Chapter 2, "Persuasive Bastard"

Later that day, Sasuke took Naruto for a little tour around his house. The blond was curious by nature, and just like a baby; he had to touch everything that caught his interest. Sasuke on the other hand was somewhat shaken and irritated by the fact. Naruto's hands had been all over his stuff, and he was a loner by habit; he had lived alone for years after all. He figured it was evitable that he would have to share everything with the blond, but it was still going to need some getting used to.

"And this is where the knives and forks are kept," he opened the drawer and then closed it promptly. He wanted to get this tour over and done with already.

"What is this?" Naruto reached out and pressed the biggest button on one machine. He jumped back when a loud voice suddenly roared from the gadget.

"That's a kitchen machine. How can you not know that?"

"How about this?" He twisted the knob, before having his hand swatted away.

"Espresso machine. Stop touching."

"Hey! Who are you swatting at? Do you think I'm a fly or something?"

"These are expensive, and the kitchen is my territory. Understood. It's my territory."

Naruto rolled his eyes, "Fine, next thing you'll be marking it with- Fridge!" The blond heaved the fridge's door open, tilted his head to the side, and began to examine the contents, "Where are all the sweets?"

"I see enough sweets at work. I try to eat healthy at home," Sasuke pointed to the bottom drawer in the fridge, "fruits and vegetables are in there."

"If I were you, I'd eat cake day and night. And ramen."

Sasuke sighed. He figured he was going to tell Naruto more about himself sooner or later. "I don't like sweets. But if you are hungry, I'm preparing tomato basil soup and garlic bread. Don't expect me to be your private chef from now on though."

The blond looked at Sasuke in suspicion, eyes narrowed. "You are a pastry chef. How can you not like sweets?"

"I have my motives."

"That doesn't make sense."

"We'll talk about it later."

"You're not a masochist, are you?" Naruto eyed Sasuke as if the man had just broken out of mental institution. "Is it a Suna thing? Do you have some sort of a complex?"

Sasuke sighed; Naruto's imagination was running wild. "My older brother is a pastry chef as well."

"So you are following in your big brother's foot steps? That's cute," Naruto smiled; mind finally at ease.

"Actually, I plan to-" Sasuke paused. "Let me show you the bedroom first."

"You plan to what?" Naruto ran after Sasuke.

"I plan to prove that I'm better than him at it."

"Sibling rivalry, then. I don't have a brother, but I get it. I compete with Kiba all the time."

"It is more than just that," he murmured, before pointing at the couch. "There is only one bedroom, but this is a sofa bed, so we don't have to sleep next to each other. It is quite comfortable."

"Don't you two get along?"

"Lets not fixate on this issue now."

"What if they ask me in the interview?!" Naruto whined. Deep down, he was just curious.

"Fine," Sasuke snorted. "My brother has always enjoyed out-doing me at everything. My father believed him to be a genius. He couldn't even see me when Itachi was around. He was his heir; I was the backup he was never going to need. Suddenly, Itachi decided to go to confectionary school rather than inherit the business empire."

"Oh, so you were upset you were stuck running the family business?"

"I wanted to run the family business."

"That's good then-"

"But I don't want to run it just because he refused to. I'm not a spare-tire. So, I made my calculations; if I open my own store in the next month, and follow the marketing plan I prepared, my shop should be rivaling his in a year. You see, he has the advantage for now, because he already established the customer base, and I will need time to bring them over to my store," Sasuke explained, completely consumed by his own thoughts. "I give it a couple of years, and see how he likes it when he comes in second. Then I can go back to the family business."

Sasuke finally noticed how Naruto was staring at him with an open jaw. He pursed his lips, swallowed somewhat self-conscious, and returned to his tour, "Anyway, I emptied the left side of the closet for you-"

"So you are doing something you don't like, even committing fraud, just because you want to spite your brother?"

Suddenly, Sasuke's tone was serious again, "I want to prove he's not better than me."

"What's the use if you are better than him at something you don't want to do. You won't be happy."

"I will never be satisfied knowing I come second to him. It's unfair; I always work twice as hard as he does."

Naruto pursed his lips, knowing he was about to stick his nose into someone else's private matters, "It seems like it's your father's fault for not appreciating you, not your brother's."

