Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters are not mine. I simply borrow them and try to bring them back in one piece.
Warnings: not edited
Rule no. 10: Jealousy is Inevitable.
Naruto recalled his mother's stern voice telling him that jealousy is a feeling that would make you look stupid when acted upon. He couldn't help but contemplate that his mother was right on the mark.
Dead center
The only thing stopping him from marching forward right now is the embarrassment he feels for being acquainted with the two.
But then again he should have known. The day he agreed to the Uchiha is the day he surrendered all things logical.
-000-
Naruto woke up this morning facing Sasuke's back. Don't get it wrong. Sasuke was sleeping on his bed while Naruto laid out a futon for himself. Aside from the teme refusing to give the other room up, they decided that it was too risky to have separate rooms. It looked like Iruka and Itachi would be visiting often. Not that he minded really. It's nice to have Iruka come by so he won't feel too far away and Itachi is way nicer that Sasuke. He gave him ramen and sweets and promise to bring more when he comes again to visit much too Sasuke's annoyance.
But none of that matters. Today was a Monday.
Naruto could see his college building a few minutes away. He waves at some of his classmates giving them a bright smile which they returned. He was determined to have a normal day. Go to class like a normal student. No Uchiha in sight here. Nope.
"Naruto!" it was more like a growl really. And Naruto did not need to guess who it could be. He turns around to see his friend running towards him. His body was so bent that it looked like he was running on all fours. From the look on that the tattooed face, it was not something to take lightly about. All the warning bells inside his head told him to run away but Naruto the stubborn blond that he is stood his ground.
"I went to your house this week end and guess what Iruka-sensei told me."
Naruto instantly took an ashen color. His mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. He had a very good guess what his friend is talking about. Iruka was dense but he is a straight forward person.
"Ki-kiba! Well um...you see" Kiba impatiently taps his foot. Trying to give Naruto a chance to explain but was slowly loosing it. Kiba is one of Naruto's childhood friends. Naruto was mostly ignored by the students in junior high. But when he jumped in to save Kiba's dog, Akamaru, from getting tortured by senior students; they became inseparable. They often got in trouble and were in detention most of the time. Kiba chose a course in the veterinary so they were in separate colleges but they frequented each other's home during the weekend. But Naruto missed the weekend so he decided to stop by at Iruka's and look where that got into.
Just as Naruto found the courage to form a coherent word he felt a fist impales the back of his skull.
"Naruto you idiot!" followed by a screech. "How dare you let Ino-pig know your married before me? I was the one who wanted to plan your wedding day!"
"Sakura! You fantasize about me wearing your designed wedding gown. No way in he'll I was going to let you plan it." even though there wasn't really one. He added as an afterthought.
"What's the problem with that? You are married to a man. No wonder you were so hesitant in introducing him to me."
Naruto gaped. All eyes were around them. He could not hear their murmurs but Naruto could see their lips form the words marriage and male. This was getting worse. People were staring at him. He needed to get them out of the spotlight so he could explain things to them.
He grabbed both Kiba and Sakura's hands pulling them toward the college library.
"Where are you taking us?" Sakura exclaims.
"Be quiet will you. I'll explain everything as soon as we get to a place where there are no onlookers staring at us."
0000
Four well manicured nails alternately drums against the wooden table. Green eyes never left the person in front of her. She tried to hold it in really. But she knew the blonde since the fifth grade. Naruto was her neighbor long before his parents died.
They were nice and loving parents and always welcomed her with milk and cookies. When the Namikaze couple was murdered, Sakura's parent told her to never associate with him. But when she took notice of Naruto's broken arm she saw red and beat the living daylights out of the boys that dared do this to him. Until now no one believes that she did it and blamed it all on the blood. Sakura thought that adults were dumb and stupid. And the bullies refuse to admit that they were beaten by a girl. But Naruto took all the blame from her grinning and bearing. From that day she decided that she would protect the stupid idiot. But this?
