Thanks for the reviews!! My explanation to the lateness is after the chapter...

Chapter Ten: My Special Place

It was three days after the storm first hit.

Three days it has been raining.

Three days since Sasuke told Naruto he'd never leave.

Three days he has been slowly wearing himself down.

Three days since Naruto decided his own fate.

Three days he has been waiting.

Three days since Kiba discovered the truth.

Three days he has been passing it as a lie.

Three days since Kakashi carried Iruka upstairs.

Three days he has been living with the man.

Three days since Iruka began remembering.

Three days he has been crying.

Three days more and it will all be over.

Three days more it will have been a month.

-

Kakashi was walking threw his house in a panic. He'd woken up to find Iruka gone. Already he'd checked the bathrooms, the bedrooms (gotten hit by a shoe), the living room, the kitchen, the family room, and the basement. There was only one place left to look. The attic.

But how would Iruka have gotten up there without being heard? There was a giant folding ladder that came down from the ceiling in the hall and it always squeaked.

Kakashi thought more on this as he pulled the ladder down. He was just about to start climbing when a door down the hall opened and Naruto's head popped out. Sasuke's followed a minute later on top of the blonde's.

"What are you doing?" The Uchiha asked.

"Nothing, go away." Naruto did just that. Sasuke hesitantly retreated as well; though a second later his whole body reappeared. He walked over to his guardian who was half way up the wooden ladder.

It scared Sasuke- though only a little and he wouldn't admit it - that Kakashi didn't come up with a lame excuse this time. Normally he was impossible to talk to. But he hadn't bothered with any extra tricks today.

"So what is it?"

Kakashi stopped climbing and looked to Sasuke with something the raven had never seen in his eyes before.

The infamous Kakashi was tired.

Not a normal sleep deprived tired either. It almost looked like he was tired of life.

Guilt hit Sasuke when he realized that his only friend's misery was entirely his fault.

"I can't do it anymore." Were the last words whispered before Kakashi disappeared all the way up the ladder. He pulled it shut and Sasuke sighed.

He'd made one hell of a mess this time.

-

In the attic, Kakashi found what he was looking for. Iruka was sitting on a windowsill and watching the raindrops hitting the glass. If it weren't for the devastating look on his face Kakashi would have sworn he was an angel.

There were no lights on because the power had been out all week. This storm was really taking its toll. No one in the house had seen a clear picture of the outdoors in three days. Sasuke and Naruto hardly left the brunette's room.

Iruka and Kakashi had originally planned to spend the storm watching movies on a portable DVD. But they got bored after the first day.

Then they played board games. Which are, in fact, appropriately named.

After seven bowls of popcorn they decided to call it a night.

Well, technically it was around four in the afternoon. But because the sky was so dark it didn't make a difference if they slept from ten in the morning to three in the afternoon and were awake the rest of the time.

It was impossible to see anything other than when lightning flashed in the sky.

This was how Kakashi found that Iruka was crying.

Lightning flashed and a single tear rolled down his cheek.

Slowly and very cautiously Kakashi approached his partner. When he made it across the room and sat down next to Iruka, the other didn't seem to notice. Kakashi jumped, then, when Iruka suddenly buried his face in the hollow between his shoulder and neck.

Iruka on the other hand, knew Kakashi was there the whole time. He'd just had this habit since he was little of finding somewhere extremely high up to hide if he felt the need to get away from everything.

He told Kakashi this.

Iruka had been thinking about his parents again. He knows it's silly for a grown man to still wish for his mom at night. But he'd never really gotten to know her when he was growing up. She and his father died in a car crash when he was six.

He told Kakashi this.

That's why he adopted Naruto. Because they were the same and he would know how to take care of the boy.

He told Kakashi this.

Naruto's dad was an old buddy of Iruka's. That's how he knew the stories and where they put the boy up for adoption.

He told Kakashi this.

Eventually Iruka calmed down and right before drifting to sleep - the final thing he told Kakashi was about something his mother used to call him. She used to call him her little turtle because he had a shell. It was really hard for anyone to get to know him because of it.

"But I'm glad you did." He told him.

After a while of sitting on the windowsill with a sleeping Iruka in his arms, Kakashi decided that he needed to get everyone out of town. Somewhere far away so they could let everything go for a while. It was downright painful to see all the people he loved breaking down.

And he had a strong feeling he was next.

So Saturday morning found Kakashi, Iruka, Sasuke, and Naruto trying to get whatever they really needed into the car. Apparently, Iruka originally had planned to take them to his childhood home for the weekend, he'd just forgotten because of the storm. Mostly he wanted to go for Naruto but he still wanted Kakashi and Sasuke to see it too.

They drove until Naruto jumped in his seat and pointed to the sign that read "Now Leaving". Almost exactly three minutes later the rain let up.

