A/N: LATE. IM SO LATE. So, funny story, the factory I work at just went into overtime so I've been working 60 hour weeks which has greatly affected my free-time. ;-; But here I am, with another chapter! I really hope you like it.
DISCLAIMER: Kishi-sensei owns the Naruto universe and all of it's characters, I only use them for my sadistic and fluffy pleasure.
WARNING: Um, the beginning of this chapter is a little dark. Also, lemons. Proceed with caution.
~0~o~0~
Sasuke pulled the covers off of himself and stepped out of bed. His throat burned and his mouth was dry, forcing him to leave the comfort of his warm cacoon of blankets and pillows to seek out a beverage. He made it half way across his room when he felt a sick feeling creep inside of him.
Something's not right...
He looked around the dark room, noticing a faint red glow radiating from the walls and floor. Deciding to blame it on the fact that he was only half awake, he continued towards the door. Once he reached it, it disappeared. He whipped around and noticed that his window had vanished too. And where was his bed? His other furniture? His heart pounded in his chest as his eyes darted around searching for what he knew he would not find.
What the hell is going on?
Something warm was dripping onto his face and arms, it slid down his flesh and pooled on the floor beneath him. He looked upwards at the source of the dripping and noticed the ceiling was leaking, it looked as if it were raining inside of his room. He brought his arm up to examine the foreign substance.
Blood?!
His body shook and his stomach turned. He fell to his knees, splashing into an ever-growing sea of crimson red. He slapped his hand over his mouth and clutched his stomach, fighting the urge to get sick. More and more blood spilled from the ceiling, soaking his hair and clothes. It clung to him, the smell was nausiating, the taste like iron, the warm wetness uncomfortably drenching him and surrounding him with no escape.
I have to get out of here.
He stood and immediately collapsed. His body stung, it burned as if he had been set on fire. His eyes squeezed shut tightly as the pain grew stronger. When he opened them he looked down to find that he was completely naked and covered in long horizontal gashes. His head jerked up as if someone had forced it and he saw that he was surrounded by blades. They were laying all around him in puddles of blood.
Jagged shards of silver metal began to rain down on him. He covered his head with his arms and felt the blades crash into his flesh, blood squirting into the air and splashing into the puddles around him. He screamed in agony as his arms fell limp at his sides.
This is a nightmare, I'm sleeping, this isn't real. I need to wake up! now!
Suddenly, he could feel his matress beneath him and the warm blankets that surrounded him. He could feel the presence of someone near him and could hear the faint sound of muffled snoring. Naruto! He tried to move but felt as if his body were made of lead. He tried to speak but could not pry his lips apart.
Move, damn it!
He desperately attempted to scream, but to no avail. Panic washed over him as he inwardly struggled to wake himself up. He felt his chest tighten and his head throb with pain as he tried to breathe, feeling himself suffocating at his failed attempts to gasp for air.
Fuck! I can't move, I can't speak, I can't breathe...Naruto please help me...please wake me up! God damn it, wake me up!
Sasuke felt a hand on his shoulder, shaking him violently. He jolted up and immediately gasped for air, taking in as much oxygen as his lungs could hold. He felt his hair sticking to his face from the persperation that covered his skin. His clothes clung to him and his hands were shaking.
"Sasuke! Are you okay? I woke up and noticed you weren't breathing." Naruto squeezed the Uchiha's hand and stared at him in worry.
"I-I had a nightmare and then...it was like I knew I was alseep so...I guess...that means I was awake then... I don't know what the hell it was but I couldn't move or do anything but just lay there, aware of my surroundings. I'm fine now, it just freaked me out." He pulled his damp shirt off of himself and tossed it into the laundry hamper near his bed.
"Woah, that's freaky. Does that happen to you a lot?" Naruto's face paled as he thought of the horror that the Uchiha had experienced.
"No. I've had plenty of nightmares but this is something new. I really hope this doesn't become a regular thing." He stared at his shaking hands and willed them to stop but they disobeyed him.
"I hope it doesn't either. So, hey, we don't even need to be up for another fifteen minutes...and I was thinking that maybe...we could..." He trailed off and averted his eyes in embarassment.
"Um, don't take this the wrong way, I find you really attractive and all and I'd really love to ravish you, but after that experience I dont know if I'll be able to, you know, get it up"
"Oh, no, I just meant...I want to...ugh you're going to make me say it aren't you?" He swallowed and looked away to hide his blushing cheeks and mumbled "I wan't to cuddle." He cringed at the word.
Sasuke smirked. "Yeah. Come here, dork." He leaned back against his headboard and patted his chest, inviting the blond.
Naruto layed his head on Sasuke's chest and wrapped his arm around him, squeezing him tightly. His sunshiny face was beaming with his signature grin as he basked in the attention he recieved from the usually distant Uchiha.
Sasuke took in the sight of his smiling lover. He never imagined he'd end up with someone like him. Actually, he never thought he'd end up with anyone for that matter. Who would have guessed that someone so affectionate and rediculously energetic could be his perfect match? He'd always hated people like him, and yet here he was, fucking cuddling with his childhood best friend. And he realized in that moment, he wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
"This feels strange." Sasuke said, absentmindedly.
"What does? Gettin' cozy with another dude?" Naruto snickered.
"And the fact that it's you. I never imagined I'd end up here."
"Yeah, I know what you mean. I never imagined I'd end up here either. I still don't see how you're so calm about this..." He losened his grip and lifted his head to stare up at Sasuke's peaceful face.
"I'm calm about it because it feels right. Although, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little concerned." He placed his hand on Naruto's head and played with his messy hair. "I don't want this to affect your shot at becoming Hokage. Being involved with another man is one thing. Being involved with me...well, people are already bitter about our frienship. My reputation isn't the best, I just don't want to end up dragging you down with me." He wrapped his arms around the blond and pulled him tightly against his chest and rested his cheek on the top of his head.
"I don't care about that stuff." Naruto said, a little annoyed. "I'll make them see the real you. I'll change their minds. I promise. And I never go back on my word! That's-"
"That's your nindo, your ninja way. Yeah, I know." Sasuke smirked.
Beeeep! Beeeep! Beeeep!
"Well, time to get up, dobe." Sasuke stretched his arm out and silenced the screaming machine. He threw the covers off of them, rolling his eyes at the sounds of protest from the blond and made his way to the bathroom. He turned his shower on and opened his medicine cabinet to get a toothbrush when he noticed a transparent orange bottle sitting in plain view. "Oh yeah..." he felt his heart drop as he grabbed it. He swallowed nervously and twisted the cap off, staring at it's contents with a frown.
"Don't be nervous." Naruto entered the room and placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "It'll be okay, these will help you."
"I hope so." He placed a pill on his tongue and swallowed it dry, cringing at the repulsive taste it left behind. "I hate pills." He placed the bottle back in his cabinet, swaping it for his toothbrush.
"Well, I think it's better if you wash it down with water...but whatever floats your boat, teme" Naruto kissed the Uchiha's puffed out cheek and grinned. "I've got to get back to my place to change and get cleaned up. I'll meet you at the construction site." He turned to leave and stopped abruptly before making it through the door "Oh wait, where are we assigned to today? I forgot to check last night."
"The library again. We're behind now because we both skipped out yesterday. Which reminds me, kiba is going to be a pain in the ass. If these meds don't work make sure I don't kill him because I just might try to if he starts his shit with me again. Stupid mutt." He spit out minty foam and cupped his hands underneath the sink, letting water fill his palms and used it to rinse out the pasty remnants from his mouth.
"Don't worry I'll clobber you if you try anything" he grinned widely and turned away. "See you later, teme"
"Tch."
