Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Threadbare

By Cosmogyral

Thread 9:

The sun glaring from the side of the tall, black building momentarily blinded Naruto. Fidgeting, Naruto felt terribly out of place with businessmen bustling around him. Taking a deep breath to solidify his confidence, Naruto walked through the large glass doors—much larger than the kitchen's. Walking up to the receptionist desk, Naruto fiddled with his hair and his newly bought attire consisting of a nice long-sleeved orange shirt, hole-free jeans, and a cheap necklace. Deeming himself presentable, Naruto got the receptionist's attention.

"Excuse me, Miss, I'm Naruto Uzumaki, I'm here for—"

"Oh! Mr. Uzumaki! Mr. Uchiha is expecting you," the Barbie-looking girl chirped. "He's on the twentieth floor. There will be a secretary up there to guide you to Mr. Uchiha's office. Just tell the secretary your name and everything will be handled." Smiling at him, Naruto wondered how the girl could be so cheerful. Pointing to Naruto's right with a carefully manicured hand, the girl continued, "Elevators are to your right. I hope you have a nice day, Mr. Uzumaki."

"Yeah, you, too." Wandering off to the elevators, Naruto got in the pristine metal box and pressed the button that would take him to the twentieth floor. As the floors increased in number, more men in business suits crammed into the spacious elevator. Many discretely sized him up from the corner of their eyes. Naruto just smiled as he tried not to squirm under their gaze.

After what seemed like forever, the elevator reached the floor labeled with a big two-oh. As the blonde stepped out, eyes widened. Naruto suppressed a smirk as the metal door closed on the shocked businessmen.

Glancing around, Naruto whistled. The décor covering the walls, the doors, and waiting spaces surpassed anything Naruto could ever wish for. The carpet alone probably cost more than all of Naruto's furniture put together.

Mindlessly stepping towards the secretary's desk, Naruto continued to look around at the glamorous furnishings.

"Hi…I'm—"

"Naruto Uzumaki, I know." Blinking, then whipping his head to face the voice that greeted him, Naruto's jaw dropped.

"Shikamaru! What are you doing here?! Is this where you've been?"

"It seems that I let my intelligence show. Someone higher up decided that I actually needed to put it to use." Naruto chuckled and shook his head. "It seemed that the vice needed a new assistant after firing an infatuated redhead. Now I'm stuck here, working in stiff clothes. How troublesome." Only Shikamaru would complain about having high-end work.

"Well, it's good to see you're doing well. I'm happy for you."

"Thanks. You here to see Uchiha?"

"Yeah. It seems I have a fan," Naruto joked.

"I would say more than one," commented the pony[-]tailed Shikamaru.

"Oh, stop. You're making me blush," Shikamaru quirked his lips at that. Standing up, the man moved from behind his desk.

"Uchiha's office is right here. Mr. Itachi should be in there waiting." Naruto reached out and stopped Shikamaru from twisting the fine handle.

"Hey, Shikamaru. What's Uchiha like? I mean…do I have anything to worry about?" Naruto's blue eyes shown with concern and nervousness.

Grinning, Shikamaru only shook his head. "Tch. How troublesome. You'll be fine. If anything, he'll have to worry about you." Opening the dark wood door, Shikamaru pushed the blonde through the threshold. "Mr. Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki is here for your meeting."

"Thank you, Shikamaru," a professional voice responded, "I'll call you if we need anything."

"Of course, Mr. Uchiha." With that, Shikamaru left and closed the door behind him.

The straight back belonging to the professional voice stood in front of large windows overlooking the upscale part of the city. The man looked at ease behind the large mahogany desk and the bookshelves lining the sides of the square office. Surprisingly, the President wore his dark hair in a ponytail at the base of his neck. Already the man shattered Naruto's expectations. Naruto would have thought that the President of Uchiha Corps would have worn a shorter style.

A breath later, the man finally turned around. Naruto's eyes widened a fraction and his heart clenched. Black eyes smiled kindly at him, forming creases on each side of the man's nose. With grace that could only be gained after years of training, the man walked around the large desk and gestured to a low table surrounded by leather couches.

