AN: Fun fact. The Wolcott is named after a hotel in NYC, where I stayed the first (and only, for now) time I visited there. The interior of the hotel should give you an idea of what The Wolcott (fictional) restaurant looks like - if you're interested!
Anyway, chapter 13, here we go...
(tw: blood, descriptions of gore and murder, implied/referenced panic attack)
"Yes, Dad, I was meeting the blonde man on business, that's why I said it was a business meeting..." Sasuke confidently spoke in to his phone as he unlocked the door to his apartment, then looked over at Naruto with a smile contrary to his tone, and a wink. Naruto blushed. "Yes, nothing came of it... Yes, I understand I probably wasted time and money on The Wolcott for a deal that fell through... No, it won't happen again." Sasuke continued, as they both walked in and Naruto hung his jacket up by the door.
Sasuke lingered by the coat rack, and rolled his eyes at something his father said as he gestured and mouthed at Naruto; 'go and sit down'. Naruto nodded and made his way over to the sofa, pulling his phone out of his back pocket as he went, a sheet of paper falling out on to the floor as he did so.
"Huh, why does that keep happening..." He thought out loud, bending down to pick the paper up, face lighting up when he realised what it was. He sat down and looked over at Sasuke, patiently waiting for him to end the call. When he finally did, he called out. "Hey Sasuke, we almost forgot!"
"What?" Sasuke asked, pausing as he hung his coat and keys up by the door and turned to look at Naruto.
"Sakura's end of the show speech, we never read it." He smiled, holding out the sheet of paper as Sasuke quickly crossed the distance to where his boyfriend sat in the living room.
"Oh yeah..." He grabbed the piece of paper and opened it, scanning over it quickly. "Let's read this later when we go to bed." He suggested, and Naruto quietly agreed with a simple nod, despite really wanting to know what Sakura had written. He really must have fallen for this guy; Sasuke could probably tell him to jump off a bridge right now and he would consider doing it. A part of his mind told him that wasn't healthy, but he chose to ignore it.
"So... Your Uncle told your dad about us? What did he say?"
"Hmm, wouldn't you like to know." Sasuke smirked, leaning forwards and wrapping his arms around Naruto's shoulders, then shifting slightly so he sat in his lap, knees resting on the sofa cushions either side of Naruto's hips. Naruto grinned up at him, and closed the distance between them until their lips met, a string of muffled giggles escaping their lips.
True to Sasuke's word (and Naruto's agreement), they did leave reading the speech until later on, when they were wrapped up together in bed.
"And lastly to Naruto and Sasuke, our hidden gems forged by fire. You probably both don't realise this, but one of the highlights of this run for us all has been watching you two finally realise how good of friends you could (and have) become! Honestly, Naruto, we could all understand your stubbornness and not wanting to give in and accept your rivalry was actually friendship, but Sasuke - you're smarter than that, we thought you had caught up with the rest of us!"
Naruto laughed, as Sasuke shoved the paper in to Naruto's hands, huffing and mumbling something about not wanting to continue reading a pack of lies. After his giggling subsided, Naruto continued reading the letter out loud.
"So, I suppose you two are hereby dubbed the 'success story' this time around! Although, that is usually reserved for new couples, but surprisingly that hasn't happened during this show..."
Naruto laughed - it was true, it was almost guaranteed that during the rehearsals and run of each show at the theatre, there was always some new relationship forming due to the close bond that the cast mates formed together; Kurenai and Asuma had been the most exciting ones to watch last spring, because they tried so hard to keep it a secret and failed miserably when they both became flustered at the mere mention of the other's name. It happened that often, that it was actually considered bad luck if it didn't.
"Hmmm..." Naruto hummed happily, leaning up to peck a kiss to Sasuke's pink-tinted cheek. "They don't know we were a true Konoha Theatre success story, my Romeo." He purred, nuzzling in to Sasuke's neck and feathering light kisses there.
"Yeah..." Sasuke sighed, and tilted his head to give Naruto more access.
"But. It's. Just. Our. Special. Secret." Naruto said quietly, sealing each word with a soft kiss against softer skin, each one placed in a different spot from the last one before he pulled away to bring his lips to Sasuke's, smiling against them. Sasuke smiled back.
My small hands reached for the door handle, and hesitated. There was something dark beyond it, I could feel it so strongly that for a moment, I wondered if I had found the gates to hell. Slowly, I opened it and entered the room.
