Chapter 18 – Vacation

What do you take to a resort? Having never been to one, Naruto is at a complete loss. There's the obvious clothing necessities. Enough for the four-day trip, but beyond that?

No idea.

Do you wear swimwear into the hot springs or go nude? Is it both chicks and guys in the baths or separated? Seriously, only Naruto would agree to a vacation where he has no idea what's going on. The simple prospect of getting away for awhile was enough to entice him along.

He can't even text Sasuke to ask his opinion about tomorrow. Well, he could, but the blonde has been slightly on his guard since last night. The fear of the oncoming drama that's bound to happen has Naruto antsy and entirely unsure of what to do.

While his heart is going head-over-heels for the raven, his brain is stepping up for once and begging him to proceed with caution. This could all go down very badly if the wrong person catches wind of the unorthodox relationship.

God, how horrible is it that Naruto can't even enjoy his own vacation due to teenage bullshit? The blonde has always proudly done whatever the hell he wants to and be damned with everyone else's opinion. And yet he's been letting society and the fear of opinions stop him from doing what he wants to.

Really, there's a time for a change, and it's now.

Picking up his phone, he jots out a quick message to the boy that takes up the majority of his time and thoughts. Within moments, he has a reply in the form of a phone call.

"Bring clothes, dobe." Sasuke's typically exasperated voice grinds out from the speaker. "What else would you need?"

"I don't know! That's why I asked, teme."

"It's just a hot springs resort. All we'll be doing is relaxing."

"Not true. Kiba wants to go hiking."

"That's your problem, not mine."

"You're not gonna hike with me?"

"No."

"Well, what're you gonna do while I'm gone?"

"Enjoy some peace and quiet, dobe."

"Yeah, whatever, teme. You adore me, and you know it."

Naruto can feel the eyeroll from the raven, bringing a grin to his face. "I'm really happy you're coming with me."

"I wouldn't hear the end of it, otherwise."

Naruto laughs as he rifles through a pile of clothes. "Hey, Sas, am I gonna be naked or do I need swim trunks?"

The question is followed by a poignant silence from the raven, halting Naruto in his search for the elusive trunks. "Sasuke?"

"Bring a pair, dobe. I doubt you'll need them much, though."

"Why not?"

Sasuke scoffs. "Because I'm sure I'll have you out of them more often than not."

"Teme!" The blonde indignantly squawks into the phone. "Don't be so cocky!"

"Finish packing, dobe. I'll be at your house first thing in the morning. You better be ready."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. See you later." Naruto ends the call and runs a palm over his face. What is he getting himself into? Isn't sex practically expected during these sorts of things? Is he really ready for that?

Considering that his libido is screaming a resounding yes throughout his skull, Naruto doesn't search further for an answer. This is just one of those things the blonde has to do when he feels the time is right.

And that will probably be sooner than he really expected.

Having never been to any sort of resort before, Naruto didn't know what to expect going in. But whatever it was, it certainly wasn't this boring. The hot springs are located in an untouched slice of wilderness about three hours away from Konoha, but that feels like a lifetime to an impatient boy. And if you didn't know where you were going, you'd surely get lost.

Thankfully Sasuke is handling the navigation aspect.

They'd past a large archway, proclaiming that they're officially on the grounds. But nothing else after that. Just a long, winding road leading them further into the woods. Naruto sighs and sags heavily against his seat. It's way too early in the morning for this. He could still be sleeping in a comfy bed, instead of riding in a car along a bumpy road in the middle of nowhere.

The blonde stares groggily out the window, watching the greenery pass by. Every now and then, he thinks he catches a glimpse of a building through the trees, but it's gone so quickly that he doesn't get his hopes up.

"Sasuke, are we close?" Naruto turns his head towards the raven, lip jutting out in a pout.

Sasuke keeps his eyes trained on the rough road, not chancing his attention to be anywhere else. "Dobe, I'm just as unfamiliar with this place as you are. We'll be there when we get there."

"Oh, well, ain't that just the most helpful answer." The blonde rolls his eyes and looks back out the window, only to quickly push up in his seat. "Sasuke! Look! A building! I think we're finally-" Naruto gasps and his mouth drops open in awe. "This place is gorgeous."

Or what he can see of it so far. Which is another archway entrance to a fairly small parking lot, with a rustic wooden lodge settled just in front of it. There are stone trails leading to buildings and hiking paths behind the primary lodging. Maybe his imagination is running away with him, but Naruto swears he can see steam rising into the air from behind the buildings.

The boys haul their bags out of the trunk of Naruto's Jeep – they opted, or more like, Sasuke opted, to take Naruto's car instead of his Camaro, to save the vehicle from any off-road traveling that might occur. He still insisted on being the one to drive, though.

Before they get to the front doors, they're already being pushed open and a familiar blonde pops out to greet them. "Hey, guys. I hope you found it easy enough." Temari holds the door open and allows the boys to pass her before stepping into the lobby herself.

Naruto turns a smile on her as soon as they're all inside and assures it that it was easy enough to find. "A bit boring of a drive," he complains nonchalantly, "but easy."

Sasuke scoffs and rolls his eyes. "Says the person who just sat in the passenger seat and complained."

Temari laughs and moves to stand behind the front desk, pulling up their information on a touch-screen system. "Alright, I have you down for the west wing private bathhouses for a total of four days and three nights, and its already paid for." Temari smiles up at them. "If you go out this door over here," she points off down the hall, "the path will lead you to the west building. Here's your room key and it's 3A. Third floor, first suite."

"Woah," Naruto looks from Temari to Sasuke, utterly confused. "I think you have that wrong, it –"

"It's right, dobe." Sasuke takes the key from Temari with a polite nod, before wrapping his arm around Naruto's upper arm and pulling towards the designated door.

"But, Sasuke, that can't be right." Naruto lurches his arm out of the boys grasp and glares at him. "She said her family would spring for the basic rooms at a basic package. I don't think a private suite for four days is very basic."

"It's not, but it doesn't matter. It's covered."

"Sasuke." Naruto doesn't know whether to be annoyed or pleased. "You didn't need to spend your money on this."

The raven scoffs. "I didn't."

"What?" The blonde tilts his head in confusion, still watching the raven rather than his surroundings.