"Take a seat. Make yourself comfortable, Mr. Uzumaki."

"Thank you Mr. Uchiha," the blonde responded as he sat down on one of the comfortable couches. "And please, call me Naruto."

Smiling again, the pale man pierced him with those heartbreaking black eyes. "Then call me Itachi."

"Deal." Naruto grinned and the President minutely curved the corners of his mouth.

Leaning his forearms on his knees, Itachi seemed to get comfortable. "I have to say, Naruto, that was one of the best performances that I've seen."

Blushing slightly, Naruto reached back to scratch his blonde hair, "Thanks. Coming from you, that means a lot. You've probably seen shows put on by the ANBU."

"I have," the man smoothly responded. Naruto's eyes sparked.

"What's it like?" the blonde eagerly asked.

"Big lines, people in fancy outfits, overpriced tickets…but glamorous sets, big lights, and acting that could put the best to shame." Black eyes scanned Naruto's scarred face and blue eyes as the blonde tried to contain his enthusiasm.

"It must have been amazing! It's my dream to make it to the ANBU someday. Then maybe I'll become Hokage!" Seeing the slight confusion in Itachi's face, Naruto explained, "The Hokage is the lead actor in the troop. They usually get the best roles, the most money, and other stuff..."

Nodding, Itachi looked right into Naruto's eyes. "You could get in."

Blushing again, Naruto replied, "Thanks for the confidence, but I'm not that good."

"Yes you are," Itachi assured. "And I heard a rumor that they're looking for another member."

Naruto's mouth dropped in surprise, "Really?"

Itachi chuckled at the blonde's reaction. "Really." Getting up and curving around the corner of the desk, the tie-wearing man rummaged through one of the drawers. Smoothly righting himself, Itachi strode over and handed the application to the dumbstruck blonde. "It's a good thing my Vice found you."

Gaping like a fish, Naruto open and closed his mouth a couple of times before he found words. "Wow!" Running tan hands through short, wild locks, Naruto reached out and grabbed the application as the Uchiha lounged on the leather seat. "Thank you so much! I don't know what to say…uh…what do you mean your Vice President found me?"

This seemed to pike the Uchiha's interest. "He was the one who recommended that we go to your play. He said he was a fan."

Now Naruto was interested. "A fan? Not many people came to our plays before now." The fact that he didn't know this mysterious vice president bothered Naruto. "I don't think I've even heard of the guy."

"Haven't you read any of the papers lately? For the past half year?" The President seemed truly interested.

"Why? Did he do something illegal?" That earned a bark of laughter from the black-haired man.

"No, no. Nothing like that." A faraway look came across Itachi's face before it became more serious. "I suppose I can inform you about your fan. The media has pretty much blown everything up anyway. The least I could do is give you the right story."

Leaning forward, Itachi seem to be preparing for a long story. Mimicking the other's movement, Naruto prepared to listen.

"My Vice President and I are like brothers," the Uchiha started. "We grew up together. Growing up in families such as ours was luxurious, but tedious. We were raised knowing that our every move was watched."

"I'm sorry," Naruto started, but stopped at Itachi's raised hand.

"We were both bred for our positions as President and Vice President. Unfortunately, me being the elder and slightly more gifted of us two, our families paid more attention to my accomplishment since I completed them first." Smiling sadly, Itachi paused. "Then he finally graduated from college. He was first in his class and earned his school a prestigious award for his efforts in economics. Whereas I had focused more on business management and marketing, he tried economics—therefore accomplishing something I had not."

"Why are you telling me all of this?" Naruto asked, slightly unnerved by the personal information. Itachi looked up into Naruto's eyes. There was an intensity there that made Naruto lean back slightly.

"I'll be honest with you, Naruto. You seem like a good guy. I think that you and my vice would get along. If you two decide to become friends or what-have-you, you deserve to know who he is."

"Are you trying to set us up?" Naruto asked incredulously, leaning back from the President.

"Hardly," Itachi deadpanned, pulling his dark brows together in irritation.

