Man, just once I'd like to put up a chapter where I'm not apologizing for being so slow. I'm seriously making it a goal. Though I doubt I'll achieve it with the workload I've got. Now, I'm not going to make excuses and tell you guys all the stuff I have stressing me out... though I did almost faint yesterday... no biggy though. So, I think soon the chapter will flow more better. Since I'm starting to reach long since planned occurrences that, by the way, do not happen in this chapter. So again, sorry for the wait, I honestly had not realized that it had been over a month since I've updated. I've really gotta do something to sped up my writing process.

Oh and I just realized this chapter, near the end. That all this time I've been calling Naruto a "blonde" in the feminine way... so I'll be going through all the other chapters and fixing that.

Anyway, without further delay... here's chapter seven. Thanks for waiting.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Concrete Angel.

Chapter Seven:

When Sasuke returned to the room, he didn't know what to think of Naruto's eating. He sat there slurping down his food quickly but appearing to savor it as though he was eating like time froze. Again he was torn between smiling and glowering. So much of this boy was off. All due to his aunt...

Moving slowly, Sasuke sat at his place across from the starving blond. He ate his food at a slow, steady pace, not often taking his dark eyes off the boy opposite him.

Naruto felt the strength of the gaze and looked up, connecting his blue eyes with Sasuke's. This instantly brought back the recent memory and both boys averted their eyes. Naruto with a slight blush, resumed staring at his food, but Sasuke's was the only one to resume his eyes to the other as they ate silently. So close. Sasuke couldn't help but think, and what if Naruto's stomach had not growled. Would they have-

"Sasuke?" Naruto's weak voice broke into Sasuke's thoughts and instantly he responded, perhaps a little too quickly.

"Yes?" Maybe what he'd been thinking had been obvious to Naruto and-

"This food was delicious. Thank you..."

There goes that idea. "Um, thanks." Sasuke spoke, successfully covering the disappointment he felt, "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

Naruto glanced over in Sasuke's direction, but avoided looking at him. Instead he focused on the raven's plate, then returned to his own and back to Sasuke's. This caused a faint blush to, once again, take over his cheeks. "I'm sorry... I'm done before you."

This time the raven couldn't hold back a light chuckle. "You started before me. And I'm a slow eater. It's all right Naruto. Don't worry about it." He probably doesn't understand normal concepts of dining, having only Emi to "teach" him.

Naruto gave nothing more than a nod, but apparently his laugh helped ease some embarrassment because the red began to leave from his cheeks.

"So, you want to watch a movie after I'm done?" Sasuke inquired, secretly hoping to keep the blond away from his house and his aunt. "I'll let you choose the movie."

"I... I uh... shouldn't stay too long." Naruto said nervously, thinking through Emi's schedule. Fear could make a young boy memorize anything. Today she worked from 9:00am till 6:00pm. It was some time around 5 o'clock now... so he had only an hour to get home before Emi, knowing that if he weren't home when she arrived he'd receive even worse of a beating.

"You won't get home too late, I wouldn't keep you that long on a school night." Sasuke assured, really wanting Naruto to stay.

"No... I have be back there before six." It was not just the foreshadow of pain which lead Naruto more to leaving rather than staying, it was the idea of sitting on a couch, alone, watching a movie with Sasuke. He wasn't too knowledgeable on movies since he'd never really watched any, but he'd heard talk in the hallway from girls giggling about having cuddled with their boyfriend the previous night on the couch to watch a beautifully romantic movie. The image of his head resting upon Sasuke's lap, with his gentle hand combing soothingly through his blond hair as they gazed peacefully at a t.v. screen sent enchanting and nervous chills down Naruto's spine.

"Naruto?"

Sasuke's questioning voice returned Naruto's mind to the present, and he'd realized he'd missed something Sasuke had said. "Huh?"

"You okay? You kinda just zoned out on me."

"Oh... sorry, I was just thinking... I um... I'm okay though." Naruto stumbled over his words, hoping what he was thinking was not obvious. Sasuke probably wouldn't want to be his friend anymore if he knew Naruto had a crush on him.

Sasuke's guess at what he'd been thinking about wasn't anywhere close to a romantic night. Due to what he'd been saying, and how nervous he was about arriving home late, he was lead to believe Naruto was terrified of being beaten by Emi. He assumed that his "punishment" was even worse if Naruto wasn't immediately at her disposal. It made him sick.

"Okay well... I'll walk you home when your clothes are done." Sasuke spoke, hoping his anger wasn't obvious in his voice. He stood as he said this, picking up both his and Naruto's plates and bringing them to the sink.

