When the sun shines, we'll shine together
Told you I'll be here forever
Said I'll always be a friend
Took an oath I'ma stick it out till the end
Now that it's raining more than ever
Know that we'll still have each other
You can stand under my umbrella
Rihanna - Umbrella
Sasuke got into position and raised his eyes to the target ahead of him. He lifted the bow and aimed. He heard some girls squealing from the benches but were soon hushed by his coach, Kakashi-sensei. Sasuke would never understand why they had open practices, but whenever he complained, the other boys and girls in the archery team protested. They liked showing off to their girlfriends and boyfriends. Sasuke just found it annoying that so many girls came to squeal every time he even looked their way. He had stopped doing that now.
Nobody he knew came to his practices. Gaara was with the art-club now, Shikamaru was tutoring, Itachi had kendo practice and Naruto was with the basketball team. Sasuke couldn't care less if anybody else showed up for his sake. And they did.
He let the arrow fly. Bull's-eye. Again. The girls made their annoying noises as Sasuke put the bow down. Seriously, what was that? Were they in constant heat or something?
"Well done, Uchiha-kun." Kakashi said, a bit bored. That Sasuke was a genius and the best in their club was nothing new. He had beaten the upperclassmen since he was thirteen. "Haruno-kun."
Sakura stepped up and lifted the bow, pulling the string back. She threw a glance towards Sasuke. He noticed it. He did everything to not glare at her. He was better than that.
Sakura let the arrow go. Not a bull's-eye, but still very good. Sakura was indeed the best girl in their club.
"Well done!" Kakashi smiled, a lot more impressed than he was with Sasuke's shot. Well, when he got one after the other, it soon became boring. "Good job today, minna!" Kakashi smiled. "See you all tomorrow!" Sasuke bowed to his sensei and hurried to put his things away.
"Sasuke-kun?"
'Damn it.' He turned and looked at Sakura who smiled nervously towards him. "Haruno-san." He said.
"How are you feeling?" She asked, twirling a pink lock of hair around her finger.
"Fine." He said and turned away.
"Naruto said you got sick this weekend." She blushed a little. She was cute. She was. And if it wasn't for the fact that she held the thing Sasuke craved in her hands and still wasn't happy with it, Sasuke would have considered being nice to her. Maybe even go as far as being her friend somewhat, but she was obsessed with him. He knew that. She always had been. She had followed him around like a love-sick puppy. Then Naruto, for God knows what reason, started to take interest in her. Sasuke never got an explanation why. Well, who was he to demand one? Itachi didn't know either. And Sasuke knew his brother didn't like the girl either.
"Hn." He simply answered and brushed past her.
"Sasuke-kun!" She said and turned with him. He simply looked at her. "Ca-can I get a ride with you home? I don't have a ride."
"You always ride with Naruto." He said and turned again.
"He left early today."
"He's the captain of the team. He doesn't leave early."
"He did today. His Otou-san is leaving soon again."
"What?" Sasuke's head snapped back to her. "He just got home!"
"Well, he's leaving again. Germany this time." Sakura shrugged. She shrugged! Didn't she know how upset Naruto got whenever his father left for another business trip? Sasuke knew she wasn't able to see a lot of Naruto's real feelings, but was she that fucking blind?
"I can't promise you anything." He said and turned. "Nii-san is picking me up."
"Itachi-san? Oh… Maybe I should try to get somebody else to drive me home."
"How about calling somebody?" Sasuke said in an uncaring manner and left. He was glad she was intimidated by Itachi. A lot of people were. Itachi was different. Everybody respected him, but he was different. Some said in a good way. Others in a bad. Sasuke just knew he was different. Didn't matter. He was still his Nii-san. He managed to sneak away from the fan girls as someone from the basketball team walked by. Sasuke threw him a glare. The guy hadn't done anything. Sasuke just needed to take out his anger. He just knew that family dinner tonight would not be pleasant.
