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I'll talk on the bottom.
10Of Seeking and the Sunrise
A loud bark sounded in the wide, sunny clearing as the horse-sized dog ran ahead, joyfully snapping at the dancing butterflies. Kiba laughed voraciously when Akamaru got butterfly-powder stuck to his tongue from one of the crushed insects.
Naruto leant in to whisper to the suddenly blushing Hinata walking next to him.
"Hey, how much longer 'till we get there?" He didn't want to say it out loud, but he was really tired already; they'd been traveling for almost six full days already, and he was carrying a load.
"Uhm…" The girl blushed harder, looking at her feet "I think it's only a little farther, Naruto." The blonde sighed, scratching at the back of his head as he walked, accidently bumping into Sasuke.
"Watch where you're going, teme" Naruto grinned, not really irritated but looking for an excuse to talk to the boy. They'd hardly spent any time together at all since they set out; Sasuke hadn't kissed him in six damn days! He was getting…lonely.
"Hn." But the raven just wouldn't bite. He'd been nagging him for the past day and a half; finally getting tired of being ignored, Naruto had reverted to petty insults, trying to pick a fight. He wished he could say it was working. Sasuke just kept walking, now far ahead of the group, now far away from Naruto.
The blonde pouted, starting to feel a sting for real, not just playful anymore. Times like these made him want to cry; why'd he have to go and fall for some asshole? Naruto sighed, biting back the tears that were suddenly knocking behind his eyes.
Gah, this was stupid. Naruto grinned at Hinata before jogging ahead, past the stupid Sasuke to Kiba.
"Oi, dog-breath!" Kiba turned to glare at the blonde, then he smirked.
"What is it, blondie; having trouble keeping up?" When he reached the brunet, the boy punched him in the arm.
"Shut up, jerk-off, not all of us have a damn horse to carry us half the trip."
"Well, that isn't my fault, is it, idiot?"
"You-" Something small and white knocked Naruto in the head, sending him cringing.
"Quit fighting, idiots, you're giving me and Hinata a headache" Sakura smiled at the blushing, shocked girl "right, Hinata?"
"Eh…Uhm, I-I-I-" The girl stuttered nervously until Kiba threw a careless arm around her shoulders, a sharp grin firmly attached.
"No way, Hina's not a bitch like some people."
Naruto ignored the shouting that irrupted as Sakura launched her attack on the dog-nin, catching Hinata in the middle of the whole thing, focusing on Sasuke's expression. So the plan to ignore him completely and become happy had failed; miserably. He was, if anything, feeling closer to tears than ever.
But no, he was a man, damn it, and would confront the bastard in a manly way. The blonde stalked towards his lover, punching him in the shoulder when he reached him, suddenly furious rather than sad.
"The hell's been your problem, teme?"
"Excuse me?"
"Yeah, why've you been ignoring me this whole time? What the hell did I do, or, more like what the hell's wedged itself up your asshole?"
The raven just stared blankly, infuriatingly at him before his eyes turned cold.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Yes you do, Sasuke! You- You've been ignoring me this whole damn time!" For the second time, Naruto was hit over the head. But this time made him viciously angry.
"Have you realized that only Sakura here knows that we're together? I suppose I'm the stupid one now for assuming you'd already thought about that small factor."
Naruto stood shocked for a second, before feeling the heat rush to his face. It wasn't the pleasant heat of a blush, but the infuriating flush that cuts off brain function. Unfamiliar sarcasm tainted the boy's pink lips.
"Wow, Sasuke; I guess I'm just so used to you being such an insensitive, antisocial, painfully arrogant asshole that I didn't realize when you were trying to be nice."
"Well, now you know."
"Damn it, you asshole!" Naruto clenched his fists to keep from punching his lover "I don't give a crap! You could at least talk to me; you don't have to completely ignore me! I don't even know why I bother with you, you, you- you stupid Uchiha!" Naruto swallowed the huge dry lump that had formed in his throat, face reddening further with anger.
