Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

Opposite Sides of the Tracks	By : kizukatana Category: Naruto AU/AR > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 1622 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Naruto is owned by Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing and make no money

Chapter List
- 1
- 2
- 3
Author's note:
This chapter will cover almost 6 years of time, so it starts when they are 10 and ends when Sasuke turns 16. It also goes pretty dark at the end (in case the title of the chapter did not give that away). As an FYI, Yakuza is basically the Japanese equivalent of the mafia.
And yes, there really is a martial arts technique called the vibrating palm. I am not making an oblique reference to masturbation (that will come in a future chapter). :-)
- xXx -
The next day at school, things were pretty much back to normal. Sasuke and Naruto greeted each other with exchanged looks, but other than that kept to their usual circles of friends. They hadn't talked about it, but there seemed to be some sort of general understanding that they weren't going to go blathering to everyone exactly what had gone down. And once they both realized that the other one was staying quiet as well, they both relaxed.
After school, Naruto played basketball with Lee, Kiba, TenTen and a few others from their group, while Sasuke, Shikamaru, and the rest of their set were picked up and shuttled to private cram schools or tutors to ensure top marks.
Naruto was heading home along his usual route, when he saw four of the boys that he had fought with leaning against the entry to the alleyway. One was the big one that had seemed to be the leader. But there were six new faces that he hadn't seen the last time. That made 10. To 1.
Fuck. Naruto made sure to look directly at them, and walk at the same steady pace making it clear he was not afraid of any possible confrontation. As though to him, the outcome was a foregone conclusion.
"So… is it go time again, or did you ladies just decide to have a little tea party here for me so I wouldn't get lonely."
The biggest one just burst out laughing as one of the boys next to him handed over a wad of bills. "Damn, Blondie. You've got rocks the size of grapefruit, don't you? We had a bet going here on whether you'd turn tail and run, or try to take us all on. Looks like I won."
The boy who lost the money grinned at Naruto, levering himself away from the wall and walking over to him. He had not been at the fight before, but somehow he seemed to be in charge of the group. "Look, were you serious… what you said to these guys last time?"
Naruto tried really hard to not just sag all the way to the ground in relief. Locking his knees, and putting on his cockiest expression, he said, "What – about the sparring club? You pansies wanna learn how to fight for real?"
"Bitch, please. From what I heard, you barely limped off against 8 of us and there are 10 now. But… yeah," the older kid shrugged. "A lot of what you said actually made some sense. Those rich kids go to cram school and tutors to get trained for what they need to do. I figure… this is like cram school for kids like us. For the shit we need to learn. I'm Sora. I'm the best in our group. But I could get better. I think we all could."
Anything that didn't lead to his ass getting kicked hard twice in one week sounded good to Naruto. "Ok," he thought for a minute about how they could actually do something like this. "Then, we need a place to do this without someone calling the cops on us. My school is just back a few blocks this way. We can use the rear athletic field for practice. It's not visible from the street, and no one hangs out much there after school."
So it began. It was awkward at first, with all the posturing that insecure boys do and no one really knowing how to really teach a class, or organize a group.
"So – how are we going to do this exactly?" Naruto asked. "Should we just start attacking each other, or talk about what we know, or…"
"Let's just go at it, but not full force. If one of us does something cool that people want to see what we did, we can stop and do a slow mo' demonstration," Sora seemed to have some idea on how this could all work without anyone actually getting killed.
Naruto hardly noticed that he was all bruised up again. But there was no blood and no broken bones this time. And it was fun to actually fight without being afraid.
- xXx -
Sasuke noticed the bruises right away the next morning. As they headed out to lunch, Sasuke called out to him.
"Naruto."
Naruto stopped, and motioned a curious Lee and TenTen to go on head with Kiba.
"Hey, Uchiha. What's up?"
The dark boy just raised an eyebrow, and motioned to the blond boy's bruised face.
"Oh, this? Maa, it's no big deal. Sora was just showing me some kind of chain punch thing…"
"Sora?"
"Yeah, he's sort of the leader of that group of kids that we tangled with. Only he wasn't actually at the fight that time, he was off jacking a gas station or something probably." Naruto quickly sketched out what had happened on his way home the other night and the subsequent birth of the club.
"Usuratonkachi. I can't believe you are seriously doing this," but Sasuke looked at him considering. "Are you guys going to meet every night?"
"Maybe. Last night was our first one. We'll see who shows up tonight. In any case, following through with the idea is way better than me getting pounded into a stain by them for the second time this week."
"Hn," Sasuke conceded. He was actually rather impressed that Naruto had been able to pull this off. He was almost never impressed by people.