---
Itachi sat in his car with the window rolled down, waiting for his otouto to come. The archery team's practice always ended a little later than the kendo practice. He lifted the cigarette and took a drag. Two girls walked by and when he looked at them, they threw him flirty looks and giggled. Itachi merely looked away. He had no interest in them what so ever. They were cute, but what the hell did he need them for when he knew that without clothes on, he'd just find them repulsing?
He saw his brother walking out of the school and threw the cigarette out the window onto the pavement. He watched as Sasuke scanned over the cars parked in the parking lot and then headed his way when he saw the vehicle.
Was he really missing out on something? Itachi turned the key, starting the car. Wasn't it all just so much better like this? Not having any sexual interest in any girl or boy for that matter? He saw what all of it did to people. The way his father kept his whores in every city he visited. He didn't have one in Konoha though. Seems like he was satisfied with his wife the times he stayed at home.
Then it was Sasori and Deidara. Itachi had known that it would never last. They loved each other, sure, but Itachi knew it wasn't enough. They were too different to stand being around each other for too long. That they had lasted this long must have just been pure will. The last few days in school had been interesting though. After Sasori stormed out on Monday, they had been jabbering constantly, never cutting the other some slack.
Then it was Naruto. He scoffed. That stupid girl who had managed to snatch Naruto without even trying. What the hell did he see in her that Itachi didn't? Maybe she was a good lay or something. All Itachi could see about her was annoying.
"Hey." Sasuke said as he got into the car.
"Hey." Itachi answered and as soon as Sasuke slammed the door closed, he drove off. And then there was Sasuke… Itachi knew about Sasuke's devotion towards his best friend. It was quite obvious when you knew Sasuke enough and could see all the little things he did, that nobody else saw. How his mood seemed to shift after Naruto's visits and how he constantly threw glances his way, how he touched him whenever he got the chance, how he always did what Naruto asked him too. How he constantly did everything to make Naruto notice him. He really went all out. Well, at least in the Uchiha's way of seeing things. To normal people it would count as very little, he supposed. And in the Uzumaki's way of seeing things, it was probably nothing. The Uzumaki were very emotional people. And honestly, they were somewhat dense when it came to common sense.
"Is Naruto coming over tonight?" Sasuke asked, keeping his eyes firmly out the window.
"I guess."
"When does he leave?"
"The plane leaves at seven."
"So he's coming around then?"
"Hn."
"Since he refuses to wave him off anymore, I mean."
"Hn…" Itachi didn't bother to look at his baby brother. He knew what kind of expression there was on his face. No one knew Sasuke like he did. Not even those two friends of his, Gaara and Shikamaru. Sasuke should get some new friends. Some that weren't so… intense? No, that was the wrong word. At least when talking about that Shikamaru. He was nothing near intense. Just plain weird? Yeah, that was more like it. At least Gaara.
Itachi stopped at a red light and pulled out a new cigarette while waiting. He placed it between his lips, but had to drive before he could light it. Sasuke put his hand down his pocket and pulled out a lighter. He flicked it open and held it out for his brother, who put the tip into the flame.
"Got one for me?" Sasuke asked.
"No, it was my last one." Itachi answered and took a drag before handing it over to Sasuke. "Make sure you take a shower before dinner. Mother is joining us tonight. Can't have you smelling like smoke then."
"Really? She's done with her fit for this time?"
"I'm expecting another on Thursday when she finds out he's leaving for Suna again. Then we won't see her until he comes back home."
"Hn. And when is that?"
"Three weeks from that."
"Three weeks? Boy, he's getting busy."
"He'll only work one week, Sasuke."
"Who said anything about working? I'm just glad I don't have to be there and see it. It's nasty. Glad he stopped having any of his whores here."
"It was awfully annoying when he had girls in my class. It was irritating that they thought I would want to fuck them just because he found them good enough."
"Hn. They never learn do they?"
