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
- 57
- 58
- 59
“He lived with you?!” Juugo asked disbelievingly. He was generally a pretty mellow guy, but this news was rather…overwhelming.
“For two months,” Sasuke confirmed.
“And Itachi had nothing to say about this?”
“He was in the hospital, remember?”
Juugo just shook his head, shocked that Sasuke had been keeping such a big secret from him. Ordinarily, coming out to one’s best friend would have been a monumental occasion, but compared to the other news Juugo had been given, Sasuke’s orientation seemed more like an insignificant footnote.
“Yup! I’ve been around since October, though I met Sasuke in August.”
“Christ…” Juugo answered, hardly able to believe it. A homeless person had been hiding in his best friend’s room for two months, and this was the first he’d heard of it? He’d thought Sasuke had been single all of this time, but the two of them were even lovers. It was so outlandish that it all sounded like a lie, but Sasuke was the last person who would lie about something like that. And even if he were, what motivation could he possibly have?
“Why are you guys all beat up? Is someone giving you trouble?” Juugo asked, his tone beginning to sound a little dangerous through the last question. If someone else had been the cause of their injury, Sasuke was quite sure that the night would not have ended well for them. Juugo’s question elicited a bit more of Naruto’s awkward laughter.
“Actually,” Naruto confessed. “We did that to each other.”
“…Oh.”
Juugo was wondering exactly what kind of relationship these two had. It seemed rather abusive, actually.
“So... What’s with this whole chase thing again?”
Now it was Sasuke’s turn to look at Naruto for confirmation.
“Itachi knows about Naruto. Naruto was to be dropped off at the police station tomorrow to start up foster care, but…”
“But I decided to be a chickenshit and run off,” Naruto interrupted dejectedly.
“Don’t be so rough on yourself,” Juugo told Naruto with a smile. He didn’t know much about Naruto, but if he’d been homeless, there was probably a damned good reason why. Juugo doubted that Naruto was used to very good living situations. “I’d be scared too in that situation.”
Naruto responded with a quiet and uncertain “thanks.” If Juugo knew the full story, Naruto thought, he would have never said that. He was sure that Sasuke was still angry with him, but Naruto couldn’t blame him. They’d already made it to Sasuke’s house now. Juugo pulled into the driveway.
“I’ll go in and give you guys some privacy,” Naruto said, getting out the backseat and heading towards the house. Sasuke opened his mouth to protest, but Naruto interrupted him. “Yeah, yeah, I’m not going anywhere, okay?”
Sasuke handed Naruto the keys to the house and crossed his arms, sulking. It wasn’t that. Well, maybe it was a little bit. But also, Sasuke just didn’t want to leave Naruto alone with his thoughts at such a time. Now he was sitting in the passenger seat, alone with Juugo.
“I like him,” Juugo told Sasuke with a shrug.
“He’s an idiot,” Sasuke answered crossly. His frustration with Naruto still hadn’t abated.
“You do seem to attract them,” Juugo teased.
The sophomore huffed, unsure of whether that comment was more insulting to him or Juugo.
“So… Does anyone else know about him other than me and Itachi?”
“No.”
“I know you said that everyone has secrets, but this is…” Juugo trailed off.
“Crazy?”
“I almost wouldn’t believe it coming from anyone else,” Juugo admitted.
Sasuke put his cigarette out on the car’s ashtray. Perhaps he should be apologizing, but Sasuke wasn’t a fan of insincerity. He had a good reason for keeping his mouth shut.
“In any case, he’s not going to be a secret of mine much longer.”
“But you guys will stay in touch, right?” Juugo asked reassuringly.
“Yeah…” Sasuke mumbled.
Sensing Sasuke’s change in demeanor, Juugo frowned and patted Sasuke on the back, using a bit more force than he had probably intended to. It seemed to jar Sasuke’s bruised muscles. He really was Aiko’s child.
“Chin up, huh?” Juugo said, smiling at Sasuke. “If he’s put up with this much of you already, I’m sure he’s not going anywhere.”
Juugo’s attempts at cheering Sasuke up let Sasuke know he’d been too obvious. It was a charity he had difficulty accepting.
“Of course not,” Sasuke answered with a certainty he didn’t truly possess. “He’s so harebrained that he couldn’t even get the train schedules straight.”
Juugo snickered, lighting up another cigarette and offering the pack to Sasuke. Sasuke shook his head. He wanted to go into the house after speaking with Juugo, and he obviously couldn’t smoke there. He didn’t plan on being much longer. Juugo noticed that Sasuke’s eyes kept drifting over to the house. Sasuke didn’t want to leave Naruto out of his sight for too long.
“I won’t keep you any longer, Sasuke.”
Yet Sasuke still hesitated before getting out of the car.
“I might have never found him without your help, Juugo.”
Juugo froze momentarily, staring back at Sasuke.
“Thank you for all of this,” Sasuke mumbled. “Thanks for trusting me.”
Sasuke unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the door, standing on his driveway now.
“Why wouldn’t I?”
Sasuke nodded, looking away before before tensing his arm to shut the car door. He paused.
“Hey, Juugo…”
Sasuke turned around, glancing at Juugo hesitantly.
“Yeah?”
He leaned against the frame of the car door, casting Juugo a hesitant look.
“We’re good, right?” Sasuke asked, trying to sound as casual as possible.
A lot of secrets had come out tonight. Sasuke remembered the way he felt when he found out about Juugo’s psychiatric problems. He understood the man’s need for privacy. In fact, he knew that he would have kept it to himself as well in Juugo’s shoes. It wasn’t that he was angry with Juugo; he just got this unsettling feeling that he didn’t know his friend as well as he thought he had. He had wondered if they were not as close as he had once believed. Keeping his own secrets didn’t bother Sasuke; that just made him less vulnerable. But it could be more difficult to palate when it was someone else keeping the secrets, keeping their own walls up. He suspected that Juugo was feeling the same thing right now.
“We’re good, Sasuke,” Juugo reassured him with a nod. “I understand why you kept quiet, but remember that you can always talk to me.”
Sasuke sighed, smiling. He was pleased to have a friend as easygoing as Juugo. He couldn’t imagine the complications this might cause in most other friendships.
“Same goes for you,” Sasuke answered. “See you around.”
Juugo flicked him a wave, and Sauske shut the door and walked towards his house. Juugo rolled down the window by a crack.
“Sasuke,” Juugo called quickly, causing Sasuke to pivot. “Do something about your face, okay? You look like shit.”
He wondered what exactly Juugo was referring to until he reached up to his cheek and winced, his finger coming back smeared with blood.
“What would I do without you around to point out the obvious?” Sasuke spoke back, loudly so that Juugo could hear across the driveway.
“Beats me. Later, brat.”
Juugo turned on the ignition, waving at Sasuke before backing out of the driveway. He entered the house to find Naruto sitting at the table, lethargically sipping on a glass of orange juice. Sasuke walked up to the threshold of the kitchen and stood there, staring at Naruto abruptly.
“I’m still pissed at you,” Sasuke said guardedly.
Naruto slumped, holding each arm with the opposite hand. He seemed to tense, as if anxiety were getting the better of him. He could have just been doing this to get out of Sasuke’s wrath, but this certainly wasn’t Naruto’s style. Sasuke couldn’t say he envied the kid. The moment he had left Juugo’s presence, all of the spunk seemed to have withered away. It had been an act, Sasuke realized.
Sasuke quickly walked over to the table, taking a seat next to Naruto and holding his head in place with his hand.
“Christ, Naru…” Sasuke sighed, the nickname making him sound more vulnerable. He leaned forward and pecked him on the forehead, then moved Naruto’s head so that it was resting on his shoulder. “Don’t ever do that again.”
“I’m sorry, Sasuke,” Naruto said weakly, his face resting on Sasuke’s.
Sasuke placed his hand on Naruto’s back, then felt his arms and face.
“You’re like ice.”
Naruto had been stuck out there since one in the morning, at the latest. It was now past five.
“I’m used to it,” Naruto muttered lazily, reluctant to be roused. He felt like he didn’t have the strength to move.
“Not anymore you aren’t,” Sasuke countered. There was a time when Naruto lived in such weather on a daily basis, but this didn’t mean it had ever been good for his health. He had to get Naruto warm and dry. “Are you hungry?”
“No.”
That was certainly an unprecedented response from Naruto, given how long it’d been since they’d last eaten. Sasuke realized that Naruto was going through a hard time, but this was downright uncanny.
“Okay.”
Quietly, they returned to Sasuke’s bedroom. Naruto’s note was still on Sasuke’s bedstand. In all of the hurry, Sasuke had forgotten to take it with him. Naruto was pained when he saw it again, staring at it distractedly. Sasuke noticed, and after hesitating for a second, he mercifully stuffed the note in the drawer of his bedstand.
“Get some rest.”
“No…” Naruto mumbled.
“Why not?”
“We only have a few hours. I want to be awake for them.”
