AN: This is a mild trigger warning for mention of predatory behaviour towards a minor in this chapter. Specifically Orochimaru to Sasuke. It's back story and we will never have it explicitly stated what happened. But for those who would be triggered at the mere mention ... this is your trigger warning.
I hope you enjoy the chapter all the same.
Chapter Fifteen
'What are you doing?' Sakura asked him, her expression a mix of discomfort and an emotion he couldn't quite place. 'And where did you find the hot water bottle?'
Naruto chuckled, holding the lip of said hot water bottle, the rubber bladder wrapped in a fluffy pink fox cover perfect for cuddling, under the tap. Hot, but not too hot, water filling it and making it swell until the fox was a chubby little thing that belonged in a Ghibli movie.
'I'm making you a hot water bottle for your cramps,' Naruto said with a smile, pecking the pinkette on the forehead as she peered up at him. Her skin was warm against his lips, whether from a hot flush or because she was wrapped in the blanket from her bed, he didn't know. 'I found it under the sink, it's cute.'
Sakura hummed her agreement and shuffled up to him, her socked feet slipping over the linoleum. She leant against his arm gently and frowned down at the counter next to the sink. 'Kay, and what's all this?'
'Comfort food,' he muttered, pointing at various cakes and biscuits. 'Figured you'd appreciate a little junk food, so I popped to the shop while you were napping earlier.'
The pinkette frowned at the plate. 'These are all my favourites … how did you know?'
'I pay attention Sakura,' he said fondly and pressed a soft kiss into her hair. 'You buy these things every time we go shopping, and they never last the week like the rest of the shopping does. I put two and two together.'
Sakura blushed lightly and leant into him. 'If I weren't currently cramping like a bitch,' she muttered. 'I'd so drag you back upstairs and suck you off.'
Naruto chuckled and patted her on the ass. 'I know, but given you're still wrapped in your blanket and in your fuzzy PJs, let's put fun things like that to the side yeah?'
Besides, she'd already blown him like her life depended on it the first morning of her period. Which was more than he'd ever dream of expecting from a woman cramping so hard she'd hidden her tears in his t-shirt last night while they were cuddling.
He could go a few days without blowjobs and sex. Truth be told his main focus had been on looking after the clearly miserable woman, he'd barely even thought about being horny.
Given the sheer amount of sex they'd been having in the two weeks since his birthday … honestly he could probably go the whole week without even needing to jerk off. Plus his dick needed the recovery time if he was honest.
Chafing was a thing, even when your lover was wetter than a river by the time you were going in her.
Not exactly a horrible problem to have obviously, but all the same. A little break in their sexy times wasn't the end of the world.
Sakura winced and wrapped her arms around his chest as she snuggled in. 'Ugh, yeah probably for the best. So back to bed or do you wanna stay down here for a bit? I could just nap on the sofa while you do this week's writing homework?'
'Did that while you were napping too.' He squeezed her back gently.
'How?' Sakura asked her eyebrows shooting to her hair. 'I was only asleep for … ah. It's already five?'
She glanced guiltily at her phone and then up at him when she shoved it back in her pyjama pocket. 'Sorry Naruto, didn't mean to sleep so long. Have you been okay?'
He took the moment of timidity to guide Sakura over to the sofa where he'd set up when she'd gone to bed at two p.m. and shushed her. 'I've been fine babe, got the homework assignments done for a couple classes. No looking shiftily at Kakashi and Shigure for me next lesson when they both ask what was keeping me so busy I couldn't write five hundred words.'
Sakura blushed some more but smirked a little. 'Wow, call me out why don't you?'
They laughed, Sakura all but collapsing onto the squishy sofa and throwing her legs out over the whole thing. She sheepishly smiled at him when she grabbed the remote off the coffee table and started flicking through streaming services. Ignoring that he'd clearly paused something mid-show.
She was allowed, she was cramping and the show had been boring anyway. He'd kinda just had it on in the background while he'd been writing his end of semester story.
'I get to choose the movie we watch right?' She asked with a weak smile. His amused laugh clearly egging her on, making her smile turn into a knowing smirk. 'Cos I'm cramping?'
God, she knew she had him wrapped round her little finger. He was such a softie.
