Inside: a framed photo of Hebi and Naruto on stage at the Grand Aster Awards. The very night they’d kissed on stage. The one his father had said little about…but clearly watched.

There was no note.

But taped beneath the frame was a single line of his father’s handwriting:

“He’s worth the wait.”

Sasuke stood there for a long time, unmoving. His throat tightened. And for the first time in days… he smiled.

Chapter Text

[Four months in]

Four months of hotel rooms that all started to look the same.

Four months of blinking at a cracked phone screen just to see Sasuke’s name lighting it up.

Four months of smiling in interviews while feeling an ache just beneath the surface of his chest.

Naruto had made it this far. Two more months to go.

But even that felt too long sometimes.

Tonight, he was alone in his hotel suite in Argentina, the city’s glow muted by thick glass windows. His concert had ended hours ago, but adrenaline still tingled in his fingers: fighting with exhaustion. The crowd had been electric, the noise, deafening. But his mind kept drifting to someone not there.

He rolled up the sleeves of his hoodie and reached for the well-worn notebook he’d been carrying with him since he left Japan. The edges were frayed, the pages wrinkled in places from being stuffed in backpacks, rehearsal rooms, even airplane trays.

The first page was labeled simply in his messy handwriting:

“For Sasuke.”

It wasn’t just a song.

It was the song.

A secret he’d kept from most: Hebi, Shikamaru, Stylists, Tsunade, even his friend group. Only two knew: Mikoto and Jiraiya. He’s been working on it since day one of the tour…..whenever he could steal a moment between performances, press, and sleep. Verses scribbled in dressing rooms. Melodies hummed into his phone in the middle of the night.

The lyrics had come slowly at first.

But then he’d heard Sasuke’s sleepy voice during one of their late-night FaceTimes: whispering, “I miss you more than I should admit.”
And it all just clicked.

He flipped to the newest page. The final one. It was finished now.

Verse 3
You’re half a world away, but I still feel you breathing
In every crowd, I look for you, like you’re the only meaning
Lights flash, they scream my name, but none of it feels real
‘Cause you’re the silence I hold onto when I need something to feel

Chorus
I’d give up the spotlight, the screaming, the stage
Just to hold you for a moment, erase all the space
You’re my always, my anchor, my breath in the dark
So I wrote this for you—my home, my heart

He read the words over slowly, letting them sink into his chest. His fingers curled into the page.

Sasuke would hear it for the first time when Naruto would play it for him live….no producers, no label input, no award show.

Although finished…. it wasn’t ready. Not quite yet.

He stood, pushing back the hotel’s velvet desk chair and walking over to the piano tucked in the suite’s corner. It was rare he got a room this nice, but Tsunade had upgraded him for the last leg of the tour. Maybe she could sense how close he was to burning out.

His fingers hovered over the keys.

He played the melody softly…gentle and steady, like a promise.

The lyrics swelled in his chest again, aching to be sung. So he did. Barefoot, in a loose hoodie and sweats, Naruto sang into the soft hush of the night. There were no mics. No fans. No stage lights.

Just the sound of his voice and the weight of his love.

And when the last note lingered in the air, Naruto leaned back and closed his eyes.

It wasn’t perfect.

But it was real.

He picked up his phone and sent a single message to Shikamaru:

“I need a recording studio in the next city. Just me and a mic. No questions.”

The reply came instantly.

“Already expected this. I’ll send the address.”

Naruto smiled.

Two more months.

But Sasuke wouldn’t have to wait that long to feel him again.

~~~

The studio in Paraguay was small…unlike the polished glass boxes he was used to in Tokyo or LA. This one had wood-paneled walls, a slightly off-key piano in the corner, and a worn couch that had definitely seen decades of music before him.

It was perfect.

Naruto stood inside the recording booth, headphones on, the world outside reduced to silence. His chest rose and fell slowly as the music began to play through the headset. No lyrics this time…just raw emotion as he laid the vocals down, one layer at a time, like bricks in a foundation.

It was more than a performance. It was a message. A confession.

Every breath, every quiet pause, every strained note….they were all for him.

The sound engineer outside the booth gave him a thumbs up through the glass, and Naruto exhaled, a sheen of sweat on his brow as he stepped out and pulled the headphones off.

“Got it?” he asked quietly.

The engineer nodded. “We’ve got it. It’s beautiful, man.”

Naruto gave a small smile and ran a hand through his hair. His throat was a little raw, but his heart was calm…lighter than it had been in months.

It was time to take the next step.

He stepped outside the studio into the warm dusk, pulling out his phone and calling Shikamaru.

“The song is done,” Naruto said as soon as the line picked up.

“That fast?” Shikamaru asked. “You didn’t even stop to breathe.”

“I didn’t need to,” Naruto said, smiling faintly. “Now I need you to help me add one more stop to the tour.”

There was silence on the other end. Then a slow groan.

“Don’t say it,” Shikamaru muttered. “Don’t say London.”

“London,” Naruto said with a grin. “Same stadium as the Grand Aster’s. I want it to be the last stop. One night only. A surprise show.”

“Do you know what a drag it’s going to be, arranging a venue that size on this kind of notice? Ticket sales, security, contracts—” Shikamaru paused. “Is it for Sasuke?”

Naruto softened. “Yeah.”

Another sigh, this one quieter.

“Then I’ll do it,” Shikamaru said. “Not as your manager. But as your best friend.”

“Thanks, Shika,” Naruto whispered, the weight of his gratitude humming beneath the words.

~~~

That night, Naruto sat in his hotel room, facing the screen of his laptop. His heart thudded louder than the ticking clock in the corner. He opened FaceTime and dialed Mikoto.

Her warm face filled the screen almost instantly.

“Sweetheart!” she beamed, adjusting the camera. Jiraiya appeared beside her, lounging in a casual yukata with his hair pulled back, sipping tea. “How’s Paraguay?”

“Hot,” Naruto grinned. “But… it went well.”

“You recorded it?” Jiraiya asked knowingly.

Naruto nodded.

Mikoto clapped her hands together, already tearing up. “He’s going to cry, you know.”

“I hope so,” Naruto laughed gently.

He sobered, fingers curling around the edge of the desk.

“There’s more. I need your help… and a little deception.”

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. “Now I’m interested.”

“I want to surprise him in London, the same venue we won the Grand Aster Awards.” Naruto said. “It’ll be the last concert. I want you and Hebi to convince him to fly out there…tell him it’s something else. Anything. Just make sure he’s in that stadium when I step on stage.”

Mikoto gasped. “That’s perfect. That’s so you.”

“I’ll perform it for him live. The song. I want him to hear it for the first time in the place where we promised to go back to.”

Jiraiya let out a low whistle. “You don’t play small, brat.”

“I love him too much to,” Naruto replied softly.

Then his gaze turned to Mikoto, serious and warm all at once. His voice lowered.

“There’s something else I wanted to ask. I know it’s early and I know we’re only 22 and everything’s crazy right now, but…”

He took a breath.

“Mikoto-san… would you give me your blessing to marry your son?”

Mikoto’s eyes immediately brimmed with tears. Jiraiya turned his head to hide his sudden grin.

“Oh, Naruto,” she breathed, hand pressed to her chest. “You absolutely have my blessing.”

Naruto’s throat thickened. “Thank you.”

“He’s never looked at anyone the way he looks at you,” she said quietly. “You’re his light.”

Jiraiya chuckled. “Just don’t lose the ring at customs.”

Naruto laughed through the warmth gathering in his chest. “I won’t.”

Chapter Text

Two months.

That was all that remained.

And while Naruto finished dazzling crowds across the world, leaving glowing stages and breathless fans in his wake, back in Tokyo…schemes were underway.

It started simply.

Mikoto began asking casual questions at dinner.

“So, Sweetheart.… ever miss London?”
He blinked at her from across the table, halfway through a bite of grilled eggplant. “Yes….but why do you ask?”
She hummed, stirring her tea. “No reason. Just thought you looked cute in that coat you wore there.”

Jiraiya snorted into his miso soup.

“Don’t encourage her,” Sasuke muttered.

But it didn’t stop there.

~~~

[One Week Later]

Tsunade casually called Sasuke into her office.

“Got a little time off coming up,” she said, leaning back in her chair and sipping sake like it wasn’t 1PM. “Hebi’s been working hard. I’m thinking of sending you all out on a short media tour. Overseas. Something light. Then the band can take the week off there.”

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. “Where?”

Tsunade shrugged innocently. “Maybe London.”

He frowned. “Why not Seoul? We’ve got more press there.”

She smirked. “You questioning my PR decisions now, Uchiha?”

“No,” he muttered, already suspicious. “Just asking.”

~~~

[Meanwhile, Hebi had been briefed]

“I swear, Suigetsu,” Jiraiya had told him, “if he figures it out before we land, I’m blaming you.”

“I can lie,” Suigetsu protested. “I just choose not to.”

“Don’t blow this for Naruto,” Karin warned, “or I’ll let Mikoto braid your hair while you sleep.”

“…You’re terrifying.”

