Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

Soup's On	By : OfFansAndFlames Category: Naruto AU/AR > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 1793 -:- Recommendations : 4 -:- Currently Reading : 3
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters mentioned. I make no money on this fiction.

Chapter List
- 38
- 39
- 40
This was ludicrous. He couldn't believe he was having this conversation, even considering all of their indiscretions and reckless risks. Sure, they'd acted up. They'd sold drugs, shoplifted, and threw some pretty wild this… This was breaking and entering. This was thousands of dollars worth of theft. It was the sort of decision that could reconfigure a future with a single tick of the clock.
"Yeah, it's true," Juugo answered with a nod, unable to look directly into Sasuke's demanding stare.
He'd taken Juugo into the very same restroom he'd met Kabuto in. The last class of the day was just about to begin. Sasuke could hear people passing by, chattering and occasionally roughhousing. It was only a matter of time until someone walked in on them, but he had to talk to at least one of his friends before school let out.
"We're going the weekend after next."
He didn't give a damn about Kabuto. The senior was certainly hiding something, and Sasuke doubted that any consequence could cause him to experience even the weakest dose of sympathy for Kabuto. His friends, however…
Suigetsu and Karin were fortunately both minors. However, Juugo has just breeched eighteen, though he thankfully had no legal record as far as Sasuke knew. Other than Naruto, Juugo was questionably his best friend. This could easily ruin Juugo's life, and none other than Kabuto was at the helm. Sasuke wasn't the type to help people who refused to be helped, but considering the potential consequences, he'd at least make an attempt. After all, what did he have to lose?
"Are you out of your mind?" Sasuke hissed, his disbelieving eyes demanding an explanation.
"I know, Sasuke," Juugo conceded with a sigh. "I just… I need this."
Sasuke merely stared at first, causing Juugo to shuffle uncomfortably. He needed this? Why would he ever need something like this? Was it a matter of money? A thirst for rebellion? What?
"What are you talking about? Kab-"
The door opened, and an unknowing freshman walked towards a stall. Sasuke sighed rubbing his temples. He felt so frustrated with all of them. Idiots… It was all frustration, he told himself. It wasn't concern.
"I'll discuss this with you later. Until then, don't do anything stupid."
That was the last he'd spoken with his friends at school today. Now he sat at the back of his school bus, alone. His mind shifted away from his friends, doubts resurfacing. Although he'd remained relatively calm in the situation, he fumed in the back of his mind over the things Kabuto had said. A part of him regretted not bashing a couple of teeth out while he'd had the chance, at the most perfect moment. No one should talk that way about his family. Why had he allowed it?
However, as Sasuke combed over the course of the day, another emotion began to subjugate this regret: pride. Kabuto had been trying to manipulate Sasuke, trying to rile him up and see him hurt. In the past, Sasuke's predictably sadistic disposition would have made him much easier to play. Sasuke had refused to give Kabuto what he wanted – a fact which had been made obvious on Kabuto's face. He had been egging Sasuke on, just begging for him to throw a punch. In fact, if Sasuke had possessed the same temperament that he had even a few months ago, a violent explosion from Sasuke would have been safely predictable. There was no telling what kind of trouble he would have been in right now.
Kabuto only became more frustrated as the conversation continued, and in the end, Sasuke was the one who left the room with a smirk on his face. So why was he brooding over this? Sure, Kabuto had only been trying to upset him, but it had been true. He was a dead weight. Kabuto had mentioned this the instant Sasuke called off their arrangement, as if it had been perfectly obvious. It was Sasuke's greatest doubt regarding his decision.
Sure, he'd behave. Come adulthood, his record would be spotless. Yet he'd become a burden to Itachi. He'd saved Itachi's life. Sasuke tried to console his aching conscience with that fact. But if Sasuke hadn't been born to begin with, Itachi would have been able to have the surgery before things had progressed to this point. From another perspective, Sasuke had almost killed him.
What else could he do? He'd searched desperately for work. He'd gone through the malls, online employment databases, grocery stores… Work was hard enough to find for adults, let alone fifteen-year-olds with no work experience. There were only so many lawns he could mow, so many possessions he had to sell. Even Naruto had begun to earn money, though he was taking dire risks in doing so. He couldn't remember the last time he or Naruto had eaten anything besides pasta, cereal, bread, and instant ramen. Sasuke's grades had remained high, and along with everything else, there was hardly time for sleep. Between Sasuke's stress, his malnourishment, and his lack of sleep, he was exhausted in every sense of the word.
