Chapter 11: The Aftermath
Pairing(s): Naru/Sasu and Gaa/Neji
Rating: M
Disclaimer: Naruto... yeah I don't own it. It's the sole property of Masashi Kishimoto...and if by any chance you, Kishimoto-sama, are reading this, (not freakin' likely) I ADORE YOU!
A/N: 'Dark Blue Princess.' There is acknowledgment of your insisting the 'Disneyland/world' are holy grails of the theme parks in the way of; see below:
A/N2: Is anyone else out there that is a fan (a.k.a crazy maniac) for 'Pirates of the Caribbean'. I swear, apart from 'RENT', 'Pirates' is my FAVOURITE movie EVER! (Ps if I could hijack Johnny Depp, I would, but since I can't, (besides all the prison time I would do) I shan't.)
Beta: Nope. I'm still awesome like that –smirk-
Sasuke woke up to a possessive arm around his waist and a rough, cat like tongue licking the back of his neck. It was, surprisingly, a comfortable and intimate gesture. His eyes fluttered open against the dim sunlight flitting through the shutters, but he remained motionless, just enjoying the comforting sensations. A nuzzle behind his ear.
"I know you're awake, teme." Naruto's voice was low, rough and sensual.
"Hn." He craned his neck to look over his shoulder at the blond, "Good morning to you too, baka."
A smirk, "This baka made you scream last night so don't get prissy."
'He does have a point there.'
"Whatever." He replied, shifting a bit to stretch; then paused. The reality of what happened last night was staring to sink in and he wondered if this was a good time to bring a topic he was mulling over for some time. A sigh; talk about pillow talk destruction; better now than never, right? Couldn't go into this blind, could he.
"Naruto..." he started,
"Yes?"
He shifted and turned around fully to look into the benign blue eyes.
"Naruto...You already know that I checked up on your past...in Bali...Itachi said you had ...problems?"
"I figured he would tell that." A quirk of full peach lips; a callused hand ran down the length of the pale body before him. "Problems," he snorted derisively, "...if you call 'problems' abandonment issues, dyslexia, addiction, fe-"
"Addiction?" the raven cut in, eyes fully opened.
"Yes," he said truthfully, blue eyes never shifting from the dark orbs in front of his, "Drug addiction,"
Sasuke didn't even have to ask the question, his eyes did it for him while bracing himself for the answer. The blond tilted his head up to the ceiling a small, pensive smile on his face, his large tan hand still on the raven's hip.
"I was hooked on Heroin."
Sasuke reacted like he was electrocuted; sitting up fully to stare at the blond in shock.
Naruto continued nonplussed; "I used it to ignore my depression, two months after I started I got addicted to the numbness. I thought if I couldn't feel anything it didn't exist, I could just pretend that I wasn't the person I was, that my life wasn't total shit."
'Chirst.' Sasuke thought hair falling into his eyes.
"And this other problem," he said turning to the raven and looking him straight in the eye. "I had a host of identity issues; I skipped form one person to another like a crazy butterfly. Before I smacked myself in the head; got sober and attained my degree, I couldn't, for the life of me, distinguish myself from my partners. I relied on people to set borders for me and I stuck to them...instead of setting my own. Talk about major problems S'uke, I had them."
The frank confession sunk in and Sasuke, after processing all of it, managed to find his voice.
"Hn...We all do, dobe...at least in some context." He said starting at the ceiling, "When I was a teen I idolized my big brother and tried my hardest to live up to his image. Itachi was the family's genius, set and primed to take over the clan; the pride of the pack. He garnered my fathers' and the elders approval without even trying to...until he stood up to him and stated the he was gay, that he wanted to be an artist and he would never be trapped in the conceited lifestyle father was in."
Eyes narrowed at the memory and voice lowered with brimming anger, "I stood there and watched as our father struck him down so hard he had to be hospitalized for three days. After that I had to my father's full attention. I was to be the leader, the heir, a carbon copy of him; the patriarch of perfection."
He snorted. "I tried to follow for years but after I got involved with Neji and coming to the realization of who I was, I couldn't pretend anymore. I broke away and never looked back. No one is perfect Naruto, even if we try our hardest to be."
He was shifted to rest between the blonde's legs and to rest on his chest.
"I know." Naruto hummed lowly, nuzzling behind his ear.
(*)(*)(*)
"Hmm." Sasuke hummed, a midnight eyebrow lifting an inch while perched on the barstools in Naruto's kitchen, practically swallowed in the blonds huge bathrobe that he had to roll up the sleeves to see his hands. "That's ...surprising."
"What?" Naruto said, not turning away from his lemon shrimp scampi he was cooking. It was nearly noon when they finally crawled out of bed, after another long session of exploring each other's bodies to the fullest. Sasuke, lounging in the football player's huge bed was ravenous and after Naruto returned from his run; ordered the blond to cook, capitalizing mercilessly on the blonds culinary talents.
