Hello everyone,
How is everyone doing? I have been going through a lot of different things so it is exhausting to get through all the stories that I make but I do hope everyone bares with me for a while. I will finish all of my stories. I promise.
Chidori95: Hello, and yes I know that. I like the mature air around Naruto in my stories I know that sounds weird but I like it that way.
Guest: I know that mold is bad but I looked it up on how to clean it. I also learned that if you close your bathroom door for you will start to get mold because of the bathroom becoming fairly damp but it is easy to get rid of as long as it's not inside the walls or in the pipes. Everyone reacts differently with mold so not everyone gets sick.
Guest, May: Thank you.
Mkayemolina: Thank you I look forward to reading more of your comments.
inuyasha16451: Thank you I appreciate what you think.
Enjoy the chapter.
When Sasuke woke up it was around one in the afternoon he was shocked that he didn't hear any working so he expected to find Naruto in his room sleeping. He didn't expect him to be in the backyard or for the backyard to be fixed up with no garbage in the area anymore like yesterday. The garbage people must have come while he was sleeping because everything from the bathroom was out of the yard. That was when he noticed the garden and walked to it.
"I can't believe he did all this while I was asleep." Sasuke mumbled to himself admiring the garden he didn't see in years not bothering to even come to the backyard anymore.
When Sasuke was done admiring the garden he went to the blonde and noticed that he was sleeping peacefully.
"Naruto, Naruto," Sasuke called eventually leaning down to wake the blonde.
It didn't take long for Naruto to get up, pulling off his headphones to look up at Sasuke.
"Finally! You woke up. I was wondering when you were going to rise." Naruto said in a joking tone.
"You make it sound like I'm a vampire." Sasuke grumbled.
"Maybe you are." Naruto said with a lopsided smile on his face.
"I thought you were going to do the bathroom first." Sasuke remarked.
"I was waiting for you to wake up. I didn't want to wake you seeing as I have no idea when you went to sleep." Naruto said courteously.
"Thank you, but that's not necessary. Do you need anything for the bathroom?" Sasuke asked.
"Yeah I need tiles, paint, and a new sink, window, and toilet." Naruto said.
"Okay, when do you want to go get these things?" Sasuke asked.
"Now? If its okay with you that is?" Naruto said starting to stand up.
"That's sounds fine, but don't you want to change?" Sasuke asked looking at Naruto's clothes like they were vile material.
They were dirty from working on the bathroom and the yard but Naruto didnt really care for his appearance. He had work to do so he wasn't trying to show off for anyone.
"Sasuke, I only have like three outfits with me I would rather not waste them on trivial matters." Naruto said diplomatically.
"I can't let you leave the house looking like that." Sasuke said with a disgusted look on his face.
"Are you going to give me clothes because I am not wearing something else when I have to touch a bunch of other things at the store we're going to?" Naruto asked.
"Just wear something else and I will wash it for you at Sakura's house today." Sasuke said.
"Has anyone ever taught you to conserve? My grandfather says if you don't have to get something dirty don't. So I will stay in these clothes and you can act like you don't know me." Naruto said with a smile.
Sasuke grit his teeth but just nodded his head understanding because that's what his brother use to say too.
'Damn now I am thinking about him.' Sasuke thought as he walked back to the house with a silent Naruto behind him.
Naruto just silently followed the brooding dark haired man without uttering a single word. When he got to the truck he was super excited but tried to contain it.
"My grandfather would love to have this truck." Naruto commented looking out the window.
"It was my grandfather's." was all Sasuke said.
When Naruto realized there wasn't going to be anymore talking he put his headphones on. The moment they got to the stores he jumped in his seat not able to contain his excitement. He took his headphones off sliding them in his pocket and got out the car when it stopped.
Sasuke got out the car staring at the crazy blonde that was full of excitement.
"Calm down," Sasuke said and followed Naruto to the store doors.
"You're just bitter because I have a passion for something you don't understand." Naruto said taking off into the store.
