Standard disclaimers apply.

This fic is:

1. SasuNaru, yaoi, OOC and unbeta-read.

2. co-written by XKunoichiofthePaintbrushX so give her some love.

Author's note: Despite the information revealed in the manga, the name of a certain Naruto character, in this fic, won't change.

Thanks to sakurachan101 for the little nudge on the spelling.

As scheduled, he came back to his apartment two weeks later. Hearing his parents belittling his blonde and scoffing his love at every chance they got, two weeks had felt like an eternity. He could have gone back to his apartment earlier than planned but he was certain his parents would see it as running away so he didn't.

"I'm home," he said and he waited with bated breath for a reply. Was he home now? Or did he extend his stay in his parents' place?

"Welcome home," a voice called out from the dining room and he smiled.

He was here. He jogged through the short hallway. "Hey-" He trailed off too shocked beyond words at the sight before him. His eyes widened while his bag slipped from his hold.

The blonde smiled, "How are you?"

"W-what happened to you?" he asked. He stared at the disfiguring bruise, covering half of his lover's face, coloring a caramel tan into a disgusting shade of blue and purple. A feeling of anger and possessiveness filled his being as he wondered who could have done this to his beloved boyfriend. Who dared to beat up his blonde?

"Your parents informed mine about us," the younger male informed calmly but his eyes showed a different feeling. "In his anger he beat me up, but mother was there. Although she was mad too, her maternal instinct was there."

"You..." What could he say? How would he say it?

"They now know," he said above whisper as if by saying it aloud would make the whole world know.

"I know," the Uchiha replied because that was the only answer he could think of... that he knew.

Chapter 21: Futility

anata ha nani hitotsu
kakehiki dekinai
amae tsuzukete ikita
kinou mo kyou mo
soba ni itai
nanimo kurenakute ii
issho ni konna ni mo
nagaku toki wo sugosu dake
-'I have never seen', Amuro Namie

My passion for you is like a desert... unquenchable… insatiable.

"I'm not in the mood," Sasuke snapped and glared as he gently, yet firmly pushed Naruto away.

Naruto, who had wanted to start a kiss, and hopefully a make-out session, bowed his head. His bangs were hiding the clear signs of disappointment and hurt flickering in his eyes. How many times had he been rejected? How many times had he tried, hoping that the outcome would be different from the previous? He had lost count but the pain was still as intense as the first time. He should have learned by now. He should have gotten used to it. He should have understood by now, that Sasuke didn't want to have any intimacy with him after that night.

"You better start doing your homework, dobe!" Sasuke's voice pierced through his heavy thoughts. Zombie-like, the blonde nodded and did as he was told, but his mind was on other things, namely- Sasuke and his frigidity around him.

Naruto knew when it had started. It was the day after that night. He had thought that now that he had surrendered everything to his boyfriend, the latter would keep coming for more, but he was wrong. Painfully wrong. It seemed as if Sasuke wanted it to be a one-time thing. When he had understood that and settled for their routine of make-out, handjobs and blowjobs, Sasuke withdrew farther from him until their intimacy was no more. They were lovers just once and they were boyfriends by the name alone. What did he do to cause this? Had Sasuke found him lacking? Had Sasuke realized that he was boring in and out of bed? Or didn't Sasuke like him anymore? No, he still did. Naruto was sure of that with the way Sasuke's awareness rarely strayed from him. Then, why? His hand faltered in writing an equation when he finally realized that Sasuke no longer wanted him.

Was it possible for attraction without desire? He surreptitiously glanced at the male across from him and mentally sighed. He didn't want things to be platonic between them, but...

He silently took a deep breath and blinked back his tears. When desire became one-sided, it just hurt in a way that he couldn't understand; in a way that he didn't want to understand. He was stupid. Next to Sasuke, he looked like a sex-crazed teenager. How embarrassing! He couldn't stand being with him now. He just couldn't, when everything had become so painfully obvious to him.

Sasuke barely looked up when Naruto stood up, quickly gathered and stuffed his things into his bag before leaving the student council office. He sighed as the door close quietly. He looked around the room which was as empty as he felt inside. In frustration, he slammed his hand on the table. "Dammit!" Why couldn't he say it?

I'm sorry, dobe.

-SasuNaru is love-

When I see the sky, I am reminded of your beautiful eyes.

When Naruto had failed to answer his phone calls, Sasuke was worried. Of course, it wasn't the reason why he was standing in front of Naruto's house. He was just in the neighborhood, and decided to drop by. Or that was what he was going to tell the blonde if he would ask him why he was there. Except that the one who answered the door was Arashi.