"I can help you with the dishes." Naruto offered, standing up. He did not want to leave just yet and did not want to trouble the raven anymore than he had.

But Sasuke waved off his proposal and started up the water. "Nah. It's okay."

Naruto nodded resignedly, he didn't much like the idea of getting a good meal without doing something to earn it, but said nothing as he returned her gaze to the empty counter.

Once again the boys fell silent, and only the sound of running water and a soapy cloth moving against the dishes filled their ears. Sasuke focused all his attention on the dishes, and Naruto's eyes only wandered from the counter to glance at the digital clock on the microwave. The more the blond thought about being late and getting beat, the more he thought about Sasuke seeing him in the washroom. He wondered if the raven was thinking about the scars and bruises which he most likely had seen. He hadn't asked him yet, but that didn't mean he wouldn't. Or perhaps he was waiting for Naruto to just tell him.

When the water had stopped and Sasuke began drying the dishes, the blond came to a conclusion.

"Sasuke... I... I want to um... tell you something..." He spoke nervously, it was dreadfully hard for him. This of course caught Sasuke's attention and he turned to look only at the blond, holding the dishcloth in both unmoving hands.

"I..." a lump rose in Naruto's throat, his hands started to shake and he began sweating. Taking a deep breath, he spit something out, though it wasn't that he'd planned to say, "Did you see... anything when... when you opened the uh... door...?"

It took a moment for Sasuke to register what he was being asked. "Did I... oh Naruto I didn't mean to... I'm really sorry about that but I didn't see you na- er... um..." Desperately he tried to make a complete sentence without feeling awkward or making Naruto feel awkward as well.

"I... I don't mean that... I was wearing a towel..." the blond spoke quietly and he blushed as a thought of Sasuke seeing hi naked flashed in his mind.

"Then what-" the raven cut himself off as he began to realize what Naruto was talking about but he kept quiet. He had waited for this moment too long to rush Naruto.

"I mean... on my... did you see any..." he sighed heavily. Why was this so damn hard? It was Sasuke, he could trust him and he wanted... he needed to tell him. "...scars..." His voice was barely audible, but to Sasuke it was like he was speaking through a megaphone. He didn't bother nodding since Naruto was unmistakably intent on not looking anywhere remotely close to him.

"Yeah..."

Naruto's head bobbed, nodding in acknowledgment.

"I've seen them," when the raven continued to speak, Naruto's eyes drifted toward him, however his head remained hung, "since grade ten." Even though he couldn't fully see the blond's eyes, Sasuke knew they'd widened. His dark eyes never left Naruto as he pressed on with a soft voice. "I'm glad you told me Naruto, I've been worried about you for a long time." This caused the blond's head to snap up, surprise and tears filling his blue eyes. Biting his lip, Sasuke stepped forward, cursing the counter for blocking the distance between himself and Naruto even though it kept him from possibly overwhelming him. But as Naruto unsuccessfully tried to stifle his oncoming tears, Sasuke stepped around the counter and pulled the blond to him, holding him tightly. Instead of pulling away, which Sasuke had previously feared, Naruto's hands gripped the raven's shoulders as he cried into his chest. Sasuke increased his hold on Naruto, soothingly stroking his back, which in turn caused him to cry harder.

After a while, Naruto's cries faded into occasional sobs and his grip on the raven's shoulder's lessened, though he never made any attempt to move away. Moving away slightly, but still keeping one hand to hold Naruto's back, Sasuke spoke with a tender voice. "Let's go sit down and wait for your clothes."

Naruto complied without an objection as he was led out of the room, across the hall and into a spacious living room. He didn't take in any of his surroundings, but if he were in his usual state of mind he would have probably fallen over in amazement. Beautiful leather furniture, wonderfully expensive looking paintings and wall hangings, but what would have caused the blond to faint would be the 52-inch wide screen television. Sasuke set them on the largest of the sofas with some difficultly since Naruto would not actually let go of him. Once they were settled comfortably, Naruto laid his head upon Sasuke's chest and just closed his eyes, blocking everything other than his heartbeat from his mind. It had taken a lot out of the blond to confess his life long secret, the most devastating circumstances of his life. Sasuke, however, did not mind in the least. He was relieved that Naruto had finally decided to tell him. Now he didn't have to feel so helpless whenever he caught sight of a newly formed bruise, cut or broken bone on the Uzumaki and could offer his assistance. Maybe Naruto would let him help file a report against his aunt and then Naruto would be free of the abuse. Free to actually live.

