SMUTTY WARNING!
Today was a good day. Sasuke hadn't tried to infiltrate the office and everything had gone right. For the first time in months things were finally ahead of schedule. Itachi was never behind on work by any stretch of the imagination, but if deadlines weren't met before their respected dates, Itachi felt like he wasn't working hard enough.
As he was exiting the office he rang Kisame. Tonight would be the first time they'd seen each other in over a week. Even after all this time their relationship still flourished.
"Hey." The gruff man answered affectionately.
"Hey." Itachi said back, a smile was tugging at his lips. "I just left the office and I'm heading over now."
"Shit is it that time already?" The man sounded slightly alarmed, Kisame had clearly lost track of time. "Fuck, I didn't even realise." The sound of rustling papers could be heard.
"Should we reschedule?" Itachi tried to hide the disappointment in his voice. He'd been looking forward to finally spending some time with his blue hued beau.
"No, no. I really want to see you." Kisame admitted. He didn't want to wait another week to see his boyfriend. "I just haven't had a chance to go shopping..."
Itachi sighed, he knew what the man was getting at." What do you need? Or would you prefer coming to my place?"
"No, I want you in my bed. And seeing as I've been eating take out for the last two weeks..." The man trailed off with a nervous laugh.
Itachi grunted as he pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation. "You know, if you would just move in with me that wouldn't be an issue anymore." He was slightly disappointed at his lover's poor eating habits and had been pushing for the two of them to move in together for years.
Kisame chuckled. "And I told you, put a ring on it then we'll talk."
To that Itachi snorted. "You know, that goes both ways. You haven't put a ring on my finger either."
Kisame feigned hurt. "Are you saying I'm not worth it Mr. Uchiha?"
Itachi grinned. "Hn, are you saying I'm not?"
"Wait..." Itachi could practically feel Kisame's mischievous smirk through the phone. "Is this just your way of telling me you want to walk down the aisle in a gown? Oh you'd be such a pretty bride, Itachi." The man cooed, teasing his proud boyfriend.
"At least I wouldn't terrify all the guests. Beside, you brought up a ring first." Itachi spat back at him. He was an Uchiha, the thought of himself parading down the aisle in a wedding dress was preposterous.
"Touché." Kisame snorted in response. "Hey, you think they make wedding dresses for 6'4" 240lb men?" He was only half curious, his main goal was to try and lighten his grumbly boyfriend's mood again.
It worked because Itachi found himself shaking his head in amusement. Picturing his statuesque beau dolled up did interesting things to his imagination. "I think you can get anything for the right price."
Kisame hummed. "Guess you're right about that."
"But Kisame?" Itachi added.
"Yeah?" There was a curiosity in Kisame's voice.
Itachi smirked fiendishly. "Just promise me you'll save the garter for the bedroom."
"Ow, ow. You have yourself a deal, sweet cheeks." Kisame's voice would indicate that he was wiggling his eyebrows furiously in a teasing manner.
Itachi shook his head again, he wouldn't put it past the man to do just that. "Alright, alright. Now, what do you want me to pick up?"
Naruto loved his spiritual family, but man could they eat. The blond hadn't yet secured the help that he so desperately needed with a house full of ravenous Jinchūriki. It was funny, the past couple days had flown by, with the appearances, the interviews and venue viewing you wouldn't think they'd been home long enough to deplete the amount of food storages they had. But here was Naruto at 6pm on a Thursday unable to find even a drop of his precious almond milk.
'Fucking Fu.' He internally groaned. She was the only other person who drank his almond milk.
Now normally he would grab something else and move on. But these past few days had him stir crazy and extra irritable. Instead of sending the energetic female through the closest wall, Naruto decided to go out and get some air.
It may be July, but that wasn't going to stop him from putting on a black extra large beanie to hide his blindingly bright locks. He had black tinted aviators to not only keep the sun out of his eyes, but to hide his uniquely blue orbs as well. Naruto was quickly realising that no matter how much he tried to blend in he still stuck out like a sore thumb.
The blond was never big on shorts so he was in a pair of torn black skinny jeans and tan Timberlands, adding to his already immense height. He wore a low, loose fitting maroon tank top that showcased his muscular, thoroughly tattooed arms and chest. He'd say he had sleeves, but if the tattoos start at your fingers and climb all the way over your arms overtaking your shoulders, chest and back, can he really call them "just" sleeves? There were only a few select areas of the blond that weren't covered in tattoos, and the entirety of his midsection wasn't it. He was so addicted to them that had he not been proud of the art integrated into his body, he'd wipe it clear so he could start the journey all over again. But overall, it all added to him sticking out among the people of Konoha.
Before long Naruto found himself parked in a familiar parking lot. It was still exactly the same as he remembered. A huge wave of nostalgic dread filled him. Maybe he should go somewhere else? He was even contemplating going to the cemetery to visit his mother, but wasn't ready to see Minato's name next hers yet. The man's been dead for eight years and he's still finding ways to make his life difficult.
Naruto shook the thought and climbed out of his rented silver sedan. He really wished it was quicker and easier to have vehicles shipped overseas. He missed both his midnight blue GT-R and his Blacked out Ninja H2R. Jiraiya always made fun of him for them, but he loved his babies.
Naruto knew he was a good looking man so the ravenous stares he got as he walked through the parking lot and through the automated doors didn't even register in his mind. The flood of memories that overtook him as soon as he entered the store were impossible for him to ignore however. He made a mental note to scold Fu later, if it weren't for her he wouldn't be here.
