"Number of people at the scene?"
"Eighteen, including the deceased."
"How many fled?"
"Reports say five went missing after the crime took place."
"That's it?"
"I believe so."
"Is anybody willing to talk?"
"One. The rest are too shaken up to move."
"Who's the talker?"
"The boy's lover, Sasuke Uchiha."
Kakashi frowned through the collar of his jacket, re-reading the notes he'd taken earlier. There wasn't much to go on about, but neither was the crime scene report. All it had said was something along the lines of, "Accidental Shooting, Bar, Confusion, Dead Body"-the ABC's of deaths that involved teenagers, and sure enough:
Victim: 18 year old male, blond hair, blue eyes, wound through the back directly below the right ventricle, exit wound evident through the chest at a downward trajectory.
Kakashi closed his eyes, silently for the family of the youngster who died tonight. Yamato noticed his partner's troubled expression and peered over his shoulder.
"You look more uneasy than usual," Yamato paused to look at the ground. "It's sad Kakashi, but you've seen things like this before. Everyone's time comes."
"I hate this job," Kakashi mused bitterly. "I spend countless nights wondering how my life would be if I just took the political route. So much depression could be avoided."
Kakashi shoved the report into Yamato's hands. "Read it," he said a little too harshly. "And re-read it. Hell, take pictures with it! I can't take this anymore. The hurt, the bitterness, the sadness—it's suicide one day, murder the next, and then, with the cherry on the cake, rape! Fucking bastards..."
Yamato flinched but remained stoic. He imagined what Kakashi could've been through to make him this way. Yamato's daughter had been a victim of rape, but he thanked the Lord she made it out alive. Still, the trauma after that incident must have been unbearable. She was the reason he had decided to join the force. To get rid of sicko-s like that.
Kakashi continued, "I know it's for the society but..." his desperate voice dropped to a whisper."Yamato, I think I'm going to resign."
"What the hell Kakashi? We need you! You're the best we have, and if you leave this place will fall apart! The station barely has the money to pay but-"
"It's not about the pay, Yamato, I'm just afraid I'll end up like one of them." Kakashi's eyes glazed over and he looked longingly at his friend. Yamato knew who Kakashi was referring to. Theywere victims of suicide and depression, the two things which had claimed the lives of many counterparts once their inexperienced eyes had been exposed to how cruel this world was.
The duo whirled around as the heavy metal door leading to the interrogation room flew open. A group of four people drifted through the door, giving off an aura of uneasiness. Ibiki Morino, the sadistic head interrogator led the charge, followed by Izumo and Kotetsu escorting an unfamiliar teenager in a pair of handcuffs. The black haired individual didn't resist, but he hung his head.
As he passed by, Kakashi realized who he was—Sasuke Uchiha, son of the former head of this precinct. He'd heard his father was killed, along with the rest of his family by his eldest son Itachi, but it hasn't been proven.
Sasuke's head tilted towards Kakashi with a sad gaze, and then returned to its former position. Kakashi's heart ached at the fact that this was not the same boy to whom he had given a cookie everyday when he was little. This was a completely different man. And he was the witness?
Kakashi hadn't heard the details entailing the case, but he did know the witness was the lover of the victim. How many loved ones was Sasuke going to lose in his lifetime? Kakashi shook his head at the thought.
"Alright everyone! We will be using Room One. Hatake! In here, now," Ibiki shouted over the office. The man always hated when people disturbed his interrogations, so he decided to make it known where and when he was using a room.
Pain shot through his neck from whiplash as Kakashi jogged past Izumo and Kotetsu towards the interrogation room. Ibiki had already situated himself on one side of the table with Sasuke on the other side. Kakashi sat next to Ibiki, who continued to stare down at the noncommittal Uchiha. Sasuke looked up at Kakashi'spresence once more, pulling the corners of his mouth into a slight smile before lowering his head again. He reached up to scratch his nose, allowing dry, crusted blood to flake onto his lap. It wasn't his blood, Kakashi presumed.
"Listen here, Uchiha, you're going to tell us everything you know about the dead kid," Ibiki growled. Kakashi's eyes widened in shock. Was he always this cruel, especially to people who had lost someone dear?
Sasuke fidgeted with the handcuffs and breathed deeply. "His name was Naruto Uzumaki, dumbass."
Ibiki's eyes narrowed. "Care to take that tone with me again, brat?" He stood and hovered over a cowering Sasuke.
"Gladly, ape shit."
Ibiki roared and slammed his fist on the table, barely missing Sasuke because Kakashi held him back. Kakashi whispered the details of the case in his ear and he calmed down. They turned their backs to the witness, Kakashi convincing Ibiki that he knew Sasuke personally. Ibiki finally agreed to watch the interrogation from the room behind the glass with Anko, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Idate.
Once he was gone, Kakashi sat next to Sasuke, whom was silently crying. Kakashi stood to give him a cup of water which was downed quickly by the dehydrated boy, and his hand found its way to his back, and rubbing it in soothing circles, just like when he was younger. Once his tears dried, the voice emitting from the earpiece pressured Kakashi to find out more about the victim.
"Sasuke, can you tell me about Naruto? Anything that you think would be important about him would be beneficial." As he shook, his eyes met Kakashi's. Sasuke smiled and allowed his thoughts to inwardly wander.
