As the afternoon went on Sasuke and Naruto sat by the lake talking, or at least Naruto was talking and he gave the occasional quick response. They had already visited the caravan park shop to stock up on what was apparently going to be their meals but turned out just to be a pile of junk food. Sasuke did not have a sweet tooth but he could manage with the crisps and other savoury food, he knew he would not be eating with his family and did not fancy starving. Soon the sky began to noticeably darken and a slight chill hit the air.
"Hey, dobe, time?" Sasuke asked remembering he had brought none of his own electrical devices. His father was probably smashing them up right now. Naruto fumbled around in his large pocket before pulling out a phone that looked at least five years old and did not even seem to have a camera.
"Its er…20:14 soo…quarter past eight!" Naruto exclaimed looking pleased with himself. Sasuke raised an eyebrow in the Uchiha fashion.
"Congratulations you can tell the time," he said sarcastically "and you can get better phones for a tenner than that." Naruto shrugged and did not look mad like he thought would happen.
"I always break them. If I can look after this one for three months I can get a better one."
"Well…its getting late." Sasuke said slowly staring at the floor, "I have to go back sometime…"
"Stay over at my caravan for the night!" Naruto decided suddenly excited, "We have space for another in my room and my dad won't mind at all!"
Sasuke tried to picture what Naruto's father would be like. If he was anything like his son could he deal with two Narutos? And what about his own father. Each minute Sasuke was away was another minute he would fume so the sooner he got back the sooner he could get the explosion done with.
"No, I don't hide." Sasuke said, "I am better than that."
"Well, if you saay so, you look pretty nervous to me!"
"I am not scared of my own father, don't even suggest that."
"Fine fine, let's go then!" Naruto said standing up and grinning.
"I can go myself dobe," Sasuke said standing and glaring at him, "I don't need you to stalk me."
"This is my chance to see which Caravan is yours!"
Sasuke just grunted but flicked his wrist in a motion to allow Naruto to follow him as he started to move.
"This one." Sasuke said unimpressed as he waved his hand over at the caravan in the corner near to where they stood. He did not get too close, not wanting his family to spot him yet and especially so they did not spot him with Naruto. He imagined his father taking his anger out on the blonde too, and although no matter how tempting it would be for Naruto to get disciplined none of it was his fault. Sasuke was Uchiha enough to discipline him if needs be.
"Mm that's quite a big one!" Naruto nodded in approval, "looks quite snazzy."
"It's the biggest on the site."
"Se-cond biggest." Naruto teased in a sing song voice, a mysterious smile on his face. Sasuke narrowed his eyes but did not question him. That would just get him into unnecessary trouble.
"Whatever, anyway see you around, dobe."
"Number!"
"…What?"
"My phone can still text and call despite being ancient," Naruto said pulling it from his pocket and tapping into his contact list, "now give me the number of your iPhone or whatever you use."
"A HTC desire." Sasuke said plainly.
"Unlike you the phone seems to have an emotion!" Naruto exclaimed cheekily, "er…so can I have the number?" he added hastily after noticing the look Sasuke gave him.
"Hn, only if you swear not to bug me with it."
"Define bug."
Sasuke rolled his eyes but trailed off a line of numbers that he had memorised with mutterings of not to expect him to reply to messages as Naruto eagerly punched them into his phone. As soon as he was finished Sasuke said a quick goodbye before mentally readying his mind and entering his caravan.
Fugaku was waiting for him. He was sitting on the sofa watching the TV with Mikoto and Itachi who's cold eyes almost looked sympathetic towards his brother. Sasuke shuffled uncomfortably as he stood awkwardly in front of the jury of family who were noticeably struggling to keep their focus on the show they were watching. A leap of faith caused him to turn his back on his family and edge towards his bedroom door. His hands just rested on the handle before his father spoke.
"Where do you think you are going?"
Sasuke turned to face him. His face and tone of voice were both calm, showing off the Uchiha trait of control over emotions that proved essential for the ruthless world of business. He did not answer. Sasuke met his eyes for a moment before his gaze travelled towards the floor instead. His father's eyes held nothing, just empty shells with no apparent care for his children. Did he care?
"You were always a disappointment to me Sasuke." Fugaku continued while Mikoto winced in the background, "Always weak. A weak daughter I could marry off then she could be of some use, but a weak son just brings down the entire company. I never wanted you, you were an accident. I already had Itachi and he is a worthy heir to the Uchiha Empire and carrier of that name. You do not deserve that name."
"Fugaku, stop…" Mikoto said timidly noticing how Sasuke still had not lifted his eyes from the floor his tell tale sign that they were in fact beginning to water. "He is our son, we love him just the same as Itachi."
