Chapter 21

Fever

There is a phenomenon called the pink cloud syndrome, and it is a very dangerous phenomenon in early recovery.

In that moment Naruto felt powerful, infinite, as if he had unearthed some secret to the real world behind the Callisto, behind the adderall, behind the alcohol. Naruto felt energy returning to him, and when he caught sight of his reflection he recognized the blonde boy staring back at him.

'That is me and I am him,' Naruto though as he caught sight of his reflection in the window of the Liberal Arts Lecture Hall. The bandages were removed. The stitches were removed. The only evidence left of the horrific attack was a scar that went from one side of his neck all the way to the other, beneath his jawline. Easily hidden by his jaw...and only visible if he lifted his head and made it obvious. On his back there were a few scars from where the belt buckle broke skin.

It began with the temporary removal of Haku from his life, like a parasitic twin being removed down the middle and separating to two, separate, corporal entities. The stronger twin will live and the weaker twin will shrivel up and die. Intensified when he mended his friendship with Sasuke, albeit when he had kissed Sasuke and Sasuke kissed him back while they were in Sasuke's twin sized bed. Reinforced by assimilating back into his social group and reintegrated back into life before Callisto, before Haku, before Zabuza, before Shisui.

"You and Haku broke up?" Sakura asked although not attempting to hide the happiness and glee in her voice.

Naruto laughed nervously, and threw a hand behind his head. They were sitting in the mess hall at lunchtime on a Thursday. Two weeks had passed since he last spoken to Haku. Two weeks since his cell phone was thrown out into the frozen lake. Two weeks since he last seen his prison wardens. Zabuza. Shisui. Naruto was beginning to really think he was free. Began to believe there wasn't going to be any repercussions. Began to believe there wasn't going to be any punishments.

He was liberated from the prison...at least for a little while.

"I mean...I will support you with whoever you date...but no...I didn't like Haku…" Sakura said flatly with a wave of her hand, not ashamed to speak candidly.

Naruto took hold of the shrimp tempura with his chopsticks and took a bite. Just then a tray was placed besides Naruto and Ino appeared in the seat besides Naruto, "Everybody...this is Sai...Sai...well...this isn't everybody. Buuut, this is Naruto and that is Sakura. Sai transferred Sunday and he's in my English class."

Naruto's eyes trailed from the shrimp tempura to the dark-haired boy appearing besides Sakura, and he watched in fine detail as the boy placed his tray down and sat besides Sakura, and parallel from him. Sai resembled Sasuke in the sense of the same cream complexion, black coal hair, and smoldering slanted black eyes. Although Sasuke had all right angles and straight edges Sai's face was softer and fuller.

"What are you staring at? It's rude to stare, so stop!" Sai snapped coldly when he noticed Naruto's crystal blue eyes on him. "Oh...sorry…" Naruto and Sakura spoke in unison as they both turned away.

"Sai!" Ino reprimanded. "Sai...is socially awkward...and he's working on that aren't you, Sai?"

Naruto stole a glance at Sakura and noticed she too was unconsciously staring at him as well. Sakura caught his attention, held up her hand to her face and mouthed, 'He looks just like Sasuke.' To which Naruto mouthed back, 'I know!' Both turned back to their lunch trays.

"Hn." Sai spoke indignantly as he began eating in silence.

"Naruto is your curfew still 7:00PM?" Ino asked as she began eating rice. "Unfortunately…" Naruto said dejectedly.

"...so they won't even make a little exception to leave campus say...tomorrow night to go to the exclusive club opening of Sortie?" Ino spoke emphasizing 'Sortie' in her best french accent.

"Yeeah, I don't think Iruka will approve of me leaving campus to go to a club, Ino. So...a hard no on that," Naruto spoke sarcastically, and with a roll of his eyes.

"Why do you have a 7:00PM curfew?" Sai asked. Naruto shrugged refusing to explain his circumstances to an outsider. "Ah...so you're a problem child...or a juvenile delinquent?" Sai concluded.

Naruto asked his eyebrows raising in alarm before recovering and smirking, "Oh...I see...you're an asshole."

