Summary: There's...a lot going on here between Neji, Naruto's past, Sasuke getting a taste of Naruto's struggle and Tomato not liking Sasuke's surprise (at first).

[Kidnapping, blood (cuts) mentioned but not too detailed.]

Note: I've been excited for this chapter for a while and I finally get to post it. I've revised it over and over but if there's a mistake please let me know! I have multiple drafts of each chapter and my brain can get confused sometimes hehe. 3

Sasuke felt restless after speaking with Naruto. He couldn't fight the feeling that something was wrong with the blonde, but he couldn't tell why. He didn't want to come off as overbearing but he was concerned. His instincts kept calling him to soothe and keep his omega safe. He was in the kitchen, making himself a second cup of tea, and trying to figure out what to do. He didn't want to ask for advice. He wanted to figure this out himself. This was their relationship. He decided to speak to his confidant. Tomato. He wasn't asking, he just needed to vent. Yes. Vent.

The brunette grabbed some treats, his tea, and sat by her play area with his legs crossed.

"We need to talk."

Tomato tilted her head to the side, which he took as her saying she was ready, so he handed her a treat.

"Your future mommy Naru is not feeling good and he won't tell me why."

The gorgeous kitty (it didn't matter how old she was, she would always be baby) let out a soft meow and pawed at his thigh.

"But he didn't want to come over." He moved his hand to pet her head before she hissed and moved out of the way.

"Well damn okay. Use your words next time. We'll go."

He got up (after giving her another treat) and she started running between his legs, "Of course you're coming with."

Sasuke packed his overnight bag and Tomato's carrier. He wasn't sure if they would spend the night, it was up to his blonde ball of sunshine, but he wanted to be ready just in case. He paused, had Naruto eaten? Knowing how the blonde acted when he was stressed, he doubted it. Thankfully he had brought leftovers from the birthday celebration and they were still warm. He packed those too and jumped into action.

As Sasuke stood outside of Naruto and Gaara's front door, he pondered on the next step to take. Should he call? Message? Knock? Use the key Naruto gave him?

Knocking it was.

Green eyes opened the door and Sasuke was met with Gaara's fatigued face. His dark circles were more noticeable than usual and his skin extra pale. Sasuke was hit with the thought that whatever Naruto was feeling, so was Gaara. Maybe it was a family matter? It gave him a slight sense of relief to know that it really wasn't about their relationship. He was hopeful that Naruto would let him just be there.

Gaara held the door open, "I knew I liked you for a reason." He eyed the carrier, "Is that the famous Tomato?"

"It is. We wanted to visit Naruto." He placed the leftovers on the kitchen table, "I brought food if you guys are hungry."

The redhead opened the bag and peeked inside, "He's in his room."

Sasuke grabbed Tomato's carrier and went to Naruto's room. As he was about to knock, the blonde opened the door, "I thought I heard your voice."

The brunette pressed a kiss on the silky blonde hair, "We missed you."

His voice was filled with wonder at the mention of we, "You brought Tomato?" He grabbed the carrier and looked at Tomato's face. "Hi baby!"

The alpha's heart skipped a beat at the warm smile on Naruto's face when Tomato meowed in greeting. Naruto's exhausted face mirrored Gaara's and he gave a silent thank you to his kitty that she gave him the push to come see Naruto.

"We brought food too. I think Gaara is already eating."

Naruto had pulled out Tomato and was holding her against his chest, "I'll eat in a bit." He motioned for a kiss from the alpha and he gladly obliged. He tried to put all the soothing and loving emotions he could muster into the kiss, making sure to leave Naruto breathless.

The blonde breathlessly (success!) said, "Are you spending the night?"

"I brought my things just in case but it's your choice."

Naruto bit his lip in thought then nodded, "I want you both to."

"Then we will."

After making sure Naruto had filled his stomach, cleaned the dishes and got them all ready for bed; he enveloped the omega into his arms and felt Tomato curl up by their feet.

