Chapter 6
Sasuke opened the door of the bathroom and stepped out into the room.
He was wearing a white v neck t shirt, a black casual suit jacket over it, dark denim skinny jeans and loosely laced up boots.
Sasuke shook his wet hair out a little and ran his hand through it.
"Well… How do I look?"
Naruto held his poker face Sasuke's wet clothes in his hands.
*What the hell? It looks better on him than it did on the fucking mannequin!*
The blonde smirked.
"You'll do, I guess…"
Sasuke couldn't help but smile.
"Usuratonkachi… How could I be expected to live up to my usual level of sex appeal when you picked out my outfit?"
They locked eyes for a moment just like they did before they'd fight as kids, Naruto smiled at him before pulling him into an unexpected hug.
"I'm glad you're okay Sasuke…"
The dark haired man was wide eyed as Naruto squeezed him tightly before letting him go.
"Come on, let's get you checked out and get out of here."
His eyes followed Naruto as he walked out of the room.
*Why… Why haven't you given up on me yet?*
A blonde head popped around the door.
"Well? You coming or what?"
Sasuke nodded and followed Naruto out towards the main reception hall.
Naruto approached the main desk and started talking to the male nurse who'd checked in on him earlier.
"I'm here to check out Sasuke Uchiha."
"Mr. Naruto Uzumaki… You have our number if you need to call us, oh and here's the information for his future appointments. Feel free to call anytime if you have any problems or queries regarding his treatment."
Naruto nodded.
"Thank you."
He turned to leave but then turned back towards the desk, the young male nurse smiled at him.
"I just wanna say again… Thanks for looking after him."
Sasuke's heart seemed to jolt at this comment.
*Why does he care so much?*
The nurse grinned.
"Of course."
The blonde man waved then stepped out into the sunshine.
Naruto stopped suddenly serious, looking up at the sky.
It was as blue as his eyes.
"It's finally stopped raining…"
Sasuke was simply staring at him looking mindlessly up at the sky with his hands resting behind his head; it was obvious despite everything that had happened he was relaxed.
He still hadn't a care in the world…
Even now that they were grown up, he still seemed more than able to take anything life threw at him and make it positive.
*Has he changed at all?*
Naruto turned to Sasuke and grinned at him.
"Come on my cars over here…"
Silence seemed to envelope them as they sat in the car.
*Just like last night.*
The blonde man ran his hand through his hair, face falling as though he remembered something unpleasant.
"You okay?"
Naruto's head shot around.
"Yeah… Uh…"
He seemed to become awkward.
"Are you feeling up to going out for food…? Or would you rather order in? It's up to you."
Sasuke raised an eyebrow.
*Is that all he's worried about?*
"I'm good with either."
He bit his bottom lip.
"Yeah… You're sure you feel okay? I mean I understand if you're not feeling up to…"
"I feel fine… The doc dosed me before I left. Don't worry, it's not like I'm gonna run off trying to find a fix or something."
Naruto looked straight ahead his face was blank, his fists tightened on the steering wheel to the point where his knuckles were turning white; he turned the key in the ignition and said nothing more.
Sasuke looked at Naruto but figured he'd best stay quiet.
*Maybe that wasn't the best thing to say…*
He looked at Naruto through his peripheral vision…
*That definitely wasn't the best thing to say.*
Naruto hit the accelerator and the car shot out of the parking space, he turned sharply and drove towards the exit.
They drove in dead silence, Naruto driving like a madman and Sasuke feeling worse every passing minute for his earlier comment.
Suddenly the car jerked to a halt outside a small restaurant, Naruto jerked the keys so hard from the ignition that Sasuke was surprised the key didn't snap off.
The drivers' door slammed hard, the dark haired man sighed, and then jumped in surprise as a very pissed off looking Naruto opened the passenger door for him.
He tried to suppress a grin as he stepped out of the car, once he was out the door was slammed and a button on his keys locked it.
"Thanks."
"Whatever…"
Sasuke followed Naruto in through the door of the small restaurant, looking around.
