Part 2: Façade
As they made their way back to Konoha, Sasuke remained unusually quiet. The image of Gaara and Naruto sharing that intimate moment at the bar replayed in his mind like a relentless loop, stirring up a storm of jealousy and insecurity within him.
Despite his best efforts to maintain his composure, he couldn't shake the gnawing feeling of inadequacy that ate him from within.
He had always prided himself on his strength and resilience, but in that moment, he couldn't help but feel like he was losing the battle for Naruto's affections. He couldn't have imagined the Kazekage would make his move so boldly.
The silence between them was palpable, heavy with unspoken tension and unresolved feelings. He stole furtive glances at Naruto, but the other man seemed lost in his own thoughts, oblivious to the turmoil brewing within his friend.
He finally caught his eye, and Sasuke turned pointedly away.
"Sasuke," Naruto said softly, breaking the silence. "Is something bothering you? You haven't called me an idiot since we left Suna."
He stayed quiet, Naruto's question hanging heavy in the air. Naruto waited patiently, his gaze unwavering as he searched his eyes for any sign of what lay beneath the surface.
Naruto knew that he was grappling with something, and as his friend, he wanted to offer whatever support he could.
"I..." Sasuke tried to begin, but swallowed deeply. It wasn't his place. And he didn't have any right to interfere in whomever Naruto chose to be with.
But Naruto was meant to be with him, he thought selfishly.
"I mean... Gaara isn't good enough for you," Sasuke finally admitted, his voice tight with emotion as he stopped walking. "You deserve someone who can truly understand you, someone who can match your strength and unwavering determination."
Naruto's eyes widened in surprise at Sasuke's unexpected confession, his mind racing to make sense of the implications behind his friend's words. He stopped walking as well. Had Sasuke witnessed him at the bar last night?
He searched Sasuke's face for any sign that he was bluffing, to catch him off guard. But Sasuke's serious expression clearly depicted that he believed what he said, and that he knew what had transpired the other night.
"Sasuke," Naruto began, his voice soft but firm with conviction. "Gaara may not be perfect, but neither am I. We've all made mistakes, but what matters is how we choose to move forward. You of all people should know that. And right now, I choose to stand by Gaara's side."
As they stood there, locked in a silent exchange of emotions, Sasuke felt a pang of regret wash over him. He had spoken out of turn, allowing his own insecurities to cloud his judgment and potentially jeopardize his friendship with Naruto.
"Is there something else you want to say to me instead?" Naruto asked, his eyes searching Sasuke's face for any hint of understanding. He could sense the turmoil brewing beneath Sasuke's face. He wanted Sasuke to say what he really felt like saying.
Sasuke opened his mouth but closed it, gaping like a fish. He should say something, he knew. He should tell him that it was him he was meant to be with, his true equal. But he was unable to do so. Instead, he grunted, before continuing to walk forward.
"You're an idiot, Naruto," Sasuke finally muttered, his voice tinged with exasperation.
He shook his head, feeling a surge of frustration at his own inability to articulate the depth of his emotions. Naruto could not have given him a better invitation, yet he found himself unable to express his true feelings.
Why must he still be so weak? Why couldn't he accept his feelings for Naruto for what they were?
"Sasuke..." Naruto's voice trailed off, his words laden with unspoken concern and empathy.
He reached out tentatively, placing a reassuring hand on Sasuke's shoulder, silently urging him to open up and share whatever was weighing on his mind.
But Sasuke remained silent, his gaze fixed on the ground as he wrestled with his inner demons. He knew he had lashed out impulsively, allowing his frustration to dictate his actions instead of confronting the root of his own insecurities.
Sasuke shook his hand off his shoulder. He couldn't help but feel a pang of regret gnawing at his conscience.
He had pushed Naruto away when all he had wanted was to protect him.
When he really wanted to be with him instead.
They reached Konoha, and each went their separate ways without further word on the topic.
Hinata had also always been obsessed with Naruto. From their days as young genin to adulthood, her feelings for him had been unwavering.
Yet, she knew deep down that her love for him had always been one-sided. Naruto had married her, not out of love, but out of a sense of duty and pressure from the village. Their marriage, for all intents and purposes, was merely a façade.