Sasuke ran his hand down the warm caramel skin of Naruto's back as he struggled to come up with the right words to ask how Naruto was doing. The brunette didn't want to come off as nosey or overbearing. But he felt this need to help and it wouldn't go away. He wanted Naruto to rely on him. To see him as a mate and understand he didn't have to carry all of this alone. Whatever it was. It was obvious it was something Naruto and Gaara shared and he wasn't going to pry. No matter how much he wanted to. But he still needed to make the point across.

"I love you and please rely on me more. You don't have to tell me why or how your feeling. Just let me take care of you, even if it's just making sure you're eating and drinking water."

He felt Naruto nod against his chest, "I love you too. Both of you." The night had been completely transformed and Naruto was in continuous awe of how Sasuke was just there. He didn't ask, he didn't force him to talk, he was just content to be present. He held the alpha tighter and fought back tears at the amount of love and care he felt. He was sure that even if he did have nightmares, with Tomato and Sasuke, everything would be okay.

The alpha was used to the stares. He was used to the whispers and being gossiped about. He did think that at a university event, it might've been different. Which in a way, it kind of was since he was being glanced at for being so out of place. He was a man of the business world, and he was definitely not in his territory.

This was Sasuke's first time going to a public event with Naruto. He was the blonde's date tonight for a gathering of university professors from all over the country. He didn't see why all these people would fly in from all over just to see some wrinkly old man, but Naruto had been so thrilled, and he wanted to be supportive.

Sasuke wasn't a social person on a good day but it was worse in an event like this, where he had no clue who anyone was and what the hell they were talking about. The arts never really interested him. Maybe after being with Naruto for a few years he'll at least know what Shakespeare had to do with politics. The old man spent an hour talking about that shit.

He stood at a far corner of the room, drinking a glass of champagne and watched Naruto speak to fellow professors. He adored how animated the blonde would get about whatever topic they were talking about and the blood red cashmere sweater looked stunning on him. Naruto had worn Sasuke's sweater (drenched with the alpha's scent) without question and if Naruto made sure to smoother him in his scent too, neither commented on it. All these people needed to fuck off if they thought they could get close to his omega.

Naruto sent him an embarrassed smile as he was led away by a group of girls to another section. He couldn't fight licking his lips as he watched the blonde walk away. His mate looked so damn stunning.

"Interesting."

Sasuke turned to look at speaker of the dry sarcastic comment. He raised an eyebrow at the long-haired brunette looking at him with a fierce scowl. "Hn." Who the fuck was this dude?

The long-haired brunette crossed his arms and analyzed him up and down. "You must be Naruto's boyfriend." Even his outfit was pretentious for fucks sake with all those high-end logos. Tacky as shit.

The comment got his attention, "What of it?"

"I'm surprised. Does he know you're nothing but an untrustworthy alpha who fucks anything that moves, Uchiha?"

Now, Sasuke was getting fucking annoyed. The alpha placed the glass down and put his hands in his pockets to fight the urge to fist this fucker's tacky shirt. Either this was someone that wanted to date Naruto or... "That's none of your business. Are you trying to scare me away or some bullshit?"

"I'm sure this," he waved his hand vaguely around Sasuke "will ruin it for me."

The air of superiority almost made him lose his temper but Sasuke scoffed, "And then?"

His face turned into a deep smirk, "Then I'll win him back." Sasuke's mind screeched to a halt. Back? "Naruto and I dated for a while. I'm surprised he hasn't mentioned it."

The alpha wanted to punch that smug stare off his face, "Ah, you're Neji." To be honest he didn't know much at all, but like hell he would admit that.

"Ah so you know my name. Well…I was his first, in some things."

Sasuke felt his skin fucking boiling. That was a fucking low blow. They'd never spoken about sexual partners in full detail, but something about hearing that sent burning knots in his stomach. And this little shit knew it.

Sasuke leaned forward and got closer to Neji, "Are you insulting my mate?"

