Here is the second chapter of Our World. The italic section is all flashback.
As always, I own nothing
For once in his life, Sasuke didn't stay in the office until nightfall. Come seven o'clock, instead of staring at mind-numbing numbers on his computer, Sasuke found himself standing in the middle of a crowded grocery store, staring blankly at a wall of cereal.
He had one in each hand and had his eye on the nutrition facts of another still on the shelf.
"So this lowers cholesterol, but the sugar amount is obscene. Well, this one looks fattening enough to give you a heart attack, but it says high in fiber. This is basically just marshmallows!"
Sasuke let out a deep groan and threw all three into the cart. Naruto seriously owed him.
Earlier that day in the office:
"Another favor?"
Sasuke felt slightly taken off guard. Getting Naruto to accept help was like pulling teeth. Two, in one day, was just crazy.
"Yes."
The word was a mere mumble. Naruto had lost all of his previous confidence and was again staring at his feet.
"I am so sorry. I never expected this to happen."
"Why don't you tell me what you're sorry about."
Naruto glanced at him hesitantly, as if to judge the raven's reaction.
"Sakura thinks that by having Roji stay with me, I am influencing him in his formative years to hate her. She convinced the judge that to be fair, Roji needed to stay with a third party for the duration of the trial."
"Is that even legal?"
Sasuke had never heard of such a thing, and from Naruto's exhausted shrug, the blonde obviously hadn't either.
"Who knows. Sakura is just trying to fuck with us, and the court seems to let her. The judge decided that he would stay with whoever was appointed to be his guardian if anything ever happened to either of us."
Naruto clenched his fist and looked the Uchiha strait in the eye.
"And that would be you, Sasuke."
Sasuke froze. Suddenly, his body felt very cold, but his shirt seemed to cling to him with sweat.
"How the hell does that work?"
Sasuke felt unnerved under those desperate blue eyes. Naruto wanted him to understand, needed him to.
"When Roji was born, Sakura named me his godfather and legal guardian. After it became clear she wasn't coming back, I realized I was all that little boy had. If something happened to me, he would be left all alone.
"We lived in a shitty neighborhood, and I worked the night shifts. You saw how dangerous it is to talk home, and that was on the very edge of the slums. We lived in the heart of it. Anything could happen to me at any time. I needed something to ensure Roji would be ok, even if I was gone. So I made a will, and in it I asked that if anything happened to me, Roji would be left under your care."
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence was heavy, and the intensity in Naruto's face was something Sasuke had never seen before.
"Why?"
The answer was obvious, but Sasuke couldn't help the single word from tumbling out. He needed to hear Naruto say it.
And the blonde didn't disappoint.
"You have money."
There is was, and it hurt. That childhood innocence that let Sasuke, in his freshly pressed uniform, join a group of dirty children kicking a soccer ball, was nothing but a memory. They had grown up, and the division that Sasuke's family had fought so hard to keep was there. Even Naruto, welcoming, jovial Naruto, saw him differently.
Naruto must have seen the disappointment on the raven's face, because he was quick to continue.
"I know how that looks. I'm taking advantage of a chance friendship from years ago to my own benefit. I am an awful person, and I'm sorry, but we're both old enough to face reality. When I signed those papers, all of my other friends were still trying to get their feet under them. Shikamaru was still in school, Kiba had just gotten his first job at a kennel, and Gaara could barely pay his rent. No one could afford a child. No one but you.
"I realized I was taking a chance, but even if we hadn't spoken for years, I know you Sasuke. You may not want the kid, hell you probably would curse my name and swear to hate all poor people for the rest of your life, but you wouldn't abandon Roji. Even if you hated me, you would still take him, because you aren't the kind of person to just turn their back on a little kid. At the very least, you would send him to some snob boarding school, or pay some nanny to stay with him so you wouldn't have to, but at least he'd be taken care of. And that's all I could ask."
Naruto was breathing hard, and his eyes still held that longing to be understood. His hand seemed to twitch, like he wanted to reach toward Sasuke, but decided against it.
And Sasuke did understand. He understood everything. Naruto was never just a dumb blonde who got by with an easy smile, welcoming everyone. That kind of person would never survive the streets. Yes, the blonde had a heart, he truly cared about people, but he was smart.
