A/N: Angst! Fluff! Sexy-time! Yes, find all of this dramatically rolled up into one chapter! I hope you all like it! And I'd just like to thank everyone who favorited or followed this story, you guys keep me motivated, I love you (: And to the few people who reviewed my story, thank you for your kind words and support, getting reviews is my favorite (:
Sunlight poured through the sheer curtains that elegantly draped the windows. It shown brightly over a pale face that slowly blinked awake at the feeling of the warmth it produced. Sasuke Stretched slowly bringing his arms above his head and noticing a heavy feeling weighing down his torso. His blurry eyes glaced down to find a tan, muscular leg draped over his stomach and an arm over his chest. His eyes widened in realization and turned to see the blond sleeping next to him, snoring and drooling all over his formally clean pillowcase.
"Oh, ew, what the hell! Wake up, usuratonkachi!" He shook the blond's shoulder after his loud voice failed to wake the heavy sleeper. The snoring paused for a moment, and after mumbling something about ramen he just shifted his position. The snoring returned. "You've got to be kidding me." After realizing this was going to be a challenge, Sasuke pounced on top of the blond, stradling him, and shook both of his shoulders. "Naruto! Wake up!"
The blond jolted up, hitting his head against Sasuke's."Wha-what? Sorry! Nevermind, I'll come back later!" He stared confused at the raven-haired man sitting on him, rubbing his injured forehead, and suddenly remembered where he was. "Oh, uh, sorry. You scared me."
"You drooled on my pillow, you gross weirdo." His eyes narrowed and his facial expression was stern. "And you sleep like a spaz."
"Sorry, jeeze." He streched his arms above his head and yawned. "Hey it's pretty bright in here, what time is it?"
Sasuke froze. "Shit!" He jumped out of bed so fast his head spun as he scrambled to his closet to change. "Shit, shit, shit!"
"What? What's wrong? You late for something?" Naruto stared, confused, as the Uchiha put his shirt on backwards, cursed, and fixed it.
Sasuke pointed to the alarm clock on his night stand as he pulled his pants on. "It's 7:47." He slid a sock on each foot, one was inside-out but he didnt have time to care as he ran to the bathroom, that was attached to his room, and spaztically applied some deodorant. "I have therapy in 13 minutes and I can't be late."
"Oh, crap. You better hurry up then." Naruto stood from Sasuke's bed and approached him with a smile. "Good luck" He placed his hand on the Uchiha's arm and kissed him gently on the cheek. "Also, you forgot to zip your fly."
Sasuke growled as he pulled his zipper up. He brushed past him, hurried down the hall and slid on his shoes. "Help yourself to the kitchen, make some breakfast, I don't care. Oh, and your clothes are over here on the floor...I think we might have gotten...stuff...on them. Have fun with that. Later, loser." And within the blink of an eye the door was slammed shut behind him.
~0~o~0~
The door to the therapist's office flung open and Sasuke skidded to a hault, breathing heavily.
"You're late." his therapist was a thin woman with dark brown hair neatly swirled into a bun on the top of her head. Her bi-focals rested on the tip of her nose and her freshly manicured nails tapped impatiently on her desk.
"I slept in. Sue me." Sasuke rolled his eyes and set his blank, unamused expression firmly in place before taking a seat.
"In a sour mood, as usual, I see." She clicked her pen and pulled a file out of a drawer and placed it on her desk, scribbling something down. "The nightmares are still occurring, I take it?"
"Yes. They've gotten worse. But I didn't have any last night. I slept like a baby, actually. Don't go assuming things. You act like you know me. It's annoying." He stared blankly at her, speaking in monotone.
"I see." Her pen hit the paper again. Frowning, she scribbling something else. "As I recall, you've stated in the past that your nightmares are nightly occurances. Was yesterday a good day for you then? Did something happen to brighten your mood?" She stared at him with a straight face, nails returning to their impatient tapping.
"That isn't any of your business. You're lucky you even know about the nightmares."
She sighed and pushed her glasses up. Her eyes narrowed as she made eye contact with the Uchiha. "You do understand how therapy works, don't you? You share your feelings and your problems and I do my best to help you. How can I help you if week after week you refuse to share anything?"
"I don't need your help. I'm fine. There isn't anything wrong with me. I'm not some psychopath ready to snap and kill everyone at any moment, like everyone seems to think. There isn't any point for me to be here." He propped his elbow on the armrest and placed his head in his hand looking bored.
"Sasuke, you have suffered major emotional trauma. You have displayed in the past how greatly this has affected your mental state. You are not healthy, you are sick. There is no arguing this fact. However, you shouldn't feel ashamed of this. It is expected from someone who has gone through what you have. I am not here to judge you, I am here to resolve the issue. I'm here to help." Her arms crossed as she sat back in her seat.
"I was sick. I'm not anymore. I'm fine." He continued to look bored and stared out the window at a crow that had landed on a fence post. He sighed, and looked away.
"So just like that, you're fine? You miraculously recovered from your trauma? You don't have any pent up anger, frustration, or sadness? How do you explain your nightmares? Have you truly aquired peace of mind?" Her pen weaved through her fingers as she spoke, never once breaking eye contact.
"Yes, I'm absolutely fine. My friend snapped me out of it, I changed, and now I'm fine. As for the nightmares, everyone experiences them, they mean nothing." An involuntary twitch of his rinnegan eye signaled his increasing annoyance.
"You may have changed, Sasuke, but are you truly convinced that you are not still hurting? You never feel as though you may break down? You never remember your past and supress the urge to lash out? The things you've seen, the things you've done, you aren't bothered by them?"
