Happy Friday my darlings!

On today's episode of: was I manic or am I just getting better? I re-arranged my living room six times on Monday, six for the love of god, I have a couch and a loveseat ?￢ﾙﾀ️ I also dropped the loveseat on my toe...as I write this I'm leaning more towards manic ? I haven't been able to sit still, therefore getting this chapter written and edited has been a bit of a challenge, so my bad sweeties I really didn't intend to take more than a week to post ? (Wednesday update: my energy levels were decimated by this day)

Umm, I'm traveling this weekend was up at 5:45AM this morning, I also tried to get a week's worth of work in like two days since I asked for Thursday off, by the time I actually get to post this, this note will be like a 500-word essay ? We're supposed to be up at seven tomorrow ? I am very much not a morning person and I am feeling saddened by the fact that I should really, really go to bed now and that might keep me from posting once again (first attempt at editing and posting this week took place on Tuesday)-HA! I did it! Not sure about the chapter title but you know what I can always come back and change it, most important thing is to update up!

I am so ready to pass out but before I do, so many thanks for the kudos, comments, bookmarks, and support darlings?(we're at 450 kudos and I am shooketh every morning when I see my e-mail notifications) thank you ✨so, so much✨ Sending love and hugs your way.

Note: I do not know the process for law school and I am not able to deep dive into the process (I barely have time to sleep as is) so I'm making a loooooot of stuff up. Hopefully, it's nothing too far fetched and it would stop you from continuing to enjoy the story 3

Rating: M (Explicit): well you all know how the last one ended so, maybe our boys need to do some talking.

Disclaimer: They are not mine ok? Any characters portrayed in this fic belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I just use my writing powers to right his wrongs...mainly the fact that he never made Sasuke and Naru Canon.

Falling Hard

Chapter 8: Damage Control

I'm sorry

The blonde had been staring at the text on and off for a day, he put the phone away again pretending like he was actually paying any attention to the book he'd been trying to read. Spoiler alert he gave up on the book and tried watching TV instead—that didn't go well either.

Baby boy, please can we talk?

Came through the second day.

He'd been single and perfectly self-sufficient for more than a year, he'd only spent a little over two weeks with the raven and he didn't know what to do with himself.

The doorbell saved him from having to rewind the episode he was watching for the fourth time, he tried to remember if he was expecting any packages—no way he had fallen prey to retail therapy already.

He opened the door and blinked at the raven standing by his door, shuffling in place, drink carrier in hand.

"You better not be here to get laid," the blonde said and Sasuke felt the hole in his stomach grow bigger at the apprehension in the blonde's pheromones.

"Naru no, listen, you don't have to let me in if you're not ready I just—I was a fucking asshole I know that, I'm sorry"

He took a breath and leaned his head on the half-open door closing his eyes for a few seconds.

"Come in," He said as he finally stepped back making space for the raven to walk in, his omega purring in reaction to the hope in the raven's pheromones. After hesitating for a second he closed the door feeling resigned.

He'd just become every omega he'd ever judged.

How's that for fucking Karma?

"Naru" The raven reached for the blonde's hand when he saw the teary blue eyes, but the blonde stepped back, moving his hand out of reach.

Sasuke let out a sigh, putting the drinks by the coffee table "I'll go"

"No, sit" Naruto almost ordered, he couldn't take the pressure anymore, he felt like he was falling but never hitting the ground…he didn't want to fight anymore.

It should have been all types of wrong for an alpha to obey a command like that from an omega. Yet Sasuke obediently sat, the blonde propped down, grabbing the hot chocolate and fiddling with it.

Even as angry as he was—just Sasuke sitting in his living room was all it took for the hurricane of emotions that had been battering him for the last two days to settle.

He stared at the cup, willing the tears down "I didn't give my number to Itachi to upset you—" he looked up his eyes meeting Sasuke's "Or maybe I did, subconsciously and I know it was shitty but…the way you so easily brushed me off as your friend…"

"I regret it" the raven said softly "I-I replay the whole thing in my head over and over, wishing I'd said something, you're right to be angry" He made to grab the blonde's hand again then stopped, his hand dropping back to his knee "you went there for me, and I—I was so immature and, I'm so sorry I hurt you " It was true, he should have told Itachi to back off. But he'd been so shocked he'd fallen into what was comfortable—nonchalance, distancing himself from how scary it was that it was Itachi of all people asking the blonde's number. He shouldn't have done that, he should have stood his fucking ground.

He should have told Itachi Naru was… more.

