Naruto
You goin' to jail now
"This is unbelievable." I said.
"Just relax..."
"This is unbe-fucking-lievable!"
"It's not as bad as it sounds"
"You're in jail!" I exclaimed.
Police officers, lawyers and guards were walking by like it was a normal day. Well, of course, it was a normal day to them but I couldn't fathom it. I couldn't fathom the situation.
"How did this even happen?"
He sighed.
"They brought me here, held me in a cell for like an hour, then took me out there in front of that judge, I pleaded not guilty, and now my bail is like 5,000 dollars."
"Dude... What the fuck!?" I exclaimed.
He shook his head and rose his hand to brush his hair out of his eyes but because the cuffs made the action nearly impossible.
I'd never have imagined Sasuke looking like this... And yet...
"How the hell are you so calm?" I whispered.
His eyes slowly locked on mine.
"Just because I look calm, doesn't mean..." he trailed off.
Doesn't mean you're not falling to pieces on the inside? Yeah... Well, you were always a lot better at masking your emotions than I was.
I reached across the gray table we were sitting at and brushed his hair out of his eyes. My hand swept down to his cheek.
"Sasuke..." I whispered.
We gazed at each other.
Right now, I just really, really want to...
Suddenly, the door swung open and someone entered.
"Good Afternoon."
I jumped and whirled around. A guy with a navy blue scarf that he pulled over the bottom half of his face walked up. He wore a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, a pair of skinny fit gray pants with red suspenders, and black loafers.
"Was I interrupting something?"
"Of course not." Sasuke said quickly.
"What the hell could you be interrupting?" I blurted out.
He cocked his head and smiled at us.
"I don't know what you kids do these days."
"That's completely inaccurate." Sasuke mumbled.
"Yeah...yeah...absolutely...wrong." I stammered.
We both made an extra obvious point to look away from each other. The man swept his pre-maturely gray, long hair back and held his hand out to me.
"Kakashi Hatake, defense attorney." He said.
I slowly shook his hand.
"So you're the guy who ended up getting Sasuke a 5,000 dollar bail toll." I said dully.
"Hmmm. Well, it could've been 15,000." He said. "That's what they're going for."
He plopped down in the seat next to me, put his briefcase on the table and snapped it open.
"Okay, Sasuke, here are the facts." He said.
He pulled some papers out.
"Your guardian is pressing charges against you for threatening him with a weapon and assaulting him."
"Assaulting him?" I asked.
"It's a lie." Sasuke said.
"Whether it's a lie or not, doesn't matter." Kakashi said, pushing a photo toward him. "He came to the police station looking like this."
I leaned over the table and my jaw almost hit the floor.
"No fucking way..."
His nose was bloody and he had a pretty nasty bruise over his eye.
"He looks like he got pistol whipped." I remarked.
Sasuke avoided my eyes. I fidgeted with my fingers.
There's no way he did that... Even though he looks guilty as shit right now, I know him. He said he didn't do anything.
"And this isn't all. He constantly keeps his front door on surveillance." Kakashi pushed another photo across the table. "This is his most solid piece of evidence."
I leaned over the table and looked down. And clear as day, Sasuke was standing on the doorstep in the same black shirt, khaki slim fit jeans and black Converse that were lying on my bedroom floor. Sasuke continued avoiding my eyes. I slapped my palm to my face.
Come on, Sasuke! What the hell?! Didn't Konohamaru tell you to never commit a crime without a mask on?! And even worse, you're wearing fucking khaki's!
For the split second his eyes locked with mine, I could tell he was reading my mind. He dropped his head.
"Look, man. I know it looks bad but he didn't do anything." I said.
"Like I said before, it doesn't matter whether he did it or not. All that matters is how things look." He said. "Right now, we have a multi-billion dollar corporation on the line so a lot of people are going to be watching. Even now, Sasuke's face is on television being broadcasted on multiple channels with highlights; 'Punk teen kid assaults owner of Senju Uchiha Bank'."
He tapped his pen on the table and leaned back in his chair.
"But that's all bullshit!" I exclaimed, getting heated. "That asshole's beaten the shit out of Sasuke way worse than that baby-ass bruise on his forehead."
Kakashi raised his eyebrows.
"Oh?"
Sasuke kicked me under the table. I glanced at him and his eyes pierced into mine angrily.
"Shut the fuck up." I knew he was thinking.
But it was far too late. Kakashi leaned over and looked Sasuke in the eyes seriously.
"Is that why your face looks like that?" he asked.
Sasuke glared at him but didn't response.
"It all makes sense now." He said, tapping his pen quicker. "That 911 call about a domestic violence issue at Madara's home... It wasn't about him, it was about you. Of course..."
It seemed like his brain was working a thousand miles an hour. He grabbed a note pad and began jotting his thoughts down.
"If we can confiscate that 911 call, pile up a couple good witnesses and document your injuries, we can probably plead for a counter-claim." He said. "How old are you?"
Sasuke stared at the table emotionlessly for a second and then moved his mouth.
"Sixteen."
"Perfect. You're still underage." Kakashi noted. "Everyone's going to flock to our side now. No one can turn down a good child abuse story."
"It's not a story." I said. "It's the truth, the reason Sasuke went there was to get him back for all the years he was tormenting him in that house."
Kakashi sighed.
"Okay. So what is this stor- I mean... the truth?" he asked.
"Madara's been doing this for a long time." I told him. "It's true that Sasuke did go there with a gun but he didn't hit him. Madara just made all that up. He's a crazy twisted guy. He turns your words all around and messes with your head."
Kakashi looked at Sasuke who kept his eyes on the table.
"Sasuke came back to my house and didn't bother him at all." I said. "He's just bitching because my guardian, Tsunade, made that 911 call to report Sasuke's injuries. That's probably why he's doing this, to cover his own ass."
Kakashi nodded.
"And... How do you know all this?"
"Well, first off, I saw him hit him with my own two eyes."
Kakashi's eyes widened.
"So you're a solid witness?" he asked.
Uh...
"Well, I guess so."
"This is getting better by the second." He said, clasping his hands together. "And your guardian made the call? Alright, she's a witness, too."
He made some more notes.
"Was there anyone else?" he asked. "Anyone that saw his injuries right after they happened?"
I shrugged.
"Just my twelve year old foster brother." I said.
Kakashi nodded vigorously.
"That makes three. Perfect." He looked up at us.
"Okay... That story was great! Really, it was... But... It's not the story we're going to tell."
What?
I glanced at Sasuke. His face remained drawn and blank.
"Instead, we're going to pretend like that wasn't even him on camera. You have the clothes he wore that night, right?"
I nodded slowly.
"Okay, get rid of them. That night never happened, he was never there."
...What?
"Luckily, Sasuke didn't speak in that clip so they can't use voice recognition. In this day in age, a similar looking kid isn't enough. If we say it's not him, they can't do anything. Also, let's cut your hair. That hairstyle is really the most identifying thing about you."
