Misery Loves Company

Author: Ladelle

Rating: M

Comments: Okay, so two weeks is better than like...three months, right? Hahaha. I'm getting back to my good updating habits, or at least I'm trying.

Thank you for all of your reviews! You guys make me so happy. I forgot how excited they make me...I've been writing at school, at work, in between homework assignments...LOL. You guys are addicting.

Oh, and I'm not lying when I say Sasuke and Naruto will be together soon. Trust me and give it a few more chapters.

Chapter 16:

Naruto sat up in his bed as a technician unplugged the equipment beside him, effectively shutting of any monitors that had been aiding him in his recovery. He hadn't really needed them, but he figured that Morino had ordered it, wanting to make sure he was well taken care of. The hum of electricity died and the man gave him a small nod before disappearing from the room, moving to the side of the doorframe to make room for Neji who had been in and out all afternoon.

Glancing back at the technician that left, Neji raised an eyebrow. "Does that mean you're free to go?" He looked at the small pile of fresh clothing seated on the hospital room's armoire, mentally noting that Naruto wasn't making a move for it.

Naruto ran his fingers over the gauze wrapped around his chest and frowned a little, wishing that were the case. "I have to stay until Genma says I can go," he said. While Neji had been back and forth between handling official duties and hovering like a mother hen, Morino had called with those strict orders. "Genma's coming by later," he reassured his partner, something else Morino had told him. And while he didn't want to be in the hospital, he didn't want to go back to the station either.

"I can wait. I'll drive you back," Neji offered, and he moved to the foot of Naruto's bed, pouring himself a glass of water. Amidst the chaos and confusion of the morning, both with Danzo's visit and doctors and nurses running in and out, Naruto and Neji hadn't really been alone together. It felt strange though, with the pain medicine finally wearing down a bit, memories of their last encounter began swarming Naruto's mind.

That mixed with Sasuke's admission only made him feel more out of place.

"Haku was really worried about you." Neji said after he took a sip from his glass. "Actually, everyone was. I think that…we forget you're a traveler sometimes." Neji was looking out of the room's window, admiring the skyline. Naruto sensed that Neji was working his way to the conversation they needed to have; the one he was afraid of.

"I was really worried about you. I—"

"I can't talk about this right now." Naruto said, and he let his face fall slightly, unintentionally giving away the fact he was nervous. The movement didn't escape Neji's attention as he stepped forward, running fingers over an imaginary crease on his shirt. There was a moment of silence before the brunet spoke, his impatience getting the best of him.

"I have a feeling that you're never going to want to talk about it," he stated and Naruto grimaced, knowing it was the truth. He wasn't good at things like this. He never had been. He didn't like hurting people, especially the ones he felt close to. And Neji—Neji had been the one person he could always depend on.

"I don't want our friendship to change." Naruto said. It the first thought that ran through his mind. Neji paused for a minute before scowling.

"It doesn't have to," he said, and Naruto finally looked up to him, half in disbelief.

"Of course it does," he replied, straight faced. "I—we—I can't love you the way I love Sasuke." Naruto felt his stomach tighten as the words left his lips and he heard Neji release a short breath. "You could learn to."

Naruto felt the breath catch in his throat as he saw Neji move closer to him and sit on the edge of his bed, his expression serious. "The only reason why you feel so attached to Sasuke is because he was the first person who really took care of you when you came here." It was logical enough.

Naruto raised an eyebrow defiantly. "That's not true, I—"

"Then why do you care about him so much?"

Naruto stilled, the words caught so that he couldn't maneuver his tongue to get them out. His brain felt void of an answer, and for a second, it panicked him. How do you describe something that cannot be explained?

"I don't know," Naruto looked down at his fingers playing with the hem of his blanket before glancing back up to meet Neji's demanding eyes. "But you shouldn't need a reason to love someone… you just… do."

Neji was quiet, though the silence wasn't thoughtful. It was only when Naruto opened his mouth to speak again that Neji suddenly interrupted. He looked frustrated; agitated.

