Chapter Text
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“Are you sure it’s ok to leave for four days? What if Itachi needs something? What if something goes wrong with the apartment or Gamakichi?”
Sasuke smiled softly as he lifted Naruto’s hand and kissed the top of it in an attempt to ease his worries. It was the first time they had left his brother for an extended period of time and while he didn’t doubt his brother’s logic and deductive reasoning skills, Naruto’s nurturing nature was concerned for him. No matter how much he and Itachi had tried to assure him all would most likely be well, Naruto came up with another problem that could arise each time.
“He’ll be fine. He has Genma’s number for emergencies. Iruka said he’d be more than happy to take him anywhere he needs to go. As far as Gamakichi goes, Kuromi promised to take him to the vet if something happens,” Sasuke said.
“I just worry about Itachi. I don’t want anything to go wrong now that he’s free,” Naruto admitted.
“That means a lot to him that you care so much,” Sasuke said, smiling when his fiancé looked at him, “He said you make him feel like family. Our mom was the same way. I’m not saying you’re just like our mom but you have qualities she had that we both loved and miss desperately.”
“That makes me happy. From what you and Itachi have told me, she was amazing and someone to aspire to be like.”
“That’s a lofty goal,” Sasuke said, chuckling when the blond flicked his shoulder, “What do you think about going to the beach?”
Sasuke knew his fiancé was unsure about their destination. Naruto had shared some stories about his past trips to the beach and how unpleasant they had been. He was willing to try again since he wasn’t with the foster families that had taken him before. The fact that friends were joining them sweetened the deal.
“I’m leaning more toward looking forward to it than dread. I keep reminding myself that I’m not with those that hurt me like they did when I was a kid. I like that Neji, Shino, and Kankurou are going to be there too,” Naruto replied, “It’s going to be a load of fun.”
“You’re not the one that’s going to be harassed by Kankurou,” Sasuke muttered, “I like that we’re combining esports’ business with pleasure. That way we aren’t crunched for time when the semester starts.”
“I don’t know how much I can help. I don’t mind sitting in and listening,” Naruto said.
“You’re part of the inner circle now, Starshine. You’ve earned it,” Sasuke said, pressing a finger onto Naruto’s lips when he tried to protest, “I’ve talked the idea over with Neji and Shino but it’s still a rough draft. I’m going to bring it up when we talk about the team but I want you to know your feedback will be considered just like anyone else there this weekend.”
“Wow. I don’t know what to say,” Naruto said.
“You can thank us and tell us how awesome we are,” he teased.
“Thank you and you’re egotistical, Sassy,” Naruto said, giggling when Sasuke glared at him.
“Fuck you.”
The short two hour drive was over before they knew it when Sasuke pulled into the driveway of their rental house. It was close to the beach they wanted to visit and central to any store or amenity they could possibly need. Quickly unloading his car as well as Kankurou’s, everyone changed into their swimming attire and set out for the beach. They chatted about where to go for dinner and desserts they could make over the fire pit in the backyard. Naruto was oddly quiet but Sasuke didn’t want to approach him until they were alone.
The beach wasn’t too busy by the time they reached it. Choosing a partially shaded spot, Kankurou and Shino walked toward the water. Neji lingered behind, Sasuke guessing his intuitive friend could sense something was wrong. Sasuke gave Neji a nod while Naruto spread out the blanket and waited until his friend was out of earshot before speaking.
“Talk to me, Starshine. What’s wrong?” Sasuke asked.
“Nothing. Just a little tired. We were up late last night packing,” Naruto replied.
“Bullshit. You tell corny jokes and whine when you’re tired. Again, what’s wrong?” he inquired.
“I was an idiot while I was getting ready. I planned on wearing a tank top while I was swimming but I grabbed a white one,” Naruto answered, his gaze downcast and hand on his chest as he continued, “Everyone is going to see my scar.”
“Then you’ll wear mine,” Sasuke said, tugging his black shirt over his head and handing it to his fiancé, “You can have it back when we figure out where we’re eating at. Problem solved.”
“You hate white though,” Naruto stated.
“I do but it’s worth it if you can join in with what everyone else is doing,” he said, “I’ll shield you while you change.”
