Chapter 2
Naruto woke up with more energy and excitement than usual. The thought of seeing Sasuke again lifted his spirits, and he leapt out of bed with a grin. He moved through his morning routine quickly, brushing his teeth, greeting his family, and savoring Hinata’s delicious breakfast. Even the food tasted better knowing that he’d be spending the day with one of his oldest friends. Soon after, he headed out the door, eager to get to the Hokage’s office.
When Naruto arrived, he found Shikamaru already at his desk, preparing for the day’s work ahead.
“Good morning, Shikamaru~” Naruto sang out in a cheery tone.
Shikamaru looked up, rolling his eyes in amusement. “Morning, Naruto. At least you’re on time today.”
“Hey, no need to jab at the Hokage this early in the morning,” Naruto said, flashing a grin while making a mock pout.
“You could be the ruler of the entire universe, and I’d still make fun of you,” Shikamaru deadpanned, though there was a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
“Shika-chan, you’re so mean to me!” Naruto shot back, pretending to sulk.
“Yeah, yeah. You’ll get over it,” Shikamaru muttered, brushing him off with a wave of his hand.
Their banter continued for a bit before they both turned their attention to their main task of the day: getting Sasuke’s new phone ready before his arrival.
Naruto had spent most of last night thinking about what Sasuke would need on his phone. There were a few essentials—weather updates, a local news app for Konoha, and a camera app for sending mission-related photos. But beyond the basics, Naruto wondered about the contacts. Obviously, he and Shikamaru would be added, but what about Sakura and Sarada? And Boruto? Should they go ahead and add them to Sasuke’s contact list, or would it be overstepping?
Naruto glanced over at Shikamaru, posing again the question he brought up yesterday about said topic. “Didn’t I already tell you I’d decide after we gave him the phone?” Shikamaru replied with mild annoyance, picking up on Naruto’s hesitation.
“Yeah, but what if Sasuke doesn’t know how to add contacts?” Naruto countered. “He might say no, but if their numbers are already in there, he wouldn’t have a reason to take them off.”
Shikamaru let out a long sigh. “Naruto, you’re going to be the death of me. You’re really going to add people into his phone without asking first? It’s *his* phone, not yours.”
Naruto pouted. “Okay fine, I guess we’ll just ask him when he shows up.”
“Ask who what?” came a low, familiar voice from behind them.
Naruto nearly jumped out of his seat. “Oh my god, Sasuke!” he exclaimed, turning around to see the Uchiha standing by the windowsill. “How long have you been standing there?”
“Long enough,” Sasuke replied coolly, his arm resting at his hip. He stepped further into the office, next to Naruto at his seat, his expression unreadable. “Who were you talking about?”
Naruto chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head. “You, actually.”
Sasuke arched an eyebrow, his gaze flicking between Naruto and Shikamaru. “And what exactly were you two discussing?”
Shikamaru, as smooth as ever, leaned back in his chair and smirked. “We were talking about how to make your life easier, Sasuke. You’re going to love this.”
Naruto grinned sheepishly. “Yeah, we got something for you. It’s time to bring you into the modern world, my friend.”
Sasuke’s eyes narrowed slightly. “I’m already regretting coming here.”
——————————————————————-
“So as long as there’s sunlight, there will always be an internet connection?” Sasuke asked, still staring intently at the phone in his hand.
“Yup! And like Shikamaru said, if there’s no connection at night, you can use your Sharingan to figure things out,” Naruto chimed in with a grin.
“Got it,” Sasuke replied flatly, his eyes fixed on the sleek, rectangular device, as if trying to understand its true nature.
Naruto couldn’t help but find the whole situation amusing. Watching Sasuke, the legendary Uchiha, holding a smartphone with such intensity, trying to figure it out, was both adorable and hilarious. It was as funny as Naruto had imagined it would be. He tried to stifled a chuckle but then failed miserably, letting out a small laugh instead.
Sasuke glanced up, an eyebrow raised. “What’s so funny?” he asked in his usual deadpan tone.
That only made Naruto laugh harder, despite his efforts to keep it in.
Shikamaru, standing by with his arms crossed, shot Naruto an amused look. “Yeah, Naruto, what’s so funny?”
Naruto managed to calm himself down, wiping a tear from his eye. “Nothing, nothing,” he said, waving it off with a smile. “Look, when you walked in, Shikamaru and I were talking about whether or not you’d want other contacts in your phone besides the two of us. I think you should have more people in there, but Shikamaru thinks it’s better to leave that up to you. So, it’s your call—do you want to add others contacts to your list?”