Fresh blood. Everywhere. All over the walls, all over the floor; some on the ceiling, too. It was everywhere - just like it was outside, too. It was even on me, I noticed, as I looked down and wondered how that was even possible. My hands were trembling, and my eyes squeezed shut, willing the image in front of me away.
Mum.
Dad.
Their lifeless bodies slumped on the floor, throats slit and dry tears still wet on their cheeks. He stood over them, sword still in hand, and I watched in horror as my brother appeared from the shadows.
"Itachi..."
"Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke..." The devil spoke my name, over and over, each time cutting in to me deeper and deeper.
"Sasuke! Sasuke, are you with me, Sasuke?" A distant voice broke through the haze. It was heavenly, a stark contrast to what I had just witnessed.
"Sasuke, hold on to me." I do as he says without thinking. I can feel him more than see him, a constant warmth by my side, holding me, touching me, bringing me to life. A guardian angel. Somewhere in the back of my mind I realise I'm shaking, and he's whispering in my ear through the ringing; sweet, pointless, sensitive words - words just for me. 'Everything's okay' the voice says. I'm filled up with something warm, and the words sink in. I start to believe them...
"Naruto..."
"Sasuke." Naruto finally spoke up about ten minutes later when Sasuke had stopped shaking, his breathing had slowed down, and he was relaxed in to Naruto's embrace. "Do you feel better?" Sasuke nodded weakly in response, lying down and pulling Naruto with him.
"What just happened...?" He asked, his voice cracking and his throat burning. Naruto kissed him gently on his forehead.
"You must have been having a nightmare or something; I woke up to you screaming, and crying." Naruto shuddered at the recent memory. "I tried to help, but I couldn't wake you up... In the end I just held you, and you wouldn't stop shaking..." He trailed off, and his eyebrows furrowed. "It was really scary - you were hyperventilating, too." Naruto looked in to his eyes, and Sasuke could see the worry behind them. 'So that explains why my throat hurts so much' Sasuke thought to himself.
"Has this ever happened before?" Naruto asked, after a few more moments of silence. Sasuke shook his head.
"No, never. I was dreaming Itachi killed our parents... It felt so real. I saw it all, the blood, the sword, his blood red eyes, I-" Sasuke's voice cut off, unable to continue.
"Shh, it's not real... I promise you're safe here." Naruto softly stroked Sasuke's hair, and Sasuke found himself leaning in to the touch and closing his eyes.
"Naruto... I'm glad you're here..." He whispered, missing the way Naruto's eyes softened at his words.
"Me too."
"I don't want to go home..." Naruto whined, as they walked together hand in hand through the park in a different city the next day. They were an hour's drive from Konoha - far enough away for neither of them to worry about being seen, where they could be more freely affectionate with each other.
"Well, we have to at some point, all our stuff is there." Sasuke smiled, teasing him.
"You know what I meant! I don't want to go back to my tiny apartment, I don't want to leave you and go back to my regular day to day life." He whined. "I don't even know why I said home, how could it feel like a home now without someone else there?" He smiled, and didn't notice Sasuke stiffen briefly at his words - something hidden in them that Naruto probably didn't even realise. For this reason, Sasuke decided not to comment and bring attention to it.
"I can't wait to see Gaara and the rest of the team at work though, I've missed them... And maybe when I stop spending all my time curled up in your arms, I can reach out to Karin." He grinned, realising that during his stay at Sasuke's he had almost completely forgotten about her, and the news she had brought him.
"Oh yeah, Karin..." Sasuke said, as if he had forgotten about all of that, too. "Will you be okay? Do you want me to come with you if you meet up with her?"
"Thanks, but I think I'll be fine... And besides, I don't want you to scare her off - or worse! I don't want to have to watch another woman fawn all over you while I just have to sit there!" He laughed, but his face was quite serious - back in Konoha, whenever they went out together it always got on Naruto's nerves when he saw women (and some men) checking Sasuke out, and he couldn't do anything about it.
"Okay, I get it, but I can't do anything about that last part - not my fault I'm irresistible."
"Hmph, you're not irresistible!"
"Oh yeah? And you can resist me, can you?"
"S-sure I can!"
"Wanna bet?"
