What Sasuke Wants

DarkAngelJudas: As Kakashi said, it’ll get better. Glad I’m converting a Sasuke-hater like you! ^_^

Deykamol: I was shocked when I heard any state in the US had an age of consent under 18, but that ended up being a saving grace for Kakashi; he’s not a pedophile in this story! *celebrates!* The age thing is so weird. You can’t really judge emotional maturity by age. Anyway . . . Thank for reviewing!!!!

TanyaUchiha: I didn’t want Sakura to completely freak. She’s really just business to me. ^_^

-00-night-eyes-00-: I hope I never disappoint. ^_^

Bijouxbroussard: ^_^ That is a great complement that I got someone in character. For me so far, I think I have the most trouble with Neji and Naruto. Naruto’s got one more tantrum left and here it is.

 

This is a long one. Naruto bitchin’ out once more and some lemon. We’re getting past the ‘oh, poor me’ Sasuke after this. There will be battle! Not now though. Oh, and I hate the new text field on AdultFanFiction, it’s too much like FanFiction, which I hate! I’m used to using HTML code while writing. Grrr.

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Naruto had had enough of stewing by himself. The way home had been quite with Yamato calm—obviously knowing the situation—and Sai curious and ignorant, though smart enough not to prod Naruto about his foul mood.

No one spoke to him once they returned to Konoha. Not a word from Sasuke or Kakashi. Even Sakura was avoiding him. He’d had enough. He flew across the still growing cityscape to Kakashi’s home. He needed to know Kakashi side of things. He pounded on the door but there was no answer; he was too flustered to try and sense him. He knocked again.

“Hey,” a neighbor called to him. “You looking for Kakashi-san?”

“Yeah.”

“He moved out this morning. The Uchiha kid and his big friend helped him.”

Sure he knew the answer, Naruto asked, “You know where he moved to?”

The neighbor smirked. “In the with Uchiha kid, I think. Izumo won’t be happy to hear about that.”

“Izumo? What does he have to do with it?”

“Haven’t you heard? Kakashi was dating Izumo until Sasuke stole him away.” The man smirked.

Naruto gaped at him. He was finally able to distractedly thank the man. Naruto walked away before jumping up onto the rooftops, not wanting to show just how the news affected him. So he moved in with Sasuke. Naruto stopped on top of a random building. So it was serious. He grew angry again. He felt like the world was working behind his back. Not only were Sasuke and Kakashi lovers, but Kakashi had had a lover before that. And he never knew! Didn’t the man trust him? And now he moved in with Sasuke? He was now angry at both of them.

-----

Iruka heard the rumor about his former student from the source. Sasuke was of age and could do what he wanted; he wasn’t worried about him since he was probably one of only three people in the village who could hurt Kakashi in a fight, so—mostly likely—he wasn’t being forced into anything. And Iruka couldn’t quite believe it anyway; Izumo seemed a bit mean-spirited that night and was quite drunk by the time Iruka came upon him. He wasn’t thinking so much of Sasuke, he only thought of Naruto and how these rumors might affect his favorite student, the person who worked the most to bring Sasuke home.

It took Naruto some time to answer his door. Naruto seemed to have been asleep; none of his accustom energy in evidence.

“Are you alright, Naruto?”

“Fine,” he grumbled.

“I guess you heard about Sasuke.”

“You mean that Kakashi’s screwin’ him? Yeah, I heard.”

“You want to talk about it?”

“No, I don’t, sensei.”

“I’m here if you need to talk.”

Naruto nodded and shut the door.

-----

Kakashi expressed his concern for Sasuke and the others and, since he was eating most of his meals at Sasuke’s anyway, suggested it would be best to close ranks and move in with Sasuke. Despite Sasuke’s declaration he was not leaving the house today, he and Juugo helped Kakashi move. Pein’s attack not having been a year ago, Kakashi didn’t have many possessions and abandoned most of his pieced-togethered furniture.

“Move what you like,” Sasuke told Kakashi as the man started unpacking a few curios and photos that has survived Pein’s attack. “Just not my family’s swords.”

Kakashi had no intention of touching those blades. Ever. He had nothing to put up on the wall at all except perhaps the photos of his old team and Team 7, but those would be at home on a bedside table on his side of the bed. And one other thing: the hilt and broken shard of blade that had been his father’s sword inside its sheath.

Sasuke had been glancing over as he unpacked the few things from Kakashi’s kitchen and put them away. “What’s that?”

“My father’s sword. It broke the day I lost my eye.”

Sasuke was silent a moment. “I doubt you want it near my family’s blood soaked ones. You can display it wherever you want.”

Kakashi considered it, but just set it aside for now; it would likely end up on the bottom of a drawer like before. At least his clothes had protected it from damage when the building was blasted apart.

Juugo left them once everything was inside Sasuke’s house.

“What does Juugo, or Karin for that matter, do to pass the time?” Kakashi asked.

“Karin’s studying to become a better medical-nin. I hope Sakura might help her with that. But I’m not sure I’d want her going on missions once . . .” Once she starts producing Uchiha heirs, they both silently finished. “Still, it’s keeping her busy and it’ll always be useful. Juugo found an injured bird and takes care of it. He also keeps his windows open for birds to come in.”

