Guardian Bay

Chapter Twelve

Thinking about it made his head hurt. Well, not really his head, but it was starting to confuse his heart and was slowly driving him mad. Sakura was sitting across from him, stirring her iced tea with a spoon, eyes staring blankly at the table. Sasuke was next to her, chin in palm and elbow on the table, eyes closed. Gaara sat next to Naruto, munching on fries and watching the pink-haired girl in irritation.

"I'm sure he's fine."

"I don't like knowing he's out there alone." Sakura whispered, stopping the stirring and lifting her head. "And what you think is running through Itachi's head?"

"It's his fault." Sasuke snorted.

"But he still feels bad." Sakura sighed, "His pain is tenfold what ours is."

There was silence again, the dinner's daily lunch noises drowning out the soft music on the radio. No one said anything, just sipped their sodas, ate a bit, and stared out the window.

"He has another meeting with Karin." Naruto muttered, even with the dilemma...his eyes kept darting to Sasuke. The elder's eyes were still closed, as if sleep hadn't come at all the night before. He still couldn't get it out of his head.

Those dark eyes watching him from across the small spaces of their windows. At first, he wondered if he should have been angry for the Uchiha to be watching him change. However, anger wasn't the first thing that had happened.

His heart had skipped far too many beats to be healthy and his stomach flipped. It was still flipping right now as the boy let out a sigh, opened those beautiful dark eyes and stood up. "Well, I guess we're just going to have to blow off some steam, yea?"

"Huh?" Naruto asked.

Sakura sighed, " Not today Sasuke."

"Yes. We're all under stress. It'll clear our heads, come on." He pressed, putting a hand on her arm. Naruto's eyes narrowed. Sometimes, their friendship was envying.

She looked up at him, rolled her eyes, and sighed again. "Oh alright."

" What are we going to do?" Gaara asked.

Sasuke smirked, heading for the door. "Cliff-diving."

"You're both CRAZY!" Naruto shouted, grabbing onto a tree and holding on for dear life. A glaring Sakura, however, was tugging at his shirt.

Sasuke and Gaara stood at the edge of a small cliffs, hundreds of feet from the water. Both looking as calm and collected as a warm summer breeze. They had discarded their shirts and pants long ago leaving themselves both in boxers and identical sadistic smirks.

Sakura, had abandoned all modesty (and she didn't feel like walking to her house) was only in her black bra and the blue jean shorts she had thrown on in the morning. "Come ON it doesn't hurt!"

"It does if you land the wrong way!" Naruto snarled, his grip tightening.

"You're making me mad." She growled.

"Good!"

"Idiot. Stop being a chicken." Sasuke snorted, walking over and peeling tan fingers from the tree. He tugged the blonde away, took those same hands, and turned them palm up. "Just keep your body straight and well..." His smirk widened, "don't look down."

The blonde swallowed hard, then he clenched his fingers over Sasuke's hands. The dark-haired teen blinked, lifting an eyebrow slowly, "Promise you'll be there when I surface."

Sasuke chuckled, "What? Can't swim?"

"I can swim just fine!" Naruto snarled, snatching his hands away, then sneered. "Watch and learn bastard! Oh wait..." He smirked, "You did that last night."

The look on Sasuke's face was so worth jumping off a cliff to his death. He shed his shirt, then his pants and met up with Gaara and Sakura at the cliff. Sasuke followed, eyes narrowed and hands itching to be wrapped around the blondes neck.

And…other places...

"Okay. Gaara and I'll go first." Sakura scowled at the red-head, "Since we won't take Naruto serious enough if he starts flailing around in the water."

Naruto pouted.

"Then we'll head up the left side and you two head up the right side, along the beach. We'll all meet at the docks?"

They all nodded, then Naruto gaped as Sakura jumped and Gaara followed.

He rushed to the side, watching in fear as they hit the water, the surfaced seconds later. They both looked up and waved, starting to swim towards the left side of the small cliff. He swallowed again, " I'm gonna die."

Sasuke scoffed, " No you're not."

"Oh yes I am."

"Don't be such a wimp." Sasuke sighed, he grabbed the boy's hand. "Ready?"

"NO!"

"Set-"

"SASUKE!"

Against his better judgment, and the voice in his head that sounded suspiciously like Iruka, his grip on the hand tightened.

And they jumped.

It was a rush. The air was screaming in his ears or was he just screaming? It was fast and the adrenaline in his system kicked into high gear, like a roller coaster without the straps. Or the metal bars that the cart's on.

Then he was cold from foot to head and was being tugged up to the surface. His head broke air and he stuttered on air.

"T-that was..."

Sasuke's chuckled gave him chills, or was that the water? "Have fun did you?"

The Uchiha had to stop and catch his breath again as blue eyes light up, "Yea. Better than I expected."

They swam to the tiny beach and lifted themselves out of the water before collapsing on the sand. Naruto spread his arms over his head and let out a heavy sigh, "Man. That was a rush."

"Why do you think we do it?"

"Better than drugs." Naruto laughed, eyes scanning the white clouds and blue sky above them.