Suddenly, Sasuke knew how Naruto had survived such a dangerous neighborhood. He read people. He looked at everyone and didn't just see who they were, but who they could be, and how to make them that person. He recognized the kindness in the man who owned that ramen shop, and dedicated himself to a relationship that would not only feed him, but his whole team. When everyone else wrote Gaara off as psychotic, Naruto saw the loneliness buried under all the hate and gave him a family, thus creating not just a loyal friend, but a strong protector who everyone else feared.
And, like the blonde said, he knew Sasuke. He knew the raven wanted to be accepted for himself, and not just seen as the boy across the river. He saw Sasuke's curiosity for how boys like Naruto and the others lived, and quickly invited him into their world. He knew that Sasuke would remember that.
He knew Sasuke would stand by that old friendship and would give Roji a home.
"Do you hate me?"
"No."
It was the truth. Sasuke didn't hate Naruto. His mind was reeling from a surplus of emotions, but there was no hate.
This time, Naruto did reach out. He took Sasuke's pale hand in his own.
"This is a choice, Sasuke. I may have volunteered you, but no one can force you. Whatever you decide, I will respect it."
Sasuke didn't respond at first. Instead, he examined the hand intertwined with his own. The only person who ever held his hand was his mother, and her soft, delicate touch was nothing like Naruto's. The blonde's hand was calloused, a sign of life achieved through hard work, but it was smaller than Sasuke expected. It clung to him, the strong fingers grasped tightly around his own.
"What time do I need to pick him up?"
It took Sasuke another hour to make it through the store, battling against seasoned housewives who were in just as much of a hurry to purchase their items and get home. By the time he had paid and made it back to the car, it was nearly 8:15, only fifteen minutes before Naruto had promised to drop Roji off.
Sasuke groaned again, and began the drive home. Even with Naruto's unorthodox way of asking, Sasuke had been a little proud to hear he was Roji's unofficial godfather. Yes, it had been decided because he could financially provide for the child, but the more he thought about it, the more happiness he felt in knowing that Naruto had enough faith in him to care for the little boy. Despite what Naruto said, Sasuke knew the blonde wouldn't leave his most precious person to someone who would just throw money at them. That's why he was fighting Sakura int he first place. He chose Sasuke because he trusted him, more than anyone else.
The minute Sasuke thought it, he knew without a shadow of a doubt it was true, and that little fact brought another wave of strange warmth rushing through his body. The fuzzy feeling from earlier was back in his throat, and by the time the raven had his car parked outside his building, he found himself hardly able to breath.
Sasuke lived on the top floor of his apartment building, the penthouse suite. It was full of lush furniture, antique decor, french paintings, and the more Sasuke looked at it, the more he realized it wasn't for a child.
Everything was expensive; there was no room for toys or playing, and suddenly, Sasuke could hardly believe how in over his head he was. He didn't know how to take care of a child, what Roji would like to do, how to play with him.
Sasuke was a bachelor for fuck's sake!
Diiiiiing-Dooooong.
"Get your shit together, Sasuke. You gave your word; can't back out now."
With the metal pep talk, the raven wen't to open the door.
Opening the door, Sasuke wasn't positive what he was expecting, but the small, dark-haired little boy wasn't it.
Naruto said Roji was eight and had skipped ahead to forth grade, but the little boy standing in Sasuke's doorway didn't look older than six. He wore a school uniform, a white polo shirt and black dress shorts, but the material looked worn and a size too big, obviously bought used. His dark hair was long enough to touch the tip of his collar, and the bangs fell just over his glasses, creating a striking contrast to his pale skin.
Behind him, Naruto was in jeans and a ratty, orange T-shirt. His bright coloring and muscled figure made the boy look even smaller.
"Hey Sasuke."
Naruto had a hesitant grin and raised a hand in greeting, all the while trying to read Sasuke with his eyes, seeing if the raven would change his mind.
"Welcome."
With that, Sasuke stepped aside and let them enter his home. Roji was silent as Sasuke led them both to the guest bedroom, but Naruto tried to fill the quiet with awkward chatter about how beautiful the apartment was.
"This really is top notch, Sasuke. Looks a little different from our place, huh Roji?"
