To cfox: See if your guess is right ;)

Standard disclaimers apply. Unbeta-ed. My apologies for making the last chapter a cliffhanger; though everything will be explained in this chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 14: Secrets

"Then, how did you conceive Sae?!"

Sasuke closed his eyes, angry at himself for his stupid slip-away. Now there was no turning back. He knew Naruto would never leave it alone, let alone forget about it. Not when they have started to agree on something- that they both wanted each other.

That they both were still madly in love with each other.

He sat up. And he heard the blond next to him sat up too. Sasuke rubbed the bridge of his nose and wiped away the beads of sweat on his forehead and neck. He took big breaths, calming himself and thinking and choosing the words to explain everything to Naruto.

Naruto looked at Sasuke. He repositioned himself so he could sit and look at the man comfortably from where he was sitting. The man whom he just realized kept another big secret from him. It hurts, Naruto admitted. It hurt him because even if Sasuke declared to have the same feelings as him, he still couldn't trust Naruto.

"Naruto," Sasuke started, head bowed down so that the black bangs hanged around his face, conceiling his expression. He saw how the man struggled to speak, but the hurt was too much.

"I never for a second think Sae as not my own. I hope you know that it was the reason I've never talked about this to anyone. In fact, the only persons besides me who know about this were Shisui, Sae's mother who as you know now had deceased, and Iruka-sensei. I… just want you to not treat Sae any differently now… Please…"

Naruto wasn't sure where this was going; but he listened attentively, ignoring the small tugs and pull at his heart.

"After high school, Itachi disappeared. He was the one who managed all our finance and when he was gone for months, I was forced to work at the mines. Hell, I was so stupid to actually trust him into holding my account book, so I hadn't had a single cent with me."

Naruto's eyes widen at this.

-Flashback-

"What do you mean nothing? I sent you a second letter with some money, teme! And apparently you receive that because the check was bank into your bank account…

"What money?"

"That money that I sent you! … but when I never received any reply at all, I realized that you have used me only to get money, so I stopped sending you more.

"I told you, idiot, that I have never received anything at all- apart that phone call, let alone money from you! You were gone and kept silence for 10 years and now you came back here to accuse me of gold-digging from you!"

"It was the truth!"

"It's never the truth! I didn't receive anything by mail or-" Sasuke suddenly stopped. His laboured breathing from anger started to calm down as his eyes squinted.

"Itachi!" he whispered in malice. "That son of a bitch!" he cursed.

Now it's Naruto's turn to be confused. "What?"

Sasuke shook his head. "Nothing…" he mumbled. "But I can assure you, Naruto. I never did get anything from you; that you have to believe me even if your head said otherwise. I would never take your money without any reason."

-End Flashback-

Now he remembered that conversation… The reason why the cheques were banked in yet Sasuke had firmly declared that he received no cheque or money what-so-ever from the blond.

"Itachi was the one who took those cheques, wasn't it Sasuke?!" Naruto couldn't help to interrupt him.

"Put that aside for a moment. I'll tell you about that too if you want…" Sasuke looked away. "A few months afterwards, a girl came into my house. I was discussing about courses options with Iruka at that time when this girl, whom I realized was a senior who came after you left, came in crying and sobbing like there was no tomorrow. It took Iruka a while to calm her down and made her talk.

She… had slept with Itachi before he disappeared and now she was pregnant- almost 3 months pregnant. I didn't know what to do. I was torn between just leaving this girl so I could go away and study or just… do something about it. But the child… fuck, the child she's pregnant with is my own blood. Mother would be heartbroken if she knew. And this girl… the town people would scorn her for having a child out of a wedlock.

So I decided the only thing that I thought was logical at that time…"

"You married her…" Naruto whispered. His heart suddenly reached out to him- A boy who was just out of high school, and suddenly had to carry that much of a burden.

