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
- 47
- 48
- 49
“Good morning, Sasuke!” Aiko announced, her green eyes wide as she waved frantically from the driver’s seat, her window rolled down. “Or… Well, it’s almost noon now.”
Sasuke couldn’t drive, Juugo was locked up, and like hell was he going to have Itachi take the bus home. When Sasuke called Aiko to pick him up and take Itachi home from the hospital, she was more than pleased to be of service. Regardless of how well Sasuke and Aiko got along, it felt odd to spend time with Juugo’s mother without him around. It was against the natural order of adolescent companionship.
“Yeah, good morning,” Sasuke answered, opening the passenger door of the blue sedan and moving to sit down.
“Wait! Here, could you take this into your house and set it on the dining room table?”
She moved to the back seat and gave Sasuke a large blue cake. It had a plastic cover on top of it, which had a card taped on the top. Itachi’s name was scrawled on the envelope with elegant cursive. She’d baked them a cake? Neither of them particularly liked sweet things, but nonetheless, he took it gladly.
“You didn’t have to go so far out of your way for us, Aiko.”
“Oh, it’s the least I could do after what you’ve done for Juugo,” Aiko insisted. “I’m just so glad your brother’s feeling better.”
She was referring to the cafeteria incident, Sasuke believed. He assumed that news of Kabuto and Suigetsu’s misfortune last night hadn’t traveled yet, and he’d keep it that way.
“Thanks. I’ll be back in a few.”
Sasuke didn’t have time to worry about how long it would be until Itachi found Naruto, or what would happen when he did. After today, they’d have to make some changes. Going to the labor center would be a great risk for Naruto, as Itachi would be around the house recovering at pretty much all times of day. Itachi had no job and no schooling. The boys agreed to postpone Naruto’s work for now, until they got a better idea of how they might be able to sneak Naruto in and out of the house around Itachi. But Aiko’s incessant chattering kept Sasuke from analyzing this too much.
“So the surgery went well then?”
“Mhm.”
“And he’s gonna be alright?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m just so happy to hear that, Sasuke. What was wrong with your brother, if you don’t mind me asking?”
Sasuke opened his mouth to answer. He’d been awfully vague with everyone, though he had briefly explained to Juugo that he had a “growth” on his stomach.
“Oh, never you mind, dear! Sorry, I’m being nosey. Your brother’s feeling better, and that’s all that matters. Speaking of hospitals, have you watched House lately? Juugo told me you like that show.”
The quick change in subject didn’t throw Sasuke off. Rather, it was appreciated.
“A little. I’ve been busy.”
“Well… I’ve just started watching it recently. You know, Hugh Laurie can actually be really sexy, especially in that role. Who’d have thought?”
Sasuke wasn’t taken aback. He’d become accustomed to this sort of behavior years back when he used to so frequently visit Juugo’s house.
“Huh, Sasuke?”Aiko pressed. “Who’d have thought?”
“No clue. I suggest you consult the internet.”
Aiko began to laugh, and it filled the entire car. It started off with a high-pitched “HAW” and descended into a series of less striking chuckles. Aiko had been teased relentlessly for her laugh, she had told Sasuke, all the way back to grade school. But, as she’d tell Sasuke, “Don’t you think I’d let those numbskulls shame me out of laughing! Ha!”
Sasuke had, of course, been nothing but polite when he’d met Mrs. Tenbin, as Sasuke had originally referred to her as. “Please,” “thank you,” and “ma’am” were his most commonly used phrases in her presence. This was quickly dismissed, and Sasuke gradually came to speak to her as he would any of his other friends: tersely and not all that politely. Of course, this didn’t keep Sasuke from throwing the occasional and quite ironic “ma’am” at her, just to get under her skin should she tease him too much. Rather than taking offense, Aiko always loved that about Sasuke. It made her feel young and not so out of place amongst Juugo and his friends.
