UPDATE: This took me all day, but it was bloody well worth it! This chapter has a lot less action, and a lot more dialogue...but it's very plot-heavy, you'll see. Sorry if it's cheesy and corny at times...will edit and revise as I go about writing this.
Consider that as you read! And thanks for reading :D!
10
Sasuke walks all the way home numbly. He vaguely remembers entering inside his own abode and then walking outside to the balcony. Surrounding him was the lush greenery of his zen garden (日本庭園); with a shrine altar to the side. And in the palm of his hand was a leaf that flew by ever so gently as if it were a flow water. There were small stone pathways structuring the small rocks and streams of water beside it. They all lead to the outlook of the hokage mountain that stood over the village of Konoha . The wind cascaded through the grass and the crickets were crying at a distance. The moon was high up in the sky.
The Uchiha looked at his koi fish pond one last time. One was a bright yellow; it's gills glistened with yellows and reds. While the other one was black entirely; some blue and white colors here and there. It's fins swished about in the pond.
It was kind of symbolic; like him and Naruto. And they were swimming together in unison; like Yin and Yang.
He could still see the training targets he had used over the years from over here . He remembered Itachi teaching him jutsus with them, and swinging kunai and kunai after each and every one of them. He'd always say something about "sorry, Sasuke, maybe some other time" and then Sasuke would pout at having no bonding times with his brother.
If only he had known sooner of what his big brother was capable of...
The cherry blossoms fell around with a slight breeze; reminding Sasuke of his teammate, Sakura. She seemed different these days. Not exactly mellow, but more sure of herself than he had. He sort of envied that about her.
The sounds of nature soothed him, though, calmed him even. It reminded him of times when his father and mother used to play with him outside. The feeling was bittersweet at best, and sometimes he dreamt of having a family again. But that was severed in favor of trying to grow stronger for the sake of revenge.
From his pocket, he pulled out something miniscule.
Sasuke played his bamboo flute at the dead of night; lullabying his Mother's words exactly as if by heart. He hummed bits and pieces of her lyrics, and let the music play for itself. To anyone else, he wouldn't be playing at all. But, by himself…
But here he was alone and at ease. No one to distract him from his goal, no one to save, no one to destroy here. He was all alone, just like he wanted.
He heard something in his house.
It was faint, but he heard it all the same. Two more sounds, and a padding of footsteps, he knew someone was there.
Sighing, he shoves his instrument into his pocket once again. And walked inside, closing the curtain behind him with a sigh.
"Kakashi." He says slowly, shuffling over to said man.
"Oh! There you are. Heh heh, what a pleasant surprise. I didn't expect you to be awake this late at night." His sensei said with a wave. He was standing in front of the bookcase that the Uchiha knew he had unsealed somehow.
"I know what you're doing. If someone outside of the family tries to enter through, they're put under a Tsukuyomi. It only ends once…
"...they sex with someone they love."
He adds in, not even looking at him. This was awkward enough, being as anti social as he was, but also a topic he wouldn't easily talk about. It's not like he was as educational about sex like Kakashi was.
And from his sensei's perspective...
Oh. That would explain why he saw a naked Obito. Kakashi blushed underneath his mask, though Sasuke didn't see.
"So, spill. What do you want from the Uchiha Library. To the point where you enter inside my house uninvited and try to look into things you shouldn't." The boy crossed his arms, and gave him a serious look. He was doomed.
Kakashi closed his eyes, scratching his chin in thought.
"Maa, maa. Easy there, Sasuke. All I know is that there's a blood moon over the sky once there's a full moon. I'd like to report this to the hokage, and see if I can find any documents or whatnot around here. It's not asking for too much, is it?"
Sasuke shook his head.
"And this is important, because…?" Sasuke tapped his foot impatiently. He really didn't have the time for this, especially when he was interrupted halfway through his song.
"Don't you want to know, as well? As a small village, all things, no matter how big or small, is important to us. Looking into his might benefit us for the better, you know?" He added in helpfully; ruffling his hair playfully. The bluenette deadpanned.
"Tch, whatever." Sasuke was still peeved that there was no word about what had happened to the blonde. Whether he was alive or dead was uncertain. And that annoyed Sasuke, most of all.
