Author's Notes:
Hi again, everyone! Life is good on my part; school is starting soon, so I'll have to finish this story before. Anyways, we have two more chapters to go, the countdown is starting! Thanks to the followers, reviewers and favourite-rs lol. It always makes me happy to open my inbox right after posting a chapter and seeing all of the alerts! 3 Thanks a million, I love you all! And a special thanks to my loyal Beta, XxDreaming of RealityxX, for her work, you know how much I love you! So, on to the story, everyone, and as always, enjoy~
"Sasuke. It's time."
The raven raised his eyes from the black desk he had claimed as his own and from the pile of files in front of him, before nodding absentmindedly to his silver haired bodyguard.
"Has everything been settled?"
"Mostly. We have a little problem though, but it will be fixed in no time."
"Make sure you do that, there's no room for errors this time around. You understand what this will all lead to, don't you?"
Kakashi sighed, and tried to reason with his current employer to sort this out at a later date. "I seriously wish that you'd take another day to think this over, it's not right to just flush everything down the toilet without even batting an eye."
Sasuke took a deep inhale of his brand cigarette and sent the other a silent glare. "There's no other choice. I can't back down now. I've made up my mind, you know that."
"But, I don't w–"
"Enough. I won't back down on my words, and this is a decision you have to make right now. Whose side are you on? Mine or his?"
Kakashi closed his dark eyes and bowed to the young prince, heaving another sigh. "You know my loyalty will always be with your best interest, and you."
"Then I don't want to hear another pipe about this from you. It's a closed case."
"Hai."
"Good. Let's go."
Nodding to his master, Kakashi opened the door out of the office he'd seen the younger Uchiha go into for as far as he knew him, and allowed it to close automatically once they were out. Actually, in all the years he'd been in charge of Sasuke's protection, he'd stuck like glue to him. Doing the job that he was entrusted to on that rainy night where the late Uchiha had picked his beaten-up form off the streets and offered him a warm home. And as much as he hated to admit it, he couldn't do anything to prevent Sasuke from severing the honourable ties he had always addressed as nothing but holy.
They made a turn and a few employees nodded to their boss while Kakashi walked behind, covering any opening that would tempt any avenger to strike at Sasuke with. He knew exactly what they were walking into right now, and the only thing he could do to aid the kid entering with confidence before him was to stay beside him and support in any way possible.
But, Kakashi knew…with the overprotective raven they were going to see, the one who was always moving puppets behind the scenes, Sasuke's plan wouldn't be an easy thing to go through with. He released a sound sigh inside his brain as they approached the big, fancy meeting hall that was going to decide the fate of their upcoming lives…if they had any that is.
With complete confidence, the guards on each side of the door bowed to the raven and opened said door to the brightly lit room. Sasuke acted his old, cold self and paid them no attention. He walked inside, seeing only the target that had him get out of bed this dreadful morning. And without fail, from across the table, two pair of warm black orbs met his fierce ones; Sasuke snorted at the fake warmth and took a seat at the far side of the table.
"Sasuke…how have you been?"
"Sick now that I've seen you."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Itachi smiled at the repulsive mask Sasuke had on. "That's not a way to talk to your big brother. Now, you want to ask me for a favour, don't you? If so, there's a certain amount of respect I must demand from you. Therefore, we're going to do this again. Sasuke, my dear, beautiful, lovely younger brother, how have you been?"
Sasuke bit his lips, feeling the familiar, old feeling of how weak he was when Itachi would pull that hidden strength of his to intimidate him roll within his veins. His eyes looked down, that warmth was suffocating him. Breathing the same air as the monster before him was suffocating him. But he had to do this. If he ever wanted to be free and claim his prize, he had to do this. He had to shed the child that was shuddering from his big brother's disapproval looks to the dirty ground and get out the strong businessman who feared none.
Opening his eyes again with a new sense of courage, Sasuke looked the other straight in the eyes and said.
"Fine, Itachi-san. How about you?"
"So, 'Itachi-san' it is? You've already grown up, eh? Too grown up for your old 'Nii-san' now?"
"I'm not here to talk about the past. I'm here to determine the future. So, if you may, don't bring up things that have been long forgotten."
Itachi's pale, long fingers started twirling the pen in his hands and he rested his beautiful face on his right palm. "Things of the past are what determine the future, dear brother. That was the first lesson I taught you, or have you forgotten that, also?"
"I've come to learn from experience that you don't need a past to form a future. And this is why I'm here today. I want you, the head of Uchiha Corp., to approve to my resignation from every post there is. I also wish to include the request of disowning me as your brother formally and officially from all records. I'd love nothing more than you to agree to this simple request of mine."
"Hmmm. What makes you think I'd allow you to throw away your name, regardless of your posts?"
Sasuke nodded with a business smile and replied. "Because I no longer need it, it's a burden I keep on carrying and I'm sick of it. I don't need it anymore to be able to define myself; I can do that skilfully without it. And…"
"And?"
"And, it's in the way."
Itachi raised his head from his little game with the pen in hand, and met Sasuke's eyes with his own. "Oh, let me guess. The way of your life with that joyful child, his name was Naruto, am I right?"
Sasuke suppressed the will that rose inside of him when his brother spoke the name of his beloved from the same lips that had ordered the hit on their parents and again fisted his hands to keep from unleashing at his brother and doing the thing that Kakashi feared him doing…massacring his only remaining relative.
"I don't wish to discuss any personal affairs with you. I came here to let you know of the things I want to let go of, and I'm not leaving until you agree to them."
"And you think I'd just agree to it so simply?"
"No. I honestly think you won't agree to any shit I say. I mean, why would you? You fricking killed our parents just for power! Why would you give a shit about my happiness? But…I still hold my responsibilities right, and I won't abandon my employees just for myself without giving you heads up. So, for your best interest, you should agree."
"Or what?"
"Or I'll be declaring war on you."
