Chapter 5: Curiosity

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Everything I do is just borrowing okay?

The red rat was breathing like he ran a mile. When he finally returned to his own nest, he was beyond relieved. He would never, EVER! Under any circumstances piss off or try to convince Sasuke of anything ever again. Upon his arrival, his heavy breathing alerted his daughter Sakura who was near her sleep hole, grooming herself. She ran up to him and seemed to bounce in place.

"Daddy! You're back! How did it go? Will Sasuke marry me? Oh please tell me its true!" she squeaked in happiness. Her father cast uncomfortable glances over his daughter.

"Well, you see umm...I don't know how to say this but..."

"Then just say it! Tell me father please! I even groomed extra today just to run and meet him!" Her father took a heavy sigh and shook his head.

"I'm sorry Sakura; it seems; I've asked too late. Sasuke has eyes for another rat..." Sakura's whole body seemed to freeze. Her smile went as quickly as it came.

"W-What? Why!" she cried, her ears falling flat against her head. Her father felt bad about delivering the news; he tried, but it seemed to have the opposite effect.

"He has already chosen someone; I know you had your heart set but...There are others..." he began.

"NO!" She screamed, "Sasuke was the only one. I've loved him since I was just a cub! I know I'm the one! I'm the prettiest, the smartest! I'd gladly have as many litters as he wants! Who! Who did he choose? She is going to get a telling off that un deserving wench!" she squeaked wildly. Her father's ears by this point were sore and tight against the back of his head. Out of his two litters, Sakura was the most dramatic.

Just like her mother . . . Had to have me, claiming I was perfect. However, she was unable to take the second litter...

Sakura was the only girl out of two litters. All of her brothers were off now and making children of their own. She wanted the perfect mate like her mother had. Even so, sadly, her mother died after the birth of her second litter. She always felt it was her duty to carry on her mother's wishes.

Find a perfect mate, be happy, keep him pleased, make lots of children and always take care of your family.

She wanted the perfect mate, and Sasuke was it, there was no other.

"Sasuke didn't say whom he chose, but from the sound of it, she must be something if he got as mad at me as he did. Sakura, Sasuke is ruthless. He has a pride that was his fathers. Black furs tend to be that way. He is a pureblood after all, pride comes before everything." Sakura was shaking on the spot.

"I'll find out! I'll spend more time with Sasuke and figure this out!" she swore, her tail shaking in her anger. With that she left her father behind her and left the nest. He sighed and ran a paw through his whiskers.

"I just don't want you to get hurt. You can't force someone's love my Sakura, please learn that...Even if if if it is learned the hard way." He trotted over to his nest and laid down. He curled up and placed his tail over his nose. Slowly, but surely, he drifted off into a dreamless state.

Sasuke finally reached Naruto's apartment. It was located on the rougher side of town. He easily climbed up three stories using the fire escape. He stopped at this one window that held a man fast asleep on his couch; his wife was in the kitchen feeding what looked like her baby. Another window he passed by held a small eight-year-old playing with some of his action figures.

Finally, what's my Naruto up to this time of the night?

Sasuke stopped by his window and looked in, the sight made him squeak in surprise and go red all over. Naruto was doing sit-ups in his small living room, shirtless and sweating. Sasuke felt all his breath leave his body; he practically pressed his face to the window, causing it to fog up. Oh how he wanted to be in that room right now.

Oh my sweet Jesus tap dancing Christ! He has no shirt, and I can see his abs! Oh this would be even more perfect if he took his pants off!

Sasuke started drooling, if he could he would run in there and pounce. Rat or not. Naruto sat up and carefully wiped the sweat off with his shirt. He then threw it in the dirty clothes hamper and stood. Sasuke moved so fast that he looked like a bullet. He managed without being seen to squeeze himself in through the window crack. He quickly scrambled and hid under Naruto's very own bed. Naruto was moving in his kitchen now...Still shirtless to Sasuke's delight...And started boiling some water. He softly hummed to himself, but in the little rats, ears sounded like a symphony.

