Gaaarrsh, you guys are amazing! Thank you for all the reviews and favs and alerts (: As always, you guys put a huge smile on my face! Also, to answer a question one of my reviewers had about how I prepare for a lemon scene and all, normally I overload myself with a crap load of yaoi manga and use what I see from there as a reference. Or sometimes I read other people fanfics and see what they do, and use that as a framework for my lemons. My first lemon was really rushed and lame (well, I thought it was) and after a while I realized I like to give more details and imagery rather than focus on "OH HOW KINKY CAN I MAKE THIS". Well, sometimes I try to write really dirty scenes (; but they normally don't come out as good (too me...)
coughs- Anywho. On to the warning and disclaimer!
Warning: Eh... nothing REALLY happens in this chapter. I honestly don't know how in the rainbow world this chapter popped out of my mind o.o. It's more of a filler for chapter seventeen ;DD. I'm actually working on that right now and I must say it could be very... dramatic. OH YEAH. I SLIPPED IN MINI-SMUT YEAHMEEEE. I got really distracted writing this too. Damn you Tumblr. DAMN YOU (I love you so much).
Disclaimer: Guys... my moccasins smell really bad. I don't think that's natural. Someone hook me up with some febreeze.
Enjoy you lovely, lovely readers c:
Chapter Sixteen: Support with Setbacks
It had started to rain by the time Naruto got home. Sasuke followed him into the apartment, and he didn't oppose at all. Naruto's throat was raw and scratchy. His body shook and trembled as if earthquakes were erupting from his body. He had told Sasuke to call Gaara and Kiba over because he didn't really trust his voice at the moment. Memories flashed by of last year, of past years, and they left him weak.
Naruto collapsed on the couch and curled himself into a ball. 'Just breathe,' he told himself over and over and over again. 'Breathe… relax… calm down.'
"Naruto…" Sasuke normally wasn't the type of person who knew exactly the right words to say to comfort someone. He was more of an action man than anything else if the past couple of weeks proved as much. Sitting down on the couch, he pulled Naruto in the arms and just… held him. Sasuke was the glue, the anchor, the rope that was keeping Naruto as grounded as he was.
It's painful. To see the one who holds your heart dearly to their own crack and breakdown right in front of you. The terrible part is… sometimes we, as humans, don't know the right words to say, the rights pieces to pick up to put everything back together again.
Iruka came in shortly after wearing his customary blue apron. He was expecting a quiet dinner tonight with Kakashi, Naruto and himself. Surely seeing his ward in someone else's arms bawling was not a part of the plan.
"Naruto? What's wrong?" he knelt down and grasped Naruto's shaking hands, worry shining brightly in his eyes. "Is it the dream again…? I told you that staying home was an option. If you weren't strong enough you should have—"
"I saw him." The words cut through the air like daggers. Sharpened daggers that were dipped in truth and burning with the realization of such simple, simple phrases.
Iruka didn't have to ask twice. He knew immediately what Naruto was talking about. Wiping the grease from his hands on his apron, Iruka dug in his pocket and pulled out his cell. "I'll call of Kakashi tonight. Then we talk."
Naruto shook his head slowly. He didn't want to be the reason why Kakashi and Iruka couldn't spend time together. "You don't have to cancel just for me. Kakashi can still come over."
"Are you out of your mind?" Iruka looked at Naruto as if the boy had just grew two heads in the span of thirty seconds. He shook his head at his ward's incredulous behavior and started to punch numbers in his cell. "My son is hurting, and if you think I'd leave you to suffer in silence then you're dead wrong. Also, I'm calling Gaara and Kiba over as well."
The blond was about to protest but the soft pressure coming from his hand stopped him. Naruto looked up, blue clashing with onyx, and read the emotions running through Sasuke's eyes word for word.
"You need them." his eyes spoke. With real words, Sasuke said, "In times like these it's good to have family and friends around you for support." He squeezed Naruto's hand a little tighter, and his lips were just a breath away from Naruto's ear. "And I'll be here."
'He'll be here…' This was a first for Naruto. To hear such words and know they came from the heart made the world seem a little brighter in this dark place and time. And then the words just happened to slip out of Naruto's mouth as he leaned his head on Sasuke's shoulder, dried tears caking his face…
"Love you," he muttered. 'Oh shit!' he thought a second after the words were spoken. There was no such thing as taking them back from the air and shoving them down his throat. They were up, up, up and they couldn't be brought down again… 'Idiot!' he thought, slapping his hand over his mouth in shock.