"You're putting him in a horrible position. You're putting him in danger, even. He had everything he needed for himself and his company—he had it with Suigetsu. And now you expect him to drop everything for you, and worse, you know he would. Do you really want him so badly that you would make him choose?"

Naruto was stunned for a moment, not expecting Neji to be so blunt. He felt sick to his stomach, his own guilt beginning to weigh his emotions. His eyes fell back to his fingers, ashamed of himself for how selfish it sounded when put as Neji had said it. He had come from the past with every intention of picking up where he had left off—completely naïve to the fact that a lot could change in a year's time. He hadn't thought about sacrifices, he hadn't even thought about his own volition. He had only thought about them. Him and Sasuke.

"I didn't come here…" Naruto wasn't sure how he wanted to say it. "I never meant for things to turn out this way." He could feel the pained confusion of his indecision clouding his mind and he couldn't bring himself to look Neji in the eye. "It's just… if it's not Sasuke…" Naruto closed his eyes, "…it can't be anyone else."

There was a pregnant pause and Naruto wasn't sure what else to say. How did you convince someone that something was impossible? Blue eyes finally drifted upwards and before Naruto knew it Neji was leaning forward, caging him between strong arms on either side of his hips. The officer's eyes were level to Naruto's, and his expression sent chills up Naruto's spine.

"You're so stupid," Neji said and Naruto could feel the raw emotion behind the cold words. "Stupid and stubborn. Why can't you understand that while Sasuke is the only one for you," he leaned forward, eyes narrowed, "you're the only one for me?"

Neji kissed him.

Naruto didn't stop him.

In the same light, he didn't participate either. Neji pushed forward, his lips pressing almost pleadingly against Naruto's, his tongue tracing the seam, begging for entrance. Neji's eyes never closed and neither did Naruto's. They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, a realization coming over Neji, obvious through Naruto's eyes.

It would be easy for Naruto to say yes to Neji, to ask the brunet to take care of him and make him forget. It would be easy to tell Sasuke to stay with Suigetsu; that his feelings had changed. But they hadn't. And everything that seemed easy was impossible, and both Neji and Naruto knew that.

Faded amethyst eyes blinked closed as Neji pulled away, his expression settling more on disappointment than anger. "I just don't understand," he said in a small voice, one that matched the expression on his face. He was confused—looking as though he desperately wanted to be angry but had lost the will for it. Naruto realized haphazardly that his heart was breaking.

"I… should go," Neji said and he slid off the bedside and found his way to a table by the doorway where his things were gathered. A wave of guilt crashed through Naruto, but he couldn't find the right words to say. "Neji, wait," he asked, but the brunet simply turned to him and smiled.

"I'll see you later, Naruto." And with that, he was gone. The room was once again painstakingly quiet, the clock on Naruto's bedside table ticking away, reminding him bitterly that life always had a way of moving forward despite the circumstances. Neji had always been his best friend. And now… strangely enough, he felt as though he was all alone all over again.

He blinked, closing his eyes from the sunlight that drowned his figure from the window, and clenched his fist around the blanket at his waist.

"You are some piece of work."

Naruto's head jerked to the doorway, stunned that he hadn't even heard someone enter. Suigetsu looked half annoyed and half irate, and Naruto wiped his eyes in an effort to save some kind of face. The club owner made an effort of closing the door and locking it, and for a split second Naruto was positive he was going to get the crap beaten out of him.

"Don't give me that look," Suigetsu said, and Naruto edged backwards in his bed, feeling extremely vulnerable. Especially considering he wasn't sure if his ribs would allow him to make it to the door.

"Why are you here?" Naruto asked, his voice level. Suigetsu wandered idly to the window and played with some trinkets that were placed there for decoration. When he turned, the sunlight hit his face in a way that made Naruto see how Sasuke could be so attracted to him.

