A/N:Yay, finally the second part is out! It was SO fucking hard to write, too, but I think that it made me warm up to it considerably.

I've been reading the "Ai No Kusabi" novels, so I've written a journal with info about some things I mention in this fic that might confuse you. Check it out here -

www.y-gallery journal/debbiesilver/ (don't forget to fix the spacing).

I am ashamed to say that what inspired me to continue this story (apart from reading the books) was the song "Diamonds" by Rihanna. I hate her guts, no offense. I really do, but this song is just...it gets to you. It forces its way in and becomes personal, intimate with you. I want to bury my head in the sand.

Anyway...

Do let me know what you think! Reviews are always appreciated and help us writers to improve and keep a more intimate relationship with our readers. Also, what are a few lines coming from you compared to fifteen pages of entertainment, huh?

This is un'beta'd but has been edited on the 15th of November 2012.

Ai No Kusabi belongs to Rieko Yoshihara.

Naruto belongs to Kishimoto Masashi.


Rebellious Will

Part II

In the center of the cracked ceiling, an old metallic fan was working noisily as it provided a scarce relief in that hot afternoon. Weak rays of light peaked through the dark, worn out blinds, filling the room with unnecessary illumination.

With his wrist resting over his sticky forehead and one hand over his pounding chest, Sasuke lay naked on his back on a rumpled bed that wasn't his, but that he already knew far too well for his own liking. His semi-closed eyes stared at a particularly deep gash on the ceiling unfocusedly as he tried to steady his raged breathing.

For some strange reason, a strong sense of peace had taken over him and he couldn't understand what exactly had triggered it in the first place. It could be thanks to the fact that he had finally released all his pent up frustrations through sex, but then again, maybe it was just because he had just had sex with someone that wasn't at all the person he should have been fucking in the first place.

In wonder, he questioned himself. How could something like that ever give him peace? And yet, there it was – that momentary post-sexual bliss, and the feeling of calm and placidness that made him feel as if all the things that tormented his very existence were meaningless.

Sasuke didn't really know why he had been feeling so emotionally and physically affected by the whole world in general lately. He, who was usually so composed and kept his blood as cold as ice most of the time, didn't really understand why every little thing seemed to affect him and get on his nerves.

If he were to be honest with himself, he had started feeling that way since he laid eyes on that Blondy in central Midas a few days ago. He had tried to do some research about him – after all, he was probably the only deficient Blondy in all of Tanagura – but not even his darkest resources seemed to find anything particular about said person. How something like that was possible, Sasuke didn't know, but it irked him and angered him like nothing else before. It made him feel useless and inefficient as well, and that was something he did not enjoy feeling, especially because the nagging fear that he might never see the other man again was coiling in the pit of his stomach.

He had searched all over Midas, had tried to walk around Tanagura to see if he could get a glimpse of the Blondy, but to no avail. As far as he knew, the man might not even exist.

Sasuke carried the pack of cigarettes with him everywhere, refusing to give in to his fear and to accept that they probably weren't meant to meet again. He was confident that, sooner or later, he would bump into him once more, and this certainty was actually something that overwhelmed him greatly, as did the desire itself of seeing him once more.

Sasuke's pride denied it, but that same desire had consistently begun to border on a healthy obsession that he clung to as fiercely as he clung to life.

Still, the restlessness he felt only meant that he was constantly on edge. His emotions felt raw, floating at the surface of his skin, more than ready to come out, uninvited and unwanted.

It wasn't just the Blondy that made him feel this way because, unfortunately, his personal life – or the little one he possessed – wasn't doing great either, and even though something deep inside him knew it, his irrational side contradicted it.

The small, poorly decorated room reeked of alcohol, sex and tobacco, the scents gentle soothers for Sasuke's rampant soul.

Beside him, sheets rustled as an equally naked body moved closer, pressing itself to his left side, one leg draping over his thigh, one hand placing itself over his shoulder while calloused fingers rubbed the skin there affectionately. Sasuke could feel a heavy breath ghosting over his ear.

Trying to avoid the complicated feeling of longing that suddenly threatened to consume him then, he simply closed his eyes and allowed himself to relax, not caring about the mess covering his softening cock.

For a long while, he and his companion just lay there in silence as they placated the post-lust adrenaline running through their systems and listened to the natural sounds of the noisy street outside where, apparently, two rival gangs were involved in some serious brawling.

"That was pretty intense, huh?" the young man beside him whispered gently after a few minutes, brushing his knuckles over Sasuke's jaw, where the sweat had already begun to dry.

"Yeah..." Sasuke, who had already started to doze off, was brought back to a semi-awakened state by the other's voice.

Lips were pressed to his neck, forcing him to return to full consciousness. More out of habit than of willingness, he lazily turned his head to the side so that said lips could now be pressed to his as he allowed himself to be kissed and slowly kiss back in the simplest of gestures.

"You know, Sasuke..." Kiba muttered, once they broke the contact. Sasuke noticed the seriousness in his tone and felt him moving away slightly, which made him open his eyes so that he could see the face of his childhood friend leaning over his. Kiba was still very close, supporting his weight on one elbow. "We've known each other for a long time now, so I can say that I know you enough to understand your mood swings."

