So I know people are probably getting annoyed the story is focusing a lot on side characters right now but that's because I'm trying to wrap this fic up and tie up all the loose ends. And I have to kind of resolve all side issues before tackling the main pairing's conclusion. . . Probably only a few chapters left on this one, then moving on to a new idea I have. . .
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"Thanks for hanging out on such short notice." Sasuke said politely, smiling. Haku beamed excitedly.
"Oh no, thank you so much for coming to see me! I never really had friends before you and Naruto before." He added shyly.
"Well, we don't really have a lot of friends either." The raven admitted quietly,lowering his eyes. "I guess you and Zabuza are stuck with us now."
"I'm glad for it." The feminine-looking teenager giggled a little, his eyes sparkling. "Won't Naruto be home soon?"
"Yes." Sasuke nodded, standing gracefully, checking his watch. "I better get home. I just get lonely sometimes when he's working, you know?" He said, walking toward the door. Haku nodded in agreement and sympathy and gave Sasuke a small hug before waving him cheerfully out the door. He shut the large door behind his friend, whirling back around to face the living room, his eyes widening in surprise. Kisame was standing at the foot of the steps, seeming paralyzed, staring intently at the door. Could it be. . . ? He looks just like him, the shark thought, his hands twitching in anticipation, completely unaware of his younger brother's shock.
"Oh!" Haku breathed a sigh of relief, smiling sheepishly. "I didn't see you there."
"Was that Sasuke Uchiha?" He questioned slowly. Haku tilted his head curiously, but nodded. Kisame bounded out the door without another word, leaving Haku looking stunned.
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Sasuke was nearly halway to his car before he heard the voice call him, his head lowered, focused on his cell screen where he was sending Naruto a text informing him he may be a few minutes late, and not to break anything. He snapped the phone shut, tucking it into the pocket of his snug jeans, flipping his bangs out of his eyes in a classic Sasuke move.
"Hey! Uchiha!" A deep, male voice that he did not recognize called out his surname, making him turn on his heel automatically. His dark brow arched a little at the stature of the man, but he felt a strange haunting sensation in his stomach. Something about this man was trying to trigger some memory, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He took a step back in retreat, not out of fear for what the man could physically do, but for fear of the emotion he was suddenly feeling and did not know why.
"What?" He snapped in annoyance, glaring defiantly, planting his black Converse into the ground brashly. Kisame grinned widely, for what reason Sasuke could not fathom. Many people were intimidated by the raven's icy demeanor but this man just seemed to find it amusing.
His attitude sure is like Ita's too. . . Kisa thought vaguely, still taking long strides toward the boy, until they were face-to-face. Well, more like face-to-chest, seeing as Kisa was several inches taller than the youngest Uchiha. "Do you know who I am?" He asked quietly, his eyes searching the raven's face for any sign of recognition or memory. "I know. It's been a long time." The shark admitted, with more than a bit of regret in his voice. Sasuke paused a moment, and began to shake his head, before he took a sharp intake of breath. It was coming back to him.
Itachi's stupid friends had convinced him to have a party, as usual whenever his parents went out of town. . . He was beginning to detest the times they left. Always stuck in his room while all the older teenagers drank and fucked and smoked. He knew what they were doing! Itachi thought he was so young and dumb, as always.
"You're gonna shut him in his room again?" Kisame asked Itachi quietly, brushing a kiss over the young weasel's forehead intimately, despite the fact that there were already several people milling in and out with kegs and speaker sets. People would start coming in about an hour, and that was when little Sasuke would have to go upstairs to bed. They both glanced over to the younger boy, who was glaring at the older people walking in and out.
"What do you expect me to do?" Itachi retorted. "Let him run around while people are fucking on the floor and couch?"
"He's old enough."
"He's 12." Itachi said flatly. Kisame smiled sheepishly, recognizing defeat. He and Itachi had only been dating about 6 months at this point, and he had taken a bit of amicable jeering from his friends due to the fact that he, a senior, was dating Uchiha, a freshman, but it wasn't hard to see why, since Itachi was arguably the most attractive person, male or female at the high school they attended. When they had started dating, people were surprised, to say the least. The super-rich athletic senior falling for the equally rich, unpopular goth-like freshman? Seemed like something out of a movie. But who would poke fun? Kisame would crush anyone who dared.
"Well, look at him. He's miserable. He hates it."
"What do you want me to do? I can't cancel. Everyone is already on their way."