He jutted his pen out at Sasuke while he spoke.
"Do you still have the gun?" he asked us.
"Well... Actually, the gun belongs to a friend of my kid foster brother. That's how he got it." I confessed.
"Okaaaaaaay..." Kakashi said, baring his pen down on his notepad.
I could visibly see him crossing 'foster brother' off the witness list.
"Tell your brother's friend to wipe that gun down of any fingerprints, I could tell he wasn't wearing gloves. There's bound to be a lot of traces of him on it."
I discretely rolled my eyes.
Really, Sasuke? Not even one damn glove? Unbelievable...
"So, our story will be that he's not guilty in any way shape or form of this crime at all. In fact, he wasn't even on the crime scene when it happened. You and your adopted mother will testify that Sasuke was at your house all night. It was rainy. No one would be able to say otherwise." He went on. "And then we'll counter-sue for child abuse charges to completely blow this case out of the water and strengthen your 'innocent, boy' look."
He continued marking up his notebook.
"And you're really lucky you're handsome, too. If we can get a panel of mostly or all female jurors, this case will be in the bag..." he said.
"You really think so?" I asked, smile finally breaking onto my face.
"Of course." He said, winking at me. "The media is the game changer in this kind of case. We can get them on our side easily if I feed them this domestic violence story. They always make kids out to be angels against adults, even when it's not true. With their help, the whole country will be on your side."
I fist bumped him excitedly.
"Yeah! Home free!" I exclaimed.
"No."
The silence after that one syllable word was deafening. I turned to Sasuke. He'd finally raised his head and he looked at us both with hard eyes.
"I refuse." He clarified.
"What are you talking about, Sasuke?" I asked. "This is your way out."
"I'm not a liar." He said, then he narrowed his eyes. "And furthermore, I have no interest in laying out my personal situation to the entire world."
Sasuke... Could it be that... You're...embarrassed?
Before I could open my mouth, Kakashi beat me there.
"Oh?" he said, appraising him. "That tough, huh?"
Sasuke stared him down and said nothing. Kakashi nodded slowly, shifting a couple papers around.
"I was going to avoid telling you this as not to make you panic." he said, lifting a single sheet of paper. "But because you're deciding to be uncooperative, I have no choice."
He set the paper down in front of Sasuke. I leaned over to get a good look.
"I was lying when I said the surveillance camera was their most solid piece of evidence against you." He said. "Actually... That is."
It's a drug test...
"Sasuke... You were tested positive for cocaine and marijuana today." He said.
...Wait... Marijuana I understand but...cocaine?
I looked at Sasuke. He was avoiding my eyes again and like a lightning bolt, it hit me.
No...No...No...
"No..." I whispered. "No, Sasuke, you...didn't."
He pulled his shackled wrists off the table and leaned back in his chair, directing his eyes down at the table.
"You couldn't have..."
He didn't move. I felt the anger finally surging up in me but I used all the strength in my body to hold it back.
"Just look me in the eyes and tell me you didn't get it from him." I said.
He continued ignoring me, his silence spoke volumes.
And that's what I hate about this guy the most... Can't even show one facial expression.
"You bastard!" I shouted at him, picking up a couple of Kakashi's papers and throwing them at him. "And you didn't even tell me!?"
He let the papers fall all over him and slowly, he let his eyes meet mine. They were just as dull and dark and usual but there was a hint of moistness there... Tears threatening to spill over. I clenched my fists and decided to leave.
I can't be here anymore... I can't look at your sorry face anymore...
But Kakashi put a hand on my shoulder before I could stand.
"I don't know what this is about." He said, looking at me seriously. "But it doesn't matter. You two must agree to this plan."
He picked up the single paper on the table I didn't throw which just so happened to be the drug test record.
"The prosecution has a copy of this and there's only one thing that this could be used for in an assault case." He said. "They're going to paint Sasuke in a bad light and make it look like he was way too strung out on drugs to think clearly and attacked his guardian unjustly."
He tapped his fingers on the table.
"If this gets out before we can feed our story to the media, it's game over. No one likes a drugie." He warned. "So... Unfortunately, you have no choice, Sasuke. Do you want to go to jail or do you want to go home?"
When Sasuke rose his head this time, the moistness was gone. He was determined.
"Home." He responded, then he shook his head. "But it's not like that story would be wrong... I was way too strung out to think clearly. That's why I was there. If I was sane, I never would've dared to..."
...Stand up against that asshole?
His eyes wandered to the window. I sighed.
"I get it. I'll pass the story around. Can I go now?" I asked.
Kakashi held up his hand.
"One last thing first... Is there anything else I should know?"
The room was completely silent. We could've heard a pin drop. Sasuke locked eyes with mine.
"Anything that they could use against the both of you. Any surprises?"
Oddly, the word "closet" was floating around in my head. I discretely shook my head clear.
"No." we both said in unison.
I stood up and walked to the door without wasting another second but when my hand grabbed the knob. I paused and turned back. Sasuke was staring out of the window.
"I...told you not to do one thing." I said quietly. "Just one thing and that's what you decide to do?"
He turned to me. I shook my head, losing almost all respect for the empty shell sitting there in front of me.
So desperate you would even use my brother? I excused the gun... But not this... Not this...
"You really are like Madara."
Sasuke
World Spinning
(Play Punch Drunk on Black Mold by Absofacto)
The echo from the door Naruto slammed rumbled around my head for many minutes after he'd left. I felt something warm and went drip down my cheek. I wiped it away impatiently.
"There's some food in the café." Kakashi said quietly. "I passed it on my way here. I'll bring you some before you have to go back to your cell."
"Can I just go back now?" I asked.
"Well, it's not just the food. I have something else for you." He said. "I'll be right back."
I didn't want to hear anymore of the "story vs. truth" bullshit. I wasn't a lawyer. I wasn't someone who was bent on following rules and order. I wanted to get out of jail but I wasn't going to forsake myself in the process.
I put my head down on the table and directed my eyes to the window.
How long will it be before I see the open sky again?
I recalled one of the papers said my court date wouldn't be for another three weeks. I was supposed to stay in jail for all that time unless someone bailed me out.
But who the hell is going to come up with 5,000 dollars?
I was certain I was going to be stuck in there. Fed three square meals a day and locked up inside a tiny cell in a juvenile detention center for three weeks. I was supposed to be the one who made it. The one who was most likely to succeed and somehow, in just one weekend, the entire world turned on its head and I became the failure.
Can I even look myself in the mirror?
Suicide crossed my mind many, many times in that fifteen or twenty minute period Kakashi left me sitting there. My eyes flashed across the room a couple times looking for anything that could be used as a weapon and then I gave up. That's something a prison checks for on a daily basis. Unless I bite my tongue and bleed to death, I'm stuck here, shackled and wearing orange.