"This trip is being brought to us courtesy of Uchiha Inc." Sasuke smirks at his companion. "My brother leaves me with one of his credit cards for daily expenses. I took advantage."

"Sasuke!" The blonde means to seriously scold the raven, but the laughter comes bubbling up without his consent. "That's an underhanded thing to do. Your brothers gonna be mad."

The raven scoffs. "Hardly. He'll be calling me and asking how it all went, with no mention of the price."

Naruto shakes his head, a smile still playing on his lips. "Well, thank you, teme. Its gonna be an awesome weekend." The blonde finally lets his eyes roam around the path, drinking in the gorgeous scenery and well-crafted landscaping. He completely misses the small smile Sasuke sends his way in response to their weekend.

Everyone has arrived by that afternoon, much to Naruto's joy and Sasuke's distaste.

Thanks to Temari and her friendship with a new acquaintance of Naruto's, Midori and Sai were the first, an unwelcome surprise to Sasuke, who promptly ditched Naruto to deal with his fellow blonde and the strange artist. The two blondes animatedly talk in the lobby, as Sai wonders off to do God-knows-what.

Kiba seemed to have the same idea as Sasuke and upgraded his room with Hinata to a more private one in the east wing. Choji seemed perfectly content with his basic room and took the discounted offer, as well as Shikamaru.

Though Naruto has no doubts that Temari will be with him quite often.

The only issue that Naruto sees with the weekend is the unexpected arrivals that comes in while everyone, minus Sai and Midori who took off on a nature hike about an hour earlier, is sitting down eating lunch in the lanai dining room, situated just outside the main building.

"Will someone please tell me why they're here?" Naruto doesn't bother to lower his voice as he glares at the two girls currently standing at the check-in counter. He's still not over his little spat with that bubblegum bitch yesterday.

"Ino asked me what I was doing over break." Shikamaru drawls out indifferently, not nearly as perturbed as the blonde. "No sense in lying to her. My mom would just tell her, anyways."

Naruto groans and closes his eyes. "She better has the good sense God gave her to stay away from me."

"Who?" Temari speaks up brightly, intrigued by the obvious hostility Naruto is showing. She appears innocent, but that glint to her eyes gives her away. She knows exactly what is going on.

"Sakura." Naruto spits out vehemently. "After yesterday, you'd think she'd want to avoid me."

"Maybe she doesn't know that you're here." Hinata offers quietly, trying to appease the blonde.

"Like hell she doesn't. She came here to try to jump Sasuke, I have no doubts."

"Calm down, dobe." Sasuke speaks steadily, his own eyes narrowed at the girls. "Nothing will happen." A piercing glare cuts Naruto off from speaking out once more. "And if it does, she'll be put in her place, again."

Kiba scoffs at that. "Girl doesn't learn." He shakes his head but offers Naruto a grin. "Hey, maybe you should let them walk in on you guys –"

"Kiba," Sasuke states sharply, "don't finish that unless you'd like to be drowned this weekend."

Kiba laughs boisterously, not taking the threat seriously in the least. Rather than be embarrassed at the mutt's suggestion, Naruto grins along with him, his anger quickly dissipating as he settles back into the casual and fun banter of the group.

Whether it's because their lunch is already underway or they want to get settled into their room, Ino and Sakura do not come down while the group is dining, much to Naruto's relief. Dealing with the pinkette is not on his agenda for a happy weekend. Ino is cool; the boy doesn't have an issue with her, but she best keep her love interest away from Naruto's. This is supposed to be his relaxing vacation away from stressful things. Those things did not need to follow him.

And he's pretty sure this is going to be the weekend where he officially pushes his and Sasuke's relationship into actual lovers. So, yeah. There's that. Between his musings last night, his restless sleep and dreams of said event, and finding out that Sasuke got them a private room… Well, the blonde has been sold on the idea since they stepped foot in their room.

Naruto casts timid eyes towards the raven in question. He highly doubts Sasuke will have any qualms with that plan, but you can never be too sure. Sasuke is as fickle as they come. What if he's decided they're not even going to go that far? Or if he doesn't want their first time to be at a bathhouse and not somewhere homier. Just because Naruto finds the situation ideal and sort of romantic doesn't mean Sasuke will.

"Alright," Kiba loudly interrupts Naruto musings, "we're going on a hike today." The waggles a finger at the blonde. "You're not getting out of it, either."

Naruto groans, thoroughly not in agreement. "C'mon, man. We just got here."

"We're only here for two days. We can't just laze about."

The blonde doesn't mention that he's actually here till Tuesday, quite pleased to realize that he'll have a couple days of alone time with the raven. Instead, he scoffs and rolls his eyes, a habit he seems to be taking from Sasuke. "Right, because that's not the point of a vacation."

Kiba laughs good-naturedly. "You know you're gonna get sick of just hanging around with nothing to keep you active." Kiba nods at Temari. "What's the best hiking trail around here?"

The girl shrugs her shoulders and leaves the piece of bread she was tearing apart alone. "Depends on what you want to do. If you're looking for an endurance hike, then I would take the east trail. It's pretty difficult and takes about five hours to make the full circuit.

If you want a scenic and challenging route, I would take the northern trail. It has a ton of natural springs and a lake not far off the path. The trail itself takes about two hours, but people usually get sidetracked by the springs and end up abandoning the hike.

The western path is purely scenic, and quite gorgeous. It follows the river stream and winds around the grounds for about two hours. It's pretty to look at, but you can't really play in the stream, since most of it is under a bridge."

Kiba nods along as she talks, grossly interested in the descriptions in a way only a nature fan could be. "We're gonna take the best of both worlds and go north." Kiba says with a grin. "Maybe we'll stop at the lake. Swimming is exercise, too."

"If you don't mind a tag-along," Hinata speaks softly from Kiba's side, "I wouldn't mind coming." A blush graces her cheek as she speaks, in what Naruto is certain she considers, out of turn.

"Of course, you're comin'!" Kiba says exuberantly, putting an arm around his girl. "Wouldn't go anywhere without you." That only makes her blush darken.

Naruto grins at the sickening display of puppy love. Like hell he's gonna be stuck alone with those two all afternoon. "Anybody else wanna come along? Might as well make it a group trip."

