Chapter Nine: Here We Are

Author's Note: It's just wrapping it all up because the last chapter just felt odd and incomplete.

Warnings/Disclaimer/Muffin: Done, Done, armed to explode.

Chapter Nine: Here We Are

An extra thank you for everyone who has been extra supportive through my most difficult time.

So here we are. It's been a few months. Don't gape at me like that. I mean really, you really want me to narrate my relationship with the teme. Are you insane?
Just him, I know.

But yeah, we gave it a shot.

It was awkward at first. To me at least.

"Just to you?"

Alright, alright, it was just plain awkward. I honestly didn't think it was going to work it had gotten so weird. But we had adjusted. Despite how Sasuke and I had been before with the fights, how we bickered and how we usually had gotten along (with all his bastardly and anti-social ways) we managed.

"You make it sound like work."

It was pretty much the same as before once it dawned on us that nothing had to changed.

"When it dawned on you?"

"Would you shut up teme?"

We still bickered and fought and called each other names, we still attended school, and everything like before. I started playing football once I was cleared by the doctor as starting quarter back, and Sasuke came to all my games and practices. We studied together considering this crazy asshole is a double major.

"It isn't my fault you're an idiot."

"Asshole."

But like I said, it was the same. There wasn't really any major affection like you read in romance novels. We did get used to sitting together on the couch.

"What an amazing hurtle that was."

"Fuck you're a dick."

What this asshole is refusing to let me get out is that at first, we couldn't even sit on the couch without sitting on opposite ends, refusing to look at each other, and pretending the other wasn't there.

It was same at breakfast when we ate at the table, and at dinner at the same table.

"So he started panicking."

"Did not!"

Okay, okay…so I panicked a little.

"A lot."

"Whatever."

I did one of those open my mouth and say things five billion times fast, and not realize what I'm saying. I'm pretty sure I said something about 'I told you so', 'ruined friendship' and 'I shouldn't have said it'. I even paced while I ranted and the whole time the teme sat back on the couch just as casually as can be, watching me have a meltdown. He eventually sat me down when I started to hyperventilate.

"I was tired of hearing him talk."

"He didn't want me to pass out."

"I was tired of hearing him talk…"

Anyway! He calmed me down pretty easily. He punched my arm, flicked my temple, and kissed me. What a combo. But that's how he works. It seemed to flow better from that point on naturally. It gradually became easier as the days passed, and our relationship slowly matured. We eventually got used to sitting on the couch together without pretending we were apposing magnets. Gradually we could sit at the table for breakfast and dinner and talk like we knew we were capable. Kissing became more of a common thing, just like random touches.
We began to just sleep in the other's bed because well, I thought his was more comfortable, and he liked my pillows.

Sitting on the couch became more lax as time went on, mostly on my behalf. He'd be on the couch after my showers from practice, and I'd be exhausted. It's not my fault I just dumped myself on him.

So we continued on without so much as a problem.

"Mostly."

Oh yeah…

He forgot about telling our parents.

"And our friends."

"Which one was easier, dobe?"

"Ah, touché teme."

Naruto's mom caught on rather quickly that something was going on between us on our regular meetings with our parents. When she would call the dobe, she started asking how we were doing instead of just him. Soon it started evolving into 'doing together' and it was unavoidable.

Technically Naruto's big mouth was unavoidable.

"Bastard."

"Dumbass."

He came right out with it, spilling every single word like he always did. If that wasn't bad enough, she began to wanting to talk to me every time she called to talk to her son. She would inform me of things he liked to eat more than others, nervous ticks he had, stupid things he did when he was upset if he didn't want to talk about something.

As if I didn't know these things already.

"She was trying to be nice."

"And you're trying my patience."

What I figured I could avoid was actually unavoidable. It wasn't at all that I wanted to keep our relationship a secret, just simply keep my father and brother out of the loop. Now that Kushina knew about us, it was inevitable. I knew she would 'accidently' let it slip to Itachi considering my brother thought and voiced privately between the two of us that we were meant to be.

So it was only a matter of time before my father found out.

"And our lives ended."

"…Smartest comment yet dobe, keep them up."

It was on the next visit we had to make after Naruto's mom found out that I knew I was doomed. I walked in to my house and only found Kushina and Itachi there. Turned out my dad still needed time to adjust that his youngest son was in a gay relationship, and couldn't face it head on.

"What about the first dinner together?"

"I'm getting there, moron."

When we finally did meet face to face with my father, he was the one who laid down rules for us. While in his presence; no kissing, hugging, affection of any kind, and he could deal with it.

"Teme got angry."

I told him it wasn't something to deal with. I wasn't dealing with him and Itachi, they were family. I wasn't dealing with my part as being raised to go to college and grow into the family business. It wasn't something life gave him to deal with. It was something life gave him to care for, like he did Itachi and I, my mother when she was alive, and the business.

He didn't seem to like the word 'care', and after the longest death glare I had ever received in my life and leaving Kushina and Naruto holding their breath to almost the death point, he gave us acknowledgement.

A nod.

"That's it."

Despite how it sounds, that a big acknowledgement. My father even inclining his head to anyone or anything was a big thing. I can't really explain it. I never saw him do it my entire life, not once. Not even to Itachi, the star child.

And our friends, well…

"Pfft."

They all said the same thing. Well, except Kiba. Kiba had no idea, and still makes faces from time to time, but otherwise…

"They told us about time."

And that's it.

"Could you bore them anymore?"

"Could you be more of a bastard?"

I got the bastard used to saying 'I love you' without him acting like he'll explode. We even had a 'proper' date that ended with us getting kicked out of a restaurant for getting into a food fight.

"He started it."

"You asked for it."

But that's it. That's our awkward little story. From the very beginning to where we are now. We don't really know where we're going to end up, but for now we're happy.

"Annoyed, but happy."

"Some days."

So, instead of telling you a lie, and saying 'happily ever after' with sunshine, rainbows and butterflies; we're telling you the truth. We still have arguments over nothing, and sometimes, over everything. Some days are a lot better than others. We don't think the other is perfect, because for the most part, we're sane.

"Most part dobe?"

We don't spend every waking hour with each other, and in fact, sometimes we just need a moment away from each other. We are, in fact, your average couple. We complain about each other, but we can't help but smile when we see each other.

Happily ever after?

"Let's keep it practical."

Practical it is.

Accident waiting to happen?

"Cliché."

Together forever.

"We aren't twelve."

...Fine.

It's as good as it's going to get folks, and for once, I'm pretty content with that.

"For once Naruto, I agree with you."

Author's Note: Yaaay, fiction done. Chasing the Darkness has already been updated, and Rented to Be will be following up shortly with Just Right of Perfect soon after.