"He is your son." Fugaku said calmly and Mikoto let out a small shriek, "You punched the son of our most valuable business partner and took off. You have shown nothing but immaturity and lack of control. You could have ended the deals between the Hyuuga's."
"Father, Neji provoked Sasuke you can not bl-"
"Do not stick up for your worthless brother Itachi."
"He is not worthless." Itachi said narrowing his eyes, "he is extremely clever and I think if you just give him more time he can show you his capibilities. He is still young."
"He is seventeen, he needs no more time." Fugaku said "My words should be punishment enough for your actions but you are also grounded for the rest of the holiday. You will either be in Itachi's or my own care. Hopefully our influences might rub off. I will also confiscate all your electronic items apart from when I think it is suitable for you to have them. That is all." Fugaku finished before leaving the sofa and going into his room closing the door behind him.
"Oh Sasuke…" Mikoto whispered before rushing off the sofa and embracing Sasuke close who still remained silent, focusing all his power on not letting the wetness of his eyes fall. "Of course he loves you, I love you. He will come around, he will lift the grounded sentence."
"No he won't." Itachi said bluntly going into his and Sasuke's shared room.
Eventually when his mother finally let him go Sasuke made it into his room where Itachi was already sitting up in bed typing furiously on his laptop. He looked up briefly when he entered but then continued to work. Sasuke climbed into his bed and grabbed his iPod, plugging it into his ears with the volume on low. It could be the last time he would have it for a while. Noticing his older brother was still ignoring him which was unlike him he sighed running a finger through his spikes.
"Itachi…thank you." He said as though it was the most difficult thing to say, "you did not have to stand up for me."
Itachi nodded curtly and slammed the lid down on his laptop placing it on the floor.
"You don't stand up for yourself it was ridiculous watching you earlier," he said almost sounding angry, "you did not say a word in defence I am almost starting to think what father said is true."
Sasuke's eyes widened for a second before turning in his covers to look away from Itachi, turning the volume of his music up slightly.
"Ugh, wait, Sasuke I did not mean that." Itachi groaned cursing himself under his breath, "you're my little brother, I care about you. Really."
"It's okay for you!" Sasuke spat, "your perfect. Father loves you. If only he knew what you got up to in that gang of yours."
"Did you have fun when you were out earlier?" Itachi said quickly changing the topic of conversation.
"Not really."
"Did you meet up with the 'idiot' again?"
"There is no idiot."
"So does that mean you actually befriended someone?" Itachi asked raising an eyebrow.
"No. There is no one."
"Sasuke don't lie. There is no need to."
"I met someone who is…tolerable." Sasuke finally answered before turning up his iPod volume to full to block out anything Itachi could say next. Itachi half smiled. It was a start.
When Sasuke awoke the next morning the room was empty and Itachi's bed was made. He fell asleep listening to his music and now his iPod was out of battery whether it was going to be confiscated or not.
"We are spending the day at the Hyuuga's summer home to reconcile with them." He heard his father's loud voice speak from outside the door, "Keep Sasuke here under lock and key. Don't make this fun for him. Make sure you take everything, Itachi."
"maybe let him keep one thing," Mikoto said quieter after Fugaku went to start the car, "his iPod is his favourite, let him have that."
Sasuke rolled his eyes. Typical.
"Hand them over Sasuke." Itachi said when he finally rolled into the lounge around 11am. Sasuke had made no effort with his appearance, his hair hung untamed off his head and his skin was too pasty white. He remained in jogging bottoms and a hooded top clothes he only wore when he knew no one but family would see him. Sighing Sasuke gave over his laptop, phone and iPod before turning to make his breakfast. "You can keep your iPod." Itachi said holding it back out.
"It's battery is flat." Sasuke shrugged shoving bread into the toaster. Itachi put them all on the kitchen counter and turned on his own laptop.
"I don't care what you do." he said in a bored tone, "just don't go out and don't touch any banned items. Don't annoy me. Later if you want we can play poker or something, father approves that game."
Sasuke nodded and joined Itachi at the table to eat, turning on the TV and beginning to watch the day time shows he usually could not stand.
After lunch at 2pm a loud buzzing sound alerted the brothers from their game of poker. They turned to find Sasuke's phone on the counter lit up alerting for a text message. Itachi blinked.
"Sasuke, for you to get a text means you had to give your number to someone that was not me." he said curiously.
"Could be the operator, who knows." Sasuke said praying in his mind it was not Naruto, "I can't touch it to find out anyway."