Sasuke blinked up and gazed at Kiba's dark brown eyes.

"Is that so?" He asked, in an equally serious tone.

"I can tell you're frustrated."

The straightforwardness took Sasuke by surprise, but he refrained from letting it show on his face.

"Hn..." was all he said, averting his eyes from the other man and staring up at the ceiling once more.

Was he that vulnerable already that even Kiba had to notice something was different about him?

"Look, I know you and Itachi love each other," Kiba sighed, moving his hand from his shoulder to place it over Sasuke's, on his chest. "It's always been that way as far as I can remember, but I don't think the two of you are looking at the same things anymore." Kiba's words made Sasuke's muscles tense, and seeing this, the brown haired male squeezed Sasuke's hand a bit tighter. "It's not a bad thing; it just means that you should probably move on and find yourself a true Pairing Partner. "

Sasuke didn't like many people, nor did he allow just anyone into his heart or his life, even though he pretended he did to sustain some very valuable contacts. Sasuke and Itachi's 'Mother' had been one of the many preceptors that educated kids at Guardian, where every other child lived until they were legally old enough to stand on their own feet. Even after her death, Itachi and Sasuke remained in the foster house as all the other so-called 'orphans', and that's when they met Kiba, a cheery, big-mouthed boy that always forced them to smile even when they didn't want to.

Itachi had been 11 and Sasuke had been 6 at the time. Sasuke trusted Kiba, cared for him and valued him as a friend, but even though they worked together in the most famous bar in Ceres, his not so recent relationship with Itachi and his darker line of work had forced them apart. They still saw each other frequently ince they worked together, and were there for each other in times of need – or when the other needed desperately to get laid.

Still, the Uchiha tried not to let anyone see his true motivations in life, nor his true self or his feelings because, in rotting Ceres, that would be the same as digging his own grave. However, somehow Kiba always managed to see right through him, and it both scared and annoyed him to no end. His friend had no right to stick his nose into his private life and just unveil it as he pleased.

It also annoyed him that he knew where the conversation was headed.

"You and I…" Kiba pressed on, evident hope filling his voice. "We could…"

There it was.

"My answer remains the same, Kiba," Sasuke snapped as his patience wavered and he shook Kiba's hand away violently, action that didn't startle him at all. "I already have a Pairing Partner, and that's final."

Sasuke freed himself from his friend's embrace and sat down on the bed, a scowl marking his handsome features as an overwhelming sense of irritation assaulted him.

"That's not true, and you know it!" Kiba barked harshly, sitting up as well with practiced ease. "Believing Itachi is The One is convenient, but we both know he is not enough for you; that's why you always come to me, and that's why you sometimes like to fuck around with other guys. If he was The One, you wouldn't need it, Sasuke. Don't lie to yourself just because you're afraid of leaving something that you've accommodated yourself to."

Sasuke's head snapped to the side to look at Kiba then, his eyes wide. The other male usually spoke his mind, but he never did it with such pain and iced frustration before, yet the dead on truth of his words stabbed Sasuke's ego like a long, sharp needle.

They stared at each other for a while before Kiba bit his bottom lip viciously.

"You and Itachi have become different people over the years," he proceeded, now in a quieter tone, running his hand through his messy hair. "If you don't let yourself find someone else, you'll end up alone and bitter, because he's not going to give you what you want. Itachi is… he fucks around, too, because he's got boundaries when it comes to you. I feel sorry for you. Why are you letting yourself be trapped by him? Why don't you at least try to be with someone else?"

Sasuke swallowed hard – his mouth tasted of bile. It was true that he loved Itachi more than anything in the whole world, and that the thought of them alone made him feel safe and wanted and loved, not for his looks, but for who he was. Nonetheless, it was also true that things hadn't been the same between them as they had been in the start.

They had become intimate six years previously, and it had all been about them back then, in times when they struggled to live, to carve their names in the BM, to come to terms with what was becoming of them and the path they had chosen to follow. It was all about danger, fear and excitement and all this brought them close, made them want to find comfort in each other's arms and in the blissfulness of passionate lovemaking.

Sasuke had no idea when all of that changed, stopped being amazing to become routine until the interest faded and the desire subsided. As they got older, Itachi became colder and distanced himself, so focused in protecting them as he was, and Sasuke, still being too young for Itachi's maturity, still craved for that intimacy and that passion but found himself being pushed away, over and over again. Now he didn't even know how to let Itachi know that he still needed them, that he still felt that same flame, but that he feared that it might die soon.

"A Pairing Partner is…" he started, trying to find within himself something he had once believed was real but that now seemed blurry – his past with his older brother seemed distorted, as did the days when he truly believed they were better halves. "Itachi and I, we…"

The words got stuck in his mouth. He couldn't describe it at all, but he was supposed to, right? People knew how it felt to have a Pairing Partner – he used to know.

Not remembering the feeling shocked him.

Kiba huffed at his sudden stiffening, noticing Sasuke's shoulders slacking.

"See?" he mumbled in commiseration, reaching out to run his fingers through Sasuke's midnight hair softly, intimately. "Even if you don't want me, you know how many guys out there would kill to get their hands on you. Just… move on, Sasuke, or you'll be stuck in this dumpster forever. And you're so much better than this. You deserve better, too."