"Where do I start?" he asked.
Dodging cars on a crowded highway was overrated in the movies.
"Jesus Christ, Naruto! That's already the fifth one!" Kiba Inuzuka yelled over the honking of various horns directed at Naruto, whose hands were raised towards the sky with the sun reflecting off both raised middle fingers in all their glory.
"It's not my fault they aren't looking where they're going! It is five in the morning," he drawled with a hint of superiority. "Fate did it, not me."
Sakura backhanded him as she strode past his sorry ass on the pavement. Naruto stood and brushed himself off then started with his jog again to catch up to the others. Today was YMCA Pool Day, and everyone got in free. They expected the pool to be filled by one, so the group planned ahead and decided to go early.
Sakura, Hinata, Naruto, Kiba, and Neji all strode up to the glass doors only to encounter the dreaded "Closed" sign.
"I told you it wasn't open until six!" Sakura exclaimed in the midst of elbowing Naruto.
"Hey, jeez, we're only an hour early. We'll wait," Naruto irritably replied. Sakura grabbed Hinata's and Neji's wrist. "Hey where are you guys going?"
"Ice cream shop around the corner. Join if you must, but I'm not paying for either of you dipwads," Sakura chanted. Naruto watched Neji break free of her iron grab but follow closely at her heels.
Naruto grinned. "You got any money Kiba?" He was faced with a shaggy brown head moving side to side. They both slid against the glass until their bottoms hit the concrete. Kiba had his head asleep on Naruto's shoulder while Naruto counted the number of ants on the sidewalk.
One, two, three...
A light tap was heard and ignored.
Seven, eight nine...wait thirteen, fourteen?
A faint clink of metal hitting metal sounded.
Sixteen, eighteen, twenty...wait is that next? Awh screw it...
My deep voice called out to them, "Hey, you guys." Naruto whipped around to face a boy, no a god, with dark black hair clad in a lifeguard uniform. His face contorted into a grin as he pushed the foam life preserver to his back and held out his ivory hand to Naruto."Come on, I'll let you guys in early."
Naruto jumped up, causing Kiba's head to lightly scrape the pavement. "Ow fuck, what was that for Naruto? Oh..." his eyes swept upward and scanned the lifeguard. "Uchiha?"
Sasuke's face turned slightly sour. "Inuzuka?"
"What the hell Uchiha? Here to harass me some more, and outside of school? That's low even for you..."
Naruto decided to play peacemaker. "Shut up, Kiba. He's going to let us in," he said, pulling Kiba up and proceeded to follow Sasuke inside. Sasuke pointed them in the direction of the pool. "Hey, uh, thanks man."
"Don't mention it," Sasuke replied, inwardly hoping Naruto would remember it for the rest of his life.
Naruto made his way to the locker rooms while bombarding Kiba with questions. "You know him?"
"Yeah, he's an asshole. He's in all four of my classes."
"I've never seen him before," Naruto said.
"Trust me, you don't want to. He skips lunch to go hang out with some chick and her two weird friends. The only reason they haven't been caught is because Uchiha's money practically rules the damn school," he explained.
Naruto scratched his chin, interested. "Oh, yeah, I think I might have heard the name before."
Kiba stopped. "My shoes...I left something outside, I'm going to go get it."
"Oh okay, hurry back. I have to kick your ass at pool volleyball," Naruto smirked.
Kiba started off before calling over his shoulder, "Hey, dude, don't get yourself killed. I'm only saying that because I know you."
Naruto flicked him off and sprinted down the carpet hallway into the nearest door. He wrinkled his nose at the smell of perfume inhabiting the room. Regardless, Naruto continued to make his way across the tile floor towards the lockers where he usually changed. His eyes drew towards the wall, and he started to wonder when they had painted them pink.
"Oh well," Naruto said, tugging on his swim trunks before turning around and coming face to face with a platinum blonde, blue-eyed beauty in the familiar red lifeguard swimsuit. "GAHH!"
"Why the hell are you screaming? You're the man here! This is the GIRL'S locker room!" she poked him in the chest, leaving her finger trace.
Naruto stuck his tongue out at her before he had his eardrums unexpectedly shattered. She shrieked, pointing at his boxers. Naruto frowned and held them up by his pinky finger. "You act like you've never seen some before-woah!" The blonde girl shoved him out of the locker room towards the pool area. He laughed on impact with the door and continued to do so once he was in the humid pool room.
Sasuke watched the scene unfold bit by bit, piecing together the screaming heard from the locker room, barely containing his laughter. The blond boy had to be a dobe to go into the girl's locker room and run into Sasuke's feisty coworker Ino in one day.
Naruto stumbled out with half his face red from a run in with the door. He was cackling maniacally, his smile brightening the dark room ridden with sweat in the air and mildew in the corners. Then, the boy slipped on the wet tiles and fell into the pool headfirst. Sasuke nearly tipped out of his chair, holding his sides with the burning passion of laughter he hadn't felt in so long. Now, he had to think of something witty to say when he comes back up...
What was this? Naruto wondered. My head was throbbing. My ears were screaming in agony. My lungs burned. I couldn't move. My brain was about to split in half from all the pressure. The water around him clouded red. Was that blood? Did I really hit my head that hard? It didn't matter now. I was underwater. I wasn't breathing. I didn't see a lifeguard. I was going to die. He slipped into a haze and away from consciousness.