He wasn't enjoying this bus ride. He stared out the window, allowing the school rush traffic to distract him. He just wanted to go home. Juugo, Karin, and Suigetsu… All of them were fools. He knew he had to fix things with them, had to talk them out of this. He didn't know how he'd do it, but he had to try. Still, it made him feel rather alone.
His shoulders were slumped when he approached his front door. Naruto was vacuuming the living room carpet when he entered. Sasuke was able to reach the kitchen unnoticed by Naruto, any noise he made tuned out by the loud suction of the vacuum. However, the instant Naruto noticed Sasuke, the machine was silenced.
"Hey, Sasuke," he beamed, walking over and kissing Sasuke on the cheek.
Naruto was being awfully affectionate, aware that the day must have been difficult for Sasuke. Naruto was appreciative that he had gotten off of work early today. He wanted to be there to greet Sasuke when he got home.
"I did it."
This was a bear hug if he'd ever had one. Sasuke believed he heard his spine crack.
"Sasuke! I'm so proud of you! Agh, ya little bastard…" Naruto said, tickling at Sasuke's sides. "Finally taking my divine wisdom seriously!"
"Would you stop manhandling me?" Sasuke requested, only half full of sincerity.
"Not until you understand the extent of my pride. Pride."
Sasuke smiled faintly.
"Yeah… Well, it's over now. The straight and narrow for me."
Naruto shook his head, still laughing.
"I've been waiting so long for this, ever since I found out what a sneaky little bastard you've been recently."
And finally, he could stop worrying about Sasuke. Naruto was sure that Sasuke's future had become brighter today. Rather than responding, Sasuke shrugged.
"Hey, what's wrong?"
"Nothing."
Naruto stared at Sasuke openly, wondering if he could make Sasuke fluster. Shit, why had he even attempted? Of course he couldn't get a read from him.
"Okay, I get it. You don't have to tell me."
"Thanks," Sasuke answered.
He refused to tell Naruto about what Kabuto had said, though it was obvious to him that giving up the issue had been challenging for his pushy lover. He didn't need Naruto's reassurance; he was too strong for that.
Sasuke sat down and poured himself a bowl of cereal. He hadn't eaten at school today, since things had gotten so hectic. But he was starving, and he was glad when Naruto wordlessly followed him, pouring himself a bowl of generic Captain Crunch. The cereal chattered against the porcelain bowl, emitting a small poof of crumbs towards the end. It tasted way too sweet and cut the roof of one's mouth even worse than the original, but given their financial situation, it would have to do.
The two ate wordlessly, and Sasuke was enjoying the peace and the companionship after the turn this day had made. He felt entirely safe and relaxed with Naruto there, and he noticed that recently, Naruto had come to tolerate their silences much better. Perhaps this was a sign that they had truly become comfortable with each other, as Naruto no longer felt the need to fill any emptiness with words, just to bleach it of any unspoken and undecipherable meaning or mystery said emptiness might have held. The blond was more alright these days with not knowing, although given the depth of their relationship, he usually knew anyhow.
"Was it simple?" Naruto asked quietly.
"Was what simple?"
"You know what I mean."
"I suppose," Sasuke answered, his voice reminiscent of a shrug, though he didn't move.
"So, he just let you go? No strings attached?"
Sasuke continued to eat, not looking back at Naruto.
"I've got it handled."
Blue eyes narrowed slightly.
"He's trying to hold one over on you, huh?"
"I don't know. It's too early to say."
"Ah…"
The crunching of cereal was the only sound for several seconds. It was the sort of cereal that rendered futile any attempts to eat in polite silence.
"You'd tell me if you were in any danger, right?"
Naruto didn't want to overreact, but this was the guy who had given Sasuke a loaded gun and hooked him up with a drug dealer well over twice his age. He knew very little about the man, but what little knowledge he did have was more than enough to concern him.
"Mhm," Sasuke lied. What could Naruto do about it, even if he was? It would worry Naruto needlessly, and Sasuke was quite aware of how Naruto liked to worry over him. There were few benefits to letting him know and plenty of disadvantages.
They continued to eat, Naruto's brows knitting in blatant concern. He had always been so easy to read, and Sasuke tried not to smile in amusement.