"No." He clenched his jaw and fought to keep his blank expression in place.
"You killed your own brother, Sasuke. You took other lives as well. And you're doing just fine? It is a fact that after a person takes the life of another they suffer emotional scarring and are haunted by it for the rest of their lives. Your case is a little more serious considering the life you took was your elder bro-"
"Shut up! Just shut the hell up! You don't know a fucking thing about it so just stop. You sit behind that desk with your Goddamn pen and paper writing meaningless bullshit attempting to understand what you never possibly could. Stop trying to claw your way into my brain, I'm not telling you shit. I don't want to be here and I don't need to be either. I'm fucking fine."
"Mhm. So, we're finally getting somewhere." She broke eye contact and scribbled something in her file. She pulled a note-pad from her drawer and jotted something down before tearing the page out and handing it to Sasuke.
His eyes widened as he read the paper. His hands trembled as he re-read it. He abandoned all efforts to keep his expression uninterested as he rose from his seat. "A prescription? Are you fucking kidding me?!" His fist clenched around the paper, mutilating it in his grasp.
"Clearly your emotions are unmanageable. This medication should keep them in check."
"I am a master at controlling emotions, don't give me that bullshit! No one can ever see behind my mask, the last thing I need help with is suppressing emotions!" He gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on the abomination in his hand.
She raised a neatly shaped eyebrow. "Oh? Is that so? Well sounds like you need this medication even more than I thought." She placed his file back in her drawer and clicked her pen closed before setting it aside. "You're dismissed."
"What?! No this is completely unfair!" He screamed at her, receiving no reaction other than unamusement. Clearly, she had experience with pissing off her clients. "You can't fucking do this! You purposely tried to get under my skin to get a reaction out of me! I don't need this prescription, you sneaky diluted fucking bitch!" He slammed his fists down on her desk, rattling everything causing her pen holder to tip over, pens rolling out and falling off the surface.
She narrowed her eyes and cleared her throat. "Security!" Her voice was steady and clear.
Sasuke snarled at her, ripped the paper up and threw it in her face. "I'm not taking any pills. You can fuck off."
"Don't worry, I'll be sure to see that you do. This is for your own good." She calmly stood from her seat and began collecting her scattered office supplies as two men dressed in standard Jounin uniforms rushed in.
Both men took hold of one of Sasuke's arms and pulled him out of the office. Once they had escorted him out of the building, they shoved him down the steps to the entrance. Sasuke caught his footing and balanced himself half-way down, glaring back at the men before storming away. His thoughts were a swarming chaotic mess, his fists were clenched, his heart was racing at an alarming pace and, had his thoughts not been so preoccupied, he might have feared it bursting from his chest.
As he walked through the street he received the usual glares and comments he endured daily. He ignored them as usual. It was easier now that his own thoughts were much louder than they were.
"Psycho!"
"Traitor!"
"Murderer!"
"Trash!"
Their voices were just muffled sounds in the background as he weaved through the crowd. His head was pounding and his fingers were now aching from his tightly chenched fists. He ignored it all. His thoughts were screaming at him, overpowering everything else.
He had to get to Kakashi before she did. He had to explain what happened in his own words and convince him to overrule the medication she perscribed to him. He had to make sure that no matter what, he never had to go back to her, and he would not have to take any pills. He desperately tried to calm himself down in preparation for making a convincing argument. He inhaled deeply and exhaled.
"Sasuke-kun!"
No. Oh god, anyone but her.
"Good morning." Hinata stood before him wearing a weak smile, looking pathetic. As always. "Have you seen Naruto? Kiba was looking for him. They're supposed to work on the library's construction today." She nervously fidgeted with the bottoms of her long sleeves as she spoke.
"I don't have time for this. Get out of my way." He narrowed his eyes at her before shoving past her, hitting her shoulder with his own as he passed.
"S-sorry" She mumbled as her cheeks turned bright red.
Whatever, just stay the hell away from me. He broke into a sprint as he neared the Hokage building and hurried up the steps. He ran up flights of stairs until he reached the final floor and pushed his way through Kakashi's door, fighting back two Anbu.
"Release him." Kakashi sighed as he shook his head disapprovingly at Sasuke's behavior. "It's fine, give us some privacy." The Anbu nodded and exited the room at Kakashi's order.
"Okay, Sasuke. What is this about?" The silver haired man leaned lazily against his desk and stuffed his hands in his pockets.
Sasuke just stood there for a moment, trying to figure out where to begin his story. He cleched and unclenched his fists, feeling idiotic for his emotional breakdown. Standing next to Kakashi, who was so calm and collected, made him feel embarrassed of his current mental state. He took a breath and relaxed his muscles.
"Well?" Kakashi's voice was bored but his eyes confirmed curiosity.
Sasuke relayed the events of his therapy session as calmly as he could manage, making a conscious effort to not let his anger rise to the surface. As he spoke, Kakashi merely stood listening, giving the occasional nod and staying relaxed. When he finished his story, his former sensei straightened his posture and crossed his arms.
"Sounds to me like she was right to hand out a prescription. You and I both know that you're not exactly a hundred percent stable. I think medication could help you."
Sasuke's jaw dropped. "W-what?...You're taking her side?" numbness washed over him as he stood there with his arms limp at his sides. He stared at Kakashi in disbelief. "You're just like everyone else...you think im a monster...an unstable lunatic...you don't trust me."