Without even knowing, tears trickled down his cheeks just thinking about him. And Kakashi noticed.
"You know, we can work out your feelings. I know you've been down in he dumps ever since Naruto left. And I'm sure that, wherever he is, he's happy. For you, for himself, for Team Seven. You're not alone on this, Sasuke. I want you to know that." He says, cupping his chin.
The Uchiha's lower lip trembled, and suddenly a floodful of tears spilled out of his eyes.
Without even thinking, he cries into his chest. Even now, he doesn't know why. Maybe it's because of holding it in for so long that he feels empty. Maybe it's because he doesn't know what the hell happened to his Naruto. Maybe it's because he doesn't want him dead, yet...
"It's alright, Sasuke. We're here for you, you know. We're Team Seven." Kakashi soothes, brushing his hair out of his eyes. Sasuke sniffles.
"Sorry," Sasuke mumbles into Kakashi-sensei's sleeves. Kakashi chuckles, patting him on the back reassuringly.
"From one to another, hmm? It's healthy to let it all out sometimes. This is how the shinobi world works. Sometimes those that are dear to us die in battle. Though they are dead, we must remember to live on without them."
Sasuke nodded, only feeling a little bit better. He snuggled closer to him for warmth.
"That damn dobe better be OK, making me break down over him…"
"And he will be." Kakashi says, rubbing his back in circles. "It'll take some time, for sure...but you must learn to cope with these feeling of sorrow and sadness. That doesn't mean you have to mask your feelings, like Naruto did...be honest with yourself. No one's saying you have to Live a Lie."
"H - Hn." Sasuke hiccupped, closing his eyes.
"You, Sasuke...I have full faith in you." Kakashi smiles, letting him go, and turning his back on him once he reached the front door.
"Well, toodles! I've got a date to attend to! Good bye!" In a poof of smoke, he disappears in all Kakashi fashion. "I'll be back soon~!"
Seeing as how it was one in the morning, he opted to sleep in, even though he so badly wanted to hum himself his mother's lullaby. Making his way to his room, he sat down on his futon.
And Sasuke sleeps a dream, for the first time, in a long time, and not a nightmare.
The next morning, he decides to find Naruto himself, even if it meant going to the end of the earth for his sorry ass. He had to confront him and apologize about being more of a bastard than he usually was. And if he was dead, he'd pray that he was alright wherever he was. He was ready.
Sasuke stops at Icharaku's ramen stand. 'Where the hell is he?' he thinks to himself, shoving past mass amounts of people until he's at the stool where Naruto is. He's slurping down noodles, and Sasuke punches him from behind. The blonde falls over in surprise.
"Uh, Sasuke…" The Uchiha frowns down at his sprawled out form.
"We're going. Now." He said in a voice that left no room for argument. He dragged Naruto by the collar away from Ayame and Teuchi. Passerby stared at the two skeptically.
"WHAT THE HELL!" Naruto yelled from his spot, "I'm not some dog, teme!"
"Hn. Of course you're not a mutt like Kiba, usuratonkachi ." He snorted dismissively. He realized they must look really suspicious together. After all, the only times they go out together in public is with their team. And in this case, it was just the two of them. Together. Who'd have thought?
Naruto grumbled to himself, something about "bastards." Sasuke kept walking to a secluded street that no one seemed to take. Everything else seemed abandoned, or, at least, shut down to some extent. But, there was this one house that seemed closed off from the others. So, the two crossed it.
While they were strolling about, Naruto was subtly holding his hand. It was silent for awhile; and the two avoided eye contact or looking at each other after their date from a few days ago. It still made Naruto jittery and jolted once they entered inside through the hallways to a painfully familiar room. Sasuke opens it up for him, and the blonde looks all around in awe.
"This is your room," Sasuke said out of the blue, and pointed to the futon on the middle of the floor. "And we'll sleep there from now on."
"S - Sasuke?" Naruto beseeched, so stunned that his eyes popping out of his sockets (not literally, but figuratively)
"Dobe…" He can't remember a time he'd been more forward with his feelings. "We're living together. Since you're on your own...I don't want you to die for being an usuratonkachi . It would only slow our team down, and that's the last thing I want, you moron. I doubt even Sakura would let you sleep over at her house. You're lucky I think so strongly of our team, deadlast." He huffs, crossing his arms with a frown. His black beady eyes looked at the blonde's blue ones; just waiting for an answer.
