Chapter 11: Skeletons in the Closet
To help a bit with the age timeline for Naruto, Gaara and Sasuke, I put important age/life-event notes at the bottom of the page.
Warnings: This chapter contains violence, mental health issues including suicidal thoughts, references to past abuse, bloodlust, and depictions of past murder. Some parts are a little fucked up. But what else would you expect from me? This whole damn story if fucked up on some level.
BANG BANG BANG!
Feet shuffling. Something falling over and breaking. A muffled groan and a curse. More shuffling.
BANG BANG BANG!
"I'm coming, I'm coming goddamnit! Hold your fucking horses."
Finally, the chipped red door opened, revealing a bleary-eyed, angry and scruffy looking Kiba. He was wearing a stained, white t-shirt and wrinkled, blue and white striped boxers. Behind him, a loud bark could be hear coming from somewhere in the house. Seriously, why would Naruto pick this—creature— as a friend?
Lifting his chin, Sasuke smirked at the surprised-confused look on the scrunched up the dog lover's masculine face.
"Sasuke?" Kiba scratched his matted chocolate brown hair. "What are you doing here? I didn't even know you knew where I lived." The line on his forehead increased and his body tensed up as a sudden thought hit him. "Oh, god. Is Naruto alright?! Did something happen to him? Or, wait…are you hear to kill me? I swear, I didn't do it!"
Arching a perfect manicured brow, Sasuke studied him for a moment out of humor. He was enjoying watching Kiba sweat a little too much. He hasn't said a word yet and the mounting panic in the boy's eyes was hilarious. Way too easy.
"Calm down Kiba," he finally stated. "Naruto is fine and I'm not here to cause your premature death…I'm actually here to give you a reward." Reaching in his back pocket he pulled out an envelope and handed it to Kiba.
"What?" He stared at it dumbly for a moment before opening it up. When two tickets slipped out Kiba gaped, his dark eyes nearly bulging out of there sockets. The shaggy looking teen looked up at him with wary, barely contained excitement. "There are two VIP tickets to the Las Vegas porn convention! Holy fuck, man. How'd you get these? And…why are you giving these to me?"
Kiba was practically vibrating. And, was that a boner? Disgusting. He was probably thinking about naked female porn stars with big, fake tits at this very moment.
"From the internet and with a credit card, dipshit. And as a sign of my gratitude for keeping Naruto safe at the party. You're welcome, by the way. But, before you ask, don't even think about inviting Naruto to go with. Let's just say he's…grounded."
"Oh, right—I almost forgot. Thank you! Thank you. You're totally the shit. But…umm…how exactly am I supposed to get there? It's like, really far away." Realization finally dawned on the boy and his face fell.
"With this." Sasuke pulled out another envelope, but as soon as Kiba reached for it he pulled it back. "But I need you to do something for me first."
"Ah, shit. I knew there was a catch. Sasuke being nice for once? Unheard of. Okay, what do you want you rich bastard?" Kiba eyed him suspiciously with arms crossed over his chest.
How rude. Sasuke smirked, laughter in his eyes. "In exchange for two, round-trip, first class tickets—I want you to give me Gaara's address."
"What." Pondering for a moment, Kiba hesitantly asked, "What for? You are not going to kill him are you? Toss his body in the ocean tied to rocks while I'm having the time of my life in Las Vegas staring at naked women with massive breasts up close and in person. Because if that's the case, then I'm going to have to decline."
Well, he was spot on with Kiba's vision. He was a little surprised however with the answer.
Sasuke couldn't help but laugh softly. "That's quite the imagination you have there, and not a very high opinion of me. Do you really think I would ask you for his address and then go hunt him down like a buck in season? The cops would immediately suspect me. No, I'm not going to harm him…probably. I just want to talk. Ask about his intentions with Naruto at the party the other night. You know, big brother thing and all."
"Right…say I believe you. Then why didn't you ask your brother for the address instead? Surely it would've been easier than coming all the way over to my house. Not to mention cheaper with the plane tickets and all." Kiba asked suspiciously, not sounding convinced in the slightest.
God, that little shit was starting to get on his nerves.
"Because he would never tell me, that's why. And you damn well know it. Now, do we have a deal or not? I would really like to get on with my day." Sasuke narrowed his eyes.
"Yeah, yeah fine." Kiba finally caved. "It's on my phone, I'll text you the address. If you go right now he will probably be at the studio doin' bang stuff. I'll send you that address first. Now," his arm reached out, hand clenching and unclenching in a grabby motion, "tickets please."
"Deal." Sasuke handed over the second set of tickets. As he started walking away, he called out in a voice loud enough to carry all the way over to the nosy neighbor watching there interaction from a cracked door. "Take a damn shower. You smell like a wet dog."
A disgruntled shout was heard when he reached the door to his sleek, silver 911 Carreara Porsche. A minute later he received a text from Kiba with the address. Pulling out of the parking space, Sasuke made his way to the studio located closer to town.
On the way over to the address, Sasuke got an incoming call from an unknown number on the car's Bluetooth. He pressed the answer button on the steering wheel.
