Sorry to keep you guys waiting. It's early winter here now and I can't press my cellphone's keys very fast when my hands are close to being frozen. As much as I want to wear gloves, the keys aren't big enough for my glove-wearing fingers. And why am I using cellphone to write my stories? Because I'm working so while on my way to work, I use my travel time in writing each chapter.
Next chapter update will be two-three hours later so come back if you want to. Reviews are always welcome. They make me feel warm. Thank you, everyone.
Thanks to XKunoichiofthePaintbrushX for the few grammar corrections.
Chapter 74: His lie
Kisho murmured incoherent words as he continued his search for the Ancient Taijutsu chronicles he knew his family had stacked in the underground store room. He had been searching for it for four hours straight now and he was close to frustration. He needed the old book to improve his close combat skills to pass the screening for hunter-nins.
He cursed because he had so little time to get ready now before the screening would take place. With the last five months serving his punishment he had almost no time to practice and improved.
Let me find it, please.
And somehow a kind-hearted god heard his plea and after many times of kneeling down, bending, stretching and sticking his chakra-powered feet against the ceiling, wall and bookshelves, he finally found it and let out a soft yell.
He hugged the book because his finding it meant his chances of passing had increased. He immediately left the room and before he closed he door, he heard stuffs tumbling and hitting the floor. He paused, a small part of him wanting to go back and arranged it before his otousan would find out and give him an earful but there was little time and he could arrange when he comes back from practice. With a shrug, he left the mess he created and hope his otousan won't find it.
-SasuNaru is love-
Sasuke walked into the underground store room knowing that if books weren't found in the library than it was stack somewhere in the room. He walked deeper into the room, a hand trailing along the books lined up.
Where was that article anyway? He wondered. The last time he saw it, it was gathering dust on the farthest bookshelf of their private small library. But that had been almost two years ago and the probability of Naruto moving it here was very high.
Sasuke gripped the edge of a bookshelf as he stumbled over something. He looked down and frowned. A small shoe box had fallen from the shelf and spilled its contents- scrolls on the floor. One scroll had unrolled itself exposing its contents. The man was curious when he eyes gaze over complex symbols and diagrams written in Naruto's handwriting. When did the blonde write this?
He picked it up and completely unrolled the scroll but they were all diagrams and drawings which Sasuke couldn't understand not only because they were complex and had no explanation but it was written hurriedly and messily like it was a draft.
He hunkered down and started unrolling the other scrolls. His frown deepened as each scroll he opened were nothing but in-depth explanation about the forbidden sealing jutsu and other jutsus Sasuke didn't know. What was Naruto up to? Was he making a new technique? It couldn't be that his seal was breaking because as far as he knew his seal won't break. Weaken, yes but break? Was that even possible?
Lying under the bottom of the shoe box was a thick scroll and its knot that beckoned Sasuke to unroll it. With almost shaking hands, he undid the knot and slowly opened it. The first text he saw a date dating three years ago. As he continued scanning the paper, he realized that Naruto was trying to come up with a jutsu to nullify Yondaime's technique, freeing Kyuubi.
Color drained from Sasuke's face as he reached the end of Naruto's research. His wife created a jutsu but the price for it to work was Naruto's life. He looked at the scroll on his hands and gripped it tightly. Was this the reason why Naruto had spent more hours in the office saying something about mountains of work? Was this the reason why he the blonde looked tired and sometimes secretive? No, Sasuke wasn't wrong. This was the reason. The cause. Naruto's lie. Naruto's secret.
Anger and pain of betrayal flared into him. He shot out from the room and bounded the stairs in hurried steps.
Akemi and Kisho stopped their conversation with Naruto when a murderous Sasuke entered the kitchen. Without taking his eyes away from his wife's confused face, he ordered through clench teeth. "Leave."
Both boys knew order when they hear one.
"But otousan-" Kisho started but was cut off by Sasuke repeating his order in a very cold voice.
Naruto threw an assuring smile to their children before saying, "Why don't you follow what otousan said? Go to Yuu-chan's place while I'll try to handle his problem."
Kisho and Akemi shared a look before nodding and left albeit hesitatingly.
"Sasuke, what is wrong? Did something happen?" Naruto said. Before he could take one step, his spouse threw the scroll at his direction, hitting him before it bounded to the ground and exposed its contents.
Naruto's eyes widened in surprise before he looked at the livid man. "How did you find-"
And the question made Sasuke turn purple with his anger. Naruto had meant it to hide it from everyone else, including him – his husband. "You... You never wanted me to find out… not until YOU'RE FUCKING DEAD AND KYUUBI FREELY ROAMING AROUND THE PLACE!"
