Part 20: Mending or breaking
"W-wait! I'd really-" Sasuke started to say as he hurries towards Naruto to take his sketch book back, but on his way stumbles over an empty bucket. Oh crap! Sasuke thinks as he tries to gain his balance, but instead, not seeing Naruto as he is focused on not stepping on the spinning, rolling bucket, falls against Naruto, dragging him to the ground as well.
"N-agh…" Naruto yelps as he falls to the ground along with Sasuke, the book landing behind him, sliding under the table.
"S-sorry.." Sasuke says, as he leans up a bit, hovering over his blond. "Did you hit your head?!" He asks in panic, remembering the last time he made Naruto fall. I don't see any blood…
"I-Im fine. Gheh. Don't worry." Naruto replies as he leans up a bit on his elbows and as he sees the relief on Sasukes face, so close to his, his heart skips a beat and he can feel his face getting hot.
"Good…" Sasuke whispers as he sees the adoring blush on Naruto's face, making him want to close that space between them already. He almost would have, were it not that his rational mind warned him not to. I can't move to fast! Even if he kissed me back, it would go back to how it was before. That was not how a relationship should start… S-should I ask him out? How?
Naruto notices how close they are. Sasuke having one of his legs between Naruto's, his hands on the ground on both sides of him. He seems in thought… God, he's so hot! I really want to… to…
"Ah, eh…" Sasuke says, realizing their position and that some time has passed since they fell, he leans back so Naruto can sit up properly. "You… really should have asked me first…"
"Oh, so it's my fault we fell?" Naruto answers, taking the hand Sasuke offers him to stand up as well. "I didn't know you could be so clumsy, teme." Naruto grins.
"I-I'm not clumsy!" Sasuke replies stubbornly, crossing his arms before his chest. "You just shouldn't touch things that aren't yours."
"Well, I did allow you to look into mine. I thought it would be fine if I could take a look at wat you're capable of." Naruto replies, holding up his hands as a surrendered gesture. "I won't do it again then."
"Good." Sasuke replies, relieved. "I… don't like it when people see the sketches before the real work is done. Takes the surprise away."
"Hn… It is such a shame though. From what I've seen, your sketches alone are, like, super awesome! It's a shame hiding them."
"After the real work is finished." Sasuke replies while walking past Naruto to pick up the sketchbook from underneath the table. "That way it's also easier to prevent others from steeling your ideas."
"But I would never-"
"I know that." Sasuke interrupts Naruto's angry outburst. "But that is why you should ask me first. Those sketches… Take a lot of work. The good ones at least. There are some bad ones I'd rather not show to anyone at all."
"Hmm…" I find that hard to believe. Naruto thinks. Whatever it is that is in that sketchbook must be damn important if it made the stoic and composed Uchiha Sasuke stumble as a clutch like that. And I'm sure as hell gonna find out what it is!
"Say… Naruto?" Sasuke interrupts Naruto's thoughts, having put his sketchbook in his bag. "I know you just got here but… Wanna get something to drink or so …somewhere?" He doesn't dare to look the blond in his eyes, afraid he would find out how hard his heart is racing.
"Huh. Ah… Yeah. Sure." Naruto replies, uncertain about the raven's intentions. Is he asking me out or…? Nah. I'm probably reading too much into this. That's just wishful thinking… "But you're paying teme!"
"Ohhoh. And tell me, dobe, why should I do that?" Sasuke replies while hiding the relief he feels at Naruto not rejecting his offer. Thank god we're acting normal again. Well… That is of course, as normal as two friends would.
"Cause you made me fall. Again." Naruto replies snugly as they step into the elevator and as soon as he sees Sasuke flinch at that he regrets having said that last word. Tactful… Yeah, very tactful of you baka! Damn how could I be so so soooooo stupid! "S-sorry… I should not have said that…"
"Uhn…" Was the only reply Sasuke had at that and the silence that follows while the elevator goes down is aggravating. I knew he would bring that up… Wasn't that the first thought that came to me when I had pulled him down with me? I knew it… I knew it! He still blames me for beating him up like that. And for all the other times I had beaten him up? Does he hate me now for that? Those cuts… Have they turned into scars? Scars that he despises? Does that make him despise me? Sasuke clenches his fist as he keeps looking away from his crush. I'm thinking way to much! I should just focus on mending us. For now anyway…
"Neh", "Hey" They say in unison. Causing both to fall silent again to let the other speak.