When Naruto sat down next to his friends, they all jumped on him about why Sasuke would actually talk to him. Naruto didn't know how Sasuke would feel about him talking about the fight earlier in the week, so he skipped that and just said that Sasuke had asked about his bruises, and Naruto told them about the "dojo".
Lee was in ecstasy. "That is awesome! I will definitely be there tonight! We can train all night and just go right back to school! And do it all over again each day!" He was standing on the bench shouting, fist held high. There was only a brief lull in the lunchroom talk before everyone went back to eating (such passionate outbursts from Lee were not unusual). Naruto always secretly wondered if Lee's mother somehow continued to accidentally mistake pure caffeine powder for salt when she made Lee's lunches.
Kiba just rolled his eyes. "Leave it to Naruto to find an even worse set of people to hang out with. First Uchiha, now this. You guys are all going to end up either in juvie or in the hospital."
TenTen just looked thoughtful, but kept her peace.
After school that day, Lee showed up as expected. What was less expected was TenTen appearing with a large black duffle bag. Naruto had seen it stuffed in her locker but never knew what was in it.
TenTen solved that mystery by flinging it open to reveal an absolute assload of weapons: knives, chains, kamas, nunchucks, even two katanas. All the boys stood gaping at the display.
Sora was the first one to get ahold of himself. He walked almost dreamily up to TenTen, looking first at her, then her bag. He reached out and grabbed both her hands in his. "When you and I are both no longer jail bait, you are so going to be my woman."
Everyone laughed. Except for Sora and TenTen. Who both looked speculatively at each other.
- xXx -
The following Monday after school, the informal group were just getting started when Naruto turned to see Sasuke and Neji walking up.
"Um… you guys aren't here to rat us out, right?" Naruto looked nervously from Neji to Sasuke.
"What the hell? These two don't belong here. They should be off with their fancy tutors learning greek or something," one of the older kids said, blustering a bit.
"Hey," Sora walked up to them. "I'm Sora. You're a Hyuuga… judging by your eyes. And you must be an Uchiha. You look a lot like your brother."
Sasuke blinked. "You know Itachi?"
"I don't claim to know him, but I know what he looks like," Sora turned to the rest of his group. "It's ok. These guys can stay if they want. Given their families, it probably makes sense that they do a bit of the academic stuff and a bit of our kind of stuff."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Naruto asked bluntly. "Aside from getting jumped by a bunch of you assholes waiting in an ally, why should guys like these have to worry about learning to fight?"
Sora literally paled. He turned slowly to Naruto. "Are you saying… are you actually saying that it was one of these two that got jumped that day?"
"Yeah. Sasuke was just –"
Sora turned and went over to the bigger kid who had been the one to start the fight that day, and punched him hard in the face with a following blow to the gut. "You idiot! Are you trying to get us all killed? Do you have any idea who that kid's father and brother are? Shit, we are so dead. Shit, shit, shit!" Sora looked like he was going to hyperventilate.
"Sasuke-san… I want to sincerely apologize for any inconvenience my idiotic friends caused you," he walked over to Sasuke, who for once was looking at a bit of a loss for what to do.
"Jeez, Sora, calm the hell down. Why are you so worried about him? He's cool. Besides, don't you want to say sorry to me, too? I had two cracked ribs from that shit," Naruto said, feeling confused.
"Yeah, sorry, whatever, but your family isn't connected to major Yakuza syndicates the way these two are. If you get pissed, you'll just take a shot at me and we'll have it out. If these guys get pissed, me and everyone I ever knew could end up filleted and rolled into sushi at some gas station somewhere. Not the same fucking situation, if you get my meaning."
There was complete silence as everyone turned slowly to look at Neji and Sasuke. Neji, for his part, didn't look surprised at this proclamation at all. Sasuke, to anyone else, didn't seem surprised either. But Naruto had seen the small widening of his eyes and tightness around his mouth. He didn't know. He had no idea his family was working with Yakuza.
"Whatever," Sasuke said. "I didn't tell anyone who you guys were. Let's just get on with this. How does this all work?"
Sora nodded slowly to Sasuke, respect and relief clear in his features. "Ok, so here's how we do this."
After the ground rules were explained, they had Sasuke and Neji demonstrate the styles they were trained in. Neji's family practiced a form of kung fu that relied on the dim mak (death touch) that they had developed from an older style called the vibrating palm to their own style, the gentle fist. It relied on striking pressure points and meridians in the body to kill or incapacitate someone with less that typically lethal force. Neji said there were some strikes he would not be allowed to teach, since they were family traditions, but the basic ones he could show. After completely paralyzing everyone several times in a row, none of the others could reproduce the precision targeted strikes, so they agreed they'd practice at home on themselves a bit until they figured it out, then try again.