Sasuke blinked owlishly at Kiba, scanning through charming but not special features. Loneliness, he realized, was a drug that was running through his veins and seemed to be intoxicating him more from day to day. Looking at Kiba only made it feel all the more painful, and yet, even though he knew it didn't quench his raging need for something, for more, his friend's presence felt like a blanket that wrapped itself around him, comfortable and motionless, and all he wanted was to hold it and press it closer, to suffocate himself and his disgusting sorrows in it.

Kiba eyed him back with serenity now and offered him a weak smile. After he placed his chin over Sasuke's shoulder, the black haired one didn't really fight it and pressed his slightly open mouth to Kiba's forehead in a gesture than was hungrier than it was respectful.

"Kiba…" Sasuke whispered blankly, his dark grey eyes scanning the brown reddish strands of Kiba's unruly hair. "Do you love me?"

"Does it matter for future reference?" Kiba joked bitterly, biting gently at his pale shoulder.

Sasuke thought about it for a few seconds, weighing the consequences of what Kiba answer might or might not mean to him.

"Not really," he ended up saying, and Kiba actually chuckled.

"Then no, I don't love you," Kiba replied in a dry whisper. His arm moved to wrap itself around Sasuke's neck, bringing him closer until their temples touched. Sasuke's eyes fell shut when Kiba's free hand touched the inside of his thigh with light, teasing fingers that trailed upwards, tickling his groin while cleverly avoiding his cock. Sasuke's back straightened and his breath caught in the back of his throat, but he didn't protest – that was beneath him. "I do think I'd be a good Pairing Partner for you, though, even if you're such a distant bastard. I do love it when we fuck."

"Hn…"

The next thing he knew, Kiba was moving nimbly to straddle his hips and pushing him back so that he was lying down once more. Sasuke's eyes shot open but he didn't fight it, simply watching his friend with slight curiosity as Kiba's hands roamed over his chest sensuously.

"Hey," Kiba said casually. "I really hope you listen to me for once and find yourself someone good. Until then, my door is always open for you."

The last sentence carried a heavy but poorly concealed sadness to it that Sasuke didn't want to think about and, knowing Kiba as he did, he wouldn't want him to acknowledge it.

Kiba was an honest person, thus a terrible liar. For a moment, the Uchiha felt sorry for him, and for himself, and wished that he wasn't so hard to reach, so hard to impress – wished that his heart knew how to love more than it did.

He was tired of excessive feelings pilling up inside of him – or the lack of them thereof. He wanted to let go, to forget.

I just want to drown…

Like a Phoenix rising from its own ashes, Sasuke wanted a fresh start, a new light ahead of him. He didn't wish to change himself, his desires, to turn into someone he wasn't, because he was proud of his strength, of who he had become.

Was wishing for more such an unforgiving sin? Was he a bad person for not settling for what was offered to him, for not playing safe?

Why should he settle for simplicity when he knew he was worthy of more?

Why shouldn't he dream when reality was so boring and painful?

And all of a sudden, Sasuke didn't wish he was more reachable at all, neither did he feel sorry for Kiba, who was definitely better off not hooking up with someone who would never know how to appreciate him, and he knew it.

Why complicate the now when Mongrels were forced to live each day and make the most out of it? In Ceres, tomorrow, a perfectly healthy man could be dead in the blink of an eye and no-one would even look twice at his decaying corpse.

Affliction gripped at Sasuke's heart, but he shoved it aside before the hurricane of his emotions got the best out of him.

He didn't want to think about Ceres, or Itachi, or that insufferable Blondy whose piercing eyes like diamonds didn't allow his mind to rest and inflamed every cell in his body.

He just wanted to forget, even if for a little while.

"Thank you." Sasuke replied instead, reaching out until both his hands were cupping Kiba's face. "Just…please, shut up and fuck me."

Kiba's eyes narrowed at him but he all but nodded in silent understanding.

"Sure," He said solemnly, leaning down obediently and pressing their bare chests together until both could feel the other's heartbeat and their mouths were a breath away from each other. "Anything you want, Sasuke."

It didn't matter that their hearts didn't beat in tune at all.

oOo

"Are you seriously going through with this, even after all the information about that Mongrel I provided you with? Information that, mind you, was very hard to get."

"Yes," Naruto acquiesced, looking at himself in the large mirror of the sumptuous blue bathroom in his quarters and fixing his hair with the tips of his fingers. "That is exactly what I'm going to do. I don't care about that information, Ino; it just made me want to go see him even more."

Ino huffed behind him, and Naruto gazed at her reflection in the mirror just as she was crossing her arms over her large breasts that peeked out from the 'V' line of her charming red dress. With a grin, he winked at her, making her blush slightly and pout.

"You look ridiculous," she mumbled, with her nose stuck up in the air. "I can't believe you're going through all this trouble just to meet him. You'll get yourself into some serious trouble, Naruto. I'm telling you, he's bad news."

Naruto merely shrugged with elegance, admiring his reflection and the impressive work he had done. In spite of Ino's words, he reckoned he looked pretty good, even disguised as Mongrel, and wasn't sure what amazed him the most – if the fact that he had still managed to look hotter than any average human being, or that he didn't look like his usual self at all.