Sasuke pulled the shower curtain back and stepped in, he let the hot water run over him as he closed his eyes. Steam surrounded him, blanketing him in a warm comforting way that allowed him to untense his muscles and relax his body completely. He had always found showers to be the most peaceful part of his day and since his time as a rogue had forced him to go without such luxuries for longer than he was comfortable with, he took full advantage of every opportunity.
A mess of thoughts swirled around in his brain. He was feeling something he wasn't used to and it bothered him. He was nervous. Very nervous. Since he had come back to Konoha he experienced the feeling more than he cared to admit. It was strange to him, because he had always been very confident and ready for anything that could possibly be thrown at him. But now, he was dealing with things he never thought he'd have to face. It wasn't in the plan to come back here. Without his revenge, he felt lost.
With a deep sigh, he squeezed a small pool of menthol shampoo into his palm and lathered it into his raven black hair. He scrubbed vigorously, the cool tingling sensation indicating that he would be properly cleansed. He stepped back into the shower's stream and let the hot water rinse out the soapy foam until there wasn't a trace of it left. He scrubbed the rest of his body and rinsed off the remainder of the soap as the water began to cool.
He searched through the dissipating steam and grabbed a towel. He dried himself off, feeling satisfied with the fresh clean feeling his shower had left him with, and walked into his bedroom to get dressed. His clothes were neatly folded on the end of his bed with a small sheet of paper resting on top. He raised an eyebrow and picked it up.
I put your clothes out for you. You're welcome, teme.
p.s. You look hot in this, that's why I picked it.
-Naruto
Sasuke's lips curled into a smirk as he set the note aside and slid on his pre-determined outfit. He was now sporting a black V-neck cutt-off, the Uchiha emblem on the back of course, and a pair of army green pants, that just so happened to be a little tighter than the rest of his pants, and were equipped with several different zippered pockets.
"Well now that I apparently look 'hot', I guess I'm ready to get this day over with." He sighed and spritzed himself with cologne before heading out to face the day.
~0~o~0~
"Oh hey, nice to see you! So glad you decided to show up today, Uchiha!" Kiba's sarcasm earned him a punch to the arm from an annoyed blond.
"Leave him alone kiba. I told you yesterday that he was having a rough day. Stuff came up, it's not his fault. So drop it." The wiskered nin put his hands together and produced a few shadow clones who grabbed hammers, saws, and slabs of wood. They immediately got to work as naruto gathered his own materials.
"Okay. Fair enough. So what was your excuse then?" kiba climbed up a ladder and began hammering a sign into the side of the building.
"I lost track of time while I was training. It was an honest mistake. And then after Sasuke told me about his day, I was helping him with some stuff." He frowned in annoyance as he struggled to draw a proportionate square on a large cut of wood.
"You guys spend an awful lot of time together. I bet Hinata's getting jealous of Sasuke. I mean, shouldn't you want to spend all of your time with a pretty girl instead of this asshat?" He laughed to himself as he climbed down from his ladder. He looked up and frowned at the crooked sign.
"Haha, Kiba, very funny. And what the hell, you were just saying that Hinata and I are too clingy! So which is it? I think you just like to annoy me."
"Yeah, well, I think you just can't decide which one is prettier and there's some kind of weird love traingle going on. I mean what guy our age spends that much time with another dude? Especially such an arrogant jerk like Sauce over there." he smirked at the Uchiha who paid no attention to him. "Honestly if I were you, Naruto, I'd pick Hinata she's a way better person than he is."
Oh God, that's it, Sasuke's gonna snap...Kiba went way too far with this one! The blonde turned to look at the Uchiha, nervously, only to find him quietly doing his work. Relief washed over him. "Shut the hell up, Kiba! There is no love triangle. Don't be weird. I just got my best friend back, excuse me if I want to hang out with him."
"A friendship requires effort from both people. Your precious Sasuke only cares about himself." He pryed the nail out of the sign and repositioned it. He replaced the nail and hammered it in a second time.
"First of all, you don't know how he is at all if that's what you think. And second, why are you only a douche when he's around? Can't you just play nice? Jeesh." He wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead and erased part of the square he drew, alligned his ruler and drew it again.
"Why? He doesn't." Kiba licked his fangs and turned towards Sasuke, raising an eyebrow. "Hey, asshole, why are you so quiet? It's no fun if you don't fight back! I've insulted you a bunch of times and you haven't even said a word! Aren't you mad?" He crossed his arms and leaned against a sleeping Akamaru.
"Hm? Oh...yeah. Shut up." The raven-haired nin didn't break his focus on his work as he spoke, depriving Kiba of a proper argument.
Kiba growled. "Seriously? That's it? You're not gonna go all psycho on me? Psh, no fun." He turned his attention towards the blonde and cocked an eyebrow. "Um, Naruto, you do realize this is a library we're building, right? The window needs to be a lot bigger than that."
"You are such a pain in the ass today! Just mind your own business...don't you have work of you own to do instead of just harrassing me and Sasuke all day?" He huffed and turned back towards his outline and frowned.
"He's right." Sasuke rested a hand on the blonde's shoulder and reached for his pencil. "May I?"
"Uh...yeah. Go for it." Naruto stared wide eyed at the Uchiha. He didn't call me "usuratonkachi" or "dobe" or anything and he's actually being nice about helping me! I think I'm going to like this new Sasuke!
The raven haired nin layed the ruler down and began tracing a large rectangle across the board. His face was emotionless and his movements were fluid and graceful. Naruto stared at him as he worked, admiring the way his biceps moved and how every time he lifted his arms he could see his lower abdominal muscles and the band of his boxers exposed. He lowered his gaze to examine his ass, which was outlined perfectly in the pants he had chosen for him, not too tight yet not too loose. Just perfect.
"So fucking hot"
"What?" Kiba raised an ebrow.
"Uh, it's really hot out today." Naruto wiped his forehead and smiled nervously.
"Okay, Naruto. This should be good. The window you outlined was fine but for a place that is specifically for reading, it's very crucial that there be plenty of sunlight. Artificial light can cause headaches when reading for too long so natural light is best suited for a library." He set Naruto's drawing supplies aside and handed him a saw. "You can cut it out now. Be careful, okay? This thing was recently sharpened." He turned away and went back to his own work.
Naruto and Kiba stood open mouthed and wide eyed, staring at the Uchiha's back as he worked.
"Um, Naruto?"
"...Yeah?"
"What the hell did you slip into his tea this morning?"
~0~o~0~
Sweating, tired, and dirty, the three shinobi left the construction site for a much needed lunch break. Kiba and Naruto chatted and laughed loudly about juvenile things while Sasuke walked silently beside them with his hands in his pockets, staring at the ground.
"You guys up for Ichiraku's?" Naruto put his arms behind his head and grinned.
"Yeah, I could go for some ramen." Kiba agreed, petting Akamaru's head as he drooled in approval, his tongue hanging out.
"You guys go ahead. I need to go back to my place for something." He looked at Naruto who nodded, realizing what he needed to go back for.
The Uchiha parted ways and headed towards his home, leaving Naruto and Kiba to themselves. They made their way to Ichiraku's and took a seat at the end of the booth. They both ordered their usual and an extra bowl for Akamaru.
"So I still can't get over how Sasuke was acting. He's never that nice. Ever." Kiba twirled his chopsticks between his fingers as he waited for his meal.
"Yeah. The guys my best friend, but man, I gotta admit that it was pretty freakin sweet to go that long without being insulted. I hope he stays in this mood for a while." Naruto laughed and broke his chopsticks apart as his bowl was set in front of him.
"Sasuke is way more tolerable when he's nice but I gotta say, I really do enjoy fighting with him. It's so much fun. Shino just sulks and guilt trips me when I insult him. You and Sasuke are the only people I have fun with because you guys actually put up a proper fight." He plunged his chopsticks into his newly aqcuired ramen and slurped up a large mass of noodles.
