"Man. I thought he'd never leave." Nezumi, lying on the bed beside him, had his arms folded under his head as he turned to give Naruto an especially sly look. "Hey. Come here often?"

"Jerk." Naruto laughed. "Was this your plan all along? To get me in your bed?"

"As I recall, you're the one who asked to get in it."

"True. Yeah." He had his eyes on the ceiling. "Thanks again for lettin' us stay."

"It's no problem. I'm used to people crashin' here."

"Mm. Yeah. Kinda feels like you could run your own commune or somethin'. All these artists goin' around, doin' their own thing. Like Joshua Tree in California."

"Oh. Look at you," said Nezumi. "Do you also enjoy music?"

"Eh. In the more traditional sense than Sasuke. I like a little bit of everything, but I think my preference lies in classic rock and alternative stuff from the 90s. Sasuke's gotten me into more older punk bands. Would you believe he used to be in one when he was in high school?"

Nezumi gave an absent scratch to the side of his nose. "I could see it. There's lots of layers to him, eh? Probably always keeps your relationship interesting."

"I suppose so," Naruto murmured and tugged at the blanket where it lay along his waist. "I always feel like there's somethin' new to learn about him. I like that he knows so much, too, about a lot of different things. He and my dad talk about history and politics and philosophy. I was never much into that. In fact, I was a pretty crappy student for a while. Until college, then Shion kinda got on my case about studyin'."

"Can I ask you something?" Nezumi turned onto his side, his head propped up on his hand.

Naruto nodded. "Sure."

"How did you feel...about going from dating women to just one man? Do you ever miss being with a woman?"

He chewed his bottom lip. "Nah. I don't miss it. Like, if you're askin' if I check out chicks? I don't, not really. I don't think that way about sex either. So, no. But, I'm aware I'm still attracted to them. It's just that I've always been the type of guy to be loyal to the one I'm with, and more than that, I really couldn't see myself with anyone but Sasuke."

"You don't hold back, do you," said Nezumi, the middle fingers of his hand moving in a certain rhythm. "I am... jealous, but I think I'm jealous of how passionate you are and how open you are about it. I don't think I could be like that." He glanced at Naruto. "Isn't it exhausting? Even watching you two tonight it's... it reminds me of bein' with Shion, and at the end of all that... I just thought - "

The other man stopped, and Naruto could tell he was getting frustrated.

"I think, y'know, he and I have arguments," he said and was reminded of just how often he'd had this conversation with Sasuke. "Or fights. I dunno what you wanna call them. Disagreements? And I think that's the 'opposites' part comin' in, but we always talk it out. Sasuke used to think it was the be-all end all if we disagreed or if I got pissed off at him, but I've always just thought... that's part of relationships. Don't you argue with friends? Or family? That's what it's like to love someone or be in love with someone. You have to be able to understand and forgive and have some patience."

Nezumi listened thoughtfully before commenting. "I wonder if Sasuke feels the same way as you? He seemed upset knowin' you were upset, and when he was here you could tell there was a lot goin' on in his head."

"Yeah." Naruto smiled. "He does that. I express a lot of stuff pretty clearly. We both speak our minds, though. But when he gets upset, he internalizes it."

Nezumi gave a snort. "So do you." He prodded Naruto in the arm. "You were brooding."

"I know. But I only need time, and I'm good to go. I get moody, especially when I haven't had anything to eat." He smiled lop-sidedly. It was weird talking about his relationship with someone as smart and observant as Nezumi.

Nezumi tugged at the blanket a couple of times. "And when deceased mothers are mentioned? That can be rough. I hope Sophie was at least...tactful about it?"

Naruto swatted his hand away. "Nah, she told me good things, I promise. She gave me an answer to somethin' I dwell on a lot. I remember around the time of the accident, I told Sasuke that I thought I felt her presence. I had this feelin' that it should've been worse."

"Just how bad was it?" Nezumi asked, his eyes reflecting concern.

"Mm." Naruto cocked his head and clasped his hands on top of his stomach. "It was worse for the lady who hit me. For me, I sprained my wrist and broke a finger. Had some bad bruising for a while and some stitches. Sasuke took it harder than me, so I couldn't even imagine really stoppin' to think about it. He - " Naruto was about to talk about Sasuke's past, but that wasn't really his place. "There were reasons it really got to him. I felt guilty. I knew what he was thinkin' the instant he walked into the room after the doctor brought him in and my dad and my friend, Kiba. He got quiet then, too. Like he froze. It fuckin' broke my heart. He reminded me of a little kid." Naruto's hand drifted up and he rubbed his thumb along the seam of his mouth. "I hope this isn't annoying to you, that I'm talkin' so much about Sasuke."

"No. I'm curious about you. The both of you. Relationships in general maybe."

"You... have you always been interested in men... or were there women?" Naruto asked.

"That is the million dollar question, isn't it?" Nezumi stretched his arm above his head and cracked his elbow. "I'm attracted to both women and men. I'm attracted to beautiful, interesting people who catch my attention." He gazed meaningfully at Naruto. "You were one. Although, it wasn't just how you looked. It was... the way you stopped to ask me a question without hesitation. That you were observant enough to notice the motorcycle helmet and... engaged me in normal conversation. But, I have to say. It didn't hurt that you were attractive."