"I came to see how you were doing. Sasuke's orders," he admitted in a monotone voice. He then added, "I'll be sure to let him know you've got quite the friendship going with Hyuuga." He fiddled with a trinket on the windowsill absentmindedly. Naruto bunched the sheets in his hand and frowned, feeling more affronted by the misunderstanding. "It has nothing to do with you so mind your own business!"

The tone of his voice must have been surprising because Suigetsu looked him up and down and raised an eyebrow. It wasn't long before his expression fell, and whatever irritation he had became a fuming sort of anger. When he spoke, it was dangerously intimidating, even for Naruto.

"Sasuke is my business," he slammed down a clay jar and Naruto could hear the sharp snap of it breaking under the action. "Sasuke is my boyfriend. Don't mistake my curiosity for anything else. The only reason I'm here is because your ridiculous behavior landed Sasuke in the hospital."

"I wasn't the one who chose to crash the car," Naruto said, and Suigetsu growled. "Watch yourself. I don't have Sasuke's patience."

Naruto snorted and frowned. "Sasuke isn't patient."

In response, Suigetsu glared at him before narrowing his eyes, irritated. "When it comes to you, he is."

Naruto was still before he shook his head, somewhat confused with everything racing through his mind. First Sasuke had wanted nothing to do with him, but the accident had drawn out a confession. But he wasn't stupid either… obviously Sasuke still had feelings for him. The fact Suigetsu was cornering him in his hospital room proved that fact even more.

"I didn't know things would turn out this way." A part of him admitted that his statement was only half true. After hearing that Sasuke was a potential hostage at the club, he hadn't known what to expect. But he had never imagined things to turn out the way they were now; especially not with Sasuke injured only a couple floors above him.

Suigetsu crossed his arms over his chest, unconvinced. It was obvious to Naruto that he was making a huge effort to exercise the little patience he claimed to have left. "Are you working for the Akatsuki?" he demanded. Naruto rolled his eyes. "Of course not."

"Are you a double agent then?"

The question was so blunt that Naruto's head jerked up, his eyes wide. Without saying anything, as if trying to read Naruto's body language, Suigetsu licked his lips. "Did you choose to be a double agent?"

Naruto shifted under the covers, leaning forward, trying to keep the surge of panic that threatened his nerves at bay, He wasn't sure what to say. He couldn't admit to it, not if he didn't want to deceive Danzo.

"Whatever I choose to do with my career is my business and no one else's. My situation has nothing to do with you." Naruto's nervous anxiety was turning to fear; fear of being discovered. Suigetsu's temper was beginning to flare.

"The fuck it doesn't. Sasuke is two floors above you, or did you forget that?"

Naruto let out an aggravated sigh and jumped up from his bed, ignoring the ache that tore through his chest muscles. "Sasuke chose to crash that car—he was the—" Naruto paused, Danzo's words and threat echoing in his head. Sasuke was the driver.

Suigetsu raised an eyebrow, waiting for the rest of the sentence. Naruto balled his fists, feeling cornered. "Why did you come here?"

Suigetsu growled, his anger finally exploding. "What the hell is wrong with you!? You didn't waste any time attacking Orochimaru and now you can't even get a sentence out?" Suigetsu came forward, his figure so threatening that Naruto stepped backwards, cornered against an IV stand and his bed. "You're so fucking irritating. You act like your department is blackmailing you."

When Naruto didn't answer, Suigetsu's expression fell. There was a long period of silence, and the club owner tilted his head, disbelieving, reading the silence.

"You… you're kidding."

Naruto struggled to pull together an expression that didn't give himself away, but found that his labors were fruitless. Suigetsu had come to lecture him, and in some strange turn of events, he was going to end up leaving knowing about Naruto's situation. The blond leaned back against his bed, breathing deeply, feeling a wave of nausea mixed with relief that someone knew. But he felt more ill than comforted knowing that person was Suigetsu, and he wondered what would happen if Danzo discovered it.

"So you're just going to sit back and do what they tell you to do?" Suigetsu seemed less than intimidated once the initial surprise sunk in. After he crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head he looked irritated again, and Naruto was close to being fed up.