'Sure,' Naruto smiled, retreating to the kitchen counter to grab the plate of goodies and the hot water bottle, which Sakura promptly cuddled to herself when he passed it to her, and retook his seat on the sofa.
He closed his laptop and then sighed contently when Sakura slid up the sofa so her head was laying in his lap.
His dick twitched instinctively but he pushed the thoughts Sakura's face being that close to his crotch caused down and away.
Now really wasn't the time to think about the last time her pretty face was down there.
Sakura didn't notice though and was already flicking through the questionable movies on Netflix, and when she couldn't find anything she liked, switched to HBO Max and made a happy noise at the sight of a new episode of DC's Young Justice.
One of the many things they'd discovered over the past months was that not only were they both as geeky and into superhero movies as each other, which nowadays wasn't that uncommon, they also had a deep abiding love for the DCAU, with Young Justice being a personal favourite for them both.
'You remembered to wait for me right?' Sakura said, glancing up at him from his lap. 'No amount of sweets and hot water bottles will save you if you skipped ahead of me Naruto.'
He ran his fingers through her hair soothingly, Sakura's eyes fluttering closed as he did it, and chuckled. 'Wouldn't dare, I was waiting for you.'
'Correct answer,' Sakura said, nestling into him some more. 'Okay, ready?'
His hand glided down to her hip and he reclined back. 'Sure.'
They stayed on the sofa for the next couple hours, cakes and biscuits completely disappearing from the plate with blinding speed. He even got to eat a couple.
They'd repositioned themselves somewhere in between the episode of Young Justice and the movie they'd decided to watch, but honestly by that point they'd kinda just resigned to cuddling on the sofa. Sakura had wanted to lay on top of him, her head resting on his chest, her ear pressed to his heartbeat and the feel of her on top of him was remarkably soothing.
There was just a comfort and a trust to the whole thing that made Naruto feel safe and content. So he'd wrapped his arms fully around the woman, receiving a happy sigh from her, and closed his eyes, the movie entirely forgotten for this little slice of peace.
The cusp of sleep was right there when the delightfully domestic moment was ruined by the front door flying open after a brief rattling of keys in the lock, crashing into the wall it swung with an almighty bang, and then being slammed back into the frame. Hard.
'What the fuck?' Naruto cursed, the loud noise making him jump, rousing Sakura who frowned and whipped her head around blearily. Her stare settling on the front door after a few quick jerks around.
And the irritation slipped to instant concern.
'Sasuke?'
Goddammit.
He turned slowly, as to not accidentally knock Sakura off of him and frowned at Sasuke's back.
The other man seemed to be shaking slightly and hadn't even turned around to look into the room yet.
That was weird.
'Sasuke?' Sakura asked again, lifting up so she leaning with her elbows on Naruto's shoulders as gently as she could. 'Are you okay?'
Sasuke turned, his eyes watery and red, he'd very clearly been on the verge of tears, his complexion sallow and blotchy in places. Until he clocked Naruto and he snapped his face away again and wiped at his eyes. 'M'fine,' he muttered, his voice muffled and breaking over the single word.
Bullshit.
Sakura apparently agreed. 'Did something happen?'
'No, I'm fine,' he muttered, the break in his voice still there, but more under control. As if Sasuke was trying to force down every emotion he'd ever felt in his entire life.
His dark eyes flit from his roommate to Naruto and he swallowed. His Adam's apple bobbed in his throat and he took a croaky breath before ripping his eyes away from Naruto and Sakura. 'I don't want to talk about it.'
'Sass-'
But he was already running up the stairs before Sakura could get up to block his escape. His bedroom door slamming shut just like the front door had, a worrying crack coming down the stairs.
Naruto and Sakura winced in unison and shared a worried look.
He might not like Sasuke all that much but something was clearly wrong. He knew what someone who was holding back tears looked like. He'd had more than enough experience with his remarkably emotional family.
Uncle Obito could cry for days if you let him.
'Think you should go up and check on him?' Naruto asked, rubbing a pattern into Sakura's back with his thumbs as she settled back down to rest on his chest. 'Something's clearly wrong, and until he saw me he definitely wanted to talk about it.'
Which he got actually. He and Sasuke weren't friends, not even close, and he definitely wouldn't want the snobby prick to catch him crying. Felt kinda mean to call him a prick right now though … even if he normally was one.
