He was by him again, and though it irked Sasuke, he didn't allow it to get under his skin. More so than a shadow, it was as if Damien was a puppy, following him with expectant eyes and a sense of sweet innocence about him. Keeping in mind what Itachi had said, Sasuke let the new kid do as he pleased, since in actuality, he wasn't really doing anything to affect Sasuke personally.

Removing his books from his locker silently, Sasuke kept his face straight as Damien stood by his side. He noted with a fraction of amusement and curiousity that the boy kept his distance, about two feet away from Sasuke. Either he really was shy or the kid wasn't stupid—he knew not to mess with Sasuke's space. As soon as he shut his locker, though, Sasuke was reminded that Damien was probably the only one who respected that.

"Hey, Sasuke!" the blonde chirped happily as she stepped up beside him. He looked at her blankly and blinked, not saying a word as she went on, "It's been such a long time since we've been able to talk, and I was just wondering if you ever considered that offer… You know, the one I made last year."

"No," Sasuke answered calmly and easily brushed past the girl. He didn't bother to check if Damien followed him—he probably would. The girl certainly did, though.

"Um…'no' as in you haven't considered it yet?" she asked, almost hopefully. Sasuke knew she was contemplating on which would be better: if that was his answer or if he hadn't thought about it at all.

"No," he repeated with a sigh, and pitied her enough to spare her a cold glance. "No, as in, I'm not interested."

"Oh…are you sure?" she questioned, slipping closer to him, biting softly on her lower lip. He glowered and shifted away from her as he walked toward his classroom.

"More than anything in my life," he hissed, and then left her, her face fallen and full of sorrow. Sighing, he cursed to himself, "Damn, fan-girls."

It was only when he sat down at his desk and glanced to the side that he nearly jumped in surprise to find a single black eye staring at him with innocent curiousity. Sasuke blinked once, then sighed and turned away from him. He closed his eyes as he spoke, folding his arms on the desk.

"It's impolite to stare," he murmured under his breath. He cracked his right eye open to glance at Damien, who gazed at him for a moment longer before taking his own seat. Without pause, he began to arrange the items on his desk absentmindedly, not too concentrated, but seeming entirely focused as well. Sasuke didn't know what compelled him to do so, but he asked in a low voice, "Did you hear that? My conversation?"

The boy paused, and then looked at Sasuke in mild surprise, as if he hadn't expected Sasuke to continue talking to him. Tilting his head as if in thought, he shrugged nonchalantly, but didn't look away, instead staring at Sasuke as if he would say something else.

"You don't know?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow in disbelief. Damien blinked once, his emotions totally guarded again. Sasuke hadn't a clue what his classmate was thinking. "It's a simple question, yes or no. Or are you really that stupid?"

"He's not stupid."

Sasuke clenched his jaw and glared up at the person standing on his other side. The pink-haired girl smiled brightly at his acknowledgement and then gestured to Damien, who was also staring at her, though more emotionlessly than Sasuke had managed. It made Sasuke want to punch him—another look at the flawlessness of his face made him slap himself mentally. Like hell he could punch anyone who looked like that.

"You know how I work in the office sometimes, Sasuke?" she continued, and he raised an eyebrow. It surprised him that he did know that, but he merely grunted in response and she smiled. "I mentioned Damien to the principal, and she said that his grades are almost as good as yours! Of course, they aren't that perfect, but they're certainly better than mine!"

That, at least, pleased Sasuke. If Damien had been better at hiding his emotions and smarter, Sasuke very well may have tossed the boy out the window. He knew the girl wouldn't lie, though, as she was one of his more dedicated fan-girls. Sasuke nodded to her and she gave him another cheery smile before skipping off to her seat, easily ignoring the other girls' envious glares. Many of them didn't like her because he could tolerate her more easily, but he chose to ignore it as well.