"Hn."

"Hey, don't look at me like that. I'm just saying what I think-"

"Well, it is none of your business, is it?"

"If I'm going to be your husband-"

"I don't want the advice of an idiot who managed to sink himself in debt."

"Fuck you, bastard! That was uncalled for! That's not even the truth."

"Why else would you be doing this?"

"For the sake of someone I care about. A family member. You know family; the people who try to be there for each other, not humiliate each other."

"You're too naïve, dobe."

"You're the one who is still stuck in a childish competition with his brother, who probably doesn't even care if you beat him or not!"

"Shut up! You don't know what you're talking about or who Itachi is!" Sasuke shouted. He despised raising his voice, but the blond was getting on his nerve.

"I know he's your brother. You should love him, and you should get over it. I would die to have a brother. If I did, I might fight with him occasionally, but I wouldn't dedicate all of my life to try and make him feel inferior to me. I can't believe you don't appreciate the how lucky you are-"

"I can't believe this is our second conversation, and you are already lecturing me about my family matters. You are unbelievable."

"I'm sorry, honey, I thought we are getting married tomorrow," Naruto mocked. "Anyway, it's your loss. Be horrible to your brother. I'm not going to let it bother me. I'm not going to try and get you two to reunite and reconnect. Never!"

"Don't!"

"I won't! Plus, I don't know how to contact him."

"You sound like you want to."

"Well if I do, it will be for your brother's sake. Surely not yours, psycho," Naruto huffed. He knew he was being overbearing. He was self-aware, but… He couldn't wrap his mind how Sasuke hated his brother so much, all the while, he spent nights crying and wishing for a brother and a family through out his childhood.

"Try and talk to Itachi, and you will regret it," the raven threatened, voice low and deep.

"I don't respond well to threats, just so you know. I might just invite him to our wedding."

"Don't invite him to the wedding, Naruto."

"Having him attend will make our marriage seem much more legit!" Naruto raised both shoulders. "We should ask him to cater it."

Sasuke gritted his teeth. He just didn't know how to deal with that, that, that 'creature' named Naruto. "How about we call this whole thing off then?"

"Why not. I'll just tell the movers to turn back. No big deal. Lets call it off. You don't have to have your own shop," Naruto challenged.

"And you don't have to help that family member of yours."

"He can live with his legs broken and nose smashed. In fact, he might get some sympathy sex out of it. It will be great, you won't have to break up with your hand."

Sasuke gritted his teeth, "As if I would have wanted anything to do with your ass anyway. I'd probably find Legos in there."

"Very funny. You think you're very funny-" Naruto mocked, face red from fury, and words fast from beckoning a nearing explosion.

"Not as funny as you masturbating to comics-"

"It's Yaoi! And fuck you, it's awesome!"

"It's not real."

"Neither is porn!"

For the next few minutes, Naruto panted as he began to calm down. Sasuke on the other hand, began to chop some onions for his soup. Chopping was somewhat soothing to Sasuke, so was beating the meat with a hammer over and over to tenderize it.

Naruto gulped. He didn't want to be the one to raise the white flag first, but he had already agreed to pay the loan shark his money tomorrow night. "So are we getting married tomorrow or what?"

"Yes."

"Ok…"

"…"

"And I shouldn't invite you brother-"

"No!" The raven blew up, waving the knife in the air.

"Fine. Don't wave the knife in my face. I was just confirming that you don't want him there. You look like a serial killer."

"I don't want him there," Sasuke smiled, a smile reminiscent of American psycho, the movie.

"I won't invite him."

"Great."

"How about your father?"

"I will tell father later. After the marriage has been finalized, or he won't let it go through."

"But wouldn't he want to be at his son's wedding?"

"Are you enjoying this, Naruto?"

"What?"

"Being a pain in the ass."

"I'm trying to help, bastard."

"Can you help by unpacking?"

"Fine. The bookcase was in the room over there, right?"

"Yes."

"Is it okay if I put my manga in there, or are you going to wave your knife in my face again?"

"Go ahead and put whatever you want in there," the raven sighed. He wouldn't have agreed if it was any other time, but Naruto had already consumed all the energy he had that day for fighting.

"That's what she said," Naruto giggled. "Even the yaoi ones?"

