Summary:
Naruto had been a good boy all through high school, and what had it gotten him? Rejected by his best friend for a series of one-night-stands. (OOC: darker Naruto, sexual Sasuke) SasuNaru - College AU
Warning 17+ only: Yaoi (Boy x Boy) Not appropriate for young readers.
Results of Gaara poll: Gaara is to remain asexual (Neji/Gaa got one vote less... it was very close)
Author's note: So I have changed my mind on how to end this story. There was going to be a break-up/make-up arc at the end, but after writing this chapter I realized it just won't work. If they break up over something stupid after this, then they don't deserve to be together. If they break up over something serious, then that will be a sequel and not in this fic because it will just take too long to bring resolution. Given that we also will not have a romantic interest sequence for Gaara, the next chapter will be the end of Nice Guys. I know they are still young and a bit stupid, so we can't quite say 'happily ever after', but it will be the end of their story for now.
-xXx-
Naruto lifted his hand in greeting when he saw Nagato walking toward his dorm.
"I got your text that you were finished. I was just on my way over to the library to meet you," Naruto said. He was nervous, and wanted to get the situation out in the open. He felt guilty knowing such a private thing about someone and keeping it secret. He also felt a little uncertain about where this conversation might land them, but waiting was only making his anxiety worse.
Nagato smiled as they got in Nagato's car. "You look tired and stressed. Is everything alright?"
"Yeah," Naruto said, fidgeting a bit, knowing he looked like hell due to lack of sleep. "I had a long week with classes and projects due, and last weekend wasn't exactly restful."
Nagato frowned. "Because of Sasuke. He over-reacted on Friday night."
Naruto shrugged. "We talked it out that night. He let me explain what had happened. We're still getting used to the whole dating thing. Even though we've known each other for so long, we're still feeling our way around being boyfriends rather than best friends."
"Hmm," Nagato said noncommittally, clearly not feeling better about the situation. "I just don't think he's good for you. Whenever you're around him, you just seem to get hurt."
Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, I guess it would seem that way based on just the last two years. But Sasuke was my friend at a time when I had no one else. Growing up, he was the only one who actually seemed to care what happened to me. He helped me a lot... encouraged me. Stood up for me when I was too scrawny and insecure to do it for myself. We might have hit a pretty rough patch recently, but its minor compared to the history we have together."
"I just think you should be more careful around him. He really hurt you before. Don't leave yourself so open for him to just do it again."
Naruto drew a breath. "Nagato... even though I know you're wrong about Sasuke, I really appreciate that you want to look out for me. And... I think I understand a bit more why you do."
Nagato didn't say anything, keeping his eyes on the road as he drove.
"I talked to Jiraya."
Nagato glanced over at him, his hands clenching on the wheel.
"And what did he tell you?"
They were approaching Nagato's home. Naruto wanted to have this conversation in private, and Nagato almost always had house guests. So he pushed ahead.
"He told me about my dad... that you knew him. About the fire," Naruto saw Nagato's face whiten in remembered pain. "Nagato, I'm so sorry," Naruto said softly.
Nagato was silent for a while. "I should have told you. But..."
"... but it's hard to bring something like that up in conversation to a stranger," Naruto finished for him, completely understanding.
Nagato laughed. "Yeah. I mean, you and I were almost brothers. But the reality is that I didn't even know you existed until I saw your photo on Jiraya's desk three years ago. At first I thought you were Minato. You look so much like him," Nagato's voice had dropped to almost an almost reverent whisper, and Naruto felt a flash of unease.
Nagato cleared his throat. "But there were differences, of course, and I realized almost immediately that you couldn't be him. Jiraya told me that Minato had had a son, and that he hadn't even known about you before he died. I wanted to go find you, to talk to you, but... what would I say? I'm a complete stranger, like you said. You'd never even met Minato, so it's not like we could trade stories or experiences or anything."
Naruto ignored the small pang of the truth of that statement. Nagato was right. He had nothing from his father. Not even the knowledge of whether or not his father would have been happy to learn about his existence.
Nagato paused as they drove in the gate to his home. He pulled the car into the garage and turned off the engine, but made no move to get out. Neither did Naruto. They both knew this conversation was private... not something they wanted to have in front of Hidan or Zetsu or whoever else might be in the house.
