Sasuke was walking around the park near the hospital. His doctors allowed him to go out for fresh air. He was tired so he sat on the bench near the swings. The park gave him so many memories of his brother but there was one day that he couldn't forget.
When Itachi was admitted to the hospital, they would always go here in the park when the older raven got bored with the check ups. They would often run away from the doctors and nurses.
Flashback:
"Brother, push me higher!" a 9 year-old boy said, sitting on the swing. There was another boy behind him who was 15 years old. The older boy sighed, "Sasuke, lets go back to the hospital now. Mom will be coming after ten minutes. She'll be worried."
Sasuke pouted, "Ne, Itachi-aniki, lets play more!" He ran to the slide in front of swings. He climbed the ladder and slided down. When he stood up, he dusted his shorts and then looked for his brother. He found Itachi sitting on a bench near the swings. He sat beside him and called out his name. "Itachi-aniki!" But the older raven didn't answer, he just sat there, eyes closed, paler than before. Sasuke's eyes widen as he realized that Itachi wasn't breathing anymore.
'No!' He ran back to the hospital and called his mom, Mikoto, who called for the doctors. Itachi was rushed back to the hospital on a stretcher. Sasuke and his parents waited outside the emergency room.
'Itachi, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Sorry... Sorry... Sorry...-' his mantra was cut off by the doctor's voice who just got out of the emergency room. "I have two news, one good, one bad. The good one is that we managed to save Uchiha-san's heartbeat." The three other Uchihas let out a sigh of relief. The doctor continued, "The bad one is-" Sasuke held his breath while Fugaku and Mikoto held each other.
The doctor said the bad news but Sasuke couldn't hear the doctor anymore, only his mother's sobs and his father's attempts to calm her down.
"-at least one year to live..."
ON ITACHI'S 16TH BIRTHDAY...
Itachi was lying on the bed while his family was arranging the room. His friends would be arriving later because his mother invited them for a party for him. He was looking very content at his room. There were colorful banners made by Sasuke and a cake baked by his mother.
After a few hours, guests started to fill the room, his bestfriend Kisame, close friends like Deidara, Sasori, Zabuza, and Haku. Even his favorite teacher, Pein was there. Kisame and Sasuke were arguing about the best soccer team in the season while Haku was commenting every now and then. Sasori and Zabuza were playing chess. Fugaku was coaching Sasori while Pein was coaching Zabuza, the reward for the winning pair was the biggest slice of the cake. Deidara was being bugged by Mikoto's persistent asking if his blonde hair was natural or fake.
He couldn't help but smile at the scene. 'I wish they would be happy... Zutto...' And a loud beep made them all quiet and look at the patient.
Itachi died.
-- with Naruto --
Naruto woke up the next day with a very bad headache, 'Ouch' he said mentally, 'I should have listened to Gaara. He-' his eyes went wide. Events from last night came flooding in his mind.
-- flashback --
"Come, let's get you cleaned up and to bed after." His back was turned from Naruto so he couldn't see the blonde walked near him. Even drunk, he was still moving properly. He snaked his arms around Gaara's waist and whispered to his ear, "Hey, Mom, play with me." Naruto whispered and his breath tickled the red head's ear. The red haired man turned and looked at the blonde and put his hands on the the other's shoulders. "Stop it Naruto! You're drunk. Think-" he was cut off by the other's lips.
Naruto inserted his toungue inside Gaara's mouth. The red head moaned into the other's mouth. He pushed the blonde away with his remainig strength.
"Kiba, whats wrong?" Gaara's eyes widen at Naruto's words. He stood still for a few seconds then ran away.
End of Flashback
"Shit!" he cursed loudly. He searched every corner of his pad for Gaara but didn't find him there. He cursed again. He ran to the bathroom, took a shower, and drove all the way to his bestfriend's pad.
Gaara was living alone in his pad because his parents were dead. His older sister, Temari was married to Nara Shikamaru, an old classmate in college. They live together with their children, Shikaru and Kaiba. His older brother was living together with his girlfriend, Rin, an old classmate of his cousin Kakashi.
As Naruto drove to his bestfriend's house, he remembered the first day he met Gaara.
Flashback:
A seven-year-old blonde boy was walking through the hallways of his new school, searching for his classroom.