Naruto sat on Sasuke’s desk chair. He would have lain down on the bed but didn’t want to get it wet and muddy. Sasuke nodded. He was so horribly tempted to join Naruto in bed, but he knew that if they slept, the next time they opened their eyes they’d have to pack Naruto to leave. It was past five in the morning.
“Wait here a second.”
Sasuke turned Itachi’s doorknob quietly, waiting until it had been turned completely before opening the door. He wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Naruto yet. Not after everything that had happened. Itachi was breathing low and deep. Sasuke quietly moved to the foot of the bed, grasping Itachi’s foot and wiggling his leg. Itachi always had been a light sleeper, and the Vicodin was likely out of his system by now.
“Nnn…” Itachi mumbled, trying to fall back to sleep. So Sasuke shook his leg again.
Itachi’s breathing ceased for a moment, soon after returning to normal. He pulled his leg away and lifted up his head as he squinted, trying to decipher the figure by the foot of his bed through the minimal lighting. Sasuke just hoped that if he stayed back, Itachi wouldn’t notice what had happened to his face.
“Sasuke?” Itachi muttered sluggishly, not bothering to look at the clock by his bed. “What time is it?”
“Hey, Itachi,” Sasuke answered with forced casualness.
It was a tone his brother never used, and so Itachi knew immediately that something was amiss. That is, if the odd time of day, along with Sasuke’s refusal to come any closer than the foot of his bed hadn’t already clued him in.
“What’s wrong?”
“Can we have one more day?”
He didn’t have to be specific.
“Sasuke…” Itachi answered, a hint of warning in his voice. “It’s been set for today all this time, and you have school tomorrow.”
“Please, Itachi,” Sasuke requested, his voice quiet and almost tremulous. “Just one more day. I swear that I won’t ask you for more.”
Itachi paused, his senses coming to him as his body regained consciousness. It was not his brother’s habit to beg.
“Why one more day?”
Sasuke swallowed hard. He couldn’t tell Itachi that Naruto had tried to run away.
“I’d rather not talk about it. But they never cover anything important at school the first day back anyway,” Sasuke mumbled, sounding exhausted in every sense of the word. “It’s…it’s just…very important to me.”
He had emphasized the words “very important” in a way that was so uncharacteristic that it actually surprised Itachi. It wasn’t often that Sasuke cared about anything so deeply. Itachi was silent for several seconds, and Sasuke held his breath.
“Alright. One more day, but this is your only extension.”
“Thank you,” Sasuke answered sincerely.
He shut the door behind him and returned to his bedroom. Naruto, still seated on Sasuke’s large chair, had brought his knees up to his chest and was hugging his shins. Despite the fact that Sasuke was very rightfully angry with Naruto, he was beginning to regret treating him so harshly after he’d found him. Naruto really did look frightened.
“I got us another day.”
“Oh, thank God…” Naruto sighed, a slight shudder to his voice. “Thank God.”
Sasuke stripped off his clothing, now wet with both rainwater and perspiration.
“Sleeping in the nude tonight?” Naruto asked. Sasuke was glad to hear a hint of flirtation in Naruto’s voice. It appeared that the news had brightened his spirits.
“No, I’m taking a shower. Join me.”
“I feel like I’m going to drop,” Naruto mumbled.
Sasuke was a little afraid to use the shower alone. What if Naruto tried to escape again? The trains were running now. Yet he knew he should trust Naruto more than that. After all, he could’ve easily left even after Sasuke had found him.
“You’re already wet, and we need to treat our faces either way. You’ve got blood on you.”
Naruto groaned, flopping onto his side.
“But I don’t want to.”
“Tough,” Sasuke answered, giving Naruto’s ear a tug. “We’ll be done in under ten minutes.”
Without further announcement, Sasuke walked into the bathroom, turned the water on, waited for it to heat, and got into the shower. Steam wafted upwards. Sasuke’s body, now covered in goosebumps, had still not warmed itself since he’d gotten home, so he cranked the water up hot. The water stung his face, but it relaxed his poorly rested muscles. All the sweat and blood from just hours ago was washed from his body and spiraled down the drain. He reflected that the person he was a year ago would have never gotten himself into this mess. Then again, he much preferred who he was now.
By the time Naruto entered the bathroom, Sasuke had already finished shampooing his hair, which was now coated with conditioner. He was scrubbing his body down when Naruto entered the shower unannounced.
“You planning on hogging all the hot water for the entire shower?” Naruto asked. The smile on his face was much smaller and weaker than his ordinary grin, but it was a start.
“Tch.”
Sasuke moved over, allowing Naruto to soak his face and body. The Uchiha was temporarily distracted by the scars marring Naruto’s skin, reminded of what put them there. It would be okay now, though. Sasuke and his brother would keep track of him.
Naruto quickly scrubbed shampoo into his hair, not bothering with conditioner and soaping the rest of his body. Sasuke was almost done himself, rinsing the conditioner out of his hair. Ordinarily, such a situation would have caused their hormones to best them. However, they currently lacked energy for anything exceeding the bare minimum. Naruto wasn’t the only one who was exhausted. Sasuke felt himself begin to grow a little dizzy, the hot steam making it difficult to breathe. He really did need to sleep.
By the time Sasuke was clean, so was Naruto. They shut of the water and toweled themselves off. Sasuke was already beginning to feel better, the grimy sweat and drying blood cleaned off of his body. He looked into the mirror and mentally winced. His cheek and temple were still just barely bleeding, and his split lip was swollen. Naruto wasn’t much better off, with a split lip even worse than Sasuke’s, a swollen eye, and a bruised cheekbone. At least neither of them would need stitches.
Sasuke tended to Naruto’s wounds first. He got out the Q-tips, covering one side with triple antibiotic ointment. Naruto smirked, causing his lip to move just as Sasuke was sterilizing it.
“What?” Sasuke asked, frustrated that the movement had interrupted his efforts.
“It’s just that this is reminding me an awful lot of the first time I came here.”
“Yeah…”
Just like last time, Naruto had been seated on the toilet, Sasuke tending to him with bandages and Neosporin as his bangs would brush his lips. Only this time, they were completely naked rather than just shirtless.
“We didn’t think we had very long back then, either. But we were happy.”
Sasuke sighed. He supposed that part of the problem was that they had been accustomed to a very unrealistic dynamic for two people their age. Expectations.
“Yes, we were,” Sasuke answered as he put some Neosporin on Naruto’s lip.
“Only now, I can do this,” Naruto remarked devilishly, gently directing Sasuke’s arm out of the way and kissing him, their sore lips sticking to each other’s. He maneuvered just well enough to avoid getting ointment on Sasuke.
“You can do one hell of a lot more than that, Naruto,” Sasuke teased him, the corner of his lips inching upwards.
“Don’t get too eager,” Naruto chuckled flirtatiously. “It’s bedtime.”
Naruto had a point, honestly. He didn’t have the energy for it. Sasuke couldn’t do much about Naruto’s eye. It was bruised, not cut. He’d have Naruto apply ice once he was done. He cleaned Naruto’s cheek, then he had Naruto put his pajamas on in the bedroom while he treated his own wounds. Both of them still looked like hell, but at least infection wouldn’t be an issue now. Sasuke dressed himself and walked to the kitchen. He returned with two icepacks, one for each of them, wrapped in dish towels.
Naruto was already in bed. Sasuke joined him, quite gladly.
“Here, put this on your eye,” Sasuke said, handing him the pack.
“Shit! That’s cold!”
“Yes,” Sasuke said in a dry tone that clearly insulted Naruto’s intelligence, “It’s ice.”
The two of them lay next to each other, both on their backs, for some time. Naruto closed his eyes, turned… Couldn’t sleep. Turned again, and still no luck. This was ending up just like last night. The sun hadn’t come over the horizon yet, but dawn was approaching, the black sky making way to a dark blue. His train would have been leaving just about now. Naruto hated to admit that there was a part of him that regretted his decision to leave with Sasuke, though he truly did believe he’d made the right decision. He glanced over at Sasuke, who was still lying on his back, his eyes wide open as he held the ice to his cheek. He was, at the very least, glad to be next to Sasuke.
“Hey, Sasuke, aren’t you gonna try to sleep?”
Sasuke sighed.
“C’mon, what is it?” Naruto pressed, glancing at Sasuke’s face.
“I don’t know if I want to go to sleep.”
Naruto was on his stomach, resting on his elbows so that he could peer into Sasuke’s eyes.
“Why not? Aren’t you tired? We basically didn’t sleep last night.”
Well, Naruto hadn’t. Sasuke had gotten a couple hours.
“If I fall asleep…” Sasuke mumbled. “Who’s to say you won’t leave again?”
Naruto looked down, his guilt obvious. Sasuke looked away.
“What can I do to reassure you?”
Sasuke shrugged.
“I’ll do anything.”
Naruto knew his promises were unreliable now. After all, he’d told Sasuke he would never leave him. Naruto knew that Sasuke feared losing him so acutely, and yet he still had done this to him.
“Doesn’t that put the burden of figuring this out on me?” Sasuke grumbled. “If you want me to sleep so bad, you figure something out.”