I wanted to blame Naruto. But at the same time, I wanted to thank him. I was glad. Glad I'd taken the chance to see what it would be like if I gave Madara a run for his money. I felt satisfied to see that split second of surrender when I admitted that I cared for Naruto and he raised his arms and took a step back. That split second that I was in control. It was like a drug all by itself. A good part of me wished I really did pistol whip him so I could've gone to jail with a smile on my face and done my time in the darkness with no worries.
The door swung open. I didn't sit up.
"While you were gone, I was thinking..." I muttered. "Maybe I should plead guilty and not even waste the time."
"I never thought I'd hear you giving up."
My eyes widened.
That voice...
"Is it really that bad, Sasuke?"
I slowly lifted my head, eyes growing wider with each passing second.
"Itachi."
He stood there next to Kakashi in khaki slim fit pants, a red tie and a navy blue suit jacket. Kakashi smiled at me.
"I think you'll take that back once you hear the good news." He said.
Itachi nodded at me.
"Get up, I'm bailing you out."
And just like that, the world turned on its head again.
*Itachi*
My bail was set with a couple of conditions. One very sensible one was that I wasn't allowed to leave the city. Another very cruel one was house arrest. A weird device was tacked to my ankle to be set once I got to whatever destination Itachi was driving to.
I gazed out of the window. We hadn't spoken a word to each other since he bailed me out. Kakashi gave me the food from the café to go. There was a note on the food container.
"Stay Strong. I will be visiting often."
Initially, I assumed he was just an asshole attorney who cared about nothing but getting his money and winning the game but I was beginning to think that perhaps... Kakashi might actually have my best interests at heart.
"You're young so...it might be a bit difficult to understand but to succeed in life, you have to make bets on stocks that you control." Kakashi told me as we walked out. "Madara understands that... That's why he's winning."
Betting on stocks I control? That basically just means I'm not betting at all because I already know the out-come. Of course a bitch like Madara would win in a game like that.
My mind flashed back to when I watched him play cards with Obito and the rest. Even though no one saw it, I could see the spare cards sitting plainly on his lap. He's a cheater. A snake. A coward who only wages a war if the odds are clearly in his favor. He doesn't even do his own bidding. He sends the rats like Obito and Kabuto out to do everything and sits on his ass counting his money.
I should've pulled the trigger on him... I should've done it... I should've...
"Sasuke."
I looked up. The car had stopped and I hadn't even noticed. Itachi wasn't looking at me but I could feel that his expression was that of...concern. I turned and grabbed the car door handle of his BMW but before I could get out he spoke.
"I know you didn't do it." He said quietly. "And I'm glad."
I paused momentarily but then I got out of the car and looked up at the medium-sized two story house in front of me. It definitely wasn't as big as Madara's Manor but it was bigger than Naruto's house.
"I thought you lived all the way across the country." I lamented.
"I do." He said, closing his car door and slipping his white rimmed sunglasses on.
I looked him over, standing there in his brown loafers and straightening his red tie and for a second, I could understand why Naruto was always picking on me for my "suit and tie" look. We Uchiha always look so damn put together.
"But it never hurts to have connections." He said.
I sighed and pulled my suitcase out of the car. Itachi sauntered over to the front door and knocked lightly. As he waited, I dragged my heavy suitcase out of the trunk, slammed it down and made my way over to him.
This suitcase probably has all of the clothes I own... I wonder how Itachi managed to get them from Madara for me.
Someone unlocked the other side and quickly pulled the door open.
I saw his wide grin before anything else.
"You guys are early." He said.
He spread his arms out and hugged Itachi.
"Come on in."
I pulled the suitcase into a house with light brown wooden floors, spotless tan carpet in the living room and on the stairs and a nature themed kitchen.
"Hey, Sasuke. How's it going?" the man said, holding his hand out to me.
I nodded and shook it.
"And you are?"
"You know me!" he exclaimed. "I used to come over to your house all the time when we were kids. You know... I'm your Dad's cousin's kid."
I blinked at him. He laughed.
"Or you can just describe me as your brother's best friend." He flexed his eyebrows quickly. "Shisui, remember?"
My mind whisked back to a time when my legs were short and stubby and I had to stand on my toes just to grab a door handle.
"Hey, Itachi! Watch this one!" said a boy with a wide grin.
I was sitting on the pavement playing with a remote control motorcycle while Itachi played basketball with our distant cousin and also his best friend. The boy ran up to the basketball hoop that hung over out garage door, threw the ball at the backboard, jumped up, caught it in mid-air and then slammed it down. He jumped back down to the ground, fist pumping vigorously.
"Whoo Hoo!" he exclaimed. "Thirteen years old and killin' it,baby! Let's see you top that!"
Itachi, the coolest ten year old to ever play the sport of basketball, caught the ball, ran up to the rim, threw the ball at the backboard, jumped up, turned around in mid-air and then dunked it backwards. He hung on the rim for a second, just for extra dramatic effect, and then his feet hit the concrete.
"Wow! Itachi!" I exclaimed, running up to him. "You're so cool!"
Itachi patted my head and turned to Shisui.
"You were saying?" Itachi asked.
Shisui pulled his baseball cap further down over his curly black hair and rolled his eyes.
"Beginners luck." He protested.
Our laughter echoed in my mind. Shisui was very close to my family. He was always at our house during extended periods during the summer and for almost every holiday even though he used to live more than three hours away. But when I turned five, he stopped coming over as much. He had a close call when he was fifteen where he came over and we were playing at a large construction site and he fell off one of the top tiers and onto a couple rusty spikes. The Doctors said he was very lucky the spike went through his cheeks and not his eyes permanently blinding him. Ever since that day, his parents had been extremely over-protective. Even going as far as to not allow him to visit with his own cousins. But at the same time, it was also rather lucky... Two years later, our house burned down. And because it was Christmas Eve that day, he would've been there if it wasn't for that incident.
I lay on the bed Shisui had given me in the guest room looking up at the ceiling after unpacking all of my things. Because of the vents in the floor next to the bed, I could hear them speaking clearly.
"I just...can't believe something like this has been happening, all this time." I heard Itachi say.
"I warned you, 'Tachi." Shisui responded. "I knew that asshole would go back on his word. It's just like him to do something like this."
"Did you see his face?" Itachi asked. "I...could barely look at him. It's... It's all my fault."
So that's why he hasn't made eye contact with me the entire time I've seen him...
"It's not your fault. It's that bastards fault. He's the one that did this."
I rolled over in the bed and faced the wall. I could feel the monitor on my ankle, warm against my skin.
No... You're right. It is your fault, Itachi. Why didn't you come back sooner?
"How did you get the hint anyway?" Shisui asked.
...Hint?
"Someone took a picture of Sasuke's face while he was sleeping." Itachi told him. "As soon as I got it, I took the first train I could down here. Didn't know I would be spending 5 grand on bail though, I would've packed more."
They both laughed for a brief moment.
