Chapter 6: The Letter
It had been a little over a week and things had been a little awkward since what Naruto had dubbed 'that night.' He wanted to talk to Sasuke about it, but he wasn't sure what to say. He had come close to bringing it up, but it seemed like they had made a silent agreement to just not talk about it, so he kept his mouth shut, despite the multiple dreams he'd had wherein the night ended on a more explicit note. The problem was, he had a breaking point. That breaking point was walking into Sasuke's room to find the man shirtless, his sweatpants hanging low on his hips, as he was bent over his desk to unplug his laptop.
He knew that Sasuke was going to go over to Suigetsu's to study, which he assumed was why he was getting his computer ready to go. "Please tell me you aren't going to Suigetsu's dressed like that," Naruto said as he surprised the man by trapping him between his body and the desk. He placed his hands on the desk, caging him in, but still giving him room to push him away if he wanted to.
Sasuke turned so he was face to face with the blond, "We've been over this, you don't get to have that attitude with me." He placed his hands on Naruto's chest, but didn't push him away. "Did I not make myself clear?"
"You made yourself clear," Naruto responded, moving his hands to Sasuke's hips. "I can't stop you from wearing or doing whatever you want," he told him, his thumbs rubbing circles on Sasuke's exposed hip bone.
Sasuke licked his lips, staring at the other man, "I'm not your boyfriend and even if I was, you wouldn't have the right to tell me what to do."
"Oh trust me, I know," Naruto assured him. His right hand moved up to Sasuke's neck, running his fingers along the base, "But if I were, I would still want to mark you as mine."
Sasuke shivered a little at his words and actions. "Your level of possessiveness is unhealthy," he told him, though the thought of Naruto marking him up excited him a little more than it should have.
"Are you saying you wouldn't proudly wear my mark if we were dating?" he asked, fully pressing his body against Sasuke's. "It'd look so good on your light skin," he told him. "I wouldn't control you, I would just want people to know you're off limits. I know you only see the hateful stares, you don't know the ones that are lusting over you. All of them probably thinking you're the sexy bad boy that needs to be tamed."
"You couldn't control me even if you tried," he replied, sliding his hands up Naruto's body until they were wrapped around his neck. "Would you be able to handle that? Handle me?"
Naruto smirked, "I'm sure you'd be quite the handful. That just makes me want you more."
Sasuke didn't respond with words, instead he pulled him in for a kiss. It was messy, but somehow sensual. All of the tension that had built between them, being poured out. Naruto pushed the papers and books that had been piled on the desk out of the way, lifting Sasuke so that he was sitting on it as he continued to kiss him.
Sasuke's eyes widened as he saw a certain envelope fly off. He pushed Naruto away as he scrambled to pick it up, but the blond was faster. Naruto looked at the envelope in his hand, "What is this?" He didn't move to open it, but it was clearly something Sasuke didn't want him to see. It dawned on him the most likely reason why. "Brother or father?" he asked.
Sauke looked down as he mumbled, "Brother." He didn't see a reason to lie.
Naruto handed it to him, "What does it say?" He knew Sasuke probably wouldn't tell him, but he was curious.
"I don't know, I never read it," he admitted as he turned and shoved it in one of the desk drawers. He wasn't sure that he wanted to see Naruto's reaction. He figured the blond probably didn't even believe him and would probably see him differently.
"How can you not read it?" Naruto asked in disbelief. He could tell by Sasuke's reaction that he was being truthful. He could gently turned the man so that he was looking at him, hoping he'd see that he wasn't judging him.
"I'm scared what it might say," he told him, unable to look him in the eyes. "I just found it the night he disappeared," he frowned, wishing Naruto would just drop the subject.
Naruto could see how uncomfortable Sasuke was and decided not to push him. "I can't force you to read it, but it might give you the closure you need," he told him, gently cupping his face. "I understand if you aren't ready," he told him, both of them understanding the double meaning.
"I'm not," Sasuke said quietly.
Naruto nodded, dropping his hand, "I'm here for you when you are."
"Why did you come in my room?" he asked, wanting desperately to change the subject.
"A hot make-out session isn't enough of a reason?" Naruto tried to joke, but the look on Sasuke's face told him the man didn't find it funny. "You said I could borrow your notes for math. My professor was shit at explaining it, you said yours did well," he reminded him.
"Right," Sasuke took a deep breath. "I think they're in the mess you made," he went to pick up the papers that were scattered on the floor.
"Sorry," Naruto apologized sheepishly as he helped Sasuke pick everything up. "It seemed a lot sexier at the time," he handed Sasuke everything.
"It was," Sasuke confirmed as he sorted through the papers for the notes he'd set aside specifically because Naruto had asked for them. He pulled out the notes, handing them to Naruto, "Sorry that I'm not ready yet."
"There's nothing to be sorry about," Naruto assured him. "Whenever you are, you know where to find me," he gave him a small, reassuring smile before leaving the room.