"Uchiha." He answered smoothly and professionally.
"Is that how you always answer calls, Otouto? So…formal."
"Fuck." Sasuke grumbled softly. Itachi. "Only with numbers that I don't have listed under contacts, Aniki." He added a little louder.
A husky chuckle vibrated through the base speakers. Sasuke slowed to a stop at a red light.
"Always so serious Sasuke. I thought your new little boy toy might have loosened you up a bit. Apparently I was wrong." Sasuke tightened his grip on the wheel, listening to his older brother ramble on about his personal life. "I've heard some rather—interesting—news in regards to your development with Naruto." Itachi paused. "For the record, this is the sixth time I've tried to call you, so don't act like it's a surprise. Apparently you've been too busy to answer your phone. So I thought I'd try using a different number. Imagine my surprise when you picked up after one wring. Though, I'm a little hurt that you never make time for me. I did let you cool off at my house for a whole weekend after all. I must wonder what has been keeping you so…preoccupied. You should know better than to let me assume the worst."
That condescending son of a bitch. The hidden message was clear in Itachi's definitely knows something was up between him and Naruto. The question was how much does he know.
Sasuke grit his teeth and took a right turn, following the directions on the GPS.
"What now, Itachi? What have you learned about me this time? I'm driving. Make it quick."
"Impatient as always, little brother." Another deep chuckle resonated through the cars surround sound. At least someone was having a good day. "But that's okay, I'd prefer to have this discussion in person anyway. In a month—on Mother's Day weekend to be exact. I have two day off that week so I expect for you to be here. For some strange reason, the employees' demand an entire day off just to take their mother on a dinner that only takes a couple hours at most. Seems a waste of a perfectly good workday if you ask me."
"That's because you have no soul. And nobody asked you."
"Oh, Otouto. Are you concerned for my soul? How sweet of you. I didn't know you cared."
"You would need one first for me to care."
Sasuke heard a clicking of a tongue over the line.
"Hn. As if you're one to judge. At least I'm not the one preying on innocent little brothers. Not that you are young or innocent or little any more. Quite the contrary, you've gotten so big…If anything, you're sexual deviant behavior would corrupt me." Itachi coughed once. "Changing the subject now. This is getting a little too disturbing."
A little?! Devil incarnate cum-guzzling ass-pirate whore!
White knuckling the steering wheel, Sasuke ground his molars while envisioning creative places for Itachi to shove his fucking black painted on acrylic nails.
"As I was saying, since we are both motherless, you are to come over for dinner so we catch up and discuss your activities in private. And I will not take no as an answer. You should also bring your little boy toy along. It's been ages since I've seen him last, it would be nice to see him again now that he's all grown up."
Grrreat. Sasuke sighed, "Fine, but only if you tell me what you know already. You know how I hate surprises."
A husky laugh. "You always ruin all the fun. You're stellar personality even managed to anger my informant enough to quit before you even found out who it was. So congratulations by the way, you officially have no one watching your back right now. His last words were 'you shout Naruto's name when you come' before hanging up on me, the edited version of course."
How the fuck did anyone find that out? Suigetsu. He's the only one who could've know that. Suigetsu was the fucking spy. That fucking snitch. At least now he doesn't feel bad with how things ended between them. Fucking prick.
Itachi cleared his throat. "That's something I hope to never have to hear again. While I don't care what comes out of your mouth in the heat of passion, it does leave me to believe your desire for the kid it still going strong. Now I am curious as to how far you've taken things since we last talked. Have you talked to him about your feelings yet?"
Sasuke swallowed back a growl. "Yes," he admitted, "things have progressed between us. But, I would rather not talk discuss this over the phone. And besides, I'm nearing my destination. We'll talk about it when I come over for dinner. If you promise to play nice, I'll ask Naruto if he wants to come."
"Promise. See you soon, baby brother."
Sasuke hit the end button and pulled into the parking lot of the address of the studio.
The building was small and rather plain with white walls and tinted windows. There was no sign stating it was a studio at all, just the address and a phone number in fancy white font on the glass door. At one time it was likely a rented out office space. Now, apparently, it held equipment for recording and playing music in. A glorified garage with a separate address.
Opening the door, Sasuke made his way in uninvited. Just as he suspected, the room was sparkly decorated and rectangular in shape. Three doors were located on the far back wall, one obviously being a bathroom if the unisex symbol on the door had anything to say about it. The only decor in the small room was a couple fake plants located along the corners, a small trash can, brown leather couch, coffee table, 32 inch flat screen mounted to the wall for entertainment, and a mini fridge. A lobby for bachelors.
There was also no one around, but Sasuke could hear music playing from behind a door at the far right side of the room. He paused in front of it, listening. For some reason, he didn't want to barge right in so he knocked.
He still had manors damnit.
The drumming stop along with the sound of a guitar. There was some muffled voices before the door opened and revealed—not Gaara, but a lean raven haired male with dark eyes and skin paler than his own.
The man from the party who had his fucking hands all over his Naruto.