It didn’t take long for Naruto to don the shirt, Sasuke draping his arm over the blond’s shoulders as they strolled to meet their friends. Sasuke asked his fiancé what he was in the mood to eat that evening, not surprised when he fired off dish after dish they’d have to order from multiple restaurants. Placing a hand over Naruto’s mouth when he brought up a Japanese eatery, Sasuke stated they would ask their friends about their preferences for the meal instead of allowing him free reign.
Their time in the water was fabulous. They swam, chatted while treading water, and played a few games. Kankurou shoved Sasuke under the water minutes before they decided to leave, the former laughing at the latter when he emerged spitting out a deluge of curse words along with water. Sasuke warned his friend to sleep with his bedroom door locked or he’d beat him within an inch of his life. Neji teased Sasuke about his grumpy drowned rat look until he cracked a smile. He eventually found humor in the prank the more he thought about it. Fist bumping Kankurou as they left the beach, he confessed not many were bold enough to pull off something so drastic. It earned him a giant grin from Kankurou.
They decided to dine at a pizza parlor that specialized in New York style. Sasuke suggested sitting outside since everyone was soaked with seawater and he was without a shirt due to his severe aversion to white, the others agreeing with his logic. Insisting that he pay for the meal, Sasuke advised his friends to order a pie each so they had leftovers to snack on the following day. Sasuke teased Naruto by telling him that his two pizzas might tide him over until midnight. The playful jab earned him a hand shoving his cheek, Sasuke laughing at his fiancé.
“I figured we could get a few hours in before everyone pukes out for the night,” Sasuke said once everyone returned to the living room after changing into dry clothes, “I want to preface by stating that I’d like to bring Naruto into the inner circle. I’m not saying this as his fiancé but as a co-leader. He has his finger on the pulse of the team and knows how to promote us so we get more exposure.”
“What capacity would you like him to fill?” Shino inquired.
“I don’t know. That’s why I wanted to bring it up with you guys,” Sasuke answered.
“What about recruiting director?” Neji questioned, “He’s a cheerful go-getter that would make the highest strung player feel at ease. His promotional abilities will sell us to prospective recruits better than we ever could. I’d be willing to bet he could land us a few more sponsorships as well.”
“I think you have something there,” Shino said.
“If he can make a friend in Gaara, he can charm anyone,” Kankurou stated, “I say go for it.”
“Yeah, that’d be perfect,” Sasuke said, turning his head and regarding the blond’s expression, “What do you think?”
“You guys trust me to be in charge of something that important?” Naruto asked.
“Most definitely,” Neji replied, the others nodding in agreement.
“Ok. I’d love to,” Naruto said with a smile, “I need to be shown what I need to do.”
“We can go over the applications we’ve already received tomorrow,” Sasuke offered, his fiancé nodding, “What’s next?”
“Trials. I’d like to hold them the week after school starts but want to handle them a little differently,” Neji said, Sasuke tilting his head interestedly, “I propose we choose a game before we go over their applications and include it in the selection emails. That way they have time to hone their skills instead of possibly being faced with a game they haven’t played in years.”
“My only concern is they’ll become proficient or better at one game and bomb the others. What about going through the applications and get an idea of what game is mentioned the most?” Sasuke questioned.
“That seems more agreeable,” Shino chimed in, “That way they aren’t locked into a game they’ve never played before.”
“I like that idea better which brings me to the next topic of discussion,” Neji said, “Of the few applications I’ve seen, all of them list Counter-Strike. I’d rather reserve it for our tournament team. We might receive some backlash since our win could be a draw for future players. I’d like to shift their focus to other possible tournament runs, particularly League of Legends and Overwatch 2.”
“What about when we aren’t playing anymore? We won’t be grad students forever,” Kankurou brought up, “We have understudies in theater in case the lead can’t perform or leaves the production. How about choosing five players to be our understudies?”
“That’s doable,” Sasuke replied, “I’m not sure about you guys but I plan on being a part of the team even after I graduate. Granted I won’t be a player but a coach or something like that.”
“You’ll be in your eighties screaming at the team when they fuck up on DOTA 47,” Kankurou teased, laughing when Sasuke flipped him off.
“What else do we have to discuss?” Shino inquired.