“Good.”

~~~

Jugo played his part quietly.

He started suggesting photoshoots in cold weather outfits. “You’d look good in navy again,” he said, holding up a London-style coat in the Hebi rehearsal space.

Sasuke gave him a side glance. “What’s with everyone and coats lately?”

Suigetsu hummed. “Maybe the weather’s been on our minds. You know, like in… the UK. Besides….we may have to go for the Short media tour.”

Sasuke stared.

“You’ve been weird for two months,” he finally said. “All of you.”

“Define weird,” Suigetsu replied breezily.

~~~

Another evening at home

Sasuke found Mikoto in the kitchen, humming to herself while writing something in her planner.

“Need help?” he asked, grabbing two mugs from the shelf.

“Oh, no, I’m just making arrangements,” she said sweetly. “Jiraiya, your father and I are going on a little vacation.”

“Where?”

She hesitated. “…London.”

He turned to look at her fully. “London?”

She smiled. “We’ve always wanted to go again. And I thought, well, maybe it’d be nice to relax. Besides we’d all vacation after your media tour”

“Mom, you hate long flights.”

She waved a hand. “Don’t be silly. With a good book and neck support, I’ll be fine.”

Sasuke raised a brow. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing!” she chirped. “Just saying—it’s good to change scenery now and then. You should enjoy yourself with the vacation you’re getting. You’ve been moping around without your boyfriend.”

“I haven’t been—!” he stopped. “I’m not—!”

She patted his cheek with motherly fondness. “You have. And we’re fixing it. Don’t worry, darling.”

~~~

Sasuke didn’t realize how deep the plot went.

That Suigetsu had arranged his luggage.

That Karin had altered his schedule.

That Tsunade had signed off on the entire trip under a fake media excuse.

That even his father, Fugaku: stoic, composed Fugaku…had given Mikoto a subtle nod of approval one morning before vanishing behind the script books, meaning: Make sure our son gets what he needs.

He didn’t realize any of it.

But the bags were packed. The flight was booked.

And Sasuke, slightly exasperated but weirdly compliant, was going to London.

Unaware.

Utterly unaware.

That love…bright, breathtaking love…was waiting for him on a stage where it all began.

~~~

The jet touched down in London beneath a sky mottled in soft gray and gold. The city shimmered beyond the tarmac, cool and elegant in its spring light.

Sasuke stepped off the plane first, scarf tucked tight against his neck, unaware of how carefully this trip had been choreographed around him.

Hebi followed close behind, playing their parts with annoying perfection.

“Jet lag is fucking annoying,” Suigetsu yawned theatrically.

“You slept the whole flight,” Sasuke muttered, glancing over his shoulder.

“Exactly,” he winked. “Time travel is exhausting.”

Jugo, ever neutral, handed out copies of a completely fake itinerary that Karin had designed back in Tokyo. It listed fabricated interviews, phony PR events, and vague studio meetings.

Sasuke didn’t question it. Not yet. His mind was elsewhere. His heart was still in the quiet distance between continents…aching for his lover who hadn’t been in his arms for months.

~~~

Mikoto, Fugaku, and Jiraiya left in a separate car shortly after.

Jiraiya adjusted his sunglasses as the hotel came into view. “Do you think he’s ready for this?”

Mikoto’s smile was soft and sure. “He doesn’t know it yet. But yes.”

Fugaku said nothing.

When they arrived at Naruto’s hotel, the blonde soloist was already waiting in the private lounge they’d arranged. Hoodie drawn low, piercings glinting faintly, eyes glowing with nerves.

Mikoto reached him first, pulling him into a tight hug. “You’re really doing this,” she whispered proudly.

“I need to,” Naruto said quietly. “I miss him every second. I don’t want him to ever doubt how much I’m his.”

Jiraiya clapped a hand on his shoulder. “You’ve come a long way, kid.”

Naruto chuckled weakly. “Hope I make it a little longer.”

He glanced then, hesitantly, at the figure who hadn’t moved much: Fugaku standing at the window, hands behind his back.

“Um… Mikoto-san?” The blonde said softly. “Do you mind if I speak to him? Alone?”

She blinked, then nodded, eyes soft with understanding.

Fugaku turned when Naruto approached.

They stood in silence for a moment, the noise of the city muffled by the thick hotel windows.

Then Naruto spoke.

“I know,” he started quietly, “that we don’t know each other that well. But I also know… you love him. You just don’t always know how to show it.”

Fugaku’s gaze flicked over. Sharp. Watchful. But not unkind.

Naruto continued, voice low and sincere. “You didn’t understand why he chose music. Why he walked away from the acting legacy you built. Why he went a different road. But… it wasn’t to reject you. It was to find himself.”

He swallowed hard, hands fidgeting in his hoodie sleeves. “I know what it’s like to fight for a dream no one believes in. And I think you do too. So maybe that’s why you were hard on him.”

Fugaku was quiet for a long moment.

Then he said, in a voice far quieter than Naruto expected: “I was afraid.”

Naruto blinked.

“I built everything I had with iron,” Fugaku murmured. “I thought that was the only way to survive. To protect what mattered and Itachi followed in my footsteps. But Sasuke… he doesn’t need iron. He needs someone to trust him to fly.”

He looked at Naruto directly then. His jaw was tight…but his eyes, for once, weren’t cold.

“I couldn’t give him that. Not then.”

The soloist’s heart ached. “But you can now.”

A beat of silence.

Then Fugaku stepped forward and reached out….awkwardly, but firmly, and placed a hand on Naruto’s shoulder.

“You love him.”

“More than anything,” Naruto breathed with a soft nod.

“Then you better sing like your life depends on it.”

Naruto grinned. “I’ll live up to your expectations.”

~~~

Back at the supposed “press office” Hebi had rented for their “media tour,” Sasuke was sitting on a leather couch, arms crossed, scowling.

“You’re all being weird again,” he said flatly.

Karin was typing furiously on her laptop. “We’re working.”

“You’re pretending to work.”

“That’s offensive,” Suigetsu muttered. “I’m Googling ‘Best London coffee’ right now. This is research.”

Jugo offered a polite smile. “We’re keeping it low-key, that’s all. Don’t want to overwhelm you.”

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. “You’re all hiding something.”

They all froze for half a second too long.

Then Karin stood abruptly. “Okay, team meeting! I need coffee and no one’s getting anything done unless we caffeinate.”

Sasuke sighed. His suspicion was rising… but there was no proof. Not yet.

And still…somewhere deep in his chest, he felt a strange buzz. Like something electric was waiting.

Like something was coming.

Chapter Text

Sasuke adjusted the silver chain at his collarbone, the studio lights reflecting in his eyes. The camera clicked again: blinding, impersonal, relentless.

“Look this way, Uchiha-san.”

He turned his head without really hearing the request, letting muscle memory carry him through pose after pose. His jaw was tight, expression unreadable, but his thoughts drifted far from the white-walled studio.

Behind him, Hebi played their parts with surgical precision.

Karin feigned irritation at the lighting, Suigetsu kept “accidentally” knocking over props, and Jugo remained a calming presence that the staff appreciated and Sasuke never questioned.

It was all rehearsed.

The “media tour” had started strong with fake interviews, sponsored Q&A clips, and curated Instagram stories. The illusion of a promotional campaign kept Sasuke too busy to dig deeper. He didn’t know that every script was written by Shikamaru and Karin and approved by Tsunade herself.

During times like these he usually stopped using Social Media, as it became increasingly overwhelming.

He didn’t know that none of this was real. No actual promotions.

He didn’t know this was all for him.

~~~

The last “interview” wrapped by noon. By then, Sasuke had a crease between his brows and a tension in his shoulders that wouldn’t leave.

Karin stretched with a yawn. “Okay! That’s the last one. No more suits, lights, or microphones.”

“What now?” Sasuke asked, eyes narrowed.

“Vacation, remember?” Suigetsu said simply. “Tsunade gave us a whole damn week.”

Jugo nodded. “The ‘media tour’ was intense. The company wanted to reward us. You especially.”

Sasuke huffed but stayed silent.

Karin gave him a pointed look. “Don’t argue. You look like you need sleep.”

It wasn’t a lie. Sasuke hadn’t been sleeping much…not deeply. London felt hollow without Naruto.

Still, he said nothing as they piled into a black car and drove to a sprawling penthouse suite overlooking the city skyline. Their “vacation base,” Hebi called it. But it was only a front. A holding place.

A stage being set.

~~~

Across town, in a secured private venue, Naruto stood on the massive stadium stage where he once stood with Sasuke and the rest of Hebi—staring out at the seats that would soon be filled with ninety thousand of fans….for free.

The announcement had gone live only a day ago.

“Uzumaki Naruto: One Last Time.”

A surprise, final addition to his tour. A gift concert. Free entry. First come, first serve.

The city had exploded with buzz.

Naruto ignored it all.

He looked instead toward the center of the audience where the lighting team was already building the visual effects he’d designed with the concert’s director. Not only would he sing the song he’d written for Sasuke….but after that… he’d drop to one knee.