Onyx eyes were widened… Really, of all things to hear on a night of shocks, unexpected meetings, and brought up pasts, to hear Naruto say that… 'Heat of the moment,' Sasuke figured. Was that the true reason, though or was Sasuke too afraid to admit the reality staring him right in the face.
"You too," a lame response in its glory, Sasuke leaned in for a soft kiss but Naruto moved away. The doorbell chimed through out the room, bleeding in with the silence the response created. Watching Naruto walk away, feeling the coldness that immediately attacked his hand, made Sasuke want to curl into a ball and disappear into the cushions of the couch.
"We got the call," Gaara raised up his cell phone before jamming it in his pocket. "You look like shit," he said rather bluntly.
If it were anyone else who said that, Naruto might have punched him or her in the face. Instead—since it was Gaara—Naruto managed to slip on a shaky smile and shrugged. "I feel like shit."
"Of all the fucking times that douche could have come back!" Kiba threw his arms around Naruto's shoulders and brought him into a hug. "You okay, buddy? He didn't touch you anywhere did he?" and just to make sure Kiba started to feel Naruto's stomach, thighs… everywhere really until the blond pulled him off, fussing.
"No, Kiba. Kyu—He didn't touch me anywhere."
He did a mighty fine job of scarring the boy's soul, though.
Naruto led his two best friends into the living room. Inside, he made eye contact with his raven. He felt another pang of sadness and disappointment attack his heart—just what he needed. 'Did I expect anything less?' Sometimes you have to set your hopes lower so when they're crushed, you don't bleed as much. The rational part of Naruto's mind was telling him to stop being silly and forgive and forget. Just because he didn't have any qualms about saying those three, precious words didn't mean Sasuke was the same way. The raven had promised to say them, and he would.
The disappointment still stung though, but as Naruto sat back down on the couch—Kiba and Gaara were sitting on the floor and Iruka was still on the phone with Kakashi—Sasuke's hand made a reach for his and he held it… for the support. For the reassurance that sure, Sasuke wasn't about to get on one knee and propose to him right now, but he would be by his side when he was on the ground with a bruised spirit. He'd be there. His actions spoke louder than words, and that eased Naruto down tremendously.
Iruka came out of the kitchen a few minutes later, looking a little worse for wear. He barely paid any mind to the fact that Kiba and Gaara had gotten here rather quickly. The boys would have teleported here in three seconds flat if they were invited for pasta night. "Sorry that took so long. Kakashi's a hard one to convince…" he sat down on the armrest of the couch and upheld his position proudly as the guardian of the house. "Naruto, the floor's yours."
The story was told. A choppy beginning choked by tears and interrupted with questions that popping up here and there. The middle flowed with the intentions of meeting the end; quick but never skipping over important details. The end was… the end. It finished with Naruto squeezing the daylights out of Sasuke's hand and trailed off in the whisper…
"He's back," was the closing string that shut the door and ended the story.
He's back. He's back. He's back. A trail of blood is ready to be shed and spread.
Kiba was the first to show some forms of life after the brutal story telling. He leaned back on the palms of his hands and whistled long and low. "Damn… just… damn."
"I think what Kiba is trying to say here, is that Kyuubi's random appearance is unsettling." Gaara said.
"I agree," Iruka nodded. He was chewing on his bottom lip hard enough to draw a slight stream of blood. "Kyuubi was supposed to be long gone from here… Naruto, didn't you say he had fled the country or something?"
Naruto nodded slowly. He didn't trust his voice anymore. By this time, Sasuke had his arms wrapped around Naruto's shoulders. Sometimes he would whisper words of encouragement. Other times he would just hold him… hold him and never let go.
Kiba sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Guys, we need like a battle plan or something. Kyuubi could come back again!"
The thought of seeing that demon again made Naruto shiver terribly. Gaara punched Kiba on the arm—for good measure, of course.
"Idiots should not talk in serious situations." The redhead narrowed his eyes at the brunet he dared to call his friend and shot Naruto an apologetic look. "Sorry about his stupidity, but on this rare occasion Kiba is right. The fact that he has come back means he could return at any time. A plan would be nice to have at this moment."
"I don't think you heard me correctly. Kyuubi is a gang member!" Naruto reminded Gaara. "And this isn't some laughable gang kids come up with to feel cool. This is the Nine-Tails clan we're talking about."
"Holy shit!" Kiba nearly jumped five feet in the air. "The Nine-Tails clan? Like the crazy, psycho people who go around beheading people and have the police literally wrapped around their fingers? That gang?"
