Hey! God, shouldn't there be an end sometime soon?
Chap 40!
The promised buffet is under the review button!
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Whore Street
"Quit following me, damnit!"
"No! Dobe, I want to talk to you!"
Naruto stopped. He was headed for the bus stop beyond Whore Street in order to go to Slum, and Sasuke had followed him from the Konoha. They stood close to the parking lot, the snow packed hard beneath their feet and cars inching past through the slush. "What do you want to talk about?"
Sasuke had taken to wearing his long black coat against the cold. He smoked his cigarette for a while, quiet, as the snow settled onto his hair. Then he murmured, so softly that Naruto had to strain his ears to hear it, "I'm worried about you. About this... thing of yours. With eyeliner-m – with Gaara."
"There's nothing to be worried about, teme." Naruto lifted his chin. "I... I'm happy." He cringed a bit when he heard what he'd just said, but it was true, despite its unbearable sappiness.
"Dobe..." Sasuke sounded desperate. "... he's a fucking murderer, dammit! I saw the thing he cut into you --"
"You saw the 'ai'? When?"
"That time I visited you in the hospital – anyways, I just don't think – oh my motherfucking God."
Naruto simply stepped closer to the taller boy, his hand holding his T-shirt up so that the sa/suna was exposed to the cold. Sasuke bit his lip, his eyes scanning the symbol's curving slashes and short, arcing strokes.
The blonde pulled his T-shirt back down and zipped his jacket up. "I'm happy, Sasuke."
The black-haired boy stared down at the hard layer of snow that obscured the sidewalk. A new silence fell.
"I – shit, dobe, promise me..."
"What?" Naruto prompted.
"Promise me that – Will you go on working?"
Naruto shrugged. "Think so. He doesn't seem to mind. What should I promise you?"
Sasuke paused to grind out his cigarette and light a new one. "Promise me we'll..." his hand sketched nervous circles in the air.
Naruto understood. "Oh. Of course, teme. Why wouldn't we stay friends?"
"...becauseIloveyou..." the mumble was too quiet for Naruto to hear.
"Goddamnit, teme. Get over yourself. Why wouldn't we, then? And this time so I can hear it."
Sasuke grinned suddenly. "Because you're a dobe. Forget about it. It's the snow. Drives me crazy."
Naruto laughed. "Whatever. So, you all right now?"
"I was fine all along. You're the one with the problems."
Naruto laughed again. "I've got somewhere to go, teme. I'll see you at work."
Sasuke watched the blonde walk off, feeling ridiculously relieved. Thank whatever that the younger kid hadn't heard his mumbled confession...
He'd never have lived that one down.
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hehe. so... I looked through my reviews and this is what came out:
first place – chappie 16 with the bloody lemon(9 reviews) You guys are real perverts!
tied for second place – chappie 7 with LeeNeji, chappie 11 with Sasu bashing by Gaara(both 8 reviews)
tied for third place – chappie 26's angsting, chappie 31 Gaara's disappearance(7 reviews)
yupyupyup. Buffet's beneath the review button. You know, I think this going to be a long night.