"He shouldn't be taking this long," Sasuke mumbled. Said boy stood on the edge of his chair and peered into the water. Oh my God, was that blood?
"Fuck, hang on," Sasuke jumped off the chair towards the deep end and dived in, ignoring the rush of oncoming water. His skin was fiery to the touch. He needed to calm my body down. This had happened before, so why was he freaking out now? Sasuke opened my eyes and felt the burn of the chlorine.
There he was helpless and alone, unmoving at the floor of the pool. But not for long.
Sasuke's legs and arms moved in a motion towards his body, reaching to touch Naruto's body and him up. Sasuke's lungs were going to pop, he was sure of it. Sasuke gently tugged Naruto's arm and pulled him over him back, shooting to the surface. Naruto kept slipping off, making it more difficult to get to the edge of the pool. Once there, Sasuke clambered out and set the boy carefully in front of him. He wasn't breathing.
"CPR, don't fail me now," Sasuke murmured. His hands pushed thrice at his chest, causing Naruto to jolt and leak water from his mouth. "Please don't die, please don't fucking die." Sasuke's lungs gathered in air and he leaned down, gently pressing his trembling lips to Naruto's cold ones, allowing what hope he had left to rest in him.
…
All Naruto remembered were warm lips softly touching his own. His mind lapsed back into consciousness as a familiar annoying voice droned on.
"Naruto, Naruto? Are you awake? Oh my God! You are!" Kiba tackled his best friend head on as soon as his eyes were open.
"Whazzu…duzu know whe…Ow! What the hell Kiba?" Naruto demanded after Kiba had hit him. Kiba stood above him looking high and mighty with his arms crossed.
"That's for making me worried. I told you not to die! And what did you do? You went off and almost. Fucking. Died. I could kill you, but…"
"Kiba! Shut up it was an accident! I went into the girl's locker room and-mmph!" Naruto was silenced by a pair of wet lips covering his own. Then Kiba's face met Naruto's fist. "That. Was. Gross."
"I know," Kiba crooned.
"What was that for then?" he demanded. Naruto never pictured kissing another boy. Especially…Kiba. Ugh.
"Payback," Kiba seethed. "I'm happy you're alive, but really, I'm pissed Naruto. Pissed off and jealous."
Naruto was starting to question Kiba's sanity. "Huh?"
"You went into the girl's locker room without me! I thought we were a team!" he whined.
Naruto rolled his eyes and said, "Jesus Christ, there was only one girl in there, and she was dressed!"
"Was she hot?" he pondered.
"Meh. Kiba, you already know I don't lean that way," Naruto whispered, cupping his hand to his mouth the wrong way.
"Oh ha, yeah…" Kiba cupped his hands in preparation to do the awkward turtle before Naruto slapped them down, hissing rabidly.
The two were cut off from any further disagreement by another voice asking, "Oi, you okay?" Sasuke stood in the doorway.
Kiba was enraged by the sound of his voice. "What the hell Uchiha? I come in and find you on top of Naruto half naked, with him bleeding and looking like you sucked the bloody life outta him!" he yelled. Sasuke would've been dog food hadn't Naruto spoken.
"Sasuke!" screamed Naruto, "You saved me!" Kiba removed his hand from his neck to place his arms around his shoulders.
"Uchiha, I hate you, but you saved my best friend, so that counts for something…I think," he mumbled.
"I think it does Kiba, now can I talk to Naruto alone?" Sasuke asked. Kiba stood and trudged out, but not before giving Sasuke the 'I'm watching you' finger point.
Sasuke sat besides Naruto. "Are you okay? That was quite a stunt you pulled in there," Sasuke paused before adding, "dobe."
"Hey! I'm not a dobe... and no kisses from you like Kiba? I'm disappointed," he teased.
"You already got one," Sasuke mumbled. Naruto shot his head up with a confused look.
"I meant," Sasuke annunciated, "you had a lot of water in your lungs." Close call.
"Yeah well, I would've been better off if a certain idiot had come to save me earlier," Naruto pouted. Sasuke gave him a disbelieving look; slightly frowning upon the fact he wasn't the idiot here. "So…were you really half naked?"
Sasuke grunted, "You were too."
"Oh, ha-ha, well thanks man, I owe you one," he said, slightly lost for words. This guy had just saved his life. How do you return the favor?
"Hn. Don't mention it," he replied. Sasuke wondered if the boy remembered how exactly he had saved his life. Would he be grossed out? Based on his reaction to Kiba's kiss…well he'd be pretty astonished too if Shikamaru, his best friend, planted one on him without warning.
"Hey Sasuke?"
"Yeah dobe?"
"Did you kiss me?"
Sasuke blinked several times. Then he pinched himself like he was in some sort of bad dream. Did he kiss him? Or was it CPR? Did he want to be kissed by him? Was romance really going through this guy's mind at a time like this? "I…uhh…"
"Because I think I kind of liked it. It was all I remembered when I woke up. And it was my first," he stuttered nervously.
That makes it easier, a lot easier. Sasuke leaned down and pecked the boy on the nose. "Well then dobe, consider me your first kiss."