"Looks like it's just around our place." Iruka commented. Naruto didn't seem to catch it, but Kakashi and Sasuke were both thinking the same thing. It was an awfully big coincidence.

-

Highways had never been an exciting place to be. Driving for hour after mind-numbing hour and never seeming to get anywhere. At least, this is what Naruto always thought about them.

But this particular car ride wasn't as bad. Mostly because he had Sasuke to bother.

"Naruto!"

"What?" He blinked innocently. Sasuke was fuming because he was trying to sleep, but a certain blonde menace, as he would put it, wasn't letting him.

"Stop it." Sasuke said his final words and settled back down into the seat to go to sleep. But as soon as he closed his eyes again... "That's it!"

Sasuke launched at Naruto and Naruto fought back. It was surprising that they didn't break anything seeing as they were sharing the back seat of Kakashi's car. Although it was a totally fly, top-of-the-line, anybody would be crazy not to want it 1967 Chevrolet Impala.

They wrestled for all of 20 seconds before Kakashi told them that if there was even a scratch on his baby they would polish the entire thing with top of the line toothbrushes and then have to brush their teeth with them.

Iruka laughed because Kakashi was completely serious. The two in the back immediately calmed down and settled back to get some shuteye. Naruto was leaning on Sasuke's side and the only sign that he wasn't sleeping yet was the devilish smirk on his face.

"Naruto! Quit poking me!"

-

They'd been driving for three hours now. Naruto wouldn't let them forget it.

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"How about now?"

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"No!"

"How much longer?"

"I don't know."

"Can we make a pit stop?"

"Naruto! Shut up!" Sasuke grabbed the other's head under his arm and dug his knuckles into the top of it.

It was near four in the morning now and Iruka had regretfully announced about ten minutes ago they would be at Konoha within half an hour. Naruto had been going back and forth with Kakashi now for five minutes asking him where they were and when they'd get there and about the bathroom that had been promised half a mile back.

Iruka had his Ipod blasting so he could drain it out, but Sasuke's had run out and he was forced to listen to his boyfriend's annoying questioning. Finally he'd had enough of it and tried poking the blonde until he shut up.

But that didn't do anything because Naruto turned it into a tickle fight, which is probably the only thing Sasuke couldn't beat him at.

So he'd had to find alternate means of shutting the boy up. Noogies seemed semi-affective but now they had to hear his shouts of mercy begging and this wasn't any better so Sasuke settled for just kissing the daylights out of him.

Surprisingly they hadn't thought of this before and the rest of the car ride flew by.

"Okay, we're here!" Iruka shouted. He launched himself out of the barely parked car and ran to greet the people waving at him.

Naruto, hearing his guardian's much welcomed shout, also launched out of the car and ran to greet his favorite person in this entire village.

"Jaraiya!!" He screamed. The blonde practically leapt from the car all twenty feet to a tall white-haired man. The man greeted Naruto with just as much - if not more - gusto.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite crazy person. How's it going?" And as if accepting an invitation to fill the man in on every aspect of his life in the past year Naruto started practically shouting and giving a play-by-play of everything.

Especially on his homeroom teacher since Jaraiya seemed most interested in her.

"She's doing great, ya old perv!" Then as if a light bulb went off in his head, Naruto snapped. "That reminds me! I have someone I want you to meet."

He waved Kakashi over from his previous position next to Iruka and properly introduced him to Jaraiya. No surprises, they immediately found loads of stuff to talk about and Kakashi had a new best friend.

Naruto decided to let them wonder off to talk about old pervert things and he ran over to Sasuke.

The other was standing awkwardly outside of the mass of people. Iruka and Naruto always got this kind of welcoming party when they visited Konoha so they were used to it. Everyone there loved them.

Sasuke noticed.

After all, it was hard not to with everyone screaming "Iruka, Naruto, we love you!"

"Hey Sasuke!" Naruto jumped and landed right in front of his boyfriend. Sasuke tried not to smile too much. After all, he'd just met these people. But Naruto's grin was infectious to the nth degree so he couldn't help the small smile on his face.

"Hey, dobe." Naruto pouted at the name and we all know this is the only reason Sasuke calls him that.

"There are some people I want you to meet."

So Sasuke was dragged through the mob of color and happiness he'd been trying so desperately to avoid. He met several people that actually were pretty cool in some ways. He was surprised that the girls here weren't nearly as bad as at home.

But his favorite person the whole time was an old man named Tazuna. Tazuna addressed Naruto as "you little brat" or some other name that always managed to get Naruto riled up and it made Sasuke come very close to laughing out loud.

The best part about Tazuna, thought Sasuke, was the stories he told. They hung around with the man and ate lunch all the while being told of ancient heroes and their daring deeds. He loved hearing about them and if he could have would have stayed with the man the whole time.