Itachi looked calmly back into lethal, hating, murderous, black orbs that matched his in their darkness. He smirked.
"You truly are my little brother. You can refuse it as much as you want, but the blood that flows inside my veins is the same as yours. We're kin – no matter what you think of doing, or throwing away for that matter. You'll always be connected to me. You will never be able to remove me from your side."
Sasuke snarled at the words. "Who said I want to remove you or whatever? I just want to try my life without danger. You're danger. The Uchiha name is danger. I want to convert into a life without danger, that's all."
"That's a pleasure for someone naïve to uphold. You know life very well. There's no such thing as 'without danger' for us, a peaceful life is a boring life. A normal life is a boring life. We need danger to breathe. You need me to breathe."
"I need him to breathe. I need you to die." Sasuke glared hard at the calm human being opposite of him. "Please don't mix verbs together. I'd be very troubled if you did that."
At this, Itachi released a sound laugh. "How about a little game then?"
"I don't want to play anything with you."
"What the conditions you ask? Well, it's easy," Kakashi had to stifle the laugh that was trying hard to get out of his mouth at the way Itachi had ignored his brother's comment and how Sasuke's face turned as red as a bursting tomato at a summer heat with it. Sasuke sent the silver haired a tiny glare that told him it was time to shut his trap, the bodyguard rolled his eyes at it but obeyed. "All that you need to do is answer me three full questions and you can get your wish."
Knowing that there was no way to get out of this one, Sasuke rolled back into his chair and said in an annoyed tone. "What wish would that be?"
Smiling, Itachi chirped. "Killing me, of course."
Suddenly the room went quiet at this, and Sasuke felt his face drain from all emotions as his heart stood still. Get a chance to kill his nemesis? Without any blood shed from his side and no interference from anyone? Just like that? That was a dream that hadn't even appeared in his dreams. It was a wish he feared to pronounce. But it was out there, and his brother knew it. Now…he was given it. For real. His heart stopped beating for a second.
Itachi raised his hands to stop one of his guards when he wanted to comment on the rashness of the situation and continued talking to his baby brother. "You won't need to worry about anything. My head can be severed by your hands or if you can't do it, I can order one of my men to do it, or…if you think I'm bluffing, we can have one of your men do it, Kakashi for example. I'm sure he won't mind finishing me off for you."
The silver haired male looked away when Itachi's relaxed eyes were directed at him.
"What's the catch?"
"Excuse me?"
"You won't just give me your head on a silver plate just because you want to play. There's something up your sleeve, what's your catch?"
"Not a catch. I don't use such unhandy methods. You should ask, what would happen if I don't win?"
And apparently, Itachi was waiting for him to ask that question, Sasuke complied. "Alright. What would happen if I don't win?"
The calm orbs that were sending chills down his systems turned into fierce, serious ones in a second, and Sasuke felt his legs loose flexibility as his head broke into a cold sweat. "You'd have to forget any stupid requests like these and never demand something as absurd as this again, understand, Otouto-kun?"
Sasuke took five minutes to think through this fully. He closed his ears to everything in the world and focused on the pros and cons of this deal. He'd intended to get out of this with something and he knew Itachi wouldn't agree just like that, so he was ready for any blood to be shed. But this…this was too easy, just three, lousy questions. With them he could get rid of all of his problems and live life happily. The prize was greater than the risk, and he was willing to gamble this one out.
He opened clear eyes at the bunch in the hall and nodded to his brother. "I accept. I'll play your game."
"Knew you'd see things my way."
"But before we start, dismiss everyone."
Itachi smiled. "I was about to do that. Everyone, you heard him, all of you, get out, please."
Kakashi looked at the two brothers and he sighed before he stepped out. "You two should know that I don't agree to this, and I don't think your late father would either."
Sasuke glared at his bodyguard whilst Itachi just gave him a knowing smile and nodded to him to close the door behind him. Walking gently, Itachi locked it as to not have anyone interfere between him and his brother and took a closer seat to Sasuke. The raven quickly looked annoyed at the change in proximity.
"Then? What do you want to ask?"
"You were always the rushing type. But that's what made you so adorable, as well. Do you remember when you used to come to my room and hide under the covers, afraid of the loud, spooky thunder?"
"I don't." Assertively and coldly, Sasuke replied.
Itachi gave off a laugh. "I do. I can still see it."
"Would you get to your questions already? Or was that the question you wanted to ask?"
"No, that wasn't it." Itachi closed his eyes and opened them with another emotion. Sasuke quickly felt his nerves freeze at the warmth coming off of his brother. "My first question is…do you love Uzumaki Naruto?"
And that question had so many traps in it. If he answered with a definitive 'yes', it would mean that Naruto was a weak point that Itachi would be able to target any time he wishes. But if he answered with a 'no', Itachi would immediately know he was lying, and he knew since little that his big bro didn't tolerate well to being lied to. Biting his lips, Sasuke made up his mind. There was no running from truth right now, and if his brother wished to go after Naruto, then he was going to die defending him!
"Yes, I do."
Itachi's smile widened. "Question number two. Are you satisfied with yourself?"
Sasuke took a minute for this one. Was he satisfied with himself? Well, that could be answered at many levels, but his brother wanted a 'yes' or 'no' answer. So, he needed to shorten his philosophical feelings to a minimum and get the juice out of them. What did it mean to be satisfied? He was able to wake up every day. He was able to lead a normal life; of course, his self was still tormenting him, but he was still at peace with it. No…that wasn't right. He wasn't at peace, he would only be at peace with Naruto and being by himself was nothing but turmoil. He hated the nights when he was alone. He hated how his sins would turn into dark nightmares and hunt him every night. And he hated how much he sometimes longed for his only kin to come and help him. But…
Was he or was he not satisfied with himself? That was the question right now and Sasuke was confused as hell as to how he would answer that.
"…I think I'm not. But I'm learning how to. If he's by my side, I know one day I'll be with peace with myself. Even though he doesn't think that, I know it. He's the light in my darkness. So, if he's in my future, I'll definitely be satisfied with myself."