Sasuke stood there not believing what he heard; he heard it before from his brother. It was his last year of high school when he heard it.
(Flashback)
"Tachi, I don't want to do this with you." an eighteen year old Sasuke complained as he helped his twenty-three year old brother with building a crib.
"Come on Sasuke, it will be fun to do it as brothers. It is your first nephew." Itachi said with a smile on his face.
Itachi was excited to be a daddy. When the girl he was with told him she didn't want to have anything to do with him and the baby, he made her sign all parental rights over to him. At the moment the person who was holding the baby was Sakura Sasuke's girlfriend at the time so they could fix the crib with his brother.
"I still don't want to do this." Sasuke grumbled but walked to his brother.
"You're just bitter because I have a passion for something you don't understand. One day you will foolish little brother but for now help me with this board." Itachi said holding a board to his little brother.
(Flashback end)
"You coming or what, Sasuke?" Naruto called to him with a smile.
Sasuke moved forward without any complaints but couldn't help the inner turmoil that was starting to haunt him with how much the blonde spoke and talked like his brother. They didn't even do the same things in life but they seem to see the world in the same view. Itachi was always up to learning and meeting new people. As for Sasuke he didn't like anything or really anyone aside from a few. He wouldn't lie but it happened when his parents passed that he stopped wanting to get close to people but when Itachi passed he blocked the whole world off. Naruto seemed to be the type of person that his brother would have got along with immediately seeing as they seemed to be the type of hands on worker mentality. It hurt Sasuke's heart to be around Naruto because of the constant reminder of Itachi but he needed him for his house at least until the end of the week.
"I don't know about that. It should suit the bathroom and that definitely don't." Naruto said talking to a worker.
Sasuke found himself listening and watching Naruto while he discussed toilets with one of the workers. Sasuke didn't really know what they were talking about but if he did then he would feel like Naruto wasn't doing his job right.
Once the two were done talking Naruto walked back to Sasuke.
"Okay, so I got the toilet situation sorted out. Now to the sinks then windows." Naruto said seeming to want to get the big things out the way right away.
"What else after those?" Sasuke found himself asking.
"I was thinking tiles, paint, and then garden stuff for the yard. How does that sound?" Naruto asked tilting his head and looking at Sasuke with a hopeful smile that Sasuke didn't want to crush so he nodded his head.
When they got everything they needed Sasuke didn't understand why they got two paints and didn't understand why Naruto wanted flower pots or more vegetables to plant. Sasuke tried telling him he wouldn't have time to take care of the yard but the blonde was completely dismissive like his brother used to be to him. It was frustrating but comforting at the same time. But the comforting part made him irritated and easily irritable.
Naruto must have got the short end of the stick he was sure of because he never met someone with as many mood swings as Sasuke so he didn't really know what to do. Then again Naruto didn't have much human contact to begin with so he left Sasuke alone to his brooding as he put everything in the back of the truck aside from the flower pots he put those in front for him to hold onto during the drive back, afraid they would break.
Sasuke honestly thought something was wrong with Naruto the moment they got home and he started carrying things around the house like it wasn't a problem. He left all the garden stuff in the back yard but took everything else upstairs. Sasuke thanked the heavens they had two staircases to get up and down because he didn't want to pass Naruto. Sasuke thought it would be best to see how his company was doing.
"Sasuke, what's up?" Shikamaru asked answering the phone.
"How is everything?" Sasuke asked.
"The deal went through, I honestly have no idea how Kiba pulled it off with Suigetsu but he did." Shikamaru said sighing in the phone.
"That's good to hear. I needed to hear some good news today." Sasuke said.
"When are you coming back? September is going to be a bitch of a month if you don't come back. In August we don't have much to do but September is something else altogether." Shikamaru said.
"I will be back September first." was all Sasuke said wondering if the house could really be done in a month with one person doing it.
He was sure that one person couldn't do it by themselves but at least he would know the person better to leave them alone.
"Good to hear, I will call you if anything comes up that I can't handle." Shikamaru said hanging up.