But don't tell Naruto that.

"Now if we can sneak away I'll show you my favorite place in the whole world!" Naruto whispered and grabbed Sasuke's hand. They waved bye to Tazuna and promised to come talk again soon.

Kakashi and Iruka went off with some of Iruka's old friends who Kakashi actually liked a lot. Especially Asuma, that guy was riotous! And his wife Kurenai was the perfect match for him, not taking any of his crap and always catching his pranks.

Sasuke hadn't noticed until Naruto took him there, but Konoha had a brilliant view of the ocean and the docks were so peaceful. It would be the perfect spot for a date.

"Naruto!" The boys stopped walking and turned. There was a little boy who couldn't be older than eight running full speed at Naruto. Sasuke's first instinct was to dodge him but Naruto opened his arms wide and caught the kid.

"Inari!" Naruto was quick to hug the boy tight. They clearly had a very special brother-brother kind of thing going on. It was adorable really.

But don't tell Naruto Sasuke thought that.

"Where have you been?" Before Naruto could respond he was hit on the head with something.

"Hey! Who threw that?" Sasuke's head spun around when he saw something move on one of the boats. He passed it off as a low flying bird and turned back to see Naruto rubbing the sore spot on his forehead.

Sasuke chuckled and kissed the spot where the unidentified flying object hit. Naruto's face immediately lit up and he grinned. He was just about to thank Sasuke proper and set Inari down when something else hit him on the head.

This time it was flying to fast for just any average Joe to have thrown it. It obviously had to be someone with skills. Inari starting laughing and pointing because he obviously knew what was going on. Sasuke frowned and looked at the boats again. There! The thing moved...

Another object flew and just before it hit Naruto's head Sasuke caught it. He examined it and found that it was a specifically polished and molded rock, clearly made for just what it was doing. Hurting Naruto's hard head.

"You're never going to find him!" Screamed Inari before he ran away laughing as maniacally as an eight year old could.

Which was surprisingly very scary.

"Now I get it!" Naruto once again grabbed Sasuke hand and ran for one of the boats. It was the same one Sasuke had seen the thing moving on. "Come out come out wherever you are!"

Sasuke almost made to quiet Naruto because he didn't know what was on that boat. But obviously Naruto did know and was totally calm about it.

"You're getting better and better Naruto." Sasuke was surprised to see and almost clone-like version of himself stand up and greet Naruto. "But not as good as your friend here. He caught one of my stones. That takes talent."

"Shut up Sai. This is Sasuke. He's my boyfriend!" The grin previously on Sai's face slipped and he glared at Sasuke.

Had it been anyone other than Sasuke, they would have cowered and ran. But this is Sasuke-frikin-Uchiha we're talking about. He doesn't run. He glares back.

Not noticing the tension between the two, Naruto invited them both to come to the ice cream parlor with him. So they did. Sasuke wrapping one arm around Naruto very over-protectively.

Sai stood on the other side of the blonde, way to close for Sasuke's liking. But if Naruto was to be happy, that is where he had to stand.

Naruto didn't even notice that the boys didn't say a single word directly to the other one the whole time. Tian - the girl behind the counter - noticed it. She even made a comment on it.

Tian never spoke again.

Poor, poor Tian.

-

"So, Iruka, have you been to see the old man yet?" Asuma asked. Iruka shook his head and smiled.

"I was going to wait for tonight at the show and see him with Naruto. Why?" Asuma lit another cigarette and shrugged before sticking it in his mouth.

Kurenai was the one to answer him.

"Well, Sarutobi isn't doing too well nowadays. He's been in and out of the hospital lately and-" Iruka waved a hand in her face telling her to stop and smirked.

"Come on, that man's been in and out of the hospital his entire life! Nothing is going to bring him down." Kurenai laughed and nodded her agreement. Kakashi decided that he'd ask Iruka later since no one seemed interested in filling him in anyway.

"So, Kakashi," Asuma started the conversation again. "You're dating Iruka?"

Kakashi nodded the affirmative and Iruka blushed, knowing exactly where this was going since it was Asuma and not Kurenai asking the question.

"Is he any good?" Kurenai hit her husband upside the head and shook her own, putting a hand up to her eyes. Iruka let his forehead connect rather painfully with the table they were sitting at. Kakashi just smirked.

"That's for me to know and you to never find out." Iruka groaned as Asuma laughed. Kurenai's mouth hung open a little but she didn't say anything. Asuma said that it was definitely okay in his book for Iruka to go out with Kakashi.

"I'm not a kid anymore you know. I can pick who I want to date." Asuma smirked.

"But you know that I'm always right when I tell you who is scum." Kakashi almost frowned at this, but kept up his mask and got into a heated discussion with Asuma about who would win a fight between the Lucky Charms Leprechaun and Fred Flintstone.