"You can't but I can, and I am interested." Itachi said eyeing the younger Uchiha slightly suspiciously, "I want to know who this tolerable idiot is." Before Sasuke could say any words of protest Itachi was holding his phone checking the message. " r u still alive, bastard?" he read out loud with an amused tone "really sounds like someone father would like."
"I could say the same about Kisame, 'Dei-Dei', Sasori…" Sasuke said trailing off a list of Akatsuki members, counting them on his fingers.
"I get the idea." Itachi said poking Sasuke lightly in the head, "want me to reply?"
"No."
"What is his name anyway?"
"Dobe."
An hour later Itachi stood up to receive the fifth message on Sasuke's phone. He groaned loudly.
"I told that IDIOT not to bug me on my phone!" Sasuke complained throwing his cards on the table and rubbing his face in despair.
"Maybe if you replied…" Itachi said "It says 'Teme! Rply to my msg! U bastard makin me worry!' How simply charming."
"Idiot." Sasuke said
"This is annoying ME now." Itachi said shaking his head allowing his long ponytail to move from side to side, "I am going to reply."
"Hell no Itachi!" Sasuke cried leaping up, "I don't trust you!"
"That's nice to know." Itachi said rolling his eyes, "I will show you before sending. Maybe."
"Maybe? Great."
"Look here it is Sasuke, calm."
Itachi turned the phone around to reveal a message that read, 'This is Itachi, Sasuke's older brother. Sasuke is alive, but grounded. Including phones. Nice to meet you, dobe. Although you seem to be an annoying brat I must make an effort with my little brother's first friend.'
"Whatever." Sasuke said pretending to be disinterested but really annoyed with how Itachi was portraying him as a complete loner. Despite that being the truth.
Moments later the phone buzzed again and Itachi swiftly got the reply, reading it aloud to Sasuke with a small chuckle.
"'Gd 2 meet u 2 Itachi. I c the bastard gene runs in the family. Grounded? Dang, I am out 2day but 2moro I will save u. Wink face.' Oh dear. That sounds ominous."
The day passed with Sasuke's parents coming home relieved to find out he was no trouble and made no attempts to escape. Mikoto then suggested that because of his cooperation that they could maybe lift or at least shorten the length he was grounded for but Fugaku disagreed. He needed to learn.
"Tomorrow afternoon we are having tea with the Nara family." He said, "it is causal but…look a bit more presentable than that Sasuke."
Sasuke nodded. The Nara family, that was not too bad. Unlike Neji he could deal with Shikamaru. His lazy, care-free personality meant that they never argued or fought and they went to the same school. Yet the people who he hung around with were loud and annoying, especially a girl called Ino, which is what stopped Sasuke ever trying to make friends. That, and the fact he beat him in most tests which drove him crazy. He never worked so why should he achieve?
Sasuke got up mid morning when he could no longer take the brightness of the room interrupting his sleep. Remembering that day they would have visitors he put on jeans and a form fitting t-shirt shirt combo. Sasuke even applied his eyeliner and moisturiser knowing Shikamaru would say nothing against it, that boy wore earrings. Mikoto smiled brightly at him when he came into the lounge and had already poured him a drink. Sasuke mumbled thanks and began to sip at it slowly. He found orange juice too sour. Itachi was working on a business spreadsheet on his laptop that Fugaku was overseeing. Suddenly a loud knock on the caravan door startled everyone and even Mikoto jumped almost dropping the plates she was carrying.
"This is much to early for the Naras to arrive." Fugaku said frowning, "Sasuke, we are busy here go see who it is."
Sasuke put down his glass and opened the door.
"Hey teme!"
"…shit."
"That's no way to greet me Sasuke!" Naruto grinned leaping into the lounge startling the rest of the Uchiha family, "and I was right, eyeliner does kinda look hot on you!"
Everyone stared at the intruder. Fugaku rose from his seat and his gaze wondered up and down Naruto from his violent orange t-shirt that did not quite cover his entire upper half to the low rise jeans that revealed his designer boxer shorts. His blonde hair was pushed off his face by a thin hair band and from what Sasuke could tell his body looked surprisingly toned. It was almost as though he was trying to impress Sasuke's parents with his designer clothes, yet he had no idea how he afforded them. Not by the look of his phone anyway.
"Who are you?" Fugaku asked almost disgustedly, turning up his nose slightly and Sasuke cringed. Itachi looked amused, realising it was the 'dobe' who was the source of the text messages.
"I'm Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke's friend!" Naruto beamed holding out his hand, "Pleased to meet ya!" Fugaku hesitated before lightly shaking his hand once and immediately dropping it.