Sasuke shook his head despite not being seen and walked toward the bathroom which was currently open with everything out aside from the tub. He looked at Naruto who was currently looking down a pipe talking on the phone.
"No, I don't see anything. Yeah… huh… I didn't think of that. But yeah it's good; I am good to attach that after I do the tiles." Naruto was saying to the person on the phone. "Okay I will call you later. Bye and be safe." Naruto said coming into full view for Sasuke to see that his face was completely dirty and so was the front of his shirt. "Now to get started with the tiles." Naruto said as he turned around to see Sasuke staring at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes?" Naruto asked.
"Just making sure you're not destroying anything." Sasuke said getting a better look at the bathroom.
Everything was basically out. The window was gone no wonder why he felt a draft in the hallway last night. The walls were ripped apart, the toilet was gone and so was the sink.
"Everything is fine, now get out the way." Naruto said grabbing the tiles.
"Uh-huh," Sasuke said and walked toward the stairs.
That was basically the last time Naruto talked to Sasuke for the rest of the week. Don't get me wrong Sasuke did see Naruto working in the garden and yard and even attempted to see the blonde working in the bathroom but the door was always closed and locked. Naruto even stopped sleeping in the room aside from the last night he actually slept outside the bathroom so Sasuke wouldn't try to sneak a peek and that made him want to go in more. Sasuke found himself wanting to make the blonde man mad more often. He turned off the hose on Naruto a few times when Naruto wasn't looking just to watch him cuss under his breath and walk to turn it back on. Sasuke wasn't sure why he even became amused by the childish actions. Despite all that Naruto never went back to Sakura's house since the first day which didn't upset Sakura because she felt more like a family with just them there.
On the final day Sasuke was in the living room reading another one of his stories to get bombarded by Naruto telling him to come with him being pulled to the bathroom while he had a smile on his face.
"I am done with the bathroom. It was a bitch but I got it done in time and it was fun." Naruto said excited with paint all over his hands, in his hair, on his clothes, and a little bit was on his face but Sasuke could see how happy he was despite being a mess.
"Are you ready to see it?" Naruto asked with a smile that made him look younger.
Sasuke nodded his head and Naruto opened the door to reveal a newly renovated bathroom on the side with the toilet and sink was the Uchiha crest and that made Sasuke pause and think back to when it was explained what it meant.
(Flashback)
"Why is the crest everywhere even on our clothes?" Sasuke asked his father and mother at the age of seven before they passed.
"Foolish little brother it represents our clan and ancestors." Itachi said with a smirk.
"Your brother is right Sasuke. It represents who we are and where we came from." Fugaku said with a smirk.
(Flashback end)
Sasuke didn't even realize he forgot about the signs all over his house but this was completely open and out there. He didn't even know he was crying until Naruto reacted.
"Are you okay? I didn't mean to do something you don't like… I can cover it right away…" Naruto said moving toward the paint to be stopped by Sasuke.
"It's fine, don't cover it. You did a good job, congrats you got the job." Sasuke said with a sad smile.
Sasuke walked away trying to hold his tears in. He just let the one person to drag memories out of him let him work on his house.
"Damn," Sasuke grumbled sadly going to the floor as silent tears fell from his eyes.
Naruto was still in the bathroom not sure what just happened. He wasn't sure if he should be happy or feel bad making the person he was working for cry. Naruto was always sensitive about other people's feelings and never wanted or meant to hurt anyone.
'Maybe they were happy tears. No they couldn't be he cried looking at the fan symbol.' Naruto thought.
He wasn't sure if he could be happy seeing Sasuke cry like that. It hurt his feelings to see the usual stoic and cocky man cry was nerve wrecking. But he still decided to call his grandfather to tell him the good news.
"Hey brat," Jiraiya said.
"Hey, got the job." Naruto said sounding down.
"Then why do you seem down?" Jiraiya asked knowing his grandson was bothered by something.
"It's just he looked at the crest and started crying it made me feel like I made the wrong choice." Naruto admitted.
