A/N: I don't have a Beta so read at your own risk. A bit later than I promised but I edited the last part at the last minute sooo... Yeah. Thank you for reading. Review if you like. [Credits to original creator for cover image art.]
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any relative characters. They're property of Masashi Kishimoto.
Warning: Slash. More Hurt. You no Like, You No Read!
Chapter 4 ~ Waning Moon.
Kiba craned his neck over the heads in line for popcorn. "Yeah, this is gonna take a while."
It was afternoon outside as both of them stood in line after buying tickets for the movie. Naruto gave a sigh of relief and content, he felt surprised that he hadn't been plagued by any negative thoughts once this whole time with Kiba. He did admit, it was difficult when they were just running around, competing for silly things, for him to think apart from the thrill in his heart. He always did find it better to revel in the moment. And besides, Kiba was just that type of a friend, he couldn't mope around him. He found it much easier to fall along his steps and laugh, just have fun.
He looked up as Kiba turned to face him. The line was moving forward slowly, he was checking his phone. "Hey, so Shino's reached. Can you locate him for me?"
"Hm? Oh yeah, what's he look like?" Naruto stood on his toes and searched around for someone waving at them perhaps.
"Just look for the shadiest guy amongst the crowd."
"Shadiest?" Naruto whipped his head back staring at him bewilderment. He turned back to search nevertheless. "What do you even..Oh! Is that him?"
Naruto tapped Kiba's shoulder and pointed to a guy with his hoodie and cap in place and wearing shades. As if that wasn't suspicious enough, he was standing in a dark corner; it made Naruto get jitters but he walked off waving to Kiba who moved further ahead in the line. He made his way to the shady guy, as he had labelled him. Naruto tilted his head in slight doubt. "You're Shino?"
"Yes." It was spoken in a gruff voice and Naruto braced himself, searching the guy for any dangerous factors. "You must be Kiba's new friend Naruto."
The blond looked at him strangely when he took in what he just said. "Wait, what do you mean new friend? Kiba moved in at the starting of this session, everyone's a new friend to him, right?" He was laughing nervously.
"Well, except I'm not." There was a brief pause but before Naruto could say anything he continued. "Why is that you ask? It's because we're childhood friends."
Naruto gave a slow nod, filing the information in his brain. "Oh, really?" The guy nodded and the blond then started rambling like his usual self. Moreover, all his hesitation gone he decided to pester him for embarrassing secrets. "So was he always like this?"
"Kiba? Yes, he's always been like this. He himself had so many crazy activities he was indulged in but he never took a liking to mine." Shino visibly sighed and the blond perked up. "Hmm, so what's your Hobby?"
"I have an interest in insects." He spoke quietly and precisely waiting for the blond's reaction through his tinted glasses. Naruto stared at him blankly for a few seconds; eventually he blinked back his initial surprise. "That's actually pretty cool!...though I find them fascinating as well but… some of them, I'd rather not go anywhere near them, at all." Naruto gulped nervously, shifting his gaze around him, watching the floor for any cockroaches. He looked back at Shino with steeled resolve. "But I think Spiders are awesome."
Shino finally responded with two nods and offered to show him his collection. Naruto agreed, but on sometime in the future. He came to know that Shino went to their same school which made him inquire about his stealth abilities. He kept bugging him like a curious kid but Shino didn't seem to mind it.
By the time, Kiba returned with two huge tubs of popcorn, both of them were easily conversing. Kiba smiled as he drew near and ushered them inside their designated hall, thrusting one tub in Naruto's hands who eyed them with a glint in his eyes. "Mmm, did you ask for extra cheese?" He inhaled the fragrance of fresh popcorn and Kiba knocked him in the head, flashing his feral grin. "Of course I did and snap out of it dude!"
…
Naruto returned home, full and tired. He had had his fill but there was always room for some ramen. He freshened up quickly and went about preparing it in limited time. He'd have to get class notes from someone too. As his surroundings set in, he realised something.
The fear that he might've ignored calls or texts from Sasuke slowly seeped into his conscious. He scrambled for his phone to find that there were indeed a couple of texts from Sasuke. He was still absorbing the shock into his derailed senses when the phone buzzed with another text and it slipped out his hands. Naruto knelt down on the carpet and examined his phone for any damage. He sighed in relief when there wasn't; he wouldn't have been able to pay for the repairs this month anyway.