Neji stood his ground and gave him a fierce stare, "Your mate? You're not bonded."

"Not yet, but he's still my mate."

"That doesn't mean anything." Neji shrugged, "I'll be seeing him more often. I accepted a job at the university. Maybe we'll even have to work together." Neji gave him a parting smirk. It took every single ounce of Sasuke to not bash his face in. He knew that he couldn't embarrass Naruto and telling this fucker to meet him in the parking lot would draw too much attention.

Sasuke felt a sick feeling crawling up his throat. The asshole had been Naruto's first in some things? He didn't know what 'some' meant but it didn't sound fucking innocent. Was this going to be the thing that will take Naruto away? Was he going to lose him to this asshole? This asshole knew about his promiscuous past and the thought made a nauseous panic start to build. He reminded himself that Naruto knew… right? The omega knew he wasn't like the other people. He knew that to the alpha he was everything and different… right? They'd been together a few months by now and things had been great. Right?

He caught Naruto's eye as the omega started walking towards him. Naruto must have seen something on the alpha's face because he sped up and grabbed pale hands in his.

"What's wrong?" Blue eyes regarded him seriously and flickered all over his face. When Sasuke didn't answer, Naruto led him away to an empty staircase outside of the hall. The alpha was still quiet and looked between sick and angry, "Sasuke, what happened?"

"I met Neji and he said something about winning you back, how he was your first, and getting a job at the university."

A look of surprise spread through the blonde's face, "Neji was here? But he moved, and this isn't his area of research..." he looked away in confusion, then back at him. Naruto was trying to wrap his brain around why Sasuke looked so upset. He was drenched in the alpha's scent and he'd never done anything to give the alpha any doubt about them.

"What 'many' things, was he your first at?" Sasuke's voice came out with more venom than he intended. The anger wasn't towards the blonde, it was towards Neji. This feeling of possessiveness that was starting to control him was Neji's doing, not Naruto's. He kept repeating that to himself.

"Why the hell would that matter? He was saying that to rile you up." Naruto felt his patience drain out of him by the second.

"What things?"

The omega scowled in irritation, "You want to have this conversation now? Here?" He motioned around the empty staircase.

The alpha boldly stood there, "Yes."

Naruto crossed his arms and put some distance between them. "Fine."

Sasuke clenched his hand in a fist, trying to keep his anger in check. Naruto wasn't to blame. Neji was. He had to remind himself this. "Did you sleep with him? Was he your first?"

The blonde gave him a deep hard stare before answering, "Yes, he was." There was something about the tense way he answered that should've sent a warning to Sasuke.

Instead he felt his stomach coil in anger. "Was he good at it?"

Stormy blue eyes widened in surprise for a second before they hardened, "That's what you want to know? You want me to fucking compare?"

"Have you compared?" Sasuke was trying to remember it was Neji who caused this. He was. But this feeling of pure possessive rage was starting to drown him. This was the person he loved. And Neji had touched him.

"Of course not. He hasn't crossed my mind at all." When Sasuke didn't answer, Naruto continued with a glare, "So that's the reason? You didn't ask if he was my first date or crush or boyfriend, you went straight to sex."

"It matters." It mattered because Neji had touched his mate. That insufferable prick had touched him.

Naruto let out an incredulous laugh and for the first time, he saw the omega's pure rage. "It matters? Why the fuck would it matter who I've slept with? I've never asked you for details, I just got it all thrown in my face."

"Yeah, but you know my past. You heard it all and it's all in the open."

"Heard it?! It was thrown in my fucking face. One fucking walked up to me. I smelled it when we first met but it matters so much, then tell me how many you've fucked?"

Sasuke didn't like where this was going. He was steering things to dangerous territory. He needed to defuse this, but he didn't want to lie either. "I stopped counting after – uh - 50."

The omega's face crumbled into pain and quickly morphed into something terrifying. Sasuke felt his body freeze at the sudden wave of fury radiating off Naruto. "After 50?" He ran a hand through his face, "You're sitting here upset that Neji was my first when you've had threesomes and orgies and who fucking knows what else. I had to see shit sent to you!"