Reassessing the man in front of him, the blonde chose his next words carefully. "I don't think that a couple of hard times make a person," Naruto stated in all seriousness. "People are stronger than that."

Silence drifted between the two men for a few moments before an honest smile lit up the older man's face.

"I can see why he likes you," the President said happily, like Naruto had passed a test. "But, please, let me finish."

Thrown a little off-balance from Itachi's odd behavior, Naruto merely nodded.

"His parents were scheduled to go to an important business meeting the night of his graduation." Naruto winced, feeling sorry for the man he didn't even know. "Finally he snapped. He and his father got into a shouting match, my Vice accusing his father of not caring. To his surprise, his parents showed up to his graduation. Even I came to cheer him on." Naruto smiled, finally getting into the story. "But my Vice decided to stay a little longer and socialize with his year-mates." Itachi took a deep breath, his fingers clenching slightly. "As he was sending his parents off, two drunk drivers swerved off the road and crushed them."

Naruto gaped at the man across from him, not expecting the turn of events.

"He didn't take their deaths well. He blamed himself, saying that he shouldn't have been so selfish. Then, without time to breathe he was forced into Vice Presidency." The President paused for a moment. "To add to the pressure, a long-time board member, Madara Uchiha didn't think that my Vice was competent and tested him at every turn. The stressors chipped away at him bit by bit. It hurt to see my almost-brother grow more distant and dispassionate by the day. He become so out of touch that one day we lost him, he practically disappeared." Naruto stared blankly at the coffee table in front on him. This story stirred something within the blonde.

"Recently he miraculously recovered. He came back to us and is working harder than ever. But something is missing."

"Missing…?" questioned Naruto. "What do you mean?" Concern laced Naruto's words.

"He still isn't happy," Itachi said bluntly, "He may have pulled himself together, but he isn't all there." When Naruto still looked confused, Itachi stood from his position. "I think you'll see what I mean." Moving over to the phone on the polished desk, Itachi pressed a button and spoke, "Shikamaru, can you call for my brother."

"Yes, sir," Shikamaru answered through the intercom.

"I thought you said that you were almost brothers," commented the blonde, still sitting on the couch.

"I may have lied."

"You may have lied?!" Naruto's voice rose, wondering what else the President had fabricated. "What other lies did you tell me?"

"I assure you, Naruto, other than that small detail everything that I told you was the truth."

Before Naruto could retort the rattling of the door handle drew the blonde's attention.

"Itachi, what did I tell you about digging through my things? You're the President, use you own office."

"Sasuke's right, Itachi. You're office is bigger had has cooler gadgets," the masked, gray-haired man stated as stood in the doorway.

But that wasn't who Naruto was focused on. Now Naruto knew why Itachi's eyes were so heartbreaking. They were Sasuke's eyes.

Sasuke stood in front of him, hardly recognizable in his tailored black suit.

As soon as Sasuke's eyes landed on the blonde on the couch, the younger Uchiha stiffened. After taking a deep breath, he then turned to retrace his steps out the door. The familiar eye-patched man moved to take up more of the door space.

"Kakashi…" Sasuke warned.

Itachi came up behind his brother and placed a hand on his shoulder. "The office is all yours, Little Brother." Slipping passed Sasuke's still form he grabbed the door handle. Looking into his younger brother's eyes, he said softly, "You have work to do." Turning, Itachi closed the door as he left.

Naruto couldn't move his gaze away from the back facing him. Slowly rising from his seat, Naruto took a hesitant step forward.

"Sasuke," Naruto breathed. Then louder, "Sasuke Uchiha?" Said man flinched at the use of his full name.

Neither of the two moved as the seconds ticked by. Finally, it sunk into Naruto that Sasuke was in front of him. Closing the distance between them, Naruto stood facing the tall back.

"Sasuke…?" Naruto heard the man take a breath, then watched the square shoulders droop. Just as slowly, Sasuke turned around.

Naruto didn't try to suppress his gasp. Sasuke looked like someone else entirely. His once shoulder-length hair was cut short and spiked with fashionable precision. The suit and shoes he wore spoke of money, something his Sasuke hadn't had. Clean nails, a watch wrapped around his wrist, and a Blackberry sticking out of his pants pocket further attested to the fact.