“Did you know that Hugh Laurie is 53? His ass sure doesn’t look like it’s 53…” she trailed off, resting her chin in her left hand as her right turned the wheel. “He’s British, if you didn’t know. He fakes an American accent just for the show! Maybe Brits just have better gluts. Maybe it’s genetic…”
“Some questions were never meant to be answered, Aiko.”
Aiko took a swig off of her water bottle as she contemplated Sasuke’s statement.
“You know, that’s a very interesting point of view, and I think you could take it to a very basic and philosophical level. I wonder if the ultimate goal in life is truth or happiness? We humans are on a constant search for knowledge, but maybe some things we just aren’t meant to know. It’s no wonder we don’t know them!”
These sorts of turns in conversation were rather common for Aiko. She was never good at staying on one subject for an extensive amount of time. If Juugo had issues with attention span, it wasn’t very difficult to see where they might have come from. She could go from discussing Hugh Laurie’s ass to debating the universe’s greatest mysteries in a matter of seconds.
“You mean like the ever-relevant mysteries of Hugh Laurie’s ass?”
“Exactly like Hugh Laurie’s ass! We should talk more. You’re such a bright young boy. Or should I say bright young man? You’re getting so big!”
“Thanks,” Sasuke granted begrudgingly.
“I hope you’ve been drinking milk every day. Sasuke, do you drink milk every day?”
“…Mostly,” Sasuke lied.
“Mostly? That sounds more like ‘never’ to me! It’s so important to drink milk during puberty. Can’t you see how big and strong Juugo got? Every day I make him drink his milk, whether he likes it or not!”
Sasuke smirked, tucking the knowledge away for future ammunition the next time Juugo teased him. Juugo’s mom made him drink milk every day? Yet they bought him weed. He never really could understand his parents’ logic sometimes.
“I’m sure he loves that,” he quipped sarcastically.
“That’s it. I’m picking you up a gallon at the store tomorrow. And when you buy milk, make sure to get the organic kind without rBST. Did you know that rBST has been banned in several countries? And there it is, right on your supermarket shelf!”
“Incorrigible,” Sasuke commented listlessly.
“’Incorrigible’ is right!”
Sasuke couldn’t really find time to worry about anything else thanks to Aiko’s exuberance. He always did find it a challenge to keep up with her in conversation, not so much in terms of wit as in terms of energy and word count. Very fortunately, they pulled into the hospital.
“It may take a few minutes to get him out.”
“That’s okay. I brought some reading, so I’ll wait in the parking garage and give you two some privacy. Just call me when you’re ready to go.”
“Alright. See you.”
Sasuke walked away from Aiko, a little pleased to be treated to some silence. He did like Aiko, but her enthusiasm could get a little overwhelming at times. He quickly made it up to Itachi’s floor. Itachi was sitting up in bed impatiently, already dressed in the outfit Sasuke left him for his last day. He wore a long wool jacket with well-worn jeans and a maroon V-neck. The clothes, which fit Itachi perfectly several months ago, hung off of his frame. Sasuke knew this would happen, so he tried not to be bothered by the image. He assumed that the looseness, especially in the waistband, would be much more comfortable around his scar.
“Hey, Sasuke,” Itachi said cheerfully, flicking Sasuke a brief wave.
“Hey.”
Just as they exchanged greetings, a young girl in a volunteer’s uniform came to the room with a wheelchair. Sasuke offered to help Itachi out of bed, but Itachi didn’t need it. He was very quickly standing, at which point the volunteer, a small black-haired girl from Sasuke’s English class, recognized him.
“Oh, h-hello, Sasuke,” she stated, holding her hands to her chin as her eyes stared at the ground.
“Hinata,” Sasuke responded with a nod.
Itachi smiled knowingly, probably assuming that Hinata had some sort of infatuation with Sasuke. Statistically speaking, given the number of interested female classmates, it was likely that Hinata had a crush on him. However, Sasuke had no way to know, as she acted like this towards almost everyone. Hinata opened the wheelchair and put down the brakes on the wheels for Itachi, who sat down neatly.