Several murmurs of agreement come from around the table, some enthusiastic and some half-hearted mumbles. The blonde turns to Sasuke, the only one to not agree so far. Naruto gives him a wide-eyed, pleading pout that could break anyone into agreement. "You'll come along, won't you?"

Sasuke glares at him for a moment but lightens up with an annoyed nod of his head. Naruto can't help but smile in victory.

"It's settled then. We'll all meet up here in an hour or so and get going, if that sounds good."

When everyone comes to an agreement on the time and place, they go their separate ways for the time being, wanting to relax before the excursion.

Naruto all but drags Sasuke back to their room, excited to try out the private bath on their balcony. It was the first thing that caught his eye when they dropped their luggage off.

It's an inground, circular bath made from natural stone around the outside rim, and smooth stone as tile and the wall. It's a bit on the shallow side, but roughly big enough to fit four people comfortably. And it looks like it'll go to his waist once he sits down.

A theory he is more than enthusiastic to test.

"You're gonna join me, yeah?" Naruto pulls off his shirt and jeans, leaving his boxers on and pads out to the balcony. When he turns around to see if Sasuke is coming with him, he's not even remotely surprised to see an old, boorish looking book in the boy's hand. "Only you would bring a book on vacation." Naruto eyes the raven with disdain as he settled into a deck chair, completely unaccepting of the concept that reading might be enjoyable to some.

Sasuke takes no heed of Naruto's scorn for his chosen relaxation method and continues getting comfortable without a word spoken in retaliation.

Oh well. Naruto timidly dips a foot in the steaming water, nearly groaning in his joy. "This is perfect." He sighs and without further ado, he wades into the bath. He greatly misjudged the depth of the small pool, as it reaches his waist while he's standing up.

He turns back to Sasuke, giving the raven another chance to join him. "Sure you don't wanna come in, teme? No chance to relax again until after the hike."

Sasuke raises an unimpressed eyebrow at the blonde, wholly unaffected by the claim. "I'll manage to survive, dobe."

"Mm," Naruto sits on the ledge, bringing the water up to his shoulders, "you're missing out."

"I have a fine view from here."

Naruto glances at him quizzically, not sure if he means the gorgeous landscape that can be seen from the bath, or the mostly-naked blonde in it. The typical stoic façade is in place, lending no help to puzzling it out.

He decides to let it go. It's not like the raven needs to make obscure sexual passes at him. They're beyond that stage.

"Even my house doesn't have a view like this." The blonde stares admiringly out onto the grounds, trying to follow the paths and trails that lead from the grounds into the woods. "It's almost surreal."

"Because you're not used to it. If you lived here, it would just be another view."

"You're such a cynic."

"I'm honest."

Naruto sighs and leans his head back, ignoring his companion in favor of a bit of reflection on this whole trip. The blonde is happy the raven came with him at all; he's not going to push his luck. Besides, he has half the mind to try to seduce the raven this weekend, and if he annoys him too much, he just might cockblock himself.

Which means he's going to have to settle down and respect Sasuke's boundaries and what both boys are really willing to do at this point. Learning boundaries has never come easy to Naruto, and most people tend to just accept that he's going to bulldoze right through them, whether he means well or not.

But not Sasuke. Sasuke does not accept anything he does not want to have in his life, and while that riles the blonde since it's usually "relationship taboos" – as far as the romantically disinclined Uchiha is concerned – that Naruto is wanting to push. But this isn't just a relationship boundary. It's a sex boundary. Full on intercourse. With a guy. When the blonde is a virgin no matter how you look at it.

Naruto blushes at the thought, darting a quick peek at Sasuke. He's sure the stoic and ever-so confident raven is not a virgin, which honestly does not bother Naruto in the least. If anything, it makes him a bit more comfortable with the theoretical situation. At least someone will know what they're doing.

Accepting that he's fully into guys, or more likely, one particular guy, wasn't the easiest thing for Naruto to do. But once he got past it, well, all bets were off. It was just the other day that the blonde realized his feelings lie deeper than just a sexual attraction. Maybe it should have been obvious from the get-go, but oh well. As it stands, he's in love with Uchiha Sasuke. That much he fully understands.

That does not mean he could bring himself into researching gay sex. The basics he gets; only an idiot wouldn't understand how it would work between two guys. But all the… particulars. Well, those, Naruto knows nothing of. And he's relying on Sasuke to be smart enough to take the lead on this one, as he's done with everything else in the past three months. Thank God.

Sure, at the time, it's slightly terrifying when something sexy-new starts happening, since it's a foreign experience. But Naruto can't say he's disliked anything they've done together. But if it had been left up to Naruto, they never would have even got to kissing. The boy is damn good at falling for someone and hanging onto that with loyalty, but acting on it?

Shit, he never even seriously tried to get Sakura to date him. Just threw all his attention at her when she was around and left it at that. Maybe some part of him knew it would be a flat-out rejection if he tried, and he would not have handled that well.

And who would have ever thought that Uchiha Sasuke would show a serious interest? Not Naruto. The blonde would be damned if anyone actually thought he'd put himself out there for the raven, feelings or not. No, nothing would have happened if not for Sasuke and his arrogance.

Naruto grins cheekily. In fact, one could even say Sasuke has digged his own hole with getting the blonde's hopes up and having him fall like a fool. If he had just kept things platonic, he could have saved himself a few headaches and arguments.

But, oh well! What's done is done! In all truth, Naruto is happy with where the cards have fallen. Arguments, differences, and terrifyingly-new experiences included. He wouldn't change anything about the journey because it would probably mess up how far they've come.

Looking at the current situation – taking a hot spring vacation together and actually enjoying each other's company – they've come far. It amazes the blonde when he thinks about it, how different things can be when you give new opportunities and ideas a chance.

Naruto stands up, shivering as the cool air hits his heated skin. Grabbing a towel he'd thrown over the back of a chair earlier, he dries his upper body off to fight off some of the chill. He grimaces when he moves, feeling his soaked boxers move against his skin uncomfortably.