"Fuck I'm sorry, Naru. I shouldn't have – "

"Why?" Naruto's eyes started watering and he angrily wiped his tears away. Sasuke felt his heart crumble. He made Naruto cry. He brought that look on his face.

"I can't stand the thought of sharing you. It just – it infuriates me." He said it softly and the moment he did, he really really fucking regretted it.

"Sharing!? You've fucked more than 50 people. I saw the messages. Karin's fucking video. All the shit said to me. Don't fucking talk to me about sharing." Naruto started breathing harder, "I've worked on putting my insecurities aside as best as I can because even your family has shown to me that what you say is true. That this is different, and you do love me. And you worry about sex?"

Sasuke reached a hand out towards him but the moment the omega flinched, he let it drop. What the fuck have I done? What kind of person am I?

"Naruto, I'm sorry... please." His voice shook between anger and remorse, "Do – do you want to go home?"

Naruto took a step back from him, "This night was supposed to go different. How fucking dare you do this."

"You're right. I'll give you space, just please – ", he murmured softly, "come back home. I'll make you hot chocolate. You can go to the nest room. Just please, come back with me." Sasuke was desperately begging at this point.

Naruto gave him a final heartbroken look, "Only because my nest feels safe, and the hot chocolate is my favorite."

"Can I touch you?"

The omega leaned further back and glared, "No."

"I understand." Sasuke pointed to himself, "Do you want my jacket?"

Naruto looked like he was fighting between his mind, heart, and instinct, "Yes."

He shrugged the jacket off and kept his distance making sure not to crowd him. Naruto grabbed the jacket and silently made his way to the car. Sasuke followed behind, close enough to keep him safe but far enough where he wasn't in his personal space.

The alpha kept silent on the way, making sure to set the music to the omega's favorite station. He knew it wasn't Naruto's fault. It wasn't. Because he was a precious kind person and not the shit person he used to be and probably still is. He was trying to move away from that. Gaara's words rang through his head. Naruto was used to compartmentalizing. It was a defense mechanism he developed. He needed to give him space but still be there. Show that he was remorseful but let the omega give him permission to get closer.

They made their way in and Sasuke spoked softly, "Do you want me to bring you the hot chocolate?"

"Yes." Naruto grabbed Tomato, who must have sensed his sadness because she went directly to the omega and made his way to his nest room. He hid himself under all the comforting blankets, wrapping the alpha's jacket closer. His mind understood the logic of the alpha feeling possessive but that didn't stop him from hurting. Sasuke didn't know. He didn't understand the truth and the fucking audacity…

Sasuke knocked on the door and asked to come in, Naruto let him and Sasuke placed the hot chocolate on the table near him. "Goodnight Naru. I love you so damn much and I'm a shit alpha. I'll wait until you're ready."

Naruto didn't answer and turned away.

Sasuke made his way back to the living room. He would fix this even if he had to plead for the rest of his life. This wasn't something he could talk to someone about. This was his mistake. He had to take everything he'd learned from his family and Gaara and fix it.

Sunday morning.

It was Sunday morning and Sasuke fucking hurt. His heart hurt. His stomach was coiled tightly, and he felt sick.

What he did... the things he said. Goddamn it.

He didn't deserve Naruto. Neji brought out this monstrous version of him. This possessiveness. And he let it get the best of him and he hurt Naruto. This was probably Neji's plan all along and he just walked right into it like a fucking idiot but like hell would he give up his omega. He couldn't lose his relationship with Naruto. Their relationship was everything to him. Fuck that piece of shit. He couldn't think about Neji, he needed to channel his energy into fixing his mistake. At the end of the day those words came out of his mouth, not the condescending alpha's.

