A/N: This is the last chapter everyone! You're in for a lot of fluff, just to warn you.
Enjoy!
If there was one thing that Shikamaru Nara was an expert on, it was Sasuke Uchiha. They'd been best friends for an unreasonable amount of time, and it showed. This was how he was so certain in this moment that Sasuke did not want to talk about what was bothering him. It was also how Shikamaru knew, without a doubt, that Sasuke needed to talk. In addition to that, he was privileged with a good bit of knowledge on what was disturbing his friend in the first place.
"Did he not read it yet?"
Sasuke groaned, and buried his face in his hands.
"He never does. Ever since we started fucking and I wrote the article about our first time, he's been waiting for the print before he'll even peek."
Shikamaru sighed. He knew that Sasuke was anxious for Itachi to read the latest Tokumei article. After all, he was Sasuke's personal editor. Knowing what Sasuke had written, he could see how waiting would be more than nerve-wracking.
"Maybe you should just tell him? It's more personal that way, you know."
"I don't want it to be personal!" Sasuke whined, "I want it to be deep but still extravagant."
At that, the Nara rolled his eyes, "Itachi's known you for your whole life, and he's been in a monogamous relationship with you for coming on eight months now. I think it's fair to assume that he has seen plenty of your extravagance at this point. There's no need to try impressing him with that approach."
"It's not about impressing him," Sasuke argued, "It's about letting him know that I'm just as passionate about him as I am about myself. He needs to understand that he's worth my constant extravagance."
Shikamaru gave Sasuke an incredulous look, "You got his eye tattooed on your neck literally the day you got together and that wasn't enough to show him that your relationship is worth extravagance?"
Sasuke exhaled irritably, "I've told you time and time again, Shika! The damn bastard gave me a big ass hickey and it wasn't scarf season! I had to cover it somehow or my mother would have freaked at both of us!"
"You know, even though it's far from the first time that you've given me that explanation, I still think it was fucking stupid of you."
Sasuke pouted and released a large huff of breath.
"I don't want to tell him. I want him to just read the damn article already."
Shikamaru could see that Sasuke didn't have much fight left in him on the subject, and thought it would be going too far to push it. With a casual nod, he just left it at that.
XxBxExLxOxVxExDxX
Sasuke didn't really realize he'd fallen asleep until someone started waking him up. He shifted slightly, twitching his brow as a gentle kiss was placed on his forehead.
"I know you're awake," A familiar voice murmured against his neck, "Did you tell Mom you're here?"
"Mmhm," He responded, yawning a little and running his fingers through his lover's hair, "She gave me that lecture again though."
Itachi laughed breathily, quite familiar with Mikoto's speech about how ever since her first born son moved out, she hardly ever saw either of them anymore.
"She's just gonna have to get used to it if she still won't budge about letting you live here," He said, running his lips down Sasuke's cheek and pecking his nose.
Alas, Sasuke caved into awareness and opened his eyes, surprised with Itachi's eyes were looking right into his. They laid there, staring at each other for a moment, and Sasuke licked his lips nervously.
"Itachi, I…" He paused, shutting his eyes again for a moment. "Shikamaru came over this morning and woke me up kind of early. That's why I took a nap as soon as I got here."
"…Okay," Itachi replied, raising an eyebrow. Clearly, he had noticed that there was something else Sasuke had started to say, but he ignored it.
"Did you, um, read the new print of Akatsuki today?"
The elder Uchiha shook his head. "That's why I wasn't home when you got here. I've been with the printer all last night and this morning. There was a problem with the cover image and the new issue won't be published until tomorrow. Why do you ask? Should I be bracing myself for something absurdly scandalous in the Tokumei panel?"
"I guess that's one way to put it," Sasuke heaved out, grumpily.
He was ready for Itachi to read what he'd fucking written! He put a lot of time and effort into that article, and it wasn't … well, it wasn't like the others.
That time the next day, he still had it on his mind. He and Itachi were trying to play monopoly, but he kept getting distracted.
"How much do I owe you?" He asked for what must have been the fifth time in a row.
Itachi merely smiled patiently, "Two-thousand,"
"You would have a hotel on Boardwalk," Sasuke fumed, thumbing through his money to see if he even had enough.
Itachi frowned. "Are you alright?" he inquired, furrowing his brow slightly, "It kind of seems like you've been mad at me all weekend."
Sasuke wasn't trying to openly bitch at his brother, but the damn man hadn't gotten a copy of Akatsuki today either, and now it was published! But no, Itachi had wanted to spend time with him! Couldn't they spend time together reading or something? This was getting really out of hand.
"I don't think my mind is in the right place for organized activity," He tried to explain, "I'm too broke for your hotel anyway. Wanna go see a movie or something?"
Itachi agreed, and started looking at show times near them, but Sasuke figured by his facial expression that nothing good was showing.
"Hey, what's playing at that oldies theater downtown tonight?"
"Hold on," Itachi acknowledged, clicking away at his phone, "Er, it's Gone with the Wind."
Sasuke grinned, "Well get dressed, Rhett. We're going."
Several hours of the deep south, and two over-priced pretzel's later, Sasuke was really starting to lose patience with his brother's complete apathy towards this month's Tokumei panel.
"Now what do you want to do?" Itachi asked, buckling himself into the car and looking at the less than pleased person in his passenger seat.
"Don't you want to make sure that everything went okay with the cover image?"
Itachi shrugged. "I'm sure Konan would have let me know by now if there was an issue."
Sasuke groaned and decided to begin drafting is will when they got back to either of their houses. His brother was definitely going to be the death of him, and at this rate – he might just drop dead any second.