The blonde's heart did a small flip and Naruto almost groaned, that's all it takes? He half asked, half scolded his inner self. He was in so much trouble.

His eyes fell on the raven "I can't just be your friend Sasuke, I don't think that's what we are at all" Sasuke was such a dense, dense asshole, how long would it take before he realized what he felt for him, or maybe he was the dense idiot, seeing something there that wasn't there.

"I know" The blonde couldn't keep up with the flood of emotions wafting from the raven "I'll be better" for you, I want to be

If you want to be better then be mine Naruto thought but the uncertainty, the frustration and the fear he felt from the raven kept him from voicing his thoughts out loud.

"Can I?" It was a weird sight to see Sasuke so submissive, his hand reaching out to him asking for permission.

What was he to do, he was a stupid idiot in love already.

He didn't have the guts to say any of what he actually wanted to say, he couldn't bear to ask to be exclusive again and risk hearing the word 'no' he just wanted to feel right.

So he nodded and felt himself relax as the raven pulled him over his lap and buried his face in his neck "I hate you" he muttered as he put the untouched drink down and buried his own face on the raven's neck—that was a much better substitute for I love you.

Sasuke looked down at the sleeping blonde, it had taken a couple of days before he'd let him take him again. He shoved down his frustration every time Naruto pushed him. It wasn't so much that he was upset that his baby boy rejected the sex.

It felt like the blonde was rejecting him.

And it hurt.

He'd been in complete denial because he'd never felt like that before…when it was just sex it didn't matter…It didn't matter if they were angry or disappointed in the end…it was so easy for him to tell them he'd been clear in his intentions when they asked to keep seeing him or when they asked for more. He'd never felt compelled to stay, it was easier to move on before they moved on…to possibly someone better.

He'd started sleeping around as a distraction from the expectations and the disappointment, but not only had it felt good but he was good at it, omega's and beta's kept seeking him out and he couldn't get enough.

Naru was the biggest high of them all, taking his baby boy no matter how many times just made everything—just right—but just like he could make everything feel perfect he had the power to make him feel like he had no control, the blonde moved the floor from under him, he had all the cards and he probably didn't even know it...

And that was terrifying for him.

He should have ended it. The moment he felt like spiraling thinking about whether Itachi had called Naruto and maybe that's why he wouldn't answer his text message…He should have called it quits.

He moved blonde hair off Naru's face and laid back down pulling him close.

He couldn't.

What if he wasn't good enough? What if no matter how hard he tried he couldn't be what Naru needed? Would his failure hurt more if he gave in and started dating him?

"Sk'e"

"Good morning" he muttered kissing a small love bite he'd left on the back of the blonde's nape and he instantly burrowed back into him further "Mmm five more minutes" Sasuke smiled fondly, wondering how the blonde ever managed to make it to work or class when school was in session.

"I'll make coffee," He said as he kissed his temple and slid off the bed.

"Yay"

A couple of minutes later Naruto surfaced from the room wrapped in his blanket and he felt his alpha purr, his baby wanted to be wrapped in his scent, and when he was gone, he'd get to keep Naru's scent himself.

He grabbed the toasted bagels and cream cheese spread on a plate with one hand, and the coffee mugs in another and walked over to the living area putting everything down on the coffee table.

Naruto reached over excitedly "I love blueberry bagels, have you tried the strawberry spread from that little bagel place a couple of streets from campus? I think it's literally called The Spread"

"I haven't" he replied with a small smile, Naru always got so excited over the smallest things.

"You know we should go—" when the semester starts the blonde stopped mid-sentence.

"We should, what's your class schedule like?" Naruto perked up, they hadn't talked about what would happen when school started back up, and with only three days left for break…he was getting antsy again.

They both talked about their schedules for the semester, picturing what their weeks would probably look like "But you know I still need to get my work schedule for the library" the blonde laughed softly "Semester hasn't even started and I'm already exhausted"

Sasuke was…upset? He liked the library it's really where he'd spent a lot of his free time with the blonde over the past semester. But now that he had Naru crosslegged on his couch sipping from his coffee mug he wished there was more time for them to be just like this.

"Was your schedule this packed last semester?" He asked.

The blonde gave him an airy laugh "Why do you think I melt into the couch every chance I get? You're one to talk you registered for six classes, one of them is mock trial too…" Naruto bit his lip, mock trial was going to be not only hard but time-consuming.

Sasuke had told his dad he wasn't going to rush through anything just to please him…but his actions kind of told another story.