"This is the stupidest thing you have ever done Namikaze! And there's a lot that you did!" she shouts failing to realize her mistake.
" Shhh Sakura." Kiba pulled the girl back down.
"It's Uzumaki." the other replied a little bit nervously.
"Right right sorry." Sakura takes a deep breath and continues. "You could have gotten Iruka something that didn't require this."
" I told you, it was supposed to be one night but then ero-nin came so we couldn't suddenly just deny the marriage Uchiha would get fired on the spot."
"Then what about Iruka? Don't you think it's more hurtful to lie to him then saving that ass, which I would like to add a very sexy one."
"I know that Sakura, I know that." The look in Naruto's face made Sakura regret what she said. Naruto knows that he was lying to Iruka and it pains him so. "Sasuke already tried to talk me out of it during our family dinner but I gave my word and I intended to keep it."
"But…"
"We promise to break this up nice and clean as soon as we find the right moment to." He sat up straight and looked at Sakura in the eye. "Please promise me to keep this a secret a little while longer." Naruto throws both of them a small smile and before they realized it they were nodding their heads.
Damn. The blond made them promise and promises are taken very seriously by Naruto. And if there was one thing that could make the blond instantly shatter is failing to keep them.
Naruto, Sakura promises are very important. However big or small it must be kept. Not keeping them also means breaking the bond you share with the one you made a promise to. So promise me to never break one okay?
"Fine."
"Aww man" Kiba scratches his hair very much like a dog would "Sasuke's dead if Gaara hears about this."
"Huh? What about Gaara?" Naruto stares at them in confusion.
"What about me Naruto?"
A man with blood red hair sits casually beside the blond. His eyes are fierce green. Despite having nonexistent eyebrows his eerie tattoo needled so close to his eye will make anyone cringe. He neatly folds his hands on the table and fixes his gaze on Kiba before carefully switching to Sakura. Without words his whole posture demanded answers.
Kiba and Sakura went stone stiff. Their palms start to sweat.
Gaara is an exchange student from Wind Country. He lives in the richest city which is Suna which was developing because of Gaara's family, Subaku, struck oil and that they have a few joint ventures with Konoha Corp. here and there. They say that the country is harsh and unforgiving. They were also said to be developing weapons for war so when Gaara came to the university, people avoided him like a plague. Gaara didn't mind. He almost killed three students who tried to bully money out of the rich boy. He was not a social person and with constant threats to his life (although it was more of the other way around) he simply did not trust people.
Now imagine everyone's surprise when a loud sunshine kissed haired male came bouncing around the room and zoomed straight to the exchange student and greets him a loud "Hi!", as if sharp daggers weren't thrown at him. Everyone braced for world war three. Kiba wanted to hang himself for not stopping his moron of a friend.
"Woah. You have really pretty shade of green eyes, even prettier than Sakura's. Woops if you meet her don't tell her I said that." Everyone's jaw dropped including the one he was talking to." The blond continued to be oblivious of Kiba's warning signals and kept talking.
"But I think they would look brilliant if you lighten up a little yeah?" No one made sudden moves. No one dared.
Gaara stared at the idiots face. This intruder had a new approach. Did he think by acting all nice and innocent will make him believe his bull then he had another thing coming. He was about to shove the smaller male away when a firm yet warm hand grabbed his and shook it.
"I'm Naruto by the way. What's yours?" The gesture made the entire class faint but caused Gaara to do a double take. The blond's eyes were as firm as his grip. His face showed complete awe but he could tell it was not because he knew who he is but because Naruto liked to get to know who he is. Without realizing it he shook back and told his name.
"Gaara, my name is Gaara." His eyes not only soften but his whole demeanor relaxed beside the blond. They became friends and like many who took the time to really get to know the blond, Gaara found himself acting over protective, bordering on possessive over the blond.
He likes Naruto and everyone knew that except for the idiot himself.
Gaara must never know.
The red head could read the thought of both Kiba and Sakura so he settled for the open book blond.
