Naruto had avoided visiting his brother. Not because he didn't want to go but because he was trying to avoid his father. Naruto didn't miss the way he looked at Gaara after the surgery. It was a look he had seen many times. It indicated when Minato wanted to bring someone into the clan fold. Because of this Naruto had also tried to keep his distance from Gaara; he didn't want his father to use him as an opening with the red head. Gaara hadn't seemed to notice though. His work load had been piling on so it was rare when the couple had time together. When they did see each other though Gaara had kept Naruto up to date with Kurama's progress and so far he seemed to be healing well.
Naruto looked down at the notes in his hand, a deep frown set on his face. His mind was too scattered to take in the numbers and he began to think it was pointless being at work. The ward suddenly became quiet causing Naruto to look up. Standing in front of him was Minato.
"Father" he acknowledged the man. Minato looked frustrated. He had obviously decided that it was him who needed to come to Naruto and not the other way round.
"We need to talk Naruto" the younger blonde put his elbow on the desk and looked up at the older one with an almost bored look on his face.
"I'm busy with work, I'll come find you later" a loud thump rung around as Minato's fist hit the counter in front of him.
"No Naruto, we do this now. I've waited around enough and with everything that has happened with Kurama I won't wait around any longer" Naruto guessed that they would eventually have this conversation and he didn't want to cause a scene in front of those in his ward.
"Alright" Naruto stood up and lead the man to the staff break room, locking the door behind him so no one could interrupt. Minato sat down on the small couch and Naruto grabbed a chair to sit opposite him. "I've already told Kurama I can look after myself"
"This isn't just about you Naruto. There is a bigger picture here and you need to stop being a selfish brat" Naruto hated how his father talked to him as if he was a child. He had thought after all these years standing on his own two feet the man would at least acknowledge him properly.
"I'm not being selfish! This has nothing to do with me, this is your problem!" Minato leant forward, his eyes cold and stern. Naruto shrunk back; it had always been hard standing up to his father.
"Naruto I need you to listen alright. I am trying to do my best to protect everyone and the only way I can do that is if we show a united front" the man had a point so Naruto remained quiet. "It's time we united the Uchiha clan and the Namikaze clan. By doing this we solidify our alliance and become stronger"
"Just get to the point already" Naruto already had guessed what his father was hinting at but he didn't want to assume. Minato laughed at Naruto's brashness that reminded him of Kushina.
"I want you to marry Sasuke Uchiha" Anger. That was the only word Naruto could use to explain how he was feeling. He tried to remain calm, to keep it at bay but he was finding it difficult. Naruto began to wonder if Sasuke knew about his father's plan. The thought made him even angrier. He knew the Uchiha had been up to something but to have the audacity to try and trick Naruto into believing that he had feelings for him was a whole new level of low.
"No" Naruto's voice shook, his anger seeping into his speech. Minato sighed and sat back on the couch.
"I know that your opposed to this Naruto but for once just stop and think" Naruto stood up, slamming the chair he was on backwards and made his way to the door. If he didn't leave now he would end up hitting his father. "Naruto! Think of your mother! She has spent the past six years protecting you! Keeping you out of the family business and harm's way. If you do this your helping return that favour to her"
"How? How is being married off to that teme be repaying her! She didn't go through all that trouble just for me to end up being married to a future mafia boss!" His hand gripped the door handle. His father had hit him where it hurt with bringing his mother into it but he couldn't let him manipulate him.
"Your mother nearly lost one son Naruto, what do you think it would do to her if she lost you? By doing this you're protecting her from the pain of losing a child" it pained Naruto's heart at the thought of his mother losing him. "I won't force you Naruto, I wouldn't do that to you. All I ask of you is to think about it"
"I'll think about it but I can already tell you the answer will be no" Naruto left the room quickly. He didn't go back to his desk though. Instead he went for the elevator. He didn't care that there was no one to cover him; he knew his team would manage. He was no help to any of them at the moment anyway. Naruto pulled out his phone, flicking through his contacts until he found his best friends name.
….
Naruto sat with Sakura at a bar. It was a local for the hospital staff and the two had come here many times together. Sakura said nothing to Naruto when she first arrived. She had never seen Naruto so angry before that she thought it would be best to let him speak first.