It took for the blonde few moments to realize that Sasuke assume that he would perform the technique. "No! I'm not gonna perform it. Not after knowing that I'd-"
"Liar! Then why would you keep it?"
"Sasuke, believe me. As much as I want to free Kyuubi… I can't-"
"Believe? What a word! I believe you while you're lying about paper works and top-secret scrolls when you're… God! Fuck you, Naruto!" He couldn't believe it. Here he was busy protecting Naruto while the latter was throwing his life away for a demon that had been with him since he was a child. He knew his wife was considerate, accommodating, sweet and sacrificial but he never thought he'd reach this far.
"I'm sorry but I-"
"Sorry? You expect me to believe that you're sorry?"
A perplexed Naruto moved forward to comfort his pained and livid Sasuke and reached forward but the latter slapped his hands away causing cracks on his heart.
"I don't hate you, Naruto," Sasuke began and he could see relief flooding the blonde's face but he wasn't yet finish. "I loathe you with everything I have."
And Naruto froze and at the background he heard something breaking. Blindly, he watched his spouse walked away while he was busy registering the fact that he had been rejected. After many years of spending time together, he had been rejected and all because Sasuke thought he was going to abandon him.
Stupid, stupid beloved Sasuke.
"Hurry!" Akemi urged his three siblings as they strolled towards the backdoor leading the kitchen. Even after spending time with his nephews, he couldn't shake the bad feeling he had. He didn't like the aura his otousan was giving off. It was as if… He shook his head. No, his father won't do that. He loved their chichiue so much that he won't do such crime.
He swung the back door open, his morbid mind flashing images of blood bath but all they saw was their blonde father standing rigidly like a statue and the only thing that set him apart from the marble display was that he was crying as he continued staring at the empty space where Akemi remembered their otousan stood.
"Chichiue!" Yuuzuki said before he grabbed his shoulder. "What happened?" He asked slowly as if talking to a child.
Kisho saw the scroll and read it. He didn't understand anything not even until he read the last part but like Sasuke, he had jumped to conclusion that Naruto was going to abandon him. Without any word, he left.
"Hey, Kisho! Where are you going?" Miki asked as she placed a glass of water on the table for Naruto to drink.
The youngest Uchiha just glared over to their chichiue before disappearing.
"Why you disrespectful child!" Akemi growled then picked up the fallen scroll. He scanned it then frowned as he too read the last part and jumped to conclusion. And within a second, he disappeared in a poof.
Miki cursed wondering what was in the scroll that made her brother leave. "But you won't do such thing, right Chichiue?" she asked fearfully after finding out. Yuuzuki took the scroll from her and read out of curiosity.
Naruto slowly shook his head. "Of course not. After arriving to that conclusion, I abandoned all thoughts of freeing him. He understood. But your otousan thought that I would… Sasuke hates me now!"
Yuuzuki and Miki looked at each other, realizing that their blond father hadn't realized that Akemi and Kisho had jumped to the same conclusion.
"It's okay," Yuuzuki said, squeezing the older man's hands.
"No! No! No! It can't be okay because Sasuke loathes me. God! What should I do?" Naruto asked while wringing his hands. If he listened to himself, he would be embarrassed of how childish he sounded.
"Whatever otousan said, it was anger speaking. They'll realize that you won't do such things," Miki said then realized her mistake.
"Them?" the man echoed before looking around registering who were gone. With fresh tears running down his cheeks, he bawled out.
-SasuNaru is love-
Sasuke didn't realize that people were parting away to give him space as he marched down to nowhere. He was just so mad that he needed to get away. Unbeknownst to him, behind his back money exchanged hands as a lot of people started betting on how long it would take for the couple to get back and who would initiate the first step.
He reached the training grounds he frequented as a genin and started beating the stumps, working on his anger.
"Such a lovely display of fiery spirit!" Lee exclaimed as he bounded over to his friend. "I, Rock Lee, shall train together with you." And with that he started beating the other stump with an added flourish he and his mentor could only achieved. He wasn't aware the state Sasuke was until he heard the other man muttering curses with his wife's name inserted between them once in a while. He paused and looked over at Sasuke, a worried look on his face. A hurt and angry Sasuke meant a hurt and crying Naruto. Should he call help from his wife and her friends?
Sakura… Four-zero emergency.
Akemi without regard of his clothes, jumped into the river and under the water surface shouted his pain. Kisho, on the other hand, had changed himself into an adult and went to the bookstore to purchase all porn books that caught his fancy before going to the Hokage Mountain and hid there.
Sasuke, Akemi and Kisho didn't return for dinner or on that night and Naruto cried himself to sleep. Yuuzuki didn't return home, accompanying Miki in watching over their blond father who once in a while would cry in his sleep.
