A.N. Erm... do try a bit more with reviewing, huh, guys? Come on, I even made it juicy this time ^^
Chapter 2 – Changes
When Sasuke opened his eyes again he was alone – both Sakura and Naruto were gone, the bed next to his own was empty. Forgetting his pain, he jumped from the bed and almost ran in the hallway. After him he heard a nurse yelling, sounding terrified.
"Uchiha san! Why are you up!.? You must rest! Your wounds…."
"Where is he?", Sasuke groaned.
"Excuse me?"
"Where is Naruto?.!"
"Oh… Uzumaki san just left. With his regenerative powers, his wounds… but YOU must rest!..."
Sasuke stopped listening. Uzumaki san…?
Leaving the nurse to her blathering he strode off, looking for a certain loudmouth.
And what was it with this hospital?.! Endless hallways, as if they were made especially for people to lose themselves there. Was it a hospital or a labyrinth?.!
He finally reached the reception. And saw him. And yet… not really him.
The man, standing proudly there, was tall and really handsome. His big blue eyes were crystal clear and looked at him without hesitation, holding Sasuke's stare. He was wearing a robe, red with black flames, and what looked like the hugest scroll Sasuke had ever seen. The man crossed his arms over his toned chest and stared back with a serious expression.
This… was not Uzumaki Naruto Sasuke had left four years ago. He was not the stupidly grinning fool, the loudmouth, the troublemaker. He wasn't wearing the vest, but Sasuke knew he was at least jounin level now, if not ANBU. That man was not the naïve brat Sasuke knew. He was a responsible Leaf nin. Uzumaki san.
Sasuke forced himself to smirk.
"So… you chased me all over the world and you're leaving me in the hospital?", he asked.
Naruto smirked too, averting his eyes. "I am healed, teme. You are not. And… while I was… "chasing you all over the word", I realized I had to live for myself sometimes. To own a life that is not only devoted to you…."
Uchiha Sasuke was left speechless. What the…? Was that really…. Naruto talking?
"What happened to you…?", he whispered, not even realizing he had said it out loud.
Naruto smiled lopsidedly. "You happened to me. Life happened to me. We cannot remain children for long, Sasuke. Life doesn't let us…"
"Naru-… Oh." The girl, who had just barged in, stopped mid-step and stared at Sasuke as well.
She had changed too. She wasn't looking at him with the fool's adoration. Her green eyes were actually… wary.
Her body was lean and taller too and her hair was longer. She still wore a skirt, short enough to show her nice long legs. But her eyes were guarded when she simply nodded, saying "Sasuke.."
He nodded in response.
"I think you should rest still. They are only letting out Naruto today. … That's why I came", she explained, now turning towards the blond man. "My shift starts after an hour or so. Do you want us to go get some tea or…?"
"Yeah…", Naruto only nodded too, first to her, then to Sasuke. He then walked towards the door.
„You should rest some more, Sasuke", Sakura said calmly, eerily calmly compared to her hysterical "Sasuke kuuuun"-s he could still remember. She then walked off too, joining Naruto.
But Sasuke could still hear them.
"Are you ok?", Sakura asked, sounding worried.
"They did officially discharge me, Sakura…"
"That wasn't what I asked."
"… I'm ok."
So… was that only a pose then, Sasuke wondered. And if so… why? Was Naruto punishing him, acting all cool? Or was he really… hurt that much…
Well… some things never changed, Sasuke guessed watching the lanky silver headed jounin, resting under the tree in the schoolyard, reading a porn book. In the schoolyard. Sasuke shook his head.
"Don't you have some better place to read that shit?", Sasuke asked, walking closer to his ex sensei.
"Good day to you too, Sasuke", Kakashi muttered, flipping another page.
Not asking for permission, Sasuke sat next to him.
Silence.
"Just ask", Kakashi offered.
"What happened while I was… gone?"
