Like a Blue Rose
--
The two sides of a coin is a unity, but neither of them saw the trivial fact.
--
"You know, Sasuke…you're like a blue rose."
Naruto saw the Uchiha stilled at the moment he stated the claim, He tilted his graceful head up from the math equation he was checking. His attention had clearly switched to the blonde's utterance. "Excuse me?" He responded bewilderedly.
The blonde had silently laughed in glee, he only had meant to tease the silent man, and it seemed quite successful that he managed to coax some expression. "I said, you're like a blue rose." He playfully said, grinning.
Sasuke had given him a distinct look of both bewilderment and inquisitiveness. "Why…a blue rose?" He asked.
At the precise question, Naruto suddenly tensed. A thought crossed his mind. He realized he might've been a bit too blunt; his random comment might've triggered too much attention of the Uchiha. He had said Sasuke was beautiful! What if he realize—
Heat inadvertently rose to Naruto's face at a lightning speed, his heart rate also accelerated in the same manner. It especially worsened with Sasuke's curious stare was on him. Naruto didn't know what to say, he didn't want to answer the truth, yet him being silent would seem more suspicious.
"W-well…you're beautiful." Naruto nervously laughed, mildly cursing in his mind for producing such a dubious kicker. The laughter soon died down, and the blonde hesitantly looked up to see Sasuke's response.
And he saw the Uchiha, casting an obvious look of suspicion. "I didn't mean to make fun of you or something!" Naruto immediately said, wordlessly cursing again at another tripped veracity. "I guess telling a guy he's beautiful is like insulting him, but…" He staggered.
Then he saw Sasuke smiled. "I didn't ask you that. I mean, why are you choosing a blue rose? There are many others." He asked softly, unknowing.
And somewhat cruel.
Naruto felt his heart shrunk to the earth. His face wilted down to dry. Sasuke had asked him why. Why had Naruto claimed him to resemble a flower? Why…a blue rose? How could Naruto tell him the reason? It would've as if telling Sasuke about—
"Because you're unreachable." Naruto mouthed the words, meanwhile smiling at Sasuke, who seemed taken aback.
"You're beautiful, Sasuke. Anyone would think of that way no matter who they are, men or women, they'll think the same." The words slipped uncontrollably from his mouth like the flow of a river. Naruto couldn't stop it. He was unable to. He didn't know why, yet he vaguely knew, that somewhere in his heart, he wanted…
He wanted Sasuke to know.
About his feelings. His love for him.
No. A voice warned him in his mind. You can't tell him. You mustn't.
"…Yet you've never let anyone get close to you." Naruto continued, keeping his eyes at par with those astonished beautiful dark eyes. The ones he loved so much.
The ones he couldn't reach.
"You always keep your distance. That's why you…" Naruto's lips began trembling. His tightened chest began suffocating him. "…are like a blue rose; you're impossible to approach." Naruto finished softly, immediately averting his eyes from Sasuke's. He balled his fists tightly.
You're impossible for me.
--
Naruto's eyes fluttered open as a ray of morning sun spotted right on his face. Loud rings of the clock alarm resonated in his ears, piercing through his conscious to arousal. It took several minutes for Naruto to blink away the last remaining of dream, before he managed to pull himself to sit.
But when he had sat, he moaned aloud as sharp chills suddenly stung at all over his body. A second later, Naruto realized there wasn't a single clothing on his body. "Damn it." He cursed softly.
"I must've fallen asleep right after shower. No wonder I feel like an ice block." He promptly swapped gaze to the window, where reddish brown leaves slowly fell to the ground, outside of his room. Naruto watched silently.
"It's been three years..." He mumbled softly. His cerulean eyes were observing a floating maple leaf, the fragile little thing fluttered in the air as a gust of wind blew through it.
Naruto swiftly brought his gaze down to his thigh. Three years…it's been so long I thought I've forgotten. Why did I dream of that old stuff?
The blonde let out a heavy sigh and then quickly shook his head. He had no time to recall such thing, he had class at ten, and it was already eight. If he didn't get up and hurry, he'll miss breakfast with his friends at the campus' café. In fact, he had been late by ten minutes. His favorite bratwurst might've already out of stock.
Naruto lazily stretched his shoulders and muscles, and then stepped out of his bed with its sheet wrapped around him. He felt a sheer cold suddenly ran down his spine, before giving out a loud, "Achoo!"
Naruto quickly wiped the snot and began coughing a bit. He reached his neck and felt the insides of his mouth as well as throat were dry, and slightly hurt. He had a headache and his nose was runny and wet.
"Don't tell me…I'm catching a cold?" He groaned nasally, a hand was checking his temperature. He had a slight fever.