Yuuzuki reached out to brush away strands of hair from Naruto's face. "Don't worry, chichiue. They'll be back."
-SasuNaru is love-
Makoto's twin brother opened the door and stared at Kisho. "Good morning, Kisho-kun. Come in."
Kisho murmured his thanks and greeted his friend's mother.
"Have breakfast with us, Kisho," she strongly suggested making refusal difficult, not that the boy would after having no dinner the previous night.
"Hey, what's up?" a half-naked Makoto greeted. The still fading talisman text on his upper body told the boy that the amethyst-eyed teen had just received another upgrade.
Makoto tilted his head sideward silently telling his friend to follow him upstairs to his room.
"Sorry about the mess," he said as they entered his room.
Judging from his friend's look, Kisho knew his friend hadn't slept yet. The process of upgrading talisman took almost two days.
"Sorry to bother you," he said while Makoto donned a shirt. His obsidian eyes landed on the family doll set he borrowed from Kazushi for his painting model.
"Don't bother apologizing," the purple-eyed boy replied then arched an eyebrow as he noticed his friend glaring at the dolls. Silently, he watched as the blonde snatched one doll and placed it on a window jamb far from the rest of them.
"In a family, there's always someone who would betray or die. No family is perfect. No family would stay together forever."
"W-what's wrong, Kisho?" the older boy asked. He had never heard his friend so cynical and so pessimistic that it scared him.
With a twisted smile, the other boy replied with pained calmness. "My family is fucked up."
"Huh?"
-SasuNaru is love-
Ryouji gave the sulking Akemi another glance. After screaming his feelings under the water surface for an hour or so, Uchiha spent the night at his friend's place borrowing his clothes and sleeping on the sofa. But he hadn't touched his breakfast yet. He didn't feel like eating. The text at the bottom of the scroll haunted him and flashed behind his eyelids.
"Want to talk about it?" Ryouji asked between chewing.
"No."
"Oh." He shrugged his shoulders, "Suit yourself." He knew his friend won't talk if he didn't like to no matter how much he would force the latter.
-SasuNaru is love-
Sasuke came home late morning making sure Naruto was off to work by the time he arrived home. He had spent the night sitting on a branch, unable to sleep due to his anger and fear.
Seeing the text had awakened and intensified his dormant fear of being left behind once more and the onslaught of the feeling had made him irrational. He wasn't naïve, he knew that as ninjas they could die anytime or that they would die naturally out of old age but not once did he think that one of them would die like that. Would Naruto do it? He asked himself and answered a resounding yes because the blonde was kind to a fault.
Right now, the fear was still strong that forgiving Naruto was not a possibility.
Despite what Sasuke expected, Naruto didn't come home that night and the next few nights after that.
The rift between couples had also caused a rift among siblings. Akemi and Kisho had indirectly accused Yuuzuki and Miki of not loving their chichiue enough to give a damn that their blond father was going to sacrifice himself. In return the other two had called them shallow-minded and paranoid. Surprisingly, they just resorted to glaring at each other with their sharingan-activated eyes rather than beating at each other.
As a result of the unfixed problem, Sasuke had closed himself off, Naruto had put on his cheerful mask, Yuuzuki who was known to have an unlimited patience was close to losing his cool, Akemi's mood had become quicksilver, Miki glared at anyone and anything and Kisho's green jokes had a tang of morbidity and sado-masochism.
-SasuNaru is love-
Naruto wiped his clammy hands against his black pants trying to remain calm. But how could he when he would be meeting Sasuke and his team a minute or so later? He clutched his stomach when the fluttering butterflies were replaced by stomping dinosaurs. God! Why was he nervous? He knew Sasuke enough to expect that his husband would have the look of a statue- unreadable and stoic, never giving his feelings away.
I loathed you with everything I have.
That had sting and each passing day, its sting increased.
A knock on his door warned him of his visitors.
"Good morning," he greeted in fake cheerfulness while taking a quick good look at Sasuke who was completely stoic.
His greeting was echoed by Sasuke's subordinates. Ken took a sideward glance at his captain before he took the mission scroll.
"It's an A-class mission but never let your guard down, okay?"
They nodded before bowing and leaving.
Naruto watched as Sasuke was the second to the last to leave. He leapt from his chair, ready to call his husband just as Hiko gently closed the door. The guards stationed outside the office were surprised when Naruto 'poof'ed before them.
"Is there something wrong, hokage-sama?" one guard asked as the hokage's blue eyes dimmed with sadness.
Naruto who had been disappointed to find the hallway empty, shook his head before walking back into his office.
Take care, Sasuke. I'll wait for your return.