"The Law wouldn't allow me to marry yet but she was 19 I think, and so that legalized everything as long as I had my guardian's consent. The Inuzukas attended the wedding and so did some other people. But her parents… the only other reason I married her because her parents disowned her the minutes they knew she was pregnant. They didn't even come to the wedding…"

"Sasuke…" Naruto tried to cup Sasuke's face but the man refused to look at Naruto.

Don't shut me out yet!

"I've… never had sex with her if you were referring to that earlier; heck I didn't even touch her or anyone else for that matter after the marriage…" Somehow, that statement made Naruto happy. He felt bad for Sasuke, but that statement… that statement made him realized why Sasuke was pleading for him to stop before.

He was the only one who had ever touched Sasuke… The surge of protectiveness thickened more beyond his own reasons. He'd never let anyone touch Sasuke. Ever!
He's mine! Mine and only mine!

Sasuke took the lack of reply from Naruto as the cue for him to continue. "The truth was… I was angry with her. I went out very early in the morning and came back late at night. When Shisui went into labour, I even had half thought of killing that child with my own bare hands because I thought I couldn't do this… I wanted so badly to continue my studies that I was ready to throw everything away. As far as I was concern at that time, my role to give her and her baby the Uchiha name was over…

But… when the midwife told me Shisui had died in labour… I was… dumbstruck I guess. I was hoping the baby died too but then she passed me this small bundle of pale mass with black crown, just like mine… I could feel my resolve crumbling… But as soon as he opened his eyes and stared at me back with the same black eyes an Uchiha has, I never thought of anything else of him, except my son…

Naruto, Sae may not be my biological son, but he's my son! My own blood!" the anguish in Sasuke's voice shattered Naruto's heart. He knew the raven-haired was soft albeit his arrogant attitude back then, but he never thought Sasuke had this much of affection towards someone.

"Nobody's going to take him away, Sasuke…" Naruto realized Sasuke was afraid. Afraid if somebody knew of this, Sae would be taken away from him. Sae, who was the only one Sasuke had when Naruto's gone. Sae, the only reason why Sasuke was still standing until now.

"You're scared that if people know about this, they are going to take Sae away from you… right? It's okay now, Sasuke… Nobody's going to take Sae away from you…" Naruto automatically hugged Sasuke, the man whom he fell in love over and over again as layers of secrets were revealed.

Naruto felt the man was shaking his head in Naruto's chest. He was mumbling something that Naruto couldn't make out what it was. So Naruto pulled back. And he saw fears clearly visible in Sasuke's expression.

"Itachi came back after Sae was born. He wanted to sell the house and properties because of his debts. I refused so he threatened to take Sae away from me. I had to agree… but I demanded part of the money from it to buy a smaller house. Later when Itachi disappeared again, people were looking for him to collect their debts. Since I was the closest thing to Itachi, they demanded money from me, instead…" Naruto was horrified at this.

"Anyway, I used that money to pay Itachi's debt. It was my life and Sae's or their money. I could find money but I'd die if Sae dies. Kiba's Dad came across the news and since I've never taken anything from them, he offered this house…"

Naruto's hands were shaking when he traced the ivory skin on Sasuke's face softly. He repeated the man's name over and over again as though it was a mantra that could ease Sasuke's pain. And his own.

"To answer your question earlier, Naruto… Yes, I suspected Itachi was the one who took your money… I don't know how but somehow he got a hold of your letters first before they reached me."

"Why the hell would he do that?" Naruto wanted to scream in anger but it came out as a confused whisper, laced with pain and anguish at what Sasuke had to endure.

Sasuke shrugged. "One of the fights we had when he came back was he blamed me for his bleak future- that I was the reason he had to quit school and work. He… I think he hold a grudge against me, for having to pay for my piano lessons back then. Naruto, Itachi was better at them than me. He loathed it when he had to stop playing and pay for my lesson. And then when Mother was sick, he had to quit school for extra money."

