Naruto couldn't help laughing as Sasuke's fingers slid underneath his shirt, rubbing against his lower abdomen and sliding against his tanned chest.
"Sa-Sasuke." He gasped out, cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "No, stop, I'm feeling much better now, I promise!"
Sasuke looked into Naruto's beautiful face, currently etched with embarrassment.
"Are you sure?" he asked. "You said you had a stomach ache. I'm just rubbing your tummy." He smiled innocently, and didn't move his hand from under Naruto's shirt, didn't move his other had from the small of Naruto's back.
Because, in truth, he liked holding Naruto. He liked touching him so intimately, making him squirm, making him make those gorgeously flushed and oh so sensual faces, and the equally sensual noise too. He liked the way Naruto's small fingers dug into his arm as he begged to be let go, and his crystal blue eyes clouded, blond spikes falling into his face.
But it didn't matter. Because no matter what Sasuke liked, he knew he shouldn't touch what wasn't his, what didn't belong to him, things he didn't deserve.
He pulled his hand from under Naruto's shirt. "You sure you okay though?" he asked seriously. "I didn't know that you were so ticklish down there."
Naruto nodded and then fixed his rumpled shirt and stepped forward. "Where did you say you were going?" He asked curiously, fixing his tousled blond hair.
"Out." Sasuke said shortly, drawing the petite blond into a gentle hug. "With Neji."
Naruto looked up at him, blue and black eyes clashing. He pushed back some of Sasuke's askew hair that was covering his face and as he did, Sasuke felt his lean flat-muscles body press closer. The carpet suddenly felt very warm to his bare toes, which were touching Naruto's.
"Neji huh? Have I lost your attention so soon? He smiled, looking dreadfully serious.
Sasuke blushed, the urge to take Naruto back upstairs and to their bedroom to show him that he had not at all lost his attention consummated him, but he resisted.
'This is all for you Naru.' He thought. 'And soon, hopefully, when I look into those blue eyes, I won't see pure heartbreak reflecting back at me.'
Naruto had had his heart broken so many times that the best Sasuke could hope for him to have was an unbroken broken heart if that made any sense. For his heart had been broken, and broken and broken again, so if it broke any more Sasuke was afraid the pieces would scatter across the earth and there wouldn't be anymore. 'I hope what's left of his broken heart remains unbroken.'
And Naruto looked so cute in his baggy jeans that had to be held up with a belt, and his black undershirt, stretched across tight abs. He wished Neji would hurry up so he would be able to stop staring. Almost as his will, Neji beeped the car horn from outside.
"Got to go Naru." Sasuke said, letting out his breath and almost bolting for the door.
Neji was sitting in the car, smiling happily. "Are you ready to go find your soul mate some other guy to play with till you realize that you're the one for him?" He asked.
"No." Sasuke snorted, bucking his seat belt. "I'm ready to go find Naruto a boyfriend though."
Neji shrugged and began driving, and it became silent as Sauske leaned his head against the car window. "So, you're starting to room with Gaara aren't you?" He asked.
"Yup." Neji said, keeping his eyes on the road.
Sasuke had almost forgotten the reason for Neji's sleepover, to say goodbye to his huge house and hello to his new one. The fact that he was moving had shocked everyone, especially since he'd been moving in with Gaara and his house had been so nice.
"How's that for you so far?" Sasuke asked.
"He's quiet and keeps the house clean, gets mad when I bring too many guys over." Neji said, shrugging. "I make sure he goes to sleep on time and doesn't watch any violent television."
'It must be killing Gaara to see Neji fooling around with all those men.' Sasuke thought.
"He's really cute isn't he?" Sasuke continued innocently.
"Adorable." Neji admitted. "Too bad he's so modest. I can't get him out of his pants yet. But I guess I don't want to. Gaara's cuddly in a teddy bear way, not in a 'I-want-you-in-my-bed' sort of way."
'This isn't going anywhere.' Sasuke thought agitatedly. 'I'll never get Neji to like Gaara unless I find out what he likes in a guy.'
"So, these guys you bring home, what are they like?" Sasuke asked.
