Thanks for the reviews! And for reminding me to explain the ideas my brain comes up with a feat on its own :)
Anyway more characters in this chapter. Everybody's joining the party...
Enjoy and Review!
Chapter Eleven
Sasuke was out of the car before Naruto could turn off the engine. He didn't wait for his bodyguard, striding toward the devastating mess that used to be his apartment. The whole apartment complex was in flames but he knew immediately that it had originated from his apartment. No doubt the neighbours were going to just love him for that.
It was certainly no coincidence. Of all the buildings in his street his goes up in flames? The Akatsuki weren't known for their subtlety. He could feel Naruto's eyes on him judging his emotional state so he closed his eyes in order to concentrate. The dobe would distract him otherwise.
He concluded that the apartment complex was in flames under suspicious circumstances at best. All of it destroyed and it was all his fault.
It took his mind a moment to sift through his emotion to find his plan of action. The apartment complex was swarming with fire fighters and the residents. He approached a familiar face, tapping the old man who lived across the hall from him on the shoulder.
"Was anyone hurt?" he asked quietly and carefully so as not to draw attention to himself. It was difficult to keep his facial expression smooth when he was flushed with adrenaline. The old man's eyes widened and he sighed in relief.
"Sasuke! Thank God. No everybody got out. But we weren't sure if you were home and if…"
I was in my apartment and therefore dead, Sasuke guessed in his mind. It was entirely plausible. He'd never slept over at another mans house before Naruto and he rarely went out. He managed a weak smile. "I'm afraid I was out all night"
He was eternally grateful that the fire had distracted his neighbour enough not to notice this astounding fact and comment on it. His eyes drifted to the wreckage in front of them and the crowd gathered to watch their homes burn away. He looked at it with detached interest. This was not home. This was a building albeit a nice one but a building nonetheless. What did it matter to him? Why should it matter. As he stood amongst the residents watching it burn down he was unable to summon little emotion about the whole affair.
He was only grateful that he never took original copies of his paperwork home, then he would've been in real trouble.
The old man nodded. "Good thing you were, son. Everybody's insured for this kind of nonsense but I'm just glad everybody got out okay"
The area was roped off by policemen and Sasuke found it easy to distinguish him among them. Damn. He immediately turned away, nearly running directly into Naruto. The blonde looked concerned and Sasuke ignored the flutter of his heart when he was looking at him like that.
"I need to go and see my brother" he said walking away from the remains of his apartment without a second glance. Itachi needed to be informed about this certainly, but he also needed to get away from the policeman who had spotted him and started walking towards him. He was dressed exactly the same as the rest of the officers there except that his uniform was green. Too green.
And even from where Sasuke was standing he had the bushiest eyebrows he'd ever seen. Sasuke turned away again and hurried to where he usually parked his car. The parking space even had his name on it. Naruto was at his side instantly.
"Wait" he began. "You can't just…"
"I have to leave now!" he snapped tersely. "Or that freak is going to start questioning me about the assassination attempts on my life. Itachi could barely keep him away, the guys more determined than anything I've ever seen before"
He unlocked the driver door of his car, not quick enough to shut the door on Naruto who caught it in his grip, making it impossible for him to leave. His frustration rose.
"Don't you get it, dobe? I will not allow the police to be involved in this. And I must see Itachi, immediately"
Naruto stiffened reacting to something that Sasuke couldn't perceive with his dulled senses. Fine, he wanted to be animalistic and possessed by a demon well Sasuke wasn't going to stop him. He let out a snarl of irritation yanking on the door handle which didn't even shift slightly which was ridiculous because Sasuke knew he was pretty strong. Naruto wasn't paying attention to him anymore it was probably the only chance he'd get to escape.
"Let go of the damn door!" he snapped reaching out to strike at Naruto's fingers. The blonde seized his arm and swiftly yanked him out of the car any of the earlier gentleness he'd displayed with Sasuke in the bedroom non-existent. Sasuke gasped in pain as the dobe aggravated his injuries with his sudden violence.
But then it suddenly didn't matter as much because Naruto pulled him several feet away from the car, throwing him to the ground with an urgency that surprised him. Sasuke groaned aching all over from this sudden onslaught of rough treatment but all thoughts of that left his mind as Naruto pinned him to the ground with his body.
What was this? Was kyuubi finally making his claim on Sasuke or something? Would Naruto start ripping off his clothes in the middle of the street, in front of all of his neighbours in broad daylight?
His car exploded without warning shaking the very ground that Sasuke was pinned to, the sound reverberating through his skull like a jackhammer. The smell of burning metal and oil slammed into his lungs and he immediately starting coughing trying to hack up the suffocating air but there was no point.