Kakashi's laugh echoed through the walls of the tiny interrogation room. He swore he heard laughter through the ear piece also. "So that's how you guy's first met?" A smile split both their faces.
"It was the beginning of something amazing," Sasuke whispered, his heart clearly aching for his lost love. "I realized I didn't even know his name when I gave him my number."
It was their first date. Sasuke wanted to be the one to take Naruto out, but Naruto insisted that he be the one to take charge of the date. Sasuke was blindfold and pushed onto something soft. "Naruto, what the hell are you doing?"
"Don't get any dirty thoughts pervert; just sit there while I look for something," he instructed. "It'll ruin the surprise if you see." Sasuke complied, sitting and waiting, before finally deciding to go to sleep when Naruto's voice called out to him, "Sasuke!"
Sasuke jolted up and removed the blindfold to come face-to-face with Naruto, smiling in a bright orange shirt reading 'Peppy's Pet Palace.' Sasuke mouthed the words and furrowed his brow. "Naruto, where are we going for our date?"
The smile got even wider. "We're going to…"
…
"Your job?" Sasuke said incredulously. He remembered why the 'Pet Palace' sounded so familiar. His father's company almost tried to tear it down, not that Naruto needed to know that. As he stood outside the run down building, well more like shack, Sasuke wondered why Naruto chose to work here of all places.
Naruto seemed to be reading his thoughts and revealed, "It's the only place that doesn't force you to show your legal documents."
"Oh," was all Sasuke could say. Naruto grabbed his wrist and led him into the animal-filled shop. Sasuke had to admit it was much better maintained on the inside than it appeared to look outside.
"Come on, Uchiha, I want to show you my favorite one," Naruto said as he led Sasuke to the back room towards a little cage that read 'Kyuubi', housing a tiny orange cat.
Sasuke's eyebrow involuntarily raised in question. "Why do you like this one?" he asked.
Naruto bent down and picked up the half asleep feline and put it on his head. "Whiskers!" he shouted, motioning to both his and the cat's 'whiskers.' Naruto put the kitty back in its cage and motioned for Sasuke to follow him.
"Where are we going now?" Sasuke asked as he was dragged away.
Naruto smiled and answered, "To wash the puppies."
"I hate puppies," Sasuke mumbled.
…
"So, Sasuke how was it?" Naruto asked beaming. Naruto hadn't gotten a drop of water on him due to "mad ninja skill"—or whatever the hell he called it. Sasuke, on the other hand, was drenched and covered in at least twenty different types of fur color. Sasuke inhaled deeply and huffed out a breath. He was obviously annoyed.
"They're even more annoying than before," Sasuke whispered nonchalantly and deeply, causing Naruto to whimper as he pulled him in for a kiss, "but I had fun with you, dobe."
"I never thought I'd enjoy spending a day with animals," Sasuke smiled, remembering the amount of fur that had been stuck to his skin and how bad he smelled. Naruto even made a reference to Kiba; just another encouragement to the five showers Sasuke had been planning to take after that.
"You two were meant for each other," Kakashi said, hoping to get a reaction out of the boy. "Sasuke…"
"I know what you're going to ask, Kakashi. He did come in contact with one person that had the power to harm him, but it's unlikely he caused this. He was more meticulous. He wouldn't leave it to luck in an unorganized, filthy place like a bar."
"I presume you're talking about…"
Sasuke's nod registered slowly. "Yes, Itachi Uchiha."
Naruto sprinted down the alleyway towards the Uchiha residence. He didn't want to be late, not this time. Not after what happened the last time he was late. The zipper on his jacket continued to knock against his leg and it was starting to form a bruise. The steady clink, clink, clink set a pace for Naruto which he followed happily.
"Sasuke! Are you ready for our da-" he started out. Usually by now Sasuke would jump out of nowhere and wrap his arms around Naruto from behind and begin showering him with kisses. "Sasuke?" Naruto repeated, creeping silently up the stairs listening for any evidence of his Uchiha. As he neared the top, he heard a voice—no, two voices. The second voice eerily resembled Sasuke's. Naruto strained his neck and held his breath to hear better what they were saying.
"Come run away with me Sasuke," a man said. Run away? Did Sasuke have another boyfriend? Naruto heart stopped at the thought.
"No," came Sasuke's stern reply, and then a slightly faltering, "I can't." So Sasuke did want to run away, but something was holding him back. A silent tear fell down Naruto's cheek.
"Why the hell not? You're in danger here! If it's because of that stupid blond that you're dating that you're not leaving then I'll just have to—"
There was an abrupt crash, startling Naruto and causing him to slip, hitting the stairs hard. He froze, hoping no one would come out. Thankfully, no one did. He crawled back up to the top step.
"Itachi," oh, so that's who Sasuke was talking to. "Itachi, I swear if you ever and I mean ever, do anything to hurt Naruto I'll…"
"You'll what?" came the biting response. "You'll kill me?" Itachi mocked. Naruto heard a punch being thrown.
Naruto had never been so terrified in his life. Sasuke's never gotten angry like this. The word "kill" echoed within the walls of the house, bringing back memories Sasuke probably wanted to suppress. Naruto knew about the Uchiha clan massacre, and the fact that Itachi did it, and now Itachi was here, in this house, with Sasuke and him, alone. Itachi was dangerous; and Naruto knew that from the first few times he went down to the police station with Iruka when he was working late. It was always Itachi did this, or Itachi went there-that name was repeated many times. Itachi Uchiha had no heart, and nothing was going to stop him from killing Sasuke or Naruto.