"Are you really that bored that you need to start fights with people for entertainment?" Naruto slurped up his own noodles, forcing his cheeks to puff out like balloons.
"What can I say? I'm fiesty. And Hinata and Shino are not the kind of people you can have a decent argument with or even just play around with. You got lucky, Sakura and Sasuke are both the type to fight back. You guys argue all the time, it releases stress and pent up anger but at the end of the day you guys are all pals and no one ever holds a grudge. I wish I had that with my teammates." He plucked up a fish cake and threw it into the air, catching it in his mouth. "Oh and speaking of my teammates. What's going on with you and Hinata? Dude, are you going to make the move or not?"
"I thought we went through this already. I don't know. I don't think I return her feelings and it wouldn't be fair if I asked her to be my girlfriend knowing that it probably won't last." He tipped his bowl, letting the hot steamy liquid flow into his mouth. He gulped it down and sighed with satisfaction as he set the empty bowl on the counter.
"Man, you're an idiot. If I had a girl like Hinata head over heals for me, I'd put a ring on it in a fucking heartbeat. You're so lucky and you don't even know it." He finished up his noodles and set his bowl down. "I hate you sometimes."
"I can't help it, man. She's just not right for me." He scratched the back of his head and frowned down at his lap.
"Dude, don't tell me you're still after Sakura...I hate to sound like a dick or whatever but, um, she's not into you. She's another Sasuke fangirl. Always has been, always will be. So if you don't snatch Hinata up quick, you'll end up alone at your teammates' wedding." He laughed as he set his bowl down on the floor for Akamaru to drink up the rest of the broth.
Naruto exploded with laughter. "Trust me, Kiba. Those two won't be getting married." He wiped tears from his eyes and clutched his stomach. Sakura's the one who's going to be the third wheel and nobody will ever see it coming.
Kiba stared at him with a raised eyebrow. "Um...okay. Weirdo. Live in denial if you want, but I'm just saying Sakura isn't interested, bro."
Well that's okay because she's not the one I'm interested in either. She doesn't know it yet, but her competition isn't Ino, it's me. And there's no competition, Sasuke's mine.
~0~o~0~
Sasuke leaned against his bathroom wall, pill bottle in hand. He stared blankly at it for a long time before unscrewing the cap and popping a pill into his mouth, swallowing it quickly before the taste could settle on his tongue. He stepped forward and saw the room spin, he caught his balance by grabbing hold of the sink in front of him. He stared at the blurry faucet and blinked until his vision straightened out.
When was the last time I ate? Did I eat breakfast? Shit...I'm supposed to take this with food.
He placed the bottle back behind the mirror and made his way to the kitchen. He scanned his cabnets and fridge, feeling repulsed by everthing. Nothing sounded pleasing at all. He forced himself to eat a tomato, since it's his favorite food he thought he could stomach it. After the first bite he tossed it in the trash.
Fuck it, I'm not even hungry.
He snatched his keys from the kitchen counter and proceeded to his front door where he slid his sandals on and made his leave. As he walked through the streets back to the construction site, people stared, as usual. They whispered profanity as they passed him, as usual. They pulled their children away from him, as usual. Sasuke barely noticed. He stared back uncaring as a man shoulder checked him and yelled "traitor". It didn't bother the Uchiha in the slightest.
When he aproached the half-finished library, he found Naruto and Kiba and quietly began his work. Naruto climbed to the top of a ladder, holding two nails up to his nipples and making kissy faces at kiba, who was rolling on the ground laughing. Sasuke glanced for a moment and went back to his work, uninterested. He carefully traced an outline for the entrance doors and grabbed a saw, cutting slowly and evenly.
"Shit!"
The laughter stopped as Naruto lost his balance and came crashing down. Sasuke whipped his head around to find Naruto tangled in the ladder on the ground, laughing as kiba pointed and snickered at him. Sasuke rolled his eyes and turned back to his project. He noticed crimson red trickling down his left arm and found that he had cut it when the blond startled him. He stared blankly at it, watching the warm liquid slide slowly down his injured limb.
"Woah, Sasuke, you okay?" Naruto rushed over and put a hand on the Uchiha's shoulder, peaking over it at the fresh cut. "How is it that I'm the stupid one who falls off of a ladder and it's you who gets hurt? And weren't you the one who told me to be careful with that?" He turned away and retrieved his backpack, which he opened, and pulled out a first-aid kit.
"Let me see it." The blond crouched down beside Sasuke and gently took hold of his arm. He spritzed the wound with some anticeptic and wiped it clean before placing a bandage over it. His hand lingered on the Uchiha's arm for a moment as he examined his blank expression. "Hey, earth to Sasuke, you doing alright? You're white as a ghost."
"Dude, I think he's gonna pass out!" Kiba stood beside Naruto, waving his hand in front of Sasuke's face. The Uchiha's expression went unchanged.
"Sasuke?!" Naruto placed his hand on his forehead, his eyes widened as Sasuke's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fell to the ground.
The blond immediately reached for the Uchiha's unconscious body and leaned him against his chest. "Kiba, grab my water bottle!" He followed orders and handed the bottle to Naruto who poured it over Sasuke's face and hair. "He's burning up. Do you think it's heat exhaustion?"
"Could be." Kiba shrugged and leaned forward to pull Akamaru off as he licked Sasuke's face, leaving a slobbery trail of drool.
Sasuke blinked and lifted his head slightly, staring at his surroundings in confusion. He put his hand to his face and pulled it away, staring at the glob of drool with disgust. "Ew. What the fuck is that? And what happened?" He turned to Naruto, who was still holding him against his chest and had his face dangerously close to his own and turned towards Kiba, who stared down at the scene with his eyebrow arched and his mouth curved into a frown.
"Get off, dobe." He sat up and pushed the blond away who looked hurt for a moment before noticing Kiba's expression.
"You guys are so weird with each other." He turned away and went back to his work.
"Are you okay? You cut yoursef and got super pale and just passed out. Which is weird becauses you can't be bothered by blood, you're a freaking ninja for Christ's sake!" Naruto threw his arms in the air for dramatic affect.
"Naruto, you need to be careful around your friends. They're going to figure us out." He whispered as he glared at the wide-eyed blond.
"Oh...yeah. Shit! Sorry, it's just...you were hurt. And what about earlier? You put your hand on my shoulder and whispered sweet nothings into my ear! Okay...maybe not sweet nothings but you were really nice and cute and you never act that way! You're the one who's gonna give us away, teme!" He spoke as quietly as he could manage while still conveying his annoyance.
The Uchiha rolled his eyes and stood up. "I don't know what happened just now, I'm not squimish at all. Must be the heat."
"Yeah, probably, it is really hot out here." Kiba turned his head to reply and smirked. "Can't handle a little heat, Uchiha? Psh, baby." He laughed and returned to his hammering.
"Tch." The Uchiha rolled his eyes and picked up his blood stained saw. He stuck it back into the wood and fought to keep his concentration as his focus went in and out. He felt light-headed and weak. He shook his head and pushed through the dizziness and continued cutting.
~0~o~0~
Hours had gone by and the sun was beginning to set. Shadows grew longer, covering the village in steadily growing darkness. The library's contruction was well under way with minimal work left to do. The three shinobi stood back looking over the building with satisfation.
"Damn, we rule guys. Check out how far we've gotten! Tomorrow we'll install instilation and start laying down shingles on the roof." Kiba patted the top of Akamaru's head and turned away from the building, leading the other two into town.
Naruto grinned widely at Kiba's comment and put his hands behind his head as he walked, Sasuke held a poker face beside him, blankly staring ahead, hands in pockets. They made their way through the mostly empty streets of Konoha in silence, all lost in their own thoughts and too exhausted to make any proper conversation.