"Poor girls. None of the Uchiha's want them. One isn't interested at all and you just want to suck cock." Sasuke choked on the cigarette and started coughing.
"Itachi!" He snarled before he started coughing again.
"What? It's true."
"It is not! I don't want to suck anything!"
"No? According to Naruto, it feels really good. I don't like it, but that's me. I didn't like it at all." Itachi scowled at the thought of his night together with Deidara. The longhaired blond had avoided him partly after that. Who could blame him? When you're used to being worshipped for your looks and when everybody wants to have sex with you, you can't get anything else but a bit… insulted when somebody doesn't get turned on during sex. Not that Itachi cared so much that Deidara avoided him. It was actually quite nice. A lot quieter. He already had one obnoxious blond hanging around him. Itachi would never admit that he knew his life would be quite boring if he didn't have Naruto around. Naruto was a sun. Everything circled around him and Itachi liked it that way. The more attention directed towards Naruto meant less directed towards himself.
"Itachi, I'm tired of hearing of your one time! Give it up already!"
"Just trying to help you along." Itachi smirked and took the cigarette from Sasuke.
"Yeah, because your one time, which was an utter failure, could help me with anything!"
"Fine, if you don't want to hear about it, I won't talk about it."
"Good! It's uncomfortable enough to think of you having sex as it is." Sasuke glared out the window. Itachi chuckled silently. It was always fun to make Sasuke embarrassed. Not that other people could see he was embarrassed now. His otouto sure was a mystery to many.
---
"Tadaima!" Naruto called out as he come through his front door. He bent down to take off his shoes as he listened after the answer. He froze halfway down when the answer never came.
"Tadaima!" He called again. Maybe he just didn't hear him. Still no answer. Naruto pulled his shoes off and hurried into the big apartment he shared with his father. He looked around the designer interior but it was empty of people. His heart grew colder and he ran into his father's room. He couldn't have left early! He just couldn't have! Naruto held his breath as he pushed the door open. The bags were standing neatly by the door, waiting to be taken out of there. His father's suit hung on the closet door and the door to the bathroom was closed. The sound of the shower running came to Naruto's ears.
He sighed in relief and plopped down on his father's bed. He threw his bag on the floor since he had been in too much of a hurry to take it off in the hall. He took off the uniform jacket and threw it on the floor as well. He pulled up the white shirt from his pants and unbuttoned the two first from his neck. Sighing, he lay down and waited for his father to come out. He threw the bags by the door a glare, as if it were their fault his father was leaving again.
Another business trip. Another promoting of those fucking shoes. If Naruto would be able to decide, people would walk around barefoot. Then his father would be home a lot more. No, he wouldn't. He would find something else to make a business of. Like gloves or something. Making every kid in America wear the Uzumaki gloves. Naruto pouted. Damn you, Uzumaki-shoes! And damn your comfort! The shower turned off and soon Minato stepped out with nothing on but the towel around his neck.
"Damn it, Dad!" Naruto said in English and shielded his eyes. "Keep the goods and stuff to yourself!"
"Hey! This is not the blonde I ordered! I need to call that escort-company and complain." Minato muttered, but then grinned that stupid American grin he had passed on to his son. "How was school today?" He asked as he put on some underwear and socks.
"Interesting."
"How so?"
"This thing with Sasori and Deidei is getting way out of hand."
"They're grown people now, Naruto. They can handle themselves."
"Grown? Oh please, dad! You've met Deidara! He's just about as grown up as I am."
"Right. But don't meddle in their business, Naruto. They can fix it themselves."
"Now you sound like Itachi."
"I've always liked him. I take it you're leaving for their house later?"
"Yeah. I'm not seeing you off again."
"Naruto, you know I must do this."
"Why don't you just move there like Mom did?"
"And make you leave Japan? Don't be ridiculous." Minato took down the shirt hanging on the door and pulled it on.
"Maybe we could see each other more if we actually lived in the country where you work." Naruto crosses his arms over his chest, pouting.