"If I get through mock trial this semester I can intern both semesters next year," Sasuke said with a shrug like he hadn't chosen one of the hardest classes to top on his already full schedule.

"Hey" Sasuke looked and felt like he'd turn to slime when the waves of respect and amazement from the blonde hit him "You had to get permission from the head of the department to sign up for mock trial early didn't you? That's pretty amazing"

Naruto leaned back on the armrest of the couch "I can hear the cries of omega's throughout the school at losing their most eligible bachelor to mock trial prep and the research lab"

Sasuke smirked putting his cup down and grabbing Naru's cup and setting it aside too "The way I see it I learn faster when there's a prize" he muttered as he dragged the blonde onto his lap and started a trail of kisses down his neck.

Naruto felt that familiar lust coil inside of him as he shifted so he could kiss the raven "What's the prize?"

"I'll be thinking about how when I have free time you'll want to do this as much as I will" His hand slipped under the blonde's shirt "wouldn't that be a rewarding way to spend our free time?" He gripped Naru's waist nudging him to swirl his hips against him.

"Ah–"

"All you have to do is call baby boy and I'll please you 'till you're purring"

"That's a feat you have yet to achieve Mr," Naruto said between gasps.

"You've purred"

"I've hummed"

"Challenge accepted," he said with a smirk as he thrust his hips up.

Then the lock on the door rattled.

They both stilled " fuck, what day is it?" he muttered frazzled as his eyes fell on his baby boy looking completely irresistible as per usual.

Quicker than Naruto realized what had happened Sasuke pulled the blanket over him again and dragged him down the hall to his room locking the door.

He let his forehead fall on the blonde's shoulder as he calmed his desire and took a couple of breaths annoyed at the interruption and more annoyed at himself for forgetting Juugo was due back that day.

"Sorry I forgot Juugo was driving back today"

"I kind of figured," Naruto said trying to call himself and shifting in place then he blushed crimson…

The living room

"Oh gosh is he? Can he smell—"

"No he's beta, but if he's here then so are—"

"Holy shit Sasuke, Karin looks like she's about to murder someone, did you turn the house into a fuck pad over break or what?" Rang through the hallway and Naruto wished the floor would open up and swallow him whole.

"That's Suigetsu, and I figured Karin would be with them as well" He let out a frustrated breath, the last thing he needed was to put Naru in another uncomfortable situation after his major fuck up on New Year's.

Naruto all of a sudden wasn't so upset about the smell, yes let her breathe it in, does he smell like that when he's with you?

He startled himself with his own thoughts for a second "I should go home and let you all catch up"

"I'll drive you," Sasuke said then reached out to grab the blonde's hand "I didn't plan it like this, I genuinely forgot, I'm sorry if the situation makes you uncomfortable"

The sincerity flowing through the raven eased the edge a little. When they walked out into the living room it was like they were waiting for them.

He fought the need to look at the floor when Juugo's eyes widened and instead chose to smell sour strawberries as he felt the hostility Karin was throwing his way.

The third person in the room spoke first, he was small, with white hair down to his chin and sharp eyes "Holy fuck are you who I think you are?"

"Hi," Naruto said shifting a little in place, Sasuke reached out to grab his hand and he felt butterflies as all eyes in the room fell on the motion.

"Naru, you've met Karin and Juugo, the mouthy asshole is Suigetsu"

"Nice to see you too, Happy New year jackass" Suigetsu replied before his eyes sparkled amused "Or should I say Merry Fucking Christmas"

"I'm taking Naruto home" The raven muttered as he nudged the blonde towards the door.

"So soon? We don't bite you know, when did you finally give in? We have a poll to settle, I think Hidan called Chrismas"

"There is no poll, you know that was a fucking jab at me, stop trying to upset him, K," Sasuke said leveling his voice but Naruto was a bit shocked that the raven was upset enough for the phrase to come across as more of a command.

"He should be growing some thick skin if he's going to be involved with you" She managed to mutter back, not wanting to back down.

"K, drop it," Juugo said and the girl just scoffed her scent spoiling further.

"C'mon Naru" The raven nudged Naruto out of the apartment.

"It was nice seeing you all…" he muttered as he slipped out the door, Sasuke's arm protectively gripping his waist and pulling him close.

He worried over his bottom lip and fiddled with his hands half the drive back, he'd wondered if Karin had mentioned the poll the first time just to fuck with him but…

"…Is there a poll?"

