Note from the Author: No wisecracks today. I'm tired.
Lotus Aia: You can beat me up if you like. I'm glad this chapter made you upload a new story, because I like your stories.
Kichou: You know, I wrote down all fifteen of the characters … there are only two boys left: Kankurou and Chouji. And for girls: TenTen and Ino. So he might be going straight.
Kawaii-Aikurushii-Kitsune: I assure you this story has a happy ending for all … I hope. :prays that it has a happy ending for all:
Inukitsy: . . New reviewer! :glomps and gives a cookie:
It really seems unfair …
Sasuke rested his chin on his knees, clasping his hands around his legs, back against the brick wall of the theatre. Naruto sat beside him, cross-legged, head tilted back and eyes on the darkening sky.
The Uchiha boy was praying he wasn't going to put two-and-two together – that he wasn't going to realize that he was at the movies with Gaara.
"So are you enjoying your date?"
Sasuke winced. Then again, one of Naruto's greatest gifts was being able to notice exactly what one didn't want him to. "No," he admitted softly, drawing his legs in closer to his chest. "I think part of the reason I agreed when he asked me out is because he looks a little like you."
Naruto blinked at him, surprised. "Really?"
Sasuke offered as strong a smile as he could muster. "Well, yeah. He has that same messy hair and his eyes are blue." The smile faded away, and sadness filled him. "But he's not you. He doesn't talk like you, doesn't laugh like you, doesn't send that wonderful feeling through me when we accidentally touch. He doesn't find joy in everything, doesn't smile at everyone like the world belongs to him." He found himself edging closer to his ex-boyfriend, wanting to find comfort in him. Laying his head lightly on his shoulder, he whispered, "I miss you."
Naruto flinched slightly, like he'd been waiting so long to hear it that it came as a blow, but snuck an arm around his waist, his cheek gently resting on his hair. "Gaara probably noticed you've been taking a long time." He murmured, enjoying the moment while it lasted, wondering vaguely if it was a dream.
"I don't care." Sasuke answered in the short honest way he was known for. "I don't even like him." The blonde boy chuckled, and the sound vibrated through the Uchiha in his arms, making him feel warm, wanted – like maybe he did matter.
"Sasuke?" Naruto's voice was quiet, like he didn't want to interrupt this. "Sasuke, I love you, and I'm so tired of not being able to say it to you. We can work this out."
He snuggled closer, burying his face in his shirt. "I know we can."
0
Hinata dipped her small bare foot into the water, then carefully pressed it on the wooden planks of the deck, leaving a flawless imprint. Repeating the process, she looked up in Sasuke's direction. "You never told us how your date with Gaara-san went."
A tick appeared momentarily in his eye, and he sank down in the cool clear water. He had barely made it back to the theatre before the film ended, and had excused himself with a stomachache. "We went to a movie." He said shortly, dipping his head back to wet his dark hair.
Hinata and Neji, who was sprawled in a beach chair reading, exchanged a glance.
Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Yes, I saw Naruto."
The small girl perched on the poolside, her feet swirling through the chlorinated liquid. "Did you talk to him?"
"Yes."
Neji sighed, turning a page. "And?"
"We decided," the Uchiha vanished beneath the water to reappear at Hinata's side, "that we're going to try again."
Hinata smiled, excited for them in her quiet way. "I'm glad. You two have been a mess without each other." She paused hesitantly. "Sasuke-kun, I told my mother about you and Itachi."
Two pairs of eyes – white and black – looked at her, startled (Apparently, Neji didn't know about this either).
"She thinks that it would be best for you to come live with us." The young girl smiled nervously. "She already has a room made up for you – the guest bedroom down the hall from mine – and she says you can decorate however you want, and she promises not to act like she's your mother."
He sighed. He'd been wondering how long it would take her to propose this. "I don't know, Hinata. I haven't lived with a family in a really long time."
"It might be a good idea to get out of the apartment." Neji commented thoughtfully. "We never know when Itachi decides to come back. It could be tomorrow for all we know. And it'll be easier for Hinata-sama to help you if you're close by."
"Please, Sasuke-kun?" she clasped her hands, voice thick with hope.
He was quiet a moment, fingers tapping on the surface of the water, sending tiny ripples running through it. "I guess there's no real reason not to." He finally offered, wondering if he was going to regret this. "I guess it's worth a try."
"I'm so glad you think so." She shifted to cast an excited glance at Neji.
