Only After Dark

Chapter Four

Sasuke absolutely hates not being in control.

It's not that he's a completely anal about everything. No, he doesn't care what he eats for dinner as long as it is edible. He doesn't care if there is traffic on the roads that are normally clear. He doesn't even care whenever the person cutting his hair accidentally snips off a little bit too much; after all, it'll grow back.

But Sasuke completely loathes not being in control of his mind and his body.

They are his after all. He should be able to dictate where his thoughts go, what moods he wishes to be in, and how his body reacts to certain situations. So why is it that when faced with the color of sunshine and the sea does he lose focus to even form a coherent sentence?

Sasuke's bland gaze drags around the room that he is in, dispassionately wondering if by some miracle a pit to Hell might just open up and let him fall right in. After all he already feels like he is going through Hell, so he might as well add the whole experience of fire and other torture as well.

And it really is torture.

Day in and day out just going through the motions to survive…Sasuke feels like he's going insane. Who in the world is Naruto? Sasuke can't get very far on a first name alone, but he hadn't been able to think clearly enough to demand a last name as well.

Come to think of it…how did he know my name?

Sasuke pauses at this thought and his brows furrow as he hauls himself off of the bed. He didn't give the man his name the first night, he is positive. Everything happened so quick and it was so heated…and he knows the second time he didn't either. So how had Naruto known his name?

He crosses his arms over his chest and scowls at whatever is within eye shot. The place really is nice, and Uchiha's know a little thing or two about nice. The walls are painted a warm brown, cut off a few feet off of the ground by dark brown molding that leads to a burgundy color that just seems to work.

The couch he has been sitting on up until now has light brown cushions with a dark brown frame, tons of pillows ranging from brown to burgundy to even the occasional black and a dark green are piled randomly against the back of the couch, and a little throw the color of mocha is thrown over a loveseat off to the side.

There is not T.V, which is something Sasuke doesn't quite understand, but there is a tall book case across from the couch against the wall where a T.V should be, and this baffles him even more. Who wants to stay in a motel in the middle of the city that has no T.V?

Well, Sasuke would, but he isn't too fond of technology to begin with. He grew up without watching much of it, and so he didn't need it to entertain himself. He found other ways to enjoy his time. Like running, or practicing martial arts. Those were not only fun, but great exercise as well. Itachi said he would grow up to be one of those people who were obsessed with fitness. Sasuke told him that he didn't see how that was a bad thing.

He moves over to the book case and drops his arms as he leans in close to examine some of the titles along the spines. Again he finds himself surprised. Most of them are in a variety of different languages. The most prominent, however, is Japanese and English. A strange combination that has Sasuke thinking back to the blond haired man and he is struck with the realization that they had been speaking in Japanese even though he clearly remembers having automatically assumed the male was from America.

How peculiar. He scrunches his brows together and looks around the room again, noting for the first time that the books aren't the only strange things about this particular penthouse suite. Slowly Sasuke begins to move over to the opposite side of the room, drawing up to a group of dark framed pictures arranged in an oval type pattern with each sporting a head of blonde hair and striking blue eyes.

For a moment Sasuke is riveted on the man in the pictures, taking in the tanned features and bright smile. And then he begins to note that each picture frame also houses another face.

Even Sasuke has to admit that the man is handsome. His grey hair has nothing to do with old age, his face still holding a youthful appearance even though his smiles are barely an upward curve of his lips. The slightly too-long locks are brushed over the left side of his face, covering most of it, though the strong bridge of his nose is easily seen.

A single black colored eye stares out from the shade of his bangs and pale olive skin gives hint to his Japanese heritage, even when his facial features don't quite meet.

In all of the pictures he is touching Naruto in some way. Be it a arm around the back of his neck or a hand on his shoulder, or in one in particular that Sasuke's eyes keep sliding back to their cheeks are pressed together and while Naruto looks exceptionally happy the other man looks mildly annoyed but in an amused way.

Sasuke takes a step back away from the wall, horrified, but he can't seem to take his eyes away from the photographs. The two men look nothing alike and even though the grey haired man seems slightly older there is no possible way that he is old enough to be Naruto's father or even an uncle. The way that they are so easy with touching each other has Sasuke feeling sick to his stomach, and the sheer number of photos has him shaking his head in slight denial. But he can't push it away, the realization that comes out of nowhere to try and sweep him off of his feet and it nearly works as he staggers and braces himself against the wall with a hand.

The man in the photos has to be Naruto's lover. No, lover just doesn't seem right, and neither does boyfriend. But it's clear to Sasuke that they have a very, very deep bond. A very deep love for each other.

Sasuke gasps in air because suddenly he feels as if he can't breathe and this time it has nothing to do with being absolutely taken in by blonde hair and blue eyes. No, this is painful, and Sasuke claws at his chest as he doubles over and stares wide-eyed at the floor.

What's wrong with me?

He falls to his knees, gasping and sputtering and coughing as he tries to suck in air that his lungs won't let in. He doesn't understand it, why is his body going out of control? Why can't he breathe? He blinks and moans as the left side of his chest experiences a flare of pain and he bends his back to rest his forehead against the soft carpet beneath him.

Why does the thought of Naruto with another man affect him like this?

He knew he should have left as soon as he woke up. Huddled over on the floor now he can't even remember what had made him stay. It is a hotel room, did he expect Naruto to come back? To say everything is fine and that he didn't really leave him alone again?

But now Sasuke knows. This isn't just a penthouse suite. No, no. It is something much, much worse than that that Naruto has brought him to and abandoned him in. This is Naruto's getaway with his lover, the place they must come to be together, a place that they must own together.

When Sasuke hears the opening of a door he jerks up right, still panting and clutching at his chest, and falls to the side even as he swings around on his knees. His back hits the wall with a loud thud and he cringes at the discomfort of the fall before panting and looking up through his bangs.

Standing there on the other side of the room, just a few steps inside of the now open door stands a very tall man that Sasuke immediately recognizes as the man from the photographs. He is staring at Sasuke, surprised, uncomprehending. The keys in his hands rattle as they fall to the ground and land with a decisive clicking of metal against metal.

Then the look of surprise is gone and Sasuke struggles up to stand although he is still leaning against the wall when the man's face morphs into something dark, something angry. Sasuke tries to speak but he can't with the pain in his chest still causing him to fight for air and so he just starts to shake his head back and forth in denial.

I didn't know, he chants in his mind as the grey haired man takes a step his way. He shakes his head harder, I didn't know. The man draws closer and Sasuke shrinks under his gaze. Normally he wouldn't do such a thing. Uchiha's don't cower to other people, no matter what the situation, but with Sasuke barely able to breathe he doesn't much care.

A bead of sweat rolls down the side of his face as he gasps again and the man is nearly within reaching distance as Sasuke's vision begins to go black around the edges.

I swear! I DIDN'T KNOW!

And then the man is reaching out for Sasuke and that's the last thing he sees before his world is swallowed into darkness.

….

I know you love me. So please don't kill me. Lol.

Ooooh, a hotel room that's not really a hotel room? Naruto owns a whole penthouse suite? Naruto is actually in a relationship with someone else? Who is the grey headed stranger? What will happen to Sasuke now?

So many questions... Sorry it's short, but it's meant to be that way!