-SasuNaru is love-
Naruto was at a certain restaurant surrounded by his close female friends after he had been dragged by the scary Sakura and threatened by the aggressive Temari.
"I don't understand why I'm invited in your girl's outing," he grumbled.
"We want to discuss about your problem with Sasuke," Ino said.
Naruto grimaced. Did these women have a lot of free time that they could butt into somebody's marital problems? He should demand more from their performance at the same time assign more missions to them if they always have this kind of free time. Besides, he didn't feel like discussing the cause of their fight, knowing their reaction. "There's nothing to discuss."
"We want to help," Hinata said quietly admitted. They couldn't stand to see two of their male friends miserable. They wanted to help and Naruto was always the one who was approachable and welcoming to accept their help but perhaps not today. Was it that bad?
"I'm grateful but we'll be okay." I think. "It's not like this is the first time we fight or the first time he hates me with a passion." He tightened his hold on his chopsticks remembering that Sasuke loathed him. Such feeling was stronger than hate.
"But it's like your world is ending," Junko commented frankly.
"That's what they are. They go at it like it's the eve of apocalypse and fight to bring their world closer to its end," Temari quipped.
Naruto blushed. "Thanks for your lovely opinion, guys," he said with a hint of sarcasm making the women frown. "But I can't do anything when he's still boiling in anger."
"You know where to go when things go worse, right?" Sakura implicitly telling her friend they'd be there for both him and his spouse.
The blonde male nodded. "To the cliff-"
He was cut off as fists rained on his head.
-SasuNaru is love-
Walking back towards his office, Naruto grumbled about women's lack of sense of humor as he rubbed the lumps on his head. It wasn't as if he was really going to jump off the cliff.
You're the one with a bad timing, Kyuubi said, saying such tasteless joke when they were serious.
But his host wasn't listening anymore as he stood in the midst of the crowd, staring at Kisho who was walking towards him. "Kisho," he murmured when his son was within hearing range but the blond boy didn't pause nor recognized his father's presence instead he passed him by.
As he continued standing reeling from the fact that he had been ignored by his own son, Naruto had never felt as alone and unwanted as before.
Was he now a stranger?
Please don't ignore me anymore.
-SasuNaru is love-
That night, Naruto received a visit from Yuuzuki at his sleeping quarters at the hokage tower. The Uchiha heir was bringing supper Yukina made.
"I heard you've been eating nothing but ramen," Yuuzuki said as he started laying out the food.
"It's not like I'm gonna die," Naruto replied, still reading reports.
With an exasperated sigh, the younger Uchiha snatched the documents from his father's hands. "You're going to eat what my pregnant wife cook for you."
"I'm not hungry," the blonde replied in a whiny voice. Yuuzuki glared while Naruto pouted childishly, their roles completely reversed. Finally, the latter gave up and started eating.
"Aren't you coming home?" Yuuzuki asked without any preamble. Although he was no longer staying at the main house, he still felt it was wrong for his chichiue to stay away. Without him, the house looked dull and cold.
Never establishing eye contact with his oldest son, Naruto answered. "What home? I no longer have one." Sasuke had rejected him coldly and angrily. His skin still tingled from Sasuke's slap.
"Chichiue, don't be ridiculous. Otousan didn't file for a divorce."
"Yuuzuki, there are things worse than divorce."
An elegant eyebrow rose silently demanding for an explanation but the blond man just shook his head.
"But both of you are still wearing your rings." The younger man's voice held a note of desperation
Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "He could be wearing the ring because his hand had gotten use to its weight."
The dark-haired man gaped at him unable believed that such reason came from his father. Was he that broken? If that was the case, then he would gather all the broken pieces and paste them together no matter what happens. Wasn't that the reason why he was named 'Yuuzuki'? To be their light when darkness blanketed them… the light that would guide them back to each other.
-SasuNaru is love-
Yanagi, Hiko and Ken exchanged glances as their captain wordlessly excused himself to his room of the inn they were staying for the night. Sasuke wasn't in his worst foul mood he was just… not in the mood. He was empty as a shell.
"You know the reason?" Yanagi asked as they leaned forward in secret conference.
Both of her companions shook their head.
"It's so unlike them not to get together within a week," Hiko commented. Out of fun, he had placed his bets that they would make up shortly and he lost. But he wasn't the only one. Majority of those who bet were. Damn! So much for his money but he could get it back with missions. And with their captain still mad, he'd be avoiding the hokage and that would mean more missions for his team.
"It must be that serious. Those two are really troublesome. They always rock the village with their fights albeit unconsciously."
Oblivious to his subordinates' conversation, Sasuke lay down on his bleach-scented bed. He placed a hand over his heart wondering why it was still beating. Hadn't he thrown Naruto away before the latter could abandon him? Few minutes, he fell into a restless sleep of melodious laughter, whispers and butterfly caresses.