What he didn't expect was such an onslaught of emotions from his statement.
"Sasuke…" Naruto chocked; blue eyes softened, and he automatically wrapped his arms around the other's waist. "Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you !" He cried into his shoulder. The blunette felt his heart leap a miles a minute. All he could think of was Naruto. No revenge, no Itachi, no desire to grow stronger. Just...Naruto.
Was it wrong to think of his smiles, to think of his laugh? And of the blonde, in general?
Sasuke returned it back with a soft smile. As much as he'd hate to admit it, he liked the blonde smiling at him. It just showed that there was a little light left, even in the darkness...
"Let's play shogi (chess) ." He said, pushing Naruto off of himself. It was WAY too embarrassing! Especially if it was him and not just with some fangirl of his...
"EH?" Naruto blinked, processing the information and then it hit him. He grinned foxily.
"Hehe, I'm totally gonna kick your ass! Buh-lieve it, 'tebayo!" He bragged and boasted; posing heroically. Sasuke rolled his eyes. Sometimes, he was too idiotic; acting a knight in shining armor in one of those fairytales...
"I'm just a lot smarter than you, dobe." Sasuke mocked half heartedly. It was too tempting to poke fun at him. And his reactions were always over the top. Small things like that never change; including their dynamics as a duo.
"Sure aren't, asshole!" Naruto stuck a tongue out at him, and rocked his body back and forth in anticipation. He couldn't wait to kick the bastard's butt!
The teme put the chess board between them and placed the pieces on their according sides. Halfway through the game, and hoping for a checkmate, Sasuke saw the Uzumaki drooping. The other player just wasn't...playing.
" Hn ? Isn't it your turn?" He challenged pointedly, eyeing the blonde as he doesn't move for a moment. He seems deep in thought about something. What, Sasuke doesn't know.
"Uh...Sas'ke." Naruto began, suddenly finding the floor more interesting than the person right in front of him. "I've never played this before...and, um…" he says, sounding a bit unsure, "I wanna do somethin' else." The Uchiha furrowed his brow.
"What is it." The blunette snapped in a murderous tone.
"Umm...Sasuke. I need to read an' all. I mean, if I wanna become hokage, I hafta do it, right? You promised me…." Naruto pouted, crossing his arms. He glared at the other boy with a 'humph!' Sasuke stared at him blankly, and slowly stood up carefully.
"Wait a minute," he said walking out and then inside with tons of books in his hands. He then sat down with the blonde and pulled out one for him to see.
"Here," he chucked it at Naruto's head. He shoots...
"H - HEY!" Naruto grumbled.
He SCORES!
"Ow, ow, ouchies! GEEZ! That hurt like hell, you bastard!"
"Damn right I did, you loser," Sasuke teased. "That's for leaving me here and making me worry, " He slipped up, and covered his mouth almost immediatedly. But, the damage was already done. Did he really just say that?
" I - I'll beat you into a - WHAT?" He tilted his head in confusion. "YOU were worried about ME?" His whole world just took a turn of 360.
In response, Sasuke nodded.
Which made Naruto flip his switch.
"Tch, y-yeah, whatever!" Sasuke rolled his eyes, blushing. "It's not like I wanted to! Y - you were just...You're part of the team. If you had died..." He trailed off, grumbling incoherently.
"Hehe." Naruto eye's crinkled, and he smirked deviously. He knew he hit the jackpot. Sasuke glared at him with red-filled cheeks. "As long as I'm around, no one's dyin'!" Sasuke's eyes softened at that. 'Only you, dobe, only you...'
"A - anyway. Let's look at the hiragana and katakana again, and differentiate the kanji..." He says, hoping for a distraction by opening the book itself.
"We'll recite the vocabulary words and sounds together…"
"N - NANI!" Naruto exclaimed. Sasuke bonked him on the head for interrupting his monologue.
"Oi, shut up, you doofus. Let's just read this together already..."
As Sasuke drawled on and on about what fire elements he used in his jutsus, Naruto eventually fell asleep. He was unaware that he slumped against his best friend's shoulders.
