Here's chapter 3.

"Call me ScaledSand."

After three weeks that's all the reply said. After three fucking weeks all the other man could come up with was a stupid fucking nickname! Anger coursed through the pale man's body starting behind his eyes, traveling through his blood and pausing in his clenched fists, before finishing its journey in the tensed muscles of his foot. He wasn't usually one for violence, but the lack of a real reply made him ready to punch someone. Why even reply if all you are going to say is three fucking words? Three fucking words.

Sasuke slammed his hands against the desk and stood up. He needed to collect his composure. Needed to now. It was just some asshole, nothing worth the anger he felt boiling just under the surface. Tea. He needed tea. Rushing to his kitchen he fixed himself a cup as quickly as he could. As soon as he took in just the smell he released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding behind his clenched jaw. Another deep inhale of tea smell that jaw unclenched.

Purposely ignoring his computer he walked to his bedroom. As his ass touched the mattress his eyes couldn't help but look over to the journal resting on his nightstand. The hand not holding the tea reached out for it, but as soon as his fingers gingerly touched the time-worn cover he pulled back as if he had been burned. It hurt so much he could almost physically see the burns. He still couldn't bring himself to pick it up. Self-loathing filled his lungs suffocating him. Coward. He was a fucking coward. What kind of man was he when he couldn't even face the words of a dead person? He was being such a little bitch he could no longer recognize himself. He was becoming a stranger. Coward.

Bzzz. Bzzz. The vibrations in his pocket paused the toxic train of thought poisoning his brain.

"What?"

"Well aren't we just a ray of sunshine? Would Mr. Sour Puss want to go out drinking with his friend? Or would he rather be an emo kid and stay pent up in his apartment all weekend?" Baby voice. That bastard was using a baby voice.

"The usual place?"

"Yeah."

"Be there in fifteen." The man hung up before the other man could respond. He wasn't giving him a chance to ask for later. Grabbing his keys even he couldn't hide the relief at escaping his own dark mind for a while.

"Oooo what is this?" the overly intoxicated blond man plopped in front of the other man's laptop. "Did loverboy finally respond?"

"Loverboy?" Sasuke shot his friend his signature questioning look.

"You know that loverboy you've been waiting on for like forever." That's when it dawned on the owner of the laptop just what his friend was talking about. He couldn't help the annoyed snort that vibrated out his throat.

"He's hardly a lover. He couldn't even form a response with more than three words."

"Either I've been drugged and I'm hallucinating or this is more than three words," Naruto slurred, staring down at the screen. This caught his friend's attention as the pale man stumbled over too quickly, giving himself a short bout of vertigo. As his eyes refocused he was genuinely surprised to see a lengthier message than the one he had viewed earlier.

"That wasn't there earlier."

"You should read this, he sounds like a cutie."

"No, we should go to bed, you nitwit." He couldn't help but shake his head and smile at his drunk friend. They both had too much to drink, but Sasuke had always handled alcohol better than the man who was currently cooing about the message. When Naruto drank he became a giggling school girl every time. Every time.

"Fine but ya gonna read it in the morning, right Sasu-chan?" the largest puppy dog eyes paired with the childhood nickname made the usually cold man melt. Sometimes he regretted teaching his friend about his Asian heritage. When the child-like man used it against him by being adorable was one of those instances. This time he couldn't even bring himself to be annoyed by the sweet face pointed at him.

"Fine. If you go to bed right this second."

The blond man saluted and stumbled his way into the bedroom, Sasuke following behind after he turned off the lights in the common area. By the time Sasuke stripped down to his boxers and sat on the edge of the bed the blond man was seemingly passed out, his soft snoring creating a soft lullaby in the air. A soft smile found its way onto pale lips. Even after all these years his friend never really changed. He closed his eyes, finding the thought soothing.

"Mmmm, your hair is so pretty, like Hina-Baby's." Warm fingers ran through the soft dark locks, beginning to play with them. "You know I was so jealous of how pretty your hair was. I liked it because your hair was a physical tie to your family. Mine… I hate it. It just reminds me of the family I don't have."

He could hear the sobs coming from his friend. Instincts kicked in and the older of the two rolled over pulling the tan man into an embrace. Sasuke could feel his own eyes well up with tears as his chest quickly became soaked. He never truly knew what to do when Naruto cried over the family he never had. At least he had been lucky enough to know his family, Naruto didn't even get that luxury. All he could do just laid there with the other man sobbing into his chest. He felt completely, and utterly hopeless… Until something clicked.