"You first." Sasuke offers.
"Ah. I-" At that moment the elevator doors open and they have to get out. "Eh… So, to what place are we going?" Naruto asks, altering what he had intended to say. Now is not the time to talk about what had happened. Maybe that time will never come… So. I guess it is best to focus on the time I get to spend with him instead of reminding both of us of the time we have already spent together.
"Hn. I think I know of a place you'd like." Sasuke replies, already long glad that the awkward silence is over. It's too early to talk about those things. This is not the time nor the place to talk about what had happened.
The place Sasuke had in mind was a couple of streets away. It's a rather small but cozy pastry shop. The place is well known for their cakes and pastry's but also for the smoothies, fruit jelly's and other fruit based delicacies.
"I didn't think you'd be the type to like sweets." Naruto says as he looks around the cozy place. They have a table in the corner near a window. Both have ordered already. Sasuke taking a fruit cocktail and Naruto a smoothie and a chocolate fudge pastry.
"Up till a certain degree I do. I used to come here with Itachi a lot. Especially after our parents died." Sasuke replies, leaning with his head on his hand while staring outside. Itachi had often brought him here, especially after nightmares or when he had missed his parents so bad. This colorful shop, filled with delicious scents was like a candy wonderland that could make all the bad things seem like far away.
The soft smile and the look of reminiscence that lingers on Sasuke's face makes Naruto hold his breath in awe. He's… so beautiful… I want to draw him. Like this. To always keep this picture… He's just perfect.
"You…" Naruto says softly while looking down. "You really don't mind me being here then?" He asks, knowing Sasuke used to fire the hatred at him for the fact that his birth country had taken his parents from him. Sasuke shakes his head.
"I brought you here didn't I?" He says and smiles softly at the blond whose heart skips a beat at that. "Anyway. How are you doing with school and such? Taken that finals are coming up."
"Ah. Ehheh. I still got some things that I need to catch up with." Naruto grins sheepishly while scratching the back of his head. "But, of course, I do intend to graduate this year. I'd say it's about time."
"Of course." Sasuke smiles while Naruto grins before taking another bite of his pastry. "Are you sure you can handle the pressure of Sharingan next to that though? It can be quite hectic at some point, which I know from experience." Not that I'd want you to quit. It's the opposite quite frankly. But he shouldn't put all his efforts into meeting Sharingans expectations when it comes at the cost of his schoolwork and future.
"Geez you sound like my mom, Sasuke. She said the same thing." Naruto replies, smirking at Sasuke's annoyed expression at being compared to his mother. "And I say to you what I said to her; I do know what I'm doing. It's gonna be just fine. School comes first after all. Been a high schooler for way to long already and I promise you, I have no intention of staying there a day longer than is necessary." At that Naruto takes another bite of his pastry.
"I see. And I agree with you. In that I guess we are in the same boat, taken that I to intend to graduate this year and not spend a second longer there than that I need to." Sasuke replies. "So your parents do know you work at Sharingan now?" A question that Sasuke had intended to ask ever since they became co-workers.
"Ah. Yeah they know. Lately they have been acting a lot more like they used to. It's almost creepy." He takes a sip of his smoothie before he continues. "Hm. You won't believe what they pulled of a couple of days ago, when I had just taken this job and not yet told them about it."
"And what's that?" Sasuke asks, noticing the bit of chocolate that his crush still has at the corner of his mouth.
"I got home late, and I had forgotten my phone… But when I got home, they had even called the cops! I mean that does go too far huh?"
"Well… I guess that just shows how much they care about you, right?" Sasuke offers as he tries not to look at his blondes lips.
