Something About Country Boys

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. This is definitely my most popular Yaoi story at the moment. You guys are awesome. Anyway, I hope that you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 7

Gaara had been enjoying a perfectly lovely steak dinner and debating about how he was going to respond to Itachi's advances, when the doorbell rang. Whoever it was had better be Santa, Leprechaun, or a Unicorn! Because those were basically the only people he could forgive for interrupting his moment with Itachi!

"I'll get it." Sasuke smiles as he gets up and heads off to do so.

Well at least Itachi hadn't removed his hand yet. Gaara considered that a good sign really. Maybe, he could talk Itachi into staying, after all! That fifty percent was starting to look more like a sixty or seventy!

He glances out of the kitchen and sees Sasuke open the door. The younger Uchiha looked absolutely gobsmacked about something. Apparently, their visitors. For some reason, Sasuke looked like he had seen a ghost.

"Suigetsu?!" He blinks three times at the two men standing in the doorway.

One had hair white as snow and exotic lavender eyes. He was grinning at Sasuke. "Hey, Sassy! Long time!" With his very sharp teeth.

The other was well a giant. Gaara had seen tall people before, but this guy had to be over seven feet tall. With his own hair and exotic colored eyes, well he stood out just as much as his friend.

"Y-Yeah. A couple of years." Sasuke tilts his head in confusion. "What are you doing here and whose this?"

They were both exotic and attractive in an unusual way and Gaara could see that Naruto was already twitching. The nickname and the way Suigetsu's eyes were roaming all over Sasuke spoke volumes. This was either a former flame, a current lover, or someone who wanted to be.

The giant smiles. "I'm Jugo." He looks at Sasuke sheepishly. "I'm really sorry about this, but when Suigetsu heard that you were in town he wanted to stop in and see you."

Suigetsu nods and laughs. "Jugo was pretty sure you'd throw me out on my ass." He shrugs as though that was a normal thing for Jugo to say. "But I told him that you could be uptight, but you were never mean like that."

Oh boy. This wasn't going to end well. Gaara could practically feel the jealousy radiating off Naruto in waves.

"Well I wouldn't, but we kinda have company now." Smart Uchiha. "So you know, maybe next time you could call." He was trying to avoid a bloodbath. "You can just call Mankgeyo Wines and ask them to transfer you to Sasuke Uchiha. We're listed." Sasuke nods.

Oh that was a big mistake. Gaara winces as he sees Naruto heading over and sighs. "I should have brought something over for us to drink. This is going to be vicious." He glances at Itachi.

"Well hopefully, it won't actually come to blows." Itachi nods at him in understanding. "Though we should probably be ready, just in case."

Whispering. That's what he and Itachi were doing now. Neither of them wanted to be overheard by the others. It made Gaara feel like they were more of unit now. Yeah. He was bumping his chances up to 70% for sure!

Suigetsu was actually pouting. "Alright, but it's a bit of a shame. The more the merrier, right?" Yeah. This was about to get ugly.

That did it! Naruto could swear he was seeing red as he walks over to Sasuke and the people at the door. This Suigetsu guy was really getting on his nerves. He was coming on way too strong.

"Sorry, we're kinda busy." Sasuke would probably kill him for this later, but he'd deal with it. "We're having dinner and looking over some of the quarterly reports for Mangekyo." With that thought in mind, he wraps his arm around Sasuke's waist.

Suigetsu apparently, wasn't completely stupid. His eyes narrow a bit. The violet eyed man obviously recognized when a claim was being staked so to speak.

Jugo smiles, trying to defuse the situation. "Oh I see." He looks at Suigetsu. "Come on, Suigetsu." He smiles more. "They're obviously a little busy at the moment and we can call them later to set up are more convenient time to visit."

Naruto knew a convenient time for them to visit! How about never?! That sounded really good.