"You can go back; I don't need some icy-assed guy here, I know you don't really want to even be here anyways! I can take care of myself if you're going to be like that!"
Sasuke just stood still, waiting for something. Naruto was about to punch him and himself for hoping the raven would instantly, adamantly deny it. So he really didn't want to be there. He was just feeling obligated.
"So you…." Naruto blinked back tears. Why the hell did he have to love this bastard, this horrible jerk who didn't even care? "You really- mnph!" The blonde blinked in surprise when he was suddenly swept into the woods, high in a tree and hidden behind dozens of branches, pale pink lips covering his immediately, not waiting until they were pinned against the trunk of a massive tree.
Forgetting himself for a moment, Naruto sank into the kiss before remembering he was still angry. Tan hands shoved the raven back roughly.
"What the hell, teme! Don't just kiss me to shut me up, especially when I'm saying something important like this! You really don't care; you're just trying to get me to believe-"
"Shut up, Naruto; I can only take so much bullshit." Naruto felt his eyes go wide in shock, face falling apart before getting really angry. But Sasuke spoke before he could.
"You came to that conclusion on your own, that I didn't want to be here. I was simply trying to watch out for your friends, but if you don't care I certainly don't. Don't get so angry before hearing the entire story." The blonde took a deep breath, calming himself down before puffing his cheeks. Well, that did change things a bit…suddenly silk black hair was tickling his nose, consuming black eyes barely inches away.
"Now, was that any way to react to our first kiss in six days? You've no idea how hard it's been to control myself, especially since you look so cute when you're trying to get my attention."
"T-Teme! I'm not cute, I'm handsome, damnnit!" Naruto tried being angry, except for the unbelievable amount of happy pleasure and relief that was filling his veins. So Sasuke really did care. Naruto shivered as those lips inched closer, hot breath caressing his skin.
"Alright, you're handsome…" Ivory fingers brushed his bangs from his face, lips even closer. "But you're cute, too." Before the blonde could protest full lips were on his, their breath intermingling, tan fingertips grasped Sasuke's pale jaw, playing with wisps of black hair as it blew in the breeze. Sensitive ears twitched as a dog could be heard barking closer and Naruto, with one last flourish, separated from his raven-haired lover; just as an excited Inuzuka bounded into view.
"Hey you two! We've found it; it's just up ahead a few miles!"
"Okay, okay coming!" as the dog-nin disappeared, a suddenly overjoyed blonde was pulled back to Sasuke for one last kiss before they jumped down to the path below.
"Tonight, we're telling them, 'kay, Sasuke?
"Hn. If that means we get to share a room." Naruto grinned back to the boy. He wanted to share a room too.
They walked quickly, now alone on the path as everyone else had gone ahead into the dense forest. How could there be a building in this mess? Naruto soon had his answer as they brushed past the last of the thickets and into a sunny, large clearing, in the middle of which stood a tiny house.
"This is it?" The blonde breathed, a grin already forming. It was perfect. Tsunade had really been watching out for them. He could imagine her smiling to herself as she thought of their hiding place. There was a little well, so obviously no running water but that was no big deal. There was also what looked like an enclosed outdoor bath, walled in by thin planks of the same old-looking, dark wood as the rest of the house.
When they reached the worn wooden doorway the boys could hear excited barking and running feet as their friends explored the house, and with an excited glance back at Sasuke Naruto took off up the stairs to explore as well. There were six rooms total, two on the bottom floor, which included the master bedroom that opened to the inner courtyard, a large open space overgrown with weeds and wild, brightly colored flowers, ancient-looking wrought iron chairs and table decorated one corner next to the stone path.
The house was already fully furnished if not cleaned, as well as being stocked with enough food to last at least a month for them all.
"Hey!" Kiba called down from a room on the second floor into the courtyard, grinning sharply. "This place is freakin' amazing! You know there's a spring to fish a mile out? It's awesome, let's go tomorrow!"
