A/N: I've decided to update only four of my stories for now because trying to update all of them is making my brain boil. I just can't jump from one to other without disturbing the pace and mood of the story. So for now I'll update
My Beautiful Bride
Blindfold
Love at First sight
Your Lie
***I've also decided to update longer chapters. It'll take more time but short chapters are frustrating.***
***English is not my immediate language so pardon the mistakes.***
Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own Naruto (yet) But I'm working on it *evil Grin*.
Chapter 07: Conspiracy against Uchiha
Sasuke stifled a yawn and listened to the old man who was blabbering like his life was depended on it. The old guy was such a thick headed man. Sasuke was sure that when they would be out of here it would be the next evening. For previous two hours they were drinking coffee and that old man was chugging wine like his life was dependent on it. He looked insanely distressed and his blabbering must be an outcome of his drinking but no one made a comment on it, not even his own board of directors. Well they were just other bunch of old men who haven't said a word during whole 'meeting'. Sasuke bit the inside of his cheek to keep his expressions schooled and not to let the frustration over this idiotic person show on his face.
"Mr. Sas'ke. You still haven't answered me! How do you plan on making up to us! Do you have any idea how much trouble you and your company have caused us! We don't even need to stick to the contract! It was a mistake to have business with you! I've made a mistake first time in my life!" Mr. Achim said animatedly flailing his hands and then gulping more of his ridiculously expensive wine.
Sasuke looked at the guy and his self-control snapped. Fuck it! If they were going to lose the contract than he wasn't going to listen to this geezers drunken rumbling. Sasuke's mind sharpened with a sadistic pleasure. Yup! He was so going to kick this old geezer's ass.
"We apologize sir but don't you think we should start working on the real problem instead of you just accusing us for the past two hours. May be if you could tell us the problem then we might be able to solve it." Sasuke said his words in a professional way with his not so professional smile. The old geezer who was obviously getting angry deflated and shifted while emptying his glass. The glint in that old geezers eyes made Sasuke disgust and made him think of his blond. Naruto hated it when he used his looks to calm these beasts and well sometimes it was more than a simple looking at him and he had stopped it but well desperate times needed desperate measurements. On the thought of Naruto Sasuke's heart constricted painfully in his chest but he didn't give off.
"Mr. Sas'ke is right sir. May be they will be able to solve this problem." One of the other geezer said timidly and Sasuke just internally rolled eyes.
"Very well than let's see what you have to offer Mr. Sas'ke." Sasuke almost flinched. Key word: Almost. He had seen worst. Sasuke rolled his eyes mentally but kept his expressions impassive.
"Why don't we start with the basic problem? You did said that the product was expired but I can't see how a new batch of modified hardware could be expired. Could you at least describe what exactly happened when you attached them?" Sasuke asked with a smooth voice and a professional face. All composed and cool.
"Yes Mr. Achim if you could explain the situation a bit more I'm sure we would be able to solve the matter." Alex smiled too diplomatically and Sasuke just mentally rolled his eyes.
"Very well! Shawn will take you there right now. I don't want it to be late." Mr. Achim grumbled.
"We will see the matter right now then Sir." Sasuke got up too and gave a slight tilt to his head and the geezer just eyed him. Sasuke tried not to show his revulsion on his face. While the other guy who was sitting on geezer's left side got up and escorted them out Sasuke was suddenly thankful that they have been brought to the company and not to some fancy hotel. It was better the sooner they got over it. Soon they were in the office.
"This is my office and we attached the first hardware to my PC but uh it crashed immediately. The only reason our engineers came out with that the parts might be expired." Mr. Shawn was a lot more polite and professional man. So it made the whole thing a lot less hard.
"May I check it?" Sasuke was looking at the PC with a knowing glint in his eyes.
"Uh yeah why not." Mr. Shawn looked a bit reluctant but he let Sasuke handle the matter.