After a short while, Kiba said his goodbyes and turned down another street. Naruto and Sasuke were left to themselves only for a moment before they turned a corner to find themselves in the presence of the Hyuuga heir. She immediately gave Naruto a small hug and greeted him sweetly. A casual glance was given to the Uchiha who was barely paying attention. He did not recieve a greeting.
"Naruto-kun, would you like to join me for a walk? I was hoping I could talk to you about something and it's such a lovely night..." She blushed and twisted a delicate finger through her hair.
"Oh...um..." The blonde turned to Sasuke, searching his face for any objections and found none. The Uchiha seemed unbothered by her. Well, this is a first.
"Go ahead, Naruto. I'll see you tomorrow. I'm pretty beat, so I'm just going to get some sleep. Long day." He turned away from the two and continued down the street and disappeared into the darkness of the night.
Naruto stared after him, mouth hanging open. What the hell is going on? You were supposed to hog me all to yourself and tell her to get lost! You were supposed to get mad and drag me away! You're just going to leave me here with her? What the...
"He hates me, doesn't he?" She lowered her head and stared at the ground, twisting the bottom of her jacket uncomfortably.
"Who, Sasuke? No way...he's just...he's just like that, ya know? He doesn't play well with others." He laughed and scratched the back of his head in an attempt to break the awkwardness.
"Well that's sort of what I wanted to talk to you about. I really like you, Naruto. I just wish I could get along with your best friend because I know he means a lot to you. But he always seems to be angry with me, I don't think he wants to share you." She laughed nervously as her cheeks became pink.
"I'm all he's got so he can be a little selfish at times. But he really is a good person. He's just been through a lot. He's not good with people. Like Sai, only less weird, not as friendly, and a lot more bitter."
"But you're not all he has, Naruto. You're just the only person he wants to acknowledge. Don't you find it a little strange? He follows you everywhere, he gets angry when I'm around, and he doesn't open up to anyone except you?" Her entire face was red now and she anxiously played with the ends of her hair as she spoke, staring at the ground.
"Well, he's just having a hard time adjusting to being back here. There's nothing strange about that, right?" He half-smiled at her. She frowned back at him.
"That's not what I meant...nevermind. I'm just being silly, I suppose. Don't worry about it. You know him better than I do so I'll take your word for it." She smiled weakly and placed her hand on the blonde's arm, standing on the tips of her toes to place a soft kiss on his cheek.
"Hinata...I think we need to talk."
~0~o~0~
Sasuke walked alone down the dark path that led to his home. His hands were trembling, his head pounding, his vision blurry. He focused on keeping his breathing steady and staying alert. He felt weak, and he hated it.
As he neared his house, he noticed a male's sillouette leaning against his door frame. He descretely pulled a kunai out of his back pocket and approached him cautiously. As he closed the distance between them he recognized the stranger immediately.
"Shikamaru, what are you doing here?" His voice was soft and weak.
"If you two aren't careful, people are going to find out. They're starting to notice, you know." He spoke as if he were bored and raised an eyebrow at Sasuke's blank expression.
"What are you talking about? Just get to the point, I'm tired and I'm not in the mood for this." He slipped his kunai back in his pocket and crossed his arms.
Shikamaru sighed heavily "I know about you and Naruto."
Sasuke's heart stopped. He stared wide-eyed and swallowed nervously. "I don't know what you're talking about. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get some sleep" He walked to his door, which was blocked by Shikamaru, and glared at the lazy nin with annoyance. "Move."
"Sasuke, listen. I'd rather be in bed too, trust me. I'm not trying to be a dick or anything, I'm trying to help you out. Don't bother pretending either, my spelialty is analyzing things and I noticed a while ago. And I honestly don't care. I'm not here to judge you or harrass you or anything like that. Your relationship with Naruto is none of my business and if you two want to be together then who am I to tell you it's wrong? If I'm being honest, it doesn't even surprise me."
"You're right, Naruto and I's relationship is none of your business. So go away." He narrowed his mismatched eyes and glared daggers at him.
"Okay, I'll make this quick. People have been talking...they don't think you two really are together, they just make up theories and laugh about it. But, sooner or later they're going to notice other things about you two and eventually you'll get caught. It's innevitable. They're good people but they may not be as accepting about the situation as I am. I'm just giving you a heads up. They're starting to catch on, and if you're worried about getting found out then you might want to be a little more cautious."
"I don't give a fuck what they think. If they find out, they find out. I'm not worried about it." He pinched the bridge of his nose and shut his eyes tightly, focusing on keeping his balance.
"How does Naruto feel about it?" The lazy nin raised an eyebrow at the Uchiha, already knowing his answer.
"He..." Sasuke sighed heavily. "He isn't ready for people to find out..."
"I figured. That's why I wanted to warn you. If you really care about him, you'll make sure no one finds out until he's ready." He raised his hand and scratched the back of his head, looking off to the side. "Listen, Sasuke. I don't really like you much, and I never really have. We've never gotten along, but I don't hate you. And as long as you don't go and do something stupid again, I think you'd be good for Naruto. You obviously care about the guy and after everthing that's happened and how protective you are of him...just don't crush the guy okay? I'm going against my better judgement here, and I'm choosing to trust you."
" I'll make sure no one finds out until he's ready. And I don't plan on hurting him." His body began to sway and he grasped the door frame for balance. "You have my word, your friend is safe. Now, are we done here?" His voice became weaker the more he spoke and he was fighting for concentration. He had to get rid of Shikamaru before he ended up passing out again.
"Yeah..." The lazy nin stared questioningly at the Uchiha. "You look sick, you should get some rest."
"You think?" Sasuke narrowed his eyes as Shikamaru smirked and walked past him, finally leaving him to himself.
Relief washed over Sasuke as he hastily entered his home, heading straight for the bedroom where he immediately dropped onto his bed. He stared at the ceiling above as it seemed to spin, along with the rest of the room around him. His lips tingled, his body felt numb and light. He closed his eyes, welcoming the pitch black silence and willed himself to drift to sleep.
Minutes went by and those minutes soon became hours. He layed motionless, eyes half open watching the slowly changing shadows on the walls. Tsunade was right, I feel like a zombie. I fucking hate this medication and it's only been a day. What the hell am I supposed to do?
He stared out his window, taking in the view of the moonlight pouring through the branches of the trees and spilling into his bedroom, easily slipping through his sheer drapes. He sighed and recounted his conversation with Shikamaru. People were noticing the closeness between Naruto and himself and he knew it was only a matter of time before people found out the truth. He played with the idea of convincing Naruto to just come out. If it was innevitable anyway, they might as well just tell them. Right?
Then another thought crossed his mind. What if Naruto's friends took it well? What if they accepted it? That would be a major relief on Naruto's part. But, on the other hand, what would happen when the rest of the village found out? Sure, Naruto was a hero and admired by pretty much everyone. But Sasuke...his reputation wasn't as great. He was despised.
His friendship with Naruto was already making people uncomfortable. It was partially accepted due to Naruto's hero status and because pretty much everyone knew about everything he had gone through to save Sasuke. But what if they knew that he wasn't just friends with the Uchiha? Would they start to change the way they thought about Naruto? Would they be disgusted? Would they be suspicious and worried? Not many people trusted Sasuke. Would they stop trusting Naruto too if they found out about his true relationship with Sasuke?
Would that affect Naruto's chance at becoming the next Hokage?
There was no way in hell Sasuke would allow himself to get in the way of Naruto's life-long dream. He couldn't bare the thought of keeping the blond away from achieving the thing he had worked so hard for all these years. And Naruto had become so strong...he had done so many wonderful things. Sasuke truly believed noone deserved that title as much as Naruto did.
And suddenly, Sasuke felt that keeping this secret was more important than he thought. Naruto's friends being grossed out was one thing, but, to keep Naruto from achieving his dream? That was unacceptable.