"You bet I wanna bet! I- oh! Sasuke look at that!" Naruto let go of Sasuke's hand and pointed somewhere to his left, towards a large bridge that was visible just outside of the park's gates. An old sign hung above the traditional bridge, that read: Great Naruto Bridge. "Wow... Let's check it out!" He grinned, taking hold of Sasuke's hand again and pulling him in the direction of the park's exit, and towards the bridge.
"I wonder what the story behind this is..." Naruto wondered in awe, not letting go of Sasuke's hand as they both looked up at the sign above the entrance to the long foot bridge.
"I can tell you the story, for a fee." A voice spoke up from behind them, and Naruto looked over his shoulder to find who it came from.
"Really? How much?" He asked the older man, turning around to give him his full attention. Sasuke frowned, and turned around too.
"30." He said, and as Naruto was reaching for the wallet in his pocket, Sasuke's hand reached out to stop it, grabbing Naruto's wrist.
"What are you doing?" Sasuke hissed, close to his ear.
"Getting the money for this guy to tell us about the bridge." He said, as though there was nothing wrong with that statement.
"He's obviously scamming you!"
"So! I wanna know about it."
"Just get a local guidebook."
"What if it's not common knowledge? What if nobody knows but this man?"
"Whatever, do what you want." Sasuke rolled his eyes, letting go of Naruto's arm. "But I'm not bailing you out when you don't have enough money for groceries next week."
"Alright! So, what's your name?" Naruto asked, pulling out the money and handing it to the man.
"Tazuna. Thank you, young man." He smiled, pocketing the note. "Now I can get my grandson the game he's wanted for a long time." He said, and Naruto's grin widened. "And, you are?"
"Naruto!"
"Oh! I see, so that's why you're interested in the bridge." Naruto nodded enthusiastically. "Okay, where to begin..." He trailed off, looking up at the sign. "The Great Naruto bridge was built by one of my ancestors-" He cut himself off, and looked at Sasuke. "Your boyfriend is right, it's not really common knowledge how this bridge came to be." He said to Sasuke, whose eye twitched as he refused to acknowledge the man, looking away in the distance. Naruto watched the man with anticipation, silently willing him to continue.
"It's an old family legacy; this bridge was actually named after a famous warrior from times gone by, without whom this bridge would never have been completed. You see, young man, this area was once ruled over by a group of successful criminals, but people these days deny this specific part of local history." He explained, and Sasuke slowly turned to look back at him, trying to hide his curiosity. "However, this bridge was crucial in the downfall of their empire, and with it their tyranny. Once completed, the bridge would connect the townspeople with neighbouring towns and communities, promoting trade and outside economic influence; the people in this area would no longer be dependent on this band of criminals. Naturally, they opposed the bridge, and employed any means necessary to ensure it was never completed. And that's when our hero arrived, and ran them out of town. It was my ancestor that started and finished the project, and named the bridge after the young ninja who was pivotal in the completion of the bridge, and liberation of the locals. All of this..." The man gestured towards the busy park, and local merchants. "Wouldn't have been possible, if things hadn't happened the way they did... At least not for a long time, anyway." He added.
"Wow... That's so cool..." Naruto looked back at the bridge, and smiled. "Naruto the hero!" He grinned, and the old man nodded.
"Yes, that's for sure. Well, it was a pleasure meeting you two, but I must be on my way. Enjoy the rest of your day." He said, tipping his hat before leaving.
"You don't believe that, do you?" Sasuke asked once Tazuna was out of earshot, and they began walking towards the bridge. "I mean, the criminal control of this area is believable, but heroes and ninjas? You know that's all myth, don't you."
"I dunno, Sasuke, haven't you ever wondered if there's any truth in it? I mean, it sounds too good to be true, but what if it's not just legend?"
"Naruto... I know I call you stupid all the time, but you honestly don't think-"
"Sometimes, I have dreams that I'm a ninja." He said, as they slowed to a stop at the edge of the bridge, looking out at the water.
"What?" He looked over at Naruto, curiously.
"Me, you, Sakura, Kakashi, our friends at the theatre... Sometimes I have dreams that we're all ninja. It's really elaborate and specific, and each time it just feels like I'm watching someone else's memories... I dunno, I can't explain it... Ah, it all sounds stupid now I'm saying it out loud!" He dismissed his own words, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck.