Making a split-second decision, Naruto pushes the offending article down his thighs and kicks them away when they fall with a wet splat onto the floor. It's hard to say whether having them off is better or worse at first, but after he wraps the towel around his hips, Naruto decides it's definitely better.

"Sas, what time is it? Should we start heading down?" Naruto moves towards the raven, unsurprised to see his nose still buried in that book and sits in the chair next to him. Stretching out lazily, he groans in satisfaction before sighing heavily and slumping backwards. "Seriously, hot springs are a gift from the heavens."

"You can always take a hot bath at home."

"It's not the same, teme. I don't have a tub out on the deck, and besides, it wouldn't be half as fun. It's about the experience."

Sasuke does that half-scoff thing he manages to make sound like a legitimate response, and continues reading, though Naruto doesn't miss the flicker of attention he receives at his state of undress.

Grinning, the blonde leans back further and props his legs up on the coffee table, making sure to stretch out just enough that the towel comes loose but doesn't fall off. He might not be experienced, but hell, he's not naïve either. He knows how to garner some attention.

The blonde tilts his head to the side and winks at the blatantly staring Uchiha. That earns him narrowed eyes that quickly morph into a disarming smirk.

Cocking his head to the side, Sasuke shuts his book and keeps his eyes trained on Naruto. "Dobe, are you trying to tempt me?"

Reeling at first from the novelty of seeing Sasuke smirk so suddenly, Naruto clears his throat before firing back with a bright smile and an obvious wiggle of his hips. "And if I am?"

Sasuke stands up, only having to take a step forward to be leaning over the blonde. Tilting his head up, Naruto shivers as the raven's lips ghost over his jaw and across his mouth, not stopping to place even a petal-soft kiss.

"Then you're going to be waiting. It is time to meet the others." As quick as he came, Sasuke pulls back with that ungodly smirk in place. "Get dressed, dobe."

"You know, this," Naruto motions up and down towards himself, "might not always be available. It's bad luck to turn down a willing blonde."

Sasuke scoffs and rolls his eyes. "You'll be just as willing later, I'm sure."

Laughing and nodding his head in slight agreement, Naruto pushes out of the chair and follows the raven into their rooms, securing the towel once more against the obtrusive breeze. Perhaps Operation Seduce the Uchiha will go smoother than planned.

They set out from the lanai for the northern trail with Naruto and Kiba exuberantly leading the group, despite having no idea where they're really going. That hardly seems to phase the two as they scout out the trail, nearly leaving the others behind in their excitement to explore.

Naruto is struck again by the simple beauty of nature and being in the thick of it. There's something about the lush greenery and the almost claustrophobic comfort that being surrounded by towering fir and pine trees brings to the blonde. He could happily spend all day hiking out here.

Naruto walks under a cluster of moss covered limbs, bent with time and stress. He stares up into the sun-soaked canopy, admiring how the leaves catch the light and seem to glow. Man, he would love to climb the trees and get closer to –

A sharp tug on his arm has his careening into the side of something hard with an "oomph" and a stumble. He jerks his head up and rights himself quickly, ready to tell off whoever threw him off balance. He's beaten to the punch, though, when his assailant speaks first.

"Watch where you're walking, dobe. I'm not carrying you back to the resort if you sprain your ankle by being an idiot." Sasuke drops the blondes arm, shaking his head in exasperation.

"I was looking at the forest!" Naruto sputters irately, pushing to keep up with the now vigorously-paced raven.

"You nearly stepped into a huge hole that would have fucked your ankle."

"Yeah, you're just upset it wasn't you that was doing any fucking," Naruto mutters petulantly under his breath, pursing his lips and huffing despite the heat rushing to his face from the nonchalant shrug and raised eyebrow Sasuke gives him. Almost as if he's saying "yeah, what of it?"

"Hey, you guys, I think we're getting close to the lake." Kiba calls from the front of the group. Sure enough, the sound of rushing water can be faintly heard up some ways, beckoning them to follow just a bit further.

Naruto obliges, moving quickly once more. Sasuke follows behind him, treading carefully in the foreign terrain. They've entered a densely populated area of brush and trees, the path converting from the simple dirt trail to wooden planks. You can't see anything for the trees; the sound of water is the only hint that they're close.

A small break in the clusters of trees and a bright sunbeam up ahead makes Naruto nearly bounce with excitement. And with good reason, he soon finds out.

They emerge from the tree line into one of the most gorgeous sights the blonde has ever seen. It's postcard worthy.

The wooden path continues along a raised expanse of moss-covered rock that splits the lake into two shimmering pools of blue. Tiny waterfalls spill out of the cracks in the rock, bubbling softly as it hits the surface.

To the left, a huge waterfall cascades down the rocky ridge, though it barely disturbs the lake as it meets the still water. The embankment itself is a towering structure of jagged stone, with trees growing at all visible sides.

"If you continue across the strip here, the path leads down into the basin. There's a hot spring down there, and more waterfalls. It's my favorite spot on the entire grounds." Temari speaks loud enough for everyone to hear her over the sound of rushing water, looking fondly at the grounds displayed before her. "The lake is beautiful, but I like the rough waters caused by the falls the most."

"Well, I'm just gonna go ahead and ask," Kiba grins at Naruto, who can already guess what he's going to ask, "are there any ledges we can cannonball into the basin at?"

"No." Temari and Sasuke answer in unison, one glaring at the speaker, and the latter at the blonde who's more than willing to go along with such an idea.

"There are areas deep enough to dive into, but no safe way to get to them. You'd have to go through that." She points to the right, where there's a rather large area of bushes and small trees imbedded in the moss and stone.

At various areas the ground becomes uneven, dropping off slightly as water gushes between the stone fractures. "One wrong step and you'd have your feet cut open on the rocks, or worse, a broken leg from a bad move." She points forward sternly. "Just follow the trail down instead of being an idiot."

Kiba sighs heavily in good humor, shooting her a cockeyed smile. "Alright, in the interest of not breaking bones." The mutt leads the way, holding Hinata's hand as she timidly traverses the wooden planks laid over stone.

It's a winding walk down the embankment and to the basin floor, but the effort is well worth it given the sights along the way.

At the back of the group, Naruto tugs at Sasuke's hand, grinning as he points out various scenery that catches his attention. Rolling his eyes but not dismissing the blonde's interest, Sasuke nods as the blonde gets excited over every little thing.