Sasuke's hand absentmindedly ran through Naruto's blond locks while he thought about all the opportunities he could provide Naruto. And Naruto accepted it without thought, sighing peacefully as his mind began to drift away from consciousness. He'd never cried so much in his life, which would have been surprising to anyone knowing what he'd been through all his life, but it was the truth and because of it... he was exhausted. He no longer cared about being late. In fact, for the moment, he'd completely forgot where he was, who he was and just gave himself up to the loving caress of sleep.

The blond's eyes flickered open softly. He yawned and let out a long soft sigh. For some strange reason he felt very at ease. Whenever he woke up, it was always because of noises, or pain... but today he casually woke up on his own. Perhaps Emi had gone to work early and decided it would be a waste of time to 'punish' him, or she was too busy and needed to get there as quickly as possible. Though... that had happened before. She'd been called into work early and hadn't laid a hand, implement, projectile or even her voice on him, but he'd still waken up uneasy and afraid of what could come. Why was it that on this morning, he felt calm, peaceful... safe? Rubbing his bright blue eyes his vision started to come to him and he looked around in confusion. He wasn't seeing the cold, damp, wreckage of a basement. It was a beautiful living room. Like out of a wonderful dream that Naruto never had the opportunity or right to dream. After a moment he realized that he also wasn't sleeping on his barely-there blanket on the cold, concrete floor which drove into him. He was on a rather comfortable couch and there was a warm, soft blanket covering him, as well as a fluffy pillow under his head. Off in the distance he heard sizzling and smelled something heavenly intoxicating.

Still puzzled with confusion Naruto sat up and took the blanket off of him to realize that he was still wearing the clothes he'd borrowed from Sasuke. Which meant... Blue eyes widened with shock when everything came to him. He had never left Sasuke's house. Which meant he'd never gotten home before Emi and judging by the early sun gleaming through the window he hadn't been there for her to take out her anger on him before work either... Shit. He was going to die when returned after school. But... how could he still be here? They'd only ate. Desperately Naruto tried to remember what had happe- His eyes grew even wider. He'd told Sasuke that he... and then he... and they... Naruto blinked away the images that completed his sentences in the place of words. He'd actually asked Sasuke if he'd seen the scars... and then he cried... actually cried for once in his life... in Sasuke's arms! On the couch! Close together!

But why was he still here, in the house... he didn't remember anything after Sasuke's heartbeat in his ear soothing him into... sleep. Damn. He'd fallen asleep without even thinking of the consequences. What was he going to do? Returning to Emi's would mean much more pain and 'punishment' than usual but he had nowhere else to go. Sighing he realized he would have to return after school, sooner is better than later. Means less of a beating, even though it will be worse than anything before.

The sizzling from far off -which Naruto guessed was the kitchen stopped and he heard the clinking of plates. Soon after the raven arrived in the doorway of the living room.

"Oh good, you're awake." He wore a smile upon his face and his attitude made him seem like a morning person. Looking closer he could tell he was freshly showered by the dampness of his enchantingly dark hair. "I've made bacon, eggs and hash browns, if you want some come to the kitchen. Then you should get dressed so we can go to school."

Naruto just stared, wondering why he had such a calm demeanor. Did he not realize what he'd caused? He shook the idea hastily from his thoughts. "No, it was not his fault I fell asleep."

But he could have woken you up. That very same voice in his head, commented, and it made a lot of sense but Naruto refused to side with him.

"He probably didn't want to trouble me. You know, let me rest after my confession... it did take a lot out of me... crying like that."

True. It's not his fault you're a wuss. The voice mocked in an arrogant, offhanded tone.

Naruto just inwardly glared at his voice, but honestly that word had hit him deep down. Comments like that normally did and even more truthfully, the majority of them did come from himself.

Somehow the glare had surfaced onto his expression and Sasuke of course believed it was directed at me.

"Hey, listen Naruto." His hurt voice snapped the blond back to reality and he devoted his entire attention to him. "I'm really sorry about letting you fall asleep. I know you said you needed to be home but you were so tired and once you dozed off I couldn't bare to wake you up. You looked so peaceful and- and-" He'd spoken everything so fast that it all seemed to be one sentence, thankfully Sasuke was a naturally slow speaker even when sped up so Naruto could still make sense of it and cut him off.

"It's not your fault. Everything'll be fine." He plastered on one of his best fake smiles, which was actually pretty convincing for someone who rarely ever smiled let alone fake smiled. He never really had a need for it before, but he supposed it was just natural talent.

"Are you-" This time he spoke in the opposite way of before. Even the one syllable words were intensely slow.

Naruto's fake smile spread, and he could use the previous offer as a way to avoid further conversation. "Yes. Now if you don't mind. I'd like to have breakfast."

Well, I know nothing you all were "hinting" at did not happen. But I think the unloading of emotional baggage kept you occupied.