"Heh. I have that habit of talkin' to strangers. It drives Sasuke nuts, I think. But I remember you seemed so interestin', sittin' at the end of the bar with a motorcycle helmet but readin' a book. It was fun to talk to you about bikes, and it was cool that you were a writer and you just did your own thing. I'd love to travel across the country."

"It's liberating for sure," said Nezumi. "But it can be lonely. Not coming home to the same bed or same person every night."

"No?" Naruto smirked. "Is it so bad comin' home to a different person every night? Aren't you a playboy or whatever?"

Nezumi chuckled. "Despite my outward appearance, I don't engage in those kinds of activities as much as you'd expect."

"No? What a waste." He smiled. "But then there's Shion."

"There is Shion. That is definitely a statement one can make."

"I hope you don't mind me sayin' this," he twiddled his thumbs a little, "But you kinda sound... er. Like a jilted lover."

"Jilted lover?" Nezumi scoffed. "As if I'd make that airhead a lover of mine. He didn't know anything. Not about fighting or books or sex. I'm sure he was still a virgin."

"Was?" Naruto asked, a brow raised.

Nezumi only stared back at him, giving away nothing. "He was innocent. In the way people of our generation aren't anymore, and at some point, I think I became a bad influence. He needed to be with people more like him. And I..."

Naruto waited, but inevitably finished for him. "You're a wanderer?"

"Yes."

"I can tell."

"He liked that city. He didn't want to travel or see anything, really. And I... there's so much more I want to learn about myself and people and the world. I don't want to limit my options. And, he was better off. If I left him there where he was happy. His mother lived there... there was this girl, too..."

"But you can't decide that for him," said Naruto. "Sometimes I wonder what it would've been like had I met Sasuke at a different time in our lives. When we first got together, he used to worry a lot about the person he used to be. He went through tough shit and he wanted to do everything on his own, push people away and all that. When we met, it was almost like fate, because I think he was ready to try to have somethin' meaningful with someone else, but if we'd met only a few years earlier, he probably would've felt similarly to how you do. There's... it's hard to be with someone romantically if you don't want the same things. Shion and I wanted different things. Sasuke and I want the same things. We want real companionship and trust and a sense of understanding. Of what we have in common and what we don't."

Nezumi appeared to be thinking on his words, and after a while, he nodded. "But... it seems that it's the differences between the two of you that causes some insecurities. I could tell by talkin' to you tonight that you sometimes have a low opinion of yourself because of what Sasuke does and who he is, maybe the way he handles himself. It saddens me that you don't see yourself the way I do, or that you don't even see yourself the way Sasuke clearly does."

He rubbed his lips together, staring at him. "How does Sasuke see me?"

Nezumi raised an eyebrow. "It's not obvious how much he adores you? I thought he was going to fall apart because you were upset with him. Although, I think you two kids just dig a bunch of drama. It's like that with a lot of couples. It's foreplay to two people who are that attracted to one another and care that much. Or, maybe it's your way of reassuring each other. You get mad, and Sasuke does what he can to placate you. I assume it's vice versa, but I imagine you must handle it better than him. At providin' comfort, I mean." He yawned. "I can only imagine that your sex life is... far from conventional."

Naruto blushed. "That may be true in some cases. Uh, about the drama bein' like foreplay for us. But we're also... we fall into moods sometimes. What's great is that at the end of the day, though, someone apologizes. Or we talk about what's botherin' us. I like that we have open communication. When everything's in sync anyway. It's not smooth all the time, and it shouldn't be. Or how else would we grow together?"

"Going back to our philosophical debate earlier... what if you loved someone, but being with that someone wasn't good for them? What if you were the component that made the relationship unhealthy?"

"Define unhealthy."

"What if that person makes bad choices or puts themselves in a position to be hurt... because of you, and I'm not talkin' about just feelings. I mean bigger stuff."

Naruto frowned. "Like drugs or whatever?"

"Not quite, but something... not great. Isn't the best thing to do to walk away?"

"I guess it depends on the situation. I can see what you're sayin', and yeah I think there are times you need to walk away if it's extreme, but... you also can't just decide for the other person. I guess I think most things can be worked out, barring extreme circumstances."

"I would consider this one... extreme."

"Now you've got me curious," he said, pushing the blanket away since he was starting to feel hot.

"It was the right thing to do," Nezumi nodded with some finality. "But who knows, we may cross paths again. If it's meant to be, right?"

"Maybe..." He scratched the side of his head. "I think fate is an interesting thing, but I also think it needs a hand sometimes. You can't expect fate to do all the work. All it does is lead you there, so it's up to you whether you're ready for the truth of what's expected of you. But. I don't think there's a wrong or right answer. We've got free will, after all."

"According to some," Nezumi mumbled. "Have you ever read Candide? It's one of my favorite books."

"Maybe in college. I think I vaguely remember it."

"It's satire that talks about everything happening for a reason. That's all the people say in it, even the protagonist, until he experiences misfortune after misfortune. Then at the end he begins to wonder if there's really a rhyme and reason to everything. That's how I feel sometimes. Torn between the romance of what you're saying and the reality of what life is really like. I think it would be a punishment."

"What would?" He asked, shifting around on to his side so that he could stretch out his leg. They were facing one another now. He pulled his arm underneath his head.

"Being in a relationship with me," Nezumi answered, a certain sadness shining in the depths of those uniquely stunning eyes of his.

"You sound like Sasuke, and I can assure you... bein' with him has made me the happiest I've ever been in my life. You could be missin' out on makin' another person feel that way... and havin' that other person do the same for you."

"Hm. You..."

"Mm?" He shut one of his eyes since it was getting kind of blurry.

Nezumi stared for a few seconds and then abruptly reached out to push Naruto's hair out of his eyes.

Naruto froze a bit, but seeing that Nezumi looked sad and lonely, he didn't categorize it as a come on. Instead, he just felt really bad for him. He clearly cared about this Shion, but what? Was it like with Sasuke when he sometimes thought he didn't deserve to be happy? Or was it different? And was Nezumi right? If two people really suffered because of being together, was walking away the right thing to do? Even if the two people still really cared about each other? And Shion, if he wasn't given a choice, then was it really about what was best for both? Or was it about what was best for Nezumi?

"It would've been a lot easier," said Nezumi, "Had you been single when we met. Maybe I'd have been able to change. Maybe I'd know the happiness Sasuke knows? I'm not usually one to wax hypotheticals, but it is... annoying."

Naruto rolled onto his back. "I dunno what's right for you. I'm sure a part of you knows what you want deep down and knows the reasons why you won't let yourself have it."

"Are we still talking about Shion, or you?"

Naruto sent him a glare. "Stop hittin' on me, dammit. I will defend myself if I have to."

"That could be interesting." Nezumi smirked. "Where is your boyfriend anyway? He's been gone a while."

"That's a good question. I'd say he had some bad chili, but I doubt he had a chance to eat anything either. Maybe he went back to the party?"

Nezumi chuckled. "You're so crass."

Naruto paused. He sounded just like Sasuke then.

"Should I go search for him?" Naruto wondered.

"That's up to you. You and your free will."

Naruto stuck out his tongue. "Shut it."

"Careful with that thing." Nezumi's eyes narrowed. "That can be a dangerous weapon."

"You're so dramatic." Naruto reached over and punched him in the arm.

"Why don't we call it what we did earlier? It's intellectual foreplay."

"Alright, that's it," he said. "I'm goin' to find him." He started to get up, but Nezumi grabbed his arm and pulled him back down onto the bed.

"Don't be ridiculous. I'll go see what the bastard is up to." Nezumi got to his feet and hopped over him and onto the floor, landing smoothly on the rug. Like a cat.

"Hey," he said. "Only I get to call him bastard. No one else."

"I only call 'em as I see 'em. Gimme a bit, though. I'm sure the natives are gettin' restless without their host. If they all haven't left already."

Naruto watched him go, still very curious about Nezumi. He was a lot like Sasuke, but he was also... far less predictable. It was already hard to read Sasuke's thoughts but with Nezumi it was even more unclear, and like he'd said before, there was a certain restlessness to him. Naruto's opinion was that he hadn't found a reason yet to settle or be still or that there may never be something that could get him to just stop. To want to open up to someone in a way that, he understood, could be terrifying. Luckily, with he and Sasuke there'd been trust from the very beginning. And when you trusted someone, it was easy to expect that they'd be there to catch you when you fall.

And that's why he and Sasuke never stayed mad for very long. Neither of them was going to run away when things got difficult. He knew he would never, and even if Sasuke sometimes doubted his own steadfastness, Naruto knew that his boyfriend would go to the ends of the earth for him. Just like he would do for Sasuke. He wished other people could have what they have, but knowing that not everyone did, it also made it very clear just how special what he and Sasuke had really was.

Sasuke went to the bathroom only to find it occupied, and as he waited, he started to hear the tell-tale signs of there being not just one person, but two. He started to wander back to the bedroom only to stop when he caught a snippet of the conversation his boyfriend and Nezumi were having.

"Going back to our philosophical debate earlier," Nezumi was saying, "What if you loved someone, but being with that someone wasn't good for them? What if you were the component that made the relationship unhealthy?"

"Define unhealthy."

"What if that person makes bad choices or puts themselves in a position to be hurt... because of you, and I'm not talkin' about just feelings. I mean bigger stuff."

"Like drugs or whatever?"

"Not quite, but something... not great. Isn't the best thing to do to walk away?"

"I guess it depends on the situation. I can see what you're sayin', and yeah I think there are times you need to walk away if it's extreme, but... you also can't just decide for the other person. I guess I think most things can be worked out, barring extreme circumstances."

"I would consider this one... extreme."

"Now you've got me curious."

He didn't mean to eavesdrop, having not wanted to interrupt a serious or personal conversation, but he started to get paranoid, thinking Nezumi was trying to hint to Naruto about Berlin before he'd had a chance to tell him about it. He was set to walk in when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Sasuke?" It was Sophie.

Sasuke glanced at the bathroom door, which was still locked.

"I... was hoping to use the bathroom," he said. "Seems to be occupied."

"Oh, that would be Zelda. I saw her and Zoë walk this way earlier. It must be them." She smiled at his mild surprise. "It could be a while. Where are Nezumi and Naruto?"

"In the bedroom," he said.

Sophie's eyebrow went up. "Really?"

Sasuke regarded her coolly, her expression putting him on edge. He wondered about all of the things she'd told Naruto, then he was reminded that she'd also spoken to Nezumi at some point. It was only simple curiosity, though, as he still didn't necessarily believe in psychic ability. Most of those people were just scammers or, at the very least, really good at observation and reading body language. Naruto, however skeptical, could still be gullible at the best of the times. But the point was that he did believe, and for Sasuke, that should've been all that mattered.

"You look... concerned," she said.