"Yeah, it does sound stupid..." Sasuke looked away, back out at the water. "Whatever. So you have dreams that we're ninjas with special powers, I've had dreams like that too but it doesn't mean anything. And, even if it was real, it doesn't matter to us does it? Right here, right now is all that matters."
"I guess you're right." He smiled, lightly squeezing Sasuke's hand.
"And right here, right now, some old man scammed you out of a lot of money."
"Ah- Sasuke!"
"What? It's true!" He laughed, and Naruto laughed with him despite himself.
"I'm leaving to join the police force." Gaara said quietly between mouthfuls of his turkey sandwich on their shared break, guiltily looking around the staff canteen; anywhere but at Naruto.
"Oh, why?" Naruto asked, taking a bite of his banana. "I thought you wanted your own life, different from your brother and sister?" He asked, referring to Kankuro and Temari who were also in the police, like their parents before them.
"Things change."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. Actually, it's because of you."
"Me? How?"
"Your ambition, determination, endless optimism. I always thought life was shit, and the police are corrupt; in a way, that's still true... But it's not as simple as that. People are complex - you showed me that. Maybe not intentionally, but you did." Gaara smiled an impossibly small smile, and Naruto's eyes widened - it was not an expression his friend often wore. "And if I want to change things, I've got to grow up and do it myself. I'm achieving nothing here, it's soul crushing. I want out."
"So... You're leaving the Jinchuuriki team?" Naruto asked, looking away thoughtfully.
"Yeah, I am."
"I see..." They both remained silent for a while, and as Gaara watched Naruto he could almost see the gears spinning as Naruto thought in silence - a rare sight. "I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about leaving, too..." Naruto admitted, and this time it was Gaara who couldn't keep his eyes from widening.
"You have?"
"Yeah. I've always wanted to be a professional actor, and I thought working here would give me the money to pursue that - but this place is where dreams go to die." He laughed, and Gaara gave a small laugh in response.
"You're right about that." He agreed. "Do it, if that's what you want. If I learned anything from you it's that sometimes, you have to take risks."
"Thanks, Gaara, I might actually do that." He grinned. "So... If you do join the police, maybe you could do something for me as a thank you for inspiring you!"
"What would that be?"
"Find out what you can about the Senchi, and report it back to me." He whispered, leaning in close.
"I could get in a lot of trouble for that." He whispered back.
"I know you well enough to know you don't care." Naruto grinned. "Plus, it's to protect your friend, they're after me and - if you end up on their case, maybe I could help you."
"Hmm... I'll think about it." Gaara took a bite of his sandwich and Naruto grinned, finishing off his banana.
Throughout the rest of January, Naruto finally booked himself a session with a headshot photographer, calling in sick at work that day as he had run out of paid time off. Ever since his conversation with Gaara, his mind had been racing; he'd been in dead-end job after dead-end job for a few years now - always saying it was to help him pay for classes and continue supporting himself while he tried to find work as an actor, but he was no closer to his dreams than he was the day he started. So he booked himself in for headshots, signed himself up to casting websites, sent out countless emails and letters to agents and directors. He even spent an entire session with Jiraiya just discussing how the industry works, trying to make sense of it all.
Despite his quarter life crisis and planning for his life overhaul, there were many highlights of the month of January, however - all of them being the times Sasuke came and stayed over at his apartment. One eventful evening, they had been kissing on the sofa when they were interrupted by his neighbour Iruka tapping guiltily on the window, returning Naruto's coffee maker - he was the first person to find out, and had promised not to tell Kotetsu and Izumo. In fact, he had seemed quite happy and pleased for Naruto, even going so far as to congratulate them. Naruto had rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, and Sasuke had been slowly turning redder and redder throughout the whole conversation - much to Naruto's amusement.
Towards the end of January, he finally met up with Karin for coffee again - feeling more positive about seeing her again now that the shock of her revelations had mostly blown over.
"Hi Naruto! It's so nice to see you again." She grinned that familiar grin, and gave him a big hug. He wondered if that's what his mother's hugs would have felt like. She didn't bring it up again, and Naruto guessed she was probably waiting for him to be ready and bring it up himself. They talked about Orochimaru, and Naruto decided to tell her about Sasuke; she was an outsider, and he considered it was safe to - he wanted a close bond with her, as she was the only family he never knew he had. He also got this feeling from her that he could trust her, that they could be good friends - maybe like brother and sister, if he was lucky.