"Sai!" Ino reprimanded. "Naruto!" Sakura reprimanded.

"I may be an asshole but at least I don't have a 7:00PM curfew," Sai continued haughtily.

"I'm sorry...and who you are you again?" Naruto demanded with a tilt of his head.

"It's Sai...Ino introduced me...unless you're also hard of hearing, stupid, and a juvenile delinquent." Sai countered.

"Guys!" Sakura yelled. "Enough of this who has a bigger dick mentality."

Ino snorted bringing a hand to her mouth.

"I mean...judging by your quick temper, Naruto. It's safe to speculate your dick is about the size of my pinky," Sai spoke with a cold smile as he held up his pinky finger on his right hand. Naruto instantly stood up, running on adrenaline, leaned across the table, and grabbed hold of Sai's uniform with both hands; dragging the other boy up to his feet, and clutching the other boy's sweater up in balled fists.

"Do you want to get your teeth bashed in?" Naruto threatened. Sai didn't flinch and in response grabbed hold of Naruto's sweater at the chest, gripping the dark blue cotton into a fist.

"Uzumaki Naruto!" Iruka screamed from across the cafeteria, instantaneously Sai released his hold of the blonde boy's sweater. Naruto closed his eyes and sighed. Shit. "My office. Now!"

Naruto released the smooth fabric of Sai's sweater, before smoothing the wrinkled material across his chest with both hands; feeling the muscles underneath as his fingers moved across his pectorals. Naruto's crystal blue eyes stared right back at Sai's smoldering dark eyes, challenging and attempting to establish dominance over him. The look Naruto gave was regurgitated and mimicked on Sai's features right back at him. Naruto slowly retracted his hands up, an act of compliance, as he stepped away from the table, and followed Iruka from the mess hall.

"Sai! That is not the way you go about making friends," Ino lectured, but leaned across the table towards Sakura, "...do you feel a sexual energy with those two...or is that just me?"

"What did you say?" Sai asked as he sat back down next to Ino. "Sai, Naruto is openly gay. That's why I wanted to introduce you."

"Sai...you're...gay?" Sakura asked clearly in shock.

"Ino...not every gay guy is automatically attracted to another gay guy...just because they're gay. It's offensive. It's like you being attracted to someone just because they're straight," Sai explained and he glanced towards the exit watching Naruto's back disappear through the double doors.

Sasuke returned to the dormitory late. Sasuke had been spending his evenings in the library studying until it closed and he was forced to return. Needing the excuse to not be inside the dormitory where he knew Naruto was imprisoned after 7:00PM. When Sasuke entered the dorm room he expected Naruto to be sleeping in his bed, but the blonde was hunched over on his desk, arms wrapped around his head, in deep sleep over textbooks and spiral notebooks.

Sasuke found himself so infatuated with the blonde it was becoming detrimental. Sasuke's mind kept going back to the moment when Naruto was curled up besides him on the bed, when Naruto positioned himself above Sasuke and kissed him...and intuitively Sasuke had woken up the moment he felt Naruto's lips on his. Liar.

No...no...no...the reality was Sasuke was awake the entire time. Attempting to trick himself into sleep in hopes his brain would be convinced and flip switch off. It didn't. He was aware. His heart quickened and all he could hear between his ears was the thump thump thumping of his own heart...and then Naruto had kissed him, and he had kissed back.

He didn't want to stop...stopping was a criminal offense. He wanted it to continue. Wanted it more than he wanted anything else in his whole entire life. It felt it in his bones. Felt it in the core of his being.

Sasuke gently closed the door and began moving silently as to not disturb his blonde roommate. Dark eyes glanced towards the orange prescription bottle of Klonopin 2mg that was besides Naruto on the desk. The only conversation they shared after that night was when Naruto picked up a prescription that would prevent him from screaming out in his sleep. The day he went into Konoha to get the stitches removed.

Being around Naruto left him emotionally fatigued and it was detrimental to his well being...unless...Naruto wanted it too.