"Neji wants to meet me tomorrow at a café in central city."
A blond eyebrow skyrocketed while adding basil to the pot. "Neji huh... I thought you guys broke up."
"We did," Sasuke replied, idly petting a panting Kyuu under the table, "That's why it is so surprising."
A plate was settled before him just as he was finishing sending the reply e-mail.
"I wonder what caused him to do this?" he said picking up a fork and digging into the scrumptious meal an inwardly moaned. 'Damn it...Naruto should've been a chef."
"Beats me," the blond said, dragging his tongue obscenely up the fork's tines eyes pinned on the rave. Sasuke shivered.
"You look like a fox doing that, you know."
"Exactly." He smirked spearing another piece of shrimp; "So are you going alone or what?"
Sasuke hesitated, "I'm not completely su-."
His phone erupted, it was Haku.
"Yes, Haku."
"Good morning Uchiha-san. Just a reminder, the semi-annual reports are due today and the board members will be here in an hour."
"Fuck!" Sasuke slipped out, slapping a hand over his forehead. He had completely forgotten about the meeting.
"Ah hem." Haku coughed, delicately pretending that he hadn't heard the curse. "Should I tell the board that you will not be able to ma-"
"No, Haku." Sasuke said, already in motion. "I'll be there."
"Understood." He hung up and rushed into the bathroom, to splash water over his face, dressed in his discarded clothes; grabbed his keys and strode back into the den, where Naruto was rubbing the fox-breed ears; Naruto and Kyuu's head tilted to the left at the same time, looking like confused puppies.
'Cute.'
"Whoa, babe; where's the fire?"
He snapped out of it. "I have to go. I'll call you, after the meeting." He said, opening the door, and with a quick kiss he blazed out the car.
(*)(*)(*)
At home he stripped like lightning, wound a towel around his waist and rushed to the closet and plucked out a pair of tailored pants and started searching for a suitable shirt. His mind was racing over the figures he had to present in less than an hour to a set of old patriarchs. Frustrated he grabbed a blue silk shirt and deemed it enough for the presentation. No time or inclination for a vest, tie and jacket. He was the boss, damnit, he could dress any way he wanted.
The shower was completed in less than five minutes flat; and the dressing even more so. He grabbed his briefcase and jetted out the door, to make the meeting.
Predictably the highways were jammed to the limits; bumper to bumper lines.
'Damn, shit, hell and fuck.' He cursed, trying to navigate his way through the rush hour madness. It seemed like fate was just jabbing at him. Tapping his fingers on the wheel, a part of his mind was focused on the business meeting while another part was subconsciously reflecting on the night he had.
He closed his eyes for a second a shivering sensation washed over his person.
BEEEPPPPP!
Eyes snapped back open, there was a break in the traffic, and he drove forward manoeuvring his way through the hold up. Memories could always be relished after, now wasn't the time for that. With total control of his faculties, (and the comprehensive gift of the whole Uchiha linage) Sasuke put those memories on the backburner and focused what was ahead of him.
The office loomed up before him. He parked and made a split second decision to either take the elevator of the stairs. He tried the lift but, predictably it was occupied. Stairs it was then. Darting up the steps he did a mental tally of his presentation. Bursting into the top floor he breezed past Haku and yanked his office door open, went straight to the desk and began assembling copies of the reports.
"Sir." Haku said.
"Yes?" he answered, shuffling through the pack of paper.
"The board is waiting."
He didn't answer, just grabbed his briefcase, took a second to glance in the mirror; he looked flushed, his hair was slightly messy and, what the hell, was that a slight tan? His skin, normally pale and milky had a very slight bronze sheen to it; how he hadn't realized the change was beyond him. Snapping out of the reverie; he grabbed the folders and with a quick hand through his hair made his way down to the board room.
Everyone was assembled, casually chatting away, so he stepped in.
The chatting paused. Seconds passed. Sasuke glanced up to meet gazes, if he didn't know better, looked frozen in time. An awkward ten seconds passed.
He arched an eyebrow, mentally asking: 'What the hell are you all looking at?'
They snapped out of it.
"Good Morning. Let us get down to it." He said voice steady in his business-as-usual tone.
(*)(*)(*)
"What the hell?" he muttered to himself eyes narrowed just after a under sectary from the field sports department delivered a status sheet to him, she left his presence eyes wide and giggling. It seemed like everyone and their mother were staring at him this morning. People, every level of the totem pole, were gaping at him; from the assistants, to the sectional managers to the head of the department; even Haku had a small smile on his face during the whole morning.
"What the hell is going on?" he mused, returning from commissary with his cup of coffee. It was after one pm and the probing looks weren't diminishing, in fact they were getting worse.