“You look nervous,” Itachi said, appearing beside him with a quiet smile.

The older Uchiha had arrived just yesterday from his hectic schedule with his upcoming Movie…just to partake in this plan.

Naruto let out a slow exhale. “I feel like I’m about to detonate.”

“You’re about to propose.”

“I’m about to try to propose. What if he doesn’t say yes?”

Itachi gave a low chuckle. “You’re asking that like the rest of us haven’t spent all these months hiding this plan from him just so you could ask that question in the most ridiculous, cinematic way possible.”

Naruto glanced at him. “You say that like you didn’t help me design the holographic firework letters.”

“I plead the fifth.”

They both looked back out at the stage.

“You did excellent,” Itachi said quietly.

“I just want him to know. Without a doubt.”

“He already knows. This is just the proof.”

~~~

That night, back at the penthouse suite, Hebi ordered takeout and pretended they weren’t co-conspirators.

Sasuke leaned back on the couch, face lit by city lights through the glass. Something stirred in his chest again.

Something off.

Karin caught his gaze. “Hey,” she said lightly. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” he replied slowly. “Just feels… weird. Like something’s about to happen.”

Suigetsu gave a convincing snort. “Maybe you’re psychic.”

“I just…” Sasuke hesitated. “I don’t know.”

He looked down at his phone, thumb hovering over Naruto’s name in his messages.

[📱Last message:]

Naruto 🍥: Can’t talk rn, prepping some madness for the tour finale. I miss you baby and I Love You 😘

He hadn’t even said where the finale would be.

Sasuke sighed and typed back:

Sasuke: Where are you? I miss you too. So much.

He stared at the screen, waiting.

The dots blinked once, then disappeared.

~~~
[NEXT DAY]

Sasuke groaned into his pillow, shielding his eyes from the morning light as someone banged…loudly, on his bedroom door.

“Up,” came Itachi’s voice from the hallway. “You’ve been in London for almost two weeks and haven’t seen anything except the hotel lobby and studio walls. No more excuses.”

“I’m jet-lagged.”

“It’s been almost two weeks, sweetie” his mother called sweetly from further down the hall.

“I’m still jet-lagged.”

The door swung open and Karin entered uninvited, arms crossed, already dressed like she was planning an impromptu photoshoot. “You’re not rotting in here today. We’re all going out.”

“I don’t want to—”

“You do,” Suigetsu said from behind her, biting into an apple. “You just don’t know it yet.”

“Jugo packed snacks,” Jiraiya added from somewhere down the hallway.

The raven-head glared from beneath his pillow. “Why is everyone so… eager?”

“Because,” Mikoto said gently, walking into the room with a familiar lilt in her tone that made him sit up without even realizing, “we don’t want you to miss the reason you’re here.”

“…Media tour?”

Everyone in the room shared one of those too-long glances. Sasuke squinted. “What?”

“Nothing,” Karin chirped. “Put on something black and tight. We’re going shopping, sightseeing, and probably eating five pastries before lunch.”

“You’re all acting weird.”

“Us?” Suigetsu smirked. “Nooo. You’re weird.”

But Sasuke didn’t protest again. Something inside him…some thread pulled taut in his chest…tugged harder the moment he stepped outside into the cool London afternoon.

~~~

They took a scenic route through the city: Tower Bridge, Camden Market, Buckingham Palace, a painfully obvious detour through Southbank. Sasuke’s sharp eyes caught every strange smile and shared glance, but he let them drag him around anyway.

Then…. he saw it.

It was subtle at first. A street vendor selling Naruto-themed enamel pins. Then a corner shop blasting his lover’s songs from a portable speaker.

Then, a flash of orange and gold.

Sasuke stopped dead in his tracks, ignoring the chattering group ahead as his gaze lifted slowly….up to the towering screen of a city building, flashing concert advertisements.

Uzumaki Naruto
LIVE IN LONDON – “ONE LAST TIME”
TONIGHT ONLY | FREE ENTRY | WEMBLEY STADIUM

His heart slammed once, painfully.

“…No way.”

He turned, slowly, eyes wide. Karin’s smirk was already forming. Jugo looked suspiciously serene. Suigetsu winked.

“You all knew,” Sasuke breathed.

Mikoto’s eyes were soft. “He wanted it to be a surprise.”

“You all knew!”

“Of course we did,” Fugaku stated dryly, yet there was a hint of amusement. “Do you think this family is capable of spontaneous vacation time?”

Sasuke just stared, open-mouthed.

Jiraiya came up behind him and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Time to see your idiot.”

“He planned this?”

“Every second.”

And suddenly, Sasuke couldn’t breathe fast enough. Not from panic…but from hope. From raw, aching love.

He let them usher him into a black SUV without argument, heart hammering.

~~~

The closer they got to the venue, the louder the city pulsed. Roads were blocked off. Streets teemed with fans in gold, orange, and navy. Chants of “Na-ru-to!” echoed up the concrete like drumbeats.

It wasn’t just a concert. It was history all over again.

And then the fans noticed them.

Hebi was immediately recognized, the crowd near the VIP entrance erupting into cheers. Suigetsu and Karin threw on their showiest grins. Jugo bowed politely. Cameras flashed. Phones were raised. Sasuke blinked into the noise.

“Oh my God it’s Sasuke!”

“Did he come for Naruto?!”

“Hebi’s here?? IS IT A SURPRISE COLLAB?!”

Sasuke lifted a hand in silent greeting but couldn’t stop staring at the massive banner above the arena entrance.

“One Last Time: A Gift From Naruto To The Fans.”

But this wasn’t just for them.

He felt it in his bones now.

They were led through a private side entrance by security and seated in a roped-off VIP area that overlooked the stage directly. The view was stunning. The tension in the air was electric.

Sasuke’s fingers trembled slightly where they gripped the railing.

Mikoto leaned over and kissed his temple.

“You’re about to understand just how much he loves you.”

Sasuke turned to her, eyes wide. “Mom—”

“You’ll see.”

Fugaku sat beside them, one hand on Mikoto’s shoulder. His expression was unreadable…but he gave Sasuke the faintest of smile and a nod. His version of affection.

Sasuke didn’t even have time to ask what they meant.

The lights dimmed.

The fans roared.

And a single spotlight hit the center of the stage as a familiar silhouette walked out with a mic in hand, dressed in white and gold, his hair glowing under the lights.

Naruto.

And suddenly, Sasuke was no longer holding his breath.

He was already tearing up.

Chapter Text

For almost two hours, Naruto held 90,000 fans in the palm of his hand: bouncing across the stage in his signature style, heart on his sleeve, sweat glistening under the lights. He danced when the songs asked him to. He stood still when the lyrics demanded stillness. His voice was raw, perfect. His energy…undeniable.

But Sasuke only saw him.

From the VIP balcony nestled above the sea of lights and bodies, Sasuke watched every move Naruto made, every breath he took between verses. The familiar way his brow furrowed on certain high notes. The way he flashed that smile….that smile, after a successful dance set.

It was overwhelming.

It was home.

Hebi leaned against the rail beside him. Suigetsu had his arm slung around Jugo’s shoulders, Karin discreetly wiped tears when she thought no one saw. Mikoto held Fugaku’s hand tightly. Even Jiraiya: loud, boisterous Jiraiya…stood quietly beside them, eyes misty with pride.

Then, at the two-hour mark, the stage dimmed.

A hush fell over the crowd.

Naruto stepped into a lone spotlight at center stage, holding a white mic. The background dancers exited. The LED screen behind him turned black.

His voice came out soft, nearly trembling.

“There’s someone in this crowd tonight who’s everything to me.
I wrote this next song… for him.”

Sasuke’s breath caught.

“I started writing it the night we said goodbye. I worked on it across four continents, 20 cities, dozens of hotel rooms. It’s the most honest thing I’ve ever created. And tonight, I want to sing it for him. For the first time. For the last time. For always. Here’s ‘Anchor in the Dark’”

Gasps rippled through the audience. Screams followed.

Naruto looked up toward the balcony, and a golden light shun over Sasuke, highlighting him in the sea of shadows. Sasuke and him made eye contact.

Then…music.

A gentle piano, soft strings.

The song began.

