Author: frostiemint
Pairings (major): SasuNaru.
Warning: A/U. Yaoi, Shounen-ai.
Disclaimer: Sadly, not mine.
I Didn't Mean To Hurt You
Naruto came back to shuddering reality. The humiliation he had suffered at Uchiha Sasuke's hands that night was something he had never forgotten. It had been the first time in his life that someone had treated him with such contempt, and although the Uchiha may have forgotten his existence these last six years, the blond certainly hadn't forgotten about him, not even for a day.
The news of the youngest Uchiha being gay had hit the newspapers a couple of days after the incident. Unfortunately, someone had seen Naruto and Sasuke kissing before the lift door closed. The Uchiha didn't give comments on that subject and slowly, the news died down. Well, Naruto wasn't worried about that! His main worry now was whether or not Uchiha Sasuke would recognise Uzumaki Naruto, successful punk rock musician, as Kitsune, the oblivious naïve blond that he had once paid for going to bed with him? God, that must have been a novel experience for the pale male, he had probably never paid anyone, guy or girl, for sex in his life before! He never had the need to.
But Naruto was still worrying about whether he would recognise him as he waited for Uchiha Sasuke to arrive at the meeting place. Kiba said that they were to meet at Ichiraku (His manager had called him yesterday night to tell). If he didn't remember him, he could carry out this meeting with some degree of dignity, but…if he should remember him! The consequences of that didn't bear thinking about, and he tried not to.
"Excuse me, you must be Uzumaki Naruto", an all-too-familiar voice broke Naruto's chain of thoughts. Jumping slightly, Naruto turned his head towards the owner of the voice. The Uchiha looked stunning in dark denims and a dark blue shirt. He didn't change these past few years, at least not as much as Naruto. The blond, while still shorter, had grown a few inches and shed his baby fat, making him look well-built. Sensing that he had been staring at the pale male again, Naruto quickly nodded.
"Yes. You must be Uchiha Sasuke", even the sound of his name made Naruto shiver. Naruto felt a familiar leap of senses similar to the one he felt that particular night. But he remained outwardly cool and uninterested, the little maturity he had showing him how best to handle this meeting. Nodding, Sasuke sat beside Naruto. For awhile, they sat in silence…well almost. Naruto's loud slurping and Sasuke's quietness somehow made it seem extra noisy.
"Do you have any idea on what sort of performance you want?" Naruto asked after a few minutes.
Sasuke drank a bit of his green tea before replying, "I know exactly what sort of performance I want, Uzumaki-san", he told the blond smoothly, "It would have to last for, let's say, an hour or two".
"Oh", he nodded understanding, giving no indication that Sasuke's seductive voice meant anything to him. Nope, his interest was wholly professional as he listened to the Uchiha's explanation of the performance.
"We have precisely a week before my birthday", Sasuke finally concluded, "I'll help you all the way…Uzumaki-san".
"Of course", Naruto acknowledged dryly. "I'll do my best".
"And I'm sure that will be good enough", the Uchiha returned huskily, his eyes darkly caressing. Naruto tried hard not to whimper under the his gaze or realise that Sasuke was invading his personal space.
"When will you like to pick the songs?" the blue-eyed blond asked.
"Well, when would you like to pick them, Uzumaki-san?" Sasuke murmured in Naruto's ear.
Naruto shook his head, all the time aware that narrowed charcoal eyes never left his face. But they contained no grain of recognition of the past, Naruto was sure of that. Sasuke only saw him as the sexy tanned punk he was now. "I'm afraid that's not the way I work Uchiha-san", he explained politely, "The client always chooses".
"Fine", the pale teen bit out, moving away from the blond. "Saturday then. Will you give the list of songs to me? And a recording of them?"
"Oh, yeah. I brought them with me. It's here somewhere", Naruto said, checking his bag. Sasuke watched with high interest as the blond's tongue peeked out from behind his pouty pink lips while searching for the song list and recordings. "Ah! Here you go Uchiha-san", Naruto said excitedly, completely forgetting who the client was.
Sasuke reached for the items and his fingers gently touched Naruto's and lingered before he pulled them back. Naruto felt his mouth go dry. 'What the hell does this bastard think he's doing!'
"Saturday afternoon? About 2 o'clock?" the blond inquired coolly, trying hard not to think about the touch and the shivers that came with it.
Sasuke nodded, "I believe Inuzuka-san has told you the details of your fee?" he raised dark, perfectly arched brows in challenge, as if he already knew of the blond's refusal to accept the amount he offered.
"It's too much", the blond met his challenge. "You will get the bill for the usual amount once my performance is finished. If it is a success".
The onyx eyes rekindled with interest, "I'm sure it will be".