"Damn, I should take a medicine." Naruto began walking to the next room, avoiding the scattered, random things lying on the floorboard. His domicile didn't provide a closet so he put the clothes in a wooden drawer in the living room, since his bedroom had always remained in shambles of a wrecked ship. He couldn't fit other furniture.
Naruto closed his bedroom door, and immediately saw the living room. When he was about reach the drawer, he halted his steps, his eyes fixated to an abandoned wicker basket by the leather sofa. Naruto's dry laundry, some were properly folded and piled in order; the rest remained a mess. His eyes fell to the thing on top of the folded clothes; a wrinkled orange shirt left unfolded and forgotten. Then flashes of yesterday's event crossed his mind.
Sasuke didn't respond. He wordlessly grabbed onto the sides of the laundry basket, went over where an end table was, and put down the basket atop of it, right in front of Naruto. Then he sat on the sofa across the blonde, and began folding the rest of the dry laundry.
"It's quite short this time too. I thought you said you like her." Sasuke said while his hands were folding an obnoxious orange shirt with a big white swirl printed on its front.
There was an astonishment flashed inside those orbs, there was even bewilderment, but Naruto didn't find a hint of rejection, or an agreement. He couldn't find the answer. Yet the blonde saw Sasuke's expression suddenly wilted, his eyes fluttered to his knee, to the unfolded orange shirt. He seemed thoughtful.
Naruto waited, his heart was racing. Then Sasuke slowly held up his head, and brought his eyes to Naruto's. Naruto almost startled at the sight of strong, yet beautiful, beautiful dark eyes lingering on his.
It made him forgot how to breathe.
Silent dominated the vast space, while Naruto stood motionless. Slowly, he bent his back down with outstretched hand reaching for the orange shirt on top of the pile. His chest began tightening, yet his heart, in the other hand, beating loud throbs. Naruto held his breath as his fingers touched the hem of the shirt. He gulped on his saliva. His lips parted and moved to form a name.
Sasuke.
Then loud noises echoed throughout the silent space, efficaciously grabbed the blonde's attention. The said man jumped in shock, he immediately snapped from trance, vaguely realizing what he had been doing. His heart rate exceeded louder. Yet the next serial of rings injected some common sense to his mind, suggesting a prior fact that the noises were coming from his front door's bell. Someone was waiting in front of his house.
He knew he had to answer the call, yet Naruto's eyes once again fell to the shirt. The reminiscence of yesterday's crossed his mind, deranging his thoughts. Naruto furiously shook his head, desperately trying to regain his senses. First, he had to answer whoever it was who kept pushing the bell button.
"C-coming!" He exclaimed. Then he hurriedly ran toward the front door, forgetting a little private fact, which was hanging around his waist. Naruto unchained the door and promptly opened it.
A tall young man was standing by his door, his black hair was tied in a high ponytail. A burning cigarette was clamped in between his lips, while his small black eyes stared nonchalantly at the blonde in front him. It flickered an interest when it fell on the blonde's figure.
"Shikamaru…? What are you doing here?" Naruto asked in surprise.
Shikamaru's eyes went down, meanwhile exhaling his tobacco. "I come to fetch you; Kiba asked me in his text message, because you didn't show up for breakfast. Since I was at the nearby street and on my way to the campus myself, I figured I might as well kill two birds with a stone, but…" His eyes slowly climbed up to Naruto's face.
"…am I disturbing you and the lady?" He asked.
Naruto blinked in bewilderment. "What?"
"Well, I found it odd to see you with this and that." Shikamaru deliberately drew a finger and pointed downward, Naruto's eyes went down with his. It instantly widened at what he saw.
"AH!" He screamed aloud, hastily bringing his hands to cover the shame. Naruto had just realized the sheets he used to cover himself had fallen somewhere. And Shikamaru had seen him naked and was supporting a…
Morning wood.
"This isn't what it looks like!" Naruto exclaimed. "I-I fell asleep after shower, and I forgot to wear clothes…. B-but I had sheets covering me a while ago, I-I wasn't thinking of perverse things!" He told the other man in rush, heat rushed up to his face.
Shikamaru shrugged. "Naruto, chill. It's fine if you have reasons. And it's completely natural for a guy to have…that in the morning. I was just joking." He nonchalantly said.
"I didn't know you were capable of joking." Naruto commented.
Shikamaru exhaled grey smoke from his lips. "I might not. Who cares?" He tonelessly said. "Anyway, you want to stay here without anything on and chat, or put on something and go? It's kind of cold out here."
"I chose the latter." Naruto responded. Then a second later he began fidgeting nervously, his hands still covering his southward organ. "And, um…could you wait a while? Five minutes, no, ten minutes?"
Shikamaru stared at him. A brow was raised. "Sure."