"How's work been?" Sasuke asked, changing the subject to save Naruto from his thoughts.
"Oh, great!" Naruto answered enthusiastically. He'd always been so conveniently easy to distract. "I mean, I spent a good part of today cleaning out Port-o-potties, but Jo and I had a great time. She's so funny."
Naruto had never mentioned anyone named Jo before, though Sasuke left this unmentioned, as he frankly didn't care about her either way. His question had achieved its purpose either way.
"Your knack for optimism borders on delusion," Sasuke told him with a good-natured smirk.
Of course Naruto could have a good day working around human feces and sweat. If anyone could do it, he could.
"It's a gift," Naruto answered through a toothy grin.
"And a curse. You're idealistic and far too trusting."
Naruto tossled his hair with a passionate shake of the head.
"No way. I see the world for how it really is!"
Sasuke arched a skeptical brow at Naruto.
"C'mon, don't you ever get sick of being so cynical all the time?"
"I never get sick of realism."
"Of course you wouldn't. You're always so stiff," Naruto chided playfully, sticking out his tongue.
Sasuke gripped Naruto's tongue between his thumb and pointer finger, before Naruto laughed and pushed Sasuke away.
"It's better to be a stiff than an idiot."
"Nah. I'd rather be an idiot. At least you're really living then, experiencing life and all the loveliness and lovely bullshit it has to offer."
"I'm very much alive, Naruto," Sasuke replied, his words almost seductive. Though Sasuke hadn't meant to sound this way, Naruto had to stifle the slight shiver that came over his body. He had a weakness for Sasuke's voice, especially speaking words such as those with a timbre so unintentionally deep and full.
However, Sasuke interpreted Naruto's silence as a victory, taking another bite of cereal with a cocky smirk. This wouldn't last, as they soon fell into banter once again. Kabuto's words were becoming more distant in Sasuke's memory, and yet again, Naruto had soothed his psyche without even attempting to. It was nice to have a friend who wasn't involved in all of this bullshit. He felt like a much better person when Naruto was around.
Sasuke's phone was ringing now. He glanced down quickly, noticing that it was Kabuto's number. He'd ignore it. But Kabuto called again. Sasuke turned the ringer off, but Naruto noticed this.
"Who's that?" he asked.
"No one important."
Naruto poked his head around Sasuke's shoulder curiously, attempting to catch a glimpse of the call ID but failing. It was out of concern, and if not out of concern, it was out of jealousy. Could it be that the man Sasuke had just confronted today was trying to reach him so urgently? Or was it simply another one of Sasuke's admirers? He hated how removed he was from Sasuke's social life. He had to admit that he was almost as jealous of Sasuke as he was of his admirers. He'd never been anywhere near as popular, even when he'd attended school. Sasuke shrugged people off every day, when Naruto would be overjoyed just to have someone to talk to.
Now, however, the landline was ringing. The phone was old, and its ring was loud. Kabuto must've known that this was a good way to get Sasuke to pick up. The voicemail started.
"Hello, Sasuke. I need to talk to you about something. I was having a problem with…"
Naruto looked over at Sasuke in confusion. He was now forced to grab the phone, lest Naruto overhear more. Was Kabuto trying to force Sasuke to answer the phone by leaving a message on the landline? Sasuke wasn't sure where Kabuto was going with this.
"What?"
Sasuke hated talking on this phone. It was a corded phone that had been donated to them after the fire. It must've been at least a decade old, and the voice quality was shit. Sasuke and Itachi both used their cell phones though, so something nicer was an unnecessary luxury.
"Sasuke, so glad you picked up. I was wondering if you didn't enjoy talking to me anymore," Kabuto said, his voice slightly patronizing.
"What do you want?"
Naruto puckered his lips to the side slightly and raised his brow, appearing almost comical. The curiosity was killing him, but he for now would focus on his cereal, which was unfortunately becoming soggy. He forced himself to take a bite and tried not to focus on the conversation.
"Maybe I gave you the wrong impression, with my invitation. Because it's not really an invitation. More of a demand."
Naruto could not hear Kabuto's words, but he at least picked up the tone and pitch of the man's voice. If he had to guess, this person was not their age.
"You think you're in the position to make demands?" Sasuke asked incredulously.