The store's layout had changed, he figured almost a decade tends to do that to businesses. But even with a rearranged store, there was a familiarity that drew him in like he was about to start a shift. Luckily for him, the refrigerated section was located along the back corner near the very staff door he was drawn too so it wasn't bizarre for him to be there.
After grabbing his dairy substitute he decided to peruse the store. He was one of those people who couldn't help but come for milk and leave with extra toothbrushes. He never ended up with anything useless, it was always something he would eventually need, but he could never leave with just what he originally came for.
The store was rather empty for a Thursday evening so it wasn't hard to hear the harsh shouts of a disgruntled man as Naruto coincidentally approached the oral hygiene aisle.
"What do you mean you don't have any? Isn't it your fucking job to keep this shit on the shelves?!" Spat a portly man.
"S-sir I'm sorry but our shipment hasn't come in yet." The timid shelf stocker stuttered. She was obviously frightened by the man.
"How do you call yourselves a goddamn superstore when you don't even have what the customers want?" The man continued belittling her like it was her fault they didn't have what he wanted.
"I'm sorry sir." The female apologises quietly.
"Oh you're sorry are you? Well a lot of good that does me, sorry doesn't fucking get me what I want does it?! You're probably just too lazy to go to the back and check your stock. All you fucking kids these days are nothing but lazy bums!" The man's voice was laced with venom as he shouted.
The female was on the verge of tears as Naruto finally turned the corner. The man had Naruto livid, but he was further infuriated when he saw the few people who were in the surrounding aisle come over and stare, not one of them tried to help the poor girl out.
"What, are you going to cry now too? You and your generation are a bunch of emotional fucking pansies!" The man sneered as he purposefully shoved the items off the nearest shelf. He was trying to go above and beyond when it came to being a douche.
Tears spilled from the female's face as Naruto approached the man from behind. "You're going to pick all of that up and apologise to the young lady."
The calm deep voice froze the man for a second. No one told him what to do! Being the asshole he was, he wasn't going to give some guy the satisfaction of knowing he startled him. "Oh fucking am I?"
Naruto walked even closer to the man, now the poorly lit fluorescent lights were shining down in a way that projected a huge shadow over the older male. "Yeah, you are." Naruto responded menacingly low.
Every little hair on the man stood on end as he turned around to come face to chest with the blond. He strained his neck to look up at the blond who was removing his sunglasses to showcase the blazing fury his eyes held. He did this job and knew how people could be utter trash, he would be damned if he stood by and let some girl get emotionally pummeling by some self entitled asshole.
"I-I-I" The man stammered as he felt the heat leave his body. Every cell in his body was screaming at him, telling him to evacuate to preserve his life.
Naruto looked down at him with a gaze that could freeze an ocean, his voice was low and malicious. "You're going to clean up that mess your childish tantrum made and apologise to that young lady for ruining her evening." Naruto stole a glance at the cowering female before looking back at the waste of space. "If you think she is defined by her generation you should take a look in the mirror. I'd hate to think your entire generation is defined by a pathetic asshole like you." Naruto inched a bit closer and spoke so only the man could hear him. "Now get to it before I decide to stop playing nicely. I'd rather not be forced to assault my elders."
The man nodded rapidly as he staggered back slightly, he felt like something was cutting off his air supply. Turning around to the female he begins. "I-I'm sorry miss. I w-was out of line."
"It's okay sir, I fo-" The female began softly, not daring to look up.
"Just because he apologises doesn't mean you're obligated to accept it." Naruto assured her softly. The man wanted to talk back but reconsidered given the fear response his body was undergoing.
She looked up at Naruto with her red puffy auburn eyes. Naruto gave her a gentle smile hoping to reassure her. It seemed to do the trick as she smiled back shyly, a light pink blush dusting her cheeks. Reluctantly looking from the gorgeous man standing up for her she turns to the customer from hell. "Thank you for apologising sir." She didn't accept his apology but she probably wouldn't see him again so she didn't feel the need to tell him that bit after receiving courage from the blond stranger.
The man stood there dumbly for a moment before Naruto spoke up again. "That's your cue to clean up. I'm sure this lovely lady's busy."
Not wanting to be on the receiving end of this large man's wrath, the older male decided to hastily pick up everything he'd knocked down and took off without another word. Naruto shook his head and grunted at the retreating man, sure he cleaned up, but a toddler could have done a better job.
The female sighed and began to straighten the shelves as the crowd dissipated now that the show was over. Naruto felt bad for the kindred spirit. "Here, let me help you."
The female blushed and waved her arms rapidly in disagreement. "Oh no it's okay sir. After everything you did for me, I couldn't possibly ask you to help. Plus, it's my job after all."
Naruto frowned slightly at her reaction. "I just did what was right. We're both human are we not?"
"Y-yes we are." She stuttered in confusion.
"Then I don't care whose job it is. From one fellow human to another, I'm going to help." Naruto didn't let her protest before he started straightening and reorganizing merchandise to match the corresponding tags.
Itachi found himself wondering how he had a boyfriend who let himself run out of floss. If spending his time after work shopping for his negligent lover wasn't irritating enough, it seemed he couldn't find any extra strength floss to save his life.
'Maybe if he didn't have fucking razor teeth he could use regular floss like a normal person.' Itachi mentally scoffed.
A few aisles away Itachi could hear some pathetic man shouting at someone. Itachi never did understand how someone got enjoyment out of causing a scene. Like mindless sheep people began walking in the direction of the ruckus which has Itachi mentally rolling his eyes. They were just as bad as the man shouting.
Giving up on the floss for the moment, Itachi just wanted to steer clear of the drama for now so he went to the opposite end of the store to get the few other items he still needed. By the time he'd found everything else he needed he found himself near the same aisle. To his pleasure it was quiet and people seemed to have dispersed.