He was awoken around midday when a foot nudged his sides. There's a comforter wrapped around him, and as he looked up, it was to the face of the bastard himself in the flesh.
"Wake up. You sweat of ramen. Go get a shower." Sasuke demanded in all Uchiha fashion. "Good afternoon to you!" The blonde retorted; the hot head about ready to lose it. Naruto obliged after much stubborn thought to walk outside of the room and into the bathroom.
"Man, he was right. I do stink." Naruto sniffed his arm pits, and his face scrunched up at the stench. Steam surrounded him, and hot shower hit his back. His spine arched and he hissed at the sensation. It eventually cooled him and he started cleaning his body from living in the trees for a whole day or two.
"You smell." Kyuubi snorts into his head.
' Thanks a lot, Kurama .' Naruto stormed internally. He was scrubbing everywhere from top to bottom. He also saw his black seal acting up again as the Nine Tails talked to him occasionally.
'I still can't believe it. The teme's letting me live inside his house. What the hell happened to that bastard?' He lathers soap all around his body, and watches as bubbles gather around his feet. It still mesmerizes him that the one he hated most of all would actually do this for him. There was still a lot unsaid, that he wished to talk about.
"Maybe he's had a change of heart." Kurama suggested.
'Whatever it is, something's going on with him...I don't know whether to like it or not. A - and then...the other day, he...CRAP! What do I say! We fought, and then I left...Should I just act like normal...? What do I do?' Naruto thinks anxiously, scrubbing his hair with shampoo. He pouted when he realized he left his towel outside the door. And he was naked...
"Be yourself, Kit. Your boyfriend is just confused, is all. Conflicted about everything, I assume."
'He's NOT my boyfriend!' Naruto shrieked internally; angry at the fact the Fox would say something like that.
He turned the knob off, and as he opened the door, he collided into someone and the two of them crashed to the floor.
Meanwhile...
"Naruto?" He asked quietly, knocking on the door. "OI, NARUTO! Are you done, yet?" he hollered, banging on his door impatiently.
"Naruto?" He quieried again, hearing something inside. He picked up his towel from the floor and entered in.
He walks in on him naked. And nosebleeds, closing the door without another thought.
Or, that's what he would've done if the door hadn't opened yet again, and to the blonde ramming into him. They both fell; Naruto on top and Sasuke on bottom.
And then, next moment, he smushes his lips with Naruto on accident. This lasted for just a second, and Sasuke hacked the kiss out of his mouth. ' D - damn...why did I like it...he's done this with me a lot lately...I don't know what to think anymore.' He wipes his mouth with his arm warmers and stares daggers at Naruto.
"W - why is it always with you?" he sneered, looking away with a faint blush.
"AGH! This is the third time! The THIRD time!" Naruto shouted after him. 'Why can't he be a she? It's always me kissing a boy. And Sasuke, no less...' he blushes to himself.
'You know what...' He thinks, feeling Kyuubi take over out of nowhere.
He shoves his mouth back into Sasuke's again. The other moaned, and eventually fell into the kiss. The bluenette wrapped his arms into his hair and took the initiative. But, Naruto wasn't giving up just yet! He shoved his tongue against his and soon it became a battle of who had the power. Sasuke, breathless and almost dying, let Naruto smother him with bite marks. He even felt fangs dig into his flesh. He hissed, when the blood trickled down his neck. The blonde licked it for him; tasting metal.
"Y - you...isn't this too fast?" The black-haired boy asked weakly; without any energy to fight back.
"I've felt like this for a long time." Naruto says in Kurama's voice; his eyes turning into slits. His pupils became a violent shade of red, just like the Nine Tails. "Ever since...we met... and even now..."
Sasuke gasped, and was thrown against the wall half-hazardly.
The way the blonde swung his hips against him. Did he know how hot he looked at that moment?
The Uchiha tried to hide his nosebleed (and his arousal) but it was gradually growing obvious that this was enticing him. 'N - Naruto...if only you knew...that I liked you, too...'
"D - dobe," he says through the pleasure. He places a palm on Naruto's face, gazing at him lovingly with lustful eyes. "I...believe in you." Naruto nodded numbly, and continued ramming into him, and switched positions every now and then. Tired beyond belief, they eventually stopped.