Sasuke had been trained in kendo, using swords and kicks to take down many opponents at once. Evidently one of his ancestors had been a famous samurai, and the tradition had been carried down. The school had been renovating one of the locker rooms, so there were stacks of PVC pipe laying around. When Sasuke gave everyone a piece of pipe to use as a sword, they were all more than a bit shocked when he was able to take them all down in a matter of seconds.
"Shit, Sasuke! That is so cool! I never knew you could do that crap!"
"It's a good thing we didn't try to jump him in a construction yard," one of the other ones quipped. Sora shot them a level glance, reminding how lucky they were to even be breathing at this point, and the kid's mouth snapped shut.
At the end of the evening, they were heading out when a question popped into Naruto's head. "Hey, Sasuke, Neji. Where do your parents think you are, anyway?"
Neji and Sasuke exchanged smug glances. "Book club," they said in unison. Everyone burst out laughing.
Monday's were the only day of the week that Neji and Sasuke could join, given their tutoring schedules and family commitments. Also, any bruises incurred in these sessions would be long faded by the weekend, which was the only time when their busy parents would actually have time to see them, so the illusion of 'book club' could be maintained.
When Sasuke got home, he immediately called his brother.
"Itachi."
"Sasuke," Itachi's voice sounded slightly surprised. It was rare that Sasuke would call Itachi. They'd see each other on the occasional weekend when Itachi was back from school, but they had grown somewhat distant over the past two years.
"Are you coming home this weekend?"
"I wasn't planning to. Why? Did something happen?"
"Yeah, I guess you could say that. Although I was going to ask you that, instead."
"Explain, please."
"I don't think we should talk about it on the phone," Sasuke said flatly. Their father had instilled the very real idea that e-mails and phone calls were not private. Sasuke was probably the only kid in school who didn't use facebook. He was beginning to finally understand why that was the case.
"That's disconcerting. Do I need to come home right now?" Itachi lived in Tokyo, which was about 3 hours away.
"No. Could I come to see you this weekend? Or we could meet somewhere and talk. I don't think this will be a short conversation, so having you come here after midnight when we both have school the next morning won't work," Sasuke said.
"You have my full attention now. I don't think I want to wait until the weekend for this conversation of ours. I'll pick you up from school tomorrow. We'll go somewhere and talk."
"Itachi – don't tell father you are coming. I don't want him to know about this."
There was a silence at the other end. Then finally, "I am very interested to find out the topic of this conversation."
"Business associates," Sasuke offered.
"Ah. Then yes, let's not discuss this further here. I will see you tomorrow."
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
At lunch the next day, Naruto saw Sasuke head for the side door. It was the first time he had ever gone there on his own, as far as Naruto knew.
Frowning, Naruto grabbed a bag of chips from TenTen's luch (who puched his arm, but let him take them) and headed out after him
He saw the older boy disappear onto the roof just as he started up the ladder. He wasn't totally sure if Sasuke wanted to talk, but after the revelation last night, he thought it might be good to just check in on him. When he came up on the roof, he met the other boy's eyes. They were wary, but a flash of relief showed as well. He had wanted to talk.
"You ok?"
Sasuke didn't reply at first. Then, "You heard what Sora said about my family."
"Yeah… you didn't seem to know about it," Naruto wasn't sure where to go here, knowing it was sensitive territory.
Sasuke's eyes flashed. "Did you?"
"Nah. If I had known you had Yakuza connections, I totally would have tried to be friends with you earlier. I got no chance of getting a job at Uchiha Enterprises, but Yakuza I could definitely –"
"Pfft, idiot," Sasuke relaxed a bit. It was nice, somehow, to know with absolute certainty that Naruto didn't want anything from him. He had no ulterior motive for being his friend. He just… was. It was a unique experience for Sasuke.
"I called my brother last night."
"Yeah? What did he say?"
"We didn't talk about it over the phone, but he is coming today to pick me up."
Naruto waited, letting Sasuke find his words. "I know that my father is ruthless. Somehow, it didn't really surprise me to find out that he would be involved in that kind of stuff. But Itachi –" He broke off, searching for the right words.
"You really love your brother, huh?" Naruto asked.
Sasuke shot him a glare, but then shrugged. "He's one of these… unbelievable people. He is good at everything. He's just… amazing."
Naruto smiled. "Yeah, I met one of those guys recently."
"Usruratonkachi. I'm nowhere near my brother," but Sasuke was blushing slightly at the comparison.
"Anyway, it's just…. I know money is money, and working with Yakuza is just another route to a different sort of market. But I know some of the things they have done. I just never thought my brother would be capable of that kind of thing."
"So what are you going to say to him?"