"My work moves all the time, Naruto. That's not a good argument. And what about all your friends? Could you really deal with leaving them all behind? What about Sakura-chan?" Naruto's pout faded and a serious expression spread over his face.
"Trouble in paradise?" Minato asked.
"I think I need to leave Japan for a while." Naruto said with a seriousness in his eyes that Minato couldn't ignore. Minato chewed on his bottom lip, studying his son.
"Why don't you visit your mother in France, then?" He proposed and turned, continuing to dress.
"She's in France again?"
"Yeah. Hasn't she called you?"
"Yeah, like two months ago." Minato froze in putting his pants on. His head whipped around to face his son.
"Two months ago? She hasn't called you in two months?"
"No." Naruto looked away, trying to hide his hurt from his father's eyes. He knew he saw anyway though. They were so alike. Not even a blind man could miss that Naruto was Minato's son. Minato knew every muscle and eyelash on Naruto's face, since he himself looked the same. The only difference between them were the scars marring Naruto's cheeks.
"I'll talk to her." Minato pulled up his pants and buttoned them, pulling out a belt from the closet.
"I don't want you to talk to her about me. She's not interested anyway."
"She's your mother."
"I know she is, but she's still not interested! Just leave it."
"How am I supposed to leave it when I know it hurts you?"
"Stop thinking about making her stop hurting me and focus on making yourself stop hurting me!" Naruto yelled and got out of bed.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Exactly what I'm saying and exactly the thing that we were talking about before! I don't want you to leave! We hardly see each other anymore!"
"Don't start again. I have to work! You sound like a woman."
"I do not sound like a woman! It's her fucking company!"
"Which she gave to me! Your mother is sick! And she has no talent whatsoever in running a company! She designs shoes. That's what she does. She couldn't take over the company and as her husband, it fall on my shoulders to take care of it!"
"I can't believe you leave everything for her, over and over again! You get nothing in return for it! Sure, money, but you already had that before you took over the goddamn company! She doesn't love you anymore! She never loved me! She's dead to me! I've even told everybody that she is! You're the only family I've got and you just keep leaving me over and over and you always break your promises to me!"
"You've told people that Kushina is dead?" Minato stared at Naruto as if he was out of his mind. "Who have you told that to? She's sick! Not dead!"
"Do I look like I fucking care?" Naruto yelled. "She has never been my mother! What I'm worried about is you leaving all the time!"
"I'll be back. You know I always come back! Stop being such a child! Who have you told that she's dead?"
"You'll be back? You always promise that you'll come back. You always say we have one week together every month! We don't!"
"Sure we do!"
"Come on, dad! When did you come home this time?"
"Friday."
"No! Not when did you come back to Japan! When did you come home! As in here! Where we live!"
"Monday…"
"Yeah! And what day is it today?"
"Thursday… Naruto, you need to-"
"I don't need to do anything." Naruto picked up his jacket and bag. "You tell me to grow up, but you're at least as immature as me." He headed for the door.
"Naruto, come back and let us talk about this!"
"You don't have time. You have to leave in ten minutes for the airport. See you in a month." Naruto slammed the door shut. He went into his room and stripped out of his uniform. He threw on a pair of jeans and an orange t-shirt. His favorite. He pulled on a black hoodie and grabbed his keys. Things always got fucked up, didn't they? Everything just came and bit him in the ass.
He left his room and headed for the hallway. As he put on those blasted Uzumaki-shoes, he heard his father move around in his room. He wasn't coming out after him. Naruto looked into the hallway mirror. He pulled on the fake grin and looked at himself. It looked real. Could his father see that it was fake? He let it fade into a little smile and headed out the door.
He and his father lived in the penthouse of one of the biggest buildings in Konoha. They were rich. Rich as hell. Minato had led the company to rocket heights. Everybody wanted Uzumaki shoes. Money was everything. Money above all. That was the way all children in Sarutobi Academy were raised. If he ever got married and had children, he'd never do as his father did and decide the company was more important than his son. If his son ever told him to stay home, he would. He knew what it felt like to be left alone all the time.