"And then a year later, I saw you in that writers workshop. I couldn't believe it. You weren't in my session, but I knew who you were as soon as I saw you. I talked to the proctor who had run your group, and he showed me the piece you had written. It was so lonely, and full of anguish. So much like what I had felt. I was hoping you would go to Suna for college, and then I could get to know you. But I found out that you didn't. You had followed your friend to some school across the country." Nagato didn't hide his disdain for that fact.
Naruto shifted, his mind processing what Nagato had left unsaid. "So... you went there to meet me? You weren't doing a research project, were you."
There was a slight pause. Nagato drew a breath, clearly bracing himself for what he was about to say.
"No. Naruto, I'm sorry. I know it seems really strange and I wanted to tell you but... you were the closest thing I had to the family I had lost. If it weren't for Yahiko, I would have lost it a long time ago. But seeing you was like looking back in time, like being given a second chance to have the family I had lost."
"I'm not him, you know. I mean... I get that we look alike. But you know I'm not him, right?"
Nagato chuckled. "You think I'm crazy. I guess I don't blame you. But yes, Naruto, I know you are not Minato. You are more like him than you realize, though. It isn't just your looks."
Jiraya hadn't talked much about his father or his mother. Naruto didn't have a strong emotional tie to the man who had sired him then died without ever even knowing of his existence. But he did have curiosity. "Really? I don't know much about him. Jiraya didn't think it was good to dwell on the past. And... I mean... who knows if he even would have wanted me. I was definitely not planned."
Nagato looked at Naruto intently. "He would have wanted you, Naruto. You would have been everything to him. Minato wanted children. He was so caring and protective. So kind and full of life."
Naruto knew he was seeing his father through the eyes of the child he had saved, but somehow he still felt a swell of pride inside at the man who would have been his father.
"I wish you could have known him. You should have had the chance," Nagato's voice sounded angry. Naruto understood that anger. He had felt the impotent rage against fate enough in his childhood to know it's sound and taste from others.
Nagato swallowed, clearly struggling to control his emotions. "I have to go in and get changed. Then let me take you out to dinner. I don't want to continue this with Zetsu and whoever else decided to crash here tonight. And... there is something I want to show you. Some photos I think you need to see. Then," Nagato's voice softened. "Then I'll take you home. You don't have classes or projects you need to work on this weekend, right?"
"Nah. I finished my projects yesterday. This weekend I'm just going to catch up on sleep." Naruto said, his mind still focused on the mention of photos. He had seen very few photos of either of his parents. Jiraya wasn't a sentimental man, and hadn't kept many pictures. The young couple had been active and busy with their lives, and with no wedding and no small children yet, they hadn't felt the pressures to take pictures of themselves much. After all, it wasn't like they had any family to send them to.
Naruto followed Nagato into the house and went into the kitchen to get some juice while the older man went up to change. Zetsu was sitting in the living room, sucking on the hose of an intricately designed hookah. Judging by the size of his pupils and the heavy, sweet smell in the house, he had been at it for a while.
"Want some?" he offered hazily to Naruto.
"Nah. Nagato and I are going to grab dinner, then I'm going to go back to the dorms and crash. It's been a long fucking week."
Zetsu shrugged, taking another long hit.
Naruto called Gaara quickly just to let him know the plan, and that the conversation with Nagato had gone better than expected. It was almost... normal. Not nearly as awkward as Naruto had been expecting.
Nagato came down, and they got in the car. The drove to Nagato's favorite restaurant, a Lebanese place called Layla's Falafel. It was a bit of a hole-in-the-wall place, but it had really good food.
And privacy.
After placing their orders, Nagato pulled out a pack of photos and handed it to Naruto. Naruto's excitement at the prospect of seeing pictures of his parents faded as he took in the subject of the photos.
"These are of Sasuke," Naruto said, frowning as he flipped through them. Sasuke at his office, with a redheaded girl and a platinum-haired man.
"I'm sorry, Naruto. After what happened at the bar on Friday, I had Sai follow Sasuke. I didn't want you to be hurt again. You had to know," Nagato looked honestly upset and concerned for Naruto.
Naruto set the photos down and shook his head slowly. "Nagato... you have to understand. These photos are not photos of Sasuke cheating on me. He just... people throw themselves at him. They always have. It doesn't mean he reciprocates it."
Nagato's face looked concerned. "Naruto, you're too innocent. Honestly, what kind of person would allow someone to continue to work for them if these advances were truly unwelcome? Look at the pictures. She is touching him. Kissing him. Leering at him. He is her boss. If he didn't like it, he should fire her."