"Hn."

Naruto turned around after receiving Sasuke's death glare, "Maybe I'll keep them in a box instead."

Sasuke cracked his neck. Naruto was finally away. Finally. Silence had never sounded so good, Sasuke thought. But immediately, he heard a thunderous sound of books crashing followed by Naruto cursing and yelling.

The raven ran to the room, only to find Naruto on the ground, covered in dozens of books.

"They fell on me," Naruto complained.

Sasuke hissed, before kneeling downs. He began to remove the books from over Naruto before helping him up. "Did you get hurt?"

"The whole case was about to fall on me. Thank God it didn't."

"You should be more careful, dobe. I don't want you to die before I get my citizenship."

"Great, so not only not allowed to have sex for the next three years, I can't die either," Naruto pouted.

"You're getting smarter," Sasuke smirked. "What happened anyway?"

"It just shook on it's own."

"Hn."

"I might have bumped against it by mistake when I realized that I'm getting married tomorrow."

"You just realized that now?"

"And then it hit me, we will need to kiss in public and stuff," Naruto swallowed.

"Don't tell me, I'm going to be your first kiss," Sasuke teased.

Naruto pursed his lips in disgust, "It was a horrible image."

"Hn."

"Would you still kiss me if I had just eaten cake and I smell like it?"

"I think that's enough interaction for one day."

XXXXX Later than Night XXXXX

Sasuke struggled to open the sofa bed, pulling it in all the ways he knew how. "It always worked perfectly."

"I'll just sleep on the floor until we fix it."

Sasuke turned and looked at the man. He didn't like Naruto, but he knew he would feel guilty if he slept on the bed while the blond slept on the floor. But, he couldn't do the opposite and compromise this early on; he didn't want the blond to get accustomed to that kind of treatment. "You can sleep on the coach."

"It's not wide enough. Do you have a futon or something?"

"No."

"Then I'll just use a comforter instead of it."

"Maybe if I pull up as I pull out," Sasuke attempted to opened the sofa bed again, but to no avail.

"Where do you keep your comforters?"

"You're not sleeping on the ground."

"I don't mind."

"I do. Just sleep next to me."

Naruto's jaw fell, and his eyes narrowed. "You're not going to try something, are you? Is this a plan to use my body?" He hugged his chest.

"You are right. You should sleep on the floor," Sasuke frowned.

Naruto chuckled, "I was just joking. Don't take it too seriously. I didn't think you were going to rape me."

"Floor."

"Plus, you are sexy. I bet you get a lot of guys," Naruto shifted after he realized the complement he had made. "Not that I, in particular, find you sexy. Actually, I do. I don't like lying."

"I thought Kiba said you wanted to be an actor?"

"Acting is not lying. You are not fooling anyone, you are not being mistrustful. A writer is not a liar if he writes about a fictional character, is he?"

"Hn," the raven looked away as if not convinced.

"How many boyfriends did you have before?"

"Just one."

"When did you break up?"

"High school."

"You haven't had a boyfriend since high school?!"

"Hn."

"Did you love him?"

"Not really."

"Then why were you together?"

"Hmm…"

"What?"

"You will obsess about it like an idiot."

"I want to know. I promise I won't obsess."

"I thought Itachi liked him. It turned out: he liked Itachi, and Itachi humored him thinking he was a young kid with a crush. And as for him, I really look like my brother."

"Did you sleep with him?"

Sasuke hesitated before mumbling, "Not quite."

"Are you a virgin?!"

Sasuke chuckled, "No."

"Then?"

"Then, I slept with Deidara, Jugo, and a few others."

"Were they into your brother too?"

"No."

"That's a relief."

"Some were his exs. Some were his friends."

"You are awful! How can you even enjoy it if you're preoccupied with your brother all the time?"

"I guess you are right."

"Were you fishing for a complement? For instance, one of them would just scream out as you fuck him 'Oh, Sasuke, you are so much better than Itachi'," Naruto acted, as he fell down on bed and began to rub his body in a theatrical performance.

Sasuke smiled, but quickly frowned again, "I don't appreciate your sarcasm."

"So Deidara was your first?"

"Yeah. How about you?"

"I had six boyfriends."