"Let me hang out with him." Kisame offered. Itachi gave him a strange look. "I mean it." He laughed a little at his boyfriend's expression. "I'm pretty good with kids. I have 2 brothers about his age, remember? And you know, I'm over this whole scene anyway. I hate all the people that comes to these." He admitted, talking about the 'in-crowd' of their high school.
"You're the one they come to see me. They all hate me for dating you." Itachi hissed, glaring.
"Well, you have to stay and play hostess with 'Kashi now. Let me take him out to the backyard and we'll play basketball or board games or something until everyone leaves. I'm sure he would have a better time with me than shut up in his 'cage'." Kisame teased, and itachi sighed softly.
"Well, if you're sure you don't mind. He's. . . Well, he's not always friendly."
"But I made you like me." The shark argued smoothly, leaving the weasel frowning slightly. He practically glided over his lover's younger sibling, and smiled at him encouragingly. "Hey, so I had this pretty cool idea." He started but was interrupted by the boy.
"Yeah, I can hear both of you. You're only across a room, it's not like there is an invisible soundproof forcefield between the couch and table." He said witheringly, hating when people talked about him like he wasn't there. Kisame paused for a moment, his mouth widening in a smile. "I don't need your pity."
"Well, that's good since I don't have any for you." He answered honestly, taking a seat on the couch beside the grouchy boy, so they were on the same level.
"Just because you're nice to me doesn't mean my brother's going to let you in his pants any quicker." He retorted, flopping his head down grumpily on the arm of the couch. Kisame nearly choked from keeping in his laughter.
"Sasuke!" Itachi snapped, a light flush spreading across his face. "Can you please act like a normal little boy instead of an evil little alien?"
"I'm not a little boy!" He growled. "I'm about to be a teenager! God!" He snarled, flying to his feet, and stomping out the back door, slamming it shut, leaving Itachi fuming.
"Little brat." He scowled, glaring at his boyfriend. "Great plan." He said sarcastically. "You're wonderful with children."
"I'm still working on it." Kisame said defensively, but he was smiling as he followed the younger Uchiha out the door after planting a kiss on the elder's lips.
He had found Sasuke curled up, sulking in a chair on the deck. "Hey." He tried again, laying a hand on the boy's shoulder, giving him a serious look in his eyes. "You don't have to get so mad at him. He's just trying to help."
"But I'm not a kid!" Sasuke had cried in childish anguish. When he turned to face the older man, his eyes had been brimming with tears. A little boy's tears was not something he had wanted to face this night, but it wasn't really anything new for him. Deidara and Haku squabbled fairly frequently, and it most likely ended in one of them crying, usually Haku, the far more sensitive one.
"Definitely not." Kisame said seriously, pulling up a seat beside him.
"I'm tired of everyone calling me a kid! Itachi treats me like a baby! I go to school every day, I do my homework, I don't say bad words! What do I need to do?" He sniffled, his childish pride not wanting the tears to fall. "I'm sick of getting in his way all the time." He admitted. Kisame was silent for a moment, waiting for him to say something else. "If it wasn't for me, he could do whatever he wants, but he has to watch me all the time because they're gone. . . Itachi must hate me!" He finally let the slippery knot of control go, and burst into tears, covering his face with his hands.
"Sasuke." Not really knowing what else to do, Kisa thought back to the times when Haku was uncontrollably upset, bawling. He leaned forward, letting his instinct guide him. "You don't really think that, do you?" He wrapped a muscled arm around thin, bony shoulders, only slightly suprised when the raven's face turned into his shoulder, sobbing into it, no longer concerned about pride, just in getting rid of the bad feelings. "You know Ita loves you more than anything."
"I just make everything worse for him!"
"Maybe if you had a little brother, you'd understand why you don't make everything worse for him." The shark mused, not at all perturbed by wet, sloppy tears soaking through his clothes. He patted the younger Uchiha's shoulder clumsily. "It's going to be okay for you, Sasuke." He said softly, not knowing where the words had come from. The raven's head lifted, his eyes red-rimmed and puffy, still leaking. The words seemed to affect him physically, as a tiny smile graced his lips.
It had taken awhile to break down the boy's defensive barriers, but within a few hours, the child was chatting happily and laughing at the senior's jokes. When Sasuke had tentatively asked Kisame why he was dating Itachi, he had seemed satisified with the man's answer of "Because he is everything I want in a partner.", and when the shark had challenged the raven to a friendly game of basketball, he had expected to take it easy on the kid to build up his confidence but quickly realized the speed and skill of the boy was enough to keep him on his toes.