Well actually, that wasn't fair. Jugo seemed okay, but there was no way the blonde was letting Suigetsu get within a mile of Sasuke! And he was just going to ignore the fact that Sasuke was currently glaring daggers at him!

"Yeah. Alright." Suigetsu smiles at Sasuke. "Sorry. Didn't realize that you had someone, but we should hang out sometime. Catch up on old times." He glances around. "All of this has to be a bit overwhelming."

"This won't end well." Naruto vaguely hears Itachi's voice.

No doubt, he was whispering to Gaara. Those two were definitely a lot closer to being official than he was with Sasuke. Honestly, he felt a little jealous of that, but he was happy for his friend!

"Don't worry about him!" Naruto grins at him, his hands still on Sasuke's waist. "We've got this covered. I'll take good care of him."

He could practically feel Sasuke glaring daggers at him, but he'd take it. Whatever worked. Suigetsu seriously needed to go.

Jugo smiles. "Well that's good to know." He starts dragging Suigetsu off. "We'll call you all later." And with that, Naruto glares at their retreating backs as they make their way down the driveway until they were on the road!

As soon as they were gone, Sasuke yanks Naruto's hand away from him and glares. "What the flying fuck was that?!" Oh yeah. This was going to be brutal.

Itachi sighs and walks out to the living room with Gaara. "Sasuke, calm yourself." He glances at Naruto. "I know that his possessive behavior was rather presumptuous, but did you really want to deal with Suigetsu's advances?"

He wasn't being possessive! Naruto was just acting like any other guy would in his position! Sheesh!

That white haired freak was looking Sasuke up and down like a starving dog would a juicy piece of meat! Of course, he was going to react! He was only human!

"He was totally hitting on you." Naruto crosses his arms as if that explained everything.

Sasuke twitches. "Yes, he was." He was bristling like an angry housecat. "So what?! We aren't dating!" He glares at Naruto. "So stop acting like a jealous boyfriend!"

Gaara and Itachi blink. "We're just going to…go check on the horses." The red head starts dragging Itachi off. "We'll be back soon."

"Right! Cya!" Naruto was pretty damn sure what they were really doing was evacuating before the volcanic eruption known as Sasuke's temper fully hit, but whatever. "Make sure to check Kurama's hooves by the way!"

Sasuke looks over his shoulder at them. "Yeah. That's probably a good idea." Yeah. He couldn't really blame them for bulking. He half wanted to bulk too!

As soon as they were gone, it looked like Sasuke was actually start an all out brawl with Naruto, but grabbed his hands just to be on the safe side. "I know that you're right." He was standing behind Sasuke with arms wrapped around the other man and the Uchiha's hands restrained by his own.

"Good. So you're going to do the smart thing and get your hands off me right fucking now." Sasuke glares at him. "I'm a black belt in karate. I can just kick you in the nuts instead, if you're harboring the delusion that I can't still kick your ass like this!"

Naruto seriously couldn't help, but wonder if he might be a bit of a masochist. Clearly, Gaara had chosen the more mellow Uchiha Brother. And for some reason, Sasuke's hissing was kinda turning him on.

"Yeah, I get it." He lets go of Sasuke's hands. "You're a badass, but I don't want to fight." Naruto sighs and looks at him. "I just got jealous and yeah, I acted kinda like an ass." He sighs again. "I'm sorry."

Sasuke blinks. Whatever he had been expecting, that wasn't it. It would have been a lot easier, if Naruto had tried to throw his weight around. If the brewery owner had acted like a dick, it might have been easier not to like him.

So naturally, Naruto just had to go and be all reasonable! It was stunning really. Of all the times for the sapphire eyed cowboy to suddenly be logical, this was the wrong time.

He shakes his head. "Naruto, I'm probably going back to the city soon." It was kinder not to lead the blonde on. At least not, anymore than he already had. "I don't want to start anything that I can't finish and if my boyfriend had pulled that stunt, I would have kicked his ass. Just so you know."

