Chapter Thirteen: The Promise, The Break

Author's Note: So it has been two years since I wrote this and I can't apologize enough. I was dealing with a lot of things (medical and otherwise) and I just couldn't bring myself to write. I hope everyone is happy with this chapter. And a side note: I will be upping the rating of this fiction Mature/Explicit. I had to apologize the only way I knew how…Also - This story is going to be posted on my ao3, but I'll be posting it both here and there, in case anyone prefers one over the other.

For Akiru, who made sure she was the muse I needed, and got me to write when I didn't think I would. Love you bunches.

Naruto woke with a start, not sure what jolted him awake. He looked down at the blanket covering him and tried to jog his memory through his grogginess. He turned his head at the memory of talking to Sasuke and found him still asleep on the floor. He was then faced the sobering reminder that Sasuke was moving far away. There were going to be no more kissing or hand holding, no more shared intimate moments, no more ideas of starting a relationship. Naruto rubbed his hand over his eyes, trying to erase the thought and the grogginess.

Sasuke was sound asleep and Naruto looked towards the kitchen where he saw light. Iruka must have made a noise that woke Naruto up. Naruto squinted at the clock above the television and read five in the morning. Iruka had to be making his coffee before he set off out the door. Naruto was happy, despite losing an extra hour of sleep, seeing as he didn't set an alarm and would have missed school.

He sat up and rubbed at his eyes and looked towards the hallway to the kitchen when he heard Iruka's soft footfalls. He was walking fast, rushed as usual, with his messenger bag slung over his shoulder and a thermos full of coffee.

He halted when he saw Naruto and mouthed to him, "Did I wake you?"

Naruto shook his head and held up his hand and signed "I love you."

Iruka lifted his hand and returned the gesture before heading out the door. At the sound of the door clicking shut, Sasuke's eyes snapped open and he sat upright. Naruto leaned back and blinked a few extra times in shock. Sasuke turned a blood shot, tired stare at Naruto in silent question.

"We have thirty minutes before we need to get ready. Or we can get ready early and we can go get breakfast."

Sasuke looked away for a moment, blinking slowly before standing up and walking over to grab his bag. He turned and headed up the stairs and shut the door to the bathroom. Naruto chuckled, rolling his eyes at the thought of Sasuke ever becoming a morning person.

Naruto rolled off the couch and jogged up the stairs and heard the shower cut on. He went to his bedroom, the door still opened, and grabbed clothes for school before going downstairs to the other bathroom and taking a quick shower and brushing his teeth.

By the time he was changed and walked out to the living room, Sasuke was sitting on the couch, holding a cup of coffee with a dead look on his face.

"You must have been a very difficult child, with your finesse of waking up so wonderfully cheery," Naruto said dryly.

Sasuke slanted a look at Naruto, his eyes shrinking in a glare as he took another gulp of his coffee. Naruto outright laughed at him. Naruto waved Sasuke to come along, so he downed his cup and got up to put it in the dishwasher. They grabbed their bags and headed out the door. Sasuke pressed the button to remote start the car while Naruto wrestled with locking the front door.

They flopped in the car and shivered, but Sasuke reached into the backseat and grabbed two hoodies. He slipped one on himself and flung the other at Naruto. The blond barely had it zipped up before Sasuke shoved the car in drive and slammed on the gas.

Naruto had about a hundred different things to say to Sasuke, but when he turned to say them to him, the look on his face made him draw up short. Sasuke looked downright murderous. His hands had a white knuckle grip on the steering wheel, his jaw was clenched and he had a harsh scowl on his face. Naruto swallowed his jokes and stowed his laughter.

They stayed quiet in the car until they reached the diner. Naruto asked for a booth in the back knowing that Sasuke didn't want to deal with anything right now.
When they were seated with their menus, Naruto tried to start a conversation again.

"Are you okay?"

Sasuke flicked his eyes to Naruto, his face still facing out the window, "I don't want to talk about it yet."

Naruto flicked his eyes down at the table, his fingers twisting his cup around and around.

He nodded, "That's fair. Do you want me to stay quiet or can I talk to you?"

"I'm not much for conversation at the moment."

Naruto shrugged, "I never said you had to participate. You can just listen. Or ignore me. You're good at that last one. Nearly a pro."