Soon Iruka and Kurenai were also in on the conversation insisting that Betty Boop would kick both of their asses.

Ah the beauties of immaturity.

-

The rest of Naruto and Sasuke's afternoon was spent with Sai much to the Uchiha's displeasure. It wasn't that he didn't want Naruto to be able to spend time with his friends. It was obvious the blonde was loads happier here than he was at their own town.

But why did Sai have to be his friend, Grrrdammit?

Sure the guy was nice to Naruto but Sasuke could tell that underneath that stupid fake smile was an evil, evil man waiting to snatch Naruto from Sasuke's grip.

And in three days time he might just get his wish.

Sasuke had been thinking a lot today, especially when Naruto would stop and talk to someone he hadn't seen in a while. He'd been thinking about the bet and how exactly he could get those stupid jocks to shut up about it.

He was going to drop the bet.

It was a hard decision at first but Sai helped, in a way. He proved to Sasuke that seeing Naruto with anyone else would drive him mad! So he made his choice and was just going to give them the thousand dollars.

But he was sure that somehow Naruto would find out about it and hate him.

So he was definitely going to have to pay interest. Hopefully Kakashi would understand.

But there wasn't a doubt in his mind that as soon as they got home he was going to talk to those stupid jocks and finally stop the bet.

"Come on Sasuke!" Naruto pulled him along the street, laughing at the surprised look on his boyfriend's face. "You were spacing out again. The show's about to start!"

Sasuke blinked. Naruto turned and walked backwards. Subconsciously, Sasuke realized Sai was no where near and he shouted with joy.

"You know, fireworks?"

Sasuke blinked again.

"It's because me and Iruka have connections."

Naruto's bad voice impersonation of some Italian gangster didn't faze him and Sasuke blinked.

Naruto sighed.

"Come on." He turned to walk forwards again but kept pulling Sasuke's hand. The Uchiha looked ahead to see where Naruto was headed and saw Kakashi hanging out with the people from before and a few others.

Deciding that this was the perfect time to sneak away. Kakashi saw them coming and waved to Sasuke who waved back but motioned that he wanted some alone time with Naruto. Kakashi nodded and turned back to his new friends.

Sasuke then tightened his grip on Naruto's hand and ran. He already saw the perfect clearing. No one else was there so he hurried up before someone beat them to it.

Ignoring Naruto's questions he pulled the blonde all the way to the top of the hill. It was a brilliant view.

From their hilltop they could see everything. There were the people setting up the giant fireworks display and the strings of lights over every house down there. The place was illuminated and magical. They could hear someone's radio blasting and the people's laughter.

But the best view of all, thought Sasuke, was the look in Naruto's eyes. He was truly happy. The blue irises gleamed with joy and the only light around that could rival with them was the necklace he was wearing.

It was the one Sasuke had gotten him.

"This is great, Sasuke!" Naruto turned excitedly and glomped his boyfriend. This was truly the best view in the village and Naruto was glad to enjoy it with Sasuke.

"I'm glad you think so." Sasuke smiled and hugged Naruto back. He realized how carefree he'd gotten around the blonde and liked it a lot.

He was glad that he had someone to be himself around other than Kakashi. He needed more people like this.

Seeing as they were being so careless and just enjoying the moment, it surprised Sasuke when Naruto became so serious. He locked eyes with the Uchiha and the fierceness in his stare was most intoxicating. Almost arousing.

In fact it was arousing.

And very, very sexy to boot.

Their lips crashed in ecstasy and the night that followed was the most passion filled night either had ever had. One touch from the other sent them spiraling away from the world. If anyone had been walking to close they would have heard moans of the deepest pleasure. That night Sasuke took something very valuable from Naruto.

I'm sure you can guess what it was, but I'll give you a hint. They were sore in the morning.

-

Iruka was pushing through the crowds looking for his son. It wasn't like Naruto to miss out on seeing Sarutobi. He bumped into Kakashi during his search and asked the silver-haired man if he'd seen Naruto. Kakashi said yes he had seen Naruto and that he doubted Iruka would want to find him right now.

Iruka understood and decided to stay in one place and watch the fireworks with his boyfriend. Afterall, it wasn't like anything bad could happen to Naruto in Konoha anyway.

-

-

Thank you so much for the reviews! I'm sorry this was so late! I was working on it on Friday and I thought that I'd posted it because normally that's what I'll do. I write out the chapter in my notebook all week then type what I've written and post it but I forgot that I didn't finish this chapter in my notebook so I had to finish writing it on the computer and I remembered this morning and freaked out and so I've been writing all day to make up for it and it's longer than normal so be happy please!!

Please review! Thanks!!

P.S.- I'll get another update out this week! Yay!