Naruto smiled back up at the dog-nin. "Hell yeah! This is awesome!"
The blonde turned to smile brightly at his raven-haired boy, who just smirked at his childish antics.
"Oi!" Sakura yelled called from the kitchen, where Hinata was putting a water-filled pot on the small stove. "Hinata and I are cooking, so it's up to you boys to clean up and get settled!" The green eyed girl smiled sweetly at the two voices of protest before slamming the door shut, finalizing her decision as unarguable.
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Naruto swallowed, uncomfortable suddenly among his laughing friends and expressionless lover. Dinner was almost over, and the assigning of bedrooms was starting. Sakura had already started giving him slightly anxious glances.
"Uhm… h-hey guys…" Naruto felt his stomach turn nervously, hoping his dinner wouldn't come back to visit him. With the kind of tension he was feeling, it was likely. Especially now, with all eyes on him; this was probably the first time he didn't want everyone's attention so much.
"D- Do you all know why you're here?" Blank stares told him not. How was he going to do this… Sky blue eyes flicked to Sasuke for help, but all hope died quickly at the Uchiha's amused expression.
"No, Naruto, none of us really know what is going on." The soft voice came from across the table, Hinata blushed as he looked at her.
"Ah…how can I say this…? I- no, me and…" The blonde felt another bead of sweat roll down his neck, suddenly feeling unbelievably hot. Blue eyes flicked again towards Sasuke, pleading until they saw his extremely amused expression. Damn bastard, he was really enjoying this, wasn't he? The blonde flushed, blood teaming up with mostly foreign hormones, once again blocking brain flow.
Fuck it all, they had to find out somehow.
With one last look around the table Naruto grabbed a surprised Uchiha's collar roughly, pulling him close to crush their lips together. Pulling back after getting lost a moment, refreshed blue eyes looked back around the table. Sakura was looking down slightly but snickering; Kiba looked a bit green, swaying somewhat on his knees, mouth agape. Hinata looked the most shocked of all, pale eyes huge, face beet red as she gulped; then she collapsed.
Kiba was the first to recover, grabbing his napkin to wet it and pat Hinata's face, still slightly green.
"So…we're here because you're gay?"
Naruto reddened. "No! And I'm not gay, really, just…"
Sakura snickered again "Just Sasuke gay."
Naruto looked down, face red, incredibly embarrassed. "Well…yeah... I mean, I guess…" The blonde looked up suddenly, blue eyes earnest "But that's not why you're here!"
Kiba grimaced as Hinata groaned slightly, still unconscious but coming up fast; the brunette looked up at the kitsune. "So then why?"
"Uhm, well, a- awhile ago…you know how I got fused with Kyuubi?"
Nods all around. Hinata sighed lightly.
"Well, I guess it got pissed because you know when I die, it dies and all…"
More nods.
"It um… when me and Sasuke….you know, it uh… made me um…"
Sasuke rolled his eyes, completely unaffected with the entire situation.
"Just tell them already."
After extensive glaring by the blonde, Naruto turned back to the completely silent room. Except for Sakura trying to hide her fit of giggles, of course.
"I'm pregnant." Sakura lost the battle, quietly laughing into her hand; Kiba just froze, staring at Naruto. And that's when he started laughing.
Naruto could've handled a few minutes of cracking up like he handled Sakura's giggle fit, but this was no giggle fit; this was gasping for air, rolling on the ground with tears welling, features half-pained from lack of oxygen and cramping muscles, booming, face twisting laughter that shook the house's very foundation.
Naruto growled.
"It's not that funny, you know."
Kiba just gasped for air as he doubled over "Oh damn…yes….it….is!"
The boy only began to slow to a chuckle as Hinata began to wake up; the boy leaned over her, still sniggering.
"Hey, you…hehehheh…okay?"
"Kiba…w-what happened?"
The boy turned back to the room. "I'll fill her in as I take her to her room." The boy swung one of the girl's arms around his neck, strong arm slipping under the girl's knees to pick her up.