"Sasuke, that isn't how I feel at all I-"
"Then why?! Why should I take medication like some crazy person? Why is everyone against me? I know I've made some major mistakes in the past but-"
"Major mistakes? Try outstanding, colossal even. Sasuke, one does not simply recover from that state of mind in a measly seven months. It takes years...a lifetime even. You are trying and I recognize that and I am happy for that. I can see that you've changed and I am on your side. I want you to be happy and I want you to return to your position as a Leaf shinobi. That's why I fully support any decisions your therapist makes." He moved from his spot in front of his desk and approached Sasuke, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Taking medication is not something to be ashamed of. It shows that you're taking steps to improve your mental health. And you aren't crazy, you're just suffering emotionally and you need help. It isnt healthy to keep everything bottled up and push your thoughts aside, pretending that everything is okay when it isn't. I'm worried about you. And so are Naruto and Sakura. We all want what is best for you. Please do this for not just us, but more importantly, for yourself."
"But...Kakashi...please...please don't do this to me..." He felt tears well up in his eyes and quickly blinked them away, refusing to show any signs of weakness. He was not weak. And he certainly wasn't crazy.
"You need to understand that we aren't against you. You need to know that we are only trying to help. You'll take the medication and you'll continue your appointments. Do this, and prove to us that you will do whatever it takes to get better. We are on your side. Let us help you." His eyes softened and he took his hand away from the Uchiha's shoulder, giving the poor man a little space.
Sasuke shook his head, the back of his throat burned, his chest felt tight. Kakashi didn't understand, and neither did his therapist. But one person had always understood him. He needed to find Naruto. He turned swiftly on his heel and bolted out the door running through the building and then down the street. His heart was racing, his eyes watering, his breathing uneven. He raced desperately towards his last hope.
~0~o~0~
Sasuke arrived at the library's construction site and immediately began to scan the working shinobi for a head of bright yellow hair. He walked around the site frantically searching when he spotted Kiba working alone.
"Kiba!" His sudden exclaimation startled the brunett, making him drop the hammer he was holding which landed on his unfortunate foot. "Where's Naruto?"
"Ow, ow, ow! Damn it!" He hopped around on one leg clutching his injured foot. "Not cool, dude! Don't go around yelling people's names out of nowhere. Man, I just healed my ankle and now this?" He sighed deeply. "I just can't catch a break, man."
"Suck it up. Where's Naruto?" His eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms, impatiently waiting for a response.
"He never showed up. Bastard ditched me. I looked every place I could think of, his apartment, Ichiraku's, the training grounds, I even asked Hinata since they seem to be so damn close lately. She didnt know where he was either." He continued coddling his throbbing foot and didnt notice when Sasuke bolted in the opposite direction. When he finally looked up, the Uchiha was long gone. "Okay...weird." He shrugged and went back to work.
~0~o~0~
Sasuke flung his door open and entered his home. He looked around frantically before he noticed a loud wurring noise coming from down the hall. He followed the sound until he found himself standing in the doorway of his bathroom watching a flustered blonde blow-drying his bright orange clothes.
"What are you doing?" Naruto jumped at the sound of the Uchiha's voice and immediately turned the hair-dryer off.
"Sasuke! Thank God! I couldnt leave the house because my clothes were in the danger zone when we did it and they got covered in our man stuff and well obviously I couldnt wear them like that and I couldn't even go home for fresh clothes because all of your shirts have the damn Uchiha family crest sewn on the back and I can't have people seeing me in that and so I tried to wash them in the sink but then they were soaking wet and I couldnt wear wet clothes and so I found your hair dryer -by the way why do you own this?- and it's taking forever to get them dry! PLEASE HELP ME!" He inhaled as if he had been suffocating for hours and exhaled dramatically.
"Why didn't you just wear my pants and go topless? It's hot out, no one would think twice. Or, you could've turned one of my shirts inside out. You're stupid, so noone would think twice of that either." He cocked an eyebrow and stared at the blond who looked dumb-founded.
"Oh my god." Naruto smacked his forehead as punishment for his own stupidity.
"Yeah." Sasuke looked away and frowned. "So, listen...something happened today. I need to talk to you about it."
"Is something wrong?" Naruto's asked, concerned.
"Yeah...come on." Sasuke led the blond to the living room where he gestured towards the couch. They both took a seat, sitting closely enough that their knees were touching.
The Uchiha inhaled deeply and leaned his head against the back of the couch, closing his eyes. He collected his thoughts and returned to an upright position. He stared desperately at the sunshiney face of his final hope before relaying the entire story. He left nothing out as he told him of his therapy session and his conversation with Kakashi. He shared every detail honestly, and when he finished speaking he looked away and gripped the fabric of his pants, frowning in anticipation for Naruto's reaction.
Bright blue eyes widened. The blond placed his hand on the Uchihas lap. He was silent for a moment before speaking. "Sasuke...you need that medicine. Kakashi was right. I'm worried about you and if this stuff will help you then I think you should take it."
Sasuke's heart stopped. He stared at his final hope in devastation, anger bubbling up inside of him. He rose from the couch and stared at the blond in disbelief. "You can't be serious." His fists clenched. "You were my last hope! I was so sure that of everyone I knew you would be the one to understand! How could you say that? You really think some pills are going to fix everything? I can handle myself on my own, I don't need a krutch! I am in complete control!"
Naruto looked away, unable to make eye contact. "No, Sasuke. You just think you're in control. But you're not. You proved that the other day when you snapped on that Chuunin in the marketplace. You let your anger take over."
"You know damn well that he pushed me to that point! I don't just go around snapping on people. If I'm provoked of course I'm going to react! It was the same thing with my therapist today, she knew what she was doing. She knew, I'd freak out. She knew which buttons to press!" He was yelling now and his heart was beginning to race.