'Maybe,' Sakura started, hugging around Naruto. 'But he might just need some time to himself. I'll give him a bit of privacy and then go up and check on him before we go to bed.'
'If you're sure,' Naruto said, glancing up at the ceiling with a soft frown.
He might not like Sasuke all that much, but he'd have thought Sakura might be a bit more concerned? Unless this was something that happened more often than Naruto saw?
They did spend most of their time so far kinda … sexed up? A whole marching band could have turned the road outside Sakura's place into its practice route and Naruto wouldn't have noticed.
Who would when you could focus on a naked, eager woman under you? Or on top of you? Or on all fours …
You get the point.
'I am,' she said with a lingering kiss on his cheek, a slow smile implying she knew where his mind was right now. 'You're sweet to ask though.'
He blushed and wrapped his arm around her.
'Besides,' Sakura continued, nestling into his side. 'He could just be in a snit about grades or something, he can get weirdly sensitive when he isn't doing the best in his class. I'm not in the mood to remind him that a B isn't a failing grade today.'
Naruto chuckled and reached for the remote. 'He gets that wound up about being the best?'
Sakura nestled in, rubbing her face against his chest with a pleased sigh. 'He didn't do as well on a test, one test Naruto, as his genuine genius big brother did years before and he was practically inconsolable for weeks. He has to be the best. At everything.'
His eyebrows shot to his hair and Naruto shook his head. 'He's better than his brother at some things though right? Like, I know what it's like to try and live up to an older sibling who's smart. But it's not like she's better than me at everything. Gotta be the same for them right?'
Sakura grimaced and went to tell him, no he actually wasn't – or at least that's what it looked like she was gonna say – when some grade A, bangs blocking your eyes and painting your fingernails black music came blaring through the ceiling.
'Is that …?' Naruto started as Sakura winced again.
'Dashboard, okay yeah, that's not an 'I didn't get an A' sulk,' Sakura said as she unwound herself from around him and patted herself down. She scooped up her phone from the coffee table and frowned gently before standing. 'Dashboard's a bad sign, let me go check on him, I'll be right back.'
Sakura gave him a quick peck and disappeared up the stairs in a quick little jog, which probably should have hurt her given how much cramping she had going on. Guess cramps didn't mean shit when your friends were upset and needed you.
She was so lovely.
'Sass?' he heard her say quietly once she reached his door. 'It's me, can I come in?'
There was the faintest crack and Naruto heard some muffled and hurried words before Sakura let out a little gasp and slipped into the bedroom and closed the door behind her.
He notice that they hadn't moved further into the room … the apartment might be swanky, but there was only so much you could do about muffling noise … but it felt kinda intrusive so, ignoring that they still hadn't moved, he turned Netflix back on to anything he could find that might be mildly interesting and turned the volume up.
He didn't need to know what was going on. Something was obviously wrong and Sasuke clearly needed his best friend right now. And not to have to worry about his best friend's fuckbuddy hearing about whatever the fuck had happened to make the sneering prick cry.
God that had been so jarring. Sasuke didn't have the kind of face that made you think he was able to cry. All sharp cheekbones and resting angry frown … just seemed unnatural for him to do anything as vulnerable as cry. The man gave off the energy that he could chop enough onions to fill seventy burger and hotdog stands, with his face, and be as dry as a bone when he was done.
And yet, he'd definitely been fighting back angry, pained tears the entire time he'd been in front of them.
He hoped it wasn't anything too serious.
Maybe he'd had a fight with his boyfriend Juugo? Sakura had said Sasuke had mentioned the other guy was getting a bit too clingy recently but well … wouldn't that lead Juugo to be the one in tears?
Though relationship drama could be completely off the mark. Sasuke's family was almost as large as his from what passing comments and info he'd picked up from Sakura and Sasuke himself. Heaven forbid someone had fallen ill?
Best not to speculate though, he wouldn't know unless Sakura or Sasuke decided he needed to know. And Sasuke would never tell him in a million years, which again, he got, and Sakura probably wouldn't either.
It was Sasuke's business, not his. And while you might share best friend gossip with a boyfriend or girlfriend … He'd certainly gotten all the juicy dirt on Tayuya's friends when they were dating … he wasn't dating Sakura. They were fuckbuddies. There was a definite line.