"He wants me to marry Sasuke" the words that left Naruto's lips still seemed like a bad nightmare to him. He waved the bartender over and ask for a shot of tequila. Sakura decline, getting a gin a tonic instead. "Apparently if I marry that teme it will show some bullshit unity to their enemies"
"You and Sasuke? Really?" Sakura sounded deep in thought about it and Naruto threw the shot back quickly. Wincing as the light brown liquid hit the back of his throat.
"Bullshit right. I wondered why the prick had been sniffing around me lately. Never thought he'd stoup so low though" Of course Naruto would never admit that he had enjoyed Sasuke's advances towards him. He had a boyfriend after all and Sasuke was just his school rival.
"You never told me Sasuke had taken an interest in you" Sakura sounded almost hurt and Naruto wondered how long it had been since they had a decent catch up.
"Sorry Sakura, I didn't even think to tell you" he looked down at the tequila shot the bartender had put in front of him again "He showed up at the hospital last week, said he wanted to see what I did all day…I let him come to the family room and he said he thought we would make a good couple together"
"Seriously?" Sakura didn't sound as shocked as she pretended to be. It was almost as if she knew something he didn't.
"I thought he was messing with me ya know. He always liked to get under my skin" Naruto paused before continuing "All these boxes turned up from him. Thousands of dollars' worth of a donation to the family room"
"You're an idiot Naruto" Sakura smacked him on the back of his head. Naruto glared at her and rubbed the spot in an attempt to stop it from stinging. "Sasuke likes you Naruto"
"Bullshit Sakura! He's just going along with my father's stupid plan" Sakura sighed, waved the bar tender down and asked for two more shots. One for her and one for Naruto.
"Here, you're going to need this one to" She downed her one quickly, puckering her lips together at the bitter taste and Naruto followed suit. "Sasuke has always liked you Naruto! Why do you think he spent so many years trying to get your attention?"
"You mean torture me" Naruto grumbled. He asked Sakura here so he could vent. Not be told some ridiculous crap about the Uchiha liking him.
"Jesus Naruto you really are blind. Everything Sasuke has ever done to you is to get you to notice him! Didn't you ever wonder why it was only you? He never picked on anyone else, never attempted to catch anyone else's eye" Naruto thought back to their years at school and he had to admit it. Sakura was right. Sasuke seemed to only pay attention to him, it was like everyone else was non-existent. "All the girls tried to get his attention Naruto, even I did for years but he brushed us all off. When we'd talk to him he would excuse himself the second he saw you and from that moment on no one could divert his attention. He was always watching you, drawing you"
"Drawing me?" Naruto thought back to the fox picture and realisation hit him. No wonder he felt a pull to it. Blonde fur, blue eyes. Sasuke had drawn it as a version of Naruto.
"When you weren't around Sasuke was always quite. It was like he was missing some part of him and then you would walk into the room and he would light up like it was Christmas. That man has liked you from the second he met you" Sakura took another shot, handing one to Naruto in the process.
"But…he never said anything!" Naruto slumped his head down on the bar. A frustrated groan leaving his lips. Everything Sakura said was right and she knew it to.
"Sasuke Uchiha express his feelings? You're such an idiot Naruto. Read between the lines already" Sakura placed a comforting hand on his back and began to rub it in soothing circles. "I'm not saying marry the guy. I'm just saying if it does come to that it's not the end of the world alright"
"But…Gaara" Naruto felt torn. He cared for Gaara deeply and in time he could see himself falling hopelessly for him but now he was completely confused. He had been clearly attracted to Sasuke the other day and now that he knew it wasn't a game to him he began questioning if there was more to that attraction the he originally thought.
"Gaara is a great guy Naruto. He cares for you, everyone can see that. Don't overthink this Sasuke thing too much. You have a great relationship and I don't see any reason to throw it away just because of Sasuke" Once again Sakura made a good point but sadly it confused Naruto even more. He wouldn't deliberately go out of his way to see Sasuke. Hell, he would do his best to avoid the man even more now that he knew how the man felt. Naruto wasn't a cheater, he hated cheaters. That was it for him. He would stay with Gaara and live happily with the man and avoid Sasuke Uchiha like he would a plague.