"That's just it though. You're going to have people trying to get a rise out of you, knowing just what to say...and you're going to freak out and do something...bad. Everyone here knows what you've done and they'll throw it in your face. You're always going to be set off. I asked Baa-chan about trauma and she told me it can cause people to have mood swings, anger problems, and distance themselves from people. She said they can have nightmares and flashbacks and can be set off by things that remind them of the thing that traumatized them. And you show all of those things. Don't you want to feel better? Aren't you tired of being angry all the time? Just take the medicine..."
"I'm not taking the fucking medicine!" Tears welled in his eyes and spilled out, streaming down his pale cheeks. Naruto still refused to meet his eyes, his head hung low as the Uchiha screamed at him. "I really thought you'd be the one to defend me, Naruto. I didn't know that you think I'm crazy too. You're supposed to be my best fucking friend! More than that, even! But, you just think I'm some fucking psycho who needs to be medicated to function properly!"
A fire ignited inside of Naruto. Burning with anger, he stood from the couch and grabbed the Uchiha by his shirt, pulling him up to eye level. "Are you fucking kiddin' me right now?" He grit his teeth, glaring into Sasuke's mismatched eyes. "Do you honestly think that's how I feel? Last night should have been proof enough of my feelings for you! And people think I'm the stupid one...right now, you're the idiot!"
"Well, what the hell am I supposed to think right now? I thought you'd be on my side!" Sasuke gripped Naruto's wrists, attempting to pull them away, to no avail.
"Just fucking listen to yourself right now! Damn it, Sasuke, I am on your side! That's why I want you to listen to your therapist and do what she says! She wouldn't put you on medication if she didn't think it would help you!"
"She's not trying to help me, you idiot! She's clearly-"
"Shut up! Just listen to me! You and I both know you've been through a lot. You can't just keep acting like everything is fine when it's not! Just accept the fuckin' help! I don't get what's so bad about taking medicine anyway! Why are you freaking out like this?" He released Sasuke's shirt and shoved him back onto the couch. He crossed his arms, waiting for the Uchiha's response.
"You really want to know why I'm freaking out so badly?" He asked, calmly. "Well, here it is. I don't want to rely on pills to make me 'sane'. If I accept the medication, I'm accepting that I'm crazy. And I'm not fucking crazy. I don't need them, and I'm insulted that so many people seem to think that I do."
"No one thinks you're crazy, Sasuke. Not me, not Kakashi, not your therapist. We just know that you've gone through a lot and sometimes the wounds that take the longest to heal are the ones we can't see. And you have a lot of those kinds of scars. You don't need medication to make you 'sane', you need it to help you feel better. It's not about you going crazy on us, it's about your happiness. That's all we want. It's all I want."
"Shouldn't you just accept me as I am? Or do I need to be the Sasuke you want me to be before you'll fully accept me?"
"What the hell are you even saying? I fucking chased after you for years! How can you say that? After everything I did to get you back...do you honestly believe I'd go through all of that to help you, just to turn around and tell you to change?! I don't want you to change! I like who you are, I just can't stand to see you suffering! I can't fucking stand it! It hurts to watch you pretend to be content when I know you're not...I just want you to be happy. It's all I've ever wanted. That's why I went so far for you..."
Damn it. Why'd he have to go and make me feel guilty. Usuratonkachi...
"What if I don't take the medication? What if I refuse?" He asked, crossing his arms.
"Well," Said Naruto, narrowing his eyes. "I can't force you to do anything you don't want to do. But, I really wish you'd just give it a shot. I just want you to want to help yourself as much as I want to help you."
Sasuke was silent for a moment. He weighed his options and refected on what Naruto had said. He thought back to the day he had woken up next to Naruto, an arm missing. He remembered how Naruto had made him feel, how his words and actions had saved him from the dark and lonely path he was headed on. Naruto was his light at the end of the tunnel, and he felt he really owed him for that.
"Fine." He said, at last. "I don't want to take it. I really don't. But after everything you did for me, it's only fair that I do this one thing for you. If this is what you want, then fine. I'll do it."
"Sasuke, I don't want you to do it for me, I want you to do it for yourself."
"Too bad. I'm doing this for you and you alone."
"Promise me?" Naruto asked. His angry expression transitioning to hopeful. "Promise me, you'll really go through with it?"
"I promise." Sasuke confirmed.
A grin spread across Naruto's face and he threw himself at Sasuke, stradling him and hugging him tightly. Sasuke's first instinct was to push the idiot off of himself. Instead, he retrained himself and gave in to the blond's affection. He returned the hug, his arms wrapping lightly around him, daring to go a step farther and placing a kiss on his tanned collarbone.
Naruto laced his hands through Sasuke's raven-colored hair and pressed his lips against the others. They kissed passionately, letting their tongues taste each other, feeling the warmth of each other's bodies. Sasuke broke away for a moment only to remove the blond's shirt and catch his breath. He stared hungrily at the tan chiseled abs he had uncovered and attacked the blond, twisting him around and pinning him to the couch, biting at his neck and lower lip. His animal instincts were rising to the surface and he began to lose control.
Naruto moaned as Sasuke's eager hand traveled down to his groin area and started rubbing, feeling his erection hardening and rebelling against the fabric of his pants. He pulled the blond's zipper down and unbuttoned him, releasing his hardened cock. Sasuke pulled Naruto's pants and boxers off of him and tossed them aside. He grabbed the blond's erect dick and placed his mouth on the tip, sucking on it lightly, teasing him.
