Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto did. I'm just a humble writer who's trying to go wild with her imagination, borrowing his characters.
Chapter – 25
It had been almost a week since that incident and Sasuke felt that his relationship with Naruto was becoming normal again. He no longer got flushed all over whenever the blond was around or Naruto made some unexpected move on him; though he cannot say that he is totally out of it. He still can't get over the now familiar feeling of butterfly fluttering in his stomach whenever Naruto was close and the admission that he wanted the blond or at least physically hadn't helped the matter much.
They were having their lunch in his office together, again. It had become kind of a routine with them now. They always had their lunch together and Sasuke had come to love their small alone time and privet moments.
Sasuke watched Naruto as he continued to stuff his mouth with his take away ramen. He always complains about it getting cold because of the time wasted in the delivery, but he always ate it with all his gusto.
Sasuke chuckled lightly as eyed a small strand of noodles that had stuck on the side of the blond's lips and smiled softly as he got a curious look from the said blond for that.
"What are you laughing at Sasuke" Naruto said after a moment of swallowing his food. Sasuke always get pissed when he talk with his mouth full.
"Nothing you moron" Sasuke said, still having the small smile of his face as he raised his hand and swift it across the blond's face catching the noodle in his fingers "you still eat like a child." He replied softly as he chuckled and added "baka."
Sasuke glanced up and froze at the look the blond was giving him as their eyes met. He saw something flash in those blue eyes as their eyes met, but it vanished before he could read it properly. The raven become instantly aware of his palm still resting on the blond's cheek and his thumb unconsciously rubbing the side of his lips.
Sasuke snatched his hand back with a light pink dust on his cheek as he looked down to focus on his own food. He knew it was a bad idea, but he had reacted without even thinking. It was always like this with Naruto; he always acted on impulse around him and Naruto was always able to bring the best and worst from within him. When he was with Naruto it's all that he can think of; there is no other than him. How only a single person was able to consume his world like this he still couldn't understand. Yes consume, this is the word he will use; nothing else will come even close to that.
Sasuke sighed softly as he forced his mind to pull out from these thoughts. The thought which had started to fill his days and even after that he still couldn't think of anything that can answer his question to his satisfaction. He had an inkling feeling deep back in his mind, but he is too afraid to acknowledge that or he didn't wanted to. He refused to even think about that and he is quite happy to chalk this out only as a simple physical attraction.
'But what will you call that earning you feel every time you lay your eyes on him?' his mind suggested helplessly. Sasuke frowned a little at the thought, trying to force it back inside his mind and he was really annoyed that he didn't even had any answer to the question.
"Sasuke" Sasuke almost jumped out of his skin at the voice coming from his side.
"What?" he said before forcing his heart to settle down and turning around to face the blond; and instantly stopped on his further question.
Naruto was close, too close; his nose almost touching his. A familiar surge of desire course through him as the pictures and moments from that night came flashing back to him. It was here; exactly in this office, behind the glass window; he would be able to see the exact spot if he ever took a glance at the side. But he couldn't; Naruto's deep blue eyes were pinning him in place and he couldn't even force himself to move when the blond id this close and looking at him like that.
Ha can see the blond's lips moving and saying something to him, but for the life of him he couldn't even decipher a single word. All he can think about was the taste, intensity and aggression of those same lips when they had crashed with his own just only a few days ago. He wanted that again; he wanted to feel and taste those lips again as they manipulated his own into a sinful dance.
"Sasuke" Naruto's urgent voice again broke through his mind as the blond was now shaking him with his hand over his shoulders.
"What usuratonkachi" Sasuke snapped, annoyed to be pulled back from his day dream.
"Shut up teme and don't call me that" Naruto said as he let his shoulders go and sat in a distance "and I was talking with you for soo long and I bet you hadn't even heard a single thing. Only god knows where your brain was and you are calling me an usuratonkachi. That's the thanks I get for bringing you out of your world."