Sasuke threw himself into the shower and walked into the living room. It was empty, and Tomato was nowhere to be seen, which meant she was still in the nest room. For weeks he'd been planning to give Naruto a surprise and he still wanted to go through with it. This was going to be their next step. He was taking him to the animal shelter. Naruto had mentioned in the past he'd wanted a pet for a long time but couldn't because of his schedule. Sasuke was going to tell him he could keep it here and he would help. It would be theirs.

Today, the alpha was going to grovel and extra spoil the shit out of the blonde. He started with Naruto's favorite breakfast and wore his favorite burnt orange hoodie, making sure his scent was thick on it. There was a flower shop nearby he could run to. Maybe he should've done that first, fuck. Wait, he could go when he was eating, the blonde usually showered after breakfast. He finished cooking and went to the nest room and knocked softly.

"My love."

What? Naruto's hoarse voice made his guilt multiply.

"I made you breakfast, can I leave it on the table?"

Sure.

He walked in but couldn't see Naruto from how deep he was burrowed in the blankets. Tomato peeked from her spot on a pillow before jumping down and leaving the room. He placed the food down and removed the hoodie. "Here's your hoodie, I'll leave it on the bed."

"Okay."

"I love you, Naru. Please let me still give you the surprise, even if you don't want to talk to me after." The possibility of Naruto not talking to him hurt, but he still wanted to at least do this. The only silver lining was that Naruto knew this was planned before their argument.

"Okay but I hate you right now."

Sasuke could imagine the grimace, "I know, and I'll take your hate. I want to make things better. I'll grovel forever, because... you're the first and only person I've ever loved and want to love."

The blonde didn't answer but he saw the precious face he loved peek out, eyes puffy (he did that) and grab the hoodie with a nod. Sasuke turned and went to the next step: flowers.

By the time he returned, Naruto was sitting on the emerald couch recently showered, murmuring to Tomato. Shimmering sapphire eyes met his and then the flowers. He slowly made his way to the blonde and got down to be eyelevel then placed the flowers on his lap.

Naruto softly ran his fingers over the indigo petals. "They're beautiful."

"You're my everything."

Naruto stared at him for a long time, detailing his face. The dark bags under onyx eyes, lightly chapped lips, and hair a mess from running his hands over it. Tentative fingers reached out and ran through the inky locks.

The great Sasuke Uchiha was sitting here, on his knees, silently begging for forgiveness. And all of this was worth it. Naruto was worth this. Sasuke tried to convey all of the emotions that he couldn't say.

"I only slept with him once. I was in the middle of a flashback and dissociating from a panic attack. He – thought that the best solution to 'ground' me was sex."

The alpha felt his breathing halt. Flashback? That slimy excuse of a human, he was going to destroy –

"I left him the next day." Naruto touched Sasuke's cheek and continued. "So yes, he was my first, and he ruined it for me. I was never with anyone else…until you."

Sasuke grabbed the hand on his cheek and kissed it. Kissed every finger and his palm. "Nothing has ever matched you. No person. No meaningless hook-up."

"Orgy's and 50 plus people?" Naruto gave him a sad smile, "I doubt that."

"Don't. Because I don't remember them. They were insignificant. All I see is you. All I want to see is you." He kissed tan cheeks and eyelids. Naruto needed to understand.

"All I want is that too."

"It won't happen again. Ever. No one will come between us like this. I love you, so fucking much Naru." Sasuke's deep voice cracked, and he felt so vulnerable.

The alpha laid on the couch and cradled the omega tightly. They laid there for a long time before Naruto broke the silence. "You've never asked."

"Hm?" He wasn't sure what Naruto –

"About the scars. I mentioned a flashback and even then, you didn't ask."

"I promised myself I wouldn't. I didn't want to invade your privacy."

Naruto debated telling him. This was - this felt like the true final step for him. It was the last wall he had left, and he'd never broken it down with anyone else.

"Gaara's – birth dad – did it. Gaara lived with him for the first few years of his life and he got taken away after reports of abuse. Then he learned Gaara got adopted by Kakashi and Iruka, and something in him snapped. Maybe it was that Gaara was getting love? A family? Who knows. He didn't really go into detail when he – " Naruto tucked his face in the brunette's neck.