"Six? Were you aiming for a record?"

"Shut up; I loved all of them."

"I doubt that."

"I did. The first was Hiro. I was fifteen, he was sixteen. He was bi-curious. I was head over heels, but he left me for a girl. He later knocked her up and had to drop out of school."

"I have a rule against dating straights guys who want to experiment, personally."

"Me too. Right after Hiro, I decided I would never do that again. But then I met Hotaka. He was eighteen, and wanted to be a manga ka. Then he left me for another guy. Third was Shikamaru, and my first- if you know what I mean."

"Shikamaru, the friend I met?"

"Yes, but I was so freaked out he'd leave me for someone else like the first two, I was crazy jealous. Plus, he was my friend, so… I guess it could have gotten ugly if it was anyone other than Shika."

"Do you still love him?"

"Just as a friend. Then I dated this forty year old guy who loved to rap even in bed, in the middle of sex. 'I've got energy to spare and sparkling charm. I'm Kirābī! I float… like a butterfly. And sting like a bee!'," Naruto rapped.

Sasuke laid on the bed next to Naruto, laughing. He couldn't control himself. "Why would you date him?"

"He had sparkling charm and floated like a butterfly," Naruto began to snigger. "Plus, I like muscles, and he had some… ah!"

"Hn."

"I don't like being alone…"

"Hn."

"But I guess I meet a lot of weird people since I work at a sex shop. I should know better than to date them."

"Well, you won't date anyone new for a few years, so..."

The blond took in a deep breath. He had forgotten about that detail. Suddenly, he sat up on bed and squealed, "Oh my God, you smell so good. It's like sleeping next to a cupcake!" Naruto fell back and started wiggling. "I want to lick your icing."

The raven blinked a few times. His brain understood that Naruto meant it in an innocent way, but his crotch didn't. "You don't think stuff over before saying them, do you?"

"I should get mad at you, but it's hard staying angry at someone who smells like a cookie," he waved his hands in the air as if fanning the scent, took a deep whiff, and then whimpered.

"Hn." Sasuke detested the sweet smell he always had lingering over him, so when various brands of shampoos and soaps didn't work, he tried to adapt to it. He couldn't pin point where his aversion had oriented. Perhaps it had more to it then just plain preference; perhaps it was rooted to his childhood, he thought.

"Hey, Sasuke."

"Yes?"

"Did your brother ever find out you slept with his exs and friends?"

"Probably, but he didn't show it."

"How much older is he?"

"Five years and nine months."

"Was it all bad with him, growing up?"

"Good night," Sasuke reached out and turned off the lights.

"Was it?"

"No," Sasuke whispered.

Naruto relaxed deeper onto the mattress. He stayed there for an hour, unable to sleep. He wasn't used to Sasuke's bed yet. He sighed, and turned around, touching Sasuke's fingers. The raven removed his hand quickly.

"Are you still awake?"

"Hn."

"It's strange sleeping in bed with someone you don't know well, right?" The blond whispered.

"I always have a hard time sleeping."

"Are you insomniac?"

"Yeah."

"You can take pills for that."

"I don't want to. They are easily addictive."

"So you just lay in bed all night staring at the ceiling?"

"It helps when the person I'm sleeping next to shuts up."

"It is true they call you Hitler at the shop?"

The Uchiha was well aware of the fact that his subordinates weren't fond of him. He was a perfectionist with a sharp tongue, and most of them half-assed their work. Still, Sasuke had expected Naruto to be discrete about it; after all you don't let the teacher in on the inside joke about him. After a long silence, the raven answered, "Yes."

"I heard you made three of them cry before, and one had a nervous breakdown."

"Did Chouji tell you that?"

"No…" Naruto coughed, finally noticing the slope he had been tumbling down. "A birdy."

"Its an exaggeration."

"So you didn't make them cry?"

"They cried, but not because I made them. They are not children. If they had thought about what I said instead of getting offended, they might've learned something." He hated when people cried. He hated it more when they cried because of him, even though he had always managed to make others around him weep easily. Contrary to common belief, he never meant to break them. He never had it in mind when he opened his mouth. His intention was to help them, the harshness in his words was something innate that projected regardless of his intentions. He didn't know how to express himself any other way. "Plus it was one girl, and she was wasting her life and talent chasing a deadbeat boyfriend."