And his brother would have to do with that answer since that question couldn't be answered with a simple 'no' or 'yes'.
Itachi took a moment as the words Sasuke was speaking didn't sound good to his ears. For a moment, just a moment, Sasuke wanted to reach his hand and wipe the distressful look off of his brother's face, like he used to do when they were kids and still oblivious to the cruelty in the world. But he caught himself before he did that and quickly remembered the deaths of their parents to restore his original hatred back into place.
"…Alright. On to number three. This is the final question you're going to hear from me, Sasuke. So, pay attention."
Sasuke nodded. "Who said I wasn't paying attention the first two times?"
Itachi smiled and said. "No one. Then, for my last question, I want to know, Sasuke, are you happy?"
The younger raven felt his world literally freeze at this question and one distant memory started playing inside of his brain. No, multiple distant memories. Itachi always used to ask him this question whenever he had the chance; he told Sasuke once that it was his way of evaluating his brother's happiness scale. Back when Sasuke trusted those dark mazes and loved the company of his brother's arms as they circled around him protectively, he was always keen on it, on being close enough to touch Itachi's silky hair and sooth his back when the genius of the two came home tired after being worked to death by the expectations people had for him.
Sasuke felt his heart beat back to life when his eyes faced the warmth that radiated from his opposite. And instantly, he sprung away from the table.
"Sasuke. Are. You. Happy?"
Those words…they were poisoning his mind. The overwhelming warmth and memories. Those weren't right! He should be hating his brother, not think how gentle and kind his big brother used to be. This was the devil smiling at him, the angelic brother he once loved and cared for had died! Had sunk that night his parents have breathed their last breath in! No longer existed! This was a demon! A demon he should be hating!
Itachi rose softly from the chair he was on and walked towards his brother. With cold hands resembling that of a dead corpse, he reached out, with his mouth asking the question that seemed to drive the other crazy.
"Are you happy? The life you're trying to protect and build away from me, are you happy with that life? Can you clearly say to me that you're happy with it?"
Sasuke swallowed the lump inside his throat and stood his ground. He shook his head, slapped his cheeks, and returned to reality. Any mental tricks would not work on him anymore. He'd grown from that kid fearing thunderstorms and running to his brother's bed for cover. And Itachi had turned from that protective, caring big brother to this murderer who sacked their parents in cold blood.
Looking his brother in the eyes, Sasuke spoke with confidence. "Yes. A life without you in it would definitely be happy. I'll be happy with Naruto, and without you. Right now, you and this name are the only obstacles I have in my path to achieve that! So, no, unless you die and I get rid of that name, I won't be fricking happy!"
"Does that mean you'll be happy once that's done?"
Sasuke snorted and pushed back his brother to get back to his seat, then answered keenly. "You only get three questions and they all have been answered."
Itachi sighed and nodded. "You're right. I got what I asked for. Fine, little brother, you win. You've answered all of my questions right; it's time to claim your prize."
The long haired raven walked towards his left office drawer and pulled out a knife. It was sharp, slick and long and Sasuke's eyes widened. He felt his brother put the knife on his hands and like lightening, they turned icy cold. Itachi sat on the chair next to him and exposed his pale neck for the other to take, softly removing silky hair that would disturb his brother from performing his wish.
Sasuke frowned at the knife and the person two feet away from him. "…This…this is weird! This game of yours is weird! I don't see how I could have failed any of the question and how I couldn't win! Shouldn't there be a part where I also have to ask you questions? This all is so fucking weird!"
Itachi grabbed hard on Sasuke's hand as it was about to drop the sharp knife to the floor and said with a serious tone. "This is a fair game. I ask three questions, you answer the three questions…truthfully. Now, if you'd lied in any one of them, you'd have failed. But you didn't, you gave me the whole naked truth, and I accepted it as a right answer. So, you win. And I lose. A deal is a deal. You get what I promised you with fully. Now, go on, your wish is to kill me, isn't it? Then go ahead."
"I…I…why are you doing this? Killing you shouldn't be so easy! Why are you making it easy?!"
Itachi elicited a kind smile and chirped. "That's because I'm not afraid of death. Now that I know you'll be in good hands, everything else is meaningless, this company, no, this whole world is meaningless to me. I'm your only obstacle, so I'm moving myself out. You can be happy. Live happy with the person you've chosen and I'll take all of your sins with me to the grave."
Sasuke frowned at those words, not liking how much they stirred him inside. "Is this you regretting what you've done and wanting me to kill you for a relieved conscience?"
"You flatter me too much, Sasuke. I've never once regretted what I've done. That night – I'd do it again and I wouldn't care. You just go ahead and kill me then forget everything about me."
Hatred, disgust, regret, remorse, and shame. All of these emotions were running inside Sasuke nerves. He bit his lower lips as hatred surfaced a bit and he brought the knife close to his brother's neck, glazing so softly over the smooth skin. Then disgust had his hatred reinforce, as he felt disgusted with himself for the act he was about to perform. Yet, that didn't last long as regret and remorse soon came to him, what would he do if Naruto knew? Would he continue to love him? Could Naruto love a murderer? Even if he had his reasons, could he really do it as he is right now? Could he kill his brother and then go home as if nothing had happened and then live happily with his beloved?
As the answer to that question came at him hard, shame engulfed his being and bitter, he threw the knife away to the far side of the room. Sasuke then forced his hatred back down and started walking towards the door.
"I won't sully my hands with your blood. And I'll never go your way into solving things. You killed them, that doesn't mean I'll kill you to settle any feelings you still have left, and," before the raven left the room, he turned once more to his big bro and said, "it was how to know who's lying and who's not. That was the first lesson you've taught me. If you're going to remember, remember right."
With that, Sasuke was out of the big hall and Itachi could only release a small smile at this.
"Oh, Sasuke, you're always so adorable that it kills me."