With a gasp, Naruto tightens his grip on the raven's hand, tugging enthusiastically to draw his attention towards a small pool. "Lookit, Sas! There are so many frogs right there!"

Sure enough, there are red frogs nested in a shallow pool created by the run-off water from a larger stream. Naruto flashes another bright smile as he continues to sight-see on the way down, immersed in the beautiful landscape and what it has to offer.

"Shit, that's cold!" A bubbling laugh and a splash have Naruto jerking his head around to see what the commotion is, a laugh tumbling from his lips as he watches the scene.

Kiba decided to take the plunge the moment he hit the bottom of the path, jumping into the nearest pool and splashing Hinata and Temari. Giggles erupt from the girls and Hinata timidly joins her boyfriend.

"Come on, Naruto. You can freeze your ass off as well." Kiba laughs energetically, continuing to splash the girls and anyone close enough. With a grin, Naruto speeds up to join the mutt, not letting go of Sasuke's hand. The raven shakes his head minutely as he's dragged along to the bottom of the trail.

"Swimming in the middle of March is not your brightest idea, dobe."

Naruto laughs and gives Sasuke's hand a squeeze. "I figured you'd say none of my ideas are good ones." The blonde tosses a smile over his shoulder. "Besides, there are hot spring pools, right? We can warm back up in one of them."

"Yes, so we can still catch colds from being wet on the trek home."

"So, then we can laze about with the sniffles all vacation together. Still a win."

"Hardly my idea of a good time."

Naruto bites out a laugh. "Teme, your idea of a good time is total isolation and a book."

Sasuke hums auspiciously to that, not confirming nor denying the statement but seeming quite pleased with the concept.

"Just come in with me, okay?" Naruto turns a full-blown pout onto the raven, who scoffs at the sight. Quickly breaking into a grin, the blonde tugs his shirt off, waving to Kiba that he'd be there in a moment.

Sasuke follows suit, taking shit shirt off and folding it on top of Naruto's. "Go play, dobe. Get it out of your system before I strangle you."

"You'd miss me too much."

"Don't count on it."

With a sly grin, Naruto glances at the group to make sure no one is watching them. Positive the coast is clear, he pushes Sasuke till he's just behind a tree and kisses him hard and quick, pulling back with a satisfied smile. "I'm happy you're here."

Not giving the raven time to say anything – whether it be positive or sarcastic – Naruto steps backwards and turns away, quickly moving and jumping into the cold water. A shout and more giggles erupt from the few people that get splashed, and Kiba immediately pulls him under again upon surfacing.

They continue to play for awhile before growing a bit too numb for comfort and make their way to one of the hot spring pools instead. Everyone moves off in their own direction, many areas to explore and relax in. Nearly everyone here is a couple, so it doesn't surprise Naruto that they all want a bit of privacy.

Himself included.

With that thought, he begins to look around for his raven who has been silent and invisible during his time in the water, wondering where he could have slipped off to.

Naruto looks around for a moment, growing more confused and anxious with each second he doesn't spot Sasuke. He wouldn't have up and left on his own, right? The blonde bites his lip worriedly, still searching.

A small disruption in a nearby spring catches Naruto's attention. The steamy water has a waterfall gently cascading into it, mixing the natural spring with the cool lake. It's the fall that was disturbed, and the blonde can now see why.

With a quirk of his lips and a subtle beckon of his hand, Sasuke motions for the blonde to come to him. The raven disappears under the gushing waterfall, not waiting to see if he's being followed.

Though, does he really need confirmation? Sasuke had the boy coming to him when that sinful smirk fell in place.

The water is comfortably warm despite the mixture of cold. Naruto welcomes the balminess as it washes over and replaces the chill. Slipping under the waterfall leads him to a curved outlet in the rock. It twists just enough that the sunlight on the other side does not pass through the wide tunnel. Going through it takes him to a small, circular hidden pool, mostly covered by the rocky outcropping of the tunnel. The center of the pool is illuminated by the sunlight, while the outsides are cast in shadows.

The object of Naruto's affections is sitting on a stone ledge in those shadows, barely submerged in a pool of water. Naruto can't help but smile as he thinks back to that January morning when he found Sasuke reclining on the bleachers in roughly the same position.

Except now, the blonde sees it as less of an icon for cool as he does an icon for sex.

"How did you find this?" Naruto wades over to the raven, coming to stand between his outstretched legs. The water in this little cove is chillier than what would be comfortable, but it's hardly a concern to the blonde.

"By chance." Sasuke flicks his fingers over the blonde's hipbones, pulling him closer.

With a grin of his own, Naruto leans down to barely graze his lips against the ravens, flicking his tongue gently over the boy's bottom lip teasingly before pulling back.

A hand leaves the blondes waist to curl around the nape of is neck, pressing him into a hard kiss that lacks any gentleness. With an approving moan, Naruto brings his legs to rest on either side of Sasuke, allowing him a better position to thoroughly ravish the ravens mouth and neck.

Deciding to return the favor, Sasuke lightly pulls Naruto's head back while coaxing him to arch his spine, leaving the boy taunt in front of him. With a self-satisfied smirk, the raven begins trailing teeth and lips down the column of Naruto's neck as his hands begin a slow glide over his waist.

The blonde can't help but shiver from the combination of warm water, cold air, nerves, and pleasure. He finds himself impulsively grinding onto Sasuke's lap, earning a moan from each boy.

"Did you drag me back here with the intentions of seducing me?" Naruto manages to ask breathlessly through kisses.

"As I recall, you're the one who started straddling me."

"Mmh," Naruto hums in agreement as the raven grinds his hips upwards in sync with his words. "You tempted me, though."

Sasuke roughly kneads the blonde's ass while they continue to grind against each other. "That's a point in my favor."

Naruto grins into their kiss. Damn right it is. Not wasting anymore time when both of them are already so hard it hurts, the blonde slides his hand into the raven's shorts and firmly grasps his length.

Letting a muffled sigh slip through his controlled façade, Sasuke nips at the blonde's lower lip before dragging him into another heated kiss. A pale hand follows Naruto's example and finds it way to the edge of the blonde' shorts, dragging them roughly down.