Naruto stoop, bumping into the great man himself.
His glare penetrated Naruto's chest, and his formidable aura was only magnified by the knife he held in his right hand. Naruto closed my eyes, but desperately trying to form a plan of action. He heard his footsteps nearing and threw a blind punch. Itachi caught it, and to Naruto's surprise, wrapped a hand around his shoulder and pulled him close to his body. Sasuke came out of the room disheveled and fuming.
"Itachi, damn it, what the hell?" Sasuke demanded.
Itachi's crooked smile was menacing. He began to talk sweetly, in a way that a man of his age and ferocity shouldn't be capable of. "Is this him Sasuke? I must say he is quite the catch. I mean just look at all this blond hair," his hand began to ruffle Naruto's locks.
"That's not him Itachi," Sasuke said, clearly lying.
Itachi caught the fib. "You're lying, foolish little brother." The knife came up to Naruto's neck, making his knees go weak. His idle hand was now wrapped around the blond's waist resstricting movement. "It seems I have leverage over you, Sasuke nii-chan."
Sasuke started to yell in Japanese while Itachi laughed and responded with something short. Sasuke's eyes widened, "Y-you wouldn't."
"Oh, but I would," Itachi cooed. He looked down at Naruto with pity in his eyes and dropped him abruptly. "Well, little brother, I believe I must be going. Consider my offers, and what I need, and the life of your koibito. Until next time, Sasuke." With that, Itachi was gone from their lives as of now, and perhaps forever—at least the boys hoped he would be.
Sasuke dropped to his knees and crawled over to Naruto. Sasuke pulled him up and put his hands on Naruto's shoulders, a scowl on his face, and hugged him. "I was afraid he was going to hurt you," he choked out. "Don't ever go near Itachi," he whispered into the crook of Naruto's neck.
Naruto leaned into the hug. "Naruto, promise me," he reiterated.
"Okay, I promise," Naruto said, putting his hands on Sasuke's back and rubbing it in large circles.
"Say I love you," Sasuke demanded.
Naruto complied. "I love you Sasuke, I truly do." Tears wet his back.
"Thank you," Sasuke whispered.
Sasuke's empty cup sat on the table, frail and empty much like the Uchiha himself. "You know he had no family either," Sasuke stated matter-of-factly all the while his fingers shook uncontrollably. One thumb came to his mouth and he started to bite it. Kakashi recognized it at a nervous habit. Should he break the silence? "Do you want to know about tonight, Kakashi?" Sasuke asked, snapping Kakashi out of his thoughts.
Kakashi nodded. "I would. Please start whenever you're ready."
"Ok," Sasuke paused and looked as if he were about to vomit. He was tired, his eyes sunk in dark circles forming under them and his hair matted to his head; it was a sleepless night. Sasuke only imagined how many more of these he would be going through. His left hand idly went the jacket pocket that contained his trump card should anything go wrong, and he felt the contents over. "But first, can I have some more water?"
The cool liquid trickled down his burning throat, not unlike the alcohol he had drinking not long ago, Sasuke remembered, sending him into a wave a nostalgia.
The group had gathered for the voting.
"Do I hear—no see, five hands for an Ichiraku dinner? How about Chuck-E-Cheese? What no hands? Only me? Oh ok…how about the club on the outskirts of town? What ten hands? Jesus, you've got to be kidding me, I guess we're going to the club for my birthday, might I add. Hey Sasuke, you didn't vote," Naruto frowned at the cross-armed, ebony haired boy in the back corner of the room.
"Hn. Do you want a medal? And it wouldn't make any difference if I did dobe," Sasuke replied, clearly he wasn't thrilled about going out tonight. He wanted Naruto alone for himself.
"Sasuke. You. Will. Vote. Now," he stubbornly stated. Naruto re-read the choices and Sasuke reluctantly raised his hand for Ichiraku's.
Naruto frowned and exclaimed, "What the hell idiot! You were supposed to raise you're hand for Chuck-E-Cheese! I—ow, Tenten!"
"Naruto Uzumaki, who is now age 18, will go to a bar to celebrate his birthday and get drunk legally for the first time. I, Tenten the Amazing, will make absolute sure of that! Are there any objections? Going once, going twice, sold to the man in the white straight jacket looking t-shirt! You will be my assistant in this valiant quest," Ten-ten recited majestically as she stood on a chair, directing her attention towards Neji.
Neji pulled her down and whispered something to her about practicing that speech, to which she only nodded quickly. Everyone started at the sugar filled teen, to which she responded with, "It takes 42 muscles to frown, 17 muscles to smile, and 4 to lift my middle finger and say 'Bite me,'" she announced, with her back turned towards the group.
Temari stood and said, "We still have one problem…we need four designated drivers."
Everyone's eyes fell to the floor. Shikamaru's logic took play. "Troublesome, pfft. Well, we know that Naruto is going to have to drink, and…"
"Kiba, his best buddy, is going to have to too!" Kiba added.
"Okay, and I'll be one, so Gaara would you mind being one also?" Shikamaru drawled amidst the confusion.
