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Chapter 7: Confrontation

Naruto didn't seem near as fazed by Sasuke's appearance as he had during their previous encounters. Perhaps it was all the alcohol in his system, perhaps it was Gaara's words. Whatever it was, at this point Naruto seemed more pissed than anything. Sasuke on the other had though perhaps trying to hide it, was as angry as he'd ever been in his life. He'd been waiting for hours, certain that when the blond arrived he could make his move. But here they both were, and Naruto had his arms flung around someone else. The red in Sasuke's vision left him almost unsteady on his feet. He was about to scream his outrage, but Naruto spoke first.

"So you're a stalker now?" The sight of the raven on his doorstep had not made Naruto see red, but it had succeeded in burning off enough alcohol that Naruto good speak coherently. A plus. "And I was having such a good night too…." The blonde sighed dramatically pulling Kiba closer. Sasuke's eye twitched at the move.

"You never seem happy to see me," Sasuke retorted as he eyed Kiba dangerously. He would not act irrationally. There was no need to kill the bastard who dared touch Naruto…

"I wonder why?" Naruto remarked dryly, he was going to push Sasuke to his wits end with this sass of his, "People generally don't enjoy having assholes who laugh at them stalk them to their doorstep. Didn't I spend the night with someone else just so that you wouldn't know where I live?" The alcohol had made Naruto vicious indeed.

"Dobe, you can't hide from me. You've never been able to hide from me." These were the most polite words that Sasuke could manage and they were filled with as much derision as he had ever felt.

Naruto shrugged not one to be baited, "Who said I was hiding?"

"You ran away the day you aged out. Seems like hiding to me. Who's this?" Sasuke at last acknowledged the other man there with them and there was an edge of possessiveness to the raven's voice that Naruto easily noticed.

"Someone else I'm sleeping with." Naruto lied smoothly, "So if you would leave now…" we could get back to what we were doing. Sasuke heard the unspoken words at the end of the sentence and his rage kicked up another notch. Even now the blond was still draped over someone else!

"So you'll let anyone have a turn but me?" Sasuke's tone was again light but there was true anger in his eyes.

Naruto shrugged as though he could care less, "Anyone who's not a teme, so yeah basically. Friends with benefits are nice."

"Slut." The word escaped Sasuke's lips before he could quite stop it and he looked shocked for a moment that he had actually said it.

Naruto's eyes flamed with hostility and beneath that hurt, his lips curled into the most vicious smile he was capable of and he snorted as though Sasuke were a fool. "Says the kettle to the pot." He quipped before continuing, "But I'm sure you could care less about who I sleep with so long as in the end I sleep with you too." He batted his eyelashes with mock humor before rolling his eyes, "What a pathetic jackass you are, thinking you'd ever get to have a turn."

Sasuke was about to return viciousness for viciousness when Naruto pushed himself off of Kiba with a sigh, he was still being childish, Naruto suddenly realized in regards to himself. He shook his head, remembering Gaara and all the shit he had been through in his life. Everyone was right. This just wasn't worth the stress, "Listen Sasuke, it's time we both grew up. Maybe I was wrong for leaving you. Maybe you would have treated me different than everyone else. But-" Naruto continued eyeing the raven warily, "But from what I'm seeing of you now I doubt it. Frankly I may be a coward, but you're a jackass. Hell even when we were friends most of the time you still treated me like shit. So you tell me Sasuke, why would I expect that we were to get together you would treat me any better than you did before and any better than you did the others you've dated?"

Sasuke's eyes burned with anger, "You were different." He said with surety.

Naruto shrugged, "Was I? Didn't seem like it. It's too late now regardless and even now I'm sure you're thinking in that crafty little mind of yours: 'If I can just get the dobe alone he'll be putty in my hands' and I can tell by how you're glaring at Kiba that you think that he's the reason I'm not falling in your arms right now. Let me tell you that it's not. Neither is Sakura or anyone else but you and me. We are why we never happened Sasuke. Me being scared and you being cruel. Anyways," Naruto sighed, "I'm too tired and drunk to deal with you right now so I'll ask again: please move from in front of my door."

Sasuke didn't move, he raked his hands through his hair and tried to think of what to say next. He wanted to be as cruel as the Dobe proclaimed him to be. Make those shining blue eyes cry for leaving him.

"Get over it." Kiba's voice read Sasuke's thoughts and the raven looked up surprised, "Naruto left you. It sucked. Ok now get over it. Like Sakura and all those other girls and guys got over you. You weren't even fucking dating so I don't see why this is such a big deal. All this bullshit over some high school crush? Really? Naruto's right you were both wrong but it's over and done now. Naruto's trying to grow up so why don't you?"

Sasuke reached for his anger but it had fled him, he like Naruto, was suddenly so very tired. "Because it wasn't a crush." He said in resignation, "I fucking loved him."