When he tried to find the floss he was looking for but failed again he decided he may as well ask someone if they had any in stock or if he'd have to get something else. He casually pushed his cart glancing down the aisles as he passed, hoping to catch an employee. Finally he noticed the coloured smock of an employee. They appeared to be speaking with a rather large man who was helping straighten out a shelf of dried goods.
The man was very muscular and his tanned skin was covered in tattoos. Even though he was crouched down, it was obvious the man would dwarf the female employee, there was no doubt that this man was tall. Had Itachi not been in a committed relationship and be of Uchiha heritage he may have been tempted to speak to the man.
Itachi internally shook his head trying to figure out why this stranger had him thinking such things to begin with. The female moved slightly so he couldn't get a look at the man's face as he approached them. Just as Itachi was about to speak with the employee the man stood up. Itachi noticed right away he was right about the man's gargantuan size, he almost couldn't believe someone was taller than Kisame. But when the man turned and their eyes met, Itachi's world froze. Staring back at him with those pulchritudinous azure eyes and those unique facial markings was none other than the ghost he'd helped his brother chase for eight years.
"Naruto?" He barely whispered. It was like he was afraid his words would erase all traces of the man if he spoke louder.
Naruto tried to keep the shock from his face, but his insides were in a panic. There was no way he could ignore Itachi. Leave it to Konoha to slap him in the face with every facet of his past in the first few days he'd been back. Without moving an inch he held unwavering eye contact before whispering back. "Itachi."
"How...where...who? Oh my god, is it really you?" Mask be damned, Itachi allowed his shock to be known. The blond was so different, he'd always been large and deep voiced, but now he was on a whole other level.
Naruto looked down and closed his eyes allowing a sad smile to pull at his lips. "Yeah, it's really me."
Naruto kept his eyes shut, but with the distance Itachi was he could hear and feel the air move as Itachi launched himself at him. "You idiot! Do you have any idea how worried I was about you?!" Itachi dolefully mumbled into the blond shoulder as he gently swayed him in a tight embrace.
Naruto blinked rather dumbly through his shock. There was no way Itachi Uchiha was hugging him, that's impossible. When returned the embrace making sure it was in fact real, he felt guilty for causing the usually stoic man so much distress. For Itachi to openly hug him anywhere, let alone in a public store, he must have caused the man more stress then he'd thought. The grief weighed heavily on him. "I'm sorry."
Itachi reluctantly pulled away and looked up at the blond with an expression that left no room for argument. "You can start making it up to me by telling me where the hell you've been."
Naruto sighed to hide the slight flinch the man's tone invoked in him. He really wanted to protest but he couldn't fully commit to it. Something about Itachi's gaze always unnerved him. It was silly really. Here Naruto was, a being with enough power to nuke the world should he wish but under the gaze of Itachi Uchiha he found himself unable to fully disobey. "I've been out of the country."
Itachi quirked an eyebrow at him. "That still doesn't tell me anything."
The female employee snuck off with Naruto's abandoned almond milk in tow, she felt like an interloper and took their mutual distraction as an opportunity to get out of there. Her shift was almost over and she'd delt with enough drama for one day.
"That's the best you're gonna get, take it or leave it." Naruto responded, sounding far more confident than he felt. The man may be intimidating, but Naruto managed to hold his ground.
"Naruto, you can't just disappear and pop up after eight years expecting me to just drop it. Your disappearance almost killed Sasuke." Itachi responded firmly.
"He can't find out I'm back!" Naruto's voice sounded almost panicky, it was hard to tell with his deep cadence.
The older male furrowed his brow in disbelief. "I can't hide this from him. You don't know what your absence did to him. Even after all these years he just..." Itachi paused to think of the right words. "Closed himself off." Itachi knew his brother messed things up with the blond, maybe not to the full extent of it, but he still couldn't bear seeing his brother in anguish. Itachi would move mountains for Sasuke, and that's exactly what he was trying to do.
Naruto sighed, the thought of Sasuke being affected by his absence was laughable. "Maybe we should take this conversation somewhere else?"
Itachi glanced around, realising they were still standing by the boxes of dried pasta he nodded. "Meet me out front."
Naruto shook his head, he didn't want to leave his rental parked here. "Just tell me where and I'll meet you there."
Itachi squinted at him challengingly. "No. I'm not going to risk you disappearing again, Uzumaki."
Dropping his last name made the blond openly flinch. Yep, the man was definitely not leaving room for discussion. "I don't want to leave my rental here." Naruto admitted.
Itachi looked as if he were in deep thought. "Fine, but you're going to stay with me until I get to my car."
This was a compromise Naruto could live with. "I can do that."
He'd have to figure out what to do about his almond milk though...'Fuck, not my almond milk.' He mentally hung his head in disappointment.
"Good." Itachi nodded at him before taking a quick look around. "Now, where did that girl go? I needed to ask her about some floss."
—-
Naruto found it strange. Itachi was very much an independent person, and although they'd realistically only known each other a few months he knew something was off. So much so that he didn't have to use his sense to detect it.
Itachi had always been one to drive himself around, he was adamant on it. So for the stoic man to bring Naruto to where his driver was parked was odd. The whole drive had the blond thinking that maybe the whole hugging in public thing fell into the same bizarre category.
It didn't take long to notice they were going in the opposite direction Naruto remembered the Uchiha mansion to be. The drive gave Naruto the chance to take in some of the new buildings that had been erected in his absence. When they arrived at a rather swanky looking building, Naruto followed the sleek black sedan through security screening and into underground parking. It was obvious Itachi informed security that he was with him because he wasn't even asked for identification. With an I.D that says Taroun Moukazi he couldn't help feeling grateful, that was something he really didn't want to explain right now.