So Naruto settled into the sofa and actually found something on Netflix he wanted to watch. Something that Sakura probably wouldn't mind him watching on his own. Which was quickly becoming a very short list. Dangers of having similar interests and spending a lot of time together he supposed.
Plus it was more fun to watch shows with someone equally as invested as you. Led to some great conversations and debates. And, in their case, sex.
The fact that they'd gotten so heated in their debate on who the best Robin was it had ended with clothes coming off was mind-boggling. And hot. Almost made him wish they were dating.
A little.
His eyes darted to the ceiling again and he frowned. Then he shook his head and turned up the volume on the TV just a bit more.
He'd actually consider doing more of his uni work instead of watch TV. Be properly productive and get a massive head start. Even possible work on his end of semester essays.
But you couldn't really do that loudly enough to drown out what was definitely a very deep conversation. He knew it was deep, cos the music had died after Sakura had entered Sasuke's room.
Also … he really didn't have much more work to do? The essays weren't massively big and he could definitely crank them out in a day or two. This was first year after all and as long as he submitted a short story or novel chapter along with a two thousand word essay on whatever topic he chose … he'd probably get a passing grade. And again, he could crank all of that out in probably three days tops? Four if he decidedly took his time.
There was still over a month before deadlines so they could wait.
He could make a start on some more of his own personal fanfic or fun little side projects he might wanna explore but well … honestly he was kinda wiped and if he booted up the fanfic he'd been working on last, it'd just turn to smut and then he'd be horny while trying to sleep next to someone who'd just had an emotionally fraught conversation with her best friend and was on her period.
The last thing she'd need was a horny fuckbuddy trying it on. Or even just being noticeably turned the fuck on in her presence.
And as comfortable as he was in her place … he wasn't jacking off in her bed or the shower. He actually hadn't ever done that, despite the jokes they'd made.
Well … once. But that had been a desperate situation.
So yeah, he'd find a TV show or a movie that didn't give his brain an excuse to go all teenaged hormonal mess, and hopefully Sakura would be out before too long. Maybe even Sasuke would join them. That'd be a horny killer.
And if not, he'd just go to bed and wait for her to come join him at some point.
Which should be fine right? Sasuke needing his best friend didn't mean he had to leave? He didn't want to after all.
He liked sleeping next to Sakura. Like a lot. She was a proper cuddler and there was something so reassuring about waking up with her practically wrapped around him. Clothed or not.
Though if you made him pick …
'Come on man,' he growled quietly. The image of Sakura's naked body pressed delectably into his throbbing in his mind. 'Now? Really?'
The image slunk away guiltily as he turned his attention fully to the TV.
He'd decided to lose himself in some true crime documentary about serial killers, an interest he'd picked up from his mother and sister who were decidedly fascinated by all things true crime.
It had long been a family pastime to watch a new documentary just the three of them and then talk about it at length after each episode with theories or messed up thoughts. It'd continued right through when Kurama had moved out to university too. They'd just made it so whenever there was a new one, they'd tell each other and report back when they got to watch it.
They'd even roped Grandma and a couple of his aunts and uncles into it. It became a massive Namikaze/Uzumaki family group chat. Separate from the general one which was more used to arrange parties and stuff.
The only people they hadn't managed to wrangle into it at least a little were his dad and grandpa.
You'd think with Dad being the cop in their family he'd have an interest but according to him he saw enough of that stuff at work, he didn't need to see it in his downtime too. And his grandpa just had no time for it. He was all about the celebration of life and love, not death and misery. Or so he said.
Naruto thought it just took away from his chance to write, read or watch porn.
But anyway, he hadn't been sure if it would be Sakura's thing so he'd been holding off from watching the latest one his mom had text him about. But given how he'd well and truly reached the twenty minute mark already just looking for something safe to watch … well, it was probably okay to go for it now.
That and going by the texts she'd sent him a little bit ago, which had been a hurried flurry of:
Sasuke needs me xxx
Don't know how long I'll be in here with him xxx
I'll understand if you want to go home xxx
Text you later? Xxx
He wasn't getting Sakura back any time soon.
He'd tapped back a quick reply saying he'd probably stick around if that was okay? And when he'd received a kissy face emoticon … well he took that as permission to stay.