Placing his hands over his hips, he turned to his blond friend with pride and grinned at her.

"Can't you tell I'm looking for trouble?" he inquired playfully. "Seriously, relax, it'll be fine. As I told you, Sasuke and I have a thing going on between us."

"You saw him once, you crazy creep! Your Sasuke is a professional criminal working under Katze, an assassin," Ino hissed, big blue eyes filled with annoyance and worry. "He and his brother, who, rumor has it, is his lover, are assigned to find who the hacker is and kill him on sight. If this isn't reason enough for you to back off, I don't know what else to say to you."

Naruto's goofy grin faltered slightly to be replaced by a soft frown at Ino's defiant stance.

"You were the one saying that Itachi was a good connection because of his brains and his abilities," he reminded her, shaking his head from side to side.

"Yes, but…"

"You also said that he was known for being the warier of the two, so how am I going to get to him without getting to Sasuke first?"

Ino chewed on her pink bottom lip.

"I'm just telling you that this might backfire," she mumbled. "I'm worried because you have just become obsessed with this Sasuke guy because he's attractive and you want him to..."

"Ino…"

"It's him you want, I can tell you've already made up your mind," the girl interrupted firmly, raising an elegant hand to efficiently silence him, so Naruto pursed his lips together and allowed her to speak. "No-one was ever good enough for you before this, so I understand that, no matter what I tell you, you'll turn the world upside down to have him, and Itachi is just a plus in all of this, but… I'm still worried that this ideal person might cloud your mind to what he really is; to what those two are. And they are dangerous, Naruto. Very dangerous."

Naruto heaved a long sigh and scratched the back of his neck. He couldn't really contradict Ino's fears because he knew very well the danger he could be getting himself into if things didn't go according to plan. However, after scanning through the information Ino had presented him, the Uchiha brothers were like a gift the Gods had bestowed upon him, and there was no way in hell that he would ever cower without trying his luck with them. If things turned against him... well, at least he liked to believe his connections in the Slums were faithful enough to protect him, especially since one of them was a convenient acquaintance of Sasuke and Itachi's.

Of course, it had all started because of Sasuke, whose devious smirk and existence had carved itself into his memory, nagging him day in and day out, stirring up a constant and eager sense of anxiety and unchained lust inside of him.

When Ino said that he had chosen Sasuke, she wasn't lying, and still, it wasn't exactly accurate either. Fate had made it so that their paths could cross; the energy they had shared between them had been real, and as such, that meeting hadn't been meaningless. It wasn't Naruto who had chosen Sasuke, it was Sasuke who had chosen him, albeit unknowingly, and Naruto's whole being gave in without thinking twice, because no eyes he had seen had ever stared back at him with such fierce strength, desire, wonder and fascination.

Stepping away from something like that was not an option in Naruto's book. He had been looked down upon for far too long to ignore such longing, and he didn't want to, not when he was feeling such powerful, yet confusing emotions for someone for the first time in his nineteen years. He wanted to walk towards it, drown in it – whatever it was – and fall into disgrace with that person – whatever that meant – even if for a short time. For the second time in his life, he was absolutely confident of his motivations and, more than ever, he felt like rebelling against his nature as Blondy.

Even if he wasn't even considered Elite and was the only Blondy who wasn't even worthy of being involved with Jupiter or any kind of governmental affairs, he was forced to follow all rules applied to his kind, which was more than unfair.

Not anymore.

He wanted to see Sasuke's world, know all about Sasuke's goals, and dig out what lay underneath all that obscure shell that surrounded him. It seemed impossible to him that someone that beautiful on the outside didn't have a matching interior, especially being 100% human. Even if it was a whim of his, he was all for it. Itachi could be Sasuke's lover, but he was sure that the younger Uchiha would never look at another man like that if it was serious, right? Naruto had seen too much of the depravities of the human soul to condemn anything as trivial as an incestuous relationship.

No, not a relationship, a kink is what he believed it was.

Something inside of him was sure that he and that elegant wild creature were on the same page and that removed all remnants of fear towards him from his mind, making him all the more exciting to Naruto.

So he took a step closer to his beautiful female friend, trying not to let her sad eyes discourage him, and wrapped his arms around her slender neck. Carefully, he leaned down and pressed his lips chastely to hers.

"I'll be fine," he assured her with a smile, stroking the top of her blond head as she looked at him like a pouting child. "I have to do this or I won't be able to live with myself not knowing if I could have succeeded. If I can get those two on our side, we'll be one step closer to our goal. Through them we'll be able to know every move of Jupiter's and strike back. They could be the double agents we've been looking for."

Ino sighed shakily but ended up nodding, using her left hand to caress his cheek lightly, so as to not ruin the concealing makeup on his skin.

"I can't stop you," she whispered, in resignation. "I wish I could come with you. As it is, please, Naruto, be careful and come back safe. Don't cross the line if things don't go your way. Promise me you won't be reckless."

Naruto all but acquiesced and kissed her rosy cheek.

"I won't be reckless as far as risking my own life goes," he promised, with false solemnness. "I can't say the same thing about everything else I'm planning for tonight, though."