“That’s all?”

“He loves birds. To the point he won’t eat chicken.” Kakashi could help but think of Sasuke in terms of birds despite his recent association with snakes. The raven hair, ‘duck-butt’—as he’d heard it called—hair style, and his contract with hawks which he’d displayed in a few of their recent missions together. And Juugo was certainly devoted to Sasuke. He wasn’t jealous though; there was nothing between them. If there had been, it would have been far easier for them to have a relationship and apparently Juugo had not reacted at all to their relationship. Unlike a certain blonde.

“I want to get a larger house for all of us when we get more settled,” Sasuke said as he finished his task. “More like the house I grew up in. Less . . . modern.”

“Maybe with fewer weapons within a child’s reach?” Kakashi suggested.

“At least the bedroom will be well decorated.” Kakashi couldn’t tell if he was serious or deadpanning. His mood from the night before had lifted as was evidenced by the fact he did leave the house this morning, but Sasuke needed to learn how to emote better.

Sasuke flung himself onto the sofa. His posture was imperious and inviting at the same time. There were only these few curios left and the box of his clothes and bedding Sasuke decided to bring along. They needed another dresser for Kakashi’s things; the one he had was the same that had been damaged in the attack and Sasuke insisted on buying a new one. So, pretty much finished with work, Kakashi abandoned the small, nearly empty box and knelt in front of his student. Sasuke looked into his uncovered eye with a mixture of amusement and genuine affection. He leaned in and put his arms over Kakashi’s shoulders, placing his face very close to his. Kakashi pulled down his mask and Sasuke kissed him. It wasn’t a deep kiss, just an affectionate sucking of lips.

When it was over, Sasuke didn’t pull away, but kept close. Kakashi could only see his eyes and they were happy and smiling, even more than he had seen recently. And the younger man practically giggled. “I love you,” Sasuke said.

That was worth it all. It was worth probably being a pariah for the rest of his life, never having another friend in the village, worth it even if they never had a happy moment after this, to see the Ice Prince, his stoic, unemotional, expressionless lover smile like that and hear him all but giggle.

“I love you,” Kakashi returned. And it was true. Even had he not, right now he would do anything for him, would have fallen in love with him had he been just going along with him until now. But he had already fallen in love with him, even with his darker moods; they just made him want to comfort and sooth him. He brought a hand up to gently massage the back of Sasuke’s skull, feeling the soft, gravity-defying hair and kept him close. He couldn’t help feeling a rush of pride and smugness that he, Hatake Kakashi, was the only person who could make Uchiha Sasuke giggle like a school girl and smile so broadly it actually reached his eyes. After all Sasuke had been through, Kakashi had doubted the boy’s eyes could ever smile again. But they were. For him.

Sasuke melted into his touch. For all his association with birds, Sasuke was as affectionate as a cat; rubbing up against you when he wanted attention, standoffish when he didn’t. Then Kakashi remembered the Uchiha cats. Despite the fact both Uchiha brothers were very much connected to birds, their family was connected to cats. Why not? Sasuke was so contrary by nature it made a sort of sense. And Sasuke had been like a cat leaping after a bird when he was seeking revenge against his brother.

Though they had barely moved, the moment was past. Sasuke couldn’t keep his barriers down for very long; the fact he could bring them down at all pleased his lover. Sasuke’s expression went back to being little more than a hint of a smile on his otherwise impassive face. But it didn’t bother Kakashi.

“Let’s go out to dinner tonight,” Kakashi suggested.

Sasuke sat back a little exasperated and looked away. “You know I don’t want to go out there.”

“Hiding does nothing for you. Yes, they might forget you’re even here, but that doesn’t help you in the long run. They will be reminded and may retain the opinion they already have. If you intend to have children, then you must make sure people are comfortable having Uchiha in the village. If you let yourself hide for even a few days, it will get harder and harder to convince yourself to go out.” Sasuke sensed personal experience behind those words and looked at him. “Come on. I know you don’t like the idea of my having to come to your aid, and defend your honor, but I’m more free to attack someone than you are. And I will defend you.”

“Fine,” Sasuke relented. “But if anyone spits in my food I will use my Sharingan.”

“Agreed. You might want to mention it in the hearing of the waiter.”

At least Sasuke smirked at that. Sasuke leaned forward again, this time to pull Kakashi up onto the sofa with him, but in mid-motion, Sasuke stopped and looked at the door.

“What is he doing here?”

Kakashi instinctively looked at the closed door. That chakra was familiar to him as well. Like Naruto’s it was warm, just as Sasuke’s was on the cold side. The warmth of the chakra brought to mind the man’s tan skin even if one hadn’t seen him before. What was Iruka doing here?

“He never bothered to visit me before,” Sasuke said in a low voice. “Even those two, Shikamaru and Neji visited, but he never did.” Kakashi heard something he hadn’t expected in Sasuke’s voice: resentment. He resented his former teacher’s disinterest. Or his fear. Any sign of a smile, or even a smirk, had vanished from Sasuke’s face, his eyes narrowing.

Sasuke waited for the chunin to knock before he stood and went to the door. Kakashi raised his mask, levered himself up, and busied himself with his small box of mementos as Sasuke opened the door.