And if he was gonna stay and need to occupy himself, a serial killer documentary would do it.
It was a good one too by the looks of it. A ten part series about a nut job who thought he was a follower of Jashin, whoever the fuck that was meant to be, and was given a holy mission to murder as many people as possible until his god decided it was time for him to die too.
The Immortal Zealot the media had dubbed him. He'd certainly escaped death enough times, but his actual name was Hidan. Just Hidan, no one had been able to nail down his actual surname, even the police officers who'd interrogated him when they'd finally caught him.
Truthfully no one was sure Hidan was even his actual name. But it was the only one he gave so they had to go with it. No DNA matched to him outside of his crimes, no fingerprints or anything. It was crazy. It was like he'd popped into the world out of thin air, if there was such a thing as gods and demons, Naruto would almost believe he really had been placed here by some demented death god.
They'd only caught him because his latest intended victim had been one of the Mayor's sons, Asuma Sarutobi, who had been the lead detective on the case and publicly stated he'd catch the psycho.
Naruto's dad had stepped in on this case personally, which was probably why the name had rung a bell, and while Minato Namikaze was a genuinely kind and calm man … the way the documentary talked about the swift effectiveness and scary precision of the planned takedown of a seriously dangerous criminal, who killed people with a multiple bladed scythe of all fucking things …
Well, it was like watching his dad clean up on those light gun games at arcades all over again.
And while it was hardly the first time Minato Namikaze's name had come up in a true crime documentary about Konoha crimes … there was something scary and exhilarating about your dad being in so many of them.
Probably why Dad didn't ever want to watch any of them. And why Mom was always a little extra clingy after watching one about cases he'd been even slightly involved in. Especially the really dangerous ones where if Minato Namikaze wasn't quite as badass as he was … he might not have come home.
Naruto reached a part of the documentary where they'd detailed how Hidan's accomplice, an equally crazy old man with masks glued to his body, who used some kind of black garrotte wire to kill his victims, had nearly got the drop on his father, which was when Naruto decided that was probably enough for tonight.
It was getting late and well … he didn't need to be reminded of how close his dad had come to death on his last case before being promoted up to a desk job.
He'd have to call Dad in the morning … you know, just to catch up.
The only reason he hadn't immediately called him was cos he'd checked the time and well … even his dad wouldn't be understanding about a one a.m. phone call cos his nineteen year old son had watched a scary documentary.
Even if it was one of the times he had come the closest to death.
So yeah, he'd call his dad tomorrow morning.
Totally not because he suddenly really needed to hear his voice and be sure he was okay.
A memory of Minato smiling weakly from a hospital bed, bandages wrapped around his neck, chest and arm where Kakazu had caught him, his face bruised and his hair cut shorter than he'd ever seen it at the time, flickered across Naruto's vision.
Totally not scared. Yeah.
Sure.
His dad hadn't been on an active case since, he was too busy with nice safe paperwork and budget meetings now.
Thank God.
He blew out a shaky breath and glanced back up at the ceiling, the thought of what Sasuke could have been crying about coming back to him …
Dad was getting a phone call tomorrow for sure.
Shaking his head at himself, Naruto started to clear away all the gathered crap on the coffee table, putting dishes and glasses in the sink and quietly creeping his way up the stairs, clicking off the lights as he went.
He could still hear light chatter through Sasuke's door when he passed it on his way to Sakura's room. His years of sneaking around a house where one parent was a cop, and the other had mom instincts that could hear you turning a key in the front door in the middle of a deep sleep, paid off though as he was pretty confident they hadn't heard him.
When he brushed his teeth he was equally quiet, just in case.
It turned out he needn't have bothered though. Because shortly after he'd climbed into 'his' side of Sakura's bed and set his phone down, Sakura came through her bedroom door with a face somewhere between murderous rage and deep, deep pain.
She looked like she wanted to stab someone and also cry her eyes out.
It took everything in him not to just scoop her up in his arms.
Sakura turned to see him in the bed and all the tension that had been in her shoulders as she'd closed her bedroom door vanished. Her shoulders sagged and she sighed in relief.
'Oh thank God,' Sakura whispered, before she made a beeline for him and threw herself into his arms. 'I wasn't sure you'd actually stay.'