“They keep me in here until I can walk to the wall, then they put me in a wheelchair when I leave. Fitting, huh?”
Both brothers knew that this was protocol. If someone was kept inpatient, there was no way they could get out of being discharged in a wheelchair.
“Perfectly.”
Hinata and Sasuke walked side by side, quietly, as Itachi was wheeled through the hospital. Sasuke sent Aiko a quick text to let her know they’d be waiting outside any moment now. It felt so odd to Sasuke, to be leaving the hospital with Itachi now. Itachi had been in there for over a month, and it had started to feel quite natural to Sasuke. He’d never known that finding Itachi on the bathroom floor that night would lead to such a lengthy stay. Then again, he was glad his brother was alive at all.
Itachi was grinning as the cold outside air met him, although the thick wool coat Sasuke selected for him still left him a bit chilly. Sasuke had taken him outside a couple times by now, but it was entirely different for Itachi to know that this time, there would be no returning to his tiny and oddly smelling hospital room.
“When we get home, I have a surprise for you,” Sasuke informed Itachi quietly.
Before Itachi could respond, Aiko’s sedan pulled up to the curb. Itachi stood up, walking towards the back seat.
“Shot gun for you, brother,” Sasuke insisted.
It was certainly more comfortable than the backseats. But Aiko had very quickly parked her car to flurry around to the other side.
“Itachi! It’s been so long since I’ve seen you! Are you cold?”
“Oh, it’s alright,” Itachi told her politely, his arms wrapped around his body tightly. “I’ll be fine.”
Aiko tsk’d, quickly grabbing a fleece blanket out of her trunk as Sasuke helped Itachi get up into the passenger seat, once again offering his arm as a firm balance. Aiko was immediately there with the off white blanket, snugly wrapping it around Itachi’s frame. She wrapped it around Itachi’s arms, pinning them against his body as she tucked the ends of the blanket behind Itachi’s back. She tucked him in perfectly, from his shoulders to his feet. Only his face stuck out of the top of the blanket, covered all the way up to his chin. She clicked Itachi’s seatbelt into place, thereby securing him in his “made in China” prison.
“You look like a burrito,” Sasuke told him as he swung around into the seat behind Itachi, buckling himself in and shutting the door.
“Really? I thought it was a little more like pigs in a blanket.”
“That makes you a pig. I considerately chose the more flattering option.”
Aiko took the driver’s seat, closing the door and turning on the ignition.
“Since when are you concerned with flattery?”
“Boys! Stop bickering.”
Sasuke inwardly basked in satisfaction that she had referred to both of them as boys.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Tenbin,” Itachi apologized respectfully. “And thank you so much for picking me up.”
“Mrs. Tenbin?! Call me Aiko, please. I’m not an old woman yet!”
“Sorry, Mrs…Aiko.”
The “misses” had fallen from Itachi’s mouth before he had time to catch himself, almost on instinct. Hopefully he’d avoid offense with a quick adjustment.
“Mrs. Aiko?” Aiko asked disbelievingly, craning back to give Sasuke a look.
“Aiko, you have to understand that you’re asking my brother to go against eighteen years of instruction, enforced since infancy. Every brain cell is telling him to call you either Mrs. Something-Or-Another or ma’am. It’s a habit not easily broken.”
“That’s right…” Aiko responded pensively. “I remember that you took a while to switch over too.”
“I took hardly a day,” he answered crossly.
“I don’t see what the fuss is. Just because I’m Juugo’s mom, you have to act like you’re in front of the queen of England?” Aiko raised her hand, her wiry hair partially levitating as she shook her head. “Please!”
“We weren’t even allowed to call our own father Dad until we became teenagers,” Sasuke explained. “We had to call him sir.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes,” Itachi confirmed, now adopting his best baritone voice to imitate their late father. “Sir Uchiha, venerable knight of corporate accounting.”