When Naruto intervened to help Itachi with the bags of groceries he was worried Kotetsu would notice who he was. He may have had his blinding hair covered with a beanie and his sapphire orbs shielded with dark shade but his cheeks are usually a beacon. The driver only looked him over once, and seemed too taken back by his height to notice much else. With one lazy glare from Itachi the man backed left.
The duo rode the elevator up to the sixteenth floor which Naruto found odd. The apartment building was in no way mediocre, but it just didn't seem to fit the whole Uchiha vibe. Naruto shrugged it off as they approached Apartment 161, it wasn't any of his business after all.
Walking into the apartment he didn't need any fancy senses to tell this was definitely not Itachi's apartment. It was crowded and far less neat than anywhere Naruto could picture Itachi living. It was weird, he hadn't seen the man in years, but with one sniff Naruto knew it was Kisame's apartment. If Itachi noticed the random sniffing sound, he didn't comment on it.
Like the rest of the trip up, Naruto followed behind the man wordlessly, bringing the bags of groceries with him until he found a suitable counter to relieve himself of them. He would have helped put them away, but not knowing where anything went he stood awkwardly in the doorway watching Itachi do it.
Naruto was usually one for silence, but this extended period of silence was starting to eat at him. "So..."
With his back towards the blond, Itachi paused at the counter, leaning over it slightly. "I'm sorry."
Naruto's brows visibly furrow. "Why are you sorry?"
Itachi righted himself and turned to look at a confused blond. "I was so shocked to see you that I'd forgotten everything you've been through-"
"Stop." Naruto firmly interrupted, he'd be damned if he was going to be pitied. "Why am I here Itachi?"
A little taken back by being interrupted, as it was something that didn't happen, Itachi answered. "Why did you leave? Where did you go?"
Naruto gave him an incredulous look. "Seriously? What was I supposed to do huh? Where was I supposed to go?! Foster care? A group home perhaps?" Naruto's voice raised. "There was nothing left for me here!"
Itachi felt a weird shiver run down his spine, it was a sensation unbeknownst to him. "You had us, we could have helped you."
Naruto snorted sardonically. "Oh yes, I'm sure your brother who clearly hated me would have loved that."
Itachi looked wounded. "He never hated you, Naruto."
"Could have fooled me." Naruto mumbles quietly.
Itachi's voice was soft. "He loves you, Naruto. When you left he lost a piece of himself. He's never stopped looking for you."
Clenching his eyes, Naruto pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm too sober for this."
Itachi smirked. "That's fixable." Itachi jerked his head, signalling the blond to follow. He lead the blond out of the kitchen to the quaint bar that's adjacent to the living room.
Naruto sat as Itachi busied himself behind the bar searching for his favourite tumblers. The blond couldn't help chuckling lightly. "Just because I said I was too sober, didn't mean I should partake."
Itachi dove down, retrieving the ice as he waved the younger man off dismissively. "One drink won't kill you."
"Says the man who walks through dimly lit parks after a night of drinking. "The blond jabbed playfully.
Itachi absolutely did not pout. "You'll never let me live that down will you?"
Naruto finally removes his shades folding them and hanging them off his shirt. He grinned cheekily. "Nope, not a chance."
Sliding Narutos tumbler of amber liquor over, Itachi shakes his head with a snort. "That's about what I expected."
Walking around, Itachi takes a tentative sip as he sits next to the blond. "So, you going to tell me where you've been all these years?"
"I told you, out of the country." Naruto responds flatly as he swirls his drink lazily.
Feeling defeated, Itachi visibly deflates. "Naruto, please?"
The blond takes a sip of his drink, letting the pleasant burn flood through him as he thinks. "Why can't you just drop it?"
"I just can't. You almost died, and somehow you just vanished without a trace." Looking away from Naruto, Itachi watches the dim light reflect back off his drink, appearing deep in thought.
"I had too. I couldn't stay." Naruto admitted as he hung his head. "My whole life was hell. After everything I just...I just needed a new start. Somewhere far away from this forsaken place."
"I can't begin to imagine the horrors you went through, but did you really have to leave without so much as a goodbye? Hell, you could have at least written a damn letter!" Itachi's voice raised in frustration.
"I did write Sasuke a letter which was more than I was going to." Naruto grumbled.
Itachi knew his brother messed up, but the prideful big brother in him had an extremely hard time not biting back. "I know what Sasuke did was stupid, but did that really warrant completely uprooting him from you life forever?"
Naruto twisted in his seat to give the older male a curious look. "What exactly do you know about that day?"
Itachi tightly pressed his lips together, he felt so conflicted. He loved his brother but also detested the fact that he cheated on the blond sitting before him. After all these years he still had a soft spot for the blond. "I know that Sasuke received a video of you with some redhead and thought you cheated on him so he slept with someone else out of spite."
Naruto snorted pitifully as he brought his hand to rub the spot hidden under his beanie. "That's some of it."
"There's more?" Itachi asked curiously.
With a heavy breath, Naruto nodded. "Not much, but there is more." Taking another swig of his drink he continues. "So that day pictures of me were going around school. Someone had somehow had pictures of me with past partners and emailed it to the entire student body. Sasuke was understandably angry seeing them, I don't blame him for that. After seeing your boyfriend's past slapped across your face it's understandable. We exchanged some heated words and I stormed off, letting both of us cool down. I was hurt y'know? He was suppose to trust me and he didn't, not to mention finally returning to the school for one full day before being publicly ridiculed again-"
Itachi grit his teeth. "Wait, so your rights were violated and he did nothing?" He wanted to throttle his brother, he was unbelievably disappointed in him. Not only did his brother ignore the blond feelings, but he didn't bother to inform anybody or stop the pictures from circulating. He gets that Sasuke was an immature teenager at the time, but he knew right from wrong, or at least Itachi thought he did.
