It was 9 p.m. and past sunset. Naruto stepped onto the streets of his hometown. Instantly, a sense of peace filled the air. He was home. He felt safe again. He was hundreds of miles away from Fuchu and Gaara, and felt immense gratitude for that. He couldn't even begin to explain the relief he'd felt once he'd boarded the flight back home. It'd been a bit of a struggle to get through the check-in though. The security hadn't been exactly ecstatic about his beaten up appearance, but had made it through nevertheless. The entire flight he'd thought about nothing but the freedom he'd attained by quitting his job as Gaara's lawyer. By the end of the flight, the torturous past week had mellowed into a distant dream. Perhaps nightmare was a word more appropriate. Regardless of the faint nagging feeling in the back of his head, Naruto was sure he'd made the right decision. No money, no respect could be enough to replace his sanity. It wasn't worth losing it.
He'd made it out of the terminal and was waiting for a cab to turn up. The traffic was terrible. It would take at least an hour for him to get home. He didn't know what to expect from Sakura once he'd finally arrive there. Would she be furious? In all truth, she had the right to be. Naruto had fucked up, big time. Something about that red-haired psycho had made him shut his eyes from reality. He'd messed up his own head and possibly ruined important relationships. What Sakura thought about all of this was its own matter. Naruto had imagined her sitting in the kitchen, waiting for him to get home and planning numerous ways of gutting him. Actually, even getting disemboweled would have been less painful than having to explain the extent of his fuckup.
Naruto snapped out of his thoughts upon hearing his phone ring. He checked to see the caller. It caused him to cringe, but he answered regardless.
"Hey, sweetie", he cautiously said. Sakura barely let him finish his greeting.
"You need to come home. Now", she rushed to say.
Her voice sounded distressed. Naruto grew worried.
"What's wrong?" he asked, now determined to get a cab.
"There is a really scary looking guy sitting in our kitchen. He said he won't leave before you get here", she explained, now distinctively scared.
Naruto began panicking to find a cab. His wife's words and the dread laced between them made him fear for her safety.
"Listen to me, honey. If he won't leave, get dressed and run the hell out of that house. Promise?" Naruto told her, running around desperate to find even one damn taxi.
"Okay", Sakura complied, tearing up.
"Don't cry, just get out. I'll be there soon", Naruto assured.
In the midst of his hurry and worry, he spotted a free cab on the other side of the road.
"I'll see you soon. Just get out", Naruto told her again, and began running towards the cab.
"Okay", Sakura repeated, and then hung up.
Naruto reached the parked vehicle and hopped in. He hastily gave the address and extra money to get a faster ride. Naruto found it difficult to sit still. He had no idea who had forced their way into his house. He had no idea what they wanted, and could only hope Sakura would be okay.
The money seemed to motivate the driver, and it only took a half an hour for the cab to pull up into a familiar driveway. Naruto paid for the ride, got out and ran towards his house. He spotted Sakura waiting outside. Upon hearing Naruto's footsteps, she spun around and rushed to meet him. Upon reaching the blonde, she clung to him with all she got.
"Oh thank god you're here", she whispered, relieved.
Her relief was quick to turn into horror upon taking a closer look at her husband's face.
"Jesus."
That was all she could say. Naruto frowned.
"We'll talk about it. Right now I need to get the stranger out of our house. You stay here", Naruto demanded and began walking towards the front door.
He stopped to wonder if he should grab something to beat the shit out of them with. He owned a gun, but it was stashed away in his wardrobe. It wouldn't be of much use. Naruto concluded that since he was beaten up already, a few more bruises wouldn't make matters much worse, and opened the door. He stepped inside and closed the door behind him, quietly. The kitchen was just behind the corner. He cautiously walked over to see what was waiting for him. A man sat by the table, his back towards Naruto. The man had dark hair and was dressed in black from head to toes. It was no one he recognized.
"Who the fuck are you?" Naruto demanded to know.
It seemed the man hadn't heard him arrive, as he flinched upon hearing the blonde speak. The man slowly stood up. Naruto was preparing to break every bone in his body, but instead froze still when the man turned around.
"Don't tell me you've already forgotten me?"
Naruto didn't know what to say. He was too shocked to speak. A tidal wave of memories flooded his mind. Memories he didn't know what to make of. He didn't know whether to punch the man or embrace him.
"Kiba."
The man grinned.
"Yep. Still alive and goin' strong", he spoke and stepped closer.
Naruto simply stood there and watched him, eyes wide with surprise. For several seconds, he didn't know how to react. Kiba waited patiently. After a while of staring like an idiot, the blonde burst out laughing and grabbed the other man into a tight hug.
"Fuck, you're chokin' me", the man chuckled, but returned the hold.
Naruto squeezed him for what felt like forever, before finally letting go. Speechless and baffled, he could only stare at the man in awe. He'd thought they'd never meet again. He had known Kiba for years. When practicing his career outside the law, Naruto and he had been inseparable. They'd carried out their jobs as a pair most of the time. For years, he couldn't have imagined living without the friendship they'd shared. But then Kiba went to prison. While he'd been doing time, Naruto had decided to turn his life around and went to study law, leaving it all behind, Kiba included. As far as he knew, Kiba never made it out of gang life. Most likely still hadn't.