[Verse 1:]
I didn’t know what love was until I missed you
Didn’t know I was searching till I couldn’t resist you
You walked in like silence in a world too loud
And I found myself falling without knowing how

You looked like forever with your guarded gaze
And I lived in your shadow for too many days
But somehow, your fire lit up all my fears
I didn’t know I was waiting—until you got near

[Chorus:]
I’d give up the spotlight, the screaming, the stage
Just to hold you for a moment, erase all the space
You’re my always, my anchor, my breath in the dark
So I wrote this for you—my home, my heart

[Verse 2:]
I counted the days like stars I couldn’t name
Each one burned your shape, but none felt the same
The world called me golden, but it meant nothing new
If I had it all but couldn’t share it with you

I tried to be strong, but you’re my softest place
Every mile between us—another ache to face
Even dreams couldn’t hold the way your voice does
Even sleep couldn’t dim the weight of your love

[Chorus:]
I’d give up the spotlight, the screaming, the stage
Just to hold you for a moment, erase all the space
You’re my always, my anchor, my breath in the dark
So I wrote this for you—my home, my sweet heart

[Bridge:]
And I wonder—did you feel it too?
The ache when I smiled like I wasn’t missing you
We made a promise in a kiss that night
That no matter the distance, we’d be alright

[Verse 3:]
You’re half a world away, but I still feel you breathing
In every crowd, I look for you, like you’re the only meaning
Lights flash, they scream my name—but none of it feels real
‘Cause you’re the silence I hold onto when I need something to feel

[Final Chorus:]
I’d give up the spotlight, the screaming, the stage
Just to hold you for a moment, erase all the space
You’re my always, my anchor, my breath in the dark
So I wrote this for you—my home, my heart

The crowd sang with him, picking the lyrics up with ease. But Sasuke didn’t hear them.

He heard him.

Naruto finished the final note, and the music faded into silence. He lowered the mic slowly.

Sasuke stood frozen.

Then….the blonde moved again.

He pulled something from his pocket.

The crowd gasped.

And with a deep breath…Naruto dropped to one knee in the center of the stage.

Spotlights turned golden. The cameras zoomed in.

Gasps exploded through the audience.

Sasuke’s hand flew to his mouth.

Naruto’s voice rang out, strong this time….clear and true.

“Sasuke Uchiha… from the moment you sat across from me in that conference room, I’ve been falling for you.
You’re everything I didn’t know I needed.
You are the calm in my storm, the truth in the noise, the reason behind everything I do now.
I want every morning to start with you. I want every night to end with you. I want every concert to end with your name in my heart. I want….no I need you.
So here I am—asking you—”

He held up the ring, light glinting off the silver band.

“Will you marry me?”

Silence.

Then chaos.

Screams erupted. Phones flew up. Fans cried.

But none of it mattered to Sasuke.

He wasn’t breathing.

Until Mikoto grabbed his hand and whispered through her tears, “Go.”

Sasuke bolted.

Down the VIP stairs. Past confused security. Through the wings of the stage.

Naruto was still kneeling when he emerged.

And Sasuke didn’t say a word.

He threw his arms around him.

He kissed him: hard, full, completely.

The crowd lost its collective mind.

When they broke apart, Naruto was laughing and crying at once. “Is that a yes?”

Sasuke cupped his face, tears of his own rolling down his face and he thumbed at the tear on his lover’s cheek. “It’s always been a yes.”

The lights above them shimmered gold.

And for once….both of them were home.

Chapter Text

By the next morning, the world knew.

Social media exploded: clips of the proposal, fans’ screams, the emotional song—“Anchor in the Dark”, went viral. Every media outlet from London to Tokyo to New York ran stories.

“Idol Supernova Naruto Uzumaki Proposes Onstage to Hebi’s Sasuke Uchiha”

“Love on Tour: Music Industry’s Biggest Power Couple Engaged”

Some news sources tried to spin it as a PR stunt. Others called it history. But the only truth that mattered was in how Sasuke looked at Naruto….and how Naruto reached for him like nothing else mattered.

They didn’t answer the calls. Not yet.

Because when the concert ended, the only place they wanted to be was in each other’s arms.

~~~

The Hebi temporary penthouse suite was filled with laughter, music, and too many glasses of champagne.

Mikoto cried: happy tears, proud tears…as she hugged both boys tightly. “My sons,” she whispered. “Both of you.”

“What about me?” Itachi feigned a scowl from nearby but smiled in happiness.

Mikoto and Naruto snickered.

Fugaku stood back at first. Then approached Naruto,… before offering a rare, quiet, “Welcome to the family.”

Naruto’s eyes widened, then softened, and he bowed his head in thanks before Sasuke dragged him away by the hand to the next hug, the next smile, the next moment.

Jiraiya ruffled their heads with a soft smile.

Shikamaru stood against a wall with a drink and smirked. “I helped plan an international proposal,” he muttered to Gaara, who had flown in hours after the concert ended. “That’s… something.”

“You’re always dragged into things like this,” Gaara deadpanned.

“Yeah,” Shikamaru said, raising his glass, “but I don’t mind this one.”

Hebi was already a little drunk: Suigetsu kept calling Naruto “brother-in-law” while Karin wiped away more happy tears and Jugo tried to keep them all from breaking anything.

Sakura and Choji arrived not long after, finally free from work to travel to London and congratulate them. They tackled Naruto in a group hug so intense that Sasuke had to yank him free.

“He’s mine now,” Sasuke deadpanned, wrapping his arms possessively around Naruto from behind. The others just laughed.

~~~

When the party finally quieted and the guests began to drift toward guest rooms or hotels, Naruto and Sasuke found themselves alone on the rooftop balcony.

It was cool. Quiet. The stars blinked above London like a silent choir.

Sasuke leaned against the railing, Naruto stood behind, arms around his waist…his lips in the crook of his neck.

“So,” Naruto murmured, voice thick with peace. “No more long distance. No more surprise flights. No more counting time zones. Tsunade have already agreed.”

Sasuke turned, his back to the railing, and looked up at him. “Just you and me?”

The blonde nodded, keeping his arms around his lover’s waist. “Just us.”

Sasuke leaned up slightly and kissed his fiancé softly. “Good. I was getting tired of waking up without you.”

Naruto kissed him again. “Then you never will again.”

And with that promise sealed in a kiss, they finally….finally…let themselves believe it.

The distance was gone.

They were home.

Together.

~~~

The flight back to Japan was quiet, almost reverent.

But the moment they landed, peace gave way to chaos: beautiful, explosive chaos. The internet had ignited like wildfire. Within minutes of touching down, Naruto and Sasuke’s engagement was everywhere.

Photos of the blonde kneeling under the lights, Sasuke’s stunned expression, the kiss that followed….all of it flooded social media feeds like a dream too big to hold.

🐥 @UzumakiSunset: “HE PROPOSED WHERE THEY WON GRAND ASTER. I’M SOBBINGGG 😭”

🐍 @HebiLoyalist: “Sasuke’s face… he looked like the whole world stopped. This is love. This is ENDGAME.”

🧠 @ShikaisGenius: “Naruto planned this whole thing while touring globally?? I’d quit if I were Shikamaru fr. jkjk. He must’ve said how much of a drag it was tho😂”

💔 @Solo4Life: “They went from rivals to soulmates… maybe love is real after all.”

The fandoms, once divided, had become one thunderous, weeping, meme-posting, emotionally unhinged force of nature. And at the center of it were two boys who once couldn’t be in the same room without arguing.

Now? They were planning forever.

~~~

[The Interview]

It was a cozy studio setup, all warm lighting and soft chairs. The interviewer smiled, her excitement barely contained. Naruto and Sasuke sat close, their fingers laced between them: unshaken, unbothered, unbreakable.

[Interviewer:] “First off—congratulations! The entire world is still reeling from that proposal. How are you both feeling?”

Sasuke offered a rare, quiet smile. “Still trying to catch my breath. But… happy. More than I’ve ever been.”

Naruto laughed softly. “It feels like we’re still onstage, but this time it’s real. This time it’s just us.”

[Interviewer:] “Naruto, you’ve stunned the world. When did you start planning all of this?”

The blonde leaned in, grinning. “About six months ago—right at the start of my tour.”

Sasuke blinked. “I still can’t believe you planned this in Six months?”

Naruto gave a playful shrug. “Yup. I recorded the song in Paraguay, coordinated the London show, and roped in your mom, dad, Itachi, Hebi, Shikamaru, everyone. Even Tsunade gave us clearance for the travel without saying a word to you.”

The raven-head let out a breathless laugh, shaking his head. “I really didn’t see it coming.”

Naruto turned to him, voice softening and he pressed a gentle kiss to his fiancé’s cheek. “That’s what I wanted. I just… wanted to give you something no stage, no award, no crowd could compare to. Something only you deserved.”

Sasuke’s eyes held his, full of stunned affection. “You gave me more than that.”

The room held its breath with them, then slowly let it go as the questions turned lighter: on wedding plans, the evolution of their music, and what life together would look like now.

~~~

[Wedding Headquarters: Uchiha Estate]

Back home, the Uchiha Estate had become command central.

Mikoto, energized like a woman half her age, ran the operation like a general: flipping through color palettes, floral arrangements, designer portfolios.

“They want the ceremony small. Family, closest friends. But the reception?” she said, eyes gleaming. “That’s where we let the world celebrate with them.”

Itachi, efficient and cool as always, made calls on two phones at once, securing venues with his won manager, organizing privacy protocols, and personally vetting every vendor. Fugaku, once distant and hesitant, now reviewed guest lists and offered opinions on table placements…though he’d never admit he was enjoying any of it.

No one missed how he lingered a little longer over pictures of Naruto and Sasuke smiling together.

~~~

Planning wasn’t just a family affair….it was a full cast production…mixed with their friends and professionals.