"Excuse me," he said to another boy he spotted, "can you tell me where is room 201?" The boy rolled his eyes and walked away from him. The blonde sighed. The school was for rich children, snubby rich children according to Naruto. Luckily his room was not far away and he found it thirty minutes before the bell rings. He scanned the room, it has four rows divided to two; left and right. The front and second row of the left side were occupied by preppy girls. They looked like fangirls. Naruto gulped. He had phobia for them when his cousin, Kakashi, toured him in his school. They were pinching his face telling how cute he was. Good thing Rin was there, she saved him for those girls. The third and fourth row of the left side was occupied by tall and wild boys. The future jocks. He turned his head to the right side of the room and saw a group of mixed girls and boys sitting on the first and second row. There was no one occupying the third row but there was one child on the fourth row. The child had red hair and was playing with a puzzle board.
Naruto approached him but the other didn't noticed. He sat beside the red haired child and sad, "The blue piece goes there." he pointed to the bottom left of the board. he realized that the boy was younger than them when he looked at him closely. "Naruto. Seven. You?" he started. His seatmate replied, Gaara. Five." Naruto's eyes widen, realizing his classmates were insecured of a five year old boy. he chuckled which made Gaara blush.
"You're pretty." The blonde commented. Gaara's blush deepened. They became inseparable friends after that. Even though Naruto became famous because he was the son of Namikaze Arashi and Uzumaki Kushina, he didn't leave his friend. He learned that Gaara was on their school because of scholarship with his brother, Kankuro, while his sister, Temari, was on a different school. He became friends with temari and Kankuro too. When Naruto and Gaara graduated, at the age of eighteen (Naruto) and sixteen (Gaara), the blonde founded a company called Akatsuki and made the red head his right hand, his vice president.
His trip to memory lane finished as he reached Gaara's pad. He knocked and shouted for his bestfriend's name but none answered. He pulled out his spare key, that he realized he had in his pants' pocket, of Gaara's door. After he went in, he ran to Gaara's room and found the door open. He stood frozen to the ground when he saw the red head.
Gaara was lying on the floor covered in his own blood, holding a knife. He committed suicide.
-- after two years --
Sasuke was already discharged from the hospital so he decided to go to the park he and Itachi were always playing in. He sat on the bench near the swings. Memories were haunting him again but it stopped when a red haired man sat beside him.
The man was from the hospital, he realized because the other was wearing the hospital gown under a brown coat. "Gaara." the man said when he realized Sasuke was observing him. The raven felt embarrassed but luckily found his voice, "Sasuke." Gaara smiledbut Sasuke thought the smile was sad. "Are you okay? Uhm, I thought... I mean..." he was cut off by the other's chuckle. "Hey, let's go play on the swings!"
The two sat on the swings and pushed forward and backward. Sasuke was quite enjoying himself because it has been years since he played on the swings with someone other than Itachi. There was just something familiar with Gaara and the feeling was making his heart feel weird for some reason. But he stop playing when he heard a sob.
Gaara was crying but he didn't know what to do. They just sat there and he waited for his playmate to calm down. "I'm sorry for breaking down on you like that. I know you think I'm really weird, huh?" Sasuke shook his head, "It's okay. I've seen weirder things than that." They both laughed. The raven looked down to the ground, "You can tell me your problems... I mean I promise I'll listen... Oh?! I'm sorry... I'm not close to you but I think we'll be good friends!" 'Friends' Sasuke thought. It felt as if it was the most natural thing that could describe their relationship but it makes Sasuke wonder why, because the two just met.
Gaara chuckled again making the other blushed. "I'm happy," he said looking at the clouds, "having a friend like you... I... Uhm... I didn't have parents. They died a few days after I was born. My older sister and brother were the ones who took care of me. They would study very hard at day and work at night. To repay them, I studied very hard too and became a scholar. I was so young and smart, I didn't have many friends."
The raven was surprised, "But if you were smart, surely you would have many friends!" Gaara shook his head and continued, "I wasn't rich like them. They didn't like me. But I always thought that it was alright because I have my sister and brother. I had nothing to be sad about. But I felt happier when I met him. He sat beside me and became bestfriends. He was rich, popular, handsome, athletic, social, and very smart that people thought I was just using him. He didn't listen to other people and sticked with me like we we're when his grandfather died, we cried together. After we graduated, he founded a company and made me his right hand."
Sasuke nodded and looked at Gaara, "That's very cool of him. He really loves you a lot like a brother, I think." The red head laughed bitterly. "Its stupid to think that he'll like me more than-" The raven shook his head and attempted to speak but the other continued, "But I thought that I'll be okay when he loves another. I was wrong. I... I didn't take it well when he met him..."