"Hey, what's…Oh, shit—" That was all the man who opened the door got out before Sasuke's fist slammed into his jaw. "Fuck!"
Blinding rage took over the second Sasuke saw that pale, smug face. Bastard! He was swinging before he even knew it. The burning sting on his knuckles and the satisfying sound of a crunch when his fist met his fucking jaw was more rewarding then he'd care to admit.
The look of surprise and fear on the man's face was one of shock, but stiff and fake like plastic. Like he didn't know how facial muscles were supposed to work. That or he's gotten Botox recently. The former option being more likely. But Sasuke was still able to make out the surprise from the way his eyes glinted as he backpedaled to get away. Not. Happening.
That motherfucker was his.
Sasuke slid down into a defensive stance and stalked after the man all graceful n'shit like a black panther. He ignored the two others in the room, but didn't block them out entirely. It's not like he wanted to get jumped from behind, not that he couldn't easily handle that scenario.
He wasn't cocky, he was just that good.
As he pushed forward, their equally dark eyes locked in a heated challenge. Yet their expressions remained calm and appeared almost bored. Sasuke knew it was anything but. The tension pulsing between them was immense.
Judging by the swift movements and stance, the guy obviously knew how to fight. There was also little reaction to the pain he must've felt from the punch and the blood crawling down the corner of his mouth from the split lip, implying that he's been in a few fights. Not that it matters. Sasuke had complete confidence that he could take the guy. Although he would have to be more cautious now that his defenses were up.
"Sai!" Someone shouted in the background along with a stream of curses.
Sai. That must be the fucker's name.
A lazy grin formed on Sasuke's ivory face as the quick-as-shit asshole successfully dogged another fist, followed up by a side kick. This was going to be fun. For a minute or two, they circled each other exchanging kicks and punches. A roundhouse kick. Uppercut. Spinning-wheel kick. A quick jab here, a front kick there. Every move was 'just-barely' dodged.
"I see the knight has come to defend the pretty blond princess's honor. How noble of you. And I thought chivalry was supposedly dead." The guy named Sai taunted him with a creepy fake smile plastered on his pale face. "I am surprised you found this place though. I didn't expect to be seeing you again."
"You should know better than to touch what is not yours."
Sasuke circled him, watching his every movement carefully, looking for an opening as he danced around him. A moment passed and he spotted one near the right side by his ribs.
"Such a pretty little thing should be shared, don't ya think? Besides, I didn't see a collar with your name on it. He was so innocent with those big blue eyes. So…delectable." Sai continued his torment, throwing in a few easily avoidable jabs and leg sweeps of his own into the mix.
Refusing to fall for the bait, Sasuke chose not to say anything, keeping his focus solely on the moving target. But the thought of putting a collar on Naruto's with Uchiha printed on it had his dick twitching in interest. Snapping out of it, Sasuke feigned a strike with his right fist. Predictably, Sai used his right arm to block, leaving his right side completely exposed.
First mistake.
Eyes narrowed, adrenaline searing through his veins like fire, Sasuke switched to offence. With his left fist drawn back, he twisted and lunged, using his core muscles to drive it home, striking Sai's kidney with lightning fast precision. The hit landed. The raven buckled, folding in half, wheezing. He was down long enough for Sasuke to bring an elbow hammering down on the man's back—right in between the shoulder blades.
Fuck that had to hurt.
And judging by the grunt, it did.
But, before Sasuke could finish the guy off with a knee to the sternum, strong arms wrapped around his, pulling him back into a secure bind.
Ah, fuck. It was the other guy. The one with long hair and somehow related to Hinata. It didn't escape his notice how the other man had been watching him, sizing him up, just as much as he had been with Sai when they were fighting. Heck, that had probable been the only reason why this guy hadn't jumped him earlier. The new guy was calculated, smart and had keen eyes. Instead of trying to break free, Sasuke let his body go slack, using the break to store energy and lax his opponent into a false sense of security.
Standing up tall, Sai sneered and spat blood onto his shoe. "Not so tough now, big guy. Giving up already?" Creepy smile. "I thought you would put up more of a fight than that."
Sasuke gave him a blank look, waiting patiently for the next move, not worried at all about how this was going to end. It didn't take very long, his silence spurred Sai into getting a reaction out of him, but he wasn't about to give the fucker the satisfaction. When Sai's elbow pulled back for a punch, Sasuke tensed his abs to absorb the impact. The hit was solid but nothing to write home about. Just like he thought. He's had worse. Ha, even Naruto hit harder than that.
"That all you got? Pathetic." Sasuke laughed.
Another hit, but this time strait to the kidney. Fuck that hurt.
"How'bout that? Not laughing now are we." Sai growled. He didn't seem to like him very much.
Sasuke's lips twitched. Arrogant fucker.
When Sai's arm reared back for another blow, Sasuke bunched both feet firmly on the ground and sprung up with his knees folded in. His body leaned back into his captors hold as he kicked out, both feet making direct contact with Sai's chest while the Hyuga guy supported his full body weight. Two things happened at once. First: Sai went flying back five feet until he hit the wall, crumpling to the floor like a sack of potatoes. And second: the guy holding him stumbled backwards from the momentum and went down with Sasuke landing right on top of him.
Twisting, Sasuke faced the man, straddling his waist. He rose a fist to strike, but the odd, milky colored eyes predicted his movements and grabbed his hand with an iron fist, preventing the blow from taking place.
That guy was as good.
A set of flexible, strong legs wrapped around his neck and pulled down, taking him with them. Thinking quickly, Sasuke rolled his body into a backwards somersault, landing on the other side of the guys feet with his head still lock in-between the powerful thighs. At least facing the man's front again.
He could work with that, even if head was still stuck in the hold.
Hugging the tightly wound legs, Sasuke grunted as concentrated all the power in his quads and pushed up. The Hyuga made an odd, dumbfounded noise, sounding between a squawk and a whimper. The attractive man underestimated the strength of his lean frame as he lifted him high above the ground. His eyes widened as Sasuke drove his spine and skull straight into the unforgiving hard-tiled floor. The Hyuga arched off the ground and cried out in pain. Vision still red with rage, Sasuke crouched over his withering body to finish it off with a series of fists when a loud clap resonated through the room, braking him out of the deadly haze.
CLAP CLAP CLAP!
"That's quite enough Uchiha. Now, if you're done torturing my men, I must ask you to get off him before the police are called and assault charges are placed on you. Even with both of your dads as officers of the law, I assure you, you will not get out of it." Gaara sat on a small stool near the drum set looking positively frigid. Then he leaned over and pressed a button on an intercom. "Temari…Kankuro, please tend to Sai and Neji's injuries and get them cleaned up. If it looks too be to severe, take them to the hospital and have them send the bill to Mr. Uchiha here."
All of a sudden, a blond haired female, who looked to be in her late twenties, and a brunette male whose face was mostly hidden behind a hoodie with the hood up, came barreling nervously through the room, heading towards the two men folded in pain on the floor. Their eyes seemingly intent on avoiding Gaara's. Strange. But where the fuck did they come from? Must've been hiding in the other room.
When the two assistance gathered up the cursing men, the female looked anxiously upon Gaara.
"Do not worry, Temari. Tend to their wounds and give us some privacy." The redhead ordered firmly, then aimed his head at Sasuke. "He and I just have some unfinished business to discuss. Isn't that right, Sasuke?"
He stared Gaara right in the eyes and nodded once.
Obeying redheads order like good little servants, all four of them disappeared out of the room.
It was only the two of them now. Their icy glares were frigid enough to turn the room into a meat locker.
"Who were those two?" Sasuke spoke first.
"Not your concern. I had a feeling I would be meeting you soon." Gaara stared at him blankly. "That's quite the entrance, by the way. Naruto has warned me about your…protective streak when it comes to him. But now I must ask why are here. Surely you have better things to do than beat up on the unsuspecting members of my band."
Sasuke got up from his crouched position and sauntered over to the redhead still sitting on a stool like a fucking king on his throne. Asshole. "You know damn well why I'm here—the party. Were you really going to drug up and drag Naruto into some kind of foursome?! What kind of sick fuck are you? Give me one damn good reason why I shouldn't send you off to the emergency room right now."
Gaara's eyes narrowed. "If by drug you mean alcohol, I never once gave him a drink that night. I would never harm Naruto and had no plans on sharing him with Sai or Neji. But if he insisted, I would not deny him that experience. You and I both know how pleasurable it can be to have more than one bed partner. But it doesn't involve you either way. You are his stepbrother and maybe close friend. Naruto's sex life is none of your damn business."
Oh yes it was. But he wasn't going to say that. Naruto would fucking hate him if he mentioned to his boyfriend that they were fucking around now. The trust would be severed.
"Maybe so, but it's my job to protect him. And you are not nearly good enough for someone like Naruto." Standing close now, Sasuke loomed over Gaara with fists clenched to his sides.
"And you think you are?" He said sarcastically. The man did not seem phased at all by the close proximity.
Sasuke hesitated. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Gaara laughed darkly, his jade eye's sharp and cold. "Look around you, Uchiha. If we are being honest here, neither one of us should be anywhere near that beautiful angel. But yet, we can't seem to stay away. Why do you think that is? We need him more than he needs us. You may think you know me, but you don't. So don't pretend you fucking do. The Sparks-notes version you have on me doesn't cut it. You really aren't that different from me."
"You killed your father. I am nothing like you." Sasuke growled, anger searing through his veins.
"And my father deserved everything he got. Actually, death was too nice a punishment. You shouldn't speak of things which you know nothing about."
How can anyone say that with a straight face? Like murdering his own family member was no harder than squashing a cockroach in the kitchen.
"Then tell me…Or better yet, tell Naruto what a dangerous piece of shit you are. That topic should have come up before you forced a relationship onto him." He sneered.
"That's enough!" Finally a flicker of emotion crossed Gaara's face—even if it was just rage. "You want to know. You really want to fucking know? Fine. I'll tell you. But sharing goes both ways. I'll answer your questions as long as you answer mine. And none of it leaves this room."