"Thanks." Naruto mouthed the word, before dashing in. He only had a distinct destination in his mind; the bathroom.
Shikamaru stepped inside the apartment after closing the door. He could hear noises from the other room. Sighing, he mumbled to himself. "Troublesome."
--
After preparing himself, Naruto went down to the cul-de-sac of his apartment with Shikamaru. Their campus was just ten blocks away from Naruto's apartment, they could take a five minutes ride by bus or roughly fifteen minutes walk to reach the campus. But the two decided walking to campus was healthy and economical, since they were college students with tight budgets. From cul-de-sac, they soon reached the avenue, where people had crowded the entire space since morning, some of them were in hurry going to their workplaces, some were walking to campus, like Shikamaru and Naruto. Few stores along the road had opened for business. A long line of students from grade school to senior high school were waiting for their school busses, either the red or the yellow, while public busses carried tons of other people who meddled in their own business.
But because Shikamaru and Naruto didn't take the buss, they walked past the shelter without a care. They crossed the pedestrian cross and reached the second block, where they resumed walking to the campus. Then Naruto unintentionally saw a tinge of rosy pink in the other side of the road to where he was, he saw a girl was standing alone in front of a store, and Naruto knew her. He had stopped on his track at the sight of her.
"Shikamaru," Naruto called the other man to stop him as well. "Look, isn't that…?"
Shikamaru tilted his head to the direction Naruto pointed, his eyes flashed a slight curiosity when he saw the girl and identified her. "Sakura. What's she doing there?"
"No idea." Naruto responded, his face faltered to worry. "Let's go to her and ask. That place looks shady to me, and she's alone. Something bad could happen." He suggested.
Shikamaru shrugged and commented, "Wise…"
The two of them retraced their steps to another pedestrian crossing. They waited for a few seconds until the light turned green, and then crossing the street and reaching the other side. They soon approached the lone girl, who had yet to notice their presence.
"Sakura!" Naruto shouted, waving his hand in the air. The cerise haired girl tilted her head at the call, her jade green eyes fell to the incoming two.
"Naruto, Shikamaru…" She said softly. "Morning. What are you doing here?" She asked with a smile.
"What? Of course we're on our way to campus. Don't you have class too?" the blonde asked her back, a bit disturbed by her odd question.
Sakura suddenly had a look of realization fell to her face, light shades of pink tinted her fair skin. She looked embarrassed. "Oh, yeah, I have chem and biology today. It's Tuesday, right?" She placed her fingers to her cheeks as if to cool down the heat.
"What's with her?" Shikamaru whispered to Naruto in secrecy.
Naruto noticed something was a bit off, but decided to shrug it. Maybe they had presumed wrong. "Anyway, Sakura, what are you doing here alone? It's dangerous for a girl to linger in front of such a shady-looking place."
"Um…I'm waiting for Ino to show up. She told me to wait here. She's late." She said.
"Outside of a tavern?" Shikamaru whispered to Naruto, pointing to a small billboard hung to a pole, just above their heads. "Not the most popular place to wait for people of our age, if you ask me." He added.
Naruto deliberately told him to shut it. "I didn't know Ino lives around here." He quickly swapped the topic.
"Her family's flower shop is just by the corner of the street." Sakura told him, she drew her index finger and outstretched it to a direction. "Her house is around thirty blocks from here. She lives with her family in residential area, but she often stays over the shop so she won't be late for school."
Naruto nodded understandingly. "Come to think of it, Shino lives around here somewhere too, right? I remember he told me his family lives in Florida, so he's renting a room."
"Chou's family restaurant is two blocks from here." Shikamaru said, tossing the burnt cigarette in to a nearby wastebasket.
"And I think I saw Professor Kakashi often strolled around here too."
"Kiba and the others live in the dorm, they're the closest to school." Naruto added. "Where do you live, Sakura?"
"I live in the girl's dorm." She answered.
Naruto had a brow raised. "You live in the dorm?" He said in surprise. "So why do you have to wait for Ino here? You just have to wait at the campus until she arrives." He asked.
Then Sakura had a look of realization, her expression wilted as if she had said something…wrong. "N-no reason. I was—I have a business in town, so I think maybe I could- I mean, I'll go with Ino." She staggered, giving her friends an assuring smile.
"Oh, is that so?" The blonde said, returning her smile.
"Wait," Shikamaru said, he inserted his hand into his pocket and fished out his cellphone. Then he flipped it open. "I got a text message."
Sakura and Naruto watched as the Nara checked the incoming message. It took only seconds before Shikamaru announced, "Kiba and the others already finished, looks like we're too late." He said.
Then he turned to Sakura. "And Sakura, Ino sent her apology to you. She forgot her promise."