"Ohhh, sounds like mister Uzumaki has a special someone." She teased when he finished telling her about Sasuke, winking as she leaned forwards to drink her iced coffee through a straw and not breaking eye contact with Naruto. He laughed, he blushed, and he didn't deny it.
"You do!" She grinned, and he nervously nodded. "How sweet, the way you talked about him - like he's an angel." She swooned, and then leaned closer. "Tell me all about it, cuz!" She grinned, and he didn't need telling twice before he launched in to all things Sasuke.
"You're leaving at the end of the month, correct?" The man asked, trying to maintain composure as the elder nodded with conviction.
"If you uphold your end of the deal - I want them protected."
"You know you can trust me."
"I've trusted a lot of people, many who proved me a fool to do so."
"Are you implying I'm one of them?"
"I'm saying I trust no-one."
"You have no other choice, you leave now and you have options; lucrative positions at Red Cloud, Black Coat, Gedo Mazo Enterprises - all the same thing. If you stay, you'll be ruined... Not to mention, what will happen to young Sasuke-"
"Keep him out of this, lay a finger on him and I'll break your neck."
"You think you can scare me, Itachi?"
"I'm giving you a warning."
"Hmm, the thing is, will I listen to it?" He asked, in such a casual way as though he were asking what Itachi wanted for lunch.
"Yes, if you know what's good for you." He said, willing the other man to read between the lines. By the way his eyebrow raised and how he leaned forwards with careful curiosity, he knew he had picked up on the veiled threat.
"Itachi, Itachi, Itachi... There are many ways of silencing you." He said softly, making a slicing motion at his throat. Itachi was silent for a moment, his face expressionless.
"I'm leaving Uchiha, if I have to trust you then you have to trust me - consider this a business transaction of trust."
"Oh, you're absolutely right Itachi, a business transaction - one we must all remove emotion from if we wish to move forward."
"After this, I don't want to see your face again." He said firmly, and the younger man grinned manically. "Have I made myself clear, Obito?"
"Crystal."
"Mmm... I've missed staying at your place." Naruto smiled as they curled up together in Sasuke's bed, walking his fingers up Sasuke's chest before he slid his hand around his shoulder and curled in to his side. Sasuke smiled, and turned his head to look in to Naruto's eyes.
"Funny, I prefer your place."
"Why? My bed is way too small."
"Maybe that's why." Sasuke smirked, and Naruto smiled back at him. They shared a few moments of comfortable silence - a silence only broken by the faintly howling wind outside the window - before Sasuke spoke up again. "How did it go with Karin today?"
"Oh, really well - she's a lot like me in some ways, but completely the opposite in others! She figured out about us in no time at all." He smiled sheepishly.
"How?!"
"Hmm, apparently I talk about you as though you're an angel." He smiled.
"O-oh, well no wonder she figured it out..." Sasuke mumbled, taken by surprise.
"She didn't realise one thing, though..." Naruto trailed off, suddenly becoming nervous and not looking at Sasuke.
"... What?"
"Um, she didn't realise that I- That I, um..."
"That you what, Naruto." He urged, trying to keep the impatience out of his voice.
"That I think I'm falling in love with you." He quickly admitted, finally turning to look at Sasuke.
"O-oh."
"You don't have to say it back! But, I, I just wanted to tell you, so... I hope it's not too much, or too fast-"
"Okay..." Sasuke cut him off, a thoughtful expression on his face as he looked up at his ceiling, and Naruto looked like he was about to start crying. Sasuke thought about their friendship and relationship up until this point, how - without realising it - his feelings for the blonde man had been around for a long time; before the car rides, even before the friendship ramen. He thought about how, given the opportunity, his feelings began quickly developing a lot faster than he ever thought possible and, damn - the beautiful, happy, energetic and charismatic man next to him had made it so difficult to slow it all down.
After an agonising thirty seconds, Sasuke worked up the courage, took a deep, calming breath, smiled, and finally looked back at Naruto. "I think I'm falling in love with you, too." He said, all his fears and reservations disappearing when Naruto gave him a watery smile. Both of them leaned forwards with a desperate need to feel the other, to feel reassured that this was right, that it was okay, that they were doing the right thing.
Outside, the wind picked up and rain began lashing at the window, signalling an approaching storm.