Shikamaru, exhausted and mildly dead inside, managed budgets and logistics. “How did I go from managing a soloist to planning a wedding?”

Choji, cake sample in hand, mumbled through frosting, “Because you’re the only one who can tell Naruto no without getting drop-kicked.”

Karin argued over centerpiece heights. Suigetsu pushed for a champagne fountain and fog machines. Jugo brewed calming tea to soothe last-minute nerves. Gaara quietly offered assistance when needed. Sakura volunteered to find wedding suit options for the couple. Even Tsunade stepped in to help secure the press-free venue and sign off the necessary clearances.

Despite the chaos, everything felt like joy.

In rare quiet moments, Naruto and Sasuke curled up together on the couch, scrolling through venue options or guest RSVPs, barely believing it was all real.

“I used to wonder if we’d ever get here,” Naruto murmured, tracing Sasuke’s knuckles.

His fiancé leaned his forehead against the blonde’s. “You carried us. Every mile. Every note.”

The blonde’s smile curved softly. “No. You kept me grounded. You were always the song I was writing toward, even when I wasn’t aware.”

Sasuke’s lips found his, slow and tender. “And you were always the home I didn’t know I missed.”

~~~

The world might have watched their story unfold, but the heart of it had always belonged to just them.

And now, with the wedding drawing closer and love pouring in from all sides….there was only one truth left:

They weren’t just surviving the spotlight anymore.

They were thriving in it.

Together.

Chapter Text

The wedding hadn’t even happened yet, but the world already had a name for it:

“The Wedding of the Century.”

Fans across the globe counted down the days, hashtags trended monthly, and international news outlets whispered rumors about everything from the cake flavor to the guest list. It wasn’t just a union of two global icons, it was a love story that had turned the world soft, loud, and entirely enamored.

But behind all the romantic headlines and digital noise… was real work.

Because if Naruto and Sasuke were going to get married….really married….they weren’t going to leave a single detail untouched.

~~~

[The Grooms In Action]

From the moment the engagement was announced, Naruto and Sasuke were hands-on. No distant celebrity aloofness, no PR-controlled distance.

They showed up to every meeting, every appointment, every emotional breakdown over napkin textures.

Because this wasn’t about perfection.

This was about them.

“This wedding has to feel like us,” Naruto had said during the first planning session, fingers laced with Sasuke’s. “Loud when it needs to be. Quiet when it matters. A little chaotic. But full of love.”

Sasuke had nodded. “And no glitter.”

Naruto smirked. “No promises babe.”

~~~

[Cake Tasting (aka Choji’s Heaven)]

Choji took his job seriously. Maybe too seriously.

With his official title as Cake Consultant Extraordinaire, he sat beside Naruto and Sasuke at every tasting, cheeks full and eyes glazed in bliss as he offered commentary like a wine critic.

“No, no, this buttercream sings. It sings, Naruto.”

Naruto chuckled while Sasuke calmly sipped espresso. “Choji, we’ve only tried six cakes.”

“Exactly. Which is why I can tell you with certainty that number four is a fraud and number two is made by the gods.”

In the end, they chose a three-tier cake: soft lavender sponge with a creamy black sesame filling: Naruto’s favorite. The design? Elegant, minimal, with the Uzumaki spiral and Uchiha fan delicately pressed into the fondant beneath a trail of white peonies.

~~~

[Suit Fitting Chaos]

Sakura was in charge of making sure both grooms looked like royalty. That didn’t mean it went smoothly.

Naruto loved suits but hated being still. Sasuke loved being still but hated being measured.

“Hold still,” Sakura hissed, pinning a sleeve at Naruto’s wrist.

“I am holding still!”

“You’re practically vibrating, you liar.”

Meanwhile, Mikoto and Karin cooed over fabric swatches and complimented every variation of collar Sasuke tried. Mikoto favored tradition, while Karin lobbied hard for something daring: perhaps a sheer shirt layered under Sasuke’s jacket?

“Too much,” Sasuke said flatly.

Karin winked. “You haven’t even heard about the thigh holster straps yet.”

Naruto perked up immediately.

~~~

[Venue Search: Father and Son]

Fugaku, surprisingly, became deeply involved. Itachi had suggested they scout potential venues together, and Fugaku…ever the stoic, agreed.

It became one of the most healing experiences Sasuke never knew he needed.

Together, the four of them toured ancient shrines, modern halls, and secluded villas on mountaintops. Fugaku asked questions about lighting, foot traffic, and weather impact. He made dry, sarcastic comments that actually made Sasuke laugh. Naruto in turn laughed too.

At one stunning venue overlooking the sea, Fugaku rested a hand on his son’s shoulder and simply said:

“This one feels like peace.”

Sasuke looked at him…really looked at him, and nodded.

They booked it that same day.

~~~

[Eight Months of Magic]

It took eight months to bring the wedding to life.

Eight months of texts flying between continents. Of Mikoto drafting seating charts at midnight. Of Shikamaru and Itachi managing vendors like a war strategist. Of Naruto losing his mind over flower arrangements and Sasuke calmly reining him in. Of Tsunade handling international security. Of Suigetsu demanding matching groomsmen suits with built-in speakers (immediately denied). Of Karin crying over the final set design and claiming she was “fine.”

It was chaos. It was exhausting.

It was theirs.

~~~

As the final weeks approached, it was no longer about creating the perfect wedding for the fans or the world or the fairytale.

It was about creating a space sacred enough to hold everything they’d endured…every long-distance call, every secret rehearsal, every sleepless night spent longing.

It was about choosing each other…again and again.

And when the dress rehearsals began and the finishing touches were added…

Naruto stood beside Sasuke at the top of the aisle one evening after hours of practice, no one else around, and whispered:

“Do you think the world will ever stop talking about us?”

Sasuke reached for his hand, squeezed gently.

“No. But let them talk. We have forever to tell them why.”

Chapter Text

The morning of the wedding dawned soft and slow.

A gentle sea breeze whispered over the cliffs of Amanoura Villa, the hidden sanctuary overlooking the ocean that Sasuke, Naruto, Itachi, and Fugaku had chosen months prior. Tucked on a lush coastal rise an hour outside of Kyoto, the private estate stretched across manicured lawns, white-stone pavilions, and flower-laced trellises that faced an endless horizon of blue.

As the first light filtered through pale clouds, it was as though the world had paused just for them. Just for this.

~~~

[The Venue – A Sanctuary Between Sky and Sea]

The ceremony space was nestled on the villa’s western cliff, where the land jutted just enough to give an unobstructed view of the ocean. The aisle was a natural path carved in soft stone, rimmed with white petals and lanterns floating in shallow water channels on either side, reflecting light with every step.

The altar stood at the cliff’s edge beneath an elegant open arch of white wood and woven vines, cascading with delicate wisteria, moon orchids, and pale blue hydrangeas, flowers that both Mikoto and Naruto had chosen to reflect serenity, connection, and loyalty. Between the floral lattice hung sheer ivory curtains dancing with the breeze, framing the sky like a painting.

The theme was “Ethereal Twilight”.

It wasn’t opulence they wanted. It was intimacy. Tranquility. The kind of place where hearts could speak without noise. The color palette: soft greys, mist blues, and ivory…mimicked the calm just before dusk. The table settings, hand-stitched napkins, and ceramic name cards for each of the 20 seats at the ceremony…all of it was chosen with painstaking care.

Everything was designed to say this is sacred.

~~~

[The Ceremony — A Sacred Circle]

Only close family and their dearest friends were invited to the ceremony. No media, no cameras: just the people who’d carried them through the hardest moments and celebrated their highest.

Naruto’s side included: Jiraiya, Sakura, Shikamaru, Choji, and Gaara.

Sasuke’s side included: Mikoto, Fugaku, Itachi, Suigetsu, Karin and Juugo.

Each seat had a handwritten letter placed on it: a note Naruto and Sasuke had written together to thank each guest personally. Mikoto wept when she saw hers. Shikamaru pretended to yawn and wipe his eyes.

~~~

[The Reception — A Celebration Worth a Lifetime]

Just beyond the ceremony space, a secondary tier of the villa estate was transformed into a grand open-air reception venue. The ocean remained visible from every table. A massive transparent canopy stretched across the reception grounds, twinkling with fairy lights and suspended glass orbs, giving the illusion of stars trapped in midair.

With 10,000 guests expected, it was nothing short of an event of legend. Celebrities, collaborators, musicians from across genres, actors, global influencers, royalty from the entertainment world…they would all come. Each table was adorned with soft lighting, personal wedding favors, and tiny, enchanted-looking trees whose leaves shimmered silver when touched by the breeze.

On one side of the reception lawn, a stage stood tall: ornate and romantic, where Naruto and Sasuke would later give their first dance. Screens had been arranged tastefully around the perimeter so the more distant guests could still feel close to every moment. Naruto had made it very clear: everyone invited had to feel like part of the family.