"Sure," came the gritty reply of the red-haired teen.
"And would anyone else like to volunteer? I've picked the people closet to all the routes home, and the three most beneficial ones would be Sasuke, Neji or Hinata, and Shino," Shikamaru rejoined.
"I'll be one," Sasuke muttered.
Naruto quickly objected. "What the hell! I have to have my first drinking with my best buddy, dammit."
"Hey, I thought I was your best buddy," Kiba objected too. Well wasn't everyone in a let's-just-go-against-the-grain mood today?
"Kiba, that's different. Sasuke and I are well…together, you know?" Naruto noted.
Sasuke shook his head. "No, Naruto, I'll have a quick shot with you, but I'm not getting drunk."
Naruto complied, coming to the realization that the most he would get out of Sasuke. "Fine…"
Shikamaru's eyes snapped open. "We need one more," he pointed out.
There was a reply. "I will do it." Everyone turned towards Shino.
Kankuro's mouth dropped open. "You talk?"
Shino nodded and looked knowingly at Shikamaru who asked, "Troublesome, now who will the groups be?"
"I want Gaara!" Kankuro chanted.
"Yeah right," Temari added with a shrug.
"I gots to be with Hinata!" Kiba grinned, causing Hinata to blush.
Neji glared at Kiba, "Don't you dare touch her."
"Eep," Hinata squeaked.
Ino peered over the table to her best friend. "Sakura! Get your fat ass over here!"
"Shut up pig!" Sakura sneered.
"Oh my God Sai don't touch there!" Naruto cried out aghast.
"I'll kill you," Sasuke growled.
"Calm down Sasuke…" Naruto made an effort to calm the raven down.
"But I was just trying to grab you Ru-Ru," Sai mentioned innocently.
"Argghh!" Sasuke jumped across the table to grab and strangle the smiling artist.
A heavy sigh lingered in the air, obviously disgruntled with the way the question was lost the in the midst of calamity. "Pfft, how troublesome. Rendezvous at seven," Shikamaru finished, walking out of he room with both hands in his pockets.
…
Sasuke picked up Naruto and practically dragged him back to the house to escape the clutches of Sai. Once they arrived there, Sasuke dropped Naruto on the bed and told him to wait.
Sasuke rounded the corner to go get Naruto's present. No, it wasn't a bottle of lube, though he had considered that. Sasuke picked up the wrapped box and carried it into the bedroom. Naruto practically beamed at the sight of it. "Sasuke! You got me a present!" He eagerly lunged for the box, but Sasuke stepped to the side and allowed him to fall flat. Once Naruto was up again, he set it on the table and allowed him to open it. In three...two...one...
"KYUUBI! It's you!" Naruto picked up the small kitten and put it on his head, allowing Sasuke to see. "Sasuke, I can't believe you got me Kyuubi! Actually, I can't believe you went back to that place after your experience there," he chortled.
Sasuke put my hand awkwardly behind his head and chuckled. "Anything for you, Naruto."
Naruto put the kitten down and swayed over to Sasuke, who nearly lost his balance from the impact of Naruto's hug. Naruto leaned in and buried his nose against Sasuke's warm neck.
"Sasuke," he started. Sasuke put his finger to Naruto's lips, but he nudged it off. "Sasuke, you need to hear this." His arms wrapped around Sasuke's waist and he started to rock back and forth.
"Sasuke, remember the day we met?" he asked. Sasuke opened his mouth to answer until Naruto's cut me off. "Don't talk, just nod. Ok, good." Naruto's head pushed into Sasuke's neck even harder, allowing his lips to trail Sasuke's collarbone.
"Sasuke, the reason I went to the pool that day with everyone, was because," he choked and paused. "Remember that bridge we always see on the other side of the island? Well," the moment of truth was coming, "I was going to jump after that. The thought of never being loved killed me inside, so I decided to make what everyone wanted happen. All I wanted was one last day with my friends."
Sasuke stopped rocking to digest this and nearly pulled Naruto out of his arms to slap him, but the crying blond held tight and continued, "No one liked me Sasuke, and I was as sure as hell no one would love me, so thank you. Thank you for saving me. Thank you for loving me like you have. Please don't ever leave."
"I wouldn't dream of it Naruto," Sasuke guaranteed him. A light kiss on Sasuke's neck entailed his answer, making him moan in pleasure until Kyuubi started to meow…loudly. It was annoying, but Naruto didn't seem to notice. "Aren't you going to go play with your kitten-toy-fuzzball-it thing?"
Naruto grinned through Sasuke's dress shirt before trailing his hands down to the lower hem. "I have another toy it thing to play with first."
Kakashi might be old, but he wasn't ancient enough to not get the picture. "Quite intimate, weren't we?"
Sasuke nodded like a little boy about to receive a gift. "Very."
"Naruto we're going to be late!" Sasuke growled.
"We already are. It's my party; I get to decide when I arrive."
"Dobe, it's already eight o'clock."
"Fuck, Kiba's going to be pissed."
…
"NARUTO! Where were you? All the other groups had already left!" It was true, only Kiba and Hinata remained in the hotel parking lot in front of Kiba's Ford pick up truck.
"Neh, neh, we're here now and we're only two hours behind. Besides, when did the other groups ditch you guys?"