A small part of Naruto agreed with that, and he would definitely talk to Sasuke about it. But he knew absolutely by looking at those photos that Sasuke was not interested in either the man or the woman in these photos. "Look, Nagato. I agree that Sasuke needs to take a stronger stand with them about this. But honestly, I went to school with the guy since we were twelve. And unless he is literally not going to hire any women in his office, and no homosexual men, then he is always going to have this problem. But I know that he wouldn't cheat on me. If he finds someone else he likes better, he'll just tell me to shove off and he'll go be with them. Sasuke has way too much pride to cheat. I'm not painting him out to be all roses and romance, but I know where his boundaries are. He's just so desensitized to sexual advances from random people that he hardly notices it anymore."
Nagato didn't look convinced, but he let the matter drop. Naruto, however, still had more to say.
"Nagato... you know it's weird that you have Sai stalking my boyfriend, right? I mean... you can't do shit like that. It's kind of creepy."
Nagato blushed, and looked embarrassed. "I know. I guess. It's just I knew that you have been so obsessed with Sasuke for so long that you wouldn't just take my word for it. And Sai is really good at what he does. He is able to really show the nature of the feelings of the people involved. Its how I knew about your feelings for Sasuke, and that he had hurt you so badly in the first place. It's why I blocked his number, and tried to keep him away from you. I know what he has done to you, what he has put you through. You don't deserve that, Naruto. Minato might not be here to protect you from people like him, but I am. I can finally do something in return for him. I can be the big brother I was supposed to have been."
Naruto didn't know what to say. Part of him was a little freaked out by the intensity of the emotion coming from the older man. But part of him... part of him wanted it. Part of him wanted there to be someone in this world who looked out for him and wanted to take care for him in the way that Nagato was describing. Just without all the creepy stalking parts.
"Nagato..." Naruto began, trying to find the right words to say what he felt. "When I think that you could have been my brother growing up, that instead of being alone and feeling tied to nothing, I could have had you as my family...," Naruto had to clear his throat. "... when I think of all I missed out on, I want to scream and throw chairs through windows that it didn't happen that way. For the both of us."
Nagato's face twisted in sympathetic anguish. Naruto reached across the table and grabbed one of Nagato's fisted hands.
"I have gotten to know you a bit over the past two years," Naruto continued. "And I honestly like you, and feel like we have already formed a bond. Finding out that you knew my father, that he had wanted to make you his son, only makes me feel even more tied to you. I know we are already both adults, but I... I still want a brother."
Naruto took a breath even as Nagato's face lit up. "But Nagato... you have to stop having Sai follow me around. You have to stop doing things like blocking phone numbers from my phone, or interfering with my friends. That goes too far, even for a brother. I'm not a child anymore, and I'm not my father. We have to be able to find a normal, middle ground. We can talk, do things together. You can tell me when I'm being an idiot, and I can tell you when you're being over-protective. But this," Naruto flicked the photos with his fingers, "this kind of stuff crosses a line. If I need help and ask you or Sai to check someone out for me, then that's one thing. But you can't go behind my back and do shit."
Nagato sat there, looking at Naruto. He clearly wanted to say the right thing back, but either wasn't sure what that was, or wasn't sure it would be the truth.
Naruto thought back to the video. He hadn't watched it more than once, due to the sheer embarrassment of watching himself in it. But some of the photos now triggered something in his mind.
"You had Sai follow me back in high school, didn't you? After you found out about me. Some of the photos from the video. They were not taken in Suna. They were taken in Konoha."
Nagato didn't look embarrassed or uncomfortable. "I just wanted to see what your life was like. I didn't want to force myself into it if you were happy. But I needed to know about you. The photos seemed a non-intrusive way of doing that. Getting to know you from a distance, I guess."
"Ok, that's... kind of stalking. But I understand I guess how it would be weird to try to just introduce yourself given that what connected us was my dead father who never even knew I existed. But Nagato, now I am in your life for real. You don't need to use the photos anymore. If you want to know what is happening in my life, just ask me. Don't have Sai go out and photograph it for you."
"Ok," Nagato said, looking slightly awkward. "I didn't mean to upset you. I just... it was so hard to lose him. To lose all of them. And you were my one tie back. I just wanted to... to see you. To know that somehow a piece of him was still in this world. It made me feel... better."
"So can I have your promise that you won't have anyone follow or photograph me again?"
Nagato nodded. "I guess you're right. I don't need the pictures now to know you're ok. I can just call you. Or take you out to dinner."