Sasuke smirked. "You don't have the leverage, but I'll accept the terms anyway. I've got nothing to hide."
Gaara stood up. Their bodies were so close that they nearly pressed together. The corner of his mouth tilted up in what might have been considered a smirk.
"Lies. We all have skeletons, Uchiha. Especially with guys like us. You just have to know where to dig. But lucky for you, you've seem to have gotten a fucking road map on mine."
Sasuke licked his bottom lip. Why did this suddenly seem like a bad idea? It would be so much easier to just wipe Gaara's blood off his knuckles and call it a day. But he was a curious to find out more. That whole saying know your enemies or some shit.
"Yeah, whatever. Now tell me why you murdered your father."
"It's not that simple. It goes back a very long ways. As you probably already know, my mother died when I was young."
Sasuke nodded.
"At the age of four to be exact, from cancer. She was always sick and in her room so I don't remember her very much. But when she died, her husband blamed me for her death—for her sickness."
The way Gaara said husband was filled with such hatred and venom it reminded Sasuke of how he felt about his deceased father. A similar loathing.
"Most of the time I was left alone in a small room—Isolated from the rest of the world, even though I was only an infant. The older I got, the crueler he became. Days without food. Beatings. Physical and mental abuse—you name it, I got it."
After what Itachi told him, the mention of child abuse did not come as a surprise. But it was chilling to hear none the less.
Gaara continued, "I was just a tool to him. Something for him to use and eventually shape into the perfect, ruthless politician, enhancing his diplomatic status and used as a human punching bag to take his anger out all in one, convenient little package." Pausing, he assessed Sasuke's carefully. "You would know a little something about that, wouldn't you? Your daddy wasn't so perfect."
"My father was not the nicest man, that I can agree," he admitted. "He was especially hard on me. Always disappointed that I was not more like Itachi. That I wasn't smart enough…not as perfect. He viewed me as weak—like my mother, never amounting to anything. A 'disgrace' is what he called me. Then I would run to my mother and cry, which would only further confirm my weakness to my father."
It still hurt too think about her.
"She was amazing. Warm. Loving. Companionate. Beautiful." Sasuke added wistfully. "Mikoto was the perfect mother and wife, my father didn't deserve her. As I got older, I leaned to hold in my emotions like Itachi, ace every test, and be the best at every sport. Whenever I did something to displease him, he would beat me or scold me. Anytime my mask slipped, I would be punished for it. But at least I had my mother to care for me afterwards."
"Lucky you," Gaara droned. "All I had was my father's wrath. Even my two older sibling were told to stay away from me. But only I was 'chosen' and conditioned to follow in the bastards footsteps."
That was news. "You have siblings?"
He gave a small nod, intense eyes never leaving his own. Their faces gave nothing away, but the tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife.
"Yes. Temari and Kankuro. The two who entered this room after I called for them. They weren't broken enough for my father to mold. So when he bared another child, he made sure I was trained at a young age. But I didn't figure that out until much later of course."
Gaara glanced at the only door in the room. The door his brother and sister entered and exited just moments ago.
"They still fear me, can barely look me in the eyes. Yet they follow me around like I'm their obligation. I'm guessing it's because they feel guilty for leaving me in hands of that abusive fuck, but they've never said as much." Gaara's lips twitched, his eyes intense. "Fucked up, isn't it? The only family I have left looks at me like I'm a monster."
Yeah, that would be fucked up. Now he feels like shit for not appreciating everything Itachi has done for him. Even long dead, their father's managed to corrupt his relationship with his older brother. Whenever he sees Itachi, Sasuke's reminded of his old man. He is just as cunning and ruthless—like any good Uchiha should be. But, unlike his cruel father, Itachi has always had of a soft spot for Sasuke, always looking out for him—even if he was an asshole about it most of the time. Sasuke's never felt truly alone because of him, unlike Gaara's grim situation.
"Yes," Sasuke admitted, "but that didn't make me kill my father."
"No," Gaara leered, sliding up even closer. At this distance, Sasuke could see the rapid tempo of Gaara's heartbeat pumping through his veins. It was uncomfortably intimate. "Someone else beat you to the punch. I would say that makes you lucky, but I would be lying. I enjoyed killing that piece-of-shit asshole, and I would do it all over again if given the opportunity. It would upset me if someone else got the opportunity to end his life before I could."
Fuck, that was some heady shit. Out of morbid curiosity, he had to ask. "How'd you do it?"
By the look of his face it was obvious Gaara saw that he was becoming affected. How it was affecting him, Sasuke wasn't sure.
"By accident actually…well, at least it started that way." Pausing, Gaara's eye's glazed over, looking lost in a memory. "On my eleventh birthday, I overheard Tamari talking to Kankuro about how my dad started abusing mom after I was born, beating her and keeping her locked up in the master bedroom. Sound familiar? When I confronted my sister and asked if it was true she answered yes. I didn't believe her at first, but then I asked our butler of twenty years if such a thing were possible. His shifty eyes were enough of an answer for me. I was enraged. It shouldn't have been surprising but it was. While I didn't have many memories of my mother, she was always kind to me and saw me as her little boy till the day she died."