Sasuke took the seat with a thanks and his nimble fingers started to move swiftly on the keyboard. Alex felt himself getting fascinated by the way those fingers moved so elegantly. Even Mr. Shawn looked all entranced by Sasuke. Alex looked at his senior with cold eyes. Sasuke was only three months senior than him so it wasn't that much of a big difference but somehow Sasuke became Vice president in international marketing and he was just someone working under him. What was with Sasuke anyways! Alex unconsciously clenched his fists. One shouldn't be so blessed! It almost seemed abnormal. Alex thought bitterly looking at Sasuke's focused figure. He hated this man so man that there was no end to his hatred for him. But soon he'll be able to get rid of him and that thought relaxed his tensed muscles immediately. Alex unclenched his fisted hands and relaxed his posture. Alex heard a click and a small huff of relief and immediately looked at Sasuke.
"Here it is Mr. Shawn. It seems that your engineers were mistaken or they didn't looked into problem more because if they did it would have been easy to troubleshoot." Sasuke gave a superior smirk. Mr. Shawn looked positively impressed by now running system. He looked at Sasuke with pure admiration. Alex just clicked his tongue with annoyance.
"I don't even know what should I be saying Mr. Sas'ke. Really you've done amazing. But please tell me how were you able to detect the problem and solve it? So we can have our engineers to do the same to all other systems too." Mr. Shawn said with a polite smile.
"It was my pleasure to be any help of you. We wouldn't want to lose such important clients because of such a small matter." Sasuke said with an impassive face and got up from the seat. "Please take a seat here so I could explain the problem." Sasuke side stepped a bit to give the space. Once Mr. Shawn was seated in front of PC Sasuke started to give him instructions. It seemed that they weren't using a powerful enough anti-virus which was making problem when using a modified model which is efficient but more open to threats. Well they had already worked to cope the problem with his brothers company and already made a prototype anti-virus and other adjustments to ram of the system was necessary to give the needed boost. It took him an hour to explain the procedure but once it was done Sasuke felt like everything might work out now. May be there was no need for an extended trip. Just like always he could return just in two to three days.
After that it was easy to negotiate with Mr. Achim and his team. They looked impressed and apologetic on the incompetence of their own men. It was seven when they left the building with a dinner invitation the next day as an apology. It really seemed like they would be able to return New York in two to three days. Only the weather was a problem. Sasuke huffed under his breath. He had never felt so much impatience before. This growing anxiousness in his heart was something foreign to his guarded heart.
'It's already this late and I haven't even called him.' Sasuke mused irritably. He knew how Naruto could be so emotional sometimes. He didn't wanted Naruto to feel any more pain. And he knew that him being unable to contact Naruto will cause him problem. He didn't wanted Naruto to be so angry that he wouldn't even talk to him. That would be problematic. Sasuke sighed. Ah man. Being stuck here sucked. Why couldn't he say at least bye to Naruto. He couldn't even kiss him good bye. Sasuke jolted a bit. OK that was a bit too sappy for him but still a kiss would've been nice like all those times when Naruto would forcefully kiss him before he or Naruto would go on a business trip. That Idiot would even leave such dark hickies on him. Even though he knew that it would stand out on Sasuke's fair skin but Naruto never listened to him and he didn't hated it. Sasuke never hated Naruto's possessiveness. It was refreshing to see Naruto fuss over him. Making love to Sasuke like he was the only one existed in this whole world for Naruto. Like he was Naruto's world. And he had taken it for granted. Sasuke's gut churned with the coldness he had shown the warm fuzzy ball and how angry Naruto have gotten.
Sasuke gave a small while parting with President while biting the insides of his cheek to refrain from running straight to a phone booth or even considering snatching that old man's phone out of his pocket. He was that desperate to listen to Naruto. He wanted to listen to that idiots stupid blabbering. His crazy antics. He wanted to see Naruto. He wanted to see him so bad that the feeling hit him like a tangible force. Crushing his lungs and squeezing his heart. Ah damn. I'm smitten. Sasuke's lips twitched a bit. He couldn't even imagine what would be Naruto's expression when he would hear Sasuke telling him about his feelings. He would tell Naruto his feelings. His all honest feelings. His fears. His past which was still clinging to him and dragging him into a dark hole. But Naruto would pull him into the light. Like he has already done. Sasuke was sure.
In his daze Sasuke didn't even noticed when did they came out side of the company but once they were outside the chilling wind was enough to snap him out of his day dreaming. Sasuke looked at the empty roads. Who would be out in these severe weather condition of course? Sasuke bitterly thought and then sighed. He was sighing a lot. He irritably noted. Sasuke immediately noticed the lack of there ride and his brows frowned. Why wasn't the ride here already? Sasuke turned to look at Alex and that's when his eyes widened a bit but the next moment his expressions again became stoic and cold.