This made him ponder why he was able to handle Damien. Maybe it was because Damien couldn't talk to him, which was how most people got on his nerves. He glanced at the boy to find him fiddling with his right sleeve, and Sasuke immediately found the action endearing. A curious thought entered his mind.

"How old are you?" he asked, and Damien turned to look at him again, taken by surprise once more. It amused Sasuke that the boy had become so used to his habits already—he already knew to keep his distance, and apparently, he had also caught on that Sasuke didn't talk much himself, especially on his own accord.

There was only a moment of curious hesitation before Damien held up seven fingers, tilting his head at Sasuke, as if thinking. Sasuke raised an eyebrow before reminding himself that the kid wasn't an idiot. Obviously, he meant he was seventeen rather than actually seven.

"Really?" he asked, and the boy nodded, almost in a confused fashion. Sasuke supposed that it wasn't uncommon, considering he was a senior…but Damien just didn't act like it.

It might have had to do with the fact that he was mute and unable to communicate as easily as he should have been able to. He just acted so modest and shy, like a small child filled with curiousity. But then Sasuke remembered how Damien had been when Kakashi had first introduced him the day before. With the most stoic pose he had fought off all the stares, and Sasuke wondered what the sudden change was. Was he defensive about something or just cautious about coming to a new school? Why had he transferred anyway?

As the questions filled his mind, Sasuke shook his head at Damien to drop the subject and looked away. This kid was invading his mind, and he needed to find a way to get Damien out of his head. Why was he so important anyway? Sasuke sighed and firmly told himself that Damien wasn't special.

But his heart didn't want to agree.

The next few days followed in the same routine. Every morning, Sasuke would go to his locker and find Damien by his side a few seconds later, and they would go to first period without so much as a greeting to the other. Class would end, they would go to the next one, and so on until the day ended. By the end of the first week, Sasuke had managed to shake off most of the student body, enough so that only a couple girls approached him every now and then.

It surprised Sasuke how easily it was to make room for Damien in his life. It took only a couple of days for Sasuke to realize that he expected Damien to be at his side at all times. There were even occasions when Sasuke found it was more of a benefit than a nuisance. If there happened to be a case where Sasuke had forgotten something like a pencil or book, Damien would have a spare or let Sasuke borrow his own. If Sasuke had misplaced something, Damien would miraculously know where he left it.

In a way, it was like having a little brother, almost, because it seemed that Damien was always doing things to help him, to please him. Sasuke continuously found himself pondering over why Damien was so clingy. Did it have to do with his disability or had Damien simply taking a liking to him? Did it make Damien comfortable, having someone to follow? Was he scared to be alone?

It seemed to be a reasonable answer, and the subject seemed a little touchy, so Sasuke left his wonderings in his mind. Damien seemed extremely fragile, and he didn't want to do anything that would set him off. Plus, there was no reason as to why he would ever get mad at Damien.

Even when the topic came up at dinner one night.

"So, Sasuke," Fugaku began, and said boy nearly choked on the piece of meat in his mouth. He swallowed it down without coughing and turned to his father, hoping his eyes weren't watering. "I've heard a lot of good things about that boy at your school, the one that transferred. Makes perfect grades, never gets in trouble, and always does as he's told. He seems like a nice boy."

"He is," Sasuke forced from his mouth. How was it that his father could compliment some kid he didn't even know rather than his own son? It made his throat tighten.

"Really?" Mikoto asked, smiling brightly at Sasuke. "Have you talked to him at all?"

"Well…I suppose…" Sasuke murmured, and cringed when Fugaku's warning glare shot across the table at him.

"Speak up, Sasuke," he said, voice deep and gruff, an example of the command he was giving. "If you have something to say, make sure everyone hears it. Otherwise, you're wasting your breath and other people's valuable time."

"What do you mean by 'I suppose'?" Itachi asked curiously before the reprimanding could continue. Sasuke took a breath and made sure he knew what he was going to say be attempting to speak. The air became tense at his awkwardness.