"Who said you that I even wanted you to bring be back" Sasuke growled at the blond beside him; though he knew he shouldn't be angry at him but he was for interrupting his dream and it doesn't matter that the dream was of the same usurationkachi's that he was yelling at right now. "May by I was better off in that world and at least I wouldn't had to listen to your non-stop ramblings there. So that was good right."
"Fine then I will leave you to your world" Naruto said as he started to pick up their now empty take out boxes "at least then you can focus on whoever or whatever you were thinking about."
"No wait" Sasuke said in desperation as he held Naruto's wrist to stop his progress of getting up from the couch. "I..." Sasuke started as Naruto turned towards him with curious eyes. His words disappearing in their way of his lips as their eyes locked. Sasuke swallowed heavily to moisten his suddenly dry throat as he tried to say again "I didn't meant that" he said in a nervous tone as he dropped his eyes from their prison.
Naruto sighed softly as he broke his arm free from his hold and turned around fully to face Sasuke properly, who was now looking at anywhere but him. "What's the matter with you Sasuke?" he asked in a soft voice as he took in the raven's position "you are not acting like yourself lately. Did something happen?"
In the back of his mind he probably knew the answer of his stupid question, but he did not want to acknowledge it; or maybe he just wanted Sasuke to be the first to admit it and then he didn't have to the one to make things awkward around them if his intrusion is not right.
"I..." Sasuke started again, but bit his lips at the last moment to himself from saying anything out loud about what's going on with him. "It's..." Sasuke said as he shook his head lightly and looked up to the blond "it's nothing... it's just that I had lot in my mind these days."
Naruto sighed again as he reached forward and cupped the back of Sasuke's head in his palm. For a moment he could swear he felt Sasuke to stiffen up, but it was gone before he can question it as their eyes met and Naruto gently pulled Sasuke forward to him and leaned his head on his shoulder as he wrapped him arms around Sasuke to hold him close.
Sasuke could swear that he was dreaming again. At first when Naruto had reached out he had thought that the blond was going to kiss him again, but something in Naruto's eyes let him relax instantly; and the next moment he know he was leaning against the blond in his protective embrace.
Sasuke had never let anyone to do this to him; well except for his mother of course, but it also had been many years when he was still in the border of entering his teenage years.
Mikoto knew her sons very well and she also knew the embarrassment she was causing to the young Uchiha and his so called pride. Sasuke had protested in many occasions, but she had continued the gesture anyway. She was never the one to listen to anyone, until he had put his foot down on the matter and had started to distance himself from the family after Itachi had left.
He knew this had hurt Mikoto very much. She never said anything, but he felt it always. He was busy with his studies and his own feelings to heed noting towards what his mother was feeling, but he could never forget how much the sad look in her eyes had pained him many occasions. He had ignored it every time, trying to make himself stronger and not to submit to his own pain and hurt that Itachi had left. He could never turn back those times, but he was trying to mend the bonds he had lost once; and form the new bond with the peoples that had came to his life; most importantly the person who was holding him right now.
With Naruto he knew it was a bit different. He knew he was somewhat attracted to the blond, but he does not wanted their relation to be just mindless fuck like his other ones had been once a time. He wanted something different from him, something more and that's the feeling that scared him the most. This strong feeling and pull towards the blond is what that scared him the most about it; fearing of loosing himself. It's the fear he always had and maybe always have. He is not ready for it, at least not now.
He could feel the blond's body heat sweeping into him through their cloths, but comforting to him, soothing even against the artificial cold of the cooling system. He leaned in more into the comfort of the blond's body and the wrapping of his arms. He slowly moved to round his arms around Naruto to hold him close, feeling the blond's own hold to tighten around him.
"Sasuke" Naruto said gently as to not wanting to disturb the peace and closeness that had cocooned them.
"Hmm" Sasuke gave his reply with a gently hmm as he felt his body to relax more in the blond's comfortable warmth.
"Don't hide from me" the request was soo clear in the blond's tome that it didn't take any effort to reach to Sasuke. "If you have anything in your mind you can tell me. You can tell me anything at anytime that might have been bothering you. I am here to listen."
"And what if you ran away?" Sasuke said with a small smile gracing his lips, though it was hidden from the blond.