"Brat, did he say he wanted you to get rid of it?" Jiraiya asked.
"No, I actually attempted and he stopped me saying he wanted it." Naruto said.
"Then you're fine you did a good job. Now be happy he approved you." Jiraiya said making Naruto smile.
"Okay call you tomorrow. Be safe," Naruto said hanging up.
It seemed the world stopped when Naruto and Sasuke passed each other. Sasuke heading to the stairs to go downstairs and Naruto heading to his room.
"Naruto, do you want a drink with me? Or are you too young to drink with me?" Sasuke asked with a mocking smirk on his face.
"I can drink bastard." Naruto grumbled as he stared at the raven haired man that seemed so much more comfortable around him now.
"Get cleaned up and meet me on the back porch." Sasuke said and was down the stairs.
Naruto went to his room changed and then went to the bathroom to take the paint off himself as much as possible. When he felt like he was clean he put on different clothes not really understanding why he was trying to impress Sasuke so much. The moment he came outside Sasuke had poured two glasses of whiskey. Sasuke didn't look at him but handed him a cup.
"Sorry if painting that crest on the wall upset you." Naruto said making Sasuke look at him shocked swirling his drink in his hand.
Sasuke let out a small smile sighing as he looked down. "It's not you… it was my family's crest when they were alive." Sasuke said looking up at the dark sky.
"What do you mean it was your family's crest? You're still around so its still your family's crest." Naruto said with a smile looking at Sasuke.
"..." Sasuke was shocked he never thought of it like that.
Before he could say anything he heard a loud crash, he looked toward Naruto to see that he fell into the porch. He just watched Naruto struggle trying to get out.
"OH MY GOD THERE ARE SPIDERS EVERYWHERE!" Naruto screamed completely freaking out.
Sasuke got up grabbing Naruto's arm pulling Naruto out the hole and couldn't help but laugh. Naruto was shocked that Sasuke started laughing out of all the mood swings Naruto has seen since being here he never seen Sasuke laugh.
"Stop laughing bastard," Naruto said as he shook his clothes off from spiders.
That only made Sasuke laugh harder.
"Sorry but I am just glad I didn't sit on the porch." Sasuke said as he laughed calming down giving Naruto a smile sitting back in his seat.
Naruto smiled back walking to find a different spot to sit. He was actually freaked out with how much spiders he was finding around the house. Spiders were the one thing Naruto couldn't deal with; he hated them from a really young age and couldn't help it.
"So…" Sasuke started with a smirk on his cocky face, "you don't like spiders…" Sasuke finished chuckling in his hands.
Naruto grit his teeth in minor irritation but still thought it was amusing to find Sasuke amused and not brooding.
"I hate spiders, they make me sick." Naruto said gently not looking up.
"Well then I guess you won't like this." Sasuke said playing around making it seem like he had a spider effectively making Naruto run inside the house making Sasuke laugh.
"That's not funny asshole." Naruto grumbled coming back outside with a pout on his face.
"What kind of grown man is afraid of spiders?" Sasuke asked with a chuckle still the smirk was there.
"The kind of man that got tossed in a bucket of spiders when they were a kid." Naruto said.
"Who did that to you?" Sasuke asked curiously.
"My gramps, he was a bit of an asshole but he took care of me." Naruto said.
"You said that before, what about your parents?" Sasuke asked not sure why he even wanted to know.
Sasuke was shocked by himself, not only was he curious about the guy but the guy made him laugh and actually feel some sort of life in him again even if it was just a little bit.
"My father died I guess before I was born and my mother died giving birth to me, so I ended up in the care of my grandparents but since my grandmother never wanted to travel I was always with my gramps. He's a bit of a pervert but he is my best friend." Naruto said with a smile that said it all.
Sasuke couldn't believe his ears; it amazed him that this young man seemed so happy and content with his life despite his parents never being around basically being alone.
"I know my parents loved me though, so I guess I think with everything I do in my life they would be proud if they were around me. My gramps said my mom had a wild temper but loved fiercely and that my father was a gentle soul that knew when to take care of business." Naruto said with a smile.