"So... Who sent it?" Shisui asked.
"Kakashi tells me Sasuke spent the previous night at the house of a boy who's very pivotal to this case." Itachi explained. "Naruto Uzumaki. Something tells me, he sent it."
I clutched the pillow.
Naruto sent Itachi for me?
"Pivotal? In what way?"
"He witnessed Madara hitting Sasuke first hand." Itachi said. "More than anyone involved, we need that boy to save him."
"I see." Shisui replied.
I pulled the covers over my head and curled up.
Too bad I pissed him off and he'll never want to talk to me again.
Itachi and Shisui moved onto more normal conversational topics like why neither of them were married yet. I closed my eyes tightly and tried to pretend that it was nine years ago and I was lying in my brother's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle bedsheets while Shisui and Itachi played video games and Mom baked cookies downstairs and Dad loosened his tie coming home from work.
All of it blew away like the wind and only one person was left. His back was to me but his blonde hair shimmered in the sunlight. Slowly, he turned, looked at me, shook his head and kept walking on. I wanted to run after him...but I stopped myself.
Naruto... I won't blame you if you never come back to me again.
Naruto
The Media
The day Sasuke went to jail, I skipped school. The next day, I woke up to my doorbell being punched about a thousand times. I stumbled through the house, wiping my eyes and straightening my twisted gray shirt.
"Who's at the door?" Konohamaru asked, poking his head out of his room.
"I'm about to get it." I yawned.
The door bell continued ringing as Konohamaru followed me to the door.
"Alright, Alright, I'm coming! Damn it..."
I pulled the door open and was shocked to see more than a dozen people standing on my doorstep.
"What the hell?" I asked, shielding my eyes from the sunlight.
Kiba, along with the rest of my friends from school, the Southside kids, and even Killer Bee and his crew pushed their way into my house.
"We heard about what happened, man." Kankuro said.
I watched with wide eyes as they all crowded around my kitchen, taking seats at the stools next to the counter, posting up against the walls or plopping down in the sofa in my front room. I walked over to the island and pulled myself up to sit on the counter next to Konohamaru.
"It must've been rough." Choji agreed.
"So what the hell happened?" Karui asked.
I sighed.
"You guys are really all here for that?" I asked.
They all nodded seriously. I leaned back against the wall.
This is the last thing I want to think about...
"On the news, they said Sasuke's Uncle's been beating the shit out of him!" Kiba exclaimed.
"Yeah, and that his Uncle's trying to press charges on him for assault!" Ino added.
"He should be the one with assault charges!" Sakura yelled. "How could he do that to him?"
"They have pictures of Sasuke's all over the news." Hinata said. "He looks awful."
"I know! And then he has that one little bruise on his face, shit, if my Dad was kicking my ass, I'd do a lot worse to him than that." Temari mumbled.
"Fuck Yeah." Konohamaru agreed, fist bumping Temari.
"We have to do something." Neji said.
"Like what?" Rock Lee asked. "Latest news is that he's on house arrest at an unidentified location."
I frowned. I'd also seen the news report about someone paying Sasuke's bail and moving him to a "secret" location. Half of me wondered why he didn't text me or call to tell me where he was. But then I remembered how I stormed out of his holding room.
I'm still mad at you, you bastard...
"Well... Why don't we raise money?" Sakura asked.
"What? Like a 'Free Sasuke' foundation?" Sai asked.
"He's already been bailed out, remember? There's no point." Shikamaru added.
"We can raise enough to pay whoever bailed him out." Sakura suggested. "It'd be like a thank you from all of us."
"The real question is, who bailed him out? And how much money was it?" Shino questioned.
But still... I can't help but want to assist you in any way I can...
I recalled storming out of the room and walking down the hallway. I was blinded by hurt and anger and barely realized it when I ran smack into someone else. The person wore a navy blue suit jacket and a red tie.
"My bad." I said.
Then I rose my eyes to their face... I stared at him, not being able to find words to speak.
"Do I...know you?" he asked.
The guy looked exactly like an older version of the little boy in all of Sasuke's family pictures. I knew immediately that he was...
"Uh... Sorry." I said, ducking my head and walking past him.
"Itachi. Sasuke's older brother." I told them. "And it was 5 grand."
"Shit!" Ino exclaimed.
"Well... There goes that plan." Omoi said.
The room went abuzz with talking. People were saying one thing and another.
"No." someone said loudly.
The talking spun to a minimum. Sakura clenched her fists.
"No." she repeated. "We can do it. We just need dedication and perseverance."
"Yeah, that, and a shitload of prayers." Kiba said.
"She's right." Hinata spoke up. "We can do it if we try."
"I guess... At Cloud State, we could do some break-dancing for money. During game season, street performers always get a lot." Karui suggested.
"At SouthSide, we could host a skate-park competition where people pay to enter." Gaara said. "That could get a bit, too."
"Yeah! And what if we throw another party at my sister's crib where people can pay to enter that, too!"
"And everyone loves a good car wash event." Ino said, grinning. "We could all chip in on that."
Suddenly, the room was loud with optimistic ideas instead of the negativity of before.
"I've been meaning to have a garage sale..."
"My Dad's been dying to get some help on selling a few of those used cars... He wouldn't mind if some of the proceeds went to this."
"I'll give a thousand bucks right now! Sasuke helped make my album go platinum, wow!"
"We could also do a bake sale at your skate-park thing, Gaara."
"Yeah! And we could sell lemonade at Karui's break-dancing event to attract more people!"
This is so strange. All these people... Break-dancers, Skate-boarders, Pot-heads, Party Animals, NorthSide, SouthSide, WestSide... They're all my friends. And I never thought they'd ever get along or see each other as one in the same. But now...because of Sasuke they're all...
"I didn't know Sasuke had this many friends." Konohamaru whispered, watching everyone with wide eyes. "This is incredible."
Friends? People who will do anything for you with nothing in return... People who...forgive.
And now...you're making me feel guilty and you're not even here...
"Are you guys all really serious about this?" I called out.
They all nodded.
"Sasuke's my homie, man." Kiba said.
"He's a beast at skateboarding, it'd be an asshole move not to help out." Temari responded.
"And I wish I could kick his Uncle in the balls for what he did." Ino added.
"He helped me come up with my last rap track." Killer Bee said. "I'll do anything for him and expect nothing back!"
"But there is one thing I'm curious about though." Shikamaru said.
I looked at him, cocking my head.
"There's one story out that Sasuke took a gun to his Uncle's head and tried to kill him. But...the Media screws things up all the time, so we can't really trust them. But you were there, Naruto, what really happened?" he asked.
Everyone was silent. Konohamaru shifted next to me.
Kakashi's words came back to me, they swirled around in my head.
"That never happened. Sasuke was never there."
If we pass the lie around, Sasuke will be better off... But... Sasuke was the same guy who said he wasn't a liar.
They all waited for my response.