"I knew it," Sakura moaned in exasperation.
"Well, look at the bright side!" Naruto cheered her. "You got a prince in a white horse come to get you instead." He gave her a broad smile, tapping a hand on her shoulder lightly.
"You're the prince? What am I, then?" Shikamaru interrupted.
"The lazy stable boy."
Sakura laughed, her jade green eyes vanished to slits as she closed her eyelids. Naruto felt relieved when he saw her smiled, Sakura had looked a bit down a while before, Naruto had been worried.
"Well, shall we go, princess?" Naruto radiantly exclaimed, lending her his right arm.
Sakura giggled, putting her hand on to the offered arm and smiled. "Sure!"
Shikamaru lolled his eyes and commented, "Troublesome." He drew another cigarette and lighted it between his lips, exhaling the chemical mixtures that took form in smoke down to his lungs.
Sakura watched him with narrowed eyes. "You do know that stuff will excavate holes on your lungs' surface sooner or later, don't you?" She warily said.
Shikamaru nonchalantly shrugged, "It warms the body."
Then the three continued their trip to school. They crossed the pedestrian crossing and resumed walking to the next blocks. They greeted Mr. and Mrs. Akamichi in the fifth block. Shino joined them when they accidentally met with him on the way. As soon as they reached the eight block, the four stepped in to a large complex of the campus' residential area. The main area was located by the end of a straight, gorgeous boulevard. It was truly a beautiful picturesque sight. The asphalt surface was blanketed by red and orange and brown leaves that fell from the trees along the road; they almost filled up the space, all the way to the large main building of their campus by the end of the road. The falling reddish orange leaves contrasted with crystalline blue of the sky made the sight resembled a beautiful painting in various pastel colors. It was truly an exclusive beauty of autumn.
"So pretty!" Sakura dreamily said, as her jade green eyes trailed along the beautiful surroundings. She smiled sweetly as a red maple leaf fell to her cerise-tinted head; she deliberately picked it and held it in front of her face.
"True." Naruto nodded in agreement, his eyes strolled to the blue sky that was framed in red. He smiled. Both Shikamaru and Shino were enjoying the serene peace.
The peaceful scenery soothed him, it made him forgot whatever the bad things had happened to him. Naruto inhaled the fresh morning air, and then exhaled white steam, he felt the weather was getting cold, for it was only few weeks left until autumn over and winter arrive. Then several months later, a new year would approach. Naruto sighed deeply as he stared at the ever unchanging sky, although many unfortunate events occurred within the last few years of his college life, there were also jovial days, many peaceful days he spent with his friends. That was why he could overcame those ruinous period, yet sometimes Naruto thought that maybe the main reason of his vast healing progress was none other than… Sasuke. He was the source of his happiness, and also his pain.
To Naruto, Sasuke was a friend, a brother, and a lover.
He was the closest to the Uchiha, yet Naruto didn't understand the other man's way of thinking. What was he thinking when Naruto embrace him? What did he feel when Naruto kiss him? Did Sasuke thought the same as Naruto, if he was the one gazing at the endless cerulean sky, or the falling reddish orange leaves? Naruto…had no idea. Sasuke rarely told his thoughts. In fact, he almost never told him. And he had become more silent after that accident.
Naruto sighed in exasperation; white steam came from his mouth. His eyes lingered to his feet. He balled his fists tightly.
I don't understand you, Sasuke.
"Naruto?" A gentle voice aroused his attention, his train of thoughts suddenly halted. He turned to the source of the gentle voice, and found Sakura by his side, looking obviously concerned. Naruto realized he had unconsciously stopped on his track.
"Naruto, what's wrong? You look pale." She said, her eyes inspecting the blonde's face. She reached out to his cheek, and gasped as she touched hot skin. "You have a fever!" Sakura exclaimed.
Shikamaru huffed grey smoke and informed her, "He told me he'd slept after shower, with nothing on. It's not surprising. Furthermore, I saw him this morning with a—" Naruto gave him a look. "—I mean I saw him topless." He immediately corrected.
Sakura turned to Naruto. "Then what are you doing here, in anywhere else but your bed?"
"To attend school, obviously. I can't skip math." Naruto lightly said, shrugging. "Besides, it's not that serious. I'm just a bit warm."
"But it could get worse, have you taken a medicine?" Sakura asked.
"…I forgot."
"Then go home and rest."
"I don't think so." Naruto resisted, shaking his head. "I'm a stomach flu away from getting another F and failing the class. I am not skipping. Not today."
"So stubborn!" Sakura scoffed. Her jade green eyes flashed a mix of concern and annoyance. Her pink eyebrows created a bridge of furrows between her eyes.