And he meant it.

~~~

[The Morning of]

Back in the villa’s private quarters, Naruto and Sasuke were kept apart, per tradition…but the separation was sweet.

Naruto stood on the balcony of his suite in a silk robe, barefoot, hair still wet from a morning shower. He sipped warm tea and stared at the sea, nerves tangled in his chest, but nothing like fear. It was anticipation. Wonder.

“I never thought I’d get this far,” he whispered to himself, eyes brimming.

Behind him, Sakura and Jiraiya were bustling with final touches: Sakura organizing accessories, Jiraiya making them laugh with crass jokes about marriage and soft hearts.

Meanwhile, in the opposite wing, Sasuke sat calmly as Karin applied a light touch of concealer and anti-shine powder while fussing loudly about his cheekbones.

“You could cut glass with that jaw today,” she muttered.

Fugaku peeked into the room at one point, cleared his throat awkwardly, and left a small box on Sasuke’s table: inside was a silver pin engraved with the Uchiha fan. Underneath it, a single folded note:

“I’ve never been more proud of you.” — Dad

Sasuke didn’t cry.

But his hand tightened around the pin for several long seconds.

~~~

[A Day Like No Other]

Everywhere throughout the estate, there was laughter. Love. The hum of staff perfecting details. Mikoto moving like a storm and a saint, directing the setup with elegance. Itachi quietly checking the schedule and making sure Naruto’s pre-ceremony playlist was playing from the hidden speakers.

It was perfect.

Because no matter how big or small the details were—

This was a love that deserved it all.

~~~

The wind quieted just as the they were asked to rise.

A golden hush fell across the cliffside.

The sea shimmered below like liquid glass, the sun slowly beginning its descent into the horizon, casting hues of rose-gold and lavender over the ceremony. As soft instrumental music played, Sasuke stepped first onto the stone path lined with petals and soft water, dressed in a bespoke black suit with obsidian accents. His boutonnière was a pale orchid, the same shade of the ones in the arch behind him…nestled gently against his chest.

His eyes lifted, dark and brimming with light, as he stood at the altar with a breathless stillness.

Then came Naruto.

He stepped onto the aisle and the world felt like it tilted.

Clad in ivory and champagne gold, Naruto’s tailored suit caught the sunlight in a way that made him glow. His signature blond hair was softly styled back, and his smile: nervous, teary-eyed, radiant…was locked onto one person only.

Sasuke didn’t even realize he was crying until a single tear slipped down his cheek.

As Naruto reached him, their hands met: quiet, warm, trembling. They didn’t speak yet. They didn’t need to.

The priest, a kind elderly man with weathered hands and eyes full of peace, welcomed everyone softly and gave a short blessing, one filled with words like sacred, bond, home. But the ceremony belonged to the lovers.

And when he said:

“Now, the vows. Naruto, you may begin.”

—Naruto took a breath that felt like a lifetime.

~~~

He looked at Sasuke like he was the moon and the stars that finally came to grace the earth.

“I didn’t know I was waiting for you… until the moment I met you.”

“I was loud. You were quiet. I was fire, and you were calm water. And yet—when you looked at me, I felt seen. Not as a star. Not as a performer. Just… me.”

Tears gathered in his eyes, but he didn’t shy away.

“You taught me that love doesn’t have to be loud to be strong. That it can be in the quiet moments. The silence between our fingers. The way you call my name when no one’s around.”

He gently took Sasuke’s hand.

“Sasuke Uchiha, I love you. I love the way you think too hard, care too deeply, love too fiercely even when you try to hide it. And I promise—I promise—I will never stop showing you what it means to be loved. To be chosen. Every day.”

His voice cracked.

“In every version of life, every lifetime—I’d find you. And I’d choose you again.”

~~~

Sasuke didn’t move at first.

He just stared at Naruto with the kind of wonder he rarely let the world see.

And then, softly, the priest nodded.

“Sasuke, your vows.”

~~~

He swallowed tightly. His voice was quiet…but it carried more weight than thunder.

“I wasn’t looking for love.”

A faint, honest smile.

“I didn’t think I deserved it. Not the kind that stays. But then you showed up. Loud. Reckless. Bright like the sun that refused to burn out.”

He stepped closer, eyes unwavering.

“And you made me want. You made me feel. And more than anything… you made me believe.”

A single tear slipped down his face again.

“Naruto Uzumaki, you are the warmth in my cold. The chaos in my silence. The voice that reaches me even when I don’t speak.”

His fingers gently gripped Naruto’s.

“I don’t know how to promise perfection. But I can promise presence. Patience. A love that’s honest. A love that’s real.”

He leaned forward, resting their foreheads together for a moment.

“You’re not just my home. You’re my reason. I love you. And I’ll keep loving you. With all that I am.”

~~~

The priest’s voice was kind, breaking only slightly as he spoke.

“By the vows spoken, the promises made, and the bond that even time itself could not break, before your loved ones and the sky that watches over you…I now pronounce you married.”

“You two may kiss.”

Naruto didn’t wait.

He surged forward: lifting his husband and cupping his face as their lips met in a kiss that wasn’t just tender, but eternal. Applause broke behind them, but neither heard it. For a few seconds, there was only each other. Breath. Love. Forever.

~~~

Mikoto sobbed into her hands, smiling as Fugaku gently rubbed her back, his own eyes glassy but proud.

Itachi smiled faintly, whispering something to Jiraiya who nodded with deep satisfaction.

Hebi whooped and cheered from the front row, Suigetsu yelling, “About damn time!” while Karin aggressively dabbed at her mascara.

Sakura cried freely, clinging to Shikamaru and Choji while Gaara just smiled with his arms crossed, eyes warm.

And Shikamaru muttered, half-choked, “Tch… what a drag—but a beautiful one.”

~~~

They walked back down the aisle together hand-in-hand, rings glinting in the sun, hearts completely bare to the world.

Two halves of one whole.

Finally, eternally, married.

Chapter Text

If the ceremony was sacred, then the reception was alive.

The reception wasn’t just a party.

It was a celebration heard around the world.

Over 10,000 guests spilled across the open-air grounds and elegant canopied decks. The guest list was filled with fellow artists, A-listers, fashion designers, close industry friends, fans who had won special invitations, and journalists documenting “the wedding of the century.”

Social media exploded.

Live-streams, interviews, red carpet arrivals. Hashtags trended globally within minutes:
#NaruSasuWedding
#AnchorintheDark
#UzumakiUchiha
#WeddingoftheCentury
~~~

When Naruto and Sasuke re-entered: arm in arm, the crowd erupted into cheers so loud it rivaled any concert.

Both had changed into new reception attire.

Naruto wore a tailored white tux with gold lining and a sheer undershirt: his spiral tattoo peeking tastefully from around his navel piercing. A single golden chain rested at his throat, and his eyes sparkled like he was on stage again…but this time, for just one person.

Sasuke wore a deep midnight-blue suit with a silky sheen, cut perfectly to his lean frame. His black shirt unbuttoned at the top, silver accents running down the trim. His ring glinted on his hand as he raised it slightly to wave, just once…before immediately being pulled to Naruto’s side again.

“God,” Naruto leaned in to purr in Sasuke’s ear, “you’re gonna kill me looking like that.”

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. “You’ve had me for less than two hours. Can’t you last one night without acting like a dog?”

The blonde grinned, lips brushing his husband’s

“Not when my husband looks like a sin I wanna commit~”

The raven-head flushed violently. “You’re lucky I said yes.”

~~~

Tables draped in linen the color of warm ivory glimmered beneath golden fairy lights. Famous musicians played live jazz and orchestral renditions of Naruto’s, Hebi’s, Naruto and Hebi’s collaboration song and even Naruto’s proposal song.

Guests sipped on signature cocktails: “Blond Bombshell” and “Midnight Flame” and sampled gourmet dishes flown in from around the globe.

The grooms were constantly swept into arms and arms: congratulations from Mikoto (who cried all over again), Fugaku (who awkwardly but sincerely hugged Naruto), Karin (who kissed them both on the cheeks), Shikamaru (who mumbled, “Finally, this day came”), and Sakura (who made them promise she could help design their home). Choji and Gaara offered genuine words and hugs.

And then: the cakes.

An elaborate six-tier creation, crafted with hand-painted gold leaves, pressed edible flowers, and the symbols of both their clans subtly worked into the fondant for the reception guests and the three-tier one they chosen for close friends and family.

Naruto dramatically lifted the cake knife. “You ready?”

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. “If you smash it in my face—”

Too late.

Naruto got frosting on his cheek. Just a dab.

Sasuke turned slowly, murderous.

“I’ll end you.”

“You already married me,” the blonde teased, leaning and licking frosting off his lover’s cheek. “No going back.”

But the raven-head smirked…and swiped frosting right back onto Naruto’s nose.

The crowd cheered, cameras flashed, laughter echoed.

~~~

The music shifted later on.

Spotlights softened to a glowing haze as the announcer called, “Ladies and gentlemen, for the first time—Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha-Uzumaki.”

Naruto took Sasuke’s hand. “May I?”

Sasuke rolled his eyes, but his smile was gentle. “You may.”