"Oh come on, Sasuke, that's not fair!" The sound of Naruto's husky voice drove him crazy. He licked his dick from the bottom up, watching the look on the blond's face with satisfaction. When he felt Naruto had suffered enough, he began bobbing his head up and down, allowing the blond's cock to hit the back of his throat, which acquired him a very good reaction. Naruto's gasps and moans encouraged the Uchiha to give him the best performance he could manage. He ran his tongue up the length and stopped at the tip, sucking hard before plunging back in and deep throating him once more. He felt Naruto's member pulsing against his tongue and within a second his mouth filled with the blond's thick warm cum. He continued sucking as Naruto released his load, moaning and clutching Sasuke's hair.
Sasuke lifted his head, wiping his mouth as it dripped with Naruto's thick release. The blond's cheeks were pink and he leaned back on his arms, breathing heavily. He looked so vulnerable and Sasuke had every intention of taking advantage of that as he stared at him with hungry eyes. "Don't tell me you're worn out already, I'm not finished with you." He smirked and grabbed Naruto's hips, sliding him closer to him. He leaned in close and nipped at the blond's ear "Strip me, Naruto. Show me how much you want me."
Naruto didn't need any more encouragement. He was ready for him. He immediately stripped the Uchiha and pinned him down, trailing kisses along his pale collar bones as his hand gripped his erect penis. He let his finger's play with the tip as he muffled Sasuke's moaning with his own mouth, kissing him, biting his lip, and bringing his tongue to meet the Uchiha's. He broke away from their make-out session to return his favor and placed his lips around Sasuke's hard cock. He mimicked what the Uchiha had done for him and received a good reaction from him as he moaned deeply and grasped the blond's spikey hair, pushing his head further down. "Fuck" his smooth, deep voice sent a tingle down Naruto's spine as he began sucking harder, going deeper.
"Okay, that's enough foreplay. I'm taking over, I want you now." He grabbed Naruto's waist and switched their positions, putting himself on top before turning the blond over. He wet his hand with his own saliva, remembering the raw painfulness they had experienced previously. After preparing Naruto's entrance with his fingers, he grabbed the blond's hips and thrusted himself inside, finding the perfect spot that had worked so well for them the last time. He rocked his body slowly at first, quickening his pace. The faster he went, the louder the blond became.
"Sasuke..." the blond moaned loudly. "Yes, that's fucking perfect don't stop!" His husky voice saying his name was enough to send him over the top. He thrusted harder and faster, squeezing the blond's hips leaving bright red handprints that would have left bruises on a person without crazy fast healing powers. "Unf! Yes! fuck!" And with that, both men busted, releasing their loads creating a thick white mess. Naruto had barely caught his in time, his hand covered in his own cum, dripping between his fingers. Sasuke pulled out of him, his load dripping from the blond's ass cheeks and covering his penis.
Disgusted with the mess, Sasuke left for a moment, returning with two damp cloths. Once they were clean, Naruto pulled the Uchiha to the couch with him and leaned against the Uchiha who stroked his messy blond hair and kissed his forehead. A tender kindness that was rare and irreplaceable."That...that was even better than last night. Damn, whatever you did, it made it a lot less painful." His breathing was heavy, his voice raspy.
"I just lathered my dick with saliva. I don't have any lube so I used that instead. Going in dry isn't good for either of us." His chest heaved as he tried to control his breathing.
"What?! Ew, you got your spit in my ass that's totally nasty! And you say I'm gross..." He crossed his arms and pouted his lower lip.
"Grow up, dobe. Would you rather I rubbed you raw again?" He laughed softly and ruffled the already messy blond hair.
"No...but that's still super gross. We need to buy some lube."
"You are so cute when you're pouting." Sasuke said, mockingly, and pulled the blond into a choke-hold, tightening his hold on Naruto the harder he tried to fight against him.
"Oh come on, Sasuke! Quit it! Im not cute! I'm manly as hell and you can't even handle this!" He laughed as he pushed his hands against Sasuke's hard chest, still failing to escape his clutches.
"I can't handle you? Oh no, it's you who can't handle me. I think I've already proved that." He winked and began jabbing at the blond's sides, causing him to cover his mouth, suppressing laughter.
"S-Stop! Stop it you freakin j-jerk!" He erupted into laughter as he sunk to the floor, the merciless Uchiha unyielding in his shenanigans. Since when did Sasuke Uchiha have a playful side? Or was this his passive-aggressive torturous side? Probably the latter, Naruto decided.
"Oh, so you're ticklish are you? So fucking adorable." He laughed darkly as he continued torturing the blond, who's eyes were watering and cheeks were reddening. "This is just too precious." He said, monotoniously.
"N-no! S-stop! I c-cant t-take it!" He laughed until his throat burned and his side's ached.
Sasuke finally ended the torture and leaned against his sofa, smirking as he watched the blond clutch his side and steady his breathing. "You're mean, Sasuke." he laughed as he gave him the finger and stood up from the floor to retrieve his clothes. Once he was fully clothed he found Sasuke's clothes and threw them at his face. "Get dressed, teme. I wanna go get some ramen."
"Tch. Fine. You never get tired of that stuff, do you?" He stood up and pulled his pants on.
"Get tired of the best thing ever? Um, no. Never." He watched Sasuke's abs disappear beneath his dark gray cut-off, and found himself missing them immediately. Then he remembered he was also wearing one of Sasuke's cut-offs and sighed. "Fuck, I'm wearing the Uchiha symbol on my back! That won't look good...damn it! I wonder if my shirt is dry yet." He rushed down the hall and retrieved his semi-dry shirt, frowned and put it on anyway, cringing at the slight dampness which made him uncomfortable. "Oh well." He strugged and made his way back to the living room where he found Sasuke leaning against the door, twirling keys around his finger. "Well, let's go dobe."