"Will it help if I say I won't get angry?" he tries in a teasing tone which he only does with Naruto.
'Oh yes he will.' The other occupants thought right at the same moment.
"Uzumaki-kun." A girl with two coiled buns neatly fixed on her hair taps Naruto on the shoulder. "There are three elementary students looking for you."
"Huh?" As if on cue the three brats came running towards the blond, ignoring the reprimanding voice of the head librarian.
"Captain!"
"Konohamaru! What are you guys doing here? Did you skip class?"
"Argh! Never mind that" The boy named Konohamaru counters "Iruka-sensei's in trouble, there's two…" Naruto zooms right out of the library before either one of them could even blink.
Kiba and Sakura couldn't help but sigh in relief. They were able to avoid the subject
-000-
"This is ridiculous." Iruka paced back and forth on the isle. "What were you two thinking by peeping in on the student inside?"
Two grown men were kneeling on the floor. Their legs were folded underneath their very much like a student who are being reprimanded by a teacher. But both did not look ashamed at all. As if they were enjoying the change in the teacher's facial features. That is until one of the people being addressed raised his hand. "Sensei, I would just like to emphasize that this was all Itachi's fault."
"I beg your pardon? I would like to remind you that it was your loud obnoxious voice that got us noticed in the first place, Kakashi-san."
"That is because you won't stop following me."
"What a silly conclusion. I am not interested in your actions at all." At Itachi's confession Kakashi's mismatch eyes darkens.
"Ah, Iruka-sensei" Itachi calls out. "If it's any comfort, I wasn't looking at the children at all. I was actually keeping an eye on this man just in case he tried something…odd."
"Um…is that so." Iruka seem to be contemplating the older Uchiha's statement
Itachi's usually stoic face turns to Kakashi and grins.
"You fast conniving…" Kakashi dives in for the kill but Iruka's voice stopped him midway.
"Ah Naruto you're here."
-000-
Naruto peeked behind the window of the faculty door. He could not believe what he was seeing. He ran all the way from here to Konoha Elementary for this?
"Isn't it more like the other way around now?" Udon speaks from under him.
"I know what I saw those two perverts were giving Iruka-sense lecherous looks." Naruto absently wondered where Konohamaru learned those from. He quickly shakes his head. He could understand why Kakashi was stalking Iruka but Itachi? What on earth possessed him to do such a thing? Oh wait he was an Uchiha. Basing on Sasuke, they were bound to do something crazy one way or the other.
Then they start fighting like children would do.
Naruto wanted to stomp in and hit the two older men on their head. The only thing stopping him from marching forward right now is the embarrassment he feels for being s acquainted with the two. He could hear the other staff whispering about the two.
He leans in again but this time Iruka caught sight of him. "Ah Naruto you're here." He opens the door to welcome Naruto in.
"How did you know about this? Never mind it must be Konohamaru." Iruka eyes Itachi and Kakashi, silently warning them to behave. "They might be a little too much to handle if I ask you to escort them out. Would you mind calling Sasuke so he can help you with this?" He points at the two males kneeling behind him. They did not even have decency to look embarrass instead they opted to glare at each other.
Naruto sighs. He walks out to borrow a phone from the reception.
-000-
"Yeah. Two blocks from that station."
Naruto places the phone back down and thanks the assistant. How did he get into this mess? He thought.
"Naruto!"
"Sakura-chan, Kiba! You followed?"
"Of course we did. We were worried."
"It's nothing to worry about. I'll tell you all about it on the way outside. Sasuke-teme is on his way here."
"Really?" Sakura started to walk faster towards the entrance doors. "I can't wait to mee..Uh-oh."
"Wha's the matter Sakura?" Kiba walks out and stops. Leaning under the tree was Gaara. He almost looks ethereal with crimson hair highlighted by the sun's rays peeking between the gaps of the tree leaves. But his eyes were sharp and deadly.
All Sakura and Kiba could think of was…
Shit
"Gaara, what are you doing here?" The said male pushes himself away from the tree and waits for the blond to walk towards him.