Itachi seemed somewhat taken aback when his statement elicited Aiko’s trademark cackle, his eyes darting from left to right as he leaned away from her as best he could with his body bound thusly. Sasuke chuckled quietly under his breath, both at the image of his father stoically parading in a knight’s uniform with a calculator and at the current expression on Itachi’s face. Itachi was certainly in a much livelier mood than he had been of late. Sasuke was glad to see it.
“Fugaku certainly was one for formalities, wasn’t he?”
“Yes,” Sasuke and Itachi both responded in unison, again causing Aiko to fall into laughter, though tamer this time.
“Mrs. Aiko, huh? I like it! Just the right level of awkwardness. In fact, it’s downright endearing. Itachi, you and only you may call me Mrs. Aiko.”
“Thank you very much, Mrs. Aiko,” Itachi responded.
“Kiss ass,” Sasuke grunted under his breath.
“Swearing in front of your friend’s mother? Sasuke, our father would be rolling over in his grave.”
“Leave it be, Itachi,” Aiko responded, her eyes seeming to almost sparkle. “Sasuke’s just jealous because I’m not letting him call me Mrs. Aiko.”
“Tch. As if I’d want to use such an inefficient nickname…”
“Is that jealousy I hear in your voice?” Aiko teased.
“Of course not, ma’am. I do apologize for my tone.”
“You’re cruisin’ for a bruisin’, squirt,” Aiko told Sasuke, narrowing her eyes. It was rather odd to hear the woman, who couldn’t have weighed much past 100 pounds standing at five feet tall, call him “squirt.”
“Sasuke! If only I’d known you were such a little brat in front of your friend’s parents…”
“Itachi, your brother’s a brat in front of everyone. I’ve long since declined special treatment.”
Itachi chuckled, and Sasuke huffed as the two amused themselves.
“That sounds about right.”
They were nearing their house now.
“Ah, but he’s worth the trouble…” Aiko trailed off.
“I’m right here, you know,” Sasuke chimed in from the back.
“Of course you are. Itachi and I both love you dearly, sweetheart.”
Then, over the radio, came a rather unwelcome cacophony.
Wake up in the mornin' feelin' like P Diddy. Grab ma glasses, I'm out the door I'm gonna hit the city.
The corners of Sasuke’s lips declined as he tried not to smile, glancing over at his brother, whose opinion on Kesha he knew quite well. In fact, he clearly remembered Itachi waking up, has body laden with morphine, the morning after he’d arrived at Las Haciendas. Tears streaming down his face, he informed Sasuke, “I don't like Kesha! Why would they do this to me? I don't understand!” And Sasuke had agreed to protect him from the harlot at all costs.
“Aiko, would you mind changing the station?” Sasuke asked.
Before I leave brush ma’ teeth with a bottle of Jack. 'Cuz when I leave for the night, I ain't comin back.
“Sure, hun! I’m not much of a fan either. Itachi, I’ll leave it to you. Pick whichever you prefer.”
I'm talkin’ pedicure on our toes, toes.
Itachi leaned forward to change the station, vainly struggling against his tortilla-colored encasement. His elbows fought against the blanket, but his arms were quite adeptly fastened to his body. There was no escape.
Tryin’ on all our clothes, clothes.
“You immobilized him, Aiko. Just change it to whatever.”
Boys blowin' up our phones, phones.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, dear!” Aiko proclaimed, apparently forgetting that Itachi had been forced to surrender use of his arms. “Here you go.”
…Gotta move on. Won’t you take me to Funky Town?
Disco? Seriously?
“I love this song!” Aiko cheered.
“Won’t you take me to Funky Town?” she sang along with the music.
Won’t you take me to Funky Town?
Won’t you take me to Funky Town?
Won’t you take me to Funky Town?
