Order And Chaos
Second Strike
It's hideous.
That is the only thing that is going through Sasuke's mind as he takes in the blonde haired man before him, his features carefully schooled into that blankness that he has mastered thanks to years and years of practice.
What he is referring to, of course, is what the other man is wearing. The bright orange t-shirt sings happily of bad taste, and mixed with the black shorts and blonde hair it seems slightly outrageous. And those bright blue eyes are staring at him wide eyed, not to mention the gaping way the other man has allowed his jaw to fall into.
He narrows his eyes some more, suddenly becoming aware of the fact of the reason that the orange shirt bothers him so much. Sure, it is normally a hideous color, but laid against the dark bronzed skin of the blonde headed male, he realizes that it looks good. Too good.
The fact that he admits that to himself is what makes anger start to grow in the pit of his chest, rising to the back of his throat as his shoulders tighten and his jaw clenches tightly as they continue to stare at each other, the hate welling up in Sasuke without any real reason.
He watches as the blonde blinks out of his inner thoughts and turns to a door, unlocking it while speaking. "So you must be the boyfriend that Sakura is always talking about! Don't worry, she always says good things, if not great! You are gold to her…"
Sasuke can feel his anger tweak at that statement, and as the sound of the duffle bag hitting a wall after the blonde tosses it into the open doorway, he bites out his response in clipped, cool words.
"I am not her boyfriend."
Not for lack of her trying to get them permanently together, hence the prior night. Then again, she would bend over backwards and try and kiss her own ass if he told her they could be together if she was able to do it. She is beautiful, in her own way, just not very bright. At least that is Sasuke's opinion. If he had a heart, he would actually feel guilty for thinking that way about her.
The blonde makes a nervous laugh, and it grates against Sasuke's nerves so he narrows his eyes a bit more and watches as the man reaches back to rub his own neck, his too blue eyes closing.
"Oh, alright. I didn't know that, I am sorry. So then why are you here anyways?"
Sasuke narrows his eyes even more, if possible, his line of sight becoming more and more clouded by his long lashes as he tucks his chin in a bit closer to his chest. The glare he sends is tangible in the air. He can pick up the slight tone shift in the other man's voice, and although the eyes directed towards him are now full of worry and curiosity, Sasuke can't help but think that there is sarcasm behind the question, if not down right hostility. Sasuke mulls this over a bit, only able to come up with the conclusion that perhaps this man has feelings for Sakura, and seeing him walk out in his state of undress most likely did not look good.
Well, it is exactly what it looks like, but Sasuke really doesn't care about what this other man thinks or feels. Why should he?
"Look, you don't seem like you have a plan, so do you want something to eat, or like, a drink or something?"
He is pulled out of his thoughts by the question, but it takes a few moments for his words to actually process in Sasuke's mind. He dips his chin more, nearly touching his chest with it, as he stares harder at the blonde idiot.
What kind of person is this guy, exactly? Inviting a stranger into his home? Or even out to eat? Especially one where it is obvious that they don't like you in any way? Is the man dense? Or just stupid? He refuses to answer such a ridiculous question.
"Er, or not. Listen, do you have a car or something?"
Sasuke can't help his reaction, really. Training or not, he had not been expecting that out of all questions. His jaw unclenches and he raises his chin a bit, fighting to keep the scowl in place even though he can feel his eyebrows relax and his eyes open some.
But then, the stranger had mentioned a car, and Sasuke would love a car right now. He doesn't like the idea of hiking home, and he sure as hell doesn't like the idea of getting on any kind of public transportation. Not that he could anyways, without any money on him.
The blonde draws his door shut loudly, locking it before smiling in a decisively sloppy manner towards Sasuke, his words ringing out excitedly. "How about I give you a ride where you need to go. I know it doesn't make up for ruining your pants, but at least it's a start. How about it?"
If possible, the blonde's smile gets wider, his face flushing in what Sasuke can only describe as pure joy.
Yes, Sasuke decides, he is an idiot.
Never the less, Sasuke is not one to pass up a good opportunity, and this is just too good of a situation. He will just use it to his advantage. It can be pay back for the pants that the idiot had ruined the night before with his cold beer.
Sasuke gives a curt nod, stiffly moving around the man to the stairs where he descends quickly, his feet barely registering the rough concrete beneath them as he moves out into the parking lot, glancing around with just his eyes as he waits for the man to come down as well.
It doesn't take long before the darker male is standing beside him, lifting up a hand to point in the direction of a few cars. His deep voice rumbles out, causing Sasuke to stiffen beside him. What is it with this man? All he has to do is open his mouth and Sasuke is automatically irritated.
"It's that one right there, the black truck."
The stranger moves away from him, towards the vehicle, and Sasuke eye balls it for a moment in distaste. Good lord, everything about this blonde man just screams bad taste, or at least that is how Sasuke feels about it. Resigned, he moves towards the truck, promising himself to never have to ride in some second class vehicle ever again.
Hideous, he thinks for the second time in the day.
Sasuke stares out the window silently, watching the city as it slowly warps from apartments, to small condos, then to small houses surrounded by quaint flowerbeds and cheerful looking picket fences. It is disgusting, in his mind, and he is half relieved and half irritated when the larger more expensive houses start coming into view.