The sleep-deprived Uchiha cringed as the dim glow of the rising sun spilled into his room. Morning...great. Just fucking great.
Coming to terms with the realization that he would not be getting any sleep, he forced himself out of bed, got cleaned up, and grudgingly swallowed another pill. He later found himself standing in his kitchen, staring into his refridgerator with disinterest once again. He sighed and pulled out a few ingrediants, which he placed in a paper bag and folded shut. After slipping his sandals on, he locked the door behind him and walked across the dewy grass towards the rising sun.
~0~o~0~
Naruto was sprawled across his bed, snoring loudly, limbs dangling off the edge, and drooling on his unfortunate pillow. A break in the silence, caused by a harsh knocking on the door, sent the blond falling to the floor. He groaned and sat up, rubbing the top of his head that collided with his night stand.
"Who the hell is here this early in the morning? Uggghhh!" He stood angrily and stomped to his apartment's front entrance. He opened the door, revealing a tired looking Uchiha holding up a brown paper bag.
"I'm making you breakfast, move over." The raven-haired nin pushed past the blond, slid his sandals off and went straight to the kitchen. He began pulling out the bag's contents and placing them on the counter. He rummaged through Naruto's cabinets and pulled out a rice steamer and some other needed cooking supplies.
"You woke me up for breakfast? I'm cool with that." He laughed and grinned widely. "So watcha makin'?"
"Sorry to disappoint, but it isn't going to be instant ramen. I'm making real food. All you eat is junk, keep it up and you're going to get fat one day and I'm not going to let that happen. If that's what I wanted, I'd be at Chouji's right now." He stared emotionless at the dried strips of seaweed he was dipping in soy sauce.
Naruto errupted into laughter. "I always pegged you as the shallow type but when you picked me I figured you were more of the deep emotional connection type, so I'm flattered that you actually find me attractive too. And don't talk shit about Chouji, he'll squash you with his expansion jutsu." He wiped tears from his eyes and approached the Uchiha, wrapping his arms around his waist as he rolled steamed rice into the soy sauce coated strips of seaweed. "So what are you making?"
"I'm making nori and broiled salmon. And for the record, you were a goofy looking kid but time has been very kind to you. You've become quite handsome. Also, the deep emotional connection is more important to me than appearance, just so we're clear." He set the Nori on a plate and put it to the side and began sprinkling salt onto small peices of salmon. Once the salmon was prepared, he set them in the broiler and set a timer.
"Aw, Sasuke, you're too kind. So, not trying to nag you or anything but did you even sleep last night? You've got bags under your eyes and you look exhausted. We've got a lot of work to do today, I'm just worried. I don't want you to pass out again." He placed his palms on the kitchen counter and lifted himself onto the surface, sitting and dangling his legs off the edge like a restless child.
"Okay, first of all, get off of the counter. How old are you? That's unsanitary, food is prepared there!" He glared daggers at the blond until he obeyed.
"Okay, mom. Jeez." He rolled his eyes and jumped off, deciding to lean against the counter instead and crossed his arms in defiance.
"Anyway, no, I couldn't fall asleep. I think insomnia might be a side effect of the medication or something. And, to be honest with you, I didn't eat anything yesterday and I'm pretty sure that, accompanied by the fact that it was extremely hot out, was the reason I passed out. I have an appointment with my therapist today so I'm going to talk to her about it. I'm a shinobi, I can't afford to be weakened by this." He sighed and rolled his eyes as the blonde's expression transitioned from worry to panic. "Calm down, dobe. I'm fine. I just feel like shit. I didn't want to tell you yesterday because I knew you'd overreact. Don't make me regret being honest with you now."
"Sasuke! You should have told me! This is serious-"
"Oh here we go." The Uchiha crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at the blond.
"Stop acting like this isn't a big deal! I can't believe you lied to me yesterday! You said it was the heat, why didn't you tell me the truth? And why didn't you eat anything? Even if you weren't hungry you should have forced it down or something! Ask Kakashi-sensei to take the day off. You didnt sleep, you need to at least rest until your therapist gets your medication sorted out and things get fixed because you can't work like this! You look like you're dying or something! I didn't think your skin could get any whiter...I'm really worried!" He spoke so fast that he had forgotten to breathe and inhaled deeply at the end of his rant.
"Are you finished?" Sasuke paused, waiting for an answer that did not come. "Okay, I told you, I'm fine. So please, chill out. You're making this a way bigger deal than it really is. I'm not going to die after one day of not eating or sleeping. I'm not taking the day off, I refuse to sit at home and you will not convince me otherwise. I will force breakfast down with you, I will go to my therapist and ask for a different medication or dosage, and we'll work on the contruction later. That is what's going to happen. Everything will work out, I will not die, and everything will be fine." The timer began to ring and he turned away to pull out the cooked salmon.
"Fine." Naruto narrowed his eyes and pouted his bottom lip. "But from now on, you better be honest with me!"
"Tch." Sasuke placed the pieces of salmon on a plate and set it, along with the plate of nori, on Naruto's dining room table. He returned to the kitchen for chopsticks and glasses of water and finished setting the table. "Come get some breakfast, dobe."
The two of them sat together quietly for a moment before Naruto broke the silence. "This is really good, Sasuke. I didn't know you could cook." He smiled softly at the blank faced Uchiha who only nodded in response. "Listen, I'm sorry I freaked out on you. I know I can over-react sometimes...I just worry, ya know? I trust you to make good decisions. You're smarter than I am, you know how to take care of yourself. I'm sorry." He placed his bandaged hand on Sasuke's shoulder and stared into his mismatched eyes, smiling brightly.
The Uchiha stared back with an emotionless expression that faded the blond's smile. "Thank you."
The rest of their morning was mostly silent, with the occasional bickering over trivial things like Sasuke cleaning up the mess and refusing Naruto's help or Naruto poking and proding the Uchiha simply to get a reaction. The poking and proding soon became kissing and wrestling, as Sasuke pinned the blond down and bit at his neck. The playfulness fizzled out when the Uchiha took notice of the frog themed clock on Naruto's living room wall.
"Well, my appointment is in about twenty minutes so I should get going. Wish me luck." He brushed Naruto's messy blonde hair out of his bright blue eyes and kissed him tenderly on the lips.
"I should get to the contruction site actually. I can walk you to your appointment. It's on the way..." He stared hopefully at the blank expression on Sasuke's face that transitioned into happiness.
"Yeah, I'd like that. Let's go."
~0~o~0~
When the two shinobi reached the mental health clinic, they awkwardly stared at one another and said quiet goodbyes. Naruto lingered for a moment, watching Sasuke walk up the steps and disappear behind the large wooden double doors. He breathed a heavy sigh and scrunched his face with worry before heading towards the unfinished library.
Inside the clinic, Sasuke sat impatiently in the waiting room. His legs were crossed and his fingers tapped rythymically against his knee. He stared around the bland room, feeling his sleep deprivation creep back into him as he examined the black and white photos that were sprinkled along the eggshell white walls. He began to nod off when he heard a sharp voice pierce through the deafening silence.
"Uchiha, Sasuke." A stout, bored looking woman peered up from her clipboard at the waiting room's only occupant. "She's ready for you now."
The tired Uchiha nodded and rose from his seat. He followed the woman down a brightly lit narrow hallway and nodded again once they reached his destination. He entered the room quietly and took a seat, watching his therapist rummage through her filing cabinet and pull out a manilla folder with Sasuke's name on it. She adjusted her glasses and took a seat at her desk.
"So, Sasuke. I understand that you began taking your new medication yesterday. Is that correct?" She peered up at him and tapped her pen against the desk.
"Yes." His voice was clear and even and his posture was straight.
"How did your first day go? Did you experience any episodes of anger or the need to hold back any rage? How did you feel?" She continued the pen tapping and held her gaze on Sasuke's face, examining his expression.