"I don't know. I just have to figure out where I stand on this," Sasuke blew out a breath.
"Huh?"
"Well, when I get into high school, I am going to be expected to take a hand in the family business. I never really worried about it at all before. I mean… it's not rocket science or anything. But I have to decide. Either I play ball with the Yakuza, or I don't."
Deciding to quit playing ball with the Yakuza would be a very dangerous decision. Naruto suddenly realized what Sasuke was facing.
"Sasuke…" Naruto tried to think of what he could do. "Sasuke, look. I know I don't have much in terms of resources or connections. But if you ever get into trouble, you can come to me. I can hide you or help you or… fight or whatever. As much as I can, I've got your back. Whatever you decide on this."
It felt awkward, like some weird declaration, but Naruto just wanted to be sure he got the idea across.
Sasuke looked down at his hands, red staining his cheekbones for the second time since they came up on the roof. "Thanks," he said. "We'd better head back to lunch, before people think we're up here making out or something."
Naruto burst out laughing at that. The idea of Sasuke making out with anyone, when he never even looked twice at all the girls practically lifting their skirts at him seemed almost impossible.
"Alright, let's go."
After school, Naruto watched Sasuke get into a sleek black jaguar. He couldn't see the face of the driver, but the hands looked strong and slender, and Naruto assumed it must be Itachi.
"So… what happened that had you calling me to discuss business associates?"
"Good to see you too, Nii-san. Ok, so let's cut to the chase if you want. Is it true that our family works with the Yakuza? Both you and father?"
"Who told you this?"
"I asked first."
"Who told you this?" Itachi's face looked grim. Sasuke knew he would not say anything until Sasuke answered his question. He thought a bit, about how much he really knew his brother, how much he could trust him. He thought about what Sora said, that if he had told Itachi about what had happened, they would have been killed.
"You are taking a long time to decide whether to answer my question, little brother. There was a time when you would have answered anything I asked without hesitation."
"There was a time when I thought I knew you, Itachi. When I knew where you stood and where your boundaries were," Sasuke could not see how Itachi's face paled at his words.
"Before I answer your question, Itachi, I need to know that you not go after them. I need to know that you will not harm them in any way, or have someone else do it for you. I need your word."
Itachi was silent for so long, Sasuke began to wonder if he would even answer. His knuckles were white on the steering wheel. Abruptly, they pulled into a parking lot of a grocery store, away from the entrance where there were no other cars.
"And you think that such a promise is necessary? You think that I have become the type of person who would kill someone just for talking to my brother?"
Sasuke could see the anguish now in his brother's features, something he could not recall ever seeing before.
"I just… I don't know what to think. You have always been the person I looked up to. You always make the right choices and do the right things. I don't know how the brother I know could be the same person as the one who has been hiding from me that our family is working with the Yakuza."
"Just tell me, Sasuke. Please. I will answer your questions as much as I can, but I need to know who is getting to you. You could be in more danger than you could possibly understand."
At that, a flash of anger seared through Sasuke. "Well no shit I can't understand, especially if no one tells me about it. What, you think I am just too stupid to talk to about this? Too weak? Fuck that, Itachi. Don't act all hurt because you feel like I'm holding out on you. You've been holding out on me for a hell of a lot longer, and evidently about far more important things."
"No, Sasuke," the anguished look flashed across Itachi's face again, deflating the anger out of Sasuke somewhat. "It's just… I wanted to keep you out of this, until father came to his senses. I was hoping I could just protect you from this, because once you get involved, it is almost impossible to come out the other side. Please, Sasuke. Just tell me and trust me."
Itachi looked his brother in the eye. After an excruciating pause, Sasuke made his decision, and told Itachi the entire story. He noticed the anger tighten his brother's jaw at the description of the first fight, and he knew on some level that Sora had been right about that. Luckily, Sasuke was able to continue the story and Itachi relaxed a bit, though his jaw still clenched when he ran his hand over the still-red scar that the stiches had left on Sasuke's knuckles.
"Now you know everything. Now it's your turn, Itachi. Tell me what our family is involved with."
Itachi did, though Sasuke knew instinctively he was holding back. Itachi confirmed that their father had made gestures to several of the Yakuza factions, at first simply doing legitimate business with illegitimate partners. But it had started to go deeper, and Itachi also hinted that their father might be trying to play one off the other, though he wouldn't name names.
"It is a stupid, dangerous game that he is playing," Itachi said, his voice deceptively emotionless. "Sasuke – this kid, Naruto. Do you trust him?"
"Yes," Sasuke said at first without thinking, then – at his brother's raised brow – he thought about that statement. Sasuke didn't really trust anyone, except Itachi. They were raised from birth to not do so. "He's somehow not like anyone I have ever met. He has never asked me for anything. And he helped me when he had nothing to gain. He is… like me, somehow."