They had talked and played until the sun had come up, at which point Sasuke's eyelids were drooping. Kisame had helped him up to bed (But didn't carry him, careful not to insult the boy's pride by suggesting him childish enough to carry), just as the party was ending.
Sasuke had seen Kisame a few times after that, at the house, and Itachi seemed to be becoming rather smitten, even in the young eyes of Sasuke. He didn't really understand love or sex yet, but it was obvious that something important was going on with the shark and weasel. A strange envy he did not recognize yet had bloomed in his chest a few times at the sight of them together, his child's mind subconciously hoping he had that one day.
Shortly after that was when it had happened. . . The accident, with his parents. When Itachi had been so irresponsible.
Sasuke's eyes were wide, his lower lip quivered once, slightly. "Kisa." He whispered, and in that moment, they were back to that time, when Kisame had been stuck between the title of teenager and man, and when Sasuke had been stuck between the title of child and teenager, but had forged a sincere friendship. When he looked back later on this moment, Sasuke could have sworn he heard his former, pre-pubescent voice come out of his mouth. "I do remember."
Kisame stuck his hands in his pockets, trying to hide his emotions, faking a casual smile. Itachi missed this boy, and so did he. He had always had a fondness for the little Uchiha, for his brash defiance and sharp wit. "How have you been?" He asked, thinking of the nights Itachi had cried, wishing he could take back what had happened.
"I'm engaged." He answered shortly, lowering his eyes to hide the tears. "I'm. . . Happy." He answered, squeezing his eyes shut, letting his bangs fall over them. He hadn't felt like this before, this sharp, deep regret in his chest. It had been so easy to blame Itachi for everything when hadn't had to look into his eyes, face him. And he had left, at the first chance he had gotten, in with the blonde kitsune. But looking at Kisame now, his eyes with their sincere hurt and genuine love. . . He remembered that look. He remembered the days when he had thought of the shark as a big brother too.
"I always knew you'd make someone very happy. You're very beautiful, you know." The shark said, swallowing a lump in his throat. Sasuke scoffed slightly, embarrassed, crossing his arms a little. How could he have blamed Itachi? Itachi had loved him, had let him hang out with he and Kisa, had let him on his feelings for the shark. He remembered when Itachi had stumbled through 'the talk' with him. It had been awkward, for both of them, but necessary. Their parents had always been so busy. . . The weasel had been a brother, mother, and father to him, sacrificing many things to devote time and attention to his younger brother.
"He's the beautiful model, not me." Sasuke raised his head, slightly surprised at the words that had come out of him. He hadn't spoken about Itachi, tried not to think about him for such a long time. It was all too easy for Kisame to see the shining wetness in the large, dark eyes.
"He misses you so much."
"Don't say that!" Sasuke cried out suddenly. He shook his head as if to clear it. "I don't want to know, I don't care! It's his fault they're gone!" He forced out, letting the tears began to slip down his cheeks. "It's his fault." He repeated, as if he were trying to convince himself, his breath catching in his throat. He was dizzy suddenly, too dizzy. Like his thoughts had become too heavy for his head. He gazed down at the ground, and watched it fly up to meet him- He was fainting.
Kisame lunged forward, catching the boy easily, his now sopping wet face pressed against the man's tshirt. Sasuke's hand clutched the shark's shoulder, to push himself away but before he could, the man's strong arms had somewhat awkwardly wrapped around his shoulders, holding him there. "It's going to be okay for you, Sasuke." He repeated quietly but fiercely, remembering the night they had spent together all those years ago.
"It wasn't his fault." Sasuke wept, his voice coming out hoarse. What had he done? All these years, he had needed someone to blame. And that blame had fallen on Itachi's shoulders, just like taking care of the boy had fallen on his shoulders. "I'm so sorry, Kisa." He sobbed, and as the tears flowed out of him, sliding down his cheekbones and plopping on the ground and the cloth of the shark's shirt, it was if his negative feelings toward the weasel were being expelled too.
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Haku watched from the window in absolute amazement. He was pretty sure he had witnessed some kind of emotional revelation. He peered through the glass as his older brother tumbled Sasuke into the passenger seat of Sasuke's car, he himself getting in the driver's seat. He supposed Kisa was taking him home. . .
He shifted guiltily, remembering the man who had looked like Sasuke. . . The one Kisame was in love with.
"Well that's kind of odd." Zabuza deadpanned and for the second time that day, Haku gasped out loud.
"Why is everyone sneaking up on me today?" He accused, frowning.