Well at least she wasn't mad at him.
'I mean, I took the kissy emoticon to mean I could?' He repositioned himself on the bed to let her wrap around him and get under the covers. 'And I didn't want to leave yet?'
His cheeks burned a little as she looked at him curiously and then smiled before blushing herself. 'Yeah, I just, well I was in there for hours and I was worried … anyway. I'm glad you're here.'
A little more burning and Sakura looked away with a small smile.
Because yeah, he – uh, believed her. The look in her eyes when she'd seen him waiting in bed for her, the sheer palpable relief in her face and the slight sob in her throat when she'd folded into his hug …
Thank god he'd stayed.
He cleared his throat and wrapped her up tightly in his arms some more, which she happily let him do, and they nestled down in the bed, his thumb rubbing a soothing pattern through her fuzzy pyjamas. Sakura's body relaxing against his more and more the longer he held her.
Seemed like just him holding her was helping. Which was … well. It was nice he could help her that much. But speaking of helping.
'So do you wanna talk about …' Naruto gestured lamely in the direction of Sasuke's bedroom and tried not to look too interested.
He didn't want to appear like he was fishing for gossip but Sakura had looked really, really angry and sad when she'd come in.
And if he could help her with that by talking about it … he'd like to.
As a friend of course.
Yeah.
Sakura gave him another curious look and then nodded sadly. 'Yeah, honestly, I think I need to. If you don't mind?'
'Course, and don't worry,' he said, kissing her forehead. 'I won't tell Sasuke.'
'I know,' she whispered softly, her voice confident in a way that made him feel warm, from his chest to his toes. It was really, really nice.
And dangerously familiar.
But he didn't have time to focus on that as Sakura squeezed around him tightly and sighed. 'So you remember Juugo?'
Ah. So he'd been right about the relationship drama.
'Clingy, bouncer boyfriend?'
Sakura winced. 'Ex-boyfriend now. But yeah.'
'Sorry,' Naruto apologised.
'S'fine, turns out clingy was putting it mildly,' Sakura said scornfully. With that sort of loyalty that only came from when you were talking about someone who had deeply hurt your friend. 'Sasuke's been trying to get some balance, a bit of time to focus on his studies a bit more, his grades have been slipping, and he's been clearly stressed out and needing some alone time. And Juugo … has not been as understanding about that as he should have been.'
Naruto hissed in sympathy. 'Wants to have all of his attention all of the time, no matter what?'
Sakura nodded and grumbled. 'Like I get the honeymoon period of a relationship is great and you want to spend all your time fucking,' Sakura hissed, glancing at the wall her room shared with Sasuke's and frowning. 'But you do actually have other things to do in your life than fuck someone you find hot! And Sasuke's here to study law before going on to law school! He's got to balance his time properly!'
Naruto had to agree. Even he and Sakura had realised they did actually have to put each other down and do their work or they'd fail. And they were doing a writing and literature degree! Arts degrees had the reputation for being less structured for a reason.
Sasuke was doing something that needed far, far more attention, even in first year.
Balance was going to be needed. And Sasuke had a job as well. And he still needed alone time on top of that. Naruto could entirely relate to a relationship changing your whole life around and you not knowing how to handle it at first.
When he and Tayuya had started dating in school it'd taken them forever to figure out how to balance schoolwork, part time jobs and time together and alone. And the same had gone for him and Sakura.
Though he hadn't had barely any alone time from Sakura since they'd started hanging out.
Not that he needed or wanted alone time from Sakura but well … different people needed different things and to be fair, Naruto did get alone time when Sakura had classes at times he didn't and vice versa. And they regularly did make sure to do their uni work before clothes started coming off.
Most of the time.
Hell, he even got the distinct impression that if he told Sakura he needed time to just chill out on his own, he'd get it and she'd be entirely cool with it.
Like if he wanted to go to the gym or just go back to his place and play video games. Though he'd probably rather do both of those things with Sakura … he'd even been meaning to suggest going to the gym together, that'd be cool …
He snapped out of the thought of Sakura in tight workout clothes before it took hold. He was meant to be listening not fantasising.
'So they fought and wound up breaking up?' He asked.
Sakura growled. Like actually growled. Like an exceptionally angry mama bear or something.