Gaara punched Kiba again. This time it was in the face.
Iruka rubbed his throbbing temples. From Kiba's comments, to the severity situation, to Kakashi's earlier bitching, the brunet was finding it hard to not snap at something. "All right…" he said, exhaling a calming breath, "do we all know which infamous gang we're talking about now?" Iruka pointed his gaze towards Kiba who looked away sheepishly. Yep, everyone knew now. "For now, as far as making plans go, I think Naruto should stay home for a while until everything blows down."
Deep, deep, deep down everyone knew that just hiding Naruto away for a while would drive Kyuubi out of the city. It was a good thing to chew on for the moment. Anything would do to take away the brutish anxiety weighing on everyone's shoulder. Sobriety settled itself into the air, sinking into the pores of the four men in the room. Kiba, being the type of person he was, and Naruto, also being the type of person he was, couldn't stand the serious silence for too long so Kiba started to hum a random song. Naruto could pick up on the lyrics easily and sang along to the tune. That somehow got Gaara into tapping the beat and Sasuke into drumming his fingers on his leg. Iruka joined in and sooner or later some music started to flow around the room, lifting up everyone's spirits.
"Take me by the tongue and I'll know you!" Naruto sang to the heavens.
"Kiss me till you're drunk and I'll show you!"
"We've got the moves like Jagger! We've got the moves like Jagger! We've got the mo~ooo~oooves like Jagger!" Naruto and Kiba sang in perfect unison before collapsing in a heap of laughter. Laughter was always the best medicine in any situation.
"Dude, don't even worry about it! Gaara and I will visit you like everyday!" Kiba slugged an arm around Naruto's arm and smiled in his genuine goofy fashion. "I'll even get Gaara to make some Nutella cupcakes for you!"
Naruto's eyes dazzled like sparklers. "They have such beautiful things?"
"Dude. You can make anything with Nutella."
Being in such high spirits afterwards (really who couldn't be happy knowing they'd be getting Nutella cupcakes?) Naruto sadly said goodbye to his best friends, almost forgetting how childishly mad he was at Sasuke. Then the raven trapped him in a kiss that left him absolutely breathless and weak in the knees.
"Don't be mad," Sasuke whispered. His words shook.
Blue eyes darted off to the side, "I'm not mad."
"Now you're lying and mad."
"I'm not lying, Teme!" Naruto pushed the raven away and motioned him towards the door. "Besides, don't you have to go home soon or something?"
Sasuke looked at Naruto as if he were crazy and scoffed. "What type of boyfriend would I be leaving you alone in a time like this?"
Naruto narrowed his eyes. He was desperately trying to ignore his rapidly pulsating heart that was gaining more and more speed over the fact that Sasuke would be staying over…at his house… most likely in his room… Oh the images that danced through and tortured his mind. "I don't remember saying you could stay here tonight." Why yes, Naruto did enjoy being difficult.
That didn't mean Sasuke couldn't handle a tough blond every once in a while. The raven made eye contact with Iruka who was rushing around the living room fixing things out of nervous habit and asked, "Iruka-san, do you mind if I stay here the night?"
Iruka turned around; hands still fiddling with a picture frame he knew was off mark by a few inches and shrugged his shoulders. "Sure. I don't see why not."
Ha. Point one for Sasuke.
Naruto jutted out his bottom lip and folded his arms across his chest. "I hate you."
Sasuke simply held Naruto's hands and began tugging him upstairs. He really hadn't planned on staying the night, so he hadn't brought any clothes along with him with the exception of the clothes jammed deep down in his duffle bag, but that situation could be handled later. He had a lot of say, and he would get through them all with or without Naruto being a tad bitchy for the rest of the night.
They were in Naruto's room in a matter of minutes. It was the first time Sasuke had seen or been in his blond's room now that he realized it. He had expected the room to look like someone threw up orange juice all over the walls but in reality the tone was rather calm and neutral. Dark greens covered the walls, black plush carpet warmed his toes, and faded glow in the dark stickers were plastered to the ceiling. Sasuke plopped down on the bed and pulled Naruto with him by the hands.
Silence flittered in and out through the fragile space between them. The sound of Iruka busying him could be heard from downstairs. The outside world was simply that—outside of the fish bowl—no longer a problem. It was just the two of them, Naruto and Sasuke, the only fish swimming in the bowl.
Naruto gulped and shivered, the touches Sasuke was spreading through out his body—stroking the back of his hands, rubbing his arms up and down, teasing his hips—was maddening. "You really didn't have to do that. I'll be fine." His heart betrayed every word.