Sasuke wrapped the covers over his body again. He was still shivering. This was the first time in a long time that he'd come face to face with his brother without one of them being utterly drunk or too pissed off for words. And he couldn't contain his shivers anymore. How big, huge and frightening Itachi was, was always an event that would leave him shuddering. He'd turn six again and disregard any courage he'd have gathered overall of these years. He hated that part of himself and until he got rid of it completely, he knew there was no way he was going to seriously kill his big brother.
Not that he could do that now that he's gone and promised he wouldn't.
Suddenly, the door to his room was opened and without any words, he saw the haze of a blond enter, with a big bag, into his luxurious, grand room. Sasuke only allowed one side of his face out of the covers and the blond intruder recognized now as Naruto quickly clarified the reason for his abrupt visit.
"I just came to get my things. The stuff I had in the dorm wasn't enough, so I'm taking everything I have here back with me."
Sasuke didn't really need to hear anything about that, so he returned back to his hiding. Actually, after that trip, no, after that dreadful night in that trip, when Naruto had flatly told him that there was no future for them together, he hadn't exchanged a word with the blond, and when he got back home, he went straight to Kakashi's house, their former safe house. Leaving the dorm to Naruto to enjoy life alone in. Yet, as much as he knew the blond was hurting, he was in an equal amount of pain.
Naruto watched from where he stood how the raven-haired male had just ignored his presence and disappeared under his mountain of covers, with his back given to Naruto, and he didn't like that one bit. It was true that he didn't want a romantic relationship with Sasuke, but he still wanted to be friends. And as hard as he knew it was going to be, or how he was going to step on his heart many of these days, he knew he didn't want to break away from Sasuke on such bad terms. Since bad terms tend to make people's hearts icy.
So, with good intentions, Naruto walked towards the dark bed and sat on the far side, close to Sasuke's hidden feet.
"Umm…Sasuke, I just wanted to say that I don't want to go away like this. I still want us to remain friends. I know it'll be hard, for both of us, but we have to try. We can't just part away like this. It's too sad and I don't want it!"
For a second, Naruto thought the other hadn't heard him, but then a small whisper emitted from the layers of blankets covering Sasuke.
"…I couldn't kill him. I had it in my hands and I couldn't do it."
Naruto scowled at the words and pealed two blankets to be able to hear right then asked with confusion. "Kill who?"
"Itachi. He was right there, giving me a knife to slash his neck with and I chickened out."
Sasuke was still keeping covers on his face so Naruto wasn't able to see any of the facial features he loved so much, and was only able to detect one eye as Sasuke let it out and gave him privilege into seeing his crappy condition. Naruto took comfort in that.
"Well, if it means much, I'm glad you didn't do it."
Sasuke stayed silent at that and Naruto took off his socks, hat, jacket, then crawled into the covers alongside Sasuke. He honestly had no idea what had happened with the two brothers or what caused their relationship to reach the phase of killing each other, but he could clearly see what Sasuke needed right now. And it wasn't a load of interrogating questions, either.
Crawling 'til he reached the level of Sasuke's body, Naruto slipped under one blanket and wrapped one arm over Sasuke's midsection while the other petted him softly on the head from behind. He permitted the other distance with closeness. He wanted Sasuke to know that he wasn't alone, but at the same time that he wasn't rushed into anything he didn't want to say. And that seemed to be the right method for the raven gently pushed his back back into Naruto's warm embrace. Earning himself a smile from Naruto's lips that had missed the closeness of the other for the past week.
"…I'm weak. I had the knife in my hand, I know how to fight, even if I didn't, slashing it wouldn't have been hard. But I couldn't. He looked too defeated to me…I felt as if I was slaughtering an innocent, hurt bird. But he's no innocent and far from hurt. Even though I knew I shouldn't be feeling anything but hatred for the one who took everything away from me, I couldn't…I still remember. I couldn't forget the big brother I loved very much, no matter how hard I tried to do that. I couldn't…he was…"
Naruto held the raven hard. Even when the cold, harsh voice he loved started cracking, he held hard. Even when he could hear faint sobs, he held hard and not even once did he turn Sasuke's face to him or try to see the face the other tried to hide from him. He understood well. The pain inside Sasuke was far too great for something as simple as killing another human being to heal, and he was glad that his love was human enough to detect that he shouldn't be killing his own brother.
Even if that brother had committed a deadly sin.
The blond stayed silent, and after a while, when the sobs turned quiet and Sasuke's breathing was coming of more regularly, he removed another blanket and was finally able to be on the same level as Sasuke. His eyes missed, his hands longed to touch, and his mouth committed to memory. Every organ in his body was asking him to get closer, but Sasuke was in a vulnerable condition right now, and he wasn't as sneaky to take advantage of someone he loved when they really just wanted his comfort. Besides, when he was in a shitty condition that night when his memories have returned, Sasuke was nothing more than a gentleman. And that's what he was going to be.
Naruto relaxed onto the silky sheets and pulled Sasuke closer. Hugging was never one of the bad things to do. And friends hug friends to comfort them. He assured himself with that thought as his nose took a small unfriendly act and sniffed the dark locks it was immersed in so fully.
His heart throbbed and instead of happiness, pain was shut to his systems. He knew why he was feeling pain, and Sakura's words that day came back to haunt him. He shouldn't have been stupid to get close when he shouldn't, but if he wanted to keep friends, there were times when he'd have to suck it up and offer his comfort, he just had to take this time as practice for those upcoming times, and if he could excel this, he was going to excel all.
"Naruto, you awake?"
The blond nodded. "Won't sleep in just an hour."
"Yes, you would. I know you."
Naruto grinned. "Been a while for that shitty self of yours to appear."
"Just shut up and listen, Dobe." Sasuke snorted back.
"I'm listening."
"…I love you."
And that will Naruto was trying so hard to control seemed to just simply crumble in front of his eyes. He jolted back, but before he was able to leave the bed, Sasuke's strong hands pinned him in place and before he knew what hit him, he was being pushed down by fierce, black irises that paralyzed his every movement.