"I didn't experience any anger, I felt pretty calm most of the day. But there are some things I'm concerned about." He shifted his position and cleared his throat as his therapist raised a neatly trimmed eyebrow. "I think I'm experiencing some side affects and they could become a problem."
"Oh? What sort of side effects?" She seemed to perk up upon hearing his statement and re-adjusted her glasses.
"Well, I can't eat or sleep. At all. I had to force breakfast down this morning and honestly, I wanted to purge it almost immediately. And last night even though I was exhausted, I could not fall asleep no matter how hard I tried." He held eye contact as he spoke and focused on speaking clearly despite his tiredness.
"I see. Is that all then? Nothing else?" She leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms.
"No. That's it." He narrowed his eyes at her lax behavior.
"Well then, I don't see the problem. Those are common side effects. You may experience sleepless nights and a loss of apetite. Weight loss is also normal. However, if you experience seizures, suicidal thoughts or actions, or frequent vomiting then there certainly is a problem with the medication but these side effects you are experiencing now are minor. You will continue the prescription as is." She broke eye contact to scribble something down in her file.
"So, what you're saying is that I have to just deal with being dizzy and passing out as a normal every day experience? You don't see this as a problem?" He swallowed and felt his hand twitch.
"Just be sure to rest accordingly. I'm sure that the Hokage will understand if you need to take a day off every now and then. There are plenty of able bodied shinobi to work on the construction sites, your absence should not cause a problem."
"Are you sure that a lower dosage isn't an option? I mean, I'd really rather not have to worry about being too weak to work." He stared blankly at her frowning face.
"I'm sorry, Sasuke, but with your mental state, a high dosage such as this is much needed. And you've stated that it did improve your mood. By lowering the dosage we will be putting it's effectiveness at risk." She repositioned herself in her seat, sitting straighter. "Now then, since that matter has been settled, why don't we move on to our usual questions?" She pulled a few crisp papers from Sasuke's file and placed them evenly on her desk.
"Sure." He felt numb.
~0~o~0~
When Naruto arrived at the construction site, Kiba had already begun his work. He stood at the top of a ladder, staple gun in hand. Upon hearing the blond approach him, he stepped down and turned towards him, tossing the staple gun aside.
"What the hell did you do to Hinata?" He bared his fangs and narrowed his eyes.
Naruto felt his blood freeze in his veins as his heart stopped. "I-I just told her that I didn't want a relationship but I'd like to stay friends...why do you look so angry? What did I do? I thought I went about it pretty nicely." He focused all of his energy on staying calm.
"She came to me teary eyed and heart broken last night. She cried on my shoulder for at least an hour. Nicely my ass! You made her think everything was going great and then out of nowhere you just tell her you aren't interested? Do you know how shitty that is? You fucking crushed her!" He balled his fists as Akamaru growled at his side.
"Listen, I didn't mean to hurt her...you know I'm not good at this kind of thing...I wasn't trying to lead her on, I'm just too friendly I guess. I didn't wan't to hurt her...I really didn't" He pleaded desperately, attempting to get through to his friend. "Please understand."
"Understand? I don't understand...how could you throw away her love? You were so lucky and you didn't even care. She was ready to give you everything and you just pushed her aside! She's the perfect woman and she was all yours. And now she's broken." He turned his head away, unable to look at the blond. "I bet Sasuke is beyond happy. I bet he's the one who made you change your mind. He hates her for no good reason. Did he convince you to throw her away? Did he brainwash you into thinking you don't need her?"
"Sasuke had nothing to do with it! I made this decision on my own! And he doesn't even know yet...I purposely didn't tell him yet because I knew he'd get all smug around her and I don't want this to be any harder on her than it already is."
"Sasuke is a piece of shit. If he throws his victory in her face I swear to God-"
"He's not going to throw his victory in her face! I'll talk to him, I just wanted to wait just in case he got too cocky-"
"So you admit it then? You turning Hinata down means that he wins? You chose him over her? I thought you just said he had nothing to do with it!" His fists were trembling.
"I-I..." Naruto stared at the ground and bit his lower lip. He searched his brain for the right words, desperately trying to think of a convincing argument.
"You can't let him control your life Naruto. You've always let him control you. When he left you risked everything to get him back and now that he's back you're sacrificing everything to keep him happy. But what about you? Grow a pair of balls you pathetic fucking child. Choose what makes you happy, not him."
"But he is what makes me happy!"
They stared wide-eyed at eachother for a moment. Naruto's heart was racing and his body felt heavy with shock. Fuck, fuck, fuck! I did not just say that!
"He makes you happy?...what the hell is that supposed to mean?" He frowned and raised an eyebrow at the trembling blond.
"He's my best friend, Kiba. He's finally home and I just don't want him to leave again. I just meant that our friendship is important to me. And the Hinata thing...he really didn't have any part in it. I decided she wasn't right for me on my own." He stared hopefully at Kiba, inwardly praying that he had convinced him.
"Whatever, Naruto. You guys are fucking weird. And turning down Hinata is definitely weird. If I were the one she wanted, I would have fucking cherished it. I would have given her everything. But no, it was you she wanted. And the saddest thing about it was that I thought out of all the guys I know, you'd be the most kind and protective of her. I hoped that you would give her what she deserved since I couldn't, but you just threw it all away. You had everything I wanted and it didn't even matter to you." He bit his bottom lip and glared at the ground, fighting back tears.
"Uzumaki, Naruto." The blond whipped his head around to find an anbu knealing before him. "The Hokage has requested for you to see him in his office." After recieving confirmation from the blond, who nodded in aknowledgement, he flickered and dissappeared with a flash.
"Kiba...please don't be angry with me. I gotta go, but I'll explain everything later. Just don't think I'm a bad person, I have my reasons." He recieved no response from the brunett as he kept his head lowered towards the ground. Just please don't hate me when you find out the truth.
~0~o~0~
When Naruto entered Kakashi's office, the masked Hokage was sitting indian style on the top of his desk. An Icha Icha book in hand and stacks of paperwork surrounding him, the blond could only assume that he was procrastinating. When he heard the wiskered nin open the door, he looked lazily up from his book and signaled a smile with his curved eyes.
"Good morning, Naruto!" He closed his book and set it aside, focussing his attention on the distraught looking blonde.
"Good morning, Kakashi-sensei. So what's this about? I'm not in trouble am I?" He narrowed his eyes at the silver haired man who simply laughed in response.
"No, no, not at all. I recieved word from the Kazekage that he'd like for you to come speak at Suna's ninja acadamy. He said you're the most inspirational person he knows, and since the kids all know who you are and look up to you, he thought it would be good for them to hear from their hero what being a shinobi is all about."
"Really?" Naruto's face lit up as he pumped his fist into the air. "Alright! I haven't seen Gaara since the end of the war! And talking to kids who think I'm a hero sounds totally cool! I can't wait to go inspire the hell outta those little ninjas!" His grin covered the majority of his face and Kakashi laughed at his enthusiasm.
"I'm glad to see you so excited. I figured you would be." He plucked a paper from one of the surrounding piles and examined it for a moment. "Oh, looks like you'll have to leave tomorrow to get there on time. Sorry, I meant to pass on this information sooner but I got lost on the path of endless paperwork."
"No biggie. I've been so bored with all this construction work. I'm glad to have something to do, don't get me wrong, but after months of just building stuff...I could use a change-up." He put his hands behind his head and flashed his signiture squinty-eyed smile.
"Well good luck to you, Naruto. I'm sure you'll be great. Now, if you'll excuse me, I should probably get a start on these files before the counsel throws a hissy fit...again. See you when you get back!" He scooted himself off of his desk and began sifting through endless folders.