Naruto had always tried to make things work with Hinata before he had given up entirely. His heart was never truly in it. Their conversations were often filled with awkward silences and unspoken words.
And now, here he was telling her that he was jumping into a new relationship with someone else when she had called him to tell him that she was pregnant with their child.
She had hoped that this news would be a last-ditch effort to save their marriage.
"Naruto, I love you. But I know you'll never love me the same way," Hinata said, eyes welling up with tears. "You'd go to great lengths to love anyone else other than me."
Naruto looked away, guilt etched on his face. "I never wanted to hurt you. You deserve so much better. I... I'm sorry. I've tried to be a good husband, but I know I've failed you."
Hinata forced a smile, though her heart was breaking. "You've done your best, Naruto. I know your heart has never belonged to me. And I've accepted it. But loving you is all I know how to do. Just be there for our child."
Sasuke woke up with a heavy heart, his thoughts clouded with unresolved emotions from the previous week's confrontation.
Determined to express his feelings to Naruto before it was too late, he sought out his friend.
He found Naruto at their usual training ground, the morning sun casting long shadows across the field.
"Naruto," Sasuke called out, approaching with a mixture of determination and apprehension.
Naruto paused mid-kick, turning to face Sasuke with a curious look. "Sasuke? What's up?"
"I need to talk to you," Sasuke began, his voice unusually hesitant.
Naruto's expression softened, and he nodded. "Sure. What's on your mind?"
Sasuke struggled to find the right words, his frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "I just... I don't think you're doing right by Hinata," he blurted out. "Didn't she just find out that she's pregnant with your child?"
Naruto frowned, wondering why Sasuke had acknowledged Hinata's existence for the first time in his life. "Sasuke, Hinata and I are as good as over. You know this. We don't even live together anymore. But yes, I'll be there for our child, obviously."
Sasuke took a deep breath, trying to articulate his feelings further. But he couldn't come up with another reason why Naruto shouldn't be with Gaara.
His frustration erupted, and his eyes landed on the weapons lying around Naruto. "You always leave your gear lying around," he snapped, gesturing towards a scattered kunai. "It's irresponsible, especially when you'll have a child near you in less than a year's time."
Naruto blinked in surprise, taken aback by the sudden shift in the conversation. "What does that have to do with anything?"
"It's about discipline!" Sasuke shot back, his voice rising. "If you can't even keep your gear in order, how can you make important decisions about your life?"
Naruto's eyes narrowed, his patience wearing thin. "You're not making any sense, Sasuke. If you have something to say, just say it."
Again, Naruto gave him a clear signal, a clear path. But Sasuke couldn't bring himself to confess his true feelings, the words lodged painfully in his throat.
"Forget it," he muttered, turning away. "Just... You're an idiot, Naruto."
Throughout the next couple of weeks, the increased visits of the Kazekage no longer raised eyebrows.
The sight of Gaara and Naruto together had become common. They were seen strolling through the village, sharing meals, and even training together. They were seen holding hands as they went about, and rumour had it, they had even been sighted kissing openly on a park bench.
Their bond was evident, a testament to the deep connection they had forged.
Sasuke, still embedded with the green eye of jealousy, maintained his usual aloof demeanor around Naruto. He pretended indifference, masking any hint of emotion with an air of superiority. Whenever the topic of Naruto and Gaara arose, Sasuke would offer nonchalant remarks, subtly downplaying their significance.
"Gaara's here again," Sai commented one day, nudging Sasuke. "They seem pretty close, huh?"
Sasuke shrugged. "It's just politics, the Kazekage has responsibilities in the village, that's all," he snapped back, his tone dismissive. "You still have a lot to learn about feelings and relationships."
However, beneath his façade of indifference, Sasuke's jealousy continued to simmer quietly. Sai and Sakura raised their eyebrows and shared a look.
He couldn't deny the pang of possessiveness he felt whenever he saw Naruto and Gaara together. Yet, pride and stubbornness still kept him from admitting his true feelings, and now, time was passing by faster than the speed of his Chidori.