"You don't know, do you?"
'Hell no.' he stopped, wondering what egregious sin he did to make this morning so atrocious. Kakashi was again in his office and Sasuke wondered if he could get away with murder and blame it on 'aggravated disturbance.' That was stupid so he shook himself out of it.
"Hatake, what the hell are you doing in my office, again?"
The silver haired man was lounging on his chair, chewing on a toothpick, "Just checking on you, gaki. I was your mentor, you know. I have every right to get on your nerves."
That's right; Kakashi was his martial arts mentor, a long time ago; being a trusted friend of the family, Fugaku, ruled by paranoia and wanting the best to oversee his second child; had made him Sasuke's unofficial tutor when he was about seven years old; before he left for a four months business summit in Europe. Kakashi, though he didn't show it, knew more martial arts techniques than thought possible. When Sasuke had come into the business world, his first move was to invite the Hatake to join him; but seeing as this was Kakashi's doorway to bug the ever living shit out of him he briefly thought of rescinding the motion.
"What do I don't know?" he asked.
Kakashi sat up; directed and held a level stare into Sasuke's eyes. "You're changing."
A scoff. "Oh please." He dismissed.
Broad shoulders under a plain but obscenely expensive Chanel jacket shrugged, "Believe it, gaki, you're changing. Not the way when you were with-"
Sasuke glared enough to shatter glass.
"...him...you are different and everyone can see it."
A hand massaged his brows, "Whatever. Just tell me why you are in my office."
"How's the usurotankachi?"
Black head shot up, to find Kakashi playing with a letter opener. "What?" he hazard to ask, mind scrambling widely with suspicion. 'Why would he ask me a question like that? Am I that obvious? What exactly does he know?'
"I'm not an idiot, Sasuke. If Naruto hasn't got to you by now, you are either a zombie or slab of stone. He cannot have been in your presence for so long and haven't left an impression on you? So 'fess up Uchiha."
"I do not owe you any explanation." He glowered.
Kakashi nodded solemnly, hands forming an inverted diamond under his chin. A beat: "You had sex, didn't you?"
The raven reeled back, eyes widened a margin; then contracted to slits. Damn him for forgetting Kakashi's nearly psychic observant skills. "Wh-"
"Bah," the scarecrow said getting up, smirking at the reaction. "Don't worry about it. That's Naru for you... he loves challenges."
"...A challenge?" Sasuke asked, cocking his head.
"Yes." He said, looking back over his shoulder while plashing a peace sign, "And worst part is, he doesn't give up until it's solved."
(*)(*)(*)
For the foreseeable future, Sasuke was getting really pissed off. He hadn't changed that much in three days had he? Okay he had a slight tan, he went water-skiing, he actually visited a theme park, he had junk food, he had sex, he had bed hair, but damn it, why was everyone looking at him like his personal apocalypse had happened?
"Haku?" he asked, "Have all the contestants for the equestrian tournament arrived?"
"Yes, Uchiha-san. The hotel has affirmed that all the competitors are safely in the city."
That was all right then; he opened a drawer and stopped. Damn it; the invitation to the Sakura festival was staring him in the face. He had totally forgotten about that. God knows he didn't want to go the stuffy, pretentious thing; but obligation was pounding in his head. He had to find a way to go to this thing and not despise every minute of the event. He needed a foil.
'Naruto.'
He did say he was going to call him later, didn't he. Picking up his cell he called the blond but was stopped by a call from the manager of the stables. He would have to put the question to the Uzumaki later.
"Nanda-san, what can I do for you?"
His coat found itself negligently thrown into a corner of the apartment's foyer. Neji didn't give a damn about the hideously expensive suede lined piece of material; his hands were full of silky red hair and his lips completely occupied. They had just returned from an aikido martial arts tournament upstate and the sexual tension between them that built up during the whole two hours' drive back was nearly was so palpable that even the fine hairs on the Hyuuga's skin were standing up erect.
The tension had started with the dismal Go match which led to a chess match, which he lost also. Neji, an intellectual at heart, had been completely entranced with the mind of the Sabaku; the way he could outmanoeuvre his every move. He was fascinated and completely aroused.
Two days of brain teasers, a dinner and a movie and here they were, in Gaara's hotel room. Neji was so aroused, he couldn't think straight.
Gaara was no better, his compact body pressed flushed against the Hyuuga'; his hand had already found themselves under the Hyuuga's shirt and was gripping the skin. How they had evolved from just interested to tentative partners to this; kissing the hell out of each other was inconceivable to Neji. He knew they were alike in so many ways but in merely two days of getting to know each other...this?