Naruto shrugged. "When he's mad he needs space. I get it. What pissed me off was him never giving me a chance to speak, he just assumed I cheated on him. I came over that night to talk to him and give him the flash drive with the song and walked in on him and Hyuga."
Itachi's eyes grew slightly larger. "You walked in on them?"
Naruto laughed bitterly. "Oh yeah, I walked in on them. That's when he told me about Izuki, the redhead and showed me the video. He never even took the time to ask me about it. He just hung on Neji's every word. I felt so..." Naruto took a second to think. "Empty I guess. He told me he trusted me, then as soon as something popped up he bailed. So I told him he was like everybody else, y'know following others words blindly."
"What did he do?" Itachi inquired, his right hand clenching his glass as he downs a very unsophisticated large gulp. He knew how temperamental his brother could be.
"Heh, he didn't take it too well." He ran his hand over his beanie awkwardly. "He pretty much told me I'll always be a nobody and that he didn't want to see or hear from me again." Naruto looked down and swirled his drink with a heavy sigh, he remembered every single word like it was yesterday, but for Sasuke's sake he wasn't going to divulge everything, especially to Itachi. The thought of what Itachi might do was enough to make him internally shudder. "After that I asked if that's what he really wanted. When he said it was, I said bye and left."
Itachi leaned back in the low back bar stool and folded his arms across his chest. "What else did he do?" He could see the blond wasn't telling him everything.
"It doesn't matter." Naruto waved him off.
"If you want me to-" Itachi paused mid sentence as he took notice of the blonds right hand that just waved him off. The cog wheels turned and the conclusion formed. Itachi looked up at the blond, slightly slack jawed. "You're Kurama?"
Naruto jolted his hand out of sight then froze. 'Fuck.'
How could he be so careless around a genius like Itachi? He squirmed in his seat, not bothering to hide his shock or uneasiness. Naruto cleared his throat and looked away. "Well...that's something you're going to have to keep to yourself."
"How—Wait..." Itachi's face flashed realisation. "That means you already saw Sasuke."
Naruto groaned almost painfully as he reluctantly looked back at the unusually shocked man. "Yeah, I saw him. Shook his hand and everything."
"And he didn't know it was you?" Itachi's brow raised curiously.
Naruto gave the man a pointed look. "Would you have?"
"Hn, fair point I guess. Hold on, what about Shisui?" Itachi squinted his eyes maliciously, the though of his cousin keeping this from him didn't bode well.
Naruto couldn't help but snort. "Shisui wouldn't know it was me if I went in looking like this." He put his shades back on quickly for emphasis.
That got Itachi to chuckle. "I guess you're right."
Removing his shade and placing the folded on his shirt again, Naruto chuckled lightly alongside him. Once they both stop, Naruto reaches over and downs the rest of his drink. "Guess there's no hiding it from you anymore huh?" It was strange, he should be freaking the fuck out but he felt remarkably peaceful about Itachi finding out.
"Nope, so are you going fess up? Or am I going to have to dig it up myself?" Itachi responded almost playfully, finishing his own drink with a hefty mouthful.
Naruto raised an amused brow at the man. "Oh please, knowing who I am, I'm sure you already know where I've been now."
Itachi smirked. "Guilty as charged." The smirk was quickly washed away as a wave of something unreadable cast over the man's face. "I'd still rather hear it from you."
Naruto leaned over the bar with his elbow on the counter and his cheek leaning against his fist. He gave Itachi a calculated look. "Fine, but I have stipulations."
Itachi looked amused. "We've already established I mostly know where Kurama's been already. You do realise you have no real leverage right?"
Bringing his other hand up, Naruto idly looks at his shortly trimmed nails. "And I thought you wanted to hear it from me."
Shaking his head fondly, Itachi huffs. "Fine, what does the great Naruto Uzumaki want?"
Naruto shot him a mock glare. "First would be to never refer to me that way again."
"Duly noted." Itachi snorted. "Next?"
"Next is you can't tell Sasuke any of this. Not you seeing me, not me being in Konoha and certainly not me being Kurama. I'm sure I don't need to tell you that no one can find out who I truly am?" Naruto rambled off seriously.
Itachi's lips pulled down into the closet thing that resembled a Uchiha frown. "You can't hide from Sasuke forever. He does seem to be an idiot when it comes to you but he's gonna figure it out eventually."
Naruto buried his face in his hands and groaned. "I know, I know that!" Pulling his face from his palms he looks at Itachi solemnly. "I'm just not ready for that yet."
The disheartened look on the blond's face did something to Itachi, he found himself reluctantly agreeing. "Fine, but I have my own stipulation."
Naruto sighed. "Anything." He was just happy to have the man agree.
However, when he saw the wicked smirk on Itachi's face he knew he fucked up. "I want Jinchu to come perform for Sasuke's 25th birthday."
Naruto tried to level Itachi with a glare that rivalled his own. "That's dirty, even for you."
"You said anything." Itachi responded in a sing-song voice.
He wasn't sure if he was growling at Itachi or himself, but he growled nonetheless. "Don't think I don't see what you're doing." Naruto quickly looks away. "Besides, after the last show everyone's going back home to work on their own projects."