"Is that what your psychic powers are telling you?" He asked, not feeling in the best of moods.

"Oh. I suppose Naruto told you that I read his palm? I am very sorry to have upset him."

"On the contrary," he said. "He seemed to be happy with whatever you told him."

"Ah yes. He seemed surprised but happy to hear about the children."

"What children?" His eyes narrowed at the young woman, who, under his gaze, began nervously pulling at her diamond necklace.

"He didn't tell you? How interesting." She nodded. "You... are angry?"

"Why would I be angry? Unlike Naruto, I'm not much of a believer in those types of things."

"I know." She tugged at one of her long, red curls. "You are... very cynical, no? But, you play the piano so passionately. Hm. There is a storm of emotion inside of you."

Sasuke very nearly rolled his eyes. "I should get back to - "

"You shouldn't," she said, grabbing his arm. "You should let them finish their conversation."

"Excuse me?"

"I think Naruto will tell Nezumi something he needs to hear."

"Okay, and I should be concerned with something Nezumi needs to hear from my boyfriend because...?" He was frowning now, as he slid a hand into one of his back pockets.

She let go of Sasuke's arm. "Because you are a good person. It's why you hesitated. You didn't want to interrupt, did you? Naruto can help Nezumi in a way he needs right now."

"I don't see how that's my problem."

"You are a skeptic, yes?" She asked. "What if I could convince you that the things I see and hear are real?"

He snorted. "Who's to say that those types of things couldn't be researched beforehand? I don't believe we know each other well enough for us to be having this discussion."

"The white silk scarf... do you still have it?"

Sasuke nearly stopped breathing. "...What?"

"Is that something I could possibly look up on the internet?"

He glared at her. "Why would you - "

"It's what they told me to tell you in order to make you believe," she cut him off, "I don't necessarily understand the significance of it, but you seem to know to what I am referring."

"Who's 'they'?" He asked, his voice low and possibly threatening, and yet Sophie didn't even flinch. He couldn't even figure out why he was standing there except... he did know. No one would know about that. He hadn't even told Naruto. That was...

"Guides," Sophie answered. "I have guides that tell me things when I ask. Or even when I don't." She gave a shrug. "It is not always something I have considered a gift. But... it's always been there, always made things difficult sometimes, but it is not for you to tell me whether what I experience is real or not. I know it's real." Her brown eyes were bright and defiant as she stared at him, reminding him... of Naruto.

"What do you want?" He asked.

"I do not want anything," she replied. "You, though, I do not know. If you have questions, I can try to answer them for you."

Sasuke gave one last glance back at the bedroom, but something told him in his gut that he shouldn't.

"Fine," he said. "But not here."

"Then where?"

"How do you feel about a walk around the block?" He asked, surprised at himself for suggesting as much, but he felt a sudden desire to get out of this apartment.

"I suppose that would be okay. Let me just grab my jacket."

He nodded. "That's fine. I'll come with you."

"Of course."

He followed Sophie, fighting an unexplainable sense of dread. What would she have to tell him exactly? He had no intention of taking anything she said to heart, of course, but he wanted to know and understand the experience Naruto had earlier. He wanted to know why he'd become upset, what was this about children, and why hadn't Naruto mentioned it if it was significant to him?

Maybe it was what Sophie first said that compelled him to follow. It was unnerving.

Sophie grabbed her jacket from a hook on the wall near the kitchen.

"Ready?" She asked.

He opened the door. "After you."

Nezumi was gone no more than five minutes before he returned to the bedroom. "It seems your boyfriend slipped out with Sophie. No one knows where they went. Zelda was in the bathroom with one of the other women, so that distracted those idiots long enough for no one to notice Sasuke and Sophie leavin' the apartment."

"What? Why would he leave with her?" He asked, sitting up in the bed and already searching around for his phone.

Nezumi shrugged. "Maybe he decided to get his palm read?"

"Yeah, right. That's really..." But he didn't finish since he was dialing Sasuke's phone, which immediately went to voicemail. "Sasuke. Just callin' 'cause apparently you left with Sophie? Um. It'd be cool if you called so I don't have to worry about you bein' mugged. Chicago's not the safest at night, y'know. Anyway, uh. Just call me if you're gonna be a while, alright?"

He frowned as he set the phone on the nightstand.

"What's that about?" Naruto asked. "Why would he leave without telling me?"

"I don't know," said Nezumi. "Do you want me to go find them?"

He scrubbed a hand through his hair. "He's not a little kid. I'm sure they just went for a walk or chat, or... I just can't see him actually askin' her to read his future. That's not like him."

"No? He said the same about you earlier."

"Huh?"

Nezumi sighed. "He'll be back. While I'm up, can I get you anything? Tea?" He walked over to the side of the bed and picked up Naruto's empty plate (well, except for the crust).

"Thanks for the sandwich," he said and attempted a smile, though he was kind of worried.

"You don't like crust?"

He shook his head. "Not really."

"Hm. I should've thought of that."

"Meh. It's a habit from when I was a kid."

"I bet Sasuke would've known to cut the crusts off, eh?"

Naruto didn't give an answer since Nezumi wasn't really looking for one. There was something off about his tone, but really he was just thinking about Sasuke right now.

"Stop worryin'," said Nezumi. "I'll bring this to the kitchen. It's about time I should be shooin' everyone out. And I suppose I'll go see if the bathroom is in need of bleachin'. In case either of you wants to take a shower. Also, feel free to borrow somethin' to wear. Unless you wanna sleep in your jeans. There's sweats and t-shirts in the bottom drawers." He pointed at the large dresser in the corner.