"Daring, impulsive, and hot." Neji said immediately. "All of them."
"That's what you…want in a guy?" Sasuke asked.
"No." Neji said. "That's what I want in a lover. A boyfriend is definitely not what I'm looking for right now. I so don't want my heart broken again. You know how hard it was to get over the last scenario."
Sasuke felt a twinge of guilt and he blushed slightly. "Well, you should. You won't be young forever." He warned.
Neji leaned against the car window. "I…I don't think I'd be good for anyone. I'm not ready, not stable, not strong."
"You're strong when you're around Gaara. You always protect him…" Sasuke prodded.
Neji fell silent. "Gaara's different." He said finally, clutching the car wheel. "He's even more vulnerable than me. I can handle him."
Sasuke smiled with relief. 'Gaara's different. This could work.'
Neji stopped the car and Sasuke blushed when he looked out the window. "Mike-a-chic gay?" He whispered, staring at the sign. "Is that some sort of pun? I don't get it."
Neji shrugged. "I dunno, I don't care. Do you want Naruto to fall in love with the sign, or some guy inside the place?"
"You want me to go find my best friend a boyfriend at a gay bar?" Sasuke said in disbelief.
Neji took his hand and lead him inside. "It's not a gay bar. Mostly teenagers anyways."
Sasuke squinted in the darkness.
"You see that little bar over there?" Neji said pointing.
Sasuke squinted even further, the florescent lights and people touching him and music pissing him off. "Yeah?" He said.
"It's called the F.T.D table." Neji grinned. "For the depressed."
Sasuke shrugged. "So?" he said.
"All the guys who've just got dumped go over there to drown there sorrows. All we have to do is wait there. Trust me, we'll find someone good."
Sasuke frowned. "So we go to the bar in the gay bar for the guys who got dumped and pick one of those sorry asses to date my Naruto?" he hissed.
"Good boy, you were following." Neji smiled, dragging Sasuke over with him.
Sasuke stood leaning at the table, refusing to sit down while Neji comfortably seated himself, looking completely out of place among men depressedly drinking alcohol.
Sasuke grudgingly scanned them, mentally ticking off the ones he didn't like. Most off them looked way too old, not in age, but in experience. They looked like they'd been through too much to handle anyone else well, too experienced to handle anyone as fragile as Naruto. He ignored them all.
Neji was looking far more carefully, since he seemed to actually want to find someone at the table for Naruto. "Hey, Sasuke, look." He said pointing to the far end of the table.
Sasuke arched an eyebrow, scrutinizing the boy Neji was pointing at. His body was shaking with convulsive trembles, and his head was down. He had no drink in hand and messy brown hair with red tips was all Sasuke could see.
"What?" he said.
"He's crying." Neji whispered. "That kid is crying."
"So?" Sasuke shrugged. "He's crying so he's most likely an uke. Naruto's an uke so it just couldn't work."
Neji shook his head. "Naruto needs someone that can love him, not someone to love. An uke does most of the loving in a relationship anyways. He does need one."
Sasuke sighed and walked over the where the boy was sobbing. "Hi." He said simply, hoping that would work.
Amethyst eyes met his, thick black eyelashes clinging to each other, joined by tears as the boy looked at him. Sasuke cold stare almost faded. He looked so… fragile.
The boy stood from his stool, and Sasuke realized he was barely over five feet. Then he collapsed, against Sasuke's chest, and began sobbing harder than ever.
Neji got up, knowing Sasuke was about to push the boy off, and as he did, he took him into his own arms. "Perfect." He mouthed to Sasuke, rocking the complete stranger, but soon-to-be Naruto's boyfriend back and forth. "Perfect."
Naruto slid off his bed, feeling tired after having a good cry. He stared at his I-pod and realized he'd listened to 'Every time We Touch' by Cascada. He couldn't stop crying it when he heard it, he couldn't stop. He wanted someone to sing that song to, to sing it about. The aching for love was killing him.
Luckily, the doorbell had rang, and he had a distraction to work with as he trotted down the stairs to the door. Upon opening it, Naruto's mouth hung low. "Conrad." He hissed at the smug-looking teenager in front of him. The boy walked in, causing Naruto to seethe even more.