Am...I a liar?
I sighed.
"When we left the beach, we went to his house. I stayed the night there. Then his Uncle came home in the morning and beat the crap out of him. I saw the entire thing."
"See?!" Choji said. "Sasuke would never try to kill anyone!"
"Yeah, he seems too lazy for something like that." Temari joked.
"But..." I continued. "Later that day, he came back here... Met up with my dickhead kid brother, got strung out on coke, borrowed a gun and went back to his house."
It was so silent, I could hear my own breathing. Konohamaru hung his head.
"Wait a minute... He... He didn't really..." Sakura whispered.
"No, he didn't pistol whip him. But he did go there and threaten him. After that, he came back to my house and spent the night here. Nothing else happened."
"So, he is guilty of armed aggression." Shino mumbled.
I nodded.
"His lawyer, Kakashi, said we should just keep passing the story around that he never left my house that night and he never had a gun... But..." I looked up at them. "Sasuke says he's not a liar. He would've wanted you guys to know the truth."
"Wait... Sasuke does coke?" someone asked.
"He really had a gun?"
"Well, Naruto wasn't there... For all we know, he really could've been so drugged up he hit that guy."
"If that's the case, they're both guilty!"
"What if the whole child abuse thing is a lie?!"
I pressed my palms to my head. Suddenly, I just wanted them all to get out.
What the hell have I done? Now, he's going to have absolutely no support.
Someone's feet hit the kitchen floor.
"Hey!"
Everyone quieted down for a bit. I lifted my head. Konohamaru was standing in front of me.
"I know it looks bad." He told them. "And I know no one was there except him and that bastard but I was the last one who saw Sasuke before it happened. And..."
He fidgeted with his fingers, and swept his brown hair back.
"The way he looked... It was like he was desperate. Like he didn't give a flying shit what happened to him after that as long as he finished that guy off."
Kono... How the hell is that helping?!
"So, he did it, then." Darui said.
Everyone began to nod.
"You weren't listening to me." Konohamaru spoke up. "I said...he looked like he didn't give a damn...as long as he finished him off. If that guy's still alive, it's obvious that Sasuke decided not to do it... Because, the way he was then, if he had really gone through with it... This would be a murder case, not an assault case."
I cocked my head.
That actually...makes sense.
"True." Kankuro agreed. "There's no way someone on coke could've held back."
"Right, a desperate person wouldn't have just pistol whipped him and ran... He had nothing to lose. It was either all or nothing for him, and he chose nothing." Konohamaru went on.
Suddenly, mob mentality was taking over. Everyone was beginning to believe the truth. Which was crazy, because the truth was incredibly skeptical. One by one, they all began to leave my house, still discussing ways to get Itachi his money back. Each one of them, on the way out, gave me some strangely uplifting words.
"I know how you feel, Naruto. It'll be okay." Choji said.
"Don't worry, man. We'll all pass around the story his attorney set down. Not many people are as understanding as we are." Kiba promised.
"Stay strong, Naruto. We'll all pray for him." Hinata told me.
"If you get a chance to see him, tell him I said hi, okay? And stop sulking." Ino said.
I stood next to the door, fist bumping people, giving out hugs and salutes.
Just get the hell out of here...
I was so confused. I still didn't know how I felt about him. Was I still angry about what he did? Or was I more worried about him than angry? I didn't know. I didn't even want to think about it.
"Hey, Naruto, before I forget, Iruka says because of Sasuke's situation he'll suspend your project date until next week but after that, he's gonna flunk you." Shikamaru said.
And just like that, real life blindsided me.
I still don't have time to waste...
I turned around, planning to go to the shower and take a long hard soak in the tub but then someone yanked the back of my Family Guy pajama pants.
"What, Kono?"
"I want to talk to you."
"I'm listening." I said crossing my arms and turning around.
"Don't be mad at Sasuke, okay?"
"He's a grown ass dude, don't try and tell me it was all your idea or some bullshit."
"I wasn't. He did what he did. And he knows that. But that's the point..." he mumbled. "Can't people make mistakes?"
"Not mistakes that I clearly told them not to make."
"People do drugs because they're hurting." Konohamaru finally said, grabbing his jacket off the table. "And you pushing him away and being mad at him is only going to make him turn back to coke."
He walked to the front door, opened it and slammed it closed. I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes tightly.
Is that true? Were you really hurting that badly?
Sasuke
Questions and Answers
It's been a week since I've been on house arrest. I haven't seen or talked to anyone except Itachi and Shisui. Crazily enough, Itachi still had to work. He ended up getting a job with some of his friends from Akatsuki at a Web Design company called Pein. He stayed there trying to rake up enough experience and credentials to move up in the company and grab the C.E.O position. Even though the firm was small, it just so happened to have a sister branch in Konoha that he easily relocated to. The third day I spent there, I confronted him about some of the info Madara told me.
"Why couldn't you just tell me the real reason you stopped coming back?" I asked him over a Chikfilla sandwich at dinner.
He pulled his tie off and over his head then sighed.
"It's really a lot to explain, Sasuke..."
"Well, I've got three weeks to hear it." I said, tapping the monitor on my ankle.
Shisui looked from me to my brother, swept his black curly hair back and stood up.
"This seems like a private conversation."
"No, it's not. Stay." Itachi said, a bit too quickly.
Shisui raised his eyebrows and sat back down.
"Okay, then..."
"Sasuke, do you really think it was that easy?" Itachi asked. "If I had told you Madara was forcing me to stay away, you would've asked why, and then I would've had to tell you everything. Even the truth that we're both heirs to the Uchiha Senju banking firm and we both have more money than Oprah Winfrey locked up in a trust fund within a bank that Madara won't let me access."
I turned my eyes to the table.
"Sometimes, just remaining silent and trying to see through a problem alone is the best course of action."
Really? Well, then I guess my little bit of information is mine alone also...
Shisui drummed on the table.
"Really, Itachi?" he said. "Is that what I taught you?"
Itachi slowly looked at him.
"Even though Sasuke's just a kid, he had something you didn't, something you needed."
We all waited silently. Shisui crossed his arms and leaned back.
"Access to the inside of the manor. You were already communicating with him against Madara's order, it would've been a simple matter to tell Sasuke the truth and formulate a plan of action."
I raised my eyebrows.
Was he always that sensible?
It wasn't like Shisui was a C.E.O or a professor at a university or anything. He was an optometrist. He spent all day re-wiring old people's glasses and fitting pre-teens for green and blue tinted contacts. It was enough money to get this nice suburban cottage house but not even whimsically close to the amount of money Madara made...or even the amount of money in our trust funds for that matter.
"Your problem is that you trust no one." Shisui told him. "You can't live without trust. And you can't expect your little brother to respect you without trust either."
I'd never seen someone speak down to Itachi either. It was clear that, somewhere between then and the last time I saw him, he'd become like a mentor, an older brother figure, to Itachi.