Don't leave me. Please.
-SasuNaru is love-
Miki, Kisho and Akemi looked up from their breakfast as Yuuzuki burst into the dining room followed by Fuurin. One look at their very serious brother and they knew he meant business.
"I know you have a tight schedule," Yuuzuki started in his no-nonsense voice. "But we need to settle things before it gets worse."
Akemi scowled while Kisho grumbled and was about to stand up when he noticed that he couldn't move. Akemi realized it too and tensed. Yuuzuki took a seat in front of his three siblings, one leg crossed over the other. He didn't look arrogant but in-control and confident.
He looked at his two brothers. "I'm aware that you can break from the shadow bind if you really wish but if you do that, I won't hesitate to resort to another measure." It wasn't a threat but a warning. And although Kisho and Akemi were more powerful than him, the oldest among the siblings had the experience. When there was no struggle from his foolish little brothers, Yuuzuki smiled, pleased. "Good. Now let's talk like the good siblings that we are."
At that statement, all the other occupants rolled their eyes. Fuurin shook his head. Really, that Yuuzuki. A good brother never asks a friend to bind his siblings. But then- according to Yuuzuki it was a matter of life and death.
"What made you think that chichiue would perform such technique?" he asked directly.
"He never gives up. He always gets what he wants no matter what and regardless of what happens to himself," Kisho answered with conviction. Their chichiue was an idiot through and through. He was an idiocy and determination personified – the worst combination.
"He won't create it if he won't perform it," Akemi argued. In his opinion, their father wasn't the type to do things just to flaunt his skills or capability. Everything had a purpose and a reason.
"But he didn't know of the outcome until later on," Miki told them. "And when he did, he changed his mind. That's why he put it in a box."
Akemi glared at her. "Don't be stupid, Miki. All of us here had the experience of making jutsus and we had a good idea what the results were before we even finished creating them. This is no different and you're overlooking that."
"And if he really changed his mind, then why keep it? Why not burn it? Unless, if he also planned to" at this Kisho paused to draw quotes on the air, "change his mind later on."
Dishes rattled as Yuuzuki slammed the table. "Enough of your foolishness! Chichiue will die alright."
His three siblings gaped at him, their eyes as big as saucers.
"Yuuzuki-nii," Miki breathed. Did he know something that they don't?
The Uchiha heir understood his brothers. Both were close to and dependent on their blond father so a life without him was something they couldn't imagine… couldn't accept or refused to accept. Anything or anyone who would threaten their father's existence or give them a flash of their worst nightmare would receive their unquestionable and passionate hatred even if it was their chichiue himself. But they especially Akemi had to grow out from that almost unhealthy dependence because one day their chichiue would be gone because life was transient.
"What do you mean?" Kisho asked, fear plastered on his face perfectly.
"But you said awhile ago that he won't perform the technique," Akemi said, bewildered.
He leaned forward to perch his chin on a wrist while a finger lazily traced patterns on the wooden surface. "There are other things that will drive a person to suicide. Like..." he trailed off, letting each words settle heavily on their minds. "To name a few... pain, intense loneliness, despair, hatred especially coming from the family."
Akemi's and Kisho's eyes widened. Would their chichiue do that?
Fuurin mentally applauded Yuuzuki for the effect of his words.
"And what you feared the most would come true. All thanks to you." He stood up and announced, "And now, I have to take Haruo to his school. Then, start taking care of chichiue's funeral preparations because in my opinion, his death would be very soon. " He looked at his friend and signaled to let his brothers go. "Thanks, Fuurin. I owe you one."
The Nara member smiled, "noted."
And the two left followed by Miki leaving the other two Uchihas with their thoughts. Even though they were no longer imprisoned, the two couldn't find strength to move. Was Yuuzuki telling the truth or was he just being scary? Their chichiue was strong. No situation had completely broken him so surely he wouldn't kill himself because of the current situation, right? But somehow, they found themselves disagreeing to such question.
What would it feel like staring at their chichiue's corpse knowing that it was them who had killed him although indirectly? What would it feel like knowing it was them who made their own nightmare into a reality?
-SasuNaru is love-
"Naruto-nii," an exasperated and worried Konohamaru repeated again trying to gain his brother's/leader's attention.
"Not now," Naruto replied. "After this document."
"You've been saying that over and over again but despite what you said, you never give me a chance." The document Naruto was signing when he said that for the first time had been sent already.
"It couldn't be help. Documents are flooding in not to mention requests for our ninjas."
"I know that but you should rest and eat too. You're not a robot."
"I have plenty of time to do that when I'm no longer a hokage."