Instead, he chose to act coy, brushing off any inquiries about his emotions with a dismissive wave of his hand.
"Does it bother you, Sasuke?" Sakura asked gently, noticing the tension in his shoulders. She had always noticed him when no one else had.
"No," Sasuke replied curtly. "Why should it?"
Yet, those closest to Sasuke could see through his façade. They recognized the subtle shifts in his demeanor, the fleeting glances he stole in Naruto's direction when he thought no one was watching.
Despite his attempts to mask his jealousy, Sasuke's feelings were written in the tension of his shoulders and the guardedness of his gaze.
Jealousy reared its ugly head in full force when Sasuke finally steeled himself and went to visit Naruto at his apartment.
Since separating from Hinata, Naruto had moved into a small, modest place. Sasuke's heart pounded as he approached the door, his fist raised to knock. But he froze, his knuckles mere millimeters from the wooden surface, as he heard voices coming from inside.
He heard the undeniable sounds of two men in the throes of pleasure, one they wouldn't appreciate being interrupted. He heard groans of pleasure, the bed creaking, and the wet sounds of lips and tongue, unmistakably someone sucking the other man. The realization hit him hard, his mind painting a vivid picture of what was happening just beyond the door.
He hesitated, his instincts screaming at him to turn away, to not invade this private moment. Yet, he found himself rooted to the spot, compelled by a dark curiosity.
"Gaara…" Naruto's voice was breathy, filled with need and desperation.
"Yes, Naruto…" Gaara responded, his tone thick with desire.
Sasuke's heart clenched painfully as he heard Naruto's name spill from Gaara's lips in a way that was so intimate, so raw.
Sasuke's mind whirled, his heart clenching painfully. He knew he was punishing himself, knew he shouldn't be listening, but he couldn't tear himself away.
"Oh, Gaara…" Naruto moaned, his voice trembling with pleasure. "Don't stop…"
"Never," Gaara murmured, his voice muffled, clearly occupied with his task.
Naruto's gasps and groans filled the air, the sound of his pleasure almost too much for Sasuke to bear.
Each moan, each cry of Gaara's name was a knife to his heart. He knew he should walk away, but he couldn't move. The intensity of the moment rooted him to the spot, forcing him to listen to every intimate detail.
"Gaara, I'm close…" Naruto's voice was a mix of urgency and ecstasy.
"Come for me, Naruto," Gaara whispered, his voice dripping with seduction. "Let me taste you…"
Sasuke's breath hitched, his mind reeling from bitter waves of jealousy.
But the sounds of Naruto's climax, the raw, unrestrained pleasure in his voice, was enough to awaken his own cock.
"Oh god, Gaara…" Naruto panted, his voice still shaky from the aftermath of his orgasm.
"You're perfect," Gaara murmured, his voice filled with reverence and affection.
The bed creaked some more as they readjusted. The wet, slurping sounds continued and Gaara's cries of release followed as Naruto eagerly brought Gaara to completion as well.
There was a blessed moment of silence, where the only sounds were of the men breathing in exhaustion.
"I'm so lucky you're mine," he heard Gaara's soft voice.
Sasuke couldn't take it any longer. The pain and jealousy were too overwhelming. He turned on his heel and walked away, his mind a tumultuous storm of emotions.
He had always known Naruto was special. He knew anyone would be lucky to have him. Hearing him so intimately connected to someone else was a harsh reminder of what he had lost, and what he might never have.
The next morning, Sasuke sat in his apartment, staring blankly at the wall.
The events of the previous night played over and over in his mind, a relentless loop of pain and jealousy.
He knew he couldn't stay in the village any longer. There was no point in staying when the person he cared about most was so clearly out of reach.
Sasuke packed his belongings swiftly, his movements mechanical.
He had made his decision. He had to leave.
Staying in Konoha, where he would constantly be reminded of what he had lost, was unbearable. He had to find his own path, far away from the village and the memories that haunted him.
He was once more leaving behind the one person who had always believed in him, the one person who had never given up on him.
But he also knew that staying would mean living in constant agony, a shadow of the man he could be.