“Iruka,” Sasuke said in—a perhaps unfriendly—greeting. He still refused to use honorifics if he could.

“Hi, Sasuke-ku—san.” The other man was trying to be his normally cheerful self, but he was nervous. Sensing the nervousness was out of fear and embarrassment from hearing the recent rumors, Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

“Would you like to come in?” He just didn’t want to have any kind of conversation on his doorstep.

“Thank you.” Iruka couldn’t hide how awkward he found the whole situation. Seeing Kakashi in the room when he entered didn’t help.

“Kakashi-san,” Iruka greeted. The Jounin nodded to him. Well, at least Iruka had confirmed part of the rumors; the two empty boxes implied someone was moving in.

“Have a seat,” Sasuke said when Iruka didn’t say anything.

“Like some tea? Or something stronger?” Kakashi offered.

“Ahh, no thank you.” Iruka took the armchair while Sasuke plopped down on the sofa again, this time with all the imperiousness of his last pose, but with none of the invitation. He was a man in his castle granting a semi-casual audience. Iruka felt intimidated—as he was meant to. Sasuke wasn’t one to be very forgiving when he felt slighted.

“Settling in well?”

“Let’s skip the formalities,” Sasuke didn’t try to hide his impatience or resentment; both were perfectly clear. “They just make things more awkward, don’t you think?” Iruka didn’t answer. “If you’re here to welcome me home, you’re a little late; I’ve been home for nearly a year. This isn’t purely a social visit is it? Sensei.” He sneered the title, letting the older man know exactly how he felt. Iruka had apparently not foreseen it, but he understood Sasuke’s reaction to him.

“I really have no excuse for not coming to see you sooner.” That seemed to appease Sasuke a little. “And no, I didn’t come here just to see how you are. I’ve come about Naruto.”

That lit a spark of interest in Sasuke’s eyes. He had Kakashi’s attention as well.

“I’ve seen him as depressed before—when Jiraiya died—but he’s also angry.”

“Still?” Sasuke said and relaxed. “I would have thought a few days would cool him off. I don’t even understand why he’s so angry about this anyway. It’s not like I ever said I loved him or broke any kind of promise to him. Would he have been happier if I returned Sakura’s affections?”

“What?” Iruka had not dreamed that that was the root of Naruto’s feelings.

“If it’s not that, what is he mad about this time?”

“It is about the two of you, but he never said anything about . . .”

“He never said anything about loving me until after he found out we,” he gestured to Kakashi, “were together. Then he started sulking about it.”

“Well, he’s still upset. I thought maybe you should talk to him.”

“He literally tried to stab me in the heart the last time I did.” Iruka was shocked. Sasuke sank deeper into the sofa. “I’ll speak to him again. I don’t want to make an enemy out of him.”

He looked at Iruka again and there was hurt in his eyes. Even his own sensei who taught him for four years, had praised him as the best in the class, didn’t want anything to do with him now. Sasuke remembered Iruka only making a half-assed attempt at comforting him after his family died even though the man had also lost his parents. No one had really tried to comfort him back then, like showing any warmth to him might bring down upon them the same angel of death that had wiped out his clan. Like he was cursed. Even Iruka hadn’t been immune to it. No one was immune to it except those girls too young to understand. Perhaps even Kakashi wasn’t immune to it, but he was here with him now even after all he had done. Sasuke was also currently contaminated by that snake Orochimaru and Akatsuki even with the curse mark gone and Akatsuki destroyed.

Sasuke looked away again in such a way that it was a clear dismissal.

Kakashi stepped forward. “I’ll walk you out.”

Iruka let himself be escorted out. Sasuke didn’t look at them, sulking over Iruka’s apparent indifference to him.

Once outside, Kakashi spoke to Iruka. “Only five people visited him when he came back. I didn’t realize how resentful he was over that. But he didn’t expect Shikamaru and Neji. I guess he thought if anyone besides his team would visit him, it would be his former sensei.”

“We were never close. I didn’t think he would want to see me.”

“Want to and appreciate are different things. He’s feeling even more isolated now, so he resents being shunned.”

“I don’t know how you can stand all that hostility.”

“He’s not hostile to me. I visited him more than anyone when he came home. I never blamed him for what he did after he returned because he came home. And I do love him.”

“The rumors are true then.”

“Some of them. He got a snide comment about Orochimaru that wasn’t true. His first time was with me.” Iruka couldn’t stop a blush. “Don’t fear him Iruka. If he was going to hurt anyone, he would have attacked those who try to bully him on the streets.

“As for the rumors about me and Izumo; we were together. It wasn’t serious, at least not to me. But, did I cheat on him with Sasuke? Yes. I consider my relationship with Sasuke to be very serious and permanent. And I don’t care what the rest of the village thinks.”

“I never repeated any rumors. I didn’t really believe any of them until now. Not even when I spoke to Naruto.”

“Sasuke will talk to him. And I will if necessary.”

Iruka left. Kakashi hesitated as he walked back in; Sasuke was twirling a kunai in one hand. He wasn’t as attuned to that habit as Karin and Juugo were, but he did know it was uncommon for him.

“You alright?”