"Baby boy it's not like that" Sasuke let out with a sigh and instead of dropping him off by the curve the raven drove over to the guest parking lot before he turned over to him.

"There is a poll, but I didn't start it, and it got started as a running joke to upset me. Not you, but me" Naruto frowned, confused.

"How so"

"It never took more than a week or two…a month at the most" Sasuke said leaning his head back on the head rest "I don't count like that, at least not on purpose but alphas notice, men notice, especially when someone has a reputation like I do" He rubbed his face frustrated at the blondes growing anger and disbelief.

Naruto sat there a little stunned. So it was all a fucking game after all.

It was almost like Sasuke could read his mind "Baby no, I didn't keep pursuing you because I had something to prove to anyone. I did it because I wanted to, I wanted you. But to the boys—it was—they were being stupid, they started a poll in disbelief that someone could turn me down as many times as you did, it was to make fun of me"

Sasuke reached out grabbing Naruto's hand in his "I'm not telling them when it happened, that's ours, that's mine " He squeezed his hand harder "if I'm being honest just the thought of them imagining what you look like when—" he stopped himself taking a breath "What you and I do is none of their fucking business baby boy"

"That's the truth?" Naruto asked softly.

"As I promised, always the truth"

"You want to ditch your friends and come up? Finish what you started?" Sasuke's dark eyes settled on the blonde.

Understanding very clearly that it was too late for him not to feel what he felt for the blonde.

The raven walked into the library while looking down at his phone, he wondered if Naruto had class on campus that day. He'd barely been able to stop himself from actually messaging him.

It was almost as if the thought itself had conjured up the bright ball of sunshine as he looked up and spotted him by the circulation desk looking at him like he was a mirage.

He tried not to be upset at the fact that he couldn't smell the citrusy pheromones that had left him quite stunned when he'd walked down to the kitchen back at his parents. Blockers—he'd been wearing blockers during dinner and breakfast too, it must have been purely an accident he was able to smell him in the first place.

"Itachi?"

"Naruto" he smiled as he walked up to the desk "You know I was just thinking about whether I should call you" a soft hue of pink settled on the tan cheeks.

"What are you doing here?"

"Volunteering to run prep and research sections for mock trial, actually I was told I could ask at circulation for an available room to book for the semester"

"Oh, I can help you with that, how much space do you think you'll need? Well, mock trial classes are smaller, so probably…." The blonde started muttering to himself and he smiled softly as blue eyes trailed the computer screen.

"Study room six should do, you want it booked for the whole semester?"

"Yes Please," the raven said softly as he gave him the remainder of the details. Naruto typed away, probably filling out the reservation request but then he looked up thoughtfully.

"Wait, mock trial, did your dad send you to spy on Sasuke or something?" He asked.

"What do you mean?"

"What class were you assigned to?"

"I think the section is 003, why?" Naruto bit his lip

"You're covering Sasuke's mock trial class" He muttered.

"I thought he wouldn't be taking mock trial until next year"

"He got permission to take it early"

Itachi smiled softly "Must be pretty good if they signed that off"

Naruto smiled back "He is" then he bit his lip, he had a feeling he was going to lose his shit when he realized Itachi would be the one running the prep sessions…

Itachi let out a sigh, pretty sure he knew what Naruto was thinking about "He's going to throw a fit when he sees me, I had figured it was better to do it now rather than next year too, exactly because I wanted to evade this situation"

Oh, now he wanted to evade conflict? The pink returned to the blonde's cheek as he looked around to gauge how busy the library was.

"Itachi…why did you ask for my number…you knew"

The raven stared at him for a couple of seconds, yes he knew…and at the same time he couldn't help himself. He'd half done it to nudge his brother to make a move and partly because he'd wanted to… Maybe he hadn't had much one-on-one time with Naruto that night but he'd seen him. In the end, he hadn't called or texted though, it's not like he could just completely ignore the fact that Naruto was with Sasuke…at least that's what he'd thought, and still, the thought of texting the blonde would pop in unannounced in his head every other day.

"Well did he ask you out? After?" the blonde shook his head "Is that what you were hoping would happen?" he asked.

He took that as a 'no' and rolled his eyes "Dense asshole"

Naruto actually laughed, as he remembered that those were exactly his thoughts when he'd fought with Sasuke, but then the mirth died a little as he got reminded what exactly he and Sasuke were…unlabeled…open…

"I must have put you in a pretty uncomfortable situation then, I'm sorry"

Naruto let out a breath it's not like it was Itachi's fault Sasuke hadn't asked…changed his mind…whatever…in an ideal situation the raven would have had a sudden epiphany and would have asked to date him seriously, but of course when where things really that easy?