Enthusiastically, Naruto helps with a hand of his own, while letting go of Sasuke's length to give him the same treatment. The raven jerks his hips up and off the rocky ledge, giving Naruto some room to slide the shorts down.

Despite the chill of the water, the boys are far too lost to their desire and hormones to lose any momentum in their activities. Moaning appreciatively when Sasuke's hand finds its way around his cock, Naruto happily returns to his previous ministrations with a matching pace.

Nothing short of someone traipsing though that waterfall would get Naruto off the raven's lap or his slick palm from between his legs. The blonde can't remember ever being this turned on, and vaguely wonders if being outside has something to do with it.

He'll have to look into that later.

For now, he lets himself get lost in the feel of the boy beneath him. Warm, flushed skin that's covered in tiny beads of water. The rough fabric of their shorts scratching against his thighs.

And what turns Naruto on most is how absolutely responsive Sasuke is. Heavy and thick in his palm, the blonde can't help the shivers of delight every time the raven twitches in his hand.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end – literally. Within seconds of each other, both boys are spent into the other's palm, breathing heavily and shaking from the onslaught of their orgasms.

Naruto laughs huskily, his breath catching in his throat as he comes off his high. "Thank God for the waterfall, or I'm sure everyone would have heard us."

"Heard you, dobe. I know how to keep my voice down."

"Yeah, we'll have to work on that."

"Don't," Sasuke says with a faint smirk and a kiss. "It's one of the few good uses of your mouth."

Naruto laughs, sliding himself off raven's lap and righting his shorts. "Whatever, teme. You love my mouth for all uses, not just the sexy ones." The blonde leans down and steals one more quick kiss. "Come on, we've been here for a while. It's probably time to head back."

Not caring if they're seen walking out of a hidden cove together, the boys make their way towards the group collection near the shore, sharing a secret smile before reaching their none-the-wiser friends.

The hike back to the resort is filled with laughter and grumbling stomachs. Everyone is happy to agree to a dinner rendezvous – well, except Sasuke, but when does he do anything social happily?

Splitting up, each group heads in a different direction to get dressed and return to the center lanai just as dusk begins to set.

Naruto and Sasuke casually stroll along the path leading from their cabin to the main resort, freshly clothed and wonderfully dry. The raven with his hands in his pockets and a faint smirk at whatever nonsenses he's listening to. And the blonde with his arm linked through Sasuke's, laughing and telling some inane story.

"Look at the happy couple." A mockingly sugar-coated voice calls from behind them.

"Shut up, Midori." Both boys berate simultaneously. Naruto is better-natured about it, earning a laugh from the girl.

Midori and Sai merge onto their path, walking side by side. The little blonde waves as the four meet up on the main path. "You look good." She gives a wry smile to each of them, though her smirk is reserved for Naruto.

Ignoring her comment, Naruto motions for her and Sai to keep walking with them. "You coming to dinner? You missed the earlier get-together."

"Oooh, are we invited?"

"So long as you behave." Naruto states pointedly, giving the girl a sharp look.

She smiles sweetly but neither confirms nor refutes his stipulation.

The lanai is, simply put, gorgeous in the nighttime. Paper lanterns of various sizes are strung up around the wooden beams, and small candles sit in three around the cozy tables.

Naruto can see with one glance around the lanai that this will be a far more private gathering than brunch. All the couples have chosen to sit at the smaller tables rather than at one of the larger group tables.

It makes the blonde smile to see everyone content and happy with their respective partner. Hell, even Choji is sitting with a pretty dark-skinned girl. She's unfamiliar to Naruto – certainly not from their school. She stands out with her auburn hair and pointed features, the kind of girl you expect to see in a lively group of preppy kids. But she's animatedly talking to the shy boy, who seems quite pleased with the attention.

"Well, this looks like a romantic setting." Midori remarks casually. "As much as I enjoy your company, Naruto, I'm gonna have to pass in favor of my boy."

Naruto waves her off. "Go for it."

"And you have fun with your boy. I think you can get away with being sweet on each other tonight. No one is paying any attention." She winks along with a wicked grin, steering Sai towards an empty table before either boy can reply.

"I swear, that girl can be a nuisance." Naruto tsk's, though there's a grin of his own plastered to his face and no vehemence to the words.

"She's like the female version of you, just more sarcastic." Sasuke offers in response as he stalks off towards a secluded table towards the back, Naruto's arm still linked with his.

"Is that a compliment?"

Sasuke huffs quietly. "One Naruto is enough."

"I hope I'm the one you choose to keep around." The blonde tilts his head to the side and gives a cheeky grin, laughing as the raven rolls his eyes in answer.

It's not until they've sat down that Naruto takes stock of their surroundings and notes the suspicious lack of a buffet or anything resembling 'serve yourself'.

"So, do they have waitresses here, or what?" Naruto asks in a hushed whisper, skeptically glancing around the lanai.

"A waiter, actually. My name is Kankuro." A guy, no more than a few years older than the blonde, says as he approaches from behind. "What can I get you to drink?"

"Um, sweet tea, please." Naruto replies hastily, not liking the no-nonsense look the brunette is giving him.

Sasuke barely gives the boy a speck of attention. "Just water."

"Alright. Here are some menus to look over while I'm gone." He hands them each a simple but attractive one-sheet menu that is filled front and back.

"I'm really surprised with this place. It's not what I was expecting, but in a good way."

"I too am pleased with the quality. Temari's family has done well."

Naruto smiles widely. "Be sure to tell her that. I bet her mouth will fall open from a compliment comin' from the stoic Uchiha."

Sasuke looks like he's about to say something but closes his mouth with a small smirk instead. "Did you have fun today?"

The blonde nods excitedly. "We've gotta hike the other trails while we're here. And I definitely want to go back to the lake and the hot springs."

"I'm sure you do."

"Shut up, teme. I didn't mean it like that."

Sasuke smiles softly, casting a brief glance away from his menu and to the blonde. "You aren't opposed to that interpretation."

"That's beside the point."

The raven mutters something under his breath but doesn't push the topic further. Kankuro comes over not long after to take their orders, leaving them to their own devices once more.