Naruto stopped chewing abruptly, forgotten and half-chewed food remaining in his mouth for a few seconds before he remembered to swallow. He was, however, out of Sasuke's field of vision. Was Sasuke talking to Kabuto? He resisted the temptation to literally shove his ear against the receiver. Getting this information out of Sasuke later would be difficult, and Naruto still had a hard time trusting Sasuke to tell him relevant information after as much danger as he'd put himself in throughout the past year. Sure, Sasuke was maturing. But Naruto recognized that this wouldn't be a quick process for either of them.
"Oh, of course I am. I have plenty of dirt on you, Sasuke. I could send you away for a long time. I could get you taken away from your so-called family."
Sasuke merely rolled his eyes, refusing to take the bait. However, he hated that Naruto was hearing this. Why did this damned thing have to have a cord again?
"You're threatening to involve the law? You're twenty-one, and I'm fifteen. I can prove that you're working with one of the biggest meth and cocaine dealers in town, and that you've been working with him for years. Your record's already black. And what do you think would happen to your working relationship with Orochimaru if he found out you were a rat? If both of us were to be discovered, you would do much worse. If you try to take me down… I will destroy you," Sasuke stated, his voice stoic and unrattled.
That was all Naruto needed to hear. Naruto leaned towards Sasuke, trying to get his ear close enough to the receiver to overhear Kabuto. Sasuke shot him a nasty look and turned away from him. Naruto pursued him, and Sasuke continued to twist, the cord wrapping around him.
Sasuke pushed Naruto away, taking care not to let Kabuto hear any disturbances. Naruto stumbled backwards, almost stumbling over the cord but minding his step. He returned to persistently leech himself on to Sasuke. Naruto began to grunt as Sasuke pushed him away from the phone. Out of frustration, Sasuke crammed his palm into Naruto's face vindictively. After a bit more scrambling, Sasuke very reluctantly tolerated the intrusion. This wasn't exactly the time to spar with his boyfriend.
"I have other methods, Sasuke. I could report you to the law, or… The opportunity is open for you, Sasuke."
Sasuke wondered now why he'd ever allowed himself to associate with this person. Kabuto had never been his friend, though on some level, he'd always known this. He supposed it was best to find out Kabuto's true nature this way, when he had a least some protection from it. Yet Kabuto's threat held relatively little credibility. Why would he get himself into that much trouble just to control Sasuke? Kabuto had basically admitted that his first threat had been a bluff, though not putting it as many words. He'd aborted the approach, because Sasuke had seen through him.
"You can either join in, or…"
Sasuke untangled himself from the cord, and Naruto actually helped him…of course still with his face within breathing distance of Sasuke's.
"You can say goodbye to that pretty little face of yours."
Sasuke stopped. Kabuto was being vague, but that certainly didn't sound good. Kabuto had enough weapons, and he was planning on breaking into someone's house. Maybe he was capable of a truly violent crime.
"What are you getting at?"
Kabuto snickered, "Do you really want to find out?"
Sasuke was silent, though he forced himself to speak again. The longer the silence, the more confident Kabuto would be that he had gotten under Sasuke's skin.
"Why do you care so much if I'm there? If I sit it out, it's just that much more loot for you."
Now there was a silence on Kabuto's end.
"Once I let people into my circle of trust, I don't like to let them out."
Sasuke believed he knew what Kabuto was attempting to do: He wanted to get Sasuke in so deep he couldn't leave. He wanted to get more dirt on Sasuke, and he wanted more control. That's how Kabuto worked, after all. He tried to control everyone, and if he'd done his job right, they'd never even suspect.
"Well, I'm leaving. Give up. This is pointless."
A few peaceful seconds. And then there was a snide chuckling, low and rolling. It grew, but it died completely before Kabuto next spoke.
"You just made the dumbest decision of your goddamned life, Uchiha."
A click, then a dialtone. Sasuke hung up the phone, placing it in his lap as Naruto separated himself from it. He stared back in Sasuke in dumb shock. Why did Naruto have to overhear everything?
"What is he talking about?" Naruto asked nervously.
"It's fine, Naruto."
"No, Sasuke. Tell me. What's the 'opportunity' he was talking about?"
"It's none of your business."
"Goddammit, Sasuke!" Naruto shouted, his face contorted into rage. His hands made desperate and angry motions, his body still standing. "I try to respect your boundaries and privacy. I know I do a shit job sometimes, and I apologize for that. But this is something I'm not going to let you hide! I won't let you push me away this time; the stakes are too high. So yeah, this time, it is my fucking business! Tell me what the hell he was talking about right now."