The insightful and dynamic lyrics, along with Aiko’s singing, left Sasuke speechless. Where was this Funky Town, and why, in the name of all that is holy, would anyone ever want to go there? He almost wondered if they would have been better off with Kesha. They hadn’t been exposed to much disco. He’d always known his father was a closet fan, but he’d fortunately saved his sons the embarrassment. They’d just heard it over his father’s earbuds when he was working and snicker to each other, knowing full well the music had rendered their dad temporarily deaf. Itachi spared Sasuke a tortured look, to which Sasuke’s eyes wordlessly responded, “I know, brother, I know.”
And finally, finally they were home.
“Thanks again, Aiko,” Sasuke told her, getting out of the car and readying himself to help his brother. “This was very helpful.”
“Not a problem, dear,” Aiko answered, getting out and running to the opposite side, giving Sasuke a hug that, as usual, made his spine crack a bit. Sasuke freed Itachi from his fleecy prison, helping him out of the car. Aiko made her way over to hug Itachi, who looked just a bit frightened. Sasuke was just about to interfere when Aiko gave Itachi a much more fragile hug than Sasuke realized she was capable of.
“Yes, thank you, Mrs. Aiko,” Itachi added.
Aiko briskly walked back to the driver’s seat and shut the door, yelling out the window, “Come see Juugo when you get some free time, okay, Sasuke?”
“Will do,” Sasuke responded, glad that Aiko had the common sense not to mention that he’d be visiting Juugo in the hospital.
Aiko waved one final time before driving off, leaving the pair in front of their house.
“Wow…” Itachi trailed off.
“I warned you.”
Sasuke had indeed informed Itachi of Aiko’s eccentricity, but it seemed that it was perhaps on another scale than Itachi had been anticipating.
“It’s kind of refreshing though. I like it.”
“Yeah…” Sasuke agreed, walking towards the steps on the stoop. He offered Itachi his arm and helped him up each one. “As long as she’s not in charge of the radio.”
He opened the door for Itachi to find the house just as neat as it was before Itachi had fallen ill. Itachi walked past the threshold, inhaling the scent deeply.
“Smells like home,” he said, smiling.
Sasuke found it odd that the place no longer resembled a hotel to him. He’d made enough memories in this place so that it truly was his home.
“You said you had a surprise for me?” Itachi asked, glancing around the house.
Sasuke didn’t get the chance to make an announcement, as said surprise slunk from the common room to the front door, staring up at Itachi curiously. Itachi held onto the door frame, shock almost causing him to stumble. He blinked, staring at the feline with confusion. He hadn’t taken any Vicodin this morning, had he? Was this a hallucination?
“Oh my god…”
“No, it’s not the painkillers,” Sasuke informed Itachi, reading his thoughts. “Ferret’s back.”
“What…” Itachi blurted out, pointing at Ferret and then looking back at Sasuke. “How?”
But Ferret sprinted up to Itachi, purring as she rubbed himself against his pant legs.
“She was at the animal shelter.”
Itachi grinned, reaching down to pet Ferret but wincing, his wound stopping his movements instantly. Itachi quickly made his way over to the couch, sitting so that Ferret could jump up into his lap. She curled up in a ball, evidently just as content with this reunion as Itachi was. Itachi gently pet her in all of her favorite spots, behind her ears and her spine, just as her tail began, temporarily forgetting his brother’s presence with a warm smile on his face.
“I’m glad you’re back,” Sasuke admitted.
And he was being honest. Sure, he was torn, but he could think of very few things he’d rather do than watch his brother relax at home once again, reunited with his childhood pet and radiating contentment.
“Trust me. Me too.”

Itachi walked forwards to the dining room table to find the cake Aiko baked them.
“Who’s this from?” Itachi asked, opening up the card and reading it.
Sasuke glanced over Itachi’s shoulder, reading the neat scrawl on the right side of the card.
Dear Itachi,

Get better soon. Hope you feel better! And give the little brat a hug for us, okay?