"Ha, goodnight, guys."
Naruto threw himself back to lie face-up on the wooden floor, sighing heavily before glaring up at Sasuke.
"Some help you were; asshole."
The raven just shrugged. Naruto glowered for a second, before closing his eyes. He wanted a nice, hot, open-air bath in that outdoor tub he saw earlier. Maybe that would work out some of the kinks that knotted his back and tensed his shoulders. Blue eyes fluttered open when cool fingers intertwined with his own, seeing that Sakura had left already. Black eyes were suddenly inches away, pale pink lips looking flushed in the dim lantern light. Sasuke whispered sultrily into his ear, low voice sending shivers down the blonde's spine.
"Want to go take a bath?"
The boy grinned. "You read my mind."
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~One Month Later~
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"We gotta find the brother, un." Deidara looked down at his boy, who looked up at him with huge, intelligent teal eyes.
"Don't think we don't notice ya sneakin' downstairs at night ta spy." Yoh looked down; Deidara felt a pang, for once a bit disappointed for being right.
"Why?" the boy led them to a large fallen log, where he sat and looked at the darkening sky.
"'Cause that's who Kumogakure really wants, un. Uchiha Sasuke, not Uchiha Itachi. We gotta find the brother an' force 'im ta turn 'imself in. Or somthin'. We gotta think of somthin'." The blonde sat down too, oblivious of the boy staring at him intently.
"You really care about Itachi-daddy, don't you?" The voice was a whisper, but it cut through Deidara like ice.
"'course not, brat! He's a damnable bastard, 'e is, hm! Selfish, cruel, I'd fight 'im if 'e had his eyes! That's the whole reason I'm here, un!"
"Really?"
"Yes! Now stop pesterin' me, ya damn brat."
"Yes, Deidara-daddy. That's why you guys are always mad at each other, isn't it? Because you care." The blonde didn't answer.
"C-…can I brush your hair?" The little boy pleaded. For some strange reason, the little raven had taken a liking to Deidara's hair, and from being refused, mostly violently, he never asked unless feeling insecure.
Aqua eyes mulled it over. What could 't hurt?
"Fine, un. But just this once." The blonde sat down on the grassy ground next to the giant log where they were on the hill that overlooked the entire little valley, only a few hundred feet from the house where Itachi, the one whose rare smiles made his heart beat faster, Itachi, the one who he….needed, Itachi was planning on sacrificing himself for his brother. Again.
He was leaving in a month. The pain in his chest had been coming more and more frequently nowadays, from once every other month or so to once a month to a few times a month to once a week, now it was a few times a week. Tonight would be one of those nights. He hurt so much it was all the blonde could do to keep it from his face as he thought of Itachi leaving.
He was pathetic.
Aqua eyes closed behind thick lashes as he felt little fingers caress his waist-length hair. He needed a plan was what he needed, not just sitting and moping around. He'd find the little bastard and force him, if necessary, to turn himself in.
Or he could just stop him himself. That'd work, most likely. Deidara sat; unusually serious long after his stray caressed his cheek and walked back to the house, absorbed in his thoughts as the sun set and darkness loomed in the time it took for the moon to show its slivery face, lighting the night brightly with the help of its stars. Then the blonde got up, walking back down the slope and into the small cottage, slipping into Itachi's room.
The raven knew he was coming; he was still fully dressed, sitting on the edge of his bed, face patient and passive as ever. It hurt so much, Deidara had to pace himself as he slowly walked towards the raven-haired man, heart picking up its pace as he neared.
He was pathetic.
The blonde reached Itachi, heart pounding. Could he hear it, the evidence of his weakness? At the Uchiha's expression, he could.
But Deidara leaned down anyways, pain constricting his chest so that his breathing became short, shallow gasps as pink lips reached lush, full red, twining to mold his ache into something sharp and even more torturous. Long cream arms wrapped around the man's neck as he pushed them further into the bed, tongues lacing, aqua eyes squeezed shut. His heart was still pounding while blonde hair fanned down, loose and freshly combed, to hide both their faces.