"Sasuke, get off."
"Not until you listen to what I have to say. You have no right to be the one to determine whether or not we together will work. I'm in love. That's something I won't run away or hide from, and neither should you. I already know why you don't want us to be together, I bet you're thinking something along the lines of 'I'd be ruining his life' or 'he'd never be able to have any normal family if I'm around'. I'll tell you what, Uzumaki, I was never a family man. For as long as I can remember, I've lived on my own. And I'm not going to lose you just to have something that I don't want nor need in a faraway future that I don't even know I'll live to see. So, I'm picking you and telling you that I love you. Not as brother, a friend or a companion who knows similar hardships, but as a lover. I love you as a lover. I want to kiss you, hug you, and fuck you! God, I want to fuck you! So, for both of our sakes, stop denying 'us'!"
Naruto's eyes went wide as his face flamed with the words and the sexy, hungry way Sasuke was looking at him with. He quickly tried to push his own nasty thoughts to the back of his mind and surfaced with the sane ones that had been fighting to concur his head for a while now.
"S-Sasuke…enough please. I can't do it. I'll not do it. You have to control yourself and open your eyes to see reality."
"Reality? You want me to see reality?"
"Yes. We can't live in our own little world just like that, you have to take into consideration who you are and what's expected of you."
"Okay, let me tell you a little story then. This morning, I woke up, fully intending to get rid of anything that could get between us being together, which is my name and my brother. I went to him to disown myself from the Uchiha tree. I want to be dead to them, I'll gladly change my name as soon as he sends me back the papers, and my brother…well, turned out I'm just too weak to kill him. But he won't be a problem to stand between us. So, now, there's really nothing that forbids me and you to hook up."
Naruto's brows met together at the words and he pushed hard, trying to get rid of Sasuke's hold, but to no avail…his strength wasn't on his side here.
"Look, Sasuke, no matter what you do, or how many times you change your name, in my eyes you'll always be an Uchiha. So, there's no need to disown yourself from anything; since that won't make me change my mind back. And again, I'm happy you didn't kill him because that would have been a big problem to clean up. Now, please get off and let me leave with the promise to be friends."
Sasuke retrieved his hands to fold them on his chest, looking with disbelieving eyes at the blond under him. "You must be kidding me here! I'm throwing everything for you, and you tell me you still don't want me?!"
"It's not that I don't want you, I want you, I want you so much! But I can't have you! You have your own world and that world has no place for me. Do you think I'd be happy to snatch you away from everything you know?"
"Naruto," Sasuke eased at the struggling look inside his beloved's eyes and said with a gentle tone. "I also think I'll be taking you out of your own world, from everything you know. But that doesn't mean the end. We can build a new world together. Just for us, a world where you and I can be, and it will have some of your world and some of mine in it. Being from different worlds doesn't mean we should keep away from each other, and thinking that, it's just silly."
"It's not silly to me. What if you regret it someday? Do you think I'll be able to let go down the road and just return to life by myself? Because, Uchiha, I can't! If I got used to you, I'll never be able to live apart!"
"That's what I want exactly. I want to spoil you rotten 'til you can't breathe without me."
"Ass! Are you even listening to me?!"
"Yes, I am. And I want you to fall for me deeper than you are now. You'll also have to trust me when I tell you this, you've been my love for over a few years right now, and I'd never let you go. So, you better not let me go so easily either!"
Naruto bit his lip as his emotions were starting to cloud his judgment. "Sasuke…you don't know what you're getting yourself into. I'm full of tragedies and problems."
"Well then, nice to meet you, Uzumaki Naruto, we have so much in common already."
"It's not time to be kidding."
Sasuke smirked and lowered his face to a whisper. "But if I don't do it, you're going to cry, my queen."
Naruto threw a lousy punch that was caught by Sasuke's hands. "Who are you calling a queen, you fag?!"
"Oh well, I don't mind being a 'fag' if you're willing to escort me down this hellish path."
And with that husky voice, those hypnotizing, half-laded eyes, Naruto felt his self-control leave outside through the open window as his tanned hands circled around Sasuke's neck and brought him closer to meet their lips in a hungry, hot, zero-close-to-being-chaste kiss. A kiss that was mingled with sweat, saliva and a tinge of tears that neither knew who the source was.
Naruto said goodbye to his failed attempt at being just friends and allowed his self to drown in sweet, sweet love that had him paralyzed with happiness.
"I seem to be helping you to do these things quite a lot these days." Sakura whined as another box was given to her, she tightened her bandana onto her fallen locks and made to carry the box of utensils and kitchen wares up the stairs.
Naruto smiled sheepishly. "Sorry to trouble you, Sakura. But I didn't want you to miss out on helping me move."
"Yeah, yeah, sugar me with nice words. Anyways, tell me again, why are you moving?"
"Sasuke said the dorm is too small for him to live at."
"And you're just going to follow his every whim, right?"
Naruto shrugged, opening the door of the elevator to her now that they passed the front stairs, then dragging his own box inside. "You can't really say 'no' to an Uchiha, especially when this Uchiha happens to be the one you're in love with."
"Ohoo, look who's boosting right now."
"It's all thanks to you, Sakura, really, I haven't been able to thank you properly for your words back then, so thank you."
She gave him a puzzled look as they exited the elevator and walked the small distance towards the new apartment Sasuke had bought for them to live in. "As far as I know, I didn't do anything that would make you thank me."
"Yes you did. You were there with me when I was making hard decisions and actually, if you hadn't called Sasuke to come that night, we may not have known each other's true intentions."
"Nope. You could. You live with him, there's bound to be a time where you two would meet and talk. And as far as I can remember, you two weren't on good terms when that vacation came to an end. So, I don't think there's a need to thank me."
"Just take the damn 'thank you' and shut it. He won't stop talking about it 'til you do." The voice of Sasuke rang behind them with a box of his own. Sakura snorted at him.