"Alex I though you didn't have your phone with you." There was an edge in seemingly smooth tone. A dangerous edge.
"Uh Yeah I thought so too but it seems that it was inside in a pocket of my laptop and it was on vibration. I receive a call during meeting and that's when I found it." Alex said sheepishly but Sasuke's eyes narrowed a bit more. If Alex though he could make him fool. He was so dearly mistaken. Alex never touched his lap top bag during whole meeting. Something was up and Sasuke wasn't going to trust this guy at all. Something felt terribly off. Sasuke tried to shrug off the feeling.
"Well that's good then. Where is our ride though?" Sasuke looked at the heavy snow around him. He hated snow. It was so damn cold.
"Well it seems that our driver couldn't come into the parking because of heavy snow. He is up ahead on the road." Alex said smiling cheerfully and Sasuke mood took a turn to worse. Walking in thick snow while a wind is chilling up your bones. Sasuke was so not excited.
"Hn." He didn't even wanted to open his mouth. It was already cold enough. Dammit, His hands were freezing.
They started walking toward the main road and Sasuke couldn't help but feel something very wrong. His instincts were crying out aloud that something was up. Sasuke gritted his teeth and took the lead to quickly cross the road the road to other side. They turned for the left and Sasuke halted in his steps. Sun was rising slowly and casting a beautiful and warm shadow over the snow. And somehow it made him think of Naruto. Someday he wanted to see this with Naruto under less harsh conditions. Sasuke huffed under his breath on the wind. That's when Sasuke noted the sudden quietness around him. His muscles grew tensed.
"Just how much more..." WHACK Sasuke's world tilted a bit and he felt like his body was hit with a sudden earth quick and a sharp pain made its way into skull. His body fell with a soft thump on the pile of snow. He tried to know what the hell happened but his mind was getting dizzy with an ominous speed. He heard the soft sound of foot step and slowly looked with unfocused eyes on the shoes. He winced while looking up at the person holding a stone? A brick? He wasn't sure anymore. His vision was getting darker.
"Not anymore Mr. Sasuke. This is where we part." There was sick smile on Alex's face. Sasuke's breath hitched. He wanted to say something but he couldn't form a word. His body trembled with cold soaking inside his not so thick clothes.
"You..Bastard." Sasuke managed to say in a quiet voice, blinking rapidly. Sasuke tried to get up but in a swift kick from Alex he was back on the cold snow. His ribs felt like they've been broken. Sasuke glared at Alex and gritted his teeth to not let out the scream of absolute pain.
"You see Sasuke it's all your own fault that things have come to this. It's not like I wanted to do this." Alex said and sat in front of him still smiling. "If you weren't so unnaturally smart I wouldn't have thought of as a threat."
Sasuke seethed with anger. What the fuck. This guy attacked him just out of jealousy. His breathing labored a bit more. The pain was becoming unbearable. Sasuke blinked more. No good. He was becoming way too dizzy.
"And If you were a good boyfriend then you wouldn't have had to deal with Konan Ma'am." Sasuke's gaped at that. 'Konan?' So Mr. Akatsuki wanted Naruto as his son in law for that psycho girl? Konan his his daughter? He felt anger bubbling in his veins. That girl was the one who had his eyes on Naruto the entire time. Sasuke wasn't an idiot. He knew whenever that girl Konan came she would eye Naruto like some candy but she never tried to get close to Naruto. Sadly Sasuke only knew that she was the daughter of some higher ups in their company but never knew that she was president's daughter. Shit. If he had any clue he would've said anything to stop Naruto. Shit. Why the hell was his mind becoming so foggy? Sasuke's breath started to get slow. It was so difficult to inhale the air. Sasuke coughed painfully because of his suddenly too dried throat. Sasuke glared hatefully at Alex. Was this guy nuts! How could he attack him! Shit he had to talk to Naruto. It was way too serious.
"What ... the hell... are you talking... abo..out you bastard!" Sasuke tried to talk in a steady way and gather his nerves but fuck it was impossible. His body was shutting down and his mind was on the brink of closing with pain and numbness. Sasuke tried to get up but his body wasn't moving an inch.