Sasuke brought the kunai to a stop by gripping it. “Don’t like being reminded of how much I’m hated here. I was happy ten minutes ago.”

Kakashi embraced him. “You’ve endured worse than this; it’ll pass. He said he didn’t think you’d want to see him.”

“You believe him?”

“I don’t think he knew what he could say. I, for one, was just so glad to have you home. In all honesty, I was frightened of you too. The last time I saw you, you were moments from killing us. But I knew you were sincere when you came home. Give them time.”

“You still want to go out for dinner?”

“I do.”

“Karin and Juugo need to eat too. And I want them close.”

“At the next table. The village needs to accept them too.”

“I’ve not lost sight of that. We’ll have an early dinner, then I’ll go talk to Naruto.”

-----

Sasuke did mention his intention of using his Mangekyô Sharingan if he even suspected anyone spit or in any way tampered with his food. After the first deluge of stares subsided—the four of them incapable of holding the room’s interest more than a few minutes—it ended up being a pleasant evening. Since Kakashi knew Sasuke was picking up the bill, he chose the nicest restaurant in the village.

As they waited for Karin to finish her desert, Sasuke and Kakashi talked about what Sasuke should say to Naruto. Sasuke still wasn’t sure what to tell him, but he was able to break it to Sakura well, even if she did faint.

Kakashi escorted the others home while Sasuke went to Naruto’s home straight from the restaurant. He used the rooftops to avoid encountering anyone else. He loitered on the open walkway outside Naruto’s apartment for a few minutes trying to put any thoughts into some kind of order, but he was failing. He just knocked on the door and hoped Naruto would stir the conversation.

Naruto was again slow to answer. He stared at Sasuke for a long moment. Sasuke didn’t move, waiting for Naruto to decide whether he would admit him or reject him. Naruto’s face darkened.

“What do you want? We’re not on the same team anymore.”

“I wanted to speak with you.”

“Well, I don’t want to speak to you!”

Naruto shut the door. Sasuke recoiled from the vehemence. He hesitated. He wondered why he even cared if Naruto hated him; he didn’t really want to preserve or make a friend. But he did want to avoid making an enemy. He had plenty of those and too few friends. Useless, perhaps.

He was about to go, but the door opened again and Naruto threw something at him. He caught it, completely out of reflex; it would have smacked him in the forehead otherwise. Naruto slammed the door this time. Sasuke looked at the item he’d caught. A leaf headband. With blue cloth and a score through the leaf symbol. Sasuke’s headband. The one Sasuke wore now, only on missions, was pristine; no one had ever been able to touch his forehead. No one, but Naruto. Sasuke drew a finger along the cut in the metal.

Naruto sat on his bed in the dark. He left the window open to let in the late spring breeze.

“You want to know why I didn’t kill you in that valley?”

Naruto spun around to look at the window, but there was no one there. He got nearer the window and saw Sasuke standing on the ledge below his window, looking off into the dying twilight. Naruto didn’t answer.

“If I had killed you, I would have been within months of taking my revenge on Itachi. You know that was all I desired. Why didn’t I kill you? The same reason I supposed to kill you: we were friends.

“This is really not fair, Naruto. I didn’t intend to hurt you by getting together with Kakashi. Honestly, you and Sakura never entered into it in my thoughts. I guess you could say I was thoughtless, but I did not intend to hurt you. If you didn’t even know you had feelings for me, then how was I to know.

“I love Kakashi; nothing will change that. I was cold to you when I came back. For that, I apologize. Friends were not something I wanted at the time. As I see just how many enemies I have, the more I do wish things could be like they were before I left. But that can never be. However, I do find it unbearable to think you hate me. At least I have my team—or I should say, my team and yours—who don’t hate me.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Have you actually listened to the rumors about me? They’re more vicious than you probably image. Try walking the streets as me. Keep your temper in check.” Sasuke leapt off into the alley below.

Naruto was left standing in his room looking out into the night for several minutes, trying to understand what had just happened. He shook off any feeling of wanting to forgive Sasuke. He wanted to commiserate in his anger. Sakura would probably agree with him. It wasn’t indecently late yet.

Sakura answered the door when he knocked. She looked embarrassed, but let him in.

“You heard about Sasuke and Kakashi.”

“Sasuke told me. I’ve heard a few of the rumors about it myself. I’m almost afraid of going out actually. I don’t want to hear it anymore. And I’m afraid of what I’ll do.”

“He told you?”

“He came and broke it to me.”

“You aren’t angry? At him?”

“I’m alright with it. I guess.”

“He probably was just trying to head off the rumors, get his story in first,” Naruto sneered.

“I don’t think so. He had invited me over for dinner and he said he was going to tell me then, but he came and told me early because of the rumors. He told me you already knew.”

“Yeah, I heard them on our first night at the hot spring.” She paled at that. It wasn’t clear what Naruto heard, but she couldn’t help think of the worst case scenario.

“But why were you angry? Because he didn’t tell you? He doesn’t tend to speak to us at all.”

Naruto squirmed and wouldn’t look at her. Hope had always blinded her to the fact Sasuke would never love her, but under normal circumstances—when they had no personal involvement—women understood a lot about men’s feelings.

“Oh, I see.”

“What?”