"I know and I would have deserved it." Naruto turns Sasuke around so they were face to face. "But you said probably." The blonde caresses his cheek. "Not definitely."

He had. That was a mistake, Sasuke realized. That gave Naruto some wiggle room. It gave him false hope.

"I should have said, I'm definitely going back!" He needed to be firm.

Naruto brushes his thumb against Sasuke's lip. "You sure about that?" The bastard was also leaning closer.

Sasuke hated himself for it, but his breath hitched and he leans closer. "Yeah. I'm s-sure." It felt good to be touched like that and Naruto's blue eyes were exerting some sort of weird gravitational pull on him.

"You stuttered." Naruto grins. "You don't sound too sure to me."

He was damn sure! "I am. I'm going back and starting work at Sharingan in the Fall." And he was too.

Naruto sighs and shakes his head. Though he never broke eye contract. Damn those beautiful blue eyes!

"Well maybe, you'll change your mind." He brushes his lips against Sasuke's once." Just think about it." And a second time. "This place is beautiful and it's very profitable." A third time. "It's a lot more fun than sitting behind a desk all day. You could learn how to ride Kurama."

It wasn't even a real kiss yet, but Sasuke found his resolve weakening. "That's true, but my family needs me and it's a great job." He nods. "It's a certainty and well I'm sure Kurama will get over it."

He needed to be logical. What Sasuke should do is he should put some physical distance between Naruto. So the idiot couldn't overwhelm him with his pheromones or whatever the Hell he was doing to Sasuke!

"I'm sure it is, but they're a major company." Naruto nods. "They can always hire someone else and Kurama's not the only one who would be disappointed that you didn't ride him." And with that, Naruto kissed Sasuke and that's when Sasuke's brain decided to take a short holiday. It was definitely shutting down.

Elsewhere Gaara brushes one of the horses manes and smiles nervously at Itachi. "How long do you think they'll be at it?" To that, Itachi could only shrug.

"I have no idea." He smiles at the sexy red head. "But knowing my brother's temper, I think it's safe to say they may be at it for awhile."

Which was fine with him. He needed time to talk to Gaara. It was rare that Itachi was at a loss for words, but he couldn't lie. That was the case in this situation.

The ranch owner nods his head in understanding. "They're just what happens what an unstoppable force meets an immovable object." He laughs and well, Itachi felt his own lips twitching upwards in amusement at that assessment.

"Yes, about that." Itachi mentally braces himself. "I've been thinking about Mangekyo and well, you." A lot. Far more than he was ever going to admit to without making a fool out of himself.

Gaara looks at him. It was amazing how the red head could look both so stoic and hopeful at the same time. Those eyes really were something.

"Would that be in a positive or a negative way?" He raises an eyebrow, trying to act casual.

Itachi saw it for what it was though. An act. Gaara very much cared what he was about to say. So he had better say it properly.

Itachi smiles at him. "In a very positive way." There. That wasn't too gushy or too cold.

Gaara smiles at him. "Good. I feel the same way about you." He pauses for a moment, before deciding to elaborate. "I have ever since I saw you pull up that driveway and get out of that car."

"Good." Itachi knew what he was about to do was very foolish, but he supposed it ran in the family to a certain extent. "I think that I'll keep my share of Mangekyo and buy Sasuke's, if he has no interest in it." Sasuke was certainly foolish and it was implied Madara was as well. So why couldn't he indulge in such whims, now and then?

Gaara blinks. Itachi could only smile. The red looked so truly shocked. It was like he was the child that had been told he was going to get that puppy for Christmas after all.

He tilts his head confusion. "You're sure about this?" Gaara pauses and Itachi could see that he was going to play the martyr. "I know that you have a life back in the city. A good job and a family." That was true.

Itachi smiles and kisses Gaara. "That's all accurate, but what's life without a little risk?" He couldn't just crunch numbers and do nothing else his working life to please his father.