"Are you ready for games to start up? Kiba won't shut his mouth about it."

"I'll be happy when the season is over, and I can focus on more important things."

"Like what, extra studying?"

"Yes. We start university in five months."

Naruto scoffs, suddenly going sour. "Speak for yourself."

"You'll get a reply soon."

There's no guarantee that they'll say yes."

Sasuke tsk's and rolls his eyes, not agreeing with the blonde's opinion. "I helped you with the applications and Kakashi gave you a recommendation. There's no reason they won't."

"Not being arrogant at all, huh?" Naruto laughs, flashing a white-teethed smile. To be completely honest, the blonde has been growing more worried by the day. It's already mid-March and there's been no replies. If he doesn't get in, he can still work at Java's, but he highly doubts it will even be enough to cover bills, should he move out, even if it became fulltime.

Which would mean a different job – likely in one of the factories littering the city – or another service job or two on top of the bakery.

Having a degree won't automatically give him a shit-ton of money, he knows that. But it certainly couldn't hurt.

"Stop thinking so hard, dobe. You'll hurt yourself." Sasuke reaches a hand out, gently squeezing the boy's wrist. "It will be fine."

"You gonna write the school an angry letter if I don't get accepted?"

The corner of Sasuke's mouth tips in a half smile. "Of course. They'll owe me an explanation."

Interrupting their conversation is the arrival of their food, much to Naruto's pleasure. It feels like ages since they last ate this afternoon.

"Alright, so-" Naruto poises his fork, "we went for a hike and a very nice swim. I played in the hot tub earlier. Do you have any after-dinner plans?"

Pausing with his fork hallway to his mouth, Sasuke stares incredulously across the table. "Are you blatantly propositioning me?"

"What?!" Naruto sputters, his own fork clattering to his plate as he stares in shock across the table. "Did I what?!"

Sasuke shrugs his shoulders, taking a bite and swallowing before speaking again. "It sounded like a come-on to me."

"Well… well! It wasn't, okay? It was an innocent question." Mostly. Maybe the blonde was trying to get a feel for where the night is headed. Still. Mostly innocent.

"Nothing about you has been innocent all day."

"You're one to talk," Naruto mutters before chomping down on a mouthful of food.

"I do have plans for tonight." Sasuke continues, unperturbed. "They depend on another party, though."

Managing to not choke on his food, the blonde looks up with narrowed eyes, attempting to determine if he's being messed with. "What's that mean?"

"It means I'm not the only one with a say-so in what happens tonight, dobe."

Oh. Oh. "But, um, your say in the matter, is-ah, a yes?"

Sasuke smirks ever so slightly. "For now. Depends on what happens between then and now."

Naruto scoffs. "Considering we're in the middle of dinner and then going back to the room, I don't expect a whole lot to happen. Unless you want it to be a live show."

"I'm amazed you're not dying from embarrassment just saying that line."

Well, Naruto couldn't refute him on that. His face did light up like a match the moment the words tumbled out of his mouth, where he wishes he could just shove them right back in. "The point is," the blonde states roughly, "is that not much can happen between then and now."

Sasuke shakes his head carefully. "You can always change your mind in a split second. An agreement now does not mean an agreement later." The raven studies his partner seriously, as if trying to see if some message is getting across.

"Teme, when have I ever changed my mind on you in a way that meant I was backing out?" Naruto smiles in sincerity. "I'm good with where we stand, and where we're heading. You don't gotta worry about that."

"Then to directly answer your question, yes, we have after-dinner plans." Sasuke smiles – an honest, full lip-tilt smile, before glancing back down and continuing to his meal. If Naruto wasn't sold on jumping into bed with him before, he sure as hell is now.

They walk back to the lodging in amicable silence, hands clasped once more as they listen to the chirping of the nightlife. There's no one else to be seen on the trail, lulling Naruto into a sense of security and ease while at Sasuke's side.

It's not until they're outside the door to their room that the blonde manages to buck up enough courage to ask a pivotal question for the night. Naruto clears his throat awkwardly, wanting the raven's attention. He rubs his palm against the back of his neck, trying to gain some comfort before diving into the deep end here. "Um, do you want to shower with me?"

Sasuke nods, walking over to steal a kiss. Pulling back, he rests his hand along the blonde's jawline, stroking his thumb soothingly along a tanned cheek. "Naruto, how far are you willing to take this?"

The blonde's breath hitches in his throat as he pulls back from Sasuke, taking in the boy's serious expression.

He answers with more ease and certainty than he thought to be capable of. "As far as you want, Sas."

The raven nods and gives him another quick kiss before unlocking the door. He immediately walks over to his bags. "Go ahead and get the shower ready. I'll be there in a moment."

Not wasting any time to follow that order, Naruto moves into the spacious bathroom quickly, leans against the sink and tries to calm his rapid heartbeat. They're really going to do this. Well and truly.

Deep breathes.

In an attempt to still himself, the blonde rapidly removes his clothes, dropping them into a neat pile on the floor before stepping into the large shower stall. He turns the handle all the way to hot and fires up the showerhead.

It's not long after that Sasuke comes into the room, holding some items. "What do you got?" Naruto asks suspiciously, eyeing the blurry boxes through the frosted glass in Sasuke's hands.

"Things to help." He replies simply, setting the items on the sink counter.

"Help? Help what?"

Sasuke sighs, growing irate with the line of questioning. "Help to adjust. Just be quiet, dobe, and go with it unless you're uncomfortable."

Naruto scoffs. If those items are to 'help' with what he's imagining, there's no way it won't be uncomfortable.

Breathing in deep as he hears boxes being opened, Naruto closes his eyes and tries to relax under the scalding stream of water. There is nothing to be nervous about, he tries to reassure himself. Sasuke knows what he's doing, right?

… Right? Oh, fuck, this could be a disaster. The onset of renewed panic has the blondes voice shaking slightly as he speaks. "Sas, I'm honestly running blind here. I have no idea what to do or-"

Sasuke cuts him off by sliding the glass door open and pulling the wet blonde into a hard kiss, stopping the worried rant spilling from his lips. "I know, dobe. Just follow my lead."