"I was seven when my parents died. It has got to the point that I honestly barely remember my family or what it was like as a whole. My father wasn't really close to me but what I do remember about him was his strong pride in our family and our blood line. My mother was gentle and nurturing. I remember her warm hands and the soothing hugs she used to give me when I was sick." Sasuke found himself saying.
"I guess it's harder to lose someone then them never being there to begin with." Naruto hummed out.
Sasuke was shocked by Naruto's response never guessing the blonde would think that. Sasuke never met someone that was sympathetic but not pitying him. Naruto had this air around him that said he didn't want to pity someone because he knew how it felt to be pitied.
"How was living with your grandpa on the road?" Sasuke found himself asking and not really sure why because he didn't know why he found himself so curious.
"It was a bit of a roller coaster. My granny wanted me to stay with her so I could get a normal education but gramps was set on bringing me with him no matter what. So he got a teaching degree just for me while I was really young. He wanted to be able to teach me. I am brilliant at math if I don't say so myself. I got on such a high level on math that he couldn't teach me math anymore. English was harder but I got through it and everything else seemed to go with the flow. How were your grades when you were a kid?" Naruto asked.
Sasuke shrugged his shoulders still finding it hard not answering the blonde. He was actually enjoying the conversation because it seemed like Naruto knew just the right questions to ask and the ones not to ask.
"I had straight A's." Sasuke gloated.
"No way," Naruto said drinking his drink.
"Yes way, is it really that hard to believe?" Sasuke asked with a raised eyebrow while drinking his glass.
Naruto thought about it for a second then looked at Sasuke and shook his head no. "Nah, you seem to be that type of guy to get straight A's." Naruto said making Sasuke's eyebrow go up in question. "What? You seem to be the type to always want to be on top of your class. I bet you were really popular." Naruto said making Sasuke scoff.
Naruto looked back at Sasuke from when he was staring at the yard. "So you're telling me I'm wrong?" Naruto asked raising his eyebrows.
"No," Sasuke said softly "you're not wrong." Sasuke finished.
"Not to break this little party but I plan on getting something done tomorrow about these spiders so I'm about to get some shut eye. Do you think I can start with the downstairs going up?" Naruto said standing up chugging the rest of his drink.
"Yeah sounds good," Sasuke said kind of bummed out that Naruto wanted to go inside.
"Speaking of which, I noticed you don't have food here… I was wondering if we could do a little food shopping. I figured you don't know how to cook if you keep going to eat at that woman's house." Naruto said standing by the door for an answer.
"She has my nephew so I have to go over there." Sasuke said.
"Not to sound mean but she doesn't seem to have the same idea as you. She treats it as family dinners. So can we?" Naruto asked.
Sasuke was shocked by how perceptive the blonde was because he only went to dinner by Sakura's once and all the rest of the time he went to eat dinner at a diner that Sasuke dropped him off at.
"I mean it is cheaper than using money on food every time you go over there. I just want to cook meals it's not like I'm asking you to cook." Naruto said pleading basically.
"Sure," Sasuke said liking the fact that Naruto was pleading to him.
"Alright then, good night Sasuke." Naruto said then he dared take a glance at Sasuke to see the somber look in his eyes saying he didn't want to be alone. "As a matter of fact I saw the movie collection in your living room." Naruto started and left the question for Sasuke hanging in the air for him.
Sasuke raised his eyebrows in shock and desire to spend more time with the blonde.
"Do you want to watch a movie?" Naruto asked.
"Sounds like an idea. It's more sober to do that then drink this whole bottle." Sasuke said slipping the last part out.
"I don't like horror movies though, just to let you know." Naruto said making a sadistic smile go on Sasuke's face.
