Happy Monday my Darlings,
Look, if I'm being honest, it's not that I didn't update yesterday because the chapter wasn't ready...because it was (sorry!) but mostly because I was so engaged in the scene I was writing I couldn't tear myself away to edit this chapter...But the good news is...the scene came out great and I can't wait for you to read it...
I hope this update will help lift your spirits today (because God knows I'm in need of another cup of coffee already) and can't wait for my next weekend lol.
Thank you for all of the kudos, bookmarks, and comments! I cannot wait to hear what you got to say on this one ;)
Disclaimer 1: The characters do not belong to me they belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I just happened to be displeased with the canon and decided to take matters into my own hands, lol.
Rating: M (Explicit) explicit Male x Male will be depicted in this story, if that is not your cup of tea please abstain from reading.
After Gateway
Chapter 2: Moving
Akamaru barked from where he was sitting, growing impatient "Yes, walk, I know" Kiba said ignoring Sasuke and walking over to the door taking his leave.
"Good morning" Naruto said from where he was standing
"I don't want him to stay" Naruto closed his eyes as he started serving up plates and arranging coffee and breakfast on the peninsula.
"Sasuke…"
"Do you see the way he looks at you?" Sasuke took a seat, waiting for Naruto to take the seat across from him "Or the way you fall into easy banter with him, because I just did" Naruto fiddled with his cup before he grabbed the coffee pot and poured coffee for Sasuke and himself.
"I—I did notice, but the truth is, this arrangement will be better financially for me and since I'll be mov-" Naruto shut his mouth and eyes as Sasuke looked expectantly at him "you'll be what?" He asked still irritated.
"Ok I'm making a mess of this situation, let me explain" Naruto took a breath as he dropped creamer and sugar on his coffee.
"I'm listening" Sasuke said as he brought a forkful of egg up to his lips.
"Look, I hadn't said anything because I was afraid you would think I was trying to stalk you or something" Sasuke choked lightly on the food and couldn't help but let out a small laugh "Now why would I think that or mind any stalking coming from you" he said bemused.
Naruto blushed at the comment "The practice I work at is moving to San Diego, and I told Tsunade I would relocate for the job…" he said softly gauging Sasuke's reaction.
"You're moving to San Diego?" Sasuke asked, not believing the words that had just come out of Naruto's mouth.
He'd been going insane the last month only seeing Naruto through a screen and by some miracle the blonde was moving right into his city…maybe him and Naruto were meant to meet. What where the chances really?
Naruto grew flustered at Sasuke's incredulous silence "I know that I'm moving for work and not to go after you and even I feel like it's weird that we meet and a month in I'm moving to where you live, it's like a creepy YOU premise, but I swear—"Sasuke couldn't help but lean in and steal the blonde's lips to stop him from blabbering further.
Sasuke couldn't help but smile, same city meant seeing the blonde in person…hopefully all the time. Naruto was afraid he would think he was stalking him? Sasuke was the dangerous one here, he had the unreasonable need to bring Naruto into his penthouse and never let him out again. How's that for a YOU premise.
Sasuke reached out to grab Naruto's hand "I wish I'd been able to help you with that decision" He muttered against Naruto's lips, as he sat back Naruto kept fidgeting with his coffee cup unable to meet Sasuke's eyes.
"You are, I mean, you've been in my mind the whole time, I wanted to tell you over the phone so many times, but it felt like a conversation I wanted to have with you in person" Naruto said softly.
"Naruto" Naruto lifted his eyes to Sasuke's "You can tell me things, I want you to tell me things, to be able to rely on me"
"I know, I do, well I want to" The blonde said at last
"Then do" Sasuke answered, reaching out and squeezing Naruto's hand.
"I hate to bring him back into this conversation, but can you share with me why Kiba staying is of any benefit?"
"I still have 6 more months on this lease…I was thinking about asking Kiba if he wanted to keep the apartment, that way I wouldn't have to worry about breaking the lease, that's also why I let him stay, and what I meant to say earlier is that I'll be so busy helping Tsunade and packing my own stuff, Kiba won't even be an afterthought…"
"I can take care of your lease" Sasuke said nonchalantly
Naruto opened his mouth then closed it, then opened it again "No" he blushed "That's something I have to take care of"
Sasuke rolled his eyes "Fine then move in with me" Once again Naruto's eyes grew wide as saucers as he sputtered "Absolutely not" he moved to pick up the plates from the table not sure how to use the chaotic energy Sasuke had just unleashed "We started dating like a month and a week ago if we count the cruise" Naruto said as he turned to Sasuke.