Love, Aiko, Juugo, and Kou.
Each family member had signed the card, as the writing changed from name to name. The body of text was in Aiko’s handwriting, and no doubt Aiko was the one behind it. Juugo would have never sent Sasuke or Itachi a card. It was tantamount to hugging; it just would’ve been awkward for them.
“I cooked some chicken breast for you earlier this morning. Are you hungry?”
Sasuke had heeded Naruto’s advice. Cooking was supposed to be meaningful to people. For some unknown reason, it was better than restaurant food. Some sort of special mojo that was totally lost on Sasuke.
“You cooked for me?” Itachi asked, surprised.
Sasuke nodded. It would appear that Naruto had been correct. Itachi was already seemed exhausted with standing, so Sasuke pulled out the chair of the kitchen table and allowed him to sit. He prepared a plate for Itachi, a makeshift Chicken Alfredo with lean white sauce and noodles. He knew that tomato sauce would be too rough on Itachi’s stomach, though it could handle dairy. He placed it in front of Itachi, who smiled at the first bite.
“Who taught you to be such a chef?”
Sasuke shrugged.
“You learn. I haven’t had many opportunities to cook for you.”
Itachi stared at his plate, appearing somewhat guilty. Sasuke remembered those stupid words he’d spoken in their fight that had occurred months ago. “You’re never fucking home.” It was true that Sasuke was forced to learn to prepare food for himself because there was no one around to cook for him, but that wasn’t Itachi’s fault.
“But you’ll be forced to endure it for now.”
Itachi nodded, making his way through the food hungrily. It was a sizeable portion Sasuke had given him. He wondered if Itachi could finish it. Ferret leapt up into Itachi’s lap.
“At least this gives me an excuse to spend time with you. It’ll be kinda like when we were kids on holiday, and Mom and Dad were out of town...”
Itachi was certainly calmer and more laid back than Aiko and much less demanding of attention. This did, however, leave him to remember his current predicament. Naruto was upstairs as they spoke. Sasuke assumed he heard the door and was attempting to be as quiet as possible. Naruto couldn’t go to the labor center today, because he didn’t know when he’d be able to sneak his way back into Sasuke’s room. In the past, Itachi was at least absent because of work and school. He’d be home all day now. How long could they keep this up? He reluctantly admitted to himself that he would be more realistic to think in terms of days rather than in weeks.
He chided himself again. This was supposed to be a happy occasion, and it was. He felt so relieved to have Itachi out of that hospital. Despite beginning to come to terms with what had happened to his parents, Sasuke still had this fear that something might happen to Itachi whenever he was out of his sight. Now, since Sasuke was on break, he could be with him at all hours until he healed. He could help him exercise several times a day and get him rested and energetic faster than any hospital ever could. And how many times had Sasuke wanted to spend more time with Itachi in the past? His brother seemed so much happier.
“Except our diet will be better than Cheetos and Corn Pops this time around.”
Itachi finished every morsel of food on his plate but refused Sasuke’s offer for seconds. His appetite was improving, at least. Sasuke joined Itachi, whose energy appeared to be waning, on the couch as they watched House. Sasuke tried to forget what Aiko had said earlier about Hugh Laurie’s ass but just had to give it at least one extra look. There was nothing special about it, really. Naruto’s was much better. He didn’t know what Aiko was going on about.
As the episode continued, Itachi began to slump against Sasuke, his breathing lengthening. Sasuke allowed it, and although they couldn’t manage a graceful hug, this didn’t feel the slightest bit awkward. It reminded him of how they used to fall asleep on each other as little kids during family road trips, in their parents’ back seat. He couldn’t count how many times he’d fallen asleep on Itachi, who was generally very good-natured about it and just wrapped an arm around him. Still, there had been one or two “Mooom, he’s on my side!” incidents, when Itachi was very little.