"I never thought I'd see you again", Naruto told, yet to recover from the shock.
"You ain't gon' get rid of me that easy", he smirked.
Naruto flashed a genuine smile. Seeing his old friend stand there in the flesh, hearing his raspy voice and that familiar dialect he'd spent years to omit, the blonde encountered a rare instance of nostalgia.
"I missed you, dude", he admitted, not realizing how his carefully rehearsed middle class lingo automatically cracked. The way it only did for Sasuke, these days.
"Yeah. Missed you too", Kiba replied.
Naruto had no idea what he was doing there, but neither did he really care at the moment.
"You still with the gang?" Naruto pried. Kiba nodded.
"Till the day I die", he chuckled.
Naruto shook his head. A somewhat sad look overcame his joy. "Yeah. I wasn't able to keep that promise."
Naruto and Kiba had both strayed from the narrow path around the same time. Their first encounters had been hostile. They'd despised each other to the core. It'd lasted for months. But then they got a job that went horribly wrong. Kiba got stabbed. Vital organs were hit, resulting in massive blood loss. He would've bled out, weren't it for Naruto who'd carried him to safety, all the while running from the enemy. Kiba got treatment in time and miraculously, survived. After that day, they'd stuck together. They'd made the oath to stay loyal to one another and the gang, till the day they'd die.
Naruto never kept his promise. And even though it was better this way, he felt a pang of guilt.
"Don't worry 'bout it. It's been years", Kiba assured him.
Naruto grunted. "Yeah."
Kiba studied his face. A snort escaped.
"You don't look too pretty."
Naruto lifted his hand to touch the side of his face and then his neck. It still was sore to the touch.
"I know. Nothin' serious", he assured. He had no desire to explain any of it.
They fell silent for a while. Naruto then realized there had to be a reason for Kiba to have come.
"Why are you here?" he asked curiously. Kiba's face fell serious. That wasn't a good sign.
"I got some shit news for ya", he muttered.
Naruto had absolutely no idea what to expect. They hadn't been in touch for years. But judging by the look on the other's face, it really wasn't good.
"There's some nasty rumors going 'round town", Kiba revealed.
Naruto frowned, but refrained from interrupting. The other man sighed.
"It's 'bout your current case", he told, glancing at the blonde. Naruto's eyes widened in surprise.
"Why'd there be any rumors 'bout that?" he wondered.
Kiba sighed yet again and took a seat at the table. Naruto seated himself beside the man. He patiently waited for an explanation.
"It's well known on the streets. Yakuza's spread even deeper 'round here than before. Even we occasionally do jobs for 'em. They pay good money, y'know", Kiba explained.
Naruto wanted to feel shocked, but wasn't able. He'd expected it. There really weren't many places yakuza hadn't slithered into anymore.
"What's it got to do with me?" Naruto wondered. A hesitant look shadowed the other's features.
"Y'know, I'm not supposed to be here, tellin' you this", Kiba admitted.
Naruto hadn't thought he was. If the rest of them learned about this, Kiba would likely get punished.
"But I couldn't just keep quiet. This is the real shit", the man continued.
For a second, he pondered if he truly should tell anything more specific, but eventually carried on anyway. To show how serious he was, he made firm eye contact with the blonde.
"Sabaku's name is a big deal under the radar. I don't know much 'bout him, but yakuza wants him gone. As soon as the hearing got done yesterday, the word was already out. He's gettin' a retrial and they don't like it."
Naruto was taken aback by the news. He had no idea word traveled so fast nowadays. But he still did not understand what he had to do with any of it.
"That…ain't a shock. But it still don't have anythin' to do with me", he pointed out. Kiba shook his head.
"This is the shit part. They know you're his lawyer and know you fuckin' slay at it."
His expression turned an ever deeper shade of serious. Naruto saw that he was about to say something that would make a grave difference. But even then, his expectations fell dramatically short of what reality turned out to be. As Kiba spoke again, his voice was dressed in an apologetic tone.
"Sabaku ain't the only one they want dead."
It took Naruto a long time to truly understand what Kiba was saying. But when he finally did, a wave of shock hit him strong enough to make him feel physically sick. Yakuza wanted him dead, too.
"You ain't fuckin' serious", was all he could say.
Kiba lowered his gaze in an apologetic manner. "Sorry."
Naruto rose from his seat, and not knowing what else to do, began pacing around the room. He pulled at his hair in frustration, cursed under his breath in anger. This couldn't be happening. Not only had he a pissed off a mass murderer, but now a bunch of hitmen as well? If what Kiba was saying turned out to be true, he had no idea what to do. He couldn't contact the police. When dealing with the mafia, it would be useless. He had no affiliations to the underworld anymore either. He couldn't get protection from there. And he couldn't protect himself without resorting to violence, which again would lead to more trouble.
A terrifying thought then crossed his mind.
What if something happened to Sakura? What if she was now in as much in danger as he? He wouldn't be able to forgive himself, were something to happen. But yakuza had no reason to come after him since he'd quit his job as Gaara's lawyer, did they?