"So? I kissed you on the first day, we had sex on the second and moved on to relationship status by the fifth, seems to me like we are following a timeline" Naruto opened his mouth feeling the blood completely rush to his face "Just because our relationship has been unconventional up to now doesn't mean we need to encourage it to continue to be"
Sasuke had said it is a joke, but what shocked him more was his disappointment at having Naruto turn him down. He valued his privacy, his alone time, he believed in keeping romantic partners at bay so they wouldn't become too attached or intertwined with his life. He'd valued those things in previous arrangements, but with Naruto he was compelled to do the complete opposite…
"Maybe I can show what you've got to gain by moving in" He murmured with a lopsided grin as he stalked predatorily towards Naruto "No, you can't bribe me with se—" Sasuke's lips were already on Naruto's and he was throwing a giggling blonde over his shoulder "Sasuke!"
Naruto pulled the covers over them as he laid relaxed against Sasuke "Let's just stay in bed all day" Naruto murmured.
"That's pretty much what we've done so far" Sasuke chuckled as he ran his fingers lazily over Naruto's hair and down his arm "Thanks for breakfast…and dessert," Sasuke said the second one smugly "So after that nice workout, have I managed to change your mind?"
"You're relentless" Naruto let out contentedly
"Uchiha's don't take no for an answer" Sasuke said
Naruto looked up and placed a small kiss on the raven's nose "Maybe in business my darling" he said and laid his head back down on Sasuke's chest.
"Could you at least let me be useful" The raven muttered.
"Mmm, I need to look into moving companies since I don't have a car—"
"You don't have a car?" Sasuke asked incredulously and Naruto bit his lip "I ride the bus, or call an uber in a pinch, Kiba has a car, he'd would give me rides too" Saskue's hand stilled only for a moment on Naruto's shoulder.
"I can take care of the movers," he said softly as he resumed his movements.
"Thank you" Naruto said softly, internally thinking that he must be an idiot for turning Sasuke down, because in this instant he wanted to do nothing but keep laying in the man's arms.
Later that day as Sasuke begrudgingly got on his car to drive back, he saw the incoming call through the screen, he smiled softly as he picked up "Yes?"
"Want company while you drive back?" Naruto's voice rang from the speakers.
"Naruto it's been a month, the movers are going to need to know where they are taking your stuff you know" Sasuke's voice rang through the phone as Naruto took the phone over with him to the restroom and set Sasuke down by the sink as he put some toothpaste on his toothbrush.
"I know that" Naruto muttered before sticking the toothbrush in his mouth "Im -l'king," he said, and Sasuke raised an eyebrow at him "Come again?"
He spit out and looked back up that the raven waving the toothbrush at the screen "I said I'm looking, sir"
"Or we could just stop this nonsense, and you could have them drop your stuff here"
"What nonsense? you're the one being nonsensical" He swished water around his mouth and spit it out as he stepped out of the bathroom and into the bedroom.
"I haven't heard one good reason why not"
"Oh, you want reasons? Let's see there is still probably a lot about each other we don't know, what if we have a fight, we are just supposed to simmer in anger at the same place, and what if all of a sudden, you realize you don't want to be with me anymore, what am I supposed to do then?" Naruto had only meant to think the last one and not say it out loud…so his eyes went downcast as soon as he saw Sasuke's expression.
"Naruto..."
"I didn't mean—"
"Yes, you did" the ravens voice cut through "Can you please look at me?"
Naruto lifted his eyes back to the screen looking that the handsome raven "I'm not the type of individual to wake up and suddenly decide I'm through with someone in a romantic relationship"
"But—"
"If I had wanted to just keep having sex with you, I would have told you so, I would have established our relationship as something other than boyfriends, but when we spoke after the cruise, we said we wanted more from each other, that hasn't changed for me"
Naruto let his body fall on his bed while holding the phone up "It hasn't changed for me either. Look let me just go look at the listings I've set aside...Tsunade and Jiraya are driving up to look that their new home and the remodels on the practice, I can stay at your place, and get a feel for it too" Sasuke perked up at the thought of having the blonde over.