The topics ranged from upgrading some of the stations since the parts were becoming antiquated to modifying their practice schedule. Naruto brought up monthly get-togethers to further foster a sense of camaraderie on the team, the idea well-received. The founders left coming up with activities to Naruto, the blond beaming as he told them that they wouldn’t be disappointed. It was near one in the morning when they stopped for the night. Wishing everyone a good night, Sasuke laced his fingers through Naruto’s and guided him to their room.
“Today was fun and productive,” Naruto said, his head on Sasuke’s chest as they lay in bed.
“I can’t believe we got that much done. We still have a few wrinkles to iron out but other than that, it’s free time,” Sasuke declared.
“I have a few thoughts I’d like to bring up with the others that might increase our exposure across campus,” Naruto said, “That’s for tomorrow though. Thank you.”
“For what?” Sasuke murmured as sleepiness settled over him.
“For letting me be a part of the team. Not just playing but making a difference. I’ve always wanted to do something like this since I was little,” Naruto said, his voice quiet, “I usually heard I couldn’t do anything right or I was an idiot. I can’t express how great it feels to be heard on something of this scale.”
“I think you needed the right environment to flourish and gain the confidence to be where you are now. I’d love to beat the shit out of the people that said you couldn’t though,” Sasuke stated.
“It hurt a lot then but I like to think that this is where I’m supposed to be,” Naruto said, “Hopefully this is my time to shine.”
“You’re going to blind people, Starshine,” Sasuke said, kissing his fiancé’s forehead, “We need to get some sleep though. If I know Neji he’ll be up by eight and wake us up fifteen minutes later.”
“Yeah. I don’t want to deal with cranky bitch Sasuke,” Naruto said, giggling when Sasuke playfully smashed his face with a hand.
“Fuck you,” he growled before holding Naruto tighter, “Sleep well and sweet dreams. I love you, Starshine.”
“Love you too.”
Neji slept in until ten much to the others’ delight. Naruto made breakfast while everyone else got ready for the day. Rushing through his morning ritual so he could help his fiancé, Sasuke rested his hands on Naruto’s hips and kissed his cheek moments after entering the kitchen.
“How can I help?” Sasuke asked.
“Can you chop the peppers and onions then sauté them? I’m worried about the biscuits burning if I get the vegetables ready for the omelets,” Naruto replied.
“You got it,” Sasuke said.
They worked together like a well-oiled machine, their friends commenting on how they anticipated what one needed and handing off tasks without a word. Sasuke could feel the pride radiating from Naruto, glancing at the blond to see his cheerful grin evoked by the compliment. Smiling as he got back to buttering the biscuits once Naruto pulled them out of the oven, Sasuke hoped the joyous mood would last the rest of the day.
Breakfast was an unprecedented success, Naruto beaming with every word of praise he received. Neji brought up the craft market that was being held at the boardwalk that weekend and wanted to gauge interest in exploring it. The group found the idea amenable and planned to be there when the market opened. Since Naruto was the only one still in pajamas, it was decided that he get ready while everyone else cleaned up after the meal.
The section of the boardwalk where the market was located was farther than they were originally led to believe. They had to take a few breaks for Kankurou to catch his breath, Sasuke teasing him to take his scripts to the gym with him. It earned him a middle finger from Kankurou, Sasuke winking at his friend for finally getting the best of him.
The market was impressive and had something for everyone. Shino was enthralled by a handmade comforter covered in different types of insects as well as their scientific names sewn onto the fabric. Neji found a leather messenger bag designed for one in the business field with enough pockets to hold the tools of his trade. Kankurou was enamored by a vegan cosmetics company and purchased several products, including some of the darkest eyeliner he had ever seen.
Looking around for Naruto, Sasuke found him at a tent studying little knickknacks that he couldn’t make out from where he was standing. He told his friends that he’d be back shortly and went to join the blond. The handblown glass pieces were incredibly delicate yet exquisitely crafted. Impressed that Naruto wasn’t picking up each one to inspect them, Sasuke crouched next to his fiancé.
“They’re very pretty,” Sasuke said, smiling softly when Naruto turned his head.