"Uh, yeah. Thanks." He smiled at him, feeling guilty that they were putting Nezumi out so much tonight. He'd hardly had a chance to hang out with his friends. "Nezumi?"

"Yeah?" Nezumi was looking down at him.

He didn't know what he wanted to say. Naruto scratched the back of his head.

"Nevermind," he said. "Wasn't very important. Um. I'll take you up on borrowin' some clothes if that's okay."

"No problem. Take some out for Sasuke," he said and smirked. "If you think he wouldn't rather burn them."

"C'mon. He's not that bad."

"Obviously not," said Nezumi. "Since you see somethin' in him."

Before Naruto could say anything else, the other man was walking out of the room, and as he left, he shut the bedroom door behind him.

It was a cool, crisp night as they walked the sidewalk, the both of them quiet. His thoughts were all over the place as he slipped his hands into the pockets of his coat. Sophie was close to his side, near enough that he could smell her distinct perfume. She began to quietly hum. They must've walked two blocks, passed similar historic brick buildings to the one Nezumi lived in. There weren't many people out at this time of night. He wondered if Naruto had noticed if he was gone yet. The most cynical part of his mind was positive that Nezumi had told Naruto about Berlin. If he had, what would Naruto say to him? Would he be pissed off, or would he allow Sasuke to explain?

"Sasuke," said Sophie, interrupting his thoughts. "I won't tell you all that I mentioned to Naruto earlier, but I do know that part of what I saw for him was strongly tied to you. I did not know the full details of it until I saw you standing by the bathroom and then, when I touched you on the arm. I spoke to him of upcoming changes, but... for some reason they are beginning to become a little less clear. And I fear that my conversation with Naruto may have something to do with that, and so I feel I must make it right with you."

He glanced at her, prepared to question her sanity, but she appeared earnestly distressed. Her gaze was set forward, and she had her thin arms wrapped around her as if she were very cold. He kept at a slower pace since she was walking in heels.

"I don't know what you're trying to say to me," he confessed. "But I'm here because of what you said before."

"About the scarf...?" She looked at him as they crossed a street, no traffic in sight. "I know now that it relates to your family. You, like Naruto, have suffered loss, and yours is even greater than his. It is very painful, this feeling you carry with you always since then. You feel guilt and self-loathing... regret..."

Sasuke suddenly stopped and took her by the arm. "Why are you doing this? Why do you feel compelled to tell people things they may not want to hear?"

She tried to pull her arm away, but he held her tight. "If you did not want to hear, then why did you ask me to walk with you?"

"Because." He let go of her. "What you said, I've told no one. Not even Naruto."

"Then what is your explanation for that," she asked. "As a skeptic?"

"Coincidence," he suggested. "The things you say could be general enough to apply to anyone."

"I know the scarf belonged to your father," she said. "Whether you believe me or not, I can't help but see and hear these things. I know it's your father because I can see him as if he's standing next to us now."

"My father?" Suddenly furious, he narrowed his eyes, and not that he'd ever been violent toward a woman before, but he was definitely reaching his limit with this one. "Do not speak of my father. Whether you think you can hear or see things, whether it's true or not, I do not want to hear you talk as if you know anything about me and especially not my mother or father."

"Fine. If I cannot say anything, then why did we come out here? You wanted answers to something, and I wanted to help you. That is all. You act as if I have some motive for all of this, but I do not. I've had this thing my entire life, and I want to help people when I can. You said yourself that Naruto was pleased with what I told him. Those were things he desired to hear."

"So you only tell people what they want to hear?" He asked.

"Why are you getting so angry?" She snapped. "What is it you're so afraid of?"

"I'm not."

"Everybody is afraid of something."

Sasuke sighed. "Let's just keep walking."

"Fine," she replied stiffly, but kept in step with him as they walked another couple of blocks in silence.

Sophie began to hum again, something different than before, and it was oddly familiar to him. He stopped once more and grabbed her by the shoulder.

"What is that you're humming?"

"Hm? Was I humming? I don't know. It just popped into my head."

"Hum it again," he said. "I know that song."

Sophie tugged at her necklace as she hummed for him again.

"That's from Madame Butterfly." He felt breathless again.

"Ah, so it is," she said. "I know it, but I haven't heard it in some time. It is the 'Humming Chorus'. Why?"

Sasuke touched his hand to the back of his neck, where the hairs were standing up and a cool rush of air caused goosebumps to break out all over his skin. That was, again, one of his mother's favorite operas.

"Are you okay?" She reached for his arm. "You have gone very pale, Sasuke. Maybe we should go back? We have gone quite far, no?"

He regarded her briefly, feeling strange and slightly disoriented. He glanced around to see where they were and couldn't remember how they'd come this far or where they were. There were businesses on either side of the street, a lot of them gated up. There wasn't a single taxi around that he could see, and no car had driven by for about ten minutes. He slipped a hand into his back pocket and pulled out his phone, which he never turned back on after they'd left the theatre. He should've let Naruto know where he was going.

"Walk close to me," he said and took Sophie by the arm.

"What is wrong?" She asked.

"I may not be psychic, but I have this feeling we should start heading back to the apartment."