"It's only one-sided," he said, not wanting to bluntly announce Damien's inability to speak. "I've said a couple things to him, but he never said anything to me…"

"Well, that's rude," Fugaku snorted, shaking his head as he took another bite. He chewed, swallowed, and then turned to Sasuke. "You should always answer one when they speak to you, even if it is not a question."

He hadn't even done anything, and Fugaku was still giving him orders. Of course…he supposed he was a bit rude whenever he ignored his fans…but they were everywhere. If he talked to all of them, he'd have lost his voice by now!

"Yes sir," he simply agreed with a nod. He saw his mother frown and sigh.

"Maybe he's just shy," Mikoto suggested, and before Fugaku could say a word, Itachi laughed.

"Or maybe he was just too dumbfounded when Sasuke spoke to him," he chuckled, smiling at Sasuke encouragingly. Sasuke offered a small smile back as Mikoto laughed as well. Fugaku didn't think it was funny, but said nothing.

"Actually, it's neither of those things…" Sasuke said, but trailed off in hesitance when his family looked at him in surprise in unison. Blushing lightly at the unfamiliar attention, he took a deep breath and said, "He's kind of…well, um…he's mute."

Fugaku didn't say anything about his stuttering this time.

Sasuke watched in wonder as his entire family became disoriented, not at all the perfect Uchihas they were all supposed to be. His father's fork was in midair, and a piece of broccoli dropped off its end. His mother was wide-eyed and her hands trembled beside her plate. Itachi was staring curiously at his food, head tilted in a thoughtful posture.

"But he is nice," Sasuke continued with a tiny smile, staring at his food. "He never does anything wrong and he's actually really good about helping people out if they need it. I guess you could say he acts a little shy, but I think it's not because he's mute. I think it's just his nature, his personality. Even if he wasn't mute…he'd be the same."

"You seem to know him very well," Fugaku observed, and Sasuke looked up in surprise.

"I do?" he asked, hoping it wasn't the wrong question.

"You certainly describe him easily," Fugaku said, nodding. "Have you spent a lot of time with him?"

"Yes," Sasuke admitted, and blushed when his family looked at him in surprise again. Fugaku froze, Mikoto nearly dropped her fork, and Itachi looked at him as if he had actually been caught off guard, a curious and interested expression on his face. "We sit by each other in all our classes."

"All of them?" Fugaku asked slowly, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes," Sasuke said again, and then continued, "I was surprised, too, that we shared all six classes. We're partners in biology and gym and we sit together at lunch. I guess you could say I've been showing him around and stuff."

"Did a teacher assign you to do this?" Fugaku questioned, and Sasuke wondered if his talking to someone was really that much of a shock.

"No," he said casually, shrugging. He didn't mention that Damien followed him like a shadow. "We just sort of… I don't know. I'm sorry, but I don't know how to explain it exactly."

"Oh, but that's wonderful," Mikoto exclaimed, and Sasuke looked up at her in surprise. The other two men did the same. "Maybe we should have him over for dinner sometime soon."

"Uh, Mikoto, I don't think that's a good idea," Fugaku said, clearing his throat and shaking his head at his, as if sending her a message with his stern eyes. Mikoto pursed her lips together, but acted dumb.

"Why not?" she asked innocently, but before Sasuke's father could answer, she continued, "I think it'd be excellent. We've had Shisui over hundreds of times for Itachi."

"Shisui is part of the family," Fugaku protested, and Mikoto nodded in compliance.

"Very distant family, but I suppose you're right," she said, but then smiled at Fugaku charmingly. "But it would be unfair to deny Sasuke the right of a guest. It'd be good for him to learn how to be a host, wouldn't it? This boy seems very nice and polite, so I don't see what the problem is."

"Don't you think it would be awkward?" Fugaku growled, and Mikoto managed to summon an absolutely terrifying glare, the kind that used to send Sasuke to bed without another word when he was little.

"No," she answered, voice tight.

