So a flash back was requested, here it is. Sorry about the poorly written-ness. I couldn't quite get into the right frame of mind for it but none the less it was what needed to come next. Enjoy!
Sasuke growled deeply as he found himself wandering the paths he had so many times before. Sai had already taken all of his stuff by the time he got home and he couldn't quite stomach the thought of being in his house alone. He was soon standing outside Naruto's window as he had every night before he left, with a handful of pebbles in his hand. He used to come here for comfort, for a friend. Then one night he'd taken the leap and asked for more. His stomach tightened as he remembered that moment. Naruto had smiled, at least he thought he had for just a moment, and then he'd lost everything. He sighed and hesitantly began pegging them up at his window. May as well right? After everything that had happened, after costing him his boyfriend out of spite or whatever else, he deserved an answer. Not for what had happened that day. But what had changed that night years ago.
Naruto heard the gentle tapping but so deep in sleep the noise just changed the course of his dream. Back to before this whole mess had started, before the sleeping around, before the threats, before the first confession.
At the first tap at the window Naruto's face lit up. The most ridiculous grin split across his face and he leapt out of his chair, pausing just before he reached the window to control his expression into a calmer look. He lent out the window just in time for the next pebble to scrape across his cheek leaving a dim red mark.
"Jesus Christ Sasuke. I have a door!" He growled, still not able to resist smiling down at the older boy as he pulled a crooked grin.
"The pebbles could barely be heard on it. Come down." Naruto rolled his eyes and pulled back from the window closing it carefully behind him and chuckled. He pulled on a dark jacket and ran down the stairs two at a time to find Sasuke waiting for him outside. Sasuke smirked and lent back to look over him appreciatively.
"Not bad Naruto. You scrub up good." He laughed as Naruto struck a pose. Hand running casually through his hair, eyes closed as a few loose strands of his fringe fell back across them.
"What can I say? It's hard not to look this good when you're working with what I've got." He grinned and stuck his tongue out.
Sasuke resisted staring openly at Naruto's figure and managed to roll his eyes instead looping his arm around Naruto's shoulders pulling him against him and roughly scrunched his hair. He held that for as long as he deemed would go unnoticed, enjoying the warmth of the idiot against him then let him go and began walking.
"Come on, they're waiting for us." He grumbled, Naruto running a few steps to fall into line beside him. Sasuke glanced back at him from the corner of his eye, god he looked gorgeous, he reached back, the knuckles of his hand grazing gently against Naruto's hand. It was one of those moments where he wished Naruto would take it. Wished that no words were required to finally get through how he felt for the boy walking beside him, because the right words always seemed just out of his reach.
Naruto felt the gentle brush and moved slightly closer in the hope that the action would be repeated. Even though it might mean nothing to Sasuke, even just that touch sent shivers down his spine, his stomach curled in pleasure, his head spun as he tried to control the urge to grab him.
It wasn't long before they reached the club. A lot of Naruto's friends were there but it hadn't taken him long to end up back at Sasuke's side out on the dance floor. He was staring up at the stage, cheeks bright red as he was jostled in the crowd but the cause of his blush was he could feel Sasuke's heat beside him. Sasuke's body moving in his lazy sway to the beat. The song ended switching to a slow paced one. He turned to head back to the bar; a break for drinks sounded like a great plan anyway, but found himself trapped by a strong arm suddenly looped around his waist. He was pulled back lightly bumping into Sasuke's chest and looked up at his usual crooked grin.
"You don't want to dance with me? I'm wounded." He chuckled lightly, loosening his grip fully expecting Naruto to pull away. But he'd found a game he liked and wasn't willing to pull back to quickly. Instead he wrapped his arms gently around his waist and lent into the touch leaning his head against Sasuke's chest.
"Oh I could never say no to you." Naruto purred gently. Sasuke looked down at him and brushed his lips across the top of his head before taking a deep breath, may as well right?
He reached down and hooked one of his fingers beneath Naruto's chin, raising his head just slightly to look him in the eye and lent down so their lips brushed against each other as he whispered.
"I love you Naruto." And gently kissed his bottom lip before pulling back a normal distance away from him. The blush deepened on Naruto's cheek, a soft smile pulling at his lips gave him the courage to add. "Do you love me?"