"Naruto-nii!" And Konohamaru didn't resist the urge to stomp his foot. When the blonde growled the younger one wondered if he went too far.
"You just made me commit a mistake on writing a kanji. This isn't a draft anymore."
"Sorry?"
"Whatever," the blonde replied as he started rewriting his letter.
Konohomaru didn't cringed when he heard a breaking sound a telltale that another coffee mug had slipped from Naruto's hands. Such accident had been happening every now and then for the last three months that he wasn't the only one who had gotten used to it. Even the ANBU guards who should have barged into the room for any unusual noise had stopped investigating every time they heard such sound.
"It was empty," Naruto said defensively.
His secretary sighed. "I'll get you another mug."
"You're the best secretary I ever have," the older male chirped.
Konohamaru rolled his eyes as he left the office. As if you have another one.
Naruto swiveled his chair and massaged his nose. He had to admit it. He was tired not only because of how he was slaving himself but also of another thing. He placed a hand on his stomach and sighed. He should go to Tsunade for an examination.
-SasuNaru is love-
After being informed by Konohamaru to proceed to the conference room One for debriefing, Sasuke's team marched there. They looked surprised to find the lazy genius waiting there.
"Office-in-charge," Shikamaru explained, an unlit cigarette stick hanging loosely from his lips. "Hokage-sama is off to someplace." He surreptitiously took a glance from the Uchiha but found him as stoic as ever. How troublesome. "Sorry to tell you guys but you only had seven hours of rest because you'll be escorting hokage-sama to Suna."
While Sasuke seemed to be displeased, Hiko was ecstatic to have another mission.
-SasuNaru is love-
Naruto jolted from the examination bed the moment he realized he had fallen asleep. He scrambled from the bed and ended up falling. He opened his eyes to see an upside-down Tsunade.
"Still clumsy as ever," Tsunade commented.
"How long had I fallen asleep? You should have woken me up."
"Just two hours," the eighty-something year old woman with an appearance half of her age, reached down to flick his tanned forehead. "Besides, it's not my fault that you fell asleep during examination."
"So how am I?" he asked as he followed his doctor to her office.
"Fine?"
Tsunade took her seat and looked at her ward. "How fine is your 'fine', Naruto?"
The blond man chuckled at the blandness of her voice. "Y'know 'fine' as in I'm as fit as my condition allows me."
"And what is your condition?"
Naruto gave her a pleading look. "Y'know what I mean."
Tsunade did because aside that she was his doctor she had become his confidante after Jiraiya's death.
"We should increase your dosage sometime next month. Other than that, you're fine."
"I'm glad."
"Naruto?"
"Hmm?" he mumbled as he rubbed his stomach.
"Won't you reconsider it? I'm worried about your family's especially Sasuke's reaction if they'll learn about this. It will be worse than them finding your research."
"Keeping the research a secret was a mistake but keeping this... I'm doing this for the bastard's sake."
Tsunade frowned. "When are you going to learn Naruto that sometimes what you thought to be good for your husband isn't actually good for him?"
"I can't just approach Sasuke and say 'hey bastard, do you know that-' Haven't you learned during your incumbent term as a hokage that you need timing?"
"Don't use that tone on me, you brat!" Tsunade snapped.
"You should respect your leader, old hag!"
"Well you should respect your elders!"
Naruto sighed. They were too mature for arguing over respect. "It's not yet the right time for them to know."
"And when is the right time? When you're already-" She was interrupted by the grumbling sound coming from Naruto's stomach.
"Ramen is calling my stomach. See you, Tsunade old hag." Then he disappeared before the woman would continue where she left off.
-SasuNaru is love-
Sasuke was hungry but it seemed his heart had psyched him to crave for ramen only- the reason why he was walking towards Ichiraku. Honestly, he started missing his blonde but distancing himself was a must. He wanted to lessen the pain at the same time prepare himself for a life without his wife. But he missed him, everything about him. And the best thing that could lessen what he was feeling was ramen because it tasted Naruto. Or was it Naruto tasted ramen? He could no longer differentiate the two.
"Thank you. Please come back again," he heard Ayame's voice just as he parted the shop's noren then froze as his eyes met blue ones. At that moment, their surrounding faded as they stared at each other, daring one another to move; to do something.
With sheer determination, Sasuke looked away from the eyes that were trying to suck him into what he thought to be misery.
If you're going to leave me then I won't...
Sensing that his husband won't take him back at that moment, Naruto started moving and walked passed him, his shoulder brushing against Sasuke's. "I'd still wait, bastard," he whispered for the dark-haired man to hear.
Sasuke shivered at the slight contact and Naruto's scent that wafted through his nose. He whipped his head to look over his shoulder willing to call the blonde if he was still near him. But his wife had long disappeared and he wasn't ready to give chase.