"Stop your crying you little twat."

The crying man pushed his head back to where he was staring at the man holding him. Hurt and disbelief shone in the overflowing oceans. One pale hand released its hold on the other man to poke him in between his fair eyebrows. The hurt turned into utter confusion as the blond just continued staring, no longer blinking.

"You might not look like us but you have a fucking family, moron. You are my family. You are my dumb little brother and when you are being stupid you need to be reminded of it. You are the only real family I have left so you better not forget about me."

A sad smile graced the wet face as the tears stopped flowing. For once the blond man had nothing to say instead he just curled up into the other man's chest as he had done a million times in childhood. A peaceful silence fell between the two. Sasuke almost believed the other man had fallen asleep when he barely heard the whisper of, "I won't forget any of my family, not even Ita." A small pang of guilt rang through the Uchiha man's heart. If only he knew. If only he knew.

The room was closing in, fast. Way too fast. The man was lying on his back, the mattress quickly engulfing him, holding him in place. Stuck. He was so nauseous from everything rushing at him, he was certain he would be sick. The air around him was so heavy he could feel it reach its hand down his throat and take ahold his lungs in an iron grip. He was suffocating. Dying. He needed to escape this hell before it took his life. He attempted to get up harder. He was terrified. No petrified. Petrified to the point that when he felt the soft warm hands touch his hair, he almost lost his sanity.

Onyx eyes shot open faster than previously believed humanly possible. When his vision focused he realized that the room had stopped trying to devour him alive and that there was a very concerned looking tan face hovering above his. It took longer than he'd like to admit before he realized it was Naruto. The man still lying on his back shot up to a sitting position with such speed that two foreheads collided. As they both sat rubbing their already present red marks, the blond man opened his mouth to say something.

"Don't. I already know. Just give me some time, okay?"

"Okay."

The concerned eyes of the tan friend quickly melted into mischievous glints. Their matching accessory, a devilish smirk. Sasuke knew nothing good was going to come of this look.

"What do you want moron?"

"You promised last night that you'd message Loverboy this morning if I went to bed and I did! So go read and message that boy back!" the Uchiha wanted to question if the other man was still drunk, but knew better. This was just Naruto being...well Naruto.

"You're a persistent little fuck. You know that, right?"

"Yep." The blond man pulled on his wrist trying to get him to go.

"How about we take showers and get dressed? Then we can go get food and after I'll read it?"

"Ha! You underestimated me for the last time! Before I woke you up I ordered delivery."

Fuck. He had underestimated how determined his friend would be about this. The usually carefree and slightly lazy man usually would have slept in and moaned at the thought of food when he awoke. But all because of this mystery man the man was going to be more stubborn than a mule. Fuck. Fuck. Fuckedy Fuck. Why? Why was this man so intriguing to both of them. Fine. He'd do it. Fuck. The raven-haired man stood up from his bed still clad in only his boxers. After all, it was his apartment. Yawning behind a hand he made his way to his desk and his computer.

"Now that I'm going to bend to your fucking will. What did you order for me?"

"Oh, ya know the usual breakfast for Mr. Fussy Eater," Naruto walked into the common area leaning on the wall behind Sasuke. He wore a dazzling smile that was so big his eyes squinted shut.

"What did you get me, cunt?" Sasuke was too hungover for the other man's teasing antics.

"Oh, shit yeah I forgot you are a cranky bitch when you haven't had your tea in the morning."

"Then make me some while I read this shit." Sasuke opened his laptop before turning to face his ever so annoying friend, "Bitch."

Blue eyes just rolled at the obvious challenge and walked to the kitchen. After decades of dealing with a pissy Uchiha in the morning, he figured out how to make the ebony-haired man's favorite tea just the way he liked it. Sometimes the said man thought the blonde would make someone an excellent trophy husband one day. Hinata was a very lucky woman.

Thwack! The sudden noise from the kitchen area caused Sasuke to jump.

"Ow! Shit!"

"Did you break something?"

"No, you're just a fucking dick for sticking this heavy ass box of tea on the top shelf. My face really enjoyed meeting it."

A roll of the eyes and turning his attention back to his computer was the only response the pale man gave his childish friend. As he glanced at last night there was a longer message than the one he originally received.