Naruto sighed, frustrated with the situation, not with Sasuke. Well… Maybe he was a little bit frustrated with Sasuke, but he couldn’t blame Sasuke for being sore at him. Naruto knew that he didn’t have much place to complain.
“I don’t know if there’s anything I can do or say, Sasuke. Words are just…words. I already went back on my word, and I don’t believe I can ever forgive myself for that.”
Sasuke was beginning to regret snapping at Naruto, but he’d just nearly been abandoned by the same guy who had sworn never to leave him. Didn’t Sasuke have a right to be pissed? Besides, he was tired, cold, hungry, and his head hurt. He was fed up with this. The words left Sasuke’s mouth almost reflexively. Still, Naruto didn’t seem to be in a very good position to receive icy treatment.
“But even still, I swear on my life that I will stay with you until tomorrow,” Naruto told him, his voice shaking with conviction. “I made my decision in that alleyway, and I’m not turning back. I know it’s too early to be asking for trust, but Sasuke, you need to rest.”
“I’m…” Sasuke’s breathing became shallow. “I want to believe you. I’m just…”
Sasuke wasn’t able to speak anymore. Why was it that it suddenly felt so difficult to breathe? Itachi was going to go back to work and school, soon enough. What would he do if Naruto left? He’d almost lost him, just hours ago. His breathing came faster, and he bit down on his tongue, still sore from when Naruto had punched him. He didn’t have to finish his sentence for Naruto to read his thoughts and notice his anxiety.
“Yeah, I know. I’m scared too.”
Sasuke held his breath. He wanted to argue, but when Naruto put it that way, he didn’t quite know what to say. So Sasuke rested his forearm over his eyes, hiding them from Naruto.
“We have a lot to deal with over the next day, so we need to have our wits about us,” Naruto told Sasuke gently. “We’ll be more prepared if we rest.”
Sometimes Sasuke really did feel like the younger one of the two, when Naruto spoke like this. However, such times were admittedly quite rare. He nodded. He had no idea how he’d fall asleep. Even if he knew it was a good idea, calming his mind wouldn’t be easy. Yet if Sasuke was as good at controlling his thoughts as he always told himself he was, he knew that he’d be able to handle this.
Naruto pet Sasuke’s forehead, which had tensed without his knowledge, the muscles along his brows taut. As Naruto’s fingertips brushed against them, Sasuke relaxed. Naruto stroked his fingers through Sasuke’s hair gently, and Sasuke focused on the sensation. He felt his mind begin to slip away, and he allowed this. He allowed all of his fears and anxieties to fade away, focusing on the feeling of his hair moving ever so slightly with Naruto’s movements.
Naruto stopped now, nestling his face between Sasuke’s shoulder and his chin. Naruto was still smaller than Sasuke, but given Naruto’s quick growth spurt, this might not be the case for long. Naruto’s inhales were quickly growing deeper and longer, Sasuke stroking his back lovingly. As difficult as Sasuke had anticipated sleep to be, it came to him very quickly once he allowed it.
Sasuke’s soft snoring filled the room. It was then that a repulsive thought hit Naruto. He could leave. Sasuke was fast asleep. The trains were running, several within the hour. It would be so easy. It wasn’t too late.
It disgusted him that he’d even think that. What Sasuke had said to him in that alleyway had been correct. He knew what the best decision was. Strength was acting upon that conviction. And what’s more, he would never do this to Sasuke. He supposed he couldn’t help what his thoughts were. What really mattered was what he did. So he tuned it out, counting his breathing and joining his lover in slumber.
By the time Sasuke awoke, it was almost one in the afternoon. And there it was. Sunday, January 6, 2013, 12:49 PM. If Itachi hadn’t been merciful, they might have been in the car right now, driving Naruto to the station. The fact that it was already so late in the day depressed Sasuke slightly. However, what Naruto had said was true. He felt a little less exhausted, a little less pissed off, a little less scared.
Sasuke’s first instinct was to glance down and search for Naruto, and he quickly processed the weight of Naruto’s head resting on his chest. Sasuke knew that he couldn’t get out of bed without waking Naruto up. He took in the moment, unsure of how many more like it there would be over the next few years. Even if Naruto happened to be placed near Sasuke, there was no guarantee that Naruto’s new guardians would be so permissive as to allow them to sleep together.
Sasuke gently stroked Naruto’s temple, the boy’s short hair between his fingers. He pet Naruto’s cheek, brushing the back of his fingers against the marked skin. Still snoring, Naruto nuzzled into Sasuke’s hand. They lay together like that for about ten minutes until Sasuke finally propped himself up in bed, causing Naruto to grunt and resituate himself.
“Mn, S’suke?”
“It’s past one.”
“Noooo,” Naruto groaned in lamentation, still half asleep.
Naruto rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, squinting as he adjusted to the light of the room. He looked over at Sasuke.
“Dude… Your face,” Naruto grumbled, squinting his eyes for a better look. “You look like hell.”
“Yeah, right back at you.”
Naruto slid his feet out of bed, as did Sasuke.
“What are we going to tell Itachi?”
Sasuke sighed. Would he lie to Itachi? If he told Itachi that they’d done this to each other, it might raise questions in his mind about the health of their relationship. Still, the only possible culprits were either each other or someone else, and Sasuke didn’t want Itachi believing that the two of them were in any danger.
“We’ll just tell him we had a bad argument.”
“Okay, but can I tell him this doesn’t usually happen or somethin’ like that? Put his mind at ease?”
Usually? Sasuke exhaled.
“Just leave the talking to me, Naruto.”
“Fiiine,” Naruto sighed.
Sasuke noticed then that a piece of notebook paper had been slid under his door. He picked it up, Itachi’s tidy scrawl taking up just a few lines on the top.
Sasuke and Naruto,
Sayuri is in town, so I’m staying at her house today. I’ll have my phone on at all times. Do NOT hesitate to call if you need me. You have the house to yourselves until about 11 tonight. You’re welcome.
-I
Perplexed, Sasuke held the paper out as he read it. Naruto peered over his shoulder.
“Hell yeah! Your brother knows what’s up.”
Of course Itachi would know, given that it was their last day together, that they’d like to have a little privacy. Had he heard them yesterday? Oh God…
Whatever the case, this meant that they didn’t have to bother with explanations regarding their appearances for a while. This was also the first time they’d had the house to themselves in over a week. Even if just for a day, it would be like old times.
“Sayuri, huh?” Naruto remarked teasingly. “What a pretty name.”
Sasuke grunted.
“You know, Sasuke, Sayuri is a girl’s name.”
“Your point?” he asked gruffly.
“I think your brother is on a date.”
What? How was this possible? Itachi hadn’t even been around anyone for months now. Why hadn’t Itachi told Sasuke about her? She could have been an old classmate. Even still…
“Males and females can be just friends.”
“Hanging out alone? Until eleven? I dunno, Sasuke…”
“He’s not on a date,” Sasuke countered abruptly.
“Wait a second…” Naruto said devilishly, glancing Sasuke up and down. “You’re jealous.”
“That’s ridiculous. Why would I care if my brother’s dating? He’s a grown man.”
No, Naruto knew. If Sasuke really had no conflicting feelings regarding this, he would have at least admitted the possibility of it being a date. It was just like how children get jealous when their parents begin to date new people. Then again, wasn’t Sasuke still kind of a child? It was rather adorable, Naruto thought.
“I totally agree. Why would you care?” Naruto asked, giving an insincere shrug.
“I wouldn’t.”
“No, you wouldn’t.”
Sasuke cleared his throat, turning towards the stairway.
“I’m making us breakfast.”
“Don’t you mean lunch?”
“What do you want to eat?” Sasuke inquired, ignoring Naruto’s clarification.
“You mean it’s up to me?”
Considering that this was likely to be the last meal Sasuke would cook Naruto in a while, he thought he’d give Naruto the choice.
“You heard me, didn’t you?”
Sasuke took a couple steps down the stairs, followed by Naruto.
“Got any cup ramen?”
Perhaps Naruto was just trying to be considerate, giving Sasuke such an easy option.
“I’ll cook you anything you want.”
“Cup ramen?”
Sasuke regarded Naruto incredulously. He was offering him any dish within his power to create, and Naruto was asking for instant ramen?
“Are you serious?”
Naruto beamed at Sasuke, his mouth opened to reply.
“Forget it. I should’ve known.”
“Eh? Did I do something wrong?” Naruto asked, sounding slightly discouraged.
“No, you didn’t do anything wrong,” Sasuke reassured him, sounding strangely gentle.
“Stop the presses! Was that a compliment from the notorious Uchiha Sasuke?”
“You call that a compliment?”
“Yup! I’ll quote you. Print it out. Frame it. Put it on my new bedroom wall.”
Naruto paused to hold his hands out, gesturing as if reading over a large sign.
“‘You didn’t do anything wrong. Love, Sasuke.’”
“If you give me proper incentive, I might even sign it for you,” Sasuke replied, his face flat but his voice carrying just the slightest hint of playfulness.