Naruto got into the elevator and pressed the button to go down.
Married? It wasn't like the thought hadn't crossed Naruto's mind. A lot of people he knew in school were engaged. Some of the older ones were even married already. At least a lot of the girls in their final year. All business, of course. Parents deciding that their families should unite with marriage between their children. Of course, the thought of marrying Sakura had crossed his mind. She would make a good wife.
Many people got married after they got out of school. Then they had a few years to start a family while they were waiting for the post of president in a company or whatever. Naruto was the heir of the shoes. He knew how to lead the company. He knew what shoes would make it in the market and what shoes would not. He had often helped his father to pick out the shoes they should make. He was, after all, representing a major market. Rich kids in their late teens. He could represent both teens from Japan and teens from the West. He left the elevator and headed for the garage.
Would he be able to live together with Sakura? The thought of them marrying had crossed her mind as well. How could it not have? Was she ready to take his name when they graduated? Was she ready to become fully his? Because if she were to marry him, he would not tolerate being second in her heart. He would not be after Sasuke in his wife's heart.
Sasuke… All thoughts just came back to him, didn't they? He had haunted Naruto's mind the entire week. He was everywhere he went. Well, now he was going were Sasuke was. He was practically throwing himself into the lion's den. He wouldn't be able to avoid Sasuke in his own house. But he had to go there. He needed Itachi damn it!
Naruto got into his car and slammed the door shut. He took a deep breath before putting the key into the ignition and turning it. It was a present from Jiraiya, that perverted old man who hung around his father all the time. Naruto never fully understood their twisted friendship, but he liked the perv. He was fun. Naruto had practically grown up with him as well and for a while when he was little, he had actually thought Jiraiya was his grandfather.
He drove off, heading for the Uchiha mansion.
---
Sasuke threw another angry glare at the watch on his wrist. He was late. Dammit. He was coming, right? He hadn't changed his mind and gone to Deidara or something, right? He was coming, right? Sasuke threw his book across the room the frustration. He couldn't go and ask Itachi either if he had heard something from him.
He had been way too obvious around his brother lately. He knew about Sasuke's emotions, he was sure of it. That was embarrassing enough. He could only hope that he didn't know about how he had acted. God, it had almost been a week already. Almost a week ago he had Naruto in his room alone with him and he had completely fucked up. Sasuke rolled over to his back in his bed and groaned.
He wanted Naruto to talk to him again. He had to apologize. And he had to do it tonight. He had long ago given up on talking to him in school. He was never alone there and he was absolutely not making a bigger fool out of himself in front of Naruto. He was not bringing that embarrassment up in front of so many people.
Sasuke sighed and threw a glance at his watch again. In that very moment he heard a car drive up in front of the house. He shot out of his bed and up to the window. He would have recognized that car anywhere. Naruto was here. He hurried up to the mirror and took a look at himself. Sasuke ran his fingers through his hair a few times, ruffling up the spikes in the back. He glared at himself.
"Fuck, Sasuke. Stop being such a girl." He sneered at himself and went to his door. He opened it slowly and went down the stairs. Naruto was taking off his shoes in the hallway where Sasuke had seen him for the first time. The youngest Uchiha even got the same feeling in the pit of his stomach, like he had gotten that time.
'Please, look at me and smile.' Sasuke thought. Naruto looked up as he heard somebody come in. Expecting that it would be Itachi, he froze when he saw Sasuke. He looked down and took off his remaining shoe and placed it on the floor. Somebody would take care of them later. He straightened up and looked Sasuke deep in the eyes. He didn't say anything.
"Gomen nasai…" Sasuke said, sounding much weaker than he liked. He wasn't weak! But Naruto's gaze made him shiver.
"For what?" Naruto asked and put his keys in his pocket.