"You're leaving again?" Itachi looked a little crestfallen.
Naruto shook his head, he couldn't bear to see the man's disappointment. "No, I'm not leaving."
"So, Kurama can come then!" Itachi diabolically beamed.
Naruto was starting to get a headache. "I'm not getting out of this am I?"
With an infuriating smirk, Itachi leaned over with his cheek in his palm. "Oh come on! It's not that bad. At least I asked Kurama to come and not Naruto."
"Fine, I'll...think about it." Naruto grumbled before shooting a challenging glare. "But not a word to anyone!" The blond gestures around the apartment.
Looking pleased with himself, Itachi agreed with his hand held out. "Deal." It would still be a couple hours until Kisame returned from the office so they should be in the clear.
Narutos eyes held something curious as his large hand all but swallowed Itachi's. "Fine, deal. But that brings me to my next stipulation."
Itachi was feeling rather smug but started feeling uneasy under Naruto's gaze for some reason. "Go on."
Naruto looked him up and down. This whole time he'd been carefully scrutinising him. "Tell me what's wrong with your eyes."
Every facet Naruto had gleaned led him to this conclusion. The odd behaviour, the being driven around, the way his eyes strain at certain things. It was beyond simple bad vision. Whether Itachi fessed up or not, Naruto would find out, he just didn't want to have to wait for a moment to flicker his eyes. Flickering his eye would allow him to use his energy to observe Itachi's body on a cellular level. Drawback is he has to flicker to Kurama's eyes to do it and a full scan would take time.
Itachi's face paled as he clenched his jaw defensively. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Naruto deadpanned. "Really? The lack of driving, the way your eyes strain at random moments? I'm not stupid Itachi."
Pursing his lips, Itachi looked away. "Maybe I need new glasses."
Dropping his voice several more octaves, Naruto growled ominously causing the glasses on the bar to rumble along with him. "Don't lie to me."
Itachi's never felt this way before. His genes were working against it but every atom in his body was trying to forbid him from disobeying. "I-I...It's not your concern."
Naruto watched Itachi quickly get up to retrieve their glasses. When he goes to pick up the blonds, Naruto firmly grabs his wrist. "I will find out. Believe it or not I'm better than your team at getting information."
"Hn." Itachi grunted, pulling his hand free as he turned around to walk to the kitchen. Unbeknownst to him he gave Naruto the perfect time to flicker his eyes. Unfortunately for Itachi it didn't take a full scan for the blond to figure out what's wrong.
Naruto seethed. "A fucking brain tumor Itachi?!"
Itachi was sure he heard the sound of glass breaking, it was only when he noticed Naruto picking up large pieces of glass that he realised he'd dropped their tumblers. The stoic man was in shock, how could Naruto possibly know? He's been careful around everyone, how can the blond come in and read him like an open book?
"Where does he keep his broom?" Naruto asked gentler, realising Itachi was having somewhat of a crisis.
"Corner closet at the end of the hall." His voice quiet and strained.
A moment later Naruto was back with a blue broom and dustpan in tow. "Sit. Watch your step." Naruto's large warm hand felt oddly comforting as he guided the man back to his bar stool avoiding all shards of glass.
By the time Naruto sat down after cleaning the mess, he was observing Itachi carefully. "So, you gonna tell me now?"
"How, how did you know?" The man quietly inquired.
"I read the signs." Technically it wasn't a lie, Naruto just quite literally used his eyes to read the signs of his cells...in his head.
Itachi furrowed his brow, looking down at his lap puzzled. "Nobody else has noticed anything."
"You haven't told anybody? God, this isn't something you can do on your own Itachi." Naruto was trying to ebb his rage. "Are you at least getting treatment?"
Itachi shrugged. "There's not much that can be done, and where the tumor's located it's inoperable." Itachi sighed tiredly, suddenly looking ten years older. "They said they could try and shrink it with chemo but there's only a nine percent chance of that working." Itachi looks at Naruto with the most doleful look he's ever seen the man possess. "I run numbers for a living, Naruto, I know what that percentage means for me. I'm not going to spend my last year sick in bed with everybody worrying about me."
Realisation flickers through the blond's eyes. "So that's what this was all about? The hug, trying to get me to see Sasuke?" Naruto scowled at the idiotic man. "You can't use me to ease your guilt! Just because you don't see yourself being around doesn't give you the right to destroy your family this way!"
"You don't understand Naruto, I can't tell them." Itachi bowed his head shamefully, it was a sight that left a bad taste in the blonds mouth.
"Your right, what could a man who's almost died multiple times and spent half his life being tortured by his own blood possibly know about wanting to keep secrets." Naruto bit out bitterly. This is the first time outside of his new family he's breathed a word of it.
Itachi looked at him wide eyed. "I-I didn-"
Naruto raised his hand to silence him. It would seem all it took to diminish Itachi's intimidation was for him to prove that he himself was in fact an idiot. "Listen, I know you didn't mean it that way. And I'm not going to force you to tell anybody...yet. But you aren't dealing with this alone."
Itachi looked at the man dumbstruck at his implication before shaking his head. "I can't add this to your plate Naruto, you already have so much going on."
Pulling the bar stool next to Itachi out further, Naruto sits sideways, giving Itachi his full attention. "Funny, I don't remember asking."
Naruto had been through everything alone, no way was he about to let the proud man he still considered a brother suffer the same fate. Besides, Itachi wasn't going to die, not if Naruto had anything to say about it.
By the time Naruto finally got home he parked and rested his head on his steering wheel, completely exhausted. Had he been anyone else he'd be throwing fist chaotically in the air as he cursed this town. Naruto was seriously starting to think something was in the water.