Naruto felt a bit of the tension he had been feeling drain out.
"Would it... bother you to talk about him?" Nagato asked. "Now that you know, there are so many stories about your dad that I always wanted to tell you. It bothered me that you never knew him. You'd have gotten along so well, you know?"
Naruto laughed a little. "Yeah, I'd like t hat. Jiraya never really talked much about him or my mom to me. Just the basics."
"Did you ever... visit their graves?"
Naruto nodded. "Jiraya took me there once. But it was just... a grave. I had no real idea of the people who were buried there, you know? Just that they were my biological parents. But I didn't feel any sort of connection. Jiraya took me there just so I would know where it was, I guess. He's not particularly religious, so we just looked at it for a few minutes, then left."
"Yeah, I figured as much," Nagato said.
"Maybe... maybe we could go together some time," Naruto said, seeing the sadness in the older man's eyes.
Nagato smiled slightly. "Are you finished eating?"
"Yeah. I'm stuffed. Thanks for dinner."
The restaurant was on the opposite side of town from campus, so Naruto knew it would be a long ride back to his dorm. The stress of the week coupled with the emotional intensity of the dinner conversation had left Naruto drained. The swaying motion of the car and the flicker of the streetlights as they drove past soon lulled Naruto to sleep.
Nagato looked over at the boy sleeping peacefully in the passenger seat, a look of contentment on the older man's face. He veered onto the highway, heading out of the city.
A few hours later, Naruto's cell phone started to ring. The boy didn't stir. Naruto needed his sleep. They'd be in Konoha by dawn.
-xXx-
"Did you find something out about Nagato?" Sasuke asked, holding the phone tightly.
"Yes. But you are not going to like it. You should tell Naruto not to confront Nagato about this alone. You said he was going to do it this weekend, right?" Itachi responded.
Sasuke felt his stomach clench. "Too late. He went tonight to talk to him. But he didn't come back home. Now they're both missing."
"Shit," Itachi said succinctly. "Tell me what happened."
Sasuke quickly replayed everything they knew up to this point. "What did you find out about Nagato?" He put his phone on speaker so Gaara could hear as well.
"He was institutionalized, like you said, at the age of 10 and again at 13 after Minato's death. I was able to... view... some of the records from the second facility. Evidently Nagato tried to steal Minato's body from the morgue, convinced he would be ok. After he was buried, Nagato kept running away and sleeping over his grave. The psychologist said that he was displacing all his emotional loss from his parents' deaths onto Minato, so it was as though Minato had become his entire family. They found newspaper clippings and letters that he had saved, and he broke into the police department's record archive to steal a copy of the medical report from Minato's death. He was deemed extremely unstable, but the orphanage didn't have the money to continue his treatment. His file was categorized as high risk, but more to himself than to anyone else."
Sasuke tried to fight down his sense of panic. It wouldn't be helpful.
Gaara spoke slowly, as if trying to feel his way around an idea that was forming. "Itachi, based on what you read in Nagato's file, what do you think he would consider 'home'?"
"That's right," Sasuke said, quickly following Gaara's line of thought. "Naruto said Nagato would bring him 'home' after dinner. Not 'back to the dorms'."
There was a short pause as all three men thought about that statement.
"I think I know where he's going," Itachi said, his fingers already typing in to check flight schedules. "The next flight to Konoha doesn't leave Suna until 8am. If you want, I can buy you two tickets and have you here by noon."
"No. We'll get there sooner than that," Gaara said, turning to Sasuke. "I hope you aren't as afraid of motorcycles as Naruto said. We're going to get to Konoha before that flight even takes off."
Sasuke paled slightly as Gaara stalked over to his bike and pulled the spare helmet out of the holder in the back. He thrust it wordlessly into Sasuke's hands. Sasuke just pulled the helmet on and swung a leg over to sit behind him. Neither of them noticed Zetsu standing looking shocked in the doorway.
When they hit the highway and Gaara released the throttle, Sasuke began to pray. He didn't know if he was more fearful for Naruto's life or his own.
-xXx-
Naruto woke up, feeling stiff and slightly disoriented. He realized he was in the passenger seat of a car. He glanced over, and saw Nagato asleep on the driver's side. They were parked in a parking lot. Naruto looked around him, not able to see much in the pre-dawn light, but didn't recognize the location. It wasn't the dorms. And judging by the amount of foliage he was able to make out, they weren't in Suna.