"I will not" Naruto answered with conviction as he tightened his hold "I never ran away Sasuke, not from you."
Sasuke felt his breath to hitch at the hidden promise and strength behind those simple spoken words. He tried to control himself, not wanting Naruto to know the reaction of him against his words.
"Is that a promise?" Sasuke asked hopefully, desperately wanting to believe those words meant exactly what he thought them to be. "Tell me Naruto. Is that a promise?" he asked again, this time raising his head a little to look at the blond, not releasing his hold; not wanting to be away from him this soon.
"Yes" Naruto said in a strong voice "yes its promise Sasuke and I always keep my promises." He looked down to look into the raven's eyes and to prove his point, but he froze as their eyes clashed; holding both pain into a now distinctly familiar heat.
Naruto's hand unconsciously tightened their hold on Sasuke as he tried to keep the raven from pulling out and not wanting him to move. He looked deep into the endless midnight dark pools of the man in his arms now. He felt a familiar feeling to stir inside him as he started to close their distance and leaned down towards the raven.
Somewhere far away in his mind Naruto knew that this is the exact thing that he wanted to avoid; this is the exact thing that he was running away from, but he couldn't help himself. Not when the raven was looking at him like that and giving him that look. The look that was pulling on his heart strings; urging him to come closer and to close every gap between them. That pleading yet demanding look; that he cannot ignore.
Sasuke felt his breathing to stop as he took in Naruto's slowly closing form as his eyes travelled to the blond's lips. He knew their taste, their texture, their taste and he wanted to feel them again; to taste them again. He wanted this; he had wanted this for past several days. He has craved it, dreamed of this moment; had hoped this moment to come again. But now that it's within his reach he is afraid. Afraid of it to start, afraid of this to end. He was afraid of closing the final distance.
He looked up to the blond's eyes, which were still looking at him intently and the look he was receiving stole his breath once again. He felt his finger to fist the blond's shirt tightly as he closed his eyes in acceptance and waiting for Naruto to close the final gap. He wanted this and he knew it perfectly and this time he wouldn't let his insecurities to come in their way.
His eyes shut closed and he waited. He felt his heart pick its beat and his fist tighten once again in the blond's shirt. His breath coming in short pants with anticipation now. He could feel Naruto's soft breath on his lips, which left goose bumps all over his body and his lips tingling with sensation.
His office door banged open causing the intense air between them to shift and for both boys to jump away from each other.
Sasuke's eyes snapped as he heard Naruto to release a soft curse and saw him to run his fingers through his own golden traces. The emotion Naruto was wearing was unreadable as he frowned at the intruder.
"Naruto you won't believe this" the sound of the voice brought them back to reality and Sasuke's eyes snapped to the person and he glared at the obnoxious brunet standing at the door with a shit eating grin on his face. Sasuke wasn't able to suppress the urge to silently wish his demise; though he knew Naruto would hate him if it ever came to be true, but he couldn't care less at this point. He hated him with his core right now.
"Stop shouting Kiba" a lazy voice came from behind him and Sasuke saw another dark head to pop in the space beside the brunet followed by a light blond head.
'Great, now there is a bunch of them' Sasuke bit back a growl of annoyance as he glared at the group standing there.
"Hey don't lecture me Shika" Kiba yelled "you are as excited as I am."
"That doesn't mean you have to shout and notice the whole office" Shikamaru said lazily as he heaved a sigh.
"Guys what is it?" Naruto's voice floated at last, causing the bickering to stop "what got the dog breath to rile up."
"Hey" Kiba started to protest but was cut off as Ino giggled softly to get their attention.
"You have to see for yourself" she said in a sing song voice "there is someone at the lobby wanting to meet you and you don't want to keep him waiting for long."
"Ino you know I don't like puzzles" Naruto groaned as he rubbed his face.
"Well you will love this one" Ino said in a mysterious voice, causing Sasuke to frown in question.
"What is it Ino?" Naruto asked again exasperated.