"For the way I acted. You were right. I acted like a child."
"It's okay. Don't worry. I've already forgotten about it." Naruto smiled. Sasuke scowled.
"Don't smile like that. That's the wrong smile." Naruto's smile faded and he simply looked at Sasuke, not revealing his feelings to the outside world. It didn't matter. Sasuke could see it anyway. "You haven't forgotten anything. And I don't want you to either. I shouldn't have said what I said like that. I shouldn't have acted the way I did but that doesn't mean that my words are less true."
"Sasuke…"
"She doesn't love you. She'd leave you for me any second. Why can't you just see that?" He asked, glaring at him. Fuck! He was not supposed to say that! Why did he have such an attitude problem?
"Sasuke, my relationship with Sakura-chan doesn't concern you."
"It concerns me very much. Do you know how horrible it is to see you two together and know that you'd be happier without her?"
"And who would make me happy, Sasuke? You?"
"More than her, I'm sure of it." Sasuke blushed. He was sure of it. Because he would be completely devoted to the blonde. He already was. He would never look at another the way he already looked at Naruto.
"What do you have that can make me happy, Sasuke?"
"I can see when you're faking a smile. And I would do everything I could to make you smile sincerely."
"Things are not fixed that easily."
"I know. But I would try to help you. I would try to help you because I love you. I wouldn't shrug when talking about it and go and try to pick somebody else up!" Sasuke was trying to keep his cool. Naruto had an ability to make him lose it in one way or the other. Naruto sighed and walked past him.
"Forget about me, Sasuke. I'm not good enough for you."
"If you're not, then who would be?"
"I don't know."
"You're not easily forgotten. Don't you think I've tried, dobe?"
"Try harder." Naruto walked up the stairs, heading for Itachi's room. He heard the front door slam and he guessed Sasuke had gone out. He didn't like this. It had been so much easier when Sasuke was just Itachi's little brother who he could mess around with. He had never had a brother of his own. Sasuke had been a substitute. How long had he been in love with him? Naruto knocked on Itachi's door but didn't wait for an answer before he went inside.
"You're late. I hate people being late." Itachi said from his place by his computer.
"What's that? Some imitation of Sasori?" Naruto asked and sat down by Itachi's low table.
"Did I succeed?"
"Not really."
"What is it?"
"Nothing."
"You know I can see past your charades."
"You haven't even looked at me."
"I can hear it."
"What is it? 'Let's nag on Naruto's feelings' day?"
"What is it? 'Let's shut up to Itachi' day?" Itachi said in a mocking tone.
"Your impressions suck. It didn't sound like me at all."
"You never shut your trap about anything when around me. Why are you avoiding whatever it is now? Why are you saying it's nothing when we both know there's something?"
"Because there's people involved that I'm not comfortable talking with you about."
"Sasuke."
"I hate you."
"Has he confessed? Took a while."
"You knew!" Naruto slammed his left hand on the table and pointed accusingly at Itachi with his right in his usual obnoxious way. "How long have you've known?"
"It's been so obvious."
"Shut up! It has not been obvious!"
"You don't really know him, do you?"
"I do to know him!"
"He's been obsessed with you for the longest time. How can you have missed it? Why is it a problem anyway? You've got Haruno-san."
"Sakura! Her name is Sakura! Would it kill you to call her by her name?"
"Her name is Haruno as well, idiot."
"God! I can't speak with you people! You just don't listen to what I say!"
"We do listen. It's just you who doesn't speak properly." Itachi got up from his chair and sat down on the floor across the table from Naruto. He leaned on his elbows and laid his cheek towards his folded hands. "Why are Sasuke's feelings a problem? You already have a girlfriend and as far as I know, you're in love with her."
"I am in love with her!"
"Then what?" Naruto pouted and looked away. Refusing to answer his friend.
"She's in love with somebody else. That's what." Itachi finished.
"She loves me!" Naruto said through gritted teeth.