Sasuke took a deep breath as he shut and locked the door. He walked back to the desk, pulling out the envelope and staring at it. His hands shook as he walked over to his bed, envelope in hand. He stared at it a moment before finally opening it and pulling out the letter. He bit his lip, hesitant to read it. He knew Naruto was right, reading it may give him some closure. It may help him understand what happened. Why his brother did was he did.
'Dear Sasuke,
By the time you find this letter it will all be done. I know it may be hard to understand why I exposed our father, but I am hopeful that one day you'll understand and forgive me. I didn't want you to fall into the life that he was forcing upon us. You're still innocent and unexposed to the horrors of the life he wants you to lead. It's too late for me, I've already been tainted. I've done things I wish I hadn't, but I'm going to make it right. I'll dismantle everything father has built so you can live a normal life'
Sasuke scoffed at his words. There was nothing normal about his life. He almost tossed the letter aside, not wanting to read the rest. Instead he continued, now that he'd started, he needed to know what else he had to say.
'I fear what may happen, but I know in the long run this will keep you safe. Always remember, not everyone is what they seem. Beware of the wolf in sheep's clothing. Should you ever meet Minato Namikaze, don't trust him. He seems nice, but he's dangerous. He is not above using his son to get close to you. Don't look for me. If I survive this, I will find you when the time is right. Be careful and remember I love you.
Love, Itachi'
Sasuke nearly dropped the letter as he reread the didn't know what to think. He couldn't help but wonder if Naruto was in on it all. If that was the reason he was getting close to him. He had known that Minato was too nice, but he hadn't really thought about him using Naruto to see what he knows. He'd never thought about Naruto betraying him, but now it was all he could think about it.
It made sense. No one else had wanted him, now Naruto was suddenly attracted to him after being so against even being in the same room as him when they first met. He'd thought it was because they had gotten to know each other, now he wondered if it was his father using him as a pawn in some game.
Sasuke quickly got dressed and gathered his things to go to Suigetsu's house, like he originally planned. He quickly ran out of the door, not saying a word to a worried Naruto as he passed. He didn't want to think of the implications of Naruto being in on whatever his father was up to. It made him feel dirty and used after what had just happened.
Suigetsu could immediately tell something was wrong the minute Sasuke arrived at his door. He let him in, noticing how shaken up the other man was as they walked into the living room where they planned to study. "Is everything okay?" he asked cautiously.
Sasuke collapsed onto the couch. He knew he looked like a mess after having thrown on whatever he could find, his hair a mess. He realized he had put on an old, ratty pair of jeans that he hadn't thrown out from when he was living on the streets. His shirt was newer, but it had a stubborn stain he had been trying to get out. "Do I look okay?" he asked sarcastically.
"Not even a little," Suigetsu responded as he sat next to him. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked.
"I need a new job," he sighed. "And maybe a new place to live."
"Why? You have it made there. You aren't really paying rent, you get free food and a job that works around your school schedule," he pointed out.
"Ever think Minato is too accommodating to me?" he asked, not wanting to say anything about the letter from his brother. "Like maybe he's trying too hard to keep me around."
Suigetsu was surprised by the suggestion, "You think he has an other motive for keeping you around?"
"I don't know what to think," Sasuke told him. "I just think it's weird that he took me in for no reason. He pushed me and Naruto to be friends. I just don't get it."
"Whoa, you think Naruto has something to do with this?" he asked. "I get suspecting Minato, but not Naruto."
"Why do you say that?" Sasuke asked, hoping Suigetsu was right.
"Not even the best actor can pretend to like you as much as he does," Suigetsu told him, making Sasuke blush a little. "I don't think he even realizes how he looks at you like you've hung the stars. Not to mention he glares at any person that so much as looks in your direction, especially if it seems like they're interested in you. If he's faking it then he deserves an Oscar for best actor."
"Oh," Sasuke didn't know how to react to that. He hadn't though Naruto liked him that much. He'd thought maybe it was just a small, physical attraction.
"Not to mention he stares at your ass every fucking time you turn around. I've lost track of how many times I've walked into the kitchen at work and he's just standing there staring while you clean. At first I thought he was just letting you do all the work, then I realized he was lost in your ass," he laughed. "I don't think you have any reason to doubt Naruto if that's what you're worried about."
Sasuke nodded, not sure exactly how to respond, "I think I'm just going to be cautious until I figure it out."
"Understandable," Suigetsu gave him small smile. "You know, me and Juugo have a third bedroom that's not being used. We were thinking about finding a roommate to split the rent with."
Sasuke looked at him, "Is that your way of offering me a place to live?"
"Just think about it," he told him. "The offer is always open. Even if you still have to work at the diner, at least it'll give you a little breathing room to figure everything out."
"Thanks," Sauke contemplated what to do as he pulled out his computer and started applying for any job that seemed like it could work with his school schedule. He could always contact Orochimaru if he really wanted to get out of Minato's house, but he wanted a way out that wasn't illegal. He didn't want to fall into that lifestyle any further than he already had. The two of them had a deal and when all of this was over and he knew that he was safe he wanted to be able to walk away for good.