They moved together like they’d been dancing forever.

Slow, close, quiet. The world faded away. Their foreheads touched briefly in the middle of the floor, and Naruto whispered something that made Sasuke’s lips twitch upward. When the music swelled, the soloist spun his raven-head playfully and dipped him dramatically.

Sasuke groaned. “You’ve watched too many dramas.”

“Just making sure our wedding lives up to the fantasy.”

“And you say I’m the dramatic one,” his raven-head husband muttered, but his arm tightened around the blonde’s neck.

When the dance ended, the crowd roared.

Naruto kissed him again: soft and slow this time, “Let’s never come down from this.”

Sasuke smiled.

“Only if you keep dancing with me.”

~~~

The night went on in a blur of love and laughter. Everyone joined the dance floor, celebrities and friends tangled together in joy. Gaara even slow-danced with Suigetsu, while Choji took over the dessert table and declared it “the happiest day of his life.”

And somewhere, amid the glittering lights and the sea breeze, Naruto whispered to Sasuke:

“Welcome to forever, baby.”

And Sasuke smiled.

“I’ve been waiting.”

~~~

After the frenzy of the most iconic wedding the music world had ever seen, Naruto and Sasuke slipped quietly into the next day…not into a luxury couple’s retreat on some remote island, as the world might’ve expected, but into something better.

A family vacation.

They’d decided it together.

Neither of them wanted to be alone…not just yet. Not after months of distance, long tours, sleepless nights in different time zones. This wasn’t a time for solitude. It was a time to celebrate…with the ones who’d loved them through everything.

When Tsunade announced at the reception that both Naruto and Sasuke were being given an entire month off, the roar that followed nearly broke the venue. Shikamaru and Karin, who’d been pushing paperwork all night…muttered their gratitude because of something about migraines and early retirement.

But even they smiled when Naruto hugged him hard and didn’t let go.

~~~

They rented a luxurious, sea-facing villa in Okinawa. One that had private access to white sands and calm waves, an outdoor pool framed by cherry blossoms, and enough rooms to house Hebi, Naruto’s circle of friends, and of course…the Uchihas.

It was perfect.

Lazy mornings bled into playful afternoons. Naruto, Sasuke, Choji, Jiraiya and Shikamaru (forcefully) had splash wars in the ocean while Mikoto, Karin and Sakura sipped cocktails and rated their form like Olympic judges. Gaara sat in the shade with Suigetsu, bonding and flirting. Itachi read peacefully under the same tree each morning, sunglasses and all, while Fugaku joined him…quiet but content.

~~~

Naruto had started calling Mikoto “Mom” somewhere between the group lunch on Day 3 and their market stroll on Day 5. The first time he said it, it was casual:

“Mom, can we pick up that sweet plum wine you made us try recently?”

Mikoto froze.

Then squealed so loudly a nearby tourist tripped over his sandal.

“Oh my god—again! Say it again!”

Naruto laughed and threw an arm around her. “Mom,” he repeated with extra drama.

Mikoto melted. “I have a third son. I finally have a third son.”

Sasuke walked by, blinked, and muttered, “He married in. Don’t act like he was orphaned.”

But Naruto winked. “Sorry, babe. She loves me more now.”

Mikoto gasped. “He’s not wrong!”

~~~

It wasn’t until the second week, during one quiet golden hour by the water, that Fugaku asked to speak with Sasuke alone.

They walked down the beach path in silence, waves crashing gently against the rocks. Sasuke kept his hands in his pockets, gaze forward. He expected small talk. Not this.

“I was… wrong,” Fugaku started, voice low but certain.

Sasuke stopped walking.

His father’s hands were behind his back. His eyes focused on the sea. “When you chose music… when you turned your back on acting and modeling, on everything your mother and I built… I wasn’t angry because I thought you were weak. I was angry because I didn’t know how to let you go.”

“…You didn’t let me go,” Sasuke said softly, honestly. “You pushed me away.”

Fugaku flinched. “I know. I didn’t know how else to handle the fear. I thought I was protecting the family name. But… all I was doing was making my son feel like he had to escape to find himself.”

The raven-head’s breath caught, emotion rising too suddenly to swallow.

“I watched you on that stage,” Fugaku continued. “I saw what Naruto sees. Someone brilliant. Someone free. And I realized… it wasn’t my job to keep you close. It was my job to teach you how to fly—and trust that you’d land safely.”

Sasuke looked away, eyes stinging. “You’ve never said anything like this before.”

“I never knew how,” the older man admitted.

He turned then, eyes locked onto his son’s. “But Naruto helped me understand. He doesn’t tether you. He lifts you. And all I’ve ever wanted… was for someone to love you enough to let you shine.”

Sasuke’s voice cracked. “You could’ve just said you approved of him.”

Fugaku’s lips twitched. “This is me saying it.”

He reached out, hesitated, and then pulled his son into a tight hug…like he was anchoring something unspoken.

“I’m proud of you.”

The tears fell freely then: Sasuke’s…and this time, he didn’t hide them.

~~~

The vacation passed in perfect blur: laughter echoing across beach bonfires, midnight swims with glow sticks, group karaoke where Naruto got on his knees to serenade Sasuke with a full performance of “Anchor in the Dark” while Choji and Karin wept dramatically into a pillow.

Every night, Naruto and Sasuke curled into each other like gravity itself had brought them back together.

And every morning, they woke up to sun-warmed sheets, their rings catching the light, and the easy, aching joy of knowing…

This was just the beginning.

Chapter Text

[Five Years Later]

Their home, bought together just a few months after their wedding, was everything they had dreamed off: warm, lived-in, safe.

Sunlight spilled across photos lining the hallway: snapshots of tour memories, holiday dinners, late-night recording sessions, spontaneous road trips. One of their wedding photos sat framed in the kitchen, Mikoto having insisted it be “centerpiece-worthy.”

They didn’t need luxury. But they had it.

More importantly….they had each other.

~~~

The sun crept gently through the sheer curtains of a spacious, light-washed bedroom in the hills of Tokyo. Birds chirped from somewhere out on the terrace. The distant hum of morning wind whispered through open windows.

Inside, the sheets rustled. A groan.

“Mmnh… babe, your foot is on me.”

“And your thigh is mine, so fair trade.”

Sasuke, tangled in ivory blankets, cracked one sleepy eye open to find a familiar smirk inches from his face.

Naruto.

His husband of five years. His husband for a lifetime.

Hair tousled, face relaxed, tanned skin glowing in the morning light, the blonde grinned like he hadn’t aged a day…though the faint stubble along his jaw and the weight of years spent loving Sasuke only made him look more grounded. More real. More his.

“You’re staring,” Naruto teased, voice low and still gravelly with sleep.

“And you’re grinning like an idiot.”

“That’s because I’m in bed with my princess. My beautiful husband. You realize how much of a fantasy that was for more than half the population at one point—heck, even til now?”

Sasuke rolled his eyes and stretched lazily, his arm reaching across Naruto’s bare waist. “And yet you’re still the only one stupid enough to marry me.”

Naruto didn’t reply…not with words.

Instead, he leaned in and kissed him.

Soft at first. Then slower. Deeper.

Lips molded like muscle memory, warm and familiar, like coming home. Naruto’s hand slipped beneath the blankets to rest at the curve of Sasuke’s hip, fingers tracing idle, knowing patterns over skin he had kissed and worshipped thousands of times before.

Sasuke’s own hand found its way into his lover’s hair, tugging slightly…just enough to angle him closer. Naruto groaned against his mouth at the familiar tension, the tease of dominance and surrender they always danced with.

The kiss deepened, a lazy tangle of tongues and teeth. The raven-head tilted his head, allowing the blonde’s mouth to trail down: across his jaw, then lower, over the edge of his throat. Each pass of warm breath against sensitive skin had Sasuke arching toward him, chasing the heat.

“Still so fucking reactive,” Naruto purred against his neck, lips brushing a spot that made Sasuke’s fingers tighten in his hair.

“You’re still annoyingly smug in the mornings.”

“And you love that.”

Sasuke didn’t deny it.

Naruto hovered over him now, chest pressed flush to chest, one of his thighs nudged between Sasuke’s. They moved without needing to think, without rush: touching, tasting, rediscovering with the slow reverence of two people who had spent years learning each other’s body and still found new ways to be undone by it.

Naruto’s hand slid along the curve of Sasuke’s ass, trailing his fingers lightly at first before full on groping the flesh.
Sasuke shivered under the touch. Not from surprise…but from comfort. From the depth of their knowing.

“You’re insatiable,” Sasuke whispered as their noses brushed.

Naruto kissed him again: long, deep, hungry, and replied against his lips:

“You’re the one who made me this way~”

When they finally pulled back, breathless and tangled in sheets that had long since slipped down to their hips, Naruto rested his forehead against Sasuke’s.

“You make mornings dangerous.”

The raven-head smirked, chest rising and falling beneath him. “Then stop starting them.”

“Never.”

Naruto leaned down and kissed the smile off his face again.