“’You didn’t completely fuck up matters beyond any hope of repair. Love, Sasuke.’”
“I get the point,” Sasuke grunted.
“No offense, Sasuke, but I’m not exactly rushing to list you as a personal reference on my job applications.”
“You think I can’t be effusive when the situation calls for it?” Sasuke responded, a crooked smile on his face.
“Eh…E-what-ive?”
“Enthusiastic,” Sasuke clarified, finally reaching the bottom of the stairs.
Naruto rolled his eyes. Sasuke always had to use big words, didn’t he? Though he supposed, to be fair, the word Sasuke first used only had three syllables, while “enthusiastic” had five.
“Oh,” Naruto answered, beginning to laugh. “I know you can be enthusiastic, but that’s in the context of the bedroom, baby.”
“What’s with the pet name?”
“No?”
“No.”
“I thought I’d try it out,” Naruto said sheepishly.
“Glad that’s behind us then,” Sasuke grumbled.
Sasuke walked into the kitchen, fetching two cups of ramen out of the pantry. He figured he might as well join Naruto. He filled a pot up with water and set it on high, waiting for it to come to a boil.
“This is like…the worst part.”
“What?”
“Waiting. You have to boil the water. Then you have to put it in the cup. Then you have to wait for three minutes. Three minutes.”
“Try baking bread,” Sasuke answered, rolling his eye and recalling the hours he spent with his mother waiting for the dough to rise. “Just how lazy are you?”
“Not lazy. Just hungry and impatient.”
The water had already come to a boil. Sasuke pulled back the paper lid on each of the ramen cups and filled them with water, covering them again as they commenced their torturous three minute wait. They took the two cups of ramen to the kitchen table, along with one pair of single use wooden chopsticks and a fork. Sasuke was glad that he’d slept. He hadn’t realized how badly the lack of sleep had been draining him until becoming rested.
“Hey, why do you have chopsticks?”
Naruto was tapping his bare feet on the floor impatiently, painstakingly keeping himself from eating.
“Because that’s what you eat ramen with, dumbass.”
“We’re not in Japan. We’re in your kitchen. Are you trying to impress me?” Naruto inquired with a grin.
“Get over yourself. This is how I was taught to eat ramen, and I’m not going to change it just to make you feel better.”
Sasuke glanced down at his cell phone, noting that the time had finally arrived.
“Alright,” Sasuke announced, opening up his cup of noodles
Naruto dug in quickly, shamelessly plowing at the curly noodles with his fork and slurping the broth, getting a dab on the table. Sasuke tsk’d, leisurely sipping at his ramen, although he couldn’t deny that he was hungry enough to be tempted by Naruto’s approach. He neatly pinched a bite of noodles between his chopsticks and slurped them up.
“Hey, S’suke,” Naruto requested with his mouth full.
“Yes?”
“Teach me how!” he demanded, pointing at Sasuke’s chopsticks.
Sasuke regarded Naruto a little hesitantly before getting up and fetching a new pair of chopsticks. He handed it to Naruto, who stared at the wooden sticks in confusion.
“You break them,” Sasuke told him patronizingly. Hadn’t he watched Sasuke?
“Yeah, no shit,” Naruto bristled. “But how do you do that without breaking the chopsticks?”
“Just pull them apart.”
Naruto tugged, using a little more force than was probably necessary. His arms flew outward a bit after the chopsticks broke.
“Hold the bottom stick between the crease of your thumb and pointer finger,” Sasuke instructed, holding the chopstick. “Then pinch the top stick with your thumb and pointer finger.”
Naruto held the sticks rigidly.
“Make sure the tips are even.”
His pupil squinted his eyes as he concentrated, maneuvering the chopsticks around so that they resembled Sasuke’s.
“Then move them, like this,” Sasuke demonstrated, neatly tapping the tips of the chopsticks together.
Naruto attempted to do the same, this chopsticks slipping past each other in opposite directions. He tried again, trying to get the tips to meet. Naruto was holding the utensil far too close to the tip, but if Naruto couldn’t even manage using them at that distance, Sasuke figured he might as well not mention that it was considered poor table manners to do this.
“Kinda like this?” Naruto asked, the chopsticks flopping gracelessly.
“No,” Sasuke deadpanned. “Not at all like that.”
“How’s it any different from what you’re doin?” Naruto scowled.
Sasuke shrugged.
“You’re right.”
Naruto had been ready to spit back a response, but that stopped him in his tracks.
“I’m what?” Naruto asked incredulously.
“I said that you’re right,” Sasuke confirmed with a slight smile, which actually disturbed Naruto a little. “We’re doing the exact same thing. Now, eat.”
Naruto watched Sasuke adeptly pick up some noodles with his chopsticks, flashing him look of arrogant mockery. Dammit, Sasuke was challenging him! He smirked at Sasuke, reaching down for his first bite.
He got a noodle on top of his lower chopstick, but when he tried to bring the top one down, it slid right past the narrow lump of noodles. He tried to just raise the bottom chopstick up to his mouth, but the noodles slid off. Naruto tried once again, vainly attempting to at least guide the noodles into his mouth.
Forsaking proper form completely, he fisted the chopsticks, one on each side of his palm. He hoped that as he clenched his fist, he might be able to pick something up and then hold his hand sideways to eat. The noodles slid and fell into his ramen, splashing his face at the collision. Sasuke was just sitting there watching, smirking at him.
“I’m gonna learn!” Naruto shouted back, slamming down his chopsticks. “You’ll rue the day you looked down on me for my chopsticks skills!”
“Look down on you? Why would I do that?” Sasuke asked disingenuously. “After all, we were doing the exact same thing.”
Sasuke offered Naruto his fork back.
“For now,” Sasuke offered, at least hoping to make Naruto’s defeat a little more palatable for him. After all, he needed to eat.
“For now,” Naruto reluctantly stated as he accepted his fork.
Perhaps Sasuke should have let Naruto try to eat with chopsticks. The delay would have worked out nicely. Naruto was done eating long before Sasuke, but nonetheless, he waited patiently for Sasuke to finish.
Upon finishing their meals, they made their way up to the bedroom. Neither of them really knew what to do. It seemed like the day should be a special one. They didn’t want to be in public either; they wanted to cherish whatever limited privacy they had left. But what was there to do?
They watched a few vloggers on Sasuke’s computer as they lay on the bed together, both on their stomachs and facing the computer. Sasuke picked out Naruto’s favorite users, trying to distract him. Naruto’s eyes didn’t seem to be on the screen. Sasuke waited until the eight minute video they were watching was over before commenting.
“Not all that into it, hm?” Sasuke asked quietly.
“No.”
Sasuke frowned. He would have asked Naruto what was wrong if it weren’t so painfully obvious.
“What are you thinking?”
Naruto wished he hadn’t brought all of those horrific memories to the forefront of his mind last night. He’d done it to strengthen his resolve and talk himself out of their plan. Now all it did was heighten his anxieties.
“I can’t…” Naruto spoke, his voice choking off. Sasuke was tempted to change the subject for him, but he recalled what happened the last time he’d allowed this. Maybe this was something that Naruto needed to talk out. Sasuke knew that he was the only one who Naruto had spoken to about what happened to him. Sasuke had had both his brother and his psychiatrist, though Sasuke was never really a fan of therapy. Naruto had only really spoken to Sasuke about what happened in any detail once. So Sasuke switched over to his side, pulling Naruto into his chest and petting his back. Their bodies both curled slightly, both of them lying on their sides and facing each other.
“I’m remembering shit I don’t wanna remember.”
Sasuke nodded. He could never understand completely what had happened to Naruto, but there was something in Naruto’s eyes that resonated with him.
“What can I do to help?”
Naruto glanced over at Sasuke, Naruto’s afflicted expression evolving into a smile. Soon enough, he was chuckling, though rather mildly.
“What’s so funny?” Sasuke asked, a little guardedly.
“It’s just… God, when I met you, I’d never expect you’d say something like that. You really are sweet, in the end.”
“I’m kind to those who’ve earned it,” Sasuke answered crossly.
Naruto grinned, clearly complimented by that sentiment.
“What happened…” Naruto started, his voice quickly becoming quieter and more serious, “I was conflicted. I left at around midnight and had to sit there and wait for my train, and I got second thoughts about leaving.”
Sasuke nodded, encouraging Naruto to continue. He gently stroked the hair at the nape of Naruto’s neck, causing Naruto to bring his face even closer into Sasuke’s.
“I know I should’ve been thinking about stuff like high school and the risks of being homeless and living situations… You know, all the practical shit. But all I could think about was you.”
Sasuke stopped breathing momentarily, shock on his face. He had no idea that Naruto had been so torn over leaving, even as he waited for his train in that alleyway. Leave it to Naruto not to mind the practicalities. The only thought holding Naruto back was him.
“Honestly, that’s what killed me about the whole situation. You’ve lost so many people, people who meant so much to you,” Naruto mumbled, his voice breaking, “And now I was just going to be another name to add to the list.”
“But you’re not,” Sasuke answered, resting his forehead against Naruto’s, the bridges of their noses brushing against each other slightly. “You stayed. Thank you.”
Naruto smiled, but it looked a little sad. Sasuke held Naruto’s hand, kneading the flesh of his palm and rubbing each finger, base to tip. It soothed Naruto. Naruto was at least glad that he had managed to make Sasuke so happy. If anything good came out of this horrible situation, it was at least that.
“The problem I’m having now… When I ran away, I promised myself I wouldn’t ever go back. I thought I was just…forgetting, over time,” Naruto explained, biting on his dry bottom lip. His voice began to choke off. “So I forced myself to remember. I remembered everything, in vivid detail. And now it won’t get out of my head…”
Sasuke kissed Naruto’s forehead, uncertain of what to say. He tried to put himself in Naruto’s shoes, but he knew that Naruto and he were very different people. The two of them were comforted by very different methods.
“Would talking help?”
Naruto sighed.
“I don’t think it’d hurt. Not like my mind isn’t going there anyway.”
Sasuke nodded. He still didn’t know what to say. He was growing frustrated with himself. It wasn’t often that he so genuinely wanted to comfort someone.
“Where is your mind, exactly?”
“I remember thinking I was going to die. He was strangling me when he cut me.”
Naruto saw Sasuke’s Adam’s apple move as he swallowed, and Sasuke felt his bones go cold. Sasuke tried not to look as pained and angry as he was to hear that. If Sasuke looked too affected, Naruto would probably try to change the subject, so he kept it together.
“Your mind lingers on that instant?”
All Sasuke could really think to do was ask questions to encourage Naruto. He didn’t have anything to say. What was there to say to something like that, anyway?
“Not even…” Naruto trailed, squinting his eyes as if trying to decipher something distant. “It’s all over the place. I was remembering leaving. I ran for miles, and it was August, so it was hot as balls out.”
“How far did you go?”
Again, Sasuke didn’t really know what to say, and he felt rather awkward. He hoped he didn’t show it. He just didn’t feel like there was anything he could say or do that would help. He felt a little powerless when Naruto talked to him about these things, and he hated imagining this happening to someone he cared about. Then again, how much worse must those memories have been for Naruto?
“A couple towns over, easy, but then I stopped for a while. I told you that some other bum kinda helped me get on my feet, right?”
Sasuke nodded. He had remembered everything from that day exceptionally well. Naruto had only told Sasuke his story on that one occasion, but that was enough.
“Yeah, so I just stayed with Jiraiya and everyone for a month or so I guess.”
“Why’d you leave? Cops?”
That’s why Naruto had left the park, after all. Naruto frowned, and Sasuke began to regret asking.
“Actually, I left because Jiraiya died.”
Sasuke tried to hide his shock. Naruto mentioned Jiraiya once before, but Sasuke didn’t know he’d spent a whole month with him. And Sasuke certainly didn’t know that anyone close to Naruto had died. What’s more, was this a common thing that happened to homeless people? Or was it completely unrelated to the man’s vagrancy? He didn’t know much about that lifestyle, but he was even gladder that he’d talked Naruto into staying.
“Naruto…”
“Ah…” Naruto interrupted, feeling a little silly for upsetting Sasuke over it. “I didn’t even know him for a full month, you know? I mean, it’s not the same as…”
“Why compare them?” Sasuke interrupted.
They both knew what Naruto had been alluding to. He had been comparing Sasuke’s loss to his own, yet nothing could be gained from making these distinctions. Sasuke just knew that it had to have been rough.
“I felt like I shouldn’t be complaining to you about it,” Naruto mumbled.
Sasuke took a deep breath in and sighed. He wanted to apologize for not knowing what to say but was too proud to do so.
“Naruto, I thought you’d know me better by now.”
“Shut up,” Naruto answered. He made a show of making a sour face, but he knew what Sasuke was trying to say. A loss was a loss, whatever the situation. Sasuke grunted.
“I’m sorry I gave you such a hard time when I found you,” Sasuke admitted. “I’d just made things out a lot simpler in my mind. I thought you’d planned it out and lied through your teeth.”
Naruto knew that Sasuke must have felt betrayed, deceived, and abandoned. He would have too, in Sasuke’s situation. Besides, Naruto had just fired right back at Sasuke rather than trying to make peace.
“Don’t apologize, bastard,” Naruto answered, smiling at him. “Maybe that’s what it took to get through to me, eh?”
They lay there silently for a few moments. It was actually not all that uncomfortable. Naruto seemed to be lost in his own thoughts, though he realized that he could say anything now and not be judged. He finally lifted his gaze up from the bed, looking back at Sasuke.
“Thanks, Sasuke.”
He shrugged.
“I don’t feel like I managed to do much, but you’re welcome.”
Naruto shook his head, placing his hand on Sasuke’s chest.
“Really, Sasuke… Just being here and listening to me yammer is enough.”
Sasuke nodded, inhaling deeply, then exhaling.
“I can’t say I’m looking forward to tomorrow,” Naruto admitted. “But it seems a little more manageable.”
Sasuke bit his lip, glancing down at the sheets nervously.
“Hey, Naruto, after we drop you off…”
“Yeah?”
“Call me as soon as you know anything.”
“I will.”
“Just… I probably won’t be able to contact you, so remember to keep me posted.”
Sasuke knew that if he didn’t hear from Naruto, worry would torture him. Naruto probably knew this as well. Was Sasuke worried that he’d forget about him or something? Seriously…
“If I have any say in it, I’ll call so much you’ll get sick of me.”
“I’ll hold you to it.”
“You might regret that comment.”
Sasuke didn’t even consider that a possibility for an instant, still appearing uneasy.
“I think I can live with that.”
Naruto leaned forward, pecking Sasuke on the lips to reassure him.
“It’s not goodbye, Sasuke. I’ve done this many times before. It’s never taken more than a few weeks to get placed.”
Sasuke swallowed tight. Naruto shouldn’t have had to do this so many times. It pissed him off, but when was the world ever fair?
“It’s different from how it was before. You’re older and stronger. You have a trustworthy adult for support and a lover who would do anything to keep you safe. I know your past is terrifying, Naruto. I can’t even imagine. But that’s not going to be your future.”
Naruto’s body was beginning to tremble. Naruto felt his eyes burn, then begin to tear.
“I’ve been running from this for over a year. I would’ve rather done anything than what I’m going to do tomorrow.”
Naruto turned over, not wanting Sasuke to see his face anymore. He moved back, cradling himself inside of Sasuke. Sasuke placed his arms around Naruto, their bodies spooning against each other. Sasuke locked his arms together, protecting Naruto, guarding him.
“And now you’re facing it. Isn’t that how you heal from something like that?” Sasuke asked gently. He hated preaching, but he was speaking from experience. “The scarier it is, the stronger you get.”
Naruto nodded, tears quietly sliding down his cheeks now. He grabbed Sasuke’s arms to gesture that he wanted to be held still tighter into Sasuke’s body. He felt that if Sasuke wrapped around him enough, he just might be able to disappear. But he knew Sasuke was right. It was better to think of this as an accomplishment that would lead to personal growth rather than a meritless hazard. Sasuke would know what he was talking about, out of anyone. He recalled the day Sasuke had decided to quit dealing drugs. He remembered the day that the two of them sat in his old house’s lot, recalling the past. Sasuke had done the very same thing; he’d faced it.
“Naturally, the ‘one and only Uzumaki Naruto’ can do this,” Sasuke said quietly, kissing the back of Naruto’s head.
“You use my words to haunt me,” Naruto answered with a rather melancholic hint of humor.
“I meant it. You can.”
“I know,” Naruto let out a prolonged sigh, allowing his body to relax in Sasuke’s arms. “But I really would rather not.”
Sasuke frowned. There was no way around this for Naruto, and they both knew that.
“I don’t think it’s going to be as horrible as you expect,” Sasuke said calmly. Naruto turned his body around to face Sasuke again, placing his hand on his chest and feeling the steady throb of his heartbeat. Sasuke was still here. Naruto wasn’t alone quite yet.
“You’ve been running from it for so long that your mind’s made it into a monster.”
When Itachi had told Sasuke he was sick, a corner of his mind was already picturing him dead. Sasuke would move off to some unknown foster family, and Naruto would be out on the streets again. Of course, this wasn’t the likeliest scenario by a longshot, but his biases from the past caused him to catastrophize. He knew Naruto’s mind was doing the same.
“I hope you’re right,” Naruto answered, meeting Sasuke’s eyes uncertainly.
Sasuke’s rested his hand by Naruto’s temple. When juxtaposed with Naruto’s broad face, suddenly his hand didn’t seem so oversized. He stroked Naruto’s forehead, which was just slightly sweaty, with the back of his hand. Sasuke’s lips were barely parted, a halcyon expression on his face. Naruto pressed his lips together and looked down as Sasuke’s palm slid down to Naruto’s cheeks. Sasuke’s thumb rubbed over one of Naruto’s scars, and Naruto gasped quickly, swallowing hard.