He liked crunching numbers well enough, but it got boring if that's all he was doing. Fugaku would just have to learn to accept his decision. At least, Itachi hoped that he would. Eventually.

Itachi loved Fugaku, but the man was so stubborn. In his own way, the eldest Uchiha Brother was certain that the businessman thought he was doing his children a favor. He was teaching them how to be successful, but what he was doing in reality was smothering them.

"That's a very good point." Gaara smiles at him as he kisses Itachi.

The red head could definitely kiss too. Now, he understood the stereotype about feisty red heads. Gaara definitely lived up to it in his own way.

He tasted like strawberries, Itachi decides as he kisses back eagerly. Eager to explore more of the other man's mouth. Perhaps, he had had some strawberry wine earlier or it was just his natural taste.

Itachi smirks in to the kiss as he glides his tongue against Gaara's seductively. "Yes, I thought so as well." Either way, he didn't care.

Gaara was Gaara and right now, well he was Itachi's. So much so that the elder Uchiha Brother didn't mind when the ranch owner grabbed his ass. Actually, he was a bit surprised by the sexy display of aggression, but he rather liked it.

"You keep that up and I'm going to be tempted to go for a roll in the hay with you." Gaara smirks, after breaking the kiss.

Itachi smirks back. "Well that is rather tempting, but we should probably make sure that my foolish little brother hasn't killed your foolish friend." Just to be on the safe side.

Gaara nods. He was smart enough to realize that Itachi didn't think it'd be smart to go for a roll in the hay just yet. He probably should at least go out on a couple formal dates with Gaara first. He didn't want to make it too easy for the other man. What kind of example would that set for his Sasuke, after all?

"You're right." Gaara smiles as he finishes brushing the horse. "Let's go. Hopefully, we won't have to arrange anyone's funeral."

Itachi couldn't help chuckling about that as they soon headed back to the house. Sadly, he was almost certain that he was going to find a destroyed living room or something of that nature when he got there.

He turns the steering wheel a bit as they drive off and chuckles once more at that thought. This was Naruto and Sasuke. An unstoppable force and an immovable object as Gaara had said earlier. That meant there were bound to be a lot of fireworks and well, a black eye or two wasn't completely out of the question!

With that thought in mind, he quickly drives home and gets out of the car with Gaara. "It's strange, you know?" He smiles at him. "I've already started to think of this place as home."

He hadn't even been here a month and already, it was more of a home to Itachi than his luxury apartment back in the city had ever been. It was strange, but a good type of strange.

"Good. I'm glad you think that." Gaara smiles as they walk up the driveway and he opens the door for him. "After you."

Itachi smiles and chuckles. "Such a gentleman." His amusement soon flew out the window when he stumbled up on the sight of his brother making out with the bombshell blonde.

Very vigorously. Itachi saw more than a little tongue and Naruto's hands were starting to wander. Like Gaara, he certainly wasn't shy about taking what he wanted, once he got started.

Sasuke snapped out of it first. "I'm sorry." He looks at Naruto in horror.

Probably because his foolish little brother knew he had just crossed a line. He hadn't actually returned Naruto's affections officially before. Now, if he left…well he was going to leave after starting something. No matter how brief that something was.

"Don't be sorry for kissing me." Naruto grins at him. "Just be sorry that you stopped."

Sasuke looks at Itachi helplessly and Itachi sighs. "Naruto, I think my foolish little brother needs some time." He shakes his head. "He has a difficult decision to make and seducing him, well that's not entirely fair."

"I was NOT being seduced." Sasuke glares at him and Itachi rolls his eyes. "Anyway, I'm going to go see how mother and father are doing. I'll see you guys later." And with that, Sasuke darts off like a bat out of Hell.

"Sasuke, wait!" It was too late though.

Sasuke was already gone. His brother really was foolish. Itachi could scarcely imagine why he was putting himself through so much unnecessary agony.

He shakes his head again. "Naruto, just give him a little more time." HIs brother would come to his senses. Eventually.