"I think I've decided to take you back." Conrad said in boredom.
Naruto wanted to kill him. He really did. He couldn't even begin to fathom on how many levels this was wrong, and he didn't want to.
"You think." He whispered.
"Yeah." Conrad stepped towards him, and Naruto felt a hand stroking his side. He was going to bite it, but it was too far away. "Don't touch me." He hissed.
Conrad ignored him. "STOP TOUCHING ME!" Naruto screamed, kicking Conrad's shin. "Get out of my house. NOW."
"I'll be back." Conrad said, as if Naruto's kick hadn't at all affected him, as if he'd only come by to mess with Naruto's head. Naru shut the door and leaned against it. He started crying again, overwhelmed with emotion.
"So, you're boyfriend dumped you because you were too clingy." Neji said slowly, trying to get things straight once and for all from the still sobbing petite boy.
He nodded.
Neji's face split into a grin and he glanced up at Sasuke who frowned down at him. "You know what you need?" he said slowly.
The boy looked at him.
"When you get dumped by your first boyfriend ever, the best thing to do is find another equally depressed guy in a similar situation." Neji said.
The boy hic-upped. "My name's Riku." He whispered. "Thank you for letting me cry on you."
"Repay me by dating my really hot friend, who's in a similar situation to you!" Neji said bluntly.
He was sure he'd hear something like, 'I'm not ready for another relationship' or something similar from Riku, but there was only a sharp nod coming from him. "Anything." He said. "You've really helped me. I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't come. Probably killed myself."
Sasuke's eyes widened. 'He'll do it?' he thought.
Neji grinned. "Great." He mewled, giving Riku a piece of paper. "Meet us at that time."
Riku's big green eyes gazed down at the writing scribbled on the paper, then back up at Neji's. "So…who are you guys?" he asked.
"I'm Neji and this is Sasuke." Neji said. "We're Naruto's friends, the guy we want you to be with."
"Okay." Riku said softly. "He's lucky to have you guys. I just hope he doesn't hurt me."
"Naruto doesn't hurt anyone!" Sasuke snapped angrily.
Neji rolled his eyes. "He's on steroids." He said, apologizing for Sasuke's freakish behavior. "We'll see you around ok?"
He dragged Sasuke out of the bar before he could cause any real damage.
Sasuke leaned grouchily against his seat, ignoring Neji's hand comfortingly stroking his knee. "Neji." He said suddenly.
Neji looked up. "Yeah?"
"Do you…still have feelings for me?" Sasuke asked.
He could feel Neji tense, his hand clutching harder to the wheel, the car speeding up even more, as if he were angry with it. For a couple of minutes he didn't think Neji would answer, as hair blew into his friends face, hiding it from Sasuke's view.
Then, "Yes." Was the hushed whisper he got, as if when Neji said it softly, it wouldn't be true.
Sasuke wasn't sure he'd heard right. "Yes?" he said.
"Yes." Neji said quickly. "Yes, but barely." He turned his head away.
"Oh." Sasuke said, sinking back even further. "How did you get rid of…most of them."
"I distracted myself with other guys till the searing pain of the loss, knowing that I was never really in line for what I wanted had dimmed to a bearable numb." Neji mumbled.
"Is that why you're so…promiscuous?" Sasuke asked delicately.
"I guess." Neji said. "I wanted to forget you. I loved you so much Sasuke."
Sasuke looked at Neji, at his serious expression. "It's tough, but I'm making it."
'Good, don't stay hung up over me.' Sasuke thought. 'Other guys need you.'
He didn't even want to think about how hurt Neji had looked when he'd been so blunt. He didn't want to think about it. 'Gaara will take the pain away.' Sasuke thought. Because no matter how cynical Sasuke seemed on the outside, he believed in true love.
Thank you for your awesome reviews!
narutoxsasuke (i really like your name b.t.w)
SasukesTrueLove (I hope your name is Naruto lol (in reference to your name) and yeah, I was actually going to do that)
narutoisuke (very true, naruto is SO uke)
nanachan87 (bows thanks very much)