Naruto remained frozen above him. Then all he could hear was a deep ringing in his ears and the familiar nausea that meant he could have damaged his inner ear canal. He almost threw up, retching and coughing before hands were suddenly dragging at them both, pulling them away from the debris that used to be his car.
He wondered why Naruto was still pinned to him before he realised the death grip he had on his bodyguards clothes making it impossible for the dobe to extract himself even if he wanted to. Sasuke let his eyes close and found his centre of inner calm, somehow managing to gain his composure in this mess that had become his life.
He hurt all over, bruises on his old bruises and a killer headache. The hearing thing was beginning to concern him that was until the green uniformed police officer leaned over him with an exacerbating grin. If possible his grip on Naruto tightened.
"Just the man I wanted to talk to" Constable Guy boomed. "Literally blown at my feet, this is what youth is all about!"
To Sasuke's increased horror Naruto grinned back. "Guy! How you doing? Where's the rest of Team Guy?"
Guy hauled them both to their feet and Sasuke took two precautionary steps back looking at his bodyguard as if he'd grown two heads. Naruto knew this monster? They were friends? He wondered if he was concussed and touched his head to be sure.
The green monster Guy grinned the familiar face splitting grin that Naruto did sometimes and Sasuke was privy too but somehow it was nowhere near as endearing. "Lee is questioning the residents, Ten Ten is assisting the medical response team and Neji is in the building assisting the fire department"
Naruto frowned. "Gaara won't like him putting himself in danger like that"
Sasuke recalled Neji from this mornings brief introduction. Naruto was right about Gaara. For once Constable Guy appeared suddenly afraid. "The fire's mostly out. Neji's safe and his youthfulness will serve him well"
Naruto shrugged in an its your funeral but hey it was nice knowing you kind of way to show he wasn't convinced and Guy looked terrified. He seemed to revise his earlier decision. Gaara could definitely frighten anybody, Sasuke was pleased that the green lover wasn't immune. Constable Guy turned to him and Sasuke suddenly remembered why he'd been in such a hurry. Damn.
"Now Mr Uchicha I desire to ask you a few questions…" Constable Guy began jumping at the opportunity to talk to him. After all this was the closest he'd ever gotten to Sasuke since being called to Uchiha Industries when Sasuke's previous bodyguard had accidentally been kicked out of a third story window. The fool had tried to prevent Sasuke from entering the printing room deeming it too dangerous. Sasuke shook his head at the memory.
Or had it been when he'd broken the arm of a man who'd cut in front of him in the line of his favourite coffee shop? After already shooting his bodyguard in the chest- that one thankfully he didn't have to fire- and then unsuccessfully attempting to kill him? The ambulance had to take him away afterwards. Yes, that had been the one. At least he was fairly sure.
It was a strange notion that attacks on his life weren't that uncommon for him anymore.
Naruto came to his rescue. "Not now Guy, I've got to report to my boss and I can't leave my charge unprotected while I'm on the clock"
Constable Guy looked disappointed but glanced towards the ruined building again seeming to remember Neji's overprotective boyfriend and took off towards it yelling hastily for Neji to get out of there. Naruto chuckled and steered him towards his own in-one-piece car. Sasuke was rendered speechless by his gratitude. He'd never been so thankful that Naruto could be friendly with everybody.
And even better he was taking him to Itachi. Was he detecting teamwork here or was that his imagination?
Sasuke had barely climbed inside before Naruto was abruptly in his personal space demanding his attention. He didn't flinch away but he hadn't beem expecting it either. Naruto always took him by surprise.
"Are you alright?" he asked reaching out to brush his cheek. "I didn't mean to be so rough, there wasn't enough time…"
"I'm fine" he said coldly trying not to wince when he felt the angry twinge of his injuries reminding him that he was in fact not fine. Naruto throwing him against a soft bed to ravish him, very nice but Naruto throwing him against cement to stop him getting blown up, ouch.
He was going to be hurting tomorrow. Naruto continued to watch him worriedly. He sighed.
"Don't worry, dobe just drive"
He kissed him first. Hard and fast and so demanding that it left Sasuke dizzy. When he pulled away Sasuke knew he hadn't intended to do it so he didn't rebuke him. Or maybe he didn't because he'd enjoyed it so immensly. It was hard to tell. He didn't waste time dwelling on it though, they had somewhere to be. He tapped the wheel impatiently, hinting that Naruto should start the car and drive.
So Naruto did.
When he arrived at Uchiha Industries Itachi was waiting for him in the lobby. Sasuke didn't bother to keep silent until they found a private place to talk. Time was of the essence. The press were going to be all over this very soon.