“They really are,” Naruto agreed, pointing at one tiny glass sculpture, “I was thinking about getting this one for Iruka. Dolphins are his favorite animal. Do you think he’d like it?”
“I know he’d love it. He’ll have to find a spot out of Birdie’s reach though,” Sasuke replied.
“I like getting him little trinkets and watching him smile. I’ve never given him something so fragile though,” Naruto stated.
“I think he’d cherish it always,” he said.
“I’m going to get it for him,” Naruto announced.
Waiting for Naruto to pay for the glass sculpture and have it boxed carefully, Sasuke threaded his fingers through the gaps in between Naruto’s as they went in search of their friends. They found them at an outdoor arcade, Shino and Neji squaring off in a racing game. It was amusing listening to Kankurou give them pointers since neither knew how to drive. The game finished when Neji crossed the finish line a second ahead of Shino, their bespectacled friend staring at his roommate.
“We’ll finish this contest with a game we’re both familiar with when we return to the city,” Shino pledged.
“I’ll still kick your ass,” Neji taunted with an insufferable smirk.
“What does the winner get?” Kankurou asked, a mischievous smile as he goaded them.
“A week free from washing dishes,” Shino replied, “Is that acceptable?”
“Add washing bedclothes to the loser’s responsibilities and we have a deal,” Neji answered.
“Deal,” Shino said, shaking Neji’s hand.
Deciding there weren’t any other games that interested them, the group strolled along the boardwalk. There were several musicians playing for tips, Sasuke dropping a few bills into each jar they passed. An artist was drawing portraits for those interested. Upon seeing the woman’s talent, Sasuke talked Naruto into getting one of them. It wasn’t a detailed drawing but captured the love for one another in their eyes and the sides of their heads touching. Neji and Shino loved the simplicity. Sasuke was expecting a smart remark from Kankurou yet was pleasantly surprised when he declared that he had never seen such joy captured in a drawing. Sasuke couldn’t help but grin.
Returning to the rental house to change into swimming attire, the group began the quick jaunt to the beach. It was more amusing though their belongings needed watching. Dividing shifts into thirty minutes, Shino volunteered to stay on shore first while the others enjoyed their time in the ocean. Sasuke scooped Naruto into his arms and carried him into the chilly water, dropping him unceremoniously when the water reached the blond’s backside.
“You are the absolute worst fiancé in the history of history!” Naruto shouted when he broke the surface of the water, “You are terrible and I will get you back.”
“Whatever,” Sasuke said, brushing his lips across Naruto’s, “It was something new for you to do at the beach. Now you can say you’ve been dumped in the ocean.”
“Jerk,” Naruto muttered.
“You still love me,” Sasuke said, grinning at his fiancé when he rolled his eyes.
“You’re lucky that I do,” Naruto stated.
An ice cream vendor slowly weaved his way around the spots staked out along the beach by visitors, enticing them with a frozen treat on the hot day. Taking Naruto’s hand in his own, Sasuke led his fiancé to the cart and let him choose some treats, paying the man when Naruto selected a few. An afterthought prompted him to return to the cart and buy ice cream sandwiches for himself and their friends. The others were gathered at their claimed space in the sand. Sitting on a towel, Sasuke tugged on Naruto’s hand until he sat between his outstretched legs. He tossed the desserts to each friend, nodding when they thanked him. Bracing himself with an arm, Sasuke sat back and took a bite of his ice cream sandwich.
“This is nice,” Kankurou said, “Taking a little break before getting back to the fun. What do you guys think about beach volleyball?”
“I’m sure you can tell none of us are inclined to play a sport,” Shino replied, “I don’t mind trying but I predict we’ll appear like imbeciles.”
“If you guys are going to play I’ll be the referee,” Naruto declared, “I’m not comfortable with the idea of contact sports. I know volleyball isn’t contact per se but there’s still the possibility of collisions.”
“No offense but I really don’t want to. What about renting jet skis or paddleboats or whatever?” Sasuke inquired.
“That sounds interesting and invigorating,” Neji said, turning to look at Kankurou, “What do you think?”
“I always have a need for speed,” Kankurou answered, smirking at his friend, “My vote is for jet skis.”
“What do you think, Starshine?” Sasuke questioned.
“Can we get a dual seater? I’ve never had much luck with jet skis,” Naruto responded.