"You were too busy spying to notice me." Zabuza teased slightly, closing the curtain as the car in the driveway travelled away.
Haku blushed. "I wasn't spying!" He retorted hotly. "I was just. . . Sasuke was crying. Did you see?"
"I saw." Zabuza shrugged. "I don't pretend to understand other people. I have enough on my plate trying to understand you." He said pointedly.
"What's there to understand?" Haku said quietly, peering at the bodyguard through thick lashes. "I'm simple."
"Ha!" Zabuza snorted. "You're anything but simple. You're a wealthy, beautiful, crossdressing teenager who claims to be in love with a rugged, destitute assassin who has nothing to offer you and who happens to be your personal bodyguard."
"I don't claim anything." He answered. "It's just the truth." He hesitated, glancing around the entrance room. "I am in love with you, Zabuza. It took me no time at all to realize that."
"That still doesn't make it make any sense."
"It doesn't have to." Haku whispered, slipping his small hand into the larger, calloused one. "You just have to love me back."
"I have no choice." Zabuza admitted, staring down into that beautiful face.
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Deidara's bright blue eyes travelled appreciatively up the body of his current date, as they made their way back to his car, from the scuffed military-style combat boots, up the well-fitting jeans with the tears in knees, all the way up the well-formed torso and arms, to the handsome face with the messy red hair. Firecrotch, his mind quipped at him, making him smile. Funny he hadn't thought of that before.
"We're going back to my house." Sasori informed the blonde, leaving no room for argument or debate, starting up the car. When the scorpion's phone began buzzing in his jacket pocket for the third or fourth time, he pulled it out, peeking at the name of the caller on the screen. Upon seeing it, he rolled his eyes to the ceiling, and shoved it back in his pocket.
"So, Sasori." Deidara began, buckling the seatbelt over his chest, gazing slyly over at him. "Are your pubes red, too?"
"Of course." He replied flatly, their eyes meeting hotly. "Aren't yours blonde?"
"I don't have any." Deidara answered smoothly, twirling a lock of hair around his clever finger.
Sasori's fingers tightened on the wheel for a milisecond before relaxing, something that most people wouldn't have noticed, but Deidara was an expert on gauging when a guy desired him. And he knew the scorpion was all but drooling for him. "Well, lucky for you, I won't mind fucking a thirteen-year-old." He gave Deidara a sarcastic smile, before plastering his eyes back on the road.
"I don't think you'll be thinking of any thirteen-year-old when we're fucking, un. . . I know I'll be able to keep all your attention on me, and only me."
"I bet." Sasori muttered under his breath, not at all comfortable with the turn this date had taken. When had he lost control and become the prey?
He had sped home, whipping around sharp turns, and cutting in front of cars as he pleased. Amidst the chorus of angry yells and honking horns, Sasori hardly seemed to notice. He seemed intent on his destination; Home.
When they parked at a modest house in a small and seemingly quiet neighborhood, Deidara was a little surprised. "Parents, roommates?" He questioned, getting out of the car and shutting the door.
"Just me." Sasori answered, walking around the car to meet the blonde. He leaned forward, their faces just inches apart, immensely enjoying the blonde's catchy little sigh, his body bending submissively, turning his pretty pink lips up. The redhead's arms caged Deidara in, trapping him between the car and his own tough, rangy body. If he were to lean forward just another few inches, their bodies would be flush together, lined up perfectly together.
He brought his lips forward, so his breath was hot and mingled with the blonde's as he spoke. "Did you want to come in or something?"
Deidara's blood level was through the roof, although he felt it had all drained from his head to a definite point below his waist. His cheeks were flushed pink, his eyes wide and pleading. He felt Sasori's thumb brush against his lower lip, the rough tip contrasting sharply with his soft mouth. God, just lean forward and fucking do it! He wanted to scream, but he seemed to have lost the ability to speak. He was paralyzed once again in the sexy-beam of the scorpion.
"Cat got your tongue?" Sasori asked oddly, pulling his body back, arching a brow, but inwardly he was smiling cockily. The blonde could fancy himself some seasoned flirt all he wanted but in moments like this, it was painfully obvious who was really the predator and the prey. The hunter. The master.
"N-no. Coffee sounds great, un." He tried to answer smoothly, but the stutter gave it away, deepening his blush. He let the redheard take his hand, leading him into the door, closing it behind them.