"When are you getting here?" Sasuke asked, he would only push the move in for a bit before he moved over to another subject, he was hoping he'd eventually wear the blonde down. Maybe it was on his head, but he swore he could feel like Naruto wanted to say yes, and something else was holding him back. The little comment earlier shone a light on what exactly. Naruto was afraid Sasuke would grow tired him, just like Kiba had.
"Friday" Naruto said
"And you're staying the whole weekend?" Sasuke smiled mischievously at him, already thinking of all the places he wanted to take the blonde in his penthouse.
Naruto smiled at Sasuke "Yes" he also was very excited to go spend the weekend with the raven, to see his place, to have him take him around the city…Naruto heard the door open and sat up on the bed "Kiba's back" He'd been meaning to talk to the brunette about the lease.
Sasuke rolled his eyes "If he says no, I can take care of it" Naruto rolled his eyes back at the raven "Goodbye, lover" he said into the screen
"Goodbye, sunshine" The raven said as the call ended.
Naruto stood from the bed and walked over to his door poking his head out to see Kiba rummaging about the kitchen.
"Hey" he said as he stepped out.
Kiba looked up from the fridge and over at Naruto "Hey" Naruto leaned against at the peninsula, Kiba's eyes lingered on the little patch of skin that showed when the blondes shirt lifted "Can we talk?" Naruto said
"If it's about your boyfriend being upset because I'm here I'm looking for a new place," he said as he leaned on the counter opposite to Naruto. Sasuke had done nothing but glare daggers at Kiba whenever he stopped by to surprise Naruto.
"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about this apartment, see if you wanted to keep it" Naruto said evenly, trying to see Kiba's reaction.
"Why would you be the one to move out, the lease is under your name, you obviously have the upper hand here"
"Well actually…I'm moving to San Diego; I was hoping I wouldn't have to break the lease—"
Kiba's eyes were angry, his whole-body tense "Is that were he lives? Naruto have you completely lost it? you barely know him"
Naruto instantly got defensive "Well obviously fully knowing a person might not play that big a role, because I thought I knew you"
"Oh, so this conversation is about me now"
"You're judging me, making assumptions too, Tsunade is moving the practice to San Diego you dick"
"But he's there, you're telling me that has nothing to do with your decision?"
Naruto waived his hands in the air "Of course it does, but so does Tsunade and everyone else moving" Kiba rolled his eyes at the blonde and Naruto snapped "I was going to stay because I didn't even want to inconvenience you by asking, I was going to stay here for you"
Kiba opened his mouth as he walked up to Naruto "We could have fixed things" He caged the blonde in against the peninsula, arms on either side of him "I apologized, I told you I'd end it, even allowed you to have your own little affair, you could have come back, but instead I had to sit on the guest room while he fucked you on our bedroom"
"And I had to walk in on you fucking Ino! and you didn't allow me anything, I chose to get involved with Sasuke that was my decision!" Naruto pushed the brunette away
"You know Kiba we've hurt each other enough so why are we having this damn fight" Naruto rubbed his face frustrated "I'm asking you if you want the apartment, your things are already here, it would be the most convenient for you. Do you want it or not? because if we keep having this fight, I'm probably going to opt to pay the stupid fine and kick you out right now"
Kiba opened his mouth then closed it "I'll keep it"
"Fine!" Naruto said as he turned around and walking over to his room
"Fine!" Kiba screamed after him
Naruto slammed the door shut, he threw himself on the bed and screamed into his pillow.
His phone started ringing as he brought the phone up to his ear "Yeah?" he muttered into the phone.
"Did he make any grand gesture or passes at you when you told him you'd be moving?"
Naruto blushed as he sat up on the bed "No"
"Liar" Sasuke said, wishing he could be there to punch Kiba in the face.
"Is this where you tell me you told me so?" Naruto muttered.
"This where I ask if you're ok" Sasuke answered surprising Naruto
"He was offended I was moving, where does he get off being upset at me"
"Are you upset that he's upset at you?" Sasuke asked, jealous that Naruto still felt something for the brunette.