"I quit my job as Sabaku's lawyer. Shouldn't that be enough for them to forget 'bout me?" Naruto asked Kiba.
The man clearly saw the anxious state of mind Naruto was in, and cringed knowing he had to tell him the truth.
"I doubt it. They ain't got a clue how much you know. They'll take you out just to be sure", the man admitted. The blonde's panic grew visibly stronger.
"What 'bout my wife? She'll be safe, right?" Naruto asked, an undertone of desperation audible in his strained voice.
Kiba shrugged. "I'm really sorry, blondie…I can't promise you anythin'."
Naruto was now both panicked and angry. Angry at himself. Had he known what it would mean to be Gaara's lawyer, he never would've accepted. Just as he was about to declare that aloud, the front door opened and Sakura peeked inside. Naruto couldn't see her from his position, but could've sworn she'd been crying.
"Naruto? Are you okay?" her shaky voice asked.
He wasn't, and thus didn't answer.
"Naruto? If you're dead, I'll kill you", she irrationally assured, tearing up again.
Naruto sighed and concluded it'd be best to say something. "I'm fine."
He could hear Sakura step inside and close the door. The sound of her cautious footsteps approached from behind the corner, and soon she appeared in the kitchen doorway. Her gaze immediately turned towards Kiba. And then to Naruto.
"Explain", she demanded. Naruto glanced at her.
"Sweetie. I'm gonna ask you nicely to leave the room", he said, not giving any further explanation.
He had to get her out of the room. There wasn't a shot in hell he'd discuss being a target in a hitman's black book in the company of his wife.
"What? No", Sakura declined.
Naruto wasn't in the mood for any resistance, and made it extremely clear.
"Leave. Now."
Sakura flinched. It wasn't like him to raise his voice. She watched him eyes wide, but then turned around and left. Naruto made sure she was outside hearing range before turning to face Kiba again.
"The fuck am I gon' do?" he asked, not able to hold back the tremble in his voice.
Kiba laid a sympathetic look on him. "I don't know."
Naruto didn't know what to say, so silence fell between them for a short while.
"You still smoke?" he then asked.
"Yeah", Kiba said and smiled crookedly.
"I'm gon' make coffee. And then smoke my lungs out", Naruto declared. He received no protests.
Ten brief minutes later, the blonde poured two cups of fresh coffee and handed the other one to Kiba. They sat down by the kitchen table once more and both lit a cigarette. The room filled up with smoke. Naruto cracked open a window. It'd started raining again.
He was at a loss. He had no idea what to do. If yakuza truly wanted him dead, there was nothing he could do about it. There were tens of thousands of yakuzas. He wouldn't stand a chance.
"I'm a dead man", Naruto stated out loud.
Kiba's jaw clenched. "I wish I could say you ain't."
Naruto took a drag from his cigarette. It calmed him, somewhat. But not enough.
"I gotta do something. I have to at least try", Naruto muttered through gritted teeth. His friend sighed.
"You gotta start tweakin' your aim back to its old glory", Kiba instructed.
The blonde grunted. "Yeah."
Fights, guns and violence in general were no unfamiliar subjects to him. He'd fought, shot and stabbed his way through his early teenage years. But never killed a man. He'd never killed and never wanted to. But now he might not get a choice in the matter.
They'd sat there for about twenty minutes smoking cigarettes after another, when Sakura's footsteps reached the kitchen again. He turned to face the woman standing behind him. She wasn't pleased in any shape or form.
"You're smoking inside", she stated the obvious.
"Yeah, I am", Naruto grunted, clearly refusing to discuss the matter.
Sakura glared at him, but then walked over to the coffeemaker and poured herself a cup. She joined them by taking a seat at the table as well. Naruto was surprised by how calm she seemed, taking the situation into consideration. But judging by the watchful eyes studying Kiba, she did have her suspicions. Somewhat uncomfortable under the burning stare, the man presented her an awkward smile.
"I guess I should apologize to you. And introduce myself. I'm Kiba", the man said and offered a handshake to Sakura.
She didn't take it. Only shot a dirty glare at it.
"I don't think so. Why are you in my house?" she demanded to know.
Kiba glanced at Naruto. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to say anything, and thus didn't. Naruto felt relieved. Sakura was aware he had a less than glamorous past, but had never been too specific when telling her about it. He'd left out the crime part. And the gang part. And actually everything that implied he'd been in any way involved with either. Sakura didn't even know the stories behind his tattoos, and frankly, preferred it that way.
"Kiba's an old friend. We went to school together", Naruto told her.
Unsure of what else to do, Kiba could only nod frantically and smile like an idiot. Sakura's suspicious gaze only grew harsher, but eventually turned to look away.
"Law school?" she asked.
"Yeah", Naruto confirmed.
She nodded and glanced at the man once more, though only briefly. She asked no more questions. An awkward silence followed. Though an occasional idiot, even Kiba could tell he'd overstayed his welcome.
"I'll get going", he figured and stood up.
It was obvious he wasn't needed there. He wasn't going to push his luck.