"You keep out of it, no one asked you." She directed a glare to Sasuke who ignored her and went inside his new apartment, as for Naruto, she looked at him and sighed. "Although I don't see why I should be accepting your thanks since I did nothing, I would. Now, you can rest assured."
"Yes, I can, thank you again, Sakura-chan."
"You seriously just want someone to thank to show how grateful and happy you are, don't you?" She glared at her own annoying best friend now.
Naruto flashed her his trademark grin and walked ahead of her to drop his box on what would become the living room. A soft nip on his ear was given, and playfully he turned into Sasuke arms. The raven gave him a tiny kiss.
"We still have a lot of work ahead of us for this to become a nice apartment, Sasuke."
"No, we don't. We can arrange everything tomorrow, or we can just call people to do that for us."
"Nah…I want to do this myself. If this is going to be our home, I want to feel like I did some effort into it."
"That's why we're moving stuff ourselves instead of hiring help."
"I wouldn't mind being paid though," The calm tone jolted Naruto to push his raven lover away from him and send a small smile behind to the cool, lilac orbs that stared back into his azure ones. "Oh, you don't need to be shy now. You won't be doing something I haven't seen before."
"Go away, you pest. He doesn't like public exposures like you do." Sasuke quickly started defending his boy.
Gaara came out from one of the rooms and inserted himself into the conversation before Neji said something that would inflame an unnecessary tension or a fight.
"Naruto, come, I need your opinion regarding the distribution of the chairs."
The blond nodded, glad to be taken out of the upcoming fight and said. "Okay. Though I think whatever method you've ordered them in will be fascinating since you've a painter's sense of art."
"Oh, Gaara-kun, you paint?" Sakura said, getting out of the kitchen and heading towards the room Gaara was talking about with the other two.
The redhead nodded. "Sometimes."
"You any good?"
"…sometimes."
Naruto smacked his modest friend on the back and made to boost about him. "He's just shy, Sakura. His paintings are wonderful! They are exposed in galleries, famous art galleries, too! And he orders heavy cash for them, and they sell at an amazing speed!"
The girl rolled her eyes at her best friend and said. "Naruto, you really are in the boasting mode today, aren't you?"
He shrugged with a smile at her as they entered the room. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Sure you don't."
Whatever Naruto was thinking to say to his friend was lost as the room the artist had arranged made them stand in awe. It was brilliant. A wall of windows matched with Colonial blue as a hue, then harmonized with architectural designed tables –those tables he remembered were brought in together by the standing redhead – and finishing with a rattan rug to give a truly sophisticated result. It was simple, elegant and breathy. Naruto didn't even think he'd be able to pull something like that with his crappy sense of fashion. True to what they say, artists do view the world differently. So happily, he gave his redhead friend a pat on the shoulder at the amazing work he'd done and made to wander the beautiful ornaments.
"That's fantastic, Gaara! I wouldn't have done it any better myself."
"Try never, Naruto. This room…it looks out of a magazine, you're just incredible, Gaara-kun, to be able to pull something like this in just half an hour." Sakura seconded the opinion of her best pal.
The redhead didn't understand why they thought a simple room like this was both 'fantastic' and 'incredible', but if it made them happy, then nothing else mattered. He nodded a silent thanks to the two and suddenly Neji popped into the room, calling.
"You three, the pizza we've ordered is here. Get your asses out or you won't find a thing to eat."
Naruto nodded and walked out followed by his two friends. He found his darling already sitting on their lovely brown couch, with everything arranged, plates, utensils, juices and cups on the table. Naruto hopped on the empty space beside Sasuke and when everyone was sitting with a plate in hand, he opened the boxes of the delivered pizza for them to dine on. This was their first meal, in their first real home and he was having it with the people he loved the most. Sure, he would have loved nothing more than to invite Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-san to the table, but Sasuke had said it was best not to disturb them now that he'd given Kakashi a nice, long vacation to tend to his own business, and who was he to force Sasuke to go back on his word?
Naruto pulled himself a nice, big slice and was about to put it in his mouth when Sasuke's lips were quicker and half of his pizza was engulfed inside his dark cave. Frowning, Naruto softly elbowed his love interest, telling him how much he disliked his food being taken from right under his nose, Sasuke just smirked and acted as if nothing wrong had happened.
"So, you two are together and all?" Gaara was the one to open the conversation. Naruto blinked innocently, then his face released bright red colours as he tried to suppress the embarrassment and joy that simple question held. Seeing as how his love had frozen in place, Sasuke chose to answer the question.
"Yes…and unless he has other thoughts, I plan to continue like that for what's left of my life."
At this declaration, Naruto's face lost all colours known to man and masked in a wonderful hue of redness. Neji released an amused laugh when Naruto's ears started giving off smoke.
"Sasuke, I don't think Naru-chin can handle any more of your love confessions."
"Not to mention I don't want to hear them when I'm eating, the sight alone is enough," Sakura added, hoping that the two males would act a little courteous in front of her and leave their flirting to the bedroom. "This much love is toxic."
"Well then, I've been intoxicated for a very long time." Sasuke replied brushing Naruto's golden locks and returning the frozen male back to life.
"Um…S-Sakura is right, Sasuke. This is time for food…stop romancing me!"
"You're not coming off very convincing with that face of yours, it pleads for me to romance you."
Naruto shook his head, trying to return his heart back to normal alongside his face. "T-That's because you keep on rattling me!"
"Hmph. I have the right to rattle you; God only knows how much you've rattled me yourself."
Before the word battle could turn into plain sexual harassment and Sakura would be forced to view something that would forever damage how she views her best friend, the redhead said in a bold, calm, certain tone that left all around the table stare at him with wide, startled eyes.
"Neji. Marry me."
It took everyone except for Neji about three minutes to make sure the other wasn't just throwing another one of his very-hard-to-get jokes and was actually talking for real, whilst Neji was just frowning to the male opposite of him as if he'd lost his mind completely.