"Fine, fine, she loves you. But she loves another guy as well. Sasuke, who's in love with you. Nice little triangle you've gotten there."
"You're a bastard. All Uchiha are bastards. It's in your damn blood." Naruto glared.
"Sure. And it's a real Uzumaki-treat to be dense."
"Just tell me flat out what you think, Itachi. I prefer it that way, instead of that stupid political dance-crap you're pulling."
"I think you're an idiot."
"For not using your brother even though I'm not in love with him?"
"Forget about Sasuke's love for you. I think you're an idiot who puts up with your girl throwing herself after him every time he walks by."
"She does not!"
"Oh, come on! You're so fucking stupid! She would leave you in a heartbeat if Sasuke even winked at her!"
"She would not do that!" Naruto felt as if he was having a fit, waving his arms around like crazy. He usually felt as if he was having a fit when arguing with Itachi. The bastard was hardly raising his voice!
"Tomorrow is Friday. Spend the day looking at her. Look at her at all times. You will see how she acts. How her eyes always scan the crowd, looking for him. How when he walks by, she throws him those longing eyes that just scream for him to take her. How she always-"
"She does not do that!" Naruto was seriously pissed off now. Did all his friends really think like that about his girlfriend?
"Look at her and prove me wrong. All of us know she does that. And you still wonder why we don't like her."
"You're talking about my girl, Itachi!"
"Exactly! That's why I'm talking about it. Now are you going to tell me about your fight with your father?"
"Why the hell should I talk to you about anything?" Itachi smirked and leaned forward.
"Because you know you can't resist."
"You are a fucking bastard. Why the hell am I friends with you?"
"I don't know." Itachi shrugged and leaned back. "You were the one who grabbed me and refused to let go the first day of school."
"Yeah, you would have been attacked and eaten alive by thirteen-year-old girls if I didn't! Pretty boy!" Naruto huffed. He was angry. He was, but it was always hard to stay angry with Itachi. Mostly because it never got you anywhere with the oldest Uchiha-sibling. The younger though… Damn it! Now his thoughts were back at Sasuke again!
'Get out of my head!'
"Wow, I can practically see the wheels turning in there." Itachi smirked.
"Jerk."
"Guess we're done arguing for the day." Itachi looked out the window. "Seems like it's going to rain." Naruto turned his head and looked out. Grey clouds covered the sky.
'Wonder if Sasuke brought an umbrella? He's going to get wet…'
---
Sasuke looked up at the sky, rain falling down his face. He was wet and he was cold. He shouldn't have left like that. How childish of him. He wrapped his arms around himself in an attempt to gain some warmth. He looked around to see where he was. He had just been walking around, not keeping track of where he was going. He saw the red top of Hokage Tower between the buildings, Konoha's biggest building. He headed that way and fished up his phone from his pocket.
Naruto was right. He was childish. Why the hell would a guy like him want to be with somebody so childish? He went through the numbers in his phonebook. Who should he call? He didn't want to be out here alone in the rain anymore. He wanted to go home, but Naruto was there. Naruto who was mad at him. Fuck…
"Damn it…" Why did it have to be Naruto? Why did he have to fall for the biggest dobe in the universe? Why did the dobe have to fall for the biggest bitch? He couldn't call Itachi. He'd bring Naruto. Shikamaru lived a long way from here. And he had been talking about another of his boring shogi-games. He probably wasn't at home and found it too bothersome to pick up his phone.
Sasuke stopped at Gaara's number and pressed the call button. He lifted the phone to his ear, shoving his wet spikes out of the way. He sneezed. Great, now he was going to get sick. Or maybe somebody was talking about him. Wouldn't be the first time.
"Hello?" Gaara's monotone voice answered on the other end.
"Hey, Gaara. Can you come and pick me up?" Sasuke asked and shivered.
"Pick you up? Where are you?"
"I'll be at the Hokage Tower soon."