Kakashi snorted. "You want me to sum up four years? Well, Izumo and Kotetsu married, Iruka and…"
"Kakashi", a pointed look. "With Naruto."
Kakashi sighed. "Can't you guess? He went training, out of the village for three years. He left all his friends to go become a better ninja, to chase after you and finally get you back…", Kakashi's stare was accusing.
And for some reason Sasuke couldn't look up into that lone eye. He kept watching the ground.
"He had to put up with his sensei's death then; the guy who had become like a grandfather to him. He had to fight back the fox's chakra, getting stronger. He had to go, alone, against the strongest amongst Akatsuki. And before you ask where I was, so he was alone, I was kinda… dead back then. And Sakura had to save half of the village with her healing abilities. All of his friends fought, but he had it the worst."
"Who…?"
"He faced Pein."
Sasuke's eyes widened. Pein?.! That was… Only Madara was worst! And they had fought him together…
"There's more. After Danzou died and Tsunade woke up from her coma, she appointed Naruto as the next Hokage. She is tutoring him now."
A small smirk-like smile appeared on Sasuke's lips. So, the dobe's dream will come true.
"So… don't screw things up, Sasuke."
He finally looked up only to be met with his sensei's ice-cold gaze.
"Because this time I will stop you."
Awkward silence stretched between them again until finally the bell rang and Kakashi immediately looked at the school's entrance door. "Saved by the bell", Sasuke couldn't help but thinking when just then something nearly impossible happened – Umino Iruka, the Umino-Iruka-his-ex-sensei, walked out, came closer, slipped a hand, with a ring on that finger, in Kakashi's hand and leaned to kiss mask covered lips.
WHAT THE…?.!
Kakashi smiled into the kiss, then they both stepped back to look at each other lovingly, before Kakashi looked back at a shocked Sasuke.
"If you had let me finish I would have told you. This is Hatake Iruka, my husband. We are married and have an adopted daughter, who, if you hurt, I will kill you slowly.", Kakashi said, smiling his crescent eye smile.
Iruka chuckled a bit, shaking his head, then bowed a little to Sasuke and tugged Kakashi's arm, leading him home.
Well… it appeared that some things did change, Sasuke thought.
The door slammed shut behind them but they never ceased their activities. Their kiss deepened; her fingers buried deeper in his hair and her legs tightened around him; he didn't stop walking towards the bed – he had waited enough and now he needed this.
He threw her on the bed, not that gently, and crawled above her like the wild animal that hid inside him. Hands were discarding clothes quickly, not minding if a button was accidentally torn or if a nail left a pink mark on pale skin.
*Censored part, involving Naruto and Sakura making love; Sakura's first time. Full chapter - at AdultFanFiction. More info - in my profile here*
Sakura looked a bit surprised when Naruto laid next to her and gathered her in his strong warm embrace. She snuggled almost shyly and he couldn't bite back his words.
"Did you really think I was such a bastard to leave right after it's over?"
She was silent for a while. He was thinking she wouldn't answer and his heart was beginning to ache when she finally whispered "I knew it was what you needed. Sex. I-I just… didn't hope for more."
His brow furrowed. "What I needed?"
"Well, all men need it."
"That wasn't what you meant."
Wow. Sometimes even she forgot how much he had grown up.
She coughed awkwardly. "A-after Sasuke came back… you've been so…frustrated… I knew it was a matter of time before you found out training didn't help you and… you had to seek for something… else… to bring you release."
Silence.
"Is that what you think this was, Sakura? Barely a way for me to release tension?"
More silence. He rose on an elbow to look down on her.
"You think I see you merely as a tool?"
She averted her eyes. "I… know it is him you wanted, but… since you couldn't have him…"
"Sakura!"
He sounded so heartbroken that she turned around to look at him. He looked stricken.
"You are not his replacement. You hear me?.! You. Are not. His replacement!", he almost yelled, grabbing her and crushing her in his embrace.
She said nothing.
A.N. Reviews are, like always, greatly appreciated ;)