Sasuke looked at the blond again. He was spotting a readable expression on his face and Sasuke can't understand what was going in that heart of his. He had never seen Naruto with that face and he decided instantly disliked it. This closed off feature is not for the blond. Sun must always shine; it is not made for hide under the clouds. He only hoped that Naruto lost that reaction soon or he was going to beat it out of him.
"You have to look for yourself idiot" Ino replied to the blond's questions at last, chuckling lightly at the frown she received "if you couldn't tell by now; I am not going to tell you this one."
"Fine" Naruto sighed at last as he stood up and walked to the door "I will go by myself."
"Oh. This is going to be interesting" Kiba exclaimed as he and Ino followed the blond out "I am dying to see that stupid reaction of him."
Ino only giggled as she nodded her head and followed the blond out.
Sasuke stood there for a moment looking at the spot the blond had just emptied when he realised there was still another presence in the room. He looked up to meet the scrutinising gaze of the genius and raised a brow in question.
"Troublesome" Shikamaru mumbled softly as he sighed and met with the Uchiha's questioning gaze once again. "A suggestion Uchiha" Shikamaru said at last "if you wanted to follow us down then change that expression from your face. You look like a love sick puppy; your receptionist will die out of laughing if she sees that."
Sasuke's eyes widen at the words as he didn't noticed the small smirk the genius was spotting now as he left the room. He quickly went to the adjacent washroom of his office and checked himself at the mirror and grimaced at his own reflection. His checks were a healthy shade of pink and he hadn't even realised that he was blushing like this.
Sasuke groan in mortification. What would Shikamaru had thought? And now he could only hope that he wouldn't tell anyone about this. Though he hadn't pegged the Nara for a gossip person, but no one can tell what's going on in his genius head. The whole group was a bunch of headache Sasuke decided finally and the biggest headache of them all was currently trying to turn his world upside down; and the worst of all he liked every single moment of it.
Sasuke sighed heavily as he splashed some water on his face trying for the heat there to get to normal. Shikamaru was right he couldn't go out there like this. Ino and Kiba might have not noticed it earlier; hopefully, but he was not going to take chances and risk the others to see him like this; specially his beloved aniki and Kakashi. God help him if they ever get the hint of this going on. Sasuke could only shudder at the thought.
"So what is this surprise?" Naruto asked as soon as they had entered the elevator.
"What made you think we will tell you now when we haven't told you back then?" Ino replied with a mischievous smirk.
"A man can only hope" Naruto said with a casual shrug "and you guys seem awfully excited for it to be only a simple surprise. I am curios I guess."
"Of course you are curious; that's kind of a point for surprise" Ino said with a eye roll, but her previous smile came back again "but who said that it's only a simple surprise? I don't recall saying anything like that."
"Be patient fox" Kiba commented grinning from ear to ear.
"Fine fine" Naruto said with a soft sigh as he thrust his hands into in pocket.
His mind drifted back to the incident that happened inside the office before his obnoxious friends broke in; or more like what was almost going to happen and didn't thanks to his friends.
He had again lost control of himself. He was never been one to lost control so easily, but holding Sasuke like that had stirred something inside him he cannot describe. Being that close to Sasuke, feeling his warmth and the look the raven had given him had made him lost control over himself again; despite promising that he wouldn't do anything that stupid again.
A soft sigh escape him and he rolled his eyes as he listen to the banter the two other occupants were going on about. He refrain himself from commenting further into it. He also wasn't even feeling up to it, which was rare for him. But right now his mind was on to something else, something he was starting to feel bad about.
There was such attraction between them; whenever he was close to Sasuke he can feel it. Yes, he made friend easily; it was natural for him and every friend of his is close to his heart. But with Sasuke he can feel something was different; something about the raven had always struck a nerve in him. It doesn't matter if it is about when they were fighting, being friends or when they were both annoying the hell out of each other or others. With Sasuke everything had felt different and that's the reason the raven had become so close to him, to his heart in such a short time; and he wanted to keep it that way.