"You see Sasuke our dear boss wanted to you to be away for a week or two so his daughter could bond with her Finance and we would've done that may be if you didn't have solved the problem in just first meeting. Poor you that Konan knew that regarding your history you'd be able to solve it quickly so she gave me an offer." Alex smiled and then came closer to Sasuke. Without a warning he kicked him again with a brutal force and Sasuke coughed blood. "Unlike Mr. Akatsuki she wasn't afraid to lose a good employee like you so she told me to get rid of you permanently."
"You.. an..d her both..are.. Insane! You won't...get away... with this." Sasuke inhaled sharply and tried to murder Alex with his death glare. Sasuke winced while trying to normal his breathing. His body convulsed with pain but he didn't let it show on his face just his eyes narrowed.
"Pfft... Who says I won't? You're so stupid Sasuke. I will go back in two to three days and according to company records Konan has already made sure that you'd be on vacation requested by you before this trip and if something happens to you during your vacation. It would've nothing to do with the company!" Alex's eyes glinted wickedly. He was enjoying this immensely. Oh God the suffering and pain he could see under that tough act was making him light headed. He never knew he hated Sasuke to this degree. To see that ridiculously handsome and smart man lying in snow bleeding and beaten was giving him immense satisfaction.
"You both... Planned this?... I'm surprised... You could even thin-k... of it.. But then again... all criminals think... They could... escape." Sasuke laughed humorlessly. His body wasn't moving at all and every muscle in his body was screaming with pain but he wasn't going to give this guy the satisfaction of seeing him broken!
"Oh so you could still talk? I'm impressed but you can't rile me up. Even your cockiness won't be able to ruin my good mood." Alex smiled sickly and closed the distance between them. He grabbed Sasuke's hairs and jerked it up. Sasuke winced. Throbbing pain in his skull was too much to bear. He was sure his skull must've closed the distance between their faces and Sasuke glared at him with clenched teeth. "I always wondered what he sees in you but now I can see it. Aren't you too beautiful for a man? I'm sure if it wasn't for you that Blondie would never have turned gay. This beautiful face makes me want to mess it up so badly!" He leaned on Sasuke's face and placed his lips over Sasuke. He tried to open those pale thin pink lips with his tongue but Sasuke just turned his face.
"You.. Sick fucke..mmph." Sasuke's eyes widened when Alex shoved his tongue inside his mouth. Sasuke willed his body to move and with all of his remaining bits of energy he punched Alex. Alex stumbled away and Sasuke fell back on the snow with labored breathing.
Alex placed the palm of his hand on his abused cheek and then looked at Sasuke with narrowed eyes and gritted teeth. "You Punched ME?! You fucker!" And with that Alex's insanity switch was completely turned on. He kicked and punched Sasuke several times until Sasuke was laying completely still and bloodied. He wouldn't have stopped even then if his cell phone wouldn't have rung. He took the device out and received the call. "Hello..*pause* Yeah I'm close..*Pause*.. Yeah just wait I'm coming." Alex ended the call and looked at Sasuke with expressionless eyes.
"I'll be leaving then Sasuke. Don't want to freeze to death in this weather. A snowstorm is coming in just ten to fifteen minutes. It will be a painful death!" Alex spit out his words and then took something out of his pocket to throw near Sasuke. Sasuke looked at his phone with half lidded eyes. It was hurting so much that he wasn't even sure that he could breathe any more or no. His mind and body were already too numb to register anything. Alex crushed the phone with his boot's heels and then turned without any more words.
Sasuke laid there unmoving and unflinching. May be it was because of the cold that his body felt so numb and heavy or maybe it was because of the injury to his head. Sasuke wasn't sure anymore. He couldn't even move his muscles at all or he would've smirked ruefully. It was such an undignified way to die for a man like him. A man who tried so hard to live with pride. Even losing the only man who loved him and gave him his everything. But now because of that Naruto would marry a girl like Konan who was deceiving him. Sasuke felt his eyes stinging slightly. Why wasn't he allowed to love Naruto? Why wasn't he given a chance to start over? Fine! He admitted that he was an ass to Naruto but it was just him securing his heart. Just a defense mechanism to not to get hurt again. He wanted so badly to embrace Naruto right now that his heart clenched painfully in his chest. Oh God why? Why he had to die right now when he finally admitted his heart being stolen by that charming thief.