He sat at the small oakwood table, glancing around the equally small kitchen curiously as Sasori made coffee. Small, but clean. A little cluttered maybe, but it had a certain charm, especially since Sasori's art was scattered haphazardly around. Paintings, sculptures. . . They were really good, too. The puppets were a little creepy, but they were so well-made. . . Sasori was so talented. Deidara stared incredulously as Sasori's cellphone began vibrating again, but this time when the man glanced at the caller, he scowled, yanked a drawer open, threw the phone in, and slammed the door shut. Before the blue-eyed male could ask what was going on with the phone, Sasori turned.
"Cream and sugar?" The artist asked softly, pouring the black liquid into matching cups and taking a seat across from the blonde. When Deidara nodded, he sat a container of milk and a little pot of sugar in front of the teen. "I take mine black." He said, raising a brow as the blonde slopped several large spoonfuls of sugar crystals and a very generous splash of milk into the cup, seeming satisfied.
"Quite a sweet tooth you have there. You sure have a lot of vices." Sasori pointed out, hating the fact that he found it so endearing. God, why was his skin just as bright and beautiful and inviting as the cream?
"Maybe so." Deidara admitted, licking his lips after taking a sip. "But what about you, un? Don't you have any?"
"I have this thing I like to do, where I lure attention-starved blondes into my house, rape them until pass out, kill them, and then cut their body up so nobody can ever identify them."
Deidara visibly blanched for a moment, before he caught Sasori's small smile. "I'm, uh, hoping you'll make an exception for me. I'd be more than happy to dye my hair." He joked a little.
"Don't." Sasori said quickly, before he could stop himself, and infuriatingly felt heat rise to his own cheeks.
"Why not?" Deidara asked slowly, biting his lip to hide his own grin. Sasori heaved a sigh. Honesty time.
"It's so sexy." He admitted gruffly, not quite meeting the blue orbs.
"You really think so?" Deidara asked softly, tucking a strand behind his ear.
"Would I have cleaned up your puke if I didn't?" He asked matter-of-factly. The blonde shrugged.
"I guess it is an awful lot of trouble." Deidara admitted, remembering Sasori's question to him that night; Why are you so obsessed with me? He knew, of course, that the blonde had a pathetic crush on him. "I was so embarrassed. . ." He confessed, looking down.
There was no more arrogance, no more cockiness, no more battling for dominance and being the hunter or hunted. . . Just two people that really liked each other, despite one of them's attempts to hide his true feelings.
"I was nervous too, you know." Sasori said after awhile, clearing his throat at Deidara's stunned look. "You're just so. . . Stunning." He decided on the word.
"What? Me!?" Deidara laughed into his coffee, shaking his head. "I didn't think I had a chance with you, un. . . I mean. . . I know you and Kai (Author's note; Original character, not important enough to incorporate an actual character, sorry for the confusion) had just broken up, and, un. . . I didn't think you would want someone like me."
"How could I not? Everyone wants you."
Deidara shook his head. "Everyone wants to fuck me. You're not interested in that."
"I wouldn't say that." The scorpion argued quickly. "I'm definitely interested, but. . . You're more than that. I just like watching you. You're so. . . Full of energy, and. . . " He trailed off, the look in Deidara's eyes was full of trust and acceptance.
"Sasori, you're the most attractive person I've ever met." He smiled sweetly again. "When you were flirting with my brother to make me jealous. . . It worked. I wanted to throttle him."
"That wasn't really necessary. Haku is pretty, but nothing compared to what I see in you."
They were both silent for a few minutes, their eyes locked across the table. Sasori shifted, standing. "I guess I should, uh. . . Take you home now."
"Yeah." Deidara agreed, standing as well. He pushed his chair back and attempted to squeeze by the scorpion, while he was lifting his leather jacket off the back of the chair. They both turned at the exact simultaneous moment, their firm bodies pressed flush against each other at last. Both their eyes flashed dangerously as the contact seemed to spark between them, their skin instantly heating.
"Fuck it." Sasori muttered, shaking his head before grabbing the blonde's shoulders hastily, jerking their bodies closer together, taking his mouth roughly.
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So there you have it. . . I actually already have about half of the next chapter already typed up, because I kept typing on this one but then I realized it was getting a little lengthy so I cut Sasori and Deidara's part right in the middle. Suspense coming, but I don't wanna give any spoilers!
Also, yeah, the Itachi/Kisame/Sasuke thing is a little too emotional and everything, but it is a fanfiction, what do you expect? Everything is magnified 1000x, lol. . . Please review, I would really appreciate and feel free to send any suggestions, questions, anything to me in a private message, I like talking(:
