Author's note: Gomen! It took me a long time to update. Crap! I thought I sent the last chapter but I checked it again this morning and I never did. So Sorry! I'm sorry to the world! To all the people waiting for the fic! Yada! Yada! Yada!
9
The night after, puzzles to which there seemed to be no solutions filled Sasuke's head, questions crowded his head and there were things which, when pondered, seemed only to beget others. He pushed himself from his bed and proceeded to walk out of his cabin. He crossed the small companionway toward the door opposite his cabin and gently knocked on the mahogany wood.
The door opened to reveal a half naked Naruto.
"Sasuki?" Naruto's voice filled with concern. "Why are you still up?"
The mask of displeasure Naruto always wear whenever Sasuke was around lifted sometime after the 'dinner' the week before. Sasuke had found out from Kyu that Naruto used to be a prankster when he was a kid.
They only acted the part during the day. It was necessary, Naruto insisted, to avoid talks of favoritism.
Naruto stood aside to let Sasuke in. Inside Sasuke directly sat on the bed.
"I was wondering…"
Naruto dragged his working chair near the foot of his cot before sitting down.
"What were you wondering?"
"About men."
Naruto's deep laughter filled the room. "Were you now? I remember I was curious about my sexual preferences around your age. Anyone in particular or the sex in general?"
"I was wondering about Haku?"
"Haku! As in Kyu's Haku?" He grinned. "Don't you think he's too pretty for you?"
"I'm way prettier than him," Sasuke smirked. "So I don't think that my ego would be bruised. But I think if we do get out together, people would only think we're siblings instead of lovers."
"I must confess, I was worried you'd set your sights on Kyu."
"Kyu! Oh no!" Sasuke sputtered, and then quickly added. "Kyu and I are only friends. Besides I have someone else in mind…" Sasuke blushed almost revealing how he felt about the blonde man.
"Who is it? Is it someone I know?" Naruto raised a questioning brow, his mouth tugged in a grin.
"Nothing. Just forget what I said that!" Sasuke got redder by the second.
"Aww, come on Sasuki-chan," Naruto tugged his arm. "You can tell me. I promise not to tell anyone. Cross my heart and hope to die."
"No!" Sasuke hit him on the head. "Try to act your age! Dobe!"
"Mou!" Naruto whined. "Sasuki-chan is so mean!" Then he laughed.
"About Haku…"
"He's really captured your fancy eh?"
"Not mine! Yours!" Sasuke caught himself and wondered anxiously if Naruto had noticed the edge of jealousy in his voice. "You've been paying court to him these past few days. Even a blind man could see that."
"Have I? I suppose I have. Well, why not? It's been a long time we've been at sea. And as I said Haku is a pretty man."
"And what if he…he…"
"Came to my bed?" Naruto supplied. "What if he did?"
"What about Sakura?
"Miss Sakura," Naruto corrected him. "We aren't exactly married yet, so what I do is my own business."
"What about Haku? Could he still be Kyu's 'Companion'?"
"Why not? Virginity isn't exactly a requirement to the position. I'll be a damned hypocrite to turn him out for letting me seduce him." He wagged his finger in Sasuke's direction. "Who could blame the poor soul? I'm damned hard to resist."
In spite of his best effort, Sasuke couldn't stifle a giggle. He was almost flattened by one of Naruto's heavy pillow. Knocked half out of the cot, he started to laugh upside down, one hand braced on the floor to keep him from falling.
"Are you laughing at me, you pirate-blooded vixen!?" Naruto shouted.
Sasuke found himself jerked upward and sent sprawling on the cot. He writhed, gasping as Naruto's hard merciless finger dug painfully into his ribs, hips, and the tender flesh of his thighs. Sasuke was completely helpless.
"Mock me, will you?" Naruto demanded, still laughing.
He tickled him, but Sasuke's laughter suddenly died off. His teasing fingers were bound to discover the secret Sasuke strove to hide. Panicking, he twisted away.
"Let me go!" he screamed. "Stop it. Don't touch me!"
Puzzled, Naruto released him. His eyes caught a single glimpsed of his white thigh before Sasuke scrambled to cover himself properly. Naruto felt a twinge of the strange disquieting desire that had so plagued him oh so recently and thought he understood what it was that Sasuke feared.
"Easy, Sasuki," he soothed. "You know I was only teasing you. I'm not like Orochimaru."
Oh, yes you are, Sasuke thought. Whether you like it or not, you two are similar in you desires.
Sasuke walked to the door, turning he said, "I know you're not, Naruto. It's just that…"
"Never mind. Just go to sleep." Naruto said, sparing him the trouble of fabricating an explanation. "Oh, Sasuki?"
"Yes?" Sasuke said softly.
"Remember, don't think of any ideas of seducing the fair Haku. You'd be no match for me."
"Hai, Naruto," Sasuke agreed.
Sasuke closed the door, but not before he heard Naruto's low and musing voice. "I wonder why he felt like Kyu."
Who was he talking about? Sasuke thought. Then he just shrugged it off.
He wanted him. He knew with certainty he wanted Naruto. Wanted Naruto's finger on him again, not accidentally, or playfully, but with the same desire he saw in his eyes whenever they came to rest on Haku.
His mind began formulating wild schemes, each as unlikely as the other. He could learn to be a lady with all the graces and charms of one born and bred. Then when his lessons were complete, he would appear at the Uzumaki Manor. Perhaps then Naruto would consider him worthy for his attention and desire.
But no, it would never work. By the time he accomplished his lessons, Naruto would probably married to Haruno Sakura.
He could abandon his disguise of course, and then learn to be a gentleman. Then woo Naruto off his feet. There's only one glitch, Naruto was too thickheaded to accept the position of 'uke' in the relationship. Of course, he had to stay alive when Naruto discovered his secret.
The precious few days that remained on their voyage were all that he would have with him. Sasuke must make the most of them, find what comfort he could in being closer to him than anyone else, in being privy to his secrets, his thoughts, his ambition; even, Sasuke thought, his eyes narrowing as he saw Naruto gazing toward Haku, his lusts.
If Naruto could be his, if only for a moment, if only in secret, he would seize the opportunity with both hands. He knew with certainty he would never meet someone like Uzumaki Naruto though he searched the seas and lands of all the legends his brother had told him as a child. If they could not share a lifetime, he thought he might be content to share an hour or a day and remember it with fondness all the rest of his life.
He sought out Kyu. He was someone with a mission. From the disapproving looks Iruka gave him as he took Kyu's wrist and drew him away, he knew Naruto's brother had kept their secret.
"What is it Sasuke?" Kyu asked excitedly. "Has something happened?"
"I need your help Kyu. Promise me you won't laugh if I tell you what I want."
"Of course I won't laugh, " Kyu promised solemnly. "Tell me what it is."
"I want to come to your cabin tonight and help me dress." Sasuke braced himself, expecting Kyu to roll on the floor with laughter, but Kyu's azure eyes sparkled with excitement.
"I knew you'd feel that way! I just knew it!" Sasuke looked past Kyu toward the fo'c's'le, where Naruto stood.
"You like it last time, didn't you?" Kyu smirked devilishly.
Sasuke tore his gaze away from the blonde captain. "What did you just say?"
"You enjoyed yourself, didn't you?" Kyu nudged Sasuke at the side. "Under my supervision, you would find yourself in heaven."
"It was interesting," Sasuke allowed his gaze straying back to the tall, golden haired man.
"Interesting!? Is that all you can say?!"
"What were we talking about again?"
"We're talking about your enjoying the delectable 'exercise' we had shared together!"
"Oh, okay," Sasuke said absentmindedly. "I'll meet you later." Sasuke went back to resume his task, leaving behind a very irritated Uzumaki.
"Nobody walks away from me like that!" he said indignantly. He stomped after Sasuke who was stopped by Iruka. "I'll show you to ignore me. Heh heh. This is gonna be fun."
He threw himself and latched onto the smaller boy by the waist, startling not only Sasuke but Iruka as well.
Sasuke hit him on the head, hard. "Baka! What the hell are you doing? Do you have a death wish or something? Hanase!"
"Mou!! Sasuki-chan! You are such a tease!" He whined. Then turning to Iruka as if he just saw the man, he said, "Oh, his Iruka-sensei. Didn't see you there?" He turned his attention back to Sasuke. "What do you mean you're a kiss and run person?" 'And the award of best actor goes to…me!' he thought.
Iruka made a choking sound. Sasuke gasped and turned a bright shade of red.
"I-Iruka-sensei!?" he stuttered. "This isn't what you think…" He turned to glare at the blonde boy. "Get you hands off me idiot and explain to Iruka-sensei."
The blonde even got the nerve to look hurt. "Ne, Sasuki-chan? You said I was your first kiss…doesn't that mean we're practically together?" Then he rubbed his head on Sasuke's belly.
Sasuke was stupefied.
Someone made a coughing sound. They all turned to face Naruto.
"Oh shit!" Kyu gulped.
"I-I…oh, crap!" Sasuke said.
Sasuke waited until no sound could be heard from Naruto's cabin before he slipped out of his. He tiptoed to Kyu's. Kyu, waiting, opened the door as he approached.
This time Sasuke selected the short-legged leotard. Kyu asked no question as he helped Sasuke with the zippers at the back.
"Try to walk across the room," Kyu ordered. "Not bad although a bit rigid."
"Damn it's hot in here!" Sasuke fanned himself.
Kyu smirked and came closer. ""Well, let's make it hotter… But by then, you won't mind the warmth anymore."
Sasuke kicked him away. "Not gonna happen. I still haven't forgiven you yet for this afternoon's vacation in hell."
"I've already said sorry for that! Isn't that enough? And I was punished as well."
Sasuke fixed his hair in a bun. "Nope, it's not. And you deserve it."
"Fine, you cold bastard. Hmmph" Kyu pouted.
"It's still hot in here. Damn! Can't you make a window in here?"
"No, it's quite cool in here. You really are an ice prince. Why don't you go up the deck and practice your walking. There's more space and it's cooler."
Sasuke snorted. "And get discovered? I don't think so."
"Just keep to the shadows."
"No." Sasuke stated. A minute later he gave up. "Aarggh! It's like hell in here! I'm going out."
Sasuke walked swiftly outside on the deck. In the enveloping darkness, he practiced.
"Hah, this isn't bad as I thought," he said. "I worried over nothing. Nobody's here. What could possibly happen?"
He had to jinx it.
He felt someone behind him. Before he could turn and run a pair of hands spanned him tightly on the waist. "Couldn't you sleep, my dear?"