Give me time.
"Would you like to have more naruto?" Ayame slyly asked as she started preparing the Uchiha's order.
"No, one is more than enough for me."
Despite the problem between Sasuke and Naruto, they were able to maintain a professional attitude towards each other as they together with the rest of the hokage escort traveled to Suna. However, once in a while, the blonde would give the dark-haired man a look that was similar to a puppy begging his master to take him back. Of course, Sasuke was aware of that and was annoyed at the same time amused.
The moment they arrived, Naruto immediately went to see Gaara.
"It's amazing you managed to arrive on time," Kazekage commented as a way of greeting his friend.
Naruto pouted. "You're cold. You should be happy to see me after two months, sixteen days seven hours five minutes and eleven seconds."
"You don't have to count. And for your information, it's not eleven seconds but eight."
Naruto looked dumbfounded before grinning brightly. He was about to go and hug his friend when he noticed something sticking out from the stacks of paper delivered to the kazekage's office earlier ago.
With a mischievous grin, he snatched it making the redhead frowned.
"Oooh... a love letter," Naruto singsong before gently opening the envelope. He never even bothered to ask his friend for permission. Besides, Gaara never opened or read any of his fangirls' mails.
Gaara who was very privy with his privacy reached out to snatch the rose-scented paper but the blonde who anticipated such move, leapt away from his chair, putting a distance between them.
"Give that back or else..." Gaara warned as he took a threatening stepped forward, closing the distance between them. His hand snaked out, gripped one tanned wrist then jerked back just as Naruto was about to flee. The blonde end up tripping and took the surprised Gaara with him to the floor.
And Sasuke took that moment to knock then walked inside. With one look at the compromising position both leaders were in, the captain's cold anger intensified. With any words, he walked out and closed the door, making sure to add enough force to rattle its hinges. He didn't believe even for a second that Naruto was cheating on him. Naruto wouldn't dare, he knew from the very bottom of his heart and the redhead was too honorable to steal somebody's property and ruined a family.
Naruto immediately pushed Gaara off and ran to the door just as pain shot through his abdomen making him fall to his knees while wrapping his arms around the painful area.
"Naruto! Naruto?" Gaara called out, worry evident in his voice seeing how pale and sweaty his friend's face had become in a split second. "I'm gonna call a medic-nin so just-" he trailed off as a hand gripped his arm.
"No need. It's nothing serious. Just an upset stomach," Naruto gritted out while taking deep breaths.
"Liar."
"No, really. Sasuke and I had a serious fight and hadn't eaten for the past two days then ate a lot the next day. My stomach was surprised."
The kazekage gaze at his friend assessing the latter's answer. "So it's not Kyuubi?"
"Hell no!" he denied vehemently. "It's my body. My stupid body. But Kyuubi is now trying to get rid of the pain."
Gaara wordlessly carried the other man to the couch.
-SasuNaru is love-
While wondering when did the hokage's marriage became everybody's affairs, Sasuke walked along the tree-lined pathway that would lead to the deeper part of the garden. His steps were determined as he drew closer to his target.
Surprisingly enough it was Temari who had convinced him to give the blonde a moment to explain. Even now, the feisty kunoichi had no idea the cause behind the fight but was perceptive enough to rule out the usual causes behind any couple's fights. It couldn't be jealousy because there was nothing for them to be jealous about and it couldn't be insecurity with the way those two were spending time with and showering each other with affection.
"I'm not blind, Uchiha. I can see the pathetic puppy looks your blonde is giving you. Won't you hear his explanation? You can't judge him without hearing his side as it is unfair on both of you. It might be a lie or the truth but you can only tell when you hear him out. That would be better than just jumping into conclusions, don't you think?"
The statements weren't much but it was enough to encourage Sasuke to approach the blonde. Besides, he missed him and the state of their marriage was driving most of their friends to become their marriage councilor. He paused as he saw his wife forlornly standing, one hand pressed against a boulder as he stared ahead of him. The blonde looked so lonely that it made the Uchiha leader wonder if he too looked like him.
Naruto's heart slammed against his chest the moment Sasuke stood beside him. He took a sideway glance and found his spouse looking vulnerable and approachable.
"Sasu-" he gulped as obsidian eyes focused on him.
"Why did you do that, Naruto?" Sasuke quietly asked like a whisper of the wind.
"At first, I-I never meant to keep it a secret. I would tell if anybody would ask me but nobody did. And as things get riskier and more dangerous, I couldn't help but hide it knowing anyone who would find out about it would stop me." He closed the distance between them to clutch Sasuke's flak jacket. "I don't want that because I wanted to complete the research... to know that I could make it that far." He looked into black eyes, his own self reflected on lucid pools. "Please believe me. I would never ever abandon you because I still remember the promise I made to you on the night you made me as your own."