"I wanted to stay because I can't leave you alone." Sasuke pulled Naruto forward and captured his lips in a searing kiss. Their lips molded and moved to a dance only they knew the melody to. Sasuke tugged at Naruto's lips. The moan that escaped his blond traveled right down his groin. Their tongues touched. Electricity sparked between the two boys. And the passion started to rise higher and higher…
Somehow someway they ended up on the bed. Sasuke was on top and Naruto was on bottom, but the blond wasn't in the mood to complain—not when Sasuke's hands were doing wondrous things to his body. It never in registered that they were probably going to far in Naruto's mind. The rush of emotions from tonight were all being blocked out by Sasuke and his touches and it just felt so right and real that Naruto was easily swept away by the heat.
Sasuke's hands traveled up Naruto's shirt, tickling and caressing the taut and beautiful skin below. Naruto squirmed. His back arched off the bed, and their hips meshed a little closer causing strangled moans to come from both the raven and the blond. Naruto gasped audibly as a hand sneaked high enough to tweak and twist a nipple. He bit on his lower lip, his body shivering as Sasuke's mouth attached to his neck and sucked right at his pulse.
"S-Sasuke," the word tumble out of Naruto's lips in the most sinfully seductive way… it made Sasuke lose another sliver of control. Naruto wrapped his arms around Sasuke's shoulders and pressed his aching, clothed erection against Sasuke's.
The raven chuckled breathlessly, running his hand through Naruto's golden locks. "Someone's not mad anymore."
Naruto puffed out his blushing cheeks. "I was never mad."
Golden hair was splayed out sporadically on the pillow, blue eyes looked up at him with lust and adoration and want and… and… that word, and Naruto's cheeks were so flushed right now but Sasuke still thought Naruto was beautiful. And he kissed him—long and hard. When he pulled back he smirked, "You were and you have every right to be. Sometimes I can fuck things up."
Naruto cocked an eyebrow, "Sometimes?" he asked with a silly grin painted on his face.
The raven rolled his eyes, "Don't push it, Dobe." Then leaned in to kiss Naruto again and again and again…
And the space between them grew a little tighter, the air a little warmer, and their hearts protested a little louder. When their lips pulled apart their bodies stayed glued together. Naruto snuggled into the warmth—erection forgotten for now—and sighed in content.
"I'm glad you're here."
Who knew four words could mean so much?
Sasuke smiled and kissed Naruto on the forehead. "Did you really expect me to leave you alone tonight?"
The thought never crossed Naruto's mind. Naruto and Sasuke snuggled underneath the covers; the raven's arm casually draped around Naruto's hip, and lived in the warmth. Nothing seemed to really matter anymore. Hearing three words could wait for a while. All that really mattered was that Sasuke was here. Naruto could hear that comforting sound of another heart beating and living against his back. He could feel Sasuke's warmth and heat surrounding him and making him safe.
"Thanks," Naruto mumbled again. Blue eyes were clouding over with exhaustion from an emotionally draining day.
"Go to sleep, Dobe." Sasuke whispered equally tired. The two drifted up into the world of their dreams where everything seemed possible. There was no sign of Kyuubi. It was just the two of them in a world where they didn't have to worry about what could happen next.
That night, Naruto truly believed he would never see Kyuubi again… Oh boy was he wrong.
+I Promise+
Smokey wisps crawled upwards towards the sky. Even in the deep of night, the only thing that could be seen was the bright, fiery mess of red belonging to man with an agenda to finished. Kyuubi stood leaning against a light post a few blocks away from his blond's house. He scowled deeply, knowing that the annoying little raven probably hadn't left the house yet.
"Moving in on my property…" he scoffed and blew another puff of harming chemicals into the air. "They'll regret it." Kyuubi smiled sinisterly and threw one more glance at the apartment before turning back for his motorcycle. "I always get what I want, Kit, or have you really forgotten? Dumbass…" he kicked his bike into gear and skidded around the corner, out of sight.
Short. Sweet. And will lead us to the next chapter (; I'll post the link to that sasunaru thingy I found RIGHT now and also, if you haven't already, you should follow my Tumblr (; I made a new one and I'll have that link up thurrr too. I mostly use it to blog whatever the hell I want so feel free to follow c:
Till next time beautiful people! OH. OH. And I need Sasunaru fanfic recommendations (: I need to read a good one. I haven't done so in awhile. EVEN RECOMMEND YOUR STORIES IF YOU WISH C;