"I'm sorry for my earlier response Just_A_Person. I honestly wasn't going to respond but then I just kind of did. After only sending the name I would prefer to be called I realized I was being an asshole by only sending that. I live in Suna and I run a reptile care facility with my siblings. I'm the care specialist for our facility. Hence my nickname. I do envy you though, my job requires too much human interaction for my liking. Numbers and computers are much easier to deal with. For your hypotheses yes my sister does have a very high opinion of herself but that's why clients trust her and why she is the public face of our facility. I am a man. And yes when it comes to my personal life I am conservative with the information I share, even with my siblings. I wouldn't say she has a fun sense of humor it's more of an irritating variety in person. As for you, how are you doing?"

Sasuke had been so enthralled in the curt man's message that he hadn't noticed Naruto sit his cup in front of him until he realized he was drinking it out of instinct. The other man was intriguing. Captivating. The pale man wanted to know everything about this person. It was odd. Weird. He had never felt the need to reach out and get to know someone before, but yet this blunt man had him feeling just that. He needed to know him. To talk to him.

"He seems like your type."

The usually composed man flinched. He had completely forgotten about the other man's presence in his home.

"Why are you still here?"

"Because I am not leaving until you respond to that man. "ScaledSand" sounds manly and hot."

Obsidian eyes hurt from how far they rolled into the man's head. Sometimes he wondered how Hinata put up with this man.

"Oh yes because you are known for your amazing taste in men. How is Hinata doing by the way?"

"Just because I'm not sexually attracted to men doesn't mean I can't think they are physically attractive."

"You don't know what he looks like."

"So with that message I bet he is tall, muscular. Ooo he'll be tan with sandy hair since he lives in Suna. That's in the desert, isn't it? I bet he has beautiful amber eyes and the most brilliant smile." Naruto swooned.

All the pale man could do was raise a dubious eyebrow at the other man. What the hell had gotten into him? Maybe he was still drunk.

"Now stop stalling and message that sexy man!"

Sasuke just gulped his tea he was going to need more if he was going to continue dealing with this crack head of a person. Might as well get this over with.

"ScaledSands,

What is a reptile care specialist? What do you do? How did you get into it? How much human interaction is actually involved in it? I personally enjoy the very little to no interaction that I have at work. I can't imagine working in a field that's solely based on human interaction.

I'm fine. Why do you ask?

Just_A_Person"

A content sigh escaped the ebony haired man, he felt almost relaxed after hitting send. Weird. Why? It had been a while since he had felt this way so he decided not to question it too much. His eyes gently rolled shut as he sipped more of his morning tea. Maybe it was okay. Maybe.

"Did you talk to your loverboy yet?"

The whisper in his ear made onyx eyes fly open. The hand gripping his cup tightened, his knuckles turning white. The relaxed feeling he just had instantly gone. All that was left was red. Red in his vision. Red in his mind. Red is his blood. A growl escaped as he whipped his head to face the intrusion.

"Woah! Dude sorry didn't mean to piss you off," tan hands came up in surrender, trying to disarm the now irate man. Submitting to him. "I did bring you another cup of tea as I assumed you'd want more. So at least drink it before you bite my head off."

Tea. Breathe. In. Out. Again… Again… The irrational anger subsided and left Sasuke as his usual blank self. Tea. The tea felt good as it ran down his throat, warming his insides up.

"You okay?"

"Yeah sorry I don't know what came over me."

Naruto smiled. It wasn't his normal electric smile, this one was soft and gentle. A strong tan hand came to rest on his bare shoulder, the warmth from it comforting in a way Sasuke couldn't understand.

"It's okay I shouldn't have been so pushy. And you are going through something. I'll take anger over the emotionless shell of Sasuke I've seen for the past two months. That means you are feeling again. Maybe you should change that "I'm fine" to "I'm not okay". Maybe they'll be good for you to talk to ya know? He seems like more of a listener than a talker anyway."

"Thank you." It came out mumbled but it came out none the less.

"No need. You are my family after all." The sun rivaling smile was back, but only for a second as the man pulled him into his chest. He felt wetness pressed into the skin of his cheeks. When had he started crying? As the man pulled back that familiar smile still present he planted a big wet kiss on the pale forehead. Yuck.

"Now, let's go eat the food I ordered us. I'm STARVING!"

So if you haven't been able to tell I'm just fucking with different writing styles now. Hope y'all enjoy it. I personally feel meh about this chapter so please feel free to tell me how you feel about it.