"You said you were capable of keeping that green psycho away from me so I could continue my work uninhibited" he snapped letting the accusation fly. He was tempted to poke his older brother in the chest for good measure but he figured that might've been overkill.
Itachi raised an eyebrow but otherwise revealed no concern in the matter or of the state Sasuke was in. They did just get blown up it was hardly the time to walk a runway and he knew it hadn't escaped Itachi's notice that he was wearing Naruto's clothing. Sasuke felt his temper rise.
"Constable bushy brow isn't that bad" Naruto said but after the look Sasuke shot him he stepped back into bodyguard mode keeping a little distance between them. If possible that only made Sasuke angrier and resentful of the sudden space.
"Even my capabilities cannot supersede arson and explosives" Itachi noted. "I believe this escalating situation requires you to be questioned"
Sasuke scowled feeling his irritation rise. He knew that he was being irrationally angry about this but it was clear that he had lost any semblance of control over his emotions. And he knew that it was all Naruto's damn fault. He resisted the urge to glare at the blonde dobe who only hours before gave him the most spectacular blow job of his life. Thinking of it brought colour back into his cheeks. He sincerely hoped that Itachi would associate the reaction to his rage.
There was definitely no time to be resenting Naruto for being a lustful sex God. He sighed. Shikamaru abruptly joined them to speak to Itachi. He looked bored.
"Mr Uchiha there is a mob of reporters outside demanding a press conference in regards to the latest threat against Uchiha Industries. The numbers have reached a troublesome level and I was forced to call the police"
Sasuke swore. Police meant…
"Mr Uchiha is now a better time?" Constable Guy boomed as he approached the group with a thundering gait, his officers lagging behind him. They were covered in dirt and smoke from the fire and stuck out in the pristine lobby like a communist at a democratic assembly. Sasuke could almost feel the domestic staff wincing. What a mess. Why was the lobby suddenly becoming a conference hall?
"No" he snapped turning away from the policemen as if that would make them disappear. But Naruto greeting them certainly didn't make it any easier.
"Jesus Neji did you start that fire?" Naruto said with a laugh. "You guys look terrible"
The man beside him who looked to be the spitting image of Constable Guy- bushy eyebrows and an uncomfortable amount of green- grinned widely revealing his surprisingly white teeth in contrast to his sooty face.
"It is a simple price to pay for justice" the green clone enthusiastically stated.
The girl beside him rolled her eyes but she was still smiling obviously desensitised to this law enforcement circus. Itachi and Shikamaru ignored them and were discussing how to fix the press situation. Sasuke was unsurprisingly watching Naruto as he interacted with Guy's officers. He assumed that the younger green officer was Lee and the female officer was Ten Ten even more so when he heard someone calling their names from the elevator doors.
"Neji, Lee, Ten Ten! What the hell are you all doing here?" Kiba yelled as he made his way over to the rapidly growing group. Sakura and Ino emerged afterwards. Sasuke tried not to scream in frustration. Why did everybody suddenly feel the need to discuss everything in the lobby?
Sasuke sent his trademark deathglare in Kiba's direction knowing full and well that the idiot should have been in discussion with one of Gaara's employees about his proposition. Kiba quaked under the stare, freezing to the spot with a look of frozen terror but Sakura scowled and pushed him towards the group and the effect was broken. Dammit.
"I thought you were in a meeting with Sand Enterprises" Sasuke growled through clenched teeth.
Kiba gulped but managed to stutter out an answer. "They've already agreed"
"Gaara sent the paperwork this morning" Neji stated unthinkingly before realising that he couldn't volunteer that kind of information without revealing Gaara was his boyfriend. Nobody was surprised by this but the man still blushed when everybody looked at him.
Sasuke didn't feel relieved at the news. Particularly because Naruto was laughing at something Lee had said. He tried to act nonchalant but his insides were writhing with jealousy. What the hell was the blonde doing?
And then the shit really hit the fan.
Naruto stiffened with that rigid tension that never meant good things were about to happen and a red figure slammed through the glass doors without bothering to wait for them to open. Gaara. Glass shattered and flung out in all directions, Sakura screamed and the red head moved like a man possessed snarling at the crowd as he stormed towards it.
Somebody swore. Sasuke could hear Constable Guy squealing in terror as Gaara flung himself at them. And they scattered. Somebody slammed into his injured shoulder and Sasuke cried out in pain. It was pandemonium as everybody realised what Gaara wanted and ran, dived and tumbled out of his way.
Everybody except for Naruto.