Sasuke walked out of his office to find a bored looking Shikamaru leaning against the opposite wall to his door. His earlier words flooded through Sasuke's brain and he quickly raised a brow in question and earned a heaving sigh in response. If Shikamaru was here waiting for him that means he surely had to say something from his earlier discovery, which Sasuke was in no mood of. He watched as Shikamaru pushed himself off the wall and walked towards the elevator.
"C'mon Uchiha" Shikamaru said in a bored tone as he walked towards the elevator and noticed Sasuke wasn't following "I believe you want to follow that moron."
Sasuke was surprised at first, but given the circumstances he really shouldn't. As much as he had known about this genius he is a lot more intelligent that he looked or even cared to show. And he speaking about his attitude; he wasn't even going to start there.
He quickly followed the brunet to the front and waited for the elevator to come. Sasuke stole a sideway glace of the brunet and saw him to looking forward to the lift door. He was a bit relived that the genius was not questioning him about what they had saw in the office, but he knew the topic will come out soon enough; no matter how much he didn't wanted to discuss about it.
They stepped into the elevator once it had arrived and fell back to silence again. Sasuke didn't want to start any conversation and maybe risk time to be accelerated for him.
"So Uchiha" it was Shikamaru who broke the silence at last "is everything going well?"
Sasuke frown a bit at the question; as much as he knew the brunet was not one for stalling so he answered with a soft 'yeah' and a light nod to the other boy as he turned back to look at the floor display in the lift.
Shikamaru sighed a bit; he should have known this is going to be troublesome. "What's going on between you and Naruto?" he finally decided to drop the question and didn't miss when the raven flinched a bit.
"What are you talking about?" Sasuke was quick to reply; too quick for Shikamaru's liking.
Shikamaru watched the raven intently; who was adamant not to face him or make any eye contact as he stubbornly counted the red flashed number at the top of the elevator door.
"I should have known this would be troublesome" Shikamaru said with a sigh as he pushed off from the lift wall as he saw the ground floor to be near. "What a drag" he comment as the elevator finally reached its destination and he quickly left the confined space.
Sasuke blow out a relieved sigh as he watched the genius to walk away and was quick to follow.
It wasn't long after that he found the group as the sound of their laughter floated to the air, signalling their presence. It took a moment more for his to finally come face to face with them and took in the most unusual seen before him. Though from the reaction from around him he knew that it was not uncommon and given that Naruto is involve it was bound to happen.
Sasuke tilted his head to the side a little as he took in the scene as the blond tried to hug an older brunet to death and by the way the man was gently petting the blond's head it was quite clear that he is used to this type of treatment.
"Iruka-sensei" Naruto said in a cheerful voice as he raise his head from the crook of the other man's neck "I can't believe you are here. I am so happy to see you."
"I know, I know" the said Iruka gently ran his fingers along the blond locks "I also haven't seen you in a long time. I missed you."
"We missed you too Iruka-sensei" Naruto said cheerfully as he again buried his face to its previous position.
"Naruto" Iruka said in a gentle voice "you can let me go now. Everyone's watching."
"Yeah right" Naruto said in an embarrassed tone as he looked around him and found everyone chuckling at his show.
"Hello Ino, Shikamaru and Kiba" Iruka said greeting everyone "how are you?"
"We are fine sensei" Ino said in a cheerful tone "it's good to see you again."
"I still can't believe how you all have grown up" Iruka said looking at the fondly and then his eyes settled on the raven standing at the side silently "and may I know your name?"
"Oh Iruka-sensei let me introduce you" Naruto said cheerfully as he walked passed them and dragged Sasuke closer to the group. The raven almost stumbled over his own leg at the force that was pulling him forward.
"This is Sasuke" Naruto said with a bright smile as he draped his arm around the raven "he is my new friend. The newest addition to the group. And Sasuke meet Iruka-sensei; he is the one who took care of me for all these years."
"Hello Sasuke" Iruka greeted him with a smile "it's god to meet you. I hope Naruto is not causing any trouble."
"Iruka-sensei" Naruto whined "I am not a kid anymore, you know."
"You sure act like one sometimes" Sasuke said from the side, eyeing the blond with amusement and was completely happy to ignore the glare sent by him through the electrifying pair of blue eye. He turned to Iruka once again "hello sir, it's nice to meet you too."