"Thanks for the coffee, blondie. See ya 'round."
"Yeah. See ya", Naruto said and flashed a weak smile.
For a second longer, Kiba watched him with worried eyes, but then turned away and left. The front door clicked shut, leaving the house silent. Sakura and Naruto remained seated. Naruto continued taking drags from his cigarette and kept quiet. Sakura watched him.
"It's bad for you, you know?" she then said, obviously referring to his bad habit. Naruto emptied his lungs of thick smoke.
"There's worse shit I could be doin'", he stated, taking yet another drag. Sakura remained displeased.
"They don't help smokers at the clinic."
"Oh, really?" Naruto replied in a bored tone.
It naturally annoyed the woman to no end, but she refused to let it show. She continued watching her husband poison himself with nicotine.
"Why did you lie to me?" she suddenly asked.
Naruto turned to face her. "What you mean?"
Sakura tilted her head. The blonde could see he was going to get grilled, absolutely scorched. He always knew, her eyes always gave it away.
"That man. He's no lawyer. Why did you lie?" she asked again.
Naruto couldn't look into her eyes and continue spewing out lies. Thus he looked away.
"Yeah he is", he muttered, trying his best to sound convincing.
It probably would've worked better had there actually been eye contact involved. His obvious lie caused Sakura to snap.
"Oh, fuck you. No he isn't", she scoffed. "You think I don't hear your accent crack? Think I didn't notice he had the same exact tattoo you have on the back of your wrist? Sasuke has the tattoo as well. And that's no cute friendship shit. So, I'll ask you again. Why did you lie?"
She was nothing short of angry anymore. Naruto could see that, but it only made him the same way.
"Stay outta shit you know nothin' about", he hissed.
"Maybe I'd know if you ever talked to me", she hissed back.
Naruto glared at her. He was well aware he probably shouldn't have said how he really felt about the subject, but also knew that sugarcoating shit didn't make the smell go away.
"There's ain't a fuckin' reason for you to know."
Sakura instantly looked hurt. But said nothing. Soon enough, she stood up and gave her husband a displeased look. It seemed she intended to walk away without saying anything, but changed her mind.
"I don't even fucking know you", she hissed, the anger obvious in her voice.
She then finally walked away, giving him the finger. Naruto found it childish. Yet returned the gesture anyway.
He was left there alone. Not a single thing was fine at the moment. As much as Sakura angered him, he wanted to keep her safe, and didn't know if he could do that. He wanted to talk to somebody. Somebody who'd understand the situation. Somebody who'd understand in how deep shit he actually was. He hesitated for a moment, but then took out his phone and made a call. It didn't take long for it to get picked up.
"Hn."
Sasuke at his finest.
"I'm in town", Naruto informed.
"Hn."
The blonde rolled his eyes. He already regretted calling.
"Don't fucking 'hn' me."
He didn't. Instead he said nothing at all. Naruto was ready to hang up, but fought against it.
"Are you gon' say somethin', or am I just wastin' my time here?" he asked after a while.
Sasuke sighed. "Yeah, yeah. What is it?"
"I need to see you. The Place in ten. Be there", Naruto demanded, and hung up.
He put out his cigarette, gulped down the rest of his coffee and headed out. He didn't bother informing Sakura.
Fifteen minutes later, he was sitting at the The Place, sipping a beer. Sasuke was late. Naruto checked the time. It was nearing midnight, but he didn't mind. He had nowhere to be the following day and was determined to enjoy that freedom to the fullest. The bar's front door opened. Sasuke stepped inside. Naruto glanced at him, but turned away again. Sasuke walked over to the counter and took a seat next to him. The man ordered a drink and waited for it to arrive before speaking.
"What is it?"
Naruto turned to properly face him. The look of horror soon plastered across the man's features indicated he hadn't seen the state of the blonde's face right away.
"Oh my fuckin' god. What the hell happened?" Sasuke blurted in shock. The sight surprised, to say the least.
Naruto didn't even know where to begin. In fact, he didn't know if he even should tell him. But in the crying need to get it out of his system, did.
"You gotta promise me not a fuckin' word I tell you gets around", he demanded.
Sasuke nodded slowly, as confused as he was worried. He had a bad feeling about this.
"Fine. Now tell me, the fuck happened to your face?"
Naruto sighed. He could've beaten around the bush, but that would've been a waste of time and energy. So he told the honest truth.
"Sabaku happened."
He had to make sure he wouldn't call the man by his first name anymore. Although, judging by the clenching of fists, Sasuke wouldn't have heard the difference, only the meaning.
"I'm gon' fuckin' kill that guy", he muttered, obviously angered. Naruto chuckled.
"Don't worry. He don't look much prettier than me", he assured. It wasn't a lie. Sasuke raised a questioning brow.
"You tellin' me you got into a fistfight with the maniac?" he asked.
Naruto nodded. "Yep."
Sasuke seemed doubtful. "How's that even possible? Ain't he supposed to be under surveillance at all times?"
Naruto chuckled. All he really could do anymore was laugh at his own stupidity. The more times he admitted his idiocy to other people, the more he started questioning if he had any sense left in him anymore.