'Yeah, Sasuke said all he'd said was he needed a bit of space to figure out how to make everything fit and Juugo went off on him. Called him cold and aloof, claimed he was too interested in himself to ever actually compromise. Said he made sure he had time to see Sasuke and work so why couldn't he?'
Dick move on Juugo's part that. He wasn't the only person with a busy work schedule.
Also going by how rarely he'd actually seen Sasuke at Sakura's place since he and Sakura had become fuckbuddies, it was kinda rich of Juugo to complain when Sasuke was in the guy's place whenever he came home.
Wasn't like Sasuke was avoiding the guy. By the sounds of it he just needed some breathing room.
'And when Sasuke didn't immediately back down?' Sakura's voice was shaking with anger at this point, tears welling up at the corners of her eyes from the rage. 'Dared to defend himself, he told Sasuke he'd never find love. That he didn't deserve to if this was how he was going to act in a relationship.'
'Fuck all the way off,' Naruto snarled, covering his mouth quickly and glancing at the wall. 'That's such a shitty thing to say! All cos Sasuke asked for a bit of space to literally just figure out his schedule a bit more?'
Sakura nodded angrily. 'Right?! It's so fucked up! And after all the shit Sasuke went through with school and …'
The pinkette cut off, pulling away from him to kneel up and stared at him, blushing hard and looking hesitantly between him and towards Sasuke's room. 'This doesn't leave us right?'
'Of course not,' he said quickly. 'I promise.'
Sakura nodded again, her fingers curling and uncurling around the hem of her pyjama top. 'Sasuke had a rough time in school. He got bullied a lot. I was there most of the time but I couldn't be everywhere and when he started dating Kimimaro, this kid who was a couple years older than us, and going to the Snake Pit … it got worse. Lots of homophobia and death threats against him and his family from people who couldn't even swing a punch. He drew away from me, from his brother, even school got less and less important. And Sasuke never let his grades drop. It got even worse when, eventually he met Orochimaru, the club owner. He started skipping school about a month after meeting him.'
Naruto reached out to take her hands, they'd been gripping the hem so tight her knuckles were going white. She curled her fingers around his but didn't look up at him.
'Sasuke still won't tell me what happened but he stopped seeing Kimimaro after that, we all stopped seeing him actually. The rumour was he'd died of some mystery illness. But even without Kimimaro being Sasuke's boyfriend now, Orochimaru kept coming round to see Sasuke, at school or at home, when he wasn't at the club.'
Sakura let him pull her into a hug and he kissed her hair, making her breathe out in a ragged breath.
'One time I found him and Sasuke talking at school,' Sakura whispered, her fingers tight around Naruto's. 'Sasuke looked terrified and when I put myself between the two of them it looked like the pale faced bastard was going to attack me.'
Naruto tried not to squeeze Sakura too hard when she said that. The instinctive need to protect, even from something in the past, was overwhelming, but that wasn't what Sakura needed right now.
'He didn't though,' Sakura's voice really, really quiet. She leant into him and didn't hide the trickle of a tear run down her cheek. 'Just sneered at Sasuke that he'd made a big mistake not taking him up on his offer. That no one would really understand him like he could, that maybe he should just tell his parents all about Sasuke's little secrets, to prove it to him.'
He placed a soft kiss against her hair. He was so glad that prick was behind bars for a long, long time. His dad had never told him exactly what they'd put him away for but he was beginning to get a really good idea.
And it made him sick.
'Sasuke's parents' didn't know he was seeing a guy huh?' Naruto asked gently.
Sakura shook her head. 'No. Itachi knew, and I knew, but his parents didn't. Sasuke's still not come out to them as bisexual. He doesn't think they'd understand.'
'Think he's right?'
'No,' Sakura said quickly. Her head snapped up. 'Well, not about his mom. His mom's great and while his dad might struggle with it … despite what he acts like, his dad loves both his kids.'
Naruto snuggled her up and sighed. 'So how did it end? With Orochimaru I mean.'