Even if the world shatters... even when everything around us falls apart, I absolutely wouldn't leave nor betray you. You will have me forever so please, Sasuke, take me as yours… mark this body as yours.
"Will you please, please take me back?" He felt pain started creeping in him as Sasuke lightly placed his hands over tanned ones and slowly pulled them away from his jacket. The dark-haired man could see sincerity brimming and flowing from pitiful blue eyes and knew no actor could even accomplished that. The fear was still there but he needed Naruto too much. He loved Naruto too much to continue hating him.
"Take you back? Don't be ridiculous!" And emptiness settled in the blonde's heart. This was it. This was the end of them being a couple. "I never threw you away."
"Huh? But you loathe me." But there was a flicker of hope that started burning within him.
"With everything I had but back then, I had nothing."
Naruto was confused. He even wondered why he couldn't understand Sasuke in moments when he desperately wanted to. But somehow he realized that it didn't matter because Sasuke's mouth started making sweet love with his. God! How thirsty and hungry was he for this man?
Sasuke let out a deep moan as the man in his arms kissed him back with increasing passion. He wondered if he had been on drugs or something to be able to survive this long without Naruto's warmth and taste.
A second later, Naruto was pressed against the boulder unmindful of its hard surface. His right hand gripping dark locks while Sasuke's left hand was planted near the blonde's head supporting most of his weight while his other hand was entwined with Naruto's in an affectionate clasp. He slid a leg between Naruto's and shivered as the blonde mewl and arched his body.
They broke the kiss for a much-needed air but their faces were still too close.
"Would you mind if I'll take you here right now?" the Uchiha murmured frankly.
"I would mind more if you won't."
And such answer made the other's man's remaining blood to shoot to his groin. Without a second notice, he dove for another deep kiss while his left hand snaked under Naruto's spandex top.
Their pleasure-haze brain took a long to register that someone was desperately clearing his throat. Desire in their eyes was replaced by irritation at the disturbance.
Hiko instinctively tensed to flee when two pairs of eyes glared at him.
"What?" Sasuke hissed. He never bothered to take his wandering hand from under the shirt nor did he step away from the flush and pliant body of his wife.
Hiko cleared his throat again, this time for real. His throat had become itchy after trying to get his superiors' attention for quite sometime now.
"Dinner is about to start and Kazekage-sama explicitly ordered me to tell both of you, especially Naruto-sama, to be present."
"Thank you, Hiko," Naruto said a little bit breathless while his hand slid to settle on Sasuke's nape. "Captain and I will be there shortly." His swollen and wet lips curled into a small seductive smile as hot lips trailed on his neck.
"I understand, lord hokage." Hiko took his leave while holding his bloody nose.
Even when the ANBU member had left, Naruto still had his head turned to let Sasuke nip, lave and suck his neck. His hand pushed his husband closer silently telling him to suck harder.
"We should stop and join the rest," the blonde murmured against an ear before his tongue traced its outer shell.
"But I already have my dinner and dessert before me."
"I'm sure it isn't what our host has in mind." And to stop Sasuke's protests, Naruto pressed his lips against his.
-SasuNaru is love-
"We're home," Naruto's voice rang clearly within the Uchiha manor as he and Sasuke arrived from Suna.
"Hokage-sama..." Yuuhi screamed the new term he learned as he ran towards the main door. He was immediately scooped up into Naruto's arm. Haruo who seemed to learn more about Uchiha finesse walked at his own pace and stood in front of his grandparents his hands behind his back.
"Welcome home."
Sasuke reached down to tousle the boy's hair.
"Chichiue," Akemi started.
Naruto looked at him and Kisho then smiled. "It's okay. Everything is fine... NOT." He screeched the last word causing Yuuhi to belatedly cover his ears. Naruto swept his gazed over the place. Everything looked like it was clean hurriedly. He could even clearly see the accumulating dust on a corner of one window. The cleanliness was not above his standards. Definitely not. "If I'm gone for a year, you'll probably be buried alive with dusts," he commented as he set Yuuhi down. He looked at his husband. "You'll cook while I'll clean. Kisho, you help otousan while the rest of you help me."
Except for Akemi and Sasuke, the rest saluted before they went to do their tasks.
Here is home.
TBC
I feel bloated today. A family friend dropped by and gave me French fries among others. I wanted to refuse but that would be rude so… . I'm grateful but…
Noren- it's a curtain used by shops to mean that they are open for business.
Fuurin- he's the son of Shika and Temari. This is his second appearance.