"A-an hour, ago," Hinata answered.
Naruto frowned. "Hinata you don't have to stutter. You know all of us."
"Naruto, it's really c-cold."
Naruto shot her a look before partly sliding out of his jacket then putting it quickly back on. "Heh, right."
Kiba gave Hinata his jacket and the four piled into Kiba's truck. While Kiba and Hinata rode on the front seats, Sasuke and Naruto rode in the back outside because they were the only ones who had jackets. As they climbed in, Naruto snuggled into Sasuke's shoulder for warmth. Sasuke put his chin on Naruto's hair. "Naruto, I want this to be a night to—"
He was cut off as a bump from the truck had caused Naruto's skull into Sasuke's jaw bone. Sasuke rubbed the newly formed bruise on his chin.
"Just Christ, Kiba, take it easy!" Naruto yelled all the while hitting the glass that separated the cold night from the heated inside of the truck. A muffled sorry was heard.
Naruto put his head back on Sasuke's shoulder, but a freezing hand pushed him down to his lap. "Lay down there dobe. I don't want the same thing happening twice."
Naruto complied and twisted his body towards the sky. "Hey, Sasuke, aren't the stars really pretty tonight?"
"They are. They kind of remind me of you. Fiery and bright on the outside, something everyone wants to look at, but slowly crumpling away on the inside due to all the burning passion they contain," Sasuke sighed.
Naruto brought his hand up to Sasuke's ear and pulled him down for a kiss. "Thank you for understanding."
The kiss was long and sweet, a mixture of cold sweat and mint of Sasuke's part, and warm with a taste of ramen on Naruto's part. Their lips lingered and mashed against each other, a contrast evident between Naruto's smooth ones and Sasuke's dry, cracked ones.
Naruto's wrists were pinned against the stony textured metal and their fingers intertwined, finding their perfect place within the other's hands. It was all so romantic until Kiba slammed on the breaks and sent both boys, still tangled in each other, towards the back of the truck. The inertia of both bodies collapsed the barrier and sent them towards the ground. Sasuke hit first and let out a groan, then a screech in agony with the force on Naruto's weight on top of him.
"D-dobe, get off..."
"Hey were here you guys...ahh!" Kiba exclaimed, seeing them in a position. "No PDA! Gah, Hinata, come scratch my eyes out," he stammered while blindly navigating himself towards the front of the truck. Naruto pulled Sasuke up and smirked at Kiba's immaturity.
"Come on, let's go inside," Sasuke instructed. They did, hand in hand.
Sasuke stopped to stare at the concrete floor. The silence was stifling, and the ominous feeling in the room didn't help either. So this was it. The room where murderers had confessed, lonely widows had cried their eyes out, the details behind love triangles had come out—and now he was here.
"Sasuke, are you okay?" Kakashi asked, his eyebrows knitting into a look of concern. "I'm assuming this is the part?"
Sasuke hand made its way into his pocket again. His heart stopped beating for a split second as a flash of events screamed through his broken mind, begging to be vanquished back to recession.
"Yeah, it is."
Hot bodies grinded against each other in dance. Girls mixed and mingled with their male counterparts. Transfixed eyes focused on the moving bodies, seemingly obsessed with the way they flowed and swayed to the beat of the inviting music and atmosphere, practically begging the innocent to join the masses and eventually inveigling them in the drunken stupor that had possessed the crowd.
Naruto was one within the crowd with Sasuke standing by as merely an accessory to the event. Gaara, Shikarmaru, and Temari all functioned in a dark corner back where nobody else danced or even dared to enter. Shino had gone outside to escape the humid atmosphere.
Intermixed with alcohol, laughter, and teen spirit, the environment was sickening, or so it seemed that way to Sasuke. He just wanted to go home with Naruto...screw the party. A familiar hand grabbed his wrist and pulled him into the crowd, plunging him into the swarm of people with no regard for boundaries or where one person's contours started and stopped. Naruto pulled him close and smiled in a drunken manner. He was clearly enjoying himself.
Sasuke couldn't help but smile at the vulnerability of Naruto, not that I would ever take advantage of it. Their bodies pressed together and became one form. A familiar song came on and the crowd jumped rhythmically, now on fire to Katy Perry's beat. Naruto's hands found their way to Sasuke's. This was their song.
You make me feel like I'm living a teenage dream,
Whispers escaped the twos lips, each directed towards the other's burning ears. They heard giggles from people close as them, which were lost in the chants and screaming of the crowd.
The way you turn me on! I can't sleep...
Sasuke remembered back to the nights where Naruto and he would sit and whisper to each other about their hopes and dreams. The way they practiced our 'eye talk' for cheating on tests during school, it was his favorite. Naruto never had any clue what was going on, and Sasuke always got lost in those eyes.
Let's taken a chance and don't ever look back, don't ever look back.
They were planning to live together for the rest of their lives, however long they might be. They'd never find another love like this. The promises Naruto and Sasuke had made were unbreakable.
I'ma get your heart racing in my skin tight jeans, be your teenage dream tonight,
Naruto's hands moved up and down Sasuke's back, then to his front starting at his collarbone down to his bony ribs. Naruto was proud to be holding such a godly figure, up close made it even more so than the day he first saw Sasuke. Sasuke shivered at Naruto's touch, for it was pleasure mixed with another unworldly sensation.