He shifts in the seat, his legs stretching out under the dashboard as far as allowed, and he takes a deep breath. This is the third time the blonde idiot has made some type of comment hoping that Sasuke will speak up as well, but just like the previous two times, he decides to ignore him.
He can't stand chatty people. They always want to talk, and talk, and talk, and Sasuke has nothing he wants to say.
Deftly Sasuke reaches out to point at a driveway, and as he looks out of the corner of his eyes he watches as the blonde's eyes go round and his jaw drops once more as he directs the truck up to the gate. Sasuke just can't understand it.
Sure, he knows he has money, and yeah his house is more of a mansion than anything, but this idiot acts as if he has never seen any type of luxury in his entire life. But, Sasuke muses to himself, he probably hasn't.
He watches as the the man's window rolls down, and the not so pleasant guard snaps out that visitors are not accepted. Sasuke automatically tenses. Really, this man needs to be replaced. Not once has he looked in Sasuke's direction, and that alone is unforgiveable. He could be turning away important business partners by not looking.
"Learn how to do your job right, or be fired." The words flow from his lips before he can stop them, and the startled guard looks at him with wide eyes before making a strangled noise and retreating back to the guard shack to buzz them through the gate.
Sasuke hates the people employed here. They half ass do their jobs and then hope that no one finds out so they don't get fired. Worthless, really. He can feel the distaste for them on his tongue as the truck pulls up finally in front of his house.
He is startled, however, to look over and find that the driver's seat is empty already, the door to the truck standing wide open. Slightly muffled by the separation provided by the truck itself, Sasuke can hear the man's voice teeter in excitement, and he sighs as he unbuckles his seat belt and slides out of the truck, slamming the car door in his irritation. People who like to talk are so annoying. The only thing worse is people who get excited over nothing.
That's two strikes in one day for the blonde haired man.
He stares over the hood of the car at the blonde with his trade mark uncaring look, his lips pulled into a straight line. He really doesn't care for the man to be here any longer. Just as he is about to say just that the blonde, in a very childish sort of way, mounts the side of his truck and leans over the roof of it, stretching his arm as far as it will go and grinning like a Cheshire while offering his hand.
Sasuke looks down at it in surprise that does not show on his face. This guy really is an idiot.
"Naruto, by the way."
Sasuke contemplates the bronzed hand with growing unease. Why is this male so straight forward about everything? Why does he have to be so blunt? And why does it bother Sasuke so very much?
After a while, against his better judgment he brings up his hand and wraps it around the other, larger one, musing that the other man's grip is light. And very warm. Sasuke blinks slowly up at the man as he closes his eyes like he always seems to do when smiling, and his lips part before he can stop himself.
"Sasuke."
Blue eyes open back up with a curious expression written deep within them, one that Sasuke cannot decipher. He does not like that at all. He finds himself caught in those eyes, and he only realizes it when the bronze hand tugs away from his own, and his arm drops back to his side limply. He suddenly feels as if he is completely drained of energy just from that simple touch.
"Nice to Meet you Sasuke. Well, I'll be going now." The blonde moves to get back into the truck, and Sasuke himself is still slightly caught in whatever trance he has been put in. He blinks as Naruto pauses, looking at him with a bemused expression.
"Your house is a little small, don't you think?" The tone is light, joking, and Sasuke hates him for it. Hates him because he can laugh about his own childish reaction to the luxuriousness of it. Hates him because he makes Sasuke want to laugh with him.
He scowls as Naruto ducks into the truck and pulls away, his eyes following the truck as it meanders down the drive way. He watches until he can see the truck no longer when it turns out of the gate. He still watches the gate as if waiting to see the truck pull back in.
He stands there for a really long time, the scowl painted on his face, and his stomach doing something funny that he does not like at all.
"Now, now little brother. What's with that face?"
Sasuke feels his body freeze up, stilling instantly. His heart leaps up to his throat and then drops to the pits of his stomach as it hammers out a beat that makes Sasuke's blood boil. He clenches his jaw before turning slowly, looking up the steps to the top one where the figure of his brother stands. Itachi's arms are crossed over his chest, his feet shoulder width apart, and his lips are curled in a smile.
"How cruel of you to make me wait so long for you to come home, little brother. I have been very worried." Sasuke watches as his brother, barefoot and clad only in a pair of black slacks, moves down the stairs, his long gait languid and predatory. "Just where have you been?"
Itachi stops in front of him, too close for Sasuke's liking. He watches as the older man raises up a hand, and fights the urge to cringe as Itachi places his palm against Sasuke's cheek. "And just look at how under dressed you are. I do hope there is a good reason for you to be walking around in clothes that you did not leave here in."
Sasuke bites his tongue and then side steps Itachi, moving up the stairs with the ghost of Itachi's touch still lingering on his face. He does not look behind him as he reaches out to take a hold of the door handle, but pauses as Itachi calls out to him.
"I am in need of your assistance tonight, little brother. Get ready quickly, or we will be late."
He is disgusted by the humor laced in the man's voice, knowing that he is being taunted, and he moves through the door, leaving it wide open as he treks towards the stairs to get to his room.
….
3 Hope you all liked this chapter. Sorry its progressing slowly, but at least it is progressing! It should start picking up the pace here soon I promise!