Sasuke inhaled deeply, then stared at Naruto's forgotten cereal bowl as he focused himself. He chose his next words carefully.
"Kabuto sought me out today and told me that he was going to rob someone. He wanted me to join in, but I refused and also told him I wasn't selling drugs for him anymore. As you can imagine, he wasn't too fond of that."
"Rob someone? How… You mean like pickpocketing or something?"
"No, not pickpocketing. He wanted us to break into someone's house."
"Shit…" Naruto's voice answered after he descended into several seconds of shocked silence. "Us?"
"Yeah… My friends are joining in. I know what you're thinking, and they're…not ordinarily like this. It seems like after I started with all this bullshit, they started declining."
"That isn't your fault. You know that, right?"
"I know."
Sasuke didn't blame himself… Not really. His friends could think for themselves. They were even older than him. They should have enough maturity to make their own decisions. Yet Sasuke also knew that he was considered the de facto group leader. When he made decisions or went down a given path, his friends would often follow, and sometimes to greater extremes.
"But regardless, I plan to talk them out of it," Sasuke added.
"I'm sure you can. People are crazy about you. They'll listen."
"I really hope so."
Naruto sat down again, reaching his hand across the table and grasping Sasuke's forearm. He frowned and began to rub the flesh with his thumb slowly, as if afraid he might lose Sasuke altogether.
"You're a good person, Sasuke."
Sasuke glanced back at Naruto, his eyes for once conveying uncertainty. His lips pursed. Naruto liked to claim that a lot. Was he right? He did have to admit that it was a rather noble act, but it was still difficult to see himself as a good person considering his past and some of the urges he still had.
"But what about you? You're not safe anymore," Naruto inserted quietly.
"He's bluffing."
The older boy shook his head fervently.
"No, Sasuke. This is bad," Naruto insisted, his anxiety building.
"I can read him."
Sasuke tried to act a great deal more certain of his fact than he really was. At this point, he was only seeking to reassure Naruto, even if he didn't fully believe what he'd said.
"Can you? Because he's definitely pulled one over on you before!" Naruto shouted, a mild panic worming its way into his voice.
"Calm down," Sasuke hissed, though he had to admit that Naruto had a point. Kabuto had drugged him, talked him into selling drugs… He'd even got him to supervise a deal involving all sorts of hard drugs with a loaded weapon, a potentially deadly situation.
"Okay… Okay. I'm sorry," Naruto sighed, taking visible effort to calm himself.
Naruto knew he wasn't a coward. He was entirely used to having his own life in danger. The scars on his face were a testament to that much. Hell, he'd even been assaulted and molested at knifepoint just a few months ago. It wasn't like him to lose his head. However, when it was Sasuke, it hit him much, much differently.
He now could say he understood the way Sasuke felt when Naruto had refused to go to the homeless shelters, when he had found Naruto black and blue on the street. He understood, if only a little bit, the way Sasuke felt the night Itachi had nearly died. It was a different breed of fear altogether. No wonder Sasuke had caved. Naruto marveled at how much stronger emotions could become when they were experienced for someone else.
"But this guy… Can you honestly say you know what he's capable of? He seems like a wild card."
"I just caught him in a bluff when he said he'd report me. It was a totally unrealistic threat, and when I called him on it, he changed the subject and threatened me with something else."
"I know…" Naruto answered hesitantly. "But still, just because he can bluff doesn't mean he can't be serious."
"Even if that's the case, what am I supposed to do about it now? I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place."
Naruto stopped to consider, biting his lip nervously.
"I think you should tell someone."
Sasuke's lips parted as he regarded Naruto cautiously.
"Naruto, do you realize what could happen if I did that?"
He would probably end up in juvie, given how narrowly he'd avoided it just months ago. He'd be implicated in selling drugs, and maybe even shoplifting. He might even be removed from Itachi's custody, and who knew what would happen to Naruto?
"Yes, but…" Naruto frowned. "I'd rather see you in juvie than dead."
"I'm not going to die. You're being overdramatic."
Though Sasuke couldn't necessarily blame him. Nothing Naruto knew about Kabuto was very reassuring.
"You're in too deep," Naruto said gravely. "You're fifteen. You're a kid. You don't know what you're doing with these people, or what they're capable of."