"I told 'em to keep him unrestrained. Ain't that fuckin' fantastic?" he revealed, still chuckling.
Sasuke looked horrified. He was. And as rare as it was for him to show emotions as extreme, the look on his face certainly made up for a few past occasions.
"You fuckin' idiot", he stated so wholeheartedly, it made Naruto cringe.
"I am", he admitted. "And that's why I got that freak a retrial, and bail, and myself a spot on yakuza's list of hits to take."
Yet another bitter chuckle slipped him. The whole situation was too obscure to even be taken seriously anymore. Sasuke was at a loss for words. Naruto's face turned serious as he realized he'd have to be more specific.
"I saw Kiba today", he told.
Sasuke's face went dark. He'd never liked the man. Then again, he rarely liked anyone.
"He told me yakuza has a price on Sabaku's head. Mine, too", Naruto muttered.
There was absolutely nothing Sasuke could've said in response. Thus he didn't. The blonde took the liberty to keep on talking.
"So now I'm pretty much just waitin' to die. We'll see which one gets the pleasure, Sabaku or yakuza", Naruto murmured.
Sasuke was yet to recover from the shock. He could only stare at his friend in utter silence. He then turned to grab his drink and downed it in one sitting. The aftertaste compelled him to cringe, among other things.
"Not to be an asshole, but I fuckin' told ya, didn't I?" he had to say. Naruto glared into his onyx eyes.
"You're the definition of an asshole", he grunted, and finished his drink. He ordered another one right away. "I don't really care 'bout myself at this point anymore. I'm more worried 'bout Sakura."
"She ain't got shit to do with this. I don't think they'll go after her", Sasuke assured. The blonde snorted.
"We're talkin' about the goddamn mafia here. Nothin' can be taken for granted", he reminded.
Sasuke knew he was right, but felt the need to comfort him. Even if empathy wasn't one of his strongest points.
"She'll be fine", he assured anew. Naruto shook his head.
"There's no need to sugarcoat this shit", he said dismissively. "Dude, I'm gon' get killed by the mob. And if not 'em, by a mass murderer. Either way, there's no guarantee my wife will be safe."
Sasuke sighed. There obviously was no point in trying to be positive about this. He ordered another drink.
"Yeah, okay, you're right. I ain't gon' lie. You're in deep shit. But you're perfectly capable of defendin' yourself", he pointed out. Naruto laughed.
"C'mon. A shitload of yakuzas versus me. I wonder, which one will become extinct?" he asked in a sarcastic tone.
Sasuke didn't want to lie, but also didn't want to voice the truth and thus said nothing at all. Neither did Naruto. For a few minutes, they drank in silence.
"I'm sorry I didn't listen to ya", Naruto finally said. Sasuke turned to look at him.
"I'm sorry I was a cunt", he apologized, attempting a weak smirk.
Naruto lifted up his fist. Sasuke gently bumped his own against it.
"We cool?" the man wanted to confirm.
"Yeah", Naruto said with a smile. It was quick to fade. "Y'know...when we left the gang, I started to believe I wouldn't die like this. That I'd die as an old man, in my own bed."
Sasuke let his harsh gaze soften, but didn't interrupt.
"I ain't afraid of dying. I've never been. Back in the day, gettin' killed was a constant possibility. I just hate that I thought I'd gotten away from it", Naruto continued.
He then laughed bitterly. He felt stupid.
"I actually thought I could run away from it all. My whole past. Ain't that fuckin' ridiculous?"
He fell quiet. Sasuke felt it was considerate to just let him have that silence.
"That's why I pushed you away, too. You're the only thing left from the past", Naruto then said, nearly whispered.
Sasuke watched him, somewhat speechless. He felt a stab in his heart. It hurt to know that Naruto had wanted to get rid of him. But he also understood. And that was what he wanted to show. The man dragged his stool closer to Naruto's and grabbed the blonde into his arms. It was a strong, sincere embrace. Not something that happened between them very often.
"Fuckin' moron", he whispered into the other's ear.
The blonde relaxed in his arms, not even attempting to hide the need for comfort.
"You ain't ever gettin' away. I won't let you", Sasuke continued.
Naruto returned the hug and held on tightly.
"I won't let 'em get you", the man promised.
It was a promise Naruto knew Sasuke couldn't keep, but calmed him down nevertheless. They pulled apart. Naruto smiled for the other man.
"Thanks."
Sasuke gave him a small, crooked smile. There was nothing more to say, so a change of subject seemed to be in place.
"So, you kissed a guy, huh?", he snorted. Naruto laughed.
"Yeah, I did. Twice actually."
"Switchin' teams?" Sasuke snickered. The blonde made a face.
"No." He flipped his friend off.
"Pretty boy?" Sasuke pried. Naruto shrugged and smirked.
"Yeah, not bad", he admitted, and playfully winked his eye. Sasuke couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Good, good. Don't tell Sakura. She'd murder your cheatin' ass", he advised. Naruto rolled his eyes. Though, Sasuke probably was right.
"Hn. True."
Sasuke let his chuckle die down, a more serious look replacing the amusement. The blonde knew he'd ask a question. Likely one he wouldn't want to answer.