"Are you alright Naruto?"
"Yup. Just a weird incident."
"You should just run on your own like that. You'll make me worry." Gaara smiles and caresses one tanned cheek.
"Subaku-san." All four sets of eyes focused on the source of the voice. There standing to stiff for comfort was Sasuke Uchiha himself.
"Ah. Uchiha." There was distaste uttered from Gaara's words.
Sakura couldn't help but think that the dark haired man before her was even more handsome than she remembered. She recalled him whose facial features were as easy to read as a blank paper. But now, even when his face betrayed no emotion his eyes are like burning ebony, completely focus on the hand that was on Naruto's cheek.
"Sasuke. Sorry I know you hate being interrupted at work but…er…" Naruto lightly brushes off the hand away from his cheek and walks away to greet the other male. He did not notice how two dark emeralds gleamed dangerously.
"I can understand Kakashi's idiocy but Itachi-san?" Naruto looks like he was at the end of his rope. Sasuke smirked at Gaara, silently telling the other how the blond easily left his side. "You Uchiha's are so weird."
The said Uchiha lightly grins and ruffles the soft blond spikes. "Dobe. I was actually asked to look for Kakashi. You just saved me the time."
"Don't call me that Teme." Naruto smacked Sasuke's shoulder and stomps his feet like a five year old who was not allowed to get the candy. Gaara watch the scene in front of him with looks that could kill. Who is this man that was blatantly mocking him?
He did not like him. And he doesn't want him near Naruto either.
"Now I remember." Gaara casually walks towards the couple. People could feel the ominous presence seeping out from the male. "The man my idiot sister has an eye on but suddenly tied the knot."
"Ah Temari-san." The name left a foul taste in Sasuke's mouth. "I would like to apologize but I cannot offer any positive adjectives for her. She raised a hand at my spouse." Sasuke unconsciously grip Naruto's wrisk. It wasn't hard enough to hurt though more like he was trying to assure himself something.
"Our family is embarrassed by her actions. However she told me that the timing and the situation is unusual. I happen to think so too. Otherwise why are you casually flirting with my friend?"
"We are not." Naruto burned bright red and this caused Gaara to even feel more agitated. The blond effortlessly attracts everyone but he also knows that it was hard for Naruto to immediately feel comfortable with someone. He may be vocal and loud but he can be like tightly closed cookie jar that kept all his turmoil inside. Always afraid to show any sign of weakness. Even Sakura confessed that it was hard to make the blond cough out his troubles.
"How unobservant of you-" Sasuke turns Naruto around to face Gaara. He leans on the smaller males back and pulls one tan hand in front of his face. "-not to notice that your friend is MY wife." Sasuke showed the jewelry wrapped around Naruto's finger for the entire world to see. Eyes fixed on the red head; he carefully places a delicate kiss on the band.
…
Gaara's quiet stance unnerved the audience. He slowly walks closer to the couple. Sasuke immediately pushed Naruto behind him. When Gaara was a few inches away he places a hollow look on the younger Uchiha very similar to how Neiji stares.
"Gaara?" Naruto tries to start.
After uttering the last syllable of his name Gaara's eyes ignites. With a very audible "Uchiha!" He smacks his own forehead right on Sasuke's nose.
"Oh my god!" Sakura screams. Blood came gushing out of Sasuke's nostrils "Kiba stop them."
But before Kiba could even stride a foot Sasuke lands a hard punch squarely on Gaara's jaw.
Soon both male began an all out brawl fest.
-000-
"I can believe this. This is something two grown adults are way passed doing!" All occupants flinched at Iruka's booming voice. Try to hide it as they like but even Gaara was feeling a little fearful looking up to meet Iruka's pissed orbs. He took a chance to avert his gaze to his right. The isle that was formerly occupied by two was now taken by four adult males. The older Uchiha, Hatake and the conceited bastard beside him were lined up neatly in a seiza position.