Sasuke with his teeth brushed, face washed, dressed in his pajamas, crawled under the comforter of his bed; and it was then when Naruto woke up violently. Sasuke could sense the blonde's panic and he pushed himself into an upright position when Naruto cursed, "Sai you bastard!"

"Hm?" Sasuke asked. 'Who the fuck is Sai?'

"S'ske?" Naruto asked as he leaned over his desk and turned the lamp on. "...why didn't you wake me up?"

"Because I'm not your caretaker...I'm your roommate. Usuratonkachi," Sasuke spoke indignantly and with a shrug of his shoulder. Naruto's face broke out into a smile, and it melted Sasuke's heart forcing him to turn away, and lay back down on his bed.

"What time is it…" Naruto spoke as he looked at the digital clock. "11:00PM! You keep coming back so late...you bastard...What am I supposed to do all by myself in the dorm? You're supposed to keep me company!"

Sasuke's mind entered a dark and perverse place. Several things crossed his mind of what Naruto and Sasuke could do together inside the dorm...and it was these thoughts that kept him in the library, and away from Naruto.

"...and why should I also be punished?" Sasuke asked as he rolled onto his back, watching as Naruto began opening up the orange prescription bottle where he dumped a circular titanium white pill into his hand, tossed it into his mouth, and swallowed it with a chug out of his glass water bottle.

"I know...I know...I'm working on being less selfish...speaking of selfish...that new kid Sai? I want to punch his goddamn teeth in!" Naruto spoke energetically. "The asshole got me in trouble today during lunch."

Naruto entered the bathroom and reemerged a minute later toothbrush in his mouth, brushing his teeth as he continued to talk, "He was being all high and mighty...who does he think he is? Oh no...I'm not going to lose to him. Sonofabitch talking about my penis size..." Naruto disappeared back into the bathroom. Sasuke heard the faucet turn on, the gargling of water, and then the faucet being turned back off.

"I don't think solitary confinement is good on my psych, S'ske…" Naruto huffed as he sat on the edge of his bed, barefeet pressing against the floorboards. Blue eyes focusing on Sasuke. His heartbeat quickened.

"Sasuke?" Naruto spoke quietly. Sasuke was laying on his back, eyes closed, listening to Naruto prattling on and his voice was comforting and eased him. "Hm?"

"I broke up with Haku." Naruto spoke his voice even quieter. Naruto waiter got Sasuke to respond and when he didn't he concluded, "I wanted you to know...goodnight."

Sasuke felt his heart physically skip a beat or in medical terms experienced premature ventricular contractions. Naruto's words disturbed his normal heart rhythm and it left him weak and lightheaded and oxygen deprived.

Sasuke listened as Naruto crawled into his own bed. Naruto was cruel, tormenting Sasuke like this. Sasuke continued to lay on his back eyes closed pretending to sleep. Naruto's desk lamp illuminating the room in an orange hue. Sasuke didn't know when but finally when his emotional exhaustion finally transmitted to physical exhaustion did he finally drift off into a dreamless sleep.

"S'ske…" Naruto whispered and Sasuke groaned as he was being pulled back into consciousness. Only then did Sasuke feel warmth sliding under the comforter, heard the bed springs creek as a body crawled along side him, and his eyes fluttered open. Sasuke turned his head to see Naruto.

"Wha'da doin'?" Sasuke asked his voice groggy with remnants of deep sleep.

"Can I sleep with you again tonight?" Naruto asked curling on his side, head resting on the same pillow that Sasuke was using. Sasuke felt panicky. This was dangerous. He didn't want Naruto so close to him. But he did...he wanted him bad…

"Okay." Sasuke answered his eyes fluttering open and the sleepiness rescinding. He couldn't deny him anything.

"Sasuke…are you awake?" Naruto asked his voice low and husky. "Well...yeah now I am why-"

Sasuke was interrupted, and silenced as Naruto brought his lips to Sasuke's. It was as if every synapse was lit up and every neuron was firing all at once inside Sasuke's body. Endorphins flooded his bloodstream filling him with ecstasy. Naruto's fingers brushed against Sasuke's cheek forcing his head to turn and meet his, which he complied with. Sasuke's mouth opened and Naruto entered gently.