Sasuke took Itachi’s role now. In just a few minutes, Itachi was out. Sasuke gently laid his body out on the long couch, propping his head under a pillow. He tucked Itachi in with a soft and thick blanket, making sure that he was covered from his toes to his shoulder. Itachi’s extremities tended to get awfully cold these days, and Sasuke would have none of it.
He left Itachi his cell phone on the coffee table within reaching distance and wrote a note for him.
Upstairs. If you need anything, call my cell.

-S
Sasuke knew that yelling would be painful for Itachi. Really, anything that used his sorely abused abdominal muscles would be. He walked back up and opened his door, pleased to find Naruto quietly browsing the internet. It appeared that he was catching up on some arithmetic he’d told Sasuke he was rusty with. Naruto was also planning for life afterward, it seemed, and though Sasuke was glad that Naruto was taking an interest in his future, it made him a bit sad at that moment.
He grinned, as Sasuke entered the room, waiting for Sasuke to sit on the bed so he could sit next to him.
“How’d it go?” he whispered.
They’d be only whispering from here on out. They’d gone over their routines the night before Sasuke picked Itachi up. It was just as it used to be, those rare times when Itachi was actually home before he was admitted to the hospital. Only whispering, and with louder music, quiet talking. Only one person should walk at a time. Naruto’s showers and bathroom trips should be strategically planned to minimize risk, which was an imperfect art as Naruto’s bathroom habits tended to be rather...unpredictable. Their task had become much more difficult, now that they could no longer postpone Naruto doing things that produced noise until Itachi was gone. Even feeding Naruto would provide a challenge.
Sasuke leaned over, turning his radio on at a volume that would drown their whispers out without disturbing Itachi.
“Good. Itachi’s asleep on the couch.”
“How’s he doing?”
“Pretty good. He ate that big plate of chicken.”
“Damn,” Naruto said. “Guess we don’t have to worry about him not eating enough. He should pack the weight back on in no time.”
“You’d know.”
No one Sasuke knew could claim to know more about going from emaciated to stocky and strong than the guy in front of him.
Naruto flashed Sasuke a cheesy grin, “Yup. Trust the expert.”
Sasuke gave a small smile back, which appeared nothing but forced.
“C’mon, Sasuke…”
“What?”
“Don’t gloom around.”
He cursed himself. If anything, Naruto should have been the one moping. He had one hell of a lot more to lose than Sasuke when he was found. Of course, they’d pitch the idea of eventually adopting Naruto to Itachi. Sasuke assumed Itachi would turn it down, as he honestly had every right to do. Naruto already agreed with Sasuke that in that case, he’d turn himself over to the system and look for a new foster family. This was something that had scared Naruto enough to convince him to live for an entire year on the streets. And Sasuke had the nerve to sulk about?
“I’m not glooming around,” he said snippily.
“Hey, everything’s gonna be okay, alright Sasuke?”
“I don’t need reassurance.”
He understood Naruto’s motivation, naturally, but he wanted to appear weak or in need of assistance. There was no need for it; he could handle it himself.
“Don’t get your panties in a bunch,” Naruto answered, rolling his eyes.
Naruto kneaded at Sasuke’s ever-tense shoulders softly, causing Sasuke to realize that he’d been subconsciously pulling them up. He allowed them to rest flat as Naruto rubbed him.
“Well, you’re tense, but that’s not surprising. Like I’ve always said, you walk around with a giant stick in your ass. You need to use that stress ball I just got you.”
Sasuke sighed at the other’s prompting.
“Sasuke…”
“Yeah?”
“I love you, okay?”
Sasuke’s hairs stood up on end, and the embarrassing part was that as Naruto’s hands were rubbing at his upper arms now, he probably knew it. Otherwise, the words had no visible effect. Sasuke nodded slowly. He wanted to say it back. Why couldn’t he ever say it back?