After what was equivalent to pulling teeth...twice, Naruto had gotten the stoic man to divulge the name of his doctor. According to Itachi, Dr. Yakushi is a renowned oncologist revered by his peers which didn't surprise Naruto, it was obvious the man would get the best doctor there was. What concerned the blond was the fact that even this doctor's prognosis for Itachi was grim, and it was making Naruto consider crossing a line he never thought he would.
"You know you shouldn't feel bad about wanting to help him right?" Kurama interrupted him, sensing his distress.
Naruto sighed. "I never wanted to play God Kyu, you know that."
Kurama shrugged it's shoulders inside Narutos head. "What's the point in being us if we can't do some awesome shit?"
"Since when are you so willing to help a human?" Naruto raised a skeptical eyebrow. Had their been any onlookers, they'd surely think the blond was off his meds.
Kurama scoffed. "Since you learned to control all of our awesomeness and have refused to do anything with it. Seriously brat, you've been no fun at all. Besides, that Itachi ape doesn't seem all that bad."
"So you're telling me turning Jiraiya into a frog for a day wasn't fun?" His raised eyebrow held a whole different meaning this time.
Kurama paused for a moment then snorted with fondness. "Shit, you're right."
"That's what I thought." Naruto chuckled. "Anyways...what's fun about healing a man?"
"Are you kidding me? Picture Mr. Prestigious running into a talking fox. He'll think he's lost it." Kurama chuckled wickedly.
It was an amusing thought, but Naruto had no qualms bursting his other half bubble. "He has a brain tumor Kyu, He'd probably just chalk it up to brain trauma."
The fox huffs. "Can't you just let me have this?"
Naruto rolled his eyes sarcastically. "Fine. I'm sorry Kyu you're right, we'll totally freak him out."
"That's more like it." Kurama nods in approval. Apparently the fox has no issue ignoring it's Jinchūriki's sarcasm.
"I swear, you're turning into another Jiraiya." Naruto smirked.
"I resent that, you brat. I'm nothing like that frog flipper slipper wearing man." Kurama huffs indignantly.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night...or all the time rather." Naruto teases.
Kurama grumbles with a mischievous glint in its eyes. "Oh yeah? Well why don't you tell that to your almond milk."
With a shit eating grin, the fox waits for the words to seep in.
"Fuck!" Naruto groans.
'Bingo.' Kurama thought smugly to himself.
Naruto deadpans. 'Idiot, I can hear you like this too.'
Itachi:
Your parties next Saturday.
Sasuke:
No.
Itachi:
I wasn't aware I was negotiating.
Sasuke:
Not happening. I'm going to be 25, I'm too old for a birthday party.
Itachi:
Not even if Kurama's going to perform?
Sasuke:
How did that happen?
Is it just Kurama or Jinchu?
Itachi:
Does it matter?
Sasuke:
...
Itachi:
You're no fun.
Fine just Kurama, seems everyone else is busy.
Sasuke:
Fine, but I won't enjoy it.
When and where?
Itachi:
I knew you'd see it my way.
Home 6pm.
Sasuke:
Fuck off Itachi.
"Good news?" A raspy voice interrupted.
Sasuke glared questioningly at the man who's supposed to be blowing him. He figured he'd bite the bullet and give someone else a shot at his ass. After his self exploration, he figured he owed it to himself to see if anyone else could live up to past hype.
"You smiled." The handsome stranger quickly added.
Sasuke had met the man in the small bar that's next door to his apartment building. It location made finding bed patterns quick and easy. Most of the time he'd walk in and have his pick of the lot when he felt the need. The man he picked tonight was attractive. He had peachy skin, sandy coloured hair and emerald green eyes. He was about Sasuke's height but was a bit more built. If he was going to give someone the chance at his ass, he at least wanted some eye candy.
"And your mouth's supposed to be busy. Or were you all talk?" Sasuke sneered at the half naked man.
The man snorted at the raven. "So moody."
"Yeah and if you don't start shutting up and sucking my cock I'm going to kick you out of my bed. Now get to work." Sasuke bit out.
The stranger smirked. "Yes sir."
Sasuke placed his phone on the night stand as the man took him back in his mouth. He wasn't great, but he wasn't terrible. The man was bobbing his head, running his tongue along the shaft while using his hand to jerk what his throat couldn't handle yet.
"Shit." Sasuke sighed as the man began to dip his tongue in his slit collecting his pearlescent fluids that were starting to seep out.
The man pulled off with an awkward slurp. "Yeah? You like that?"
Sasuke grabbed his hair and rolled his eyes as he shoved the man's face back at his lustrous cock. "Shut up and suck. My dicks not gonna suck itself."
The demand made the man painfully obvious of his own problem but he ignored it. Without hesitation the man took Sasuke's twitching rod back down, gaging as he violently shoved it down his throat. The man's emerald eyes were red and puffy, glistening with tears. Reaching beside them the man grabbed the lube that Sasuke had laid out for them. With some skill, the man opened and squeezed the slick fluid on his fingers as he continued to mouth fuck the raven.
"Mmm." Sasuke groaned as he felt the man swallow around his weeping cock. Feeling a cool sensation slide between his firm cheeks and circle his pucker causes him to shudder. Making the man chuckle on his cock sending a jolt of pleasure through his body.
"Angh." Sasuke grunted as the man breached his tight ring of muscles slowly. He pushed in and out lightly until he'd managed to get his whole finger in. Once his knuckle touched the rim he looked up to check the raven for signs he wanted him to stop. Sasuke wasn't even looking at him so he figured it must be okay to move his finger.