"Only time will tell". Naruto had a feeling that this Birthday Bash would bring more trouble and more unwanted memories. He hoped to God that there would be no such events. "I-", he broke off as his cell phone began to ring his ringtone. Haruka Kanata. 'If it's Kiba, I'm going to break his neck! Where is he anyways?'
"Excuse me", the blond gave a bright meaningless smile in Sasuke's direction before answering the call.
"Naruto?"
Naruto instantly recognised his father figure's voice and some of the tension left him.
"How did the holiday go?" he asked warmly, listening as Iruka-sensei went on to tell him briefly about his holiday.
"Naruto, I have something to tell you. It's a surprise. Dinner tonight?" Iruka said, the excitement was obvious in his soft voice.
"Dinner?" Naruto repeated the sensei's suggestion, "Love to!"
He rang off a few minutes later, turning to find dark narrowed eyes leveled on him, displeasure etched onto the pale features. "Sorry about that", he felt compelled to make the apology, "Erm, where were we?"
"I believe we had just concluded the meeting Uzumaki-san. I would like you to come to my house this Saturday afternoon to see the environment where you will be performing", Sasuke rasped harshly, standing up.
Uchiha Sasuke left so abruptly that Naruto was left with a sense of anti-climax, although he had to admit to a certain amount of relief too. The meeting had been as much of a strain as the blond thought it would be, at least he had been spared the humiliation of recognition. Sasuke had seen him only as Uzumaki Naruto, although there could be no doubt that he found him attractive in that capacity. The guy was gay for heaven's sake…and so was he…
When his cell phone rang half an hour later, he felt sure that this time it was Kiba. It wasn't.
"Naruto, would you like to have dinner with me this evening?" there was no need for Uchiha Sasuke to identify himself as Naruto recognised his voice immediately. He was also taken aback by the sudden use of his first name.
"I'm sorry Uchiha-san, I already promised someone else", the blond refused bluntly. A phone call from the Uchiha so soon after their parting was the last thing he had been expecting.
"So I heard", the person on the other line drawled, "I want you to break it".
Now Naruto knew the reason for the Uchiha's abruptness before he left. He had thought that the taller man had been annoyed that he had taken the phone call whilst in his presence; instead he had been eager to ask him out! The arrogance of the man. "I'm afraid I can't do that. You see I haven't met him-".
"Him? So you're going on a date?" Sasuke cut him off, anger flaring in his voice.
"Not everyone is a homosexual like you Uchiha-san", Naruto remarked, proud that he managed to smoothly back fire the Uchiha's words.
For a moment there was an angry silence on the other end of the phone. "Tomorrow?" he finally rasped.
"I'm afraid not"
"You're seeing the same guy again then?"
"Maybe", the blond evaded.
"In other words you don't wish to go out with me?" he asked dryly.
"That's right", Naruto acknowledged.
Sasuke gave a chuckle at his honesty, "But you forget, Naruto, I always get what I want. And I wanted you the moment I set eyes on you".
Naruto flinched, thankful that the taller man wasn't there to witness it. 'He's being damn straight to the point here!' he thought.
"I really don't have any desire to go out with you now or in the future Uchiha-san!" Naruto snapped.
"I can be very persistent when I want something", Sasuke warned.
"And I can be just as determined myself. Goodbye, Uchiha-san", he rang off before the other man could say any more and sat down abruptly. He, Naruto, was at home and was about to take a nice, long, jelly bath when the youngest Uchiha called. He hadn't changed at all, was still the arrogant bastard who had once paid him to go to bed with him.
The blue-eyed blond moved dazedly into his bedroom, going straight to the deep ruby music box that stood on his dressing table and lifted the lid with shaking fingers. The hundred yen notes inside instantly unfolded as the sweet enigmatic Fur Elise lullaby played through the small room. The notes were as crisp as the day he had received them. Naruto had no need to count them; he already knew exactly how much money there was.
After Sasuke had gone to into the bathroom that night he had dressed in a state of confusion before leaving, not realizing until he had reached home and the sanctuary of his bedroom that he had stuffed the twenty thousand yen notes, which Sasuke had so contemptuously tossed, in his pocket. At first he had wanted to take it straight back to its owner, but the thought of facing his pale, mocking derision for a second time that night hadn't appealed to him at all in his still shocked state. Naruto decided to post it back to him. But, by morning he had changed his mind about that, deciding to keep the money as a reminder of the guy who had paid him twenty thousand yen for his virginity. His only virginity. And Naruto had never forgotten Sasuke, hated him now as he had hated him then.
frostie: Yay! Third chapter is up! Thank you for all that reviewed. I hope you guys will review again and again! Poor Naru-chan…I hope this would be a happy ending…