“Mn…”
He leaned against Naruto, hoping that this would at least be affectionate enough so as not to cause Naruto to feel rejected. Sasuke caught Naruto’s face as he responded, Naruto appearing just a bit deflated. But why should he be surprised, Naruto thought. He had yet to hear those three pivotal words from Sasuke. Still, Sasuke’s actions spoke for him. He moved forward to kiss Naruto, but Naruto turned away.
“What’s wrong?”
Naruto bit his lip and huffed, crossing his arms and staring at the wall.
“Nothing. ‘M just being stupid.”
“Suit yourself,” Sasuke answered with a shrug.
It didn’t take Sasuke long to figure out that this was the wrong response, as Naruto pushed Sasuke’s body off of his own and turned to face the wall. He didn’t know if he’d hurt Naruto’s feelings, pissed him off, or both, but he did know that ignoring this would make things even worse.
“Naruto…” he pressed, trying not to sound exasperated as he placed his hand on his shoulder.
“You never say it back.”
“Huh?” Sasuke asked, genuinely confused.
“When I tell you that I love you,” Naruto mumbled. “You’ve never once said it back.”
Sasuke’s gut sank, but he kept his hand on Naruto’s shoulder. Love… That was quite the concept. It was rather terrifying, especially in light of their current situation. Whatever the case, Naruto admitting his insecurity seemed to be rather taxing on his pride.
“I’m…a little slower than most,” Sasuke stated quietly, rubbing Naruto’s shoulder soothingly.
“Right, of course,” Naruto responded, doing his best to sound unbothered. “We’ve only been dating for like two months anyway, so I shouldn’t let it bother me. Sorry, I’m just a hopeless romantic.” Naruto laughed nervously. “You know how I am.”
After all they’d endured together, Sasuke could hardly believe their relationship had been so short. In fact, he’d dated Sakura for almost five times as long, yet he’d had never felt even remotely the same degree of intimacy. Maybe it was everything that had happened over those short two months that bonded them together. Maybe it was their living situation, or the ways in which they related to each other. But whatever it was, Sasuke had never grown so close to someone so quickly in his entire life. Even as a child, he’d been somewhat slow to form bonds. This was leagues out of the realm of his personality, and that much was thoroughly unsettling.
But Sasuke didn’t think that Naruto was being unreasonable. It was his fault. There was something wrong with him. It was too difficult for him to speak those three simple words, to even admit the possibility of love to himself. He felt so uncomfortable at the moment. All he could do was show Naruto how he felt with his actions.
“No, I’m sorry,” Sasuke answered, but he still couldn’t get the words out. “Kiss me?”
Naruto turned around, Sasuke giving him a mild and sheepish smile that was impossible for him to deny. Sasuke kissed him and took his time, grabbing Naruto’s hand tightly. He interlocked their fingers and held Naruto’s hand up to his chest so that Naruto could feel Sasuke’s heartbeat on the back of his palm. It was beating quickly. Perhaps this was Sasuke’s way of communicating his feelings with Naruto. Naruto decided that this would be enough for him.
“Everything’s going to work out fine, Naruto,” Sasuke told him as Naruto rested his chin on Sasuke’s shoulder. He still couldn’t get his heart rate to slow, but otherwise, his façade was flawless. “Remember, you’re stuck with me.”
He wanted Naruto to know that he was serious about this. Itachi was the immediate threat to their situation currently, over the next few days or weeks. They could both guess, but neither knew exactly how he would react when or if he discovered Naruto. However, time would pass. Sasuke would get older, he’d go to college, then medical school… Naruto wouldn’t be a minor for much longer either. In a couple years, he’d be able to go wherever he pleased. They’d both meet many people in the future. Their lives were bound to change dramatically, and probably, so would they. Regardless, he would never let Naruto slip through his fingers.
“Like brain worms or somethin’, eh?”
Sasuke raised a brow at the rather bizarre comparison, shaking his head with a light snicker.
“Exactly like brain worms.”
- 47
- 48
- 49
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Soup's On