Naruto could hardly believe he was seeing what was in front of him. Taking both hands from his sides, he reached them out to make sure that the man was really there.

Before his hands could get that far, Sasuke grabbed his wrists. Shaking his head, Sasuke looked into Naruto's eyes with a torn, but firm expression.

"You shouldn't be here, Naruto."

Ignoring the remark, the blonde pressed on, "Is this where you've been? All this time…?"

"No. It took a while for my brother and Kakashi to…make me presentable." Sasuke's voice was firm. The tall man's head drooped, blocking his eyes from Naruto's view. A flash of the fighting Sasuke that he had last seen was pulled from Naruto's memory.

Suddenly, Naruto's fist shot out. Like déjà vu, Sasuke bodily hit the solid door.

"You BASTARD!" the pissed blonde screamed. "Do you know how worried I was?! How much time I spent looking for you!?" Naruto look a calming breath. "How much time I spent crying over you?!"

Sasuke didn't bother to lift his head. "You shouldn't have wasted your tears. I don't deserve them."

"Don't you dare say that, Sasuke!" Face turning a bright red, Naruto started to pace in front of the unmoving Uchiha. "Don't you dare say that what we had isn't worth it!"

"That's not what I said!" Anger finally reached the taller man's voice.

"What game are you trying to pull, Uchiha?" Naruto spat out. "Hm? Did you just decide you were tired of being homeless? Were you too afraid to go back and decided to use the gullible idiot who wanted to help?"

This time Naruto was the one who was launched into a leather couch. Clenching his jaw, Naruto gently prodded the area where Sasuke's fist had been moments before. Looking up, he saw hypnotic black orbs glaring down at him.

"I would never do that to you," was the firm statement, "You know that."

"Do I?" Naruto harshly retorted.

Eyes closing, Sasuke let a few beats pass before answering. "You know me better than anyone, Naruto, even my brother."

"I know the Sasuke who used to wear flannel," gesturing to the well-dressed man, Naruto continued, "not this."

Taking in his stiff suit, Sasuke replied, "Sorry to disappoint you, Naruto, but those two people are one and the same." Moving his gaze to the floor, Sasuke said with an aggravated and sardonic edge, "Besides, I thought the past didn't matter."

"It doesn't!" Naruto said reflexively. Then, simmering down, "But it sure would have shed some light on things," he defended. The two men sat in silence as their tempers cooled.

"Did you do all of those things for me?" the blonde wondered out loud. "The hospital bills, telling your brother to see our play, getting me the application for the ANBU?"

Sasuke stuck his hands in the pockets of his black suit and looked anywhere but at Naruto.

"Idiot."

"Why did you leave, Sasuke?" Naruto's voice turned somber. "Did Sakura's words mean that much to you?"

Sasuke finally met eyes with the blonde. "They should to you, too. Everything she said was true."

"That's a load of crap, and you know it!" hurtled Naruto.

"Naruto, listen to me!" The smaller man slowly snapped his mouth shut. "Sakura was right. I can't give you what you need." Sasuke ran hands through shorter black locks and any composure he once had started to melt away. Naruto tried to cut in when Sasuke continued, "I gave up everything and was happy with you. But I didn't want to see you struggle every day to make ends meet and I couldn't risk working for fear of the media. My other option, if I came back to my brother and my job, would make you miserable." Sasuke turned his body and found Naruto's blue eyes. "I put people out of business and on the streets every day, Naruto. Do you really want to live with someone who creates the people you're trying to save?

Naruto sat there for a moment, his anger derailed. He let Sasuke's words sink in. That was not what he had expected. Trying to search the Uchiha's face, Naruto couldn't see his eyes. Standing, Naruto took measured steps to the black-haired man. Grasping Sasuke's face in both hands, Naruto tilted the pale face until he had full access to both black orbs.