"Don't pretend like you know anything about what I've been through. I've never complained about it, and I'm not going to start now—especially not to you. I do what I have to do to protect the people I care about," Naruto snapped. Suigetsu growled. "Like who!? Who here can't protect themselves?"

It occurred to Naruto that Suigetsu wasn't thinking in a broad enough spectrum. It was obvious he thought Naruto was defending someone at the station, or maybe even himself as a traveler. So when Naruto made the decision to tell him and spoke, the uncanny expression of shock and fury overwhelmed his features.

"Sasuke." Naruto said simply.

While Naruto felt himself calm a little, knowing the cat was out of the bag and that there was no turning back, Suigetsu flared. He grabbed Naruto's shoulder and gripped him hard, sneering in disbelief. "Don't lie to me," he growled.

Naruto stared up at him, his eyes lowered and submissive. The same anger and shock he had felt was now reflecting through Suigetsu; two people who loved the same man, and that one man the target of too many people.

"I don't have any reason to lie to you," Naruto said. He met Suigetsu's eyes with his own, trying to confirm his statement, and Suigetsu shook him. "Tell me what they want—tell me how Sasuke got dragged into this."

Naruto hissed and wrapped an arm across his torso, cringing at Suigetsu's sudden forcefulness. He looked to the other side of the room, downcast, wondering how much he was going to reveal. Did he even trust Suigetsu enough to tell him?

"Tell me," Suigetsu demanded. "If you can't protect him, then I will."

Turning his head back to meet that gaze, Naruto felt his chest sink a little, his heartbeat quickening with his words. It hurt to hear that he couldn't be that person and he knew that was a selfish thought. But if someone could look after Sasuke… that was all he could ask for. And despite the fact Suigetsu was an overbearing jerk, he was powerful enough for Naruto to know Sasuke would be safe.

Because the more Naruto thought about it, the worse the situation got. If Danzo was working with the Akatsuki, that meant he had ties to Itachi. And if there was anything Naruto would avoid, it was putting Sasuke anywhere near that sadistic man.

"Deidara…" Naruto started, his voice sounding nervous. Suigetsu read it from him and released his grip in an attempt to seem less threatening. "Deidara was a double agent. He was the blond guy—the other traveler…" Naruto glanced up, waiting for Suigetsu to nod, affirming that he knew which person he was talking about. Instead he stared intensely, waiting for Naruto to continue.

"Sasuke crashed the car. Danzo can make it look like Sasuke killed him," he finished. Suigetsu's eyes narrowed and he cursed, and Naruto hoisted himself back onto his bed, not quite feeling relieved that he had said anything. Suigetsu paced over to the window before whipping around, glaring at Naruto.

"Do you see what you've done?" he said, and Naruto was taken aback, surprised.

"What?"

Suigetsu was enraged, but his work as a club owner had worked to help him hide it well. Naruto could tell though, because his eyes were red and his fists were clenched at his sides, and the air in the room suddenly grew hot and heavy. "Travelers. You do nothing but fuck things up—all of you. And you're the worst. How much more of Sasuke's life do you need to ruin before you give up?"

Old wounds opened; the things that had happened the first time Naruto had visited combined with the fact that what Suigetsu said was the truth. If it weren't for him being a traveler or coming to the future, everything would have been fine for Sasuke. Was his love really that selfish? He was tempted to believe it with how things had turned out.

"Oh, what's this?" Suigetsu stepped forward and mimicked Naruto from the night at the club, when Naruto had punched Orochimaru after Suigetsu had failed to do anything in his defense. "Have you forgotten how to speak?"

Naruto felt the weight of the words bearing down on him, a new door opening in his mind. As long as he was a traveler, nothing would ever be right. Or, as long as there were organizations that wanted travelers, there was no way he could claim to be innocent when it came to putting Sasuke's life in danger. At least not now—not with Danzo and Kisame in his way, and the world of the Akatsuki hidden in the shadows.