"Excuse me?" The long haired raven had asked, seeing as how everyone was waiting for him to answer the question that wasn't even asked as a question.
"I said, marry me."
"Why?"
"Because I want to."
"What makes you think I want to?"
"…Because you do."
Neji's frown turned into an annoyed scowl, but he contained his annoyed self and asked calmly. "When and where have I told you that I wish to marry you?"
"Don't you want to marry me?"
"That wasn't what I asked."
"You haven't said it, but I want it and since it always turns out that what I want and what you want are the same thing, then that also means you want to marry me."
"No, that doesn't mean it. And that rule of yours is wrong. If you felt like eating rice and I felt like eating chicken, then we won't be eating the same thing and hence, won't want the same thing. So, my answer to that demand of yours is no. I don't want to get married and certainly not to you."
Gaara looked at the male before his with furred, invisible eyebrows. "But if you want chicken and I want rice, we can simply cook rice with chicken. A very delicious dish. Besides, why don't you want it? We love each other."
And silently Sakura smacked her face at the all gay community that she was befriending without her knowledge, and continued eating, watching the amusing play unfold before her eyes.
"Where does it say that every two who loved each other have to marry?"
"In your family's bible. It's their rules. And I know how much you value those rules, even if you try to deny them yourself, you're a very ethnic person deep down and I'm sure you won't want to live your life without honouring something you treasure."
Neji released a sigh and stood up. "Gaara, if your reason for marriage is this then I repeat, I won't marry you. I don't want to marry you. I don't want to marry period."
"…I don't understand."
The long haired raven rolled his eyes and took hold of Gaara's hand, hauling him up. "Sasuke, I'm borrowing one of your rooms."
"Keep away from the master one! I don't want your freaking semen to dirty my sheets!"
Neji nodded and walked, dragging an innocently baffled looking Gaara behind him. Sakura had to giggle at the view and put another slice of pizza into her mouth.
"Those two are something really. I wonder if Gaara will be alright. He surprised me suddenly saying that." Naruto said in a worried tone.
"Neji won't do anything to harm him…much, maybe just knock some sense into him."
"But I don't think he needs any sense to be knocked into him, that was a man who knew exactly what he wanted," Sakura said. "And he wanted to marry another man."
Naruto sweat-dropped at her words. "Sakura-chan, last time I checked, marriage between two males is a no-no in Konoha."
"They can always just move to another place where it's acceptable. I've heard that there are some countries that are encouraging other places to have a support for same sex marriage. Anyways, for me I think it's very romantic that he wants to marry him."
"Hmm…then I take it that you have no objections to me proposing to Naruto?" Sasuke said with a smirk.
Like a tiger with its baby taken away by the hunters, Sakura flew and took Naruto protectively into her arms away from the Big Bad Wolf. "Hell freezes over before I allow that to happen!"
"Oh, now you say no," Sasuke rolled his eyes. "You do know he loves me, right? And if he wants to marry me, there's nothing you can do about it."
"You just dream on! There's no way my Naruto would be tempted to marry someone like you!"
"Someone like me had already won his heart, you hag! He loves me and he'd do anything I tell him to!"
"Love doesn't mean salivary, you jerk! And if you can't even tell those two apart then you have no right into claiming him as yours!"
Naruto sighed at the two storms at war on either sides of him; he tried to soothe the air, but to no avail. Finally, he settled on allowing the two to scream their hearts out and curse at each other while he enjoyed himself with the pizza placed on the table. Even if everyone was too busy with their business, his stomach was grumbling hungrily and he wouldn't spare any for them if they kept acting as babies and refused to listen when he hushed them. Yes, as he put another piece of the swiftly disappearing pizza into his mouth, Naruto took peace in knowing he wasn't in the wrong here.
Naruto closed the door behind his last friend and locked it, heading back inside. He saw Sasuke in the kitchen, arranging their newly purchased dishes out of their cartons and into the cabinets. A small smile came to his face; he walked inside the kitchen and held his boyfriend softly from behind, causing the other male to have his features brake down into a tiny smile of his own. A smile that only Naruto was able to extract out of him.
"Everyone helped out a lot today; we should give them 'thank you' gifts."
"I think you've done enough of that, besides, Neji and Gaara don't need anything and they were happy to help, now, I don't know about your bubblegum haired friend, but she looked quite content to me today, actually, I think if you give her any type of gift for helping you, she'd break that gift over your head."
Naruto chuckled at the thought and smiled when Sasuke put down the plate in his hand to turn around and face him. "Yeah, I think I'd be enrolled in the hospital for another three years."
Sasuke gently met their lips in a tender kiss that brushed softly over both of their hearts. This was their home. At last, each had found what he was looking for, in who he was looking for and made a place where he was allowed to belong and live in peace. Sasuke moved out of the kiss and dug his hands into Naruto's hair.
"I love you."
"I know."
"I've been in love with you since the first time…hmm…no, the first time I saw you I wanted to kill you for annoying me. So, I think the first time I fell in love was when you rushed out of the hospital so stupidly to save me. That really left an imprint."
Naruto grimaced at his failed attempt and whined to his lover. "Sasuke, mind not bringing that old thing up? I'm not particularly fond of that memory."
"Hmm? Why? You know," Sasuke raised Naruto's hidden face from his chest to meet his eyes and said seriously. "It wasn't all that bad. Actually, even though you looked like a complete idiot going up three armed adult men for my sake, I was happy. In all my life I had no one to count on but myself, that was a rule I'd lived by, that no one understands me better than myself, that I don't need anyone and no one would come for me no matter what happens. And I had sadly lived that way for a very long time, even when you thought of me as a friend in the hospital, I didn't. Because I knew I'm not allowed to bring anyone in my disaster of life. So, when Kakashi suggested I act as bait, I didn't mind. My life was hallowing…yet, you came. You ran like a crazy kid and demanded I was released. I couldn't see you well, and I was relying on my ears to know what had happened to you…"
Sasuke sighed, trying to put his own feelings of helplessness and weakness aside and tell Naruto what he needed him to know.