Ino smacked him across the head and he laughed out loud, feeling rather relaxed in spite of her concerns.

Nothing in the world could shake his excitement and the bright certainty that, sooner or later, he would have his way.

For now, all he wanted was to see Uchiha Sasuke – the criminal – again and, hopefully, be tainted by him.

oOo

The only reason Ino had been able to find as much information as she had on Sasuke when he was a Slum Mongrel (therefore not an in the possession of any kind of identity card) was simple: he and Itachi had been in jail more times than any decent person should be, so of course, the Department of the Dark Men had been able to gather some valuable information for themselves about them.

Of course, what got them behind bars back then was not anywhere as serious as the real issues that troubled Ino's mind. Thievery, falsification of documents and illegal supply of illicit substances to some of the most famous brothels in Midas were nothing new coming from Mongrels.

While Katze was the leader of the Black Market, and known in the more intimate circles as one of the most brilliant hackers in Amoy, Ino's own abilities were certainly a match to his, reason why she had been able to hack into Katze's own very secure system and retrieve some much needed information on the Uchiha brothers as well as Katze's most important task until now.

Naruto felt pride in his own share of knowledge on computerized systems, but he was nowhere as good as his gorgeous female friend was, thus making her a valuable right arm.

His heart was beating frantically as he looked out the window of the posh air car through the dark window glass, looking down at the sad wrecks of Herbay (Area 7). His supposed once in a while Pet, Gaara, who was driving, had decided that it was better to take the main road over the buildings so as to avoid unwanted attention and the chaos of traffic since all the area belonging to Midas was always such a massive confusion of people and vehicles.

The night sky was cloudy, a heavy mist making it almost impossible to see the two moons that had both already arisen. A little dejected, Naruto noticed that the bigger one was full, while the slightly smaller one was at a last quarter. He loved it when they weren't matching, and yet, the spectacle was hard to see that night. He suspected that it would rain, too.

"Ino is right," Gaara said in his monotone voice, breaking the peaceful silence. "You are absolutely crazy."

Naruto turned his head to look at the man beside him quizzically.

Gaara was the kind of person Naruto genuinely liked. He had come from the Slums, possessing the kind of exotic beauty many longed to put their eyes, hands and other body parts on, and held himself with a steady, yet peaceful demeanor.

At thirteen, a few months after leaving Guardian, he was abducted by a wealthy man while strolling about Ainis (Area 4) that immediately sold him to the Black Market to be auctioned as a low class Pet. After having been purchased by some newly rich woman, who quickly became tired of him, she was ready to throw him away back to the streets or sell him to some brothel when he and Naruto crossed paths in Tanagura. He remembered how his gut had twitched then with the immediate need to have that person because something about that stranger was worth it.

Gaara had been fifteen at the time, when Naruto paid a lot of money to make him his Pet, not because he had any type of particular desire to use him as such, but because making him Furniture would provide him with an even lower social status. Gaara was a good looking guy, but Naruto never really considered putting his position as a Pet to good use, even if, once in a while, he was required to show him off in public and take him to those lascivious soirees where Pets were supposed to "enjoy" themselves in the so called "Sex Parties" while their masters watched. Gaara didn't mind that part all that much, and even if Naruto himself had no intention or desire to engage in any kind of sexual intimacy with him, he had to admit that his quiet and smart friend could most certainly put on a show, at least as far as visual stimulation went.

Once in a while, Naruto removed Gaara of his status as Pet and turned him into a servant until he was forced to reverse the roles again. Since Gaara wasn't a pure Pet, laws forbade him to be registered as one for too long, and because Blondys usually had androids as servants instead of humans, of course Naruto had to keep changing Gaara's status to keep him under his wing. The only reason he got away with it was because his own low social status in Tanagura made these little details insignificant in the eyes of others.

Gaara was highly faithful to him, and Naruto trusted him with his life.

"Someone has to be crazy and make a move; otherwise we'll be stuck in this life for another fifty years and the world won't change at all." Naruto answered, the corner of his mouth lifting up slightly.

Gaara didn't seem convinced.

"You know I admire you and respect you above anyone else," Gaara said, his marine eyes throwing a sideway glance at the Blondy. "But are you seriously going through with this? You're going to let that person taint you? Someone who might end up killing you if his ideals don't match yours?"

"I'm not thinking about that at all," Naruto replied, shrugging slightly with his hands resting simply over his lap. "I can't get over him. It's what I want, and if he wants it as well, then I'll be happy. Whatever comes after that is another, very different story."

When Gaara pursed his lips tightly together and fixed his gaze on the road, Naruto didn't know if he should feel amused or exasperated.

"Look, Katze would be the perfect weapon, but I don't know how to get through to him," he persisted. "No one does; the guy is the very pillar of the Black Market and is untouchable. So if I can get my hands on Sasuke and Itachi, then maybe, who knows, they'll be able to coerce him into coming to our side."

"Who knows," Gaara groaned, a hint of sarcasm toning his voice. "It's still a risky move. You have no idea what Ceres is like."

"It's a good thing I'm about to, then. I have to know what I'm dealing with if I want to change the world, right?"