“Of course,” Sasuke said, smiling at him, “Let’s find a locker to put our junk in. Then we can find the rental place.”
Since the beach was so busy the group had to hike a half mile to find an available locker that would fit all of their belongings. Luck was with them when Kankurou spotted a jet ski rental stand nearby. Renting four of them, they shrugged into their life vests and climbed onto the machinery before speeding off for deeper water.
Their time on the jet skis was better than they could imagine. Kankurou had gotten the hang of manipulating his ski to spray water in the faces of those he passed, earning him a middle finger and angry shouts from Sasuke. Neji zipped along the surface of the water, laughing when his jet ski jumped waves time and again. Shino took a more reserved approach but had a blast. Sasuke operated his and Naruto’s jet ski fast yet maintained control, the maneuvers earning him cheerful shouts and laughter from Naruto. Stopping when he heard Neji yell and point at his watch, Sasuke followed the others to the rental shop and returned his jet ski with a heartfelt thanks to the owner.
They returned to the house to shower and change since they planned on dining at a casual sit-down restaurant that evening. Limited to fifteen minutes lest the hot water run out, all were ready soon after their showers except Sasuke and Kankurou. Kankurou finished by the time that Neji wanted to leave, teasing Sasuke about hogging the bathroom for hours. Finally giving up on his hair, he donned Naruto’s Dishonored beanie he never gave back and jogged down the stairs, punching Kankurou’s upper arm as he passed him to tell the others he was ready.
There was an hour wait by the time the group arrived at the seafood restaurant they agreed upon for the evening. Deciding to walk around the block a few times, they talked about the upcoming semester and how involved their coursework would be. Shino had classes that took etymology to a new level as well as teaching a lower level class. Neji’s time would be spent purely in an internship at a company chosen by the university. While he hated leaving the corporation he had worked with for a few years, he thanked the CEO for the invitation to hire him on the spot once he had his master's degree in hand.
Naruto had a two hour lecture once a week followed by an internship he was required to dedicate twenty-five hours a week. He had his choice of projects to work on, the blond selecting a local foster care service. All understood why it appealed to him but none more than Sasuke.
Sasuke was tasked with designing a productivity software suite that the university would be inclined to adopt. He fired off a few ideas he had until Naruto brought up the algorithms class he was slated to teach. His good mood turned sour, telling the others that his students would be the bane of his existence and he didn’t understand why it was part of his degree requirements. Naruto reminded him that it was supposed to mimic a project lead environment, Sasuke muttering about what a waste of his time it was.
The pager in Naruto’s hand danced with lights suddenly, indicating that their table was ready. They barely snagged their table by the time they got there after a quick run back to the establishment. Thanking the host when he led them to their table, everyone looked through the menu for a dish that appealed to them. Naruto was torn between lobster or steak when Shino brought up a topic the group had been waiting for all summer.
“I think I found our next tournament,” Shino said.
“Oh yeah? What is it?” Kankurou asked.
“Hi-Rez is sponsoring a SMITE tournament on the 22rd,” Shino said, “Top prize is $10,000. Of course we’ll need five members so I’d like Kankurou to join if he’s up to it.”
“Yeah, I’m down. I could use two grand,” Kankurou said.
“Did you forget that’s the day before my birthday?” Sasuke inquired, “Naruto and I have been tossing around ideas for it.”
“We can fit the tournament in and still go through with our favorite idea. We couldn’t get a reservation until the next day anyway,” Naruto said before biting his lower lip, “I’m not the greatest at SMITE though.”
“Bullshit. You’re great at it. The Odin and Poseidon trick was amazing,” Sasuke disagreed.
“There’s a lot more to the game than that,” Naruto pointed out.
“Perhaps we can run some practice matches. The tournament is arena only,” Shino shared.
“It’s up to you, Starshine,” Sasuke said.
“I’d like to think about it,” Naruto said, Sasuke and the others respecting his decision.
Their meals arrived and all dug in, raving about how it was the best seafood restaurant they had ever had the pleasure of dining at. Sasuke ordered a few lobsters and complementary sides to go so there was another meal or late-night snack since they needed to restock their food stores already. Having stuffed themselves and with carryout in hand, the group returned to the rental house.