"Him?" He asked. Gaara closed his eyes, "Yes him... He was a doctor from this hospital, he took care of my bestfriend's pet. Then they fell in love. Kinda like a fairy tale actually. Something to last forever. So I did the right thing, I moved to America and I met Lee. He was first my friend, the one I talked about my problems with my bestfriend. He told me he loved me, and I just want to feel loved. I thought I forgot my feelings for my bestfriend but two years ago, a friend called me and said that his lover died. I rushed back here just finding out that I still love him, not Lee."
Sasuke was surprised, "He died? I hope I'm not being rude or anything, I mean, we're friends now, and I just wanted to know the name of your bestfriend and his lover?" Gaara opened his eyes and laughed, "Sorry, no, I was the one being rude for not telling you their names. My bestfriend is Na-" He was cut off by a woman's voice that was running to their direction, "Sasuke! Where were you?!" she said dragging Sasuke along with her, muttering words like check up and missing. The red head smiled and waved his goodbye at the raven haired man. After a while a blond was running to him. "Gaara! You were supposed to be in the hopsital!" the blonde hugged him, obviously concerned. Gaara smiled through the hug, and hugged back his bestfriend and love.
-- 2 years ago --
Naruto sat beside his bestfriend, holding the others hand. He just sat there quietly, like a statue. He didn't eat, drink, nor sleep for three days already. Gaara's siblings, Temari and Kankuro just left, after talking to him. They were mad at him but they really can't do anything because Naruto was and will always be their brother's happiness. He cared for him and loved him more than his own life. So, they were just quiet the whole time Gaara was in the emergency room. Temari left to come home for a moment to take care of the kids because Shikamaru was working while Kankuro was also needed at work. Naruto didn't come to the office, he just didn't want to leave Gaara's side.
"Kami, I know that after my grandfather died, I doubted that you even existed. I hope, no, I need you to forgive me. Don't give my punishment to Gaara. He's a good person. Can't you see that he doesn't deserve to be in this situation?! Don't be selfish, please...' Naruto held Gaara's hand tighter. He laughed bitterly, "I'm the one at fault here. Its because I ignored his feelings purposely. Its because I needed him as a friend, my bestfriend. I was scared of losing my bestfriend. I was scared... afraid to reject him because if I do, he'll hate me." He closed his eyes.
"Gaara, do you remember when I had the chance to talk to Lee? He told me that he loves you very much. I finally agreed to let him take you because its better if you forget me than the fact that you'll hate me. I used Lee. I know I'm really an idiot." Naruto kissed Gaara's hand.
Naruto stood up, and walked closer to the bed. He lied down next to the redhead and hugged him. "I'm a coward Gaara. I can't even make my bestfriend happy. You can slap me, punch me, or kill me when you get well. But for now, please just open your eyes. I want to see your green eyes, warm and alive. I want to see you smile at me. Even when I fail, when I see you smile at me, I feel like I can do anything and stand up again. I want to hear your laugh, your blush, and everything about you. I miss you Gaara... I can't say goodbye to everything we've been through... You'll always be my bestfriend." The blonde closed his eyes, breathing in the other's scent.
Flashback:
Naruto was sitting on the bench out of the emergency room with Kankuro while Temari was walking forward and backward waiting for the doctor. Everything was quiet for hours until a man in a white coat exited from the room.
"Namikaze-san, it was lucky that you were able to get Subaku-san to the hospital early. Considering the blood loss, he won't be able to surviveif you had been late for five minutes. He will probably wake up after a week or two. He need rest and proper diet to regain energy and the blood lost." the doctor said, then bowed and left the three.
Naruto was about to go inside the room where Gaara was taken when he was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. When he looked back, it was Temari's. "What is it, Tem-" he was cut off by surprise when his bestfriend's sister knelt before him.
"Please... You're his happiness... He can't live without you and I can't live without my brother. I'll give you anything, everything, take what you want!" Temari cried. Even Kankuro was surprised at his sister's actions. "Temari! Stop it! Don't hurt Gaara mo-" but he was cut off by his sister, "He's Gaara's life! Beg him too Kankuro! Please!" the blonde woman's eyes were full of tears flowing on her cheeks, she hugged naruto's knees, "Can you please love my brother back? You're the only one who can help him, help us! Please... Please... I beg you! Do it for us, no, for Gaara!" she sobbed.