"Naruto, it will be fine. We have to keep our heads if I'm gonna get through this. This is no time to panic."
"Dammit, Sasuke!" Naruto shouted, his eyes starting to tear. "You're overconfident. That's always been your downfall! Just admit that you're completely out of your element here!"
"So what if I am!" Sasuke answered, his voice assuming Naruto's volume. Yes, he was out of his element, but that was unavoidable at this point. He'd taken on more than he could really handle, and now he was facing the consequences. Sasuke's voice quickly returned its prior composed tone. "That's the situation I'm in now, and there's no way around it. Still, I doubt that Kabuto would kill me or critically injure me. The consequences are too heavy on his end. He's trying to convince me that he would, however, because now that he knows I want out, he wants me to get so involved that I can never run ship again. He knows that I'd never go to the law, so he's trying to make my only other option in avoiding him look as ugly as possible. He loses nothing in trying, because the worst he can do by threatening me is to alienate me, which he's already done well enough."
Naruto stopped to consider Sasuke's explanation. It made sense, though there was obviously no guarantee on any of it. Just one miscalculation could be catastrophic.
"I hope you're right," Naruto frowned.
"Objectively, I believe it to be the likeliest explanation."
He didn't have the luxury to heed all of the "what if"s in this situation. Naruto, however, wished that they had a lot more assurance than betting everything on "the likeliest explanation."
"So…" Naruto spoke slowly. "You're going to call his bluff and go for all or nothing?"
Naruto had called it well enough. If Sasuke told an authority figure, he was bound to get in deep and perhaps irreparable trouble. He could even get removed from Itachi's custody. But if Sasuke ignored Kabuto's threats, he'd either be fine or… Well, Kabuto hadn't exactly been clear.
"Yes."
Naruto paused, staring at Sasuke and slowly shaking his head. His explanation had made sense. Though he would have preferred Sasuke to handle the situation differently, he didn't believe he was being foolish. He actually couldn't help but admire Sasuke's bravery, wordlessly of course.
"I won't try to boss you around, Sasuke. No one has to face these consequences like you do. No matter what you choose… I'll respect it."
But it seriously scares the piss out of me, he'd wanted to say. He didn't. If Sasuke could be brave, so could he.
"Thanks, Naruto," Sasuke responded with a delicate smile.
"God…" Naruto sighed, leaning over the table to kiss Sasuke. He gripped Sasuke's hand tightly, and Naruto's hand felt both sweaty and cold to the touch. If Sasuke hadn't realized it before, this was enough to convince him that Naruto really had been frightened. The two kissed slowly and lazily, Naruto seeming to stretch the moment out as if their time together were precious and meager.
And perhaps it was. Even if Sasuke was unharmed, what would happen when Itachi inevitably discovered the truth? One way or another, their time together was nearing an end.
"Whatever happened to Saved by the Bell adolescence?" Naruto asked with a chuckle."Ya know, proms, finals, blowouts with parents…"
"Apparently our lives could never be so standard."
"Yeah, apparently not," Naruto answered with a smile two parts glad and one part somber.
"Maybe one day our lives will be simple, just after they've made us far too complicated," Sasuke proposed with a hint of dry jest.
"Well… Maybe that's not completely a bad thing. There are few fates worse than being standard."
Sasuke stared at Naruto coolly.
"You couldn't do standard if you tried. You're much too weird."
"I take that as a compliment, bastard."
Sasuke snickered, standing up and disregarding the cereal bowls. He'd clean them up later.
"Fuck this bullshit, I'm going to bed."
"At this time of day?"
It was still light out, and Sasuke hadn't even cleaned up their food as he generally insisted on doing. Naruto pieced together, a little too late, that perhaps Sasuke was more overwhelmed by the situation than he'd let on.
"Yeah. I didn't get much sleep last night."
"Neither did I."
It didn't help that Naruto had woken up at four in the morning for work. He hadn't thought about it, but sleep seemed so appealing when Sasuke mentioned it.
"Let's take a nap together," Naruto added, smiling. "I'll clean up the cereal."
"Thanks."
Naruto hated to throw food away. After begging for it on the streets, it halfway killed him. But they clearly weren't going to eat this any time soon, and there was hardly any left. Even though he'd been off the streets for months, in some ways, he hadn't completely adapted. Still, before grabbing his bowl and taking it towards the sink, he cast Sasuke a hesitant glance.