"Thanks, Kakashi-sensei. See ya!" With a much brighter mood, the blonde left smiling, with anticipation to relay the good news to his Uchiha lover.
~0~o~0~
When Naruto returned to the construction site, Sasuke was working quite a distance away from Kiba. Both boys were wearing dark expressions and working much faster than usual. Naruto approached the site cautiously and quietly asked the Uchiha what had happened, to which he replied with a grunt and sigh, without pausing his work. The rest of the day was awkward between the three as no one said a single word. When the day had come to an end, Kiba left with Akamaru without so much as a 'goodbye'.
"So, Sasuke, wanna come to my place for a bit? There's a bunch of stuff I wanna talk to you about! Plus, you still need to tell me about your appointment. I'll even give you one of my ramen cups if you're nice." He laughed and punched his friend lightly on the shoulder.
The Uchiha was anamused. "Yeah, sure, I guess." He stuffed his hands in his pockets and stared at the ground as he walked.
"Something wrong?" Naruto's smile faded into a frown as he examined the gloomy Uchiha.
There was no response from the raven-haired nin as he filled the air with an awkward silence that hung over them until they reached the blond's apartment.
"Tondaime" Naruto whispered to himself in habit as he lead Sasuke into his home.
"Why do you always say that? It's kind of pathetic." He rolled his eyes as he slid his sandals off.
"Don't be a douche, Sasuke. I meant it when I said you'd only get a ramen cup if you were nice. And so far, you're watching me eat one." He narrowed his eyes at Sasuke's poker face and made his way to the living room, where he plopped himself down on a dingy orange couch. He smiled at the Uchiha and patted the seat next to him. "Come sit with me, teme."
With a sigh, Sasuke obeyed the blond's order. "So what is it you wanted to talk to me about?"
"Well first off, you need to tell me about your appointment. I have to know what happened now or I'll die. And then you gotta tell me what the hell happened between you and Kiba. And then I'll tell you my thing." He put his hands behind his head and leaned back. He stared at the Uchiha, eagerly waiting for his response.
Sasuke stared blankly at him for a moment before sighing and rubbing his eyes tiredly. "My therapist won't change my prescription. She said that since this medication is working and the side-effects are only minor, she doesn't want to mess with it. And the Kiba thing isn't important."
"Minor?...Minor?! What the hell? How is not being able to eat or sleep a 'minor' problem? I should go fuck her face up with my Giant Rasengan!" He breathed heavily, his chest heaving, arms flailing.
"You're kind of sexy when you get all protective." Sasuke smirked at the raging blond.
"I'm just so pissed! It's not fair!" He balled his fists and glared at the floor.
"I can handle it, Naruto. I promise if I feel like I can't handle the work, I'll just rest up. I'll take it easy, I'll make this work." He ruffled the blond's hair playfully for reassurance.
"Okay...I trust you...I'm still pissed about this though." He crossed his arms and pouted. "So tell me the Kiba thing. I'm just gonna bug you until you do so just give it up, teme."
"Nothing really happened, dobe. When I got there he was being all pissy and wasn't talking and I was in a bad mood because of what happened with my therapist so we didn't talk. Not that we would have spoken to each other anyway. So calm down." He stared at his lap as he spoke and fidgeted with the excess material on his black pants.
"Oh. Thank god, I thought you two got into a fight or something." He sighed his relief and perked up. "So are you ready for my thing now?" He smiled brightly at Sasuke who looked completely uninterested.
"Whatever. Let me hear it."
"I'm going to Suna! Gaara wants me to come talk to the acadamy students about what it means to be a shinobi and give an inspiring speech and stuff! Apparently those kids see me as a hero or whatever. Pretty cool, huh? I'm really excited, I really need a break from the same old daily rutine, ya know? Without missions, I've been getting pretty restless and this sounds like it could be pretty fun. I'm hoping I can get Gaara to spar with me...I mean, I know he's the Kazekage and he's busy and all that but man that would be so awesome!" He spoke excitedly, incorporating hand movements and detailed facial expressions to convey his feelings.
Sasuke stared back, blank faced. "You're leaving? For how long?"
The blond scratched the back of his head and pondered his answer for a moment. "Well, Let's see, it takes three days to get there...so three days to get back too...and, well, I'm not sure how long I'll stay there. I was thinking a couple of days at least. So I guess I'll be gone for a little over a week."
Sasuke's eye twitched. "I hope you have a good time." Over a week? I'm going to be alone for over a week?! "When are you leaving?"
"Tomorrow."
"...Tomorrow?..." What? You can't just up and leave me here all alone like this out of nowhere!
"Hey, is something wrong?" Naruto's smile faded as he sensed the Uchiha's unhappiness.
"No, just tired is all. I think it's cool that you have this opportunity. I'm sure the kids will enjoy the pep talk."
"I'm kinda worried about it though...I mean what if they're expecting some super cool tough guy and then it's just me, a dorky idiot wearing an orange jumpsuit?"
"At least they'll get a good laugh." He smirked at the clearly offended blond. "So since you're going to be gone for while, you should let me stay the night." He ran his hand down Naruto's thigh and nipped at his neck. If they were going to be apart for a while, he was at least going to get a farewell fuck. One last act of intimacy before he was left alone.
"Aw, you're going to miss me aren't you, teme?"
"Tch. I just want to get laid a few more times before you leave me sexually frustrated for a week." He smirked and unzipped the blond's bright orange pants.
"A few?! Damn, teme, who would've guessed you were such a horny freak?"
"Just shut up, already." He got down on his knees and pulled Naruto's pants off and tossed them aside.
"Nnngh!" The blond gasped and clutched the dingy fabric of his couch as the Uchiha deep throated him. Sasuke wasn't going slow this time, he was going down on him like it was his mission. "Unf, Sasuke..."
The Uchiha's head bopped up and down, pausing only to twist his tongue around the tip of Naruto's erect penis. He massaged the spot just below it, earning him a husky moan from the blond. He ran his tongue from base to tip while making eye contact with the wiskered nin who bit his bottom lip until he broke skin. A small drop of blood formed at the surface.
Sasuke wiped his mouth and got to his feet. He leaned over the blond, kissed his lips, and licked the blood away. He stared into his eyes for a moment before grabbing his hands and pulling him off of the couch. Their lips met again, parting and welcoming each other's tongues. They kissed for what seemed like an eternity before the Uchiha broke away and bent down, wrapping his arms around the blond's thighs to pull him up, prompting him to wrap his legs around Sasuke's waist.
Sasuke held onto Naruto tightly, kissing his neck and nipping at his ear, as he carried him down the hall. He kicked Naruto's bedroom door open, without losing his balance, and threw the blond onto his bed.
"You may want to grab your pillow, Naruto. I'm going to fucking wreck you." The blond's eyes widened, his cheeks flushed. "I'm serious."
Sasuke unzipped his pants, letting them fall to the floor and kicked them aside as he pulled his shirt off. He stared at the blushing blond for a moment before climbing on top of him. He bit and sucked at his tan neck and led a trail of kisses down his torso, stopping at his crotch. He grabbed the blond's legs and wrapped them around his neck before wetting his finger and slipping it into the whiskered nin.
"Nnngh! Sasuke! Fuck!" Naruto gasped and moaned as Sasuke's finger penetrated him. He added another finger when he felt the blond loosen up and pressed his mouth against the other's to swallow the screams.
When his boner was starting to become painful, he slipped his fingers out and, after lubing his dick, he pressed it against Naruto's entrance. He looked to the blond for the 'okay' and as soon as Naruto nodded, he pushed himself into him. He thrusted against the blond with progressing speed, using one hand to stroke Naruto's hard-on.
Sasuke bit his bottom lip and moved his hips as fast as he could. He gripped Naruto's muscular legs tightly, unconsciously digging his nails into him. He broke skin and blood slowly trickled down, sliding onto his tan thighs and dripping onto the bed sheets. The blond screamed a mixture of pain and pleasure, which encouraged Sasuke to go harder. Sweat surfaced on the both of them as they panted and grunted, rocking their bodies to the rhythm of eachother's movements.
"Unf!" Naruto's head flew back as his back arched. His hands grasped the sheets and pulled them into a death grip.
"Say my name." He thrusted as hard as he could into the blond. "Say my fucking name."
"Sasuke!" He screamed his name and sent his hands searching for a pillow which he quickly smashed into his face, biting it hard.
"Unghhh" The raven-haired nin had completed his mission. He released his load inside of Naruto as he exploded on Sasuke's chest.
Panting, Sasuke layed beside Naruto. They listened to each other's breathing as they willed their bodies to cool down.
"It smells like hot steamy sex in here. We should get cleaned up. And, uh, I'm probably gonna have to change my sheets too." Naruto stood, and the Uchiha followed him to the bathroom where they freshened up.
Once they were nice and squeaky clean, Sasuke followed Naruto back into his bedroom, where the blond sifted through his dresser drawers. He cursed under his breath and scratched his head before he pulled out a pair of pajama pants and shirt that he threw to Sasuke.
The Uchiha looked down and frowned at the clothes in his hands. "You can't be serious, dobe. I'm not wearing this! You couldn't pay me enough..." He tossed the clothes back only to have them shoved back into his chest.
"Just put the damn clothes on, teme! It's the best I can do, sorry." He glared at the Uchiha and turned away to put his own pajamas on.
Sasuke stared at the brightly colored fabric in his grasp, eye twitching. Giving in to the cold air against his naked flesh, he grudgingly put them on. He stood angrily, now dressed in baby blue pants sprinkled with images of smiling green frog heads and a bright yellow shirt sporting the Ichiraku Ramen logo.
"Never in all my life have I ever-"
"Bahahaha!" The blond errupted in laughter, falling to his knees and clutching his stomach. "You look so cute! No, cute is an understatement! You are just absolutely precious! This is the greatest thing I've ever seen. Where is my camera?..."
"Shut up! You are not taking a picture of me in this horrendous outfit!" He spoke through gritted teeth and activated his sharingan.
The blond ignored his threat and tapped his chin before throwing his finger in the air. "Oh! I remember where I put it!"
"Naruto! I swear to GOD if you-" The blond was already darting out of the room and half-way down the hall before he could finish his sentence. "USURATONKACHI, GET BACK HERE!" He raced towards him and tackled him to the gound, pinning both of his arms behind his back and straddling his ass.
"Get off and accept your fate, teme! I'm getting that picture!" He twisted his body and shoved his feet into sasuke's chest, kicking him off. He clumsily stood and darted forward, skidding to a halt in front of a shelf in his living room. He stood on his tippy toes and reached for a shiny orange camera that was perched on the highest shelf. He wiped the dust off with his shirt and grinned devilishly.
"Put that god-damned camera down. Now." The Uchiha growled and clenched his fists. "I don't want to have to kill you, Naruto, I'm quite fond of you...but if it comes down to it, I won't hesitate."
"Smile, teme!" The blond raised the camera in front of his grinning face and a blinding flash filled the room. The only image he had captured was that of an outraged Uchiha tackling him to the ground. Camera flashes filled the room like a poparazi convention, stealing still shots of blurred yellow and black, angry and humorous facial expressions, fists flying, and legs kicking.
"Give me the camera, you little shit!" Sasuke's voice broke as he yelled at the top of his lungs. Naruto continued giggling like a school girl and stretched his arm and far as he could, keeping the thing just out of the Uchiha's reach. "Son of a bitch, Naruto! I'm not playing, if these photos are viewed by a single soul I will rip yours right out of your body and send you straight to hell, you damned moron!"
"Oi, Sasukeee-kun, don't be such a Debby-downer! You look fabulous! There's no shame in being so glam, although being THIS glam really should be a crime. I've never seen such a pretty princess in my life!"
"Okay FIRST of all, NEVER call me a 'pretty princess' or I swear to God I will castrate you. SECOND of all, these are YOUR clothes you idiot. So technically you're insulting yourself!" He glared at the giggling blond as he continued his efforts to grab the camera as Naruto restrained him.
"But I'm not insulting you, you really are totally glam right now. And I KNOW that I look stunning in those P.J.'s so I'm not insulting myself either. So, calm down, princess."
That was it. He had done it. Sasuke felt his entire body combust into flames as he broke free from Naruto's grip and snatched the camera from his hand. He immediately opened the back of it to pull the film out. His plan, of course, had been to destroy the evidence. To his surprise, he had found the film slot to be empty. He dropped the camera and locked his fuming gaze on the blond who was rolling on the floor, laughing uncontrollably.
"Oh, man, teme." He wiped tears from his blue eyes. "You were so freaked out! That was the funniest thing ever, oh man, you should have seen your face! I've never seen you get so worked up before."
"Tch." Wait a minute...i did get really worked up, didn't I? But this medication...I've been a zombie...oh my god..I forgot to take my second pill today! He stared wide eyed at the floor and clenched his fists. How could I be so irresponsible? But, being with Naruto like this...actually feeling emotion, letting him affect me with his ridiculous antics...I'll just enjoy this one last night with him before he goes and be more responsible in the future. Just one night to feel like myself again.
"Oh come on, teme. I won't tell anyone about this. Don't be all gloomy." He smiled at the Uchiha and flashed a peace sign.
"Oh I'm not being gloomy, dobe. I'm just plotting my revenge. And you know how good I am at revenge. If I were you, I'd be terrified." He smirked at the blond as his eyes darkened.
A few tackles and wresting matches later, both men were spent. Panting with exhaustion, they decided to head to bed where Naruto layed his head against Sasuke's chest. The Uchiha played with messy blond hair until the wiskered nin fell asleep, quietly snoring and randomly twitching against his smiling boyfriend.
When morning came, Naruto greeted his sunshine-lit room with a smile and quietly slid out of bed to shower and pack his bags. He stole glances at the peaceful Uchiha, who looked graceful even in his sleep, as he scurried around his room collecting his travel necessities. A kiss to his pale forehead, woke the Uchiha sweetly. He blinked at the glowing man above him and smiled back.
"Good morning, teme."
"Stop saying 'teme' as if it's a pet name, dobe." He smirked and sat up, rubbing the sleepiness away from his blurry eyes.
"I've gotta get going, Sasuke. I just wanted to make sure I said goodbye to you first." His smile faded a little as sadness crept into his big blue eyes. "I had a lot of fun last night. So, since I know you wont say it, I will. I'll miss you."
"Tch." He slid out of bed and retrieved his clothes from the day before, swaping out Naruto's ridiculous P.j.'s with his dark bruting attire. "Good luck, dobe. Have fun."
A passionate kiss and awkward hug later, the two shinobi parted ways. Sasuke headed to his empty house and forced down another pill and Naruto walked through the konoha gates into the sunrise, making his way to Suna.
I'm gonna miss you, dobe. i hope I can keep it together without you here.
A/N: Whew! Long ass chapter guys. Sorry. It may have been painful to read. Hopefully not too painful, though. -.-; ANYWAY next chapter...shit's gonna go down. Yep, prepare yourselves, the drama train has left the station! Prepare your bodies *cough* sorry, eh, minds? FOR ANGST, LOT'S OF ANGST. Ohhh the brutal heavy darkness that awaits you...perhaps I've said too much *scurries away* ...*scurries back* I forgot to mention, I will try my best to get this next chapter out within a week...I MAKE NO PROMISES because work and stuff. UGH. But yeah, Imma try guys, Imma try. Please let me know what you thought, reviews are just the best thing ever, I love hearing from you guys. Love you all, have a good day/night/forever 3