Let you put your hands on me in my-
They were suddenly interrupted when they heard screams through the crowd. Was there a fight?
Skin tight-
A gunshot, no two. What the hell was going on? How did they get weapons in here? Five bodies fled through the doors. Pain from the sudden cacophony radiated through Sasuke's temples. He was imagining things; there was no way they could've gotten weapons in here without someone noticing.
One shot drink enough, it was the music, and someone shattered a glass just to freak everyone out-countless excuses to not stop dancing fluttered through his mind. We would be alright. Naruto's body surged forward into Sasuke's arms, making him smiled at the fact Naruto felt safe in them.
Jeans, be your-
Sasuke drew back his hands away from Naruto to observe the sudden dampness to them. It was too dark to see the color, and he assumed it was a spilled drink. It was warm and sticky, which puzzled Sasuke because bar drinks were typically served cold. As the strobe lights flashed across his hands, Sasuke couldn't be certain but thought the color was red. He lifted his trembling hands hesitantly to his nose, and that familiar rustic scent wafted through his nostrils. The paralyzing smell it emitted was unmistakable.
Blood.
Teenage dream-
Time went slow. Naruto collapsed in front of Sasuke and landed on the wood with a thud. And no one even noticed.
The lights continued to flash, the music blared louder than ever, and Sasuke's eyes blurred along with his other senses. He screamed Naruto's name with no memory of it, and was on his knees holding Naruto's broken body in front of his own, repeating in his mind, It's just a dream. A scream pierced the air, finally. A crowd gathered around, yet Sasuke continued to hold him. He heard someone talking on the phone with 911. The unbearable background noise snapped Sasuke back to reality.
It wasn't a dream. His best friend was dying in front of him. The one person he had ever loved.
"Naruto, please don't go, please don't go," Sasuke pleaded, more to the gods than anything else. His hand made an effort to cover the wound; it was bleeding profusely. Sasuke set him down to cover it better, but Naruto struggled against Sasuke's will with the remaining power he had left. He lifted his head back up and buried it in Sasuke's now soaked shirt, right where he could hear the beating of Sasuke's heart. Blood trickled out of his mouth, and his half-lidded eyes desperately forced themselves to stay open, just to keep Sasuke in his sight.
Naruto tried to laugh at the timing of his death, resulting in a series of chokes and sputters emitting from his mouth. Sasuke's grip tightened around the blond, allowing Naruto to leave this life in peace, happy with the fact Sasuke knew the unspoken words Naruto had so desperately tried to whisper for the last time.
"Sasuke, don't let me go."
Tonight.
Kakashi fold his hands and rested his chin on them. He stared at Sasuke, who was restless from the colder feel to the room. Silence hummed in Kakashi's ear. "So that's it?"
"Yes," he told Kakashi, his large onyx colored eyes were suddenly boring into the other's. "Did they catch whoever did it?"
"They did," Kakashi replied gently before adding, "the suspect is under investigation as an unofficial hit-man for Itachi Uchiha, but he already stated Naruto wasn't his target. It was purely an accident." Some of the tension in Sasuke's shoulders released, but he remained on guard. Sasuke's hand fidgeted in his pocket for the third time, Kakashi noticed.
"Kakashi?" his voice was weak, breaking, and hopeless. Sasuke's heavy sobs dominated the room, his tears landed with a resounding plop. "Can I have one last cup of water?"
Kakashi stood and handed to him a half filled cup, which Sasuke took and simply stared at his reflection in. Then, before anyone could blink, his hand was out of his pocket, covering his mouth with sealed lips; while he threw the water in Kakashi's face. After wiping his eyes, Kakashi noticed unmistakable white crystals resting on the corners of Sasuke's lips, and the glass tube in Sasuke's hands that had been previously occupied by approximately 400 mg of potassium cyanide. Kakashi jumped up and grabbed Sasuke's waist, in an effort to force him to spit out the toxin. Sasuke refused to reveal the poison he had attempted to swallow and put up a fight, slamming Kakashi into the glass harshly enough that it cracked, allowing screams to be heard. Kakashi grabbed Sasuke's wrists and he squirmed, continuing to struggle until against the hold until he was thrown against the wall.
Sasuke hit the wall and fell to his knees, beginning to convulse. Kakashi looked frantically at the flailing boy. "Get help in here now!" he said, whilst crawling over to Sasuke, who was shaking violently on the floor, cheeks red and eyes puffy; who needed nothing more than to be held. Kakashi wrapped his arms around the boy in an effort to still him. Sasuke fell still and silent, his head falling over the crook of Kakashi's elbow, eyes glazed over in unconsciousness. The paramedics rushed into the room and picked Sasuke up, carrying away his spindly body.
Anko walked into the room and placed a hand on Kakashi's shoulder. "He'll be alright, Kakashi. They'll save him. It's happened before..." she reassured him, her voice fading into the background. He made no further effort to listen.
I hated this job, I wanted to quit, but innocent people like him kept me going, Kakashi assured himself for the last time.
I want to thank my amazing beta 80x18 and my extra set of eyes Midnight Insomniac. But mostly my beta.
I don't own Naruto or Katy Perry's Teenage Dream. -and-
Tell me what you thought.
-B