"Wait, Sakura." Shikamaru suddenly interrupted. "I think I know someone who can help us persuade the stubborn kid."
Both Naruto and Sakura turned to Shikamaru, who began walking ahead of them in a leisure pace. Naruto deliberately held up his gaze to where the Nara was heading, then his cerulean eyes grew wide as he saw a form in black clothes was standing ten feet ahead of him, by the campus gate, with another person, who Naruto identified as the chemistry professor, Kakashi. Yet his attention was focused on the first person, Sasuke. The raven-haired beauty seemed caught up in an intense conversation with the silver-haired professor. He didn't notice their presence. They stood very close, talking to each other as if they were awfully…close. Naruto felt a sudden pain stung at his heart as he saw the sight. The organ began clenching and unclenching within his thoracic cavity. Naruto found it difficult to breathe normally. Something of great pain suffocated him. His heart beats resounded in his ears, covering other sounds. He didn't like what he saw. He didn't like Kakashi…being so close to Sasuke. He despised it.
Naruto was…jealous.
Shikamaru suddenly came in vision; he approached the Uchiha and Kakashi and interrupted their discussion. Naruto saw Shikamaru leaned in close to Sasuke by his ear, and seemed whispering something. His eyes were fixated at the beautiful Uchiha, who was listening to Shikamaru's whispers, whatever it was. Then those beautiful dark eyes slowly went up, searching over Shikamaru's shoulder. A shot of electricity suddenly struck the blonde's spines as those keen eyes found him, eying at him. Naruto was frozen in his feet, he wanted to move, or to speak something, but he found he was unable to.
Then Sasuke outstretched a hand to shove the Nara aside, then he walked past him. Naruto wordlessly watched as a conspicuous black plunged in to the colorful picturesque, enriching the sight of a beautiful tableau. Crystalline blue sky above and an ocean of red and orange in the ground and air framed the black, greatly praising his gorgeous form. Naruto suddenly found the air vanished from his cavity as he approached him. He couldn't breathe. He stole it from him.
"Naruto," He saw those rosy thin lips moved, white steam emitted from it. The deep voice resounded in Naruto's ears like a melodious song. Those strong dark eyes fixated on his.
"Naruto?" He saw them parted again when Naruto didn't answer, too drawn in his thoughts.
But this time, he managed to pull himself together. "S-Sasuke, morning. What's up?" He staggered, feeling a sheer heat rushed up to his face. He felt embarrassed as well as silly. Really, how could he get so caught up by Sasuke's mere presence? Furthermore, the yesterday's event still attached to his mind, it didn't help the slightest.
Sasuke's eyes suddenly widened at the moment he reached the blonde and Sakura, yet it waned to normal in a second. "Shikamaru told me you have a fever." He said in an undertone, outstretching his hand to touch Naruto's forehead.
"…and looks like it's true."
"It's not that serious. I'm just a bit warm, that's all." Naruto resisted. He did felt feverish heat within his body, but he wasn't sure it only came from the cold. With Sasuke touching him, it wasn't a wonder, and it only got worse.
"It is serious. He's so stubborn, Sasuke. He won't listen to me. Tell him not to force himself." Sakura added, tugging at Naruto's arm. She smiled sweetly at the Uchiha.
"Is that true?" Sasuke asked, bringing his hand down. A furrow appeared in between the Uchiha's brows, Naruto noticed his apathetic expression had morphed to concern. Yet it was, again, a slight transformation.
Naruto couldn't help but to smile and felt a tinge of soaring joy inside. "It's not serious. Don't worry that much. I'm fine." He reassured, though the Uchiha obviously didn't buy it.
"What's going on?"
Naruto saw Kakashi and Shikamaru approached them from behind the Uchiha. As soon as they were close enough, Naruto felt a sudden tug from the right sleeve of his jacket, he glanced at the cerise-haired girl beside him was clutching at his sleeve a bit too tightly. The smile faltered to frown. Her jade green eyes widened in the slightest, furrows were formed in between her well-trimmed brows. Naruto had never seen her with such demeanor.
Sakura…?
"I think Naruto is ill, Professor. He has a fever." Sasuke answered the question, which somehow had pulled Naruto's attention to the incoming duo.
"So I've heard," Kakashi said, stopping on his track. He glanced at the blonde, yet his unveiled eye strolled a bit farther to his right. "Are you alright, Naruto?" He asked gently, smiling.
"Yes, Professor. I'm totally fine. They're exaggerating." He said, glancing to each of his worrywart of friends, wearing a fake frown.
"Well, they might not, you know. It's actually pretty high." Kakashi thoughtfully uttered, putting his hand onto Naruto's forehead to check his temperature. "I think you have to go home and rest." He added an advice.