Neji broke away, panting, "Gaara...maybe we shouldn't do thi-"
The look that the redhead gave him made him shut up in an instant. The narrowed feline eyes were pooling with untamed lust; pupils had distended to nearly the rim of the jade green retinas. Neji swallowed. Slowly and deliberately Gaara just reached down, grabbed the hem of his black shirt and pulled it over his head.
"I don't top." He said,
Neji grabbed at the pale skin before him and breathed, "... I do not bottom."
"Oh come on." Naruto said blue eyes comically wide. "You mean to tell me you haven't never ever seen 'Pirates of the Caribbean?"
"No." Sasuke said, idly, "Should I have?"
"That's it." the blond said sternly, grabbing the Uchiha and firmly placing him in the nest of blankets he had formed in front of his sixty foot HD TV. "You need to be re-educated."
"And you are the one to do it?" Sasuke asked, left eyebrow nearly at his hairline, watching the six foot odd blond fiddling with the DVD player. In front of him were stacks of chips, a huge bucket of popcorn, assorted bottles of beer and insane jumbo size packs of M&M's.
"Yes." Naruto said blithely, shifting the Uchiha to get behind him, then resting the raven on his chest, knees up and around him until Sasuke was safely ensconced in his warmth. Arms around Sasuke's waist, Naruto clicked the remote and the movie started. Still sceptical, Sasuke watched the film under hooded eyes. He didn't see anything worth fawning over until:
"Holy shit." He whispered eyes wide; "He's... beautiful."
"Who?" Naruto asked, secretly smirking. "Will?"
"Uh-uh no...Jack Sparrow." Sasuke said, tilting his head slightly to better observe the sculpted contours of the pirate's face; the kohl lined endless eyes, the mane of lions worthy dreadlocks and the pale, alabaster skin.
"That's Johnny Depp for you."
Sasuke paused, eyes tracking the fluid motions of the man, "...is he-"
"Alas, no." Naruto sighed forlornly, "I tell you, I wish he could be, but he's not. The fangirls would kill him."
"Fangirls?" Sasuke asked, still slightly in trance of the specimen of utter magnificence before him.
Naruto lowered his voice to a scared whisper, hand slipping under to the raven's sides and started tickling; "Rabid females that hunt men like us down and devour our souls. Beware S'uke... They rule the world."
Sasuke doubled over laughing.
(*)(*)(*)
Utterly satisfied and decadently pleased, Sasuke leaned his head unto the blonds shoulder. Pleasure was still shivering through his person and he was on the verge of dropping asleep, when he remembered the Sakura festival.
"Naruto," he said, "I need to go to a certain function and I need someone to go with."
A pause, "...are you asking me out on a date, teme?" Naruto asked hands firmly wrapped around the trim Uchiha's waist. Sasuke was seriously suspecting that the blond had a tactile obsession with his body.
'Typical' he thought rolling his eyes. "Would you go if I said 'yes'?"
'... I dunno, I might be busy..."
"Yeah right." he deadpanned.
A chuckle, "All right, I give... I'll go with you. What is it, anyways?"
"The annual Sakura festival, hosted by Anda corp; its next week at the Lotus Hotel Gardens."
"Hmm...fancy." Naruto said, entwining the ravens pale legs with his. "What's the dress code?"
"Historical," he answered "I wouldn't suppose you have any traditional wear, would you?"
A shuffle, "Actually I do."
"Hn." That was all he wanted to know.
Naruto placed a hand under Sasuke's chin and turned his face to him; "How's that thing with Neji?"
"Actually I have no idea." He replied truthfully, "...Maybe you should come with me?"
"...for what, backup?"
"I do not need someone else while I'm facing him." he said, "But it would help."
"Fine. I'll be there." The blond said nuzzling and kissing a collar bone, "Tomorrow right?"
"Yes."
"...and teme...don't stress out over it. I'll be there for you."
"...is this a love confession, baka?"
A beat. "...do you want it to be?"
(*)(*)(*)
"Oh fuck no." Naruto said staring shell-shocked at the other end of the café like he was staring into deaths door itself. He looked like a bomb just exploded in before him and rendered him totally paralyzed.
Sasuke glanced up, "What ba-" he stopped immediately, frozen in step, looking at the cinnamon haired man sitting elegantly beside a black clad redhead.
"Is that who I think it is?" he asked quietly, hoping with every fibre of his being it wasn't what he thought it was.
"Yes," the blond groaned, "...We're screwed."
P.S: I'm evil aren't I? Cliffies are so despicable to the readers but to the author it's the best kept secret ever. Keep ya'll coming back for more.
You know what I love about being an authoress, It's the ability to create and have this universe where I can play this merciless dictatorial ruler, and decide the fate and destiny of all my characters, mess with them to an eternity and back and still have my own way...a.k.a God complex.
Love ya'll, peace.
***TBC***
Black Prodigy.
XD
(*)(*)(*)