"Pleased to meet you too Naruto!" Mikoto said brightly shaking his hand more enthusiastically, "any friend of Sasuke's is welcome here, it is so uncommon!"
"No, Sasuke is grounded." Fugaku said coolly, "He can not stay."
"Oh but this is the first time Sasuke has had a friend over." she said trying to reason, "and he seems so pleasant."
"No. This…person can not stay."
"Naruto Uzumaki…" Itachi said slowly taking his own turn to shake his hand, "why does that name sound so familiar?"
"Familiar? Haha no idea!" Naruto said doing the same weird laugh Sasuke knew he did when he was hiding something. He raised an eyebrow. "I don't want to stay anyway!" he continued, "my dad wants to meet Sasuke so I said I would bring him over!"
Sasuke rolled his eyes and shook his head. Didn't he realise what the word grounded meant and when his father said no he was not going to go back on that.
"Your father?" Fugaku questioned seeming more intreged than before, "actually Itachi is right. Your name does sound familiar. What is your father's name?"
Naruto's face suddenly fell and he sighed.
"My dad's name…is Minato." He paused, "Minato Namikaze."
Everyone fell silent and stared at Naruto in disbelief. Sasuke looked shocked, he could not believe it.
"Of course, I have seen your picture and heard of you before," Itachi finally spoke breaking the silence, "I am honoured to meet the son of the Hokage."
"You…are the Hokage's son?" Fugaku said slowly, registering the words and again looking at Naruto, "the ruler of our country."
"Yeah." Naruto said looking almost guilty, "My dad chose me to take my mother's surname after she died giving birth to me, and so I would not get troubled as much about being the Hokage's son."
Sasuke's eyes widened. He does understand how I feel…and that explains a lot.
"Well if the Hokage wants to meet with Sasuke how can I refuse?" Fugaku said looking at Naruto with new eyes, his tone of voice completely changing. "I need to speak with Sasuke first though however. Please excuse us."
Fugaku grabbed Sasuke and pulled them into his bedroom, shutting the door behind him.
"Sasuke, I might have been wrong about you," he started keeping his voice low, "befriending the son of the Hokage has brought an incredible business opportunity to us. A connection with Namikaze would be the most valuable contact we could possibly have."
"If you think I am using my first friend as another one of your business puppets you can forget it." Sasuke said surprised how easily calling Naruto a friend rolled off his tongue, "I might care for this person and it is more than I can say for you or the business."
Before Fugaku could say anything more Sasuke burst through the door, giving Naruto a tiny smile and pulling on his trainers.
"Let's go."
"Why didn't you tell me before?" Sasuke asked Naruto as they approached his caravan.
"Because, like you I would be treated completely different," Naruto said shrugging, "your family was evidence. I don't think your dad likes me."
"No but he likes your status."
"Do you like me?" Naruto asked teasingly pulling his lips into a cute pout.
"Maybe." Sasuke sighed rolling his eyes, "just don't do that."
"Haha, okay. Told you I'd save you though!" he grinned.
Naruto's caravan stood out. It's size made the Uchiha's seem tiny in comparison. Was it even a caravan or small house? Two cars were parked outside of it, one with blacked out windows that seemed to belong to the Hokage and the other seemed more run down. It had a dent in the side and some of the paint was scratched off. Sasuke guessed it was Naruto's by the state of it. Naruto leaped up the steps and rang the doorbell cheerfully. Sasuke stood next to him suddenly panicking. This was the Hokage he was about to meet, what would he be like? What if he was like his own father or worse? Before he could debate any longer the door swung open and a tall man that strikingly resembled Naruto stood in the doorway. Although his blonde hair was longer the grin they both had was the same, and both seemed fond of bright jazzy clothes.
"Hey boys!" He beamed ushering them both inside, "C'mon in! You must be Sasuke, great to meet you!" He offered out his hand. Sasuke shook it bewildered. When he had seen the Hokage talking on television or in news articles and reports he seemed so serious, so dedicated the country. Yet, out of the spotlight he was naturally bright and energetic. It was clear where Naruto got it from.
"Nice to meet you as well sir." Sasuke said giving a polite smile.
"No no, call me Minato." Minato grinned placing his hands on Sasuke's shoulders, "well Naru I have got to say this one is much more attractive than your last boyfriend, good on you."
Sasuke's face suddenly paled and he blinked a few times. Naruto slapped his forehead looking extremely embarrassed and immediately flushed bright red. Sasuke turned to face him eyes wide.
"…WHAT?"
Each chapter seems to be getting longer . this one is too long! Anyway thank you all readers and I hope you enjoy this! Their relationship might start to pick up now ;) If you liked please review! x