"Are you sure there isn't anything you just want to tell me, Otouto?" Itachi sang out, smiling joyfully.
"Yes I'm sure dammit!" Sasuke barked, kicking his legs up on the dashboard and leaning his chair back. He refused to cave in and say it. He absolutely would not say it.
Itachi chuckled, but let his brother keep his secrets, and drove the boy home silently. When they pulled into the driveway, he turned to Sasuke and saw that the teen was still moodily glaring out of the window.
"Could I have a kiss goodnight before your friends steal you away?" He asked, already able to hear that loud-mouthed Naruto in the living rom.
Sasuke leaned over and pressed his lips to Itachi's, slipping his tongue in smoothly and sighing with relief at the familiar taste of his lover's tongue. He truly cherished Itachi's kisses, and though he was a bit pissed off with the man at that moment, he had to admit that he was loathed to part with him either way.
"Pick me up tomorrow?" He pleaded, their mouths still brushing softly together with each syllable, "Please? I can't stand the thought of a single moment without you," He kissed him again for good measure, and to make sure that Itachi didn't just answer right away and say no.
"I love you," Was Itachi's response, and Sasuke felt a fluttering in his chest, "Call me as soon as you wake up, I'll come drive you to school."
Right. It was Monday tomorrow. Their mother wouldn't let him spend a weeknight at Itachi's house, which totally SUCKED and was completely unfair, but he had to pick his battles. He couldn't constantly be fighting her about being allowed to move in with his brother officially if he was already never home.
Kissing Itachi one more time just because he couldn't bear not to, he got out of the car and went into his house, not at all ready to face his crazy-retarded friends, but not really having another choice.
As Itachi pulled off, he noticed that Sasuke had left something behind. He pulled over around the corner to see what it was and snorted. All day the kid had been bugging him to get a copy of Akatsuki and low and behold the little bugger had already bought one!
Figuring that Sasuke must have been anxious about the slut-level of the Tokumei article this month, he took a deep breath and skipped to the very back:
Dangers of Devotion
by Tokumei-Chan
My darling readers, this month I would like to shine some light on a bit of a touchy topic. As I'm sure you have realized by now: yours truly is not excruciatingly tight-lipped on subjects of sexuality. In fact, I'll admit myself to be downright robust (if people are using words like 'robust' anymore.) I am far from shy, and greatly enjoy every possible activity that I can describe using the words 'suck, fuck, lick,' and especially – especially – 'cum'.
However, there is a word that I tend to be a little reluctant about. That word, if you haven't guessed by now, is 'love.' Truly, I am appalled to have even just typed the damn thing! It's not even in my basic vocabulary. I am mildly surprised that I can even spell it. So, imagine my shock when I realized I am capable of feeling it!
Now, don't get too impressed here. I didn't just learn to feel love all by myself. I had a LOT of help, from a certain man in my life (who shall remain anonymous, as I am.) He tended to my emotions, nursed my heart back to health, and sheltered the sweet side of me from my own jaded eyes. He is strong, intelligent, and – my god – he is beautiful. When he speaks to me, it's like my favorite song just came on the radio after a long day. When he smiles, I see a midnight sky lit up with fireworks. The way that I feel when he touches me is impossible to capture with words alone.
And I love him. Oh, I love him. With every ounce of me I love him.
Now here's the magical part – he loves me too!
So what advice can I give you lovely devoted readers in this panel? Here it is: Don't waste as much time as I have worrying about who can set your body on fire, or who makes you orgasm so hard that you forget your name. Find the person who sets your body on fire with their eyes alone. Pick the one who never makes you forget your name, because you are too anxiously obsessing over the miraculous way it sounds falling from their lips.
To be crude – if they don't love you as hard as they fuck you, they're a waste of effort. Find someone who adores you to their very core. Someone whose presence makes you unable to fathom a world without them. That's what I did, and I've never been happier.
Now put down the mag and go get him, gals!
-Tokumei
When Itachi finished reading the article, he almost couldn't catch his breath. He turned the car right back around and burst into his old front door and up the steps two at a time just so that he could see his brother. When he got to Sasuke's room, he picked the boy up in his arms and spun him around.
"I love you too," He whispered into his ear, kissing his precious Otouto hard on the lips and not stopping until he noticed someone was clearing their throat.
Sasuke's room was, as usual, full of his friends – though Itachi hadn't noticed.
Neji Hyuuga was smirking at him, and the red-headed one looked thoroughly relieved for some reason.
"We're gonna wait downstairs!" The blonde girl peeped out, grabbing two other people's hands as they all exited the room together.
Itachi ignored their migration and kissed his daring little lover again, "Say it," He breathed into Sasuke's lips, "Tell me. I want to hear it."
"I love you," Sasuke marveled, "I love you, I love you, I love you," He beamed, laughing outrageously, "God I've been wanting to tell you for weeks!"
"I want you to tell me every day for as long as we both live," Itachi answered, holding him tight. "One more time?" He pleaded.
Sasuke was glad to repeat himself. Again, and again, until the moments in which he spoke those three little words turned into hours, and the hours to days, and the days to years, and still he did not ever tire of saying it.
And Itachi did not tire of listening.
A/N: Okay so not the best ending chapter, but I tried. I know it's fluffy, but keep in mind that this chapter takes place several months after the last one, so the brothers relationship has settled a bit and is more domestic.
THIS WAS THE LAST CHAPTER OF THIS FIC ITS DONE NOW NO SEQUEL I'M SORRY BUT I HOPE YOU LIKED IT!
Thank You to all those who have reviewed and alerted, and thank you to anyone who will review this chapter as well.
I love each and every one of you for reading!
-Beloved