I wonder what tune it is. Humans have such strange instruments...

Naruto suddenly turned about and headed toward the bed. He dropped on his knees and felt around on the floor. Sasuke quickly dived into a pile of clothing under the bed, managing to conceal himself in a pair of orange socks. Naruto's hand came so close to him. He could smell the blond.

He smells so good, just one nip, and I would be in heaven!

Naruto retracted his hand after he had found another shirt and slipped it on. (Much to Sasuke's disappointment.) The blond cooked what looked like noodles and sat on his bed, switched on the TV and started eating.

"Tomorrow's weather looks nasty with a major chance of rain," the weather man said, "about a seventy percent chance of thunder showers in the evening. Make sure you bring your umbrellas folks!" Naruto changed the channel to what sounded like a smooth jingle. He slurped his noodles and drank up all the broth. He then dropped the bowl into the sink and went back to his bed. He slumped down on it and switched off the TV. He curled up and gave a loud yawn. After about an hour, Sasuke heard slow breathing and carefully snuck out.

I've never really explored Naruto's apartment. I'll see if there is anything I can take as a souvenir!

Sasuke first went to the kitchen. He carefully grabbed a towel hanging over the stove and climbed it. He checked out the sink and smelt what Naruto had been eating.

(Sniff) It smells like (sniff) chicken and (sniff) some kind of noodle (sniff) delicious!

Sasuke then went to the fridge and for long moments studied the magnets. Some looked like fruits; others were spirals and even weird signs. Sasuke picked up some human writings when he shredded newspapers for his nest. However, mostly it looked like a bunch of squiggles. He grew bored with the kitchen after examining a little timer that looked a lot like a frog and moved onto the living room.

TV, magazines, a (drool) pair of boxers...

Sasuke decided to check out the bathroom, he easily slid under the crack of the door and looked around with his night vision. There was only a shower and no tub. The toilet lid was down, and he had to climb on top of it to reach the sink.

Jackpot!

Sasuke went over to Naruto's hair brush and studied it. A few blond strands still stuck to some of the bristles. He carefully plucked a few pieces and tied them all together in to a rat's nest. (get it?) He stored the little nest by tying the rest of it to one of his more clumped patches of fur. He got off the sink counter and made his way back to the living room. By that time, moon light was steadily coming through the window. Naruto was on his back; blankets kicked off and on the floor, breathing deeply. Sasuke couldn't resist. He carefully climbed up the falling blankets on to the bed. He knew Naruto was a hefty sleeper so it would take a freight train going through his living room to wake him. He gently climbed up on the blond's chest, steady as not to fall off from the heavy rise and fall of his breathing. He crawled up toward Naruto's face; the boy's lips were slightly parted, and hair fell all over the pillow and his face. Sasuke watched him and felt a smile come to his lips. His whiskers twitched as Naruto's breath ran across his own face. He crawled right next to Naruto's cheek and sat himself down on the blond's shoulder.

Naruto...You have no idea how much I love you...It's not...Its not fair that I'm unable to tell you.

Sasuke looked over to the blond's night stand and saw his flower that he had given. It was lovingly set in a small glass of water, propped up beautiful. Sasuke looked back at Naruto and stared.

Naruto...

Sasuke leaned down and adjusted his whiskers back. He first touched his nose to a rose-pink cheek, then leaned ever further to press his lips to that same rosy cheek. He stayed like that for several moments. Slowly, he pulled back and smiled. He quickly trotted off the bed and went backward to the window. He crawled out of it and onto the fire escape outside. He took one last look at Naruto and sighed. Sasuke left and headed back home toward the clan. Feeling much better and completely forgetting why he was mad in the first place.

TBC

R&R

I think you'll like the next episode. Its what you have all been waiting for! Dun dun dun!