~~~

By 9 a.m., the quiet was replaced with the usual organized chaos.

Naruto was in the bathroom blow-drying his hair and singing: warming up his voice. Sasuke stood by the mirror in a black button-up, rolling his sleeves with practiced precision.

“I swear,” the blonde stopped to talk, “if you wear black again, people are gonna think you’re the stylist, not the center of the biggest band in the world.”

“Unlike you, I don’t need rhinestones and brightness to command a stage.”

“Okay the rhinestones was one time, and you said I looked hot.”

“You looked like a disco ball.”

“Don’t let me remind you that I fucked you good in that outfit, babe. We both know how you were then.”

His raven-head husband snorted, flushed on his cheek and ears. “Touché.”

~~~

Before they headed out the door that morning, Naruto tugged Sasuke by the waist, pulling him back into their entryway.

“We forgot something.”

Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

The soloist leaned in and pressed a slow kiss to his lips.

“Now it’s a good day,” he murmured.

Sasuke hummed against his mouth. “Every day is.”

And with fingers laced, rings glinting in the morning light, they stepped outside….

into the world they’d built together,

and into whatever came next.

Because for Naruto and Sasuke, the music would never end.

Just like their love….

For it is…

Their ‘Anchor in the Dark.’

Chapter Text

The opening jingle was iconic now. Something chaotic Naruto had thrown together with Suigetsu one sleepless night: a remix of frog croaks, guitar riffs, and Naruto yelling “LET’S GOOO!”

The screen faded from the intro to a wide shot of the familiar cozy studio, set up in Naruto and Sasuke’s home.

“Yoooo! What’s up, gremlins?!” Naruto grinned at the camera, headset on, golden-blonde hair tousled from pre-stream chaos. “It’s your favorite sunshine menace, and—”

“—your aquatic nightmare,” Suigetsu cut in, slouching dramatically in his seat with his hair tied in a low messy bun and a mischievous gleam in his eyes. “Welcome back to another episode of ‘Chaotic Good’ where we say dumb things and make our husbands question their life choices!”

The live chat was already exploding:

“OHMYGOD THEY’RE BACKKKKKK 😭😭😭”
“I MISSED YOU IDIOTS”
“WHERE IS NARUSASU WHERE IS GAAGETSU”
“Not Suigetsu looking like a gremlin prince today 😭”
“Naruto babe what’s that on your NECK 👀”

Naruto leaned close to the camera with a wide grin, angling his face. “Y’all saw that? Damn, Sasuke didn’t even go easy this time—”

“BRO.” Suigetsu choked on his drink.

*Cue the camera jerking slightly off-screen,
Sasuke smacked Naruto on the head.*

The crowd went feral:

“WAIT IS SASUKE THERE???”
“IS THAT OUR EMO KINGGGGG”
“LOVE BITE?????”

“Okay, okay!” The blonde laughed, waving his hands as he righted the mic. “We heard you. You’ve begged for it. You’ve threatened us. You sent fan edits we can’t even show on stream without being demonetized.”

He turned to Suigetsu.

“You ready?”

“Oh, I was born ready,” Suigetsu purred, spinning dramatically in his chair. “Ladies, gents, non-binaries and gremlins—please welcome to the stage: our better halves. The patient, the perfect, the perpetually done with our crap—Sasuke Uchiha-Uzumaki and Gaara Hōzuki.”

The camera panned wider as Sasuke leaned in the frame wearing a soft black hoodie and gray sweatpants, hair still slightly damp like he just got out the shower.

Gaara followed close behind, calm as ever, with a soft smile and an oversized sweatshirt that clearly belonged to Suigetsu.

The chat exploded:

“SASUKE IN SWEATS I’M ON THE FLOOR”
“GAAARA BBYYYY”
“I AM SOBBING I MISSED THEM”
“MY EMOTIONAL SUPPORT SHIPS 🥺”

Sasuke sat next to Naruto, leaning his head against his husband’s.
Gaara settled into Suigetsu’s lap, casual as ever, looking like royalty.

“We finally trapped them into joining,” Naruto smirked, leaning more into Sasuke who gave him a subtle but fond side-eye.

“You said we were playing Mario Kart,” the raven-head muttered.

“We might,” Naruto winked at the camera. “But first—some questions from our gremlin fans!”

Suigetsu pulled out his phone. “Alright, first up—‘What’s the most annoying habit your partner has?’ Go.”

“Do I have to pick one?” Sasuke deadpanned immediately.

“Wow. Hurtful.”

“The truth hurts,” Sasuke stated, nonchalantly.

His husband clutched his chest, dramatically. “I’m literally married to you.”

Gaara answered calmly: “Suigetsu steals all my skincare.”

“I do not!” Suigetsu protested. “I borrow—for educational purposes!”

“Educational?” Naruto cackled.

“Yeah, I’m learning how to be hotter. It’s for research.”

The chat was screaming:

“GAARA OUTED HIM SO FAST 💀”
“sasuke dragging naruto in 4k”
“Suigetsu has me in TEARS”
“THE CHAOS. THE FLIRTING. THE POWER.”

Next question: “Who said ‘I love you’ first?”

“I did,” Naruto said instantly.
Sasuke huffed but had a slight flush on his cheek.

“Romantic,” Suigetsu whispered. “Poetic.”

“You said it when I was asleep,” Gaara told Suigetsu.

Suigetsu grinned and leaned in pecking his lover’s lips. “Guilty. But also, you said it back in your sleep so technically—tie?”

Fans were losing their minds:

“OMG THEY’RE UNBELIEVABLY CUTE!!!”
“THEM SAYING ILY IN THEIR SLEEP HELP”
“naruto and suigetsu are unhinged”
“this is the best episode ever please don’t stop”

Suigetsu continued: “Alright— ‘What’s a weird habit your partner has that no one knows?’”

Gaara blinked. “Suigetsu bites his straws until they flatten. All of them. It’s like dating a raccoon.”

“I HAVE ANXIETY, LET ME CHEW.”

Sasuke smirked. “Naruto counts the light switches in every hotel room before bed.”

Naruto gasped. “You said you found it quirky!”

“I lied.”

The Chat:

“NOT THE RACCOON CHEWER”
“Sasuke lying in HD I love him”
“this stream is better than therapy”

Next question from chat: “Top or bottom?”

Sasuke reached for the mute again. “Absolutely not.”

“Y’all know what I am. Hint: last names give us away” Naruto winked.

“I don’t want them to know,” Sasuke hissed.

“Oh please,” Suigetsu rolled his eyes. “It’s 2025. The whole fandom has an Excel spreadsheet.”

Gaara raised a brow. “I had them deleted it.”

“Wait—you saw it?!”

The chat was on fire:

“GAARA DELETING THE FANDOM EXCEL FILE 💀”
“THEY KNOW. THEY ALL KNOW.”
“Not Sasuke looking betrayed rn 😂😂😂”

They managed to collect themselves, barely, before the next one popped up:

“Who plans the dates and who forgets the anniversary?”

Sasuke turned slowly to Naruto.

“I missed one anniversary,” Naruto defended.

“It was our first.”

“I made it up by flying you to Italy.”

“You forgot the passport.”

“…Details.”

Meanwhile, Suigetsu and Gaara shrugged.

“We plan stuff together,” Gaara said softly.

“Except once I tried to take him to a water park,” Suigetsu added. “And he refused because ‘the sunlight is aggressive’”

“It is in water parks,” Gaara stated.

The chat:

“GAARA VERSUS THE SUN 💀”
“I want whatever kind of marriage they all have”
“can they do a couples reality show pls???”

Naruto checked the timer. “Alright, gremlins—we’ve got time for one last spicy question.”

Suigetsu read it aloud: “What’s your biggest turn-on about your partner?”

Sasuke went rigid.

Naruto grinned like a devil. “His voice. Especially when he gets all mad and irritated. Instant effect.”

Sasuke shot him a look that promised revenge. “I’m going to murder you live.”

“You’ll kiss me first.”

“…Unfortunately.”

Suigetsu leaned back and looked at Gaara.

“Eyes,” Gaara said simply. “And the way he gets when he’s focused. It’s attractive.”

Suigetsu smirked. “That’s hot.”
“And your hands,” Gaara added under his breath.

The chat combusted:

“GAAARA PLEASE”
“I’M SWEATING”
“THEM. JUST. THEM.”

“Okay, okay,” Naruto laughed, clapping his hands. “That’s all the chaos we’ve got for today. Let’s end before Sasuke files for divorce live.”

“I have the paperwork on standby.”

Suigetsu blew a kiss to the camera. “Thanks for tuning in, gremlins! Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and send us more questions we’ll regret reading!”

After 2 hours of laughter, flirting, bickering, and overly personal Q&A, they finally ends the stream.

“We’re not doing that again” Sasuke folded his arms and glared at both his husband and Suigetsu. Gaara chuckled in amusement.

“We so are babe, we so are~” the blonde cooed, and leaned in kissing him, a big smiled on his lips as he did so.

And of course, of course Sasuke couldn’t resist.

THE END~~