"Go ahead. It'll just go bad."
Naruto inwardly cringed as he poured the last soggy bits of cereal down the disposal, repeating the action with Sasuke's bowl. He motioned for Sasuke, clearly very tired, to go upstairs. Once he got into his room, he slipped off his shoes and socks, changing into a pair of dark grey sweatpants and a maroon T-shirt. He didn't fold his clothing up; he swore he'd do it after he'd gotten some rest.
For now, he'd finish some anatomy homework. It'd be a great way to get his mind off of this business, and it needed done anyway. He was able to concentrate well, as he usually was able to under pressure. That ability had been his GPA's saving grace this past year. He was fairly engrossed once Naruto reached the bedroom. Naruto noted that Sasuke had taken his clothes off and actually left them on the ground, crumpled and askew. From his uptight lover, it seemed almost unreal. Naruto smiled slightly, loving the indirect ways in which he was finally learning to read Sasuke.
As stressed as Naruto was, he knew that Sasuke was suffering as well. Quietly, of course. He hated that Sasuke was enduring so many responsibilities; it didn't seem right for someone their age. Naruto realized how much Sasuke wordlessly admired his older brother for maturing so quickly under fire and shouldering more than anyone his age should ever have to. He wondered if Sasuke realized how similar he was becoming to the man.
Naruto folded the clothes inconspicuously. Sasuke heard Naruto doing this, and he had no doubts as to why Naruto was being so kind. Naruto wouldn't have done this under most normal circumstances. Was he letting on? They understood each other now, and Sasuke was secretly pleased when Naruto got into bed with him, wrapping his arms around Sasuke's waist. Sasuke didn't put the book down, and Naruto closed his eyes as he nuzzled his nose into Sasuke's neck.
Sasuke now felt content as he read. Naruto glanced up at the text for a few seconds out of mild curiosity, reading a few sentences about the pulmonary system and quickly having his fill. He allowed his eyes to drift down towards Sasuke's shirt and his arms, watching the small and natural shifts of muscle tissue and skin as Sasuke breathed.
"I know we're both really young, but…" Naruto stared at Sasuke's shirt, his tongue feeling clumsy in his mouth. "I think I'm really in love with you."
Sasuke stopped breathing for a moment, and Naruto felt his chest hitch. Sasuke reminded himself to breathe normally, aware that Naruto could hear any disturbance, his ear against him. Sasuke cast his eyes away from his book but didn't put it down quite yet.
"What's got you so sentimental?" Sasuke asked in one of his calmest voices.
"You know what."
"Mn."
"I mean it, yanno."
"Yeah, I know."
Sasuke was pretending to read his book again, but he'd stopped paying attention to it after Naruto had stopped talking. The words played over in his head, though even Naruto couldn't read that much from him.
"No, I really, really mean it."
Naruto took Sasuke's face in both of his hands and forced Sasuke to look at him. He was hiding behind that book, which was blatantly obvious to Naruto.
"Sasuke, you're…really important to me. I don't want to lose you."
Sasuke rested his book down by his side, keeping it open to the proper page and taking a deep breath.
"Naruto…"
"Please, just be safe," Naruto said softly, brushing his lips against Sasuke's cheek.
Sasuke glanced down at Naruto's face, which was now hidden amongst the covers and Sasuke's clothing.
"Okay."
Giving into the older boy's kind touches and words, Sasuke allowed himself to relax, one arm draped around Naruto, the other resting across his mid-section to gently intertwine his fingers with the blond's. He focused on the calloused feel of his boyfriend's hand to steady his thoughts. His hands always seemed to be like that, whether from vagrancy or from the odd and often rigorous jobs he'd been doing as of late. Sasuke usually liked people with calloused hands. And Sasuke, perhaps, loved Naruto.
Where would life take him? How long could this last? He allowed his stressful thoughts - of Kabuto, of his friends, of Itachi, and of what would become of him and Naruto - to rest. As he closed his eyes, his grip on the other tightened just slightly. He could hear the gentle breathing and feel the warmth of his lover's body, and he savored the moment. His last thoughts before sleep took him were hoping that his stressed, sleep-deprived mind would remember this moment forever.

Sorry this is late, guys. Things have been a little busy on my end, tying up a lot of loose ends since I've returned from Europe. And I'm engaged now. :) So that's something.
Anyhow, hoped you all liked it.
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