A short pale dark haired girl approached Naruto.
"Hello welcome to Ichiraku… Oh hello Naruto!"
"Hey Hinata! How are you?"
The girl seemed to blush slightly touching her fingers together unable to make eye contact with him.
"I'm… I'm fine. How are you?"
The blonde grinned.
"You know me same old, same old…"
The pale girl smiled her blush deepening.
"D-Do you want your usual table?"
"No, actually… I have someone with me today."
"Oh…"
Hinata looked behind Naruto and looked relieved when she saw Sasuke.
"I see… Table for two then?"
"Yeah! Thanks Hinata!"
"N-No problem…"
She led them to a table by the window.
"Just let me get you some menus."
Naruto stared out the window at the passing cars.
Sasuke sighed.
"Look I'm…"
"Here you go!"
Hinata lay both menus down in front of them and Naruto beamed at her making her blush again.
"J-Just call me when you want to order."
"We will, thanks Hinata!"
She smiled at them then walked over to the door greeting two customers that walked in, Naruto lifted the menu up in front of his face blocking Sasuke from view.
The dark haired man sighed, he lifted up his menu and started looking at the different kinds of ramen they had.
*He's seriously mad…*
Sasuke put the menu down and tried to pull Naruto's down from his face so that he'd be forced to look at him, but as he did Hinata decided to come and check on them.
"A-Are you ready to order?"
The blonde smiled at her making her blush again.
"Yeah… Could I have some tonkotsu ramen and a coke please?"
"O-Of course!"
She wrote the order down and then turned to Sasuke.
"A-And for you?"
Sasuke smiled.
"I'll have the same please… Hinata."
She wrote it onto her notebook, when she looked back up Sasuke looked into her eyes.
"Might I also say your name is almost as beautiful… As you."
Hinata blushed so hard she looked like she might explode.
"T-Thank you…"
She ran off into the kitchen immediately a bright red flush spreading down her neck and to her ears.
When Sasuke turned back to the table Naruto was staring daggers at him.
*Just like I thought… He still can't turn down a competition.*
He growled across the table at his old rival.
"What the hell was that?"
Sasuke shrugged acting like he had no idea what Naruto was talking about.
"What the hell was what?"
Naruto's eyes furrowed angrily.
"I won't lose to you."
The dark haired man shrugged.
"I have no idea what you're talking about…"
Naruto growled and stared towards the kitchen waiting for her to come back to prove that he could do better.
Sasuke snorted.
*Still the same old dobe…*
"So is the food here good?"
Naruto narrowed his eyes at Sasuke.
"No the foods terrible!"
Hinata overheard his remark and looked utterly heartbroken before retreating back into the kitchen.
"Of course the foods good! Why else would I always come back here?"
Sasuke shrugged spotting Hinata coming out from the kitchen with what he assumed was their order.
Hinata smiled as she placed Sasuke's food and drink down in front of him, while she abruptly placed Naruto's food in front of him making no eye contact.
She turned to Sasuke blushing.
"E-Enjoy your meal!"
"I certainly will and thank you very much."
Naruto grinned at her.
"Thanks Hinata!"
She simply nodded sadly at Naruto and went to look after her other customers.
"What was that about?"
Sasuke broke his chop sticks preparing to eat his ramen.
"Bad timing."
Naruto had already broken his and was digging in.
"What do you mean?"
Sasuke shook his head and started eating.
"This is actually… Really good…"
The blonde grinned across the table at him.
"See? I told you! Ichiraku Ramen is the best!"
Hinata dropped a tray full of food and Naruto's head turned towards the noise.
*H-He thinks my ramen is the best?*
The blonde stopped eating and walked over to help her pick up everything.
"Are you okay?"
"Uhm… Y-Yes."
Naruto knelt down and helped her pile everything onto the tray.
"S-So… N-Naruto… D-Do you really think… M-My ramen is the best?"
She was beetroot red and Naruto grinned from ear to ear.
"Absolutely! Why else would I keep coming back here?"