"God your ass is tight." The man pulled off the ravens cock just long enough to groan before diving back in, drumming his tongue along his shaft and sensitive tip with each thrust. He felt Sasuke's opening clench desperately around his finger as he fingered his ass in and out. His own dick twitching in interest. He circled his finger around, rubbing the man's velvety walls as he popped off to lick his way up and down the raven's veiny shaft, before taking a weighty ball in his mouth and sucking wildly. He mirrored his actions giving it's twin the same treatment. He let go of the man succulent testicle to lick his way back up again, taking the tip in his mouth, twirling his tongue lewdly around the bulbous head.
"Nngh! Shit. Hurry up and add another." Sasuke breathed out heavily as his eyes rolled back. His hips wanting to thrust up to both use the mans finger to fuck himself and burry himself over and over in that tight exquisite heat.
The stranger let Sasuke use his mouth, face fucking his throat raw as he nudged his second finger slowly in. The raven hissed lightly at the uncomfortable sting that accompanied the man's second digit. The man's fingers were meaty.
He looked up at the raven with lust blown eyes. The man thought Sasuke was beautiful before, but seeing him naked, flushed and glistening with a sheen of sweat took his breath away. The man began to pull off Sasuke's throbbing cock again.
"Don't you fucking dare. Suck my cock, do it right." Sasuke growled as he shoved the mans face all the way back down, giving zero fucks about his throat as he chokes violently on his cock. He was getting close, he didn't need the man to waste his time on words, he just wanted to hurry up and fucking cum.
Wanting to please his partner the man begins to bob his head once again, feeling the raven cock twitch sensually in his mouth. He wanted to please the beautifully debauched man who's hole was currently sucking his fingers in so nicely. It made the man's cock throbbed in his pants, he could feel the damp spot on his boxers cling to his dick as he grinded his erection into the bed beneath him.
With every moan, ever tantalizing lick, Sasuke could feel himself getting closer. If the man kept his mouth shut and fucking his dick with his throat he could finally cum. He couldn't help sucking in his lower lip between his teeth when he felt the man thrust his finger in and out of him rapidly. His fingers spread him lewdly as he massaged his inner walls rhythmically. It felt pretty fucking good. Especially when he imagined it was a specific blond doing it to him.
"Shit like that. Don't stop. Gonna cum." Sasuke chanted as he felt that familiar heat and tightening begin to form.
With the hand that wasn't fucking Sasuke ass, the man began to gently rub the ravens weighty sac all while flicking his tongue along his shaft before choking his dripping dick back down. The man could feel Sasuke sac tightening, almost ascending into him as his inside began to quiver. Every muscle was beginning to tense under his ministrations, Sasuke just needed a bit more, if only he could just...
"Nnnargh!" Sasuke threw his head back with his mouth gasping as his body exploded at the man's clumsy prostate jab, it's what finally tipped the scales. The heat surged through his quivering body as the quake from his orgasm wrecked him.
The man moaned against the raven softening cock as he greedily sucked back every drop of essence he gave him. The feel of the raven's walls greedily contracting on his finger, he couldn't wait for it to be his cock. The thought had the man shuddering in anticipation.
Sasuke laid there steadying his heart and catching his breath, quite aware that he still had a stranger's fingers plundering him and a man's mouth on his very flaccid dick.
Noticing the raven's calmer demeanour the man finally released the man's soft cock from his mouth and retrieved his fingers with a proud chuckle. "Guess I found it."
All traces of calm post orgasmic bliss were wiped away in an instant. Sasuke looked down at the man with murder in his eyes. "Get the fuck out."
The man looked frantic. "What? Why?"
"Found it." Sasuke mocked cruelly. "You're not Indiana Jones nor is my ass the fucking crystal skull or whatever. Now get your fucking clothes and get out!" Sasuke growled.
"You know what, fucking you!" The man shouted.
Sasuke was unaffected by the man's rage. "Whatever you say Nick. Take you and your sub par head and get the fuck out of my apartment."
"My name's Sebastian and I give amazing head!" Judging by his red face he was clearly either insecure, angry or embarrassed, maybe all of the above.
"Keep telling yourself that Rob." He made sure to emphasize and draw out the wrong name. "I only got off because I was picturing someone else." He smirked wickedly.
"Fuck you Uchiha, think you're all hot stuff with your name and your money. Well your shit!" With his belongings in tow he stormed out. The sound of a door slamming was music to Sasuke's fucking ears.
Sasuke got up and stripped his bedding, not wanting any trace of the stranger left, then he proceeded to remake his bed with clean linen. With everything fresh he proceeded to the washroom to his much needed shower. Once he finished his nightly routine he clambered into bed and allowed his mind to wander.
It had been a huge mistake thinking that man could scratch his itch. It did feel good, but it wasn't exceptional. Sasuke had an inkling that it only felt halfway pleasurable because he had Naruto and Kurama in mind, the slight buzz may have helped too. No way did he have enough alcohol in his system to ignore the idiot's comment. Maybe if he was a lightweight like he used to be but not now.
Mentally filing away his night with Sean, or whatever his name was, in the "never think about again because I don't give a fuck pile," he lets his mind think about Itachi's texts. Kurama was going to be at his birthday? Why? How? So many questions ran through his mind. He ended up settling on a thought that maybe the fox did want a piece of him. It was a thought that had him feeling a bit smug.
Tomorrow was the bars grand opening, and Haku and him had special privileges to question the alluring vocalist up close, and Sasuke couldn't fucking wait. He rolled over and allowed his excitement to wash over him, overflowing into pleasant dreams.