Gaara sighed, for the first time, he actually looked tired and maybe even sad. Sasuke stiffened. All that emotion was throwing him off, making Gaara more human and less of a cold-hearted bastard. Just as quick as it appeared, the look was gone. In its place was a cold, hard look of indifference. The green in his irises were dull and grungy, like jade before it's been polished and shined. That's more like it.
Gaara continued, his voice hard and raspy. "When my father got home later that night, I confronted him in his office. His short temper was to be expected and he lashed out at me for accusing him of such horrible things. But it was oblivious he'd did them. I put up a fight, but it was useless. I was only a small boy, a malnourished one at that." A pale hand inched up Sasuke's broad chest, past his collar bone, caressing the exposed skin around his collar lightly. Sasuke's heart thundered in his chest, but his face expressed nothing as Gaara continued telling the story. "His much larger body easily overpowered mine, and when got his meaty hands around my neck, I thought it was all over."
The wandering hand latched around Sasuke's neck, squeezing firmly but not enough to take his breath. His pupils dilated and nostrils flared. Gaara's hoarse voice turned thick and grating like gravel.
"My vision was going dark but I didn't care. I didn't care at all if I died or not, only that I would regret not taking him with. By some miracle, he tripped over the phone case that he threw at me earlier. He went down and released his hold on me in the process. When he was lying flat on the ground, dizzy with confusion, I grabbed the first pointed object I could find—a letter opened. Then I stabbed him with it. You should have seen his eyes. The surprise and anger in them. It was thrilling. And then I stabbed him again."
He barked out an ugly, humorless laugh, his smile cruel and menacing. Then suddenly released his hold around Sasuke's neck and took a step back.
Sasuke released a breath that he hadn't known he was holding.
"He actually told me that he was surprised that I had the balls to do it. That was the fucker's last words. I stabbed him again and again…kept stabbing him until there was no more ugly words coming from his ugly mouth. Stabbed him until his heart stopped beating and my hands and clothes were covered in his blood. Blood was everywhere. It looked good on him. So much red on this ghostly graying skin. It was warm and smelled like metal. So much blood that you could even taste it in the air." Gaara's eyes were hooded and he licked his chapped lips, as if savoring the taste of iron on his tongue from so many years ago.
"Oh…Fuck." Sasuke croaked out, his voice was just as hoarse and abrasive. His skin felt like it was on fire, he could still feel Gaara's hand wrapped around his neck even though it was no longer there. "T-then what happened?"
Gaara gave Sasuke a long assessing look, his voice cleared back to the default throaty rumble that was unique to him. "Something similar to what happened with you shortly after your parents were murdered. I was obviously too young to be charged and sentenced the death penalty for murdering a diplomat, so they held me in a juvenile detention facility until they found out about the years of abuse. They eventually came to the conclusion that it was done in self-defense. Afterwards, I was placed in a mental institute. There was no possibility of getting me a home so that is where I stayed."
Gaara cracked his neck and leaned against the wall, tucking his hands in the front pockets of his black cargo pants. Sasuke shifted to a more comfortable position too with his hip pressed lightly against the keyboard, arms crossed over his chest.
"Now that I have answered your question, I have one for you. I know you have been in a mental institute—for quite a lengthy time too, it seems. But I do not know what for. Why were you placed in one for over a year? Only truly fucked up people get locked up that long."
Sasuke smirked. "Aim straight for the jugular why don't you."
Gaara returned his cocky expression with one of his own. It looked odd on his frozen emo-face. "If I'm going to share my big bad secrets with you, I sure as fuck expect the same in return. What did you think I was going to ask, your birthday?"
Smartass. "No. I just thought…I don't know what I thought. Just not that." It really wasn't that hard of a question. It just threw him off a bit. This were getting far too intimate for his liking. None the less, Sasuke answered honestly. "Pyromania. That's why I was placed in a high-risk psych ward…if you could call it that. It was more of a prison cell for the crazies."
Just remembering the sounds of screaming and people talking to themselves as he tried to sleep at night sent a shiver down his spine. It was not a pleasant experiance.
"They are." Gaara agreed.
Chewing on his bottom lip, Sasuke continued. "I always had a thing for fire. And when I was twelve, I stole a lighter from a gas station and lit up an old abandoned building just for kicks. It was stupid, I know. The fire expanded at a much faster rate than I anticipated. The building went up in flames before the fire department was notified." Not his proudest moment. "The flames grew enormous and leached out, spreading across the overgrown lawn and into the neighboring apartment complex. The side facing the burning house was decimated. Thankfully, every person and pet residing in the building managed to evacuate in time, but I was caught and arrested afterward."
Sasuke took a deep breath, it was hard to believe he was telling all these things to his rival. They've never even been completely alone together. And now, here they were, talking about their past like fucking best buds. Fuck. He did not see that coming.
Lifting a hairless brow, Gaara urged him to continue on.