Deidara threw his legs around the raven's waist as he reached a close-mouthed palm to stroke the Uchiha's pale face tenderly, mouths breaking apart just enough for sultry aqua eyes to watch his own fingers trace Itachi's every feature, brushing tenderly across thick black lashes and full red lips. And then he was under the spell again, crushing their lips together, hands roaming under the raven's shirt to explore uncharted alabaster skin, lifting the motionless raven's shirt off, then his own.
A trickle of thought told him how stupid he was being, basically raping the damn asshole. But then he felt that feather-light touch on his bare side, leaving trails of lava that spread like wildfire, consuming sanity and burning his nerves with its lightning white flash of heat. Deidara broke his lips' solo dance to spread fiery kisses across the man's cut jaw, aqua eyes heavily lidded with lust and something he would die before he admitted out loud.
Nipping at the raven's ear, close-mouthed hands running through the Uchiha's silky hair, letting it loose as his mouth moved down to Itachi's scarred alabaster chest, hot lips latching around one nipple, moving down as his hands worked the man's pants. Glazed eyes looked up at Itachi's face; it was still as impassive as ever, but this time with a barely sheen of sweat.
It was like having sex with a damn statue. Deidara hid his disappointment as he tugged off the man's pants, then his own tightening ones. Wrapping his arms around the Uchiha's neck once again, Deidara ground against him, vying to get a reaction, anything, anything to spur him on. And then pale fingers were just barely brushing through his hair and the blonde's heart jumped into his throat, a smile growing on his face.
That was all he needed, but then the man was starting to kiss him back, just barely, but he still was. The heat was flashing once again, hotter and faster now, boiling his veins and burning his chest, pain lacing down his back, twining with the waves of pleasure now emanating from his hard-on. He had to.
He had to, even if it was wrong because it wasn't what the raven wanted. Stripping off his boxers quickly, pulling Itachi's down, Deidara opened one palm's mouth, tongue caressing, coaxing.
The blonde kissed his love, heart throbbing, body aching as he threw one leg around the Uchiha's slim waist, lips lacing with the other, half sitting up man's as he lowered himself, wincing slightly and wrapping arms around an ivory neck to support him. He was soon surprised to find a firm hand attached to his side, holding him steady as he forced himself to stay relaxed until he slid all the way to the base.
The blonde couldn't hold back a moan as he was filled, filled until it hurt, a distraction from the pain in his chest. That hand burning into his side was what he loved.
He was pathetic, Itachi would never live up to his dead Sasori, but this… this was what he loved.
Blonde hair stuck to the back of his neck as Deidara swayed, slowly rotating his hips until the burning heat from their connection filled his body once again in overwhelming waves and pale fingers brushed his hair from his face gently.
Huge aqua eyes opened wide, still glazed as he saw Itachi fight his emotions for one last second before giving up and giving a tiny moan, one filled with such pleasure the blonde could feel it, and then there were two firm hands burning his sides, holding him breathless, heart pounding into his ears, flushing his face as suddenly the Uchiha was kissing him. Deidara felt his breath leave him as Itachi thrust slightly from below, digging impossibly deeper into him, tongue suddenly dominating his own for the first time since…since their first time.
And then the raven had flipped them, the blonde still shocked with surprise as the man kissed his neck, warmth invading his veins to overflow into his aching, flushed heat. With another small, pleasure-packed moan, Itachi pulled out slightly before thrusting back in, the unfamiliar sensation wracking Deidara's body, making him react with almost violent shivers as he tried to hold himself back and Itachi dove deeper, hitting an unknown spot deep within that had him gasping, back arching, sweat dripping in salty beads across his cheek and that were quickly licked clean by a fiery tongue.
The man thrust again and again, sending more shivers down the blonde's spine as he groaned, trying to focus on keeping his legs wrapped around the other man's back instead of flailing hopelessly the way his heart was. Deidara pulled their lips back together, tightening around the raven as he fought, then lost his uphill battle.