"Perhaps… It felt more like they didn't trust me anymore… Ever since I told them I was… You know… N-not interested in girls…" Naruto looks away while his cheeks get redder and redder. "And I told them I regretted that I had ever trusted them with that…"
"And ever since they act normal again? It seems your words got through." Sasuke replies while he can't keep his eyes of his blushing and adorable crush. "You've got some chocolate at the corner of your mouth."
"Ah. I do?" Trying to lick the chocolate away Naruto makes the raven across the table feel even more heat as he does so at the wrong corner. When Sasuke mentions it, Naruto tries to lick it from the other corner. It doesn't seem to work though and he wipes the chocolate away with his finger, only to lick the heavenly candy from it.
Oh god… How I want to kiss him… This is so bad… Sasuke thinks as he watches how Naruto puts his finger in his mouth to lick it clean. Damn… I want to… I want to…!
"I eh. I'm gonna go to the toilet. I'll be right back." Sasuke says while quickly looking away from the temptation sitting across the table , that is nearly too hard to resist. He hopes Naruto doesn't notice the wobbly legs he is walking on as he makes his way to the toilets.
"Uhn. Sure." Naruto had answered before wiping his mouth on his sleeve. I'm glad we can talk so casually about all this. It's like we are friends again! Naruto softly smiles to himself while looking outside the window. I'm really starting to hope that we can be together again! He lets his eyes wander across some magazines and takes one, scanning a bit through the pages. That is, until he comes across a certain picture. No… No way… Naruto thinks as he sees Sasuke on it, dancing with a pink haired girl. He looks so cool and concentrated at her… Taken the date this was while we were still- Tears threat to well up in his blue eyes. So this is the one he had to go to as soon as he was done with me huh? H-he really did-! Naruto quickly drinks the rest of his smoothie before standing up. With a trembling hand he takes out his wallet to pay for his share, not noticing that Sasuke is walking back to him.
"Naruto?" Sasuke asks, noticing the hurried state Naruto is in.
"I'm gonna go. I-I have to go." Naruto states while his trembling hand is searching for the last few coins while at all cost he avoids looking the raven in his eyes.
"Naruto, calm down. What's wrong?" Sasuke replies, starting to panic at this sudden, unexpected change in his dobe. At that moment Naruto accidently drops the few coins at which he curses.
"Damn it!" Naruto whispers as he quickly gets to the floor to get the rolling coins.
"Dobe, talk to me." Sasuke says calmly, while on the inside he is anything but that, as he kneels down to pick up some coins to. Did I do something wrong? Was it something I said?
"There is nothing to talk about." Naruto replies brusque as he stands up.
"Come. At least sit down before we cause any more of a scene. I'm sure, whatever it is, it's all a misunderstanding. Or at least something we can fix together. "
"U-uhn…" Naruto replies, noticing the stares from the few other costumers. Unwillingly he sits down at the table again across Sasuke. Though he refuses to look at the one who causes his heart to age so much so often.
"Naruto… Did I say something wrong?" Sasuke asks as he reaches out to take Naruto's hand, but the blond stubbornly pulls his hand out of reach.
"No. It's the opposite quite frankly." Naruto replies while still looking stubbornly away. "Like how you never told me you were into girls." At that Sasuke can only stare open mouthed at his dobe for a short time.
"What on earth are you talking about?" The raven asks confused. Naruto's mood darkens at that, as if, not only had Sasuke never spoken the truth and used him but was making a fool out of him now to.
"Geez, Sasuke. Why won't you tell me?" Naruto shoves the magazine, the undeniable proof of Sasuke having had eyes for another while they were sort of together, under Sasuke's nose.
"Ah." Sasuke replies, having a pained expression on his face when he recognizes the picture, the girl. Naruto sees his reaction as conformation of being found out by him after all. "Naruto, I can-"
"Explain?" Naruto interrupts. "That's what every cheating guy says. I don't want to hear it." Naruto intends to stand up and just walk away at that, but this time it's Sasuke who interrupts him.
"It's not fair to just walk away when you base your accusations on assumptions without even being prepared to hear the full story. If you walk away now you act no different than your parents when they didn't want to listen to you." At that Naruto stands still, stubbornly looking at the ground for a minute as he wavers what to do, before he sits down again.