"Sasuke-kun, good evening."

"Good evening. Is Naruto around?"

"He went to his aunt's place. He decided to spend a night there," the older male replied.

"I see," Sasuke said, but he still didn't understand why the blonde won't answer his phone calls. He looked up again when the man called his name.

"Did something happen in school? Naruto looks upset," Arashi said worriedly.

"Nothing that I know about. It must be in his cooking studio. I'll ask him about it."

The blonde beamed and pat Sasuke on his shoulders. "You're such a good friend." Was he really? "Would you like to come in and have dinner with me?"

"Thanks, but I'm fine. Sorry for disturbing you." He bowed.

"You're always welcome here. Take care on your way home."

Sasuke nodded. Would Arashi still tell that to him if he knew what he and Naruto was to each other? Definitely not. He'd probably burst a vein, just like his father, but he couldn't stop it- this attraction that the blonde had awakened in him.

While Sasuke thought that his blonde was staying at his aunt's place, the latter was actually spending his time with Gaara at the park a block away from the redhead's place.

Gaara sat quietly, his swing moving gently as he waited for Naruto to talk. He knew something was troubling the blonde who had called and asked him to meet him here. He calmly looked at his friend who clasped his head while growling.

"I hate the bastard!" he said in what Gaara knew was frustration and annoyance. Even if the blonde hated Sasuke, that feeling was evoked from love, because hate and love go hand in hand together. They existed to complement and balance each other.

"What did he do now?" he asked what the blonde wanted to hear from him.

Naruto jumped from his own swing and stood in front of Gaara. Was it okay to tell the redhead everything? Including the night when he and Sasuke surrendered everything that was theirs? He told himself that it was more than okay. Gaara would understand. Without holding back, he narrated everything to the redhead.

There was no emotion that flickered or disturbed Gaara's calm façade. He sat there and listened to his friend's story… sat there as if he wasn't affected. The wounds from his friends' being together were still there and Naruto's narration made them throb more. Their night together just fortified their relationship, showing him that he could never have a chance with Naruto, but it wasn't like he had one to begin with. In the end, all he could do was be the sacrifice for their happiness. It was painful, but this was the only thing he could do for the one who had captured his heart.

Emerald eyes moved from left to right and back again as they followed Naruto who was pacing back and forth in front of their owner. "I mean, one moment he was all over me. It didn't matter to him where as long as he could get what he wanted. And then the next, when I want him, he refuses to do anything. Am I hideous or disgusting, Gaara?"

"You look fine to me," he said, calmly.

The blonde shook his head. "Think like that bastard. Is there something wrong with my body that turns you off?"

"None that I can think of," Gaara answered too quickly for Naruto's liking. The blonde whined and he rolled his eyes before he let them roamed on his friend's body in a way that he always did silently and discretely. "If I were Sasuke, I wouldn't stop wanting you." And the intensity and sincerity in his voice should have made Naruto wonder if he was talking for himself or for Sasuke, if the said blonde was not so busy trying to understand his frigid boyfriend.

"Then why won't he touch me or k-kiss me?" he inquired, his fists on either side of his hips.

Gaara frowned. He was tired. Naruto's rants about Sasuke were draining him emotionally. Couldn't he see what the blonde was doing to him? Of course, he couldn't see. He had his eyes only for the Uchiha. "I'm not Sasuke, Naruto," he said tersely when all he wanted to do was scream it. He wanted to scream that he wanted to be the 'Sasuke' in his blue eyes; that he loved him and that he wanted his love. He wanted to scream until his throat was dry and sore, until it bled just like his heart. Why was love so painful?

The blonde smiled, oblivious to his friend's silent pain. "Sorry about that. Aside from me, you're the only one who understands Sasuke the most. I thought we can figure out his frigidity."

The redhead shrugged his shoulders. The blonde went back to his swing and looked at his shoes before he threw his head back. "The moon is beautiful," he said almost breathlessly. It was so huge and glassy.

Gaara mirrored his friend's action. Yes, the moon was beautiful and enchantingly so. And because of the moon's radiant beauty, people barely paid attention to the beauty of the stars around it. All they could see was the moon in its ethereal glory. He turned his gaze to the side and looked at the blonde whose eyes were still focused on the moon. Naruto was just like everyone else, blind to the stars.

He stared at his clenched fists.

Can I only be the stars in his eyes when I want to be the moon?

-SasuNaru is love-

When I touch any silky material, I remembered the feeling when I ran my hands through your golden locks.