Naruto hugged him to stop Sasuke from blaming himself more. "It's not your fault!" he whispered angrily. "Stop blaming yourself… please…" Naruto whispered brokenly.

When they pulled apart, Naruto cupped the fair cheek. "Thank you for telling me…" he thumbed the pink lips and wet his own. Blue eyes were locked onto soft pink petals and he was straining himself from taking those sweet lips into a bruising kiss.

"I owe you at least that…" Sasuke whispered and Naruto watched, fascinated at how the words formed. When Sasuke's tongue wetted those lips, Naruto's restraint was gone. He had wanted to feel that tongue inside his own mouth again.

Sasuke was shocked when Naruto claimed his lips in a sweet, searing kiss again. But he snapped as Naruto parted his own lips and thrusted in.

All he wanted was for Naruto to take the pain, the anguish away in any way possible by the blond.

Take it all away, Naruto… Heal me… Make me forget… Stay by my side, don't leave and I'll let you in this time
I love you!

I love you too!

000

Naruto slightly groaned as he blinked his eyes opened. He felt sore here and there but that didn't register much until he saw raven mass covering his eyes. The room was warm and he felt something soft nudged closer, giving in more warmth. That was when his brain replayed the scene that had just taken place hours ago; heat crawled up his neck and face. Naruto smiled nonetheless.

He's in. Sasuke finally let him in.

That thought was put to a stop when his stomach growled though. A low chuckle made him realized he was the one who had just woken up. The other had been awake before him.

"What a way to ruin the moment, dobe!"

"I'm sorry for being hungry, teme!"

His stomach growled, louder this time, again and both laughed lightly. "Fine, fine! I'm up! Stupid stomach!" Naruto mumbled darkly. He moved to go out of the bed, but not before giving Sasuke a soul-tearing deep kiss.

"Horny…" Sasuke snorted when Naruto ended the kiss.

"Like you're not?" Sasuke blushed prettily at this and Naruto chuckled. "Come on, Sasuke. I'll wash you up and then we can raid the kitchen for something to eat."

"Hell no! I'm not gonna let you bathe me just because I can't see!"

Naruto frowned. "That's not what I mean, Sasuke."

Sasuke smirked. "I know. But I'm not giving in to your perverted ideas either."

"Che! You really think highly of yourself, aren't you?"

"Go and shower, Naruto. Your growling stomach is annoying me…"

Naruto stuck out his tongue childishly and stomped out of the room. Sasuke could guess what his reaction was. He smirked.

The blond was stirring the soup when he noticed Sasuke with wet raven hair sticking to his nape and forehead stepped into the kitchen. Naruto licked his lips unconsciously; his stomach stirred but for a totally different reasons now.

Sasuke looked edible.

The latter walked closer and for a moment, he thought Sasuke could really see the way he was giving him. The raven-haired however walked passed him and boil the water in the kettle, asking him if he's like a mug of coffee. Naruto said yes but he shook his head hard internally. It was a bit too much to hope for, he guessed, but they'd learn to trust each other more now.

"It's good that Sae's not here tonight, huh?" Naruto said nervously while they ate.

"He said he wanted to give us more time to discuss."

Naruto froze at that. "Are you really sure he's seven, Sasuke?"

"Idiot!" Naruto frowned at the insult but let it go.

"I've decided, Naruto," Sasuke said a while later. Naruto looked at him. "Sae and I will go with you to the city, but… But I still feel uncomfortable with the way you want to support us both…"

Naruto sighed. As much as he wanted to knock some sense into Sasuke, he knew that the man had his own pride and self value. But Naruto didn't want to push it; Sasuke might change his mind if he did that.

"What if… I pay for Sae and your needs first for now… When you've got your own money, we can reverse the role?" He suggested after thinking hard.

Sasuke was silent, weighing what Naruto suggested. That would work; but he had no qualification to work a good enough job to pay Naruto back. And the fact that he's blind didn't help either.