"Not you too, Professor." Naruto moaned in exhaustion. "I can't skip today; otherwise Professor Iruka's going to nail me. Besides, even if I go home, I live alone. There's no guarantee I'll survive the day."
Shikamaru raised a brow. "Why don't you ask your girlfriend to take care of you? What's her name again…? Masayu Ito?"
Naruto stilled, and then shook his head. "No…she can't. We…we broke up the other day." He awkwardly averted his eyes, stealing a glance toward the Uchiha, who appeared to be well-composed, as usual.
"Oh. Sorry." Shikamaru muttered softly.
"No. It's fine."
An awkward silent emerged.
"…well, that's a problem, there has to be someone who could watch over you." Kakashi said, scratching the back of his head.
Shikamaru only muttered a "Troublesome." under his breath, inhaling his cigarette. Sakura stayed silent, so did Shino.
There was a period of silence again, they all seemed thoughtful. Naruto wanted to voice a declaration that he could hold it up for the day, so they didn't have to worry, but he had a strong presentiment they would downright rejected him, yet again. So he remained wordless.
"How about…" Sasuke broke the cord of silence, sounding thoughtful. "How about I take Naruto to my room? I live at the dorm, it's nearer and I can take care of him instead. I'll talk to Professor about his condition." He suggested.
Naruto and Shikamaru whipped their heads to the Uchiha. "That's a good plan." The Nara commented, impressed.
"But don't you have class?" Kakashi interrupted.
"I do. But Professor Orochimaru rescheduled the class to twelve-thirty. I can watch Naruto until then." He explained calmly.
"Then we can send someone to replace you later." Shikamaru suggested. "Yeah, it'll work. How about it? Can you do that, Sakura?" He turned to the unusually silent girl, who immediately held up her face at the question.
She looked a bit panicked. "Eh? Well, I suppose I can…" She said, forcing a smile. Her eyes trailed on her feet, oddly listless. Naruto watched her with concern. He noticed Sakura was acting a bit odd, unlike her usual cheerful self.
"Then it settled. Let's go, Naruto." Sasuke remarked, grabbing at Naruto's upper left arm, tugging it gently. Naruto felt another shot of electricity struck his insides, butterfly roaming in his stomach. The touch felt burning at his skin.
"…Okay." He managed to swallow the nerve down his throat. He nodded to Sakura, and the girl let go of her grip, whispering a gentle wish to her friend. Naruto smiled back, silently waving his hand to her, before letting Sasuke drag him by the arm.
But when Naruto turned his back, he saw Kakashi quietly approached Sakura, wearing a friendly smile. Sakura looked a bit stunned. "Ms. Haruno, if my memory serves right, I believe you will attend in my class at eleven?"
"Yes, that's right." She answered shakily, returning his smile with a weak one.
Kakashi nodded, seemingly thoughtful. "Well then…have you eaten?" He asked again.
"Have I—Excuse me?" Her voice sounded unsure.
"I'm asking you whether you have eaten breakfast." Kakashi kindly repeated. "If you haven't yet, do you mind if I invite you to have breakfast with me at the café? I haven't had a bite since yesterday, and I happened to be alone right now, a company would be nice." He gave her another friendly smile.
Sakura didn't give an immediate reply. Naruto couldn't see what kind of expression Sakura was making, since he was standing behind the cerise-haired girl. But somehow he could feel her hesitance.
"Naruto," A sudden deep voice interrupted his train of thoughts. He instantaneously swapped his attention to the Uchiha who called him. His dark eyes lingered on his.
Naruto nodded unsurely, then began following the Uchiha's foot steps. Yet he tilted his head over his shoulder, he saw Sakura was glancing at him with her beautiful jade green eyes. Naruto's eyes widened as he saw the emotion that replenished in her eyes, glimmering in dim flash. A thought crossed Naruto's mind.
"Naruto?" Sasuke called again, he had stopped on his track to wait for the blonde. "What's wrong?"
Naruto turned to him, but then tilted his head again to the girl's direction, but Sakura already walked away with Kakashi and Shikamaru toward the campus. "Nothing." He muttered softly, shaking his head. "Maybe it's just my imagination." Then he ran to follow the Uchiha.
They walked the opposite way to the campus, Naruto saw a throng of chattering students walked past them. He glanced to his wristwatch; it was already nine-thirty. They remained in silent as they continued walking. They took the first turn to the right, leaving the boulevard and arrived in a long, grassy narrow street where it eventually led them to the dormitory area. Several students ran past them in haste, while some truants leisurely lingered around the cubical brick building. Sasuke and Naruto went in, bumping on Sai, who was just leaving the student residence by himself. They went upstairs to the second floor, and then turned left to the west corridor. Sasuke's room was at the farthest room by the end of it. When they had arrived by the door, Sasuke fished out the key from his jeans' pocket, then preceded unlocking the door. Sasuke went in first, then Naruto tailed him from behind.