"Being so young my records were sealed after spending nine months in juvie. Then I was sent to the psych ward after being evaluated from a psychiatrist. The lack of emotions I displayed concerned the therapist at the hospital, and they ended up believing I was a sociopath who was incapable of feeling anything. But in reality, I was just doing what my deceased father told me to do—never show your feelings." Fucking Fugaku. "It was a weakness, he always said. And I was stupid enough to think I would get out of there sooner if I was a good boy by doing everything my father drilled into my head my whole damn life."
It wasn't just him. All Uchiha men were raised to be cold, intelligent, superior bastards born from a strong pedigree lineage and with no morals.
"But I was wrong. That's not at all what they wanted from me. So they put me on medications—some heavy shit until I was a drugged up zombie. It screwed with my head, made me see things, gave me horrible nightmares. I became angry and violent, and eventually depressed. The drugs I was on were not intended for people to take without having a specific depressive disorder. A disorder which I did not have."
God, he was glad he was out of that place.
"When I started cutting, Itachi managed to transferred me to a private facility where the staff actually diagnosed me properly and weened me off that shit. It didn't take me long to get back to 'normal' after that." Normal for him that was. "Shortly after, I was released into Kakashi's custody as long as I continued seeing a psychiatrist once a week and a therapist once a month for my pyromania and behavioral issues."
It was hard to believe how much his father put a number on him and Itachi. Still to this day they were affected by that bastard, and not just their relationship together.
"Sounds allot like my story." Green stared at him like he was an interesting subject.
Sasuke's chiseled features remained aloof but his words turned harsh. He didn't like being compared to Gaara in any way. "Don't ever think that we are anything alike. While I understand the murder was justified, it does nothing to convince me that you're safe to be around Naruto. I still don't like you nor do I trust you with him. Convince me not break things up between the two of you. You know that I can and will."
"The tiger has claws." Gaara smirked, but his eyes' narrowed. "I'm not scared of you, Uchiha. And I don't take kindly to threats."
"I don't take kindly to dangerous men with homicidal tendencies around my Naruto." Sasuke glared right back, the possessiveness in his tone was unmistakable.
"He is not yours. He is mine." He said possessively back.
"Maybe not for long." Sasuke replied, his tone a threat.
Gaara did not seem pleased with that. He bounced off the wall and walked over to Sasuke. "And what's that supposed to mean?"
Sasuke stood to his full height, towering over the smaller man. His chest looking even more broad and intimidating with his arms crossed over it.
"Nothing…just that you might lose him. It only takes one slip-up. And with your track record, it seems highly probable. One mistake and he's all mine."
Shit. Why'd he have to go and say that? Like that won't make him suspicious.
Gaara eyed him skeptically. "That doesn't sound very brotherly of you."
"Think whatever you want, it's not like I give a damn what you think of me either way. I've known Naruto a lot longer than you, and trust me, he will never leave me." Sasuke said convincingly.
Gaara glared harshly. If looks could kill, he would be six feet under.
"I can't…I can't lose him." That's the first time he's ever heard Gaara sound defeated. It didn't match him. "He's the only one who doesn't look at me like I'm some kind of monster since the death of my mother. The first day we met, he just gave me this ridiculously huge smile and talked to me like I was his friend or something. He wasn't even bothered when I never answered his annoying questions back. He just…followed me. Chatted non-stop about the school and town, sounding allot like a chipmunk in my head. He didn't know who I was or care, he wasn't even aware I was the lead singer of a popular band. I was confused at first, I have never ran into someone like that before. No one dares to talk to me like that."
That sounds about right. Naruto was never one to judge. And the boy had no fear when it came to scary people. Instead he seemed to be drawn to it, like it was a personal mission to fix every broken mind. His innocent, sunny disposition was like a beacon to every lost, tortured soul that wandered near. Sasuke's included. Unfortunately that's one of reasons he attracts so much trouble wherever he goes.
Gaara shifted like he was uncomfortable. Maybe he was. Sasuke sure was. This was a lot of sharing for two people who hated each other. Two people who were not used to sharing their feelings period. It was like confessing a lifetimes worth of sin to a Catholic preacher for the very first time. And Sasuke and Gaara were no saints.
"My entire life people either feared or despised me—especially after killing my father. In the mental institute, the nurses wouldn't look me in the eyes. They would just wheel in a tray with food and meds and then run out like I carried the Ebola virus. The psychiatrist refused see me after a few sessions because she said she needed therapy after seeing me."
What Gaara didn't seem to understand was why everyone avoided him. It wasn't just because of who he was, it was that deadly aura that seemed to shroud him at all times. Just standing near the guy felt like being stuck in a pit with a seriously pissed off cobra. Yeah, that's how intense his presence was. Lucky for Sasuke, he wasn't afraid of snakes.
"So, I kept to myself. Read textbooks. Drew on a small art pad I stole from another inmate. But mostly I wrote allot in a journal." Gaara took a seat on the piano bench while Sasuke stayed put. "Then one day the hospital had no extra beds and issued a creepy new kid to bunk in my room. I've never had to share a room before, even though all rooms had two beds and enough space. The guy had no sense of personal space. He was—is—even worse at understanding others than I am. He had to use a damn book to learn what each facial expression meant."