“It won’t happen again,” Sasuke insisted, sounding so sure of himself as he stared into Naruto’s eyes. Sasuke said it in that way he had, where even if people had their doubts, he sounded so confident that it was tempting to take his words as a proven fact. “I won’t let it.”
Naruto, uncharacteristically speechless, looked back at Sasuke. He felt his throat grow tight, but he wouldn’t allow his eyes to tear. Naruto knew that when Sasuke was set on something, his determination was redoubtable. He would trust him.
Naruto had learned from Sasuke that silence too can be meaningful. They seemed to speak through their eyes, Sasuke granting him the reassurance he needed so badly. Sasuke’s hand was still resting on Naruto’s cheek. Naruto only realized that his chest had been tight for so long, a cage seeming to smother his lungs and heart, when it relaxed. His breaths were no longer restricted. Sasuke’s expression asked for permission, and Naruto understood just what he was asking for.
Sasuke moved forward, kissing Naruto softly. Naruto emitted a soft moan, combing his fingers through Sasuke’s thick bangs. It was rare that Naruto could actually see a side of Sasuke’s face uncovered. Naruto used to tease Sasuke that his hair hung like drapes. His jawline, in open view now, was thin and pronounced, and his pale skin was smooth. He’d just shaved yesterday.
This kiss made both of their sore lips sting, but neither of them cared. Their gashes were both on the left side, injured skin rubbing against uninjured on both sides. Sasuke’s tongue entered Naruto’s mouth just slightly, soon met by Naruto’s. They slid past each other, Naruto instinctively moving in closer to Sasuke, when they parted lips, they looked into each other’s eyes yet again.
The last time they had made love, Naruto’s eyes had looked at anything and everything except Sasuke’s. Naruto had been running, even then. Subconsciously, he was disengaging. But now, he didn’t look away. He faced Sasuke, his eyes marked by love, sadness, and fear. He wasn’t hiding from him anymore.
Although they only had one day, they kissed as if they had all the time in the world, leisurely, Naruto’s hand resting on Sasuke’s upper arm. Sasuke reached forward and massaged the back of Naruto’s neck lightly. They lie there kissing for several more seconds before Sasuke tugged the bottom of Naruto’s shirt upward.
“Ah ah,” Naruto stopped him, wagging a finger. “Only if you take off your shirt too. You can’t be the only one with a view here.”
Naruto’s desire for Sasuke to take his shirt off wasn’t as hormone-driven as Naruto was making it sound. Really, Naruto was just craving the sight, knowing that he might not see Sasuke undressed in quite some time. He wanted to lie with him, skin on skin. It wasn’t a matter of lust, at least not at this stage. He just wanted to feel him. He wanted to feel his warmth, to be reminded in just one more way that he wasn’t alone.
Sasuke smirked, pulling off his shirt and placing it a couple feet away. Naruto followed suit. They both lay on their sides, and Sasuke was the first to reach forward. He held his hand against Naruto’s neck, rubbing his jawline with his thumb and gently caressing his other four fingers across the base of Naruto’s skull. Naruto leaned into Sasuke’s hand.
His pale fingers moved upwards, fondling Naruto’s earlobe, which was a sensitive spot for him. He felt his cheeks go slightly redder as Sasuke’s fingers played with the shell of his ear, tucking Naruto’s blond hair behind his ear so that it was out of the way. Sasuke was glancing at Naruto with a light smile on his face as he did this, his eyes lidded. Naruto couldn’t help but think to himself that Sasuke looked absolutely smitten. He wondered if he was the first person to ever see this expression on Sasuke’s face. Knowing Sasuke, there was a damned good chance.
Naruto smiled back warmly, almost laughing, his teeth barely peeking through. Sasuke’s bangs on the left side of his face, which were pressed to the bed, extended onto the blanket with a slight wave. The right side of his face was partially obscured by his bangs, gravity slanting them downward precariously. A little playfully, Naruto followed Sasuke’s lead, placing the right side of Sasuke’s hair behind his ear. It showed his hairline so clearly, one half of the widow’s peak, which so few people got to see, clearly visible now.
“What’s so funny?” Sasuke asked, his voice sounding more like a self-conscious pout than a challenge.
Naruto wanted to say that he just liked seeing this side of Sasuke. It was the side of Sasuke that wasn’t too worried about looking untouchable to visibly show love and compassion. It was Sasuke at his most vulnerable, and Naruto felt like at such a time, they communicated without words. But Naruto wouldn’t say this, naturally.
“Nothing. Just pleasantly surprised that I get to spend the day with you.”
“Yeah…” Sasuke answered, draping his hand over Naruto’s shoulder and trailing his pointer finger down Naruto’s spine. Naruto shuddered. Didn’t Sasuke remember how sensitive he was there?
Sasuke’s mind flashed back to the moment when he found Naruto’s note underneath his cell phone. Even though it had technically been that same day, it seemed like it had been ages ago. He remembered all the dread he’d experienced upon reading that note, looking for Naruto, thinking that he might just be too late, fearing that he might never get to say goodbye.
“Me too,” Sasuke mumbled, leaning forward and kissing Naruto again, their tongues sliding against each other affectionately. Sasuke scooched forward, placing his palm on Naruto’s chest so that he could feel his heart through his ribcage. He kissed down Naruto’s jawline, quick little pecks, Sasuke’s breath misting the underside of Naruto’s chin. Against his palm, Sasuke could feel the air traveling through Naruto’s windpipe as he gasped.
Naruto’s body was warmer than his. Save for the times when Naruto was at his thinnest, his body always managed to generate more heat than Sasuke’s. Despite the fact that it was well into the day, the bedroom was chilly. Sasuke appreciated Naruto’s warmth on his bed. He treasured the way the mattress slumped to accommodate his lover’s weight. What would he had been doing now if he hadn’t woken up in time? What if Naruto had decided not to come home with him? Sasuke quickly rerouted his thoughts. This was an eventuality he no longer needed to consider.
Sasuke kissed down the side of Naruto’s neck, and he felt Naruto’s heartbeat quicken. Naruto, knowing that Sasuke could feel each skipped beat of his heart and every missed breath, was tempted to push his hand away. But if it was Sasuke, perhaps this was okay. Naruto brushed the back of his hand against Sasuke abs, which flinched just slightly at the sudden contact. Naruto now placed his palm on Sasuke’s stomach, sliding it up to Sasuke’s chest as Sasuke kissed down his neck.
Naruto pet Sasuke’s back as Sasuke’s kisses went lower, now along Naruto’s collarbone, which was still just a little bit unhealthily prominent. Sasuke’s neck was bent forward. He grasped both of Sasuke’s upper arms, caressing his hands up and down them slowly. Sasuke sucked on Naruto’s earlobe, tugging on it with his teeth. Naruto’s breath ceased momentarily, and Sasuke’s fingers ghosted up and down his spine. Sasuke’s tongue slid up the shell of Naruto’s ear, causing his lover to shudder. Naruto felt some heat flush to his nether regions, redirecting Sasuke’s face so that he could kiss him again.
This time, the kiss was much more heated, Naruto moaning as his tongue lashed against Sasuke’s. Naruto jerked Sasuke closer, their chests now flush against each other. With each inhale, the other male’s chest was pushed in just slightly, panting against each other. The slight layer of sweat caused their skin to stick together just barely. Naruto wrapped his arm against Sasuke, pushing their bodies even more closely together so that they almost seemed to writhe in unison, legs intertwining, stomachs and groins pressed together. Their teeth bumped momentarily as their kisses grew hungrier, and Sasuke pushed Naruto onto his back. He straddled him, wearing nothing but his thin pajama pants.
“S-Sasu…” Naruto breathed out longingly.
Naruto barely stopped himself from moaning at the sight of Sasuke, shirtless and on top of him, his onyx eyes staring down at him with desire. Sasuke rested on his shins, but his body was straight. Naruto reached forward needily, forcing Sasuke downward by his shoulders so that he could kiss Sasuke again.
Naruto’s calloused hand locked onto the hair at the crown of Sasuke’s hair, the other feeling up and down Sasuke’s spine. The rough texture caused Sasuke to shudder. Breaking the kiss, Naruto inclined his body upward with one hand rested on the bed. He kissed Sasuke’s neck, nibbling the skin by his jawbone. Sasuke’s hand blindly groped Naruto’s chest, giving Naruto’s nipple a quick pinch and an apologetic rub. Naruto flinched, moaning quietly but shamelessly.
Sasuke pushed Naruto back down on the bed, kissing down his chest, circling his tongue around Naruto’s areola and flicking it directly over Naruto’s nipple. The cool air contrasted with Sasuke’s warm tongue, causing the sensitive tissue to stand up on end. This was actually mirroring what was happening a little farther down on Naruto’s body. As Sasuke kissed Naruto’s chest, his ass moved backward slightly, brushing Naruto’s forming erection.