Sasuke gave one tiny nod and Naruto dove into talking of the essay he had to write still and his woes about how he didn't want to write it. He then turned the conversation to Gaara as the topic. How he was excited to go visit him, how much progress he was making. He left it unsaid, but Sasuke felt the pang in his chest when he realized he wouldn't be driving with the group to visit Gaara after he moved. His mood soured more. He began to slowly tune out Naruto's mindless chatter without meaning to. Sauske sank deep in his thoughts of the upcoming move. How he finally found a place he could call home. How he was being forced to leave it. He finally had friends that genuinely cared for him. He didn't want to be alone all over again. His mood darkened more. He couldn't imagine not meeting everyone in the student parking lot, or not begrudgingly getting hugs from the girls, or randomly running into Naruto in the halls. He couldn't imagine quiet and strong Hinata not sitting next to him laughing at a joke. He had his life flipped on its head and everything he knew was changed by a group of friends he never thought he'd have.

Sasuke barely remember ordering food and he couldn't even recall what he had ordered.

When the waitress came to set their food down Sasuke slid out of the booth, "Excuse me, I'll be right back."

He could feel Naruto's stare on his back as he made his way to the bathroom. He turned in and stopped in front the sink, gripping it so hard his fingers ached. He couldn't look up, he refused to look up, he had to look.

The pain and sadness where all there, right in the forefront and written across his face and etched into his eyes. The boy with the porcelain mask baring emotions. He shut his eyes, took a deep shuddering breath, and tried to force it all down. He wouldn't let this terrible bleak outlook ruin his last few weeks here. He was going to get through this. He wouldn't be alone. He wasn't alone. He felt so alone.

A warm hand rested on top of his and his head snapped up and his hands went back to his sides. He had made Naruto nearly jump out of his skin.

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to check on you," Naruto said, raising his hands in front of him in surrender. "I don't want to make you talk about it. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

Sasuke wanted to break. He wanted to crumble into nothingness. He wanted to break their new deal and wrap his arms around Naruto and press his mouth to his. He wanted to break and say how he felt – about Naruto, about the move, about everything. He wanted to break the mirror with his fist. He wanted to break the FOR SALE sign in front of his house. He wanted to break down and cry.

All Sasuke could manage was to look at the floor, ball his hands into fists, and mutter an incoherent response.

Sasuke flicked his eyes up and waited while Naruto searched his face with silent patience. Naruto slowly had a frown form on his lips, like he could read Sasuke's bleak thoughts, but he didn't comment.

Naruto whispered, "Come on, let's go eat." When he wanted to say, 'Can I just hold you and try to make this go away?'

They ate in silence. No quick glances or hushed words. No time in their own little world together. Naruto's mood seemed to latch onto Sasuke's and leech the melancholy from it. Sasuke popped cash on the table without calling the waitress for the check but Naruto waived her down so Sauske could pass her a hundred dollar bill. Naruto smiled politely at her while the woman gushed when Sasuke told her to keep all the change. They loaded back into the car and made it to the parking lot without the girls in sight. They both turned to look out opposite windows, and both silently got out of the car when the girls arrived, and both put a smile on their faces even though inside they felt like they were breaking.

The week was a long and painful process to get through. Sasuke's mood was still dark, yet he still showed up and still made an effort to be physically present. Naruto's mood was down because of Sasuke. He knew his mood was bad because he was now mentally approaching and actively dealing with moving. He knew it was going to hurt Sasuke. He knew it would be mentally brutal on him. It made Naruto fidgety with anxiety because he didn't know how else to be there for him.

He was respecting Sasuke by letting him work through it himself, but he was slowly losing patience.

They were spending the night at Naruto's, planning to make the drive tomorrow to go see Gaara. Sakura, Ino and Hinata chatted away about what they wanted to talk to him about, how they were excited to see him and hug him.

Sasuke was sitting on the floor, his back pressed against the couch and Naruto curled up behind him on the cushion.

Naruto flicked his eyes to Hinata, who was watching Sasuke with a look of worry plainly written on her face. Her gray eyes met Naruto's and he just barely tilted his head to the door. Hinata gave the tiniest of head movements before turning her attention back to the girls.

"H-Hey, I have p-pict-pictures to show him. I forgot th-them."

Ino smiled, "Oh, let's go get them! I know he'll get a kick out of Naruto freezing his ass off for a joke. That's what…half the pictures?""

Sakura laughed, "I took pictures of the pond for him, so he can look at it when he needs it."

Hinata stood, followed by Sakura and Ino.

"We'll be right back."

"You guys can come," Sakura added.

Hinata shook her head, "Neji is st-still not…not happy."

Naruto felt a little guilty with making them walk by themselves, and it seemed Ino read the look like it was written in front of her.

"We will take Sakura's car. No worries, okay?"

Naruto gave them a small smile, "Alright. Be safe."