Defiant blue eyes glared at Sasuke who was blocking his way and demanding where he had been last night. So what if the bastard went to his house then to his aunt's house only to find that 'he went out for awhile' as his aunt put it?

"I see no reason to tell you where I had been last night, Sasuke," he replied then crossed his arms.

"You made me wait in your aunt's house for almost an hour, dobe!" Sasuke snapped. The only reason why he left was because it was obvious that Tsunade and Jiraiya were obviously tired from their work, therefore, needed to sleep.

"I didn't ask you to come nor ask you to wait for me!"

"Are you trying to provoke me?" Sasuke hissed. He didn't like the blonde being standoffish and stubborn. "I was worried for Pete's sake!" he added, flinching. It was just so hard for him to tell the blonde how worried he was. Why couldn't Naruto see it?

His heart should soar at the admission if not for how forced it came out from that mouth. Naruto looked away. "Move, Sasuke. I have no time for your attitude." He growled when he was slammed against a wall. He looked up to glare daggers at the one who was holding him hostage.

"Me too," Sasuke replied. "So you better tell me where you had been last night."

"Why do you want to know so much?"

"Why won't you tell me?" Sasuke countered as he pressed his head forward. It had been a bad move on his part. Their harsh breathing mingled while there was only a small gap separating their lips.

When I smell summer breeze, I am reminded of your scent that embraced me when I held you close.

Naruto stifled the urge to close his eyes and seek Sasuke's lips. No, he won't abandon control when he knew what awaited for him. He won't initiate a kiss which would be rejected.

Sasuke quietly gulped. He wanted to fuse their lips together, but he knew he mustn't. It was just so painful to know that he couldn't touch what was his… what was given to him freely. He could see the disappointment in those eyes as they looked at him searchingly. "Dobe," he whispered and raised a hand to caress a tanned cheek, but quickly withdrew before contact was made.

Seeing the action made Naruto's heart lurched in pain. What was holding Sasuke back anyway? This was too much. He couldn't wait for him anymore. He had enough. "Let me go, Sasuke," he whispered brokenly as he shoved his boyfriend away and stormed past him.

Sasuke stumbled backward and quickly reached out for his boyfriend's hand, but all he caught was air. As much as he wanted to chase after the blonde, he didn't. What would he do if he caught him? Nothing… at least not what Naruto wanted him to do. Dammit! Why was he holding back? But he knew why- it was all for the blonde.

-SasuNaru is love-

When it rained, I remembered the night I had you as close to me as possible. And the vivid details of that moment lessened me to a mass of desire and I am hungry and thirsty once more.

Sasuke dropped the report on his table the second he realized that he had been reading the same sentence over and over again. His efforts were completely useless. The burning in his stomach since that time when he had pressed Naruto against the wall was still there and looked like it wouldn't go away anytime soon. Naruto's scent, his closeness and his warmth had done a big damage on his control that he just wanted to surrender in wild abandon. He wanted to touch what was his… wanted to feel the blonde writing under his caresses. He wanted the blonde to feed this hunger and thirst his mere presence awakened deep within his gut.

Sasuke let out a groan. He needed a cold shower in order for these reports to make sense to him.

-SasuNaru is love-

Your sweet gestures are like rain falling on the dune of sands.

Naruto growled as he threw another batch of uncooked meringue into the sink. Damn! There went his fourth failure. Why couldn't he get the meringue properly? It was just a basic recipe, especially for someone who had his skills. He used to be able to do this within less than five minutes without distraction… Ah yes, distraction.

Grumbling and cursing at the source of his distraction, Naruto jerked a towel. Unfortunately, there was an egg on the towel that had rolled to the edge of his prep table and fell onto the floor. A string of colorful words flew from his mouth as he hurriedly hunkered to clean up the mess. In his hurry, the bag of caster sugar fell and spilled its contents on him.

"Fuck!" he said loudly as he grabbed the bag and corrected its position. Seeing that he was a mess just like his failed batches of uncooked meringue, Naruto decided to call it a day. He cleaned his mess, locked the cooking laboratory and made his way to the shower room.

He stripped his apron and clothes then paused to look at the mirror. He looked at his reflection still wondering what was wrong with his body that Sasuke no longer want to touch him. Had he left Sasuke unsatisfied that night? Was he lacking in some ways that was a big deal to Sasuke? He turned around, checking and looking for any deficiencies. Then stopped when he realized he wasn't alone in the shower room.

When Sasuke had decided to take a shower, he didn't expect that the cause of his problem would be there, as naked as he had been that night except that there was no darkness to cover him. Sasuke gulped. He mentally screamed orders to his feet to retreat, but his orders were drowned out by the lust that was lashing throughout his entire body.