The blonde made an unnatural sound with his throat, animalistic and full of rage as he took a defensive stance in front of Sasuke preventing Gaara from coming any closer. Sasuke clutched his injured shoulder wincing but felt the Goosebumps erupt across his arms at the sound. He shivered involuntarily. Naruto was losing control like Gaara.
"Wait, wait!" Neji cried darting between them to stop the beginning of world war three. "I'm fi-"
He didn't get to finish his sentence as Gaara swept the man into his arms without pause, hands roaming freely across his mate to check for injuries. Constable Guy trembled with horror as if he expected Gaara to eat him. Neji made soft noises and appeared to be whispering into his ear as Gaara touched him possessively, trying to calm the man down. Itachi hadn't even blinked.
But Sasuke was watching Naruto. The blonde continued to growl low in his throat and then he realised what was happening. Kyuubi had seen Gaara as a threat to Sasuke and so Naruto was making his claim. It probably hadn't helped that he'd been hurt too. But the way Naruto was acting revealed enough for everyone to see.
Sasuke felt his face heat up. Oh God, in front of everybody! What the hell was the dobe thinking?
"Naruto, relax" he muttered reaching out to touch the back of the blonde's neck. Naruto flinched at the touch but he didn't turn around and attack him and he didn't pull away. That seemed like a good enough sign.
So Sasuke seized the back of his hair and yanked, hard. Naruto barely choked out a sound of surprise as he was unceremoniously tugged away from Gaara and Neji eliminating his chances of murder.
"Stop that immediately!" Sasuke snapped feeling his anger rise. His lobby was turning into freaking fight club! Naruto's eyes widened as he came back into himself again and Sasuke let go only feeling a slight twinge of guilt for being so rough. Naruto would probably thank him later for preventing such a massacre.
Gaara's siblings stepped gingerly through the broken glass doors.
"Everybody dead?" Temari ventured curiously glancing around at the bedlam Gaara's entrance had created. Her brother Kankuro chuckled in amusement. Sasuke wondered why the hell they'd let Gaara out of their sight for a moment. But then realised that self preservation was undoubtedly at hand.
"No" he heard Shikamaru say from behind Temari and the girl flinched clearly not hearing his approach. She whirled around hand cautiously on her hip where no doubt a weapon was concealed. Kankuro looked surprised too at his sudden appearance behind them and for a second Sasuke felt a swell of pride in their head of security.
But then Temari raised an eyebrow appraisingly at Shikamaru. "You're cute" she said. And any nice thoughts Sasuke was thinking vanished. Temari smirked and Shikamaru folded his arms lazily.
"Troublesome" he said looking at her with an unmistakable trace of interest. Sasuke couldn't believe everybody was being so damn unprofessional.
And then Neji giggled. Sasuke almost shot himself. Gaara, now satisfied that his boyfriend was okay was now proceeding to kiss every inch of him and it was definitely too much public display of affection for anyones eyes.
"Gaara!" Neji gasped trying to extract himself from his grip but he was smiling in that dopey love way that made Sasuke want to gag. "I'm working!"
Guy seemed to be edging slowly away from the group as if he was trying to escape Gaara's attention but the red head spotted him as Neji finally managed to wriggle free and his eyes narrowed.
And now there was going to be murder in his lobby. Sasuke was getting a headache. He was distracted from the approaching massacre by the feather light touch of Naruto's fingers skirting across his skin. Immediately his cock twitched with interest but the blonde was only checking his collarbone for further damage.
He could feel Sakura's knowing eyes on him and suddenly he felt extremely embarrassed by the attention. Although he was extremely glad Naruto didn't feel the need to sweep him into his arms like Gaara had, it had been humiliating enough to watch.
"I'm fine" he said, keeping his voice low on purpose so nobody but Naruto could hear him.
Their eyes met and suddenly there were so many things that he wanted to say but couldn't. Not like this. Naruto seemed to realise that and Sasuke tore his eyes away knowing he'd disappointed him. The thought hurt him more than he would have guessed.
If he could he would never let Naruto look at him like that again.
Neji seemed to have calmed down his boyfriend and Shikamaru was seeing to the broken glass doors followed closely by Temari. Ino, Kiba and Sakura were talking to Ten ten but Sakura kept glancing in Sasuke's direction as he tried to keep professional around Naruto.
And Lee seemed to be coaxing Guy out of the cloakroom as Kankuro offered advice.
And Itachi was still standing at the centre where he'd always been, having not moved and inch and merely seemed to be watching it all unfold with interest.
Sasuke took a deep breath. Okay, now was the time to get everybody settled before the problems escalated.
And then of course Kakashi and Jiraiya decided to enter the fray.
"Naruto!" Jiraiya thundered. "We heard you and your boyfriend got blown up! You're all over the news!"