"Nagato," Naruto's voice was rough with sleep. He reached a hand over and pushed the shoulder of the older man. "Nagato, wake up. Where the fuck are we?"
Nagato stirred, then stretched. "We're back home," he said simply.
"Home? What are you talking about?"
"Konoha," Nagato said. Dawn was just breaking. Naruto got out of the car, and was surprised (and just a little freaked out) to find that they were at the Konoha cemetery.
"Um... Nagato? What the hell is going on?" Naruto was trying really hard not to panic. He was digging in his pocket for his cell phone, about to call 911.
"You said... that it would be good to visit his grave together. It's the weekend, so I thought..."
Nagato drifted off, looking towards a section in the graveyard that was off to one side. Naruto didn't remember the location, but he was sure that was his father's grave. He kept his hand closed around his cell, just in case. But he walked towards the older man, and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Ok, then. Let's go see him together," Naruto said softly. "But hey, Nagato?"
The older man turned his head towards him. "Next time, you have to ask me before you take me somewhere, ok? My roommate is probably razing Suna to the ground looking for me because I didn't come home. When we get back...," Naruto hesitated, not really sure how to say this. "When we get back, I want you to see a doctor. I'll go with you. I think... I think you still need some help dealing with all the shit that happened when you were little. I'll be with you. I'll help you. But we need someone who has experience with this kind of thing, ok?"
Nagato's expression looked almost child-like. "Can we go see him first, though? Together?"
Naruto felt his heart break just a little, and he had to swallow hard to get the words out. "Yeah. We'll go see him. Let me call Gaara first, so he knows I'm ok."
Just then a figure appeared, walking towards them from the cemetery. He was cloaked in black, eyes fixed on them. Naruto did not shriek. But he might have made some sort of noise.
"Naruto," the figure said. It was a voice he recognized.
Itachi.
"Are you ok?" Itachi asked, his voice sounding very calm and soothing. Naruto realized that somehow he must know about Nagato, and that Nagato was... not quite stable.
"We're fine, Itachi. It's good to see you," in a graveyard just before dawn when I'm already a little freaked out and you're all dressed in black like a freaking vampire. Itachi smirked, and Naruto would not have been surprised if Sasuke's brother had managed to read his thoughts. It wouldn't be the first time.
"I was just about to call Gaara to tell him not to worry. But since you're here, I'm guessing..."
Just then a motorcycle was heard approaching. At a speed that was at least double the legal limit.
"Ah, that must be Gaara and Sasuke now," Itachi said calmly.
"Naruto? Can we go in now?" Nagato asked, as if waiting for permission. Naruto gave Itachi a beseeching look. Itachi simply nodded.
"I'll give you some privacy," Itachi said. "But don't take too long. Sasuke is likely going to be... a bit impatient."
Naruto walked into the cemetery with Nagato. The man had clearly spent a lot of time here, because even in the dim light he clearly knew where he was going. They walked to a grave with a modest marker. Nagato sat down next to the stone.
"I didn't bring any incense," he said, looking a little lost.
"It's ok," Naruto said gently, sitting down next to Nagato. "I'm sure he doesn't mind." Naruto heard the motorcycle engine shut off, and assumed that Itachi was explaining to Gaara and Sasuke that things were under control. He heard Sasuke's raised voice, but couldn't quite make out the words.
"What do you usually do when you come here?" Naruto asked, honestly curious. He'd never felt anything in this place but general gloominess. Nagato, though, clearly felt a connection. He looked sad, but happy, too.
"Sometimes I just sit and take in the quiet... knowing that at least a piece of him is here," Nagato said. "When I was younger, I'd come here a lot and talk to him. Tell him what was happening, things I was having trouble with. As I got older, I didn't need to do that as much. I had Yahiko. He helped me."
Naruto nodded. Whatever feelings he had about Yahiko, the man had definitely stood by his friend. Naruto knew enough about people to know that most would not bother to maintain a friendship with someone who had a mental illness. It was hard. And Yahiko could easily have used his fame as an excuse to drift away from Nagato. But he hadn't. Naruto smiled slightly, glad that Nagato had had at least one good friend who knew his secrets and could help him.
"I found him for you, Minato," Nagato said softly, giving Naruto a little smile. "I promise to be the brother I should have been to him. And I'll tell him about you, since he didn't get a chance to know you."