There was a crash across the bar, drawing Sasuke's attention away from Naruto for just a moment as he watched a man slide across the bar taking down all of the drinks on his way and Neji storm out of the bar. Naruto's eyes followed the line of action but were caught on his scan across the bar by a pair of bright red eyes.
Suddenly he was alone.
Everything from the club faded to nothing and he was left in absolute silence apart from the grating sound of each of his breaths and the torturous pounding of his heart. His limbs went numb and dragged down from his body suddenly more than double their weight so he could no longer stand. He fell to the ground, finally toppling backwards as his joints felt like they were ripped to pieces. There was finally another noise through the world he was trapped in. For a moment it made Naruto smile, the adjustment from the two solid beats that were drilling into his mind was a welcome change until he recognised it as a scream. Until he realised it was him screaming.
Then there was nothing.
Nothing changed until his voice went hoarse and his screams fell silent he knew he was still screaming though, he could taste the blood from his throat. Itachi appeared from nowhere and slowly walked towards him. His measure steps hammered against the ground which was only solid under his foot. He knelt down beside Naruto and dragged him up so they were eye to eye. His red eyes digging deep into Naruto's blue. The black lines spinning as he spoke.
"The answer you'll give. The answer you'll always give him. Is no." His voice was no more than a whisper but the words sent chills down his spine. Itachi raised a dagger, slowly dragging it across his throat, one hand clamped over Naruto's mouth and he fell back to the real word without a sound. A second had passed; he was back in time to see Shikamaru run out of the room.
Shikamaru caught up to Neji and gently grabbed his arm turning him to face him. Both of them were breathing heavily, eye to eye, close enough that Neji could feel Shikamaru's breath against his lips and closed the space between them. His lips were met with a gently response. Shikamaru's arm looped around his waist and pulled him closer without much hesitation. They both knew that they shouldn't be doing this but it was still a while before Shikamaru finally, softly pulled away
"Sorry… I shouldn't have done that…" Neji frowned, staring into his dark eyes; he thought he had done that? This amazing man before him had wanted to kiss him as badly as he'd suddenly needed it. Shikamaru offered a soft grin.
"What I meant to come out here to say is I'll be around… If you ever want to talk. I know there's a lot of other stuff between us, but if you need me I'm here. Okay?" Neji nodded slowly then watched as Shikamaru turned away his mind already whirring trying to work out exactly what every word that had come out of that man's mouth had meant and precisely what the connotations of each of them were. He may have said that, but who knew how'd he'd react if his girlfriend ever found out.
Sasuke finally turned back to Naruto after the crash, after watching Neji storm out closely followed by Shikamaru he focused back on the man still held tightly in his arms. Naruto had turned deathly white, his eyes wide as they stared back into Sasuke's. Sasuke could feel his body trembling in his arms and though he looked like he wanted to run it didn't feel like his legs could hold any of his weight right now. Naruto slowly began breathing again, deep slow breaths until finally they felt close to normal and slowly shook his head.
"No." Sasuke stared at him, that wasn't the answer he was about to get a second ago.
"W-what do you mean no?" He growled lightly. If that was the answer he got then that was the answer but something didn't feel right. Naruto managed to pull away from him, his legs trembling beneath him but he managed to stay marginally straight. He had to think of a better reason. He needed to say something which meant he could get out of there. Fast.
"I mean. I love you Sasuke… Like a brother." He shrugged and turned, weaving messily through the crowd glad when each foot made contact with the ground and stayed beneath him. He ran outside and doubled over, the pain shooting through his mind, his stomach churned, it was all too much for him to handle. He fell to the ground, curled up in a whimpering ball and blacked out.
Sasuke ran to follow him, headed to his house and waited. He had to talk to him, had to get more of an answer then that, but that night Naruto never came home.
Naruto sat up gasping, cold sweat dripping from his brow as he pulled his knees up to his chest, clinging to them desperately as he tried to smother his sobs.
"Sasuke…" He managed to whimper out in one last desperate attempt to control himself before he wept.
Sasuke sighed as he let the last of the pebbles fall from his hand, the sound of each of them drumming against the cement echoing down the street and he turned away. He slowly made his way back to his empty house; it wasn't like it would have made a difference anyway. He knew what Naruto would have said if he'd bothered to answer.
Like a brother.