The blonde man was surprised, no, he was shocked, stunned, frozen to the ground, not because of Temari's actions now, but her last statement, "Even if its just pretend? Can you pretend to love him? Even a little? Because Gaara loved you, loves you, and will love you more than us. So, please give Gaara his happiness... give us our happiness too..." Kankuro helped his sister stand up and they left the hall. Even he was crying with his eyes begging, even though it was wrong for them to ask him that. Naruto has his own life, but he loves his brother too, because their family. The only ones left, and he wanted it to be like that forever. He did not want to lose his family.
Naruto stood up and fixed Gaara's position and wrapped the blanket more securely around the patient. He walked to the door to go somewhere but stopped in front of the door.
"Gaara," he whispered. He opened the door and left after saying something...
"I'll make you happy. I promise." And with that, he left.
CHAPTER 3 : (A/N I'm sorry if I wasn't able to upload the third chapter properly because whenever I try to upload my third chapter, it said that there was an internal error in converting my file, I already tried msword and notepad. x.x please bear with me. If this continues, chapter four will be attached here too.)
( Naruto is 26, Gaara is 24, Sasuke is 22 )
-- after two years --
Gaara opened his eyes as the sunlight from the window shone on him. He glanced at the digital clock on the table. '7:30 am' He turned to the other side where a blonde man was sleeping next to him. "Ruto, wake up. You're gonna be late for office. Remember that you're gonna have a meeting later." He shook his bedmate's shoulders.
Naruto sat on the bed, "I'll be home late tonight so you have to-" Gaara cut him off, "I know, I'm not a child idiot. Just come home to me, please." The red head moved closer to the blonde and hugged him. Naruto chuckled, "You've been saying that every morning for two years." Gaara was about to say something but he continued, "I've been doing so for the past two years." The blonde placed his arms around Gaara's waist. "Don't worry. I will, I promised you that, right?" Gaara smiled brightly and nodded. He stood up and walked to the kitchen to fix the blonde man his breakfast.
Naruto made his way to the bathroom and started to take off his clothes. He turned on the shower and let hot water flow on his body. He sighed. 'Two years, huh?'
-- flashback --
It was two weeks after Gaara was admitted in the hospital for suicide. He cut a deep wound on his wrist and his body needed to rest.
Naruto was in a meeting with Sarutobi when Temari called him and told him that her brother was awake. He rushed to the hospital and entered Gaara's room. Kankuro was there and Temari was with Shikamaru. Gaara was sitting there, looking down on the blanket. Shikamaru lead his wife outside and Kankuro followed but stopped where Naruto was standing. "You better not make him cry anymore, teme." And with that, he left.
"You look like you've been to hell and back. It was fortunate that you're body only needed two weeks to heal. Its like you have a demon sealed to you. Just like in your favorite manga." Naruto chuckled weakly. Gaara just sighed. "I really did meant to stay there."
Naruto growled, "Bastard!" He lunged at the blonde man and lunged himself to the other man in bed. He ended up lying on Gaara. He slapped the red head, "Why did you do that?! You!" Naruto tried to slap him again but stopped midway when he saw Gaara crying. "It hurt so much. So cold. Here." He pointed to his chest. Naruto hugged him tightly. "I'm sorry. I hurt you again."
Gaara shook his head, "This physical pain only tells me that I'm alive and that you saved me. Don't worry! I won't-" He was cut off when the blonde kissed him. He then touched his forehead with the redhead's. "I'll make you happy. You don't have to hurt anymore." Naruto whispered.
Gaara closed his eyes. 'He hasn't still said those three words that I wish for. But its okay though. We still have lots of time. Lots of time to make him love me. Its all I need. I love him so much.' Gaara smiled and hugged the blond tighter.
After Gaara was completely discharged from the hospital, he told Gaara to resign from his job. He brought the subject up when they were having lunch in a restaurant. The red head agreed, on a condition that he would move in with the blonde. The latter agreed and they asked Shikamaru to sell Gaara's pad.
-- end of flashback --
"Naruto! You're breakfast is ready!" Gaara shouted from the kitchen. "Coming!" he replied. Naruto finished showering and dressed up. He went to the kitchen and ate breakfast with Gaara.
-- Uchiha Household --
"Good morning dear!" Mikoto was preparing the breakfast when she saw Sasuke approach her. "Today, I cooked your favorite." she said. Fugaku sat and looked at the menu for this morning. 'Ramen?' Mikoto turned and looked at him, "Whats the matter dear? Sasuke seems to love it." He coughed as he realized that he seemed to said his thought aloud. "Yeah dad, its like so delicious! I can eat it everyday!" Sasuke slurped happily. Fugaku sighed, 'Sasuke is acting wierder and wierder everyday. Oh joy.' He thought sarcastically. 'One Mikoto is enough.' He felt a chill in his spine. "I feel that you're thinking of something bad again. Fugaku-deeeeaaaarrrr?" There was a strange look in his wife's eyes. "No Nothing dear! Just thinking how delicious ramen is!" He started eating his ramen. "Very good. So, I won't need this anymore." She sat aside a knife that she didn't know she was holding.