This was supposed to be loving and sweet, and Naruto was trying to keep his cool. But dammit, he was only human, and the sight of the shirtless Sasuke’s lips on his chest was enough to arouse even the chastest human being, Naruto mentally insisted. He blushed as Sasuke’s ass brushed against his clothed cock, knowing now that he’d been discovered. Sasuke seemed to pause for a moment, not exactly shocked by the revelation as he elicited a cocky smirk that just about made Naruto want to smack him.
Their motions became more heated, Sasuke’s hands moving up and down Naruto’s chest and abs. All Naruto could think to do with grasp Sasuke’s hair and claw at his back with his other hand. Sasuke was kissing down Naruto’s sternum, then his abs…
Naruto’s cock flinched, and as Sasuke moved down on Naruto’s body, he felt Sasuke’s erection rub against his lower stomach. Sasuke moved so that he was sitting on Naruto’s upper thighs, tugging down Naruto’s pajama pants off of his body as his cock bounced free. Sasuke followed suit, his ruddy erection almost as pronounced as Naruto’s. The top few inches of their cocks, from their tips downwards, pressed against each other – the intimate feeling of their most sensitive flesh brushing against each other.
Naruto moaned. They’d had to be silent for nearly two weeks now, and Naruto would take advantage of today’s opportunity. He hoped Sasuke would as well, because of all the noises that could leave Sasuke’s mouth, these were some of his favorite. Sasuke leaned over and opened the drawer of his bedstand, his hand blindly drifting over Naruto’s note before pulling out a bottle of strawberry-flavored lube. Strawberry was a little sweet for his tastes, but their local pharmacy hadn’t exactly been brimming with options.
Sasuke squeezed some into his hand, allowing the lube, slightly chilled from the winter air, to warm. The room smelled like strawberry for a moment. Holding their cocks together, he allowed the lube to drip down each one before taking both members in his hand and giving them a slow pump. Naruto moved his heel up on the sheets, a blanket sticking with him as he moved.
“Shit, Sasuke…” Naruto breathed out, gazing up at Sasuke amorously.
Their eyes caught. Both of their faces were flushed now as they panted. It seemed that this was one of the most intimate ways one man could touch another man. He loved feeling such a private area of Sasuke’s pressed against his own; it felt taboo and so extremely close. Hurriedly reaching forward, Naruto gripped Sasuke’s free hand tightly in his own. For some reason, this small gesture felt as if this were nearly as intimate of an action as the one performed by Sasuke’s busier hand. Something in Naruto’s touch felt frightened. It felt as if it were desperately seeking reassurance from Sasuke, so Sasuke squeezed back. Their eyes never lost each other’s.
Sasuke’s hand began to pick up pace. They had been moving so slowly before, but now they were both aroused, and restraint was becoming physically painful. Naruto propped himself up, nipping Sasuke’s jawbone and sucking on the flesh underneath it. He left an angry dark purple mark behind – a reminder. Even if he had to leave tomorrow, that mark would stay with Sasuke, staining his ivory skin.
“Nngh,” Sasuke breathed out, reluctantly glad that Naruto had chosen to mark him.
Sasuke channeled his aggression into his movements, pumping them both faster as they kissed each other. They moaned into the kiss without restraint, knowing that no one would hear them now. Sasuke’s mouth parted with Naruto’s, causing Naruto to let out a low sulky groan. He moved lower, kissing down Naruto’s chest as he curled his back. He released his hold on their cocks, quickly taking Naruto’s into his mouth as he pumped his own member furiously.
The strawberry lube mixed with a dribble of precum escaping Naruto’s cock in Sasuke’s mouth. Naruto grabbed at the sheets and twisted his fists, his moans building in volume. He inched his feet up on the sheets, knees bent. Naruto’s hips began to buck, the sudden change of texture setting him off. As Naruto had already been heated up, Sasuke wasted no time in deep throating Naruto.
“Aah!” Naruto cried out, his hips bucking.
Sasuke was in no situation to respond, so he simply moaned against Naruto’s cock. Unable to stave himself off, Naruto rotated his hips in shallow movements, fucking Sasuke’s mouth. Sasuke moved in reverse motion, hungrily taking Naruto in and breathing in deeply through his nose. Luckily, Sasuke didn’t have much of a gag reflex, though he did have a newfound appreciation for what certain females had done for him in the past.
Naruto propped himself up against the wall, looking down and watching Sasuke’s ministrations. He watched how his lips would slide over his cock, Sasuke’s eyes lidded with exertion. When Naruto was most deeply enveloped in Sasuke’s mouth, the Uchiha’s nose just barely brushed against Naruto’s blond curls. Perhaps sensing Naruto’s focused gaze, Sasuke’s eyes flicked up at Naruto, the look on his face some mixture of love and challenge.
“Shit, Sasuke, I’m gonna…” Naruto panted, swallowing to soothe his dry throat. “I’m gonna cum. I can’t…”
In response, Sasuke merely sucked on Naruto harder, seemingly drawing out the orgasm to come. Now, suddenly, Naruto heard so acutely the sucking noises from Sasuke’s mouth on his cock and the frenzied shlick of Sasuke’s hand on his own member. Sasuke’s fingertips gently tapped Naruto’s sack, almost as if he were playing some instrument.
“Oh God, Sasuke…”
Sasuke’s name rolled off of Naruto’s tongue, each syllable spoken as if it were its own word.
“I’m…”
But Naruto couldn’t finish his sentence, his head lashing back as he unleashed into Sasuke’s mouth. To keep from bucking into Sasuke’s mouth, his entire body tensed, eyes squinted shut and his mouth open wide. Sasuke looked up at Naruto, wanting to see the look on his face as he unleashed. At Sasuke’s angle, he could just barely see back into Naruto’s throat, his face a brilliant shade of red. The muscles of Naruto’s stomach clenched and released as Sasuke swallowed. He sucked Naruto dry.
Naruto’s body slouched against the bed, relaxed as he began to catch his breath. He glanced down, and Sasuke’s face was flushed, so obvious against his pale skin. The mark Naruto left on his neck was dark. Sasuke was sitting upright now, balanced on his shins and desperately pumping his cock to join his lover. Naruto silently watched, memorizing the way Sasuke looked at this moment.
“Wait…” Naruto breathed out, bliss in his tone.
Yet “wait” was one of the last words in the English language that Sasuke wanted to hear right now. Naruto placed his hand on Sasuke’s forearm, motioning for him to still his movements. Sasuke was painfully erect, his balls hard. Very reluctantly, he stopped himself, his expression demanding an explanation.
“I want you to cum inside me,” Naruto purred, staring into Sasuke’s eyes.
Despite their situation, Sasuke’s expression almost made Naruto want to laugh. It was a mixture between lascivious longing, impatience, and disbelief, as if Sasuke didn’t know how to react. His jaw opened, ready to give a response, but it soon closed without event. No matter how great the reward, Sasuke didn’t know whether he had the willpower to wait until he’d fully prepped and penetrated Naruto to orgasm. Wait, of course he did. He was a goddamned Uchiha.
Kneeling between Naruto’s legs, Sasuke’s erection raised proudly, Sasuke squeezed some lube on his pointer finger, sliding it into Naruto’s pucker and feeling around. Naruto gasped in quietly, his body tensing. It was almost torturous, having to wait until his lover’s body relaxed, Sasuke’s cock hard and painfully swollen. But Sasuke was taking care of Naruto now. He would be patient. He pet Naruto’s arms and stomach, allowing Naruto to relax.
Fortunately, too many endorphins were coursing through Naruto’s body from his orgasm for him to be nervous or tense, his trusting body adapting quickly to the intrusion. It about killed Sasuke to feel Naruto’s tightness, imagining what it would soon feel like against his yearning erection. Sasuke joined his pointer finger with his middle, lube working its way into Naruto’s ass as Sasuke stretched Naruto out, scissoring his fingers apart. Naruto moaned, greedily pushing himself into Sasuke’s fingers by sliding himself down on the bed. Naruto had rebounded quickly. Sasuke smirked, a bead of precum slowly moving down the head of Sasuke’s cock, down to the shaft.
He thrust these fingers in and out of Naruto, Naruto moving in reverse motions to take in as much as he could. Sasuke’s balls ached, begging for release, his fingers going deeper into Naruto’s ass. How badly did he want to go inside? He imagined the sensations of Naruto’s inner walls, now snugly housing his fingers, against his sensitive organ. Naruto’s face, chest, and shoulders were flushed bright red, and Naruto’s cock was hardening again.
“Sasuke…” Naruto mumbled. It was endearing how slowly Sasuke was taking this, so concerned with making the experience enjoyable. But looking down, Naruto noticed how rock hard his lover was. This restraint was sure to be excruciating. “You don’t have to be so gentle.”
Sasuke grunted and blushed slightly, though this wasn’t very obvious, given that his body had already been so flushed. He wasn’t being gentle. He was just being thorough. Realizing that he’d ruffled Sasuke’s ego, Naruto couldn’t help but smirk.