Heads swivelled in their direction and Sasuke immediately stepped away from Naruto, flushing as if a close proximity would reveal a relationship.
"I'm not his boyfriend" he managed to say in a controlled voice. Naruto glanced at him and winced as if he'd said the wrong thing.
"So you're just fuck buddies?" Jiraiya yelled across the obvious crowd of people instead of walking towards them to continue their conversation privately. Sasuke paled visibly and Kakashi laughed.
Naruto screwed up his face at that, grimacing at Jiraiya's embarrassing display. But Sasuke couldn't let that comment go.
"We're not-!"
"Oh no" Naruto said flinching as if preparing for something terrible. Sasuke turned to him frustrated that Naruto wasn't helping him at all. Did he not want to deny anything?
"What?" he demanded but Naruto only shook his head disparagingly. The group looked from them to Jiraiya and Kakashi and then back again.
"Then why were you in bed together this morning?" Jiraiya yelled as if continuing a conversation about the weather to a group of fifty. "And why were you fucking in the shower? And why were you naked in the kitchen?"
Naruto swore and Sasuke's eyes darkened. There was a terrible silence.
"That's it!" he snapped. "Gaara take your goddamn boyfriend home! Temari stop flirting with security! Kiba, Sakura back to the seventh floor or so help me! Ino if you haven't got a message for Itachi go back to your freaking desk! Lee, Ten Ten control the press outside! Kankuro leave Guy alone!"
Everybody was staring at him in shock. He took a breath. "And Guy GET OUT OF THE FUCKING CLOSET!" he roared.
There was a pause when everybody stood there frozen speechless.
"Now!" he snapped.
They scattered like flies leaving only Itachi, Naruto, Kakashi and Jiraiya in their wake. But Sasuke wasn't done. He was not going to let what Jiraiya said slide.
"Jiraiya" he growled and the man at least had the sense to look afraid. "We are not boyfriends we are not fuck buddies and anything we do is certainly none of your goddamn business. Naruto is fine so both of you get out of my fucking lobby!"
Jiraiya smiled and Kakashi winked at Naruto but they left. Thank the lord, they left.
Itachi tipped his head in approval. Sasuke was too angry to even appreciate how much he'd impressed his older brother. He was too angry to do anything, period.
"I'm taking a sick day" he growled. "Give me your house keys"
Itachi smiled a predatory smile and Sasuke suddenly felt he was about to make things much, much worse.
"I'm afraid that's not possible. I happen to like my apartment as it is, non-flammable"
Sasuke couldn't believe it. "You stingy bastard!" he snapped wondering how much money he was going to waste on hotel rooms until he found an apartment those Akatsuki assholes wouldn't blow up.
"You will stay with Naruto. He will be able to protect you best within his own home. If of course you can keep things professional"
Naruto who hadn't spoken since Sasuke's terrifying display of Uchiha power stared at Itachi with confusion. "Mr Uchiha, I'm not sure that's wise…"
"Nonsense" Itachi cut him off. "It's ingenious"
Sasuke couldn't believe his brother was messing with him like this. How could he possibly live with the dobe and keep things professional. Was this some kind of sick twisted joke?
"I'll schedule an interview for you with Constable Guy" Itachi added with a smirk. Sasuke tried not to show his horror. How had his older sibling become so evil?
Naruto nodded. "I'll help Ten Ten and Lee clear the front so you can leave Sasuke"
He paused briefly hesitating over whether to touch Sasuke in front of his boss and decided against it leaving the raven reluctantly, conveying his emotion all into one look. He left. Sasuke strained himself trying not to react to it but Itachi still noticed anyway.
"You should be thankful" Itachi said. "I've just scored you some quality alone time with that fine piece of ass"
Sasuke blanched.
Fine piece of what?
"You owe me brother" Itachi warned leaving Sasuke alone in the lobby to ponder his life choices.
It was either that or think of all the hot, crazy wild sex he would have to resist in order to keep his sanity. The real torture was about to begin. How long would he last exactly? Would he be able to resist the blonde at all? Something told him no, definitely no. If Naruto was offering, then hell yes Sasuke was going to take it. Essentially, he was screwed.
Or about to be. If that didn't sound so appealing he would have just booked a hotel room right then and there.
He wondered if he should just let the Akatsuki kill him. Life would be so much easier.
But then again. Maybe this time, he'd be the one who got to see Naruto naked. It seemed like he was the only one exhibiting his body. Would they share a bed? Or would Sasuke take the couch? And what would he do if Naruto came out of the shower dripping wet and looking sexy as hell?
Well, he was going to find out that was for sure.