'Itachi.' Sakura blew a strand of hair out of her face and frowned. 'He came home from university and I told him immediately. He got this really scary look in his eyes and thanked me for telling him. Orochimaru left Sasuke alone for good after that night and Sasuke slowly got back to normal. But he's still super sensitive about deserving love and for Juugo to say that to him …'
Naruto couldn't imagine. He just couldn't, and hearing all about what a tough time Sasuke had in school made him even angrier for the man. And angry at himself for being so judgemental of his arrogant behaviour.
Like, he was still a dickhead, trauma didn't negate that, but if he'd gone through something like that, even had someone he trusted actively try to hurt him and use his secrets against him to hurt or control him … he didn't know what he'd be like.
No wonder Sasuke kept people at arm's length. He totally understood.
And no wonder Sakura was so protective of him.
He might actually have to remind her she couldn't go kick Juugo's ass for hurting her best friend. That heartbreakingly cruel words didn't mean she got to assault him.
Though if Juugo started it … or put Sakura in a position where she had to defend herself …
But that wasn't helpful thinking. And it was also unfair, Juugo might not even know about Sasuke's past and he was just being a clingy douchebag who lashed out cos he was in pain too.
Or he was just being a jerk.
Plus they only had Sasuke's side of the story. Which, while more than sympathetic, was going to be heavily biased. Break up stories always were.
Sakura nestled into him some more and Naruto wrapped around her a little tighter, pushing the moral quandaries his brain had decided to throw at him away to focus on something much more important.
Comforting Sakura.
And being the bigger guy and letting her know if she needed to spend more time with Sasuke … he understood. Guess he'd be getting some alone time after all. He'd try not to be too upset about it.
'So Juugo's a dickhead and Sasuke's probably gonna need his best friend some more?' Naruto asked, kissing Sakura's forehead softly.
'Juugo's definitely a dickhead and maybe?' Sakura replied, peering up at him from his chest. 'But I don't know. He might just need to brood in his room. Eat bad food and play loud emo music or something. We can still hang out here, it's still my place too.'
Naruto smiled. 'Just checking, didn't wanna hog you all for myself if he needed you. Didn't wanna be selfish.'
'You be as selfish as you want with me.' The pinkette smiled up fondly at him and stroked his chin. 'Besides, if he's going to need to cry on my shoulder some more … I'm going to need you.'
There was a pause, a long lingering moment where they just looked at each other in the eyes, a world of meaning in those five words that Naruto didn't fully know how to interpret.
Daren't try to, to be entirely honest. There was something behind it that seemed … dangerous. Scary.
And exciting.
'To cheer me up with all those yummy orgasms,' Sakura said quickly, winking up at him and giving his dick a quick squeeze. 'This thing's a better mood lifter than any comedy going!'
The moment broke and Naruto snorted out a laugh, which he quickly tried to smother with his hand and gave Sakura a quick tickle along her ribs that made her squeal in shock and try to escape him as he pounced on her, tickling her sides mercilessly.
He'd almost completely forgotten the soft look in her eyes when she'd told him she'd need him by the time Sakura had managed to stop his hands.
'Period remember?' Sakura pouted at him and nudged him with her knee. 'You can tickle me til I'm gooey when I'm not bleeding! Asshole.'
But with the distraction gone, it came back and it wouldn't leave him alone. No matter how he tried to move past the soft look, and the warmth in his chest it caused, he just couldn't.
Through all her night time routines it stayed, front of his mind and making him feel more settled and at peace than he'd ever felt before with Sakura. There was something to it that just felt wonderful.
Better than anything else she'd ever made him feel, and that was an exceptionally good and fun list to be on.
It lingered, even longer than the slow, lingering kiss good night Sakura gave him before they finally laid down for sleep.
When he woke up the next morning with Sakura wrapped around him, snoring cutely and her fingers swill entwined with his, the look she'd given him was still in his mind.
And it stayed there right up until Sakura gleefully informed him that her cramps were gone after coming back into from the bathroom.
Thankfully for his confused brain it was a lot easier to distract himself from complicated emotions when Sakura was taking off her clothes.
Then his.
And by the time Sakura was pulling her back into a ponytail … Naruto had forgotten about the look entirely.
Honest.
AN: Awwww, look at all the feels. Isn't it sweet?
I hope you enjoyed the chapter and the blatantly obvious cameos and takes on certain members of a terror cell in canon but in my modern!au lol.
Hidan the serial killer. I'm rather pleased with that one ngl.
See you soon!