When Naruto stepped in to the room, he was perpetually impressed. If guys' rooms were generally arranged in a wrecked ship style, then Sasuke Uchiha was not one of their kinds. His room was arranged in a neat method, the floorboard was swept and the furniture was dusted clean. The room was painted in white. The stationary-related things all arranged in its bureau in such order, it could amaze Neji to tears. Yet unfortunately, there was something missing in his room, the tiny, itsy bitsy little one; a seat. There wasn't anything Naruto could use to relieve his ass on, except for the floor. But it'll surely sore his backside if he did.
"Sit in the bed." Sasuke pointed out, as if reading his mind. Naruto nodded and tossed his bag to the floor by the desk. He sat on a clean-sheeted single bed, feeling heat rushed up to his face at the deviant images that suddenly crossed his mind.
Sasuke went to the bathroom, coming back again with a glass of water and a tablet in hand. Then he deliberately shoved them into Naruto's hands, who received them quite obediently.
"Take the medicine and rest. It has low-dose sedative; it should help you to sleep." Sasuke instructed. Naruto gave him another nod, then obediently took the medicine. After swallowing it, he emptied the glass, handing it to the Uchiha then.
"…when will you go?" Naruto suddenly asked when Sasuke turned to put the glass on to a night table beside the bed, opening the drawer and searching for something.
"I have class at twelve-thirty. I'll go when the time's up." He replied calmly.
Naruto didn't hear his reply, his cerulean eyes were staring intently at the white nape of Sasuke's neck, and the strong muscles of his shoulders and back, and the bridge that connected the shoulder and neck. He could smell the sweet scent of shampoo Sasuke used, and the soap fragrance from his body. Then his blue eyes strolled down to the pale fingers, and to his slender waist. It was all…
…so bloody alluring.
"Sasuke." Naruto said in undertone, yet sounded somewhat throaty.
"What is it?" The Uchiha inquired, turning his body to the blonde, then suddenly he stilled his movement half-way when a hand held his jaw, and another circled around his waist, preventing him to move. He tried to utter a word, yet found that he was incapable to, because Naruto had caught him in a kiss.
The chaste kiss lasted for two seconds, before Naruto pulled away, staring intensely at the stunned Uchiha. "…you know. I've heard that the effective primordial treatment for cold is to…" He whispered, brushing a thumb against the rosy thin lips. "…sweat a lot." Naruto emphasized the word.
Sasuke's eyes widened in the slightest, Naruto could see astonishment swimming within those ever enticing dark onyx eyes. They fluttered down in serene silence, long dark lashes screening the emotions emerged within them. Naruto could hear his heart beats once again resounded loudly in his ear drums, waiting in anxiety for an answer.
"…alright." Sasuke finally said, holding up his gaze. The alluring dark eyes met with blue ones. "Do whatever you want." He calmly stated.
Naruto stilled as the answer being said. There was an awkward silence between them, one so painfully intense, Naruto could feel it thrusting to his heart like the sharp edge of an arrow. He smiled. "Ah-ha…hahaha." The smile gradually morphed in to a serial of laughter.
A short moment, the laughter died down, yet Naruto still smiling. He saw the Uchiha was staring at him wide-eyed, distinctly surprised. "…sorry. I'm sorry." Naruto said, drowning his face to Sasuke's left shoulder. He inhaled sweet fragrance.
"I was just joking, I'm sorry. Did I startle you?" He whispered against Sasuke's neck, circling his arms loosely around the Uchiha.
"Naruto…?" Sasuke sounded slightly confused.
Then the blonde pulled away, giving an assuring grin to the Uchiha. "I was just joking! Of course I wouldn't want you to catch my cold; I'm just teasing you. I'm sorry." He lively exclaimed, detaching his arms from Sasuke. He averted his attention to his feet, he undid his shoe laces, tossing his shoes aside, before plumping his back to the soft cushion.
He turned to the silent Uchiha. "Well, I'm going to sleep so I'll get better soon."
A slight furrow appeared between the Uchiha's brows. "Naruto, a while before you—"
"I said I'm sorry." Naruto abruptly interrupted. "I startled you, huh? Sorry, I've taken my joke too far. I won't do it again."
"Naruto, I didn't ask that." Sasuke sounded annoyed for some reason, but Naruto only smiled.
"I'm sorry." He said again, before tossing his body to the other side so he couldn't see Sasuke's expression.
You didn't even flinch. Naruto secretly mused, hiding a bitter smile.
Why didn't you, Sasuke?