Naruto continued staring at Sasuke through the mirror. He didn't bother hiding his naked lissome form, knowing that it wouldn't evoke anything from the stoic male. He slowly turned around while maintaining eye contact. This moment was as good as any to ask Sasuke.

"Sasuke, don't you want me anymore?" He asked while his heart clenched at the answer that would certainly make him hate his body.

Sasuke gulped. He couldn't answer. Not when all his blood was rushing south while his mind was busy ogling at the body displayed in all its glory.

The blonde pressed, "Does this body leave you unsatisfied and wanting for more?"

Oh God! He came here to forget about the blonde and his need for him, but … What was going on? Why was his control and sanity abandoning him? He wanted the blonde… he wanted him so much he ached with it day in and day out but he couldn't. He just couldn't because… What was the reason again?

The blonde stretched his hand to Sasuke as if in desperation. In fact he was desperate. He was desperate to know why things had became like this and where he stood in Sasuke's life. He took a deep breath and said all the things he wanted to say in one statement. "I want to touch you just as much as I want you to touch me." He looked heartbrokenwhen Sasuke remained standing there like a statue, unmoving and emotionless.

Perhaps, this was the end. No, this was the end. He couldn't stay with Sasuke when he was in so much pain. He dropped his hand to his side and took a deep breath. With as much grace as a brokenhearted teenager could posses, he sauntered towards one of the shower stalls.

Naruto's words echoed within Sasuke's head in rhythm with the furious beating of his heart. Was it okay? Was it really okay to abandon and surrender to his lust? Not that he had any choice left after what he had seen and heard. He wanted to… With a predatory glint in his eyes, he followed the blonde to that stall. There was no point of holding back!

Naruto turned the shower on and let the water wash down the sugar stuck in his hair and hopefully his sadness. He let the lukewarm water cover the tears shamelessly falling from his eyes. Why was loving hurt too much?

His body tensed ready to lash out when a body pinned him on the wall. But his protest died down when a familiar mouth latched on his skin and only one named flashed through his mind- Sasuke! But why? He thought that his raven-haired lover didn't want him anymore.

"W-wait!" he weakly ordered.

"No!" Sasuke replied huskily. "I waited too long. I held back too much to stop now."

The blonde didn't understand and gently pushed Sasuke away from him to look into obsidian eyes and what he saw almost brought him to his knees. There was so much desire and need… so much that it was almost impossible for those eyes to reflect them without cracking or for this lanky body to contain them without evaporating.

Sasuke caressed a cheek and whispered, "I want you, Naruto. I want you so bad."

Naruto leaned into the gentle caress and replied, "I am always here… waiting for you."

"Sorry to make you wait." And then their lips met for a kiss that robbed them of composure, sanity and breath. Sasuke hurriedly took off his shirt and dropped it onto the tiles with an audible plop.

Tanned fingers found purchased on sable hair strands and Naruto pulled Sasuk's head closer so that those supple, hungry lips could ravish his nape with reckless abandon. He closed his eyes, savoring the feeling of being like this with his love. He ran his hands on his familiar territory- a territory he missed so much and giggled when he felt those muscles rippling under his touch. Damn! He felt so powerful. He moved his hands downward until he encountered what stood between him and Sasuke's total nakedness. He licked his lips which he felt were dry, then moaned when his boyfriend; as quick as lightning, drew it into his mouth to suck on it. Oh God!

He moaned Sasuke's name, momentarily distracted from his task at hand until Sasuke's hand slid on his stomach then on his thighs, bypassing his erection weeping for his touch. He hurriedly got rid of Sasuke's troublesome pants and boxers, leaving his lover as naked as he was. A sigh slipped past his lips when he found Sasuke- hot, hard and pulsating. All for him. All because of him.

Sasuke's eyelids fluttered close at the sensation of Naruto holding him. He bucked against the blonde, making sure that their erections would rub against each other.

"Ngn…" both of them uttered at the same time. Sasuke perched his forehead on Naruto's shoulders while he felt blunt nails scratching his back as their hips moved together in recklessness.

"Sasuke," Naruto mewled as he pressed closer. He was almost sitting on Sasuke's left leg. His hold on pale shoulders tightened as his boyfriend left a mark which he knew would be glaring in the next hour, but it didn't matter. Sasuke… his Sasuke was the one who put it there.

"Naruto," Sasuke whispered as he searched and found his gaze. And the desire reflected in those blue eyes made him harder. He bent his head down and feasted on those nipples, taking everything without giving in return. Today, he saw no reason to hold back. He'd show Naruto the gravity of his passion towards the latter. He dragged his lips on his chest slowly and smirked when he heard the blonde dragging a long labored breath.