"It's okay," Sasuke interrupted, and winced when Fugaku's piercing glare caught him, angry at the unnecessary intrusion. "He'd probably by shy about it anyway."

"Well, I, for one, think it's a great idea."

Everyone paused and looked at Itachi. The man was smiling, looking casual and proud of himself at the same time as he took another bite, pretended to think, and then swallowed.

"Meeting the people Sasuke associates himself with would give us an excellent opportunity to make sure he's staying in the right crowds," Itachi reasoned, with no one in particular. Sasuke could see his father's walls falling. "Plus, if this boy has any relations with significant persons or companies, it would help set a good name for the Uchiha family and create a personal bond between them. I agree with Mother as well. It would act as a great chance for Sasuke to build on his skills as a host, seeing as how he'll be graduating soon."

There was only a breath of pause, and then Fugaku sighed and said, "Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt."

"Excellent," Mikoto giggled, and then thought for a moment. She turned to Sasuke brightly and said, "Tomorrow is much too soon. We'd seem rude for such a short notice offer. But this Friday seems fine. Be sure to ask him. He could even stay the night if you want, Sasuke."

"Uh…okay…" Sasuke murmured, taking the last bite of his food. "I'm done… I think I'll go do some homework."

Nobody said a word to him as he left the dining room.

"Hey…"

Damien blinked and looked up at him through wet black locks expectantly. Sasuke took one look at him, sighed, and then averted his gaze, ashamed at where his thoughts were heading. He stopped them before they got far, but that didn't mean they hadn't crossed his mind before.

They were in the locker room along with the rest of those leaving fifth period gym. Sasuke was already dressed, and normally he would have left, but today he lingered, standing a few feet away from the only person he could imagine as a friend. Damien always took a little longer for some reason, though Sasuke never paid him any attention, and now he seemed shocked that Sasuke was waiting for him. A frown passed over his face, and Sasuke figured it was only because Damien feared Sasuke was about to tell him for a second time to get lost.

Even if he wanted to, though, Sasuke knew he probably wouldn't be able to. At the moment, Damien was straddling one of the three benches in the locker room, staring up at him with wide eyes, his hair clinging to the features of his face, wet from the brief shower he had taken. Damien had been tying his shoe or something, but now his hands fell to the space in front of him on the bench as Sasuke diverted his attention solely to Damien for the first time since the first day of school.

"Um…look, I'm not sure how to say this or anything…" he began, but paused when Damien blinked, his eyes widened, and then his face fell. Sasuke saw actual emotion cross Damien's face, a look of hurt and abandonment. Sasuke growled and turned away for a moment, putting his face in one hand, thinking, "Damn…"

He looked back at Damien, hand not moving from his gaze as his eyes shifted over to the solemn boy. He was playing with the sleeve of his jacket again, staring at the bench helplessly. Sasuke sighed, wondering how the hell a seventeen-year-old guy could look so fucking defenseless like that.

"It's nothing bad," Sasuke muttered, capturing Damien's attention. The boy glanced up without moving his head, pausing. "It's just… Well, I kind of mentioned you last night to my parents, and…well, my mom wants you to come over for dinner or something this Friday."

Damien looked up, surprise coming over his features. Sasuke held back a grimace, his left eye twitching slightly at the look on Damien's face. He seemed stunned, as if unable to think of what to say… Sasuke paused and then shook his head, rephrasing the thought in his head: unable to think of what to do was more appropriate. It was so damn hard talking to this guy. How was his family going to fare on Friday? That was…if Damien accepted.

Now, he was tilting his head, as if thinking it over, still staring curiously at Sasuke. He wouldn't have been surprised if Damien was wondering why the hell Sasuke had been talking about him, but he knew that Damien would consider it a good thing.

Then another smile, and a tiny nod, a blush tinting his cheeks.

So. Damn. Innocent.

Sasuke himself blushed when a couple thoughts crossed his mind, one being how cute Damien looked at the moment. Cursing himself for such thoughts immediately, he turned away with a scowl.