Sasuke couldn't ignore the fact of how much Naruto and Itachi had been similar to each other. Itachi hated horror movies too. Itachi was brightness just like Naruto and that's what drew people in the most about them. Naruto is so friendly and welcoming; Sasuke could tell that he just welcomes new things head on unlike him. He is a skeptic and questions everything he hasn't done himself and won't believe in people either. People fear him for respect unlike his brother who was well-liked and respected for that reason alone. They were scared when he was to get mad but that was rare.
(Flashback)
"Why are you scared of horror movies? You weren't afraid of father." Sasuke said to his terrified fifteen year old brother.
"Father wasn't supposed to be feared. He loved us so he would never do anything to harm us." Itachi said as he covered his eyes.
"Oh my god, if you're that scared just come lay by me." Sasuke said gesturing for his brother to come lay by him under the blanket.
"Thanks Sasu," Itachi said gently curling with his little brother on the couch.
"I love you Ita," Sasuke said.
Kakashi found them asleep like that the next morning.
(End Flashback)
"Sasuke? You still there?" Naruto said from dusting off the couch not bringing himself to approach Sasuke like he would do with others.
He just didn't think it would be a good idea seeing as he didn't know the guy very well and didn't seem to want to be touched.
"I'm fine, what are you doing?" Sasuke asked.
"I have to clean off these couches that haven't been sat on in like decades. So it needs to be dusted off." Naruto said with a warm smile not even asking why Sasuke zoned out.
Sasuke was really starting to appreciate this young man more and more every time they spoke. He didn't mind speaking to the blonde he found it relieving especially because he didn't force him to open up, like his friends did or like how Sakura did. He hated all that, all he wanted was to be left alone but in walks this blonde that gets him talking but doesn't even question him. Just let's him be and lets him talk when he needs too. He doesn't even ask him what happened or what happened to his other family members. He didn't even ask him why he started crying earlier.
"We can watch it on the tv in your room." Sasuke said not offering his room.
"There's a tv in there? Where?" Naruto asked standing up quickly as he shook off his clothes.
Sasuke led Naruto upstairs and showed him a secret button that revealed a t.v. and a d.v.d player and Naruto couldn't be happier just from that alone.
"I didn't even notice that was there. Maybe it was because I have been distracted. Who did this?" Naruto asked.
"My father did for my brother and me when we were kids so we could have a movie room. But we tended to sleep in here a lot so we brought a bed in here instead of having a couch." Sasuke said.
"That's awesome; I had a portable d.v.d player when I was a kid." Naruto said sitting on the bed.
Sasuke just sat on the chair and pulled out the zombie movie he picked out. After a few minutes Naruto found out the reason why it was a bad idea to let Sasuke pick out the movie.
"Damn it, I told you I don't like scary movies." Naruto said putting his head under the blanket. "At least you can sit by me if you're going to try and scare the life out of me." Naruto said in a tone that was scared and pleading.
Sasuke didn't say anything just got up and went to sit by Naruto on the bed.
"Thanks," Naruto whispered still under the blanket.
"I'm used to it." Sasuke said still looking at the t.v.
Naruto took a glance at Sasuke for a moment only to turn back when a zombie was about to eat someone.
"I can't take the sight of blood." Naruto whispered going under the blanket.
"What kind of man are you?" Sasuke wondered out loud.
"The type of man that is scared of spiders, horror movies, blood, and losing my grandparents. But open and strong minded, brave to a fault along with friendly to a fault." Naruto said honestly.
Sasuke not realizing he asked the question out loud looked at Naruto to see his determined eyes and was awestruck by it. Naruto was too much like his brother and that scared him.
"My brother used to be scared of horror movies too. That's why I'm used to this." Sasuke said as he looked at the screen.
"I bet he was brave otherwise though." Naruto said making Sasuke look at him with a shocked expression and a small smile.
"Yeah he was," Sasuke whispered.
They fell asleep together that night like all them years ago how Sasuke and Itachi used too. It was the first time in a long time where Sasuke felt warmth that he actually wanted and couldn't seem to push away.
Reviews.
How does everyone feel about the story so far? Sasuke reflects how his relationship was with his brother a lot now that Naruto constantly reminds him.