“You’re in love with Sasuke too. Makes sense I guess.”

“I’m not—”

“Of course you are. That’s why you were so angry. But you never told him, did you?”

“I didn’t know.”

“It might not really be love,” she mused. “If you were never in love with him before and you only felt you loved him when you found out he’d chosen someone else, it might just be possessiveness. I mean, neither of you had friends all the time you were at the academy and he didn’t have any but us while on Team 7. You were his only friend real friend. That’s one reason you were so desperate to bring him home, wasn’t it? And since he came home, he’s been around only his team and us. Then the thought that he was being taken from you, from our team and personally by Kakashi, made you angry.”

Naruto gapped at her. “How the hell could you come up with all that?”

She smiled a little condescendingly. “Am I right?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, you’ve always been interested in me, right? And you’ve been thinking about Hinata. Had you ever really thought about a relationship with Sasuke before this?”

“No.”

“I don’t think you really love him. I’m actually sort of happy for Sasuke. I’m still a little heartbroken, I really loved Sasuke, but I did have dinner with them and Karin and Juugo, and it was pleasant, and Sasuke seemed happy. Happier at least. Look at it this way: he now has something to tie him to Konoha; he won’t leave again.”

“But you’re not angry?”

“No. A little jealous of Karin perhaps. And Kakashi quite frankly. But I’m not angry. Sasuke drove home the fact you can’t force someone to love you. I could never force Sasuke to love me. And it’s not fair to get between him and the person he loves. He and Kakashi look happy. I’m fine. I should have let him go a long time ago. You should be glad he’s home.”

“But he—” doesn’t want to spend time with me. But Sasuke just tried to make peace with him. Sasuke . . . apologized. Had he ever done that before? And he’d come to him. His anger drained.

“I think you’re doing what I was doing: you know how he should be and he disappointed you. You’re angry because he’s not living up to your expectations. We really can’t understand what’s happened to him in the last four years or even what he went through as a kid. He’s not the same person he was. I’m beginning to accept that, so should you. Maybe if we start excepting him for what he is now, he’ll begin to settle back into his old habits, be a little more like the Sasuke we knew.” Her voice had been even and sympathetic the entire time, it drained the last of Naruto’s anger. She was right.

Naruto nodded distractedly. “Yeah, maybe.” He turned to leave, but stopped and turned to her. “You mentioned ‘rumors.’ It’s not just that Sasuke and Kakashi are . . . lovers?”

“I don’t want to repeat them.”

Naruto nodded again. “Thanks, Sakura.”

Naruto walked around the village and noticed one or two conversations stopping as he walked by. He remembered how that used to happen several years ago, but he was certain they weren’t talking about him now.

Naruto stepped into an alley and transformed into Sasuke. As he walked back out onto the busy evening street the temperature seemed to drop ten degrees. He felt exposed and vulnerable. It was the eyes that darted in his direction and how cold those eyes were.

“Hey, chick, chick, chick, out all by yourself looking for some company?”

“Sensei dump you already?”

Naruto glared at them, but tried to keep his cool.

Eventually, Sasuke’s chunin friend appeared. With seven others. Word traveled fast that Sasuke was out alone. And without his sword.

“The things you see when you’re out without your sword,” the chunin taunted. “Where’s your bodyguard and the whore?”

The insults wore off the initial shock at being confronted. Juugo and Karin weren’t his friends, but they were—or at least, had been—his teammates. Anger welled up.

The eight men spread out to make a barrier, preventing Naruto from moving forward. They were ready for good old fashion beat down. Eight to one.

“It takes eight of you to even challenge me?” Naruto taunted back.

“You traitorous, little slut. How many times did you spread you legs for that snake, Orochimaru?”

Naruto was more surprised to have his own thoughts thrown back at him than the accusation itself. He let the transformation drop. The eight shinobi started.

“Is this how you all really treat him?” Naruto demanded. The eight looked slightly abashed. “Is it?” he demanded again. Some of them looked suspicious but the fact there was no sword made them believe it wasn’t really Sasuke. Naruto was about to attack out of anger, but he remembered Sasuke warning him about his temper.

“No wonder he . . .” He couldn’t speak for a moment he was so angry. “He doesn’t deserve this.”

He flew off toward Sasuke’s home.

-----

Sasuke came home to find Kakashi half stripped, down to his mask—which also covered his chest and abdomen—his pants, and his headband off. He was comfortable, but also ready if he needed to fight. He was lying on the sofa apparently having been reading one of his Icha Icha books. He was looking at the door even before Sasuke opened it.

“Not well?”

“Slammed the door in my face. He also threw this at me.” Sasuke tossed the headband to Kakashi.

Kakashi frowned at it. Damn, he remembered that day too well. He remembered how he felt seeing Naruto more hurt than he’d seen anyone still clinging to life and to know Sasuke had done it, that Sasuke was gone, that he had failed them both. He felt the gut wrenching guilt acutely. He knew Naruto had kept Sasuke’s headband, but he’d forgotten about it.

“Naruto put the score in?”