"I can't argue with you," he admitted. His voice was low and Suigetsu leaned forward, waiting for more of a fight. When one didn't come, he almost looked disappointed.

"You 'can't' or you won't?" he asked, and Naruto shook his head, incensed.

"You think I don't get it? You think I just sit back and think 'oh well' whenever something shitty like this happens!? I can't do anything about it!"

Suigetsu snorted and let out a sharp breath. "You can leave Sasuke to me."

Naruto blinked before lowering his head, but a knock on the door made both him and Suigetsu glance nervously towards the entryway, fearful of who it could be. The door jiggled and Genma's voice sounded outside. "Naruto—why is your door locked?"

"Genma," Naruto made an effort to stand to go open it, but Suigetsu put a palm to his chest and pushed him back into his sitting position on the bed. "Don't. I was leaving anyhow." His words were like ice.

As Suigetsu drifted to the door Naruto fisted his hands, making a decision. He had to be the better man, at least until he was a good enough man for Sasuke. "Suigetsu," he said, and as the older man's fingers drifted to the numerical security pad on the door he glanced back, frowning.

"Please… take care of him."

Suigetsu's fingers moved diligently over the pad and the door beeped unlocked, and the expression on his face hinted that he had never intended to get Naruto's permission. He nodded, however, and Genma slipped in, glaring skeptically at Suigetsu as he walked briskly into the busy outer hallway and out of sight. Turning to Naruto, he raised an eyebrow.

"Is everything okay?"

Naruto nodded, putting on a smile he himself didn't even feel confident with. "Yeah. I just want to go home."

Genma nodded and closed the door, pulling his medical bag from his shoulder and setting it beside Naruto. "Okay. Let's get you out of here."

Naruto nodded and upon the sight of a stethoscope, took a deep breath.

"Are you sure he doesn't need to stay here another day?"

Sasuke frowned; he hated being babied. He was too old to be treated like a child over a wound that was hardly a threat anymore, but Suigetsu was always over-assertive. It came with the territory of a man who owned a huge portion of the city's income, or at least that was what he had decided to conclude from it.

"I'm fine. I want to leave."

He stood up, verifying his statement. He had slept too long as it was and hadn't eaten anything decent in the past couple of days. Suigetsu turned to him from his conversation with the doctor and looked skeptical, but the doctor was nodding and asking for an electronic signature.

Sasuke was already dressed and he had wet down his hair in an effort to keep himself presentable. The media was sure to have an affair with him when he left, and he wasn't ready to answer ridiculous questions. Especially ones dealing with Naruto, considering it was already in the papers that both he and a traveler had been in the vehicle that had crashed.

It was all he could do to keep himself from demanding to know if Naruto was alright, but luckily, Suigetsu had read his mind. What he had discovered, however, was still a mystery. Another reason he wanted to leave. Talking to Suigetsu in private sounded much more appealing than in the crowded hallways of Central Hospital.

"Are you sure?" Suigetsu asked, and Sasuke was tempted to just walk out without him. Ever since he had found out Naruto had retuned Suigetsu had become more and more like a possessive sort of handler—although in all fairness, Sasuke reasoned that he had a right to those emotions.

Even if he hated admitting it to himself, he still had feelings for Naruto. Why, he couldn't fathom. He had done everything to forget, convinced that whatever relationship they had created had been halted when Naruto disappeared. And afterwards, Danzo had even stated that it had been Naruto's choice to leave. And Sasuke… had believed him.

"I want to go home," Sasuke said as he motioned Suigetsu towards the door, and the older man nodded after saying his thanks to the doctor. He didn't jog to catch up, a sign that Suigetsu was irritated with something, potentially even Sasuke.

A few flashes of cameras were outside and Sasuke turned around, rolling his eyes. "It's so irritating," he said, and he grabbed Suigetsu's hand, leading him to another exit that was sure to be vacant. Suigetsu's hand was hot under his touch, and he turned to him, uncomfortable with the atmosphere though he hated to admit it.