After another ten minutes, Naruto couldn't take it anymore. He called Sasuke again only to get his voicemail. That was weird. Sasuke always had his phone on him, but even he'd forgotten to turn it on again after the play, so maybe Sasuke hadn't either. He still wasn't feeling well, but he sat up on the edge of the bed. A few of the other party guests had come by to tell him goodbye since they were leaving. He couldn't figure out why Sasuke would've left with Sophie. Maybe they'd gone to get more alcohol? But why do that when everyone was about to leave anyway? And the more he thought about it, there hadn't been a lot of stores nearby. He supposed Sasuke could've taken the car. That seemed unlikely, however.

Naruto stared at his phone as if willing Sasuke to call and at least let him know he was okay. He grabbed his shoes and slipped them on, tucking his phone in his back pocket as he stood up. There was just this odd feeling in his chest that didn't feel quite right to him, and so he didn't think he could just sit there any longer. He left the bedroom and found Nezumi picking up some of the glasses and plates from around the living room.

"Everyone's gone?" He asked.

Nezumi gave a stretch. "Yep. Every single one."

"But no sign of Sasuke and Sophie?"

"No, and the girls even tried to give her a call, but she apparently left her phone over there." He pointed at the piano.

Naruto went over to pick it up, but it was just a black screen that asked for a passcode.

"This doesn't feel right," he said, looking at the other man.

"So let's go see if they went for a walk."

"Yeah, maybe we should check if he took the car, but I really don't think so. This isn't like him, and that he hasn't even called or texted. It's really strange, Nezumi."

"Okay." Nezumi nodded. "I trust your instincts. If I had my bike, I'd say we could go around the neighborhood in that, but we'll just have to walk it."

"Can we go then?"

"Yeah. Get your coat. I'll get my keys."

Naruto went to the hook where he'd left his coat and put it on, making sure that the volume was up on his phone in case Sasuke should call. It wasn't much longer before Nezumi reappeared.

"Ready?" Nezumi asked.

"Yeah. Thanks for goin' with me. I kinda feel all anxious and stuff."

Nezumi opened the door. "If you say it's not like him, then it certainly can't hurt. I wouldn't mind a little fresh air anyway."

"Heh. Yeah. He's gonna think I'm such an idiot for freakin' out, but. I dunno." He scratched the back of his head as he walked out of the apartment and waited for him to lock the door.

"Actually, maybe we should leave it unlocked unless they come back? I doubt anyone's gonna try and break in considerin' you need a code just to get in. Sasuke still has that, right?"

"Oh, yeah. Probably. Even if he doesn't, he's got a photographic memory, I swear."

They walked toward the elevator, and Nezumi hit the button.

"Is there anything Sasuke can't do?" Nezumi asked.

"Hm." He gave it serious thought. "I can't think of anything off the top of my head. He even makes sure to always put the toilet paper roll on the handle thing. Sometimes I just leave it on the counter 'cause I'm lazy."

The elevator door opened, and they both got on. Naruto had his hands in his pockets. Nezumi was playing with the diagonal zipper that ran across his gray leather jacket.

"I'm sure he's okay, right?" Naruto asked.

Nezumi regarded him, an eyebrow raised. "Probably."

"I mean, 'cause, if somethin' bad was gonna happen, then if Sophie's a psychic or whatever, she'd know, huh?"

"I have no idea how it works," said Nezumi. "If she's even psychic to begin with. But, I can't say I'd wanna walk around some of these streets at night."

"That doesn't make me feel better." He frowned.

"It's just that I used to hang out on the streets a lot as a kid, doin' stupid shit, and, well. I know how some of these people think."

"Jesus, okay. Could this elevator go any slower?" He pulled out his phone and gave Sasuke another call.

"What's up?" Nezumi asked as the elevator arrived on the first floor and the doors opened.

"Nothin'... it rang this time, but he didn't pick up. Is he ignorin' my calls?"

He followed Nezumi out of the lobby and outside into the courtyard, hardly paying attention to where he was going since he kept staring at his phone, hoping Sasuke'd call him back. Nezumi stopped to unlock on the gate and hold it open.

"Alright, if they went out, which way would they go?" Nezumi asked.

Naruto looked left, which was the direction they took after parking the car near that bar. Then he glanced to the right.

"What's that way?" He asked.

"More apartments," said Nezumi. "Further down it's not so great of an area after that."

Naruto glanced one more time in the direction he and Sasuke'd come from earlier. Then he started walking in the opposite way.

"To the right," he said.

Nezumi followed at his side. "And you think they headed this way?"

"Yeah. Call it a gut feelin'."

"So you're psychic now, too?" Nezumi asked.

It should've been funny, but both of them seemed to be feeling a similar sort of anxiousness because almost at the same time, they started to pick up their pace after reaching the end of the first block.

They'd walked a couple of blocks without incident, so Sasuke was beginning to wonder if all of this psychic nonsense had just made him temporarily insane and completely paranoid. He even started to feel guilty that he'd taken his frustration out on Sophie.

"I'm sorry," he said abruptly.

"Pardon?" She was still close to him, holding onto his arm.

"For...what I said before. I'm... family is a sensitive subject for me. The thing you said earlier... it caught me off guard. I'm really in a much better place than I used to be."

"Of course," she said, "And I am very sorry that my words made you uncomfortable. You are right. Just because these things pop into my head doesn't mean I should always say them. Not everyone can be helped by whatever this ability is. I believe I, how do you Americans say? Overstepped my bounds."