~0~o~0~
As they walked through the busy streets of Konoha they received an overwhelming amount of glares and whispered profanities and insults. Well, one of them received them anyway. But as close as they were, Naruto felt that any negativity Sasuke received harmed him as well. He hated it. He clenched his fists and tightened his jaw. The Uchiha noticed how bothered he was and touched his arm lightly. "Ignore them, Naruto. It's okay." But before Naruto could respond, they were greeted by a worried looking Hyuuga.
"Naruto-kun!" She wrapped her arms around him gently and released him, meeting his blue eyes. "I was worried about you. You never showed up to help with the constrution...Kiba and I were looking everywhere for you. Are you okay?" She glanced at the Uchiha for a moment and quickly looked away upon noticing his dark expression.
"Oh, shit! Damn it, I totally forgot!" He smacked his forehead and sighed. "Kiba's going to kill me."
"So, what happened? You just simply forgot?" She fidgeted with her hands uncomfortably as she felt Sasuke's eyes burning a hole into her.
"I was training" He scratched the back of his head and smiled weakly. He immediately felt guilty for lying to her, but on the other hand, telling the truth was not an option. "I lost track of time and then I totally forgot about helping with the library."
"Oh, okay. Well as long as you're okay." She smiled brightly at him. "Kiba may not be so forgiving though...please approach him with caution." She stared at his sunshiney face, admiring his handsome features. Then her smile faded when she noticed how his bottom lip was swollen and red, he had marks on his neck, and his hair was messier than usual. She felt a knot form in the pit of her stomach and fought to mask her feelings. A panicked feeling bubbling up inside of her. No, he wouldn't. He said he was training, that explains it. Nothing to worry about.
"That mutt will get over it. Now, if you'll excuse us, we're kind of busy." Sasuke glared at her and grabbed Naruto's arm pulling him past the blushing girl.
"Uh, sorry, Hinata! I'll see you later, kay? Sorry I worried you!" The blond called after her, stumbling, as he was drug away from her. "Jeez, Sasuke. You don't always have to be so rude to her."
"And why not?" He gritted his teeth and released the blond's arm when he noticed he had tightened his grip.
"Sorry." He mumbled as he began to calm down. "I just don't like her."
Just as Ichiraku's came into sight, so did a certain pinked haired kunoichi. "Hey, Sasuke-kun!"
"Great. What now?" Sasuke frowned as he glared at her.
"Jeez, you're sure in a chipper mood." She rolled her eyes at him. "Listen, Lady Tsunade sent me to find you. She needs to see you about something. She's in her office at the clinic. You should go now, she stressed that it was pretty urgent." She turned her attention towards Naruto and smiled. "Hey, Naruto."
"Hey, Sakura-chan!" He grinned widely at her and changed his expression when he noticed Sasuke staring at the ground, frowing.
"Sorry, Naruto, I guess we'll have to take a rain-check" His said reluctantly and turned to face Sakura. "You should go with Naruto to get some ramen so he won't whine about being lonely." He stuffed his hands in his pockets and began to walk away. "I'll see you guys later." He sighed and headed towards the clinic with a heavy nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach.
~0~o~0~
Don't be a pussy, just knock on the damn door. You're doing this for Naruto.
Sasuke stood nervously outside of Tsunade's office, his second thoughts tempting him to make a run for it. He knew what this was about and he wasn't sure if he was ready to accept it just yet. Taking a deep breath, he tapped his fist on the door.
"Yeah, come in!" her voice was a mixture of irritation and exhaustion.
He crept the door open and inched inside, stuffing his hands back into his pockets. He skeptically looked around Tsunade's messy office which was littered with open books, scrolls, papers, and alcohol bottles.
"Well? Are we going to get this over with or what? Sakura told me that you said this was urgent." He glared at the back of her head and she fumbled through a filing cabnet, cursing under her breath.
"Oh, Uchiha, it's you." She turned around to return his glare. "It is urgent. I have your medication."
Sasuke sighed dramatically. "As I thought."
"But before I give it to you, we need to have a serious talk." She motioned to the chair in front of her desk. "Have a seat."
~0~o~0~
"You're seriously going to eat a fourth bowl of ramen?" Sakura stared wide-eyed at the blond as he plunged his chopsticks into a sea of noodles and fish cakes. "I really shouldn't be so surprised, given your history, and yet I still can't help but be grossed out every time."
"Well, in my defense, this is the first thing I've eaten today. I was starving!" The pink haired kunoichi cringed as he spoke through a glob of mushy noodles. He swallowed upon noticing her queezy expression. "Sorry, Sakura-chan. I never did learn proper manners I guess." He shrugged and invited some more of his favorite meal into his mouth.
"Well, it's about time that you did. Especially now that you and Hinata are getting serious."
Naruto almost choked on his noodles. "Woah, let's not get carried away here, Sakura. We're not getting serious, we're just casually dating that's all. I mean, I'm still not sure if I even want to ask her to be my girlfriend or not." He was lying again. He knew for an absolute fact that he would not ask her to be his girlfriend.
"What? You're kidding right? Naruto..." She sighed and placed her hand over his. "Okay, listen, I have no right to try and force you into this. It's just like Sasuke and I, huh? I liked Sasuke, but he didn't return my feelings and yet I just kept trying to make it happen anyway. But, that's just not how these things work. It takes two. If one person doesn't feel the same as the other, than that's not fair for either of them is it?"