Just then, her cell phone rang, playing an off-key version of one of Beethoven's sonatas, and Neji's book clapped shut as he reached over to pick it up off the table. "Hello?" Pause. "Yes." Pause. "Swimming." Pause. "With Hinata-sama." Pause. A deadly Hyuuga glare cast at the phone. "I'm sitting next to the pool, moron." Pause. Hinata, seeing the heat rising to his face, prepared herself for an outburst. "What the fuck is wrong with you? Your mind is fucking twisted, and you've got some fucking sick fantasies!" Pause. "Leave Hinata-sama out of your fucked-up threesome ideas!"
The girl in question blushed here and sent a questioning look at Sasuke, who simply shrugged and pushed off the side with his legs, floating on his back.
Meanwhile, an outraged Neji was sitting in silence listening, and the phone took a dive into the center of the pool.
"Neji-nii-san!" his cousin cried in surprise, slipping into the water to rescue it. Coming to the surface, she tried the keys, brow furrowed. "It's broken."
"I'll buy you a new one." The elder Hyuuga mumbled, sulking. "With a different number."
"Who was on the phone that pressed your buttons so much?" Hinata climbed from the pool to embrace him with wet arms.
He sighed, closing his eyes, head against her chest, not particularly caring that she was sharing her soaked status with him. "Who do you think?"
She giggled, stroking his hair. "Naruto-kun?"
"Bastard's fucking sick!" he fumed halfheartedly, more interested now in her fingers massaging his scalp. "I'm going to kick his ass next time I see him."
"Was he calling for Sasuke-kun?"
"Yeah." He murmured contentedly. "Sorry, Sasuke."
"Whatever." Sasuke was sitting on the pool stairs, examining his pink skin and wishing he'd worn sunscreen. "I'll call him when I get home, if he doesn't show up here first."
"He doesn't know we have a pool." Hinata pointed out. "He might think we're already at your house. There's a pool on the roof, isn't there?"
"Oh, yeah." Sasuke all but leapt from the water. "I forgot. He's probably heading there now." He rubbed a towel across his wet hair, static causing it to stick up even more. "I'm going to try to beat him."
"I'll come with you." Hinata offered, reluctantly pulling away from Neji.
"Nah, I'll be fine." The Uchiha declined, pulling his shirt over his head. "What're the chances of Itachi actually coming back after all this time? Besides, Naruto'll be there – that'll probably be enough since he kinda kicked Itachi's ass."
Neji pulled Hinata into his lap and nodded at Sasuke. "Have fun."
He smirked in response and took off from the deck, waving as he went.
The younger Hyuuga smiled suggestively. "Wanna go swimming?"
0
Naruto shoved his hands in his pockets, sighing happily as he strolled down the sidewalk, eyes on the blue sky.
He was glad things were starting to go his way. It seemed so normal for him to be on his way to Sasuke's house, to just be going to see his boyfriend – no problems, no fighting – just loving company.
He was so preoccupied with plans of "I love you" and embraces that he failed to notice the person standing on the sidewalk ahead of him, waiting for him to catch up. "Hi, Naruto."
He blinked, coming back down to earth. "Gaara. Hi." His face flushed slightly pink. He'd ruined Gaara's date and, while he was happy Sasuke wasn't dating him, he felt more than a little guilty that he'd been the reason why.
"Don't worry about it, Naruto." Gaara said in his monotonous way, as if reading his mind. "I think I knew all along that, even if Sasuke had agreed to exclusively date me, it wouldn't last long." He averted his eyes. "He's always going to love you, and I've been aware of that for as long as I've known you both."
"I'm sorry, Gaara," Naruto offered, not knowing what else to say. "There has to be someone out there that's better suited for you." He grinned suddenly. "Who knows? Maybe you'll be the Sasuke of somebody else."
Gaara looked up at him, eyebrow quirked questioningly.
"You're really quiet, you know. So's Sasuke. So you should find someone loud, because awkward silences aren't fun – especially if it's happening because the two people involved just don't talk anyway."
A smile almost found Gaara's lips. "I think I know what you mean."
The blonde recognized the expression. "Got someone in mind?"
"Maybe."
0
Sasuke stepped into his apartment, sighing, and stepped out of his shoes. Shuffling wearily into his room, he searched for a pair of pants in his closet to replace his swim trunks. He turned around and bumped into someone. Glaring up at the man, he suddenly wished he hadn't jinxed himself by telling Hinata his brother wasn't coming back.
0
Naruto dug into his pocket, smiling at the Teme splayed across the caller ID before answering it. "Since when do you call me, Sasuke?"
"Since now, dobe." The response lacked emotion in a complete Uchiha-esque fashion. "I'm just calling to tell you not to come over."
The blonde's hopes crumbled. "Why not?"
"I'm not feeling too well."
"Well," he hesitated, scratching the back of his head, "alright. I'll see you tomorrow then?"
"Sure." A pause, then softly, "I love you, dobe."