Itachi was pensive. "Maybe in the end, this will turn out to be a good thing. I trust your judgment more than anyone else's, Sasuke, so I am going to give you some advice. If you get into real trouble, or if something happens to me, go to Naruto. He is someone who is off the radar for both our clan and the Yakuza, and he knows how to handle himself in a tough spot, even though he is still young. It is hard for people like us to have real relationships, real friends. People always something from us."
"Itachi," Sasuke felt a feeling of foreboding at his older brother's words. He didn't want to think about what 'if something happens to me' could really mean.
- xXx -
It was their last year of middle school. The group from their dojo had gone strong gaining and losing members as kids went to high school or the older ones who got after school jobs. Naruto had become the defacto 'sensei' of the group, seeming to have tireless energy and interest to learn the techniques and styles of the transient membership. After a couple of years, he even had been able to use some of the pressure point attacks that Neji had taught him TenTen's weapons still made him a bit nervous, though.
Sasuke and Naruto kept mostly to their own circles. Sometimes Sasuke would walk by when Naruto was making out with some girl behind the school and Sasuke would roll his eyes, but generally they kept to themselves. Every once in a while, though, by silent agreement, they would end up having lunch together on the roof. Sometimes talking about some girl Naruto decided that he liked (Sasuke never reciprocated in these discussions, and usually just ended up calling Naruto an idiot), or talking about plans for the following year, or just sitting in silent companionship.
The end of the year approached. Kids had been studying like mad to try to get in to the top high schools, and everyone was feeling the pressure. But exams were now mostly done, and all that was left was to wait and see where everyone placed. It was not unusual to see the occasional freak-out, with the combinations of hormones, family expectations, and insecurities.
But nothing could have prepared Sasuke for seeing Naruto's face that morning after he took his seat and was about to open his pack.
Naruto looked ghastly. Sasuke's eyes widened in shock as he took in Naruto's pale complexion and visible shaking. Even their teacher noticed his condition.
"Naruto, are you feeling alright? Do you want to go to the nurse's office and lay down? We can call your mother if you –"
"NO!" Naruto shouted, literally flinching when his teacher had said the word 'mother'. The class fell silent, and Naruto struggled to get ahold of himself. Sasuke felt like he could literally see the enormous ball of fear Naruto was trying to swallow as he watched the younger boy's throat convulse, before he pasted on a truly horrid smile and claimed he was fine. Sasuke wasn't sure which shocked him more. The fact that Naruto was so shaken up, or the fact that he seemed to be the only one in the room aware that this kid was in mortal fear for his life.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
At lunch, neither boy even made a pretense of joining their usual set of friends. Naruto headed straight out the side door and climbed up the small ladder. He was somehow relieved to see a dark head appear over the wall shortly behind him.
They just looked at each other for a few minutes. Naruto's eyes full of shame and anguish and fear. Sasuke's with helpless worry.
"Tell me," the older boy said quietly.
Naruto just shook his head mutely, still shaking, then abruptly fell to his knees, dry heaving, the muscles in his forearms corded and beaded with sweat He was glad he didn't have any breakfast that day. He sat there on his hands and knees for several minutes, shaking, then slowly sat back on his heels. Sasuke sat down beside him, and simply waited. Tentatively, Naruto reached out for his hand, like a small child. Sasuke held it calmly.
Naruto began to speak. Stammering at first, then it all just poured out in a torrent. About how his foster mother only takes in male children. About how she always selects one who will be her 'special' child, and she calls him the 'man of the house'. And that child stays with her, in her room. In her bed. Usually she waits until the boys are 16. "She says she likes a man, not little boys," Naruto whispered. Then he fell silent.
Sasuke stayed silent, not saying anything… keeping hold of Naruto's hand.
"Then yesterday… last night… I had… a fever. And I got sick. And so I got up in the night, and went to take a shower and wash off… and she came in. It was 3 in the fucking morning, and it was like she had been waiting… She just looked at me for a while. She was looking at… at… my…" Naruto flushed, and gritted his teeth. Sasuke squeezed his hand lightly.
"Then she said 'You've been keeping secrets. Showering at school.' And I… just stood there, in the shower, like an idiot. Letting her look at me. I just… I didn't know what to do… and then she… she said," he paused, swallowing hard. "She said that I was already more man than she'd seen in a long time. And she kept looking at my… ugh… my skin was just crawling… and so I just grabbed my pants and shoved her out of the way and ran out of the house. I spent the rest of the night up here, until they unlocked the school." It had been cold last night, Sasuke remembered.