Gaara didn't usually do something as ridiculous and sighing, because if he did, Naruto was sure he would have done it. However, he did allow himself to smile bitterly.

"You're still crazy," he muttered, shaking his head from side to side, and Naruto just had to grin. Being crazy felt incredibly good.

The road showed an intersection that offered a descending path towards the center of the crowded Mistral Park, so Gaara took it, and as the car inclined itself, assuming a diving position, the seat belts tightened automatically around their torsos.

As the city grew closer and the buildings wrapped around them, Naruto's nervousness grew substantially, not out of fear, but out of anxiety, like a child knowing he was on his way to the playground. There was no turning back now.

The car reached the main road and Gaara kept driving in silence, confidently heading to their destination. The streets were, as usual, filled with color and noise - though not as extravagant as Midas since Mistral Park was usually a place of darker businesses - but Naruto didn't take notice of these facts because all he cared about was that he was getting closer to Ceres, closer to his goal and, hopefully, closer to Sasuke.

The excitement was suddenly enough to make his stomach lurch.

"Do you have the map?" Gaara asked unexpectedly, waking up the Blondy from his thoughts.

"Huh?" Naruto asked, eyeing his friend absently.

"The map to Arthleth," the red haired one repeated, dryly. "Naruto, you need to be more focused or you'll get the shit beat out of you as soon as you cross the border."

"I know; I was just spacing out for a while," Naruto apologized. "I have the map, don't worry."

"You have the gun and the communicator?"

Naruto felt the pockets of his jacket.

"Yeah."

"Good. Don't get in trouble," Gaara pressed on, as if talking to a child. "Don't wander the streets, it's dangerous. Go straight to Arthleth. Don't let Sasuke take you anywhere else no matter what he says, and even if Sasuke isn't there, you stay in the bar and wait for…"

"I know, Gaara!" Naruto groaned, frowning at his companion in annoyance. "I know, alright? We've gone through this a million times already! You're just getting on my nerves and you're not helping at all!"

"Well, excuse me for worrying about you," Gaara snapped, with equal annoyance. "You do realize that you're going on your own, don't you? Because I can't step inside Ceres again, Naruto, my chip will poison me, and even if I would give me life for you, it would be useless if..."

"I'll be fine!"

Naruto was getting seriously tired of saying the same thing over and over again. He was aware that he was asking for trouble, stepping foot in Ceres alone knowing little to nothing about the place, but that didn't mean he would screw up or that he'd be getting himself willingly on a dangerous situation – he wasn't that dumb. Besides, he had trained his fighting skills enough with his ginger friend over the years, so he was more than confident in his abilities at self-defense.

Gaara cursed softly under his breath and kept his mouth shut, a welcomed relief. Despite knowing that he had backup in Ceres and that he might not be alone for long, Naruto needed time to accommodate to the idea of what was about to happen, of what he was going to do, and get ready to dive into something unknown for the first time.

Gaara was forced to slow the car down because of the traffic, so it would still be a while before they reached the borders. Once more, Naruto looked out the window, eyes casually roaming over the crowded avenue - he wondered if there was an auction going on tonigh - only slightly marveled but barely noticing anything in particular, breathing in and out a few times to try and calm down the expectancy of a new adventure that turned his nervous system into a rampant chaos.

Then, an inexplicable psychological pull forced his vision to aim at a dark alley and focus on one particular form emerging from it. In a matter of milliseconds Naruto was consumed by a violent tremor that shook his body from head to toe, his breath stuck in his lungs, and it was with great effort but strong determination that he blurted out a choked "Stop! Stop the car!"

With quick reflexes, taken aback by the outburst, Gaara stepped on the break at once, forcing the vehicle to come to an abrupt halt that almost projected them through the front.

"What?" Gaara asked horrified, watching with wide eyes as Naruto fumbled urgently with the seat belt to unhook it and pressed the button to unlock the door. "What the hell, Naruto?"

"I have to go!" Naruto said, as the door opened upwards and he got out into the cold, windless night without even looking back, moved by some sort of irrational impulse that allowed no time for deliberation.

"But you're still a few blocks away from the border!" Gaara called, his voice filled with confusion. "Naruto!"

"I'll page you as soon as I'm in Ceres." And with that, Naruto closed the door of the car in Gaara's face and hurriedly crossed the road.

A few people eyed him curiously since he currently didn't look like someone worthy of a car like that at all, but Naruto couldn't care less, for the only thing he wanted was to reach the person he had just seen. There was no mistaking it, his gut was always right, and it seemed like fate was on his side, too. There was no other explanation for how things were turning out for him – for them.

Naruto didn't have to walk much to reach his goal - all it took were a few steps and he found himself about three meters away from the figure he was chasing.

There was absolutely no mistaking it – Sasuke was there, in front of him.

The Gods were smiling upon him, Naruto thought, a feeling of utmost joy invading him to the point of complete mortification as he stood there, rooted to that same spot he had come to a halt on, not even blinking.