Sasuke's lips twitched a bit while thinking about Naruto. He must've been so angry when Sasuke didn't returned or may be hurt. Sasuke frowned. He didn't like the idea of Naruto getting hurt or sad because of him. Sasuke thought back to Naruto's swollen eyes and his gut churned. He hoped that Naruto wouldn't cry anymore. It would be better if he just fell asleep and then Sasuke could go into his dreams and apologize for being a bad boy friend. Sasuke huffed a small laugh. It seems like he was losing his mind due to the cold and his beaten body. And suddenly Sasuke's face fell with a sudden sad and painful thought. Naruto must be sleeping right now because it would be still night in New York and here Sasuke is taking his last breaths. And if Konan's plan succeeded Naruto would never even know about his death and his brother. What would Itachi do? Would he convince Naruto to find Sasuke together with him? Or Naruto would decline to look for a bastard like Sasuke? Sasuke's brain pounded in his skull and he inhaled sharply to take in the insufficient oxygen. He wanted to think more but it was so painful to think while he was willing his body forcefully to even breathe.
His throat felt dry and he swallowed hardly to not let the dizziness take over but it was too much. It hurt too much. It was so painful. Naruto was getting married to Konan and he was dying here in the middle of a cold deserted street. Just once. Just once he wanted to see Naruto. Just once before he dies and can't see him forever. Sasuke's breath hitched and he felt his pulse disappearing slowly just like his now stilled heart. Sasuke opened his lips to inhale the icy air to stay awake but it was no use. He intelligent eyes slowly started to close and soon darkness took over...
Naruto slowly opened his eyes and rubbed his slightly stiff neck. He took in the complete darkness of the apartment and grabbed his phone from the table to look at the time. There was a message from Sasuke. Naruto's heart thumped loudly and his fingers trembled slightly. He text me. A small smile made its way on Naruto's lips and his heart swelled with hope. He open the text quickly and read the content.
"Hey Naruto I won't be coming back because of business trip. But I think I shouldn't delay what I wanted to tell you. I've already heard that you've accepted the proposal. I wanted to congratulate you. I hope that you and Konan have a happy marriage. I might be away for... beep..." Naruto deleted the text without even reading it to the end. He looked at the now black screen with blurry vision and blinked back the tears which were threatening to leave his eyes. Naruto got up robotic-ally and then quickly sent a text to Konan asking her to meet him at lunch. After he was done with it he tossed the phone on the couch and came into the bedroom... Their bedroom. Where Naruto had made sweet yet rough love to Sasuke just two days ago. But it felt like it had been so much time since it happened. Naruto flopped down on the bed and placed his arm over his eyes. The sheets smelled like Sasuke. The room was filled with the sweet yet exotic smell of the cologne Sasuke wore. It suffocated Naruto and made his body unbearably hot with raw desire for that man.
Naruto abruptly sat up and inhaled sharply to calm his thundering heart.'Shit' Naruto mumbled and closed his eyes for a moment to gather his nerves. 'No. No. It was no good.' He helplessly thought. His heart felt like it was being crushed in his chest. An ominous feeling was making him nausea-tic. Naruto looked at the time and it was 2 in the morning. He sighed. 'Should I call him?'. Naruto bit his lips roughly drawing blood unconsciously and then licked them. He sighed with a pained expression on his face.'He broke up with me and I want to call him to check on him. Am I a masochist?' Naruto thought bitterly but still the heavy feeling lingered on his heart. A bad feeling was all he could think of. He wanted to cry out with frustration.
"Fuck!" Naruto cursed out loudly. He couldn't put his finger on it but something was wrong! So terribly wrong! He clutched his shirt over his heart but the painful thumping of his heart wasn't stopping. His heart wasn't calming down at. It was the same crushing feeling he felt years ago when his father died. The same feeling when his mother had nervous break down. Yes it was the same deadly feeling. His gut feeling was telling him that something bad was happing or happened but what? He had no clue of it!