"You sure are heartless," Naruto muttered under his breath, before getting up, and walking out of the room.

"The bathroom is on your right."

"I'm going for a walk," he sighed. In less than twelve hours he was going to be married to man refer to as Hitler. There was no going back after they are pronounced husbands. Growing up, gay marriage wasn't illegalized in Konoha yet, but he had always fanaticized about that day. He always believed that he would find a way to be with the person he loved. Somehow it felt that if he ever married someone after his deal with Sasuke, it wouldn't feel as special. As if he had already shamed the bond by lies.

He walked into the kitchen and began to pour himself a cup of water. He rested his back against the counter, and stared out of the small kitchen window. The light switched on unexpectedly in the apartment opposite to him. At first he didn't pay much attention to the action, but soon he noticed two men making out in their kitchen. He gulped. They were really going at it, he thought, as one man tore the other's shirt off. It had been a while since his last time; he almost groaned.

He could see how the ivory-haired man kissed the other's neck, nibbled on the flesh, and caressed the curves of the brunette's body.

"I think I'll go for a stroll with you as well," Sasuke turned on the light, and then stood staring at the yelping Naruto. "What's wrong?"

The blond quickly looked at the opposite apartment and noticed the two men looking at his way. He squeaked again, before ducking down.

"Is someone there?" Sasuke walked towards the window and looked out, as Naruto pulled down on his pants.

"Get down."

"What's wrong? I can't see anything," Sasuke stated. "Are you playing a stupid game?"

Naruto rolled his eyes, before explaining in whispers, "There were two guys doing it in the apartment opposite to us. I think they saw me looking at them."

Sasuke kneeled down, "Have you heard of porn before, pervert? Beats Voyeurism. Don't spy on my neighbors."

"I am not a pervert and I wasn't spying! T-they just started doing it, and I was here."

The raven looked down at Naruto's crotch, or more appropriately hard-on. The blond flustered, "What! I haven't had sex in a year! Don't judge me."

Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows, "Anyway, are we going for a walk or not?"

"What if I see them down the street or something?! They probably think I'm a pervert."

"You don't look like the type who cares what people think of him. At least if you were, you wouldn't be wearing this color."

"What's wrong with orange?-"

"Well, first of all, it indicates you are dying for attention."

"I'm not an attention whore!"

"Plus, it is just plain bad taste in fashion." Sasuke looked down at Naruto's crotch again, "Now, it's getting awkward."

"I'll go to the bathroom," he buried his face into his hands, and dashed towards the bathroom. "Today sucks!"

The raven chuckled. Something about Naruto's misery had been very amusing. He cracked his fingers, thinking maybe he was a bad person after all. Suddenly, he saw the blond walking out from the bathroom to the bedroom. His legs slowly took him to the room, where he stood by the door smirking.

"What?" The blond hissed.

Sasuke glanced up at the clock, back at Naruto, and then smirked again. "Two minutes?"

Naruto's mouth gapped like a fish out of water. "A-a-a- I wasn't- I wasn't trying to hold back," he stuttered.

"That's for sure."

"Shut up!" Naruto tossed the pillow at Sasuke's face.

Sasuke dodged the projectile easily, as if a master in Ninja arts. "Are we going for the walk or not?"

"I'm never going for a walk with you!"

Thirty minutes later, Naruto stood next to Sasuke in the pharmacy. He played with the medicine bottles amusing himself as Sasuke read the back of a conditioner bottle.

"Are you done yet?" The blond hummed.

"Hn."

"Just get the one in your hand."

"I'm very specific about my hair products."

"Get this one," Naruto picked the nearest one to him. "I tried it before. It's amazing," he lied.

The raven took one critical look at Naruto's mope of blond hair before declaring, "No."

Naruto tossed it back onto the shelf, "We should go to a convenience store afterwards. I want to get some instant ramen."

"No."

"Why not?"

"I'm not allowing this crap into my home. It's 1% natural ingredients, and 99% preservatives, food coloring, and artificial flavors."

"Are you going to make me ramen from scratch?"

"Definitely not. I told you before I'm not your personal cook."

"Then you don't have a say in what I eat."