The boy's only response was to walk a little closer to Naruto.
The bedroom was like the rest of the apartment, sparse, but elegant. A majority of the space was taken up by a queen size bed with dark brown and green sheets that complimented the beige walls. There was a small bookshelf with a collection of literary classics next to a roll-top desk and padded, wooden chair. A few pictures of fruit and french dancers decorated the wall, but other than that the room was empty save for the small dresser and closet.
"Well, this is it. You're welcome to unpack."
Sasuke felt awkward, giving a room he'd only ever used for decor to a child, but it was all he had, and the grin on Naruto's face as he placed the suitcase on the bed made the uncomfortable feeling worth it.
"Thanks. What do you say, Roji."
The boy looked at him through the thick glasses.
"Thank you, Uchiha-san. I will try not to be a burden."
Just as he would have expected, Roji's voice was high and soft. Sasuke tried to give him a reassuring smile, but it probably came out more like an awkward grin.
"Of course, Roji-kun. And if you're going to be staying here, you may as well call me Sasuke."
The boy nodded, but didn't look the Uchiha in the eye.
Naruto patted him on the head, fluffing the already tousled hair. The tender touch and utter adoration in Naruto's face as he looked down at his son caught Sasuke off guard. He knew the blonde loved his child, that was completely obvious, but suddenly he realized that the pale little boy wasn't just Naruto's most precious person, he was his whole world.
Sasuke almost felt like he was intruding.
"Do you need any help unpacking?"
The question immediately broke the moment. Roji looked up at Naruto, completely terrified.
"You'll stay and help, right Daddy?
"'Course, buddy. I'll stick around until you're all comfortable."
So the three of them got to work. Roji didn't bring much, just a single suitcase, and aside from clothes and toiletries, all the boy had were some books, a large, stuffed frog, and an assortment of action figures from a cartoon Sasuke vaguely recognized.
Soon, the suitcase was empty and tucked in the corner of the closet, leaving the three males standing awkwardly in the room. Without a word, they all began walking back to the door.
"Guess it's time for me to say goodbye."
Until then, Roji had been quietly unpacking, keeping his head down and quietly unpacking, but as soon as Naruto spoke his face shot up, eyes wide and watering, and grabbed his father by the legs.
"No!"
Suddenly, the quiet little boy was crying his heart out. Sasuke was at a loss. He didn't know what to do with children when they were happy. Tears were most definitely not his thing.
But the blonde didn't even hesitate. He knelt down and pulled the crying child closer, rubbing the child's back gently.
"Don't worry, buddy. This isn't forever."
"I want to go home, Daddy."
"You can soon, I promise, but for now, I need you to be very brave. We're a team, right? You and me, taking on the world. Nothing is gonna change that."
Roji sniffled and gave a nod.
"Besides, Sasuke is great! You like all of my other friends, right?"
Another nod.
"Well Sasuke is one my oldest, closest friends. There is no one I trust more, so you can be sure he'll take great care of you."
With that, Naruto pressed a kiss to his son's temple and lifted the boy into bed.
"Goodnight. I love you."
"I love you, too, Daddy."
Sasuke flipped the light, and the two older men left the boy to sleep.
They walked back to the front door, a heavy silence hanging in the air. When they reached the door, Naruto took Sauske's hand.
"This means the world to me, Sasuke. I will never be able to thank you."
Sasuke gripped the tan hand.
"Well, you looked so pitiful. How could I say no?"
He meant it as a joke, and Naruto chuckled lightly.
"Well, whatever reason you said yes, I'm glad you did. I'll find a way to repay you, just you wait."
Naruto was so confident. His grin was large and infectious as always, and Sasuke couldn't help smirking back.
Suddenly, the blonde pulled him into a tight hug. He was slightly shorter than Sasuke, so his blonde spikes tickled Sasuke's ear, and the raven was surprised to find the feeling wasn't completely unpleasant.
"Bye, Sasuke."
With that, Naruto was gone, leaving Sasuke alone in the doorway.
"See you soon, dobe."
And that's chapter 2. Hopefully it was worth the wait. I got a review that the last chapter was too short, so I tried to make this one a little longer'
I just got a new mac, and this is my first time Pages, so if formatting is weird, that's why.
No fames, please
Peace Out