"What you gon' do 'bout Sabaku?" the man asked. Naruto had to sigh. He couldn't believe he'd have to admit to his stupidity yet again.
"Well...the final hearin' was today. After I left, I bribed the guards to let me inside the transportation van, kicked Sabaku's ass and told him to get a new lawyer" Naruto told.
Normally Sasuke would've been shocked, but more shocking things had already been said. In fact, only one thing perked his interest.
"So...you ain't workin' for him anymore?"
"No", Naruto verified. His friend seemed pleased.
"I'm glad", Sasuke admitted. The blonde nodded. "Me too."
Sasuke downed his drink. So did Naruto.
"Listen up, blondie. Tomorrow we're goin' shooting", Sasuke declared.
Naruto tilted his head curiously. "Yeah?"
"Yeah. We need to get your aim back in shape. You're gon' need it", the other one said and stood up. The blonde watched him in thought before shrugging.
"Sure, why not", he complied and rose to his feet as well.
They made their way outside. Once there, Naruto took out his cigarettes and placed one between his lips. Sasuke glanced at him from the corner of his eye.
"You've started smoking again?"
Naruto stopped to look at the cigarette pack in his hand. He hadn't put much thought into it, but supposed Sasuke was right.
"Yeah, I guess I have."
He then lit the cigarette and took a long drag. Why had he ever even quit? Sure, it was bad for his health and would destroy his looks, but none of that seemed to matter much under the current circumstances. Sasuke's somewhat judgmental gaze was quick to turn defeated.
"I'll bum one", he muttered.
Naruto glanced at him surprised, but politely handed one over. Sasuke placed it between his lips, lit up and filled his lungs with smoke. An actual moan escaped his parted lips.
"Fuck me. Nicotine's a gift from God", he sighed. Naruto chuckled.
Sasuke had quit smoking a few years ago. He'd barely fallen short from a chain smoker. Naruto could remember seeing him with a cigarette between his fingers, no matter the time or occasion. He also remembered how difficult it'd been for the man quit. It'd involved a lot of OCD, frustration and fits of rage, but in the end, had pulled it off. Judging by the man's reaction to his old best friend, it wouldn't last much longer. The blonde smirked. He'd always thought Sasuke didn't look complete without a cigarette. And there he was again. The complete package, the guy Naruto had missed.
"I'm goin' home. See you tomorrow, moron", Sasuke informed.
Naruto couldn't help but smile. As odd as it sounded, getting insulted by Sasuke felt nice. As if everything was okay again.
"Yeah. Sleep tight, prick."
Naruto watched his friend disappear into the dark. He left behind a cloud of smoke to dance in the air. Naruto stayed just long enough to see it catch wind. Exhausted, he went home. It was time to sleep the shitty day away. And prepare for the next one.
When Naruto woke up the following day, it was past noon already. He was surprised Sakura hadn't woken him up. He assumed she remained angry at him.
For a few minutes, Naruto stayed in bed and enjoyed the surprisingly peaceful feeling. He hadn't forgotten about yesterday, it all still was fresh in his mind. But nevertheless, he felt at ease. There was nowhere he had to be, nothing he had to do. Apart from meeting Sasuke, of course, but he didn't think of it as an obligation. He could've stayed in bed all day, but eventually forced himself to get up. He couldn't bother to dress himself, and instead walked out of the bedroom in a pair of boxers. He stretched himself awake on his way to the kitchen. Feeling the urgent need for coffee, he went straight away to brew a pot upon reaching the kitchen. He'd loaded the coffeemaker and pressed it on when a familiar, deep voice unexpectedly spoke behind him.
"Seriously? No pants? It's almost 2 p.m."
Naruto flinched so violently, he nearly fell over. Trying to keep his poor heart from ramming through his rib cage, he spun around to look behind him.
"Oh my fuckin' god, you cunt. I almost had a heart attack", he hissed.
Sasuke snickered. He sat by the kitchen table, reading the day's paper. He had his glasses on. As far as Naruto's opinion went, they made the man look like a moron. It was comforting to know that even the pretty boy looked like an ass sometimes. But even that wasn't enough to ease his annoyance.
"Fuck you", Naruto hissed, leaning against the kitchen counter to recover from the shock.
Sasuke chuckled. "Fuckin' pussy."
"Fuckin' sadist", the blonde muttered in return and gave him the finger.
"Yeah, love you too", Sasuke said, shaking his head, and turned back to the paper.
"How long have you been here?" Naruto asked, watching the coffee slowly drip into the glass carafe.
"A couple hours", the other one answered, not looking away from the paper.
"Two hours? You've been readin' that paper for two hours?" Naruto asked.
"Nah. I also watered your dyin' plants and watched you sleep", he revealed, turning the page.
Naruto poured himself a cup, deliberately only for himself. The twisted bastard sitting in his kitchen without permission was not deserving of fresh coffee.
"You sick fuck", the blonde mumbled and took the seat across from Sasuke's. The pale one grunted.
"Ain't we all?" he said, folding up the paper and dropping it on the table.