Naruto was quiet for a second "No…I'm upset that he insinuated moving because of you would be crazy…that he didn't even…that I didn't' even…the people at the practice are the closest I have to family…and I wasn't' even willing to ask" Naruto bit his lip "Apparently at some point his comfort started to matter more in our relationship than my own"
"But you're not in that relationship anymore love" Sasuke said into the phone softly "And I want to take care of you" Naruto blushed, Sasuke's tone changed "But you see you refuse to let me, how many more times are you going to make me ask you to move in with me"
It was like a switch turned inside of Naruto as he started laughing "Millions of times" he told the raven.
"I see you doubt my persistence" The raven said into the phone.
Haku walked in through the door holding his I-pad to his chest "You called?" He asked Sasuke who was staring daggers at his computer screen.
"I thought I asked you to arrange everything, so I'd be off early today, and you had" The raven looked up "So where did these new meetings come from?"
Haku shrugged "Last minute emergency meetings" he said "Some of the department reports weren't what they should be, you need to talk to them"
"And it couldn't wait until Monday?"
"People will start noticing you're distracted; you think your absence isn't noticed when you leave for your little escapades," Haku said referring to when Sasuke would dip early to visit his new little love interest.
"Haku, I think you've mistaken my work ethic for a lifestyle, I don't have to always be here, just like everyone else who works here, I'm allowed to have a life outside of work"
"You're the one that said that coming across as more human rather than the boss would make you look vulnerable," Haku said his pleasant tone slipping "I'm just looking out for you, attend the meetings, show them you are every bit as perceptive as you've always been, then go have your fun"
"You're dismissed" Sasuke said and Haku smirked, he hadn't asked him to cancel the meetings.
Sasuke took out his phone and messaged Naruto
Are you on your way?
Jiraya overslept (or that's their excuse) they're on their way to pick me up
Are you able to keep yourself busy with them until 7?
I thought you were going to try and get off early Sasuke could almost see Naruto pouting down at his phone.
I wasn't able to, I'm sorry
It's ok I'm really exited to see their new house as well as the practice
Sasuke smiled softly down at his phone
They're here, I'll let you know what I'm up to, have a good day at work
Have fun, send pictures Sasuke replied.
Naruto locked the door and made his way downstairs and over to the parking curve where Tsunade and Jiraya were waiting.
"C'mon Kid, we gotta get going" Tsunade said from the rolled-out Window
"Don't use that tone with me, I've been ready and waiting for the last hour" His hand hovered over the door for a second
"You alright kid?" Tsunade asked "You can ride in the front if you want"
Naruto shook his head "No it's ok" Naruto said softly as he slipped through the backseat "You can pick the music" Jiraya said as he switched the device connected over to Naruto's.
"You're the best" Naruto smiled as he pulled up Spotify and a couple of minutes into the drive, they were all signing and performing to the music as best they could.
When they pulled up to Tsunade's house he gaped "Tsunade a beach house? Who do you think you are?" Naruto said softly, admiring the house.
Tsunade chuckled "Stable enough" she said as they got up the car and went up the deck that led into the two floor house.
"So big" Naruto muttered as he looked around awed.
"We wanted it to be big enough to house kids that haven't found an apartment" Jiraya said as he walked past Naruto and ruffled his hair.
"I'm apartment hunting tomorrow" He muttered
"You can stay here or take up your secret lover's offer and move in with him, if he kicks you out, we'll take you in," Tusnade said as her eyes ran appreciatively over the living area, she'd engaged in a bidding war to get this house and was pretty proud of herself for winning. She looked back at Naruto with a smug smile to see the blonde's reaction.
"When I told you he'd just thrown 'move in with me' I hadn't expected you to have this reaction" The blonde said. He hadn't told anyone Sasuke's name, if he hadn't googled the man up to now, he refused to have Jiraya or Tsunade do it first.
Jiraya laughed "Naruto you're usually so cautious, end up running boys off before you enter a relationship because you would make them wait an unreasonable amount of time to have sex with them, but this guy got you to throw that out the window, I like him"
Naruto stuck his tongue out at Jiraya like a child and made his way to the second floor to see the rooms.
Once they were done with the house they drove over to the practice and Naruto felt bad for the remodel people because when Tsunade saw the remodels weren't finished, she instantly took out her phone to call them and she'd already been at it for ten minutes
"It should have been ready; we still have to move in all the equipment—no don't give me excuses" Naruto turned and walked away from the hollering blonde woman.