Sasuke made a mental note to never wait for Damien after gym again. Who knew where his mind would end up if he did?

"Don't you think this is just a little overboard?" Sasuke said with a scowl, glaring at his snickering old brother.

Itachi was currently fiddling with Sasuke's shirt, folding and unfolding the sleeves and then messing with the buttons. The invasion of personal space was really starting to get to Sasuke, but he couldn't bring himself to shove his giddy brother away. What the hell had made Itachi so eager to meet Damien, Sasuke hadn't a clue, but he was fairly sure it would help him at dinner. Fugaku was already pissed about the whole thing, so Sasuke was half expecting his father to embarrass him thoroughly. How much respect would Damien have for him then? He scoffed at the answer that came to mind.

"Of course not, little brother," Itachi murmured, running his hands down Sasuke's chest to smooth whatever brave little wrinkle survivors were still left on the blue fabric. "This is how we are."

"But isn't it a little overly formal?" Sasuke asked, glaring. "We'll seem stuck up."

"My foolish little brother," Itachi laughed, and then placed a hand on his head. "We're Uchihas. We are stuck up. Act like it for once."

"No!" Sasuke exclaimed, and settled on glaring at Itachi, who was still chuckling, then crossed his arms and looked away. "It doesn't matter anyway. Don't you think this is a bad idea anyway? What happens if he can't answer a question? I mean, he's mute. He can't talk."

"We'll just ask yes or no questions," he said, shrugging. "We're only trying to be polite, Sasuke. Inviting him here probably makes us seem like we're trying to overcome his physical disability, which I suppose we're sort of trying to do. Just don't provoke Father, all right?"

"I could do that in my sleep," Sasuke snorted, and then shook Itachi off of him. "I look fine, Itachi."

"Sure," Itachi snickered.

The laugh sounded the precise moment the doorbell rang.

Sasuke sucked in a deep breath as his heart lurched painfully and began to beat hard in his chest, throat, and wrists. He stole a quick glance toward the mirror, eyeing the button-up formal shirt and the light khaki dress pants his brother had tossed at him from the depths of his closet. Did he really…?

"You look fine, little brother," Itachi whispered in his ear, and Sasuke jumped around to glower at him. Itachi only gave him a loving smile, melting his anger like ice. "Don't worry. Everything is going to be fine. He is staying over, isn't he?"

"Yeah," Sasuke muttered with a shrug. "He said it'd work out better, 'cause his parents are going out of town, or something like that."

"Did he now?" Itachi asked curiously, and Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"What?" he asked, and then Itachi smirk made his mind click. "No, jerk! He wrote it down! Let's just go before Mom thinks we're dead up here."

"Okay," Itachi said, still laughing lightly, and then lead the way downstairs.

Oh, God, he was breathtaking.

Sasuke caught the breath he wanted to take to make sure Itachi didn't notice his reaction, but Damien's gaze met his as soon as they walked down in to the dining room. Again, it was the usual black with Damien, but damn, did it make a difference.

Black silk shimmered against Damien's flawless pale skin, the cuffs unfolded over his palms, the first button undone. His black formal pants were tighter than the jeans he usually wore, showing off his slim, long legs. Though it still covered half of his face, his hair looked shiner, neater. All the defiance and lack of emotion from school was totally gone from his features when he looked up and gave one of those beautiful smiles.

"He almost looks like an Uchiha," Itachi murmured over his shoulder, and Sasuke smirked when he realized his brother was right.

Dark hair, dark eyes, pale skin, and a tendency to be cool, calm, and collected—Damien fit all the requirements. Only Itachi had been blessed with any sort of difference in his appearance, having eyes of ruby rather than onyx.

"Hey," Sasuke greeted, coming to stand beside his brother on the bottom floor. Damien blushed and gave him a tiny nod, looking tiny even when beside Mikoto. Sure, Damien was taller, but he looked just as fragile and small.