"Should I give him a heads up? That you'll be in class" he said instead not wanting to revisit how utterly like shit he'd felt after that fight.

"Don't, knucklehead will probably skip it"

"He wouldn't"

"Sasuke never makes sense when I'm involved, I'll talk to him after" he looked down at his watch "I have to go or I'll be late but, maybe we should get coffee sometime"

The blonde bit his lip getting a bit flustered again "Itachi…it's not that I'm assuming coffee instantly means a date but um—you know I couldn't uh—see you like that right, you're his brother…" open relationship or not…that would be fucked up.

Of course, Naruto wasn't the type…here he was a coveted Alpha bachelor, successful, good-looking, a great match by any standard—the match, even if that made him sound conceited and Naruto turned him down because he didn't want to hurt his brother's feelings, even though the idiot couldn't be bothered to date him properly.

He'd taken to protecting Sasuke in different ways before, stopping the punches before they came, and softening blows whenever possible. He tried to reassure and be there for his brother. But this time around…he felt like it might prove a little more difficult to stand by his brother and put him first.

"Friends then," he said as he outstretched his arm.

"Friends," Naruto said with a smile as he shook Itachi's hand.

If Sasuke was an engine he'd be blowing steam.

He looked at the front of the classroom to see his brother dressed impeccably in black chinos and a white button-up with the sleeves rolled up.

They were all losing their shit.

Every. Single. Omega.

Alphas were getting riled up and betas looked utterly confused.

"Itachi Uchiha….Graduated early….Suma Cum Laude from….currently one of the most requested…."

Eyes took turns between the two brothers as the professor continued his introduction to their class prep and research lead. Sasuke couldn't really hear a thing out of the professor's mouth for the remainder of the class, all he could hear was the ringing in his ears as his eyes kept shifting to his brother.

When class was over Itachi walked up to where he was still sitting simmering in pure frustration. This was his turf. This was the palace where Itachi wasn't number one and he didn't have to live in his insufferable shadow…and now every person in the classroom was probably gossiping about the more handsome, mysterious, genius older brother.

"Sasuke"

"What are you doing here?" He asked his voice level trying his hardest not to let his feelings surface.

"I didn't know you'd be in mock trial"

Sasuke shook his head in disbelief "What does it matter if I'm in mock trial or not"

Itachi let out a breath and pulled a chair over sitting across from his brother in the empty classroom.

"I don't mean to come in here and impose on your space Sasuke"

"Great way of showing it"

"Dad thought it'd be a good idea…you know how local lawyers take turns offering to run prep for mock trial—"

"I thought dad thought this University was sub-par"

"You know dad only said that to push your buttons, you did great getting into this law program"

Sasuke scoffed "I'm not stupid Itachi, he wouldn't have let you offer your time if he didn't have something to gain—in this case having someone as notorious as you help run mock trial would skyrocket not only enrollment but prestige, so when I graduate he can make my degree more marketable" he finished as he felt the pressure building in his chest.

"Sasuke you yourself got into mock trial early, you make the grades, and only you can succeed in court, no name and no help from me will make that happen"

Sasuke rubbed his face letting out a breath, he knew his real issue wasn't with Itachi but with their dad but sometimes the line just blurred.

"I'd say thanks for the vote of confidence if I weren't still upset over the bullshit you pulled on New Year"

Itachi already knew the answer but he still asked, "Are you courting him?"

"Nobody uses the word courting anymore"

"Fine are you dating him?"

Silence "He's off limits ok?" he said and Itachi let out a sigh and leaned back on the chair.

"I'll say this at the risk of ruining the great brotherly moment we just had—"

"Itachi" Sasuke said warningly.

"You can't have it all Sasuke, you can't have your casual lay and him at the same time, whatever it is that you need to come to terms with, you should do it soon—before someone offers him what you won't"

He didn't need Itachi to tell him that he knew. He fucking knew.

I so hope you enjoyed it my darlings, I cannot wait to hear your thoughts, theories and suggestions as always.

I did read all your amazing feedback for the previous chapter, please know that! I re-read them throughout the week too❤️! I just wasn't able to sit and reply properly, hoping to get caught up on them soon my darlings. Will be out of town until Saturday but hopefully Sunday we'll not only get some writing done but I'll be able to answer you my darlings (one can dream).

until the next one lovelies,

Chio~