Back at the Akatsuki, Orochimaru texts Jugo and Suigetsu. The Sun was going down. That meant that they would know if they had been successful or not. If they had been successful, well he imagined that they would still both at Mangekyo Wines. If not, well he didn't want to think about that too much.

How did it go with the brothers? ~ Orochimaru.

It was probably best to as general as possible. That way, it would be less likely to bite him in the ass later. Orochimaru knew how these things worked. He had been around the block more times than he cared to admit. (And at well over fifty, he had far more birthday candles on his cake than he would like)!

Hey, Dumbass! The gentle giant is driving, so I'm the one texting. You didn't mention that Sassy already had a boyfriend. You damn prick! ~ Suigetsu.

Orochimaru's eyes narrow at the man's less than respectful nickname for him. Oh, how he hated Suigetsu. He'd like to ring his disrespectful neck!

He didn't care that the phrase disrespectful neck made no sense. The Akatsuki businessman was a trendsetter and could make up whatever phrases he liked! Because an Akatsuki could do whatever the Hell they wanted!

There is nothing in his records that indicates he has a boyfriend! ~ Orochimaru.

That was true. He wouldn't have bothered sending someone to seduce Sasuke if that was the case. The boy didn't strike him as the type to stray and even if he could be tempted, it would take too long.

Someone's slacking when it comes to record finding then because he's got a possessive blonde boyfriend who looked at me, like he wanted to fucking kill me for even talking to him! ~ Suigetsu.

Hmm. That was interesting. Trouble in paradise. A blonde boyfriend. Could that be Naruto?

What did the blonde look like? Did he have blue eyes? ~ Orochimaru.

There was a pause. The Akatsuki businessman could only assume that it was Suigetsu trying to remember whether or not Sasuke's boyfriend did indeed have blue eyes. Usually the brat didn't pause about anything.

Suigetsu was extremely reckless and impulsive. He knew that was a bit redundant, but in the water lover's case one really had to use both. He was that much of a daredevil.

Yeah. He's got blue eyes. Tan. Whisker markings on his cheeks. Which sounds weird, but I guess it's kinda cute. You know, if you're into that whole fuzzy animal thing. Jugo is driving us back to your office. We'll be there in about fifteen minutes. ~ Suigetsu.

That was definitely Naruto then. Orochiamru was rather irritated at that knowledge. It was as if Madara was trying to ruin his plans from beyond the grave.

Orochimaru was very much familiar with how close Naruto and a red head named Gaara were with the old codger! Was it possible that Madara had planned ahead. That he had told Naruto (and possibly Gaara) to cozy up with his grandsons to make them stay?

"Would he really go to such lengths though?" It sounded more like an Akatsuki Move than a Madara Move.

What about Itachi? ~ Orochimaru.

Another pause. That probably wasn't a good sign. Though that might be because they were driving. Even if Jugo was the driver, Suigetsu might be giving him directions or something.

Jugo didn't really get a chance to meet Itachi. Sassy get us the brushoff and his little boyfriend basically chased us off. At least for Sasuke, I'm gonna have to try the Friend Route. I don't know about Jugo and Itachi though. ~ Suigetsu.

Orochimaru frowns upon reading that text. It was disappointing to say the least. Seduction Tactics rarely failed, but Friendship Tactics had a more mixed track record when it came to results.

Very well. Don't let me down. You know what happens to those that let me down. ~ Orochimaru.

Yeah! Yeah! Save your threats for someone who cares. Be there in five minutes. Shutting the phone off now. Bye bye ;) ~ Suigetsu.

Orochimaru twitches. That damn Hozuki! He really should have hired Mangetsu instead. The elder Hozuki was far more polite! Unfortunately, he was also much more of a straight and narrow citizen than his brother.

"Trade offs." He rolls his eyes at the thought as he waits for Jugo and Suigetsu to arrive while trying to figure out how he wasn't going to strangle that uppity brat!