By the time Tsunade was done, a crew of workers had been sent over to start working on the office. And that's why she gets a beach house, Naruto thought to himself.
After dinner, they headed over to the hotel since nothing had actually been moved into the house and Naruto was left alone in the hotel room as Tsunade and Jiraya made their way to the pool. He fiddled with his phone, Sasuke had gotten busy and stopped replying to his texts.
He opened Safari then typed in Sasuke's name, then deleted it, then typed it again. He needed to see it eventually…finally he gave in and hit search his eyes filtered through the many, many results and he sat up in the bed as his eyes started trailing the results
The Rise of the Uchiha Business Empire
As the Uchiha siblings gathered their inheritances and opened their first business they proved to have the magic touch, opening business after business, strictly run by family members that have proven themselves worthy of the title, the Uchiha Business Empire is estimated to have a net worth of 1250 Billion
Naruto's mouth opened, one thousand…billion…He looked at his screen completely stunned as he backtracked and clicked a new article
Sasuke Uchiha Defeats Harvard Business School Graduating Top of His class
Graduating in record time and top of his class Sasuke Uchiha once again has proven to be a worthy heir to the Uchiha Business Empire and has been given a place alongside his brother Itachi Uchiha and one of the newest Uchiha Business Venues.
he clicked back to browse more
Uchiha Empire Ruthless as they Take Down Competitors
Most Eligible Bachelors in the World
Of course, the Uchiha Brothers ever so dark, handsome, and Spicy have made this year's list…
Back click, new article
Sasuke Uchiha Spoken for?
You can hear the cries of millions as Sasuke Uchiha is spotted kissing his beautiful Administrative Assistant…
Naruto looked at the picture, it looked to have been taken at a parking garage and drank in the sight of a very pretty long-haired brunette being pushed against a pillar, Sasuke' s hands on her waist and his lips very much on the brunettes.
Naruto attempted to hold on to his sanity as he went to images and typed in Sasuke Uchiha Administrative Assistant. As the pictures loaded on his screen and he scrolled, he felt panic.
The only picture of them kissing was at the parking garage, but there were so many pictures of them together, perfectly fitted, event, after event.
She was so beautiful…Naruto switched back out to the articles and noticed the latest article talking about the two had come out a little more than two months ago, did that mean Sasuke had been seeing…was Naruto the side piece here?
Naruto shook his head, remembering Sasuke's words
"If you do look me up online, you'll see articles that paint me as a devil and others that paint me as a philanthropist, you'll see pictures of past relationships, and you might read a lot about what others think is best for me, or whether I'm still in love with my ex or not…Please, remember to look past all that and remember me, the guy sitting right next to you right now, not the one you're seeing through the screen…"
Still remembering what Sasuke had told him was doing very little to help with how inadequate he was feeling at the moment and even though he was internally screaming at himself no to do it he typed Sasuke Uchiha previous relationships.
Sasuke Uchiha and Neji Hyuga, Love meant to be?
The article described Neji…yet another handsome brunette and Sasuke as having an on and off relationship throughout University. The writer thinks the reason Sasuke is dating his administrative assistant is the similarity between the two, begging the question, despite Sasuke's portrayal of being over Neji, is he still trying to forget him?
At least when Naruto saw Kiba and Ino, he noticed Ino and him had a lot of similarities, Kiba obviously had a type, but…Naruto looked back over at the pictures of Sasuke' admin assistant and Neji, Naruto didn't look anything like them…
Naruto closed his eyes and let his body fall on the bed, wishing he'd shown some fucking restraint and not googled the man.
I don't know what got me the most, the way Sasuke told Naruto he didn't want Kiba there, or the way he just blurted out 'move in with me' and Kiba's fight with Naruto? uff, I'm having too much fun...
And Naruto reading those articles? The gossip in me was very satisfied coming up with the headlines, but the writer in me was feeling for poor Naruto. Also, zandam if you're still around just want you to know one of your comments helped me come up with the Neji/Haku connection ;)
Anyhow, I can't wait to hear your thoughts my darlings, I've written Sundays as update days on my agenda so there is no going back now, from now on unless something comes up you can expect updates on Sundays :D I shall chastise my inner writer if she refuses to exit the word document to edit lol
Until next time,
Chio~