The kiss was more gentle, and more intimate, and it left Sasuke hungry...and wanting more. Only this time...Naruto didn't pull away. Naruto's fingers went to Sasuke's jawline, moving up until his fingertips combed through his hair, which sent shivers down his spine, until they cupped the back of Sasuke's head pushing him closer and closer towards Naruto.

Sasuke felt pressure as Naruto climbed on top of him, straddling him and warmth and blood rushed to his groin as he felt Naruto's body, felt Naruto's tongue, tasted Naruto's mouth. He wanted more. Needed more.

Naruto broke the kiss, but it didn't end instead the blonde pushed Sasuke's head to the side, and began kissing his neck.

"Mhn..Ah...Nng…" Sasuke moaned as Naruto found a sensitive spot on his neck. Naruto's fingers found themselves underneath Sasuke's pajama shirt, fingertips brushing against his flesh, moving up his stomach, until they found his nipple where they began to rub and massage. Naruto continued to suck, and lick his neck, before lifting his shirt, and bringing his wet mouth to Sasuke's exposed nipple where he began to lick, and suck, and bite.

"Naruto...what are-" Sasuke asked incredulously but was silenced again as Naruto brought his mouth back to Sasuke's...and it was exactly what Sasuke needed to be quiet. Naruto's mouth. The kiss was intoxicating and Sasuke was feeling drunk on it. Every kiss translated to a shot of tequila and he was happy to die from alcohol poisoning if it meant feeling this good. Sasuke's head went blank his head spinning in a sea of euphoria.

Naruto found his fingers to the elastic band of Sasuke's pajama pants, his fingers slipping beneath the band and trailing around the edge of his boxers, teasing Sasuke as his fingers brushed over his erect penis over the fabric of his boxers. Naruto then moved his fingers to the elastic band of his boxers, underneath the band, pulling the fabric down. His hand moving deeper down, over his pubic hair, until warm fingers wrapped themselves around his erect penis.

"Naruto...Mhm...Ah…" Sasuke moaned again and the noise sent Naruto wild. Naruto wanted to explore more of Sasuke's body. Naruto pushed the comforter off them and moved down, pulling Sasuke's swollen penis from his pants and bringing it to his mouth. Naruto first began licking the shaft, before moving towards the balls, where he began sucking and licking the balls, and it only caused more moans to escape Sasuke's mouth.

Naruto continued to pay special attention to the balls, tasting Sasuke with his mouth. A sweet and sour taste on his tongue. Naruto brought his wet mouth to the tip of Sasuke's penis, where he began to tease the boy. Circling his tongue around the head of the penis, before sucking on the head. Naruto could taste the precum. The salty white texture swept over his tongue and down his throat.

"Mhm…Ah...Ah...Nar-uto..."

Naruto brought all of Sasuke into his mouth, wrapping his mouth around Sasuke and sucking, while his hand went to massage his balls. Naruto deep throated Sasuke so that the back of his throat vibrated against Sasuke's penis. In a rhythmic fashion Naruto moved his head up and down, wetting Sasuke's penis with his salvia, sucking, licking, up and down until...Sasuke came. His cum filled Naruto's mouth with a salty bitterness and Naruto swallowed.

It was Sasuke who pulled Naruto up and kissed the blonde forcefully, hungrily, and Naruto kissed back. Sasuke's fingers on either side of Naruto's face, his fingers moving to the blonde's silky hair. Sasuke was drunk and intoxicated and so high he never wanted to return to earth...wanted to stay in his twin bed exploring space, forever, if it met staying with Naruto.

Finally they broke apart and Naruto pressed his forehead against Sasuke's he was panting a layer of sweat on his body his temperature around one-hundred degrees, "I'm sorry Sasuke...I couldn't...hold back any longer…"

"Usuratonkachi…" Sasuke spoke hoarsely his breath coming out in short bursts, sweat rolling down his temple as he held onto the blonde as they both collapsed back into Sasuke's twin size bed.