Itachi said nothing.
"I know it means nothing to cry over spilled milk. You already made your choice." Shisui said, slipping his straw into his mouth momentarily to sip his Mountain Dew. "But it's not over. We still have some power to put that asshole behind bars for good. But to do that, we need everyone's whole hearted cooperation. No bullshit."
He looked at Itachi carefully in the eyes.
"Now... Is there anything else everyone should know?" he asked.
Itachi nodded and made eye contact with me. We held each other's gaze. His eyes went over every part of my face. Probably taking in the purple and black bruises on my cheek and eye that were still struggling to heal.
"Sasuke, I just want you to know how sorry I am that this happened to you." He said.
My mind reflected back on all the times I had needed him and he wasn't there. Sitting in my room after Madara or Obito took everything out on me, face bleeding, tears running down my face...calling him...and listening to the voicemail I had by then memorized with perfection being repeated back to me.
"Hello, you've reached Itachi Uchiha, I'm unavailable at the moment..."
I would dial again and again and again...
"Itachi, please pick up this time... Please... Please..."
But there was never an answer. Never. And the loneliness... And the emptiness... Those days with nothing to look forward to except dreamless sleep where I could pretend that by some miracle, I'd died. Could I really forgive him for all of that?
"I'm so sorry." He said again, reaching over and touching my hand.
My fists had been clenched and my shoulders were hunched but with that contact, I softened. Before my eyes, the man in a suit and tie sitting in front of me changed and I could see the fourteen year old boy that I adored from my youth. Smiling down at me, handing me a cookie and stroking my hair.
"I love you, little brother."
"I don't expect you to forgive me." he went on. "I was never there for you. I ended up only making your life worse. I just wanted you to know this-"
"It's alright." I interrupted.
He looked up at me. I shrugged, looking down at the table, tracing lines on the wood.
"I haven't forgotten all the times in my youth when you were there for me."
My first steps, my first words, learning how to ride a bike, graduating kindergarten...
But he was there for even more than that.
Playing sports with me, walking to my elementary school to pick me up, buying me gifts, teaching me addition and subtraction.
And even just the little things...
Letting me sleep in his bed when I was scared, telling me he liked a picture I drew, giving me a high five.
"You were always there." I told him. "And I know that you're always going to be here from now on, right? So..."
I finally looked back up at him.
"I forgive you."
Slowly, his eyes turned to mine. I pretended I didn't see the wetness there. Shisui had been flipping through his Nokia phone giving us the feeling of privacy we so desperately needed.
"But there's one thing I want to know." I brought up.
They both looked at me with curiosity.
"Did you start that fire?" I asked.
He seemed to be battling with himself, probably between telling the truth and lies again.
"...No." he finally said. "It wasn't me."
...What?
"Over the years, my mind's gone over what happened that night countless times. Baking cookies never could've created the explosion that allowed me to escape from the basement." He said. "But... I was a child. I thought that if I took the blame for it, it would solve problems. In the end, it just ended up creating more."
The light flickered over our heads. I balled up the napkin in my hand.
"You know who did it, don't you?" I asked.
"There's only one person it could've been." Itachi responded. "Obito suggested we bake cookies. He also suggested I get the milk from the refrigerator in the basement. That was how I ended up there."
Then he shook his head.
"But, Obito isn't intelligent enough to concoct a plan like that. And he had no real motive." He said. "So... It must've been Madara."
I stood up and pushed my chair in.
"That's all I wanted to know."
Now it's certain... All of that was the truth... It was all a part of Madara's sick, twisted plot.
"Sasuke."
I paused, my back to the both of them. It was Shisui calling me.
"...Did you know all this already?" he asked.
I chuckled, it was a sour, dark sounding laugh.
"Do you think I would be on trial for armed assault and aggression if I hadn't?" I asked.
Connections
Two weeks went by strangely easily. Each day, I gave up hope of ever seeing that idiots face again.
But if I don't see his face one more time... At least one more time...
Kakashi visited often, going over plans with Itachi, Shisui and I. I already agreed to lie. Kakashi was right. My situation was too problematic for the truth and news stations were already getting wind of the whole "cocaine addict" story that Madara was pushing. I was sure that it would only be a matter of time before most news stations stopped broadcasting cute little pictures of me when I was seven years old on the local baseball team and more recent ones of a depressed looking high school aged boy who didn't give a damn.
"Sasuke!"
That was Shisui's voice. But I didn't care. He often called on me just to get me out of bed. I was beginning to spend all day just lying in bed.
"Sasuke!"
That was Itachi's voice. I lifted my head, realizing it was probably serious. I staggered out of my dark room.
"Give me a second!"
I went to the bathroom, washed my face and winced at the sore spots. Washing my face, made the hair on my forehead damp, hanging over my eyes in slim little locks.
I took my time walking down the stairs with my hands stuffed into the pockets of my black and white striped Adidas sweat pants.
"What?" I said, entering the kitchen.
My eyes widened as I saw who was there.
"Uh..."
"Your friends decided to pay a visit." Shisui said. "I thought I'd surprise you."
Everyone... You all...
"Friends?" I repeated.
Gaara and his siblings, Kiba and the soccer team, Sakura and the girls, Killer Bee and his college friends.
You guys all came...here...?
"Surprise!" someone yelled out.
"You look blown out of your fucking mind!" someone that sounded like Kiba shouted.
"What are you guys doing here? How did you even...?"
Someone raised their hand. I watched as Kakashi pushed his way through over a dozen people and stood in front of me.
"I visit Naruto's house often." He said. "I just thought it'd be a nice surprise to pass some info onto them."
"We have the biggest surprise ever!" Sakura shouted.
"Yeah! SUPER Surprise!" Ino agreed.
Killer Bee pulled a check out of his pocket and handed it to me.
"That's five thousand K, you don't see that every day!" he declared.
I blinked at the check in my hand and shook my head.
"Wait... Wait... What for?" I asked.
"For whoever bailed you out!" Kankuro said.
"We wanted to thank them."
That's...
Someone pulled the check out of my hand swiftly.
"That's me." Itachi said, walking up from behind me.
"Okay, guys! Three...two...one..."
"THANK YOUUUUU!" everyone roared.
Itachi smiled and put his arm around my shoulders.
"I didn't know Sasuke had such kind friends."
"We would've bailed him out ourselves if you hadn't." Darui told him shrugging.
"Sasuke's the coolest." Choji agreed.
"A killer Skateboarder." Gaara mumbled.
"And a real gentleman." Temari added.
You guys all really think that?
"Okay, enough of this fruity crap, you guys are giving me diabetes." Kiba said raising his arms. "Hey! Pay attention! Get the food! I'm hungry as a bitch!"
People began moving around, coolers were pushed into the room, a big cake that read "SASUKE'S INNOCENT" was put on the table, and plates and plates of homecooked food were passed onto the island.
"Looks like I don't have to cook tonight." Shisui said shrugging.