"If you loved him then why did you make a point of fucking with every person that came under your radar instead of just loving him then?"

Sasuke did not have a good answer for that.

Naruto seemed to be in pain, "How stupid we both were Sasuke."

Sasuke had loved him. Sasuke had fucking loved him.

Sasuke shrugged his shoulders sullenly, before mumbling something under his breath. Naruto's eyebrow rose, "What was that?" he asked sincerely, he actually hadn't heard.

"I know I was stupid." Sasuke grumbled, "But can you please give me a chance?" Naruto peered at the raven for a long moment trying to discern whether the man was serious. At Naruto's hesitation Sasuke continued, "I'm sorry for what I said the other night." He apologized, "Please." The raven's voice was as soft as Naruto had ever heard it.

Naruto frowned and Sasuke flinced as before he knew it the blond was shaking his head, "I'm too drunk for this right now. I'll see you in the morning Kiba. Goodnight Sasuke." Naruto pushed past the Uchiha unlocking his apartment he went in and shut the door securely behind him. The sound of the deadbolt sliding into place was enough to assure both Kiba and Sasuke that he wasn't coming back out.

Kiba stared at Sasuke, his arms folded over his chest thoughtfully, "If you're bullshitting him you know me and about half a dozen other folk will take turns flaying you alive. I also heard Sakura mumble something that sounded remarkably similar to castration in regard to her future plans you."

Sasuke didn't say anything. He looked up and Kiba realized that the dark haired man was actually trying not to cry. "Am I really so awful?" the Uchiha muttered to no one in particular. He had expected a lot of different reactions from the Dobe when he had arrived to see the waiting Uchiha. So many different reactions but that had not been one of them. The Dobe had seemed to genuinely be over it. Over him.

Was he right? Were they both childish? Sasuke shoved his way past Kiba heading towards the parking lot, "Go home Kiba." He said with forced hostility, "No need for flaying, I'm going home too."

Sasuke felt completely different than he had after the last encounter. He had felt so sure when he had arrived at the apartments. Naruto was going to be so simple. Get. Ravish. Repeat. Revenge complete. Even after waiting over four hours for the Dobe to arrive he had still felt sure that the blonde would change his mind and be happy to see him. Sasuke didn't really feel like getting back at the blonde anymore. He just wanted to go home and sleep. He had waited so long. "Such arrogance." Sasuke mumbled towards himself full of self-derision. This game wasn't fun anymore. He had admitted to loving the fucking Dobe. Something he hadn't even realized was true until he'd said it and then he wanted to take it back because Naruto hadn't looked happy. He'd looked as though his dog had died. Naruto had said before that he loved Sasuke so why was Sasuke alone right now?

'Because you're a jackass.' Sasuke thought the words bitterly and wondered if they were true. Did he really treat Naruto so badly? But as soon as that thought was finished he realized he had been. He had argued that he had waited for Naruto always but that was only half true if that. He had stood his friend up many a time. He had bossed him around and yeah, basically been a jackass. Well Sasuke had already known he was a jackass. He'd just never thought he'd care about it…

Sasuke arrived at the street and had just pulled out his cellphone to call a cab when he heard a voice calling him.

Turning hopefully, Sasuke anticipated a flash of yellow hair he was sorely disappointed to see the other boy, Kiba, sprinting towards him instead.

"What do you want?" Sasuke asked defensively. Kiba paused to catch his breath, he held out a business card which Sasuke took trying to contain his derision. "What is this?"

Kiba held up a finger, but after a few moments spoke. "It's advice."

Sasuke read the card, printed in basic Times New Roman font was a restaurant name and contact information, "How is this advice?"

Kiba smiled, "You obviously care so I figured I'd give you advice on how to date someone you actually want to stay with. Naruto's biggest problem is that he thinks you're just going to play him," (Sasuke didn't mention that that was his plan), "So to win him over all you have to do is prove you're not trying to play him, that you're serious."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, "And this proves that how?" he held up the card.

Kiba sighed like Sasuke was missing an obvious point. "Seriously dude? On that card is the name and address of Naruto's favorite restaurant. I'm saying if you want the guy to like you take him there. Date Naruto instead of fucking him and he won't be scared of you anymore." Kiba smiled and Sasuke realized that Naruto's friend was still a little drunk. To prove that point the brunette continued, "Oh and you have to stop being a jackass too. The things you say, yeah not so nice."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and Kiba pointed at him as he turned away, "Yeah that's the shit everyone's talking about. I just helped you and you rolled your eyes at me. Jack. Ass." Laughing the brunette turned back around and walked away.

Sasuke couldn't help but smile at that as Kiba disappeared into the darkness. He inspected the card as he called for a taxi. "Stop being a jackass aye?" he muttered.

Yes Naruto is possibly being unreasonable. Be patient with me it's all part of the plan.

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-Dark Angel