"I'll just get this one," Sasuke ignored the other.

Sasuke continued to read the ingredients as they walked towards the cashier. In one swift move, he found himself on the floor in one of the aisles, Naruto looking down at him.

"Are you insane?" The raven glared. "Why did you push me?"

"He's here."

"Who?"

"The neighbor! He was coming our way," Naruto whispered animatedly.

Both men suddenly fell silent as the white haired man took a turn into their aisle, as he spoke on the phone. He stood in front of Sasuke, who was still on the ground, and ogled at him with his one visible eye.

"Do you need help?" Kakashi asked, still looking at the odd man on the ground.

"I'm fine. An idiot bumped into me," Sasuke got up and began to dust his clothes.

As if on cue, Kakashi turned around and looked at Naruto, whose face looked drained of blood. "Ah, it's you." He then turned to his phone, "No, not you. I'll have to call you later."

The blond gulped, before laughing nervously. "I don't know you."

"You're the neighbor who was spying at us through the kitchen window. I remember the orange shirt," Kakashi said. Oddly enough, he had a smile on his face.

"I warned you about the orange shirt," Sasuke muttered under his breath.

"It's a mix-up," the blond stammered. "I-I was in the kitchen by accident…"

"Yamato was really upset afterwards," Kakashi explained. In fact, that was the reason he was making a trip to the pharmacy after mid-night. He usually came up with the oddest excuses to avoid being around his boyfriend when angry. After all Yamato could be very intimidating at times. On the other hand, Yamato enjoyed Kakashi's escapes. They allowed him time to relax. "He wanted to call the police."

At the mention of the authorities, Sasuke decided it was time for him to rescue Naruto from the mess he had gotten himself in. "My fiancé is very sorry. Please let me Mr. Yamato, he shouldn't be worried. Naruto is just like a zombie at night. He probably didn't resister what he was seeing until later. Again, I apologize, but you might consider putting some curtains up. We are not the only two residents in the opposite building to you after all. Some even have kids."

"I guess you are right," Kakashi sighed. Yamato had a knack for over-reacting after all. "Did you move in recently? I didn't see you around the neighborhood before."

Sasuke forced his lips up. He figured he should expect more of these questions from now on. "Actually, I've been here for a year, but I haven't had time to actually meet the neighbors with my Job."

"We are getting married tomorrow," Naruto yelped, as if the lies had been eating away at their bubble, until it burst in to a random utterance.

Kakashi blinked, a little startled by the loud revelation.

"Yes," Sasuke gritted his teeth. "Naruto just moved his stuff into my place- Our place, sorry, honey," the raven acted.

"Congratulations."

"Thank you. Well, it was nice meeting you," the raven shook the other's hand, before dragging away Naruto by the arm. "Get it together. You can't freak out every time someone drops a question in our direction."

The blond shook his head, "he didn't believe you."

"Sure he did."

"He didn't. How can two people getting married tomorrow just move in together today," The blond bit his lip.

"We are old fashioned."

"We are gay."

"You can be gay and old fashioned," the Uchiha stated.

"No!"

"Stop freaking out or he'll over-hear you."

"I'm too pretty to go to jail. I don't want to be someone's bitch," the blond sat on the ground. "Plus, I suck at lying, and I hate lying. This is unlike me!"

"Stop being a chicken."

"You have nothing to lose. You'd probably like prison. You'd start your own gang and bully around everyone else."

The raven hissed, getting down to Naruto's level, "Being a coward doesn't seem like you."

"I'm not a coward. I just don't want to be stuck in a big lie."

"You said you needed the money for someone you cared about, right?"

"My grand pa."

"Then keep it together for his sake."

The blond lowered his eyes. He swallowed slowly, "I don't want to be that kind of person. A fraud"

"Or is it a person that helps the ones he cares about?"

"The end justifies the means, huh?"

"Exactly."

The blond nodded. He just hoping by the time this trial reach it's end, he would still be the same person. "You are too persuasive for a bastard. It's scary. You shouldn't have this much power."

Sasuke smirked, "We should get back. It's too late, and we need to get an early start tomorrow."

- To Be Continued-

Do I hear weddings bells?

The groom and groom invite you invite you to share the beginning of their new life together. Stay tuned for the next chapter.