"What are you thinking Sasuke?" the blond was starting to fidget when Sasuke didn't say anything for a long time.

"How the hell am I supposed to pay you back? I don't even have a stable job!" Naruto know the anger was directed to Sasuke himself, but he couldn't help to feel hurt.

"Sasuke… Let me pay for your studies… You can find jobs then-"

"But that would take years-"

"I want you to live with me till the day we die, dammit!"

That was effective in shutting Sasuke up. He looked down, ashamed that he was doing it again- hurting Naruto. He shook his head, let out a low disbelief chuckle, angry at himself. "I don't know how you can stand me, Naruto…"

"Because I love you. It's that simple but it's the truth…"

The chuckle slowly became a smirk as Sasuke looked up to Naruto. "I guess that's the same reason how I can stand your idiocy, huh?"

"Hey!!"

"Does that mean I am right to assume that you will want to pay for the doctors to check my eyes too?"

Naruto looked at Sasuke. Was it possible for Sasuke to read his mind?! "Yes, if you want me to tell you the truth. I want to pay for it all. I want to spend all my money on you, Uchiha Sasuke, so don't you dare refuse!

"Who's the arrogant bastard, now?"

"Only because I have to keep up with one!"

000

It was almost noon when they woke up again the next day. This time both were too lazy too get up or even move away. They barely had any sleep last night, and when they woke up after the short nap, the two were at it again and again like the world has come to an end.

They even put bunnies to shame!

"Time to wake up, Naruto…"

"I am awake…!" Naruto mumbled in against Sasuke's broad shoulder. Sasuke chuckled, taking in Naruto's scent.

"Then move your ass and go clean yourself. I'm hungry."

Naruto only snuggled more, clearly not wanting to move. "You can eat me," he mumbled, a bit shyly as he felt his face warmed.

Sasuke was shock at first but then he laughed. "I'm not hungry for you at the moment, idiot. I'm hungry for real food," he teased. "Now up! Up!" He pushed Naruto away.

Naruto got the message and sat up. "I'm hurt, Sasuke… Really hurt now…" he pouted.

"Yes, and I love you too…" Naruto's eyes widen a fraction before he squealed and tackled Sasuke. He kissed the swollen lips noisily and sloppily. The raven glared when Naruto ended the kissed and gave him a silly grin.

"What was that for?"

"You said it… you said you love me too!" Naruto was so happy that he ignored the dull grey eyes were digging holes into his forehead.

At Naruto's confession however, Sasuke shook his head and sighed. "I thought we cleared it up last night…" Naruto only grinned more to see the red hue accompanied Sasuke's statement.

"Yeah, well, now I've heard it from your own lips…"

Sasuke suddenly gave him a predatory look. "You want to know what else you can hear from my own lips, Naruto?" his lowered husky voice made Naruto gulped as he felt himself unconsciously hardened again.

"Sasuke…" he leaned in as the pale hands crept up and rolled his nipple expertly, making the nub hard and stood out…

000

"For real, Naruto, what will you do if you're thinking of quitting modeling?"

"I told you, I'll do some photographing. I could learn more from Jiraiya; or maybe could even photograph for him. He's concertrating on writing at the moment."

Sasuke seemed to be thinking about it. Then a smirk formed on his lips. Naruto watched him from the corner of his eyes, not liking Sasuke's arrogant expression. "Actually, that will be good. I'll agree with you if you want to stop modeling. In fact, I forbid you from doing it anymore."

It was like the dull grey pierced his azure blue and saw Naruto naked to the core of his soul. "You're mine!" Sasuke hissed, growling a bit. But the message was clear and Naruto unknowingly nodded in nervousness. His own eyes were trapped into that dull grey.

Until Sasuke broke it off that is. Only then did Naruto feel like he could breathe freely. "Possessive bastard…" he complained, hoping that Sasuke didn't catch it.

"Your possessive bastard, dobe."