He hated his sixth sense always. It was a fucking frustrating feeling. He would have this smothering heaviness in his heart. His heart would feel like it's being crushed but he would've no clue what was wrong. He didn't wanted to call that bastard. No matter what his heart felt. He would will his body to move the way he wanted! He won't let his emotions reign anymore. He won't be blinded by the love for that heartless guy! No! It was enough! He gave him another chance! didn't he?
Naruto inhaled and exhaled with deep breaths to make his body relax. It was going to be this way now. Sasuke has broken up with him. He have to accept it. He won't let that bastard see him all broken and miserable any more. No! He absolutely refused to appear weak in front of Sasuke! If Sasuke was going to be a heartless prick than Naruto won't care any more! Sasuke was the one who always! Always made it clear again and again that he wanted nothing to do with Naruto! That Naruto was just a convenient fuck. A roommate with whom he could fool around and share rent. For Sasuke that was it.
The nausea-tic feeling returned again like a wave of dread washing over his heart. Naruto gritted his teeth. The loss his heart was feeling was unbearable. The loneliness. The emptiness. The feeling of heartbreak... It was painful. Naruto felt tears gathering in his eyes. Sasuke has left him. He broke up with him. After so many years. After the endless love from him. After every thing Naruto went through for him. After all of those long years he waited for that man's love. His acceptance. His gaze on him. His arm around him willingly. He gave his answer by congratulating him? "Fuck. This is so messed up." Naruto broke out into a shaken bitter laugh. It was messed up indeed because even after being rejected harshly so many times Naruto always clung to his hope of getting through Sasuke. "I really am a masochist." He mumbled in a hoarse voice and inhaled sharply to regain his composure. But it was a mistake! That sweet smell filled his lungs and he felt light headed.'Shit' He swallowed thickly. It was no good. He couldn't stop it. A silent cry left his partially opened lips and his body shook silently. The tears were steaming down freely.
"Shit. Shit. Shit. Stop! Stop! Please Stop! I don't want to cry for him! Please! Listen to me! Fuck you're my body! Why are you not listening to me! FUCK!" Naruto said while furiously rubbing his eyes to wipe the freely rolling down tears. His eyes were still hurting because of all the crying last night and now he was crying again. Like a teenage girl crying over broken heart! He harshly wiped his eyes but it was no use. It was like his body was in auto mode. Not listening to him at all. Just sobbing and crying over the loss. Over their broken relationship.
His body shook slowly and he gripped the sheets tightly in his hands. Who said that love doesn't cost you a thing? He wanted to punch whoever had said that! because it did to him. Falling in love with Sasuke Uchiha cost him everything. His emotions. His thoughts. his heart. His life. No matter what he did it never had any effect on Sasuke. Now that he thought about it. It was so stupid of him to chase after Sasuke. It was a no win situation from the very start. A relationship starting as a one night stand. A relationship where for one whole year Sasuke never stayed in the morning after sex. Where Sasuke would fool around in front of him with whoever he even after that Sasuke never promised anything. He never did! For Naruto Sasuke was the one he was looking for but for Sasuke that wasn't the situation. For Sasuke he was always just a compatible partner. A good fuck.
Naruto stopped trying to wipe his tears. It was no use. The pain. The rejection, it was killing him. His heart was constricted so painfully that Naruto was sure it would burst any moment." I gave you everything I had Sasuke. My time. My love. My everything. But that still wasn't enough to have you. Nothing I did was ever enough! Your love became a parasite and sucked out the life out of me and now I'm completely drained and emotionally exhausted. In the end I alone couldn't hold onto the relationship you wanted to let go from the start. It's over. We are over.." He mumbled out the words with pain and it was like the last straw. Once he said the words his feelings were all over the place. The reality and the actuality of his words made his body tremble. He fell back on the mattress and hugged the sheets drowning in the scent of his ex-lover.
For tonight...
Just for tonight he won't try to control this tide of tears. But after that he would forget that man! Yes he would forget him and live his life. But for tonight he would mourn over it. Just for tonight...
TBC...
Ok So This is kind of a cliffhanger situation. I've completed the whole idea and events of story and I really hope you would read this story to the end.
I would like to know what you thought of the story and if you think it was a boring chapter or filled with too much angst. I'm not gonna say sorry! Hey when you started it you would've known the feel of the story so just stock up tissues and bear with it. Good things come to patient people. LOL.
ENJOY.
ADIOS~