The Mongrel was holding a paper bag in his hands, a helmet secure in the crook of his arm, and he was standing on the sidewalk beside an old fashioned but large grey motorbike. For a few seconds, the Blondy's quick heartbeat became almost painful as his eyes looked Sasuke from head to toe. The man was wearing a pair of well-kept jeans and the same black jacket he had been wearing when they had met, over a white shirt or t-shirt. His black boots were shiny. The Uchiha didn't look as polished as other civilians, but his natural good-looks and his standoffish pose was something to behold and it drew attentions like a magnet and made that strong sense of awareness run through Naruto's being like a wave of adrenaline.

Sasuke was magnificent. Maybe it was the confident air about him, maybe it was the contrast of his pale skin with his dark hair. Whatever it was, it was more alluring than any jewel Naruto had ever seen.

The bike had a small tailgate in the back, that Sasuke opened to place the bag inside before closing it.

All it took was for Naruto to clear his sandy throat lightly for Sasuke's muscles to stiffen at the sound. Slowly, as if calculating his every move, his head turned to the side and his dark, intense gaze fell upon Naruto's form.

For a moment, time stopped and Naruto almost lost the strength in his legs, but willpower kept him steady and straight with pride, because he couldn't allow himself to lose face in front of that person.

Sasuke's fine eyebrows rose slightly as if in mock surprise and his chin fell just the tiniest bit. They stared at each other in silence.

For a moment there, Naruto remembered that he was disguised as a commoner, probably unrecognizable in Sasuke's eyes. His joy turned to hesitation.

What should he do? Tell Sasuke he was the Blondy that lend him the cigarettes in Midas? Pretend to be someone else entirely?

Thousands of possibilities flashed through his mind, then, and in the end, all he knew was that he couldn't let Sasuke go, so nothing concrete came out of his uncoordinated thoughts, because all sorts of feelings were clouding them.

However, not long afterwards something changed in Sasuke's expression, and it wasn't the way he narrowed his sharp eyes, or the way his tongue flicked out to wet his lips, just something that sent all sorts of signals towards Naruto and made them tune in with each other.

Just like that, comprehension dawned on Naruto: Sasuke had just realized who he was.

oOo

Sasuke had just finished getting ready for his part-time job at Arthleth when he received a call from his boss, telling him he had to run an errand in Mistral Park, namely, they were running out of their best whisky, so he had to go to their main supplier to fetch a few bottles for the night shift.

Small errands like those were a piece of cake for him, who was used to more dangerous and arduous tasks under Katze's strict command.

When he had made his way to Mistral Park, never in a million years would he have dreamed that he would run into the object of his most frequent thoughts as of late, let alone that said object would appear in front of him looking like he had just come out of the Slums.

In fact, it took a while for Sasuke to understand who that Mongrel was and why he was standing there, staring at him like he wanted to say something but had been rendered speechless.

The Blondy had changed his hair to a chocolate brown color. His eyes were now a shade darker than they used to be, so dark, in fact, that they almost looked black and there was no trace of the whisker marks on his face, probably concealed by makeup.

He was wearing a pair of worn out black leather pants and a denim jacket over a baby blue shirt. The features were there, the proud pose, the size of the eyes but…

Sasuke didn't know what baffled him the most, if the fact that the Blondy was dressed up as a Mongrel, if the fact that he was there, or the fact that, even then, he still looked abnormally attractive.

One thing, though, Sasuke was sure of: the man was there because of him, and that whole dress-up had been because of him.

Suspicion took over him, but exhilaration was probably a stronger feeling pulsing in his veins, clouding all other feelings he might have.

The person he had been looking for so thoroughly had willingly come to him.

"You," Sasuke called out, his voice coming out cold to conceal his exultation. "Your name. Now."

In fascination, he watched the man stuck his nose up in the air with that stance of immense dignity and lack of fear that excited Sasuke inexplicably.

"Uchiha Sasuke," the Blondy said confidently. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto and I want to talk to you."

Even though he wasn't sure if that was his real name, Sasuke understood that, with those simple words, the man was telling him three, very distinct things.

I've researched about you, so I know very well who you are.

I don't care.

Trust me as I am willing to trust you.

And, even if his life experience told him not to trust people easily – especially someone who Sasuke just knew was now a connoisseur of his darkest secrets – he couldn't just throw this amazing chance away now that that person, Naruto, was there because of him. Even though he knew about Sasuke, his life, his past and probably his present as well, Naruto was still there for him.

It could be a two edged knife as far as he knew, but still, the thrill of not knowing was too good to be denied or ignored. Sasuke wanted to know exactly how much Naruto knew about him and why that had brought him there all the same.

Of course he had to take the chance. Even if it defied most of his convictions, Naruto had become a conviction as well. That look he was giving him left no room for second thoughts.

"Yeah?" Sasuke asked, and his voice became lower, softer even. "Why?"

Naruto's hands curled into fists, but not aggressively so.

"Maybe on a whim," he said, clearly measuring his words carefully. "Maybe I want to know more about you."

Sasuke felt like laughing but instead chose to lift an eyebrow.

"Like what?" he inquired. "You're here. You know enough already, don't you?"

"Not particularly," Naruto stated, smirking a bit, his eyes staring daggers of defiance into Sasuke's. "I don't know your favorite color, for example."

"Yes, because it matters so much what my favorite color is compared to everything else about me," Sasuke mocked with transparent sarcasm.