"I guess what I'm trying to say is…treasure that moment, love that moment and please don't look back with eyes filled with shame at it, because that was the moment I knew I wasn't alone, the moment I wanted to continue living, the moment I could trust another person and it was the moment that I fell in love. So, when you look back at that moment, remember all of these things and know that it's a miraculous moment. A moment to treasure, not throw."
Naruto could only hug the other male in his arms to let him know just how much he valued those words and how much it meant to him that he was being cherished.
"Sasuke…"
The raven gave a little pet to Naruto's head before he pulled the tanned male away from him. "Okay, now, before we begin anything that I won't be able to stop, go clean the bedroom while I finish tidying up in here. I want to at least have one room finished before dawn comes."
Naruto grinned and nodded to Sasuke. He walked out of the kitchen humming happily as he crossed his way to the bedroom. Immediately, his nose picked upon Sakura's perfume. He remembered that she'd taken the task of arranging this room to how she saw fit and had only left the job of vacuuming to him since she had run out of time. He grinned at the two vases filled with red roses that he thought his best friend must've taken a lot to be able to get in this season, and made to pick up the fallen petals.
After thirty minutes of vacuuming every corner of the vast room, Naruto threw his sweaty self into the shower, and enjoyed his time inside. Although he missed the bathroom occupied with the heavenly Jacuzzi that he loved very much back at Kakashi's house, Naruto was still happy with the bathroom he owned right now, for even if it lacked a beautiful accessory like the Jacuzzi, it was still a part of his house, and he'd take it any day over Kakashi's extravagant bathroom. Finally reaching the stage of squeaky clean, Naruto exited the bathroom with only a bath towel covering his private parts.
He entered their shared bedroom and had to sustain a smile at the image of Sasuke sprayed on the bed sheets obviously very tired from the work that he'd done this long day. Naruto took a stop to give his love a peck on the cheek and bask in the angel that had unexpectedly intruded on his life.
"You're going to catch a cold, sleeping like this."
Those soft words caused Sasuke's eyes to flutter open, he rose slowly from the bed and a yawn escaped his mouth. "You're out?"
"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you."
"Naah, I wanted to take a bath before bed, too."
"Then you should have just gone in." Naruto said, making his way towards their closet to get himself a pair of PJs. "The bath can fit more than two people at a time, you know."
"Naruto," At the foreign, dark tone Sasuke was using to call his name with, the blond had to turn and see what facial expression his love had matched with them, he felt his face heat up and blood rush to his groin at the sexy expression that was planted on Sasuke's face. "If I'd gone in, I assure you, with an accuracy of one hundred percent, that you'd have been bathroom-fucked this very night."
Naruto swallowed the sudden lump and the heat that was threatening to flame his whole body on fire and turned around. "Umm…don't you think you're thinking a lot about it? A simple bath won't have got you hard; we did have baths together without any of us getting fucked."
Slowly, Sasuke got out of the bed, and started making sure steps towards Naruto. "You know, I've noticed this for a while now, but I chose to ignore it. Yet, it's starting to seriously annoy me. So, I'm going to set it right." Sasuke put both his hands on the closet, closing the path for Naruto to slip from. "You're really merely conscious of me, aren't you?"
Naruto turned around and looked up at dark, black eyes. "Merely conscious of you?"
"You don't think anything of this close proximity we're having, right?"
"What do you mean I don't feel anything? I do. My heart is beating so fast it's going to burst out of my chest." As to make his point across, Naruto took one of Sasuke's hands and glued it from the closet to his chest. "See? I'm very conscious of you."
Sasuke shook his head. "No, you're not. You're just reacting the normal way anyone would react with having their love at a close proximity to them."
Naruto scowled. "Isn't that the same as being conscious of you?"
"Nope. I knew you would have them mixed up. Look, being conscious defers from being overly conscious. To be conscious means to be aware of the presence of the other person, which is what you're doing right now and with a lower degree even, so more accurately you're 'short on conscious of me', merely conscious. And being overly conscious is what I'm going to demonstrate to you right now."
The blond had to hold his breath as Sasuke leaned very close to his ears and whispered in that husky, sexy voice of his that would always have Naruto's bones shuddering amidst themselves.
"We're alone here. In this whole apartment, there's no one other than you and me. And I'm lusting over you. I want to rip your clothes with my teeth, trace every single muscle and mark every exposed area as mine. I want to ravish you until you can't even speak coherently. I want to mix you up with my semen both from the inside and the outside, I'll make you scream and writhe under me in ecstasy, and as you reach heaven, I'll have you sing my name. As I fill every dark corner of your body, I'll make your sexy asshole twitch, wanting me even more. You won't be able to escape, your mouth would be glued to mine and your eyes would fail to see any light, only the overwhelming image of me. And no matter how much you try to deny it, escape from it or call for help, you won't be able to resist and sooner or later, my love, you'll drown in me. And I'll make you drown even more until your only air is me."
With this, Sasuke moved away, towards the bathroom with a satisfied smirk on his lips, and before he clicked the door closed, he could hear the faint thump that echoed from his bedroom, for his boyfriend's tanned body had so gracefully fallen to the wooden ground, with his face turned crimson red, his heart reaching his throat, and cold fingers trying to wipe the embarrassing images that overflow from his nasty mind at the noxious words that were so sinfully whispered into his ears.
Sasuke's smirk turned into a proud grin, and he clicked the bathroom door shut, enjoying himself the torture Naruto was seriously going through right now. "And that, dear Naruto, is how you become overly conscious of me."
Naughty, naughty Sasuke, lol making Naruto go through so much. I honestly enjoyed writing this chapter, and I hope you all enjoyed reading it, too! Thanks for always reading and supporting me and 'til next chapter~