Arching a brow, Sasuke wondered how anyone could be that fucked up. Gaara nodded once as if reading his thoughts.
"One day I found him snooping around my stuff, reading my journals. I nearly ripped his fucking throat out, but still he didn't seem to understand what he did wrong. I was furious. After calming down, he told me what I wrote would make great lyrics and asked if I could sing. His name is Sai—that guy you beat the shit out of." Sasuke's eyes darkened at just the thought of him. "I know, he tends to get that reaction allot."
Where was this was going? It didn't have anything to do with Naruto. "You are getting off topic."
Gaara looked irritated at being interrupted, his voice came out clipped. "I'm not. You wanted to know if Naruto is safe around me. I'm only going to tell this story once. I don't have to patients to spill my life's secrets again—especially with you. And when I'm done, you are going to leave me the fuck alone."
"Is that a threat?"
"It's a promise."
Sasuke chuckled. The fiery attitude reminded him of Naruto. "Go on."
A warning growl rumbled up Gaara's throat before he continued. "As I was saying, Sai had a friend in the music business—Neji Hyuga. The other guy you smashed." Sasuke looked smug at that. "Long story short, that's how the band was formed. A sponsor liked what I wrote so much he managed to pull some strings and get us out of there. Much like you, I had to undergo a strict schedule with a court appointed therapist and psychologist—five days a week for one year. Even with that much help, Sai and I were never 'fixed'."
Gaara looked down at his hands angrily, as if it were his fault he wasn't better. Sasuke grit his teeth. It wasn't their fault they were born with a shit dads who fucked them up royally.
"Temari and Kankuro watched over me from the sidelines, making sure I went to all the appointments while managing my newfound music career. But it wasn't enough. Even with a good start, everyone in the town still viewed me as a murderer from the papers. They hated me. After a while I decided to move here so no one would know about my past. But it still wasn't much better. People may love my voice and what I write, but they still fear me—misunderstand me. Until I met Naruto, that is."
Gaara gave a fond smile, surprising Sasuke.
"Here I thought he was just an obnoxious blond idiot who didn't know any better. Then I started noticing some people gave him similar looks to the ones they give me. That was surprising coming from someone so nice and sunny all the time." Gaara's hairless brows scrunched. "More than once, school bullies tried to corner him, but when I was near they'd stay clear. That was enough to allow him follow me around like a lost puppy. But when we were alone, he acted different, more…somber. His cheerful mask would slip when he thought no one else was looking. He trusted me enough to reveal that side of himself."
Sasuke was actually a little jealous when he said that. It was true Naruto rarely showed his real face to anyone other than Sasuke and Iruka. It used to only be him…
Gaara didn't seem to notice his sudden change in mood as he continued the story. "No one has ever been that comfortable around me. That was when things changed and I knew I had to have him. I need him to keep me sane. When I'm with him, I no longer crave the sharp edge of a knife opening up my wrist just to feel something. I don't need drugs to keep me animated enough to sing in front of an audience who hates me off-stage. He keeps me grounded. He makes me feels things I've never felt before. Naruto does all of that for me and more. I'm a better person around him…I feel like a person around him. And because of that, you can trust that I'd never harm a hair on his pretty little head." Gaara stood up defiantly in Sasuke's face, as if daring him to steal Naruto away. "Is that convincing enough for you, Uchiha?"
Sasuke pondered it for a moment before answering solemnly. "Not really."
The amount of codependency in that statement was both dangerous and worrisome. Yet honestly he couldn't say that he was any better. Somehow, Naruto managed to be pick his way deep into their frozen hearts. The boy sparked an odd kind of sunlight inside his chest. Those big blue eyes, that adorable fucking smile…Sasuke had been drawn to him since day one. Just like Gaara. That they couldn't live without him were the unspoken words that hung thick in the air like a poisonous cloud.
They were both toxic, but they couldn't let him go.
Sasuke cleared his throat. "You are still a dangerous person and a terrible influence, but…I don't feel like you're an immediate threat—for now. So I'll let you go with a warning; if you ever harm him physically or emotionally I will end you. You won't have time to do it yourself." His voice dipped with venom.
With that said, Sasuke turned to leave the room leaving the redhead behind. "You're secret is safe with me, and I expect the same goes for you." He added over his shoulder before the door shut behind him.
Character Age notes:
Gaara: Current age 17
Age 4: Mother's death/start of abuse
Age 11: Murdered his father
Age 11-14: Mental Institute
Sasuke: Current age 21
Age 10: Parents' death
Age 12-13: Mental Institute
Age 15: Met Naruto
Age 20: Moved in with Naruto
Naruto: Current age 17
Age 1: Parents' death
Age 11: Met Sasuke
Age 14: Adopted by Iruka
A/N: Please remember to leave a review.
Kudos to you if you can guess what's in store for Gaara's future after reading this chapter. Either way, I'm not gonna tell you. ;P