Karui brought her portable DJ station in and Shino immediately got on it.
"This is insane." I muttered.
"Be thankful." Itachi said. "Not many people have this many friends to bail them out of jail."
Friends, huh?
"Hey, pass the dip!" Rock Lee yelled.
"Get up and get it yourself." Neji muttered.
But all these guys wouldn't even know my name if it weren't for...
My eyes widened. My gaze whipped across the room, back and forth, left and right. I pushed through the people.
"Kiba! Hey, Kiba!"
He turned with a chicken wing half in his mouth.
"Huh?"
"Where is he?"
Kiba raised his eyebrow.
"Who?"
I could've smacked him.
"Naruto." I said.
He shrugged.
"Beats me. I thought he was already here."
I looked around in all directions. So many people... But not one of them were...
"Sakura."
She turned and flew into my arms.
"Sasuke! I was so worried about you." She said, pushing her face into my shirt.
"Yeah, yeah, thanks. Uh... Naruto. Where is he?"
"Where's who?"
You guys are really pissing me off...
"Na-ru-to." I enunciated.
"Oh! Uh... Well... He was just here, wasn't he?"
"He was?!" I asked.
"Sakura, are you an idiot? That was back when we were at his house." Ino butted in.
I shook my head.
"Explain." I said directing my focus to Ino.
"We all showed up at Naruto's place like three hours ago to tell him we got the money. He was there with Kakashi. That was when Kakashi told us where to find you and Naruto suggested that we all come here with the money and throw you a surprise party."
"You mean... Naruto suggested this whole thing?" I asked.
Ino and Sakura nodded vigorously.
"We all went out to buy the food. I thought he'd be really anxious to get here and see you so no one asked him to go get anything." Ino said.
"Yeah, it's really weird that he's not here."
My heart began pounding. I didn't want to panic but it was already too late.
Calm down, Sasuke... Just calm down... That guy's an idiot... He's probably just playing a prank.
But I found I couldn't catch my breath. I went all around, grabbing anyone I could.
"Has anyone seen him?"
"Where is he?"
"Where's Naruto?"
But everyone gave me the same damn answer.
"He was at the house."
"I thought he was right behind us."
"...What? He's not here?"
I was about to lose it. Suddenly, someone's hand clapped on my shoulder. I jumped and whirled around.
"Nar- I mean... Uh..." I muttered.
I stared down at Hinata who smiled bashfully at me.
"I know where he is."
My eyebrows popped up.
"Where!?"
"I texted him just now. He said he just realized he has a big math project due tomorrow. He's staying in to study." She said.
Math project? Oh... Oh no... I completely forgot all about that... Damn it!
"Did he say anything else?"
She shook her head.
That project has his entire life hanging on the line... No wonder he's staying in... I don't blame him but...
I glanced back at all the people in my house celebrating my bail money. I turned around and headed back toward the staircase.
I can't help but feel like... That was an excuse just not to see me again.
Naruto
Forgiveness
I laughed, voice edging on hysteria.
"This is... Impossible."
Straight after school, everyone had come to my house excited about raising the 5 grand. I told them to all go throw a surprise "We Love You, Sasuke" party at his house for two reasons; one because I needed peace and quiet to study and two because... Well... I was too much of a jackass to go make him feel better and I was certain he was lonely and needed company. Then I got like a million texts all saying the same thing in different ways...
"Sasuke's looking for you. Where are you?"
"Your bro's spazzin' man. Where you at?"
"The jail bird's worried about you. You coming?"
I didn't reply to any of them. I gave Konohamaru my phone and told him not to even let me out of my room.
I'm gonna figure this dimensions thing out if it kills me.
It took seemingly forever. The sun was in the middle of the sky when I started, by the time I was done, the moon was about ready to set. My eyes felt like they weighed a thousand pounds. But... I was finally beginning to understand what Sasuke was trying to do.
"You were actually trying to prove the existence of said dimensions using trigonometry." I mumbled. "You freaking asshole genius... This is way over the level of regular eleventh grade Algebra 2."
But I understood it, so it didn't bug me. I made a PowerPoint presentation and wrote a report that I then printed out.
"Done!" I shouted.
I glanced at the curtains to see the sky threatening to brighten.
"Nooooo." I moaned.
I grabbed my desk clock. 5:12am
"Ugh... Looks like shower time."
I took a long, warm shower. Parted my hair and smoothed it down which was better than the usual "I don't give a damn" style I sported. Especially for a presentation. Then, I found my nicest "Sasuke-esque" clothes. I ended up wearing a pair of black skinny jeans, a black button down short sleeved shirt and bright high-lighter orange Vans with black laces.
I rolled my eyes as I looked myself over in the mirror.
"I look like such a Sasuke." I muttered.
Slowly, I outstretched my hand...and touched my reflection.
Okay... I'll admit it... I... I want to see him...
I slipped all my books into my orange Jansport backpack, stuffed my USB into my jeans pocket and tucked my report into the outer pouch of my backpack. On the way to the front door, I grabbed a banana and a bottle of water.
"Leaving so early?"
I half turned and smiled.
"Oh, hey. Uh... Yeah."
Tsunade was sitting at the table all in the darkness. I didn't even notice her.
"You're forgetting something." She said.
She slid a small turquoise and red case onto the island. I smiled, picked up my iPhone 5 with the Angry Birds case and slipped it into my pocket.
"Thanks..." I said, grabbing the doorknob.
"Naruto."
I paused again in front of the door.
"I'm...really proud of you." She said, finally raising her hazel eyes to me. "I'm really impressed that you actually sat down and did all that work yourself."
"I'm impressed that you even noticed." I remarked.
She looked down and smiled softly.
"Naruto... I-"
"I know, I know, you're going to quit drinking and gambling. I know. You say it all the time."
"This time I mean it." She said.
"You always mean it, Tsunade." I retorted.
Silence filled the room. I felt no guilt. I honestly believed the more often I told her about herself the more easily she'd be able to change.
"You're going to see Sasuke, aren't you?" she asked. "That's why you're ready so early?"
I nodded.
"So... You've forgiven him?"
A dark expression crossed my face. One I couldn't control.
"Not really." I mumbled. "But..."
But I can't stand staying away from him...
"If my problem is addiction...yours is trust, Naruto."
I raised my eyebrows.
"You trust a bit too easily, you know? So easily that you end up expecting a bit too much out of people." She explained. "We're all human. We all try...really, really hard. Don't you think?"
I lowered my eyes to the floor.
It's hard to tell whether she's talking about Sasuke or herself...
"Some of us are weak... Some of us can't handle things without help." She went on. "And we need these things like drinking or gambling or...cocaine just to help us get up in the morning."
I leaned back against the wall.
"But it's not good to rely on those things. Those things just end up using you up in the end." I told her.