He offered a strained smile. "I should be grateful," he said. "If you made Naruto feel a little better about his mother, then I should be thanking you."

"See," she said. "You are a very good person. I only wish he would've told you about the children. They will be very beautiful and very talented."

"I thought you weren't going to tell me?" He asked. "Though I admit I am very curious."

"I am sure he meant to tell you, but perhaps his thoughts were still of his mother. I told him that during his accident, she was the one who made sure he was safe, and I also told him to expect changes in the near future... and that there would be kids."

He stopped on the block corner, which meant Sophie came to an immediate halt, nearly tripping on her heels.

"What kids?" He asked. "Whose kids are you talking about?"

Sophie laughed. "Naruto's kids. Naruto will have kids, I thought one or two. The boy will come first. He would have a son with blond hair like his."

He searched her face for some kind of answers. "...Who is he going to have kids with?"

But before she could answer, his phone went off in his back pocket. Sasuke reached for it, sure that it was Naruto checking to see where he was. However, he didn't get a chance to answer it.

Sasuke hit the concrete hard after feeling an explosion of pain at the back of his head. The last thing he heard before he blacked out was the sound of Sophie's screaming.

Naruto and Nezumi had already run for four blocks when they heard a woman's shrill scream.

"Shit," he said, glancing at Nezumi.

"Sophie?"

Naruto's heart dropped into his stomach, and he took off toward the sound of Sophie's screams. Nezumi running just as fast beside him. That couldn't have been a whole lot further than a few blocks away. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something flash. Nezumi had a small knife in his hand, but there wasn't time to comment on why he had one or where he'd been hiding it. All he could think about was Sasuke. He knew something was wrong, absolutely wrong, and yet it couldn't be that bad because it was Sasuke, and he could take care of himself.

And Sophie... she had just painted this picture of his future, with Sasuke in it... and changes... and kids.

"Fuck," he said, and ran even harder.

It was so hard to think or to see. What the fuck would he do without Sasuke? So, he prayed. To his mom, or to anyone that would listen. If anything ever happened to Sasuke...

Sasuke's eyes snapped open as he pushed himself off the ground. His head was throbbing, and it took a second to regain his senses. Immediately, he spotted his phone on the ground, the screen cracked and busted. When he looked up, he saw a couple of guys in dark clothing, holding Sophie between them. One had ripped off her necklace and held it in his hand. The other brandished a large knife.

"Gimme your wallet," the man with the knife said to him. "And we won't hurt your girlfriend. She's already given us everything she's got. You do the same, and no one's gonna have to get hurt."

Sasuke got up very slowly, with both hands up in the air. If he was on his own, he might've tried to do something, but with Sophie there, he didn't want to risk getting her hurt.

"Okay," he said. "You can have my wallet. Just don't hurt her." He started to reach for it.

"Slowly," said the man with the necklace. "So that we can see your hands."

"Fine." He kept one hand up as he pulled his wallet slowly from his pocket and threw it over to the guy with the necklace. "Just let her go."

The man opened Sasuke's wallet. "Guy must be rich," he said to his partner. "There's, like, a couple hundred dollars in here. Credit cards, too."

"Whatever, man. Let's go. We got what we wanted." He lowered his knife and let go of Sophie's arm, but the other one pulled her closer.

"What's your hurry? Make 'em go to the ATM. He can take out more. If he's got this much..."

"Are you stupid? There's security cameras. I'm on fuckin' parole, man."

"So, go get a fuckin' mask."

Sophie whimpered in their arms.

"Shut up, you little foreign bitch," said the guy who now had a hold of her. "You wanna draw the cops here, huh?" He shook her hard. "Do you wanna fuckin' die?"

Sasuke knew that there was no guarantee these guys were going to let them go, and considering they were doing this without masks, they were aware that the both of them had seen their faces. He understood there was a possibility that Sophie could get hurt if he acted impulsively, but he also knew that they could be in trouble if he did nothing.

He looked at his phone that lay broken on the ground, and when the two man began to argue over what they should do next with them - Sasuke made that decision to act.

He just hoped Naruto would forgive him if he made the wrong choice.

Just as Naruto and Nezumi reached the end of the next block, they saw four figures standing underneath the flickering streetlight.

"That one has a knife," he heard Nezumi say under his breath. "Shit."

Naruto saw it, too, and then he saw it as Sasuke lunged forward while the unknown men began to argue with each other. While he and Nezumi ran forward, Sophie somehow managed to scramble away during the commotion. Her mascara was streaming down her face, and she might've said something or yelled or shouted, but he had no fucking clue. She collapsed on the ground after tripping on her heels. Nezumi stopped long enough to make sure she was okay, but was quickly at his side again.

"I'll take the taller one with the knife," said Nezumi. "Don't do anything stupid. They could have a gun, too."

"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted, barely listening to him.

His yelling apparently distracted the two men, one long enough for Sasuke to land a punch to his face, knocking him down onto the ground. The other guy bolted without even looking back. Nezumi jumped on the one who'd hit the ground, his own knife out as he crawled on top of him and placed the blade to his throat.

Naruto ran to Sasuke, who was kneeling on the ground, holding his arm to his chest. He grabbed him by the shoulders. "Are you okay? Tell me you're okay!"

Sasuke blinked at him, and Naruto saw that there was a gash on his forehead. Blood was dripping down the side of his face and neck. His hand was bleeding badly, too.

"Jesus, Sasuke," he said. "Where did he get you?"