“Yeah. He lost consciousness, but he hurt my arm and scored my headband. I could have killed him, but I didn’t; I reminded him of that tonight. I don’t think there’s anything else I can say to him. That’s,” Sasuke gestured to the headband in Kakashi’s hand, “as good as a ‘fuck you.’” Sasuke pulled his sword out of his belt and pulled several of weapons’ pouches out from under his wrap.

Kakashi ran his thumb over the cut. He had to agree; for Naruto to throw it at him was to give up on him.

Sasuke sat on the floor with his back against the sofa. He laid his sword on the floor next to him. Kakashi put a hand on his shoulder. Sasuke took it and pulled Kakashi’s arm over his chest like it was a blanket.

“Fuck it,” Sasuke sighed “I’m not going to expend energy to reason with a dobe.” That reminded him of all the time they used to spend together. “I actually miss him calling me ‘teme.’”

“Naruto will come around. Everyone will come around.”

“I think the only reason our homes haven’t been attacked is my reputation as he psychopathic killer.”

“Just forget about it. Just endure and they’ll all eventually get bored with you. You’re just a fresh amusement; our relationship did fan the fire.” Sasuke turned his head to give him a halfhearted glare.* “So to speak. You just have to wait for the next scandal and it’ll be forgotten. But I’ll ask Yamato about a new, larger house so those two can be kept closer.”

Sasuke hummed. “I’d like to go on a nice long mission. Get away for a while.”

“Most people desire a nice long vacation to get away.”

“Most people’s haven’t had lives like mine. Anyway, beside Naruto’s jealousy, we just had a nice vacation.”

“Very nice,” Kakashi agreed.

“I’m sorry, Kakashi, about the rumors. They’re insulting you now too. I didn’t want to pull you into it.”

“I don’t care. I’ve never courted popularity anyway. I read erotica in public, you think I care what people think?”

Sasuke’s cheek flinched with amusement. “You were right to resist me. We’re pariahs now. But I don’t care; I was one anyway. I’m sorry I dragged you down to join me.”

“I like it down here. With you.”

“Thank you.”

Sasuke rubbed his head against Kakashi’s thigh like a cat asking for attention. It was subtle, but Kakashi understood.

“Want to go to bed?” His voice was a little deeper.

Sasuke hummed, this time more like a pleased moan.

Sasuke stood, clutching his sword sheath, and led the way back to the bedroom. Kakashi abandoned his book and the headband on the coffee table to follow him. Sasuke opened the drapes for a little light from the half moon, leaned his sword against the headboard, and stripped. Kakashi admired the pale skin in the dim moonlight. Sasuke just seemed to glow. How did I get so lucky? Kakashi asked himself. His first and last lovers had turned out to be the most desirable men he’d ever seen. If he could just keep Sasuke alive. Unlike the first.

Thinking of him, Kakashi maneuvered Sasuke onto his hands and knees. Sasuke would rather top, but he wasn’t going argue. Kakashi knew that, but he wasn’t planning on taking Sasuke unless the younger man asked him to.

Sasuke expected a lubed finger, but was surprised when he felt something else. Sasuke gasped when he felt Kakashi’s tongue teasing his entrance. Kakashi used his lips to caress the flawless flesh on either side before tonguing his entrance again. Sasuke let out a long, deep, pleasured breath. Kakashi pointed his tongue and pressed inside. Sasuke had tensed out of surprise, but he now he loosened up. Sasuke was unavoidably self-conscious about the fact Kakashi had his tongue up his ass, but it felt so good and Kakashi seemed to know what he was doing.

The feeling of his rough tongue slipping over his tight ring felt great and the tongue moving inside of him drove all thought of Naruto and the rest of the village from his mind. He just rubbed his face into a new patch of the pillowcase to cool his face as it was burning with embarrassment and pleasure.

Kakashi moaned to vibrate his lips and tongue. Sasuke’s answering moan was louder and less controlled. Kakashi sucked on the loosened ring giving Sasuke pleasure he hadn’t imagined before. Then Kakashi caressed his perfectly formed ass with one hand and pressed a thumb against his perineum with the other, stimulating his prostate from the outside. Sasuke began muttering incomprehensible curses.

Kakashi retracted his tongue and licked up his own salvia from Sasuke’s skin. Kakashi moved to lie next to Sasuke on his back. Sasuke moved over him and tentatively kissed him and was surprised to not taste what he feared he would. Kakashi handed him the lube and Sasuke prepared him quickly.

Kakashi loved the feeling of Sasuke impaling him. He felt incredibly full and complete with Sasuke inside of him. Seeing that toned body and beautiful face above him was a great bonus. Sasuke already knew the perfect angle in order to hit that spot inside his lover and they were both quickly well on their way to completion.

But then Sasuke suddenly stopped.

“Oh, fuck,” Sasuke sighed and pulled away. He put a hand lightly over Kakashi’s lower face.

“What?”

“We’re being watched.”

“Naruto?”

“Pretty sure. We’re getting a bigger house for the four of us and the bedrooms will be on an upper floor. Twice in one day. If we’re interrupted one more time . . .”

Sasuke made a few hand signs and created a fully dressed clone and waited for him to slip out the window before he started up again.

“You’re not going to kill him, are you?” Kakashi asked.

“Yes,” Sasuke answered matter-of-factly. “Unless he’s here to apologize for acting like an ass.”