"No need for such formality Sasuke" Iruka said smiling at the other boy "call me Iruka and I had a feeling that you will be able to keep Naruto in line if he got any more obnoxious."
"That you can be totally sure of" Sasuke said with a smile.
"Ha ha ha" Iruka laughed at that and patted Sasuke on the shoulder "I already like you." He then leaned on to the raven to whisper in his ear "may be together we could control that knucklehead over there."
Sasuke chuckled lightly at the remark as Naruto scrawl at the pair with a pout on his lips, which caused Sasuke to shook his head a little at the blond's antics; for all his talking that dobe is still a child inside and that was the part he admired most about it.
He knew how much Naruto had suffered growing up, but he had never let that bright smile go from him. He still held that light in him which caused everyone to be attracted to him and he himself was not any exception.
Sasuke was brought back from his thoughts by the soft sigh that had escaped the brunet before him as he looked at him with mock sadness in his eyes.
"Why didn't you came sooner to us Sasuke" Iruka said in a gentle voice "then I wouldn't had to go through all the suffering he had force me into. We could have handled him better together and god knows his other friends are not any better than he."
"Hey" Naruto protested loudly at the soft laughter that floated from the pair "stop ganging up on me." He watched the pair as they continued to joke about him. "Fine" he said at last as he turned to walk away "do what you want."
He was stopped by a firm hand on his wrist; stopping his effectively. Naruto turned around the meet the pair of dork black pools, looking at him. Though his face was in a straight line his eyes were swarming with amusement clear in them, and something more which Naruto was not able to decipher.
"What?" Sasuke asked as he took in the intense stare that Naruto was giving him, getting a little fluster as the event from earlier came back to him. As Naruto didn't answer he continued "can't take little joke about yourself" he taunted as he realised the blond's hand.
Naruto smirked at the question as he turned around with a mischievous grin on his face and walked back the steps to stand directly in front of Sasuke; almost touching the length of his body with his own.
Sasuke felt his heart go wild and he gulped nervously as Naruto leaned down and his hot breath ghosted over his ear; so very close to send a shiver down his body.
"You just wait Uchiha" Naruto said in a husky tone, causing the raven the shiver unconsciously "you will pay for this and I am going enjoy every moment of it."
Naruto stood up and was glad to see the dazed expression on the raven; though he was a bit confused why this is making him more pleased of himself than necessary.
"Come sensei" Naruto looked at the man standing at the side; taking in the events with a knowing look and small smile on his face "I'll show you the rest of the office and if possible we can also met Fugaku-san and all the others."
Naruto walked away with satisfied smirk and one last look to the raven over his shoulder, who was still in the process of gathering his thoughts as he watched the blond to walk away.
Sasuke gave a firm shake of his head as he watched the blond to walk in the elevator and away from his sight. A slight blush threatened to overcome his face as he recall the blond's earlier words.
"Idiot" he muttered under his breath and a small smile crept on his lips as he also walked up to the elevator. He has his own work to do and only god knows it is becoming harder and harder for him to concentrate on his work.
As Sasuke walked away he was completely unaware of the pair of eyes that was settled on him and a knowing look with a small smile was on the owner's face as he studied the Uchiha for reactions.
TBC...
A/N: Hey guys, how are you? I am finally back and not dead. So don't worry no one had to use any Edo Tensei on me.
I know I know. Some of you really wanted to kill me right now. Ummm... let me rephrase that. Many of you probably want to kill me right now. But please, don't do that or I will not be able to finish this story. And also I am too young to die anyway.
But as compensation, I give you my humble apology and will be waiting for your forgiveness. Work had been hectic for me and I wasn't able to even touch my laptop at the day end. I was coming back home that tired.
I know the chapter took long and there are many things that you can see changing in this chapter. The relation between our favourite pair is also changing and they are starting to get close, well closer than either of them had imagined and from this point their relationship will only blossom.
So, please wish me luck so that I can finish the next chapter as soon as possible.
Thank you all for you love and support.
Please R&R.