He was already moving off the couch before the door was even shut behind them. He kneeled down to face Sasuke, whose face was still pointed at the television. His eyes were unfocused and his face was blank, making Naruto's lips pull into a frown.

He reached up, cupping his hand against Sasuke's cheek, getting the desired effect. His attention.

"Please come back…" Naruto whispered.

"Why? It is just going to hurt all of us."

Naruto inched his knees closer until the were pressed against Sasuke's crossed legs and he refused to draw back his hand.

"Good."

Sasuke's brow just barely furrowed in confusion and Naruto plowed on.

"If it hurts, that means we mean something. If we mean something, that means you're going to try. You're going to try to talk to us, to visit us, to remain friends with us. Let it hurt, Sasuke. Don't run. Don't ruin the last few weeks we have and waste your time trying to get rid of us. I told you, I won't let you be alone. Just because you're across the country doesn't mean that goes null and void."

Sasuke opened his mouth to rebuke the statement, but Naruto cut him off.

"No." He bit out sharply. "I won't let you. Period. Now come back to me."

Sasuke's hand came up to rest atop of Naruto's and he moved his face until it was a mere breath that separated their lips. Naruto's heart began beating so hard he was sure Sasuke could hear it.

"You are making this extremely difficult."

Naruto audibly swallowed. His brain tried to play tricks on him and he began repeating his words back to him. How it was supposed to hurt, that nothing was going to rid them of each other. Don't ruin the last few weeks. Naruto's eyes flicked down at Sasuke's lips and then back to his eyes.

Sasuke made a sound in his throat that was either a growl or a groan but that was enough to get Naruto moving. He connected their lips in one smooth motion, his hand sliding from Sasuke's face and into his hair. He grabbed a fistful of the raven stands and held on as he pressed Sauske back against the couch.

Sasuke nipped at Naruto's bottom lip, making him gasp and tug at Sasuke's hair, which made the brunette gasp in response. Naruto let out the tiniest groans when he tasted Sasuke's mouth again. His warm breath and sinful tongue made Naruto's toes curl. The blond shuffled his body around, refusing to break their mouths apart. Sasuke's hand was gripping the back of his neck, pulling him deeper and deeper into the kiss. Naruto rose up on his knees, making Sasuke stretch his neck to keep them locked together. His mouth broke apart from Naruto when he felt the blond's legs go over his thighs. Naruto was panting lightly as he straddled Sasuke. One fist in his hair, the other braced on Sasuke's chest, his fingers feeling the wild drum of Sasuke's heart.

Sasuke's hands seemed like they had a mind of their own. He dropped them both down to Naruto's hips, let his fingers work their way under the hem of his shirt and ghost across his smooth skin.

Naruto let out the faintest breathy moan and the sound sent the biggest rush down Sasuke's spine. He reconnected their lips with a growing fervor. The blond made a purposeful motion with his hips, grinding down on Sasuke's painfully hard cock, making them both moan into each other's mouths. Sasuke's fingers continued to travel up underneath Naruto's shirt, just grazing over his nipples and causing the blond to shiver.

Naruto barely disconnected their lips and let out the smallest moan that caressed Sasuke's lips, causing Sasuke's fingers to dig into Naruto's skin.
The sound of a car door made them pause simultaneously. They were both panting, just barely apart to the point their lips were touching. Their eyes searched each other as they listened.

Sakura's laugh was unmistakable. Naruto hopped off Sasuke's lap while the brunette yanked his hands out from underneath Naruto's shirt. The blond hopped over Sasuke and curled back up on the couch, trying to angle so the bulge in his pants could go unnoticed. He reached behind him and grabbed the blanket on the back of the couch, Sasuke reaching up and yanking it across his lap.

They tried to control their breathing and school their faces when the door opened. Naruto knew his face was already flushed, but the blush of embarrassment of nearly getting caught most likely made him light up.

Sakura was still laughing when they walked in the house and Naruto was suddenly very thankful of her laughter. He couldn't imagine what would have happened if they had walked in on them making out.

"Naruto, look. It's the picture from the morning after our first sleep over. When you told me I snored and I chased you up a tree."

The blond plastered on his best smile and hoping they couldn't tell something was wrong. He reached his hand out for the picture and laughed when he got a good look at it. They were both still in their pajamas and both still had bed head. Ino was leaning against the tree, her arms crossed over her stomach as she was doubled over in laughter. Naruto looked offended over something and Sakura looked murderous. Sasuke and Gaara were standing in the doorway, both sipping coffee and watching their friends with mild interest.

Naruto reached his hand over Sasuke's shoulder and held the picture up as he chuckled. He was expecting Sasuke to not even acknowledge it and to remain the blank slate they had spent the week with, but he got a snort in response.