Naruto felt his eyes burn, and he swallowed hard. He didn't really know what to do. He was silent for a while, but he got the feeling that Nagato was waiting for him to do something. To say something. "Um.. Dad," he said awkwardly, never having done something like this before. But he thought about what Nagato needed to hear, what words might make him more able to face what he needed to and accept Naruto's help. "I... I'll help Nagato. Like I know you would have. And we'll come back to visit you... and mom." Naruto's mother's grave was next to his father's, equally simple. Naruto noticed with a bit of shame that neither grave was as well tended as most of the others.
They sat in silence for a few minutes. And somehow, Naruto did feel something more than just generic sadness here. Maybe it was because of Nagato sitting beside him. Or maybe there was something of a person that lingers after death. But Naruto felt strongly in that moment that he had done the right thing.
He looked up, and saw Sasuke standing a few feet away, his eyes concerned, but respectful of the place. Naruto had gone with Sasuke to visit Fugaku and Mikoto's graves. But they had never visited Naruto's parents. Naruto held his gaze for a moment, their emotions flowing between them. Sasuke would never mock someone's grief in these circumstances. He knew, perhaps better than Naruto, how Nagato felt sitting at this grave and knowing who lay beneath it.
"Hey," Sasuke said softly. "Are you ok?"
"Yeah. We're good," Naruto said. He looked at Nagato, who appeared somewhat surprised to see Sasuke here.
"Aren't you... in Suna?" Nagato seemed slightly disoriented.
Naruto could see Sasuke's temper flash at Nagato's words, and silently pleaded with him to understand. Sasuke took a deep, steadying breath. "Yes. I was in Suna. But when Gaara called and told me that Naruto hadn't come home, we got worried and came looking for him."
Nagato looked honestly surprised at that statement. "So... you care what happens to him? You came to find him?"
Naruto braced for an explosion, and was somewhat surprised instead to see understanding flash across Sasuke's face. He squatted down in front of Nagato. "Yes. I care very much what happens to Naruto. I know that you might not believe that. But Naruto is... someone I could not live without," Sasuke's words were slow and patient. Almost as if he were speaking to a child, but without being condescending.
Sasuke and Nagato held each other's gaze for a few moments. Then Nagato smiled. "I'm glad, then."
He shifted, and stood. Naruto and Sasuke followed suit. "God, I'm so exhausted," Nagato said.
Itachi and Gaara had walked up behind Sasuke, and Itachi now spoke. "Let's all go back to my house. None of us have had much sleep, and I think we could all use some food and rest. I have plenty of guest rooms there."
Nagato seemed to realize that he was the cause of so many people spending a worried, sleepless night. "Um... I'm sorry," he said, not really sure where to go with this.
Naruto put his hand on Nagato's shoulder. "Its alright," he told the man reassuringly. Then he turned to face the others. "When we get back to Suna, we're going to find someone who can help Nagato work through some things. I'm going to spend more time with him and help him through it. We agreed there would be no more photographs, surprise road trips or cell phone modifications." Nagato looked a little embarrassed but smiled a bit. And nodded. Gaara and Sasuke exchanged a glace, and Naruto was glad that they didn't reject the idea immediately.
"That sounds like a good place to start," Itachi said. He looked at his brother and was relieved to see that - rather than hostility and jealousy - Sasuke's expression was filled with wary sympathy. Of course, they would make sure that Nagato was safe for Naruto to be around. And Sasuke was probably not going to be comfortable about Naruto spending a lot of time alone with the man until he had been evaluated. But all evidence at this point indicated that Nagato was out to protect Naruto. Not harm him. And that was an emotion that Sasuke could understand very well. And respect.
Gaara walked over to Naruto. "Don't scare me like that again. Or I'll embed a tracking device in you the next time you fall asleep in your bed."
Naruto laughed. He realized after a few seconds that Gaara was in fact not joking.
. . . . .
Sasuke insisted on riding with Nagato and Naruto as they all followed Itachi back to the house, mumbling something about preferring to ride with an actual lunatic over someone who just drives like one.
When they pulled in to the gates of the Uchiha manor, Naruto turned a surprised gaze to Sasuke. "When did Itachi move back here?"
Sasuke shrugged, realizing it was one of the many events that Naruto had missed in his life during their separation. "He moved back when I left for college."
Naruto could tell Sasuke was still not totally comfortable with the whole thing, but decided he would wait until later to talk to him about it. When they were alone.
The four men quickly ate a light breakfast, then Itachi showed everyone to guest rooms. Nagato seemed to relax when he realized that no one was angry with him, and that Naruto wasn't going to leave.
