I was sick today, and something told me to write. Here, you see some strings tying back. And what happened to Sasuke.

(Hint! He went a little crazy...)

ALSO! I need a beta! Interested? Please send me a message or something. You wont be overworked, 'cause I type up stuff on a whim, and I'm not a terrible writer either. I just want double-checking and stuff. Enjoy!

-

-

Chapter 2 - Inadequate Replacement

-

The young blond man he had hired for the night had just left. His heavy scent transgressed the quaint and old room, making Sasuke wince. Next time, he'd make sure his escort didn't smell as strong.

Although this time the illusion was almost perfect. After he had ordered the man to draw three fine lines across each of his cheeks, Sasuke had set out to make ramen and have him eat it. And oh when he did! It was almost like Naruto was there again.

After the sex, the young prostitute picked out his payment from Sasuke's wallet, dressed, and left. Not without first leaving his number though. Those things on his cheeks and the ramen and being called "Naruto" might have been pretty weird, but the pay was great, and really this was the least kinky fetish he had come across that didn't involve him fearing for his life.

He wished all his employers were just as regretful of wronging old loves.

Well, the night was still young, and maybe somewhere out there, he could find another longing soul to soothe. If only for that night.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

9:13 p.m. and Sakura tucked in her children. She gave them a kiss on each of their foreheads (there were three) while Lee jovially wished them a good night. Such a hassle in her home to do anything along the lines of normal.

She turned off the light and closed their door softly. Lee ran to their room to change into his own pj's. Smiling, she walked to the kitchen to clean the dishes left from their little private birthday party for their youngest. There was a window right above the sink that she could see outside of. Right across lived Sasuke, now and old friend of hers. Her previous smile faltered when she noticed shiny golden hair and a fit body leave the house.

She missed Naruto too.

Lee had been unusually quiet when he advanced toward the sink to help Sakura. He could see the shadow as well.

"How long? Fifteen years?"

"I lost count a long time ago. I'd rather think a year passed by. It hurts less."

"He decided to leave, Sakura. He did."

"I know, but why? Because of me, that's why. Because Naruto was pushed. Because it was my fault."

Lee didn't utter a word. He didn't have anything to contradict Sakura. It was true, it was her fault, but it was also Sasuke's. And to be going around hiring prostitutes to substitute the one you lost was wrong in his book. Why cheat then? Why hurt someone you would give anything to have in your life forever? It just never made sense to him.

And he never wanted it to, either.

"Tell me again, how you both met in China, tell me how happy he was again."

Lee sighed. He knew about what had happened. How that blond guy he met long back in Hong Kong was best friends with his now wife (whom he had met in a hospital when he broke a rib in Beijing. She was finishing her internship there.) She had told him everything. He had told her everything. The puzzle pieces behind why Naruto was running and running.

"I love you."

Sakura wondered if Sasuke had ever told Naruto that.

Again, Lee and Sakura fell asleep to the story of a dumb kid who held too much happiness and pain.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning, Sasuke got up at seven, took a bath, made himself breakfast, and drove to work (a law firm in the west part of the city.) In his office, a tan dishwater blond with green eyes sat ready to read him his busy planner and take down notes. For the most part, he was dressed casually (as he had been told to do so, in contrast to all the other assistants' formal look,) and wore a bright orange shirt. He noticed that Sasuke avoided looking at his eyes.

"Today you have a meeting with the mayor Ms. Tsunade, at one fifteen." Sasuke flinched but nodded in grim understanding, "Right after, at two thirty, we have a luncheon with Hebi Ltd. Concerning the recent contract made," the secretary shifted in the leather seat, he knew Sasuke hated having any kind of contact with Hebi other than needed. Karin (a sharp-witted lawyer) always bothered him.

"For the rest of the afternoon, you have scheduled to be left alone in your office to work on the Orochimaru case." Sasuke 'hn'-ed at him and waved him off. He rubbed his temples after a rather harsh headache when Hebi had been mentioned. He opened his desk drawer and took out some aspirin. After swallowing it dry, he returned the bottle and took out a small journal. In there he reached into one of the many folds for Naruto's picture.

He was smiling brightly at the camera as he held up an orange tomcat. Sasuke remembered that, when Naruto found the little guy rummaging through their trash one day. It had to be a month before he had left. Sasuke had taken the picture on Naruto's insistence. The guy was going for a photography major, he liked to take and have pictures taken.

All the pictures were up somewhere in the attic of a home that had not witnessed their perfect moments. Just Sasuke's screwed up version of life.

He kept this picture because it was the last time he saw Naruto truly smile like that at him. If he had known...

The files for the case he was working on piled higher than his head. Taking one from the highest point, he opened it, and began reading on the criminal history and charges made against his client. His old teacher, Orochimaru.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Neji, I think you shou-should take it, and maybe you'll see him – "

"Hinata, really, don't do this. I know your feelings for Naruto and – "

"N-no! It's you he liked more. And I've de-decided that there's other pe-ople I can you know..."

"Hn."

"D-don't look at me l-like that! I just want you to-to be happy."

It's very rare to see Neji smile. And whatever you do to get it is worth it.

"And if he's not there?"

"He-he is! I know because an old fr-friend of mine told me s-so,"

"Oh?"

"Do y-you remember Shikamaru?"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Aah. What a pair of dummies. See, I always knew you were truly the smart one in that group."

"LIAR! You doubted me right from the beginning! And you always preferred Sasuke over me." Naruto smiled a bit at his old teacher. These memories so long back...

"Naruto, Naruto. Never question genius. It was all part of a bigger plan. If those two hadn't cheated your loyalty, your friendship, it would've worked out, I swear." Kakashi's eyes that beforehand were lit with humor softened in. It really was going so well, Naruto really was learning something worthwhile, something he loved. It would have been perfect. They would have been his greatest students. It was all supposed to be so much more different than this. He guessed it had been his fault, though. He began questioning Sasuke's goals, Sasuke's ambitions, pushing him to want more than a simple life with Naruto.

He had introduced Sasuke to Sakura, another of his supposed protégés.

"Kakashi-sensei?"

"Hmmm?"

"I have to go, that was my flight they called."

"Oh. Well, darn. Keep in touch? You ever coming back to America?"

"Maybe."

-

-

SO!?!?!? What's gonna happen next? Oh dear me, I've written myself into a little triangle, it seems. But where do Naruto's true emotions lie? This poor soul is talking nonsense.

Review? Hark! It means so much to me! (What?)