"You're right. And that's why there are people like you. People that we need to help us back onto our feet so we don't reach for that next...bottle or buzz." She explained. "He... He needs you. Not an angry you or a disappointed you. He needs you to forgive... And help him get back up."
I clutched the banana in my hand.
"And... I need you, too." She whispered.
I finally let my hand turn the doorknob.
"I understand. Thank you." I said.
"Naruto, I love you so much."
I nodded.
"I love you, too... Mom." I replied, closing the door shut behind me.
The Last Time
Killer Bee left me his Camaro again. I was certain he was leaving it with me for keeps.
"Got so many cars I don't know what to do." He told me. "So I brought the Orange Bug up here for you."
It was probably his way of making me feel better about everything. And driving up to the place where Kakashi told me Sasuke was staying using the built in GPS in the car and driving with my iPod jamming the speakers out did make me feel better. He was all the way out on the WestSide near the beach. I could smell the salt in the air as I pulled up.
I knocked on the door lightly, for the first time wondering why I decided to come there at barely 6 in the morning. But to my surprise, the door opened quickly.
"Good morning." Said a man with curly black hair that had an odd resemblance to Sasuke's older brother.
"Morning." I said, trying to peek over his shoulder. "Sasuke home?"
His expression quickly became guarded.
"Your name?" he asked.
"Naruto Uzumaki." I said. "I'm a...classmate."
I motioned to my backpack but he was already opening the door for me.
"So, you're the famous Naruto I've been hearing so much about!" he said.
I glanced to the left to see Itachi coming to the front door, straightening a purple tie.
"I don't think he's awake, Shisui." Itachi said.
"So what?" Shisui asked him. Then he turned back to me. "Sasuke's basically been a motionless blob since the moment he realized you weren't at his party last night."
I raised my eyebrows. Shisui pulled my arm and basically shoved me toward the staircase.
"Please go talk to him. I've never seen anyone that depressed in my life." He declared.
Itachi shrugged.
"Well, we both have to head to work." He called to me. "Take good care of my brother for me."
As I ascended the stairs, they picked up their briefcases and wallets and strode out of the front door.
Ugh... They didn't even tell me which room is his...
But all the doors were open except one and I was pretty certain that with the way they were describing Sasuke, he'd most likely have his door closed. I went to knock but then at the last moment I decided to turn the knob instead. It was open.
(Play Childhood- Beach House)
I walked into a bedroom much smaller than the one Sasuke had at Madara's Manor. He lay curled up into a ball next to the wall. I quietly placed my backpack onto his desk and moved over to his bed.
His drawn window blinds gave the room a light blue hue. I bent over him and slid my hand into his hair.
"Sasuke..." I whispered.
He sighed and rolled over onto his back. He was shirtless. I realized it really had been a long time since I'd seen him. Almost a full three weeks... The bruises on his face were completely absent and the ones on his chest were barely visible. I sat down on the edge of the bed and lightly touched his cheek with the tips of my fingers.
He sighed again.
"Naruto..." he mumbled.
But his eyes didn't open. Staring at his face like that, I realized I had really, really been aching to go see him. I suddenly felt a rising sensation in my jeans. I couldn't help but allow my hand to travel down his chest. I forced myself to pull my hand away before I could do anything else.
"Sasuke... I really missed you." I found myself saying.
I fidgeted with my fingers.
"Honestly, I...I've been thinking about you every second of every day since I slammed that door." I confessed. "It's just that... People lie to me all the time. Ever since I was a kid and I grew up without parents, everyone's always been lying to me. But I guess..."
I let my head fall and covered my ears with my hands.
"I guess it's impossible for someone not to lie to you even once." I said.
"Do you really think I'm like Madara?"
I jumped and turned around. Sasuke was looking at me from his position on the bed. I shook my head.
"I was just being stupid. You were...feeling pain. Madara doesn't feel anything like that. He's barely human."
Sasuke slowly sat up.
"I didn't expect you to ever come back."
I lowered my head.
"I'm sorry I took so long."
I reached for my backpack and pulled out a bag from the front zipper. I tossed the bag to him and then I leaned over his head and opened his window. A fresh, cool scent of fall leaves and wet grass wafted into the room.
"I understand that it's hard for you." I told him, sitting back down. "But..."
Sasuke's eyes were wide, opening the bag. I could see his hastiness surfacing, his finger trembling as he took in the smell.
"This is the last time, okay?" I whispered, pulling the bag out of his hands.
Sasuke's eyes were locked on the pipe in my hand. I ran my hand through his hair.
"From now on, think of me as your drug, okay? I'll...carry your pain for you." I promised him.
Then, he looked up at me, seemingly surprised. I lit the pipe with a lighter in my back pocket. I took a quick hit and passed it to him. He took a long drawl and blew it out. It was silent for a while as we passed it back and forth. I drew myself closer to him and allowed my lips to brush against his cheek and ear as he drew in the smoke. My hand caressed his bare chest.
Ahhh, Sasuke... You don't even know how much I want to...
"Naruto..."
I paused while I took the pipe from him.
"Hmm?"
"Do you think I'll win the case?"
I smiled as my lips pressed against his neck.
"I asked Kakashi the same exact thing... And you know what he said?"
"Some bullshit about selling the story?" Sasuke asked.
I snickered.
"No... But that sounds more like him." I said.
I paused and pulled back to look him in the eyes.
"He said 'Friends Are Everything'."
Sasuke had a dull, unimpressed look on his face. He pulled the pipe out of my hand.
"What the hell does that have to do with what I just asked?"
I laughed.
"I asked him the same thing!" I said. "And he said that as long as I care about you it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks."
Sasuke almost choked on his smoke he was laughing so hard.
"That guy is as cryptic as ever..." he muttered.
"So basically you're screwed." I said, grinning.
He blew his remaining smoke out in my face.
"That's the last time I ever ask you a serious question."
I grinned but looked at him seriously.
"Want to know what I really think?" I asked him quietly.
"'Tch." He muttered. "No."
But he let me gently ease him back into a lying position on the bed. His hands rose and he began unbuttoning my shirt. I allowed it to fall to the floor next to me. I kicked my shoes off and lowered myself onto him.
"I think..." I whispered as I looked down into his eyes. "I'm in love with you."
He brought his hand up onto my neck and pulled me down. Our lips met.
I really, really missed this too...
Sasuke's hand lowered to my jeans. He unbuttoned them and slid his hand inside.
"I'm not even surprised anymore." He sneered.
I closed my eyes.
"Don't get full of yourself." I retorted.
I shuddered as his fingers curled around my hard-on. His free hand slowly rose to the crystal from the necklace hanging down over his face. I opened my eyes to see Sasuke gazing the crystal with an expression I couldn't decipher.
"Okay... I'll admit it..." He whispered, finally lifting his eyes to mine. "I'm in love with you, too."
(Author's Note: Will Sasuke win his court case? Will Naruto and Sasuke really stay together? You'll just have to wait and see...)