Itachi didn't bother showing Naruto to a guest room. "I'm guessing you won't be using it anyway," he said, then headed to his room to sleep. He had evidently spent the entire night in the graveyard waiting for Nagato to show up. Naruto had always known the older man had nerves of steel, but he shuddered to even think about that.
Sasuke showed Naruto to his room. It was the first time that Naruto had seen the room that Sasuke had grown up in as a child. It had obviously been redecorated for a grown man's taste, but still, it would carry memories of a past that would not return. "Are you doing ok... being back here?"
Sasuke shrugged. "I guess I got used to it living here last summer. Itachi felt like it was time to move on and reclaim our family home."
Naruto could only imagine how difficult the first few nights must have been, and he felt a wash of guilt that he hadn't been there for his friend. "Sorry," Naruto said in a low voice.
Sasuke raised his eyebrows. "For what?"
"That I wasn't there for you."
Sasuke let out a short, bitter laugh and sat down on the bed. "I think we can safely say that neither of us were 'there for' the other over the past couple of years."
Naruto looked down, not sure if Sasuke was mad, upset, tired, or some combination of all three.
"You have no idea how I felt when Gaara called me and told me you didn't come back last night," Sasuke said, his voice strange. "It was like... I remember when I was a kid, and Itachi and I were waiting for our parents to come home. And then a policeman came and knocked at the door, and said that there had been an accident. And he paused. And in that pause, I knew that something terrible had happened, but I didn't know what. That pause seemed to last hours. But then he was talking again, telling us our parents were dead."
Naruto sat quietly, letting Sasuke talk.
"When Gaara called, it felt the same as that pause. I was just waiting for news that you were dead."
"Sasuke, I'm ok," Naruto said, walking over and sitting next to his friend.
"I know. But Naruto, you didn't see Nagato's room. It's like something out of those crime shows where serial killers go around stalking their prey. It was covered with pictures of you and your dad. And a few of me."
Naruto blew out a breath. "I know. I talked to him about that. No more following me and no more photographs. He said... he just wanted to be close to me, but he didn't know how to bring up the past. It's not an easy thing to talk about. So to him, this felt like a totally normal way of getting close to me in a 'non-intrusive' manner."
Sasuke just looked at him for a second. "Ok, so you know that's totally insane, though, right? I mean... crazy people don't know they're crazy. Nagato is definitely crazy."
"Yeah, I know he has issues. He needs to go see a doctor. But he never would have hurt me. Sasuke, you should have seen him at my dad's grave. It was like he was 10 years old again. I don't think he's dangerous. He's just... broken."
Sasuke sighed. He was glad he sort of agreed with Naruto on this, because he knew that Naruto was going to try to help Nagato even if it turned out the guy was dangerous.
"Ok, promise me this. I will help find a good doctor in Suna to help Nagato. But if that doctor believes that Nagato is a serious threat to you, he needs to be institutionalized, at least until he is stable."
Naruto frowned. He'd seen "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". Sasuke seemed to know immediately what Naruto was thinking about. "Stop getting your facts from movies. There are good mental institutions, especially the ones where patients admit themselves voluntarily. The worst ones are the ones associated with the prison system. If we ignore any danger signs from Nagato and he actually hurts someone, he'll get put in one of those places. We won't put him in an institution if he's not dangerous, but if he is, it's better he goes to a good one voluntarily. And you are probably the only one that he will listen to on this."
Naruto sighed. What Sasuke said made sense. He just really hoped Nagato wouldn't need to go there. All Naruto could think about was a broken child, who lost first his parents then the person who had saved him. It wasn't Nagato's fault he was like this. It wasn't fair. But Sasuke was right.
"Ok," Naruto said softly. If Nagato wasn't dangerous, Naruto was going to request special permission to move out of the dorms early and live with the man to help keep an eye on him. But he decided now was not the time to discuss that with Sasuke. "But you need to fire Karin."
Sasuke hesitated, then nodded. He was still clearly upset. Having the emotions connect back to his parents' death, then being back in this room was clearly taking its toll on his friend. Plus it looked like Sasuke hadn't slept all night. Knowing how Gaara likes to drive on his motorcycle, Naruto was a bit surprised that they had made it down in one piece. And that Gaara hadn't gone to jail for excessive speed.
Naruto leaned over and brushed his lips across Sasuke's. "Get some sleep. You look exhausted. We'll figure all of this out in the morning."