Both of them, fatigued, slumped against each other. There was heavy breathing, and Sasuke could smell his faint sweat. Looking down at their lower halves, he saw that Naruto was naked; unlike him. The black-haired boy slid against the wall numbly.
"G - get dressed," he muttered. "There's something...I have to tell you..."
Naruto stood up; his body feeling numb as he walked back into the bathroom. Sasuke, feeling a little loopy, walked back into his room; waiting.
Naruto walked out of the bathroom shirtless, with a towel wrapped around his waist. His hair was still wet, but he had someone to talk to. He lazily pulled his orange jumpsuit he had found after some digging in on his old apartment. Now that it was here, he would use it to his complete advantage. He did as he was told, opening the door to their bedroom where his "boy friend" sat on their futon; fingers crossed.
Sasuke was STILL giving him the cold shoulder. It was pissing him off, frankly. And even though he was aware that the Nine Tails had possessed him; he knew Sasuke was suffering because of it.
"Look, it's OK! I don't care if you saw me naked, o- or ANYTHING! I just..I dunno. Why're you acting so weird around me these days?" He asked, squinting.
"Hn." Sasuke answered stubbornly, crossing his arms and looking away. Naruto growled and tackled him.
"N - NARUTO!" He shouted, feeling the pleasure all over again. There was still that awkward silence where they sat there, looking away from each other. "Please, I just wanna know why..." Naruto asked him pleadingly, and Sasuke almost felt guilty about what he was going to say. But, it needed to be said. Otherwise, he would never know...
"Listen, I, mm, need to tell you something." Sasuke started off quietly, not used to talking to Naruto privately like this. In public, it was always the same old back and forth banter/bickering. But, like this, when they were all alone…
It just wasn't the same.
"I...don't know how you'll take it, but…" He murmured, "...we're leaving the village. Pack up your things and we can go without a trace. And as soon as possible."
"What? Sasuke, what the hell?" Naruto was still struggling to smile, after what the villager did to him. Now he couldn't even hide how distressed he was; no matter how hard he tried to mask it. Apparently his face said it all, because Sasuke added sadly in,
"Sensei hasn't taught me enough. Even now...I'm not even close to strong. I'm still weak, just like how I was when I was eight years old." Sasuke looks down at his lap. Naruto look at him empathetically. He knows that feeling all too well...Still. Leaving the village? After all they've done together?
"You're the only way I can cope with these feelings. To let out my emotions; to finally be free of myself. But, it won't last for long, I know that already." He said, locking desperate eyes with him. Reaching out a hand to his face, he says,
"You're one of the few people that is family to me." Sasuke admitted. "That's why I love you, so, so much. I wish I said it sooner, after all of this time..."
"S - Sasuke..." Naruto's eyes fill with tears. What could he do? What can he say?
"I understand if you don't want to come with me. You want to become hokage. If you become a missing nin like me, then you'll never achieve your dream. And I don't want you to suffer like that again."
"Sasuke, I…"
"If you want to stay, I won't stop you. I'm going to leave the village no matter what. Whether you choose to come with me is completely up to you." Sasuke said, gripping his hand for a sense of connection. There was none.
" I- I can't do that, Sasuke! Everyone here means so much to me! They're my family! And what about Team Seven? Don't they matter to you, at all?"
"And I'm not? What about earlier, HUH? If that's what you think, then, I suppose this is over. And no, to me, they're all just the scum of the earth. THEY'RE THE ONES WHO SHOULD DIE, AFTER ALL THEY HAVE DONE! But, you're different than them. You're so much more. And, if you choose them over me, then...this is goodbye -" He turns around to leave, but...
"-WAIT! Sasuke, I -!" He called out helplessly, yanking him back by the sleeve. Sasuke stumbles, and glares at him out the corner of his eyes. Naruto opens his mouth to speak, but looking past his shoulder...
...He sees someone else with them.
The Uzumaki starts screaming, but then a hand clasps onto his mouth. Anything he says is muffled.
PREVIEW OF NEXT CHAPTER:
"Oh, why hello there, Sasuke." The boy himself turns around; and had a heart attack.
"I - Itachi-?"
TO BE CONTINUED