"Sasuke…" he sounded small and miserable. "She's not going to wait until I am 16. I don't think… I don't think I can go home again."
Sasuke's throat was constricted with rage. More than anything, he wished he could somehow just open a vortex and throw that bitch directly into hell. He couldn't manage that, but he could do the next best thing.
"Naruto," he began, as a plan began to form in his mind. "What would happen if she were to die, unexpectedly. What would happen to you and the others?"
Naruto gave a weak laugh. "I know, right? How perfect would that be…" His voice trailed off as he finally looked up into Sasuke's face. The hairs on his arms and back of his neck slowly stood up.
"Wait, woah… your… your fucking serious aren't you?"
"Most people don't even know we're friends. You could stay at school, surrounded by witnesses. It would happen and no one would ever know it wasn't just a random act of senseless violence."
"Sasuke… you can't… you can't just go around killing people. Even if they totally suck."
"That's what you think." He said flatly.
"Shit! Leave it to a fucking Uchiha to say something like that. Seriously!"
"Seriously," Sasuke said calmly.
"Look, Sasuke. You are amazing. You are genius smart, connected up the ass, and like – the hottest guy on the planet. Your life is going to be totally amazing. You cannot go fucking it up by doing something stupid like murdering some crack whore foster mom."
"I wouldn't necessarily have to do it myself. If I have learned nothing else from my father, it is that enough money can solve absolutely any problem."
"Seriously, don't. I really appreciate it. I can't even tell you how much I appreciate it. But the fact is, that there are actually worse foster homes to be in. I have been in a few. She is sick, yes, and it is disgusting, yes, but why do you think none of the other boys have ever turned her in before? At least she treats the younger ones ok. If one of her boyfriends comes home and beats on us, she throws him out. And she doesn't touch the little ones, or pimp them out. This is just how life is for people like me. And it would totally kill me if my messed up life spilled over onto someone like you. I don't want to live with that kind of shit. My only real choices are to either just suck it up and go back home to play house, or run away and stay off the radar until I am 18 and she can't do anything."
"There's no way in hell you are going back to that house," Sasuke said flatly. "And what do you think happens to 14-year-old runaways, anyway?"
"Look. If I have to sell my ass to some pervy old hag, I can at least do it in Tokyo where I could make a hell of a lot more money."
"Pffft. That isn't even funny."
"You laughed."
"Look… maybe you could stay with me. I could ask my Father to –"
"No. Sasuke… when I go, they're going to look for me. At least a little. If your dad gets dragged into this, either he's going to get dragged through the mud for hosting some under-aged runaway (and don't think the tabloids wouldn't have field day with that), or he'd come out and say what she's doing and all the kids there would be thrown back into the system again landing into god knows what hell hole. I have to just disappear until I'm 18. I'm almost 15 now, then I'll be able to get a job."
Sasuke raked his hands through his hair, trying to think of some alternative that would keep Naruto from vanishing from his life. Some way he could protect him.
"Ok. Let me just… let me just think about it for the rest of the day, and see if I can come up with a better plan. Promise me…" Sasuke paused, and cleared his throat. "Promise me that you will come to my house before you disappear. Promise you will at least say goodbye."
"Sasuke," Naruto turned to face his friend. Black, tormented eyes stared into blue. "Thank you."
Without thinking it through, Naruto reached his hand into the older boy's hair, and drew his face down and kissed him. It was a short kiss… and they both jerked apart.
Sasuke's cheeks flamed, and Naruto felt an answering heat in his own.
"What… what was that for?"
"Well," Naruto grinned cheekily, despite the shaking in his hands. "I figure that after today, I have no idea what the hell is going to happen to me. If I have to sell my ass into prostitution, I at least wanted to kiss the person who I like best before all that shit happens."
Not waiting to see if Sasuke was going to push him off the roof, and still trying to figure out why the hell he had kissed him in the first place, Narurto hopped over the side of the building and swung onto the ladder, racing back into the lunchroom just as everyone was starting to gather up their stuff to head back to class.
Sasuke stood on the roof for a few minutes, cheeks still tinged pink. He closed his eyes briefly, remembering the kiss. Then he heard the first bell ring. "Usuratonkachi," he mumbled, hurrying down the ladder and into the building.
At dismissal, Naruto was nowhere to be seen, but Sasuke pulled Neji and Shikamaru aside. "Hey. How much cash do you think you could get me this evening without your parents asking you what it's for?"
Neither boy asked Sasuke why he needed it. They both had seen Naruto this morning, and wondered what was going on. They assumed the crisis, whatever it was, had something to do with him. And neither was averse to helping.