Naruto lit a cigarette. He offered one to Sasuke, but the man declined. It took about twenty-five seconds for him to regret that decision and ask for one anyway. Soon they both sat there smoking, enjoying the silence.
"Is Sakura home?" Naruto eventually asked, shattering the quiet.
"Haven't seen her", Sasuke replied.
Right after he'd said that, the front door opened. Sakura soon appeared in the kitchen. She gave Naruto a displeased look. The blonde wasn't sure if it was for the smoking or just for the love of it. Sasuke, on the other hand, received a sweet smile.
"Hey, Sasuke", the woman purred.
"Hn", was all he said, not sparing as much as a glance. Sakura rolled her eyes, but didn't push it.
"When you're done with that slow suicide of yours, I'd like to talk to you", she told Naruto.
The blonde sighed, but put his cigarette out and stood up. He gave Sasuke a subtle look of despair, which again made the man smirk. Leaving his friend in the kitchen, Naruto followed his wife out the door. He could hear Sasuke's distant sadistic chuckle follow him. It hardly helped the matter. Naruto and Sakura made their way upstairs to the master bedroom. She closed the door after them. That gave the blonde a fairly good idea of how unpleasant the following conversation would be.
"Yeah?" he asked, as he went over to his wardrobe.
"What happened to your face?" Sakura pried without shame and took a seat on the bed.
Naruto's movements froze for a split second. He'd forgotten all about his face and the fact that this discussion actually had to happen.
"I told you. My client lost his shit", he mumbled, and pulled on a t-shirt.
"Why?" Sakura asked.
Now that was the part Naruto wouldn't tell her.
"He's a psychotic maniac. That's why", he told her, throwing on a pair of grey jeans. The woman took a while to continue questioning.
"Was it a onetime thing?" she wanted to know.
Naruto stopped his movements yet again. He considered lying. But in the end, he felt it didn't really matter anymore, and thus told the truth.
"No."
Sakura was about to speak, but perfectly aware of what she had to say, the blonde cut her off.
"Don't worry. I already resigned", he muttered, closing the doors of his wardrobe.
He moved on to fixing his hair. The success was questionable. Sakura had relaxed slightly upon hearing his words. But that relaxation was a brief luxury.
"Why did you lie to me yesterday?" she asked. Once again, Naruto stopped what he was doing and sighed.
"I didn't, okay? Please let it go. Why would I lie to you?" he asked, beginning to feel frustrated. Sakura glanced at him.
"Because you have something to hide."
Naruto shook his head, hiding all traces of lying. "I don't."
Sakura was prepared to start yelling again, but upon remembering they had company, decided against it. Since neither one of them had anything to say, Naruto simply turned away and left the room. He made it back to the kitchen and drank the rest of his coffee in a few gulps. It'd gone cold and bitter.
"Okay. Let's go."
Keen on leaving the house as quickly as possible, the blonde rushed his friend up and out. On the yard waited Sasuke's parked car, which Naruto easily preferred over public transportation.
"We goin' to the police department's firing range?" Naruto asked once they'd left the driveway. The other one nodded.
"Yeah. Haven't been there for a while", Sasuke told.
"I haven't shot in a long time", the blonde realized.
Sasuke chuckled. "We'll see how rusty you are."
Naruto made a face. Though unsure of his current skills, he was determined to show the bastard. And he did. Two hours later, they were still at the range, and Naruto was yet to miss a mark. He'd forgotten how good it felt to hit the target. A rush of more than just adrenaline. An odd thing it was, the urge to shoot holes into things. He supposed it was something every man was born with. And admittedly, some women he'd met as well.
"Rusty my ass. In your face, asshole", Naruto sneered. Sasuke grunted.
"Hn. Luck all the way, dickhead."
His own practice had gone worse than he'd expected. He'd only missed four marks, but it was four too many. As expected, he was annoyed by it. It probably went without saying, but he did possess quite the competitive nature. Especially when it came to the blonde.
"Don't start crying", Naruto sneered.
"Shut up, cunt", Sasuke grunted, and fired the gun. It hit, but not accurately enough to his liking.
"You're such a fuckin' manbaby", Naruto chuckled.
Sasuke refused to reply. The blonde lowered his gun and put it away.
"You wanna get a drink?" he asked his friend. The man was aiming again, steadily so.
"Sure", he complied and fired.
It missed. Sasuke grunted. The blonde had to roll his eyes.
"Let's go before you blow somebody's brains out", Naruto suggested and turned to walk away.
Sasuke watched the blonde go. He moved to follow his friend, but stopped after a couple of steps, only to take a bitter glance at the target. He aimed once more, smirked and pulled the trigger.
Bullseye.
A while later, they were sitting at The Place again. Naruto was in a miraculously good mood. Taking into consideration the fact that he had no idea when he'd get shot, stabbed or run over, it truly was miraculous. Coming to terms with yakuza wanting him dead had been an unexpectedly quick and painless process. The fear of getting killed felt just like it had years ago, so there wasn't really anything new to accept. He didn't want to waste his time on being frightened. Instead, he sat there with Sasuke, drinking a beer. Just like old times. Getting tipsy, talking about shit that didn't really matter and ignoring the cloud of death hovering above.