“I’m really not sure about SMITE,” Naruto said as he showered, Sasuke sitting on the toilet mere feet from him.
“I know, Starshine. If you really aren’t comfortable with it, we can find a fifth. It shouldn’t be hard choosing someone from the team,” Sasuke said.
“The registration deadline is next Friday?” Naruto asked.
“Yeah,” Sasuke replied.
“I’d like to practice every free moment we have if that’s alright. I’ll figure out what I want to do by next Thursday,” Naruto stated.
“I’ll support you in whatever you decide,” he said, standing to shed his clothing, “Now scoot over and stop hogging all the hot water.”
“All you had to do was say something, Sassy,” Naruto teased.
“Fuck you,” Sasuke said, climbing into the tub and pecking Naruto’s lips with his own, “I love you, Starshine.”
“Love you too.”
The rest of the weekend flew by, everyone exhausted but refreshed by the break from their typical routines. Sunday morning found them parasailing and visiting a restaurant that had a shrimp eating contest. Naruto had to partake in it, Sasuke rolling his eyes and reminding him of his bout with the six-pound hamburger. The recollection did nothing to dissuade Naruto, the blond putting away ninety-six shrimp in ten minutes. Sasuke felt a sense of déjà vu when his fiancé groaned miserably and moaned about the inability to walk back to the house. Rolling his eyes, Sasuke promised to return to the house to get the car and come back to pick the rest up.
Once Naruto had time to digest his lunch, the group voted on whether to attend a beach party being thrown by the town. All were unanimous in their wish to go. Changing into their swim shorts and tugging shirts over their heads, they returned to the beach.
The party was a blast in everyone’s opinion though Sasuke was annoyed by all the flirtatious advances sent his way. He made it blatantly obvious that he was taken by stealing kisses from Naruto or wandering the beach with his arm around the blond’s waist until he could fully enjoy their time at the party. He had fun dancing with Naruto though the latter teased him about having two left feet. Kankurou cycled through dance partners like he did eyeliner brands, Sasuke jesting with him about it until his friend declared that variety was the spice of life. Neji and Shino stayed off the sandy dance floor, the two enthralled in a conversation that the others had no idea what it was about. They stuck around until the party ended, going back to the house fatigued yet in good spirits.
Neji and Shino hitched a ride back to the city with Kankurou early on Tuesday morning, leaving Sasuke and Naruto time alone on the return trip. Most of it was silent except Naruto singing along to a few songs on his and Sasuke’s playlist. Frowning when the blond paused the music, Sasuke waited for him to speak like he was wont to.
“We never made concrete plans for your birthday. Do you still want to rent a suite at the Fairview and celebrate like only you and I can?” Naruto asked while wiggling his eyebrows.
“You’re such a moron,” Sasuke muttered in reply, “Actually, I have an idea that we haven’t discussed before.”
“I’m listening,” Naruto said.
“I want to go back to Chicago and celebrate it with my parents,” Sasuke said, a painful twinge in his heart evoking sadness within him, “I haven’t been able to since they were murdered. I think it’s only fitting since it’s a milestone birthday. It might sound lame but that idea is overshadowing all others.”
“I think it sounds beautiful,” Naruto said, covering his fiancé’s hand with his own, “We can get a cake and party hats. Maybe some balloons too. We have to have music since it’ll be a party. We can ask Itachi to come too if you’d like.”
“Oh I definitely want him there. I don’t want to go wild though. We will be at a cemetery and need to be respectful,” Sasuke said.
“Then we’ll play classical music,” he said, Sasuke rolling his eyes when he turned his head and saw Naruto’s cheesy grin.
“We can discuss particulars when we get home. I want to get Itachi’s opinion too,” Sasuke said, turning his hand palm up and squeezing his fiancé’s, “Thanks for easing my mind and telling me it’s not stupid.”
“It’s not at all. It’s the best quality time you can get with your parents. I’m all for it,” Naruto said, “I love you and want to do everything in my power to make you happy like you make me.”
“Thank you, Starshine. I love you too.”
Steering the car home, Sasuke smiled softly and couldn’t help but feel that the best birthday he had celebrated in a long time was on the horizon.