"You lay down in gym class after running ten steps and yet you got up that tree in a few seconds. Your preservation instincts are almost admirable."

Naruto flicked his wrist and made the picture smack Sasuke in the face at his rebuttal, and the girls started laughing. Sakura came over and sat next to Sasuke and luckily she didn't try to take the blanket. She pressed her shoulder against his and he actually looked over at her hands where she held a small stack of photos. From the angle Naruto had, his face looked as passive as usual, barely showing mild interest in the photos Sakura was getting ready to show him. Ino joined on Sasuke's other side while Hinata came and curled up on the couch and leaned against Naruto. The two peered over the shoulders of Sasuke and the two other girls and their two piles of pictures. Hinata had a slim few photos in her hands and Naruto held out his hand in silent request to see them. Hinata handed over a few pictures. One was of the pond, one was the picture Naruto had framed in his room of the group, and the last one was a rare picture of Gaara smiling. They had been sitting at the lunch table and Naruto and Ino had gotten into a heated discussion over the zombie apocalypse.

"You made sure he can have these, right?"

Hinata nodded, "I c-called to see if I-I could bring th-them in."

"Is anyone else hungry? I could eat," Ino said, putting the stack of photos on the blanket on top of Sasuke.

"No pizza," Sakura said immediately.

Naruto let out a dramatic gasp, "How dare you?"

"Burgers," Hinata said wistfully.

"Why do you guys have to make it seem like we only eat pizza?"

"Naruto," Sasuke sighed. "You have put the local pizza company's children through college. All fifteen of them."

Sakura and Ino burst out laughing while Hinata sympathetically patted Naruto's shoulder, while the blond lowered his head and shook it.

Sakura and Ino hopped up when they could stop laughing and Naruto shoved Sasuke out of the way and hopped up. Sasuke pushed at the back of Naruto's knee with his foot and stood with Hinata while Naruto turned to retaliate.

"Food first. Death match later," Sakura said, reaching between the boys and grabbing Hinata's hand to tug her along.

"Alright, let me go grab a jacket."

Hinata gave him a tiny smile as he turned and Naruto knew she noticed Sasuke's change in attitude. Naruto bounded up the stairs and strode into his bedroom, reaching for the hoodie he had borrowed from Sasuke and grabbed his wallet from his desk. When he turned to leave the room he almost smacked into Sasuke. Naruto took a step back in surprised and gave Sasuke a nasty look.

"I'm not really all that excited about your thing for scaring the shit out of me, just so you know."

Naruto heard the door bang back behind the girls as they went to get in the car. Naruto walked around Sasuke, hearing him behind him as he walked into the hallway.
Sasuke grabbed Naruto's arm and yanked him back and around, pushing Naruto up against the hallway closet and pressed his lips against his. Naruto inhaled sharply through his nose, dropping his wallet and hoodie so he could let his fingers trickle up Sasuke's stomach and chest over his shirt. Sasuke pulled back and looked down to his feet letting his shoulders slump forward. He pressed his forehead against Naruto's, and the blond let his arms drape over Sasuke's shoulders, slender fingers were tangled in blond hair.

Sasuke sighed, the warm breath tickling Naruto's face. He whispered, "What the hell are we doing? I thought we wanted to stop?"

"We didn't want to stop. We didn't want to get hurt and thought it was the best idea," Naruto whispered back.

"It isn't."

Naruto's fingers began to idly play in Sasuke's hair as he swallowed, "That's what you've been thinking about, isn't it?"

Sasuke's fingers tightened and Naruto pulled back so he could look Sasuke in the eye.

Sasuke stared back silently and Naruto could practically hear Sasuke saying how stupid this idea was. That this was going to hurt and this was a bad idea. Sasuke didn't want to ruin their friendship. Sasuke wanted to stop. He couldn't stop.

"I've been thinking about it, too," Naruto said quietly. "I want this as long as I can have it."

Sasuke searched Naruto's eyes, his dark orbs flicking back and forth. The rest of his face was impassive and Naruto knew he was debating. Sasuke barely bowed his head, his eyes looking towards the stairs and he pulled back, letting Naruto's arms fall to his side.

"We need to get going."

With that, Sasuke was heading towards the stairs and Naruto smacked his head back against the wall, shutting his eyes.

"What the fuck…"

Sasuke hesitated before he went down the stairs, looking towards Naruto whose face looked pinched in pain. He leaned over and slid his hand into Naruto's and tugged, making the blond turn sharply at him.

"We need to get going, moron. Let's go."

Naruto could barely contain the laughter, "Alright bastard, lets go."