"You've done drugs?" The question was whispered and held no judgment, but still sounded serious.

"No." He closed his eyes slowly, trying to block out the onslaught of memories. "But I almost did." His fingers twitched, "Gaara was the one who stopped me."

"Ah..." Sasuke lifted himself onto his elbow, looking down at the resting boy. He was cute, in a...loud, annoying, I'm-an-idiot way. His eyes searched the beach, the cliffs, hoping no one was watching before pressing his lips against Naruto's.

Blue eyes widened before closing slowly and whimpering as the dark-haired teen turned his head slightly and deepened the kiss.

Oh, man, it was soft, and tasted like saltwater, but neither were going to complain. Sasuke's fingers were caressing scared cheeks and Naruto's hands were buried in raven locks, trying desperately to pull the elder boy closer.

They broke off for air, panting and watching each other's face for a reaction. For one to scream, holler or just plain run away. But neither moved, eyes locked.

"You were watching me last night." Naruto whispered.

Sasuke chuckled, shaking his head, "Always stating to obvious idiot."

"Why?"

Obsidian eyes glanced above him, narrowing slightly before rolling, "Because I was trying to watch the moon, but someone was stripping."

"I was..."

"I want you."

Blue eyes blinked, before closing again. "No one wants me."

"One of these days...I'm going to ask why you refuse to let people in."

"I should be asking you that."

It was quiet for time then Sasuke's, "We should head back and forget about this."

Naruto nodded, sitting up but as they walked away, he wasn't so sure it would be very easy to forget.

"We're going to have to call them soon." Kakashi muttered, leaning back in a recliner and staring at Iruka as he moved around the kitchen making dinner.

He paused in taking the plates out, then slowly took them out, "It won't be pleasant."

"They're the only ones who can find him." The silver-haired man closed his eyes, blowing a strand from his left eyes, revealing a scar from his cheek up to his eyebrow.

Iruka watched him in silence, "I don't want you to go."

"They won't do it again."

"It's bad enough it was my..."

"It wasn't your fault."

Iruka set the plates down on the table, then gathered up the silverware. He was quiet, moving around slowly, setting up the table, checking the food. By that time, his hands were shaking and his breath was wavering.

Kakashi walked up and gathered the hands in his own, kissing each finger and stilling the shakes. Two eyes, one black, the other red, looked up from where his lips were set on his finger. "I chose my own destiny, the second I chose you."

"I'm not worth it..."

"I had to stay here...all those years without you..." He pressed the hands to his forehead. "It almost drove me crazy."

"You two want some time alone?" Sakura's smirking voice made both men jump and spin around. She moved into the kitchen, Gaara walking in behind her.

They were covered in water, dry enough to walk without dripping all over his clean floor, but still wet. "What on earth were you four doing?"

"Cliff-diving!" Naruto's voice chimed in, he bounced into the room, Sasuke strolling in behind him.

"WHAT?"

"I knew he wasn't going to like the answer." Kakashi sighed, tipping his head back and yawning. "Whelp, I'll head down and tell Tsunade our decision."

"Hurry back." Iruka began wringing his hands out, "It'll be done soon."

"I will."

With that said, he strolled out of the house, hands in his pockets and a frown on his face. His scar was starting to hurt.

The small restaurant, that was only open on Friday nights, was full to bursting with people. Itachi sat, dressed in a black suit, hair pulled back and a frown on his face. He wasn't in the mood to be hit on by the red-dressed female running her hand over his arm.

All he wanted was to go home, fall into bed, and wish that Deidara would walk in and say it was a sick joke. He wanted him back.

If no one could tell he hadn't slept all week, then he was a better actor than he thought. Or they knew, but weren't going to say anything in fear of being snapped at.

"You're not really into this are you?" Karin pouted, brushing her breasts against his arm. "Come on..."

Itachi's eyes narrowed, "Not tonight."

"It's that blonde isn't it?" She huffed, " Sheesh, what are you 10? Best friends are so last decade."

Not for me.

He moved out of the booth and motioned for her to get out, "I need to get home."

"But..."

She sighed, climbed out, and followed him out the glass doors and into the cool august air. He walked ahead of her, shoulders tense. She smirked.

He wanted her.

He was just denying it.

"You sure you don't want to head to the city and bunk with me tonight?"

"I don't plan on leaving Guardian till he's back..." in my arms.

She scowled. Stupid longhaired blonde faggot was clouding his mind. Moreover, where the hell was he hiding anyways?

She had a job to finish!

A low growl made her head snap to the right, facing an alley. Itachi stopped, moving over and watching with wide eyes as the same wolf from night ago stepped out of the alley teeth bared and eyes blazing.

Karin gasped, "No."

Then turned and ran.

To be continued...

That's it till I write the song and figure out what I'm gonna do about Deidara and Itachi. So..be patient! There's the sasu/naru scene...ther'll be a yummy...paring scene ...but I ain't saying which! XD For the two main pairings are...Sasu/Naru and Ita/Dei...but..how do I do that without DEIDARA?

Blessed be,

Angel