When Naruto showed up at Sasuke's house it was 7pm. He had no idea what he would say if Sasuke brought up that insane kiss. He had tried on his way over to figure out why he had done that. There were two really good reasons NOT to have done that. One, Sasuke hated any form of physical contact. Despite being completely worshipped by every girl in school (and probably some of the boys), as far as Naruto knew he had never had a girlfriend. Never let anyone touch him. Two, Naruto liked girls. A lot. He had been dating since he hit thirteen, and even though he hadn't woked up the nerve to actually have sex with one yet, he had gotten pretty close to it. Close enough to know for sure he liked girls and all their associated parts. But there was just something about Sasuke that had always drawn him. And in that moment on the roof, when Sasuke had stood by him, he had just reacted. It was in his nature to be physical and affectionate. He blew out a breath noisily. And in the grand scheme of things, he had way more serious shit to worry about now than the fact that he'd just kissed his best friend.
He had timed it so he would have just a short amount of time before he would have to leave for the train station. He didn't want to draw this out, it was going to be painful enough. He raised his hand to knock at the door when it was thrown open by Sasuke.
"Let's go around to the back of the house," Naruto said. "I don't want anyone who works here to see me, in case the police come asking."
They walked over to a stone table that was under a canopy of trees. The sun was starting to go down.
"So…" Naruto said awkwardly. "You told me to come and say goodbye before I left. I guess… I guess this is it, for a few years."
Sasuke just looked at him. "What are you going to do?"
"I thought about it some more. I'm going to Tokyo… try to get a job somewhere. If I can work over the summer and save up, I might even be able to go back to school in the fall. Not sure how to work it with my test scores though, since I can't exactly go around using my real name. I'll have to figure something out. Maybe try to take a make-up test under a fake name or something."
"How can I contact you?"
Naruto tried to fight the rising sense of panic. He felt like he was stepping off a cliff. All he had was the clothes on his back, his uniform, and his sketch book. There was no way he was going to risk going back to the house for anything else. Not that he had much anyway. But it was terrifying to not be able to answer a simple question like that. He grinned, trying to hide his sudden panic. "Well, you know, maybe I'll just ring up the Prime Minister and ask him if he –"
"Naruto, stop. Just stop. You don't have to pretend with me. I don't want you fucking pretending with me," Sasuke looked pissed.
Naruto blew out a shaky breath. "I know I don't have to with you. It's weird, you know. We didn't really talk that much, or hang out that much together. But somehow… somehow to me, you are… the only person who I think actually knows who I am. And honestly, I have no idea how to handle this. But I don't do scared very well, so I was just going for obnoxious, because I do that much better."
"Pffftt, that's for sure." Sasuke pulled something out of his back pocket, and handed it to Naruto. Naruto saw it was a thick envelope, and tensed up.
"No. No, Sasuke, thanks but I don't want this. That's not why I came here, I don't want –"
"I know that, you idiot. Just shut the fuck up and take it already. It's not just from me. It's also from Neji and Shikamaru. Look, you'll be doing us a favor. If you leave here with no money, you'll just end up whoring yourself all over Japan, leaving a wake of obnoxious blond bastards behind you. As future leaders in this society, we decided to try to head that off at the pass as much as possible and pay you to NOT have sex."
"He he. Thanks. Tell them thanks. I didn't expect this. It isn't why I…"
"I told you already. I know that," Sasuke sighed a little shakily, pushing the envelope into Naruto's hand. "You are probably the only person on this planet who doesn't want something from me. And I am going to miss that like hell. Just take care of yourself. And find a way to let me know that you are still alive every once in a while. When you get a break in your busy whoring schedule."
They just stood there, looking at each other. Naruto finally turned, and loped down the driveway. "Later!" he called out, and disappeared into the night.
A week later, Sasuke received a garish post card in the mail. The photo on the front looked like the Tokyo red light district. The housekeeper looked at him strangely when she handed it to him. He flipped it over to read it:
Teme. Made it to Tokyo. Thanks to your preventative contraception donation, have not had to sell my ass yet. Found a cheap place to sleep, and am looking for work. Don't get knocked up this summer. Is bad for your grades in high school, I'm told. Will write again by your birthday. Love from your Tokyo 'ho.
He felt a presence over his shoulder, and looked up to find Itachi smirking. "Looks like he landed on his feet."
- xXx -
It was July 23rd. Sasuke looked at the clock. 10am. The mail should have arrived by now. He knew Naruto would be sending him a note for his birthday. Sasuke smirked a bit. Every few months for the past year, Naruto had sent him a postcard, letting him know he was still alive. He walked down their long, curved driveway and opened the mailbox, pulling out a particularly gauche post card. He read delightedly, still standing at the mailbox:
Oi, teme. Thanks again for saving my ass. Haven't had to sell it yet. Loading boxes in a shipyard. Smells like shit. Will be going to school again, though. Happy Birthday. Your Tokyo Ho'.