Hinata's face dropped from a triumphant smile to a look of sadness.
"Ah… O-Of course…"
Naruto made his way back over to the table and sat down opposite Sasuke who was wolfing into his food like Naruto usually did.
*What's up with everyone today? First Sasuke now Hinata…?*
Sasuke sighed happily after finishing his ramen while Naruto sighed and put his chopsticks down leaving almost a half bowl of ramen sitting at the table.
"Aren't you gonna finish your ramen?"
Naruto stood up from the table.
"Nah… Let's just go."
Sasuke stood up slowly.
"Are you sure? I mean there's half a bowl left… Maybe you can get it to go or something?"
But Naruto was already paying Hinata.
"Thanks."
The dark haired girl stared over at Sasuke who smiled back making her blush.
"Thank you very much it was delicious."
"You're m-most welcome! Please come again!"
Sasuke followed Naruto outside to the car and climbed into the passenger seat.
Once again the blonde was white knuckled as he gripped the wheel.
Sasuke tried to talk but Naruto seemed oblivious to his attempts of striking up conversation, so the drive home was mostly silent.
They got out of the car in the underground car park and Naruto slammed his door shut, walking straight towards the elevator.
Sasuke climbed out of the car and closed the passenger door.
He heard a click of automatic locking and walked towards the elevator.
"Naruto..."
The elevator dinged open on their floor and Naruto stepped in not even looking at Sasuke.
"Look you can't just ignore me…"
The blonde continued to stare at anything except him.
The elevator dinged open on their floor and Naruto stepped out walking up the corridor ahead of Sasuke.
"Naruto please…"
He stopped outside the apartment door and opened it; Sasuke followed him in closing the door after him.
Naruto was heading straight for his bedroom.
Sasuke moved fast and grabbed his arm pulled him back and pinned him against the wall.
"Look be mad at me, I know what I said was horrible…"
Naruto was pissed now.
"Horrible? Horrible you don't even know the fucking start of it! I'm worried fucking sick…"
"I know I shouldn't have gone last night… I know I shouldn't have…"
Naruto laughed humourlessly.
"Last night? You think this is all about last night?"
Sasuke looked confused.
"Well what else would it be about?"
Naruto looked down at his feet.
"Don't get me wrong… Last night was hell… I was pretty sure you were gonna die… And it scared me… But at least last night I knew where you were… At least I knew there was something I could do…"
Realisation hit Sasuke like a tonne of bricks.
*He's been thinking of me all this time…?*
Sasuke was wide eyed looking at Naruto who couldn't even look him in the eye while admitting this.
"Then… Today you come along and make a joke out of the scariest experience of my fucking life… Like it's nothing! As though you think your life is nothing! Like you expected us all to move on and forget you… Out of sight out of mind…"
Naruto lifted his gaze to meet Sasuke's
"Well it doesn't work like that."
Sasuke was looking into those blue eyes, they were full of sadness and what was worse he was the cause of all of it.
He pulled Naruto close to him and buried his head into his shoulder.
"I'm sorry…"
The blonde man froze as Sasuke held him gently those whispered words soothing years of anger and resentment.
When they separated Sasuke noticed the look of calm in his blue eyes…
While Naruto noticed how close they were…
He could feel Sasuke's warm breath on his face, undeniable proof that he was alive…
His lips were slightly parted…
Their eyes locked onto each other…
Sasuke's fingers seemed to move from Naruto's shoulders to his neck, stroking the hair at the nape of his neck.
The blonde involuntarily shivered at the contact.
Both seemed to realise without a word what was happening here…
Sasuke's hand moved from his neck to his face, slowly tilting his chin up…
Their eyes were still locked onto the others right up until Naruto's shut…
Then Sasuke's fell shut…
A sudden noise made them both jump, Naruto took the phone from his pocket and answered it.
H-hello?
Sasuke still had his hand on Naruto's waist…
The only evidence left that this had almost actually happened…
Naruto moved from the wall, Sasuke's hand slipped from his waist…
Naruto disappeared into his room closing the door after him.