No longer were there the flat, asphalt eyes that he had first encountered. He could not even find traces of the dark pools of oil he had once compared them to. What Naruto saw now was a dark ocean of Sasuke. Those eyes revealed fish and secret life of all kinds beneath their depths, and the stars and ripples of emotion reflected on their surfaces.

"But you save lives, too." Naruto said this with conviction. "You hired Shikamaru, and I'm sure Chouji is around here somewhere!" The blonde swallowed before adding, "And then there's me…"

"Three out of how many people that are walking the streets, Naruto?" Sasuke demanded. Wisps of black hair framed the man's pale face. Long fingers gently removed tanned hands from the Uchiha's cheeks. "I do more damage than good."

Red tinged the blonde's face as his frustration was once again released from its feeble reigns. Stepping backwards, Naruto dug his fingers into his scalp. "Damn it, Sasuke! Nothing is ever easy with you, is it?!" Making his back face the Vice President, Naruto walked to the edge of the large desk. "Life gets so damn complicated when you're around."

The blonde was met with silence. Then, "I'm sorry." Sasuke sounded worn. The raspy quality of the Uchiha's voice told Naruto how this conversation was taking a toll on the man.

"Don't apologize!" Naruto jerked his head around to glare at his frustration. He couldn't look for long, though. With each passing moment the painful realization buried into Naruto's conscious that he was losing Sasuke when he had just found him. The more he looked at Sasuke, the more he noticed the small differences. As the small details added up, he saw how their two worlds were growing farther apart. Looking down at the wooden desk, Naruto tried to distract his agonizing thoughts. His eyes flitted over the papers and charts sprawled over the polished surface, moving from one document to the next.

"Itachi said that you've been working harder than ever," hopefully he could change the topic successfully before they both fell to pieces. "What have you been doing?"

There was a pause from the other side of the room, like Sasuke could tell the blonde was stalling, before Naruto heard the shove of hands in black pants pockets.

"Itachi and I decided that the company needed a new image." Black eyes stared straight out the large windows. "Shikamaru is helping me with the project. We…we don't even know if it will work."

"Then why put so much effort into it?" The blonde's eyes never left the desktop.

"It will be worth it…in the long run. If it works, that is." The black-clothed man seemed to not want to elaborate on his venture.

"What kind of project?" Naruto prodded to try to keep Sasuke talking. He wanted to memorize the aristocratic voice.

A deep breath, then, "Workforce diversification."

The words were like a foreign language to the actor, "Why would you need Shikamaru for that? He's a genius, sure, but…there are others just as smart…"

"He has…field work with the people we're targeting."

Brows furrowing, Naruto picked up a piece of paper that stuck out from the rest. It had Sasuke's neat handwriting scribbled all over it. As his eyes moved over the page, things started to fit into place.

Words like new branch, minorities, and minimum wage scrawled on the page blended with Sasuke's cryptic project description. In Naruto's mind, hope started to bridge the two worlds separating the estranged men.

"Only three people, Sasuke?" Naruto looked up and lifted the paper to show the mogul, "More like a thousand!"

The taller man seemed reluctant to say anything, but forced himself to continue speaking. "Only about three hundred, actually…" Black eyes focused on the paper that Naruto held. "The branch will mostly be filled with workers who have already applied but…we want Uchiha Engineering to turn a new leaf." The eyes shifted to look into a blonde-framed face. "Unfortunately, that's nothing compared to what damage we've already done…and what we'll continue to do."

Naruto stared incredulously at the black-haired man. "This is more than anyone can ask for, Sasuke! Do you know how many people will be affected by this?! This is more than our measly soup kitchen could ever provide!" The smaller man waved the paper before slamming it back down on the desk. Walking back over to the pale man, Naruto continued, "Not only that, but Uchiha Engineering is practically a monopoly! How many other companies will follow in your footsteps?" When his companion failed to respond, Naruto grabbed Sasuke's shoulders and shook them with force. "Oi, Bastard! Are you even listening to me?!"

"The business world is Hell, Naruto," came the terse protest. "I don't want to drag you down with me," this part was said softer. The black pools swam, belying the previous unyielding response. Emotions Naruto couldn't even put a finger on were floating up to where he could see them, only blocked once they rose to the surface. Sasuke was holding himself back—for Naruto's sake.