He pressed Naruto farther against the wall as he plundered, his mouth leaving hot trails while his hands made fiery pattern on smooth tanned skin. The way the blonde dragged his mouth against his, sucking on his lower lip and nipping his chin made him want to want more. More and more until his senses ached… until he was reduced to an elemental need.

He let his want flow from him to Naruto. Let the latter feel, taste, see and get acquainted with his insatiable desire he evoked from him. The same desire only he could slake.

Naruto surrendered to their mindless urgency that held their desire and need together and that weld them just as their bodies would be fused together and his body throbbed with anticipation. All he could feel and think of was Sasuke- his heat, his warmth, his scent and his taste. He shuddered and a strangled cry was ripped from his throat when he felt slick fingers probing him... stretching him... preparing him for something bigger, hotter and, in his opinion, better. He raised his eyes to the ceiling but saw nothing but stars… stars that Sasuke had created with the fire that was burning fiercely between them, licking them alive and the tune of their dance. Feeling those fingers shift in him made the blonde aware of the flaring need to have Sasuke within him moving heavily, thrusting roughly and taking possessively.

He wrapped his arms around his shoulders and gingerly wrapped his legs around Sasuke's slim waist, inviting, surrendering and opening his legs for the taking... for Sasuke's taking. He dropped his head and his senses wept when he felt the head of Sasuke's engorged manhood pressed against his puckered hole, before slipping in. A sob escaped from his lips as he felt his boyfriend sink into him slowly in one smooth movement, as if savoring the moment. He sighed for it had felt like an important part of him came home. It felt so right to have a part of Sasuke in him.

Sasuke released a breathless moan, taking pleasure of being reacquainted to Naruto's velvety and tight sheath. He could feel the tensing of the writhing body against his before relaxing, welcoming his burning rod in what he thought to be a needy manner. Oh God! "Naruto." He felt the blonde shatter. Physically, Naruto was his but emotionally he was Naruto's. And even though he wasn't the one who had his thighs opened and his butt cheeks parted to accommodate another heat, Sasuke never felt this vulnerable. To be given a chance to melt at the same time to harden, to give and derive pleasure...

He started moving, taking and possessing. Their grunts and moans were joining harmoniously. He felt his heart clenched, felt his stomach tightened when the blonde clung and clasp unto him.

Naruto let himself melt. He allowed the sensation and glory of Sasuke plunging into his heat claim him. He rode his thrusts wantonly with his nails digging crescent-shaped indentations into his lover's back. He pressed his lips against Sasuke's, mewling when the latter's tongue surged and tangled with his in a furious duel.

Oh yes, he cried out mentally while his heart wept at the beauty of it all.

Sasuke increased his tempo, commanding, dominating and conquering. He took and demanded more. He wanted everything of the blonde, to the very last drop. His last gasp, his last moan and his last shred of sanity. He robbed them all, with no remorse or guilt... just pleasure that originated from his very core. He pushed the blonde to the brink and the latter dragged him there, wrapped his tanned arms around him and together they tumble and fly. They flew past the sun... the heavens and reached the plane as old as time where souls met and heart beat as one.

When Naruto opened his eyes, he found Sasuke looking peaceful and obviously savoring the moment... their moment together. He smiled when eyelids fluttered open to reveal affectionate obsidian eyes.

"You are beautiful," he whispered against Sasuke's parted lips before he gave him a kiss. They kiss unhurriedly, but hungrily.

"Why?" Naruto asked and he knew Sasuke knew what he meant by such innocent question but it didn't mean that the latter won't let a few seconds passed by before he'd answer it.

"I wanted you so much, but I don't want you to think that I'm sex-crazed. I don't want to hurt you nor overwhelm you."

Naruto glared, ""Fool." Then he grinned .He just couldn't help it. Sasuke wanted him so much that he had held back. What a fool! An endearing fool, and all his. "Put me down."

"Are you sure you can stand?"

Naruto nodded and slowly stretched his legs and put them on the floor, one after the other.

Sasuke tensed when the blonde dropped to his knees. "Dobe! You can't even-"

"I can stand but I want to do this."

Sasuke gasped and he grabbed the shower handle when Naruto rubbed his cheek against his still limp manhood. Fuck!

"Sasuke?"

"Hm?"

"I missed you."

Under the running shower, Sasuke Uchiha knew nothing, but Naruto and the pleasure his mouth created.

I'll never have enough of you and your sweetness which are like rain falling into the desert.

TBC