Naruto had intended to go to Sasuke’s door, but saw all the lights were out. He was about to go home when he got the idea to try peeking through the window; maybe he could get a glimpse of Kakashi without his mask.

Sasuke had opened the window for a bit of light, but it ended up giving Naruto a way to see inside. He was a small distance away and could barely make out Sasuke’s form as he made love to Kakashi. Naruto blushed, but he wasn’t dissuaded. Naruto looked around to see if anyone saw him, thinking about getting a little closer. He looked back to see a fully clothed Sasuke coming toward him. He fell over when he took a step back.

“You should be careful out here,” Sasuke’s clone said. “I laid a number of booby traps for security.”

“I didn’t mean to,” Naruto cleared his throat, “to spy.”

Sasuke hummed. “Did you want something?”

Naruto was flustered. “I came to apologize. I have been unfair. I wanted to be angry, but I talked to Sakura and then I took your advice and transformed into you to see what they were saying about you. I’m sorry. I didn’t know about what they were saying about you. They tried to attack me. Is it always like that for you?”

“It is.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“I appreciate that.” Sasuke reached out a hand to help Naruto up. Naruto took it. He realized it was probably the first time they had touched each other since Sasuke had tried to kill him at Orochimaru’s hideout over a year ago. Once he was on his feet, he used his grip to pull them together and embraced Sasuke.

“I’m sorry. I should just be glad you’re home.”

Sasuke hesitantly put his arms around Naruto. “Thank you.”

Naruto didn’t want to let go, but he finally did. “I’m interrupting, aren’t I?”

“A bit. But I’m a clone.”

“Oh. Well. I should probably go.”

Sasuke nodded and Naruto turned. “Why don’t you come over tomorrow? Kakashi says I’m a good cook.”

Naruto turned back. “Yeah.”

Sasuke nodded again and disappeared.

Within, the pair had finished and Sasuke was laying next to his lover, regaining his breath and waiting for his clone’s report. The clone’s experience burst into Sasuke’s mind. He smiled and snuggled closer to Kakashi.

“Naruto will come over for diner tomorrow. He apologized.”

“So he lived. Told you it would get better.”

Sasuke hummed contentedly. “I’m not too proud to admit you were right. Naruto talked to Sakura and transformed into me to see what I was going through. At least Naruto’s come back to my side.” Sasuke paused. “That was unexpected.”

“I didn’t think Naruto would come around so quickly. Or so late.”

“I wasn’t talking about Naruto. No wonder Izumo was so angry to lose you.”

“I’ve never done that before.” Sasuke tilted his head up to look at him. “My first lover used to do it.”

Sasuke hummed. “Well, it was wonderful.” Sasuke wasn’t getting jealous, just more curious. Who was he?

-----

Izumo curled up on Kotetzu’s sofa afraid of leaving. Kakashi was probably supremely pissed. And the Uchiha . . . Nothing could be more frightening than a pissed off Uchiha. Except possibly a pissed off Copy Ninja. Kakashi was so laid back in everyday life, but Izumo had heard about the man in the field; cold and frightening. It set Izumo shaking.

Izumo jumped when Kotetzu opened the door.

“What’s the damage?” he asked Kotetzu.

“Well, no one’s dead if that what you mean. There’s no dead animal outside your door, or mine.” Izumo was relieved. “However . . .” Izumo froze. “Kakashi’s moved in with Sasuke.” Izumo paled. “Kakashi abandoned most of his furniture, so he’s not just rooming with him.”

“He’s really left me.”

“Well, you were never that close.”

“We were never that close,” Izumo said indicating he and Kotetzu.

“I spoke to Iruka; he talked to Sasuke and Kakashi, though more to Kakashi. He said Kakashi never considered your relationship serious. If you try to go after him, you’d be fighting a hopeless battle. Though they were accompanied by Sasuke’s . . . teammates, they had a romantic dinner tonight. I think you’re safe from Kakashi; he doesn’t strike me as being that vindictive. Sasuke however . . .”

Izumo shuttered. “Don’t remind me. He scared me when he was a kid. He took out Danzo and Akatsuki. And how coldblooded do you have to be to murder your own brother?”

“You can’t hide out here like this forever.”

Izumo scowled. “You mean because of Genma?”

Kotetzu mimicked his scowl. “You have to work.”

“But I’ll have to face him eventually out there.”

“You’re being ridiculous. Go apologize, suffer through the genjutsu and get on with life.”

“Genjutsu?!”

“Well, I doubt either will physically attack you.”

“I rather they break all my ribs than . . .”

“Anyway, I haven’t been with Genma for like two months.”

“You haven’t?”

“You’ve been too preoccupied to notice I guess. It wasn’t serious, just like you and Kakashi wasn’t serious.”

“Yes it was!”

“To who? Come on, we were only getting back on each other. Genma and Kakashi were just willing to go along with it. Jounin humoring chunin.”

“I suppose you’re right. Maybe I should go make peace and apologize. Get my grizzly murder over with.”

“After I put your battered body back together, I’ll take you out to dinner.”

-----

Izumo was scared stiff when Sasuke answered the door the next morning, especially seeing the fact he was wearing his sword even indoors. Sasuke didn’t glare at him—any more than he normally did—but raised a curious eyebrow.