"Your dobe, you mean?"

Sasuke chuckled and nodded. "That's exactly what I meant." Naruto stuck out hi tongue in reply. Arrogant bastard, he fumed inwardly.

"Hey…"

"Hmm?"

"Sae asked me… if you could be his 'Mommy'?"

Naruto's eyes widen. "W-What?!"

"I think he's ready to accept you as part of us," Sasuke shook his head to correct that statement. "No, I think he wants you to be part of us, the Uchiha."

Naruto blinked back tears. "He does?" When Sasuke confirmed, there was something in his throat that rendered him from speaking properly.

"Are you crying, dobe?"

"No!" Sasuke chuckled at the pathetic attempt to cover it. "I'm blind, Naruto, but that doesn't mean I'm an idiot. What say you, now?"

Naruto was confused at first, but his eyes widened once more when he realized what Sasuke meant. "A-Are you asking me… to marry you?"

Sasuke shrugged. "Somewhere along that line… I'm not sure it's legal in here though."

Naruto rolled his eyes at that, tears were all gone now. "Thank you very much, Teme! Such a romantic statement to ruin the moments!" Sasuke laughed at this. Naruto pouted.

"What are you going to tell Sae now?" Naruto asked later.

"I'll explain it like how I explain other things- the truth."

"Not helping, Sasuke."

"Whoever asked you to help me? I've been doing all the explanations to him before. Sae can handle this. Besides, he wants you as much as I want you in our lives."

"Sasuke, I hope you realize that Sae is only 7. Won't he be confused having two fathers rather than a father and a mother?"

"Idiot! Sae's more intelligent than the credit you gave him. He doesn't care about all that. You after all, have done a good job as his 'mother' so far," Sasuke smirked.

"Are you meaning to say I'm like a girl, bastard?" Naruto scowled. He's very male, damn it!

Sasuke snorted at this. "Hasn't the fact that you bottom so far made it clear yet?"

Naruto's eyes widened as he stuttered and red hinted on his cheek. "You're such an ass!!"

"But you still love me anyway." It was more of a statement rather than a question.

"Whatever!"

They were still like that, this time arguing about trivial matter when the front door was opened and a 'Tadaima' was shouted cheerfully. When Sae saw his Father and Naruto-san had smiles on their face, answering low 'Okaeri' (or not so low with Naruto), Sae gave a big grin.

Naruto-san made his Otousan happy again.

And Otousan had discussed with Naruto- whatever he needed to discuss anyway.

"How was your stay at Iruka-sensei?" Sasuke asked a while later, when Sae had shower and changed his clothes. By that time, Naruto had already set the table for dinner.

"It was fun! Kiba-jiji said he'll drop by to send my stuff here when he came to take Akamaru at Iruka-sensei's house tonight."

"Why didn't Kiba come earlier and drop you along? Wouldn't that be easier?" Naruto looked at Sae.

"He was taking Hinata-san somewhere. Besides, I told Otousan that I will come back before dinner."

That night, after dinner, Naruto insisted that he would do the dishes while Sasuke talked to Sae about them. So Sasuke took Sae into his room explained what he and Naruto had agreed to. Sae's face instantly lit up at the explanation and he was so happy that he ran out and hugged Naruto from behind, while the man was washing the dishes.

Naruto was so shocked that someone was hugging his thigh so hard, he almost dropped the plate he was washing. "Sae?" Naruto asked, confused when he saw black crown behind him. Naruto rinsed his hands and loosen Sae's embrace so that he could kneel and looked into the child's intense black eyes.

Sae was grinning widely; it almost mirrored Naruto's. "What's with the hug?" he asked, curious.

"Can… Can I call you… Chichiue?" Sae was suddenly shy, with rosy blush on his ivory cheeks.

"Do you want to?" Naruto almost choked, almost didn't believe what he was hearing. Sae nodded his head enthusiastically. "Then I would love to hear you call me Chichiue, Son…" Naruto hugged Sae, for the first time feeling that his life was complete.