"Sakura...are you finally going to stop chasing after Sasuke then?" He stared at her in utter shock.
"Mhm. I've matured in more ways than one, you know. I finally realized that there is no point in going after someone who doesn't want me. I told Sasuke how I feel, so if he returns my feelings, then he'll let me know. I can't keep chasing him and waiting around for him. If he doesn't want to be with me then I don't want to be with him either. I'd rather be with someone who desires me as much as I do them."
"Sakura..." The blond smiled wide and wrapped his arms around her, squeezing tight. "I'm so proud of you." She hugged him back despite her lack of oxygen. He released her when he heard her begin to gasp for air.
"So, you don't want to make things official with Hinata then?" She cocked an eyebrow and stared at him questioningly. "I thought things were going well. Did something happen? I mean, I saw those marks on your neck earlier...they're gone now but I know I saw them. Did you two...because if you did and now all of a sudden you aren't interested anymo-"
"No, no, no! Gah! Sakura we didn't...ugh, you have to make everything so awkward." He buried his face in his hands.
"So...then who?" Her eyes widened and her mouth hung open.
"Nobody! I didn't do anything with anyone just drop it please?" His voice was full of desperation.
"Okay, I'll spare you this time. But remember you're one of my best friends, you can talk to me about anything. Whenever you're ready to talk about it, I'm here. And I won't say anything to Hinata. I'll stay out of your business, that's between you and her."
"Thank you Sakura-chan" but if she knew it was Sasuke, would she be so understanding?
~0~o~0~
Sasuke Sat across from Tsunade, tapping his fingers nervously on the armrest. His eye twitched in impatience as she ignored him and prepared herself a mix-drink.
"Well?" He was aware of how rude he was sounding, but decided she deserved it anyway.
"I don't appreciate your tone, Uchiha." She looked up from her alcoholic beverage to glare at him. "Okay, isten, I'll be honest here. I don't really like you much. But Sakura and Naruto are very close to my heart and you mean the world to them. For what reason, I may never know. But, I feel obligated to protect you because that means protecting them as well." She stirred her beverage and took a sip.
"Okay...so just what is this all about?" He raised an eyebrow and sat up a little straighter in his seat.
"You need to be more careful. And by more careful, I mean if you slip up one more time you're through. The councel is very displeased with your outbursts. They agreed to let this medication be your last chance. But they weren't going to tell you that." She took another sip and added another shot of sake. "You're lucky Kakashi cares about you so much, he asked me to have a private talk with you about the situation. He's always surrounded by anbu so he couldn't really go behind the councel's back without them finding out."
"So what you're saying is that if I have one more outburst, that's the end of my probation? I'm automatically dismissed and will never get my title back? I'll never serve the village as a shinobi again? Just one more time and I'm done?" He squeezed the arm rests unconsciously.
"Yes. And another thing I'd like to warn you about while I'm at it, this prescription is...very strong. It's going to turn you into a zombie. And if I know you, this isn't going to be something you'll tolerate. I imagine you'll change your mind and rebel. And we all know how you are once you've made up your mind. I advise you continue the medication because it will most definitely supress your anger, but, if you simply refuse to continue it should you decide you aren't fond of it's side affects, I suggest you find another way to cope. Find something that releases pent up anger and frustration. And don't, under any circumstances, let anyone find out you've stopped taking your pills."
"That won't be an issue. I made a promise to Naruto, and I plan to keep it. I'll continue the medication no matter how much I hate it. I will not break his trust." He spoke confidently, keeping eye contact.
"We'll see about that, Uchiha. Just remember what I've told you." She began to take another sip of her drink when there was a pounding on the door. "Just a moment!" She quickly moved her glass out of sight and replaced it with a small white paper bag that she pulled out of her desk drawer. She handed it to sasuke and gestured towards the door. "You're dismissed. Oh! And your instructions are to take one pill when you wake up and another with your lunch. Just make sure it is six hours apart and roughly around the same time every day. And do not take them on an empty stomach. Good luck, Uchiha."
Sasuke nodded and exited her office. Outside of her door was a nervous looking young woman wearing a white lab coat. She looked him up and down and blushed before turning away and entering Tsunade's office. Any other man would have been flattered, Sasuke just rolled his eyes and continued on his way. He suddenly understood why he was never interested in any of his fangirls. He wasn't interested in girls at all. He smirked to himself and turned out onto the busy streets to find Naruto.
~0~o~0~
Sasuke could hear the blond dobe laughing from several feet away. He pushed through the crowd to discover the wiskered nin surrounded by his friends. Among them was Hinata who was holding onto his arm and giggling. Sasuke's blood turned to fire. His eyes narrowed and he gritted his teeth. Calm down, Sasuke, one more outburst and you're done. Stay calm...don't freak out...
"Sasuke! There you are!" Naruto's grin covered the majority of his face as he beamed like sunshine at the sight of the Uchiha.
"Hey." Sasuke's tone was cold and dark. He avoided looking at them and stared at the ground, trying desperately to control his temper.
"Something wrong, Sasuke-kun?" Hinata stared innocently at him, still clinging to Naruto's arm.
"Psh. He's always like that, Hinata. In case you haven't noticed yet, he's kind of an ass." Kiba snorted as he leaned against Akamaru. He recieved a few chuckles from Chouji and Shino. Shikamaru shook his head, Sakura and Naruto clenched their fists.
"Shut it, Kiba!" The pink haired kunoichi punched him in the arm and he yelped.