Naruto, however, wasn't intimidated by the scorn.

"Maybe, to me, it does."

A strong, heavy silence that not even the noisy street could break fell upon both of them. Sasuke couldn't even remember how to blink or how to do anything, really, except to stare at that person in front of him, and it didn't matter that Naruto didn't look like himself at all - the Uchiha knew that now. Naruto was an unbelievably handsome person whose beauty could not be tarnished by anything, but it was the presence, the mere individuality of him that drew Sasuke to him.

They didn't know each other, and yet, Sasuke felt like they were communicating without words like two long timed friends. His mind couldn't understand what Naruto was telling him, but his body did.

It hadn't been a dream.

"You want to come with me?" The words left Sasuke's mouth without him thinking about them. Whatever, it was too late to swallow them back down, anyway.

Naruto licked his lips, eyes gleaming with excitement and he nodded once, the certainty of the gesture inflating something in Sasuke's very ego and in other parts of his body as well.

It really hadn't been a dream. The electricity had been real - was real even at that very moment. The way they clicked had been real, too, and now, a Tanagura Blondy and a Slum Mongrel were standing face to face once more, against all odds, looking for something that wasn't clear yet but that they both knew they would search for with equal resolve.

Without really thinking, Sasuke removed his arm through the visor of the helmet and extended the item to Naruto, who didn't hesitate in closing the remaining distance between them with quick and firm steps.

When he grabbed the helmet, their fingers brushed and when their eyes met, they both held the other's gaze steadily, unblinkingly without breaking the seemingly insignificant skin on skin contact.

Only when the rush of their first touch splashed over him did Sasuke truly realize how overwhelming that whole situation was, a Blondy from Tanagura leaving his golden walls to find a Slum Mongrel by his own two feet.

"You're crazy," Sasuke whispered, his body quivering gently but imperceptibly with all sorts of urges that he forced himself to control.

Perfect teeth showed in a small smirk, but Sasuke saw the emotion in Naruto's eyes and the minor tremble in his lips.

"Yeah, I've heard that about a thousand times today already," Naruto whispered back. "Only it sounds so much more flattering coming from you."

Sasuke wanted to laugh again, his mind having reached a state close to hysteria, but instead just shook his head in amusement.

"Just put the helmet on and button up you jacket or you'll freeze."

Reluctantly, he stepped away from Naruto and zipped up his jacket, wondering about the way the Blondy eyed his movements before putting on the helmet and doing as Sasuke had instructed him.

Sasuke nimbly mounted his bike and gestured for the other man to mount it behind him, which Naruto did, and with amazing gracefulness, too.

"So, where are we headed?" Naruto asked, as Sasuke fumbled with his left pocket and took out the motorbike keys.

"I don't know," Sasuke said sarcastically, starting the vehicle, the motor rearing loudly as Sasuke ignited it to life. "I assumed Your Highness would be very well informed of my next location."

"Arthleth," Naruto said, with a chuckle. "Right?"

"If you say so," Sasuke retorted. Judging by his outfit, Naruto had been headed to Ceres, so that was precisely where Sasuke was taking him, and he wouldn't bother to ask if he was okay with or not. Naruto wanted to play, and he would play with him on a whim as well, but by his rules. "You better hold on to me if you don't want to fall. I like to ride fast."

"I bet you do," Naruto said. Sasuke preferred to ignore the hint meaningfully hissed behind him – he was already worked up enough as it was, if he kept giving in to his body and allowed himself to be dragged along by Naruto's flow, he was sure he wouldn't be able to keep his cool for much longer. "Won't that make you uncomfortable? You seem like an… independent, 'don't-touch-me' kind of person."

In spite of his sardonic words, the Uchiha felt Naruto's hands grasping cautiously the fabric of his jacket by his sides, causing his stomach to jump in the most extravagant of ways.

"You're wrong, Blondy," he said, inhaling sharply and straightening his back. As the looked over his shoulder, Naruto leaned in to apparently hear him better and ended up bumping his helmet lightly against Sasuke's temple by accident. The casual, semi-awkward contact made them both tense a bit, but neither moved away. Sasuke swallowed hard at feeling the other's erratic heartbeat against his ribcage.

"No-one is able to make me uncomfortable," Sasuke murmured his voice low but steady. "Least of all someone like you."

If the now brunet man was offended he did nothing to show it. Instead, Sasuke felt arms encircling his waist from behind and hands grabbing his abdomen firmly.

When Naruto spoke again, it sounded more like like an attemp at seduction than anything else.

"Is this alright, then?"

The blood was running so fast in his veins that Sasuke was beginning to feel dizzy, drunken by Naruto's presence alone, so he straightened up once more before he caused some serious damage and faced the road, telling himself to fucking focus because losing his face was not a fucking option, no matter how stupidly horny and intellectually contented Naruto made him feel.

"Just hold on," he said, and moved the motorbike to the road before speeding down the street with ease.

The chilling night air forced him to sober up at once, which relieved him because, even with Naruto's chin currently resting over his shoulder, he could once more keep his shit together.

He didn't know what was going to happen, what Naruto wanted from him or why, but for now, he was sure that tonight would definitely be special and a lot different than the others.

TBC...