Sasuke never ever in his fucking life expected to ever hear that.

"He wanted to teach us a lesson. Something about pain and love." That's why Gaara has that love scar and Naruto the ones on his face, his back. Gaara probably has the same ones. Sasuke was going to be fucking sick. He felt himself tremble and tried his hardest to control it. The bile was slowly coming up and he took deep breaths.

"One day around this time of year he just…kidnapped us. He got someone to help grab us both. One moment I'm walking home with Gaara, talking about a video game and next thing I know I'm with him, in some room tied up and the man, his biological dad, just… started cutting us. I screamed and cried, but it didn't do anything. He didn't touch us sexually, it was purely just pain and blood. So much blood. It took a lot of therapy and time to not slip into an episode at the sight and smell of blood or sharp objects. It doesn't happen much anymore but sometimes…I still get nightmares."

"How – ", Sasuke tried his best to keep his voice from shaking, "How long?"

"I've been told we were missing a few days, I don't really remember much. We couldn't really tell time where we were being held. The walls were covered, and I don't think there were windows. He's in prison and will probably die there. He still tries to send us letters, mainly Gaara, but the letters go to a caseworker."

Sasuke didn't realize tears were dripping out of his eyes until he felt Naruto lightly wipe them away. "So now only you know. My only love, only person I ever was truly intimate with, and only person I've ever told this to."

"I don't deserve you. You're this incredibly smart, beautiful and badass person. Why are you with me?"

"Because of Tomato and you make really good hot chocolate and food." Naruto gave him a shit eating grin.

"Well I hope I can keep it up, so you never leave."

The omega gave him a sweet smile and leaned forward. The alpha met him halfway and drowned in him. Sasuke kissed him deeply and channeled his dedication in every movement.

"Now where's my surprise."

Sasuke let out a deep chuckle, "We have to go to it."

Naruto giggled in excitement, "Let's go!"

The moment the omega noticed they were in front of an animal shelter, he went crazy.

"Oh my god, really?! But – I can't fully take care of – "

Sasuke grabbed a tan hand and kissed it, "I'll help you. It can stay at my house. It'll be ours."

Naruto wrapped his arms around his neck and placed kisses all over his face, "I love you, I'm so excited, let's go in!"

They made their way through the rooms and Naruto took his time saying hi to every single cat and dog. Sasuke had an indulgent smile at the care coming out of the omega. If this was the love he had for them, he couldn't begin to imagine how it would be like with a baby. Their baby. If he let this feeling take over, he could drown in the urge to get him pregnant. He wanted Naruto's belly full with his baby. His children. He wanted the omega to be the mother of his children. He observed his blonde walk around. Curves and soft caramel skin. Fuck, he was getting hard. At a fucking shelter.

Naruto noticed his pause, "What happened?"

"I got distracted by you." A sensual smile spread through his face, "I was imagining – "

"Sas, we're at a shelter!" Naruto looked around, but his face was flushed, "Later."

Naruto was right, he knew the blonde was right but when he saw those eyes and those hips and –, "Okay, later. Have you found one you connect with?"

"Yes! Him." Naruto pointed to a golden furred cat, with stunning blue eyes. It reminded Sasuke of Naruto so damn much.

"He's perfect."

"Right?! He reminds me of Tomato. He's so sweet."

"Have you thought of a name?"

Naruto pouted, "No."

"It'll come to you."

It didn't take long for Naruto to pick a name when he remembered that Tomato was named after something Sasuke loved. Tomato was wary at first, when she met the new cat (Noodle). She didn't look very happy, more like they had horribly betrayed her, and she would hold a grudge forever. Tomato hissed when she saw the new toys and bed for Noodle and went to sulk in her 'bedroom'.

But after the first hour, when Tomato was curled up with Noodle, all was forgiven.

Note: I hope I gave you all a whole bunch of feels. 3