After they ate their breakfast, Mikoto went shopping and the two men went to work. "Sasuke, this is your first day at Konoha Enterprises. Sarutobi is a close family friend. He will take care of you." Sasuke nodded. He would be given a job in Konoha Enterprises and when Fugaku sees that he's worthy enough, thats the only time that he would give Sasuke a position in their company. Sasuke's grandfather and Sarutobi were bestfriends and did the same thing to Fugaku. He started doing the lowest job possible but the difference is that Sasuke has a weak heart. He would start as an ordinary employee than, like Fugaku, a mere errand boy.
Sasuke sighed as he walked into Sarutobi's office. 'Sarutobi is nice but everytime I see him, I feel like I'm looking at a fossil from the dinosaur period. I mean, that man is old, very old.' He opened the door to Sarutobi's office. The old man welcomed him and motioned him to sit.
"Sasuke, let me tell you all the basic things you need to know, seeing that this would be your first job. Our company sells accessories made out of fine gold and silver. We also design the simple ones for teenagers. We design for other rich people. You will be one of our employees in charge of designing the simple accessories. It means that you're market would be teenagers and women." Sasuke nodded.
After the briefing, he went to his assigned office. The people there were kind to him. They gave him advices and tips about their work. They can go home in the afternoon. Sasuke learned that his officemates in that section were his father's too when he was working for Sarutobi.
-- timeskip --
Sasuke took the bus home. He knew that his father won't be giving him a car for transportation. He was all by himself. 'Home' He would be going home to his new apartment pad. A medium sized one complete with ordinary appliances. He placed his things down the table and went to the ramen shop, Ichiraku, across his apartment.
When he was crossing the road, a car came racing towards his direction. He stood still, he figured that he couldn't move one muscle of his body. "Watch out!" A blonde man pushed him out of the way of the speeding car. Sasuke felt sleepy but he managed to open his eyes for a few seconds but all he saw was a pair of blue eyes that are very familiar.
-- earlier --
Naruto was about to drive home when Gaara called him saying that he wants some ramen from Ichiraku. When they were in college, they usually would hang out in Ichiraku. Naruto parked his car across Ichiraku and was about to cross the road when he saw a car speeding, it was a red light, so the driver might be drunk or something. He sighed and waited for it to pass when he heard gasps beside him. He saw a raven haired man still crossing the street. He didn't know why but his feet ran as fast as he could and jumped out of the car's way with the man in his arms. The man opened his eyes but closed it again. He carried the man to his car and drove to the nearest hospital.
Sasuke opened his eyes and saw a blonde man sleeping on the chair. 'What happ-' His eyes widened as he remembered what happened earlier. He blushed because of embarassment that he crossed the street unaware of his surroundings. "You know, you owe me ramen." He turned and saw the blonde haired man looking at him. "T-thank y-you f-for your he-help." The blonde man stood up, "Did you hit your head or something? Do you want me to call the doctor?" Sasuke stood up quickly, "No!" he said but fell down the floor because of lack of energy. The impact never came though because the blonde managed to catch him. "You are one accident prone man." He chuckled.
Sasuke chuckled too. "My name is Sasuke. You?" The blonde put him back to bed and into the blanket. "Naruto." Sasuke nodded and he chuckled again. Naruto looked at him curiously, "Naruto... Fishcake!" There are only two people who called him fishcake, Gaara and Kiba. He sighed, "Maybe you did hit your head quite hard." Sasuke glared at him but stopped when Naruto ruffled his hair. "Go to sleep, oh Sasuke-sama." Sasuke's eyes began drooping and after a while he fell asleep.
When the raven was finally asleep, he decided to call Gaara but he realized that didn't have his phone with him. He sighed, 'Must have dropped it earlier. Troublesome.' Shikamaru's habits of saying troublesome were rubbing off on him. He checked the clock, it was ten in the evening. He can still reach Ichiraku in time, buy some ramen and go home. He wrote a note, 'Learn how to cross the road safely, dobe.' With that, he left.
The next morning, a certain raven haired man was reading a certain note left by a certain blonde haired man. "I AM NOOOT A DOOOOOOOOOOOOBE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