"Fine… Talk." Sasuke sighs deeply before replying.
"You remember that I had this job that I really hated? Well, Itachi had asked me to play a part in this collaboration project between Sharingan and the Yellow Flash company. I swear, I will never take any assignment offered to me again without knowing the full content of it. I knew I would act as a model of some sort. I didn't know that, to make it realistic, I had to learn how to dance and I most definitely didn't know it would be with her…" The last word is spoken as if it is the most foul and disgusting thing in the world. It lightens Naruto's heart to see that Sasuke doesn't think highly of her, least of all that he could be interested in her.
"What's so bad about her that you'd make that face?" Naruto dares to ask.
"Ohhoh, you have no idea. I'm so glad that assignment is over and that I never have to see her again." Sasuke replies, the fear in his heart being replaced by relief because his crush is speaking normally to him again. "Only hearing her shriek my name made me feel like turning around and getting as fast and far away from her as I could. With every time I saw her, her clothes became more and more slutty. It didn't matter how much I pushed her away she kept hitting on me, you know? Truly it was a horror to have to touch her, a torment to have to see her every week… Uhrg, I swear it's a miracle I survived and didn't lose my mind…" Sasuke complains while massaging his temples.
"Ghehe. You can be quite the drama queen you know, Sasuke." Naruto chuckles.
"Ghn. I don't want to hear that from you." Sasuke replies while folding his arms before his chest and Naruto sheepishly smiles at that.
"But damn… I really hope my parents won't see this picture though!" Naruto suddenly realizes on which Sasuke raises a brow. "My parents work for the Yellow Flash company. If they find out you work for Sharingan, they will sure make me quit this job!"
"You didn't tell me your parents work for the Yellow Flash company." Sasuke points out, trying to hide the panic that he feels now to. "I'll make sure to stay away from that company for a while. And you better stay clear of my brother…" The second sentence was spoken a little softer.
"Why's that?" Naruto asks with one brow lifted, making him look just utterly adorable. Sasuke sighs before he answers.
"Some time ago I told Itachi everything… About us that is…" Sasuke keeps staring at the table as he continues. "He says you are a risk to me to fall back to former behavior, y-you know… The sadistic part…" The last words are spoken in hardly more than a whisper.
"Ah… I see… Well… I guess I'll do my best. We'll have to have each other's back in this then." Naruto nervously chuckles.
"I guess so." Sasuke replies before taking the last bit of his fruit cocktail. "Though you won't be having any trouble with it next week…"
"Why? You got an invisibility cloak for me or something?" Naruto jokingly says at which the raven across from him smirks, though it's only for a short moment.
"No. My brother has to go on a business trip for a week… To Japan…"
"Sasuke…" Naruto softly says, his eyes widening as he is shocked to hear this. "A-are you going be alright?" He lays his hand on Sasuke's and caresses it shortly which Sasuke allows for a short time before pulling his hand away.
"I'll have to be." He sighs. "It's like my brother said; I must not become the prisoner of my own fear… I mean, it could happen anywhere to anyone. For all I know I can walk out this shop and get over run by a bus. It's not like he is going to a warzone or anything… And it's only for a week." Sasuke looks at Naruto and the small smile he sends to the blond, along with his next line, makes Naruto's heart melt. "I'm sure I can survive that, right?"
"Yeahhh…" Naruto says, still being in a daze, and Sasuke chuckles at this. "Ah, I-I ah… Y-you know that if you want to talk… I-I'm here for you… You know…" Naruto says, feeling his face getting only hotter and hotter at which Sasuke can't do anything but chuckle as he feels the butterflies in his belly go crazy.
"I know. That's what friends are for, right?" Sasuke dares to reply and he feels an incredible cozy, warmness inside of him when he sees how his blond brightens up and those blue eyes sparkle at hearing the confirmation of what they are to each other.
To be continued...
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Thanks for waiting for this chapter guys! :3 This research rapport I've got to write for my studies has me typing all day already, so forgive me for not updating as frequently as we all wish I would.