"We're glad you could come," Itachi said, and Sasuke heard the velvety smoothness in his voice. He noticed the flash of mesmerized awe in Damien's eyes as his friend turned his gaze to Sasuke's older brother.

Typical.

"So, is dinner ready, Mom?" Sasuke asked distractingly, and Mikoto smiled with a nod.

"In just a moment," she said, and turned to Damien with her motherly smile. "Just make yourself comfortable until everything's ready. I'm very pleased you'll be joining us tonight."

Damien nodded again, in thanks and as an answer of acknowledgement, and watched as Mikoto hurried into the kitchen, her semi-formal evening gown swishing around her legs.

"So, you're taking the same classes as my little brother?" Itachi asked, and Damien's eyes landed on Itachi. Sasuke smirked when he saw the same look in his friend's eyes—the way they seemed so full you couldn't tell what the kid was feeling or thinking. Damien nodded once, and Sasuke saw Itachi's curiousity grow at Damien's odd behavior. "That's interesting. And Sasuke mentioned you're from Italy? Is it nice there?"

Damien seemed to have to think about it, tilting his head and slipping his hands into his pockets smoothly. After a moment, he shrugged and nodded. Sasuke immediately knew what the boy was saying: "Kind of, but it's nice here, too." It almost scared him, how well he knew Damien by now, but it made something inside him stir.

"I see…" Itachi murmured, and when Sasuke glanced up at him warily, Itachi was glancing back and forth in between his little brother and his classmate curiously.

"Oh, um, Damien," Sasuke said, starting when he remembered he hadn't introduced the two yet. "This is my brother, Itachi. He works part time at an ammunition and weapons shop downtown, but he's usually with my father at the station. Itachi, this is Damien."

"A little late, brother," Itachi chuckled quietly, ruffling his hair with one hand. Sasuke let out a long breath and let his older brother mess up his neatly done hair—if his father asked, he knew Itachi would take the blame. "But good thinking."

Sasuke paused when he saw Damien tilt his head to the side, eyes sparkling with the smile that reflected on his lips. Did their behavior as brothers amuse him? Sasuke smirked at him—his friend replied by bringing his fingers to his lips, body trembling lightly in a silent giggle.

"What?" Sasuke laughed, tilting his head in the same direction Damien had. Immediately, a familiar blush began to creep up his cheeks, so Sasuke shook his head and let his friend act weird. "You'll love dinner, anyway. Mom is a great cook."

"Yes, but it's a shame my little brother here never picked up any of her talents," Itachi snickered, and Sasuke glowered at him, ignoring Damien's soundless laughter.

"Oh shut it," Sasuke snapped, refraining from hitting his older brother. "Like cooking is important."

"Trust me, little brother, it is very important," Itachi told him, settling his hand on Sasuke's head again. "Right, Damien?"

Sasuke turned to Damien expectantly, but blinked when the kid gave him a shy smile and nodded a couple times. He glared playfully and shook his head in disagreement, resulting in the light pink color that came to Damien's cheeks.

"You two are crazy," Sasuke snorted, and then tilted his head curiously. "You cook?"

Damien nodded again with a shrug, and Sasuke smirked—why the hobby seemed to fit Damien's personality, he wasn't sure, but it was kinda…cute.

"All right," his mother sang, beaming as she came out of the kitchen. "Dinner's ready."

Okay, so this isn't exactly one of my more popular works, but I still like experimenting with Sasuke and other guys. It's fun. Hopefully, you can see the slow transformation inside Sasuke. At first, he thinks Damien is super annoying and wants him gone. Gradually, he begins to subconsciously admit that the kid is helpful and pretty cool. Then, he begins to consider Damien a friend. Now, it's getting to the point that Sasuke is starting to think of Damien in a more attractive way and is noticing certain physical and personal things that Sasuke likes about him. Obviously, this attraction is mutual. Eventually, it will grow and become loving rather than simply infatuated, maybe even sexual if I feel like it. Review and tell me what you want to see.

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