"He's had a rough day, leave him alone." Naruto's voice was full of concern that showed in his eyes as he turned to Sasuke. "Everything okay?"
"I'm just going to go home. See you later." He pushed past the group of friends, making sure to shoot an angry glance at Hinata before disappearing in a flash.
"Jeez, Sakura, you didn't have to hit so hard!" Kiba rubbed the fresh bruise on his arm as Akamaru licked his face in an attempt to comfort him. "I don't know why you guys always defend him. He's a jerk to everyone, why should we worry about how he feels? He doesn't care about us."
"You just don't understand him like we do, Kiba. He's not as terrible as you think." Sakura crossed her arms and glared at him, looking quite dangerous.
"Whatever you say." He rolled his eyes and flinched when she raised her fist. She lowered it, feeling satisfied at his embarrassing reaction and everyone laughed.
Naruto stared at the spot Sasuke disappeared at, feeling worried. His silence hadn't gone unnoticed and Hinata tugged at his sleeve, looking up at him with a frown. "Are you okay Naruto-kun?"
"Yeah...just worried about Sasuke. I think I'm gonna go make sure he's okay." He turned his attention back to his group of friends and said his goodbyes. He quickly went in the direction of Sasuke's house, praying that things had gone well with Tsunade.
~0~o~0~
When Naruto arrived at the Uchiha's home, he was sitting cross-legged on his front porch staring at the darkening sky, a small white bag held tightly in his hand.
"Hey." Sasuke's voice was quiet and he did not look at him.
"Hey. So, what was that all about? Is everything okay?" He took a seat next to him and stared up at the sky, admiring the colors of the setting sun.
"I recieved my prescription." He shook the bag and tossed it beside him. "And apparently this is my last chance to prove myself. One more outburst and I'm done. So let's hope this shit makes me normal." he sighed and propped his elbows on his lap, resting his head in his hands.
"What? That's not fair! They can't-"
"Don't. They can, and they are. There isn't anything I can do about it." He bit his bottom lip and closed his eyes, still attempting to calm himself.
"We'll get through this, Sasuke. This medicine should help you and I'm always here if you need me." He leaned his head on the Uchiha's shoulder.
"Are you sure? Because the way it's looking, I'm going to have to pry you away from Hinata." He jerked his shoulder up, making it clear that Naruto's head was not welcome there.
"Hey, what the hell?! What are you talking about? I told you yesterday...I don't want to be with Hinata. You don't need to worry about her." He rubbed the side of his head and glared at him.
"Then stop letting her hang all over you. Stop letting her act like she's your girlfriend. If you don't want to be with her then tell her. I'm not going to compete with that weak pathetic Hyuuga girl." He returned Naruto's glare.
"I didn't think you were the jealous type, teme." Naruto smirked at him which he quickly learned was a mistake.
"Jealous?! I'm not jealous! Expecially not of her. You can't lead both of us on, it's not fair. You need to tell her you aren't interested." He expression was menacing.
"I'm not trying to lead anyone on...I'm just not good at this sort of thing. Hinata is really sweet, I just don't want to hurt her feelings. And I don't want people to find out about us and it'll look weird if all of a sudden-"
"You don't have to tell her about us! Just tell her she's fucking boring and you wasted your time and move the fuck on! I'm tired of seeing her all over you. I don't blame you for being ashamed of me, but to use her as a cover up? That's pathetic."
"She's not a cover-up! I wouldn't do that...that's wrong. I wouldn't use someone like that. And I'm not ashamed of you, I'm just not ready to tell people about us. It's gonna take some time for me to get comfortable with that idea."
"Whatever. Clearly you care about her feelings more than you do mine. If you don't have the guts to tell her to go away than I'll fucking tell her. And trust me, if I do it, it won't be pretty. I'll have the little bitch in tears." He clenched his hands, digging his nails into his palms.
"Wow, Sasuke. She hasn't done anything wrong...why are you being so terrible?" His bright blue eyes widened and stared at his friend who was physically shaking with rage.
"She's crossing into my territory. And I'm not going to put up with it." He cringed at his own words.
"Your territory? Sasuke, I am not your territory! I'm a person, damn it. You don't own me, and I'm allowed to be friends with her. You know me, I'm not going to do anything to hurt either one of you. I will talk to Hinata and explain that I don't feel the same way and I will always be here for you. I wan't to be with you, Sasuke. You're the one I want. You don't need to worry about her. So please, don't freak out on me every time she comes around."
Sasuke stared off into the distance, collecting his thoughts. He wanted to scream but he wanted to resolve the issue even more so. He took a deep breath and put out the flame that raged inside of him. "I start my medication first thing in the morning. Starting tomorrow, you won't have to deal with my anger anymore." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Stay with me tonight?"
Naruto leaned his head against Sasuke's and rubbed his back in a comforting motion. "Of course I'll stay, teme. I'll always be here when you need me."
A/N: Okay so first of all...I don't know why I keep injuring Kiba. I love him but it's so much fun beating him up. Secondly, I know, I know, poor Sasuke. But I think that realistically he would be struggling internally after suddenly changing sides after the war. I think he's the type of person to be too proud to admit that anything is wrong but he would end up breaking down. I think that Naruto would be the only person to see his soft side, and I think without missions and revenge to focus on, he would have a much harder time controlling his emotions. Also, I realize that it seems like I made them move too fast in their relationship but in my head I just imagine them being so natural and comfortable with eachother like everything just falls into place like it was waiting to happen. Idk. Anyway, please review and let me know what you think! Reviews make my day. (: