Naruto's P.O.V.
"I'm am proud to present the new wing of the VA hospital, dedicated by the Senju clan, for the purpose of helping amputees get proper fitting prosthetics so the can lead happier more fulfilling lives. This is a great honor and I'm so happy we could join forces to honor the veterans that have done so much for us. A great achievement, congratulations." I said cutting the ribbon to the new wing. The crowd clapped and took pictures. I posed for a few then went inside and talked to the veterans. They were so happy I could open this clinic, and honestly I was ecstatic to do that for them. It was something I could really be proud of as mayor. Yeah the budget is still a mess, but this didn't cost all that much, and with the help of the Senju clan, I think we really made a difference today. Once we finished there my team took me back to the office. We went over the budget, and then took a look at project proposals. After a while, we sort of got a little bored.
"So Temari and I are thinking about driving up to the Sand in a couple weeks… maybe elope…" Shikamaru said throwing a tennis ball above his head as he spun around in his chair.
"I thought you said eloping wasn't a good thing." I mumbled.
"For a future mayor at the time, and aren't you glad you didn't marry him now?" No, I'm not, if I had married him before all of this I could have been in the room with him for the interviews, I could have conjugal visits with him, have more rights concerning him and knowing his wellbeing instead of having to be informed three days later via Jiraiya. I should have married him a long time ago. I didn't say anything.
"Why is everyone getting married and having babies. We're twenty three man!" Kiba said, putting his feet on the desk and running his hands through his hair. "First Naruto, now Choji and you Shikamaru, when is this madness gonna end?"
"Well it's mostly because none of us ever use condoms. And Temari and I were at least engaged before we got pregnant. So two weeks, it's already being planned, Naruto, best man?"
"Sure."
"I'm gonna hold you to it. Bachelor's party next Thursday?"
"I'm visiting Sasuke next Thursday. First time they're letting me see him."
"So we'll go after, come on Naruto, you might need a pick me up after all of that."
"Maybe." Choji came in with the food orders and started passing them out.
"Hey, Bachelor's party Thursday." Shikamaru said to him as he took his lunch.
"I'm in but my girl could have the baby any day so no promises." He said handing me my lunch and sitting next to Shikamaru.
"Who else is going?" Kiba asked.
"I invited Lee."
"Who might bring Neji..." Choji said between bites. I pushed my lunch towards him. I'm really not hungry.
"Is that okay Naruto?"
"What?"
"Dude, listen, Shika's inviting Lee."
"Yeah, sure it's fine." I said getting up and going to my office. I just can't handle their joy right now. I know I'm bringing them down, I can feel it. But what am I supposed to do? Continue my happy life when my fiancé is in prison? It just doesn't feel right. I sat down at my desk and started doing some proposals, when my phone rang.
"Hello."
"Mr. Uzumaki, I have Sasuke Uchiha from County Correctional on the line." My secretary said.
"Yes, please put him through." There were a few beeps before I heard Sasuke's voice.
"Naruto." My heart skipped a beat, it was the first time I'd heard his voice in three weeks.
"Hey Sasuke. How are you doing?"
"I'm managing. How are you?" Awful, lonely, miserable…
"I'm doing okay, we opened a new wing at the VA this morning."
"Yeah I saw it on the news, you looked really great." I blushed, I don't know why but I did.
"Thank you. I wish you were there."
"Trust me, I wish I was there too… How's Mikoshina?"
"She had a fever a few days ago."
"What? A fever? Is she okay? She's never been sick before."
"She's fine, took her about ten minutes to recover, I guess she really is mine." He chuckled softly. "She misses you, are you sure I can't bring her with me on Thursday?"
"I'm sure. I don't want her to see me like this Naruto."
"She has to see you some time."
"When she's older and she can handle it, like when she's twelve or something."
"Twelve? Sasuke."
"I'm serious Naruto, this can't be the image she has of me stuck in her head for the rest of her life."
"I guess so…"
"Can you send me some pictures of her?"
"Of course."
"Thank you."
"How are things there? Jiraiya said you got into a fight, needed stiches?"
"Only a few, I'm the new guy here, that's just the way it goes around here."
"Oh…" What do I say now? "And the detoxing?"
"It's pretty brutal."
"Why didn't you tell me about the drugs Sasuke?" I head a loud voice through the phone, but couldn't exactly hear what they said.
"Look I gotta go, will you be there on Thursday?"
"Absolutely. I love you Sasuke."
"Love you too." He hung up the phone. He sounds so beaten and broken. And he's omitting so much from me. I feel like he didn't tell me anything. I know he's probably going through a lot, but just tell me. I'm still here, Sasuke, I'm staying with you, I'm here. Just talk to me, tell me what's going on. Tell me what you're going through. I was going to marry you, be your husband for the rest of our lives, you could have told me everything. You still can. Just talk to me… please. But he won't, he's just leaving me in the dark. And the dark is a very scary place for me.
Sasuke's P.O.V.
"Alright inmates, yard time. Move out." I walked out to the yard and met up with Zabuza who was in the outdoor weight room.
"Hey."
"Got phone privileges back?"
"Yeah…"
"Call your fiancé?"
"I'm not even sure if we're that anymore." I said picking up some free weights and doing bicep curls.
"At least you can talk to him. I'd do anything to talk to Haku again."
"What happened that he ended up as a hooker?"
"A lot. We never walked the straight and narrow. I've been in and out of prison my whole life, back in the Mist. We met in juvi, I was almost eighteen, he was eleven, he got popped for stealing bread or something like that, his family was real poor. We fell in love, got married when he turned sixteen and never looked back. There's not a lot of job prospects for two high school drop outs with a record. He started hooking when he was like thirteen, I took up some murder for hire jobs. We made it work for a long time, we were happy." Poor Haku, hooking at thirteen? I mean, I was homeless at thirteen, Itachi was in college and we'd sleep in the student lounge or the computer lab of the engineering complex, but I didn't start hooking until I was twenty, to imagine going through that then… it's scary. I guess I didn't have it as rough as I thought.
"Hey, don't look like that. Haku likes his job. He'd do anything for me, and I him. Can you say that about you and your partner?" I thought for a moment.
"Yes, I can." That's why I'm in here.
"How'd you even fall in with the Akatsuki man?"
"You saw my testimony."
"Yeah, the whole prison did. Thing is, I know when someone's lying."
"Oh please."
"Come on, give it up. What'd they offer you? No one willingly has sex with those creeps, even if they're getting blackmailed."
"Yeah, well I did." I looked across the weight room where the musicians were working out.
"Out of the frying pan and into the fire, you're gonna have to get their curse mark sooner or later, be Jirobo's bitch if you want protection."
"Not gonna happen, I'll figure something out."
"Hey, out there you might be a tough guy, but in here, you're nothing but a pussy. Literally. May as well spread your legs for the top dog before the Jinukriki have you killed."
"I'll manage."
"Will you?"
"Yes Zabuza."
"Sasuke, you're not eating, you've never killed anyone, and you're detoxing, you are not strong enough for prison. Suck it up and swallow a dick."
"Would you tell that to Haku?"
"Haku had been in the system long enough to be able to protect himself, but yes, I would, in fact I hope he's sitting on someone's dick for protection right now."
"And what about STDs or birth control? Not to mention the fact that my partner, the one I left to raise my child by himself, is already hurt enough that I cheated on him with countless men, I'm not going to hurt him more by getting knocked up or herpies."
"Guess what kid? You've already hurt him. Sooner or later he's gonna dump your ass and move on, may as well move on while you still can get some protection from them."
"No."
"Fine be stubborn, get your shit rocked everyday for all I care." He said moving around me to do pull-ups. I rolled my eyes and moved on, heading towards Dosu who was working out by himself.
"Heard you got a phone call today." It was so painful talking to him. I wish everyone would stop reminding me.
"What's it to you?"
"Nothing. Orochimaru said he wanted me to give you another gift. Was the last one to your liking?"
"It was weak." I said reluctantly. I really didn't want to take it, but my body forced me to. It really did give me some relief. Just enough to crave more, which, I'm pretty sure, is exactly what Orochimaru wanted.
"I'll slip you more at dinner."
"A stronger batch."
"Sure." Fuck.