He checked the texts. A slow smile crept up his face, as he told off his doubting, anxious self that Sasuke did always come around. He always did apologize for not having read his texts, because he was often busy or left his phone. It did seem odd to Naruto at times when these happened to be recurring, clashing events. But, he pushed them all aside if in the end he got to see his boyfriend smile back at him whenever they met. He felt incredibly greedy at times, wanting all his attention and love but even he knew it wasn't possible for anyone to be like that.
But, he could always dream. He typed a reply, stopping halfway. The pointer was blinking resembling a 'danger ahead' sign; at the thought of mentioning he went out with his friends for the movie he had decided to go with Sasuke for. It was unfair to him so he decided to keep it a secret. He loved that Sasuke could be overly protective and possessive sometimes but he wasn't a loyal fan of triggering something dangerous. It could potentially set in motion endless worst case scenarios.
Because Sasuke for once had acknowledged him as an equal and accepted his love for him; it was only natural for Naruto to keep their relationship from breaking apart. If it did, it won't only be his love that he'd lose; he would also be losing a dear friend in the process. He dearly loved him, despite his odd shortcomings and never wanted to lose him. This always worked as an excellent motivator for the blond to keep it going whenever he doubted their bond.
But besides all that, his time today had been fun. His spirits were at their usual high. He wondered if this was Kiba's plan all along. He shook his head, muttering under his breath. "Crazy bastard." He kept the phone back, satisfied with the reply he had typed. After all, Sasuke had fun, why would he hold back? He did admit to himself that it gave him a strange sense of thrill, but he decided to keep mum about it. In retrospect, Sasuke had nothing to complain against, Kiba was a friend and they had Shino too. He turned out to be a decent guy after all even if did look like a prowler at first glance. But he was so chill and relaxed about things in general, that the blond grew an instant liking to him as well.
He enjoyed his cup of ramen alone, and sank on the stool near the kitchen counter. He was wondering if he should go see Sasuke soon. He mused on it awhile, swinging his legs back and forth. 'Hmm, he'll most likely be at home…' Once it was decided, it only took him mere seconds to slip on his shoes, laces half untied and put his arms through one puffy orange jacket. Given a couple minutes, he was pedalling down his street, on his trusty bicycle that he rarely used. He just preferred to walk sometimes, or mostly.
He adjusted his sling bag strap and parked his bicycle, leaning against the fence. No one would steal it at this hour. Naruto ran one hand through his hair, not sure if he had tamed them or messed them up further. 'Doesn't matter.' It didn't because he'd get to see the one he loved. He shifted his weight from one foot to another, after ringing the doorbell. The huge door painted a deep shade of red was somehow intimidating him.
One confused Itachi walked up to the front door, he was planning on sleeping somewhat early. It was one of his rare days off tomorrow. Even if the idea was somewhat unsettling with his little brother shagging someone two doors down the hall. He shook his head; Sasuke was stubborn as hell when it came to certain things. Though, It still went beyond his understanding, why he seemed to hate his very existence. "Foolish little brother." He muttered under his breath, the bell rang again and his focus shifted to the newest question. 'Who could it be at this hour?'
The answer was already before him, he was just ignoring it. He was hoping that the door won't open to reveal a Naruto with that look in his eyes. Crystal eyes alight with joy at the mere thought of meeting Sasuke. He blinked away the resentment and sadness in his eyes and unlocked the door. It revealed a blond with a fixated sheepish look on his face. "Naruto!" Itachi offered him a smile and he beamed one right at him. It made his own heart wrench in pain, he couldn't bear to see him get hurt anymore. He would fix this somehow. But, right now, he had to avoid letting him in. Even as cruel as it seemed to him.
"Hey, Itachi..san," He couldn't meet his strong gaze so he ended up staring at his torso. It made him crane his neck up because Itachi was dressed in a pair of black lounge pants and his open shirt which Naruto assumed he had thrown on in haste. It made him realise, two things…First, he was late and his timing wasn't great. Although, Itachi had said he was welcome anytime, Naruto didn't want to be rude. Secondly, Itachi had toned and defined chest muscles, and his skin was too perfect to look at, similar to Sasuke. Red stained his cheeks at those remote thoughts invading his brains, he chased them away.
"Sasuke might be aslee—". Naruto already knew, Sasuke would be asleep by now as well. He was an early riser after all.
"Uh, yeah…I just realised, this really…" This was bad, Naruto could hear himself stuttering with words and spurting utter nonsense. He stared at his shoes, trying to muster up his scattered confidence. He looked up, ears perked at the distant noises coming from behind the door. The staircase was somewhat visible from his point of view. "I mean, I must apologise, this is really a bad ..." Itachi arched an elegant eyebrow and stared at the flustered blond who had turned into a fluffy ball of depression. He was still desperately smiling however, trying to form words.