Resentment made the blonde clench his jaw and fists. Why did everybody think he needed protecting? Naruto didn't even know why he bothered trying to reason with Sasuke. Words hadn't worked the first time they had met, why had he thought that they would work the second?

Fisting nimble fingers into a neatly pressed collar, the smaller man crushed Sasuke to him. Naruto tried to mesh all of his thoughts and feelings into the collision of desperate lips. How Sasuke had been the one to inspire him to light up the stage, how Sasuke had given Naruto something to look forward to when he woke in the mornings, how all he needed was standing right in front of him—all of this into one firm seal of lips.

"Do you really think I'm that weak?" Naruto asked over sharp pants. In a momentary show of dominance, the shorter man pulled Sasuke down for a second demanding kiss. "According to most," Naruto breathed, "we're already going to Hell." Sasuke squirmed uncomfortably at the statement, and Naruto saw hesitation cloud the black orbs. Naruto knew they were both remembering the thugs in the alley.

Trying to break Naruto's hold, Sasuke whispered, "It's not too late. You could find someone. A girl who—"

Naruto didn't want to hear anymore. He could see Sasuke's defiance in his eyes. It was weak and crumbling. Yanking the taller man down, Naruto pushed his tongue between surprised lips. Shivers ran down the raven-haired man's spine as his defenses fell.

The blonde drew back, leaving only inches between them, "Yes, it is, and I'm not going alone, Bastard." Trailing fingers up Sasuke's rib cage, the tremble that shook the Uchiha's body was proof enough to emphasize Naruto's statement.

"Idiot." Like a fish out of water Sasuke captured the blonde's lips in desperation, enticing a moan from the smaller man. "You're going to regret it."

Separating for air, Naruto spoke again, "Hell can't be so bad that this isn't worth it…"

Black eyes burning, the Uchiha replied in the shell of the actor's ear, "It hasn't even begun." The two came in for another kiss, this time softer and deeper. Naruto slowly guided them to the edge of a leather couch. Leaning back, the blonde used his weight to drag them both down onto the soft seating.

Reaching down, Sasuke's mouth formed an almost-smile as he played with the familiar necklace that had slipped from under the blonde's shirt. The two reveled in the moment, knowing that they had already signed their fates away and there was no going back.

Both men collapsed in a tangle of limbs, accompanied by aching and relieved laughter. Each shook with the uncertainty of what this would mean for the both of them.

When their breathing evened, Naruto ran his hand through black, silken hair.

"Hey, Sasuke?"

"Hm?" Said man murmured into the blonde's shoulder.

"What does dobe mean?"

"It's Japanese for dead last." Naruto's blonde brows scrunched together and his lips puckered in an angry pout. A breathy chuckle came out of the other man.

"Are you Japanese?"

"Yes…partly"

"Hmm…" Naruto turned his head so his mouth was against Sasuke's pale ear. "How do you say Bastard, Bastard?" he whispered.

"Teme," was the easy reply.

Naruto brushed his lips against the darker man's temple. After a few moments, Naruto's lingering lips continued, "Tell me about yourself…Teme."


A long, pale finger pressed a button, silencing the speakers on his desk.

"You're right, Kakashi. My office does have better gadgets."

Chuckling, the older man smiled under his mask. "Good thing you recognized Mr. Uzumaki from those photos Sasuke had."

"With help," Itachi added, slanting his head towards the older man. Moments passed by with nothing said between the two.

"I guess we're all just a little threadbare," Kakashi finally concluded. A thoughtful quiet filled the room. "I'm glad he's happy."

Leaning back in his chair, Itachi swiveled to look outside his large windows.

"Me, too."


A/N: Well, don't leave this story quite yet. There is one more chapter on the way--so hold on tight! Once again, I thank all of you wonderful readers for the inspiring reviews that you send me. You all make writing worthwhile. ^_^ Sorry this is late, but I was on vacation from Wednesday until today. I hope that you enjoyed the second-to-last chapter. Thank you all!

Cosmogyral