"So, you found a girl yet?" Naruto pried from Sasuke.
It was a question he asked on a regular basis. Every few months, give or take. And every time, the answer was the same.
"Nah."
Naruto shook his head, chuckling.
"I don't get it. You wanna be alone year after year. I can't remember you havin' a girlfriend, like, ever", he said.
Now that he thought back, he couldn't remember Sasuke ever even talking of a girl. Or about screwing one. Or actually acknowledging the existence of the opposite sex at all. It made the blonde wonder about strange things.
"Are you still a virgin?" Naruto blurted. Sasuke nearly choked on his beer.
"What?" he hissed, coughing violently. "No."
"Aw, ain't you sensitive? Such a prude", Naruto sneered and watched Sasuke keep on choking. The man finally caught his breath.
"I just ain't a dumb dick, goin' around telling", he hissed and coughed a couple of more times.
"No, it's something else entirely that makes you a dick", Naruto chuckled. Sasuke gave him the finger.
"Keep on doin' that and I'll sit on it", the blonde threatened.
Sasuke made a face. "You're fuckin' disgusting."
Naruto laughed. He felt at ease. It'd been a long time since he'd last felt as comfortable around Sasuke. Only now did he realize how far away he'd pushed the man. He felt a sense of sadness thinking about all the great moments he probably had missed because of his own stupidity. But then again, it was pointless to dwell in self-pity. Instead he wanted to focus on that exact moment and the man beside him. He'd known Sasuke for a long time. Twenty years. No, more. More or less his entire life. He knew him inside and out. At the very least, that's what it felt like.
Apart from one small thing. A teeny tiny thing. Something he'd wanted to ask for years, but just never had. Why, he didn't really know. There was no real reason. And as Naruto watched his friend sit there beside him, he figured he might as well finally get it over with.
"Sasuke?" he muttered to gain the other's attention.
"Yeah?" the man asked, turning to face him.
Naruto looked deep into his eyes to make sure he wouldn't turn away. Sasuke wasn't entirely sure what to prepare for. Turned out the blonde voiced a question he'd expected him to ask a long time ago.
"Are you gay?"
"Yeah."
"Okay."
And just like that, it was over. Naruto asked, Sasuke answered, and no need to take the matter further was in order. The blonde sighed.
"I'm hungry."
Sasuke smiled. "Yeah, me too."
It was later that evening and Naruto sat on the couch watching television. He'd sat there for a few hours already. The TV didn't have much to offer, but he watched anyway. It'd been ages since he'd last had the chance to simply be lazy, and now that he did, he was determined to make the best of it. Sakura had come to sit with him at some point, too. For a while they'd watched the TV in silence, holding each other, like no fight had ever happened. Most of the time that was how they made up, by simply pretending no fight ever took place. It was easier than talking. That'd never worked well for them.
Sakura had moved to the kitchen to prepare a late supper. She liked to cook. She was good at it. Naruto cooked occasionally, but his cooking was mostly terrible, so he let Sakura handle that department. When it came to chores, Naruto's specialty was taking out the trash. That was pretty much the only thing he did not fuck up. Sakura didn't let him wash dishes anymore. After he'd destroyed an entire set of plates, Sakura had banned him from the kitchen for a week, and given a lifelong ban from washing even a single dish. Doing laundry he'd forbidden himself. Ending up with pink laundry instead of white five times in a row had made him stay away from the washer altogether.
Naruto was woken from his lazy trance as Sakura stepped into the living room.
"Sweetie", she said to get his attention.
Naruto turned to face her. "Yeah?"
Sakura smiled kindly. "I just wanted to say I'm glad you resigned. It wasn't doing you any good."
Naruto suddenly realized he hadn't thought about Gaara all day. His wife's words caused images of the redhead to flash before his eyes. An odd feeling stirred inside him. He didn't know what it was exactly, but forced him to skip a breath. He pushed the feeling away. It wasn't something he wanted Sakura to take notice of.
"Yeah, me too", he agreed and forced a smile.
With a brief nod, Sakura disappeared back into the kitchen, leaving Naruto alone. The odd feeling was quick to return. It lingered for a while, but went away eventually. He'd gotten near to dozing off, when suddenly there was a knock on the front door. Mildly startled, Naruto flinched. Feeling a little drowsy, he checked the time. It was 11 p.m. Whoever it was knocking on their door, wouldn't be welcome at this hour. Nevertheless, Naruto heard Sakura open the door. No voices followed, which seemed strange. He turned to look in the door's direction. His gaze couldn't reach behind the corner. Soon enough, a set of light footsteps scurried down the hallway. Sakura appeared in the living room doorway. She had an odd expression on her face.
"I think it's for you."
She seemed taken aback, startled even. Naruto tensed up. Not hesitating, he left the couch and made his way towards the door. He went around the corner that'd blocked his view and lifted his gaze to see the visitor.
It was safe to say, all color drained from his face.
"Gaara."
Ooooh...plot twist. Well, not so much. I guess we all saw it coming. But nonetheless, potentially exciting. Please review, my sweeties.