Sasuke fell silent, his gaze shifting away as he considered the question. He seemed deep in thought, weighing the options carefully.
“I think… I think if there was a major emergency and neither you or Shikamaru could be reached, it might be a good idea to have a few others in there,” Sasuke finally replied.
Naruto lit up, practically bouncing with excitement. “Great! So, who can we add?” He leaned forward eagerly, like a kid about to receive a present.
Sasuke gave him a sidelong look, clearly suspicious of Naruto’s enthusiasm. “Maybe Kakashi… and the scientist who developed this phone,” he said, his tone measured.
Naruto wasn’t satisfied. He looked at Sasuke with hopeful eyes. “What about Sarada?… Or even Boruto?”
“Boruto?” Sasuke repeated, sounding genuinely surprised.
“He asks about you all the time!” Naruto said, his voice rising with excitement. “He’d love to be able to reach you—especially when he has questions about his lightning style or the other things you’ve taught him.”
Shikamaru sighed quietly to himself, muttering, “What a drag.”
Sasuke remained unconvinced. “He’s managed just fine without me while I’ve been away. What difference does me having a phone make?”
Naruto wasn’t about to give up that easily. “Okay, fine but what about Sarada? You know how much she misses you. She’d love to be able to talk to you whenever she needs to,” he pleaded, his voice softening.
Sasuke shot a confused look at Shikamaru, seeking clarification.
Shikamaru shrugged. “Like I said before, it’s up to you. As long as you’re not sharing classified mission intel, I don’t see the harm. It’s your decision, Uchiha.”
Sasuke turned back to Naruto, his expression unreadable. He remained silent for a moment, clearly weighing his options.
Naruto leaned in, his eyes wide and pleading. “Please, Sasuke? For me?” He deployed his secret weapon—the puppy-dog eyes.
Sasuke looking back at him finally sighed in defeat. “Fine. You can add them,” he muttered, handing the phone to Naruto.
“Yay!!” Naruto practically jumped in the air. “They’re going to be so happy when I tell them! Don’t worry, I’ll make sure they know not to bombard you with messages or bother you all the time. I’ll add Sakura too. Is that okay?”
“Yes, Naruto, that’s fine,” Sasuke said, sighing again as he resigned himself to his fate.
Naruto grinned from ear to ear, already excited about what was going to happen next.
"Alright, I’ve added all the contacts. Your phone should be good to go now!" Naruto declared, handing the phone back to Sasuke with a satisfied grin.
"If you ever have any questions, don’t hesitate to call or text me—any time, day or night," Naruto added with a hint of pride in his voice.
"Thanks," Sasuke replied simply, slipping the phone into his cloak like it was just another tool in his vast ninja arsenal.
Naruto, never one to leave a moment in silence, quickly followed up. "So, how long are you staying this time?"
"Another day or two. Maybe more." Sasuke’s tone was, as always, calm and unreadable.
Naruto tilted his head, his usual grin widening. "So mysterious! Well, while you’re here, how about we grab drinks one of these nights?"
Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "With who?"
"Just the two of us, unless you wanna invite someone else?" Naruto offered, though he clearly hoped Sasuke would say no.
"No, that’s fine," Sasuke said, still indifferent but agreeing nonetheless.
"Awesome! Then it’s settled. I’ll text you the details—when and where to meet," Naruto replied, his excitement barely contained.
"Sounds good," Sasuke nodded, before heading back toward the window. Just as he was about to leap out, he smirked while looking back to meet with Naruto’s eyes, “Don’t work too hard, Usuratonkachi."
"Hey! Why is everyone picking on me today?" Naruto whined, pouting as Sasuke ignored him, already disappearing out the window while giving a quick nod to Shikamaru.
"A goodbye to you too, Uchiha," Shikamaru muttered dryly, waving lazily before the office fell into silence.
After a beat, Shikamaru broke the stillness with a chuckle. "Huh, that went better than I expected."
Naruto, already shuffling papers around his desk, glanced up. "What do you mean? Did you think he was going to refuse the phone or something?"
"No, not that," Shikamaru said, trailing off. "Nevermind." He leaned back in his chair, an amused smile creeping across his face.
Naruto shrugged, ready to dive back into his work, but Shikamaru spoke up again, this time with a hint of curiosity in his voice. "You know… he pretty much does anything you ask him to, huh?"
Naruto blinked, genuinely confused. "Huh? Who, Sasuke? What are you talking about?"
Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, his smirk deepening. "Just saying, he barely put up a fight when you asked him about the phone or adding contacts. You’d think he’d push back more."
Naruto paused, thinking it over. "Now that you mention it… yeah, I guess you’re right." A small smile tugged at his lips, and for a brief moment, his cheeks reddened slightly.
Shikamaru noticed the subtle blush and couldn’t help himself. "So, this drinks thing… You two going on a date or what?"
"What?!" Naruto yelped, his blush deepening as he turned to glare at Shikamaru. "What are you talking about? Why do you keep saying weird stuff out of nowhere?"
"Oh, nothing," Shikamaru said, leaning back lazily with a smirk. "Just that you asked him out for drinks—just the two of you. Sounded like a date to me."
"Whatever, Shika-Chan!" Naruto snapped, his face now fully flushed as he buried his head in his work, trying to hide his embarrassment. "You’re just trying to mess with me like you’ve been doing all day."
Shikamaru chuckled softly, though his thoughts drifted for a moment. He had always noticed the unusual chemistry between Naruto and Sasuke. Even before either of them got married, there had been a bond there—one that was deeper than most friendships. He was genuinely surprised when both of them ended up marrying different people—Woman in fact. There was always something unspoken between the two, something he could never quite put his finger on.
He'd seen how excited Naruto became every time Sasuke returned to the village. The giddy anticipation, the small but meaningful glances that Shikamaru would notice. Naruto had a way of looking at Sasuke that was different from how he looked at anyone else—longer stares, brighter smiles. It was clear to anyone paying attention that Naruto still held Sasuke in a special place in his heart.
And now that Sasuke had a phone, Shikamaru couldn’t help but wonder what kinds of conversations they’d be having, now that they could contact each other at any time.
Shikamaru couldn’t shake the other question lingering in his mind: did Sasuke feel the same way about Naruto? It was obvious to him that Naruto harbored deep feelings for his old friend, even if Naruto himself didn’t fully realize it. But Sasuke? His stoic demeanor made it nearly impossible to tell. Shikamaru was curious about how their upcoming *date*—or whatever Naruto thought it was—would play out. He couldn't help but wonder if anyone else had noticed the strange bond between the two. Kakashi, maybe? Shikamaru smirked at the thought. He’d have to ask the old sensei one of these days.
Content with his musings, Shikamaru returned to his work, leaving Naruto stewing in a mix of nerves and realization that he may have just accidentally asked Sasuke out on a date. Naruto's mind raced as he fumbled with the papers on his desk, trying to shake off the blush creeping up his cheeks.
This was going to be a long workday.
——————————————————————-
Sasuke walked up to the door of his house, expecting Sakura to greet him. Instead, when the door swung open, it was his daughter, Sarada, standing there, her face lighting up with surprise and excitement.
“Oh! Hi, Papa!” Sarada exclaimed.
“Hello, Sarada,” Sasuke replied in his usual calm tone as he stepped inside. “Is your mother here?”
“No, she just went out to the grocery store. I stayed back to finish some homework,” Sarada explained as Sasuke removed his cloak, hanging it on the coat rack by the door.
Sasuke gave a short nod, walking toward the kitchen. "I see."
Sarada, eager to keep the conversation going, followed him. "So… how have you been, Papa?"
“I’ve been fine. And you?” Sasuke asked, already preparing two cups of tea.
“I’m good!” she replied, watching him silently as he moved about the kitchen. Despite her enthusiasm for his visits, conversations with her father often felt stilted, like pulling words from a stone. He was quiet—so quiet—and though she knew it was just who he was, sometimes she wished he’d open up more. His social skills were, for lack of a better word, lacking. But today, something felt different.
Then Sasuke, unexpectedly, broke the silence. "I got a phone today."
Sarada blinked, unsure if she’d heard him correctly. A phone? Her dad? It was so out of character that for a moment she wondered if she was dreaming.
"A—a phone? Like a cell phone? Your own?" she stammered.
Sasuke nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he continued preparing the tea. "You seem surprised."
"I just… I can’t picture you with a phone," Sarada admitted, her voice trailing off, still processing this new reality. She fell into another silence, staring at her father. He was so hard to read, and even now, she had no idea how he felt about this development. Did he want a phone? Was he using it out of necessity? She couldn’t tell.
In this modern, post-war shinobi world, almost everyone had a phone, but some—like Sasuke—never really seemed the type to embrace such a device. Sarada couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to message her father. Would he respond? Or would he send the same curt, one-word replies he gave in person? Did she even have the right to ask for his number? Most information about him, including his whereabouts, were always usually classified.