"What's the matter?" he asked, and Suigetsu was looking over him almost ferally, an expression strange enough to make him stop just as they made their way out into an empty parking garage.

"Uzumaki is fine, since I know that's what you're thinking about," he said, and Sasuke raised an eyebrow before nodding. "That's… good." He had wanted to sigh with relief, but he knew how Naruto affected Suigetsu. He left it at that. He wanted to pry, but now wasn't the time… not with that look in Suigetsu's eyes, like he was analyzing.

"Let's go then," Sasuke said. He didn't want to think about Naruto, or how good it had felt to lean into his embrace after so long, waiting for those ambulances to arrive. It confused him; it made him doubt his commitment to the man beside him.

He turned but Suigetsu grabbed his wrist. "Stop thinking about him."

Sasuke turned to him, his expression cold. "You have no idea what I'm thinking," he responded, and Suigetsu frowned.

"I can tell when you're thinking about him because you get irritable," the club owner admitted, and Sasuke glared. "I've been stuck in a hospital for almost a day and a half. I'm not allowed to want to leave?"

Suigetsu stared at him, looking thoughtful, though not in a considerate way. "He told me to take care of you," he said, and Sasuke raised an eyebrow, caught off guard. Suigetsu looked agitated, and almost nervous. But hardly, considering Sasuke couldn't remember one moment in their relationship when Suigetsu had been anxious about anything.

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke asked. He was surprised when a huge part of himself hoped it wasn't what he thought.

Suigetsu snorted. "I walked in on him and that Hyuuga officer showing quite the display of affection. Afterwards, he told me to take care of you."

Nothing could have prepared Sasuke for the impact those simple words had. He didn't want to believe it was true, but then again… he hadn't been welcoming since the beginning. His stomach churned and Suigetsu maintained the grip on his arm, squeezing tightly and making Sasuke glance up.

"So stop thinking about him."

Suigetsu pecked him on the forehead and pulled him forward, making him jog a bit as they went in search of Suigetsu's car. Sasuke noted how Suigetsu was reluctant to say anything else, and it made him feel desperate. What else would happen? Would Naruto really throw him away so easily?

He frowned and shook his head, edging away the pain that was beginning to engulf him.

What did it matter anyway? He couldn't have Suigetsu and Naruto both. And he had told Naruto he didn't care. There wasn't supposed to be any room left for guilt or remorse. Even if there was, and it was slowly consuming him.

"You said you wanted to go home, right?" the gull wing doors of the car wafted open, and Sasuke nodded, slipping into the passenger seat. "Yeah, I think I want to sleep some more."

Sasuke hoped that maybe when he woke up it would all be a dream; that he wouldn't still be in love with Naruto, and that he wouldn't have to choose.

a/n: Angst angst and more angst. But I promise it's worth it. Even my beta said it was super dramatic but when I told her what was going to happen she said it was okay then, haha. Awe, thank you Allys.

Thank you again for all of your reviews! I'm excited to be back in the game. I've also rearranged the plot a bit and come to the conclusion that we've hit the halfway mark. Maybe a little less. Buuut...I'm thinking 30 chapters? We'll see. I mean, I predicted 25 for Misery Business and look how that turned out, haha.

ANIME & MANGA SPOILERS

I'm really anxious for Naruto to show up in the anime because he's super awesome when he confronts the Akatsuki with his new technique. As for the manga...Man, I still really hate Danzo. It makes me hate him even more in this story too. But really...I hope Naruto gets back in time. I fear for Kakashi's life, though I have a strong feeling Naruto will save him right on time.

And Jelp and I have been coming up with some crazy ideas for what might happen! Well, mainly she has. She's a genius when it comes to guessing plot devices, I've decided.

Okay, I'm actually doing this at work and my manager just gave me the eye. I told her I was going to check my email, haha, she's probably wondering if I'm writing an essay.

Okay, I love you all!