"Hokage Tower? Are you walking?" Sasuke could hear the declaration of stupidity in Gaara's voice but decided to ignore it.
"Yeah."
"You walked all the way from your house to Hokage Tower?"
"Yes! Pick me up!" It was hard ignoring something when it came back.
"You're an idiot. It's raining." Sasuke rolled his eyes.
"I know that! I'm wet and I want to get the fuck out of here!"
"You don't have an umbrella?"
"No. it didn't rain when I left home." Sasuke sneezed again. "Can't you just pick me up?"
"I don't have a car. But I'll come meet you. Stay by the entrance."
"Okay. Can you bring me a jacket or something? I'm cold."
"Fine." Gaara hung up. Sasuke put down his phone in his pocket again and continued towards the tower. Stupid, stupid, idiotic day. Now he was going to become sick and he would have to stay at home. He hated to stay at home. His mother always got the idea that she should take care of her sick baby. He didn't want to be her baby. He wanted to be Naruto's baby. Those were two very different things.
When he reached the tower, he sat down on a bench. It was wet, even though it was under a roof, but it didn't matter. He was completely drenched anyway. His thoughts kept swirling around in his head. He didn't know what to do with himself. He looked up towards the sky. It didn't seem like it was quitting anytime soon. He didn't really care. It suited his feelings right now.
Why had things gotten complicated? Had they been this complicated when he was little? No, not really. Then he didn't know he was homosexual and then he didn't know that his obsession towards Naruto was any different from the one he held for his brother. Naruto had just been Naruto. A god, nonetheless, but still just Naruto. He hadn't had all these feelings swirling around. Then he hadn't understood his feelings at all, and that had been okay. Now he did understand them and he couldn't make them go away or get what he wanted to make them feel all right.
He sat there for what seemed like hours and minutes both at the same time. He snapped out of his thoughts when a pair of black shoes stepped into his sight. He didn't even know when he started to stare at the pavement. He followed the legs up and met Gaara's eyes underneath a horribly bright, yellow umbrella. It looked big enough to make the redhead go flying if a wind came. Gaara said nothing. He just held out a plastic bag. Sasuke took it and looked inside.
"Thanks."
"There's a gas station over there. If you flutter your eyelashes, I'm sure they'll let you borrow the bathroom." Gaara said. Sasuke had always wondered how he could say things like that without the slightest hint of amusement in his eyes. Sasuke had known him long enough though, to know that he was kidding.
"Or I can offer you as an exchange. They could put you among some stuffed animals or something." Sasuke said.
"Get moving." Sasuke rolled his eyes and headed for the gas station. Gaara waited outside and when Sasuke came back out, he wore a t-shirt that was his own that he probably had left at Gaara's sometime, a pair of pants he suspected were Temari's, since they were too big to be Gaara's and too small to be Kankuro's. The hoodie though, was definitely Kankuro's. The cat ears kind of gave it away.
Sasuke liked it. It was big and warm. It smelled a little of cologne and there was a little purple spot on the collar. Sasuke suspected Gaara had taken it off the floor. He didn't care. Gaara smirked as he saw him coming out. Sasuke just ignored him and got under the umbrella. They started to walk back to Gaara's house. Neither said anything. They didn't need to. Gaara knew he wouldn't get an answer until Sasuke was ready to tell him anyway.
Sasuke shifted the bag over to the other hand and looked back the way they came from. Fucking dobe…
"Hm, hm… Raining more than ever." Sasuke frowned and looked back at Gaara who seemed lost in his own thoughts.
"La, la, have each other…" Sasuke raised an eyebrow at his humming friend.
"Hm, hm, under my umbrella. Ella, ella, ella… God, just shoot me already." Gaara muttered and Sasuke laughed.
I love Gaara. Gaara needs a sexy seme with looong brown hair... aherm moving on. This is as far I've gotten with this story. Now you gotta wait patiently. I'm writing a nice little SasuNaru x-mas oneshot for my beta. 3 Look forward to that!