She bit her lip, debating whether or not to ask. Finally, she worked up the courage.
“Papa?”
"Hm?" Sasuke hummed, placing the steaming mugs of tea on the table before sitting across from her.
"Do you think… maybe… I could have your phone number?" she asked, looking down at the table, her voice quieter than usual. "Unless you don’t want to, or if you’re not allowed to," she added quickly, worried she might have crossed a line.
Sasuke looked at her for a long moment, his dark eyes reflecting her own. "Sarada," he said softly, "look at me."
She hesitated but eventually lifted her gaze to meet his. Those eyes, so much like his, held her attention.
“You don’t need to be afraid to ask me anything. I’ll always do my best to answer your questions,” he said, his voice low but reassuring.
Sarada exhaled, feeling the tension ease out of her shoulders. “Okay, Papa. Thank you. I’ll remember that,” she said, adjusting her glasses.
Sasuke leaned back slightly. “As for your question, I’d give you my number, but… I don’t even know it."
Sarada blinked in confusion. "Huh? What do you mean?"
"I don’t know my phone number," Sasuke admitted, his tone as neutral as if he were discussing a mission. "And even if I did, I wouldn’t know how to send it to you."
Sarada stared at him, debating whether to laugh or remain silent. This was too much. Finally, she decided it would be better to help him. "Here, Papa, give me your phone. I’ll show you how to find your number and add mine."
Sasuke stood up, retrieving the phone from his cloak before handing it to her.
Sarada unlocked it easily and navigated through the settings. "Oh! It looks like I’m already in here," she said, noticing her own contact.
Sasuke simply nodded, assuming that Naruto had added her number like he promised.
“Okay, so this button takes you to the settings," Sarada explained, "and then you click here, and voila, here’s your phone number.” She held the screen up to him. "You should memorize it—it’ll make things easier."
Sasuke studied the number for a moment, nodding. "Got it. Thank you, Sarada."
“You’re welcome, Papa,” she said, smiling. For the next few minutes, she guided him through the basics of instant messaging, patiently teaching him how to send texts, find contacts, and even attach photos.
Sasuke watched her closely, his expression still calm but with a subtle warmth beneath it. For a man who had spent much of his life fighting wars, learning the simple act of texting from his daughter was both humbling and strange.
As Sarada finished her lesson, she glanced up at her father. Despite his often distant demeanor, she cherished moments like these—where it felt like they were just a normal father and daughter, sharing something as simple as learning how to use a phone.
"Okay, think you got it?" Sarada asked, her tone light but encouraging.
"Yeah, I think I do. I appreciate it," Sasuke replied, taking his phone back and settling into his seat, his usual calm demeanor intact.
"Cool! Let me go grab my phone, and I'll send you a message. Let's see if it works," Sarada said, standing up and heading to her room to fetch her own device.
Sasuke took a sip of his tea, but before he could drink more, his phone emitted a loud, sudden bell sound, startling him. He reached for it, fumbling slightly, just as Sarada returned to the room.
"Did you get it? I think I heard the notification," she said, grinning at her father’s reaction.
"Um, yes. Let me… find the messaging app," Sasuke muttered, hunching over the phone as he tried to navigate the unfamiliar interface. Sarada watched him closely, her smile growing wider. She had never seen her father so focused on something so… mundane. In a moment of playful impulse, she quickly snapped a photo of him—his intense concentration on the screen making him look endearingly out of his element.
"Oh, I think I found it. Now I click on your name, right?" Sasuke asked, still engrossed.
"Yep! I should be at the top since I just texted you," Sarada confirmed, watching as her father painstakingly typed out a reply, letter by letter, with his one hand.
‘This is too precious,’ Sarada thought, suppressing a chuckle. She felt her phone vibrate, signaling a new message. When she glanced at it, she saw Sasuke's reply:
Sasuke Uchiha:
Hello, Sarada.
"Awesome! I got your message, Papa. Now you know how to text people!" she beamed, clearly proud.
Sasuke leaned back, still eyeing the phone with mild curiosity as he scrolled through the messaging app. "How come I didn’t hear a bell sound after I sent you a message?" he asked, his confusion palpable.
Sarada could barely contain her amusement at how baffled he seemed, but she decided to answer kindly, still smiling. "That's because I have my phone on silent. I don’t get a notification sound unless I want to. It’s set to vibrate only."
"Vibrate?" Sasuke repeated, looking up at her genuinely puzzled.