"Pfft. Usuratonkachi –"
Sasuke felt an incredible pressure, then heat and noise and the next thing he knew he was waking up face down in his driveway, somehow still holding onto his birthday note from Naruto. He slowly got to his feet, wondering why it was so silent. He could see police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances, speeding down the road. But they were not making a sound. He felt heat washing over his back, and slowly turned around.
Devastation. Utter destruction. The entire mansion was literally blown apart. He thought of his mom, making a special lunch for his birthday in the kitchen. His father, in his office, working from home that morning so he could be with him. His brother, who had come home last night for his birthday.
There was nothing standing. No sound. Nothing moved, except the gouts of flame and billows of smoke. Sasuke just stood there, staring. He saw people come running. A man with a medical jacket seemed to be talking to him. Lips were moving. But there was no sound.
A brigade of firefighters ran past pulling a large hose. Still absolute silence. Sasuke just stood there, completely unable to move. Someone was pulling at him, trying to get him to walk somewhere. Sasuke shook the arm off roughly, eyes boring into the pile of rubble that had been his home. The arm came more firmly, and realized he was fighting with all his strength now to get them off, trying to make his way back to his house. To find his family. He felt a needle go into his arm. Then nothing.
. . . . . . .
Naruto was loading boxes at the shipyard, when his boss slapped open the mornig newspaper and started reading. Naruto stared at the headline, his blood freezing in his veins. "Uchiha Financial Magnate Killed in explosion with family."
The box he was holding hit the ground. "Hey, kid! Watch what you're doing. What?"
Naruto didn't respond, he just picked up the paper the man had thrown down and read through the article, desperately hoping… "elder son missing but presumed dead, younger son hospitalized and released into protective custody…"
"I have to go," Naruto said blankly to his soon-to-be-ex boss.
"What? Where?"
"To Konoha… I have to…"
"If you walk off now, don't bother coming back. You're lucky I hired you at all, with no ID and no references. Don't you think…"
But Naruto was already running down the loading dock.
. . . . . . .
Sasuke didn't even remember the two days passing. He stood numbly through the funeral. He had put his foot down at having a funeral for Itachi. Somehow, he wasn't willing to believe that his brother was actually dead. Not until they found his remains.
He was vaguely aware of people coming and going around him, murmuring condolences. He stood next to a distant uncle, whom he had never even met, surrounded by body guards. After a while, everyone had gone, and his uncle had retreated. Sasuke stood inside the family crypt.
He felt a warm presence standing next to him, and without looking, new his friend had finally come. "Naruto."
"Sasuke… I came as soon as I heard." It was the first time they had seen each other in over a year. They stood in silence for some time. Sasuke slowly felt life seeping back into him. His mind cleared and his eyes focused for the first time since the explosion.
Naruto watched the transformation overtake his friend. Watched the slow hardening of the eyes and face, the grim determination steal over his features.
"Sasuke… whatever you plan to do, I will help you."
Sasuke turned to him, cold rage flooding through him. "My father is dead, so there is no way to punish him for his mistakes," Sasuke's voice was flat and cold, and the hairs stood up on the back of Naruto's neck. "But I am going to find out who killed my mother… and I am going to kill them. And I am going to find out what happened to Itachi."
Naruto slowly nodded. "Do you know anything beyond what is in the papers?"
"Nothing that you don't already know."
"Sasuke, be careful. If it is Yakuza, and you go asking around..."
"Do you think I don't know that?"
"No… I know you do. Just… let me handle this. It will take time, probably a lot of time, to find a way to get in and find out what happened. But let me start looking. They will know you on sight, and they are definitely going to watch you. But I am nobody. I'm already completely invisible and off the radar. I can get in where you can't. And I have nothing to lose."
Sasuke looked at his friend, narrowing his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but snapped it shut again as the door to the shrine opened and the police guards came in, noticing Naruto for the first time. "Hey, who are you? No one was supposed to be in here with Sasuke-san."
"Don't worry. He's a classmate from school. He was just leaving."
"Sasuke, how-" Naruto had been about to ask how he could contact him, but the sharp look Sasuke threw him made him realize that they needed to play this casual in front of others.
"Yeah, I was just paying my respects. See you in school, Sasuke. I've got to go work on my report. It's due on my birthday, in the usual place at the school."
Hoping Sasuke got the message he was trying to tell him, Naruto headed out without looking back. He walked as though he had somewhere to go. Then he realized he did have somewhere to go. Back to Tokyo. But this time, he was not going to stay clear of the shadows. He had to become a part of them.
To be continued… (if you enjoyed, please comment or rate)
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