He moaned into their intertwined lips, tasting sweetness as fireworks exploded in the most beautiful, intimate art in the world behind closed, desperate lids, all his senses heightened as Itachi worked his way into his hollowed, limp body, already shot nerves aching sharply with the continual lightning that stroked his body until, with one last moan, Itachi too gave up the ghost, collapsing panting on top of Deidara.
They both fought to catch their breath. With a sigh, warmth filled the blonde's veins as Itachi stroked his hair tenderly; it was a different kind of warmth from the blinding, suffocating, intoxicating fire of sex, it was comforting, gentle, Deidara fell asleep to ivory fingers threading through his hair, clutching tight to his placid warmth.
He was pathetic, but the pain, for the first time since that first night, was completely evaporated in rose.
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Itachi drifted into consciousness, feeling dawn soon coming in the sky, feeling unbelievably warm at the heat at his side and the memories that floated into his mind. He had lost control last night, giving in to his emotions and his feelings for the blonde.
That was inexcusable.
But when he heard the contented breath next to him as Deidara sighed in his sleep, the raven lifted a gentle hand to caress the man's face, tracing his eyes, his lips, his hair, surprised to find the man's guard completely down, something he'd only seen once before.
It was a situation similar to this, except right after Itachi had decided to refrain from 'giving in' ever again. It affected him too deeply.
Like this time; it affected him so much, delving into his chest, rubbing a cooling balm onto his scarred, virtually destroyed heart. Just being around the blonde healed him; but he couldn't get too attached, it made it that much harder to die.
Itachi heard the man sigh again, felt his skin twitch with his small, contented smile, felt his slowly healing heart ache. Inching closer as to not wake Deidara up, Itachi brushed a kiss on the man's warm lips before getting up, grabbing some clothes and heading into their private outdoor bath to get clean and feel the sunrise bring the world to life.
Lying back against the rim of the large bath, head resting against a small pillow, he opened his eyes to view the dark nothingness, then closed them again as he felt the presence.
"Do ya always wake up this early, un?" the lulling voice was soft, with its constant, endearing rough edge. The man walked closer, and for once Itachi didn't try to hold back the small smile, hearing the other's heart speed up. It always happened.
Deidara reached him, playing with his hair; Itachi could feel the nervousness in his tensed aura, the way he was pulling at the ends of his hair. Pale fingers twitched. He might as well…the raven motioned for the man to get in, heart throbbing slightly as he heard the sounds of the single, thin bed sheet hitting the stone floor; the hot water rippling as Deidara slipped his first foot in.
Reaching with one hand for the blonde to take it, Itachi pulled him gently towards a broad, thin ivory chest to sit on his lap, wrapping his arms around the other man's waist and secretly glad when he didn't protest. Flushed red lips whispered into Deidara's ear, feeling his shiver as warm breath tickled the blonde's ear.
"Yes, I do. But you do not. What has you awake so early, Deidara?"
The man in his arms huffed, but leaned back against him. "You; ya bastard woke me up. What the hell ya doin' so early anyways, hm?"
"This, usually; I sense the sunrise."
"Yeah, well, I'm thinkin' we've got about an hour and a half before we gotta munchkin risin'."
"Mm." Itachi relaxed, arms wrapped tightly around his blonde. It was times like these that made him think twice about dying. For once in his life, there was something much more to live for.
(AN) Hey.
So my inspiration for this story, once only suffering, is now about gone. Seriously, I've written about three pages in the last two weeks, and with the way i usually write, that's really saying somthing. I won't ever just drop a story, but i could seriously use some encouragment. please.
Anyways, the plot will be picking back up at the end of the next chapter, and yes, for those who i know are wondering, the ItaDei will have a big part in how the whole thing turns out. I just have no idea how it'll end. But I'm promising everyone now, it won't end like my last story.
So please, please, please help me out; i hate the feeling of not being able to write.
Love.
Bright Eyed.