Blue eyes caught sight of a bedraggled shirtless Uchiha, behind Itachi. His hair was an unusual mess and he looked distressed. Naruto's eyes widened at his sight and he opened his mouth to call out at him, regardless of the Uchiha in front of him. It seemed Sasuke hadn't seen him because he lowered his hand that was fixing his hair and Naruto blinked twice removing his stare.
Itachi was clueless for the first time, how the blond before him transitioned so quickly from excited and anxious to depressed to so shut-in. He noticed blue eyes were frozen for a bit as they stared at something behind him. But, when he turned back to look behind, he held his shirt refuting him.
Naruto found himself looking down again. "Actually..." He looked up beaming a smile so much brighter than before in intensity. "Sorry, this is a bad time. I'll be heading back then." It didn't take him more than a few seconds to get to his bike and pedal away. "Wait, Naruto!" Itachi called out but he was already gone with the wind.
When he walked back in, he only heard Sasuke's door slam shut and frowned at his own bedroom door. At least the noises had stopped, not that they were permeable to his room. He frowned and furrowed his eyebrows giving one last look to his brother's door. "What're you doing, Sasuke?" His voice was laced with a husky tone filled with discontent. Naruto didn't deserve to be this hurt. They were old friends too, how could he possibly be this insensitive.
…
Sasuke entered the door with a half filled cup of coffee, slamming it effectively behind him. Sakura shifted in his sheets and sat up one hand holding the white sheets to cover her breasts. "I thought I heard the doorbell, who…was it?" Her voice was slightly wavering because she wasn't sure how Sasuke would take it. The raven however, was annoyed and in a whirlpool of questions, effectively drowning his conscience as well as conscious. "It was no one."
There was no way he was mentioning Naruto in front of Sakura. She managed to wiggle her way through his barriers. How else would you explain him bedding the same girl thrice and even going with her to see a movie? It was fairly obvious to him now. But, he couldn't just get rid of her, could he?
"Oh, quit stalling." She tapped her chin in thought, mockingly. "Let me take a wild guess. You're not exactly super social sooo…Ah! It must be that blond lover boy of yours!" Her eyes were hard with intent.
Sasuke raised an eyebrow, challenging her. "His name's Naruto." He said it like a proclamation, rather than stating facts. Besides, Sakura noticed he hadn't denied the other thing.
"Hmm, please. I know all about you." She lewdly gestured to his half naked body." Sasuke snorted in disgust. "Including your…" She scoffed at the label, "make-believe fling with …Naruto." Sasuke's eyes froze for a second, he glared hard at her. "Guys like you are so underestimating, I swear. At least make up your fucking mind." She met his eyes with a burning glare but her smile was chilling his bones. "Don't pin the blames on me, this is all on you." She twirled her fingers in strands of her hair.
"Then why even go out with me, or…" He pointed to the messed up sheets. "Sleep with me?"
Sakura toned down the previous air surrounding her. "Well, because the sex was good and more importantly, it helps me climb the social ladder." She could be chewing bubble gum right now, and it wouldn't feel out of character to the Uchiha. "Don't tell me you didn't see the same benefit, okay?" She laughed haughtily, resting her back on the pillows behind her.
"You…" Before Sasuke could begin, she spoke again after yawning. "Anyway, I'm sleepy so save the bullshit for later. And if you do need things to worry about, worry about who your blond was roaming around with." She smiled slowly and pulled the sheets to cover up to her chin and scooted to one side of the bed.
Sasuke remained fixated on his spot, on the couch. He was still processing all that she had just said. He felt incredibly helpless; he was only striving to be the best. He splashed his face with cold water and looks back at onyx eyes through the mirror. He made up a decision then, he would surely break-up with Naruto. It would certainly be less painful than him finding out. He never wanted the situation to escalate to this point. Knowing the fool, it was obvious he would end up agreeing to it for his sake. Even if…Even if it hurt him so much, and broke his heart, he would agree to go along with it for him. He looked back to his reflection, and he hated it. 'Why couldn't the dobe be selfish for once?' Filled with fury he punched the mirror but the sound never escaped the closed bathroom door. It didn't matter to her anyway.
A/N: So hullo, tell me what you think. Sorry for the delay. Re-hydrate! :]
TRIVIA: Waning Moon: Waning Moon means the moon is decreasing in size, moving from the Full Moon towards the New Moon.
(Symbolic of letting go, surrender, release, quiet time, contemplation, and a time of incubation.)