“I’m ready for you,” Naruto spoke, his voice almost lost to his panting. “All of you. Sasuke, I need it…”
Naruto put his legs far apart, knees bent with the bottoms of his feet against the sheet. Sasuke didn’t need much convincing. He slid his cock over Naruto’s lubed crack, teasing both of them as he glided right over Naruto’s pucker. He moved up, all the way so that Sasuke’s cock reached the back of Naruto’s balls, then down the crack and over Naruto’s entrance down once again. Finally, he guided himself directly over Naruto’s entrance, the head of his cock pressed against the hole. He began to push forward, just enough to cause the skin to indent but not quite enough to penetrate. Sasuke didn’t know whether this was more torturous for him or Naruto, but he was taking pleasure in cherishing the moment, memorizing the intense longing he felt.
“Sasuke….”
Naruto brought himself down, trying to force Sasuke’s cock into his ass. Naruto was quickly growing harder, his own cock bobbing during Sasuke’s efforts. But Sasuke kept his cool.
“Please, Sasuke…” Naruto begged, his voice loving and strangely small. “Show me how much you love me.”
As charged as Sasuke’s hormones were at the moment, this caused Sasuke to pause for just a fraction of a second, glancing down at Naruto. He appeared so perfectly vulnerable at that moment, and the thought occurred to Sasuke that he had such power over Naruto. Naruto had given Sasuke the power to destroy him, but of course, Sasuke wouldn’t. He only wanted to protect Naruto, to love him. He knew that Naruto had this same power over him, but in this moment, he couldn’t regret that.
He moved forward, and the sensation of Naruto’s ass taking in the head of Sasuke’s cock was immensely fulfilling after all of his waiting. Sasuke pushed forward, half way inside of Naruto now, thrusting back and forth shallowly. Naruto gasped sharply. Sasuke didn’t know what to say to Naruto, so he just looked at him, aware that his face spoke for him. Naruto smiled, his head moving up and down against the pillow as Sasuke’s movements became more dramatic.
Sasuke’s body was on top of Naruto’s, so Sasuke kissed Naruto’s shoulder, his neck, his Adam’s apple… It was becoming difficult to hold onto his orgasm, but Sasuke swallowed hard. Naruto’s cock was almost fully hard now, and Sasuke thrust in and out of him, plowing his full length inside. They both swore, writhed, and moaned, their skin clapping against each other. Naruto lifted his legs off of the bed and wrapped them around Sasuke’s waist, crossing his ankles around the small of Sasuke’s back and forcing him even deeper inside.
Sasuke placed all strength into his hips, pounding into Naruto as the headboard of the bed rattled against the wall. Sasuke’s hands gripped Naruto’s thighs roughly, helping Naruto move along with him. Naruto’s jaw fell down, quivering, his brows knit together as a tear began to escape his eye, which was clamped shut.
“Sa…su…”
Naruto could barely speak, his cock pressed against Sasuke’s abs as Sasuke penetrated. Sasuke descended upon Naruto feverishly, both of them moaning as they kissed each other, lips, teeth, and tongues clashing. As Sasuke was brushing Naruto’s prostate, his cock began to leak now. Sasuke could feel his control slipping. Sasuke kissed Naruto’s jawline, up and down Naruto’s neck… Perhaps impetuously, he bit the skin on Naruto’s neck and sucked, leaving a twin mark behind on Naruto, angry and purple. Naruto wasn’t the only one who wanted to be remembered.
Sasuke’s hips collided with Naruto’s ass with each thrust, and Naruto’s legs tightened against Sasuke. Their bodies were flush together, Naruto trying to take Sasuke as deep as he could. And Sasuke, slowly, kissed a scar on Naruto’s cheek, distinctly feeling the skin’s texture against his sore bottom lip. He moved his mouth over to Naruto’s earlobe. Naruto had been expecting Sasuke to lick up the curve of his ear as he had earlier, or perhaps tug on his lobe with his teeth.
But instead, his mouth so close to Naruto’s ear that Naruto could feel Sasuke’s lips move as he spoke, Sasuke whispered, “Naruto… I love you.”
Sasuke’s voice wasn’t as smooth as it generally was, the man winded and raw. This was not a voice of aloof security. It was unsheltered, vulnerable, trusting, and close, so intimately close. Naruto knew now, more than ever, that he’d somehow found his way to Sasuke’s core. Breath hitched in Naruto’s mouth, a couple tears trickling down his face as Sasuke continued, not slacking his pace for a moment. Naruto reached out his hand for Sasuke’s. Sasuke took it without thinking, squeezing it tightly against the bed.
“I love you too, Sasuke…” Naruto spoke, not bothering to whisper as Sasuke had.
Naruto was relieved to hear Sasuke tell him that he loved him under more pleasant circumstances. He had even feared that Sasuke would never say it again. They kissed each other, their mouths moving leisurely now despite Sasuke’s hurried and deep thrusts. Contrasting so acutely with those motions, their tongues pressed together, not even moving for a couple seconds before their tongues curled against each other shyly over the sound of their bodies colliding. But Sasuke couldn’t continue for much longer. His entire lower half seemed flushed and swollen, begging for release. He’d staved off for far too long.
“I can’t…” Sasuke panted out, losing his train of thought quickly. The pleasure he felt as he pumped in and out of Naruto, the friction rubbing against his flesh blissfully, was completely overwhelming. “I’m gonna…”
Naruto latched his hand into Sasuke’s hair, kissing him once again before ordering him, “Cum inside me, Sasu.”
Their lips parted, and Sasuke glanced down at Naruto, watching Naruto try so hard to keep it together. Naruto’s hand grasped Sasuke’s tightly. His cock was completely hard, bouncing with each one of Sasuke’s thrusts.
“Fill me up. Love me.”
Sasuke shoved himself deeply into Naruto, and his body froze, tension taking him by storm. His hips, legs, back, and even his arms shook, fighting to keep his body from collapsing onto Naruto. So painfully delayed, he felt his seed finally spurt deep out into Naruto, his hips involuntarily giving a few shallow bucks. Sasuke thought he would stay quiet for this, but a moan, obviously his but born entirely without his permission, loudly filled the room.
Naruto watched Sasuke closely, his face a light pink, hair slightly disheveled. As Sasuke moaned, he tilted his head back, his Adam’s apple showing prominently. He quickly curled his head downwards, allowing it to hang over Naruto. Naruto looked up to find Sasuke’s eyes clamped shut, mouth agape with the slight upward curl of his lip’s corners. He was the one who had made Sasuke feel this way. He was the one who Sasuke loved.
For all the waiting, the release had been even more pleasurable. Sasuke was unable to process anything of the world around him, strong pleasure hijacking his senses. It fired from his cock, throughout his pelvic area, his lower body, and his torso, like a lightning bolt. Now it was Sasuke’s hand that squeezed Naruto’s as Sasuke willed his body to relax and just feel this overwhelming ecstasy. As Sasuke spurted again, he let out another moan, this one quieter.
He’d gone dry, his breath shuddering as he finally came to his senses. He pulled out of Naruto slowly, his wet cock slipping out easily. Sasuke fell off to the side, for a few seconds too distracted by his own body to pay much attention to Naruto. Sasuke looked peaceful, almost as if he might drift off while lying on his side, his ruffled hair, now just barely wavy, splayed on the blanket. He was only now coming to his senses. He heard the sound of Naruto’s hand, moving hurriedly, and Naruto’s panting.
He glanced over to find Naruto desperately pumping his cock, fingering his now empty ass. His digits were lubricated by what Sasuke had left behind. Naruto’s chest lurched upward, precum dribbling down Naruto’s knuckles as he pumped himself. Naruto didn’t bother to hold back; he wanted it too badly for that. If the view hasn’t been so distracting, Sasuke might have felt a little guilty over not taking care of Naruto’s need. Yet in his euphoric post-orgasmic state, all Sasuke could do was contently watch Naruto, analyzing and memorizing every detail.
Naruto’s hand stopped for a moment, neck arching up on the bed as he moaned. His body tensed as he unleashed, cum coating his thighs, hand, and stomach. His body collapsed on the bed as he placed his hands back on the sheets, staring upwards listlessly as he caught his breath. Sasuke tilted Naruto’s face towards him, kissing him lethargically. After their lips parted, their faces were only inches from each other’s.
“I do love you, Sasuke,” Naruto told Sasuke through lidded eyes. “Uchiha Sasuke,” he added playfully.
Naruto was covered, and the sheets were a mess. Neither of them cared particularly. They were honestly still feeling too good to think about much of anything practical, yielding to the comfort of Sasuke’s mattress.
“You’re not so bad yourself, Uzumaki Naruto.”
Naruto glanced back at Sasuke with wry amusement. This really was difficult for Sasuke, wasn’t it? Sasuke took a breath in. It was easier to say these words in the heat of the moment, but during such a time, he wouldn’t pass up on a chance to make Naruto happy.
“Yeah, yeah,” Sasuke grumbled. “I love you too.”

Author's Note: Hope you all enjoyed, because I think I might've given myself cavities writing this. Tell me what you think. :) Anyhow, 'til next Sunday.
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