Uzumaki Naruto has what he could now claim, his own family; something that he has been longing to have for years.

That night, Sasuke let loose and allowed Sae to sleep with him and Naruto on the same bed.

000

Sky blue eyes watched the rythmatic breathing of the man next to him, entranced at the sheer beauty of ivory vs midnight black. He smiled as the eyelids fluttered opened slowly, revealing the once-intense blackest eyes he had ever seen.

"Hey…" he whispered softly.

"Morning…" Sasuke replied just as gentle, a small upturned on his lips tugged at Naruto's heart, making it beating faster.

"Shit… I wish I could see you now, Naruto…" Sasuke whispered, but his tone held unvoiced frustration.

"I know… I want you to see me too…" Shivers shot up his spine as he whispered longingly back. "Kiba texted me," Naruto said reluctantly, after delaying it as later as he could. "Hinata, Sae and him invited us for breakfast."

Sasuke arched one brow. "Then I guess we better not make them wait, hmm?"

Naruto frowned. Kiba and his right sense of timing! But as he pushed aside the blanket, Naruto gave Sasuke a wide grin. "We can have a quick one in the shower." He wriggled his brows as though Sasuke could see his suggestive grin.

Sasuke chuckled though. "And you call me horny. Go and use the back shower, Naruto. I thought I heard the message coming in quite a while ago." Naruto pouted. The message did come in about an hour ago.

"You know what, Teme. I think Sae purposely asked to sleep over at Kiba's last night," Naruto said as he drove them to Kiba's.

"Is that so now?"

"Yeah…"

The day after Sasuke let Sae slept with them, they both had invited the little guy after school- which he welcomed with opened hands and excused himself from his usual game of soccer with his friends, saying he had an important family outing. That night, Naruto had slept with Sae and the boy was confused as to why Naruto wasn't accompanying his Otousan if he was now his Chichiue.

Naruto, though with red face replied that he wanted to ask Sae what colour he wanted for his room and other stuff when they moved to the city. The small boy quickly forgot that Naruto was supposed to 'sleep' with his Otousan and happily told Naruto exactly how he wanted his room to be.

The next morning, Sae refused to go to Bridgetown for the piano lesson with an excuse that he wanted to spend as much time riding Kiba's horses and playing with Akamaru. So, Naruto took Sasuke to the piano lesson where he had requested Emi-san to come to discuss about future piano lessons there. Sasuke was leaving, so he would not be teaching anymore.

And when it was time to go home that night, Sae requested to sleep over at Kiba's place, wanting to spend every last second with Akamaru. Since Hana was home on that weekends and Hinata was also there, Sasuke agreed.

"Why do you think that is?" Sasuke asked, hiding his grin. Naruto told his theory and Sasuke snickered. "I told you he's no ordinary boy, Naruto." Naruto gaped. "What kind of father are you, bastard?!"

"One that you adored and love unconditionally," Sasuke smirked.

"Insufferrably arrogant bastard!"

They spent the whole day at Kiba's place again, with Iruka and Moegi present when Sasuke announced him and Sae would be moving to the city with Naruto. Kiba whistled at the end shouting something along the line it's time for them to make up; which earned a thwack at the back of his head by Naruto, Hana and Iruka. Naruto then went to discuss with Hinata about her current situation in the living room, while the other had barbeque outside at the backyard.

Naruto left to the city first with Hinata, wanting to settle a few more things before he sent a moving truck to get the Uchiha's stuff a few weeks afterwards. Naruto then would personally come and pick the Uchihas up to the city.

TBC...
Next: Final arc- The Closure (yeah, this will end soon, in a few more chapters now that everything's pretty much resolved). Though, how about a filler for the next chapter?
Chapter 15: Country boy/City girl (I bet you can guess who this chapter is about, huh? XD)