"You not only frightened the children. You almost gave heart attacks to the parents." Sakura stood behind Iruka together with Kiba. She too didn't have the courage to be in the teacher's line of sight. She took particular notice of Sasuke and Gaara. Gaara's attention was mostly on his chest while Sasuke was trying to discreetly nurse the side of his torso. They were pretty banged up. Scratched, black and blue but surprisingly the wounds that hurt the most was the one Naruto gave to them. Courtesy of pissing the blond off for ignoring his please to stop the fight.
Speaking of wounds, Sasuke's nose was gushing out like the waterfall from the Valley of the End. She inspected it earlier and it wasn't broken but they needed to stop the bleeding soon.
"Hey, sorry for the wait" Naruto announce while carrying a medical kit. He goes to Gaara and hands him an ice pack.
"Are you okay Gaara?"
"I'm fine." The other mutters "Just a few bruises."
"Here let me help Naruto." Sakura takes half of the medical supplies and started tending Gaara's wounds. Naruto smiled and pats his friend then sits cross-legged in front of Sasuke.
"Really, little brother. Bloodied up so easily? How shameful."
"Shut up" snaps the younger Uchiha, causing him to swallow some of his own blood.
"Will you stop that teme! Your nose is still bleeding." He carefully guides Sasuke's face too look up, pulls a clean cloth to gently squeeze the bloody nose. "Why'd you have to piss Gaara off?" He mutters.
Sasuke turned to glare at the owner of the name mentioned. Gaara glared back whole heartedly. Slightly afraid of Iruka to start another fight while denying their intimidation for the blond if he gets angry again.
"Alright you two. Let's leave the room so Naruto and Sakura can do their jobs." Iruka ushers the two older males out.
"Are you coming with us Iruka-sensei? " Iruka didn't like Kakashi's tone not one bit.
"Do I have a choice? The one who was suppose to pick you up got into trouble himself."
Both Kakashi and Itachi happily follow the slim brunette out the room.
"Ah I think it stopped bleeding." Naruto removes the bloodied towel. He takes another damp cloth and starts to clean Sasuke's face. His hand tenderly leaves Sasuke's nose and slowly trails down towards raven's chin. His fingers ghostly brushes soft pale lips
Sasuke felt the tingly but pleasant sensations from Naruto's tanned fingers. He removes his gaze from Gaara and turns to the smaller male in front of him. He was greeted by endless cerulean oceans and felt like drowning. It was a few seconds but it felt more than that. He was aware of every shade of blue that lied beneath there. When he finally remembered how to breathe he decided to tease the delectable slender fingers giving a light kiss on them. The reaction was more than amusing. Cute pink plump lips opened and closed in surprise. Delicious caramel fingers twitches in nervousness. But the best part was the beautiful widening of two sapphire orbs solely focusing on him.
Sakura and Gaara halted what they were doing to watch at the silent exchanged. Each bore a different thought on the scene place before them.
Gaara attacked the young Uchiha mainly because he was a hundred and ten percent positive that the smock was using Naruto to fend off unwanted women. But looking at the two males beside him he could only wondered how he lost his chance on having the blond for his own. And if there was ever a chance at all.
In Sakura's case, she stared at the two with both wonder and worry. She was terribly worried that Naruto can get hurt in this so called playing the married couple game. However she also could not help wonder how much of this relationship was make believe and how much was starting to become something more.
Sakura-chan. A beautiful red headed woman kneels beside Sakura. Her eyes fixed on an adult blond who was currently glaring at another man. Acting on jealousy makes you act stupid. But it also shows the person you care for just how much you love them.
-000-
On the other side of the college library
"This is the stupidest thing you have ever done Namikaze!" A young medical college professor was startled upon hearing a familiar name. He turned around to take a look and almost gasp out loud. He quickly organized his notes; brushed back his silver white strands and set a straight his round spectacles before swiftly speed away out of the library.
TBC
Rule No. 10: When your wife is unusually sweet to you. It means she wants something. And it is mostly something you'll never agree to.