Naruto nods mutely, more than happy to relinquish control on this endeavor. This is a first for him – no matter how you look at it. For both of their sakes and enjoyment, he hopes the raven has some idea or practice on the endeavor.

Stepping back towards the wall, Naruto slides slick palms along the raven's sides as he joins him in the shower. Naruto hears the soft clatter of items being sat down on the ledge behind him, but doesn't turn around to see what they are. He can already imagine.

"Do you trust me?" Sasuke runs his hands down the blondes back and over his ass, gently squeezing before letting go and working his way back up again.

"You know I do, teme." Naruto breaths shallowly, nervous as hell but excited beyond his wildest expectations. The Uchiha just manages to have that effect.

"Okay," he all but whispers, "just work with me and keep relaxed, okay?"

Naruto can only nod in agreement. His hands tighten on the raven's hips at the peculiar sensation of pressure against his ass. He tenses momentarily, shying away from the probing finger, before calming down ever so slightly.

He shivers from the cool hand that rubs circles along his back in an attempt to offer comfort. Timidly, he leans forward and places chaste kisses along the raven's jaw, smiling when Sasuke eagerly catches his mouth in a rough graze of teeth and lips.

Too caught up in a battle of dominance with their tongues, Naruto doesn't hear the subtle click of a bottle cap, and he barely notes the increased pressure against his hole. Without warning, Sasuke slips a finger into the blonde, earning a startled gasp. It doesn't hurt, not at all like he expected. But it does border on uncomfortable.

"Sas, it's strange." The blonde complains with a tinge of whining, rotating his hips slightly as if that will accustom him to the intrusion.

The raven actually has the audacity to chuckle. "Did you expect it to be anything else?" He asks softly, nipping at a sensitive bit of skin on Naruto's neck. He gently begins moving deeper into the blonde, before pulling away and pushing back in slowly and repeatedly.

"Now that this isn't new to you-"

"It's still extremely new-"

"I'm going to move on. Relax."

Seriously, 'relax' is not the easiest thing to do right now. As much as he's into this, it's still a very strange sensation. "Can, I, um, touch you?"

Not stuttering in his movements, Sasuke nods against the blonde's neck, trailing his free hand around to Naruto's cock, where he begins a teasing pump in unison with his other ministrations.

Hesitantly, as if it's the first time he's been intimate with the raven, Naruto slides his hand along the inside of Sasuke's thigh, timidly moving towards his target. With a shallow breath, he glances down between their bodies, enthralled at the sight of his hand coming to grasp the raven's length.

It's at this moment that said boy chooses to remove himself from the blonde. Stiffening in mild surprise at the sudden feeling of emptiness, Naruto tightens his hand around Sasuke's shaft, pausing in his motion as he waits for Sasuke to continue.

Sasuke runs his hands along Naruto's back soothingly, giving him a series of drawn out kisses before slightly turning away from the blonde. The sound of a bottle being popped open does not go unnoticed by the boy this time, nor does the studious expression on the raven's face as he prepares for…

Well, Naruto isn't exactly sure. But he can tell from the flicker of slight anticipation in Sasuke's eyes that something new is going to happen. And no amount of nerves could make Naruto not be turned on by that look of want on the raven's face.

"Alright," Sasuke whispers, pulling Naruto tightly against him, making the blonde relinquish his grip on the raven's cock. "Work with me."

Once again, there is pressure against Naruto's hole, but it's different – softer and smooth as compared to Sasuke's finger. And bigger. Definitely bigger. The blonde moans in both protest and surprise but doesn't stop the raven from continuing to gently push against him.

Sasuke hooks a hand under Naruto's thigh, pulling his leg upwards to rest against his hip. "Stay here, dobe, it'll be easier."

Doing as he's told, the blonde leaves his leg hooked around Sasuke's waist, placing both hands on the boy's shoulders to stabilize himself. As he begins to feel the well-lubed toy enter him, he moans in surprised pleasure at the sensation of it, along with Sasuke's sudden return to playing with his cock.

Within just a few seconds, the invasive toy pops into place, quite literally. Naruto instinctively clenches around it, shivering at the feeling of being full. Sasuke brings his hands to rest on Naruto's hips, giving him an arrogant half smile. "Alright, now it's time to shower."

The blonde deadpans, eyes narrowing in disbelief at the boy. "Do you want me to kill you?"

That gorgeous smile settles on the raven's face for just a moment, before he's physically turning the blonde around so that his back is facing him. "Trust me, you already are. Now, angle the shower head to hit further back."

With no lack of grumbling, Naruto does as instructed, though he's secretly pleased with the feeling of hot water running down his back once again. During their activities, they had both been out of the stream of water, though the room has no lack of heat to it. Steam has built up on any available surface that can maintain it. And maybe it's just Naruto, but his entire being feels on fire.

It's all the blonde can do to keep himself from groaning when he feels slick palms delve into his sopping wet locks, lathering a spicy scented shampoo through his hair. Naruto lets himself get lost in the feeling of Sasuke's hands while acclimatizing himself to the foreign object inside him.

It's not unpleasant in the least, he realizes, now that he's calmed down. Thank god they didn't rush into doing this, or he might have panicked. But as it is, he can safely say he is fine with this. And if he's fine with this, then certainly having Sasuke in its place…

An onslaught of shivers runs up his back at the thought, brining a moan with it. The raven pauses in his lathering, though Naruto isn't sure if it's from fear of something being wrong or not.

"Teme, don't stop."

Instead of responding, Sasuke drops one hand from Naruto's hair and down to the base of the toy, rotating it ever so slightly. "Is it good?"

Naruto breathes in deeply, closing his eyes and willing himself to not move backwards against him. "Fuck you, Sasuke. You know damn well it is."

Soft laughter and petal soft kisses to his shoulder is the only response he gets as the raven returns to his hair, washing the product out with massaging motions. After he's satisfied that it's all gone, Sasuke spins Naruto back around to face him, catching him in a rough kiss. "Are you ready, dobe?"

Naruto smiles shyly at his lover, not from nerves or awkwardness with the situation, but from the absolute intimacy he feels from what Sasuke is asking him. He presses a chaste kiss to the raven's lips, pulling back and stepping out of the shower. "Come on, teme. There are other things you gotta teach me tonight."