Sasuke's eyes drifted closed at the light touch. He nodded, reached up into Naruto's hair to pull their mouths together more forcefully. "I couldn't lose you," he mumbled against Naruto's lips.
"You won't," Naruto said in return, leaning over and pushing Sasuke down on the bed.
Right now, what Sasuke needed most was to feel Naruto there with him, safe and unharmed. He slid his hands up under Naruto's shirt, resting one over the strong, steady beat of his heart before pulling the shirt all the way off. Suddenly, this was taking way too much time and Sasuke's hands were frantically ripping at Naruto's jeans and his own shirt. Naruto helped and soon their naked bodies were pressed together, their heat and friction the most solid proof that they were both alive and unharmed. Sasuke buried his face in his lover's neck, needing to steady himself as his emotions spiraled in a messy tangle of past and present anguish and love. Naruto seemed to understand as he crushed their bodies together, letting Sasuke feel his strength and health.
They thrust against each other, reaching climax quickly in the intensity of their need to simply be together. Exhausted, Sasuke lay with his arms tightly wrapped around Naruto, his grip not loosening even as his mind finally gave itself over to sleep.
. . . .
Naruto lay in bed, stroking Sasuke's soft hair while he slept. Having slept almost the entire car ride to Konoha, Naruto was by far the most rested in the house at the moment. After one last admiring glance at his lover's toned, naked body, Naruto drew the sheet over him and carefully extracted himself from Sasuke's grip and got out of bed so as to not wake him.
He took a shower, then dressed and went downstairs. He selected a book from the library and was sitting in the living room reading when the doorbell rang. Naruto got up to answer it, and was surprised to see Yahiko standing there.
"Naruto... is Nagato here?" the man said, looking worried.
"Yahiko? What are you doing here?" Naruto stepped back to let the man inside.
"Zetsu called me last night. He told me that Nagato had kidnapped you, and that Gaara and Sasuke thought he might have taken you to Konoha. I couldn't find an address listed for you in Konoha, but there was one for Uchiha so I thought I'd try it. Are you ok? Is Nagato here? Is he ok?"
Naruto could sense only genuine concern and worry coming from the older man. He relaxed a little. "Yeah. We're all fine. He just took me to the cemetery when I fell asleep in his car after dinner."
Yahiko cursed, then looked at Naruto intently. "He would never hurt you. Please... please don't press charges against him on this. I've cancelled the rest of my tour. I'm going to stay with him and help him. I'll make sure this doesn't happen again."
Naruto took in the exhausted look and disheveled state of the rock star. And felt true admiration and respect for him in a way he hadn't before. Yahiko might be terrible as a lover, but as a friend, he could be amazing. "Don't worry. I'm not pressing charges. I found out about... everything. I want to help him, too. He needs a doctor," Naruto said firmly. Yahiko looked down, but nodded. "When we get back to Suna, we'll find him a good one. Right now Nagato's sleeping. I'll take you to his room. You look like you could use some rest as well. There are extra rooms if you want or -"
"I'll stay with Nagato," Yahiko said softly.
They headed towards the stairs to find Itachi standing there. He nodded briefly to Yahiko when Naruto introduced them, and shot Naruto a questioning look. Naruto took Yahiko to Nagato's room, then came back to update Itachi on what was going on. He was under no illusions about how complicated this was all going to be. But for the first time in his life, he felt like he had someone who really needed him... someone he could help. Some small piece of his fucked up past that he could put to rights.
-xXx-
to be continued...
Next chapter will be tying up final loose ends, and closing the story. Anything you are dying to know about or have happen (but not a stupid break-up, since that would not work) please let me know and if I can work it in, I will. I usually take a bit of time to write final chapters, because I re-read the entire fic at least 2 times before I write it to make sure I didn't leave something out.
AND - I know I had promised several of you a full make-up sex lemon (when I thought that the final break-up/make-up arc was still going to make sense) but since that is now NOT going to happen, I will let you pick what setting you would like the final lemon to be in. I will do my best to make it just as hot as make-up sex. Here are the options: motorcycle sex, car sex, library sex, sex in Sasuke's office, sex in Naruto's dorm room or drunken New Year's sex. You will have 3 days after this fic has posted to give me your votes (review or PM), then I will start to write (blatant favoritism of my most loyal readers... but they deserve it! This whole story would have been taken down after chapter 2 if not for them. All you silent readers should be grateful to them).