A sharp, merciless pain stabbed through Naruto's chest. It was always like this, he knew it. He had known from the beginning he shouldn't place a hope, yet why did he still? He had Sasuke in his hands, he'll do whatever he ask, he let Naruto do what he like, yet that wasn't what Naruto wanted. He didn't lust for Sasuke's body. Not only his body. He desired his heart, his love, his affection. Yet he knew Sasuke couldn't. Because Sasuke…
Sasuke didn't love him.
He knew, he had always known, but the deepest part of his heart still held a small hope. If only Sasuke had bluntly rejected him, then Naruto wouldn't have to be like this. He could've live on with it. But Sasuke didn't reject him, nor accept him. He left him in endless uncertainties. It hurt so much. Sasuke was hurting him with the cruelest method possible. But…
"Sasuke." Naruto called. He turned to the Uchiha, who seemed even more bewildered than before. The blonde was surprised to see the concern overcame his fair face, the one that put joy to Naruto's heart as well as pain. "Don't look like that, I'll be fine." Naruto gently smiled.
I love you.
"Naruto, I—"
"You'll go at twelve, right? You have two hours left." Naruto interrupted. "You said you'll accompany me till then. So Sasuke…"
I couldn't tell you, but I love you. Really, really love you. I don't know why I feel this way, I really have no idea. I just…do. Naruto mused as he saw the face of the man, which always appeared in his mind.
Cerulean eyes held up to deep dark ones. "…can you hold my hand until I fall asleep?"
Sasuke looked taken.
I don't care if you hurt me, reject me, or abandon me, I'll still love you. I will always do. I can't forget about you. You're the only—
"Why?" Sasuke inquired, sounding strange. "Why did you want me to do it?"
"Why?" Naruto repeated the question, then he suddenly became silent, seemingly thoughtful. What should he say, he wondered to himself, "Because I like you." Naruto absently said, throwing his gaze to the high ceilings. "Because you're my friend, I like being with you. I chose you…no, only you, you're the only person I'll want the most to be with me in such times. You're…my best friend."
You're the only one for me.
"That's why I…" Naruto slowly closed his eyes, feeling the somnolence overcoming him. He suddenly felt heavily tired. He yawned, opening his eyelids, he stared drowsily at the Uchiha. "Sasuke, please..?"
Sasuke didn't reply for a second, before nodding an agreement, taking Naruto's hand in his. "Alright, I'm here. Sleep well." He softly said.
Naruto felt warm hands covering on his. He felt comfortable, and somewhat safe. He stared at the Uchiha one more time, then those beautiful dark eyes answered his. "What is it?" He asked.
"Nothing." Naruto replied, yawning. His head was getting heavier and heavier, as somnolence began devouring him.
If only…Sasuke, if only I had told you my feelings, will things be different? He mused in his blank mind. Will it end without you acting this way…?
"Sasuke…"
"Hm?"
"I…I'm really glad you're with me." Naruto uttered for the last time, before his conscious drawn farther.
Seconds later, the blonde's breathing became steady and fair. No sound emerged between them, but the sound of his equal breaths. "Naruto?" Sasuke called softly, but none came up.
Sasuke leaned in closer, staring down to his peaceful face. "…Naruto?" He called again, but the same silent answered him.
Sasuke stayed silent, meanwhile watching Naruto's face. His face remained straight and calm. Then he opened his mouth, his lips formed words. "…you're a cruel one, aren't you?" He whispered in undertone. His dark eyes flashed strange glints.
"…saying such things…after showing how well you have been doing with other people…That girl…Shikamaru…and even Sakura. And after what you've done yesterday…you're truly heartless." He whispered each word with emphasizes in an odd tone. Then he leaned in, kissing Naruto's eyelid.
"You weren't seeing me." He whispered against the soft skin. His voice shook.
"You were seeing Hinata."
--
"…that's why you're like a blue rose to me; you're impossible to approach." As soon as Naruto said those words, he immediately averted his eyes. His expression hardened, and his blond brows created deep furrows between his eyes, there was no smile.
Sasuke felt his chest tightened at the sight. He didn't know why Naruto looked awfully disturbed. He had no idea. Yet he couldn't move his lips to say anything, nor to ask him.
But I let you, Naruto. He wanted to say, but found his lips clamped firm and stiff.
I don't let you be with me with no reason.
--
Like a Blue Rose, Second Chapter
By Deep Flower
27.08.08
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Note: I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but I won't be able to update for a while because the midterm exams are coming soon in September. I hope the length of this chapter will anticipate your dissatisfaction. And if you can, please tell me your opinion, criticism, or favorite part? Any kind of feedback is fine, I love it all. Thank you for reading.
-Dee