“Kakashi, I’ll go train with Juugo and Karin.” He walked past the frightened chunin.

Kakashi was sitting at the table with a number of weapons laid out on a cloth. The pair had been cleaning their weapons.

“We have a mission tomorrow,” Kakashi explained as Izumo hesitatingly entered. “We were just preparing our arsenal.”

“I ah . . . wanted to apologize for all the things I said and for saying them in public while drunk.”

“It wasn’t the way we wanted the village to find out about us, but what’s done is done and it’s only made things a little worse. It’ll all die down. I was mad at first, but we’ve faced the worse of it. I even got a visit from the Hokage. It was bound to happen. It’s all out of the way.”

“I’m glad you’re both . . . forgiving.”

“Fearing the Sharingan?”

“Yes, actually.”

“It’s fine Izumo. Getting back with Kotetzu?”

“Yeah. It wasn’t serious to you?”

“No, it wasn’t. I knew about you and Kotetzu, but I was . . . more than content with you and I was anticipating a stable relationship for a few months, years . . . I really didn’t want a serious relationship with anyone at all, but Sasuke . . .” Kakashi’s eye showed that he was smirking, “gets what he wants.”

-----

Sasuke made ramen that night. Not the ramen in the cup, but real ramen like Ichiraku. Karin scowled at Naruto when he arrived. He had the good grace to look chagrined and apologized to Karin, placating her.

Naruto noticed how at home Karin and Juugo looked. “Do you guys always come here a lot?”

“Yes,” Juugo said simply.

“We can’t cook worth a damn,” Karin said.

“I’ve never made ramen before,” Sasuke said as he delivered an absolutely delicious looking and smelling bowel in front of him.

“Itadakimasu!” Naruto said and was about to dig in when he realized Kakashi was sitting at the table about to eat as well. He paused and stared at him expectantly. Sasuke smiled and began to eat. Kakashi pretended not to notice Naruto’s attention.

Kakashi raised a hand to pull down his mask slower than normal . . .

Naruto watched intently . . .

Kakashi grabbed the top of the mask . . .

THUMP! Naruto’s attention was ripped from Kakashi to a clone of Sasuke dropping an empty wooden bowl.

“Gomennasai,” the clone said.

Naruto whipped his head back to Kakashi who already had his mask pulled back up, a portion of the ramen gone.

“You did that on purpose,” Naruto accused.

“Of course I did,” the real Sasuke said. The clone smiled and went into the kitchen. “Since I made a clone, might as well not let it go to waste.”

“You mean have him ready to distract me again.”

“You’re a faster learner than you used to be, dobe.” Sasuke said it lightly and it had the desired effect; Naruto smiled.

“Teme,” Naruto grumbled with a smile. Things were finally beginning to go back to normal.

-----

Sasuke and Kakashi had quickly learned to read the other if they were open to having sex. He was pleased that Naruto was warming back up to him then he let Kakashi top this time.

Kakashi moved between Sasuke’s spread legs, looking down at the gorgeous form beneath him. He quickly turned Sasuke into a mewing kitten with his lips and hands all over his body.

“You are so beautiful,” Kakashi breathed. A hint of a blush, like subtle rouge, stained Sasuke’s pale cheeks; he wasn’t used to compliments despite Kakashi’s obvious appreciation since their first night together. The blush reminded Kakashi that Sasuke was, until very recently, a virgin. He needed that reminder as he prepared the young man. It didn’t take as long to prepare him as before, but he went slow to avoid hurting him. He never wanted to hurt him. Ever.

Sasuke’s body accepted him without convulsing tightening. He wasn’t oppressively constricting, but pleasantly tight. Sasuke moaned.

Kakashi made love to him slowly and Sasuke didn’t feel any need to rush, luxuriating in the slow stroking of his prostate.

“Feels so good,” Sasuke cooed. Sasuke’s hips began rolling up with every thrust. “Sensei,” Sasuke gasped.

The motion of Kakashi’s hips stopped and he looked down at Sasuke’s tense face. Sasuke opened his eyes. Before Sasuke could ask him what was wrong, Kakashi kissed him lovingly, forcing the question from Sasuke’s mind especially as Kakashi’s hips began moving again.

When they both lay spent several minutes later, Sasuke remembered the pause.

“Kakashi?” Sasuke whispered. Kakashi hummed in response. “What’s wrong?” He hummed again. “I’m usually the one who hums answers. Something’s wrong. Did it bother you that I called you ‘sensei?’”

Kakashi didn’t answer for a while. “Just brings back memories.”

Sasuke eyed him, but didn’t feel it wise to ask. He was beginning to suspect what Kakashi was hesitant to confess to him.

TBC

----------

*for those who need this explained, the Uchiha crest is a fan because they control fire; fanning flames . . . Ya get it? Weak joke, not intended by me or Kakashi, but I realized it during my reread. Sasuke caught it.

It’s not over yet!!!! I hinted at Kakashi’s previous relationship. There’s also some other stuff. And BATTLE!! Don’t worry, there will be a happy ending. For once.

Thinking about the burgeoning Uchiha family and will probably end up writing an offshoot about them . . . probably be a no-sex, my first.