"It’s like a soft buzz your phone makes when you get a message—less obvious than a sound," Sarada explained, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Do you want to change it?"
"Hmm," Sasuke considered the question carefully. "The bell sound was just really loud. Is there a way to turn it down? If I change it to vibrate, I might miss something important."
"Totally, I’ll fix it for you," Sarada said, taking his phone to adjust the settings. She lowered the notification sound and handed the phone back, just then, the sound of the front door could be heard opening.
"Sarada! I'm home!" Sakura's voice rang out from the hallway.
"Coming, Mama!" Sarada called back, standing up quickly to help with the groceries. As she walked to the door, she couldn't help but smile at the thought of her mom’s reaction—not only to Sasuke being home but to him having a phone. It would be an amusing surprise. Maybe she'd even snap a picture of her Mother’s reaction, just for fun.
——————————————————————-
Naruto stood in the dimly lit bathroom, brushing his teeth as he wrapped up his nighttime routine. It was later than usual when he finally got home, but the extra paperwork had piled up, and he wanted to stay ahead of it so he could keep the next few nights open. After all, he couldn’t risk missing the chance for drinks with Sasuke.
As he finished up and walked quietly to his bedroom, Naruto’s mind wandered to the day’s earlier events. Ever since Sasuke had left the Hokage’s office, Naruto had been contemplating whether or not to send him a message. He had wanted to text him right away, just to check in, but then thought that might seem too eager—too much.
Walking towards his bed, Naruto found himself debating once again. ‘It’s late, but if he’s not already asleep, a goodnight message couldn’t hurt, right?’ Naruto reasoned. And if Sasuke didn’t respond tonight, he’d see it in the morning and have to text back… right?
Carefully, Naruto slid into bed without waking Hinata, grabbed his phone, and lowered the brightness. He double-checked to make sure the sound was off, not wanting any accidental noises to wake her. It was almost 11:00 p.m. He stared at the screen, fingers hovering over the keyboard, unsure of how to begin.
‘Should I start with “Hey Sasuke, how did the rest of your day go?” No, no… that’s way too casual,’ Naruto thought, cringing as he quickly deleted the message. He sat there for a moment, tapping his fingers on the side of the phone. ‘Maybe I should introduce myself in case his phone doesn’t have my number saved yet,’ he considered, though he was pretty sure his number was already in there. Still, better safe than sorry.
He typed again:
Naruto Uzumaki:
Hey Sasuke, it’s Naruto (though it’s probably already labeled, haha). Anyway, I hope the rest of your day went well. It was good seeing you today! :)
I’ll see you tomorrow, maybe, if you're free.
‘Night, Teme.
Naruto stared at the message, his thumb hovering over the send button. For some reason, his heart was pounding as if this was some kind of life-or-death situation. It was just Sasuke. His best friend, his rival, his teammate. Why was this so nerve-wracking? What if Sasuke was annoyed by the late-night text? Or worse—what if he didn’t reply at all?
With a deep breath, Naruto closed his eyes and hit *send.* The message whooshed off into the ether, and Naruto immediately set the phone down on his chest, his heart still racing. A minute passed. Nothing. Naruto told himself not to overthink it—Sasuke was probably already asleep, and that was why he hadn’t replied. No big deal, no need to stress.
Just as he was about to put the phone on the nightstand and call it a night, the screen lit up, buzzing softly. Naruto’s eyes widened, and he snatched the phone up in an instant. There it was—a reply from Sasuke. His heart did a little flip as he read the two simple words on the screen:
Sasuke Uchiha:
Goodnight, Dobe.
Naruto’s grin stretched wide across his face, a cheeky, triumphant smile that he couldn’t contain. Sasuke actually responded. And with *that*. It was so… Sasuke. A part of Naruto couldn’t believe that they were actually texting each other, something that felt both normal and surreal at the same time.
He stared at the screen, re-reading the message over and over again. Suddenly, the idea of falling asleep seemed impossible. His mind raced with thoughts of tomorrow—would Sasuke be free? Would they finally get those drinks? The prospect of spending the evening with Sasuke one on one, even in the most casual setting, made Naruto even more excited.
‘Guess I’m sending a good morning message tomorrow too,’ Naruto thought, chuckling softly to himself as he placed the phone on the nightstand. With a content sigh, he nestled deeper into the blankets, feeling a warmth that had nothing to do with the actual temperature of the room.
Tonight, Naruto knew he’d fall asleep with a smile. And maybe, just maybe, Sasuke would too.