"I'm fine." He shook his head. "It's... just my hand. It's not - "

Naruto didn't hear anything after that because he took off like a fucking Olympian sprinter, and he wasn't going to stop until he had broken every bone in that guy's body. In the distance, he heard Nezumi and Sasuke yelling for him to stop. At first he'd lost sight of him, but up ahead, spotted him again as he hooked a right around a corner. The man was slightly heavy, so it didn't take long before Naruto caught up to him, now only a few steps behind as he chased him down the sidewalk, past several parked cars. It was like there was no other thought in his head except the image of Sasuke bleeding. He couldn't help but think about the time this had happened to Sasuke before - in that alleyway when no one bothered to help him. He'd always said that he'd beat the shit out of those people if they ever crossed his path.

He didn't even know exactly what happened after he grabbed the running man by his hooded sweatshirt, but suddenly Naruto was just standing there… watching as the guy rolled off the hood of a car and dropped like dead weight onto the street. He had Sophie's necklace in his hand. With his adrenaline still rushing, Naruto stared down at the limp body. He was still breathing. Naruto took a step forward. Still breathing? That was too good for anyone who dared to fuck with someone he loved. This person had hurt Sasuke, had made him bleed. Shouldn't Naruto make him suffer, too? Make him feel the pain that he'd caused Sasuke. What if he and Nezumi hadn't come looking for him? What if the unimaginable had actually happened?

He walked around the car and knelt down beside the unconscious man. Right as he was about to wrap his fingers around the jerk's neck, he heard the sound of fast approaching footsteps.

"Naruto!" Sasuke yelled, but Naruto didn't respond.

He eyed the way the man's chest rose and fell. His face was all bloody, too.

"Naruto," Sasuke called to him again after spotting him in the middle of the street. "The police are on their way. What the fuck were you thinking running after him - "

"Shut up!" He growled, turning around to glare at him. "He hurt you, Sasuke! He made you fuckin' bleed, and you want me to let him get away with it?"

"What are you talking about? It's done, Naruto. He's not moving. What did you do? What were you thinking - "

Naruto cut him off. "What about the other one?"

Sasuke was standing in front of him, still bleeding all over the place. "Nezumi has it under control."

"And Sophie?" He looked down again at the asshole who had done this to Sasuke.

"Well, she should've seen this coming, right?"

Naruto glanced up at him, surprised that his boyfriend could joke at a time like this.

"She's fine," Sasuke said when Naruto didn't say anything. "Come on." He held out his uninjured hand for him to take. "Let the cops deal with it. He'll get what's coming to him. Besides, I… think I need to sit down soon. Running after you, thinking you were going to get stabbed or shot… I don't get why you'd do that. Why are you always doing things without thinking them through - "

"You need a doctor," he mumbled, ignoring the rest of what Sasuke had been saying.

Sasuke stared at him, frowning. "It's only a scratch. I'm fine."

Naruto was still torn as he looked down at his clenched fist. "But I always said that...if anyone hurt you I wouldn't be able to stand it. How can I just let him go?"

"This isn't a movie," said Sasuke. "This is real life. Do anything more, and you could be in trouble, too. So get up." He held out his uninjured hand for Naruto to take.

Finally, Naruto stood up, looking at his boyfriend who resembled Carrie on Prom night.

"Okay?" Sasuke asked him.

Naruto nodded, beginning to feel a little more like himself. "Yeah."

"Good."

Without even being prepared for it, Sasuke punched him in the face, and Naruto stumbled back a few feet. It wasn't even that bad considering Sasuke's injured hand was the dominant one.

"What the hell was that for?" Naruto shouted, rubbing at his cheek.

"If you ever do anything like that again," Sasuke yelled at him, "I'll leave you. Or, I'll kill you myself. What the fuck would I do without you, Naruto? How can you be so stupid!"

"You're one to talk!" He shouted back. "Why would you leave in the middle of the night without tellin' me? Do you know what a shithole this city is? Do you know how many armed robberies and murders happen here? Could you maybe use your brain for somethin' besides music for once! I saw the way you lunged at those guys! What would've happened if Nezumi and I hadn't come to find you two, huh? You could be lyin' in the street like this fucker!"

"I had everything under control," Sasuke replied, but Naruto knew he was lying.

Instead of arguing with him any more, Naruto just wiped at the corner of his mouth, and for some reason, he laughed.

"You think this is funny?" Sasuke glared at him. "I'm not fucking around. You could've been killed, Naruto."

"Yeah. It is. It's a little funny somehow," he said, but he'd already stopped laughing.

He gazed up at the sky and all the little flashing dots of light. Just stars that were millions and millions of miles away. In the distance, he could hear sirens. He suddenly swayed a bit and then sat down on the curb. Naruto let out another laugh and shook his head. He heard Sasuke's footsteps as he came up behind him. His boyfriend put a hand on top of his head, which is when Naruto first started to cry. Using his shoulder for balance, Sasuke took a seat next to him on the curb. Naruto folded his arms on top of his knees and put his head down.

Sasuke placed a kiss to the side of his head as he continued to cry.

"Naruto," he said softly, a tremor in his voice. "I'm about three seconds from proposing to you, so stop crying."

Through his tears, he managed to snort out a laugh. Then he turned and threw his arms around Sasuke. He cried some more while Sasuke rubbed his back and just kept breathing. He was alive, and he was okay, and Naruto was going to never let him out of his fucking sight again.